The bare necessities and then some......

6 days too long ....

2012-01-26T11:33:00.001+11:00

It is a public holiday here today and have plenty to do. Instead, am watching old movies and basically doing nothing while BF is out playing golf.

Well - I lied, am doing research on places to stay in San Diego and have just booked our luggage storage at LAX after our skiing trip at Whistler.

6 days more ...6 days more ....till I am back to white paradise.

Things I see ...

2012-01-22T22:46:00.001+11:00

I always had an admiration for things that are quirky - which could explain why I prefer hanging out at places on Brunswick Street or Abbotsford/Fitzroy etc rather than Prahran or St Kilda.

This interesting poster caught my eye at Carlton - was even tempted to try peeling it out of it wasn't for the fact that it was glued on!

Perhaps next time. :)

Friday night

2012-01-20T21:29:00.002+11:00

"Nothing wrong with staying in on a Friday night. "

Travel essentials 101

2012-01-16T06:43:00.000+11:00

Off I go again after a few weeks of inactivity. An interstate trip to Sydney - no biggee - it's more like a bus ride these past few yrs heading there compared to say when I was still based in KL and it was ' oh so exotic'

It's funny how jaded one can get over the yrs.

Sunday stories

2012-01-15T15:23:00.000+11:00

T'was a lovely brunch at a new pseudo Australian/Thai cafe in Carlton introduced by a mate.

So over some interesting collection of food ( we had a pork belly basil stir fry dish, spicy apple salad, some crab meat mixed curry dish and some sweet roti ), I ended the meal with a refreshing chrysanthemum tea to cleanse the palate.

Love the aesthetic of the drink.

The company simply added to the relaxed Sunday arvo.

Love hearts

2012-01-09T07:55:00.000+11:00

So it is the first day back to work for me after 2.5 weeks off. The lie-in's and relaxation time was great and so was being able to catch up with friends.

Well, the morning routine started with making breaky for BF and as I was chopping up the strawberries - the shapes were gorgeous and I couldn't resist taking a quick snap.

New Year resolution - final post

2012-01-08T21:28:00.000+11:00

Sounds about right ....

New Year resolution #4

2012-01-05T16:05:00.000+11:00

Eat and drink healthily. Cut out toxic stuff from the body. Health starts from within.

New Year resolution #3

2012-01-04T11:13:00.000+11:00

Travel less.

2011 was a lovely and as always, we did quite a few trips.

**Vanuatu, Canada (Whistler, Vancouver), NYC, England, Madrid, Singapore, Fiji and not forgetting the short trip back home to visit the folks and all the work trips around Australia and NZ.**

However, there are always more adventures to experience, more places to see and as long as there is this wanderlust feeling, setting roots down never is an option hence the resolution.

New Year resolution #2

2012-01-03T22:15:00.001+11:00

Go easy on the sweet stuff.

New Year resolution #1

2012-01-02T16:25:00.001+11:00

Drink less coffee, start looking after oneself.

Brand chirper start - hey, it's 2012!

2012-01-01T10:34:00.000+11:00

Out with the old, in with the New.

Ushered in 2012 by enjoying the array of fireworks let off in the CBD - we had a spot behind Fed Square so it wasn't as packed as being on Fed Square or the Art Centre itself but if was good enough.

Like most things, getting home was delayed even with the free public transport till 6am - for some reason the powers that be decided to shut down all train stations in the city - so no loop access and only ones open were Flinders Station and Southern Cross (Spencer Street). So imagine the bottleneck created by commuters wanting to head home after the show.

We opted to grab a cuppa or two before heading home so it was around 3am that we reached home, via a slight detour at a mates.

All in all, not to shabby. We did have plenty of food and schnapps at the Haufbrahaus before hand so we were well sated belly wise.

At the end of the day, Happy New Year!

2012 will be a year for self improvement, just as 2011 had been the year for self enlightenment.

Resolution post to come. x

Little things perks my day ...

2011-12-28T13:49:00.001+11:00

I do so like having fresh flowers in the house ...

White Christmas - somewhat

2011-12-26T12:38:00.001+11:00

Living in the southern hemisphere means hot year ends and colder mid years.

This year however - we did have a white Christmas of sorts.

Pic taken yday at around 330pm.

What a Christmas Day!!

2011-12-26T12:34:00.000+11:00

Christmas Day 2011 definitely created a storm especially here in the North East suburbs. We were fortunate enough to be 'bypassed' by the eye of the storm ( as it always done for some reason ) but the other neighboring suburbs were hit with major storm damage which includes hail stones as big as golf / cricket balls.

'tis the season

2011-12-15T00:20:00.001+11:00

Have finally put up our Christmas tree last weekend. Opted for a more muted tone this yr - silver, bronze and blue as opposed to last yrs gold and red.

No presents yet. BF already has his opened and since we are Kris Kringle'ing presents for friends, the tree would most probably be rather empty for a bit.

