Travel Adventures: BALI

Last Sunday I headed out early to the airport to "tag along" on a work Assistant managers conference to Bali - I got to go on this one because the Managers conference fell on the Andrew McMahon weekend trip and I couldn't go. I didn't mind, I've never been to Bali before and it's a big seller in our store so I was excited to finally get to see what the fuss was all about.

We stayed in an area that was on the boarder of Kuta and Legian in Bali at The 101 Legian Hotel. This hotel had not technically opened yet so we were a little concerned about what to expect when we arrived. It was unfounded as the hotel was awesome and the staff at the hotel were so lovely and went out of their way to make sure we had everything we needed.  PLUS we had our own rooms - which doesn't happened all that often on these conferences. 

Sunday afternoon we headed to The Haven hotel in Seminyak for a 2 hour conference and then an inspection of the hotel then dinner. I had been feeling a little under the weather when we landed - I thought it was just the change of climate or the aeroplane food and that it would pass, but it didn't. After dinner we headed back to our hotel to dump our stuff and head out for a drink but as soon as I hit the hotel I knew I couldn't head out again so I took some Panadol and went to lie down on my bed when nausea hit and I had to stick my head in the toilet for a little while. Not the best way to start a trip.

I woke up the next day feeling so much better. We had a free day to wander the streets and a whole group of us headed to the markets then shopping center for some retail therapy. We ate lunch at a restaurant on the beach and then spent some quality time by the pool. Someone suggested cocktails and who was I to argue when one of the hotel staff brought us cocktails as we soaked in the pool.

More after the break...

ANGRY BOYS

Oh my goodness I just found this official trailer from the new TV show from Chris Lilley.

**** WARNING COURSE LANGUAGE ****

THIS LOOKS CRAZY! ABSOLUTELY CRAZY!!!

For those of you not in the know, Chris Lilley is the genius behind Summer Heights High and We Can Be Heroes (this one I haven't watched for some insane reason). He creates these iconic characters and manages to transform himself into them - no matter if they are male/female/different race/sexuality. He becomes these characters - while watching the show you somehow forget that these characters are all played by the same person.

When my lovely friend Stormy came to visit from the USA last year we managed to somehow get her hooked on Summer Heights High - so I know it somehow translates. It is VERY Australian (with lots of cultural jokes) but I would suggest that if you haven't yet discovered the hilarity of Chris Lilley then you should change that ASAP!

I would like to know when this new creation begins because I am super excited!!!

Peace Out lovelies!

 - Brooke

P.S I'll be back with my Bali update (I can't believe I'm back - I can't believe I was there for only 3 days!) and a new live band photo gallery in the next couple of days. I have another band to shoot tomorrow night (Big Scary) but I have the weekend off (YAY!) so I'll have plenty of free time. I'm planning on doing very little.

MacBook Pro equals love

FINALLY I've done it. On Sunday after another tough week I decided that since I'd been paid it was about time I spoilt myself with something I've been wanting for YEARS. I am now a proud MacBook Pro owner.

I heart that the book says this

To some people it may not seem like much, but to me it's glorious. I finally have a computer of my own that I can use whenever I want to.

I am still getting used to moving from a PC to a MAC computer but I've downloaded Angry Birds Rio on my MacBook Pro and it's easing the change. I can also see myself getting sucked into the photo booth  big time!

Excuse the iPhone/Instagram images, I can't be bothered getting my camera out.

I've been meaning to dye my hair all week since my hair dye arrived but I haven't had the energy. I really need to do it either tonight or tomorrow night so it's freshly dyed for my whirlwind 2 night stay in Bali that I leave for on Sunday. I have a hair cut booked in for Saturday morning (BEFORE THE FOOTY - 1st round match!!) so I HAVE to do it before then. See look at me making excused - basically it's probably not going to happen tonight because I'm already sucked into watching Gladiator on blu ray.

Peace Out

 - Brooke

Music Mondays: Mark Ronson & The BUSINESS International

Oh I've been busy - well kind of not really. I've just been tired. It's been a while between posts because I've been trying to come to terms with being a "boss" (cue The Lonely Islands "I'm The Boss" song) and living. Which cannot be seen as a bad thing IMO.

