Oh, Darling!

It's time

2012-02-16T12:53:00.002+13:00

It's time.
I'm moving.

ohsarahrose.com

p.s. please update your readers etc. Soon I'll set the redirect.

Pa pa paleo - Raw Cacao Macaroons

2012-02-15T19:12:00.001+13:00

There are some good things that come from this Paleo diet. Besides weight loss and not feeling disgusting after meals. But sometimes you come up with delicious treats that you can share with your friends who are gluten free, or have chronic fatigue syndrome, or who have recently found out that they are allergic to PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING.
And these? these are so good that I will probably make them on and off for years. They are so good I would eat them if I did not care about gluten or grains or dairy or anything else. They are so good I emailed them to all my people before I even perfected the recipe.

Because I kind of did make this recipe up. Not from scratch, it is sort of an amalgam of three or four different recipes, and a bit of trial and error on my part. But you should try them! They are delicious.

Raw Cacao Macaroons

1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup coconut oil
2tbsp organic maple syrup
2tbsp organic agave nectar
dash of organic vanilla essence
pinch of sea salt
Desiccated coconut

Combine all the ingredients. Add enough coconut to make a mixture that sticks together.
I made a double batch and used about 100g of coconut. Next time I would probably even up the coconut content.

Roll into balls, lay on greaseproof paper, and refrigerate.

If the balls are a little melty (coconut oil is VERY MELTY), don't panic like I did the first time. It'll harden back up in the fridge!

366 in 2012

2012-02-12T20:56:00.002+13:00

Sunday
It was grey and humid and had rained the day before, but we gathered for a picnic anyway and it was rather lovely.

Monday
SuperBowl Sunday in the USA and a holiday Monday in NZ lined up so we spent FOUR HOURS pretending we knew what was going on with American Football.
At the beginning I picked The Giants as my team. So pleased when they won.

Tuesday
At our tattoo studio we can either walk up three flights of stairs or take a terrifyingly ancient lift.
(Craig was having a tattoo consultation, not my turn this time)

Wednesday
Oh the walk along the waterfront is rather beautiful at times. Even something as utilitarian as the bridge over the lagoon.

Thursday
Abstract, yes. Storeys of stairs in the Beehive.

Friday
Office detail. Beautiful protector, I believe. Foo dog? Shishi? I am not sure, but he is lovely.

Saturday
Making raw macaroons AND art directing my lovely husband.
(I get so frustrated, he doesn't see things as I do, I can't understand it.)
(in short? I am horrible, he is lovely)

&

366 in 2012

2012-02-07T20:31:00.002+13:00

Sunday
Craig and I spent far too long in the Hutt Valley.

Monday
Walking home, wearing a Twenty7Names dress and TopShop studded flats.

Tuesday
Stained glass owl face in a shop window.

Wednesday
Rain on green with blue in the background.
Lovely weather.

Thursday
There's a pop-up garden in Civic square!

Friday
Oh, the Sevens, classy classy carnival.

Saturday
Craig and I schlepped out to the Hutt Valley. My family were in Melbourne and we were cat-sitting.

&

How to find a Tattoo Artist

2012-01-30T20:00:00.000+13:00

Andrea Giulimondi from The Family Business, London

I’ve just booked an appointment for another tattoo! In London! I am finally going to get some work done in the city where my heart beats a little faster. I am so excited.

I’ve been asked by a few people to write about how I choose an artist. Especially in a city where I don’t actually know that many people, let alone many people with tattoos. So that is what this ~~little~~ quite long post is supposed to be.
Not the final word on choosing an artist but perhaps a guide, a starting point.

I currently wear eight tattoos. Of these, I have the work of six artists on my body*.
Not intentionally, mind, that’s just the way it has turned out.

But I digress! How did I choose my artist in London? You’ll see. But more importantly, how do YOU start finding the perfect artist for your tattoo?

Tattoos Themselves

Word of mouth is invaluable. Ask someone you know who has amazing tattoos; ask someone you DON’T know who has amazing tattoos. Chances are, if you are nice about it and explain why you are asking hi, I just love your tattoo, I’m looking to get one done myself and was just wondering what artist you used? then they are unlikely to mind.

If they are quite heavily tattooed they are most likely going to be used to people coming up and talking to them about their tattoos. They are, when on display, quite the conversation starter**.

Remember to look for the same style of tattoo you are imagining. It is probable that an artist can be equally proficient at realistic and traditional-tattoo style tattoos, but don’t bet your money on it. Don’t go to an artist who does only black and grey realist portraits and ask them to do a traditional Japanese style koi & Hokusai’s The Great Wave piece. Artists specialise for a reason.

However, I didn’t really know anyone who has been tattooed in London, and I wouldn’t have enough time when I was in London to go looking for strangers. So this option wasn’t much of an option for me.

I had watched the first season of London Ink in 2008 and through the show discovered Nikole Lowe (a Kiwi artist living in London!). It was through a subsequent profile on her in Inked magazine that I found out she had opened her own studio and discovered the work of Saira Hunjan.

The Internet

Use social networking to ask for recommendations. When I was looking for an artist to do my rose tattoo I was completely stuck. I turned to Twitter for recommendations. Through them I found Sacred Tattoo in Auckland and Dan Anderson, who did my rose.

I suppose I could have crowdsourced recommendations for London tattoo artists through Twitter but I don’t have that many followers in the UK, I don’t think, and to be honest, it completely slipped my mind!

With Nikole Lowe in mind I searched for her tattoo studio, Good Times. I emailed and requested an appointment with Saira Hunjan if she had space available during the week I am in London. I sent the email and went to bed. The next morning, my inbox empty, I decided that I was leaving it a little late*** to rely on only contacting one studio, I needed to find another artist.

Honestly? I then turned to Google. I searched “tattoo studio London”. I know, it’s kind of ridiculous in its simplicity, but I swear this is what I did.

Thankfully, one of the first links was to an article on Time Out called London's best tattoo studios****. SO HANDY!

So then I had a list. I clicked through to all the individual tattoo parlour’s websites and came to this conclusion (yet again): tattoo parlours have, by and large, TERRIBLE websites. Oh lord. The fonts, the busy backgrounds, the animations. SO bad.

Luckily, I did not want them to design me a website.

Use the About or FAQs page to get a feel for the studio. Do they assume that you already know a lot about tattoos? In that case, they may not be the best choice for your first tattoo, especially if you are nervous.
Check for waiting periods, do they take walk-ins? what rate do they charge? do they need a deposit? do they charge for artwork or is that built into the hourly rate? is there a minimum charge?

I always like to have a look at the Studio photos to see the kind of environment I will be being tattooed in. You can’t necessarily tell how sanitary a place seems from photos which are probably taken when the studio is looking its best, but you can get a feel for the place.

This time I even looked the studio up on google maps, just to see what area of London it is in. Close to my old work!

I should note that The Family Business, the studio I chose, has a damn pretty website.

The Artist

The studio website should have links to portfolios for all their artists. This is definitely the most important part of the process. You need to love the other work your artist has done.

I was looking for an artist who leans towards the traditional style tattoos, as that’s the aesthetic I like, but who could also do quite delicate or “feminine” work. I fell for Andrea Giulimondi’s work immediately.

I also loved the tattooed baby, the sparrow, and the lady with the roses.
View his portfolio here.

Like with any art, you are looking at work that speaks to you. I had looked at the work of many many artists and thought it’s fine but or he’s a good artist but something was off. Something didn’t work with the mental image I have of the tattoo I want to get. There were only a few artists, say 4 out of the 30 or so portfolios I looked at, whose work I actually loved enough to email for an appointment*****.

Hopefully the portfolio will be either all healed tattoos or a mixture of healed and fresh. Understandably it is easier to get photos of tattoos as soon as they are done, but you really don’t know exactly how a tattoo is going to look until after it has healed. Often artists will ask their customers to come back in to show them the tattoo or to send them a photo once it’s healed.

Pay particular attention to the line work. It should be the same thickness all the way along, and not fuzzy around the edges – the fuzzy bit is called a blowout and can ruin delicate linework or text tattoos.
Check out large swathes of colour – is it evenly coloured or is it splotchy? Is it all primary colours or does it look like they mix their own. What kind of colour combinations do they use, is there anything unexpected?

Also remember that the work in the portfolio is what the artist themselves considers their best work. So if you don’t like it, or it’s not that great, then you don’t even like that artist at their best.

Finally, once you have decided on an artist, give them a little bit of freedom to work. Unless you are an artist yourself, or the tattoo you want is a replication of a famous piece of art, recognise that your tattoo artist is an ARTIST and let them do their thing.

Take in images of similar tattoos or the styles that you like. Take in examples of colour schemes or paint techniques you like. I took in a photo of a plate for a colour scheme for my rose, as well as images where I like parts of the rose – the middle of one, the curls around the outside of another, the different interior and exterior petal colours from a third.

I took in outlines for my first two tattoos – the cupcake and the crown – which was fine as I was looking for straight replicas. However by far my favourite tattoos are the ones where I gave the artist guidance and reference images and asked them to come up with something.

With my sugar skull for example I took 4 or 5 examples of the kind of sugar skulls I liked and he talked to me about the colour scheme I was looking for (girly, bright, similar to my rose) and the particular elements I liked (heart shaped sockets, tudor roses, sacred heart, flourishes) and he designed me something beautiful and completely my own. I couldn’t have come up with better.

Sometimes the artist can save you from yourself. My side piece I had initially wanted with a horizontal orientation, about 2/3 the size I ended up with, but still retaining the details of peonies, roses, my camera, and in omnia paratus in a banner. It never would have worked the way I was thinking. The detail would have been too small and it would have looked too busy.
But I couldn’t see that. The artist could though, and I am glad I took her recommendation.

So yes. Don’t accept a tattoo design that you don’t absolutely adore, but maybe let the artist help you find something that is both beautiful, and the best for a tattoo.

To conclude this session I leave you with this anecdote.

I let Gill choose the colours for my lock and key tattoo, I trust him enough to do that, and he chose gold and teal and a little bit of aqua. I loved it. The next day I was showing a girl in the office and she said “aren’t those the colours of [where I worked]” and YES! YES THEY WERE.
Oops. But I love the tattoo. And I no longer work there. And it is an amusing anecdote. Tattoos do not have to be serious.

***************

* Dave McEwan – cupcake, Michelle Mac – crown, Dan Anderson – rose, Manu Edwin – sugarskull and Jitterbug Perfume quote, Erin Chance – side piece, and Jeremy Gill – St Paul’s Cathedral and my lock and key.

** Personally, I don’t mind people talking to me about my tattoos, as long as they are respectful. If they touch me? That is NOT cool. If you can’t see my entire text tattoo, ASK me to move my hair. Don’t brush my back. That’s just creepy, ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU ARE BEHIND ME.
Oh also? Do not rubbish someone’s tattoos. Once they are there, they are THERE, treat them like an unsightly mole or a broken nose that wasn’t set properly. Yes, they could get plastic surgery to fix it, but do not give them a hard time about it.

*** Most excellent artists have waiting lists. My guy in Wellington? About 3 months at the moment. Rose Hardy, one of my wishlist artists? A 12 month waiting list. When I found out that Saira Hunjan was the favoured tattoo artist of Kate Moss? I realised that the chances of her having only a 3 month waiting list were … pretty slim. About as slim as Mrs Hince herself.

