East or West?... Tea or Coffee?

What is YOUR preference?
I'm not talking about food, I'm talking about your choice in partners/spouses/significant others etc. And WHY?

Are you an Asian who prefers white guys? (Yeah YOU asian girls!)

Are you an Asian who prefers their partners to be Asian? (Or within the same Asian umbrella ethnicity- eg. Japanese, Chinese, Filipino etc.?)

Are you a White person (English, Australian, French, American etc.) background- and you have a thing for Asians?

Are you only inclined to date within your own Western/Asian???

Kim Kardashian is known as a girl who loves black men- Or does she take her pick from the hoardes of black men who want her?

Are we all allowed to have our preferences, without being sneered at?
OR are these preferences none-of-your-fucking-business-thank-you-very-much.

The "Sepet" question: Malay x Chinese pairings in Malaysia. Do they work?

PREFACE: I doubt anyone reads this blog anymore- but if you live in KL, and you're in your 30's, you'll sort of know who's who here. You might know me, the superficial me.



In this post, I want to explore relationships between Malaysian Chinese and Malays within the framework of a love affair. the late great director Yasmin Ahmad started this dialogue with her movie Sepet. (Malay word "Sepet" means slit {eyes}, a reference to the appearance of Chinese eyes.) The Yasmin Ahmad was malay and she had a chinese husband. Permutations of the same theme appear in all her movies. We all know that she is her main character Orked in the universe she creates with her movies. And that Chinese guy in all her movies is the Chinese Malaysian man who is her life partner, her husband. 

And yes, I know that there are lots of malay-chinese couples in Malaysia:

So it DOES work, right?



In the past, I've been in real relationships with 2 malay guys, both from what you'd call the "Malay Elite" but I didn't end up marrying any of them. 

IN the early 90's- my high school boyfriend, J was one of the sons of a malay CEO (now retired) of a prominent BUMI Malaysian company that was right in Mahathir's palm. (One of Mahathir's pet project companies which promoted the name of Malaysia.) We both lived in Bukit Damansara, we went to (CBN and VI) He was Malay and a muslim. He and his family are highly educated and wealthy- they're all product of JPA and Petronas scholarships and his sisters are now prominent Doctors (head of a department in a major KL hospital), Lawyers and his brother is a CFO of one of the biggest developers in Malaysia.

Yes, these are real people and they're a product of the NEP: UMNO princes and princesses.

My parents are liberal Chinese Malaysians (a bit of "dan lain-lain" or "others" in there, as is common in the state where my hometown is). BUT J's family saw me as Chinese, simple as that- black or white. His mother wore a "tudung" (hijab) and so did one of his sisters. But they welcomed me in their family anyway (because I tried very hard to be what I thought they were). In contrast, I saw my parents being extremely unfriendly to J just because he was Malay.

I went on holidays in the US and UK with his parents, his siblings and their partners. This was always a big "rombongan" (Malay for large group)  just like a tour group. And although they were very wealthy, they always stayed in service apartments (because we were a big group) instead of big hotels like Ritz Carlton or Langham. And they always travelled with their own Brahim's curry sachets so they could cook their own meals in the apartments, as halal food wasn't always easy to come by. And there would be a "gotong-royong" (Malay for "community helping each other out") atmosphere amongst the women in the kitchen during meal prep. They always rented a few cars and travelled in a group. This is what Malay families do on holidays, I learned. 

Sometimes I'd hear them mention a remark about being Chinese. I wasn't his Mum's favourite, but his Dad ("Tan Sri" was his title bestowed by the King of Malaysia) was just lovely. We played cards or monopoly at family time and he always ribbed me about having "Ong" (luck in Malaysian hokkien dialect). I'm not very chinese but I just took it all in stride because that's their way of reaching out to me. It was well-meant. My relationship with J lasted through our high school and early years in university- J in the US and I in Australia. Eventually we fizzled, long distance got the better of us despite unlimited travel expenses and phone bill budgets. Puan Sri (Malay title bestowed by the Malaysian King) and I shared a teary good-bye, haha... if I did end up marrying him, she would make the best MIL.



