Surry Hills, Sydney, Australia

Last week, I took a vacation to Sydney with my Aussie gf, Georgia, for her bestie's wedding. The trip was my first time to Australia (my new fav country). First stop after day one brunch at a Brooklyn-like cafe called The Book Kitchen: The Brett Whiteley Studio; the workplace and home of avant-garde Australian artist, Brett Whiteley (1939–92).

The artist bought the former T-shirt factory warehouse in 1985 and converted the building into a studio and exhibition space. He lived there from 1987 until his death in 1992. The space has been largely untouched since Whiteley was in residence, and was opened to the public in 1995. The furniture, lighting, collections of memorabilia, postcards, photographs, objects, pencil drawing and quotes on the walls, etc. are still all as he arranged them. And if the assemblage of his things aren't enough to make visitors feel like they're transported back to 1988, the music playing at the Studio is from the artist's record collection. I felt like I was painting alongside Whiteley.