Love my twinkly lights tho.

Only in Melbourne ...

2011-12-10T14:03:00.001+11:00

Do we see old and new going side by side. How quaint is this??? :)

Another week - another airport

2011-12-09T00:39:00.000+11:00

In Perth, WA this week. Taking the midnight flight back home that sees me land in Melbourne at 605am.

At least I get to spend the weekend back home at least.

Happy birthday to me!! (slightly overdue)

2011-12-04T16:11:00.001+11:00

Oh wow! What an awesome birthday it was. Lots of fun, food, laughter, table top dancing and lots of Drinks!!! Started and ended the night with these -(and we had quite a few in between as well).

Aftermath - for me - lack of sleep but otherwise raring to go. For the rest - hangover baby!!

It is a lonely life being on the road. ...

2011-11-30T19:56:00.001+11:00

Another day, another flight.

Beautiful Australia pt2

2011-11-28T20:06:00.001+11:00

Like my last work related trip, I am fortunate that I get to see quite a bit of Oz.

This weeks travel has taken me up to the Central Coast, NSW. 2 hours drive from Sydney up the Pacific Highway heading toward Newcastle and I am now here at The Entrance, NSW.

My hotel room faces the beach and am listening to the lull of sea waves as it hits the rocks.

Lovely :)

Kitchen stories - Dried fried chicken (varuvel) and lentil curry

2011-11-24T18:57:00.001+11:00

It has been a while since I last put up an update of my kitchen escapades.

So what came out of my kitchen this week? Felt like having some home cooked food like my mum makes.

I didn't have a few spices and forgot to add in a couple of others until it was done but all in all, it wasn't too bad :)

Think BF still prefers the curry version tho.

Happy birthday BF !!

2011-11-20T00:05:00.000+11:00

Good friends, good food, good fun.

Weekend fun activities.

2011-11-14T10:19:00.003+11:00

The weather was too good on Sat for us to not take advantage off. So what do we do, strawberry picking!

We headed down to the nearest farm to us which turns out to be in Keilor. 1/2 hr later and we are picking and dipping (as BF says, 1 for the basket, 2 for me). Bonus was - it is also the only organic strawberry farm in VIC so we def were eating healthy.

Lovely fresh picked sun kissed warm strawberries... Mmmm...

Back home to Melbourne - and... Guess what I brought back with me?

2011-11-09T19:51:00.001+11:00

There has to be something I do to bring the stormy weather wherever I go. After the massive thunderstorm experienced in Sydney yday, guess what greets me after a few hrs back home today ??

Pic taken from my coz who lives in a high rise apt in Prahran.

Drowning Sydney

2011-11-09T07:14:00.002+11:00

Like drowning rats, Sydneysiders were scurrying all over the place trying to keep dry - most not very successfully.

It doesn't help either that Sydney CBD is geographically very 'hilly' with ups and downs in numerous areas thus making the torrent of water rushing down in large pools esp near pedestrian crossings.

The aftermath? Blackouts to around 20000 households, downed traffic lights with a stop on rail and flight services 16mm falling in 10mins.

Sydney at night

2011-11-08T20:21:00.001+11:00

I figured I'll finish up today's blog entry by snapping Darling Harbour from my hotel room.

Wet Sydney

2011-11-08T17:34:00.001+11:00

Raining cats and dogs here now. Melbourne weather has hit!! Although it looks closer to KL rain by the torrent of water coming down.

Work trip - Sydney, NSW (again)

2011-11-08T07:41:00.001+11:00

It is a tad gloomy here in Sydney today .... But isn't this a gorgeous view to wake up to every morning.

Long weekend getaway - Fiji

2011-11-01T08:54:00.000+11:00

It has been a fantastic weekend. Since it is a public holiday today, BF decided to take advantage and have a mini break thus turning the 1 day break to a long weekend.

So on Friday, he drives us to the airport and announces that we are heading to Fiji! So all the complaining of early morning flights went out the window when one gets lovely surprises as these.

The flight itself was fairly uneventful. We were on and indirect route via Brisbane before heading to Nadi and when we reached Nadi. There was a taxi pickup and after a 1/2 hr drive, we arrived at the Westin Hotel & Spa Fiji on Denarau island.

As it was a short trip, there wasn't much planned except to relax (and eat). I checked the weather beforehand and it was reported to have thunderstorms and showers for the duration of the stay but there was not a dark cloud in the sky for the whole length of stay! Imagine waking up to waves hitting the beach and friendly cheers of 'Bula' from locals and tourist alike. I am not going to lie - I was a tourist true and true on this trip. I didn't venture out of Denarau, being quite content in staying there and just exploring the other resorts and facilities. ( Westin is under the Starwood Group so we could walk to the adjoining Sheraton Hotel and Sheraton Villas, use their facilities and beaches and just charge all back to our room!)

