Author: cdrennan

Meal plans for friends staying multiple nights

If you are staying multiple nights, there will be a main meal provided in the evening each night. If you have specified a dietary request, there will be an alternative for you at the main meal. You are encouraged to bring snacks and contributions to share (fruit, muffins, biccies, things to bake)

Kitchen facilities: If you are staying in the homestead or on the campground, you will have access to the main kitchen to cook your own food. However on Saturday and Sunday when the feast is being prepared, access will be limited. If you are staying in one of the cottages, you will have access to your own communal cottage kitchen.

Breakfasts: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 

BYO favourite cereals, breads or GF/paleo alternatives!  or…  raid the breads and toppings provided by us.

Monday there will be a big breakfast cookup (nitrate free bacon, eggs, grilled things… if this isn’t going to work for you, definitely DIY)

Lunches: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday

Local breads, healthy sandwich ingredients, fruit and veg will be provided. If you need GF options, we ask you to BYO

Dinners:  

Thursday Night 13 April – pumpkin Soup, Local breads, Snacks

Friday Night 14 April – DIY pizza night. Pizza bases and toppings of various kinds, simple to gourmet… make one for yourself or make one to share. Give the kids a helping hand to make something up! We are ordering some Gluten Free bases but if you have your own favourite kind, we suggest you BYO

Saturday Night 15 April – Macro roast chickens, Baked potatoes and various toppings and salads, so you can create a meal to suit your preferences.

Sunday Night 16 April – Wedding buffet curated by Steve Fleischmann with some help from friends and family. The main meat dishes will be Lamb and Pork, with alternatives for vegetarians and vegans.

Other sustenance and treats:

Regular Dairy Milk, Tea and Coffee will be provided throughout

Snacks will be available (biscuits and fruit)

BYO Alcoholic beverages or treats.

Stop Press! Sci Fi Outfit Options

As you know, wearing a sci-fi outfit is mandatory between 2pm and midnight on Sunday 16 April… and time is running out…

So here’s a page of eek last minute sci fi suggestions for thee and thine…

  1. Come early so you can make something up in our Costume Room at The Grange.
  2. Julz and Ant have spotted ex-hire sci-fi outfits and space suits for sale at the Parklea Markets… apparently $25 each suit. The stall is open on Saturdays only.
  3. Find all your SILVER things in your wardrobe and wear them all together, add silver lipstick and you’re perfect.
  4. Visit your local opshop Uor wardrobe) and look for anything 1960s or 70s…. because you know, in the future it will all be in fashion again, (again)… so you could be a time traveller!
  5. Upcycle or re-use an old costume into something more sci-fi by adding scientific or steampunk accessories.
  6. Build yourself a weird gadget out of other things, and tell us its your time machine… or space ray gun… or (insert clever story here).
  7. Wear pyjamas or a dressing gown and be Dent Arthur Dent
  8. Use Boxes (they make great masks, robots, etc) or use foam like this guy.
  9. Costume shops can be fun  to visit – you don’t have to rent a costume but it can be fun to visit some for inspiration… here they are.
  10. Add antennas to your head and be My Favorite Martian
  11. Speak with a slightly different accent, part your hair on the other side, wear something super outrageous and say that you have traded places with your self from a parallel universe for the day.
  12. Wear a lab coat. Preferably with strange multicoloured stains like your experiment has taken on life or exploded.
  13. Completely cover your head in a bag or a towel and say you are hiding from the Ravenous Bugblatter beast of Traal.
  14. Create an outfit out of Bubble Wrap. I can’t think how its science fiction but we will all have fun popping you all night.

More coming… if you have any last minute leads or ideas, tell us.

And don’t forget there will be plenty of things to play with in the Costume Room.

More Cheats:

https://au.pinterest.com/explore/sci-fi-costumes/

https://au.pinterest.com/sevryll/geektastic-scifi-costume-ideas/

http://io9.gizmodo.com/5674835/20-last-minute-science-fiction-halloween-costumes/

6 “Star Trek” Catchphrases And How To Work Them Into Everyday Conversations

Pot Luck and other creative contributions

The weekend is a collective creative effort and contributions by all of you, however seems right to you!

Some suggestions of what to bring or what to contribute:

  1. POT LUCK for the feast.
    Our mate Steve Fleischmann is curating our delicious dinner for Sunday evening which will mainly focus on savoury dishes. You are invited to bring additions to the tables, especially in the sweet treats department. (Remember to label your platter so we can return it to you).
  2. CREATIVE ACTIVITIES and BOARD GAMES.
    If you are coming to stay a few days, please bring games to share or to teach others, or be willing to join games to make up numbers.
  3. LEND A HAND in the kitchen.
  4. CHIP IN TO THE KITTY. details on how to transfer via Paypal is on the FAQ page, or email us and we will text you bsb and account details.
  5. DRINKS.
    All beverages or snacks to share at any time are welcome and we’d love you to bring a contribution if you plan to partake in quantity.
  6. PARTY DELIGHTS.
    Help us set a festive mood by bringing your fairy lights or solar lights to help decorate spaces.

