The Journey Continues

I started this blog as a record of my trip to New York, to have it made into a book at the end so I would always remember the amazing time I had, the people I met and the experiences that changed me.


I didn't really expect anyone to read it.

Maybe a couple of my family and friends, sure, but certainly not people I don't even know.

The unexpectedly positive responses have encouraged me to keep writing; even if it is just for me this time.

So if you're interested, you can follow the continuing adventures of the Travelling Pants At Home in Australia.

Your life is an adventure too though, so get out there, live your own amazing story and thanks for reading.

xxx

What I've Learned

Who you are matters.

Sharing your Self and your gifts with the world and other people really does make a difference.

You can't always know the effect you willl have on other people you interect with.

Whether it's a chance meeting, a small kindness offered to a stranger or the belief in yourself to just get out there in the world and do what you love, don't let fear, doubt or your own thoughts stop you.

The most inspiring people I have met on this trip have shared themselves and their stories with me; just by being themselves and doing what they are passionate about, they have given me so many great ideas, far bigger than I had ever imagined possible for myself.

Making these ideas a reality is my job.

To quote Marinne Williamson, "your playing small does not serve the world", or yourself for that matter.

Live your life fully, it's the only one we get.

So get out there and be great.

xxx

Goodbye LA, Hello Melbourne via Bris-Vegas

It's been fun staying with Josh at Marina Del Ray, he is a very relaxed host and his dog Tavi is such a sweetheart.

We went out last night with his friends Daniel and Adele, the adorably kooky French lady, whose fluffy hat-like-thing I am wearing in this picture.

First stop a cute little wine bar where the Zinfandel blend was rockin' and the asparagus, cheese & prosciutto platters were the perfect accompaniment.

Next we went to the Santa Monica Pier, just because.

The amusement park was just closing and I'm not sure why people has babies in prams out at midnight on  Tuesday, but okay.

Last stop a cheesy bar around the corner from Josh's street.
Beers all round and much hat swapping made for the end of a fun night.

This morning I had to get a workout in, so three rounds of Tech Study and then off to buy a Flip cam to record and upload workouts. Thanks for the recommendation Terri, it's awesome and I got a great deal with a price match and the fact the Flips aren't being made anymore.

This afternoon Josh dropped me at the Getty Museum, amused himself while I wandered around and picked me up again. Cleaning his kitchen and cooking dinner was a small price to pay for having someone drive me around LA. This place is spread out and hard to navigate, so I couldn't have done it otherwise.

However, that kitchen was naaasty!

So this is my penultimate post from the US of A.

I get on a plane in just under four hours and spend about 20 hours traveling home.

LA has been okay but I heart you New York.

xxx

French Food & Formula

Although I could only arrange a flying overnight visit, I'm having a great time staying with my cousin Alan, his lovely wife Jeanette and their 9 month old twins Heidi  and Hamish.

Hamish is a smiling little bundle of cute and apparently likes blonds, so I'm in.
Heidi looked at me thoughtfully and took more time to warm up, but this morning we had a great time playing with her monkey and her fish and she was giggling like crazy.

I had almost forgotten the all-encompassing routine of caring for a Very Small Person who needs you for every single aspect of their lives, feeding, sleeping, playing, moving around and of course, the pooping.

How could I forget the pooping.

Alan & Jeanette do such an amazing job with both of them, and are such wonderful parents.
I can only imagine the strength & energy required to give two Small People all the love & attention they deserve.

So with babies fed and asleep, we headed out for dinner at a beautiful french restaurant in Carmel called Andre's Bouchee, where I ate and drank more delicious food & good red.

It's been a while.

At least three days since my last amazing meal at The Fat Radish
(Thank you once again to Ben and your amazing kitchen staff)

I ordered the Beef Carpaccio entree from the Specials menu and Jeanette kindly shared her favourite entree with me, Millefeuille de Foie Gras aux Pommes. She is a sainted woman.

Alan chose a couple of local Pinot's to go with the meal, a Miura 2007, and a Pizoni 2008, which were served to us by the Russian sommelier, Demitri, who is incredibly knowledgable and passionate about his wines, grapes & vines, may or may not have stolen root stock from a fancy-schmancy winery in France to replant in California, and is as mad as a hatter.

