Winter is supposed to be a time to slow down, rug up, take it easy and enjoy some chill time from the silliness of the rest of the calendar year … sorry – didn’t get that memo!

 

 

 

Crazy times at the hotel, with awards dinners, beer nights, babies born, wedding proposals and birthdays to the max! Perhaps it is for the best, considering the decidedly depressing weather we have been experiencing – rain, rain, and just a tad more rain! Keep the cocktail dress on ice for a few more months people, and get cosy with your overcoat and gumboots!

Thirtieth birthday parties are all the rage at the moment, with my beautiful sister, Sarah, celebrating hers with 60 family and friends in the private function room at Tacking Point Tavern. The theme was black, hot pink and everything glam, with guests bravely getting into the party spirit in cocktail dresses and some super gorgeous heels.

Guests, including Leah Stevens, Nicole Small, Pat and Vicki Taylor, Brooke and Patrick Wood, Glen Duggan and Roxanne Maher, Craig and Belinda Lawrence, Trish and Eddie Wood, Mick and Narelle Young, Wayne Ward, Nicole Landy, Brooke Ward and Tony Summerfield and Craig and Tina Barnett enjoyed canapés followed by a tower of divine choc hazelnut fudge cupcakes with decadent hot pink icing and silver edible glitter, made by Lauren at SilverSpoon.

Hubby Lucas arranged an amazing birthday present with a 10 day trip to Bali – filled with cocktails, sun baking and some serious shopping. Current Facebook updates are making  me ill with envy, with the only antidote to this torture being the promise of booty from Bali – as I keep saying to my gallivanting fam and friends – size 8.5, please!

Congrats to Lou and Angela Perri of the Stunned Mullet with the arrival of their first born baby girl – Emelia Perri. A gorgeous name for the precious new arrival, who is sure to be a huge hit with all – following no doubt in Mum and Dad’s footsteps, making her mark on the world of fabulous food! Happy times ahead for the Perri clan!

Happy Birthday to Courtney Walder of SC Media/Star FM, who celebrated her birthday at Zebu recently with a cocktails for 20 friends, including Johnny Mahony, Hayley Morris, James Benson, Linda Joyce, Amanda Roberts, and Stacey Ward. Happy birthday, Courtney!

The male folk of Port Macquarie (and a few brave and fabulous lady types!) got down and dirty on Wednesday evening with a beer-a-thon of the James Squires kind. This sellout event brought 150 beer lovers together to celebrate all that is good about ale and food, with a six course degustation created by Executive Chef Ben Holloway and his amazing team of chefs. Headed up by Brew Master Tim Knight, the event was a hit, with fabulous goody bags for all and a full belly filled with some delectable beer and food combinations.

Guests included Jamie Tait and the crew from OIB, Adam Roberts, Bruce Thompson, and Sue and Mike Cannon. Congrats to Brent Tozer and Justin Cave who orchestrated the event, with another pencilled in for next year! Get in quick – tickets will sell out!

The winter fires were burning at Zebu Bar+Grill in mid July, with the launch of the new winter cocktail list and a sample of chef’s new menu for the cooler months. Guests, including Michelle Stumpp, Trish Relf, Donna Gillies, Garth Smith, Freddy Pittman, Trudy Basile, Belinda and Jody Perkins all enjoyed a sneak peek of the new offerings, including my personal favourite, the Brazillian inspired Cha Cha Cha based on lychee and passion fruit.

The guys seemed to lean towards the Vanilla Sky concoction – a tall vodka based yummy that had plenty of guests heading back to the bar for a repeat performance!

Betty Allman and her dedicated voluntary team wove their magic on the annual Cancer Ball held at Panthers in late July, with 250 guests enjoying a night out to raise funds for the Hastings Cancer Trust.

Guests enjoyed canapés followed by main and dessert, with live entertainment by the David Hardy Band, featuring Anita Spring. An impressive $55,000 was raised over the year for the fund, which would not be possible without the tremendous generosity of the local business community, who donate to the event each year. Congrats to the hard working team, who do so much for our Hastings region.

From one fabulous ball to another, with the annual Masquerade Charity Ball to be held at Rydges in honour of Hope Shop on Saturday 18 August. Tickets will sell fast to this event, as the waterfront venue is transformed into a winter wonderland with live entertainment from fabulous Newcastle exports, the Funky Doo Das.

The glam stakes will be super high, with a huge treasure chest of prizes for best dressed/masked couple, best masked/dressed table, best female mask, best male mask and of course, loads of auction and lucky door prizes. Tickets are $85pp and are available from the hotel. Heels – check, dress – check – but what mask to wear? See you all on the 18th!

Seriously looking forward to making it to Sunday … my well known favourite day of the week. I can barely make sight of it amongst the mountain of paperwork and ‘To dos’ on my desk.

Daydreaming of Sunday combined with brunch in Comboyne, the sun shining and a lazy paper and latte … pure bliss! Really must make it to Sunday!

‘til next time,

Kate.

This story was published in issue 81 of the Greater Port Macquarie Focus