Posts Categorized: #blogjune

Jun 18 2013

#WhatIWoreSunday Volume 6 & 7 #blogjune

I’ve really dropped the ball with #blogjune – I have been so busy. I hope to catch up a bit now. 🙂

In this double post for What I Wore Sunday, it was funny to see pretty much the same outfit but a week apart!

Volume 6 –

I love love love this blouse! It is cool in summer and so comfy to wear. It has a gorgeous kind of retro bow tie and it sits really nicely. Any excuse to wear flowers!

Here is what I wore –

Pants – LLBean
Blouse – Modcloth Sigh, the Lanai Top
Shoes – Naturalizer Mary Jane’s
Purse – Ralph Lauren

Volume 7 –

It was a little bit muggy on Sunday morning so I wanted to wear another cool blouse. The sad thing in this photo is that it is not possible to see the gorgeous detail on the blouse. I have loved Peter Pan collars ever since it was part of my high school uniform and so the minute I saw this blouse, I had to get it!

Here is what I wore –

Pants – LLBean
Blouse – Modcloth That’s All She Baroque Top
Shoes – Naturalizer Mary Jane’s
Purse – Ralph Lauren

Please venture over to Fine Linen and Purple to see more WIWS posts with some awesome reflections… and outfits!!

Jun 08 2013

Leaps and Bounds… #blogjune

A few weekends ago, we spent the afternoon and night in Manhattan. First seeing the new Hangover movie (if there is a next one, we are going to wait until DVD) and then heading to the Highline Ballroom to see Paul Kelly.

It was general admission but seats were available on first come, first served for a dinner and show. So we got there early and we were fourth in line when Paul Kelly walked right past us! Also, you won’t believe it. The tickets were only $25! I felt guilty knowing what I would experience for that price!

We were both really impressed with the food at the Highline. We both had very low expectations so it was a pleasant surprise! At our table was a couple on holidays in New York from New Zealand. The rest of the place was probably 80% Australian. I did hear one American say he first heard Paul Kelly when he was on a Qantas flight and they were playing him on the inflight radio!

Dan Kelly was the support act and he was really good. I’ve always loved him since doing one of the best duets ever on Rockwiz with Martha Wainwright. I just play this over and over all the time.

After his set, then it was time for Paul. The show was in two parts. The first part he played his whole new album Spring and Fall which is performed as a song cycle. Then the second part was a greatest hits selection.

The whole show was really, really good. I loved it so much and it was so relaxing to sit back and hear a master at work! Bill did not know one song from either Paul or Dan and he enjoyed it so much as well. The only annoying part? The woman who kept yelling “SING I REMEMBER!!!!” If only she knew the song was called Leaps and Bounds. 😉

Jun 07 2013

A little bit of spring… #blogjune

Spring time here is gorgeous providing that it isn’t unseasonably warm! Breaking up the concrete, you can find blooming flowers everywhere. For those of you going through winter at the moment, I thought you would like a couple of springtime blooms to help brighten up the weather!

Springtime in Brooklyn –

Springtime on the Upper West Side –

Fall will always be a favourite for me, but this spring has been absolutely beautiful after such a long winter. I’m not complaining about anything because I know what is right around the corner! Please send all commiseration messages to Bill.. he is the one that has to put up with my moaning and groaning about the heat 24/7 when it starts!

Jun 06 2013

A little bit of Ireland in the Rockaways! #blogjune

After the Lebanese food festival on Friday, it was then time to head down to the Rockaways for the Rockaway Beach/Breezy Point Irish Festival on Saturday. The festival is hosted by the Ancient Order of Hibernians.

This was part fundraiser/part thank you for all the work that so many people have been doing in the Rockaways since Sandy hit. We had never been down there before and with the train line reopening on the Thursday before, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to get into the spirit of things. Once the weather forecast was going to be hot, it was a no brainer. Being by the water on a day like that would be a welcome relief!

Once the A train goes past JFK airport, it then goes on to Broad Channel. This was the view from the train while we were in-between the airport and Broad Channel

This is the new wall that is being built to protect the tracks from any future storm. I think this will be eventually all covered in concrete too.

The Irish Festival was held at St. Camillus Church and it was mainly lots of beer, corned beef, hot dogs, burgers and.. bagpipes.

