Yep. I know. We are only in May and here I am already planning the Christmas Party.

But listen, to get a nice spot over looking the Sydney Harbour Bridge you gotta be ahead of the game.

So I got to looking.

At first I imagined sharing Lilianfels, Hydro Majestic or Echoes with everyone, showcasing some of the best of the Blue Mountains. But then I thought why not throw a PARTAY fit for Steemians, the mountains is great but it's not exactly party central and far from the iconic Sydney Harbour view.

After a few hours of searching I found Doltone House, was thoroughly impressed and made enquiries.

The Loft ~ Doltone Loft is a sleek multifunctional space split over three levels, ideal for unique events. Exclusive waterfront, polished wooden floors, high ceilings, feature lighting and a large marble bar. Source

SOHO ~ Complementing Jones Bay Wharf’s heritage charm, Soho is the newest addition to the venue portfolio. Multi-award winning designer, Greg Natale’s New York inspired studio design, ideal for meetings, dining and mingling with elevated harbour views. Source

Unfortunately they only had one location available for Dec 15 and we can't book that until 8 weeks prior to our event.

Well, I wasn't on my game as much as I thought!

I can't have that sort of uncertainty hanging over me for the next couple of months so back to the drawing board I go.

House Boat?

In light of my number one choice falling through I'm now exploring other venue options and party style. Like a catered party on a boat around Sydney Harbour, or hiring a houseboat for a smaller gathering.

The Five Star Spa ~ 10 person heated spa, 5 double bedrooms with ensuite, LCD TV/DVD and private exits to the deck. Gourmet BBQ, 4 burner cook top, dishwasher, home theatre. Source

The house boat idea might be a cool one. Hiring the house boat for a week is pretty much the same price as hiring a catered party boat. We could have the party proper on the 15th as planned and park the houseboat somewhere in the harbour (gotta figure that out) so everyone can attend and we'll have days with the houseboat to spare for extended bonding time and shenanigans.

This will also serve as accomodation for those people travelling to Sydney. But this is a BYO self catered situation.

Another option is to leave the city and venture up to the Blue Mountains (I know...) It's my last resort option if I can't find anything good by June 1.

I sent a bunch of emails tonight to venues and boat hires. I'm being mindful of the cost as I know that concern was raised in discord so we'll see how we go tomorrow.

Expressions of Interest

Since I raised this idea a couple of days ago there has been a lot of interest and chatter about it.

So far we're looking at December 15 (Saturday) and no later than Dec 15 (and really keen to stick to the 15th) to give everyone time to go about their Christmas after the big party.

What I need right now from you guys is a rough idea of numbers. I know the Adelaide Mallsballers were thinking of coming up and I did plant the seed of possibility in @datascience's meet up post for Melbourne, so maybe we can get our numbers up?

Knowing the numbers pretty much determines the venue and if we have it to ourselves or we share our space.

If you are interested in coming to the TeamAustralia Christmas Party in Sydney please leave a comment and I'll add you to the list.

1 / 2	@bearone	hubby
3 / 4	@mattclarke	mrs
5 / 6	@choogirl	@o07
7 / 8

And while you're here, weigh in! What are your thoughts on venues, prices, food etc.

❤ Arly