THERE, in the midst of Opposition Treasury spokesman’s tirade on triple rates, “CC” couldn’t help but notice how many bricks he had lying around his office. 

Not your actual building bricks, but an impressive Lego collection.

And once we’d stopped Brendan Smyth talking, he was only too pleased to show off the creations, from a lightweight tank to a firefighter plane with tiny water bombs inside.

Turns out the pieces are a joint effort between Brendan and his six-year-old son David, when he comes into the office every now and then to visit dad.

“Lego was pretty basic when I was a kid – now you can make anything, really,” Brendan told “CC”, sighing longingly.

He says he keeps the Lego on display because it’s a “talking point,” and a far cry from the “dull and boring office”. And in a Peter Pan-esque way, Brendan, he of boyish good looks, reckons it means “a small part of you never has to grow up”.

Thanks, Wally

BY the time you read this, Centenary creative director Robyn Archer will have been to Lucknow, India, where she and historian, Dr David Headon, were to participate in graveside ceremonies to say, in Archer’s words, “Thanks, Wally” to Canberra’s architect Walter Burley Griffin. Then it’s on to an urban design conference in New Delhi (September 29-30) where Headon will present a paper.

After that London’s calling where, on October 4, Archer will become the first woman to deliver the Arthur Boyd Memorial Lecture followed by a  slap-up party at Australia House.

Then they’re off to the US, where ambassador Kim Beazley will be throwing a party for 200 to 300 guests at the Washington embassy. “Good press” is assured, he’s told Archer. Finally, they’ll head to Chicago, the spiritual home of Burley Griffin’s architectural practice.

Hyatt’s back

THE Hyatt is elbowing its way back into the Friday night drinks ritual with a new Moet Bar in the garden. There will be a DJ from 5pm every Friday and $15 glasses of Moet & Chandon to celebrate the start of spring/summer weekends.

And also in the garden every Saturday, 11am-3pm, there will be a chef serving up freshly shucked oysters, salads, a barbecue and decadent desserts. No start date yet, but soon.

Danielle ties the knot

IT’S a big year for real-estate lovebirds Danielle Neale and Jason Davenport who, just months after starting their Manuka-based business Portfolio Collection, will marry in October. 

The pair met a couple of years ago at a charity function and are planning on “keeping it warm” by escaping to Hayman Island for the nuptials.

Real estate is a new career for Davenport, a former champion water polo player, who has 20 years’ experience in IT. But he’s in good company with the bride-to-be, who spent 15 years with then-hubby Richard  building Richard Luton Properties.

Spelling rejuvenation

PLASTIC surgeon Dr Tony Tonks has a big, glossy, full-page ad in another blah-blah concept magazine “The Canberra Times” put together this past week, extolling the virtues of his Barton practice on the promise, in big lettering, of this being the time to refresh and “rejuvinate”.

And in smaller type there’s “non-surgical rejuvination” and “skin rejuvination”. Doubtless Dr Tonks, whose website has the correct spelling, will be keen to do some surgical rejuvenation on the alphabet-challenged individual who put this howler together.

Pleasure ends

THIS Sunday, September 30, the Kingston Old Bus Depot Markets will farewell long-time trader Material Pleasures.

The secondhand clothing stall has been a regular at the markets.

“I am looking forward to a lie-in after 26 years of regular Sunday work,” says owner Rebekah Griffiths, who has a shop on Barrier Street, Fyshwick.
She says Material Pleasures will still have pop-up stalls at the market associated with theme days.

Dark-horse power

“CC” demurred an invitation through a leading business identity to an evening in support of the candidacy of Chic Henry, former rev head and Motorist Party dark-horse in Ginninderra. Chic is probably better known than his party, given he ran the annual Summernats festival until flogging it off a few years ago. Dinner, at a knee-trembling $500 a head, was held in the “elegantly intimate” International Room at Casino Canberra. Sounds more like the Rolls Royce Party!

Old news is no news

Who wants yesterday’s papers?
Who wants yesterday’s girl?
Who wants yesterday’s papers?
Nobody in the world.
REGULAR  readers know “CC’s” love of using the power of popular music to taunt, and the Rolling Stones 1966 song “Yesterday’s Paper” sprung to mind when we heard from a local gadfly who wrote: “Last Wednesday, at lunchtime, I was flying to Sydney and at Canberra airport the newspaper giveaway stand was loaded with ‘Canberra Times’… unfortunately, they were all Tuesday’s edition.”

Look out for Fran

“CC” hears that Latin American pop sensation, San Francisco-born Fran Valenzuela is sneaking into the comfort of the Diamant Hotel a few days before her appearance at Stage 88 on Sunday, October 7, as part of the Floriade’s Pura Vida fiesta, a showcase of Latin music.

Organiser Frank Madrid describes the classically trained pianist, poet and published author Fran’s sassy, piano-driven pop/rock as reminiscent of Tori Amos and that her smoky voice echoes Fiona Apple.

Bean and gone

ALL that remains of the deserted Civic coffee spot Deja Brew, on City Walk, are boarded windows and this incongruous seal of approval from radio duo Rod and Biggzy.

In the 2012 poll of Rod and Biggzy’s “Best of Canberra”, Deja Brew was voted best coffee in Canberra. But, as the locked door attests, not Canberra’s best coffee shop.