The Cartoon Version of Le Tour De France

Dave and I arrived in Sydney three years ago during the Australian winter. One thing that kept us entertained during many cold nights in is Le Tour De France. I had heard of the race and all the hype that surrounded it because of the infamous Lance Armstrong, but never really watched it. I guess you're forced to when you have only free-to-air TV channels.

A lover of cooking shows, I took interest in the race precursor Taste Le Tour with Gabriel Gate. This French chef now Australian resident had the most adorable accent. He explained and demonstrated the cooking of the cuisine of the region where the day's race was being held.

My interest grew in our second year living in Australia because the final yellow jersey was won by Cadel Evans, Australia's first Tour De France winner. His face was all over Australian media propelling public interest.

This year is no different. The sun still sets at 4 pm and I often get home too late to start a movie. Instead, I end my night watching Le Tour De France. The race lasts for 3 weeks keeping me entertained until my favourite summer US TV shows (Dexter and Suits) come back on air.

If you don't know much about Le Tour De France, check out this cute animated video (in the narration style of Ratatouille) on the history of this great tour testing human strength, endurance and desire.

Autumn Means Apple Picking

Apple Crate 

Since coming back from my trip back to the US over Christmas and New Year's break, I've decided to make the most of my warm weekends before the cold weather settles in. February 28 was the official last day of summer, but it still hasn't felt like fall or autumn as Aussies refer to the season. Last weekend, the weather did turn a bit on Sunday when Sydney felt one of the windiest days of the year. I played a soccer game that was like playing with a jumping ping pong ball. Our friend Justin, who took us snorkeling in Gordon's Bay last weekend suggested we go apple picking. We didn't have time to go that weekend, but instead we planned on a trip the following Saturday.

We woke up Saturday, and it was hot! It was 30 degrees Celsius - not the autumn weather we expected for apple picking, but at least it wasn't raining. Justin rented a Go Get van (a popular car share service great for city dwellers who need a car, but don't want to buy one). The van was only $85 per day and we filled it with eight friends.

Since we were coming from Coogee, Bondi and Elizabeth Bay, we decided to meet at Surry Hills to have breakfast and head out on our 1.5 hour trip to Bilpin, New South Wales. Dave's main concern when we woke up was what shoes he'd wear because he wanted to climb the trees.

I had never heard of Bilpin or apple picking in Australia, so I asked around at work. Quite a few Australians were surprised I wanted to go. "You're paying for their labour", they'd say. It's a funny turn of events because when Dave and I came to Australia on our working holiday visas, we were nervous we couldn't get jobs and even thought about extending our visas for another year by fruit picking for three months. I found out that this option wasn't even a a possibility for me because Americans don't get to extend their visas. Here we are now, settled nicely in Australia and we're going fruit picking on our own volition! A few Australian colleagues who had gone before said it is actually a nice thing to do on a weekend when the weather is good and the apples are in season.

To get to Bilpin, you drive on the M2 towards Western Sydney. We passed Blacktown where we have gone many times to visit my mom's best friend (only 45 minutes by train). So when we passed Blacktown, we knew we weren't too far away. We climbed up the Blue Mountains for about 30 minutes are arrived at our destination at noon. Bilpin is quaint areas of less than a thousand people. There are about 10 visible orchards from the main road. Justin and his girlfriend Adrienne had come last year, so they knew which orchard was best.

In our excitement, we came up with the ABC game where you have to name an apple variety with every letter of the alphabet. I'm surprised at how many of our friends knew!

Today's Options

Fruit in Season

At the orchard entrance there was a listing of all in season and available fruit. Most of them cost about $2 per kilo! This was a much better deal than the grocery stores in Sydney and straight from the source.

The Rules. Dave Broke the Last Two

Ready. Set. Pick!

A Basket & an Appetite is All You Need

My First Taste

Granny Smiths Are Too Sour For Me

Fuji Apples

Granny Smith Apples

Summer Oranges Ending Their Season

Tall Apple Trees

Picking Red Delicious

Friends in the Apple Orchard

Checking Out the Smallest Braeburn Apples

Dave has had a lot of experience picking apples. As a child, he and his family always went apple picking. After the guide left us to venture on our own, we all gathered around Dave because he gave us a lesson in how to pick the best apple and even showed  us how to shine it with his shirt. He also told us there is a game his family would play.

Who could pick...

The biggest/heaviest apple

The smallest apple

The most beautiful apple

The ugliest, but edible apple

All for bragging rights of course.

Entering the Pear Orchard

Pears & Quinces Are Also Grown Here 

Pears Not So Ready to Pick

Inspecting Fruit from Row X

One unwritten rule we overheard from a tour group was that you shouldn't eat fruit from a row marked with an 'X'. Dave of course ate from any row he saw 'edible' looking fruit.

Nashi Pears in Full Bloom

 I discovered that I really enjoy Nashi Pears. They aren't as grainy and mealy as other pears I've had. But best of all, they aren't sour. They are crisp and sweet. I liked them more than the apples and ended up buying a dozen! 

