Searching for "london"

Tinkerbell and the Dream Fairies

April 22, 2017 / Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 0 comment

“I can see a fairy!” the children scream as a pair of wingers flutter through the trees. We are sitting on a picnic blanket in Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden waiting for the performance of Tinkerbell and the Dream Fairies: Adventure to Bubble Land to begin. The stage is the lawn in front of us, a fitting location for a production about the adventures of fairies.

The fairies flutter to the “stage” and the show kicks off with catchy songs sung by gorgeously costumed and very talented fairies. The children are captivated seeing their dreams come to life before them – real fairies in a real garden! The adults relax and enjoy their children’s joy.

This is a “theatre” where there’s no need to hush your little one or beg them to sit still in a seat. Dancing is allowed, interaction encouraged. This production is a dream come true not just for kids but for their parents, too. With age appropriate content, gentle music and a relaxed environment, this is a show for families to truly enjoy themselves.

Tinkerbell and the Dream Fairies: Adventure to Bubble Land arrived in Sydney for the Easter holidays fresh from a sell out tour in London’s Kew Garden. Created by the award winning artistic director of the Australian Shakespeare Company, Glenn Elston, Tinkerbell and the Dream Fairies was imagined especially for a young audience after years of experience creating theatre in magical garden settings.

The storyline for the show is simple: the adventurous Tinkerbell happens upon the fairies from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Travelling from the Dream Land, the cheeky Mustardseed, fluttery Moth, daring Cobweb and sweet Peasblossom all go on a magical quest with Tinkerbell to find her wings, learning about the different worlds they are from along the way.

Plenty of upbeat songs and dances pepper the show, with simple actions the young audience are able to follow. The fairies from A Midsummer Night’s Dream drop in and out of Shakespearean language which lends a poetic tone to the dialogue, but amazingly in a way that the children were still able to understand and be engaged by what was going on in front of them. I would call this a young child’s first introduction to Shakespeare!

There is no set seating for this performance, just a large space to throw down a picnic blanket to enjoy the show. After about half an hour of singing and dancing, the fairies encourage the children to join them on a seperate part of the lawn where bubble machines are set up.

There is much bubble-popping and dancing by the children, followed by forming small groups to assist the fairies in their quest to find Tinkerbell’s wings. How lovely for kids to join in the action rather than being forced to sit for an entire performance! It was not at all surprising to read afterwards that the show was developed with early learning experts to ensure it truly engages and inspires young minds and bodies.

After the show the fairies returned to meet their fans and have a photo opp. These talented young performers gave an enchanting performance that many of these children will remember for a long time to come.

Tinkerbell and the Dream Fairies: Adventure to Bubble Land
The Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney
Dates: Sunday 9 to Sunday 30 April
Times: 10am & 12.30pm (No Shows Good Friday/Easter Monday)
No Shows (Monday 24 – Friday 28 April)
Prices: $25 for weekday/Sunday performances; $30 Saturdays
Group price 4 tickets $90 weekday/Sundays & Saturday $110
Bookings: shakespeareaustralia.com.au and ticketmaster.com.au
Cash and card sales available at the on-site box office unless sold
out, box office opens one hour prior to each performance.

We were provided with tickets for reviewing purposes. All opinions my own. Additional images courtesy of Shakespeareaustralia.com.au.

11 Things You Won’t Expect From Disney’s Aladdin, The Musical Comedy

August 11, 2016 / Disney Travel, Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 0 comment

I had the immense privilege of seeing the new Disney Aladdin musical comedy this week. While the show holds its own as a brilliant stand alone show, it is a reworking of the famous animated movie of the same name that the majority of the audience had seen, many times over, judging from the singing breaking out around the theatre.

With such a cultural icon as the basis for the show, it’s inevitable that audience will walk in with expectations that it will be identical to the movie – which it isn’t. Many things that worked in a cartoon just don’t work on stage, and there were a lot of holes in the movie that have now been filled with additional songs and dialogue. I found the show to be full of unexpected surprises that added up to a spectacularly enjoyable experience for both fans of the movie, as well as newcomers to the story.

Thinking of going? Here are a few things you won’t expect:

Aladdin isn’t the star of the show
The name of the show is Aladdin, so you expect the star to be … Aladdin, right? This was the number one surprise of the show. Genie, the role which Robin Williams famously stole the show with in the 1992 animated movie, is again the attention grabbing character who has the funniest lines, the most dramatic exits and some very impressive vocal pipes. We were incredibly lucky to see the role of Genie being played by Michael James Scott, who starred in the original cast of Aladdin when it opened on Broadway in New York in 2014. His immense presence and incredible talent steal every scene he features in.

The genie isn’t blue
Expecting a painted blue man to play the genie? Guess again. The genie looks like a pretty regular fellow in the show, dressed in royal blue as a nod to the all-blue genie we are used to from the animated classic.

