Visiting Sydney for Pentatonix

If you missed a blog of last week it is because our lovely daughter sent us tickets to see Pentatonix and also to stay in Sofitel at Darling Harbour for 3 nights. What a surprise as they turned up in January unexpectedly.

We were on 27th floor, on a corner.

What was included was access to Club Millésime, which was on the 35th floor. It provided breakfast then all day snacks,coffee, tea, drinks etc. Unbelievable afternoon tea buffet, plus happy hour with a nibble buffet as well, so we took advantage of it most of the time as everything was included.

One of our breakfast buffets.

Day 2 we ordered off the Menu, Eggs Florentine for me.

  The views from our room and the Club were of course amazing. The following are some of the views we could see.

Cockles Wharf

Looking straight down at the light rail, across the road.

Maritime Museum in the middle

The new building being built on left and 2 more towers on right to go in between.

We walked around Darling Harbour pier itself, but my knees were giving me a lot of trouble still and I had to sit every now and then, so we didn't go across the main bridge to to where the Queen Victoria building and all the shops are.

There is a group of shops on the harbour and eateries of all sorts. This is the entrance.

Restaurants out side  of shopping part as well.

Bridge to Main part of Sydney, closed to traffic.

Bridge getting ready for Mardi Gra, which was this weekend.

 One end is all paving and water the other end is more lush with gardens.

Saturday night was our Pentatonix Show, 8500 people attended it. Loved it when they were on but waited forever to see them.

John being clever in the lift on the way, just as the doors opened.

My knees gave in half way, we dodged huge evening crowds just strolling around. 7 min. walk took 20.

Samantha Jade was on first for an hour, followed by interval which felt like another hour. The crowd started to stomp their feet when Pentatonix was 10 mins late, and been waiting a long time.

Stage was very smokey

I found a video of them singing Hallelujah on the night for you to listen to, so good live. Just copy and paste on You Tube site. Everyone got their phone lights out so looking at the audience all these fairy lights moving from side to side.

https://youtu.be/0KyK6Rohr8s

Kevin's  beat box music he made must have been connected to the speakers because his base just hummed through you, amazing talent though he plays the cello and trained to be a doctor. Making more money though beat boxing around the world lol.  Found him playing in Florida same song, move arrow forward to get past Scott talking about how they met.

https://youtu.be/6qofmR4a5Fg

Hope you enjoy them.

Our last night we had dinner at the Kazbah restaurant and ordered a meal for two that came out on a very large board. Amazing Arabian Dinner.

Loved the water jug

 

Next week I will tell you about our Ferry trip to Manly and Chinese Garden, this has been long enough.

Till Next Time.

Christmas Parties

Would you believe Christmas is only 10 days away. Are you all ready? I must say for me it has been certainly different this year. Not sure what is happening on the big day, haven't got any decorations up, and only know our eldest daughter is arriving on the 23rd.

My health has been a major problem and taking it quiet is all I am doing and letting what will be, happen. I have put myself back on Prednisone a steroid that drains your bones of calcium. I couldn't walk without great difficulty and the pain was just too much too handle. Had the bone density scan done, another blood test  and see my local Dr. Thursday. This will decide if the Methotrexate is doing its thing or if I need higher dosage etc. If all this works I will be free of having a cannula put into my hand every 5 weeks to have a 2 hr. infusion at our local hospital. What I have managed to do Saturday though, as the Prednisone had kicked in by then, was go with my sister to see mum and also a local handmade only market, combined with fruit and vegetables in Bellingen.

Plenty of space at the showgrounds.

There were some interesting items of course, and some shop owners told me they had only been doing it a short while. I am looking at it to see whether I will also take on " a market stall" again in the future.
This one is vetted so no commercial type market stalls get in., which I like.  It is held every 3 months, at the Bellingen Showgrounds.

Toilets at the showgrounds

We got there by 8 am so afterwards it was a bit early to go around to the Nursing Home so had coffee at the Old Butter Factory. Haven't been there for such a  long time. It was certainly a much needed day out. Thanks little sister.

We wandered the shops there and found this lovely Spring Lamb. Isn't it gorgeous?

$160.00

Meanwhile early in the week when I was not good, John went off to the Community Garden Pizza Night. I made up the flour and we worked out all the ingredients and they had a lovely Christmas break up party.

 

John with the new Fantastic Pizza Oven the Roccbox.

There were a few problems but all were learning how to make pizzas for future events to sell. These are about 11 inches big.

I also opted out of Carols by Candlelight, and our Choir master asked for John, as they were a bit short of singers. 18 turned up in the end, and John informs me the noise was huge, and the stage very, very hot.
This is a photo of the stage set up. Everyone brings along chairs and food and sit around it. Just a large grassed flat park, and groups of singers entertain everyone till 9 pm.

2019 is nearly at its end, and tomorrow the 16th Dec. is our wedding anniversary, and we will have been 47 years married.


Stay safe everyone,  Till Next Time.

Christine Anu and Sawtello Gospel Choir

I can only presume the great tiredness I feel today is due to the adrenaline felt singing at the Jetty Theatre as Christine Anu's supporting act. We were well received by both audiences. 2pm and 8pm but as we went in at 12pm. to do sound checks, and a warm up then a wait of an hour in the green room, the excitement and nervousness with the group was very real. Really it was no different singing to the Coramba Fire Brigade audience but the fact we were supporting a very well know international artist was different.

 The 16 ladies that actually backed up her two songs I am Woman and My Island home must have had nerves of steel. We didn't stay for the actual concert and they were on last, so didn't get to hear them but they were well pleased after the afternoon show.

This is our stage,  and photo from her facebook page.

We then had a 4 1/2 hrs. at home, but I didn't do much except water the garden as it has been so windy this week the soil is drying out rapidly.

Back in we went by 7.30 to the green room, before we lined up on stage, and did it all again. 40 of us in all. I don't know what the audience thought when the curtains opened as no advertising had been done at all so we were a bit of a surprise.
 

Waiting outside to go to the green room.

  We sing in other languages so songs are from New Zealand, Tonga, Samoa as well as English ones.  All in 4 part harmony. John is with the men in the base section and I am in with Altos.

Taken at the Methodist Church  3 weeks ago, after we moved from the too small CWA Rooms. We are rapidly growing.

Prior to all this, Einstein was put into the Vet Hospital for two days also this week as he had a Paralysis tick that had been on him 3 days but the effect only came through by Wednesday night although I had noticed he was not well and checked him for ticks but found nothing, it was in his middle groin. The worry of all that I suppose added to this tiredness as well.

The wind has been horrible, and combined with all the smoke from the fires I can't say this has been a great week, other than the buzz of the concert.
 The potato pots and garden have been blown around so much they look half dead.

Last week they were lush and looking great

I would have thought these were protected

I did pull up more garlic from the back, only small as the soil is not as good as the front.

Also this week tried out my new Kmart Family pie maker. This saves having to put the oven on when I just want a quick quiche or pie for the two of us, takes no time at all to cook either and very pleased with it.

Shortcrust bottom and Puff on Top

Bacon, mushrooms, onion, cheese pie. Very filling also

I hope your week went well and the wind wasn't a nuisance as it has been here.

Till Next Time.