Then, in my mid 20's after a disastrous year or so with a cheating expat, I had several flings with older men when I was in my 20's while on an angry rampage to get even. (that was juvenile, I know that now).
The men I chose were either Malays or Chinese Malaysians, always older than me (from 7 years older to 20 years older), all seriously successful and some were good looking and some were just cute.
One of them was a divorced chinese Malaysian lawyer with his own law firm. He had 3 Great Danes that were his pride and joy. He was in his 40's but was really fit- loves all outdoor/adventure/extreme sports.
One of them was a malay (he was married! Then divorced! Now remarried!) director in a well known architecture firm. He loves his sports cars and Italian suits. He was in great shape because he visited the gym often enough. In his 40's back then, he treated me like a little girl. (pats on the head-eeek)
One of them was a divorced chinese Malaysian, was Head of Futures in a bank in Malaysia during the Asian Financial Crisis (he was very down on his luck). He is intelligent and extremely funny. He was not gorgeous but looked like what an average looking guy in his 20's would look like. He introduced me to his friends, who were CEOs and GMs. We are still friends today. He's Head of something else now in a Securities firm and married to a girl in her 20's!

THEN, there was H, whom I wish I didn't meet during this time in my life. I really liked him or rather I liked the idea of him- he was the type of man you'd want to marry and have children with. H was 30, came from a good malay family. His father was high up in the civil service. His mother is from of one of the malay royal families. His siblings are all successful professionals- back then, he was a young architect in a prominent architectural firm who was put in charge of a major building in the heart of KL (now built, it's part of the skyline). He's a 6 footer, nicely built, like a rugby player in his school wears architect glasses, Ralph Lauren polo shirts, Gucci moccasins (you know, what Royalty wear!).... . He was the serious type, always into his work. H was soft spoken and gentlemanly, always patient with crazy 23-year old me.



We were on-and-off in a situationship but, like a child, I tested his boundaries constantly. (making him take me to his rather religious parents' home, calling his colleagues using his phone, making him meet my friends- among them was another guy I mentioned above. I know. Sick juvenile stuff.)

He put up with all that until it all ended between us.


I wanted him to be the man for me from the very beginning when we started sleeping together. I manipulated him, trying to get what I wanted from him- a commitment, a deep love, a proper relationship. He put up with it because he wanted to just wanted to continue the er, current arrangement.

And it ended simply because I realized we were never going to be what I wanted us to be. I pushed him to admit that we were never going to be married and have kids together. I guess the manic, aggressive (certainly not passive) behaviour didn't help either.

He just didn't see past the *ahem* with me.

I kept asking myself WHY afterwards: I was 23 and looked great. I was someone that a guy like him would WANT! (Royals always tend to marry outside their race, right?) BUT I wasn't the kind of person he'd WANT TO MARRY.



So, thanks to Google, I see that H married someone who's gorgeous and malay. He is now religious.
How much of his reluctance to be with me was because I was chinese?

15 years later, Malaysian Chinese and Malays are more polarized than ever. It takes more than a girl on her rampage phase to overcome that. At the core of who we are, we're too different. Hell, I think even my husband is too fucking Chinese to have anything in common with me. My interpretation of Yasmin Ahmad's message is that we need to have LOVE to overcome those barriers.

"All you Asians look the same."

Here we go again- yet another experience at the front door this morning.

Some background:
A new Asian neighbour is moving in and in the process of renovating in the last few days.
Their house is number "X" on our street- two houses away. Our house is number "Y".
My husband is in away overseas. I am alone with a child.

Before 7am this morning, two burly guys show up downstairs at the door.
I answer the door, still half asleep.

Burly guys: We're a couple of carpenters- we're here to do the skirting.

Me: You've got the wrong house.

Burly guys: (Pointing at the name on our doorbell) It says "ABCDE" (insert Korean surname) doesn't it? Is this house "X"?

Me: (Points to the big number "Y" on our house) That says "Y". *slams door in their face*

I know, I know, I know........ AGAIN!!!
Confusing one type of East Asian with another type of Asian AGAIN?
So I look East Asian, or Korean depending on the lighting to the average Australian. BUT my husband has a Chinese surname that can be confused with a Korean name and it's on our doorbell.

Get used to it, Australians. We're everywhere, as your old ladies love to mutter under their breath when we walk past. At this rate, we'll REALLY be everywhere in 10 years' time. Because you need our investments to hold up your economy.

What will you do then?

Yet another frou-frou hair post

Tired of my big 90's hair, I walked into a Korean salon in Chatswood and described an "Otome" (means young girl or virgin, neither of which I am) haircut in my best Japanese (two different and mutually exclusive languages, note to self).
An otome haircut:

*WAIL*

And I end up with a bishounen haircut. What's that, you ask?
It's the haircut of choice for Japanese MALE actors/popstars/idols.
A bishounen haircut:


HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?????

