The RUN that's FUN for EVERYONE

...except for the people who finished the marathon while vomiting. There were a few of them. This morning I got up at 4:30 to take the train to Circular Quay. At 5:20 in the morning on a Sunday there were tons of people out and about and in the train stations. It was as busy as a weekday afternoon. About 5% of the commuters were in running gear, clearly heading to the Marathon starting point, and the rest of them were still rallying from Saturday night. I was the only girl my age not wearing high heels and a short skirt. It was pretty crazy.

Once I got to the Sydney Opera House forecourt, I joined the other marathon volunteers for a brief training. I got a cute green t-shirt with "EVENT CREW 08" on the front and the marathon logos on it. However, a child's size 16 fit me like a men's large. And I'm not that short! I also got this hat in white, and a sweatband for my head. The swag highlight for me was the two aluminum water bottles with the running festival logo on them. They're good for the environment, and I'm going to give one to my mom. (Someday I'll convince them to switch from prepackaged water bottles to a Brita pitcher!)

But on to the events of the morning! I was stationed at the Opera House forecourt, between the finish line and the recovery village set up in the Botanic Gardens. For the bulk of the morning I was on water duty, filling, stacking, and refilling cups of filtered water for the runners to pound through after making it through the finish line. It got ridiculously hectic when a) the runners drank the water faster than we could pour it and b) the ambivalent teenage girls, volunteering because their mom made them, were both unhelpful and inefficient. I was the only volunteer who understood that putting empty cups in front, where runners will grab them, and filling the cups in the back with water, doesn't make any sense. By the end of my shift I was drenched from the thigh down and I felt like I'd gotten a decent workout. It was definitely fun seeing and congratulating all the runners after they'd finished. I then did a stint helping return their belongings to them after they'd all rested and recovered, and finally returned to water duty. As the last dozen or so runners finished the marathon around the 5.5 hour mark, I and a couple of other volunteers waited at the finish line and handed them water and packets of Gu.


It was definitely an experience, tiring and invigorating. The looks on some of the runners' faces when they finished the marathon were really awesome. I realize that finishing a marathon is a lifelong goal for a lot of people, and it makes me recall my childhood, cheering on my mom as she ran the Los Angeles marathon or the Baker to Vegas relay. As I will continue to state, I'm really not a runner, but I definitely see myself attempting something like this in my life. Maybe if I keep Hashing regularly I'll be able to work up to running a 5k soon, and go from there.

When I got home, I instantly crashed for a 2 hour nap. I wanted to go swimming this afternoon but it was too cool by the time I awoke so I hit the sauna to relax my muscles. I have been dying for a massage; my back's all out of whack. Anyway, the run today raised over $1 million for charities (1)(2), and I was glad to be a part of it.

Look at all the people!

The big empty space in the middle is the post-finish-line area, and the Opera House can be seen in the upper-right corner. At this point I can be located directly at the edge of the trees, opposite the white medical tent.

Shot from the early morning walk over at 5am:

gwak...ay...mohl?

I moved into my new apartment yesterday! The process was far from being stress-free, but now I am focusing on the positives. It's gorgeous! Tomorrow when it's sunny out I will take photos of my beautiful new home. 10th floor, lovely cityscape views, homey atmosphere. I can't wait for you to see the pics.

As for tonight...I made the common mistake of going to dance class hungry. It was a steamy hot day today so I didn't want to eat when I was going to be working out in a leotard and tights, but halfway through class when my lack of energy resulted in an inability to do any moves well, I regretted the decision. On the way home I decided to take a gamble.

The Guzman Y Gomez taqueria around the block from home has...intrigued me. My expectations were low, and I think that's good, because I found my dinner to be moderately enjoyable. The man behind the counter and those in the kitchen were all speaking Mexican spanish, so I felt good about eating there. Unfortunately the only options were "mild" or "chipotle," neither of which is my preferred style of Mexican food. I got a pork chipotle burrito (classed as "spicy") with guacamole, beans, rice, and cheese. I did ask the salesman if they had any aguas frescas hiding out in the kitchen, but to no avail. He started talking to me in Spanish though, so it must have been as refreshing to him to have a customer familiar with Mexican food as those aguas frescas would have been to my thirsty gullet. [Note to self: buy ingredients to make horchata!]

