Hookers and Strippers Ball

It’s been a few years since the last Hookers and Stripper ball was held in Sydney.

When the ball was announced and it was to be a fancy dress event, with a DJ and live performances from various talented people and held just down the road from KTE, well nothing was going to stop me from going. Nonetheless it was always going to be a bit of a challenge, getting organised and getting there – there was not a lot of lead time from the ball being publicly promoted and held. Additionally I have been really busy lately, juggling my two enterprises, family and an active social life. The timing was also punishing, being held just the day after all the festivities of the Melbourne Cup but still a great turn up of around 100 people showed their fabulous selves.

Fancy dress parties always have huge appeal, they are especially fun when met by an adult audience.

With it being Halloween just last week, the theme was spooky and it was announced there would be a prize for the best dressed. My competitive side was engaged immediately at such frolics. With a view to win, I dragged a supporter, Mr Fun off to ACE costume hire. With a bit of help from the staff we decided to dress up as a vampire and vampiress. I got to be a sexy and not evil looking vampiress. My hair was a giant boufant blonde beehive so I looked like Dusty Springfield in drag. For an extra edge, I employed the services of a professional makeup artist who reworked our faces into spooky fantasy characters. My makeup was an exaggerated smokey eye with enormous eyelashes, shaped cheekbones and a nude mouth. Very sixties. Mr Fun was made up into an evil vampire with a pale face base with exaggerated bat-wing eyes and a half mouth of blood red lipstick representing remnants of his last meal. We both looked the part and I was satisfied with the effort.

The venue was decked out appropriately to the theme (including shorts of horror movies from the 50’s and 60’s) and the DJ played a well constructed set for the audience and the evening. The event organisers and performers were friendly and we knew we were in for a great night.

The first performance of the evening was by Madame Lash www.madamelash.com.au who basically gave us a lowdown of her head spinningly full and colourful life. She is described by notable persons as a living treasure, I’d go along with that. Madame Lash had us all captivated from her first word to her last, from her early experiences as an art model, then Kings Cross Stripper, career stripper, going into politics, the parties she holds, her painting and creative pursuits. I was completely enraptured – could have listened all evening. It was a real honour to meet M.L. later, this beautiful woman is just amazing.

The other entertainment of the evening were terrific too. Highlights for me were the performer with the hoola hoop, very rhythmic and amazing body control, Vashneys’ creative spoof on the German authoritarian woman and Skyes’ performance.
Sadly for myself and perhaps Mr Fun, we didn’t win best costume, that pleasure was bestowed on a sequined body-suited leather-man.
Ah well, there’s always next year.

All too soon the performances were over and we were dancing. There were some wonderful women on the dance floor, and also a very hot young male worker in budgie smugglers with some kind of adornment hanging off them (I didn’t like to stare), who was also a terrific mover. Now, regular readers of the blog will know that I really do prefer more mature men but I certainly enjoyed dancing with this young hottie, given the occasion.

The evening was winding up but a random after party was announced at the Sly Fox. A hardcore of H and S ball revelers relaunched their eye-catching selves at the Enmore venue. I joined in till 2am but unfortunately I had to get up for an appointment a scant few hours later so very reluctantly tore myself away, having had a great time.

Can’t wait till the next ball!

 

My First NRL Grand Final

You know what they say, when an opportunity rears it’s head, grab it.

I had the exciting opportunity to go the the 2009 NRL grand final last night. Since I’ve been getting some tremendous information about the game from a couple of very knowledgeable sources all season, it was just a little bit more exciting for a novice like me.

This year demand was high and tickets were scarce and actually the event was sold out. In this situation it pays to have friends in high places and I really wanted to go. Part of this was fueled by having had a awesome time last week watching the semi final with Parramatta Eels vs Canterbury Bulldogs. Very happily, I got to the final.

I seem to have been spending a lot of time at the ANZ stadium lately, and being the risk taker that I am, suggested to my friend we take the chance and go without prebooking parking. No prebooked parking means parking in *sigh P5, so you take a shuttle bus to the ground. The queue at the bus stop revealed that two costumes were being donned on the night, the Parramatta one of yellow and blue and the Melbourne Storm a more tasteful purple and black.
Since I am Switzerland; I wore my silver boots.

Whoever we were, we all looked forward to a good game and that’s exactly what we got!

Once the bus shuttled to the entrance of the stadium the atmosphere hit me. The buzz and the noise filled the air and I knew this was a different game to the one I had seen just last week. All of Sydney were behind the Parramatta Eels while their opponents the talented mexicans behind the Melbourne Storm.

Finding our seats, our eyes are glued to the centre of the ground where the band Wolfmother are belting out “Joker and a Thief”. It was all pretty exciting and ever practical Karen was impressed with the fold-out take-away stage. Then, viewing the video footage of what seemed to be a random helicopter, an army black hawk hurtled towards the stadium and a pilot waved and dropped out the games ball.

The crowd were so noisy, it was hard to hear each other but it all added to the tremendous atomosphere of the record breaking 82,000 Rugby League fans enjoying the spectacle.