*time out*

I got rid of the blondie streaks so I don't look like a teenage asian boy (read: Ah Beng if you're from Singapore or Malaysia) who's into racing cars and manga.
No chance of looking like a sarong party girl (at least) now since my hair's too short and too damn layered!!! Grrrr.

This always happens to me at the hairdressers.

Peace

So it's all ended again. In a 3D ultrasound, about 1.5 weeks ago, I saw my surviving twin 7 week 2 day baby. Without a heartbeat.

I had no bleeding or cramps after.
I did have a few great big crying sessions.

And after the D&C, I jumped on a plane with my daughter and took off to Malaysia. I am resting away in my maternal grandma's house in East Malaysia. My mother has joined me here too.



Good bye, swank hospital.


I have my beautiful daughter around me and she reminds me that there is hope. I've been hugging her so often in the last few days that she's getting irritated with me!

Hope emerges after tragedy

I went through one miscarriage earlier this year, just after New Year.

I was about 7 weeks along. I thought I would have a breezy pregnancy just like the one I had with my daughter 2 years ago. I took it all for granted. I thought nothing of the brownish blobs that showed up on my underwear along with mucus. I just thought it was "old blood". I had the same kind of spotting when I had my oldest daughter. Apparently spotting happens when the fetus latches onto the uterine lining. I googled it. Oh- Too much information? Tough fucking luck and fuck off. This is the part about pregnancy that they don't put in Johnsons & Johnsons ads.

I found out on Boxing Day, and as my Obstetrician was away, I went to my 1st ultrasound at 6 weeks plus and saw a single fetus with a heartbeat. When my obstetrician came back, I was already around 8 weeks. In his office, we did an ultrasound and saw a dead fetus measuring at about 7 weeks. My heart raced- I was alone. My husband was busy at work. I think I tuned out the world. I left an angry message for my husband, who rushed home, but it was all too late. My D & C was scheduled 1 week later. I carried my long gone baby with me for another week. I felt empty and I cried buckets- None of which I could bring myself to do in front of anyone. This was a baby I really wanted with all my soul.

I was angry at everyone. I blamed. I lashed out.
And........ I recovered.

Now, I am at that point again- about 6 weeks along. Much bleeding and cramps pretty much everyday in the last 2 weeks one occasion in the emergency room, too. I've had 3 ultrasound scans now- the first 2 very pessimistic about the one sac with no fetus. my obstetrician told me a week ago that I would eventually lose it because it looked abnormal. I was required to do blood tests every 2 days- showed normal hormone levels.

I braced myself for a blighted ovum at my 3rd ultrasound. For another disappointment.
It showed 2 sacs. TWINS. One was a blighted ovum, and the other had a 6wk fetus with a heartbeat.

I am now on bedrest and the bleeding has stopped. It is now light brown spotting.
The cramps are still here and I am still told to be cautious, to prepare for "eventualities".

There is no word in english that is the equivalent of the arabic "Alhamdulillah".
But the meaning is : "God is truly great- look at what he is able to create."
And I am in God's amazing hands. That sums up my feelings at this very moment.
For the 1st time in my life.

Life and Death

To every person who has lived through watching someone die slowly before their eyes.

Nobody knows what comes after death.
Religions of mankind tell us of paradise, of rebirth, purgatory and of eternal damnation.

And perhaps it is the promise of a place. ANY place at all after death- the comfort in knowing that you'll still continue to exist at another level of consciousness. That you are not totally gone.



Different cultures treat death differently. Some funerals in Eastern religions are ceremonious- almost festive, heavily ritualized and symbolic. Some western funerals are subtle, quiet reflections on a life that once was. I've had the opportunity to experience both.
Some people say that funerals aren't really for the dead person- they are for the living that were left behind. The deceased do go to the place they were meant to go- on a journey, a life that takes place on the other side. The people who are left behind are the ones who need catharsis, healing and closure.


If psychic mediums are to be believed, a different type of life exists and learning does continue on the other side. Higher learning.

Asian Fetish/ Asiaphilia/ Yellow Fever

Asian Fetish is a U.S. slang term which usually refers to an interest, attraction or preference for people, culture, or things of Asian origin by those of non-Asian descent. (Source: Wikipedia) The term Asiaphile and yellow fever is also used in the same context. According to slangsite.com, Yellow Fever is: "A term used by Asian women to describe European or other Western men who exclusively pursue Asian women. Frequently used as a warning to other Asian women. Example: I don't think he cares about you personally at all; it's just a case of yellow-fever."

