Prolonging the Sparkle

We are in that rather blissful inbetween time of Christmas and New Year, when it's still okay to loll around the house in your PJs till mid-morning, eat mince pies for breakfast and smile (instead of growl) when you see toys and wrapping paper spread ALL over the floor from one end of the house to the other.

We got up yesterday morning (after some early morning rattiness - kids, not adults) and felt motivated to pack everyone into the car and drive to the city. I made everyone dress up. I have pictures from early last century of my great grandmother dressed up for shopping trips to the city, and I'm determined to carry on the tradition. We were too late (obviously) for the Christmas windows at DJs, but we still got to see the wonderful glittering tree at the Queen Victoria Building.

http://www.qvb.com.au/
This is one of Sydney's most beautiful buildings, and at Christmas time it is especially sparkly. The kids walk around wide eyed, and so do I!

It was mostly tourists milling around rather than the chaotic bargain obsessed shoppers we'd been expecting to see. Eleanore and Miriam were a bit sad to discover a magical winter wonderland cave (now locked up) where, up until Christmas Eve, Santa photos were being taken. Maybe next year..

We ventured to our favourite city bookshop (well favourite when accompanied by three children and a stroller - it's BIG!) as our Christmas money was burning a hole in our collective pockets. Tintin figures were cunningly displayed all around the kids book section, so we all had fun choosing our favourite. Mine was the middle sized figure of tintin and snowy peeking out of the chinese ginger jar. It was over $300! So we settled for the $10 figures instead.

The view from the bookshop windows, over George Street kept everyone entertained. We even got waves from tourists zooming past in the openair double-decker bus!

And I was thrilled to find a boxed set of the Taschen Guide Books I had been coveting admiring prior to Christmas. These are mini versions of the big book I had seen, so that for each city there is a smaller pocket-sized edition devoted to Cafes, Restaurants and Bars; Shopping; and Hotels. I can now study the places to be to my heart's content, were I to travel to Berlin, New York, London or Paris (or hopefully all four). Sigh...

http://www.kinokuniya.com.au/
http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/lifestyle/all/02806/facts.taschen_4_cities.htm

And we did venture in to a few of the glamourous shops where for a while I pretended I was considering major purchases. In the COACH store I was busily admiring a patchwork leather tote complete with appliqued bling and sequins.
"Four children?" the tiny salesgirl enquired of me, gazing at my entourage with a troubled look on her face.
"Yes" I answered proudly.
"This bag not for you, they'll pick off the sequins."
And that's how I saved myself $300.
So with that, we headed home. We were tired, but happy. It had been a fun day.

 Ellie's top is from the GAP Paris store.