A Punting We Will Go

Dress by Katina :)

What better way to end 2011 than attending the Perth Cup with my favorite guy and rocking a gorgeous dress my friend made for me. :) It was a fabulous New Year’s Eve and probably the most unique I’ve had by far. The races are an all-day event with nine races in total. Punting (or betting) is a very big part of the day and I even played my part and made a few bets. Obviously I had no idea what I was doing, but it was still good fun getting in on the action and even making a few dollars on the Perth Cup with my horse placing 2nd.

Perth Cup

The ebb and flow of the event was quite fun to watch. As betting closed for the race, everyone would make their way to the course to get a good view of the race. As soon as the race finished, a sea of people flooded back to shade, booze, and more punting. With each race, the grounds became more saturated with people and the enthusiasm during each race was incredible. Everyone was cheering and pushing for their horse to win.

The year ended with a quiet night in with my guy watching movies and enjoying the Sydney fireworks on tv. I couldn't have asked for a better day. :)

Hopman Cup

Caroline Wozniacki

I finished out my time in Perth by catching up with friends, venturing to the beach a couple more times, and attending the Hopman Cup. This was the first time I've ever seen tennis live and I had a blast (even though the US lost)! This was probably the best atmosphere to learn about the game of tennis. It was relaxed, casual, and so fun and now I actually understand the game for once! I even started getting into the game a bit and cheered for the players, but I ended up frightening the lady in front of me because of how loud I was. Oops! Needless to say it was a great time and I'll certainly be keeping a close eye on the Australian Open in the next couple of weeks. :)


~A

Oh, the Weather Outside is...Gorgeous!

The 12 Apostles

As my time is Australia winds down, I’ve been keeping plenty busy. Packing and moving house filled a bit of time, but the most memorable part of the last few weeks is definitely visiting Melbourne and having a bright and sunny, warm Christmas.

Melbourne CBD

Just before Christmas, I returned from a week long holiday in Melbourne with my boyfriend. He spoiled me so much by taking me to Melbourne. Between the city, sites, music, and food, I was in heaven. I don’t think that week could have been any better and I definitely fell in love with the city. Lots of leisure time was had as well as seeing the sites and doing the tourist bit. :)

Sleepy Koala

Great Ocean Road

The foodie in me had a chance to come out again and go on a bit of an adventure. We ate at some great restaurants and had some pretty fabulous food and wine. I must say that I will certainly be missing Oysters Kilpatrick when I head back to the states. *And if you don’t know what that is, Google it and tell me it doesn’t sound amazing!* My foodie side also had a bit of a sweet tooth this trip and I supplied it with plenty of chocolate. I treated myself to a Chocoholics tour in the city and what amazing chocolate I had! I visited a few different chocolate shops and tasted some of the best truffles ever. By far Koko Black had to be my favorite, but Ganache came in at a close second. To satiate my new found love of wine, we went on a wine tour in the gorgeous Yarra Valley. Before stopping at the wineries, we visited an animal sanctuary in Healesville where I saw, for the first time in Australia, a couple koalas. One even “smiled” at us. :) We then proceeded onto two very beautiful but large wineries – Yering Station and De Bartoli. They had some wonderful wines, but I think I still like Margaret River wines better. :)

In addition to heaps of good food, we saw some absolutely breathtaking sites. Even though Brad is originally from Melbourne, he was nice enough to venture along on a tour to the Great Ocean Road where we visited the 12 Apostles and London Bridge. Though these structures are only huge limestone rocks, they are still quite amazing to see and the coast line of the Great Ocean Road is so beautiful. The lush green of the forests that play off the deep turquoise of the ocean is something not to be missed. I would definitely go back in a heartbeat! We also visited a few small towns around Melbourne and stopped at Sovereign Hill in Ballarat where we panned for gold and visited the old confectionary. Such good candy!

London Bridge

We were also able to experience some fabulous music while in Melbourne. Brad took me to a little jazz club, Bennetts Lane, for the launch of the debut album of Rita Satch. To say I loved it would be an understatement! The pianist rocked the keys, the bass player was killer, the drummer had some great beats, and wow! did that girl have pipes. Not going to say I wasn’t a bit jealous, but she was amazing. Props to her for putting herself out there and going for it!

