Last day of November and the end of Spring. Only 25 days until Christmas.
Not big on Christmas celebrations, I intend to sleep through Christmas and Boxing Day as I usually like to do - Well not exactly as I am usually on the plane on Christmas Day and half way across the world except for last year and now this year. I will be working and will probably be too dead tired to do anything by the time Christmas Day arrives.
Preparing last minute things for my next "adventure" will consume all of my entire 2 days off.
No presents to worry about no cards to send this year - I can't be bothered everyone can get "cyber" Christmas Greetings this year! Christmas for me is over by the end of October even September!
Now let me tell you about the Tree of Joy - located in the St Ives Shopping Village and run by the Rotary Club.
Why are people reading this blog when I haven't even finished it yet?
The Tree of Joy is similar to the Christmas Wish Trees that are present in Kmart and Target stores around Christmas time. The difference is The Tree of Joy is for senior citizens residing in nursing homes who may or may not have any friends or family whereas The Christmas Wish Trees are for disadvantaged families especially kids and teenagers.
I chose 2 people from the Tree of Joy to purchase presents for however they forgot to put their ages on the gift tags both hang on the Christmas Tree and to be hung on the tree.
I chose Shirley who requested lipstick perfume or chocolate and Lynda who just requested a size 12 top.
I spend Thursday night shopping and with a lot of assistance purchased some coral red lipstick and floral scented perfume from Miniso and a personalised box of Tim Tams from the Gift Emporium level 6 at Myer Chatswood for Shirley F.
Next day I took them to work with me and arrived at work earlier to wrap them and hand them back as I was worried that the Tim Tams would not survive the Summer temperatures.
1 down 1 to go! Over my 3 days off work I will hopefully find an appropriate size 12 top for Lynda. The Myer sales assistant was not very helpful on Thursday night with assisting me in selecting an appropriate size 12 top - wrong colours and what's with the paisley prints - I hate paisley! There is certainly some hideous fashion out there! Even at 70 + people still have style and not everyone wears a shapeless dress or top that is not a mu - mu or a kaftan!
Done , dusted and delivered back to The Tree of Joy - not exactly as I wanted to give Lynda but it was a size 12 top as wished for and no paisley patterns either! Just a nice white t shirt with a blue floral pattern on it. I really hopes she likes it and it fits her.
Thursday 30 November 2017
Saturday 25 November 2017
Sunday 26th November 2017 - The Big Design Market & The Hard To Find Market @ EQ
Having just returned from Melbourne yesterday my weekend is not yet over. There was a reason why I decided not to spend a 3rd weekend in Melbourne - I wanted to make it back in time to Sydney for The Big Design Market otherwise I would be spending a 4th weekend in a row in Melbourne for their Big Design Market which is apparently twice as big as the Sydney one - oh well maybe next year!
I have already missed the finders(keepers) market which were down in Melbourne in October however the Sydney Christmas Finders Market is coming up in December at The Cutout Barangaroo. It will be boiling hot by then - not coping with the heat now in Sydney and it is only 26 degrees celcius!
Back to The Big Design Market at EQ. I caught the M40 from North Willoughby to Town Hall and opted to catch the train to Bondi Junction rather then staying on the M40 all the way to Bondi Junction Interchange. There I connected to the 355 bus that passes by across the road from EQ. Got to EQ and Hall of Industries before 12 noon. There were heaps of people there already. Paid my $2 entry fee (no this annual market is not free entry!) By the time I arrived all showbags for $15 were all sold out. Missed out again this year. It is double the price for the show bags at the Melbourne Big Design Market however they have more in them.
The show bag for particularly for Friday and Sunday were value for money. I really wanted one as they included a floral tray some lotion and shower gel a honeybee wrap and some other things.
Had a thorough look at every stall at the Big Design Market even considering buying some Christmas decorations but settled on 3 packets of my favourite chocolate Panna which were on sale at the market 3 for $17. These chocolate bars are vegan and are still made in Victoria. I chose the following 3 flavours strawberry and pistachio (1 of the last 2 packets left with no samples left to try I have to assume I will like it as this is one flavour I haven't tried before) , cinnamon (I am not a fan usually of cinnamon but I quite liked it when I sampled it and was advised it was only available at today's market), finally I chose fig and wild orange (there is no actual orange in it just orange oil and I did consider pineapple and ginger but it was yuck when I sample it and I don't like goji berries and have tried all the other varieties of Panna chocolate previously).
A look outside for the food trucks - there was only 2 food trucks Marys (the same Marys I ate @ Newtown Food Festival? - refer my very first blog a few years ago) serving burgers and fries and Taco Truck serving tacos. Messina also had a very small and basic gelato stall not to be confused with Gelato Messina which served fancy desserts at the recent Night Noodle Markets I visited in Melbourne. Finally there was a pop up beer bar (Young Henrys) at the end of the court yard.
Back inside the Hall of Industries a final look around. A free postcard from Beauestmein and a customised t shirt production stall to pick up some fabric samples and t shirt design ideas that are laser cut to specifications called Citizen Wolf - who have an actual shop in Darlinghurst.
