tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70771305015287871882024-03-13T12:00:18.403-07:00Gypsy GlamorousOccasional ramblings about fashion, travel, culture, and cuisine.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.comBlogger120125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-2933700406308641952013-04-15T01:07:00.000-07:002013-04-15T01:07:00.073-07:00Leela Palace<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This place is amazing. It truly is a palace I the staff here make you feel like royalty. </div>
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Upon entering the grounds via vehicle a check point must first be passed. They look in the trunk and under the car. Then after exiting your car you and your personal belongings must got through security. Once the formalities are taken care of you are greeted with a warm smile and "namaste" by the doorman. Your bags are handled by the staff and you are taken to your room.</div>
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We had a deluxe room overlooking the garden. The room has two twin beds, a desk with two chairs, and a corner comfy chair with a side table containing four chokes of fresh fruit, several tea biscuits, white & dark chocolates with truffle filling, and cutlery. We aso had several bottles of water at the bedside table and one in the bathroom. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-43383783841734751112012-07-23T20:38:00.000-07:002012-07-24T04:12:19.389-07:00Yelawolf in Sydney<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Yelawolf at the Metro Theatre in Sydney! What?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_bMGxsshEjzwLqf9GFsCh_gb3Ux3gLzEMl1vjqTuWNt6kjE_XICmFLHmofYsSf6uDJ5Mdi_Ud9imavq6KcTrHyZx7fbO9ouEjDOgGNpxwBAVapX4sdfbMVaiZT4zSymcKwlaqPMw7oE/s1600/SDC10148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_bMGxsshEjzwLqf9GFsCh_gb3Ux3gLzEMl1vjqTuWNt6kjE_XICmFLHmofYsSf6uDJ5Mdi_Ud9imavq6KcTrHyZx7fbO9ouEjDOgGNpxwBAVapX4sdfbMVaiZT4zSymcKwlaqPMw7oE/s320/SDC10148.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Too bad for you if you just got excited because you think you are going to see Yelawolf perform at the Metro anytime soon... it was March 31, 2012. I wish you could relive my experience with me. That would be so much fun.</div>
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So when tickets went on sale Saturday morning at 9 I had two computers up and my little hands ready to click click click and I got them pretty quick. Tickets were $52.00 each and I couldn't wait!</div>
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On the day of the concert we left Cronulla just after 12 because I wanted to get to the city and look for Yelawolf just in case he was walking around. And of course he wasn't, but a girl can dream. </div>
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Anyway, we went to <a href="http://www.starbar.com.au/" target="_blank">The Star Bar</a> on George Street because we heard it was good and Jon wanted to watch the Cronulla game. Well the place sucked. Sucked real bad. No one was in there but we waited a few minutes until someone came out to take our drink orders. We asked them if they were playing the game and they said yes, but clearly they were dickheads. We walked upstairs to check it out and were not impressed with the bistro either, only because we wanted to watch the game and they couldn't accommodate. We left and went across to the <a href="http://www.albionplacehotel.com.au/" target="_blank">Albion Place Hotel</a>. It was just where Jon needed to be. They had screens everywhere playing different games. They even changed one of the tele's to the Sharks game because we and another small group of guys asked. We sat and watched the game for bit and had a few drinks then ordered DELICIOUS chicken schnitzel burgers and chips.</div>
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So like an hour before the show we went to line up at the door. I wanted a really good spot. </div>
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The metro theatre has a big standing room floor and then towards the back they have sort of like standing level steps. We decided to stand in the first one closest to the bar which didn't really matter but I will get to that. </div>
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On one hand I was hoping no one knew who Yelawolf was and that it would not be crowded but on the other hand I wanted it to be sold out because he deserves it and it would be so much fun. If it wasn't sold out, it was pretty close because the place packed quickly, like real packed. </div>
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The first act was Dj Victor Lopez, I am not sure if I liked his style. Well I did, but just as soon as I started to like what he was doing he changed it into something I wasn't too keen on. I wouldn't mind seeing him again though. Then The Havenotz played. I think they were Australian, they sounded like Australian Hip Hop. I wasn't too fuss, but I think it was mainly because I was so excited for Yelawolf. Then of course Briggs. He was pretty cool. </div>
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And then, YELAWOLF!!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqCoyy63wZz0SjhHD1fLT3TZwBFihjdcPXKKlFYVcxVg8zjSKp84kSShKK389BHJ40k62KT9yvBJzJEoBSpoL47fud5rJ0cy8I1DQ7VtCkgjHy4emDlQtbX-HiVGs3nyOvXX0pEsr8nxA/s1600/SDC10162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqCoyy63wZz0SjhHD1fLT3TZwBFihjdcPXKKlFYVcxVg8zjSKp84kSShKK389BHJ40k62KT9yvBJzJEoBSpoL47fud5rJ0cy8I1DQ7VtCkgjHy4emDlQtbX-HiVGs3nyOvXX0pEsr8nxA/s640/SDC10162.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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As soon as I heard the intro to Radioactive I looked at Jon and asked if he would care if I ran to the front. He laughed and said okay so that is just what I did. I worked my way through the crowd and a big guy let me in next to him. He was very nice.<br />
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I was bruised for days because I had to squeeze into the front row against the railing. The entire length of the show people were squishing me on both sides and pushing forward causing my ribs to hit against the railing but it was SO worth it!<br />
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The energy was thrilling and I loved it. <br />
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Yelawolf opened with Daddy's Lambo! One of my old favorites.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/OHo7XZg7bk8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe> </div>
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I got this video off YouTube, the picture quality isn't as good as a few others I found, but I like this one the best. </div>
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<a href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/yelawolf/2012/the-metro-theatre-sydney-australia-2bdf9036.html" target="_blank">Setlist:</a></div>
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<div class="songPart">
<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/yelawolf-3bd588f0.html?song=Daddy%27s+Lambo" title="Statistics for Daddy's Lambo by Yelawolf">Daddy's Lambo</a>
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<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/yelawolf-3bd588f0.html?song=Trunk+Muzik" title="Statistics for Trunk Muzik by Yelawolf">Trunk Muzik</a>
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<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/yelawolf-3bd588f0.html?song=No+Hands" title="Statistics for No Hands by Yelawolf">No Hands</a>
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<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/yelawolf-3bd588f0.html?song=Hard+White+%28Up+in+the+Club%29" title="Statistics for Hard White (Up in the Club) by Yelawolf">Hard White (Up in the Club)</a>
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<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/yelawolf-3bd588f0.html?song=B.E.T.+Cypher+2011" title="Statistics for B.E.T. Cypher 2011 by Yelawolf">B.E.T. Cypher 2011</a>
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<span class="songInfo">(<span id="id2">Own Verse</span>)</span>
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<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/yelawolf-3bd588f0.html?song=I+Wish" title="Statistics for I Wish by Yelawolf">I Wish</a>
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<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/yelawolf-3bd588f0.html?song=Get+Away" title="Statistics for Get Away by Yelawolf">Get Away</a>
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<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/yelawolf-3bd588f0.html?song=Growin%E2%80%99+Up+in+the+Gutter" title="Statistics for Growin’ Up in the Gutter by Yelawolf">Growin’ Up in the Gutter</a>
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<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/yelawolf-3bd588f0.html?song=Let%27s+Go" title="Statistics for Let's Go by Yelawolf">Let's Go</a>
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<span class="songInfo">(<span id="id3">Verse from song by Travis Barker</span>)</span>
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<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/yelawolf-3bd588f0.html?song=Box+Chevy" title="Statistics for Box Chevy by Yelawolf">Box Chevy</a>
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<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/yelawolf-3bd588f0.html?song=Pop+The+Trunk" title="Statistics for Pop The Trunk by Yelawolf">Pop The Trunk</a>
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<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/yelawolf-3bd588f0.html?song=Marijuana" title="Statistics for Marijuana by Yelawolf">Marijuana</a>
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<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/yelawolf-3bd588f0.html?song=Billy+Crystal" title="Statistics for Billy Crystal by Yelawolf">Billy Crystal</a>
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<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/yelawolf-3bd588f0.html?song=Love+Is+Not+Enough" title="Statistics for Love Is Not Enough by Yelawolf">Love Is Not Enough</a>
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<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/yelawolf-3bd588f0.html?song=I+Just+Wanna+Party" title="Statistics for I Just Wanna Party by Yelawolf">I Just Wanna Party</a>
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<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/yelawolf-3bd588f0.html?song=Good+To+Go" title="Statistics for Good To Go by Yelawolf">Good To Go</a>
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<li class="encore">Encore:</li>
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<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/yelawolf-3bd588f0.html?song=Let%E2%80%99s+Roll" title="Statistics for Let’s Roll by Yelawolf">Let’s Roll</a><br />
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I was screaming every single word I knew to all the songs but my mouth and brain just do not work that fast! I don't know how he does it.<br />
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I knew I had a great advantage for some pretty good pictures but I couldn't focus on stuff like that, not in the middle of my favorite concert! So I literally just had my arm out and clicked randomly. Out of like 100 pix, a few actually turned out not too bad. Not good, but not too bad.<br />
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I love this one. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDYBEH4nYcyLUt0xvVhaAD-AUJgSFXWTatv61F8e8FGHGhyFdKZ2f-E-Clnta1Vgp78XHfhbX9XQvfJuR3gK8kDg1MA6Y5MvIFMduK3FcNjnQbpB3uFxJjHCUiMIANMBYnjZub-MIDUs/s1600/SDC10177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDYBEH4nYcyLUt0xvVhaAD-AUJgSFXWTatv61F8e8FGHGhyFdKZ2f-E-Clnta1Vgp78XHfhbX9XQvfJuR3gK8kDg1MA6Y5MvIFMduK3FcNjnQbpB3uFxJjHCUiMIANMBYnjZub-MIDUs/s640/SDC10177.JPG" width="480" /> </a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>"Yela and JD" </b></span></div>