Unfortunately, the week away came to an end all too soon, but it was certainly great fun and it will be a great memory. A day after returning from Melbourne, I packed up from the Kirby’s house and moved to a friend’s house about 5 minutes away for the remainder of my time in Perth. I still can’t believe how little time I have left, but so far every bit has been absolutely great!

Delicious Christmas Eve Dinner

Breaking of the Bread

Christmas came and, for lack of better words, it was kind of weird. It was sunny, warm, and my family was nowhere in sight. However, with that being said, this Christmas was so much fun and I wouldn’t change it for anything. I spent Christmas Eve with my friend’s family. For the first time ever, I had a Polish Christmas – so much food and booze! After church the 12 course feast began. The night started off with the breaking of bread with family and friends and followed with a dip made of herring (salatka ze sledzia) a shot of vodka. Yum! We then proceeded to have champagne, barzcz with uszka (beetroot soup with little dumplings), croquette (pancakes stuffed with mushrooms), ryba (fish), bigos (Hunter’s stew made primarily of cabbage and is vegetarian on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day meat is added), salatka jarzynowa (vegetable salad), pierogi (Polish dumplings), sparkling wine, and enough cake (makowiec - poppy seed cake and sernik - cheesecake) to keep me full for the next week! The family even included me in the opening of presents and I received a very special Aussie movie. :) It was a great way to spend Christmas Eve! Na zdrowie – Cheers!

Makowiec

Yay for Christmas Crackers!

Christmas Day started with church as usual, but it was a tad bittersweet as I realized this was last time I would be at St. John’s for a service. I got through the service and then it was onto Brad’s house for Christmas dinner! I think I gained a few kilos over the weekend from the immense amount of food that was had, but I’m not complaining because it was such good food. :) Brad’s sister made homemade croissants and they were soooo tasty, probably some of the best I’ve had. We also had delicious cheeses, a fruit platter, seafood galore, salads, and my cheesecake that unfortunately everyone was too stuffed to eat. =P I also received some pretty awesome gifts from his family including two Australian cookbooks, koala oven mits, an Australian scenery book, an Australian address book, and an Aussie Beanie Baby bear named “Ocker.” Can you see a theme? :) Needless to say it was nice being included in his family Christmas and I couldn’t have asked for anything better!

The next two weeks are going to be filled with lots of fun and great events. On New Year’s Eve I’ll be going to the races here in Perth and on January 2^nd I’m headed to the Hopman Cup. I’ll also be filling my time with coffee dates and dinner with friends and visiting the beach a few more times. :) My time isn’t up yet and I’ll be using every minute I have to the fullest!!

Merry Christmas from down under and much love for the coming year! See you all soon!!

~A


*Post dated*

Sweet Sweet Summertime

Geographe Bay

The heat is back and the beach is calling. Oh, summer, how I missed you!

The past few weeks have been filled with preparations for trips and departures, but now that work is finished and all my packing is complete, it is time to enjoy my holiday! I completed my au pair work on Friday and jumped right into enjoying my new found freedom, a.k.a. unemployment. :) It hasn't quite set in that I'm not going to be working and playing with those wonderful kiddos again, but luckily I have some spectacular adventures planned to keep me a bit preoccupied for the time-being.

Lunch at Brookwood

Knotting Hill

This weekend I was treated to a lovely little day trip by my wonderful boyfriend. On Sunday, Brad and I ventured down south to Busselton/Geographe Bay and Margaret River to sample some tasty wines. What a gorgeous day it was! The best company, delicious wine, and great food made for an awesome trip. We went to 4 wineries (Hay Shed, Howling Wolves, Knotting Hill, and Tassell Park) and the Margaret River Chocolate Factory all before finishing at Brookwood Estate for a fabulous lunch and more wine. :) Too bad I'm leaving the country in a few short weeks or I would have picked out a few more bottles and probably even more chocolate!

