Moon festival - Brisbane 2010

Moon festival at 46 Hawken Drive



My roommate Thao is a lovely cook and I have been very fortunate to have experienced the many flavours she's able to create on a weekly basis. August however, was a very special occasion and she needed some help in the kitchen. I was very eager to offer some help and learn about the traditions of the Moon festival.

With lots of ladies offering their help we pulled together one amazing festival of the foods! This is a very common occasion at 46 Hawken. Ever since I moved here there has been cook-outs, barbies, gatherings as if it was a support home. But this has also been the highlight of my stay. Food brings people together, laugh, talk and share about adventures from all.

I just loved being a part of a festival so special to my roommate. You could definitely tell that she was looking forward to it. She has been preparing for days and days in advance!

































This is from another dinner party but had to show you how beautiful home-made rice-paper spring rolls are















Throughout the day more and more people joined in on the cooking fest. It started off with just Thao, her cousin and myself. Then a friend showed up to assist with making the spring rolls. By the time everyone arrived we had a fiesta for 30 people. Unfortunately Julie was not feeling the best that day so she did not get to try everything but everyone else had a fabulous time chatting.



What better way to finish off this amazing celebration day then with approximaltely 6 different desserts. There was strawberry moose, chocolate cake, caramel and strawberry jelly, and more. Oh and lets not forget the Moon cake as this was the highlight of the while festival. Just the dessert menu was a meal on its own. However, we had to make room for it in our bellies just after dinner. We spent a nice time talking and relaxing which helped when it came time for the desserts .....but we were all definitely full for a few days following the celebrations !

















My first Moon festival was wonderful!!! Amazing people, out-of-this world flavours, and laughter all night. I also have to point out the Vietnamese iced coffee is my new special dessert. It is just fabulous when you taste it! I am still craving it and I definitely know where to go and get some more :-)






R :-)

Diwali (Deepavali), festival of ....food ! October 2010

Festival of lights, 2010

This celebration was all thanks to having a roommate who is in LOVE with food as much as I am. Plus she also has a handful of great friends who enjoy food as much as the two of us do. Put us all in one room and you have a feast for Diwali not many will ever forget.

Home-made ... everything: if I remember correctly, chickpeas and bean curry, grilled eggplant, something similar to Naan bread, yogurt dip just amazing, and other deep-fried yummy goodness !




Need I say more !

Best Diwali ever !

My roommate is a genius -Thao's thesis

What better way to celebrate the accomplishments of a grad-student then indulging, if not over-indulging on amazing food and dessert. The rommie succeed again, doing a wonderful job with her presentation to her professors, supervisors and the "industry-people".


First stop: Siam Samrarn Thai Restaurants



Best Thai place so far, with amazing design and fair prices.












Dessert: Freestyles (don't need much of an introduction if you are a local)










Congrats Thao !

R :-)

Melbourne Cup 2010 in Brisbane, QLD

The Melbourne Cup is an annual holiday in the city of Melbourne however, without the actual day being a holiday, other cities like to join in on the festivities. They broadcast the races live as well as take part in bidding on the local favourites. People dress to the max and spend a whole day in the sun sipping on fine drinks and enjoying some of the out-door sizzles anything from barbies to vegetarian curries.

I had the chance to take part in this fabulous frenzy with six other beautiful woman! As if we were a in a movie shoot representing the 50s in London, UK. No one was shy to dress like the kings and queens of the Buckingham palace during a Sunday polo tournament. It was fabulous to see everyone enjoying looking posh. Being out on the sun, some enjoying too much bubbly and by 2pm sleeping near the grassy areas. However, having the sun around required you to consume less but still celebrate and be just as jolly as if you were out for a binge-fest.








Overall, a fabulous day with beautiful people and amazing food! What more can one ask for form a national celebration of horse races! Just imagine how much more money could be made for both cricket and rugby games if people were encouraged to dress to the max. Those who are not into the sports might actually consider coming along if they had to dress to impress and have cocktails in the day time. It's a possible money-maker !!!











