At Bondi Beach Astra we love to get social. And until June we were making the most of our relatively COVID-free environment, holding events and activities each month for residents to attend. With a range of different people from different backgrounds, we try to cater to a range of different tastes. Here are our highlights from the first half of the year:
Jazz lunch - we were absolutely thrilled to welcome local jazz band Sax Appeal to our lounge for a live music event, with a Ploughman’s lunch. We had such fun and it was a wonderful atmosphere. Good food and wine, great music, and dancing to cap it all off, this was mentioned in our recent resident surveys as being one of the best events we’ve had.
Gin tasting - also a winner on the resident satisfaction scale was our gin tasting afternoon. We had to postpone this in 2020 as lockdowns and restrictions hit, but it was worth waiting for. We had four gins to taste, along with varied and numerous mixers and garnishes, and a cocktail menu. For those drinking and not drinking alike we had a lovely selection of snacks, cold meats, flat breads and sweets. Even non gin drinkers were delighted by the interesting flavours of the different gins we had on offer - and a big shout out to the Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin, which won the most votes for best gin!
Special afternoon teas - this year we partnered with the Residents Committee to put on one big afternoon tea a month, with a special theme. At one we raised over $600 for the Cancer Council; at another we had a posh high tea with sandwiches, petits fours and bubbly. Fabulous!
Speaker talks - throughout the year we’ve had speaker talks from both residents and people in the local community. Helene Gonski’s visit was a particular highlight, with residents and visitors enjoying an insight into this special lady’s wonderful life.
Astra Book Club (ABC) - once a month we run a book club, encouraging us to read more widely and to share our thoughts about, and experiences with, each text. We have read authors from Australia, the UK, the US, Europe and Africa, with themes as widespread as colonisation, the LGBTI+ community, feminism, historical fiction, murder mystery, the Gold Rush and the dictionary! The lovely thing about a book club is you don’t read in isolation, and even if you don’t agree with the opinions of your fellow readers, it is still interesting to hear what they have to say. Members of ABC love it, and we all get a lot out of our monthly meet ups.
Foodie fun - from the resident-run Australia Day BBQ, to pancakes, strawberries and cream, and a St. Patrick’s Day celebration, our community loves to get together over some good food. It’s the perfect opportunity to chat, have fun and get to know your neighbours better. It’s always a highlight when tasty food is on the menu.
You too could be a part of this vibrant, fun-loving community! Our full social calendar is truly one of the best parts of living at Bondi Beach Astra, according to many of our residents. To see what you’re missing out on visit our Blog and What’s On pages, and if you have any further questions about life in a Retirement Village, please contact us.
