NYE 2011

 Please excuse my week-long absence-I've been busy housesitting/getting sunburnt/seeing The Iron Lady and loving it/relaxing in the spa/meeting up with old friends/watching Friends/having an amazing coffee in Cronulla/reflecting on 2011 like a Grandma sitting on a rocking chair on a veranda. 
Today I was lying in bed and my brain suddenly exclaimed "CHLOE IT'S NEW YEARS EVE AND YOU HAVEN'T EVEN UPDATED YOUR BLOG SAYING ANYTHING ABOUT 2011". I thought that it would be pretty funny to go back to last year's 'New Years Eve' post, and see if any of my predictions/resolutions/hopes became a reality.

Here's the main part of last year's post:
For me, while 2011 will have the occasional social gathering, my life will consist of school. I know that sounds depressing, but I don't want any regrets. It's only 3 terms, and after that I have the rest of my life to party as much as I want. I have worked pretty consistently throughout my schooling career and I don't want to let myself down in the final stretch. If my ATAR doesn't reflect how much I have worked I will be pretty disappointed, hence the draining of a portion of my social life. I think that if you are in my position, going into year 12, and hope to get into your desired uni course too, you should take up this mentality. Don't screw things up when it's only 3 more terms! 3 MORE TERMS OF SCHOOL. 80+ YEARS TO PARTY YOUR BRAINS OUT

1. "While 2011 will have the occasional social gathering, my life will consist of school." TICK TICK. School undeniably defined 2011...it was Year 12 after all. It was both the worst and best year of school that I ever experienced-I had my meltdowns (which came like tsunami waves), was pretty much permanently stressed (kind of signed up for that when I chose to do three major works), and nearly pulled my hair out when it came to the final HSC exams. However it was the happy moments at school that I'll obviously remember for the rest of my life-all of my grade at school becoming closer friends, my relationships with my teachers (some of whom I now consider friends), fan girling over British boy bands, drinking too much coffee, the fun times we had together in the common room, the free periods (involving one too many trips to Bourke Street Bakery), our final week, and opening my HSC results to find that the meltdowns and my permanent state of stress weren't in vain.
2. "I don't want any regrets." and "If my ATAR doesn't reflect how much I have worked I will be pretty disappointed". TICK TICK. It's actually funny, because all throughout the year I remembered writing this here. Whenever I was slacking off, sitting on FB stalking random people, reblogging random photos on Tumblr or any other form of pointless procrastination, I would think about how bad I would feel after the HSC knowing that I would have given that little bit more. Thinking about that definitely helped me give 134%.

Tomorrow I'll write up my 20 New Years Resolutions for 2012. They're more random than the 2011 resolutions, but I'm determined to see them through! I hope you all have an amazing night and an equally amazing 2012. Here's hoping the world doesn't end like that movie says it will ;).
 Thankyou all for putting up with me for another year. Let's see what life throws at me in 2012!
Love,
Chloe.

CHRISTMAS EVE/CHRISTMAS/BOXING DAY 2011

mer·ry(mr)

adj. mer·ri·er, mer·ri·est

1. Full of high-spirited gaiety; jolly.

2. Marked by or offering fun and gaiety; festive: a merry evening.

3. Archaic Delightful; entertaining.

4. Brisk: a merry pace.

I am currently writing this post in my brand new suede wedges (courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa), for no reason other than the fact that I love them so much that I don't ever plan on taking them off.

This year's Christmas will definitely be described in my journal as one of the best Christmases ever. On the night of Christmas Eve our family watched Elf (this event has turned into a bit of a tradition), I helped my little brother put carrots out for the raindeer, and then left out some beer and cookies for Santa. Fast forward about 6 hours (my brother woke us up at 5.30) and I was skipping downstairs to check out my stocking and the presents under the tree like I was eight years old. Santa was very kind and gave me the perfume I've wanted for ages (Flowerbomb by Viktor and Rolf), two books that I've wanted for a million and one years ('The History of the World in 100 Objects' and 'Molotov's Magic Lantern'), and Ed Sheeran's album, among other things. Chris always gets me random but awesome presents, and this year he bought my Angry Birds slippers-best things since sliced bread. Phoebe realised she accidently threw my present away, and after about an hour of searching through a couple of garbage bins, she presented me with a lovely watch (I may or may not have picked it our for her to get me ;)). Oh, and Mum and Dad bought Phoebe and I a flat screen TV for our loft-heeeellloooooo late night viewings of Friends! What made the morning even better was seeing Mum, Dad and Chris open the presents that Phoebe and I had bought them in America! It really makes me more happy giving than receving presents.

