Urban Village Q4 2020 by Urban Village

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Recovery Edition

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OCT/NOV/DEC 2020

Rainbow Walk for Prince Alfred Park

CONNECTING OUR NEIGHBOURHOODS & VILLAGES

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Jimmy Wong:

Travel Through Flavours

Belvoir stage reopens after six-month hiatus “ f course theatre in Covid O times will be a little different, but theatre has always found its way and it will find its way with masks and social distancing. Artists and audiences together will discover a new and temporary normal for the experience of theatregoing

Tess Scholfield-Peters

t’s been a tough year for the theatre industry. The pandemic and its consequent physical distancing measures have impeded many (if not all) live performances, whose magic cannot quite translate from stage to streaming platform. But it seems we might have reached a point of return: Belvoir is reopening with the stage adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s seminal essay A Room of One’s Own, starring Anita Hegh and Ella Prince. Urban Village caught up with the show’s director and co-writer Carissa Licciardello, ahead of opening night on the 10th September. Carissa is no stranger to the Belvoir. She held the position as the Andrew Cameron Fellow while directing two independent shows as part of the Belvoir downstairs 25A program, Extinction of the Learned Response written by

Emme Hoy, and The Maids by Jean Genet. With A Room of One’s Own Carissa ascends to the Belvoir Upstairs stage for the first time. “It’s such an idiosyncratic space, and with a piece like Room, when you have Anita Hegh reading this incredible text and looking directly into the eyes of the audience, the opportunity to be in that space felt really exciting to me,” said Carissa. The show was originally planned for March but was swiftly shut down due to Covid-19. “A lot of theatre artists are finding themselves at home alone and it’s hard to keep up a kind of creative practice when you’re worried about just surviving.” “The show really functions as a monologue, so in that way we’ve been lucky because there was a lot more we could do online [to rehearse]. But it still feels like most of the great work we do happens when everyone’s in the same room together,” said Carissa. As opening night draws near the cast and crew are being particularly conscious of their

social interactions off stage to avoid any Covid scares. “Of course theatre in Covid times will be a little different, but theatre has always found its way and it will find its way with masks and social distancing. Artists and audiences together will discover a new and temporary normal for the experience of theatregoing,” Belvoir’s artistic director Eamon Flack said in a recent statement. Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own offers insight into a kind of political resistance; how commandeering our own space and time can work to change larger systems and structures. “After this strange period of being isolated from each other and not being able to really gather in spaces together, I hope that the unique experience of theatre is something that more people can access and are excited about being part of again,” said Carissa. A Room of One’s Own runs at Belvoir Theatre from 10 September to 18 October. Tickets available at belvoir.com.au.

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Free

Tim Duggan

Junkee at Heart

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Customers rally around as rent dispute threatens shop By &

Tess Scholfield-Peters Lachlan Colquhoun

ustomers and fans of The Standard Store in Crown Street have taken to social media to express their shock and disappointment as a rental dispute threatens to close the business, which was set to celebrate a decade in the community. Founder Nicola Reindorf told Urban Village the dispute had seen the landlord change the locks on the premises and shut her out of the shop, without access to stock and the ability to fulfil online orders. Reindorf said the business had negotiated two and half months’ rent relief at the beginning of the Covid disruptions in April, but the relationship with the landlord had broken down over a conditional sidedeed signed as part of that relief package. “We have been in our store 9 years and our lease expires next year,” said Reindorf. “We love our store; we have a loyal following. We have always paid our rent and outgoings on time.” While Reindorf and co-founder Orlando Reindorf have engaged a lawyer and are seeking a resolution to the situation in the hope of continuing, Standard Store customers have voiced their disappointment on social media.

“I’ve lived in Surry Hills for 15 years and your store has always epitomised the energy and style of the area to me. My most favourite and enduring items have been bought from this store,” said one customer. “This is so sad, my favourite shop to visit in Surry Hills. I purchased my first expensive dress from your shop and loved it,” was another typical post. For almost a decade, the Standard Store has been a staple for locals who covet unique clothes plucked from all over the world. Founded by Orlando and Nicola Reindorf, the store is a trove of trendy garments and homewares from a tightly curated selection of the couple’s favourite brands. On each rack you’ll find pieces from Paris, New York and London, brands you won’t have yet heard of but will certainly want to know. The business began as Flying Standard, a fashion agency representing UK labels in Australia. Their independent retail shop was then conceived, and is still at 503 Crown Street, the same shop that opened in 2011. Crown Street is The Standard’s flagship store. Their other store on Gertrude Street in Melbourne was forcibly shut due to Covid and will be shut until the 20th of October.

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2 Local News

Minerva Metro Theatre campaign gains momentum Legendary British thespian Noel Coward is rumoured to have trodden the boards there (or at least watched from the stalls), and it was the Sydney venue for Harry M Miller’s famous production of Hair. 50 years after it was last used as a theatre, local community campaigners are pushing for the Minerva Metro in Kings Cross to be brought back to life, as Lachlan Colquhoun reports.

Lachlan Colquhoun

upport from Arts Minister Don Harwin to fund a feasibility study into the future of the Minerva Metro Theatre building in Kings Cross has breathed life into a local campaign for the theatre’s revival. In late August, Harwin announced he had written to Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore suggesting joint funding of a feasibility study on the theatre’s restoration. Cultural history and performer Warren Fahey, from the Metro Minerva Theatre Action Group (MTAG), told Urban Village that the group’s aim was for the theatre to be purchased and refurbished and serve as a new venue for a diversity of performances, from theatre to small scale opera to Ted Talks. “Sydney really is lacking an 800 to 1000 seat theatre, there is a big hole there, and we feel this is an ideal option for the building as well as restoring some of the heritage of Kings

Cross,” says Fahey, who used to work for Harry M Miller. “It could also be good for the local Kings Cross night time economy, which has taken a big hit in recent laws, from lockout laws to Covid.” Originally the Minerva Theatre, the classic art deco building was opened in 1939 as a live theatre venue, but was transformed into the Metro cinema and theatre in the 1950s after being bought by film company MGM. It returned to live theatre use under the ownership of Harry M Miller, who brought out classic English comedies such as No Sex Please We’re British and On the Buses in the 1960s and 1970s. After Harry M, Warren Fahey says the building “was a supermarket for about five minutes” before being purchased by film director and producer George Miller, who used it as the base to produce his Mad Max, Babe and Happy Feet films before moving his operation to Fox Studios. Films produced out of the building have won

18 Academy Award nominations and eight Oscars. Miller sold the building to property developer the Abacus Property Group last year for $19.8 million, but after the sale the Abacus chairman – an art deco fan and the driver of the purchase – passed away, leaving the company with a dilemma. In September, Abacus announced a proposal to refit the building as upmarket office space, but the Minerva campaigners believe this is unrealistic and are still optimistic the company can be persuaded to sell. Warren Fahey says the MTAG is hoping for a joint arrangement for the State Government and City of Sydney to purchase and renovate the building, with the potential for some private contributions from investors, philanthropy or community funding. Lord Mayor Clover Moore has been positive on the idea of a feasibility study, but has said that refurbishing the theatre and making it fit for purpose could cost around $40 million, on top of the purchase price. The meant any deal needed a strong business case. The City has nominated the site for the State Heritage Register, a move Warren Fahey says would save the building from any possible demolition and limit potential uses, thereby strengthening the case for its revival as a theatre. MTAG have created a petition for their campaign, and people are invited to sign at: www.change. org/p/lord-mayor-of-sydney-make-the-metrominerva-theatre-live-again. There is also a fundraising campaign at GoFundMe to finance the work of MTAG.

