My Blog

Positively Perfect!

04/29/2012 12:27:00

Despite the horrid rain last night and the appalling parking at Burswood - Management really need to address that issue, along with customers having to walk through a pack of smokers to get into the building - nothing could dampen our enjoyment of this show.

Reviews were right - it doesn't follow the same story storyline as the movie but is still as engrossing.

Over all a great show - the highlights were definately the 'Supercalfra......' you know which one I mean lol! and the simplicity of 'Feed the Birds' number was a great contrast to the high action numbers. 'Step in Time' was also another one of my favourites ! A big congratulations to the two kids who play Michael and Jane and to the actress who plays Cook - so much humour that I found myself laughing right throughout the play.

And the ending....well let's say they saved the best bit till last.

April in Paris

04/28/2012 17:50:00

I recently had the pleasure of attending a wonderful event organised by the equally lovely Belinda Cipriano. With personal experience within her family, Belinda wanted to organise an event which raised funds for the WA Breast Cancer charity started by Roz Worthington. With a theme of April in Paris, it was my pleasure to make the trip into the city for the evening to enjoy the fruits of her labour.

I really enjoyed the speech by Roz about the importance of grass roots and paying it forward - to coin an Oprahism! Ebbeny did a great job of hosting the event and the entertainment was very chic with the lovely Nikki who I contracted for the Mundaring Truffle Festival last year (yes she will be back in 2012!)

A huge thanks to everyone who attended and helped her organise the night - and a little bird happens to know that it will be back next year (especially the candy buffet - yum!)...huge congratulations to all involved for a wonderful night. It was our pleasure to support you and the cause.

Hot in the City? Try a bit chilly!

06/12/2011 20:11:00

Last night I spent some time in the wonderful Perth City center. I must admit it has been quite some time since I made the journey from the Valley to the City for a night out! So we booked the car, courtesy of Goldenwest Limos, and headed to Kings Park for a brief stop. The view of the City at night from the Park has to be one of my favorite in the whole world. It holds a very special memory for both hubby and I and was a must to include on our night out.

We then headed to The George on St George’s Terrace. I’d heard so many great reports about this place and the outside certainly lived up to expectations. I loved the quirky entrance and the décor inside was certainly amazing. Dark woods, great lighting, and some amazing signature pieces. After ordering a round of drinks we were seated in the restaurant section, at the rear of the venue. I was a little surprised at how small this section was and by the fact that it was quiet for 8:30pm on a Saturday. We were seated at a table but later moved to a booth when it was obvious that none was going to be seated there. The service that night, was I have to say was not great. We seemed to be waiting some time for pepper or drinks that we ordered. However, the food was lovely. Having a vegetarian amongst the party it was really interesting to see how the dish description matched the dish that arrived. The chicken and the steak were both great although I have to say we found it a little mismatched in the fact that many dishes were of restaurant quality but then the odd item like a steak sandwich would suddenly appear.

Overall I’d give it a 7/10. I think it is slightly confused in what it wants to be. A member of our party commented that it seemed to be trying to cater for too many different segments of the market and I think this sums it up. If you are looking for a great lunch or drinks after work then perhaps the George is for you.

After a lovely but chilly walk through Northbridge and commenting on the various fashions on display, we finally arrived at the Ellington Jazz Club. Packed with people enjoying a show by Libby Hamer, the vibe of the club was amazing. We headed upstairs for a drink and enjoyed the whole experience from start to finish and will most certainly be returning on many future occasions. What struck me the most was the eclectic mix of people who were there and simply enjoying a drink, being with friends and great music. I would certainly recommend this venue – congratulations to Graham and his team for a great night.

Taste Budds!

06/06/2011 17:13:00

Every now and again I get chance to actually kick back and enjoy an event as a guest. The month of May was an exceptionally busy one for this and certainly one of the highlights was getting up and coming Chef Sophie Budd cook a five course Italian degustation menu. A former student of Jamie Oliver and Rick Stein, I had come to know about Sophie a few years back when she was looking at building her profile here in Perth. When a friend of mine was looking for a chef to cook dinner then I recommended Sophie.

The evening was amazing with full bodied wine, robust and hearty laughter and of course the starring role went to the food. From the chestnut pasta to the pork belly (my fav!) to the AMAZING dessert (which yes Hubby pinched a slice when I wasn't looking!), Sophie and her team did a great job especially as they even did the washing up! Big congrats to Sophie, Sophie and Jo for an amazing job that night and if you fancy learning from Sophie yourself then please support her in her new venture Taste Budds cooking studio and a big thanks to my friends who gave me a memorable night in Tuscany without the flight !

