A customer complaint at The Front

Bells said :

Also, Overheard, I wanted to go but, and this is going to sound dumb, I had a lace project I was close to finishing and desperately wanted to get it off the needles last night. But there’s a gathering at ABN for election night right? I might well pop by then and maybe bring a friend or two!

“I had a lace project” — gold! Bells, you’re excused. Shame, though, because even though I got there two hours or something after it started, it was just a superb evening in the company of a great bunch of some of my fave Rioters. (Granny, Sleaz, Skid and I then kicked on in Dickson until 1.30-ish, and it was the perfect night for a long walk home, stopping for supfast — comes between supper and breakfast — at that Caltex station we were talking about elsewhere.)

Yes, i believe it’s mentioned in the Wotz On guide that ppl are meeting at ABN on electionnight. I’ll be in Moruya or Tuross.

But, if you’re not lacing it up tonight, come on down to the Muse. Jazz got your free tickets, but you’re very welcome as a paying punter. http://the-riotact.com/?p=9309

Hey Dawndrifter – not a silly topic! I think it’s actually pretty serious. We felt we were poorly treated and I thought it was important to say so.

Also, whether it be knitters or any other group, I think the key message is that we can all make false assumptions and it’s good to get those straightened out – the key assumption here being that those involved in the fibre arts should stay out of sight.

Also, Overheard, I wanted to go but, and this is going to sound dumb, I had a lace project I was close to finishing and desperately wanted to get it off the needles last night. But there’s a gathering at ABN for election night right? I might well pop by then and maybe bring a friend or two!

Bells said :

Re the edits to this piece linking to other bloggers, the furore has well and truly died down and we’re all kinda moving on. Thanks for the interest but you know, let’s let it go!

Hi Bells. Looks like you have let it go because not one single knitter answered the call and turned up to ABN on Thurtsday evening. All talk and no stitches?

does this thread win the award for “Most posts for silliest topic – 2008”??

Wow, like the last person I knew who enjoyed it, I thought knitting was dead. Weird! Good on ya guys, let me fire up my typewriter and we’ll get a complaint letter going…

Seriously though, I’d love a scarf.

Re the edits to this piece linking to other bloggers, the furore has well and truly died down and we’re all kinda moving on. Thanks for the interest but you know, let’s let it go!

“Cool photo of your beans Bells – how long have they been growing for now?”

Thanks! About a week at that stage, when I took that photo. They’re cute huh?

Lost?

*chuckle*

Funny how threads are living organinc beings and mutate from a complaint about a cafe into an appreciation of Pink Floyd to getting scared in the dark.

Now… where were we?

🙂

Thanks for that, Sands. Now In will have to hire myself a toilet companion. Thanks a lot!

; )

Actually, when I first I saw what you’d written I thought it said, “Mouth on a stick” a la Kenny Everett.

*guffaw*

Head on a stick. *shudder*

Fortunately I have not also fertilised my lush and verdant imagination with this movie, Danman, or I probably would be too scared to go to the toilet by myself.

*chuckle*

Sure it was not Wolf Creek
WINNNAAAAHH

That movie chills me

We had a really scary moment stuck out on the moors once.

I had asthma so Gramps drove up a road we weren’t supposed to. It soon became obvious why wally tourists were meant to stay out, and as he tried to turn around the bumper bar got stuck on this grassy little mound a couple of feet wide.

We had to be back at Manchester for an early plane to London the next morning, and we had no tools for digging or phones to call for help.

I climbed into the boot to add a bit more weight to try and raise the front up a little, and Gramps started digging with that spanner thing you use for changing tyres. It was a bit like digging with a screwdriver.

Then these lights started flashing between the two closest houses, and we thought, “Oh my God! They’re cannibals and they’re going to eat us!” which was the logical conclusion to jump to really.

I couldn’t believe how many hours it took him to dig us out … it would have been sooo boring if it weren’t for the cannibals giving it that bit of a spooky edge!

*hehe*

“Does this mean we can’t live here?” I piped up from the boot, and answered quite rudely and snappily I thought.

Anyway, when he’d finally dug up the hillock his hands were bloodied and blistered. At some ungodly hour of the morning he staggered into the car and we set off for our delightful little B&B.

Believe me, the Road to Hell is not paved at all, and is located in Yorkshire I think.

It was at this precise moment that one of the scary cannibals decided to make an appearance, but fortunately it was way past dinner time and I can only surmise that he must have already eaten.

Instead he told us that he was calling the police to have us arrested, and he tailgated young Gramps all the long, long, long, narrow, windy, hairy, bendy, death-defying way to the main road. Gramps was shaking like a leaf. He’d probably lost a bit of blood from what was left of his hands by this stage, and had proceeded on into shock.

The proprietor got a bit of a nasty shock to discover we were checking out at about six in the morning when she was looking forward to a bit of a lie-in of a Sunday morning. It was so embarrassing, so you can see the sorts of things I have to put up with!

Fortunately the story had a happy ending, since I forgave him as you can see.

*LOL*

I always wanted to see an interpretive dance done to “Carefule with that axe eugene”
Could be similar to teh closing credits to “Barbarella” – man what a classic movie when I was a stoner.

Cool photo of your beans Bells – how long have they been growing for now?

My imagination goes nuts – but when I get home and and look at the results on my computer , its all worth it….

Several times I have gotten the heebie jeebies out at lake george at night, by myself with quiet roads.

You can hear a truck coming for minutes beforehand and you convince yourself that its coming for you, truck passes on its merry way, and all is quiet again.

Most scared I have ever been was when I was doing midweek nocturnal photography at Lake BG.

It was about 2am, on a tuesday morning, I was at reconciliation park taking photos acrodd the lake when I heard maniacal laughter on the wind from across the lake.

