Sydney Top 10 of 2010

2010 will definitely be one for the record books. A lot has happened this year and just as I've tried to do my entire life, I've lived 2010 with no regrets. There were some tough challenges and big choices made, but I'm extremely happy about how everything has turned out this year.

In January and February, Dave and I continued our backpacking adventures around Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. From February through May, we moved back to Seoul and picked up teaching again for one more term. In April, we began our paperwork to transition to Australia finally getting our visas in May. In June, we said our goodbye's and moved to Australia for the next big adventure. For June and July, we looked for a place to live and work. In August we both got jobs and started to concentrate on our social lives and exploration of Sydney. In September, we became full-time employees of Taurus Marketing and GFK Retail & Technology and found a group of American friends through The Sydney American Expat Meetup Group. In October, I celebrated my 25th birthday. In November, Dave and I went to the Philippines for a family reunion and I got a raise at work. In December, Dave celebrated his 25th birthday and got a raving 3 month review.

Now that 2010 is drawing to a close, I reflect back on the past 12 months astonished and thankful of all the wonderful people I've met and experiences I've had. For obvious reasons, I cannot express my love for Sydney. It would take me this blog and probably a novel to even recount just the plane ride here. As I hope most people do when they move to a new city, they encounter new friends, new loves and new favourites. In the fashion of any year's end re-cap, I will give you my Sydney Top 10 of 2010...in no particular order.

Inside Shady Pines Saloon, Surry Hills

My favourite bar is Shady Pines Saloon. I was introduced to this tucked away Surry Hills pub by my very good colleague and friend Ben Rousselot. He has lived in Sydney for 2 years and he has made it his mission to find the best bars in Sydney. Living only down the street, he invited Dave and me to meet him one Saturday night. Waiting on a sketchy side street outside of what looked like an apartment, we weren't sure this would be worth the 45 minute wait. Once in, we found ourselves transported to a saloon of yesteryear - carpeted floors, wood furniture and wall paneling, dimly lit chandeliers and music of 20th century past. Unfortunately, it closed an hour later at midnight. It's been voted Time Out Sydney 2010 Bar of the Year!

 Lord Nelson Hotel Brewery Three Sheets Beer

My favourite beer has to be Lord Nelson Three Sheets . I first drank it at Shady Pines. Walking into a bar that boasts of Aussie microbrewery selections, I went with what the bartender suggested. Is the saying '3 sheets to the wind' when referencing how drunk someone is? That's the only guess I have to account for the name. The beer is a nice pale ale with a golden colour. The taste is of honey, citrus and herbaceous hops. I highly recommend it to my ladies out there who aren't the biggest fans of beer. It's light and tastes like sweet honey on your lips.

Our First Cooked Meal in Our First Sydney Apartment

Lamb, Rice and Steamed Veggies

Lamb is everywhere and it's so cheap. It's the cheapest meat I've found at the grocery store. I can usually find a 6 pack of lamb quarters for $10! If you didn't know it already, Australia is the largest exporter of sheep in the world with 30% of the margin! There are 10 times as many sheep in Australia than people! With such abundance of sheep, lamb has become a regular meal - at least biweekly - for the Beliveau/ Lim residence. In fact, it was the first meal we cooked when we moved into our first Sydney apartment in Darlinghurst. On a side note, I really don't like Kangaroo meat. For 2011, I'll have to find a place that prepares it to my liking.

Standing tall on a cliff on the Bondi to Coogee Walk

Beach culture in Sydney is amazing. It's on everyone's mind during the week and on their agenda for the weekend. Living in Sydney, I've got beaches to the North, East and South. My favourite set of beaches are between Bondi and Coogee. The Bondi to Coogee Walk is a famous trail that will take your breath away. Overlooking the set of beaches and the vast Pacific Ocean, it is an unforgettable 2 hour hike. You'll see sunbathers, surfers, picnics, volleyball players, the famous Surf Life Savers and the occasional 'Will you marry me?' sky writing up above. From where I live, it's only a 30 minute bus ride or 2 stop train ride.

Fish and chips

*Courtesy of Time Out Sydney

Fish and chips is no stranger in these parts. With the British influence, Australia has taken the traditional pub fare into every upscale restaurant substituting plain white fish for barrumundi. I was a big fan of fish sticks as a kid and of course french fries, but here it's 2 large flaky pieces of fish with a side of chips for under $10 AUD. I'm addicted for life!

