New Year's Eve Bring and Share Dinner

A Covid-safe gathering

Laced with Astra good cheer

A sumptuous banquet

Its platters of shared food

Lavish enhancements to a celebratory mood.

Mary brought fish, Adele’s salad delish,

With Ann’s icecream always a popular dish.

Noni’s proffered selection of classy hors-d’oerves.

Darryl the DJ and photographer superb.

Photos of Eva, Maureen, Gillian and Jo,

Barbara and Margaret, along with Cleo.

Then the piece de resistance, Kirsty’s liqueurs

To spirit us into a

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Poem written by Cleo

Gingerbread House Day

For those of you that didn’t know, it was Gingerbread House Day on 12th December! We thought it would be a fun and festive activity to spend a morning constructing and decorating our own Bondi Beach Astra gingerbread houses. I made the gingerbread to my own house pattern and was very excited to see what we could do with it. Little did I know that the humidity of the morning would make the construction extremely challenging! Nonetheless, we had a lovely enjoyable few hours of getting icing all over ourselves, eating lollies and frustratingly watching our houses fall down again and again!! Eventually, the icing started to set and most of us managed a stable enough construction to be able to do some decorating. The lollies and chocolates were brightly coloured and very tempting – from jellies and snakes to sour strips and Smarties – and we braved collapse by covering roofs and walls in a variety of creative ways.

Even the houses that didn’t stand the test of time looked delicious and inviting once covered in icing and sweet goodness. We had a selection of gingerbread men to decorate as well, and that prompted even more creativity in decoration. What a brilliant way to spend a morning this close to Christmas. Thanks to everyone who participated – it was a lovely event and made all of the preparation worthwhile. Happy eating!

Christmas

Christmas is just around the corner and we enjoyed an absolutely fabulous party a couple of weeks ago (thankfully before the latest COVID news), with plenty of food and drink and Christmas decorations galore, full of that wonderful Bondi Beach Astra spirit. We gathered at 5pm for a pre-dinner drink in the lounge – the bubbly was in full flow! Then from 5:30pm we went round to the Bondi Tratt for a beautiful Christmas meal with all the trimmings. Alasdair and Joe and their team did an amazing job as usual, and it was a delicious roast with prawns or salad to start. Yum!

Back to the Astra lounge for dessert and live music from Keff McCullough, feeling satisfied and full of food. While we re-gathered we enjoyed some Christmas tunes, chatting and a drinks top up. When everyone had settled Sam and Cleo said a few words of thanks for the year, and we drew the lucky door prize. This Christmas we didn’t have a big hamper, but this meant that more people won smaller hampers and other prizes. A dessert of homemade cookies, fruit, ice cream and cheese and biscuits was laid on the table for people to pick at for the rest of the evening. After the break, the dancing tunes started in earnest and those of us who were feeling energetic took to the floor. Keff played a great set of tunes, and we had plenty of requests throughout the night. We rocked out to an eclectic mix of rock n roll, pop, movie themes and jazzy numbers.

What a brilliant night, and a great opportunity for us to let our hair down a little after the shocker of a year this year. We were very grateful to everyone who helped make it a success and to the residents who came along for the ride – we had the biggest group in years (though still COVID compliant) and got the opportunity to get to know our neighbours and friends better. Loved it!

Melbourne Cup Day

A slightly late post-Melbourne Cup post... It was a lovely sunny day for the race that stops the nation, and we enjoyed a relaxing lunch and a chat throughout the afternoon. We had roast chicken and BBQ steak, stir fried veggies and a selection of salads, as well as cheese and biscuits and fruit and ice cream for dessert. A veritable feast! As it was a celebration we also had wine, sparkling wine and a lovely summery PIMM’s…cheers everyone! The racing decorations were out, making the lounge look colourful, and they were complimented by the fabulous outfits, hats and fascinators worn by the residents. After lunch we organised sweeps for the main event, and the excitement built to a peak as 3pm drew near. Congratulations to the winners, and thanks to everyone who came along to take part. We love to have you with us at our festivities every time - it makes us very happy to celebrate with you!

