Burlesque

I have been dying to see Burlesque ever since I saw shots from the set.  I love a good musical and throw in one of my all time favorite divas Cher and its gotta be good right?

 Forget all the nasty reviews, this was not a good movie, it was GREAT!!!

The movie is a plot we have seen before, small town girl moves to the bright lights, big city and does good. It is done really well though and it is never boring. The thing that I think worked were all the key players. Christina Aguilera in her first  movie does a great job, she had a really nice presence on screen and had a good chemistry with the others namely Cher & Cam Gigandet.  Cher is delicious as club owner Tess, I think Cher was just being Cher! Kristin Bell as a drunk, bitchy showgirl was a change of pace from her good girl roles and Stanley Tucci as Tess's right hand man Sean, was the gay BFF we all wish we had.  Nice little appearance by Alan Cumming as well.

The musical numbers were fabulous, the costumes and choreography were first rate and we all know Christina can sing and the score makes the most of that.  We even get 2 songs from Cher!   For me this was the best musical I have seen in a while. The 2 hours flew by in a burst of fun, song, feathers & sequins. Found myself grooving along in my seat a few times.  If you want to be entertained then this is the film for you.  I will be getting this on blu ray for my collection when it is released. 

Before I go & pick up my ostrich feather fans again and dance to the soundtrack. I will finish the post mentioning that the second song Cher sang really struck a chord with me for some reason, here are the lyrics:

"You Haven't Seen The Last Of Me"

Feeling broken
Barely holding on
But there's just something so strong
Somewhere inside me
And I am down but I'll get up again
Don't count me out just yet

I've been brought down to my knees
And I've been pushed way past the point of breaking
But I can take it
I'll be back
Back on my feet
This is far from over
You haven't seen the last of me
You haven't seen the last of me

They can say that
I won't stay around
But I'm gonna stand my ground
You're not gonna stop me
You don't know me
You don't know who I am
Don't count me out so fast

I've been brought down to my knees
And I've been pushed way past the point of breaking
But I can take it
I'll be back
Back on my feet
This is far from over
You haven't seen the last of me

There will be no fade out
This is not the end
I'm down now
But I'll be standing tall again
Times are hard but
I was built tough
I'm gonna show you all what I'm made of

I've been brought down to my knees
And I've been pushed way past the point of breaking
But I can take it
I'll be back
Back on my feet
This is far from over
I am far from over
You haven't seen the last of me

No no
I'm not going nowhere
I'm staying right here
Oh no
You won't see me begging
I'm not taking my bow
Can't stop me
It's not the end
You haven't seen the last of me
Oh no
You haven't seen the last of me
You haven't seen the last of me

UPDATE: This song won the 2011 Golden Globe for best original song in a motion picture

Life is Good award from Sydney Shopgirl

Thanks to Sydney Shopgirl for giving me this award.  We are forum friends from way back and recently found out each other had a blog.

The 3 simple rules of the tag are:


Thank and link back to the person that gave you this award

Answer the 10 survey questions (as per below)

Pass this award on to other bloggers you like and notify them by leaving them a comment

 The 10 Survey Questions......

 1. If you blog anonymously, are you happy doing this? If you aren't anonymous, do you wish you started out anonymously, so that you could be anonymous now?

I am out & proud!   If someone who knows me stumbles upon my blog then so be it.  None of my family know about the blog (only Leigh does) and about 3 friends.  I often use initials when blogging about people in my life, that way they can be anonymous.  Leigh is a part of this blog whether he likes it or not (he likes it so no problems!!)  I wanted to be open & honest especially about my experiences with ivf/icsi and  also wanted to be able to post pictures of special times in my life without cropping heads off.  From time to time I wish I had made up a catchy name to hide behind but knowing me I would have ended up giving the game away somehow.
 2. Describe an incident that shows your inner stubborn side.