So after 4 fab days of doing nothing, am blogging from Nadi International Airport. Recharged, revived and rejuvenated. Am already considering heading to Fiji again ( different island next time) - or to Cook Islands. Hey, who knows?

View from our hotel balcony :)

Cooking stories - Apple custard tartlet

2011-10-09T16:21:00.000+11:00

Wanted to try something different this week. The original plan was for strawberry tarts but since I didn't have enough punnets and I opted for apple tartlets with custard seeing that I had bag of Red Delicious in the fridge.

Result - a fresh take to fruit tarts with apples and custard and a hint of cinnamon :)

I love spring

2011-10-02T22:12:00.001+11:00

Blue sunny skies, crisp breeze, blooming flowers.

Anniversarie part deux

2011-09-23T11:57:00.001+10:00

Can't believe it has been 2 years since we got registered. (Traditional wedding ceremony coming up in 2 weeks).

How time flies. It doesn't and hasn't felt like 2 yrs.

Just proves a point that time indeed does fly when you are having fun.

Brisbane from the air..

2011-09-09T10:50:00.003+10:00

One of the perks of constant work travel is getting to see new things.
Always love my bird eye view of cities esp when you are flying in our flying out.

Here are a few of Brisbane - after the massive floods that hit this beautiful city this yr.

Kitchen stories Chewy raisin and oat biscuits

2011-09-07T09:36:00.002+10:00

Been into a bit of baking recently - just to kill time as well as it is a lot more satisfying that getting things from the store! So BF found me the recipe and I thought " Why Not".

Ingredients
1 cup raisins (I used sultanas)
1 cup cornflakes (I used Crunchy Nut)
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup self-raising flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 egg

Method
Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced.
Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Combine raisins, cornflakes, oats, flours and sugar in a bowl.
Whisk oil, egg and 1/4 cup cold water together in a jug.
Stir into mixture.

Roll 2 tablespoons of mixture at a time into balls.
Place balls, 3cm apart, on prepared tray.
Flatten slightly.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden.
Cool on tray. Serve.

Recipe courtesy of Taste.com.au

First round in the oven - this is what is left

Baking...

Another view of baking...

Baked!!!

Melbourne Night Out

2011-09-05T09:14:00.000+10:00

A bit behind on publishing some of my blog entries but no matter, it is not like anyone reads this anyways..!

Being in a relationship has its pros and cons, and one of the cons is being so "content" and not really needing to "pick up" any longer *hey, lets be honest here - we tend to go out to check out the meat market, when you are no longer in the scene, it just feels like a bum deal coz you can watch but cant touch!* - lol..

Anyways, I digress.
On 1 of the Saturday nights that we did decide to slap on some war paint and head out, it was to the European Bier Cafe on Collins. Nice selection of European beers off the tap and bottle of course - brought me back to being back in Belgium 2 years ago.

Food wise - it was ok, typical pub grub with some Australian flair - I stuck to the Caesar salad hence no pics but decided to take pics of some of the others instead.

Chicken parma and chips.

Pork chop with crackle - the crackle looked too thick.

Not being a beer drinker, I opted for a strawberry and lime cider :)

And finished it off with a round of squashed frogs shooters- they barmaid really was hopeless at mixing a cocktail tho - a proper squashed frog shooter is suppose to be nicely layered but these came out DEAD! Oh well, still tasted ok tho.

European Bier Cafe -120 Exhibition Street Melbourne VIC 3000

To top the night off, it was to Max Brenner for coffee/mocha and dessert.

Max Brenner Melbourne Central Shop - OE5, Menzies Alley, Melbourne Central Shopping Centre 300 La Trobe Street Melbourne VIC 3000

Falls Creek, VIC

2011-08-28T22:01:00.001+10:00

It was a shame really. After a 5 hr drive and with a sense of wanting to taste a bit of snow on the boards, what we got - nothing.

Falls Creek is the only Australian ski resort to boast ski-in ski-out but unfortunately due to the unseasonably warm August (plus heavy rain the week before) all the snow had melted and it was either patchy snow, icy areas or both.

A weekend wasted - could not justify paying another $106 for the daily tix (we had already paid $70 for resort entry, got Alpine fuel and 2 days accommodation).

Thankfully we are heading to Whistler, BC next yr.

View of the only snow on the mountain top. This time last yr - there was snow cover all the way to the mountain valley!

Random thoughts

2011-08-24T09:56:00.002+10:00

I get annoyed at times that I don't really have a definite theme to my blog. Is this suppose to be a travel blog? Or foodie blog? Work related - or cooking perhaps? Pure randomness it is... nonsense stuff that comes to my head at a whim and goes as quickly as it does really. Gee whiz, no wonder I get confused!

