Good bye noughties!

As we approach the end of 2009, I think it's befitting to jog the memories on the events of this past year.  Towards the end of 2008, there was much uncertainty with the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) at our doorstep.  Lehman brothers had collapsed, a big bank splurged with a Christmas bash only to lay off their staff the following day.  Taxi drivers were picking up people made redundant and the outlook for 2009 looked quite bleak as we didn't know how bad the financial crisis was.

We now realise that it was the "North America Tsunami" vs the GFC and Australia was not too badly hit, thank goodness.  Nevertheless, 2009 started with a lot of retrenchments in various sectors and the RBA (Reserve Bank Australia) had to reduce the interest rates.  By the end of 2009, the RBA had raised rates three consecutive times now, with more to come.  The AUD went to as high as 0.94c but ended around the 0.88c.

Some notable highlights for me in 2009 are:
-  celebrated Chinese New Year in Penang, Malaysia.  Great fun collecting angpows and catching up with family and friends.  Hmm..  wonder whether wearing some of the "right" colours and avoiding the usual "red" colour helped...?
-  enrolled in a photography course through the Art Gallery NSW - what great fun it was and this started a new hobby!
-  was bridesmaid at Angela and Andrew's wedding in May.  Short and simple wedding.
- sold my Honda Jazz and bought my Mazda 3 ("Zac") - thanks Chris for coming with me and Ash helped check out the car especially the boot.
- bought a new house in Eastwood and proceeded to sell my house in Baulkham Hills - phew... what stress but wish that dad was around ...
- visited a few new suburbs eg Petersham (through Gourmet Safari) and Haberfield (through KY tours)
-  Sydney was engulfed in the red dust storm
- had a girly weekend in Mudgee.  Loved the wines and the atmosphere.  Thanks for the company girls!
- attended Mao's Last Dancer movie premier - what a night!
- checked out a few new restaurants such as Glass Brasserie, Guillame and Aria
- found David Campbell to be extremely HOT, HOT, HOT - great performance
-  celebrated a milestone with friends and thereafter with family in KL.  Is it downhill from here on in...? 
- had some cooking and baking sessions at the Wan kitchen - what a satisfying time it was!  Some of the sessions included learning how to make bak chang, fried radish cake, pineapple tarts, muruku and string hoppers.  It's no wonder they say the kitchen is the heart of the home...
-  bid farewell to a great lady, Mrs Khoo
-  good bye to Rob and Doris who left our shores for Auckland 
-  Patrick Swaysze and Michael Jackson left this world...
- not to mention, the numerous shopping frenzy with my "twin"... shoes, handbags... etc...I bestow on her "Mrs Handbag" - for the most handbags "accumulated" in 2009!


2009 is going to end with a big hole in my pocket... having bought some new furniture (thankfully, there is the 48 months interest free period to take advantage of...), spending time with family and friends is bliss... but thank God for his providence this past year... thank God for friends who are there by our side and to be a sounding board, thank God for families who keep us sane.

So... goodbye 2009, hello 2010!  May good health be with you and your families and may we have peace, love and joy...  May we make this world a better place for you and for me ...

"Don't compromise yourself, you are all you've got"... Janis Joplin

Welcome 2010!

To the markets we go!

Ahh... t'was the last weekend before Christmas... hmm.. is it going to be crowded everywhere??  Anyway, decided to wake up early to check out the Eveleigh Farmer's Market.  This is an undercover market and is open every Saturday from 8am - 1pm.  Mum and I arrived there just before 9am and it was good as there were not too many people there yet.

Soon, the crowds started to fill this renovated railway workshop.  People were checking out the fresh produce, buying fresh flowers, sitting down having coffee and nice pastries or sausage rolls... tasting out cherries, steak... hmm.. the mouth waters.  Must say there is quite a good selection and the place is pet friendly.  This seems to be quite a popular market, people were streaming in with their pets, SO many types of shopping bags, some were wandering around, relaxing in the sun, listening to some music or being entertained by a professional street performer (this is his only profession, apparently...) who, I must say was very funny and entertaining.

The highlight of this weekend was the organic spit roast.  There were a lot of pigs on the spit, with the aromas wafting in the air.  They also prepared a long table for one sit and sample the spit roast served with homemade apple chutney on sourdough roll.  All for $10.

We now know where Kylie Kwong shops for her organic produce...

 People and pets everywhere... enjoying the sun and soaking up the atmosphere

 

Check out the Spit Roast...

 

Flowers in full bloom...

 

  

Cupcakes

Went over to Charmaine's house this afternoon to help decorate some cupcakes for Caitlin who is celebrating her 4th birthday at her child care centre tomorrow.

Charmaine had baked all these lovely mini cupcakes prior to mum and I coming over and had put the base coating ready.  Out came the pink icing... after 2 failed tries in the piping bag... the bags burst, it was third time lucky with new plastic bags which ended up working really well.  Great to be able to "play" and be creative with the various icing colours (pink, light blue, red, purple and green) and the different tips to create all sorts of designs.  There are some skill involved to achieve the desired result.  Ashleigh was having a great time decorating and eating the icing at the same time.

We finally finished close to about 40 cupcakes, all wonderfully and colourfully decorated.  If I were one of Caitlins friends tomorrow, I will have difficulties picking up which ones I'd like to devour first and once finished I will have to say, "... Please Miss, can I have more...?" 

"Before you can fly, you have to be free"

I can't sleep tonight... just came back from my first red carpet movie premier of Mao's Last Dancer. I didn't know what to expect... is it going to be a good adaptation of Li CunXin's life?  Am I going to be disappointed?

I had met and heard Li speak at a breakfast meeting a few months back and was really encouraged by his strength and determination not to mention courage to leave his family and to start a new life.  When I was told that there was going to be a movie premier, I grabbed the opportunity.

