Cinderella 2015

Yesterday I had the very cool privilege of taking someone to their first movie EVER!!! My fave little girl, 3yo Sophie, her Mum and I went to see Cinderella at Mission Bay.  Sophie did so well! I was really proud of her because it's actually a really long movie and it's confusing and it's 100% not a cartoon. Unfortunately it starts with sadness, death and dying ( oops) but luckily Mum was there with pretty fantastic answers to all of the questions.

I was so surprised but... I really enjoyed this!!! I thought the marketing to women instead of/ as well as girls was a bit weird but I get it. This fairy tale has such an appeal and they've vamped it up just enough to make it relevant and give it a place in 2015.  It's still a fairy tale and of course there's the Insta-Love problem and the 'Prince has every female dance for him then chooses a bride' problem but given that it's Cinderella and a fairy tale we'll let it slide.

I loved this Cinder. She was just a little bit sassy and she never gives in.  She handles the Step mother and sisters as we've come to expect Cinderella to but you never really get the sense that she 'becomes' the slave girl or that she gives up hope of a different life.

Of course they've done a beautiful job of making it beautiful! *Sigh* - That dance at the ball. Oh MY. I now want a big swirly dress and a classical dance at my wedding. So. Freaking. Perfect.

Go see this movie people. Take it for what it is ( a fairy tale) and just get swept away. As modern females of course there are problems with this story but it's not a modern story and at the end of the day it's fun to day dream about dancing with the prince at the ball ( Harry I'm Looking at you!).

LOVE 8/10

xo

I want to be a Ballerina when I grow up!

http://www.rnzb.org.nz/news/news/rnzb-begins-2015-with-flirtatious-favourite-don-quixote/

Last night I was lucky enough to attend the opening night of the Royal New Zealand Ballets season of Don Quixote. I wish I could have take pics in the show but of course that's not allowed. This one comes from their site and is a still from one of the first of two sequences that just honestly delighted me so much. I looked like such a dork sitting there in my seat unable to restrain my delighted face and silent claps :)

This was my first 'real' ballet and it was both breath-takingly amazing and magical ... and kinda long and boring. The two lovers above were so so so so so so so SO awesome. I didn't want to blink when they were dancing. I just don't know how they learn to do that with their bodies and they were so perfect to watch. They had a lovely chemistry together and ... just ... UGH SO GOOD!

I guess my short attention span was a bit to blame for being a little underwhelmed by the rest. It wasn't their fault at all.. not even a little bit. They really put on an amazing show but like I said, this was my first Ballet and to be honest I could have done with some singing or dialogue or something. Yes, I'm pathetic. I know this. 

I won my tickets from Auckland Live and I'm so grateful for the experience. I have wanted to be someone who goes to Ballets for a long time and now I am. Of course I now want to be a Ballerina when I grow up! They're so strong and graceful and powerful and beautiful :)

And now, on my weekly trek to the Library tomorrow I'm looking for this bad boy...

xo

A moment of perfection

I've been running all over town recently doing a bunch of fun things. There has been the Auckland arts festival going on and it's been such nice weather why not make the most of it? I moved into my new flat (which I LOVE), my nephew said my name properly for the first time which was really cool , it was Tony's birthday and the list just goes on and on . 

It's been a busy and exciting and really really fun time. In the middle of it all there was one special moment. It was one moment that took my breath away. In that moment everything was so perfect that I didn't quite know how to process all the amazing-ness :)

Tony had gotten us tickets to see Fela! the concert at the Civic. We had just taken our seats which were amazing and I was sitting there in that special, beautiful building with my wonderful man beside me. We were watching the band warm up and I was staring at the ceiling waiting for the shooting star to shoot across the 'sky'.... I've never felt luckier or happier. There was literally no where else I would have wanted to be.

I've been trying to recognise those moments and document them. I don't think that I'll ever forget sitting there and having to catch my breath but if I take the time to document it then when I'm having a really crappy day I can read back through my archives and remember that actually perfect things do exist and they do happen to me. 

xo

A sad week at the movies

In the last week or so I've been to two different movies and they've both been super sad! Normally I'd run the other way from all of this emotion but in the first movie I had no idea what I was getting into and in the second I knew exactly what I was getting but it was something I've been excited for for such a long time I grabbed my tissues and almost literally ran to the theater!! 

