Adventure

So much has happened, since I've been too busy to blog....

So after the little Sydney trip, there was the bigger US trip at the end of October. It was a lot of fun going as a foursome. Course we didn't sleep much (I didn't at all) on the plane, and then had to stay up all day once we got there...cause it was 7something in the morning in LA. We dumped our bags and went over to the Farmers Market for some much needed Starbucks. Once we were able to check in at our hotel, Nick, Ness and I walked a few blocks over to the Beverley Center for some shopping. We had dinner at the Cheesecake factory and by the time we got to dessert my head was starting to spin, and it was time for bed.
The 2nd day was the VIP Warner Bros tour - which was amazingly awesome, followed by a taping of Mike and Molly! 3rd Day was the Paramount Tour, which was rather lackluster....and was missing the wow factor that WB had.
Then the 4th day we went to the Tar Pits, and Sprinkles cup cake bakery -with the ATM before an overnight flight to NYC!

We arrived very early in the morning, after a bit of sleep. It was FREEZING in NYC! Beautiful and sunny, but cold. It was too early to check in and too early to shop, so we went in search of breakfast. Then went shopping. After checking in at noon, we unpacked and had a short nap, before getting ready for dinner at Ellen's Stardust Diner (a must do for any New York trip). Then it was off to Annie. Annie was great, Katie Finneran was fantastic, and Anthony Warlow was good again too. The girl that played Annie, and the other orphans were all pretty great too. It was nice to see it done with professional Broadway kids for a change. We went to the stage door, and as luck would have it the whole cast had had flu shots and only Katie Finneran was coming out. -Which was okay by us, cause she was who we were waiting for! She was really lovely...it was nice to see her again. -New rule is that she must be on stage every time I come to New York, as she has been both times.
Sunday was hanging out with Kay and Nick, Lunch at the Olive Garden and then off to Avenue Q in the arvo, dinner at Maccas, and Book of Mormon that night. Book of Mormon was AWESOME. I only knew the soundtrack, none of the extra stuff, so that was really fun.
Monday Ness and I walked up 5th Avenue and went to FAO Schwartz and by The Plaza Hotel. Then back down to Grand Central station and around Bryant Park. In the evening it was off to see Nice Work if you can get it, which was amazing and HILARIOUS! Matthew Broderick and Kelli O'Hara and Jennifer Laura Thompson were all amazing, and it was great to get to meet them at the stage door after the show. - We also saw Krysta Rodriguez from Addams Family at the stage door - which I thought was cool.
Tuesday Ness and I walked down 14 blocks to The Highline park. It was really cool, and had nice views out towards New Jersey. In the evening it was off to Newsies. We had front row seats in the balcony, which were really close to the stage, so we had a great view. I LOVED the show, the cast was awesome. The guy next to me clearly wasn't into it though, he never applauded - which I found extra rude cause we were so close!
Wednesday Kay and Nick left really early...and boy were we tired, cause we didn't hear them leave at all.

In the morning it was shopping, and then off to see Once in the arvo. It was a good show, but not one I'd have to see over and over. So then came the most exciting part, we left the theatre and it was snowing! We were giddy as school girls walking around in the snow, taking pictures...and letting it fall on our hats, and coats. After dinner we came out to a bit of a blizzard. It was extra cold, and extra wet snow and slippery to walk and the wind was terrible. Walking a few blocks up to Wicked, was not fun at all. We walked very very slow. Wicked was great, but the theatre was freezing! The girl playing Glinda this time was great! I stocked up on plenty of merchandise to make up for 2 years without any Wicked.

Thursday was our last day in New York. We spent the morning sleeping in, then went shopping. I bought plenty of t-shirts. We went up to Rockerfeller to go to the NBC store, but it was still closed because of the election stuff. So that was disappointing. After that it was more shopping and walking around. We went up to Applebee's for dinner, the other one to the one we went to last time that wasn't great. This one was great. The food was amazing, and I ate too too too much. Then it was up the street to Studio 54 to see The Mystery of Edwin Drood. It was sooo much fun! Stephanie J Block was amazing, even though she was playing a woman playing a man. Will Chase was great too! They all were, not a weak link in the bunch. It was funny and crazy and the best part was that its interactive! Once the story runs out you get to vote for the murderer and the couple. Its unlike anything else I've seen. There weren't many people at the stage door, which worked out in our favor. Stephanie was lovely, and talked to us about Australia, and the snow...we may have squealed a little bit about the snow. Will Chase (of Smash) is crazy, but nice!!

Friday morning we were up early, after a few hours sleep, and it was off to the airport. Our plane was delayed slightly, but we made it to LA and then down to Anaheim. After settleing in, we walked around to Disney California Adventure. We looked around and got some lunch, then lined up to go on the new Cars ride. 2 hours later we were on the ride. The we walked around and went on the Ferris Wheel and the Little Mermaid ride....twice. Then we met up with Kay and Nick for dinner. It was nice. Then we watched the World of Color show. It was soooo pretty. I bought the ears that light up with the show, and wore them proudly, even if hardly anyone else was.
Saturday morning we were up early and off to Disneyland. We got breakfast, did Space Mountain, and then roamed around and did plenty more ride throughout the day. There was some shopping, before going out for dinner with Kay and Nick at Fire and Ice at Gardenwalk. Then it was back to Disneyland to see the fireworks...that ended up being cancelled cause of hte wind. So we went on the Astro Blasters and took some pictures and shopped before heading home to bed and to pack. Sunday we checked out and went to breakfast at IHOP. We had terrible service. Then it was shopping at Downtown Disney (or Downton Disney as we were calling it). Then it was back into Disneyland on the monorail and then over to DCA for shopping and to see the Aladdin Musical. It was interresting, not Broadway standard, but still fun. Then it was back to the hotel, to repack and then it was off to the airport.
At the airport we changed into our comfy trackies and then it was back on the plane and before we know it we were home again.

I had the rest of the week off, and enjoyed relaxing. But I can't wait to go away again.


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Carlie

2012 - A Year In Review

So another year is over. Once again I feel like a accomplished nothing, but that's not really true. Plenty of notable things happened.


I was working at Monash City Council at the start of the year, and finished up in Rates in March. That was really hard to leave that group. I did get a new job working over in the other building doing animal registrations. That took me up to June.

I had three great weeks off, sleeping in, doing nothing. Then I got a new job at the City of Port Phillip in St Kilda. It was supposed to be a 6 week thing, turned into an ongoing thing and last week I got made permanent. So big change there. Its not the dream job, its not a forever job, but it will be good to do for a little while. Sick leave and holiday pay will be great.

October saw a trip to Sydney to see Legally Blonde the Musical with the gang. That was great fun. It was a blast to see Lucy Durack and Rob Mills on stage again and to meet them again at the stage door. It was just a quick weekend trip, but we got to see it twice.

The end of October saw a two week trip to the USA with Ness, Kay and Nick. We had a blast, doing things we hadn't done before in LA, lots of theatre and my very first snowfall in NYC, and then 3 days of Disneyland! It was way too short, but SO much fun!

November was another birthday, uneventful. Maybe next year I'll get organised.
It also saw 3 days of theatre, which was crazy. A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the forum Saturday night, Margaret Fulton the musical starring Amy Lehpalmer on the Sunday evening and then the Rob Guest Endowment on the Monday night!

December was a lot of fun. Put up the Christmas lights, had some good Christmas parties, and did many light trips.
Christmas day was okay, I would have liked to be able to do both families, but when they are at the same time in very different places it makes it hard.

Overall it was pretty quiet year, but I had a good time. Can't wait to start planning the next holiday and plan to have lots of fun next year!


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Carlie