Brunetti - enough said.

A Day at the Races

Springtime in Melbourne signals the start of the Spring Carnival which is a series of racing events at Flemington Racing Grounds. We went to the biggest one hosted by Emirates airline, Melbourne Cup, its supposedly estimated to cost over a million dollars for the one day. I got a dress from this really cute store Bardot a few months ago and it was light pink and I wanted to get nude shoes. I found these beautiful shoes for super cheap at Novo shoes and then I needed to go get a hat or a fascinator. My friend Jess and I went to this big department store here called 'Myers' and they had an ENTIRE floor of just hats.

It was absolute chaos in the hat department, but it was a beautiful sight. The department was split up into colour coordinated sections and I fell in love with a bunch of the hats. I tried on a massive light pink hat with lace coming down over the face and then checked the price tag, 999$!!! The hats can be VERY expensive, I opted for a little cream fascinator with feathers coming off the top. I got a great deal for it because it was so close to the races. I was nervous when I got home that everything wouldn't match but I was really pleasantly surprised when it all came together!

The next day Ash drove me to my girlfriends house before the races. I made it 4 steps outside the front door and fell on the ground. It was so funny but made me SO wary of the next 5 hours at the races. Anyway we took a tram to the racecourse and when we got there it was POURING rain. I got off the tram and realized it was a massive walk to the front entrance, in the rain, in my 7 inch heels - DOWNHILL hahaha. I don't know how I made it but I did and the rain stopped right as we entered!

Once we were inside the grounds there was an array of outstanding outfits and hats. I was in fashion heaven! Two boys taught us how to bet and I bet on two horses. The favourite 'so you think' and just a random other one 'maluckyday'. And my two horses placed!!! But I bet on the win for 'so you think' and he came in third. But I won $11.50 for betting on 'maluckyday'! Not bad for a 20$ bet! The rain picked up again for the race but we had an umbrella luckily! We headed home after a successful races and I wish I was going to more! It's honestly something everyone should experience in a lifetime. The whole city shuts down for the Melbourne cup. Shops are closed and everything, it's crazy! An estimated 100,000 + people were at the races! Next time I'm wearing a MASSIVE hat.

I wish you were here to come Mom, and you too Monique. I could SO see the Harvison women out for a day at the races. We need to go colour coordinated! It's happening. I miss you all immensely you don't even know. I miss my family so much!!!

Love you all!
xo

Food, Fun & Frivolity in Fitzroy

I had such a great day today! It's so interesting in Melbourne the suburbs have such different vibes and people even though they are so close. We went to the next suburb over today, Fitzroy for lunch because we got a brochure in the mail for cheap fish and chips. We headed over and I just fell in love. It's where the Bikram Yoga studio is and it's just such a trendy area. There are some boutiquey shops and expensive stuff but it's all intermingled with thrift shops, coffee shops and open air restaurants. It's very artsy and all the buildings are old and there is graffiti everywhere.

We went to 'Hooked' for lunch and ate in their outside courtyard. It was so cute with little coloured lightbulbs hanging from the fence. It was really hot today, the sun was beating down so we sat in the shade. We both got fish and chips with James Squire beers, the first Australian beer! Tasted a lot like a Molson Canadian but Ash said 'please don't say that' so I revoked my statement haha. We then walked through the streets and window shopped. It was so nice. When we got back to Carlton everyone was out on the patio of these chic Italian bistros dressed to the nines and we were like 'shoot, we belong in Fitzroy in our jeans and t-shirts and student status'. Then our tuna steaks weren't defrosted for dinner yet so we went back to Bimbos an artsy bar in Fitzroy for 4$ pizzas! They were delicious homemade baked pizzas. The interior had a bunch of different tables and chairs and a bar in the centre with different jar and glass bottles hanging from the roof. It was so cute and we decided we have to make this more of a frequent occurrence. Not only is Fitzroy adorable and so interesting - but it's food is SO much cheaper than in ritzy Carlton!

The reality that is probably bad for my belt but better for my (ash's) wallet is that eating out is often so much cheaper than buying groceries here. We never buy fast food but when fresh fish and chips are cheaper than buying fruit it's hard to say no! We hit the grocery store after our dinner to buy fruit to make a salad and Ash spent 19$ while I spent 15$ on fruit and yogurt and milk. Painful. The market is our best friend here. We spent 100$ on fresh meat and fruit and veggies last week and we have a good 10 meals in our freezer now which is great! Ash's parents are coming to town to take us out for lunch this weekend so I'm looking forward to that.

Latest news, 3 essays and 1 exam to go until I am DONE my first semester! THEN we are going for a week to BALI!!! I am so excited.

