Hanna: Smile!

It seems like grade 10 has been so fast! I arrived in September, and the next thing I know, I’m studying for final June exams!

Today’s my official last day of Grade 10, and I must say it’s a little sad! A small part of me may even miss those unflattering green shiny shorts that we had to wear for gym class, or all those worksheets we had to do for Career Studies (although probably not those). I feel so old! The thought of going into the IB program next year is scary, and I don’t even want to think about University!

Wow… all I can say is that I’ve had a great year, and I hope that my next year at school (grade 11! Eeep!) can be just as fun. I hope everyone has a great summer!

Every year for my birthday, I always ask my Nana to bake a Victoria sandwich. It may sound unappetizing as a dessert (who would want a sandwich for their brithday?!), but a “Victoria Sandwich” is actually two sponge cakes layered with buttercream icing and raspberry jam. Yum.

It’s my favourite cake, and no one bakes it better than my Nana. She doesn’t even use a recipe anymore (just like her pastry: I tried making it once, and hearing “just a tad more water” or “it looks a little wet; add some more flour” made the strict baker in me so confused!)! This past weekend, I asked her for the recipe, and she pulled out an old tattered Australian cook book, apologizing for not being able to find the “real” good old English one. Back in the day when they had those old scales, it was just the weight of 2 eggs of everything; flour, butter, sugar.

She wrote everything down for me (changing the recipe a little of course), gave me a couple of important tips, and sent me off.

But, of course, my cake didn’t turn out nearly as great as hers always does. I diligently greased and lined the baking tins with wax paper, measured all the ingredients with a dry scale, and combined them just as she had written down. I waited patiently for the cakes to cool before making the buttercream icing and spreading it on top of the first cake. I even dusted the top with icing sugar, just as Nana does! The cake turned out to be pretty good (if you ignore how much it sunk in the middle), but somehow it just wasn’t the same. I guess it’s just like how cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches always taste better when Nana makes them, and so does tea. My new goal is to practice and practice all of her recipes until I can finally get them down pat to pass on to my grandchildren. We’ll see!    

I’m so excited- one of the funnest/cutest/most awesome bands in my opinion, Miniature Tigers, is coming out with a new album! I can hardly wait until July 27th to get my copy of Fortress.

Miniature Tigers is an indie-ish band from Pheonix, Arizona, with peppy, cute, ridiculously fun lyrics and a sound perfect to compliment them. I first discovered them last fall, after a recommendation to download Cannibal Queen (not as sadistic as you’d think) from my cousin. One whole album later, Tell it to the Volcano, and I was smitten. Miniature Tigers,  lead by frontman guitarist Charlie Brand, has 4 members and a unique, happy tune to most of their songs. I love how listening to Giraffe can always put me in a good mood. The chorus repeats “That’s what you get for sticking out your neck”, while Charlie Brand sings “It’s just another sunny day where I’m at; my head is in the clouds, cause I’m stretching out my neck. I wake up in the morning to a protein shake, do twenty minutes calisthenics then I’m off into the day.” in his whiney voice.

I’d definitely recommend this band for a great low-key summer listen!

We are, we are MLC!!

That was just ONE of the many school cheers I learned last week for the MLC tennis team’s Tildesley tournament against tons of the other all-girls schools in Sydney. We spent three days waking up super early, slathering on sunscreen in the insane heat (I don’t think I’ve ever been that hot in my life), linesgirl-ing, keeping score, and cheering our hearts out for our school team’s doubles and singles girls! I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much school spirit ever! The whole Tildesley atmosphere was great, and I even got a chance to work the scoreboard and linesgirl for a couple of matches. There was also lots of great tennis to watch, an added bonus!

So, I’m here in my fourth week on exchange! I can’t believe it; the time has just FLOWN by! I’ve had such a great, and busy, time in Sydney. Since my last post, I’ve been to Bobbin Head National Park, Taronga Zoo, Paddington Market, and the Sydney Aquarium. Phew! Lots of touristy things for me! They’ve all been so great, and I’ll probably mention the words “gorgeous”, “beautiful” or “fantastic” more than once while describing them.

