Sculptures by the Sea and White Rabbit Art Gallery

Yesterday, I literally locked myself in  my room all day to do homework- sad, but true. I only left my room to make food and go to the gym. However, I finished my homework for the week and had all of today free- a great trade off in my eyes.

Dogman and Rabbit lady on Donkey sculpture by Tamarama 

Sculpture on Tamarama Beach 

Sculpture on Tamarama Beach 

I slept in and headed off for my beloved walk from Coogee to Bondi. I love the views and it is great to actually do a form of chilled out exercise outdoors (I guess it is glorified hiking). Anyways, the Sculptures by the Sea thing just started, which is basically 100 pieces of commissioned sculptures throughout the beaches and parks between Tamarama and Bondi. They were really amazing and I took photos. The one thing I did not like was how many people were clogging the path- I had never seen so many people walking the narrow beach paths before, but I guess it is good so many people came out to see the sculptures. I also went into an indoor gallery area to see smaller pieces, which were equally as cool. One of my favorite pieces were the colored dinosaurs- just ridiculous and amazing all in one. I guess there was also the beginning of a surf competition at Bondi and live music, which I partially paid attention to as I laid in the sand.

Dinosaurs! (Sculptures by the Sea)

After a bit of relaxing under the sun, I headed back into the city. I had been wanting to try a bubble tea shop near where I live called Happy Lemon and it was actually open when I walked by, so I had to get something. I had been craving a green tea soy latte, but they had so many varieties of that, plus a free tea deal with any purchase. I settled on a green tea with adzuki bean and pudding "specialty drink" and a kumquat lemon tea- both amazing. I think my only mistake was not getting a large. So far, Happy Lemon has been the best bubble tea/ tea shop I have been to in Sydney and I will probably go again- it was REALLY good. Apparently, there is a Happy Lemon on Main Street in Flushing, Queens, which means I know where I am stopping after visiting World Ice Arena!

Sculptures by the Sea 

After having a life changing boba experience, I waltzed over to White Rabbit Gallery (a privately owned, but free to the public, contemporary Chinese art gallery in Redfern). The gallery was really amazing and the pieces were hand picked by the owner of the gallery, who regularly makes visits to China and Taiwan to pick up art because she can and she is painstakingly rich. I also really love contemporary art, so it was a treat to see local contemporary art outdoors by the beaches and then Chinese contemporary art in the gallery. A lot of the pieces were not at all what I expected of "Chinese art" because a lot of the works were very political and some even anti-government. Overall, I wanted most of the pieces in the imaginary apartment I don't have. When I do get an apartment, I will name it something like Sir Richard III. Oh, and one of the security guards at White Rabbit Gallery was hitting on me, so that meant it was time to leave because talking to people just wouldn't be anti-social.

Is he falling into the branches or struggling for freedom? Is the red blood or flowers? (White Rabbit Gallery)

In other less interesting news related to school, I wrote a kick ass paper about two contemporary Indigenous Australian art pieces and this is what they look like:

Esme Timbery’s “Shellworked Slippers” at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia

 

Jonathan Jones’ “untitled (oysters and teacups)” 

from the 18th Biennale of Sydney at Cockatoo Island

Also, I am published again(!):   http://nyunews.com/index.php/2012/10/19/habits/

And for fun, here are some picks from when I was in Canberra (supposedly the most boring place in all of Australia):

The Big Merino (yes, you can climb the inside of the giant sheep)

A wall covered in postcards inside one of the ANU (Australian National University) bars

Canberra city view

Australian War Memorial

View from Parliament

Floriade

Other other news is that I made my schedule for next semester (lots of business classes) and my parents are going on vacation- again. This week, I will have an extra Aboriginal art class, an all day Journalism field trip Friday, and then a visit to the Blue Mountains on Saturday. This week is going to be busy!

A domani!