Thanks and Giving

First off, a belated Happy Thanksgiving to all...

I woke up Thanksgiving morning with a bit of a chip on my shoulder. I was in a major “I miss NYC” mood. I guess I was just craving the cold weather (I know, sounds strange), missing friends and family, and of course the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, which I have successfully dragged Kate to for several years. The mood was also exacerbated by the fact that we did not get a four day holiday (it was actually a really stressful work day). I mean, c’mon, Thanksgiving really is the best. Who can deny that a four day vacation designed around giving thanks and eating an unwise amount of food is not amazing? I sure can’t and so explains my mood that warm Thursday.

Kate and I decided that we needed to host our first Australian Thanksgiving but because we did not get the actual day off work, we decided that Saturday would be our pretend Thanksgiving (we even woke up on Saturday morning to greet each other with holiday wishes).  Of course a celebration could not be complete without a bit of drama (surprise, surprise). This time it was our new dining room table...

Just to give a bit of background, we ordered our first real size dining room table over a month ago. It arrived a week later than expected and when we went to open the box which wrapped the marble table top, we noticed the slab had cracked into two pieces. Trying to keep my cool, I called Freedom Furniture, the store which we purchased the table, to explain the situation (I also had to explain that there were also defects on our newly purchased couch and lamp). To my surprise they told me it would only be a couple of days until a replacement table top would be delivered. 

Broken marble...

Fast forward a week and a half and still no table, or return phone call for that matter. At this point we were beginning to get a bit concerned, especially knowing that twenty or so people would be coming over for the big feast.  Knowing that I would probably flip a switch if I got on the phone with Freedom, Kate decided to make the call. In her calm demeanour, she very clearly explained the situation to the customer service representative- that her husband was American, it was Thanksgiving, and we were hosting the festivities where the table played a central role. The representative seemed to understand, said she would look into it and get back to us, but no return calls. Even Kate began to get frustrated.

Kate called back, this time furious. She got on the phone with a different representative and gave her our reference number (known here as a docket number). After a slight pause, the woman said to Kate, “it says here you are hosting a Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday and need the table by then, let’s see what we can do”. Thankfully the representative understood the importance of the situation but there was little she could do in getting us the new top as it was still in shipment. She came up with an alternative plan. She would have a temporary loaner table top delivered Saturday morning for the party and have it picked up when the new top was delivered. Drama averted, except for the fact that come Saturday morning, the temporary top had not arrived. What were we going to do?

No table top!

30 minutes prior to our guests arriving there was a ring at the door and thankfully it was the temporary table top. Hallelujah! It was also cracked at the corners- but worked fine for the party. Did I mention that the Freedom’s tagline is “built to last”? Yeah right....

The temporary tabletop arrives!

Before, during, after

Anyway, problem solved, and the Thanksgiving festivities were perfect.  I realized that traditional Thanksgiving foods are not really designed for a 90 degree summer day. Having the oven on all day was not ideal but worth it in the end.  A 4.5kg Turkey; cranberry sauce; sausage stuffing; sweet potatoes and marshmallows; roasted carrots and parsnips; BBQ corn; brussels sprouts with bacon; mac and cheese (thanks, Marni and Josh); and, don’t forget dessert,  a pumpkin pie (thanks, Ooghna and Richie); a pecan pie (thanks, Molly and Jason); an apple pie (thanks, Jonathan); florentines (thanks, Pam); cookies (thanks again, Marni); lots to drink (thank you everyone); friends and family; and of course a table top. 

Turkey,Corn, Stuffing, Carrots/Parsnips, Brussels Sprouts, Yams and Marshmallow, Marni's Mac and Cheese

mmmmm...

Josh's Plate (first serve)

Did I say Fourth of July?

 The perfect ingredients for another successful Thanksgiving!

The Case of the Doubles

I tend to think Americans are more formal with language. Australians abbreviate everything, which makes for some interesting interpretations on my part. There is a wide array of examples, which I will post about at another time, but Australians will really do anything to shorten and simplify speech.