You won’t know all the songs
You might remember the animated Aladdin as being full of songs, but more were clearly needed to turn a 90-minute movie into a 2-and-a-bit-hour stage show. You will hear all of your faves (and have to fight the urge to sing along), plus seven brand new songs written just for the show. The added songs give an extra depth to the show, letting us learn more about the characters of Aladdin and Jasmine in particular.

There are no talking animals
When translating the movie to the stage, a few tricky characters, namely Iago the parrot, Abu the monkey and the magic carpet all either underwent transformations or were axed completely. Iago came out of it the best off, with a larger role now as a human sidekick with a few witty parrot references to give a nod to his roots. Abu is gone, and carpet only features twice as an actual carpet rather than a character.

Australia gets a few mentions
The audience laughed with appreciation to hear local references like Vegemite, Tim Tams and Wagga Wagga peppering the dialogue. I always think it’s a smart move to adapt shows to their destination, and it certainly warmed the audience in this case even more so towards the Genie, who was the Tim Tam addict among the cast.

There’s tap dancing
I bet you didn’t expect that! The show is full of spectacle – shooting lights, shiny materials and sparkles galore, bright props and dazzling costumes. Of course there is a tap dancing number to add to the show’s show-stopping scene in the Cave of Wonders, which also features a take on Dancing with the Stars – but now Scimitars (get it?).

There’s a new scene
The original movie has a tricky scene where Aladdin is briefly banished by Jafar to a desert, where he summons the genie and is quickly returned to Agrabah again. This scene was integral for Aladdin to use his second wish, but obviously a tricky one to bring to the stage. The producers have done an excellent job of getting the same result (the second wish being spent) but with a completely new scene that is far more entertaining than the one it replaces.

It’s less scary than the movie
I remember the movie being pretty scary when I was a kid, and my four-year-old finds parts of it terrifying. For some reason, when translated on stage, the scary bits don’t seem scary any more. The cave has a sense of humour this time around, and the scary snake scene at the end is now completely gone.

It’s funnier than the movie
There are so many hilarious one-liners (“Welcome to Agrabah – land of one percent body fat!”) and cultural references peppering the dialogue that you need to focus hard to stop your head from spinning.

They’ve bought out every sequin store in Sydney
I mean really, where did all those sequins come from? The cast were glittering so much that it looked like they’d raided the Tower of London for their jewels, and then every Spotlight and Lincraft to dazzle the audience’s eyes with so much glitz it was almost blinding at times.

The flying carpet will make you cry
The flying carpet scene is a highlight in the movie and again in the show. Thanks to brilliant staging and props, the scene with the carpet is breathtakingly beautiful, in an understated way that makes the emotion forefront and evokes the magic of the original movie. I wasn’t the only one with a tear in my eye during this song that sent the audience into a hushed state for the first time since the curtain rose.

Aladdin has mates
He actually has a trio of mates that form his entourage in the show; one of them deliciously camp, one obsessed with hummus, and the last your average Joe. The three get some excellent stage time with comedic song and dance routines. Having friends makes Aladdin seem more of a real-life character – how had I never wondered who he hung out with all day when I used to watch the original movie?

The Cave of Wonders scene is a show stopper
The cast also seemed shocked when the applause and cheering at the end of the “Friend Like Me” number went on for so long that the next scene was delayed in starting by a good minute or so. The cheering would likely have keep going, had it not been for the orchestra kicking off the next number and forcing the show to resume. The faces of the cast when the shouting and clapping just kept going and going was absolutely priceless.

Should I take my child to see Aladdin?
Disney recommends the show for kids aged six and up. With the long running time and also new songs that are a bit more “adult”, I would agree with this recommendation. I am, however, taking my just-turned-five-year-old to see the show because she’s been begging to see it. If you’re taking your little one to see it too, here are my tips for making the outing a success:

Book a matinee. Kids are always better rested and behaved for matinees and less likely to irritate adults who want a kid-free evening out. No one likes to have a child kicking their seat for the entire show.
Buy the Broadway cast album and play it repeatedly in the car for the weeks leading up to the show to prepare them for the new songs.
Pick up a booster seat from the cloak room.
Pack plenty of snacks like popcorn or whatever special treats they’re allowed.
Take them to the bathroom both before the show starts, and straight away at interval.

Aladdin is playing at the Capitol Theatre until October 23, 2016
Tickets are on sale now.

Disney Theatrical Productions under the direction of Thomas Schumacher presents Aladdin, music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, book and additional lyrics by Chad Beguelin at Capitol Theatre Sydney, starring: Ainsley Melham (Aladdin), Michael James Scott (Genie), Arielle Jacobs (Jasmine), Troy Sussman (Babkak), Adam Jon Fiorentino (Kassim), Robert Tripolino (Omar), Adam Murphy (Jafar), Aljin Abella (Iago) and George Henare (Sultan) directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw

Thank you to Bridges PR for the tickets to see Aladdin. All opinions are my own. Show images by Deen van Meer.

