For 3+ weeks between March and/or April every year Melbourne welcomes hundreds of comics that participate in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Since arriving in Melbourne in 2007, I have attended the Comedy Festival every year.
My first year was not a great experience. Lauren and I went to see a UK comedian Daniel Kitson, he was getting rave reviews from The Age critics and other critics. I learnt my lesson don't trust critics when it involves something subjective as comedy. Lauren and I didn't really laugh nor were we entertained. His routine was the story of his life and the humour in it. We were not amused.
In 2008 we decided to skip the Comedy Festival, but I won free tickets to see an Australian comedian, whose name I no longer remember. He was in a small venue and was riffing on his life. He was not funny and again neither entertaining. Because we were out on a Saturday night to see comedy, I also booked tickets to see another comedy act, a Canadian improv group. I had a great time at this show, it was funny and entertaining. I laughed a lot during the show.
In 2009 Lauren and I decided to take Lauren's father to see a female comic who is also a ventriloquist - Nina Conti. Lauren and I had seen her on various TV shows and specials. We found her quite entertaining. At her show Evolution, she was very entertaining, but I would not say funny. She did get laughs from the audience but I didn't find her or her monkey funny.
So overall after seeing 4 shows, I have only found one show to be really funny and that was a Canadian improv group.
Last year we did go to a local venue to see comedy that was hosted by Ross Noble. He was very funny, but the acts that were performing were not very funny.
Comedy is a very subjective thing and there are many styles of comedy and comedians for all the variety of people out there. I feel this urge to experience live comedy but so far have not been fulfilled. But I will keep going in the hope of experiencing something new or truly funny.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Australian Comfort Food
Last week Lauren and I decided to go out for dinner and I was in the mood for something tasty, hearty and just plain delicious. As we had the use of a car we decided to head to the inner-city suburb of Fitzroy, which is only about a 10-15 minute drive from where we live. We went to the Napier Hotel, a pub which is not on a major street. You would have to know where it is located to go there.
The Napier Hotel
It's a place which serves hearty pub food, Australia pub food at a great price. You can get Chicken Schnitzel sandwich, Lamb shanks, Steak Sandwich's, Seafood, Curries, Pasta and variety of other food listed on the blackboard specials and what Lauren and I came for the Kangaroo.
This isn't your typical pub, the food served at the Napier is of high quality and relatively cheap for the amount you get.
For the first year I was in Australia, I did not have Kangaroo. It wasn't until sometime probably in the second half of 2008 when I first had Kangaroo. I had it at the Napier and was it ever delicious.
The Kangaroo is severed like a steak, about 3 small thick pieces. It is served medium and it is tender, it is marinated in oil and black pepper. It is served with a bearnaise sauce and comes with shoestring fries and a green salad. The salad is made up mostly of various type of lettuce, a few slices of cumber and tomatoes.
The taste of the kangaroo with the bearnaise sauce and the shoe string fries is a taste to die for. It is so tasty that you just want to keep eating and eating and you don't want the feeling and taste to stop. But alas it must but you can wash it down with a local (Melbourne/Victoria) or Australian beer or a very tasty Lemon, Lime and Bitters, my drink of choice at the Napier.
The Napier pub is one of those pubs which is welcoming, friendly and serves great food. Now when I want some comfort food or just a good feed, the Napier Hotel is my first choice.
The Napier HotelThis isn't your typical pub, the food served at the Napier is of high quality and relatively cheap for the amount you get.
For the first year I was in Australia, I did not have Kangaroo. It wasn't until sometime probably in the second half of 2008 when I first had Kangaroo. I had it at the Napier and was it ever delicious.
The Kangaroo is severed like a steak, about 3 small thick pieces. It is served medium and it is tender, it is marinated in oil and black pepper. It is served with a bearnaise sauce and comes with shoestring fries and a green salad. The salad is made up mostly of various type of lettuce, a few slices of cumber and tomatoes.
The taste of the kangaroo with the bearnaise sauce and the shoe string fries is a taste to die for. It is so tasty that you just want to keep eating and eating and you don't want the feeling and taste to stop. But alas it must but you can wash it down with a local (Melbourne/Victoria) or Australian beer or a very tasty Lemon, Lime and Bitters, my drink of choice at the Napier.
The Napier pub is one of those pubs which is welcoming, friendly and serves great food. Now when I want some comfort food or just a good feed, the Napier Hotel is my first choice.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
What’s happening in Australia ?