Another thing to add to the confusion of understanding the Aussie accent is their way of saying groups of numbers. Let’s start with a phone number. In the States when you say a phone number it is grouped in digits of three, three, and four (e.g. 917.555.5555). In Australia the grouping is done by digits of four, three, and three (e.g. 0455.555.555). Trying to get the rhythm correct is tougher than you may think.

In addition, Australians refer to groups of numbers, as doubles or even triples. The number above (0455.555.555) would be said as “zero, four, double five, triple five, triple five”. Sounds simple but is definitely taking some getting used to, especially when spoken at a rapid pace. I made sure to select a phone number without doubles or triples to avoid any issues.  I guess it works both ways; I tend to confuse Australians when I don’t say double or triple.

While phone numbers are tough, a longer grouping of numbers, such as a reference number, is truly overwhelming.  I seriously had a message on our answering machine last week that ended with “please ring us back and quote reference number two, zero, one, zero, double one, double one, double four, double zero, three, x for x-ray, c for Charlie...”  Click here to have a listen (seriously out of control).

I had to repeat the message about seven times before I had it down on paper! Just another part of the assimilation process, I guess.

Magnetized

We were grocery shopping the other day (with a car, which is a nice change from dragging all of the bags by hand down the NYC streets). As we rolled the shopping cart (known here as a trolley) from the supermarket to the car park we came to a conveyor escalator. As we entered the escalator, the trolley instantaneously magnetized to the ground surface to prevent a runaway trolley. Smart thinking.

Magnetic Caster

Prawns on the Barbie

You know the saying, “throw another shrimp on the barbie”. Funnily enough the quote first became known when Paul Hogan (aka Crocodile Dundee) appeared in several Australian tourism commercials in the mid eighties to early nineties. Originally geared towards the American market, this saying has become globally recognized. The funny thing is that it just doesn’t make sense here in Australia. I never really thought about it. You see, the word shrimp is not used here. Australians say “prawns”.  I guess “throw another prawn on the barbie” doesn’t have the same ring. 

Paul Hogan in advertisement, image courtesy of wikipedia

Well I cannot say that I have had the opportunity to enjoy prawns on the barbie—yet—but I am happy to report that our new barbie is in full operation, following some minor drama or just plain stupidity on our part, which is probably a better way of describing it. When we bought our bbq, we also purchased a gas tank to accompany it (obviously gas plays a crucial role in lighting the barbie). We were so excited with our new purchase that we even bought meat on our way home from Barbeques Galore. We should have known that something would go wrong (drama seems to follow me). 

The Weber 100 at Barbecues Galore

We got home, followed all of the directions to set it up, connected the gas tank, and pressed the button... but no fire appeared. We continued to try lighting it for about an hour until finally giving up with much disappointment and frustration. After several calls to the store and to Weber (the company that manufactures the bbq), it was determined that the attachment to the gas tank must be the issue. When the new one came, a week or so later, we quickly set it up, excited and eager to get our first bbq going. It still did not work. I was steaming with anger. This is where the Australian patience factor (which I am still learning) comes into play. What do we do now?

I knew that Bill (Kate’s dad) would have an answer to the problem, and sure enough he did. He started turning all of the nozzles, clicking all of the buttons and then looked up at Kate and I and asked, “is there gas in the tank?” Ummm... Really? Oops. To our surprise there was NO gas in the tank. OK, I will admit that I do feel stupid and slightly embarrassed for exploding on the phone to Weber but to defend myself a bit, I didn’t realize that $40 only got you an empty tank. Now I know. Once we realized this mistake we quickly ran to the closest swap and go where we were able to trade (with payment of course) our empty tank for a new one (I still don’t really get it). As they say on the swap and go website, “Aussies love a BBQ but running out of gas in the middle is just Un-Australian”. Oh well...

The swap and go

Now that the drama has subsided, I can’t express how exciting it is to come home after a long day and throw a little marinated meat and veggies on the barbie, sprinkled with some of our fresh herbs growing in our own urban herb garden. It makes me very happy. It is one of the true joys of living Down Under. So far we have cooked some Australian lamb with mint and rosemary, roasted a whole chicken and veggies, and made chicken tikka kebabs with a yogurt sauce. We are actually considering cooking our Thanksgiving turkey on the barbie. A little American-Australian fusion. Probably not a good idea...

