Marina del Rey

Thus far, 2020 has held a lot of uncertainty. I think we’re all feeling it in the first quarter, and I know the small ripples are being felt in my own life. In January, I was feeling restless. I’d planned to join my lovely friend Echo on her yoga/snowboarding retreat to Japan in March, but something wasn’t feeling right. I didn’t think I would be able to relax and enjoy another trip after hanging out in Sydney with nothing to do for two months. The Bali workshop was already booked. Too much vacation is an easy problem to have, and I’m sure from the outside it looks like I’m never working (!!!), but I do eventually get fidgety if I’m sitting around twiddling my thumbs for too long.

It was time for the plan to change.

The day after I decided to pull out of the Japan trip (pre-Coronavirus scares!), Pixie, my El Salvador retreat leader, started messaging me. She wished we could still teach on her trip together and keep some consistency from year to year. I, of all people, realize that I’m scattered and often too non-committal, so I was nervous to tell her that my plans had changed yet again. But the wheels were already in motion.

“…What if I said I might still be able to go?”

And with that, we locked it all into place. I would land at her new apartment in Marina del Rey. She needed someone to watch her dogs for a week. I would have time for visits in LA, and we would depart for El Salvador on February 29th.

Sometimes things just click, and this felt like one of the clicks. Here’s the view from her new apartment:

I think I made the right choice.

Still fuzzy from the long flight, I walked on the beach to view the Pacific Ocean from the other side. Pixie introduced me to her new rescue baby, and we became fast friends:

Gouda (on the left) is new. Oscar (on the right) is my old pal.

I made new friends, caught up with old friends, played beach volleyball, and took some of the best walks I could have imagined. I was reminded of my old life here, and I sure did miss it.

California, there is just something about you.

Last Steps in Sydney

Suddenly, after Bali, there was only a week left in Sydney. Four months had spun past and disappeared into a cloud of fine memories. It took a lot of back and forth decision-making in the first month of 2020, but by the end, I was ready to leave. I wanted to get back to teaching and meaningful work without being held back by the limitations that come with a temporary visa.

The last days were full of my favorite things about Sydney: Bondi Beach, good food, live music, and saying goodbye to all of the dear people I’ve known here.

I had time for a Galentine’s brunch at my friend Amanda’s, safely sheltered from the flooding that drenched the city for three days.

My stuff was back in Mike’s apartment, so we go to hang, eat pizza (among other delicious Italian foods), and see some shows. I checked off the last things on my list—nope, I never did do the Harbour Bridge Climb, but I did come away with a sweet lil’ tattoo!

I definitely had tears in my eyes during the last bus ride home from the beach, but they were knowing tears. Nostalgic, grateful, but prepared tears. I was ready for the long road home.

Yoga Workshop Day 4

Day four of the workshop focused a lot on physical practice. We learned more about backbends from an old skeleton who hilariously happened to be losing some limbs during Kino’s discussion. We hoped that wouldn’t happen to us when it was our turn to try! By the end of the session, I had learned even more about a safe backbending practice that I think will help me on the road to recovery from a long-ago injury. One of the main reasons I enjoy going to workshops with different teachers is to learn little techniques that have a tremendous impact on my practice. Sometimes you can hear a few people teach the same thing, but for some reason one teacher will say it in a way that finally clicks and stays with your forever.

For anyone who isn’t lucky enough to practice at a studio with a teacher for whatever reason—and this has been me pretty often lately— here are some pieces of advice from Kino on establishing and maintaining a home practice:

• Practice at the same time every day— This will help you stay consistent and avoid potential excuses or distractions.

• Attend a public class once a month— Or, if that’s not possible, attend a workshop once a year. Try to do it with the same teacher every time so they can get to know you and your practice.

• Choose only one “project” per practice— Focus on one key thing each time you practice. For example, this could be an intention or your breath, or something physical like keeping your core engaged during forward folds.

• Guard your energy— Your practice shouldn’t leave you 100% drained and unable to do anything else for the rest of the day. It’s nice to challenge yourself, but yoga should leave you feeling empowered and energized, not completely spent. If you find yourself with too much energy after a home practice, it could be time to attend a public class to get some new ideas.

