Sydney Festival 2006

Saturday night was the opening of the 2006 Sydney Festival, and, more importantly, the Opening Night Party at the Hyde Park Barracks. Hands down, the best party I've been to in a year. Great music (a group called Panjea from NYC for the first part, then a DJ later), free alcohol (champagne and Russian vodka) and celebrity sitings. I'm standing there talking to some of Richard's friends and then - bam! - I look over and Cate Blanchett is walking right past. A few more glasses of champagne and I would have stopped to talk to her (which would not have been good for anyone).

I did manage to go up and babble to an actress I recognized from my new all-time favorite show "Headlands." Like my previous all-time favorite show from the UK, "Hollyoaks", "Headlands" is a horrible evening soap opera that everyone watches but nobody will admit to. I've been here about 2 weeks and I'm hooked on it, and even told the Headlands actress. She didn't seem as impressed with my admission as I feel she should have been.