Sometimes I have to remember to -

2011-08-08T09:23:00.002+10:00

Blooming in the garden

2011-08-05T22:14:00.000+10:00

Gosh - where has winter gone? It was 21' for the past two days and even the bulbs are getting things wrong. Daffodils blooming in August? So wrong.

Beautiful Australia

2011-07-27T20:39:00.002+10:00

I must say, Australia has some of the best landscapes I have seen ......

And how did you spend your Sat night?

2011-07-23T22:57:00.001+10:00

You have to simply love a nice relaxed Saturday - esp when you are not the one cooking and washing up * heheh*

Nature and artwork

2011-07-19T21:24:00.000+10:00

I must admit - one of the things I like about living abroad is the being able to appreciate small things that you tend to overlook in any other time.

I love simply walking around and bumping into things, finding a lil cafe hidden in an alcove, or finding some gorgeous art work that would be considered graffiti.

Just could not resist taking a snap of this on one of my weekend jaunts.

Sinful Sunday

2011-07-17T15:05:00.001+10:00

Not in the physical side of things - unless one counts calories as being physical. But, don't they look lovely???

Angry Birds!!!

2011-07-16T23:18:00.001+10:00

You have to simply  it when pop culture becomes an icon.

A picture says a thousand words...

2011-07-10T20:04:00.000+10:00

Darebin Creek

2011-06-26T21:37:00.000+10:00

It was such a lovely Sunday, the sun was shining, the birds were chirping - essentially a perfect Sunday afternoon.

After a lovely brunch with 'Mr.Paddington', we decided to walk down to the end of the street of our favorite brunch place and just do a bit of exploring down Darebin Creek.

Seriously, nothing beats a gorgeous Melbourne sunny winter day.

Ash cloud = cancelled flight

2011-06-22T08:00:00.001+10:00

Who would have imagined a volcanic eruption continents away will affect and disrupt flights in Australia?

The volcanic eruptions in South America and the ash clouds has been creating havoc on air travel here, all flights out of Melbourne has been cancelled from mid day yday. I am suppose to be on my flight today (Mel-Syd) and then taking a subsequent flight later today to Tamworth but as am stuck in Melbourne, it is actually a welcomed respite from the heavy traveling.

Chicken soup for the soul.

2011-06-19T14:44:00.000+10:00

When I am sick and can't stand to eat anything solid, all I want I is soup.

Made some chicken and corn soup so at least I get some nutrition in me.

Lovely surprises ..

2011-06-17T21:47:00.000+10:00

Anyone who knows me personally know that I have been having a very busy time at work. With constant travel/living out of the suitcase over the past 9 week and feeling under the weather - coming back for the weekend was a relief!

Imagine my surprise when I find BF bought me flowers as a lil pick me up.

xoxo

Welcome to 'sunny' Coffs Harbour!

2011-06-14T10:42:00.001+10:00

Delayed flight all around - oh well. The joys of work related travel. Walking in the rain from tarmac to terminal definitely brought no joy.

Another day, another flight

2011-06-14T08:09:00.000+10:00

It was great having a 3 day weekend, however - waking up at 430am, cab arriving at 530am to catch the 630am flight to Sydney and then the 820am flight to Coffs really isn't that appealing.

*sigh*

Little things ...

2011-06-13T16:45:00.000+10:00

Sometimes, something as simple as scented candles just lifts the spirit.

Saturday Roast Fever!

2011-06-11T17:44:00.000+10:00

Just some of the trimmings to go with tonight's dinner - the roast is in the oven! xoxo

Sometimes I feel like I live at the airport

2011-06-10T18:32:00.001+10:00

2nd flight back home today - Syd/Mel leg after the COF/Syd leg.

Thank God it's a long weekend.

Some of the perks of travel. yum

2011-06-09T21:10:00.001+10:00

Am testing out blogging from the mobile - hey, it might mean I'll start blogging more often!

I miss....

2011-06-05T10:49:00.003+10:00

Madrid, Spain - all pics (and rights) taken by yours truly - March 2011

Living in your own lil head

2011-06-05T10:13:00.002+10:00

Watching this program on Foxtel called "A Place in the Sun Down Under" and the episode is featuring Melbourne. Interesting really - coz one of the many phrases the host said was everyone dreams of moving to Australia... but then again, this is a UK show on Lifestyle Home.

It is the term - everyone dreams of moving that got me thinking. Does everyone really dream of living someplace else?

Neglect

2011-05-22T10:38:00.004+10:00

So it has been a hiatus from the blogging world for a bit lately.

With the constant work travels and new project, I find myself neglecting friendships and myself for that matter. Have emails to reply, bill to pay, books and magazines galore to read, errands the list goes on and on. It will be a few weeks yet till things simmers down - closer to Aug rather than July but *hey*, sh*t happens.

Note to self - don't lose oneself to neglect.

Small things that make me happy...

2011-05-08T09:17:00.000+10:00

A good cup of coffee ....

