I was cleaning out the cellar at my old workplace a number of months ago and stumbled upon a gem – an old magazine article wrapped in plastic from The Age published April 13th 1982. The writer is David Dunstan and he recounts his experiences shopping in Melbourne wine stores. If only wine stores had cellars like this nowadays.
The first person to comment with the right answer gets a jolly good cyber pat on the back 🙂
Not long ago I began receiving RSVP’s to my upcoming wedding. One friend commented to me in person that she would be there ‘with bells on’. The phrase got me thinking…what on earth would it look like to attend a party ‘with bells on’?
I decided to resort to my trusty friend, Mr Google. I think I typed in ‘woman with bells on‘ and wadd’ya know, the above video came up. It hasn’t been viewed millions of times, but I thought I should give it a nudge as it is simply ridiculous, not to mention the commentary…
Enjoy 
Here are three young Texan lasses called the Ross Sisters, who rose to fame by singing and dancing in the 1940s with a little acrobatics and contortionist action along the way.
Enjoy their simple song, ‘Solid potato salad’.
It makes your morning stretching routine look somewhat inadequate…
So long, Winter Solstice. Thanks for swingin’ on by. In the week leading up to this darkest night of the year, not all things were doom and gloom on my end and I had many things to be thankful for. For starters, how could you not be thankful for a video clip like this. Gold.
Having purchased a property an hour west of the big smoke, my partner and I soon realised the TV reception in the area was lacking finesse, to say the least. Hence a month or so ago we found ourselves talking to a local chap who fixed our picture by installing a satellite. The only flaw in this new system is that some channels air advertisements that are specific to one area of Australia – an area where everyone needs satellite TV – and that would be Alice Springs.
As such, we often hear about Alice Springs’ local Real Estate team, the local gem store, the local parks to visit, etcetera etcetera.
In the hope of one day discovering that Alice Springs know how to make more than one decent commercial, I figured it might be a nice idea to flashback to some of my favourite Australian food and drink commercials from years gone by. Readers from overseas, you may or may not recognise some of the branded products but I hope you find the video clips entertaining nonetheless.
I’m a simple kind of gal.
There are not many things I need in life to be completely happy but very recently I came one step closer to being pretty darn content and ticking something off the bucket list.
This post comes to you a little later than normal but from the comfort of my bed as I try to recover from a bout of pharyngitis.
It is called Soldier of Love. Relax. While this post may not be about wine, it is certainly not a love story either.
In the spirit of the silly season I have decided to share a few tidbits that should make you chuckle or chortle for the next minute. These pieces come to me thanks to a mad Jewish man named Dean who supplies my partner with exciting vintage leather goods, shares crazy stories and has taught me some hilarious Jewish jargon.
It happens about once a week. My partner and I will be sitting amongst family or friends laughing away when it comes about in conversation that I have yet to see a particular film. My partner looks over at me, lets out a frustrated ‘gyah’ and shakes his hands in the air. What I appear to have often missed out on is a classic or cult film. That’s not to say that I have had a misspent childhood. In fact, my siblings and I grew up watching old TV classics like Lost in Space alongside more recent pop culture hits like Seinfeld. Although combine that with my father’s interest in wrestling shows like WWF might help explain something. My interpretation of classic films must differ to my partners. I hold children’s films like ‘Labyrinth’ and ‘Ewoks Caravan of Courage’ in high esteem (the former due to my keen interest in David Bowie)…is that wrong? Suffice to say that there is a growing list of films that my partner wishes for me to see.
Dreamboat Bowie in Labyrinth
In the interest of keeping up with the Jones, I would like you, dear reader; to add on any suggestions I should add to the Classic Films That Krystina Has Yet To See list.
The Classic Films That Krystina Has Yet To See list
Good Morning Vietnam
Rainman
The Graduate
The Usual Suspects
The Matrix
The Power of One
Monty Python (in general)
Pulp Fiction
Rocky Horror Picture Show
Star Wars series
Dear Melbournites,
For those in love with our ol’ Melbourne town and interested in a little history lesson, then stop, sit down and take a look at this little treasure: Video footage taken of Melbourne life in 1910.
These were the days when men and boys wore caps, trilbies, bowlers and boaters. Also noticeable are their fobs holding the pocket watches. Ladies wore large ostrich feathered hats and their dresses were full length. Flinders Street Station was busy as usual and Abbotsford Ale was the main brew in those days.
Happy watching.
Sourced from KrisofferPaulsen Tumblr
The hills are alive…with music and wine.
There are some who consider these two elements to hold a romantic link with one another. I could be referring to Alois Lageder in Trentino-Alto Adige playing classical music to his fermenting wines, or Shadowfax’s Matt Harrop playing Triple R radio non-stop to his stainless steel tanks. In this particular case, I draw your attention to a Sicilian producer called Tasca d’Almerita who forwarded this promotional video to me.
However there is a twist.
Instead of the traditional concept of playing music to wine…this talented group use the wine to make the music.
Enjoy the Sound of Wine – sans Julie Andrews…
Vintage photo by The Sartorialist
It was the second day of Spring, a glorious, bright blue filled the wide open sky and the sun was brimming with warming rays. It was Father’s Day and I was down on the farm eating and relaxing with the family. This setting made me realise that it is not often enough that we get to celebrate a person we hold so dear and admire so much. In fact, they should be honoured, loved and cherished at every possible opportunity. So here I am with what I thought might be a lovely idea by commemorating the greats, the fathers, the gods, or more fittingly, the kings.
Today I am simply sharing a beautiful quote and a 1964 clip that never fails to put a smile on my face. They both come from the great man, Signor Luciano Pavarotti.
“One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.”
Luciano Pavarotti
I want you to picture yourself sitting in a room, overcome with an insatiable thirst and your favourite wine is sitting before you.
Now imagine that that bottle of wine is just out of reach. Frustrating, isn’t it?
Referring to the upper advertisement, not the lower, but don’t take my advice…
An excerpt from ‘Sleeping and Waking‘ [December, 1934] in F.Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘On Booze‘ notebook.
My own experience with night pests was at a time of utter exhaustion – too much work undertaken, interlocking circumstances that made the work twice as arduous, illness within and around – the old story of troubles never coming singly. And ah, how I had planned that sleep that was to crown the end of the struggle – how I had looked forward to the relaxation into a bed soft as a cloud and permanent as a grave. An invitation to dine à deux with Greta Garbo would have left me indifferent.
But had there been such an invitation I would have done well to accept it, for instead I dined alone, or rather was dined upon by one solitary mosquito.
An excerpt from the memory banks [2008] of La Donna del Vino
Precariously climbing barrels. Scene from Zorro’s Romance.
"'Just living is not enough,' said the butterfly. 'One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.'" - Hans Christian Andersen
La Donna del Vino 