Movie one is a micro-budget New Zealand movie. I thought the story telling and the movie stuff , like acting (and stuff) were pretty amazing. This story is honestly heartbreaking. As much as I usually go to the movies to be transported to a 'better', 'funnier', 'more beautiful' world there is really something so compelling about the dark side of reality. The movie centers around Tania who is working nights to try and raise enough money to take her little brother to Australia to find their dad. It's all going well and things are working out when reality hits. I love the way that they were able to infuse so much humor into such a terribly sad story without showing any disrespect to the characters and their situation. It was hard to form an articulate response to this movie because every part of the story is something that I have no experience with and very little knowledge of.  Though I did grow up just up the road from where they filmed it :) 

Fantail is something that we can all be proud of and I'd love to see what these guys could do with a budget! 

The. Fault. In. Our. Stars... do I need to say anything else???

I have been looking forward to this movie for more than a year so I was so excited to finally get the chance to see it yesterday. I had my extra tissues so I felt prepared for what I knew was to come. I don't know what the problem really was but as much as this was an awesome adaptation of the movie, as much as the acting and scripts were great there was just something that didn't reach the same heights as the movie that played in my head while I read the book. I think perhaps I'm old and crotchety and have too high standards for movies?? I really liked this. I cried a bit and smiled in the smiley parts and honestly appreciated what I was watching but I didn't fall in love.

xo

an awesome long weekend

Ahhh got to love a long weekend! ... of course being pretty much unemployed means that the public holidays mean next to nothing to me. I spent the weekend with Mr and it was really good even though we didn't do heaps. I have been loving listening to his old school LPs and hearing a bunch of different music played on that format. Could possibly be a real music snob hiding under my layers of love for Beyonce :P

We listened to the Sound City album and then watched the movie. What a cool experience. I'm not into rock particularly but the documentary was really interesting and I actually did enjoy the music. After that we danced around the lounge to Dr Hook... LOL

We went to a birthday party at Little Easy on Ponsonby Road. There was a tab which was a nice surprise and on the whole I loved this place. Great music, fab staff and a really cool vibe designed by Lovelace & co (I think). 

Mr lives close to a really good Op shop. He found a few amazing buys. A great jumper that looks amazing on him for $5! I didn't find anything except this creepy Ronald McDonald doll in the toy bin .... which I didn't buy LOLOL

I've been reading this book over the weekend because Ariel Bissett who is one of my fave book-tubers recommended it so highly. I'm not quite done but at this point I must admit..."my name is Anita and I am loving a book about mermaids" HAHAHA

So there ya go. A weekend of hanging with my fave man and broadening my musical horizons. Drinking on a tab in a great bar, watching documentaries and just generally having a great, low key time. I wish I could do that every weekend!

xo

The best movie I've seen in a YEAR

I saw this awesome gem of a movie today. It's seriously the cutest and sweetest thing!!! I smiled so hard for most of it that my face was in PAIN but 3 hours later I was still smiling. This is just sooooo good. The story is about fathers and sons, it's about how the best way to be successful is to do something you love, it's about the power of social media and importantly it has a lot of food and a lot of awesome 'Cuban' music. The cast is so good. There are cameos and supporting appearances from a ton of big names such as Robert Downy Jr and Dustin Hoffman. The rest of the main cast is  made up of great actors with faces you know even if you don't know their names. 

I have to say that Scarlet Johansson made me want to run out and get a tattoo on my shoulder. Seriously..that woman is crazy hot. Actually the movie has some really good scenery. We have Miami and New Orleans that make you want to jump straight on a plane. There's Ms Johansson and Sophia Vergara and R.D.J and to be honest... the leading man is such a teddy bear! Eye candy galore.

GO.SEE.THIS.AWESOME.MOVIE :) or get it on dvd or netflix or something.

xo

The most relaxing day EVER

This weekend I'm planning to be super productive and get myself back on track towards no longer failing at life. I have plans y'all :) On my to do list for the weekend is to read two books. I haven't really been reading much over the last few months and I miss it. I need that in my life. This is my selection for the weekend and it was so hard to decide which to jump into first but in the end I read 'Love letters to the dead' in one sitting pretty much today. OhMyGawd I have to agree with every You-Tuber who I've seen praising this book. It's so sad and so intense but the writing is AMAZING. It's really beautiful. Actually this reminds me a lot of Eleanor and Park.

