MIA..... OOPS!

MIA..
MIA..
Missing In Action... :(


Hello my blog and maybe readers? ha ha ha I have been missing in action for almost more than 2 weeks.

My parents are here because of the Ramadhan and Lebaran (fasting and end of fasting holidays) for around 3 weeks. I am very happy and glad since I only get to see my dad once per year.
So now, we can eat nice food and this means a lot of happy tummies every night! :D :D :D

Anyway, during these past 2 weeks, I had a job interview on Skype which is widely use in today's interview processes. It was a very fun experience and less nerve-wrecking in contrast with the face-to-face interview. Unfortunately, the quality of the video is very poor. *blah*

Okay so in this blog, I would like to post an entry on my current work for a non-profit organisation and also my day trip to....... *scroll down if you want to know!*

1. My Voluntary Work


In the beginning of August, I started on a volunteering work at the Japan Foundation Sydney to assist guests for being an assistant to their most-recent gallery exhibition called "Japanese Design Today".

It opened on the 29th of July till the 16th of September.
If you like unique designs, or if you are a design student, or an inspiring upcoming designer who focuses mostly on interiors, do come and visit us and you may even more inspired in your works!

What is it?
Simply put, Japanese Design Today is a display of vast arrays of Japanese inventions for the last 50 years, from Aibo (the 1st robot dog in the world), to a display of the first hybrid car (Toyota I think?), even the most amazing unthinkable jigsaw-like erasers! etc

I do get a lot of visitors from many office-workers because we are located in the heart of the CBD. (Central Business District)
The common question that is often asked is "Can I buy them?"
And fortunately, global online shopping websites are readily available, just a click away.

We do have a favorite object in the gallery for example the Yamaha Scooter, and I still remember 2 office workers asked me whether they can borrow it.
And I jokingly said "OF course you can! But you can not touch it" hahahaa.....
They laughed away.

I also partnered up with a lovely lady, she is intelligent and really easy to talk to. I really miss her, and fortunately we took the last photo together with the coordinator.
Sorry, I had to blur their faces just in case.
Here we are posing behind the famous Yamaha!

I only have 2 shifts left for the next 2 weeks, but seriously, I never yawned or even get bored.
I am very happy being surrounded with like-minded people who appreciate uniqueness and the abstract minds of arts and objects and coincidentally I did Arts in university. ha ha ha (not that it's connected)

I hope that there will be more visitors coming into our gallery in the last closing weeks.
Anyway, the organisation that I am currently working for has a broad range of activities for example yearly Film Festival, designer talks, manga-artists conference, assisting with JLPT learning, Japanese lessons and even classes sadou 茶道　（tea　ceremony)and 生け花（ikebana：　flower　arrangement) conducted in Japanese (you need at least N4 for language skill ability).

I still remember when I was in Chibadai, I was very interested in joining Ikebana but the membership fee and the dougu (tools and flowers) are very expensive, hence I did not join it.

Below are the details !

29 July – 16 September 2011
Japan Foundation Gallery
Monday – Friday, 11am – 4pm, Wednesdays open late until 8pm
Closed on weekends
Free admission
www.jpf.org.au

2. Day Trip to... Hunter Valley !!! 28th August 2011

Me and my girlfriends decided to go to Hunter Valley in New South Wales because we are wine fanatics. LOL

Just joking, I am apparently very weak to Sake/Alcoholic drinks because I am just.. weak. :p
Even a sip, I'll get drunk or heavily tipsy.

Now, the journey took us 2 hours and we heavily relied on the GPS navigating system.
Our trip started off by stopping at Mackers for breakkie, continued with non-stop munching the snacks that I brought.
(This is me and my friend posing with my fluffy furry hat which I got on Takeshita-Dori, Harajuku.)

