Infinity Rehab Presentation

/ Bondi Beach Astra Retirement Village /

Infinity Rehab is a well-renowned mobile rehabilitation service that brings physiotherapy right to your home (or in our case, village), ensuring comfort and ease. Jessica, the owner and head physiotherapist, visited the Astra recently to share her knowledge on exercises for seniors, focusing on balance, fall prevention, and general fitness. Jessica recommended being active for a minimum of 20 minutes a day to elevate the heart rate and breathing, but not so that you can't still hold a conversation. A nice walk along the promenade with friends is the perfect example of an activity for residents to enjoy!

Christmas in July

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Our annual Christmas in July party was a huge hit! The Bondi Tratt once again delivered a mouth-watering Christmas meal, which some residents dubbed the best one yet! We then headed back to the Astra lounge for dessert, drinks and a bit of a boogie. Our entertainment was Breakfast at Tiffany's, a delightful duo that played an array of tunes, packing the dance floor.

Overall, it was a fantastic evening filled with merriment and cheer. Thanks to the Tratt for hosting us again, and a big shout-out to Breakfast at Tiffany’s. We hope to have them back again in December for the Christmas Party.

Guest Speaker - Andrew Campbell

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According to The Lancet medical journal, hearing loss is the leading modifiable risk factor in the prevention of dementia. We were fortunate to have Andrew Campbell, an independent adult rehabilitation audiologist with a Master's degree and a trailblazer in the audio field, join us to discuss his research. He shared valuable insights on how improving hearing can lead to a more fulfilling life and explored the links between untreated hearing loss and brain health.

Andrew is also the author of the bestselling book, Hearing and Brain Health, available for purchase on Amazon. If you want to learn about Andrew and his fascinating work, head to his website Neuaudio. www.neuaudio.com.au

Dovida Information Session

/ Bondi Beach Astra Retirement Village /

The lovely Juliet and Isabelle from Dovida Home Care Provider visited the Astra to give a presentation on navigating My Aged Care and the changes that will take effect in November this year. Topics covered included what’s changing with the new home support system, new package levels, the My Aged Care process, and some helpful resources to keep residents living at home comfortably and safely.

The informative presentation was, of course, followed by one of our famous Astra morning teas! Check out the link below or ask the office to find out more about Dovida and the fantastic work they do. Thank you, Juliet and Isabelle, for your visit! www.dovida.com.au

Wine Tasting with Goran from Regional Wines of the World

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Goran from Regional Wines of the World came to the Astra this week and brought with him a fine selection of wines from boutique winemakers around the world. Our tasting took us to regions of France, Italy, Argentina, Germany, California and Chile. Goran was very knowledgeable about grape varieties and the history of the wines and regions they came from. We were lucky enough to try wines with grapes exclusive to their region and not available anywhere else in Australia to purchase or sample. Goran brought six whites, five reds, a rose, and ended the tasting with a delicious coffee & butterscotch schnapps.

A favourite among the residents was the Schloss Koblenz Dornfelder 2020 from Germany. Dornfelder is a very fruity German red grape with hints of cherries, blackcurrants, and blackberries, soft tannins and a long, pleasant finish.

Check out their website for more information on their fantastic wine selection or to make a purchase and sample some wines for yourself.

www.regionalwinesoftheworld.com.au

Australia's Biggest Afternoon Tea

/ Bondi Astra Retirement Village /

The annual Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea (or Afternoon Tea) is a great way to support the Cancer Council. This year, we gathered in the lounge for a delightful spread, accompanied by Ces on the piano. A raffle was held with a grand prize of a $100 dinner voucher for the Tratt, won by Chris Harrison, who also won last year! Congratulations to Chris, Jo, and Alana, the other winners! A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed, and to the Bondi Trattoria, Chapter One, and Bondi Chemist for their generous prize donations. We managed to raise close to $500! Donations are still open, so please visit our Cancer Council page or stop by the office for more information.

www.biggestmorningtea.com.au/fundraisers/BondiAstra

Guest Speaker Gareth Robinson - Happiness Fly Wheel Part Two

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Gareth Robinson, the guru of communication, leadership, and good vibes, returned to the Astra for part two of the Happiness Flywheel, a four-step program designed to promote happiness and well-being. Gareth gave a wonderful presentation with residents taking away some useful tips and tricks on staying stress-free and happy. The session wrapped up again with a special happiness morning tea, featuring the most adorable “Bee Happy” cupcakes made with love, by Nellie.

