Those Spills and Surges

SURF LIFE SAVING AUSTRALIA LISTS SHARKS, WINDS, STRONG CURRENTS AND TOPOGRAPHIC RIPS as hazards at Half Moon Bay. In spite of these, and a recorded average of 18 rescues per year, the beach receives a general hazard rating of 3/10, placing it in the "least hazardous" category. Beach hazards is a concept foreign to me, having lived most of my life in an archipelago of warm, relatively calm shores. Save for typhoon-tormented days at least, Philippine beaches aren't known to pose much danger to beach-goers.

Half Moon Bay, located south of Melbourne, takes its name from its crescent shape. The bay faces north in the southern corner, west in the northern section, and is interrupted midway by the prominent rocks and cliffs of Red Bluff. Rich in iron oxide, Red Bluff's burnt-orange formation is notable on its own, but extra dramatic when interfacing with the sea. Frothy, glassy waves spill, plunge and surge against its scattered rocks, turned a deeper tan by saturation with water. The crashing sound seems rhythmic and constant, but the waves appear different each time.

The internet is awash with tracks of ocean wave sounds. But it's a singular sensation to actually walk on a rocky shore, wary of the beautiful, possibly hazardous spills and surges that could sweep in forcefully at any moment. Contemporary life is designed so that majority of our interactions are comfortable, convenient and predictable. It's good to be reminded that the best of nature isn't a product of contemporary design, or human design at all. And oh, how remarkable its force could be.

Red Bluff at Half Moon Bay, Victoria. Photos by Lady San Pedro and Jaime Sese.

That Cockatoo Island Invasion

IT WAS ALL WORTH checking the weather forecast daily for. A short ferry ride from Darling Harbor and we were in Cockatoo Island, which had, for the first time in its existence, experienced being invaded, vandalized and violated with urban artworks from all over the world.

The first and largest gathering of street art in the Southern Hemisphere, the Outpost Project on Cockatoo Island showcased works by over 150 artists, including Banksy's stencils, ROA's paste-ups and Anthony Lister's installations, amongst other stickered, aerosoled, sculpted, painted and cup-rocked artworks strewn about.

Skate clinics, pop-up bars and artist battles also rotated weekends, though as you can see I attended none and instead sampled some pie and chips from the island's local canteen. Takeaway? Food shack?

I'm glad to be of the many who can, through projects like these, appreciate street art in a clean, secure and accessible location. But I can't deny wondering: doesn't the curating and exhibiting of street art in a venue contradict its very essence?

The Outpost Project from Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, outpost.cockatooisland.gov.au Photos by Lady San Pedro.

Those Cuckoo Creatures

SUNNY DAYS IN THE CITY allowed for long, leisurely strolls that revealed various clocks and curious creatures on rooftops, buildings, courtyards and shop windows all over Sydney's CBD.

It's hard to believe this was all just two weeks ago. With endless deadlines and people to meet, those long, leisurely days feel like such a world away.

Martin Place, Queen Victoria Building, George Street and various buildings in Sydney CBD. Photos by Lady San Pedro.

That Sydney State of Mind

THERE'S THE Sydney Opera House, then there's the State Theatre. The what theater?

Tucked away inconspicuously amidst Market Street's plethora of shopping malls and department stores is an old, boarded-up building with construction noise so loud, it was repulsive. Of course they stopped for the tour. But lo and behold! The noise would have been worth the bearing with such eclectic magnificence inside the old theater walls.

Built in the late 1920's in Gothic, Italian and Art deco style, the State Theatre was intended for screening talkies as one of the largest and most lavish cinemas in Sydney. Its grand auditorium originally seated up to three thousand patrons and is crowned by a Koh-i-Noor cut crystal chandelier, the world's second largest chandelier with weight of over 4 tonnes.

Various themed rooms surround the theater's auditorium, decorated accordingly for ladies or gents to gather or smoke in. Of the entire theater, these rooms have experienced the worst decline in condition, having through the decades lost many of their original furnishings to theft or neglect, all while having been countless times re-painted and re-decorated with historical inaccuracy.

At present, much is being done to restore the theater to its original condition. Expansion is also in the works to accommodate currently nonexistent wings to the right of the stage, as well as a larger backstage area and an area for dressing rooms.

Though used mainly as a lyric theater, the State Theatre has not completely discontinued functioning as a cinema, having hosted the Sydney Film Festival every June since 1974.

A gem, indeed, unknown to most tourists. Even some locals.

When thinking of cities and judging by their landmarks, it's good to keep in mind that the interested seeker always has something interesting to find, even amidst the obvious. Beyond Sydney's famous bridge, harbor and sails, fascinating pockets of culture are waiting to be discovered.

Finding them begins with the right state of mind.

State Theatre, Market Street, Sydney. www.statetheatre.com.au Photos by Lady San Pedro.