If you had asked me on January 1, 2009, "Where will you be at this time next year?", I might have replied, "I'll be back in Portland, after living in Brisbane for a year" or maybe I would have claimed, "Oh, I'll most likely be living in Baltimore, a quick plane ride away from family and childhood friends" or maybe, just maybe, I would have told you, "I'll still be living overseas, travelling, exploring..." I cannot say for certain what my answer would have been, but I can tell you today, January 1, 2010, I have no idea where I will be on January 1, 2011.
On January 1, 2009 I spent my New Year's Day morning with some of my best friends, in a greasy, delicious dive in Hanson, Massachusetts. We laughed over bottomless mugs of semi-decent drip coffee. We gorged ourselves on bacon and orgasmic blueberry, cream-cheese pancakes. (Seriously, I think someone might have climaxed at the breakfast table.) We stumbled back to our vehicles, said our goodbyes and embarked on 2009.
I woke up alone this morning, after working until 11PM last night, New Year's Eve. I would not have told you a year ago that was how I would spend my New Year's Eve 2009. It's been a very...full year, to say the least.
When I think about it, I suppose 2009 was not much different from other years past. I spent time with family and good friends, I learned more about those who would become good friends and I met new people from around the world, who I am sure I will keep in touch with for years to come. There was birth and there was also death. There were moments of laughter, hysterics even. And tears and frustration. We moved, twice, which might be an all-time low record for Conor and me. I spent time in four different countries and almost twenty different cities. I started a new job, a challenging, and most days, rewarding, new job. I woke up every morning for almost ten months without my favourite companion's snout on my pillow. I didn't eat meat for half of the year. One of my best friends got married. I climbed mountains in New York, skated on a frozen pond in New Brunswick, snorkelled in the Great Barrier Reef and kayaked through New Zealand's Milford Sound. I spent eleven months with my favourite person in the entire world. All in all, it was an ordinarily extraordinary year.
What will 2010 bring? I have no idea. More moving, I'm willing to bet. Also, much more laughter. Hopefully there will be a few less tears, and many more mornings with a snout on my pillow. Yes, I wish I had woken up with friends this morning and consumed enough coffee to make my hands shake, but I wouldn't trade the last year for a similar New Year's Day. 2010, here we come! Here's hoping for more extraordinary.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
The Best of Times
I often find beginning a post difficult. Every day is busy - my mind is always racing. Between work, sleep and sightseeing (yes, we are still tourists), it's hard to sit down, collect my thoughts and put together an interesting (and organised) post.
In the last month alone, Dylan came to visit for over a week, we travelled north to Cairns and Port Douglas to see the Reef, Conor and I moved into a new apartment and we hosted Thanksgiving dinner for over 30 of our (closest) friends. I snorkelled in the Great Barrier Reef with two of my favourite people, settled in to a cute new apartment in Paddington (a lovely suburb just west of the city), celebrated my 27th. birthday and cooked two turkeys for a handful of our friends and 20 (of my 24) staff from French Twist. It's been a hectic month.
First off, Dylan's visit was great. Although we were hosting two other Americans at the time, we managed to squeeze everyone into our two bedroom apartment, enjoy a couple games of Settlers and spend some quality time catching up and exploring one of the amazing natural wonders of the world. The three of us headed to Cairns a few weeks back (I flew separately from the boys, first class, of course - thanks to Dylan's miles). We attended a two hour lecture on the reef, rushed even further north to Mossman and camped out at a lovely B&B for the night. The next day we drove to Port Douglas, hopped on a boat, with about 25 other tourists, and sailed two hours to the Reef.
The Great Barrier Reef is, without a doubt, great. The fish, the coral, the colors - amazing! We went on three separate dives and rented a digital camera for the excursion. I think we took over 400 photos in just eight hours. We had a fabulous time floating on the surface together, in the middle of the ocean, for an entire day.
After Dylan's departure, Conor and I started packing up our belongings and the company's furniture, and a week later, moved into a one bedroom apartment in Paddington. We signed the papers on the apartment before I had a chance to see it in person. Although it's smaller than the last and fairly plain, the Paddo apartment feels much more like home. The neighbourhood is quiet and we have great folks living next door. I'm currently sitting on our balcony, staring through palm trees at the CBD. What a difference location makes...this apartment has improved our lifestyle quite a bit. We are surrounded by boutiques, cafes and restaurants, art galleries, movie theatres and there are two grocery stores within walking distance. We share a great bbq, patio and pool with only about twenty people - the common spaces are clean and always full of friendly people. We love our Paddington apartment.
Thanksgiving deserves a post of its own, but since I am such a terrible blogger, I will summarise the big day now (because who knows when I will sit down and write again). We started cooking the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I don't think I stopped, except to sleep for six hours, until the following day at four o'clock. Conor and I made pumpkin and cranberry bread, cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes, steamed green beans, butternut squash soup, two turkeys, bread rolls, gravy, cheese platters, pumpkin pie, apple pie...the list goes on. Although we have cooked Thanksgiving dinner for our families the past two years, we have never cooked a dinner so large, for so many people, in such extreme temperatures. There was no turkey trot this year. I could barely trot the 20 metres to the pool to toss myself in after the long, long day. We ate and drank and ate more. We crammed over 20 people into our tiny apartment. We drank more beer, more wine and more gin than I have ever seen one group of people consume in one sitting - except for maybe Dog Head.
Thanksgiving was a success. We introduced our Australian friends to a fabulous American holiday. Fun was had by all. And I am still getting asked for the recipe for my cranberry bread!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The Race that Stops the Nation
Melbourne, Victoria. Home to the Melbourne Cup - the race that stops the nation.
A few weeks back Conor and I travelled to Melbourne for four days and three nights of non-stop fun, food and horse-racing. After visiting Melbourne last January for the Australian Open, Conor still claims that the city is his favourite urban hot-spot. The cobblestone and slate streets are lined with glamorous boutiques, tasty cafes and historic buildings. The people are friendly and the temperatures are bearable. My first trip to Melbourne was an absolute success.
We ate and drank, and then ate and drank some more, as we bummed around the city with six friends from Brisbane for our mini-vacation. We had fabulous coffee and lovely Greek. We enjoyed a few cold beers, followed by Italian, complete with four free bottles of wine, on Lygon Street. Of course there were champagne breakfasts and a late lunch in one of the charming alleyways. And yes, we travelled to Flemington in our heels and hats to cheer on the horses/jockeys and haggle with the bookies at the Melbourne Cup.
On Halloween evening, I packed the few "winter" items I brought with me to Australia, carefully tucked my very elaborate hat into my carry-on and jumped online to check my bank account. The following morning felt like Christmas. I was wide awake, bright and early. I nudged Conor. He groaned. I nudged him again and reminded him that it was time for the Cup, time for our vacation, time for us to spend a few days away from work and home (and to sleep in!). He groaned again.
A few hours later we were in a cab with a handful of friends, on our way to the airport. We sat together, sipped champagne and munched on cheese and crackers during our two hour flight. We talked about the race, how much money we would bet and what we were wearing for the big day!
I have never been to a horse race. I have never bet money on a horse (or anything else for that matter). I did not read the newspaper. Yes, I posed for a photo with the form guide. I glanced at the horses' names and where they were trained. Turns out picking the jockey who might be wearing the same colour scheme as you, pays off. Literally. I bet on Shocking, the winner of the Melbourne Cup. For some strange reason, I bought an orange and black dress - maybe because it was Halloween, maybe because I hope to show up in festive attire to my ten year high school reunion in two years - anyway, I won!
The photos speak for themselves (soon to be posted at: http://picasaweb.google.com/home?tab=mq) It was an amazing trip. Melbourne is a must-see for anyone travelling to Australia. Tickets to the Cup are a bonus, for sure.
A few weeks back Conor and I travelled to Melbourne for four days and three nights of non-stop fun, food and horse-racing. After visiting Melbourne last January for the Australian Open, Conor still claims that the city is his favourite urban hot-spot. The cobblestone and slate streets are lined with glamorous boutiques, tasty cafes and historic buildings. The people are friendly and the temperatures are bearable. My first trip to Melbourne was an absolute success.
We ate and drank, and then ate and drank some more, as we bummed around the city with six friends from Brisbane for our mini-vacation. We had fabulous coffee and lovely Greek. We enjoyed a few cold beers, followed by Italian, complete with four free bottles of wine, on Lygon Street. Of course there were champagne breakfasts and a late lunch in one of the charming alleyways. And yes, we travelled to Flemington in our heels and hats to cheer on the horses/jockeys and haggle with the bookies at the Melbourne Cup.
On Halloween evening, I packed the few "winter" items I brought with me to Australia, carefully tucked my very elaborate hat into my carry-on and jumped online to check my bank account. The following morning felt like Christmas. I was wide awake, bright and early. I nudged Conor. He groaned. I nudged him again and reminded him that it was time for the Cup, time for our vacation, time for us to spend a few days away from work and home (and to sleep in!). He groaned again.
A few hours later we were in a cab with a handful of friends, on our way to the airport. We sat together, sipped champagne and munched on cheese and crackers during our two hour flight. We talked about the race, how much money we would bet and what we were wearing for the big day!
I have never been to a horse race. I have never bet money on a horse (or anything else for that matter). I did not read the newspaper. Yes, I posed for a photo with the form guide. I glanced at the horses' names and where they were trained. Turns out picking the jockey who might be wearing the same colour scheme as you, pays off. Literally. I bet on Shocking, the winner of the Melbourne Cup. For some strange reason, I bought an orange and black dress - maybe because it was Halloween, maybe because I hope to show up in festive attire to my ten year high school reunion in two years - anyway, I won!
The photos speak for themselves (soon to be posted at: http://picasaweb.google.com/home?tab=mq) It was an amazing trip. Melbourne is a must-see for anyone travelling to Australia. Tickets to the Cup are a bonus, for sure.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
My Playlist
After a long day at work I like to unwind by taking a bike ride, jog or long walk. I often also look forward to a cocktail, some trashy television, an hour or so of Facebook stalking (yes, I'll admit, I like to know what all of my "friends" have been up to over the last 24 hours), cooking dinner, and falling asleep at 8:30 after watching an episode of the West Wing.
This evening I decided to unwind with a G&T and a mix of my favourite tunes. I like to lip synch as much as the next guy - here are my suggestions for the perfect "long day" playlist:
Katy Perry, Waking Up in Vegas
Bon Jovi, Livin' on a Prayer (or any other Jon Bon tune for that matter)
Carrie Underwood, Before He Cheats
Kenny Loggins, Meet Me Halfway
The Black-Eyed Peas, I Gotta Feeling
Taylor Swift, Love Story
Michael Jackson, Man in the Mirror
Genesis, Invisible Touch
My list goes on, but I won't bore you too much with the details and dance moves.
I would like to take a step back and mention my obsession with The West Wing for a moment longer. Yesterday evening I watched the series finale of the show. In March, six months ago, I started watching Sorkin's seven season television series and fell in love with the characters and amazing writing and acting. The West Wing is truly a fabulous show - if you haven't seen, give it try.
Every Tuesday evening, since our move to Brisbane, Conor and I traveled to Civic Video and rented a disc or two (for $1 each!). We watched 6-8 episodes a week. Now that I think about it...that's where my spare time went over the past six months. Ah well, I think I'm okay with it.
For those of you who know the show, I admit, I'm in love with Josh Lyman's character (played by Bradley Whitford). This fact only plays a small role in my obsession with the show. Or a semi-small role.
If you like politics, give it a whirl. If you don't like politics, definitely give it a try - it might change your mind about the government entirely.
Back to rocking out - it's the only thing that might distract me, now that date night with Josh has come to an end.
This evening I decided to unwind with a G&T and a mix of my favourite tunes. I like to lip synch as much as the next guy - here are my suggestions for the perfect "long day" playlist:
Katy Perry, Waking Up in Vegas
Bon Jovi, Livin' on a Prayer (or any other Jon Bon tune for that matter)
Carrie Underwood, Before He Cheats
Kenny Loggins, Meet Me Halfway
The Black-Eyed Peas, I Gotta Feeling
Taylor Swift, Love Story
Michael Jackson, Man in the Mirror
Genesis, Invisible Touch
My list goes on, but I won't bore you too much with the details and dance moves.
I would like to take a step back and mention my obsession with The West Wing for a moment longer. Yesterday evening I watched the series finale of the show. In March, six months ago, I started watching Sorkin's seven season television series and fell in love with the characters and amazing writing and acting. The West Wing is truly a fabulous show - if you haven't seen, give it try.
Every Tuesday evening, since our move to Brisbane, Conor and I traveled to Civic Video and rented a disc or two (for $1 each!). We watched 6-8 episodes a week. Now that I think about it...that's where my spare time went over the past six months. Ah well, I think I'm okay with it.
For those of you who know the show, I admit, I'm in love with Josh Lyman's character (played by Bradley Whitford). This fact only plays a small role in my obsession with the show. Or a semi-small role.
If you like politics, give it a whirl. If you don't like politics, definitely give it a try - it might change your mind about the government entirely.
Back to rocking out - it's the only thing that might distract me, now that date night with Josh has come to an end.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
A Sweet, Sweaty Mess
I started this post about a week ago after changing my shirt for the third that day (hence the post title). It's starting to get warmer in Brisbane. Temperatures have reached 35 degrees Celsius over the past two weeks. The five minute walk home from work in my black uniform has some days taken me what seems like hours to complete. I have jumped into the pool, which is still icy cool due to its shady location, a handful of times upon my return to the apartment complex. I never liked swimming alone, but these days its the best option for cooling down quick. Summer is on the way, whether I'm ready or not.
