St Kilda Beach Outing

 A trip to St Kilda this afternoon on public transport gave us lots of photo opportunities, enjoyment and free entertainment. The idea was to get there early and get tickets to the Open Air Cinema to see The Orbweavers, who were performing just before the screening of the movie Seven Psychopaths. Unfortunately when we got there the tickets were sold out, so we decided to hang around, have a drink and then see if we could get a pick of the band from the outside. So we walked to St Kilda Pier and had a warm coffee (finally it was actually hot) so needed after struggling with the cold wind until it was time for the band to perform. We found a great spot just on the side of the fence and saw and heard the band for free!! I really think they are a band worth seeing live, their songs are so Melbournian and you get a piece of history with every song. When we got home we got a HUGE family pizza from a new pizza shop in Templestowe Shops called Sweedish Pizza and happily ate it whilst watching a strange film called Reboot which ended up being a very short film to our surprise. A lovely way to spend this Saturday, free of stress and mundane things.

Un viajecito en transporte publico hasta St Kilda nos dio muchas oportunidades fotograficas y entretenimiento gratuito. La idea era ir temprano y conseguir tickets para el Cine al Aire Libre para ver a Los Orbweavers, quienes iban a tocar antes de la pelicula "Los Siete Psicopatas". Desgraciadamente cuando llegamos los tickets ya estaban agotados asique decidimos quedarnos por ahi ya que descubrimos un lindo lugarcito afuera desde donde se veia el escenario super bien. Asique caminamos por la playa hasta el muelle y nos tomamos un cafe calentito (por suerte estaba caliente!) tan necesario para combatir el viento de la tarde hasta que se hizo la hora para que toque la banda. Llegamos a nuestro lugar encontrado y desde ahi vimos y oimos la banda gratis! Realmente creo que esta banda valen la pena ver en vivo, sus canciones son tan Melbourianas y aprendes un pedacito de hsitoria en cada cancion. Cuando llegamos a casa compramos una pizza ENORME en una pizzeria nueva de Templestowe que se llama Sweedish Pizza y la comimos felizmente mientras miramos una pelicula llamada Reboot que resulto ser un shortfilm para nuestra sorpresa. Una forma muy agradable de pasar la tarde este Sabado, sin estres y sin cosas mundanas que hacer.

Benjamin Gibbard

So happy to have found this!

Kathmandu and Southpaw Bar

After some gift exchange and bargain hunting at Smith Street's Kathmandu we drove to Gertrude Street to find a delightful bar. It had a very old look combined with some new stuff but overall had a great feel. We had a coffee which was lukewarm, not hot as it should be, something Melbourne still needs to get its head around. I also discovered they sell pancakes with "dulce de leche" ice-cream. I am loving this food globalization but decided to have it another day. Back at home we are going to try sweedish pizza.

Christmas 2012

Although it doesn't seem so all of these dishes were prepared by 2 people during the whole Christmas Eve's day. There is always too much and when it is time for the sweets there's no hunger left, but the preparations are as exciting as the night itself. We had a nice Christmas, we laughed, enjoyed seeing what everyone bought for one another and had fun just being together. On the 25th we also got together with Alejandro and two of his kids, who we haven't seen in ages. It was nice to get to know them again. Time now to recap and evaluate 2012 and decide where to focus our energies in 2013 before the end of the year is here.


Aunque no parezca todo esto fue hecho en casa por dos personas durante todo el dia de noche buena. Siempre hay demasiado y cuando se llega a los dulces ya no hay hambre, pero los preparativos son tan lindos como la noche en general. La pasamos lindo, nos reimos y disfrutamos abrir regalitos y estar en familia. El 25 tambien nos reunimos con Alejandro y sus hijos que hacia muchisimo que no veiamos, fue lindo  empezar a conocerlos un poquito. Tiempo ahora para hacer un resumen del ano y pensar en que enfocar la energia el ano proximo antes de que termine el ano. 

Lettuce from my Veggie Patch

Yesterday I picked all these lettuce leaves from my very own veggie garden. I am so proud of myself for the results. It has been hard having to do it all by myself. Ric couldn't help this time because of his sore leg...but I think he was there with spirit and that is why the veggies are so luscious. I have some tomatoes growing too and red peppers. The round zucchinie or 'zapallitos' plants are huge but all the flowers are dying and no zapallito can be seen at then end, so not sure what's happening there. Looking forward to eating my grape tomatoes when they are ripe. I love it that the holidays are around the corner and I will be able to spend more time there with my plants.