Today I woke up at 6am (thanks brain but its Saturday!!!) so I tried really hard to go back to sleep but when that was a fail I just lay there day dreaming and watching you-tube clips on my phone. Finally I got out of bed around 11.

Then I ran up to the shops for some supplies and a coffee and when I got back it was time to turn on spotify and fall into a different world. As I mentioned I chose well :)

I took two breaks to do a workout inspired by blogilates from YouTube. I only did about 15 minutes and 8-10 minutes but let me tell you....Im'a feel that ish tomorrow! WOWZERS. It's all part of my getting my shizz together plan and I feel like I can fit that into everyday at least once. Tomorrow if it's not raining I plan to go for a walk instead. No point living at the beach and not making the most of it.

I didn't talk to anybody except the lovely girl who makes my coffee all day and while that would usually make me feel bored and lonely for some reason today all I feel is incredibly relaxed. It's been awesome and I reckon one more day will be brilliant. I think I'm going to jump into 'crash into you' tomorrow and I also have Pretty Little Liars and Hart of Dixie to watch. I cant wait :)

Hope your weekend is as awesome as mine.

xo

Can we just talk about Chaos Walking for a second?

I recently posted a completely inarticulate rave about "The Knife of never letting go" but I'm now reading "The ask and the answer" and I just had to write about the Chaos Walking series.. THEY.ARE.SO.GOOD... SO GOOD!!

I've never read anything Sci-Fi before and these ones are pulling me in so deeply. It's such a grim and disturbing plot and yet they're still so hopeful. I don't know too much of the plot and I haven't researched them at all but I'm so curious to see what happens. I have no idea AT ALL where the story is going or what's going to happen to Todd and Viola and very weirdly I love it. The writing is so fresh and  absorbing and even in the harshest moments Todd's innocence and pure heart shine through.

I wish so badly that I knew a young teen to pass my books on to. These are so awesome that I don't want to be the only person I know who has read them!  

If you're looking for something absorbing and fast paced that will leave you breathless and turning the pages as fast as you can then this is the series for you. 10/10

xo

D is for... David Beckham

I just re-posted this picture on my face book page from one of my fave Kiwis Polly Gillespie. She was asking incidentally if he's better with or with out the art and I absolutely have to say WITH. It's so weird but the dude I've been dating a little didn't seem to like the picture... 

BWA-HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

:-p

XO

B is for buying books

This past week I was staying with my mum in Thames. She was awesome and decided to buy my sister (who was also staying) and I a book each. What she didn't know was that this lovely gesture is really stressful. Books are so incredibly expensive that I've come to the point where the only time I want to own a book is when I really think that I will read it over and over again. I like to not own too much 'stuff' but I do like a good bookshelf....within limits. Generally I'm all about the Library. GO TO YOUR LIBRARY PEOPLE!!!!

Carson's is a beautiful store in Thames. They have an amazing selection of great books. It's so unusual to actually find a store that is about books and not stationary+toys+lotto tickets+music++++++.  The focus really brings that quality. I told the manager of the store I wanted to move in!

We had to go back twice and I think I must have picked up 50 books before I ended up with 'The knife of never letting go'... THE STRESSSSSSSSS I wanted to make sure I got something good and didn't waste my mothers money. When you read as much as I do and with such an A.D.D palate this is quite a hard ask. I've seen this book gushed over on book-tube a lot and the premise sounds pretty great so I went for it. 

Yes. This is my life that A - I can pack up and head out of town at a moments notice to hang at the beach with my mum and B- this amazing luxury stresses me out! LOL. This is the definition of a First World Problem hahahahahaha

xo

Television sucks your soul...

TVNZ is so clever. They've put season 4 of Pretty Little Liars on at 12pm on a Sunday. I had no idea why and really thought it was dumb because this show should be rating through the roof. Teenage girls ( and 35 year old women) LOVE this shizz! Seriously it's freaking awesome. The old slot of 5.30 on a Sunday was bad enough... 

Then today while I was watching I started to have a few epiphanies. I never watch TV during the day..EVER so score right there for the television station as they have instantly got an extra hour of ad watching out of me. I would have probably watched something in the old time slot so this really is a bonus hour for them. I cant believe how much of your day ends up being sucked up when you turn the box on! 