The grocery store near our home set up their first display of Christmas decorations last week. It's hard to believe that Christmas is only two months away. A regular customer asked me if we would be setting up a few trees in the store for the holidays. It's difficult for me to imagine green and red bulbs, garland and holly in the desert. Maybe we will see some snow this year (in the mountains in New Zealand) - there's hope.
Conor and I travelled to Boondall on Sunday evening. About a month ago he joined an ice hockey league in the suburban town. Ice World. If the temperatures continue to rise, the rink might be my new best option for keeping cool. Watching Conor play hockey with 16 year old Australian boys was rather, er, interesting.
The musty, sweaty smell of the rink reminded me of home. It was cold and for the first time in a almost a year, I could see my breath. The lightly padded floors, torn posters of retired NHL stars and Zamboni made me long for the Sherwood Ice Arena outside of Portland. The young players and parents wrapped in winter coats, hats and mittens made me wish our Centre Ice package could be transferred to Brisbane and that we had definite plans to compete in the World Pond Hockey Championships in Plaster Rock again this winter.
I miss the cool fall weather, my little black dog, hockey season and wearing scarves.
Gosh, I love wearing scarves.
In just two weeks we head south, where temperatures will be a bit more tolerable, for the Melbourne Cup (Australia's equivalent of the Kentucky Derby). We are travelling to Melbourne with six friends and staying for three nights and four days in Conor's favourite Australian city. I have yet to visit Melbourne and am incredibly excited to a.) get away for four entire days and b.) wear a glamorous dress and hat to a horse race.
Upon our return to Brisbane, we begin our move into a new apartment. Luckily, Conor's brother Dylan arrives for a visit amidst our move. He will be our first house guest in the new apartment, and also a great source of cheap labour. We are looking forward to the move, escaping the noisy highway beneath our balcony and the sounds of cranes and large trucks late at night working the new bridge that spans the river directly across the road from our complex.
I think I may turn the air conditioning on, wrap up in my favourite green scarf, and bake some cookies. Maybe I will pop in the last few episodes of the West Wing. Nothing screams America more than Washington DC and Toll House cookies.
The grocery store near our home set up their first display of Christmas decorations last week. It's hard to believe that Christmas is only two months away. A regular customer asked me if we would be setting up a few trees in the store for the holidays. It's difficult for me to imagine green and red bulbs, garland and holly in the desert. Maybe we will see some snow this year (in the mountains in New Zealand) - there's hope.
Conor and I travelled to Boondall on Sunday evening. About a month ago he joined an ice hockey league in the suburban town. Ice World. If the temperatures continue to rise, the rink might be my new best option for keeping cool. Watching Conor play hockey with 16 year old Australian boys was rather, er, interesting.
The musty, sweaty smell of the rink reminded me of home. It was cold and for the first time in a almost a year, I could see my breath. The lightly padded floors, torn posters of retired NHL stars and Zamboni made me long for the Sherwood Ice Arena outside of Portland. The young players and parents wrapped in winter coats, hats and mittens made me wish our Centre Ice package could be transferred to Brisbane and that we had definite plans to compete in the World Pond Hockey Championships in Plaster Rock again this winter.
I miss the cool fall weather, my little black dog, hockey season and wearing scarves.
Gosh, I love wearing scarves.
In just two weeks we head south, where temperatures will be a bit more tolerable, for the Melbourne Cup (Australia's equivalent of the Kentucky Derby). We are travelling to Melbourne with six friends and staying for three nights and four days in Conor's favourite Australian city. I have yet to visit Melbourne and am incredibly excited to a.) get away for four entire days and b.) wear a glamorous dress and hat to a horse race.
Upon our return to Brisbane, we begin our move into a new apartment. Luckily, Conor's brother Dylan arrives for a visit amidst our move. He will be our first house guest in the new apartment, and also a great source of cheap labour. We are looking forward to the move, escaping the noisy highway beneath our balcony and the sounds of cranes and large trucks late at night working the new bridge that spans the river directly across the road from our complex.
I think I may turn the air conditioning on, wrap up in my favourite green scarf, and bake some cookies. Maybe I will pop in the last few episodes of the West Wing. Nothing screams America more than Washington DC and Toll House cookies.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Up
Up. Conor and I went to the movies on Saturday evening and saw the newest Pixar film. It made me laugh, and of course, it made me cry. My somewhat silent outburst was not similar to the flood that followed Leo's death in 1997 or when Frodo said his final goodbye to Sam in 2003.
Excuse me while I put on The Essential Kenny Loggins before continuing this post.
Thank goodness for 3D glasses. Unfortunately, Conor snatched them off of my face and tossed them into the recycling bin as we left the dark theatre and headed out into the bright lights of the Queen Street Mall. At the end of the movie I had one of those awkward moments where I had to hold my breath in order to keep from letting out one of those loud, obnoxious sucking sounds. The harsh inhale. You know exactly what I mean.
I wiped my nose on my shirt.
My mascara ran.
I teared up twice on the walk home.
With all of that being said, if you haven't seen "Up", see it. It is well worth the staining of your favorite J.Crew tee and the puffy circles you might wake up with the following morning.
I walked away from the theatre with a wet face. Also, hope. Motivation. And the need for something more. From myself.
All of this from a Disney movie, eh?
At 5:15 this morning, before I walked out the front door and headed to work, I sat on the edge of the bed and gave Conor a gentle shake. (He claims that it doesn't bother him one bit when my alarm goes off at 4:30, but I'm not sure if I believe him.) He was [seemed] very attentive as I attempted to explain my thoughts. I told him how wonderful it is for me to share my adventures with him. And how I hope we (and I) have many, many more wonderful times and amazing adventures over the years. I thanked him. I might have cried a little bit on the way to work, but I'm okay now.
Here's the thing, I'm a very lucky person. I might have mentioned that in my last post. "Up" opened my eyes a little bit more to this fact. I will try harder to live every day to it's fullest. In addition, the film made me realize that every little bit of good has the potential to go a long way. A very long way.
So, slow down. Smile. Say please and thank you. Ask questions. How are you? Can I help you? Smile again. Learn something new. Ask more questions. What can I do to help? Walk a little slower. Listen.
Up might not be for everyone. But I enjoyed it. Even if I couldn't shake my congestion for a few hours.
Excuse me while I put on The Essential Kenny Loggins before continuing this post.
Thank goodness for 3D glasses. Unfortunately, Conor snatched them off of my face and tossed them into the recycling bin as we left the dark theatre and headed out into the bright lights of the Queen Street Mall. At the end of the movie I had one of those awkward moments where I had to hold my breath in order to keep from letting out one of those loud, obnoxious sucking sounds. The harsh inhale. You know exactly what I mean.
I wiped my nose on my shirt.
My mascara ran.
I teared up twice on the walk home.
With all of that being said, if you haven't seen "Up", see it. It is well worth the staining of your favorite J.Crew tee and the puffy circles you might wake up with the following morning.
I walked away from the theatre with a wet face. Also, hope. Motivation. And the need for something more. From myself.
All of this from a Disney movie, eh?
At 5:15 this morning, before I walked out the front door and headed to work, I sat on the edge of the bed and gave Conor a gentle shake. (He claims that it doesn't bother him one bit when my alarm goes off at 4:30, but I'm not sure if I believe him.) He was [seemed] very attentive as I attempted to explain my thoughts. I told him how wonderful it is for me to share my adventures with him. And how I hope we (and I) have many, many more wonderful times and amazing adventures over the years. I thanked him. I might have cried a little bit on the way to work, but I'm okay now.
Here's the thing, I'm a very lucky person. I might have mentioned that in my last post. "Up" opened my eyes a little bit more to this fact. I will try harder to live every day to it's fullest. In addition, the film made me realize that every little bit of good has the potential to go a long way. A very long way.
So, slow down. Smile. Say please and thank you. Ask questions. How are you? Can I help you? Smile again. Learn something new. Ask more questions. What can I do to help? Walk a little slower. Listen.
Up might not be for everyone. But I enjoyed it. Even if I couldn't shake my congestion for a few hours.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Back on the Horse
Today was my day off. It's Tuesday. By day off, I mean day on. I had an incredibly productive day. I managed to wash, dry, fold and put away four loads of laundry (including our sheets and towels). I also tidied up the apartment, made a cheesecake, prepared dinner and ran (biked) a few necessary errands. I even ate two, soon to be three, solid meals today (this never happens on work days). As a side project, I started to organize the brochures we have collected over the past few months. We have seen and done some pretty amazing stuff. It would be nice for the next person who visits the KAI apartment to have some recommendations (organized in a lovely purple binder) for places to visit (and places to avoid) in Australia. I think I might learn to knit next Tuesday.
After travelling throughout the States for three weeks in August/September, Conor and I returned to Brisbane on September 8. Within two hours of landing (after flying two hours to L.A. from Seattle, fourteen hours from L.A. to Sydney, and another one and a half hours from Sydney to Brisbane - and skipping September 7 altogether), Conor and I were back to work. As always, our trip was whirlwind and wonderful. We/I took over 1800 photos while we were in the States. A handful of these photos are posted on my Picasa Web Albums site: http://picasaweb.google.com.au/home
Over the course of three weeks, Conor and I visited with almost everyone who is important to us. We were lucky enough to be present for the marriage of some of our best friends from high school and college (one wedding in Buffalo, another in Seattle), and visit with family members in Chicago, Buffalo, Boston, Providence and Seattle. We spent an afternoon with my 85 year old grandfather and the following day playing in the front lawn with a handful of nephews (and one niece) who were preparing to embark on their first days of kindergarten. I met my childhood best friend's son for the first time and discovered that a handful of good high school friends were in the process of buying homes. We volunteered at Sarah's non-profit, Cradles to Crayons, in Quincy, MA. We climbed a mountain in the Adirondacks. I saw a movie with Mary and Meryl and ate Mighty Taco twice in one day with Jack. I even spent 22 hours in Portland, OR hanging out, consuming great beer and amazing food with co-workers of the past and dear, dear friends. And I ate meat. It was an amazing three weeks.
And of course, there was Bella. We chatted with Bella for hours.
We are incredibly lucky people, Conor and I. Our trip home only further ingrained this truth. We have wonderful family and amazing friends. We are so privileged to know so many fabulous people. We are healthy. We are safe. We are having the time of our lives.
I am currently working Saturdays and Conor and I spend one day a week together. This past Sunday we drove north two hours to Noosa. We stopped in Mooloolaba and stretched out on the beach for a couple hours. We bought a boogie board. We had the best pizza since our arrival in Australia in Noosa at Zachary's. The bartender made me a Mexican Mule and had me at first sip. It was a wonderful day.
We are planning our next adventure, which is only just over four weeks away. We are travelling to Melbourne for the Melbourne Cup (the equivalent of the Kentucky Derby) with six friends, two of whom were married on Friday evening at a lovely little restaurant along the Brisbane River (and yes, we were present! - I ate kangaroo for the first time.)
About a week after our Melbourne Cup trip, Conor's brother Dylan arrives in Queensland. We are hoping to head north with Dylan to Cairns for a long weekend and some snorkelling in the GBR.
Christmas will most likely be spent in New Zealand (on the South Island).
We're going non-stop. Work is work. My staff were excited for me return. They told me they missed my accent and ridiculous (often corny) sense of humour.
I'm back on the horse. More blogging to come!
Stay tuned...summer on the horizon and tomorrow: Mostly Dust Storms!
After travelling throughout the States for three weeks in August/September, Conor and I returned to Brisbane on September 8. Within two hours of landing (after flying two hours to L.A. from Seattle, fourteen hours from L.A. to Sydney, and another one and a half hours from Sydney to Brisbane - and skipping September 7 altogether), Conor and I were back to work. As always, our trip was whirlwind and wonderful. We/I took over 1800 photos while we were in the States. A handful of these photos are posted on my Picasa Web Albums site: http://picasaweb.google.com.au/home
Over the course of three weeks, Conor and I visited with almost everyone who is important to us. We were lucky enough to be present for the marriage of some of our best friends from high school and college (one wedding in Buffalo, another in Seattle), and visit with family members in Chicago, Buffalo, Boston, Providence and Seattle. We spent an afternoon with my 85 year old grandfather and the following day playing in the front lawn with a handful of nephews (and one niece) who were preparing to embark on their first days of kindergarten. I met my childhood best friend's son for the first time and discovered that a handful of good high school friends were in the process of buying homes. We volunteered at Sarah's non-profit, Cradles to Crayons, in Quincy, MA. We climbed a mountain in the Adirondacks. I saw a movie with Mary and Meryl and ate Mighty Taco twice in one day with Jack. I even spent 22 hours in Portland, OR hanging out, consuming great beer and amazing food with co-workers of the past and dear, dear friends. And I ate meat. It was an amazing three weeks.
And of course, there was Bella. We chatted with Bella for hours.
We are incredibly lucky people, Conor and I. Our trip home only further ingrained this truth. We have wonderful family and amazing friends. We are so privileged to know so many fabulous people. We are healthy. We are safe. We are having the time of our lives.
I am currently working Saturdays and Conor and I spend one day a week together. This past Sunday we drove north two hours to Noosa. We stopped in Mooloolaba and stretched out on the beach for a couple hours. We bought a boogie board. We had the best pizza since our arrival in Australia in Noosa at Zachary's. The bartender made me a Mexican Mule and had me at first sip. It was a wonderful day.
We are planning our next adventure, which is only just over four weeks away. We are travelling to Melbourne for the Melbourne Cup (the equivalent of the Kentucky Derby) with six friends, two of whom were married on Friday evening at a lovely little restaurant along the Brisbane River (and yes, we were present! - I ate kangaroo for the first time.)
About a week after our Melbourne Cup trip, Conor's brother Dylan arrives in Queensland. We are hoping to head north with Dylan to Cairns for a long weekend and some snorkelling in the GBR.
Christmas will most likely be spent in New Zealand (on the South Island).
