Australia will pay you 100K (USD) for 6 months to lounge on an island.

[Harriet]

Ta, Kate. I recognise the first song, but not the third. The Qantas version brings back memories, doesn't it? I really want to move back to Sydney at some point, but that's not likely.

 

[katebar]

Yes I would love to live in Sdney too in an apartment at Circular Quay when I retire

 

[Harriet]

The Toaster? I''d love the Northern beaches.

 

[katebar]

Date: 1/24/2009 5:50:02 PM
Author: Harriet
The Toaster? I''d love the Northern beaches.

Yep

and a weekender up at Palm Beach AND the Family Getaway at Byron Bay ( That is actually doable we are looking at properties there now the market is starting to fall and its now only an hour from Surfers)

 

[Harriet]

Good on you. I''d do Palm Beach in a sec.

 

[MishB]

Date: 1/24/2009 6:02:35 PM
Author: katebar

Date: 1/24/2009 5:50:02 PM

Author: Harriet

The Toaster? I''d love the Northern beaches.

Yep

and a weekender up at Palm Beach AND the Family Getaway at Byron Bay ( That is actually doable we are looking at properties there now the market is starting to fall and its now only an hour from Surfers)

Kate, my parents live in Pottsville, about a half hour north of Byron, it''s such a nice part of Australia, gorgeous beaches, very relaxed.

 

[Harriet]

Wait a minute. Kate, the Toaster? No!

 

[katebar]

Date: 1/24/2009 9:37:13 PM
Author: Harriet
Wait a minute. Kate, the Toaster? No!

What''s wrong with the Toaster. Its got an amazing view in the same building as some great restaurants. The Botanical gardens would be my walking track.
What wrong Harriet?

 

[katebar]

Date: 1/24/2009 9:09:57 PM
Author: MishB

Date: 1/24/2009 6:02:35 PM
Author: katebar

Date: 1/24/2009 5:50:02 PM

Author: Harriet

The Toaster? I''d love the Northern beaches.

Yep

and a weekender up at Palm Beach AND the Family Getaway at Byron Bay ( That is actually doable we are looking at properties there now the market is starting to fall and its now only an hour from Surfers)

Kate, my parents live in Pottsville, about a half hour north of Byron, it''s such a nice part of Australia, gorgeous beaches, very relaxed.

MishB I love Pottsville. We have had some wonderful holidays there. The new road from the Gold Coast too Byron is so great now. Seriously we are thinking of commuting once the kids leave home.
I love Byron

 

[Harriet]

Date: 1/24/2009 11:27:18 PM
Author: katebar

Date: 1/24/2009 9:37:13 PM
Author: Harriet
Wait a minute. Kate, the Toaster? No!

What's wrong with the Toaster. Its got an amazing view in the same building as some great restaurants. The Botanical gardens would be my walking track.
What wrong Harriet?

I'm just razzin ya. There was a public outcry when the Toaster was in the works. Some people felt that it was not architecturally up to snuff. Hey, I'd take it.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 1/24/2009 1:12:09 AM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 1/23/2009 11:13:45 PM
Author: katebar
TGAL nothing compares to Fritz and I feel sad for Amelia as I do for my own children that they didn''t get to sample fritz growing up. Every time you went to a butcher shop in Adelaide the butcher would cut you a piece of fritz from the bung and you would happily munch on it whilst mum did the shopping. They still do too.
You can''t get Fritz anywhere else in Australia. Here in Queensland they think something called Devon is fritz but it is a very poor imitation.
Don''t forget Haigh''s chocolates and Perriman''s party pies. I would swap a meal at Tetsuya''s and Rockpool (My favourite restuarant) for one perrrimans pie

Yeah, TGuy''s sister was so sad when she lived in Cairns as they have no fritz. They have since moved back to Adelaide but her kids are not keen on it, which makes me think it''s a taste you have to grow up with. Because honestly, it sorta tastes like whacked out bologna to me. Sorry Katebar.