Brookwood Estate

Tomorrow I set out on another adventure. Brad and I leave midday for Melbourne. It's going to be so much fun and I cannot wait! I'm such a lucky girl to have a boyfriend that takes me to such amazing places. :)

Check back to see updates about my adventures in Melbourne as well as my last few weeks in Australia! Much love!!


~A

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like....

Normally around this time of the year, I would already be sick of the cold weather, soggy shoes, and dark days. I would be gradually becoming more and more annoyed with the amount of Christmas music being played and the amount of Christmas decorations being put up. I'd be gearing up for a massive Thanksgiving feast and football games galore. Although, right now, more than anything else, I'm just immensely confused.

There are no recipes floating around for the best stuffing or cranberry sauce. There are very minimal commercials advertising Christmas sales. It's warm and sunny without a cloud in the sky, but there are Christmas trees in the city and angel decorations hanging from the light posts. I haven't heard a single Christmas carol. I haven't seen Santa. I haven't felt a bitter chill in the air or seen barren trees and brown grass. Somehow it just doesn't feel like "that time of year."

My wardrobe primarily consists of singlets, shorts, dresses, leggings, and sandals. My car windows are always down and I've always got a pair of sunnies close at hand. Sunscreen is a must now for my pale skin, but my freckles are making a comeback. Cold coffees and smoothies are refreshing treats and chilling at the beach watching the kite surfers is always fun. However, it doesn't feel like the "Holiday Season."

Where are my mittens and colorful scarves? Where's my wool peacoat? Where is the hot chocolate with peppermint Schnapps by the fire? Where are the big bowls of split pea soup or chili? Where's my electric mattress pad and multiple blankets? No coats, no slippers, no hot soup, no fireplaces, no spiced tea, no hot cocoa with hundreds of marshmallows. I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around the reality of a hot Christmas. So far I'm not having much success.

In many ways I feel like I've just had an extra long Spring/Summer and I guess, in many ways, I have. However, with as weird as it feels to be wearing shorts and going to the beach in November, it will be fun experiencing a different type of Christmas and it will be a great way to finish out my year in Oz. Then my brutal awakening will come when I actually have to suffer through the cold and have soggy shoes again. But before I can get too stuck on adjusting to my coming home in January, I have to prepare myself for an upcoming trip. In December I will be venturing to Melbourne with my boyfriend. :) Since he's originally from Melbourne, he will be a spectacular tour guide. I can't wait! And I'll be sure to update you all on my travel plans. Don't be too jealous! ;-)

That's all I've got from my little corner of the world. Much love!



~A

Where the Streets Have a Name and are Filled with People

Over a week of being out of commission and only finding comfort in my bed or big chair, I figured it was time to venture out for a few hours and help kick this bug that's got me down. My friend invited me to visit the Beaufort St. Festival in Mt. Lawley (a suburb of Perth) this weekend. They literally shut down and cordon off  the street for the festival and mobs of people were everywhere. Face-painted children roamed the street hand-in-hand with their parents. Music of all sorts met our welcoming ears. Dogs of all shapes and sizes could be seen at every turn. Oh and the glorious smells of food that wafted through the air were nothing short of amazing.

There were some unique venues that we stopped at including the "Before I die..." interactive chalk board and "Wishing Tree." These were just two of the interactive hotspots for festival goers. All were encouraged to add something to the giant chalkboard that they would like to do before they died and of course, my friend and I had to do our part. :) At the wishing tree, we were asked to right a wish for anything and tie it to the tree. There were hundreds of wishes on the tree - everything from the ridiculous to the most heartfelt wish. It was such a gorgeous idea!

Karen also introduced me to another fabulous little cafe and one of the most delicious burger joints. Soto is a beautiful little corner cafe with great character. We enjoyed a short break from the hub bub and bustle of the streets while sipping on some cool drinks. Grill'd is a new favorite of mine thanks to Karen. The HUGE burgers remind me of Kopp's or Fuddruckers. Oh and it was soooooo good! I was the weirdo though and ordered a veggie burger but had to substitute a real beef patty for the veggie one. :) You would too when you saw what was on that burger for toppings - beetroot, avocado, tomato, salad, cheese, and some sauce I can't think of. Divine!