**** I loved their description of The Family Business’ studio
Everything about The Family Business is sharp, from its boutiquey location in Exmouth Market to its suited and booted staff and vintage swing soundtrack. Its blood red interior, adorned with Roman Catholic imagery, is inspired by owner Mo Coppoletta's Italian heritage, and contrasts with the bold Japanese screens separating the work area from the waiting room.

***** the artists I emailed about were: Saira Hunjan at Good Times Tattoo, Lucy at Into You Tattoo, and Andrea Giulimondi and Andrea Furci at The Family Business

366 in 2012

2012-01-29T20:23:00.002+13:00

Sunday
A rainy Sunday on a long weekend was perfect for planning out the stops on our European Excursion.

Monday
Went to dinner at my parents' house. This lives on a windowsill. Doesn't everybody's family display vintage poison bottles?

Tuesday
A beautiful morning on the waterfront, I was surprised that the fountain at Oriental Bay was on so early.

Wednesday
Mask detail from my office.

Thursday
Looking up outside my window. Beehive and Parliament House.

Friday
Chris bought quite a lot of tea.

Saturday
We went out to the casting call for extras for The Hobbit. We lasted about 20 minutes before giving up. There were thousands of people there. Two hours later the police shut it down as a hazard.

&

88 days and counting

2012-01-27T10:20:00.004+13:00

A: our Hotel in Venice

This morning I cried.
I was sitting at my desk and I read something that brought me to tears. Happy tears! But I was lachrymose all the same.

The Tate Modern is hosting an exhibition of Yayoi Kusama from 9 February - 5 June. From 4 April - 9 September they are hosting an exhibition of Damien Hirst.

So for the 8 nights I am in London, my favourite city in the world, my favourite gallery in the world is hosting exhibitions by two of my favourite artists.

It's like they know I'm coming home for a visit. They're putting on a show.

I was so happy I cried.

Also, this morning I was trawling lastminute.co.uk looking for deals on accommodation - just the other day I found a well-reviewed hotel in Primrose Hill for the price we were going to pay for a shared-facilities hostel room! - and found, to my shock and delight, a rather budget but very well-reviewed hotel in Venice.

It's kind of close to St Mark's square. Sort of. About 150 metres. No big deal.

Pa Pa Paleo Recipe: Lamb and Bacon Dumplings

2012-01-25T21:08:00.002+13:00

I essentially gave up on Paleo just before Christmas
I kept the basic principles as much as possible but there were just too many sweets, so many refined carbohydrates, a lot of smooth peanut butter on whole grain toast. I started feeling bloated after almost every meal. My jeans started getting just a little bit tight. But mainly, I felt unhealthy after I was finished with a meal.

So I'm heading back to the caveman life, back on the Paleo diet.

With that in mind, I give you one of our favourite all time Paleo meals*.

Lamb and Bacon Dumplings

Meatball ingredients
6 rashers bacon
1 small onion
1 tbs olive oil
2 tsp sage
1 tsp ground paprika
1 egg
salt and pepper
500g minced lamb

Sauce ingredients
400g canned diced tomatoes
2 tsp basil
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 spring onion
salt and pepper

Method

Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 celsius/350 fahrenheit.

Finely chop the onion and bacon

In a pan on medium/high heat fry the bacon and onion for 5 minutes or until the onion is tender

Add the sage, paprika, salt, and pepper and cook for a further two minutes. Remove pan from the heat and leave to cool.

In a large bowl combine the bacon mixture, egg, and minced lamb. Mix well.

Roll the lamb mixture into balls and place in a tray lined with baking paper. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until well cooked.

To make the sauce, place the tomatoes, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a medium sized pan** and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the spring onion and simmer for a further minute.

Add the cooked meatballs and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Serve with a sprig of basil.
Note: if you are not on the Paleo diet I'm sure this would be a good spaghetti and meatballs recipe. I would just double the tomatoes, basil, and garlic for the sauce.

* Adapted just a smidge from the free pdf book "Recipes for the 21st Century Hunter Gatherer" by Nikki Young
** I just use the pan the bacon mixture was cooked in, so you get all the excess spices and whatnot

366 in 2012

2012-01-23T15:28:00.002+13:00

Sunday
I was in a bit of a mood. Not even the blue blue sky at Civic Square could fix it. I think it was end-of-holiday blues.

Monday
My new job is in a very old part of the Parliamentary complex. I love the vintage mint-green tiles in the bathroom.

Tuesday
Thankfully I was allowed to get a new ID photo taken. My last one ended up looking nothing like me.

Wednesday
He died fetching keys he'd dropped down a drain. That's a nightmare right there.

Thursday
Black & white photos for my Irish passport application. Despite having to pin my fringe back? I didn't mind these so much.

Friday
Walking by the waterfront. It's still only January but the wind is getting increasingly chill.

Saturday
I had to go back to the office to send an email (it slipped my mind on Friday) so Craig came to see my new office. Turns out that he'd never seen around Parliament in the three years I'd been working there. So I took him on an impromptu tour.

&

Thoughts become things

2012-01-22T00:34:00.003+13:00

It feels like a million but it was only two years and nine months ago that I posted my 2009 birthday wish list. I came across this by accident and I realised something surprising.

I was hoping for:

This beautiful copy of The Bell Jar, Protea charm & Protea ring by Meadowlark, Cupcakes (!), Peonies, the permission for Craig and I to live in the UK for as long as we like, beautiful underwear, a Kodak Duaflex vintage camera, St Paul's Cathedral back in my life, a traditional peony tattoo, a black retro-style scooter, Chloe Sevigny for Open Ceremony Wedges, Meadowlark pyramid stud bangles, a Marc by Marc Jacobs bag in a berry berry hue.

And two years, nine months later? honest to anything, it would be easier to list the items I do not have.
I do not own that copy of The Bell Jar, I do not have a black retro-style scooter, my Chloe Sevigny for Open Ceremony Wedges are Jeffrey Campbell knock-offs but besides that?
The permission to live in the UK was really just the best.

I was surprised. I am a fortunate fortunate person.

It was nice to remember that.

(It hasn't been two years nine months of presents, it has been two years, nine months of working hard and saving harder. And a couple of presents)

I got 99 problems but a trip ain't one

2012-01-16T18:23:00.002+13:00

So. Europe!

Forever and a day ago I met Aly. We became friends when I lived in London and, thanks to the wonder of the internet, we are still in touch (HI ALY!). One of my memories from when I was last in London (2008! SO LONG AGO) was telling her that she really should reply to Arthur, maybe even go out with him.
Now they are married. I am essentially psychic.

Their wedding was in Canada. Craig and I were invited but, you know, life and money and whatnot. We couldn't go.

THEN! In a fantastic confluence of events, I found out that I was coming into a little bit of money. THEN! I received a "Save the Date" email from Aly. She and Arthur are having a second ceremony*. In London.
Where do I ALWAYS want to go? London. Where do I not have the money to go? London.

WHERE ARE WE NOW GOING? LONDON!

99 days from today Craig and I leave Wellington. 100 days from now we land in London. I am so excited I might die.

And since it is SO very very far from this little corner of the world, we kind of decided to make the most of it. To make up for the two years we lived in London and didn't manage to travel. To see (a small portion) those cities we have wanted to visit for years.

We are spending a MONTH in Europe**.

The plan is, at the moment, to spend a week in London, 3-4 nights in Edinburgh (to see my favourite Kat), then fly to Berlin and, via train, spend the next 20 days travelling from Berlin to Munich, Prague, Florence, and ending up in Rome.
We fly out of Rome, spent 12 hours in Singapore, and land back in New Zealand at midday on a Sunday.

I predict that following Monday will be a fun day at the office.

* Yes! Well remembered. This WILL be my second second ceremony of the year.
** Seriously, SO excited. It's ridiculous.

366 in 2012

2012-01-15T20:32:00.002+13:00

Sunday
It was raining so hard when we left Napier that this is what my sisters looked like after less than two minutes outside.

Monday
Heading home after coffee with Andy.

Tuesday
At 3:30pm I realised I hadn't left the house at all so dragged myself down to the waterfront on my way to the supermarket.

Wednesday
After a morning spent in Flight Centre booking flights* I went to Te Papa to see the Unveiled exhibition from the V&A

Thursday
Two coffee dates. Opposite ends of town.

Friday
Headed home along the waterfront after signing my new contract.

Saturday
The annual Burke wedding anniversary picnic at Bolton Street Cemetery

&

* Yes!! I will tell all soon enough. I am so excited I might die.

Today is our 6th wedding anniversary

2012-01-14T13:33:00.000+13:00

2191 days and counting

Presented without comment

2012-01-13T14:31:00.002+13:00

An email from the inimitable Kat:

Oh! Btw, last night’s dream we were all on a cruise together and you had brought 5 Craig lookalikes on with you. I asked you why you needed 5 men and Craig just sighed and said, “I get tired.”
And there was a ceilidh on the boat.

366 in 2012

2012-01-09T23:05:00.003+13:00

Sunday
The new year started (again) rather late in the morning. Walking down Courtenay Place was surprisingly pristine.

Monday
Shopping the Cue sale. With a gift voucher from Christmas, the regular sale, and an extra 20 per cent off for Cue Club members, I got that skirt at the front for SIX dollars. Six.

Tuesday
Coffee in the sun. Only Mojo Bank Arcade was open.

Wednesday
Bush walking in Percy Scenic Reserve.

Thursday
Ropes along Oriental Parade. I had just left a successful coffee meeting with my new boss (!).

Friday
Sometimes this little country can look quite big.
We were headed to Napier.

Saturday
In Napier we visited an antique store and tried on all the amazing hats.
I almost bought that fuzzy white turban. I only stopped because, well, because it is a fuzzy white turban,

&

366 in 2012?

2012-01-08T21:41:00.002+13:00

Oh how I did not want to start my fifth (FIFTH!) year of taking a photo every-damn-day* by posting a day late. But I am sleepy. So very sleepy.

The past three days have been somewhat hectic.

My lovely family travelled to Napier for my oldest** friend's New Zealand wedding reception***. A round trip of 770km punctuated with minigolf, swimming pools, brunch, a farmers market, and of course a night of drinking and dancing.

instagram
wind farm / sunny Hawkes Bay / Pania of the reef / Craig lines up his shot / I almost bought a fuzzy white turban / I wore lavender / Kenjiro & his family barely speak English / pretty sisters / I was quite drunk / rainy Hawkes Bay / windfarm

But tomorrow! Tomorrow I will post the first week of 2012.

* in 2008 I only took 23 photos before giving up. In 2009 I missed one day (agony!). In 2010 & 2011 I took the full 365. This year I get to take 366.

** the story is thus: when I was two (three?) years old my family moved into a little house. Another family was moving in right next door. Each family had a Ford Laser. All parents were high school teachers. Each family had a daughter of few years and the name Sara(h). The stuff that, if not legends, lifelong family friendships are made of.

*** her husband is Japanese, they live in Japan and had their wedding there last April. Now she's five months pregnant! But she still got back into that beautiful dress. It was just laced a lot looser.

A classic New Zealand experience

2012-01-04T20:09:00.003+13:00

a walking track

a picnic

a lot of nature

and inappropriate footwear.

Memories: Mushroom and Walnut Pâté

2012-01-03T22:45:00.006+13:00

Borough Market 2008

Some of my favourite memories of London are set in winter. When the air is so cold that at first, it almost hurts to breathe. Where you go from coffee shop to coffee shop so you have something warm to hold. Where the air is blue and cloudless, you wear a hat and scarf, coat and gloves, and it's just warm enough. When you almost forget the feeling of your husbands un-gloved hand in yours. But you can't help smiling.