The rest of the day was equally brilliant because we literally saw all of our family that live in Sydney. The morning was spent with my Nan and Pop at their home where we ate delicious ham and mustard on toast, lunch was spent at my Grandma and Grandpa's where we got to catch up with the majority of my extended family (and tease my 16 year old cousin about his love life), and then we finished off the day with my Aunty and Uncle at their home in Newtown=very intense game of Balderdash. Seeing so much of my family reminded me why I love Christmas...because it's a time when everyone comes together and is just...merry. When we were leaving my Nan and Pop's church on Christmas morning (an old fashioned service complete with hymns!), their pastor said something which stuck with me for the rest of the day. He said "I don't want you to have a 'happy' Christmas...I wish you a 'merry' Christmas. Not happy, merry". There is a difference between those two words, and I believe that 'merry' is the perfect word to describe Christmas when you're around people you love.

Today (Boxing Day), I was supposed to go to the Boxing Day sales early, however slept in until 10. I then proceeded to read the rest of Perks of Being a Wallflower. Thoughts about the book? I don't really know what I think about it...it wasn't particularly terrible but it's not that memorable either. I kind of just finished it and didn't really feel anything about it...nothing really made me thing 'OMG. WOW. LIFE CHANGED 4EVS'. That said, it'll make a great movie and I'll definitely be seeing it.

The rest of this week is going to be spent housesitting with Phoebe and Eleni, seeing The Iron Lady, reading Molotov's Magic Lantern, and hopefully going to the beach if and when the weather clears up!

I hope you and your families all had very merry Christmases!
Love, Chloe

Christmas Eve, Eve.

I can't believe it's almost been a year since last Christmas! You're probably thinking "Chloe....cool story bro...does it come in funny?". BUT SERIOUSLY! It feels like only yesterday that I was writing those posts towards the end of last year, about how it took me a while to get into the Christmas spirit, having lazy days being fried by the sun at the beach, frantically searching for related texts for English, ranting about school-related stress, and about how in one year I would have finished school...and...shock horror...GET MY ATAR. Yet despite that feeling that of "it feels like only yesterday..." so much has happened in that one year. Not so much lots of highlights which made the year great, like in 2010, but more the fact that 2011 was a really important stepping stone in my life. I turned 17 (one year closer to being an adult), matured (by 'Chloe' standards), survived my HSC (just), graduated from high school (insert sad face) and got my ATAR. All though those events are small in number, they are preeetttyy (take note of multiple letters in 'pretty') significant. A chapter (please excuse my cheesiness but IT'S NECESSARY OK?), of Chloe's life has effectively come to a close.

DEVELOPMENTS IN THE LIFE OF CHLOE:
1. I've started to read The Perks of Being a Wallflower..it's really great. I just love this one quote "And in that moment, I swear we were infinite".  CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE MOVIE! Helloooo Logan Lerman and Ezra Miller.
2. I've also started watching Downton Abbey with Mum and Phoebe. I've only an hour or so but IT'S SO GOOD.
3. My Dad and Grandad have been searching for information about our ancestors, and they've managed to trace back really far! Well, not them exactly. Basically they've paid someone in France to track down village records so we can learn a bit more about the family. The guy in France tracked records back to 1689, where Mathurin de Saint-Ylan married Perine Breton! Wooooot.
4. I'm up to season 5 in Friends. Chandler and Monica 4ly333333.
5. Phoebe, Chris and I had our annual Santa photo today with our little cousin...we were waiting outside David Jones at 8.30, and when doors opened at 9.00 we literally raced these other kids up to the top level where the Santa photos take place in the 'Magic Cave'. SEVEN ESCALATORS. SEVEN. Made me realise that I kind of need to get fit again! I can no longer use the excuse of 'I'll start running again aaffftteeerr tthheee HSSSCCC". 

Moviezs.