Australian lamb with mint and rosemary

Roast chicken and veggies

Chicken tikka kebabs with a yogurt sauce

Jonathan + Marni + Josh over for some bbq

From left: home sweet home, the view, and of course the cocktails (mojitos)

The Other Red Meat

Not a regular item I am used to seeing in the supermarket: kangaroo meat.

From left: Kanga Bangas, Kangaroo Mini Roast Herb and Garlic, Kangaroo Steak Herb and Garlic

Takeaway

While beginning to settle back into work life and starting to get on a more normative schedule I have been scoping out the local neighborhoods (specifically Darlinghurst and Surry Hills- which I will post more about at another time) for some quick and good lunch venues. 

First things first, let’s start with the basics. Getting something “to go” is referred to as “takeaway” here. I am still having a difficult time with this for two reasons; (1) Because I am conditioned to say “to go” (that is just what comes out my mouth) and (2) With the hopes of maintaining my identity and my accent I worry that if I start using the Australian lingo, I will forget which is right and which is wrong (I know... not wrong, just different).

I guess I do need to assimilate. More on that later.

Back to the lunch venues, I will say that the quality of “takeaway,” compared to equivalent restaurants in NYC, is of a higher standard. The food is almost picture worthy and beautifully presented but don’t expect a bag to carry it home in. Most of the takeaway I have had has been handed to me directly in its box or just wrapped in aluminium foil (known as aluminum foil in the US). That’s just the way it is. Good for the environment...

There has been one spot so far that has stood out above the rest. Frankly, I am a sandwich guy when it comes to lunch, so I might be biased, but I think Kings Lane Sandwiches ranks in my top five for best sandwiches ever. Seriously the line is out the door and people patiently wait and wait and wait—something that would be a rarity in NYC. Situations like this are teaching me to be more patient. I wanted to make sure I would post it here so that I never forget (I guess that would be difficult as it is basically connected to my building complex).

I have to admit, I have already tried all of the sandwiches on the menu (I am a bit obsessed). They do have breakfast sandwiches and salads which I am sure are also good, but I have not had the opportunity to test those…yet. As for now I will recommend the Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich, which is to die for, and of course the most popular item on the menu. Freshly cooked, super tender and crunchy chicken with herb mayo and lettuce on their amazing bread (white or brown). Enough said!

09/11/10

Photo of the date on my menu

Last week we went for a delightful and scrumptious dinner at Bistroed CBD with Pam and Bill. As I looked down at my menu I quickly noticed the date reading Tuesday 09/11/10. We all know September 11 was not last week (I was still in New York then). It’s was just another case of the “upside-downs and backwards”. Another item to add to the list of things to get used to... 

It makes total sense, you begin with the day, then month, then year; chronological order. You even hear people say, for example, the 10^th of December rather than December 10^th. This is something that I need to become better acquainted with. I have told several people my wrong birth date because I am so accustomed to saying month, day, year. I accidentally gave the incorrect date to our medical insurance company who thought I was nine months younger than I actually am, and offered us a cheaper/better plan. Once they realized I was born in February and not November they moved us up to the more expensive plan.  

Worst of all, I have to figure out a simple way to organize all of my computer files. For years I have followed a system where I list the date (month/day/year) followed by the file name. Do I change to day/month/year or do I protest? Oh the difficult decisions that need to be made... And we have not even gotten to spelling...

The Roundabout

One of the big differences between driving in the US and Australia is the roundabout. Many of you remember the scene in the movie, National Lampoons European Vacation when Chevy Chase gets stuck in the Lambeth Bridge roundabout, constantly pointing out “Big Ben, Parliament” to his kids as he drives around in circles. I totally get it now.

In the States, every once in a while you come across what we a call a “traffic circle” but they are typically controlled by traffic lights or fairly easy to navigate. Not in Australia. While I am pretty comfortable with driving on the left side of the road (although I have almost had two head on collisions when turning), I am still trying to master the roundabout.