US co-working hair and beauty concept launches in Surry Hills

Salon Lane, a provider of flexible working spaces for hair and beauty professionals, is set to launch in Australia in October with its first premises in Surry Hills.

alon suites - as they are called in the USA - have been expanding there for the last 21 years, and the concept is launching in Australia through Salon Lane. Taking over the ground floor of an architecturally designed 1920’s building in Ann Street Surry Hills, Salon Lane will boast 800 square metres of high wood ceilings, exposed brick, polished cement floors, and oversized windows that flood the space with natural light. The co-working concept will offer private studios as well as communal floor space, plus the best of Surry Hills on the doorstep. Salon Lane’s mission is to be the largest provider of flexible premium workspaces for professionals of the Australian hair, beauty, and wellness industries. Without the usual long term leases, fitout and overhead costs associated with

Local spaces for short term rent Three University of Sydney MBA students who received top marks for their course project have launched the idea as a business in the 2010 and 2011 postcodes.

www.urbanvillage.com.au

Lachlan Colquhoun

illage Hub is the brainchild of Andrew Cooper, Michael Blenkin and Claire Taylor and connects businesses with surplus space with people looking for short term rental use for anything from book launches, corporate events to storage and meetings. Businesses list on the myvillagehub.com platform, where people looking for spaces can make short term bookings for durations as short

as a couple of hours. Village Hub will launch in a pilot project with ten venues in the Surry Hills and Potts Point areas from September, with no commission fees during the pilot as the founders use the period as a way to assess how the idea performs in the real world. “We want to see how the platform performs with real people having real transactions creating real events,” says Andrew Cooper. “It works well in theory but we need to see how it works in practice, so this is an opportunity to test our thinking and make changes.” Businesses which have listed space on the

standalone premises, Salon Lane is designed to empower small business owners to operate successful and financially rewarding businesses. Available American data shows that professionals operating from a salon studios establishment earn 30-50 percent more than when working at a traditional salon. By making professional studios accessible, the salon studios concept also works to elevate the professionalism and reputation of the hair and beauty industries. With 365-day access from 7am-10pm, Salon Lane provides a move-in-ready solution that not only gives stylists, beauticians and other industry professionals complete control over their own business and profits, but also a safe space and support network that is designed to empower and assist the industries in which it operates.

platform include bookshops, wineshops and travel agencies which are suited to events and pop-up retail, while other listings suit private office use and longer term storage. “The value proposition is to utilise spaces and drive revenue for businesses, and find spaces which are not listed anywhere else which people can rent,” says Michael Blenkin. Ultimately, the plan is to expand Village Hub into other geographical areas, and upgrade the platform to enable ticket sales to events. Village Hub is working closely with the Surry Hills Creative Precinct and the Potts Point Partnership, with Urban Village and with local digital communities to connect businesses and potential users. Go to the website at www.myvillagehub.com

Local News 3 The Yoga Factory moves into Hibernian House

A message from

ALEX Greenwich T

he economy in the electorate of Sydney has been one of the most, if not the most, hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. That is because a large component of the State's business transactions and gross domestic product comes from the inner city. We have the highest commercial and residential rents and large numbers of people from outside New South Wales live and work in the CBD. The inner city is a hub for the late-night economy and for the hospitality, entertainment and arts sectors. Those industries have been some of the hardest hit. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in many of my constituents losing their businesses, their jobs, their rental properties and their homes. Sadly, too often the conversation amongst friends and family members has changed from, "How was your day?" to "Did you keep your job?" Everyone has been impacted in some way. It has been heartwarming to watch how inner-city communities have supported local businesses as they pivot, innovate, change and hibernate in response to the changing environment that we are all dealing with. Businesses large and small within the Sydney electorate have taken the pandemic extremely seriously, with the health and safety of staff and customers being at the forefront of management decisions. While businesses need to be COVID safe, it requires a two-way relationship; customers and patrons also need to practice safety measures by washing their hands, wearing masks, keeping socially distanced and providing accurate contact details to the venues they visit. I’m especially grateful to Facebook groups like Darlo Darlings and Potts Pointers, for working with me to get timely and accurate information out to the community during this time, and for separating fact from fiction is such a

neighbourly way. The importance of wider public engagement in COVID-safe behaviours is especially important in densely populated areas like Sydney, where large numbers of people live in close quarters with each other and spend more time in public. I commend the NSW Health contact tracing team, which is proving highly effective in reducing the spread, saving lives and saving businesses. I would also like to acknowledge the amazing work being done by NSW Health for testing and the collaboration with St Vincent's Hospital, Kirketon Road and the City of Sydney to make sure we increase the number of testing clinics where needed. I thank Service NSW for providing businesses with timely information and resources as they become available, and helping venues become COVIDSafe establishments. As the pandemic continues to evolve in ways we probably cannot even understand now, governments will need to continue to innovate and come up with new solutions. I am encouraged by the work done to date that will continue. The residents and businesses of my electorate stand ready to work with the Government in this process. This is a tough time for so many across New South Wales and in Sydney. Like every Sydneysider, I cannot wait until we are through this, and Sydney and New South Wales are able to thrive, but we have more work to do in a very trying time ahead. Always remember: wash hands, maintain social distance, stay home if sick and get tested, and wear a mask in crowded places.

The century-old artists’ haunt Hibernian House has a new tenant. The Yoga Factory has moved into one of the studio spaces, and as co-owner Liza told Urban Village, it couldn’t feel more like home.

Tess Scholfield-Peters

riginally founded by Mick Barnes thirteen years ago, The Yoga Factory encourages individuality and non-conformity to the yoga establishment, or “the scene,” as Liza described it. “Our teachers are genuinely passionate about what they are doing. They’re not interested in creating Instagram yoga personas out of themselves. Rather, they want to contribute a small part of themselves to help others,” Liza said. In the spirit of anti-establishment, Hibernian House was the natural choice for the Yoga Factory expansion. “With its catacomb-like graffiti stained walls and its secrets we immediately thought ‘this is us.’ It represents our ideology and point of difference to what yoga’s become these days,” Liza said. Founder Mick Barnes first became acquainted with yoga practise after a boxing injury. Through addiction and an abusive family upbringing, he cites yoga as his saviour. He’s spent the last 20 years travelling and perfecting his practise, free from the authoritarianism and dogma that Mick

feels dominates much of the yoga industry currently. Offering a range of classes for all experience levels, the aim of The Yoga Factory is to encourage those with reservations about yoga to give it a try. “I suppose what we do is a bit of a ‘fuck you’ to the mainstream yoga establishment and

what the whole scene has become,” said Mick. “We actually feel very chuffed to say to people: ‘Hey, you fit right in here, exactly as you are.’” The Yoga Factory is offering new clients a $60 intro pass for the first two weeks. Visit theyogafactory.com for more info.

Rainbow Walk for Prince Alfred Park Prince Alfred Park was the focus of national attention back in November 2017, when thousands gathered and then celebrated the historic marriage equality vote.

mages of people welcoming the result of the vote were broadcast live around Australia and have been replayed countless times ever since. To mark the event, the City of Sydney has moved forward and renamed the area ‘Equality Green’ after a public consultation process, and now – as a permanent reminder of that historic moment – a 90 metre rainbow path will now be created to run alongside it. Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore welcomed the move, and said it was a fitting way to remember the occasion, “when 30,000 people gathered on the lawn of Prince Alfred Park to hear the results of Australia’s marriage equality postal survey. “Bands of colour will be painted over the footpath near Prince Alfred Park Pool,” said Moore “The community will soon be able to have their say on the proposal. We encourage locals to keep an eye on cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au in

the coming weeks.“ The Surry Hills Creative Precinct proposed the rainbow path in 2019, noting support for the concept from the local business community. SHCP President Leigh Harris said the Rainbow Walk epitomized the spirit of the Surry Hills community, and recognised its important contribution to the national marriage equality debate. “Prince Alfred Park was not just the venue for the celebration, but our community took

a national lead in advocating for this historic change,” said Harris. Where the national “yes” vote was 61.6 percent, in Surry Hills the figure was 74 percent in a reflection of the progressive views in the area. “Surry Hills has long been at the vanguard of diversity and inclusivity, and the name ‘Equality Green’ is a great reflection of that. “Having the Rainbow Walk painted at the site will be a permanent reminder of our contribution to that historic change.” www.urbanvillage.com.au

4 Local Recovery

Doors open again at Dr Brown’s Popular Crown Street GP Dr Peter Brown has re-opened his practice after a temporary closure by NSW authorities. By

Lachlan Colquhoun

hile this is good news for the Surry Hills community, it comes with a caveat: Dr Brown will be retiring at the end of the year. After serving the Surry Hills community for 39 years, Dr Brown was closed down in June after the Medical Council of NSW shuttered his surgery because it was a “solo

non computerized practice.” Dr Brown operates the surgery alone, without a receptionist, and does not computerize patient records. He is, however, highly popular in the area and services many disadvantaged people who would otherwise not see a doctor. Dr Brown told Urban Village he was very grateful for the support he had received, and asked us to pass on his thanks to the community which had backed him so strongly.