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I did what I could with iphoto, I will play around a little more with it. You get what you get at the moment.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhuPWoFya2k5PFv8U4nKbAAywha9jI85Mz1Sv6A80Y81U1c45WMhuyIHM-lRmE5CUrAxQeKURfSLFx7TCB-_kltXRGguZzW3L_sS7YaZF4mH5l80suGR1f7a1THkjMnNz0_z3FlueK-Uo/s1600/SDC10194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhuPWoFya2k5PFv8U4nKbAAywha9jI85Mz1Sv6A80Y81U1c45WMhuyIHM-lRmE5CUrAxQeKURfSLFx7TCB-_kltXRGguZzW3L_sS7YaZF4mH5l80suGR1f7a1THkjMnNz0_z3FlueK-Uo/s320/SDC10194.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6R_4flfY3vNFYA0LdQ74CFoEFjFwnTjKvry2uhvCtlYIuUoyYBT0SejrkP5ncMcBvgii8HQQDSqauZ02uE43EZZYqKsbyTwImIkhbrnB2ba5o1ZUu3oIVHP71iiqhSaPX2a08g2qin_8/s1600/SDC10198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6R_4flfY3vNFYA0LdQ74CFoEFjFwnTjKvry2uhvCtlYIuUoyYBT0SejrkP5ncMcBvgii8HQQDSqauZ02uE43EZZYqKsbyTwImIkhbrnB2ba5o1ZUu3oIVHP71iiqhSaPX2a08g2qin_8/s320/SDC10198.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wish I could remember what song this was!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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I saved the best for last. This is my favorite picture of the night:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-yRNSx2ZMnChOQOsFF63pPaWlfPT3wQqFoc1e7EQMIlIlXbKl88O_7c-VChKgK9mKAI_XJ_grUib4G0DR8czcqdtCwWYOpBGbK4oCz3tiqOY-XhjwQBTnHJmGHBT0yyuVJkfH9N3KeI/s1600/SDC10222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-yRNSx2ZMnChOQOsFF63pPaWlfPT3wQqFoc1e7EQMIlIlXbKl88O_7c-VChKgK9mKAI_XJ_grUib4G0DR8czcqdtCwWYOpBGbK4oCz3tiqOY-XhjwQBTnHJmGHBT0yyuVJkfH9N3KeI/s640/SDC10222.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Thanks for reading!</div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-52102492056175380762012-07-17T20:37:00.000-07:002012-07-19T00:06:39.116-07:00My experience at Jamie's Italian, Sydney<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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We drove to Rockdale and took the train into Townhall. I had no idea
where we were going until we crossed the street and I saw the line of
people out the door waiting to get a table at Jamie's.</div>
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Yay! My partner, Jon, surprised me for our TWO YEAR Anniversary to lunch at Jamie's Italian in the city. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Jaime's Italian</span></h2>
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Jamie Oliver's Italian Restaurant on Pitt Street in Sydney, NSW Australia</h3>
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The wait was about 15 minutes. The hostess took our name and phone number. We decided to sit at the bar so we received a pager. </div>
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We were seated fairly quick. As soon as we sat down, literally, our server came up to us and turned our water glasses up. He then asked us what we would like to order. Having never been there before we said we were not ready. He did not greet us with a hello or tell us his name. </div>
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I had a chance to look at the entree's before he came back and asked for our order again. I asked for water and a complementary serve of bread. </div>
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He returned immediately. He asked if we would like balsamic with our olive oil and acted put out when I replied "Yes". </div>
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I had a chance to read three pasta descriptions before he was back again. I am not a slow reader, okay? </div>
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We were deciding between three pasta dishes:<b> </b></div>
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<b>1. TRUFFLE TAGLIATELLE<br />$14.50/$24.00</b>Finley shaved wild black truffles tossed with butter, Parmesan & netmeg. A real luxury</div>
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<b>2. </b><b>TURBO PENNE ARRABIATA<br />$10.50/$15.00</b>Curly penne tossed in sweet tomato sauce spiced with chilli, garlic & Parmesan with herby breadcrumbs</div>
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<b>3. </b><b>BUFFALO RICOTTA RAVIOLI<br />$14.00/$21.00</b>Delicate parcels stuffed with creamed ricotta, lemon, mint & Parmesan. Pure heaven</div>
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And a couple of mains:</div>
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<b>TUSCAN WILD BOAR SAUSAGES<br />$22.50</b>Juicy red wine & fennel sausages served with a warm, minty lentil salad & salsa rossa piccante</div>
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<b>BURGER ITALIANO<br />$19.50</b>Wagga Wagga beef with fontina cheese, salami, soft lettuce, tomato salsa, dill pickles, chilli & fried onions</div>
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I also was thinking about ordering a side salad with my half portion of pasta:</div>
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<b>APPLE & GORGONZOLA<br />$9.00</b>With honey-roasted walnuts & peppery watercress</div>
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We both really wanted the Ravioli or the Turbo Penne. I asked Jon to order the Ravioli so I could try it. The description said "Pure heaven". I ordered the Truffle Tagliatelle. Our server asked if we wanted anything else and literally ran off before I had a chance to ask any questions. </div>
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He did not ask our portion size so I assumed the first price was the lunch price and that is why he did not ask. I wanted to order a salad but felt really awkward when I was ordering so I thought I might order a dessert if I was still hungry.</div>
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Because I am such a fatty I forgot to take a picture of our food! I always do that. I get too excited and eat straight away. Our portions were really small. As I looked around the room I came to the conclusion that we had received half portions. </div>
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Poor Jon had such a small bowl of ravioli, it looked like he only had about five. I had a small taste and OMG it was DELICIOUS! The pasta was so very thin and I loved the tang of the lemon. The filling of the buffalo ricotta was very small, which was nice and light but not too satisfying for my partner. When asked how his experience was he said "He wouldn't rate it" which is the worst comment. </div>
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My pasta was yummy too. The portion was small as well and I was certain that it was the lunch/half portion. The taste of the sauce was very buttery and I couldn't taste the depth of the truffle as I had hoped... but still very enjoyable. </div>
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I was satisfied but Jon was still a little hungry. I decided to order dessert because I love Jamie's desserts. I nearly ordered the Tiramisu because I remember watching him make it with a friend on "Jamie does Italy". But I opted for: </div>
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<b>THE ULTIMATE BROWNIE<br />$8.50</b>Chocolate, raspberry & amaretto brownie with vanilla ice cream</div>
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I didn't taste any raspberry or amaretto but I still loved it. Jon thought it was too rich. </div>
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<a href="http://www.jamieoliver.com/au/italian/food-&-wine" target="_blank">Full Menu for Jamie's Italian</a></div>
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On <a href="http://www.jamieoliver.com/au/italian/feedback" target="_blank">JamieOliver.com</a> there is a section for leaving a comment about the experience at the restaurant. The following is what I sent. I tried to be nice about it but I am still really sad. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Because I have been talking to many people about my unpleasant experience I feel it is only fair that I share it with the restaurant. <br />My partner surprised me for lunch at Jamie's Italian yesterday for our two-year anniversary. <br />Being a huge Jamie Oliver fan this was a very sweet gesture. We were seated promptly within about 15 minutes. <br />As soon as we sat down at one of the two seat tables along the wall we were greeted and asked if we were ready to order. I like being "greeted" as soon as I sit down but this felt like harassment. Because we were dressed in non-business attire I thought that was a bit pushy but decided to think nothing further of it because I do realize it is a popular place for a quick business lunch. Our male server did not have any pleasantries or even tell us his name. When he returned I had only read three menu items. I asked for water and bread and he brought those very quickly and again, in a sort of pressure type of way asked for our order.<br />I could hear the lady server next to us being so nice and friendly asking her customers if they would like to hear the special of the day. I was so disappointed because we were never asked that. When he returned again he just stood there with his tablet out, waiting. <br />When we ordered we assumed the first price was lunch and second was dinner (our mistake). We were not asked if we wanted half serves or full. But he had quickly taken our order and we had questions but our server seriously ran away before we were finished. <br />The food was very yummy. I had the truffle and my partner have the buffalo ricotta ravioli. He doesn't appreciate the yumminess of the lemon and thing pasta so he doesn't rate it. He was also very upset because he had different expectations but this is not our complaint.<br />Now this is our fault, when we received our meals we felt they were a half portion. Having never been to Jamie's before, I am used to large portions of Italian so our meals looked like a half. So when we received our bill we were gutted at how small the portions were and what we were charged.<br />We just feel robbed. I am such a huge Jamie Oliver fan and this has left me feeling very sad. <br />Our server seemed like he hated being there and our experience was tainted due to his negativity".</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.jamieoliver.com/au/italian/" target="_blank">Jamie's Italian Homepage</a></div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com4Sydney NSW, Australia-33.873651 151.2068896-33.8868345 151.1871486 -33.860467500000006 151.22663060000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-16000111747623131052012-07-16T00:20:00.000-07:002012-07-18T23:59:13.095-07:00Hummus Dip<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hummus</b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">How to make Hummus dip:</b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">It might be easier than you think. Unless you already make it. Then you know how easy it is.</span> </b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dedicated to Kellie Horner</span> </b></span></h4>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Ingredients: </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1 can chickpeas (400g)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">3 tbs Tahini</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">3 tbs Lemon Juice</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1-2 tbsp chopped parsley</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">2 tsp Paprika</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">5 tbsp Olive Oil <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1 clove garlic, crushed (optional)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1-2 tsp salt</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">You will need a Blender or Food processor </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Rinse Chickpeas under running water. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Combine rinsed chickpeas, 3 tbs Tahini, 3 tbs lemon juice, chopped parsley, 2 tsp Paprika, 5 tbsp Olive oil, crushed garlic and salt in food processor. Blend until smooth. Taste. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">You may wish to add more salt. You may also wish to add 1 tbsp at a time of lemon juice, tahini, or olive oil depending on taste. </span> </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">*</span><span style="font-size: small;">For garnish I sprinkled lemon and salt, then a drizzle of olive oil, followed by paprika and a few red chilli's. </span> </b></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com1Cronulla NSW 2230, Australia-34.055376 151.1515914-34.068531500000006 151.1318504 -34.0422205 151.1713324tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-34882360844008953722011-02-13T03:44:00.000-08:002011-02-13T03:44:46.916-08:00Bundeena Ferry<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.theshire.com.au/shire_photos.htm"><img src="http://www.theshire.com.au/images/Photos/Bundeena%20Ferry%20Departs.