I think we are well advised to keep on nodding terms with the people we used to be, whether we find them attractive company or not. Otherwise they turn up unannounced and surprise us, come hammering on the mind’s door at 4 a.m. of a bad night and demand to know who deserted them, who betrayed them, who is going to make amends. Joan Didion
I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what I’m looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear. Joan Didion
Short stories demand a certain awareness of one’s own intentions, a certain narrowing of the focus. Joan Didion
When it comes to design – the Victorians did it better. Nothing quite matches these 19th Century comparative river and mountain maps for exquisite hand-drawn detail, meticulous scale and luminous beauty. It makes me wonder, how can anyone not love old maps?
Up close – (1836) Andriveau Goujon Comparative Mountains and Rivers Chart. Wikipedia
A New Cartographic Convention
One of the forerunners for this kind of map is a comparative map of mountains by Thomson in 1817.
(1817) A comparative map of mountains by Thomson in 1817.
This was closely followed by William Home Lizar’s ‘A Comparative view of the principle rivers of Scotland’in 1822, one of the first comparative river charts of its kind. Click to see the larger image
(1822) William_Home_Lizar’s A Comparative view of the principle rivers of Scotland
Moving Mountains and Rivers
Darton & Gardner’s 1823 Mountains and Rivers chart brings together two in spectacular fashion. Another notable addition is William Darton’s 1823 “New and Improved View of the Comparative Heights of the Principal Mountains and Lengths of the Principal Rivers In The World”. Click to see the larger image
(1823)Darton and Gardner. New and Improved View of the Comparative Heights, of the Principal Mountains and Lengths of the Principal Rivers in the World.
Pièce de Résistance
The grandest comparative map of them all has to be the Andriveau & Goujon Comparative Mountains and Rivers Chart. This is where comparative mapping reaches its zenith. On one gigantic sheet, Andriveau & Goujon not only compare and contrast the heights of mountains and the lengths of rivers, but also add a table of waterfalls, show volcanic activity, levels of plant growth and tree lines, and add select cities and European buildings. They even incorporates the achievements of the balloonist Gay-Lussac who ascended to 7000 meters in 1804. Click to see the larger image
(1836) Andriveau Goujon Comparative Mountains and Rivers Chart. Wikipedia
Nowadays you can find these works of art used as iPhone and iPad covers.
As darkness falls over Asakusa in Tokyo, loads of locals who have just finished work head to their favourite local restaurant for some amazing and succulent ramen. A lady brandishes a treat in the air and makes her Chiba Inu jump and twirl for the entertainment of passers-by. Salarymen and tourists on their third or fourth beer start getting rowdy. Everyone is eating, drinking, laughing, yelling and having a good time…it’s just wonderful!
Only got a weekend in Melbourne, but want to experience the best of an Aussie summer? The Mornington Peninsula is where to go. This is where the locals flock for the best beaches and laid back holiday vibe. Located in the south east of Melbourne, it’s my original stomping ground and so I know it well.
Although I’m from there, I have never treated my own city as a tourist would. However this month I went back to visit family for a month, with the intention of taking my boyfriend on a whistle-stop tour of the best that the Mornington Peninsula has to offer. This time around I saw it through different eyes and was amazed.
The Best Wild Beach – Balnarring
Balnarring Beach is a wonderland of wild and unkept beauty. Balnarring is a little wayside hamlet that exists in the south eastern part of the Mornington Peninsula, about 69 kilometres from Melbourne city centre. As such it’s within reachable distance by car within about an hour.
The beach lies on Western Port Bay and is the more wild and natural counterpart of the bustling and busy Port Phillip Bay.
Why Visit?
A lack of visitors here means you will have deserted beaches to yourself with plenty of room to sunbake in peace.
Unkept natural wonders like unusual rock formations, rockpools containing crabs, fish and other wild things – ideal for fossicking and beach-combing.
Wild surf that’s ideal for surfing, body boarding, or if you’re feeling less energetic: whale and dolphin watching.
The Best Family Friendly Beach – Mother’s Beach, Mornington
This beach in the suburb of Mornington in Melbourne’s south east (57 kilometres from central Melbourne) is a family favourite. In fact this beach is ideal for anyone who wants to experience the beach in summer, but who wants the option of shady trees right at the shoreline. This beach is deceptively close to all of Mornington’s amenities and shops. Yet there is a feeling of snug isolation due to the cove-like cliffs that nestle close to the shore.
Why Visit
Plentiful shade to escape into for those unbearably hot Aussie summer days.
Safe, shallow, waveless and clear water for visitors who are paranoid about sharks or who aren’t strong swimmers
Plentiful soft sand for lazing.
Amazing cafes, restaurants and fish and chips within five minutes walking distance.
Amenities like toilets and BBQs close by.
Overlooks a pretty and vibrant marina.
The Best Hidden Beach – Davey’s Bay, Mount Eliza
A secret beach that is loved by locals and left in tranquil isolation from visitors. Located in the upper class suburb of Mount Eliza, it’s one of the only public beaches with public access that very rarely gets used as it’s hidden away so well.
Davey’s Bay is located in Melbourne’s south east, about 5 kilometres from Frankston and 48 kilometres from central Melbourne. This quiet tree lined cove has gentle waves (like most of Port Phillip Bay) and also plenty of interesting flotsam and jetsam for beach combing. There are no beach houses here and the place is left wild and in relative isolation, yet it’s still a part of metropolitan Melbourne.
Davey’s Bay pier
To get there, follow the directions to Davey’s Bay yacht club in Mount Eliza and once you step onto the walking track, turn left to get to the deserted beach rather than right to go into the Yacht Club.
