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Tu-Tu Much: Ballet With Eloise At The Plaza

July 3, 2014 / Cheese, Manhattan Munchies, Midtown, Midtown East, New York Food / 4 Comments

Ever since I arrived in New York, I’ve been dying to take my little girl to one of the special Eloise-themed events at The Plaza Hotel. The Plaza pays homage to its most famous “resident” with a special Eloise suite, an Eloise afternoon tea at the Palm Court, and a series of special events run out of the Eloise Shop.

The Eloise shop is one of my favorite drop-ins when I’m in the area with my own E. It has the most adorable Eloise merchandise (that’s a given), but it also has a lovely Eloise tea room with tiny chairs and tables; and another room with a stage, surrounding mirrors, pint sized grand piano and dress up tutus, wands and shoes. (Needless to say, we are frequent visitors at the shop.)

I’ve always thought my E was too young for the events, but when I saw the special ballet event, Creative Ballet with an Eloise Twist (for ages 3-5), I just couldn’t resist. The events are on the pricey side (this one was $75 for adult and child, for a one hour event), but I thought it could be a special outing for us both. The ballet event included a 45 minute lesson followed by pink lemonade and treats, and a “mahvelous” ballet-inspired gift bag.

So on a rainy grey day, we dressed in our ballet finest (or one of us did, anyway), and joined other Eloise-loving ballet fans for a special class à la Eloise. The class was completely adorable: Two teachers led a bevy of ballerinas through stretches, tendues and twirls, encouraging their imaginations with a fantasy journey through Central Park and flying like a butterfly.

At a couple points during the class, my E had an attack of shyness (or nerves?) and freaked out a bit when she moved around the room and couldn’t see me anymore, which is so unlike her. The teachers couldn’t have been kinder or sweeter with her, gently encouraging her to join them, holding her hand, and including her in everything even when she was hiding in my lap.

Following the ballet class was snack time. Usually this is held in the tea room within the Eloise store, but today it was booked for a party so we had our snacks in the main restaurant in the hotel instead. The atmosphere was just not the same, sadly. The kids were seated at too-tall tables and large, uncomfortable chairs that were totally unsuitable for little kids. We were surrounded by adult diners enjoying their lunches, which meant that the kids had to sit still (uh-oh!), talk quietly, and stay put (which, frankly, is very un-Eloise-like).

The snacks were nice and simple, however: The menu included strawberry lemonade, fresh fruit skewers and sugar cookies. As we left, we were given our gift bag, which included a cute Eloise tee and water bottle.

Before leaving I let E have a run around the Eloise store. She adores the baby grand piano — as do a lot of aspiring Eloise’s!

Eloise At The Plaza Hotel
1 W 58th St
Manhattan, NY
Phone: (212) 546 5460
Get Directions

A Rawther Fancy Tea Party With Eloise At The Plaza

June 9, 2014 / Cheese, Manhattan Munchies, Midtown, Midtown East, New York Food / 2 Comments

Something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time is take little E to an Eloise-themed Rawther Fancy Tea Party at the Plaza Hotel. The Rawther Fancy Tea Parties are part of the special events run under the Plaza Hotel in the Eloise store. I ADORE the Eloise character and have been so excited to share her with my own Miss E. So it happened on a steamy, rainy Friday that the Little One and I found ourselves at the pinkest tea party that ever might be.

Our host, Stephanie, made us feel extremely welcome. Stephanie ran the tea party for us, providing us with pink lemonade as well as real tea (E and I both had citrus chamomile). It was E’s first “real tea” and she flipped out when I gave it to her, because it made her feel like such a big girl to be drinking adult tea with mummy.

Our afternoon tea delights arrived on a three-tiered platter of illustrated Eloise plates. The bottom plate held fruit skewers, the middle plate had sandwiches (egg salad, cream cheese and cucumber and peanut butter and jelly), and the on the top plate, sweets (mini cup cakes, chocolate brownie and choc chip cookies). Please excuse the terrible photo of the tea platter. E was SO EXCITED when it was placed in front of her that she photobombed me and I laughed so hard the camera shook.