When the surgery was closed, social media hummed with the news and patients put up their own signs and notices on the door of the surgery at 598 Crown Street, next to Dr Brown’s original notice telling of his closure. “Free Dr. Peter Brown. The community needs Dr. Brown,” says one message. “This is terrible and undeserving news,” said another. “Dr Brown is the most kind and compassionate person, I am shocked at this injustice.” The story was picked up by other media up after 1500 patients signed a petition in support, running on radio 2GB and also A Current Affair.

Angela Robertson-Buchanan's speciality is her bird photography. Her work will be show at the Dove & Olive

COVID inspires art in Surry Hills pubs Empty spaces in two Surry Hills pubs have been transformed into locations for temporary art installations by leading Sydney artists as a result of an innovative public art project.

he Dove & Olive and Shakespeare Hotels, both on Devonshire Street, are the venues for current work by photographer Angela Robertson-Buchanan and Jeff McCann after the artists were selected by a judging panel following an artists’ call out. Margot Natoli, the producer of the Surry Hills Creative Art Project, said the project was designed both to support local artists and also to bring patrons into the pubs through creating exciting and colourful new spaces. “As restrictions are lifting we wanted to celebrate our suburb’s recovery and brighten up our community spaces with unique local

www.urbanvillage.com.au

art,” said Natoli. “We were looking for expressions of interest to create temporary artworks in a courtyard space, a disused wall, in a windowsill, a closed shop front window or other possible spaces.” A total of 27 artists expressed interest in the project, which is a collaboration between Margot Natoli, the Surry Hills Creative Precinct and the City of Sydney through the Creative Fellowships Fund. Angela Robertson-Buchanan, whose work has activated the Dove & Olive Hotel, is an award winning freelance nature photographer,

published author, teacher and exhibition curator. She specialises in photographing the natural world, and has been recognised for her macrophotography of birds. Local contemporary artist Jeff McCann has activated the closed shop front at the Shakespeare Hotel. He has a strong track record of public art projects, including installations for clients including the City of Sydney, the Queen Victoria Building, Heaps Gay and the Spilt Milk Music Festival. McCann’s talents will also be on display for another local community project in October, the Happy Hours event for the Darlinghurst Business Partnership and Surry Hills Creative Precinct.

5 Local Recovery

OzHarvest in Surry Hills collab with top chef A vacant premises at 481

Crown Street is set to be transformed into a unique restaurant under a new collaboration between social impact business OzHarvest and well known chef Massimo Bottura.

Lachlan Colquhoun

zHarvest and Bottura plan to bring the refettorio concept to Crown Street in a venture made possible by a philanthropist who is providing the location. Bottura’s Italian refettorio is a Michelin three hatted restaurant. He has worked with OzHarvest’s Ronnie Kahn on pop up restaurants in the past and often volunteers for philanthropic events. OzHarvest told Urban Village that David

Clark is also onboard as pro bono creative interior director while Vince Frost has volunteered to work on the branding. OzHarvest Founder and CEO, Ronni Kahn AO says "Development is now underway and we are still looking for support for the project. We'll need plates and tables and chairs, there's a strong emphasis on sustainability. Anyone who can help – tradies welcome!" The OzHarvest Refettorio is expected to open in April 2021 at the address which most recently was the café Skully on Crown.

Holism brings wellness to Potts Point The Covid-19 pandemic has been a tough time to start a new retail store, but that hasn’t deterred brother and sister team Heston and Tarlee Russell.

he siblings have taken what was a pop-up store for Melbourne-based GreeneSt Juice Company in Bayswater Road, Potts Point, and opened up as Holism Health right when the Sydney lockdowns started in March. “The main juice company was in Melbourne so maintaining the location was untenable for them, so instead of closing up we took over and diversified,” says Heston. “My sister moved down from Brisbane with her boyfriend and her do and we decided to make a go of it.” Holism Health still stocks the GreeneSt range, but has diversified with a range of products which all support physical, mental and emotional health, all on the premise that wellness comes in many forms. There are Life Cykel mushrooms from Byron Bay, for example, a company which produces tinctures made from the best mushroom extracts to aid cognitive function, fatigue, low libido, sleep and relaxation. Twice weekly deliveries of the organic juices come up from Melbourne, and are still getting through during lockdown, while

Heston plans to create a local production facility soon, in time for spring and summer. “The upcoming warmer months are traditionally our best seasons, so we are looking forward to people taking that spring cleanse, and hoping that will drive some demand,” says Heston. There is also organic pet food, with Big Dog and All Barks products in store all made from Australian made ingredients. Holism Health is pet friendly, and every visiting pet gets a treat, as long as its ok with the owner. Opening up during Covid, says Heston, has been a real challenge, but it has made the business focus really hard on its operating

model, and given the impetus to set up online as an alternative sales channel. “It has forced us to be resilient and innovative, and I’m hopeful that if we can survive Covid, then we are well placed to grow as the economy recovers,” says Heston. Both he and Tarlee live locally, with their dogs, and are passionate locals trying to make a difference to the health and wellness of their community. Holism Health is also a merchant member of the Local Rewards scheme, and is offering discounts to cardholders. Check out www.holismhealth.com.au and www. localrewards.com.au

www.urbanvillage.com.au

6 Feature

Tim Duggan. A Junkee at Heart Tim Duggan was worried that the Covid-19 pandemic would render the insights in his book irrelevant, only to find they were more relevant than ever.

D By

Lachlan Colquhoun

“

eople have really P understood that the strength of their communities is in their neighbours and the businesses they go to, the nightlife and the local dog park, and that this is what makes a healthy community...

uggan, the founder and publisher of Junkee Media, had explored the characteristics of successful contemporary businesses in his book Cult Status published earlier this year. “Over the last five years I’d noticed a new generation of businesses being built that didn’t look very much like businesses from the previous generation,” he says. “So I spent 18 months writing the book, interviewing people and travelling around the world.” “I was trying to distill what some of these businesses have in common and how anyone reading the book can build a business that has cult status and a business that people adore.” One of the foremost characteristics, he found, was that the businesses with cult status had created a community which supported them and made them stronger. The pandemic disruptions, says Duggan, have only reinforced the importance of community and emphasised the importance of businesses within them and the role they play. This was particularly the case in Paddington, where he lives, and Surry Hills, where he works, and where the landscape is a mixture of residential housing, small businesses, offices and chain stores. “People have really understood that the strength of their communities is in their neighbours and the businesses they go to, the nightlife and the local dog park, and that this is what makes a healthy community,” says Duggan. “I feel that before Covid we had been going along blindly and not valuing that as much as we should, but as soon as that was taken away we’ve realized how important it is to have a neighbour ask you how you are, or how critical it is to go and buy your coffee from your local café.” These Covid observations also resonate with once of Duggan’s principle observations in this book, that businesses with cult status – while they are financially successful – focus firstly on the impact they are going to have before they think about anything else. “Before you think about money or naming

anything or what you are going to sell or how you are going to distribute it, think about the impact you want it to have and qualify and quantify that on paper,” he says. A second key characteristic, which plays into the Covid and post-Covid world, is the idea that businesses with cult status have an “altar,” which is where all the people who love the business come together in either a physical or digital space. This is where the community meets and interacts. A third characteristic is to “lead from the middle,” which means that businesses are prepared to let themselves be shaped by their communities. “I saw that these cult status businesses were creating communities and that were

leading from the middle,” says Duggan. “Instead of leading from the front, they were telling the community about their purpose and then allowing the community to lead them where they wanted to go.” In terms of where he wants to go personally, Duggan is about to step down as publisher at Junkee Media after the company’s sale to the Ooh Media in 2016, but will retail the title of “Editor at Large” at Junkee. “It is an intentionally vague title,” Duggan says “It’s a role where I can continue to contribute, and that means assisting in the transition, being involved with larger clients, consulting for Junkee and also getting

involved in different projects. “It is vague because none of us know what is going to happen over the next six to 12 months, but it does say to everyone that I’m not going anywhere else to another job because Junkee has my heart.” A second book is on the agenda, building on the ideas of the first but in the new context of the post-Covid world. “This really excites me, because I feel we are in an interesting time now and there are a lot of opportunities,” he says. “A lot of things are being built out of the rubble and it excites me to see what those opportunities are. “I could be scared about it, but I’m excited to see how it unfolds and to play a part in that.”

