Farewell, Cinema City!

It is with much sadness that we say farewell to Perth's grandest cinema complex. None of the suburban megaplexes ever rivalled Cinema City for it's sheer old style class.

The architecture was impressive. Huge vaulted ceilings, balconies, mirrored walls that gave a great impression of space, floor-to-ceiling carpeting in a most traditional red, and very arty photos of famous actors.

I slaved away at this cinema as an usher from 2001 - 2005, and yet had many fond memories. It's a pity that during it's final years its state of repair was let to decline so much. It's also such a pity that it's being knocked over. And to make room for yet another city apartment complex no less - whose patrons ironically will now have no city cinema to attend (apart from Picadilly that is, but you won't find many recent movies there)

So ends an era. 1980 - 2007. Cinema City, we salute thee!

Perth: Chillsville, not Dullsville

It's about time somebody addressed all these allegations of Perth being "Dullsville".

To all those that malign Perth - yes, we understand. Not many shops are open after 6pm. Not many shops are open Sundays. We don't have daylight savings (permanently anyway). We don't have a massive public transport system. We don't have every sort of shop you could think of. We don't have readily available taxis. We don't have an overabundance of night-life. And (shock, horror, despair) we don't even have Krispy Kreme!

So then, why would anyone want to live in Perth? Isn't is because it's such a beautiful, clean city? Isn't it because of it's relaxed and laid back lifestyle? Isn't it because of it's small-world status and fewer degrees of separation?

Now think about the connections between the last two paragraphs. Surely it's not too hard to see the inherent causality.

Detractors of Perth usually compare it's lack of excitement, night-life and facilities to cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore, Tokyo and London. They say Perth needs to move with the times and become more like them. But surely there are already enough of these bustling metropolises in the world. Perth is something special, so why should we make it like the rest? If you much prefer these busier cities then what is stopping you from going and living there (or going back there perhaps?).

Lifestyle in Perth revolves around having good friends, not good facilities. We invite friends around to our houses for BBQ's, dinner parties, pool parties, games nights and movie nights. We chill out on the beach and watch the sunset. We have picnics in our many lovely parks and take the kids for bike rides. Surely this is a lifestyle that makes for healthier bodies and relationships?

So really, Perth deserves the tag "Chillsville", not "Dullsville". It's a great combination of perfectly adequate facilities with a relaxed and healthy lifestyle. Isn't that worth keeping as it is?