The Rawther Fancy Tea Party was held in the party room in the Eloise Store, which is under the Plaza Hotel, next to the Plaza Food Hall. We’ve visited the store before on many occasions and E has always been attracted to the tiny chairs and tables — a perfect size for this little one to feel like a big girl, while at a very special tea party with kids her age in mind.

E tried a little of everything, but particularly loved the mini cupcake and the fruit. I happily ate the sandwiches (LOVE me some tea sandwiches) and can report that they were delicious. The fruit was super fresh and tasty (they didn’t taste like the fruit had been sliced hours earlier, languishing in a fridge), and the baked goods were all kid-friendly crowd pleasers (it is hard to go wrong with cookies and brownies.) As often happens with me and tea, we couldn’t eat all the sweets so we had them boxed up to take home.

Our fellow tea party goers were girls of similar age, along with their mum or mum plus an out of town friend. After our tea party we all wrote letters to Eloise. Stephanie told us that Eloise always writes back, so we’re very excited to receive a special letter in the mail. Miss E “wrote” her letter in some beautiful swirly drawings, at the end of which I added that we loved our tea party and wished Eloise had been able to make it.

The letters were all posted in the appointed Eloise mail box, ready for delivery upstairs to the Plaza’s most famous resident. E loved posting the letter so much that she took out everyone else’s letters and reposted them all several times.

Next came story time. Stephanie read two shorter Eloise books to the party in the back room of the Eloise store, while we lounged on the bright pink ottomans.

And then the party was over! Each child received a gift bag containing an Eloise pencil, postcard, mints, gift voucher to the store, and a book.

We shopped around, said “hello!” to Eloise, and went home. We love, love, love a tea party! Thanks Eloise and The Plaza!

Rawther Fancy Tea Parties are held on Friday at 4pm at the Plaza Hotel. Cost is $100 for an adult and child pair. Reservations are required.

The Plaza Hotel
Fifth Avenue at Central Park South,
New York, NY 10019

Goodbye to all that

June 1, 2014 / Cheese, Family, New York Life / 2 Comments

Three years ago, I flew to New York alone, and four months pregnant. Meeting Alec at the airport I was apprehensive, scared, extremely nauseous, and not sure that we’d made the right decision. The years that followed were the hardest, most challenging, most frustrating years of my life thus far – compounded a million by having a baby in a country far from our family.

But in the middle of these difficult years, something extraordinary happened. We created a tiny New Yorker and made a home in this big crazy city. We explored. We dreamed big. We discovered what we were truly capable of when faced with adversity. New York is a hard place to live. It’s fast, it’s dirty, it’s expensive. It’s also aggressive, strong and fierce. Each day can be like a battlefield – just taking a subway ride solo with a small child requires serious commitment and resolve.

I learned a lot about myself thanks to this tough city. That I, too, can be tough, resilient and resourceful. That I’m capable of starting over in a new country, of making so many wonderful friends.

Living in this city plus motherhood broke me down, and built me back up again into a person who is more confident, more certain of her own worth, and who is happier with who she is than ever before. Thank you New York for toughening up this soft girl from Sydney suburbia.

Saying goodbye is something I don’t want to be doing. It feels too soon, too unfinished. But things don’t always go to plan, and our priorities have changed. Alec, Cheese and I will be returning for a time to Sydney to be closer to our families. We feel that it’s the right thing for us to do at this time in all of our lives, and we are embracing this decision while walking away from a life we also love passionately. Something I’m finding really hard to do. We are beyond lucky that we have such a wonderful life to return to back in Australia. Family and friends whom we love, and a country where it’s truly great to live.

So goodbye (for now) to the piles of garbage on the sidewalk. To the smell of dog pee and sticky pavements in summer. To rats, lunatics and rappers in the subway, polar vortexes and hurricanes. So long to loving friends who embraced us into their lives. To Cheese’s playmates since birth. To tulips and daffodils in the spring, and fields of orange and red leaves in the fall. To carousels and whoopie pies, Broadway and world-class ballet. Goodbye to a life we loved, and hello to a brand new chapter for us all.

New York, we love you, and we will see you again soon.

