blue skies & she

May 15, 2013

We’re moving!

In case you’ve been living under a rock {or just don’t know me personally}, my time in Australia is coming to an end. And I am excited.

Don’t get me wrong, Australia has done amazing things for me. I met my partner here {emphasis on this one – it’s the reason I’m here}, got my Master’s degree, had my first ‘career’ job, and have made some really good friends along the way. Not to mention Australia has universal healthcare {yes!} and a more relaxed attitude to work – better pay, better conditions, and more flexibility. Australia is so awesome, in fact, over the years I’ve had many people ask why we would even bother moving back.

If you know me well, this question is almost laughable. But for others, it’s a genuine query. Why leave behind a good thing? We’ve got good jobs and live a great life here; things in the US are shaky and uncertain, and finding a job is sure to be a daunting task.

But there are some things you can’t measure in income and financial prosperity. The first thing I tell people these days {as I also tear up} is that I’ll get to meet my niece, Baby W, who was born just a few days after we left for our honeymoon. I’m texted pictures and emailed stories, but she’s seven months old and I haven’t held her in my arms or smelled her sweet baby smell yet.

I’ve always felt strongly connected to my family, and not being there for the first baby was a big deal. Similarly, my heart was broken when my grandmother passed and I couldn’t go home for the funeral. When she died, being on the other side of the world felt like being in another world entirely.

I know these are things many people deal with; long-distance familial relationships, missing holidays, births and funerals. But they’ve never been things I’ve wanted to do, and never would have considered had I not met the man who would change my life in Canberra, Australia.

I know how lucky I am. AW and I have always had an understanding that our time in Australia was temporary, and it’s extremely fortunate that he’s willing to make the move. It won’t be an easy move for him, but we’re also lucky he’s got a job lined up and is looking forward to a change in his career path.

Moving farther away from our Australian family is hard, but there’s really no ‘winning’ situation when you’ve got family on opposite sides of the world. Although we’re not physically close to family here, I know Andrew will be stepping outside his comfort zone to move away from his home country.

I am going to do my best to be a compassionate and understanding partner during this transition. It is HUGE, for both of us, and I know it will have its ups and downs. But right now, I’m just on cloud 9. I’m going home.

Mom, I’m coming home!

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May 6, 2013

Amanda’s visit Part III: Christchurch, NZ

As you probably know, my friend Amanda came to visit back in late March and early April. We spent a night in Sydney and then a week in Canberra before heading off to Christchurch, New Zealand for a long weekend.

I am a very lucky person/awful host because Amanda planned our trip to NZ – the flights, the hostel, the rental car. But Amanda’s good at things like that and I am very grateful to be along for the ride because trip planning stresses me out. I was also really glad we went to Christchurch. While it’s probably not quite the city it once was, it’s certainly a resilient community that has stood together to rebuild and renew post-earthquakes. It was amazing to see the city going about it’s business as usual, amongst necessary construction and repair.

One of the most unique things about the city is how they’ve rebuilt their mall, now called Re:START. Stores and food stalls have reopened their doors in colorful shipping containers clustered where the former mall used to stand. It is a heartening sight to see, and a very innovative one as well. It’s a fun area to wander around, grab a coffee, and visit the boutiques and souvenir stores that have reopened.

Amanda and I stayed in the Jailhouse Accommodation – an old jail that closed in 1999 – and the place always seemed to be bustling. We rode on the recently reopened Gondola {pictured above} and got a bird’s eye view of the entire city, including a stunning harbor, but also some of the lingering devastation. Christchurch is still a beautiful city in many ways, but the toll of numerous earthquakes has made it’s mark on the area and as I looked around, it was difficult not to feel sorrow for all that was lost and the pain the region must have endured.

That being said, the people of Christchurch are resilient. It is a friendly community that isn’t wallowing in tragedy. It’s rebuilding, holding improv shows, entertaining tourists, eating and drinking, and moving on. It’s an amazing place to visit, and I think it is only getting better.

