Holidays are the best

Australians definitely know how to celebrate just about anything in style, but when it comes to Halloween, it is best left to the Americans. Sat night I went to a halloween party thrown by an american friend who's been here in perth for a couple of years. She did a great job, complete with jack-o-lanterns, candy corn, rice crispy treats, and amazing decorations. Because I so easily get excited about new things to try here in australia like cadbury's chocolate, allen's lollies, party mix, Arnotts, tim tams...., I hardly realize the things I miss about the US until I see them again.

Also, daylight savings has begun. Hellooo daylight until 9pm! There's been a lot of controversy about daylight savings here, this is the second year of a three year trial for daylight savings. I am a HUGE fan, it's still light when I get up but it's also still light well into the evening. There's more time to spend at the beach. You don't have to eat dinner in the dark. Restaurants and bars open up onto the footpaths. I love it. And it means summer is here!!

Speaking of, Christmas decorations are out in full force in the shops and I already ate my first candy cane. Just in time for beach weather. This feels weird.

Wearing jeans to work. Maybe even sweat pants.

Next year I’ll be job-less upon arriving in Melbourne. And after spending some time settling in (read: doing all the furniture buying, errand running, applying for blockbuster memberships and new-apartment-new-city setup stuff) I’ll be on the job hunt.

Except, for the first 5 months of my time in Mebourne during the final semester of my masters degree, I’ll be looking for CASUAL WORK.

I haven’t really done casual work ever. Well, at least since I was 15 and worked in the snack bar at my pool. But I was quickly upgraded to lifeguard and then waterfront director at summer camp. I had a tech-advice-consulting job in college, and office work in Perth, but I’ve never done REAL casual work.

You know, working in a clothing shop, bar, café, restaurant, etc etc. And I’m getting my chance next year, for 5 months, before I turn PR professional again.

My top favourites at the moment:
Fitness Gym (free membership!!)
Making coffee at a café (I love coffee… a lot…)
Florist (arranging pretty flowers all day will make anyone happy, right?)
Bookshop (I would just read all day)

Definitely nothing involving cooking food, scooping ice cream, or spending every single Friday and Saturday night working.

Anyone have any other good ideas?

On the up and up

Just back from Melbourne (ok like a week ago) and I'm happy to report that the city rocks. The best part: it's a real city. There are trams running down the streets, tall buildings in every direction, dingy little apartments, graffiti, and beggars and homeless people.

Somehow Perth missed the boat on some of these things, and while it's a beautiful place with amazing parks and gardens and shiny clean streets, it's not a REAL city. Especially not to someone who lived in New York before arriving.

I spent the first four days on my own, before Rob and his family arrived and the family madness ensued, and walked around the entire city and all of the places we're thinking of trying to find an apartment. I walked, drank coffee, shopped, and walked more. And I came to the conclusion that I want to live in either Fitzroy or Richmond (how's that for irony. possibly my address will contain Richmond once again).

Here's a photo of my favorite street in the city... Brunswick Street. Kind of East Village-ish but slightly less alternative, more boutique-y.
So now it's just a matter of finding that dream apartment when we get there in February! Keep your fingers crossed for us!

Ah, and the real reason for going to Melbourne. Rob's dad's 50th. Big party. It's amazing how 150 forty and fifty year olds can manage to get pretty crazy. Here's a photo of me with Rob and cousins Jared and Dylan.