Catching up with old friends at the Opera Bar. It's a completely outdoors and smack-dab on the harbour bar and restaurant behind the Sydney Opera House. The Harbour Bridge makes a stunning background.Spending time with old friends in Sydney reminded me of something that is wonderful about my existence on this planet: I get to have more than one life.
Have you ever moved far from your hometown? To another state? Or another country? Have you ever moved some place where everything was new and mysterious and took you completely out of your comfort zone? Someplace where you live a completely different life than the one you lived before?
Thinking of all the different friends I have, I can pretty much sum up my life into three main categories: My life in America with friends from all over the country but mostly they are from Detroit, Chicago and L.A. And of course that includes my life in Miami where I have friends from all over the world. Another life is with my blogging buddies and Internet friends where, so far, I have only online friendships. And my Aussie friends and family where I lived a completely different, yet sometimes over-lapping life.
The first time La Diva saw the Wrigley building (across from the Chicago Tribune building) on the Chicago river, it took my breath away.I remember the first day that I moved to Chicago from Detroit. I was 19 , had $200 cash in my pocket and I did not know one soul. Only the day before my father, at my insistence, had driven back to Detroit with my sister, tears in his eyes. The next day, my first day alone in Chicago, a determined La Diva put on her sassy dress and pumps and black lace gloves (it was the 80's!) and hopped on a train and went downtown. It was a hot summer day in July, very hot in fact, so I took off my gloves and put them into my purse. I was in downtown Chicago, young and without a care in the world. I had a brief Mary Tyler Moore moment and feeling free and independent, I twirled around looking up at the tall skyscrapers. I really was here!
I had walked by the famous Buckingham Fountain and made my way uptown and soon found myself in front of another fountain at the Chicago Tribune building. I stared into the cool water as I teetered on my heels along the edge of the fountain. I was thinking to myself: "Hmmm....I SO WANT to dunk my feet in the water but I have on hose. If I put my feet in with hose, they'll be wet all day. I can't take off hose in public.....I'm HOT. Hmmm...."
"Don't jump."
My thoughts were interrupted by a handsome man in a suit standing on the other side of the fountain.
La Diva looked up and laughed.
I walked over to him and coyly said, "Well tell me then, how does a hot girl get a cool drink in this town?" (Yes, I really said that.)
To a gal from a city that left it's glory days in the past, downtown Chicago in the summertime can be very magical.He laughed and we walked, talking all the way, over to the Allerton Hotel where we stopped at the beautiful lobby bar for a drink. It was like a scene out of an old movie. We hung out until it was dark, talking and getting to know one another, and then headed over to see the Independence Day fireworks down by Buckingham Fountain. I stood in the fountain's spray, laughing and thinking what a wonderful day it had been.
Jesse was a banker that worked downtown and he ended up being my first boyfriend and a good guy to know for a young lady who had just moved to Chicago. He took me under his wing and out to fabulous restaurants and showed me all of the city's treasures. My new life, my SECOND life, in Chicago had just begun.
La Diva walking down the corso in Manly, a northern Sydney suburb, towards the beach in the morning.It was 1993 and I remember waking up in Sydney, Australia the first morning after I had moved there. It was Saturday and La Diva thought that it would be a good day to head on over to Andersonville on North Clark street to Ann Sather's restaurant for nice breakfast of Swedish pancakes with lingonberries! But wait. Ann Sather's was in Chicago. And I realized I was in a completely new city in ANOTHER COUNTRY. It was frightening and exciting at the same time.
I remember in the first few years there, every where I went I would see doppelgangers of friends and people I'd known in Chicago. "Hey, there's Thom!" Oh wait, it can't be.... Sometimes I would get soo homesick for America. If I heard an American voice, I'd eagerly introduce myself just to talk to someone from "back home." But of course, when one pines for another place, it only keeps you sad so naturally I adjusted and adapted to my new life in Sydney. At the end of almost 10 years living there, La Diva was doing just fine.
View of the Sydney Opera House from the incoming ferry en route to Circular Quay. Taking the ferry to meet friends is such a nice way to travel!Interestingly enough, many times my blogging buddies came to mind when I was in Sydney for this last trip, more so than other friends whom I'm close with. I was out eating Lebanese with some vegetarian friends and Boxer came to mind. "I wonder if she'd eaten Lebanese before?" I would see some fabulous shoes and think of Moi or gorgeous home design and think of Jill. The Gay Mardi Gras was on when I was in town and reminded me of Making Space and her journey. And naturally, many of my thoughts would drift to Shamu when I was cooking or shopping for some exquisite seafood and produce.
