A spoonful of sugar (or: a strong hit of nostalgia)

There are some movies that stick out from my childhood. My mother had taped all the old musicals for me, and i watched them over and over and over again until i knew all the words to all the songs - i firmly believe my own love of music and singing grew from this period in my life. I'm pretty sure we've got video of me somewhere, as a toddler, singing The Sun'll Come out Tomorrow from Annie pitch perfectly (if i do say so myself.)


Apart from Annie, i loved the Sound of Music, The King and I, The Wizard of Oz, Oliver, My Fair Lady - and of course, Mary Poppins. I hadn't watched the movie for a long time, but recently Maria's been playing it for Jack and we watched it together one evening a few weeks ago. I realised how timeless these movies were - Jack was getting the same enjoyment out of it that i had gotten 25 years ago, and that other children probably got out of it 25 years before that. In fact, he reminded me of myself - singing all the words to all the songs and dancing along with Mary and Bert. I still remembered every scene and all those famous numbers - A Spoonful of Sugar, Jolly Holiday, Chim-Chim-a-Nee, Lets go Fly a Kite and of course Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.


Lo and behold, Mary Poppins the musical came to Sydney not long after that and I knew i had to go. There was no way Jo was going to come along, so i called Mum and asked her if she wanted to go - to which she (ungratefully, if you ask me) replied 'no'.



I must admit, i was taken aback. I thought she'd be a sure bet - she loves going out for gods sake! She sees trash at the movies all the time! Mary Poppins was a classic! What the!??


"It just seems like a bit of a kids show you see," she said, by way of explanation. "I really have no interest."


Well. Damned if i was going to be deterred. I kept at her until she finally relented, and i happily purchased tickets. Which was a bloody good thing because IT. WAS. FANTASTIC.



Honestly, it's not just the nostalgia (though that's certainly part of it.) It was the innocence of the whole thing - that old fashioned, magical feeling that has less to do with special-effects and more to do with good music and storytelling. I don't mind telling you that my eyes welled up during the last number. It sounds silly, but they did a great job of translating that sense of magic to the stage - it was a beautiful production. It's showing for the next several months, and i highly recommend you bag yourselves some tickets while its in Sydney - you won't regret it.



Despite attending under duress, my mum had a great time. Which just goes to show that there's a kid inside every one of us, just waiting for a moment to come out and play. I'll accept your apologies at any time, mother.

The lovely Capital Theatre, where Mary Poppins is currently playing - do go and see it if you get a chance. RELEASE YOUR INNER-CHILD!
 

Mum, eating her words


 

Me and Mary.

Goodbye, little shadow

After nearly 18 years with our family, we have lost our boy.

I still remember the day we brought Comet home. He was so tired he slept on my lap for hours, and i didn't dare move in case i disturbed him. It was the first, i must say, of MANY nights of pampering.


Oh yes. Comet ruled the roost at our house.

"He can't sleep in the house," my father said that first day. He comes from that generation of Italians who have very clear definitions of human rights and animal rights - and animals, when not being eaten, should be kept outside and out of the way at all times.

But Comet had a way of getting what he wanted. I assure you, he was sleeping in the living room within weeks.

No matter. Dad attempted to regain authority. "He can't sleep in the bedrooms. That's final." Which didn't, of course, stop Comet sneaking up the hallway late at night. His little footsteps would give him away, and one of us would sneak out of bed to bring him into our room under the cover of darkness.


Still Dad persevered. "The bedroom is one thing, but HE CAN'T SLEEP IN THE BED WITH YOU. Beds are for people!! It's filthy!! I don't want to see it!!" All the same, he was up on my bed every night -  keeping me up with his shifting and sniffing and digging into the sheets as though they were mounds of dirt. I vowed not to let him under the covers with me, but he wasn't having any of that. A few minutes after I'd turn the lights out he'd inevitably come up to my head and burrow his way under, right down to my feet sometimes.