Hm...never had a perriman''s pie...must ask TGuy about them.

I wonder why fritz is solely a SA thing?

Katebar, I mentioned this thread to TGuy tonight because he said he had a craving for fritz and I said, "Yeah, one gal said she felt sad because our children won''t be able to have fritz growing up because when you go to the market..."

He interrupted me and said, "Yeah, the butcher cuts you a slice and you gnaw on it while mum shops. It''s awesome and keeps you occupied."

LOL, how funny that all the little SA Aussies kids have memories like that. No wonder they all love fritz - free food at the market!

 

[katebar]

Date: 1/25/2009 11:55:25 PM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 1/24/2009 1:12:09 AM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 1/23/2009 11:13:45 PM
Author: katebar
TGAL nothing compares to Fritz and I feel sad for Amelia as I do for my own children that they didn''t get to sample fritz growing up. Every time you went to a butcher shop in Adelaide the butcher would cut you a piece of fritz from the bung and you would happily munch on it whilst mum did the shopping. They still do too.
You can''t get Fritz anywhere else in Australia. Here in Queensland they think something called Devon is fritz but it is a very poor imitation.
Don''t forget Haigh''s chocolates and Perriman''s party pies. I would swap a meal at Tetsuya''s and Rockpool (My favourite restuarant) for one perrrimans pie

Yeah, TGuy''s sister was so sad when she lived in Cairns as they have no fritz. They have since moved back to Adelaide but her kids are not keen on it, which makes me think it''s a taste you have to grow up with. Because honestly, it sorta tastes like whacked out bologna to me. Sorry Katebar.

Hm...never had a perriman''s pie...must ask TGuy about them.

I wonder why fritz is solely a SA thing?

Katebar, I mentioned this thread to TGuy tonight because he said he had a craving for fritz and I said, ''Yeah, one gal said she felt sad because our children won''t be able to have fritz growing up because when you go to the market...''

He interrupted me and said, ''Yeah, the butcher cuts you a slice and you gnaw on it while mum shops. It''s awesome and keeps you occupied.''

LOL, how funny that all the little SA Aussies kids have memories like that. No wonder they all love fritz - free food at the market!

Tgal that is too funny! I am pretty sure I would be at least 15 years older than Tboy and this happened to me when I was a kid. When we lived in Adelaide when my kids were toddlers they got fritz at the butchers and I am convinced that today if you walked into the butcher''s in Adelaide with Amelia when she was old enough the butcher would cut her a slice too.
It seems uniquely an Adelaide thing.
And in the spirit of us Adelaide people I will just for Tboy I will post this Merrick and Rosso parody they did on Adelaide or as the call it Radelaide!
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=TQBhueN9lRI

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 1/26/2009 12:31:48 AM
Author: katebar
Tgal that is too funny! I am pretty sure I would be at least 15 years older than Tboy and this happened to me when I was a kid. When we lived in Adelaide when my kids were toddlers they got fritz at the butchers and I am convinced that today if you walked into the butcher''s in Adelaide with Amelia when she was old enough the butcher would cut her a slice too.
It seems uniquely an Adelaide thing.
And in the spirit of us Adelaide people I will just for Tboy I will post this Merrick and Rosso parody they did on Adelaide or as the call it Radelaide!
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=TQBhueN9lRI

LOL katebar, I am even from there but I found a lot of that funny and got most of the jokes! I''ve passed it on to TGuy!

For the record TGuy is nearly 37....

 

[katebar]

Date: 1/26/2009 12:37:05 AM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 1/26/2009 12:31:48 AM
Author: katebar
Tgal that is too funny! I am pretty sure I would be at least 15 years older than Tboy and this happened to me when I was a kid. When we lived in Adelaide when my kids were toddlers they got fritz at the butchers and I am convinced that today if you walked into the butcher''s in Adelaide with Amelia when she was old enough the butcher would cut her a slice too.
It seems uniquely an Adelaide thing.
And in the spirit of us Adelaide people I will just for Tboy I will post this Merrick and Rosso parody they did on Adelaide or as the call it Radelaide!
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=TQBhueN9lRI

LOL katebar, I am even from there but I found a lot of that funny and got most of the jokes! I''ve passed it on to TGuy!

For the record TGuy is nearly 37....

Glad you enjoyed it tell Tboy Happy Australia Day

.
Oh and I am old enough to be Tgal big sister then!

 

[softly softly]

Poor much maligned Adelaide - it really is a very nice city. My husband was just there for the Tour Down Under and was so impressed he has decided to stop referring to it as ''Dag''elaide.

Tgal meant to tell you your husband has very good taste in football teams.

 

[Deelight]

Date: 1/24/2009 1:02:04 AM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 1/23/2009 2:13:08 AM

Author: Deelight

Vegemite is a delicacy

.


T-Gal I heard the same thing from another American friend who had Aussies stay with him about the bread, I honestly never noticed it when I was in NY but then I don''t really eat bread and the time I did it was french toast covered in maple syrup and cinnamon (first time in my life I have eaten french toast like that usually I have Vegemite on it

), but man did I miss real bacon (first thing I ordered when I got to London). American tastes and Aussie tastes are really different, but you guys do wicked iced tea''s OMG sooo good I am still dreaming about the peppermint iced tea I had in Soho. As for the bread you could always get a bread machine and make your own bread I don''t think it is hard but man the smell of fresh baking bread gets to you while your cooking it.


Poor T-guy, I feel for him but I think it is so sweet though that you go to so much trouble to find all that stuff, I was away for 7wks and I seriously nearly died from cravings for BBQ chips.


softly softly I am shocked, I always considered Vegemite a healthfood, I seriously lived off the stuff as a child.


ETA A snag is a sausage and T-gal What is Kimchee?

Oh that''s right...now I remember that I''ve heard what snag is before.


Kimchee is, and this is going to sound nasty, spicy fermented asian cabbage. It''s a staple and served with pretty much every Korean meal. One Texan I know told me it was the foulest thing he''s ever eaten. I wanted to ask him if he''s even tried vegemite.

TGuy''s dad noticed that about iced teas too...he loves iced tea. And we also do really good frozen yogurt and blue cheese dressing (sorry, yours is disgusting...and sweet.)


But how could I forget about your bacon! Oh yum yum...I could write an ode to your bacon. Ours doesn''t compare...it''s not even in the same universe as your bacon.

Date: 1/24/2009 1:09:03 AM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 1/23/2009 11:07:05 AM

Author: Deelight

Date: 1/23/2009 10:52:47 AM

Author: Harriet

He likes to veg out on a beach. I dragged him to Sydney for New Year''s one year, but the devil isn''t in a hurry to go back.


P.S. He loves Balmain Bugs.

I don''t mind Sydney, I much prefer Melbourne the shopping and atmosphere is better. Comparing beaches Surfers to me is much nicer then Bondi, if he just loves to laze mermaid beach is good for that it is a lot quieter then Surfers nothing like sitting on the beach eating fish and chips - so romantic. Just think while he lazes you can shop also if you like pizza there is also a fantastic pizza shop just down off the main walk, it beat any pizza we had in Italy.



I have no idea what Balmain Bugs are but I assume they are the same thing as Morten bay bugs which are from QLD, (a perfect reason to visit fresh straight from the location) your hubby has good taste a good bug is hard to pass up.


I could so go some fish, chips and bugs right now

I never tried the bugs. Couldn''t get past the word ''bugs.'' And I consider myself a decently adventurous eater...

Tgal I would so probably eat that, granted I strongly believe that I was Asian in my past life I love weird and non weird Asian food - my friends think I am weird because I love Pearl Bubble tea

.

As for bugs - If a lobster and a crab had a baby that is kinda what a bug tastes like, seriously they look nothing like a bug and taste like HEEEEAAAVEN.

Kate I am heading down to Byron in a couple of weeks to look at venues and some sight seeing (I have never been before) is there anywhere nice that you can recommend to do while we are there?

 

[Harriet]

Date: 1/25/2009 12:24:19 PM
Author: Harriet

Date: 1/24/2009 11:27:18 PM
Author: katebar

Date: 1/24/2009 9:37:13 PM
Author: Harriet
Wait a minute. Kate, the Toaster? No!

What''s wrong with the Toaster. Its got an amazing view in the same building as some great restaurants. The Botanical gardens would be my walking track.
What wrong Harriet?

I''m just razzin ya. There was a public outcry when the Toaster was in the works. Some people felt that it was not architecturally up to snuff. Hey, I''d take it.

Kate sweetie, I hope I didn''t offend you. I''d live in the Toaster. Unbeatable location.

 

[katebar]

Date: 1/26/2009 10:24:34 AM
Author: Harriet

Date: 1/25/2009 12:24:19 PM
Author: Harriet

Date: 1/24/2009 11:27:18 PM
Author: katebar

Date: 1/24/2009 9:37:13 PM
Author: Harriet
Wait a minute. Kate, the Toaster? No!

What''s wrong with the Toaster. Its got an amazing view in the same building as some great restaurants. The Botanical gardens would be my walking track.
What wrong Harriet?

I''m just razzin ya. There was a public outcry when the Toaster was in the works. Some people felt that it was not architecturally up to snuff. Hey, I''d take it.

Kate sweetie, I hope I didn''t offend you. I''d live in the Toaster. Unbeatable location.

Harriet my darling you could never offend me because your too sweet

.
Yes I remember the hue and cry about the Toaster and possibly in my younger days I too would have been outraged at the aesthetic of it amongst the history of the Rocks and Circular Quay.
Now I would move in in a heart beat! What a position. And the day the whales came into Circular Quay to ''play'' must have been an awesome if not surreal experience!

 

[katebar]

Date: 1/26/2009 8:05:43 AM
Author: Deelight

Date: 1/24/2009 1:02:04 AM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 1/23/2009 2:13:08 AM

Author: Deelight

Vegemite is a delicacy

.


T-Gal I heard the same thing from another American friend who had Aussies stay with him about the bread, I honestly never noticed it when I was in NY but then I don''t really eat bread and the time I did it was french toast covered in maple syrup and cinnamon (first time in my life I have eaten french toast like that usually I have Vegemite on it

), but man did I miss real bacon (first thing I ordered when I got to London). American tastes and Aussie tastes are really different, but you guys do wicked iced tea''s OMG sooo good I am still dreaming about the peppermint iced tea I had in Soho. As for the bread you could always get a bread machine and make your own bread I don''t think it is hard but man the smell of fresh baking bread gets to you while your cooking it.


Poor T-guy, I feel for him but I think it is so sweet though that you go to so much trouble to find all that stuff, I was away for 7wks and I seriously nearly died from cravings for BBQ chips.


softly softly I am shocked, I always considered Vegemite a healthfood, I seriously lived off the stuff as a child.


ETA A snag is a sausage and T-gal What is Kimchee?

Oh that''s right...now I remember that I''ve heard what snag is before.


Kimchee is, and this is going to sound nasty, spicy fermented asian cabbage. It''s a staple and served with pretty much every Korean meal. One Texan I know told me it was the foulest thing he''s ever eaten. I wanted to ask him if he''s even tried vegemite.

TGuy''s dad noticed that about iced teas too...he loves iced tea. And we also do really good frozen yogurt and blue cheese dressing (sorry, yours is disgusting...and sweet.)


But how could I forget about your bacon! Oh yum yum...I could write an ode to your bacon. Ours doesn''t compare...it''s not even in the same universe as your bacon.

Date: 1/24/2009 1:09:03 AM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 1/23/2009 11:07:05 AM

Author: Deelight

Date: 1/23/2009 10:52:47 AM

Author: Harriet

He likes to veg out on a beach. I dragged him to Sydney for New Year''s one year, but the devil isn''t in a hurry to go back.