I enjoyed both the wines and Demitri, very much.

The Magret de Canard a la Framboise was just divine and the Profiteroles Au Chocolat were completely unnecessary.

I had them 'to go'.

I love that restaurants will package up anything you can't eat for you to take home, this doesn't happen so much in Australia and I'm not sure why.

After last night's indulgence, Alan and I will definitely be hitting this gym this morning.

The Travelling Pants Are in LA

I landed in Los Angeles just over an hour ago and am heading back to LAX airport soon for an hour long flight to Monterey, to stay with my cousin Alan and his family in Carmel.

Alan is my Dad's sister's eldest son and has been living in America for years. I have spoken to him on the phone the last time we were in Belfast, but never met him, and I can't wait to see his beautiful twin babies, Hamish & Heidi.

Thank you Hannah Yates for the gorgeous beach-side accommodation with Josh in Marina Del Ray, where I'll be staying tomorrow night when I return from Carmel.

I barely have an hour to recharge my phone, update the blog and get a taxi back to the airport, picking up a highly recommended In & Out Burger on the way.*

The flight from New York was suitably random and lovely, in keeping with the rest of this trip.

Apparently everyone's coming to LA to spend Passover with their families, as Alexandra, the gorgeous blond real estate agent/actor/model manager/fitness trainer, travelling with two adorable puppies in a bag, told me.

Terri, I'm sending her your way, she was very keen to hear about your work and lives in the West Village.

 I sat next to an Israeli geophysicist, and helped her with the acknowledgements for her Thesis on earthquakes.

As you do.

She was very grateful for the help, having already flown 15 hours from Israel before the 6 hour flight to LA, and was struggling with her english phrasing,

"My english is not so good" she says.

"Well it's better than my Hebrew!"
"I don't even know what modified velocity models are, but yes, that sentence makes sense in English"
and
"'guidness' is not a word. I think you mean 'guidance'"

That kind of thing.

Off I go again!
xxx

*UPDATE: no time for In & Out Burger, almost missed my flight to Carmel, as the airline changed it and somehow didn't email me. Thanks for that. My lovely host Josh will collect me from the airport tomorrow for the promise of In & Out Burgers. Bless.

Farewell New York

New York is so much more than department stores and nightclubs Lindsay Lohan has fallen out of.

With the exception of one particular post office lady, the people here have been incredibly friendly, welcoming and helpful to this slightly mad Australian wandering around the city with a smile on her face.

I may not have done all of the usual touristy things, in fact some of them are my worst nightmare (yes, Times Square, I mean you).

I have met interesting, real people, eaten the most delicious food, seen some amazingly beautiful art and had experiences I never could have imagined on a more traditional New York holiday.

My life, my possibilities and my capabilities are so much bigger now.

Thank you to all the people I've met on this trip, some just for a drink and a fun  time, some I think will be lifelong friends.

In order of appearance...

Lawrence & Dante at the Bowery Ballroom, Robert the Bike Guy, The Wonderful Terri Walsh & Helen Orenchak, Keith Walter & The Happy Bootcampers, The Lovely Sue, Alyssa & Gabrielle for the SNL info (I think), Rob Clayman, his friends James & Dominic, Chrisinda my bartender friend, Groovy JD & The Gorgeous Hannah, Eugene my pedal-bike tour guide, Frank (aka Random Subway Guy), Michael & Miss T (from Final Cut), Robert, James & Daniel, Melch & Gretchen (Sue's great friends) and finally Ben, who has inspired me on to my next Big Dream.

Thank you all and see you on the next trip!

I'm off to LA tomorrow morning so a couple of updates still to come before my travelling pants make it back to Oz.

xxx

The Dream Is Real - Now For The Next One

This morning I finished my final training session and bootcamp at the ART Studio.

I am happy that I acheived something that started as a dream five months ago, I had no idea how I was going to get here, where I would stay, I knew no one and had no money for the trip.

This trip has been amazing for me in so many ways, I love this city and have made so many new friends.

Packing up the family to move to NYC is possibly not the most practical idea.

Plans for my next trip however, are already bubbling away in my mind and the plans for my business when I get home are completely off the hook.
I have so much work to do when I get home and I can't wait!

Thank you New York.