On Tuesday I went on an expedition with a friend to the west of Sydney, to Cabramatta, sometimes known as Vietnamatta. I'd never been before. It's about an hour's drive from here. At one time Cabramatta had some problems due to drugs, but it seems fine now, though we noticed quite a police presence. We're certainly going back!
Cabramatta is known for its fabric shops, and there are certainly a lot of them and the prices are fantastic. Next time we're taking patterns, or at least ideas of quanitities. Most of the fabrics are synthetics, but there is still plenty of interest.
The food shops are terrific. We were just looking around this time, getting our bearings, and it was so hot. Fruit and veg were fantastic. Came back with grapes, asparagus, papaya, and Vietnamese desserts to eat, and this dragonfruit to draw. It took me ages. Watercolour pencils on Fabriano Hot.
As it was so hot, we didn't spend a lot of time in the shops, as they were narrow, long and crowded with goods. We found a busy busy restaurant on the main street and went for lunch. Yummmmm!
We had soup/noodle dishes. One spicy beef dish was a taste sensation, when morsels of beef were dipped in a tiny dish of pepper, salt, & lemon juice. The other dish was 'crab with drop noodles.' That's the one that will take us back there again and again. So delicious. Trying to find out what drop noodles are, even from Vietnamese friends, so far unsuccessful. If you know, be sure to let me know.
7 comments:
I hope you eat your dragon fruit when you've finished drawing it because they are really delicious. I bought a golden one at Fox markets to draw but of course never got further than taking photos. Then I cut it in half and scooped it out with a spoon. Was so pleased that I bought one for a friend in DJs and was shocked to find it cost $9.50! Hope he enjoys it. You captured the fruit beautifully in your drawing.
Your description of the food is making me very hungry! This is beautiful. I love the color!! It may have taken you a long time but it looks great!
Gorgeous colors. What exactly does this fruit taste like.
Your dragonfruit is gorgeous, Wendy. It was worth the effort.
Cabramatta - I'm sobbing - I can't tell you how much I would love to be sitting in a Cabramatta cafe with a huge bowl of soup and noodles and a fresh bunch of purple basil to plunge into the soup. I really am missing Asian food!
I sketched a dragonfruit the other day, remembering one I'd done about a year ago ... aren't they spectacular?? And on the inside, so completely unlike anything you'd expect to see! Like your sketch very much. Would like to dicuss your comments on oil pastels/working large but perhaps we can get into that another time!
Nice drawing. Are these the fruit of the dragon's blood tree?
another wendy
What a beautiful drawing!
You've gotta do a "Cabra Fruits" series!
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