progress report

I thought I'd check in to let you know how the 52 Suburbs ATW Kickstarter campaign is shaping up.

As the nifty little Kickstarter widget shows, we are 32% of the way to our goal. 71 fabulous backers have made
pledges to the tune of $6,499. Everything from $1 to $1,000. In return for their generosity they'll receive
various rewards, everything from most excellent stickers to limited edition prints and a limited edition
book of the project.

Many thanks if you've already made a pledge. But if you haven't, can I be bold and say this: If everyone
who subscribes to this blog forgoes one cheap(ish) bottle of red or one non-fancy pants pizza, and
instead contributes that $15 to the Kickstarter campaign, this project will happen! That's all it will
take.

Meanwhile, I'm still flat out exploring every avenue to get this project off the ground.

In fact, I've been so consumed that I can't think of much else. Everywhere I look I see the world, even
when I'm doing my shopping down Marrickville way...

buying lemongrass I see Asia

buying meat for spag bol I see Italy

buying a croissant for Coco I see Paris

looking at tiles I see New York (why I'm not sure)







chatting to Life (yes, that's his name) I see a funny man!




I guess you could say I'm a little obsessed. But there doesn't seem to be any other way than obsession to get
this project up and running.

If you'd like to make a pledge please click here. Arigato. Merci. Danke. Etc.

suburb No 12: Marrickville

I have been itching to explore Marrickville ever since a regular follower of 52 Suburbs suggested it. 
I've been before, many times, but only to visit friends at their homes. Never once have I walked down 
the main street, only ever driving through it, impatient to get to where I was going. So when I hopped
out of my car this week with a reason - an excuse - to stick my nose in to churches, homes and people's 
faces I felt as if I was visiting an entirely new suburb ...


Part 1: Chockful of churches




the church with the blue light atop, St Brigids





Spiro and his beads





that light





St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church





Father





time for reflection





feed the soul (Lien Hoa Buddhist Temple)



Part 2: Little Greece, Vietnam and Germany

from the continent all the way to China

neighbours (cake shop and the deli)


 
you wouldn't want to be a vegetarian

the secret to longevity? (Chinese herbs :: Vietnamese couple in their late 80's)

Concordia, the German Club

Part 3: Good sports

the Marrickville Bowling Club

ladies of the lawn

how's your aim?

Newtown Jets legend (Frank Farrell :: Henson Park where the Jets still play rugby league)

different religions

Part 4: The changing face of Marrickville

taking the bull by the horns - the old butchers shop, now architect office (Mackenzie Pronk)

house (to be) and garden (model by Mackenzie Pronk)

fantasy versus reality (model by Mackenzie Pronk)

stick 'em up!

i see bananas in your winged dragon

fresh face

i wondered if he changed his hat when he goes back to work at the building site

Part 5: Reversing our consuming ways

it's all very serious (mannequins from Reverse Garbage)

before and after (frames from Reverse Garbage)

in the pink (elastic from Reverse Garbage)

Part 6: Random otherness

i'm a fan

orange flowers

soft and spiky

these could come in handy

Beauty... Marrickville seems to have a little of everything. A mix of industrial, residential and 
commercial. People from all over the planet. A great big old river. Churches of every description. 
A couple of social clubs and a place you can save a mannequin or a piano from the scrap heap. Not 
to mention some of the finest examples of chipped ceramic tiles and rusty garden gates 52Suburbs 
has seen so far. No wonder everyone from Newtown is moving there.

Other news...

The 52 Suburbs Corner Shop is open! As you'll see I'm starting small. I hope you can grab a moment 
and go and check it out - if you have any questions or comments please email me, I'd love to hear 
from you. See you next week.