The stratification of a Zumba class

by Cellobella on Tuesday, October 19, 2010 · 1 comment

A lame photo of my zumba shoes... well I was desperate for an illustrative pic,

Following yesterday’s post on my Zumba class, I received an email teasing me about being at the back of the class and it occurred to me that my Zumba class has very clear stratification.

The hard core Zumba-ists are at the front.

They know the routines backwards, they are for the most part – fit, and in halls where there are mirrors – they like to have a clear view of their hips shaking.

The HCZ’s are the ones that volunteer to go on stage.

And they ALWAYS arrive early.

Next come the MILFS (or maybe that should be MYLFS).

These are the women whose eyesight, perhaps, requires them to be nearer the front, and who are less confident in their sexy moves… or less fit.

They are quite often late because they are busy on a Saturday morning sorting everyone else out.

But they are past being embarrassed about shaking their thing.

They have had children, lets face it, they are past being embarrassed about anything to do with their bodies.

Well, nearly everything.

They rarely lift their shirts in the wooah wooah bit.

Behind them, at the back are the said children, now teenagers.

They are chatting with their support buddies, and their perfect bodies and natural enthusiasm make up for any shortfall in following the choreography.

Last week I found myself at the back of the class (I was late,  having failed to convince my teenager that a Zumba class would be fun).

I was out of my comfort zone.

Next time, I’ll make sure I get a spot in MILFworld.

Oh and the only bloke?

He’s about second row – hard bodies in front, and close to the instructor.

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Get me more of that Latin rhythm

by Cellobella on Monday, October 18, 2010 · 1 comment

Not very glamourous but great fun

So every Saturday – except for next Saturday – you’ll find me at the Claremont Town Hall in my combat shorts and singlet and special not very grippy sandshoes, shaking my wild thing to the Latin grooves of Zumba.

I just don’t like those black legging things…

Zumba is a cross between a dance class and an exercise class.

Not as strict as a dance class – as you’ll see from the size of the crowd there is not a lot of individual attention… and not as repetitive as an aerobics class.

The choreography is complicated enough to keep you thinking, but not too hard that you feel like a klutz.

By the second song I’ve usually built up a sweat and by the end I’m wondering where the time went.

Time goes fast when you’re having fun – and I’m usually smiling my way through class.

That’s good because it is practically the only exercise I get all week apart from walking to and from the train station.

Cellobella your name is SLACK.

And I thank goodness for my reconditioned pelvic floor every time I go to class.

I’m hoping one day to have the body of a Zumba instructor – a female one – they are hot hot hot!

In our class there is only one bloke and he stands at the front to get a good view.

Sigh.

Maybe I need to go to class more than once a week…

Zumba is usually followed by coffee with my Zumba classmate and then bridge.

And that, for the most part, takes care of Saturday.

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Tripping the light not-so fantastic

by Cellobella on Friday, October 15, 2010

 

I love the Council House lightshow and when showing visitors around I will always point it out – if I’m near the city.

The other day for instance I drove my eastern states colleague back to his hotel and driving past Kings Park I thought a little detour was in order.

He made the usual appreciative noises about the view – which is pretty spectacular – and I, pointed out Council House.

“See that building down there lit up in pink”, I said, “Well the City spent millions on this great lightshow and I really love it. Any minute now it will change colour. ”

“It’s soooo beautiful!” I enthused.

And we waited.

And waited.

And waited.

But the building remained stubbornly pink.

And I shamefacedly drove down the hill and dropped him off.

Two nights later I was driving back from bridge – State Open Teams – we’re coming last – and I noticed that the building was STILL pink!

What the hell?

Was it broken?

So I rang up the City of Perth (as you do) and asked them.

Turns out if you’re a not-for-profit or charity you can book the light show.

This week, apparently, the light show has been commandeered by the Pink Ribbon Day crowd.

You know, for breast cancer.

And get this… it’s free!

Well… unless you want a complicated show that is when it costs you the time it takes to program in the lights… maybe $50 the fellow told me.

And it can be quite complicated – words scrolling across the building for example.

I was blown away.