World Food Day

It was World Food Day recently and, as we are a multi-cultural and multi-lingual community, we thought it would be nice to celebrate with a pick and mix lunch from around the world. We had Indian, Mediterranean, Asian, and a variety of European food. It was a lovely mix of flavours and styles, and we are blessed to be living in an area that has great take out options all around! With flags of the countries of everyone who lives at Bondi Beach Astra on the walls, it was a colourful and joyful affair. Thanks so much to everyone who helped out on the day – we couldn't have done it without you. It’s always lots of fun to catch up over some great nosh!

International Coffee Day Coffee Tasting

Who doesn’t like a good coffee? The problem is, most of us will stick with what we know and not try new things...especially if we have to pay for it!! To mark International Coffee Day last week we held a coffee tasting morning, and the aim of the event was to try different intensities and flavours over the course of the morning. It’s always great to come together over a cuppa and a biscuit for a chat, and this had the added bonus of allowing us to explore different blends from all over the world. The more intense and flavoursome types won the day – yet another proof that Aussies really know their coffee. The machine that we bought for this event is now in the communal kitchen for all the residents and their guests to enjoy. Yum!

Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest traditionally runs for a few weeks from September to October each year. This event began its life in Munich Bavaria, before being adopted by other European cities and indeed all over the world. Our Oktoberfest celebration this year was a great opportunity for us to get together (properly socially distanced of course), drink some beer and eat some German-themed food…as if we needed an excuse!! We had blue and white and yellow decorations lifting the mood in the room and the food was enjoyed by everyone. Thanks to Paul for cooking the hot food on the BBQ, and for everyone who lent a hand on the day. There were some fabulous outfits too, and we gave out some sweet treats at the end of lunch in recognition of the fact that we love the dress ups! Prost everyone!

Photography Day Play

This month was Photography Day. We decided to do something a bit different from last year (when we had a local photographer come and talk to us about his work), and so we gathered in the lounge for our own photo shoot. We had loads of props on offer to make silly photos on a variety of different themes. Some of us even came dressed up. It was a lot of fun sitting around and drinking tea and chatting about taking photos, and of course taking the shots themselves. I hope you’ll agree they were a good bit of fun…

Aaron's Farewell Lunch

We had a lovely lunch for Aaron to wish him well in his new job, and to give him the send off he deserved. Despite the obvious sadness that we all felt about his leaving, it was a joyful occasion and an opportunity for us to tell him how much he meant to us in the Astra family. It was special for us to also welcome his wife Kerrie to the event, and to give the residents a chance to spend some time with her too.

Thanks to everyone who came - we had a great turn out. And thanks to the Bondi Tratt who made some wonderful food for us. It was seriously delicious, and there were plenty of leftovers too! Sam, Aaron and I spoke a little after lunch about the past few years, and some of the residents told stories as well. Anita sang a couple of songs for us too, which were beautiful, and I’m sure many people were as moved as I was. Lore and her family wrote a fabulous little poem for Aaron too. It went like this:

Farewell dear Aaron Ross

You leave us at a loss

We’ve grown to love your smile

And your earthy blokey style!

You’ve always been so calm

In the midst of our alarm

You lift our heavy shopping

To save our shoulders popping!

You brighten up our days

In many different ways

From chef extraordinaire

To simply being there.

We're sad to see you go

But wise enough to know

That all good things must end

And you'll always be our friend!

What a day to remember, and definitely a fitting tribute to a man who has been so integral to life at Bondi Beach Astra. He will be missed but we wish him all the best and success in his future endeavours. Thanks Aaron!

Please note, we were very cautious to make sure we were social distancing during the lunch and the talks, but we came together for a short while when we took our photos.

Christmas in July

What a wonderful evening we had for our Christmas in July celebration last week! Our lounge was expertly wrapped by Aaron in Christmas wrapping paper of all colours and styles, and stars hung from the ceiling and sparkled on the tables. The evening’s festivities kicked off at 5pm with a drink in the lounge and a chat, before we headed round to the Tratt for Christmas dinner. It was a beautiful meal - the food was perfection, the wine freely flowing, and the conversation lively as we sat on smaller tables to ensure appropriate distancing. Alasdair and his team pulled out all the stops as usual, and we were very grateful for it.

