Vivid Sydney 2013

Last night I went to Vivid Sydney. I didn't realise that it only started at 6pm but I was already in Circular Quay and Walsh Bay around 5pm. Originally I had wanted to catch the sunset from Mrs Macquarie chair however I couldn't manage to catch the sun.





It was really great having the chance to walk around and listen to Taylor Swift on my iPod, it really reminded me of my time overseas. Especially since I was wearing my wool coat that I had purchased in Bloomingdales and wore constantly whilst travelling. Although I had overestimated about how cold it would get; it wasn't cold at all. In the end, I resorted to lugging around my coat. The joy of living in a temperate climate during winter. 













And to end on an unrelated note. My favourite quote right now:

The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel.

Midsemester Break

It is "mid-semester break" and I have been stuck at my study desk for around 11hrs a day for the past 3 days now. I have two important mid-semesters due in around a weeks time. On top of that, readings to do and applications to consider. Today was the first time I cracked open Photoshop for the first time in weeks. Editing photos is such a calming process and to think that all this started back when I was a 13 year old. How time has passed.

I am Back!

Lo behold! I basically stopped blogging from the moment that I left the country to embark on my fabulous and amazing exchange experience in the US of A! But I am now back in Sydney with a lot of spare time before semester of my fourth year commences. Yesterday I went to meet up with a fellow exchange acquaintance for lunch at Pancakes on the Rocks. He ordered the Bananarama and I ordered the Mexican Potato pancakes.

We then decided to walk around Circular Quay and I snapped some photos of the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House, before heading over to the Botannical Gardens.

Ski Trip 2012

On the weekend, my friends and I went on a ski trip to Thredbo in New South Wales. Or in my case, 'ski' trip as I did not ski. Nevertheless, the weekend was definitely the most fun I have had in a very long time. We departed from Central in the evening and boarded a coach, headed to Thredbo in the Snowy Mountains. He arrived at our resort, River Inn, which is right next to the snow slopes at around 1.30am. Exhausted but still excited. The following morning we got out of bed at 6am and at 9.30am headed to the ski slopes. My friends all went off skiing and I decided to wander around. I stumbled upon a bushwalking track titled 'Merritts Nature Track' and followed it.

It was snowing a fair amount on Saturday however on Sunday morning we woke up to a thick layer of fresh snow. I have never seen fresh snow; usually it is this icy mess that looks terrible. However walking outside to the snow covering the entire landscape was truly beautiful.

I thoroughly enjoyed escaping from Sydney for the weekend. It was fantastic and will definitely be one of my most memorable moments of my life thus far.

Vivid Sydney!

I cannot believe that it was the last day of Semester 1 for 2012 and I am already half way through third year. It is incredible to think that next semester I will be overseas. But before that, I still have my final exams which start in exactly a weeks time. Tonight I went to Circular Quay to see the lights for Vivid Sydney.


 
 

 
I think I will really miss Sydney.

Dinner + Playground + Max Brenner

With only 3 weeks left of university this semester, assessments and stress is starting to pile up. Luckily I only have 1 more assessment next week before my finals, all of which are scarily close. Last Friday I had a dinner with two close friends to catch up, unwind and forget about the stresses associated with our respective degrees. I finished comparatively earlier than both friends so I spent a few hours wandering around the city; I also left Lincraft with 3m of red velvet! (I don't know what I will do with it though). I've said this many times before, but I love Sydney and I think it is a gorgeous city.




I had always intended on visiting the new playground at Darling Quarter but had never found the time previously. That place is amazing and the inner child in me thoroughly enjoyed everything.



After the sun had set, I ventured to Chinatown in search of the Emperor Puffs which I adore. Along the way, I came across this laneway decorated with paintins and these glowing spirits (?).






After dinner, we went to the playground and it was amazing. The children had left and this time, I was able to try all the equipment; the flying fox, giant slide, sand digger ♥♥♥ and this circular-swing-like contraption. It was the most fun I've had since the Taylor Swift concert earlier this year.
Later, we went to Max Brennar. I used to frequent the place weekly, however the place is just ridiculously overpriced. $2.50 for melted chocolate? I could buy a block of chocolate myself for less than that and melt it myself. $6 for chai? Seriously? The prices are insane however once I forget that factor, I do quite like the place. Yes, I did purchase the over priced melted chocolate (aka chocolate lick) and white chocolate chai.

Girl's Night

On Easter Sunday, my friend had a girl's night at her place for a catch up. University has been a little hectic as of late and it was a much needed day off.








She is currently rearing chickens and had bought an additional 6 chicks from the market. They were so adorable albeit, a little noisy. The black one is the oldest and yet the weakest and she believes it may be because the wings are too heavy. Unlike the other chicks, it refused to jump out of the box and stayed inside, fixed in a corner. I spent a large portion of the night keeping the baby chick warm in my hands (where it also fell asleep!) but when we went to prepare dinner, my friend made a little protective tissue cave to keep warm.We had Vietnamese rice paper rolls which I adore since it feels so healthy and nutritious.






For dessert we made lava chocolate chip cookies and they did not turn out as amazing as the online recipe showed them to be, but they were incredibly delicious nevertheless.