Market Street was a flurry of activity from 6pm.  There was security everywhere and we could only get through with our tickets.  I walked in at 6pm, feeling a bit intimidated with all the flashing lights and the red carpet... uuhh oohhh... will I be photographed?  Alas, I'm no celebrity...  The crowd started to come in and we were served with champagne while waiting for the movie to start. 

The State theatre was the perfect venue for the screening of this movie.  The acoutics was great and what better way to enjoy this movie than at a grand theatre with ornate ceilings and carvings on the doors.

Prior to the movie starting, we were introduced to the cast by the Australian producer, Jane Scott and a few words from Li CunXin.  Must say the casting was done very well and the actor who played the adult Li was a student at Birmingham Ballet.  It is a good thing that he can dance as well as act - they chose well.

The movie was an excellent adaptation of Li's life up until the peak of his career.  It captured the emotions as well as the triumph and spirit that he had to endure in a new country.  The movement from the past to the present also flowed very well.  The dancing and the choreography was beautiful and it was accompanied by a great soundtrack which depicted and captured the essence of the story well.

A great movie which inspired us to appreciate the art of ballet more.  After dinner, we adjourned to the Swissotel for a Chinese banquet.  The policemen were on duty to stop traffic to allow us to cross the road.

We were ushered in to the hotel foyer by sounds of gongs playing and lions heralding our arrival.  The function room was beautifully decked out with lanterns and fans and red tablecloths.  The menu was a Chinese banquet and featured the traditional cuisine.

After Li spoke, there was then an auction to raise funds for the Australian Ballet as well as the Bionic Ear Institute which Li is passionate about as his eldest daughter was born stone deaf.  Incidentally, this part of his life was not portrayed in the film.  Li was sad that his father could not be with him tonight as he passed on about 2 months ago.

All in all, it was a great night...

As the film distributor said in his speech, "... the success of the film depends a lot on word of mouth...", so, I'm recommending all of you who are reading this to go watch the movie.  It is a beautiful movie, very well done and has a great story to tell.  The actor has a great physique and can definitely do the piroutte.  Sigh!!

An you are thinking of buying the book, watch out for the new edition as it has additional chapters bringing readers up to date with the important people in his life and how this movie came about.  The new edition has the picture of the actor (Chengwu Guo) with the Chinese flag behind it.

Awesome, Breathtaking, Emotional...
"BEFORE YOU CAN FLY, YOU HAVE TO BE FREE"

Train antics

It's nearly a month now since I started catching the train to work.  It's definitely a far cry from the new Hills buses with their clean seats.  Most of the time, one is able to get a seat on the Hills bus for the 30 - 45 mins bus ride. 

Paying a cheaper weekly fare though, I now have to scramble to get in to a crowded train, being careful not to fall down between the train and the platform.  Once in the train, I try to make a bee line to head either up or down the carriage rather than to stay directly near the door.  People tend to like to park themselves near the door, a lot of times, making it hard for passengers to move in and out.  

It is quite interesting to watch some of the passengers:

• there are those who are determined to have a seat, squeezing themselves between two people when the seat is meant only for 2, making it uncomfortable for the existing passengers!
• some practice eyelash batting - not batting an eyelid at the poor pregnant lady or even the elderly
• what about those who have their music out loud or speak loudly to their friends on their mobiles?  Hey, we don't want to hear your conversation!
• some of us could make do with some perfume or deodorant... eewwww...
• there is "The Badger" - the person who knocks you about with their bags.  Tough for those seated along the aisle.
• what about those who are intent on giving their "bags" a seat even though they didn't pay for an extra ticket?  Despite the trains being full to capacity, some people still think that their bags deserve a seat...sigh!
• "Excuse me, excuse me...." comes this voice from the back.  Here is "The Impatient" passenger trying desperately to get off but could not as the train has not come to a stop and he / she is unable to move forward as the line is not moving...why the hurry?
• or.. there are those who sit on the stairs doing their makeup and oblivious to those of us who are trying to get off...
• those near the door during peak hour run the risk of being shoved and pushed...

A lot of people use the public transport each day, I think it'll be good if each of us practice some common sense and common courtesy to fellow passengers.  

Moving house

It's been 2 weeks now since I've moved to my new place here in Eastwood. Official date of the move was 8 August 2009.

I did not anticipate the amount of planning and physical work that I have done the past weeks, my personal trainer did a good job in building up those biceps!!

The weeks leading up to the move was busy, as I was trying to organise the sale of my old house as well. So, in between "open houses", applying for a new mortgage and completing the purchase of this new place, comes finding the right removalists.

There are so many removalists to choose from... where does one even begin? Some charge by the hour, one came by to see what needs to be done and quoted $1,500, some provide boxes for free while others charges a fee. Some charge the same regardless of whether it's the weekday or the weekend while in most cases, there is a surcharge if you engage them during the weekends and this is usually 10% on top of the price quoted. Arrghh... too hard... thankfully, a friend recommended this removalist that he had used before and found them to be quite good. They are a Korean removalist, charges by the hour and supplies you with boxes which you have to pay a refundable deposit on. They will deliver the boxes and then pick it up a week after you have moved. The move amounted to $500 instead of $1,500!

On the day of the move, 2 Korean guys came, one small built while the other was a tall and good looking guy. The small one was quite strong and seemed to be the more experienced of the two. The good looking guy was a bit clumsy as he was tall and caused two dents in my wall...sigh!
Anyway, one lesson learnt is not to underestimate the amount of stuff you have in your house. I thought it will be a breeze to move my things as I did not have "much"... to my chagrin, the "medium sized" truck was not big enough to fit all my things in including my mum's beloved plants... and pebbles, which she had lovingly and tirelessly picked out!! Oh no... so, for the next few nights, mum and I made trips back to Baulkham Hills to pick up the rest of the things... the final box of pebbles were cleared out last Saturday, hooray! Thanks Charmaine, for helping with an extra load! Thanks to friends who either brought meals or had us over for dinner, it was a real help as the last thing one has the energy to do is to cook after a busy day packing and unpacking.

