In an ever growing community of culinary delights, Perth is becoming spoiled for choice in terms of late night entertainment venues. The only downside is the ongoing dilemma of where to spend your weekend evenings.
Tom Mathieson, a core member of The Moon family business, provides me with an answer. Tom describes The Moon Cafe as very much a second home. Georgia Mathieson (his sister) is the current owner of The Moon-purchasing the venue from her Mother approximately eight years ago. The longevity and great reputation of this late night hot spot has to be admired, considering the family initially took over with no previous hospitality experience.
The Moon on William St prides itself on being one of Perth’s very first late night cafes providing a welcoming environment for a ‘mixed bag’ of regular customers for the last 25 years. The Moon Café is family friendly, welcoming big kids and not so big kids alike. There are already board games, milkshakes and high chairs and talk of colouring books to come in to fold.
Upon entering The Moon a unique atmosphere is created by the smooth 1930’s American diner style decor. The vibe is relaxed, artsy and friendly. If you are looking for a cool, dark little corner of Perth where you can go for a casual cocktail, a mouth-watering pizza or a simple shake The Moon is the place for you.
The Moon also features regular live entertainment, hosting nights of Jazz, Freestyle Rap, Improvisation and more. These musical happenings take place in the rear of the cafe. A large, dimly lit 1970’s style, slightly mysterious space, filled with a collection of mismatched furniture, quirky lamps and unique ornaments.
Coincidentally, Mathieson (aka Mathas) is a talented lyricist and rap artist. He has been featured on Triple J Unearthed, has won the 2012, 2013 and 2014 WAM Award for Urban Act of the Year and in late 2015 released his eagerly anticipated second album “Armwrestling Atlas”, which has been nominated for the prestigious Australian Music Prize.
Coinciding with the Perth Fringe Festival, ‘The Moon’ has undergone a few refreshing changes. This includes a new menu boasting a wide variety of cocktails, pizzas, pastas and more. For example on Monday & Tuesday nights you can grab a bargain; freshly made pizza & pasta dishes starting from just $13.95 & just $7.00 for a glass of wine. A long standing Moon favourite is ‘The Smurf’, a dessert cocktail containing a delicious mix of blue curacao, ice cream, pineapple juice and Malibu topped off with a cheeky marshmallow.
The Moon can attribute some of its early success to an incredibly charming and simple technique. Postcards. Punters would be encouraged to take one for free and send it to a friend. Each postcard features a stunning image of the interior attracting potential customers. The Moon continues to rely on Word-Of-Mouth. These days, particularly in the last two years, Mathieson explains that Social Media platforms Facebook and Instagram have been very effective in promoting the business. The Moon also looks to alternative means of advertising such as Music Street Presses, On William and Urban Walkabout.
The Moon strives to carry on the tradition of the last 25 years by maintaining great, late night, prompt, friendly service. Whether you’re looking for a comfortable place to wind down after a boozy night or a mid-afternoon family lunch The Moon has got you covered.
Single Parenting is the Best Job I have ever had in my life.
I genuinely mean that.
If anyone had told me five years ago that I would be in this position I would have taken a big swig of my (third or fourth) Jack Daniels and Coke , laughed obnoxiously, flicked my long blonde mermaid hair over my shoulders and rushed off to dance in the corner with my friend to something by David Guetta, (probably) and continue to do so until the early hours of the morning then walk home with my left shoe in my hand with blistered feet , trying to piece together where the right shoe had wound up.
Sometimes I do miss those nights. I am not going to lie. I am however, perfectly okay with missing those nights though. When you become pregnant something all of a sudden clicks inside of you and makes sense and prepares you for what you are about to encounter. In that moment you discover that it is no longer just your life that you are responsible for and THAT is a scarily wonderful experience. Your body is literally a sanctuary for a human life and you must treat it with a greater respect then ever before.
My world , my body and my decisions no longer belonged to just me. I could no longer be selfish , inconsiderate or go wherever the wind should take me.
That has been a very good thing for me. Something I have learned about myself is that I have a love/hate relationship with boundaries. I have often resisted them in my life but have found they are very useful for me to have. For example five years ago I could happily spend every weekend from Friday knock off at 5pm right through to 5pm Sunday night blissfully drinking and partying and behaving exactly as I felt like. I had the option to sleep it off or..not! If I tried that now I would resemble a drooling zombie for a number of days and feel what I imagine being hit by a truck feels like. In fact , as I have discovered I can totally do that all by myself WITHOUT consuming any alcohol what so ever. In case anybody is wondering this also describes about the first 6-12 months (and beyond) of what parenting feels like, but you DO have a tiny human that loves you so that is a giant plus in my books.
