This is Nicko. He’s 37, smart, witty, hella generous, loyal AF, and if he counts you as his friend you’re uno lucky SOB. Nicko is known for his scallywag ways which is a hundo percent why he kicks it in the hospitality scene. He started his career serving tinnies at Mt. Buller, living in a one-bed apartment with six other 18 year olds, who all rotated sharing the broken bunk depending on who got home first. He has monkey climbed the rungs of the #MelbHospo scene for a few years serving cocktails to celebs and ‘friendly underworld guys that knew my grandfather’ (once tho a guy swung a bottle of SouthernC at him and they ended up wrestling behind the bar). After a stint managing some of London’s No. 1 spots (he drove to France to pick up 120 magnums of Dom P. for a ‘pharmaceuticals’ millionaire throwing a party that night for 59 mates & 60 Pretty Women) he moved to the Spanish Isle of Mallorca to go partners in a bar with Julian Lennon. Baby Beatle had a passion for JD single barrel and when they went out partying, ole mate would have a few too many, and Nicko like the good bud he is, would always be the one to hold his hair back as salt water welled in his eyes #realfrands.
Nicko is 100% dependable. He has helped many people out of shtty situations: from helping a buddy pack up his restaurant at midnight to escape hitmen, to sneaking a friend onto a plane to get away from her partner who’d just busted out of the joint, to punching on with an entire taxi rank to stop them wailing on his mate.
He came back to Melbourne a few years ago cos ‘its home and the people here are fckin way cooler than anywhere else’ where he co-owns Mamasita, Tacowey and Hotel Jesus. He went to Mexico to become Australia’s only certified mezcalier and ate a scorpion once ‘cos why the fck not?’ He is settled now, and is married to his best friend KDiddy, who is maybe one of the only people more kewl than him – and they have a baby and dog called Lemon Chicken. Go say hey to him at one of this venues and if you tell him you’re from The Sprinkler, he might buy you a mezcal but will definitely give you a high five.
This weekend in Melbourne
Women’s AFL @ Casey Fields (5 Feb) – heading to Cranbourne to watch the ladies kick ass on the footy field in the first round of professional women’s AFL season EVA. Lions captain Emma Zilke and I used to play in Morningside Wildcats together in 2009 when I lived in B.Vegas for that year of #neverfollowingaboyfriendagain. She is the BIGGEST legend on earth and if she doesn’t sign my boob this Saturday then I guess I need to get that matching tatt we got removed.
Nitro Athletics @ Lakeside (4, 9, 11 Feb) – Usain Bolt is in town for this. USAIN BOLT. Fairly sure this makes this event a big deal. BOLT.
Jayco Herald Sun Tour @ Melbs (1-5 Feb) – world’s fastest paper round… OR: Jayco heard a heavy knock on the door. It sounded laboured but still drummed the correct ‘Greensleeves’ tune, so he opened it without needing to see who was behind. ‘Scotch and soda…?’ he asked as swirled to swank his way towards the make shift bar set up in the underground cave HQ he and Montalto had carved out years before. Oh the memories, years and years of working so closely together – stealing, swindling, killing – what a life. This business partnership while strictly professional fueled the strong human desire for power and importance. This game kept their engines burning however – while Montalto would never understand fully – the fires of passion within Jayco’s soul burned even brighter. He heard a groan.. a woman’s groan.. oh how hideous. Jayco swivelled on his soft heel to see his partner drop a thin and bloodied woman somewhat elegantly on their purple velour chaise (trimmed with gold carvings, a French antique from the 2100’s. ‘Good God this foul creature weighs more than she looks. Like a small pony’ Montalto dropped himself beside her ‘Bring me my drink, dear man. The woman groaned. Montalto gave her a sharp slap on the behind, Jayco grimaced and turned to the bar ‘You better have a good reason to bring that troll here. Is that Esme Treloar? Urgh she is even more hard faced than the last time I saw her’. He poured their drinks into the crystal vessels and straightened his posture, his favourite move of seduction was about to unfold. Jayco held both glasses, dropped his right foot slightly, raised his left shoulder and turned slowly as he relaxed neck and dropped head pushing his jaw forward and pouting. Montalto, as usual, turned his head away pretending he didn’t know what his friend was performing and held his hand out, waiting for the delivery of his favourite drink. ‘Jayco my dear, this horrible and unattractive creature is going to give us the keys to the city. Meet Essie Treloar – Bobby Tuck’s number one mistress’.
Sanguine Estate Music Festival @ Bendigo (3-4Feb) – what is a sanguine? It sounds like a drunk horse from Spain.
Bubble Soccer World Cup @ Birrarung Marr (4 Feb) – bubble tea, that room in the OG Willy Wonka and JOHN TRAVOLTA
Lea Salonga in Concert @ Arts Centre (7-8 Feb) – NOT the chick from Glee. The other Lea who can sing.
Peninsular Short Film Festival @ Rosebud Village Green (4 Feb only) – WHAT did you just call my Film Festival?
CAN YOU GUESS WHERE THIS IS?
Hint: Flinders Lane
Prize: I will buy you a cawffee at this cafe
Thanks Dan Austin for his sketching skills.
But also Dan’s great great grandpa was the Austin who brought over those 12,000 rabbits back in the day. So yeah thanks for that too.
1 comment
Love the drawing! Guessing it’s inner city Block arcade or such?