Elevated over the Avon Valley National Park in the Chittering Valley, the view resembles an exhibition of the Heidelberg School. The scene below could very well have been the inspiration for artists, Frederick McCubbin, Arthur Streeton or Tom …
We make a pit-stop at the Japanese Cemetery, one of the largest Japanese cemeteries …
Representing life and hope, an injured Tiger Quoll is brought to veterinarian Andy (Myles Pollard; A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Drift) after mining mogul Harry (Matt Dyktynski; Black Swan roles include Day One, A Hotel, Evening and Boundary Street) accidentally hits the rare marsupial …
“I would love for my husband to do it as he works so hard & has made so many sacrifices, he deserves it.”
Happy jumping!
Thank you everyone for your entries and keep up the fun times!
Happy travels,
Carmen.
New York City: Peace and the City
Catching shut eye on The Highline
The most obvious place to seek serenity in any city is within the leafy confines of a park. New York has no shortage of open green spaces, and plenty of clandestine pockets of calm.
Known as the lungs of the metropolis, Central Park has many secluded spots within its 840 acres of vastness. Lose your thoughts on the elm-tree line Mall and Literary Walk or go into hiding in the secret garden within the Conservatory Garden or retreat into the historical museum at Belvedere Castle.
Tiny pockets of serendipity exist between the city towers, like a segment of the Berlin Wall on east 53rd between Fifth and Madison or the Creative Little Garden in the East Village or Jefferson Market Garden in Greenwich Village. The High Line is too popular to offer solitude however the disused railway, converted into a sky-park, offers an interesting saunter amongst the street performers, art installations and has plenty of places to flop with a birds-eye view into the cacophony below and surrounding buildings.
The Cloisters
Way uptown in Fort Tyron Park The Cloisters houses the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s (The Met) medieval art collection within an exquisite medieval monastery. Overlooking the Hudson it’s not on the tourist trail but worth the trek if only to languish in the medieval gardens and admire the unicorn tapestries which appeared in the Harry Potter movies. Established in 1902 in the Bronx, the New York Botanical Gardens were cleverly planted to be blooming all year round. Green thumbs should allow for a lengthy visit to fully inhale all 50 gardens and regular exhibitions.
Downtown the Skyscraper Museum gives architectural buffs some perspective of the scale of Manhattan compared to other mega-cities of the world without even having to step out onto the pavement. The hefty entrance fee of $20 into the magnificent Frick Museum usually keeps the crowds at bay but is a small price to pay to enjoy the many European masterpieces and tranquil gardens in relative peace. The Museum of the City of New York celebrates the city and its wonderful history without the crowds. Unknown to many, The Met has recently opened its doors on Friday and Saturday nights and you might find yourself alone with Henry the 8th’s armour or the jewels from Cleopatra’s reign. While at the Met, rest your feet in the oriental gardens in Astor Court or pop up to the rooftop garden on the 5th floor; that’s if you can find the entrance many struggle to locate, which means more space to spread out.
Relishing in the city from above provides a sense of calm and located 18 storeys above the chaos the rooftop lounge at the Gramercy Terrace Hotel offers an oasis with those heart-stopping views which beckoned you to the Big Apple in the first place. There’s many rooftop bars to sample, and Salon De Ning, perched above the Peninsula Hotel, is the epitome of oriental drama meets big city glamour. Imagine sipping your cocktail of choice while everyone below scrambles home during peak hour.
Keeping a lower profile, hotel lobbies offer anonymity which in itself is very liberating, especially if you aren’t staying there. The vast lobby at the Ace Hotel is sectioned up into intimate spaces by retro lounges designed for a leisurely slouch with a caffeine fix by your side and laptop perched where it was originally intended. The Paramount Hotel near Times Square has a chic lobby whispering for a quiet drink or secret rendezvous. Or there’s the exquisite Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle where the amber coloured walls are adorned with artist Ludwig Bemelman’s depictions from the Madeline children’s books. Go on a Monday night and you might catch a glimpse of Woody Allen warming up his clarinet for his regular Monday night gig next door at Café Carlyle; if you’re lucky enough to secure a ticket it definitely won’t be quiet but well worth the acoustic accost.
For more details check out www.nycgo.com
Can you keep the noise down!
Ssshhhh:
- The least busy time to visit with the best weather is during the Fall (Autumn) and between Memorial Day and Thanksgiving. Winter is ideal for theatre-goers and museum buffs.
- Restaurant Row (west 46th between 8th and 9th) in the Theatre District caters to theatre-goers but if you go during the shows you’ll dine at leisure.
- Request a hotel room on the highest floor possible for the least amount of traffic noise but always enquire if there’s an operating elevator.
- Indulge in a power nap in a sound-proof honeycomb-shaped sleeping pod at in Midtown’s Yelo Spa.
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- For the ultimate view head to the top of the Rockefeller Centre because it will include views of the Empire State Building and be less busy.
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We generally associate mangoes with the tropics but about an east of Perth in Gingin, there are about 20 commercial growers handpicking their juicy fruit as I write this. The Mediterranean climate in the part of the world allows the fruit spend 120 days on the tree, which is one month more than in the tropics. The extra time before harvesting allows the sugars to become more developed, making them sweeter to eat, and the warm temperature also means minimal …
As the outback scrub gives away to hills of faded gold, the Southern Wheatbelt region is dotted with cattle languidly grazing in paddocks while lorikeets and galas nibble on roadside picnics of seeds. The quintessential outback town of Wagin is at the crossroads of the Great Southern region; with Albany …
Where those of ill-repute reigned over what was once Australia’s roughest port town, Fremantle reinvented itself in the 1950’s with the arrival of Europeans immigrants. Then after winning the America’s Cup in 1987 the town rejoiced as the streets became lined with cafes, bars, shops museums, and buskers; the revellers may have dispersed but the party still remains 30 minutes west of Perth.
Imagine having to pay for the air you breath? Or worse still, not being able to afford it? Injected with Ben Elton’s signature sharp wit, Gasp! will leave you, dare I say it, gasping for air between laughs at this satirical poke at Perth’s mining boom and political landscape. Co-produced with the Queensland Theatre Company and the Black Swan State Theatre Company, Gasp! showcases some of Brisbane’s and Perth’s most talented actors, including Greg McNeill who I had a chat …
On a recent journey to Bali’s tranquil Ubud I didn’t find myself and despite hunting high and low not even Javier Bardem frolicking in the rice paddies either, sorry girls. I did however discover many enticing ways to eat, lay, bend and write, with a few naughty detours along the way.
Set during a time where writers and actors were black-listed by Senator Joseph McCarthy for …
Conspiracy theories will always abound about Pope John Paul I’s death. Never accepted into his sudden position of power after the death of Pope John XXIII, speculation festered about how he met his maker, especially among those closest to him during his brief 33 day reign in the Vatican in 1978. The Last Confession examines the unsolved crime, if in fact a crime was committed?
Tell me about your character Konstantin in The Black Swan State Theatre Company’s production of “The Seagull”?
You’re an Egyptian immigrant working as a taxi-driver to put yourself through university. Your passenger is unbelievably …
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