Paddington

Yesterday I spent the afternoon wandering around Paddington. It seemed that cool was lurking everywhere I walked. From excellent bookstores to funky fashion boutiques, from little chocolate shops to art galleries, Paddington seemed to have it all. I was particularly taken with a row of houses (once again fusing stonework with beautiful wrought iron work) that were converted into shops on the first floor. It was such a neat alternative for a commercial street. I was also very impressed with the conversion of the Paddington Water Reservoir into some very swanky and new living units.

In the evening, I attended gallery openings at the Australian Centre for Photography and ArtSpace. It was my first introduction into the art scene of Sydney and I have to say I was a bit mixed in reaction. Maybe I was a little tired from all the walking I had done, but there were a few instances, especially at the ACP, where I wasn’t that impressed with the quality of the work or the professionalism of the presentation. I had seen an incredible exhibit of Fiona Foley’s work at the MCA as well as a very moving and delicate series of video installations by Lynette Wallworth at CarriageWorks. So all is not lost.

After my long wandering expedition, I came back home to a glorious sunset at the top of the hill, stretching into the city, a mist rising. It sent chills down my spine. Take a look…