Inside the State Library NSW with Joy Lai The State Library NSW holds some of the most unique cultural relics in the country. In fact, the library collection descends five floors below street level, State Library photographer and imaging specialist Joy Lai told Urban Village. By

Tess Scholfield-Peters

“People think the library is just books and printed material, but there is so much more,” said Joy. Few people would know there’s the collection of human hair jewellery from the Victorian era (then a trendy statement of affection gifted between loved ones), ancient oil paintings, Captain Cook’s journals and ornaments brought over by First Fleet passengers. “I’ve been here for ten years and there’s stuff that still surprises me.” Joy has held a camera for decades, www.urbanvillage.com.au

beginning on the streets of Surry Hills with a polaroid shooting urban scenes, before the age of digital photography. The State Library closed earlier in the year due to the pandemic, the first time its doors have been shut since the 1919 Spanish flu. But it is now open again, having implemented strict Covid safe measures. With the library reopening, visitors can view their latest exhibition, for which Joy was a crucial part, Eight days in Kamay, which features original sketches and journals from the Endeavour expedition, contextualised by Gweagal knowledge. “We worked with Aboriginal cultural experts and heard perspectives on their

ancestor's experience as the Endeavour was coming in over the horizon. It was fascinating,” recalls Joy. The small team set out to the Kamay National Park near La Perouse, the sight of first contact in 1770. “Really learning about the Aboriginal perspective was incredible. When you’re there it doesn’t feel like 2020. It feels like it could be any time; the landscape is so vast.” What does the rest of 2020 look like for Joy? “I’m looking forward to getting back out there, getting back into the landscape, taking time, creating images that are immersive and compelling that resonate.” Catch the Eight Days in Kamay exhibition free at the State Library NSW until 28th February 2021, or visit their website for the digital experience.

Follow Joy at: Website: www.joymlai.com Instagram: @joideverve | Twitter: @joideverve_x

www.urbanvillage.com.au

8 Local Rewards

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THE STANDARD STORE 10% OFF OVER $500

CULLACHANGE 10% OFF FLAT RATE. WHAT WILL YOU RECOVER, REFRESH AND REUSE ?

DOVE AND OLIVE 10% OFF BEER PADDLES

CROWN STREET GROCER 10% OFF 365 Crown Street, Surry Hills 0401 988 398 www.crownstgrocer.com 7 Days: 4.55am–8pm

216 Devonshire Street Surry Hills (02) 9310 7766 www.cullachange.com.au Sat: 10am–1pm, Sun: Closed Mon - Fri: 10am–4pm

156 Devonshire Street Surry Hills (02) 9699 6001 www.doveandolive.com.au/ Mon - Tue: Closed, Wed: 4–11pm Thur: 2–11pm, Fri - Sat: 12pm–12am, Sun: 12–10pm

MALONEY’S GROCER 10% OFF FLAT RATE 490 Crown Street Surry Hills (02) 9331 3811 www.maloneysgrocer.com.au/ 7 Days: 7am–9pm

MR CHOP SHOP $10 OFF

MAC CITY AUSTRALIA 5% OFF FLAT RATE Riley Street Surry Hills 0472 767 276 www.maccityaustralia.com.au

www.urbanvillage.com.au

503 Crown Street Surry Hills (02) 9310 1550 www.thestandardstore.com.au 7 Days: 10am–5pm

433 Crown Street, Surry Hills, NSW, (02) 9310 2888 www.misterchopshop.com.au Fri: 9am–7pm Sat: 8am–4.30pm Sun - Mon: closed, Tue: 10am–7pm Wed - Thu: 9am–7pm

SARK STUDIO FREE STUDIO MADE THREE-LAYER FACE MASK WITH EVERY PURCHASE 431 crown Street Surry Hills 0409 044 113 www.sarkstudio.com.au By Appointment Only

Local Rewards

THE GREEN ROOM 10% OFF ALL PURCHASES 540 Crown Street, Surry Hills (02) 9699 1206 www.thegreenroom.com.au/ Mon - Sat: 9:30am–4pm Sunday: Closed DOGS @ PLAY COMPLIMENTARY DOG TREATS! VALUED AT 10% OF YOUR PURCHASE. 422-424 Crown Street, Surry Hills (02) 9211 2040 www.dogsplay.com.au Mon - Fri: 7am–7pm, Sat: 8:30am–4:30pm, Sun: closed LUCKY PICKLE 10% OFF ALL ORDERS (MINIMUM $10 PURCHASE) 6 High Holborn Street (next to Paddock on Crown Cafe) Surry Hills www.luckypickle.com.au/ Mon - Fri: 7:30am–2:30pm Sat - Sun: closed HISCOES GYM 10% OFF ALL PRODUCTS, CLASS PASSES AND CASUAL SQUASH BOOKING WITH YOU LOCAL REWARDS CARD

PADDOCK ON CROWN 10% OFF FLAT RATE

525 Crown Street Surry Hills (02) 9699 9222 www.hiscoes.com.au/ Mon - Thu: 6am–10pm Fri: 6am–9pm, Sat: 7am–8pm Sun: 8am–6pm

509 Crown Street Surry Hills NSW (02) 8399 2827 www.facebook.com/paddockoncrown/ Mon - Fri: 7:30am–4pm, Sat - Sun: 8am–4pm

LA PANCHINA 5% OFF

ACME FRAMING FREE PHOTO FRAME FOR EVERY PURCHASE OVER $500

496 Bourke Street, Surry Hills (02) 8065 5195 www.facebook.com/LaPanchinaSydney/ Sun - Mon: 5–10pm, Tue: Closed, Wed - Thu: 5–10pm, Fri - Sat: 12–3pm, 5–10pm

525b Crown Street Surry Hills (02) 9698 7731 www.acmeframing.com Mon - Fri: 9:30am–6pm, Sat - Sun: closed

PIZZA FRITTA 180 20% OFF, SUNDAY TO THURSDAY 428 Crown Street, Surry Hills (02) 9197 0890 www.pizzafritta180.com.au Mon - Wed: 5pm–10pm Thu - Sun: 12pm–10pm

VIA NAPOLI PIZZERIA 20% OFF

TAP ART GALLERY 20% OFF ART CLASSES.

628 Crown Street, Surry Hills (02) 9428 3297 vianapoli.com.au Mon - Wed: 5–10pm, Thu - Sun: 12–10pm

1/259 Riley Street, Surry Hills 0400 610 440 www.tapgallery.org.au 7 Days: 12–6pm

MEDIADVICE PHARMACY 10% OFF

ARDI’S BLOCK TO GRILL 10% OFF SAUSAGES

608 Crown Street, Surry Hills, NSW, (02) 9319 7547 www.surryhillspharmacy.com.au Mon - Fri: 9am–6pm, Sat: 9am–3pm Sun: closed

579 Crown Street Surry Hills (02) 9319 4313 www.facebook.com/ardisblocktogrill/ Sun: 9am–7:30pm, Mon: 9am–7:30pm Tues - Sat: 9am–8:30pm

Turn the page for more great discounts www.urbanvillage.com.au

10 Local Rewards

THE TAPHOUSE 10% OFF 122 Flinders street, Darlinghurst (02) 8317 3057 www.taphousedarlo.com.au Opening Hours Sun - Thu: 12–10pm, Fri - Sat: 12pm–12am

ALL ABOUT SALON 20% OFF

458 Cleveland Street, Surry Hills 0450 591 881 www.movebikes.com.au Mon - Fri: 10am–6pm, Sat: 11am–6pm Sun: 11am–4pm

30 Burton Street Darlinghurst (02) 9331 1766 www.darlinghurstdental.com.au Mon - Wed: 8am–6pm Thu: 8am–8pm, Fri: 8am–6pm Sat: 10am–2pm, Sun: closed