Mmmm maybe the time of my first visit on holidays from Melbourne to Seaworld on the Gold Coast. It was 1977 and the park was pretty basic back then, everyone was looking at the baby shark but I wanted to pat him even though nobody else was. SO I climbed up on the ledge and put my hand in about to go for the pat when people started shrieking "That little girls got her hand in the shark pool" and my grandpa dragged me away.  I just did not get what all the fuss was about....

OR

Maybe the time I got admitted to hospital with stomach pains. At midday Sunday the Dr came to see me to say I had to have my gallbladder out and I was off to surgery now.  Ummmmmm 200 peopple will not get paid tomorrow if I do not show up for work so against all advice I checked myself out of hospital.  Everyone got paid that Monday (ok I did collapse at work several times) and anyway I wanted time to google about gallbladders and see if I needed mine or not!
3. What do you see when you really look at yourself in the mirror?

The picture of a long running love/hate relationship.  From an early age I was self concious and never liked the way I looked. I think it started at primary school when other kids would ask "where are your parents from?" when I answered Australia they never believed me. There is some Italian and French on my grandfathers side of the family and some of that must of come out in me, like all kids I hated being made feel that I was different. I went to primary school in Melbourne and had many Italian, Greek, Yugoslav etc.. classmates so I do not know why I got picked on for the way I looked. I grew to hate my dark eyes and hair and as soon as I was old enough peroxide and I became friends!

The weight wars started in my teens, although I was not heavy at the time I  was always doing something silly like having cruskits and black coffee for lunch at high school and constantly changing my hair in the hopes, I think of having a new persona.  At times in my life when I have been at my most fit & healthy I have always wanted to lose "just 5 more kilos".  I am my own worst enemy and even on my wedding day after all the professional hair & make up I remember looking at myself in the mirror once I was dressed and saying "Oh well nothing more you can do, this is as good as it gets I'm afraid". 
Maybe one day I will learn to like what I see.......
4. What is your favourite summer cold drink?

Oh boy can't believe I am admitting this but a frozen coke/slurpee is sooooo good on a hot day.
5. When you take time for yourself, what do you do?
Watch movies & all my fave shows, facials, pedicures, surf the web, blog & read. Most of all I just love hanging with Leigh & the 2 papmpered princesses (Celine & Paris).
6. Is there something that you still want to accomplish in your life?
Obviously to become a Mum.  Get to Paris & Italy before I get to old to enjoy it. Have a house in LA and a holiday house on a beach somewhere. Become a burlesque performer a la Dita Von Teese, a playboy bunny, movie star, supermodel, write a book, make a record, look good in hotpants, win an acadamy award. Oh well a girl can dream!!
7. When you attended school, were you the class clown, the class overachiever, the shy person, or always ditching
I was the shy one and still can be in unusual surrounds or with strangers.  School was hard due to us moving several times and always being the new girl, I think I became more shy with each move.
8. If you close your eyes and want to visualize a very poignant moment in your life, what would you see?
The moment Leigh proposed to me, no one had ever made me feel more special or so loved in my whole life. The realisation that some of the bad experiences in my life, have in the long run helped me to be a better person. The day I finally get to meet the child I have been waiting so long for. 
9. Is it easy for you to share your true self in your blog, or are you more comfortable writing posts about other people and events?
Yes I find it easy to be my true self on this blog.  There are times especially in relation to some of the posts on ivf/icsi I wish I could go back and delete BUT I would not only be fooling others but myself.  When I started blogging it was a stress release for me, somewhere to put down my thoughts & emotions that cluttered my head in relation to the ivf process.  I have had messages from people telling me that some of my posts have opened their eyes to what ivf is actually like and for covering all the feelings and things the clinics can not tell you about.  My honesty is a small price to pay in the long run if I am able to help someone in some way. The blog was named Nicole's world and although you may think so, ivf is not my life so I also like to post about all things that interest me.
10. If you had the choice to sit down and read a book or talk on the phone, which would you choose and why?
Can I do both? Not at the same time of course as I always like to give something my full attention.  I love getting drawn into a good book that you can not put down but, over the years with friends moving away etc... I learned to love a good chat on the phone. In fact after Leigh & I met we had 6 weeks of phone dating before I would agree to go to dinner with him.

