I know that lots of women claim to have “the best husband in the world” etc… but; I really believe that mine has them beat. I’ve been stressed and anxious this week and Joe knew it so he took me out for dinner and a movie on Friday night. We tried a Thai place up on Military that Elsa blogged about and it really lived up to its reputation. It reminded me of Mai Thai, which, oddly enough, made me happy and not homesick. It was also such a good price! We had two mains and split some jasmine rice. I also had a glass of wine (and a glass of port if I’m being honest) and our bill was only $50.
Did I mention that they deliver?
We went to the Orpheum Theatre to see “Inception” after and I wasn’t expecting to like the Theatre or the movie nearly as much as I did. The Theatre is really old-fashioned in this fabulous art deco sort of way; but it has a great digital picture/sound etc… Plus they have special showings of old black and white classics and they also do showings of Opera at the Met once a month. I think Joe and I are going to see Carmen next month…
After all that we ended up walking home. I love the walk home (all downhill). It’s just shy of 2 miles and it is on beautiful quiet streets. We talked and held hands the whole way home.
We had already decided that we would spend the weekend in utter relaxation doing whatever we wanted so Saturday started off low-key with a lie in. I made breakfast burritos (whoo hoo! First Mexican food we’ve had since we got here) and then we headed in to town to do a bit of shopping. We looked at some furniture shops, had a coffee and we also headed over to a little shop where I had seen an attaché case/laptop bag/satchel that I thought Joe might like for his birthday. He did like it, so we got it and I was going to wrap it up and put it away till the 31st; but he started using it straight away.
So, the rest of the story needs some background…..
First of all, there is something that I have heard on all the ex-pat blogs and all the ex-pat websites that I am starting to not agree with. There is this whole perception that Americans are sooooo wasteful and throw away perfectly good things while the Aussies recycle everything and only ever buy what they need etc…. It may still be true in theory; but I just have to say – I have never seen such nice trash before in all my life. Every weekend, people pile perfectly nice things on the kerb for the trash men. I am amazed by some of the items that I have seen!
Secondly, Joe and I have no furniture as of yet (our crate still hasn’t arrived) and even when we do get our stuff, we really brought very minimal furniture. In hindsight, I would have upgraded to a full container and brought all of our stuff; but, oh well…. Also, furniture here is crazy expensive and I refuse to overpay for something just to have it. I can’t get rid of my bargain hunter mentality so I might as well embrace it.
So, we were on the way home on Saturday and we started finding treasures. First off – someone had a basket of lemons sitting out with a “Take One” sign on them. It looked like their lemon tree in the yard was an over-achiever so we got to share in the bounty. Then we found a beautiful art poster, followed quickly by an entire stack of boxes full of gorgeous newer looking books… Seriously, I got a Rosamunde Pilcher, John Irving etc… And Joe got some Stephen King and such. There was also a cute little lamp that we figured probably didn’t work; but we’d give it a go just in case. Just a few doors down from our building we hit a jackpot - a beautiful wardrobe – obviously in need of some work; but nothing that a coat of paint and some love couldn’t fix.
So this is where my husband proves that he is a Rock Star. He tells me to stay with the wardrobe, borrows a furniture mover, single-handedly puts the wardrobe on the 2 wheeler, pulls it up the steep hill to our place and then carries it up 4 flights of stairs to our apartment. Rock… Star… To hear him tell it, we both carried it up the stairs; but I really just ended up being in the way more than anything…
The teenagers left as soon as it started getting dark; and were gracious enough to leave all of their trash scattered around on the grass. It was disgusting – and there was quite a bit of it as well. This is the second time the rock star emerges. He finds a bunch of plastic bags, uses his mobile as a flashlight, and picks up every bit of the trash that those kids left behind and carted it all the way back up to our rubbish bins. There are some days where I don’t feel like I deserve him…
Sunday we relaxed as well… We were going to take a walk in the early afternoon; but a crazy freak storm blew in and postponed those plans. The storm brought hail and also very strong winds – strong enough to blow open one of the dining room windows and break the latch so we couldn’t refasten it. Great… So, Joe takes a wire coat hanger, a Swiss army knife and a broom (MacGyver anyone?) and manages to wire the window shut. Say it with me people….. Rock… Star…
The afternoon cleared right back up again and we headed out for our walk. We ended up walking over to the Neutral Bay ferry wharf to check it out. We found a couple little restaurants that looked yummy and delivered (good to know since they are right around the corner) and we also ran into our neighbors from across the hall in our building. It was lovely! We stood on the sidewalk and talked for ages – they are such wonderful people!
On the way home we totally found an organizer for the bathroom, another lamp and also two chairs and a small table. It was heaven to be able to eat dinner in chairs that night and to set my laptop on the table and (very comfortably) watch a movie without having to sit in bed.
Have I mentioned yet that both of the lamps in this story work? No electrical problems no burnt out bulbs…Just perfectly functioning lamps.
