Tattoo Mystique Opening At Outre Gallery, Melbourne

Angelique and The Milonguita Out on the street with AH The girls chatting up Angelique whilst she has a smoko

The Artist Currently Known As Angelique delighting the fans

Outre curators Gemma Jones & Martin MacIntosh get the cash flow happening with Anglique's latest book and other merch. Breathe Gemma!

The queue for Tattoo Mystique- Angelique's second book thru Outre

Punters surrounded by the great works of Shag,Glenn Barr,Richie Fahey and Niagra whilst chilling out with a few Heinekens.

More punters and great art

No room to swing a cat

One of Angelique's latest-an original and sold before exhibition. I had to get a pic with it. Love this one a lot. Future tattoo perhaps??

The works of Ms Houtkamp

Another Year Older & Just As Loved

It was my birthday yesterday and I'm another year older. My knees hurt. I ended up spreading birthday celebrations across the whole weekend! It became that way due to friends wanting to spend it with me but unable to see me yesterday so this is how it panned out; FRIDAY NIGHT: Decided to have dinner and drinks at the Edinburgh Castle as it seemed to be a good night for everyone for a birthday celebration. It was also my friend Jim's CD launch so it meant bringing a few more bodies for support. Jim was fantastic and I got to see a few people that I hadn't seen in ages. Post CD launch, a few of us trundled down to the Retreat for an excellent night of booze and boogie-ing to the likes of the Pixies,Clash,Pogues,Specials et al. Happy days. Jo and I crawled back to her place at 2.45am and crashed. After 3 weeks of couch surfing, a bed was a welcome relief. SATURDAY: Jo and I woke the next morning feeling rather seedy so a good greasy breakfast was needed. After a coffee at home and a good shower, we got in the car where she shouted me breakfast at my favourite breakfast spot, El Mirage. Steve,Cathryn and Thanh were there having breakfast as well. We were all craving the 'Gringo' -poached eggs,tex mex beans,bacon and cottage potatoes- YUM. Not to mention one of the best coffees in East Brunswick. After that, Jo dropped me back home where I had a kip on the couch as I was muy cansada (knackered). After consuming (snarfing) a divine roast cooked by my lovely sister, I dollied up and headed out to attend 'Milonga Para Los Niños' - a night to raise funds for an orphanage being built in Argentina. I'd love to say I had a kick arse night but if it weren't for the presence of Sabrina,Ralph,Melanie and a few others, it would have been a bit of a downer. It was nice to frock up in my latest vintage frock purchased from an antique store in San Telmo, BA , give my new red hair a 40's style 'do and wear my outstanding tango shoes from Gretaflora but besides that, lack lustre. Was glad to get home and crash on yet another couch-this time, Mel and Pepijn's. SUNDAY: Woke up to find Baci staring at me with those huge eyes of her's. She has the squeakiest meow of any cat I've ever known. Mel and Pep got up not long after that and after cleaning up and having coffee, we headed to Brunswick St for brunch at the Provincial where we met up with the Buenos Aires posse and a few other friends for a lovely afternoon. Said goodbye to Ralph and Sabrina and headed back to Richmond to pick up my stuff from Mel & Peps before making my way to mum's for birthday dinner. After that, my sister dropped me off in Coburg where I have begun a week long houseminding stint. Hallellujah! Just me and the cat being lazy till Friday! I do like the northern suburbs. If it doesn't work out with Sarah in Newport, I'll definatly be looking for digs there. Me gusto mucho. Here we are again on Monday. I'm feeling good and positive about this week. Going to try and keep it low key- no going out until Saturday night. Mess around and Bama Lama on the same night and I want to go to both. Should be a rip snorter!

My Last Day & Night in Buenos Aires

A stunning day here in Buenos Aires. Sun shining and Jose singing in the hallway. How quickly time passes yet, I feel like I've been here for ages. I can't believe I'm leaving tomorrow. Can't someone just stuff wads of cash into my account for the rest of my life so I can stay here? I almost didn't get out of bed this morning. My head feels like it's going to explode. I took a couple of paraceutemol, took a long,hot shower and lay down for a bit. I realised yesterday that I hadn't been to La Boca and despite it's reputation and being overly touristy, I felt my pilgrimage wouldn't be complete without going. So I hopped into a cab and went there. Yes, touristy and tacky. I was able to do some last minute shopping and after being pimped and prodded I cabbed it back here to San Telmo. Just making a bit of pasta as a hole filler before I have my last beef supper downstairs with the beautiful people of Gran Parrilla Del Plata. They have been so good to me-then again I give them pretty good tips! It's nice that I have been treated kindly by the fabulous people of Buenos Aires despite the language barrier. I can't express how much I will miss this place. I was going through the things I bought as souvineers for everyone and realised I hadn't bought anything for myself in the way of snow cones, statues, etc etc. Then I thought about it and came to the conclusion that Buenos Aires can't be summed up for me that way. I've taken many photos of different things to try and capture a feeling. This is what I will take back to Australia with me- the magic and warmth of the portenos and the spirit of BA. Plus 6 pairs of tango shoes. Off to my last milonga tonight. I'm tossing up between Bohemia and Tango Queer- only because the latter is a 2 minute walk from where I'm staying. I'll see if I have the strength to fit both in! This is my last post in this magical city. Next time I write, I guess I'll be at my computer at work dreaming my way back to Argentina.