Florida Keys Family Road Trip

July 2, 2016 / Florida, Travel, USA / 6 Comments

Beyond the Beach Boys’ song, Kokomo, I’m embarrassed to admit I knew nothing about the Florida Keys until Alec decided he wanted to add in Florida Keys road trip to our summer USA adventure.

The Florida Keys are a string of islands stretching around 120 miles (193 km) off the south tip of Florida. It only takes around 2 hours to drive straight from Key West (the southernmost island) to Key Largo, the last island before the mainland. Most people stay a few days in the Keys swimming, snorkelling or fishing, but we had a tight schedule and allocated four days to drive from Key West through Key Largo, up to Palm Beach and Cape Canaveral where we were due to catch a cruise boat.

Key West

We flew into Key West, the southernmost island, known mostly for partying and fishing. Key West is also the southernmost point of the continental USA. A large buoy marks the southernmost point, with the next port of land Cuba – 90 miles away. People love to queue for a picture next to the buoy, but it was so incredibly hot on the day we visited that we decided to take a sneaky photo behind the buoy instead, which I thought made it even more southernly than the buoy itself.

High season for the Florida Keys is during the southern hemisphere’s winter, when people from cold states like to escape the snow and defrost on the islands. We visited during the low season, June, which is also summer and so humid it was pretty unbearable. On the plus side, there weren’t as many people, but it was also face-meltingly hot, making it hard to do much.

Key West is home to a lot of historic buildings, making it a pretty interesting place to visit in general. We stuck to family-friendly activities that our four-year-old could also enjoy.

Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory
This butterfly park is home to 50-60 different species of live butterflies from around the world, plus turtles, flamingoes and small birds. We spend a wonderful hour inside the conservatory surrounded by the dancing of butterfly wings.

Butterflies flutter high over head and around guests, occasionally pausing on flowers, fruit or even shoulders and hats for a rest. While we all wore bright colours in hopes of attracting butterflies, Alec was the only one who was lucky enough to have a butterfly land on his shoulder.

Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory
1316 Duval St, Key West, FL
Prices: Adult $12, kids 4-12 years $8.50, under 4 years free

The Ernest Hemingway House & Museum
This gorgeous house was home to the writer Hemingway for 9 years, from 1931-1939. We enjoyed a thoroughly entertaining and free 30 minute tour of the house, the highlight for our daughter being meeting some of the 53 cats who call the house their home.

Hemingway was given a white six-toed cat called Snow White by a ship’s captain. The cat was never neutered and bred with local cats, the result being a colony of 50-70 cats living at the house at any one time – the majority having six toes.

The Ernest Hemingway House & Museum
907 Whitehead St, Key West, FL
Prices: Adult $13, kids 6-12 yrs $6, under 5 years free

Banana Cafe
We stumbled upon this cute little cafe and fell in love with its French cuisine. Delicious omlettes, quiches, salads, smoothies and extremely friendly staff make this a must for lunch in Key West.
Banana Cafe, 1215 Duval St, Key West, FL

Marathon

An hour drive from Key West is a large key called Marathon. Driving there you’ll cross the incredibly scenic Seven Mile Bridge. If you pull over at the end of the bridge you can walk back along the old bridge and take in the view.

Dolphin Research Center
This 90,000-square-foot series of saltwater lagoons is home to a family of dolphins and California sea lions. The Dolphin Research Center (DRC) “rescues and rehabilitates whales and dolphins, providing expert medical attention to help ease the way for our marine friends from the wild”. I’m generally very wary of any animal interactions, but was reassured that this facility is all about dolphin care and research rather than entertainment for tourists.

Dolphins are not required to participate in any interactions that they do not want to – the two dolphins who we met, Tanner and Jaxon, were extremely friendly and excited to play. One of the dolphins, Jaxon, was an obvious example of a dolphin who had been rescued and was unable to be returned to the wild. He had a large bite out of his dorsal fin and tail, most likely caused by a bull shark. Our Dolphin Dip ($159pp, kids under 5 can be held by a paying adult for free) ran for around 20-25 minutes in the water with the dolphins swimming around us as we stood on a waist-deep water on a submerged platform.

The dolphin trainer taught us about our new friends and encouraged them closer so we could give them back rubs (which they seemed to enjoy) and flipper shakes. We also learned some hand signals and asked the dolphins to perform natural behaviours like jumping and swimming fast, or “dancing” (spinning in the water).

DRC is completely wheelchair/stroller accessible. The dolphin encounters are also wheelchair-accessible.
Dolphin Research Center
58901 Overseas Hwy, Grassy Key, FL
Prices: Adults: $28 kids 4-12: $23, under 3 free

The Turtle Hospital
A must-see on a road trip through the Keys, the Turtle Hospital is a small, non-profit organization dedicated to the rehabilitation of endangered sea turtles. The Turtle Hospital is home to over 50 sick and injured turtles who are undergoing various stages of treatment, rehabilitation, or have been deemed unsuitable to be released into the wild and so have become permanent residents.

