Brethred

Into the New Year and beyond

2012-01-02T17:29:00.000-08:00

So I merged all post from any other blog that I had to this one. It feels better - less cluttered.

I also added my new 101 things to do in 1001 days list. I won't be keeping a seperate blog this time. I will unlikely post every event on the list either, which is probably evident from my updating habits anyway.

Looking forward to the new year. Yet again a year of holidays and adventure for me. I am going to concentrate on what I do all the time, having fun and not being too uptight about the little things (unfortunately for me this is a constant battle).

3, 2, 1 Action!

2011-11-24T13:28:00.000-08:00

The earphones go in. Song is selected. Volume turned up.

In my mind I am in the opening credits of my own movie. Today I am in a romantic comedy, Dolly Parton is singing 9 to 5 and I am strutting down Elizabeth St with a dorky smile on my face. I am smiling at everyone. The sun is shining, everyone around me seems to feel that this is my movie day and is co-operating by being happy little extras with no lines.

Some days I am in an altnerative adult drama and Radiohead are playing.....

Coming Home

2011-09-14T02:15:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you are what you dislike in others. Mostly I hate it when I have one of those moments but really they are invaluable to me as a marker of why I strive to be better, why I reflect on my motivations and actions.

Today I judged someone based on their appearance/age. I could blame it on fear of having someone do the same to me. I could blame it on my low self esteem. None of that matters because I did it and then the person proved what an asshole I was, by being one of the better/nicer people I have met in years.

This person has ignited a little spark of hope in me.

The island of the Long White Cloud

2011-09-11T02:05:00.000-07:00

It is Rugby World Cup 2011 time in New Zealand, and it is also the time that my boss says yes to me taking a trip to the Auckland office. Exciting right. Yep, I think so too and I am sticking with that.

My usual routine for a city that I have never travelled before and I am lucky enough to land the night before I have to start work is: I check into my hotel and check out the facilities available (I mainly mean wifi or other means of communicating with strangers and looking at photos of cats or other cute small animals), I then go walking.

The walking bit is great. I love wandering the streets and looking into shops/cafes/pubs and trying to pluck up the courage to enter. When I was younger and a smoker I was quite the extrovert. I know you see it too, don't you, underneath the chubby layers.....it has become dormant and I now struggle a little with the whole being on my own, surrounded by groups of friends and couples. But that is not to say I let it get stop me from going out and making an effort to experience what I can.

Tonight I wandered down to the waterfront area, Quay St. They have a boat show on at the moment and some additional shops specifically for the RWC tourists. I hear strains of Crowded House coming from an Irish pub and I know that I have found my venue for the evening. Comforting in its standard decoration in the vein of all Irish pubs, I make my way to the bar and buy a pint of Tui Blonde (don't hold it against me - I sometimes order beer by sentimental reasonings more so than taste). I find a booth and settle in for an evening of live music from a mediocre guitar playing solo singing rough neck and some rugby on the tv.

It is 5 mins until the game starts and suddenly the crowds pour in. I am now sharing my booth with 2 different friend groups who are all eyeing me off wondering what I am doing taking up space that means some of their friends can't sit down. The singer is going from bad to worse; Oasis is followed by Bon Jovi. It is not even 21:00! The crowd sing along in a swaying mass of drunkeness ".....I'm a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride....."

It then occurs to me that these people have been drinking since the first game of the day at around 15:00 (if not before). They have many hours of intoxication under their belts and it is glaringly obvious to me that I am the only sober person in the bar excepting the staff. I then concluded I had to get drunk very fast and join in the revelry or perhaps it was time to take my leave....

I chose the boring option. And as the door closes behind me I hear the first few bars of Guns n Roses and I keep walking wishing that I had stayed for just one more song.

Friends of the Zoo

2011-09-05T16:33:00.000-07:00

The Geek and I have become friends of the Zoo. This enables us to flash our membership cards at any Victorian Zoo and gain entry, discounts on the twilight concerts and other fun stuff.

We decided to hit up Werribee Zoo on the weekend. Being Father's Day it was a little too crowded with children for my liking but I think all zoos are generally anyway. The day could not have started any better than with me spotting a tiny tiny tiny! field mouse running for its life through the car park. It was so very small and quick.

The rest of the day was spent oohing and ahhhing over the animals and enjoying the fact that we both love spending time doing dorky stuff like this.

We only had my tiny point + shoot camera so the pics are not as great as I wanted them to be and the rain and hail kind of got in the way at times....

The music

2011-06-23T20:49:00.000-07:00

There are a couple of songs that will always take me back to a certain place and time.

All that you can't leave behind by U2 - will always remind me of the halfway house in Hammersmith, UK and dying of Glandular Fever.

Empire state of mind by Alicia Keys - will always remind me of the loft apartment in Barcelona, where the geek and I spent a week of fun and mayhem.

Shipbuilding by Suede - will always remind me of the morning after the Jeff Buckley concert in Tweed Heads and hitting up McDonalds in Coolangatta with my best friend at 6am.

Molokai Woman by (unknown) - will always remind me of Molokai and my first Island holiday with my mum and twin. Driving a huge people mover around a tiny island on the wrong side of the road :)

Easy by Faith No More - reminds of the geeks room at his parents house, with street signs on the walls, a computer rack and the constant whirring of computers.

And any song by Dire Straights reminds me of my childhood home and my Dad.

Snow Angel

2011-06-14T20:28:00.000-07:00

The long weekend arrvied so my twin and I rented an inappropriate car and headed to the snow mountain of Falls Creek for opening weekend of the snow season.

What prompted our destination was a voucher.....never a good start in my experience but I instigated it anyway. My mum had been given a "Australian Getaway" reward voucher for $5000.00. Sweet you think. No. The very limited amount of properties listed on the site have either a buy one night using real money and use getaway dollars for the second night or a meal obligation clause, where you have to spend a certain amount of money in the onsite restaurant.

We book a cute looking swiss style chalet. The pictures on the website are just gorgeous and although it did live up to the exterior vision, nothing could prepare us for the tacky overdone interior.

A 5 hour drive in a Hyundai Getz and a toilet stop at a roadside truckstop were not the only hardships we faced. Our special deal came with a meal obligation in the hotel restaurant.

I am not even sure how to describe the lack of food quality and the expense. I paid $35.00 for a reheated frozen schnitzel and a handful of undercooked chips. The restaurant was so bad that my twin and I were both dreading having to fufil the second nights obligation. Until we worked out that the bar tab was included in :). So the second night we drank cocktails and counted the number of times the microwave bell went off. Another French martini please, now!

We had one full day of exploration where I tested out my newly purchased snow boots. I was very happy that they lived up to the hype of the sale pitch. I trampled in snow, buried the toes of my boots in snow and all the while my feets were toasty warm. We had a very lacklustre snowball fight, which consisted of me begging my sister to be ok with me throwing one at her and then having to endure one being thrown back at me. Realisation that it hurt and offered very little enjoyment occured and we moved on to making a snow angel....the standy up kind.

My first experience in a Ski Resort type place has made me realise that I don't like them. I love the snow and the cold etc. But best just plonk me in a charming town for a snowfall than have me seconded in a resort with over priced food and no pub full of a colardo cabin atmosphere.

2011-06-07T15:40:00.000-07:00

Familiarity breeds boredom and disregard

Molokai, Hawaii, USA

2011-03-20T19:33:00.000-07:00

A week of relaxtion, swimming on a deserted beach and consuming a stupid amount of Pina Coladas.

Molokai is a small, rural and relatively untouched island compared the the rest of the inhabited islands of Hawaii. Only one hotel on the island and no traffic lights - it was just amazing.

The people we encountered we all very lovely and friendly. So welcoming to us "Haoles". Lots of signs up protesting against any more development on the island, which I thought might indicate that they were not too happy with tourists, but we had the best time and only experienced the "Aloha" of the islands with all our encounters.

Our hotel was exactly what I would have hoped it to be (and a little noiser than expected). The bar/restaurant and pool were all by the oceanfront of the property. They had local entertainment every night. Relaxing and lovely time with loads of food and the best Pina Coladas we had during the whole trip.

Loved spending some quality time with mum and my twin.

Mum having a fun time in the Hula Shores Restaurant

Performers at the Germaine Luau in Honolulu

View of Kalaupapa from the lookout

View of the south east side of Molokai from the plane tour

The sacred site and rock formation called Phallic Rock - A site for...you guessed it fertility!

My twin, Amanda enjoying a Mangorita

Murphey's beach on Molokai

Watching the sunset at Hula Shores restaurant (our hotel)

The aforementioned sunset

The rooms of the hotel Molokai

Spiegeltent and Paul Capsis

2011-03-10T13:54:00.000-08:00

The Spiegeltent is exactly what I wanted it to be.

Embued with the charm of theatre, burlesque and vaudeville mixed up into a cute venue with severly overpriced drinks.

We arrived early to make use of the tram bar, both of us bemoaning the fact that you can't easily get croque monsieur in Melbourne, we instead nibbled on a ham tomato cheese toastie from the Art Centre cafe while drinking our pre-show beer and wine.

These are the nights that remind me why I moved state and fell in love with this small and sometimes pretentious city.

Cheese cheese & more cheese

2011-03-09T14:25:00.000-08:00

Another Melbourne Wine and Food Festival event!

King Island Dairy got together with Libertine restaurant and put on a night of decadence for the cheese lover.

There was a black label cheese tasting hosted by the "cheese whisperer" from King Island Diary Mr Ueli Berger, followed by a 5 course dinner with cheese as the 'hero' matched with wines from Stonier.

Some very nice cheese and meals were eaten. I am slowly developing an appreciation for that MOULDY stuff. I think my future mother-in-law is happy about that and perhaps will like me more if I do end up liking the stuff :)

The Geek and I are engaged!

2011-03-07T14:31:00.001-08:00

Spain vs Victoria

2011-03-05T14:12:00.000-08:00

My Christmas present from GB was the Spain vs Victoria event of the Melbourne Wine and Food Festival.
It was a tasting of Spanish Vino, Jamon and queso pitted against Victorian wine, ham and cheese.

The Swedish Chef and the Korean Sommelier put all their passion and enthusiasm into the night and made it a fun and interesting experience. It was a fantastic night.

