Something magic this way comes...

Something magic this way comes...

Wands, a hidden platform, moving staircases and owl posts. What do these things have in common? That's right, they're from the magical world of Harry Potter.
Even though I can't magically apparate myself to Hogwarts or ride a broomstick like Harry, the Powerhouse Museum of Sydney gave me the next best thing. They brought the world of Harry Potter to me.

Standing underneath the flying car from Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets

Unfortunately, the exhibition didn't allow photographs so I couldn't take photos (even though I really wanted to!). Leona (from The Daily Leona) and I decided overnight to go since it's practically a once in a lifetime opportunity. She was sick but she still came out with me. Awwwww....

So some highlights of the exhibition includes SPOILERS AHEAD, LEAVE NOW IF YOU HATE SPOILERS):

• The sorting hat - It was interesting watching people being sorted into houses. Unfortunately, it wasn't as grand as I thought it'd be, properly because it wasn't in the Great Hall...and also because the hat just sorted you into whichever house you liked. 
• The Hogwarts Express - This was possibly the COOLEST part of the exhibition because they made real fog and everything. 
• The Fat Lady - The fat lady was pretty funny. There was no interaction and I think they used the same clip as they did in the third film but it was nice to be up and personal. 
• The Mandrakes - Pulling the mandrakes out was a fun experience but it didn't move much so I guess it wasn't as realistic as I thought it was...
• Throwing the Quaffle - It was just your ordinary basketball shoot-out you find in arcades...the Quaffles were soft and rubbery (I'm pretty sure it was plastic in the film). I got wacked in the knee by this kid who missed the goal (I don't see how he could have missed...it was literally just 1m away) and the Quaffle rebounded at me. 
• Hagrid's Hut - This was really interesting. Hagrid's costume was HUGE. Was the actor really that tall? Literally 2 of me vertically. There's also a really special "something" on Hagrid's table...but I won't spoil that. 
• Aragog - I think it was Aragog...or it could have been his son...
• The Dementor - Freakyyyyyyy
• Yule Ball dresses - Leona and I both agreed that Hermione's dress was swoon-worthy! 
• Fawkes the Phoenix - Seeing it close up was realllyyyyyyy cool. It was so well made!

 The last stop was of course the souvenirs shop where I purchased Harry's wand for $50. You might think I'm crazy but it's not one of those plastic wands...it's an authentic wooden wand inside it's box and it's HEAVY. I have this rule when I buy these things...if it's HEAVY then it's worth the $$$.

It might not look like much...but it's REALLY GOOD QUALITY. I SWEAR! 

*tries to justify the spurge*

I later went back and bought an exhibition guide too :) ahahaha...I am wasting so much money...

Here's Leona with the wand.

 Obviously, she's not holding it...but still...

Next up...is a quick recap of the Love Lace exhibition that I sort of fumbled into with my cousin :D

Haha that's all the photos I took unfortunately...but it was worth a look! The stuff there was amazing too.

Okay, so to sum up everything...I had a lot of fun at both exhibitions. For those who haven't been to the Harry Potter exhibition yet, it's $32 but TOTALLY WORTH IT :)

Would I go watch it again? Probably not...but should I have watched it? HELL YES!

Life is sweet when you know where to eat

Life is sweet when you know where to eat

Today's post is by Guest blogger Sophie from Delivery Hero introducing us to her favourite places to dine! 


The working week is drawing to a close and I can’t help but daydream about what I’ll do and where I’ll go. Sydney citizens like me are lucky to have a city with fabulous music, great art exhibitions and cinema such as the Japanese Film Festival on later this month. But above all, I love to while away the hours with friends, eating out at one of my favourite Sydney haunts. Life is too short for bad food and I am nothing if not a self-confessed food obsessive (in a lovable way!) but for me eating out is also about atmosphere – making it an experience and not just a meal!