Afternoon Tea with Piano

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Talented pianist Ces took centre stage at Astra, turning a traditional afternoon tea into a sing-along! Imagine sandwiches, scones piled high with jam and cream, and an array of pastries. Her setlist was a delightful mix, including hits from the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Elvis, with an encore of some classical favourites. Attendees couldn’t resist joining in, singing along joyfully while savouring the music and treats. Ces will return on 21st May for our annual Cancer Council afternoon tea.

Guest Speaker Gareth Robinson - Happiness Fly Wheel

/ Bondi Beach Astra Retirement Village/

Gareth Robinson is a coach specializing in communication, leadership, and well-being, and we were fortunate to have him visit Astra to share his insights on happiness. He is the creator of the Happiness Flywheel, a four-step program designed to enhance happiness and well-being. A group of residents gathered in the lounge for a presentation on the initial two steps, with Gareth planning to return to present the final two steps in early May. The presentation was of course, followed by a delightful happiness-themed morning tea.



St Patrick's Day Ploughman's Lunch

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The Astra lounge transformed into a shamrock wonderland, bursting with green to honour St. Patrick's Day. The residents, decked out in green attire, tucked into a scrumptious ploughman’s lunch. Imagine a feast of meats, cheeses, fruits, pork pies, and Judith’s now legendary beer bread! Some folks even indulged in a pint of Guinness or a splash of Irish Cream, dialling up the Irish charm. The vibe? Joy and laughter, turning the afternoon into a rollicking good time filled with great craic!

Live Music Bingo

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Live music bingo is an engaging, interactive, and unique twist on the traditional bingo game. It combines the excitement of a live music performance with the fun of bingo. Instead of numbers, players receive 4 x 4 cards featuring song titles from the 1950s to the 1980s.

The Astra welcomed Derek from Juxtaposse, who kept the good times rolling with his ukulele, guitar, and selection of hits that crossed generations. His performance captivated the audience and inspired one resident, Len, to show off his air guitar skills to the Rolling Stones’ classic “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction.”

The first person to get four songs in a row or column won Bingo and got the first choice of prizes from the lucky dip bag! The next person had to get two rows or columns and so on until all the prizes had run out and Derek played all the tunes on our cards. It was a lot of fun and Derek even treated us to an encore!

Chinese New Year

/ Bondi Beach Astra Retirement Village /

Gong Hey Fat Choi! (Wishing you a prosperous year)

We celebrated Chinese New Year with a feast of dumplings, yum cha, fried rice, sides and matcha ice cream…. well we tried to celebrate with dumplings. Our event coincided with the Lantern Festival which marks the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations and as a result, it was a challenge to find dumplings! Fortunately, the Bondi Tratt stepped in at the last moment with some mouth-watering pizzas, adding an exciting Asian/Italian fusion twist to our day. We wrapped up our feast with fortune cookies and had fun with Judith’s traditional fortune sticks. Some fortunes turned out to be more favourable than others!

Summer of the Seventeenth Doll

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A part of Astra's rich history involves filming part of "Summer of the Seventeenth Doll" in what used to be the grand ballroom. Recently, we had a surprise visit from relatives of Mr. Allen Oldfield, who owned the building during the filming when it was known as the "Oldfield Hotel Astra."

Filming for the movie commenced in December 1958, starring Ernest Borgnine, Anne Baxter, John Mills, Angela Lansbury, and, of course, the iconic doll! The doll remains a cherished item in the Oldfield family, now cared for by Great-Granddaughter, Donna Oldfield. Take a look at these pictures showcasing the original doll alongside the Hollywood stars!


Australia Day BBQ & Quiz

/ Bondi Beach Astra Retirement Village /

Astra residents and guests traditionally welcomed Australia Day with snags on the barbie followed by lamingtons and bonus cakes from Michele and Rochelle.
The lounge was decked out with flags of the world to celebrate our multi-cultural nation and the flag of Australia taking pride of place.
Our resident chef Kirsty did a brilliant job as queen of the BBQ and Pom Len tested our colonial history knowledge with an Oz Day quiz. Many a yarn was told as blokes and sheilas settled into the afternoon around the imaginary campfire.