Realising his rule had been totally usurped didn't stop Dad from trying, in those early years, to instill some boundaries - man vs dog. These included, but were not limited to:

• No eating in the house (good try)
• No travelling in the car (he ended up with his own bedding in the back seat)
• No feeding him biscuits (he usually enjoyed them dipped in coffee in the mornings)
• No feeding him any human food (he developed a particular fondness for chicken schnitzel and pasta with red sauce)
• No buying expensive dog food (a hunger strike in the late 90s soon took care of that - by the end of it he was refusing to eat anything that wasn't My Dog, the most expensive individual dog meals on the market.)
• No smelly dog beds (he had a variety over the years - sometimes two or three at once)

Over time every single one was thrown out the window.


But even I never thought I'd see the day that a dog would be allowed to sleep - wait for it - in the old man's bed. In a spectacular grand finale/royal flush/final showdown, Dad's last remaining rule was crumbled into oblivion. It was an epic battle, but in the end Comet's domination was simply too much.

Yes, he became the most pampered (read: spoilt) house dog that ever was - i do believe we smothered him in love. And he loved us in return. He never left our side, wherever we were, and we called him our little shadow because ultimately, he never wanted to be away from us. He couldn't settle down to sleep unless one of us was sitting in the same room with him. He didn't want to eat unless we were eating too. If we had to go out, he was perfectly happy to get in the car with us - every morning from the time i was 12 to the time i was 18 he sat in the back seat while my mum dropped my brother and I off at school or at the bus stop. At Christmas we wrapped presents (dog food and schmackos) for him, so he could open them with us.



He had quite the personality. His whole life he hated baths. It was a battle to clean him. He hated seeing the suitcases come out because he knew it meant we were going on holiday without him. He was lazy - certainly not one of those dogs who would chase a ball, let alone bring one back for you. He did love leisurely walks around the block though (leisurely because we had to stop at every tree and telegraph pole so he could squirt something out - by the end of the walk he had nothing left to give but he insisted on lifting his leg anyway, a symbolic gesture of his authority). And he loved being held like a baby in our arms. He had his favourite places to sit - by the screen door at the front of the house, and in the window of my parents room, where it was most sunny and warm. If he WASN'T in the car with us, both those spots were excellent for keeping watch for when we came home - as soon as he spotted us coming down the driveway, he'd race down the hall to back door, tail wagging, waiting for us to come in a scoop him up and coo over how we'd missed him. Later in life he rather enjoyed sleeping on whatever pile of towels or dirty clothes had been left on the floor of the bathroom. If we knew we'd be gone for several hours, we'd leave the radio or the TV on for him so there were always sounds to keep him company - we hated to think of him lonely and waiting in the dark for us to come home. At night, he'd sit with my mother on her reclining chair until she went to bed, or would follow me as i pottered around and around the house listening to music. When my parents inherited two big dogs (who ARE kept outside), he regularly made his disdain for them clear by walking down to where they sat and calmly peeing in their faces.


I'm sure he thought he was human.


I know this doesn't mean very much to anyone else. But it meant the world to us. He was our family, our baby, our spoilt little brat, and we'll never forget him, or how loyal he was to each and every one of us. My mother says she can still hear him walking around the house - so used to that sound as she is.



If you had asked me, that night, all those years ago, that the dog in my lap would still be around when i got married, i would have laughed. And yet it happened! And even though he was old, and we knew his time was coming, still it's no easy thing to say goodbye after nearly two decades of loving him so much. We'll none of us forget him. RIP.

T is for Tea

I'm into those daily deal things at the moment, especially when you get a good one for eating out somewhere - something i looooove doing. So when i cam across one recently for high tea for two at a bargain price, i snapped it up.

Mum and I went along try it out. I have my usual high tea favourite spots in Sydney, but this one was at the cafe at the Museum of Sydney, and i have to say i was pleasantly surprised. Mismatched crockery is always a hit with me - tick, they had that. And high tea definitely has to be petite, but filling - tick again. Oh, and the tea selection should be good - extensive, plenty of black teas and plenty of herbal concoctions. Tick again. The decor wasn't fab, but hey, can't be fussy for 30 bucks.

Here's mum, having a grand time...

