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Post by lynette on Mar 4, 2018 12:15:11 GMT
Nice couple of days. Arrived in Sydney yesterday evening in time to catch some of the Mardi Gras parade and experience the general excitement of the party. Lots of people out on the streets to have a very good time! Woke up this morning and opened the hotel room blind just in time to catch a glorious sunrise over the harbour. Then did an electric-bike tour of the city this morning which was a lot of fun (and just me and the guide - it turns out no-one else gets up for 9am the Sunday morning after Mardi Gras). This afternoon did an interesting walking tour of the Rocks and then had a little wander back to the hotel for some drinks and nibbles. I’m sitting on the lounge balcony right now making the most of the dry weather, since it’s meant to rain tomorrow. Kathryn, I must have missed the beginning of your journey which is amazing. Are you just on an extended holiday or is it to visit relatives and friends too? You sound so active and full of gusto. Are we going to get the full story with photos in a book? What is the itinerary ongoing?
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Post by kathryn on Mar 4, 2018 12:47:46 GMT
Nice couple of days. Arrived in Sydney yesterday evening in time to catch some of the Mardi Gras parade and experience the general excitement of the party. Lots of people out on the streets to have a very good time! Woke up this morning and opened the hotel room blind just in time to catch a glorious sunrise over the harbour. Then did an electric-bike tour of the city this morning which was a lot of fun (and just me and the guide - it turns out no-one else gets up for 9am the Sunday morning after Mardi Gras). This afternoon did an interesting walking tour of the Rocks and then had a little wander back to the hotel for some drinks and nibbles. I’m sitting on the lounge balcony right now making the most of the dry weather, since it’s meant to rain tomorrow. I presume this is your first visit to Sydney, Kathryn? If you can manage it you should try to visit the Capitol Theatre and/or the State Theatre. They both have wonderful interiors. 'Mamma Mia' is playing at the Capitol but it is dark on Monday and Tuesday. I don't know whether tours are available to see the building but I believe the foyers and bars are open during the day. I don't know what is on at the State (it often shows movies) but they do tours of the very impressive building, although the only bit otherwise normally accessible to the public during the day is the small foyer on Market Street which is still worth a look if you are in the vicinity. Yes, my first visit. I am seeing La Traviata at the Opera House tomorrow and seeing Black is the New White Wednesday evening. I fly back Thursday! I’ll see if I can swing by the State sometime.
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4,136 posts
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Post by kathryn on Mar 4, 2018 12:53:45 GMT
Nice couple of days. Arrived in Sydney yesterday evening in time to catch some of the Mardi Gras parade and experience the general excitement of the party. Lots of people out on the streets to have a very good time! Woke up this morning and opened the hotel room blind just in time to catch a glorious sunrise over the harbour. Then did an electric-bike tour of the city this morning which was a lot of fun (and just me and the guide - it turns out no-one else gets up for 9am the Sunday morning after Mardi Gras). This afternoon did an interesting walking tour of the Rocks and then had a little wander back to the hotel for some drinks and nibbles. I’m sitting on the lounge balcony right now making the most of the dry weather, since it’s meant to rain tomorrow. Kathryn, I must have missed the beginning of your journey which is amazing. Are you just on an extended holiday or is it to visit relatives and friends too? You sound so active and full of gusto. Are we going to get the full story with photos in a book? What is the itinerary ongoing? Extended holiday - though I am seeing a friend tomorrow who moved back to Sydney last year. I’m in the last few days now - back to London on Thursday - so packing in as much as possible! Had a few weeks in New Zealand touring, and 5 days in Sydney. It has been an epic (and exhausting) adventure and I’ve been pushing myself to try new things and get out of my comfort zone. It’s nice to be seeing some theatre this week though - I’ve missed it. www.instagram.com/kthryndwd/No book or blog, but plenty of pictures on my Instagram, if you want a look.
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Post by tonyloco on Mar 4, 2018 13:22:39 GMT
Yes, my first visit. I am seeing La Traviata at the Opera House tomorrow and seeing Black is the New White Wednesday evening. I fly back Thursday! I’ll see if I can swing by the State sometime. A friend in Sydney who is a great opera buff said the Traviata with Nicole Car is splendid and she is probably the best Violetta he has ever seen, which is high praise since he has heard Joan Sutherland, Renata Scotto, Kiri Te Kanawa, Mirella Freni and various others in the role. And good luck with the Sydney Theatre Company. I am not familiar with them nor the various venues around Walsh Bay where they perform because I long ago got fed up that the most important straight theatre in Sydney was usually done in uncomfortable venues in out-of-the way parts of the city! Perhaps I had lost my spirit of adventure as I got old! Do report on the Traviata and the play.
