Shakespeare by the Sea

I joined Jacs, Sam, Janine, Niels, and Sawyer last night for Comedy of Errors on Balmoral Beach in Mosman.  We had a lovely picnic and managed to make our way up and down the steepest hill EVER to enjoy the show.  The cockatoos had a little too much to say as the show got started but eventually they calmed down and it was a nice night.  The weather turned out to be beautiful!  Gotta enjoy a picnic with bubbles, wine and cupcakes!  Wish David could have enjoyed it with us! :) 

~LAA

White Christmas in Atlanta (and the Resulting Travel Hassles)

I can't believe that of all the years for us to be in Australia, Atlanta manages to get snow.  And not just snow, but a WHITE CHRISTMAS!!  I'm so excited for the Southerners who were able to experience their first white Christmas and I'm incredibly jealous that we didn't get to participate!  

The entire city shut down for almost a week when the storm hit.  Thankfully no one we know was hurt in the ordeal and the worst of it was being trapped in their homes for days.  I suspect it was kind of nice to have an unforeseen vacation!  

Much to his shagrin, David had to go back to the US (why take the time to travel to the US when you're on this side of the world and can explore over here?!) for the PGI sales conference.  Since he had to make the trek he thought it made the most sense to stop in Atlanta on the way to drop off some wine.  Now remember we've been collecting wine in Australia and we've learned that it will cost us $250-$300 PER CASE to ship back to the US (plus the expense of the wine and insurance!!) so we have been looking for every opportunity to bring wine back when we (or our guests!) travel to the US to avoid the extra expense.  I'm proud to report that David was able to bring 30 BOTTLES back with him on this trip!!  18 in his suitcases and 12 in a separate padded case.  He also managed to avoid excess baggage fees and the Australian government gives 22% of the purchase price back when you leave the country due to the "wet tax" (what ever that is!)  So $600 bucks in his pocket, David got on the plane to LA with a smile on his face!  

The unfortunate thing about the timing of his trip is that it hit while Atlanta was out of commission (having only 16 sanding trucks for the entire city makes it difficult to take care of icy roads!)  He ended up having to stay in LA for a night before getting back to ATL. Once he was there, he wasn't able to have any of the meetings he had previously scheduled nor could he do any shopping because everything was closed!  At lease he and the wine made it back to Mom's safe and sound and he had a much lighter suitcase for his trip to Miami for the conference.  

Next stop Tokyo (I'll meet him there in a week)!!

Leaving a few days later, Mom made it back with only minor delays.  All reports are that ATL is coming back to life.  In fact, I'm watching the Falcons/Green Bay NFL playoff game  being played in the GA Dome in ATL as I type!  

~LAA :)

NYE 2011

NYE was low key this year - we had a Mexican feast at Janine and Niels's house with Jacs and Sam.  I tried to convince the crew to make the trek to North Head to see the fireworks but alas I was the only motivated soul in the group so I was out numbered.  We watched the famous Sydney fireworks display on TV and called it a night shortly after midnight struck.  Indy, J&N's lab was tuckered out by the end of the night and Sawyer got passed around a bit. ;) 


(From Top: 
Niels enjoying a beer 

Baby Sawyer - 1 month old

David with Sawyer)

My annual tradition is take the time to create a goal frame with visual representations of my yearly goals.  I'm proud to say that I accomplished every one of my goals in 2010 and I'm excited for the potential of 2011!  It's a little hard for me to plan too far in advance for 2011 which is not common for me (being the rock star planner that I am ;)) because we don't even know if we're going to be in Australia or the US by the end of the year!  Nonetheless I believe one should always have written goals and I found a way to muddle through the "unknowns" of 2011 to find a solid list of targets to aim for.  I'm proud to say that I convinced Mom to join the band wagon this year as well - she created her goal frame while in town.  I'm proud of her for taking a chance!  Now I just need to work on David... ;)  

Janine and Jacs are excited for the new year

Sam and Sawyer

Mom, Linds and a magnum of Veuve

Only good things in 2011!! :) :) 

~LAA

Mom in Sydney

Mom arrived on the 27^th – We were both SO excited to see her!  If you ever need a pick-me-up, go to the arrivals gate at the international terminal.  There’s something amazing about watching people reunite with their loved ones.  We were no exception – I bolted when I saw her come down the ramp out of customs!  