...and here's what she came up with when i trusted her to take a picture of me...(thanks for making sure that silver bar cut me right in half, Ma.)

There was plenty of food - we were both stuffed by the end of it. High tea always surprises me like that. I never think there's going to be enough, everything always looks so small - but I'm always so full by the end of it. PS, note the sugar cubes - tick. Very civilised.

And the candy floss on top of the creme brulee? A triumph.

After our tea, we wondered around town for a while before heading up to do some shopping (great sales at Myer by the way). Even though i work in the city every day, i stick to the same places all the time - you can easily forget how many pretty buildings and sights there are (even when its drab and overcast).

It was a nice day out, my only day out the whole long weekend actually because it bucketed down on my way home that afternoon and didn't let up again. I'm glad i got out of the house at least once.

An unexpected visitor in my bed

Not THAT type of visitor, get yer minds out of the gutter.


So. A long weekend just gone and I'll be honest, it was pretty crap. The weather, for a start, did not cooperate. It was rainy and windy and disgusting, and frankly i didn't want to leave the house. Jo was away in New Zealand for his birthday - by the way, Happy Birthday Jo! - and things weren't much better over there. Apart from the blistering cold, he had earthquakes and volcanic ash to deal with, so i suppose in comparison, my weekend was a piece of cake.


Still, there was some drama. Imagine my surprise when i heard a banging on the door at 4 in the morning. I thought i was dreaming actually, but the banging was incessant and i realised no, it was for reals. I went to the door and the long and the short of it was that someone needed to watch Jack for the rest of the night. And that someone was me.


"Err, should i come to your place...?" I asked, bleary-eyed and still somewhat confused.

"Oh no, don't worry. He's asleep. Just stick him in your bed."

"Err....OK...."


Before i had time to blink he was unceremoniously dumped in Jo's usual place, and I was lying awake in the dark coming to terms with the fact that i wouldn't be going back to sleep any time soon, no matter how desperately i wanted to.


And it wasn't because i was worried about squashing him, by the way. No no, i would have happily fallen back asleep if it wasn't for his CONSTANT MOVEMENT. Arms everywhere, legs kicking me, tossing and turning, and the coughing, MY GOD THE COUGHING. How he didn't wake himself up, I'll never know. Don't be fooled by this sweet face:

...because I'm telling you, the kid did NOT stop moving. Next thing i knew it was 7am and he was awake. He looked up and quickly realised he wasn't in Kansas anymore. Then he saw me - and started giggling.


"Am i really here?" was his first question, followed up with "Where's Jo sleeping?"


I confirmed he was, indeed, in my bed, and that we were having a sleep-over. Jo, thankfully, was back home with his mummy and daddy. Three in a bed just doesn't do it for me.


"Did my Mummy say I was allowed to be here?" he asked (concerned for himself, not for me by the way.)


"Oh yes, she said it was OK."


"Are you sure? Did she say it?" I had to laugh. What did he think, that i snuck over and plucked him from his bed to come spend the night?


"Of course I'm sure. Its totally fine."


He wanted to watch cartoons after that, "Together, you can be under the blankets with me," (oh, the generosity). I haven't watched kids cartoons in the morning for ages - obviously my preference is not to be awake before noon on the weekend - but let me tell you, they pump those ads towards the kiddies alright. Every single toy imaginable was advertised, and i endured countless rounds of "Can you buy me that? Can you buy me that?" And sometimes specifics like "I want the blue one not the red one."


I agreed to it all of course, with no intention of following through.

Apart from that excitement, and in between worrying about Jo not getting home from NZ due to Chilean volcanic ash (WHAT?) or being crushed in yet another Christchurch earthquake, I mainly stuck to the house. Maria and I decided we would make Jo a birthday cake (because if we made a cake, he surely had to make it home to eat it right?).


I wanted to lick the spoon, but Jack got to it first, little sneak.

It was a good thing we made the damn thing though, because he DID make it home in the end - thanks to Virgin, who still decided to fly, hurrah! I'm thrilled he didn't book his flights with Jetstar, or else he'd still be there. I must say, i feel awfully sorry for everyone still stuck waiting at the airport - especially if they have husbands or children they want to get home to, poor things.