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Okay, so I have been in Cronulla for like 7 months and this is the first time I have taken the ferry out to Bundeena. Granted I know why Jon or anyone never wanted to go there because there is not much. There are a few walking trails and some nice quiet beaches. I did not do much walking but there a lady on the ferry told me up the hill are some Aboriginal paintings or something. Bundeena is an Aboriginal meaning "noise like thunder". </div><div class="MsoNormal">I really liked the beach and the water there. I made Alec go with me. Let me start over. Abby, Alec and I had breakfast at Bass and Flinders.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><img height="150" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2783/4245629766_f24de00040.jpg" width="200" /></div><div class="MsoNormal"> I had the Muffin Stack (yum). Let me tell you about this yummy discovery. It is a slice of a slightly toasted English muffin with an egg, sauted haloumi cheese, avocado, tomato, then another slice of slightly toasted English muffin, then the same yumminess, then topped with another slice of slightly toasted English muffin. So like double layers. Yum. And rocket on the side. So freakin good. After brekkie we walked around the mall area before Abby had to go to work. Then Alec and I walked out to Oak Park. We had so much fun climbing around on the rocks. Alec discovered like 100 blue box jelly fish that had been washed up and he told me not to touch their tails bc they were poisonous. I had no idea! It was so scary. </div><div class="MsoNormal">Alec went to the bottle shop and grabbed a Coopers long neck and I got a sparkling water. We caught the 1:30 ferry to Bundeena. It was so much fun. The water there is gorgeous! It reminded me of Apollo Bay. We walked up to the RSL where Alec had a schooner then we walked down and waded in the water until the ferry came to pick us up. And that is my afternoon at Bundeena. Then I went to work. </div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-56321573007103372912011-02-12T03:27:00.000-08:002011-02-12T03:27:47.271-08:00Newtown<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><w:sdt docpart="C60FA437C7E348AF9986C54564BC270B" id="89512082" storeitemid="X_1C133F7B-D121-4ECB-9D2D-3D51E608BD74" text="t" title="Post Title" xpath="/ns0:BlogPostInfo/ns0:PostTitle"> </w:sdt><br />
<div class="Publishwithline"><span style="color: windowtext;">Newtown</span><w:sdtpr></w:sdtpr></div><div style="border-bottom: solid #4F81BD 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent1; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in 0in 2.0pt 0in;"> <div class="underline"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Oh my. Has it been ages since I have written a post or what? I have been a bit busy and it has been to bloody hot to even bother. Thankfully it has cooled down (the weather, not my busyness). </div><div class="MsoNormal">This past week has been pretty fun and eventful. Abby’s friend from Kentucky came in town on Wednesday. She had to work at a dentist office in North Sydney but Kel and I picked him up to take him to Newtown. Jon, Kel, Alec, and I got into Newtown around 2ish and had lunch at Coopers. I had the Tofu burger and it was pretty yum. Then we went to Freaky Tiki. That place is so cool. It is decorated in a cheesy 1950s Hawaii theme with fake grass everywhere, outdoor furniture, old couches, umbrellas, bamboo, and flowers everywhere. Happy hour beer was only $3.50 from 4-7. Everything was cool except for the Coopers tap had just finished. Bummer. As we were sitting there we saw a guy try and do a U-turn in the middle of traffic and run straight into the side of a car and we saw a lovely tranny walk by. Then we went to the Bank Hotel and met Abby. We were sitting outside looking around and we see two girl playing Nintendo DS’s sitting right next to each other and the 2 girls were Chloe and Therese!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Funny. Chloe’s mom owns Sombrero’s and Therese is her friend.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8H0wMuHaBEDoRPQ2IgVJbnaZVXLmgFG0hScVKR0yZGwAC2qP64KRXkd0NcnVI4PATNCygsv46QbinAgpmYSG6XZx2i5spBof8zx2G6dj8qsUAFrQhKc6R_b4JKoZz5Oabq-QMfTBFGtM/s1600/1stofFeb2011+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8H0wMuHaBEDoRPQ2IgVJbnaZVXLmgFG0hScVKR0yZGwAC2qP64KRXkd0NcnVI4PATNCygsv46QbinAgpmYSG6XZx2i5spBof8zx2G6dj8qsUAFrQhKc6R_b4JKoZz5Oabq-QMfTBFGtM/s640/1stofFeb2011+002.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Derek, Kel, Alec, Me, and Abby @ The Bank Hotel</td></tr>
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</div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-75588210174425480342010-12-15T21:54:00.001-08:002010-12-15T21:54:17.158-08:00Tchaikovsky Bio<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">Pytor Il’yich Tchaikovsky, Russian Composer</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">(1840-1893)</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">Tchaikovsky, a Romantic era composer, did not follow the traditional Russian melodic discipline; instead he composed what he felt and was drastically criticized. His compositions were different from Russian nationalists in that they appealed directly to compassion within the heart and encompassed the broad range of human emotions. Although he was captivated by Russian folk music and composed a nationalist symphony, he developed his own style that was solid and individual. His style appealed largely abroad rather than nationally. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Interestingly, Tchaikovsky was a homosexual and continuously tried to hide this fact. However, in his lifetime he was linked to two women, Nadezhda von Meck, a wealthy widow, and Antonia Milyukova who sent him obsessive love letters. The first woman commissioned many of his violin and piano arrangements. She gave him money yearly that enabled him to devote all of his time to composition and he did not have to worry about making ends meet. This relationship lasted fourteen years in which they never once met face to face, only communicating through correspondence. The second woman worthy of noting, Antonia Milyukova, gave a written ultimatum that if Tchaikovsky did not respond she would kill herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Homosexuality was punishable by death in Russian and Tchaikovsky thought this woman would help hide his sexuality. They were married within two months of first meeting each other. After the marriage, he fell into a deep and crushing depression and the two soon separated after a few weeks. With the help of his friends, family, and Nadezhda von Meck, he bounced back to compose two of his greatest works, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Symphony No.4</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eugene Onegin</i>, an opera. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In 1891, Tchaikovsky travelled to The United States and conducted at the opening night of what was to become Carnegie Hall. He was also recognized in France where he was elected a member of the Academie de Francaise and in England where he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Cambridge University. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Tchaikovsky was known to have written at least ten opera’s and he destroyed two of them. Of the surviving opera’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eugene Onegin</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Queen of Spades</i> are the most popular. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eugene Onegin</i> was written after his short and unstable marriage and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Queen of Spades</i> was written when he was staying in Florence. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">Tchaikovsky changed Russian ballet for the better. He introduced a greater rhythms, melodies, and orchestration. The world’s most frequently performed dance scores are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Swan Lake</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Sleeping Beauty</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Swan Lake</i>. Swan Lake was the first ballet he composed. He constructed the ballet to be fluid with each movement unified by a system of themes and structures. Initially the ballet was not received well by ballet composers such as Drigo or top choreographers such as Petipa. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">Tchaikovsky’s second ballet is The Sleeping Beauty and confirmed the establishment and perfection of his symphonic style of ballet. This ballet contains movements within movements and is extremely graceful. The ballet was choreographed by Petipa and during the composition of the ballet they both worked together. They also worked together in the composition of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Nutcracker</i>. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">He completed seven symphonies and five and a half concertos, one for the violin, one for cello and orchestra, and the remainder for piano. He also created chamber music that showcased his style individual style and German influence. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">The official ruling for the death of Tchaikovsky is that he died from cholera after drinking water that had not been boiled. The ruling of his death remains controversial. Some say he committed suicide by arsenic after being caught with the nephew of a high-ranking official. He was fifty-three. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-91512178317983329502010-11-17T00:17:00.000-08:002010-11-17T00:17:35.252-08:00Sydney Opera House Review<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">This post is for you Aunt Neva!!! Love you!!!<br />
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</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">Symphony at the Sydney Opera House</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">TCHAIKOVSKY’S FIRST PIANO CONCERTO</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">Wednesday, October 20<sup>th</sup> 2010 | 6:30pm</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Richard Gill |Conductor (Stanhope and Piano Concerto)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Thomas Ades |Conductor (Ades and Nutcracker)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Maxwell Foster| Piano</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Sydney Sinfonia – Side-by-Side with the Sydney Symphony (Ades and Nutcarcker)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">Situated on Bennelong Point and overlooking Sydney Harbor, the Sydney Opera House is one of the most recognizable buildings in the world. The architecture is expressionist and people have said it is meant to appear like sails on a boat or sea shells from the sea. At the furthest point of the building surrounded on three sides by the harbor is a smaller “sea shell” façade called the Northern Foyer. This is where Paul Stanhope held the pre-concert talk among breathtaking views including that of the Sydney Harbor Bridge. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">The pre-concert talk was given to a fairly large group of people, over one-hundred. The audience mainly consisted of a school group who were all wearing their school uniform and sitting on the purple carpet steps opposite the large glass window facing the harbor. Stanhope gave a brief history of Tchaikovsky’s influence in choosing instruments in his suite, noting the influences came from France. I found the composer’s attire as interesting as his discussion. He was dressed in a green graphic t-shirt worn under a black coat and pants suit. He played a few seconds of the sugar plum fairy section thru a stereo over the loud speaker and spoke about the instruments and celestial tones. He then played the Chinese dance section with mostly high sounds and asked the audience if they could recognize the main instruments being played. Many people guessed but the correct answer was the piccolo. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">Stanhope discussed the sounds and influences found in his <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fantasia on a Theme of Vaughn Williams</i> (listed first on the playbill) and those found in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Asyla</i> (performed after the interval). He described <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fantasia</i> as a “contemporary odyssey piece<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>that is a single movement played without pause but with six recognizable sections”. He described <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Asyla</i> with “the shrill flavor of club music and reference to techno styles” coupled together. It refers to forms of popular music in several sections, decreeing the song polystylistic. To better understand the influence we listened to the sounds of refuge and madness from Stravinsky’s Asyla or “asylum”. The resonance and echoes made one feel creepy and empty then the music turned to soft and graceful, hence the naming of Asyla. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">As I sat in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall I took note of the magenta seats and the weird circle things floating from the ceiling I assumed was for better acoustics. Musicians of all ages from late twenties to early sixties were tuning their instruments. The concert was introduced by Andrew Ford, an award winning composer, writer, and broadcaster who is also the presenter of The Music Show on ABC Radio National. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">The evening began with a crazy explosion of sound from the trumpet and French horn sections and then into smooth flute and violin melodies with low tones coming from the cello and double bass. The melody of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fantasia</i> was difficult for me to discover because of the random cow bell and hand drums that were played with a drumstick. Finally I heard the melody coming together with the sound of the trumpets. I feel the atmosphere created with the sound was simple and peasant like, very organic. An interesting side note was when a foot long heavy silver chain was slowly dropped on top of a large hand drum to create an interesting urban sound. The next clear section was the double bass and symbols. When paired they create a smooth jazzy note with melodies laden with the xylophone and trumpet. The section finished with violin and into the next section with the flute and loud trumpet. As the concert was playing I tried to hear the club references. I did not think any sound was particularly obvious but I could comment on the intense drum beats that sounded like a good club song. The final sound was that of the thick chain falling on a drum. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">The next piece of the evening was Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concert No. 1 in B flat minor, Op.23 with Maxwell Foster as the piano soloist. The melody in the beginning was beautiful and recognizable to many. I kept waiting to hear the melody reappear later in one of the later sections but it never returned. The entire time I just kept staring at the keys, watching Foster’s hands move up and down fast and fluidly dancing. It was as if they were floating on the surface just barley tickling the keys and the piano was giggling with sounds of harmony. I lost track of time or which movement we were in, for a moment there was no piano, only the flute and drum. When the piano tones reentered, my eyes literally watered and I felt as though I had a lump in my throat. The music was absolutely beautiful. The violin and piano complement each other well in this piece and mimicked each other’s sounds gracefully. I thoroughly enjoyed this piece as it was my favorite of the evening. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">Following a short interval the Sinfonia joined the Symphony and the stage was overflowing with musicians and their instruments. The first piece played was Thomas Ades’ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Asyla. </i>The beginning sounded like a theme for a haunted house followed by sweet sounds and back to crazy. About this time in the performance I began to notice the conductor. He is much more fluid, involved and animated than the first conductor was. The second movement began on a much happier note followed by what I describe as dreamlike with sounds one would hear swimming at the bottom of a lake inside a cave. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">I felt like the transition between movements was rather abrupt and came to a full stop. The sound was not so much club music but more likely in the house beat genre. However, I agree both are acceptable. The main element that exemplified the so called club music influence would have to have been the drum beats. Take the drums out and the sound would be creepy with a lot of loud noise rather than music. The next movement was transformed into a big band sort of tone. Such as the music found in the streets of New Orleans with drums, trumpet, and double bass. The final sounds of piano sounded pop-like and in the finale a bag of a ten-piece silverware set was dropped on a drum. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">The final piece of the evening and the most exciting part of the night was Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker: Suite No. 1. The suite began the same way as it would for the ballet. A feeling of nostalgia swept over me at the sound of the first few bars. I could imagine dancers on the crowded stage. The second movement may very well be my favorite until I heard and remembered the third and so on. The sweet rhythms and melodies of the Nutcracker suite were dreamlike and sweet as my mind wandered into thoughts of sugar plum fairies. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">The acoustics within the Concert Hall at the Sydney Opera House were so great that even the clapping at the end of the show sounded fabulous. I loved the set for the show as I felt they fit well together. I was very happy with the evening and was already planning my return. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-31906250542755579852010-11-12T01:37:00.000-08:002010-11-12T01:37:13.964-08:00Holiday Recipe ExchangeSo I am so excited! This seems really cool. My friend Beth sent me this e-mail today:<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">Hi friends! Holidays are here and I'm sure we can all use some great new recipes! :)</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">You are invited to be a part of a recipe exchange. Please send a recipe to the person whose name is in position 1 below (even if you don't know them). The recipe should be something quick, easy and without rare ingredients. Actually, the best one is the one you know in your head and can type right now. Don't agonize over it, it is the one you make when you are short of time.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">After you've sent your recipe to the person in position 1 below and ONLY TO THAT PERSON, copy this letter into a new email, move my name to the top and put your name in position 2. Only mine and your name should show when you send your email. Send to 20 friends BCC (blind copy).</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">If you cannot do this within 5 days, let me know so it will be fair to those participating. You should receive 36 recipes. It's fun to see where they come from! Seldom does anyone drop out because we all need new ideas!</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br />
</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">The turnaround is fast, as there are only 2 names on the list you only have to do this once.</span></span></span><br />
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I love cooking and I love recipes! I am so excited to do an exchange! This is the recipe I sent:<br />
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(I hope my BFF Molly doesn't send a baked Feta recipe too because it is she who gave me the idea!)<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><u><b>Spicy Baked Feta with French </b></u></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"><b><u>Baguette</u></b></span><br />
<div style="font-family: arial;"><div style="font-size: small;"><b><u><br />
</u></b></div><div style="font-size: small;">One block Feta (Greek, American, Persian, or French will all be fine) </div><div style="font-size: small;">1/3 cup Olive Oil (EVOO or herbed flavour is fine too)</div><div style="font-size: small;">1/2 tsp Chili Flakes</div><div style="font-size: small;">Dried Oregano (Dried Basil or Italian Seasoning is fine too, whatever you have on hand)</div><div style="font-size: small;">1/4 tsp Sea Salt </div><div style="font-size: small;">1/4 tsp Fresh Ground Pepper</div><div style="font-size: small;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: small;">Preheat Oven to 350F</div><div style="font-size: small;">Place feta in oven safe dish, preferably a glass loaf pan with a lid.</div><div style="font-size: small;">Drizzle with Olive Oil and sprinkle with all the seasoning.Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until feta is soft (check with a fork). Serve with baguette. </div><div style="font-size: small;"><br />
</div><div style="font-size: small;"><i>Toasted French Bread</i></div><div style="font-size: small;">1/4-1/2 cup olive oil</div><div style="font-size: small;">1 tsp sea salt</div><div style="font-size: small;">Slice baguette at an angle and drizzle slices lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle sea salt.</div><div style="font-size: small;">Place slices on cookie sheet and place in oven with feta for 7-10 minutes until toasty.</div><div style="font-size: small;"><br />
</div><div>Enjoy!</div><div>Sheri </div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-2426551390213636742010-11-09T13:04:00.000-08:002010-11-09T13:04:30.270-08:00Nail Polish or Nail LacquerAccording to Harpers Bazaar (my favorite mag) it is fashionable this spring to not be matchy matchy with your nail polish but rather have two colors that compliment making sure the pedi is a darker color than the mani.<br />
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<img alt="Brisbane139.jpg picture by SheriLand" height="480" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane139.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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All over Brisbane the electrical boxes were painted fabulously:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Brisbane144.jpg picture by SheriLand" height="400" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane144.jpg" width="300" /><img alt="Brisbane152.jpg picture by SheriLand" height="320" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane152.jpg" width="240" /><img alt="Brisbane199.jpg picture by SheriLand" height="240" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane199.jpg" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Brisbane276.jpg image by SheriLand" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/th_Brisbane276.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Also saw the coolest trees in Brissy</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Brisbane180.jpg picture by SheriLand" height="640" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane180.jpg" width="480" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Brisbane263.jpg picture by SheriLand" height="320" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane263.jpg" width="240" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Brisbane267.jpg picture by SheriLand" height="300" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane267.jpg" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">And the coolest flowers!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Brisbane220.jpg Flowers in my hair picture by SheriLand" height="543" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane220.jpg" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-66527356808736819022010-11-07T23:50:00.000-08:002010-11-09T12:44:38.394-08:00Master Calum<div style="text-align: center;">South Bank</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Introducing Master Blaster, a.k.a. Calum James Glass-Swaim</div><div style="text-align: left;">age 10 months</div><div style="text-align: left;">His birthday is Christmas Eve!</div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Brisbane026.jpg giggles! picture by SheriLand" height="640" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane026.jpg" width="480" /><br />
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We are just chillin at South Bank, enjoying the day.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Brisbane020.jpg at Southbank picture by SheriLand" height="400" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane020.jpg" width="300" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Brisbane029.jpg picture by SheriLand" height="320" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane029.jpg" width="239" /><br />