Off to the "Mighty West"

2011-04-28T07:04:00.000+10:00

Yes, you heard this right - am off to Perth for a mates wedding - flying off in a coupla hours and as always - I have not started packing!!! Oh well .. as always - procrastinating me...

Where I have been.. so far....

2011-04-21T09:25:00.003+10:00

Plenty of places left to explore....stopovers don't count!

Create your own travel map or travel blog

Top vacation rentals at TripAdvisor

Sydney, NSW - Mamak!!

2011-04-14T07:05:00.003+10:00

Have been in Sydney for the past few days *work trip naturally* and to satisfy the cravings of some local cravings at Mamak. Some of the items on our menu - Sambal kangkung, Mee goreng, satay ayam

And for dessert - roti bom!

We also ordered 2 X teh o'ais limau and ayam goreng.

The things we do when we miss good local food....

Whistler, BC

2011-04-10T15:26:00.002+10:00

To continue on from where I left off, Whistler was absolutely AMAZING! So amazing in fact that we've booked our flights for next yr! But I digress..... back to my original blog entry. The intention was to snowboard, and snowboard we did - all 6 days off it. To be honest though,even after 8 days, we really didn't want to leave. The snow was that good. Whistler ski resort itself is made up of 2 mountains - Whistler and Blackcomb. As such, one could spend exploring over 8000+ acres of terrain, parks etc and 200 marked trails from beginner to advanced. Facilities wise, it was good. Having boarded o/s before - it was impressive with amenities and entertainment close at hand.

I met Mario! There is a run named after Nintendo and "Mario", while skiing down the run kept on going "Where is Luigi!" - so funny.

It started snowing every night after day 2 - a little bit of snowball fight was definitely on the list.

Vancouver hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics so there was still a lot of its memorabilia around the place.

Taking a breather over food and drinks (and watching the English Premier League match at the same time)

At the Peak 2 Peak gondola baby!

Still getting a feel to boarding. Watching little rugrats just zooming past you on a blackrun makes you feel so small sometimes...

More to come....

Question....

2011-04-08T10:13:00.000+10:00

Is there such a thing as post-holiday depression?

Random

2011-03-31T07:30:00.002+11:00

Funny.. You know how most blogs seem to have a theme of some type? Camwhoring, Food blog etc? Mine doesn't really have a theme now does it? Interesting....

An off away we go...

2011-03-29T15:47:00.007+11:00

It has been close to a month since my last blog update and I do admit, I had WIFI access but blogging on an iPad is nearly close to impossible! Furthermore, it was pretty much go-go-go all the way so the last thing on my mind was blogging. Alas - reality hits and am back to the reality. 2nd day back to work and it is as if I have never left on a near 5 week break. Where did I go? Well, it was an awesome trip that took me across 3 continents and 6 countries. Destination 1 - Vancouver via LA.

The actual destination itself was Whistler, BC. Reason - snow activities i.e snowboarding. Problem was, as we landed in YVR - we heard our names paged on the intercom and was informed that even though we made it on flight, our baggage didn't! It was stopped in LAX by the TSA for random checks and was coming on a later flight which arrives at 5pm. It was 130pm. Thing was, as we were heading to Whistler - the next trip up to Whistler was at midnight - and with no spare warmer clothes, we were sooo screwed. But persevered we did and arrived at Whistler at 5 pm (caught the 230 bus up) and after a quick bite, waited for our bags and our adventures began.

We snagged ourselves some upgrades which meant we ditched cattle class and went slightly up-market to Premium Economy. It was simply a blast flying on Premium Economy with Qantas (this is not a paid post btw); you sit on the UPPER DECK of the A380 - *score*. The cherry on top of the cake was that we had the exit row seats which meant - plenty of leg room and the ease of roaming around without interrupting anyone :)

I could get used to this - and the flight starts with free beer/bubbly! We even got mistaken as newlyweds :))

View of LA as we head into LAX before rushing to catch the next leg to Vancouver (YVR)

People on the upper deck get away with heaps! We took the opportunity to walk down to Economy ~ I've always wanted to walk up onto the upper decks but on these A380's - the airports actually have their walkways set so that it brings you directly upstairs...

Flight path - nearly there - well, somewhat - 14 hr flight - and at this point we had 6 hrs 50 mins left. There is only as much movies and reading one can do before you start getting bored.

On our Air Alaska flight to YVR. Isnt that such a gorgeous view from above?

And fast forwarding to Day 1 - taking 1 of the gondola's up Whistler :)

And.. I am back!

2011-03-27T21:13:00.000+11:00

4 1/2 weeks, 6 countries - and I am back "home".

Home, after all is where my bags are in my mind.

Still rather sleepy after no sleep on flight on the Sin-Mel leg last night having me arriving at 7am today.

Had a bit of a kip so am not feeling all that bad. Just hoping I do get more sleep after this so I don't get hit with the jet lag.