Our yoga sutra discussion was short on this day. We talked about the popular 2.46 which tells us that a yoga posture should be both strong and comfortable. Once that is achieved, we can let go of unnecessary effort and focus our attention on the infinite (2.47).

The following sutra was new to me—what should we expect to happen when we do the asanas (physical poses) correctly? Number 2.48 says that we no longer become influenced by opposites or duality. In making the asana both strong and comfortable, we balance two opposites: sthira (strength) and sukha (ease). In the same way, we begin to balance other pairs of opposites in life such as like/dislike, mine/yours, pleasure/pain, etc. We are become free to remain steady without the constant distraction of running towards what we like and away from what we don’t like. We clear up space to focus on the higher limbs of yoga— pranayama (breath work), pratyahara (sense control), meditation, and, perhaps, transcendence. Finally, we find a lasting peace that is not impacted by the ups and downs of life.

Penestanan

When in Bali, a brave person might do something wild like rent a scooter and drive themselves to anywhere they wanted inside or outside of the cities. I’m too afraid to drive unchaperoned in a foreign country, so I’m on foot. But these feet have taken me to some pretty nice places so far: on a ridge walk, into a rice paddy field, and up this sweet green flight of stairs to a new land…

They led to Penestanan, a lesser traveled part of Ubud, where I found gently trodden trails, a quiet market, and a homey cafe.

Penestanan is actually quite easy to walk to. You simply venture to the end of the main road, under the part with hanging vines, and cross the bridge over the river. Soon, the stairs appear on your left.

This part of the city is elevated, up the stairs or a big hill if you’re driving, so when you get to the top you see views like these:

I don’t know why, but the last time I stayed here I imagined that Ubud was smaller. I wasn’t sure if I would have enough to do during a six day trip. However, now that I’m here I’m finding so much to see and do! Even if those things include a slow walk past roosters and rabbits or sitting outside and reading a book.

I’m tempted to say I wish I had more time here, but actually I think I have daresay the perfect amount of time.

Tasmania Day 2

Our Tasmanian expedition continued on day two (i.e. the best day!) when we visited Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary. We saw the devils, which was only appropriate after being in their namesake.

Of the only two wildlife sanctuaries that I’ve visited in Oz, this one was my most favorite. We were lucky to see all sorts of rescue animals. We even watched a surgery being performed on a baby wallaby with burnt paws from the brushfires. This was a very special place.

Believe it or not, this was my first time seeing koalas and kangaroos since I came back to Australia. Bonorong really made up for it. There were more kangaroos than I ever could have imagined in one place! And there was an area where they could relax if they didn’t feel like being bothered by human contact, so it was different from other places where kids are touching them and tourists are bombarding them with handfuls of food.

Afterwards we stopped for a nice lunch along the river where we saw a platypus swimming in the WILD!

Then it was time for a short hike in Mt. Field National Park to Russell Falls. I’ve visited quite a few national parks in the US, so it was interesting to do a comparison in Australia. I found their trail maintenance and signage very impressive. The nature made me feel like we were walking into Jurrasic Park! And we spotted a few pademelons hopping around near the trails.

We saved up some energy to try another brewery when we got back to Hobart (Hobart Brewing Co.) There were enough food trucks, shipping containers, and fire pits to convince you that you were in Austin, TX or any other trendy US city.

We finished off our day with dinner at the Drunken Admiral where the service was a bit slow but the cocktails were quite tasty. Cheers!

Tasmania Day 1

I linked up with my parents again in Tasmania! This has been a fun little adventure, getting to see them for a bit, going our separate ways for a few days, then meeting up to hear about all the fun they’ve been having. My flight got into Hobart earlier in the day, so I had time to visit the very cool Museum of Old and New Art. I loved being so close to the water during the trip—you take a ferry from the city down the river to the museum. The ferries are part of the experience, so you can drink champagne and ride on sheep and whatnot.

This museum experience was unlike any other. After riding the ferry and passing through the entrance, you head underground to see the art. I spent about three curious hours down there, and there’s no way I could have seen everything.

I also had an actual good Australian bagel (not at the museum), which is definitely something worth writing home about (Bury Me Standing).

