Sydneyside - the Aussie Adventure begins!

Australian currency - much more colorful and interesting than we have at home.  How can you not love a currency that has a platypus on the 20 cent coin???

Sadly, this may have been one of the highlights of my unscheduled 2 day stopover in Sydney.  After a 15 hour flight and a week of partying like a rockstar in LA, I spent a large portion of my visit sleeping.  I did manage to drag myself out of bed long enough to notice that Sydney was about as appallingly expensive as NYC.  A cheap "schooner" of beer (less than a pint!!!) averaged about $5.  My hostel in King's Cross, one of the more *colorful* areas of the city, was $32 a night - obviously a much better deal than your average hotel room, but definitely on the high end in the world of backpackers.

I was disappointed to discover that Bad Religion had a show scheduled for the evening of the day I was due to depart.  They were playing as part of the Soundwave festival which ran over a few days.  I met some British & American guys who worked with some of the bands at the closest bar with A/C.  Did I mention it's bloody hot here???

I did accomplish two important things, despite my hours spent snoozing - I managed to open my Australian bank account, and of far greater importance, set up my local phone number!  Hooray!  If anyone feels like running up the long distance bill, just email me for my new #.  I'm also typically on Skype at least once a day.

Review of Jackaroo Hostel :
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g255060-d1950653-r125919075-Jackaroo_Hostel-Sydney_New_South_Wales.html#UR125919075

Life in LA LA Land...

So it seems there is a reason they call it Hollyweird.  This week was a whirlwind of the outrageous and bizarre, and gave new meaning to the phrase 'party like a rock star.'  I'll spare you the details, but the high points included:

-checking out Steel Panther at the House of Blues (and hearing them announce that they're off to tour Australia!)
-going to see Gilby Clarke at the Whisky (complete with new!improved!70s porn star stache!) with a stop-off at the Rainbow afterward (is any trip to LA complete without a drink at the Rainbow?  I THINK NOT.)

-possibly the best plate of homemade tagliatelle I have ever eaten at a restaurant not in NYC named after a street in NYC (thanks, Delancey)
-seeing my awesome LA friends!!!!!!  Love you girls!

This is Heather.  Her hat is fabulous.

NYC To Do List

So this is all the stuff I can think of that I want to do before I leave - please to be noting that 95% of the list is bars...BIG SHOCK!!!

Coyote(?)
Doc’s
Turkey’s Nest
Shake Shack
Holiday  RIP Stefan, all over again :-(
Grassroots
Trivia - Pete’s or Big Quiz Thing
Duff’s
Subway
Call Box
Temple

The Great Aussie Adventure!!!

Just to give you all an idea of where I will be for the next year!  The Whitsundays are a group of 85 islands off the NE coast of Queensland, between Brisbane & Cairns.  This area is known as the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef.  If you're interested in reading more about the region, click here! 

Feliz Navidad!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Feliz Navidad, Merry Festivus, & HAPPY 2012!!!
(I realize this holiday greeting arrives a little late, but hey, when have you ever known me to be on time???)

2011 was quite a rollercoaster ride for me - in February, I was laid off from JSL after almost seven years.  I was fortunate to find a new home with one of my previous co-workers and started working at Carpet Couture in April.

During my time between jobs, I set off on an amazing two week scuba diving & fishing trip to beautiful and exotic Belize.  Some of my other travel highlights this past year included climbing ancient temple ruins and driving a Hummer through the jungles in Cancun, relaxing on the charming island of Isla Mujeres, exploring the picturesque streets of Old Montreal, and snuggling up to fuzzy alpacas at fiber festivals in both Maryland and Rhinebeck.
Outside of work & gallivanting around the world, I enjoyed weekly get-togethers through the year with both my knitting club, Girls Who Purl, and another group in the city, where I was lucky enough to meet a number of cool, fun girls who share my passion for fiber arts.
The other Big Event of the year for me was turning The Big Three Oh.  I was very nervous about the departure from my 20s, but my friend Maggy helped ease the transition with a girls’ weekend in Key West right before Halloween.  if you don’t know what Fantasy Fest is all about...I high recommend it!  Pretty sure we could have used a week of recovery when we arrived back home.
And now on to the new adventure that 2012 is bringing my way!!!  As some of you already know, I am headed off on an exciting new journey to the Land Down Under.  I have been granted a visa to work and travel in AUSTRALIA for up to a year!!!  I have given my notice at work and will be leaving NYC at the end of February, with a brief stopover in LA to visit friends, since it’s on the way.  I plan to continue my scuba training while I am overseas and working toward becoming a dive professional.  I will be making my home in the Whitsundays region, on the East coast of Queensland about halfway between Brisbane and Cairns.
If anyone is going to be in that part of the world, please let me know - I would love to have visitors!  Hopefully I will make a good local tour guide once I get settled in.  If you’re interested in following my (mis)adventures, I will be posting regular updates here!
I wish you & yours the happiest of new years & hope all is well in your lives!  :-)
XO
Ashley

My Everest!!!

It is finished.  FINALLY.  I can breathe again.  And it only took 6 months!!!

Run THIS WAY!!!

Went to watch the NYC Marathon today for the first time ever - usually I avoid the course like the plague.  Unless there are MYmosas involved...  But today my friend Liz was running the marathon, so I went with the girls to support her and hold signs.

I must say, I was pleasantly surprised by how entertaining the runners were.  I had no idea that there would be so many costumed runners!  It was a little like the Village Halloween Parade, only faster.  There were ladies (and men!) in tutus, Uncle Sam, a full-on pimp complete with coat/hat/cane, and so many more.  The spirit of camaraderie between the runners and the crowd would have melted even the Grinch's heart - the cop stationed near us (for crowd control, ostensibly) shouted encouragement to the runners, patting them on the shoulder and giving high-fives.  Our group got into the spirit by shouting out the names of the runners, most of which were written on their shirts.  Some of them waved at us, or shouted their thanks as they dashed by.

Most entertaining of all was the dude next to us wearing a cardboard box spray-painted gold on his head.  He was holding a sign that said Everybody Shufflin' and also a tray of bananas.  Some of the runners actually stopped dead in their tracks or circled back to take pictures of him.  Rock on, Box-Head Man.