My Top 5 Not So Secret Places I Love To Eat

1.    Eating out before midday means brunch not breakfast! I love starting the weekend at a leisurely place with brunch at Blackwattle Cafe. Sitting outside this cute little cottage cafe, my friends and I like to order countless coffees, eggs cooked to perfect and more-ish homemade banana cake while enjoying the views of the city.

2.    Lunch by the beach – I’m a beach baby at heart and come lunch time there’s nowhere I’d rather be than watching the ocean. Thankfully, eating out in Sydney means loads of choices for lovely sea views. Bondi may be flooded with tourists come mid-summer but that doesn’t mean decent food is hard to find. Mexicano is my current lunch obsession and I’m not the only one! Listed in Timeout’s annual Food Awards this year, they serve modern, authentic fare that is truly Mexcellent!

3.    Dinner in Chinatown is where I head when I want yummy, well priced food. There’s no need to sell the golden goose when eating out in Sydney and Chinatown has quite a few inexpensive eateries buzzing with atmosphere.  Red Chilli is my choice for Sichuan and Marigold for yum-cha!

4.    No matter how old we get my friends and I still sometimes leave eating out for others and opt for a video and some pizza delivery at home. When we’re poor or tired or the weather is grim, Sydney food delivery is the only way to go! Plus, there’s no need to get dressed up.

5.    And then there are times my girlfriends and I want to go all out with ladylike outfits and have high tea on a Sunday afternoon. I adore The Victoria Room for the décor as much as the patisseries...and dressing up is undeniably part of the fun too!

Be sure to visit these places to enjoy what Sophie enjoyed! And a special thanks to Sophie for her contribution.
Don't forget to comment to let us know what you think! And follow my blog with google friends connect for more posts in the future!

400TH POST: JEREMY & LUNAR

400TH POST: JEREMY & LUNAR

Yup that's right! I now have a pair of bunnies! We got them from a friend for Christmas and they're uber adorable. We actually got them a while ago but the only reason why I didn't make a post about it sooner was because Jeremy got conjunctivitis and everything was a mess.

But Jeremy is looking a lot better now so I thought a good post is due.

This is Jeremy the Dwarf Bunny. It's soooo adorable! It's completely white with cream coloured fur on the tip of its ears. AND YES, its eyes are that colour! 

So adorable right?

This is Lunar (or Nana as I call her). She's an Opal Dwarf Lop-eared bunny :D 

As you can see from the photograph, she's more shy than Jeremy. She's always cowering in the corner of the cage.

I let my bunnies out on my balcony so they can have a lot of fresh air (and room to run around). I'm not really that concerned about having Jeremy desexed since he's still young...but I guess I will have to start thinking about it soon!

Regardless, I just wanted to share the news with all the readers and hopefully you'll grow to love them as I do. I'll make constant updates of their well-being so you can watch them grow up with me!

How I Got Trampled On at Japanese Film Fest

How I Got Trampled On at Japanese Film Fest

Now that the JFF is sort of over, I can finally make a post about it!
First of all, let me say that it was EXCELLENT. Being a volunteer meant that I can walk in and out of the cinemas however many times I want. It's a really good feeling.

Of course, I didn't end up watching any of the films while I was on shift but I did get to see Yutaka Takenouchi in person (and close up too)! He's as hot as everyone says he is!
I couldn't take any photos of him because I was too busy holding the middle-aged japanese women/fan girls back. I'll get back to that later though!
But for YOUR benefits, I stole some photos off someone else who had a camera with them :D

Image taken from Riku Aoi's facebook album

During my shift, it just so happened to be the session where Yutaka Takenouchi was there to do the interview. The whole cinema was packed with fans and the media.
We were told by the staff that everyone except for the media has to remain seated when taking photos but as soon as Takenouchi-san walked into the cinema, ALMOST EVERYONE stood up to snap shots of him. It was like Meerkat Manor...sooooo overwhelming.

Not being rude or anything...but all the ladies were like this...