I remember waking up in the hospital after my twenty two and a half hour labor with Lily and seeing her next to me in one of those tiny plastic beds on wheels and she looked up at me knowingly with huge , beautiful eyes and that to me is the single moment in my life that I have felt true love.I think I spent the next nine hours just lying in bed staring at this little creature I had created. Also after that lengthy exercise I didn’t particularly feel like walking and I was afraid that if I went to the toilet my body would collapse in on itself. It doesn’t by the way! Illogical fears enter my brain at the best of times.
I felt so proud of myself. I feel like she is the best accomplishment in my life to date. Anything else I achieve will just be a bonus. I was once told that my daughter has probably had more pictures taken of her than the Queen has. My response “Of course she has, she is much prettier than the Queen.” Probably not the right thing to say to someone who is British , but hey. I have learned it is much better to be honest with yourself and others than appease them. Short term appeasement leads to long term problems.
So. Back to reasons why this whole single parenting thing, to me is the greatest job in the world:
You learn what unconditional love is. Probably the single most important lesson in life in my experience on this earth.
Whilst teaching your child about the world , you rediscover forgotten things. Such as , the imagination. A terribly important thing to hold on to and embrace.
You see things from an entirely different perspective. Quite literally. Children like to be spoken to like they are little adults but also appreciate when you sit down and talk at their level. Nobody likes being spoken down to.
You are never alone. I seek comfort in this , as well as being somewhat frustrating at certain moments ultimately it is a rather beautiful thing to have a constant companion to share experiences with.
You get to watch plenty of cartoons. Some I tolerate less than others , but some are genuinely more entertaining to me than some of the “adult” shows depicting the more serious issues in life. Isn’t there enough dreadful things in the news already?
There is always an abundance of Disney-related products. I have never quite seemed to have escaped watching this in my life , so hey lets embrace it!
You feel motivated to become a better person , with little things like cooking and cleaning but also the more major things like reaching your full potential because the more you are able to achieve as an adult the more you can give to the child. I am not just talking about material things either! I am also referring to how to be kind to someone who isn’t kind to you , or how to be patient or how to accept all different kinds of people for who they are but at the same time being able to protect yourself from the bad ones in the world.
At the end of the day I do my best for her & always will.
I will never apologize for my decisions either, because the only ones I make have her best interests at heart.
I love my little family. Just goes to show , families do come in all shapes and sizes these days. The one thing they have in common , is love.
I think the nuclear family is a dying concept to be quite frank-
Because what is “normal” anyway?
❤
The Rise and inevitable fall of my Gingerbread House.
Years ago when I was in Primary School I was delighted to learn we would be making gingerbread houses. I spent a lot of time and effort precariously squeezing out my icing and using a palette knife to build the foundations of my wonderful creation. When my house was perfect I added more icing, lollies, M and M’s (In green, white and red of course) and sprinklings of coconut for snow. I had candy canes at the front door and lined the windows with chocolate drops. My house was perfection. Perfection for one Father Christmas. It was still a few weeks before Christmas so I hid it behind the peas and corn mix in the freezer. In the anticipation of Christmas I forgot entirely about it until the night before. I opened the fridge, got out some carrots for Rudolph, Milk for Father Christmas and of course my Gingerbread House. I opened the freezer door and to my horror!! Not just a bite out of my house but a GAPING hole!!! Seven year old me was furious!!! Who could have done this?? Lewis my 5 year old blonde bespectacled brother!! I wouldn’t put it past him but no, too short to reach!! Gabe? The red head of the family!! Mm easy target Marley blame the baby. A one year old barely had any teeth much less the ability to climb a refrigerator. My mother would never do such a thing!! She always appreciated my masterpieces!Only one option remained. I bolted in to the loungeroom and there on the grey floral patterned,sunken couch sat my father. Guilty as sin with crumbs still in his dark brown beard! “Daaaaaaad!” I wailed! “What?!” He said innocently! “You ate my bloody house for Father Christmas!!” “Excuse me!” He said, amused. “You can’t say ‘bloody’! You’re seven years old!”. “Well!” I retaliated “You’re a million years old and you shouldn’t of eaten my house!” smiling, Dad walked me into the kitchen. “Right!” He said rubbing his hands together. “Let’s fix this” he rummaged around in the fridge and produced some lemons, sugar and soda water. “Do you think Father Christmas would like some lemonade instead?” I considered this, gave Dad a menacing stare and agreed. So together we mixed up a brew, froze some to make ice cubes and later that evening placed it out along with the carrots and milk. As Dad pointed out it’s probably thirsty work steering a sled all night.
