June 1

Happy Early Birthday Darovena..

Had to be on campus early for pre-presentation stuff, went to Brumpys in the morning before.

My friend and I baked for the Childrens Hospital that I volunteer at.

Then I went to the QVB after classes, and headed back to Darling Harbour for dinner with Dad and Jenn.

After we took a boat from Darling to Circular Quay for the Sydney Opera House lighting.

http://vividlive.sydneyoperahouse.com/LightingTheSails.aspx

May 28-31

STAY TUNED FOR PICTURES:

Friday (28).. the 3 of us headed via airplane to the Como Melbourne.

Lunch at SodaRocks (much like Johnny Rockets)

Checked out the Cricket Stadium, the city, and jail...(http://www.oldmelbournegaol.com.au/)

Trattoria for an Italian Dinner.

Saturday... breakfast at the Brasserie.. then we did an all day tour (Go West) 920am-930pm..in addition stopping in Koo Wee Rup at the 100 Monkeys... it included "heaps" of new experiences
http://www.gowest.com.au/phillip-island-day-tour.html


fun fact: Melbourne is known for having the large worm..

http://museumvictoria.com.au/discoverycentre/infosheets/giant-gippsland-earthworm/

whereas Brisbane is known for the large pineapple
Sunday.. breakfast at
then off for another all day tour 720am-9pm..
this one also included lots of excitement...

http://www.gowest.com.au/great-ocean-road.html

and we did the Penguin Plus tour as well!

http://www.gowest.com.au/penguinplus.html


and Dad, Jenn and I decided we needed to see some of Melbourne via helicoptor!

http://www.12apostleshelicopters.com.au/index.php

Dinner was a Mexican at Amigos.

Monday.. we spent relaxing.. hitting Cafe Grecos for Breakfast..then flew back to Sydney..then to 5 O's.

May 27

Thursday...

Coogee Cafe Breakfast...then showed Dad and Jenn my campus.

Went shopping with Kristen at a warehouse sale...for an Aussie store called http://www.sassandbide.com/

Introduced Dad and Jenn to Moo Burgers.

May 25-26

Tuesday.. after having breakfast with Drewbie..he was off to the airport. We had a great night of coloring (colouring) with the new coloring books he bought me! He is so good to me. Back to a day of classes and I had my first final today!

Then I strolled home and met Dad and Jenn for an Italian dinner at Renato's.

Wednesday.. enjoyed breakfast and a relaxing mini vaca in my own hotel room. Met Dad and Jenn after their Hunter Valley Wine Tour for dinner at the Coogee Bay Hotel.

Ended the night with a pot of Fondue!

May 24

Monday.. I cancelled my hospital shift for a day full of events.

Went to the Congo Cafe for some good french toast and omlettes. Then showed Dad and Jenn Bondi Junction and the famous Donut King for crocodile donuts.

Then we hit the world's biggest IMAX theater in Darling Harbour and lunch for Avitar at 2.

http://www.imax.com.au/home/

Then we had a great 360 dining experience AT THE sYDNEY tOWER.


http://www.360dining.com.au/

May 23

Today we left our house at 615am--snagged chocolate, chocolate chip muffins and banana bread and headed to central station. From there we took a tour bus that departed from 730am.

It included the following itinerary:

Be transported from the centre of Sydney into the heart of the enchanting Blue Mountains for a great adventure. Visit Featherdale Wildlife Park to see up close native Kangaroos and Koalas from Australia, view the Three Sisters rock formation at Katoomba, ride the Scenicsender and Skyway (not included). With lunch cafes, fudge, and candy stores along the way Your day tour includes a guided walk in the Blue Mountains National Park, Wentworth Falls, Sublime Point, and more. Leave the magnificent Blue Mountains, crossing the Nepean River, and wind down with a relaxing river cruise from Olympic Park at Homebush along the Parramatta River, under the Sydney Harbour Bridge and back to Circular Quay.

After getting back to Circular Quay at 530pm we headed to Pancakes on the Rocks for dinner. Back to Coogee for rest.

May 22

Dad and Jenn (surprised me today) are here...