Don’t get me wrong, most of the stuff that we have picked up will get replaced when we get our crate or slowly, as we start furnishing the apartment. I don’t relish the idea of relying on Saturday afternoon trash runs for furniture; but it’s nice for now to at least have a couple things. Plus, I will be on the lookout for treasures in the same vein of the wardrobe we found…
I’m just hoping that when I find them, I have Joe with me to help!
Did I mention that they deliver?
We went to the Orpheum Theatre to see “Inception” after and I wasn’t expecting to like the Theatre or the movie nearly as much as I did. The Theatre is really old-fashioned in this fabulous art deco sort of way; but it has a great digital picture/sound etc… Plus they have special showings of old black and white classics and they also do showings of Opera at the Met once a month. I think Joe and I are going to see Carmen next month…
After all that we ended up walking home. I love the walk home (all downhill). It’s just shy of 2 miles and it is on beautiful quiet streets. We talked and held hands the whole way home.
We had already decided that we would spend the weekend in utter relaxation doing whatever we wanted so Saturday started off low-key with a lie in. I made breakfast burritos (whoo hoo! First Mexican food we’ve had since we got here) and then we headed in to town to do a bit of shopping. We looked at some furniture shops, had a coffee and we also headed over to a little shop where I had seen an attaché case/laptop bag/satchel that I thought Joe might like for his birthday. He did like it, so we got it and I was going to wrap it up and put it away till the 31st; but he started using it straight away.
So, the rest of the story needs some background…..
First of all, there is something that I have heard on all the ex-pat blogs and all the ex-pat websites that I am starting to not agree with. There is this whole perception that Americans are sooooo wasteful and throw away perfectly good things while the Aussies recycle everything and only ever buy what they need etc…. It may still be true in theory; but I just have to say – I have never seen such nice trash before in all my life. Every weekend, people pile perfectly nice things on the kerb for the trash men. I am amazed by some of the items that I have seen!
Secondly, Joe and I have no furniture as of yet (our crate still hasn’t arrived) and even when we do get our stuff, we really brought very minimal furniture. In hindsight, I would have upgraded to a full container and brought all of our stuff; but, oh well…. Also, furniture here is crazy expensive and I refuse to overpay for something just to have it. I can’t get rid of my bargain hunter mentality so I might as well embrace it.
So, we were on the way home on Saturday and we started finding treasures. First off – someone had a basket of lemons sitting out with a “Take One” sign on them. It looked like their lemon tree in the yard was an over-achiever so we got to share in the bounty. Then we found a beautiful art poster, followed quickly by an entire stack of boxes full of gorgeous newer looking books… Seriously, I got a Rosamunde Pilcher, John Irving etc… And Joe got some Stephen King and such. There was also a cute little lamp that we figured probably didn’t work; but we’d give it a go just in case. Just a few doors down from our building we hit a jackpot - a beautiful wardrobe – obviously in need of some work; but nothing that a coat of paint and some love couldn’t fix.
So this is where my husband proves that he is a Rock Star. He tells me to stay with the wardrobe, borrows a furniture mover, single-handedly puts the wardrobe on the 2 wheeler, pulls it up the steep hill to our place and then carries it up 4 flights of stairs to our apartment. Rock… Star… To hear him tell it, we both carried it up the stairs; but I really just ended up being in the way more than anything…So, after the wardrobe was upstairs we were both completely knackered. Much napping ensued until I had to get up and prepare our picnic. We packed a basket and headed down to the reserve to sit and watch the sun go down. It was gorgeous, apart from the mob of teenagers that had taken over one whole section. We finished our picnic and sat watching the dark come down over the bay. The giant bats (Meaghan, you may want to stop reading here) were flying over from the botanical gardens and hanging out (ha ha) in the trees above us. It was funny to see the little ones that I am used to flying around with the big ones. It was like the difference between a sparrow and a hawk!
The teenagers left as soon as it started getting dark; and were gracious enough to leave all of their trash scattered around on the grass. It was disgusting – and there was quite a bit of it as well. This is the second time the rock star emerges. He finds a bunch of plastic bags, uses his mobile as a flashlight, and picks up every bit of the trash that those kids left behind and carted it all the way back up to our rubbish bins. There are some days where I don’t feel like I deserve him… Sunday we relaxed as well… We were going to take a walk in the early afternoon; but a crazy freak storm blew in and postponed those plans. The storm brought hail and also very strong winds – strong enough to blow open one of the dining room windows and break the latch so we couldn’t refasten it. Great… So, Joe takes a wire coat hanger, a Swiss army knife and a broom (MacGyver anyone?) and manages to wire the window shut. Say it with me people….. Rock… Star…
The afternoon cleared right back up again and we headed out for our walk. We ended up walking over to the Neutral Bay ferry wharf to check it out. We found a couple little restaurants that looked yummy and delivered (good to know since they are right around the corner) and we also ran into our neighbors from across the hall in our building. It was lovely! We stood on the sidewalk and talked for ages – they are such wonderful people!
