Ross Fynmore

Tonight Ross and I went to see the Westwood | Kawakubo exhibition as part of Friday Nights at the NGV. They have a live DJ, food and drinks in the Great Hall, plus entry to the exhibition featuring work by Vivienne Westwood and Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons. One of the highlights of the show is the Westwood gown ‘Lilly From the Valley’, the wedding dress Carrie Bradshaw wears in the Sex and the City movie, and another is the Comme des Garçons design Rihanna wore to the Met Gala in 2017. There are lots of 80s tartan-based punk looks which still seem fresh today. In the more avant-garde design section, Ross asked, “Who are these for?” which sparked the most interesting conversation about fashion-as-design we’ve ever had. He still wouldn’t buy me the $136 t-shirt that I wanted from the gift store. Mean. #designnerd #2026adventures #designdeevaa @ngvmelbourne @ross.fynmore

Hair at the Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne. Last night, @ross.fynmore and I had tickets to see Hair at the Athenaeum Theatre; however, I’m sick, so Ross invited his sister, Kathy, to go in my place. Here’s a review, made up from the texts Ross sent me at half-time and at the end of the show: They were locked out for the first song (Age of Aquarius). When they did get to go to their seats, they (or maybe just Ross) were mocked by one of the male leads. After halftime, during some audience interactions, one of the male leads asked Ross if he had any drugs. Ross said yes and handed over a foil blister pack of strepcils. He was mocked again. There was a disappointing lack of merkins. They didn’t take a single photo of themselves together. Body count = 1. Mine. #thumbsup👍 #CreativeLife #goseealiveband #alltheconcerts #DesignInspiration #Designer #GraphicDesign #DesignNerd #designdeevaa #ArtAndDesign #CreativeNights #MelbourneEvents #ArtAndEntertainment #MusicalChristmas MelbourneEvents #LiveTheatre #Concert #SupportTheArts #TheatreCommunity #HairMusical #AthenaeumTheatre #MelbourneNights #TheaterReview #AudienceInteraction #RossAndKathy #SickButStillThere #MusicalExperience #Strepsils #NoMerkins #LiveTheatre #funnightout

Cyndi Lauper at Rod Laver Arena. Last night, we went to Rod Laver Arena to see Cyndi Lauper’s Farewell Tour. I’ve been a Cyndi Lauper fan since the mid-80s when the ‘She’s so Unusual’ album was released, which featured the anthems Time After Time, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, and one of my favourite Prince-written songs, When You Were Mine. The Veronicas opened the show with a banging rendition of The Edge of Seventeen, a Stevie Nicks classic, followed by a mix of their own hits and 80s classics. Cyndi opened her set with She Bop, with a glorious recorder solo, the Goonies soundtrack song, and then purple lights bathe the stage in a visual tribute to Prince during When You Were Mine. Cyndi tells stories throughout the show, and when a fan yells out the song they are hoping she’ll play next, Cyndi responds, “I’ll get to it, but not until I’ve finished taw-uhking” in her New York accent. Later, she mentions that she wants to talk to the audience to make the show more intimate. During Time After Time, Tones And I is welcomed to the stage to accompany Cyndi; I must admit neither Ross nor I recognised her and I had to google later to see who it was. True Colors was sung on a secondary stage in the middle of the audience, surrounded by both literal and figurative fans, floating a piece of rainbow fabric in the breeze above her head while she sang. I am not going to lie; I got a bit emotional. The show closes with Girls Just Want To Have Fun, during which the stage is transformed to a bright white with red polka dots, a collaboration with Yayoi Kusama, whose work is currently featured at the NGV. AMAZING. Big thumbs up. Cyndi Lauper is an icon and a living treasure, and I’ll fight anyone who disagrees. #CyndiLauper #Farewelltour #CreativeLife #CreativeInspiration @theveronicasmusic #Girlsjustwantohavefundamentalrights #DesignInspiration #Designer #GraphicDesign #DesignNerd #designdeevaa #Girlpower @cyndilauper

Tonight, @ross.fynmore and I went to Wheelers Hill Library to hear Laura McCluskey talk about her new book, The Wolf Tree. I was lucky to receive an eARC of The Wolf Tree to read last month, and I gave it a thumbs-up when I reviewed it. I’ll link it to my review somehow. The book featured a lighthouse. I love a lighthouse. Laura confirmed that this wouldn’t be the last we’d hear of DIs Georgina Lennox and Richard Stewart, and she hinted they’d be keeping their feet on dry ground next time. Laura also talked about her writing process, Scotland, symbolism and mythology, and the use of AI technology. And she complimented me on my (entirely accidental) jacket/shoe matching. A big win. In the photo in which it looks like I’m telling Laura off, I was enthusiastically telling her about the Pitcairn Trials Podcast and how 7 men from the island’s population of 47 were charged with a raft of sexual offences and the judges, prosecution and defence lawyers, brought to the island had to be ferried by long-boats onto the island, in some cases those manning the oars, were also those charged. The trial doubled the number of people on the island for the 7-week trial. Once again, thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for providing me with an advance copy for review; the Wolf Tree is out now. A big thumbs up 👍 Go read a book! Body count: 0 #booksdeevaareads #2025bookshelf #goreadabook #allthebooks #Bookstagram #CreativeLife #DesignInspiration #newrelease #booknerd #Designer #GraphicDesign #DesignNerd #designdeevaa #notacosymystery #murdermystery #TheWolfTree #NetGalley @harpercollinsaustralia #harpercollinsaustralia #AustralianAuthor #AussieAuthor