The other day I saw We Need to Talk about Kevin with Jem. It's really different to the type of movies I usually watch at the cinemas (I.E. crappy and shallow romantic comedies featuring actors trying and failing to resuscitate their careers/me not having to use my brain to work out what's happening apart from '00mag@wd sh3 kis$ed h3r best friendzzz fiaNce!'). Even though I had read the book, I still found the movie pretty disturbing...not in a 'horror movie' way, but more of a 'I never want to have kids because they might end up like Kevin and kill people' way. However, kudos to the actor who plays Kevin, Ezra Miller, for being a very sexy murderer.

I also saw the movie Arthur Christmas with my little brother. We bought EazyWay, where Christopher experienced his first Honeydew Blended Ice with Grape Jelly (God's gift to Earth in the form of a drink), bought our KFC mini-snack boxes (which, to my horror, have GONE UP IN PRICE), and settled in our seats to watch the movie.I had heard GREAT things about the movie, namely from the Sydney Morning Herald which gave it 9/10 and said that it was one of the best movies to be released this year. When the credits rolled at the conclusion of the film I was pretty disappointed. I don't know what it was about the film that I didn't like, but it just had something missing from it that all the other Christmas films I love have. It was still a great movie, but it just missing that little bit of Christmas magic that's in the others!
CHLOE'S TOP 3 CHRISTMAS MOVIES:
1. Polar Express: I LOVE THIS MOVIE A LOT MORE THAN A TEENAGE GIRL SHOULD. It never fails to get me in the Christmas spirit, and the sound track is just beautiful.
2. Love Actually: Need I say more? It's just so funny/adorable/romantic that it never gets old, and the sound track is absolutely AMAZING. I may or may not have decided that if I ever get married I'm walking down the aisle to the Glasgo Love Theme. Click here if you haven't heard it before!. Definitely one of my all time favourite movies.
3. Elf: I don't really know what to say about this insanely brilliant movie apart from the fact that it's an insanely brilliant movie.

UPDATE:
I'm not usually the one to watch lots of movies, but today I watched TWO. And, seeing as though today's post is dedicated to movies, I thought I'd mention them. The first movie was Red Dog, and I was so surprised at how good it was! Judging by the average Aussie film, I thought it would be crap. But it wasn't. AUZZZZIE PRIDE 4LYF333! The second film was The Queen...IT WAS SO AMAZING. Helen Mirren and Michael Sheen are such incredibly talented actors-it literally felt as though I was watching Tony Blair and the Queen!

I HEART LIFE.

So it's been a week since I last posted, and quite a lot has happened in that period of time. GOOD STUFF.
1.I wrote my letter to Santa. Yes. What of it. It has now been posted to the North Pole.
2.I got my HSC results on Wednesday morning. They came out at 6am, and Phoebe woke me up at 5.50am. I ran downstairs and sat in front of the computer screen, and I was actually so nervous that my hands were shaking. Kind of pathetic. Anywho, the clock ticked over to 6am and I actually kind of just sat there chickening out of logging in to see my results. Long story short, I logged in and was SO happy with my results. I worked really hard for the HSC (just look at all of my one too many pathetic posts about studying), and it was just such a relief to see that it paid off.
3. At 12pm on Wednesday I was at my friend James' house watching the Shawshank Redemption with a couple of friends, and we realised that the Premier's All Rounder list had been released...and....PHOEBE AND I WERE ON IT! What made me even happier was to see heaps of my friends on the list too! Saahh much happiness.
4. When I got home the Daily Telegraph called, wanting to do an article on Phoebe and I because we are twins (siigghhhh) and both got on the All Rounders list. Click here if you want to read the article!
5. I got my ATAR (the final mark out of 99.95) on Thursday morning, and the funny story is that at the start of Year 12 my English teacher told us that if you stick the ATAR that you want and the ATAR that you don't want next to your desk, you'll get the ATAR that you want (or close enough!). It actually worked! I got above the ATAR that was stuck next to my desk and above the ATAR I had written in my 'Dream Book' (Yes, I have a dream book. Wot of eeet brah), and Phoebe literally got THE EXACT ATAR she had stuck next to her desk for the year, down to the decimal.
6. I died my hair chocolate-brown. It's not that noticeable but I LUV IT.
7. I applied for some jobs! I KIND OF NEED A JOB. YEAH. So I'm happy that I finally applied for some!