But, I’m afraid, still a little bit pissed off that the “proper” light show wasn’t on when I wanted to show off to my colleague.

But that’s just me.

Selfish.

Breast cancer research is a good cause – I just kind of wish they’d paid the $50 and put on a show.

Council House lit up in pink for Pink Ribbon Day...

 

Apologies for fuzzy cam but it’s only an instamatic camera – what can you do?

And that green spiky thing is the belltower.

I wonder if you can hire that too?

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Harvesting a good time

by Cellobella on Monday, October 11, 2010 · 3 comments

Liz Green performed while we ate.

Saturday night we went out to dinner with some close friends at Harvest in Fremantle.

We chose Harvest because it was in our Entertainment Book (so we got a discount) and it was half way between our houses.

And as a bonus – right next to our table – Liz Green sang for us.

Liz was in Perth as part of the One Movement festival this weekend – now that is cool – having the festival come to you!

Liz is from Manchester and her first song was a capella – impressive.

Groover and the Abstar

The food was very fancy.

I had the beef lasagne for an entree – which was steak tartare with a parmesan crunchy top – it might sound… unusual but it tasted delicious.

I liked my venison sausage and black bean casoulet less but it was still very nice.

Groover had the chicken salad with popcorn – I must say the popcorn put me off ordering this but on tasting it – omg – delicious – and the peas tasted fresh from the garden.

That's me and the Evstar

We’re loving the Entertainment book – definitely got my money’s worth – and will probably get one next year too.

Plus you’re encouraged to try new places.

Win win.

Popcorn chicken salad: It tasted a LOT better than it looks... trust me.

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A little bit of Venice in Perth

by Cellobella on Sunday, October 10, 2010

The gorgeous Peggy!

Friday night, Groover and I went back to the Art Gallery for the Opening of the Penny Guggenheim Exhibition.

This is from her collection in Venice.

Ahhhh Venice – so romantic, so beautiful.

I went twice to this collection in Venice when we were there in 2005 – and we were only there for a day – so I was looking forward to seeing how it travelled.

What a delight to see our good friend acting as Peggy Guggenheim – although she shaved her legs and apparently Peggy didn’t… maybe people didn’t in the 30s so – we’ll overlook it – you might remember her from Theatresports earlier in the year.

Me and Miss Peggy

It is a stunning collection of modern art – all the big names – extraordinary to see the work which still looks modern even though some of it is nearly 100 years old.

A Jackson Pollock which is figurative!  Who knew?  (probably all of you)

Go and see it – it is on until the end of January and is only coming to Perth… hey that’s closer than Venice.

That’s the advantage of having a Gallery Director who was born in Venice and is married to a former intern of the Peggy Guggenheim collection.

(Oh that Italian accent!  Mamma mia!!)

Afterwards, with 15 minutes to wait until the train we sat and talked in the organic garden just outside the gallery.

Groovy Groover

I just wanted to show you more of my frock.

Unfortunately we got so into playing with the slow synchro mode on my camera that we missed our train.

So we decided to wait the next HALF AN HOUR in the station.

That's not our train.

We love catching the train at night - it feels so cosmopolitan.

So that was Friday night.

On the way home the security guards found two passengers next to us without tickets.

They took their names and addresses but before they had time to check (over the phone to who knows?) the girl had walked off – hey this is my station… see ya!

They had no power to stop her and who knows if she gave her real name – although she was warned that it is an offence to give a false one.

Seems a rather inefficient system to me but what do you do?

Microchip everyone?

Detain fare evaders?

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Touch of death

by Cellobella on Friday, October 8, 2010 · 1 comment

Where dreams are dashed

I hate the casino.

It’s a sad sad place.

Banks and banks of soul destroying poker machines, and now even some of the gaming tables are electronic.

Very bad fashion.

We went there, Groover and I, after going to see Sleeping Beauty put on by the WA Ballet – and a fine production it was too.

Now previously we had a rule at the casino – and that was that I was to go far away from Groover so that he would win.

He is lucky.

Well he’s lucky when I’m not there.

My nickname is TOD – yeah you picked that up from the title.