We were there right at the start of the first day. This was going to go all day until late on Saturday and Sunday!

We did some shopping at the Irish Food stall to get some goodies and we then decided to go down and check out the beach. All of the boardwalk was washed away and there was basically nothing left after Sandy hit. Now, only seven months later…

Just a block away the devastation is still evident –

For the cool breeze and to see another area of New York just but getting on the subway, the trip down was worth it!

Jun 05 2013

2013 Lebanese Food Festival… #blogjune

Last weekend was a lot of fun, despite the heat!

As with every other #blogjune, it was time again for the Lebanese Food Festival. We never miss it and because we had a busy weekend planned, we decided to go on the Friday night. Friday night is just food only – the streets aren’t blocked off and there is no street fair atmosphere. But we still got to have a super tasty dinner and help raise funds for Our Lady of Lebanon Cathedral!

I basically get the same thing every year… but oh gosh. It is always so good! These photos are not the best as they were just from my phone.

Here was my dinner. The kefta was phenomenal.

Bill got some fried kibbeh –

I dream vine leaves –

It was a lot quieter in the street compared to what we normally see on a Saturday and Sunday.

Check out my other posts on this great festival so you can get a better idea of how fabulous it is. If you are in New York, no excuses. You have to go!

Lebanese Food Festival 2012
Lebanese Food Festival 2011
Lebanese Food Festival 2010

Jun 04 2013

Custard Scrolls… enough said! #blogjune

I go through various stages of missing things from Australia. One of the most random things recently was Bakers Delight Custard Scrolls. My friend Warbo, would always bring them over and I would always grab one if I was passing the bakery.

So I set about on a mission.. I needed them NOW. I found a recipe for them on a great blog, My Food Obsession. Susan’s work in creating the Custard Scroll masterpiece is amazing.

A difficult part of the recipe is the Custard Scroll icing. Which is the same as Boston Bun icing. That heavy, thick, sweet icing that somehow never makes you feel blah. After reading Susan’s post, I understood that she tried to recreate the icing but it just wasn’t the same. After doing some more searching, I found a list of common ingredients that Bakers Delight use to make their icing so Bill converted the measurements to what we thought would be a recipe that would work. I decided that it was time to give this recipe a whirl.

The mixing and matching on this recipe worked a treat. They taste pretty much exactly like the real thing. They were beautiful on the day of baking and we decided to freeze some and see how they would go. That worked as well.

Here are some photos.. the proof of their greatness is in the pictures. Can’t you just taste them?!

Making the custard –

Cooling the custard by the window –

I had a nap while Bill made the dough and baked them… this is how they came out of the oven –

Reading to ice, ice baby! –

The end result –

Jun 03 2013

Nearing the end… #blogjune

This year, I am hitting a major milestone in my journey as a kind-of-American. I am nearing my five year anniversary of entering the country. Can you believe it has gone by SO quickly? It only feels like yesterday that the got the envelope with “You have won a Green Card!” in the mail. Because I am nearing five years, it means I qualify to start the process to become a citizen. We’re getting there!

On Friday, I mailed off my naturalization application, cheque/check, some more passport photos and a copy of my Green Card.

My life and future nationality really is in this FedEx envelope.

I have now re-entered the stressful abyss of US Citizenship and Immigration Services. In a process that will take about eight months from start to finish, this involves another biometics test, then the interview/US civics test/written test, then the ceremony. It is so serious and not something I am doing lightheartedly. Even though I will be a dual citizen of both Australia and the United States, I will be required to pledge the following –

“I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the armed forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.”

It is emotional and exciting and everything else in between. I won’t lie.. there were tears when Bill was asking me some of the practice questions for the civics test and I had to say that I will give up loyalty to Australia. It is heartwrenching! But note, it does not say I have to give up my loyalty to Collingwood! 😉

I am looking forward to voting, being a real voice in local politics and also JURY DUTY! The only time I was ever called to serve was in Australia was when I was living in London. I just NEED to be a on a jury to say I have done it and to quell my fascination with being called to serve. I have to get it out of my system!

