The White Hat Melbourne Newsletter

Archived Newsletter No.155 - 16 December 2005

Contents

Moonlight Cinema
The Spirit of Christmas
Docklands
Family activities
Music
The Christmas Spirit - part 2
A Walk Through Bethlehem
Melbourne's Hidden Gems
From the White Hat Inbox
The Christmas Spirit - part 3
The White Hat Quiz

Moonlight Cinema

This week, moonlight cinema under the stars commences in the Botanic Gardens and continues through summer. Ticket prices are $15 ($14 online) for most screenings. Details at Royal Botanic Gardens.

The Spirit of Christmas

At this time of year there is a lot of nonsense spoken about the “true spirit of Christmas”. You will hear such things as “It is not the size of the gift but the thought that counts”. Rubbish! We urge you to think big. Forget about the pair of socks – what about a seaplane champagne tour over Port Phillip Bay. Forget about the quiet picnic in the bush – what about an eco-adrenalin blast up a remote wilderness river in a jet boat. Because if you buy these gift vouchers through our web site we get 2% of the sale.

‘We wish you a merry Christmas, We wish you a merry Christmas,
We wish you a merry Christmas, and please buy from here:’
Outdoor & Adventure Activities in Melbourne

Docklands

It is interesting to watch Docklands develop from the ground up. Many European cities have their “old town” and “new town” (translate into your favourite European language) and Docklands is certainly shaping up as Melbourne’s Neue Stadt. I suspect many Melbournians who don’t get out much will first become aware of it as the Commonwealth Games marathon snakes its way over the ‘fish trap bridge’ past the wonderfully colourful wind-driven sculpture (you know – one of those that incorporates sound as part of its design), through the other sculptures in the park, past the colourful new buildings along the waterfront and then back through the Alte Stadt.

There is plenty of entertainment in Docklands over the festive period including free roving entertainment on a Friday night, circus performances, and music and dance sessions on the docks. Details at Docklands.

Family activities

As always there are tons of activities for children at this time of year. Forget the Wiggles – on Tuesday at Fed Square is a dog group called the Wagglz. If you venture there you may come to the same conclusion as W.C.Fields – “any man that hates small dogs and children can’t be all bad.” Then there is Carols by Candlelight at the Music Bowl. I’m not sure what W.C.Fields would make of that, but I could have a guess.

On Sunday at Fed Square is a free magic show together with magic and circus classes for kids. For those of you under seven here is a technique that should prove useful. Tell your parents that you really want to be a magician and can you go to Fed Square on Sunday. If they say they are far too busy then set up your bedroom as a magician’s stage. Then go and find the hat from mum’s wardrobe. It was part of a complete outfit. The dress and shoes are now in the dress-up box, but mum is still particularly fond of that hat. It is the only piece of the outfit that still fits. It also has something called a ‘fascinator’ which means it is already imbued with magical properties. Take some eggs from the fridge, repair to you bedroom and wait. When mum comes in and asks what you are doing with her hat and the eggs explain that you wanted to learn magic but now you are going to have to teach yourself.

For you next illusion you will need to collect the following props – dad’s saw from the shed, a shoe box and the family cat. When they find you in the bedroom with these props, again explain how you wanted to learn magic but now you are going to have to teach yourself. You will find your parents will take you along to Fed Square on Sunday as a result of what big people call “risk management” (repeat after me “risk manuj munt”). Next week we will teach you another technique.

Details of these events at Children's & Family Activities in Melbourne.

Music

Sunday is the last of the free ABC concerts for the year at Southbank. There is also a concert called Christmas to Candlemas in the chapel set in the impressive grounds of Xavier College. Wear your old school tie (unless you went to the sort of school where a tie was used mainly as a belt). Details at Classical Music in Melbourne.