I hope you're all well & i miss you terribly!

xo

Sarah

In the Land of OZ

I decided since I've been here three months now I'd tell you all the little differences and interesting things I've noticed while in Australia.

- they don't have orange cheese here, they have white cheddar but no orange cheddar cheese, I can't find it anywhere and I'm in desperation for a piece of old cheddar.

- they don't have 'ketchup' they call in tomato sauce and it tastes very similar

- their milk comes as whole, lite or skinny (2%, 1% or skim!)

- at coffee shops you can order lattes, short blacks, long blacks, cappucinos, baby cinos etc. no just plain old coffees

- at meals if you ask for water they give you a massive bottle of cold water and glasses for free, it's great!

- no free refills, anywhere.

- Melbourne has the most cafes and restaurants per square metre than anywhere else in the world!

- Their appetizers are called entrees, entrees are called mains & then of course dessert!

- You can absolutely not find a meal for under 10$, 20$ is average, even for a burger and fries.

- Their tram system is amazing, so fast and takes you anywhere in the city, nobody pays but if you're caught the fine is 170$ +

- They call McDonalds, Mac'rs even on commercials!

- The boys wear short shorts, really short shorts.

- People say 'reckon' a lot, including profs, they'll ask your opinion by "what do you reckon?"

- Their large is = to our small size in North America

- Sushi stands, they have so many sushi places where you just walk up and pay 2$ for a pre-made roll and eat it uncut in your hand

- Everything surrounds footy, it's a huge culture for aussies. The players you'll see at the gym or yoga class and they are just respected like none other. Australia has the second largest membership and fan base for their teams in the entire world just behind Manchester United.

- They love army boots, even girls, like little lace up boots, cute - but not my style

- Birkenstocks are like Grandma shoes here

- You can never be too dressed up and heels are always an option

- Prostitution is legal here! I don't like that, but anyway - they have legal brothels all over the place and you can just see them like stores they say like "Ladies for Gentlemen" and such, so weird!

- They have this drink called lemon-lime bitters and it can be alcoholic or not and it is DELICIOUS

- THEY ARE OBSSESSED WITH PIES. What I mean by pies is little baked pastries with meat in them, sometimes veggies but those are called pasties. So like meat pies. They have them at sporting games, bakeries, grocery stores, everywhere - and now I AM OBSESSED. They are not the best thing for you but they are actually absolutely addictive. I love plain beef pastries (sorry skinny bitch!) and Ash took me to the #1 pie shop in ALL OF AUSTRALIA, Parkers Pies. They had alligator and kangaroo and other crazy pies! But I stuck to my plain beef and it was SO GOOD. You get sauce to go on top (ketchup) and it's just heaven. Ash won't let me get them anymore but now I'm craving one so bad so I may sneak one in tomorrow afternoon while he's at school haha. But our vacation is coming up so I have to run like 10k to work that off! Anyway, PIES. It's reason alone to visit/live in Australia. ALSO another point on pies, they have a cute little shop downtown called Pie Face that sells pies and I think that's my next pie venture. Anyway, I digress...

- Australians love their cargo pants. Males mostly. Ash loves his and at first I thought it was weird but now I'm digging it, all army combat ish haha.

- They use the terms bogan and feral a lot which mean like hick, slacker, lazy, gross

- they love little bathers also, the boys, like tiny ass bathing suit bottoms, but i like it!

Thats all I can think of for now! But I'll keep you updated with all the idiosyncrasies that come up!

Much Love,

Sarah

Favourite 5 in Carlton

1. Cinema Nova – distance approx. 3 mins

The movie theatre near our house is amazing. It is in the middle of a busy street on top of a little shopping centre with a brand new fancy little bar overlooking Lygon Street. You can have a cocktail or appetizers before the movie and/or bring them in with you. They are always showing documentaries and movies that wouldn’t be at the big box cinemas as well as a few popular films such as Eat, Pray, Love – which Ash and I just saw. The smaller films are in theatres that can accommodate around 10-15 people max. The theatres have two seater couches and you can snuggle in just like you were watching a movie at home. The bigger cinemas don’t have couches but they have big comfy lounge chairs. It’s also not too expensive, cheap for students. We saw a particularly disturbing film the first time we went. The Killer inside Me, my suggestion – absolutely unnecessarily violent and disgusting. I thought it’d be okay because it had Jessica Alba and Kate Hudson, but they are both just bludgeoned to death by this cruel protagonist. Don’t see it. But the theatre was lovely!