The other thing I realised was that I watch this show and while I really like it I do tend to come away feeling slightly under-dressed under-groomed and ... old. I always want to run out and buy something to remedy that after watching the hot young high schoolers race around after the Ubiquitous 'A'. That's not their fault. It makes sense to have good looking people play these roles and the show is really not about that. It isn't at all focused on their looks and they are really all pretty kick ass characters. It's just years of media conditioning. 

I love this show and make an effort to see it and yet I feel sorta conflicted about that. I honestly think it's a good example of how Television is way WAY too important. I need to get a life!

I think that when I'm more in a position to make it happen I'm going to make a big goal of watching less T.V. just to see how much more fun my life becomes. I'm picking that if I'm conscious about it and make an effort to fill my time with fun things and cool people I'm going to come away feeling much more entertained and also feeling a ton more awesome about who I am and what I represent.

xo

So yeah... my teenage dreams are coming true!

This morning I was laying in bed playing around on my tablet thingy and remembered that I needed to check the date of the concert I'm going to next week. I have no idea how it's not burnt into my brain but I guess when you get tickets so early the exact day seems so far away you don't think too hard about it. Anyhow... I am seeing Brian McKnight at the Aotea Centre and I nearly had a heart attack when I realised that TEVIN CAMPBELL has been added as support. OHMYGOSH. Tevin Campbell is my first love. I had him all over my walls and school books through the early years of high school and one of the first guys I ever had a big crush on in real life looked so much like him LOL. Oh 14 you're so funny ;)

So essentially I am going to be under the same roof as TEVIN FREAKING CAMPBELL and BRIAN MCKNIGHT at the same time. OMG I CANT BREATHE lololol I'm a little sad that I'm going to the show alone but probably for the best as I'm absolutley gonna make a fool of myself. Kinda makes me wish I'd sprung for the better seats now but what can you do.

I cant stop smiling. Seriously. I look high. LOL :D

OH the beauty. The visual and auditory ( is that the word??? lol) beauty is going to be intense and I know this coz I saw Brian last time he came to NZ. HEHEHHEE This is the coolest thing ever and I don't even care how high my dork flag is flying right now. 

Girls got a right to be insanely excited in times such as these right??

xxoo

I heart Radio presents Stan Walker and Jessica Mauboy

Well I'm obviously never going to make a concert photographer... especially with an ailing cell phone to work with BUT you get the idea :)

Last night I went to the I Heart Radio concert at the Civic in Auckland. I'd put my name in the draw for free tx a while ago and then promptly forgot about it so I was a bit surprised when I actually got tickets! I wasn't too sure what it would be like. I appreciated Stan Walker. I even have some of his songs  on my ipod but I had kind of written him off as a teenybopper. I couldn't find anybody to come with me so I nearly wrote it off. I wasn't too fussed about Jesssica Mauboy as I enjoyed the couple of her songs I'd heard but I didn't really know her.

WELL. I am so very glad I sucked up all of the "I dont wanna go alone" "it's raining" "I'm going to be the oldest one there" "wednesday?? seriously??" thoughts and just went along. It was an amazing show. It started with Identity dance crew doing the routine they did on the NZ has talent show ( I think..) and then Mr Walker. WOAH that kid has talent and showmanship simply vibrating in the air around him when he's on stage. He's amazing. Really fun and O.T.T but there is just so.much.talent! How cool that he's one of us. It actually made me pretty proud and happy that the one show I got to see this year was a kiwi and as good as anything anybody from overseas could bring! What would be freaking amazing would be Stan Walker and Brian McKnight... hmmm who can I suggest it too??

Jessica Mauboy was up next and as I mentioned I really only knew her from doing the song 'Galaxy' with Stan. She won the crowd over and had everybody jumping and having a party. It was such a fun and cute performance. I don't mean to be patronising with 'cute' but she managed to be on the stage alone and get the whole crowd on her side and it started with a small group of obvious fans and then slowly it spread... hahahahaha so many smiles and so much obvious FUN going on. Of course it helped that the girl can SING. SHeesh all of that in that teeny little frame. She has some power. Though seriously what was up with the stage outfit? I didn't get it.... leopard print pants suit. Hmmm I'm obviously out of the loop with what the kids are into hahahahahaha.