Kicked it off at the Coogee Bay Hotel for breakfast, then took a bus to Circular Quay for the Justice Museum.

Drew and I went to a friends for a pot luck dinner of 15 people. Great food, lots of desserts. Great conversation. Enjoyable time.

Back by 1030pm for some homework and beddy.

May 21

Today we went to Pancakes on the Rocks in Darling Harbour for breakfast.

**Then the Sydney Aquarium...and went on the glass-bottom boat feed.

http://sydneyaquarium.myfun.com.au/

**We got caught in a complete DOWNPOUR.

**We headed to Circular Quay..Drew wanted to scope out the Opera House.
Then I took him to a place in the Historical Rocks called Rocks Cafe (How Original) for a famous "Rockin Burger".
http://www.therockscafe.com.au/

**Hungry Jacks for a "choc top"
http://www.hungryjacks.com.au/

Went to Jazz Festival in Darling Harbour and watched the fireworks at night.

Grabbed Starbucks and some wedges.

Came back and baked for tomorrow nights PotLuck (brownies, peanut butter cookies dipped in chocolate).

May 20

Thursday...today I took Drewbie on a coastal walk..then we headed to Bondi Junction after breakfast.

New Experiences for Drewbie:

**dinosaur, person,white chocolate frosted/blueberry filled donut, ice chocolate drink
(http://www.donutking.com.au/)
**Boost
**Chicken Out
**Chocolate Souffle

May 19

Today.. Drewbie locked himself out when he went to the shower. Had to skip some morning festivities.. (no worries it was "NOT HIS FAULT".

Went to some classes..saw a movie between classes " Beneath Hill 60".
http://www.beneathhill60.com.au/.. he was super excited about his large can of coke.. because it was a "limited edition".

New places/experiences:

http://www.arthurspizza.com.au/

http://www.coldrock.com.au/

and

Banoffee Pie

May 18

Tuesday.. went to QVB building between classes for some lunchy and to show Drewbie some sites.. and snagged some Starbucks on the way to class. Pouring rain all day and all night since he has got here--jinxed us!

After class we bus-ed it down to Darling Harbour for some Criniti's Southern Italian Chow..Drewbie took my advice and got the 1kg (2.2 pounds) of ribs and fries. He is currently in a food coma on my floor.


We browsed the Shopping Center (Centre).. nothing appealed to Drewbie other than cookieman ( http://www.cookieman.com.au/).

Also my teacher insisted that we take a picture of the 3 of us for my mom (and suggested we text her it), considering he remembers her name more than mine..

MORE MORE AND MORE RAIN...not light rain..but perfect snoozinggg rain. We rented a movie for tonight (DID you hear about the Morgans?)

May 17

Monday.. Drew flew in today. Arrived at the aiport 610am. We dropped his loot off at Myola. Pretty nice setup he has here. Our "RA" (caretaker--2nd of the semester) quit. He moved out today--could not handle the wild crew here. So my roommate Kristen asked to fill in for the week (let ppl in when they come back and drunk lock themselves out of their rooms). Anyways so she gets some cash money for the week until the new one comes Monday--so she gave Drew the key and he has his own room for the week!

After dropping his stuff off we hit Max Brenners for breakfast for some Tutti Frutti Waffles, Mocha Hug Mug drinks,and some Choc-Banana Pizza. Look how happy he looks.
After we decided to walk home from Sydney--awful idea..we got lost--but we made it home before my work. Drew made me take this police snap shot for Scotty-Bup.

I left my house at 525am and got back at 1240.

Also, I sent him to Moo Burgers while I worked @ the Hospital for a while today. Enjoyed it so much I did a bit of overtime:) Drew bonded with my roommate.

Also booked my plane ticket to Cairns! (Going to the Great Barrier Reef during my study period before exams in June) yay! Seeaaa turtles!

After I got back we snagged some dinner (Drew and I). Then later we didnt know what we wanted for some dessert. So my roommate, Drew, and I headed to the grocery store and after a 30 minute dilemma we came out successful.