That done me in that night, and as human and as far away as the sound was, I did not hang around to investigate.

The ‘alone in a building’ would finish me, Danman.

: )

I’m not very brave unless I’m also angry, and then I’m mostly reckless and foolhardy … and my imagination has a life of its own!!

Comfortably numb is a great song, and its whjat introduced me to Pink Floys, but its not the be all.

Dark side, alone, at night, in abandoned building, taking photos and watching your back…

The lunatic is in my head
The lunatic is in my head
You raise the blade, you make the change
You re-arrange me till Im sane
You lock the door
And throw away the key
Theres someone in my head but its not me.

Oh and if you like experimental Pink Floyd – get an album called “Dub Side Of The Moon” – a reggae cover that is even more laid back and mellow than teh original.

…what the Phoenix used to be

Word!

Overheard said :

AND I was booked using my formal name: Overly Heard: hate, loathe, detest.

Enough custard for one week: tomorrow will be a brighter day.

Actually, I just remembered it was my own granny who used to call me Overly (or rather, Overly Boy). The title on my licence is ‘Moreover Heard’. Yick.

Just making a note to bring my darning with me to ABN. And I double dog dare the knitters of Canberra to come along to the final SIMS challenge from 7pm tonight. http://the-riotact.com/?p=9296

Ner. Yers?

Does your daaaaaaawg bite?

What about if you were a criminal and you’d stolen the Pink Panther or something?

Granny said :

What about my smiley? You haven’t said anything about my smiley.

No, Granny.

???? = WTF
??!! = smiley face

Trying very hard to think of what possible utility I could derive from fabricating a flight time/departure/anecdote. Nup, got nothing!

What about my smiley? You haven’t said anything about my smiley.

Bugger, I got 20 and 22 mixed up. Almost had you there. And I’m pretty sure that’s teh last one.

ant said :

Overheard, what flights leave anywhere in Oz so late, and land at Canberra airport. eh?! Har. gotcha.

I can send you a copy of my boarding pass if you’re really that suss; the one I couldn’t find as I ran, breathless to the gate. “Mr Heard?” “No, he passed out at Gate 30; I’m his body double.”

bigfeet, my reply to you was lost in the vapour of a database error. Short answer: never flown that sector. Per-Adl, Per-Bne: yeah. Per-Cbr: no.

Is ???? a smiley too?

; )

ant said :

Overheard, what flights leave anywhere in Oz so late, and land at Canberra airport. eh?! Har. gotcha.

The best thing about Comfortably Numb is the amazing guitar bits, especially solo. What a song. I have the album on vinyl, of course. One day I’ll find out how to plug the record player into the computer to make the songs into CDs.

Can get all my K-Tel compilations then!

???? Um, it was the 20:35 from Sydney to Canberra — hardly pushing curfew.

ant said :

Overheard, what flights leave anywhere in Oz so late, and land at Canberra airport. eh?! Har. gotcha.

Does Qantas still do the redeye out of Perth to Canberra? I used to catch that quite regularly. I think it left Perth at about 2330hrs?

I’m youtubing it now.

: )

Overheard, what flights leave anywhere in Oz so late, and land at Canberra airport. eh?! Har. gotcha.

The best thing about Comfortably Numb is the amazing guitar bits, especially solo. What a song. I have the album on vinyl, of course. One day I’ll find out how to plug the record player into the computer to make the songs into CDs.

Can get all my K-Tel compilations then!

Bugger! I was just about to throw on ‘The Wall’ and shut off the lights but I’ve taken all my non-folk to the coast. Project for Saturday: resurrect my Floyd CDs.

When I heard the Scissor Sisters disco version of it I became dangerously homicidal.

Danman, I used to listen to Dylan in the dark, circa 16/17 yrs old, but it freaked my siblings out.

“Mum, Dad, he’s listening to his music again with the lights off.’

“Over, you turn those lights on NOW!!”

Bizarre.

It kind of made feeling depressed feel kind of good.

Ooh ah – I used to listen to Comfortably Numb too – we used to go out to the woods behind Yarralumla and sit in the dark amongst the frogs croaking and branches dropping – spooky, but soothing in a way.

Overly Heard!

*guffaw*

Granny said :

I used to listen to “Comfortably Numb” like that when I was going through my teenage angst, and for some reason the “Midnight Groovies” song could get almost scary if you danced to it with the lights out.

Snap! But I used to listen to it during MY teenage angst and I’m a father, not a gramps!

I used to ring up 2CA’s night time request show and request it incessantly.

Footnote to custard story from above. After posting comment about watching the Front video (and listening out for all the ‘First Time’ airlines ground announcements), I traipsed back to my chair and glanced at the monitor: “Canberra: final call”.

Farouk!

Gathered up the goods and chattels and tore along the concourse, and possibly for the first time in my life I heard this: ‘First Time airlines flight 666 to Canberra is in its final boarding: paging customers Over Heard, Jane Doe, John Smith, etc.’ and there was quite the roll call which makes me suspect that it didn’t go through to the ‘Very Quick First Time’ airline lounge.

AND I was booked using my formal name: Overly Heard: hate, loathe, detest.

Enough custard for one week: tomorrow will be a brighter day.

I used to listen to “Comfortably Numb” like that when I was going through my teenage angst, and for some reason the “Midnight Groovies” song could get almost scary if you danced to it with the lights out.

And I guess that explains the mad trips we experience when we submit ourselves to sensory deprivation in those flotation chambers

ps, its proven that when you deny your body one sense (ie shut your eyes) it compensates for it bigtime by honing its other senses.
This is what makes soft dreamy music so magic with your eyes shut.

