This blog is long overdue as I visited Rosa’s Kitchen way back at the end of last year. I remember braving torrential rain to get there, but the great food and coffee was worth the rain soaked shoes. I indulged in Rosa’s Tasting Plate, which was fig and walnut sourdough with fresh ricotta, chill jam, tomato, avocado and a hot mini chorizo muffin! Sounds delicious, and it was! My breakfast companions tried Rosa’s Mexican Sunrise (sunnyside up fried egg on chilli beans with avocado, chorizo and tortilla triangles) and good ole scrambled eggs.

The express coffee window is perfect for grabbing a quick a coffee on the way to work. For those who are in no rush and love a lazy weekend breakie, step into Rosa Kitchen, enjoy her hospitality and choose from the very tempting menu.

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Rosa’s Kitchen
288 Unwins Bridge Road
Sydenham
8065 6919

I am completely addicted to taking photos of street art and one of the reasons is because it is such a temporary artform. One day I will be walking past a completely blank wall, the next it is covered by an amazing design, the following day another artist has added to it and its possible that next week it could be completely painted over and be a blank canvas again.

I have several locations and streets that I regularly visit throughout the Inner West because I hate the thought of missing anything. The stencil wall in Enmore has always been a favourite because of the new art and stencils that are constantly added to it.

At the end of last year the original stencil wall was given a fresh coat of paint and street artist MOX created an amazingly intricate stencil of the Natural History Museum in London. Fukt Stencil then added his own touch with his stencil of Charles Darwin as an ape perched nicely on the staircase. The evolution of the stencil wall is interesting to watch and I’m grateful there are residents in the Inner West who appreciate street art and have granted permission for their walls to be used as an art canvas for everyone to enjoy.

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I have a perfect Valentines Day present for 20 lucky innerwestlifestyle readers. Hopscotch Films have very generously given me 10 free ’2 for 1′ movie tickets to Gone and 10 tickets to A Separation to give away. The trailers of both films look great and I am looking forward to seeing them when they hit the cinemas very soon.

The first 20 people to email me at nadine@innerwestlifestyle.com.au with their mailing address (so I can send you the ticket via snail mail) will be the winners! Please include in your email what movie ticket you would prefer, but it will be ‘first in, best dressed’ as to who gets which movie ticket.

Happy Valentines Day everyone.

I’m back! I’ve spent the last couple of months entertaining in-laws from overseas, taking them on an eating tour around Sydney and throughout the Inner West and have been an all-round tour guide extraordinaire. Well that’s my excuse for being a slacko in my posting and I’m sticking to it!

Since food has been a major part of my Christmas and holiday break I thought I should share some photos of the Kuki Tanuki Japanese Bar, which is the latest addition to the Erskineville Village food strip.

I love Japanese food so my arm certainly didn’t have to be twisted to try this place out. The added bonus of course is this restaurant manages to combine two of my favourite things, great food and great street art. Awesome Japanese inspired street art by super talented artist SMC3, decorates the walls and the Sushi Ninja would have to be my favourite.

We tried several dishes in Kuki Tanuki and everything was delicious! Edamame and Gyoza to start, followed by tender strips of beef, melt in your mouth Sashimi and Sushi, accompanied by a glass or maybe two of beautiful red wine. What’s great about Kuki Tanuki is you can enjoy a great meal there or just drop in for a drink and sit back, relax and catch up with friends over a cold beer or a glass of wine or for the more adventurous, a taste of sake. On my next visit, which I’m sure will be soon, I’m going to be brave and try some sake!

Kuki Tanuki
61 Erskineville Road, Erskineville

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Attack The Block is a lot of fun, and a pretty impressive debut feature from writer/director Joe Cornish. The film was produced through Big Talk Productions, known for films like Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and possess the same filmmaking smarts (setting an alien invasion in a South London council estate – what an idea) and relentless energy that made those modern comedy gems so instantly memorable.

The endlessly quotable Attack the Block features a simple premise and wastes no time throwing us into the action. It blends the comedy and creature film genres pretty effectively. Full of tense and exciting heart-in-your-mouth chase sequences, there are also plenty of laughs (love that South London youth lingo) and clever popular culture references (“It’s raining Gollums”). Throw in an unconventional gang of heroes, interesting and effective creature design, and a killer soundtrack, and it is hard to dismiss Attack the Block as anything other than a supremely cool film and essential cult viewing.

On her way home from work on Bonfire Night, an attractive young nurse, Sam (Jodie Whittaker), is mugged in the streets near her council estate apartment block in Kennington, South London by a gang of teenagers. Led by Moses (John Boyega), who carries a flip knife, the gang is also made up of Pest (Alex Esmail), Dennis (Franz Drameh), Jerome (Leeon Jones) and Biggz (Simon Howard). A falling object that lands in a nearby car interrupts the robbery. Seeing it as an unexpected opportunity to loot the car, Moses starts a search but is attacked by an abnormal creature – which he and his gang pursue into a nearby park and kill. Unsure what to do, but convinced it is an alien of some kind; they decide to take it to Ron (Nick Frost), a drug dealer with an interest in National Geographic (and the only one they know capable of identifying the creature) living in the Penthouse apartment of their tower block. While they decide how to profit from their discovery, they hide the alien in his fortified ‘weed room’.