Here is a brief synopsis of what’s been happening in Australia recently:
Stimulus Money
In February the Federal government announced a stimulus package to help combat the economic downturn. In April the money has started flowing to individuals.
- If you earn less than 80,000 a year you will receive $900
- If you earn between 80,001 and 90,00 you will receive $600
- If you earn between 90,001 and 100,000 you will receive $250
In the past few weeks there have been many sales enticing people to spend their stimulus package money. It will not be known until the next quarter if this will help stimulate the economy. But many analysts are predicting people will save the money for a rainy day.
Qantas cuts jobs
Qantas is the world’s second oldest airline and is an Australian institution, similar to Bell in Canada. Qantas employs about 36,000 people in Australia and around the world. On Tuesday April 14, 2009, Qantas announced it was cutting 1,750 jobs, which is in addition to 1,500 jobs cut last year.
The job cuts are in response to the downturn in the aviation industry especially on international routes. In addition to the jobs cuts, Qantas is doing the following:
- Deferring delivery of 4 Airbus A380 aircrafts for up to a year
- Deferring delivery of 12 737-800 and 15 787 Dreamliners
- Grounding 10 planes and selling them
- Reducing capacity by 5% on international and domestic routes
- Capacity cut on high-frequency, low-cost routes such as Melbourne to Sydney
All of this is done to stop profit loss from the down turn and increased competition. Last year Qantas could charge $2000 in low-mid season for flights to London and Los Angeles. Now you can go to London for $1300 and Los Angeles for $1000 return all taxes and surcharges included.
Rudd-Net
In early April, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced a national broadband network which would bring fibre to the home for 90% of Australians. The government would build this network through its own private/public company at an estimated cost of $43 billion dollars. It would take 8-10 years to be completed and would increase speeds by 100 times, faster than what is currently available.
For Mr. Rudd this is an election promise from 2007 that he is acting on. According to Rudd, “this is a huge enabler for the Australia economy for the 21st century” and “This is a very big project”.
There are many questions that have not been answered. Such as the real cost of the project over the 8 – 10 year period. How much it will cost the consumer to access this super fast network. Some industry estimates are saying between $100 – 200/month. At that cost who is going to pay for it ?
Stimulus Money
In February the Federal government announced a stimulus package to help combat the economic downturn. In April the money has started flowing to individuals.
- If you earn less than 80,000 a year you will receive $900
- If you earn between 80,001 and 90,00 you will receive $600
- If you earn between 90,001 and 100,000 you will receive $250
In the past few weeks there have been many sales enticing people to spend their stimulus package money. It will not be known until the next quarter if this will help stimulate the economy. But many analysts are predicting people will save the money for a rainy day.
Qantas cuts jobs
Qantas is the world’s second oldest airline and is an Australian institution, similar to Bell in Canada. Qantas employs about 36,000 people in Australia and around the world. On Tuesday April 14, 2009, Qantas announced it was cutting 1,750 jobs, which is in addition to 1,500 jobs cut last year.
The job cuts are in response to the downturn in the aviation industry especially on international routes. In addition to the jobs cuts, Qantas is doing the following:
- Deferring delivery of 4 Airbus A380 aircrafts for up to a year
- Deferring delivery of 12 737-800 and 15 787 Dreamliners
- Grounding 10 planes and selling them
- Reducing capacity by 5% on international and domestic routes
- Capacity cut on high-frequency, low-cost routes such as Melbourne to Sydney
All of this is done to stop profit loss from the down turn and increased competition. Last year Qantas could charge $2000 in low-mid season for flights to London and Los Angeles. Now you can go to London for $1300 and Los Angeles for $1000 return all taxes and surcharges included.
Rudd-Net
In early April, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced a national broadband network which would bring fibre to the home for 90% of Australians. The government would build this network through its own private/public company at an estimated cost of $43 billion dollars. It would take 8-10 years to be completed and would increase speeds by 100 times, faster than what is currently available.
For Mr. Rudd this is an election promise from 2007 that he is acting on. According to Rudd, “this is a huge enabler for the Australia economy for the 21st century” and “This is a very big project”.
There are many questions that have not been answered. Such as the real cost of the project over the 8 – 10 year period. How much it will cost the consumer to access this super fast network. Some industry estimates are saying between $100 – 200/month. At that cost who is going to pay for it ?
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