It also explains why I can still enjoy cricket half cut and falling asleep on my couch in an ale induced stupor 🙂

I had a friend who is blind and she said that as we dream in sight and sound, she dreams in sound and flavour – Thats a trip eh ?

Exactly, Danman!

: )

Granny – I know EXACTLY what you mean- many a time when Mr Danman was single – he would, after a shift in the kitchen – go home and drink a few reds in the dark, eyes shut , listening to Jeff Buckley.

And slip away……

The music was amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything like it. I was in the back room and I was really tired, and the wine was making it even harder to keep my eyes open. I must have looked like I was on drugs!

*chuckle*

So I listened to the whole thing with my eyes closed, and it was kind of filtering through that half-sleeping half-waking consciousness. But some of it was so beautiful, with this really rare beauty. I know it sounds trite.

Hopefully the next one will be of the same calibre. I’ll certainly be back if I can.

Think I have to burn the monthly blokes cards night ** next Tuesday ** and get myself to Wattle Street.

Back on topic almost, just sitting here trying to stay awake and waiting for a boarding call and finally watching the video from Tuesday night at the Front. F-ing awesome. Think I have to burn the monthly blokes cards night and get myself to Wattle Street.

I will try and bear that in mind ….

*chuckle*

I hate it when things turn to custard.

: )

Hope your day improves!

P.S. ” ??!! ” is my code for smiley faces. I’ve got far too much testosterone in my system to do smiley faces.

All good, Granny. It’s been a long three weeks and I just need to not go with those pithy throw-away lines. Two days in Sydney which have been mostly great and it all just turned to custard at 4pm today thanks to the 2,700th dud transport decision I’ve made in my life, in a high point of fair dinkum irony.

On the upside, gotta love the free 54 Mbps connection in ‘The Lounge’. (Small consolation — I’d rather be at choir practice or watching the Socceroos.)

Or younger brother. Or whatever you said!

: )

I know you don’t know me very well, but I just felt like you kind of instinctively got who I was.

I can’t tell you that I’m safe. Either you’ll know it or you won’t.

I’m just a little kid knocking on people’s doors, “Mrs Overheard, can Overheard come out and play?” and if she says, “Overheard, Granny’s here!” I’m like, “Oh, goody!” and then you go, “Do you want to play trivia?” and I go “No, I’d rather listen to music today. Have you heard anything new?”

That’s who I am.

I say, “Oh, goody!” all the time.

When you said you were like an older brother that was good by me. In fact it was great. In fact I really kind of needed that.

There is a woman there too, but she lives in a whole different world. Even my family finds her hard to catch. They kind of grab my ankle from time to time as I float away.

I may rock up to teh next one – is it tomorrow night (Thursday)

I should look in the other thread eh ?

No, no, no, no: that’s all about me not trusting my own judgement, not about you. Really.

My yesterday started at 4am and finished at 1am. Today started at 5.30am and at the time I asked the question I was in a frustrating and interminable (no pun intended) wait for the ******* train which was part of a 90-minute trip from office to airport, including one interrupted call to my travel management company to push my flight back two hours. Then I got to the airport and lo and behold I had enough time to make my first flight BUT the touch screen terminal didn’t give me that option, the queue for the receptionists resembled the post-war immigration counters at Ellis Island, and it was 5.33pm which meant my calls (standing metres from the desk) to my TMC went through to an after hours service which at that time of the day could take any time. I took it as a god’s way of telling me to spend $35 on a lounge temporary pass and drink lots of beer for 2.5 hours. Uncharacteristically, I’m choosing not to inflict my dazzling personality on strangers as is my wont in bars and lounges.

With all of that by way of background, I read your comments and (as per my middle name) thought I’d not assume but check. Thanks for the heads-up.

Of course I am serious. Why would I be sarcastic or caustic to you? Is there something I’ve said or done? I’m just too tired for this, and a little upset from the last thread.

Mickle said :

Overheard said :

. I’m not condoning the manager’s alleged behaviour, but please. You’re knitters. KNITTERS! Try a coffee shop if you must be out in public.

It IS a coffee shop, you goose.

Oops! See what happens when you operate the keyboard without engaging the brain first.

Honk! Honk!

(Habit of a lifetime, and since I’m past half-say, probably won’t be stopping anytime soon.)

Thanks for the heads-up.

Granny said :

Oh, goody! Overheard’s coming!! Woo hooo!

: )

I forgot to take my irony supplement this morning, Granny. Are you serious, or being sar-caustic??!!

“Stich and Bitch” — I just got some weird looks from the people in the railway waiting room! (Don’t anyone complain about Canberra’s buses — Parramatta to Central at 4pm: 34 minute wait. WTF?)

If I knitted socks they would be awfully bright with lots of spots and stripes and flowery bits … actually, no they would be a horrible mess.

*chuckle*

I knit socks a lot. They’re my ‘take everywhere’ project. Most are lace socks, but some are more garden variety because the lace ones are hard to do while talking – and drinking does not help keep me from making mistakes!

Stitch n Bitch … hehe … I love it! Now are your socks amazingly funky or are they kind of boring and garden variety?

Mine is http://www.bellsknits.blogspot.com

It’s a thriving community, the knit blogging world.

Most of have blogs, too.

Got links?

Oh, goody! Overheard’s coming!! Woo hooo!

: )

Granny said :

Come along on Thursday, Bells! It’s fun. And bring your knitting, goshdarnit!!

: )

Do it, Bells. Three hours of the SIM Challenge is great fun for a catch up, but a bit of diversion such as knitting would just about hit the spot. Bring all your knit-wits with you. I reckon it would be a highly appropriate and visually-intriguing ending to the 12 Days of Sims-mas.

Will be there a little late as I have a function at the radio station.

And Granny, for shame: “I don’t know what the time is ’cause I’m always late.” That’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. Or to quote my late, great father: ‘If you believe that’s the case, then there’s nothing surer.’