.: Delicious sangria at the Flying Burrito Brothers Cantina & Tequileria :.

.: Riding the Gondola :.

.: Re: START, the shipping container mall :.

.: Quirk amidst construction near the city’s center :.

.: Picturesque views from a scenic drive around the moutains :.

happiness: found

It’s been a beautiful weekend here, and I’ve enjoyed seeing friends and relaxing. Wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great weekend, too. Here’s some happiness: found, Instagram edition! xx

.: My friend’s sweet kitten, George, being cheeky :.

.: A blast from the past that’s been pumping up my drives :.

.: Only a small sample of the cider selection at Plonk’s :.

.: Darles Barkley, smiling at the dog park :.

.: Autumn is autumning everywhere and I love it :.

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April 25, 2013

It’s ANZAC Day

In Australia and New Zealand, April 25th serves as a day of remembrance for those who have served and died in the armed forces, with a historic emphasis on the Battle of Gallipoli. ANZAC {Australian and New Zealand Army Corps} Day is a public holiday, and well-honored day of commemoration.

The first April I was in Australia, AW and I caught a bus at 4am on the 25th to head to the War Memorial for the Dawn Service {services at dawn are held all over the country}. It was a dignified and moving event, and a memorable occasion to be a part of. The rest of ANZAC Day is spent in various ways; there are more ceremonies and parades, and the ANZAC Day football match takes place in Melbourne every year, which draws a huge crowd and viewing audience.

This year we decided not to attend the Dawn Ceremony, and after sleeping in a little later than 4am, have been relaxing and enjoying a beautiful day off. As I type, Andrew is watching the ANZAC Day match on TV, and I have just finished at batch of ANZAC biscuits. It is said that ANZAC biscuits got their name for being a popular treat for military wives to send their husbands overseas as they don’t easily spoil. I’ve always liked these oat-y and sweet cookies, but today was the first time I’d ever tried making them.

Don’t get me wrong – I don’t feel like I’m ‘honoring’ the ANZACs by making these biscuits today. To be honest, we should have gotten up and attended the Dawn Service, especially as it used to be so important to AW, but he decided to forgo it this year. I guess it’s my attempt at feeling Australian today, as this is a day that truly seems to bring the country together. It was reported earlier 30,000 people attended the Dawn Service in Canberra this morning.

Oddly enough, the recipe I used was extracted from an American cookbook a dear friend gave us for our wedding. I checked, and the recipe is as authentic as any other. I cut the recipe in half, and substituted honey for corn syrup. You can bake these to be crunchy or a bit chewy, just watch the cookies and adjust the baking time accordingly.

ANZAC Cookies

Recipe from Bountiful Blessings: From Our Table to Yours printed by White Memorial Presbyterian Church

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Ingredients:

1 cup quick-cooking oats, not instant
3/4 cup sweetened coconut
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon corn syrup or honey
1 stick butter
2 tablespoons boiling water
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine oats, coconut, flour, sugar and salt.
In a saucepan, melt syrup and butter over low heat.
In a separate small bowl, combine boiling water and soda; mix until smooth.
Combine butter mixture and soda mixture; add to dry ingredients. Blend well.
Drop mixture by teaspoons 1 1/2 to 2-inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Press with a fork. Bake for 20 minutes.
Cool on a rack. Store in an airtight container. May be frozen for up to 3 months.
Feel Australian and enjoy.

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Tagged as ANZAC, Australia, biscuits

April 24, 2013

Amanda’s visit Part II: Canberra

After spending the night in Sydney we made our way back to Canberra via the Murray’s coach – by far the most affordable way to move between Canberra and Sydney. We had a relaxing week and did a lot of ‘Canberra stuff’. Here’s what we covered, and if you’re ever in Canberra, you should too:

See the Brumbies play at Canberra Stadium
Walk around the city and make sure to include the Carousel, the library and the Legislative Assembly, and as many of the bizarre statues as possible
Visit the lookout on Mt. Ainslie
Order from Crust pizza
Visit Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve – we saw kangaroos, an emu and a platypus!
Take a boat ride around Lake Burley Griffin and see the Corillion and the National Museum
Eat at Lemongrass Thai
See the War Memorial {pictured above} – at least from afar if you’re not into that kind of thing
The Museum of Australian Democracy {ok, this one I would not call ‘necessary’ or ‘fun’, but it’s in the Old Parliament building so it’s worth a look; and there are beautiful rose gardens around the side}
While I was at work Amanda visited the Australian Institute of Sport and said it was pretty cool
She also had lunch at the Kindle cafe on my recommendation and loved it {of course!}

.: Lookout at Mt. Ainslie :.

.: Kangaroos at Tidbinbilla :.

.: The fountain in Lake Burley Griffin :.

.: The Aboriginal Tent Embassy outside Old Parliament House :.

Amanda’s visit Part I: Sydney

.: Amanda and the Harbour Bridge :.

Late in March, my oldest friend made the harrowing trip across the ocean to visit, and it was awesome. Amanda and I have known each other since we were two as we grew up in the same neighborhood. Our friendship has varied throughout the years, from seeing each other every day in high school to only the occassional visit in college, but we’ve maintained our friendship well. No matter how little we see each other {or really keep in touch in general}, it is one of those friendships where we can easily pick up right where we left off as if we don’t live in different countries and see each other once a year.

When she told me in 2012 she was planning to come to Australia, at first I didn’t believe her – do you know how many of my friends are ‘totally going to come to Australia’?! But Amanda is a pretty straightforward person, and she set a goal and made it happen. When she contacted me again about visiting, I was STOKED. We started to talk about where we wanted to go, set some dates, and finally at the end of March she was here!

We met in Sydney, and after successfully navigating the train system, we arrived at the Pullman on Hyde Park, our hotel for the night {which I completely recommend}. That morning we walked down to Circular Quay to see the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge and had a nice lunch beside the water. We explored the Rocks and then hightailed it back to the hotel for a well-deserved nap.

That night we had a delicious dinner at the Meat & Wine Co. {their garlic mashed potatoes – oh my goodness} before calling it an early night {Amanda had hardly slept on the plane and I was not at all recovered from my red eye trip to Adelaide earlier in the week}. We only spent one night in Sydney as it was Easter weekend – then it was time to head west to Canberra…

I’ve written before about some of the other things I enjoy in Sydney – you can see them here.

.: A man playing the didgeridoo at Sydney Harbour :.

A walk in Adelaide

Back in March, I was fortunate to be sent to Adelaide, South Australia for a work conference. I was excited to be visiting South Australia for the first time and also marking another capital city off of my list {Hobart and Darwin still remain}. In my early days of being in Australia, I heard people – mainly students- speaking poorly of Adelaide. They said it was boring and that there was nothing there. I blindingly believed them, until I visited myself.

Adelaide, from what I saw, was beautiful. It was clean and green, with old buildings and gorgeous architecture marking the city from all sides. It has ‘big city’ benefits – interesting cafes and bustling shops – while refraining from feeling overwhelming and frantic. Adelaide city is home to a little over a million people. This trip was especially fun because I was able to travel with a good friend and colleague, and we made a new friend while attending the conference. Together, the three of us explored the city {Ok, we got lost and wandered the city for an hour on the first day. But after that, we intentionally explored}, enjoyed meals, and did some shopping. Everything is more fun with friends.

My stay was brief and didn’t include many things I’d still like to do in Adelaide, like visiting the Zoo, the beach, and going on a wine tour {although our conference did take place at the National Wine Centre of Australia, so of course I brought a couple bottles home!} What I did get to see, however, was enjoyable and certainly worth a trip if you ever have the chance. Here were some of the things that caught my eye.

.: Wine barrels lining the wall over a history of wine timeline at the National Wine Centre :.

.: Piggy trash bins in the city :.

.: Haigh’s Chocolates: a must-try:.

.: Wine with an Italian dinner at Rigoni’s on Leigh Street} :.

