
Raspberry Martini
How is that for a glowing red to kick off the month?
Absolut Ice Bar, London, 2009
Frozen, frosted, splintered blue. Vodka kept inside a chamber so cold that it became an icy slurry. The bar itself one giant freezer, in which visitors were given a quilted, hooded garment and gloves to ward off the cold. Tables made of giant blocks of ice.
And on that summer day in August 2009, the temperature outside was so warm that I was wearing whisper-thin trousers and flimsy open-toed shoes. Not an ideal mix. My toes were blue, too!
Me, modelling the contrast between the thermal wrap we were given to wear inside the Ice Bar, and my utterly inappropriate summer shoes — in a contrasting shade of blue, though!
Customs House, Vivid 2014
The Vivid light festival was cancelled in 2020 due to covid, and this year it’s been moved from the usual late May/early June slot to August. Let’s hope that by then, Sydney’s covid crisis is over and we can get out and about.
Sydney Opera House, Vivid 2014
Looks good enough to eat.
“White Chocolate” is not, of course, pure white — but let’s not be picky when we’re dealing with something so tasty.
Navy helicopter towing an enormous white ensign
The Australian Navy White Ensign was introduced in 1967, replacing the previous practice of flying the Royal Navy’s White Ensign on Australian Navy vessels.
White ensign and tall ship Lord Nelson
On 4 October 1913, the first Royal Australian Navy fleet entered Sydney Harbour. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of that event, an International Fleet Review was held in Sydney Harbour in October 2013. Ships came from around the world — not only military vessels, but other types. One of those ships was the tall ship Lord Nelson, owned by the Jubilee Sailing Trust and home-ported in Southampton, England. (And now, sadly, retired, leaving the JST with only Tenacious.) I’d been involved with the JST and ‘Nellie’ since 1993, so was thrilled to be aboard once again, although the mixing of my old UK life and my new Aussie life was odd!
White ensign and tall ship Lord Nelson
Australian Pelican; Black-winged Stilt*; Silver Gull
I’m a bit late for Lisa’s Bird Weekly with the theme of “Two or more bird species in one photograph“, but in my defence I only took this photo yesterday! I’m hoping I can sneak in. 😉
You may notice that the birds are predominantly white.
And you may be thinking, “Hold on, the feature photo has only two species!” Ah, but the pelican is the large, wavering reflection between the other two.
*I’ve gone for “Black-winged Stilt” because their faces are white; however, if someone with more bird-identification authority than I have thinks they are “Black-necked Stilts”, I’m easily persuaded. They are wonderfully elegant and ‘stilty’, regardless!
No, not THAT white house! This is a house in Kew Green, London, painted white; it is called, naturally, The White House.
Life in Colour for June is white or silver
One of the bars in City Tattersalls Club, Sydney.
This club was established in 1858, and I wonder what the founders would make of this purple glow in the bar? I find it rather eerie and disquieting, and just plain weird.
Life in Colour is purple for May. Or maybe violet. 🙂
Look at all those lovely hot pink flower buds!
I think this year is going to be rather spectacular for my cactus. It’s had a rough spell, what with being dropped, overwatered and infested with gnats, but now it appears to be very happy indeed. No drooping or pinched-looked leaves, and what looks like a bumper crop of flowers coming. You can see last year’s photos of the open flowers too. I admit the dominant colour in these photos is green, but I think the important colour is pink so will sneak this post into the end of Jude’s month of pink.
Hold the tonic!
“CAN YOU FIND ANY EDIBLE PINKS?” asks Jude. No, but I found some drinkable pinks!