Thursday, September 29, 2011

On Tuesday my husband and I hit the thriving metropolis (cough) to see this exhibition at the Art gallery of W.A. Unfortunately I forgot that our art gallery is closed on Tuesdays (yep, I said it's CLOSED on Tuesdays!) Can you believe that?
Art Gallery of Western Australia
(sorry, closed Tuesdays)

 Expletives were uttered. Words like drat, gosh, darn, if I remember correctly...but although we didn't see any European Masterpieces we came across some lovely iconic Australian ones, so lovely in fact I had to share...







These gorgeous friezes decorate the foyer of the Gledden Building, an Art Deco beauty built in 1938 and although I've seen them many times before I've never given them the attention they deserve. We looked at them for ages and I played snap-happy tourist - although as you can see, I'm no photographer!

In the basement of The Gledden are the remains of the most beautiful Art Deco restaurant, sadly it is currently used for storage and closed to the public, however I have seen its loveliness for myself over a cocktail or two when it was still in use.

Image from, and more info here

For more Australian Art Deco and Modernist buildings, do yourself a favour and check out Thomas Ryan's blog (his photography is wonderful)

In other news, I am returning to work next week. After a lovely year long hiatus. Nothing dramatic, only two days a week. I knew it was the job for me when I discovered there is not one, not two, but THREE op-shops(!) all a short stroll away .  They are good ones too, it is going to be v-e-r-y tricky to resist them. My resolve not to op WILL be tested.

No prizes for guessing what I'll be doing during my lunch break...


17 comments:

  1. What a shame about the disused Art Deco restaurant, I'd imagine it was glorious and luxurious in it's heyday!!

    I did almost exactly the same thing when taking a friend to a gallery in Nottingham, turned up the day after it had closed for a week. Timing!

    Exciting to hear about your new job - congratulations! I heard today that I got a deputy manager's job I interviewed for on Tuesday :-)

    Jem xXx

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  2. Great post, congrats on the job!

    Bee happy x
    Have a delicious day!

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  3. Shame about the gallery..but yay on the job front :)

    I went to an op shop in Mandurah today that has fill a bag for $5...I was gobsmacked at how cheap everything was.

    x

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  4. Those friezes are wonderful, shame you couldn't visit what you'd intended to, but at least they partially made up for it. That sort of thing always happens to me and Mr FHCS whenever we have a day off from the kids, we were planning to go and see Churchill's house recently and managed to pick the one day it was closed.

    Yay for new jobs with op shops nearby! Don't spend ALL your wages now...

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  5. Friezes are beautiful and that looks like an amazing building. Good luck with job.
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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  6. That building looks amazing, is it in Perth? It reminds me how much I miss our city and it's old and tall buildings (most of it is gone and we are still not allowed in after the earthquake). I love art deco buildings, up north here there is the most beautiful art deco town built after the 1931 earthquake (Napier). I suspect we wont get anything as attractive to replace our city sadly x

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  7. oh dear, dissapointment!
    you had a year off work? wow you lucky thing!
    (ps ive managed not to read the magazine yet, it' now been packed for the holiday!

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  8. Your new work sounds like it's in the perfect location!

    You know you'll be bringing home some spectacular finds because you'll be able to check in everyday you're at work! I know I would. And it's only two days out of the week ...

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  9. Okay I regulary cut through the Gleddon Building and have never noticed the friezes. I would love to live at the top of the building.

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  10. What a bummer! I don't think I have every been to the art museum in Perth which is pretty bad seeing I have lived here my whole life! You have educated me on my own city ha ha. Have fun with work I would be broke if my work was near oppies.

    E :)

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  11. Great images..love the deco building... good luck in the new job.. the op shops sound very tempting! i know where i would be in my lunch hour! lizzie

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  12. good luck with the new job, and Op shopping lunch hours (better than going on a diet!).
    the Art Gallery in Melbourne is closed on Tuesdays too .. as Vic and I found out a few months back when we took a tram into the City.

    My computer is having a love/hate relationship with Blog at the moment. Hope to have a new computer soon.

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  13. Love the friezes! No prizes for guessing where you'll be spending your lunch breaks ;-)

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  14. Opping during lunch breaks? Could that even be called a job, what fun! The gallery, could have been worse, could have been a op shop closed Tuesdays. melx

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  15. coool blog! I used to go to perth a lot and I always found great vintage buys at Freo beach!

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  16. Thats a shame but looks like you had a good time anyway (gallery closed). I have been opping bit in my lunch break. We actually have an op shop on site at my work but luckily it is over priced, also put me off when they asked someone to leave their handbag at the front counter (incase they stole something!!). Enjoy your new job! Sherry :)

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  17. Hey Kylie!

    I included not one but two links to your blog in my latest post! Thanks for your lovely comments, always appreciated!

    x Aliya

    P.S. Before I leave for Singapore in Nov, we have to meet for coffee! And we can ask Em of Vintage Sweetheart along!!

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