Bobbin Head was beautiful, and it was really neat to see all the different trees and flora in Australia! All of the plants, insects, birds, and trees are so different from the ones we have in Canada. Some family friends took me around, and I got to experience a trek through the bush and morning tea on the bay. It was so peaceful and quiet everywhere. Really cool! And Taronga Zoo… wow! I got to see my fair share of Australian animals, for sure. Who knew koalas could jump so far? Not me. And a platypus really is the weirdest looking animal, I have to say. The ferry on the way to the zoo provided some gorgeous views, and from lots of spots in the zoo, you had a full view of the whole city around the harbour. It was beautiful.

Last weekend, I visited Paddington Market in downtown Sydney. Located on the grounds of an elementary school in a very trendy district, the market was filled with one-of-a-kind handmade objects. Clothing, furniture, food, fresh juice, you name it, it was there! We wandered around the market (I bought a dress- half price!), sipped on freshly squeezed juice mixes, and then wandered up and down the streets to window shop the expensive boutiques.

On Sunday, I was lucky enough to visit the Sydney Aquarium in Darling Harbour! I loooove aquariums, and this one was one of the best I’ve been to! There were thousands of tropical fish, as well as sharks, crocodiles, manta-rays, stingrays, starfish, and jellyfish galore! My favourite part was the MASSIVE tank they had, with lots of viewing windows. The tank was filled with all sorts of creatures, corals, and so many fish. I don’t know how long I sat in front of the huge window looking in! It felt like I was underwater in the ocean with all those fish- and I loved it! There were also two other pools with glass tunnels running through them so that we could see sharks, fish, and two big dugongs swimming all around us.

Being in Australia has been so much fun, and I don’t think I’ll ever forget my trip when I get back to Canada!

Bye!

Hanna

Wow, what a flight! After 23 hours on a lovely (but cramped) plane, I arrived in Sydney, Australia. As soon as I got out of the airport I could tell I wasn’t in Toronto anymore- palm trees were everywhere, the air smelled different (weird, I know-but true!), and people were wearing flip flops and shorts everywhere! But the biggest difference of all was that rather than the outdoor temperature being 2 below zero with snow, it was at least 25 degrees with scorching sun and a cloudless sky!!

So here I am on my exchange! I’ve been here about a week and a half, and the weather hasn’t changed at all (except for some rain, but even then it was still boiling). Australia is gorgeous; certainly a nice break from the terrible temperatures in Toronto! My exchange family is lovely, and they made me feel so welcome as soon as I arrived. MLC is super scenic too. There’s a big courtyard with lots of old and towering trees, grassy spots in the shade, and tropical (to me at least) plants and bushes. Around that, the school buildings are located; it’s all very outdoors-ey and open! The biggest difference to me though, is that the school is all-girls and about six times the size of York! I’ve gotten lost in the sea of people between classes so many times already.

My classes at MLC have been really fun so far; there’s a massive aquatic centre, so I’ve had ample time to swim in gym class, as well as “sport science” class (we’ve been snorkelling in the pool getting ready for our scuba and snorkel trip to Jarvis Bay!). I’m very excited to go on our 3 day trip at the end of the month and learn how to scuba dive in the ocean!

On top of receiving a student experience at school, I’ve also been super lucky to be able to go into the city lots of times on the weekend. During my first weekend here, I got to experience an Australian shopping mall (they have none of the same stores as us!) and movie theatre (with your ticket, you get an assigned seat that you have to sit in!). As well, we took our first trip to Bondi beach. So gorgeous! The whole beach was massive and busy and I loved the atmosphere! Swimming in the ocean was the best, but a little scary at first; the waves are so big, you have to make sure you don’t get caught up in one when it breaks or else you’ll be tossed around quite a bit! But, that salty feeling after swimming and having the sand stick to you after putting on your sunscreen (SPF 45 for me!) is totally what makes it great.

This past weekend was another fabulous one. On Saturday, we went to Coogee beach- there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the sun was blinding!- and then into the city. Coogee was really special for me. On top of the superb weather and great company, there was also this rock pool area off the side of the beach called the “Giles bath”. Surrounded by tonnes of slate rocks and cliffs to one side, the water inside was crystal clear. Swimming in it really was heavenly! And the whole area had this aura of beauty and magic!

After Coogee, I had my first taste of downtown Sydney Harbour. I got to see the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, and the quaintest weekend outdoor market in the area of Sydney called “The Rocks”. Walking around the market and munching on beer nuts was so much fun! My exchange, Nadja, and her friend Alice took me around and showed me all the touristy spots!