Ayer saque todas estas hojas de lechuga de mi propia quintita. Estoy muy orgullosa de mi esfuerzo ya que este ano tuve que hacer todo sola ya que Ricky no pudo ayudarme por su pierna...igual creo que su espiritu esta ahi en la tierra porque todo esta creciendo con mucha fuerza. Tengo tomates y ajies rojos creciendo tambien. Los zapallitos estan gigantes pero al final de cada flor no se ve ningun fruto, asique no se bien que esta pasando con eso. Mi albaca tambien crece con fuerza. Por suerte las vacaciones ya casi estan aqui y podre pasar mas tiempo con mi jardin.

Culinary Weekend

Another trip to the Spanish Deli left feeling as happy as a clam. I could not believe my eyes when Ric came out of the shop with this little jewel; a jar of Original Chimbote Dulce de Leche. Amongst the two very best dulce de leches from Argentina finally made the trip to Melbourne. The funny thing is that it came from France and perhaps because of that it made it through customs. When I got home and dipped my teaspoon in the tiny jar I felt my taste buds tingle and my stomach juices withdraw against the walls to make room for this creamy sauce to safely land in it. Oh what a delight it was not to be disappointed or cheated. The true taste arrived in Melbourne and lives in my stomach. Thank you Casa Iberica for importing it!

Otro viaje a la fiambreria espanola me dejo sintiendome tan feliz como una almeja. No podia creerlo cuando Ricky salio del negocio con esta pequena joyita; un tarro del dulce de leche original Chimbote. Uno de los dos mejores  dulce de leches de Argentina finalmente hizo su viaje a Melbourne. Lo gracioso es que llego desde Francia y quiza por eso lo dejaron entrar en la aduana. Cuando llegue y meti la cuchara en el tarro para probarlo senti que mis papilas gustativas vibraban y mis jugos estomacales se pegaban a las paredes para hacerle lugar a esta deliciosa salsa espesa para aterrizar a salvo. Que delicia fue no desilusionarme con el gusto, el veradero Chimbote llego a Melbourne y ahora vive en mi estomago (todavia no lo comi todo eh!. Gracias a Casa Iberica por importarlo!

Last Leg of the Race

My weekends are always busy, so busy that they just go by in the blink of an eye. I always wondered if it just me or if it happens to other people. I never seem to have that "relaxing" time that I keep seeing on magazines' pictures where people just lay on the couch with a book in their hand and a mug of coffee on the other and just have time to read and relax...and by the way they always look so beautiful. Don't get me wrong, I am not so gullible and I also studied advertising, so I know they are fake images...but I also know that sometimes those fake images are there to motivate people to aspire to that and I wonder if someone gets there. I know I work hard, but I never get to that moment where I have nothing to do and can actually sit and enjoy that " magazine picture" life-style. Where does the time go? Today I rushed all morning (since 8.30) to get all the shopping done, the washing, tidied up the house a little bit and then did some cooking so when I got out in the afternoon to have a drink with my family I wouldn't be thinking that I had to quickly come home to cook. I enjoyed maybe one hour walking along some shops, having a drink and then came home for more stuff to do. Take the cats out, hang some clothes on the line, vacuum the living room and get the rest of dinner organised. Now it is 10:30, just finished dinner and the washing up and it is time to finally sit on the couch. Only I am too tired not to fall asleep as soon as I start to relax.

Today I found a vinyl of the soundtrack of the movie Amadeus and bought it for $8. Not bad. I came home and put it on and enjoyed it. Tomorrow is gym in the morning and then report writing...it's the last leg of my first year. Camp is coming out and then the countdown will start. I really need the holidays, the long "relaxing" holidays. Will they be really relaxing? I wonder.

Apples, Llamas and Falls

Listening to Benjamin Gibbard's new Former Lives CD we embarked on another day full of adventure!! After picking up a new guitar amp for Ric in Geelong, we drove to Lorne and found a new walk "Phantom Falls".

Escuchando el nuevo CD de Benjamin Gibbard "Former Lives"nos embarcamos en otro dia lleno de aventura!!! Despues de pasar a buscar un nuevo aplificador de guitarra para Ricky en Geelong, manejamos hasta Lorne y encontramos otra caminata Las Cataratas Fantasmas.