Read an Asian American woman's view on Yellow Fever: Vicky Chang's article about Yellow Fever aka Asiaphilia in The Orange County Weekly.- An Asian woman's view on being an exotic object in western men's eyes.
Seems to be a popularly referenced article regarding Yellow Fever lately.
Read "Mr. Asiaphile"'s web page for his view on why white men "prefer to date Asian women" (his words)


In South East Asia, shall we say in Singapore thereabouts, we know a lot about girls who exclusively date white men as Sarong Party Girls. BUT we'll save that for another post.


And in Asia as well, there are many names for western male expats who stay on forever. Especially those who have married Asian women and think they've become Asian too.

Why do I mention this? Well, I have a dear old friend from my primary school days in Malaysia. She isn't from a rich family and she isn't highly educated- left school after form 5 and did a diploma in a local Malaysian college. I've always liked her though- she's honest and has a good heart. She has had her ups and downs in relationships, none of them worked out. She married an Australian expat (who runs a sports business) in Malaysia 5 years ago and had 2 kids with him in the same time frame. She is now an expat tai-tai who stays at home with a maid that does everything.

They came to Australia via Air Asia recently, with their Indonesian nanny in tow, so I met him for the first time. And my impression of him? He tried way too hard (bragged about dealing with this Tunku and that Tengku) and talked way too much. He tried to speak to my husband and I in a very exaggerated Malaysian slang (I think he used more "aiyo", "lah"s, "ar" and "kan?" than I ever would in a lifetime).
To my old friend who has never been overseas before, she thinks her man is wonderful because he accepts her culture so readily.
To me, I think it's a bit of an insult if a white man thinks he has to speak in pidgin English to carry on a conversation with me.

My friend is an attractive woman, despite her insecurities about her future, financial stability and her family. Her husband is a short, overweight and very loud. He has been in Malaysia for 10 years trying to make a go of his sports business. They live in a rented terrace house in a non-expat part of town. His friends are either locals or other expats in Malaysia who have married local women.

I feel disgusted after meeting him. (like I needed to shower) I feel sorry for her and her kids.
Am I a fussy bitch?

Addendum 1 (added 15/06/2010)

Definition of a "Rice Chaser": "Strictly speaking, a person who seeks romantic relations with Asians. Commonly speaking, a short or scrawny white male lacking self esteem and/or assertiveness who seeks power in interpersonal relationships by dating Asian females whom he perceives to be submissive and obedient. Also, a white male with a prurient but inaccurate fascination with what he perceives as exotic." (Source: urbandictionary.com)

Culinary forays in the last month other than previous post.

Made beef rib stew in a slow cooker. It was in there for 24 hours.
Added Cabernet Sauvignon to it in the last 2 hours- BIG mistake. Epic fail.


Friends stayed on for dinner- This is your usual asian meal with a few shared dishes served with rice. The ingredients were lying around in the fridge and pantry.
Clockwise from top left: Wagyu beef teriyaki, stir fried veggies (broccoli, tomatoes & mushroom), salad (pinenuts, cherry tomatoes, spanish onion, avocado and baby cos lettuce), Okonomiyaki (shredded cabbage omelette).


Laksa!!!!!! Last night's dinner, I tried making my own version of a healthy laksa. Used laksa paste for Singaporean curry laksa but tried to recreate east Malaysian style garnishing. I used boiled chicken, calamari rings, bean sprouts, coriander leaves, rice vermicelli, a soft boiled egg and loads of lime.

Frou frou post..... aack.

Got hair extensions on a whim.... will see how I like it as the days progress.

Door to door sales people. Don't even try.

Now that I no longer live in a secure building and I'm in house in the burbs, I have one extra headache to deal with- besides fussy old neighbours and their protests to council against the renovations to our home messing with the "character" of their street, AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH!

At around 4-7pm everyday, there will be a variety of door knockers (from salesmen, charities who want a donation, school raffles, neighbourhood petitions) who usually interrupt either when I'm breastfeeding or making dinner or on the shitter. Usually I'm pretty polite and quickly turn away salesmen- but one particular cocky little shit got my goat one day.

