It was a dark and foggy night...

Walking back home from seeing the animated movie, "Cars 2", last night, Penrith was becoming blanketed in an eerie fog.

By the way, the best things about "Cars 2" were the hilarious "Toy Story" vacation short that ran before the movie (Barbie and Ken are such dorks), and the closing credits. Not a good sign for "Cars 2".

Brrrrrm! Bye Bye Bathurst!

Miss Playtrek is still with Playtrekker Sammy in Bathurst, Australia, but her time with him is coming to an end. Since Sam did promise Miss Playtrek a chance to do some car racing at famous Mount Panorama, they headed there last Saturday... There were actual races going on, so her plan to "do a circuit" were nixed. But Sam did snap a quick pic:


"Bye Bye Bathurst!"

Intent on having some racing fun, Miss Playtrek took to the streets below The Mount to show what she can do behind the wheel of the "Playtrek Porsche". Unfortunately, Sam wasn't the only one watching:


Miss Playtrek meets Officer Ken.

Now that Brisbane's floodwaters have subsided, Miss Playtrek will be heading off to fellow Aussie John M, in Queensland... That is, provided she and Sammy have finished their ten hours of community service by next Wednesday!

Miss Playtrek's return Down Under

Miss Playtrek is back in Australia, albeit temporarily, recently arriving in Bathurst. After a few weeks of looking out rainy Bathurst windows, Playtrekker Sammy's doll collection finally decided it was time to throw the visiting Miss Playtrek her official welcoming party.

Miss Playtrek arrives at "La Grande Maison Rose" (the big pink house) in her hire car, a magenta Jaguar:


(Nothing but the best for Miss Playtrek!)


Granny Barbie goes a little overboard with Miss Playtrek's "light" lunch.


Just enough time for some sun by the pool.


And a luxurious bath... in Bathurst!


... before everyone arrives to party!!:

Some celebrities joined in for the occasion:


Scully & Mulder of "The X-Files"...


Swept off her feet by Jacob sometime around "Twilight"...


Meeting "Charlie's Angels"...

An awesome night for Miss Playtrek! For now, it's time for bed... and sweet dreams:



Soon, Sammy and Miss Playtrek are believed to be headed to the famous Mount Panorama to see how she handles the Jaguar.

Star Trek Barbies: couldn't help myself!

Okay, my excuse? Mattel's Barbie and I are currently the same age. She looks very well preserved for 50, though.

I wasn't planning to buy this trio: Ken as JJ Abrams' Young Kirk (Chris Pine), Ken as Young Spock (Zachary Quinto), Barbie as Young Uhura (Zoe Saladana), all from the upcoming "Star Trek" movie in May. But I saw them in a collector shop last night - the very last set left at High Court Cards, Penrith - and couldn't leave them there. Beautiful figures! (Kirk's real hair is wonderfully tousled.)


Click: My Flickr slideshow (Seven images)

I decided to open the figures, as you can see, but Uhura's hair, the third one I released, was a bit of a nightmare to set free from the backing material. I accidentally discovered a certificate and a "Star Trek" doll stand and post hiding inside the cardboard backing form of the red Uhura movie poster. Kirk and Spock have these goodies, too! Don't chuck out your packages!

Comparing these dolls with pics of the Playmates 12" action figures, I'm actually liking these Mattel characters better as young versions of the recast crew, and the costumes are well done too. (I'm only intending on buying a 12" Nero - Eric Bana - from the large Playmates line, but I'll be getting all smaller series offered.)

Barbie and Ken first joined the world of Star Trek in 1996, in a hotly coveted "30th Anniversary Star Trek Gift Set". A more generic-looking blonde Barbie posed as a Starfleet yeoman, and Ken posed as a Commanding Officer, standing beside cardboard cutouts of Shatner's Kirk and Nimoy's Spock. This time, they're boldly going even further!

Bluey is in da house!

As I impatiently await my recent eBay costume win, at least I can console myself with the arrival today of... Bluey the mannequin.



Bluey is quite lightweight for such a strapping young man. Instead of a regular metal stand, he gets suspended by a sturdy wire coming out of the top of his head. Bluey's arms and hands detach, but the rest is all one piece. The blue hands are exquisite: very expressive, and they are definitely life casts of a real man's hands.

I have this terrible sneaking suspicion that it's all just a bit too much like owning a giant Andorian Ken doll from Mattel - and waiting anxiously for my Mum to buy me the clothes to dress him in. Now I just need to find somewhere to hang him up that won't freak me out every time I enter a room and see him there in all his bluish naked glory.

I hope his Andorian robes arrive soon...