What's been on my calendar?

 I'd misread this link up and thought it was what we had on the horizon, not what we'd been doing....so for the fist time, I'll talk about the fun stuff I've done. After the post COVID lull, I've thrown myself back into things, so lots of good times with friends, but the highlight was a special experience at Hinchcliff House. About a year ago I bid on a silent auction for mental health - I assumed I'd be out bid and there was alcohol (or manic life passing my by mood manifestation). However, i did not get out bit and so won a bespoke experience at Hinchcliff house, a fairly new venue I'd not yet been to.

I took a friend for her 50th and our husbands. We met for drinks and entree at Lana, the restaurant on the top public floor (there is a floor higher that you can hire for events).  It was so strange being greeted by name and welcomed as a VIP.  It made the night seem very special indeed, yet also sort of homely (comfortable? Not sure the word I'm after but it was relaxed),  The food in this restaurant was sensational, and I've booked a return dinner here with friends in a month or so.

Then we move downstairs and were handed over into Grana, a Italian restaurant that had a vibe of a stone farm house in Tuscany (though with very slick interiors - it sparked lots of discussion of archictects and wood and stone). They make their own flour, so pasta (and the amazing bread) is a must. Sensational.

Dessert and a nightcap down in Apollonia, the Godfather themed bar. The staff were charming and friendly, the atmosphere cosy and the tiramasu divine. So was the negroni.

It really was such a fun and unique experience. I loved it all. Weirdly, while it's in an old historic wool store, I'd somehow never noticed the building there before, even though it's been there since the late 1870's. It's very close to Circular Quay so easy to get to.

It was perfect!! Infact, I loved it so much I sent them a thank you letter*! (Proving I'm not really used to this VIP treatment at all!)

Obviously my Insta is the best place to see what I'm up to...and looking ahead, this week I have my dance card full - not one but two dancing events in one night. Can not wait!!

*It was an email, but that sounds weird.

Linking with #WBOYC finally correctly answering the question....and #TheRandom #MCoW #TravelTuesday

You can't quite see it but that's the wooden flour mill - grain mill?

False feeling of remoteness

What I love about the Hunter is you feel like you are in the countryside, and at times quite remote, when really, all around you are wineries and amenities. 

Because I live in the city, it's an expanse I rarely see. 

It's a little like what goes on in our head sometimes. We feel lonely but then suddenly a text or when with friends, we realise it was just a momentary feeling, not a true reality.

  

I found this quote by Joseph Roux quite interesting. "Solitude vivifies; isolation kills". There's a difference, between being alone and feeling lonely. One is a luxury or a time for growth and one is dangerous and damaging. But like in the Hunter, most of the time you just need to turn your head to shift the view. 

I found it interesting that Einstein said "It is strange to be known so universally and yet to be so lonely." and Judy Garland said something similar. So the lesson in that to me, is make that phone call you haven't made in awhile. Invite someone out. Organise to get together. Even if it feels like you are the only one making the effort in the friendship, maybe the gesture will make all the difference to that person. Clearly appearances are deceiving. 

As I often say, it starts with you & it starts today. 

Linking with #HappyTuesday because chasing kangaroos, even a failed attempt, is one of my favourite things to do..... #BlueMonday #NaturesNotes #WeekendReflection #WildBirdWednesday #GardenAffair 

This & That

Weeks ago I mentioned I was wearing socks with thongs, and then this week, this ad popped up in my feed. Archies (those ever so fabulous arch support thongs) are making socks to wear with the Archies so you can wear them all year round. So who's an incredibly fashon foward trend setter? Me! (At least in the low brow trends you may not want to get on board with stakes. I'm like Valtteri Bottas's mullet. At first you all laugh but then you actually like it....)

Now here's a birthday song for #MondayMusicMoves me. (Here's a clip on behind the lyrics if you're interested). I know you said you like 80's-90's but there's some great new ones. And this is my fave.

And as I was at Lizzo on Sunday, we sang this to people in the crowd whose birthday it was. (Not swears, not suitable for work)

Linking with #DND #WordlessWednesday #KeithsRamblings #WWOT #WWOAT #AwwMondays because I did say Aww excitedly when I came to the stairs to descend and saw the bird! #SundayBest #GardenAffair #FloralFridayFoto #WildbirdWednesday  #SaturdayCritters

Share Four Somethings - July

Somehow this month has slipped by and I'm not prepared....so a quick one this time.

