Robert La Bua glitters amid Sydney’s summer sequins of events…
It’s that time of year again; the papier mâché headdresses are coming out from under the pile of gowns in the corner of the lounge slash sewing room. Yes, it’s Mardi Gras in Sydney, and if ever there is a time to splash out and indulge The Excess Within, it is here and it is nowâ€â€which is why I find myself mysteriously ensconced in the manfully decorated Royal Suite on top of the glam Sheraton On The Park, where the private terrace makes for an excellent vantage point for you and twenty of your best gymbuddies to survey Hyde Park and stake out your positions for watching the Fat Tuesday parade float down nearby Liverpool St on a cloud of pre-party adrenalin come 1 March.
In a welcome change from the previous doom and gloom lead-ups to Mardi Gras uncelebrations of the past few years, there is a happy buzz in Sydney this year. Perhaps it is the overdue downfall of an oppressive regime that has spurred new hope for social conscience (Prime Minister Rudd’s smiling face accompanies his warm message in the Mardi Gras program, replacing the intentionally blank space previously unoccupied for more than a decade by a leader who dared not speak its name), or maybe the fact that this is the thirtieth anniversary of Mardi Gras and more recognition than usual has been directed to the valiant origin of the world’s biggest lesbigayxual party rather than just focusing on the flesh and mesh of it all.
If you haven’t been to Sydney for a while, you’ll notice some changes around town. The Newtown Hotel has closed, depriving inner-west residents and visitors from socialising in the only venue on that side of town where names are exchanged. Gays have basically given up on crime-ridden Oxford St while waxing nostalgic for the days when the Golden Mile was the place to strut your stuff and hope to lock eyes with that butch number who had a winning smile and curves in all the right places. Now that the Boulevard of Gaiety has been transformed into a boulevard of broken dreams, we no longer feel the need to be gay there; with the broadbanding of global gay life, we can be gay anywhere, anytime.
Socialites who like to interact with people IRL these days are heading to the new Oxford St, aka the new King St, aka Macleay St, Pott’s Point’s chic-in-a-box area where singlets compete for attention with gourmet delis and swellegant cafés. With the irresistibly sordid allure of Kings Cross just on the other side of the fountain, Macleay St has become the place to see and be seen for people wanting to be perceived as living in one of the area’s very expensive apartment blocks. There are no gay pubs or clubs, but then again, they are all gay.
Are you coming to Sydney to see the sights? The Art Gallery of New South Wales is always worth a stop; the museum has hosted a series of excellent cultural exhibits lately ranging from precious Chinese jade carvings to priceless treasures of Islamic Art. Western Australians may not be seduced by the beach as much as visitors hailing from Oodnadatta, but the eye candy at Bondi is as sweet as anything on Cottesloe, Swanbourne, or Floreat on a Sunday afternoon. Or you can simply order a copy of the delightful Sydney: Then And Now from Bookwise to see what the Harbour City used to look like in its heyday of civilisation.
This year’s Mardi Gras Festival calendar of events is one of the best ever, featuring the hilarious Pam Ann, erudite flight attendant par excellence; the legendary Cyndi Lauper supporting her devoted fanbase; and gender goddess Margaret Cho debuting a new show. Who needs museums?
Without an invitation from that hot Surry Hills spunk you met in Steam Works last year, finding a place to stay in Sydney can be a major undertaking. Mid-range hotels are expensive, which gives the perfect excuse to upgrade yourself to five-star accommodation for only a bit more money. Why stay at Sheraton On The Park? Location, for one. It is the only five-star hotel with a view of the park; it is also convenient for ducking into David Jones when the caviar and Tooheys run out.
More than that, though, the staff are helpful; they sport genuine smiles, not ones glued on by management decree. The building itself seems to generate a happy vibe, which is something not often experienced in this level establishment where staid conservatism and avant-garde style can be equally intimidating. Maybe the ‘On The Park’ part of the hotel has something to do with it; the vast glass windows of the Botanica Brasserie right at the front of the hotel help connect inside with out; that Royal Suite terrace with views of the parade also has sweeping views of the harbour all the way to the ocean. What better place to see the sun rise on your way home from the biggest gay party in the world?
For More Information
- www.mardigras.org.au
- www.sheraton.com
- www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au
- www.margaretcho.com
- www.cyndilauper.com
- www.pamann.com
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See OUTinPerth’s sister publication Sydney Star Observer, www.ssonet.com.au for the latest in Sydney news and upcoming events.