Now for some bloggers I would like to pass this award on to:

Emmie Gemmie at Desert Darling

Sammie at Marriage Renovations and....

Onika at A freckle to the left

Candace at Loft32

Danielle at Fats in fatty

Brisbane floods January 2011, how it affected my area...

I am back on the air today as due to the flooding I lost telephone & internet. First off I want to send a huge thank you to everyone who sent messages checking on me & my status.


  Like everyone else I was watching the reports on television and hoping my area would be ok. Wednesday lunchtime we ventured down to the bottom of our street to see what was happening and grab some supplies before things got worse as predicted on Thursday.  Our house being on a hill meant we would be safe but I could not believe what had happened in a few hours down the bottom of the hill.  It was just heartbreaking to see an area where you have lived for 14 years and come down to everyday like this.

Baroona Road Rosalie

Cnr of Baroona & Nash St

Rosalie Deli Baroona Road

Top of Nash Street

I was in shock because I had just driven down this very street the night before and everything was dry.  Navigating our way through some back streets we made our way to Paddington Central to Woolworths. There were not that many people around but the first sign things were not as they seemed was Bakers Delight had no bread at all, nothing!!!   Woolies was the same and all the basics like bread, milk & juice were gone.  We grabbed what we could and headed home, thankful to be dry and still have power.

I could not sleep that night, I don't know if it was all the news reports talking about disaster striking at 4am or the noise of the helicopters that were constantly overhead.  I can not even remember now how I killed the time with no internet to keep me busy.   Leigh woke early and about 5am we decided to go take a look

Nash Street

Nash Street facing Baroona

Water was almost at roof level

Just near Epic Cycles further up Baroona Rd

Below is a clip from nine news of a reporter (and in an odd coincidence a work colleague of Leigh's) taking a boat ride around my local area

By Friday we were used to the choppers although it felt like we were at war.  The clean up crew did an amazing job because late Friday afternoon there was not even any mud on the road.  We drove through today on our way out and it is so sad to see all these lovely shops empty, most have signs on the windows thanking everyone for help/support.  

I would like to ask all readers of this if you have not already please donate to the flood relief.  And please support the local area of Rosalie when it gets back on its feet.

On a sentimental note

Just found out the restaurant where we had our wedding reception "Oxleys on the river' now called "Drift" broke away and has sank.  Here is some footage from youtube.

Snapshot: October 18th 2005 Hollywood CA

In an effort to cheer myself up at the moment I have been trying to think of happy memories.  I am going to start a little section called snapshot and blog about good times from the past.

I have a lot of wonderful and happy memories from my trips to the USA so I am going to start this off with a celebrity packed day in Hollywood.

We have been living in our West Hollywood apartment for about 6 weeks now and today we are spending the afternoon in Hollywood to check out a few celebrity events.

First off one of my favorite actors Antonio Banderas is getting a star on the walk of fame and I am hoping to get his autograph for my collection.  We get there early to get a good spot near his star and about 30 mins before the ceremony is scheduled to start there is a bit of a commotion and there suddenly is Antonio, he has arrived early so he can meet the fans and do autographs etc...  I am very impressed at this and love it when a star I like looks after the fans. 

We are near the front of the pack and next thing he is in front of us, we snap some shots of him and exchange a few words and he signs my photo - this girl from Bris can not believe she is standing so close to one of her favorite actors!!  Melanie is with him and so is her teenage daughter with Don Johnson , Dakota and her daughter with Antonio, Stella.  Have liked some of Melanies movies so getting to see her is a bonus and her plastic surgery is not to scary in person.

We watch the ceremony and Antonio gives a great speech then Sharon Stone turns up and we get a good look at her and she looks a tad scary - too much plastic surgery!! 

