29.1.08

SHOW OF THE WEEK

Who's a pretty poly?

Apologies to the talented Emma Davies whos show opens this Saturday at Nellie Castan Gallery for the bad puns and the old image. We tried 'polypropylene queen' and 'plastic fantastic' but we went with an even worse pun for the title of this entry. Thankfully the show is just called Emma Davies. Drinks with the artist Sat between 3-5. We'll be there and we'll try to play it cool. Show runs until the 23 Feb. Level 1/12 River St South Yarra (not far from the station).

26.1.08

RIDE OF THE WEEK

suburban safari
Thanks again to everyone that chipped in with recipe suggestions for the harvest overload. We are happy to report that we have managed to whip up a few beauts - a delicious cherry tomato and potato fritatta, numerous Thai inspired gourd dishes and even the zucchini, feta and mint fritters as mentioned by Miss PenPen. We're also planning some yum-berry chutney (thanks Dell and Shula for the hot tip) so fingers crossed we'll have a delicious staff meeting breakfast to brag about sometime next week!
In the meantime we spotted this, just around the quarters from HML headquarters...

Long lean and lime green with the full quota of chrome, louvre blinds and official 'VIP' credentials we couldn't go past this Valiant Safari as the ride of the week. We also think is it would make the most perfect H.M.L.MOBILE... (hint hint to the owner if you're reading ha ha)

23.1.08

HARVEST OF THE WEEK

See this is what happens if you leave the garden for a week, and it rains in the meantime... now what are we going to do with all of these oversized zucchini and buckets of 'yumberries'???

21.1.08

SHOW OF THE WEEK

people in glass houses...
The ladies of HML are always intrigued by a little cross pollination when it comes to craft. Of course combining it with music is not unusual but even we were impressed with the collaboration between glass artist Elaine Miles and percussionist/composer Eugene Ughetti with their work Intermezzo now on display at the Fracture gallery at Fed Square
The Fracture gallery is that weird no persons land between the two walls as you enter to get to the NGV. We know it's hard to invisage a time when we'd be organised to go into to see the peformance at 9.15 on Thurs Fri or Sat of this and next week...
that being said we were intrigued by what seemed an endless amount (1400 in actual fact) of permutations of tradional instruments created out of a non traditional medium. We'd would love to know how it all sounds....
As an installation it is mysterious and curious. We were desperate to slip in between those walls to have a play..
we'll have to wait til the end of the week to really experience the full effect of The Glass Percussion Project.

18.1.08

CRAFT FIND OF THE WEEK

Look what we just spotted!

ewww that pun was terrible, see this is what happens if you try posting before the morning caffeine hit, sorry readers. Anyway out and about this week we came across these hand carved and painted polka dot knitting needles which were enough to get us thinking about winter woolies even though the mercury was tipping 30.
Red, Hot Pink, Pale Pink, Orange, Purple, Bright Green, Pale Green and Bright Blue ends all hand painted in non toxic premium quality paint with the timber needles all made from sustainable forest plantations and finished with organic oil to help those stitches sliiiiiiiiide...
Of course we snaffled some straight up even though we'd promised ourselves no spending in january (well come on people it's nearly the end of the month isnt it!) We found ours at perennial HML fave store Wilkins and Kent on Brunswck street but if you head to the artviva website you can find a whole list of stockists that might be closer to where you are.
click clack.

16.1.08

WEBSITE OF THE WEEK

scando heaven

It's not like the ladies of HML to recommend you waste your precious online minutes perusing the websites of monolithic design companies but we were so inspired by Marimekko's spring 08 range that we knew a few of you textile freaks out there would love to be pointed in that direction for some inspirtation.We are oh-so tired of the sillhouetted woodland creature, laser cut lace pattern and overblown native fauna repeat that still seem to be proliferating the marketplace. So we were easily wooed by the Finlandian fun - yes there are still forrests, but there is also the deep blue sea - and lots and lots of colour...a sight for sore and cynical eyes...
www.marimekko.com

14.1.08

pause button

SHOW OF THE WEEK With all the small galleries closed, school holidays on and craft types in post-christmas recovery, this is a really time to watch various sports (cricket for napping, tennis for yelling at the tv) or getting out to all the giganto institutions that feel more like a year 9 excursion than a good day out.
The Intern (age 13) absolutely loved the show currently on at ACMI - a showcase of the work of too-groovy-to-groove American DJ artiste Christian Marclay. Don't be put off by the description ("combining pop culture cool and Avan Guarde edge!" - who writes that stuff?) it really is a fantastic show. Too ften the ACMI shows seem to be all over the place - jumping from one theme to another as you stumble round in the dark being assaulted by sound and light - this time round being the work of just one guy it feels cohesive and in parts quite inspiring. Marclay has a sense of humour too - never a bad thing.

And for a measly $5 you can also catch the afternoon screening of Surfs Up - one of the funniest and most underrated animated movies of recent years. We'd take this one over Happy Feet any time. The laides of HML are big fans of animation (childhood passion) and even if it isn't your cuppa tea it might be fun to do something different to get you out of the Jan slump. Surfs up has great character development, terrific story (penguin surf championships!) and the voice of Jeff Bridges - the ultimate dude...

Rockin!

4.1.08

GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE

...fools seldom differ.
This Christmas it took us an age to exchange presents at HML headquarters - too many family lunches, last minute relative drop-ins, trips to the seaside and general celebratory activities kept us apart on the big day, so it was only yesterday that we managed to get it together and play pass the parcel.
Funnily enough when the big guns came out (so to speak) we discovered that not only had we both gone Ikea crazy with the wrapping paper and presented our edible crimble specialties in the same IKEA container... we'd also managed to out think each other on the gift items.
Ramona bought Beck the Richard E Grant wah wah diaries book, Beck had originally thought of for Ramona, and Beck had bought the very ceramic NYC coffee cup Ramona had toyed with buying Beck.

we don't usually like to boast but we think this was an excellent piece of mind reading work by the hml team!

2.1.08

school's out for summer

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
We aren't going to blather on about new years resolutions - the ladies of HML are entering into quite a momentous year and have no room for self improvement! We are more like the little engines that could, and will, make it up the hill that looms in front of us in the form of the next 12 crazy months. We certainly hope you got to see the new year in in style - we watched it on tv with loved ones and that to us was juuuuuuust perfect
As it's skool hols we thought we might point out some cool stuff to take your interns and work experience kids too. There is a top drawer exhibition of books called Mirror of the World on at the State Library. We know, yawn yawn, but when was the last time you actually went to the State Library? It is absolutely beautiful, quiet, free and more to the point you CAN'T BUY ANYTHING ON SALE there - a blessed relief. And we are suckers for first editions of On The Road, artists books and illuminated manuscripts from the 1400's - unbelievable treasures on dsiplay in the dome gallery. Just trust us on this one - take the afternoon off and rejuvenate yourself. It's not as good as a day in salt water - but for city-bound folk it is an oasis.