Next is to get all the change of addresses effected for insurances, be careful that you could end up with either a higher or a lower premium. Initiate a redirect of all mails.. inform friends... and the list goes on.

However, I can now start to enjoy the house... find out where all the switches are... how the locks work...read up on new appliances manual and how they work... the alarm systems...finding more room for my clothes and books...planting new plants to provide more colour...install a new antenna... check out on handyman... consider automating the car porch gate...write to my neighbour about his constantly yapping dog and meeting my new neighbours. And, oh, getting used to the many satellite dishes adorning the landscape!! Why does it have to be so BIG???

Well, a new journey begins... still praying for good neighbours. Praise God, so far, so good...

"I don't know how you can live without TV!!"

That was what Cindy said to me when she visited me the other night. Yes, it has been more than 2 weeks that I have gone without TV! I did wonder... will I survive?

Somehow once I got over the withdrawal symptoms of no "Amazing Race", no "Sunrise" in the mornings or weekends, things seemed fine. I had time to catch up on my reading, writing my blog, and focusing on the tasks at hand, rather than multi-tasking. One of my friends does not have a TV at home and has not had a TV for a few years now...I guess that's how she manages to get through her studies!

Having said that, I'm looking forward to my TV... finally! I believe that some background noise is good for the soul, keeping up with the news or the fashion or gossip, or some type of drama series is a good way of relaxation.

So, tomorrow will be when my antenna is fixed... hmm... should I consider installing a satellite dish next like so many of my neighbours??? Hundreds and hundreds of channels and movies galore!! Alas, I think not...maybe when I've retired and have nothing to do but be a couch potato every day and that's when I'll get my money's worth!

Mis-adventures with Sydney taxi drivers!!

Hrrummpphh... they are at it again! After another long night at the office, I was hoping to have a quick dash home from the city. Hailed a cab and after telling him where to go, the driver then started asking me about where I was from, what languages do I speak etc etc... I then decided to dodge more questions by putting a phone call to a friend to enquire about his health. After chatting away for a few minutes, I realised that the taxi driver was going to take me to Chatswood train station instead of Eastwood station!! The driver was then unsure where to go to head to Eastwood from Pacific Highway. He later explained that he asked if it was Chatswood but since I was on the phone... I did not hear him nor given him an answer. But, I think he just conveniently made the assumption that as I was from Malaysia, Chatswood is my natural place of abode as there are a lot of Malaysians living in Chatswood...?????

There was also this other time where I was heading to Darling Point from the city. Went to a cab and told the driver the address. The driver repeatedly asked... "are you sure this is the address?" Why would I lie to him??? He then asked if I knew how to get there as he does not know. After a few kilometers, I decided that it was best for me to get off rather than being taken for a ride.

Not only do taxi drivers not know the roads, some of them refuse to turn the air conditioning on when the temperature is soaring ... all to save some diesel but leaving us sweating like a .... ?? Or, some will leave you hanging on to your seatbelt as they weave in and out of traffic. You feel as tense as they are when you see them sitting straight and upright and gripping the steering wheel tightly... help, someone!

What is happening to our taxi drivers? Whilst some are polite, there are others who are rude, heck, we are paying them!!

Why do we as consumers, need to put up with this nonsense? WHY should we made to feel inadequate when you do not get in equipped with the map and the directions? How are they able to take our visitors around when they themselves do not know the directions around Sydney?

The ironic thing is that 9 out of 10 of these taxi drivers have TOM TOMs .... wonder why don't they use them instead of letting it sit and look pretty on their dashboard?

Politics

We had the opportunity to host Senator Helen Coonan and a few Liberal supporters at a small boardroom dinner. This is a forum to facilitate discussions about issues surrounding the Liberal party and ways to improve.

It was interesting sitting there listening to Helen point out the "cracks" that are starting to appear under the Rudd government. Notwithstanding, Helen conceded that there was a lot of things that the Liberals are not doing at the moment to position themselves ready to get back to parliament. Firstly, leadership turmoil does not help, the "utegate" fake email saga has also clouded some of the issues which they have started to focus on such as the ever growing deficit. Helen was dogmatic that there would not be another change of leader in such a short term but a question was posed to her to see when would be a good time to change leader i.e. would they wait until the poll indicates a popularity rating of 2%??

While the electorate are still happy with the Rudd government, they will close an eye to some of the election promises which have yet to be actioned but are now being created into policy reviews which are resulting in policy backlogs. It was also interesting to note that the Rudd government is seeing quite a high staff turnover due to the PM's micro management of the staff. Unless the issues reach a "tipping" point, the electorate will continue to be happy with current government and cloud some other more pressing topics such as health care.

A highly interactive and interesting night from all fronts and pertinent concerns were highlighted - topics which could be used by the opposition to bring them back to power. However, my take is that the Liberals have a lot of work ahead of them. They need to regain the electorate's confidence and support in their ability to lead the country. The injection of new and fresh blood to the party especially at the state level does not provide the necessary track record to prove their ability to effect change. Someone commented that some grey hairs would help. The crux of the matter is that there is a lack of strategic and strong leadership moves which will therefore hinder the Liberal parties' resumption to power.

However....

A reporter questioned the reaction anticipated from the introduction of the GST, Prime Minister Howard said in reply '... you must remember that the Australian voter has a short memory span... less than 14 days in most cases!'
Prime Minister, John Howard (1999)

Ahh... the beauty of politics....