La Diva and DJ Nevah L8 in the pool with Biscayne Bay, Star Island and downtown Miami in the background.I don't take my lives for granted and KNOW I'm one lucky Diva to get to live like this. I know having more than one great life is an experience not everyone can enjoy. I am hoping to add another life to my existence one day...perhaps in Europe? France or Italy? Maybe I'll end up in Istanbul? Or one day have a lovely little cottage on the coast in Opatija, Croatia? Who knows. If anyone had told me 10 years ago I'd be living in Florida, I'd say NO WAY. Yet, here I am.
What about you? Do you have that experience? Do you have another completely separate life in another part of the world? DO TELL, La Diva wants to hear ALL about it!
Ciao, darlings!cooking class, cocktails, parties, cocktail party, Miami, coral gables, events, bartending class, cocktail class, Laura Lafata, Miami Beach, miami cooking classes, bachelorette parties, bachelorette party, personal chef, corporate events, catering, personal chef, party entertainment
What a great post. And no, I've never had Lebanese food, but maybe I need to try it. :-)
ReplyDeleteI lived in England when I was 15 and while I was upset to leave my life on the Island, it clearly opened my eyes to the big world that existed outside of high school. I think experiencing different cultures, even those in the U.S. is wonderful. It changed me, I can say that. Mr. Boxer and I lived in Philedelphia, San Jose and Portland before returning to Seattle in the late 80's. I'm happy for all of my experiences, even those days when like you, I was confused as to where I was. What a brave soul you were at 19 to leave the comfort of home with just $200.00. Obviously, LaDiva was "LaDiva" even back then.
I remember my first morning in Philly at the age of 22. Terrified, excited and trying to figure out just what the heck "scrapple" was. Guess what? It wasn't what I thought it was.
Hai Boxer!
ReplyDeleteScrapple?! I've never tried it but I think I remember Buzzy praising it!
As for fear about leaving home...I never once had any fear. I still don't. I have more excited anticipation about what is about to "be" or happen to have any fear. Maybe that's what's good about leaving when you are young. (i.e. naive and stupid?!) And I got a job on my first day of trying, I think it was my first week there!
Living in different regions of America can almost be like living in another country, esp. if it's Miami after living somewhere like Detroit! Although I do think that with email, cheaper air fares, Skype, that living in different cities in America is not nearly as isolating as leaving the country. Especially for one that is 10,000 miles away. Thank God for FB and email and Skype that keeps my link to my friends back in Australia strong. Thanks so much for sharing Boxer.
PS: Lebanese food is very healthy and offers loads of vegetarian options!
Boring old me, I've lived in South Jersey my entire life. And in 50 years I've only lived in 3 towns. The Mrs' vactions are how I (we) see the world. Germany, Portugal, Aruba and Barbados to name a few. A week and a half is enough time at all these places. I really can't imagine living in another country. Maybe a different part of this country at best.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know Boxer was a Philly girl. She was there right around the time of the MOVE standoff. MOVE was a back-to-nature militant cult that built a fort out of their house in downtown Philly. They were heavily armed, shouted vile stuff over a PA system at all hours and all took the last name of Africa. The Philly PD killed most of them and ended up burning down a couple of city blocks. Fun times.
I love scrapple. It's sort of like spam but tastier. Cheese steaks, soft pretzels and hogies (not heros, subs or grinders) too.
You lead a charmed life Diva. Very worldly. I'm not much of a rambling man (although I have traveled the country for business). Not much lately though and I kind of like that. My roots aren't leaving the ground anytime soon.
