Tunick in Sydney

Over 5,000 people bore all on Monday as part of a Spencer Tunick photo shoot commissioned by the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

A Week of Firsts

I used my attendance last week at an adaptation forum as an opportunity to take the family on short trip to Sydney. So mom and dad packed up Malia and her grandmother and headed east. The trip marked a number of milestones in Malia's life including the following:

1) First trip on a plane

2) First trip to another city

3) First stay in a hotel

4) First swim in the ocean (well, she put a toe in at least)

5) First ride on a boat (the ferry to Manly)

6) First ride on a subway

Granted, Malia is unlikely to remember all of this excitement, particularly because she slept through most of these experiences, but it was good preparation for her first overseas voyage later this month.

Brekkie on the Bridge

The Premier of New South Wales launched the first annual Brekkie on the Bridge last week - perhaps an attempt to elevate Sydney's standing on the cultural ladder. 190,000 people allegedly applied for the 6,000 picnic spots on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which was covered in genuine grass turf. Rumour has it the event will be repeated next year - assuming the Premier is still in office. . .

Visiting Sydney?

For those interested in dropping in on Sydney in the near future, check out CNN International's write-up on things to do in Australia's biggest city.

Meat Wagon

Apparently, there is a mobile meat pie business in Sydney that's been in continual operation for 70 years. And yes indeed, it has its own website: Harry's Cafe de Wheels.

On the Air

A podcast interview discussing my work recent work on assessing climate change vulnerability in the Sydney, Australia region is now available here.

Melbourne Rules (sort of)!

Interesting polling results shed some new insight into the age old Melbourne and Sydney rivalry.

"The survey of 1,327 respondents, and based on the quality of life
attainable in Australian cities, found 29 per cent would prefer to work in Brisbane or on the Gold Coast, 26.2 per cent liked the look of Melbourne, while only 18.2 per cent backed Sydney."

While the press have played this up as Melbourne beating out Sydney, it's worth noting that southeast Queensland beats them both.

Taronga Zoo

Some scenes from a trip over the weekend to Sydney's Taronga Zoo are posted here.

The Good Life

Lot's of stuff on the quality of life in Australian cities lately:

Sydney apparently rules the world, declared the best city on Earth for the second year running (Melbourne came in sixth). . .

However, not all who live in Sydney are convinced, with approximately one-in-five contemplating a move elsewhere (probably similar to the rate for every other city in the world). . .

But among Asian ex-pats, Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra are tops for quality of life (given the nod for Canberra, clearly this subpopulation isn't too informed - maybe they just mean better than where they came from). . .