So, this is a big time for me. In other parts of the country this whole process usually takes three months. Here, it is longer because of the amount of immigrants. This is something I hope to take up with our own Senator Schumer and Senator Gellibrand. We pay the same fees as everyone else in the country and yet, are almost held to ransom by the USCIS. It is hard to explain, but the process is stressful. The uncertainty, the waiting, the hoping and again… the waiting. Much like the Green Card process, it is almost like your life is on hold. Becoming a citizen is something that should be encouraged and made as stress free as possible. If you are filing in New York, it is the exact opposite. Oh, and no, you have no choice where you become a citizen or where you file.

So, let the games begin! I have no doubt the fastest process of this will be them cashing my check. I bet that will happen by the end of the week! 😉

Now, for a confession. Every time I think of being a citizen and being American, this song comes into my head and stays for way too long!

Jun 02 2013

#WhatIWoreSunday Volume 4 & 5 #blogjune

Woohoo! This week we have a bumper double edition of What I Wore Sunday!

I forgot to do my post last week, but looking at the photos they could be in two different hemispheres. It was so cold last week, I had to get my old winter coat out and today it was so humid and hot at 8am, I needed to take my fan to Mass!

Volume 4 –

I was in a big hurry last week to get ready and by the time we stepped out into the street the wind was blowing my hair everywhere! I had already packed away my warm clothes so I had to try and make do with what was not in space bags.

Here is what I wore –

Coat – LL Bean Wool Coat
Jeggings – Hue
Top – Macy’s Style & Co tunic
Boots – LL Bean Deerfield Equestrian
Purse – Ralph Lauren ‘Lauren’ Newbury Crossbody Purse in Tan – you can see a close up picture of it here.

The tunic top cannot really be seen here. I love it – here I am wearing it to Ash Wednesday Mass at St Peter’s for Pope Benedict’s final Mass.

Volume 5 –

This week was all about keeping cool! We always manage to keep our apartment comfortable in the heat, so stepping outside in the humidity is always a shock. Our beautiful church has no air conditioning and once it gets warm, it stays that way all summer. We are so fortunate to have fans that circulate some air but dressing can be a challenge.

Here is what I wore –

Dress – Hepcat dress in Black Licorice by Modcloth
Shoes – Naturalizer Mary Jane’s
Purse – Vera Bradley Bowler (I think!) in Poppy Fields.

Please venture over to Fine Linen and Purple to see more WIWS posts… wishing you all a wonderful week!

Jun 01 2013

#blogjune is on again… welcome!

Welcome to new readers and hello again to old readers!

#blogjune is on again and as I have lots to catch up on, I am happy to be participating again! It is good to know that there is no way I will have trouble in thinking up post ideas this year.

We’re going to revisit our trip to Rome, tour the Northeastern United States with mum and dad, do a catch up on all things New York and post lots of photos from my day to day life.

At the moment we have the air conditioner on full and it is very muggy outside. Ugh! So many of you are in the Southern Hemisphere and I’m very much wishing for your kind of weather at the moment. I am already counting down to Fall! The only redeeming feature of summer is how our neighborhood explodes in green… I snapped this down the road today. Gorgeous!

Jun 20 2012

Roma – Venezia #blogjune

We got to Termini time for our train to Venice on the Frecciargento train. Train travel is just awesome in Europe and makes everything so easy.

It was such a fast AND smooth trip. I slept for a couple of hours! One highlight was the little refreshments cart that came down the train aisle. It had a built in espresso machine! So Bill got a coffee and we shared a packet of Italian cookies and watched the Italian countryside roll by.

The trains were very modern and clean. This is what the seats looked like in our carriage –

They go so fast and yet, hardly any bumps. My ears regularly popped when we were going through the mountains – it is a great way to travel!

We arrived at the Venice – Santa Lucia station and took our time walking to the vaporetto. We picked up a Venice pass which enabled us to have unlimited vaporetto trips for our whole stay there. This was great just for convenience – we never had to worry about buying tickets.

Our accomodation was near the Accademmia vaporetto stop so we got to cruise down the Grand Canal and see Venice in all its glory. I got chatting to a girl from Australia who was originally from Bathurst and was studying in Florence. Her boyfriend had just flown from Bathurst to meet her – he had never been overseas before and you could tell he was slightly overwhelmed by everything!

Even with our suitcases, the vaporetto was an easy trip and we were lucky that from the Accademia stop to our accomodation we didn’t have to go over any bridges – a straight run!

Imagine getting off a train, hopping on a vaporetto and this is your view?