My memories of Borough Market are like that. Coffee in one hand, Craig's hand in the other. Cobblestones underfoot.

Past the Tate Modern, past the Globe, past Pizza Express, past The Anchor, past the remains of Winchester Palace, past the Golden Hinde, right next to Southwark Cathedral, and we were there.

We went there on a Saturday morning. The market was always madness after 11 so we would try and get there early. Rarely did we make it before 10:30.
Sometimes we would each get a bacon and egg butty or Craig would get a roast sandwich, and I'd get the venison burger and a coffee from Monmouth (the best, consistently the best, coffee I have ever had). Sometimes we would walk and eat, sometimes we would sit in the grounds of Southwark Cathedral - depending on how strong the sun was that morning.

Always we would buy food for home as well, pies from 'Pie Minister', handmade fudge, the best brownies I've ever purchased, artisan bread, and mushroom pâté.

I miss our market routine. Even when the weather outside and the warmth of our bed got the better of my robot-husband and he stayed home. I miss that little routine more than anything. So much sometimes that it hurts. So much that I can barely bring myself to try the Wellington version - I know it won't live up to the original. But I have tried to recreate some things.

I found a recipe for a pie with olives in it, I found a recipe for even better brownies, and finally, finally, I tried making mushroom pâté.

And it was good. Not Borough Market good, but pretty damn good*.

Mushroom and Walnut Pâté

Ingredients
250g Mushrooms
1 medium white onion
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp dried basil or marjoram
1 clove or tsp garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
40g walnuts

1. Chop the onion and fry in butter until translucent.

2. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook for a few minutes.
3. Add the herbs, garlic, and seasoning.

4. Blitz the walnuts in a food processor and add to the mushroom mixture.
5. Return all the ingredients to the food processor and purée.

6. Turn into a bowl and chill. Serve with bread, toast, or crackers.

It may not be a secret family recipe like the original from Borough, but it's good enough for me.

* It was good enough that when I made it on Christmas day my mama sent me away with a bag of mushrooms and instructions to make more for Boxing Day.

NYE: it's not iPhone time

2012-01-01T23:39:00.001+13:00

Do not try this at home. He was quite drunk.

365 in 2011 - I made it!

2012-01-01T19:52:00.000+13:00

Sunday
Red velvet at The Cupcakery in Petone. The cupcake was good but the cafe was not.

Monday
The day I decided to stop worrying and take a break over the holidays.

Tuesday
My darling husband and I took a walk down to the Waitangi Park tree of lights. We lounged on the beanbags underneath and tried to ignore the screaming children. It was almost romantic.

Wednesday
I did all of my christmas shopping and went on the annual Mulligan family trip to the Kirkcaldie and Stains Christmas store.

Thursday
A mildly hungover day. I wandered Wellington and watched The Wire.

Friday
I spent a lot of time in the kitchen.

Saturday
Christmas Eve surprise! Fire alarm at the Wondapartment. Four fire trucks were there within two minutes. But there was no fire.

Sunday
Christmas day was spent with the family, in the sun and in the shade, playing croquet and pétanque and Trivial Pursuits, drinking and laughing. So good.

Monday
Boxing day was spent with extended family, in the sun and in the shade, playing croquet and Trivial Pursuits, drinking and laughing. Also good.

Tuesday
The day after Boxing day is the day I start in on the books I get for Christmas.

Wednesday
Nothing felt right on Wednesday.

Thursday
I have four weddings to go to in 2012. I finally found the perfect dress for all of them.

Friday
Caramelising onions for an amazing tart. I'm obsessed with it at the moment and a bbq that evening was the perfect excuse to make it.

Saturday
Wellington may have decided that summer is over but I ignored that and drank cider anyway.

&

Dressember day 31

2011-12-31T21:19:00.000+13:00

Cashmere sweater and sheer midi skirt because Wellington has decided that it s NOT summer.

And finally?

Favourite LBD for New Years Eve.

Don't tell Amy but chances are that, come tomorrow, I will be found wearing jeans or shorts. Weather dependent.

Favourite Photos: 2011

2011-12-31T17:39:00.003+13:00

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Another year over

2011-12-31T17:04:00.003+13:00

2011 was a year with a lot of up, a lot of down, and quite a bit of in between.

In 2011 Craig and I said goodbye to the Hutt Valley for city living in Wellington. We travelled to Hawaii and not much of anywhere else. Work was both stressful and fulfilling, full of sound and fury, culminating in ... not a lot.
My family expanded by one when my baby sister got married. Full family dinners are now a table of eight.
I am skinnier, richer, happier, and more complicated than ever before. I made new friends, kept old ones, and made the most of living in town.

Best of all, best of all, I became an Irish citizen.

In 2011 I resolved to:
x be more frugal - yes? yes.
x maintain the healthy-ish lifestyle I managed in 2010 - yes.
x declutter - oh yes.
x take a photo every damn day - yes! yet again. I missed two self-portraits though.
x keep percolating this tattoo idea. - yes! and uh ... also yes.

I am ever so excited about 2012:
x Europe*
x a new job**
x taking a photo every damn day
x new tattoos***

Let's see how it goes. I can't wait!

first and last

* in April Craig and I are, leave from work notwithstanding, heading to Europe for a month.
** fingers crossed. I have leads and plans.
*** I have plans for two in 2012. I've managed to make it onto the list for one of my wishlist artists. I cannot wait.

Penultimate! Dressember day 29 and 30

2011-12-30T17:21:00.002+13:00

Purple flowers for a boring day of errands.

White t-shirt and sheer midi skirt.

Today? today we spent an hour at the travel agency. Craig and I are planning a European Excursion for April/May 2012. I am ever so excited. We just need to work out the ... employment side of things and then we're going to book!

So so excited.

Dressember day 27 and 28

2011-12-28T12:08:00.000+13:00

Linen mini skirt, white cami, & a faux miu miu jacket printed with birds.

BIRDS

My "I just blue myself" dress.

I am so very very ready for Dressember to be over. Not because I wouldn't be wearing dresses but because, oh lord, it has been agony stuck taking these terrible photos every day. Don't even get me started on posting them here. I hate myself SO MUCH.

Dressember day 25 & 26

2011-12-26T12:30:00.001+13:00

Purple dress from Forever 21 Hawaii for Christmas day.

I inadvertently matched both my xmas present from my adorable husband AND my lovely mama's xmas table colour scheme. I love matching.

Sheer black shirt dress from Cotton On - perfect for two Boxing Day events. More food! More sun! More cider!

Dressember day 24: Christmas Eve Styles

2011-12-24T23:29:00.001+13:00

Blue and white stripes from asos

I found a dress I'd completely forgotten about - a brief reprieve from repeats. I'd forgotten about it because, honestly, I don't really like it.

Annoyingly enough I received ... many compliments on this dress. From twitter, from my husband, from the girl at my coffee shop, it was baffling.

I still don't like it.

Christmas Eve
pre-supermarket coffee / presents finally all wrapped / local art in the xmas spirit / lunch at Beach Babylon / hanging on the sand / priority: don't get the tattoos sunburnt / finishing the evening with Christmas movies & wine.

Dressember day 23

2011-12-23T17:13:00.003+13:00

Purple flowers.

A day spent in either the supermarket or the kitchen.
I made: chocolate candy cane (salted) brownies, mushroom and walnut pate, and peppermint bark.

Candy Cane (salted) Chocolate Brownies

2011-12-23T16:10:00.004+13:00

Christmas just isn't Christmas without any Candy Canes

To me, chocolate and peppermint is the flavour of Christmas. I can't help it. With that in mind, I fiddled around with my favourite brownie recipe and created Candy Cane (salted) Chocolate Brownies. They are so good.

(NB: my pan is a little larger than required so I made a one-and-a-half batch. The recipe below is just for one)

Candy Cane (salted) Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients
8 tbsp butter
1/2 c brown sugar
1 c white sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 c flour
1/2 c cocoa
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tbsp peppermint essence

For the icing:
2 tsp butter
Icing sugar
1 tbsp cocoa
1 tsp peppermint essence
3 candy canes

1. Preheat Oven to 200c

Christmas calories don't count, right?

2. Melt (entirely too much) butter in pot over stove

3. Remove butter from heat, let cool about a minute, then add sugars (I use the pot as my bowl the whole way through. I'm all about saving on the washing up). Mix well.

4. Add eggs, flour, cocoa, salt, and essences. Mix well.

5. Line pan with baking paper, pour in batter, and pop in oven.

6. Bake 20-25 minutes, test with a knife in the center and remove when only a few little crumbs cling to the knife.

7. Cool one hour.

8. In another bowl mix the butter with enough boiling water to melt it, icing sugar, cocoa, peppermint essence, and another pinch of salt, until you have an icing with a good consistency - add water a tsp at a time to water it down.

9. Have your handsome husband (I mean, if you have one lying around, it's handy) unwrap the candy canes and crush them. Try not to eat too many of the bigger pieces.

10. Sprinkle over the icing! Enjoy. Also, if you happen to have a metric tonne of melted white chocolate from when you also made peppermint bark? you can add that too.

Dressember day 22

2011-12-22T18:57:00.001+13:00

Blue on blue dress from Cotton On. So comfy.

My first dress repeat. I would feel disappointed if I did not feel quite so useless.

Either way, this was the perfect outfit for how I spent most of my day.

Dressember day 21

2011-12-21T16:30:00.001+13:00

Striped low back shirt & sheer pleated midi skirt.

Today Wellington was beautiful but the wind was bitter. Warm enough that my jackets all felt too heavy, but too cold for short sleeves. This outfit was perfect for doing all all all of my Christmas shopping.

Dressember day 20

2011-12-20T23:29:00.001+13:00

Watercolour cami by Portmans, linen mini skirt by Glassons.

I am coming dreadfully close to repeating dresses. Or entire outfits. I could always just make like Amy & start wearing very-much-evening dresses in the middle of the day. But ... I guess we'll see tomorrow.
Tomorrow I have to do all of my Christmas shopping & I can't think of a single dress I own & have not already worn that will suit.

I think this is the epitome of a #firstworldproblem. I am ridiculous.

365 in 2011

2011-12-19T17:12:00.002+13:00

Sunday
I am who am overly bold will be steadily bold - Iris Wilkinson on the Wellington waterfront.

Monday
Waiting to play photographer at the law school.

Tuesday
Spent the afternoon watching a documentary on religion by Richard Dawkins and halfway through realised I was watching with my Jesus pillow between my legs. It amused me at the time.

Wednesday
Oh Wellington, you are covered in these kinds of stickers.

Thursday
The cross stitch Sarah heart is one of my oldest christmas decorations - my Grandma made it for me a million years ago.

Friday
The history of Wellington is writ in layer upon layer of gig posters.

Saturday
Tiny ivy. Christmas errands.

&

Dressember day 19

2011-12-19T17:06:00.002+13:00

Portmans lace insert jumper & cotton on sheer black skirt.

Summer is still not playing along. I am mad at the weather in New Zealand. But! Seeing as how I've decided that I am officially on holiday until the new year, this was the perfect excuse to spend the day watching The Wire.

I may be late to the bandwagon but damn if I am not jumping straight on.

Dressember day 18

2011-12-18T21:12:00.001+13:00

Two shades of blue dress, fuchsia patent leather belt, & back to glasses for a few days.

Perfect for Christmas shopping, cupcake-ing, & dinner with the family.

(I can't believe Christmas is in a week!)