On the way home we totally found an organizer for the bathroom, another lamp and also two chairs and a small table. It was heaven to be able to eat dinner in chairs that night and to set my laptop on the table and (very comfortably) watch a movie without having to sit in bed.
Have I mentioned yet that both of the lamps in this story work? No electrical problems no burnt out bulbs…Just perfectly functioning lamps.
Don’t get me wrong, most of the stuff that we have picked up will get replaced when we get our crate or slowly, as we start furnishing the apartment. I don’t relish the idea of relying on Saturday afternoon trash runs for furniture; but it’s nice for now to at least have a couple things. Plus, I will be on the lookout for treasures in the same vein of the wardrobe we found…
I’m just hoping that when I find them, I have Joe with me to help!
Posts
Great weekend! I love your husband too... If you remember correctly I told you to TAP THAT in the first place, so....... you're welcome :)
And as far as the bats, EW. But I'm OK. Thanks for caring.
@ Meaghan - I actually think you told me to "Marry That" - the "tapping" was incidental :D But lovely.... I miss you extra tonight :( I am totally calling you in the morning!
Yay!!!! I miss you too.... you seem so far away :(
PS- Pretty sure you tapped it as soon as I was out of Kentucky :)
Beautiful Mimi, you are already becoming an Australian. "lie-in", "knackered", "rubbish bin"... all vocabulary that morphed into and out of my repertoire during and after my European jaunt. :)
As for your Rock Star... he is, and I'm so happy you're so happy. You so deserve it.
And as I recall, we always had pretty good luck with off-the-curb finds in general... :p
Miss and love you.
@ Meaghan - glad we got to chat, I was missing you!
@ Cory - Yea, I am trying to master the lingo here so people understand what I am talking about. I had a bad moment in Target a few weeks ago where I kept telling this poor associate that I wanted to take my "cart" on the "elevator". She kept saying that I couldn't use the "escalator". Finally I told her I wanted to take my "trolley" on the "lift" and then we all got along. Whew... it's like a different language!
Mimi-Sounds like you made some great finds. This is something I do love about Australia...the hard rubbish. I'm not sure how it works in Sydney, but here in Melbourne, there is one week in each neighbourhood every year that you can turf out really large bulky items like furniture, mattresses, electrical components, etc. The council then sends people around (usually at the end of the week) to collect the items and dispose of them (or recycle them) as required. What really happens is that most of the stuff gets picked off by other people before the council gets to it. I know in our case, most of the stuff we put out is perfectly reusable, but we don't know anyone that might want it, etc so when we put it out on nature stip, we are hoping that someone will come and make use of it before it gets carted away by the council...and 9 times out of 10, that is exactly what happens. It really is like a very informal recycling system. So if you see a pile of items on the nature strip--definitely check them out and don't be surprised if you find some good stuff!! =)
@ Suz - It makes sense to me to have a designated time to put out their niceish, bulky stuff. I'm not sure if they have that in Sydney or not. If they don't - they should! We are finding a ton of stuff every weekend and on the same few streets too... I'm not complaining!
Wow, I could use a trash day like that! I'll be looking out for our hard rubbish week here in Melbourne. We haven't been so fortunate on regular trash days. In my few months observation, I think that the American wasters/Aussie Greenies is true to some extent, but hello, how could it not be with the prices here : )
@ Margo - Yea, I think it is true to some extent as well... I even see it in myslef a bit. I guess it was just a dissapointing day for me watching all those kids leave their disgusting trash all over such a beautiful park. Grrrr...
your hubby is a saint. i would have just glared at the kids and shook my fist at them like a grouchy old lady.
the met opera at the cinemas is brilliant. the brit and i have season tickets to the cinema here. we really look forward to it...and we're like the youngest people in there by about 40 years.
Mimi - you can call North Sydney council or go to their website (www.northsydney.nsw.gov.au) and inquire when their hard rubbish dates are. ;)
Let us know if you are ever interested in meeting for dinner - sounds like you walk past our house everytime you go adventuring! :)
@ the american - season tickets to the cinema? I have never heard of this... Do explain?
@ Val - Totally, I am sending you a message on YDU as soon as I am done typing this. We will have to do dinner out or at your place as we have no furniture still :)
Wait.... Valerie - you are on YDU right? Mrs. Hippo? Or have I gone completely mad?
Am stunned by husband's rockstar qualities. Sounds like you have definitely hit throw out week - we've just had it on our street. I think it is a fabulous idea, we wander round the streets and have gained all kinds of things and I also really enjoy putting things out and them vanishing and knowing someone else is using them. We put a giant bag of Barbie dolls out this time and they went in 5 mins and it really made the girls and I happy to think some other child was going to play with them.
@ Just Another Day - That is so sweet! I bet that made your daughters feel really good... it's like taking sharing to the next level!
hey mimi,
the cinema here shows ten met operas a season and you can buy them season tickets. they sell out very quickly here so that's what we've done for the past couple years. it's so good.
@ the American - interesting... I will have to investigate :)
Yes, that's me. :)