A weekend at home.

This previous weekend was spent back at home. When we purchased our tickets for the xx concert we didn't realize just how long we'd be in Perth. We had to make a special trip home for the show. I was actually looking forward to going home to switch out some of my clothes. I've been recycling the same garbs for the past couple months. Although, I must admit I have done a bit of shopping. I have no issues with admitting that I have a legit shopping addiction. It all started when I was in middle school. I wanted certain things that my parents would never buy. So as soon as I was in high school I looked for a job. Once I started getting pay checks I spent almost every penny shopping. I literally attempted to wear a different outfit every day of the year in senior year of high school. I saved up a couple pay checks just to buy my first Coach purse. I still have that purse, but I don't think I would ever carry it again. That continued until I was about 21. At 21 I still shopped way too much, but less than years prior.

Onwards and upwards...We landed in Melbourne just before midnight. We caught a cab home to a powerless house. While away in Perth our meter was switched out. The power company would not turn the power back on with out someone in the house. They have an after hours number that apparently is a joke. Because, Paul was home over a month ago & they refused to send someone out. We later found out that someone was just being lazy, big surprise. I was quite excited to check the mail box (even though it was the middle of the night). I'm glad I did, because I found a lovely card from my Daddy. Back to the power...I had to read the card under phone light. But I didn't care. It was the best surprise to come home to. There's something exciting about finding 'real' mail from a loved one. Little surprises like this one are what help get me thru the 'lonely' times away from the family.

Dad sent me some pictures of my car back home. The car has a couple feet of snow atop it. As silly as it sounds (to Minnesotans), I'm missing snow. I've never been away from home during an entire winter. I know plenty of Minnesotans are absolutely fed up with the snow. But you don't know what you've got till it's gone! ...Or something like that. With that said I have absolutely no complaints about the beautiful Perth weather. I'm a beach bum. I do my best work laying on the sand, or so my boyfriend says! I knew we were a match on our first trip together. He was completely content to just lay like vegetables on the beach.

After the footy game on Saturday we decided to walk around the city a bit. We haven't been back in Melbourne for more than a weekend in about five months. When we left it was still considered winter. The weather in Melbourne can be rather unpredictable. Paul and I call it bi-polar. The sun will be shining one minute, and in the next minute the clouds roll in, and we are listening/watching a rain storm. So when we had a beautiful arvo left after the game we took advantage! I took a few photos of some of the things that make Melbourne so beautiful. Sorry for the crap photos. I used my phone for these ones.

The Melbourne trams are the largest network tramway in the world. 

They've been operating since 1884. 

Melbourne is pronounced 'Melburn'. If you hear an Aussie say it, it sounds like 'Melbin'. They use very soft r's. So when I saw this street art I had to take a photo.

I'm still trying to wear in these new boots. They are proving to be a bit tighter than I thought they were when I decided I 'needed' them. After our walk I was left with a couple unattractive blisters on my feet.

We found a trumpet playing Elmo. We then continued to walk.

On our walk we found a bagpipe playing Cookie Monster!

On Sunday we had nearly the whole day before our flight. We slept in a bit and decided to go out for brekkie. We went to a relatively new restaurant down the road from home. We've been wanting to go there for a while. But we hadn't been home long enough to go! We started our meal with a cappuccino for Mr. F and a soy mocha for yours truly. They made a mean cup of Joe! My pancakes on the other hand left a bit to be desired. I'm not a fan of syrup, even though I feel like Buddy the Elf and I have striking similarities. I've now learned that if I order pancakes I MUST remember to state no syrup. For whatever reason whenever I eat a breakfast with too much sweetness I end up with a tummy ache. I can't believe parents have been telling the truth about not eating sweets before a meal for all this time!