We're going non-stop. Work is work. My staff were excited for me return. They told me they missed my accent and ridiculous (often corny) sense of humour.
I'm back on the horse. More blogging to come!
Stay tuned...summer on the horizon and tomorrow: Mostly Dust Storms!
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Whatcha' been up to?
It's official. I am the world's worst blogger. It's been almost two months since my last post. Both my mom and sister have lodged complaints. I am currently sitting at The Chelsea, searching for inspiration and a starting point. (Maybe some French fries will help.) Conor just leaned over my shoulder and muttered, "Where to start, eh?"
Where to start indeed.
Most importantly, and noteworthy, a follow-up to my last post:
In just ten days, over thirty friends and family members raised over $1,100 for the Shareen Abbasy Memorial Garden. Amazing. The garden was dedicated on June 7 at the Colby College Alumni Reunion Weekend. For photos and more information, please check out: http://jamilabbasy.com/shareen/index.htm
My life as an expatriot has been hectic these past two months. In such a short amount of time Conor and I have traveled to Sydney, the Whitsunday Islands, North Stradbroke Island (yet again!), Mt. Tamborine, and I began working full-time. In addition to our running around, on June 8 Conor and I opened our Brisbane apartment to KAI guests from the States. Since the first week of June we have hosted Khang and his wife Thuy, our friends Annie and Jamie, and currently, Beth Wemple from the KAI Portland office. It has been a lot of fun sharing our apartment, stories, and adventures with these fabulous people.
It is only fair for each of our latest adventures to receive an individual post. We have been lucky enough to see and do so much.
In just three weeks we will depart for the States. Words cannot express how excited I am to see my family and friends. On August 15 we land in L.A. and after regrouping (somewhat briefly) from our 14 hour flight, hop on another plane and head to Chicago. We will spend three days with Conor's brother Dylan and my Uncle Wayne and his partner Vincent (three of the most fun people I know).
After our stop in the Windy City, we head to Buffalo for Conor's debut as Best Man in his best friends' wedding. Pete and Caitlin will be married, after spending the last eight years together, in a little church in Wilson, New York. The very next day we will jump in the car with Conor's parents and head to the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. There we will be joined by my parents, sister and our dog Bella! While I do think about my family often, Conor and I talk about Bella every day. After raising Bella and living with her for three and a half years, it has been incredibly difficult adjusting to daily life without her.
After the Ads, we head to Middleboro for a week before Conor travels to the KAI Baltimore office to squeeze in a week of work. After spending a few days with my family and friends in Massachusetts, I head to Portland for one night to visit with a handful of friends and have my fill of good beer! Conor and I will meet up again in Seattle on September 4 just in time for one of my best friend's weddings. Caitlin and Colin will be married on September 5 on a small island outside of Seattle.
Whew. It's going to be a busy few weeks.
Until we depart, I plan to work three very full weeks. We opened the French Twist Victoria Barracks location on July 8. Since then I have been spending my time running shift and learning my role and responsibilities as a manager. After just two full weeks of work I am already welcoming our three week trip back to the States.
More to come on the latest in Brizzy City!
Where to start indeed.
Most importantly, and noteworthy, a follow-up to my last post:
In just ten days, over thirty friends and family members raised over $1,100 for the Shareen Abbasy Memorial Garden. Amazing. The garden was dedicated on June 7 at the Colby College Alumni Reunion Weekend. For photos and more information, please check out: http://jamilabbasy.com/shareen/index.htm
My life as an expatriot has been hectic these past two months. In such a short amount of time Conor and I have traveled to Sydney, the Whitsunday Islands, North Stradbroke Island (yet again!), Mt. Tamborine, and I began working full-time. In addition to our running around, on June 8 Conor and I opened our Brisbane apartment to KAI guests from the States. Since the first week of June we have hosted Khang and his wife Thuy, our friends Annie and Jamie, and currently, Beth Wemple from the KAI Portland office. It has been a lot of fun sharing our apartment, stories, and adventures with these fabulous people.
It is only fair for each of our latest adventures to receive an individual post. We have been lucky enough to see and do so much.
In just three weeks we will depart for the States. Words cannot express how excited I am to see my family and friends. On August 15 we land in L.A. and after regrouping (somewhat briefly) from our 14 hour flight, hop on another plane and head to Chicago. We will spend three days with Conor's brother Dylan and my Uncle Wayne and his partner Vincent (three of the most fun people I know).
After our stop in the Windy City, we head to Buffalo for Conor's debut as Best Man in his best friends' wedding. Pete and Caitlin will be married, after spending the last eight years together, in a little church in Wilson, New York. The very next day we will jump in the car with Conor's parents and head to the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. There we will be joined by my parents, sister and our dog Bella! While I do think about my family often, Conor and I talk about Bella every day. After raising Bella and living with her for three and a half years, it has been incredibly difficult adjusting to daily life without her.
After the Ads, we head to Middleboro for a week before Conor travels to the KAI Baltimore office to squeeze in a week of work. After spending a few days with my family and friends in Massachusetts, I head to Portland for one night to visit with a handful of friends and have my fill of good beer! Conor and I will meet up again in Seattle on September 4 just in time for one of my best friend's weddings. Caitlin and Colin will be married on September 5 on a small island outside of Seattle.
Whew. It's going to be a busy few weeks.
Until we depart, I plan to work three very full weeks. We opened the French Twist Victoria Barracks location on July 8. Since then I have been spending my time running shift and learning my role and responsibilities as a manager. After just two full weeks of work I am already welcoming our three week trip back to the States.
More to come on the latest in Brizzy City!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Shareen Abbasy
As many of you know, my good friend and college roommate, Shareen Abbasy, passed away on March 17 of this year. Shareen was an inspiration, not only to me, but to most who were lucky enough to cross her path.
Shareen passed away shortly after my arrival in Brisbane. Although the thought crossed my mind a number of times, I decided not to share my stories of Shareen through my blog. Shareen was an incredibly courageous 26 year old woman. It did not seem appropriate to share thoughts immediately following her death on blogspot.com.
Now, as I, along with several others, attempt to raise money in her memory, I have decided that rather than just entering the ChipIn Widget found below, I should share a few words on one of the most amazing people I know. Although words are enough to fully appreciate just how special Shareen is, I have added a few photos of her to this post as well.
I met Shareen in the fall of 2002 at Colby College. Shareen was rooming across the hall from me and my roommate Shannon Emerson. Shannon and I were immediately taken by Shareen's smile, friendly demeanor, and positive attitude. After getting to know Shareen a bit better, she informed us of her battle with cancer the year before. She was not originally a member of our class, but the class of 2004. After completing her first year at Colby, Shareen discovered she would be taking a year off from school to undergo treatment and recover.
Over the next seven years, Shareen was diagnosed with cancer three more times. In February 2009 Shareen decided to turn down all treatment and live the final month of her life with her family and friends in her New York City apartment.
I arrived in Brisbane on March 1, 2009. On February 26 I flew in to New York to be greeted by Caitlin Chamberlin, our fourth college roommate, and Shannon. The following morning we hopped on a train to meet with Shareen and at least twenty other friends and family members in her tiny New York City apartment.
Shannon flew in from Texas. I flew in from Oregon. Shareen's mother and brother of course came from Massachusetts. Jackie flew in from California. Catherine from Italy. Dinah landed the following day from Washington. Friends and family from throughout the state, country, and world had heard of Shareen's diagnosis and within two days were at her side. This should give you an idea of just how special this one woman was.
Yes, we all knew she was sick. And yes, we knew this might be the last time we got to see Shareen's smile and hear her laugh, but the thing is, this wasn't the first time we had all flown in to see Shareen, and oddly enough, it would not be the last.
In 2002 Shannon and I formed a bond with Shareen that was unlike any other friendship either of us had ever known. In 2003, our junior year, Shareen studied abroad in France for the entire school year. Shannon, Caitlin and I spent our first semester together on campus and followed Shareen's lead and headed overseas for the second half of the school year. Upon our return to the U.S. in May, Shareen informed us that upon her return from France she discovered she was sick once again. That summer Shannon and I headed into Boston to visit with Shareen. Within two months she was on the road to recovery, but she would not return to Colby until the spring semester of our senior year.
During the fall of 2004, aside from a brightly colored poster placed on Shareen's bedroom door that read "Bee Happy!", Shareen's room in our quad remained untouched. Caitlin, Shannon, and I traveled to Massachusetts to visit with Shareen at her home. In late January 2005 Shareen returned to Colby to spend one last semester with us and complete her college career.
Early one morning in May 2005 my cell phone rang, followed by Shannon's, and then almost immediately after Shareen's...the four of us were late for the Baccalaureate ceremony. We had been sitting in our quad, toasting each other with wine and champagne, eating chocolate and laughing. We were the only four late for the "optional" ceremony.
A few days later the four of us marched at graduation. Shareen was honored at the ceremony for her accomplishments and hard work. After taking a year and a half off to recover from her illness, in addition to studying abroad for entire year, Shareen graduated with honors in 2005. What an amazing accomplishment.
On April 18, 2009 Shareen's family held a celebration in Shareen's honor in New York. Although Shareen had been buried a month earlier in Long Meadow, MA, her friends and family gathered once again, coming from across the globe, to celebrate Shareen's life.
On April 18 Shannon read the following sonnet, one of Shareen's personal favorites, at the service:
Love Sonnet LXXXIX, by Pablo Neruda
When I die, I want your hands on my eyes:
I want the light and the wheat of your beloved hands
To pass their freshness over me once more;
I want to feel the softness that changed my destiny.
I want you to live while I wait for you, asleep.
I want your ears still to hear the wind;
I want you to smell the sea's aroma that we loved together,
And to continue to walk on the sands that we walked on.
I want what I love to continue to live,
And you, whom I love and sang above everything else,
To continue to flourish, full-flowered:
So that you can reach everything my love directs you to,
So that my shadow can travel along in your hair,
So that everything can learn the reason for my song.
In honor of Shareen a tree will be planted on June 7 on the Colby College Campus. In addition to this tree, a plaque will be dedicated by Shareen's mother Diana, brother Jamil, and members of the Colby College Class of 2005.
Shareen's memory will continue to flourish, full-flowered on the campus she called home for a number of years.
Colby College alumni, I know Colby holds a special place in your heart for one reason or another. Colby is so special to me because of the time I spent with Shareen, Shannon, and Caitlin. Please donate to to the Shareen Abbasy Memorial Fund by clicking below.
Maybe there is someone in your life that is always there to listen, always sends a birthday card on time, always emails you a funny joke or story just when you need it most. Maybe there is someone in your life that encourages you to be yourself, that loves you for who you are. Maybe there is someone who you think of when times are tough and you do not believe you can take another step. The person that was all of those things to me, and I am sure to many others, was Shareen Abbasy.
Shareen passed away shortly after my arrival in Brisbane. Although the thought crossed my mind a number of times, I decided not to share my stories of Shareen through my blog. Shareen was an incredibly courageous 26 year old woman. It did not seem appropriate to share thoughts immediately following her death on blogspot.com.
Now, as I, along with several others, attempt to raise money in her memory, I have decided that rather than just entering the ChipIn Widget found below, I should share a few words on one of the most amazing people I know. Although words are enough to fully appreciate just how special Shareen is, I have added a few photos of her to this post as well.
I met Shareen in the fall of 2002 at Colby College. Shareen was rooming across the hall from me and my roommate Shannon Emerson. Shannon and I were immediately taken by Shareen's smile, friendly demeanor, and positive attitude. After getting to know Shareen a bit better, she informed us of her battle with cancer the year before. She was not originally a member of our class, but the class of 2004. After completing her first year at Colby, Shareen discovered she would be taking a year off from school to undergo treatment and recover.
Over the next seven years, Shareen was diagnosed with cancer three more times. In February 2009 Shareen decided to turn down all treatment and live the final month of her life with her family and friends in her New York City apartment.
I arrived in Brisbane on March 1, 2009. On February 26 I flew in to New York to be greeted by Caitlin Chamberlin, our fourth college roommate, and Shannon. The following morning we hopped on a train to meet with Shareen and at least twenty other friends and family members in her tiny New York City apartment.
Shannon flew in from Texas. I flew in from Oregon. Shareen's mother and brother of course came from Massachusetts. Jackie flew in from California. Catherine from Italy. Dinah landed the following day from Washington. Friends and family from throughout the state, country, and world had heard of Shareen's diagnosis and within two days were at her side. This should give you an idea of just how special this one woman was.
Yes, we all knew she was sick. And yes, we knew this might be the last time we got to see Shareen's smile and hear her laugh, but the thing is, this wasn't the first time we had all flown in to see Shareen, and oddly enough, it would not be the last.
In 2002 Shannon and I formed a bond with Shareen that was unlike any other friendship either of us had ever known. In 2003, our junior year, Shareen studied abroad in France for the entire school year. Shannon, Caitlin and I spent our first semester together on campus and followed Shareen's lead and headed overseas for the second half of the school year. Upon our return to the U.S. in May, Shareen informed us that upon her return from France she discovered she was sick once again. That summer Shannon and I headed into Boston to visit with Shareen. Within two months she was on the road to recovery, but she would not return to Colby until the spring semester of our senior year.
During the fall of 2004, aside from a brightly colored poster placed on Shareen's bedroom door that read "Bee Happy!", Shareen's room in our quad remained untouched. Caitlin, Shannon, and I traveled to Massachusetts to visit with Shareen at her home. In late January 2005 Shareen returned to Colby to spend one last semester with us and complete her college career.
Early one morning in May 2005 my cell phone rang, followed by Shannon's, and then almost immediately after Shareen's...the four of us were late for the Baccalaureate ceremony. We had been sitting in our quad, toasting each other with wine and champagne, eating chocolate and laughing. We were the only four late for the "optional" ceremony.
