Ok I am so so sorry for the late blog post. Trust me I have a very valid reason/s but I’m trying my best more or less.

I am now writing everything retroactively but hopefully its good enough details for you all.

Friday 1 August, Nan (my dad’s mum) had bought us two tickets to see Beauty and the Beast musical at Crown theatre in Perth, so dad and I drove up to Perth that Friday morning. Chill drive, I appreciate the fact its only 2 hours and we got there by about 11:30am.

Nan showed us around the hotels. Last time I’d stayed at the Crown was at 5 years old when the same Nan took all her grandkids to see Mary Poppins at the theatre. I vaguely remember it, but by vaguely I mean I remember Mary Poppins floating down from the rafters magically, and the dress I wore. Nothing else.

So yeah, Nan showed us around. Because there’s Crown Towers the super fancy expensive one, Crown Metropol and Crown Promenade. We stayed in the Promenade, but each of the hotels is only walking distance so we spent the most time in the lobby of Crown Towers, with the big glass pyramid roof (The perth kids know what Im talking about). We’d found the fast food food court, practically the only food we had in our budget for lunch, and then Nan suggested we’d sit somewhere and have a drink.

Now, we’d passed a few tea rooms/lounges, so the assumption of dad and I was that Nan meant coffee. Next thing she’s asking if I had my ID on me. HUH?

Nan its literally only just passed 12pm, what do you mean and alcoholic beverage??

Oh well, Nan said she’d order what we want while dad and I went back up to the room to grab my ID, just in case anyone checked. Get back to two cocktails for Nan and I, and dad’s rum and coke. He takes one sip and nearly spits it out. “We don’t do this often, I figured I’d get you a double shot.” says Nan.

I have no idea whats come over her but this is wild! Coming from the same woman who told dad he shouldn’t marry someone who drinks, swears, or has tattoos. Now ordering us all day drinks.

Could not have picked this in a million years.

We finish our drinks and decide no more for now (literally only 12:30pm by this point). Dad had an appointment to go to at 2pm, so we all headed back up to the room, he got ready, Nan and I laid down for a couple hours before it was time for us to get ready for the show.

Immediately before we got ready I called Kylie for a brief catch-up, as per our usual Friday nights. Love a consistent friendship.

Bit of a backstory here, but in December when I went to visit my godfather in Perth, we did some shopping and I fell IN LOVE with this pale yellow maxi dress. So my godfather bought it for me for Christmas and I have not worn it since. I was intending to wear it to my aunty’s wedding in April but then I was in NSW. Then, we had tickets bought for Beauty and the Beast and its just PERFECT… yes, I did wear a yellow dress like Belle to go watch Beauty and the Beast. Perhaps it was a bit fancy but I don’t get to dress up very often and I had the best time wearing a gown and heels in the Crown.

We all went to dinner because dad was back from his appointment by then. I can’t remember what the place is called but it’s in the middle of where all the parts of the Crown complex come together, like it is the middle part of a round about. Anyway, whatever it was called the food came out so fast.

I didn’t feel like eating much so I just got a kids fish and chips, dad had a burger and Nan got a caeser salad. Each meal was so large and the service was so quick! We literally ordered our food, Nan got up to grab our drinks, and by the time she came back with them our food had already arrived.

The plan was; have dinner, Nan and I watch the show while dad has a squiz at the casino, and then when the show finishes, we join dad and gamble all night. Joking.

So for each show the Crown has on, they must decorate according to the theme of that show. So for Beauty and the Beast (which from here on in I’m going to abbreviate to B+B) they had a central seating area in the Crown lobby, based on the show. There were roses and books and 18th century french marble sculptures. Heaps of photo opportunities.

Luckily Nan appreciates taking photos lol.

Then on the way into the theatre, they had big feature walls with the name of the show and patterned backgrounds. The first one we saw was like a gold glitter print, and then the one upstairs was made entirely of (fake) roses.

Heading into the theatre, there was a snack bar like the ones they have at the cinemas, except with an array of individual bottles of alcohol. However, because we couldn’t take glass into the theatre, we had to pour out the bottles into paper cups to take in. So Nan ended up sipping champagne, and I had gin and soda, out of paper cups. T

We got into the actual theatre and it was so massive! Like so many more seats than I expected. I saw quite a few other girls my age wearing yellow maxi dresses (YESS) and even more young girls wearing Belle costumes. Game recognises game.

And then the actual show? OH MY GOODNESS! The talent and skill of the actors, the stamina, the creative liberties, the design choices, costumes. Everything was so spectacular. During the opening number when Belle sings about her provincial life, I actually got that thing in my heart that goes ! ! ! !!!! when you listen to music. And then! During the Be Our Guest number they literally launched streamers into the crowd.

Yes, so I had the best time, and will be making it a personal goal to see more musicals, especially with Nan.

Afterwards, we headed to the casino! Purely for a look around. I learnt how to play roulette but mostly I just liked watching the shapes and colours lol.

I definitely believe I cannot afford a gambling addiction so I didn’t invest too much time in learning how to play the different machines, unlike so many other kids my age apparently.

There were whole groups of what looked like fresh 18/19 year olds gathered around tables and machines just feeding wads of cash to the casino. Nothing wrong with having fun, but I know for myself especially, the best way to not get addicted is to not start in the first place.

Nan and I were only there for maybe 40 minutes, but that was enough. I’m not built for late nights anymore. Damn healthy sleep schedule.

We went back up to the room where dad was already asleep and went to bed ready for us all to check out tomorrow.

Saturday morning we woke up and it was bucketing rain. We luckily got to breakfast easily enough because all of Crown is mostly connected. I had pancakes and hot chocolate of course.

We sat in the B+B seating area in little wicket chairs with marble tables. There were little easter eggs everywhere nodding to the book, movie, and musical. So pretty.

We had to take Nan and drop her off at a friend’s house in Perth before we started driving back home. Dad pulled the car around from the car park and we braced for the drive.

Getting to Barb’s house wasn’t too bad, but by the time it was just dad and I again on the drive back down the highway to Bunbury, the rain was so heavy it was actually scaring me. Like, couldn’t see the road lines, the cars around us, or to be honest even the road. We never got rain like this in Geraldton for sure.

Driving home, mum sent me a photo of the flowers I’d got delivered for her. I’m very happy with myself for managing to organise them to be dropped off to our house.

The drive always seems shorter than it is, so yeah we got home safe in no time despite everyone driving slower because of the rain.

Alright this blog might get too long if I include the next couple days as well in the same post, so stay tuned for pt.3 coming out in a couple hours 😭🤞