Helvetica

Using upper case in your sentences is good practice

I do not wish to talk about my loathing of all CAPP words or using italics in sentences in design. I would like to talk about my love of Helvetica and the way it was used in the New York underground. The New York stations are now designated with single letters or numbers. The signage uses a version of Aksidenz Grotesk, a precursor to Helvetica. The signage was easy to read and like Helvetica is refined, clean and simple…..and yes it does follow the Swiss method of the grid and the way one can place words and letters in that space. Power to the font that has been so over used in the last 20 years. I love sans serif. Who wants to see wiggly bits on the end of letters.

Lars Mueller published a book around Helvetica. I have seen three films about Helvetica…what other font has received this kind of devotion? Has anyone made a film about Times?
As I am no longer involved in the creative there were a few moments of maybe I should be back in the game to save the day. A website came to my attention which was riddled with lower case content. The all-lower case temptation of thinking you are being creative is wrong. Proper grammer was invented for a reason and when one is reading strings of sentences in lower case one will begin to think that the communication has been developed by a child. Is this culturally specific? The Europeans and Americans were interested in this style for only a few years.
or is it a fad.

PowerPoint pet hate
Another typographic disaster is to use 32 pt titles in PowerPoint. It is bad enough that you are using PowerPoint as your only form of communication but must you have a title that big.

Think twice; where on the page or slide are you going to store those letters or images. Which reminds me, I need to look at the design of my blog.

Sharkwater

http://www.sharkwater.com/

I would like to harness my anger and stage some kind of protest against shark finning. If you have not heard of this than I believe that this is an excellent forum to begin a dialogue with others who are interested to listen.

When will the politicians of all countries start nursing policies to help the beautiful shark? Rob Stewart like a Jacques Kousto dives with the sharks in some of the most memorable waters. I have never seen pools of hammerheads in the Galapagos. As a diver I liked the marine reserve shots that even the National Geographic series could not capture in the Cocos Island, Costa Rica, and Ecuador. I did not know that the shark was an endangered species. Did anyone know? The shark has been on this earth longer than the human being.

The whole premise of the film is why and how we should protect the shark species from their biggest enemy; Man. Tens of millions of sharks die a slow death because of shark finning. Finning is the inhumane practice of hacking off the shark’s fins and throwing its living body back into the sea. The sharks either starve to death, are eaten alive by other fish, or drown (if they are not in constant movement their gills cannot extract oxygen from the water). The fins are used in exotic meals like ‘shark fin soup’ and also used as healing agents in some cultures. These cultures will deamonise the shark and paint a picture that they are man-eating monsters. Whilst of course hiding behind the guise of mafia peddlers.

You forget that Stewart is annoying and he does indulge in himself and pontificate a bit. What he does well is sweep away thoughts you may have that sharks are monsters. We are the mostsers who are killing them.

There should not be such a profound struggle of what is right and what is wrong. Countries must unite and introduce laws that will stop this kind of killing. Now it’s my turn to pontificate.

Homage to Leonard Cohen

…And looking into the abyss of his beautiful songs, same songs to words we never forget. I would like to find a friend who would sing me a poem on a rooftop and cut my hair. Do you remember all the singers of this world, all the moments we have to remember? He is a novice who senses the feelings of people around him. Where did he go? Beauty is truth and the bleak and the most beautiful things in the world will crush you. When I do find the right conversation it is the humbling and it is these relationships and life partners that we remember.

www.leonardcohen.com

Closing ceremony and the Tate Modern

http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/
My best memories of the United Kingdom were walking through the parks and the Tate Modern.

The Modern as the minimilast JAQUES HERZOG and PIERRE DE MEURON envisioned in all its entirety would house some of the most interesting contemporary art works of its time. If not for the international modern art from around the world this Power Station was closed in the 80s to be converted to a gallery world famous for its new artists but also would hold the likes of Anish Kapoor, Picasso and Pollock. I will never forget the work of Bruce Nauman who would use a broad range of media including sculpture, photography, neon, video, drawing and performance. His piece ‘Bouncing in the corner’…Nauman is seen standing and leaning back in a corner of his studio. Just as he bounces back to a standing position, his body falls again, momentarily collapsing, only to spring forward once more.

Closing ceremony
The Olympics in 2012; how exciting to be in the vibrant city and I thought I would be there in 2012 surrounded by world class athletes.Maybe London will have the Spice Girls blow out the flame with a platform shoe but as we were laughing could be David Beckam kicking a ball at the flame.

These memories of Beijing, the lights, glitter and a precinct with sophistication and passion. What would you have loved more than the tower of memory, marathon, athletics and the swimming. Opening and closing ceremonies are always full of passionate people who love their sport. Where else would you have enemies competing together in the same forum under the same roof and sky.Dreams that are worked from very hard.

Peace Friendship and Joy.

Avon Descent 2008

Syd's Rapid

Walyunga national park was to be our next destination for the Avon Descent 2008; located on the north side of the river the 1.5 km walk to Syd’s Rapid was more like a leisurely saunter. This is one of the ‘Great River Races of the World’, novices and international competitors race down the avon/swan river. The challenge encompasses grade 2-3 rapids, weirs, ti-tree thickets and flat water in some parts. Single and double paddle craft (canoes and kayaks) are invited to compete. The second part of the race are power dinghies, 8 horsepower standard prop and sports prop and 10 horse power standard prop also race. The motorised boats come down later on in the race. There were some calamities of between the slow moving paddlers and motorists.