2. Carlton Gardens – distance approx. 30 seconds

Across from our house is an enormous park with running trails and fountains and massive trees. It’s the perfect place for a run because you don’t have to worry about cars mowing you down or directions. It’s a little more than 2km around and is quite hilly so you get an amazing work out as well. The grounds are just perfect for a walk or a picnic or for photographs. The other day Ash and I went for a walk and there were 4 wedding parties having pictures taken. The Exhibition centre is also on the grounds and it looks like a massive mansion/castle, it’s absolutely stunning and often has wedding shows or garden shows or food exhibitions! It’s full of beautiful trees and ponds, it’s so nice to find in the middle of a big city. Walking through the gardens is never boring and there’s always something to catch your eye. I feel so lucky to have it literally on my doorstep.

3. Carlton Chinese Noodle Cafe – distance approx. 4 minutes

Ash and I are in love with this adorable old Chinese couple who own the Chinese Noodle Cafe. They make the best noodles and stir fry’s for super cheap with such fresh ingredients. We probably go for dinner once a week. We can both get dinner for under 20$ which is a steal in Melbourne. I get Asian noodles with veggies and chicken topped with satay sauce and Ash varies it every time. I don’t like pork and this lady made me this specialty dish the first time and now she knows every time I come in what it’s going to be. It’s usually busy and I have to sit on these tall stools where my feet don’t even touch the bar it’s really humorous. We are always disappointed because she is closed on Sundays and for some reason always forget and crave noodles on Sunday nights. Anyway, we are already regulars at this delicious gem of a cafe.

4. Carlton Baths outdoor swimming pool – distance approx. 6 minutes

The YMCA gym we belong to just opened their outdoor pool. It’s beautiful to just sit in the sun or go for a swim with the sun beaming down on you. It’s a Carlton hot spot and is usually packed with people but it’s a beautiful place to swim when it’s not busy. Ash is trying to get me into more swimming but I’m not very good. I went and watched him do laps the other day after my race and just sat on a bench outside reading the paper. The pool is pristine and only a few minutes’ walk from our house – perfect for cooling off and working out!

5. Brunetti – distance approx. 2 minutes

Brunetti is the most perfect little (and by little I mean ENORMOUS) cafe about a block from our house. It is so cute but massive. It has two entrances. One side of the cafe you can get gelato and you pick up your coffees and the other is a massive and I mean MASSIVE bakery with little delicate pastries, cookies and a vast array of specialty chocolates. Ash and I usually get a tiny chocolate each when we go to treat ourselves as well as lattes, because they are ridiculously good. It is so busy you have to fight for someone to take your order. The front windows are also chock full of the most beautiful decorative cakes you’ve ever imagined. Beautiful sharp pieces of chocolate topped with candied oranges and limes and swirling pieces of marbled chocolate toppling over the top. Just crazy artistic and impressive. You pay for your treat and get a number then you go to the coffee section and wait for them to call out your number to pick up your coffees. We went after our movie at 11:30 the other night and it was booming. All of the 50+ tables outside were taken and the entire inside was filled, we had to sit at the front bench on these tiny stools, they were the only spots left at almost midnight!!! I can’t imagine the profit this place rakes in, especially with their 55$+ cakes. Tiny cakes are 50$. We need to bring Brunetti to Canada; it’d be an enormous hit. The staff all dress in maroon and white and it has just such a fancy air about it. I love it.

Run, Harvison, RUN!

It has been so long since I've written a blog! I am seriously slacking. I guess I'll address what's happened to me in recent days before back tracking. Today was one of the best days I've had yet in Melbourne. Ash and I got up at 5:30 AM to get ready for my race! We left the house at 6 and headed to the iconic MCG which is a stadium where the AFL play and cricket as well, massive! I was originally registered to do the half marathon but I haven't put in enough time to do it justice so I downgraded to the 10K. I would rather train properly and do well in a particular distance than enter a race I didn't feel confident in. It's been hard to train in Melbourne because it's a legit city and traffic goes the other way and you have to stop every two seconds and I have no idea where I'm going! So I've pretty much stuck to the gardens beside my house to run laps, it's about 2.3 km around so thats where I've trained. Ash and I spent a few weeks at his parents place in the country and I did a few runs up there. It is actually the most beautiful place to run but also really difficult. It's mostly dirt roads and crazy elevation changes. But running out there the air is just so clean and you see actual parrots and brightly colored birds just chilling in the wild. So about a week ago I did a 9.5 km run in 1:05 and my goal was to do a 10km run in under an hour, however based on this run I thought this was pretty unachievable for my race. I would have to run 500 meters more and cut some serious time. All of my K's have to be under 6 minutes to make my run under an hour.

