28 March 2013

Hawaii Noms

Ahi Poke

There is so much I want to eat in Hawaii. Could almost be a food tour!

I am going to eat so much fish in Hawaii it is going to be ridiculous. They eat heaps of Ahi (Tuna), ahi poke, a common mixture of raw ahi, onions, peppers and soy (basically sashimi with vegies) is even sold in all the supermarkets!! Mmmm can't wait.

I'm assuming a Luau is the equivalent of a Hangi. I don't really appreciate well cooked food but I will give it a go! The show itself will be cool to see.

Seared Ahi
Can't wait to try Guri Guri, a frozen Hawaiian (hopefully dairy free) dessert. Looks yummy.

There are heaps of buffets... sushi buffets... I'm going to get so fat.

Then there is all the fresh fruit... can't wait to browse the farmers markets!

Must work out heaps before I go there ready for the excess weight upon arrival.



27 March 2013

#followmeto

I found these pictures (well Instagram found them and posted a link) and I absolutely love them.

A Russian photographer ad his girlfriend travel constantly around the world and she is leading him to exotic landmarks and destinations.

Cutest thing ever.

Follow him @muradosmann







26 March 2013

25 March 2013

Plough Inn

Nate oh so happy
Spent an awesome evening at the Plough Inn with my mate Nate who was visiting from Melbourne.

Headed there for a cider. Next thing you know Nate realises it's ribs and rumps night and we're staying for dinner. Not that I was complaining in the least.

That was 3 hours ago now and I am still SO full. I actually thought I could roll home.

We both went for the pork ribs and at $24 you really do get your money's worth. Comes with a side of fries and coleslaw. I'm not big on coleslaw but the fries and ribs were delicious!

I attempted to eat as much as I could but it still looked like I had hardly touched the plate.

And to make it even more awesome, you get to wear a disposable bib!

Can't ask for much more really.

It's bigger than it looks!
Cheeky cider






My finished meal





Plough Inn on Urbanspoon

21 March 2013

Visa so hard

Getting my visa is proving painful... or rather perhaps I should just learn to read instructions properly.

It's not that it is hard... Just frustrating.

So today, I ran around getting a 'digital' photograph of myself to the required specifications for my Visa. Nobody did actual digital ones so I headed to Aus Post & just got passport pics done then scanned them.

I thought that was the last part I had to complete for my Visa and I was well under way to getting it back in good time before I left for Hawaii. Was pretty amped to be honest and relieved to have it gone.

You see for a NZ police check you just have to sign a release form. What I didn't realise however was that as I had lived in Australia over 6 months I had to get an Australian one also. And theirs takes up to 15 working days. 3 weeks! That's three weeks too long. (Insert smart quip about Aussie's not being as efficient as Kiwi's here.)

Now I will potentially be in Hawaii, about to leave for Vancouver, before I even get my Visa... cutting it fine alright! That's if the police check takes the 3 weeks and the visa takes 8 weeks... any longer on either side and there is the possibility I could be stuck in Hawaii...

Could be worse!!

Stuck here.. Damn.

20 March 2013

Gangsta Twitter

Lost my sh!t at work today over this...

If you have twitter check it out- it changes everything you have ever tweeted to 'Gangsta speak.'

Check out the article HERE

Example of my own tweets...
Embedded image permalink

Wahoo's Burleigh

Headed to Burleigh on the weekend to catch some rays and a late lunch.Ended up at Wahoo's and was surprised at how cheap and delicious it was!

$12 landed me a huge burger with guacamole, a huge serving of chips and a bottle of water.

The place lacks aircon and took quite a while but was reasonably busy.

Nommmm

Wahoo's Fish Taco on Urbanspoon

17 March 2013

TOP 25 THINGS YOU WOULD LOVE TO SAY AT WORK

 My friend Benny tagged me in a post on Facebook that contained this. So funny I just had to share!

01. I can see your point, but I still think you're full of shit.

02. I'll try being nicer if you'll try being smarter.

03. I see you've set aside this special time to humiliate yourself in public.

04. I don't know what your problem is, but I'll bet it is hard to pronounce.

05. I am really easy to get along with once you people learn to worship me.

06. Ah. I see the screw-up fairy has visited us again.

07. I like you. You remind me of when I was young and stupid.

08. You are validating my inherent mistrust of strangers.

09. Does everyone visualize duct tape over your mouth so early into the conversation.

10. I will always cherish the initial misconceptions I had about your being competent.

11. Thank you. We're all refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view.

12. Any connection between your reality and mine is purely coincidental.

13. What am I? ...Flypaper for freaks?

14. And your cry baby, whiny butt opinion would be?

15. Do I LOOK like a people person?

16. I started out with nothing and still have most of it left.

17. Sarcasm is just one more service we offer.

18. If I throw a stick, will you leave?

19. Errors have been made. Others will be blamed.

20. Whatever kind of look you were going for, you missed.

21. Interesting perfume. Must you marinate in it?

22. God loves you, but everyone else thinks you're an asshole.

23. How about never? Is never good for you?

24. The fact that no one understands you doesn't mean you're an artist.

25. CHAOS, PANIC, & DISORDER - my work here is done.

13 March 2013

Kinsei

I hate bad service. It's even worse when there's only a few customers around and staff are obviously not doing anything.