THE RECORD STORE 10% OFF ALL VINYL

SYDNEY FUNERALS CO. $100 OFF ANY DIRECT CREMATION OR BURIAL AND $250 OFF ANY FULL CREMATION OR BURIAL SERVICE

34/277 Crown Street Surry Hills (02) 9380 8223 www.recordstore.com.au/ 7 Days: 11am–5pm

2/30 Kings Lane, Darlinghurst, (02) 8328 0700 www.sydneyfunerals.com/ Open 24 hours

Paramount House LG Floor, 80 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills (02) 9211 1556 www.ourgoldenage.com.au

1/137 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst 0423 000 300 www.bitterphew.com Mon - Tue: closed, Wed - Thu: 3pm–12am Fri - Sat: 12pm–1:30am, Sun: 12–10pm

196 Albion Street, Surry Hills 0402 993 244 www.salsarepublic.com.au

www.urbanvillage.com.au

BRIX DISTILLERY & BAR 15% OFF 350 Bourke Street, Surry Hills (02) 9360 5441 www.brixdistillers.com Mon - Tue: closed, Wed: 12pm–8pm, Thu: 12pm–10pm, Fri - Sat: 12pm–11.30pm Sun: 12pm–10pm

GRAND ROYAL BARBERS SURRY HILLS FREE EVO HAIR PRODUCT WITH EVERY HAIRCUT, BEARD TRIM OR SHAVE 381 Riley Street, Surry Hills (02) 9360 3063 wwwgrandroyalbarbers.com.au Mon: 9am–6pm, Tue - Fri: 9am–7pm Sat: 9am–5pm, Sun: closed

GRAND ROYAL BARBERS DARLINGHURST FREE EVO HAIR PRODUCT WITH EVERY HAIRCUT, BEARD TRIM OR SHAVE

99SUNSHINE ESPRESSO BAR 10% OFF WITH YOUR LOCAL REWARDS CARD 189 Regent Street, Redfern, 0425 181 643 Mon - Fri: 5am–4pm Sat: 7.30am–2.30pm, Sun: 8am–2.30pm

THE COLONIAL DARLINGHURST 30% OFF FOOD & DRINKS MON - THU 118 Crown Street Darlinghurst 0411 237 319 www.thecolonialrestaurant.com.au 7 Days: 5–10pm

PEDL GET 10% OFF ALL ELECTRIC BIKES AND ELECTRIC SCOOTER PURCHASES AND RENTALS

AUSSIE BOYS AUSTRALIA 10% OFF WHEN YOU SPEND $50$99. 15% FOR $100 OR MORE SALSA REPUBLIC DISCOUNT COMING SOON

GRAND DAYS 10% OFF FLAT RATE Shop 1, 220 William St, Wooloomooloo 0421 546 774 www.granddays.com.au Mon - Wed: closed Thu: 11am–6pm, Fri: 11am–5pm Sat: 10am–5pm, Sun: 11am–4pm

397 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst, (02) 9360 3063 wwwgrandroyalbarbers.com.au Mon: 10am–6pm, Tue - Fri: 10am–7pm Sat: 9am–5pm, Sun: closed

BITTER PHEW 10% OFF FLAT RATE

GOLDEN AGE CINEMA & BAR 10% OFF ALL BAR ORDERS

90 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, (02) 9361 0331 www.dalymale.com.au Mon - Wed: 9:30am–6pm Thu: 9:30am–7pm, Fri - Sat: 9:30am–6pm Sun: 11am–5pm

DARLINGHURST DENTAL 10% OFF WHITENING WHEN YOU HAVE A CHECK-UP & CLEAN

565 Crown Street, Surry Hills (02) 9690 2708 www.allaboutsalon.com.au Tue - Thu: 10am–8:30pm Fri: 10am–6pm, Sat: 9am–6pm Sun - Mon: closed

MOVE BIKES 10% DISCOUNT ON E-BIKE CASUAL HIRE

DALY MALE 10% OFF, SALE STOCK EXCLUDED, 10% DISCOUNT TO BE APPLIED TO FULL PRICED MERCHANDISE

102 Oxford Street Darlinghurst (02) 9360 7011 www.aussieboys.com.au Mon - Wed: 10am–6pm Thu: 10am–6.30pm, Fri: 10am–6pm Sat: 9.30am–6pm, Sun: 11am–5pm

138 Regent Street, Redfern, (02) 9171 7860 www.pedl.com.au Mon - Fri: 9am–5:30pm, Sat: 9.30am–2pm Sun: closed

SIMPLY HUMMUS BAR 10% OFF FLAT RATE 393 Liverpool Street Darlinghurst 0499 310 545 www.simplyhummusbar.com Mon - Thu: 11am–2.30pm, 5–8pm Fri: 9am–2.30pm, Sat: 7–9pm Sun: 9am–2.30pm, 5–8pm

GEORGE HALL ART 15% OFF Shop 1, 1 Kings Cross Rd, Darlinghurst, 0416 115 385 www.georgehallart.com Sat: 10am-4pm or by appointment

HOLISM HEALTH 5% OFF Shop 2/2-14 Bayswater Road, Potts Point 0450 311 104 www.holismhealth.com.au/shop Mon - Wed: 8am–5pm, Thu: closed Fri: 8am–5pm, Sat: 8am–2pm Sun: closed

HONKAS FREE 1 GLASS OF WINE WITH ANY “BIG LEAGUE” DISHES. 1 Kellett Way, Potts Point, (02) 93311184 www.honkas.com.au Mon: closed, Tue - Wed: 5–11pm Thu - Sat: 5pm–12am, Sun: 12–10pm

GRAND ROYAL BARBERS – CBD FREE EVO HAIR PRODUCT WITH EVERY HAIRCUT, BEARD TRIM OR SHAVE MARK THE FLORIST 10% OFF 237 Victoria Street Darlinghurst, (02) 9368 1367 www.marktheflorist.com.au Mon - Fri: 8am–6pm Sat: 9am–4pm, Sun: closed

PROMOTIONAL LOGISTICS TO BE ADVISED Gnd Fl 93 Campbell Street Surry Hills (02) 9281 0828 www.promoco.net.au/promo Mon - Fri: 8:45am–5:30pm Sat: 10am–4pm, Sun: closed

Shop 2A, 10 Spring Street, Sydney (02) 9360 3063 wwwgrandroyalbarbers.com.au Mon - Fri: 8am–6pm Sat - Sun: closed

Local Taste 11 Jimmy

Eats WITH

Jimmy Wong

Jimmy Wong is a food creative consultant, photographer, cook, season 8 MasterChef contestant and longtime resident of Surry Hills. Instagram @jimmywongeats Photography by @jimmywongeats

Travel through flavours

We have all spent more time at home in the previous months than usual, cooking more in our kitchen, balancing budgets and planning for future getaways. With International travel being off the cards for the foreseeable future, let me take you on a trip to Southeast Asia with its unique regional flavours as our guide.

y baked lemongrass chicken wings are tasty, affordable and easy to make. The inspiration of this recipe comes from my time working and travelling around the Southeast Asian region. I remember the smells and the unique regional flavours: satays, chicken wings and meats cooked over coals. Having been back in Surry Hills for a number of years now, I’ve been obsessed with creating those exciting flavours, with a number of attempts at this recipe. I hope you can come travelling with me through these flavours. Always loved by my friends and family when I’ve put this on the table, this recipe is fragrant, delicious and easily made ahead of time. There is something gratifying about eating food with your hands. Your house will smell amazing as you bake these chicken wings with ingredients of lemongrass, garlic, soy and palm sugar. Be sure to keep this marinade recipe handy, as it is also great for marinating beef, pork or other cuts of chicken.

