Friday night was date night, thanks to my sister who babysat the munchkins. Thanks again, JB.
For once we easily agreed on the movie we both wanted to see - Stranger Than Fiction.
I really liked this movie. It was beautifully done on every level. You could call it Adaptation Lite. You could parallel it with The Truman Show. But it stood on its own feet very well.
All the performances were good. I could nitpick Will Ferrell and say he played it just too straight, but I won't. I loved Dustin Hoffman, really perfect. I loved Maggie Gyllenhaal, she is sweet but has an edge; something reminiscent of early Winona Ryder but better.
I could nitpick the derivative daggy song sung in an endearing fashion to win the girl's heart (see Ten Things I Hate About You, The Wedding Singer et al), but I won't.
It all worked for me and I had a tear in my eye as the credits rolled. Damn it when the cynical exterior cracks slightly and the moral of the story actually touches my craggy old heart.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Friday, February 09, 2007
RIP Anna Nicole Smith.
She may have been somewhat of a media whore/joke but I did have a soft spot for her.
I am fairly certain Howard had something to do with her "mysterious" death as well as her son's "mysterious" death but I used to like him so I feel confused by this certainty that he somehow did them both in.
Does this mean we'll never see Bobby Trendy again? Will he be doing the funeral? So many questions.
She may have been somewhat of a media whore/joke but I did have a soft spot for her.
I am fairly certain Howard had something to do with her "mysterious" death as well as her son's "mysterious" death but I used to like him so I feel confused by this certainty that he somehow did them both in.
Does this mean we'll never see Bobby Trendy again? Will he be doing the funeral? So many questions.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
We're trying not to take it personally.
On Tuesday afternoon when I picked up Marianna from daycare, she put on her backpack and we walked down to the gate together, as usual. When we were standing at the gate Marianna looked at me then turned around and started walking back up to her daycare room. "I stay here," she said.
This morning when Jason went to get her out of her cot she said "No, I stay here". And rolled over.
What are we to make of this behaviour? Twenty months old and so sassy.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Ummm, that was nice...
Well, actually it was kind of weird and funny.
It was my night out with Jules at the filming of the Australian version of Gordon Ramsey's The F Word. This version stars Matt Moran and I have only a small amount of confidence it will be anywhere as fun and entertaining as the original. Of course there's no-one quite like Gordon so it will be interesting to see how this comes across on the tv.
The shoot itself was too boring. Really. Jazz things up a bit, people. Jules and I had a great time, we always make ourselves laugh and enjoy each other's company, no matter how many hours a day we spend together.
The premise of the show is it's set in a "real" restaurant environment and three non-chefs are invited to cook a three course meal under the beady eye of Matt Moran. The meals are served to us, the "audience". We judge whether it is restaurant quality and "vote" by stating whether we'd pay the $40 per head.
Our meal was a starter of Salt and Pepper Squid, with baby Bok Choy. This was quite nice, the sauce was piquant, but the Bok Choy was cold and I did have an eyelash hair as a hidden surprise. The main was Roast Pork Loin with baby roasted Pears, Brocollini and Smashed Potatoes. The meat was lovely (though the crackling could have had more "crackle"), the vegies were not hot (again) and I wasn't a fan of potatoes (either mash them or served them whole, I say). Dessert was a very good Panna Cotta with a refreshing salad of Citrus with Pistachios.
While there were some small problems, as listed above, I have eaten worse, cooked by alleged professionals and paid much more (flashback to infamous Aqua Luna incident, as an example). I was happy with my meal. The fact it was eaten sitting back to back with a minor celebrity didn't hurt. Yes, I hob nobbed with Anthony Callea (first OzIdol runner-up). Well, actually there was no hob nobbing but he did sit directly behind me so there is a good chance my frizzy orange hair will make it into shot when Matt Moran was chatting with him.
So look out for my television debut on Channel 7. I'm the one looking uncomfortably comfortable, laughing hysterically a lot of the time and saying "nice" a lot.
Well, actually it was kind of weird and funny.
