Covering footpaths and littering the city streets, hundreds and hidden thousands of vagrants and the homeless constantly fight for their turf against the scourge of buskers and dejected circus performers. With money falling into their laps harder than beggars believe, sustenance and shelter is often scraped off the pavement with sticky boxes soiled by the well-off.
Silver coins, traditional fare hitting the felt in front of cardboard pleas signed with God in vain and whoring the Virgin Mary, have of recent grime, seen their monopoly soiled by a wandering few with notice slips. Evictions hard to come by, the notices are highlighting the impending risotto challenge to hit the First Fleet Park in Circular Quay on the Sydney Harbour Foreshore on Friday, November 26.
No ordinary risotto cook out will this be, as a TV chefs the likes of Darren Simpson and Gabriel Gaté are set to stir oar-sized paddles in a swimming pool-sized pan to churn SunRice arborio rice. The plan, to make an entry into the book of Guinness World Records.
Orchestrated as the risotto-fest will be, the bigger anticipation holds flavour in the possible sight of a homeless mob descending upon the festivities and food planned for the day.
Written on Wednesday, 17 November 2004