Last night we went to The ACO (Australian Chamber Orchestra) recital in Newcastle. Fantastic. So much energy in this performance. The program was PROKOFIEV's Classical Symphony BRAHMS Double Concerto for violin and cello and BEETHOVEN's Symphony No.8 - but we got some end-of-year 'gifts' from Richard Tognetti and his team - a tear-producing rendition (well I had tears in my eyes) from Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite" and a beautiful, but typically sombre piece by Sebelius - I didn't catch the name. I swear that the young man playing the cello in the Brahms concerto was standing 5 inches taller after the audience applause.

I don't know that much about classical music (or about music at all) but I have really enjoyed going to the ACO concerts in Newcastle - friends have involved me in their season ticket programme. I love watching the interplay between the players - their concentration on the leader (usually, but not always Richard Tognetti); their glances across the stage; the way the lead violinist jumps up and down when she's playing. And seeing the music live provides me with a sense that the different instruments are really playing with each other - outdoing each other, chasing each other across the field of sound, teasing each other , fighting, caressing, and sometimes singing together - they are people, but in sound form. Sometimes I feel the music as lines and colour and shapes dancing and floating and jumping and swirling and strutting and fighting. Sitting there, captive for an hour or two an making the music the focus of my attention is a different experience from playing Classic FM in the background while I'm doing other things (breakfast, washing, pottering).

Before the concert we went up Darby Street for dinner. The cheap and cheerful (except for last week when it was neither) eatery we have previously patronised and which I wrote about a few days ago after an abominable meal has shut up shop. The chairs and stools are stacked on the tables inside. It is really sad.

So instead we tried Zinc - funny name for restaurant - initially I thought it was Zest, which I could have understood. It was a good choice. Cheerful helpful staff. We sat outside in their little enclosed garden, and had the place pretty well to ourselves because we were eating early. Tasty food, especially the seafood risotto, and the lamb koftas and the meatballs were good too, with distinctive flavours. We'll definitely go there again.