Walking around the bend of Mrs. Macquarie's Chair

The Domain Overlooking the Sydney CBD

Back in NYC, I had Central Park. Here, I have The Domain. It's the park overlooking the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, CBD and contains the Botanical Gardens and New South Wales Art Gallery. Never taking full advantage of Central Park, I've utilised this part of the city to the max. Most mornings, Dave and I wake up at 5:55am to run through Mrs. Macquarie's Chair and Botanical Gardens. On the weekends, we picnic and usually stroll through the long way to get to the CBD and Circular Quay. That's the awesome thing about Sydney - it's a walking city. So whenever I want, granted it's a gorgeous day, I'm luck enough to run through every morning and get to walk through this beautiful green patch of the city with it's spectacular view of the iconic Opera House.

The Aroma Festival, The Rocks

With nearly 30% tax, the city has to find ways to give back to its residents. As a new resident of Sydney, I have yet to find a dull moment because the City of Sydney holds event(s) all the time. Every weekend, there is something to do whether it's a food festival, boat show or random fireworks - and Sydney loves its fireworks displays. My favourite event Sydney has held so far is the Aroma Festival in The Rocks. It was a free event with tents lining Circular Quay and The Rocks of coffees, teas and chocolates. Through the Summer and Spring, Sydney allowed cultural groups to hold festivals celebrating their nation's food and culture. I got to experience the Nepal Festival with my intern Sangita, a native Nepalese university student, who introduced me to chicken momos! Look for events around Sydney at What's On - trust you'll find something to do!   

Bowl of Wedges with a Side of Chili Sauce & Sour Cream

Pub food is an absolute steal here. You can walk down George Street and find steak, chips and salad for $6! The variety is unbelievable. You can get salads, chicken parmesan and calamari all under one roof in less than 20 minutes! My absolute favourite is potato wedges with sour cream and chili sauce. Bizarre as it sounds, the combination of sour cream and chili sauce is a flavour explosion of deliciousness. It's like the compliment and cancel out the negative flavour of each. The chili sauce is spicy enough to work out the sourness of the sour cream, while the creaminess of the sour cream cools down the chili sauce spice. You haven't lived unless you've tried it. Aussies tell me this about Vegemite, but I'm still skeptical.

Taking in the Fresh Air

The Domain Viewing the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Living in the gray cloud that is Seoul, moving to Sydney was literally a breath of fresh air. Seoul had gray skies of pollution from the mass of cars and trucks driving on highways built next to parks. Sydney is busy too, but is such a green city. The city does a good job of keeping trees, parks and large green lawns in and around the city. One of my favourite things to do after a long day of work is to walk over the Sydney Harbour Bridge from Milson's Point to The Rocks. Although you're walking alongside Northern and South bound trains, you aren't choked. You feel the cool harbour breeze and breathe in the clean air while taking in the sunset. No wonder Sydney has been voted by the UN as one of the top places in the world to live! 

The Taurus Marketing Team Enjoying Melbourne Cup at The Ivy

I have tried to stay true to the cliche 'your job doesn't define you', but my transition to Sydney wouldn't have been the same without Taurus Marketing.  The company was the first to interview me, offered me a casual job for a month and finally signed me on to become a full-time employee - even sponsoring me for a business visa. It's tough moving to another country without any job prospects. It's even tougher to enjoy the move when you see your money spiraling down as you find creative ways to exist without a job while avoiding bum status. Working at Taurus has made it possible for me to have a steady salary to enjoy all that Sydney has to offer. Primarily it has offered me the experience to learn and work with the Australian media and corporate landscape. I've learned so much about public relations, marketing and social media that I hope will take me back home to America in the near future. Moreover, I've gained invaluable relationships through my co-workers and their networks. It's no longer just me, Dave and Sydney. We've got friends and our circle just keeps on growing. I'm so thankful that I've found a job that will allow me to stay longer than a year and keeps me challenged. I'm so excited for 2011 and can't wait to see how Taurus will change my professional and personal life while living as a Sydney-sider.

*Courtesy of The Australian