Superbikes 2011

2011-02-27T22:37:00.000-08:00

The World Superbikes were on at Phillip Island this weekend....and I went! This meant I got to see Checa win both races, I got to see my best friend for the first time in over 2 years AND we both got to ride in a a helicopter for the first time ever.

As weekends go, you will be hard pressed to beat something like that.

Phillip Island is such a great track. The riders like it and the spectators are afforded views like no other:

I loved our helicopter ride. Thrilling. Looking forward to the next time I can do it. Even looked up how much it would be to get my licence today ($20 - 45k waaah *sadface*)

The weekend was nicely ended with a dinner with GB at our favourite Tapas bar Lulo.

#51 Go to the Moonlight Cinema

2011-02-22T14:46:00.000-08:00

WOOHOOO! Another one finally struck off the list.

I have been wanting to do this one for quite some time.....9 years in fact. I took GB to watch the Rocky Horror Picture Show. I love this movie. Tim Curry is so damn fantastic in this movie - I can never imagine anyone else playing the role of Frank N Furter.

It's not easy having a good time! Even smiling makes my face ache!

2011-02-22T14:23:00.000-08:00

I would like, if I may, to take you on a strange journey......

With Gold Grass tickets, some lovely noms and our lovely selves we hit the grass in the Botanical Gardens with an enthusisam beyond a simple movie excursion as we were rocking the Moonlight Cinema to cross something off my list and also to rectify the disgraceful fact that GB nor L & M had EVER seen the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Lots of fun ensued and GB even got to see the majority of the movie before succumbing to naps on the bean bag. I loved it when people clapped when Time Warp was sung and when Frank N Furter made his appearance. It was great.

Action

2011-02-03T13:44:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite parts of exercising, is seeing how big the sweat mark is on my top afterwards.

I judge my workout on the size and saturation.

It has been a couple of weeks back into the working out again mode after the holiday, Christmas, NY blowout of laziness. What I know for sure is that exercising and eating properly help my mood swings and my head be not so messed up. I am really starting to enjoy jogging. I like the rhythm.

Not just an old womans scent!

2011-02-02T00:17:00.000-08:00

In a place called Nar Nar Goon there is such a property that combines five star luxury accommodation, a lavender farm, a cafe/shop........and a pet cemetery. It is called Serendipity Lavender Farm.

Off a winding dirt road, up a drive lined with agapanthus in bloom, we pulled into the empty parking lot. I figured that since it was 40 degrees that not many people were up for tip-toeing through the lavender. And we were certainly not. We managed to drag our sweating bottoms into the cafe/shop and that is where the tour of the farm ended.

But this is what made the journey worthwhile. Lavender scones freshly baked served with homemade comquat and crabapple jam with Gippsland cream. Yum.

Baby Hammerheads

2011-01-26T14:47:00.000-08:00

Melbourne Aquarium is currently home to baby Hammerhead sharks. Sounds adorable right, so of course we had to go and see them.

The Aquarium doesn't change much, so it was a quick tour around until we hit the new exhibition. The baby Hammerheads were in a little netted off section of the big shark tank. (So they are hard to photograph) The scareist looking shark they have in the tank is called Mitchell. He is a Grey Nurse and is around 3m long. But it is those eyes of empy death that make him look scary. They have a "show/talk" called Sharks after Dark, where they turn off all the lights in the walkway and round room of the shark tank and an aquarium worker gives a talk about the sharks and various other fishspotlighting them with a torch. It was informative and fun even if it was directed at little people.

GB and I love doing these kinds of things. And after our "holiday of Awesome" we agreed that we should try and have more days were we behave like tourists in our own town.

Holgate Brewhouse

2011-01-23T14:59:00.001-08:00

What happens when you get 5 couples together and head off to a brewery for the night. You would

expect the rest of the post to be full of debauchery and lewd photos to prove it. Alas, no.

GB and I had talked about going to this particular Brewery for the night for at least a year. You can imagine the anticipation when we finally got around to organising it. This perhaps contributed to the feeling of being slightly let down.

The Brewhouse was a big old pub. The sight of it on the corner of the main street of Woodend was filled with promise. The atmosphere was kind of like a pub but I am not sure if they were trying to be something else. It just didn't have a great feel to it.
But this is how I would sum it up: The beer was good. The food sucked. The rooms were great.

But once you take away all of that, it was a good night spent in good company.

It is done.

2011-01-22T20:32:00.000-08:00

Today has been the worst day in my own head in a very long time. It has been exactly 4 days of feeling great. Now I am back to being very unhappy. With everything.

They say that when you are in an heightened emotional state, it is not the time for making big decisions. That it is emotionally immature to do that.

But I say poo to that. I am going to make a couple. Actually I have already had these decisions going on in my head for a very long time. I think I am now just brave enough to say it.

I am going back to Spain. But I am going to learn Spanish properly before I do. And that is all I am going to concentrate on this year.

I really thought I would have had a dog to look after, a house to save for and an engagement party to plan. But it appears those things are not happening. So I am making a promise to myself right here and now that this year is for me and me alone.

I will strive in my health goals, money and education. I will not let anyone distract me with bullshit and empty time wasting.

I am 35 yrs old. I don't want to wait for anything anymore. I have waited long enough. Now I am just going to make things happen for me. No more procrastinating, living in my comfort zone.

Yes. This type of resolve makes me feel better. I feel like I can breathe again. I actually feel excited.

Thoughts

2011-01-21T15:21:00.000-08:00

I just read one of my friend's blog and her last post struck a chord with me. The questioning of oneself. As much as it can make people who are self assessing a little more neurotic, I think it really is a necessary part of growing and changing.

There is no moment in life where changes are not on the way or just passed and being aware of where you are emotionally/mentally during these times help strengthen us. Not every one likes to look at themselves in this way - to think about such things. I just function that way.

Makes it impossible to use the excuse "I don't know why I did that" for any of my behaviour.

There are things about myself that I don't particularly like at the moment (and have been there for a very very long time) but I am working on them. I am trying to become a better person. My version of what I think would make me a better person, not someone else's vision. That is all one can do.

Some of the best people I know are too hard on themselves. And I find it hard to reach out and let them know that I think they are the bees knees.

The Holiday of Awesome

2011-01-17T21:27:00.001-08:00

We have been back in Country for 2 months. Heh, I like the way that makes me sound like I am a constant traveller, a nomad. It is not true. It had been over 12 years since my last real overseas holiday and I had never done one like this before.

Destination: Paris > Avignon > Toulouse > Andorra > Madrid > Granda >Valencia >Barcelona

There are many positives about holidays, not having to trudge to work everyday is right up there for me. Then the obvious ones come to mind. Experiencing a different culture, even the ones that are only slightly different to ours. Seeing the most amazing buidings from a history that seems beyond us as a such new Country. The animals and plants that are unique to their environments. The food!

I found that GB and I's approach to the holiday was pretty similar, perhaps why we had such a great time in each others company, we wanted to see the architecture and the great tourist must-sees, we wanted to taste all the food. From the corner store Croque Monsieur to a fine meal . Then there was all the beer, oh so cheap, and I gave the sentence "un vasso de vino de la casa, por favor" a good go aswell.

And it was the best time that I have ever had.

Disneyland Paris

2010-10-08T02:48:00.000-07:00

The happiest place on earth! Disneyland Paris is a short 30 min train ride from the centre of Paris (and our hotel). Even though it appeared to be school holidays we picked the right time to go to the place where MAGIC happens.

Having never experienced anything like Disneyland before, it was a wonderment for the senses. When the train of characters come by loud fun music sounds from speaks all over the park alerting the crowds to the trains presence. Everyone stops and waves at the characters and dances to the fun music and it is like a mini party that follows the train around the park.

We headed out of town square (the entrance) into Frontierland where I was scared by the doorman at the Haunted Manor. Expectation of being scared can be enough but when I went to raise the knocker on the front door and the doorman loudly tsked me - I wasn't expecting it. He was amused how spooked I was already and the ride hadn't even started. GB assured me it was the same ride from when he had gone years before with his father. Pretty impressive considering the sets and design etc are pretty old.

From there it was to the first roller coaster of the day "Big Thunder Mountain". Turns out I quite like roller coasters so I dragged GB's reluctant bottom to the Indiana Jones and the temple of peril coaster, where GB experienced his first 360 degree inversion on a roller coaster. It was pretty scary actually :). Some of the other highlights of the day: "Space Mountain" and "Pirates of the Caribean" and of course the "Mad Hatters Tea Cups" All the rides that I had heard about.

All the buildings and rides are so detailed. There really is so much to take in. And don't forget the gift shops. It was like they were an evil virus replicating itself and taking over the park.

Incredibly fun day and worth every euro we spent on it.

Afterwards we had some administration do to. ie: plan tomorrows events, as we grow closer to the end of the Paris leg of the journey we are both aware that we are not going to be able to fit everything in that can be done. And then there was the small issue of finding another hotel. Turns out that the hotel of awesome that I booked for the first 4 nights is booked out from Saturday onwards. So we are moving from just behind the Lourve to closer to Gare De Lyon in a couple of days.

Tomorrow we have some Basillicas and cathedrals to attend to.

I think both GB and I miss Paris already and we haven't even left!

Mont Saint Michel

2010-10-07T02:05:00.000-07:00

Today GB and I got on a bus to travel a round trip of 9 hours to reach the border of Normandy and Brittany. The day started with us being told off by a stern french lady at the tour guide office for being late and the gentleman running the tour. GB seems slightly amused to be roused on in French. I just feel roused on.

Between the river and the sea that borders the two regions (Normandy and Brittany) was a pyramid of rock, upon this rock "they" built an amazing Abbey/Monastery and later a small village. On the top spire, which stands over 80 metres off the ground is the Archangel Michael. It was one of the places that pilgrims risked their lives to reach, to guarantee their place in paradise. To my surprise, the lady narrating the tour advised that one of the dangers in getting to this place on foot was quick sand. I really didn't expect it to be there. I thought that stuff only existed in exotic jungle locations.

