Books & open pages

Julie at the staircase in Chancery Chambers

‘Smokers Please’ in the upstairs foyer

Mrs Morley, 99yrs & still running her haberdashery in the Arcade

Capturing Art Deco Chancery Chambers

Belgrave Cartel for sketching and dining

Another challenge today. A couple of upright books per table, open with fanned out pages. Mmmm. A whole lot of looking and seeing required. Not only is there perspective, but making note that open pages fan out in a curve. Most interesting.

So to follow up on that, it was down to the Art Deco  Chancery Chambers on Belgrave St. Plenty of curves and circles here.

Owned by the Humpherys family since 1920, and absolutely untouched, right down to the wood mailboxes, original polished wood doors, tiles, iron railings and more. Even the loo paper holders are original on the terrazzo walls. You gaze up through the central lobby to a glass dome lighting up the interior. So beautiful.

We popped in to meet Mrs Morley, who runs the tiniest Haberdashery business in Chancery Chambers, and  had her 99th birthday on Wednesday. Read the article in The Manly Daily about her this week and you’ll be so inspired. 6 days a week she’s there. No signage but the little blackboard at the front of the Chambers. How do people find you I asked. I turn up the radio was her reply. I love it. Having a blog is my version of turning up the radio!

Lunch was at Belgrave Cartel just along a little. Very moody and european with Mumma doing the cooking. Another family run business which we all support. Jenny had a perch in the window, and had chosen the garbage bin as her ‘Art Deco’ subject. As I keep saying – sometimes the unexpected make the best sketches.

©ErinHill2012