See y’all at some point in the night. I don’t knit but I’m sure I’ve got some socks to darn. (‘scuse my French.)

I don’t know what the time is ’cause I’m always late.

: )

7pm.

Or election night at ABN from 6.

It’s the final SIM challenge at All Bar Nun, I think – 7:30pm. The event is listed on the front page.

What’s the plan for Thursday? When? Where?

Come along on Thursday, Bells! It’s fun. And bring your knitting, goshdarnit!!

: )

hey next time there’s a RiotAct meetup, I’ll bring my knitting. 🙂 And then I’ll blog about it!

Its not always the location’s fault…
As counterpoint, I submit the Southside RiotMeet, which some bright spark decided to hold at the Soul Bar on a weekend (link shows opening hours)…

(I didn’t bother to show up, knowing these hours in advance)

bloodnut said :

That’s the beauty of The Front.

I had a friend once turn up to play a gig and it was closed.

I think its charmingly disorganised

Sounds like what happened once to my little bro’, blood_nut. He used to run a buskers’ jam/sort of Kariefolkie out at a former incarnation of the Ginninderra (?) Tavern. He turned up one Wednesday night and the doors were locked, the lights were out and the sgns indicated the place had gone to the receivers!

I would like to see this tortoise on Prozac!

: )

Bells said :

Overheard, we understood we couldn’t get in because there was a function on. No problem. We went elsewhere. We just wanted to be able to put a note. That’s all.

Fairy nuff. I might have missed that ‘perl’ of wisdom/information.

Agh@Q! Anyone else having their type come out like a tortoise on Prozac? Making it very hard to type and connerect anything.

Aaaawwww … I don’t want to go to offal. It’s lonely and none of the kids are there.

Something I haven’t said before now is that this was not the first time we had tried to go there. There was an incident about a year ago where someone had tried to set up a standing booking with The Front and the first time we went, the owner and one of our members had words over the arragement. So you can’t blame us for thinking he’s a bit anti our group. And that’s fine. Really. Not all places want a group of our size. It’s all in the handling. When we try to book places, it’s something we realise – that some places would rather not have a large group, so we go elsewhere. We have some venues we attend regularly where we are most welcome.

Granny said :

Thank you, Danman. Just one of the many perls I have to share.

: )

Granny, got to the Offal Thread. Do not pass Go, don not collect $200…

“Perls”, jaysus!!!

Overheard, we understood we couldn’t get in because there was a function on. No problem. We went elsewhere. We just wanted to be able to put a note. That’s all.

Granny said :

What is wrong with knitting, Overheard? It might seem loopy to you, but others happen to enjoy it. Just because you think somebody’s a bit of a knitwit doesn’t make it right to needle them.

Granny, absolutely nothing. Hence my comment: “Um, I champion your right to have your circle in a pub, …”

If anything, The Front is the ideal mix of conviviality and comfy chairs, plus beer.

But ultimately it’s a pub, and if they’re going to get bent out of shape about not being able to get in because people are there for more traditional pub-rlated activities, they might want to take a little reality check.

Someone mentioned earlier an article on the Canberra knitting scene – I reckon this discussion has pretty much upped our exposure considerably!

Most of have blogs, too. *cue sniggering*

Nah. Not taking the pi$$. If I was, I wouldn’t have dragged an establishment’s name through the mud while doing it!

Bells said :

Yes Hamilton it is! Why, got a problem?

Put your knitting needles down – it was just a question!! I didn’t realise that there were knitting groups in Canberra and I thought someone was taking the pi$$

Does anyone agree with the sentiment that ostensibly “unpretentious” bars such as The Front are actually the most pretentious of all? Just my opinion…

Hi Katie. It wasn’t really so much about the knitting, although this thread now makes it sound like it was. Saying ‘get over it’ is quite aggressive. We happily went to another location. We just would have appreciated some cooperation over the mix up. The staff who understood were helpful.

There are other locations, yes, but on short notice on a rainy night, we did the best we could and All Bar Nun was a great location.

… and the silence became a deafening roar!

*chuckle*

Warning – if you don’t like jokes done in extremely poor taste, stop reading now….

Three pregnant women were sitting in the doctor’s office waiting for their regular checkup. Each of them was quietly knitting away, not talking.

All of a sudden an alarm goes off and the first woman puts down her knitting and takes out a tablet, swallows it and smiles at the other women. “Iron” she says “Good for the mother, good for the baby.” And she continues to knit.

About ten minutes later another alarm goes off and the second woman puts down her knitting and takes out a tablet. She smiles at the other women and says “Calcium, good for the mother, good for the baby.” Again she continues to knit.

Another ten minutes go by when the third woman’s alarm goes off. She puts down her knitting and takes a tablet. The two other women look at her and she says “Thalydomide, I hate knitting sleeves.”

I am a frequent Front-goer and I love the place. I love it because it’s unique, I love the decor because it’s lived in and comfortable – like a home away from home for me. You can turn up, flop onto a chair and drink and listen to music till late with a regular crowd of friendly, down to earth people. Several of my mates have held exhibitions of their work there with great success. I find it to be a relaxed, welcoming space on par with what the Phoenix used to be.

Venues like The Front are few and far between in this city. I love the attitude of the owner that if you don’t like it you can fark off somewhere else, because it’s exactly true. There’s an unlimited amount of places you can go to hold your knitting circle in this town but hardly any who will open their doors to the ‘ferals’ of the city and provide a space for them to be free. Love the dog too, can’t resist a pat every time I walk by.

It has nothing to do with the fact you knit, there was another function on and a mix up in communication which happens. Get over it.