Now for the piece de resistance: Sour Gummy Worms....pause for reaction. They are my favorite candy! Finding these babies in Oz is like finding a needle in a haystack. Well not that difficult. I suppose I'm being dramatic. They do sell them at one store in Williamstown for about a million dollars. Or you can find a gallon of them at the grocery store. I do not need a gallon. I would end up eating every last one & that is not a good look! While walking to our plane in Melbourne I decided to stare down the candy kiosk. I spotted the gummy worms. I thought about them for about a minute. I then all but demanded $3 from my boyfriend to go buy some. Best money I've ever spent. Please believe I ate every one of them on our 3.5 hour flight! Thank you to the Sweet Doctor at Melbourne airport. I'll see you next time!

Festival Hall: The xx, 05/04/2013

This past Friday my boyfriend made my dream come true. We saw my favorite band, the xx. The band is a trio (once a foursome) out of London. They began playing together back in high school in 2005 and their first album was released in 2009. I was a bit late on the wagon with them. I don't think I discovered them until late 2010. That's a major bummer on my part. I was at Lollapalooza when they were there, but I didn't know of them yet. But once I did it was as if my ears were hearing music for the first time. For the first month or two after I bought their debut album, xx I listened to it every day & every night. I literally would put it on every night as I laid down in bed. Some nights it served as a lullaby, and other nights it served as a distraction, because I couldn't stop listening.
Their second album, Coexist was released in 2012. It only further increased my love for their music.

I was freaking out about what to wear. Why? Cause I'm a girl, that's why. I finally decided on my new J. Bieb shirt, a grey skirt I just picked up, and some tights. Thank goodness for the tank top, because it was stinkin' hot in the venue! Paul wore two long sleeves. I can't believe he kept them on the whole time. I was sweating entirely too much. We decided to drive vs take the train. 

It was probably the best idea. There were two footy games going on that night.

 We probably would have had to stand awkwardly close to strangers the whole time on the train.

 Also, the cost of the meter was actually less than what both of our train fairs would have been.

We caught the last song of the opening act, Jagwar Ma. It's too bad we didn't see more. We were worried about feeding the meter. But from that song I would assume they put on a pretty good show.
http://youtu.be/1vU6a7Haw78

Then was about a thirty minute-hour break while they set up for the xx. We had a beer and I tried to get as close to the front as we could. I warned Paul that I might weird him out with my dancing.
I can get pretty lost in music at a show, especially my favorite band!
Luckily, he said I shouldn't be worried. I didn't weird him out too much.
 A girl in front of us danced much weirder.

Anxiously waiting for the show to begin.

First song. Oliver Sim stage right. That giant orbe of light was a big silver x.

Romy Madley-Croft to the right, Oliver Sim in the middle.

Oliver Sim.

Romy Madley-Croft. I had a hell of a time getting any pics of her. Sorry for the blurry shot.

I didn't do any "fancyfying" of the photos. what you see is what you get. I couldn't be bothered to put them thru cool filters and pick the coolest one. It wasn't very easy to get a great pic. The lights went from super dark to flashing and lighting the whole room up. Oliver Sim danced around the stage with his base. It was all very mesmerising. 

I feel like I'm going through withdrawals. The night of the show I couldn't sleep, because I just kept hearing their music. The cost of the tickets was a bit steep, $90. But for the show they put on I would have to say it's worth every penny. 

Here's their first single from Coexist, Angels. This was the encore song. So glad I found it on youtube. We really should have recorded some of the songs. But I couldn't stop dancing.

http://youtu.be/MMr5-8vmuDs

We didn't get home from the show until about midnight. We only had soup for dinner and both of us were starvin' like Marvin! So we drove around Williamstown until we found a pizza joint that was open. It was a shop that's been around since the 70's. They did a damn good cheese pizza!

 We also had some donuts in the house.
Because, well I saw a lady carrying them in the grocery store & thought I want that!
They were only $2 for a pack of six. I have been craving a donut for probably a year. No worries though, between Paul and I we only had a grand total two!
But they were too damn cute to pass up.

Until next time, xx.