Roses Are Grown Here Too

2 Hours of Apple Picking is Enough

  

Weigh Off To See Who Got the Heaviest/Largest Apple

Enjoying a Bilpin Cider

After two hours in the sun picking more fruit that we needed, we took a lunch break at the aptly named Apple Bar in Bilpin. The menu incorporates apples or pears into their dishes. Dave had the biggest pork loin I'd ever seen with caramelised apples and I had salt & pepper cuttle fish (I know - strange selection considering we're kilometers away from the ocean) with rocket salad with Nashi pears. It was surprisingly pricey for such a small country town (mains are approximately AUD $30), but the quality was fantastic - they are regulars in Sydney Morning Herald's Good Food Guide.

26 Apples & Pears Cost Only $14!

After lunch we stopped by a road side diner to have the one thing that we couldn't miss out on an apple picking trip - having a slice of apple pie. However at this stage of the day, we were a bit over the apple taste, but the apple pies were delicious.

We were back on the road to Sydney and kept the road trip banter up with trivia questions and constant replays of the YouTube viral video 'Goats Yelling Like Humans' - hilarious 2 minutes of your life! But if you do have a free weekend this autumn, go apple picking. It's cheap, delicious and a great outdoor activity not too far out of Sydney.

How I De-Stress

This week was undoubtedly the hardest week at my job. As the Marketing Manager, I'm in charge of primarily all email communications among other things. This week was the week we started using a new email marketing system, which meant applying all the skills I learned in four two-hour training sessions and actually launch email campaigns to thousands of people.

I knew this week was coming, but since the start of the year, I've been chasing my tail to finish projects, while other projects are piling on. I'm the type of person that likes to see projects come and go. When I see that I can't get to something that needed to be done weeks ago, I'm frustrated. I could see my stress changing me. I no longer wear make-up to work and often walk into work with wet hair. It's amazing how your mental state affects your exterior.

For the past few weeks, I've been staying late (like past 7pm - and in Australia, that's late), not taking a lunch break and trying to stay calm despite the mounting projects.

On Tuesday, I was feeling exceptionally beaten. On Monday night, I left the office at 8:45pm and woke up early on Tuesday to get to work by 8:30am because I would be launching my first campaign on this new system. All morning, I felt sick to my stomach because I was so nervous about the email blast. By 12 pm, it was launched and I felt a huge sense of relief. I couldn't celebrate my success because I had all the other time-sensitive projects on my mind. One thing to look forward to was 5:45 pm because I knew I would be leaving work to go to soccer practice.

At 5:45 pm, I was still preparing an eDM that had to be scheduled that night because it was running at 7 am the next morning. I was on edge because my friend was giving me a lift at 6:30 pm at Edgecliff Station because I had lost my licence. It would take me at least 30 minutes to get to her from Milsons Point.

I finally walked out at 6:05 pm and reached her at 6:35 pm. Only five minutes late, she was happy to wait for me. I was still fuming at how late I left the office. We then went to soccer practice and my attitude turned.

That night, practice was dedicated to fitness. We had won our game the past weekend 8-0, but what was apparent was our lack of fitness. Our coach had his sights set at turning this picture around. "We're going to do 45 minutes of sprints tonight." I found myself holding my breath and felt a growing lump in my throat as I heard his intentions for the practice. I needed this though. I wasn't sitting at a desk staring at a screen thinking about all the unfinished projects. I was here with my friends, playing a sport I love and doing some much-needed physical exertion to calm my mind.

This practice was exactly I needed. We did three rounds of different types of sprints and endurance exercises. We ended the 1.5 hours practice with a small 6 vs 6 game.

When we were sprinting, I felt my energy levels diminish not because of my physical tiredness, but my mental tiredness. But I enjoyed it. This wasn't work stress, but a way to de-stress from it.

On Wednesday, I had a repeat of Tuesday with campaigns needing to be launched on the new system with my junior knowledge and novice experience. I was successful in launching the campaigns and preparing Thursday's campaigns, but they weren't done without high stress levels, frustration with the unknown and surmounting pressure to finish. Luckily, I have left the office at 6 pm, perfect timing to get to Hyde Park in the Sydney CBD to join my yoga class.

My First Hyde Park Yoga Session

Az Yoga

Back in January, a colleague invited me to join her for yoga in Hyde Park, taught by her friend who was offering free classes. I have never done yoga outside of my trusty yoga DVD at home, so it was a treat to find a free class in an outdoor setting so close to home.

Wednesday evening's weather was perfect. It was cool, but not cold. I arrived right on time thankfully. The focus of the class was on our core. We held many poses that tested our mid-section, an area I  will admit is my weakest. Just like sprinting in soccer, working on my core is an area I need to work on, and even struggled with during the exercises, but am glad I did.

Yoga is a great de-stressing activity for me. I am able to clear my mind of all pressures outside of the class and just focus on me, my body and my mind. This mid-week yoga session is exactly what I needed. As I lay on the ground at the end of the class staring at the tree branches and evening sky, nothing else mattered. I was relaxed, at peace and had no worries.

Being an athlete and a work perfectionist pushes my body and mind in ways that I often think are impossible. Back in high school and college, school work was easy and my body was where the work was. Nowadays, it's professional work that is the work and the work on my body is the much-needed escape and de-stressor I've needed. In both areas of my life, I'm challenged and that is the best part of taking on any job, project, sport or activity. I know this busy period will pass and that I'll always get the work done. But I'm so grateful that I have outlets like soccer and yoga to de-stress and keep my sanity through it all.