In order to visit the turtles you must book in for a tour. The tour lasts around 90 minutes and includes a presentation on the various turtle breeds and the threats they face in the wild, a tour of the hospital facilities, and, what everyone had been waiting for, meeting the turtle patients. The majority of the turtles end up in the hospital after bodily trauma (such as being hit by a propeller blade) or sickness suck as infections or tumours.

Several of the turtles have what’s called “bubble butt” where an accident, such as a boating incident, has damaged their shell, letting air in underneath it, giving them the appearance of a “bubble butt”, which causes the turtle to float.

Turtles with bubble butt have weights affixed to them to help them balance out and give them the ability to swim underneath the water once more. At the end of each program guests are invited to feed the permanent residents – not touch them, mind you, but throw their favourite pellets to them as they swim happily in the pool underneath.

Because they are a working hospital, you must be part of one of the guided educational programs in order to visit the turtles. Reservations are highly recommended.

More info and pics here.

The Turtle Hospital
2396 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL
Prices: Adults: $22, kids 4-12 years old: $11, under 4 free

Sombrero Beach
A popular family beach with a playground, bathroom and BBQ facilities. If you’re lucky you’ll see the Loggerhead turtles who nest at the beach from April-October.
Sombrero Beach, Sombrero Beach Rd, Marathon, FL

7 Mile Grill
A little cafe we stumbled upon relatively close to the Turtle Hospital and Dolphin Research Center, 7 Mile Grill is an incredibly family-friendly place to grab a quick, delicious meal from their extensive menu featuring plenty of seafood, Mediterranean food, burgers, sandwiches, breakfast dishes and even several vegetarian options.
7 Mile Grill, 1240 Overseas Highway, MM 47.5, Marathon, Florida

After more weird and wonderful places to visit in Florida? You might enjoy this guidebook.

Peppers Convent High Tea, Hunter Valley: The Perfect Girls’ Weekend Away

May 25, 2016 / Australia, Hunter Valley, NSW, Travel / 4 Comments

The Hunter Valley is known for its decadent food experience and sumptuous wines – but perhaps not as renowned for its delicate high teas. It was a surprise to me to learn about the delightful high tea offered by the Peppers Convent in Pokolbin.

Peppers Convent is a gorgeous Victorian-style manor house surrounded by vineyards. Devonshire Tea and High Tea are served Wednesday to Sunday:

Traditional High Tea: $42 per person
London High Tea: $56 per person (includes a glass of Peacock Hill Sparkling)
Paris High Tea: $64 per person (includes a glass of Champagne Taittinger Brut Reserve)

I enjoyed the high tea with my book club. I’m not sure if a book was discussed, but the delicious food and wine certainly was. I really enjoyed that this tea offered a good variety of sandwiches and the “sweets” weren’t overly sweet. The price was also very reasonable.

Tea Sandwiches
Cucumber and Watercress
Smoked Salmon, Avocado and Salmon Roe
Curried Egg Salad and Spinach

(As sole vegetarian I was also given an extra plate of vegan sandwiches at no extra charge.)

Sweets
Petite Meringue
Chocolate Mousse
Coconut Sago and Macerated Fresh Berries
Almond Cake

Scones
Lemonade Scone
Lightly Sweetened and Clotted Cream
House Made Jam

The ambiance at Peppers invokes the feeling of a bygone time filled with elegance and luxury. There is no need to rush, to eat quickly, to attend to other matters. There is just the beautiful light pouring through glass windowpanes, a stroll through the manicured gardens and a delightful afternoon filled with cake and conversation.

High tea at Peppers was the perfect girls’ outing. It’s a fantastic stand-alone activity, or you could do what we did, and have a weekend away with the high tea as the kick off point. After our delicious high tea we visited a few wineries, our tummies fortified with delicious cake and sandwiches. Me with a few of my book club gal pals below:

Peppers Convent
88 Halls Rd, Pokolbin NSW 2320
Get Directions
Credit Card details are required to secure a booking. Cancellations within 24 hours of the reservation or in the event of a no-show, a $20 per person fee will apply.

We Will Rock You: Sydney’s Best Stage Shows

May 5, 2016 / Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 0 comment

Brought to you by Nuffnang and We Will Rock You

I first saw We Will Rock You, the brilliant show blending Queen’s legendary songs with Ben Elton’s comic genius, in London 10 years ago. When I saw the show, I thought it was groundbreaking, hilarious, uplifting and wildly entertaining. In short, everything a good theatre show should be.

Lucky, lucky us, We Will Rock You is touring Australia right now. It’s an updated version of the production that retains the brilliance of the original, with a bit of a modern facelift and location-relevant references.

The show is set in the year 2350, where live music is banned on Earth. A rebellious few fight against their force-fed diet of synthesized pop and controlling government, choosing individualism, real-life interactions and creativity over lives lead on the internet and assimilating into assigned groups, leading pre-arranged lives.

We Will Rock You has been a smash hit show since it debuted in London in 2002. Since then it has won the Olivier Audience Award for Most Popular Show in 2011 (British theatre’s
answer to the oscars), played over 3600 performances in the UK (with over 3600 standing ovations), selling over 6 million tickets in the UK alone, and over 16 million tickets in 28 countries worldwide.