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I brought my swim suit just in case! This picture is taken at Streets Beach. It is a man made beach in South Bank along the Brisbane River. The esplanade that follows along the river is just past the "beach".<br />
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<img alt="Brisbane034.jpg And the river and city in the background picture by SheriLand" height="550" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane034.jpg" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
All along South Bank is a windy sidewalk that has this fabulous Arbour "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">made up of 443 curling, tendril-like columns of steel, each covered with a train of vibrant magenta bougainvillea plants"(</span><a href="http://www.visitsouthbank.com.au/attractions/arbour"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.visitsouthbank.com.au/attractions/arbour</span></a>)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">.</span><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Brisbane018.jpg" height="640" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane018.jpg" width="496" /><br />
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Confucius<br />
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<img alt="Brisbane019.jpg Confucious picture by SheriLand" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane019.jpg" /><br />
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South Bank has several parks for playing, swinging, climbing or sliding. Grassy areas for picnics or playing ball and you can ride bikes, roller blade, and skateboard so that's pretty cool and they have free barbecues anyone can use.<br />
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<img alt="Brisbane017.jpg At Southbank picture by SheriLand" height="400" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane017.jpg" width="354" /><br />
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After swimming at the beach and walking around a bit we grabbed some lunch at The Plough Inn. We had a yummy dip entree with delicious bread, some hot chips, and Hoegarden. Yum. Then when we were leaving it started pissing down rain so we went back for another Hoegarden.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><img alt="Brisbane038.jpg The Plough Inn picture by SheriLand" height="300" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane038.jpg" width="400" /></span></span><br />
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Nepalese Pagoda<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, adobe-helvetica, 'Arial Narrow'; font-size: small;">"The Nepal Peace Pagoda was entirely handcrafted in Nepal of cut and felled Terai Forest timber from the southern jungles of Nepal - over two years of meticulous work by over 160 Nepalese village families - and was shipped to Brisbane for Expo"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, adobe-helvetica, 'Arial Narrow'; font-size: small;">in 1988 for the World Expo - UN International Year of Peace</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 1px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 1px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, adobe-helvetica, 'Arial Narrow';"><a href="http://www.foundationexpo88.org/pavilions/international/nepalpavilionandpeacepagoda.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.foundationexpo88.org/pavilions/international/nepalpavilionandpeacepagoda.html</span></a></span><br />
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<img alt="Brisbane124.jpg picture by SheriLand" height="240" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane124.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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<img alt="Brisbane128.jpg picture by SheriLand" height="300" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane128.jpg" width="400" /><br />
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<img alt="Brisbane134.jpg picture by SheriLand" height="320" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane134.jpg" width="240" /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-55877842765986025172010-11-03T01:05:00.000-07:002010-11-03T01:09:30.330-07:00BrissyI had a fabulous time with Jon Swaimy in Brisbane! I got to meet his partner Aneta who is originally from Poland (they met while they were both living in London) and their cute little baby Calum who is 10 mo.<br />
(more later)<br />
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I went to GoMa (Gallery of Modern Art) (saw the Valentino exhibit but a post on that later) and The Queensland Art Gallery that had a fabulous collection of Australian artists. Some of my favorites are<br />
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James Gleeson<br />
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<img alt="Brisbane228.jpg picture by SheriLand" height="400" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane228.jpg?t=1288770155" width="300" /><img alt="Brisbane229.jpg picture by SheriLand" height="320" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane229.jpg?t=1288770708" width="240" /><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">I love the brush strokes, color, and texture of paint found in <b>Grace Cossington Smith</b>'s paintings. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Brisbane232.jpg picture by SheriLand" height="300" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane232.jpg?t=1288770766" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Brisbane233.jpg picture by SheriLand" height="300" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane233.jpg?t=1288771125" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Brisbane240.jpg picture by SheriLand" height="640" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane240.jpg?t=1288770943" width="480" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I love the purple flower trees! They were all over Swaimy's neighborhood and throughout the city.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I like that real flowers at the bottom of the painting. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Brisbane241.jpg picture by SheriLand" height="640" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane241.jpg?t=1288771168" width="480" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">A delicious chocolate and coconut muffin with mocha I had after viewing the museum at the museum's cafe on the river. I love chocolate. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Brisbane246.jpg picture by SheriLand" height="300" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane246.jpg?t=1288771283" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">View of the purple flower trees from Swaimy's front door.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Brisbane207.jpg picture by SheriLand" height="480" src="http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/Brisbane207.jpg?t=1288771397" width="640" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">More stories and pictures later!<br />
<br />
But if you are curious now, I uploaded all the pix to photobucket but I must warn you there are many random pictures of trees and flowers!</div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right; width: 480px;"><embed flashvars="rssFeed=http%3A%2F%2Ffeed622.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ftt309%2FSheriLand%2FBrisbane%2Ffeed.rss" height="360" src="http://static.pbsrc.com/flash/rss_slideshow.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" wmode="transparent"></embed><a href="http://photobucket.com/redirect/album?showShareLB=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://pic.pbsrc.com/share/icons/embed/btn_geturs.gif" style="border: none;" /></a><a href="http://s622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/SheriLand/Brisbane/" target="_blank"><img src="http://pic.pbsrc.com/share/icons/embed/btn_viewall.gif" style="border: none;" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-14773914590508737302010-10-23T21:06:00.000-07:002010-10-23T21:08:16.152-07:00In da house<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jon drove into the city! We parked at the Opera House and walked up through the Opera Bar. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is outside the Fabulous Opera House.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JKoJnUQ41HZkHuZ4qIG1Sl3Cv3aqXldlko8LZwz4b4ox4FHm39Gp7ykm9RtRgkEfKRZxiO5EhOH6__XZWdBc7SfxM5G35oT-e0reLU1Ho4hiEAysAVc-tghQ8mn-sWouag3q5Dt_vmE/s1600/blog+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JKoJnUQ41HZkHuZ4qIG1Sl3Cv3aqXldlko8LZwz4b4ox4FHm39Gp7ykm9RtRgkEfKRZxiO5EhOH6__XZWdBc7SfxM5G35oT-e0reLU1Ho4hiEAysAVc-tghQ8mn-sWouag3q5Dt_vmE/s400/blog+027.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I am wearing my favorite black Armani Exchange sunnies, a borrowed shirt from Abby, a thrifted Dooney and Bourke, hand me down skirt from Ker, necklace from Nepal that Prateek gave me and </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">my favorite black Aldo flats. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugVjStL-9u2DgOfkFwjigZ5J7MyuxXVy-PBGvzrUAOMh4R8h6NKVoid62lAWfpPtjFALHGXmRPA2qz3KVIFrMX5c4m6cI9cpt_QZyWoM5BJoM10jv8fxu4uKx-CNwNA1Pg7fuLG7fasU/s1600/blog+028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugVjStL-9u2DgOfkFwjigZ5J7MyuxXVy-PBGvzrUAOMh4R8h6NKVoid62lAWfpPtjFALHGXmRPA2qz3KVIFrMX5c4m6cI9cpt_QZyWoM5BJoM10jv8fxu4uKx-CNwNA1Pg7fuLG7fasU/s640/blog+028.JPG" width="442" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDKMnRP6c6XVXdbtGoijiBJub11KoKk8JtuiF_PKM_ZriMEsPFNP6_hDILIJoPDwhvjViiS6j83oFqVQ79nuLfIyedw3maqOVj7IGqUP7mbGlGyJb2HYIMJyB08xCa9sZVbUXys95y0r4/s1600/blog+029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDKMnRP6c6XVXdbtGoijiBJub11KoKk8JtuiF_PKM_ZriMEsPFNP6_hDILIJoPDwhvjViiS6j83oFqVQ79nuLfIyedw3maqOVj7IGqUP7mbGlGyJb2HYIMJyB08xCa9sZVbUXys95y0r4/s400/blog+029.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Jon. He is so cute. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0WcfFizmiiY_RHSI0KtIgi2UlKemH0dHmEB5myEE4MDQTCUaveJPo2xSHN-HeJKPS1opxki9TXB_x71lzqAkzmaE0Hzbl-Jj3tiWwbOBv35vso9T8K7IHmmeoza0dupZGM13yNR5roOY/s1600/blog+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0WcfFizmiiY_RHSI0KtIgi2UlKemH0dHmEB5myEE4MDQTCUaveJPo2xSHN-HeJKPS1opxki9TXB_x71lzqAkzmaE0Hzbl-Jj3tiWwbOBv35vso9T8K7IHmmeoza0dupZGM13yNR5roOY/s200/blog+031.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">View from our seats. We were sitting the "Organ section" and it was a fabulous view of the conductor and everything happening on stage. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVPfPiurRo1hrtivx2qs9QrT6ZEFu_VyA28QPU9wJYmfRYkHBMgBRocoJez6Wc0_vUTM5576IBFyVu4vikY0_FFO3oDkDV4MfKi_JHqWDy7f2Idd4ijZOWvOgHzCMG20q0rxY8RTWnHI/s1600/blog+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVPfPiurRo1hrtivx2qs9QrT6ZEFu_VyA28QPU9wJYmfRYkHBMgBRocoJez6Wc0_vUTM5576IBFyVu4vikY0_FFO3oDkDV4MfKi_JHqWDy7f2Idd4ijZOWvOgHzCMG20q0rxY8RTWnHI/s400/blog+034.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong>Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto<br />
Passion and Ecstasy</strong><br />
<br />
Thomas Adès’ <em style="font-style: italic;">Asyla</em> is huge, and it calls for a huge orchestra. We meet the challenge by joining forces with the youthful talents of our exceptional mentoring orchestra, the Sydney Sinfonia, in our very first “Side-by-Side” concert. With old hands and fresh faces we’ll form a super orchestra to play this madhouse of a piece with its thrilling contrasts and pop culture influences – <em style="font-style: italic;">The Rite of Spring</em>meets club music.</div><div style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Maxwell Foster is another youthful talent, and he’ll be performing the concerto that won him the ABC Symphony Australia Young Performer of the Year award in 2008 when he was 16. This concerto isn’t a chart topper for nothing: Tchaikovsky marries virtuoso power to his famous soaring melodies for the perfect blend of brilliance and poetry. Lucid orchestral colours and dancing rhythms frame an intoxicating concert.</div><div style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong>P STANHOPE</strong> Fantasia on a Theme by<br />
Vaughan Williams<br />
<strong>TCHAIKOVSKY</strong> Piano Concerto No.1<br />
<strong>ADÈS</strong> Asyla*<br />
<strong>TCHAIKOVSKY</strong> Nutcracker: Suite*</div><div style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong>Richard Gill</strong> conductor<br />
<strong>Thomas Adès</strong> conductor*<br />
<strong>Maxwell Foster</strong> piano<br />
<strong>Sydney Sinfonia(Side-by-Side with<br />
the Sydney Symphony)*</strong></div><div style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong><br />
