Loving Life, Loving Sydney

With VIVID here (the three week light and music festival), I have to say, I'm loving Sydney. The city is alive with hoards of people in the streets enjoying this glorious city.

I was discussing with a traveller the charm of Singapore as a modern city, like Sydney or London (because she had said it was 'culture-less', I argued it was a evolving modern city with plenty of history that shaped it, just not a 'culture' that was something you could look at in a patronising Western fashion. It was a global city and the culture was in the thoughts and way of life of the people, that shaped the activities and way they use public spaces. She then stated that she wasn't a fan of Sydney either, and that London was more 'real and historic'. I have no idea how a city isn't real? It has to be real for the people living there. If you see a city and think it isn't real, I suspect that means you haven't made the effort to see beyond the tourist trail. 

Unlike Melbourne, you can't walk down the street and be guaranteed a fabulous meal - you have to do some research but there's plenty of gems at all budgets. If you stay put in the CBD and visit the Rocks, you've missed most of what makes Sydney so special - get up to Palm Beach and catch the ferry, head to West Head or the quaint Bobbin Head,  hit the coast road south. Natural beauty bounds, art is everywhere, music and comedians are on nightly (somewhere) in the city. Sydney (like Singapore) is a city that rewards you with the effort you put into it. 

If you managed to coincide your visit with the three weeks of VIVID, get out on a boat or hit the streets, take in the festival atmosphere and be dazzled by the visual delights. If you live here, don't listen to the naysayers, visit many times in small trips to just one part - the Rocks one night, the Gardens another. Easy, accessible and free.

In it's tenth year, VIVID is now part of our city's history and culture. Real or otherwise.






Follow my Instagram for more VIVID adventures live. 

Linking this old post with #TravelTuesday #MCoW #WednesdayAroundtheWorld because it's lights on for VIVID this weekend, after missing out for two years in a row!

Opportunity

Our youngest went off to camp this week, and last night, our eldest went out and I suddenly realised it was "Night of Didier" again. The poor overlooked, uncomplaining child who melts my heart is celebrated & suddenly showered with one on one attention. Or even better, the rarer two on one attention.

With one vegetarian and one child going for the Guiness Book of Records for the fussiest eater, my meat loving child usually misses out unless I want to cook 4 meals a night, which is rare - go figure. And so it was, with no movies he wished to see, he chose the local chinese for Emperor Chicken (I'd offered Holy Duck and his dad was suggesting Assembly for pizza but no, simple and easy was his choice, much like him).

It's funny how traditions start. Sometimes you don't even know you've made one. Yet here it is.

Have you created a new family tradition? 

Linking with #HighlightsofHappy #MummyMondays #KCACOLS #Stayclassymama #FortheloveofBLOG #TwinklyTuesday & #DreamTeam

PS I noted to my partner the other day, that in a few years it will just be the fussy eater and us on holidays, so we really better try to fix her eating habits or our travel experience will be ruined!

Weekend Reflection - Lights on Water

We spent an evening watching the boats in their VIVID finery light up the water.

 The stroll around to Darling Harbour has a number of hands on light and water experiments (at the Jellyfish at Cockle Bay)

 Unlike previous years, the Darling Harbour show runs non stop. So you can have dinner before or after, fitting in with the kids needs.
















Linking with #BlueMonday

And it's back...

Late May to mid June is the time Sydney shines - people flock to the city at night to check out the dazzling lights. Vivid Festival is art, music and the big draw, the lights. Those that follow the blog for a number of years know that I go hard, and this year is no exception.









Instead of the crowds at the Opera House for opening night, we had dinner at Lotus at Barangaroo and checked out the lights there, and then strolled through Darling Harbour (just missing the 8pm fireworks) to Uber home.






For an easy Vivid experience with the kids, this is one way to do it. From our table at Lotus we saw the giant lady (and we kept going over to see her up close and the kids got to talk to her), and the 'storm' in the forest entertained us all through dinner.

So you can see the scale

There are so many locations to experience Vivid this year, there's really no reason not to go!





























Linking with #BlueMonday

The trick is just to do it

I have a terrible cold and I missed out on a girls weekend away in Noosa due to kids commitments, and have just had to turn down a $400 gala dinner (free) due to more kids commitments, so all in all, I'm feeling very sorry for myself.

I did however go and see Radnor & Lee at the Metro on Sunday. Josh Radnor (who is an actor) is learning the guitar. He said in an offhand comment 'I joined a band and then decided to learn an instrument so I wouldn't have to just stand here. The guitar gives me something to hide behind.' He followed on with "I'm like the poster boy for just getting out and doing stuff. I waited til 42 to join a band and start playing the guitar".

I liked this idea - it doesn't matter the reasons you choose to make a change, they don't need to be high brow or 'worthy', and like Grandma Moses or Mary Wesley, age is irrelevant to a successful career.

So this week I am loving hope and the feeling that anything is possible if you just do it, for whatever reason. You don't have to try to write a best selling book - you could write a  book because it's a tiny piece of meditation just for you. And maybe others will like it. The trick is, you need to write it, or paint it, or make it - whatever the 'thing' is that sets you free from the tedium of work and home life.

Linking with #MondayMusicMovesMe as this song sounds like an Irish jig to me.

Last chance for the Sharing Feast at Pilu at Akuna Bay

Unfortunately Pilu at Akuna Bay is closing it's doors for the the Pranzo della Domenica. This Sunday, 27th May is your last chance for a laid back Sunday lunch on the water in the National Park.

For $65 a three course meal (four courses with antipasto) will arrive at your table - let them know any dietry requirements with booking. Children under 12 are $30, or there's a kids menu too.

Book your Sunday feast here.

You can tell we brought the kids - Uno cards!

Going early for #IBOT only so people have time to get a crew together for one last hurrah this Sunday.

"You can't see the world through a mirror." Avril Lavigne

For Mother's Day we went for lunch at Sydney's QT and I noticed reflections everywhere!

I loved the art reflected and the endless lights, stretching on to eternity.

As one who is not such a fan of my image in a mirror, I was quite delighted at the joy I got capturing reflections. It's not the mirror that's the problem, it's what my brain does with the image it sees. As I've discussed, that's something that needs working on.

While trying to find a theme for this post, I came across this quote by Pearl Bailey. "We look into mirrors but we only see the effects of our times on us - not our effects on others." For those that struggle with mirrors, maybe we need to remind ourselves that the mirror only reflects us, not the great world around us and the people in need that we can help - be it friends, family or strangers abroad. Maybe that's where the real meaning of life and happiness lies.

If you wish to help the people of Hawaii, donate to the disaster relief here. You can choose to direct your donation to those affected by the floods on Oahu or Kauai, or those people evacuated on the Big Island. I've no affiliation with these people, I just really loved the people of Hawaii & their spirit of aloha.




Linking with #PictorialTuesday #WWOAT #WWOT  #TheRandom #WordlessWednesday  #WeekendReflection, #mySundayPhoto and #SundayBest