I'm back - and with a post I promised before I disappeared from the blogosphere.

Mark Ronson brought his band the Business International to Melbourne as a part of the Future Music Festival. We luckily got a side show and snapped up tickets straight away. As I have mentioned before I was supposed to get a photo pass but unfortunately it didn't come through.

It was one spectacular show - it's always hard to know exactly what kind of show an artist who fills their album with guests is going to bring. Surely he's not able to bring Lily Allen and all those crazy awesome members with him - and he didn't. Instead he managed to group together a collection of artists who contributed to the album but were able to fill in for the "bigger" missing artists. 

We were treated with the special guests Spank Rock, MNDR, Rose Elinor Dougall, Alex Greenwald (lead singer from Phantom Planet) and Andrew Wyatt (Miike Snow). It was a group effort with Ronson conducting all the pieces from his platform. 

The energy and craziness of the night is hard to describe. I've never been to a show where the main artist is able to take a back seat but still have such a huge presence in the room and on the stage. Not only were we treated to a mixture of songs from his new record but they managed to mix in a few songs from "Versions" as well as an unexpected but hugely appreciated version of Phantom Planets "California" (the theme song from The OC).

This was a super fun gig to experience and I'm so happy I was there and able to dance around with friends. 

What else have I been up to? Well there was a day at the Melbourne Zoo, some movie and shopping days also as well as work. Oh dear lots of work.

On Sunday I'm headed off to Bali for a work conference - it'll be 2 nights of craziness and I'm sure I'll have a lot to write about. 

Peace Out Lovelies,

x x x

Brooke

Happyness is... Found treasures

Today when I got home from work I was a little bummed because the confirmation to photograph MGMT's gig tonight didn't come through. I don't mind too much - I mean I was excited to shoot them but I understand that this is the nature of what I do.

My mood quickly cleared into one of absolute happyness when my sister said to me "guess what I found today when I was about to throw out the crimper box". She then proceeded to hand my my Lord of the Rings ring that I thought I'd lost almost 3 years ago.

I'm so happy right now I want to burst!

This is a ring I bought way back in 2002 (I'm guessing) and used to wear every single day (prior to thinking I'd lost it). Both my sister and I were 100% wrapped up in the LOTR phenomenon. We were so involved with it that we (with 2 of our friends) travelled to New Zealand in 2003 and made sure our trip corresponded with the final premiere for the Return of the King in Wellington. We spent a day of our holiday waiting on the barrier of the red carpet watching the parade of elves, orcs and hobbits walk by before getting our photo taken with Dominic Monaghan, shaking hands with Sir Ian McKellen and being called "precious" by Andy Serkis (in the voice of Gollum). It was the beginning of our overseas adventures and this ring was a constant reminder of that adventure.

I can tell you what I was doing on the day that I thought I'd lost it - I was getting ready for my work ball in July (2008?) and noticed that the ring was missing when I met up with my work mates. I remember thinking that it must have fallen off my finger in my Mum's car because I was carrying a bunch of things that I'd need for that evening. I searched Mums car high and low and ripped my room apart to no avail. I was devestated.

I've thought about the ring now and then - I even went searching on ebay to try and get another one but when I did that it just felt wrong. You just can't replace something like that.

I feel so happy to have it back on my hand - back where it belongs. I love that I have it back.

Tomorrow night I'm going to see Mark Ronson (and hopefully photograph - pending confirmation) so I'm sure I'll be back before the end of the week with photos and stories. It's also a long weekend this weekend with lots and lots of fun things planned.

Peace out lovelies,

x x x

Brooke

P.S My hair is not "proper" purple yet because I'm still waiting for the dye to arrive. The place I normally order Special Effects from had some issue with the supplier and they told me it should be here mid week. I'm hoping tomorrow (even though I haven't received a shipping notice email) so that I can dye it on Thursday (my day off). I think I need to find somewhere else to buy it from - this is the second time in a row they've taken forever and I'm sick of having to chase it up with them. Recommendations??? I don't care if it's International at this point they'd be much quicker than the place I'm currently buying from.

P.P.S I just discovered the "spell check" button in blogger. My life has become so much easier! *JOY*