The great thing about having mom here during the Christmas/New Year weeks was that although I was working there are plenty of public holidays in those two weeks so I was able to spend a bit of time with her being a tourist!  We went to the beach which I hadn’t yet done even though I have lived here for a year and a half!  We went to the Chinese Gardens which were absolutely beautiful (check out the pics) and to the fish market where David met us for lunch.  Hard to believe but it took us 2 HOURS to eat fish and chips at Doyles because their service was THAT SLOW!    

Another day Mom and I went to The Rocks Markets for a very successful shopping trip (gotta love when you find what you’re looking for!) and to a wonderful Annie Leibovitz exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art.  The photographs were stunning, as you’d expect. We both really enjoyed it!    

The three of us ate dinner one night at the Belgian Beer Café (half price mussel night! YUM!) and did the degustation at Angel in Queenscliff which unfortunately was a bit of a disappointment.  Not because the food wasn’t amazing but because it took 3 hours to get through dinner not because we wanted it to but because it was more convenient for the chef and the portions were so small that poor David had to order Bruschetta to fill him up!  We’ll go back again but not for the degustation.  The wagyu beef raviolis and the zucchini noodle pancakes are to die for!      

~LAA

Sydney to Hobart Race (Boxing Day)

As the original British Colony, Australia celebrates Boxing Day on the 26th of December.  Being summer at this time of year, the day is known for lunchtime BBQ's, beach adventures, shopping (like Black Friday in the US) and the Sydney to Hobart race.  

The race begins mid day and consists of 80+ sailboats leaving Sydney Harbour at the sound of the gun to race to Hobart Tasmania.  The Harbour is absolutely packed with spectator boats and race hopefuls - boats are all different sizes and shapes but the race participants all must be in sail boats.  

Jacs and Sam have a great view of the Heads (North and South Head, the ocean entrance to the Harbour) from their Apartment.  We all brought our Christmas left overs for a BBQ, watched American football and ooh and ahhhed over the great sail boats speeding by.  My favorite part was when they unfurled their spinnakers just around the Heads and let loose! 

~LAA

Christmas in Australia

Christmas just isn’t Christmas without the cold.  I’ve decided I’m just not convinced by warm Christmases.  So much of the holiday to me is the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas when you cozy up to the fire with a sweater and some Andy Williams in the background while drinking hot chocolate and marvelling at your beautiful Christmas tree.  Here, even with the tree up and the A/C turned down and Andy singing away I just can’t truly get into the holiday spirit knowing I’m going to sweat as soon as I walk out the door.

The wonderful thing about being in Australia for the holiday season though is that the entire country shuts down for a month and a half.  Come Christmas Eve, nothing is open, school holidays have begun and people have officially checked out of work until Australia Day in late January.  Food is centred around seafood and BBQ’s, and a traditional Christmas Day swim is usually on the docket.  

David and I were able to go to Christmas parties for both Iron Mountain and PGI this year.  IM’s was at a pub outside of Paddington.  It was small and casual and we enjoyed bonding with my co-workers.  PGI’s party was (as to be expected) more formal and over-the top!  We had a room at the top of the Sydney Tower with amazing views, great food and a DJ for dancing!  It was fun to get dressed up, enjoy some bubbly and do a little dancing with the girls   

Christmas Eve was spent with Janine, Niels, Sam, Jacs and Sawyer at J&N’s house.  We did make-your-own-calzones and stuffed ourselves silly.  They even indulged me with Christmas music   

Christmas Day was very lazy.  David got up before me (!) and made a coffee cake (thanks for the recipe, Papa John!) and then we opened our gifts.  Santa was very good to both of us this year!  I got an iPad (yeah!) and David got a wine sensory kit with 36 scents found in wines plus a 100 point Parker wine (2003 Greenock Creek Shiraz Creek Block) and a bottle of 2008 Kaesler Old Bastard.  He was so excited – Santa did well this year!  Then we watched How the Grinch Sole Christmas and some of White Christmas before Jo and Peter came over for a marvellous (if I do say so myself) Christmas dinner.  I made beef wellington and mussels with prawns (the fish market couldn’t get me any snow crab!) We drank way too much wine which meant that they were happy to stay in the Dupree Suite for the evening.  