This is how it went, more or less:

Salesman: Hello how are you- I'm ABC from XYZ and wow- what are you cooking for dinner? Smells SPICY!
(So he sees I'm somewhat asian in appearance and so automatically the guesses are that I'm cooking some asian dish, right? This is one of my pet hates about sales pitches- get familiar and try to identify with me, eh? EH?)
Me: I'm making Spaghetti Bolognaise. Not very spicy is it. What is it that you want?

Salesman: XYZ are having a special limited offer for DEF plus JKL for X weeks only. This is only available to the residents of GHI.
Me: No, sorry we already have DEF. That's enough for us.

Salesman: Whaaat? You don't want JKL? Come oooon, you're asians! You can QWERTY your ASDFGs! You guys would love it!!!!!
(I think steam is escaping from my ears at this point. Oh just because we're asian we all have to love ASDFG????)
Me:......*Slams door in his face*

I'm a mix of asian but I am asian in appearance. I hate to be stereotyped.
Just like urban Australians would hate people who thought that they were all like Crocodile Dundee or Steve Irwin. Right? Get it?

Sexy chairs

I wanna talk chairs. I spent 5 years training as an architect. 6 if you count my year-out.
Then I spend 12 years working as an architect (design, construction, planning... you name it, I did it) and getting my licence. So I think I can talk about design with some authority.


The Corona chair by Poul Volther.

This is a great investment, if it's in leather- and you'd only need one for your study.
BE that evil genius that sits on his throne twirling his moustache going "MWAAA-HAAHAA-HAAA" at every little bit of planning that he does- like designing your own home. Pretty sad, really. Not the chair, though.... the chair's pure sex. Get it!


Egg chair by Arne Jacobsen

If this ain't a mod classic then I dunno what is. The funny thing is, I remember when I was very young, my Dad had one of these. In black leather too, baby. Back then it wasn't a big deal so me and by siblings (3 kids all under 4yrs, whoa) totally destroyed it. Then came our cat..... I can't remember what eventually happened to the chair- must've been taken to some random dump near the 50490 hood.


Marshmallow chair by George Nelson.

YES. Get this for your hallway or for your boudoir (or walk-in-closet as us normal folk like to call it). Not comfortable, but you'll only ever need one piece, so this is a great buy.


La Mama chair by Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia

Who can resist resting on an ample bosom and thighs? I know I can't. I have spent many a saturday morning drooling over this chair at Space Furniture. I love its organic lines. Love its "embrace". Get this if you've got a few K in your budget, and you'll only need ONE because it's pretty darned big.


The Barcelona chair by Mies van der Rohe- furniture which the architect has designed for his Barcelona Pavillion.

Like Le Corbusier's chaise lounge, chairs and sofas, DO NOT get this unless you have the entire lounge set or you will risk your guests thinking that you bought a cheap imitation from China.

And these have been bought to death by any and every DIY wanna-be interior designer.
My years as an architect tells me NOOO.

The Tulip chair by Eero Saarinen

Eero Saarinen is an architect that epitomized 60's coolness.
His other work of art was Dulles Airport in Virginia, USA. (completed 1962)


In the winter of 1995, there was a snowstorm in January- and I was booked on a very stupid route that stopped in Dulles Airport to LAX instead of O'Hare to LAX. Of course there was a delay (biiig surprise) and I wandered the airport for a few gorgeous hours.
But this chair looks great as a bar stool, so yes you'd need a few of these.


Wassily chair by Marcel Breuer

Composition VIII by Wassily Kandinsky, 1923.

Designed for Wassily Kandinsky the russian constructivist artist by Marcel Breuer of the Bauhaus design school. What prompts a man to design a chair for another man?
My favourite- not necessarily as something to sit on, er, but I admire its architecture.
Just look at the way it's constructed! Need I say more? Get these as your dining table chairs- make sure it's a glass dining table and the retro-retro (double because it's 80's retro on 20's retro) look is complete.

Eames chair by Charles Eames

For tree-hugger-veggie-burger wood, Charles Eames and Alvar Aalto is the BEST. IKEA ain't got nothin' on Alvar Aalto, the godfather of scandinavian design.

Original Aalto chair

You think IKEA's Poang chair was original? Pthtptthhh!!!!!
Gawd, IKEAphiles crack me up. YEAH, YOU.
Have you heard the conversations/arguments/sniping between couples with opposing aesthetic ideas in IKEA? Go there on a Saturday for some comedy- that's when all the trash bring their brood out for a cheap meal and to pick up some plastic twat thingy that will make your life so much like those people inside the IKEA catalogues.


