Lunar New Year

 


The last of the festivities around the city wrap up this weekend. Until the 4th of March, you can catch the acrobats and ribbon dancers at The Star in the Grand Foyer at 7pm or 9pm nightly. It runs for about 10 minutes, so bring the kids and grab a quick meal in the food court afterwards.

Walk through the lucky gates, write a wish and hang it on the wishing tree and then follow the lucky ribbon around to the show. 

Did you do something special to welcome in the Year of the Dog?

Linking with ##ThruMyLens #TheFun #WordlessWednesday #PointShoot and #MySundayPhoto

 

Augmented Reality

I had to fill in time in the city the other day, so I went to World Square 
and chased the dragon. Similar to Pokemon Go, it festooned the plaza with lanterns and firecrackers while the dragon floated around. I had this moment, while admiring how pretty it was in my phone, when I looked up at the empty square. Then it struck me. 'Are we not going to bother with actual decorations anymore?' (To be fair, there are laneways in World Square strung up with lanterns and pretty lights).








I was reading a blog on how to look younger and her first tip was an instagram fliter - which made me laugh, but it is practical as so much of how we view ourselves is now through a phone camera lens.


I've commented before that the way we see the world, and our place in it is changing. So many festivals and art galleries now offer the 'Instagramable' moment. The Grounds Valentine Day is set up with selfies in mind. Food is designed to be photographed and plastered on social media.



My question is, with augmented reality, is that the next step in the process? We no longer need to fix the world, if we can make it so beautiful with filters and when we look through the lens?

Don't get me wrong, it's just a bit of fun. But I also have an uneasy feeling that little by little we are rewiring our world view, maybe even slowly losing our grip on reality...or at least how we see ourselves, and our role in our life. We are a curator of images for others, not in the moment ourselves. I do this a lot. I'm always taking photos. I need to put the camera away on purpose, a reverse from 20 years ago, when I needed to remember to bring the camera to take photos.










I apologise for the waffling, I can't get the thoughts straight in my mind, so I'm putting it out in the ether and to rest. Would love to hear what you think about all this, and also let you know that the augmented reality is running until the 4th of March (and the dragon offers discounts at shops and restaurants, if you want to go to lunch or dinner there too!). I guess what I'm ultimately getting at, is our image of life becoming more important to us than our actual life?




Linking with #OpenSlather #KCACOLS #StayClassyMama #TwinklyTuesday #FortheloveofBLOG & #GlobalBlogging

Mah Jong at the Mah Jong Garden

I'm in a Mah Jong Club. We get together every so often and play Mah Jong over drinks, dinner and chitchat. When I saw The Star was hosting a Mah Jong Garden for the Lunar New Year festivities at the Quay, I knew it was perfect for us!

We met for a drink at the bar down the road and then headed to the garden. We played a few rounds, getting some help with the rules from the 'teacher' on hand. We are a little free and loose with the rules so it was good to get some instruction. They will teach beginners too.

Under the glow of light from the big Mah Jong Ox lantern, and the lucky red Harbour Bridge, a faint melody transported us to somewhere far more exotic than where we were. It's a delightful place to play.

My friend noticed people kept taking our photo.  'Are they all Chinese people?' I queried, as I thought I knew why. Indeed they were. "It's because we're white. They think a gwailou playing mah jong is funny." She didn't believe me but it kept happening and finally a Singaporean man came up and asked me if we really knew how to play? When I said yes, he
responded "That's great, that's really cool" in a tone you would use when speaking to a very young child. I was transported back to Hong Kong where a bus load of Chinese tourists took my photo and kept yelling gwailou at me because they thought it was hilarious that I was taking a photo of Jackie Chan's Star on the Avenue of Stars.

So look for us plastered all over the internet in China. I must be a superstar there by now.



You have until Sunday 25th to get to the Mah Jong Garden. It's so lovely, please do make the effort.  The photos don't do it justice, it is a serene and pleasant oasis.

Linking with #PointShoot #OurWordlTuesday #ThruMyLens  #TravelTuesday #PictorialTuesday #WednesdayAroundtheWorld  #SundayBest & #MySundayPhoto

Taking Stock - Feb

I am spending a lot of time driving all over Sydney, which is too dull for words, or at least too dull to go into for you, my dear readers, so it is a good thing that I have also been making the most of my evenings for frivolity. At least when the kids tedious commitments don't get in the way.

Drinking : Too much. But lots of cocktails so there's vitamins in there. I think. At least I LIKE to think so.

Reading: Augusten Burroughs - How to. I LOVE this book so much. He's so funny, so engaging and it's a really interesting look at pretty much the human psyche in relation to everything. 

Wanting: More time in the day - but big yawn, who doesn't?





Playing: Mah Jong at the fabulous Mah Jong Garden for the Lunar New Year

Enjoying: Belly laughs with good friends. Who knew Phil Collins could provide so much mirth...Literally could not speak I was laughing so hard!

Loving: Augusten Burroughs - How to. I've quoted it to about 3 different people and told about 50 people to read it. I am realising I must be very repetitive....

Will leave you with this song by George Maple, who I'm very excited about seeing tonight and currently Listening to on high rotation...(not suitable for work - some nudity, you don't really see anything, but just incase)

How's your February panning out?






Linking with #MummyMondays

A strange one for #LovingLifeLinky but I have been having so much fun lately (interspersed with some dull routine and obligations - and ever so tedious kid/school commitments of course) that it's been hard not to love life and feel ever so lucky!

A life's purpose

I was visiting a very sick, elderly relative in hospital and the team of doctors are trying to decide what to do, if anything. At one point, he turned to his wife in frustration and said "I can look back on a good life, well lived and at this point, I just want spend what time I have left at home with you". As upsetting as it was to hear, it was also lovely and it struck me that was our goal in life. To be happy with what we had done, how we had lived and who we were sharing that life with.

May we always feel that way, both now and in the future.

Linking with #WritersQuotesOnWednesday I wrote this post when my father was dying. It was too soon to share it with the world, however, that 'relative' was my dad. I think it summed him up and was actually such a blessing to hear him say it to my Mum.

Colours of Sydney

The first meeting of the Wednesday Club planned to meet at the MCA for Pip my ocean on a Twilight Thursday, except the idiot organiser (me) failed to notice that the Twilight Thursdays finished the week before. However the Colour Fields Pop Up Bar was still in swing, so we took in the Lunar New Year festivities being set up and rehearsed, while working our way through the rainbow of cocktails.









Then we headed for dinner with a view at the Bar at the end of the Wharf so while it was not the cultural experience I'd imagined, it was a fun night, making the most of this beautiful city we live in. And a lesson for me to read the fine print (or in this case not so fine print, just the details).











Now to think of next month's adventure....

Do you make the most of disappointment? What would you do for the Wednesday Club in March?

 Linking with  #WednesdayAroundtheWorld because I miss the fun of the city....

 

Glittering lights for #WeekendReflection

February is...

February is....

The Winter Olympics. Each day I'm squeezing some time in to check out the action. I just love the excitement. The athletes move through the air with grace, like they're flying.

Valentine's Day. I love that love is celebrated everywhere. We need a bit more of that in the world at the moment.

Lunar New Year. I adore the city adorned in red, and the good food and beating drums. Best wishes for the year of the Dog!

Catching up with friends, who we haven't seen since prexmas, due to travels.

The end of Summer.













I love February. There's so much on in Sydney.


What is February to you?

Linking with