My parents flew in later, so we tried out Cascade Brewery and celebrated my mom’s 60th birthday at the wonderful Old Wharf Restaurant in their hotel. It was so nice to get to be a part of her extra special day!

Veganuary Update

This might be more of a lack of Veganuary update after a few slip-ups, but I’m doing my best! I like starting the new year off with a healthy challenge, so I’m trying to be meat and dairy free for these 31 days. I was finding it very easy during the first two weeks, because Sydney has a ton of vegan restaurant options, like this pancake place right down the street from my building:

And this coffee shop with cool graffiti in Marrickville:

I’m finding that I feel better eating vegan this January than last year. Last time, I think I was eating a lot of nut-based products, which were making me feel bloated and gassy (sorry TMI!) This year I’ve been sticking with veggies, beans, and some soy stuff from the grocery store. King Street in Newtown is my favorite strip in Sydney for plant-based eateries. I also like making my own stuff at home, like this vegan pizza or last week’s cauliflower tacos:

However, this past week proved more challenging! My friends from England hosted a Sunday roast, and I wanted to try new things like Yorkshire pudding and old favorites like stuffing. It was my version of a Thanksgiving since I missed the one at home. Then I really fell off the wagon since there were invitations to multiple sushi restaurants and a friend made me some amazing cheesy risotto.

As usual, I find eating vegan very easy when I’m on my own. But when I’m out with friends, I hate being the fussy one. It’s hard to stick to my guns because I’m not completely opposed to eating meat and dairy. I just don’t enjoy it on a regular basis. I don’t think I’ll ever be fully animal product-free, but it’s nice to do the challenge. I’ve been finding myself choosing vegan more often throughout the year, too, so never say never.

A Rainy Day in Sydney

Day two of my parents’ visit brought even more rain than day one! We kept our spirits up by checking out the aquarium down by the harbor. This one was a good one, even though I am not a huge aquarium fanatic— probably because the only times I go are when it’s raining and therefore full of three million rowdy young children. However, we did enjoy seeing the sharks, rays, sea pigs, and a few different styles of penguins!

More pub crawling was in store, but first we stopped at the local brunch spot for the best and fluffiest hotcakes I’ve ever had. Then my mom and I headed back to the Bondi Icebergs to start the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk. It’s one of my favorite things to do here! The views are so beautiful in any weather. Fortunately, it only rained on us at the very end of the trek. We were close enough to Coogee Pavilion to take shelter with some chips and a drink.

At night, we went down to The Rocks— a historic and touristy promenade area that’s close to the bridge— for dinner at a recommended Japanese restaurant. We enjoyed some sushi (I broke Veganuary again…) and bbq wagyu beef cooked at the table on a Himalayan pink salt block. Very fancy stuff!

My visitors are flying down to Melbourne today, but I’ll meet up with them again next week in Tasmania for a few more days.

Visitors in Sydney

My mom and stepdad were in town visiting for a couple days. It’s been rainy in Sydney, which is good for putting out fires, but not the best for hosting guests in such a sunny and outdoorsy city. We managed to get around anyway, during some breaks in the rain. On the first day we bar hopped via ferry at the Manly Wharf Bar and Watson’s Bay Hotel.

They weren’t too jet-lagged and were good sports about adventuring in the rain. Did you know they had this trip booked before I planned on moving here? They’ll be bouncing all over Australia and then to New Zealand. It made it easier to come this far abroad knowing that I would have some visitors a few months into the trip.

From Watson’s Bay, we took a short ride to Bondi and continued our hopping at the Icebergs Bar. It has the best view of surfers and the beach, even on a cloudy day. We enjoyed some Australian wine and a quick bite to eat in Bondi before they headed back to their hotel to get some rest.

First Week

I had to follow a sad fire post with a positive life post, because it really has been a fine first week of 2020! In spite of reading/worrying about the fires and feeling guilty about living a normal life while people are facing loss and disruption, I did some regular old fun things. I found a new yoga studio:

It’s in a neighborhood called Rosebery that is a little sleepy but sweet and reminds me a whole lot of California. There’s a market where you can order coffee and toasties and have yourself a pretty nice Saturday morning, if you so choose.

