smooth

Another month in Sydney, another festival. Some signs should not be ignored.

Sydney October 2014 (23 photos)

Man, it’s a hot one
Like seven inches from the midday sun
Well, I hear you whisper and the words melt everyone
But you stay so cool

My muñequita,
My Spanish Harlem Mona Lisa
You’re my reason for reason
The step in my groove, yeah.

And if you said, “This life ain’t good enough.”
I would give my world to lift you up
I could change my life to better suit your mood
Because you’re so smooth

“Smooth” is a collaboration between Latin rock band Santana and Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty. The song was written by Thomas and Itaal Shur, sung by Thomas, and won three Grammy Awards.

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It’s Spring here and on Sunday it reached 33 degrees Celsius (91 Fahrenheit). Definitely a hot one, almost like 7 inches from the midday sun. Not the ideal temperature to be eating chocolate at a chocolate festival. But the sign did say the festival was held over 2 days, so I went both days (Saturday was a lot cooler) and spread out my chocolate and dessert eating. It really is worthwhile to plan ahead when you can.

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Some of the stalls really were nicely designed. Above and below is Knafeh bakery (Jerusalem Street Food). It was awarded Best of the Fest at the Smooth Festival of Chocolate.

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His eyes seemed to be saying to me: “You came here to eat chocolate and desserts. Well, what are you waiting for?”
I duly obliged.

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Entertainment was provided by a variety of performers.

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Rock the Kazbah. These were good.

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The Honey Puff Queen. I can personally attest to the sweetness of her honey puffs. I told her so when I went back and ordered more the next day. I think I got an extra puff ball the second day.
(Disposable licensed lignumdraco dinner plates for sale. Please contact if interested 🙂 )

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This guy’s canoli were good. The ones below were better.

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Arthur, the master chocolatier in action. You might have seen his Bailey’s chocolate pops in my previous post about the Aroma Coffee Festival.

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Life (and candid photography) is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get. At 6 for $10, I soon made up my mind though.

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OK, I did eat healthily for a small part of the festival. Peaches, mangoes, strawberries, bananas, dipped in chocolate.

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The final music act of Sunday was none other than that appropriately named band from the 70s/80s: Hot Chocolate.

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I caught about 6 of their songs. Of course, the finale song was “you sexy thing”.

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Incidentally, October here is known as Good Food Month. A month of numerous food related events and dining experiences as well as the Night Noodle Markets. Coupled with the Art & About Festival that’s currently on and the return of Sculpture by the Sea later this month, I may be a bit slow in getting back to your blogs this month.

Leica Etcetera, Olympus Etcetera, Photography Etcetera

“Smooth”

Image

115 thoughts on ““Smooth””

  2. LaVagabonde says:

    This post was absolute torture. Do you realize how far I am from the nearest (edible) chocolate, young man? I think you should send me one of those swanky dinner plates as compensation for the distress you’ve caused. Sheesh.

    Reply

  4. Brilliant coverage, LD ! – simply lovely. I am SO glad I had no idea this is on: just to walk through would put an extra 5kg on, no doubt about it.
    Sighh …
    So to be able to do so vicariously is delightful. 🙂

    Reply

  5. Wow! So warm and its Spring! Is there anything that you guys don’t have a festival for? 🙂 Thanks for taking me along, the images made me feel like I attended, and also made me gain weight! I’ll take two packages of plates so I can dust them for prints and then run the prints through Interpol’s dragon database.

    Reply
  6. KG says:

    I remember the quote ““All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” And with so many chocolates…well..what can possibly go wrong.Mouth watering pictures 🙂

    Reply

  9. Why doesn’t Melbourne have such a chocolate festival?! Good on you for having a great, delicious time at the food event. I hope you ate all the chocolate you wanted too. Great street photography, especially the big menacing face. I’m sure it’s jealous everyone but him is eating the chocolate…

    Looking at your chocolate photos…looking down at my Cadbury block of chocolate right next to me on my desk. *Sniff*. It’s all I can afford 🙂

    Reply

    • Thanks – I ate my share. 🙂 A lot of people had similar thoughts to me, judging by the size of the crowd. The trouble with a weekend of gourmet stuff is that it makes it hard to go back to the usual fare. C’est la vie. 🙂

      Reply

  16. I’m amazed with that heat that any chocolate stayed in one unmelted piece! What an interesting festival, a bit like going to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory!! 😀 I’d have a hard job choosing which ones I’d want. The ones on long sticks, are they all chocolate, or a hard sugar sweets inside?

