Its been exactly 10 days since I turned 22.
The days leading up to my birthday were absolute bliss; everything went smoothly and the weather was perfect, it felt as if the stars engraved emotions of happiness around my special day. I was surrounded by people I love and doing the things that brought me lots of joy.
I remembered on my 21st birthday, I just wished for more happiness & my god did the universe deliver.
Dinner at ESP (Estelle by Scott Pickett)
17.11
Sunrise on the eve of my birthday
Went to the gym at 6 am for training with Andrea. Did legs and then enjoyed the sunny weather by walking home.
Trees and leaves sprouting for spring~
NOT A CLOUD IN THE SKY
After gym, I got ready to enjoy the beautiful day with Faiz!!! Didn't have anything planned so we just winged it.
Had our favourite sushi for lunch! I tried ordering my favourite softshell crab roll with no rice and the sushi aunty chuckled when she saw me order coz she saw the no rice lol. She still did an amazing job tho!!
Hensem boi
After walking around, we went to Faiz's no.1 coffee place! I had iced long black and Faiz had a latte. I remembered being extra chatty and Faiz and I spoke about the randomest things.
Beautiful art on the streets
Dinner I had Korean BBQ with the Fulton people for Sandra's last night before she flies off to Singapore for summer break.
After dinner Faiz and I watched Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them!!! 10/10. Anything Rowling touches will turn to gold.
OK SNEAAAKY TIME. So we finished our movie around 11:55pm and when I got home, it was already 12 am. I'm taking off my shoes and next thing you know, I hear the happy birthday song and Fulton peeps came out from my room with a cake. No joke I got a bit emotional and cried. I love surprises and I never expect anything so they made me a very very happy chappy!
18.11
Thank you for the surprise guys!!!! So grateful for each and every one of you.
Facetimed my parents but Ibu not pictured. Heheh.
Cut my hair with Heejin who I've been going to for the past 3 years. She's changed salons 3 times but I'm still so devoted to her lol.
Fresh hair!! Thanks Heejin.
Andrea, my trainer turned friend gave me a card after our training session.
How blessed am I to have these beautiful souled individuals in my life :'(
MY ROOT!!!! No. 1
Ran errands before dinner. Met up with the flower stylist for my birthday lunch on the 27th!
Thanks for the candle Champs!!!
Flowers from my parents and adik :)
And from Steph!
Faiz wrote me this beautiful poem and got me a symbolic bracelet to go along with it. A little backstory, I love circles. I think they are beautiful and a significant signifier of something endless and infinite. Faiz got me my first rose gold circle and he said "it's not perfect, it dips and rises but it's still a circle nonetheless.. We may have our ups and downs but at the end of the day, we're still us." Cried buckets when he said that, makes me feel like the luckiest girl alive. Grateful.
Faiz didn't want to tell me for weeks where he's taking me for dinner, he wanted it to be a surprise.
He took me to ESP by Scott Pickett and we sat by the bar and got to see our food made and served right before our eyes!!!! Its a degustation-only restaurant so we just ate whatever the chef gave us.
Birthday bubbly
Happy faces
Our appetisers
Quail egg and pickled nasturtium
Peas, broadbeans and buttermilk
Smoked wallaby and black rice
Wagyu, radish, bone marrow
Jonella Farm asparagus, smoked eel
Diamond clam, white truffle
Rockling, cod roe and saltbush
Wagyu and truffle sauce
Duck, peaches and chicory
Palette cleanser! Kohlrabi, fennel and marjoram. Tasted like herb sorbet.
Strawberry, basil and violet
Blueberries, yoghurt and leatherwood honey
Apple, marshmallow, shiraz. Last course for dinner. ESP quickly became Faiz and I's favourite degustation joint, the ingredients are fresh and flavourful and the service is impeccable. Definitely ranks up there in the top 2 spot along with 10 Minutes by Tractor in Mornington.
Sneaky toilet pic.
After dinner, we got to see Will Sparks! My 5th time seeing him hahahaha. Can't get enough!
Sooj and Kelly!
Here are the things I'm grateful for:
1. I've learnt the difference between being motivated and being disciplined. Motivation is good and nice while it lasts, but discipline gets you out of bed when motivation is lacking.
2. I've learnt to be kind and loving, to take things as they come. When you stay kind and your intentions stay pure, good things and good people will naturally gravitate towards you.
3. The road to 22 has mostly been about growth and learning to be more comfortable in my own skin.
4. Its been exactly a year since I deleted snapchat and instagram and I don't miss it a single bit. Its been really lovely reconnecting with myself and reading books.
5. I am eternally grateful to be surrounded by amazing family and friends, who keep me grounded and humble.
6. I've been journalling my gratitude in my Passion Planner for the past 11 weeks now and it has brought me nothing but joy.
Lots of love,
Sara