Have you driven down the wrong side of the street before? Forget the safety concerns, the embarressment levels are flicked into high gear as people toot and flash you. This happened to a unsuspecting driver in Merewether on the weekend, as they drove down the heavily congested pedestrian side of the road. I guess it was a matter of once he had committed there was no backing out and he had to continue on. Poor fella!
Controversy over guests at a Wedding
Donald and Melania Trump were left OFF the Royal Wedding guest list recently and this created headlines around the world. The Palace came out with a press release to state that both the UK and international politicians were not 'required' for this wedding. I tend to agree with them but it did make me think about the controversy behind wedding guest lists. I mean, why do you really need to invite second cousin Joanna or Aunty May who you haven't seen since you were a toddler, or even met at all? I remember my own (ill fated) wedding was a classic example of this. My husband was requested to invite an entire table of guests, some that he had never met. It was incredible to me that we were introducing ourselves to people at our own wedding. I don't really think there is an easy way out of this... except maybe to elope... I'll remember this for my next wedding!
School holidays... love or hate them... here's some ideas to stay entertained!
Newcastle Museum is always a popular activity spot for kids of all ages. It has a soft play area for the little ones and interactive science area and science shows for the older ones. These school holidays they have a really fantastic spiders exhibition on which runs until April 29. The museum is open everyday in the holidays between 10am and 5pm.
Blackbutt Reserve has started back up with its reptile shows and they run daily at 11am. My kids are always happy heading to Blackout to walk through the exhibitions and play at the playground. Pack the mozzie repellant!
Hunter Wetlands Centre will again run their art sessions, reptile encounters and geese feeding and there are also bush skill sessions for the kids to get involved in. Again, pack the mozzie repellant here too!
Movies on these holidays include, A Wrinkle in Time, Early Man, Peter Rabbit and Sherlock Gnomes.
Old favourites of mine include:
- bowling
- ice skating
- laser tag
- go karts
- Holy Moly mini golf at Charlestown Square
- Time Zone
- Flip Out or Revolution
- Oakvale Farm
- Shark & Ray Centre
- Hunter Valley Zoo
- Megamania
- Fairy Garden at Broadmeadow
Five Senses Twilight Market
What do you want for Mother's Day?
How about bespoke shopping amongst a beautiful park setting, a wine, music under the stars with your kids dancing away and a delight of food from local food trucks to throw out on the rug? We have the solution!
We love talented Newcastle mum, Ali who heads up A La Mode Events. They're back with the Five Senses Twilight Market which will light up Lambton Park Sunday May 13 for a Mother's Day celebration in support of the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children in the Hunter.
Follow them here.
Starstruck!
I was super honoured to be asked to MC the launch of Starstuck at The Rooftop at Kotara on Thursday night. Starstruck is a huge creative arts event that brings Newcastle and Central Coast children from all different ages and backgrounds together to celebrate their talent in an extraordinary performance at the Newcastle Exhibition Centre on June 15 and 16. This year's theme is connection, not in terms of social media either, it's the focus on human connection that impacts our life from the moment we're babies until hopefully the one day we see our own babies grow up and eventually become grandparents. It's going to be a great show, come celebrate with your family, support our local talent and buy tickets here.
The Stars of Newcastle ~ 16 June, 2018 at NEX
The Stars of Newcastle is the biggest event on the Newcastle Calendar and hosted annually by Mel Sargeant along this year with Natasha Beyersdorf and Sam Djodan from NBN. This year's stars include NRL Star Jeremy Smith, Jane Goldsmith from NBN, Sophie Tiller from NEW FM and more. Buy tickets
Go inside J Lo and Alex Rodriguez's new $15 million apartment
Need some style inspiration? Check out J Lo's new pad.
Newcastle Street Feast
April 28.May 29. June 23. July 28. August 25. September 22. October 27. November 17. December 15
Delight the senses by partaking in Street Feast a gathering of the best Newcastle and the Hunter has to offer in pop up eateries for one night only! or several in fact. Grab your friends, a rug and don't stress about the kids running around, they'll have plenty of grassy areas to play on. It's also being run at a very civilised hour of 4-8pm so you can get the kids to bed at a reasonable hour and more importantly you can get to bed so you can function the next day in the full on world of #Mumlife.
Boys are now into their hairdos
Don't you find it weird popping into your local barber and seeing little boys getting really demanding over their dos? I've seen 7 year olds in New Lambton at Lords or 2285 in Cardiff sit in the chair for upto 40 mins and specifically direct the barber as to what they want. Check out Reese Witherspoon's adorable son Tennessee loving his salon experience LOL! .. Meanwhile I can't get my hubby near a barber's chair without a 'pleeaaassee go and get your hair cut' nag lasting around a week.
Ikea and Costco coming to Newcastle!
Hold onto your overfilled trolleys Mummas, IKEA could be headed to Boolaroo. Swedish meatballs and an Alice in Wonderland type experience where once you're in there's no way out, except to explore and buy heaps of stuff you'd never imagined you needed so badly til you were standing there in front of it. CANT WAIT! Costco on the way too apparently, moving into the old Pasminco lead and zinc smelter site.
