The Circus Is In Town!

Two more days left of Cirque Du Soleil's Dralion in Auckland so get to it if you can, people!

Love Cirque's big top! The colours always make me feel cheerful for some reason.

Dralion is a show about East meets West - Dra being Dragon and Lion being, well, lion.

First up was the classic contortionist - this little Asian girl was like a giant raspberry twisty licorice stick!

Second act was the juggler slash contortionist - Think David Bowie in Labyrinth but even more awesome. I couldn't find a photo of him in a Dralion setting so this will have to do.

This was at a Dralion preview do apparently:

Then there was a whole lot of men running around while swishing these giant fans:

Acrobats jumping rope:

Highlight for me and Viv is this lovers dance on silk rope - so romantic!! Word of advice to all men - learn how to fling yourself while hanging on rope and carrying your lady!:

Ladies, you are welcome! But apparently, these two are siblings! Yiew!

Acrobats flipping all over the place on top of each other while balancing on a platform of lightbulbs!!!

Anyway, all photo credits go to someone and somewhere on the internet! It was great but I think I am somewhat desensitized towards all these amazing performances because we've seen them all to some extent in China. Sure Cirque was a colourful over the top production with the lighting, the props, the costumes, etc.. but in China, we saw the same amazing talent but stripped down to its very core - basic props, basic costumes, no atmosphere created whatsoever.. just raw, impossible human talent!

First Day Back in The Workforce

First day back at work and it felt like first day at school! I had my brand spanking new uniform (aka one of the suits that I buried deep inside my wardrobe when I left the CA world and its strict dress code behind and said Helloooo sweet sweet jeans in the more informal corporate setting) all ready to go and made my lunch last night. One might suggest that I look forward to the whole lunch packing process which involved going to the supermarket and buying all kinds of multipack treats to put in said lunchbox more than the job itself. One would be right!

Anyway I planned the whole Get-D-back-to-work Operation down to a T and arrived with plenty of time to spare at the carpark. So I had time to park Sam in a spot that I deemed safe (aka with as many sides protected from other irresponsible drivers who might haphazardly open their car doors and touch Sam in the process!!). I present to you: SAM!!

So the carpark is 4 storeys high and about 3 blocks away from the office. There is a closer carpark but it's 3 bucks more expensive per day. Being the tight beancounter that I am, I am going to park at this cheaper option everyday. I have to cross 7 traffic lights to get to the office from the carpark. I kid you not. Downtown traffic!

It figured that the day I started work would be gorgeous. Typical! I work in the building just in front of the clock tower. I've always wanted to work in the Viaduct area so this is pretty cool. But I don't really like working in town with all the logistics issues so 7 weeks working here should be just about long enough. I also figured that the daily to and fro between the carpark and the office should trim me down for the summer. Yahooooo! One can hope anyway!

I figured my first proper day at work after 10 months of holiday is probably going to be painful. So I wisely armed myself with a giant bag of food supplies for the day - nectarine, mandarin, muesli bar, fruit bar, carbonara for lunch and a big can of V. But it turned out that I only had time for the muesli bar as I spent most of the day at someone else's desk being trained up for the role I am covering and I was invited out to lunch with the girls.

We went across the road to Westin for lunch. It's the newest hotel in Auckland and it sure is puuureeeetty.

Entrance of the restaurant:

The dining area is sectioned off by these ceiling to floor curtains made of chains:

Everyone ordered the lunch special - Q Box. As explained to me by my co-worker, it's kinda like japanese bento boxes but fine dining style. So for $18, you get an entree, a veges dish, a mains and a dessert. We all chose angus scotch fillet for the main.

Entree was a big fat juicy scallop wrapped with bacon in a creamy sauce:

Side of steamed asian greens, broccoli and beans:

Tender medium-rare steak with a teeny tiny carrot as garnish and a wonton stuffed with something that tasted like meat but may have been finely diced mushroom?!:

Dessert was a chocolate tart:

The portions were perfect!! I was neither hungry nor full by the end of it. Just perfect.

Then I dragged myself back to work and it was pretty uneventful after that. I didn't even finish off my big can of V. Save it for tomorrow.

Welcome back to the real world to me!

If You Don't Cry When You Watch This, Then You're Dead Inside!

Swan Lake!

The weather is getting better and better in Auckland and armed with a loaf of stale bread, we went off to Western Springs to feed the birds.

Seagulls in action:
Survival of the fittest/quickest:

It's not baby ducks season but I spotted this family!! Don't you just love how the babies are sandwiched between the parents for protection?? Awwwww.....

I was hoping there were 6 baby ducklings/swanlings(????) so i could compare to our family and the 6 girls... oh well, we'll just pretend Monica the duckling is still back in the nest drinking her third bottle of milk....

Just before we left, we spotted a whole lot of eels in the water. Took a video for the 2 brats' enjoyment:

Random pics that i can't be bothered starting a new post for:

Snapped this while gridlocked... this number plate, ie 4677, holds a lot of memories for the Hiis... it was Mum's old Toyota's number plate - SB4677. The car we spent a lot of our childhood in - squashed together, going to and fro school, playing silly car games like see who can spot the most coconut trees (yes yes *cue* silly jokes about living on a coconut tree in a village from Marty), etc.

Made 2 batches of cupcakes for ex-workmates.. My icing skills need work but the batter is yum yum yum. Viv ate two... mwahahahaha.

I made this for dinner one night - Korean bulgogi beef. Healthy and yummy. This was a seriously HUGE serving bowl. I finished everything in 2 meals. Ooopsie.

