A few weekends ago Scott and I flew up to Sydney to celebrate our second wedding anniversary and my 29th birthday. Here are a few shots from our weekend getaway.
They're nuts.
P.S. All of these photos were taken by Scott :)
Ever thought about visiting Sydney?
For the past month and a half I've felt like this...
Well, not 100 % emotionally, physically -- more specifically, my face. Since mid-August I've been suffering from the worst rosacea flare-up ever! In the past, it was a spot here or there, but now I have huge patches on my cheeks. They're scaly, severely parched and red. Pyschologically it's created a horrible feedback loop; I stress from the severity of the itching and burning, I scratch in my sleep and grow scared whenever I enter the gym. I constantly wonder... Will the sweat burn my skin beyond belief? Will the sweat expose the redness and can anyone see what I've been feeling?
I went to the doctor a few weeks ago and he prescribed me antibiotics, yet lo and behold they haven't worked! Thus continuing the suffering. I've avoided the sun at all cost, I cut out red wine and spicy food from my diet and try to apply a cold compress after each gym session. Still, here I sit, red-faced and wondering when this bout of rosacea will end.
Please tell me it gets better.
That there is light at the end of this tunnel.
Romina, my brow gal, has been super supportive by doing research about rosacea in an effort to help hydrate my skin. In two weeks time we're trying out a facial she thinks will help. *Fingers Crossed*
To Scott: thank you for letting me whinge and for looking beyond the constant "blushing".
Have you ever been confronted with an uncomfortable situation? Do you sit idly by or do you lend a helping hand? Duty of care is what it came down to for me - I learned this during my first aid training for work (I work in construction) - just envision me in a hard hat :)
I was super grumpy pants on Monday, because my favorite class filled up before I arrived to the gym. I had that moment of should I stay or should I go and then I opted to go after having a mini-meltdown. *Stomps* "But I left work eaaarrrly!" Then, I thought, "No, I should go home and spend some time with Scott." So, I grabbed my stuff, my frown and my bad attitude and ambled up towards Collins to a catch tram - yeah, I'm lazy, sometimes. When I got on the tram I noticed it was fairly empty, but decided to stand seeing that I only had two stops to go.
And that's when it hit me -- the stench and it was horrible. I won't go into detail here, but suffice it to say, it was not pretty. After taking in a somewhat unsightly scene, I noticed a man passed out cold; my adrenaline picked up and my brain starting churning a mile a minute.
In a matter of a few seconds I tried to assess the following:
And that's when I started causing a raucous.
"Sir... sir.... Sir, are you ok?
"Can you hear me?"
"Sir, wake up!"
I carried on for a minute or so, yelling and nudging him before his eyes flickered. In that minute someone called for help, someone else notified the driver and a completely useless woman proffered, "Oh, he's definitely dead."
Death never crossed my mind. I kept thinking,"what if he had a seizure?" or "what if he chokes!" So, I cradled his head in an upright position, told him my name and shouted, "help is on the way."
After asking our fellow passengers a few questions, I learned he was on the tram for at least 10 minutes and only one woman mentioned she told the driver something was wrong with one of the passengers, but she didn't say what. Perfect, how could no one else notice or if they did, why didn't they help or try to do more?
This wasn't a serendipitous moment, rather a moment of what if and fate.
What if I had made it in time for my gym class?
What if I missed the tram?
What if it was my husband, any member of my family, a friend or me?
Good or bad, I know I was meant to be on that tram as weird as that sounds.
Once we pulled into Elizabeth Street, the man was feeling strong enough to stand up and get off the tram. Together we waited for 30 minutes, with an official from the tram line, for help and his family to arrive. While we waited, this total stranger profusely and repeatedly apologized to me; I could not accept his sentiment, because he fell victim to something he couldn't control. I stood there in silence with the hum of rush hour surrounding me, feeling elated by the fact that he regained consciousness.
Eventually we pieced together a theory about what happened. It was farily warm on Monday - he was running to catch the tram and wearing a puffy winter coat; once he sat down he began to experience chest pains, so he searched on his phone about why that was happening. After that, he had no recollection of what transpired.
Moral to the story:
Never think that someone else has asked for help or has done something. Just ask or do.
Alison Brie plays sweet/perky/smart Annie on NBC's Community, but you might also recognise her from Mad Men too. A beautiful brunette whose star is rising.
Kat Dennings is famous for her quips and one liners on Two Broke Girls. You might remember her from a bit part in Sex and the City - let's just say she gave Samantha a run for her money.
Kristin Davis voiced Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends. However, I loved her on Melrose Place; ahhh, the crazy, bitchy vixen of the 'hood. Then she changed zip codes and went onto play SATC's Charlotte.
Mayim Bialik inspired me to get one of those hats with a turned up brim which also had a flower affixed to the fold. Yeah, Blossom. Mayim now plays Amy Farrah Fowler, bestie to Penny and girlfriend of Sheldon Cooper.
Rashida Jones is the daughter of Quincy Jones, but don't let her familial lineage fool you. Her subtle comedic timing won me over during her tenure on the US version The Office.
Zooey Deschanel Almost Famous, Elf, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, 500 Days of Summer and New Girl. Loved Zooey in all of these.
It's good to be a brunette and besides it looks like we get to have all the fun.
Honorable mention goes out to Natalie Portman, Anne Hathaway, Mila Kunis, Ginnifer Goodwin and Camilla Belle.
Who are some of your favourites?
Image sources:
http://www.babyzone.com/mom/celebrity-babies/mayim-bialik_218832
http://www.1zoom.net/Celebrities/wallpaper/163583/z151.4/
http://www.go4celebrity.com/kristin-davis-007-1280x800.htm
http://www.zimbio.com/Allison+Brie/articles/WD-0D68QepQ/Alison+Brie+Humpday+everything+else+mattered
Nicole is a Melbourne (Australia) based beauty blogger who has a lifetime of experience admiring all things bright and beautiful in the world of fashion, makeup, handbags and more. She moved to Australia with her husband Scott in October of 2010 and has brought with her a passion for polka-dots, a mania for manicures, and a hankering for handbags. Bagful of Notions is dedicated to Nicole's adventures in these colourful worlds as she shares with you top beauty tips and delicious discoveries she's sure you'll enjoy!
A Melbourne-based beauty blogger and personal makeup shopper who considers herself as a local guinea pig, litmus tester, makeup cheater and your friend who will tell you when something is stuck between your teeth. Here's a toothpick.
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