Sydney: #illridewithyou
I wish the religious & political aspects of this situation could just be cast aside. There are people committing crimes here & innocent victims suffering. Let justice be served on the perpetrator & let the victims be saved. You simply cannot generalise an entire race or religion based on the actions of a small minority.
People choose to commit crimes based on their interpretations of concepts explored through their religious beliefs. Of course “Religion” as a sole concept can’t commit a crime. I feel that religious beliefs come from a positive place. A place that people look to for support , guidance and a desire to feel good or as part of a community.
On that note I am sure when The Beatles wrote Helter Skelter there is no way in their wildest dreams they could have imagined how Charles Manson interpreted THAT! Things that are positive in origin when exposed to the worst kind of people can be used to justify the worst kinds of actions.
It is NOT okay that 13 hostages were held for hours and hours in the Lindt Cafe in Sydney in Martin Place today & their lives were endangered and minds filled with doubt and fear.
It is equally NOT okay to judge anyone from a particular race or religion just because they happen to share it with the perpetrator of this crime.
Enough said.
I pray everyone involved remains unharmed and the situation is resolved as soon as viably possible.
The Boy from “Girls”: Adam from “Alcoholics Anonymous”
Adam is an oddity amongst men.
Adam is extremely tall and gangly. He has Beatle-esque hair and a crooked smile which is both intimidating and yet strangely endearing. He is the kind of character who could potentially help an old woman cross the street (as he has a certain unexpected kindness about him) but in the same token could just as easily verbally abuse an innocent passer-by for no apparent reason. He is flippant, abrasive and unpredictable. He is also a recovering alcoholic who doesn’t like Ice-cream and does like to dominate women.
Adam does not appear to have any kind of employment and yet is only sometimes available for sex,much to the frustration of Hannah Horvath his … mutually consenting sexual partner/friend/sometimes girlfriend/equal source of frustration.
Hannah and Adam have the kind of relationship that is difficult to watch in the way that it is never quite defined and just when you think it can be , something changes. Yet for me, like a scantily clad cleavage on a large billboard , it is nearly impossible for me not to look and I am fascinated. Adam does have relationships with other women , but the dynamic is impossible to equal.
Adam spends a lot of time with Hannah , yet he appears to spend an equal amount of time alone exercising vigorously in his disheveled one bedroom apartment. As a result Adam’s body is lean , muscular , almost hairless and pale. There is a certain attractiveness about him.
IF he has social circle he certainly keeps it hidden , particularly well from Hannah. It is apparent over time that Hannah wants more from him than a simple “Booty Call”. He is secretive and she is open.She pines over Adam almost obsessively and reads WAY too much into an ‘accidental’ dick pic he mistakenly texts her in the early hours of the morning. However instead of being offended by being the unintended recipient she attempts to re-cooperate. Sadly for Hannah , he later admits he finds this amusing. His lack of interest in modern technology or how to use it also becomes apparent. He is a little primitive in that way, amongst other things.
Adam has a unique sense of humor, particularly when it comes to Hannah. Despite affectionately referring to her as “Kid” & speaking to her in a loving way he behaves in ways that I would find so , so offensive and yet she returns to him again and again.
In lamens terms Adam is the personification of a “Mindfuck”.
Knowing she does not particularly enjoy her belly,mid-intercourse Adam grabs the doughy flesh on her stomach from behind and plays with it like a child squeezing plasticine. He can be incredibly disrespectful and yet apologizes , eventually. This does not stop him from repeating similar behaviors-like urinating on her mid-shower and giggling like a school boy at her understandably horrified reaction. He is the kind of person that on the surface has all the characteristics of a bully and yet somewhere, deep , deep down carries the wounds of a burdened man who is desperate to be taken care of but won’t admit it. His moments of desperation and vulnerability surface in the absence of Hannah.
Adam and Hannah are co-dependent in the same way as Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen, minus the heroin and music. Disastrous , yet raw and beautiful and unashamedly real.
There is a constant game of cat and mouse and yet when disaster strikes –magic happens in the form of a tall, gangly oddity of a man named Adam.
Matt Smith Vs Russell Brand: Timey Wimey , Bloggy Woggy.
Perhaps the only things Matt Smith and Russell Brand have in common are that they both hail from England and have both appeared on high profile television series/movies.
Despite their vast array of differences I for one,enjoy them equally.