The sound was a bit messed up but other than that this was the perfect perfect PERFECT way to spend a rainy Wednesday evening. Thank you so much I heart radio :)

"To Monica from Walter. March 20th 1917"

Every year the ASB stadium in Auckland is host to one of the best book fairs around. It's a 24 hour event and this is the line to get in 10 minutes before it opened...

It improves my faith in mankind somewhat to see that a book fair can attract a line, three abreast from the door to the road :)

This year I'm a student so I have no money. I usually go in several times over the 24 hours and spend about 50 bucks. This year I went once and spent $2.00. Well not even that. I didn't have the cash so rather than breaking out the eftpos card for that amount my friend gave me the $1.20 I was short! LOL.

What I got just makes me so happy. I LOVE that I own it. It's a 1907 edition of 'Sense and sensibility' 

It even has the "onion paper" or whatever that transparent paper at the front is called!

The thing that really makes me smile about this book is that it has a dedication in the front from Walter to Monica on 20th March 1917!!! It's so cool to wonder who they were. Was it a brother buying something for his sister or perhaps this was a very sweet romantic gift? ... I mean I don't know about anybody else but I'd call this a very romantical type of gift. Where did Monica and Walter live and how do I have their book now??  I just love things that have a history. These little things just make a great book so much more exciting :)  

So, side note for anybody who might ask me to marry them in the future... try a ring from an antique shop or a junk shop in a random place rather than Michael Hill! LOLOL 

x

It's SPRING and I'm loving some things :)

Hell YES! Woooo it's spring time here in the Big Little City. It's come so fast that a lot of the trees and insects and things that kinda live by spring are all confused. I think that must have been the .. smallest (?) winter on record. It just had such little impact, a couple of colder days that required a hat.. a little bit of rain here and there but over all it was warm, dry and FAST. Many of those confused trees have been in flower for weeks!!

I am currently sitting about 2 months away from finishing my course at University. I mean how fast has this year gone?? I can't believe that these months have flown by because it has really seemed to be interminable while I've been struggling through them. I have come to really hate being a university student. I love being in the class, working with the kids but as far as my classes at uni and the way they're run... I CAN NOT WAIT till they're done. I just...  I don't even know how to express how much I am looking forward to walking out of that place and not going back!

First LOVE. Last night I celebrated my friends birthday at Orphans Kitchen in Ponsonby ( ... and Long room it must be said). I don't have any pics because we'd already been at Long room for a while before we got to dinner ( .... lol) and we were having a lot of fun so taking pics wasn't high on my list of things to think about.  The place has only been open a couple of weeks so my trendy friends were hot to get there asap given the amazing reviews that they've been getting all over the place. I was a little baffled when I saw the menu ... I didn't really understand a lot of it. I mean a margaritas and nachos at the Mexican place in Mission Bay (Dos Amigos) is how I normally get down for a celebration and this was remarkably more intense and 'foodie' than that. I decided that my friend should just order for me. she did and it was so A-MAY-ZING I was reduced to a drunken pile of 'omagawd omagawd' as I chowed down on the BEST gnocchi in the world and a spectacular version of a banoffi pie. Along with some yummy red wine that I would NEVER have decided to drink on my own. So in conclusion FOOD n WINE = Indescribable. I mean how many times can you say amazing and ohmygawd before it ceases to really mean anything (... OK I know ohmygawd doesn't really mean anything) ATMOSPHERE = really very conducive to having a great time and SERVICE = so friendly and actually pretty fast I thought given the overwhelming crowd they were dealing with. I think my friends who go to 'proper' places a lot had a couple of things that they noticed could maybe be improved. I don't know what they were but even my friends enjoyed the over all experience so much they didn't care.  So yes, Orphans Kitchen is the first thing I'm loving right now. I was so serious... chef Tom, if you are single and straight MARRY MEEEEEEEEEEEE :P

The second thing I'm loving is the Infernal Devices series by Casandra Clare. I heard that it was better than the Mortal Instruments series and as it's the prequel I decided to start with this series. LOVING IT. I am totally getting the collective swoon of book nerds around the world for Jem. *SIGH* Great writing, I love the way that the action grabs me and I am literally swearing out loud when I'm surprised by something. All of the best books make you react out loud :)