It was my night out with Jules at the filming of the Australian version of Gordon Ramsey's The F Word. This version stars Matt Moran and I have only a small amount of confidence it will be anywhere as fun and entertaining as the original. Of course there's no-one quite like Gordon so it will be interesting to see how this comes across on the tv.
The shoot itself was too boring. Really. Jazz things up a bit, people. Jules and I had a great time, we always make ourselves laugh and enjoy each other's company, no matter how many hours a day we spend together.
The premise of the show is it's set in a "real" restaurant environment and three non-chefs are invited to cook a three course meal under the beady eye of Matt Moran. The meals are served to us, the "audience". We judge whether it is restaurant quality and "vote" by stating whether we'd pay the $40 per head.
Our meal was a starter of Salt and Pepper Squid, with baby Bok Choy. This was quite nice, the sauce was piquant, but the Bok Choy was cold and I did have an eyelash hair as a hidden surprise. The main was Roast Pork Loin with baby roasted Pears, Brocollini and Smashed Potatoes. The meat was lovely (though the crackling could have had more "crackle"), the vegies were not hot (again) and I wasn't a fan of potatoes (either mash them or served them whole, I say). Dessert was a very good Panna Cotta with a refreshing salad of Citrus with Pistachios.
While there were some small problems, as listed above, I have eaten worse, cooked by alleged professionals and paid much more (flashback to infamous Aqua Luna incident, as an example). I was happy with my meal. The fact it was eaten sitting back to back with a minor celebrity didn't hurt. Yes, I hob nobbed with Anthony Callea (first OzIdol runner-up). Well, actually there was no hob nobbing but he did sit directly behind me so there is a good chance my frizzy orange hair will make it into shot when Matt Moran was chatting with him.
So look out for my television debut on Channel 7. I'm the one looking uncomfortably comfortable, laughing hysterically a lot of the time and saying "nice" a lot.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
I have a very handy husband. It's a pity he chooses to only use his handiness on a limited and very exclusive basis. Because when he does use it - WOW!
A beer tub.
A wine bucket.
A handy tea towel rail.
A beer top bin.
A sense of humour.
It has EVERYTHING!!
Our very own outdoor bar, for under $100 in materials. Much bigger and better than a similar, much smaller one, which is selling at the gorgeous kitchenware shop at Cherrybrook for $349.
It's moments like these when I start to believe he didn't just get his carpentry qualification from a Corn Flakes' box.
A beer tub.
A wine bucket.
A handy tea towel rail.
A beer top bin.
A sense of humour.
It has EVERYTHING!!
Our very own outdoor bar, for under $100 in materials. Much bigger and better than a similar, much smaller one, which is selling at the gorgeous kitchenware shop at Cherrybrook for $349.
It's moments like these when I start to believe he didn't just get his carpentry qualification from a Corn Flakes' box.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
A belated, though extremely important, public service announcement!
A History of Violence is the worst movie ever made. Well, maybe not the worst, but definitely in the top (or should that be bottom?) five. Right alongside Two If By Sea and What Dreams May Come.
I'm just telling you for your own good. Just so you don't waste around two hours of your life which you will never, ever get back. Learn from my mistakes, I'm begging you.
Everything about it sucks. Possibly they started with a good idea and then, somehow, it all came apart. The script is laughable, the acting one dimensional. It really doesn't have a redeemable feature. Even Viggo couldn't save it for me. I can only imagine some very large favours were called in to get Ed Harris and William Hurt involved with this stinker.
Don't say I didn't warn you.
A History of Violence is the worst movie ever made. Well, maybe not the worst, but definitely in the top (or should that be bottom?) five. Right alongside Two If By Sea and What Dreams May Come.
I'm just telling you for your own good. Just so you don't waste around two hours of your life which you will never, ever get back. Learn from my mistakes, I'm begging you.
Everything about it sucks. Possibly they started with a good idea and then, somehow, it all came apart. The script is laughable, the acting one dimensional. It really doesn't have a redeemable feature. Even Viggo couldn't save it for me. I can only imagine some very large favours were called in to get Ed Harris and William Hurt involved with this stinker.