Walking into the theatre it’s impossible not to notice the wide variety of people who are there to see the show. A large group of high school students, posing for pics with their tongues sticking out, couples on dates, senior citizens. The appeal of Queen reaches all generations, with their hit songs all showcased in this lively show: We are the Champions, Radio Ga Ga, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Somebody to Love, Killer Queen, Don’t Stop Me Now, Under Pressure, Bohemian Rhapsody, Another One Bites The Dust and of course We Will Rock You.

A lot has changed in the world since We Will Rock You premiered, and the show has kept up. New cultural references pepper the witty dialogue: Twitter, Facebook, hashtags, Miley Cyrus and gangnam style all get a mention, as does Prince in the most moving moment of the show, a tribute to music stars lost too soon.

Several nods to their Australian audience also garnered plenty of laughs – Australian Idol (especially entertaining as Casey Donovan, playing the key role of Killer Queen was discovered on the show), Molly Meldrum, the Wiggles, John Farnham’s anthem “You’re The Voice” and even Canberra as a place no one wants to go.

The cast of We Will Rock You is superb and does an excellent job of performing iconic songs that had the audience cheering, clapping and waving their arms throughout the show. Gareth Keegan, in the lead role of “Gallileo Figaro” and Erin Clare as “Scaramouche” were particular scene stealers, with their exquisite vocals, dynamic stage presence, and genuine chemistry.

We Will Rock You is a show that endures because it’s not only entertaining, it’s also relevant – even more so today perhaps, than when it debuted in 2002. Yes, kids, get off social media, make a real friend instead of a Facebook one, and create real joy in your lives that makes your soul soar.

We Will Rock You is currently playing at the Lyric Theatre, Pyrmont.
Suitable from the age for 13 years and above

Thank you to We Will Rock You and Nuffnang for providing me with tickets for reviewing purposes.

Sydney’s Best Shows For Kids: The 3 Little Pigs

December 13, 2015 / Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 0 comment

The key to a great kiddie show is making sure the adults enjoy it as much as the little ones. A tough ask, but the 3 Little Pigs, now playing at the Sydney Opera House, absolutely nails it.

Aimed at kids aged 3+, the show manages to get that perfect mix of appealing to preschoolers with upbeat music, dancing and a fast-paced, easy-to-follow story, plus impress adults at the same time with skillfully-written lyrics and exceptional performers. Add in a few jokes for the adults and you’ve got a musical that will entertain the whole family.

The 3 Little Pigs has flown into Sydney from London’s West End (where it was created), and New York, where it also enjoyed a successful run. An upbeat re-telling of the classic story, the pigs in this version like to rap and are pretty adept at the running man.

The show runs for 50 minutes – the perfect amount of time to tell a full story and leave the audience happy rather than wiggly. My four-year-old sat mesmerised through out the entire show, while I enjoyed the clever writing and excellent vocals of the cast.

In this retelling, the pigs’ mum makes an appearance (my daughter’s favourite character), and there are the additional themes of the importance of family and working together.

The 3 Little Pigs is playing at the Sydney Opera House for a limited run – I’d highly suggest getting tickets and taking your little ones to see this curly tail.

3 Little Pigs
Wed 9 ‐ Sun 27 Dec 2015
Price $30.00 to $49.00
Open Daily 10am & noon

Sydney Opera House
Playhouse
Bennelong Point, Sydney 2000
Telephone 02 9250 7777

Images thanks to Elliott Franks Photography Services

Thank you to the Sydney Opera House for hosting us.

More things to do in Sydney

Find a list of the best things to do in Sydney with kids here.

Find things to do in Sydney for free here.

Get a list of the best kid-friendly beaches in Sydney.

Find the best animal experiences in Sydney here.

Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney here.

Find the best high teas in Sydney here.

Head to one of the best museums in Sydney here.

Check out things to do in Sydney on a rainy day here.

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney here.

First time visiting Sydney? Get tips for first time visitors to Sydney here.

Cats The Musical: Sydney’s Best Musicals

November 2, 2015 / Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 18 Comments

After the little Cheese turned four, I started thinking about taking her to see her first proper musical. My amazingly brave parents took me to see my first at the same age – Camelot, it was, with the beautiful Marina Prior in her first musical theatre role and Richard Harris as Arthur. It was magical and I’ve never forgotten the experience. It started what’s become a life-long love of musical theatre for me, and I’ve been really excited about introducing my daughter to the theatre, too.

I decided Cats would be perfect for her first proper show because it’s known for being extremely family-friendly. Nothing dark or nasty, no violence or bad words, just beautiful singing and dancing, with life-sized cats.

So off Cheese and I went to the opening night of Cats in Sydney. Inside the foyer the face painting was a great addition and really helped her get into the vibe of the show.

