HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2010!!!!

Wishing everyone a blessed, safe, abundantly prosperous and Happy New Year! Bring on the new decade, 2010!

Christmas Cheer & Season's Greetings.....

Wishing everyone, one and all, family, relatives and friends a joyous and Merry Christmas! May you all be abundantly blessed with happiness, peace and goodwill on this Christmas day. 

What a "Wicked" night!

My "Wicked" experience started with my hubby and I driving to the city early so we could have a nice special sit down dinner. He decided to take me to a Spanish restaurant called Encasa. It was a popular restaurant and we were lucky to be seated seeing it was fully booked. He had previously eaten at this restaurant courtesy of his work and had boasted of their wide range of Tapas. So I let my hubby ordered what was really nice and we ended up getting for entrée Chorizo a la Plancha (Grilled Spanish sausage), Patatas Bravas (Fried potato w/ garlic mayonnaise and spicy tomato salsa), and (4x) seafood stuffed zucchini flowers with a nice dipping sauce (can't remember what it was called as it was a Chef's special). And my hubby was right, the food was absolutely delicious! For our mains, he decided to get Gambas al Ajillo (8x Peeled king prawns in sizzling garlic oil and chilli) and I ordered the Pinchos Morunos (5x Prime lamb fillet skewers marinated in Moroccan spices) that came with vegetables. On top of this we ordered the very nice alcoholic fruit punch beverage, Sangria, that had little fruit pieces on it and it had a nice red wine taste kick to it.

The ambiance and atmosphere was cosy and it felt like I was eating at my grandma's hacienda! The service was fast and the food was absolutely fantastic and the portions were large enough that you would be in danger of stuffing yourself sick cause you would not want to waste any of it - it was that yummy! Plus the Sangria was simply divine and you could be in danger of drinking too much of it and not realising it's starting to get to your head and slowly making you tipsy! This restaurant is a definite must to visit again, simply because there were so many delicious selections at a reasonable price. But make sure you book so you don't miss out on a table as you may not get as lucky as we were.

After dinner we languidly walked backed to Capitol Theatre and waited for the show to start. I picked up our complimentary drinks and Showbiz bags that was included in our ticket price and each bag contained keyrings, program, mugs and a cd, which I was thrilled about.

Then it began, and all I could do was watch in awe and be mesmerised by the whole thing. Elphaba was 'wickedly' awesome. Though it was unfortunate - or perhaps fortunate, we had the understudy Jemma Rix playing Elphaba instead of main cast Amanda Harrison, Jemma was still fantastic as I had not seen Amanda perform before and I didn't have any comparison to make. So it was still all good and I was not disappointed.

I absolutely loved the dialogue especially between Elphaba and Galinda and Lucy Durack played Galinda's role perfectly. She was absolutely funny especially when she delivered her 'ditsy blond' lines! And the "swish, swish, *giggle*" line had me LOL! :D

Apart from the wonderful and witty storyline, dialogue and catchy songs, what awed me too was the stage presentation and visual effects. I mean the colours and visual enormity of the show was awesome! I guess I was able to appreciate it all the more since we were seated 4th row from the stage dead smack in the middle, it was fantastic!

To anyone wanting and wishing to go see this musical, I highly recommend it. You will not get disappointed! Then watch it again if you can afford it! LOL!

Sydney, Luna Park...Just for Fun!

...and Luna Park is just that....FUN!

Thanks to the generosity of my brother and his girlfriend, they were able to invite us, along with my other brother and his family, to their Corporate Family Christmas Party at Sydney's Luna Park. We all received free food, drinks, fairy floss and our boys received gifts that turned out to be really cool toys from the company Santa Claus. After lunch, the boys then attacked the rides making use of their unlimited rides pass to enjoy and avail themselves of all the rides their heights would allow them as well as those accompanied by adults.

