The seven wonders of the world are very interesting places to visit. However, due to me rarely going outside and also being reasonably selfish, a lot of them aren’t relevant to me. Here’s a list of my seven wonders.
My Happy Places
Leo Amadeus, 05/05/2024
As I sloppily eat this delicious homemade pizza, I am going to share my thoughts about places here in Canberra that are as wonderful to me as the seven wonders were to the Ancient Greek travellers.
1. Former Tuggeranong Railway Station. An abandoned railway line that is a perfect short hiking journey (or seven hours if you’re like my brother and his friends and want to walk all the way to Googong). Perfect for mindfulness. Once you reach a certain point along the tracks, there is absolute silence – you can’t hear any of the cars or the industrial noise from the city.
2. The Mill Theatre – Fyshwick. One of the most delightful little theatres (although my friends don’t agree because they don’t appreciate its size). I have seen some wonderful works there and have been emotionally moved many times. Props to Lexi Sekuless, who owns the place.
3. James Turrell: “Within Without” Skyspace. Probably just because of the “Sing the Space” event that Tobias Cole hosts every month, this little space at the National Gallery of Australia has amazing sound resonances, which is a really nerdy thing for me to be excited about. After harmonising vocals there with a few people, I have decided that’s what Heaven sounds like.
4. Smith’s Alternative. Oh, boy. I mean, I’m only choosing this space because I’ve performed here before, but I absolutely love the atmosphere of the performances that I’ve attended. It makes me very happy to be a part of their community.
5. The Shed, Recording Studio, Belconnen. This is the studio where I recorded the vocals on my upcoming album These Past Few Years. Glen and Kylie Smith have worked so hard to make this recording studio and they’ve done a damn good job.
6. ANU School of Music. Despite having never (at this point) studied at the School of Music, I know a lot of people who have studied there. Everything from Llewellyn Hall to the Small Ensemble Room has felt like home to me for the last few years.
7. As You Like it Cafe. They do delicious banana bread. I suppose the theatre next to it is nice, too.