A few days later the four of us marched at graduation. Shareen was honored at the ceremony for her accomplishments and hard work. After taking a year and a half off to recover from her illness, in addition to studying abroad for entire year, Shareen graduated with honors in 2005. What an amazing accomplishment.
On April 18, 2009 Shareen's family held a celebration in Shareen's honor in New York. Although Shareen had been buried a month earlier in Long Meadow, MA, her friends and family gathered once again, coming from across the globe, to celebrate Shareen's life.
On April 18 Shannon read the following sonnet, one of Shareen's personal favorites, at the service:
Love Sonnet LXXXIX, by Pablo Neruda
When I die, I want your hands on my eyes:
I want the light and the wheat of your beloved hands
To pass their freshness over me once more;
I want to feel the softness that changed my destiny.
I want you to live while I wait for you, asleep.
I want your ears still to hear the wind;
I want you to smell the sea's aroma that we loved together,
And to continue to walk on the sands that we walked on.
I want what I love to continue to live,
And you, whom I love and sang above everything else,
To continue to flourish, full-flowered:
So that you can reach everything my love directs you to,
So that my shadow can travel along in your hair,
So that everything can learn the reason for my song.
In honor of Shareen a tree will be planted on June 7 on the Colby College Campus. In addition to this tree, a plaque will be dedicated by Shareen's mother Diana, brother Jamil, and members of the Colby College Class of 2005.
Shareen's memory will continue to flourish, full-flowered on the campus she called home for a number of years.
Colby College alumni, I know Colby holds a special place in your heart for one reason or another. Colby is so special to me because of the time I spent with Shareen, Shannon, and Caitlin. Please donate to to the Shareen Abbasy Memorial Fund by clicking below.
Maybe there is someone in your life that is always there to listen, always sends a birthday card on time, always emails you a funny joke or story just when you need it most. Maybe there is someone in your life that encourages you to be yourself, that loves you for who you are. Maybe there is someone who you think of when times are tough and you do not believe you can take another step. The person that was all of those things to me, and I am sure to many others, was Shareen Abbasy.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Suck back or Slam?
I just had my first Tim Tam Suck Back (or Tim Tam Slam). I don't think I will be able to eat another meal today. My stomach is aching. The chocolaty, coffee treat was intense - an explosion in my mouth!
Conor introduced me to Dark Chocolate Tim Tams when I arrived in Brisbane. It might have been one of the first things I ate after landing in Australia. A Tim Tam is a chocolate biscuit (or cookie) made by Arnott's. I am convinced Arnott's is responsible for all biscuits produced in Australia. Their name is on every package in the snack aisle in the grocery store. Two layers of malted biscuit, sweet cream filling, a coating of thin chocolate - that's a Tim Tam.
There's Original, Double Coat, Chewy Caramel, Classic Dark, Crush Honeycomb, Crush Mint Crisp, Crush Cookies N' Cream, the list goes on and on...
Here are a few of the most recent Tim Tam advertisements:
Now, suck back or slam? Conor first introduced the concept to me as a "Suck Back". Many refer to the treat as a "Tim Tam Slam" - which makes sense with the rhyming and all. (But suck back is initially much more intriquing and fun to say.) Either way, the process is the same. You bite off the two short ends of the biscuit, dip one end in a mug of coffee or hot chocolate, and suck the sweet cream from the center of the biscuit, as if the biscuit were a straw. The hot beverage causes the treat to melt in your mouth, as well as dissintegrate between your fingertips. Quickly toss the chocolate mush in your mouth and enjoy!
Whoa.
That Classic Dark Suck Back should have been lunch, not paired with my afternoon cappucinno.
While we are on the topic of tasty treats, Cadbury just realised another advertisement (similar to the Cadbury Gorilla commercials I posted a few weeks back). For those of you who enjoyed the gorilla, give this crazy scene a whirl.
Ridiculous, I know.
Not a follower on Tomorrow Mostly Sunny, become one!
This Post's Recommendation:
Beverage: Gimme! Coffee
Conor introduced me to Dark Chocolate Tim Tams when I arrived in Brisbane. It might have been one of the first things I ate after landing in Australia. A Tim Tam is a chocolate biscuit (or cookie) made by Arnott's. I am convinced Arnott's is responsible for all biscuits produced in Australia. Their name is on every package in the snack aisle in the grocery store. Two layers of malted biscuit, sweet cream filling, a coating of thin chocolate - that's a Tim Tam.
There's Original, Double Coat, Chewy Caramel, Classic Dark, Crush Honeycomb, Crush Mint Crisp, Crush Cookies N' Cream, the list goes on and on...
Here are a few of the most recent Tim Tam advertisements:
Now, suck back or slam? Conor first introduced the concept to me as a "Suck Back". Many refer to the treat as a "Tim Tam Slam" - which makes sense with the rhyming and all. (But suck back is initially much more intriquing and fun to say.) Either way, the process is the same. You bite off the two short ends of the biscuit, dip one end in a mug of coffee or hot chocolate, and suck the sweet cream from the center of the biscuit, as if the biscuit were a straw. The hot beverage causes the treat to melt in your mouth, as well as dissintegrate between your fingertips. Quickly toss the chocolate mush in your mouth and enjoy!
Whoa.
That Classic Dark Suck Back should have been lunch, not paired with my afternoon cappucinno.
While we are on the topic of tasty treats, Cadbury just realised another advertisement (similar to the Cadbury Gorilla commercials I posted a few weeks back). For those of you who enjoyed the gorilla, give this crazy scene a whirl.
Ridiculous, I know.
Not a follower on Tomorrow Mostly Sunny, become one!
This Post's Recommendation:
Beverage: Gimme! Coffee
'Roo too!
Apparently my last post did not include enough information for some readers. You see, the shark sighting was really quite terrifying, but Conor and I managed to keep a cool head. The fin belonged to what we believe to have been a bull shark. Check out this National Geographic video for more information and a close up view:
After much story-telling and discussion, many locals agree that we should have reported the spearos when we reached shore. Apparently this group of men was acting quite careless - they should have informed the other divers and snorkelers in the area of their actions, as well as the shark sighting. Luckily I caught sight of the fin soon after the spearos did. The shark was only 30-35 feet from us at that point. Can you imagine if we had not seen the shark and stayed in the water? Catching a glimpse of a fin is one thing. Coming nose to nose with a 500 pound predator is another animal all together.
After Conor jumped back in the kayak, we got settled and attempted to rationally discuss the commotion taking place around us. We stared down into the water and watched the fish for a few minutes. They did not seem to be disturbed and were still hanging around the coral and rocks. In hindsight, we wish we had seen the shark again. It's probably better that we didn't though. We don't know how long he was or if he had friends with him - but it would have been cool to check him out a bit more. We floated in the kayak about five feet from a large rock, looking for the beast, prepared to jump from the kayak if necessary. I told Conor I was ready to paddle back to shore. He wanted to stay out in the water for a while longer. I figured we should paddle as hard as we could while the spearos toyed with the shark.
Snorkeling takes a lot out of you. After paddling for about five or ten minutes my arms felt like they were going to fall off. I was dead weight in the kayak. (That's probably one of Conor's favorite nicknames for me - this time it was spot on.)
While hanging out on Stradbroke we were lucky enough to see a handful of other animals up close. While hiking we saw a number of dolphins swimming and jumping along the coast. We also saw a turtle pushed inland by the tide. On our way back from the coast/beach we came across a kangaroo standing in the middle of our path. He was a small guy, about as tall as Conor, and absolutely beautiful. He hopped away slowly and continued to stare at us from the bush for a few minutes before tucking his head back into the weeds.
Conor wants to go back to Stradbroke again this weekend. One day was not enough. I think we might try to get our hands on a tent and camp out the next time we head to the island. It is raining in Brisbane now and unfortunately, the bad weather is supposed to continue for the remainder of the week. Maybe we will wait another couple weeks before we head for the ocean.
On a brighter note, Annie and Jamie Parks are coming to visit in June. Just this week we (Annie) booked an apartment on Hamilton Island for the four of us for three nights. We have definite plans to see the Great Barrier Reef! Snorkeling, kayaking, and sailing galore in early July - I cannot wait! It will also be very nice to welcome our first guests from the States!
After much story-telling and discussion, many locals agree that we should have reported the spearos when we reached shore. Apparently this group of men was acting quite careless - they should have informed the other divers and snorkelers in the area of their actions, as well as the shark sighting. Luckily I caught sight of the fin soon after the spearos did. The shark was only 30-35 feet from us at that point. Can you imagine if we had not seen the shark and stayed in the water? Catching a glimpse of a fin is one thing. Coming nose to nose with a 500 pound predator is another animal all together.
After Conor jumped back in the kayak, we got settled and attempted to rationally discuss the commotion taking place around us. We stared down into the water and watched the fish for a few minutes. They did not seem to be disturbed and were still hanging around the coral and rocks. In hindsight, we wish we had seen the shark again. It's probably better that we didn't though. We don't know how long he was or if he had friends with him - but it would have been cool to check him out a bit more. We floated in the kayak about five feet from a large rock, looking for the beast, prepared to jump from the kayak if necessary. I told Conor I was ready to paddle back to shore. He wanted to stay out in the water for a while longer. I figured we should paddle as hard as we could while the spearos toyed with the shark.
Snorkeling takes a lot out of you. After paddling for about five or ten minutes my arms felt like they were going to fall off. I was dead weight in the kayak. (That's probably one of Conor's favorite nicknames for me - this time it was spot on.)
While hanging out on Stradbroke we were lucky enough to see a handful of other animals up close. While hiking we saw a number of dolphins swimming and jumping along the coast. We also saw a turtle pushed inland by the tide. On our way back from the coast/beach we came across a kangaroo standing in the middle of our path. He was a small guy, about as tall as Conor, and absolutely beautiful. He hopped away slowly and continued to stare at us from the bush for a few minutes before tucking his head back into the weeds.
Conor wants to go back to Stradbroke again this weekend. One day was not enough. I think we might try to get our hands on a tent and camp out the next time we head to the island. It is raining in Brisbane now and unfortunately, the bad weather is supposed to continue for the remainder of the week. Maybe we will wait another couple weeks before we head for the ocean.
On a brighter note, Annie and Jamie Parks are coming to visit in June. Just this week we (Annie) booked an apartment on Hamilton Island for the four of us for three nights. We have definite plans to see the Great Barrier Reef! Snorkeling, kayaking, and sailing galore in early July - I cannot wait! It will also be very nice to welcome our first guests from the States!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Straddie and the Shark
It's Sunday evening and I am beat. After sleeping in until about 10 o'clock this morning, Conor and I made a couple cappuccinos (on our new espresso machine!) and a batch of pancakes. Mmmm...Sunday morning breakfast. We hung out on the balcony for about thirty minutes together before I had to get dressed and hustle off to work.
I just got home, and although I only spent about six hours on my feet today, I am tired. We had quite the adventure yesterday on North Stradbroke Island. I think it might take me (and probably Conor too) a few days to recover.
Yes, we went to North Stradbroke Island. Yes, there was a shark sighting. Before I jump into the details, let me tell you a bit about North Stradbroke Island. First of all, it's gorgeous. I don't think I have ever been anywhere as beautiful as this particular sand island (the second largest in the world). By this point I have posted several photos of sandy, white beaches and turquoise waters. Our little digital Canon does not do Straddie (as the island is known by the locals) any justice. Still, you be the judge.
It takes about an hour and a half and $25 to get to Straddie from Brisbane. Conor and I were up and moving by six o'clock on Saturday morning and hopped on the Ferry in Cleveland, QLD around 9am. The ferry ride out to the island was a million times better than our boat trip to Moreton a few weeks back. (I didn't feel nausea in the slightest!) It was a beautiful day - clear blue skies, temperatures in the mid-eighties. When we arrived on the island, we boarded a little bus and headed to Point Lookout, the hot spot for whale watching and surfing.
Point Lookout is home to about four cafes, a general store, and a surf board rental hut. We had breakfast and walked along the rocky coastline for about an hour before heading south to rent a kayak and some snorkel gear.
Unfortunately, we missed the guided morning kayak and snorkel trip hosted by Straddie Adventures. The crazy local behind the counter seemed pretty comfortable renting Conor and me (and one other couple) a couple kayaks and some gear and pointing us towards the best snorkeling spots for a few hours though. I asked Barry, our wonderful "guide", if it was safe for us to be out in the open water on our own and if there had been any shark sightings in the area recently. He was certain we would be fine. As certain as any local could be.
The water was incredibly warm and clear. Conor and I paddled for about twenty minutes before reaching our target, a couple large rocks about 500 meters from shore. There were two other boats anchored near the rocks and we noticed a few other snorkelers and some divers swimming about. Conor threw on his gear and jumped in. Even though we were quite far from shore, you could still see the ocean floor - the water was amazingly clear. After a few minutes I jumped in too and Conor and I "duck-dived" for about an hour. There were fish everywhere and beautiful coral growing on the rocks. Conor and I even saw a couple wobbegongs, which are one of the eight varieties of carpet sharks. We didn't have a camera with us - man, do I wish we had! - but here is a photo I found online.
After playing around in one spot for over an hour, Conor and I decided to kayak around to the other side of the rock. I jumped back in the kayak and while I was adjusting my gear and the paddles, I overheard the divers making quite a bit of noise. I looked up to see one diver in the boat, the second jumping aboard, and then the two of them reeling in the third diver at great speed. Behind the third diver, a large, silver fin, moving with great speed.
Here are some tips from the Australian Government in regard to shark attacks:
Shark Attack
Shark attacks occur rarely. Only a few of the 450 or so shark species have been known to attack people. Unfortunately, some attacks are fatal.
There are some easy and commonsense precautions to take that can help reduce the risk of a shark attack. This risk minimisation advice is reproduced from the Australian Shark Attack File.