We had our first brewery and first beach day of 2020:

At the beach, there were announcements of rough currents and a SHARK SIGHTING so they kept closing the water to swimming. As someone who was not in the water at the time of the shark, I found this very exciting! And I’m glad to know they have a beach-wide announcement system to let you know about these important things.

My English friends introduced me to a game called beach cricket. I’m certain I didn’t follow all the rules, but I laughed a lot in the process of learning them.

And, wow, look at this view from the ferry on the ride back:

It was SO HOT on Saturday night, but it’s since turned into cooler weather and bits of drizzle here and there. Keep the rain coming please.

I went to my first show of the year on Sunday night! There will surely be more to come.

A New Year in Australia

Happy New Year friends and family. I’m just checking in to say that I’m not on fire, but much of Australia is. The beginnings of 2020 have been hectic and emotional around these parts, but I’m thankful to be alive and well.

There are a number of organizations accepting donations, including: Australian Red Cross Disaster Recovery & Relief.

Sydney has been hazy and smoke-filled for a lot of November and December, but life has been going on. There were beach days and New Year’s Eve celebrations, for better or for worse. This is the only picture I took of the fireworks:

The studio where I practice yoga held a four-day Urban Retreat. I spent mornings practicing and learning a lot with one of the best.

I’m attempting a vegan month in January (Veganuary, if you will) like I did last year. I find it helpful to constantly examine our habits and decide if there are any we’d like to adjust, whether it means eating less meat or whatever else feels right to you. I might not do it perfectly, mainly because my parents are coming this month and we may go out for sushi, but I’m going to try my best. And that’s really all we can ever do, isn’t it?

Happy Holidays from Down Under!

Merry (belated) Christmas everyone! I love this time between Christmas and New Year’s when everything seems to slow down and we have more time for what’s most important to us. I had to take a little break from blogging for most of December because I was working almost all day every day. Bauble painting life is serious, but loads of fun! I’m sad that it has come to an end.

For the past week, we worked some crazy hours and busy shifts. On the last night, Christmas Eve, we stayed after to pack up the whole store and have it ready for the stock team to pick up overnight. It felt like moving out of a college dormitory in about two hours, but knowing that it was the last shift made things a little easier.

I’m very happy with the progress I’ve made as an ornament personalizer, maybe it’ll be a good life skill for the future. Here’s week one versus my last week:

Looking back on week one is a little embarrassing and causes disbelief that they hired me, but I guess they trusted that we’d pick it up eventually. After the last shift, I came home and did a little decoration for Christmas. I’m on my own in the apartment, so it felt appropriate to make myself a little table of special things from “Santa”. My coworker even gave me a present and I thought that was so nice!

On Christmas Day, we headed to the beach. It was a very Australian Christmas, which didn’t actually feel like Christmas at all. But it was exciting to see all the Santa hats and outfits out on the beach.

My new friends prepared a bbq and we hung out until it got dark. It was definitely a celebration that I won’t soon forget!

The Big Smoke

Well, I did’t do many outdoor activities on this day off, because it’s been a bit smokey here in Sydney, if you haven’t heard. It’s actually been pretty scary and has left me and I’m sure many others not feeling so good! Today was worse than any of the smoke and fire days I experienced in LA. I’m thankful for having an inside job and feeling bad for anyone who has to be outside. Instead, I made it a day of acai bowl eating, resting, and getting my nails done— all indoors and all very rewarding.

However, yesterday when I got out a little early, I was able to make a small local getaway to Watson’s Bay on the ferry. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea since the ferries aren’t running today due to all of the smoke and low visibility, but yesterday the skies weren’t as bad and there were many more people out and about.

After riding the ferry, I found the hiking path that would lead me to this sweet sandy cove:

Past some wild rock formations:

And eventually to this striped lighthouse:

It’s the Horny Lighthouse in Sydney Harbour National Park, and I’m glad I included it as an after work adventure. Tomorrow I’m back to the “office” (kiosk) and I’ll be staying inside until the winds change direction!

New Towns

Wahoo! I just found out that tomorrow will be a day off after working twelve days in a row. The twelve days of Christmas for an ornament decorator are just a repetitive loop of me trying to maintain my sanity amidst never-ending queues and wild customer requests. Nope, your custom painted ornament won’t be ready and dry in under five minutes and I surely cannot write ten words on it. Try a greeting card, maybe? As you can tell, we’re very much in the Christmas spirit around here.