Updates and pics to come soon!

OMG!

2011-02-21T19:51:00.000+11:00

OMG! I am leaving in 40 hours! I havent even started packing yet!!

Travel Wish List..

2011-02-07T14:32:00.000+11:00

So....
Was thinking of places I want to visit - not necessarily soon but definitely before I die.

Pretty sure the list will be never ending but at first thoughts - the top 3 are:

Sao Paolo, Brazil
Las Vegas, USA
Marrakesh, Morocco

Where would you want to visit if money wasn't an issue?

Hot Melbourne

2011-01-31T06:04:00.001+11:00

What do you do when the weather turns red hot?

Put on the barbeque and have a nice cold cider/beer.

And how did you spend the Australia Day break?

2011-01-27T05:43:00.005+11:00

Mine was at the Australian Open 2011 watching the men's quarterfinals (Novak Djokovic def Tomas Berdych in 3 sets) courtesy of a good friend who had 4 corporate tickets.

Aren't I a lucky girl?

Playing tourist VIC - Docklands

2011-01-25T06:13:00.000+11:00

One of the advantages of my work is being able to see or go to places that sometimes you just don't get too much of a chance for.

Now ... I know that Docklands is in the CBD but how often do you get to get these views while you are at work? Too bad that it was for a few days but it was still a refreshing change.

My perfect Sunday

2011-01-23T15:52:00.003+11:00

A good Sunday does not have to be filled with activities and drama.
A good Sunday could simply be berry picking followed by brunch and Sunday papers.

*ah bliss*

Forgot to take my camera so pics taken with my camera phone.

Mirebella's Book Club - Jan

2011-01-22T09:53:00.006+11:00

One of the things I told myself I'll do this year is start reading a bit more (which reminds me, I've yet to do a new yr resolution post). Setting aside some time with a good book and a latte and a happy bunny I am.

I even joined the library, saving me spending $16 - $30 a pop and reducing clutter space at home too - a win win situation overall.

I've finished reading 2 books and am on my 3rd. Not bad I think.

I've read -
1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Laarson (everyone has read this one I think)
2. Robert Ludlum ~The Bourne Legacy - Eric Van Lustbader

Currently reading

3. The Captive Queen - Alison Weir

Usually we have a type of genre of books of choice, I pretty much read anything :)

Weekend is nearly here!

2011-01-21T11:24:00.001+11:00

It is a FRIDAY! Yippee yipee ai ay!

Little things...

2011-01-18T06:55:00.005+11:00

What do you do when your flight home is delayed and you have time to burn?

At the Qantas lounge while waiting for my flight which was delayed by 6 hrs.

Taking a breather with a coffee smoothie at the Cafe Vulcan.

Playing tourist VIC - Graffiti

2011-01-17T06:38:00.000+11:00

Art or menace - ??

I have always liked and admired graffiti around Melbourne -not all mind you, just the ones with the artistic flair and if I have my camera with me, it is snap snap snap away much to the amusement and sometimes exasperation of BF.

Yes, I know that the Melbourne City Council think that graffiti is a nuisance and an eyesore but it does add character to an otherwise "blah wall". Each to their own I guess.

These ones were taken around Fitzroy after a nice catchup with some mates who were visiting from Sydney.

Talking fish...

AAAGGGHH *scary growl*

Hmmm....

Auckland - Land of Sails First Impressions..

2011-01-15T18:30:00.006+11:00

At the lounge waiting for my flight back home. My flight was delayed to Sunday 1am departure and I am not in the mood for duty-free shopping nor any shopping full stop so have parked myself in and figured blogging for a bit would be a no brainer .

Anyways - just a short jot for now anyways.

All pics taken on between 730 - 930pm.
Yes - it was THAT quiet...

What do you do when on a worktrip?

2011-01-12T04:49:00.003+11:00

The problem about work trips is that you are so busy meeting deadlines and time lines that by time you get back to the hotel, all you want to do is is order room service and relax.

Have not done any walking around the CBD even though I am smack in the middle of it (the Auckland skytower is a mere few mins away). Will have to drag my sorry ass out today and do a bit of snapping of pics I reckon.

Work Trip - Auckland, NZ

2011-01-11T05:18:00.003+11:00

I am now in Auckland, NZ - work trip, not pleasure. Will be here for a week and even managed to get a later flight back on Sat so at least it gives me a day of sight seeing before heading back home.

Still unsure whether I want to do a bridge bungy jump.....

Playing tourist VIC - Berry picking.

2011-01-10T06:11:00.006+11:00

One of the things that I have decided to do this yr (which reminds me, I still haven't blogged about my resolutions!) is to start enjoying the lil things in life - and hopefully with less pain to the hip pocket as well! This of course includes doing things around Victoria. Don't get me wrong - "travel without the passport is not travel" is still my motto but doing this around does keep things interesting.