The walk starts at Allenvale, Lorne, in the midst of rainforest vegetation and stunning views. At the first turn we walked around a private property where apple trees grow in pretty little rows (shame there weren't any apples to quench our thirst) and llamas pasture in the sun.

La caminata empieza en Allenvale, Lorne, en el medio de vegetacion de selva y vistas espectaculares. En la primera curva nos encontramos rodeando un campito privado donde los arboles de manzanas crecen en filitas preciosas (lastima que no habia manzanas para calmar nuestra sed) y las llamas pastaban en el sol.

The walk was interesting from the start and promised to be medium-easy when suddenly a hill of interminable proportions erected in front of us turning the easy walk into medium-hard-very hard-stop going up already kind of walk. In my mind I pretended to be in the stepper machine at the gym and try not to look up at the endless uphill path that seemed to extend farther than the eye could see. This concept worked as suddenly the hill started to ease and we found ourselves catching our breath.

La caminata fue interesante desde el comienzo y prometia ser facil-mediana cuando de pronto una subida de proporciones interminables se erecto frente a nosotros volviendo la caminata facil en caminata media-dificil-muy dificl-para de ir para arriba ya! En mi cabeza yo pretendia estar en la stepper en el gimnasio y trataba de no mirar para arriba a la interminable subidita que parecia extenderse mas alla de lo que el ojo veia. Este concepto me ayudo a que se haga mas corta la subida hasta que empezo a alivianarse y nos encontramos parados recuperando el aire.

A few minutes later we arrived at the falls and descended the steep steps to see it from the bottom in all its grandeur. We sat amongst the rocks and enjoyed the beautiful scene and the soothing noise of the waterfall whilst we rested for a while. It was nice not thinking about reports (even though the word crossed my mind) and not worrying about house chores, garden trimmings and washing.

Unos minutos mas tarde llegamos a las cataratitas y descendimos las escaleras para verlas desde abajo en toda su grandeza. Nos sentamos entre las rocas y disfrutamos de la escena hermosa y del sonido calmante del agua al caer mientras descansabamos por un rato. Era hermoso estar ahi y no pensar en los reportes (aunque la palabra cruzo mi cabeza) y no preocuparme por tareas hogarenas, jardineria y ropa sucia.

The return walk was easier (except for a very steep descent) and ended in Lorne with chips, ice-tea and lattes.

El retorno se hizo mas facil (excepto por un largo camino en pendiente) que termino en Lorne con papas fritas, te helado y cafe lattes.

Farewell Guys

And once again we farewell Miram and Horacio who are going back to Argentina after a well deserved holiday in Europe. It has been nice to have you here, even if briefly. I wish we could have spent more time together...but life is so super busy!!! I was seriously shocked when you told me you were leaving in a week's time. Hope we can catch up soon again. Take care friends...watch out for The Watchytworous!

Exploring the Garden

What a beautiful weekend this was! I woke up at 8:00 to go the gym since I couldn't go on Friday. I felt so weird being there so early on a Saturday! I felt very good after though and washed the car I hired cause I needed to return it. A car service picked me up from Hertz Vermont, as part of my insurance agreement. I felt like a movie star since it wasn't a normal taxi that picked me up but a huge van with electric doors and limousine-like seats in the back. At home I baked an apple pie for dessert and got ready to go out. We went to Fitzroy again, since we didn't have a car and had to catch public transport, it was a handy place to go. Ric and Anton went to a music store and I just strolled around getting in those shops that they never want to go in. We met again about 1/2 hour later and had coffee and cakes at Jasper's. We were walking towards the records shop when I hear my name being called out. It was my friend from work who was sitting in traffic. We kept going and I went to a few other places  before coming back.
Today I did some gardening and the day was so beautiful that we took the cats out to enjoy it too. They are so funny outside, smelling absolutely everything. My garden is looking so pretty with all the flowers coming out and the smell of fresh-cut grass. The veggie patch is shaping up, still quite a bit of work to do before we start planting. A few independent seeds sprouted on their own already, seeds from last year must have lay their roots there.
We also met Miriam and Horacio in the city today and shared a bruschetta and a coffee, they will be going back home soon and we won't see them for a while. We wish them all the best, a safe trip and we hope they come back quickly.