Only in Noosa…

…would a legal firm specialising in separations be located next to a group of chartered accountants called ‘Love & Partners’.

View from the other side…

Just when you think think you are already living the dream (ie, corporate boxes at the footy, interstate travel to take clients to the theatre or dinner, lunches at over-hyped restaurants whose bills could save an African village, free concert tickets, etc),  you get an insight into yet another level privy only for the elite.

I had the pleasure of travelling interstate with a senior colleague who is still reaping the rewards of a stellar corporate career.  Welcome to the world of the Chairman’s Lounge. 

I arrived early at the airport.  Checked in.  Got my boarding  pass.  Seat 57F.  I thought I had a win with an aisle seat.

After meeting my colleague, she urged I come with her.  We went upstairs towards the lounge reserved for frequent flyers but rather than head in the main doors we marched through a second unmarked, non-descript door.  This was the secret realm of the priviledged set aside for the heads of corporate Australia.  Membership is by invitation only.

The receptionist greeted us with a welcome smile.  While she confirmed our details we confirmed our way to the food.  Breakfast, anti pasto, desserts, fine wines, beers it was all there.  If there was one set back it was the size of the plates.  The idea of trying to feed someone 6″2 weighing in at over 90kg with nothing more than a sideplate is unconstitutional and somewhat inconvenient as I concluded on my 14th visit to the buffet.

After some time, the receptionist approached us referring to us by our surnames alerting us that our flight was just about ready to depart.  She handed over our boarding passes.  As I jokingly bid farewell to my colleague on the assumption that she would be sitting at the pointy end of the plane and I was heading towards 57F, I looked at my boarding pass…1E.  Life just got that little bit better.  Needless to say I have asked my colleague if she would consider coming to Fiji with my family.

Fashion Mecca

The only thing wrong with Marrickville Metro is the people that go to Marrickville Metro…or so I thought until I realised that this non-descript, low-rise building in the heart of the suburbs housing donut shops, fast food outlets, chemists and medical services [in that order] has also become the centre of global fashion.

While commonly confused for Sydney Airport’s fourth runway, Marrickville Metro is better known as being the home of the key fashion trend for Spring/Summer 08….sports luxe – glammed up sportswear where the wearer has no obvious intention of doing any sport.

Ever since the demise of blood stopping denim, bogans across Australia have sought refuge in new clobber.  The result has been a trackie-dack led recovery that has seen meeting places like Marrickville Metro look more like the Australian Institute of Sport with none of the athletic ability…except for evading the long arm of the law.