Plenty a competitor came off boat

The start of the race begins at Northam from the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in Australia. The finish line is at Riverside Gardens in Bayswater and a site of many family activities.
Syd’s Rapid is an exciting spot to view the race. It is thrilling as the competitors come around the corner and it will challenge even the most experienced paddler. There are many thrills and spills, and the there were many kayaks overturned without the paddler coming down the river. I was witness to many a hero who stopped to help their fellow competitor.

A recommended event for all…anyone wanting an excuse for a picnic in a beautiful landscape a must.

Swan Valley

A beautiful blue sky means an adventure and our destination was to be the Swan Valley. Situated just 25 minutes from Perth City it boasts world-class wineries, restaurants and cafes. A bustling tourist area, it was hard not getting side swiped by the buses dragging in the various tourists. Viniculture is fascinating and you learn something new every time you step into a winery commercial or boutiquey.

What do I LOVE to listen to is how wine grapes are grown, including factors that affect wine quality.

Vine Yard Swan Valley in July

Houghton’s hospitality was extraordinary; what a treat

Houghton Wines is in the heart of the Swan Valley, containing a wealth of over 165 years of wine making history. The picturesque property with parkland gardens and historic cellars had a hospitable fee. You can do the cafe for food but I would suggest you pack your own picnic hamper to enjoy on the lawns.

1999 Houghton White Classic. Memorable and a must to buy.

Sandalford

…..and who hasn’t visited Sandalford in the Swan Valley. At 3 o’clock granted everyone out cruising wineries is there. The cellar door at Sandalford’s is one of WA’s largest cellar doors, brimming with everything wine related, from glassware, bottle openers and gift ideas to local and international artwork. It felt like the Mcdonalds of wineries and when we were tasting we were asked to pay $2.50 for each tasting. I didn’t mid paying but the cellar hand had no interest in us because they had another 15 people to look after.

The cafe/restaurant looked quite enticing for a Sunday afternoon but alas we had turned up too late and they were not serving food at that time. Nestled under a vineyard with views of the grounds, the innovative Australian cuisine coming out of the kitchen looked impressive. There is also the option of dining inside amongst the rustic ambience of limestone, wood and a grand open fire.

On the search for a cheese plater with the option of stunning wines go to the Rose and Crown Hotel…One of the attractions of the Rose & Crown Hotel is the beautiful garden. The garden offers a pleasant venue for sunday casual lunch. Pub food is also on offer.

Rose and Crown Hotel

Northcote, Tivo and South Beach

I am back home to the chilliness of Melbourne and it does have a bite to it. The High Street Northcote seems the same, a hub of coffee houses and Art spaces liter the street. It’s a great spot to live in, close to the shops and all our friends. Back to work on St Kilda Road tomorrow, on a train and tram which could cause me some distress if I do not get to Flinders too early.

I have been reading about the Tivo today. This digital television recorder is going for $699 exclusively at Harvey Norman. Its promise; you can record or watch any television show at any time. Plus it can connect to the Internet, using your home network, to deliver movies, music, photos right to your TV.  Another product to induce coma as you sit in front of the box watching shows like the simple life and sport.+ is you could watch BBC news/National Geographic/7.30 report at any time…Organising your photography and movies that does sound interesting.

I would go running along south beach 3 times a week to keep those healthy endorphins jumping around.

The Loft – Little Creatures

I have just discovered a destination that could compete with the Left Bank in East Fremantle….We are in the Little Creatures Loft. Brilliant, with its mismatched furniture and Parisian style grooves. During the day you overlook the water and the oversized windows make it very lit. We are sitting on the benches and picking up the free wireless..how fantatic is that? Into the evening, there are a few candles sporadically laid out, and the dimness reminds me of Parisian bars. This kind of reminds me of the night cat with its cozy lounge ambiance and sophisticated music.

The wine list is spectacular and houses more than 200 labels. I was enthused as I had always experienced the five beers and one fizzy they did next door. The staff like next door, are brilliant, approachable and friendly. And of course the beer for the enthusiasts is the usual sud on tap, and the boy when asked described it as ‘great, it’s a dark ale’; simple and to the point. Why extrapolate?

For those who are interested in adventure  check out this site
http://www.hobiecat.com.au/kayaking/index.html

Those who want to go shopping check out this brilliant store
http://www.morrisonshop.com/

There is one in Victoria and NSW. Fremantle bred and the clothes are actually made locally on the high street. Amazing. Who would of thought this still occured?

Linfox

I’m currently in a marketing role at Linfox and working remotely from one of our FMCG sites. As anything inspiration for me comes from my surroundings; supporting the 11 countries & 14,500 people in this exciting role from this hub is truly an amazing experience. I have been supporting the whole business and my role is to rein in their ideas, develop and implement the marketing  collateral…

I have an office and this is my view; it has enhanced my understanding of logistics and what we do in operations.

Rottnest Island

The Dutch called it Rottnest or rats nest due to the many large rats. The quokkas are cute and kind of funny looking, little over sized rats. We took our bikes and went on a 50km bike ride. What a corker of a day, we even went snorkeling in our new wet suits.

Rottnest is a brilliant island, about 10 kilometre long and can be circled on a bicycle in a few hours. There were supposed to be great diving and snorkeling spots. The visibility was not that great on the day even though it was a spectacular day. We only saw 1 coral. There are heaps of organised diving tours from Rotty… look forward to doing one.