The eels had won many of their last games but were on taking on a very experienced team who have won the last three grand finals and were looking determined to take the honours.

This being my second football experience, I loved it more than ever and the flow of the game was becoming clearer to me now. The fans are right behind their team and disappointingly for many, by half time the eels were not looking to be competitive enough.

Nevertheless, half time brought much excitement with more entertainment and a demonstration of dancing girls by both clubs. Pffft, I did notice my friend was very entertained, hmmm what’s the matter with my pom poms?

Anyway, the second half starts and the Storm score again but the underdog came back and the Eels were fighting their way back into the game. It could have been a fairytale ending but the athletism and speed of Ingis and Slater leave the Eels fans in disbelief. There were lots of people leaving and when the hooter sounded my friend tried to drag me out too but I wanted to see the presentation and the speeches as the evening finished to bring the whole event to a completion.

Shuttling back to the outer P5 car park another exciting event began called “Find where you parked your car”?
This event was a 40 minute exercise *bah. But I didn’t mind really even though it rained and my hair got trashed, because it was such a tremendous all-round experience.

 

A few of my favourite things.

I may not sing too well but I’d like to share a few of my favorite things.

Shopping

While most would see this as another task, I like to look at it as an adventure.  It’s all about assuming the role of the hunter you see. First you find the target and then it’s all about the planning.

Take D.F.O. (Direct Factory Outlet) as an example, I arranged a few hours there for my exhibition recently. Part of the campaign was to carefully select a friend to accompany me, (actually he was there to carry my bags). Anyway, we hit the centre with precision, making sure we picked a day in the early week where crowds are at a minimum. We parked in just the right place alleviating any problem with fatigue and exiting when the mission was completed.

I’d done my homework and with swift, cutting edge maneuvers, wind my way through various retail establishments selecting the best bargains after memorizing all the catalogues the day before. To be honest my associate did have problems keeping up, but we got over that with some words of encouragement and a pit stop for a rest and refreshments. Then we were off to complete the last of our raids departing before the mad rush to exit. With all our operation successfully completed and a spring in our step head out of Homebush with our prize booty.

Movies

Who wants to go to the movies with the plebs when you can go in style? Ooooh yes Gold Class! thank you Greater Union for presenting this decadent pleasure.

A different associate came this time and why not? Someone’s got to pay 🙂
Just as long as he stops gas-bagging for five minutes so I can watch the movie that is.

Starting off with a glass of dry white, I look forward to the couple of courses of tasty treats that comes my way in fully customizable intervals throughout the movie.

They really make you feel like you’re a V.I.P. There’s the ambient mood lighting and relaxing atmosphere on arrival.  Your booking can easily be made online and I always enjoy the queue free special entry. A friendly attendant ensures you are personally greeted and taken to your seats. The seats are unbelievably comfortable and there are plenty of gadgets to play with including the fancy footrests and the shared tray table. It’s just like being home – but better. You’ve got the latest movies, a progressed surround sound and huge screen.
If you’re going the cinema, I reckon its well worth it to pay a little more and step up a class.

Shows, theatre and entertainment

If you really want a memorable night, why not spoil yourself at one of Sydney’s many entertainment venues. There’s something for every taste from opera, to musicals and live music.

Lately I’ve been going to a few stage shows and quite a bit of live music. Admittedly, pogoing in the mosh-pit is somewhat of a distant memory for me and these days I tend to gravitate toward the dinner and show kind of vibe.

This week I saw Mark Seymour from the Hunters and Collectors at the Basement.
Mark Seymour is one of Australia’s’ best singers and song writers. The beautiful “Throw Your Arms Around Me” is in my opinion, probably one of the most iconic Australian love songs ever written.

The Basement itself is a popular and lively venue, it does get pretty crowded however and I recommend taking the dinner show option for your best viewing vantage point.

Dinner and overnight Stays

This is one of my very favorite activities and I’m very lucky that I have many clients who also enjoy the combination of a fine dining experience and an overnight stay at some of Sydney’s lovely hotels.

My last experience of fine dining was at the 2009 restaurant of the year Bilson’s. Bilson’s is located on the ground floor of the Radisson Hotel.

The Radisson does a package of accommodation, dinner, late checkout and also includes a bottle of Moet champagne and chocolate dipped strawberries on arrival. The suite itself is spacious; the bed very comfortable and best of all there’s a bath that’s big enough for two.

The food at Bilson’s is just superb and the waiter service outstanding.
Each beautifully presented course is explained to you by your waiter. The staff delivers exactly the right mix of attentiveness without being in anyway intrusive. Because the food is so awesome and the experience so world class my companion and I had some fun conversation (playing amateur master chefs) about the various ingredients and the exploding flavours on our palates.

After some carefully selected wine to compliment each course, I was feeling a touch happy and luckily the suite tour just happened to be upstairs. Nice and convenient (wink). I was feeling in a very joyous mood if you know what I mean, so the next few hours were very satisfying.

Given five hours sleep appreciation, I feel the stirring passion of the moment and served my own version of a full breakfast.