After a few fifty hour work weeks, I’m not sure what to do with myself tomorrow. Usually when I’m off work, I like to check out new parts of the city. One of my favorites is Newtown. Mike and I have gone a couple times, and I’ve ventured there on my own. There are so many tasty restaurants and cafes to try, I have to keep going back. It could be on the list again for tomorrow, if I don’t feel like going somewhere completely new.

Morning yoga is always on the table, but afterwards, I think I’ll let the day pull me where it wants to. My glue and glitter covered fingernails are looking like they could use some self-care, or maybe another trip to the cinema is in order? No matter what happens, I’ll be reveling in the rare feeling of being able to do what I want when I want to. I hope you find little bits of joy in your day, too.

Thankful

I didn’t think I would be missing out on Thanksgiving this year, because my family doesn’t always do something together at home every year. Everyone is usually traveling or in different places, and last year when I was living in LA, the flights were quite expensive to go home so soon before Christmas, so I stayed in California. But this year my mom decided to do fun stuff with family and my dad decided to do fun stuff with family. What the heck! And of course, everyone in the world was busy posting photos of their traditional meals while I painted ornaments and ate a lonely burrito at the shopping center’s food court since it was already Black Friday here:

Never fear, though! I do love the job, and I usually pack my meals from home instead of braving the mall’s options. On the night before Thanksgiving, Mike and I went out to a multi-course meal at one of the best restaurants in his neighborhood. We’ve definitely spent many a Friendsgiving together in college, so it was nice to have a reminder of the good old days—and the good now days! No turkey or cranberry sauce this year, but there was pumpkin! I may have to negotiate a green bean casserole the next time I get back to the states…

This year, I’m thankful for friends in all places, for my family who seem to reluctantly support my impromptu announcements to go far away, for my yoga practice, and for all the twists and turns in these wild life adventures. Here’s to having absolutely no idea where I’ll be on Thanksgiving next year.

Brush Strokes

Whoa! Hi! Hello, December. I hope that if you’re reading this, it’s December where you are, too. I’ve been quite busy working at my new job in Santa’s workshop. Somehow it’s happened that I’ve become a seasonal ornament decorator, and I certainly do not hate it. I’ve always wanted to learn hand lettering, and now I have the (paid) opportunity to practice brush script almost all day, every day for a whole month! Isn’t it funny how sometimes life delivers exactly the right goods?

That was our training view. I must have passed the trial, because on the first day I found myself setting up the booth and nervously taking orders by myself. Luckily, one of the trainers came to help me out so I could keep practicing. I’m still learning and I get frustrated when it doesn’t look perfectly how I want it to. After a few days, I didn’t think I was getting any better. But this was my second shift:

And here is my… maybe eighth shift:

I’m trying to think of it like crochet, where I felt clumsy and awkward when my grandma was teaching me, thinking I would never figure it out, and now I can do it with my eyes closed, watching a movie, and in all sorts of patterns. Hopefully the improvement continues over the next 24 days!

If this weekend was any indication, things at work are going to be rather hectic from Black Friday until Christmas Eve, but the shifts fly by and I’m enjoying myself. What more can you ask for from a job?

In the free hours, I’ve been treated to some perfect park sunrises on the walk to yoga. I’ve found more exotic birds—these pink ones in particular, neighborhood restaurants, and the yummy gelato place that’s juuust long enough of a walk away to give you some exercise on the way there and back.

I love seeing all the cockatoos around here!

Beach Dreams

Over the weekend, I went to the movies by myself, which I really don’t mind doing, because I love the movies and I love myself. I may have had one too many drinks beforehand with my new housemate— one in the most gorgeous garden wine bar that unfortunately didn’t get photographed. The theatre was artsy and tiny, but not so artsy that they wouldn’t be playing Hustlers ft. J-lo, because that’s all I wanted to see. I am here to recommend it, and I’m more in agreement with its 88% Rotten Tomatoes rating than the 6.6/10 on IMDb.

Then, of course, there were the trailers that made me want to see other movies, so I may have to go back again next weekend for this one that seems like a good tricky love story.

