I’m sure there are plenty of aching legs in the Shire this morning!

Yesterday over 7000 people lined up to take part in the 2010 Sutherland to Surf. The overnight rain made for a very wet road, but the sun came out as the pelaton (I have Le Tour fever) followed the Kingsway down to the Cronulla beaches towards the finish, making for an enjoyable (and exhausting) morning.

Rachael, Murray and Natalie from the Beach and Bay team ran the 11km in (almost) record time. Kylie’s fund raising efforts are focused elsewhere as she runs the final legs of her own personal marathon as Dry July draws ever closer to its end!

Beach and Bay were part of the Australian Youth Against Cancer (AYAC) running group, who collectively managed to raise over $4000 (and counting). Beach and Bay would like to congratulate Chris Boyd and the AYAC team on their efforts yesterday in raising so much money.

Congratulations also to everyone who completed the 11km course. The City to Surf is coming up next month and spots are filling very fast, so get involved! Online registration can be found here.

In a week we are exercising more, feeling fresher, avoiding hangovers and navigating social situations booze free. We are also eating more chocolate to compensate, complaining quite a lot and reflecting on how alcohol has come to play such a huge part in our daily lives (quite scary!)

I’m finding the challenge quite tough as am in the thick of 21^st season – 2 per weekend with unlimited free bar tabs. It’s not easy that’s for sure, but it’s a hell of a lot easier than dealing with cancer (obviously!) and so whenever I begin to feel sorry for myself, I just have to remember that this is a tiny tiny challenge in comparison!

We have been logging our experience in a daily journal and you can read more about everyones struggles here! I also found this hilarious video a fellow Dry Julyer made (hopefully it doesn’t get to this point!)

Kylie has been full of energy and ideas this week – getting more and more excited about the amount of money we are raising and the impact this will have on The Prince of Wales hospital and the adult cancer patients we are directly helping. In order to celebrate our halfway mark we are organising a get together at Bass & Flinders café in Cronulla next Friday 16^th July. Friends and clients are more than welcome to join us – to share a coffee (not Irish ok!) and a cupcake (famous Cupcake Kitchen ones). We are asking for a $2 entry donation to go towards our fundraising and anyone who has already donated is especially encouraged to come as a thank you!

Cupcakes & Coffee to celebrate Dry July

Where: Bass & Flinders, Cronulla

When: Friday July 16th at 11am

What to bring: Yourself, some positive encouragement for Dry Julyers, $2 donation & money for coffee

Please email info@beachandbay.com.au or phone the office on 9527 0008 if you would like to join us. (So Kylie can bake enough cupcakes!).

Cheers!

As you may be aware Beach & Bay Realty are participating in Dry July. The funds raised directly benefit the lives of adults living with cancer right across Australia.

How on earth is the Beach & Bay Team going to get through a booze free month? That is a very good question! This daily journal will give you all a little insight into our Dry July journey.

If you would like to make a donation go to www.dryjuly.com. You can find the Beach & Bay team at www.dryjuly.com/groups/boozefreebeachbayrealty

Wish us luck. We are going to need it!

Thursday 1 July - I started early as I have my school reunion on 31st July which I need to drink at! So I had to get through end of financial year with no alcohol. It was tough let me tell you!

Friday 2 July – 2 staff now on leave and Rachael and I are into day 2 officially of no drinking. Help! Friday night was camomile tea (I was cold alright! and no red wine to warm me up), felt strange drinking camomile tea with Thai take away.  Mel C said she was suffering as she had a terrible day and the kids were out of control and all she wanted was a calming drink!

Saturday 3 July – Rachael had a 21st to go to last night and she didn’t end up going, hopefully this is not a sign of things to come. Wonder how the others are coping, Anne has her daughters birthday dinner tonight and is designated driver. Have to check how much we have raised to remind me that this is for a good cause.

Sunday 4 July – Walked past the Opera Bar today on the perfect winter’s afternoon, didn’t stop. Rachael went to a party on Sat night where the alcohol was free, now that would have been tough. Mel A. stayed home the whole weekend.

