A Busy December in Sydney 2016

busy month at home in Sydney entertaining and being entertained.

Click on the first photo and a Lightbox opens to a Slideshow and also allows you to use the arrows at the side to scroll through and to read the captions.

ex-Horse breeder friend Tony comes to visit

ndrew knows how to throw a party and make good use of his garden. But how he manages to prepare the meal and seat all his guests has become something of a legend.

Threatening skies didn’t deter him from setting-up the lunch table in the garden, and those of us outside had sufficient pre-luncheon bubbles not to worry about the few sprinkles.

Gerhard, Ken and Pam arriving at Andrew’s Christmas Garden Party Luncheon

The ‘inside’ crowd at Andrew’s

Relegated to the garden

ay and Robyn entertained on the back terrace overlooking the harbour with Robyn’s home-made hot savouries to accompany delicious chilled Mumm.

Christmas Drinks at Ray and Robyn’s

Friends at the Harrises

Michael with Rupert and Hilary

couple of days before Christmas I had the chance to catch up with Hyunju and Dave, sitting at an outside table at Apollo.

A night at Apollo for a bite of Greek with Hyunju and Dave

opolo in Rushcutter’s Bay is a traditional Italian Restaurant that’s going from strength to strength. My guests, Pam and Ken, Paul and Shenagh all agree.

Christmas Eve Dinner with Pam and Ken at Popolo in Rushcutter’s Bay

Paul, Pam, Michael, Shenagh and Ken enjoy a Christmas Eve celebration - at Popolo

fter a lovely meal, we walked up the street to St Canice’s for an early Midnight Mass at 10pm. Gerhard had done an amazing job transforming the church into a Christmas wonderland. The major installation was an old lichen-encrusted crabapple from the Blue Mountains with candles hanging from its branches – surrounded by red poinsettia.

Christmas Eve at St Canice’s – looking through the lichen-encrusted old crabapple from the Blue Mountains with candles hanging from its branches

St Canice’s on Christmas Eve before the Midnight Mass

Old friends – at Midnight Mass at St Canice’s

horts and a cool shirt were the order of the day for very casual Christmas Day lunch at the home of Wei and Ron with traditional roast turkey and glazed ham. Home by 6.30pm. Asleep by 6.35pm! A good day.

Dr Pat in his special Christmas tie with Michael and 'Matilda' the King George Spaniel

oast Pork was on the menu at my place on Boxing Day. I was standing for six hours straight preparing the vegetables and learning how to do the pork – thanks to Anne’s telephone instructions, it was excellent – flesh moist and crackling crisp!