It wasn't surprising that our tour group was made up of Japanese, Americans and Australians. And it wasn't surprising that everyone lived up to their stereotype. The Americans were annoying and complained about everything, the Japanese were quiet, polite and took endless video and photos. The other Australians on the trip turned out to be slightly annoying also. But spending 14 hours with strangers can often lead to one being very much in need of some alone time.

We had lunch at a hotel restaurant about 1km away from the base of the "Mont". It was quite surreal dining with such an awe inspiring and impressive backdrop. Normandy is famous for cheese and for cider, a very happy combination. This was served for lunch, both GB and I seemed to be the only enthusiastic consumers of the refreshment provided.

The tour lasted about 2 hours where we wandered through the different levels of the Abbey and were told of the history behind it all. I am really glad that we ended up doing a guided tour for this one. I think the learning in-depth history while we were there made it even more special, to know that it was used as a Bastille (gaol) for over a century around the time of the French Revolution. Also that different levels of the Abbey were for different classes of people. The clergy and noble class being able to occupy the higher levels and the pilgrims and working class civilians relegated to the dark chambers below.

GB and I got to touch stone walls that were erected before even the bloody Poms were sent to our shore. Something that I am sure all Australians find overwhelming when traveling is the immense history of places in Europe. The little village is namely made up of tourist shops and restaurants. There are 100 permanent inhabitants of the village. It is very quaint and they would make a pretty darn good living on the folk who come to visit this centuries old magnificent wonder and then spend $ for all the little trinkets to remember their trip by. It was also the first time I had to pay to use the toilet. 40 euro cents!! GB discovered Croque Monsieur and has now vowed to eat one every day we remain in Paris.

I even got to touch the North Atlantic Ocean.

Today was just amazing.

For now we are sitting in our hotel room, updating our photos, drinking wine from plastic tumblers and eating the left over strawberries from our picnic yesterday. It feels so very indulgent. Paris has won our hearts. I think both of us would consider moving here for a year or two.

We'll always have Paris

2010-10-06T21:54:00.000-07:00

It is 19:39 (7:39pm) in Paris and it is the end of day 2 of our trip. I am sitting on the bed in our hotel room. It is pretty noisy - the metro station is 4 metres away and the Rue de Rivoli is the next street up, very busy. But it is the bustle of city life that fills the room and it is surprisingly not annoying. Certainly not as bad as GB snoring :)

Today we got up at a reasonable time but because of the lack of internets it was a slow start. Once you become reliant on instant information on all things, when you don't have it, well it makes you pause for a second and wonder how people got by in the olden days :P After we got our "merde" together we headed out to find a cafe. Managed to find one with a guy willing to try and interact with dirty English speaking people. In saying that all the people that we have come across have been more than willing to try and understand us. No one has been outright rude. It appears that the French or at least the Parisians are balking at the stereotype and being polite if not friendly.

After our cafe experience we headed to Rue Montorgueil where there was an abundance of awesomeness, namely in the form of food. We bought some fruit, cheese, olives and bread for our picnic lunch we had in Luxembourg Gardens. Yes I know. I was pinching myself. This street is full of beautiful food stores selling fresh and ready to eat foods. What I noticed most about the place and Paris in general is that there food shops sell food that is ripe and ready to eat today. The punnets of strawberries are spectacular - it is almost like they go through them by hand and only put out the best produce that can be eaten on the spot. There is no unripe stuff you buy to take home. It really is about shopping day to day and getting the best produce when it is ready to be consumed. And because of that everything taste amazing.

After Le Jardin Luxumbourg we headed out to the Catacombs. It is kind of hard to explain what it is like down there. So basically the French decided that their cemeteries were too full and taking up too much space, so they transported all the bones to this underground tunnel system. I actually don't have to vocabulary or the way with words sufficient to describe what it is like, it is a maze of tunnels with hundreds of thousands if not millions of peoples skeletons stacked into piles - they even make patterns out of how they stack the bones. Very overwhelming and hard to comprehend the enormity of it. I was surprised that it didn't smell like decay. There was a slight odour at the entrance as you walked down a spiral staircase into the depths but afterwards nothing notable.

Today GB and I worked out how to use the Metro (train system) which enabled us then to get home and bypass a bar that may become our local while in Paris. We had several drinks there before returning to our hotel via the supermarket or Marche FranPrix :) I like going to the supermarkets because there is just enough interaction that I get to speak very little French and not anymore that I get out of my depths. I say good morning or afternoon (Bonjour etc) and then Merci Auvoir at the end - makes me feel like I am getting along ok :) Today I was asked for directions by French people twice. The second time the guy looked at GB and then me and decided to ask me the question. I told GB that was because he looked like a Kraut and I looked French :P But it made be feel good. I am not too fat to be French!!! I have not seen one overweight French person yet. I am sure they exist - I just have not seen any. All the french people seem to be slim with brown hair.

Tomorrow we are getting up very early to head off on a tour of Mont Saint Michel. Apparently you can only get to this Abbey at certain times of the day depending on the tides. We are taking a bus tour as it is a bit of a distance from Paris and no real train line to get there. I am a bit excited about it. From the pics I have seen online it is a sight and a half.

The history of this place is probably the thing that is the most awe inspiring for both GB and I. Touching walls and walking on street that were built before we had a federation is quite amazing. They seem to maximise what space they have. So many apartments. I haven't seen a free standing house, but the apartments are all just beautiful and some have the most stunning gardens in them. And there parks are all set up for people to come and hang out. What I noticed most about the Le Jardin Luxembourg is that they were set up to be enjoyed and used. So many chairs and benches provided for people to gather and hang out in the park.

We have so much that we want to fit in - we are probably going to extend our stay in Paris past the 5 days and make it 7 and skim off a day or two somewhere else. It is hard because we haven't been to the other places yet to know whether it is worth it or not.

WE ARE IN LOVE WITH PARIS

The holiday of awesome begins

2010-10-05T00:07:00.000-07:00

Friendly Qatar Airlines ferried our incredibly excited butts from Melbourne to Paris via a small stop over in Doha airport.

Left Melbourne around 22:00, landed in Doha around 06:30 and it was already 32 degrees. Lucky they had all air conditioners turned up to 11, even on the bus. So much so that everything was wet with condensation. It was icky and cool. We should arrive in Paris early afternoon.

The flights over were not so bad, although the last couple of hours were the hardest. The person that was sitting next to me on the 14 hour leg moved seats so GB and I had a 3 seater to ourselves - but stupidly the arm rests didn't go all the up so you couldn't really take advantage of the extra space. The service on Qatar seemed ok, certainly nothing to complain about - if you don't include the stupidity of the other passengers. Doha airport is small and I am now dreading the 6hr layover we have there. Might have to see if we can pay to get into the good bit of it. Doha from what we could see flying over and from the airport looked incredible. Sand everywhere, buildings grouped into compounds - just amazing.

15:00 arrived in Paris. Had a passport check but no customs to go through. The airport seemed huge but not as busy as I expected. I also think that perhaps I was in a bit of an adrenaline fog from the sheer joy I was feeling of being there at last.

Paris airport > Train to Gare de Nord > on foot to the Hotel Flor Rivolli

Our Hotel is in a fantastic location, room is small and accessed via a narrow spiral staircase that I am sure will be responsible for one of us ended up in a neck brace.
..................

Last night after we had showers we headed to the Pompidou Centre and had a drink on the rooftop terrace bar. It was amazing. Very romantic! The view is said to be the best in Paris. I could see Notre Dame, the Effiel Tower light show and all the way to the Sacre Cour.

On the way there we happened by Saint Merry, where they were having an art show, it was quite amazing, we want to try and find it again today to check out some of the paintings in daylight.

We then walked up to check out the Lourve at night. I think both GB and I are a little overwhelmed sometimes when we realise the stone walls we are touching are older than anything we have touched before. I must say that the evening paints a very different picture of Paris. They know how to light their buildings to make them look magnificent. Even streets that looked a bit dodgy in daylight all of a sudden look fun.

Tim Burton Expo

2010-09-23T21:36:00.000-07:00

GB and I went to the Tim Burton exibition last night. Twas fun. You couldn't take photos inside the expo - so here are a few from my phone from Fed Square :)

2010-09-06T15:11:00.000-07:00

Scattered. It is the only way to describe my brain of late. I have quite the obessional mind and I would like to start using this for good instead of teenage crushes and buying into someone elses created world. If I am not obsessing over our impending holiday of AWESOME, then it is about the dog that I want. Sometimes I even spend hours looking for exactly the right name for my yet unborn puppy.

So this is where I find myself. I am 15kgs lighter than at the begining of the year. I know that GB and I are sorted for whizz and bang. I developed an interest in the best looking dog that I have ever seen. Calyph. He is going to sire me my new best friend. I have come to an understanding about my family. My twin and I are spending more time with each other and are slightly co-dependent. And I learnt that I can actually achieve goals that I set.

With that in mind I want to start on a new project. More on this later.

Perth

2010-08-10T01:32:00.000-07:00

It is nice when your job allows you to visit places you have never been before, then you realise that you are there to work and you have very little spare time to play tourist. The evenings and lunch breaks become all important.

I arrived Sunday afternoon in time for the Zoo to be closed and my plans dashed. So in desperation for some other fun event I noticed on twitter Matt Preston recommended a food venue to Rove. I think 'why not' and I plug the name of the venue into my phone and off I trot to walk the 7km journey to check out the West End Deli. By the time I reach it, it is 18:35 on a Sunday evening. It closed at 12noon. I turn around and head back to my hotel room. I figure it provided me with a destination when I needed it and allowed me to experience a walking tour of the city. I also spotted the Museum and Art Gallery and noted locations for a lunch time visit.

On my way back I ventured into what I later discovered was Northbridge. Northbridge is the restaurant and club area where the young ones flock to on a Friday night. It's the location of lots of big but mediocre looking restaurants, I haven't seen one that looks posh in all my adventures since I arrived but I could just be looking in the wrong place. Northbridge also has a pool hall. It was outside this pool hall that I was threatened by a lady who seemed to be quite straight and not drug affected until she said "You will pay for what you have done, you and your family!" it was uttered like a curse. Then her and her male friend (accomplice) followed me along the street. When I stopped they stopped, when I crossed the road they crossed. It was quite unnerving. Actually I was scared and it was the first time that I stopped to think that I had no idea if there were areas that were not safe to walk of a night time in this City. I managed to get back to hotel unaccosted (boring I know!) and spent a lazy night in my king size bed.

