Cronulla Beach

Even in winter, Australian beach is crowded with many people.

Last week, one of my previous colleague showed me around Cronulla beach where is located in south of Sydney. The place is known as posh area and the atmosphere is pretty much similar to Gold Coast. It was windy day but I was feeling high that it's been a long time since I went to beach last.

Though Sydney is not busy as much as Tokyo, I feel people in Sydney live and work in fast-paced environment more or less.

If you feel a bit tired being in big city, how about relaxing on beach like OZ people do? It's good way to detoxicate daily stress and release yourself from pressure.

In the afternoon, we watched movie,' Kangfu Panda 2'.

For listening in English, it's good to practise with animation movie because it's easier to listening and understand stories compare to action or other kind of movies.

She also showed me her wedding dress in her flat. She's gonna have small and casual wedding ceremony on a beach in this October.

When she talked about her boyfriend, I could read her fillfullment and happiness. Wish her great future:)

I could find a lot of gorgeous cars near the beach!

How to make cafe sandwich

I work as a sandwich maker in a cafe and would like to introduce one of my favourite. This is Italian food which called 'Antipasto'.

For your bit of fancy morning breakfast or lunch, why don't you give it a try? It goes well with coffee or tea!

《ANTIPASTO》

Ingredients;

Panini bread

Basil pesto

Grilled egg plant

Grilled capsicum

(Grilled mushroom )

Sun dried tomato

3 cheddar cheese

1. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　2.


Cut the panini bread into half 　　　　　　　　Spread basil pasto on the

horizontally. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　both side.

3. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　4.

Place eggplant, cupsicum, sundried Put cheese on the top.

tomato,(mushroom) on the bottom.

5.

Replace the lid and toast it if you like.

daylight saving has finished

Although I was supposed to be my working place at 6:30AM on

last Sunday, when I arrived there and looked at the clock which is in the office, the needle said it's 7:30AM.

I was sure that I left my house around 6:10AM and my mobile clock was working properly.

. I was surprised and confused for a while if I was late at work due to misunderstanding the time. But in the short time, I was noticed the office clock hadn't put back 1 hour yet despite daylight saving has already finished.

It was funny sensation that time is suddenly changed in such a

way because Japan doesn't have the system.

For those who don't really know about Australian daylight saving system, I'd like to tell you the overview a little.

Q. What is daylight saving?

Daylight Saving Time (or summertime as it is called in many countries) is a way of getting more light out of the day by advancing clocks by one hour during the summer. During Daylight Saving Time, the sun appears to rise one hour later in the morning, when people are usually asleep anyway, and sets one hour later in the evening, seeming to stretch the day longer.

Q. How it works in Australia?

Daylight saving will begin on the first Sunday October at

2am, when clocks will be put forward one hour.(thus, losing 1hour) Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory

do not have daylight saving.

In NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, the ACT and South Australia, daylight saving will finish on the first Sunday April at 3am, when clock will

go back one hour and the time will become 2am.

( thus, gaining 1 hour)

The daylight in Sydney is getting shorter in these days as the temperature is also getting cooler.

When seasonal turning is around the corner, I feel it's time

to go for a window shopping to buy new clothes. It's hard time

to tighten my purse string that loads of seasonal fancy products tempt me!

Benefits of salsa dance

Salsa is the most popular couple style of dance in the world

and I'm one of the person who was inspired with it. I've just

recently started to take salsa classes and found lots of

benefits.

The good thing about learning salsa here is that if you enjoy

going out, you are able to dance Monday to Sunday, because

salsa parties are very popular in Sydney.

Even though Latin dance is not really throughout in Japan,

especially amongst Japanese men, I DO recommend to them

to give it a try! Do you ask what are the benefits of learnig dance?

There are too many to mention...But the following list will be

the main reasons.

・　Social benefits: the connection to people in group classes,

the social parties can create new friendships and an awesome

boost on your life. Increase your circle of friends by

meeting so many new people!

・ Excercise: it will help you to get into great shape, increase coordination and flexibility and you WILL LOSE WEIGHT.

As well, the pysical benefits help to create a positive lift in

mood and spirit.

・It will aid you in life: learning of new skills can help to create confidence, and gives you a feeling of satisfaction. You'll become better at work, more focused, more fulfilled, and you'll carry

yourself in an entirely different way.

What I fancy about Latin dance is there is a exchange of

sensuality and energy with dance partner. Specially when

nice and adequate chemistry happens between the two,

I feel some content in passion. The sense is addictive for me...

Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras

(5th March 2011 on Oxfrod st)

Mardi Gras is an annual gay pride parade and festival.

Oxford street in sydney, where the procession walk along is

known as the place that many gay people live and there are

a lot of bar/club.

The event celebrates lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender

culture and also at times serve as demonstrations for legal

rights such as same-sex marridge.

When I arrived there, it was so crowded already with many spectator. I regreted it soon that I hadn't left home earlier

and reserved the space to watch. (Until then, I've been failed

to remember I'm not that tall and most of Western people are

taller than me)

My friend and I was trying to watch it through people's heads

but found it difficult even what's happening there. But my

friend found a vacant beer case to stand on it which seemed to belong the woman who was next to us.

He asked her if we can share the beer case that the one seemed vacant. She said it was fine until her girlfriend coming back.

As a result, we got some space to watch the parade because of

the kind lesbian couple. (Incidentally, the women's girlfriend also

kept sharing the space for us.They were so friendly too. )

I've been in happy mood all the night due to the incident.

In my opinion, gay & lesbian people are not exceptional

existance. They just like same sex people. That's it.

The earthquake in Tohoku

The news was also reported 11th March here in Australia.