Don't say I didn't warn you.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Last night, while Jay was at the Eric Clapton concert, I finally watched Jersey Girl which I had IQ'd months ago. I really love, admire and respect Kevin Smith as a writer/director. His films have some of the best, most real, most get-to-the-heart-of-modern-relationships dialogue I have heard/seen/read. Which is why I was pretty disappointed with Jersey Girl. Sorry Big Kev but there was just too much cliche, too much of everything we've already seen and not enough of the surprises I've come to love and I guess expect in your movies. I'm not sure if there was pressure to get it out quickly or if your heart just wasn't in it or if you were just being lazy but I felt it could have been so much better.
The soundtrack was gorgeous though and my all time favourite Tom Waits/Bruce Springteen song Jersey Girl over the end credits was a beautiful and very necessary touch.
The soundtrack was gorgeous though and my all time favourite Tom Waits/Bruce Springteen song Jersey Girl over the end credits was a beautiful and very necessary touch.
I had a very Maggie (Extras) moment on Sunday afternoon. We had stopped at a men's shoe shoe near Pitt Street Mall on Sunday (after yum cha with mum and Jules). We had seen a nice pair of shoes in there on Friday morning when it was closed and wanted Jason to try them on. Problem was we couldn't remember what they looked like, all I remembered was that they were brown. The other problem was the very gorgeous black guy working in the shop. When he asked us what they looked like I started to say "they were ... [brown]" but couldn't get the last word out, suddenly becoming very conscious of any possible offence (how absolutely crazy!). At least I didn't mention a Gollydoll. I was so aware of it being a "Maggie" moment I almost started laughing hysterically. We managed to get out of the shop without looking like complete nutcases, but I'm sure he thought we were odd (good judge of character, I say).
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Last year's anniversary celebrations were a bit of a dud; dud restaurant; dud hotel. Really forgettable. This year we made up for it alright.
The hotel first (because it was least noteworthy). The Harbour Marriott is reportedly a 5 star hotel but I don't quite see how. Many attention-to-detail type issues. Lost reservation. Tiny bathroom. I won't go on.
The best, the most wonderful, part was dinner at Quay. Sydney Harbour is by far my most favourite part of Sydney. I love everything about that part of the world: the Opera House which awes me each and every time I see it; the majestic expanse of the Sydney Harbour Bridge; the ferries on the harbour; the bustle of Circular Quay; the simple beauty of the water twinkling in the sunlight or the moonlight. For almost that reason alone I chose Quay, because it offers one of the absolute best views of the harbour. I'd also heard that the food was quite good.
We started the evening in the bar. My cocktail was divine (though only half full, I had been warned about this phenomenon, odd). Flavours of vanilla vodka, lemoncello and star anise. Gorgeous.
The bar area offered a taste of the wonderous view but our table (specially booked weeks in advance) provided the full Sydney Harbour VIEW experience. I would suggest we had the best table in the restaurant and I would have been happy not to eat at all, just drinking in the sights of my favourite place on earth would have been enough. But I'm so glad that we did eat.
I have never eaten or seen food like this in my life. We chose to go with the legendary Signature Menu and were very glad we did. For the details take a minute to look over the menu at the restaurant link above. Suffice to say each of the seven courses was superb, the presentation beautiful, the flavours sublime. The service was just the right combination of friendly, professional and attentive. The Happy Anniversary written in chocolate on the petit fours platter a sweet final touch. It is a meal and an evening I will never forget.
Happy 9th Anniversary, Big Jay. Next year - the BIG TEN - it will be you and me at the Australian Open.
The hotel first (because it was least noteworthy). The Harbour Marriott is reportedly a 5 star hotel but I don't quite see how. Many attention-to-detail type issues. Lost reservation. Tiny bathroom. I won't go on.
