Holiday Hustle

It's good to be back in the Bay Area.  My flight over on Sunday was the usual long haul journey, although this time I had to deal with an older gentleman in front of me who made the worst loud hacking noises throughout the flight. I think I would have preferred a crying baby instead (and some ear plugs).  I killed time by watching Boyhood, The Grand Budapest Hotel (every shot in that film is a winner) and season 4 of Portlandia.  Sleep was not really an option with Mr. Hacky.

I seem to have brought nice weather with me as the last couple days have been quite pleasant.  I had most of my Christmas shopping done before I arrived, but picked up the last few gifts on Monday.  Today I got to catch up with my oldest and dearest friend Lynne as we braved various shopping centers around Marin as she finished up her shopping.  We also took advantage of sales and I got myself a pair of pants at Banana Republic for $20 (originally $89)!  In addition, I have been eating a lot of sourdough bread and my Dad made a really yummy dungeness crab cioppino.  With all the food I will be eating in the coming days I think I better start doing some exercise.

Shopping And The City

Since it is the holiday season I think everyone is currently focused on shopping for Christmas presents.  I have been to every major mall in Marin County over the past week and a half, even though I bought nearly all my gifts before I left Melbourne.  However, when I come home I do stock up on clothes and other items, so it's been a mixture of online and store shopping for myself. 

I have also been catching up with family, friends, and former work colleagues. We attended Logan's preschool Christmas pageant last week, which consisted of his class walking up an aisle to a Christmas song and waving (very cute and short!).  Today I headed into San Francisco with Lynne for some shopping around Union Square.  It was a sunny yet cool day in the City, and I had Boudin's clam chowder in a bread bowl for lunch and then we went over to Ghiradelli Square for some hot fudge sundaes after our shopping adventure.  Both were very yummy and quintessential San Francisco!

Shopping up a Storm

I have been busy the past couple days hitting various shopping centers in Marin County.  I bought a couple pairs of sneakers online before I arrived, and got clothes at Anthropologie, Gap, Old Navy and Macy's.  My favorite purchase though must be my fake leather bomber jacket from Target which only cost $40.  I would have spread out my shopping a bit more during this trip if not for the fact that I wanted to take advantage of all the Labor Day sales that ended today.  This doesn't mean that there may not be more purchases in the next few weeks.  It's my way of supporting the economy and bringing the US out of recession.

Sydney- Shopping

Yesterday Mel and I took a drive out to the outlet stores at Birkenhead Point for some shopping.  They have three levels in the outlet centre and we went in to most of the stores there.  I have been looking for new sandals and found a great pair in Diana Ferrari.  When I took them to the cash register, the lady said that I got lucky because I picked up one of the mislabeled boxes which had the price $20 cheaper than it should have been- and she sold them to me for that price.  Score!

We found a place in the food court that served Turkish gozleme, so we had that for lunch and it was delicious.  After some more shopping we had run out of stores to go to so we headed back into the city to relax at Mel's place before I had to leave for the airport.  For the second time this trip I was swabbed for explosives at security.  I had a lovely time in Sydney and it was nice to get away for the weekend.  The weather contrast could not be more different as Sydney was hot and Melbourne was rainy and cold when I arrived in the evening.  Now it's time to head back to reality for the start of another work week.

Americana Australian Style

This morning Danny and Ruth picked me up and we drove out to the USA Foods store in Moorabbin. Danny is having an American/Australian themed b-day party next week so he was looking to pick up some items for the event. The shop was smaller than we were expecting, but I did find some great stuff to buy:
- Jello
- Jello pudding
- Libby's canned pumpkin
- Bulls Eye Original barbecue sauce
- Honey Maid cinnamon graham crackers
- Marshmallows
- Jiffy Corn Muffin mix

So inspired were we by our American purchases that we decided to head to Costco in Docklands for some further shopping and to go in together on a joint membership. Walking into the store made me feel like I was back in the States because the layout is practically identical to the one in Novato. Warehouse stores are a new concept in Australia so they are allowing people to sign in and walk around if they aren't members (although you can't buy anything). I picked up some bagels and a gigantic bottle of Saigon cinnamon that was priced the same as a small bottle of ground cinnamon at the grocery store. It was a successful shopping excursion and if I ever feel homesick I will just go hang out at Costco. I'm now going to make some Rice Krispies Treats with the marshmallows I bought.

Shopping

I have spent the last two days helping the US economy by shopping up a storm. On Sunday my mom and I went to Vintage Oaks in Novato and hit Target, Old Navy, Bath and Body Works, Ann Taylor Loft, and Costco. My biggest bargain of the day was a zip hooded fleece sweatshirt on sale for $5 at Old Navy (in fact, I got a lot of clothes on sale there and only paid about $100 total).

