Weeks 6 & 7: Bourne in the Land of Mel

In honor of Thanksgiving, we took a trip to Melbourne for the weekend.  Contrary, to my prior understanding of Australia, this country is huge!  Melbourne is an 8-hour drive or a 40-minute flight away.  We did the flying thing.  We soon discovered that long road trips with an infant are more involved and a lot less relaxing, if you know what I mean. J

When Sterling’s co-workers heard that we were going to Melbourne, they jokingly told him that he better get a scarf.  I guess it’s known for being all artsy and fashionable and stuff.  They also told him to find the most ridiculous piece of plastic on the sidewalk and sit on it.  (We came to witness for ourselves Melbourne's uber-modern aesthetic.)  The weekend was filled with lots of walking—all in pursuit of decadent food, innovative architecture, beautiful things, and unique experiences.  It was indeed a success!

        

By the Yarra River

FOOD-RELATED THINGS IN MELBOURNE

I don’t know anyone who loves Thanksgiving more than Sterling (he likes it even more than Christmas!) so we were sad to miss it this year.  We just don’t have the kitchen, friends, or family to do it right.  So, in honor of Thanksgiving, we went out for Italian food in Melbourne.  During dinner, we went back and forth, saying what we were thankful for. “Hot showers.” “Our marriage.”  “Prayer.”  “Rocking chair.” “Job.” “Knowing how to cook.”  We really are blessed. 

A PERFECT START

Per recommendation from Sterling’s co-workers, we had brunch on Degraves street—twice, because it is just so charming!  This street is really narrow with little cafes on both sides and seating in the middle.  It’s like a little brunch alley.  Most of the waitresses wear really short skirts and have at least 5 tattoos and 3 face piercings of somekind.  Cigarette smoke is everywhere (blech!), so we sat inside where we had to cram our pram into a corner where we were still in everyone’s way.  Sorry about that, guys. 

Degraves Streets

At brunch on Degraves Street

Eating is a big part of traveling for us, so we tend to take photos of everything we eat.  Here is our breakfast from Saturday.  (If you really don’t care, skip to the next section.)  Sterling got the green eggs (and basil and stuff) and bacon on toast and I got some muesli w/ passion fruit yogurt.  Cora was smiling up a storm and made friends with both tables next to us.  She’s friendly like that.

Green eggs and Ham

Now, I don’t think that anyone should get punched in the face for anything, ever, but this tip jar at the cafe was kind of funny.  (And yes, Sterling did put in a tip…)

Tip can at brunch 

CULINARY HIGHLIGHT

The culinary highlight of our trip was pavlova at Hightoun in the Block Arcade.  Now, I don’t know if I can accurately paint a picture of this place, but I will try to:  Imagine you are having to high tea, in the parlor of rich uncle's mansion in London.  The walls are covered with forest green and black floral wallpaper and a huge mirror.  To be honest, we were drawn into this place by their dessert display.  Isn’t it incredible?!

We seriously stared at this display for 5 minutes

The Portuguese Tart Sterling got was also really good, but he was hoping it was more like the egg tarts he got in China at KFC.  It wasn’t.  We’ll just have to go to China sometime…

Before we went in, I knew that I wanted to try Pavlova and it didn’t dissapoint.  It is officially my new favorite dessert.  So, if you ever want to make me anything for my birthday or whatever, this is it! (hint, hint!) It is meringue filled with delicious cream and fruit all over.  It seems all light and innocent, but it’s really just like eating butter and sugar and worth every. single. calorie.

Pavlova.  Maybe the best thing ever that has gone in my mouth.

The Hightoun café was in the historic, Block Arcade.  This isn’t a video game arcade (although you all know how much the Larsen’s love video games!), but a shopping arcade from the 19^th century.  It has beautiful mosaic floors, a big windowed dome, and intricate woodwork everywhere.  Pretty picturesque.

Block Arcade

At the Block Arcade

Mosaic floor at the Block Arcade

CULINARY LOWPOINT
One evening, we got back to our hotel area, just as all of the food places were closing up.  As a result, we had to eat at the mall food court.  By the time we got there, even the food court was about closed, but they did have little take-out boxes of food that they were selling for really cheap.  Late night clearance specials from a food court?  Not that tasty.  I got a little container of a seafood Thai curry thing that had probably been sitting out all day.  Come to think of it, I am glad that I didn’t get food poisoning.  That would have made the flight home real pleasant! (Not.)