Now I'm off to finish out my leisurely Sunday arvo in Freo. An iced mocha and potato wedges with sour cream and sweet chili while people watching is always a pleasant way to spend a day. :) Much love from Australia! Hope you're all staying warm back home!

~A

Ticket to Ride

 

So it's official...I'm coming home in January. Well, that is assuming I get to Sydney in time for my flight. :) I have my ticket back to the states booked for January 11. Looks like my time in Oz is coming to an end...at least for the time being. It's amazing how fast a year can go, but luckily it's not over yet. I still have other travel plans in the works and Christmas is going to be spectacular! I'm not quite sure how I feel about a 40C Christmas though. It's going to be hot!!! I think a trip to the beach might be in order. :)

In the next couple months I'm sure I'll begin reflecting back on the year that I've had down under, but for now I'm going to live in the moment and enjoy every last minute I have in this wonderful country (until I come back!). The heat is creeping back and the pool has been a safe haven for the kids and me. Unfortunately, that means I spend way too much time outside and my skin still has not quite adjusted to the harsh Australian sun. Sunburn is no fun, but at least I know how to cope with it. :) And it's quite fun being able to say I got a sunburn in November when I'd normally be complaining about how cold it is getting back home. I better watch what I say though because I'm sure January will be a brutal welcome home!

As I prep for coming home there is so much to do, but I refuse to let the transition get the better of me. I've had heaps of fun here and I hope it keeps coming! Now, I'm off to finish some baking and maybe a coffee in the arvo. :)

Love to you all from the southern hemisphere!


~A


P.S. I forgot to mention that I got to enjoy a state fair of sorts a few weeks ago. The Perth Royal Show is the equivalent of the state fair, but unfortunately there are no giant cream puffs or deep fried beer or chocolate covered bacon. However, I did go on my first ever Ferris Wheel ride and for those of you that know me quite well, this was an interesting experience. I pretty much hated it at first, but learned to at least tolerate it. :) It was fun though. My favorite part of the show was visiting the baking competition. So much inspiration for new cakes and biscuits! And yes, that -------------------------------> is a cake. :)

Return from Hiatus

I realize I've had a bit of a writing slumber the past month. However, after being someplace for 9 months it's a little difficult to always find new and interesting topics to write about. Yes, I've been on a holiday in Australia, but it's almost turned into more of making a life for myself. No, I'm not grounding myself in Australia (at least not yet), but I've found stability and comfort here over the past 9 months that I don't think I would have found on a random holiday.

In the past month, I've hit a few bumps in my journey, but nothing that a little music and good company couldn't cure. The bumps haven't ruined my experience, but rather helped me grow as a person and learn from the mistakes and issues I have encountered. I guess I was just given a dose of reality the past month. Not everything is going to be perfect and undisturbed forever. It's how I've learned to deal with the problems, learn from the situation, and move on that has really been the blessing. I've been learning little life lessons and coping mechanisms that will certainly benefit me for the rest of my life.

Despite the bumps, some great things have occurred as well. After my birthday, I prepared for Light the Night. It was a wonderful night filled with so much hope for those suffering from blood cancer and comfort for those that have lost someone from the awful disease. I am so proud of my team for coming together and raising over $1000 for the Leukemia Foundation!

I've also been planning out how to spend my last 3 months in Australia. Yes, I only have 3 months left! It has certainly gone fast, but it's not over yet. That's why I have some fun trips in the works to finish off my time here with a blast! Make sure to check back in the next few weeks with trip updates. :) And as some of you know and for those of you who don't know, I have a new guy in my life. :) He's pretty spectacular and has certainly made the last month more tolerable!

The sun is shining bright again and the heat is slowly coming back. I'm excited to spend time at the beach again, but the heat only reminds me that I will be leaving all the sooner. It's a bittersweet feeling. It'll be great to be home, but I'm not going to let that affect my last months here. :) See you all soon!


~A


P.S. Go Brew Crew!!!! I've got my Brewers paraphernalia and my MLB.TV subscription - hope I can use it for the World Series!!