</strong></div><div style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">My favorite part was the Piano Concerto No. 1. </span></div><div style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Before the Piano performance was a new piece written by Vaughn Williams who gave the pre-concert speech in the back gallery of the Opera House. We sat and listened to several sections from the piece and he told us club music is what inspired him when he was writing. During the performance I only noted a few Blues influences from double bass and symbols. </span></div><div style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Ades Asyla was performed by both the Symphony and Sinfonia. The stage was packed and like every instrument was played. </span></div><div style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Then! The Nutcracker Suite!!!! Sweet!!!!! </span></div><div style="border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I have to write a review for the concert for my class so I will post that when it is completed. </span></div><br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-2002526828983002382010-10-18T20:59:00.000-07:002010-10-18T20:59:08.924-07:00Preparing for depature<div style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs532.snc3/30214_818021471525_27408177_45279917_3428099_n.jpg" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>The next two weeks are going to be absolutely fabulous. Starting tomorrow, Wednesday, October 20th. I am dragging Jon with me to The Sydney Opera House to see "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong><a href="http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson/tchaikovskys_first_piano_concerto.aspx">Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto</a></strong></span>" so I can write a review for my Art Critique class.<br />
Thursday morning at 9 I officially start work at Hair Artistry. I have to catch the 8:31 train from Woolooware to get to Jannali at 8:48 and walk to the salon. I am SO excited!!!!!! Yayayayayay!<br />
Friday and Saturday I work again and pack for Young! I am going with Laura and we leave Saturday after she gets off work at De Frenza.<br />
We come back Monday and I work Tuesday night at Sombrero's then I have to pack for Brisbane because I leave Wednesday to see Swaimy!!!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-51553374411661394192010-10-17T15:56:00.000-07:002010-10-17T15:56:01.302-07:00I got a new job!<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.yellowpages.com.au/content/if/extract/contentstore/2009/5/19/1/52/ecb6cc39-43c3-11de-b769-37e0fffd88d0/4500002/2005113016572286_y6073690.gif" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>I loved working with the girls at De Frenza and it was a fabulous location, but I was not getting any experience. Kerri encouraged me to look in the Leader for open hair dressing positions. There was an ad looking for a new creative and enthusiastic hair stylist. I called and scheduled an interview with Dianne. She seemed very nice and I felt super comfortable immediately. The only problem was she was not sure she wanted to hire someone with a working Visa because they would only be temporary and she would have to fill the position again once they left.<br />
Still, she asked me to return for a trial the following Thursday. It went really well. I arrived early and she asked me to style her hair. She also had me trim the bangs of a fellow staff member. I added too much Argon oil when styling her hair and it left the ends of her hair oily. Oops. But Dianna asked me again to come in Saturday for another trial. I had 2 haircuts, a man and a woman back to back. Then I had a blowout, straighten client after that. I did the best I could but I know it is not great. Nevertheless, Dianna asked me to join the team! I will be working Thurs, Fri, Saturday!<br />
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It was so rainy and muddy but I had heaps of fun. My super cute Billabong boots (pictured in many fashion photo ops) are totally muddy and ruined! Ugh. Oh well.<br />
I took 296 pictures that day/night. Here are some memories from the Mexican Party.<br />
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Sorry about the great white butt. I do not know him nor his name but I do know that he is the guy that owns <a href="http://www.lodown.com.au/">lo down</a> the skate shop in Cronulla.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.lodown.com.au/images/home-box_Layer-21.gif" /></div><br />
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This is Tara. I met her at the party. She is pretty cool. She has a little (massive) crush on Jon's friend Mark. Aww.<br />
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<img src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs375.ash2/65376_866325564735_27408177_46721129_1582665_n.jpg" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-25404436346887841652010-10-11T15:39:00.000-07:002010-10-11T15:39:31.927-07:00Car Convention<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_utk6b5H1CTAT71JSKadVXl5tDuz7itGZWWkCZNcKdzN6vNjp8AdQlGQ7Ibf6rBTLDfcW1Pw3qzwE4HZqd2ttV7Bzkg6uNUwYbJ8QtfMgrA2E1tA98BDpoUbvIrfAYWMicuOUE8DFdQ/s1600/mexi-can+boat+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR_utk6b5H1CTAT71JSKadVXl5tDuz7itGZWWkCZNcKdzN6vNjp8AdQlGQ7Ibf6rBTLDfcW1Pw3qzwE4HZqd2ttV7Bzkg6uNUwYbJ8QtfMgrA2E1tA98BDpoUbvIrfAYWMicuOUE8DFdQ/s320/mexi-can+boat+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_S5TTiTlvxf6nnu1tl-n2ijmvIhWjhTs-AQsVdKxC1YCF4jmeG3EEp0sDlFinySzUSsnskEAenZVn5vVRX_aw-a_xxnBM7m7-FXnK1AGkxZ5qpK0v-KgkKevMtYo7VTFkrLfQ1CKgnoo/s1600/mexi-can+boat+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_S5TTiTlvxf6nnu1tl-n2ijmvIhWjhTs-AQsVdKxC1YCF4jmeG3EEp0sDlFinySzUSsnskEAenZVn5vVRX_aw-a_xxnBM7m7-FXnK1AGkxZ5qpK0v-KgkKevMtYo7VTFkrLfQ1CKgnoo/s320/mexi-can+boat+009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-22423908548622738872010-10-08T20:10:00.000-07:002010-10-08T20:20:53.425-07:00I'm on a boat<div style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs713.snc4/63347_865345309175_27408177_46694804_3596915_n.jpg" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Abby's friend Tim invited her and a friend to his 30th! He rented 2 party boats to go out on Gunnamatta Bay.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Gunnamatta_Bay.JPG/250px-Gunnamatta_Bay.JPG" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Gunnamatta_Bay.JPG/250px-Gunnamatta_Bay.JPG</span></div><br />
"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Gunnamatta Bay</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> is a small bay in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Sydney" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Southern Sydney">southern</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Sydney">Sydney</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_South_Wales" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="New South Wales">New South Wales</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Australia">Australia</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.4em;">Gunnamatta Bay is located off the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Hacking" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Port Hacking">Port Hacking</a> estuary, in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutherland_Shire" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Sutherland Shire">Sutherland Shire</a>. The foreshore is a natural boundary for the suburbs of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cronulla,_New_South_Wales" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Cronulla, New South Wales">Cronulla</a> to the east, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woolooware,_New_South_Wales" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Woolooware, New South Wales">Woolooware</a> to the north and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burraneer,_New_South_Wales" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="Burraneer, New South Wales">Burraneer</a> to the west <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Wikipedia.com).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.4em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.4em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We left about 10:30 that morning and the weather was not looking good. We had tons of beer in coolers and delicious cheeses and crackers. The sky cleared up for like twenty minutes and I was loving it.</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.4em; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img height="300" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs713.snc4/63372_865345418955_27408177_46694807_2775573_n.jpg" width="400" /></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.4em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> We stopped around noon to have lunch. Both boats had grills on them and Tim's parents had tons of steaks, sausages, potatoes, and stuff to grill. There were also yummy potato and pasta salads. </span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.4em; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img height="300" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs136.snc4/37130_865345653485_27408177_46694825_3530316_n.jpg" width="400" /></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.4em; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.4em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Some of the boys brought their fishing gear and we had some fun fishing when we were stopped for lunch. </span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.4em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.4em; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img height="480" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs076.ash2/37130_865345658475_27408177_46694826_8047906_n.jpg" width="640" /></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.4em; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img height="480" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs076.ash2/37130_865345663465_27408177_46694827_5213700_n.jpg" width="640" /></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Don't worry we threw the fishies back.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/R7yfISlGLNU?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/R7yfISlGLNU?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.4em; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-10840096731305646632010-10-06T19:09:00.000-07:002010-10-08T19:53:37.988-07:00Friendship AnkletAmy's boyfriend Luke has a t-shirt business (Spanish Caravan @ <a href="http://spanishcaravan.com.au/">http://spanishcaravan.com.au/</a>) and with every t-shirt you buy you get a plated yarn bracelet. They make the bracelet's themselves. I asked for some yarn and made Abby a friendship anklet.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Kinda funny because Abby hates feet. Hates to look at them, hates it when someone else's feet touch hers, etc. </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-41055663799062537442010-10-05T13:41:00.000-07:002010-10-05T13:41:38.811-07:00It's finally warm enough for the beach!Abby already got her tan on at the Cool Islands. I am still workin on mine. But don't worry bc I am wearing sunblock everyday! 15 for my everyday, and 30 if I am seriously in the sun!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHcklz9-02jfQXso3l11OohP59JpXmeoSpI0LvKExQLkLNHT1NRd1raYf7mLg4mNY7rK8chdZcTwZMWOI89mVymC8r1mY9kvdX8QuxIicBNbnPSlbKnpciSTwmpeI42iS65Gy8c82bEM/s1600/blog+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHcklz9-02jfQXso3l11OohP59JpXmeoSpI0LvKExQLkLNHT1NRd1raYf7mLg4mNY7rK8chdZcTwZMWOI89mVymC8r1mY9kvdX8QuxIicBNbnPSlbKnpciSTwmpeI42iS65Gy8c82bEM/s320/blog+012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-52101585698206402262010-10-04T19:52:00.001-07:002010-10-04T19:52:27.938-07:00Play Review<div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other</span></div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">By Peter Handke<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">Translated by Meredith Oakes<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">Directed by Patrick Nolan<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">Featuring NIDA Graduating Students<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">Performed at Customs House Square, Circular Quay, Sydney<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">August 23<sup>rd</sup> 2010 8:00 p.m.