Do not swim, dive or surf where dangerous sharks are known to congregate.
Always swim, dive or surf with other people.
Do not swim in dirty or turbid water.
Avoid swimming well offshore, near deep channels, at river mouths or along drop-offs to deeper water.
If schooling fish start to behave erratically or congregate in large numbers, leave the water.
Do not swim with pets and domestic animals.
Look carefully before jumping into the water from a boat or wharf.
If possible do not swim a dusk or at night.
Do not swim near people fishing or spear fishing.
If a shark is sighted in the area leave the water as quickly and calmly as possible.
Based on this advice, can you guess what went wrong in our particle situation? It turned out that these "divers" were not just scuba diving, but were spearing the larger fish feeding on the smaller fish dwelling around the rocks. The blood in the water had attracted a large shark. The fin was the length of my forearm and hand (fingertip to elbow). Don't worry, the third diver made it out of the water. The fish on the end of his spear most likely did not.
As soon as I saw the fin I motioned for Conor to get back into the kayak immediately. I think he thought I was kidding at first. Do you know how hard it is to balance a kayak while your partner throws his body over the side (never mind while a shark is circling 30 feet from where you are swimming)? Conor and I have been tossed from our kayak before and after several attempts are usually able to climb back in. It's crazy what happens to your body when adrenaline kicks in. Conor was back in the kayak within seconds and I balanced the boat while he put his life vest back on and grabbed his paddle. We sat by the rock in utter disbelief for about a minute, staring down into the shallow waters below us. Conor whistled to the "spearos" and confirmed that we had just witnessed a potential shark attack. The three men (yes, stupid, stupid men) informed us that we should not be worried and that they were going to try to catch the shark. Continue disbelief.
After a couple minutes, we decided to paddle back to shore (through the open water) while the spearos distracted the shark and teased him with the freshly caught fish they were storing on board. I have never paddled/moved so quickly in my life. Although we never feared for our lives, we were both terrified.
We're safe though. We made it back to shore. And we made it back to Brisbane. I will write more later in regard to our trip. In addition to sharks, we saw a great deal of wildlife and had a fabulous day trip.
This Post's Recommendation:
Television: The Office
I just got home, and although I only spent about six hours on my feet today, I am tired. We had quite the adventure yesterday on North Stradbroke Island. I think it might take me (and probably Conor too) a few days to recover.
Yes, we went to North Stradbroke Island. Yes, there was a shark sighting. Before I jump into the details, let me tell you a bit about North Stradbroke Island. First of all, it's gorgeous. I don't think I have ever been anywhere as beautiful as this particular sand island (the second largest in the world). By this point I have posted several photos of sandy, white beaches and turquoise waters. Our little digital Canon does not do Straddie (as the island is known by the locals) any justice. Still, you be the judge.
It takes about an hour and a half and $25 to get to Straddie from Brisbane. Conor and I were up and moving by six o'clock on Saturday morning and hopped on the Ferry in Cleveland, QLD around 9am. The ferry ride out to the island was a million times better than our boat trip to Moreton a few weeks back. (I didn't feel nausea in the slightest!) It was a beautiful day - clear blue skies, temperatures in the mid-eighties. When we arrived on the island, we boarded a little bus and headed to Point Lookout, the hot spot for whale watching and surfing.
Point Lookout is home to about four cafes, a general store, and a surf board rental hut. We had breakfast and walked along the rocky coastline for about an hour before heading south to rent a kayak and some snorkel gear.
Unfortunately, we missed the guided morning kayak and snorkel trip hosted by Straddie Adventures. The crazy local behind the counter seemed pretty comfortable renting Conor and me (and one other couple) a couple kayaks and some gear and pointing us towards the best snorkeling spots for a few hours though. I asked Barry, our wonderful "guide", if it was safe for us to be out in the open water on our own and if there had been any shark sightings in the area recently. He was certain we would be fine. As certain as any local could be.
The water was incredibly warm and clear. Conor and I paddled for about twenty minutes before reaching our target, a couple large rocks about 500 meters from shore. There were two other boats anchored near the rocks and we noticed a few other snorkelers and some divers swimming about. Conor threw on his gear and jumped in. Even though we were quite far from shore, you could still see the ocean floor - the water was amazingly clear. After a few minutes I jumped in too and Conor and I "duck-dived" for about an hour. There were fish everywhere and beautiful coral growing on the rocks. Conor and I even saw a couple wobbegongs, which are one of the eight varieties of carpet sharks. We didn't have a camera with us - man, do I wish we had! - but here is a photo I found online.
After playing around in one spot for over an hour, Conor and I decided to kayak around to the other side of the rock. I jumped back in the kayak and while I was adjusting my gear and the paddles, I overheard the divers making quite a bit of noise. I looked up to see one diver in the boat, the second jumping aboard, and then the two of them reeling in the third diver at great speed. Behind the third diver, a large, silver fin, moving with great speed.
Here are some tips from the Australian Government in regard to shark attacks:
Shark Attack
Shark attacks occur rarely. Only a few of the 450 or so shark species have been known to attack people. Unfortunately, some attacks are fatal.
There are some easy and commonsense precautions to take that can help reduce the risk of a shark attack. This risk minimisation advice is reproduced from the Australian Shark Attack File.
Do not swim, dive or surf where dangerous sharks are known to congregate.
Always swim, dive or surf with other people.
Do not swim in dirty or turbid water.
Avoid swimming well offshore, near deep channels, at river mouths or along drop-offs to deeper water.
If schooling fish start to behave erratically or congregate in large numbers, leave the water.
Do not swim with pets and domestic animals.
Look carefully before jumping into the water from a boat or wharf.
If possible do not swim a dusk or at night.
Do not swim near people fishing or spear fishing.
If a shark is sighted in the area leave the water as quickly and calmly as possible.
Based on this advice, can you guess what went wrong in our particle situation? It turned out that these "divers" were not just scuba diving, but were spearing the larger fish feeding on the smaller fish dwelling around the rocks. The blood in the water had attracted a large shark. The fin was the length of my forearm and hand (fingertip to elbow). Don't worry, the third diver made it out of the water. The fish on the end of his spear most likely did not.
As soon as I saw the fin I motioned for Conor to get back into the kayak immediately. I think he thought I was kidding at first. Do you know how hard it is to balance a kayak while your partner throws his body over the side (never mind while a shark is circling 30 feet from where you are swimming)? Conor and I have been tossed from our kayak before and after several attempts are usually able to climb back in. It's crazy what happens to your body when adrenaline kicks in. Conor was back in the kayak within seconds and I balanced the boat while he put his life vest back on and grabbed his paddle. We sat by the rock in utter disbelief for about a minute, staring down into the shallow waters below us. Conor whistled to the "spearos" and confirmed that we had just witnessed a potential shark attack. The three men (yes, stupid, stupid men) informed us that we should not be worried and that they were going to try to catch the shark. Continue disbelief.
After a couple minutes, we decided to paddle back to shore (through the open water) while the spearos distracted the shark and teased him with the freshly caught fish they were storing on board. I have never paddled/moved so quickly in my life. Although we never feared for our lives, we were both terrified.
We're safe though. We made it back to shore. And we made it back to Brisbane. I will write more later in regard to our trip. In addition to sharks, we saw a great deal of wildlife and had a fabulous day trip.
This Post's Recommendation:
Television: The Office
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Freedom Fries?
French fries. Who doesn't like French fries? I am sitting at The Chelsea (my favorite coffee and French fry spot) reading through a handful of emails and researching possible travel destinations for the upcoming winter months. Although it is the "busy season" in Australia (because it is spring/summer in the northern hemisphere and everyone is planning their summer holidays) and hotel/flight prices are high, there are several "secret" getaways we have learned of since arriving in Brisbane, and we are itching to see everything and anything!
Many smaller coastal towns have great deals during June, July, and August. I am already thinking about Byron Bay again (the Sandals Hotel is running a winter special!). I also have my eye on a resort in Noosa. Brisbane is decent for living, working, and eating, but as far as leisure and adventure activities go, you must travel to the coast!
Conor and I are actually heading to the coast again on Saturday. We are going snorkeling off of another sand island, North Stradbroke. We had such a wonderful time in Moreton, we figure while the water is still warm, let's get back in! Also, the humpback whales have been spotted off the coast and I am dying to see them traveling north.
I spent the last few days at the West End French Twist. We have an opening date in sight for our new store! On May 28 we are scheduled to open our doors (which happen to be located about three doors down from The Chelsea) to the public. I sit at The Chelsea sometimes and stare at the construction workers installing our walls and counters, etc. Maybe it helps them work faster? Probably not. I am really looking forward to full time work. I stopped working in the States on February 10 - it will be nice to have a pay check again.
One of our refrigerators at the West End store was switched off accidentally the other night. The cooler was still turning itself back on when I left work last night and a handful of the staff were instructed to take home all items containing cream or custard. So, I trotted home with a large, cake-size mixed fruit tart, a few custard slices, eclairs, and mousse! Gosh, what a lucky day to be at work! Conor and I enjoyed a sample of each item last night while watching an episode of The West Wing. I had Conor drop the tart off at his office (which is located across the street from my new store) this morning. I figure a little advertising for our new location couldn't hurt.
This Post's Recommendation:
Food: French Fries and Corn Chowder (but not together)
Many smaller coastal towns have great deals during June, July, and August. I am already thinking about Byron Bay again (the Sandals Hotel is running a winter special!). I also have my eye on a resort in Noosa. Brisbane is decent for living, working, and eating, but as far as leisure and adventure activities go, you must travel to the coast!
Conor and I are actually heading to the coast again on Saturday. We are going snorkeling off of another sand island, North Stradbroke. We had such a wonderful time in Moreton, we figure while the water is still warm, let's get back in! Also, the humpback whales have been spotted off the coast and I am dying to see them traveling north.
I spent the last few days at the West End French Twist. We have an opening date in sight for our new store! On May 28 we are scheduled to open our doors (which happen to be located about three doors down from The Chelsea) to the public. I sit at The Chelsea sometimes and stare at the construction workers installing our walls and counters, etc. Maybe it helps them work faster? Probably not. I am really looking forward to full time work. I stopped working in the States on February 10 - it will be nice to have a pay check again.
One of our refrigerators at the West End store was switched off accidentally the other night. The cooler was still turning itself back on when I left work last night and a handful of the staff were instructed to take home all items containing cream or custard. So, I trotted home with a large, cake-size mixed fruit tart, a few custard slices, eclairs, and mousse! Gosh, what a lucky day to be at work! Conor and I enjoyed a sample of each item last night while watching an episode of The West Wing. I had Conor drop the tart off at his office (which is located across the street from my new store) this morning. I figure a little advertising for our new location couldn't hurt.
This Post's Recommendation:
Food: French Fries and Corn Chowder (but not together)
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Sand Islands
For his birthday, Conor's parents sent him a Wild Dolphin gift voucher. The voucher included a boat ride from Redcliffe Jetty to Moreton Island, a snorkeling excursion in the bay, a round of boom-netting, lunch, and a little bit of dolphin and turtle watching.
Conor and I woke up early last Sunday morning and hopped on a train to the coast. (It is ridiculous how inexpensive it is to travel on public transit from the city to the coast - $12 round trip.) We arrived in the small coastal town around 8:30am, downed some eggs and toast, and jumped on the boat! Unfortunately, for the first time in my life, I experienced a touch of nausea while traveling the 27k from the mainland to Moreton Bay...
We did not opt for the underwater camera this trip. Although we might have gotten a few good shots, we were advised by one of the Wild Dolphin crew members to skip the camera purchase this time around. The Queensland Coast has been getting quite a bit of rain this fall (yes, it is fall in Australia - currently a chilly 75 degrees) and the sediment is still settling in the bay. I took this shot of Conor right after he climbed out of the water. You can see a glimpse of the wrecks in the background.
This shot might give a better view of the wrecks (as well as the newer boats anchored in the bay). The ships were actually placed along the bay to provide a barrier between the beach and the strong waves - no, they didn't sink twenty meters from the beach. There are thousands of fish living in the wrecks. We swam along with the schools through the coral-lined metal and steel. I even saw a small shark! He was only a meter or so in length, but still quite spectacular!
After snorkeling we each jumped on the boom net. It was somewhat silly, but a lot of fun. Everyone has probably thought it or done it at one point - why not get towed through the warm, turquoise water by a boat? Shark bait, indeed.
After playing in the water for a couple of hours we spent some time on the island. It was nice to get off of the boat and walk around on solid ground. Conor went for a swim and I lounged on the beach for a while. The weather was awesome and the water was about 75 degrees. It was a great trip (aside from the nausea).
These shots aren't the best (we're both a little windblown in the first one), but they might be my favorite from the trip.
We finished off the day with a walk along the Redcliffe shoreline and a couple ice cream cones. When we arrived back in Brisbane that evening we walked to West End and had a fabulous dinner at Sawadee Ka, a delicious Thai restaurant with probably the best service in Brisbane.
Moreton Bay gets a thumbs up. Next island adventure: North Stradbroke!
Moreton Island is the third largest sand island in the world - North Stradbroke Island in second place and Fraser Island in first. All three of these islands are located along the Queensland Coast. Yes, you guessed it, a sand island is largely or completely made of sand. These islands are known for their beaches and beautiful white sand. In June the humpback whales make their annual trip North. Point Lookout located on North Stradbroke is a very popular whale watching spot - we're looking forward to that trip very much. In fact, we might just drag Jamie and Annie along!
Conor and I woke up early last Sunday morning and hopped on a train to the coast. (It is ridiculous how inexpensive it is to travel on public transit from the city to the coast - $12 round trip.) We arrived in the small coastal town around 8:30am, downed some eggs and toast, and jumped on the boat! Unfortunately, for the first time in my life, I experienced a touch of nausea while traveling the 27k from the mainland to Moreton Bay...