Dressember day 16 & 17

2011-12-17T16:33:00.001+13:00

Grey & black mottled dress (2 sizes too big, it's pinned to keep it up) and a cardigan because New Zealand apparently doesn't believe in Summer.

Knit & lace jumper from Portmans, striped skirt from farmers, & my favourite leather jacket.

Wrinkled skirt, dirty jumper, & last night's hair. Hungover Saturday.

No outfit repeats yet!

Dressember day 15

2011-12-15T18:56:00.001+13:00

Dress from TopShop & sweater from Glassons.

It was a difficult day today.

Dressember day 14

2011-12-14T21:31:00.000+13:00

Chandelier t-shirt & a linen mini skirt.

Today I spent the afternoon with Andy drinking coffee & putting the world to rights. We didn't get very far.

Dressember day 13

2011-12-13T20:42:00.000+13:00

An all too short Supré dress for a housewifely day.

Today I learnt that, pretty surely, being a housewife is not for me. Today I had nothing nothing nothing at all to do. So I did laundry, cleaned the kitchen, shopped for and cooked dinner for my husband.
I did not enjoy it all that much.

So in protest, during it all I watched a series by Richard Dawkins on religion (shock!) called "The Root of All Evil?" then "Paradise Lost 1: the Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills" about the West Memphis Three.
Excellent documentaries both. I highly recommend them.

Dressember day 12

2011-12-12T18:49:00.002+13:00

Dress from Cue, jacket from Portmans.

It was an official looking morning, I had an appointment to sign back up with my temping agency (sigh) and I always feel more competent if I look ... like this.

However, I am not as dedicated as Amy and this is the first of three outfits today. They are all dresses (PROMISE!) but the other two will not be photographed. I am lazy.

Also, I got to play photographer today!

365 in 2011 - double edition

2011-12-11T16:19:00.002+13:00

Sunday
The epitome of lazy days. I was hungover and newly unemployed.

Monday
The first day back in the office, when we knew it wasn't going to turn out well.

Tuesday
I have no idea what the graffiti near my house says, but I like the look of it.

Wednesday
"Solace of the Wind" statue and his yarn-bombed ensemble.

Thursday
Walking home, rather late.

Friday
Heading to Auckland, heading into the sunset.

Saturday
Whenever I'm in Birkenhead I like to stop by the ferry terminal at night, there's a great view back to the city.

Sunday
The guest bedroom at my in-laws place is under an arch overgrown with vines. I love it.

Monday
We visited the newly opened Auckland Art Gallery. One of my favourite pieces was this one, Crystal Enclosure by Alan Sonfist.

Tuesday
Auckland was just a brief visit for my father-in-law's birthday.

Wednesday
The first day I really felt unemployed. Not even strawberries cheered me up.

Thursday
I felt invincible. I hauled our tree up from the garage, constructed, and decorated it. All by myself. Lights and everything.

Friday
I lovelovelove this graffiti-ridden building on lower Cuba street.

Saturday
The weather was beautiful. I took my book to Civic square and lay on the grass under the shade of a tree.

&

Dressember day 11

2011-12-11T16:08:00.002+13:00

Heart jumper from ASOS, black linen mini skirt from Glassons.

A classic Wellington summer day. Too cold for a t-shirt, too warm for layers. Sweater and skirt is the only way.

Dressember day 10

2011-12-10T15:49:00.001+13:00

An indecisive day (so many of them are!).

Coral top from cotton on (it has a crochet back that I just adore & it does not photograph well), skirt from Victoria n Bird, leopard jacket thing from Jeans West.

Dressember day nine

2011-12-09T17:39:00.001+13:00

Dress: Something Else by Natalie Wood

Today was the first day where I really just wanted to wear a pair of jeans. But I did not. Such is my dedication to Dressember.
Plus, I was going out to lunch with former coworkers.

Dressember day eight: girls can do anything

2011-12-08T17:03:00.000+13:00

A purple flowered dress & a mustard polka dot scarf separated by my favourite leather jacket.

Perfect for insisting the hardware store (no, seriously), buying lingerie (super sale), & putting up the Wondapartment's Christmas tree (yes, seriously!)

Also! The phallic santas are back!

Dressember day I've forgotten already

2011-12-07T20:44:00.000+13:00

Back to Wellington, the place that light forgot.

Also, found ridiculous earthquake "damage":

Dressember day six

2011-12-06T14:30:00.000+13:00

More stripes! The skirt is from a terrible store & my t-shirt, from Portmans, has strange lace holes in the sleeves.

But! I felt cute enough. And Craig liked that the skirt rode up when I walked and especially when I was in the car next to him.
It was the perfect outfit in which to purchase another dress for Dressember. And that's it. I'm putting myself on a shopping hiatus. Especially if we are to get to Europe next April!

Dressember day five: still in Auckland

2011-12-05T17:21:00.001+13:00

Striped, floral, & skull tee by All About Eve and a sheer black maxi-skirt.
Perfect for a day of art galleries & shopping.

Dressember day four: and then the rain.

2011-12-04T12:00:00.000+13:00

Tea dress from Glassons and a black cardigan from a lifetime ago.
Dressed for a family 60th afternoon celebration while the rain pours outside.

Dressember day three: Auckland edition

2011-12-03T15:39:00.001+13:00

Kate Sylvester swan tee & scalloped skirt by Victoria n bird.

Dressember Day Two

2011-12-02T09:50:00.001+13:00

Lavender dress from Hawaii

I have no words.

2011-12-01T10:48:00.002+13:00

I am speechless. Bereft of words. Exhausted and ineloquent. I have been under an intense amount of work-related stress. Which I do not talk about on the internet.

I realised last night that the last time I can pinpoint feeling wholly well was sometime around my birthday. Oh the joys that stress brings. Joy and hairloss and a weakened immune system.

Suffice it to say that I'm currently unemployed.
I'm sure I will be employed soon enough, but in the mean time I will enjoy my redundancy payments for a few days at least.

Also! I am taking part in Dressember.

I think I was somewhat drunk when Amy suggested it on Twitter. We had missed "Frocktober" and ... it kind of grew from there.

So. For the 31 days of December I will be wearing skirts or dresses or ... anything that is not trousers.
There is one dress I adore which is a smidgeon too short and will need shortshorts to be worn underneath but aside from that, it will be all dresses, all the time.

Why? I have no earthly idea. BUT I AM DOING IT ANYWAY. There is little I like more than ridiculous challenges. You will probably see terrible grainy instagram photos every day as well. Because I also like to share my ridiculous challenges.

365 in 2011

2011-11-27T19:59:00.002+13:00

Sunday
Just the usual Sunday night dinner at the parents'. Photo party on their side table.

Monday
Another addition to my Meadowlark ~~obsession~~ collection.

Tuesday
A tree and the supreme court.

Wednesday
Checking out the bridge for sign waving and I spotted the Occupy Wellington crew.

Thursday
Some kind of open day on the Hikitia. It was sunny but oh so very windy.

Friday
I quite like the clash of pink and red.

Saturday
I voted. And went to my first ever election night party.

&

Haircut. Pretty sure I hate it.

365 in 2011

2011-11-20T20:43:00.002+13:00

Sunday
The sun was out and I was a lady of leisure. So I took my book (read: kindle (read: kindle app on iPhone)) and headed to the waterfront to read and people-watch.

Monday
An amazing dawn - the light was perfect.

Tuesday
Whenever one of my coworkers sees Cherry Coke, she always buys me a can. I like this pavlovian response.

Wednesday
The view on the way home isn't too bad either.

Thursday
I went to the launch of Meadowlark's Arrowhead jewellery range. I bought a gorgeous ring that Craig will be giving me for Christmas then smashed a glass and left in shame. It was a night of extremes.

Friday
One day soon I will tire of waterfront photos. I hope.

Saturday
Silly poster, you are not a camera, you are a poster.

&

365 in 2011

2011-11-13T21:02:00.002+13:00

Sunday
Summer is coming. The sun is still up on our way back into town.

Monday
November SEVENTH and the Christmas tree is already up in Midland Park.
Madness.

Tuesday
Walking home after Ladies in the House political forum.

Wednesday
Difficult day. But the reflection was lovely.

Thursday
My tattoo artist gave my tattoo a teeny tiny touch up. It was just a smidge patchy. It's perfect now.

Friday
There was ... something? about the date? I can't remember. Something.

Saturday
Bunnyhead people and tattoo book. This is how I choose to decorate.

&

365 in 2011

2011-11-06T20:54:00.002+13:00

Sunday
Afternoon coffee with a friend. The sun was out & even the brickwork was in flower.

Monday
Craig, my sister, and I went for Japanese food pre-John Waters (which was a-mazing, by the way).

Tuesday
A busy day, a late night, and a terrible photo.

Wednesday
I love weddings! This one is for two of my favourite people as well. Bonus.

Thursday
Heading to work early in the morning - I had work to do before a meeting.

Friday
I very much enjoy the sun on the water. I take far too many photos.

Saturday
Entertaining myself while Craig talks bikes.

&

Wanderlust

2011-11-03T20:08:00.002+13:00

November 2009 - Japan

In the early mornings, if the weather isn't perfect and I have to skip the waterfront, I walk past two hotels and a backpackers.
Sleepy tourists, bulging bags, hotel breakfasts.
I miss travelling.

365 in 2011

2011-10-30T20:15:00.002+13:00

Sunday
In the Backbencher, surrounded by puppets, I watched the All Blacks win the Rugby World Cup.

Monday
The next morning the Fanzone was already being deconstructed.

Tuesday
A very cheerful mural near the Wondapartment. I do not think it constitutes graffiti.

Wednesday
I saw the All Blacks victory parade & Brad Thorn raising the Web Ellis cup.

Thursday
I look out for this little guy every time I walk to work the Wakefield Street way.

Friday
My first ever blood test. Yes, first ever. I have always been remarkably healthy. Even this one was just routine.

Saturday
I bought studded loafers. Indeed I did.

&

365 in 2011

2011-10-23T15:12:00.002+13:00

Sunday
Graffiti near the wondapartment. Craig & I were headed to the supermarket for dinner. We ended up buying pizza.
Terrible plan.

Monday
Sunlight fingers through the clouds on the walk to work.

Tuesday
The decor in the Eastbourne Women's Club cracks me up.

Wednesday
My keep cup arrived. I call it Kat.
(it's because of the turquoise)

Thursday
Headed out to Eastbourne for the last time for a long while.

Friday
A strange strange day. But! There are posters everywhere for John Waters' one-man show. I'm so excited.

Saturday
Craig and I went out to see the Devil's Tongue flower. It smells like rotting meat and only flowers once every seven years. I've wanted to see one for years now.
I was mildly disappointed. We may have just caught it when the smell was waning (it comes in waves) but it didn't really smell like anything, save perhaps compost. But I am glad I saw it.

&

Content

2011-10-23T00:01:00.002+13:00

It has just turned Sunday morning. Craig is just about sleeping but I? I am sitting in our giant brown chair (far too giant for our miniature wondapartment) sipping water and listening to the city outside.

It is full of heels on pavement, this Sunday morning, the drunken bawl of men & keen of women. The low thrum of the traffic. The far off bass of a covers band. Laughter and broken glass. In a few hours the streets will smell foetid & worn.

The city is making the most of tonight.

So am I.
Sitting cool & quiet. Sipping water, bare legged, I am content.

(I could be out there. Often I am. But not tonight.)

Eastbourne. Sometimes I hate you.

2011-10-18T18:14:00.001+13:00

But you're so damn pretty.