Monday 5 July – Mood – grumpy

Tuesday 6 July-  (Post by Rachael). I’m turning 21 in 6 weeks and while not a seasoned wino I have drunk almost every weekend (usually 2 times) since I was 18. (And If I’m honest, sneaky drinks underage). Binge drinking is huge in my age group – it was not uncommon for me to drink more than 10 drinks playing drinking games – and my group of friends often have “pre drinks” where we drink at least 6 standard drinks (and then go out for many more). Over the last year I have cut my drinking down to no more than 5 (95% of the time) but it’s still a big part of my social life.

When I told my friends I was participating in Dry July not one person congratulated me or thought it was a good idea. “But why?” or “Don’t be boring”. Even after my first weekend booze free I’ve began to notice how people react when someone is sober. Firstly, I don’t drive – so I didn’t have the legitimate excuse of driving home. Because of this, on Saturday night I was continually hassled – offered to be bought drinks by no less than 5 people and told I was a “bad friend” if I didn’t have a drink. It appeared that people were really offended by my choice not to drink, and my age group didn’t really appreciate that it was for a good cause. I woke up fresh on Sunday at 8am so walked the dogs, went for a run, cleaned the house and went and got coffee (by myself, everyone else was too hungover) – all before midday.

Today is my sisters birthday – she’s pregnant so at least I won’t feel bad not celebrating with a wine!!

Wednesday 7 July (Post by Rachael) -A little disappointed that we are no longer beating Neil Perry from Rockpool in donations. James Packer sponsored the celeb chef $10,000 ! Hey James, what about us? Going to dinner tonight with a friend. He said he would bring the wine. My heart sunk a little and I texted back that he can’t. Kylie went to a friends house last night where both women were drinking red. She promptly left and went home and had tea.  She’s off to the Dendy tonight at Newtown to see a movie and get dinner. Sparkling mineral water is her new best friend.

Thursday 8 July (Post by Kylie) – Last night I went to a pub and drank mineral water, my friend asked if the barman could dress my mineral water up a bit, maybe a piece of lemon and a nice straw. Then the barman asked if I wanted my friend’s wine in a frosted glass in a straw so it looked like he was drinking lemonade or sth. Oh dear, next we headed to the Dendy Newtown where my 2 friends proceeded to sit next to me sipping red wine and even went out midway through the movie to get a top up. Normally I like the fact that you can sip a wine during a movie but not when I am on Dry July. Day 8 finished!

Friday 9 July (Post by Rachael) – I’m training for Sutho 2 Surf (July), City 2 Surf (Aug)  & a 1/2 Marathon (Sep) so Dry July comes at a good time! I’m eating the healthiest I ever have and not drinking and guess what….I’ve just gotten sick! See – red wine IS good for you! I’m wondering what to do tonight now that the idea of Fusion sober is unbearable. Might go to the movies but seeing it’s school holidays my only real options are Toy Story & Shrek. (Party on!) Saturday night I have another 21st with unlimited free alcohol. GREAT!

Anne has just realised she is going to the snow for 3 days in July.  Could someone be so kind and buy her a golden ticket so she can enjoy some red at least one of the nights? Anne also went to bed at half time during State of Origin on Wednesday. Just wasn’t the same without being able to drink!

Saturday 10 July (Post by Rachael) Went to a 21st and realised that everyone’s stories weren’t as funny as they usually would be. Ended up mulling around the food table and eating to compensate lack of drinking. Felt a bit blurgh, non social and while I still had a dance I was itching to get home by 11:30pm. (Outside party, freezing cold and no wine to warm me up!)

Anne was ‘designated dryver’ and went to a restaurant with friends. The group had pre drinks, wine during dinner, then more drinks after! Anne had soda, water and tea but found it pretty hard.

Sunday 11 July (Post by Rachael) Still feeling a bit sick and rundown I stayed home today. Also didn’t go to Northies which is a Sunday regular. Instead I ordered pizza and watched movies. Woke up on Monday morning with a massive food hangover! (Post by Kylie) On Sunday I went to a restaurant in a vineyard and spent almost 4 hrs there, watching everyone around me drink wines that complemented the food, I sat on one very large mineral water and made many trips to the bathroom. I had dessert instead of wine and I am feeling the kilos piling on. It was quite excruciating but when I think of people with cancer going through chemo I think I should get a grip. Of course I drove everyone home too.