Monday lunch hour was spent at Perth Museum and the Art Gallery. I didn't have much time so it was just a quick look through. A preferable way to spend a lunch break - I don't know why I don't do it more in Melbourne.

After work I decided to head out to Fremantle. It was about 20 mins on the train from the City. On the train line to Freo all the train stations look modern and clean. I think I perhaps was the only person on the train to think such a thing or be interseted in my surroundings. It is so easy to spot the tourist among the commuters. I had the spark of curiousity, surrounded by people whose souls had been sucked out of their eye sockets by the daily grind.

Fremantle had a lovely laid back relaxed feel to it. Lots of big sandstone buildings and very much a holiday harbour vibe.

A must visit was the Little Creatures Brewery along the pier. It was impressive and set up for atmosphere and fun. I wasn't too keen on the price of beer though. Not sure how the westerners can afford to go out drinking without taking out a personal loan or remortgaging their house. Insane prices!

Tuesday rocks around and another sun shiny day in Perth. For my lunch break I decided to hike up to Kings Park. And it was worth it. I was insanely jealous of all the people laying about in groups relaxing in the sun and portraying the life fantastic of the carefree.

The park contains the War Memorial and Eternal Flame, the Botanical Gardens and a structure called the DNA tower, which I didn't get to because I ran out of time :(

The park is very well looked after and has many lookout points to view the city and surrounds. Also thebest looking grass I have seen in my entire life!

To end my last full working day we had a team dinner at a cafe right on Trigg Beach. This is what greeted me when I arrived. A specatular sunset. My iphone camera does not do it justice, it was simply breathtaking.

I ate chilli prawns and soaked up the view of the Indian Ocean and my last WA sunset for some time.

Did someone say Hofbrauhaus?

2010-08-06T19:00:00.001-07:00

It all started with this:

Then there was some of this:

Which resulted in:

Numbers

2010-08-05T19:23:00.001-07:00

58 Days until we leave on our European adventure. Excited is an understatement.

15 kilos weightloss since mid April 2010.

116 days until I turn 35 (I am a bit scared of this one - to me it represents middle age eek).

7.5 hours until we will gather at the Hofbrauhaus for GB's group birthday dinner.

11 levels of excited and happy that I am feeling lately.

2 days until I head off to Perth for the first time.

0 girl crushes currently experiencing - I need a new bad ass female hero to emerge into my world of escape and fantasy

GB turns 28!

2010-08-02T16:07:00.000-07:00

The geek turned 28 yesterday and to celebrate we headed to Maze Grill (Gordon Ramsay's Melbourne restaurant).

The food was good, the service was great and we even got a tour of the kitchen!

I tried soft shell crabs for the first time and had the most expensive steak I have ever eaten.

GB was forgiving that our waiter Scotty wasn't a beer drinker and couldn't get into the recommendation game with him on that front, but he did give us some good wine advice. Everyone was very courteous and leant an indulgent air to the evening.

Happy baked bean

2010-07-08T18:42:00.000-07:00

I find myself in the best headspace I have been in for quite some time. I am feeling a lot happier. The combination of exercise, weightloss, enjoying the house/area that I live and our trip of awesome coming up is all contributing.

I have so much to say that I can't even get out what I want. Will try again later.

Time has slowed

2010-06-02T23:41:00.000-07:00

It feels like everything is just plodding along.......slowly

#34 Be in the audience for a live tapping of a TV show

2010-05-26T16:02:00.000-07:00

Thanks to twitter and L, I managed to cross this off my list last night. TV show in question: 7pm Project. This is not the show I would have picked if I had my choice of all the live shows in Australia, however it was lots of fun.

Arrived at the studio, signed in by a very sleazy guard type person, we were then shuffled into a boardroom to be taught the 2 levels of clapping we would be required to reproduce during the show. We then had to all give our best fake laugh - which turned out to be very real as we ended up just all laughing at each other. During the ad breaks the audience man Dan would ask questions and if you got them right you got a raffle ticket and at the end of the show they drew a raffle ticket and the winner got a CD. I got 3 questions right but didn't win the draw.

2 things I learnt - being an audience member is work and clapping for 30 mins hurts your hands. Also, that having fun is sometimes about not caring if you are being a dick or not.

Although I wouldn't go back to that show I would definitely like to do some other shows. Rockwiz would be high on list.

Something new in decadence

2010-05-05T16:48:00.000-07:00

There is a little island in Scotland called Islay. It is chock full of whiskey distilleries and from all the pictures I have seen it looks delightfully idyllic. Several years ago a farm was converted into a new distillery and it was the first to be built on the island in 124 years!

The distillery is Kilchoman and my oh my they have produced a little tasty number in their Spring 2010 relsease. It was pretty special to have a taste out of perhaps the first two bottles to hit Australia.

I am unsure if GB realises the monster he has created by taking me along to a whiskey night last year.

Zombie shuffle

2010-05-01T20:18:00.000-07:00

I didn't get to take my camera so I pilfered GB's photos to demonstrate what I did with my Saturday afternoon.

Boring but I need to say it out loud. It is a step.

2010-05-01T19:00:00.000-07:00

Actually I have two new friends. One is my new found motivation. Hello! I am so glad that you finally arrived, I had been searching for something to get me out of the self destructive rut that I had found myself in and ta-da! You arrive. I know what caused it. It was the booking of the trip.

And friend number two is my new skipping rope:

I find skipping ropes intimidating. They usually take co-ordination and a greater than basic level of fitness to use them impressively. So, I might not be impressive yet, but I am slowly building up to it. Coach Jaboor has given me a routine to do 3 times a week. I have only been at it for 2 weeks now but I can actually feel the difference in what I can achieve in that short period of time.

I use to think that I didn't really talk about my weight often. I certainly would not ask anyone if I look fat in anything, because I have eyes and they work even if I have to wear glasses. And I really don't like girls that are constantly talking about their weight. But then I got to thinking that my hiding from the topic wasn't really getting me anywhere. I still think that discussing it in a group situation is tacky and attention seeking but I am starting to acknowledge my issue and also put into place actions that resolve it.

Another thing that has been playing on my mind lots is my family. They are sort of a sickly bunch. Only one of my sisters is quite fit and looks after herself properly and another one that has recently started doing it was forced into it by a stroke at the age of 48. I don't want all the shitty health issues they have gone through and the best bet is to get into the best shape of my life and stay there. I use to be in awe of those ladies at the gym in the 60's or 70's working out harder than I was. Now I am just aiming to be one of them.

Booked!

2010-04-30T17:48:00.001-07:00

GB and I have finally booked our tickets to France/Spain. It was exciting but also a lot of hard work. If you have ever come across someone as commitment phobic as our young GB then you understand that it takes preparation, quiet, gentle and oh so subtle prodding and then you just have to force them into at the end and that is usually not without arguement.

Since I have booked the tickets I am feeling very motivated. I know that there are going to be at least 3 big things I am going to be able to cross of my list. Hooray!

I have gone into research mode and savings mode......on my own. GB is distracted by work and socialising in the here and now, which I understand but also find disappointing. I want to get excited with someone. I want to look at the old 70's chalets in Andorra together and giggle about what we are going to get up to in the Pyrenees....

Festival Club

2010-03-31T14:11:00.000-07:00

The day before Good Friday and it feels like I am still recovering from the weekend.

Friday saw our new dishwasher be installed and the real estate inspection done on the house. It was one of the most boring days I have had at home. So when I got a message in the afternoon from L that she was in the mood to catch up for a couple of drinks I was excited by the prospect of company other than my own. Not only did she pilfer half a bottle of red wine from work she also bought along tickets to a comedy show that she had won off twitter.

You can tell it is going to be a good night when you all have no expectations but are willing to be spontaneous. The three of us (L, me and GB) trundled off into the city for our first show of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. L had won the tickets from Josh Thomas on twitter...and who happened to be at the show and sitting in the seats behind us. It is a very stange thing the feeling that one gets in the stomach when they see someone from the TV. You know that they are not any better than you, you know that they are just a person but you suddenly get all embarassed and awkward. I think it is because there is a false sense of familarity on our part that can't be reciprocated.

Not wanting to end the night there we headed to Festival Club to see what was on offer. Tom Gleeson was the MC for the night with several other acts. This can either be great or it can be disappointing. Friday night was great. With our cheeks aching we headed home where L and I stayed up late watching a movie.

After little more than a 5 hours sleep I was up and off to the shops to try and find something to wear to the wedding we were attending on Sunday. Shopping with a purpose is one of the most painful things you can do and always brings about the confirmation of Murphy's Law. In addition to trying to find something in particular that doesn't exist was the soul destroying, utter despair inducing moment in the Myer change rooms when I noticed that with the 4 mirrors they have arranged you can see yourself from every angle. I still haven't quite recovered my verve from that experience.

Saturday night GB and I met C, W and C's bizzare and intense sister for dinner at the Hofbrauhaus for a farewell dinner. Lots of pork and beer consumed. Lots. After, we waddled out of there headed back to the Festival Club for more beer and laughs. This FC night was disappointing and more so because the night before was so great. In addition to the disappointment of the comedy I was in a slightly bad mood because C's sister has such an issue with GB being portly that she has to mention it every single fucking time she sees him - and not just to GB but to me aswell. And I get stuck in the position of not wanting to be rude to someone who is related to one of GB's friends - when I really just want to give her a big old punch in the throat.

Sunday afternoon GB and I frocked up and headed to the wedding of our friend from work. The ceremony was lovely if not too religious, being a good Italian Catholic it was a lot shorter than I was expecting. The bride looked amazingly gorgeous and groom was full of emotion. Exactly what a wedding should be. The time between ceremony and reception was spent at home watching the F1 Melbourne Grand Prix. A couple of other guests joined us in downing beers and watching super fast cars go super fast. The ceremony was at the Botanical Garden and was just lovely - for a reasonably large wedding it felt intimate due to the sister of the bride being the MC for the night and the speeches dotted throughout the meals. Our table was made up of all the friends from the work were GB and I met. Most of them are all married with kids now and we don't get to see them very often so it was fantastic to catch up. The only draw back was the questions of when GB and I were going to do it all. The night ended with GB and I walking through the gardens and nearby park in the rain. SO ROMANTIC!