It's Automatic When I Talk To Old Friends

Miguel y Margarita

Yesterday afternoon I was at my desk at work contemplating what I might do with myself for the evening when I checked my phone and saw I had a missed call and a message. Checked the message- a number I didn't know. Opened the message and it said; "Guess who? I'll be at the Dickens between 5 and 8 if you want to catch up for a drink' I let out an audible WOO HOO! My dear old friend, Michael has finally moved back to Melbourne after many years living in Prague. Evening sorted! I caught the tram down as far as Elizabeth & Collins and walked the short distance to ye olde Charles Dickens Tavern and went downstairs. Nothing ever changes in that place and it's like sliding backwards in time whenever I go there. Incidently, I only ever go there when I'm catching up with Michael- he and the boys would always go there to watch the soccer. I used to go with them to perv on the English backpackers until I realised they had an IQ the same as their shoe size. Anyhoo, I wandered around the crowded room looking for my Mikey boy and couldn't see him or any of the group I assumed he had also contacted for a catch up when I felt a hand on my shoulder and there he was! We hugged for ages as we couldn't believe we were finally seeing one another again. Mikey is one of the most good hearted people I have ever met. There is no edge or meanness to him whatsoever. I've never seen him lose his temper or shout at anyone. I've seen him brooding and ruminating over things that have upset him, but have never witnessed him losing the plot.Mikey smokes a lot-perhaps he's found his peace and centre of the universe in nicotine. His version of 'in with love, out with anger'. Mikey is smart. He can speak on most subjects and is never boring. He has an amazing knowledge of history and can discuss most areas regarding this topic. His university asked him to do honors in history but he declined because 'he couldn't be arsed'. Hardworking,generous,kind and relaxed. I think deep down he's always been a great hero of mine. We met in 1988 at a club called the Beehive which was held at the Carron Tavern in West Melbourne and initially bonded over our love of independant music, mainly the Smiths and eventually a plethora of other bands which generally all hailed from the UK. Mikey's true musical love is Northern Soul and I lost him for about six months whilst he was trying to infiltrate the mod scene in Melbourne After purchasing an old Vespa, a tailor made Italian mohair suit,expensive shirts,shoes and pants, he gave up trying because "most of them were fucking tossers". He does look rather fetching in his mohair suit although I'm pretty sure his Vespa is probably still rusting away in his parents' backyard. He's now back here in Melbourne after a long time and I for one, am extremely happy. Knowing full well he's a man with wheels on his feet, it won't be long before he's thinking of where he wants to be next. He's talking about Africa and the work he's been involved with in the last year working with non government groups. He wants to go there and help start a school and teach english there. I can't help feeling a bit selfish and secretly wishing he'd find something here but you can't fault or deny his ambition and desire to go elsewhere. It's a good way to think and I hope his self belief and enthusiasm for higher places rubs off on me. A good night was had, drinking beers and catching up on what's been happening although it feels as if no time has passed and it had only been a couple of weeks rather than a couple of years. A few weeks ago, I caught up with another old friend, Jim and had the same experience. I guess that is one of the meanings of true friendship; time can pass and things happen but you can come together and pick up where you left off. I'm finding a great comfort in that.

Broooooooooce!

Snaps to Bruce Springsteen, who at the latest Glastonbury Festival,performed a cover of Joe Strummer's song 'Coma Girl' and dedicated it to Joe and his love of music festivals. Besitos mucho Brucie and Joe.. I will love you forever. Here are the lyrics in case you're not familiar with the song; I was crawling through a festival way out west i was thinking about love and the acid test but first i got real dizzy with a real rockin' gang then i saw the coma girl, and the excitement gang and the rain came in from the wide blue yonder through all the stages, i wandered oh coma girl, and the excitment gang mona lisa, on a motorcylce gang coma girl, coma girl The coma girl was beating with the oil drum gang some fast food fanatic was burning down a burger van somebody was waling off their head oh! Nobody was rippin the teen scene dead and the rain, came in from the wide blue yonder i thought you and me might wander... oh coma girl, and the excitement gang mona lisa, on a motorcycle gang coma girl, coma girl, on a motorcycle gang And then the nineteenth hour was falling upon desolation row some outlaw band, had the last drop on the go lets siphon up some gas!! lets get this show on the road!! said the coma girl, to the excitement gang Into action , everybody sprang and the oil drums were beating out, doolang, doolang coma girl and the excitment gang mona lisa on a motorcycle gang