So, a detailed review of my first Australian burrito, broken down by ingredients:
TORTILLA: Good! Easily the best part of the burrito. But that's not a small compliment! A bad tortilla : a burrito :: a crappy bun : a hamburger. It tasted store bought (pre-cooked), but the texture was good, and it was warm.
PORK: Definitely not the carnitas we all know and love in the Ciudad de los Angeles. Little chunks of slow-roasted pork with (what I would deem) a mild chipotle sauce. If I were eating this in the restaurant instead of take-away, I certainly would have needed some of the GyG habanero sauces they had on the tables. The meat was really bland, spiciness aside. I don't know if they weren't cooking it with enough lard or what, but it didn't have much flavor.
RICE: Well-cooked with a good texture, but I have no idea what kind of rice it is. It's certainly not yellow rice you'd expect in a burrito, but I don't know what kind it is. It seems similar to Cuban rice, but is not that, so I don't know. It must be Asian rice or something. Tasty, though!
BEANS: Sigh. They're black beans. I mean, where am I, a Hooverville? Please. They were the only option! Could they not acquire pinto beans? Refritos are easy to make! Honestly.
SALSA: Decent. The pico de gallo was good, but as you know I needed a little more kick to it.
CONSTRUCTION: Unlike those losers at the incredibly overrated restaurant chain the U.S., Chipotle, the cooks at Guzman y Gomez knew to evenly distribute the ingredients within the burrito. Of course, it was a smaller handful than you'd get in L.A., so you could easily get all ingredients in one bite. It needed to be wrapped tighter, but I won't fault them because it may have gotten jostled when I carried it home.

So the verdict is that I'm giving the burrito a 3/5 for quality, a 2/5 for taste, and a 4.5/5 for presentation. Also, they sold Goya juices, so I'll give them a silver star for that. Aguas frescas would have gotten them a gold.

on ons, down downs, and blue suede shoes!

Thursday night I experienced a pretty remarkable slice of kookiness. I was going to say a slice of Australiana, but it was certainly much more than that. Last week, my dear friend Arielle attended her first run with the Hash House Harriers in Vietnam, and encouraged me to try going to one of the Sydney clubs! Trying to explain the H3 tradition is a bit tedious, so I encourage checking out these sites. Basic summary: groups of people around the world run around on little maze/trails and then drink a lot of beer. So, I found out that the Sydney Thirsty H3 club was meeting up only a few blocks from home and I took my weak non-runners legs over to Rushcutters Bay park. Of course, the largest and noisest group had to be them!

I was the only virgin at the Hash, so they sang rude songs to me and paired me up with a buddy who would show me the ropes. Seth/Last Licks (they all have dirty Hash names) is a New Yorker who's been in Sydney for nine years, and he stayed with me all night so I would meet people and not get lost, etc. The group was about 35 people, with 1 Kiwi, 4 Yanks, and about as many Poms. I was definitely the youngest in the group, but I'm told the Thirsty Hash is the most inclusive group in Sydney (more women and young people).

And off we went! I am a horrid runner and it was definitely a challenge, but the structure of the Hash is such that all athletic levels can keep up with each other because everyone's trying to follow the trail. Seth was very good at slowing down when I was wheezing, teaching me how the Hash works, and asking me questions about myself. My answers would come back to haunt me when the whole group gathered at the finish. More rude songs and naughty words as the potato chips flowed and I was commanded to chug beers in celebration.

I did well.