Antonio arrives 30 mins early to meet the fans

Signing for us

Antonio, Melanie & Stella

Next up its down the street to Graumanns Chinese Theatre for the world premiere of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.  The barricades for this are actually across the road from Graumanns so it looks like we are not going to see much when some people mention often the actors will cross the road and come over and meet the fans.  I like both Robert Downey Jr & Val Kilmer but I have read lots of negative stuff about Val and doubt he will come over.  We see from a distance various celebs arrive then there's Robert, he does some press and goes straight in.  Val arrives and next thing you know it looks like he is going to come across the street and he does!!  He takes his time meeting the fans and signing lots of autographs, the photos do not come out well as its dark but he is nice and signs my card and notices my accent. We exchange a few words about Australia and his time here filming and he is off. Guess you can't always believe waht you read as he was really nice.

Talking to Val while he signs

Val's autograph

We break for dinner then head to the new Virgin megastore which is hosting a signing for Hugh Hefner and his girls next door.  I have always had a soft spot for Hef, I think the man is a legend and we could just not pass up the chance to meet him (and hope for an invite to the mansion!!)  We buy the current playboy with the girls on the cover and get in line.  There is a ton of playboy security here in suits wearing little playboy bunny pins, everything is very organized.  Unfortunately you can't have a photo with Hef or the girls but we are able to snap some of them.  First off we meet Holly and she is gorgeous - a real life barbie doll, she asks our names and signs the playboy to us. Next up is Hef and for an old guy he is in pretty good shape, I tell him the mansion looks like an amazing place with all its animals etc.. and he thanks me as he signs(did not get my hint for an invite though) then we meet Bridget & Kendra who sign  and are all smiles.  All of them seem very happy to be there.

Holly Madison & Hugh Hefner

Bridget Marquardt & Kendra Wilkinson

Playboy signed by Hef & the girls

We went back to our apartment a little starstruck and not believing we got so lucky to meet so many people in one day. Apart from the autographs & photos we had the memory of a great day.  Doing this may not interest some people but I am a huge movie buff and have been since I was very young so getting to meet these people in person after watching thier films is a real thrill.

And this rain does not stop......

This rain is well & truly here and things are getting a little scary.  I have never seen anything like this the whole 14 years I have lived in Brisbane.  We are in Paddington and are in a Queenslander style house on a big hill, the water just runs down the street or under the house and I think there is no danger of us being flooded.

I just went down to the local shops at Milton to grab a few things and the few shops on the trip down there are taped up & have sandbags.  My local park is now a thigh deep swimming pool and unbelievably people are down there running around in it.  The rain has not cooled things down at all, it is so humid and sticky. 

Leigh works in Cenral Plazza 2 in the CBD and was evacuated at about 11am this morning.  Unfortunately he did not get to come home, he was sent to his companies disaster recovery site to man things from there.  Several of our friends have been evacuated from their homes and have had to go to shelters but you can not take your pets.

They are predicting this could be worse then the 74 floods & that D day will be Thursday.   Hoping things get better than worse.  I feel very lucky that we are all together and safe in our home tonight, I feel terrible for those who are not.

This is the river walk at New farm where we go for walks often - it has been closed off

This is Coronation Drive about a 5 min drive from home

Lite & Easy, may be lite but not that easy.....

Day 1 of a diet is never much fun and today is no different.  Yes I would like to lose weight but right at the moment I do not have my diet mojo. Why am I doing this then?  Becuase I feel pressured by my fertility Dr.  I gained alot of weight in 2007/2008 when I was very ill.  I lost 30 kilos of it to start ivf but Dr L is always at me to lose more.  It gets a little embarrassing that she mentions it every visit and even on the day of my miscarriage her parting words on the phone to me were to "rest up & lose some weight".  I know I have weight to lose, but I know of people heavier than me that are doing/have done ivf.