A roundabout is a traffic filter that typically has four options for movement (unless there are other intersecting streets). You can go left, straight, right, or make a u turn. They are placed in both small and large intersections.The indicator (or the blinker) plays a significant role in the process. If you do not use the indicator correctly you can easily end up in an accident. Just to make the situation more confusing, our GPS (which I rely on and trust wholeheartedly) refers to the exits at the roundabout by number (make a left = turn at exit one, go straight = turn at exit two, etc). I find myself counting as I work my way around and around…

Driving here requires that you know the standard rules of the roundabout. At roundabouts, there are no traffic lights, only “give-way” signs (equivalent to the yield sign), which make for a high pressure situation.

From left: roundabout left turn, straight, right turn, courtesy of the Roads and Traffic Authority, NSW

Approaching the roundabout (full concentration mode, blood pressure rising, butterflies, heart palpitations) you indicate which direction you are going.  Always “give way” to the cars on your right. If nothing is coming, it’s your turn to filter your way through. Sounds simple (and will someday probably be second nature) but it definitely involves some serious training.

Sequence 01, apparently the bus just drives over the hump

Thanks to Kate’s dad (thanks, Bill!) for the lessons and this helpful paper, Roundabouts in Australia, written for the National Roundabout Conference in Kansas City in 2008. Who knew? Once you get the hang of the roundabout, they are actually kind of fun. A bit of a rush. 

Sequence 02

Some roundabout humor...

Walk + Drink

A good way to cure (another) frustrating day: A walk through the Sydney Botanical Gardens then along Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair, followed by drinks at the Opera Bar. Good thinking, Kate.

Upside-Down and Backwards

Suddenly, I find my life is upside-down and backwards. It’s strange when you think about it, I am living at the bottom of the world. The wanders of gravity! It’s confusing enough experiencing an endless summer, not to mention a constant allergy season. Now I have to get used to doing everything completely opposite. For example, I was walking through the CBD (Central Business District) this week and noticed that all the stores have already started setting up their windows for Christmas. First of all, I cannot believe Christmas is approaching (time flies) and second, it’s summer here! The Christmas season and summer seem like an oxymoron to me. Does Santa change into summer wear? What makes it even more amusing is that the window decorations are all winter-themed with snowflakes and sweaters (or jumpers as it’s referred to here). Like I said, upside-down and backwards…

A lot of the things I am used to are literally the other way around, the opposite. From the direction the sun travels (north) to the minor things, like the direction of a revolving door (clockwise), or the turning of a key, all have an impact. I find myself having to mentally focus on everyday situations more than usual. Just like driving on the opposite side of the road, when walking down the street or standing on the elevator you stay to the left. You flip a light switch down to turn it on.  I guess I am conditioned to react in the reverse. I find myself suddenly very confused and clumsy. I obstruct people on the street (I can hear them humph), I don’t know when to cross a street, and I offend taxi cab drivers by not sitting in the front seat. That’s right; it is customary here to sit in the front of the taxi when alone (makes for a good conversation).

The one thing that I have yet to experience but am constantly asked about is the “myth” of the toilet flush (more on some interesting toilet facts in a later post). From what I have experienced thus far rather than the water rotating it actually is sucked straight down (or is that up?). 

There you go...

Bats, Cockatoos and Ibis', Oh My...

Sometimes I feel like I am in a familiar environment. I will be sitting, phasing out, watching people going by and then suddenly I am confronted with a random creature. Not an everyday occurrence living in New York City. New York may have mice, rats, and squirrels (which strangely enough do not exist here) but they have nothing compared to some of the bizarre and exotic things you see on a typical Sydney day.

I came to Sydney in June for a quick visit to validate my visa. On my first day here I was sitting at a café when suddenly two Rainbow Lorikeets landed on my table. I hear they are attracted to the leftover sugar from the coffee but I will ignore that sensible explanation and think of it more as a welcome- a sign that good things are to come. 

Rainbow Lorikeets

A walk through Hyde Park and the Sydney Botanical Gardens on a beautiful sunny day is full of surprises. One might confront a flock of cockatoos (which fly around freely) or be attacked by a group of magpies (they are not very nice birds), become acquainted with the Ibis (which are considered pests), or look up and, no kidding, see bats hanging in the trees as they sleep the day away. Seriously they look like ornaments hanging from the trees. Not the most delightful sight.