A New York Classic: Tavern on the Green, Upper West Side, NY

May 26, 2014 / Cheese, Manhattan Munchies, New York Food, Upper West Side / 0 comment

A long time ago, two Australians visited New York City while on holiday. They had a romantic lunch at Tavern on the Green, oohed and aahed at the over-the-top Versailles-like decor, then went on their merry journey. They got engaged, then married, and then, finally, moved to New York City and had an adorable (albeit crazy) toddler. All the while, Tavern on the Green was on its own journey.

Tavern was originally built to hold the sheep that lived in the Central Park Sheep Meadow. In the early 1930s, New Yorkers evicted the sheep, and the building was converted into a restaurant. The restaurant became famous for its decadent Crystal Room, a conservatory-like space decked out with colored-glass chandeliers, stucco embellishments on the ceiling, and numerous flower motifs.

In the restaurant’s hey day, during the late 1970s and ’80s, Tavern was the place for celebrities to be seen. John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Madonna and Michael Jackson were all guests.

In 2009, the owners of Tavern filed for bankruptcy and the restaurant closed its doors, opening again in April 2014 after a massive refurbishment. The new restaurant barely resembles the old one. Gone is the Crystal Room and abundance of flowers. In its place is a sleek, modern dining establishment with nods to its heritage, such as sheep heads by the fire place, and a carousel-resembling chandelier over the bar.

And so it was that this little family of three made their way back to the newly opened Tavern on an absolutely gorgeous spring day. Let me say this from the outset: the new Tavern has amazing staff. The efficient, friendly staff welcomed our wriggly toddler and her tired parents with open arms, and gave us a wonderful table in the courtyard.

We ordered Assorted Pastries with Cultured Vermont Butter and Preserves ($6) which contained two perfectly-sized plain croissants, two chocolate croissants, a lemon poppy seed scone, butter, and orange marmalade and raspberry jam by my favorite jam-makers, Bonne Maman. We had intended these for Missy E, but they were so good we all devoured them.

Alec and I both ordered the same dish off the brunch menu: the Scrambled Local Eggs with Fresh Goat Cheese and Chives with Applewood Smoked Bacon and a Sourdough Bruschetta ($21). It came with bacon, which I received on the side and added to Alec’s eggs. We added cocktails to the brunch (what’s brunch without a cocktail?) and were delighted to receive strong, well-made White Peach Bellinis and Brooklyn.

Our eggs on toast were really tasty – fluffy eggs on sourdough, as described. Even better — the meals all came quickly, before Missy E got totally bored.

We even went back for dessert – a Brownie Sundae for me, with Fudge Brownie, Caramel Ice Cream, Homemade ”Cracker Jacks”, Chocolate Sauce ($13), the Spring Pavlova for Alec, with Matcha Curd, Macerated Strawberries and Rhubarb, Chantilly Cream, Tarragon Oil ($12), and a single scoop of vanilla ice cream for E.

My brownie was rich and moist, but I would have liked a bit more ice cream to go with it. I really enjoyed the caramel ice cream however – it tasted like a salted caramel. Alec enjoyed his pavlova, but declared it nothing extraordinary. I think as Australians we’re spoiled by the amazing home-cooked pavs we’re used to back in Sydney!

After our lunch, we took a little tour around the restaurant to check it all out. I really liked the bar area with the big booths, so Central Park-goers can drop in just for a casual drink, but still be comfortable. I saw a lot of families with smaller kids in this area — a great idea when you want to stop somewhere nice in the afternoon, but know your kids can’t handle full table service.

Last Bite: A great dining option in Central Park for families. Friendly staff make this an enjoyable outing — just be sure to make reservations first.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Tavern on the Green
Central Park West & 67th Street,
New York, NY
Phone: (212) 877 8684
Prices: $$
Hours: Daily, Lunch 11am-3pm, Dinner 5pm-11pm, Late night 11pm-1am, Brunch Sat & Sun 9am-3pm,
Reservations
Get Directions

A Day Trip To The Cloisters, New York

May 22, 2014 / Cheese, Manhattan Munchies, New York Food, Travel, USA, Washington Heights / 0 comment

During the warmer months, a perfect family day trip is just north of the city at The Cloisters.

The Cloisters museum and gardens is the branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted to medieval European art and architecture. The building and its gardens are located in Fort Tryon Park, in north Manhattan, just a hop, skip and a jump away on the A train.

