G'Day LA

It's G'Day LA 2006, or Australia Week, in Los Angeles at the moment (14 to 22 January).


I've not been to LA when this is on, but from what I can gather, it appears to be the time when we Australians air all our dirty laundry in a pitiful attempt to raise our commercial and cultural profile so that local LA folk may be inspired to recognise the fact that there is more to the world than just Southern California (I never cease to be surprised at the number of people I meet in LA who've never been outside of LA, unless it's to go to Tijuana or Vegas), and even visit Australia, which pretty much aspires to BE just like LA (but with less traffic). Go figure.

I still chuckle with I think of the time I was asked in the Reno Room (Long Beach, Cal.) if you ever get to see Aborigines in Sydney city, and if we've ever heard of Nirvana.

A note to our American friends... no, Steve Erwin is NOT a typical Australian (ie, we don't all go around saying 'crikey!' and playing with snakes and crocs). We call Nicole Kidman and Mel Gibson Australian despite the fact that they were both born in the US, Russell Crow is really a Kiwi (ie, from New Zealand, which is not part of Australia, despite the fact that most of them now live here), but Cate Blanchett and Heath Ledger are definitely ours, for better or for worse.

Oh, and by the way, speaking of Reno Room - Thomas or Mel, you can tell Stanley that Fat Bastard not in fact an Australian wine, but is actually imported in America by a company based in Seattle from a vineyard in France. But suggest if she wants a good and well priced Australian wine readily available over there, she should try Rosemount or Penfolds.

But back to G'Day LA...... can someone in LA tell me if this means you will be able to get a good meat pie and sauce or sausage sizzle, because these are the things I miss most when I'm there. And don't forget to chuck a couple of PRAWNS (what the hell is shrimp?) on the barbee. And avagood wee'end.