Open Days And Boganburgers...

The second annual Open House day. Thirty-two significant buildings in Melbourne threw open their doors this year for a host of sticky-beaks (Peggy and myself included) to troop through. Thirty thousand people participated last year and I'm willing to bet there were more this time around. At the first building we lined up to look at (the Russell Place Substation) we were duly informed that the cue was two and a half hours long... Needless to say we went off in search of speedier rubber-necking. I rarely even do anything I like for two and a half hours and cueing is most assuredly not something I enjoy. Being able to wander at will around unfamiliar buildings is something I'v always loved. I have these dreams of living in a house so big that I occasionally stumble upon an entire wing I've previously overlooked.

Apart from the obvious enjoyment to be had in exploring these places, my main motivation was scouting locations for new paintings. Museum-like settings. I took a few reference photos in various places before we ended up at Town Hall. Promising glass cases that I can put various critters in and probably produce a somewhat Hopper-esque painting. Overstuffed chairs in front of all that polished wood and glass. Brought to mind some of his paintings of foyers and anterooms. Peggy dutifully stood in as a figure reference. I'll let that simmer for a while. Paintings need to percolate over time. Eventually those glass cases may end up combined with other elements from disparate locations, synthesised into a painting. Or maybe not. It's an uncertain business in more ways than one.

Earlier in the day, I'd spotted a big John Cattapan in the foyer of the RACV building and in Town Hall I stumbled across paintings by Rick Amor and Louise Hearman. How many of these treasures are tucked away in various nooks and crannies in inner Melbourne? Love the crannies.

After all this investigation, we retired to The Napier Hotel in Fitzroy to split a Boganburger. You are what you eat, a member of the Napier's bar staff once told me. I beg to differ but just look at the the thing! I think Peggy's photo captures its true majesty. It's too big a challenge for one mere mortal. Lettuce, tomato, beetroot, pineapple, a potato-cake, a chicken schnitzel, bacon, an egg and steak. As if this weren't enough, it comes with a side order of potato wedges and a green salad! She canna take any more, Captain!

Home in time for Merlin and final of Masterchef. I was hoping the final pressure test might feature the Boganburger but no such luck...