In other news, i have a cold and I'm sick of the rain. Come back sunshine!! I miss you!!

Hello world, here's a song that we're singing...come on get happy....

Ohhh and how happy we were. A regular little Partridge family of singers. That's right folks - the unstoppable force that is Karaoke has struck again.


I blame our friend Ash. If it wasn't his birthday (how dare he have the audacity to be born), we would never have been out in the first place.


Since he was turning the grand young age of 30, we knew it had to be a good one - so after a few beers at our local after work, we headed to El Loco in Surry Hills for some Authentico Mexicano. We were relieved to see that margaritas and tequila shots were also on the menu, and this, combined with $5 tacos and the best damn fish sandwich on the Eastern seaboard, kept us in high spirits for some time. (Seriously, try this place out some time. Great food, great vibe!)


The only one who was a big fat downer was Turnsie, which is no surprise. Apparently the place was too "crowded" for him, and he wanted to "go home." SHAME ON YOU TURNSIE! BOO!! I want everyone to note, as we work out way through this little adventure, Turnsie's face in the photos. He looks completely plastered in every. single. one.


I mean. At least Lauren and I make a slow progression into indecency. Turnsie skips all that and hits 'embarrassing' within his first few drinks. Happily, the camera was ready to capture it all (BWAHAHAHAHAHA Turns!)

But things start off OK. We start with gentle drinks - designer beer, red wine, very civilised. Everyone's looking pretty good. Jo's still got his tie on. Not a silly face to be seen.

But this facade never lasts. After all, the night naturally progresses. Shots are had. Margaritas seem like a great idea. Look closely at the next two photos: there's only ONE person in both of them who can't keep his eyes open. (clue: his name starts with T and ends with Urnsie.)

And then...well. The next image speaks for itself. What can really be said except oh dear. Of course, Lauren and I are still looking fresh-faced, happy, ready to embrace the night. Turnsie, on the other hand, looks like he's about to vomit.

Things quickly go downhill after that. The boys decide they want to go to the retro, biggest dive in Sydney and therefore one of our favourite places. But the girls aren't in the mood - Lauren says she knows a Karaoke place nearby and I jump for joy. My voice is at its premium after a few drinks, so i was raring to go. And Lauren, sheesh. You practically have to ply the microphone from her hands just to get a turn. I'm surprised she doesn't carry one in her handbag. Turnsie wanted to come with us, but Jo wasn't having any of that...

Except Lauren wouldn't leave without a quick snap with the DJ. (or was that my idea? i really couldn't tell you.) It takes me three tries to get this picture, which i guess was a sign of things to come....

And then we were off! Off to Ding Dong Dang Karaoke Bar, and yes, that is its real name. We were lucky too, because there was only one booth left and it had our name all over it. Unfortunately, the place only sells Tooheys New in a can, but that's OK. By that point, we'd drink anything anyway. By the looks of it, i was very proud of my can(s) (haha).

Then things get blurry. I know that Lauren took charge of the music, and all our old favourites made the cut (Sweet Child of Mine, anyone?). I took great pleasure in hogging the mike, and as you can see, became the embodiment of a true star. I mean look at me. I could be Beyonce.

We had only paid for an hour, but it flew by was to quickly and we knew it wasn't enough. Even Kat, who we dragged kicking and screaming to the joint, insisted we go again. Our voices had warmed up and we were really showing up all the other groups. They had nothing on us.



So we pay for another hour and we're in the middle of setting up an Oasis medley when out of nowhere, WHO should appear???

Turnsie! Like a homing pigeon, he'd found his way back to us. Apparently he'd been "escorted" from the last place he was at with the boys, but the night wasn't over for him yet. It doesn't matter how drunk you are, Karaoke welcomes everyone into its warm embrace.

I was glad Turnsie was there, because he really gets into it. He's got moves I've never seen. Check this out! Not sure what it's called but this move is totally bitchin'!