The take-out specials left us wanting, so we went to the only other food place we could find that was still open—7-11.  There we got big chocolate muffins for that night and bananas and crackers for breakfast on Sunday.  We went home and ate those big, old, greasy muffins then went to bed. 

Sterling made me laugh when he pointed out that 2 years ago, we were eating decadent chocolate wedding cake in bed at the fancy-schmancy Grand America hotel during our honeymoon.  Now, 2 years later, we were eating cheap 7-11 chocolate muffins in bed at a dingy Travelodge!  Look how far we’ve come J

JUST A TASTE
Cora is still doing the nursing thing, but she’s approaching the age of solids.  At the airport, on the way back, I was curious to see what she would do with my banana.  We had a good laugh as she gummed it and drooled all over. 

Cora tasting a banana for the first time

TRUSTING IN YOUR SPOUSE

In Yarra (a hip little area outside of Melbourne), we had bibimbab and a bento box on afternoon.  I was totally starving and Sterling wasn’t, so he let me chose the restaurant.  Come to find out after we ate, he was totally skeptical and said that he wouldn’t have ever chosen to eat at the place we did!  Fortunately, it was delicious and I think he liked his bento box more than any other lunch we had on our trip.  That’s one of the many benefits of being married, he told me later:  You try things that you never would otherwise!  I know that has been the case for me, too. 

Sorry--one more food photo.  Bibimbab and Bento Box

THINGS WE SAW IN MELBOURNE

SEEKING AFTER RICHES RESULTS IN DOWNFALL (OR JUST UTTER FRUSTRATION)

So, South Yarra is supposed to be this hipster hub and then transform into this richy-rich area with mansions and crazy luxury stores.  We walked, and walked, and walked all over trying to find this so-called fancy area.  I don’t think it exists.  Just sayin’. 

Finally, we decided to reevaluate our plans for the evening and took a pit stop in a park (there were public toilets there-don’t worry!).  Sterling went to the nearby 7-11 to get Slurpees and change for the tram.  While he was gone, I sat in this park by myself, trying to feed and calm Cora down.  Her eczema was particularly bad and she wanted to scratch her face,  This meant that she wouldn’t eat or sleep, and my feet were tired from all of our gold-digging (aka trying to find the fancy area of Yarra).  Just as Sterling got back and we were swaddling her, a random woman passed by us and noticed our crying (screaming?) baby.  She told me repeatedly, “She’s hot!  The baby is too hot!  See how red she is!” and so forth.  Now, I would have loved to say that I was humble and accepted her suggestion and been thankful for her concern, but instead I got really defensive.  I tried to explain to her that she has eczema and such.  And we were swaddling her so she wouldn’t gauge her face anymore than it was.  The woman walked away, shaking her head saying, “Oh, poor bub.  Poor bub.” (“Bub” just means baby.) As she left, I was so bugged at the situation, that I totally sat on the bench and cried into my Slurpee.  I was trying my best to calm Cora down and this woman had no idea what was going on.  She didn’t know the whole situation, but for some reason I was so frustrated with her.  I just wanted to shout, “I’m trying to be a good mom!  Don’t tell me what to do!  It’s easy for you to tell what to do because you aren’t the one having to do it!”  Looking back, I realize how prideful and immature I was being, but it really hurt my feelings.  And then I was frustrated with myself for letting myself get angry at this woman who probably had the purest of intentions.  I guess it’s natural to get emotional about something I care a lot about.  Right?  That’s what Sterling told me and I’ll believe him. 

The reason for sharing this story?  I’m not entirely sure.  I imagine there are lots of new (and seasoned) moms out there who have experienced similar emotions.  If so, feel free to share them so we can all feel more validated :)

ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS

Once I got myself together after the emotional Slurpee incident, we got on the tram and went to the Botanic Gardens.  It was getting late and I was tired, but I just had to see them before we went “home” the next morning.  (Is Canberra “home” now?) 

Despite the fact that we were sneezing every 2 seconds and dripping snot everywhere (now there’s a nice image) from the allergies we are sure we don’t have, we had to see the gardens.  And we are glad we did.  They were incredibly gorgeous.  Here are a few, unrepresentative photos that don’t do it justice:

Royal Botanic Gardens

Royal Botanic Gardens

Royal Botanic Gardens

The first day we did a quick passing through of Chinatown.  I wasn’t super impressed, but there was this cool sculpture made out of plastic bottles and containers.

Chinatown

Cool sculpture outside the Chinese Museum

BECAUSE WE ARE CLASSY LIKE THAT

Sterling’s friend, Brad Hunter, served his LDS mission in Melbourne, so we asked him for things we needed to do while we were there.  Shanghai Dumpling House was on the top of the list.  It was very yummy and I managed to drop at least 2 dumpling in the vinegar and splash it all over myself.  Oh, and did I mention that I already had Cora’s splattered up and down my dress?  I was smelling like a dream.  Sterling’s so lucky to have me J

After dumplings, we went to the Wal-Mart equivalent to get me some leggings.  (It was a bit chilly!)  That’s what you should do when you are in a cool city, right?  Spend as much time as possible in a Wal-Mart.  Then you’ll really take advantage of your time there.  I felt silly spending time buying leggings at a box store when there is so much to see, but I was cold and I enjoyed the rest of the trip more because I was warm.  End of story.

CONSUMMERISM AT ITS FINEST

Sterling and I love markets.  We went to three in Melbourne during the three days we were there:  The Book Market, Queen Victoria’s Market, and the Coburg Night Market. 

BOOK MARKET

At the book market in Federation Square I fell in love with two books of golden age children’s book illustrations.  The illustrations would just look so great framed for Cora’s nursery, right?  Well, I restrained myself from buying them and am going to see if I can find the prints online a bit cheaper. Here's one of my favorites: 

Princess and the Pea, Edmund Dulac
I found this at a place in Fitzroy the day before and again in a book at the market.  Isn't great?  So romantic.

Atrium in Federation Square.  This is where the Book Market was the day after this was taken.

QUEEN VICTORIA’S MARKET

This is the market that everyone raves about.  Now, don’t get me wrong, it was wonderful, but it didn’t have as many handmade, artsy things as I would have liked.  There were lots of cheap toys and weird looking sweaters, to be honest.  But!!!  We did find two wonderful treasures that made it totally worth the trip. 

Treasure #1:  An Elf!

I have been looking everywhere for an elf because I want to start the Elf on a Shelf tradition this Christmas season.  (For this tradition, you set out the elf every night to be found the next morning.  You pose him doing different funny or mischievous things like coloring the milk green, paragliding from the ceiling, or taking a bath in a bowl of marshmallows.)  This is the elf we found and I think he’s perfect.  We named him Kingston after Sterling’s grandfather.

Kingston the Elf.  Doesn't he just look so refined for an elf?  (And he's posable!)

Treasure #2:  Echidna

I know Sterling pretty well I would say, but I don’t think I could have anticipated how excited he got about buying this echidna puppet!  I was dying laughing as he was talking to the vendor and learning how to use it!  Now one of my secret wishes for Sterling is that he could be a Kindergarten teacher.  Watching him make this little echidna come alive confirmed that!  Cora is lucky to have a dad that values creativity and imagination so much J  

Sterling with his new echidna puppet.  So cute! (The echidna's not to bad either...)
FYI:  Sterling is still going strong with the Movember thing, so he hasn't shaved in almost a month.

A COOK’S HEAVEN

Fitzroy is the Brooklyn of Melbourne.  A little bit gritty and a whole lot of cool.  The highlight of the neighborhood for me was a shop called Books for Cooks.  It was a whole bookstore filled with books only related to cooking!  Needless, to say it was extremely overwhelming, but so inspiring.  Now I want to learn the science behind baking bread, how to make frosting roses, and how to make the perfect gravy. 

Fitzroy

At lunch in Fitzroy

Swaddling Cora in Fitzroy.
Poor Cora had to be changed and swaddled on all sorts of uncomfortable, strange places on our trip!

TRAVELLING OFF THE MAP

The biggest joke of the trip was getting to Coburg, a suburb about 30 minutes outside the city.  Our guide book didn’t even cover this area, but I felt a strong urge to go.  I had read online that there was a night market there, but I didn’t even know what tram to take to get there.  I asked the tram drivers and they had never even heard of this market.  Other passengers hadn’t heard of it either.  I was beginning to think that it didn’t exist.  Everything closes at 5 pm, and we don’t drink, so we didn’t have anything else to do that night.  We were feeling adventurous and young, so we decided to try and find it anyway.  The further we rode on the tram, the sketchier the streets got.  We finally got off at a stop that seemed good and asked some people if they knew about the mysterious Coburg Night Market.  They knew exactly what we were talking about!  It existed!!!  It turned out to be the greatest, family-friendly night market ever.  There were tons of little families with strollers and cute kids playing tag barefoot.  We listened to the live music and watched dads dance with their kids on their shoulders.  For dinner we had food from a booth (Nepalese chicken and Spanish paella) and ice cream for dessert.  We had never heard of the ice cream flavor, cassata, but ventured out on a limb and were very pleased. (It’s an Italian holiday spice cake, we learned.)  The vendor who sold us our echidna puppet at the other market was selling her stuff there at this market, too, so we said hi and told some potential customers how happy we were with our purchase J