The best, the most wonderful, part was dinner at Quay. Sydney Harbour is by far my most favourite part of Sydney. I love everything about that part of the world: the Opera House which awes me each and every time I see it; the majestic expanse of the Sydney Harbour Bridge; the ferries on the harbour; the bustle of Circular Quay; the simple beauty of the water twinkling in the sunlight or the moonlight. For almost that reason alone I chose Quay, because it offers one of the absolute best views of the harbour. I'd also heard that the food was quite good.
We started the evening in the bar. My cocktail was divine (though only half full, I had been warned about this phenomenon, odd). Flavours of vanilla vodka, lemoncello and star anise. Gorgeous.
The bar area offered a taste of the wonderous view but our table (specially booked weeks in advance) provided the full Sydney Harbour VIEW experience. I would suggest we had the best table in the restaurant and I would have been happy not to eat at all, just drinking in the sights of my favourite place on earth would have been enough. But I'm so glad that we did eat.
I have never eaten or seen food like this in my life. We chose to go with the legendary Signature Menu and were very glad we did. For the details take a minute to look over the menu at the restaurant link above. Suffice to say each of the seven courses was superb, the presentation beautiful, the flavours sublime. The service was just the right combination of friendly, professional and attentive. The Happy Anniversary written in chocolate on the petit fours platter a sweet final touch. It is a meal and an evening I will never forget.
Happy 9th Anniversary, Big Jay. Next year - the BIG TEN - it will be you and me at the Australian Open.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Sunday Night - in Three Acts
Act One
Dinner with dear sis and Dodo at the Japanese Restaurant at St Martins Tower, Kabuki Shoroku. It was superb. There is something sublime in the simplicity of Japanese cuisine. The clean flavours and delicate presentation makes me slightly gaga as each course is presented.
Act Two
The curse of Cocorosie strikes again. The support act for tonight's entertainment is truly bizarre. At first I can't decide if he's a comic act and JB and I giggle hysterically in the darkness of the State Theatre. But then we realise, aghast, that this joker is for real. CW Stoneking may or may not be a fine blues singer (I am by no means a fan of the genre) but his speech impedement makes both his speaking and singing totally incomprehensible. I am starting to suspect that the State Theatre and/or the Sydney Festival have a policy of hiring mildly retarded support acts. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Act Three
Madeleine Peyroux. Sadly underwhelming. I really like her old fashioned jazz stylings and her cd Careless Love is gorgeous when one is in just a certain mood. I am perfectly willing to admit I was possibly over-tired and generally over-it but I just didn't get swept away by the live performance. Partly I blame old CW (see above) for putting me in a shocking mood. While Maddie's voice was almost as lovely as the recorded version her stage presence is less than awe-inspiring. She truly needs a dose of Trinny and Susannah in the dress sense department (a shame because she is a beautiful woman) and she needs to learn a little bit of stagecraft (she wouldn't have got past the first round of OzIdol).
Nevertheless, despite the whinging, it was a lovely night and memorable if for no other reason than it was an evening spent with just my sister and my dad. A first.
Act One
Dinner with dear sis and Dodo at the Japanese Restaurant at St Martins Tower, Kabuki Shoroku. It was superb. There is something sublime in the simplicity of Japanese cuisine. The clean flavours and delicate presentation makes me slightly gaga as each course is presented.
Act Two
The curse of Cocorosie strikes again. The support act for tonight's entertainment is truly bizarre. At first I can't decide if he's a comic act and JB and I giggle hysterically in the darkness of the State Theatre. But then we realise, aghast, that this joker is for real. CW Stoneking may or may not be a fine blues singer (I am by no means a fan of the genre) but his speech impedement makes both his speaking and singing totally incomprehensible. I am starting to suspect that the State Theatre and/or the Sydney Festival have a policy of hiring mildly retarded support acts. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Act Three
Madeleine Peyroux. Sadly underwhelming. I really like her old fashioned jazz stylings and her cd Careless Love is gorgeous when one is in just a certain mood. I am perfectly willing to admit I was possibly over-tired and generally over-it but I just didn't get swept away by the live performance. Partly I blame old CW (see above) for putting me in a shocking mood. While Maddie's voice was almost as lovely as the recorded version her stage presence is less than awe-inspiring. She truly needs a dose of Trinny and Susannah in the dress sense department (a shame because she is a beautiful woman) and she needs to learn a little bit of stagecraft (she wouldn't have got past the first round of OzIdol).