But this night was a Hash like no other! It was the first ELVIS NIGHT in four years! Three of the runners changed into Elvis costumes, and then we all headed up the street to Elvis Pizza, a pizza parlour devoted to the Big Bopper. Oops, I mean Elvis. The walls were covered in Elvis posters and weird paintings of iconic figures like Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, et al gathered in the same place. We drank, we ate tonnes of pizza, and then...AUSTRALIAN ELVIS joined us. He represented bloated Elvis (who we all know is far superior to young Elvis) in a white bedazzled jumpsuit, a great wig, and a thick Australian accent. The Karaoke machine started playing the tunes and Australian Elvis serenaded the crazy Hashers. We sang, we danced, I pretended to faint when pretend Elvis took my real hand. It was a great night.

Rock out with your cock out!

So it was an incredible first time Hashing, and I definitely look forward to joining them again. They meet every Thursday nights at the same time as my ballet class, so I think I'm going to alternate between the two each week. More stories to come, I hope!

dos semanas

So, I've been here a full two weeks now! I'd write a more thoughtful entry but I have a headache and just want to lay on the couch and watch 90210. I got up and worked out, and then I wanted to get down to George St. to see the "welcome home Olympians!" parade but I was too late. I did see all the confetti on the sidewalks! Maybe there'll be a parade when the Paralympians get back and I can make it to that one.

[Sidebar: Australian Idol is on TV right now and the judge just said to a contestant, "Right now people only see you as the Asian guy with the great voice, no one knows your name." More things you couldn't say on TV in the U.S.]

Anyway, since it was lunchtime and I was down at Cirqular Quay having missed the parade I decided to take the ferry to Manly beach. It was warm and beautiful but insanely windy. After an unfortunate lunch, I laid on the cool sand and enjoyed the feel of the sand between my toes. In light of recent events, I remembered to enjoy the gift of today.

On my way back to the ferry to head home, a gorgeous blonde woman named Crystal stopped me and asked for my help. And that's how I because a hair model! She's an aspiring stylist at Toni & Guy and needed a head to give a wash and blowdry to so she could be tested on it. I haven't been blown out in a long time and man is it a nice luxury. When I'm rich and famous I'm going to have someone on staff to blow out my hair every day. But the poor thing was so nervous about wanting to get it perfect that she burned my neck a little. She passed her test though!

So, I'm home, I bought some mini fruit pies from Pieface (the cutest/yummiest snacks around), and I'm ready to rest. Non sequitur: when I'm rich & famous, I'm also going to use exclusively Lush brand soaps/shampoos/lotions/etc. I can't think of a smell I prefer to a Lush shop. Freshly baked bread only wins when I'm hungry.

show us your paso doble

So um, I just found out that the Sydney Dance Company, where I'm taking classes, is the very same place that a Mr. PAUL MERCURIO was once a principal dancer! I am dancing on the same marley (well, probably not) and barres as Scott Hastings! ¡Vivir en miedo es como vivir en medias!

miraculum!

So last night I met up with this huge group of expats at the Menzies Piano Bar in the CBD. Unfortunately, I got there late (the buses here are never on time), and had plans to leave early, so I only had time for a few "Hi! My name's _____. I am from _____. Where are you from? When did you get here? How long will you be staying? What do you do?" conversations, but I did get to catch up with some of the folks I met last week at the Paddington Inn, so that was nice.

Left to get dinner and drinks a few blocks away with Jo and Johno, friends of Shara and Webber that I met last week also. I'd been craving Korean food for a while, which was great because that's what I got. First time drinking soju, and I know now not to have it after a few gin & tonics.

This morning I woke up feeling pretty tired, but the sun was shining and there was no way I was going to miss my ballet class, so I got myself out the door. It Was So Hot Outside. On the one hand, thank god, but on the other, wearing a long-sleeve leotard and tights underneath jeans and a long-sleeve shirt, and sweater, is not fun when you have any physical activity to do. So I took the bus to Cirqular Quay and walked to the wharf in the Rocks where the Sydney Dance Company is. Class wasn't that great because even though it was only Intermediate level, there were a lot of very advanced dancers in class, so I had a lot of trouble keeping up even though I knew all the steps. Next time I'll stick to the Elementary level, which is probably more my speed, or Beginners, to really focus on my muscle training and stretching.