Seriously, no one else thought of snacks and drinks except me. No wonder people call me mommy. LOL

The Australian country side is very interesting, they're just never-ending green pastures, series of horse ranches, cattle and their calves, more over, dead kangaroos on the road side. eeeuwww.w..w.w.w..w.w.w !!!
(More cows, cows, cows, munch munch munch) LOL

Anyway, I am just really happy to refresh my memories on Hunter Valley because the last time I went there was when I was really small, so I don't remember much. I have selective memory you know haha

Do you know why many Asians go to Australia? Well, apart from learning English that is!
One of the reasons is Australia has numerous numbers of European buildings like how we discovered this building just 20 minutes away from Hunter Valley vineyards area. Total Euro! LOL
This looks very European, it is a pub I believe he he he Me and my girlfriends were excited that we get to oversee a couple of restaurants and disbelieved about clothing shops. They were closed on a Sunday at 12 pm! LOL So, maybe we won't be moving to the suburbs yet. I think.

Anyway, when we finally arrived, we went directly to the Hunters Valley Visitors Centre.
They have heaps of brochure and just next to the Hunter Valley Airport.
What intrigues me is the line up of white Sakura trees that I can not resist not to take one.
This is our first stop! DE BORTOLI WINES.


I took several photos inside, there is no warning whatsoever about taking pictures, so I took a picture of their vineyard.
Here is the vineyard. Awesome ey?

I remember we were guessing why are the grapes gone? (Look at photo)

We suspected it's because of winter, they dry up and just waiting for the right season or some sort of reasons. LOL

W.R.O.N.G.

Answer is very simple. They just collected them.
We were dumbfounded. :((( LOL we are too scientific to think up of simple reasons hahahaha

Anyway, this is taken inside the De Bortoli shop, it is like a warehouse and really grande!
There they are, you can see the wine barrels as well!
I took pic of this one, how awesome, rose wine?
I love the colour and the design, looks very posh, elegant and royal.

Then, it wouldn't be complete without jumping off in the middle of the vineyard.
LOL. FREE !!!!!!!!!!
Okay, I will let the photos talk and write few captions.

Anyway, we had a really nice lunch at Majors Lane Restaurant, I even bought their hand made sweet chilli sauce that's very pricey and I have yet to try. AUD $16.50 wow.

Putting aside the price, I had a really rare Australian luncheon style. Usually I eat Asian food like Washoku, korean food, Indonesian food, Thai Food, fusion food, so this is like a breath of fresh air to my diet.
Due to this healthy food, I can definitely tell you, my digestive system works better now (wink wink) hehehehe

Food photos next:
Smoked ham with brie, raspberry jam and bread.

Smoke salmon with fried mash potatoes.
Pate, bread, chutney, and other sauce I do not know what it is :(
Anyway, we also ordered chicken caesar salad, potato wedges with sour cream, and another plate of chutneys, plain awesomeness.
So, next is Blue Tongue brewery. In case you don't know, blue tongue lizard is Australia's native lizard species. When they had this candy that coloured your tongue to blue, we used to call each other 'blue tongue blue tongue'. blahh.. lame joke. hahaha

We ordered their beer paddles.
AUD $14.00 for each paddle, all by Blue Tongue brewery, the best is their ginger ale.
I like Japanese beers better! Like Asahi or Kirin, it suits my tongue!
I don't drink much but maybe because I don't drink much I know what is nice and what is not. ha ha ha Our afternoon chat was accompanied with this awesome guitarist, I don't know his name but he is amazing.
Rock on, Mr.Hendrix????? (Well Jimi Hendrix has a lot of old school guitars like this ojiichan has).

So next we went to Tempus Two! This is a very famous Australian winery factory.
Well, it used to be the French that operated the factory but then they sold it to the Australians and so they changed the name to Tempus Two. How do I know? The guy at the wine tasting counter told me so :P

I bought my sparkling wine from their 2011 selection and did not regret it.
It is spot on !! Not too sweet like their dessert wine, just, perfect.
Eat it with strawberries and it will enhance your taste buds. :D

And again, being narcistic in front of Tempus Two.
LOL I love these girls. :)

Anyway we left Hunter Valley around 5 pm and this is the sunset... How pretty and breathtaking.
Don't you feel like sighing and admiring and just, be grateful to this country even though it is not overly crowded and less shops to shop around... LOL

This is the last photo to end the blog, which way to choose?
Sydney?
or
Toronto (Canada) hehe he h eh eh eh h e h e he h ehe *cheeky Sasa*
booo hooo....

Hope you guys enjoy my new updated post.
XOXO
Love,
SASA