365 in 2011

2011-10-16T19:08:00.003+13:00

Sunday
Stuck all the way out in Eastbourne for rehearsal. At least the weather put on a show.

Monday
I like catching the architectural features most people miss.

Tuesday
Eastbourne again. This time for sunset.

Wednesday
This dinosaur lives on my computer monitor. He falls down at least four times a week. Half of those times he falls into cold coffee.

Thursday
I bought a new iPhone sticker. And it's not one based on a photo I took. What is wrong with me?
Nothing. This one is pretty.

Friday
Met my favourite former colleague for a lunch date. The overly attentive waiter bought me a new glass of wine each time mine was down to only 1/3 full. This photo is the panicked result.

Saturday
We managed to squeeze more than 30 people into our teeny tiny flat for a birthday party/flatwarming.
There were a lot of empties on Saturday morning.

&

Oops.

Oh Meadowlark, You're KILLING me

2011-10-12T18:12:00.003+13:00

When the inimitable Gala Darling asked what websites for New Zealand Jewellery there was only one answer I could give

There's really only one, always and forever, my favourite is Meadowlark.
(Although Karen Walker jewels are fab too)

This weekend, the DAY BEFORE MY BIRTHDAY, Meadowlark made their latest collection available for pre-order. I died just a little as I flicked through it and DID NOT ORDER ANYTHING.

I did however add a few things to my wishlist.

(click to enlarge)

Bone Bow cocktail ring.
But I have not decided if I would prefer rose or smoky quartz.

Photo from Superette.

Faceted earrings
Faceted and Bone Bow charm bracelets.

But of course, things like dental work and Irish passports and rent, the small things, take precedence. So my every-growing collection of Meadowlark jewels (it's a bit of a sickness) will have to wait just a little while longer.

I hate being a grown up sometimes.

I own at least one piece from every single collection save for two.
Seriously.

p.s. I believe this goes without saying but this is NOT a sponsored post. The adoration is completely my own.

365 in 2011 - a day late and a whole year older

2011-10-10T20:03:00.002+13:00

Sunday
Hiking around Wellington delivering letters. In the rain.

Monday
Poor Canada.

Tuesday
A terrible day and a terrible photo.
Sigh.

Wednesday
Today was the day I found out that mystery flowers are amazing for ... about an hour.
Then they become very very creepy.

Thursday
I spent the evening playing photographer. So much fun.

Friday
Looking back to the Valley. But only at the odd odd clouds.

Saturday
Birthday cupcake.

&

I turned twenty-SO OLD.

365 in 2011

2011-10-02T20:32:00.002+13:00

Sunday
I was so excited to finally be living in town.

Monday
My new commute was just beautiful.

Tuesday
Sometimes seals choose the Wellington waterfront to recuperate. This one was adorably sleepy.

Wednesday
The sky is bright neon in the seconds before sunrise.

Thursday
Magazines. I try to like them but I just ... do not. They are too pricey for my taste.

Friday
New Zealand's Navy (yes, all of it) was in town. The sun was out and the city was full of sailors.
Swoon.

Saturday
Lillies at Joe's Garage - there for a family brunch.

&

Self portrait: in the sun, slightly hungover.

WONDAPARTMENT

2011-09-26T14:35:00.005+13:00

the last commute vs the first commute

This weekend just past, the one right behind you, Craig and I packed up [most of] Park Place and shifted ourselves and our mountains of odds and ends to the Wondapartment in Wellington.

It looks small, Park Place, without our things in it.

It was a lovely house and it served us well for near on two years. I will miss running up and down the three storeys. I will miss having a room dedicated to books. I will miss the verdant views.

My tolerance for all creatures scuttle-y has increased with two years living in the bush. I (and my husband) will remain eternally grateful for this. Now when I screech about an insect in the bathroom it is with an air of LOOK WHAT HAS BEEN LIVING IN THIS HOUSE ALL THIS TIME AND WE HAD NO IDEA. Not with an air of SAVE ME SAVE ME SAVE ME.

Sidenote: an entire shelf of our pantry was ceded to the spiders. It was too high for me to reach anyway and they just hung out and made it all web-y*.

But the city, the city - how it called to me..

This morning, or perhaps it was last night, either way it was in the hours when reaching over to check the time seems like an insurmountable effort, I was woken by a nearby bar playing, at volume, WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH A DRUNKEN SAILOR. Take him home and put him to bed I thought as I turned the pillow to the cool side and slipped back to sleep.

Later this morning, I left the wondapartment. Craig was still brushing his teeth. I stepped out onto a quiet city street. I cut across to the coffee shop on the corner and ordered a long black to go. By the time I had my steaming coffee in my hand, I had my husband outside the door for our new commute.

Craig and I wandered along the waterfront to work - sun on our faces and seabreeze in the air - considered the Rugby World Cup Fanzone and the seal on the rocks (we couldn't see him) and the utter beauty of the morning.

We live two minutes walk from, what seems like, everything.

Yes, the wondapartment is small**, & it is a little noisy, but that is a small price.
I can't wait to continue on with the living there.

* I realise that all of this SOUNDS like I am complaining, but I'm really not! Park Place was wonderful. And full of insects.
** I managed to get rid of a lot. But there is still just SO MUCH everywhere. I think the downsizing will continue.

365 in 2011

2011-09-25T18:38:00.002+13:00

Sunday
Buying wood and whatnot to repair my ailing bookshelf.

Monday
Taking all the art off the walls. The beginning of the pack.

Tuesday
A very odd moment on Tuesday morning - it was both hailing and bright sunlight.

Wednesday
Wednesday was a no-good very-bad day. Pizza was required.

Thursday
Last time (for a long time) catching the train home from Wellington.

Friday
I spent my lunch break taking photos of a Wellington Central candidate. It was a beautiful day.

Saturday
Terrible photo, yes, but I was busy packing because Saturday was MOVING DAY.

&

Pug Life

2011-09-21T08:26:00.003+12:00

When moving house, a torturous affair, it behoves one to make one's own fun.

(It's been there since Sunday. They only just noticed. Hee!)

My head might explode, I'm so excited.

2011-09-19T18:52:00.002+12:00

Dearest The Internet,

I have a fear. I am just the teeniest bit afraid that my head might explode (boom) because ... well ... everything is going right. For a change. My poor cynical cranium, It is unused to the pressure of such things.

Oh. Now that I think about it. this seems all terribly depressing. I did not intend it to be so! I simply mean that I'm unused to so MANY things going right ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

(boom)

(boom)

I am SO excited.

On top of all of this my social calendar is just bursting at the seams.

These next few weeks are a flurry of packing and moving and work functions and passport applications and birthday parties and oh just everything.

I don't know how I will handle it. But I'll try.

xoxo, Sarah-Rose

365 in 2011

2011-09-18T20:25:00.002+12:00

Sunday
Feeling a little bit normal - I painted my nails. OPI Skull and Glossbones teamed with OPI Done out in Deco.

Monday
Pak 'n' Save Petone sure has a LOT of Rugby World Cup 2011 spirit.

Tuesday
In the middle of the day the weather collapsed into m&m size hail. By the time I made it to the car in the evening it was sunny but still cold enough that the hail was sticking.

Wednesday
I AM OFFICIALLY AN IRISH CITIZEN.

Thursday
Magritte advertising at a Wellington shoe store. I loved it.

Friday
Sometimes, like this Friday, I forget to take a photo until I'm in the bathroom on the way home.

Saturday
Gorgeous Wellington graffiti near our new place.
Yes. Our new place. On Saturday we signed a tenancy agreement on an inner city apartment. I am so excited.

&

Post Paleo

2011-09-12T18:30:00.002+12:00

Today marks six weeks of Paleo for Craig and I. How'd we do?
I think we did pretty well. We didn't make it through 100% of the time, but I'm pretty certain we averaged over 80%, probably closer to 90%. I coped a little better with office lunches than my sandwich-fan husband, but that was always expected.

My smallest pair of jeans, the jeans I couldn't fit 6 weeks ago? are now the only pair of jeans I own which fit properly.

So what now?

Much to Craig's chagrin, I don't want to jump back on the refined carbohydrate bandwagon. But I miss ... soy sauce. And tortillas. And chickpeas.
(I really don't miss dairy, or bread)

I think the lasting impact of Paleo is more about eating whole foods.
I read more labels than ever before. I avoid emulsifiers and stabilisers and ridiculous additives. Unusually, I'm eating more organic than ... ever. It just seems to be making sense to me.

Oh and the coworker who said he would waste us all? Didn't make it a week. Victory!

365 in 2011

2011-09-11T18:40:00.002+12:00

Apologies in advance for this week. I was really rather sick.

Sunday
Alcohol is always a welcome present in our family.

Monday
The first day at home with my cold. I thought it did not need to visit the doctor. I was wrong.

Tuesday
I felt no better and moved onto adding lemon and honey to my self-medication.

Wednesday
I fought through a morning at work then slept an afternoon at home. When I finally woke up I went to the doctor.
Apparently I had a very high fever and should not have been at work that morning.

Thursday
Penicillin, the West Wing, and bed.

Friday
I made it out of bed! And hung out a lot of clothes I'm getting rid of so that my family could "shop" Park Place on Saturday.

Saturday
Found this terrifying old polaroid of my husband. I think he was 17? 18? at the time.

&

Once someone drew me with a squirrel on my head.

2011-09-10T23:58:00.000+12:00

http://damienweighill.com/

365 in 2011

2011-09-04T18:06:00.002+12:00

Sunday
I was wrangled into helping the BCTT rehearse.

Monday
Tattoo t-shirt sale!

Tuesday
Pretty sure this was a no-good, very-bad day.

Wednesday
Meatloaf AND Def Leppard are coming to Wellington. This seems ... not very 2011.

Thursday
I spent an hour in the afternoon listing stuff on TradeMe.

Friday
Drunken, angry pizza.

Saturday
I am now a BIG fan of the falafel at Brooklyn Cafe.

&

The End of Another August

2011-08-31T19:34:00.002+12:00

August

2006

2007

apparently I only took ONE photo in August 2007

2008

hawaii

2009

I miss noodles a lot at the moment

2010

2011

&

2006

I was a baby. This was my first day as a married woman.

2011

I always feel more myself with my hair darker.

365 in 2011

2011-08-28T20:41:00.001+12:00

Sunday
My baby sister turned twenty years old. The family gathered for laser strike followed by family movies and mojitos and trivial pursuits.

Monday
Grapes are back in season! A box of seedless grapes lasts almost a week of lunches.

Tuesday
My Insta-Hawaii book arrived from blurb.com.

Wednesday
I went to the World of Wearable Arts and was not wow-ed. In this, I am the minority.

Thursday
I'm working on building up my New Zealand designer wardrobe. Slowly, but surely.

Friday
Purple pattern at the office.

Saturday
I am a terrible basil-mama. I can not seem to keep it alive.
On Saturday I tried moving outside for a bit.

&

Town Mouse

2011-08-25T19:07:00.000+12:00

Dear Internet,
Please forgive me, for I am about to rant.

Last night I went to the World of Wearable Arts dress rehearsal.

It was horrible. I do not know why I thought I would like it - I do not like interpretive dance, I don't find the wearable art particularly moving*, and I never watch the televised version because it bores me. But I went. It was horrible.

I suppose, the one good thing that came out of last night is that now, when I am told - in a smarmy tone, ALWAYS the smarmy tone - that I really MUST go because it's just TOO TOO fabulous and how it's SUCH A SHAME that I live in Wellington and DON'T GO to WoW I can tell them that I did go. And it was horrible.