LEMONGRASS CHICKEN WINGS 2kg chicken wings MARINADE One knob of palm sugar (approx 30g) 3 tbsp soya sauce 1 tbsp dark soy sauce 3 tbsp fish sauce 2 small stalks of lemongrass (the white parts only) 4 garlic cloves 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 stalks green shallots DIPPING SAUCE 15g palm sugar 2 tbsp hot water 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce 1 garlic clove 1 tsp rice vinegar 1 lime

METHOD Clean chicken wings thoroughly and set aside. In a large glass bowl dissolve the palm sugar with 1/2 cup of boiling water. In a food processor, mince the garlic, lemongrass and vegetable oil, adding mix to the bowl. Now add the soya sauces, fish sauce and finely chop green shallots and add to the marinade. Add chicken wings and toss in marinade. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, turning it once in a while to ensure the marinade thoroughly coats the wings. Heat oven on high at 220°c, on a large baking tray line with baking paper and place wings on it (you may require 2 trays). Bake for 35 minutes, turning it at least once. By now the wings should look golden brown, now turn the oven to 180°c and bake for a further 10 minutes. You are now ready to enjoy Southeast Asian flavours. For the dipping sauce, dissolve the palm sugar, add in finely chopped garlic and add in the rest of the ingredients and the juice of the lime. Serve in a side dish with chicken wings For this recipe and more, head to: JimmyWongEats.com

Dining over Zoom Taking the Girls & Boy’s Brigade

ood is at the heart of every community. And this is certainly true for the community of The Girls & Boys Brigade, which has been a part of the Surry Hills Community since 1912. Its iconic red-brick building sits on the corner of Riley St and Arthur St and has seen generations of young Australians through its doors. Inside, a wealth of programs are delivered for children and youth in need, including a weekly dinner program for the youth. But when COVID-19 lockdowns were introduced in March, The Girls & Boys Brigade were forced to temporarily close their doors. Bill, the Youth Support Officer had to

Food programs online during COVID-19

think outside the box to recreate the youth dinners virtually. “Normally the youth and I would cook and enjoy a healthy meal together, spending time with friends, but how was I going to create this same experience online?” Bill said. Bill carefully chose a tasty recipe and then went shopping for the ingredients to make recipe packs for each youth who wanted to participate. Bill created a dedicated social media group and then uploaded a video of himself each week cooking the tasty dinner. He then individually delivered each recipe pack for the youth to cook and follow along with the video instructions.

Every Wednesday night Bill and the youth joined a Zoom call to share their meal together. “It was a great way to keep everyone connected and we would always share riddles over dinner. There was always a healthy dose of competitive spirit going around the zoom dinner table,” Bill said. The goal of the Dinner program is to teach the youth life skills in fun and engaging ways. Some of the recipes they cooked included a Thai Green Chicken Curry, Lasagne and a Raspberry and White Chocolate Cheesecake. Tanya*, who normally attends the dinners said, “video calling with friends every day was fun and I enjoyed the challenges Bill set for us.”

International design stars on display in Surry Hills W

ork by fashion and design icons such as Diane Von Furstenberg and the late and greatly missed Alexander McQueen are on display, and for sale, in Surry Hills. The Green Room, in Crown Street, has announced an exhibition of designs from The Rug Company’s seminal roll call of designers, also including the likes of Luke Edward Hall and Kelly Wearstler. With this exhibition, the Green Room celebrates the re-awakening of nature by showcasing the very best nature-inspired rugs, tapestries and cushions. Expect arresting renditions of leopards, butterflies, florals and foliage set in the wonderful environment of The Green Room’s boutique showroom at 540 Crown Street Surry Hills.

For Tanya, the lockdown period was quite an eye-opening but fun experience. “We found being at home boosted productivity and we got to have more family time together.” Tanya said, “Quarantine sort of put us more in control of our day and lessened the stress of school and work.” Food is also central to The Girls & Boys Brigade’s Family Support Service. This service provides support for families of the children and youth who are enrolled at The Brigade. For these families, panic buying at the beginning of the pandemic created significant food insecurity. During the COVID-19 lockdown, The Girls & Boys Brigade delivered weekly groceries and 255 hot dinners to families in the community. They partnered with local restaurants SOI25 and Arthouse Cafe to distribute healthy meals every Friday.

One example is Diane Von Furstenberg’s ‘Climbing Leopard,’ depicting the leopard in a lush emerald setting with shapes that add depth and dimension, perfect for a dramatic entryway. The Green Room is a Sydney-based design group founded by creative duo Olly Adam and Maxine Fielding and is the distributor for The Rug Company in Australia. Over the past two decades, both Olly and Maxine have worked internationally in the art, interior and design industries, now settling in Sydney to bring The Rug Company and their unrivalled roll call of design collaborators to these shores. www.thegreenroom.com.au

The Girls & Boys Brigade reopened their centre on the first of June. Since then they have been busier than ever. “Our children and youth have loved returning to our after-school programs,” said Stefan Lamour-Jansson, Executive Officer of The Girls & Boys Brigade. “It’s been amazing to witness laughter and excitement back in the building.” *Name changed to protect identity. www.urbanvillage.com.au

12 Local Vibes Local

Stories By

Tess Scholfield-Peters

James Wallis,

Co-owner, World of Wheelcraft

ames Wallis moved to Surry Hills twenty years ago. He was about fifteen and attending Newtown Performing Arts High School when one recess, a kid came along and did a kick flip. He was blown away and hasn’t put down his skateboard since. Now 37, James recently opened World of Wheelcraft in Alexandria with business partner Jamie Knapp. It’s a specialty shop which caters to skateboard, scooter and roller blading enthusiasts, from beginner to pro level. “I grew up skating around here, mates and I spent a lot of time skating around the city. There weren’t heaps of us back then, but now it’s a massive community,” says James. “Over the years board shapes have changed, and skateboarding has evolved because of the skate stoppers. They put stoppers on ledges and rails because people don’t want you skating on their property. That wasn’t around as much when I was skating in the city. But now the skate parks are a lot better.” “Also skaters fold their pants up now.” Wheels of Warcraft has been open for ten months. “We did all the interior ourselves and made it look like a halfpipe. It’s colourful, friendly, people come in and have a good time. If someone buys a scooter or rollerblades, we give them a free lesson, take them out there and teach them how to use it.”

Local

Stories Surry Hills is home to James, who lives on Baptist street. For James and his wife Paree, Crown Street is the go-to, especially the recent addition Pizza Fritta 180. James and I are chatting in Ward Park. Just beyond us is a newly installed skate bowl. It’s small, but James assures me it’s a challenge to skate, even for him. “I love the joy you get out of skating once you put those wheels on the ground. You forget about it all, it’s just you and your skateboard. When you land a trick you’ve tried repeatedly for hours, to finally get it, it’s just an amazing feeling.” “It takes dedication and it’s a rewarding sport if you put in the effort. There’s no coach or first place. You make your own goals.” World of Wheelcraft 1/38 Princes Highway, St Peters, 2044 shop@worldofwheelcraft.com.au 0484 669 591

“

I love the joy you get out of skating once you put those wheels on the ground. You forget about it all, it’s just you and your skateboard. When you land a trick you’ve tried repeatedly for hours, to finally get it, it’s just an amazing feeling...

Meet Erick,

Sales assistant at Maloney’s Grocer

How long have you worked at Maloney’s? Erick: 5 years. What do you love about your job? Erick: I love to talk with the regular customers. Most of the customers here are really friendly. The management is also really good. We’re all like brothers and sisters, when we try to solve problems it feels like being at home. What do you do outside of work? Erick: I like drinking with friends and playing futsal once a week. What’s changed at Maloney’s since you started? Erick: A lot has changed, it seems that many staff are leaving.

What do you like/dislike about the neighbourhood? Erick: I used to live here for about 5 years and I’m still in love with this area. But as the time goes by, the living cost is increasing a lot, which is the reason I’m moving. What has been a challenge for you in the last few months? Erick: With the pandemic situation like this, we try our best to provide the best service to customers, but we can’t make everyone happy. We work together in this hard situation. What are you looking forward to over the next few months? Erick: I’m planning to go on holiday after this pandemic finishes and airports start to open. When business is running as usual again.