On returning to the lounge, we found John Campbell serenading us with his guitar and trumpet. Huge thanks to John for standing in at the last minute (two days before), as Keff McCullough, our originally booked entertainer, had to self-isolate. He gave us a great time singing and playing, as well as telling jokes and anecdotes throughout the evening. Dessert was prepared as more drinks were poured, and the unveiling of Chris’ stunning trifle was an event all in itself! Thanks to everyone involved in that, and thanks too to all the residents who came and made social distancing a priority all evening. We were able to have fun without compromising health and safety, and that is no mean feat. A halfway break allowed Sam and Aaron to say a few words, and us to draw the lucky door prize. Congratulations to those who won prizes and we hope you’re able to use them well. The night ended at a respectable time, and with everyone who came having had an enjoyable evening. We will remember this for some time to come.

Hawaiian Luau

Aloha! Our Hawaiian luau was a riot of colour, with fabulous food, exotic outfits and lots of spirit. It was wonderful to see so many of the residents dress up in colourful shirts and pants, grass skirts and leis. We had prizes for best dressed, and our outfits were the focus of many a conversation throughout the event. The food was beautifully planned and cooked by Aaron - fresh fish, boiled rice, prawns, chicken skewers and veggie skewers just to name a few delights. This meal was topped off with a big bowl of fruit punch (non-alcoholic) to drink and fruit skewers for dessert. We socially distanced like pros all through lunch, but then spent a couple of minutes taking some great photos at the end. May the Pacific spirit that infused that day continue to uplift us over the coming weeks.

Devonshire Tea

Who doesn’t love scones freshly baked with lashings of jam and cream?! Certainly we had a lovely group of residents come down and enjoy our Devonshire tea in the lounge last week. It’s great to be back to meeting in person for events, and there’s nothing more decadent than sitting down to tea and scones with good friends. I made the scones and Aaron facilitated everything on the day - a joint effort that couldn’t have succeeded without the attendance of our wonderful residents.

Picnic Day Picnic

It was an exciting event for a number of reasons, this Picnic Day picnic. Firstly, we were able to meet in person to talk and eat, and no amount of Zooming will ever be as satisfying as that! Secondly, we were in our lounge which has recently been refurbished, and we made good use of the new lights and furniture as we gathered together (appropriately socially distanced of course). It was lovely to be able to finally use this space that we had had to lock down for such a long time. And finally, on a personal note, it was the first event I had come back into the village for since the start of March, which made it all the more special for me.

Due to an unfortunate mishap with the timing, Aaron and I arrived a little late to the party, but it was surely not a bad thing that the residents were able to have some time to catch up before we started. Apologies to Barbara, who had to leave and as a result only got a quick chicken sandwich to take with her for the road. Everyone else was able to enjoy their chicken, salad, cheese and associated extras in relative comfort. We also provided a dessert of fruit and homemade biscuits and tarts.

Thanks to everyone who came and made this event the success it was. It was a joy to see everyone again and to be able to make the most of our new, fresh, bright surroundings. Here’s hoping we will have many more experiences like this in the future…

Our Environments for World Environment Day

It was World Environment Day last week, and in view of the fact that restrictions are still in place we asked residents to provide us with pictures of their environment (inside and out). Thanks to everyone who contributed - we have some lovely photos here. Obviously, given where we live the beach figures heavily, but great to see daytime, sunrise and sunset images.

Australia's Biggest Morning Tea 2020

We were unable to have a physical tea this year to raise money for the Cancer Council, but we thought it was important to go ahead with some fundraising anyway. For those inclined we had a video call set up for a remote tea and a chat, as well as a physical donation box in the office.

Thanks to everyone who donated and/or took part - so far we have raised $161.50 for this worthy cause. Here’s hoping that next year we will be able to once again have an in-person event.

