Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

The tourist brochure claims that "Magic Happens ..." in the Jenolan Caves in the Blue Mountains (180 km from Sydney, NSW).  It was truly Christmas Magic last weekend at the annual  Carols in the Caves concert.  We started from Newcastle at 6am, but it was worth the long bus trip there. It was a cool invigorating day, and we enjoyed the amazing vistas on the way, having lunch in the courtyard of the iconic Caves House as well as the beautiful carol singing. It brought out the "child" in everyone... Angels and bright stars appeared from nowhere in cave grottoes...  Shepherds watched their flocks under the cave canopies... Like any show, there were times when the drama is backstage ... how many men does it take to organise a star's wardrobe when the costumes fall from the back of a truck inside the Grand Archway of the Jenolan Caves?  Yes, this is my husband Jim helping ... he just happened to be there!  Ably compered by Peter Vickery o...

No, I wasn't here either - this photo is courtesy of the Sydney Morning Herald,  but I was at the "Not the New Year's Eve Concert - Live the Music" at the Sydney Opera House  to celebrate the end of 2010. It was a really fantastic concert with bright talented stars - soloist and orchestral musicians and opera singers. The venue was also magical . It doesn't matter how many times you visit the Opera House, each time is special . The architecture is amazing, the harbour sparkles and the concert hall is wondrous.  What else have I done to herald the New Year?  I finally gave in and went to a SALE. I don't usually bother with the post-Christmas sales, but I just couldn't resist this skirt. It was still expensive even at half price, but it reminded me of a  wonderful boat ride down the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo and it fitted me! With the deadlines for the Art Dolls Only Challenges on New Year's Day, I have also been spending a lot of hours finis...