Walking

Last Sunday by hubby and I did our traditional Sunday walk from Bourke Road in Camberwell to Federation Square in the city. This particular spot when we arrive to the Yarra at the end of Swan Street, past the tennis centre is simply beautiful. There are so many trees casting shade over the bank of the river. On this particular sunny Sunday, the temperature was just right and we sat on a bench to look at the peaceful reflection of the city on the water.

El domingo pasado my marido y yo hicimos la tradicional caminata desde Bourke Road in Camberwell hasta Federation Square en el corazon de la city. Este lugar en particular cuando llegamos al rio Yarra al final de la calle Swan pasando el Tennis Centre es simplemente hermoso. Hay tantos viejos arboles dando sombra sobre los costados del rio. En este domingo en particular la temperatura era perfecta y nos sentamos en los bancos a mirar la refleccion de los edificios en el agua.

Lorne, Here We Go Again!

It was a busy day at the beach on the 3rd day of the new year and it was hot! We drove swiftly and arrived at Lorne after 2. As usual the place was flooded with holiday-makers and I felt the town is a different one from the one I see at other times of the year. Can't blame people for liking it, but seriously, "Go somewhere else!".

Fue un dia bastante lleno de gente en la playa el tercer dia del ano nuevo y hacia mucho calor! Manejamos rapidito y llegamos a Lorne despues de las 2. Como todos los veranos, Lorne estaba inundado de gente y siento que el pueblito es muy diferente del que conozco en otros momentos del ano. No se puede culpar a la gente porque lo eligan y les guste, pero seriamente, " vayanse a otro lado".

I hit the beach at about 4ish and enjoyed sitting there and looking into the water. I took a book I had to read for uni a couple of years ago because I remembered that at the time I wished I could read it when I wasn't so busy with assignments, so I picked it up and started reading it again. It is called " Why School?", by Mike Rose. I recommend it to people that has an interest in education. Even though it is an American author and it is based on the American Public Education system it has a lot of similarities with ours and it it very easy to relate to. I read until I felt asleep. When I woke up I was wet with sweat and half the people that were surrounding me before had gone. I got up and walked to the water. I knew it would be cold so I tried to prepare myself for the shock. It never works though. The contrast in temperatures makes it impossible to walk in. So I took one step forward and two back easing myself slowly and waiting for the waves to subside so I could run in before the next one hit me in all my dry places and made me shiver. And then I plunged in and I held my breath feeling the cold water bubble around my body. When I came out to breathe again I was so happy, it was like I was reborn. I don't think there is anything else in the world that makes me feel like that, so relaxed and away from anything else in the world. I swayed in the ocean for about an hour, always looking into the land in the distance, the green hills that seem to fall into the blue water. At times I looked at my feet wriggling through the crystalline water and other times at the sky with my head resting on the waves. It was kind of difficult to pull myself out, in fact, I started walking out and then quickly turned around and stayed a bit longer.

Fui para la playa a eso de las 4 y disfrute sentandome ahi y mirando el agua. Me lleve un libro para leer que hace un par de anos tuve que leer para la facultad. Me acuerdo que en ese momento pensaba como me gustaria leer este libro en otro momento cuando no tenga examenes...asique lo agarre y ahora lo leo con otra onda. Se lo recomiendo a aquellos que tengan un interes por la educacion, se llama "Porque Escuela?" por Mike Rose. Si bien esta basado en el sistema educativo de estados unidos tiene mucha concordancia con el nuestro y es facil de relacionar.  Lei hasta que me quede dormida. Cuando me desperte estaba chorreando de transpiracion asique me levante para ir al mar. Sabia que iba a estar fria asique me prepare para el shock. Nunca funciona igualmente. El contraste en temperaturas hace imposible que uno pueda simplemente caminar adentro. Asique daba un paso para adelante y dos para atras entrando despacito y esperando que las olas se apaguen para correr antes de que la proxima me rompa encima y me toque todas las partes del cuerpo que aun tenia secas y me hagan temblar. Y despues me tire de cabeza y sin respirar sentia como el agua fria burbujeaba alrededor de mi cuerpo. Cuando sali a tomar aire de vuelta estaba tan contenta, como si hubiera nacido de vuelta. Creo que no hay nada mas en el mundo que me haga sentir asi, tan relajada y tan lejos de todo lo mundano. Me meci en el mar como por una hora, simpre mirando a la tierra en la distancia, las colinas verdes que parecen caer en el agua azul. Por momentos miraba mis pies moverse en el fondo del agua tan cristalina y otros momentos miraba el cielo recostando mi cabeza en el agua. Me resulto dificil arrancarme del mar, de hecho intente salir un par de veces y me di vuelta y volvi a meterme por un rato mas.

After sunbathing a little Ric came back from his walking adventure and we had a shower and went to have dinner at our favourite Cuda Bar with live music and a refreshing beer. At dusk the beach looked beautiful and uninterrupted. No people, no noise except the waves breaking.

Despues de tomar un poquito de sol, Ricky volvio de su aventura caminera y nos banamos y nos fuimos a cenar a nuestro favorito Cuda Bar con musica en vivo y una cerveza helada. Al atardecer la playa estaba hermosa e ininterrumpida. No gente, no ruido excepto las olas rompiendo.

Welcome 2013

Welcome 2013! Celebrations were fun and as usual we ate way too much. A positive balance is left from 2012 for me personally and professionally. I love my new job, I feel comfortable, happy and challenged. This year's resolutions are not very different from past years. It's funny how they always tend to go around the same topics: health, finances and fitness. I feel confident though that this year will see some of those goals actually being fulfilled. Looking forward to a great year!

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!