Something I'm Loving: Last weekend, after a few blank weekends, I was out with friends Friday to Sunday - it was great to feel like the old me for a bit. With one group, last year I suggested we go to Dark Mofo but it never got off the ground. While sitting around drinking cocktails, another friend said we HAD to go next year (and do the Nude swim - I was all about the art but apparently I have to do this too....) so I am loving the idea that perhaps I'll get there next year!! (Tho not so keen on the nude swim bit).

After a very busy 10 days of barely seeing my husband, I'm loving that the kids are all out and we are off to a movie together today. Oppenheimer because Chriostopeher Nolan is fabulous! (As an aside, I'm sure we did a book on Oppenheimer at school in the 80's - any clue what that was??)

I am also loving this song. It might be the happiest song I've ever heard. I was walking to dinner last night and it came on and it literally put a spring in my step and increased my pace. Give it a listen, you need to wait a bit before it kicksd in and does it's magic. No words or video so suitable for work or around tiny people.

Something I'm Learning:  Fisrtly, there is apparently a genre of music calleed Sax House and I've been listening to it for 5 years and only just discovered it's actually a genre. 

This podcast on Orcas was fascinating. In part because of why they might be ramming boats (the covid lockdowns were pleasant for them and now the plethora of noisy craft are aggravating them) and for the fun fact of how sperm whales literally sh!t themselves when attacked by orca to protect their calves in a cloud of obscurity.

For the Australian readers, it was alarming to learn that the Government is not fact checking the pamphlets on the Voice. Both the yes and no pamphlets are just opinions. If you have questions, you can send them to the Full Story and they will answer them over the next 8 weeks (I think). This is worth a listen, the guests are in the Yes camp so there is a bias but the Journalists will be fact checking answers to questions. (I am slightly annoyed tax payer dollars are being wasted on non factual material). It should simply be a 'here's the scope & legalities, here's the intended benefit and here are the potential risks' but all based on fact.

Something I'm Reading: I am struggling to read at the moment - even the guide books I got from the library to narrow down where to stay in Japan. I am basically reading emails and the ATO website...YAWN!

Something I'm Eating:  I am still on my Sunday roast bent. My husband was complaining about why we were going to Paddington for lunch (which I'd organised with his friends, I might add - purely that Sydney tribal mentality that Inner West don't go East - for those out of Sydney, Paddington is pretty much central not east but whatever!) Anyway, I got my roast fix - $38 will get you more than enough food (Merivale's The Paddington) but we got entrees to share, so everyone left a little on their plate - but the raw kingfish balls are sensational.

 Linking with #ShareFourSomethings  #SkyWatch #HeidisHeavenlyGaze #MondayMusicMovesMe #TrafficJamReboot #WWandP 

What's on your bookshelf - July

 I am currently reading The Testaments - which is a follow on, sort of sequal to The Handmaid's Tale but it's more based on the tv series, rather than where the original book ends. I'm enjoying it, but a number of friends told me they didn't think it was any good so my expectations weren't high going in. I'm engaged in the story. There's been a few line that made me take pause and think (I've unfortunately forgotten what they were. I really need to write them down!! ) So if you liked the first book or the TV show, I'd say it's worth a read....I am only half way through though, so if it all crumbles apart, I've yet to reach that. I am enjoying the inner voice of Aunt Lydia (the story is alternative voices of women and girls).

The Girl in the Pink Dress. We did this for bookclub and I never would have found it but I did enjoy it. It's a short story that's been expanded to a book. While the story is not anything new, it's set in the art world and that really gives an interesting texture and informative back drop to the story. I felt like I was peering into a different world. I also learnt a bit about what goes one behind the painting, so to speak. At least in a way I hadn't thought about properly, even knowing the stories behind the art. So I would recommend if you have a vague interest in art as it gives you another pespective on it, while being a story about relationships.

Been a bit slow on the reading this month. I really need to get my focus back....

What have you been reading?

Linking with #Dreamteam #MonthlyBookworm #TrafficJamReboot #WOYBS

This is Australia

 

Growing up, there was a hugely popular song that really described the outback (to city dwelling me).

Obviously, I'm not that ruggered so any sort of outdoors is outback to me....and even without the cane fields (I was in vineyards), heat (in winter) or storm (it was perfect), I was reminded of this song. Which I hadn't thought of in decades!

There was a weird cloud that looked like smoke from a fire, but it was simply cloud.

What gets in your head, often stays there....

Do you sometimes get odd triggers to songs?

Linking with  #NaturesNotes #SkyWatch #HeidisGaleriaHimmelsblick  #DND #WednesdayAroundtheWorld #MCoW #TravelTuesday (Hunter Valley)