Up in the Air

2010-03-17T17:45:00.000-07:00

I pretended to look as good as George Clooney when I caught a flight to Sydney yesterday morning for business. And booking into the hotel. And catching a cab. All the with air of importance and impressive looks. Ha!

I am so small town that travelling interstate for work did give me a little thrill. Somewhat over it today though. Loving the hotel. Am surprised that we (work) put people up in such swanky places.

Managing to entertain oneself for the hours between the end of work and bedtime is not as hard as I thought it would be. I walked down to Circular Key to take in the best tourist snapshot view: The Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Really quite impressive. After my little wander I kept to the hotel for the rest of the evening.

Now I must go and walk around the office like I am important.

CATS!

2010-03-17T17:27:00.000-07:00

An iconic musical in a beautiful theatre. Happy Birthday to me. It is like I got two birthday presents. I have very excited when I got the tickets for my birthday last year - and then I get the actual experience of it months later.

I managed to get GB to take me to dinner in a pub that was not the Charles Dickens, which is harder than it should be. We ended up at Beer Deluxe in Fed Square. It was fun to try out some different beers. Although at $13 a pop (and that was one of the cheap ones) It is not somewhere I would envision having a big night. The honey beer was my favourite. It turns out I kick arse at picking good beer!

Cats was playing at the Regent theatre - which is one of my favourite venues in Melbourne. I managed to get some dodgy snaps on my mobile before being told that there was no photography allowed.

The stage looked amazing - great lighting. I didn't manage to get any photos of the cats. They were astoundingly precise in their mannerisms and timing. Great dancing and fun songs. I tried not to have any expectations - I didn't read any reviews or anything about the story. And I was pleasantly surprised. Although I didn't really understand everything that was going on, watching the dancers kept me entertained enough. It seems to be a pretty weird concept for a musical but what fun.

The Official Blues Brothers Revue

2010-03-15T14:04:00.001-07:00

Last Friday we discovered a new venue. Spenserslive. It reminds me of those Blues/Jazz bars you see in movies sometimes. There is a stage and then a whole bunch of tables with intimate lighting so you can sit at your table, have a beverage and rock out like an old cat to the music.

We ended up showing up incredibly early. It was just us and the band doing sound check. There was no come back later, we were served drinks, our tickets were upgraded from standing to a table and we got to meet Wayne who plays Jake in the show. I am not sure how starstruck you are supposed to get by a person that impersonates a character made famous by a dead actor, but GB and I were little more than useless at the chit chat with Wayne. He was most gracious and left us to our drinks and the excitement that was building in our dorky tummies.

The show was exactly what you would expect from the OFFCIAL Blues Brothers show. Jake and Elwood were fantastic, the comedy was the same and the band rocked it. It was such a fun night. And the beauty of going to something that is a cult hit, is that fans show up. Everyone in the crowd was having the best time and the crowd participation was fun and not that awful embarassing silent agony that it more often is. GB and I had a blast!

Friday I'm in Love

2010-03-04T14:51:00.000-08:00

Today I am having a feel good about my job day. This has been happening alot recently. I think what is changing is that I am starting to acknowledge that I am ok at my job, that I do know stuff and I can/do make a contribution to my department.
I was always under the impression that my low self esteem didn't interfere with my work life - but obviously it does, though I think I am getting better at seperating how I interact with people in a social/working capacity.

I want to take more responsibility for myself and the experiences I create. Bemoaning ones position and then not actively trying to change it is one of my least favourite traits.

To get a little bit airy fairy......this year the energy feels like it is precariously balanced. Like there is alot of change around everyone and that the seemingly flippant choices people make will tip the energy either way. The change will happen and it will be your choice whether it is a fun, enjoyable experience or whether it is crap and painful. I am trying to ensure that I am on the happy side of things this year.

We have set ourselves up (GB & I) for a fantastic year. We are socialising more with people I like, we have our overseas trip coming up, we are both pursuing our own interests. GB is going to be a great brewer and I am going to be a WRITER! It is all fun fun fun.

21/101

2010-03-01T16:16:00.000-08:00

I managed to cross a couple more items of my 101 things to do list. 21 done 80 more to go.
I have a renewed enthusiasm for getting as many as I can done. I think some of the bigger travel orientated ones might have to be extended past the 1001 days time line.

Excitement ensues.

#84 Write a restaurant review and post on a website

2010-03-01T16:10:00.000-08:00

I posted my review on the True Local website for Replete Providore Cafe.

#32 Post an entry ni my blog every day for 1 month

2010-03-01T14:14:00.000-08:00

This was a whole lot harder than I expected it to be. It turns out even though I thought there was lots going on in my head there really isn't. You can see posts at www.brethred.blogspot.com

#31 Send a postcard to postsecret

2010-03-01T14:09:00.000-08:00

I have completed this. I took a photo of the envelope as proof, since I am not going to tell you which secret I sent.

The last of the Feb entries

2010-02-28T15:55:00.000-08:00

So although they have mostly been short and about what I have done that day, a social diary of sorts, I have enjoyed my forced blogging. Doubt that I will keep up daily posts though.

I like Geek!

2010-02-27T15:16:00.000-08:00

Being one of the best girlfriends in the world ever, I bought GB a beer brewing experience for his birthday last year. And the above is the result. GB got to pick and brew his own beer and then create labels for it. Me likey!

To celebrate the geeks new obsession with brewing we had some people over to sample the beer and indulge in general merry making. It was a fun afternoon/evening/morning.

Friday Epiphany

2010-02-26T14:19:00.000-08:00

I had to take some time off work this morning while I waited for a delivery at home. Usually, if I have to go into work late, it causes me to use all will power known to man to get my arse into work. But not today. I almost skipped to the station I was that happy to be on my way to work.
I am going through a period of liking my job. In 5 months I will have been with this company for 7 years! Now that is a long time. I can't even fathom the fact that I will be able to get pro-rata long service leave. IT IS INSANE!

Date Night

2010-02-25T14:09:00.000-08:00

Date night has become a weekly occurrence. It is almost like GB and I enjoy each others company and want to spend time together......weird.
I love that the publican knows us after only a couple of visits. He will tell GB if I have arrived before him "Your girl is out the back". I love that although it appears very clicky everyone is very friendly. I love that it is like visiting a country pub and it is only a 15 min walk from our house.
I have become an advocate for the Kew RSL.

I want to hang with the cool kids

2010-02-24T14:02:00.000-08:00

I walk up Equitable Place on my way to work every morning. This is a lane way that runs parallel to Elizabeth St in the city. It is full with cafes. On the left hand side their is a Spud Bar, a new cafe which I haven't found a sign for, a groovy cafe with organic food and punks and then an expensive "Italian" cafe. My daily coffee now comes from the cafe with no name. It is maned by ernest types with more snobbery than personality but the coffee is very nice.

Every morning when I get my coffee I then have to walk past the groovy organic cafe with the punks, I think the punks are the boyfriend and friends of the barista there. I like them. I wish she made better coffee - then I could hang with the cool kids for 3 mins every morning.

Baranows baby

2010-02-23T13:45:00.000-08:00

Last night I put my credit card behind the bar at Baranows. And I had this feeling come over me. This is what I want. I want to be decadent and drink expensive whiskey and go to a bar where I can say to the bartender "My favourite whiskey is Highland Park 18 and Glenmorangie La Santa and I would like to try something new can you recommend me something along those lines".

I sound like a wanker don't I? But I loved it. I like that the bar staff are knowledgeable if not a little snobby. I like the leather couches. I like the palms and the deer head, the Gentleman's Club feel.

If I was to open a bar / brothel that is what it would be like.

Done!

2010-02-22T14:30:00.000-08:00

I posted my secret.

competition

2010-02-21T23:48:00.000-08:00

GB cooked a grass-fed beef roast on Saturday night. He prepared his own wash to baste the hunk o meat in while cooking and then created a glaze to put atop it once it had been taken off the BBQ. It is 2 days later and I am still in awe of how great it was. It appears that the 'new' cook of this household, when he can be bothered, is fan-bloody-tastic. I confess a slight feeling of competitiveness growing in my belly. I have always been the better cook in the house. It is one of the few things I can do well. I am afraid that a competition of this sort will do more damage to our already expanding waistlines and shrinking bank balances than we really can endure.

Flirt

2010-02-20T13:41:00.000-08:00

The lastest installment in my trashy preternatural thriller (aka vampire porn) was great - but too short. I managed to read it in an afternoon.

So what now?

I am seriously considering taking matters into my own hands and writing my own series. That way whenever I want to read something I will just write it. Surely these formuliac romance/thriller books are an easy churn out? One way to find out I guess. Look out Laurell K Hamilton I have my own kick ass heroine waiting to be bought to life so she can shag all the good looking vamps and lycanthropes while kicking butt!

Mama Sita

2010-02-19T17:56:00.000-08:00

A new restaurant opened in the city at the top end of Collins St last week. Mama Sita. A Mexican restaurant that promises authentic Mexican food.
We only just managed to get a table because on its 8th night or so as it was already fully booked. Insane! The foodies love a new place that has high ideals.

The decor is sparse and subtle giving the small space the illusion of being bigger.

The drinks menu was was varied enough that we managed to spend 4 x $ on alcohol then we did on the food.
GB got his corn scum quesadilla and I had 3 varieties of taco. The food was very nice and fresh and not at all what I had come to expect of Mexican from eating at Taco Bills and the like.

After dinner we were driven home and then walked down Glenferrie Road to Cones for some dessert. Then is back to the House of Awesome for more tequila and beer.

My Tickets arrived

2010-02-18T13:14:00.000-08:00

I really want to go overboard in my happiness that my first win of the year arrived. But I think I will save it for the trip to Canada I am winning in March :)

Spring - Step - All that Jazz

2010-02-17T12:45:00.000-08:00

Someone once told me (a heathcare professional if my memory serves me correctly), I am emotionally immature. I kind of brushed it off and thought that it was funny. But today, on my bent for self improvement, I googled it. A little confronting it was.