Besides the general boredom, the insufferable child & animal performers, the men-dressed-as-women-equals-hilarious shtick, and the women in the audience hooting everytime a man wore tights, there was one straw which broke the proverbial camel's back.

Fred fucking Dagg.

I am sick and tired of being made to feel like I am not a "real" New Zealander because I do not like the countryside.

Because I do not own or like mud-caked gumboots and a wife beater. Because, more often than not, I find pavlova cloying and overly sweet. Because I do not like paua shell. Because I do not know Ten Guitars.

Because my idea of a future life for my family does not involve a paddock. The quarter acre dream is not mine. I do not secretly want to retire to the country and do hard yakka. I enjoy that I am not entirely sure to what the "number eight" in "number eight wire" refers, though I presume it is the gauge. I do not want a bach with a corrugated iron shed and worn sheets on the splinter-y bedframes.

I like the city. I prefer the city.

I like the background hum of traffic, I like the smell of rain on a hot pavement, I like that there are cafés and bars and restaurants and stores all within walking distance, I like people-watching. I like wearing inappropriate shoes and never wearing trackpants. I loathe enclosed shopping malls and homogenised suburbs. Give me urban, give me grime, give me culture.

I admit, I can admire verdure, and clean air, and stars. I like that the countryside is there, over the hills, a drive and a bit away. That's fine. It's nice that it's there if I feel like a change.

But I am a town mouse. I always will be. I am sick of being told I am not a real New Zealander because of it.

sincerely, Sarah-Rose

* and I LIKE modern art. I just like pieces which make me feel something other than "huh" or "meh".

365 in 2011

2011-08-21T20:43:00.001+12:00

Sunday
Making Paleo crackers. The first time they were burnt. This time? too biscuit-y.

Monday
SO MUCH SNOW at Bowen House. Yes, this was newsworthy.

Tuesday
Then yes, there was more snow at Park Place. So much snow.

Wednesday
Glorious graffiti near the bar where we listened to CHRISROBTIM's Cyndi Lauper cover album.

Thursday
Wandering back to work in a post-dentist funk. The streets wanted me to cheer up.

Friday
The sun was setting and I headed, with trepidation, out to my horrible former co-star's Murder Mystery evening.

Saturday
I've had a pair of pale grey high waisted jeans for a year. I never wore them.
So I dyed them dark blue. It's better.

&

Tattooed in a Snowstorm

2011-08-15T20:17:00.003+12:00

I don't think I'll forget today in a hurry. No, seriously.
Mainly because of my tattoo but partly, partly because of the snowstorm.

Seriously. It snowed in Wellington. More than I can ever remember.

But yes. Also the tattoo. I'm in love with it.
Síorghrá is Gaelic for eternal love.

Gill does amazing work.

I can't wait until it's healed. He used turquoise for the keyhole and the script but it doesn't really show up here.
It's beautiful though.

It was kind of chilly spending most of the afternoon in a sleeveless top.
In a snowstorm.

365 in 2011

2011-08-14T20:54:00.000+12:00

Sunday
On the way home from a lines run for Oleanna.

Monday
Texture in the Parliament car park.
We only have one car key. If Craig is late I have to entertain myself somehow.

Tuesday
Darling husband driving nonchalantly, throwing horns and wearing his grandfather's gold watch.

Wednesday
An exceptionally violent dawn.

Thursday
Craig sent me running to the newspaper - I thought it was something work related.
I was almost relieved to find out it was a terrible photo of me.

Friday
Home when I should have been at the Gryphon. Drunk when I should have been performing.

Saturday
The garden is rising up. It will reclaim Park Place.

&

Cancellation. Disappointment.

2011-08-14T11:17:00.004+12:00

I had such grand plans. I was so looking forward to revisiting Carol.
It has been the first role where I was actually proud of myself and my work.
That is hard, truly hard, to admit - caught as I am in the flux between self-hatred and narcissism.

During the performances I was terrified and fighting, I was strong and in control, I came close to tears every single night.
Don't you begin to see? Don't you begin to understand? It's not for you to say

Then, after it was advertised in the newspaper, my seemingly-cursed costar pulled out.
Poor dude missed the first two performances, stuck in Australia, missed rehearsals due to illnesses and dog-attack, and now a family death.

And I? All I can seem to care about is how disappointed I am. Ridiculous. There goes the self-hatred again.

These days I'm spread so thin

2011-08-09T19:26:00.002+12:00

Life is a tumbling whirling ride of a thing at the moment. I cannot seem to catch my breath.

This past weekend ended in a funk. It was Sunday evening and I realised that I hadn't had any time to just be. It was filled with paleo-food and football and running and a lunch meeting and rehearsal and family dinner. There was barely a moment to let my thoughts settle.

It comes in waves, this frenetic life, it is all feast or famine. Right now, I am stuffed.

This week I revisit Oleanna, my brain is tired from keeping Carol's words inside and fresh. I can't wait for Sunday morning. I imagine that my pillow will be pooled with the words escaping via my ears. Ew. That was an unnecessarily disgusting metaphor. I apologise.

Disgusting metaphor aside, I am so looking forward to having a day where I have nothing else to do? I plan to keep it completely empty.

Following on from sleepy-Sunday comes a not-so-manic-Monday. At 2pm on the 15th I am getting my new tattoo.
Not exactly a relaxing afternoon but one where I do not have to do anything other than lie on my back and wince.

I am super excited about my tattoo - I took my inspiration images (lock, ribbon, key, forget-me-nots, gaelic) to my artist 6 weeks ago and he sent me a message yesterday as he was working on the design.

I hope that keeping time free like this will make the rest of August and September seem ... not quite so busy.
But I won't hold my breath. It's only two days afterall.
Then again, what else is a weekend?

365 in 2011

2011-08-07T20:31:00.002+12:00

Sunday
Craig and I headed into Petone for a pre-paleo brunch.

Monday
I really resent this old man statue - it's right by my dentist.

Tuesday
Nearly midnight and I was just arriving home. Kind of drunk.

Wednesday
Pink and lavender dusk.

Thursday
Terrible creepy clouds across the harbour.

Friday
Dying daffodils in the office. They smell terrible. One of my least favourite flowers.

Saturday
I headed out to watch Craig play football. I preferred the lichen.

&

Dinosaur Diet: Chilli and Garlic Chicken Salad

2011-08-03T20:00:00.002+12:00

Three days in and my Dinosaur Diet is going swimmingly.
No cheating at all. I mean, food-wise. Last night I was out and had wine. But I did so much better than the co-workers I was out with. I am totally going to win this damn challenge.

Tonight's meal:

Chilli and Garlic Chicken Salad (ish).

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
2 tbsp olive oil
1 chilli, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
6 tbsp lemon juice
Baby spinach
Slivered almonds

Preheat the oven to 180c/350f.
Mix all the oil, chilli, garlic, and lemon juice together. Slice the chicken breast, lay in a greased oven pan and pour over the sauce, making sure to cover it all.
Bake for 30-40 minutes.
Serve over a "salad" of baby spinach and top with toasted slivered almonds.

- if I had thought in advance I would've added some red capsicum and paleo-mayonnaise. Eh. It was still really good.

365 in 2011

2011-07-31T19:11:00.002+12:00

Sunday
Apples for the newly-off-sugar wife and lemons for the head-cold husband.

Monday
Mr Man took the day off work so under a darkening sky I made my own way home.

Tuesday
Golden dawn as seen through half-open blinds.

Wednesday
I picked this book because of the beautiful cover. Thankfully, as often is the case, judging a book by the cover paid off.

Thursday
My design-y fake tattoos from Tattly arrived. I cannot wait to try them out.
Including the knuckle tattoos. Especially the knuckle tattoos*.

Friday
Work drinks were relocated to the Matterhorn. I saw this graffiti on the way.

Saturday
The day was soft and warm. The lichen and the clouds and the soft soft light.

&

* because I'm pretty certain that any traditionally "job-killer" tattoos - neck, hands, face, etc - are not in my future.

Pa Pa Paleo. My Dinosaur Diet

2011-07-27T18:21:00.002+12:00

I am terrible when challenged. My competitive streak comes out and ... I find it hard to resist.
I have to prove I can do ... pretty much whatever it may be.

This time I am taking part in an office-wide diet challenge. Paleo.

One of my lovely coworkers has been eating Paleo with her rowing club for 5 weeks now and has convinced slightly less than two-handfuls of other coworkers to undertake the same challenge. It's not based on losing weight or gaining muscle or anything like that. It's just ... eating weird.

Perhaps weird is the wrong word.

According to that font of all knowledge, Wikipedia, Paelo is

known as the Paleolithic diet (abbreviated paleo diet or paleodiet), also popularly referred to as the caveman diet, Stone Age diet and hunter-gatherer diet, is a nutritional plan based on the presumed ancient diet of wild plants and animals that various human species habitually consumed during the Paleolithic era—a period of about 2.5 million years duration that ended around 10,000 years ago with the development of agriculture. In common usage, such terms as the "Paleolithic diet" also refer to the actual ancestral human diet.
Centered on commonly available modern foods, the "contemporary" Paleolithic diet consists mainly of grass-fed pasture raised meats, fish, vegetables, fruit, roots, and nuts, and excludes grains, legumes, dairy products, salt, refined sugar, and processed oils

Maybe it's a little weird.

Essentially it seems like a stricter version of the Atkins diet? Which would, normally, have turned me off the whole thing.
But in the weeks before and since the gauntlet was laid down I have found out that 3 different people-who-blog and 2 different people-I-actually-know have been secretly eating Paleo and loving it.

Even the original coworker, the coersive one*, the genesis of all of this is signing herself up. She is finishing her rowing 6 week challenge and then heading straight into the office challenge.

We gauge accomplishment not by losing weight or gaining muscle but on a points based system. Everybody starts the day with 30 points and then points are gained or lost by eating paleo food or not, by sleeping 8 hours, by exercising, by drinking water or alcohol, and by taking fish-oil capsules.

In essence, the main points are:
x No grains. This includes bread, rice, pasta, corn, oatmeal (also any gluten-free pseudo-grains)
x No sugar of any kind, real or artificial
x No dairy. This includes cheese, yogurt and milk (natural clarified butter is allowed for cooking)
x No legumes. This includes beans of all kinds, lentils and peanuts
x No preservatives, processed or packaged foods (as much as is practical - look for ones without sugar or soy or dairy)

I have even managed to convince Craig to go along with this hare-brained scheme. I don't remember HOW exactly I managed to do it. But I did. Perhaps with the promise of bacon and eggs for breakfast.

Yesterday I brought home a paleo recipe book in which I had flagged the recipes I thought sounded good. Miracle upon miracle, he liked them all too.

AND! Because this is so outside the realm of our usual fare this weekend I am going to get my organisation on and plan out the meals for the week and the food we need to buy and all that mishigas.
I can't wait.

I'll let you know how it goes!

I have to admit I am a little worried. Not so much about the refined sugar and the dairy, I've given up sugar already, and I don't eat much dairy to begin with, but the carbohydrates! I'll miss bread and pasta and rice.
Also the fake sugars - Craig and I drink unhealthy amounts of diet soda. I think cutting that out will be hardest of all. But probably be the best for us.
If it goes really well, I might even share some of the recipes.
Only time will tell.

* Actually, I blame the coworker who said he would totally waste [us] all. HE I MUST BEAT.

365 in 2011

2011-07-24T20:35:00.002+12:00

Sunday
I baked oreo-studded brownies.
By the end of the week I will have given up sugar completely.