P.S. He loves Balmain Bugs.

I don''t mind Sydney, I much prefer Melbourne the shopping and atmosphere is better. Comparing beaches Surfers to me is much nicer then Bondi, if he just loves to laze mermaid beach is good for that it is a lot quieter then Surfers nothing like sitting on the beach eating fish and chips - so romantic. Just think while he lazes you can shop also if you like pizza there is also a fantastic pizza shop just down off the main walk, it beat any pizza we had in Italy.



I have no idea what Balmain Bugs are but I assume they are the same thing as Morten bay bugs which are from QLD, (a perfect reason to visit fresh straight from the location) your hubby has good taste a good bug is hard to pass up.


I could so go some fish, chips and bugs right now

I never tried the bugs. Couldn''t get past the word ''bugs.'' And I consider myself a decently adventurous eater...

Tgal I would so probably eat that, granted I strongly believe that I was Asian in my past life I love weird and non weird Asian food - my friends think I am weird because I love Pearl Bubble tea

.

As for bugs - If a lobster and a crab had a baby that is kinda what a bug tastes like, seriously they look nothing like a bug and taste like HEEEEAAAVEN.

Kate I am heading down to Byron in a couple of weeks to look at venues and some sight seeing (I have never been before) is there anywhere nice that you can recommend to do while we are there?

Oh yes I am your girl

. We holiday there at least once a year! Where are you staying. I recommend a gorgeous place called Seahaven. A bit exy but the view is amazing.
I love the shopping in Byron. Just lots of groovy shops. Some upmarket and some a bit hippy.
Lots of food rec''s. The Beach Cafe at Clark''s Beach is outstanding for breakfast and lunch and dinner some nights.
FISHMONGERS CAFÉ
Bay Lane, Byron Bay
(Behind the Beach Hotel Has the best fish an chips (sweet potato hand cut) in fact I think it got a gong in the SMH food awards
Fresh is great anytime just consistently good food
Dish is great for dinner and has a great bar
The Balcony for tapas or any other time
Pacific Dining Room ok but i preferred the previous restaurant there Fins
Pub beer garden great food just ok
Olivio is also great
Lots of lovely wedding venues at Wategoes although I think Rae''s is over rated!

 

[Harriet]

Date: 1/26/2009 3:52:52 PM
Author: katebar
Harriet my darling you could never offend me because your too sweet

.
Yes I remember the hue and cry about the Toaster and possibly in my younger days I too would have been outraged at the aesthetic of it amongst the history of the Rocks and Circular Quay.
Now I would move in in a heart beat! What a position. And the day the whales came into Circular Quay to ''play'' must have been an awesome if not surreal experience!

What whales?

 

[Harriet]

Here's Hugh Jackman ("I still call Australia home"): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA-aU_WUnWM
And Peter ("I go to Rio"): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kgq1g-2cQ54

 

[Deelight]

Kate Your a gem thank you

, I don't know if we plan on spending the night but I sure could use a weekend away.

It looks beautiful but I read some reviews on Rae's ummm no thank you I don't need my guests insulted

.

 

[katebar]

Date: 1/26/2009 10:15:57 PM
Author: Harriet

Date: 1/26/2009 3:52:52 PM
Author: katebar
Harriet my darling you could never offend me because your too sweet

.
Yes I remember the hue and cry about the Toaster and possibly in my younger days I too would have been outraged at the aesthetic of it amongst the history of the Rocks and Circular Quay.
Now I would move in in a heart beat! What a position. And the day the whales came into Circular Quay to ''play'' must have been an awesome if not surreal experience!

What whales?

These! Well maybe it wasn''t quite Circular Quay but it was pretty close by.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/whale-watch/whale-takes-calf-sightseeing-in-harbour/2007/11/12/1194766559703.html

 

[MishB]

Oooh, ooh! I thought of another great Aussie food.... potato cakes.

Do you have those in the US? I don''t recall ever seeing them.