Back to life...back to reality

Sadly, I've had the En Vogue song in my head all morning. I'm sitting at my desk, in Saatchi NY, waiting for my Lotus Notes to replicate...and pinching myself to be sure the last 6 weeks weren't just a dream. I was greeted back to NYC by 30 degrees F (-1 degrees Celsius for all you Aussies)...so I've traded in my thongs for Ugg boots, my singlets for multiple layers of sweaters and a North Face down jacket, and lastly - the real shocker - I've traded my Fine Foods large skinny cap for a take away Dunkin Donuts coffee to help me fend off my jet lag. I'm 16,231 miles or 26,122 kms away from amazing coffee and my morning ritual with AJ. :(

I spent the last week on a solo-road trip around the South island of New Zealand, which could be an entire blog in itself, so instead, just ask me if you'd like to hear my NZ stories and see my pictures - I'd love to catch up with you all now that I'm back in the states, and in a more manageable time zone for phone calls.

I had such an incredible time in Australia - and I'm so thankful for the life long friends I made, as they truly made Sydney feel like home. I can't begin to express how lucky I feel to have had a chance to participate in the Saatchi Switch program. It was truly life-changing, and has helped to put so many things into perspective for me. Thank you for following my adventures via my blog - this will be my last entry to close the trip out, but I'm sure it won't be my last trip to Oz.

What up Fleetwood Mac?

Last night, Molly and I went out to dinner in Kings Cross / Potts Point - we went to an awesome Thai restaurant - Jimmy Liks - and I haven't experienced flavors like that since I was in Thailand - amazing food!! After Jimmy Liks, we went over to Bootleg bar across the way....highlight of Bootleg - Fleetwood Mac was sitting down enjoying dinner....yup, the whole lot of them. Stevie was laughing at Lindsay's jokes...it was good to see. ;) Although, Molly summed it up best, 'Even though you're a rockstar, skullits are never a good look'.

Molly, thanks for taking me under your wing in Sydney town - it was so great catching up with you while I was in town, and I look forward to seeing you either in NY or Sydney next time. xx.

Back in Business

TA DA- my new, acquired with a staff discount, Sony Cybershot camera, also equipped with an 8GB memory card that I bought today - and was able to barter with the guy at the electronics store. Didn't know you could actually barter in stores, but they were all out of the 4GB cards, so thought I'd try my luck.

Also went with the sassy red camera, since everytime I call the Brisbane airport, they seem to have found heaps of new silver cameras, just not my silver Canon. :( Still holding onto the hope that some stand up citizen will ship at least my memory card to the Saatchi office...they can keep the camera, but I'd like my pictures back, please. Otherwise....hope Karma doesn't hold back.

Last night I had a fantastic girls night with Anna, Lisa, Baronia & Jacq - we went out to dinner at Omerta in Darlinghurst. Jacq had her camera, so pictures may be forthcoming. :) Omerta was a very cute Italian restaurant with amazing food. We split some delicious dishes, had wonderful conversation and some delectable desserts.

Throughout the course of the night I also learned some more Aussie phrases, such as 'Bless her cotton socks' AKA 'bless her heart', 'like chalk and cheese' AKA 'like oil and water', 'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth' AKA don't be ungrateful. 'I was running around like a pork chop!' AKA 'Running around like a chicken with it's head cut off'. Australians are super into rhyming slang, which shortens what they're trying to say. ie 'Let's go have a look' becomes 'Captain cook', or 'chicken with it's head cut off' becomes 'pork chop'. Also, another word for Americans is 'Sepos', try to stay with me on this one...Yank -> Tank -> Septic Tank -> Sepos.

Also - thank you -> Ta. just ta. People actually even sign off emails with 'Ta, so and so.' So strange.

I've got dinner with Molly tonight at Jimmy Liks in Potts Point...then packing my bags, last day in the office tomorrow :( But now that I've got a new camera in my hands, there will be plenty of pics from my last day.

Updated with pics from Jacq - our lovely desserts at Omerta

Lisa, Anna & I

All the girls - Lisa, Anna, Baronia, Jacq & I - thank you for such a fun night!!! xx

Look-a-Like & Quote wall

No camera yet, but I do have my blackberry - so was able to get some quick snaps of the now pretty sorry looking look-a-like wall. There are 2 look-a-like walls at Saatchi on level 4 & level 5 - but most of the pictures and quotes have been taken down already to get go into the end of the year video. The whole board was covered last week, and wish I would have grabbed a couple of quick pics then. People grab clippings from newspapers or print out different celebs and pin them up on the wall as 'look-a-likes' - for example Steve Back is the creative director here at Saatchi Sydney, and someone printed out the singer of Smash Mouth as his celeb twin below. It's definitely a funny wall to check out, but another difference between the Sydney vs NY offices, is this would never fly at the NY office - and someone would probably get sued for some of the not so PG-13 photos that are up. ;)

The majority of the quotes from the quote wall have been taken down for the video too - but you all would be proud that even though I was only in the Sydney office for a few short weeks, I managed to make it up on the quote wall. My quote: "Nachos are really American." I thought that I'd tell you the quote first, then the story to try and explain myself, but bare in mind, there is no such thing as 'context' when it comes to the quote wall.

A few weeks back, I brought in left overs from Americana night for AJ & Rob to enjoy some mac & chz and chili dogs for lunch. The boys & I were heating up lunch in the kitchen, and Rosie was making herself nachos - we somehow got to talking about how we were having an 'American lunch', and the boys mentioned something along the lines of how she wasn't included. I, not wanting her to feel left out, and also genuinely feeling that this is some-what true...told her she could join us, and not to worry, 'Nachos are really American too....' I know, stupid comment, but we do LOVE our Mexican food back in the states. And many of you suggested food with Mexican flare when I asked for American suggestions....so I don't know that it was truly quote-wall worthy. ;)