Today we went to The Village and Town Center in Corte Madera. I managed to finish up my Christmas shopping at Williams-Sonoma (along with getting some peppermint bark and hot chocolate), got a nice pair of trousers on sale for $16 at the Gap, a laptop battery at the Apple store (very much not on sale), and also checked out J.Crew, Anthropologie, and Crate and Barrel. In the midst of all this we also stopped for lunch at Boudin, where I continued to indulge my love of sourdough by having clam chowder in a bread bowl.

Driving the Bay Area

I have been all over the Bay Area the past few days. On Thursday my mom and I went down to Burlingame to have lunch with my mom's cousin. It was a fun trip as we got to look at some old photo albums from the 1940s that had pictures of my mom's side of the family. Debbie also cooked us a yummy lunch. On our way back up to Marin we stopped at The Village for a bit of shopping. I finally got a new laptop battery at the Apple Store (along with Danny's iPod) but I didn't see anything exciting in the clothing stores. That evening my mom and I headed out with Simi to Concord for her second wedding dress fitting. This was the first time that I had seen the dress and it is very pretty and perfect for her.

Since I was still not completely happy with my own dress for the wedding, Lynne and I headed into downtown San Francisco on Friday to find something for me to wear. I tried on about five dresses at Macy's in Union Square and thankfully found one that is perfect for the event. We also went down to Westfield Shopping Centre and encountered some strange activities in front of Bloomingdales. If you can figure out what they are selling in this picture, please let me know.

On Saturday I travelled north to Petaluma to meet Angie and the rest of her bridesmaids to get fitted for our dresses. Angie's wedding is in April 2008 and I am the maid of honor. Since I am out here we all got measured and worked out what sizes to order. The outfits are actually separates from Alfred Angelo, so we all have a tea-length skirt and then got to choose our own top. The outfits should take about four months to come in, and Angie plans to send it to me immediately so I can make any alterations if needed.

Farewell San Rafael

Today is my last day in the States. I stayed up late last night to get my packing done, and thankfully all my new purchases fit in the bags. Around midday I headed out to visit my old colleagues and students at Wilson Elementary School in Richmond. I spent the first part of lunch in the staff room catching up with people, and then hit the yard to see my students who are now in fourth and fifth grade. A few of the girls spotted me immediately, started yelling my name and ran over to hug me. It was sweet to see them all and have a quick chat. They are all getting very tall.

After my visit I met up with Lynne on Fourth Street in San Rafael to have some Starbucks and say goodbye. We had a wander through some local shops and ended up buying these cute red suede mary janes which were on sale for $20. I've had such a great time visiting my family and friends and being able to catch up with them in person. My parents are kindly driving me to the airport tonight. I can't say I'm looking forward to spending 14 hours in the plane. Hopefully there will be some good movies and I will get some sleep.

More Shopping and Visits

It's been a busy last few days. I met up with Angie on Wednesday and we headed up to Petaluma so she could torture me with trying on bridesmaid dresses. Being the maid of honor for her wedding in 2008, I get first choice of design. I think the current thought is to go with separates- tea length skirt and choice of top. After our bridal adventures we headed up to Santa Rosa so that I could see her and Andy's brand new house! It's in a new development and will be perfect for them. On Saturday I was back up in Petaluma to spend some time with Angie and Katie, and help her pack up some of Katie's toys and clothes. Katie was very entertaining- we read some books, hid under blankets, and Katie named the different parts of her face. You can see how cute she is.

On Thursday I headed into San Francisco to meet up with Lynne for our shopping excursion downtown. We started at Union Square and then headed down to the new Westfield Shopping Centre on Market Street. It's really nice in there and puts the San Francisco Centre next door to shame. Despite all the great shops, I didn't come out with too much stuff. I got a purse at Macys, finished off my gift card at Old Navy, and got the latest Badly Drawn Boy CD. I was really bummed out that I didn't find anything good at H&M. I think they are clearing out their winter items and don't have the new spring stuff in yet. The highlight of the day was our trip to Ghiradelli Square for a hot fudge sundae. They are the best things ever. Lynne had a hot chocolate because it was absolutely freezing outside with the strong winds.

Friday was spent walking and talking. Lynne came over and we headed out to Tiburon and had a good two hour hike around Blackie's Pasture and the downtown area. We stopped in the most bizarre coffee shop ever which was run by an old lady. I can't even describe it- it was like walking back in time. We would both recommend that you never go there to order anything. After a quick rest back at my house, Lynne was eager for more walking, so we hit the neighborhood and did a loop up Elizabeth Way and back down Fairhills Drive. It's a steep hill but you can see the Marin Civic Center at the top of Elizabeth Way. To reward ourselves for all this physical activity we baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies.