One website listed 5 signs of emotional immaturity: (I will keep them brief)

1. Not taking responsibility
2. Making conversations all about themselves - and understanding everything through a personal filter
3. Talks more than listens
4. Quick to anger
5. Makes thinking errors

Alrighty then. I can put my hand up for at least 3 of those and if I had the opinion of an impartial 3rd party it could be more.

So lets say I wanted to change this....what does the internet suggest?

1. Work on self understanding and self acceptance.
2. Practice unselfish behaviour
3. Do not dominate others (this one will be hard!)
4. Be willing to change social contacts
5. Search for a meaning in life bigger than yourself (WTF?)

My personal opinion is that I am getting better at 1 and 2. Not being dominate is super duper hard - but I am willing to work on that. 4 is easy - I am quite happy to be choosey about who I spend time with. And number 5...... I don't really understand how searching for the meaning of life makes you more emotionally mature.

I wish more people talked about their own self investigations and changes etc. Then perhaps I would know if I was doing this properly. At the moment it just feels kinda hokey to be talking about it. Is it supposed to be a private thing?

Apocalypse

2010-02-16T12:59:00.000-08:00

I have been doing my research to what would be the best method of survival if the zombie apocalypse were ever to come about. Thankfully there are quite a few thousand other people who are wondering the same thing, so there is endless nonsensical and even scientific information on the interweb for anyone who is interested.

The general consensus: Humans will not survive. However there are some models which give us a better chance than others.

Quarantine: This model ensures the demise of the human race. People are stupid and mistakes are made. It will not be possible to contain in this manner.
A cure: This give us mere humans a better chance but likely limited to the people who can afford such a thing and therefore the lower classes are left to spread the disease/virus etc.
Eradication by any means: This shoot to kill philosphy is the best chance to remove the zombies from the populace. In theory, if every person adopted this method, 10 days after an outbreak all zombies and a fair few uninfected people too should be dead (for good).

So. With the above in mind, there are couple of things I need to do:

Learn to fly a helicopter
Become an enrolled nurse
Become efficient in the handling and shooting of various weapons, including but not limited to, a shot gun, flame thrower and grenades
Increase general fitness and especially long distance running
Take up urban dancing (using buildings and other props to get around quickly)
Practice public speaking

The three C's

2010-02-15T03:28:00.000-08:00

Tonight L joined GB and I for cider, chicken and comfort. For me it was the comfort of sharing a meal with friends and watching a sweet and lovely movie for distraction (Mary and Max - must be watched!). GB got to potter and be a geek without me popping my my head into his face every 5 seconds for some attention.

There isn't anything specific I wanted to say so I just thought I would list the stuff that has been on my mind:

My Brother-in-Law's sister died on the weekend just gone. I feel for their mother, it is an oft lamented condition to outlive ones children, and for my Brother-in-Law. Most of my memories of S are from when I was young. As an adult I mourn her passing in the way one does when you are loosely connected to someone yet there is no bond, no attachment etc.

It has given me pause. The thought crossed my mind that if I outlive my siblings - I have bloody 6 of them to go - actually make that 5. I will not count my twin because out of everyone on earth I can not imagine a life without her.

There was an incident when my mum was down where I almost ran into a person whom I wish never to lay eyes on or hear of again. Ever since I have been having dreams that have me waking feeling retched...well just really hurt. Finding it hard to shake the oppressiveness of it. I want to slap myself and pinch away the self pity.

I have felt disinterested at work and have done the bare minimum for the last week (perhaps could be 3 months) to get me through the day. I keep thinking about changing my line of work. Perhaps becoming a nurse or a school teacher. Then I get frustrated about my lack of schooling etc

I bought GB sunflowers today because they are the happiest flowers I could find. Even if I am finding it hard to wrench my head out of my arse - I want him to be happy and content.

That is all.

6th Valentines

2010-02-14T13:46:00.000-08:00

This year the annual anti-valentines dinner at the Spaghetti Tree started off on shakey ground. We had several cancellations, I was tired, GB was almost drunk and pissed off. It didn't look good.

In light of all of these things - good company and food prevailed to save the evening. L & M helped make the night fun and the food was the best it has ever been (we all were betting on a new chef).

Baby Maggie

2010-02-13T15:03:00.001-08:00

My friend Nadia had her first baby a week ago. This is Maggie.

Chinese New Year Tiger Burger Competition

2010-02-12T14:55:00.000-08:00

Our friend W.W decided to celebrate this years Chinese New Year by having an Iron Chef inspired cook off with burgers.

It was a fun night filled with lots of food and food and more food. There were 6 contestants making burgers. We all tasted them and then rated them. So you can imagine how full of burger we all were by the end of it. AND GB won! GB made a lamb kofta burger with a mint yogurt dressing with harissa. It was very delicious. I was so proud! Prize was a baking dish. :)

Then came out the cakes. W.W bought 2 cakes from Le Petit Gateaux, one of my favourite cake shops in the city. The passionfruit brownie cake was amazing. I could have inhaled the whole thing if I wasn't already having trouble keeping down all the burger!

Who wants to be a millionaire

2010-02-11T23:53:00.000-08:00

Someone I know won $1000.00 in some magazine competition. This has sparked an obsession of sorts with me. My daily routine now involves a search for any online competition that I can enter that doesn't involve 25 words or less. I even set up a new email address to manage the spam.

Apart from movie tickets that never eventuated I haven't won anything so far. But that is no deterrent. I will win that family trip to the Gold Coast. I will win the PJ's. I will win the years supply of wine. I will win the face cream I prolly won't even use.

Don't worry - I will definitely let you know when my winning entry is chosen :)

Date Night

2010-02-11T03:03:00.000-08:00

Thursday Night Date Night at Kew RSL. This is one of our new locals. Can you guess that it use to be a church? If the front doors don't give it away or the stained glass windows might or the pews scattered about.

Thursday nights happen to be South Melbourne Dim Sim night. So if you are feeling peckish, you pay the barman a couple of dollars then walk to the door marked Staff Only, step back in time to the 70's kitchen and help yourself to the dimmys from the pot on the stove.

This place instantly has become my favorite drinking establishment in walking distance - it has so much kitsch charm that it is almost overwhelming. It is like walking into a country pub 38 years ago. Everyone of those those guys at the bar knows the bartender by first name and vice versa. I loved it. We became members tonight :)

Again? Really?

2010-02-09T23:16:00.000-08:00

This posting everyday business is getting tedious. Mainly due to the lack of content in my brain.

I feel vapid.

Simon

2010-02-08T23:20:00.001-08:00

I check that my phone is in my bag, my location on the office phone system is set to 'gone for the day' and that my pass has been removed from my clothing and tucked into side pocket of over-sized handbag. I walk to the middle of the office before completing several wild but calculated gestures with my arms signaling the end of my work day. I then repeat "bye" to everyone who says so to me.

I avoid eye contact with any person in the lift lobby and exit the building with as much haste as my retched body can handle without causing too much attention. I step out into the heat of concrete and taxi exhausts, I cross the road with all the others lucky enough to escape their desk at this hour. My mind is fixed on my destination - my transport home. Then all of a sudden into my path steps a tall lanky, dark haired boy with a quirky look and mischief in his eyes. The kill shot. Irish accent. He asks for 6 seconds.
I tell him that I am walking to the train, I have a train to catch. He won't take too much of my time. I offer for him to walk with me. He does. We banter about time and money. One I was willing to part with - the other I would not. I stop and offer my hand. I tell Simon that it was nice to meet him and then I cross the road.

I sit on the train. I think that Simon was nice.

Secrets

2010-02-07T23:19:00.001-08:00

One of my 101 things is to post a secret into postsecret. I have no idea why I thought this would be a good idea. I like the site, although more often than not I leave the site feeling bewildered and/or gutted at some shocking secret. Every now and then a secret will make me smile - but that is a rare occasion for me on this site.

So. I have been racking my brains over the last couple of days about which secret would I bare to the world of postsecret. I can't think of one that I want to write down and acknowledge. It turns out I don't want to share my secrets.

I know there have been some drunken nights I might have said to a person here and there that I have a secret to share and then confess something that makes me seem retarded/self obsessed/excessively insecure etc. But generally, the real secrets, are locked away and I have thrown away the key. Because that is what a secret is. Once you have told a single other being then is ceases to be a secret.

The only problem is - how am I going to cross this off my list?

Homebaker

2010-02-06T22:14:00.000-08:00

When I get bored I bake. Sometimes this is good, but mostly it is bad because then I eat everything that I make....not so good.
Today I started out making the chocolate and whiskey bundt cake that some twitterer linked to and I decided I must try out. Verdict: Awesome! Very moist with a big whiskey flavour

Then I thought I would use up the macadamias my twin left behind the other day. So I made a honeyed pear and macadamia tart. It was very tasty but it needs crream. One of my favourites.

And to add some experimental element I took a recipe and changed it to accommodate what I had at home and I made ruby grapefruit and white chocolate tarts. Verdict: Disaster, couldn't get the damn things out of the trays - they all stuck. And the coconut bases were a touch too sweet.

So I would respect myself in the morning I put the dishwasher on and also hand washed what was leftover. Now my green kitchen is looking neat and tidy again...

Taking leftovers to work. I will feed the number crunchers the fruits of my boredom and save myself from the calories.

Lego dudes

2010-02-06T01:44:00.000-08:00

There are 3 geeks in my living room playing plastic instruments along to music from 80's metal bands with the lego avatars on the tv. Normally I join in on such things and perhaps I will hit the plastic drums before the night is out....

The Australian Whiskey Spectacular

2010-02-04T13:34:00.000-08:00

Gathered in the whiskey and cigar bar called Baranows Lounge are the doyens of Australian Single Malt distilleries, David Baker from Bakery Hill (VIC), Patrick Maguire (TAS), Bill Lark from Lark (TAS) and Cameron Syme from Limeburners (WA), and us, the people that love whiskey and go to such tastings. Amid the dark brown leather couches, scattered palms, the mounted deer head, the wait staff bring out over a hundred glasses of our tastings.

Nights like this are pretty special, you get to taste the whiskey while the founder of the distilleries walk you through their passion - making and drinking whiskey.

