Two weeks

Officially 2 weeks in Sydney :) Officially one week tomorrow in my new apartment :)
This is one of my favorite photos using my iphone :) This was a few days after arriving in Sydney when I met up with Bea for the first time :) What a lovely view and to think,  I see this every time I go to school. I can't wait for the summer!

DAY 14 - Darling harbour view

My OC paradise

DAY 13 - Bea and I bought mini "surfboards"

I took Bea to Akasaka for lunch since she just got back from the Gold Coast. This time I tried the Chicken Teriyaki lunch meal which was soooo good. I liked it better than the Chicken Gyudon.

Chicken Teriyaki Bento

Then since Bea moved into her temporary apartment and I've been settling in mine, we spontaneously decided to drop by my OC fantasy store :)

*drum roll please*

Sigh.....

I couldn't go crazy since I was on a "student budget" but I super love IKEA. All the display showrooms and all the beautiful things to make any space look beautiful is just like an orgasm for the eyes. I can't wait to have a place to call my own and decorate it with IKEA. And best part is...its not expensive! We bought mini iron boards! It could compete with Manila's furniture prices :) Heaven on earth seriously.

After a lot of walking around the whole place, we got hungry so I had to make Bea taste what I believe are the best meatballs ever!

Small serving of meatballs with mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce.

 

Desert : Carrot cake

What an awesome but tiring day. Plus, there was a bookstore closing that was selling all books for 40% off original price including new arrivals and best sellers! Sooooo.... I was able to get Candace Bushnell's new book Summer And The City! It was when Carrie first moved to New York and met Samantha! I can't wait to start reading it!

DAY 12 - 2nd day

Augh, I forgot how a 3 to 4 hour lecture was like. NOT FUN. But with a view like this when I arrive at my train stop in Circular Quay, what can I complain about?

DAY 12 - View of the harbour from the train station

DAY 11 - 1st day in Business School

DAY 11 - Power breakfast (roast beef, cheese, scrambled eggs and tomatoes)

For my first day in school, I wanted to be ready. So I tried to copy our favorite breakfast meal from CWC (breakfast bowl). I can't find my picture damn it. Anyway, it tasted good :)

Last day before I become a student again

DAY 10 - St. Mary's Cathedral

 Just a short 10-15 minute stroll from my apartment to this church was so worth it. I have so many things to be thankful for and being in this church made me feel so good. I am blessed to be where I am in my life and to have the greatest family and friends ever. Check out the walk to the nicest church I've ever been to. Well, since I haven't been to the Vatican yet. Its too bad they didn't allow me to take pictures inside.

First thing I saw upon entering Hyde Park.

View as I'm walking through the park

Beautiful scenery

Seems so far but the view made it worthwhile

Reminds me of that movie where Tom Hank runs through the water (Forrest Gump?)

St. Mary's Cathedral up close

From the side

Walkway in front of the cathedral.

*Photos taken with a Canon S90 : Nostalgic Mode.

Tomorrow is my first official day as a student again. Got to get a good night's rest.

DAY 9

What a very domestic day! i did the grocery, did my first 2 batches of laundry (YAHOO!) and cleaned my room! My other super nice Taiwanese roommate, Jeremy taught me to do the laundry and even cooked me a dish! Super yummy!

For dinner, I just made a roast beef sandwich with mustard and white cheese, local chips called Twisties Cheese, apple juice as my drink and grapes for dessert. I'll start cooking later this week. :) hahaha!

DAY 9 : Simple dinner

Day 8

2nd day of orientation was stressful. But its okay, I can do it. At around 3pm, went to Broadway Shopping Center to check out K-Mart and Target for pillows and stuff. Lugged it all the way back to the apartment after. Then met up with one of my flatmates, Kenny for dinner at Star bar where we had awesome steak and chips! He also showed me where all the bars and good restaurants are! Can't wait to bring my Manila friends there!

Then we stopped by an alcohol store to buy the biggest Heineken I've ever seen! He bought it for around $49 AUD or P2,200 :) YIKES!

DAY 8 : WHOA!

That's all folks! Till the weekend!

1st week in Sydney...I survived :)

DAY 7 : My school campus

My 1st week of orientation and 1st night in my new room. It's awesome! Location is great, restaurants and bars all around. Cotton On is so cheap here! Anyway, school was overwhelming. I have classmates who are CEOs and consultants. Business School is different. I really need the weekend to get back into "student mode". I can do this. Pray for me!