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Post by CG on the loose on Mar 4, 2018 15:12:40 GMT
Have just had a lovely womble through your photos - what an amazing trip! You've packed so much in, even with the bad weather disrupting your plans along the way.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2018 18:50:48 GMT
Saw Lady Bird this afternoon and it was a very funny and charming coming of age film. Loved the sondheim songs and just overall look of the film. Good performances all round and I hope it gets a few awards at the Oscars tonight.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2018 19:52:19 GMT
Popping this in here, for want of another place to put it...
Sad to hear of David Ogden Stiers passing. M*A*S*H was something we watched every tea time for years in our house when I was a teen because my Dad loved it. And it's etched into my consciousness. For context I didn't see an episode of Friends until I was 14 or Seinfeld until I was 19, but way before then I could probably recite half the episodes of M*A*S*H. And I'm shocked at myself that I had no idea he was also Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast (ah the days before the internet and knowing everything about a person on TV like that). I haven't watched the show in years now, but still sad to hear.
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Post by tysilio2 on Mar 4, 2018 20:10:56 GMT
Just discovered the early series of medical drama ER on CBS drama. Great memories of this show and the characters portrayed. Hated the later series' and stopped watching about series 10 onward. All I need now is to find St Elsewhere on some obscure channel and I'm happy.
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5,676 posts
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Post by lynette on Mar 4, 2018 20:21:02 GMT
Have just had a lovely womble through your photos - what an amazing trip! You've packed so much in, even with the bad weather disrupting your plans along the way. Yes, great photo collection. Fabulous trip. Safe journey home.
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Post by tonyloco on Mar 4, 2018 23:30:14 GMT
Extended holiday - though I am seeing a friend tomorrow who moved back to Sydney last year. I’m in the last few days now - back to London on Thursday - so packing in as much as possible! Had a few weeks in New Zealand touring, and 5 days in Sydney. It has been an epic (and exhausting) adventure and I’ve been pushing myself to try new things and get out of my comfort zone. It’s nice to be seeing some theatre this week though - I’ve missed it. www.instagram.com/kthryndwd/No book or blog, but plenty of pictures on my Instagram, if you want a look. Great pics. I enjoyed the shot of the kookaburra best. My grandmother in Sydney lived alongside Randwick Racecourse, which has a lot of trees and vegetation around its edges housing quite a lot of birds and other fauna, and the kookaburras used to come and perch on the clothes line in her back yard. You are a true Aussie when you have kookaburras in your back yard! Have a good journey back home.
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Post by anita on Mar 5, 2018 10:17:51 GMT
Asda mobile are c**p!
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5,121 posts
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Post by TallPaul on Mar 5, 2018 10:52:51 GMT
All I need now is to find St Elsewhere on some obscure channel and I'm happy. No need to go all obscure (unless you want to). You can watch it whenever you like on All 4.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 5, 2018 12:28:21 GMT
Popping this in here, for want of another place to put it... Sad to hear of David Ogden Stiers passing. M*A*S*H was something we watched every tea time for years in our house when I was a teen because my Dad loved it. And it's etched into my consciousness. For context I didn't see an episode of Friends until I was 14 or Seinfeld until I was 19, but way before then I could probably recite half the episodes of M*A*S*H. And I'm shocked at myself that I had no idea he was also Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast (ah the days before the internet and knowing everything about a person on TV like that). I haven't watched the show in years now, but still sad to hear. I've been watching MASH near exclusively recenly - I've gotten through about 9 seasons in a fortnight (one of the advantages of working from home). At its best, there are some genuinely touching episodes - usuaully adressing mortality, or homesickness, or the kindness of strangers. Stiers' arrival as Chales Wincheser really lifted the show - a much deeper, and richer character than Frank Burns who preceeded him. Undoubtley, his Winchester was a direct antecedent of Frasier Crane - there is such similarity in their character, just that slight twinkle of mischief and heart amongst the pomposity. Fathers and Sons, the Frasier episode he appeared in was a wonderful tribute. Not least with the plot turning on Stiers' character having had to hide his homosexuality. The 'Tit-Willow' ending to that episode is just lovely. Also very memorable in Trek TNG alongside Majel Barret in 'Half a Life' in an episode that tackled age-related euthanasia.
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363 posts
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Post by tysilio2 on Mar 5, 2018 13:37:57 GMT
All I need now is to find St Elsewhere on some obscure channel and I'm happy. No need to go all obscure (unless you want to). You can watch it whenever you like on All 4. I love you!!
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5,121 posts
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Post by TallPaul on Mar 5, 2018 14:04:55 GMT
Steady. I'm from Yorkshire, tha knows!!!