The architecture and artistic works at the Cloisters are largely from the Romanesque and Gothic periods. Four reconstructed cloisters, sourced from French monasteries and abbeys, are surrounded by early medieval gardens and a series of indoor chapels and rooms.

Walking inside the Cloisters feels very much like stroll through Medieval European monastic life. This is by very intentional and clever architectural design combined with the five thousand medieval works of art on display from the Mediterranean and Europe, mostly from the 12th to 15th centuries.

To get to the Cloisters, take the subway to 190th Street station at the base of Fort Tryon and walk from there. The walk to the Cloisters takes visitors through an herb and flower garden. It’s a beautiful place to wander through, especially with the Hudson River as a backdrop.

The aren’t a lot of food options in the area. Your easiest options are: 1. Bring a picnic lunch; 2. Buy a pre-made sandwich or salad from the Cloisters cafe; or 3. A sit-down brunch or lunch at New Leaf Restaurant.

We chose New Leaf Restaurant & Bar. Housed in a 1930s cottage, the restaurant serves modern American cuisine. On weekends, brunch is served from 11am-3pm. We were given a table on the bright, airy patio, surrounded by trees. Tres tranquil.

While the restaurant is large, it fills quickly, and by 12:30pm it was at capacity. As New Leaf does not take reservations for brunch, get there early.

The brunch menu is a pre-fixe at $19.95 for an entree, juice and tea or coffee. We ordered a croissant ($5) for missy E while we looked at the menu in more detail. Oddly, the croissant came with chutney. The croissant was absolutely delicious, while on the small side (kid-sized, one might say, except E demanded another, making it the most expensive croissants we had ever ordered). Our group ordered New Leaf Scrambled Eggs (goat cheese, scallions, roasted potatoes, field greens), the Market Omelette (tomatoes, peppers, onions and your choice of cheese, with herbed-roasted potatoes, field greens) and the Hanger Steak Sandwich (with salad and potatoes). The portions for the most part were large by New York standards, and we all struggled to finish our meals.
New Leaf Restaurant, 1 Margaret Corbin Dr, New York, NY, Phone: (212) 568-5323

A short stroll through beautiful Fort Tryon Park takes you to The Cloisters.

My favourite part of the Cloisters was the Unicorn Tapestry collection. These seven individual pieces are among the most beautiful and complex works of art from the late Middle Ages that survive today, woven from fine wool and silk with silver and gilded threads.

Spring is the best time to visit The Cloisters as the gardens are in full bloom. The famous garden you see in all the photographs is filled with bright flowers and a fountain centerpiece.

The lower-level garden is home to plants one would have found in a garden in the middle ages, like herbs and vegetables. Take the time to explore the garden and the different plants on display – many of which you’ll be hard-pressed to find elsewhere.

The purpose of the plants is explained throughout the garden: medicinal (like St. John’s-Wort, Hollyhock, MarshMallow, Meadow Clary, Liquorice, Comfrey, and Feverfew), magical (such as Bear’s Foot, Ragged-Robin, English Ivy, Cornelian Cherry, and Herb Robert) or for use in the kitchen (herbs like Winter Savory, Leek, Cardoon, Samphire, Chive, Small-Leaved Basil, and Red Valerian). As it was an herb garden and all the plants had such unique scents, we got down close to the gardens and smelled the aromatic plants such as spearmint and lavender.

Tips for taking kids:
We timed our visit so Cheese would nap in the stroller after lunch, so we were able to see most of The Cloisters before she woke up. Which was a good thing, as the museum is not so friendly for smaller kids. Babies in carriers and older children are the ideal candidates for this cultural experience.

There are lots of tiny stairwells and no ramps or elevators. You can’t leave strollers unattended. No food/water anywhere except in the cafe (including the gardens). Within the gallery rooms, keep children close as there are lots of fragile objects around.

To get to the Cloisters, take the subway to 190th Street station at the base of Fort Tryon. Directly outside of the station entrance is the Jacob K. Javits Playground, where we let Cheese run off steam before brunch. It’s a nice playground with swings, several climbing structures for children of all ages, and also space for scooting or basketball.