More power to you, Frontist

I just think it’s hilarious that anyone has a problem with this. I have to admire any group or individual capable of creating such an impressive social avalanche … with one little click of a needle! Amazing! Impressive! Awesome!

In smaller groups we do meet in homes, but for the bigger groups, where newbies often show up, it’s better to be public rather than opening your home to strangers.

I agree that taking bigger stuff like leadlighting or whatever to a cafe would be less than ideal. But knitting is small, in your hand stuff so it’s very transportable.

Portraits at pubs is very French impressionist surely?

I’m here it entertain you Granny as always 😉

I was not suggesting the knitters are anti-social amongst themselves, but I guess I would find it weird if dudes started rocking up to these venues to do leather craft while having a beer, or portrait drawing at such a place.

It really is not meant as an insult, but I’m just trying to nut out why it does seem so weird not only to me, but to many others too. I guess I;d just expect these groups would usually meet at a “club members” house and gather there. Just like my mum used to do with lead lighting and glass foiling. Awesome craft – but I’d feel the same way if she used to go out to a pub/cafe to do it instead of to a group members place.

Maybe we could have an article about the Canberra knitting scene? Have any of you made the bikini from the first Stitch ‘n’ B.tch book? :P~

Interesting ‘apology’.

And is Dr S Canberra’s own Sarah Palin?? (four kids – crack shot etc).

Tylers, that is possibly the most illogical statement I have ever heard. I love it!

: )

Tylersmahen, honestly, kntting in a group is far from anti-social. You might see it as that if you think that knitting is about staring fixedly at your work and not speaking. Most of us leave the hard knitting at home and bring easy stuff that enables easy conversation.

And any one of us will tell you that most of the time, there is way more talking than knitting anyway.

The bulk of my social contact is through this fabulous group of people. In the last three yers, I’ve met the most wonderful people and consider this my main source of friendships now. It’s been a long time since knitting (or other fibre arts) were viewed as a purely solo activity. It’s opened up a whole new world for me and many, many others.

Ditto on the apology. I tried not to be insulting in my original comments, though I felt very angry. The owner took it to a new depth.

I have to say, there is something oddly anti-social about knitters going out in a group. I really can’t put my finger on it (help me here people). I certainly have no problem with women OR men knitting, and in fact I think it’s quite cool being able to creating knitted wares. But there is something antisocial about it that I can’t describe. I’ve been trying to think of something comparable – but I simply can’t come up with the same scenario. Playing cards, chess, UNO – I’ve done them all in cafes or bars – but just not the same as knitting. Am I alone here. Any other comparable examples out there?

As for the manager/owners response, you let a top opportunity to humbly apologies and welcome them back pass dude. It’s easy to read between the lines of your response how things probably went that night, and it’s really not cool. If you REALLY gave a shit about losing out on not only their future business, but people like mine too, you’d have simply apologised and welcomed them back with open arms, instead of peppering your response with off-handed and semi-insulting comments like “semi legible inscriptions haphazardly stuck to the front door”, “irate female (people)” and making it clear that you “don’t give a f**k”. Poor business practice my friend, and I for one won’t make the trip out to your little establishment. I refuse to pay my hard earned cash to people who don’t see a good chance to apologise when they have the chance. Good luck during the upcoming hard financial times!

Sheesh, all this angst over some people identified as knitters.

The issue raised by the OP looks like it has been addressed by the Front. That said it appears that other have experienced the lack of organisation about what’s happening in the place.

Advice to management, if you want to have private functions, tell everyone else you are closed. If you want to hedge your bets take a deposit for your private bookings instead.

All this other angst would have you think there are some deep fears about people with pointy sticks – guess that must be why the don’t let knitting needles on planes.

I don’t see how a particular activity like knitting can determine the kind of people you are? Are all bikers criminals?, are all christians fundamentalists, are all RiotACTers who disagree with Johnboy tools?

Whadda we want?
KNITTERS RIGHTS!

When do we want ’em?
NOW!

tried to call Astroboy

Pfft. You need Atlas for a job like this.

Skidbladnir said :

Ignorant southsider here:

But where is The Front, and is it the place that was featured in the Stateline gig?

Yes it was the Stateline location- It’s at Lynham shops- 20m down the road from Tillys

Ignorant southsider here:

But where is The Front, and is it the place that was featured in the Stateline gig?

Dr S, I like your closing comments especially. Well said.

Bells, great job.

Frontist, this is all deeply uncool and not the first time I’ve heard complaints of rude/uncooperative behaviour from Front staff. When I first moved to Canberra I was really excited to see a place like The Front, but I don’t go there anymore because of what I’ve seen and experienced. Knitters certainly do not feel welcome there. I really hope this can change one day.

Frontist said :

I have just been told by one of my customers to have a look and I’m amazed at this.
I’m the owner and manager of The Front. Whoever tried to book a knitting group certainly did not speak to me, though I’m flattered we were a second option to Tilleys. We had a booking for last night and the place was full and very busy. No one approached me to talk about this and during my regular glass rounds, I beheld a crumpled piece of paper with semi legible inscriptions haphazardly stuck to the front door. Since the front door is not usually a public notice board, I removed it. I then heard rapid tooting of a car horn and turned to see some irate female (people?) gesticulating at me from the vehicle. Since there are often random, drunken, trouble causing bogans in the area, I paid them no heed and went back inside to do my job and run my business…

Thankyou to those who have spoken in my defence.

for your information:
I’m terribly sorry about the uncomfortable seats… It’s all I can afford..I would like one day to get better ones. Alot of the furniture here is from second hand stores or Aussie Junk… A few coffee shop franchises offer great deals on new fit outs and shiny new stuff, but I though I’d go for a slightly more unique feel… albeit ‘group housy’ or whatever..
My dog is a pure bred border collie and her name is Aeriel and she’s great… lots of other dogs of various breeds (races) come here and they all seem to get along well…
Most people who come here seem to like it for what it is… we could do better by joining the ranks of starbucks, gloria jeans?, but it’s great to offer a place where people can come and do what ever they like… art, music, performance… and yes even knitting…
Any group of people is welcome at The Front.. you would probably know this if you came here and observed the diverse demographic of regular, happy, satisfied people here. The only people excluded are trouble makers, aggressors, anti socials… and terrorists… and maybe some politicians.
Sometime I dont run things as well as people expect, but I dont give a fuck…. after all… Tilleys is just a little hop, skip and a whinge away!

