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Slow Horses, by Mick Herron (2010)
The book was fine. I’ll be honest, I had higher hopes for Slow Horses and in the end I reckon that the genre just isn’t quite for me. I bought the book on a lunch break. I was specifically looking for something light that would become a good bedtime companion, and ironically wanted to avoid…
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South are Premiers! NPLVIC Centre of the Universe!
It had been an exhausting week to say the least. First, a 120 minute Saturday showdown against Oakleigh saw South claim the Dockerty Cup after penalties. Second, over 4,000 people rocked up to watch South eliminate A-League opposition on a cold Tuesday night. Third, the boys escaped the Reggio Calabria club with a draw –…
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A 20 year victory
A cold and still nightA traffic filled journeyThe crowds arrived lateAnd then South scored earlyThe first half a flurryAggressive directSouth wanted to scoreNot simply protectThe half time break welcomedBy both of the teamsAs the Nix clicked into gearAnd South ran out of steamThey held the possessionFor forty five moreThe Nix with the ballBut not with…
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Third time’s the charm for South Melbourne vs A-League opposition
South Melbourne vs Wellington Phoenix. It was a game that I had been looking forward to since it was announced, and one that was scheduled just a few days after my return from holiday. In terms of cultural whiplash, I’m not sure the experience could have been any more surreal. Instead of relaxing on a…
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Two different football games
Amongst the family homesBesides the Merri CreekNo trains or trams in sightThe fans walk through the streetsThey wander from their carsAnd make their way insideAn old suburban groundTo watch their teams with prideThey join thousands on their feetNot all can get a seatThey shiver in the coldJust like the days of oldDown at the MCGFrom…
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Lunch Break in the City
The tradies in their fluroDot the city streetsAmongst the suits and parkasThey find something to eatThere aren’t as many smokosThey vape throughout the dayTheir breaks are now far fewerAnd they have much less to sayThe suits meet them at middayFor poke bowls and banh misBut they’re quick back up the liftsThey will not savor theseThey’ll…
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Knight’s can’t catch a break but South can throw a goal
Well here we are again. I managed to pull myself to another South game this season between work, study and the rest of it. Funnily enough it happened to be the return leg of the my last attended match. I headed down to Knights Stadium with a few of the boys and couldn’t be happier…
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Zorba the Greek, by Nikos Kazantzakis (1946)
I already know this review will not reflect the many feelings I have about this book. Zorba the Greek stands alone in the western consciousness as the embodiment of Greek literature. A book elevated by its Oscar winning film adaption and Nobel Prize nominated author. A book, I believe, is not correctly understood or interpreted…
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God Forgets About the Poor, by Peter Polites (2023)
‘God Forgets About the Poor’ first came to my attention after seeing a review in the Neos Kosmos. I enjoy Greek literature, particularly Greek-Australian literature and after reading ‘Lucky’s’ by Andrew Pippos was keen to get into a similarly frank migrant story. Unfortunately when the book resurfaced again to me I was personally disappointed that…
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Learning Cretan Lyra in Australia: My Experience
Cretans in the diaspora are faced with many challenges when trying to learn Lyra. This especially applied to 3rd generation Cretans in non-European countries. They often struggle with: These are some of the struggles I have faced here in Australia but I have learnt in my experiences that these struggles can be overcome. Below is…
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What Football Clubs can tell us about Melbourne Greeks
The Victorian Football preseason was once again graced by the Greek Community Cup, however despite the Greek community’s outsized influenced in Victorian Football, only eight teams entered this year’s edition of the competition. This got me thinking, how can this competition grow further and what do community football clubs tell us about the Greeks in…
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Rock music & no Oakleigh. Antipodes is a diverse but incomplete snapshot of Melbourne Hellenism
Melbourne has experienced a noticeable change in its Greek music scene as of late. Rebetiko, Greek Rock and Greek Jazz events have been popping up faster than I can keep track of. This year many of these acts were featuring at Antipodes across its three stages. However, as I lacked the ability to be in…
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Souvlaki Lines at Antipodes
The aroma finds me on the other side of the streetand I am immediately made aware of my stomach’s emptiness.My mouth salivates and my focus narrows. I need something to eat.My options are delicious, but they certainly aren’t the healthiest.I get closer and can see that the street is overflowing.People are laughing and bumping into…
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I’d Rather Not, by Robert Skinner (2023)
‘I’d Rather Not’ presents a series of short stories from the life of Australian writer, Robert Skinner. Covering his time running a short story magazine, how he passed COVID, and everything in between, the book is a light and interesting read. In some ways the book presents a glorification of the life of a Brunswick…
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The Big Short, by Michael Lewis (2010)
The film adaption of The Big Short was a huge success, managing to take a potentially dry story about the global financial system and turning it into a mainstream hit. Much of the reason for the film’s success if Michael Lewis’s excellently written original text which constructs a comprehensible and entertaining narrative that was able…
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Another Coburg Church Memorial
Many years have passedSince my grandfathers passedAnd since then every yearMy family gathers hereFor some its far awayTo visit takes the dayFor us it is quite nearWe’re quite familiar hereWe arrive at different timesOur sleep schedule will decideAnd as we trickle inOur lateness is met with grinsInside its bright white wallsLies an icon covered hallThese…
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Fran Lebowitz in Melbourne
Sunday nights in Melbourne are often a quiet affair, however entering the foyer of Hamer Hall revealed a hive of excitement as a crowd of impatient fans waited to see Fran Lebowitz speak. What immediately surprised me was the mix of people in attendance. There were loner arty patrons, elderly couples and groups of young…
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The Brunswick Block
The suns warms my pathA path that is well wornKnown inside and outWalked morning dusk and dawnThe sky is blue this arvoThe traffic has slowed downThe street is nearly quietAlmost like a small townThe quiet only takesA moment to take a breathBearing down upon itA tram wakes from its restIts been waiting at its stopFor…
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