Crime in Chippendale

It's no news that this area is infamous for it's high level of property crime. Mainly break and entry and bag snatching. You take minimum risks, fortify your house or get a Doberman then wander around feeling pretty safe.

I don't associate this neighbourhood with violent crimes but maybe that's naive. Outside a terrace on Shepherd street first thing this morning a crime scene had been set up. Police were everywhere and I later found out a body had been removed after a suspected break and entry. I don't know much more, even whether the victim was resident or thief. In any case, it reminds me that this is an inner suburb of the largest city in Australia. New York we are not. Yet. But we can expect more violent crime as the wealth gap grows, community health fails to meet the needs of those living with mental illness, drug and alcohol dependence, abuse.

I experience such a strong sense of community around here. I meet people who think like me, have small children, share my aspirations and pay packet size. The other side of Chippendale is inside the boarding houses that reek of despair and poverty. The ones that get my blind eye when another ambulance or paddy wagon appears outside. The folks who aren't checking out the hippest cafe or sunning themselves at Victoria Park.

No solutions here. Just interested in other perspectives, ideas or information on the good stuff that might be happening around here. It won't help the person in the body bag but might keep the rest of us safe.

Cafe at Victoria Park

I know I'm at serious risk of coming across as a full-time critic of Victoria Park pool. In fact, it's simply that I spend half my life there swimming, gyming or hanging out around the wonderful toddler pool. I believe it is a great local asset, a place to meet old friends, make new friends and get fit in the time-honoured Australian way. I happen to believe it could just be better than it is right now so in the interests of quality improvement...

If you were among the hundred people enjoying the lovely weather last Sunday you don't need me to remind you of the schamozzle that we endured trying to get cafe service. Not only had they run out of ice-creams by mid morning, but it took 20 minutes to even place an order. Things were so dire that by 11.30 am they closed the kitchen indefinitely to get on top of the back orders. Shades of the new ANZ ad where a couple met, married and had children while waiting in line at the bank. I almost offered to jump behind the counter and make coffee myself. It couldn't have been more painful than watching the "barrista" in action.

Would this appalling display of customer service be tolerated at a regular cafe? Apparently the operation of the cafe itself is contracted to an employment service. Perhaps they use it to find placement for their more difficult clients.

Thank god for the lovely Denise: a bright ray of sunshine behind the counter. She's capable, organised, knows how to make a mean coffee and takes the time to get to know the regulars. Wonder how long she'll stand controlling the chaos single-handedly! I understand complaints from other staff and patrons are falling on deaf ears.

C'mon, pool management! Your patrons are sitting ducks. We love the pool in droves. We're thrilled it has a cafe on site and dearly want to part with our money hand over fist, if you'd only give us a chance.

Victoria Park Pool revisited

City of Sydney celebrated the reopening of Victoria Park pool today. There were sausages sizzling, kids jumping-castling, clowns contorting balloons and free pool entry for all. Hurrah! Yippee!

Does anyone else think it strange to hold the opening a day after a public holiday and before a weekend? Not sure a standard Friday crowd of patrons could have made a dint in the 500-strong sausages burning on the barbecue.

As Clover Moore turned up to officially reopen the pools, myself and another creche-user took the opportunity of plugging the only sports/fitness-centre creche in the inner city. Rox travels from Bondi twice a week to get child care for her son, Billy, while she swims. I did research a year ago and found no comparable service anywhere in this area. We thought Clover should know how vital this service is for inner-city parents. I know of no plans to axe it, but let it be know that they'd have to face the fury of a pretty militant group of parents if they went down that path. We may well have an ally in the Deputy Lord Mayor, Verity Firth, who is very much on top of the issues around child care shortages in this area. Okay it's not work-based child-care, but even parents need time out. Well, Clover and Verity, City of Sydney have got it well and truly right at Victoria Park. In stark contrast, the recent upgrade to the Cook and Philip Park pool failed to include child care provision. More than shameful in light of the much-media hyped inner city baby boom!

Our 3yo is obsessed with Spiderbait

Yes, that's right. Our son Jude is completely obsesssed with the DVD that comes with Spiderbait's Greatest Hits. He knows all about Kram and Janet. (Sorry Whitt, you'll have to sing a few tracks if you want to grab his attention.) He tells you about "the song where the silly man smashes his drums" and "the song where the animals dance silly and then fall down". He asks for it repeatedly. He'll even sit there watching the menu screen play a few bars of Black Betty over and over and over.

Jude's dance style is closer to the original punk "pogo" than anything else, so why should we be surprised?

Paints Lane

When I saw the Gauche poster, advertising their new album Paints Lane, I wanted to like them. Any band that (presumably) names their first album after a laneway just metres from my front door deserves a good listen. But sadly it was not to be — they just didn't do it for me.

But don't let this tiny review of the two downloadable tracks put you off. If you're too young to remember the Lime Spiders (for example), it'll probably push all your buttons.

Cafe Supremo

There's no shortage of good cafes in the Chippendale part of the world. Sure I've had a rant about some pretty average ones from time to time, but there's one standout cafe I just keep going back to.

Cafe Ella is on the Sydney University part of Abercrombie Street, between Redfern station and the Darlington site. It does a mean trade in takeaway coffees and portable breakfasts for students on the run but is also a great place to stop for a while. The coffee is strong and the menu reliable and reasonably priced — a rarity in itself. It's hard to beat the incredible muffins — a country mile away from the typical cafe ones that never fail to disappoint — and blueberry bagels, boiled daily on the premises, but the lentil stew is another winner and those brekky rolls look like the perfect hangover cure.

Everyone who works at Cafe Ella seems to like being there. It's that kind of place. The staff are uniformly free of bad attitude and the music is eclectic (I knew I'd be back when the first visit was to the soundtrack of Ziggy Stardust).

AND they are truly child-welcoming. Upstairs in a cosy room with communal tables and lounge chairs is a corner devoted to kids. There are books, cars, toys and more for the picking.

But it's not just the toys that do it. Or the food. Or the good value. It's the fact that Cafe Ella has taken the time to think about what people want from a cafe and to deliver it. Academics mark assignments next to researchers interviewing subjects while regulars read the newspaper and parents get time-out while their kids play. It's no surprise that some mornings you struggle to find a spare table.

Like I said, there are many good cafes in this part of the world. Cafe Ella just happens to be a great one.

NSW Liberals outflank Labor from the left

Dear Mr Debnam,

Do I dare believe you? I'm scared to, because I have believed politians before and been burnt.

So far, you have promised to:

• Support the Aboriginal Housing Corporation's plans for The Block


• Stop desalination


• And, as of today, extend light rail

It's like you're outflanking Labor from the left.

Come election time, I'm going to be asking myself a very uncomfortable question: should I, for the first time in my life, vote Liberal? If I did, and you went back on these promises, I'd be furious. But if I did not, and we ended up with a nothing four years of purgatory (I mean, NSW Labor) then...

Toby's Estate revisited

Last time I visited Toby's Estate I found the coffee bitter and wondered whether I was better off just visiting for the occassional sandwich. Six months later, I have finally returned, and I am happy to say that ordering a cappucino rather than a long black was enough to mask any bitterness, while the toasted egg, bacon and hollandaise sauce roll was absolutely sensational.

We also picked up a packet of organic East Timorese coffee. Nice one.