The next day, my Aussie friend met me in Bondi Beach (where else?) for a coastal walk. We were close to calling it off due to a light rain in the morning, but I’m glad we didn’t because it ended up turning into a gorgeous day.

I drank two lattes because I’m made of money and milk. This place puts koala stencils on theirs and I die every time:

They’ve taken down the sculptures, but I promise there’s plenty to see anyway. I purchased an umbrella because I knew if I bought one it wouldn’t rain, but if I didn’t have one it most certainly would. Amanda and I planned out our desired adventures for the upcoming weeks and generally had a lovely girls day out. We’re visualizing when we both move to Bondi and live at the beach.

On Monday, I woke up to more smoky skies and my room smelling like a BBQ. This week should bring cooler temperatures and some rain to hopefully settle all the nearby fires down. I’m practicing being grateful for every moment and every blue-skied day.

Sunrises & Swans

Having another week off from working (for better or for worse) meant extra time to explore this city. It comes complete with sunrise views at the park across the street:

Annnd I realized the other day that there are black swans in the park! I’ve never seen them before. Side note, I’ve never seen the movie before, either, and I think that someday I probably should. These swans didn’t seem to mind me creeping semi-close to take a photo.

I did a waitressing trial here last weekend. That seems to be a thing they do here when you want to work in hospitality— after the interview, they’ll offer an unpaid trial for a few hours to see how you do. I’ve enjoyed one and not enjoyed one, but at the moment I’m thinking I don’t really want to waitress while I’m in Sydney, because the main reason I’m here is to practice yoga at 6am, and the two lifestyles don’t blend very well.

The view from the restaurant was nice, anyway.

Mike came back from his work trip to Taipei/Korea/Japan so we went to the farmer’s market near his place:

I arrived a little early and was hungry, so I got this crumpet. And may I say what a treat it is to be able to order a crumpet!

Then Mike got there and we had breakfast, second breakfast, or maybe brunch?

Yum! As you can see, there’s no shortage of things to eat here. This week I’m back to work so that I can fund all the cafe and farmer’s market visits that my heart desires!

A Room with a View

Sorry for the brief bout of silence. I moved! I’m about 2 km from Mike’s place now and close to a few big parks which are very good for running:

I’m getting some much needed nature time in:

And the neighborhood has yummy coffee shops and cafes where I get to eat things like this:

I have a comfy bed with a lot of nice, natural light. One of the housemates drove me around on Sunday to transport my bags and purchase bedding and other necessary room items. That helped a ton because, even when you only have four bags, moving can be tricky business!

The blinds are a bit broken, but it’s feeling like an otherwise good fit! And picking out bedding on the fly can be a bit stressful, but I’m pretty pleased with my decision.

Bits & Pieces

Oh no, guys! I got a job and left it all in the span of one week. It was a “sales”/charity fundraising job and, while it was for a good cause, it felt a little scammy, like I was trying to lock people into a two (maybe more) year contract without fully telling them all the details. The more shady and avoidant I could be, the easier it would be to sign people up. At least most people were nice and willing to stop for a chat. In New York I might get a few big F*** You’s and maybe run over by a car.

Unfortunately, it seems like these types of jobs are the most popular around here for those on a working holiday visa, so I’m digging a bit deeper and exploring other options. Meanwhile, I’m busy not saving my money and trying all the cute cafes.

Wild Flour Cafe

Maybe I can get a job in one of them and free coffee will be provided…

Ampersand Cafe & Bookstore

There’s still much to explore. The other day I was walking back from yoga, and I saw a woman feeding these birds in the park. Keep in mind, these are just regular ol’ everyday birds in Sydney, and there were dozens of them:

And the regular trees are either fragrant with flowers that perfume the air or huge with giant roots and plenty of nooks to settle into with a good book. Australian life is beautiful!

One day, I was leaving Mike’s apartment and, instead of taking my usual left, I decided to turn right. I discovered a nice, big park for running that I had no idea was there! I passed through and saw a long street of bookstores, health food shops, yummy-looking restaurants, and a sweet gelato place where I may or may not have immediately stopped to taste. I followed the road all the way down to find this gorgeous harbor view:

I will certainly miss romping around Mike’s neighborhood, but here’s a sneak preview of the area I’ll be moving into over the weekend: