183 William St
Northbridge Western Australia 6003
(08) 9328 5285 Website
Hours: Mon-Thu, Sat 9:00 - 17:00 Fri 9:00 - 21:00 Sun 11:00 - 17:00
This is a quintessential part of William St, one of those business without which you can't even think about the street being William St. It is like a real old-style continental shop in Mediterranean Europe or a mini-suq in the Middle East. This sort of shop has been in process of extinction in Europe at the same rate that their old cranky owners have been passing away.
The shop will awaken your senses with its mix of colours, smells and textures, with its old cracked wooden floors, wonderful dark shelves, their cashier counter, their scales, and that mix of harmony, chaos and intimacy that the Kakulas shop has. The shop attendants are usually European backpackers working there, very nice and efficient, always smiling and courteous.
This is a shop to find some spices, beans, herbs and staples that are rarely found in the supermarket and that are basic to cook certain national dishes, the sort of ingredients that some foreigners would use to cook their authentic national recipes at home. They also cater for packed products and brands that people from other cultures identify as theirs, that is, that are part of their culinary culture - identifiers of what they are and what they miss from home. Some of those products can be found in your normal supermarket now, but Kakulas were the first to cater for them.
The old cranky owner is no longer out there at the counter, and many things have changed in the last five or six years, I guess, to make the business more profitable. However, something has been lost in the way. Just two examples.
1/ The selection of olive oil brands has decreased in the last years, and those wonderful real non-mass produced really-tasty and authentic oil oils, those whose taste is real to a Mediterranean, have been replaced by mediocre brands that are, indeed, part of food multinationals and, therefore, can be found in your normal supermarket or continental store.
2/ The same sort of policy brought us the little charming coffee-to-go corner they have opened to the street. The only problem is that the coffee is a watery concoction of OK coffee - as good as the plunger coffee you could prepare yourself at your place for free using good quality ground coffee.
To me, being progressive in the food industry in the 21st century means being authentic and traditional, looking back and seeing what worked in the past food markets and shops and mix it with new "marketing" approaches and policies to adapt it to the needs of our modern society. If this makes any sense to you. It does makes sense to me, though. Cashing in on anything you can replacing good products with others that are managed by food multinationals is not the right way to go,though.
Kakulas is a wonderful place, with lots of authentic products, great service and a great old-fashioned atmosphere. Enjoy their natural charm while it lasts, as we will soon have it tinned and mass produced so we can sniff it and pass out.
Fahrenheit 451 is a visionary movie based on Ray Bradbury's novel of the same title. It is set in an imaginary aseptic world with a sterile society that thrives on TV plasma screens, on burning books, and on superficial relationships.
The movie is an allegory about what a world without books and culture would be, an ode against ignorance and simple minds, a reminder that burning books is a sign of human degradation and typical of tyrannical regimes. It is also an homage to Literature, in this case to Truffaut's fav books, as most of the books burnt are French titles and authors.
The movie honours Bradbury's visionary novel. Think about our modern world, dominated by big plasma screens hanging from the walls in which reading and culture are each time less valued and appreciated. Think about those reality shows in which our opinion is asked as a way of creating a false sense of community and participation, when our answers are, indeed, irrelevant. Think about a world in which the information is manipulated by the media to support the political regime in vogue... It sounds familiar, no? These themes are fantastically presented in the film.
All the actors are great in their roles. Cyril Cusak is truly convincing as the fire brigade captain, completely sure about his Mission and about the danger of books for Society. Oskar Werner is also great as fireman Montag, going from a hieratic starting to a soulful mood when his character starts to change and read books. Julie Christie is great in her double role as Montag's wife Linda and neighbour book-reader Clarisse. I loved that while Linda is very feminine and sensual on the exterior, she's emotionally frigid, while her counterpart Clarisse, who is dressed boyishly and has short hair, has a special warmth and sensuality that comes from her cultivated inner world.
The colours of the movie are not randomly chosen. The movie offers subdued grey and pastel tones that are constantly highlighted by two main colour, dark grey (as the society that represents, especially clear in the children school uniforms), and a beautiful intense deep red (associated to fire).
The OST by Bernard Herrmann is magnificent, dramatically neurotic sometimes, lyric some others, while the tune that accompanies the fire squad's outings is very Ravel-ish and anticipative (and catchy) and sets the pace of the movie. Most of the time the music is unsettling. I thought it was overwhelming sometimes, too, and I did not like that.
The end of the movie is just magnificent, so lyric, so full of hope. The whole snow scene and recitation of the old man with his grandson is pure beauty, and so moving.
I watched this movie for the first time on TV when I was about 13y.o., many years ago!, and it had a huge impact on me. In fact, I forgot the title but not the movie. and the message The reviewing of the movie proofs that there is a reason for that impact, as the movie stands the past of time as all the themes discussed are still relevant for our world.
The only think that does not stand the pass of time are the fashion and, above all, the special effects, which are very much outdated and made me laugh when re-watching it recently. However, the movie has a lot of experimental things that are still daring today. For example, the opening credits, all spoken, no word written until we see The End at the end of the movie, or the scene in which half the screen goes black.