The Christmas Spirit - part 2

We have already pointed out that this is not the time of year to meanly count those dollars like some latter day Scrooge when it comes to the true spirit of giving. For those relatives and friends who you really should go out to dinner with – what about a restaurant voucher. That way they can have a great night out and you can have a great night in – not having to listen to THOSE stories yet again. We would urge you to be particularly generous (I think we make 3% on this one). Go to our home page and click on the dining vouchers on the right hand side.

“We won’t go until you’ve bought some, We won’t go until you’ve bought some,
We won’t go until you’ve bought some, and buy them right here:”
Vouchers

A Walk Through Bethlehem

Regardless of your religious or cultural background we can thoroughly recommend a visit to this rather special event. Several members of a school community set about recreating life as it was in a Jordanian village when the inhabitants were preoccupied with exactly when they would move from “before the common era” into the “common era”. They have attempted to recreate as best they can the crafts, clothing and social activities of the time and place. Details at Religious & Ethnic Festivals in Melbourne.

Melbourne's Hidden Gems

Contemporary Australian Indigenous Gardens & Landscaping

Melbourne is justly famous for its European inspired nineteenth century gardens. However, in the last few years some wonderful examples of of gardens and landscaping have started to appear around Melbourne using more environmentally sustainable indigenous plantings in contemporary and arresting designs. Ironically, some of the best examples are to be found in industrial estates and around factories. Here are some of our favourites.

Please note: This section of the newsletter has been removed as it forms part of a forthcoming publication or because it is forms part of our Questing activities. If you find yourself on a tour where the guide is White Hat Accredited they are likely to know the answer to many questions you may have in this area. All guides on White Hat Tours are White Hat Accredited.

From the White Hat Inbox

In a recent newsletter we asked if any of our readers could tell us the difference between a harmonium and an American organ (or is that AN harmonium and A American organ?). Michael replied:

“One cannot help rising to the challenge (bait?) offered by the latest White Hat newsletter.

Both the harmonium and American Organ are “reed organs" but are not one and the same thing. The main difference is technical, with "a"(?) harmonium differing from an "American organ" in blowing air through its reeds, whereas the American organ sucks the air. There is also a noticeable difference in sound (not unlike that of blowing and sucking air through a harmonica) in that the harmonium has a more vibrant, brilliant sound, and the American-organ a sweeter and more mellow one.

There are other differences, some rather more subtle. The harmonium is more likely to be French or British in origin, and usually flat-topped in design, rather desk-like if that's the right term, with the veneers more commonly in oak, but also in burr-walnut or rosewood. American-organs were typically American or Canadian in origin and were considered by their makers as being slightly more advanced technically in that the 'reeds' were easily accessible for cleaning and tuning. It will come as no surprise, especially to owners of Jaguars and Citroens, to learn that the French and British harmoniums were somewhat more difficult to service. Just to muddy the waters, it is possible that a harmonium might indeed be American ... but these instruments are considered (historically) as 'transitional' by the Americans and a prelude to the latter 'American-organ'.”

There you are. Why didn’t the rest of you say that? But now you know, you will find it very useful. You know the awkward silence on a first date? The one just after you’ve said “By the way I have three children from a previous marriage and they’re all dying to meet you.” Well you will find that a light discussion of the differences between harmoniums (or is it harmonia?) and American organs is just the thing to keep the night flowing, and before long you will find the cause for the earlier hiatus has been completely forgotten.

We also received the following personal message.

“guess what. i passed them all. COOOOL PYJAMAS!! mum says my enter score is not 2 bad and dad says it is not 2 good but im just rapt i passed. i took the day off and partied. had to go to work the next day. bad news! do you know how bright the lites are at bakers delight? i asked them 2 turn them down but they wouldnt. soo unfair. anyway im back at work so ill be able 2 pay you back for the fone soon. next week we are having dinner with the whole gang. i am sooo lucky to have these frinds and we will be friends 4ever. and HE is coming down. hes dying to meet you.
Love n.”