Melbourne - Where I'll End Up Living.... Probably

Man I can't believe how quickly 4 and a half months go by!! Before I know it, it was time to pack up and go back to Auckland! Crazy!! Bye Mum and Dad! Thanks for everything!

So Dad very generously gave me a voucher to the First Class Lounge in KL airport so I got to rest in style!! Had free food, free drinks and a free read of magazines. I also did what I always do in lounges..... take a hot shower and as usual, the showers were outfitted with rain showers. Me favourite!

Got back to Auckland and it was quite surreal being back. FYI, nothing had changed in the time I was gone. Caught up with the sisters and we went out for a feed as usual. Repeat after me, FAMILY + FOOD = LOVE. We went to a chinese restaurant near my house and over-ordered as usual.

Some sorta meat.... can't remember now.
Tofu and Beef Brisket Casserole... great comfort food..

This was a freebie from the restaurant owner as she's a patient of Mel's. Cold cut meat.

Crunchy salt and pepperish spare ribs... sooo good.

Anyway I was back for 3 days before turning around and hopping back on a plane to jump across the ditch to see the kids. Yes I know, I have a hard life.

It was an early flight so I had to observe tradition and get a Mackers breakfast as per normal. I did feel a bit gross eating this at 5 am but I perservered.

I flew el cheapo Pacific Blue but everything was clockwork and I actually got to the curb just as Monica pulled up in her car. Yes!! No waiting in the cold for 3 hours until she is good and ready to come get me...

The kids were in the car and acted all shy and coy for all of 10 minutes. Here they were having a play while sucking on their lollipop.

Having another play at their local playground. That Lauren has strong arms. Check out the look of determination on her face.

Logan's turn to show off:

The playground had a whole bunch of exercise machines too which was pretty cool.

Family that plays together stays together...

Haz was away in Taiwan so he brought all sorts of goodies home for his family. Lauren scored a Mackers set.

You want fries with that?

Monica also got some presents that were age-appropriate.

Lauren's other present was pink googles which she insisted on wearing for the rest of that afternoon.

I made this easy dessert for the Liaos... packet of chocolate biscuits sandwiched in cream and arranged log-style. Refridgerate overnight and you have in your hands a sinful spongey dessert. Haz declared this his favourite dessert since ages ago. It was news to his wife.

Nomnomnomnom....

I went to the city a few times while the kids went to school and the parents went to work. This is the Federation Square... don't ask me what's it for... I think it's one of those inner city arty farty buildings.... Look at the sky!

Flinders St Station..

A couple of years ago when I was about 16 (haha), I visited Melbourne and made plans to hang out with my high school friend from Malaysia. It was all very exciting because it was the first time I would hang out in the city without family around. So we made plans to meet up at the steps of the station at 2pm. Monica and Mel had youth group (yes it was THAT long ago) so they dropped me off there and went off to church. I waited... and waited.... and waited and the cow never showed! I couldn't go because Monica and Mel were coming back to pick me up there. So I waited like a dork for 2+ hours. I rung the hostel up to find the friend and they said she had gone shopping! She later said she had an exam she forgot all about. Ya and I'm Angelina Jolie.

GPO where all the shops were expensive!

Met up with Monica and we shared this spare ribs casserole rice for lunch. Burnt my tongue!

Melbourne Central with the glass cone dome built over the original building...

Lauren is at an age where she has to copy everything Logan does. Here they were in similar pjs, drinking out juice out of a glass with a silly straw, sitting on the kitchen floor.... 2 minutes after this photo was taken, we had a spillage accident.

Kids playing on the parents' bed.

Monica and I snuck off to do some shopping one day and left Haz on babysitting duties. We went to Chadstone and then had a choccie break at Koko Black. We ordered a dark hot chocolate and a chocolate platter with a brownie, a cupcake and 2 shortbread. We asked for a light dark hot choc but it wasn't ready so we gave up. Who were we kidding anyway really??

Monica pre-pigout (she finished off everything and blamed me!)

Having another play with the kids... here's Logan making me a meal.

Peas on buttered bread anyone?

We had an outing to check out the new mall in Docklands that Sunday and stumbled across a Lambo meet. Hawtness!

My client used to have one of these. Sadly, I didn't get to go anywhere near it. Boo!

Old school lambos..

The white one was Logan's favourite...

Docklands is kinda like Viaduct Harbour in Auckland... with expensive apartments dotted everywhere right on the water and bars and restaurants on the ground level. This is where I'll be staying when I eventually move here. Monica is going to buy me an apartment here.

The kids spotted heaps of jellyfish in the harbour and were very fascinated with them.

There was also a little petting zoo happening..

This is the newly built Melbourne Eye... not sure if that's the actual name but it doesn't matter because the thing is already broken.

Logan working on his Mandarin school homework... Lauren had to get in amongst it too so she did some doodling.

Went into the city one last time the day before I left and took pics of the Royal Arcade... so pretty!

This is Central Place which always reminds me of Diagon Alley because of its narrowness..

Another gorgeous inner-city arcade.... can't remember the name now.

I visited Brunswick Street where the Alannah Hill outlet was (didn't buy anything... floral flirty skirts don't go well with punky short hair) and walked down the entire length of the street. There were some cool graffiti art on the side alleyways...

Monica and Haz treated me to lunch at a restaurant with a Chairman Mao theme.

What's with the deer caught in headlights look?

Peking duck, steamed fish with chilli sauce and a stir fried meat dish... yum yum.

Lauren wore a pink dress but refused to stand still for me to take the obligatory cute photo.

Look at the cheeky smile!

In other news, Logan lost a tooth. I hope the Tooth Fairy was generous to him!

Bye Melbourne. Hasta La Vista, Baby!