Mom comes in tow days!!  I can’t wait!! 

~LAA 

Laurie and Teri Come to Visit

David’s original dive buddy, Laurie Peltier and her close friend Teri came for a visit in early December.  They were only here for a few days (took a quick jaunt up to Cairns for some snorkelling/diving in the middle of the week) but we had a blast with them!  How nice to have the opportunity to get to know Laurie better.  She’s such an important friend to David and I’ve only had the opportunity to meet her a couple of times over drinks previously.  Teri is lovely and the two of them get along so well!  It’s like they’ve known each other their entire lives!  We were sad so see the ladies leave.  There’s a chance they’ll be back if we stay another year – they absolutely loved Manly and didn’t want to leave!

~LAA 

Hunter Valley with Iron Mountain

We had our annual sales conference (well account management, really) in The Hunter this year.  I’m now in a role where I have to be the one presenting at these events instead of just attending so it’s a much different experience for me.  We had a great time though – it was awesome to have some time to spend with the entire team to get to know each other better.  We’re based all over the country so we don’t often get the chance to see each other face-to-face.  

We played touch footie (rugby) which was interesting.  Only a couple minor injuries but fun, nonetheless ;)  We also played laser tag in the vines which was a BLAST!  We all wore camouflage and ran around shooting each other in the mud and rain.  My boss, Mac is a former Army Officer and was truly in his element.  Of course there was plenty of wine tasting and merriment.  I’m happy to say the conference was a big success!

~LAA 

Jacs and Sam’s Wedding in Canberra and Sawyer Seebeck’s Arrival

Our friends Jaclyn and Sam (she’s from the US and he’s from AUS) got married not once but twice this year.  Once outside of Boston and another time in Canberra, ACT.  We went down for the wedding and built in enough time to do some sight seeing while there. 

Canberra is a funny town.  We were there on a weekend and it was a ghost town!  Mind you we were in the CBD and the suburbs are rumoured to have more goings-on during non-work hours but it seemed very strange to be in a city full of concrete and glass with almost no people.  We spent time walking around the city and ended up at the Leonardo da Vinci machines exhibit in Commonwealth Park on the lake.  

The exhibit was set up in a mobile tent, almost like the circus.  The displays were all machines that da Vinci created in the 1400’s – many of which we use today!  The pulley system for example, and levers!  It’s amazing to think about how much forsight he had – so brilliant as to create mechanisms that would become the basis of current commonplace things like bicycles and hang gliders!  While most of the exhibits were interactive (which added to the fun for both of us) there was one that stood out the most – it was a bridge made out of simple logs.  The idea is that the military could use this technique to build a bridge across a river with saplings found in the woods and no tools other than an axe to cut down the logs.  There was a mini version for us to try to recreate the structure. It brought me back to childhood days playing with Lincoln Logs. 

We had Thanksgiving dinner at Janine and Niels’ friends Tim and Coleen’s house at the Swedish Embassy.  He’s the cook for the embassy so needless to say, we were psyched for his Thanksgiving feast!  I swear I would have been happy to sip the gravy (made with cream!) with a straw.  

The wedding was lovely at the Poacher’s Pantry.  The rain didn’t cooperate very well but it let up after the ceremony in time to get a few pics outside.  Jacs was a beautiful bride (loved her dress!) and Sam was glowing with pride.  We had a ball at the reception and enjoyed getting to know new friends, Heidi and Adam.  David hit it off with Adam really well – we’ve been joking that they had a “bromance” that night ;)  

Janine and Niels couldn’t join us for the wedding because she went into LABOR the morning of the wedding!  They hopped in the car for the 3 hour drive back to Sydney and a day later a healthy, happy Sawyer Seebeck was born via c-section.  Janine and Niels are natural at parenthood!  It’s been wonderful getting to know Sawyer and enjoying seeing them adapt to their expanding family.  We’re so excited for them  

~LAA :)