So I was supposed to go bowling with Juliet & Wendell but — agh, typical Wendell — one of his shoots went over time so Juliet and I wandered around town looking for something to do.
First we tried the Imax but the movies all had icky starting times so then we tried George St. but there was nothing on there that we wanted to see.
This is already beginning to sound like The Three Bears… and Juliet is blond. Does that make her Goldilocks?
Anyway, so we headed back to her car parked around the back of Darling Harbour and as we headed towards Darlinghurst thinking of one of the Palace cinemas, we got a call from Wendell. Back to town we went picking up the fashion photographer and heading to dinner somewhere else.
I love this photo I shot of Juliet talking to Wendell. Such colour… such… wait– did I just get a colour shot?!
This is the story of that dinner. (Okay, it's not really a story… it's a post.)
Juliet parked the car on one of the side streets near Five Ways. By park, I mean that Wendell and I got out while we sort of pushed the car into a position so it wouldn't misbehave. Aren't Wendell and I strong? Super-strong!
Anyway, by now I was hungry. After only having breakfast this morning and a slice of pizza of Tim's while my co-workers and I were drinking, I was pretty hungry.
Wendell suggested we go to this little cafeteria sort of place. It wasn't very good and we more or less walked out as fast as we walked in.
Next to it, though, was Christo's.
Wendell & I discussing while drinking. Juliet shot this while I post-processed it. Click it for a bigger one!
When Wendell & I used to work at the Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, I can remember going by on the bus or walking by Christo's wondering what it was like. It wasn't that I never had the money to go there: it's an Italian place and it's not really really upmarket. It was more that I had no one to go with.
Tonight I did. Tonight I was dining with Juliet Bennett and Wendell Teodoro.
Juliet at Christo's. I shot this picture.
We sat down outside and had a look through the menu. After deciding on a prosciutto & bocconcini pizza for me, a spaghetti bolognese for Wendell, and a 2006 Willow Estate Cabernet Merlot for the table, we tucked into the conversation.
And then a few minutes later, the food.
I ordered the pizza…
…while Wendell ordered the pasta. Or spaghetti bolognese in this case.
And then the conversation which went on for quite a while.
We spoke about religion and quantum mechanics. We spoke about politics and women. We talked photography and models and how everyone was, and at one point one of the guys sitting next to me on another table asked me if I was using a D300.
I replied "yes" and he asked me how I was finding it. I told him that I reviewed it (which I haven't finished writing yet) and that I loved it so much, I went out and bought it.
His friend said that was about as good as it gets. He's probably right.
Juliet when she laughs that beautiful laugh. I think this was shot by Wendell Teodoro.
The night continued as Wendell & I shot photos of Juliet and Juliet shot photos of Wendell & I. There was conversation, conversation, conversation, and it was all over a really nice drop of red.
And it was a nice drop. I even messaged Stubbsy to tell him of it.
Shot by Juliet Bennett.
At one point, the conversation became so engrossed in religion that I switched over to playing God of War on the PSP. I got about ten more minutes into the game and then went back to being semi-social while I let the salty freshness of the pink prosciutto make its way through my mouth.
The food was excellent. Well the pizza was anyway.
I didn't try Wendell's spaghetti but my bocconcini & prosciutto with rocket-on-top pizza was excellent. It had fantastic dough baked to perfection and was simply excellent.
It really was a nice drop of red. I was sort of paying attention to Wendell but more paying attention to the final drops as the wine dripped out. Shot by Juliet Bennett & processed by me.
I wish I could tell you of the conversation we had. Of the points about religion and happiness, of security and safety. Of so many technological and communication points I could make and probably did.
Unfortunately like most good conversations, it's one of those things that you just had to be there for.
Okay. I got this photo. Credit to me!
Next time you need some intelligent and stimulating conversation, you could always go out on a date with me. I'm good for it. :P
The problem with discussions (and arguments) over quantum mechanics is that neither of us – being photographers – will probably be right. I think I was more right in this case, though. Regardless, image shot by Juliet Bennett & post-processed by me.
More pictures below:
First we have a serious-y photo of Juliet shot by me…
…followed by a less seriously and more giggly, happy picture shot by Wendell Teodoro.
Juliet managed to capture us perfectly. Wendell is… well, Wendell… and I'm slightly blurry. Just like in real life. Shot by Juliet Bennett, processed by me.
Don't ever let anyone tell you I'm not a dreamer. Not like they would in the first place. Unless they hated me or something. Shot by Juliet Bennett, processed by me.