R :-)

Thanksgiving in Brisbane, Australia ! 2010

Hello Everyone !

It's been a long time since I sent out an update and thought what better time then now ...before the Canadian Holiday !

Historically (and most of you will know this already), Thanksgiving was a way for the First Nation's people in Canada to celebrate the first harvest. Pilgrims in the US celebrated with food and prayers to survive the winters ahead. Thanks to modernized food processing and packaging, now-a-days there is little worry about our food supply for the winter months. Therefore, this holiday too has changed in many ways. We gather to celebrate family and friends and stuff our faces silly. Some even gain bragging rights as they get to boast about their cooking skills of a dinosaurus-size bird (usually this being a turkey).

This year on thanksgiving, I am not with my family (but with people similarly important). Why? Because we can't seem to all be on the same continent at one time. Plus I am having a blast here so please forgive me for being selfish :-)

I however, just like the pilgrims of the past, celebrated thanksgiving with new friends from around the world: South Africa, Canada, USA, India, Dubai, and so on. I not only celebrated with special friends, but the dinner was at a location where I first arrived to Australia called Morningside. I cooked not one but 2 birds and for them being chickens of 2kg each ...they were easily dino-sized. The chocks (as they are called in Australia) were tender, juicy (even at the breast), and after each bite I had to pant a little as I was running out of breath from the thickness of the grease in my mouth. Ok, so I may have over greased these birds but there was going to be no complaints of dryness on my first try.

This was a group dinner where everyone made amazing contributions and I am eager to get those recipes from everyone one of these days.


So following a wonderful thanksgiving weekend, as I will be preparing one more dinner to my house mates in saying thank-you for being kind and welcoming ! The level of oils and butter will be adjusted as I don't think my heart will survive another chicken like the one before. But everything else will be made as it usually is by my own mother :-)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone and sending you best wishes near and far !!!

My Catalonian little sister ...

Last week (Sept 3-7) I had the privilege to meet up with someone(s) very special. This person has become part of the Mares family officially (not exactly sure when) even thought we live across the Atlantic ocean and now the Pacific ocean too (we follow each other around the globe, so right now she is visiting me with her special person, her bf of five years).


I have meet up with this little lady every year since she was first introduced to my parents. Technically, she is my little sister because we both adore the same people: my parents. She has created a very special bond with my parents the very first time she came for an exchange-trip to Canada. Three years later and we still love to meet up with each other when our paths takes us near our homes and talk about ...my parents.

Life and school commitments seem to come in the way of our entertainment BUT we have always made the effort and hang out with the other person. First 2x it was she who came to live with my parents and do the visiting. Then, it was my turn to go for a quick hello and meet her family and friends in Spain. 48h was clearly not enough time to engage in a meet-and-greet activity, but it was what we had to manage.

Last week, my little Catalan sister and her bf rented the most retro campervan and came for a visit in Brisbane. Again limited by time, we still managed to spend a few days eating, sleeping and traveling together. We were true gypsies living on the road. Well, let me tell you something about these two, if all gypsies have as much fun and laugh as much as these two people, I'm dropping out of my masters and joining the gypsy life !!!

I have never (or have been a long time) since I have laughed this much. Both my sister and her bf were sooooo crazy funny, and I have lost my voice in just about 4-5 days of hanging out with them just from laughing so hard.






River-fire 2010



















Besides the wonderful times we shared, I was also thinking back to how this lady and I become such amazing friends. My thoughts brought me back to my kind and lovely parents. Thanks to them, I have this amazing person in my life who is extremely funny, kind and even though younger, ends up taking care of me each time we are on the road !!!!

Dear Clara, "I am the older", therefore let me take care of you from now on, Sincerely, Renata :-)












xoxoxo
R ;-)

Canadian-invasion Fiji style :-)

After a fast and furious Fiji exploration what better way to spend one week than re-discovering Brissie and its near by exotic destinations with a friend from Fiji. A friendship created on sheer coincidence but the timing could not have been better !