We got back to our room and began mixing our own creation. 2 Liters of Cadbury chocolate chip ice cream, chopped up all our purchased loot (a crunchy bar, marble (white chocolate and milk chocolate) large cadbury bar, a Mars bar, bag of mix-in M&Ms(crispy, plain, peanut, peanutbutter), and white chocolate milkybar eggs. We all decided it would be more fun to mix it in and eat it right out of the bowl with 3 spoons.

Other good news--classed cancelled tomorrow. So only have a class 930-11 then 2-5 yay!

May 14-16

Friday and Saturday very productive cafe homework days downtown incorporated with shopping and trying lots of new baked good treats! Added some posters to our room--to give it some color or col"our".

Sunday...I went upstairs..took a double take--thought this was a piece of chicken nailed to the wall---ohh no just a piece of bread..

Went to church with my roommate today--it was in a movie theater, luxury seats, live band, words to the tunes on the movie screen, the service was done via podcast (another location) on the big screen. Then we went to Central Station in Sydney hopped a train to Burwood to an Australian friend's BBQ in Cabarita Park. Met lots of new people; snagged some Thai for dinner. Drewbie arrives tomorrow 610am.

May 13

Thursday..jumped on a bus to Hyde Park for lunch then headed back to campus for class. Nice solo outing. Then after class had a group meeting..with some baking rainbow mini m&m cookies and brownie pie.

Watched a flick..then6 of us headed to Oxford St. around 830p for dinner to try a small "hidden gem" Japanese restaurant Don Don (http://www.bestrestaurants.com.au/restaurants/NSW-Sydney-dondon.aspx)
recommended by our Australian group member. We sat around for a long time..until it got too late and the place was closing (WE GOT THE BOOT). But went around the table trying to figure out what animal each person resembled.. some pretty solid animal comparisons that James conducted:

Me-Chipmunk, Squirrel on the "Skippy" PB jar
Nikita-Racoon, bird
Tanya-Sloth
Tom-Rabbit
Thomas-Rat from Charlotte's Web or Mouse from Cinderella

May 11-12

Tuesday... I almost crushed this little guy when walking home yesterday; I thought I stepped on him--so I stopped to double check. I figure I owed him at least a picture.

May 9-10

This weekend my roommate had a man friend visiting.. was a hoot and a holler..

Sunday.. today I am up early. Last night there was some commotion outside our window and my roommate came back and said there were large loaves of bread and gourmet baked goods on the street outside! I bundled them up and put them in a bag and today I feed my birds at the beach.. (still unsure how/why they were all outside). The beach go-ers love when I stir up the birds, especially when they are sitting eating their picnic lunches outside...but on a serious note the birds love me..check out this pick of them kissing my feet.

Also, headed down to Hyde Park again for another day of successful work at Starbucks.

Then headed up to campus in the evening to bake lots! We made lemon birthday cupcakes, lemon cupakes/muffins with chocolate chips,and some plain Anzac cookies. Anzac Day is a holiay here (April 25th). Little history for you in regards to the name: http://www.aussieslang.com/features/anzac-biscuits.asp (recipe on the webpage).

And the fourth thing we made was a giant chocolate chip Anzac cookie pie! We cut it in pizza slices and iced every other slice alternating between sugar icing with sprinkles and nutella spread! Delicious.. had to have my desserts with vanilla ice cream on top.

Another update: So now instead of people stealing my chow from my fridge (because I have a mini fridge in my room this is not possible).. they have moved on to my shelf stash in the kitchen. So here is the message I sent out to my house of over 20 people...

"Subject: Suggestion

Hey Myola:

Thanks to the super cool cat who took my raisins off my shelf and ate the entire box, minus 1.

I guess I am thankful that the thief has moved on from my FRESH fruit to my DRIED fruit.

But on a serious note.. if I were you I would have gone for my M&M stash or at least my massive supply of Orbit Gum specially shipped over from the United States.

GoodLuck, because the next time it happens I will personally hold hostage the entire mail supply and tariff each piece that comes to you."


Monday...kicking off the week for another day of volunteering at the children's hospital in the bone unit.