Having been responsible for a large customer service team (20+ staff) I used to get defensive too. But after a while I found it to be a good idea to talk to my staff when customers were unhappy. Most times the customers were being tools. But sometimes there were areas for improvement amongst ourselves.

Having said that. I love The Front. It’s the single thing I missed most about Canberra while I was away and the very first place I went when I came back.

I had a blast tonight, it was simply magical. So please don’t change the furniture.

Frontist, thank you for responding. I’m sorry you thought our sign (the second!) was a crumpled piece of illegible script. I took a page from the notepad at the girl who was on the front table and it didn’t get crumpled, to the best of my knowledge. I wrote in large letters on the graph paper she gave me and it didn’t look any different, I thought, to the notice you had stuck on the door announcing it was a private function. they were both hastily written messages from what I could see.

You might have addressed your staff although I understand it a busy evening. At least three of the girls we spoke to would have been able to tell you what it was as we had spoken to a few of them in our attempts to rectify the situation.

Perhaps next time you a closed function, you might brief your staff so that they don’t tell groups they can come by.

On a lighter note, in the car where the woman was tooting the horn (rightfully so, I think) was a three year old who felt her mother’s anger and tried to call Astroboy to come and get you.

Gosh, you do learn new things on the Riot. I knit lots of stuff from time to time. I just never finish any of it. And if I make a mistake I have to start all over again because I am useless at picking up stitches. But I did finish a simple little pixie bonnet and wrap cardigan many decades ago for my firstborn. On the whole, though, I just go out and waste a whole lot of money on wool. It is kind of soothing while you’re doing it, though.

A Raveler is from Ravelry, which is an enormous knit-geek community – very exclusive. There’s a waiting list to get in. 😉

I think knitting was invented by men. It’s done by men in the cold north, Hebrides or somewhere. and they’ve found knitted stuff with caveman remains.

It’s really hard to find an excuse for what that bloke did… after being asked after the first sign disappeared, why did he act so sneaky and then throw the 2nd sign away? How petty.

Then again, I saw the furniture at that place in the Stateline report on Riotact, and was astonished at the revoltingness of most of it. It was memorable.

I’m just too embarrassed to admit I don’t know what a Raveler is ….

: )

@Granny

Granny said :

I like the cut of your jib, Dr S!

I thought Dr. S was knit-picking actually

I like the cut of your jib, Dr S!

: )

Yes, we’re knitters! KNITTERS! Most of us are Ravelers too 🙂

And we can purl! I can Perl too.

This newbie (to the group, not to knitting, been a knitter since age 6), left stuck in the rain because the Front management thinks knitters are second class citizens, is also a professional mathematician, a former academic, an executive in a research organisation (six figure salary, nice office), a wife, a mother of four, an extremely good shot, a rugby league supporter, a Tupperware afficionado, an international chess parent, a dedicated coffee fiend and a neophyte art collector. Among other things.

But obviously I’m not good enough for common courtesy from the Front, because I’m a knitter! If they’d left the note up I would have found my new friends and returned to be customer another time. I had no quarrel with the hairdressers demo taking precedence, mixups happen, but why not allow a handwritten note to redirect the knitters group to the new venue – right next to the handwritten note indicating that they were closed for a private function would have been a good spot, easy to read from several metres back so low-life knitter feet would never even cross the threshold.

Stereotypes are the hallmark of a small mind. Pretentious attitudes are not good business practice, the coffee business is already suffering from the changed financial climate, small galleries are unlikely to fare well.

Knitting groups, however, will live on.

I have just been told by one of my customers to have a look and I’m amazed at this.
I’m the owner and manager of The Front. Whoever tried to book a knitting group certainly did not speak to me, though I’m flattered we were a second option to Tilleys. We had a booking for last night and the place was full and very busy. No one approached me to talk about this and during my regular glass rounds, I beheld a crumpled piece of paper with semi legible inscriptions haphazardly stuck to the front door. Since the front door is not usually a public notice board, I removed it. I then heard rapid tooting of a car horn and turned to see some irate female (people?) gesticulating at me from the vehicle. Since there are often random, drunken, trouble causing bogans in the area, I paid them no heed and went back inside to do my job and run my business…

Thankyou to those who have spoken in my defence.

for your information:
I’m terribly sorry about the uncomfortable seats… It’s all I can afford..I would like one day to get better ones. Alot of the furniture here is from second hand stores or Aussie Junk… A few coffee shop franchises offer great deals on new fit outs and shiny new stuff, but I though I’d go for a slightly more unique feel… albeit ‘group housy’ or whatever..
My dog is a pure bred border collie and her name is Aeriel and she’s great… lots of other dogs of various breeds (races) come here and they all seem to get along well…
Most people who come here seem to like it for what it is… we could do better by joining the ranks of starbucks, gloria jeans?, but it’s great to offer a place where people can come and do what ever they like… art, music, performance… and yes even knitting…
Any group of people is welcome at The Front.. you would probably know this if you came here and observed the diverse demographic of regular, happy, satisfied people here. The only people excluded are trouble makers, aggressors, anti socials… and terrorists… and maybe some politicians.
Sometime I dont run things as well as people expect, but I dont give a fuck…. after all… Tilleys is just a little hop, skip and a whinge away!