The Cloisters
99 Margaret Corbin Dr,
New York, NY
Hours: Daily, 10am-5:15pm
Prices: Recommended $25 per adult

Happy 40th Birthday Alec

May 12, 2014 / Cheese, Family, New York Life / 1 Comment

Happy 40th birthday my dearest love! We celebrated in style with a festival of NYC events:

Alec's 40th Birthday

Lunch at ABC Kitchen. Cheese slept well the night before, so we all had a lovely lunch – especially when the little one slept through most of lunch so we were able to enjoy a leisurely lunch and then share dessert with her when she woke.

Alec's 40th Birthday

Alec had crab. I had ravioli, and we shared really good citrus desserts. ABC Kitchen was really kid-friendly too, which was nice, even though Cheese was asleep the whole time! When she woke up, they set her a special place at the table.

Alec's 40th Birthday

A party with friends at the KBH, Brooklyn. Nothing like beer, cake and pie with good friends. Pie and cake from Betty Bakery, Brooklyn. Alec wanted a pie rather than cake, so we had both to feed the masses.

Alec's 40th Birthday

Candles on the birthday pie. Happy birthday boy.

#Brooklyn #Nets game for Alec's 40th Birthday

Awesome seats at a Net’s game at the Barclays Center – the Brooklyn Nets vs Atlanta. My first basketball game! It was so much fun, both being so close to really see the players and the action, and the atmosphere. The view was amazing! Special seats for the birthday boy. The only celeb we saw was Katie Couric, but plenty of other fun things to watch, like the half-time entertainment and dancers. I also loved that our tickets included unlimited food.

#Brooklyn #Nets game for Alec's 40th Birthday

Last stop on the birthday train …

Alec's 40th Birthday

Dinner at Per Se. The most amazing dining experience of our lives.

Alec's 40th Birthday at Per Se #NEWYORK

Located in the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle, Per Se has been on our bucket list since we moved to New York. It was an experience worth waiting for, and one that we will remember forever. From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel special and welcome. They knew our names, they knew I was a vegetarian, they knew it was Alec’s birthday. They printed special menus with “Happy Birthday Alec” on them. Every tiny detail was perfect.

Alec's 40th Birthday at Per Se #Newyork

And of course the food was exquisite. Every course was a tiny delight. In addition to the courses listed on the menu were various others including amuse bouches, bread, hand-churned butter from a small dairy of 14 cows, extra desserts, a cardamon affogato, macarons, hand-made chocolate truffles and, of course, the famous donuts. All up I think there were about 12 courses.

We were so full we had to take home the macarons and chocolates. As we left we were handed our especially printed menus in a folder, our boxed up desserts, and sweet little tins filled with the most amazing hazelnut cookies for later.

Alec's 40th Birthday at Per Se #newyork

Alec's 40th Birthday at Per Se #NewYork

Alec's 40th Birthday at Per Se #newyork

The best meal of our lives, and the most amazing evening.

Alec's 40th birthday

Alec looks eternally youthful to me, with the exception of some tired bags under the eyes thanks to the bad-sleeping Cheese monster.

My love, I hope your 40th was wonderful, and here’s to celebrating every day between this and the next birthday. It’s an honor to walk through life with you by my side. You’re a wonderful father and husband. Both the Cheese and I are lucky to have you making up our little family of three.

Mother’s Day 2014 at the New York Botanical Garden

May 12, 2014 / Cheese, Family, New York Life / 2 Comments

Finally gorgeous weather after seven months of freezing cold. What better way to spend the day with my loves than in the gorgeous New York Botanical Garden? The gardens are way up in the Bronx, so makes it a good day trip for us. They are extremely relaxed at the gardens, happy for visitors to lounge anywhere and really enjoy the gardens (in contrast to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens where they won’t let you sit on the lawn!), so we always pack a blanket and picnic food so we can hopefully spread out under a tree at some stage and enjoy the serenity.

Mother's Day at the New York Botanical Gardens

The gardens are so easy to get to by train. The B, D or 4 are all nearby, and it’s a short walk from the station to the garden. The gardens are MASSIVE. There is a tram to get around, but we always walk and haven’t found it too large for strolling between each area. Mother’s Day weekend is the perfect time to visit the garden – the tulips and daffodils were just past peak bloom, but the cherry blossom trees and azaleas were in full bloom and absolutely stunning.