Finally got their attention to seat us and they basically said go wherever you like and left. They then forgot to drop off menus and I spent ages trying to get someone's attention to being two for us.

Then they didn't take our orders... Again, finally got their attention and made out orders.

Took ages for our entrees to come out. They were quite good, scallop with apple sauce and pine nuts.

My main came out first and Celia motioned for me to eat. I held off a while then got into it as I presumed hers wouldn't be far away. I was wrong. She had ordered the pan fried salmon and a waitress came out to say sorry, that the chef was just filleting the salmon so it would be a while. I was half way through my mean at this stage.

My meal was poor. I had the Kinsei Bamboo Basket - supposed to be a risotto with Brie and seafood, it was just gluggy rice with 2 mussels, 2 prawns and a piece of calamari. Needless to say, I wasn't impressed.

When Celia's eventually came out, I had massive food envy. Salmon was cooked beautifully.

Complete opposite to my last experience here which was good service & good food.

Won't be going back!


Celia's Meal


Kinsei Japanese Restaurant on Urbanspoon

11 March 2013

Soundwave - hangover madness

I managed to get well and truly written off the night before Soundwave. It wasn't my intention nor did I foresee it happening.
I was at a leaving party and was drinking delicious cocktails. Next thing you know I'm leaving Bacchus, heading to Friday's and partying on until 2am.

Cue terrible headache and vomiting twice. Once at night and again in the morning. If ever I spew in the morning you know it's bad.

Ru was picking me up at 11. I just wanted to sleep and cuddle myself but I had to get up and ready.

I made it to Ru's and went on a recovery mission to the Deli, read about it HERE.

After that I got home, ate, had a nap and started to feel better. In which case Ru began to encourage me to start drinking. Much to her disgust I couldn't handle it.

We got to Soundwave just in time for Billy Talent, Carl really wanted to see them and we had a 'festival timetable' for the first time in the history or our festival going.

Although it had rained all week, the sun came out to play and I began feeling better and happy to wander around. Ru was still unhappy that I wasn't drinking yet.

The bands I thought I would really enjoy I didn't find as good. Too high expectations? Perhaps.

Stone Sour didn't play any of their old music and I found I didn't know their new stuff. A Perfect Circle were pretty good, but again played a lot of material I didn't know. A pleasure just to see and hear Maynard though.

I did really enjoy Cypress Hill, Blink182, Linkin Park & Offspring though. Linkin park were awesome actually, really had the crowd rocking. Found I knew more of their music than anyone else's.
We caught the end of Metallica - old rock Gods still admired by the thousands.

I managed to put away 3 vodkas, I just couldn't handle it. So I guess the moral of the story is: Don't drink the night before a festival!'








8 March 2013

To apply or not to apply?




These things are always bound to happen.

Have I mentioned before I have huge FOMO? Fear of missing out? I hate missing out.

So when this massive opportunity popped up at the most inconvenient time I felt rather distressed.

Best Job in the world is open for applications again. I cannot think of anything better than spending 6 months playing around all of QLD/ Whitsundays blogging & doing social media. It wouldn't even be a job! I already blog & while social media is my job, it's also a passion and I love it. Add to that the incredibly beautiful Whitsundays, Great Barrier Reef and some of the best animals in the world AND I'd get paid to snorkel. My fave thing. It's ridiculous.

So my initial but was because I didn't have time to read the T&Cs properly & for some reason thought it was a 3 mins video, not a 30second video. AND my major fear was that I had this vague recollection you had to use social media to get people behind you and vote for you to win. I am mortified of having a video of myself in the public to be scrutinized. I used to get embarrassed with my Mum watching me play netball as a kid, I felt so self conscious even though I was pretty good but put me in front of people I don't know and I'm fine. Same with public speaking - couldn't care less if I don't know anyone but put me in front of my peers and I get nervous.

Anyway, turns out you don't have to do it so I have decided I will apply! Yewwww!!!