When more creatures begin to fall from the sky, the group is eager to fight them – collecting any weapons they can find, forging alliances with unlikely fellow tenants (including Sam) and taking it to the streets to confront them head on. What they discover is that these beasts are bigger and meaner, have jet-black fur, rows of sharp fluorescent teeth and are beset on taking down anyone who opposes them. They throw around radical ideas about to the origins of the creatures, but the real reason, hypothesized by a stoner in a state of high, is actually pretty plausible. It is simply bad luck for the aliens that they land in an area where the local residents are intent on fighting back.

There is a challenge for viewers – identifying with and accepting the gang as the film’s unlikely heroes – having first been introduced to them mugging an innocent block resident. This is not difficult because we soon warm to their larger-than-life personalities and comic chemistry. We find their enthusiasm infectious and their motivations to go badass on the invaders totally believable. Forming an alliance with their earlier victim works in a redemption theme, but amidst their bloated egos and disillusioned beliefs that they are saving the world (though they are defending their block – which is essentially their entire existence) they establish level-headedness and prove to be resourceful with makeshift weapons and objects. Of the performances John Boyega (quietly powerful here, and recently tied to a HBO special involving Spike Lee) and Alex Esmail (as the motor-mouth, but often-hilarious Pest) were the standouts, while Jodie Whittaker, Nick Frost and Luke Treadway (as Ron’s loyal weed customer) turn in solid supporting work.

Attack the Block, in my opinion, is a superior meshing of youth culture and monsters to J. J Abrams’ Super 8. While Abrams’ characters had their video cameras and an admiration for classic cinema, this feels fresh and new and features immature troublemakers tearing around on pushbikes, mo-peds and pizza delivery vehicles and taking their enemies down with firecrackers, baseball bats and blades. It’s all very exciting, and the rapid editing and innovative photography creates heightened tension. Of course, the film would not be as cool without an awesome synthesizer soundtrack from Basement Jaxx. Worthy of your time, Attack the Block is the real deal. Believe.

Attack the Block is currently playing at Dendy Newtown. I rate the film 4 Stars.

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You can read more of Andrew’s reviews at his weekly updated blog: Andy Buckle’s Film Emporium

Earlier this week my sister and I were heading to King Street for a late lunch when the meatballs special on The Kick Inside chalkboard caught our eye and pulled us into the cafe. Meatballs wouldn’t be my usual pick on a Summer’s day in Sydney, but this Summer weather is proving to be anything but summery, so the meatballs were a perfect pick for this particular chilly day. I love a good meatball…but these were awesome! Beautifully presented and accompanied by a rich tomato sauce and delicious Neu’s handmade German bread, which was perfect for dipping and soaking up the last of the yummy saunce. (Note to self: I need to make sure I pop into Marrickville Markets this Sunday because I know Neu’s Bread sells there each week).

The cafe is retro and casual and I love the 70′s accessories that fill the shelves and walls. I want to head back soon to try their breakfast beacuse I spotted macadamia and cranberry museli with poached rhubarb and pear on the menu (sounds delicious). The staff match the feel of the cafe, friendly and relaxed! What more could you want from a cafe – great coffee, retro styling, friendly staff, great art on the walls and fantastic meatballs. Check it out!

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The Kick Inside
43 Erskineville Road, Erskineville
9517 2255

There wouldn’t be many people who haven’t heard of street artist Beastman. His work is instantly recogniseable and everyone has had a chance to see his recent work in Art & About Sydney (Streetware 2011), “Transient” a pop-up exhibition at the Galeries in Sydney, the Outpost Project on Cockatoo Island and his latest exhibition “Cosmic Nature” opens tomorrow night (Thursday 8 December) at Kind of Gallery. He has been a very busy man leading up to Christmas!

I managed to buy an original Beastman artwork a couple of months ago at “Paperthin”, the opening exhibition at Colour By Numbers Gallery in Enmore and I can’t wait to check out his latest works in the “Cosmic Nature” exhibition. Just a friendly suggestion to anyone who might be interested in buying some of his artwork … get there early!

“Cosmic Nature” is open until December 18, but there are only a couple days left to check out Beastman’s work at the Outpost Project which finishes on December 11.  Huge thanks to Beastman for the interview and I can’t wait to see more of his art hitting the streets (especially around the Inner West).

How long have you been doing street art and how did you initially get started?
I have only been creating work in the streets for a few years, but I have been creating artwork and exhibiting for many more years.

How would you describe your street art identity and style?
Distinctive.