The Heart Chair by Verner Panton for Vitra

Gorgeous kitsch appeal just like the Lips sofa. From experience, this one wobbles waaaay too much after a few months of use. The function outweighs the form when the form is too lightweight.


Cafe Costes chair by Phillippe Starck.

Starckie has done MILLIONS of chairs, and the most well known one is probably the Ghost chair for Kartell. But I like this one best because there is some sense of craftsmanship to the end product. The wood is gorgeous. BUT I still wouldn't get it because the frame looks shit-house (Australian technical term). If it wasn't powdercoated aluminium and stainless steel then that would be better.

Interpret my dream? Please?

Hello. Its been a while since an angsty post.

I woke up this morning from a disturbing ex-boyfriend dream thanks to Facebook.
Facebook is a funny little old social networking phenomenon that we could do without. But we won't for some deep, dark, ugly reason. (Not something I find as practical as Twitter.)

The facebook facts: I know that this ex, a baby faced older man (no, not the divorced one) is now quite a success. His businesses are now set up in a few countries- two in Southeast Asia and one here in Australia. Thanks to curiousity and the internet, I read a few articles written about him. Looks like he moved here in the last few years and set up an office here and has a good project pipeline.

Why does he have to come here? AND WHY did I have to dream that I met up with him again? And where was my husband and baby in that dream?

You can't have Dora

I read a good article in the Sydney Morning Herald's Good Weekend while having my Saturday morning tea. Mia Freedman asks the question what we mothers teach our young daughters when we buy tea sets, fairy outfits, mini kitchens, baby dolls complete with nappies, strollers etc. OR WORSE, Barbie dolls!!! (emphasis mine) How do we teach them to be strong, independent women? Any parent who has a daughter, like myself, finds themselves in this predicament at some point.

The article ends with thank god for Dora the Explorer- "she's short, squat" with "a no-nonsense haircut". Yep, Dora is currently a hero to millions of young girls, mainly pre schoolers. She dresses in a plain t-shirt and shorts, carries a utilitarian backpack with a map in it as she explores with her sidekick monkey friend.

A new Dora The Explorer doll was unveiled a few days ago. Apparently this new doll is supposed to appeal to the "tween" market (often the domain of those slutty Bratz dolls).

If my daughter was a tween, she would of course prefer an age-appropriate doll- and I would rather she had a tween Dora than a Bratz doll any day.
Check out these Bratz dolls!

A US federal judge had the good sense to ban toymaker MGA from making any more of the pouty-lipped, provocatively dressed dolls.
One point for womankind, zero to the marketing fatcats at toy companies.

Real estate hunt. part 2

We are true blue real estate opportunists. Thanks to the economic downturn, the price of real estate has plummeted somewhat and we're on the hunt for property in Mosman again. Buyers are staying away from the AUD$ 1.5-2 million price range and yes, beautifully designed and renovated water-view bargains are to be found in this area. Check out Mosman's listings on domain.com.au

Cue vintage Duran Duran please.
"In touch with the ground,
I'm on the hunt, I'm after you
Scent and a sound, I'm lost and I'm found
And I'm hungry like the wolf"


We won't be able to afford waterfront property where you can park a boat (if we had one, we'd have buy a place to park it!) for another x years, so we are settling for glimpses of water views instead.
WHY is the Lower North Shore our suburb of choice?

View Larger Map
W-ELLL.... it has great private and public schools, it's near beaches, it's leafy and quiet.

In the afternoon, we spend some time on Balmoral Beach.


I love cool sand between my toes. I could get used to living here. My little girl loves the beach.

Even later on in the afternoon, we end up in the Inner West suburb of Haberfield, the Italian suburb that still considers itself authentic, after Leichardt became all commercialised as THE Little Italy of Sydney. We have coffee and sweets at famous Pasticceria Sulfaro on Ramsay Street. It's a family business that has been there for more than 50 years.

I'm no foodie like Helen of GrabYourFork, BUT I had to take a picture because I thought the china was so kitsch and the Southern Italian sweets were too pretty for words. The food was heavenly. Our baby was content to sit on my lap gurgling and playing. Yes. Carry a bag full of little toys that keep little people busy.

At the end of the day we did find a few bargains- we registered our interest in those properties, will view them again, get the finances in order etc. Very excited and anxiously keeping tabs on domain.com.au. In the meantime, we're also buying furniture for the new home, fun weekends in Surry Hills looking and browsing.