When in Rome

I have recently returned from 4ish days in Rome. (May 24 - 28)
The first thing I have to say is that I haven't had such great warm weather in aaagges! Bring it on. I had packed so well - with no for seen required cardi whatsoever!
Secondly, I am quite over the big touristy city thing.
But when in Europe - you have to do Rome. The first day (and the hottest)the 3 fair antipodean amigos arrived and headed for the apartment - well the keys anyway! On to the apartment, we immediately proceeded to get amongst it. The sun was shining - we were hungry hot and thirsty. Oh look! Its the Colosseum! Oh look - a beer gardeny thing! Perfect - we can admire them both from here!
Skulling 1 litre of beer was no sweat from our brow. Except for the fact that we had been up for the Ryan Red Eye. Unbenownst to us, we were in a semi jet lagged state.
We headed back to what we confidently thought was the way by tube back to our apartment - taking a series of minutes to realise that we hadn't actually walked that far and were actually going in the wrong direction! Just one of those funny things that HAD to happen I guess.
Back on track, we headed home and after a brief supermarket visit, we were sitting in the apartment scoffing local delicacies with the aim to hit the pillow.

Day 2 - Blonde northern hemispherian arrives. After a nice lie in, we met Kathryn at the station and potted around for the day. Tonight was the walking tour pub crawl. I think most of America turned up for it. We had a ball.

Spanish steps (Me, Leigh, Rezza)

Fontana di trevi (not the one on Pirie St)


After the heavy night of all that walking.... we decided sittin on the open top bus would be a better way to see the sights. (Followed by our favorite pizza slab joint ;)

Guess where I am??


Now Geppy, I know you love shoes and this who shoe accessorising thing, but did it get this bad?


On Sunday, we got up bright and early to visit the Pope. Unannounced to us, and not documented in any of the 8 handbooks we had read, you have to cover your knees and shoulders to get in! Hence Rez and I just did the Pope tomb walk. Ok, no disrespect, but I think I have had enough of the Vatican for today.

Vatican City (and the people lining up to get in)




After this point, we separated - blonde girls thata way - blonde girls thisa way.
Rez and Leigh did the Colosseum close up and Kathryn and I decided it was past time to shop. Where the hell are the shops in this town!? (as quoted in Vatican city!)We headed for the markets. These are actually the worst markets in the world. Miles and miles of the crap out of some cheap-asses wardrobe, tipped in a pile on a make shift stand. Oh, or there are the Nigerian guys with their dodgy fake gucci bags.. Not happy Jan. The only consolation was that we found the best gelati stand. There is always a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow. (or something along those lines..)

Sunday night - the last night about town.

Classy dinner in a piazza - check


Sampling the local champers Prossecco - check


Finding a megaphone for the bargain sum of 8 Euros - check


All of the above summed up in one (unedited) photo - check!

How do I become a food critic?

Ok, it all started when at 6 months old I found a love for fresh South Aussie whole prawns sitting in a highchair (I am sure the picture to prove this is lurking somewhere at my Grandmas).
I received a Peter Russell Clarke cookbook - one of the original celeb chefs (far from the 'my first' series) for my 5th Christmas. I could barely read, but cooking was definitely my forte from a young age. Both my parents are good cooks - both creative and daring. My dad should open a restaurant just selling gourmet omelettes. These genetic dispositions and living in Adelaide sets you up for high standards in the food and wine department for life.

When we first got a microwave, I instructed my father to ensure he pricked the egg before cooking it senselessly in the microwave - to be sure of no explosions. I was about 7.

All through my childhood we were taken to fancy restaurants, extravagant dinners for special occasions and we always treated as equals, like a group of friends going out to dinner.
I studied home economics, food hygiene, biology and small business management in high school. The venture I led was called 'Bonza Brekkies'. We made a profit selling the likes of ham and cheese croissants, vegemite or other condiments on toast to starving teenagers.
My aim (though I strayed between wanting to be a forensic scientist and fitness instructor) was to be a chef. Unfortunately, despite my maturity, there was little career counselling and advice given at school about how to enter this work force.

During school I worked at a hotel crumbing schnittys, doing dishes and did a bout of work experience at Scottys Motel and the German Club in Adelaide making German potato cakes.
My first week out of school I was working at a Chinese restaurant and studying hospitality at TAFE. I then moved to Melbourne. This in hindsight wasn't enough. I got a job at an Italian restaurant where I was more hands on in the kitchen. Boring.

From here I sailed between customer service related jobs eventuating in 10 years of working IT. How far you sail away when your mast is down.
What an experience I have had. Especially through the definity of culture - food.

I am also living in London, which helps you appreciate the food you discover travelling the world.
I think I could tell you anything about any type of food. Any culture. Any country.
But where do I go from here? Maybe a writing course? Who knows. Maybe Ill freelance.. London is such a big melting pot, but with little standards - and I think I am just the person to highlight the best of the rest.

Does anyone have any ideas, contacts, mentors to help me on my way?

I miss my hairdresser!

Where are you Carly? I have emailed you a few times but by now I reckon your running around after a toddler somewhere..

Has anyone seen this hairdresser (minus the early 90's 'do)?

School disco

From left to right - Sandra, V, birthday girl in question REZ (who ALSO went to my hight school - albeit 7 odd yrs apart! and Ali)



(from left to right - Sandra, V, Ali - who I ACTUALLY went to primary school with on the OTHER side of the world! and Kathryn)

Ok we went we danced - and we got dressed up in what apparently is a school uniform (see my Reynella East High uniform)
I am sure there will be more piccys to choose from soon (ie official photographer - we have been snapped publicly 2 weeks in a row now!)



(from left to Sandra, V and Kathryn)

For more embarrasing shots, please visit Kathryn's blog...