We did not opt for the underwater camera this trip. Although we might have gotten a few good shots, we were advised by one of the Wild Dolphin crew members to skip the camera purchase this time around. The Queensland Coast has been getting quite a bit of rain this fall (yes, it is fall in Australia - currently a chilly 75 degrees) and the sediment is still settling in the bay. I took this shot of Conor right after he climbed out of the water. You can see a glimpse of the wrecks in the background.
This shot might give a better view of the wrecks (as well as the newer boats anchored in the bay). The ships were actually placed along the bay to provide a barrier between the beach and the strong waves - no, they didn't sink twenty meters from the beach. There are thousands of fish living in the wrecks. We swam along with the schools through the coral-lined metal and steel. I even saw a small shark! He was only a meter or so in length, but still quite spectacular!
After snorkeling we each jumped on the boom net. It was somewhat silly, but a lot of fun. Everyone has probably thought it or done it at one point - why not get towed through the warm, turquoise water by a boat? Shark bait, indeed.
After playing in the water for a couple of hours we spent some time on the island. It was nice to get off of the boat and walk around on solid ground. Conor went for a swim and I lounged on the beach for a while. The weather was awesome and the water was about 75 degrees. It was a great trip (aside from the nausea).
These shots aren't the best (we're both a little windblown in the first one), but they might be my favorite from the trip.
We finished off the day with a walk along the Redcliffe shoreline and a couple ice cream cones. When we arrived back in Brisbane that evening we walked to West End and had a fabulous dinner at Sawadee Ka, a delicious Thai restaurant with probably the best service in Brisbane.
Moreton Bay gets a thumbs up. Next island adventure: North Stradbroke!
Moreton Island is the third largest sand island in the world - North Stradbroke Island in second place and Fraser Island in first. All three of these islands are located along the Queensland Coast. Yes, you guessed it, a sand island is largely or completely made of sand. These islands are known for their beaches and beautiful white sand. In June the humpback whales make their annual trip North. Point Lookout located on North Stradbroke is a very popular whale watching spot - we're looking forward to that trip very much. In fact, we might just drag Jamie and Annie along!
She's a Vegetarian...
I have turned into a very poor blogger. My apologies. I suppose exciting things have happened over the past few weeks and there is no reason why I have only posted a few times in the last month. I promise to be better at blogging from this point on.
I became a vegetarian just over two months ago. I suppose I am really just a "semi-vegetarian" or a "pescetarian", as I do eat white fish and salmon on occasion (as well as eggs and dairy). Why did I decide to stop eating meat? Well, to be completely honest, I never really ate much red meat or pork to begin with. I always liked the occasional piece of steak, and I typically prepared poultry a few times a week, but no more than that. Conor hates pork products and as a result I never kept them in the house, let alone prepared them. Giving up meat was something I could do easily. Although that might not be the best reason to do something, it definitely helped inspire me to do further research. I don't want to bore anyone with my thoughts on vegetarianism, but if you have a second, read through the three reasons why I became a vegetarian.
Reason Number One: Ease
Being a vegetarian in today's world is quite simple. There are so many meat alternatives. Don't like tofu (I absolutely love the stuff!)? Look to other "no-meat" items like sausage, minced meat, and veggie/bean burgers as a substitute. Conor's boss is a vegetarian and a few weeks ago she prepared meat-less spare ribs. They were amazing! Their appearance and texture was incredibly similar to meat ribs and they tasted great. It is very easy to find meat-less items in all grocery stores (and you know what, tofu is much cheaper than chicken or steak!)
Reason Number Two: The Environment
The mass consumption (and therefore production) of meat is unsustainable. I would never lash out against anyone who chose to enjoy a nice filet on occasion. My problem is with people who eat meat every day (and in copious amounts). Animal agriculture produces almost 20% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. That's approximately five percent more than the world's transit. (I won't get started on transit, but those of you eating meat for lunch and dinner and driving distances that are easily walkable, should be embarrassed.)
Cows produce a lot of waste. Cows, therefore, produce a large amount of carbon dioxide. Poop is just the beginning though. Think of all the grain, grass, and water required of animal agriculture. The animals are consuming more vegetables (grass) and soy than the average American. Nevermind the amounts of water consumed and used to grow the grain and grass...
Here's a clip from an article in The Independent:
"The 400-page report by the Food and Agricultural Organisation, entitled Livestock's Long Shadow, also surveys the damage done by sheep, chickens, pigs and goats. But in almost every case, the world's 1.5 billion cattle are most to blame. Livestock are responsible for 18 per cent of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming, more than cars, planes and all other forms of transport put together.
Burning fuel to produce fertiliser to grow feed, to produce meat and to transport it - and clearing vegetation for grazing - produces 9 per cent of all emissions of carbon dioxide, the most common greenhouse gas. And their wind and manure emit more than one third of emissions of another, methane, which warms the world 20 times faster than carbon dioxide."
Reason Number Three: Health
If you don't do it for everyone else, do it for yourself. Cutting meat out of your diet even slightly will help improve health. I will keep this last point short and sweet. Some studies show that those who consume a diet of fish and vegetables and even those who consume fish, vegetables, and the occasional piece of meat have a much lower mortality rate than those who have a diet rich in meat. Vegetarians are also less at risk for some forms of cancer and heart disease.
On a side note, in terms of living longer, studies show that meat-eaters and vegans have similar mortality rates. I'm not preaching vegan, don't misunderstand my reasons for vegetarianism. I think it's extreme and unnecessary. If you are vegan for religious or ethical reasons, that's one thing. Aside from that, I think most vegans deny their bodies necessary vitamins and minerals.
Although I have been busy with work and Conor and I have done some traveling, I have been spending my time reading articles from the New York Times (attempting to keep up with current events in the States) and delving further into the environmental effects of eating meat. Since literature is something that has been consuming my time, I thought I should blog about it. Keep reading Tomorrow Mostly Sunny - I promise I will put the soap box away for my next post.
This Post's Recommendation:
Stop buying/drinking bottled water
I became a vegetarian just over two months ago. I suppose I am really just a "semi-vegetarian" or a "pescetarian", as I do eat white fish and salmon on occasion (as well as eggs and dairy). Why did I decide to stop eating meat? Well, to be completely honest, I never really ate much red meat or pork to begin with. I always liked the occasional piece of steak, and I typically prepared poultry a few times a week, but no more than that. Conor hates pork products and as a result I never kept them in the house, let alone prepared them. Giving up meat was something I could do easily. Although that might not be the best reason to do something, it definitely helped inspire me to do further research. I don't want to bore anyone with my thoughts on vegetarianism, but if you have a second, read through the three reasons why I became a vegetarian.
Reason Number One: Ease
Being a vegetarian in today's world is quite simple. There are so many meat alternatives. Don't like tofu (I absolutely love the stuff!)? Look to other "no-meat" items like sausage, minced meat, and veggie/bean burgers as a substitute. Conor's boss is a vegetarian and a few weeks ago she prepared meat-less spare ribs. They were amazing! Their appearance and texture was incredibly similar to meat ribs and they tasted great. It is very easy to find meat-less items in all grocery stores (and you know what, tofu is much cheaper than chicken or steak!)
Reason Number Two: The Environment
The mass consumption (and therefore production) of meat is unsustainable. I would never lash out against anyone who chose to enjoy a nice filet on occasion. My problem is with people who eat meat every day (and in copious amounts). Animal agriculture produces almost 20% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. That's approximately five percent more than the world's transit. (I won't get started on transit, but those of you eating meat for lunch and dinner and driving distances that are easily walkable, should be embarrassed.)
Cows produce a lot of waste. Cows, therefore, produce a large amount of carbon dioxide. Poop is just the beginning though. Think of all the grain, grass, and water required of animal agriculture. The animals are consuming more vegetables (grass) and soy than the average American. Nevermind the amounts of water consumed and used to grow the grain and grass...
Here's a clip from an article in The Independent:
"The 400-page report by the Food and Agricultural Organisation, entitled Livestock's Long Shadow, also surveys the damage done by sheep, chickens, pigs and goats. But in almost every case, the world's 1.5 billion cattle are most to blame. Livestock are responsible for 18 per cent of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming, more than cars, planes and all other forms of transport put together.
Burning fuel to produce fertiliser to grow feed, to produce meat and to transport it - and clearing vegetation for grazing - produces 9 per cent of all emissions of carbon dioxide, the most common greenhouse gas. And their wind and manure emit more than one third of emissions of another, methane, which warms the world 20 times faster than carbon dioxide."
Reason Number Three: Health
If you don't do it for everyone else, do it for yourself. Cutting meat out of your diet even slightly will help improve health. I will keep this last point short and sweet. Some studies show that those who consume a diet of fish and vegetables and even those who consume fish, vegetables, and the occasional piece of meat have a much lower mortality rate than those who have a diet rich in meat. Vegetarians are also less at risk for some forms of cancer and heart disease.
On a side note, in terms of living longer, studies show that meat-eaters and vegans have similar mortality rates. I'm not preaching vegan, don't misunderstand my reasons for vegetarianism. I think it's extreme and unnecessary. If you are vegan for religious or ethical reasons, that's one thing. Aside from that, I think most vegans deny their bodies necessary vitamins and minerals.
Although I have been busy with work and Conor and I have done some traveling, I have been spending my time reading articles from the New York Times (attempting to keep up with current events in the States) and delving further into the environmental effects of eating meat. Since literature is something that has been consuming my time, I thought I should blog about it. Keep reading Tomorrow Mostly Sunny - I promise I will put the soap box away for my next post.
This Post's Recommendation:
Stop buying/drinking bottled water
Sunday, April 26, 2009
ANZAC Day & Kangaroo Point
Please note: Conor prepared blackened salmon, rice, roasted balsamic tomatoes, and steamed vegetables for dinner last Thursday evening. The photo (right) of this fabulous meal was blog-worthy. Delicious! For more photos of our dinner, apartment, and weekend adventures, visit: http://picasaweb.google.com/home
On Saturday, April 25 Australia and New Zealand celebrated ANZAC Day. Similar to Memorial Day or Veterans' Day in the United States, early Saturday morning, Australians set out to honor men and women who fought in battle, especially those who fought 94 years ago on the beaches of Gallipoli. Those men and women were known as ANZACS - their motto, others before self - and thus the name ANZAC Day. Since the holiday fell on a Saturday this year, the Queensland Government decided to commemorate on Saturday. There was a bit of controversy surrounding this decision, however - many Queenslanders were looking forward to another public holiday and additional paid day off.
Conor and I celebrated ANZAC Day by walking the streets of Brisbane in search of an open retailer - most shops were closed for the day though. We spent our morning at the West End market and stocked up on vegetables and home-made pastas. In preparation for our Kangaroo Point BBQ on Sunday, we bought way too much food and now have a refrigerator full of peppers, corn on the cob, and hot dog rolls. I must find a use for all of those rolls...
On Saturday evening we took the CityCat (water ferry) to Bulimba, a suburb of Brisbane located along the Brisbane River. It was a beautiful thirty minute boat ride. We had Mexican for dinner and poked around the shops and restaurants along Oxford Street. It was a great way to end a long day of walking...
On Sunday morning we were up and moving a little later than planned. I made macaroni and cheese, chocolate chip cookies, and cut up peppers and onions for our veggie (and non-veggie) sausage BBQ! Conor made guacamole and we brought along some fresh corn on the cob as well. We met up with a handful of friends around 1:00PM at Kangaroo Point. This particular piece of park is located along the South Bank of the Brisbane River. There is a large cliff (man-made) for rock climbers and picnic tables and gas grills for those who prefer to eat and watch. Kangaroo Point is a thin piece of land between the rock and river. It is an absolutely beautiful place to sit and relax. We ate and played Frisbee (with the help of one very nice kayaker, the Frisbee made it home with us at the end of the day). Conor even brought a rugby ball along and attempted to teach a few of us how to toss it (One Australian commented, "The blind leading the blind.")
It was another fabulous weekend. Next weekend already looks a bit more stressful... Conor and I are dog-sitting for his boss, Miranda. I also have to work the early Saturday shift. We were hoping to head to the coast for some scuba-diving fun, but we might not make it.
It is currently beautiful and sunny in Brisbane. The last 7-10 days have been absolutely perfect weather-wise. Fall in Australia is definitely something I could get used to. I am camped out on the balcony watching the CityCat speed down the river.
This post's recommendations:
Drink: Sangria (with a shot of tequila!)
Television: The West Wing
Activity: Water rugby!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Byron Bay
Oh gosh, it's been weeks since my last post. Quite a bit has happened since then. For starters, I started work. And by started, I mean, I woke up at 4:15am four days in a row last week and walked 25 minutes to work in complete darkness. I learned how to open the store and set up for morning trade. Although the early morning hours may take some getting used to, I think I might enjoy the 5:15/30-2:00pm shift. Once my store opens (once again our opening date has been pushed back yet another week) my commute will only be about four minutes. I might luck out and be able to sleep until 4:45 - that wouldn't be so bad. I also worked a few shifts this past week and am scheduled for a few more next week. Things are looking up and within a couple weeks I might just have a normal work schedule.
To celebrate my first week of work (and most likely my last free weekend for a few months), Conor and I rented a car last Friday and drove two hours south to Byron Bay, New South Wales (NSW). My friend Katie seems to get quite irritated with my Australian state abbreviations. You see, with large cities in the U.S., like Boston, L.A., and Chicago you do not need to specify the state. Although I may not need to specify Queensland (QLD) for the city of Brisbane (but be honest, how many of you knew that Australia was comprised of states? And if you did, what state is Sydney located in?), it is noteworthy to mention that I traveled from one Australian state to another. Let me just name the seven Australian states and their capital cities for you: Queensland (Brisbane), New South Wales (Sydney), South Australia (Adelaide), Tasmania (Hobart), Victoria (Melbourne), Northern Territory (Darwin), Western Australia (Perth). And then there's Canberra located in Australian Capital Territory (A.C.T.) Now you may have just learned something. Maybe?