How do you pick a location for a Beastman street art piece? Is it usually planned or spur of the moment?
Usually planned because I dont really do any illegal work, my work on the street is determined by wherever I can get a wall to paint legally.

What is your favourite Beastman design that you have done on the street (in Australia or overseas)?
I havent painted it yet.

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Who is your favourite artist (local or international)?
I have many favourite artists, hard to pick one – Richard Colman, Mark Whalen, Jim Houser, Mars One, Bruno 9Li, Escif, Roa, Creepy, Yok, Shida, Numskull, Phibs, Sofles, Barry McGee, OS Gemeos – there are so many…

Where can someone buy your work?  Do you do commission work? How can someone contact you if they want an original Beastman design?
I have a couple of solo exhibitions a year, and am regularly involved in group exhibitions around the world. I do commission work and can easily be contacted through my website – beastman.com.au

How did you get involved in the Higher Ground Studio?
Through my friend Dan (Ears), he was in the space and asked a bunch of us to share it with him, so we all setup Higher Ground Studio.

9. I am looking forward to your exhibition “Cosmic Nature” at Kind of Gallery. What is your inspiration behind the work in the exhibition?
The work is inspired by the futuristic and overwhelming idea of nature coming to life in a way which we could have never imagined.

The Outpost Project is an fantastic celebration of street art. How were you involved, and what is your favourite piece/installation at Outpost?
I was invited to be part of Outpost by aMBUSH Gallery who was co-curating the event. My favourite piece of work there is the large mural by Belgian artist ROA.

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And finally… Inner west questions…

Best place for a caffeine hit in the Inner West?
I dont drink coffee – but the best milkshake is at Urban Bites in Newtown.

What/where was the last great meal you ate in the Inner West?
Ramen Noodle Bar at the back of the book store.

What’s the Inner West’s best kept secret?
Higher Ground Studio

Numskull must have been working around the clock with everything he has been involved in recently. All the street art lovers will have recently seen his work in Art & About Sydney (Streetware 2011),  a pop-up exhibition at the Galeries in Sydney called “Transient”, the Outpost Project on Cockatoo Island and his latest exhibition ‘Mixed Messages’ is currently showing at Kind of Gallery. I was lucky to get a sneak peak at some of the work he was creating when I went to the Higher Ground Studio Open day a couple of months ago and have been looking forward to seeing the final collection of work in the exhibition. I love typography and the manulation of text in art so I love his style. Don’t miss his “Mixed Messages” exhibition (Kind of Gallery (72 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst) which finishes on December 3, or Outpost Project which is open until December 11.  Huge thanks to Numskull for finding time in his hectic schedule to give us an insight into his creative process!

How long have you been doing street art and how did you initially get started?
I started out doing Graffiti in the late 90s because my brother did it and really liked the freedom of writing your name wherever you want. From then on I have been constantly experimenting and moving between street art and traditional graffiti.

How would you describe your street art identity and style?
Tyopgraphy, letter-forms, pattern and bold character collage.

Do you usually work by yourself on the street or with other street artists??
I used to paint by myself illegally. I found I was more distracted with other people around. Legal walls are always with other artists.

Where can someone buy your work?  Do you do commission work? How can someone contact you if they want an original Numskull design??
Either at my gallery shows or through me personally, via my website funskull.com (or email numskull@funskull.com). I do take on commissions, but it depends on the request really. I’m pretty open.

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What’s the Inner West’s best kept secret?
Higher Ground Studio!

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WASTE LAND Official Trailer from Almega Projects on Vimeo.

I have 8 tickets so it won’t break the bank to send these tickets to the winners by old fashioned snail mail. The first 8 people to email me at nadine@innerwestlifestyle.com.au with their mailing address will be the winners. It can’t get any easier than that! The films starts on December 1 and will only be showing at Hoyts Cinema Paris. Enjoy

Ahhh… the joy of food. It doesn’t get much more joyful than the food at Cafe Sopra on Dank Street. The food is amazing, hallellujah kind of amazing! I have my friend Ali to thank for introducing me to this place. She recommended I try the meatballs and they are out of this world. Meatballs, pasta, salads and desserts to die for! Without a doubt the menu board will have something to delight everyone’s taste buds. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.

Cafe Sopra is hidden away above the Fratelli Fresh Supermarket on Dank Street. It’s easy to miss with the distraction of all the galleries, design stores, cafes, shopping and eateries on the street. You should definitely wait until after lunch to be distracted by the trendy shops on Dank Street, head straight to Cafe Sopra and you won’t be disappointed.

The only reason why I haven’t been to Cafe Sopra more often is that you can’t book a table in advance. My suggestion is go early to avoid waiting in a queue of hungry people. If you do find yourself having to wait to be seated you can spend some time looking around the Fratelli Fresh Supermarket or if your cooking skills are not up to scratch, sign up for a cooking course while you’re there. But who needs to know how to cook, when there are so many great places to eat out at. That’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it.

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