Andrew’s story… A Dog’s Life at play

ogs, says Amanda Hewson, need “space and independence” in their relationships with humans as much as their owners do. This is one reason, she says, why one or two days in day care for dogs – particularly if they are the only dog in a family – is a perfect balance. “Dogs are pack animals by nature and their time with other dos is very important, especially in those younger years up to around four years of age,” says Hewson, who operates DOGS@PLAY on Crown Street. “They exert more energy, mentally and physically, when they are with other dogs and it makes them far more content.” DOGS@PLAY has been offering grooming and day care services in Surry Hills since 2004, but Hewson says the Covid-19 period has been like no other. First, she says, the grooming and washing business was very busy as people took time to look after their dogs. The day care business, meanwhile, went quiet as people worked from home and had their dogs with them. Then came the wave of puppy adoptions as many people brought new dogs in their households.

www.urbanvillage.com.au

“I think a lot of people wanted dogs prior to Covid, but it didn’t fit into their lifestyle of working long hours and travelling for work,” says Hewson. “With Covid stopping travel, and reducing time in the office, if you were ever going to get a puppy 2020 was the perfect time.” As the year went on, the day care business has started to get busy as people go back into their workplaces, and also as people understand they need some space in the relationship with the new puppy. “Some people realized that having their dog with them 24/7 was as ideal as they first thought, and perhaps that was mutual,” says Hewson. In addition to offering grooming, day care and walking, DOGS@PLAY has a retail outlet stocking dog-related products, and enjoys good relationships with local vets which can also be a help to clients. Puppy school training in groups and individually is also available. DOGS@PLAY is at 424 Crown Street Surry Hills and is a merchant participant in the Local Rewards program. www.dogsplay.com.au Check out www.localrewards.com.au for offers.

Growing up in country NSW in the 1980s was problematic for Andrew. Wherever he went, he was harassed for being gay. A gentle giant with a kind heart, Andrew learnt to ignore it.

s the second of their five children, his parents handled Andrew differently. His loyal and most fierce supporter, his Mum, loved Andrew for who he was, not what he wasn’t. His father, a tough third-generation wheat and sheep farmer, didn’t know how to deal with his son. So he simply didn’t speak to him. When his mother died soon after he’d turned 18, Andrew’s world was shattered. Dealing with their grief in their own ways, the relationship with his father deteriorated further. If one walked into a room, the other would walk out. Andrew felt unloved and unwanted, so he headed to the one place he thought he might fit in and find acceptance. Arriving in Sydney in 1997, Andrew got off the train at Central Station one night and realised he didn’t have a plan but knew that where he was, was not a good place to be. Andrew became homeless for a number of years. He slept rough in parks and remembers feeling absolutely terrified one night as he watched a gang beat a homeless man senseless. His only thought was that if they could do that to the other guy, imagine what they would do if they found him. Most nights he would just walk or sleep where there were big crowds.

“Being homeless was the hardest thing because there was that sense that no one wanted to take me in.” Said Andrew. Andrew was in and out of shelters. As a means to pay for a room, Andrew started working at the infamous Wall. He then discovered heroin and became completely addicted - it took over his life. As Andrew tells it, “whilst on heroin, I didn’t feel anything”. In the early 2000s, Andrew started rehab and moved to Newcastle, however the sex work, the drugs and poor health had taken their toll on his body and he developed an infection on his brain. He became so sick he was admitted to a Sydney hospital and then palliative care. His father was called to his bedside because the medical staff believed Andrew was going to die. Seeing his son in so much pain, his father began mending the relationship. Andrew’s body slowly recovered, and with the help of support agencies, was assisted into an apartment of his own. With his housing stabilised, Andrew started looking for work. He wandered into nearby St John’s church one day and began talking to “a couple of guys” (the rector and chaplain). Hearing his story, they asked if Andrew would join the Urban Exposure team to lead walks and share his lived experience of homelessness. Urban Exposure is a social justice education program. It’s an opportunity for people to experience and explore the issues of urban poverty - homelessness, addiction,

“

rban Exposure U is a social justice education program. It’s an opportunity for people to experience and explore the issues of urban poverty - homelessness, addiction, mental health and trauma.

mental health and trauma. Find out more here: www.roughedges.org/urban-exposure Book your team in for a walk and come and hear Andrew’s story in person. Roughtober If you’ve ever walked past a homeless person and thought I’d like to do something but don’t know what, then Roughtober is for you. Roughtober is a community sleepout event where people who want to do something for those experiencing homelessness and marginalisation will be sleeping rough for one night to raise money for our services. Join the team or donate to support us at: www.roughtober.gofundraise.com.au/cms/home

Local Vibes 13

Local Rewards Now Live The new loyalty scheme Local Rewards has been launched in Surry Hills, Redfern Potts Point and Darlinghurst as a way for consumers to support local businesses and help the economic recovery in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

round 50 businesses and counting have signed on to Local Rewards, offering discounts to consumers who purchase Local Rewards cards and show loyalty to businesses in their local community. The range of businesses spans restaurants, pubs and cafes to cinemas, dog grooming and record stores, with more joining every day. The scheme, supported by the City of Sydney and the Surry Hills Creative Precinct, is currently not for profit, with the $3 per card activation charge being used purely to recover expenses. There is also an initial cash bonus for card holders. If you charge a card with $50, you get an additional $5 cash bonus and if you buy $100 or more, the bonus is $10. The cards use eftpos terminals and operate like a debt card with swipe and pin. They are also colourfully illustrated by local artist Nico Nicoson who transformed the building on the corner of Devonshire and Riley Streets into The Flowerhouse. Once all the funds on a card have been spent, discounts will continue to be given upon presentation of the card Shoppers simply pay with their own cash, debt or credit card and they still get the offer or discount from the participating business. All information about Local Rewards can be found at the website www.localrewards. com.au This is where businesses can sign up to the scheme, consumers can purchase cards and can read about the participating businesses and their offers. The website also functions as a vehicle to promote local businesses, and Urban Village is amplifying this through promoting the scheme and many of the individual businesses which are participating. Leigh Harris, President of the Surry Hills Creative Precinct, said Local Rewards was designed as a “win-win” scheme which offered something to businesses and consumers, and worked to keep money in the local area and also attract shoppers from outside the area. “We know a lot of small businesses have been doing it tough during Covid, but these stressful times have also taught us about the value of our community,” said Harris. “We hope that consumers will see Local Rewards as a way of injecting funds into local businesses, and it has the added benefit of also rewarding them with a discount or special offer.” While Local Rewards has been launched as a Covid recovery project, it is planned that it will continue and become a feature of the local business economy. “We see evidence all the time that people see the businesses around them as part of their community,” said Leigh Harris. “The idea of Local Rewards is to provide an incentive for local people to shop local, so we can build a more vibrant and sustainable local economy.” For more information, to sign up or buy a card go to www.localrewards.com.au

ADVERTISE TODAY:

CALL: 02 7904 5979 OR EMAIL: INFO@URBANVILLAGE.COM.AU www.urbanvillage.com.au

14 Neighbourhoods in the

Hood WITH

Mike Galvin

Spring has Sprung 2020 will be a Spring to remember as we look for hope and optimism in the community.

Mike is a Postcode 2010 local, founder of the Darlo Darlings Facebook Group, former Chef and a keen food writer. www.mikeygalvin.com | Insta: @mikeygalvin

“

I recently became a new bike owner and am now wondering what took me so long. Over the last two weeks I’ve safely ridden from home in Darlinghurst to the Fitness Playground in Surry Hills, Redfern, Paddington and up to Centennial Park. What I love the most about it, is how accessible local businesses are when you’re commuting on a bike...

don’t think I can remember a time that I have looked so much forward to welcoming a new season. Spring is my favourite season for many reasons. Our streets turn into lush green canopies, and in true Sydneysider style, we all come out from our winter hibernation. 2020 of course is different as we navigate our way though COVID-19. It continues to be a very difficult time not just for local businesses, but also residents with many of our neighbours out of work. Our sense of community has never been more important. Out of the doom and gloom we need to celebrate what’s great about our community, support the new businesses opening and keep money circulating within the precincts we live in. It’s always important to share the reasons why people should visit our amazing neighbourhood, and there are plenty of them. Mark the Florist last week celebrated his first year in business on Victoria Street, we saw Toto’s Cafe on Campbell Street open, as well as Darlo General, a fabulous new concept store on Womerah Avenue, offering coffee, food and homewares. Carriageworks has reopened and Oxford Street’s revitalisation and consultation discussions are about to commence. We all need to be enthusiastic and a part of shaping the future of our neighbourhood.

