This is not Newcastle.

Shocking irreverence in the empire! Dressing-up Queen Victoria and Albert-the-good-prince-consort. All from the outlandish folk in Sydney who also produced weekend reading which left me flabbergast and included:
...inspired as the work of architect Joern Utzon (Opera House) is...turban of scampi - melting shellfish in a corduroy-like wrapping of spaghettine with an irresistible lemon and sterling caviar sauce.

Waiters, runners and sommeliers slide, glide and pirouette in a ... performance that would do the Australian Ballet proud.

Among ingredients for salad. 32 small French breakfast radishes. 32 small cherry bell redishes. Pink Turnips. Ligurian olives. Red marble or red eschallot onions. Creme fraiche. Goat's curd. Mugolio Italian pine bud extract. 32 sweet violets. Punnet each of blood vein sorrel; red garnet; bulls blood or beetroot leaves. Served with tiny crisp goat's curd cigars. 
From Good Food Guide. The Sydney Moring Herald. 25 Sep 2010. On celebrity chefs.

Top that with a nation-wide church reading this Sunday!...from prophet Amos...
Woe to those ensconced so snugly in Zion
and to those who feel so safe on the mountain of Samaria,
Lying on ivory beds 
and sprawling on their divans,
they dine on lambs from the flock, and stall-fattened veal;
they bawl to the sound of the harp, they invent new instruments of music like David,
they drink wine by the bowlful, and use the finest oil for themselves,
but about the ruin of Joseph they do not care at all.
That is why they will be the first to be exiled;
the sprawlers' revelry is over.

My gross weight: remains on 81.5kg. After a month of weighing etc at least it has not increased.

The 'nerve centre' of the Dungog Film Fest was 'getting traction' before the event and was 'spade ready'.
'Done Sundance, done Cannes, Dungog'!

Dungog Film Festival is specially for those who love Aussie films. Stone Bros, shown at the opening last night, was yet another classic and many others are shown over these three days. Simply the best!

In this very small, quiet, conservative country town, an hour or so north of Newcastle, last night's dinner was nicely up-market and 'song' from the outlandish Paul Capsis was just right.
Although, small is beautiful, the arrangments grow more complex so as to appease big city visitors. Mining interests are an assertive sponsor of the event.