Strawberries and Cream Day

Strawberries and Cream Day was a great success! I had 16 bowls of chopped strawberries, cream (both dollop and whipped in a can), and some sugar as well. Residents started rolling in about 10:45 am and hung around waiting for their fill. There were audible gasps of delight when the strawberries were revealed. Lashings of cream were unceremoniously heaped on and the strawberries were devoured in moments.

The residents came trickling in over about an hour or so. Some remained to chat with friends – socially distanced, of course. Others took a bowl back to their unit for consumption later. Those who found the pile of strawberries too much for themselves, gave extra to others. Due to the circumstances of COVID-19 the eating was done in the foyer standing up, rather than in a more formal setting. However, the residents who attended seemed quite satisfied with this arrangement and enjoyed the change to their usual routine.

Written by Aaron Ross

Resident turns 90!

They probably weren’t the circumstances she was expecting to be in on her 90th birthday, but last week resident June managed to have a lovely celebration nonetheless. She was able to spend time with family and friends, and many people sent flowers and well wishes. We were unable to put on a party for her at the Astra, but instead the local “choir” went to her home with a cake and sang happy birthday to her. We also decorated her doorway with a sign from the village wishing her many happy returns of the day, along with a balloon and tinsel trimmings. All in all, June had a wonderful 90th birthday week, and we wish her all the best for the coming year. Thanks to everyone who was involved in making her days special.

More Isolation Baking

Eva’s been baking again! She’s spending time in isolation browsing through recipes and trying out new things. She’s happy to share recipes with anyone who wants to, and she recommends the Aldi website for a good range with easy to navigate categories.

Eva used Aldi’s recipe for her “antipasto tart”, with a few changes in ingredients. She used a puff pastry base (partly pre-baked it), caramelised Spanish onions, sweet potatoes, sliced tomatoes, herbed goats cheese, pieces of Serrano ham, and baked for approx 20 mins. Another time, she made it with caramelised Spanish onions, thinly sliced pumpkin, sliced tomatoes, a little goats cheese and fresh figs quartered, topped with fig glaze. Sounds delicious!

She already had the puff pastry from the tart, so Eva also tried to re-create a dessert she used to share with her Mum, at Bistro One at Easts on Spring Street.  It was called "My Granny is a Tart"! A round of puff pastry, with thinly sliced Granny Smith apples, and sugar, baked and served with toasted pecans, swirls of caramel sauce and cinnamon ice cream…yum!  She used the puff pastry, slices of Granny Smith apples, sugar and cinnamon, and served it with toasted walnuts, fresh whipped cream and maple syrup. 

Her final creation was a Hungarian dessert called Rizskoch, a type of baked rice pudding with chocolate sauce. It also looks amazing. Thanks to Eva for sending her photos and for keeping us up to date with her coronavirus baking exploits.

Remote Afternoon Tea

It was lovely to be able to spend a happy hour sitting and chatting with Asra residents at afternoon tea this week…at home. We had a video chat available for anyone who wanted to join, and it was very enjoyable. There were cups of tea and popcorn and homemade biscotti on display, as well as our homes, photos and possessions. This was a dry run to see how effective it would be to hold the Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea remotely, and I think it was a success! So now looking forward to that event later in the month. Depending on the relaxing of various regulations, it may be possible for us to meet for tea in person sometime soon, but for now the remote option is a good one. Thanks to everyone who came and see you next time…

Baking Delights and Star Wars Memories

This week we’ve had some photos come in from Eva’s baking over Easter, and boy do they look good! Her Easter table is so neat and pretty that I’m not sure I’d want to eat on it for fear of ruining it, and the food is utterly delectable. Apparently the pie went down so well she had to make more for the family! Eva says she’s been keeping busy by cooking and lots of baking, leafing through her trusty cookbooks and even trying new recipes from the web. She has also successfully baked recipes not attempted in decades - I say that’s something definitely worth shouting about!

Also, Jo has given us some Star Wars memories: She remembers taking her boys to see it - they loved it, she wasn’t so sure - and she has some friends who are fans and who dressed up the whole family for Star Wars Day.

Thanks to both ladies for keeping isolation interesting :)