Nice one Mickle. Last time I checked, they serve coffee and have chairs (of questionable comfort).

It’s ok though – we’re used to being maligned. It never ceases to amaze me how uptight people get about it. Honestly, we’re not holding a prayer group or anything. We just want to knit and talk and drink.

Overheard said :

. I’m not condoning the manager’s alleged behaviour, but please. You’re knitters. KNITTERS! Try a coffee shop if you must be out in public.

It IS a coffee shop, you goose.

While they’re staying safely at home in their pumpkins or let out to the CWA on their special nights out, they should also be barefoot surely?

; )

Any group who makes a booking somewhere, then is turned away and refused the opportunity to let the rest of the group know would be understandably hacked off. If this happened to other Riotacters in a restaurant they would be outraged.

And as for those who think “knitters” should stay home, what the hell does it matter what they were planning to do once they were there ? The group was still planning to buy coffee, wine, food – whatever. That makes them customers the same as everyone else. In fact they would probably be a lot less obnoxious than the regular crowd.

I have never been to The Front, and have no idea where it is, but I have heard about the guy from The Front accepting bookings for groups and then suddenly not having room for them. What sort of business works that way? If you take a booking for a group, you reserve a table. If you won’t have room because you have something else on, use your head and don’t take the booking.

Seems to me that there are some ignorant people here who have a problem with women knitting. The knitters that I have seen around town are a group of people averaging in age late 30’s early 40’s, who like to hang out and knit. Like any other group of people, it is convenient to get together over coffee and cake, or alcoholic drinks and dinner. Maybe those of you who don’t believe knitters should visit the same venues as other people are just jealous that you aren’t clever enough to do something creative while you are talking. Women are great at multi-tasking, seems that many blokes are not smart enough to do more than one thing at a time.

Ah, right. Thanks for that. Makes sense.

Bells the term ‘Feral Cheryl’ originated on the far north coast of NSW – near Byron. Not bogan. Very much Front eco-metro-hexual-textual culture. And has ‘arty’ ever not been ‘cliquey’?

I’m surprised at feral comments too. I think it strives to be an arty, off beat kind of place which, you know, should be welcoming to all minority groups (for want of a better term).

I think it’s hilarious that people refer to the Front as “a bit too Feral Cheryl for me” and “like a glorified bogans garage.”. All I’ve ever seen there is young 20-30 year old people interested in, at times, fairly ‘out-there’ art, music and gratuitous nudity. And everything that goes on there, be it on the stage or behind the scenes, is independently run and operated. It is certainly not populated by ‘bogans’, as some would have you think. If some of the posters on this site would actually hop off their butts and go to an event there, they might actually realize that.

If I knit fast does it count as aerobic exercise?

Thank you, Danman. Just one of the many perls I have to share.

: )

barking toad said :

#9 Woody – no just an afterthought that I should have included in the first place – do you knit one pearl one?
knitting is for lounge rooms with tea & scones

Is this an inner north hippie fad?

Depends what type of tea and scones you’re talking about. You could get really creative with the coloured wool.

Barking toad, no not an inner north hippie fad. There’s a large contingent of Canberra knitters who meet all over town several times a month all manner of venues. And it’s the same the world over.

No it’s not the same as having a tupperware party. For one, we’re not selling anything. We’re just meeting like anyone does and talking over drinks; but with needles in our hands.

#9 Woody – no just an afterthought that I should have included in the first place – do you knit one pearl one?

#21 With ya Hamilton – as inspiring as the “where can I buy a cuppa”

#32 Overheard – ed zachary, knitting is for lounge rooms with tea & scones and Dorrie Evans. Not pubs or clubs. Libraries, empty scout halls or the neighbour’s kitchen (but leave before the man of the house gets home).

It’s as silly as going to the Green Room on Friday night (be quick) at 11pm to have a tupperware party.

Is this an inner north hippie fad?

I’m surprised to hear this – yes, we should hear both sides. Front is a bit too Feral Cheryl for me – and what’s with the kowtowing to the Whitlams – anyone who has had much to do with Tim Freedman, personally or professionally or romantically, will tell you they’d rather hang out with a group of knitters. But I’ve always thought the Front were pretty laid-back and inclusive. The Front’s group house squalor decor would work better if it was faux – and the seats were comfortable. It nearly failed, of course, but I think the nice gentle incompetent fellow who started it (with a bona fide Feral Cheryl cougar) let a younger Rhys Witherspoon doppelganger take over.

@ Granny Just because you think somebody’s a bit of a knitwit doesn’t make it right to needle them.

That my dear is pool room gold.

I remember when I was a wee tacker and my mum was in her mid 20’s she used to knit stuff (Jumpers, cardies, gloves, beanies, etc etc) and sell it in a shop that was called “Knitwit” that was in Garema Arcade,kinda wehere old Sammys used to be – in that arcade…

Oh and I remember attending daycare in civic, on the roof of Sydney or Melbourne building, and looking over the wall and seeing the bus interchange under construction….and when David Jones had a decent downstairs food section where my mum would always get aniseed rings to shut us kids up…..and…and…

Johnboy, please report if you can what the manager says in his defence. I go to the Front on the odd occassion to pat the dog.

Hell, if it weren’t for ‘grannies’ they wouldn’t even be born!

Thanks Sam. Yep, it’s true. It’s huge. And also, to the tea sipping commenter earlier, yeah, we love our tea, but a lot of us happily while away hours knitting in pubs, or in my own case, with a good bottle of something at home or with a friend. Can’t beat it.

Stereotypes suck!

