One of the highlights of being in Sydney was the opportunity to see The Belles in concert - I went to school with Sacha (on the right) and she's good friends with Fiona still. She and two friends sing 40s and 50s style close harmony similar to the Andrews Sisters. They had a brush with fame earlier this year when they entered onto Australia's Got Talent. They didn't make it to the semi-finals but the publicity has resulted in a raised profile and more engagements. They don't often do public concerts as most of their concerts are corporate or private, but they put on a showcase at Raval in central Sydney for the public to attend - it was great fun! Technically they are really impressive and they love what they're doing. The concert also included a Hawaiian band and also a burlesque dancer who had a routine with many balloons and some pins - saucy!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
artistic!
Absolutely loved the Biennale of Sydney, well the bits on Cockatoo Island that I visited. Cockatoo Island is an old convict prison island that became a ship yard, and is now full of abandoned old industrial buildings and bizarrely a permanent campsite! The Biennale took it over and installed art works in different old buildings. The was one that took my fancy - hundreds of stainless steel balls. There were quite a few video installations including on surreal Russian one, and one about the drowned Chinese cockle pickers in Morcambe Bay. Hours of enjoyment - I was on the last ferry off the island!
iconic!
After a week of work in a big tall building, it was lovely to get out on the harbour. The Biennale of Sydney was on while I was there and it included a selection of installations and art works on Cockatoo Island in the harbour. There was a free ferry to take us out to the island, a very popular activity! I could see a few people climbing the bridge when we went past.
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
high high high!
After my week in Melbourne, I went to Sydney for a week for work. I stayed mainly in a serviced apartment across the road from work - up the Chinatown end of the CBD. The apartment I stayed in was on the 49th floor with a balcony - I don't normally get vertigo but going to the edge of the balcony in this case really did make my head spin! Fantastic views across Darling Harbour and out towards the airport. I could see the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the harbour itself a little bit between buildings from my bedroom.
Sydney was very noisy - well where I was staying anyway! There was a constant hum of traffic and activity even in the middle of the night. I also got woken up by a vuvzela on the night of the World Cup final which says how noisy those things are!!
I spent quite a lot of time in Sydney working, but I did catch up with a few friends there, so that was fab!
Sydney was very noisy - well where I was staying anyway! There was a constant hum of traffic and activity even in the middle of the night. I also got woken up by a vuvzela on the night of the World Cup final which says how noisy those things are!!
I spent quite a lot of time in Sydney working, but I did catch up with a few friends there, so that was fab!
Friday, July 02, 2010
Special!
Very dear friends Andrew and Li-Ann got married on 2 July in Melbourne. It was a fantastic ceremony, both stylish and informal. Here's a photo of them listening to Julie, the celebrant talk through the legalities. Li-Ann is wearing an ostrich feather shrug but sadly the Jimmy Choo shoes are out of shot! Andrew also looking very stylish!
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Burtonesque!
There's a huge Tim Burton exhibition on in Melbourne at the moment. It's amazing just what a prolific and creative man he is. There's loads of his early drawings and designs right through to costumes and models he's made for the later films. Huge amount to see. The only thing that you're allowed to take a photo of is the Batmobile at the entrance - it looks amazing, all black and gleaming. My favourite bit of the exhibition was a surreal merry-go-round with skulls and creatures, all under UV light.
Gradated! (is that a word...?)
Had a few days in Melbourne around Li-Ann's wedding in late June/early July. I really Melbourne, it's very similar to Wellington with lots of character. There are old-fashioned lanes in the middle of the city that run between the main roads and are lined with shops and cafes. I was delighted to see this one, Babushka which is stocked with loads of Russian dolls. The selection was even better than anything I'd seen in Russia (although probably quite a bit more expensive!). As well as the traditional looking matryoshka dolls, there were also Russian presidents, Beatles, Elvis etc.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
wintry!
So it's the middle of a very wet winter here and the herb garden definitely isn't as florid as it once was! As you can see the rosemary is doing well, the mint has gone to seed a bit, the parsley is doing fine and the poor wee tarragon has died right away! At least it's not cold enough to get frosty here so the plants should survive just fine. Looking forward to getting some basil in soon.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Saturday, March 13, 2010
even herbier!
Pleased to report that my herb garden is coming along in leaps and bounds - here is the herb garden on day 12. I haven't picked any yet but I've been faithfully watering it (and it would have got a good water during the storm last night). I'm especially pleased about the mint, it's really come away! Trying to track down some tarragon now.
Chocolately!
Easter has arrived with a bang in New Zealand - this is only a part of the chocolate display at my local supermarket, New World in Thorndon. The inflatable bunny is absolutely enormous and reaches right up to the ceiling. There are of course a plethora of marshmallow eggs on offer as well - there's a vogue for flavoured ones as well, including Pineapple Lump flavour and Crunchie flavour! Makes the loss of the NZ specific creme egg a little easier to swallow...
Friday, March 12, 2010
stormy!
