December - Festive Season Gatherings

Dinner at Chez Laila @ Southbank by the Brisbane river with friends. 'Fingers' I ordered were great I remember.................. Friends from old club very funny talking about the fancy dress parties we used to go to. Afterwards my Spanish friend and her boyfriend gave us a latin dance demo at the Denim Cafe in Stanely Street (very casual nice atmosphere and not too crowded).



Met new Indian guy in town and went to cafe across from Roma Street station (slowest service anywhere) never been there before (food selection looked good). Afterwards we walked to the Queen Street mall for a look around. Hot time of year.



Met up with old school friend again at Chermside Shopping Centre. Her first time there in years and coming from the coast she then struggled to find a park in the pre Christmas shopping. Shingle Inn first (an old Brisbane tradition - original in town was dismantled), then sushi bar and shops. Its so huge, the biggest shopping centre south of the equator. Diversity plus lots of walking, I love it.



Kedron Wavell Services Club that night met up with WA co-worker and friend who do the pokies. I went there to check out a band. Would you believe one of our ex supervisors was there having a good time...................dancing good, but cut checking out band member short.

Climate Change March joined rally and march from revamped King George Square outside City Hall next day. There were some crazy vehicles and costumes and also very touching moments along the way. We went over the new Kurilpa Bridge and back again around the Cultural Centre as not to dirupt too much shopping traffic I guess. Will post a couple of photos.

Drinks at mobile scooter friend's place that night very casual out on the back patio. People from work and old social club there to catch up with.

Choir Christmas Party with birds eye view from balcony of City Hall, Square and Solar powered xmas tree. Secret santa fun and members singing in background nice. We all got an award for something.

BBQ in lovely new garden of Dutch/NZ friend. I bought some monster cards for her husband's kids which went well with adults also. Prawns and salad good for non old traditonal season meal for a change. She brought out one of her possums she takes care of which was cute too.

November

Proclaimers & B52s concert at Sirromet Winery Mt Cotton. Didn't take as long to get there as I thought with new roads. Bit hot at first but cooled down late afternoon with big fun crowd on hillside. Camp artist friend had fun dancing along to B52s as well. Just a bit hard to get out of there once its all over.

Geebung-Zillmere RSL old band upstairs and watching karaoke downstairs was an entertaining way to spend an evening with WA friend. Pleasantly surprised.

October (too much on to blog)

Black Eyed Peas were great at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre performing all their hip hop hits and newest CD "The End" with a very loud futuristic robotic routine. Ramp lifted up in center of hall for Will I Am's DJ set.

West End Festival a bit quieter than before but still always worth a look for the buzz and variety and no entry fee anymore.

Valley Fiesta for Kev Carmody singing his " from Little Things" song and art at the Judith Wright Centre including Yoko piece "Smile in a Box".

Jo Jo's for dinner in town great variety of food on the balcony. Fat Louie's for fun private karaoke room. Treasury Casino for band and pokies........................to celebrate my birthday with WA friend.

Brisbane Powerhouse at New Farm for Brisbane Jazz Festival. Gerties restaurant and bar for first time for cosy dinner with NZ friend.

Local Festivals

Well I enjoyed both the Nundah and Redcliffe Festivals on the 13th. Nundah had a storm trooper walking around (scaring people) and Redcliffe had Wally's Home and Away son Lincoln signing autographs (didn't even know who he was at the time). Always nice to be by the seaside at Redcliffe.

Last Sunday was the Ascot, Racecourse Road Festival again. Grabbed a bite to eat at one of the many cafes and enjoyed great bands and relaxed atmosphere of the markets. Got some good photos of the latest crazy hair sculptures someone was creating there. Must put a photo or two up on here.

Riverfire & Chris Isaak @ Riverstage

It was a lovely evening on the 12th watching the fireworks and the last brilliant dump and burn fly pasts of my favourite F111 planes. I and my rocknroll friend had a good view on the hill in the botanical gardens.

Soon Chris Isaak and band were playing for free amazingly as part of the Brisbane Festival. He looked great in his pink suit with silver trim and came into the crowd to right where we were before we knew it. He is such a funny lovely man and says he feels at home amongst the people of Brisbane. Chris's voice was magic and he sounded so great live. Later he wore a mirrored suit which I think has to be the most stand out outfit I've seen.

Eskimoe Joe @ Riverstage

Well I finally got a chance to see Eskimoe Joe perform a week or so ago. This time they were playing outdoors in the gardens at Riverstage and my scooter friend asked who wanted to go. I and a male friend of hers answered the call. It was cold but not too cold as there had been a warm change in August at the end of winter.

First up was Steve Parkin who was witty and entertaining. Next luckily was Bob Evans (alias Kevin singer from Jebediah days) a refreshing performer. Eskimoe Joe rocked doing what they do best and the singer seemed high on life?

Jo Jo's and Casino - Queens St

A co-worker and I ended up at Jo Jo's for dinner after there was some sort of power malfunction at the Casino slowing things down. We were celebrating her going overseas for two months to the UK and USA. Only go to Jo Jo's at the centre of the Queen St Mall once in a while but it doesn't disappoint. It had been redecorated with a white marble look. Anyway its always a nice view of the hussle and bussle of the mall from their balcony. The diversity in food choice is great, sometimes making it hard to choose. The prices are reasonable and there are specials if needed. I decided on the fettucine and salmon which is lovely and my friend braved the hot king prawns.

After a cuppa at a cafe in the mall we decided to give the BIFF film festival a miss for now and just check out the Glam Band at the Casino Live Wire Bar. We got three shows really. The band chose some great tracks from around the 70's mostly which they performed like 'old pros'. There was also a woman strutting provocatively infront of them and a mature couple dancing together who'd obviously been to plenty of classes. All this for free...........