The ‘Stag and Crag’

Exactly two weeks before our Easter Weekend, was our alternative to Bucks/Hens…  Yes, all in for a climbing weekend away in the Wolgan Valley (Craig’s favourite Climbing and Camping place just west of the Blue Mountains).

Fine weather, lovely friends, thanks for a great weekend away! (Photos by Andrea, Pete, Cindi… Scroll down to see video from top of the crag by Pete)

Coke Ovens Lower Climbing from PeteB on Vimeo.

You’re invited !

Cindi and Craig met in January 2004, the spark ignited … and then it took years of wondering, wandering, adventure, misadventure, and sheer determination to turn what could have been a disaster, into best friends forever.

12 years later we invite you to help us celebrate at a gathering of friends and family in the Blue Mountains for some days of feasting, walking, playing, talking, glamping and just hanging out. You are welcome to come for a day or two, or stay for the whole four days (with options to extend!)

For us, the best celebration is for our two families and our friends to get to know each other and to enjoy the beautiful Blue Mountains with us.

*special thanks to Cindi’s neices RAIN, KIRA & KEZIA for the awesome artwork in our invitation. The drawing is by Rain, the background is by Kez with some special touches by Kira. Love you girls, great work!

Easter Itinerary

Register here!

Just come for the wedding, stay for a day or two, or make it a whole Easter getaway.  If you stay, there are oodles of optional creative activities, or you can head off to explore on your own.

Craig and Cindi have planned a few activities, you are welcome to join us, or do your own thing.

Weekend activities include board games, movies, bushwalks, costume making, photography and relaxing. We’ll have some tours to show the progress of our house in Medlow Bath. Easter Sunday features an egg hunt, our vows and a Sci-fi themed party.

Thursday 13 April Grange Homestead accommodation available for early arrivals. Come and chill, or help set up Bell tents.
Easter Friday (14 April) Cottage, Gatehouse and Bell Tent Glamping accommodation available from 8AM

12-2 PM Family Bushwalk (picnic lunch) at Asgard Swamp or similar local walk.

Afternoon – Crafts and Tents

6-10 PM Movie Room (Family movie night)
Easter Saturday (15 April) 10AM – Tour of Craig and Cindi’s place at Medlow Bath (work in progress house made of recycled everything) plus optional visits to Medlow Bath Lookout.

1PM – sightseeing walk – Pulpit Rock.

10-5 PM Costume Room (preparation for the Sci-fi Party) for anyone who wants to get creative

6-10 PM Games Night (Optional Movie available for children)
Easter Sunday 16 April 9AM Chocolate egg hunt

10-1 Bygone Beauties Teapot Museum (with Devonshire tea) or
10-1 Photography walk (BYO Camera)

3PM Craig & Cindi Ceremonial Vows at the Bush Chapel accessed from the Grange Carpark, and signposted (wet weather alternative TBC). YES wear your Scifi outfit!

5PM Scifi themed party – Wear a science fiction themed outfit, and/or bring a plate of sci-fi inspired food to share (eg roast alien sandwiches, saturn ringed muffins, space station style food sachets, triffid salad are all acceptable and welcome!)

Live Skype link ups… in true sci style we will teleport you in to our space station – look for us online between 9PM and 10PM AEST.
Monday 17 April 8-10 AM Big Breakfast cook up

8-10 Arts, crafts and lego
11-2 PM Pack up & leave (Post event exodus)

3PM Interested members head to DUNNS SWAMP for the post Easter Dunn’s Swamp Camp Out.
RELATED EVENTS:
1-2 April Stag and Crag – Wolgan weekend away for any bloke or sheila who wants to have a climb in before the big day.
17 April onwards for 2-3 days a post Easter gathering of campers, birdwatchers, bushwalkers and canoeists at our Dunn’s Swamp Camp Out (Arguably the best camping in NSW)

 

Accommodation at The Grange

We wanted to make it easy for friends and family to stay, so we have entirely booked out The Grange in anticipation. This means there is room for all, whether just staying the one night, or the entire Easter weekend. While its not 5 star luxury, its an excellent place with rooms for kids to stay together and for cousins or friends to catch up who might normally not see each other.
(If you are planning to stay, please register here.)
Here are all the accommodation options:
  1. The Grange Homestead
  2. The Cottage
  3. The Gatehouse
  4. Oval Camping (Bell Tents provided, or BYO tent)
  5. Other options nearby
The Grange Homestead

This is where our central kitchen, dining room and games / movie room is located, and also contains 8 dormitories with bunk beds, and shared bathrooms. Ideal for a family to each take a dormitory, or for putting multiple kidlets into a dorm with a grown up to keep an eye on them.