From day 1 Fiji was an ultimate hit but the first round of troops were a little low on enthusiasm for travel. There was a little overcast but why should that stop us from having a ball. Well, whatever it was, the ball never happened. Until Day 2 when 2 Canadians meet me (another Canadian, and say what you want, I am one :-P ). Talk about right timing ! (it's not that Canucks are the only fun people, because as you might remember Day 1 started with 5 Germans, 2 Italians, and 2 from the Solomon islands and we had a ball !!!) But for some reason amongst the different nationalities us 3 were ready to try out just about everything.

So now, post-Fiji, I have unpacked, trying to get things done at home before it's time to get back on the road to Malaysia and Indonesia. Got my courses selected and paid for, all I have to do is enjoy my time at home and off we go !

Not so fast! A ring from a friend and I have the whole week planned for trips around Brissie. My friend from Fiji is coming for a week to visit and she's eager to discover. Not a problem.

Week's plan:
- no plan, do as much as we can and see as much as we want to

Dunzooo !

The results please:
- Mt Cootha
- Koala sanctuary
- Modern art gallery
- Botanical garden in the city
- Fortitude valley and everything it has to offer on a Sat night lol
- South bank in the city
- Surfers
- Byron (2 days)
- Noosa - Main beach only

I now have exactly 5 days to pack and figure out my trip that's coming up real soon :-)

What a week of adventures !!!

I have also realized how much I actually run and walk on a regular day. We had several 'running' jokes going where it was about me walking somewhere too far or running for the bus. Well, how else are you going to get anywhere if you don't run for the bus ???????? Other wise you waste your time waiting and wishing ... hahah little JJ in there :-)

So, back to me running. On one of our regular fast moving-day of adventures (probably on foot) we are to catch the last bus home and I tell my friend this: I won't ever make you run if you make this bus ! So we run from Roma St to stop 40 on Adelaide and catch the last bus. We were proud and she was to never run again no matter where we go. Until the next day, we are walking somewhere, and I catch my self sprinting away from my friend and then I stop, turn back around and walk with her the rest of the way to our destination.

HAHAH


It is so funny. Of course the first movie comes into my head as we are laughing at me is the one with Jim Carry called - Yes man. In this movie, his new girlfriend holds a running club in the early mornings where they also take photography. This is called a running photography club. Well that's all we needed to talk about, hahah we couldn't stop laughing at the though.


After making all these hilarious jokes about me one of our trips does become the exact photography club we have been laughing about. We are heading up to Noosa and we have no idea how long it actually takes. We haven't planned any of our road trips so why start now on our second last day. We take a long train ride then an even longer bus ride (On this bus ride I notice the beautiful vegetation of North QLD and ........ OMG it's sugar cane !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought I parted with sugar canes in Fiji but thanks to the northern climate of QLD I have been saved. I must go back) !

We get to Noosa at about 5 pm and sun sets at about hmmm 5:30 .....Main beach is 45 min walk from where we got dropped off in the village..... "let's start walking people" !!!!

HAHAHAH

We are walking through neighborhoods, trying to figure out how we are going to get back to Brissie for 10 am on Saturday morning since I have coaching to do !!! Ahhh ....the more we walk to more we realize that we are staying the night and that we have to figure out away to Brissie in the next few hours while the sun is still up. BUT WE STILL DON'T HAVE A SUNSET PICTURE......


so we walk ....starts raining ....... but we walk through it all, through a rainbow (I thought it was amazing) and walked all the way to the Main beach ..... there we took a picture of the sun-set and the beach... we started laughing ....turned around to walk back and figure out where we are going to sleep for the night ....and how we are going to get home in the AM !

Omg, too funny ! Looking back now that is. We ended up finding a backpackers waaaay back where we came from b/c the ones on Main beach were full. That was the least of our concern. The first bus is at 6 am ...leaving from Main beach...!!!