Monday 12 July – Easy, too tired after watching the soccer to do anything else but go to bed so now worries today!

Tuesday 13 July - Almost half way, cutting back on the sugar addiction/replacement food this week

Wednesday 14 July – Anne W. came in to see us, she spent Sat night as designated driver, friends went bar hopping, restaurant then back to bar hopping, friends wanted to buy her a golden ticket, no support from friends just bad influences.

Thursday 15 July - Half way! Half way! Half way! Giving ourselves a pat on the back, feeling very clear headed and focused. Kylie is looking down the barrel of a Nun’s Pool dinner tomorrow night though with some bad influence friends!

Friday 16 July – Cupcakes & coffee at Bass & Flinders Cafe in Cronulla Mall to celebrate the half way mark of Dry July.

Saturday 17 July – (Post by Kylie) I was quite thankful a b’day dinner was cancelled at Nun’s Pool last night, don’t know how I could have got through dinner there without a nice Italian red wine…

Sunday 18 July – (Post by Kylie) Toy Story 3 at Cronulla Cinemas. 3rd weekend finished.

Monday 19 July – (Post by Rachael) Went to a ‘Christmas in July Party’ Saturday. Lots of punch & beers were drunk by everyone else. Sipped water and ate loads of rocky road. On the home stretch now!

Tuesday 20 July - Looking forward to saying we have been sober for 3 weeks tomorrow, wondering why July had to be such a loooong month with so many weekends

Wednesday 21 July - 3 weeks! 21 days!

Thursday 22 July – (Post by Kylie) Thinking I might have the sugar fix under control now?!!! Maybe the exercise regime will kick in soon but maybe not as it has been a very cold winter without my red wine.

Friday 23 July – (Post by Rachael) Going to a pub in Surry Hills tonight for dinner with a friend from Sweden who I haven’t seen for over a year! Tonight is going to be tough. Then we plan to go clubbing (tougher). I am beginning to think that after Dry July there will be a tsunami in August…..

Saturday 24 July (Post by Kylie) Definitely a tsunami Rachael, 1 week to go and it can’t come soon enough, I am stressed, grumpy and driving everyone nuts! At least this is the last full weekend left of Dry July.

Sunday 25 July (Post by Kylie) I rise and shine early Sunday morning, no hangover to speak of, this is becoming easier and harder at the same time, I am keeping very busy so I don’t think about Dry July! Later Sunday afternoon the text messages start, 3 Dry Julyers are feeling rather guilty it seems, there might be some back dating of Golden tickets, oh dear.

Monday 26 July – (Post by Kylie) I am trying to stand tall, while everyone else is falling down, down, down beside me. Not a drop for me though, I am 2 days ahead too as I started early so today I am celebrating 26 days official and 28 days unofficial (a short month!). Why did July have to be such a long month.

Tuesday 27 July - (Post by Rachael) Friday night re-cap. My friend arrived in Aus from Sweden last week. My friend from Sweden likes a  beer or 2. The conversation was stalled because English isn’t his first language. Wine made it easier! We went out for dinner and I had 3 glasses and got roped into having a shot of Jagermeister (filth!!) when we went out dancing. I woke up with a slight hangover, full of remorse! Didn’t tell Kylie for 2 days and didn’t write back to her text saying “Only 7 days left”….oh dear I thought, I’ve broken the pact!

Sunday night – Murray from work bought me a Golden Ticket to drink on Sunday night too (terrible Rachael!)  I helped organise a team of runners for the Sutherland to Surf for Australian Youth Against Cancer (a charity we blog about often). We raised $4000 and I wanted to celebrate! Another 3 glasses of wine…..

Wednesday 28 July – (Posted by Kylie) Over dinner tonight heard about my family drinking a bottle of 1985 red earlier in the week. Wanted to cry.

Thursday 29 July - (Posted by Kylie) – Out to dinner last night for my mum’s birthday, busted a Dry Julyer at the same restaurant enjoying a glass of wine and hit her husband (bad influence that he is) up for a backdated Golden Ticket. 2 sleeps for me left and I am done! Just in time for my school reunion!