Volunteering

It has been a while since I last penned a few lines in this blog... gosh! We are already in August, how quickly this year has gone by! Life had been busy and full.

I was up early this morning as this was the first time I am rostered on to volunteer under our workplace program with the Red Cross through their Good Start Breakfast Club. Our organisation send at least 2 of us each fortnight to help existing staff at the Glebe Public School to serve breakfast to the children at the school. All the children can participate in this program. The idea behind this initiative is based on the premise that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Having the first meal of the day assists the children with their physical, mental and emotional development. Children who miss breakfast are less able to concentrate, more prone to fidgeting and will find it difficult to concentrate by mid-morning. Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that children who miss out on a healthy breakfast are more likely to suffer from obesity later in life.

This program is usually held through schools which are considered to be socially or economically disadvantaged. Glebe Public Schools is attended by children from Aboriginal backgrounds and kids living in the housing commissions.

On this chilly morning, the children start arriving from 8 am with the "peak" period starting from 8.15am when the bus drops them off. They are served cereals or toast and the volunteers and staff keep an eye on the quantity taken eg if a child has consumed more than 4 pieces of toast, he / she will be asked to stop and given an alternative such as some cereals instead. I put too much vegemite for one girl and it was too much for her that she had to ask for just buttered toast!

One of the boys came in and told us that he had recently moved in with his sister who constantly "bashed" him and his brothers... very sad!

Some of the kids are also served dinner before they head home as this was likely to be their last meal of the day before they come to school again the following morning for breakfast. Mind you... dinner is served at 4.30pm!!

It was a good and humbling experience. Good to take stock of the blessings that we have money to put food on the table and are not lacking.

Life...

Today marks the one year anniversary of my dad's passing. I can't believe how quickly the time has flown, seemed like only a few months ago that he left us.

Missed him dearly but the thought that he is now with his Maker and no longer has to suffer gives me much peace.

But it also leaves me to question why we are put here on earth? Why does God bring us to earth only to take us away again? We only have one shot at this life and will need to make full use of it. What do we want others to remember us when we leave this earth? Do we want to leave a lasting legacy? How do we leave a mark? All the material possessions that we have accumulated will amount to nothing as we will have to leave them behind.

At the end of the day, the whole thought process can become too convoluted and morbid. I believe it should be Carpe Diem, do the best we can, contribute back to society, be a positive role model for the younger generation, learn from the older generation and try to make this place a better place to live.

As the late Michael Jackson once sang... "Heal the world, make it a better place, for you and for me and the entire human race.... "

Fleeting visit to Bankstown

Next stop after Cabramatta was Bankstown given that mum could not remember if she had been there before. Bankstown is different to Cabramatta, it has a different feel, the area is not predominantly Asian but it also has some Lebanese shops scattered around. The town itself is also more built up than Cabramatta as it has its own Centro shopping mall which was quite busy yesterday. Hence the "Asian" part of the town is quite small.

There were still a few Asian grocery shops and fruit shops along the main shopping strip on one end with the restaurants located at the other side of the street. Not as much variety as Cabramatta and the cost of the produce is similar.

Again, one could see people congregating on the benches or groups having coffee together.

For me, after Cabramatta, Bankstown was like an Adagio.

Visit to Cabramatta

Cabramatta is a suburb in south western Sydney. Did you know that it is derived from two Aboriginal words, 'Cabra' which was a fresh tasty water grub, and 'Matta',meaning a point or jutting out piece of land. Aboriginal people from the Cabrogal tribe, a sub-group of the Gandangara tribe, have lived in this area for more than 30,000 years.

Took a drive out to Cabramatta yesterday for some good Vietnamese food and to check out the place since I haven't been there for a few months now. Surprisingly there were not many people there this morning. Maybe the cold has deterred the residents from coming out but if you were to check out queue at the ATM machines... I think we need more ATMs here! Help Charmaine!

Cabramatta has been fighting with a longstanding image problem, primarily due to its reputation as a point for drug-dealing and shootings. These drug activities began in the 1990s as drug addicts were drawn to the area. Cabramatta Railway Station became known as the "smack express" and deaths from overdoses in public places such as toilets were reported. The heroin problem, and attempts to contain it, were the source of much controversy and failed actions involving politicians, senior police, human rights organisations and the media. The presence of youth gangs in the Cabramatta area has been a related problem, but since 2002, the problems have receded.

It is evident that this suburb has "cleansed" itself of this drug image. There has been a makeover in a lot of the malls - landlords have renovated the food courts and have installed air conditioning. No longer do you have to worry about getting your feet wet stepping to the wet markets. The wet markets are still there but it is significantly cleaner and drier. Take your pick from the many plastic buckets containing varieties of fishes and other seafood which you might not get at your local fish market. If you are looking for different types of cuts from the butcher, I am sure you will be able to find it too here.

There are various "alley-ways" in the malls which has stalls of exotic and fresh fruits and vegetables. You can shop to your hearts content. If you miss your hometown, coming here to shop will create a sense of deja vu. Shops displaying rolls and rolls of fabrics, shoes, clothing, frilly bridal wear together with gold jewellery to match and ... not to mention the plastic and stainless steel homewares found in the sundry shops evoking a sense of nostalgia of days gone by.

There is a Friendship Arch leading to Freedom Plaza separating the main shopping strips. It is interesting to note the strong sense of community in this place - on this morning young ones can be seen taking the elderly out in their wheelchairs. The elderly looking all warm and cosy in their beanies and scarf. I noticed that people like to congregate in groups on the benches scattered around the place. The coffee shops were filled with mostly men catching up with one another. I have not experienced a sense of community so strong as in this suburb.

