Sydney must be one of the best cities in the world for free family outdoor entertainment. Starting the year with the summery Sydney Festival and all the outdoor gigs like Opera in the Domain, Symphony in the Domain, outdoor movies and theatre performances, we are now heading towards the annual mid-winter festival called Vivid. It started off in 2009 and has grown bigger ever since. Last year it had 400,000 visitors. Take the kids and stroll around the city, the Rocks and Circular Quay to explore spectacular light installations, music events, night markets and art shows. 
My top five picks (not all kid friendly)
1. Light installation - Opera House. 
This years transformation of the famous sails is being done by german artist collective Urbanscreen. In addition to that there will be more than 50 light installations around Circular Quay.
2. Museum of Contemporary Art 
Lighting, free art exhibitions and art bar. The new wing of the museum opened two weeks ago and I can't wait to have a look.
3. The Temper Trap 
The Aussi band will be performing in the Opera House on May 31 and June 1. I like their music and you can listen here.
4. Lomo Magic
Anyone with a passion for this type of photography. Course is on at June 2nd and costs $180. Diana Camera included. 
5. The Argyle 
Absacker and some house music.

When I returned home after I had visited the Picasso exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW, I remembered a book I had bought a while ago at the Rozelle markets. It is called 'Picasso: Creator and Destroyer' by Arianna Stassinopoulos Huffington. After looking at the range of his work at the gallery and the different ways of expressing himself I got curious to find out more about this artist, even though I had never really warmed to his work. The book took me in straight away. The author did a thorough research and I got the feeling to get a good portrait of Picasso's personal life. That's what the book is mostly about. It does no go into the depth of his artistic creations but rather gives an impression of his social life, the people he spend time with and his torn personality. Picasso seems to have had such a powerful and charismatic appearance that people who met him wanted to be in his presence and were not able to withdraw from him and his magic. Picasso used his power to manipulate others and to promote himself as a genius of the artworld. I don't know enough about art to lead a profound discussion about his artistic achievements and that's why the book is perfect for me. I am interested in his life as a man, husband, father and lover. 
The things that I will remember from this book, that made an impression on me or that did surprise me:
1. Francoise Gilot, the strongest of his partners. I will read her book.
2. Picasso was a coward.
3. Picasso and Braque were best friends.
4. Picasso, being a communist, received the Stalin Peace price. 
5. Picasso's passion for bullfights.
6. Gertrude Stein
7. Picasso's involvemnt with Ballets