Beaunz at large : Jonathan does Sydney

Jonathan and his wife Melz are one of the coolest, and humblest, couples I know. They have been living away for years now, doing all sorts of creative and inspiring things in Sydney, but I have just been told of a move back across the ditch so Jonathan can take up an exciting new role as Principle 2D artist at Gameloft. Yes, game-nerds, he will be designing games for a living. Tom Hanks in BIG springs to mind! Over to you, Jonathan.

I’m living in…
Dulwich Hill, Sydney. Or as the locals say... "The Chill".

I’ve been here…..
Since August 2001. I originally only wanted to come over and work here for a year. The good thing about that was I managed to convince my girlfriend Mel to come with me. "Come on!... it's only one year."

I’m here because…
I applied for a job at Walt Disney Animation Australia as a traditional (Pencil/Paper) Animator. I don't know why I thought a year would do me. When I got here I realised I had a lot to learn professionally. Also, Mel and I quickly made heaps of friends and I fell in love with Sydney and every year we found it harder and harder to think about leaving.

The first thing I bought when I arrived was…
The earliest thing I can remember buying was a pack of four Bagels. I have since learnt they aren't that common here. However, here is a tip, go to Ella cafe in Redfern and order the blueberry bagel with cream cheese... Yum, freshly baked!

My favourite thing about where I live is…
The weather, beaches, friends, food quality, food variety, ethnic diversity, the love of sport, strong Aussie dollar, lack of rust on cars, bike paths, little suburbs with little shops and the Opera house.

The thing I miss about NZ is…
Family to the max! Waiheke island and beautiful Rocky Bay.

The thing I don’t miss about NZ is…
Small town mentality. I think we fear other countries bigger than us. I often hear of the "Asian invasion".

I wish I could…
Have a white bungalow in Mt Eden, with a nice slightly upward sloping back yard. In the yard would be a sunny deck, a proper Finnish sauna and a brick oven that I build with the help of my Dad.

Since leaving NZ I…
Have become a little less funny. Or maybe, it is that I have become more adult and spend time thinking about and discussing things like term deposits, health insurance and updating my Linkedin profile.

The best place for coffee in Sydney is…
Campos Coffee in Newtown. Have the Affogato, I think they use white chocolate ice cream.

The best place to eat in Sydney is...
Quay, Tetsuyas, New Shanghai in Ashfield and Sumalee Thai in Newtown. The first two are top notch, world class resturants, where you spend 4 hours grazing and only talk about the food. New Shanghai is only a step up from a food court but is cheap, super tasty and you can watch them make your dumplings. Sumalee Thai is simply the best Thai in a town full of Thai restaurants.

I stay in touch with what’s going on in NZ by…
Listening to my wife Melanie.

Before I came here I thought Sydney was…
A big trashy city and Australia was mostly red dirt.

And I thought I...

Looked cool in baggy pants.

The biggest change in me since I moved here is…
I am now married, have a 4 month old boy, swim a lot and I have lost 20kg.

When people visit I always take them to…
Petty Cash cafe in Marrickville where they serve tea with tea cosies and souvenir tea spoons. Also, a big favourite is the Bondi to Coogee walk with a swim at the Maroubra rock pool.

For me, home is…
Where Mel and Miko are. Unless I am in the dog box which means I am literally, in the dog box... which is also weird because we don't even have a dog?

When friends are visiting NZ I tell them to…
Go to the South Island because I haven't. I know, embarrassing.

If I could describe my life here in three words it would be…
Warm And Friendly.

x

Beaunz at large : Sheryn does Saudi Arabia

For the past decade, whenever I've heard Sheryn's name it has associated with somewhere exotic and far-flung. I cannot begin to guess how many passports she's been through and how many languages she can ask for a beer in, but she's definitely top of my list of dinner guests next time she swings through New Zealand! Over to you Sheryn...

I'm living in...
Riyadh Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

I've been here...
For 18 months.

I'm here because...
No:1 the money and benefits
No:2 After leaving London I wasn't ready to 'settle' in New Zealand or Australia - I still wanted an adventure.

The first thing I bought when I arrived was...
A sim card. It's essential for their banking system and arranging limos (taxis). Because women are forbidden to drive and there's no public transport I rely on the limo service and hospital transportation.

My favourite thing about where I live is...
The weather, no taxes, and the compound.

The thing I miss about New Zealand is...
Friends, NZ food and rugby.

The thing I don't miss about New Zealand is...
Hangovers and paying for petrol :)

I wish I could...
Spend 6 months on a super yacht in the Mediterranean with all my friends, my sister and my brother. We're all so spread out around the world it would be fantastic to have everyone together again. 

Since leaving New Zealand I...

Have become very patriotic. I love my country but I also love exploring the world.

The best place for coffee in Riyadh is...
Probably Starbucks.

The best place to eat in Riyadh is...
This fabulous hotel restaurant called Al Khozoma - they do an international buffet where you can eat fresh food and even enjoy sashimi. It's also possible to sit in this restaurant and not have to wear an abaya. It's difficult to get high quality fresh food here.