We decided to have an early lunch to beat the crowd. Thought we'd try a new restaurant, Tan Viet. The crispy skin chicken must be their specialty as every table ordered one either with egg noodles with soup or dried. Must say the soup was delicious and the crispy chicken lived up to its name! It was crispy and succulent. We also ordered a broken rice special with the works i.e. with pork chop, shredded skin, fried egg and a pork loaf. It was yum! The hot milk coffee topped it all of. This restaurant was really busy with a high turnover. There were a lot of locals gobbling down their food and speaking in their native tongues. If one were to close one's eyes, you'd be forgiven to think that you are somewhere in Vietnam or Lao or Khmer. Definitely it was a bit hard to discern some of the features and the languages of the people there to ascertain their origin. This restaurant is however a local favourite as there was a long queue when we came out... see if you can spot the queue in one of the photos!

A tip though... if you are intending to head out to Cabra as it is also colloquially known, make sure you plan a pit stop before getting there as there are not many public toilets around in the malls and from memory, I think one has to pay to use the public toilets.

Nonetheless, definitely a suburb worth visiting if you crave a taste of Asia as it plays on all your senses but without the added cost of an air ticket.

Chicken a la Carte (true story)

Chicken a la Carte : Director: Ferdinand Dimadura Genre: Drama Produced In: 2005

Synopsis: This film is about the hunger and poverty brought about by Globalization. There are 10,000 people dying everyday due to hunger and malnutrition. This short film shows a forgotten portion of the society. The people who live on the refuse of men to survive. What is inspiring is the hope and spirituality that never left this people.

Be inspired and humbled.

http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/1081/Chicken-a-la-Carte

KarmaTube: Sound of Music Train Station

"Doe, a deer, a female deer. Ray, a drop of golden Sun. Me, a name I call myself." That's not quite what you'd expect hear at a train station in Belgium, but that's what happened when 200 people took over Antwerpen's Centraal Station to do a carefully choreographed dance to the song from Sound of Music. As one observer put it, "It showed me that good things are still out there and there are good people in the world. In a small way, I have a deeper understanding of what it is to be human because of the actions of 200 fellow humans in a train station in Belgium."

KarmaTube: Sound of Music Train Station

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Tadpoles from the sky???

In the news today....

TOKYO (AFP) - Meteorologists in Japan say the rainy season has just started in Tokyo, but residents in a small coastal town have reported a different phenomenon -- tadpoles dropping out of the sky.

An office clerk in Nanao said he first noticed the anomaly when he heard a dull thud in a parking lot last week, news reports said. Looking around, he saw about 100 dead amphibians splattered on car windshields and the ground.

More reports followed from bewildered residents in Nanao.
"People speculate that a waterspout picked them up and dropped them from the air," an official at a local weather observatory told AFP. "But from a meteorological point of view, I have to say it is most unlikely."

"We have checked the weather conditions of last week, thinking gusts of wind might have hit the area but confirmed no damage," he said. "To be honest, I don't think it was anything caused by a weather condition."

Similar events -- in what is sometimes called the "Fafrotskies" phenomenon, short for "fall from the sky" -- have been reported around the world, with whirlwinds passing over water bodies and picking up frogs, jellyfish or other unfortunate animals before dumping them back to earth.

Believe it or not...

Mudgee

After months of planning our itinerary, the day has finally arrived for our girlies' weekend. I had to set two alarm clocks to wake up at 5.30am so that we could leave early to avoid the traffic. Thank goodness, there was not much traffic and we arrived in Blackheath by 8.30am in time for a cup of coffee and a pie. Alas, to our dismay, the bakery was not very well heated and our butts nearly froze!

Stomachs full, we headed off to Mudgee. The sun was trying to come out in parts and we were at one stage accompanied by a group of bikies. Quite intimidating seeing the bikies in their leather jackets, sunnies, and long beards! We made it to Mudgee in less than 4 hours - woo hoo! First stop was cellar door, Logan. Logan is a family owned and operated boutique wine producer with wines from both Mudgee and Orange. Logan had the most stunning tasting room, with wooden doors and wood panelling providing a warm feel. It has an expanse view of the vineyard. The carrot cake and the chocolate and beetroot cake were very moist and yummy. It was a good way to start our visit to Mudgee.

We had to leave the cellar door in a jiffy when we heard that the markets were on but would be closed around noon. Yikes, we only had an hour to spare! But, fret not... we made it there in good time to wander round both the Farmer and Church markets before they close. The Church Market held at the St John's Anglican church showcases local artists with their woollen handknitted gloves, scarfs, tea cosies, handbags, honey. The market was complemented with smells of sausage sizzle wafting in the air.

The Farmers market was next. Held at the St Mary's Catholic church there were stalls showcasing local produce which included cupcakes, home made tapenades and jams to taste, olive oils and spices to tickle the nostrils and test the tastebuds. There was lovely music in the background sung by a local singer which added to the relaxed atmosphere of the town. The main street of Mudgee, Church Street was full of cars, probably all the Sydneysiders coming out for the fresh air and for a bit of R & R.

This is a small town with about 8,700 people but large enough to have a Big W, Aldi, Coles, Woolworths, KFC and McDonald! It is a region which is fertile and a picturesque valley where grapes, stone fruits and olives grow in abundance. There were acres and acres of vineyards producing trademark varieties which this region is well known for.

We visited about 7 wineries and bought a selection of wines. The wineries we visited included Elliot Rocke estate (highly recommended for their Ice Wine and Sparkling Semillion and Chardonnay), Petersons (the Sparkling Moscato is divine!), Farmer's Daughter (again, we bought some Sparkling Moscatos), Robert Stein, Pieter van Gent (lovely cellar door with several old church pews), di Lusso Estate which had a great selection of Italian wines. We each bought a few bottles which tantalised our palates but I soon realised that there could be a closet alcoholic amongst us!