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Post by Tibidabo on Mar 6, 2018 15:54:25 GMT
I needed a 'good luck' card on a particular them for Mini Tibs. So eschewing sites like the snorty animal in the sky, where you have to upload your own picture, I plumped for one I'd never heard of. It had the perfect image and allowed me to print whatever words I wanted inside. I got to the checkout and they whacked on postage to make your eyes water - actually more than the card cost (even though the company was based a few miles away - I'd checked!) I decided to go ahead anyway and the whole thing didn't give change out of a tenner. Expensive card. Note to self: Don't mess up.
So, yesterday I signed the card in an orange flourish and left it out for Mr Tibs to do the same. When I came back to it he had actually signed it with his name rather than 'dad.' 👏👏👏👏👏 Oh yes! Then, realising his mistake he had obviously tried to rectify the situation. Now, unless your name happens to be Tit or Ass (which I have actually suggested he change his to by deed poll) it's probably going to be longer than 'dad,' so writing 'dad' across the top of it isn't really going hide all the letters is it?
Happily, Mini Tibs will, no doubt, find it hilarious - just as she did when he hung her Damask wallpaper upside down and I blew a gasket.🔨
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Post by Deleted on Mar 6, 2018 21:24:12 GMT
Had a great day today. Today i got my offer accepted on brand new 1 bed flat in South london, that will be completed in June. And when i got home there was a letter from my old mortgage provider giving me a 2k refund.
They say things come in threes so I'm definitely playing the lottery tomorrow!
With all the crap going on in the world I'm glad I got to have a good day for once. I hope you all have the luck I had today.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2018 1:29:09 GMT
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Post by kathryn on Mar 7, 2018 7:52:17 GMT
Yes, my first visit. I am seeing La Traviata at the Opera House tomorrow and seeing Black is the New White Wednesday evening. I fly back Thursday! I’ll see if I can swing by the State sometime. A friend in Sydney who is a great opera buff said the Traviata with Nicole Car is splendid and she is probably the best Violetta he has ever seen, which is high praise since he has heard Joan Sutherland, Renata Scotto, Kiri Te Kanawa, Mirella Freni and various others in the role. . I can confirm that Nicole Car is indeed splendid! She sounded amazing, as did the rest of the cast and the orchestra. I can also confirm that I just don’t get Opera. Don’t know why but even when it’s clearly as good as this was it leaves me cold. Something to do with my musical ignorance, I am sure. Or the weird structure. It’s not following the plot that’s the problem - in fact I think I’d prefer to do without the subtitles as reading them (and re-reading them 5 minutes later and realising that they *are* still singing the same thing) just distracts me. Really glad I went - lovely experience all in all, and now I know that no matter how good it is it’s just not going to work for me as a piece of theatrical storytelling.
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Post by tonyloco on Mar 7, 2018 11:18:10 GMT
I can confirm that Nicole Car is indeed splendid! She sounded amazing, as did the rest of the cast and the orchestra. I can also confirm that I just don’t get Opera. Don’t know why but even when it’s clearly as good as this was it leaves me cold. Something to do with my musical ignorance, I am sure. Or the weird structure. It’s not following the plot that’s the problem - in fact I think I’d prefer to do without the subtitles as reading them (and re-reading them 5 minutes later and realising that they *are* still singing the same thing) just distracts me. Really glad I went - lovely experience all in all, and now I know that no matter how good it is it’s just not going to work for me as a piece of theatrical storytelling. Thanks for the report on Traviata. Well, there seems no doubt that opera is not for you, but at least you had the experience of seeing a particularly good example in an iconic venue. What about the play 'Black is the New White' at the Sydney Theatre Company in Walsh Bay?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2018 11:51:39 GMT
Bad news in the hospital. Explains the bad moods recently, subliminally knew something was afoot.
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Post by Elle on Mar 7, 2018 12:50:04 GMT
So sorry about that @remark. Hopefully it can be treated and may you return to good health very soon.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2018 14:16:26 GMT
So sorry about that @remark. Hopefully it can be treated and may you return to good health very soon. Thanks. Not as sinister as I had prognosted but enough to set alarm bells off with the team I’m under. More shell shocked hearing a familiar face from the same treatment dept has been told all avenues exhausted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2018 19:14:10 GMT
I heard today there's a possibility to be kept on as casual staff in my current temp job. Which might just mean I can manage to deliver on all the other 'career' stuff I'm supposed to (Book? what book?) without starving in the meantime. Also BBC Cymru saw fit to translate and publish some of my waffling today.
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Post by kathryn on Mar 7, 2018 19:39:25 GMT
Black is the New White is hilarious and terrifically sharp - I hope it makes it to London at some point.
Up early today to do a backstage tour of the Opera House. Starts at 7am!
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