A message from

Councillor Professor Kerryn Phelps AM A

fter six months of restrictions, lockdowns and a cultural shift that has seen Australians have to come to grips with concepts like physical distancing and maskwearing, Australia has done well to largely contain the spread of COVID-19. However we have seen a significant second wave in Victoria where the State government had to introduce strict lockdown conditions, and NSW continues intensive contact tracing and testing protocols to identify and isolate new cases and prevent outbreaks. Since the beginning of the Coronavirus Pandemic, I have been communication closely with NSW Health and the CEO of the City of Sydney, not only in my role as a City of Sydney Councillor, but as a doctor and a former President of the AMA. It is crucial that we continue to listen to the advice of health authorities including wearing a mask, maintaining physical distancing, consistent hand washing, and avoiding crowds. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised that people should wear masks in any situation where physical distancing may be difficult such as on public transport, in grocery stores, at work, at social gatherings, and in other closed settings. The use of masks can help protect others from contracting www.urbanvillage.com.au

I have loved how the local business innovation and reinvention seen during stage 1 and 2 of COVID-19 has continued. Hospitality businesses, the arts sector and other businesses, rallied to diversify to remain relevant during the most challenging times many of us have seen in our lifetime. Many of the virtual experiences have continued like the Quarantined Sommelier, and many restaurants have retained their new takeaway experiences. In many respects, it is starting to feel like new beginnings, a feeling that lends itself so eloquently to springtime. On your bike! I recently became a new bike owner and am now wondering what took me so long. Over the last two weeks I’ve safely ridden from home in Darlinghurst to the Fitness Playground in Surry Hills, Redfern, Paddington and up to Centennial Park. What I love the most about it, is how accessible local businesses are when you’re commuting on a bike. I just need to get a rear carrier rack now to secure my shopping purchases. It’s a great way to get around the neighbourhood. As always, keep shopping local, supporting your neighbours, complain less, do more. Oh and go out and buy a local rewards card for your friends and family so they can experience our amazing local businesses too! Have a great Spring. Mike.

How to lose those Covid kilos for Spring COVID-19 if the infected person wears a mask, and it also provides some protection for a person who is not infected when they are in close proximity to a person who is infectious. As some Australian States continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to maintain all reasonable preventative strategies. I ask that all people in the Sydney area wear a mask on public transport for the whole of their journey, and in small spaces like lifts and where physical distancing is not possible such as in stores. As the City of Sydney plans closures and careful reopening of our public facilities such as community centres, child care centres, pools and fitness facilities throughout the pandemic, we have the responsibility to ensure unnecessary risks are not taken which could potentially allow for the spread of COVID-19, for the safety of all members of our community who live, work in and visit the City of Sydney. We also must assess the risk of proceeding with major city events, particularly over the holiday period, and there will be a continual process of re-evaluation based on the best available evidence at the time. We must consider if an event goes ahead, what measures do Council, police, transport officials and others need to undertake to ensure the safety of visitors.

If you’re starting to fret about a few extra pounds you’ve gained during the pandemic, never fear! Here are some tips for you to get back on track. By

Dave Marsh

1. The power of NO The power of NO is an incredible tool once you’ve seen it work. When a situation isn’t in your best interests, saying no with confidence can really help you get to your fat loss goals. You could find lower calorie alternatives for drinks and desserts, or you could just say no because you just don’t need them. 2. Move more If you’re likely to consume more calories, then you best get off your bum and move more! To avoid this happening, make sure that you’re burning off those extra calories by moving or exercising in your favourite ways. 3. Plan ahead If you have a meal out on Saturday and it’s the Monday before, you’ve got time to start saving calories. This is easily done if you’re tracking your macros and calories early. You could bank around 100-200 calories a day each

day from Monday leading up to Saturday. When Saturday arrives, you’ve saved 5001,000 extra calories be used in addition to Saturday’s calories. This is called ‘calorie cycling’ by looking at your weekly total. If you don’t track your food that’s cool. The best thing to do here is to reduce your food volume from foods that are more carb-heavy and some fats too. This method will still allow you to have a buffer come Saturday. 4. Drinking In my book alcohol is the enemy when it comes to weight/fat gain as people seem to forget that liquid calories also count. On a night out, you could easily double your calorie intake if you decide to smash cocktails,

beers and wine along with the already high calorie food you plan to eat. Cocktails can be around 300-400 calories. Beers can be around 150-250 calories and wines around 100-120 a glass. The safer options for drinking are going to be spirits and diet mixers. For a single gin and diet mixer, it’s around 50-70 calories. You could have 3 of these over the night and only cost yourself 150-200 calories. Just by following these simple steps you can reduce your overall expenditure and make those important lifestyle changes which are going to help you succeed coming into Spring.

Dave Marsh is a Surry Hills based fitness professional. Get in touch with him via Insta @movable.muscle or www.movablemuscle.com

www.urbanvillage.com.au

Finance 17 How to unlock the trifecta of freedom, choice and flexibility (even during a pandemic)

Not matter what your plans were for 2020, the last 6 months have certainly been nothing like any of us expected. With parts of the country in lockdown, social distancing the new normal and overseas adventures put on ice, we’ve all had to readjust our expectations and goals for the year ahead. Despite all the challenges we continue to face, now may also be an opportunity to get ahead on your big-ticket items and long-terms goals (such as purchasing a property or starting a business). By

Glen Hare

Glen Hare is one half of Surry Hills based financial advice firm The Fox & The Hare www.foxandharewealth.com

ere at Fox & Hare, the lion’s share of our members are chasing the elusive trifecta of freedom, choice and flexibility. We’ve learned that the modern corporate crusader has little interest in climbing the corporate ladder just for the sake of it. And we’re now fairly (99.5%) certain that nobody is out there enduring the desk-bound drudgery of the average 9-5 just for the hell of it. The good news? Achieving this unicorn trifecta is attainable, it just involves generating a passive income (which is income generated from means other than personal exhaustion,

such as rents from investment properties, dividends on shares or the interest from high interest savings accounts). Ready to unlock the trifecta of freedom, choice and flexibility by building a passive income? Here are four important questions to consider: 1: How much is enough? Start by calculating how much you need to cover fixed costs every year (such as bills and rent). Next, figure out how much cash you need for life’s little pleasures as well as any big-ticket items you’re planning to purchase in the next 12 months. This will give you a clear figure to work towards. 2: What’s the most common problem when getting started? Hitting your long-term goals will only happen if you have a structured game plan in place. Consider what stumbling blocks

you might encounter and create strategies that will help you overcome these and reach your goals. 3: When is the perfect time to start? The time will never be perfect, so why not just start now? 4: Is your super pulling its weight? Your superannuation account could be the knight in shining armour when it comes to long term financial freedom. But, are you sure that you’re paying enough attention to this investment? In order to be truly free, have the flexibility you desire and the choice to live the life you aspire, you’ll ironically need a degree of structure and discipline. With many of life’s pleasures (such as international travel and dining out regularly) off the cards, how can you use these extra funds to help create long-term wealth? Set yourself realistic, specific and measurable goals and formulate a game plan to ensure success.

Urban Village is published by Urban Village Media Pty Ltd with co-operation from the Surry Hills Creative Precinct, Potts Point Partnership and the Darlinghurst Business Partnership. Our purpose is to strengthen relationships and co-operation between the business community, residents, visitors and workers of Surry Hills, Darlinghurst, Potts Point and the surrounding neighbourhoods. While all efforts are made to ensure information is accurate, Urban Village Media and our co-operating chamber partners, take no responsibility for errors or omissions.

Editor Lachlan Colquhoun Words Tess Scholfield-Peters, Lachlan Colquhoun, Alex Greenwich, Jen Webster, Mike Galvin, Glen Hare, Dave Marsh, Images Leigh Harris, Jessica Hromas, Joy Lai Design & Layout Ben Eckersley Publisher Urban Village Media Pty Ltd | ABN 68 623 934 609 Feature Tim Duggan By Lachlan Colquhoun Email info@urbanvillage.com.au Office PO Box 644 Surry Hills NSW 2010 | ISSN 2208-6242