.: Her Majesty’s Theatre, a gorgeous building :.

.: Hotel Metropolitan, right across from the theatre :.

.: Clever and creative info sharing outside of Adelaide Central Market :.

.: Fresh produce :.

.: Vibrant jewelry and accessories :.

.: An array of spices :.

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Tagged as Adelaide, travel

April 11, 2013

Hi, again

.: Colorful artwork in a cute boutique in Christchurch :.

I know, it’s been ages since I last posted. I don’t have any great excuses but the good news is I’ve been racking up some good ideas for future posts!

I’m looking forward to sharing pictures and details of my friend Amanda’s visit to Australia and our trip to New Zealand, as well as a work trip I took to Adelaide. I’ve got a couple of other short series ideas in the works, as well, so there’s lots to look forward to!

While she was visiting, Amanda and I endeavored to make these brownies (as you can see, I’m still on my pretzel kick!) because they sounded soo good. I was hoping to make a blog post out of them, but they actually didn’t turn out so great. They were definitely edible, but much too sweet and the flavors did not mix at all the way we thought they would. Anyway, of course I’m hoping to try another recipe soon and will share with you how it turns out! Do you have a favorite sweet and salty recipe? I’d love to give it a try!

Finally, I want to leave you with something awesome my best friend shared with me. It’s a pep talk from Kid President, and it is well worth your while. You can watch it here (and you should!).

See you soon xx

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March 8, 2013

Chocolate covered pretzels

I wasn’t kidding when I said I’ve been a little obsessed with pretzels lately. They’re cheap, they’re healthier than potato chips {just give me this one, ok?} and they make the perfect snack. I remember reading somewhere ages ago that a snack that is both salty and sweet is really good for your brain, and I’ve never forgotten it. I like to use this as a ‘smart’ reason to mix pretzels with chocolate – one of my favorite combinations.

I’ve been waiting for an excuse to try out homemade chocolate covered pretzels, and a friend’s last-minute birthday get together was a prime opportunity. I have to say, while the process itself is easy, it can be a little time consuming, especially if you want the perfect chocolate-to-pretzel ratio and need to double or triple dip. In the end, however, it’s all worth it. A delicious {and deliciously cheap!} homemade treat that’s ideal for holidays, parties, and gifts. Or if you just feel like a little something sweet {and salty}.

Ingredients:

Mini pretzels {50}
Milk chocolate chips, 6.5 oz {180g}*
White chocolate chips, 6.5 oz {180g}*
Shortening, 2 tbsp for each chocolate {25g each}
Sprinkles {optional}

* This allowed enough chocolate for multi-dipping and drizzling. Start with less if you don’t think you’ll need it all; you can always melt more as you go!

Directions:

Melt chocolate and shortening together over a double boiler or in the microwave, using a separate bowl or pan for each chocolate flavor. {We don’t have a microwave, so I used a makeshift double boiler and found it was really easy to reheat as needed without fear of burning}.
Stir until smooth and combined.
Remove chocolate from heat source.
Cover pretzels in chocolate mixture. You could do this one-by-one, but that will be time consuming. I dipped the pretzels in batches, and removed them individually using a fork, which I found to be enough of a task in itself.
Place on wax paper-lined baking trays.
If you’re only single coating your pretzels, now is the time to add sprinkles. If you’re using more than one coat, wait until the chocolate has hardened a little before re-dipping. {I found this was a good time to go and reheat the other chocolate on the stove and switched back and forth between the two}.
Re-dip as desired. {You can even alternate between milk and white chocolate… yum!}
On your last coat, add sprinkles before the chocolate firms up. For drizzling chocolate, I found it’s best to also wait until the base chocolate has hardened a bit on the pretzels.
Place trays in fridge until pretzels are firm.

Store in an airtight container. I added a sweet bow to a simple apothecary jar for a cute and homemade gift for my friend. It turns out she had never had chocolate covered pretzels before – and now she tells me she and her husband are addicted! Enjoy!