Gorgeousness

I just got back from a weekend in Melbourne, kindly sponsored by AGSM. It turns out the PHarma and Biotech club (PHaB) is one of the most active here, and they needed a second representative to attend the AusBiotech conference for them.

More on my trip later. First, I've decided have to share something I've been thinking a lot about over the last few months. It will come as no surprise to most of you that I like nice things, and yummy food, and fun places to hang out. I mean I REALLY like them. I'm always thinking about them, talking about them, collecting information on them. Through all my many moves in the last five years I haven't been able to make myself throw out the massive box of magazine clippings and restaurant business cards I've been collecting. In fact, one of the best things about traveling for me is getting to see unusual things, eat different food, and discover new fun places to hang out.

I honestly get a rush when I go to a restaurant or bar or store that creates a cool atmosphere. My friend Elizabeth Merrit had her engagement party at The Park, in New York City several years ago, and I still remember how excited I got when I realized that the Japanese lanterns had been faux aged to look like they were wind-tattered. This weekend, my friends in Melbourne took us to a bar called Cookie, where there was no reason for me to get as jazzed as I did. But it was a bit dark, a bit crowded, a bit hip, and as I sat there over my glass of red wine (only one, lest you think it was all the alcohol), I was actually breathless. Which perhaps explains why I felt the need to blurt out to my friend Dan that, while I am interested in biotech, that's really not where my passion lies, dammit! Poor Dan.

All this is appropos of two things. First, I'm am at a crossroads in life (like always), and wondering how the hell to pull all the disparate pieces of myself together. Constructively. Second, my friend Karima has opened an online shop for Castle In The Air. Which rocks, and gives me the very same butterflies in my stomach. So I thought I would give her a shout out, and hope that some of you will browse the new store, and finally understand why I keep running back there even after all these years. And so that maybe you can share a tiny piece of the magic that keeps me going.

Dispatch #1

I have very mixed feelings about starting a blog. It seems like there's all sorts of etiquette to worry about, like who to link to, or what template to use. Not to mention security concerns -
will the entire internet have access to my life now? Plus, isn't posting the details of my life for everyone to see a little exhibitionist? All these concerns notwithstanding, it seems blogs are here to stay and it's time for me to accept that. And although I am in no way a sophisticated consumer of the medium, in the past several months, blogs have become an increasingly important procrastination tool for me. Thanks in part to Jeremy and Rakefet, and Tom. And also to Orangette, where I was referred by my friend Malina.

It was actually this last that sparked the idea of finally blogging myself. I am about to leave for three months in Sydney, Australia.
My family and friends (that's you, I hope) are all spread out, and I've been trying to figure out how to stay in touch. When I studied abroad in college, I used to spend hours in internet cafes, composing endless, poetic, heartfelt odes, usually with two results. Either I would send the email and then return daily, even hourly, eagerly anticipating a response, only to hear back "sounds great, I'm fine". Or the computer would freeze just before I could hit send, and then I'd wind up writing "I'm great, hope you're fine". So rather than repeat past trauma, I'm hoping to post my adventures and photos here. Check back regularly.

Hopefully, this will work as a way to stay in touch, although you are all going to join Skype as well if I have anything to say about it (I'm CeliaSF). I also plan to use this as a propaganda tool to convince you all to come visit. However, I can promise that this will not become an advertisement for how perfect and precious my life is. Because as much as I admire the food that Orangette cooks, and the beauty of her romance with her husband, reading about it this Tuesday night just made me mad. Besides, my life is just too messy.

I leave LA on Monday, August 25, 2008. I return on Sunday, January 4, 2009. All that happens in between will hopefully wind up here. Which means I need to go buy a camera. Any recommendations?