I'm starry-eyed and vaguely discontented

As usual, I've let a few months go by between posts. But truly, the minutiae of visa applications is not for the faint of heart!

The good news is, we're done! We handed in all the paperwork at the beginning of September, and began the long process of waiting. There has been one excellent development, though. With the expiring of my tourist visa on October 13, I was granted a bridging visa with the right to work full time! I got the email from immigration just a couple days before my birthday, so it was a lovely early present!

Speaking of birthdays - that happened. I thought about staying 26 this year, but I turned 27 without really having any say in the matter. Nearly two weeks later, I guess I'm at peace with it. What choice do I have? The celebrations were fun, though. My friends Amber and Adriane from Sydney came down for the weekend, and it was lovely to entertain my fellow Americans. We joined some other friends for dinner at Eau de Vie, a Melbourne cocktail bar with a delicious tapas menu. After feasting on fried chicken, pork belly and fried baby artichokes, we headed to the Gin Palace for drinking and debauchery. I didn't ever walk up to the bar to order, and consequently have no idea what cocktails I drank all night, but they were delicious. The next day's hangover, sadly, was not.

Since the girls left, and I've been legal, I've been working at Marmalade Cafe, in East Brighton. I wanted to get something close to home so I wouldn't have to commute. I overshot a little bit, though, as East Brighton is over 6 km from my house. The bike ride takes about 25 minutes, and is definitely a workout. But it's good, since the deli two doors down is owned by the same ladies, and the cheeses they sell are a force to be reckoned with. I figure this way I can at least burn off my weaker moments!

I'm still actively pursuing arts work, and some temporary office work as well. Hopefully something will come my way soon!

In other news, Jack's parents came down from Brisbane last weekend. We hadn't seen them since our trip there in May, and since their trip to France for 3 months (jealous). They haven't really spent much time in Melbourne before, although they've certainly been here. Jack really wanted to show them around, so we booked a tour to the Yarra Valley, one of the premier wine regions in Victoria.

We visited 4 wineries - Domaine Chandon, Train Trak, Yering Station and De Bortoli. All very different, all lovely. By the end of the day, though, we had tasted a lot of wine, our palates were tired and our brains a bit tipsy. It is beautiful countryside though:


More photos after the jump







the McLeans and me at Domaine Chandon

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