STRUCTURALLY SPEAKING

Being contemporary art enthusiasts, Sterling and I were excited to see some of Melbourne’s architectural gems.  The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) is not shy when it comes to innovative design!  Check these out:

EVERYONE LOVES A GOOD TOILET JOKE    

No week is complete without an awkward moment.   I think that this week wins, though.  At the airport, I took Cora to the bathroom to go change her diaper.  There was a sign next to the handicap bathroom, indicating that there was a changing table in there.  So, I pushed the button to open the door, and there was a guy sitting on the toilet. (Apparently, he forgot to lock it!) Now, you have to understand that it was an automatic door, so I couldn’t just shut it.  You had to wait for it to close by itself, but in my nervousness, I just kept pushing it over and over, thinking that that would close it.  And to make it worse, the bathroom was facing the waiting area for the gate, so all of the people waiting, saw the whole thing happening.  Half naked man and all.  Oh wow, did I feel silly.    

O CHRISTMAS TREE

The good thing about Christmas in summer is that you can picnic by a Christmas tree.  I love this tree.  It’s colors.  The size.  The happiness it exudes. 

Christmas trre by the QV Shopping Center

When we got back to Canberra, Sterling was feeling the Christmas spirit and decided to make a Christmas tree.  We don’t have a lot of art supplies or anything in our hotel, but Sterling is honestly the most creative person I know and he noticed that we had a broom and newspapers.  Here’s what he came up with.  (No tape or glue or nothing.)

Sterling's newspaper tree.  It makes me so happy everytime I walk into the living room :) 

My project this week is to make some paper ornaments for this tree of ours.  We miss you all, especially as Christmas approaches.  Until next week…  Merry Christmas!


WEEK #6: THE ROOT OF BEAUTY (AKA LOTUS ROOT)

This may be my new favorite place near Canberra.  Now, a few weeks ago I raved about the EPIC Farmer’s Market.  (EPIC is not an adjective I chose to use.  It actually stands for Events Place in Canberra or something like that.)  The EPIC Farmer’s Market really was quite wonderful, but Fyshwick is kind of awesomer.  It is about 30 stores connected in a sort of warehouse.  There are specialty grocery stores, butchers, bakers, and fancy cheese places.  When we went into the first grocery store, my eyes about popped out of my head.  There was so much beautiful produce and about a million kinds of fruits and veggies I hadn’t even heard of, let alone seen in real life!  I was really giddy.  Sometimes grocery stores are like museum for me.  Except I can eat things in a grocery store!  If it would have been acceptable, I would have started running around and grabbing things from off the shelf and started making something right there with all of the new ingredients.  I felt like an artist who just discovered that there is a whole palatte of colors that she didn’t even know existed!  I don’t know if Sterling was joking or not, but he suggested that I write down all of the produce that was unfamiliar to me so I could look them up.  And I did!  Now I can look up recipes for these new things, make my shopping list, and return to the wonderful land of Fyshwick! 

Here are some things on my “New Produce to Try” list:  banana bell, lotus root, choyte, hairy melon, sweede, Jerusalem artichokes, apple cues, sinqua, tamarillo, and paw paw.

If you have recipes for any of these things, please send them my way! 

Not everything there was crazy expensive, but these raspberries sure were!

Using restraint, Sterling and I walked away from this market with 2 cool burlap bags for future market purchases, a sourdough baguette, lox, goat cheese with dill, Leiden cheese, smoked Gouda, sausage, black sea salt, 2 mangoes, and some lotus root. 

Here’s the lotus root stir-fry I made and the link to the recipe: http://heartandhearth.blogspot.com.au.  We really liked it and it was relatively quick to make.    

Lotus root

Another lotus root shot

Lotus root stir-fry

More next time! Hope you all are doing well :)  Love you!