After my orientation at noon, my wonderful cousin Isobelle, treated me to a "hole-in-the-wall" Japanese restaurant that reminded me of Omakase. Sooo good.

Even sort of sounds and looks like the Omakase sign

My bubbly cousin Isobelle with her Chicken-katsudon

My chicken gyudon and side salad

Yummy grilled salmon roll

New cousins but seems like I've known her forever!

DAY 6

FINALLY found a temporary apartment!!! Thank God. At least for a month or two, I can live right in the middle of the city, great location. Its not the dream space I wanted. Bea and I fell in love with this new apartment that we viewed earlier today but alas someone got to it first.
But the people I'm living with are nice and chill. At least while I get used to my school and hopefully new job soon, then this is fine :)

DAY 6 : A beautiful tree

DAY 5

DAY 5 : Before Bea & I were "wind raped"

A very productive day :
1) Philippine Embassy visit with Consul-General Anne Louis. CHECK
2) Register at IDP Sydney. CHECK

Got an awesome call about my job application with Chanel. I'm short-listed! Woohoo! Waiting for their call before the end of the week *crossing all my fingers and toes.

In the meantime, had an awesome dinner at a must-eat restaurant HURRICANES with Bea and Rodney. We had to reserve in advance since apparently it can take up to 2 hours to get in without a reservation. It was worth the wait :) WARNING : The photos you see below may send you into food coma :)

Our view while having dinner

Bibs for our ribs : before the massacre

Our appetizer, SALT AND VINEGAR CALAMARES

Full Slab PORK RIBS but it was more like DINOSAUR RIBS that Bea and I shared. No sweat!

Rodney's Junior T-bone steak with fries (400grams)

Scared look?

Ready to eat look :) Oh mi god. Finger licking ribs! 

CAN'T WAIT TO BRING MY FAMILY THERE! :)

DAY 4

What a tiring day. Been using the train like a semi-pro and going through all the lines like a madwoman who is trying to take as much SYDNEY as i can.
Met up with Bea to do some outlet shopping for my family and then to take a look at my 2nd apartment choice. I don't know what I'd do without her :)
Tired but it was fun :)

DAY 4 : My "sister" in Sydney!

Check out the huge lunch that we shared!

Fried rice, noodles, beef satay, honey chicken and salmon/avocado roll.

 I did not have dinner tonight because I'm still full. Geez!

DAY 3

DAY 3 - Awesome cousin

Thank you for the wonderful meal (BELOW) where I saw the longest fries I've ever seen. Also for letting me Skype with my mom in Korea and my sister in Manila. I slept in the warmest electric mattress and watched a hilarious dvd movie called No Strings Attached. Awesome night with my newfound relatives :)

WAGYU BURGER with the longest fries I've ever seen in my life. YUM.

I call him SAUSAGE :)

2 cute beagles of my cousin :)

DAY 2

DAY 2 : Vietnamese Lemon Grass Sandwich w/ iced coke for lunch in TASTE cafe at Surry Hills

Day 1 in Down Under

DAY 1 : Devil's Delight

I know. My first picture of Sydney is a dessert plate. This just shows what a pig I am. I think its only appropriate to show my first dish here in Sydney since I had lunch at 3pm so I was hungry and devoured this like a savage.

Please see below for the rest of my photos during my first day :

Reminds you of what popular fast food chain? If you guessed Burger King then you're right. Bea said they had trademark problems so its Burger King but with a different name here. Same food. Hahaha! Weird.

Building in front of Circular Quay station. I should really find out which one. haha!

Trying out the new setting in my camera. Nostalgic mode.

I thought of you Kimi! Look lots of flavors!

Beautiful view of the harbour

I love the shapes. So inspiring.

I forgot what this place is called. Bea told me. I should really write it down.

Alias.

Just trying out another setting. Pretty neighborhood though

First restaurant with Bea and many more to come!

Yummy resto. Apparently a favorite with long queues during lunch and dinner :)

Awesome CHICKEN AND BACON pizza :)

Shopping area at Queen Victoria Building.

My pasalubong for you guys. Crocodile Chocolate Eggs from the supermarket. Augh. hahaha!

FAIL. Stranger did not get the Queen Victoria monument!

Here It Is.

FINALLY.

And that ends my first day. Agenda for my 2nd day? First apartment viewing. Wish me luck!