Cats is one of the few major musicals I’d never seen before, so I was equally excited to see the show. Briefly, Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot, and produced by Cameron Mackintosh. The musical has a very basic storyline, making it easy for kids to follow along – it tells the story of a tribe of cats called the Jellicles and the night they make what is known as “the Jellicle choice” and decide which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life.

Cats is famous for being one of the longest-running shows in West End and Broadway history since its world premiere at the New London Theatre in 1981, where it played for 21 record-breaking years and almost 9,000 performances.

Since its world premiere, has been presented in over 30 countries, has been translated into 15 languages and has been seen by more than 73 million people worldwide. Both the original London and Broadway cast recordings won Grammy Awards for Best Cast Album.

The new revival of Cats has just arrived in Sydney following a season in London’s West End. Notable in the cast is Delta Goodrem, Australia’s fabulously talented singer, songwriter, performer, pianist and actress.

Ms Goodrem played the part of Grizabella, the cat who sings the famous song “Memory”. She wasn’t on stage much, but when she was, the moments were show stopping. After she belted out “Memory”, Cheese turned to me and said, “She has the most beautiful voice!”, which almost made me cry. Mission complete. My daughter was hooked.

Cats is one of those shows that is superb in its staging, choreography and, oh, let’s not forget the gorgeous music. This musical is award-winning for a very good reason – it’s one of those experiences you’ll never forget. From the moment the show opens with cats running down the aisles to the closing scene, it’s a non-stop purr-iffic display of showmanship from every member of the cast and crew.

If you’re wondering how my daughter went during her first show, she was a champion, despite it going well past her bedtime. I collected a booster seat for her at the cloakroom so she was able to see the stage better, and she spend most of the show perched on her seat, or sitting on my lap when she got tired. She wasn’t used to the convention of applauding after every number, so for the first few songs she asked “Is that the end?” after each number. She did comment “This show is very long” when we were about 15 minutes in (yikes), but she was very happy to keep watching and, even better, during interval said how much she loved Grizabella (“She’s so beautiful!”) and the dancing white cat, who I read in the program was a professional ballet dancer.

I bought the program to add to our collection, and we looked through it together before the second half began, commenting on which characters we’d seen so far, and which ones were coming up next.

When the show was into their final number, gold confetti was shot into the air and all over the audience. This was much to the delight of Cheese, who thought it would be a great idea to bolt out of her seat and down the aisle to where the confetti was pooling on the floor. For a terrifying moment I thought she was going to keep going onto the stage, but thankfully she stopped at the pile of confetti glittering at the end of the aisle and started tossing it over her head and in the air just as the performers left the stage. It was one of those parenting moments where I wasn’t sure of what I should do, and settled for doing nothing, crouching next to her to prevent any further craziness from ensuing.

If you’re thinking of seeing Cats on your own, with friends or with your kids, do it. What a magical experience for any age. I know the memory of this special evening will stay in both mine and Cheese’s hearts forever.

Cats the Musical Australia is currently playing at the Capitol Theatre, Sydney, until 29 Nov 2015. Check the website to buy tickets in a city near you.

Thank you to AB Publicity for facilitating our amazing experience at Cats.

14 Tips For Travelling With Kids

July 29, 2015 / Travel, Travel with kids / 24 Comments

We just arrived home after our epic around the world adventure with the preschooler. While all of our victories and mistakes are still clear in my foggy jet lagged head, I wanted to write down what I’ve learned about making international travel with a little kid a success. Here’s what I’ve learned after six weeks, four countries, five cities and eight flights with my three-year-old.

1. Take a stroller
Unless your kid is a strong walker, bring a lightweight umbrella stroller. We thought our 3-year-old was done with a stroller, but we didn’t take into account that we would be walking an average of 10km a day, and that our child would be battling jet lag as well as over stimulation in a new environment. She was exhausted. I cursed myself for giving away our trusty Uppababy G-LUXE that we’d use for previous trips, and got their lightest model, the Uppababy G-LITE, to make our trip easier.

2. Pack well for flights
Be prepared to battle hunger, thirst and boredom on long flights. Take an empty water bottle and fill it when you get through security and pack dry snacks and liquids up to 100ml like yoghurt sticks. Security will allow small ice packs to keep dairy cool. Take lots of pairs of underwear, wipes and a spare set of clothes, plus some small new toys and activities that your child will love. Hand out the toys one at a time when a meltdown is imminent. Charge up the iPad with new shows and games. A flight is not the time to limit screen time.

3. Break up flights
We slowly made our way around the world in short flights to make it easier for our daughter to handle the travel. At the end of a five-hour flight she would be itching to get off and no iPad on Earth could placate her.

4. Fly during the day
This is a big time waster if you only have a short time period to be away, but we found it really helpful in getting over the jet lag faster. We planned our flights to arrive at our destination and then go straight to bed. As a result, our daughter would wake up a few hours earlier than normal, but more like 4 or 5am rather than 1 or 2am.

