A touch of Asia in South Bank

I paid a quick trip down to South Bank this afternoon. I heard that it had been decorated in a beautiful array of red lanterns in light of the upcoming birthday of the Buddha in early May. I simply had to go and check it out for myself!

These red lanterns filled the iconic South Bank arched walkway and lined the footpath along the Brisbane River.  Even as I walked along the Victoria Bridge I could spot the vibrant, fireworks of colour illuminating South Bank.

Probably the main reason I loved seeing the lanterns was that it reminded me of Chinatown in Singapore; a place I miss ever so dearly. It brought back so many lovely memories that I had to send a video to my Singaporean friends.  The lanterns were that hint of Singapore and Asia that I have been longing for ever since I moved back to Australia.

I would love to see these lanterns either at sunset or at night; it would look a whole new and wonderful way. I definitley reccommend seeing South Bank right now as it looks especially lovley. 

I have been really loving living in Brisbane so far and being able to see these sights just walking distance from my University has made me take advantage of every tempting thing I can!

A magical night: Wicked

I am experiencing an immense amount of excitement as I prepare to write this post! The totally magical assortment of emotions are flooding back to me in full force.

Last Wednesday night I went to the Lyric Theatre here in Brisbane to watch the one and only, Wicked.

Wow, wow, wow. I was and still am completely and utterly speechless as I try to string together the right words to describe this play in order to do it the justice that it absolutely deserves.

The musical, Wicked, unravels the untold story of the Witches of Oz. It is centered on the two witches, Glinda the Good and Elphaba; the Wicked Witch of the West.  It tells the story of the unlikely friendship and profound bond between these two witches. It reveals how Elphaba became the Wicked Witch of the West through a tale encompassing love, friendship and deception, ultimately highlighting how there really are two sides to every story.

The funny thing about me seeing Wicked was how oblivious I have been to the brilliance of this stage show. Growing up The Wizard of Oz film gave me nightmares. I was petrified of the Scarecrow, Lion, flying monkeys and Tin man for some unknown reason. Due to this I never really paid any attention to Wicked, no matter how many people told me it was the best stage show on the planet.

I am a huge lover of stage shows so when my family told me we were going to Wicked, there was no way in the world I could turn it down, even if I did have a unfortunate run with The Wizard of Oz. I was determined to love Wicked and it honestly wasn’t difficult to do so.  A few weeks before the show I listened to the soundtrack and I was immediately hooked and addicted. I was struggling to contain my excitement on the night of the show; I thought that I might have melted! (Shameless reference)

This musical is absolutely phenomenal; from the costumes, to the set design to the glorious music, everything about it was perfection.  I was amazed by how much thought and precision was put into each and every aspect of this stage show, which really added to the feeling of it being totally out of this world. All of the characters had voices that were breathtaking. I was completely and utterly astounded by how beautifully they sung every song and how they could carry and vary their voices throughout the entire performance. I am not only speaking for the main characters, but for everyone who was in the performance.  I had goose bumps every single song. Hearing ‘What is this feeling?’ and ‘Defying Gravity’ live was one of the most exciting things. I felt like SUCH fan girl, but as I looked around the audience, there were so many people singing along that there was no reason for me to be ashamed of being excited!

 We had wickedly good seats.  We were seated on the ground floor right in the centre. It was the perfect spot because we were close enough to see the entire stage and all of the characters incredibly clearly.

After the play we ended up hanging around with a few of the other members of the audience who were waiting to meet Glinda the Good and the Elphaba.  They were both really lovely and were happy to take photos with everyone. I sadly lost my photo with Elphaba! She was my favourite in the show; seriously her voice is in indescribably beautiful.  When I went back to look for it on the camera I couldn’t find it…perhaps my dad forgot to press the capture button, I have no idea!

If you ever have the opportunity to see this play, I URGE you to see it! I have been listening to the soundtrack on repeat since the night of the concert. Something crazy actually happened to me today as I was listening to the soundtrack walking along Elizabeth Street in the city; the actress who played Glinda the Good walked passed me! I was so surprised. I noticed her straight away because of her platinum blonde hair and wicked bag. I wonder how many other people she walks passed who are jamming out to ‘Popular’. Gosh, who knows! Seeing this play is something once in a lifetime.  It will leave you speechless and with the single, relentless desire to see it again and again.

My 50th Post: Long Weekend at Broadbeach

Over the Easter long weekend, I went away to Broadbeach with my extended family.  Broadbeach is located on the Gold Coast, right beside Surfer’s Paradise.

Luckily we were blessed with a few moments on sunshine over the four days we were there. We were staying directly across from the beach so even if the weather was dreadful, we couldn’t possibly turn down the opportunity to go for a swim!

We stayed at the La Grande Apartments on Broadbeach.  It was so handy not to just be staying directly across from the beach, but to be surrounded by a delectable assortment of cafes, shopping centers, parks and restaurants.  Best of all, it was nowhere near as busy as it is in Surfers Paradise.  This really ensured that we could have the most relaxing time away.

Even though we spent most of our time at the beach, there were a few other highlights.