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">CREDITS <o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">By: Peter Handke <o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">Director: Patrick Nolan <o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">Associate Director: Simone O’Brien <o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">Translated by Meredith Oakes<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">Featuring NIDA graduating students of 2010<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">Production and Costume Designer: Sarah-Jane McAllan <o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">Co-Costume Designer: Jamie Cranney <o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">Lighting Designer: Rachel Smith <o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sound Designers: Benjamin Ross Brockman, Lee-Anne Roza, Sarah Stait <o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">AV Designers: Alex Duffy, Nicholas Rayment<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="Style-1" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">No words, at all? No dialogue? That is what I heard about this performance. The play is written by Australian writer Peter Handke where he “describes the life of a town square simply by listing the comings and goings of various characters.” The pamphlet I received at the start also described the play to be “revealing the poetry of the mundane” and “also exploring the history of civilization in the process”. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-1" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The stage was set up at the Customs House Square in Circular Quay. The seats were black, comfortable, and arranged in a U pattern facing the Customs Building. Each section was stadium style with 6 rows back and 11 seats across seating about 60 people. There were 6 sections in all. When we walked in on the backs of each seat were a pair of headphones. When we placed the headphones on our heads, piano and violin classical music was playing for our entertainment. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-1" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">An announcement was made over the loud speaker for all the patrons to make sure they had their headphones on and then the music went silent. We next heard birds chirping and leafs blowing in the wind. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-1" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Between the seat sections were 6 areas where the 27 actors could enter onto the stage. An actor portraying a business man came from the far left corner and walked across the square to the opposite corner and was gone out of sight. Actors and actresses portraying hundreds of different types of people continued to walk, run, crawl, skip, bike, and rollerblade across the square. Characters such as the student, the pregnant lady, the fireman, the homeless person, the Asian tourist couple taking pictures, the cowboy, an army crew, puss and boots, royalty, refugees, etc were portrayed. Some characters where funny such as the group of characters playing a film crew. Many different walks of life crossed the stage. Each actor, minus the fool, played several different characters. My favorite characters were the birdman carrying a cage on his back and the portrayal of the Batman and Robin characters. My absolute favorite character was the fool who wore a Kevin 07 t-shirt and maintained his character throughout the play. He mimicked and mocked several characters weaving in and out of the stage always coming and creating comic relief. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-1" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Up above the columns in front of the Customs Building was a second location for the actors to walk across in their characters. I did not see any significance of any underlying meaning to this other than to add interest to the unexciting walking through the square. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-1" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I found the concept of the play beautiful and interesting. I feel the author was trying to portray life as you see it every day. The different people and their lives walking along the same street, going through their routine and the obstacles they cross. A few characters were meant to be from a different time than the present. These included cave men and women as well as people from the early part of the first century. I could not draw a connection but I could see the significance of including these characters. I feel it was important to draw the association between people regardless of time or socio-economic background. I also can appreciate the location of the play in front of the Customs House Building where many different people walk every day. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-1" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I felt the play was executed well but left me feeling that the author and actors could have dug deeper. Not to sound ungrateful, because I think the students did a fine job, however it was obvious to me that they were just students and have much to learn in their careers. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-1" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The play was performed completely out of expression of inner thoughts and emotions. The actors were only able to express themselves visually through body movements and facial expressions. What made the play special to me was the lack of dialogue; however towards the end of the play the actors began speaking a few lines in gibberish and had several vocal outbursts of emotion. I felt that this sudden communication of sound ruined the play for me. The fact that the actors were silent made it creative and innovative. The ability to use other ways of creatively giving the audience feeling was most impressive. The one-act plot-less play in which I got to know these actors lasted longer than the title implied. I would recommend to friends to sit, watch and listen to this play and reflect on their thoughts on humanity in their day to day living. Although the acting and play itself did not impress me much, the stage management and costumes, in my opinion, deserve most of the credit. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-1" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;"><br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-47018674488951869262010-09-29T22:17:00.000-07:002010-09-30T01:37:43.571-07:00Afternoon stroll<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is the view I see everyday when I leave our unit once you get onto Kingsway at the top of the hill.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I absolutely love living here! LOVE IT!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I am so lucky.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA46rtQ1X7SPZL8qsP7pC2z-E7D1rYtFIcIrM0T5QAXlBrz_IZ8RdCbfzCN0pGXe-fvSHNj_zzopSnppAB1c7yr_t4Yi1D0OqSqLzcCwpRENkWMcemRmONcE2DibzN4oiGPDCNJgVw78s/s1600/blog+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA46rtQ1X7SPZL8qsP7pC2z-E7D1rYtFIcIrM0T5QAXlBrz_IZ8RdCbfzCN0pGXe-fvSHNj_zzopSnppAB1c7yr_t4Yi1D0OqSqLzcCwpRENkWMcemRmONcE2DibzN4oiGPDCNJgVw78s/s640/blog+013.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">This is a picture our mail man. He wears a florescent long sleeve, white helmet and drives a scooter around delivering mail. It is really a motor powered push bike. There are a few different mail men and one mail lady that I have seen and all are really super nice. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-1pHxn2OL2NAvfQ3zacMezDg0CPhvCC7HzR2-OIl-6T3AiluhYYpZpaKqqqYRv0VICr6S1pSpZ-ye7uGQRSYTMjV4zxPXMhJyJHeFloH6Yy7SU3ekI389hLBgTFoxAdMhrxZR2m0RGY/s1600/blog+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-1pHxn2OL2NAvfQ3zacMezDg0CPhvCC7HzR2-OIl-6T3AiluhYYpZpaKqqqYRv0VICr6S1pSpZ-ye7uGQRSYTMjV4zxPXMhJyJHeFloH6Yy7SU3ekI389hLBgTFoxAdMhrxZR2m0RGY/s400/blog+014.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I just liked this tree bush thing. I want to know what it is called so I can plant one. I bet my mom already has one. It kinda looks familiar. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkKo6UZzRGUtYqM8JPihR0hmQckDWsS4r_1BXV1xWivwgOLmfZuRItadbR5h1R1zxVKCIM5rz_VeVkdbnkCqwZS_nR8yxzq92mD9N-NozRSz4HlG7YvXxT_NPAinhTNIZL7-w2SD3XPk/s1600/blog+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMkKo6UZzRGUtYqM8JPihR0hmQckDWsS4r_1BXV1xWivwgOLmfZuRItadbR5h1R1zxVKCIM5rz_VeVkdbnkCqwZS_nR8yxzq92mD9N-NozRSz4HlG7YvXxT_NPAinhTNIZL7-w2SD3XPk/s320/blog+015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I took a picture of an airplane because they are constantly flying overhead. Seriously. Like 100 airplanes fly by ever hour. Sydney is a happenin' spot. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lieslOXT4YLoL2h0LwoZ4d1fNHkrJYbzrnOl7dKbxZCZfLGRovdKB2waGwcVG0i_FDmRywNO9ehJXYH6Mw2ZykisdDJN8zRIZdtbfWgJ9kNebYAJXObX0ArSL8VlrFZ8JqeJPfdVwZg/s1600/blog+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lieslOXT4YLoL2h0LwoZ4d1fNHkrJYbzrnOl7dKbxZCZfLGRovdKB2waGwcVG0i_FDmRywNO9ehJXYH6Mw2ZykisdDJN8zRIZdtbfWgJ9kNebYAJXObX0ArSL8VlrFZ8JqeJPfdVwZg/s400/blog+016.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can see the city in the distance. I took this pic at the top of Jon's street. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymX_zW041o4sgnQCRw6FMbuXwTTdMyr1on6TeQoW34pVT3XyPmoDSFOvDToouSI8AeSDbFU6qqk9tpuq_yTHgxeSsg-hUXfEnJGndahkyfeIlx4K9TtnI8k0HAst1e9eSKNwrY34KAG8/s1600/blog+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymX_zW041o4sgnQCRw6FMbuXwTTdMyr1on6TeQoW34pVT3XyPmoDSFOvDToouSI8AeSDbFU6qqk9tpuq_yTHgxeSsg-hUXfEnJGndahkyfeIlx4K9TtnI8k0HAst1e9eSKNwrY34KAG8/s320/blog+026.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7u8EhzYDAK7NpfodjPbHpHhlZIfqddkYFIf23NduV_7XXVMvqkz5Hf3a_mzxkjNuabBQ-D4saLhNzJEnhJazy3JigUSyXjGAiAkOKCKVIBzB8XRV6zuhhTrXraeoiPFkhs75Q3AIV06g/s1600/blog+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7u8EhzYDAK7NpfodjPbHpHhlZIfqddkYFIf23NduV_7XXVMvqkz5Hf3a_mzxkjNuabBQ-D4saLhNzJEnhJazy3JigUSyXjGAiAkOKCKVIBzB8XRV6zuhhTrXraeoiPFkhs75Q3AIV06g/s320/blog+027.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here is a close up. You can make out the Sydney Tower. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmw_02d1vXIlbzpfc8NYrRTMorFvjYhggcBmfHTph6wcGxQtVNn-fPNik_f9UG9r2MTpYNdIxrSXPCf_H66pLWT__HlbOOTFPRvXRWfDkLS9vwIpnSavyn9eXXqvVLTuv5InC64C94Gno/s1600/blog+028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmw_02d1vXIlbzpfc8NYrRTMorFvjYhggcBmfHTph6wcGxQtVNn-fPNik_f9UG9r2MTpYNdIxrSXPCf_H66pLWT__HlbOOTFPRvXRWfDkLS9vwIpnSavyn9eXXqvVLTuv5InC64C94Gno/s640/blog+028.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-28325635270277361402010-09-29T21:48:00.000-07:002010-09-29T21:48:09.026-07:00This one is for you AbbaratioSo Abby left me for a week and went to the Cook Islands.<br />
<img src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs644.snc4/60429_863467222875_27408686_46655781_2923740_n.jpg" /><br />
<img src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs707.snc4/62717_863467557205_27408686_46655803_4852229_n.jpg" /><br />
She got an official drivers license too!<br />
<img src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs709.snc4/62904_863468026265_27408686_46655826_8159534_n.jpg" /><br />
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<img src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs340.ash2/62083_863466873575_27408686_46655757_1832452_n.jpg" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-1797792053349930692010-09-28T19:03:00.000-07:002010-11-08T15:14:15.787-08:00Arts Theatre Cronulla<div class="Style-1" style="text-align: left;">So I am finishing up my Art Critique class and I have to write a few more play reviews as well as attend and review a symphony performance. </div><div class="Style-1" style="text-align: left;">My friend Rowdy and his girlfriend Alex had 2 extra tickets to the theater and asked if Jon and I would like to go. I had mentioned to Rowdy the I needed to go see some plays to review. </div><div class="Style-1" style="text-align: left;">The theater is just in the mall near Grind cafe.</div><div class="Style-1" style="text-align: left;"> Rowdy called and said he could not get the tickets so I had put on my lounge clothes and an overnight bag to take to Jon's. Then Rowdy called and said he was able to get the tickets. I met him and Abby and Alex at Splash where they were having a few drinks. They had a bucket of Heineken and offered me one. I did not want one but they were makin fun of me for not drinking it so I accepted. Then Rowdy said, yeah right, that I would take two sips and then give it to him or Abby. Which I did. They know me so well those sillies. So then I called Jon and asked if he wanted to come but he would have to meet us at Splash like right then. He did and he is so cute. I heart him. </div><div class="Style-1" style="text-align: left;">The following is my review on the play we saw that evening.<br />