On my walk back to Cirqular Quay, I cooled off with a mango shave ice and wandered through the Rocks outdoor market which is set up every weekend. I was hoping to find cool things for my family (hi, family!), but nothing caught my eye today. Then home for a shower and a change, and I am so happy to be in a sundress right now. It's a perfect Spring day. I packed up my laptop for a journey and walked through Kings Cross, down Darlinghurst Rd. to Macleay St. There's a small farmers' market at the El Alamein fountain every weekend, so I got lunch from one of the stands there. Piping hot Turkish gozleme with the works (beef, cheese, spinach, mushrooms, capsicum) made fresh while I watched. Delicious!

Now I'm sitting in this little park next to the Elizabeth Bay house and it looks like everyone from the neighborhood is out to enjoy the warm sunniness today. This is lovely.

new lease on things

Okay, so I had an epiphany. I've been in a funk the past few days. This trip started out strong, with daily walks, working out, enjoying the neighborhood. Then it rained for a couple of days and I found myself sitting in my apartment in my pajamas not really doing anything. I was having trouble with my writing, and all the alone time was making me think too hard about too many big issues, and blah blah blah.

So tonight I finally got dressed and got out of the house and headed up to the Rocks to take a ballet class at the Sydney Dance Company. I've never been to a studio where the class had 50 people in it, and there were dancers of all ages crowding the hallways dressed for every genre. It kind of reminded me of the studio that Jodie goes to in Center Stage when she needs to shake things up and she sees Cooper (and then has sex with him) and also that creepy guy with the who forgot his dance belt at home and kind of looks like Michael Phelps. Except that this studio was larger and in an "old town" area instead of a metropolis high-rise.

But while we're talking about Center Stage, the high I got from attending this class made me realize that "life doesn't hold tryouts," and that I can't keep wasting my days. Walking back from the studio to Cirqular Quay listening to musicals on my iPod I felt so happy and young. And I have a new determination to get out and go somewhere every day. Tomorrow I think I'll take my laptop to a cafe somewhere and work for a little while. Then at night I'm heading out to another bar with a bunch of expats. This weekend I'd like to go to one of the outdoor markets that they set up around town. But for now, I'm home for the night, and Law & Order: SVU is on TV and then I'm probably going to watch Center Stage since I brought the DVD, so it's a good end to the evening. But if any of you talk to me on gchat or AIM or something about 10 hours from now, tell me to get off my ass and go do something!

I'm going to go to dance class and/or work out every day, and I'm going to go somewhere and enjoy the world every day, and I'm going to work on my writing every day, and I'm going to be so fit and talented and happy because I am the best goddamn dancer at the American Ballet Academy. Who the hell are you?!

New Obsession

http://www.lerice.com.au/product.aspx?b=1011&ID=1042

Yoplait's "Le Rice." I cannot remember ever remotely liking rice pudding before this. It is delicious. I eat, on average, two little containers of it a day. It was on sale at Coles and looked interesting and wouldn't you know it - it is now the favored item in my fridge. Yum!

naughty girls with bad habits

Okay, longer post tomorrow, but I have a few brief observations:

- I knew going in that there would be no Mexican food here, but the attempts at it are awkward and borderline offensive. There's this commercial on TV for "Old El Paso simmer sauces" that baffles me. First of all, I've never heard of a "simmer sauce" but I'm pretty sure it's not a holdover from Mayan times. Secondly, the commercial implies that there's a culture war being fought between children and their parents, in which young people hate spicy food. Apparently, Old El Paso simmer sauces are the only solution, when served in a dollop on top of a bowl of white sticky rice with a tortilla chip sticking out of it. What?