The Christmas Spirit - part 3

It is always just as well to have some Christmas presents in reserve for those who turn up on the doorstep unannounced. They usually give you those tacky musical Christmas wreaths from Dimmeys that cost next to nothing. You know that because you already bought some for your valued work friends the other day. You can be prepared for that. After opening their present, head off to your room and return with your own special present – a subscription to the Cheapskates Journal (I think we make 4% on that one). But you had better hurry - in our experience many organisations such as this have trouble creating a sustainable business model based on giving stuff away. Click on the link at the top of Money Saving Hints & Tips.

THE WHITE HAT QUIZ

How well do you know Melbourne?

First to last week’s quiz.

If there are 75 entrants in the men’s division of the Australian Open tennis championships, how many matches will be played in that division?

From Martin we received an impressive diagram and printout from a software package used by his project management organization and which he said took only 45 minutes. We also received several simple answers from readers such as Judith who I suspect had used the same reasoning as ourselves. When each competitor loses they are eliminated. 75 competitors, 74 losers, thus 74 matches. Of course we are looking forward to the time when the Australian Open has no winners and losers but everyone is just appreciated for doing their best.

Now to an older quiz (4th November to be precise) where we omitted to publish the answers:

Melbourne and the mail

1. Around Melbourne there are familiar red boxes where you post your mail. Occasionally you will see green ones with no slot. What are they for? 2. In Victoria, distances from Melbourne are measured from which building? 3. In the earlier part of the 20th century, a letter posted in the city in the morning to a city address would be delivered that afternoon. The building height limit was 132 feet (and you know why this height from a previous newsletter). In some buildings you could go to the glass mail chute on, say, the eighth floor, post your letter which would fall down the glass chute to the outgoing mail box on the ground floor. Name a city building (or two) where this system is clearly visible. 4. The carriage of mail to and from Sydney, like much of Melbourne’s 19th century infrastructure and services, was supplied by the private sector. Our first mailman (a stockman) carried the mail between Melbourne and Howlong. Why Howlong? 5. The grid of Melbourne as laid out by Mr Hoddle is one mile in the east-west direction (from Spring to Spencer Streets) and half a mile in the north-south direction (from Flinders to Latrobe Streets). There are 5 major streets which run east-west and 9 major streets which run north-south. Thus the centre of the Melbourne grid is the intersection of Elizabeth and Bourke Streets (named by the governor after himself and his wife). Using the most efficient route to cover all the main streets in the Melbourne grid and starting and finishing at the post office, how far will a postman (or woman) travel on the daily round?

The answers: 1. The green mail boxes are to store pre-sorted mail which the postie picks up on his/her route without having to lug it the whole way. 2. Distances in Victoria are measured from the Melbourne GPO, so that people know how far away they are from a frock shop. 3. You can find intact mailboxes and chutes as described above in the foyers of the Nicholas and Manchester Unity buildings in Swanston Street. 4. Howlong was the nearest point on the VIC/NSW border meeting up with the road from Sydney. You can still see remains of the original bridge structures amongst the wonderful river red gum flats at Howlong. 5. We will leave question 5 to be computed by Martin and his project management software, Or maybe Judith can send us an answer.

Now to this week’s quiz – specially for some of you party animals.

The White Hat Quiz

How well do you know Melbourne?

First to last week's quiz.

If there are 75 entrants in the men’s division of the Australian Open tennis championships, how many matches will be played in that division?

From Martin we received an impressive diagram and printout from a software package used by his project management organization and which he said took only 45 minutes. We also received several simple answers from readers such as Judith who I suspect had used the same reasoning as ourselves. When each competitor loses they are eliminated. 75 competitors, 74 losers, thus 74 matches. Of course we are looking forward to the time when the Australian Open has no winners and losers but everyone is just appreciated for doing their best.

Now to this week's quiz.

Where in Melbourne would you find:

1. A set of tiles illustrating Edward Lear limericks
2. A large art deco urinal
3. A gay bar
4. Really weird xxxx
5. A rooftop beer garden in the city