Mother's Day at the New York Botanical Gardens

The gardens put on a special Mother’s Day garden party, with a live jazz band, old school lawn games like croquet, kites, and arts for the kids like making cards, baskets for (pretend) bird eggs, and water colour paintings. We grabbed lunch from a food truck (grilled cheese!) and set up under a perfectly flowering cherry blossom tree. Cheese quickly found toddlers nearby to play with, and merrily entertained herself with a little boy the same age collecting and building a house out of sticks.

We stopped to listen to the band – Cheese wanted to dance, and so we did! Nothing like dancing to a real vintage jazz band among the gorgeous trees and flowers.

Mother's Day at the New York Botanical Gardens

A stroll around the gardens after lunch for the Cheese to nap brought us to the exact same spot we paused for a picnic two years ago when we first visited the garden. After the little lady woke up and saw our picnic spread, she proclaimed it “the best picnic ever!” (from Peppa Pig perhaps?). It was the perfect Mother’s Day with my dearest loves, in one of my absolute favourite places in the city I also love.

Mother's Day at the New York Botanical Gardens

The only thing that could have made the way better was to be celebrating my own mother in person as well. I miss spending time with my parents, particularly on special days like today. Happy Mother’s Day to my amazing mum, and all the wonderful mums in my life and in yours!

Burnt Orange Cafe, Mosman + Balmoral Beach, Sydney

April 3, 2014 / Cheese, Mosman, North Shore, Sydney, Sydney Food / 2 Comments

In my pre-baby days I used to frequent Burnt Orange for a light afternoon tea on the way to admire the view at Middle Head. Post-baby, it’s good to know that one of my old fave cafes can still be a go-to when I’m craving scones or something a little more substantial.

The Burnt Orange cafe is housed in an historic sandstone manor overlooking Sydney Harbour. Note: the veranda stretches all around the building but only the front gets the harbour view. If you’re making a reservation, ask for a table overlooking the water, just in case.

I have always enjoyed the food at Burnt Orange. They do simple breakfast, lunch and afternoon/morning tea exceptionally well. On this particular visit, Alec ordered the Linguini with Western Australian Blue Swimmer Crab, Confit of Cherry Tomatoes, Garlic & Red Chili ($28) and I chose the Pumpkin, Goat’s Cheese and Walnut Tart with Melissa’s Carrot Jam and Crisp Salad Greens ($22). My tart was perfection — big chunks of cheese and pumpkin, flaky pastry and crunchy walnuts. Alec’s pasta was cooked beautifully, with a generous amount of crab spread throughout. Delicious.

As for missy E, while they do have a kids’ special (a choice of Crumbed Whiting Fillets with Chips, Pasta Spirals with Fresh Tomato Sauce or Mini Organic Cheeseburger with Chips served with a Smartie Cookie and a choice of fresh Orange Juice, Strawberry or Chocolate Milk for $15), instead we asked if they could make her something with egg since that’s what she was asking for. It was no problem at all, and we very soon had an off-menu boiled egg delivered to our picky toddler.

Now, you can’t stop at a cafe renowned for their treats without indulging. I was hoping for a scone, but sadly they weren’t being served till later in the afternoon. Instead I chose one of the Smartie cookies and shared it with an ecstatic missy E.

Inside the mansion is the Burnt Orange store. While I used to enjoy the adult section, with gorgeous clothes and home wares, this time I gravitated towards the kids’ section, loving the boutique brands and adorable toys. E was particularly taken with the kid-sized mirror pictured below. I would LOVE to go on a shopping spree here and fit out her room. The “Parisian shabby chic” feel is exactly what I would love for her bedroom, and for our home in general!

After our lunch we drove further down to Balmoral Beach. Balmoral has always been one of our favourite beaches because it’s simply stunning. In my opinion, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. We noticed on this trip that it is also extremely toddler-friendly — the perfect beach for toddlers, in fact, as it’s sheltered and doesn’t get many waves. The water is calm and clear, and E thought it was amazing. She ran in and out of the water, shrieking with joy. Walk along the pedestrian path to the kiosk for gelato (there’s also a playground right next to it for days when it’s not swimming weather).

