Choosing the right breakfast pizza

Paid a visit to my real estate agency, Couldn't Care & Less, to lodge a fault report. Not about this flat but another section of the building. The stained-glass windows on the floor above mine have been painted stuck in an open position and, recently, a pair of pigeons have taken to entering the stairwell to bid residents an annoying and unhygienic good morning. I'm confident I could loosen the windows with a hammer and screwdriver or chisel, but as all renters know, the golden rule is DDIY - don't do it yourself!

The UNSW Book Fair turned up no treasure and, what's more, the Roundhouse smelt like a foul fusion of stale sweat and ammonia. Had it just hosted a rave for incontinent people? The silver lining to the noxious cloud was a micro-exhibition of "Photos found in books" that covered approximately 12% of a pinboard. A cool idea that I'm sure came about through volunteer boredom.

Sucked in by the ballyhoo surrounding the Doncaster Handicap, I decided to place small wagers on races 6, 7 and 8 at Randwick. I thought jockey Glen Boss was a "special" on Prince De Galles in the Australian Derby, but he could only manage sixth. My sentimental selection, Takeover Target, faded to third in the TJ Smith Stakes. A field of seven meant no third dividend :-( Thankfully, Bossy put me into profit and scored his third successive Doncaster win on Triple Honour (how appropriate). That's the gambling urge sated for a bit.

Walk, bus, walk, bus, walk.

My new fave burger joint is Burgerfuel in Newtown. A branch of a Kiwi chain, their wide range includes hippie-friendly fillings such as smoked teriyaki tofu. They're not afraid to add fruits like pear or mango to the standard meat'n'salad combo, either. I recommend ordering kumara (sweet potato) fries with your burger. I've loved these things since I tried 'em at a Rotorua fish'n'chip shop in 2002.

Chased my repast with a couple of relaxing light ales at The Duke, where a log fire was burning in the back room. There's no other warmth or aroma like it.

So to the Enmore Theatre, the reason I was in the neighbourhood. Opening act Sleep Parade played heavy neo-prog and played it well. The Melbourne three-piece definitely had the musical chops, but some of their tracks lacked focus. Also, for a first-time listener, the subject matter was opaque. I'm sure they learnt a lot from the band whose Oz tour they were supporting - Porcupine Tree. The UK* five-piece** delivered a live performance unmatched in my experience. I don't mean the smoke'n'lights, video backdrop or on-stage movements (though frontman Steven Wilson has amazing presence). I mean their incredible clarity. At heavy metal volume, I could make out every wonderful note and word. The ageing muso next to me pronounced, "I've seen Zeppelin and I've seen Floyd, and these guys are better."

*Three Poms, an Aussie and a Yank.
**When not touring, they're a four-piece.


Shirt slogan that made me smirk:

"We now interrupt this marriage to bring you THE FOOTY!"


The optimum pizza for brekkie is, of course, deep pan Hawaiian - all the fat and salt of a ham, cheese and tomato croissant, plus the sugar of a glass of sweetened pineapple juice :-)