5. Pack well for the kids
Things you should pack lots of: underpants, lightweight tees, shorts/skirts/dresses. Light is key so you can wash clothes and have them dry overnight hanging up in the hotel bathroom. I always pack travel detergent so I can wash clothes in the sink, and stain remover because I use it on my daughter’s clothes pretty much every single day. Clothing-wise, I prefer items that cover more skin over her chest and shoulders rather than strappy singlets or dresses to give her more protection from the sun. I never travel without sunscreen, either. I take a few small ones for my handbag as well as a larger one to leave in the hotel. Shoe-wise, even in summer I pack a pair of closed toe shoes for my daughter (which she wears on planes), as well as shoes that can be worn in water, such as Saltwater sandals. Always pack a small medical kit in case of scrapes, blisters, cuts and so on. We include child pain relief, mosquito repellant and stop-itch creams in case of bites.

6. Leave stuff at home
Anything fancy you don’t want stained or ruined on the trip, for both you and the child. Heavy clothing that takes days to dry. New shoes that haven’t been worn in. Delicate clothing. Expensive handbags or jewellery.

7. Choose your locations wisely
We chose to visit cities that had lots to do within walking distance of our accommodation, or a short train ride away. After all of that flying the last thing you’d want to do is arrive somewhere and then have even more travel to do to see the sights.

8. Weigh up pros and cons of apartments vs hotels
We stayed in both apartments and hotels on our trip, and there are pros and cons to each. Hotels were great in areas where we wanted to be close to everything, such as Barcelona and London, where the apartments were a bit far to then commute each day around the city from with an already tired child. We all ate dinner together each night and pretty much went to bed at the same time too – it was a bonding experience. In New York we stayed in an apartment for two weeks that was central and found it the best of both worlds in terms of location and amenities. My preferred option would be a centrally-located apartment so we can do our washing and make basic food.

9. Get hotel inclusions
Try to get breakfast included so you can fill up and grab some fruit and pastry for later, and make sure wi-fi isn’t an added charge. We stayed at Grosvenor House in London and had an amazing breakfast included (pictured above) but not wi-fi, which was a big, unexpected charge.

10. Plan less
Your itinerary with a little kid should list one single thing to do each day. Plan to spend more time doing that one thing, and getting to and from there, and don’t try to squeeze in single thing you want to see. You’ll be so tired you don’t enjoy it. The journey is part of the fun for kids, so allow time for taking a look at parks, buildings and trains on route to your actual destination.

11. Allocate down time
What worked for us was going out in the mornings to see and do something, and then returning to the hotel or apartment after lunch for a rest before heading out for an early dinner. We all needed the siesta!

12. Find fun for everyone
We planned activities that gave everyone a chance to enjoy themselves. We visited cathedrals, playgrounds and also had a fancy high tea. With all of our needs being met, all three of us enjoyed the trip. My husband and I were happier to spend time doing “kid” things like the said playgrounds when we knew that we were also going to be able to visit amazing places like Sagrada Familia, too. Taking our daughter to places we wanted to see for ourselves also taught her to put up with doing things that made other people happy even if she personally didn’t care for it. This was a moderately successful lesson that we are still working on. We were actually pleasantly surprised with how she enjoyed a lot of “adult” sights, such as the Familia. I have a beautiful memory of my daughter dancing in a rainbow shining through the stained glass windows inside the cathedral that will stay with me forever.

13. Stay longer in less locations
We thought we had planned well with a week or two in each location along our trip, but it was still a lot of travel – too much. Next time, we will stay even longer in one place, like a month, and go at an even slower pace as our 6-week trip left us all exhausted.

14. Break routines
At home I have a strict schedule for our daughter, especially with dinner and bedtime. No late nights, very healthy food, designated meal times. On our trip, however, we put the enjoyment of our trip before our daughter’s schedule to make life a bit easier. We ate out every night. Our daughter was in bed late and slept in. She ate way too much pizza and grilled cheese sandwiches. Bending the rules was fun for us all. Has anything changed now we’re home? Nope. We are back, without fuss, to our schedule, family rules and diet. Holiday success.

Pin it for later!

Pros And Cons Of Travel With Little Kids

June 24, 2015 / Travel, Travel with kids / 8 Comments

As we’ve done a lot of travel with Cheese since she was only 3 months old, this is something I get asked a lot. We travelled for necessity – from New York back to Australia and Hawaii to see family, and to Canada to get our visas renewed. If we hadn’t needed to travel so much we would have probably been too scared to do so, as Cheese was a really tough baby, toddler, and, let’s face it, a tough preschooler. Being forced to travel was actually great because it made us get out and experience the world and create wonderful memories instead of staying home and just keeping to local, easy experiences. I wanted to share a few pros and cons of travelling with little kids.