One of the best nights of the year!

Take that Nick Cave t-shirt off

2010-02-03T13:26:00.000-08:00

I miss the 19yr old Lenore. It struck me the other day how aging and gathering physical content in ones life is very restricting. The responsibility that comes with striving for a comfortable lifestyle shackles one to a workforce, a house and a location. I am starting to feel the weight of this. It is not necessarily a bad thing but I notice it.

When I was 19 and I slowly but surely traded all my belongings at the Cash Convertors in Coolangatta to gain money for coffee and a camera, it did not occur to me to worry about keeping and hoarding my belongings. When it came time to leave that area - I sold or gave away all my furniture and started again in Sydney. And again when I decided to make the move to Melbourne. I packed what I could fit into the Sierra and everything else was sold or left. I felt free and able to make changes in my life that were substantial and fun.

What have I traded for that perceived freedom? I now have a nice place to stay that is full of all the necessary luxuries - ie big tv and media centre for all my entertainment needs, lots of single malts, a spare room for visitors, a beer fridge that is always full, 6 computers etc. I have a job that offers good money and security, a relationship that is just getting better as the years go by. And these are not bad things. Most people strive to have this.

Then why is it that I am dreaming of getting rid of it all (except GB of course) and taking to backpacking around the world for a couple of years? Is it a midlife crisis? Is it because I feel the tick-tocking of my biological clock?

I am restless.

Motherless state

2010-02-02T13:38:00.000-08:00

Last night I drove my mum to the airport. She was going home after spending 3 weeks with me. Although we didn't really do alot in that time, it was nice to have my mum around to chat with and just be in the company of. It has been many years since I have spent that amount of time with my mum and I really enjoyed it. I learned that I am awfully similar to my mother - frustratingly so.

All the time I am seeing my mum as an individual more and more, not as a collective of my parents.

#27 Ride on a Paddle Boat

2010-02-01T13:16:00.000-08:00

Myself, my twin, her hubby and my mum made the 3 hour journey for a day ‎trip to the good ole town of Echuca. The general consensus was that it was a ‎bloody long way for a boat ride but I had a ball! The historic little street they ‎have set up is very sweet and the boats vary from grand to laughable.

We hopped on a paddlesteamer and headed off for an hour trip. Turns out that ‎that really isn't very far in distance because they travel at a very slow pace. ‎Fun though :)
‎
So did the paddle steamer live up to my expectations?.....I was imagining the ‎big floating casino's of yesteryear, the men in ten gallon hats, the women with ‎bustles and being thrown over board for cheating at poker.Of course none of ‎that happened on my trip with the family. And I was only slightly disappointed. ‎I did at some stage want to divide the people up on the boat evenly so each ‎side was carrying a similar amount of weight but other than that my anxiety of ‎boats stayed pretty much under control.‎

The Shortest Month

2010-02-01T13:02:00.000-08:00

So I have chosen the shortest month to complete some more of my 101 things to do in 1001 days list.

32. Post an entry every day for a month. Sorry - but I think it might be a good experiment to see where my head is really at.
58. Meditate for at least 30 mins once a week for a month
84. Write a Restaurant review and post it on a website
52. Go to the Opera
16. Tell a Stranger they are beautiful. That is if I come across anyone that inspires such a comment.
14. Make my own affirmation tape
30. Send my Aunty Syl a letter with photos
31. Send a postcard to postsecret

I am also doing a secret Sober February with GB. The reason it is secret is that last night it was my Brother-in-Law's birthday and we had dinner at Hellenic Republic - and I had a couple. And this Thursday we are booked in for the Australian Extranvaganza Whiskey Night at Baranows. So 2 nights out of the month are already fried. I am adding 2 days of March to the end to make up for it. But trying to explain that to anyone is annoying.

Echuca Ahoy

2010-01-27T23:18:00.000-08:00

In the almost-decade that I have spent in Melbourne Victoria, I have crossed the Murray River a fair few times in driving commutes from one state to another, but I have never been to somewhere specifically to see the Murray. It is far from it's former glory I presume by the flood signs and levels of years gone past but it still has an appeal.

Myself, my twin, her hubby and my mum made the 3 hour journey for a day trip to the good ole town of Echuca. The general consensus was that it was a bloody long way for a boat ride but I had a ball! The historic little street they have set up is very sweet and the boats vary from grand to laughable.

We hopped on a paddlesteamer and headed off for an hour trip. Turns out that that really isn't very far in distance because they travel at a very slow pace. Fun though :)

So did the paddle steamer live up to my expectations?.....I was imagining the big floating casino's of yesteryear, the men in ten gallon hats, the women with bustles and being thrown over board for cheating at poker.Of course none of that happened on my trip with the family. And I was only slightly disappointed. I did at some stage want to divide the people up on the boat evenly so each side was carrying a similar amount of weight but other than that my anxiety of boats stayed pretty much under control.

TOGA TOGA 2009

2010-01-20T13:24:00.000-08:00

Last years TOGA TOGA New Years Eve party was such a success we decided that we will make it a tradition that for New Years Eve we will invite people to come to our house to eat and drink in sheets :)

From what I remember of this year: New friends in attendance, dancing in the rain, fights over who was singing in Rockband, several I-love-you-guys moments and GB managed to see the end of one of his parties for the first time!

Here is a photo of GB and I doing our best impressions of Bluto:

#56 See a live band at least once every 3 months for a year

2010-01-19T21:12:00.000-08:00

04/02/09 - Briefcase Full of Blues (Blues Brothers Tribute Band)
09/02/09 - Jose Gonzales
15/05/09 - Psuedo Echo and Wa Wa Nee
31/05/09 & 18/06/09 - P!nk
04/08/09 - The White Album Concert
28/08/09 - Alice Cooper
21/11/09 - Monsters of Rock

And it looks like 2010 will also be a great year - upcoming concert: Newton Faulkner

#53 Host a family Christmas

2010-01-19T20:52:00.000-08:00

GB and I hosted our first Christmas Eve family dinner and Christmas Day lunch. My family were pikey pikers and did their own thing in NSW and missed out! :)

Christmas Eve was just the three of us: GB, myself and Mrs K. This is the night we open presents and gorge ourselves on seaford.

Before

After

Christmas Day was another statement on indulgence and traditionalism. In attendance: Mrs K, GB, myself and the Sultana's GB's Grandmother and Great Aunt. It was a lovely and relaxed day (for me anyway - Mrs K did all the cooking and cleaning for me)

Christmas 2009

2009-12-28T13:53:00.000-08:00

GB and I hosted our first Christmas Eve family dinner and our first Christmas lunch. My family were pikey pikers and did their own thing in NSW and missed out! :)

Chritmas Eve was just the three of us: GB, myself and Mrs K. This is the night we open presents and gorge ourselves on seaford.

Before:

Yes the platter you see on this table is for 3 people!

After:

Christmas Day was another statement on indulgence and traditionalism. In attendance: Mrs K, GB, myself and the Sultanas GB's Grandmother and Great Aunt. It was a lovely and relaxed day (for me anyway - Mrs K did all the cooking and cleaning)

I wish I had taken the time to get a better photo of the tree at night. It really does look magical and a perfect way to end the day with just me awake, the tree sparkling and a sense that it was a fantastic finish to what was a crap year and that 2010 is going to be so much better.

Merry Christmas to all!

Tis the season

2009-12-21T14:48:00.000-08:00

GB and I made the trip down to Moorooduc to the Christmas tree farm to get our tree the Saturday just gone. This year we had to squash the tree into my Sonata! It was strange just being the two of us this year and we ended up getting a pre-cut tree. No hours spent in the field debating over which tree is the most excessive etc
I love it! I like how during the day it is all gold and red balls and bows and then of a night time the lights deep in the tree turn it into magic!

The Boulevard

2009-12-21T14:04:00.000-08:00

So, as has been our tradition for the last 4 years, we go Christmas light looking the week before Christmas. This year due to our change in location, we were close to The Boulevard at Ivanhoe. This is reknowned for the majority of the street going to effort with their decorations. I have never experienced anything like it. The street was made into a one way so cars could do a lap and pedestrians could utilise the other side of the road. There were masses of people and kids and prams and dogs. The houses varied from the nicely lighted to the over the top. GB and I had a good time but I don't think we will go again next year. Excuse the crappy iPhone photos :)

New Location for Adventures and Mishaps

2009-12-21T13:50:00.000-08:00

After a long and tedious couple of months of house hunting, GB and I found a cute little Californian Bungalow on the border of Kew and Hawthorn. It is smaller and lots older than our previous abode, but it has felt like home since the day we moved in. Both GB and I are loving the location. Both our commutes have been shortened and are less expensive.

We walk to the shops or to breakfast on the weekends, which is lots of fun. Also in walking distance there is a whiskey and cigar bar that plays Jazz on Thursdays, 3 pubs and a gazillion restuarants. Woohooo! We don't live in the suburbs anymore!

#63 Send Christmas cards to everyone I know.

2009-12-13T18:38:00.000-08:00

I changed this one to everyone I like. Just because it was easier and my lack of self confidence wouldn't allow me to send it to people I barely know or know through other people. etc etc.

Anyhoo it took some time, but less than I imagined and it cost a fair bit, more than I imagined :)

#78 Pack my own lunch 3 days a week for 1 month

2009-11-06T23:53:00.000-08:00

This one turned out to be so easy...when I finally found the motivation to do it. I ended up doing Dr Joshi's 21 day detox and that pretty much forced me to have to pack my own lunches. And since then I have found it easier to take my lunches in or do a supermarket shop at lunch times etc.

Halloween 2009

2009-11-01T00:59:00.000-07:00

GB and I have been meaning to have a Halloween party for a couple of years. This is as close to it we have come. If we had more attendance it would have been a party. As it turns out it was more a gathering for a movie night. But GB and I made sure we had lots of fun doing it! Stay tuned cause next year is going to be big :)

#100 Plant a tree at Hungry Head

2009-11-01T00:36:00.000-07:00

I have been a little slack on the updating. In August 2009 the family gathers at a place called Hungry Head. The initial reasoning for the family get together was in memory of my father Leonard Anthony Giovanni Raffaele. Over the years the numbers of dwindle and the meaning behind the gathering is changing as we are healing from the initial grief and loss and now see the holiday as a chance to catch up with family that we don't often see.
This year we decided to plant a tree in honor of dad. We chose a native so it would blend in with the beautiful surrounds and hopefully take off and become a strong part of the environment.