I encourage attending the Arts Theater Cronulla and supporting your local arts!!!!!!!</div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="Style-1" style="text-align: left;"></div><div align="right" class="Style-1" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: right;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Sheri Partain<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 and a Half</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="Style-1" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">by Sue Townsend<br />
Directed by Susan Geldart<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
</div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
</div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Who? Local actors from Cronulla Beach, NSW Australia <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Where? Arts Theater Cronulla<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">When? Friday, August 20<sup>th</sup> 2010 at 8 pm<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">Cast: </span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
ADRIAN MOLE<br />
GEORGE MOLE<br />
PAULINE MOLE<br />
MR LUCAS<br />
MRS LUCAS/MATRON </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
PANDORA<br />
GRANDMA/QUEENIE<br />
NIGEL/BARRY KENT<br />
BERT BAXTER/SCUTTON </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
ELECTRICITY BOARD OFFICIAL</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
DOREEN </span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
</div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">I was not planning on going to the theater that evening. I met my friends at Splash, a tapas bar by the beach, for a little chat and when they invited my boyfriend and I to accompany them to the Arts Theater Cronulla I thought it would be fun. I walk by the theater almost every day and had been interested in going since I moved to Cronulla. I had not heard of the play being performed until tonight but that did not matter to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"> The opening scene is a New Years Eve party. The location is an unnamed middle class English town and the time is the early 1980’s. Most of the main characters are present, Mr. and Mrs. Mole, Mr. and Mrs. Lucas, Adrian, Nigel, and Grandma. Pauline Mole is visibly tipsy from alcohol and is dancing with Mr. Lucas while Mr. Lucas’ wife continues to drink and stumble around stage. I felt the scene went for too long before Adrian performed his first soliloquy. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">He addresses the audience throughout the play explaining the drama that is going on in the world around him. He tells the audience he is an intellectual even though it is apparent he is not very bright. He is also constantly worrying throughout the play about anything and everything but is too immature to understand the things he worries about. He is in love with Pandora, a rich new girl from school. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">We find out very soon that Adrian’s mom and dad have an unhealthy relationship and fight after the party. Adrian’s mom, Pauline, has a crush on the neighbor Mr. Lucas. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Adrian’s parents neglect him, talk badly about him, and do not care much about his feelings or what is going on in his life. When they fall ill with a cold, it is Adrian who takes care of them</span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"> I thought the stage bed was innovative. It was not an actual bed but appeared so. It had a head board, pillows and a small bench attached. Then the foot board also had a small ledge with a blanket, so when the actors sat on the headboard and covered their legs with the blanket it appeared as though they were lying in bed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">When Pauline becomes well she neglects her household chores, becomes a feminist and begins to wear overalls. However, she still does her hair, make-up, and wears high heeled shoes. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
</div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">So many bad things happen to Adrian and he is hopeless in his pursuit to become an intellectual. He decides to become socially active and</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"> joins a group called the Good Samaritans. He is assigned to take care of an 89-year-old man named Bert Baxter. Before he meets Bert, Adrian fantasizes what he will be like and imagines Bert will be an intellectual. However, the truth is Bert is a rude and filthy old man living in a dirty house with a noisy dog. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, a bully at Adrian’s school demands that he give him money each week. Adrian can’t pay him and because of the threats from the bully decides to get a paper route. This is an example of Adrian’s adolescence and undeveloped social skills. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">By this time in the play I am already over it and ready for it to end. Then the most obvious occurred, his parents split up. Pauline moves in with Mr. Lucas while Mr. Mole eventually begins to date a woman from his work. The new woman does not do anything to help out around the house. Eventually the Mole home is filthy with absolutely no food left. It gets even worse. The electricity goes out because Mr. Mole forgets to pay the power bill and cannot afford to have it turned back on. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Then finally Pandora reciprocates Adrian’s love when he rebels against the school uniform rule and begins to wear red socks to school. When she goes on holiday to Tunisia, he calls her resulting in a very large phone bill which his penniless father cannot afford to pay. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Grandma somehow finds out that Adrian is being bullied at school. She goes and bullies the bully demanding all the money back that he took from Adrian. She gives the money back to Adrian and tells him he will not be bullied again. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">When old man Bert Baxter falls ill he has to move in to a pensioner’s home where he falls in love with a lady named Queenie. The final scene of the play is their wedding. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">I think the characters fit the cast for the most part. A young high school girl was cast as Pandora who was meant to be beautiful, however harsh, the actress was average at best. She also had a lisp and I was uncertain if it was her own or part of the character. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Mr. Lucas was a tall, lanky, skinny, creepy fellow who gave me bad vibes. If this was meant to be part of his character I think it fitted well but I have a feeling it was not. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Although the title of the play and plot is centered on Adrian, I feel the strongest character acting was that of Pauline Mole. In the first scene I thought everyone excluding Adrian was terrible, but she ended up leaving the best impression. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">The character playing Adrian would be difficult to cast. However, the actor fitted the character so well that the fact he was actually in his 30s or 40s didn’t even matter. Adrian imagines himself as an intellectual although he is not and that actor appeared dorky and naïve like that character should. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">The character of Bert Baxter was fitting at first but then began to over act and was painful to watch. He was really getting on my nerves and made me want to leave the play. This was my reaction to his over acting; however, the reaction of the audience was enjoyment and laughter. The same actor also played Scutton, the school principal, whose character only had one scene. I felt the actor did a much better job at portraying this character than that of old man Baxter.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Another actor that did not fit the character was Tennielle Willis who played Mrs. Lucas as well as the Matron. There was something off about her. I could not feel any emotion coming from the stage and I did not like her from the very first scene. She did not portray her characters well, I felt lied to, like there was an imposter on the stage. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"> My favorite actor was Brett Simeon who played the Electricity board official who only made an appearance in one small scene. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Adrian’s costumes were great, his wool vest with numbers and school designs fitted his age well and the fact he thought of himself as an intellectual added to the humor. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Pandora wore the school uniform for the majority of the play. I vaguely remember she did one costume change for the party scene but it was not significant in my memory. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Adrian’s friend Nigel also changed his outfit for the party scene. He wore tight acid wash jeans paired with a dark shirt. When Adrian comments on the change in his friend’s wardrobe, Nigel responds by saying he is tired of being a Brit and wishes to be a Punk American. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">I think the best and most costume changes were made by Pauline Mole. I met her after the show and commended her on speedy changes between scenes. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Themes of the play include friendship between Adrian and Nigel, Adrian and Pandora; and the failing relationship between Adrian’s parents. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">A memorable quote from the play was from a song performed by Adrian to Pandora: “Oh Pandora, I adore ya”. My favorite part of the play was when it was over. I was cringing in my seat the last scene during the wedding. Bert Baxter was truly getting on my nerves and if I had a rotten tomato near my reach I would have been highly inclined to throw it in his face. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">After the play the theater hosted a meet and greet for the actors and theater patrons. They provided cheese plates with olives and crackers as well as juice drinks. This was my second favorite part of the evening. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="Style-2" style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7077130501528787188.post-71348503290636632010-09-28T16:32:00.000-07:002010-09-28T18:08:31.189-07:00Chocolate Dreams<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I laid in bed last night dreaming of chocolate soufflé.....</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSEAjEVk5d9BsBMK4YoZtw6Dfj5k1YOfo-XrtDjTQA_NZKqZYAmO9myBNIerucwtrhXxquFlxClcmWCk6mXFobMkp-YmD7KvU6Gn_0kNvJqKGfqRawsGYujvY_ZnRptebMxnwqzGLqSv4/s400/IMG_1329.JPG" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">It is just so delicious. And when you cut into it and open it up, the warm, rich, chocolate center just oozes out. Delectable. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4065/4402970061_551b64e9fe_z.jpg" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I failed to mention Jon's deliciousness.<br />
Jon ordered the Tutti-Frutti Waffle. It is a warm Belgian waffle drizzled with melted chocolate and served with sliced strawberries and bananas. YUM.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img 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" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I would also like to add that Alabama is the best football team in the world! A few weeks ago we watched the Bama vs. Penn State game at Jon's house. We had Budweiser and Jack Daniels to drink and to snack on we had celery and carrots with ranch dressing. Abby and I also attempted to make Rotel dip without Rotel or Velveeta. Our cheese dip turned out yummy but no Rotel.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I purchased some crimson shakers for the game and afterward Abs rode by the bike shop and had them tape them on her bike. We have been rockin' it ever since!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>(flickr.com)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337915993231331850noreply@blogger.com1