As far as I can tell, knitting is all the rage among 20- and 30-something women these days. Seemed to come out of nowhere just four or five years ago, but man, it’s huge now.

I do wonder if I’d posted about our (for eg) book group or some other less easily targeted group if people would be more accepting? Just to make it clear, we are a bunch of mixed age range women, all professional or students, who probably sit in cubicles alongside you at work. You know? Just regular women.

And there are some ‘grannies’ amongst us but so what? If it wasn’t for the grannies, none of us, who love passionately what we do, would be doing it in the first place.

What is wrong with knitting, Overheard? It might seem loopy to you, but others happen to enjoy it. Just because you think somebody’s a bit of a knitwit doesn’t make it right to needle them.

Because knitting is an activity that’s only undertaken by little old tea-sipping ladies, not women (and men) who enjoy a glass of something, a band and an environment with a bit of a buzz. Better than a bunch of twats sitting in a circle at the pub texting each other. As for knitter emptor – they did, several times.

Oh dear. I’m a self-confessed king of the throw-away line, and on the GetUp thread I’ve just made some throwaway line about SNAGS and knitters. (A sort of, kind of musical acquaintance of former/current status of mine has a song about the knitter’s curse and her video is on her web-site — I shot it at the National Folk Festival this year. Stick ‘Ange Takats’ in your pipe and search it. Good gear and she may be coming to Canberra in November.)

Anyhoo, back on topic, I had no idea this thread was in existence.

Um, I champion your right to have your circle in a pub, but knitter emptor, surely. It’s a pub for fark’s sake, not the tea rooms at the CWA.

And I for one think you might be better off at the latter. I’m not condoning the manager’s alleged behaviour, but please. You’re knitters. KNITTERS! Try a coffee shop if you must be out in public.

Holden Caulfield said :

New Yeah said :

You know what they say, “a stitch in time…”

Maybe the manager just didn’t have the time for a yarn.

I reckon.

If I was busy I wouldn’t have time to listen to someone spinning crap.

New Yeah said :

You know what they say, “a stitch in time…”

Maybe the manager just didn’t have the time for a yarn.

I actually like The Front, the one or two times I’ve been. I just can’t condone treating people that way. However, it would be interesting to hear the other side.

If the manager reads this I’m sure he’ll rue this kerfuffle and wish he nipped the damn thing in the bud before it spun out control.

You know what they say, “a stitch in time…”

equally bereft of apostophes?

The Front is like a glorified bogans garage.

You can never trust a soap avoider.

Whats with all this turning up to a bar/pub with your dogs? Bizarre!

“You must really love animals”

“If it gets cold enough”

Ace Ventura

What did the OP do wrong?

Yes Hamilton it is! Why, got a problem?

Jesus – is this post for real?

See you there JB, just look for the old guy that doesnt look like a socialist alliance member with a beagle.

That’s the beauty of The Front.

I had a friend once turn up to play a gig and it was closed.

I think its charmingly disorganised

Well my dog and I love The Front and I’m going tonight to enjoy the music they’re putting on.

Cant agree NoAddedMSG, my beagle often joins me at the front, she probably has a longer pedigree than you!

I am sure it was just some sort of misunderstanding. I have been a semi regular at the front for the past few months and I have always found the owner to be very friendly and helpful.

Danman said :

Its a pity that you have had this happen, I have not been to the front yet, but may tonight to have a look-see but now its with a negative stigma instead of a neutral one.

Make sure you look like you are probably a member of the socialist alliance, otherwise you will get death stares and bad vibes from the other customers. Also, don’t forget to take your dog with you, but only if it is a mongrel looking thing, no named breeds can be tied up outside The Front otherwise it will implode from the mainstreamness of your dog.

I would have confronted management after the fact i.e. today and see what their recourse would have been.

Its a pity that you have had this happen, I have not been to the front yet, but may tonight to have a look-see but now its with a negative stigma instead of a neutral one.

Hopefully the powers of RA prevail and we can see if any explanation is offered..

From what I read in the OP, they did in fact do what you suggest they didn’t, backspace.

“Shame on you.” ? pfft.

I am sure this was a misunderstanding of some sort. Perhaps his staff did not communicate to him that there was a booking in the first place? Perhaps he thought you had just put the sign up.

It seems like you did not even speak to him and give him a chance to explain himself.

Shame on you.

I think I’ll make me a protest tee and wear it down “the front” tonight. It will say, “Proud to knit” or “Knitting: Out of the cupboard” or something. I do happen to have some virginal t-shirts and bubblejet transfer paper as fate would have it!

The manager sounds like a bit of a self-important dick.

You’re right that he probably would have acted very differently had it been a quiet night. The only way you could have got one back on him is by taking his time up on the night – ie complaining – or you can just take your knitting and custom elsewhere from hereon in.

What’s wrong, toad? No bite the first time so you thought you’d try again?

You go girls! Equal rights for er … knitting type people!!

*chuckle*

The manager should be sacked for even considering letting a knitting group infest the premises. Although, he did realise the error of his ways. And deserves some credit for dumping the sign.

I reckon you should get the girls together and protest out “The Front” *boom boom* until he gives you a proper apology and a free night!

*heh heh heh*

knit some balaclavas, then go beat the manager up. 🙂

It’s pretty uncool on the managers part, i would have started an argument – regarding the sign, and the fact they canceled your reservation without telling you.

this reminds me of a kitten & snake comic

http://www.kittenandsnake.net/2008/07/needle-on-right-is-particually-lumpy.html

LlamaFrog said :

The Whitlams were good, but short show, seems they had had enough of canberra and were ready to move on.

Probably took the band too long to get served a drink and they left early, as I have done.

The Whitlams were good, but short show, seems they had had enough of canberra and were ready to move on.

knitting groups infesting licenced premises – ffs!