Saturday morning I finally caught up with June for breakfast at Bubba's Diner in San Anselmo. She recommended I try the creme brulee french toast with a side of bacon, and yes it was as good as it sounds. When I returned home there were deer in the driveway, so I took a picture of them. Dad wasn't too thrilled to hear they were there, since they love to eat the plants. I remember one year when I was younger we had all these tomatoes ripe and ready to be picked on the front deck, and the following day they were all gone because the deer got to them first. These are the hazards of living amongst nature.

Today I went along to the Modern Bridal Faire at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in San Francisco with my mom, Simi, and her mother. It was basically a bunch of vendors trying to sell you their wedding services. We checked out the booths and sampled some food. The bridal fashion show never happened, which was kind of a bummer as that would have been fun to watch. I think Simi has found a couple potential photographers/videographers for the wedding, so that's good. I'm glad I don't have to deal with all this planning (and Jamie doesn't have it that bad either). I just get to show up in October and everything should be done.

A Mellow Week

After all the Christmas excitement I have had a fairly relaxing week. My mom has been off work so we have been hanging out. On Thursday I was on a mission to spend my gift cards. Our first stop was Northgate where we hit Macy's, Bath and Body Works, and the Gap. The Gap was having major sales, and I got a pair of pants for $9.99. Next we traveled up to Vintage Oaks in Novato. I exchanged a couple sweaters at Ann Taylor Loft for pants, and got a few more things at Old Navy (I had done some pre-purchasing from there before I arrived in the US). We also went to Costco, which for those of you in Australia is a large warehouse store where you can buy things in bulk.

Yesterday I went with my mom to Pt. Richmond when she got her haircut so I could say hello to Keith (who also used to cut my hair). He was very surprised to see me, so that was fun. I have also signed up for a 10 day trial pass at 24 Hour Fitness so that I can exercise for free. I did a spin and kickboxing class and the spin instructor even remembered me. I plan to motivate myself to attend more classes next week. The kickboxing class is so much better than the one at the YMCA.

I have really enjoyed being able to sleep in (I didn't realize how burnt out I was) and drive around! Thankfully I have had no issues with driving on the other side of the road. I plan to try and catch up with people next week, and also see more of Lynne and Angie, who have been out of town on vacation this week.

Shopping and Baking

Today my lovely friend Lynne came over to Marin for a visit. We stopped for lunch at High Tech Burrito, and my Ya-hoo! BBQ burrito was delicious as always. We then headed down to The Village for some last minute Christmas shopping. It wasn't overwhelmingly crowded, and I was able to buy those last few gifts I was missing. They have opened an Anthropologie store there, so that was very exciting. I bought a couple tops for myself.

We returned to my house and baked some gingerbread cookies, which turned out well. Lynne stuck around for dinner and we went through some of the wedding stuff she had brought over for my mom. It was a nice night- and also the first time I had seen my mom since arriving home.

Myer "History Making Clearance" Sale

The lure to Myer was hard to resist- ads for a "History Making Clearance" beyond anything they have ever done before. Myer has been bought by someone else, so they are clearing out lots of their stock. Michelle and I decided to meet at the city store in Bourke Street Mall after work and see what bargains could be had. It was an absolute zoo in the store as many other people had the same idea. We started in fragrances, then worked our way through the accessories, shoes, clothes, kitchen and bath departments. Michelle found some good stuff to buy, but I didn't see anything that screamed "buy me" so my wallet stayed in my bag. It was like a feeding frenzy in some of the departments, which was a bit overwhelming (this was the first day of the sale). After a while we decided to escape the madness and headed to Mekong on Swanston Street for Vietnamese pho and spring rolls. It was nice to sit down and enjoy a yummy dinner before heading home.

Out and About

I am happy to report that the weather has gotten a bit warmer, and it's been dry for the last few days. I continue to catch up with people and hit some of my favorite restaurants around the area. On Thursday I met up with Angie at her coffee shop (Espresso Express in Terra Linda if you are ever in the area) and we headed out for a late lunch at Chevy's. It is so great to eat decent Mexican food, because Australia really does not do good Mexican. I enjoyed my chips and salsa, salmon soft tacos, and the very yummy strawberry and raspberry margarita. After eating we shopped at Old Navy and Target. I was good and didn't get too many things. That night I met Joanne at Broken Drum Brewery in San Rafael. Since I had eaten so late in the day I just had a bowl of chips for dinner. It was good to catch up and hear all the latest news about Wilson Elementary School.

On Friday I decided to head over to Richmond and visit Wilson since the weather was decent. I walked onto campus during recess and was immediately greeted by a chorus of "MISS ELLIS!!!" and children running toward me. My ex-students are so sweet and cute, and getting very big. They were all excited to see me and asked me lots of questions about Australia and if I would come back. I stuck around for the upper grade recess to catch my other class, who are now fourth graders. It was great to visit with everyone and see all my former colleagues. I tried to explain the differences between the Australian and American education systems- and they are different in many ways. I had only planned to stay a short time, but ended up there for the rest of the school day as I popped into classes and said hello. When I got home I had a message from Lynne, so I headed into San Francisco for the evening. We avoided the drunken St. Patrick's Day celebrations and had dinner at Lettus Cafe Organic on Steiner Street and dessert at Emporio Rulli Gran Caffe on Chestnut Street. Lynne's husband Jeremy and his brother Josh were busy watching the NCAA Basketball Tournament. They had the tv and computer broadcasts going at the same time. Since I went to a non-sports focused university, I'm not as into "March Madness" as everyone else.