Monday
Our new bed arrived - Craig got his manly-man on and built it.

Tuesday
We made a petrol run at the end of the day - I was in a terrible no good mood.

Wednesday
A cookbook for our office Paleo challenge.

Thursday
We stopped for burgers after my horrible horrible dentist visit.

Friday
Snacking on almonds and dates now that I don't eat sugar. Sigh.

Saturday
Crystal earrings and lollipops from Beginning Boutique. The lollipops were taunting me. But I just moved them away. I will win.

&

Motherfuckers, every one.

2011-07-21T18:49:00.002+12:00

Tonight I found out I need about $3500 worth of dentistry.
Multiple fillings and something like three root canals.

I did, however, surprise the dentist. I've managed to get to this point completely pain free.
It's just more proof that I am a complete bad ass.

Soon to be a very very poor bad ass.
Anyone want to buy my stuff?

Tinkture by Le’Esscience – a review

2011-07-18T19:00:00.003+12:00

Today marks four weeks until my next tattoo.

I’ve met with the artist, we’ve discussed my plans, I’ve started saving, and now I’ve started to consider how I will approach the healing of my tattoo.

Usually I wouldn’t give it two thoughts. I healed my first two tattoos were healed with Bepanthen. But when Dan did my Rose tattoo I tried http://www.afterink.co.nz, it was there in the shop, Dan recommended it, and when I considered it, there were two things about Bepanthen which I didn’t like: the smell (not bad but not good), and how it left your skin really quite sticky.

After Ink was a disappointment. It smelled better than Bepanthen for sure, but the consistency was a little odd, it was more expensive for a smaller tube, and it still left you sticky. I liked it enough to fully heal my tattoo with it but I haven’t used it since.

My next three tattoos were all Bepanthen babies.

Around the time I had my first sitting for my St Paul’s Cathedral tattoo I heard about a new product for healing tattoos – all natural, smelled amazing, not-at-all sticky – and I was immediately interested. http://www.tinkture.co.nz by Le’Esscience* but seven million things came up and I ended up sticking with the Bepanthen I had in my cupboard.

Then I read Rochelle’s review/interview with Gillian.
http://fautedemieux.com/2011/05/29/and-im-on-my-way-to-believing
She seemed lovely. Rochelle seemed to love the product. I was in a highly caffeinated mood. Before I knew it, I had ordered a bottle. I was taken in by Rochelle’s tale of no bruising, no scabbing, no itching, and the speed at which it healed.

And I figured, what better way to test a product than on two sittings with the same artist, on the same tattoo.

I did not like Tinkture.
I made my comments known on Twitter and Gillian responded to me – managing to rebut my complaints in such a way, in 140 characters no less, that I felt like anyone watching her feed would assume that I did not know what I was talking about. I am not so good at the keeping salient points within 140 characters. Shocking, I know. The next morning we had an email exchange.
Gillian was lovely in her response to my email and seemed to take my points on board. I have been consistently impressed with her customer service.

My issues with Tinkture are as follows:

Scabbing & itching & tightness, oh my
The "scabbing" was minimal for the first session of the tattoo. This time? Not so much. In all other my other tattoos the outline and colour alike "scabbed" into light layers and appeared like pencil erasing. There has been itching but no tightness, and the scabbing was minimal. The one session I healed with Tinkture my skin felt taut and when the scab formed they felt thick and strongly attached. They lasted a lot longer than any other session. A week since the colour and the scabbing was still ... I won't say extensive, but it was definitely apparent.
This might have been down to the artist or the machine. However it was similar enough in size & type of tattooing to my other sessions done by different artists on different days with different machines for me to consider the greatest variable to be Tinkture.

You pay more and get less
Tinkture costs more than Bepanthen. Admittedly, you are getting high quality oils (I’m taking Gillian’s word on that one, I don’t know) which are hand blended by an aromatologist (Not sure that’s a word, but that’s what Gillian calls herself) as opposed to chemicals from a factory. You get Tinkture in a little bottle with a dropper and instructions to apply enough drops to cover the tattoo several times a day but at least three times a day. With Bepanthen you apply a thin layer twice a day.
I had to carry my bottle of Tinkture to work with me. I used 10 drops at a time, 4 to 6 times a day. The number of drops was enough to easily cover the whole tattoo, and the frequency was over the "at least three times a day" but under the "several times a day" requested. If I had used more than 10 drops I would have had oil left running down my leg.
I wanted to prefer Tinkture to Bepanthen, I really did. I prefer the smell and the lack of stickiness, it certainly made it easier getting dressed.
And in regards to the price, I know I was paying for high quality oil, hand blended by a professional, I recognise this. I also recognise that spending $600 on permanent artwork should not be marred by cheaping out on the upkeep. It was the combination of having to spend $30 and then use so much of the bottle (I was halfway through at a week) on one session of this tattoo. I doubt the bottle would have been sufficient for both sessions.

But perhaps it was just because of the position?
Yes, my St Paul’s tattoo is on my thigh. A part of the body which moves a lot. Gillian mentioned that my issues with healing may have been due to clothes rubbing on it.
However - I didn’t wear anything heavier than pantyhose or light pyjama pants on my tattoo during the healing process. I was asked to not wear jeans for a few days and I gave it a week. During the work week I’m kind of dissuaded from wearing denim – so even after the initial week, the time I wore anything heavier than pantyhose or pyjama pants was minimal.
Additionally - my side tattoo? runs from just under my bra strap to the top of my hip. A part of the body which moves a lot. I was asked to not wear jeans or anything that might rub, just like St Paul’s. Unfortunately due to the position of the tattoo I couldn't restrict myself to only-pantyhose so wore a light singlet and non-clingy clothes for the week. This didn't affect the healing. I don't think my issues with Tinkture can be put down to the position of the tattoo. But it could be part of it. Again, the greatest variable was Tinkture.

I wouldn't recommend AGAINST Tinkture. Certainly not.
I don't think that one less than stellar review should mar all the glowing reviews it has received. I don't know why, and Gillian couldn’t think of a reason (besides my artist being heavy handed in the second session but not the first) but I do not think that Tinkture is for me.

I had considered a combination approach to healing – Bepanthen in the morning and evening, with Tinkture during the day – but days after the email exchange I gave up on Tinkture and reverted to Bepanthen. All my complaints cleared up and my tattoo did, finally, eventually, heal beautifully.

I think Bepanthen’s just the best for me. Tinkture did smell really good though.

* Don’t even get me started on the fake French company name.

365 in 2011

2011-07-17T21:00:00.001+12:00

Sunday
I do love my coffee but even I think this Gravity espresso is getting a bit too friendly.

Monday
My Rumer necklace from Beginning Boutique arrived. A giant hunk of crystal. I love it.

Tuesday
This week has seemed seven times longer than it was. I spent most of Tuesday thinking it was Thursday.

Wednesday
A new routine? I am out of Tuesdays and Craig is late on Wednesdays.

Thursday
I wrangled my hair into a twist thing which stayed all day. I haven't been able to replicate it since.

Friday
Friday required a lot of caffeine.

Saturday
I continued on in my endeavour to own half as much stuff as I currently do - I cleaned out my jewellery, nightclothes, shoes, handbags, hats, and scarves.

&

Four Thousand and Seventeen

2011-07-13T18:25:00.000+12:00

Two days from now my Darling Husband and I run smack bang into a milestone.
Two days from now we will have been an US, a we, a pair for eleven years. ELEVEN YEARS. That is ... longer than a decade.
Two days from now I will be batting my eyelids at a lovely man who will, in all likelihood, remember. But to whom eleven years is nothing. At all. Of course we have been together eleven years, OF COURSE, this is meant to be baby. All that nonsense.

I think it deserves noting. I think it deserves celebration.
I think it deserves presents.

But I will settle for his giant hand on mine, my forehead against his cheek, his certainty that this is a given.

365 in 2011

2011-07-10T20:32:00.002+12:00

Sunday
I spent most of Sunday afternoon in the kitchen - making a carrot cake for my mama's birthday.

Monday
It was beautiful in Wellington - perfect for walking the waterfront. I had an appointment with my tattoo artist.

Tuesday
At Petone station, very late and rather drunk. On a Tuesday.

Wednesday
Vintage fur stole, deco jewellery, and my meadowlark bone ring. A usual Wednesday.

Thursday
Craig was late. Two minutes after I took this photo the storm started. One minute after that, he arrived.

Friday
It stormed all night and most of the morning. These clouds were all that remained at 11:30am.

Saturday
My lovely husband in the bed store. We are finally replacing the bed that was second hand when Craig got it in 2002.

&

1 Face, 30 Days, 3 Seconds

2011-07-06T18:17:00.002+12:00

Oh, Universe, I have another Photo Project on the go.
Not satisfied with taking a photo every day and a self-portrait every week; I have started using the Everyday App which prompts you, every day, to take a self portrait.
The app shows you the ghost of your previous photo and grid lines so you can match the positioning of your features.

So far I've only managed it for a month but ... we will see how it continues.

I like noticing when I have my fringe swept out of the way - they tend to be weekends as the alert is at 10am, and yes, I am usually not looking my best that early in the morning.

365 in 2011

2011-07-03T20:49:00.000+12:00

Sunday
The new Mrs Thompson Darling, my husband, and I visited our cousins. Their house was warm, the coffee good, the people lovely, and the puppy was sleepy.

Monday
I was taken by the light. It was beautiful. Such an everyday scene but the light? the light!

Tuesday
This was in a bouquet. It looks like a cabbage to me. Is it? So strange. But beautiful.

Wednesday
My flowers from my director were gorgeous - even as they died.
I just happened to like the tableau with the Mr & Mrs bunnyhead.

Thursday
In PNG, a kiwi dude was shot by arrows while saving his girlfriend from a vicious attack. Hardcore.

Friday
A terrible day. I was exhausted.
The show must go on.

Saturday
Craig and I braved Craft 2.0, I met the mega-cute Dear Colleen and Devon Smith. I spent my hardearned cash at their shared stall - a lemony tea towel and the above print. SO pleased.

&

365 in 2011

2011-06-26T19:55:00.001+12:00

Saturday
Charlotte became a Mrs.

Sunday
Craig and I went out for post-wedding brunch and I almost missed rehearsal.

Monday
I bought a new camera strap! It is blue and beautiful.

Tuesday
There's one bit of the play that I was REALLY struggling with. So it became my phone screensaver until I learnt it.

Wednesday
Pretty flowers in the window boxes outside The Wellesley.

Thursday
Taking the bus in the late afternoon - heading for the final rehearsal before opening night.

Friday
Craig cleared out his office. WHERE did he get this tie? Ew.

Saturday
A lovely card from my director.

&

Oh, Oleanna - reviews

2011-06-26T11:10:00.002+12:00

CoStar was at the show last night. It was ... a relief. And weird. He brings a whole different energy to the role than the lovely Director. He's much more pompous - despite the lack of a British accent. Hilarious.

In the mean time? we have been reviewed. Twice. One with the CoStar and one without. Incidentally, each one has mentioned the Alasdair Thompson debacle. It's an odd coincidence that Alasdair digs himself into this damn hole in the same week that we open a play about feminism, political correctness, and devastating misunderstandings.

Excerpts.