The restaurants in the region were ok. High Valley Wine and Cheese Co although small had a great country feel to it displaying some local potteries and art. It also had the biggest selection of cheeses which they are renowned for. Good place to stop for morning or afternoon tea.

We had dinner at Blue Wren on our first night but we were very disappointed. Blue Wren had a lovely decor with fireplaces warming up the chilly night. The entrees were lovely but mains were nothing much to shout about. Notwithstanding the most disappointing was the lack of service at this establishment to justify the price. We asked for additional bread and was told that there would be an additional charge. Only two of us took the offer for more bread but we were charged for 4 pieces at $1 per piece. It was only a small piece not enough to justify the $1 which was imposed! All disgruntled and felt greatly cheated we then had dinner at Cobb & Co the following night. Must say the dinner was a lot tastier than the night before as we headed there for breakfast the following morning! For more details on the food, would recommend a visit to Charmaine's blog... Overall, we found the food at the pubs of good value. The Oriental hotel filled out stomachs with their big but inexpensive serving of BLT burger. We were told the Red Heifer at the Lawson hotel is famous for its steaks but we did not have enough time to test it out. Given that we visited Mudgee on a public holiday, surcharges at these eateries were a norm.

Oh... apart from all these eating and drinking, we also visited and had an informative session at The Olive Nest learning how to taste olive oil and the dos and don'ts on using olive oil. The Olive Nest stocked a varieties of olive oils from the garlic infused to the lemon infused to salad dressings - take your pick!

We also visited Fairview Artspace which showcased some local artists with their beautiful paintings, jewellery, handicraft and glassware. While we were there some ladies spent their Saturday afternoon with a male instructor teaching them the art of knitting.

Adjacent to this gallery is a Woolshed displaying some hand knitted sweaters, scarfs and gloves. It also had some old machinery. The woolshed as the name implied was old and dark looking. However, as we browsed around we came across the "owner" (not quite sure?) sitting in front of a fireplace with a laptop! How ironic!

Mudgee is definitely less commercialised than the Hunter valley and a good relaxing town, and a bonus as it was not too far from Sydney.

Gulgong

Gulgong, is a picturesque gold rush town featured on Australia's first $10 note. It is also the second largest town in the mid-western Regional council area with a population of about 3,000 people. It is only a short drive from Mudgee.
When we visited on Sunday, 7 June it was the Henry Lawson festival. There were street parades during the weekend (although we missed it), and the singing of a number of Henry Lawson's works.
The town looked a bit deserted and we realised later that a lot of the population are at the races!
http://www.gulgong.net/Home.htm

True friends or ....?

As I prepare for a girlies' weekend away, I thought it timely to reflect on friendships. Who are our friends, why do we choose them and allow them to come into our lives? Why do we have a stronger bond with one and not the other? Granted, we all have different personalities, but why does one move more in synch and have the same values and principles while the other... you hardly hear from until they want something from you... what do we do then? Do we cut them off as friends or do we still accept and be there for them? What happens if you are there for them but they are not there for you? They tell you their life story but is not interested in the happenings in your life? It this person is not your spouse, is it possible for him / her to be a friend for life?

Friendships like any relationships are hard work, we need to water and nurture it. God sends people in to our lives for a reason and a season. If there is only one hand, it cannot make a sound. We need friends to grow together, encourage and uphold each other, be there for you through thick or thin, truthful and not afraid to tell you off but is there to link arm in arm to run the race before us. Life is hard enough as it is to fight alone and I think this is one of the reasons God sends these "angels" to help us along the way when the going gets tough, but it's does not give us the right to take each other for granted!

Here are some thoughts to ponder....

We talk of choosing our friends, but friends are self-elected

AGE is a mind over matter, if you don't mind, it doesn't matter

Falling in love is easy but staying in LOVE is something very special

A friend, is, as it were, a second self

You can't help getting older, but you don't have to get OLD

A friend is someone who reaches for your hand but touches your heart

Wherever you are it is your friends who make your world

Growing old is inevitable, growing UP is optional

A hug is the shortest distance between friends

Laughter is the medicine of life

It is not the years in your life that counts, it is the life in your years

Love doesn't make the world go round but it makes the ride worthwhile

Having a place to go - is a home, having someone to love - is a family

To have a good friend is one of the greatest delights of life

Friends have a way of speaking without words

To have JOY one must share it

It is important to have a twinkle to your wrinkle

Blogging

I've been blogging for nearly a month now. Whoever started this is a genius! I derive a lot of satisfaction from writing and it is a great stress reliever.

Jonathan Bailey from Plagiarism Today (26 May 2009) commented that a survey conducted by Technorati found that of the 133 million blogs they had tracked since 2002, only 7.5 million had been updated within the past four months and, of those, only 1.5 million had been updated within the past 7 days. Wow... quite a significant drop. This means that of the blogs Technorati tracked, only 5.6% are active within the last four months and only 1.1% are active within the past week. The vast majority of blogs are abandoned.

Jonathan then went on to give 6 tips to avoid abandonment.
http://www.bloggingtips.com/2009/05/26/6-tips-to-avoid-blog-abandonment/

I guess part of the motivation behind setting up a blog is that one must enjoy writing. It can be on any topic or a particular subject. For me, it is putting down my thoughts on issues which affect me either positively or negatively, it is a forum which allows me to communicate and update my friends on happenings as well as an opportunity to let my creative juices flow.

The process of setting up my own blog was a simple process. The fun starts in trying to create a certain look and feel of the blog, by adding a different background or accessorising. That took up some time figuring out which templates I liked and which websites to go through. One pointer is that with some downloads, there is a high probability of losing the gadgets which you have picked before after the download which was a bummer... then there is also the possibility that the colours you had picked out before might not suit your new background, so, will need to revisit the colour scheme.

