My love affair with Joost

Dutch-born Australian Joost Bakker is everywhere. He recently constructed a fire testing building with a 100% recyclable steel frame, strawables as insulation and MGO board cladding for CSIRO. He designed Greenhouse restaurant. He builds residential and commercial buildings. He creates vertical gardens. To top it off, he makes homewares.

I discovered Joost (pronounced “Yoast”) at the Queensland Art Gallery gift shop. His mugs and bowls were perched atop the centre table between the coffee table art books and the post cards. As a new pottery student, I have the habit of feeling walls, rims, feet and curves. When I picked up Joost’s tumbler, it felt good in my hands. I also like the look of raw, unglazed terra cotta on the outside wall with white glaze on the inside and dripping down the rim.

My tumbler, along with the rest of Joost’s tablewares, was sourced from Australian soils and created by local artisans in collaboration with the Dutchman. “I’ve designed this range of tableware as a reminder that food has been harvested, planted and grown,” Joost wrote on his product pamphlet. Because the terra cotta is raw, it will break down and as he put it, “return to the earth.”

Joost also makes bowls, pinch pots and plates available at Gardenista.

Photo Gallery: Honolulu Museum of Art

Four courtyards each styled in a different motif. An exhibit of Japanese shunga. Pieces from Doris Duke’s Shangri La. Photographs of full body tattoos. A well stocked book store and gift shop. The Honolulu Museum of Art enchanted me.

Back in February, I had one day to explore O’ahu solo on my way home to Brisbane from Vancouver and there’s no where else I would have spent it. Here are some of the art works and architecture that caught my eye.

The One Where I Discover a City Farm

I’m an urban girl. Usually the farm comes to me, either though weekly markets or Food Connect, until few weeks ago. I was introduced to Northey Street City Farm by my friend Melissa, a permaculture specialist, on sunny afternoon before the Brisbane winter set in.

Northey Street City Farm is the hub for all things organic, holistic and green in Brisbane. They host Sunday market in the adjacent parking lot and sustainable living workshops. They have a well-stocked nursery. They have community garden plots. They even have a permaculture cookbook.

There was so much to see when Melissa showed me Northey Street. Here’s a selection of my snaps from the afternoon.

This Sunday marks their 600th market. Sandy Creek Organic Farm will be there with rocket, lettuce and asian greens and the Smoothie Cycle will be there offering pedal powered smoothie.

Paniyiri Greek Festival

Zorba the Greek played on repeat. Smoke wafted from the lamb turning on the spit. Haloumi squeaked between the teeth of locals. Children hyped on honeypuffs rolled gleefully in zorb balls. Tiny plastic cups fell on the ground after old men and young women took shots of ouzo. This is Paniyiri, the annual Greek festival in Musgrave Park.

It was a sunny autumn afternoon. I walked down the park from our house up the hill to snap photos and watch a cooking demonstration.  We met up with friends in the early evening and drank sweet wine, played carnival games, rode the giant swing, and ate stuffed red papers, lamb yiros, spanakopita, galaktoboureko, baclava and nut rolls. It was wonderful.

One of the many Greek homes in the West End.

Windows of a Greek Orthodox Church.

85% of the people in this photo are drinking XXXX Gold or Mythos

I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the fun house from Grease

Kids in zorbs (that really, really amused Chris)

Starting them young

Rasta monkey prizes

An alternative wind turbine

A moment of relief for stomachs full of honey puffs

Throw a weighted ball for a unicorn

Bumper car spectacle

At first I thought she was from Blade Runner

This tower, created for Expo 88, lights up at night. Chris thinks it secretly gauges weather.

Grill master hard at work

“It’s getting faster!” It=Zorba the Greek, played for the 20th time that night.

Dancing on top of a trailer

All that’s missing are clay plates to smash

Fry, baby, fry

Coat, baby, coat

Pop a puff (or 12) in your mouth

One of the dozen food tents that offered Greek cuisine from different regions

Thousands gathered to dance, drink and inhale charred meat

The beginning of spanakopita

Starting the night off with haloumi

Living in the West End is a Greek festival year-long for Chris and I. Years ago Greeks primarily settled in South Brisbane and Italians generally settled in North Brisbane. We often frequent a well-stocked Greek deli on Vulture St and dine at one of the many Greek restaurants; Little Greek is our favourite followed closely by Char Char.

Burnett Beacons

Since the first day of May, I have walked through Burnett Lane every day on my way to Shri Yoga. I’m on Day 6 of a 30 day yoga challenge. Strolling, or in some cases, power walking, through Burnett Lane to the yoga studio is a delight. Burnett Lane is one of the revitalised laneways in the Brisbane city heart. Reminiscent of Melbourne streets, Burnett Lane is a respite from the bustle of Queen St Mall and it’s brand name shops.

You’ll find a German sausage cafe, a bar called Super Whatnot, a French florist and of course, Shri in Burnett Lane. You’ll also find a pop-up architecture show put on by first year students. Burnett Beacons are battery powered lanterns designed by first-year architecture students from the University of Queensland. They partnered with Reverse Garbage (one of my favourite social enterprises) to turn industrial waste into urban treasures. I walked past the students setting up their beacons on a Friday afternoon.

Which is your favourite?