BF has been going on and on about berry picking for yonks and seeing that it was in season and the weather was kind to us yday (a nice 19' as opposed to the massive 35' on Sat!), we took a drive up to the Dandenong Ranges for a bout of berry picking! Yes, very domesticated but sometimes it is all about the lil things.

There are actually a few farms up the Silvan area that caters for "U-pick" but after a bit of research, we opted to go to Blue Hills Berries and Cherries as it had blackberries in season. Some of the other places had raspberries, blueberries and strawberries but if BF wants blackberries, blackberries it is!

The road trip itself took us around 1 hr from where we lived - not a biggee really even if our trusty Garmin ran out of juice 15 mins away from our destination and stuck someplace near Ringwood. Never fear, that's when the trusty 3G capable phone and Google maps came in handy *phew*.

To cut the whole story short, berry picking is great fun! Have of the appeal is being able to pick and eat immediately and nothing beats a self-picked fruit. Am even considering going again in a few weeks...

Road trip drive to Silvan

Yummy blackberries!

Yes, I picked those.. don't they look good?

Hunting for the best strawberries..

Our final haul - all 2.5kg's of strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and some boysenberries...

2010 Recap

2011-01-05T07:08:00.000+11:00

2010 was really rather uneventful after the flurry of events that was 2009. Most of my trips were generally for work and even that, I didnt blog about half the trips as I wasnt really into blogging. Oh well, I am striving to change things this yr and start really recording things.

In summary

1 trip to Malaysia and Bali for a wedding and a quick getaway.
1 trip to Vanuatu spanning 2010/2011 to usher the new yr (which didn't quite happen).
Multiple work trips
Lots of ppl having babies (but not me - and not on the plans yet either)
2 job interviews within the organisation, 1 rejection - 1 offer, 1 acceptance.
Friendships lost, friendships built, friendships retained.
1 year of marriage, 1 year of marital bliss (albeit some arguments).

I am truly blessed.

Sun, sea and surf...

2011-01-04T10:03:00.002+11:00

New Years eve was spent being sick after getting drunk by noon after 1/2 bottle of limoncello and 3 straight shooters of absinthe.

Is this a sign of how 2011 will be?

Happy New Year 2011

2011-01-03T09:49:00.001+11:00

Albeit a tad belated but have just got back from an island holiday.

New Year resolution post and recap to come but for now, here's to happiness, joy and lasting friendships. x

From my kitchen .. Fruit mince pie pt 11

2010-12-26T06:20:00.000+11:00

Well, this is the continuation from my kitchen escapades and making fruit pies from scratch.

I did not take too many pics of making the dough as I don't have a food processor at home hence it was a lot of hard work to kneed it to the correct consistency.

In short though, it was quite fun (and I made a lot of mess!)..

Things required for pastry - 4 cups plain flour, white sugar to sprinkle, 2 egg yolks, 1/2 cup icing sugar mix, 300 g chilled butter (chopped)

Place flour, icing sugar and butter and and process until it starts looking like bread crumbs. You then add in the egg yolks, a few drops of water until the dough starts coming together.

Roll dough on non stick baking paper and flour. Cut pastry into round disc and place on pan, prick base with fork.

(My first attempt of pastry -made it wayyy too thick so all it tasted was pastry - attempt FAIL)

I didn't have a pastry cutter so used a 1 cup measuring cup instead ;)

Top with mince filling from Pt 1, I didn't top the pies with pastry disc, instead opting for lines (less work). Sprinkle with white sugar and place in a preheated 180' oven for 30-35 mins.

Ok - this is the finished product. I must say, I quite liked it even though I did leave it in the oven for a bit longer. I will take it out after 20 mins in my fan oven. Overall, am quite pleased with my 1st attempt. I do know that I will be adding more rum the next time.. :)

Everything looks better gift wrapped ..

2010-12-25T07:06:00.001+11:00

Blessed Christmas to everyone.

Little pleasures

2010-12-24T07:06:00.000+11:00

Brunch with a good mate on your day off...

APTE Cafe - Alphington

Pics taken using my camera phone

Camera stories - Melbourne Central

2010-12-23T08:02:00.002+11:00

From my kitchen .. Fruit mince pie pt 1

2010-12-22T07:47:00.004+11:00

Since it is close to Christmas and all, BF has been having this massive thing for fruit mince pies "Like mum used to make" .. maybe its an English thing, maybe as it is still rather chilly in Melbourne?

Since I do have this extra time on my hands, I decided to keep my man happy and instead of using the premix mince filling and store bought tart, do the whole hop and make one from scratch! I did cut corners somewhat with the fruit mix tho, instead of buying individual items, I used fruit mix which is essentially the same thing but with bits of lemon in it.

Recipe to follow with pt2, but in the meantime...