Image taken from Riku Aoi's facebook album

To be completely honest, I'm not a super fan of Takenouchi-san even though I do love his work. To me he's a celebrity akin to the hollywood stars I see in American films. I know of him, I like him but I'm not a DIE HARD fan. So that's why the amount of squealing REALLY shocked me. I've never been the squealing type so it was weird to see middle aged women doing those things...come on! Some of them were like 40+!
I guess I'm not one to judge...I might behave like that if I bumped into Nickhun or something XD.

Image taken from Riku Aoi's facebook album

Is it weird if I say he looks a little like my cousin?

Anyway, as soon as Takenouchi-san exited the cinema, A WAVE OF LADIES THREW THEMSELVES ON HIM, literally begging for a handshake. Imagine the boxing day sale when the door of Myers or David Jones open for the FIRST TIME.

I got trampled on, stepped on, pushed, glared at as I tried to hold them back. It was SO chaotic I didn't even know where I was going. I could tell the ladies wanted to kill me because I was one of the many people who had to walk behind him, pushing all the ladies back.

I'm sorry ladies. I understand how frustrating it is...BUT IT'S FOR YOUR IDOL'S SAFETY! 

The guys who served as bodyguards did their job well. So that was good :)

But yeah, after that ordeal, we had several other movies (without the star) and it was much calmer. I finally had the chance to take out my own camera to take a few shots.

The volunteers and staff! 

These guys are so fun to be with :D Misato (wearing the hat) actually got Takenouchi-san's autograph (one of two people).

This is Riku...with his pro camera. I felt so ashamed taking out my Lumix.

Todd next to the GANTZ poster

Finally a photo of myself =)

So that's generally everything! I had a really good time, got to see a celebrity, got some bruises and cuts...and generally enjoyed myself very much! Hopefully, I'll get more chances to do this in the future!

My Love for Burberry

My Love for Burberry

Semester 2 of uni is over and I finally get to do what I like to do best. Online window-shopping.
That's right, it's my one true love.
I love looking at things that I know I can't afford...at least for now. Why? Because if motivates me to strive for the day when I can.
So here's a new wishlist of one of my favourite "unaffordable" brands.

Burberry Short Check Trenchcoat

$1795 AUD

 

 

Burberry Relaxed Fit Wool Coat

$2595 AUD

 

Burberry Soft Wool Cocoon Coat

$1575 AUD

 

 

 

Burberry Drop Waist Wool Coat

$2695 AUD

 

 

Burberry Graphic Check Wool and Mohair Sculptural Coat

$4895 AUD

 

My favourite one will have to be the Short Check Trenchcoat. It's such a simple piece yet so chic, it's like a dream come true. But I must say that the Drop Waist Wool Coat is equally LOVABLE. I love all coats that tuck in at the waist. It emphasizes all the right curves. 

 

Every single one of them are just so beautiful and elegant. Nothing less from Burberry. 

 

I'm a sucker for elegance. 

 

Well, until I can finally afford these pieces, I'll have to work hard and save up. Let's see if I can reach my goal once summer break's over =). 

Japanese Film Festival

Japanese Film Festival

Last Friday after uni, I attended the Volunteers Orientation meeting for the Japan Foundation. Why? Because the staff there had to brief us on do's and don'ts of the upcoming Japanese Film Festival!

They're showing a bunch of award-winning Japanese films starting on the 17th of November and I seriously can't wait! I already have about 3 films I want to watch!

So before I say anything else, here's a few details for those who live in Sydney and are interested in watching the film. Of course, the Japanese Film Festival is ongoing around Australia so if you live in Canberra or Melbourne, you should check it out too!

Oh, did I mention that Takenouchi Yutaka (the actor) is guest starring? He'll be at the opening night as well as some of the other films with director Hirayama Hideyuki.

Without further ado, here's a list of films (that I personally want to watch) that's screening in Sydney (at George Street Event Cinemas) starting on the 17th of November...
For more films that are screening, visit the site!