But then. Yes there's a but then. But then, if for some crazy, fantastic reason I succeeded in making it through to the interview stage I would be in transit to Canada. To live. I would literally be lying on a beach in Hawaii drinking a cocktail when I would get the news. This is without factoring in that 35,000 people applied for this position last time and although I would LOVE to win I am forever realistic and it is unlikely. BUT I WANT IT!!!

So I'd have to cancel my Canadian plans and turn around, drop everything, just for the interviews. A rather expensive risk but they do say the higher the risk, they higher the potential for higher rewards. And that would be the best reward ever.

Now to script a video....


Great Barrier Reef

7 March 2013

The Deli that saved me


This picture doesn't do the panini justice! It was only half of it, and it was amazing.

The morning before Soundwave I was hugely hungover. HUGELY. I felt horrible. Terrible.

In an effort to make myself feel better, Ruhee & I went down the road from her place to the Spring Hill Deli & Produce.

I walked in and they didn't have what I was after on the menu - I just wanted some kind of fresh sandwich. The lovely lady with bright blue hair noticed my hesitancy and asked what I was after. She went out the back and came back to let me know they could make a ham, cheese and tomato panini for me.

While I was waiting she asked if I was okay - I ust have looked pretty crap. After explaining I was hungover and felt like death warmed up she very sweetly offered me some water and a chair. The woman was a godsend.

While waiting for my panini, I found an avocado in their produce section - you can't image my excitement, it was just what I wanted to add to my lunch.

She put the avo through for me and passed me a huge paper wrapped parcel.

Upon arriving back at Ruhee's and opening my parcel - I found the biggest, most delicious looking panini ever!! There was a mass of shaved ham and layers of cheese with some tomato's in crisp and soft delicious bread. I put in my avo and was happy as can be!

I felt so much better - thank you so much to that lovely lady for feeding me what I needed to make it to my festival!


Spring Hill Deli and Produce on Urbanspoon

6 March 2013

Sushi Nikkou

Good, fast food.

I love soft shell crab sushi, I just grabbed a plate off the train. Was yummy and fresh. I ordered the tempura prawn udon noodle soup, it was delicious. Nice broth and lots of tempura veggies, even though there was only one prawn. Can't complain too much for around only $8.90 though.

Cash only - I hate cash only. I never carry cash. I even bought the sushi to take me up over the usual $10 mark without realising it was cash only. Had to give them my licence while I went and got money out - while annoying it wouldn't stop me from going back.




Sushi Nikkou on Urbanspoon

4 March 2013

A moist Future

Wet doesn't even describe it.

Future Music Festival Brisbane 2013. Imagine heavy rain, with thousands of inebriated people running around having mud fights and you get a half idea of what was going on.

There was a river flowing up to the stage, almost over my gumboots - we obviously had to jump in! The ponchos weren't doing much anyway.

Gemma flew over from Perth to come to the festival with me as it is the last time we will see each other for ages, with me moving to Canada and her travelling around Europe soon. We lasted two hours. Maybe 3?

We were saturated and cold, once we watched PSY perform Gangham Style we decided we had got our $130 tickets worth and headed home much to the disgust of Ruhee & Carl! We had both already seen Prodigy and many of the other acts so were happy to go home and then head to a warm pub in clean, dry clothes.
Wet at home after FMF













Pre-festival

3 March 2013

Harajuku Gyoza

Awesome interior - Harajuku Gyoza
Sake Sake SAKEEE!!!! Summimasennnnnn!!! Sometimes I can't tell if they actually have something to say or whether they're just yelling for Vacuum bags are amazing!!!! fun of it. I expect the latter.

I LOVE the atmosphere at Harajuku Gyoza, it's just so fun and exciting! Between staff yelling, dancing, the music and the design you're never quite sure where to look in case you miss something.

A huge open kitchen allows you to watch with a watering mouth as your Gyoza is cooked. You can choose to sit at a private table or at the bar surrounding the kitchen. Both are good.

Dumplings are made to share so grab a buddy and choose a whole bunch. I usually go for prawn, duck and pork. Pan fried mmmm.

I usually get the cucumber miso salad to accompany it with some edamame and a Kirin, delicious beer to complement the Gyoza. Mouth is watering just writing this.

I made an amazing discovery here the other day. Basically it's tempura eggplant. Holy wow. Melts in your mouth. Try it.

The other awesome thing is the dessert dumpling. Yup you heard right! You can choose from Nutella an banana, deep fried with ice cream - my personal fave or the peanutbutter an white choc with ice cream. Also yummy.

Guess where I'm going to have to head for dinner now I've written this?!

Do yourself a favor when you visit, order Sake. Even if you don't want it or like it - it's just fun :)

Prawn & duck gyoza
Kirin




Harajuku Gyoza on Urbanspoon