A movie that will move immensely to all of us who have thrived on books and still think that written culture and knowledge highlight more our spirit than any religion.
An interesting and innovative Mexican indie sci-fi movie.
The movie is full of great ideas, the acting is OK (nothing of Pedestrian!), and reflects on modern issues but fast-forwarding them and imagining them in the near future, in which Mexico is, more than ever, a sort of colony for workers progressively deprived of its own wealth. It depicts a world of semi-slaves that live and work with their bodies connected to a networking machine, all impoverished and humanly thriving affection and human connection.
The special effects resent the lack of money, as they would have required a bigger budget to make them real and not that cheesy. Most of the time they are OK, although sometimes they are bad. However, the story being the focus of the movie, this somewhat does not affect the believability of the movie and of its thoughtful approach to the future.
The script has highs and lows, ends predictably, and it has and some story flaws, the result being uneven. However, the movie has a terrific mood and atmosphere, a lovely believable personal story, and great depth. The movie is believable most of the time, despite its flaws and lack of money, and a good start for director Alex Rivera. Somebody to watch out from now on.
The movie was released in Sundance in 2008 and won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize.
The Book Depository is a British online book store that sells all types of books, e-books, comic books, stationary and some fun esoteric stuff (tarots, pendulums, etc.). They have a humongous volume of books, mostly in English, but also in other languages, Spanish included, sold at very competitive prices. They have frequent discounts and offers, so you get the best possible deal on the book of your interest, whether is a best-seller or a rare book. Actually, their focus is not on the bet-sellers, but on both these and rare books, or those edited by small editing houses.
The shipping is done by Post mail, for free anywhere in the world, no matter how much you spend in your transaction! The shipment is quite fast, and the delivery takes the usual days that you would get a letter/parcel from the UK to your country, not more not less.
I am very pleased with the service, prices and the incredible variety of books and stationary they have. Many times cheaper than in Australia, and with books that we would rarely find here in normal libraries.
The only down of the service is their tracking system, which only tells you when your order went through and when it was shipped, which is not much, really.
The site was recently bought by the Amazon Corporation, although they are still operating following their usual prices and policies, which is much better than Amazon book-store does operate.
5/1 Forbes Rd
Perth Western Australia 6000
(08) 6142 1215 http://www.oktachoron.com
Hours:
Tue-Fri 11:00 - 18:00
Sat-Sun 12:00 - 17:00
OK Gallery is OOkee-Dookey!
Embraced by a bunch of Chinese shops, cosily distinct from them by its outside je-ne-sais-quoi and a colourful logo, OK Gallery is a little one-room gallery for independent emerging artists and exhibitions that is also independently operated and managed. I am always thrilled with places like this because they are, to me, what Art galleries should be. Kudos to you guys just for that.
Despite the size and the conception, I felt that the place wasn't welcoming, intimate, or even well curated. The pieces needed of a better lightening, more darkness to be seen as they were conceived and supposed to be exhibited during daylight hours, but it was difficult to see anything. My lovely OK friends, a pair of shutters or canvas blinds on the windows, to move up or down with your beautiful sexy muscles when needed, are a must. If you don't take care of the lightening of an exhibition, of what are you taking care then?
I expect to find Art enthusiasts and lovers in a gallery like this. I want to feel your enthusiasm for the exhibition you are exhibiting to start with! Is that too much to ask? Otherwise you are doing the same thing that mainstream galleries do. Poses or noses don't impress anybody, but the vibe of a place. Treat the indie visitors as the rarity they are, offer your help and let the visitor decide if he/she wants to wander in silence and alone, or want to know about the art on the walls. That is the whole purpose of Art itself, the impressions, the thoughts, the words, the aha and wow moments you get from an exhibition. Are you interested in what your exhibit provoke in the viewer, or you just want to get the posh review in the Western Australian to talk about you? I am also a reviewer :O.
OK is a place with great potential, and I liked it, but I expect more. I am looking forward to returning for their next exhibition and checking if my so-so experience was just due to one of those days that we all have in which everything seems to be out of enlightenment or alignment, or both. I will update at the proper time.
Hours:
Mon-Thu 9:00 - 18:00
Fri 9:00 - 21:00
Sat 9:00 - 17:00
Sun 11:00 - 17:00
Everything about Myer city is about location. They are in a way of passage from one part of Forrest Chase to the other, and you are gonna buy something in between the entrance and the exit, I'm telling ya!
I buy a lot at Myer's, I confess, out of convenience most of the times. However, Myer in the CBD is a bit mediocre regarding layout, lightening, attrezzo, and the products they sell, although this also changes from section to section.
What I like the most about Myers is how approachable, courteous, and helpful the staff are. Most of them will go out of their way to help you with anything you want or ask. I also love the presence of different mid-range brands shops (Cue, Review, Basque), Australian designer section, and some European affordable designers. The cosmetic stands on the ground floor are always a stop for me. I also love their underwear section -nothing over the top, but many different styles, qualities, prices, colours, textures and degrees of sexiness and spandex-itis.
