That was a fine weekend, a damn fine weekend. Let's see now...

Friday: Nice dinner, early to bed with BB on the TV. Jason stayed up till all hours watching the footy and then Wimbeldon. Is it unpatriotic to be glad that Lleyton Hewitt (major pratt) lost? Either way, I'm glad - he shits me!

Saturday we were all up bright and early - well, later than we normally get up but early by most people's standards anyway. I dropped Jason and Will in the city for some father/son bonding at the movies (the new Herbie movie - Hollywood recycling strikes again). I picked up Jules and we headed to Darling Harbour for the Good Food and Wine Show.

What fun! Stall after stall of yummy food to try and showbags to buy. It was crazy: we were trying yoghurt, then chili sauce, then cheese, then crackers, jellybeans, pizza, nuts, juices... whoa! The worst thing was we went for the showbags too early. I never learn. The showbags are heavy and after carrying a few around for a while you loose the will to live and just want to curl up in the corner. We have made a pact to either bring an old lady's trolley or my husband with us next year. Since there are lots of wines and boutique beers to try I'm sure Jason could be tempted. By the time we returned to the car, laden down like pack mules, we were cursing the Food and Wine Show, ourselves and anyone who walked past us who WASN'T laden down like a pack mule. We were even cursing the demise of chivalry and the rise of feminism - where were the gallant men eager to carry our bags? Not a one in sight. Tragic!

Well, we left the bags in the car and, nursing dislocated shoulders, wandered the two blocks (OK, Jules it may be 3 or 4) to Chinatown for yum cha. Don't you just love yum cha? What would the world be without it? A soul-less place to live, a place devoid of humanity, of joy... hell on earth - that's what the world would be without yum cha!!! Happily Will feels the same way. We have been bringing him to yum cha since he was 18 months old and now he slurps up his soy sauce noodles and man-handles his prawn dumplings like a champ. He's still struggling with the chopsticks but I didn't master them until my early 30s so he's doing a million times better than me. [Have you tried the mango pancakes? If not, drop what you're doing right now and head to your nearest yum cha restaurant. Don't waste your life like I did. There I was, a foolish egg tart addict, wasting my life, not a clue as to what I was missing. Then one day mango pancakes came into my life and I've never looked back. Praise the yum cha lord!]

OK, where was I? Saturday night was quite. After taking Jules home we returned to Pomona Street and I spent a fun evening unpacking my showbags and wedging all my new sauces, sachets and spice mixes into my already chockers pantry.

Oh, I forgot the Saturday afternoon shopping expedition. On the way home from dropping off Jules we did a detour to WBJ (Westfield Bondi Junction for those not in the know). Jason had a dire and drastic need for a new pair of shoes (he is such a princess in the body of a 6' 2" ogre). Of course the shoes he "needed" eluded him but I did come away with two gorgeous cardigans, a pair of earrings, a necklace and two fabulous jumpers for Will (half price, who could blame me?).

Sunday started with a family cleaning session. Our cleaner Sandy missed her usual fortnightly visit due to illness so we had to do it ourselves. Not so bad really. Amazing how quickly you can do a clean when you get stuck into it!

Then we went to lunch. It is tradition at Oztech, my faithful employer for the last 14.5 years, to have a staff lunch or dinner to celebrate the end of the financial year (as well as the end of the year, i.e. Christmas). So around the 30th of June each year we do something "fun". OK, I try to organise something "fun" but usually it ends up a shamozle! Last year we went bowling and then out for a steak dinner. Sounds good so far?! Bowling was fine, it was the dinner which was horrendous. Food lousy, service terrible, waiting time - forget about it!!!

This year I wanted to make a better impression. Did I? Shit no! We went to the Gladesville Hotel, a pub with a reputation as a good family venue. Well the "family" part was fine - there was a great kids' area and a clown for face painting, etc. However, the food and service were terrible. As an example, we ordered a variety of different steaks - some had a scotch fillet, some had rump, etc. all with different sauces and sides. The waitress turned up with the first steak and just plonked it on the table. Didn't say this is a "...." or ask who was having a "..." - just sat it down on the table and walked off. We had to crash tackle her to ask her what it was and she didn't have a clue. It was chaotic, slow and most of the food was disgusting. Well, back to the drawing board.

We then did a whirlwind visiting tour of both of my grandmothers. Nothing significant to report there. Then a super quick dinner at mum's and then the much anticipated trip to Gold Class at Greater Union at WBJ to see Batman Begins. What can I saw about Gold Class cinemas? It was pure heaven. The most amazingly comfortable armchairs I've ever encountered in my 37 years. A hot chocolate and a bowl of caramel popcorn (too sweet, for future reference). Just bliss. Thoroughly recommend it for a luxury night out.

The movie? Not bad at all. I like Christian Bale. He's a bit brooding, a bit interesting and ever since he had sex with Ewen McGregor in a bathtub on a rooftop in Velvet Goldmine I've been hooked. He was fantastic in American Psycho. Just something about him... The story was good, well thought out plot but poor dialogue, generally good cast except for Katie Holmes (she's like 12 and really can't act, not my idea of a romantic heroine at all). Gotham City was a little disappointing. I loved the way it looked in the first Batman movie - very gothic and dark. This time it just looked dirty and it rained continuously - very depressing.

Saw a short for Dark Water, a new horror movie with Jennifer Connolly - written by the same guy who wrote The Ring. I love that creepy Japanese horror stuff. This one looks amazingly scary - I can't wait. It's a really love/hate relationship with me and horror films - I love them but usually watch from behind my fingers.

OK, this epic better come to an end right now. Have a great week.