Our boys had heaps of fun, and who wouldn't! It is an amusement park after all, with all the fun and thrilling rides, the stomach churning, fast spinning and dizzying rides that somehow kids don't get affected with, and for some people, like me, looking at some of those rides makes me want to barf just by watching them! Mind you, I'm up for the fast, high G-force rides, but put me on those spinning ones, and bye, bye lunch!

Then later in the afternoon, we were joined by our relatives from the North Shore and it became all the more merrier and....well...FUN! The kids enjoyed themselves extremely at the simple yet fun slides and mirror maze inside Coney Island and they never tired of going up those stairs just to have another go at those slides! Even my little one squealed everytime he went down the slides asking repeatedly for one more, then one more, laughing all the way up the steps for another go!

All day, the kids kept going back to all their favourite rides and dragging along either the mommys or daddys with them if they needed an adult to accompany them. They were tireless and extremely happy experiencing these less than a minute rides as often as they possibly can!

Then it was time to go, and though the kids were saddened at leaving, they look forward to when we would visit Luna Park again when everything inside is "Just for Fun"!

I'm hot and steamy!!.....

...and I mean that literally and not being vain!

I am hot and literally steaming from all the sweat that's evaporating from my body! Now I know what it must feel like roasting inside an oven! It's in the high 30 degrees Celsius here out in the western part of Sydney, Australia and looks to be the same for the next few days with the temperature nudging into the early to mid 40s. This weekend will be so hot that many will be hitting the beaches and pools....and summer has not even officially started yet!

If this is what the weather is bringing us now, with "Catastrophic" bushfire warnings already in place on these extreme hot days, I dread in finding out what the actual summer season will bring. Bushfires are to be expected, but I'm praying that they will not be massive infernos devastating towns close to them. Whether the weather is hot or cold or in between, it seems that Mother Nature is not showing any kindness when she decides to be devastatingly destructive. Perhaps it's a sign that we need to start looking after this planet of ours before it's too late. At this point in time, we do only have one sustainable planet that we can live in.

On top of this heatwave, I dearly hope that many who will be outdoors enjoying the warm, if not hot weather in the next couple of days, with others more to come this summer season, will be protecting themselves from the sun and heat with proper clothing, hats, and sunscreen and plenty of water/fluids to keep themselves hydrated at all times. Take care and be safe!

But those who do not prefer the outdoors will most likely be enjoying themselves inside air-conditioned shopping centres and will most likely come home with a few unwanted purchases on hand. And I will be one of those many! But hey, that's what shops are for, to entice us into buying unnecessary items. LOL!


So for the next 3 or so months, the Summer season will surely bring hot and steamy days and nights!

The race that stops the nation...and it's not Amazing Race!

So today is Melbourne Cup in Australia and it is quite literally "the race that stops the nation". Everywhere in Australia in Pubs, TABS, companies, homes, in your car, or wherever you may be and can view and or hear the Melbourne Cup, most would have stood still to see if the horse/s they betted on won the 3200m race.

This is the only time I ever bet on horses and this year unfortunately the horses I betted on based on my kids' birthdays did not place at all. Mind you, I only ever bet $2.50 each way, to win or place, so I'm just in it for the fun of it. However, many would have forked out a lot of moolah, and hopefully those who did faired well.

So this year's Melbourne Cup 2009 went to a horse named Shocking, and it was "shocking" or not, that once again, on most occasions, the favorites did not win.

So for me, well, better luck next year!

Australian Idol 2009 Shock...or not!

Haven't been watching Australian Idol religiously this year and in my honest opinion, there really isn't a standout performer for me this year. No one has yet given me chills or made the hairs at the back of my neck stand up. There are a few in my mind that I think may win and are talented enough, but unfortunately not enough for me to go out buying their album.

So I happen to be watching it tonight and lo and behold, a shocker, Toby Moulten decides to leave the show. It wasn't so much of a shock for me, more like another publicity stunt of sorts, but that's Idol for you. For me it hasn't been the same when they got rid of Kyle Sandilands. Granted, Kyle comes across as an asshole, but some of his comments are entertaining even if others do come across as insulting and offensive. But that's reality TV for you.