View photos of the Grange here, or in our dropbox folder here.

Map below shows the various rooms which can be allocated. So far only rooms 3, 6,7 & 8 have been requested, and there’s still rooms 1 and 5 available. Click here for a larger view.

grange_sm
The Cottage
The cottage has three bedrooms each with multiple bunk beds. Located away from the main homestead, it has its own kitchen and bathroom. We have prebooked this on behalf of the older grown ups who might want a peaceful space away from the homestead. So far 2 rooms of the 4 have been booked.

The Gatehouse
The gatehouse has already been booked for one of the families coming.

Oval Glamping
We will be setting up a large camping zone on the oval. It overlooks the bush but there’s easy loo and kitchen access (all mod cons). Some large Bell tents / teepees will be set up from Friday onwards as spare tents and hang out spaces for the kids – ask if you want to camp out and don’t have a tent, there should be space. Below is an image of a Bell Tent (its a teepee type of tent about 4m accross).
bell_tent

If you prefer you can bring your tent and bedding if you have one and want to camp out.

So far we have Craig + Cindi in one bell tent, and another 3 groups bringing tents, and there are plenty of bell tents spare, and spaces for more tents! Tent o rama!

Below is an image of the Grange from an aerial view showing the areas designated for camping.

Other Accommodation options nearby: You can stay at an airbnb home or at the Victoria and Albert Guesthouse. There are also a lot of hotels and B&B at Blackheath. If you stay elsewhere you can still make use of the Grange during the day.

did you say SCI-FI ?

Yes we did!

Personally we aren’t into the frilly meringue wedding dress, 50 tier cake and fancy drive-away photo shoots you are probably used to. Nope, we are into DIY / community / making stuff together…

From 2pm until Midnight on Sunday 16th April, we want you in your best Science Fiction outfit / persona!

Want to make your own? Find out about our Costume Room here!

Need help? Last minute ideas here!

What have you got in your wardrobe that says “hey I’m a groovy alien critter” or “I’m an ultradimensional time traveller” or just simply celebrates a futuristic era…

We know you are creative too so let’s see you dressed in your fave futuristic, sci-fi themed outfit, and if you don’t come with an appropriate costume, you’ll sent off to make yourself something in the costume room where anyone can make their outfit up out of fabric, recycled stuff and costumery contributions made by all of us.

RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!!!

So, dig out your grooviest Sci-fi outfit…

or show up with nothing but your imagination and make something up…

or if you need to express yourself in another way, bring sci-fi themed food…

and everyone… BYO stuff that can be reused or upcycled in the Costume Room!

Help kids make themselves a fun costume, or paint on a cyber-face!

Best excuse to dress up…

Need ideas?

Robots… triffids… spacesuits… alternative dimensions… parallel universes… laboratory technicians… mad professors… your favourite sci fi character… a Dr Who companion… an orwellian fantasy… a being from another planet… a post apocalyptic warrior… a martian settler or agronomist… a cyber-bionic body part… (please add to this list…)

Make it Sew! Costume Room fun at The Grange

This Easter might just be your best chance to get creative with a bunch of like minded creative souls, and dream up a Scifi costume masterpiece that you can wear to our wedding. The costume room will feature loads of raw materials, glue guns, old costumes, sewing machines, things people bring, art materials, cardboard and what have you.

So if you really have not had time to make your outfit, you can go last chance bonanza by Sunday lunch time to create hack mod or adapt your Sci Fi outfit!

Part of the fun of the weekend will be creative collaboration so team up with some other people to cook up something out there, silly or surprising.

Its also a chance to try something new (jump on a sewing machine if you haven’t, or be messy with a hot glue gun).

We would love you to donate materials to the Costume Room – whether objects, old costumes or parts of clothes that could inspire someone to get crafty and make their very own Sci Fi outfit.

Or if you are stuck for ideas, see here for last minute inspiration.

Creative fun & Chillin’ at the Grange

Come and stay for a day or two, or make it a whole Easter getaway. (See accommodation info here)

We just want to spend time with you, so the Grange is our base. We have some activities planned but if you don’t want to go on the bushwalks etc, you can make yourself at home with creative activities happening at the Grange over the 4 days including:

  1. Games playing (lots of games provided)
  2. Costume Room & Scifi dressups (get crafty with your costume)
  3. Lego Mountain
  4. Movie Room
  5. Explore the Grange and gardens, take photos etc
  6. Chill out (we are going to hang some hammocks, plus there will be the Bell tents)
  7. BYO things to do (eg organise a stitch n bitch, or a cooking session to share your fave cookie recipe)

The Grange and its gardens are gorgeous – Kangaroos come and hang out on the oval sometimes and there are plenty of walks around.

 

There are heaps of places to visit in the area too… Explore Mt Vic…