The Contingency Plan

I'm happy to report that Luc, Hugo and I have moved.

I feel bad that I haven't blogged already, but we all know I bear a love/hate relationship with this business. Ugh... the pressure to be forever interesting, humorous and popular. Sometimes the older I get the more reclusive I feel. I'd rather spend time with my son.

So anyway, we've moved from a three bedroom house in Sydney's northern suburbs to a three bedroom house in Sydney's inner west. The difference between the two places on paper is slight, but for the second time I would consider buying (first time was our waterfront apartment in McMahons Point). More than anywhere we've lived before, this place is just us.

Besides our terrace, which is filled with light, big spaces and an amazing living area that opens up onto the garden, there's a plethora of pubs and live music venues, arthouse cinemas for foreign films, lots of small and intriguing delis and cafes whose owners you want to like you, interior decorating shops that I walk into and die in from pleasure and sensory overloads and most of our friends are so close - all of this is within 10 mins of travel.

I enjoyed our years in Sydney's lower north shore, but never really felt at home there. The area is packed with secure and affluent folk who went to expensive private schools and fit the typically 'Australian' bill of caucasian-ness. I don't want to judge it as it's right for some people but is so far removed from what I grew up with and am comfortable with.

I think that's why I really feel at ease where we are now. I can walk to the shops where I'll find the same four elderly Greek men sitting at the bus stop as they do everyday talking about who know who cares as they look so damn cute, more nationalities than I can count on fingers and toes, authentic Croatian and Italian products Luc grew up with as a kid in Europe, beautiful women wearing hajib (although I grew up with close friends wearing this I've never seen it on the other side of the Bridge) and old women who talk to me in half English, half something else while I push Hugo in his pram who give him kisses when we part.

Love love love love.

Pop by if you have the time. I've just made these Monte Carlos, which taste as Luc's Mom would say, dee-wine...