    I like your perfectly paced logo on the plate – ideal position!! And Hot Chocolate!!! Haven’t seen them for a few years now. I wonder how many chocolate festivals they get invited to perform at? 😉

    Reply

    • Some of the desserts were made on the spot, whilst most of the other stalls had refrigeration. We’re prepared for the heat down here. The ones on sticks have a hard chocolate shell with a softer flavoured centre. Very decadent. 🙂

      I’m sure if any of the members of Hot Chocolate are original members. I think they disbanded and reformed. Like a lot of bands, their songs appeared in movies and a nostalgic revival has taken place.

      Reply

  20. 7 inches from the sun, I know what that feels like living in Atlanta. And egads, your photographs look good enough to eat…but maybe I’d better find the real thing instead! (I heard that song on the radio not long ago. It ALWAYS makes smile when I hear it. Would have loved to have seen those guys.) Beautiful photographs.

    Reply

  25. Ohhh, the pictures look so delectable ! I have to say, though, I find chocolate difficult to stomach when the temperature is hot. It’s something about the melting brown squelch that puts me off. I have to sit in the aircon to eat chocolate. Weird, I know.

    Reply

  27. Oh, dear, I’m on chocolate overload and haven’t eaten a thing! Itlooks like a wonderful festival but I’m glad it’s not here! I would go insane just trying to figure out what to try! Too many choices (if that’s possible with chocolate)! 😆

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  33. Amazing post … 33 degrees Celcius already there? … You’d better get ready for the summer then Lignum!. And, by the way, I truly crave chocolate 😉
    Best wishes and thanks for sharing, Aquileana 😀

    Reply

  36. 33°C is summer Lignum, that is more than hot. Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate…you’ve left me drooling all over the place. I would never spoil my palate with something healthy during a choco festival. It was a great festival!

    Reply

    • Thank you. Chocolate is a food group in its own right. I suspect you would have gone both days of the festival as well. 🙂

      A couple of years ago, in recognition of rising temperatures, the Bureau of Meteorology added 50 degrees to their official charts. That kind of heat is unthinkable.

      Reply

  38. Life in Sydney sounds great, so many wonderful festivals! Lovely photos Draco, those chocolate-dipped peaches look especially good! Enjoy the sun and warmth Draco! Here it’s only getting darker and colder. 🙂

    Reply

    • Thanks Elina. Here, it’s time to start getting out of the house more often. I think that’s why there are so many festivals. I hope you’re prepared for the winter ahead. The summer here will be a scorcher.

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  39. Oh my, you had me at chocolate! Looks like my kind of festival and I certainly wouldn’t care what the temp was…you certainly captured the yumminess of this event wonderfully!!

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  40. Oh, my I am SO glad this happened now and not next month when I will be in Sydney. I think I have put on a couple of stone just drooling over all your photos – OK, not all, I didn’t drool once over Hot Chocolate. Please tell me there will be a fruit festival in November!

    Reply

    • October is “Good Food Month” in Sydney. Numerous food events, including this chocolate festival and the night noodle markets. But farmer’s/grower’s markets happen all year round.

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  44. Here every month is a good food month. I shouldn’t really be here, as I am getting more decadent by the second. Extra yummy chocolate close-ups, Draco. (now I understand your plain toast comment 😉 )

    Reply

  45. omg, I’m drooling here lol 🙂 first coffee, now chocolate… what’s next?
    great shots, Lignum… I would have been prolly in grave dilemma, to eat or to shoot… lol 🙂 I love how you shot both details and general plans …

    Reply

    • She’s back. 🙂

      I was hoping the chocolate would bring you back. There was plenty there. So I was free to shoot and eat at the same time. I’m paying the price for it now. A bland diet for the next month, I think. 🙂

      Reply

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