Last Bite: Burnt Orange satisfies all customers looking for a delightful afternoon tea or lunch, from toddlers to their doting grandparents.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

Burnt Orange
1109 Middle Head Rd,
Mosman NSW 2088
Phone: 02 9969 1020
Prices $$$
Hours: Daily 8:30am-5:30pm
Get Directions

The Expat Life: Where Your Heart Is Always Torn In Two

January 12, 2014 / Cheese, Family, New York Life / 2 Comments

The Expat Life: Where Your Heart Is Torn In Two - akissgoodnight.co

We’ve been living in New York for almost exactly three years now. Three of the toughest, most exciting, frustrating years of my life (having a tough kid doesn’t make it any easier).

As I near my 3 year anniversary of living the expat life, I’ve been reflecting a lot on how living in this situation, for me, is like living with your heart permanently torn in two. It’s a state of constantly missing those you left behind and who are living their lives without you, and, at the same time, enjoying your new life – with the thought always floating in your head, how long will this last? How long until the good doesn’t outweigh the bad? How long until you make the move back home and settle back into your old life? Sooner? Later? Never?

Living in a constant state of flux
At least, I certainly am. When we moved here, our time estimation for how long we’d live here was one-to-two years. Every year, we say we will give it one more year. Most of our stuff is in storage in Australia, but since we can’t decide whether or not to commit to living here permanently, we don’t know what to do with it all. It’s things like a giant couch that wouldn’t fit into any NYC apartment. My photographs and negatives and books. All my memories and possessions for my life pre 2011 are packaged into small boxes and stuffed into my parent’s house. I find myself missing things. Like a hair clip I was given for my 21st birthday that I still love to wear, but didn’t make the cut for things that we needed to bring over. And having to re-buy everything (PAINFUL!) because it’s cheaper than having the old things shipped over. How long until we can commit to a life here or there? Is there a magic number of years that pass and present the answer?

It starts off really really hard, but gets easier
The first year was so tough that I didn’t think we’d make it through and wanted to fly home almost every day. I missed everything about my old life – our home, our family and friends, the warm weather, and the easiness of life when you know how everything runs and how to do everything without thinking about it. The hardest parts about adapting to life in the US were the little things. Where to buy good Greek yoghurt. Finding a new GP, dentist, seamstress, housekeeper … Working out how medical insurance worked (ok, and some not so little things).

After the two-year mark things went from tough and frustrating to finally comfortable enough to feel like I didn’t have to fight to get little things done every single day. As I near the three-year mark, life has become great. It’s no longer a daily frustration as I can’t work out the little nuances that make life here different. Some still remain (why is supermarket bread SO BAD?! Why is the cheese ORANGE?! Why does tomato ketchup have CORN SYRUP in it?!) but, in general, New York is feeling like home.

Starting your tribe from scratch
It takes a while to make a new tribe. In my case, it took over two years to accumulate a new circle of friends whom I felt comfortable with. Feeling lonely and disconnected, while seeing all my old friends having a blast together was tough. It takes a lot of effort to stay in touch with people, especially as we get older and have more time commitments. One thing that can be said is that moving countries really shows you who your friends are! The ones who reply to your emails with thoughtful messages (and send you notes spontaneously when they’re thinking of you!) are going to be a lot fewer than you think (sadness), but they will be the ones who are your friends for life (happiness).

Missing family
Family is tough no matter where you live. Near them, they can drive you so nuts you wish you lived far, far away, and then if you DO live far, far away, you miss them like crazy and wonder if you made a mistake. Add a small child into that and it’s an even more difficult situation. People talk a lot about “mother guilt” – feeling guilty about everything you do and don’t do for your child. Instead of this, I get “daughter guilt”, where I feel guilty for moving so far away from my parents with their only grand child. We Skype every week and it’s a constant reminder of how much our decision to live this life is causing pain to other people who are missing out on precious moments with their grand child.

The up side
These last three years in New York have been a wonderful experience, despite the hardships – or perhaps, even, in some ways, because of them. Without a doubt, it’s been totally worth it. I’m an introverted person, so being here has pushed me out of my comfort zone in ways that staying in Sydney wouldn’t have. As well as the amazing experiences I’ve had here (not to mention that NEW YORK IS MY HOME!! How cool is that?!), the self-reliance and resilience I’ve built up as a result of this new life have also been positive for my own personal growth.