Now this is undoubtedly contentious! I am speaking from my own personal experience. I was blown away with how good DOC was. However I’m sure you will find many other places to enjoy on the Mornington Peninsula, as it’s a foodie’s dream.
Why Visit?
Fresh, simple yet luxurious Italian food that has won awards and many devoted fans in Melbourne. There are always lines, but the food is absolutely cracking and totally worth the wait!
A reasonable price point compared to other mid-range restaurants.
A genuine Italian experience with all staff speaking to each other in their mother-tongue.
Sit inside of alfresco facing the bustle of Mornington’s main street.
Try the sweet pizza. Sounds crappy and I was dubious myself until I tried it and loved it. And I’m not even a dessert person.
The Best Budget Place to Eat – Sofia’s By the Bay, Frankston
This restaurant is located right next to Frankston pier on Frankston Beach. Sofia’s has garnered a strong reputation in the past decade that it’s been open. As a part of the Frankston foreshore redevelopment, this restaurant has definitely added a buzzing vibe to the area. Open morning, noon and night during the summer – there is an extensive wine and beer list, as well as cocktails.
Why Visit?
A modern and comfortable restaurant with unobstructed views of Port Phillip Bay and Frankston Beach.
Efficient, fast service and budget-friendly prices.
Enormous portions (some would argue too large), but ideal for the ravenous beach-goer. Don’t order the starter or dessert as the main is enough to completely fill you up!
Cheap booze and decent coffee. So ideal for a lazy brunch, long dinner and everything in between.
A broad selection of European-Australian cuisine. Including crowd-favourites like the parmagiana, salt and pepper squid and fish and chips.
The Best Day Out – Moonlit Sanctuary, Pearcedale
Moonlit Sanctuary is located about 50 kilometres south east of central Melbourne in the outer south eastern suburb of Pearcedale.
This is a relatively new native animal sanctuary that opened in 2001. Formerly a pony club, the refurbishment was a mammoth task on 25 acres (10 hectares) of land. This includes a modern, environmentally sensitive visitors centre. The planting of 10,000 native Australian trees and plants and a 2 acre wetland.
A totally hands-on experience! Buy some feed for $3 and get up close and personal with kangaroos, birds, emus and wallabies. They will allow you to touch them and not get freaked out.
30 different native species of animals including the big Aussie icons like kangaroos and koalas, as well as many other species such as owls, dingoes, reptiles, birds, wallabies and possums.
Many endangered species of birds and mammals have a breeding programme here, such as the Squirrel Gliders, Orange Bellied Parrots and Spot-tailed Quolls.
Protected from native and introduced predators by a 1.2 km electrified fence.
The 2 acre wetland with lake attracts local water fowl that have set up home in this predator-free environment.
We have lived in Auckland for the past four years and every other day, I walk the length of Tamaki drive, a long 8 km sea-skimming road that is bike and pedestrian friendly. Although the city itself can be a pretty bland and tiresome, the walk along Tamaki drive is always different depending on the season, weather and time of day. The mood is dictated by the interplay of sky, water and earth and going on that 12 km return loop always refreshes and revives my mind, body and soul.
Very little can prepare you for how full on Akihabara or Electric Town is in Tokyo. This is the mecca for nerds and gamers, it has more square metres of computer shops here than anywhere else in the world. You can buy anything electronic here. Including ancient computers, gigantic robotic dinosaurs, sex robots, a gazillion different kinds of sex toys and anything your imagination can possibly conjure. On every corner there is a maid cafe, or an owl cafe or cat cafe. The human-led entertainment (maid cafes) are just as cringy, sickly-sweet and exploitative as the anmal cafes. The place is insane. Personally, I didn’t really like this place much, it was overwhelming. Although if you love computers, anime, hentai or gaming, you will LOVE this place.
In the past I’ve showcased Scorpion Dagger’s Renaissance era GIFs. This takes the classical art mash-up one step further with hilarious results. B4 XVI (Before Sixteen) explores the often overlooked visual and cultural similarities between hip hop poseurs and medieval aristocrats. Hey it’s all got to be referenced from somewhere, right? One from the deep and dark vaults of the internet.
Lammas, also known by its gaelic name Lughnasadh is a time for remembering gratitude, and how abundance has come into your life. It’s a time for giving thanks to the universe for all that has come to fruition and all that is still to come.
This feel-good documentary is set in Reykjavík, Iceland on corner of Ásvallagata and Blómvallagata streets. Where there is a little unassuming grocery store called simply Kjötborg or Corner Shop.
Two brothers own and run the local shop, which they inherited from their parents. This is the last bastion of stores like this, as many others have gone broke due to the proliferation of department stores and supermarkets.
The store has a friendly and personalised service and the brothers go beyond the call of duty for the locals. They know everyone by name. And the store, based on its immense heart and kindness has become a community and social epicentre of the area. The brothers will order in anything to the store and get it for you. There is a real sense of old style community and humanity in this film, it’s the ultimate feel-good documentary and it makes the mundane, everyday world of people into something very beautiful and inspiring.
Click the image to watch the full documentary
As far as I can tell, following the release of the documentary 10 years ago, the brothers and their store continue to do healthy trade. The film has made them into local legends and tourist attractions in their own right.
The best part is, you can watch the entire 48 minute documentary on Vimeo for free! It will be 48 minutes of having your faith restored in humanity, you will love it!
In the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. David Foster Wallace
I love this quote from David Foster Wallace. In this new year of 2019 what idols false or true do you follow and want to now cease following? It’s so easy to fall into traps and potholes everywhere to make us feel less-than. The main thing is that you are aware of the potholes and can artfully swerve around them as needed.
Content Catnip 
You must be logged in to post a comment.