On the whole, it has been a pleasant experience and a great way to pen some of my life journeys.

Hmm... I wonder what the blogging community will look like and where it will evolve to in 5 years time?

Introducing....ZAC!!

After the agony of buying a car... here comes.... ZAC!! Zoom Zoom Zac...

Picked Zac (Velocity Red) up last Thursday, 21st. Thankfully, the process went without a hitch. Matt the salesman went through various mechanics of the car and its functionalities. Checked that all the added accessories have been fitted. Was surprised that Matt didn't realise the cruise control steering wheel also came with volume controls. He thought that this would be a nice surprise for me... but... I had already checked it out. My only complaint was that they did not have a replacement cover for my number plate as we could not fit it in after we took it out from my previous car.

It is hard to describe the feelings for Zac - I am thankful for a car which will transport me from A to B. - have wheels will travel! I don't feel any differently as I loved my Jazz!! It had served me well.

Having said that, I feel more secure in Zac, given the improved safety features in the Mazda vs Honda. Furthermore, it's a slightly bigger car (2.0ltr engine) than my Jazz (1.5 ltr) and it handles well. Mum said it felt more comfortable - she's happy, so that says something! More costly on the fuel given the bigger engine but more importantly, pray that Zac will not let me down!

Some pointers:

1. If you are a female, take someone along, preferably male, to buy your car. Thanks Chris!

2. Do your research, know what you want (eg accessories) and negotiate as best you can.

3. Once you sign on the dotted line, don't expect much follow up / after sales service. Matt expected me to bring a case of beer with me when I went to pick up my car... wonder what for?

4. Important to go to a dealer where you will get your car serviced. I bought my car from Artamon and they provide an additional 3 year warranty if it is serviced in their dealership. Not sure if the Parramatta dealer has the same deal.

5. Try to sell your car privately as you'll definitely get more bang for your buck towards your new purchase.

Am happy to report that this chapter is now closed *BIG GRIN*, hopefully, no more dramas.

Next.. dealing with real estate agents.... groan!

Women and Car Salesmen!

Hmm... seems like I am not alone in my car buying dilemma. Was speaking to a friend today and she went through the same process about 2 weeks ago.

She drives a 4WD and went in to 4 different dealers to check out another 4WD. She had researched and knew exactly what she was looking for. Well... what do you know... a dealer asked if she was going to wait until her "husband" comes in, another was persuading her to buy the next model down... hello... she's has the $$$ and here he was, insisting she buys a cheaper model. Did she get any service??? NO!

What do these men take us for? Dumb? Lesser mortals? Don't know what we want? Incapable of making our own decisions?

As for me, went to another dealership with my friend, Chris and guess what, we were well received and was given the necessary attention.... but, I threw them a spanner in the works as a friend of mine called on the same night I bought my car andsaid that he might have a friend who was interested. Called them the following day to see if they could hold the contract for a week, they came back and said no but will check with the boss. That was Monday and I have yet to hear from them 5 days later...

I really do not have faith in car salesmen anymore.... wonder how the next generation of women will be treated???

Thank you Mums!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mums. Your sacrifices and unconditional love are... priceless.

Together with a few friends, we decided to do the 4km walk in the Mother's Day Classic organised by the National Breast Cancer Foundation to raise funds for breast cancer research. The Mother's Day Classic walk started in 1998 with just 1,800 walkers but it is now a national event with 67,000 Australians last year putting on their running shoes for research. 1 in 9 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetimes, a scary statistic! Let's pray that we will find a cure to this deadly disease or at least early detection soon!

The rain started to pour down but it did not dampen our spirits. A few people were already on their way home after their 8km run while we were just heading to The Domain and getting ready for our 4km walk. There were various stalls decked around the Domain and entertainment was a bit sedate due to the rain. It was very touching to hear some stories about survivors and current fighters of breast cancer. The Australian Girls brightened the stormy skies with their beautiful rendition before joining the rest of us to walk. Ever tried doing some aerobic warm ups in the rain?

Woo Hoo.. our turn came. Big and small umbrellas dotted the skyline. It was not only a day to raise money for breast cancer research but a day of remembrance... husbands walking in memory of their wives, daughters for their mums, remembering those loved ones who have fought the battle and those who are still soldiering on. Amidst the poignancy, it was also a day of community - the coming together of relationships and friendships. A time where families came decked in uniforms of pink, mums and daughters walking hand in hand, children running and playing together and friends catching up. We finished and returned to the Domain within the hour and was rewarded by a pink showbag filled with magazines, water tumblers courtesy of Tupperware, bottled water and an apple!

We then headed to the Art Gallery cafe for brunch to rest our tired feet amidst other patrons with pink showbags. A good day to share with friends... thanks Charmaine for organising!

Next... City to Surf! Better start training, girls!

Haberfield

Lamonica IGA

I've lived in various parts of Sydney for close to 16 years and yesterday was the first time I've visited Haberfield. Just goes to show how "big" Sydney is. Don't ask me why it has taken me so long to pay a visit though... I guess the opportunity had not presented itself.

Haberfield is a suburb in the inner west of Sydney and is located 9 kms west of Sydney CBD. It sits south of Iron Cove, which is part of Sydney Harbour. Its suburb contains well kept parks and Federation homes with proudly maintained gardens. Did you know that the entire suburb of Haberfield is heritage listed?

Mum and I arrived shortly after 10.30am having navigated the busy streets to Haberfield and thankfully, it was not too hard to find a car spot . There were plenty of traffic off the main streets, Ramsay and Dalhousie Streets. My other "tour" members Jennifer and her sister, Vivien were waiting on a corner bench, basking in the sunshine together with our tour guide for the day, Kevin. What a glorious day to be out! The cafes were abuzz with people having their weekend brunch and the main supermarket, Lamonica (photo above) was doing a brisk trade.