Anyway, I’m having so much fun on my exchange so far! Although I do miss home, andToronto (and maybe even the snow a little) nothing beats hanging out Down Under and soaking in the Australian culture (and sun)!!

Bye!

Hanna

PS- Here are some pictures of the beach and the city!

Nadja and me in front of the Sydney Opera House

Coogee Beach

The Giles bath

in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there!

It’s almost Christmas (8 more days!), and I still have to do most of my gift shopping! I can’t believe I’ve left it so long, but it’s been so busy these past couple of weeks. Christmas shopping is one of my favourite parts of the holiday season; it’s always so lovely to give presents to others and see their faces light up! This season, I’ve tried to be a bit more original about my gift ideas. I want my gift-getter to be surprised by my gift, but hopefully they’ll also love it! However, this means that I have to do a little extra thinking– but that’s what Christmas spirit is, right?

There are so many options! But I’m definitely looking forward to shopping and spending the day at Yorkdale or the Eaton Centre!

I’ve always been a massive fan of the Arctic Monkeys, a British band that’s sort of got a style in between indie, rock, and alternative genres. Recently, they released a new album, Humbug. I was so excited to see some new music from them, that I immediately downloaded it!

The Arctic Monkeys are from Sheffield, UK, and formed in 2002. The lead vocalist is Alex Turner, with Jamie Cook, Nick O’Malley, and Matt Helders on guitar, bass, and drums. They became super-popular after their first single in 2006, I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor, and have now set out their third full album.

One of the things that attracted me to this band’s music was the funky, sort of punky songs that had unique vocals and guitars (I love Alex Turner’s voice!). A lot of their songs are really catchy, and a lot are upbeat and happy! That said, I was a tad disappointed after I listened to Humbug. I was hoping for a similar happier mood, but was surprised to notice that this album was a little darker than previous ones! I’m not saying I didn’t like it, it’s just that you have to be in the right mood to listen to it.

Humbug has a lot of mysterious, more ominous songs. I especially like Crying Lightening and Secret Door. I thought it was sort of similar to the style of Last Shadow Puppets, another band that Alex Turner formed as a side-project. I’m also a big fan of this band, and would definitely recommend it to any fan of spy movies! I’m not sure why, but whenever I listen to them, I always picture James Bond in my head!

Dear Little Jack Horner- I understand your greed!  

Every year, about two weeks before Christmas, we make Christmas Pudding. My mom and I go to my grandmother’s (Nana, we call her) house, and spend the afternoon and evening making the traditional pud for Christmas dinner. The whole process takes a long time, as the list of ingredients is endless; dried apricots, dates, shredded carrots, molasses, flour, eggs, and some things that would surprise even the craziest chefs. Think of it as a warm, more pudding-like fruit cake. I’m not normally one for fruit cake, but trust me, this Christmas Pud is delicious! With a dollop of brandy butter and lots of white sauce, it’s the ultimate Christmas dessert. It’s been a tradition in my mom’s family for ages (if only you could see the old recipe page we use!), and we always make it the same way. I, the youngest, am always in charge of wrapping a bunch of boiled coins, for the lucky few, in tin foil to stick in the pudding before it cooks. As well, this year I was in charge of using my big strong squash muscles to stir the massive pot of ingredients by hand- no machines here! Unfortunately, I was a tad tied up with homework so I didn’t get to be there for the beginning of the ingredient-composing stages this year.

My Christmas pudding story reminded me of all the traditions we have for the holidays. Whether it’s putting up and decorating the tree (which has now spread its glorious scent through the whole 1st floor), or wrapping presents in front of It’s a Wonderful Life, it seems to me like Christmas is a time for habits. It’s a comforting time with family, and even though I don’t get to see Santa, I still love the magic that surrounds everything on Christmas Eve. I even ask my mom to sneak into my room at night and leave a present at the end of my bed to wake up to in the morning; just like Santa used to do! There are so many little Christmas habits we always do, I could go on for ages!

I’m sure there are tons of traditions everyone follows during the holiday season, regardless of which holiday you celebrate. In fact, just on Saturday I was babysitting a family who celebrates Hanukkah- and I got to experience my first lighting of the menorah! It was so exciting and interesting to be able to see another family celebrate and each tell their own Hanukkah stories. I loved it!