BBQ & Games Day

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After a week filled with promises of rain, the skies chose to pour on the day of our BBQ & Games Day! However, we refused to let the weather dampen our spirits. With the aid of an electric grill and a frying pan, we prepared a delicious BBQ feast featuring sausages, kebabs, salads, and Nellie’s homemade veggie skewers. We also organized a variety of games, with lawn bowls, Scrabble, Rumi tiles, and Connect Four being the favourites. Even though the weather was gloomy, everyone had a great time. Hopefully, for our next BBQ, the sun will shine so we can use a traditional BBQ and enjoy the courtyard!

Christmas Displays Bus Trip

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A group of us ventured into the city on a humid December evening to view some of the city's spectacular Christmas lights and displays. The first stop was QVB, where we saw the Christmas tree inspired by the natural beauty of Australia's flora and fauna. The next stop was the David Jones window’s which showcased Christmas-inspired promotions from Chanel, and Louis Vuitton amongst other luxury brands. The highlight was the adorable animated display of Lachlan Creagh’s beloved picture book; A Very Wombat Christmas.

We then ventured to St Mary’s Cathedral and has a wander around the market stalls and cathedral grounds. Unfortunately, we were a bit early to see the projections onto the Cathedral, but the grandeur and exquisite interior certainly made the stop worthwhile. Our final destination in the city was the Jolly Markets located at Belmore Park. These European-style markets showcase falling artificial snow, mulled wine, festive trinkets, and, of course, scrumptious food! On our return to the Astra, we took a drive along Avoca Street, one of Bondi's most enchanting, whimsical, and vibrant streets, where nearly every house was adorned with dazzling Christmas lights!

Lift Opening Ceremony

/ Bondi Beach Astra Retirement Village /

After 72 days of climbing stairs, we are thrilled to finally unveil our new lift, a day ahead of schedule! This modern lift operates quietly and smoothly and is equipped with all the bells and whistles. We celebrated this milestone with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and some words from Penny on the ground floor, followed by refreshments and bubbly in the lounge.

A huge thank you goes out to TKE for their outstanding work and for being a pleasure to have in the building. We also appreciate everyone who contributed during this time, with special recognition to Chase and Chen, as well as to all for their patience and cooperation during what could have been a challenging period.

Additionally, we must acknowledge Nick, our fantastic Building Manager, along with Penny, the OC committee, Sam, and the office team.

We did it!


Christmas Party

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Twas a warm summer evening, when the folks of Astra gathered for their annual Christmas bash! The festivities kicked off with drinks in the lounge, setting the stage for a delicious Christmas feast at the Bondi Tratt. Once again, the Tratt wowed us with a feast fit for Santa himself, complete with all the trimmings and enough drinks to make Rudolph blush! After we stuffed our bellies, we returned to the Astra lounge for some sweet treats, more sips, a jolly Christmas raffle, and speeches. A big shoutout to our lucky winners: Chris, Marie, Peter, and Cleo! It was a night bursting with laughter, cheer, and fun! Huge thanks to everyone who made it happen and to the Bondi Tratt for another spectacular Christmas dinner!!

Alice in Wonderland Tea Party

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We stepped through the looking glass and down the rabbit hole to indulge in a tea party the Mad Hatter would have been delighted to attend! The cake stands looked like a mouth-watering wonderland, overflowing with delightful goodies both sweet and savory! Teapots and flowers danced across the dining table, turning it into a whimsical feast fit for a fairy tale.

Eva whipped up her legendary cherry slice, Judith crafted the cutest cucumber sandwiches anyone ever did see, and Nellie baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies that were meant to read “eat me!” but somehow got lost in the baking.

The tea party coincided with Glenn’s last day at the Astra and allowed residents to say farewell and wish him luck in his future endeavours. Sam came along and presented Glenn with a fine bottle of scotch and some kind words.

It was a delightful afternoon, thanks to all who came along, and a big thank you to those who brought food and helped with the washing up!

Melbourne Cup

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The frocks were on, fascinators were fascinating, and champagne flowed at our annual Melbourne Cup lunch. Despite the lift works taking place a group of us mustered into the lounge for a bite to eat and a punt on the ponies. The day's big winner was Lore (and a Knights Choice!), who took out first place in the $5 and $2 sweeps. Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to everyone who came along and made the day a special occasion.