Friday 30 July -

Saturday 31 July

Kylie Emans started Beach & Bay Realty with many great ideas. She wanted the agency to be independent of franchises, technologically advanced and with agents committed to ethical practice – honest, hardworking and fair. From the get go Beach & Bay has been at the forefront of adapting to changing technologies, embracing the internet as an advertising medium from the very beginning. Over the last year we have been working tirelessly to improve our website – collecting auction results for the public as usual but also adding more and more features.

In the last year….

Looking at Beach & Bay Realty Offline

• Beach & Bay had a record month in February 2010, selling over $15 million dollars worth of property. Considering only 2 agents were responsible for these sales this is an enormous achievement, if we do say so ourselves!

• Beach & Bay was appointed the exclusive selling agents for Drift Cronulla, a  luxury lifestyle apartment block with state of the art inclusions. Everyone here was absolutely blown away by these enormous prestige properties which set a benchmark not only for Cronulla, but Sydney-wide in regards to apartment living. Starting from $2.25million, built by Sammut Developments, and located in the heart of Cronulla, Drift attracted a lot of attention.

• Kylie Emans was nominated for a Telstra Businesswoman of the Year award

• Yet again we have had another full year of secret sales at record prices, proving that our database is not just a gimmick but an excellent selling tool and one we actually use. Instead of 1000’s of names on a list we work with a handful of value clients.

Looking at www.beachandbay.com.au

• 25,000 people have visited our humble independent website
• You have looked at over 78,000 pages
• 11,165 of you are new visitors – (thanks for stopping by, we love you and hope you come back!)

Auction results

• 12,768 is the number of times our auction results have been viewed. We provide this service for free because we want to be the local experts and we want to share our love of realestate with you. (We were also a bit tired with the lack of coverage of our area.)
• 1344 is the number of times our blog has been read – Don’t be frightened guys, we encourage you to stop by and read more. It’s not all real estate talk we promise. We cover local events, charities, property news, current affairs. And if there is a specific topic you would like addressed, just let us know!

Drift, Cronulla by  Sammut Developments

• Drift listings, blogs and posts on Sammut Developments were viewed over 5600 times on our website alone. Many of you wondered what living in the Drift Penthouse would be like and this listing was viewed over 1200 times.

Fundraising for Teneile

• Natalie Vials put the call out to help a friend and past client whose daughter had suffered from brain damage. We developed a website for Teneile Pawley, hoping to raise money to go towards medical costs and buying her a much needed wheelchair. Online donations came pouring in, Nat’s husband, Steven Vials, ran 250km through the Kimberleys to raise support and we topped it all off with a HUGE party at the Brass Monkey Cronulla. To date we have raised $25,000 in 6 months and will continue to support this great cause.

Fundraising for The Leukaemia Foundation

• I asked Kylie if it would be ok if her front of desk –marketing & social media manager was bald. She asked if it was just a new hairstyle I wanted to try (I’ve been known to do drastic things to my hair) and I told her no, it was for the World’s Greatest Shave. With Beach & Bay’s full support I raised money for the Leukaemia Foundation online and also held a fundraising night at Northies, Cronulla where staff and clients attended. $7500 in total was raised and I was in the top 30 fundraisers for NSW. Kylie did draw the line at the eyebrows (I said I would shave them too if I raised $8000…so close!).

Cronulla Buzz

• We created a new feature on our website that lists upcoming events in and around Cronulla. This is more work for us, trawling websites, actually reading flyers in our letterbox, and always keeping an eye out, but it means you can plan your weekends in advance, and that we know exactly what is going on in Cronulla. It’s just another way we hope to show you that our staff members live, work and play in Cronulla – and that it’s a great place to buy realestate!

E-Newsletter

• We recently overhauled our e-newsletter to make it packed to the brim with juicy real estate news, auction results, local events, new listings and blog rants. Released fortnightly this is something you don’t want to miss out on! Email info@beachandbay.com.au and tell us you NEED to be put on our mailing list immediately.

REUNCUT Interview with Kevin Turner

• Kylie Emans was interviewed by Kevin Turner on REUNCUT ‘The Daily Internet Show for Real Estate Professionals’. They discussed online marketing, the transition from print media to online media, the benefits of social media (twitter, blogging and facebook) and the impact it is having on the real estate industry.