Had my first taste of a real Wellington storm yesterday afternoon - there had been rain and hail forecast but I think the ferocity of the southerly took a few people unawares. I was at home and could see the black clouds rolling in (as you can see in the photo I've lifted from Flickr) and then bam! the rain and wind and hail and thunder and lightning started. I watched it all from my sun room for a bit but it got a bit intense and so I retreated away from the big glass windows!
This video on YouTube gives a good indication of what went on, It was all over in an hour or so and there wasn't any damage around here - the neighbour's trampoline is still tethered to the hillside!
This video on YouTube gives a good indication of what went on, It was all over in an hour or so and there wasn't any damage around here - the neighbour's trampoline is still tethered to the hillside!
Sunday, March 07, 2010
interactive!
We went to see the fantastic and interactive Apollo 13: Mission Control at Downstage Theatre last night. It's one of the hot tickets at the Wellington International Festival and was great fun! It's based around Apollo 13 mission in 1970 which very nearly ended in disaster and later became a movie with Tom Hanks and Bill Paxton etc.
The play is very interactive - about half the audience (not us sadly) are seated behind consoles on the ground floor and given roles to play during the production. One lucky audience member even got to be one of the astronauts (you can see this one in the top right hand corner of the screen). There were three actors on the 'stage' and about 100 audience members pushing buttons and yelling out information, they must have all been given roles and little instruction booklets (eg surgeons, meterologists, PR people etc.). Very entertaining to watch and very gripping as well. At one crucial point the actors had all left and one audience member just stood up and took control of something important so that was a great relief! Wish we'd been able to get more involved but there was plenty of cheering and encouragement from the upper levels (or the press gallery). Great fun!
The play is very interactive - about half the audience (not us sadly) are seated behind consoles on the ground floor and given roles to play during the production. One lucky audience member even got to be one of the astronauts (you can see this one in the top right hand corner of the screen). There were three actors on the 'stage' and about 100 audience members pushing buttons and yelling out information, they must have all been given roles and little instruction booklets (eg surgeons, meterologists, PR people etc.). Very entertaining to watch and very gripping as well. At one crucial point the actors had all left and one audience member just stood up and took control of something important so that was a great relief! Wish we'd been able to get more involved but there was plenty of cheering and encouragement from the upper levels (or the press gallery). Great fun!
Friday, March 05, 2010
epic!
I took a loooong walk today from my home in Thorndon all the way around the shoreline to Scorching Bay. According to mapmywalk.com, I walked about 11 miles, and got a couple of wicked blisters for my troubles!! But it was a lovely sunny day and it was lovely to do a bit of exploring. I stayed beside the water along Oriental Bay (where this photo was taken), Evans Bay, Shelly Bay Road and then around the point to Scorching Bay. Stopped for lunch at the Chocolate Fish cafe, which has moved from Scorching Bay round to the old army buildings at Shelly Bay - it now has a BBQ menu as there's no proper kitchen. It's a great spot, although definitely not as scenic as its previous spot but at least the waiters don't have to dodge traffic! I visited Scorch-a-rama which is on the site of the old Chocolate Fish Cafe at Scorching Bay for an icecream at the end of the walk.
Stupidly I'd not stopped for a swim en route and the wind had got up by the time I got to Scorching Bay so I just had a paddle - never mind, next year! The water was really clear and clean looking the whole way. Caught a bus back to town which ran along Miramar Heights - at one stage there was a plane landing and we were higher than it!
Stupidly I'd not stopped for a swim en route and the wind had got up by the time I got to Scorching Bay so I just had a paddle - never mind, next year! The water was really clear and clean looking the whole way. Caught a bus back to town which ran along Miramar Heights - at one stage there was a plane landing and we were higher than it!
Monday, March 01, 2010
herby!
With my new lifestyle in New Zealand, I've decided to get greener and so I've made a first attempt at a herb garden (with the expert help of Steph). Here's the herb garden all planted in three big pots at the back of my flat - from left you will see parsley, lemongrass, mint and rosemary. Early days yet of course and I hope the plants survive the traumatic planting process!
silent!
Fiona and I went to see the fabulous Sound of Silence at the Wellington International Arts Festival at the weekend. It's a play without words, but with the music of Simon and Garfunkel. The theatre company are from Latvia and it's set in a communal apartment in Riga in 1968. It was really moving and intriguing, so much going on on stage! Highly recommended!
Sunday, February 21, 2010
walking!
I did a small section of the Rimutaka Rail Trail with Steph, Colin and family yesterday - it was a gorgeous sunny day and it was lovely to get out and about. We started at the end, and walked a short distance up, then down again. It's really popular as a mountain bike ride and we saw quite a few people coming down on bikes.
vista!
We didn't end up walking that far along the Rimutaka Rail Trail but here's the view from the highest bit we got to.
cows!
At the entrance (or more accurately the end) of the Rimutaka Rail Trail was a herd of highland cows - a bit incongruous with all the fresians we normally see but very striking nonetheless!
Cross Creek Railway Station
Part way up the track is the old Cross Creek railway station - a good place to get out of the sun and eat egg sandwiches.
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