On Saturday my aunt Chrissie and cousin Leilani came up to the house for lunch. Mom made her chicken and apple salad, and we had cake for dessert to celebrate all the family birthdays in February and March. It was great to see them again and catch up on all the latest news. Leilani's face is healing nicely after her car accident last week. We laughed a lot throughout the afternoon, and hopefully I'll see them again at Christmas. That evening my parents and I met up with my brother, his girlfriend Simi and her parents at Insalata's in San Anselmo for dinner. They serve great Mediterranean food that is fresh and flavorful. We left very full and satisfied.

Today Lynne and I had brunch in Larkspur at Left Bank and then did some shopping at Vintage Oaks in Novato. It was a pleasant day, but we didn't find any good bargains out there. I guess it's a good thing that I haven't found a lot of stuff in the stores that is appealing to me- I would have trouble getting it all in my suitcase if I went overboard. I have one more week to go until I head back to Melbourne.

Shopping in San Francisco

Lynne was supposed to come to Marin today, but my mother woke me up with the news that northbound Highway 101 was shut down due to a deadly 28 car pile-up north of the Golden Gate Bridge. The cause, which you can see in the photo, was snow and bad driving. The highway was shut for 11 hours while the police investigated what happened.

Since my mom was going into work anyway, I hitched a ride with her to Lynne's apartment in San Francisco. It was so great to hang out with my buddy. We headed out for brunch and while we were walking we caught a brief glimpse of Mayor Gavin Newsom as he went to get coffee. Lynne and I were good and refrained from stalking him. Once we arrived at La Cucina on Union Street we decided to sit outside in the sunshine even though it was cold out. After eating we headed back to her place, where we met up with her mom and brother.

Then we all drove to Union Square for a little shopping excursion. I had been wanting to check out the H&M store, which opened after I left for Australia. It wasn't as trendy and fashion forward as I expected it to be. Lynne had warned me that I would be underwhelmed with the place. I did manage to get a couple of tops, a pair of pants, and a jacket though. Next we went to Urban Outfitters and the Levi's Store, but didn't find anything to buy there. After a quick stop for coffees and chai at Starbucks, we headed back to Lynne's to relax until my mom came to pick me up. The temperature is dropping again, so we'll have to see if there is any snow tonight.

Christmas in October

You thought the American stores were bad with jumping the gun for Christmas shopping, but they have nothing on Australian ones. I was shopping at Myer today after finally enrolling in Medicare (government health insurance), and you would think it was the middle of December. There are Christmas trees with ornaments everywhere! So, in the spirit, I bought my Christmas cards early. I also got some picture books to send to my old school (be on the lookout for some Aussie-themed reading, my Wilson friends). And I bought an umbrella because it will never stop raining here- four seasons in one day indeed.

Happy 28th Birthday to Natasha in London. Have a great day!

A Place To Call Home

This is the outside of my new home! Since the search for a decent house was taking too long and not very successful, I decided to check out some of the new apartments that have been built in Brunswick. I got word today that I have been approved for an apartment. It is in the Brickworks development, which was an old brick factory. There are apartment buildings as well as townhouses. It should be a good place to live, and it's located near both the trains and trams. I get to pick up the keys on Monday.

Since the house hunt is over, it's all about furniture and appliances now. I went with my friend Will to IKEA today and picked up some kitchen stuff to tide me over until the boat arrives with the rest of my belongings. I've also priced out some furniture, which I will be ordering for delivery.

Besides the trip to IKEA, I had brunch with Will, his girlfriend Helen, and their dog Bella. It was great to catch up with them, and I got to see their house in Abbotsford. If you are in Australia, you can check out Helen on Tuesday nights at 10:00 p.m. on the ABC tv show Vulture. She is a panelist on the show, which discusses art and culture.

The Restaurant Tour

Today I had lunch with Angie and baby Katie at Chevys. I'm not going to be getting much Mexican food in Australia, so I have to eat it while I can. After lunch we went to Old Navy and Target for a bit of shopping. I then left them and headed to Macy*s to buy another suitcase for the trip. I also got some Australian currency and an International Driving Permit today.

This evening the family and I had dinner at Pier 6, my favorite Chinese restaurant. My fortune cookie read, "Among the lucky, you are the chosen one." Tomorrow is packing day- here's hoping everything fits in the suitcases!