Billy The Man!

03/31/2011 10:37:00

When you work in the events and PR industry, it is extremely difficult to attend an event or show without checking out the production from a professional level. Simple enjoyment of a show without looking for all these things is extremely rare. However, for many years I have long been a fan of Billy Connolly. His observant comedy about everyday situations and his ability to cut through the fluff and get straight to the point does sometimes make you wonder what the world would be like if he was in charge.

As is the case working with celebrities what you see in public is often very different to what you get in real life, although not always. So for this very reason I vowed not to work with him, as I did not want my illusion shattered. He was mentioned on numerous occasions for Inquisitive Minds and yes I could see how that would work brilliantly - but I simply could not bring myself to cross over the line.

So he went on my Bucket List - a list of things I want to experience before I die and seeing him live was one. So when I heard he was heading to Perth I was thrilled and immediately decided that Hubby and I would make the most of the evening and get a baby sitter, enjoy a drink and then take a detour home via RPH to get our sides stitched up. However, the reality was very different and I have to say slightly disappointing.

After reading a review in The West for the show the previous evening, I had held high hopes. We had looked forward to the night for over 6 months and I have to say it was not cheap. We arrived at Burswood and enjoyed a drink and then had a view of the Merchandise stall. The programme was charged at $20 a piece and not worth the money at all. Most pages were single illustrations of Billy with quotes on. Not what I expected to see for $20 and to be honest as a customer, I felt a little cheated of my $20 !!

As for the show, well we had good seats and the show was value at just over 2 1/2 hours long with no interval but I found Billy to be tired. He seemed to be suffering tour fatigue...whilst at times he had the flashes of the comic genius I loved, on the whole I did find him more like a moaning old man. Come 10pm both Hubby and I were, I'm afraid, bored and left the show feeling a little disappointed although overall we did enjoy his witty observations on numerous topics such as Tony Blair and Canberra.

Also at times he had to refer to his notes, which I have never seen him do before. Also I felt the audience didn't really 'gel' that night and friends of ours went to the same show a few nights later and said the atmosphere was great so who knows...

A few days later I did have the pleasure of meeting with his agent and we did discuss the Perth show, the contents of which shall remain between us, but I do hope Billy returns to Oz for another tour, as he is without doubt still a comic genius just perhaps a little tired after three months on the road.

Book Review

01/07/2011 11:11:00

I had the pleasure this week of writing for a local WA publication entitled Flourish. They asked for book reviews and I selected one of my all time favourites. A Handmaid's Tale by Canadian author Margaret Atwood is one of my all time favourites. I first read it years ago and it is without doubt one of the most read books on my shelf. Click here to read my thoughts....

Copyright issues

11/11/2010 09:59:00

AUSTRALIA'S legion of ABBA tribute bands have been hit with a global campaign by the Swedish supergroup's record label to change their names.

FABBA and Abbalanche confirmed yesterday they faced their own legal Waterloo after receiving an email from ABBA's label representatives demanding they cease using any derivation of the famed pop band's moniker.

Polar Music International, a division of Universal Music, have alerted groups who strut the world's stages singing such classics as Dancing Queen, Fernando and Ring, Ring, Ring that they are "actively seeking to create clarity in the names of all ABBA tribute bands around the world."

FABBA's Frida, Anthea Johnson, said the band had operated for 15 years and registered their name as a trademark a decade ago.

Johnson, who said their show was more cabaret, said they would stop using the reversed B but, as she had made it up, they were not prepared to change the name.

"For a long time we were an Australian-based act but in the past year we have taken off strongly overseas, doing American cruise liner tours and Asian concerts and I think that's how we got on their radar," she said. The band was mobbed by fans holding FABBA signs when they played Vietnam recently. Johnson said the legal stoush could set a precedent for the most popular covers acts in Australia, including the Australian U2 Show, the Pink Show or the Kylie Show.

The legal letter claims the label had complaints from fans who were misled about the connection between the "real ABBA" and tribute bands who use the title. But Abbalanche manager Ivan Burrows said they had never had anyone at their concerts who thought they were the real thing: "They're paying $8.50 to get in. They know it's not the real band."

