EN POINTE

Image courtesy of the Australian Ballet

Perhaps because we all danced as children, one of the favourite past times in our house is to get dressed up and head out to watch a ballet. This only happens once or twice a year, but this only makes us look forward to it that much more. 

On Saturday night my mum, sister and I were lucky enough to see Peter Wright's The Nutcracker at the Opera House, and boy were we all impressed! 

We arrived in the city early, hoping to find somewhere nice to eat beforehand. On a friend's recommendation, we ate at Young Alfred, an Italian restaurant situated at the front of Customs House. An easy distance from the Opera House, it was a great option for us as it was affordable, and had plenty of non-seafood options (one thing you'll soon learn about me is that I can't stand seafood!) We shared entrees, opting for bread with balsamic vinegar, polenta chips, and mushroom and spinach arancini. They were all nice, and not having tried polenta chips before I was quite impressed! 

For mains my mum and I had a pesto gnocchi, which we both agreed was the nicest gnocchi we have ever had. It was so tender and fresh - definitely worth a try. My less adventurous sister had a mushroom and ham pizza which she also enjoyed. After finishing with a coffee, it was time to head back to the Opera House, take the obligatory photo in front of the bridge, and head inside to take our seats. The atmosphere there was buzzing. It's a wonderful way to spend the evening, getting all dressed up and spending the night with people who appreciate the talent just as much as us. 

The ballet kicked off at 7:30, and although it went for a good couple of hours, felt like it was over in two minutes. In case you aren't familiar with the story of the nutcracker, the tale is set at Christmas time. A young girl, the main character, is first seen celebrating Christmas Eve with her family. A magician hands her a nutcracker doll at the party, and at midnight, the doll becomes a prince and the fun begins. The night is complete with evil rats, a flying goose, the Sugar Plum fairy and so much more. It was most fitting with Christmas planning well underway. 

The Nutcracker was one of the most beautiful ballets I have seen so far. The orchestra played wonderfully, the costumes were amazing, and the dancers did a wonderful job. I'm sure it's sold out by now, but as you can tell, I highly recommend. 

Next up is Swan Lake in February! 

For more information, or to see what ballets are coming up, head to the Australian Ballet website by clicking here. 

Our obligatory photo in front of the Opera House! 

Love from, 

Emma Lou

WHAT I'VE BEEN READING

If you loved the movie Just like Heaven, or you read the story The Lovely Bones and couldn’t put it down, then If I Stay, and the sequel Where She Went by Gayle Forman are both definitely worth a read. If, on the other hand, you don’t like to read anything sad, then this book probably isn’t for you.

I first heard about this story first through movie advertisements. Whenever a movie based on a book comes out, I always make sure I read the book first. I am yet to find a movie (apart from the Lord of the Rings) that I have enjoyed more than the book. Most people don’t understand this, but as an avid reader, I can lose myself in a book in a way I can’t in a movie.

So I knew I had to read If I Stay quickly.

I finished the book in just over a week. Personally, I think the title of the book instantly gives a lot away – it’s not at all subtle, and there are few other instances in life that it could really refer to. You really know from the first page what the dilemma in the book will be. The book is written so well though that it doesn't matter that you know what is going to happen. 

But to save any confusion, I’ll tell you a little bit about the story. Beware though - there are spoilers below.

The main character Mia, her brother Teddy and her parents are involved in a devastating accident on a snowy morning. Mia is left alone, and it is her semi-present self (I'm not sure what else to call someone neither dead nor alive) looks over her lifeless body, trying to decide whether to stay and live or to let it all go. Throughout the book, various members of her family and friends visit in hospital, and flashbacks to her past help to explain Mia and her family. Mia is a classical musician, while her boyfriend is into rock, and the book explores the relationship between the two, and the turmoil teens go through as they try to find their place in the world.  The book ends with Mia's decision on whether to continue living or be with her family. 

Despite the predictability, I really liked the book. It is written well, the emotions are real, and there is a great mix between Mia’s past and present. Moreso, the story really makes you think about short life is. Especially once you read the authors note at the back of the book, and realise that a tragedy in Gayle's own life spurred her into writing this book. 

If I Stay also has a sequel – Where She Went. I'm not sure the sequel was necessary, and I definitely didn't enjoy it as much as the first. If I Stay did end on a cliffhanger, but another chapter or two and readers would have had a sense of finality and it could have ended there. However Where She Went seemed to drag the story out. It did look at an important aspect of tragedy, in that Gayle dealt with how the people who are left behind deal with the aftermath of death,  but I’m not sure I bought it. The characters no longer felt real to me. Perhaps it was because they were supposed to be in their early twenties, but it felt more like early thirties. Or maybe because it was no longer written from Mia’s perspective but her boyfriend Adam (or ex-boyfriend, depending on what part you’re up to).

I won’t go so far as to say I didn’t enjoy the sequel, but I definitely felt it was lacking the suspense of the first. But hey let's be honest, how many sequels are ever as good as the first? 

But I definitely recommend you read the books and make up your own mind. Even if it's not your usual style, they are a stark reminder of the fragility of life, and how we should appreciate what we have while we have it.

You can find more info on both books, and Gayle herself, here.

I’d love to hear what you thought about both books once you're done. Next for me is to watch the movie, and see how that compares - I’ll be sure to let you know.

Love from,

Emma Lou