First stop was a going to be a cheese store but at the risk of "fighting" with another gourmet safari tour which was in session, we headed to a chocolate store instead. The chocolate store, Colefax chocolate for some yummy hot chocolate and hot coffees. The cafe was getting ready for Mother's Day with chocolate bottles of champagne as well as teddy bears. There was a great selection of home made chocolates. Nice decor together with a Parisian chandelier.

Haberfield has a strong Italian influence, so, after having our coffee and energy fix we then headed to a bakery, A & P Sulfaro to drool at the yummy cakes and biscotti. We bought an assortment of biscotti for dessert tonight - they proved to be a real hit! A tip... if you intend to get something get it early as the cakes are very popular. Do try the Ricotta Cheesecake...and someone would also say... Alessandro please, if possible...

Next stop was Pasticceria Papa. The Pasticceria had a European feel to the decor with a showcase of cakes and biscuits. It was bustling with the locals meeting friends over coffee or taking a breather from the busy day.

Crossing the street brought us to a fresh pasta shop, Peppe's Pasta, "Australia's most favourite pasta". All the ravioli and sauces were nicely packaged. Bought two packets of raviolis for Charmaine, "Roasted Butternut Pumpkin and Sage" and "Veal, Pancetta, Sage & White Wine Ravioli". Sorry Ash, have to get there early next time for your "Roast Duck" ravioli as it was so popular that it had been sold out!

Next stop, the bakery - the array of freshly baked foccacias, sour dough and a lot of other breads which I don't even know the name to was being snapped up by the locals. Bought a semolina sour dough to try - smelt delicious!

Lamonica (pictured above) was busy with the locals queuing up for their staple from the deli. The varieties of pasta filling the shelves in Lamonica were amazing! Big, small, tubular, round... you name it, they have it together with bottles of Passata to match!

Smelling the fresh bread and being surrounded by food tend to make one hungry. Haberfield did not disappoint with the options available for lunch - there was La Grotta, Dolcissimo being the more popular restaurants. We decided to head off to Napoli in Bocca (translated Naples in your mouth) and had a yummy lunch. We shared a pizze ("4 Stagioni" consisting of tomato, mozzarrella, prosciutto crudo, olives, mushrooms & eggs), Spaghetti Marinara, Fettuccini with Chicken and Pesto and Calamari Ripieni (Stuffed Calamari with seafood, cooked in Napoletana sauce). Needless to say, we were all too stuffed to fit in desserts. It was also interesting to note that Maeve O'Maera's Haberfield Gourmet safari group was also having lunch at this restaurant. Thumbs up!

Pity the lovely morning had come to an end - we did not have any room for a gelato - oh well, have to do save it for next time. Thanks Kevin for taking us around and highlighting some of the shops and things to see.

Definitely worth another visit as the suburb is not too busy but filled with quality shops, cafes to provide the caffeine hit and sufficient choices of eateries to fill an empty stomach.

Where to next....?

Final piece of the pizze...

Napoli in Bocca

Haberfield Post Office converted to a restaurant

Pasticceria Papa - situated at the corner of Ramsay and Dalhousie Streets

Hell hath no fury like a woman's ....

Eleanor Roosevelt once said that no one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Nothing was further from the truth late one Friday afternoon... Zoom Zoom Zoom ...

I was really looking forward to test driving the new Mazda 3 after having done some research on it. Off I went to the closest Mazda showroom and since it was nearly closing time on a Friday afternoon, I had expected some old fashioned customer service and had imagined someone greeting me and taking me through the various models prior to offering me the test drive.

Boy... was I in for a rude shock... firstly, everyone seemed very busy at their respective desks. I stood there for a while probably close to 5 minutes before someone came up to see if I had been attended to. I then advised him that I would like a test drive. The sales person asked if I had made an appointment (and, of course... I had not as it was an impromptu visit). He then said that he will check to see who is available and came back to say that they are all very busy since it's Friday and people are picking up their cars. Suggested that it is best I come back over the weekend. I didn't realise that one had to make an appointment for a test drive these days!! A lot of car buying protocols must have changed over the past 5 years.

Humph... talk about a lack of customer service. Not to mention that they must be defying the global financial crisis as they were so busy with their sales...!

I really felt like Julia Roberts in the scene from Pretty Woman where she went in to the shops in Rodeo Drive hoping to buy some clothes but did not get any service and was looked down and frowned upon.

Could it be that being a woman, I am seen as being incapable of making my own decisions about buying a car, hence the lack of interest or .... the shortfall in the customer service in this particular showroom was due to their brisk trade? Or...???

Whatever it was, I thought I'd give them another go and decided to take my chance at a test drive a few days later. The sales person took me round the block and had the gall to ask if the test drive was long enough, to which I answered that it was too short. He then offered for me to go another block but said that I can't go far as the car was low on petrol... arrghh!!

I am in the customer service industry and to be honest, in times like these, I would have thought that customer service would be more pertinent than before but alas, this was not the case.

Downcasted but not defeated, I'd like to go back to this particular showroom and tell them..."BIG MISTAKE!!"... but ... in going through the motions... will I be made to feel inferior again???

To blog or not to blog

It's 1.47am and here I am, writing my first blog! It's taken me a while to decide if I should start my own blog - and whether I have a flair for it. But, given that biggest bloggers are women, I thought I'd give this a go, jump on the bandwagon and see what this is all about.

I think I'll use this as a journal to record highlights of my life given that time is flying past really really swiftly...

Starting my blog page was not as hard as I thought. Websites such as this, Blogger and WordPress made the experience relatively pain-free.

The journey starts now... let's see where this will take me.