One is a tall , lanky figure ,slightly awkward and nerdish with floppy hair that covers his brow and underneath it sad, big eyes-greyish in color, are revealed. A sweet smile sometimes graces his face , that otherwise looks contemplative or slightly surprised. There is something about those men who some might consider unusual that I find very appealing. Or indeed intriguing.
Matt Smith is not ,upon first glance,your average sex symbol. Sure , he has SOME of the obvious pre-requisites e.g: Fame, Fortune , Success and what have you-but if he didn’t would he be noticed quite so much? The optimist in me would hope so. But who the hell knows?!
He is not particularly scandalous either and to my knowledge despite historically being known for time travel in a small blue box does not indulge in the consumption of drugs.
Frustratingly for some of the more dire “Whovians” , Matt Smith does not appear to have much of a web presence at all. This is an incredibly rare situation. Although perhaps by saying nothing , he says a lot.
Oh how I pine for the eleventh Doctor with his song-like voice and squeamish make-out scenes. I do not have one ounce of inclination to like (or actually watch) his predecessor. Apologies, but as far as I am concerned Peter Capaldi is Sid’s cranky,swearing,chain-smoking, inappropriate Father from Skins and that is that!I am aware he probably appeared in some other things a long the way but this blog entry isn’t about him!(Also it will forever baffle me as to why he was encouraged to use his natural Scottish accent and why David Tennant was asked to use an English one?). But whatever.
I shall admit here and now that I have a deep , dark blue, “Timey Wimey/Wibbly Wobbly/Would you like a jellybaby?” not-very-well kept secret.
That is , that I am what you would call a “Whovian”.
I made this discovery one night , about two years ago in the early hours of the morning in the first six or so months of my daughters life when sleep was very rare and unlikely to occur at ALL.Doctor Who re-runs on ABC 2 became my personal savior. David Tennant is my (and indeed my daughters) “First Doctor” and the rest-as they say– is history. Before I knew it we were huddled in bed together underneath our TARDIS throw rugs and I often awoke with a Sonic Screwdriver embedded in my back.Yes, it did make the “Weew weew weew” noise and yes, it lights up neon green.
For those not in the know , Doctor Who has a very convenient premise in the plot. That is , when The Doctor “Dies” for whatever reason he then has the ability to simply regenerate into a new body. Probably why the show is now in it’s 51st year of production. Genius!
I have anxiety about this because I become attached to one Doctor and then the inevitable happens. Limbs are flung to the sky , heads are thrown back , bodies writhe in awkward positions , dramatic music plays and a large tunnel of beaming light , stars and golden dust pulse suddenly through the body , come out through the tips of the fingers and into the sky and BAM! New DOCTOR!
No matter what Matt Smith appears in from here on in I shall always think of him as “The Doctor” much in the same way that I shall fondly think of Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter,despite his recent appearance on Jimmy Fallon as apparently the next Eminem.
If I could say one thing to Matt Smith it would be:
“Wear the Bow Tie!”.
The Fez is also acceptable.
Russell Brand,when I have seen him pictured or on television is almost always shirtless, attired in skinny black jeans with legs like a couple of pieces of liquorice, tatted-up , smoking what may or may not be a cigarette , has hair like a bird’s nest and strangely a relatively groomed beard- probably making a swift exit,shoeless from a party hosted by Kate Moss or Noel Fielding.
To me,he embodies nothing that you should,could or would want to take home to your mother and everything you probably want to take home.
I will never quite understand why he got married in the first place. He is a self confessed addict to many things, sex and substances at the top of the list. Addictions are selfish. I don’t blame Katy Perry for wanting to try but the poor dear probably had no idea what she was getting herself into.
That being said he is incredibly charismatic , charming and easy to listen to. A comedian , actor and now self-proclaimed revolutionary , what can’t Russell Brand do? Hell,he even has a range of children’s books!
I am going to make a fair assumption here and guess that if you are reading this male or female at some point in your life you have probably had a sexual fantasy about the man. If you haven’t don’t lie! It is unbecoming and I can see straight through you.
I do have some criticism to point out though , for example he points out the faults in the economy , current government and systems in place -probably from a home worth millions of dollars. Yes love , you are making a valid point and people will listen due to your high profile but perhaps, take the actions required to support your words.
Also “Booky Wooky”…Really? Cute , but Russell you only got away with that because you’re Russell Brand right?
In conclusion like most females , I have absoloutely no idea what I want in a potential mate because I have contradictory tastes in both personality , characteristics and overall appearance.
I like chalk just as much as I enjoy cheese.
Good luck male species.
You are going to need it.
Why I like Lena Dunham.