@TKAbioye ’s first professional gig out of NIDA is as the assistant company manager for MJ the Musical. On Saturday morning, @ross.fynmore and I flew to Sydney for the show’s Australian premiere and the afterparty; we didn’t actually get to see a lot of TK, but we were able to have breakfast with him before he started work on Saturday, and time with him and Jemima at the afterparty. We also had breakfast with them on Sunday before they both had to head off to work. The afterparty was at the Establishment Bar, and it was genuinely so lovely to see TK mingling with co-workers and witnessing the relationships he’s built since joining the crew. Also delightful was to be introduced to his co-workers and have them say kind, warm things about him. I sent a message to TK’s Dad to tell him how nice this was, and we both agreed he’s turned out pretty well. Running the length of one wall of the afterparty was a giant charcuterie board/table, which I was utterly obsessed with, so much so that when I went to the bar to get another drink, I asked for a glass of prosciutto. The bartender laughed and said, “Sorry, that’s not my department.” and then offered me a glass of prosecco instead. We also watched a masterclass in photo wall posing, but we didn’t get a passing grade when we had our turn at posing at the wall. A fun time was had by all. #MichaelJackson #KingofPop #mjthemusicalau #SydneyEvents #Designer #GraphicDesign #DesignNerd #designdeevaa #CreativeLife  #DesignInspiration  #SupportArtists #ArtAndDesign #MelbourneNights #LyricTheatre #GoodTimes #DancingAllNight #ArtAndCulture #SydneyCulture #NIDA #TheatreMum #TTSM

Last night, @ross.fynmore , @sarahfearon6 , and I went to the @artscentremelbourne to see The musical Dear Evan Hansen. I knew almost nothing about it going in, but there were tears and laughter and that second-hand anxiety that you feel when you are sure everything is just going to implode (if you’ve read Yellowface, you’ll know what I mean). I really enjoyed it, but there are definitely some trigger warnings (suicide, themes of depression, anxiety, bullying and potentially some family violence). Thumbs up. Bodycount = 1 #DearEvanHansen #MusicalTheater #ArtCenterMelbourne #EmotionalJourney #MentalHealthAwareness #TriggerWarnings #LivePerformance #TearsAndLaughter #FriendshipGoals #CulturalExperience #TheaterReview #MelbourneEvents #Designer #GraphicDesign #DesignNerd #designdeevaa #CreativeLife #DesignInspiration  #SupportArtists #ArtAndDesign

Last night, @ross.fynmore , @sarahfearon6 , and I headed over to @readingsbooks , Carlton, for the launch of Cold Truth by Ashley Kalagian Blunt— I’d read an ARC copy and had created some fan art for  Caesar, the Pomeranian. I planned on surprising Ashley by wearing a Caesar T-shirt, and her response to the shirt when she saw it was so good, 10/10 highly recommended. Ashley promised me a Coffee Crisp at the book launch but then made me earn it by answering trivia questions! Ross didn’t win one because he didn’t put his hand up before answering, and host, author @kmildenhall was a school teacher, so you know that kind of behaviour isn’t going to fly. It was an excellent book launch, a really good venue, and packed! With a number of bookstagram famous faces in the audience. Afterwards, we headed to dinner at @brunetticlassico to introduce Sarah to an iconic Melbourne institution. We may have cannoli in the fridge for later. (Also, thanks to @Julies_book_addiction , whose photo of me I stole. I mean, borrowed). Thumbs up. Bodycount = 0 #booksdeevaareads #2025bookshelf #goreadabook #bookoftheweek #allthebooks #Designer #GraphicDesign #DesignNerd #designdeevaa #CreativeLife #DesignInspiration #ARC #ColdTruth #UltimoPress #AussieAuthor #murdermystery #SupportArtists #ArtAndDesign #technoir #AussieAuthor @affirmpress @akalagianblunt

@ross.fynmore purchased tickets to a show @viva_melbourne ; the show didn’t start until 10pm, and I might have grumbled that I was too old for shows that began at 10pm. However, we put on our party pants and off we went! We enjoyed a few cocktails during the show alongside the ‘feed me’ dinner option; everything was delicious. Ross was pulled from the audience (because of course!); that’s the 3rd time he’s been pulled on stage, the 4th if you count the time at Puddles Pity Party. A good time was had by all; the 10pm show is called Exotic, it is billed as “a celebration of passion and sensuality” all wrapped in a cabaret show, and for those that think 10pm is too late to go out, there is an earlier show, it’s called Elegant the website promises that it is “Las Vegas glamour, and uproarious comedy.” It was a fun night out, and my cocktails were delicious. Britney Spears’ Song Count = 3. Maybe 4. I’m not an expert. Thumbs up! #cabaret #Viva_melbourne #melbourne #thingstodoinmelbourne #dance #showgirls #entertainment #Cocktails #Designer #GraphicDesign #DesignNerd #designdeevaa #CreativeLife #DesignInspiration

An idea I had based on a photograph @ross.fynmore took at the David Gilmore concert at MSG.

An amazing privilege to listen to @samueljjohnson78 speak about words. 90 minutes of sometimes deeply personal anecdotes, told in Choose your own Adventure style. Audience members were invited to select a prop, he would then tell a story about the prop and what it meant to him, each story infused with the importance of words. Consistently hit me in the feels.

Old mate wanted to come for a ride with us. #pointandclick #iphone12 #philipisland