Nevertheless, despite the whinging, it was a lovely night and memorable if for no other reason than it was an evening spent with just my sister and my dad. A first.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Sometimes life gives you an unexpected little present, a moment so beautiful you understand then and there that it's all worth it.
I had such a moment on Friday night at the State Theatre at the Lou Reed Berlin concert. The concert itself was amazing, a pure gift of timeless songs performed by musicians who love their craft down to the marrow in their bones.
The special moment came at the end, almost when it was all over. It was Antony's performance of Candy Says and it literally brought me to tears. His voice has all the feelings in the world in it, all the pain, the longing, the fear, the loneliness, the hope. When this gangly giant of a man/boy/woman opens his mouth a voice emerges which can only come from another world. It does not fit him and it does not fit the world as I know it. It is the epitome of beauty in its purest form and it breaks my heart into a thousand pieces. Whatever spirituality may be this is it for me.
A brief flicker of a brief moment in my life which I will forever treasure in my heart and thank the universe for allowing me the opportunity to witness it.
I had such a moment on Friday night at the State Theatre at the Lou Reed Berlin concert. The concert itself was amazing, a pure gift of timeless songs performed by musicians who love their craft down to the marrow in their bones.
The special moment came at the end, almost when it was all over. It was Antony's performance of Candy Says and it literally brought me to tears. His voice has all the feelings in the world in it, all the pain, the longing, the fear, the loneliness, the hope. When this gangly giant of a man/boy/woman opens his mouth a voice emerges which can only come from another world. It does not fit him and it does not fit the world as I know it. It is the epitome of beauty in its purest form and it breaks my heart into a thousand pieces. Whatever spirituality may be this is it for me.
A brief flicker of a brief moment in my life which I will forever treasure in my heart and thank the universe for allowing me the opportunity to witness it.
Monday, January 15, 2007
I'm in love with Extras. You know the other series (NOT The Office) Ricky Gervais wrote/starred in. It really is comedy genius. My dear sis JB introduced me to it during lunch breaks at work, leading to much inappropriate laughing in the workplace. Now I own my own copy of Season One and Jason and I are enjoying it from the privacy of our own bedroom (no, it's not that sort of show!).
I'm so hanging out for Season Two. I wonder who the guest stars will be this time around. Kate Winslet was my favourite in Season One.
If you haven't seen it, do a Molly Meldrum and do yourself a favour, it really is that good!
I'm so hanging out for Season Two. I wonder who the guest stars will be this time around. Kate Winslet was my favourite in Season One.
If you haven't seen it, do a Molly Meldrum and do yourself a favour, it really is that good!
Tonight sees the official start of something which has been brewing for some time. The start of what may become the greatest sibling scriptwriting team since the Coen brothers... or possibly the Farrelly brothers...? JB and I are finally getting our shit together and sitting down for a proper writing session to kick off what will undoubtedly be the first step on our road to fame and untold riches.
Well, we're going to sit down with my laptop, after the kids are in bed, and we're going to see if we can work together (without yelling, screaming and/or coming to blows) in an effort to write a script. I think we'll be working on the riches to rags Muriel's Wedding-style story I've had floating around in all that vacant space between my ears.
Stay tuned, invitations to the Oscars' afterparty will be mailed shortly.
Well, we're going to sit down with my laptop, after the kids are in bed, and we're going to see if we can work together (without yelling, screaming and/or coming to blows) in an effort to write a script. I think we'll be working on the riches to rags Muriel's Wedding-style story I've had floating around in all that vacant space between my ears.
Stay tuned, invitations to the Oscars' afterparty will be mailed shortly.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
I've been reading Robbie Williams' biography Feel. It's fantastic, except it's causing me night time anxiety brought on by thoughts I shouldn't be thinking. It's so wrong and broken for a 38 year old married woman to be thinking what I've been thinking. Last night's dream... sheesh...