I lost the first 30 kilos using Jenny Craig, the food was not bad but I am a very picky eater so there menu for someone like me was very limiting and I had to repeat alot of meals to pad out the week.  Needless to say after awhile I got very sick of it and called it quits around the time of my whooping cough.  I thought I would give lite n easy a try as there was a better selection.

Today I have had:

Breakfast was a cheese & tomato tosted sandwhich - sounds good but ever try making one with no oil/butter it sticks even to a non stick pan and falls apart.  The second attempt was made by toasting the bread in the toaster and melting the cheese in the microwave.  There was also a yoghurt to have but I can't eat it,  it is one of those things that makes me gag - I can not even stand the smell.

Lunch was a chicken salad which was not bad but the portion was very small. There were some cheese & crackers for a snack.

Dinner tonight was sausages in onion gravy with veg which was not too bad for a frozen meal.

 

Guess I will just continue to give this a go and hope some motivation grabs me.  Nothing worse than going on a diet then when you have been told to.

Something that made me smile

In the letterbox this afternoon was a parcel from my dear friend Maggie in Louisville KY, she mentioned she had sent something off but with everything that has happened I had forgot.


First off there were 2 shirts - on the front was printed TEAM & our surname and on the back of each was our names, also there was a bracelet which featured several pics of Leigh & I and the girls.  What beautiful, thoughtful presents.  I wish I was talented enough to make such things.  I popped on my team shirt and wore it in to pick up Leigh from work.  One of my good friends who works with Leigh had popped down to say hi and got to see it too.

I want to send a big shout out to Maggie and thank her so much for putting a smile on my face again. I feel lucky to have a friend like you and wish you were not half a world away.

Leigh models our Team shirts - he put it on as soon as he got home!

The bracelet that features pictures of all of us

Afternoon tea at Vanilla Pod

Today was Leigh's last day of leave so after doing a few errands we decided to get out & have a nice relaxing afternoon tea at Vanilla Pod.

Leigh found Vanilla Pod a few years ago when he was trying desperately to find somewhere in Brisbane that had red velvet cake (it became my holy grail cake after having it regularly in LA), now we order one for all our special occcassions.

Today we decided on their decadent Iced Chocolate with fresh whipped cream (not areated stuff) and tons of ice cream

 Unfortuantely there was no red velvet by the slice today so we had white chocolate mud cupcakes

I suggest any Brissy readers go for a visit!!     Vanillapod

A Swan, Crowe, Rabbit and the rest of the movies I have seen of late

 In the past week we have seen quite a few good movies, of varying genres and some I have enjoyed more than others.   Here is the rundown:

The next three days is the new Russell Crowe film, a great story and lots of edge of the seat stuff. Russell is excellent in this as a man who plans to break his wife out of jail.  I would put this on any must see list.

Rabbit hole was ok.  The acting was fantastic but it is not something I would send people to see nor am I in a hurry to see it again or add it to my collection.

Love & other drugs is a rom com with a difference.  Anne & Jake were great and there are quite a few funny moments but this does deal with some serious stuff as well.

The Tourist, loved this from start to finish.  I enjoyed the story and Angelina's wardrobe was devine.  If you want action & plot twists, this is for you.

Black Swan will not be for everyone.  If you want to see a movie with a very different story aka not your run of the mill movie this is for you.  Natalie Portman was great and we really enjoyed it.  I think this is one you will either love or hate - no grey area here.

Due Date in some ways is like the classic Planes,Trains & Automobiles in that it throws 2 very different people together to travel cross country.  I only looked at it cos I am a fan of Robert's and did not expect much.  I got quite a surprise as I had several laugh out loud moments.  At a time when neither of us felt like laughing this cheered us up and distracted us for 90 mins.  Its no masterpiece cinema but it did what it was supposed to - entertain.

Somewhere, I have enjoyed several of Sofia Coppola's films especially the virgin suicides & Marie Antionette but this left me cold.  I get what she was trying to do here but this was slow to the point of boring. It reminded me of a over descriptive novel the way some scenes were so long.  I think I enjoyed this the least of everything I have seen lately.