The question “Is it a life experience?” has launched us into some amazing cultural exchanges such as volunteering in Tanzania, floating in a canoe down the Amazon, snorkeling in Alaska and walking among the wonderful creatures on the Galapagos Islands.
Open Air Theatre One of the things we always love doing during the Sydney Festival is to go to the Open Air Cinema at Lady Macquarie’s Chair. It was a perfect evening … warm and sultry. We got a great table for dinner right on the harbour front. Prawn and Pork balls in a red curry sauce… Yum! Animal Kingdom was a great movie… sparse, well acted and well written. (Nothing like the moment when the big screen rises out of the water!) See movie.
25 January
Open Air Theatre
One of the things we always love doing during the Sydney Festival is to go to the Open Air Cinema at Lady Macquarie’s Chair. It was a perfect evening … warm and sultry. We got a great table for dinner right on the harbour front. Prawn and Pork balls in a red curry sauce… Yum! Animal Kingdom was a great movie… sparse, well acted and well written. (Nothing like the moment when the big screen rises out of the water!) Check it out here.....http://www.metacafe.com/watch/4852750/animal_kingdom_movie_trailer/
“Supper Club” @ North Tamworth Bowling Club What a fantastic night. The concept is that of a huge jam session, where musicians are invited up to join in. They were JUST amazing… banjos, violins, double bass, guitars, drums … wowee a great night!
We wandered up the street and the sun poured down on our heads. To my delight I found a second hand shop that hadlovely china cups. $30 for 4. The woman came up and immediately said you can have them for half price. There were things on sale in that shop that I would have been embarrassed to take to the tip and that is saying something.
Having walked through the town looking unsuccessfully for somewhere to have a coffee, I finally say to Roger… I am NOT staying in that hotel! Back at the hotel the guy is totally confused … but your room is ready… but we were definitely not!!
And so to Tamworth!
Tamworth
What a contrast. Plumes on the Green was totally pretentious. Gleamingly clean and awash with air conditioning! Our hosts rushed to provide for our every need. Amazing what a difference an extra $150 a night makes.
It was a great position though, right opposite the “Golden Guitar” There was music for at least 18hrs a day. In the bar, in the garden and in the truck which was used as a stage outside. We were obviously in for a great few days..
How funny is the scooter parking ?
13 January
Annie Leibervitz@ Museum of Modern Art All I can say is this woman is a genius. Loved that her photos told so many stories, so convincingly.
Entombed warriors Finally got to see the Entombed warriors once more. Last time was in Melbourne with mum – must have been about 30 years ago! Loved the staging of the exhibition. Can't wait to go to China to see the "real" thing!
20 January 2011
Manly flood Collection Volunteered to collect money for Queensland floods. My Oh My what an awful experience people have had. It was strange to be back on the beachfront at a surf carnival. It feels as if we’ve been away from Manly for a long time!
Fantastic to meet the guys from Mollymook Golf Club who all remembered Scotty the exchange teacher from Colorado
22 January 2011
An Elvis short of a tenor! Dinner at the Golf club and not sure what to expect. There was sure to be an Elvis or two After casting our eye around at crowded tables we finally found a couple of spots at a table right at the front.
The show starts with an apology people who had been booked were stuck in traffic so only one tenor. – a German. He launched into his performance but stopped to complain to the sound engineer that his mike wasn’t working. To which the engineer responded with a resounding rendition of “Figaro” What a hoot! After performing a couple of number to great acclaim they invited 3 audience members to come on stage for a lesson. To our embarrassment they told the woman from our table that she was just hopeless. Of course it was a set up and she turned out to be a superb singer and the three of them entertained us brilliantly.
The second act was of course Elis. As the first notes of Viva Las Vegas echoed through the room, Roger & I edged out way out. You can only listen to so many renditions of Viva Las Vegas in one lifetime! Sorry all those Elvis fans out there.
9 January 2011
Parkes – Elvis Parade 8 January 2011Our days were spent listening to Viva Las Vegas plus every other Elvis song you can imagine, sung by everyone from 5yrs – 95yrs! We loved sitting in the park under whatever shade we could find, enjoying the passing parade.
ELVIS 6- 10 January 2011Viva Las Parkes - Elvis impersonators from around the world descend on this town for one week of the year. This year we decided to join them in trying to break the Guinness World Record for the number of Elvis impersonators in one place…. Can you believe we were 4 Elvi short!