Property Ad Guru

• Beach & Bay Realty was featured on this American real estate industry website with a spotlight on our auction results section.

Ok, so enough bragging. What about next year you ask?

Well, we aren’t stopping here. We are a force to be reckoned with and we are only going to get better.

• Our website will keep developing (we have an in-house (overworked) web designer).
• Our auction results are going to be more comprehensive
• Our support of charities will continue. July 2010 marks Beach & Bay Realty’s first attempt at “Dry July” where staff members are giving up grog for a month to raise money for adults living with cancer.
• We will continue selling luxury real estate and expanding our marketing (we currently offer individual property websites, the only agents doing so)
• We will be doing more project marketing since our success with Drift. Stand by for news on this.

Watch this space.

]]> http://beachandbay.com.au/realestateblog/2010/07/02/looking-back-one-year/feed/ 0 http://beachandbay.com.au/realestateblog/2010/06/29/beach-bay-team-goes-dry-in-july-for-charity/ http://beachandbay.com.au/realestateblog/2010/06/29/beach-bay-team-goes-dry-in-july-for-charity/#comments Tue, 29 Jun 2010 05:32:32 +0000 Kylie Emans http://beachandbay.com.au/realestateblog/?p=1879 Beach & Bay has decided to give up alcohol for the month of July to raise money for cancer research. Some of our clients and friends have joined us in this quest. Please forgive us if we are a bit short tempered in July, and if you see us around please give us some encouraging words. We will be updating our progress throughout the month with how we are dealing with social situations and how much clearer our skin is getting!

If you would like to donate, here is the link: https://www.dryjuly.com/groups/boozefreebeachbayrealty

Participants Kylie, Rachael, Mel M, Mel C, Nat G, Anne W. (No NOT Nat Vials – she said she can’t do it!)

DRY JULY

Winter is here and having just received my new Beach & Bay umbrella I am tempted to say “Bring on the rain”. These umbrellas are huge! No more wet shoes and socks and cold feet, no chance of my handbag or backpack sticking out the back or side of the umbrella and getting wet. Under the Beach & Bay umbrella I am in a completely dry zone!

I am actually checking out the weather forecast to see when I am going to be able to use my new umbrella.

7 Day Weather Forecast for Sydney

Saturday – Low 12 – High 18 – Possible shower
Sunday – Low 9 – High 16 – Possible shower
Monday – Low 7 – High 16 – Mostly sunny
Tuesday – Low 5 – High 15 – Mostly sunny
Wednesday – Low 7 – High 15 – Possible shower
Thursday – Low 7 – High 15  – Possible shower
Friday -  Low 7 – High 17 – Mostly sunny

So if anyone happens to be caught out in the rain and you to see me strolling along with my enormous Beach & Bay umbrella… feel free to come on over and seek some shelter… plenty of room to share.

Tasks will include blog writing, updating and maintaining Beach & Bay Realty’s website, auction tracking, social media updates and general office administration.

Please email your work experience to the Managing Director at kylie@beachandbay.com.au.

Deadline: 4^th June, 2010

Nadine took some absolutely amazing images of people and places in Japan and so we wanted to share them with you.

Hopefully they inspire you to travel and discover new cultures – or at the very least, will brighten up your Wednesday!

For the full gallery please see Beach & Bay’s Flickr.

Over the last 6 weeks I received $5500 worth of online donations – thanks heavily to my Facebook group ‘Rachael Gets Naked For Leukaemia Foundation’. This social networking group was a fantastic way to spread my message far and wide and send out group updates on my progress. On the actual night of the shave I raised another $1500 through donations and raffle ticket sales & since then have received about $300 more from strangers when I am out and about!

It has been a wonderfully positive experience and I want to thank everyone who got involved. The Leukaemia Foundation does a brilliant job in supporting patients with Leukaemia – through counselling, providing free home-away from homes during treatment and undertaking extensive medical research.

If you would still like to donate – please do! My sponsor page is here and I am collecting donations until the end of March 2010. For more photos of the night please see Beach & Bay’s Flickr site.