I don't think we could have taken ANOTHER hour even if we wanted to, but we got our fix and that was the main thing. Who knows when the itch will take hold again, but until then - keep livin' on a prayer people. You know what I'm talking about.

Mish mash

Been reading...

The Civilised World, by Susi Wyss: This was a short, very moving read. It tells the story if several women - black and white - living in Africa, who's lives intersect over the course of time and the novel. At the heart of the story is Adjoa, who dreams of opening a beauty parlour and who must also come to terms with a terrible loss. I loved Adjoa because she was so real in her uncertainty - actually, all the characters were written with such realism, which is why i think such a small book ended up having so much impact. Plus, Wyss writes so beautifully, with such gentleness, that it takes no effort at all to read it in just a few sittings. Whether she's writing about the African landscape or the emotional inner turmoil of the women, she is pitch-perfect every time. Definitely recommended.



The Likeness, by Tana French: There's no doubt French is a talented writer. The Likeness is part mystery, part thriller, but its the atmosphere she creates that keeps you reading. Her characters are so well-rounded and have such depth, and her writing has a literary feel that's not typical of most mysteries, so i really enjoyed this one. The premise of the novel is simple, although you may have to suspend your disbelief temporarily - Cassie, a young detective, is called to a murder scene where she discovers she is the splitting image of the victim. I won't spoil the rest, but i do recommend it if you like mysteries with a psychological twist.


Been eating...


Orto Trading Co, Surry Hills: This place is CUTE! It's not on a main street, so we had to do a bit of looking to find it, but it seemed to be a really popular neighbourhood choice - we got there at 6pm and it was packed by 7. I could see why - it was cosy, the service was excellent and the food was really yummy. I loved the glass bottles hanging over the bar with flowers in them, and the white furniture and the candles, and i loved the free truffled popcorn we got at the start....

I had their signature pumpkin pockets to start, and then we shared a beef and Guinness stew with Yorkshire pudding and chilli-spiced potatoes - which was bloody delicious. The meat just melted in your mouth, and the potatoes was so yummy - it was the perfect wintery meal. Check it out if you have a chance.

Bruschetteria 102, Surry Hills: This is probably my new favourite place for lunch - I've already been three times and i don't see myself stopping. The first time, i dragged my old friend Turnsie along, and i was pleased that he enjoyed it as well. As you can probably tell by the name, 90% of their menu is made up of different types of bruschetta, and it. is. delicious. There's at least 12 different types, but my favourite has to be the Ragu, which is basically beef ragu with parmesan cheese on top of crusty bread, and the Alpina, which has cheese, pear and walnuts - divine. Although you probably have to be like me and like sweet and savoury flavours together to enjoy that one.



The place is really sweet-looking too, with mismatched furniture and crockery - and everything is for sale, which means the decor is constantly changing as someone buys a piece. One more thing it has going for it - NUTELLA COFFEE!!!! People, it's revolutionary. Just a spoonful of nutella in your coffee, and the flavour completely changes - it has this subtle, hazlenutty taste and its SO GOOD. That alone is worth the visit. Luckily, its only about 10 minutes from work - which could be a good or bad thing, depending on how fat i want to get after all that bread....

Been watching...


The Hangover II: OK, so it wasn't as good as the first one, but it was still pretty darn funny. My favourite character has always been Stu, and he was a ridiculous as ever in part two. This time it's him getting married, in Thailand. Aside from the location, the plot is basically exactly the same as the first - they get completely wasted, lose a member of their party and spend the rest of the movie re-tracing their steps to try and find him before the wedding takes place. Actually with some of the jokes they almost take the gross-factor up a notch. If you liked the first, I'm pretty sure you'll like the second - just don't go in with expectations that it'll be as good as the original.




YouTube: Seriously, there's some weird crap out there. And its addictive. A girlfriend and I spent three hours on Saturday night trawling through the best of the best, one bottle of wine at a time. Our favourites? In no particular order:

• Watching a bot fly-turn-maggot being extracted from human flesh
• Maru the box-loving kitty
• Dramatic Stare (chipmunk edition - just watch it)
• American Idols worst auditions

And there you have it! That's what i've been up to. Basically.