Inside there was wine cocktails bagels teas chai and Japanese salads to purchase. Maybe later.
Onto the information desk near the exit of the Hall of Industries to get a stamp for reentry later in the afternoon.
Onto find the Hard To Find Market also on at EQ. I followed the signs and although it was free entry a little smaller and outdoors but under cover - in contrast it was a mixture of food stalls and trucks and miscellaneous goods as well as a live busker
Playing a range of musical songs.
Photos and catch up with my blogging under one of the many umbrellaed tables and chairs around.
Am a little hungry should I grab something to eat or wait until I get back to Bondi Junction?
I really feel like hot chips but I spot the Black Star Pastry nearby - maybe pay it a visit. Ok over rated - cakes not as fancy as at pop up stalls. Looked as if there was more seating then food available!
There are other things to see and do at EQ - kids can enjoy the trapezes blow up castles pony rides Strike Bowling, Hoyts Cinema , Monkey Mania as well as safely ride their bikes and scooters around the grounds of EQ. Fast food places to eat and drink at include Subway, City Convenience Store, Muffin Break. I am sure you can grab a burger fries a steak chicken or a salad somewhere within the grounds of EQ as wekl as there are several cafes and restuarants including a Mexican Cafe Chinese restaurant Fratelli Fresh and a pub all within the grounds of EQ.
There is a little bit of retail shopping however the majority of retail has been converted to dining.
You can also get a workout at a gym or see the Titanic exhibition currently on at The Byron Kenedy Hall.
Panna Chocolates
Inside the Hall of Industries where The Big Design Market is held
Honeybee Wax Wraps
I have already missed the finders(keepers) market which were down in Melbourne in October however the Sydney Christmas Finders Market is coming up in December at The Cutout Barangaroo. It will be boiling hot by then - not coping with the heat now in Sydney and it is only 26 degrees celcius!
Back to The Big Design Market at EQ. I caught the M40 from North Willoughby to Town Hall and opted to catch the train to Bondi Junction rather then staying on the M40 all the way to Bondi Junction Interchange. There I connected to the 355 bus that passes by across the road from EQ. Got to EQ and Hall of Industries before 12 noon. There were heaps of people there already. Paid my $2 entry fee (no this annual market is not free entry!) By the time I arrived all showbags for $15 were all sold out. Missed out again this year. It is double the price for the show bags at the Melbourne Big Design Market however they have more in them.
The show bag for particularly for Friday and Sunday were value for money. I really wanted one as they included a floral tray some lotion and shower gel a honeybee wrap and some other things.
Had a thorough look at every stall at the Big Design Market even considering buying some Christmas decorations but settled on 3 packets of my favourite chocolate Panna which were on sale at the market 3 for $17. These chocolate bars are vegan and are still made in Victoria. I chose the following 3 flavours strawberry and pistachio (1 of the last 2 packets left with no samples left to try I have to assume I will like it as this is one flavour I haven't tried before) , cinnamon (I am not a fan usually of cinnamon but I quite liked it when I sampled it and was advised it was only available at today's market), finally I chose fig and wild orange (there is no actual orange in it just orange oil and I did consider pineapple and ginger but it was yuck when I sample it and I don't like goji berries and have tried all the other varieties of Panna chocolate previously).
A look outside for the food trucks - there was only 2 food trucks Marys (the same Marys I ate @ Newtown Food Festival? - refer my very first blog a few years ago) serving burgers and fries and Taco Truck serving tacos. Messina also had a very small and basic gelato stall not to be confused with Gelato Messina which served fancy desserts at the recent Night Noodle Markets I visited in Melbourne. Finally there was a pop up beer bar (Young Henrys) at the end of the court yard.
Inside there was wine cocktails bagels teas chai and Japanese salads to purchase. Maybe later.
Onto the information desk near the exit of the Hall of Industries to get a stamp for reentry later in the afternoon.
Playing a range of musical songs.
Photos and catch up with my blogging under one of the many umbrellaed tables and chairs around.
Am a little hungry should I grab something to eat or wait until I get back to Bondi Junction?
I really feel like hot chips but I spot the Black Star Pastry nearby - maybe pay it a visit. Ok over rated - cakes not as fancy as at pop up stalls. Looked as if there was more seating then food available!
There are other things to see and do at EQ - kids can enjoy the trapezes blow up castles pony rides Strike Bowling, Hoyts Cinema , Monkey Mania as well as safely ride their bikes and scooters around the grounds of EQ. Fast food places to eat and drink at include Subway, City Convenience Store, Muffin Break. I am sure you can grab a burger fries a steak chicken or a salad somewhere within the grounds of EQ as wekl as there are several cafes and restuarants including a Mexican Cafe Chinese restaurant Fratelli Fresh and a pub all within the grounds of EQ.
There is a little bit of retail shopping however the majority of retail has been converted to dining.
You can also get a workout at a gym or see the Titanic exhibition currently on at The Byron Kenedy Hall.
Muffin Break
Fratelli Fresh
Pony rides for the kids
Rating : 7/10 great family day out when markets or other events are on. Far too hot did not end up reentering the Big Design Market for another look.
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