So today I'm seeing the movie We Need to Talk about Kevin with Jem (can't wait to see it!), and might hit up Carols in the Domain later on. I love Carols in the Domain, but I don't think that this year's can beat last year's. Josh Groban=Heavenly.

Totally feeling this vibe today. I LOVE THIS SONG.

Oh, and this is kinda super really kinda cute....

Highlights!

Prepare yourself for a mega-essay. Sit back. Relax. Make yourself a cup of tea (English Breakfast if it's avaliable).

I don't really know where to start, so I guess I'll begin with the plane trip over. IT WAS TERRIBLE. The plane was full, crying babies were everywhere, and I slept for about 40 minutes in total. Oh, and Horrible Bosses is pretty much one of the worst movies ever...When I got off the plane at LAX (sorry, 'hopped' off the plane at LAX ;) ), I felt like a walking zombie, and this feeling was taken up a notch when I walked outside of the airport to be met with ABSOLUTELY FREEZING WINDS. I arrived at my home for the next two weeks (an insanely beautiful home in Newport Beach) and unpacked without trying to fall asleep/die from exhaustion. As soon as Bella came home from school (one of my long-time BFF's whose house I lived at for the two weeks), we hit up Fashion Island (that and South Coast Plaza are shopping heaven on earth) where I fought with all my might not to blow all of my money on my first day. I went a bit crazy at Forever 21 and Zara.....

That first week was insanely awesome. I literally went shopping every single day, and bought so much stuff that when it came to packing to go home, I almost couldn't fit everything in the four suitcases. I think the highlight of the first week was being able to experience the two different faces of LA. On Wednesday we had lunch at a beautiful restaurant in the heart of Rodeo Drive, and when walking around the area I walked past the most expensive car in the world! Then, on the morning of Thanksgiving, we volunteered to feed the homeless in Santa Monica. It was such an eye-opening experience, to see families with kids my brother's age lining up to receive free meals, clothes and haircuts.It was so well organised and I was so happy to be given the opportunity to help out. After volunteering, we headed back home where I had my first ever Thanksgiving lunch! The house looked absolutely incredible, and before long it was filled with people and overflowing with food...I ate so much I was thinking whether it was possible for a human to explode. The day after Thanksgiving is 'Black Friday' which is pretty much Boxing Day sales on steriods. We got up at 3.30am and headed over to South Coast Plaza where I nearly went crazy...think Zara jeans for $25...the best was being able to experience Black Friday sales at Forever 21, where the one at South Coast Plaza is the national flagship store. Downside was having to que for AN HOUR TO PAY.

One of the other highlights from the first week was going with friends to a HIGH SCHOOL FOOTTTBAALLL GAAAMMEEE. Exactly like the movies, complete with cheerleaders. Oh, and my friends' school smashed the other team. After the game we went down to a beach called Pirate's Cove and climbed down in the dark to find some kind of spooky caves. I also showed them 'coning', where you ask for a soft serve at drive through McDonalds and then when it comes to getting it, you just scoop of the ice cream and leave the worker holding the cone. So. Funny. Another funny moment was going to a local deserted park where some friends launched a pretty much illegal rocket which went so high that it went above the clouds. The funny part was not when it's parachute failed and came crashing back down to where we were standing, but when the cop came and we ran from them holding the wires. I was convinced I was going to be electrocuted!

On the Monday of the second week we hit up the one and only DISSSNEEEYYLAAAANNDDD. There were literally NO QUES for any of the rides, so we'd go on each ride 4 times in a row. Last time I was there Space Mountain and Splash Mountain were closed, so it was SO GREAATTT to go on them! Indiana Jones, the Tower of Terror and California Screamin' are officially my favourites. The funniest part of going on all of these rides heaps of times was working out where the camera is and when it takes the photo, so we'd work out hilarious stuff to do for the photo. The best was one of the times we were on the Tower of Terror, and it takes the photo as you plunge to the bottom. In the photo everyone is absolutely freaking out, and then in the corner is Phoebe, Bella and I asleep. The definite highlight of the day however was having lunch at Club 33, which Bella's mum managed to get us into. It's a private club in a secret location which Walt Disney built for his friends and associates. All the public sees is a door that says '33', and you press a buzzer and are then asked for your name, and if they let you in, you enter an old-fashioned lobby where you go up in an old service-elevator to the dining room. THE TOILETS WERE THRONES. Thrones. Oh, and the food was the best I've ever had.