Bjorn Again, the most successful Australian tribute act, which has generated multiple touring troupes worldwide, is not in breach of the name copyright.

Most tribute bands insist they help generate income for Universal and ABBA with their shows by introducing the music to a new generation with matinee shows.

A spokesman for Abba's Back, who started playing the tribute circuit three years ago, said they were seeking legal advice.

Greek Festival Cancelled in SA

09/26/2010 18:22:00

SOUTH AUSTRALIA'S favourite Greek festival has been cancelled for the first time in 32 years.

Organisers of the Glendi Greek Festival said they were forced to call off this year's event because of a lack of corporate sponsorship and interest in running its food stalls, while a new generation of younger Greeks was also needed to take over the festival.

Glendi Festival board chairman John Chefalachis said he was aware the cancellation would disappoint many - Glendi usually attracted up to 40,000 people to the two-day event.

"It was very disappointing for me. Personally I've been with Glendi for the past 15 years and I'm very, very saddened by it," he said.

"A lot of the other board members and committee are also very upset."

Mr Chefalachis and fellow board member Tom Ladas also said they had grave concerns for the festival's future.

"I think Glendi has become one of those events that is expected by not just the Greek population of Adelaide but Adelaide and SA as a whole," Mr Ladas said.

"Whilst we are more than happy to continue to ensure that the event goes on for that specific purpose (of celebrating Greek culture) we still have to get that level of corporate sponsorship from other businesses that are prepared to come in and make it an event."

Passionate committee member Sophia Nicolaou, 23, said she was personally devastated.

"I was the one completely opposed to cancelling it this year because the Glendi is just such an important event for the Greek community," she said.

"Last year we had to actually beg people to come and cook at the festival.

"But corporate sponsorship is also a massive issue; there was absolutely none this year."

Several past major sponsors contacted by the Sunday Mail said they would have considered an approach to sponsor the 2010 event.

Bartercard, which had sponsored Glendi twice, said it had been ready to sponsor the 2010 event but was surprised when it was cancelled.

"We were going to go ahead and had met with them about it but it got cancelled," a company spokeswoman said.

A spokesperson from another former major sponsor of Glendi, who did not want to be identified, told the Sunday Mail they had considered sponsoring this year's event, but had not been approached by the organising committee.

Mr Ladas said several companies declined to sponsor Glendi because of their own financial issues "rather than the event itself".

Ms Nicolaou said another problem for Glendi was the age of many of those who had kept the festival going, because it became harder for volunteers to set up and cook as they got older.

"There are women who are in their late 60s and 70s who used to make lots of things to sell at the festival, but all of them are way too old now. We need more active members," she said.

Among the groups disappointed by the cancellation was the Olympic Dance Group, whose 60 young dancers had been rehearsing for 12 months.

"A couple of the little ones started to cry because they were ready to perform and were so excited about it," group co-ordinator Hellas Lucas said.

"They all look forward to performing at the Glendi."

Theatre Show in UK

09/25/2010 18:05:00

UK theatre helped boost economy by £2.8 billion

Shows such as Billy Elliot have helped draw in the crowds

Tourists who visited the theatre last year helped boost the UK's economy by £2.8 billion, Visit Britain has said.

The national tourism agency said that 10% of the 30 million overseas tourists who came to the UK in 2009, went to see a stage show.

Visit Britain's Sandie Dawe said: "'This report shows that British theatre is making a massive contribution to Britain's economy."

London was the most popular area, with 2.2 million people watching a show.

A total of £1.9 billion was spent in the capital on trips involving the theatre, hotels, restaurants and other activities.

The report also revealed that, although going to the theatre was not the main reason tourists visited the UK, if they did see a show, they were far more likely to recommend the country as a holiday destination.

Musicals drew in the biggest crowd last year, with 64% of overseas visitors seeing shows like Chicago and Billy Elliot.

Plays attracted 25% of visitors, whilst 3% chose the ballet and 1% attended the opera.

Powderfinger hits Perth with great show!

09/23/2010 14:59:00

THE first of three massive Perth crowds said their goodbyes to Powderfinger last night in the Supreme Court Gardens.

The band rewarded any devoted fans, some of whom might have been present at their first ever WA gig at the Planet Nightclub, with a selection of greatest hits.

From the flag-waving anthemia of These Days to the slightly schmalzy sentimentalism of My Happiness, not since Crowded House has a band been better suited to an emotionally charged farewell show.