Oh Newcastle, how I love you! We’ve had five blissful days together and I’ve adored every minute. Even the rain hasn’t dampened my ardor.
We’ve crammed so much into those precious hours.
We’ve been shell hunting at Merewether Baths.
We saw an amazing free circus performance at the local shopping centre.
My dad babysitted the Sprogs while my mum and I went to see This Is 40 at another local shopping centre (three hours free parking, four with validation and five at Christmas to encourage you to stay and do more shopping … Note to Sydney shopping centres: now there’s an idea) and laughed ourselves silly (though I got a bit flinchy about how often they said the “f” work in front of my regal parent). Paul Rudd self-examining his haemaroid was quite something.
Afterwards, my mum shouted me two luscious glasses of Audrey Wilkinson rose at the pub.
We went ice skating. Well, the kids went ice-skating while I shivered on the bleachers and warmed the cockles of my heart with my first potato scallop since forever.
I took a deep breath and attended a French film festival with some Newie Twitter friends and saw a movie called Paris Manhattan. It was lovely. Then we curled up in armchairs at Bar Petite for local wine and delicious bar snacks.
We gobbled spicy chat potatoes with aioli and Portuguese slider burgers and corn fritters and pork dumplings.
Later, I called my mum to come and pick me up. Bless her.
Mum also made a booking for me at her beautician, Krystyle Nails & Beauty …
Krystal gave me an awesome pedicure, lash tint and brow wax for only $65.
Last night we had a sleepover at a friends’ house, which included a splash in their heated pool, lots of French champagne and a gorgeous middle-eastern themed barbecue in their poolside cabana. I slept in their extensively stocked wine cellar/spare bedroom and the Sprogs slept upstairs. Eight hours of uninterrupted shut-eye. Bliss.
Sprog 2 decided she wanted this hanging chair for her birthday instead of monkey bars. I’ll have one too, thanks. We could probably afford one for each family member if we lived here.
Ah Newcastle, you sexy beast, I could kiss you. But I’m married and my husband isn’t into threesomes. So I’ll just have to admire you from afar and fantasise that one day we’ll finally get to be together and live happily ever after.
housegoeshome 
Love it. I am having my 40th at Bar Petite. I have also tried that rose many times. I got my nails and toes painted with a brow wax at Carro for $55!
You should move here. We can have coffees or wines at Merewether Surfhouse.
PS Am not a stalker. 🙂
Damn Carro trumps Macquarie Hills. A wine at the surfhouse sounds divine. Don’t think I can wait until I move for that!
I’m with you on Newcastle, Alanamaree! Now if they could just revitalize Hunter St and get that humming again, I reckon I would be sorely tempted. Found a perfect vacant block in Newcastle East when I was there in July…and Leanne would love to have us home too. 🙂
Newcastle East is going off. Haven’t checked out Hunter Street yet. Getting it humming again is quite the battle. But friends tell me its on its way back up.