During the four days we were there, it was so lovely to go down to the beach at every spare moment we had. I love going to the beach. I find it is one of the most relaxing and enjoyable places I ever find myself to be.  I thoroughly enjoyed swimming, running, reading, writing and throwing in a few exercises here and there.  It was so tranquil just to sit on the sand, get a bit sun kissed and enjoy the view of the crashing waves.  Even though we were staying across from Broadbeach, you could easily run or walk a few kilometers to Surfers Paradise.

On one of the nights we were there, my whole family was really hanging out for some Asian food. They nominated me (the usual itinerary organsier) to track down some Thai food nearby. I managed to come across an incredibly authentic looking restaurant named, Changmai Thai, which I soon learnt had been voted as being the, ‘Best Thai Restaurant on the Gold Coast’.

The restaurant was absolutely gorgeous, dressed in ornate decorations, artworks and fairy lights.  It really felt like you had been transported to Thailand.  It was the perfect setting for us to indulge in what we were certain was going to be a delicious Thai feast.

We ordered pineapple-fried rice, pork and prawn vermicelli, green curry, garlic beef and cashew chicken. It all tasted phenomenal! The flavours were perfect. I was so relieved to not be eating bland Thai food.  I am absolutely sick of it! I love spicy food and dishes where there are so many flavourful elements to it. We actually couldn’t stop reflecting on our Thai feast for days to come. It was a sure hit and we definitely intend on coming back to Chang Mai Thai.

On Easter Sunday some of my aunties and I went to high tea at the nearby shopping centre, ‘Oasis’. I love tea.  I seriously don’t know where my life would be without tea! It was so nice to spoil ourselves with a slice of cake and a lovely fine china cup filled with English Breakfast tea.  I ordered the lime and coconut tart and it was absolutely delicious.  It was overall a thoroughly enjoyable way to spend our Easter Sunday afternoon.

On the Monday morning we headed back to Brisbane. We decided to get the entire family together for a final breakfast before everyone went their separate ways. We had breakfast at a café nearby to our apartment called Sage.  I ordered the Breakfast Bruschetta with a strawberry, watermelon, lime and apple juice.  I adored my meal. It was so delicious and fresh; I could easily eat it all day every day.  Despite the long wait for my meal, I definitely recommend this café to anyone who is in the area and is looking for a divine breakfast spot.

It was so nice to get out of Brisbane for a couple of days and escape to the beach over Easter.  I really hope to come back to Broadbeach in the near future, as it is only an hour drive away from Brisbane! It’s an incredibly picturesque spot, scattered with places to explore.

My new favourite book: The Goldfinch (Book Review #4)

Well, well, well. Looks like I have a new favorite book!

For many years The Time Travellers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger held the top spot, but by complete and utter chance (or perhaps fate), a few months ago I picked up The Goldfinch by the INCREDIBLE Donna Tartt. I knew it was really highly rated and proclaimed on Good Reads as I am always reading reviews on that website. When I couldn’t find the book I was actually looking for that day, I picked up The Goldfinch because it seemed just like my kind of perfect book, and boy was it!

                           

Just a bit of a brief overview for those of you who have not yet read this phenomenal novel; it is centered on Theo Decker. His mother plays a foundational, nurturing and loving role in his life, whereas his father is very much so absent.   After a catastrophe, which he miraculously survives, his world begins to fall apart. Alone and without a home in New York, he clings to a painting, which is a constant, living reminder of his mother. Although, it is also what connects him to the dark, merciless criminal world.

Being part of the portion of the world’s population who are complete and utter bookworms, this book had a very unprecedented impression on me. I try to read a book every week to every fortnight, so as you may assume, most of the novels I read are for pleasure or to help pass time. Often, there are parts of these novels that I read totally absent minded, just recycling word after word, having little to no connection with the book itself.  It is not often that I come across a book that touches me in both a dazzling and emotional way.

If you are on the prowl for a novel that is saturated in layers of depth, thrill, uncertainty and intrigue, this is the perfect novel for you! It is one of those novels that will reignite your love for reading and your hope that there are still so many groundbreaking and jaw dropping writers in the world.  I think what I appreciate most about this book is that you are not left asking any questions (as you would hope because its over 800 pages long!).  I suppose what I am trying to say is that I really appreciate a writer who takes the time to cover all grounds; there are no short cuts whatsoever.  Tartt describes every scene perfectly. Whether it is the busy streets of New York, the unforgiving Las Vegas, corrupted Russian friends, overbearing drug addictions or the girl who becomes one of the rare constants in Theo’s life.

The characters seem just so real because of how deeply she has managed to portray them. In particular, Boris, who is from Russia and has recently moved to America. She portrays him as someone who cannot speak strong English and the way she writes his character is amazing! You can almost hear his broken English through what the character is saying; the words not used in the appropriate place and the mix of Russian with English is just brilliant and very humorous.

I really and truly recommend everyone to read this book. It is incredibly special.  Tartt has been able to delicately circle and link each character in a unique and surprising way.  There is also an astonishing bond between the past of each of the characters and their futures. You find that the main characters are brought together at the unluckiest of times, but I suppose it is best for an added level of mystery and anticipation for the reader. It is the unusual mix of themes of trauma, loss, longing, crime and hilarity that makes this book so entertaining and addictive.  She has managed to make the criminal underworld of art to be one of the most thrilling and gripping crime novels I have ever read.