Anyway, we drove (on the left side of the road) to Byron Bay and spent two days and two nights hanging out on the beach. It was delightful. We hiked along the beach, through the hills, to Australia's most easterly point. You could see the coastline in both directions for miles. We also went kayaking, played trivial pursuit, swam, ate fish and chips and ice cream...it was a great two days! We hope to take Conor's brother Dylan with us to Byron when he comes to visit in a couple months.
We are planning a BBQ for the upcoming weekend. On Sunday afternoon we are getting together on Kangaroo Point with a handful of friends to celebrate ANZAC Day! Australians and their holidays...there's one every other week!
Tomorrow: Sunny and 31 degrees Celsius (87.8 degrees Fahrenheit)
To celebrate my first week of work (and most likely my last free weekend for a few months), Conor and I rented a car last Friday and drove two hours south to Byron Bay, New South Wales (NSW). My friend Katie seems to get quite irritated with my Australian state abbreviations. You see, with large cities in the U.S., like Boston, L.A., and Chicago you do not need to specify the state. Although I may not need to specify Queensland (QLD) for the city of Brisbane (but be honest, how many of you knew that Australia was comprised of states? And if you did, what state is Sydney located in?), it is noteworthy to mention that I traveled from one Australian state to another. Let me just name the seven Australian states and their capital cities for you: Queensland (Brisbane), New South Wales (Sydney), South Australia (Adelaide), Tasmania (Hobart), Victoria (Melbourne), Northern Territory (Darwin), Western Australia (Perth). And then there's Canberra located in Australian Capital Territory (A.C.T.) Now you may have just learned something. Maybe?
Anyway, we drove (on the left side of the road) to Byron Bay and spent two days and two nights hanging out on the beach. It was delightful. We hiked along the beach, through the hills, to Australia's most easterly point. You could see the coastline in both directions for miles. We also went kayaking, played trivial pursuit, swam, ate fish and chips and ice cream...it was a great two days! We hope to take Conor's brother Dylan with us to Byron when he comes to visit in a couple months.
We are planning a BBQ for the upcoming weekend. On Sunday afternoon we are getting together on Kangaroo Point with a handful of friends to celebrate ANZAC Day! Australians and their holidays...there's one every other week!
Tomorrow: Sunny and 31 degrees Celsius (87.8 degrees Fahrenheit)
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Mostly Rain...but for two weeks?
Yes, it's still raining. Actually, it's pouring. Conor and I accumulated four umbrellas during our year and a half in Portland, and oddly enough, not one made the trek to Brisbane. I am hopeful that although it is yet another public holiday today, the supermarket across the street will remain open long enough for me to purchase an umbrella within the next few hours (I refuse to head outside now. I will be drenched within seconds).
I begin work tomorrow. Alright, I started work a couple of weeks ago, but have only worked three shifts, plus a coffee training session, since then. Tomorrow morning, at 5:30am, I report to duty and train with Kahl. I will be learning how to open the store and prepare for weekday, morning trade. 5:30am, I can hardly wait. I am scheduled to work the remainder of the week. I also have three shifts lined up for next week. Things are looking up in the/my financial world. The new store, my store, is set to open on April 27. Hopefully I can hold out for a couple more weeks!
Just over a week ago Conor and I attended a performance of "That Face" at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. It was a fairly good show - Conor liked it quite a bit. We live only a ten minute walk from a handful of theatres and smaller performing art venues. Conor hopes to frequent the theatre in Brisbane. We even thought about becoming members somewhere. How adult. (Luckily, there is an "Under 30" rate for most theatrical performances, but unfortunately, there is not a membership type that reflects this price break.)
Yesterday we headed out to enjoy another form of art, modern art. All of the museums in Brisbane are operated by the government and are free to the public. We toured the Museum of Modern Art for a couple of hours yesterday afternoon. They are currently exhibiting their permanent Chinese artwork with a number of special exhibition pieces. Although neither of us cared greatly for the exhibit, it was nice to wander around the air-conditioned building for free.
We plan to continue this "artsy" weekend trend and attend a free concert next Sunday afternoon at the PowerHouse, a restored power house located just a quick City Cat ride up the river. Every Sunday at 3:30pm the PowerHouse features "Live Spark", a free concert series featuring local artists.
Will we ever make it to the beach again? Maybe one of these weekends. If it ever stops raining that is.
This post's recommendation:
Television: How I Met Your Mother (It's my Monday night favorite/guilty pleasure.)
I begin work tomorrow. Alright, I started work a couple of weeks ago, but have only worked three shifts, plus a coffee training session, since then. Tomorrow morning, at 5:30am, I report to duty and train with Kahl. I will be learning how to open the store and prepare for weekday, morning trade. 5:30am, I can hardly wait. I am scheduled to work the remainder of the week. I also have three shifts lined up for next week. Things are looking up in the/my financial world. The new store, my store, is set to open on April 27. Hopefully I can hold out for a couple more weeks!
Just over a week ago Conor and I attended a performance of "That Face" at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. It was a fairly good show - Conor liked it quite a bit. We live only a ten minute walk from a handful of theatres and smaller performing art venues. Conor hopes to frequent the theatre in Brisbane. We even thought about becoming members somewhere. How adult. (Luckily, there is an "Under 30" rate for most theatrical performances, but unfortunately, there is not a membership type that reflects this price break.)
Yesterday we headed out to enjoy another form of art, modern art. All of the museums in Brisbane are operated by the government and are free to the public. We toured the Museum of Modern Art for a couple of hours yesterday afternoon. They are currently exhibiting their permanent Chinese artwork with a number of special exhibition pieces. Although neither of us cared greatly for the exhibit, it was nice to wander around the air-conditioned building for free.
We plan to continue this "artsy" weekend trend and attend a free concert next Sunday afternoon at the PowerHouse, a restored power house located just a quick City Cat ride up the river. Every Sunday at 3:30pm the PowerHouse features "Live Spark", a free concert series featuring local artists.
Will we ever make it to the beach again? Maybe one of these weekends. If it ever stops raining that is.
This post's recommendation:
Television: How I Met Your Mother (It's my Monday night favorite/guilty pleasure.)
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Bella Ham. Sleepy Glenn.
Above: My sister's cat, my dog, my mother's husband.
I miss Bella and my Dad.
I know it's been a week since my last post. In fact, I think it's been over a week. I'm a little disappointed in the lack of attention my last post received. I kept hoping more people would read the post and comment on their favorite gorilla. Thank you to Caitlin and the Semler family for entertaining my request.
Conor and I are sitting on our balcony. Sipping margaritas. It's Saturday evening, about 9:00pm, and it is pouring. We can see downtown Brisbane through the mist. The ferris wheel on the South Bank is lit up and the AFL stadium lights have been gleaming for hours. It's Easter weekend, the biggest travel weekend of the year! Australians receive nine public holidays a year, in addition to six mandatory weeks of vacation. Typically families head out of town on this four-day weekend to visit relatives or the coast (to soak in the sun and camp near the beach). Despite the lights, the city seems rather quiet. Friday and Monday are both public holidays and most shops closed Thursday, re-opening on Tuesday. Thank goodness our local grocer was open today - I don't think I could stomach pasta noodles or rice with butter for three days straight.
It was a quiet day, and now, a quiet evening. Conor is working on his book. (Yes, he is writing a book.) And I am catching up on some emails and skimming the music in my Rhapsody account. After food shopping today, we made guacamole and baked tortilla chips for an appetizer. There is a home-made veggie pizza in the oven as I type, and I managed to whip together some blonde brownies while Conor was out for a jog earlier this afternoon. We will eat well tonight! I love having a house full of fresh vegetables, good bread, and some eggs and cheese. Chocolate is nice too, of course.
It was a fairly busy week and I will write more tomorrow. Happy Easter, everyone!
This post's recommendations (it's been a while):
Band: Carbon Leaf
Movie: The Boat That Rocked (It was amusing. Not brilliant, but amusing.)
Food: My Mom's Blonde Brownies
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Cadbury
Well, it's been a month. An entire month. I have been living in Brisbane for a month.
I'm a bit more upbeat today. Although I still have yet to get a good night's sleep, I have not seen a cockroach in days. Yes, I was flustered by Geoff Allen's email, but I took his advice, contacted Rent Centre, and received a wonderfully kind reply from the lovely Alexandra in less than twelve hours. Alexandra is sending pest control my way immediately. I am tempted to forward her reply to Geoff (whose name I pronounce Gee-off, not Jeff - what pretentious parents do that to their son?) with a big fat, thanks for nothing!
Conor, on the other hand, has not experienced the same luck in his daily crusades. Unfortunately, he has yet to hear from Brisbane City Council in regard to a letter of concern he submitted on Monday morning (they should be taking this urban planner seriously!). In addition, he had an argument with Comcast over the telephone this morning and in response, filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. The Comcast employee refused to let Conor speak with her supervisor. Imagine that. Stupid cable monopoly. We paid for the NHL package and we will continue to receive it, gosh darn it! Who cares if Australians don't play hockey? Or can't keep ice frozen long enough to learn to skate? Even if we can't transfer our credit and watch the last few Sabres games online, we should at least get a refund, right? $180 for half a season - that doesn't seem fair.
Aside from battling the man, we have been busy playing Settlers of Catan with Adam Vest, watching movies and "new" episodes of Law & Order SVU, and whipping up recipes in the kitchen. We have also been planning a few weekend trips to Noosa and Byron Bay. Although it is still 85 degrees outside, it is technically autumn in Brisbane and as soon as winter hits, hotel and resort rates drop even lower than they are now. I have no problem going on vacation in the dead of winter. In fact, 70 degrees sounds quite lovely right now.
For the first time in a month, it is raining. Well, I suppose that is a bit of an exaggeration. It has sprinkled off and on over the past four weeks, but it is pouring today. Conor woke up to rain at 5:30 this morning and it is still raining now at 3:45 in the afternoon. I ran from the apartment to Conor's office, and over an hour and a half later, I am still soaked.
In all of our t.v. watching, we have found a new favorite advertisement. Since Cadbury chocolate only turns up in the States around Easter time, sharing this video seems appropriate. Cadbury is the Hershey's of the UK and Australia. (But unfortunately, I cannot seem to find those delicious chocolate eggs with the pastel speckled hard candy shell...hmph.)
While I planned to just share the advertisement with you, Conor has suggested I do a little experiment as well. If your first name begins with the letter A-L, watch Video Number 1 first. If your first name begins with the letter M-Z, watch Video Number 2 first.
Check out the videos (in the suggested order!) and then I'll share the controversy.
Video Number 1
Video Number 2
Great, right? Imagine lounging around the house, flipping through the channels, and coming across a pair of monstrous notrils. What on earth is he doing? Wait, he's playing the drums? Who's singing? Oh my God, I LOVE the eighties! Yes, that's the reaction I had. I think it was John Farnham that inspired me to email Geoff in the first place. Okay, that might be a bit extreme.
Well, in 2007 Cadbury released this video in the UK paired with Phil Collin's "In the Air Tonight". The advertising campaign was a huge success in both Australia and the UK. Just a couple weeks ago, Cadbury paired the video with John Farnham's "You're the Voice". Farnham performed at the Bushfire Relief Concert, along with Midnight Oil (one of my and Glenn's personal favorites), Coldplay, and some overrated group known as Kings of Leon. I will admit, "You're the Voice" is quite inspiring and since people are humming the tune anyway, why not pair it with the fabulous video? Right?
Wrong. Apparently quite a few people are upset with Cadbury's new "revived" Australian campaign. The gorilla was great the first time, why mess around and toss Phil aside for John? Anyway, we're curious to see which gorilla you like more. Share your thoughts.
I'm a bit more upbeat today. Although I still have yet to get a good night's sleep, I have not seen a cockroach in days. Yes, I was flustered by Geoff Allen's email, but I took his advice, contacted Rent Centre, and received a wonderfully kind reply from the lovely Alexandra in less than twelve hours. Alexandra is sending pest control my way immediately. I am tempted to forward her reply to Geoff (whose name I pronounce Gee-off, not Jeff - what pretentious parents do that to their son?) with a big fat, thanks for nothing!
Conor, on the other hand, has not experienced the same luck in his daily crusades. Unfortunately, he has yet to hear from Brisbane City Council in regard to a letter of concern he submitted on Monday morning (they should be taking this urban planner seriously!). In addition, he had an argument with Comcast over the telephone this morning and in response, filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. The Comcast employee refused to let Conor speak with her supervisor. Imagine that. Stupid cable monopoly. We paid for the NHL package and we will continue to receive it, gosh darn it! Who cares if Australians don't play hockey? Or can't keep ice frozen long enough to learn to skate? Even if we can't transfer our credit and watch the last few Sabres games online, we should at least get a refund, right? $180 for half a season - that doesn't seem fair.
Aside from battling the man, we have been busy playing Settlers of Catan with Adam Vest, watching movies and "new" episodes of Law & Order SVU, and whipping up recipes in the kitchen. We have also been planning a few weekend trips to Noosa and Byron Bay. Although it is still 85 degrees outside, it is technically autumn in Brisbane and as soon as winter hits, hotel and resort rates drop even lower than they are now. I have no problem going on vacation in the dead of winter. In fact, 70 degrees sounds quite lovely right now.
For the first time in a month, it is raining. Well, I suppose that is a bit of an exaggeration. It has sprinkled off and on over the past four weeks, but it is pouring today. Conor woke up to rain at 5:30 this morning and it is still raining now at 3:45 in the afternoon. I ran from the apartment to Conor's office, and over an hour and a half later, I am still soaked.