Another great day was near the end of my trip, where my friend Polly took us (in her awesome Mini) to 'Inspiration Point' in Corona Del Mar (one of the most beautiful places ever) for a picnic (with the best takeaway Italian food in the wwwoorrrllddd). It looks out to the ocean, and along to coast you can see Newport Pier and the beaches! So gorgeous. That night I had a very American experience-we went to find a Christmas tree with Polly and Dominic (I arrived to discover that him and I were wearing almost matching outfits hahaha)! The places where you buy the trees look and smell amazing-just heaps of pine trees with lanterns every where! I took lots of photos like a true tourist.

DOT POINTS:
-Got obsessed with The Vampire Diaries. Stefan may or may not be the sexiest person on the planet.
-Ate a lot of fast food...so delicious. 'Animal Styles' fries at In n Out could quite possibly be the most delicious food on Earth. That and the chicken and fries from Chick-fil-A.
-Became used to seeing dogs in prams at malls with their own Starbucks cups.
-Saw the hotel in Beverly Hills featured in Pretty Woman (one of my all time favourite movies)
-Perfected the Southern Californian accent. I now have an American alter-ego called Kelly Carter.....she's in 12th grade at Newport Harbor High, is a cheerleader, and has a boyfriend at USC. Trololololololololol.
-All the kids have awesome cars! The student parking lot at my friends' school was full of Porsches and BMWs....soooo jelly.
-The 'Shirley Temple' drink is heaven in a drink.
-Disneyland is literally the happiest place on Earth. I may have had a big smile wacked across my face when I got a photo with the one and only Mary Poppins!
-OREOS WITH DOUBLE THE CREAM INSIDE. HEAVEN.
-Got Bella obsessed with One Direction. Success.
-Actually had a GOOD COFFEE IN AMERICA! It was from this cool place called Portola Coffee Lab, which looks like a science lab and the people who work there wear lab coats...
-Saw the worst movie I've ever seen-Blue Crush 2. Words cannot describe how bad it is.
-It was so great to just catch up with old friends and relax somewhere other than Sydney. I also made heaps of new friends which was really cool. It made it sadder to leave though!
-I swear one of the best things about America is its candy. Except Red Vines-They literally taste like poison.
-Frozen yoghurt is amazing. There's a place where you can get it (can't remember what it's called....), and there's a million different flavours and even more candy that you can put in it. I put so much smashed Peanut Butter cups in mine that I'm surprised I didn't have a heart attack.
-Had a suitcase full of Disneyland stuff for family Christmas presents! I LOVE DISNEYLAND.
-I was going to stay an extra two weeks but all the flights were booked out! Sad face.
-Got addicted to bagels. A 'toastie', a toasted bagel with ham and cheese, is officially my favourite breakfast.
-One of the things I love the most about the OC is that when I'd look one way I'd see the beach, and the other way I'd see snow on the mountains!
-Did I mention my new-found love for Vampire Diaries? One scene actually made me cry. And I literally NEVER cry in movies or whilst watching TV. Awkward.
-Steve Madden combat boots for $50. Wot offff eeettt?
-The shower in the ensuite to my room turned into a sauna and even had a bench. Life complete.
-Became similarly addicted to the 24 hour Christmas radio station. Increased my Christmas spirit by 100%
-In Newport, if something is 'dodgy', they say 'sketchy'. Saaahhh sketchy.
-I never used my $1 bills, so by the end I had 31 $1 bills. I couldn't even close my wallet. Kind of looked as though I was a stripper...
-Managed to eat the giant $8 'Party Packet' of peanut butter cups in a day.
-Slept for 10 hours on the plane trip home.Yeah, what of it. The plane was pretty much half empty so I literally got to lie down to sleep. W00000000t. As soon as I was picked up from the airport we went for coffee. Consider addiction to coffee stronger than ever.

JETLAGNESS

SO BASICALLY I have returned from the land that is California. I literally just experienced two of the best weeks of my life so far, and I would write all about it today except for the fact that I am so tired my eyes are stinging and I need to unpack before my head touches my pillow! I can't wait to share with you everything that I got up to over there, which I will most likely do tomorrow! Hope you didn't miss me too much ;)
x