So… do you have any holiday traditions?

PS- here’s my favourite scene from my all-time favourite Christmas movie, It’s a Wonderful Life - just to get you in the holiday mood. I’d say you need to see the full film to get the true experience, but whenever I watch the last scene I always end up smiling!

Last weekend, I was in the mood to bake. However, rather than putting together the usual “busy-day” cake with lemon icing, I decided to make sugar cookies! I flipped through Mum’s tattered copy (from the 70′s) of The New Cook Book, as well as my 2008 version of the same book, and found the recipe I had made during the summer: Sugar Cookie Cutouts. Yum! I was having a cozy weekend, and the perfect way to liven things up was to make some exciting-shaped comfort cookies!

I rooted around the cupboards, looking for some fun cookie cutter shapes, but to my dismay, we only had Holiday-themed ones! Reindeer, Christmas trees, gingerbread men, the usual. What a downer! My impulse to bake was dampened. I accepted that some nice circular cookies would just have to do. I made the dough (then ate a ton of it),  and wrapped it up to cool in the fridge.

While waiting for the dough to cool though, I decided to take a walk down the street to The Main Course, a cooking/baking/food/home store. Maybe they would have some fun cookie cutter shapes there?

Success! I picked up the cutest fairy-tale themed cookie cutters! When I got back home, I pulled the dough out of the fridge section by section, rolled it out, and cut tons of funky frog princes, glass slippers worthy of Cinderella, castles that could be compared to Hogwarts, starry magic wands, and tall wizard hats. After putting them in the oven batch by batch, rolling out and re-cooling, I felt so accomplished! After sprinkling sugar on top of them all, I was all set. Sugar cookies take a long time with all the cooling and cutting you have to do, but trust me, it’s definitely worth it! And on top of that, the cookies turned out to be totally delicious. Oh, my sugar cookie fairy tale!

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I did something really neat on Saturday night; something I’ve never done before! I went downtown to see the ‘nuit blanche’ art installations, and immersed myself in the modern arts! Artists from all around the world had created pieces of art ranging from electronic light shows and movies on buildings to sculptures in the middle of roads. For that night, from 7:00 at night until 7:00 in the morning, buildings and streets were occupied by thousands (at least it seemed like a lot) of people all participating in interactive art pieces. Unfortunately, I only made it to 1:30 in the morning before I was dead on my feet, but I did see lots of the installations!

My favourite was definitely the art experience located in Union Station- the whole train station was closed down for the night, and inside the building were lots of sights, sounds, and smells to represent the different ‘stories’ of people who have visited the station. Coloured lights were splayed across the ceiling, and speakers played recordings of different voices all going at the same time; one lady was looking for her daughter, another man was saying goodbye to his family. As well, every couple minutes the sound of a train arriving would fill the station and steam would shoot into the air. It might have been just me, but I swear each different fog puff smelled like something different too! One was cinnamon, and another was something floral, but I’m not sure… Anyways, that installation was my favourite, and my mom and I totally joined everyone that was lying in the middle of the floor. I mean, how often do you get to lie down in the middle of Union Station? So, that was cool.

There were so many other things too! Tarot card reading in the indoor waterfall garden of the Sheraton hotel, ghosts wearing sheets and chanting spiritual hymns of the netherworld; standing in the middle of a park. I also liked the free ”carnival” that occupied a whole block of Bay Street in the financial district! There were dance performances, and a big computer generated word machine hung between each tower of the city hall building. Everything was so neat! A beautiful Ice Princess and a big silver blow-up bunny in the Eaton Centre enchanted visitors, and big rowdy dance parades in the middle of the streets got people excited. I’ve only mentioned a few of the things I saw, but my head is still reeling from the experience!

On top of all that, what really amazed me was how many people were there. It was great to see how Toronto could be such a party city at night, and how the art that was on display was viewed and appreciated by so many people! I also really liked the walking aspect of it, and how you had to travel and explore the downtown area to view the different installations. Even when I left (and I’ll admit I was a bit wimpy leaving at 1:30), tons of people were still lined up to view some pieces. I wonder how many people stayed until 7 in the morning? It was a great night either way, and I’m looking forward to attending Nuit Blanche next year as well! Hopefully I’ll be able to make it until at least 3:00 next time?