Cockatoos

Ibis'

Sleeping bats (except for one which seemed to be wide awake)

Just sitting on my patio I see a duck that takes a bath in the water every evening (it’s kind of sad that I know the ducks bathing schedule). Best of all, at sundown everyday we watch the bats as they cross the city skyline. A swarm of bats, thousands of them, fly overhead each night as they travel from the Sydney Botanical gardens (and apparently sky scraper air conditioning vents) to Centennial Park. It is a site not to miss. 

Duck taking a bath

The nightly fly over

As I have learned from sydneybats.org.au, the most commonly seen bat in the Sydney area is the Grey-headed Flying-fox, a large nectar and fruit-eating bat which roosts during the day in large treetop colonies. The Grey-headed Flying-fox is listed as a threatened (vulnerable to extinction) species at State, Federal, and International levels.

Apparently New York does have it's share of strange creatures. Check out this article.

Messina Gelato

A rough day is always made better by salted caramel and white chocolate gelato. Messina is amazing. High recommendations...

 

Emptiness

We have been in Australia for over a month and in our new apartment for three weeks. The big adjustment of moving is made even harder when you are living out of your suitcases. Here we are in our new apartment and all we have inside is an air mattress (that for some unknown reason keeps deflating), a few fold-out chairs, two beautiful vintage arm chairs that Kate’s Mom and Dad have given to us, some clothes and our iPod docking station/stereo- which for some reason we lugged from New York (we can’t live without music).

We have to adjust to living without some of the basics. For example, we don’t have a clock.  It would really help to know what time of the day it is (and would probably help get us more in sync). The other day I needed to cut something and realized we don’t have any scissors or tape or a stapler.  Since we moved in, we have been basically eating and hanging out on the floor. Last week we bought some bean bags as a temporary measure; it helps but after about 15 minutes my lower body starts to go numb.

We have made some big purchases which will hopefully fill up the space a bit until our NYC shipment arrives. We have a new couch (awaiting arrival), outdoor furniture (which is a real treat for a New Yorker) and a nice size dining room table.

I am very much looking forward to hosting our first outdoor/indoor event. I can use the fresh herbs growing on the patio and food grilled on the new bbq to serve people at our new 8-seat dining room table. We love to host and have never had space for a real dining room table to seat our guests. We always ended up with dozens of people sitting around our table for four, eating off their laps. Not anymore...

Anyhow, I wanted to give you a look inside our new APT (the way that architects like you to see it; empty): 

Kitchen, Dining, Living room

A bit empty at the moment. Mechanical louvers allow us to open up the space to the coy pond and lap pool or completely shut it off for privacy. It even helps to naturally cool the space on a hot day (so they say). All that at the press of a button…

Outdoor Patio 

What can I say? It’s nice to be able to sit outside and write these entries, and have a cocktail after work while watching the sunset beyond the city. It’s priceless…

Mezzanine/Den
Another empty room. The bean bags are temporary seating. This will soon be a hybrid den/guest room. Start planning those visits!

Bathroom/Laundry

Another life changing addition to the family- a washer and dryer…

Bedroom

The infamous air mattress... The room is desperately awaiting the NYC shipments arrival.

The View
Very different from our last view but the competition is high. The soothing sound of the ripples on the coy pond is a change from the constant hum of sirens and honking cabs.

Miss you NYC...

Sculpture by the Sea

From Left: Sea Cells by Lucy Barker, Jarrett in London by David Horton, Pyramid Stack by Jennifer Cochrane

Last weekend I had an “I love Sydney moment” while attending Sculpture by the Sea, an annual event along the Bondi to Bronte Beach Walk. As most people know I am not the biggest water/beach person in the world. I think living in Sydney could have a profound effect on this dislike. Let’s not get too excited. I will not be going into the water (at least for a little while) but that does not stop me from observing its beauty. Turning the beach into a gallery for contemporary sculpture is even more extraordinary. Sculptures were dispersed throughout the landscape; submerged in water, placed in site specific locations on sand and rock. Here is a link to some more photos…