But sweetly he said – no stay, I’m lucky and you’re my good luck charm.

Awwwww.

His game of choice is roulette.

Ten minutes later when he was down to his last chip I suggested that maybe I might wait in the bar.

It’s like I balance out his luck… or maybe I suck all the bad luck away from him so he can be extra lucky.

A bad luck magnet.

So no.

I won’t be going back any time soon.

Although I was quite intrigued with a game called Pai Gow that uses Chinese dominos.

I wsa tempted to have a go but after half an hour I still couldn’t quite work out how you play.

And with my record – and at $50 mininum stake – I was wasn’t prepared to just wing it.

Although, having done some research it sounds just like the card game Brag.

Oh you want to know how Groover ended up?

Maybe next time I shouldn’t be in the building at all.

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A good vintage

by Cellobella on Thursday, October 7, 2010 · 2 comments

At the Sail and Anchor... again

You can’t wear your vintage dress just anywhere in Perth you know.

It would feel decidedly out of place (for me) in most places bar a fancy dress party and of course, Fremantle.

Fremantle with its bohemian culture is a place where anything goes so I went.

My vintage dress

I only wish I had the white gloves and bag to finish it all off but then again – matchy matchy is so yesteryear dahling.

A bit like my dress.

It felt a bit odd to have such a big skirt.

The skirt is full and heavy – backed by interfacing to make it stick out a bit.

I bought it many years ago for a Sound of Music film screening – we all dressed up and I bet you can guess who I was dressed up as.

Yes the famous play clothes made from curtains.

The boys enjoy a cold one... well Groover's might have been warm.

Anyway the reason we went out for lunch was because it was B’s birthday.

And the chilli mussels at the Norfolk were, as always, excellent.

At the Norfolk.

Of course the birthday boy had a burger.

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Standing still

by Cellobella on Thursday, October 7, 2010

Expect delays the sign said over the Kwinana Freeway.

Well duh.

By the time I saw this sign – about 150 metres on the Perth side of the Mt Henry Bridge – I’d already been sitting in standstill traffic for twenty minutes.

I’m quite fond of the Mt Henry Bridge – my dad was the Director of Engineering for the company that built it and I went to the opening – but I’m not keen to spend my Tuesday afternoon admiring the view from that vantage point.

A “police incident” at Leederville Train Station apparently closed both the Joondalup line and two lanes of the freeway heading north.

I was on my way home from Bunbury.

It took me an hour to get to East Perth and I was grateful that I’d decided to catch the train in this morning rather than my car.

The tunnel (another Dad project) was chocablock.

Perth is rubbish when there is traffic.

One can only guess what the “police incident” was – and my heart goes out to those involved.

On the scale of things, sitting in traffic is – as Groover might say – a “nothing burger”.

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Dirty blossom

by Cellobella on Sunday, October 3, 2010 · 1 comment

Spring blossoms

I know that I take a lot of photos of flowers.

I’m a sucker for hitting my macro switch and stopping to photograph – and even sometimes smell – the roses.

You know how it is, you’re walking to the train or the shops and you have your camera.

Well that’s me.

I loved these blossoms when I walked past them.

They grow right alongside Stirling Highway and they look beautiful.

Unless you look closely.

And then…

Get out the spray and wipe!

Dirty blossom.

Ah well I guess most people don’t view the world through their macro setting.

And maybe that’s a good thing.

Maybe sometimes it’s good just to walk by and not look too closely.

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They are not supposed to be like that!

by Cellobella on Saturday, October 2, 2010 · 2 comments

Found in the grounds of UWA

If you were new to Perth you might think that these fantastic towering gums are supposed to look like this.

You know, with those spots of bark against the white.

They kind of look like the remnants of bark that has fallen off.

But no.

What you are looking at is hail damage.

Yes from the March 22 hailstorm.

Perth’s big disaster.

That one.

Lets face it, Perth can’t cope with rain, let alone a hailstorm.

But I digress.

Only one side is damaged.

I took this photo so you can see the difference – spotty one side, clear the other.

At night these trees are luminous in the moonlight.

I wonder how long it will be before they gleam, smooth and white, again.

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