Their bag, shoe and accessories section s mediocre regarding variety, styles and prices. They have a good selection of walking shoes, usually overpriced, and some fancy staff, but nothing truly trendy. The wallet section is poorly displayed, with a boring selection of items, mixed with some isolated "poshies". The bags area suffers from the same surf-and-turf style, "cheapies" and "expensivies" mixed without style - my aesthetic organs suffer. The designer bags are poorly displayed, and the bags displayed are very conservative, even if you had the extra 1000 dollars to pay for one of those. The selection of belts, scarves, glasses, watches and fashion jewellery is just OK.
The electronics section has been in decay in the last years regarding variety, customer service and quality. They've completely forgotten the mix of brands they used to have available for MP3 players, to become slaves to the new-religion-for-the-Masses Ipod. Their camera and audio areas are small and poor (worse than any small Dick Smith's), still a bit pricey, and the same can be said of the computer and camera accessories, which are expensive and boring. "Macos" area, however, has been expanding at their cost. They still have a great selection of laptops at very affordable prices, first-class brands; however, they used to have each computer's specifications printed and available for the customers, but this is no longer the case. Why are they going to think about the customer, eh?
I love the thingies in the barista and kitchen areas, but most things are ver expensive, even on sale. Their crockery section is nice, varied and affordable. Their bed-linen and bathroom section is OK with a mix of conservative good quality brands, but they rarely have creative beautiful items or designs. Bed, Bath 'n table is around the corner and you'll find those in there.
Their sales all year around are in many cases... fake and/or poor. I trust the discounts of the branded areas as they operate independently. However, Myer styff suffers from a constant sales-itis, which serves to showcase their need to lower prices that were unrealistically high to start with. For real sales, good quality ones, go to David Jones. For example, last year I bought a coffee plunger "half price" to find later that day that David Jones had the same size and brand much cheaper and it wasn't even half price.
The Pinnacles, Myer's restaurant, is unglamorous and decadent, like designed for a club of retirees in their 80s - a pinnacle of blandness: Bland food and cakes, terrible instant coffee machine, bad service.
Myer super-master-top-brain CEOs were crying out to the public this year about the poor volume of sales. It is not the crisis, guys, it is YOU, the way Myers operates, and the comfort business area you've settled in. Move your buttocks, and think creatively. Reinvent yourselves. Change your pricing policy, don't lie to the customer with fake sales, and don't overcharge. Reinvent the style of your shops and make them a bit trendier. Delimitate better the different shopping areas and glamorise them. Bring into the shop new mid-range and posh brands that are classy but a bit trendier. Revamp your website and offer online sales that can compete with the ones the USA sites are offering. So many things to improve!
I feel I could reorganise the whole chain on my own, really. Give me a pair of Jimmy Choos with the matching bag and we can start talking...Ah, no, those are only available at David Jones...peccato!
Shop H6, Hay St Level
207 Murray St
Perth Western Australia 6000
(08) 9226 0364
Hours:
Mon-Thu 9:00 - 17:30
Fri 9:00 - 21:00
Sat 9:00 - 17:00
Sun 12:00 - 17:00
Belinda Pack is a little gem of a shoe shop that you might have passed by hundreds of times, stop by hundreds of times, and tell yourself, I fancy that! It is located in the Carillion Arcade, in one of the passages towards/from Hay St.
The shop is very small, with one of the walls occupied by stands for the newly arrived shoes, and the other one with the stands for discounted shoes, promotions and sales. A little part of this wall is devoted to special-occasion shoes, very classy and timeless, and rarely discounted as they are part of their Swarowsky crystals collection. They also have a central stage for the shoes they want to showcase at sale times or when they receive new stuff. A mini-theatre of a shoe shop!
The shoe are mid-quality, mostly leather, at affordable prices (average Au$80-150), but at bargain prices during the sales. Their discounts and sales are fantastic, and I always wait for them and buy at least 40%-70% cheaper. The shoes are always fashionable, classy and good looking, and have a great selection of flats and sandals, boots, and special events shoes, plenty of colours, textures and styles, from working girl to fancy night girl.
The girls at the shop are awesome. Each time I go I try at least five of six different models in different sizes, which makes a lot of shoe trying and shoe retrieving! They are are always patient, helpful and cool even if I don't buy anything after trying a few pairs. They always treat you with courtesy and class.
The way Belinda Peck packs its shoes is wonderful, too, so fanciful, with classy foldable boxes and individual fabric shoe protectors! The soles of the shoes have a plastic skin attached to them, so they don't get dirty or damaged when people try them on.
They have an order service for special sizes, smaller or bigger than normal. You decide which shoe you want and they make it for you. You pay 50 bucks extra for the pair, but if you have difficulties finding your sizing, 50 bucks is nothing. The price of resoling your shoes!
One of my fav shoes for stylish flats and walking shoes in Perth, but also for special occasions. It is very European in conception and service.