Step 1 - Dice fruit (currants, sultanas, glazed cherries, cored and peeled Granny Smith apple)

Step 2 - Mix following ingredients with diced fruit (brown sugar, breakfast marmalade, rum or brandy *I used dark rum*)

Step 3 - Let the well mixed fruit soak for 2 days....

to be continued...

Holiday update - Day 2.

2010-12-21T10:59:00.003+11:00

2 days into the 3 week holiday.. and already I am thinking time is flying by too fast!
In the meantime - am off for a bout of last min Christmas shopping and lunch catchup at Melbourne Central :))

Shall I???

2010-12-14T06:12:00.003+11:00

Question now is....

With my trip across the ditch next month - shall I do my fifth bungee or play it safe with the bridge climb esp as I don't want to hurt my back for snowboarding in Feb???

Tick........

2010-12-13T10:36:00.001+11:00

Countdown to Friday begins!
*3 weeks compulsory office closure, ah well ..there goes my annual leave but what the hey!*

Santa Claus is coming to town...

2010-12-12T10:24:00.001+11:00

Things to do for 2011

2010-12-07T07:53:00.002+11:00

I want to pick up a language - Cantonese... maybe not. I wont have much chance to use it.

Language of choice - Spanish.

10 Things to do before I die ...

2010-12-06T06:23:00.008+11:00

You know how some ppl have this list of things to achieve before they hit a certain age? In most cases, it generally reads like 1) Must get good job, 2) Must be married to someone who is tall dark and handsome bla bla...

Well, I never had this list. I did have a list though, just not THAT list. My list on the otherhand was all about *surprise surprise* travel and experiences. Don't ask me why, but children and marriage was never very high on my to-do agenda. I haven't had a look at this list, not since I became an inactive member of VirtualTourist anyways. But I logged on today and perhaps it is time to build up a new list.

I have been keeping a list of sorts but it is not one set on paper (or blog in this case). Some items I have already crossed off, but this can be added onto the new list. Well, for starters, here is the old list - and in no particular order....

10 Things I want to Do before I Die...(Old List)

Skydive ~ mission accomplished in KL *

Fly a kite in Tiannamen Square Beijing, China ~mission accomplished *

Get drunk on wine*oh the hangover!* at Barossa Valley, Australia ~mission accomplished *

Take a gondola ride along the canals in Venice, Italy ~mission accomplished *

Walk across the river Tiber on Sant Angelo' bridge in Italy ~mission accomplished *

Enjoy a typical Midsommer Day and have reindeer meat in Stockholm, Sweden ~mission accomplished *

Birdseye view of HK from Victoria Peak ~mission accomplished *

Bungee jump in Queenstown,NZ
~ mission accomplished, and jumped not once.. not twice .. but 4 times!!*

Walk up the Eiffel Tower(not take the elevator), Paris France ~mission accomplished *

Make a wish at the Trevi Fountain - Rome, Italy ~mission accomplished *

.......... (?).....

2010-11-30T06:00:00.002+11:00

Me thinks it is about time I start thinking of some resolutions for next yr ...no?

Home project - Office/Bedroom 2

2010-11-29T06:30:00.000+11:00

We have been doing a home reno project for nearly 1/2 yr now - slow and painstaking but then again, it is not that we are in a rush.

The lounge, dining, kitchen, powder room has been repainted. Am doing up the pergola from the yucky beige to white to freshen things up and my small space under the stairs has been repainted and redone to a nice coat/shoe cupboard. *Am quite pleased with the coat cupboard project too as I did that!*

In the meantime - the office/bedroom 2. Ah.. where do we start? The rooms were all a yellow-white which BF's commented looked like "A smoker lived here". It has been replaced with Dulux "Natural White" for the whole house except for the kitchen and dining areas.

I've been working from home for the past week or so and seeing that the office looks like a tornado has gone through it, where is a girl to work - the dining room!

Project HOME - Status - In Progress

Unfinished Office/Bedroom 2
Skirting boards - Sanded down and repainted
Wardrobe doors - Sanded and repainted
Walls - Sanded and repainted
Tidying up - Undone!

"Current" office.

Who...me???

2010-11-26T06:00:00.000+11:00

Yes - I've been slacking off BIG TIME this yr, the lack of exercise is telling - been feeling sluggish and luggish and as for my gym membership? Lordy-lord - after months of paying for something I didn't use, I gave it up... only to sign up to another gym closer to home! Talk about being a sucker for punishment ey?

The thing is, the new gym has not opened yet - and this has left me feeling happy (I can veg out in front of the telly ..yay!) but sad (blubber-me). Haven't been jumping on the Wii-Fit either *yes, I have been THAT slack!*

Summer's a-coming .. need to lose the winter-belly! Eeeks!

RIP

2010-11-25T06:07:00.003+11:00

To the 29 miners lost in the coal mine in Greymouth, NZ. God bless.