How many times have you thought to yourself “when I have a little more time I would love to learn photography / write a blog / read more about politics”.
We’ve considered taking life-drawing classes, dreamed about learning to sail or surf, resolved to reinvent our non-work wardrobe and re-introduce a creative flair. When we have a bit more time.
On Friday evenings at après-work watering holes like Ryan's Bar and Ivy, we blend and mingle in our collars, blazers and celebrate the advent of the weekend. We air-kiss, shake hands and share drinks with like-minded young professionals, the ties loose and the shirts colourful in recognition that we’ve survived the week. We’ve closed the deals, reviewed the reports, turned off the laptops (though not the blackberry – never the blackberry).
Back in uni days, with time on our hands to write the blank pages of our future, we kept up to date with the latest fashions and invented our own. We experimented with music, discovered bars off the beaten track and supported friends’ bands playing at dodgy RSLs. We found excitement and difference down random lanes and sketched drawings of the characters that we found there. We volunteered for charities, learned about other cultures and looked forward to the future. We were all exploring, discovering and creating our individual worlds, in our own way.
Five to seven years later, and we have all chosen different paths. Those of us in the corporate world have been both thrilled by new intellectual challenges and bored by monotonous days in the office. We can walk the walk, click our heels in the lobby, make PC jokes and small talk with executives in the lift, and look fabulous in a suit.
We still love music, but haven’t had as much time to listen to the new band our friends are tweeting about. Absolutely love reading, but have banned ourselves from picking up novels until we’ve passed the mandatory technical exam for work. Can’t really justify spending as much on quirky fashions when five days a week demand classic and tailored “business casual”.
And after five years of focusing on our careers, we’re starting to realise that parts of ourselves have been neglected. That we could have another 30 years of working ahead of us – but there is more than that. The creative spark, the other dimensions of our personality, the colour – they’re still there. Lying dormant, slightly neglected, but slowly reemerging. We remember that life doesn’t have to be confined to evenings and weekends, that Wednesday wasn’t always a hump day.
I have friends who have recently quit jobs for a variety of reasons - pursue photography, start their own business, spend a few years travelling. For those of us who enjoy our jobs but know that there is more to us than just a square in a suit – how can we find a balance?
Sunday
Thursday
Kirribilli; a village by the harbour
Kirribilli is one of Sydney’s most visited tourist attractions, but for locals it is simply a charming neighborhood where the coffee guy knows your order and the owner of the French bakery waves when you walk down the street.
A stroll around the harbour takes us past joggers, families and fishermen relaxing in the sun and patiently watching their rods (despite the no fishing signs dotted along the boardwalk – ironic since the name Kirribilli is derived from the Aboriginal word Kiarabilli, meaning “good fishing spot”). Two bridal parties battle the wind for romantic photos in front of the Opera House; an old man paints the scene in watercolour while a toddler derives endless amusement from running into flocks of seagulls and watching them frantically disperse. A bus pulls up and unloads Japanese tourists armed with digital SLRs and backpacks, eagerly snapping shots of the sparkling harbour.
Michael Jackon’s remixed Billie Jean filters out of Luna Park, mingled with theme park jingles punctuated with the occasional excited group scream. Continuing down the boardwalk, we come across hidden mini statues of Aussie icons, familiar characters such as Snugglepot & Cuddlepie (creations of local author May Gibbs) and Blinky Bill. Just one example of the random artworks that punctuate the area.
When it comes to cafes, the focus is on quality not quantity. Locals crowd the pavement in front of Bacino Express, the Italian café on Fitzroy Street, waiting for takeaway coffees if they’re too late for the limited privilege of a table in the sun – the most sought after real estate in the area. Always busy, the crowds are prepared to wait for (arguably) the best coffee in the area (complete with real chocolate flakes on cappacinos), challenged for the title only by the French brew at Epi d’Or.
If in need of a shopping fix, there is the affordable but stylish collection at Wild Lotus on Burton Street, creators and stockists of the earthy Alice Underground label. The owners have carefully selected the best of inexpensive labels such as Mink Pink and Ladakh to provide a one-stop-shop for fashionistas in search of a bargain.
Coco Chocolate on Bligh St sells organic chocolate with intricate individual designs by chocolatier Rebecca, and has created a cozy atmosphere (reminiscent of the movie Chocolat) in the tiny space. La Vie en Rose fills the street with flowers and shabby-chic knick knacks while the gift shop next door sells candles, art books and other designer treasures.
A tourist attraction, a local neighbourhood and a true Sydney village only 3km from the CBD – Kirribilli manages to have something for everyone, without compromising on quality or space. Despite its proximity to Sydney’s major icons, Kirribilli tends to be overlooked by Sydneysiders who don’t happen to live there – which is just the way the locals like it...
Tuesday
Fashion's Night Out
The first of its kind in Sydney, the night starts at 5.30pm at Martin Place and ends at Ivy. FNO has been held in 16 countries around the world, and claims to be the biggest fashion (and shopping!) party in history.
Check it out at:
http://fashionsnightout.vogue.com.au/
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