It's been 11 days since massive earthquake has hit on north

of Japan. Still number of people haven't found yet and

the radiation of Fukushima nuclear plant is one of the serious problem.

I feel so sorry for the survivor who lost their family in this

disaster and the evacuee who has been in hard time.

The affeir is not other people's business for me.

Because I'm from Shizuoka where is famous for its anticipation

of big quake. In my view, what we can do at the moment is

raising some of money or help, praying for them and learning something through the complicated situation.

This sentences below is quotation of remarks by the president

Obama on the situation in Japan.

Above all, I am confident that Japan will recover and rebuild because of the strength and spirit of the Japanese people. Over the last few days, they’ve opened up their homes to one another. They’ve shared scarce resources of food and water. They’ve organized shelters, provided free medical care, and looked out for their most vulnerable citizens. One man put it simply: “It’s a Japanese thing. When hard times hit, we have to help each other.”

Japan is supported by lots of countries. I believe Japanese

people's strength and am sure we will recover from the damage

even if it takes time.

Sydney Salsa Congress

Every the end of January, big Latin dance festival is held for

4 days in Sydney. The location is Sydney olympic park sports

centre which was build up for summer Olympic in 2000.

Many professional dancers who came from various countries performed on the stage and the show was fantastic!

Though above picture is samba, the main performances were

salsa dance. In particular, group dances were such a great

spectacle that each group has different style of dance, music

and dress.

After the show, there is a dance party that spectator can

take part in and enjoy themselves until 3am in the morning.

To enjoy this, it's a good idea to attend Latin dance workshop

which is rectured by the world's best Latin dancers.

My one of the purpose to go there was buying dancing shoes.

Because I had already heard that I could get it at a half of the

price.

The gold beige colour and its design grabbed my heart:D

I tried on lots of shoes until my preference and

suitable size meet each other. (The shop assistants

kindly done their job to find it. I appriciated it. )

The next congress will be taken place in 2012 February.

http://www.sydneysalsacongress.com.au/

Shall we dance Salsa?

I'm pretty into salsa dance in these days. Sydney is lucky city for

salsa dancer that there is at least one place to take place salsa function somewhere, every day. So you can go to dance salsa every day if you wish. 

Some places provide free lesson for beginers and afterwards we dance on the floor with mixed level people.The people nationality is various. Aussie, Latin, Asian, middle east, European.... they just get together in one place in the night to be dancing queen and king.

I like the dancing style and music which has passion and sexiness.

Even though I'm a very beginer, the atomosphire allow me to join

it with no hesitation. Actually I love salsa much better than clubbing.

Two of them might be similar for those who put them in the same category as dance. but to me, it's totally different thing.

To some extent, we need to follow the way of dance in case of salsa. It means we are required some effort and dedication to improve our dancing skills such as go to school, invest for dancing equipment and lots of practice! In my thought, only people who has a desire to improve themselves can keep to do it. It might make the atomosphire what I like and could be the reason I prefer to salsa.

What's more, salsa dance is huge in the world including Japan.

Once I remember how to dance salsa, I could enjoy salsa wherever

I travel foreign countries. It's exciting just imagine it...

I'll write about Sydney salsa congress in next blog.

Tonight is the day to go to dance!! So I'll stop to write here today.

If you're interested in Sydney salsa infomation, this website might

help you. http://sydneysalsascene.com/

Barista

I completed introduction of Barista course. It took about 3 hours but I really enjoyed the session. I learnt it from an Italian cafe owner and he let me do plenty of practice to make good milk and coffee. It helped me a lot to grasp a sence of coffee making.

By the way, coffee is national drink and part of culture in Italy as same as green tea for Japanese, beer for Australian, tea for English so that they have passions for the coffee's quality & freshness.

Here is a trivia of Cappuccino.

Although there are some theories about it, the word 'Cappiccino'

originally come from Italian language'Cappuccio'which means hood.

The froth with chocolate looked like brown clothes with hood that monks used to wear. That's why it named Cappuccino.

One more trivia about Macchiato.

'Macchiato' means 'make a stain' in Italy. When some froth of milk was dropped on the top and was made it like a stain, we can call it Macchiato. When I came to Australia, I ordered Macchiato in a cafe without knowing it's made by 30ml Espresso with froth. I had imagined it should have been like Caramel Macchiato in Starbucks.

(Of course it was not and too strong for me.) But for Italian people,

like that strong coffee is nomal daily drink. On the other hand, long black is minor drink.

After the coffee course, I will be able to enjoy visiting cafe more and more. Because now I really know what good coffee is.

Deepen thing's background helps to spread the world!

Boxing day

Many of you might have enjoyed New year's shopping already.

Specially for girls, buying grab bags or sales goods are one of

pleasure in begining of the year.

In Australia, there's a big shopping day, which is called 'Boxing day' on the next day of Xmas, 26th Dec. Posh departments

open their shop early in the morning and the product's prices

go very reasonable than usual.

That's why this is a great opportunity if you are willing to buy

some goods, particularly brand-name one.

However, the best timing to go would be after the New Year.

Because the prices go down more and more after Xmas season.

Today's my loot

Though the mule is no brand, I could buy it for $10

in Pitt Street Mall which is located in heart of Sydney CBD.

The place is one of big shopping precenct that includes

famous department such as Myer, David Jones and Westfeild.

For more info

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitt_Street_Mall

I don't feel tired if I keep walking for 2 hours while shopping.

But why walking for 2 hours as exercise could be so tiring?

(I think it's a quite common mystery for lots of girls)

Incidentally, if you are an expectant mother who loves shopping,

it's good for you as exercise because of above theory.