It’s not just my life
It’s not just about me and Alec. We are constantly trying to decide what is best for E. Little Missy E is having an amazing childhood, by the way. Central Park is her backyard. The American Museum of Natural History is her playground. She has dined at some of the best restaurants in NYC, all before she could walk. Lucky kid. We try to keep her as connected as possible with family back home so she knows who she is and where she comes from. It’s a normal part of her week to Skype Nanna and Pop-pop. E gets older, she will truly reap the benefits of her dual life. As an American and Australian citizen, a world of opportunities are literally open to her.

Christmas in NYC

December 31, 2013 / Cheese, Family, New York Life / 0 comment

2013 was my very first year spending Christmas away from my parents. The airfares were just so expensive for three people that we decided to go home at a different time when the prices were a lot lower and spend the holiday season in New York. New York is just beautiful over Christmas. In Australia it’s always hot over Christmas, so I was really looking forward to enjoying Christmas in true winter, with cold-weather food, clothing, decorations and traditions.

New York does everything big and bold, and Christmas is no exception. Trees and lights start to sprout all over the city following Thanksgiving. The biggest is of course the Rockefeller tree, but there are trees all over the city, with tree lightings and caroling in a lot of the small neighbourhoods in the lead up to Christmas. Santa likes to visit all the ‘hoods as well, from the famous Santa at Macy’s to the lesser-known ones that pop up in the smaller ‘hoods for breakfast with the kids.

Since Missy E is a very … inquisitive toddler, we decided to forgo a tree this year (mostly because I just didn’t want to have to put the ornaments back on it over and over and over again). Instead we chose a little felt tree from Etsy, with felt ornaments, that E could decorate herself repeatedly. It did the charm, as this year was the year she decided Christmas trees were the best thing ever. Christmas Eve we placed a few gifts around the felt tree to surprise E with in the morning.

Christmas Day - akissgoodnight.co

Our present opening in the morning was truly a high tech experience, with my parents skyping in from Sydney to enjoy the festivities with us. It was so lovely that they could still enjoy being with us from afar. It was really difficult for me being away from home this year. I really missed being with my family on Christmas Day, and we decided that next year we will save up so we can afford the airfare home for Christmas.

Doll house - akissgoodnight.co

After present opening (the biggest hits for E were the doll house, train set and guitar), we attempted to get E to nap before lunch. After a few hours with no napping for the hyper toddler, we set off into the city, walking over the Brooklyn Bridge to get her to take a stroller nap. It was a brisk day, with a high of -5, so it’s fair to say that it was a pretty cold walk! Thankfully, E did nap, and we did make it to lunch on time.

Christmas Day - akissgoodnight.co

Since we would be on our own this year, I made a booking at a restaurant for Christmas lunch – the Bryant Park Grill. I wanted to capture as much holiday spirit for us as I could. The Grill was a good choice. It was a bit crazy busy, but the location was fabulous. Right next to the ice rink and Christmas tree in Bryant Park. We had a really love, non-traditional meal, and then let E run around Bryant Park. She loved the tiny carousel, and watching the ice skaters. She was actually begging to go ice skating – maybe next year … The Christmas tree was the big hit for her. Unlike most of the trees, this one you can go right up underneath and touch the giant ornaments. A very gleeful toddler though this was the most fun in the world.

Bryant park Carousel - akissgoodnight.co

Bryant Park - akissgoodnight.co

And so was our very New York Christmas this year! We tried to fit in as many of the holiday activites as possible, but only managed a few, like the department store windows (Saks and their Yeti was the favourite), visiting Santa at The Plaza, and seeing the Christmas tree at the Rockefeller plaza.

Saks Yeti via akissgoodnight.co

The Plaza Hotel Christmas Tree via akissgoodnight.co — The Plaza Hotel Christmas Tree

Santa at the Plaza Hotel

Rockefeller Plaza - akissgoodnight.co — Rockefeller Plaza

I feel blessed for my little family, and blessed that our lives have been so lucky. Hoping everyone else’s Christmases were filled with love and family.