In all of our t.v. watching, we have found a new favorite advertisement. Since Cadbury chocolate only turns up in the States around Easter time, sharing this video seems appropriate. Cadbury is the Hershey's of the UK and Australia. (But unfortunately, I cannot seem to find those delicious chocolate eggs with the pastel speckled hard candy shell...hmph.)
While I planned to just share the advertisement with you, Conor has suggested I do a little experiment as well. If your first name begins with the letter A-L, watch Video Number 1 first. If your first name begins with the letter M-Z, watch Video Number 2 first.
Check out the videos (in the suggested order!) and then I'll share the controversy.
Video Number 1
Video Number 2
Great, right? Imagine lounging around the house, flipping through the channels, and coming across a pair of monstrous notrils. What on earth is he doing? Wait, he's playing the drums? Who's singing? Oh my God, I LOVE the eighties! Yes, that's the reaction I had. I think it was John Farnham that inspired me to email Geoff in the first place. Okay, that might be a bit extreme.
Well, in 2007 Cadbury released this video in the UK paired with Phil Collin's "In the Air Tonight". The advertising campaign was a huge success in both Australia and the UK. Just a couple weeks ago, Cadbury paired the video with John Farnham's "You're the Voice". Farnham performed at the Bushfire Relief Concert, along with Midnight Oil (one of my and Glenn's personal favorites), Coldplay, and some overrated group known as Kings of Leon. I will admit, "You're the Voice" is quite inspiring and since people are humming the tune anyway, why not pair it with the fabulous video? Right?
Wrong. Apparently quite a few people are upset with Cadbury's new "revived" Australian campaign. The gorilla was great the first time, why mess around and toss Phil aside for John? Anyway, we're curious to see which gorilla you like more. Share your thoughts.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Pancakes, Not Crepes
I feel quite terrible today. Perhaps I am coming down with something? Due to my current condition, I would like to rewind a bit and be reminded of my fabulous weekend by sharing it with you all. After working a sixteen hour day on Thursday, Conor was definitely ready for a restful weekend. Together we traveled to Three Monkeys and enjoyed a couple cups of coffee on Friday evening. We sat outside under a large tree and observed the neighborhood shops and restaurants prepare for a busy Friday night. The weather was absolutely fabulous. Although it is humid and overcast today (with some thunder and lightning), the weekend weather was just amazing - temperatures in the mid-eighties, sun, and a cool breeze.
After coffee, we walked home and Conor cooked Barramundi for dinner. Yum. Come to think of it, Conor has been cooking dinner quite a bit lately. He made a mushroom cream sauce and served it over pasta last week, and just last night he made a tika marsala with peppers, onions, potatoes, and squash over rice with nan. Tonight is my night to cook, I suppose.
On Saturday we had brunch with Adam Vest, a fellow expatriate. After relaxing for a while, we wandered home and enjoyed the sun and a long walk. After heading into the office for just a bit, Conor and I set back out in search of a quiet place to read and sip more coffee. After hours of reading and writing, we decided to go for a run, but first, the skinless wine shop! I had never been to a skinless (or label-less) wine store before. Apparently Brisbane is home to a few shops that sell award-winning Australian wine for a great price! Due to over production and lack of a label, these bottles can be purchased for 6-7 American dollars. What a steal for good wine! (Do we have these shops in the States?)
After our jog (and a much needed shower), we trotted back out to meet Adam at a jazz bar. Man, what a trip! We managed to find ourselves amidst a wedding party in a tiny restaurant located in the middle of a parking lot (behind a local grocery store). Weird. The wine was tasty and the food was decent. The music, although short-lived (because the bar closed at 10!), was also fairly good. I'm not sure if we will stumble back that way any time soon, but for a last minute thought, it wasn't too shabby.
On Sunday we spent our day at the Queensland Library. The centre hosted a number of free lectures and activities on climate change, sustainable living, alternative transport, etc. Although overall, I would give the lectures 3 out of 5 stars, the concept of the "Ideas" convention was fabulous. What a great resource and location to meet and share ideas with other community members. Conor and I were inspired by the lectures and this morning he composed a letter to the Brisbane City Council in regard to the pedestrian and bicycle footpaths and lanes (or lack thereof) surrounding our apartment building. Man, living in Portland definitely spoiled this pedestrian...but then again, if they can do it, why can't other cities? (The same goes for producing good beer!)
After the lectures we went to the Pancake Manor to cheer on a Canadian friend who was competing in the Pancake Manor's 30th Birthday Pancake Challenge! Mike came in third out of approximately 30 participants. He managed to choke down 12 pancakes, while the second and first place winners ate 13 and 14. The winner, an incredibly thin (and sickly looking) gal, frequents the Pancake Manor, sometimes being seen up to five times a week! Madness. 12 giant pancakes in one hour...gross. I hope Mike's doing okay today.
Today's forecast: Showers and a good chance of migraine - ick
After coffee, we walked home and Conor cooked Barramundi for dinner. Yum. Come to think of it, Conor has been cooking dinner quite a bit lately. He made a mushroom cream sauce and served it over pasta last week, and just last night he made a tika marsala with peppers, onions, potatoes, and squash over rice with nan. Tonight is my night to cook, I suppose.
On Saturday we had brunch with Adam Vest, a fellow expatriate. After relaxing for a while, we wandered home and enjoyed the sun and a long walk. After heading into the office for just a bit, Conor and I set back out in search of a quiet place to read and sip more coffee. After hours of reading and writing, we decided to go for a run, but first, the skinless wine shop! I had never been to a skinless (or label-less) wine store before. Apparently Brisbane is home to a few shops that sell award-winning Australian wine for a great price! Due to over production and lack of a label, these bottles can be purchased for 6-7 American dollars. What a steal for good wine! (Do we have these shops in the States?)
After our jog (and a much needed shower), we trotted back out to meet Adam at a jazz bar. Man, what a trip! We managed to find ourselves amidst a wedding party in a tiny restaurant located in the middle of a parking lot (behind a local grocery store). Weird. The wine was tasty and the food was decent. The music, although short-lived (because the bar closed at 10!), was also fairly good. I'm not sure if we will stumble back that way any time soon, but for a last minute thought, it wasn't too shabby.
On Sunday we spent our day at the Queensland Library. The centre hosted a number of free lectures and activities on climate change, sustainable living, alternative transport, etc. Although overall, I would give the lectures 3 out of 5 stars, the concept of the "Ideas" convention was fabulous. What a great resource and location to meet and share ideas with other community members. Conor and I were inspired by the lectures and this morning he composed a letter to the Brisbane City Council in regard to the pedestrian and bicycle footpaths and lanes (or lack thereof) surrounding our apartment building. Man, living in Portland definitely spoiled this pedestrian...but then again, if they can do it, why can't other cities? (The same goes for producing good beer!)
After the lectures we went to the Pancake Manor to cheer on a Canadian friend who was competing in the Pancake Manor's 30th Birthday Pancake Challenge! Mike came in third out of approximately 30 participants. He managed to choke down 12 pancakes, while the second and first place winners ate 13 and 14. The winner, an incredibly thin (and sickly looking) gal, frequents the Pancake Manor, sometimes being seen up to five times a week! Madness. 12 giant pancakes in one hour...gross. I hope Mike's doing okay today.
Today's forecast: Showers and a good chance of migraine - ick
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Bread
I started work. I have already gained a kilogram or two. The food at French Twist is absolutely delicious. Over the past few days I have engaged in product training. Yes, I got paid to eat for six hours. My "homework" was to take home a variety of breads and pastries and sample them while going over a description sheet. I don't remember homework being so rough. In only two days I have sampled friand, chocolate eclair, divorce, le diplomat, ganache gateau, macaroons, brioche, cheese twist, palmier, jalousi, jesuite, feta and spinach croissant, ciabatta, pain de campagne, pain au noix, pain de Provence, and rye sourdough. Yeah, at least a kilogram or two.
The bad news, aside from the kilograms I need to burn off, is that the store I will be helping open, will not open for another three weeks. In the meantime, I will continue to train and work part-time. I hope Kittelson is in need of my services over the next few weeks. I might die of boredom if I continue to hang around the apartment.
Tomorrow is Friday though and that means only one more day home alone. Although we have decided to lay low this weekend, it will be nice to spend some time with Conor. He has been working quite a bit this week - we haven't even had time to watch Flight of the Conchords together!
We found out just over a week or so ago that Jamie and Annie will be coming to visit us in June. I am incredibly excited to have visitors from the States (although we will have a few other Kittelson employees crashing with us before then). While the two of them are here, we are hoping to head north to the Great Barrier Reef. Conor and I are also planning some travel for the next few months. We hope to not only see a large amount of Australia while we are living in Brisbane, such as Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Canberra, but also plan to travel outside of the country. New Zealand and Tasmania (even though it is technically Australia) are definitely on our list, as well as Thailand and Laos on our return trip to the States. We have heard Fiji is a bit of a hole, but might make the trip anyway. Vanuatu seems to receive better reviews.
We both encourage visitors. Come to Australia! Currently, Qantas offers non-stop flights from LAX for approximately $900 roundtrip. Not too shabby. In June or July, Virgin and Delta will also begin offering non-stop service from LAX. The competition should help reduce the price of flights to Brisbane. Think about it. Fly for fairly cheap. Stay with friends for free. Visit a foreign country. Think about it.
This post's recommendation:
Food: French, duh.
The bad news, aside from the kilograms I need to burn off, is that the store I will be helping open, will not open for another three weeks. In the meantime, I will continue to train and work part-time. I hope Kittelson is in need of my services over the next few weeks. I might die of boredom if I continue to hang around the apartment.
Tomorrow is Friday though and that means only one more day home alone. Although we have decided to lay low this weekend, it will be nice to spend some time with Conor. He has been working quite a bit this week - we haven't even had time to watch Flight of the Conchords together!
We found out just over a week or so ago that Jamie and Annie will be coming to visit us in June. I am incredibly excited to have visitors from the States (although we will have a few other Kittelson employees crashing with us before then). While the two of them are here, we are hoping to head north to the Great Barrier Reef. Conor and I are also planning some travel for the next few months. We hope to not only see a large amount of Australia while we are living in Brisbane, such as Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Canberra, but also plan to travel outside of the country. New Zealand and Tasmania (even though it is technically Australia) are definitely on our list, as well as Thailand and Laos on our return trip to the States. We have heard Fiji is a bit of a hole, but might make the trip anyway. Vanuatu seems to receive better reviews.
We both encourage visitors. Come to Australia! Currently, Qantas offers non-stop flights from LAX for approximately $900 roundtrip. Not too shabby. In June or July, Virgin and Delta will also begin offering non-stop service from LAX. The competition should help reduce the price of flights to Brisbane. Think about it. Fly for fairly cheap. Stay with friends for free. Visit a foreign country. Think about it.
This post's recommendation:
Food: French, duh.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Exercise
Since arriving in Brisbane, I have been pretty good about exercising on a (nearly) daily basis. If I do not get up and spend time in the cardio room downstairs, I probably spend an hour or two traipsing around the city, kilometer after kilometer, sweating my butt off in the 85-90 degree weather. I actually prefer exercising in the air-conditioning and then relaxing outdoors in the sun, rather than running around while my pony tail turns into a mini Afro-puff.Where am I going with all of this, you ask? Well, I cut my workout a bit short this morning. After only half an hour I was having trouble breathing. Now you might be thinking to yourself, what good is all of this exercising if she can't even last thirty minutes on a stationary bike? Well, I was feeling fine. In fact, I felt great! Until my gym partner showed up, that is.
After about fifteen minutes of alone time (I even took my headphones off this morning and pedaled in silence, enjoying the quiet rhythm of the bike), a gentleman in long black basketball shorts, a teal ribbed tank top, a few tribal tattoos, and mesh baseball cap strolled in. I think he was wearing dog tags too, but that might be beside the point. This young guy was wearing more cologne than a thirteen year old boy at his first school dance.
Anyway, when he strolled past me, I think I gasped. Luckily he had his headphones on. After only a short while, I decided to call it a day and head back outdoors, into the fresh air. Before I did though, I stared at the nut running on the treadmill for a bit. He probably thought I was interested in him. Maybe he was thinking, "I'm busy after this, but how about we meet up tomorrow?" Yeah, right. (Who takes themselves seriously in a mesh baseball cap? Nevermind a mesh baseball cap at the gym?) Good grief.
While this whole experience was rather annoying, it is not nearly as weird as the Asian twins who run together around 10am each day. I have only shared the cardio room with them twice, but they are definitely a sight to see. They usually come and go in the time I spend biking. I don't know what they would do if they arrived and found me jogging on one of the two treadmills. It would throw off their entire routine, I am sure of it. I have considered warming up on the bike a little before 10 and then jumping on a treadmill when I see them coming. I bet they would turn around and return later. I don't think I would get any joy out of that. I am still a bit curious though.
Since I didn't last too long on the bike this morning, I decided to meet Conor downtown for lunch and wander around in search of a pair of black shoes (required of my new job). Enter frizzy hair. God bless Conor for taking an hour and a half to visit four different shoe stores with me. He must have been terribly bored at work. I did treat him to a frosty beverage once I had a new pair of Keens in hand. Dansko does not exist in Australia, or at least not more than two boring varieties priced at $150 each - don't bother to search. My new black Mary Janes will work just fine though and I am sure they will keep me from slip-sliding around. They also somehow seem appropriate for my new somber French attire.
Yes, I know the sunglasses in these photos are ridiculous. I wish I had a shot of Conor wearing his new shades. Unfortunately, we were both without sunglasses this past weekend at the beach and needed a pair desperately. After searching the boutiques for about 20 minutes we found a sale rack with shades for $6. Bingo! Yes, they are HUGE. Conor's are sleek and very Matrix. But $6? What a steal.
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