So today at the race, I had no iPod and I chose to try to focus intently on my pace with my Garmin and run the hell out of it. My watch said I ran 10.17 and I did it in 59:46!!! Hahaha, as if - I had 15 seconds to spare. The run went through the streets of Melbourne and then ended at the MCG and you got to go in and run a lap of the ground as your big finish and everyone was taking it leisurely and just waving and appreciating the finish but I was focused so much on crossing that finish line before it struck 1hr so I just booked it around the track. Ash was able to go inside and watch the finish and he said they zoomed on my face and put me up on the big screen at the stadium as I was finishing - good, I was probably the sweatiest I have ever been. After I got my medal I went to meet Ash at our designated meeting spot and when I saw him I just had tears because I had busted my ass so hard during that race to get it under an hr and I was just exhausted - it was like pure happiness and exhaustion combined. We went home and got some sleep and then it turned into a beautiful day so Ash went to the pool for a swim at the gym we belong to. The pool is outside and it was so lovely, but I took this one out and just watched from the sidelines.

This evening as a celebration for breaking the hour Ash took me out for dinner. The street right behind our house is ridiculously amazing for food. It is pure restaurants, like over 100. Nothing but restaurants and people standing out front offering you free drinks and appetizers and whatever else. It's a huge Italian area so there's a lot of Italian restaurants but we decided to try this little Indian place. I have never had Indian before and let me tell you - it was AMAZING. We chose this banquet style where it was a pre-set menu of items for 25$ each and it was INSANE. We got fresh Naan bread and a ton of bowls of dishes like curry chicken, butter cream chicken, beef vindaloo and so much more. Ash and I both couldn't move and at this point we were the only customers and we were sitting outside and I think because it made their business look good they kept bringing us more food and it suddenly became - unlimited. BAD but so good news haha. They said we could get more of whatever we wanted, it was honestly too good to be true. We spent quite a while there and then headed home where one of my housemates had made a PAVLOVA because I had finished my race, and she is the BEST cook ever and it was beautiful with kiwi and strawberries on top and I couldn't help myself but eat a piece. I am now in a food coma. I need to run like 10, 10K's to make up for this gorge fest.

Walking home tonight I was just so happy. I love our location, I love that feeling when you finally feel like you are starting to adapt to the city you're in and that it's yours. I am just having such a good time, really loving every second I get to spend with Ash, which is pretty much 24 hours a day and I just love Melbourne. Oh, also we went to St.Kilda, this boutiquey cute beach front suburb of Melbourne on Saturday and looked around and had sushi by the beach, it was lovely! Ugh I just can't get enough of my life right now, I feel like someone has to pull me back to reality.

Miss you all,

xo

Sarah

you can take the kid out of London...

I admit it, I miss London. I didn't think this day would come, I haven't been close to homesick until I saw everyone hitting up JBRs this Wednesday and partying it up for frosh week. I miss that SO much. But it's cool. Just chilling like a villain in Australia so I shouldn't be such a whiner.

On a happier note, I went to Melbourne Fashion Week last Friday and it was phenomenal. I was severely under dressed because I thought people were all casual chic going to these shows I don't know why, but apparently they dress to the nines in Melbourne!!! Whatever, I wasn't that under dressed I major high heeled it up. And just wait until you see the two dresses I got since I've been here - mind blowingly beautiful. Melbourne fashion is to die for, it's terrible but oh so good. The fashion show was amazing they featured about 10-12 outfits per designer and they were phenomenal. I really enjoyed myself - it really made me wish I had gone into fashion. From the music to the light show to the models and outfits, I was just in love. We got gift bags when we came in on our seat with vitamin water, magazines, ads and so much more it was amazing. The show was a little under an hour. Afterwards we went for this amazing Greek dinner at a restaurant called Stalactites. It was in a cave with little sand drips off the ceiling it was really impressive. Afterwards I went back to RMIT with Hannah and Jess and prepared to go out. It started actually POURING and about 12 girls wanted to go to eurotrash this bar in the CBD of melbourne and the cabbie took us to the wrong part of town. When we got out we were in the complete wrong section of the city. So the rest of the girls decided to trek the 30 MINUTE WALK to the bar and I was soaking wet and just about ready to throw in the towel. I called Ash and he came and picked me up on the curb in the rain. I felt so fortunate to have a boyfriend in the city who could just come drive and pick me up it was great. So my wild night ended up being carried to the front door of our house shoeless, having a cup of green tea and some muesli and heading to bed - WILD! hahaha, it's been great though. I got a job at the bakery around the corner and I work the next three days so I will make some money to cover my depleting bank balance.

Miss you all much much much!!!

xo

Sarah