Alice Cooper at the Palais

2009-08-30T02:32:00.000-07:00

Friday 28 August was spent in St Kilda. Drinks at the Espy to meet GB before heading off to see the showman Mr Alice Cooper. It was a fantastically fun show. They killed him on stage over and over.....was it 7 times?.......and yet HE LIVED! He lived to throw bunches of necklaces and money out into the crowd. He lived to kill his daughter (evil nurse). He lived to don a silver top hat and tails. He lived to sing Schools Out for the encore. Fun fun fun.

Hungry Head 2009

2009-08-24T16:19:00.001-07:00

The family gathers once a year in a place called Hungry Head. A set of cabins delightfully situated in the bush 50 meters from the beach on the north coast of NSW.

We spend alot of the time around the campfire listening to music and drinking, and as the years go by and the younger ones drive the activities more we are spending a little more time at the local pub in town.
It is the kind of place I would like to bring visitors to our Country. Where they can wake up in the morning and be welcomed to the new day by kangaroos and kookaburras. As the years go by, the Kangaroos are becoming more and more tame. This year even a mother Kanga with a jooey in her pouch let me pet her.

This year GB and I spent a little time on our own...doing some touristy stuff. We headed up to Dorrigo to check out the waterfalls, skywalk and rainforest.

We took the walk along the Urunga Boardwalk and were surprised that there was an extension built in 2006. It had been 3 years since we had taken the time to enjoy this part of what Urunga has to offer us.

A relaxing week with a dash of family tension.

The week we got our groove back

2009-08-05T15:54:00.000-07:00

It has been a big week, several anniversarys were celebrated:

GB's 27th Birthday
1st year in our house
6th year of my Job

GB's birthday was a quiet affair. We had a poker night at ours on the Saturday night with some friends. Cards were played, whiskey was consumed and we stayed up long enough for it to become GB's birthday so presents could be given. The theme of gifts were completely in line with GB's two main loves - meat and alcohol. I believe he was very happy.

The day of birth was then celebrated by a family lunch gathering for the youngest member of the Oliver/Kahler family. In attendance: Grandmother, Great Aunt, Mother and family friends Sigrid and Geoffrey. Small but with enough emotional intensity to ensure it certainly wasn't boring. Mrs K cooked a wonderful beef roast, lemon tart and lunch was finished with cheese.

There are 3 things you are always guaranteed with such a gathering. 1) There will be an abundance of alcohol. 2) Great food will be served. 3) There will be moments I am giggling to myself at the tension and inanity.

"It is a Monday night, I have my holey boots on, a hankering for popcorn and the Astor is only a couple hundred metres away, HIT IT!

I met GB at Mothers Milk bar on Chapel St for a pre-show drink. It was a cute / comfortable bar and didn't have the try-hard feel of some places in the same area. Not to mention they had $3 pots of Asahi. What more could you want?
We headed over to The Astor with enough time to look around the old little theatre as both GB and I were Astor virgins. It is exactly what you would expect from a cinema of that vintage. Great atmosphere, quaint decor and interesting historical displays. GB and I both become instant fans of the experience. It is cheap, you can buy cake from the candy bar and they run great old classics and cult movies. We vow to be regulars.

Another school night outing! My my.

A quick trip to PJ O'Brien's for a drink and dinner prior to the concert and then on to Hamer Hall to experience Tim Rogers, Josh Pyke, Chris Cheney and Phil Jamieson bring to life The White Album. And it was just amazing. I very much like Hamer Hall as a venue for events such as these - it lends that added sense that what you are experiencing is special.

To my shame I hadn't actually listened to The White Album all the way through prior to last night. Mostly it made me want to go home and load my itunes with all that is The Beatles except one song which made me want to go home and listen to Radiohead's Ok Computer all the way through.

I think Chris Cheney and Tim Rogers were the stand outs for me - apart from the very excellent music. Everyone on stage looked like they were enjoying it more than the audience. And to my delight for the last two songs everyone stood and got their groove on.

Double Date

2009-06-20T23:26:00.001-07:00

Double dates are lots of fun. I find it amusing that couples become even more couple'ly, that Coupledom intensifies. Our double date was an early evening dining experience on the Tramcar Restaurant, followed by drinking at some new pub at Crown Casino (please note that I hate the Casino!) and then back to our serviced apartment for the night.

All but Tina were feeling a little fragile this morning. Was it the copious amount of sparkling white on the tram or the tequila shots at Lagerfield? Who knows and who cares just give me bacon and eggs. Hooray! The room includes a breakfast buffett. Rock on!

Wank

2009-06-15T15:12:00.000-07:00

Morning fog envelops the city's tallest buildings, shrouding them in mystery and giving the city a softness that somehow lifts it from the dreariness created by the grey light of early morning. I love this city, the bustle of commuters, the dogged determination to soilder on in temperatures that are not hospitable. My favourite part of the morning rush is to take part in the coffee culture, I even like the snobs.

I purchased my morning coffee from this man today. He took great pride in his work and although charged me an obscene amount for my measely cup of weak-arse soy, he really did make a cup worth drinking and paying for.

Clifftops and fireplaces

2009-06-14T18:53:00.001-07:00

It seems that GB and I spend quite a few weekends down Sorrento way, this weekend was spent at our friends house. I took some photos on my phone - although it doesn't really show in the photos, the weather on Sunday was lovely and the sun was out for the majority of the morning.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away

2009-06-11T15:19:00.000-07:00

The science and fantasy behind the STAR WARS phenomenon has taken centre stage in a new exhibition at Scienceworks. And it ROCKS! There are costumes and models from the movies, interactive stations for the enquiring mind and a gift store to send any geek broke.

I think a pictorial post will best convey the excellence:

I really like the photo of the Stormtrooper checking out the Millennium Falcon :)

Central Coast Day 2

2009-06-07T17:12:00.000-07:00

Mum and I went to Terrigal for breakfast. The sun decided to grace the Coast for my visit, apparently it has been raining for 2 weeks, and it is such a beautiful morning!

Beside the sea mum and I indulged in a nice cooked breakfast and coffee, before having a wander along the beach path. We were waiting for the girls (Alex and Liv aka Bev) to decide on what adventure we would be having today. To kill some time we headed to Erina Fair. I feel fond of this shopping centre. It was the first one that tried to bring some of Sydney to the coast. These days it even has Jazz on a Sunday in the little park area in the middle of the centre.

It was later decided that the day will be spent at Terrigal due to the amazing weather. So we gathered at the Crowne Plaza beer garden and ate, drank and chatted the afternoon away.

In the early evening the Worboys clan decended on mum's tiny house and I nursed Jetstar the entire time. With each passing minute I held the little thing I just loved him more - how is that even possible, the sneaky little things. They just lie there looking all cute and vulnerable and all of a sudden you realise you love them so much your heart explodes. Stupid babies!

Thankfully Alex complained about being hungry before any damage could be done to my resolve of having not being affected by Jetstar in regards to having one of the little responsibilities of my own. We headed off to East Gosford to Michael's and enjoyed some good wine and pizza.

Central Coast - Family Extension

2009-06-06T15:44:00.000-07:00

These days the trip from Melbourne to Gosford does not seem like a quick one. Tram to Bus, Bus to Plane, Plane to Train, Train to Country Train, all to arrive in the midst of young hooligans drinking on the streets all around the city centre (yes Gosford is classified as a city now).

I am staying with mum this trip. I really have missed her since she was visitng in Melbourne. If only I could move her and her friends to Melbourne!

Apart from catching up with the family in general the other reason for my trip is to meet my godson Jet. Jet is affectionately known to me as Jetstar and to his grandfather Roger (yes - Roger Ramjet). When the little one was born I was quite overwhelmed with emotion and more so with the instanteous and LOUD kickstart of my biological clock. I was scared that upon seeing Jetstar I would want a child of my own and I would want it NOW. But to my surprise - nothing! I felt a admiration for my niece, and love towards the tiny little quiet bub - but no longing. Relief!

Yesterday was a visiting day...with the baby. Today will be breakfast out, lunch out, dinner out. Otherwise known as food day.

Mum and I are now off to find a place that is open to serve coffee at 9am on a Sunday.

P!nk and the Windsor

2009-05-31T16:14:00.000-07:00

For our birthday last year GB bought my twin and I tickets to see P!nk. Panda very rarely goes to concerts, I think her one and only concert was U2 a couple of years ago.

I decided to get a hotel room in the city for the night. Managed to secure a night at the Windsor Hotel. It is Sunday, I was going to be at the Windsor anyway....why not do High Tea. Why not indeed! GB had not been to High Tea before, so I inivted him to come stay with me at the hotel and indulge in some sweets before I headed off to the concert.

High tea is always what you would expect. Lots of decadant cakes and home-made icecream, bottomless cups of coffee and tea. One rolls out of the room with a certain feeling of being full to the brim of all things made of sugar and butter.

Both my twin and I were a little full of scones to be boucning off the walls when we first arrived at Rod Laver arena. The crowd for P!nk were friendly, but I would not put them into the same "friendly" category as perhaps a KISS crowd or Iron Maiden crowd, where everyone is super friendly and it almost feels like a massive extended family gathering. Faker were the support act. I would like to see them in a small venue, I think their style really isn't suited arena venues. But they certainly got the crowds pumped for the main act.

All I will say about P!nk is that she is an adrenalin junkie and she knows how to enterain. I forgot

my camera so I have a few dodgy shots of the stage from when we first arrived but none of P!nk. It was a shame because we were so close. Awesome concert!!! And to top it off Panda managed to score me one of Mark Schulman's drumsticks. Hooray!

GB waited up for me and when I got back to the hotel we ordered room service and I babbled like a maniac about how great the concert was.

To top of the indulgent nature of the weekend, we ordered breakfast to be delivered to the room. We don't usually do breakfast at the hotel, and we probably won't again. It is so much nicer to find a little cafe in some alley somewhere.

Added to the list of GREAT WEEKENDS!