Anyway I thought Toby  was boring and would actually be voted out soon, but he was constantly saved. Believing that his real calling is to be a teacher rather than a singer, I applaud him for his honesty and decision. Idol and the music industry's lost is the Public Education's gain and for that he has my vote!

Celebrating Halloween and All Saints Day

So tonight is Halloween where many children from many different cultures and countries celebrate it by dressing up as spooky beings or as witches or generally as any character they like, and then would go out into the neighborhood and knock on people's houses calling out "Trick or Treat" in the hopes that they get handed out candies and chocolates and would not have to play some "trick" if they did not receive any "treats". It is after all a day where not just children but brave teenagers and adults dress up in ridiculous costumes and no one would dare laugh cause it's Halloween. But for these children and most teenagers and adults, many forget or actually do not know the real and actual significance and meaning of Halloween. It has been so trivialised and commercialised in this day and age that in many cultures the date 31st of October leading to 1st of November has significant meanings. What these significances and meanings are I will not bore you with and they can be found if you wish to by Googleing them yourselves.

However, from what I can recall of my childhood in the country where I was born, Halloween was not celebrated by dressing up and knocking on people's doors. Before dusk we would go to the cemetery of where our dearly departed and loved ones are buried and prepare for a long and enjoyable night of celebrating our loved ones lives by lighting candles and holding vigil around their grave site. It was a time of family gathering along with other relatives and the children would happily play with the dripping wax from the many candles lit and form little balls of wax to play with. There would be delicious food to share among each other and it would be like a picnic unlike no other. I can also remember that there were also vendors selling their wares from candles, different types of foods from fish-balls, bbq sticks to hotdogs, right down to sugary treats that would have your mouth salivating, if you had the extra coins to spare. Throughout the night and well into the break of dawn, those who managed to, would stay by the grave site still chatting away or doing what-not to pass the time, while the children slept peacefully on the laps of their mothers. Those who lived nearby would go home for a little while before going back again to the grave site while many families who lived a fair distance would stay well into the evening of All Saints Day holding their vigil until it was time to finally go home.

While my childhood memory of  how we celebrated Halloween/All Saints Day have somewhat become vague and diminished in clarity, I will never forget the feeling of somehow being that little bit closer to my departed loved ones or the general feel of familial warmth and innocent enjoyment only a child would feel on this night/day. So to this day, even though I do not go to the grave site of my loved ones, I still light candles for them and I hope that one day I am able to relive the experience and feel the same innocent feelings I once had when I was a child celebrating Halloween/All Saints Day.

Happy Halloween/All Saints Day Everyone!

Blogs, blogs, blogs.....

Another blog site I've just joined to. Just like my debts, I'll need to start consolidating my blogs. Must try to have at least one main Public one and one Private one.

Here's to exploring on how to import from my other blogs.

EDIT: No such luck in importing from my other blogs, though I'm still working it out. If not I will just have to copy and paste and that will take too long! Otherwise go here to read this main Public blog.... 
http://celestialsfriendster.blog.friendster.com/ - INVALID

EDIT 2: I finally got around to importing my Friendster blog below. That link is now (should be) invalid as I've deleted the account.

Quotes from Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

I am currently re-reading one of my favourite books, Jane Austen - “Pride & Prejudice” and she really has truly captured what people are like who have certain social standings, outlooks, opinions and prejudices back in the 18th century and are even now synonymous in this day and age. Here are some quotes that I believe describe the many people I have met who some unfortunately turn out like Mr. Wickham, and will always exist in our society.

“Nothing is more deceitful than the appearance of humility.”

“Mr. Wickham is blessed with such happy manners as may ensure his making friends - whether he may be equally capable of retaining them, is less certain.”

“He [Mr. Wickham] has been so unlucky as to lose your [Mr. Darcy's] friendship,” replied Elizabeth with emphasis, “and in a manner which he is likely to suffer from all his life.”