PROS:

You still get to travel
My husband and I love travelling passionately. It’s an integral part of who we are. We were determined that when we had a kid that our travel would resume as soon as possible. We didn’t expect parenthood to be as hard as it was, but we are getting on with the difficulties while still seeing the world. We don’t want to wait until Cheese grows up to see everything we want to see – we want to experience as much as we can while we are also still young and fit enough to enjoy it. As I write this, we are in Barcelona, about to head out for tapas lunch. Travelling with a little kid is obviously a lot different than pre-kid (goodbye lazy mornings and romantic nights fueled by sangria!) but it is still incredibly enjoyable. If it wasn’t, we wouldn’t do it. Adapt to the changes and travel is still wonderful, with kids of any age.

Your kid grows up a world citizen
Cheese is an American and Australian citizen. As well as significant travel in these two countries, she’s also been to Canada, Mexico, Spain and soon London. And she’s only 3. She already adapts to different cultures easily and speaks handfuls of Italian and Spanish. She understands what different languages mean and is able to confidently interact with people no matter what they look like or what language they speak. She is already a world citizen.

The memories are priceless
The years we spent in New York are among the best in my life. Each trip we have taken has been challenging, but has created memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Cheese at 1.5 yrs stroking a dolphin in Hawaii. At 2.5 yrs dashing down a beach in Mexico. At 3.5 yrs dancing in a rainbow inside the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.

Young kids are cheap
The younger your kid is, the cheaper it is to travel with them. Babies are free for everything, and kids up to a certain age get free transport/entry/hotel pull out beds. This trip to Barcelona, we’ve only had to pay for Cheese’s flight and food.

CONS:

It’s exhausting
I won’t lie, it’s really hard work travelling with a little kid. Jetlag is a killer – the first few mornings in Barcelona we were all up at 4am. Having a little kid means there is no such thing as a relaxing time either, it’s constantly go go go to keep them entertained.

You see and do less
Travel with a little kid means changing your expectations of what you’re going to see and do in any location. Less galleries and historical walking tours and more playgrounds and kid-friendly outings like castles.

All in all, it’s worth it to us to travel while Cheese is still young. We have such itchy feet that we can’t seem to live any other way.

What about you? Do you travel a lot with young kids?

What I Know About My Parents Now That I Am One

June 7, 2015 / Family / 0 comment

Our parents are the lynch pins of our lives in many ways. They’re the force that gave us life, cared and provided for us, and taught us about the world. I’ve always looked up to my own parents with love and admiration but once I had a child of my own, I began to see them in a whole new light.

They were sleep deprived
My mother always tells me about my brother’s refusal to go to sleep at night. My dad would have to get the car out and drive in circles around the block to get my brother to go to sleep in the car seat and then transfer him into his bed. Even though I obviously knew that my parents raised us from babies, the details of our babyhood were never really talked about that much until I had a child of my own—and now the funny stories won’t stop coming!

They did their best
I thought my parents were experts in parenting when I was a kid. So, of course, any mistakes they made were a horrible let down because of my expectation of perfection. I was a pretty horrid teenager in retrospect. I judged my parents, criticizing what I saw as their failings and, basically, was an ungrateful brat. I always saw the ways they failed (like if they said the wrong thing, or gave me the wrong gift) instead of where they succeeded. What I see now is parents who loved their kids a huge amount and tried their very hardest to make them happy—parents who were just regular people, muddling their way through this parenting business, who made mistakes and got things wrong, too. They did a pretty darn good job.

They put us first
My mom was a public school teacher. She left her job after my brother was born and didn’t work again until I started preschool at age 5. She was out of the work force for eight years, and didn’t have child care if she ever needed a break from us kids. Her career probably took a big hit but her focus was always on what was best for us. Now I’m facing my own dilemma finding a balance between raising my child and working, I feel the enormity of the personal sacrifice my mother made to stay home with us.

They sacrificed a lot
I remember my weekends as a kid as a blur of dance classes and birthday parties. My parents remember their weekends of my childhood as a blur of driving me and my brother all over the city, and waiting for us to finish whatever it was we were doing so they could drive us back home again. I actually cringe when I think of how I took this for granted. I never once thought that maybe they wanted to do something on a Saturday except chauffeur me around. Now that I drive my daughter around I get it—I don’t want thanks because I enjoy her enjoyment but I do now tell my parents how grateful I am for their time.

They showed us the world
One of the absolute best memories from my childhood is a wonderful eight week trip we took to Hong Kong, London, Europe and Egypt. I constantly pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. This trip (back in the late ‘80s) must have cost my parents a fortune and they had obviously saved up for a very long time. It was the one big family trip we did all together. While I’m sure they enjoyed the trip immensely, I’m also sure they had no way of knowing the effect it would have on my and my brother’s lives. This wonderful experience opened my eyes to a world outside of my little suburbia. It gave me the wanderlust bug that hasn’t stopped moving my heart and feet all around the world. We were a family who were big on experiences rather than material things and it’s a lesson I am trying to replicate now for my daughter.

They loved me hard
And still do! My whole childhood I felt loved, but it wasn’t until I had a child of my own that I really saw, for the first time, everything my parents did for me through the eyes of an adult. I finally felt the magnitude of their love for me—and it was humbling.

This article first appeared on MommyNearest.