- My good ol' buddy DGMacphee told me about Summer Heights High last year, but I didn't get to see any of it until my Qantas flight over here. It's a mockumentary series about life at a public school where the creator Chris Lilley plays drama coach Mr. G, troubled bully Jonah, and private school exchange student and rich bitch Ja'mie King. I've caught clips on YouTube, and have since watched every episode of Lilley's previous show, We Can Be Heroes, on the internet as well. Ja'mie features in that one too. SO FUNNY. I always forget how politically correct we are in the U.S. until I watch TV in another country.


- When the weather report says it might rain, don't go for a run without bringing your bus pass. It will rain hard once you're far from home, and soak through your clothes.

literally walking about

My first two full days in Sydney have been just fantastic. Seriously, since the moment I stepped out of the airport I've been trying to think of ways I can stay here forever. Certainly, the city needs an authentic burrito stand, and I think if I could open up the Oceania franchise of Taco Factory, the government would be more than happy to let me have dual citizenship!

On Tuesday morning, I woke up before the sun rose, and made it to the building's gymnasium just in time to see the sun spread its orange glow across the skyscrapers of the CBD, the reflective white tiles on the Sydney Opera House, and the glittering waters beneath the coat hanger bridge. I watched the news and got a great workout in, but it seems that I wasn't done abusing my old-lady-knees just yet. After breakfast I decided to walk to the new Apple store so that I could get the appropriate adapter for my laptop and, wouldn't you know it, I got lost about five minutes into my walk. Luckily, when I ended up at the McElhone stairs (built in 1870) which connect Potts Point to harbourside Woolloomooloo, I knew that there was a much nicer route ahead of me than the one I'd been meaning to take.

I strolled for a couple of hours along the waterside edge of the Royal Botanic Gardens, around Mrs. Macquaries Point, Farm Cove, and to the steps at the base of the Opera House. The morning light was so gentle and lovely on the second day of Spring, and I found I had no desire to listen to my iPod, which I usually prefer to do on long walks. But the sound of the water lapping at the rocks and the wind whistling through the trees mingled so well with the smells of jasmine and fresh-cut grass that headphones would have ruined the experience. Once at Circular Quay, I ventured into the Museum of Contemporary Art, where a portion of the Biennale of Sydney 2008 was being shown. Some of the art was very compelling, but as usual, my struggles with video art have followed me from film class to the real world.

After a lunchtime walk through the CBD with all of the business men and women congregating on George St., I found my way eventually to the Apple Store, and from there I walked to Darling Harbour. I sat in a bar and ate some seafood to pass the time until the ferry came, which I rode back to Circular Quay. The ferry ride from Darling Harbour is lovely, because you pass by some of the lovely homes in Kirribilli, the creepy entrance to Luna Park, and of course the bridge and Opera House.

Yesterday I also got up early and set off walking in one direction until I ended up at Bondi Beach. It was quite cold, but I drank a hot chocolate and bought a mobile phone, so it was a productive morning. I took the bus back into the city and ate a hot dog with peas and mash at the iconic Harry's Cafe de Wheels - it was heavenly. Took the McElhone stairs home, and after an afternoon rest, I found out that a group of expats were meeting for drinks in Paddington. On a whim, I decided to join them, and I'm so glad I did. I met some interesting people from Germany, England, Canada, and a number of other places, all looking to meet people in Sydney.

Today I'm having a day in with my screenwriting books and my new copy of Final Draft, so hopefully I'll get some work done today!

first day!

I can't talk long because I may have forgotten to pack the most important thing: The Australian adapter plug for my laptop! So I'm maximising battery use until I find it in my suitcase or buy a new one. I woke up early this morning because the gym in my building has a view of the Sydney skyline, the Coat Hanger bridge, and the Opera House, and I want to see the sun rise over it on my first full day! I'm here safe, I went grocery shopping yesterday, and today I'm getting a bus/train pass, a cell phone, and exploring a bit. Just wanted to let you know I'm here safe!