Lena Dunham is un-apologetically honest.
Or if she does apologize she probably giggles , then retracts the apology.
She is clever and awkward and somewhat egocentric.
But that’s okay. Sometimes it takes YEARS for people to become self-aware.
Lord knows it took me longer than it should have to realize:
a)I have a choice.
b)I have a voice.
(Hence this blog entry.)
Lena has no qualms about appearing naked on television.
I applaud this because to me that says “I am a size 14-16 , I have small breasts and a tummy and I am okay with that!”
I admire people who are comfortable being naked.
I am not one of those people. I have several reasons for this.
1) At the first sign of my breasts my two and half year old will attach herself to them. It is as inevitable as the sun rising. Some may say she is a little old for breastfeeding. I am not one of those people and I am her mother. End of story.
2) I have been known to consume an entire packet of “Family” size Salt and Vinegar chips in one sitting. By the end of it my tongue resembles sandpaper. But I don’t care. I always go back for more. Plus if my daughter has a few , then I justify it to myself by thinking “We are a family , we shared the bag.It counts!”.
3) High school taught me that “White-legged girls” are something to be laughed at and I suppose I am still traumatized by that discovery. It was also in high school that I learned that if you have so much as one stray hair aside from your eyebrows or eyelashes then it must be waxed,plucked,bleached or petrified out of existence. There was one day of my high-school life where I had to wear shorts. I say HAD to because I did not voluntarily put on shorts. I fell in a muddy puddle on an excursion (mortifying!) and had to borrow something from “Lost and Found” until Miss Leuba washed and dried my jeans (and shoes actually) in the Home Economics room. I emerged from the change-room slowly , but surely , head down, hand on face and awaited somebody to say something. The moment I thought I was safe a beautifully tanned Italian girl with perfectly straightened brown hair, blonde streaks and a complexion that you might see in a Revlon advertisement yelled out “Ahhh OH MY GAWD! Look at those SKINNY white chicken legs!!” I say yelled , it was more like squawked. In that moment I wished the ground would swallow me hole on the spot. My saving grace was an equally popular girl named Sandra. She had a mop of curly hair , black rimmed glasses & she was petite and pretty. She gave Belinda a darting look and said “OI!”….”White legged girls RULE alright!” She then stood up from behind her desk to reveal that she too was genetically blessed with my ailment. White legs. Hers were clad in denim short shorts and on her feet were sport socks & classic 3 stripe ADIDAS trainers that probably cost more than my entire ensemble but in that moment she and I were part of an exclusive club and I felt suddenly proud and accepted.I for one , never forgot that moment.
4) I have given birth and my body will never be the same as it once was. I can live with that because I made somebody and she is more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. However on the off chance that I am required to be naked in a situation lights are turned off , vanity towels are required and time limits apply!
Back to Lena.
None of these things apply to her , probably.
She is an amazing , successful woman who has a book , a television show and generally made a success of herself in ways I probably never well.
For the record I also don’t think she is a sexual predator by any stretch of the imagination.
As far as I know Lena was 7 and her sister Grace was 1. She wanted to know if her sisters vagina looked like hers , so she had a look and pried it open apparently and the younger sister had stuck small pebbles up there and laughed when they fell out. Whilst I would maybe freak out a little as a parent the fact is a 1 year old and a 7 year old would probably not know that behavior was inappropriate and probably don’t have much in the way of sexual awareness. Children have a natural curiosity about the human body & indeed their own bodies.Adults freak out because we know better , but kids probably don’t. In any event I don’t think Grace considered herself traumatized as an adult or anything as a consequence. I think perhaps what Lena has written has been taken out of context somewhat. Earlier chapters in the book describe Lena’s desire to share beds platonically with people as a comfort thing , and she did this with her sister. Personally I don’t see anything disturbing about her I just think Lena is a painfully “real” person on the whole.
As a parent I would hope it was a fairly isolated incident , However I believe children (and indeed adults) are allowed to explore their bodies. They can only learn so much from books, television and indeed the internet! I cringe every-time I remember reading my younger siblings internet history.
Every child has probably done something similar-For example this morning Lily thought it was hilarious to present me with one of her turds in her hand. She now (hopefully) is aware that whilst funny once it’s not a behavior you carry on with in life on the whole! In saying that how would she know that is it a “Bad” thing to do , unless I told her.
I don’t think “Bad” is quite the right word I am searching for.
Anyway , thank you Lena.
Despite being told I shouldn’t be allowed near an internet connection or coffee here is my maiden blog entry as an adult and NOT a confused teen with a LiveJournal account.
marleypaige 