First time i left home i was just turned 17 and took a trip from Perth on the west coast to Sydney. I travelled on the Indian Pacific and train that in those days was first class..after many adventures i returned to Perth then went to live in Darwin in the Northern Territory of Oz..ancient landscape, massive inland lakes and waterfalls - amazing place. Travelled back from Darwin with my then boyfriend camping and continued right around australia. In those days camping like this was safe. After making a base in Sydney I took off for many overseas adventures. Australians tend to travel for years OS as we are so far away. I live and worked in the UK, then travelled back home via Europe the middle east and Asia this took a couple of years. Most amazing places where Afghanistan (Iran was dangerous even then) got kidnapped in Afghanistan, help up at gunpoint in the Kyber Pass but that whole other story. We lived in seaside town in the south of India for a year or so. Those days of travel were just amazing and i'm so lucky to have had that freedom..After couple of years i went to live in the US for 18months or two years. New York then Chicago...Last years I have travelled to Europe again, Ireland where i drove around stopping wherever I wanted, (Loved it), then next was France travelled around by train north south all over (Loved It)..too many tales to tell in this short space....
ReplyDeleteoops many typos...typed too fast and posted.."held" up..obviously..Forgot so much like when we lived on houseboat in Kashmir...blissed out by all that was available back then :-) Synchronicity...mum said recently i should write about all this..she still has maps etc of everywhere we went...and the more you think about it the more you remember...ahhh if only life were always that interesting...
ReplyDelete"Well tell me then, how does a hot girl get a cool drink in this town?"
ReplyDeleteOh girlie, you are so damn darling! I so badly want to use that line. I think I'll try it on my husband. He'll get a kick out of it. I loved this post. It's funny, I often thought of you in Australia...hoping you were having the time of your life. I'm sure your the life of the party wherever you may be!
My veri word is ection...sounds like erection...Ha!
Buzzy, there is really something to be said about living in the same place your entire life, you have loads of reliable contacts, you know everyone and where to get everything and it doesn't cost you a fortune to move and start all over again! There are always pros and cons.
ReplyDeleteAs for living a charmed life, you don't know the half of it! Remember my post back about near misses? YIKES! My poor father!
PS: The "back to nature militant group" sounds like an oxymoron!
RAEBO! I remember your tales about Afghanistan, esp. the bull testicle story! You thought they were eating meatballs and they made you violently ill! hehe! I can just see you tucking heartily into them too! We must talk about these stories one day, I'll transcribe.
See this is how I met all my friends down under, they are a bunch of globe trotting Aussies. You meet one and then "It's on!" i met many of my best Aussie friends HOSTING THEM IN CHICAGO before I even made it to Australia!
Jill, thanks dear. You should have seen how cute I looked too, something out of a movie! The girl had cojones gigante! Also, the bad thing about having a couple of lives, you can never share them simultaneously, someone is always somewhere else and I'm ALWAYS pining!
Oh yeah Rae, do you have Skype? We need to talk about Paree!!!
ReplyDeleteNot surprised to see you with a bottle in your hand.
ReplyDeleteA completely separate life in another part of the world?
Why, Planet MJ, of course!
Miss La Diva, I just love you so much and am so happy you're on this crazy planet! XOXOX
ReplyDeleteI so know what you mean when you say your always pining for those that are in different place. People i know are scattered to the four winds..want them all in the same place..when i get my mountain place going i shall build little log cabins for you all...haha trust you to remember a "food" story from my travels....yeh those afghani guys we were having dinner with were watching me tuck into those "meatballs" they thought it was hysterical..poor silly ozzie girl you only supposed to eat one or two....and yeh i was totally sick from every orifice in my body..one end and the other simultaneously.. a potent memory....hahaha
ReplyDeleteps remember when i lived with that nutcase in the village in new york, and you threatened to come down and kick her arse....my first encounter with an american psychopath.. her not you !!! hahaha
ReplyDeleteGreat post, and thanks for the shout out!
ReplyDeleteI spent my childhood largely in Venezuela, and then post-college years in Mexico and Texas, immersed in Mexican and then Tex-Mex culture. I've moved more than I've been stable most of my life, and in my younger, pre-kids years, I often thought that I was really most comfortable on an airplane between two countries. It has always been the in-between spaces that felt most relaxing.
I'm with you on the internet connections and how present they are always. The internet has become a lifeline for me in so many ways.
I imagine myself free to travel, and free to call anywhere I am "home."
Beautiful post, brought back a lot of really happy nostalgia, and I think reawakened some of my preferred ways of living... awesome!
Thanks MS, I love knowing that you've lived in Venezuela and in the Southwest. I really think travel and living in other parts of the world that are completely different than where we are from (like moving to Northern CA from Detroit instead of to Cincinnati from Detroit!) to be a great experience. It really forces one out of their comfort zone and that's the only way we can truly grow.
ReplyDelete