He's a funny guy. Before playing a show in Germany he said: "Tonight I'm going to sing "She's the Hun" and "We have ways of entertaining you"". Being a fan of the German joke I was easily amused.
It is interesting that he suffers from depression and is generally very anxious about performing. To see him on stage you would he think he was born for it.
His life is also a study of how paparazzi ruin celebrities' lives. I know they makes tonnes of money, blah blah, but surely no-one deserves to be hounded night and day, to have stories made up about them in the press, to have no privacy whatsoever. Can you imagine not being able to walk to the shops, to have dinner out with friends or family, to do any normal thing without a pack of photographers and mad fans stalking your every move? The letters he gets; the mad things fans yell at him; the sense of entitlement over him people have. 80,000 Valentine's Day cards one year when he was with Take That. Insanity!
He's a funny guy. Before playing a show in Germany he said: "Tonight I'm going to sing "She's the Hun" and "We have ways of entertaining you"". Being a fan of the German joke I was easily amused.
It is interesting that he suffers from depression and is generally very anxious about performing. To see him on stage you would he think he was born for it.
His life is also a study of how paparazzi ruin celebrities' lives. I know they makes tonnes of money, blah blah, but surely no-one deserves to be hounded night and day, to have stories made up about them in the press, to have no privacy whatsoever. Can you imagine not being able to walk to the shops, to have dinner out with friends or family, to do any normal thing without a pack of photographers and mad fans stalking your every move? The letters he gets; the mad things fans yell at him; the sense of entitlement over him people have. 80,000 Valentine's Day cards one year when he was with Take That. Insanity!
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Inspired by The Cynical Girl I rated my life. Not too bad overall. I should be, but I'm not, surprised by my low "Spirit" rating. I am a soul-less heathen after all. Why not surprise and/or disappoint yourself - do the quiz and let me know how you went!
| This Is My Life, Rated | |
| Life: |  7.9 |
| Mind: |  7.2 |
| Body: | 7 |
| Spirit: |  6.2 |
| Friends/Family: | 6.3 |
| Love: |  9.1 |
| Finance: | 8.2 |
| Take the Rate My Life Quiz | |
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Back home we've spent the weekend doing a zillion loads of laundry and trying to settle back into post-holiday life. Marianna is not settling into a good bedtime routine, crying for up to an hour when she is put in her cot. This sucks!
Will has returned to the plush toy haven otherwise known as his bed very happily.
First night back:
CUUUUUTTTE!
Will has returned to the plush toy haven otherwise known as his bed very happily.
First night back:
CUUUUUTTTE!
Before I go on a few words about Broome. It's a dump, don't bother. Why would anyone live there?! 4% annual population growth - you must be kidding! The End.
The sign in the garden outside our Broome holiday apartment. Need I say MORE?!
Our trip west over Christmas was generally lovely. Apart from the bloody heat (I have a theme of complaining about weather during travels, maybe I was a Pom in a previous life?). Lots of nice time spent with Jay's family, nice relaxing time. Just sitting around, eating, swimming, catching up, trying to stay cool, trying to stop the overexcited children from going too feral.
Probably best to let the pics tell the story:
Christmas Day at Nanna's.
Boxing Day at Dave and Karen's.
All this fun is hard work.
Cable Beach (looks good doesn't it? but you can't swim because of the bloody box jelly fish!).
The famous Broome sunset.
The sign in the garden outside our Broome holiday apartment. Need I say MORE?!
Our trip west over Christmas was generally lovely. Apart from the bloody heat (I have a theme of complaining about weather during travels, maybe I was a Pom in a previous life?). Lots of nice time spent with Jay's family, nice relaxing time. Just sitting around, eating, swimming, catching up, trying to stay cool, trying to stop the overexcited children from going too feral.
Probably best to let the pics tell the story:
Christmas Day at Nanna's.
Boxing Day at Dave and Karen's.
All this fun is hard work.
Cable Beach (looks good doesn't it? but you can't swim because of the bloody box jelly fish!).
The famous Broome sunset.
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