I stay in touch with what's going on in New Zealand by...
Stuff website and Facebook.

Before I came here...
I didn't know what to think, I didn't have any expectations. I knew it would be restrictive and it certainly is. It's a unique culture with a massive expat community.

The biggest change in me since I moved here is...

Personally I've developed an appreciation of nature, how I miss trees, grass and beaches. I've learned to depend upon myself and the biggest change in me is patience. You have to have patience to survive here.  

When people visit I always take them to...
Actually, no one visits here. It's too restrictive and there aren't any fun attractions. It's a dry country so there's no alcohol therefore no bars. There are no cinemas. If a male friend came to visit me we wouldn't be able to go out together because we're not related or married, therefore should not be out in public together. Crazy I know.

For me, home is...
Where I am now. I like to live in the moment and Saudi Arabia is home.

When friends from Saudi Arabia are visiting New Zealand I tell them to...
See the South Island (even though I've never been but I hear it's quite spectacular) and the Coromandel.

If I could describe my life here in three words it would be.?
Peaceful, Stress-free, Unique.

x

Beaunz at large : Andrew does NYC

Today I'm introducing a new and (I think) super-cool series of posts called Beaunz-at-large. It really excites me when I hear about New Zealanders living overseas doing amazing things, especially when they're somewhere like Paris, or London, or - in the case of today's BAL; New York...sigh.

I've known Andrew since school, and he's always had the x factor - you just knew he would lead an exciting and creatively inspired life. Once upon a time he fronted The Larry Wednesdays (Ramone, anyone?) but these days he's stirring ad creatives at Y&R in The Big Apple.


Over to you, Andrew...

I’m living in… 
Nolita (North of Little Italy), New York.

I’ve been here…..
Almost two years now. Prior to that I spent 18 months in Boston and seven years in Singapore.

I’m here because… 
The city and I have a mutual understanding. It’s a summation of all my experiences and countries that I have lived in. I’m also here to be inspired. My job is to then inspire others.

The first thing I bought when I arrived was…?
Thermal underwear and snow boots. I thought New Zealand can get cold but New York is brutal. Some days it can drop to negative 20. 

My favourite thing about where I live is…? 
I have access to some of the best restaurants in the world. A few blocks south is Chinatown, to the east is Lower East Side, to the west is Soho and West Village, and north is Greenwich. There’s no excuse to eat bad food.

The thing I miss about NZ is…? 
Family is always top of mind. It’s hard when you’re not around to see your nieces and nephews grow or to be with your parents during their active golden years. Like anyone, I also miss the small things such as NZ summers, steak and cheese pies, Burger Rings, and Pineapple Lumps. Anything that reminds me of my teenage years always seems to rise to the top. 

The thing I don’t miss about NZ is…?
Driving in the traffic. Overtly aggressive male culture.

I wish I could…?
Open my own contemporary art museum in the future. In the meantime, I’ll continue to collect the pieces that will hang on its walls.

Since leaving NZ I…? 
Have been on a constant road trip and I’m not sure how to get back.

The best place for coffee in New York is…?
Bowery coffee is consistently good. It also serves pastries from Donut Plant. They’re as gourmet as a donut can get.

The best place to eat in New York is? 
This is impossible to answer unless I break it down into food groups. And even then I’d be leaving out a ton of places. Some top picks would be Pies & Thighs for fried chicken, Café Havana for Cuban, Xi’an for hand pulled noodles, Supper for American cuisine, Bozu for Japanese, and Kat’s Deli for sandwiches.

The best kept secret about New York is?
Madame Geneva. It’s a small Gin bar that serves incredible (and strong) concoctions. It’s probably only a small secret though.

I stay in touch with what’s going on in NZ by…?
I talk to family regularly and am always updated by friends (whether I like it or not) through their social media activity. I also read the NZ Herald online as much as possible.

Before I came here I thought New York was…?
Addictive. It still is.

The biggest change in me since I moved here is…? 
The city has definitely made me more resilient. It changes constantly so you need to adapt with it. The city also demands confidence and maturity or it will spit you out pretty quickly.

When people visit I always take them to…?
The High Line. It’s a 1-mile park that’s built on a former elevated railway line. It was redesigned and planted as an aerial greenway. It feels like you’re walking along an old rail track in the middle of the countryside.

For me, home is…? 
The present. I find it hard to settle if I’m constantly thinking about going back to somewhere else. I also have many “homes”. I obviously have strong bonds to New Zealand but I also spent many years in Singapore and my childhood years were spent in different parts of Asia.

When friends are visiting NZ I tell them to…?
Drive. I tell them to hire a car and just explore. You can’t really get lost and it’s the best way to discover the beautiful landscape. I usually tell them to make a beeline for the South Island though. The West Coast and Wanaka region are some of the most inspiring places to visit.

If I could describe my life here in three words it would be…?
Polarizing. Intense. Perfect.

x