Make me laugh

I was browsing Youtube - when I came across Dave Hughes at the 2007 Logie Award Ceremony.
I forgot how funny he was. Not to clutter my blog up with You tube segments you can find this excerpt HERE!

Santiago (the one in northern Spain...)

Santiago De Compostela - the pilgrimage of St James (and something to do with Christopher Columbus)
Well, I hear you sigh as you read I have just returned from a trip to sunny Spain- Spain? Sunny? Santiago De Compostela to be exact. Apparently it rains most days of the year, but temperatures rarely fall below 15 and above 30 all year round. So as you guessed, it rained most of the weekend and we were lucky to get above about 13. But never fear, we still had a great time!
Day 1, Saturday, we arrived via the only mode of transport to this part, Ryanair. Everything seemed to be in close proximity and Ryan actually offers free shuttle service to the Old town (what a nice man). Unfortunately, we were not staying in the old town! However everything happens for a reason - if we had known where to go from the start we would never have discovered this haven of seafood delicacies, bars and friendly people (even if they were primarily women and at least 40).So we skidaddle to office de tourismo where we are greated by the lady who also manned the stand at the airport on our arrival. She remembered seeing us (and how could you not!;) and was quite seemingly apologetic that we had not of found our way to our hotel the first time!
Bus 11. Short trip, later found to be quite walkable (despite the town being built on 6 apparent hills, er mountains). Area Central Hotel... this looks like it...and what do you know - we are actually staying in the SHOPPING CENTRE! You couldnt really plan it any better could you?

So from here we, of course, thought we would chill for the afternoon, food, followed by a bit of a relax and pep up before our first night and Saturday in the town.

Our first (and only recollections from the old town were that of the gourmet variety. This in addition to the towns reknownment for Pulpo (Octopus) and other creatures of the deep, we chose a seafood restarant for a nice dinner. Yum! Everything you could expect and more. This accompanied by great regional rosal (rose - that in the supermarket was approximately £2!)

We moved to the bar area where the barmaid kept replacing our empty glasses with bottomless Estrella (Not Australia) which was the local beer - and a cheaper option than softdrink..!) Then of course there were the old men who noticed our uncanny resemblence to people who were not from the area! So we chatted to them, drank more free local liquors and had a picture taken for the Gallicia newspaper (to be cont').

From here we bar hopped in the rain, met a load of younger people and of course danced. I thought all of my dreams had come true when the dance floor parted to watch me salsa with some guy who was knocked off his feet (literally), but then it all came to an end when I had to scramble out the door to head to the next place.

By the end of the night random people (with no knowledge of the english language whatsoever) were hopping past yelling 'Kangaroo' - how did they know my ancestors?
Might I say, much like Adelaide, word travels fast that 2 blonde young (ish) chicks are in town! I like a place where tourists are still a novelty!



Lobsterknapping
Sunday, luckily, was a day (in this town of religion) that nothing except food establishments were open. To recover from the night before, we rolled ourselves out of the hotel tomb and down to the shopping centre to find a source of energy. A few hours, a bad pizza and a few trips to the bathroom later, we were back in the tomb for a well deserved snooze. BUT Sunday night, we were ready for more. A walk to the old town, some wonderful sangria and tapas and the funniest thing I have seen in a long time. A man walked up to the open fish tank and snatched a live lobster! This photo represents the only evidence to solve the case of the stolen lobster!

Ok, now I will endevour to remember more of our Spanish adventures, si, but in the meantime Kathryn's stories and pics will fill the void (and embarrass me greatly - not like I aint used to it or love it for that matter!)
x

He's my brother....

To save you time googling more information about my family and I..
Brett - (unhappy about the previous picture of himself on my blog) SA Police football team 2002 - Second row from top - third player in from the left.. they won obviously!

MATCH RESULTS
SA 3.6 7.11 12.16 18.21 (129)
Vic A 1.1 2.3 3.4 4.4 (28)
Goals: Pitt 8, McGuinness 4, Kluzek 2, Diestel-Fedderson, Girardi, Stanborough, Warner.
Best players: Kluzek, Pitt, Diestel-Fedderson, Quinn, Merchant, Snowden, Rayner, Warner.
SA 5.8 16.14 24.20 31.24 (210)
Tasmania 3.1 4.1 4.2 5.2 (32)
Goals: Kluzek 12, Pitt 5, Schwarz 3, Girardi 2, McGuinness 2, Cornish 2, Buckley 2, Gregory, Bailetti, Merchant.
Best players: Quinn, Gregory, Kluzek, Pitt, Bowman, Merchant, Girardi, Snowden, Short, Bowman.

Chicago, Tina Arena and all that jazz!

Last night Kathryn and I got a last minute deal funnily enough on last minute.com! Chicago with Tina Arena appearing as Roxie Hart! This season finishes Saturday night but who knows who the next celebrity will play this part? Over Christmas I remember seeing Ashlee Simpson (Jessica's younger sibling with the new nose?) advertised over the bit in the tube station that keeps you from falling asleep due to lack of oxygen on the esculators!
Tina worked well in this role - but I couldnt help remembering her as my favorite on Young Talent Time (she started her stint as the youngest member tiny tina in 1977!) still with that distinctive voice that is so adored by the french these days.
Speaking of Young Talent Time, why is it that South Australians couldnt go on this show? Was it because it was filmed an 8hr drive away in Melbourne? or is that just an excuse my parents gave me? Either way not being privy to the fame and fortune that followed alot of kids on this show (think Dannii and then Kylie) has scarred me for life!

Rove and Leno

For all you Auzzies living far far away (and those who just didnt watch Leno!)
Rove and Jay make such a comedy combo!