OMG, WE ARE WALKING AT 4 AM BACK TO THE BUS stop .... ahhhh ! hahahahha
(I offer to cab it ...but we both say ...what's the difference now, we have walked all week haha)




We make it back to Brissie on time! Saturday night when we go out with a few of my friends, everyone is laughing at me AGAIN ! Glad I can be so amusing for everyone hahahah omg too funny

What a true sport this girl! I officially feel terrible for being the worst tour guide of the week. But then again, when we both look back .... it was like Fiji all over again. HHAHA go-go-go every day ....we had good training.

All I can say is this: We had a fabulous week and for sure got all the pictures to prove it!

Great week lady and hope school goes well for you !!!!
If not get a transfer and move in lol


For everyone else readying this: if you are looking for the best tour experience- Brissie and 2 coasts in 7 days, with variety of exercises, call me :-)



Jokes, total jokes! hahaha

Where was I ....oh yes, OMG get packing, KL and Bali in T-5 !!!


R :-)

Can't blog today ... I should be reading and writing assignments - An Update

This blog, I feel, is loosing its juice !

I think about blogging almost every day but mid-semester-assignment-crunch just doesn't seem to give me a break. Ultimately, I should be happy since I have selected this kind of a life style for me ... and academic writing MUST be completed if I want to succeed at the end of my adventures :-)

This isn't to say that I have it hard around here, I'm only expressing my interest in creative writing and how school is hindering this recreational activity for me, if we could call it that !!! Just the other day, I found out some highly significant information about my landlord, Jim. I have learned that Jim is not only a/(my) fabulous and life-saving editor who reads over my papers in time of desperation (when I am late to hand in an assignment) but he has a list of other talents which could assist my writing skills in numerous ways. First, he has written a book called Beetle Creek and I am now a proud owner of a signed copy. (I can't wait for school to start so I can start reading this book on the bus on my way to the lectures !!!) When I quickly flipped through it, I could tell it's going to be a hoot to read just based on the images. See, Jim is a wonderful story teller, and I can speak for this because he can break into a story just as we are preparing our breaky in the kitchen. Mind you, I also tend to ask a ton of questions, and when I hear about "oh it's a long story", I am the first to say "I have time".

Second, Jim has a monthly newsletter which he provides to his fans and readers and it talks about writing techniques, fun quizzes, and possibilities to enter his writing contests. It is an interactive way to learn about creative writing or specifically 'Novel Writing'. The purpose of these monthly issues ultimately is to help advertise Jim's novel writing course. This is all overwhelming to learn at this time of the year especially since I am constantly thinking about being published (but I can't blog today...I should be reading and writing assignments)!!!

I might have to put my masters aside and enroll in Jim's course lol .....or maybe do it along my masters. But as I mentioned before, I don't have time to write novels when I'm trying to compose 50% papers. Mind you thought ... my school work is almost as exciting and I enjoy doing the ground work, HOWEVER not like blogging. Different kind of feelings and experiences while you are sitting in front of the monitor and trying to create sentences. Oh and blogs don't come with the pressure of a marking criteria (aka: life line to success for me...just for now). Either way, this just shows that I am in the right place at the right time.

Mind you, I will be alone in this house come the end of April (landlords are off to their vacation), and I'm looking forward to it ONLY in hope that being alone will get me focused on my academics some more. Also, this way I will have to postpone my novel writing urges till a later time, maybe when Jim returns from his vacation. lol who knows !

Anywho, my books are calling, gatta read some more about global economic development and fertility.

Here are some of the events I need to blog about still:

1. St Patty's day















2. Surfers Paradise - Hooters for the fits time :-)

wait ....that's just me playing in the ocean ...




















Hooters :-)























3. Karissa's b-day - yummmy desserts

































4. Easter in Brissie - more chocolates !!!!



































5. Mt Cootha

















All to come soon, or who knows when .....some pics are up on facebook :-)

miss you all
Renata :-)