1. Maggie Rainey-Smith
David Mamet’s play is not so funny, more compelling, and thought-provoking. The acting is outstanding and all the more impressive because one of the actors, Damian Reid, was stranded in Melbourne due to the ash-cloud from the Chilean volcano, and John Marwick, Director of the play, stepped in and read the lines (to perfection) of the Professor. The student, Carol, is mesmerizingly played by Sarah-Rose Burke who has to develop the character of Carol over eighty minutes in a stunning yet subtly splendid performance. It is the first time I have seen the play and cannot compare this production with any other, but it was brilliantly rendered so that your sympathies are constantly moving (well mine, anyway) from one character to another. The wardrobe too, played a fascinating role in the development of the character of Carol, the student, who starts the play as a confused almost hapless student in her ankle-length little black socks and slipper-style shoes, and in the next act she is wearing fabulously hot shiny red shoes and the final act wearing lace-up boots, in the powerful position of being able to threaten the Professor’s tenure, and finally, much worse, for both of them.

Oh, the ending is superb, and having looked up the play, I see that the ending is often changed sometimes, depending on the Director...

“The danger with the play is that it can easily seem a partial, loaded, one-sided attack on the student and on female solidarity in general .But Pinter’s production scrupulously avoids that trap by giving equal weight to both sides of the argument.”

And so too, does John Marwick’s production.

2. Tanya Piejus
Mamet’s controversial script is based on the real-life case in the US of Anita Hill who alleged her supervisor Clarence Thomas had made provocative and harassing sexual statements while she was a student.

It can be read in two ways: as a teacher who misuses his power and seriously damages a vulnerable student, or as extreme political correctness that ruins the life of someone who only had good intentions. By the end of this production, audience opinion was divided between the two with one commenting that it was a parallel statement of both.

This is testament to director John Marwick’s skill in delivering a startling two-hander to a modern audience. Mamet wrote the play in the early 1990s and Marwick has avoided the easy option of making it a period piece, instead blurring the lines even more between who is right and who is wrong.

Two-handers are a challenge for any actor and this one is particularly so with its staccato, cut-off dialogue and unrelenting theme. Both Damian Reid as university professor John and Sarah-Rose Burke as his deceptively naïve student Carol carry their roles with assurance and skill, steadily weaving two solidly opposed characters who draw the audience’s sympathies back and forth between them.

Reid imbues John with an insufferable academic pomposity that is nevertheless well-meaning. His systematic ruin at the hands of Carol is painful to watch, but you can’t help feeling by the end of the piece that he should have known better.

Burke’s Carol is on the one hand vulnerable and helpless, and on the other sly and domineering. Her deft portrayal raises as many questions as it answers, as she twists and manipulates John’s intentions to her own agenda and that of the sinister ‘group’ she claims to represent.

The actors work on an intimate 60-seat traverse stage tucked away behind the blacks at Butterfly Creek’s usual performance venue, Muritai School Hall. It’s a brave and wise choice of staging, bringing the audience uncomfortably close to the one-room setting where all the action takes place. In fact, the final violent act of the play was so close to the front row that it freaked out the audience member closest to it.

All you need is love - a very Darling wedding

2011-06-25T14:15:00.002+12:00

One week ago today my lovely sister and her lovely man got married.

Here are some photos I took.

(CUTEST!!!)

Then I stopped taking photos to watch the ceremony.

Gareth's sister Bethan read from Plato's symposium and baby Jayne read Wild Daisies by Bub Bridger

If you love me
Bring me flowers
Wild daisies
Clutched in your fist
Like a torch
No orchids or roses
Or carnations
No florist's bow
Just daisies
Steal them
Risk your life for them
Up the sharp hills
In the teeth of the wind
If you love me
Bring me daisies
That I will cram
In a bright vase
And marvel at

Then they vowed to fight beside each other in the event of the zombie apocalypse and they were married.
They signed the register and got on skype to talk to the members of Gareth's family who couldn't make it to New Zealand for the ceremony.

After photos in the rain (taken by the amazing Kathryn Wilson) we headed to the venue where we had speeches and food and wine and danced the night away. Gareth's band played and from time to time he joined them to show off his skills on the trombone. It was impressive to say the least.

Oh and their first dance? was to Shimmy Shimmy Ya by ODB.
I love my sister.

For the rest of the photos click here.

And, for posterity, the speech I gave:

Charlotte is a copycat. She always has been and it's time I called her on it.
I have brown hair and brown eyes, she has brown hair and brown eyes. I stopped growing shortly after 5 foot 1, she stopped growing slightly less than that. She got a tattoo, I got a tattoo - okay, okay, she can have that one.
I got a beardy husband, now she has one too.

I'm kidding of course. Anyone who knows or has even just met Charlotte knows that she's an individual. I love that. I love that she has found someone as unique and as devoted to facial hair as she is.
Without G, I think I would have gone my entire life without knowing what Klezmer music is.
I've never liked any of Charlotte's boyfriends. I always gave them horrible nicknames. They were ratface or the gangly one or ... you get the point. I don't have a nickname for G. I think, I think I actually like him!
Our whole family does. We've even played Trivial Pursuits with him. I think it took years before Craig and Jack were allowed to play. Trivial Pursuits is our initiation ritual.

So yes. We like G. Despite his disappointing lack of a Welsh accent. Welcome to the family. You're stuck with us now.

I asked a coworker what I should say in this toast. He said I should tell embarrassing stories about Charlotte. But I know that any story I have on her will be countered by one of my own. So I shall refrain.
Then he suggested advice. Because I'm so old and wise and all.

So, Charlotte, here is some advice from your old, married sister.

1. It won't feel any different tomorrow but people will ask you if it does and will look disappointed when you say "nah, not really". So lie.
2. Marriage is about compromise. They are not lying about that one. It's really really annoying.
3. People will ask when you're going to start having babies or buying a house. Give it 5 and a half years and ... yep, they'll still be asking.
4. The first time a complete stranger calls you, completely seriously, as MRS Thompson Darling? you will feel a little faint. Old and young at the same time. It's creepy and took me about 4 years to get used to.
5. The first time you are talking to a stranger and call G your husband? That's one of the moments you'll remember.
6. I liked a bit with number 1. It does feel different. Not tomorrow or next week or next month, but soon, eventually, when you realise that yea, this probably will stick. And that's the best feeling. But that's not marriage, that's not a piece of paper, not a dress or a suit, not rings or a cake. That's you two. And that's the best.

On Ash Clouds and Oleanna

2011-06-25T11:40:00.005+12:00

I am two performances through our six performance season of Oleanna. I still have not performed with my co-star.
It's a little ridiculous. By which I mean, of course, that it is COMPLETELY ridiculous.

We are a cast of two. Two people on the stage. One person is missing? and half the goddamn cast is gone.

On Monday CoStar flew to Australia for work. Of course he managed to get there just fine. The Ash Cloud only wanted to fuck my shit up, obviously. He was due back at midnight Tuesday. We organised to have a run through on Wednesday night, the night before we opened, so that we could erase the shambles that was last Sunday's rehearsal from our minds.

Mid-afternoon Wednesday we heard he would not be back for that night's rehearsal. The ash cloud was cancelling flights left right and centre. Our esteemed director took up the mantle, and a script, and read the lines for me.

CoStar thought he would be back mid-morning Thursday. So I arranged to take half the afternoon off work, to meet up at the performance site, to run the play before that evening's opening night.

I think you can see where this is going. Mid-morning Thursday we heard he would NOT be back for that evening's performance.
Still, we met in the afternoon, and it was decided that we couldn't just cancel. The director, thankfully a very skilled actor in his own right, would do as he had done and read the lines. We would have to offer refunds or rainchecks to another night. But it was the best we could do.

The performance ran without a hitch. Despite the moment when I skipped half a page of script. Oops. But most importantly, noone asked for their money back, or to attend on another night. The director is really just that good. It didn't matter that he had a small paperback in his hand 90% of the time.

Last night was the second performance. Again, CoStar was a no-show.
I'm being uncharitable. I'm sure he would have been there if he could. But the ash cloud ...

I woke this morning to news that he is in the country. He is IN THE COUNTRY. He has only missed 1/3 of the performances.

Now I'm just hanging out to hear what time we are meeting for a run through before tonight ...

365 in 2011

2011-06-19T17:12:00.002+12:00

This week's 365 will be one day short. Not because I forgot a day! But because it was my darling Sister's wedding day and I took ... about 3000 photos. Then today, I had about 17 minutes free.
Next week. Next week will have an extra day.

Sunday
Sun breaking through the clouds as I head home from yet another rehearsal.

Monday
I love the teeny little heart shaped leaves on this bush.

Tuesday
Dinosaurs and a teddy bear caught my eye from a window in Eastbourne.

Wednesday
It was crisp and the moon was full on Wednesday. And I was home before dark.

Thursday
The ash cloud from Chile made for some beautiful dawn skies.

Friday
Charlotte, the Bride-to-Be wearing her trial wedding hair (a beehive a la Sarah-Rose) and stringing lace as decoration for the ceremony. It was getting late.

&

Oleanna

2011-06-17T10:13:00.003+12:00

My play opens in 6 days. SIX DAYS.
We only have 3 rehearsals left. I feel a little faint when I think about that.
There is so much pressure. SO much pressure. When there are only two of you on the stage? so much pressure.

But I think it's going well. I get moments when even I, always my harshest critic, think I'm pretty okay at this acting business.

Then I read, in the latest Troupe newsletter, this:

Sarah-Rose brings a complexity to Carol that I haven't seen her achieve before. We see naivety and lack of confidence mixed with girlishness, flirtation, and the suggestion of a dangerous side.

SO MUCH PRESSURE.

Oh, Darling!

It's time

Pa pa paleo - Raw Cacao Macaroons

366 in 2012

366 in 2012

How to find a Tattoo Artist

366 in 2012

88 days and counting

Pa Pa Paleo Recipe: Lamb and Bacon Dumplings

366 in 2012

Thoughts become things

I got 99 problems but a trip ain't one

366 in 2012

Today is our 6th wedding anniversary

Presented without comment

366 in 2012

366 in 2012?

A classic New Zealand experience

Memories: Mushroom and Walnut Pâté

NYE: it's not iPhone time

365 in 2011 - I made it!

Dressember day 31

Favourite Photos: 2011

Another year over

Penultimate! Dressember day 29 and 30

Dressember day 27 and 28

Dressember day 25 & 26

Dressember day 24: Christmas Eve Styles

Dressember day 23

Candy Cane (salted) Chocolate Brownies

Dressember day 22

Dressember day 21

Dressember day 20

365 in 2011

Dressember day 19

Dressember day 18

Dressember day 16 & 17

Dressember day 15

Dressember day 14

Dressember day 13

Dressember day 12

365 in 2011 - double edition

Dressember day 11

Dressember day 10

Dressember day nine

Dressember day eight: girls can do anything

Dressember day I've forgotten already

Dressember day six

Dressember day five: still in Auckland

Dressember day four: and then the rain.

Dressember day three: Auckland edition

Dressember Day Two

I have no words.

365 in 2011

365 in 2011

365 in 2011

365 in 2011

Wanderlust

365 in 2011

365 in 2011

Content

Eastbourne. Sometimes I hate you.

365 in 2011

Oh Meadowlark​, You're KILLING me

365 in 2011 - a day late and a whole year older

365 in 2011

WONDAPARTMENT

365 in 2011

Pug Life

My head might explode, I'm so excited.

365 in 2011

Post Paleo

365 in 2011

Once someone drew me with a squirrel on my head.

365 in 2011

The End of Another August

365 in 2011

Town Mouse

365 in 2011

Tattooed in a Snowstorm

Oh Meadowlark, You're KILLING me