Wednesday 6 June 2012

Birthday Weekend Recap


Birthday Weekend Recap

Well, it has been a super busy week for us… we leave tomorrow for our first visit back to Boston!  It is surreal that the time is finally here after talking about it for months.  The whole trip is a jumble of emotions, for me especially.  I am really excited to see everyone again, but it is a bit nerve wracking to be going back for the first time.  It is hard to put into words unless you have lived overseas for any length of time.  But it changes you.  In ways that are hard to explain and put into words unless you have gone through the experience yourself.  I feel like the hubby and I are different people than when we left home in many ways… with a much different view of people and the world.  I’m not sure how this will impact relationships and my outlook on my “old life” back home… I suppose we will find out soon!

Needless to say, there will be no recipes this week. Hopefully in the future once I have a better “blogging” routine, I will have a stockpile of recipes to post.  But for now, there is nothing due to my lack of organization- Sorry!

As a quick recap of the past week, I have ushered in the final year of my 20s in Sydney.  What a great weekend and way to start it off!  We have been recently spoiled here with fantastic weather… at least in my mind ☺ Others seem to find the high 50s/low 60s and sunny to be very “chilly” and are bundled up like we would be if it was below freezing.  This however, is perfect weather to be out and about enjoying this beautiful city.  The weather was like this til this weekend…  where sadly, it was a bit of a washout.  The only downside was not being able to do as much outdoorsy things that the hubby initially planned… but that is just something to look forward to when we are back from the states.

Some highlights from the weekend...

Cappello.  My favorite pizza place.  So good I can’t even handle it.  Those who know me well are aware of my obsession with good pizza.  This did not work out well the first 4 months in Sydney when we couldn’t seem to find many good restaurants at all.  Luckily, I found this one day while on my way to nanny and things are right with the world again!  Here is their website for those in the Sydney area: http://www.cappellopizzeria.com.au/index.html  Just don't go telling everyone about my hidden gem :)


Confession... this picture isn't actually from Cappello, but the pub across the street.  I thought they deserved some attention too after making an amazing cocktail for me.  You know it is going to be good when the bartender spends 10 minutes just mixing everything up for you!

Adapting to life here was really hard for the first 6 months or so.  Now we have a great support network of friends that are really just amazing people.  That’s what made my actual birthday so great.  I thought we were just getting together for a low key day of relaxing with another couple we are friends with, but it was actually a surprise get together the hubby set up.  It was pretty amazing to think that after just 10 months in Sydney we were able to form some great friendships and feel so comfortable and adjusted with our new life here.




Becky baked me a cake.  It was awesome.  Chocolaty awesomeness.


Flowers from the hubby ☺

The last highlight of the weekend: A new cookbook (courtesy of Becky and Craig)… along with a new mission.  So, I had already been thinking to myself , I should have a bit more structure to the recipes I post.  I was thinking that I would cook my way through one of my cookbooks (I know this is not exactly original in the blog world).  My initial plan was to do a lot of baking and finally get through more of the recipes in Flour by Joanne Chang.  This book is amazing!  She is the owner of several bakeries in the Boston area and they have the most amazing pastries (the sticky buns are unbelievable!). Now there is a change of plans… I have Bill’s cookbook with tons of amazing looking Aussie recipes!  It also has other stuff besides just baking.  There we have it- at least one of these recipes each week along with one other recipe of my own!  That is the goal- we will see how it pans out.

One last fun site this week included this full moon rising over the city.  Not the best picture.  However, have no fear, when I am back from the states I will have my new camera which hopefully means better pictures of the city/travels and baking!



My last full day here in Sydney was definitely bitter sweet.  If you had told me when we were 3 months into our time here (possibly the lowest point for the hubby and I) that I would be sad in anyway to be leaving for an extended period of time, I would have laughed in your face.  Yet here we are and I am a little sad to leave, even for a short time!  Lucky for me I spent the day with Zacharoo  (the little guy I nanny for) and even got to take him to story/song time at a local library.  Think lots of parents (or other caregivers like me) singing all sorts of nursery rhymes and babies flying all over the place to the different moves that go along with them.  Yes, this was super awesome :)


I am off to get a hopefully sound sleep in preparation of our almost 21 hours of flying starting tomorrow morning.  Plenty more stories of our adventures back in the New England area to come.  See you in a few weeks Sydney!