Hello 2013!

Ah, beautiful Australia. After a whirlwind of flights (Taiwan, Hong Kong, London, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore) we finally touched down in the land down under, just in the knick of time for New Years. Once again I was super thankful that mon management let me have a few days before new year off to spend with the family!

Urgh - airport food is my crack. My kryptonite. My guilty pleasure. It ruins me. I wish I could say this was my only two plates but I ended up shoving down more than 14 croissants, 17 dim sums, a few bowls of noodles and just ended up feeling utterly sick. Don't ask why I do this to myself - there's something so appealing naughty about it when it's all free and you have an hour to kill..

Same story. First plate of three. And then came the cheese. Guilty as charged.

Finally! A la plage! Bianca went straight in hoping for a miracle (her being able to tan, and in 24 hours) and I (who, apparently, has to stay as white as baby powder) was accompanied by Women's Health to make me feel a little better after all the naughty airport food.

We then hit Mosman high street for some of the necessities..

..and came back with these yummies! Bianca and I downed the middle one straight away ("we'll just try a little bit.." - right). D-E-LICIOUS.

Lets just say Bianca has some pretty lucky friends at university.

Everything is always more colourful in Australia, even the clothes. Especially the clothes.

I absolutely adore their brands!

Dessert at The Bathers Pavillion on my favourite, Balmoral Beach. I'd never been to the restaurant before but the rents brought us as a special treat. We don't get to spend too much time together as a family being all over the globe now so we really like to saviour the precious time we get together.. with food. We love food. Love love love love it.

But lets be honest, people who love to eat are always the best people.

Petit Four

Yammy.

We also ran into this guy while at the shops. At least someones getting it right - put the biggest smile on my face. I know it's obvious but happy people just make you feel happy (unless you're one of those people who like being sad - maybe it's time to take a leaf out of his book!).

Now on to New Years Eve! How did you spend yours?

One of my favourite places in the world. You see the pier behind me? When I was younger dad, Bianca and I would scamper like the excited little girls we were (dad may say he came along to protect us but lets be honest, he was the one making us go in the first place!) and dive (or bomb) off the end, plunging into the deep crisp ocean. The first hit was always the worst - frighteningly freezing. But refreshing? Definitely. We'd then swim as fast as we could back to shore (and to a mum worrying her pants off). I have to admit, I'm not the world's fastest swimmer but I sure swam as fast as a spastic looking fish could while thinking about the 'dangers of the deep' (ALWAYS SO SCARED OF SHARKS/EELS/EVERYTHING). Yeah yeah yeah, even though there was netting.

Anyhoo.. off to breakfast we went!

Buttermilk 'flapjacks'

My breakfast (on my anti-diet).

Muesli, yogurt and fruit

Daddy's breakfast. My whole family were being so annoying healthy while I had to pack on the pounds. It was weird, it made me feel like it was unfair that I wasn't allowed to be healthy, hahaha. Surreal. Just like this view.

Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous. Look at the ocean! That turquoise blue!

Bianca and the champers

After a day of fluttering around the bay it was back to the house to start the celebrations. While there is the grandest array of parties and festivals  to choose from when spending NYE in Sydney, we generally (well, always) opt to stay at home together as a family. Not just because we enjoy each others company but we're also pretty lucky to have one of the firework branches stationed right in front of us. Absolutely perfect. No New Year traffic and road rage for us!

Big love.

pardyyyy time!

The most gorgeous dress from a beautiful little boutique in Mosman my cousin took me to called Camilla!

Spot the asian. Stuart (my cousin) updating us with some recent snaps.

After knocking back about 10 bowls of nuts and wasabi peas it was time to prepare for the best bit of the evening...

THE FOOD!

(And the amazing view, of course).

Deceivingly light and refreshing so you can shove down a lot more than you think. Such an amazing selection!

I know my parents don't like being featured on the blog (and I know you're reading this mummy and daddy) but I love this picture so much!

*sigh* (I really did just sigh), I wish I could say that this was my only plate.. I think seconds and thirds (and maybe eating the left overs while bringing the plates in) is acceptable behavior on such occasions.

Dessert platters!

Sharing is caring! 

We then sat on the roof and watched day turn to night and the harbor light up with the tinker of boat lights, joyful voices and cheering from party goers and genuinely happy people excited for the new year to come.

And the fireworks were pretty ok too.

Got to bed at around 2am, got up at around 6am and then it was off to the airport and back to work on the first day of the new year! While walking (or rolling) onto the plane with my stomach still full from last night's indulgences I voweled that my new years resolution was not to over eat (I lasted about five days) and to be more carefree and take things as they come. This year will be as good of a year as you make it and mine is going to be very, very happy and full of lots of firsts. What's yours going to be like?

And here's to my first first of 2013, writing it on paper! I hope everyone had a magical holiday period with their loved ones and here's me wishing everyone a happy new year! May it be your best yet!

Ming xx