Pinboard. Parting Shots.

Anna Brown's book Parting Shots: The Last Nights of the Arthouse in Mugshots is out now. The portraits in this book are not of the idolised rock stars that dedicated followers throng to see, but the audience themselves. It's a warm study of hardcore rock fans, and it was a pleasure to write the foreword.

Roaming. Circular Hopscotch.

Shootin' Gallery: Circles. Darlinghurst. Games. Hopscotch.

Popcorn. Stood Out.

It's holiday season. I'm sat here cleaning up old computer files, a laborious and long overdue task not without some fun. I stumbled on an old Word document from when I lived in Bowral. For some reason I decided to record the one thing from the previous day that stood out most. Here's what I found.

I started six days into the month. On day six I walked down the hill into town on a drizzly day where I saw an older woman wearing a bright red rain hat and coat teamed with matching wellies. I was chased by a mother duck protecting her eighteen ducklings on day seven. I watched with great interest on day eight the movement of a tiger snake in the garden. Day nine I watched young magpies learn to fly. I missed a few days. Day thirteen I recall thinking about how life deals some people repeated hard blows. Day fourteen I purchased a Murdoch paper, something I haven't done since, and appreciated The Australian’s new design even though the content was as dull and ignorant as ever. Day fifteen I laughed loudly at The Royle Family. I missed a couple more days. Day eighteen I went to the library where I was impressed by the friendliness of the local librarians. I was in Sydney on Day nineteen where I noted the trustworthiness of a restauranteur. Day twenty I was intrigued by a woman wearing lacey black clothing who spent $348 at the Mittagong Vinnies on furniture. I missed another day. Day twenty-two was hot; I noticed how fragile plants were in the sweltering heat. Day twenty-three anger strikes as one of my hard drives gave up the ghost after just seven months of little use. I stopped before month end, missing the last week of the month. It's nice to know what you forgot.

Glossy. Epicurean 36.

Epicurean was a bold editorial adventure published in the mid 1960s through to the late 1970s. With a changing masthead, sometimes surreal covers and a bold use of typography and colour, Epicurean was one of Australia's first magazines devoted to food and wine. In 2010 Dominic Hofstede curated an exhibition of all 77 covers designed by American graphic artist Les Mason at Melbourne's The Narrows. I wish I'd been able to go, but for now I'm happy looking at this amusing cover putting rubber gloves to inventive use.