Princess Toyotomi

Screening: 18th November 2011 @ 6:30pm

Director:  Masayuki Suzuki

Cast: Shinichi Tsutsumi, Haruka Ayase, Masaki Okada, Kiichi Nakai

Synopsis: (Taken from the Film Festival site) 

Japan's Da Vinci Code, but as a comedy.

Three elite investigators from the Audit Board in Japan stumble across a 400-year old secret that could turn the city of Osaka into an independent country within Japan.

Watch Trailer

 Star Watching Dog

Screening: 19th November 2011 @ 1:00pm

Director: Tomoyuki Takimoto

Cast:  Toshiyuki Nishida, Tetsuji Tamayama, Umika Kawashima

Synopsis: (Taken from the Film Festival site) 

The body of an unidentified man is found in the bush in Hokkaido; by his side lies the body of a dog, who seems to have died much later. Touched by the bond between dog and master, caseworker Kyosuke sets out on a journey to discover the man’s identity. Both heart-warming and heart-wrenching, this road movie follows Kyosuke as he traces their final footsteps along the coast of eastern Japan, coming to terms with his own past along the way. The film is based on a best-selling manga story which echoes the legend of the faithful dog Hachiko. It stars Tetsuji Tamayama as Kyosuke, and veteran actor Toshiyuki Nishida as master of the smilingly loyal dog, Happy.

Watch Trailer

Patisserie: Coin de Rue

Screening: 19th November 2011 @ 7pm

Director:  Yoshihiro Fukugawa

Cast:  Yosuke Eguchi, Yu Aoi, Keiko Toda, Noriko Eguchi

Synopsis: (Taken from the Film Festival site) 

A disillusioned Natsume arrives at Coin de Rue, a popular Tokyo pastry shop, begging for work. Aiming to become a high-calibre pastry chef, she is determined to overcome both her past and the challenges ahead. Pastry critic Tomura is a frequent visitor. Moved by Natsume’s persistence, he slowly begins to confront his own painful past – aided, of course, by mouthfuls of tasty pastries in between.


GANTZ & GANTZ 2: Perfect Answer

Screening: 19th November 2011 @ 6:35pm (Gantz) & 9:15pm (Gantz 2)

Director:  Shinsuke Sato

Cast:   Kazunari Ninomiya, Kenichi Matsuyama, Takayuki Yamada

Synopsis: (Taken from the Film Festival site) 

From the producer of Death Note.
GANTZ is a mysterious black orb that summons the semi-deceased with a mission to hunt down aliens. In this game-like realm, there is a time limit and you are scored on your efforts. Once you reach 100 points, you have the option to be freed from GANTZ or revive someone already dead. Access to high-tech suits with superhuman abilities and weaponry is available for each assignment. Game on.

Arrietty

Screening: 26th November 2011 @ 3:50pm

Director:  Hiromasa Yonebayashi

Cast:   Mirai Shida, Ryunosuke Kamiki (Summer Wars, Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away), Shinobu Otake

Synopsis: (Taken from the Film Festival site) 

14-year-old Arrietty and the rest of the Clock family live in peaceful anonymity as they make their home from items "borrowed" from humans. However, life changes for the Clocks when a human boy discovers Arrietty. Inspired by the children's novel series “The Borrowers”, this is the latest creation from Studio Ghibli, co-produced by master animator Miyazaki Hayao (Laputa, Spirited Away). 

 

 

There's heaps of other great films but these are the ones I'm looking forward to most. 

I was given two shifts for the JFF and they're on the 19th and 24th of November :)

I think everyone should come and support the films. The films are in Japanese but with English subtitles and tickets for some of the more popular films are running out FAST so pre-book them if you can!!!

Okay, that's all for now :) 

 

First Day of Novemeber

First Day of Novemeber

It's the first day of November~!
Nothing better than celebrating it with a new scribble from my journal x] It's a deer lady =)
The year's almost over.
Okay...off to finish my assignment <3