“You are much mistaken if you expect to influence me by such a paltry attack as this. I see nothing in it but your own wilful ignorance and the malice of Mr. Darcy.” - (Though I believe it is Mr. Wickham who holds such malice against Mr. Darcy.)

I will post more quotes that I find quite interesting and thought provoking as I read further into the book and will also share more quotes in future as I re-read her other books.

Charice is Amazing! Her Debut single “Note to God”.

What a beautiful, moving and powerful song. It touched me deeply and made me cry. It so relates to her life and how she got to where she is now. Download it on iTunes if you loved it as much as I did.

www.oprah.com/media/20090429-tows-charice

“Nothing is more deceitful than the appearance of humility”……..

“The indirect boast; - for you are really proud of your defects in writing, because you consider them as proceeding from a rapidity of thought and carelessness of execution, which if not estimable, you think at least highly interesting. The power of doing any thing with quickness is always much prized by the possessor, and often without any attention to the imperfection of the performance.” - Jane Austen

Quite right Jane, quite right! Exactly how I would describe someone right now!

Meme - I’m this kind of reader……

What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Dedicated Reader   You are always trying to find the time to get back to your book. You are convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more.
Literate Good Citizen
Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
Book Snob
Fad Reader
Non-Reader
What Kind of Reader Are You? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

I do so love reading & my books!

Gone Fishing!

Went fishing today at Nelson Bay with my brother’s family. We left at 2:30am and got to Nelson Bay at 5am and the drive was sweet….no traffic!

We spent 4hrs fishing and caught over 100 fish between ourselves and the kids, but there were many we threw back because they were of illegal size .

The boys had a blast, screaming every time they caught a fish! It was so enjoyable to watch and see the pure pleasure in their faces.

We will definitely be doing this again!

Summer heat & the Australian Open!

Sydney especially the western suburbs are sweltering in this almost “oven-like” heat! For the many who do not have air-condition, I sympathise, but fortunately we ourselves have air-contioning so no worries…until we get the electricity bill that is! *eek*

Watching the Australian Open and I’m rooting for Nadal to make it to the final twice in a row. Although a small part of me is wishing Federer wins the final so he can finally match Sampras’ record. Whoever wins, I would love to see a Federer vs Nadal final.

What a fantastic advice……!

Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting
“HOLY CRAP, WHAT A RIDE!”

If only we could all be so adventurous, cause I would love to go out that way knowing I’ve experienced so much of life’s adventures and prospects.

Meme - What’s your Motto?

Celestial

“Imagination is more important than knowledge”

‘What is your personal life motto?’ at QuizGalaxy.com

I partially agree with this but it’s not really my only motto.

A joyful beginning to the New Year 2009!

As we welcome 2009 with open arms, full of prospects and undeniable opportunities, it is with great importance that the dawn (1st day) of the New Year is spent with your love ones, family and close relatives & friends.

After the early morning New Year’s celebrations were spent with my own family at my in-laws and after that at my uncle’s place along with my dad’s side of the family, we gathered ourselves after a few hours sleep to head off to a New Year’s luncheon at my aunt’s place which is fast becoming a New Year’s traditional lunch gathering.

We spent New Year’s Day with my family, along with relatives from mum’s side, and friends of my aunt, lunching on delicious food and enjoying each others wonderful company, while the children laughingly played, running around, and just immensely enjoying themselves!

Spending time with respective sides of your family during the festive season is such a blessing because you never know what tomorrow may bring. I thank God that each day He graces us with, that my own family, my parents, in-laws, brothers and close relatives and friends are still among us.

It is also that during this festive time that we miss so much, those who are not among us anymore (may they continually rest in peace), or are perhaps living too far away from us, that family gatherings during the festive season are so much more important.

As it is so rare having all your family, relatives & close friends present and since it only usually happens during the festive season, it is with great pleasure that we are then able to be with one another enjoying each others company.

So it is with warmest wishes, from our family to yours, that your New Year was an enjoyable one spent with your love ones, family, relatives & friends and that it was a joyful memory to last the year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!