I got my hair cut a couple of weeks ago and I finally got around to taking a pic and posting it up yesterday. I'm kinda in two minds about it. I do like it but it's quite different and I don't know that it expresses 'me' very well but maybe as I get older I'm no longer the messy curls person .. I don't know.  I predictably got a lot of nice comments on Face Book. You have to love your friends for that right? Problem is that they're friends and they have to be nice. I asked a guy I know who I wouldn't count as a friend for his opinion on the way girls wear their hair to try and get a bit of balance... and I was kinda curious. I am not the girl who is going to do something like cut my hair to impress a guy but it's still interesting what they find attractive collectively. Well the dude was so useless!! He told me he likes my curly hair (which this is NOT lol) but had no idea what I was talking about otherwise. HAHAHAHAHAHA poor thing, just so easy to bamboozle. Oh well, I guess it's not like I can put it back on my head so his opinion or lack there of is pretty irrelevant. :)

LASTLY. I've noticed one tag or link up or what ever on my blog roll a lot recently and while I'm not going to link up I thought I might finish this post with a reduced version of "the songs that define me". I've given it some thought and here are my top 10 all time favorite songs ever... in no particular order... 

1. For the people - Nesian Mystic

2. Spin One - Aradhna + Che Fu

3. So True - The Black Seeds

4. Waka - Che Fu

5. Slow Jams - Baby Face + Tamia

6. The rest of my life - Brian McKnight

7. Summertime - DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince

8. Arithmetic- Brooke Frasier

9. Get Me Bodied - Beyonce

10. History in the making - Darius Rucker

:-)

I love how many of them are Kiwi artists. I didn't realise how much I love New Zealand music until I started to think about this list. Some honorable mentions are : Red Camero by Rascal Flatts, Faithful by Brooke Frasier, Around the way girl by LL Cool J, Whenever You Call by Mariah Carey and Brian McKnight, Jumpin Jumpin by Destinys Child and I'm ready by Tevin Campbel. 

My brain hurts! .. but I have some new jams :)

I saw this documentary at the New Zealand International Film Fest this afternoon. It made me so sad I nearly cried. It's just such a travesty what the Italian Government has allowed to happen. The scene depicted in the picture above was so disgusting. There is giant cruise ship after giant cruise ship pulling up aside the seemingly teeny buildings and creating such havoc in the water that their vibrations are literally causing the city to crumble. It's sick and all of the problems are caused by greed. So much has been sacrificed in the name of money. It really opened my eyes to the effects of unregulated tourism and how I will try to engage with the places I am lucky enough to visit if I am ever lucky enough to. I can tell you right now it will not be on a cruise ship and it will not be in a group of 30 people. 

After the movie I was walking down to my bus and came across this particularly valid protest... I think. They're protesting against a new bill which will allow the NZ spy agency (LOL) unprecedented access to our digital lives. It really made me wish that I was more informed about what's going on. I am pretty angry about this issue BUT I wouldn't say that I actually know enough to form an articulate opinion. It made me feel dumb 

So with my mind whirrrrrring away I have come home to a blissfully empty house and made some of my special pumpkin soup to enjoy when Ice road truckers comes on in a little while. I also splurged on an itunes card and have created some pretty spesh DJ sets with some of these peeps ... so many new faves :-)

*sigh* :)

Ginny Blackmore "Bones"

I am LOVING this right now. Ginny Blackmore is a New Zealander who is working out of the United States at the moment. She's written for Christina Aguilera and she's signed to LA Reid's label.

I should probably do a bit more research and find a little more out about her but this is only her first hit (I think ???) so given it's awesomeness I'm sure I will have a very long time to find out her life story and become a giant fan.

Go GIRL! love to see talented Kiwis getting out there :)

lil bits

This weekend has been eventful ... and kind of not. Such a strange sort of couple of days. Yesterday I had to give a eulogy for my Aunt. She passed away from cancer last week. That's now the third time that I have stood up for a family member. I do it because I can. I actually like public speaking so there's that. I'm done now though thank you universe!!!!!

After the funeral I went out for a terrible Thai dinner with my family. The food was actually pretty good BUT the service was non-existent. I guess, living close to the CBD I am used to places that have to work hard to give their customers a complete service or risk them going next door to spend their money. It's not such a problem when there is less competition. I have to say that I am so used to good or at least OK service that I loose it pretty quickly when I don't get it. I bring the bitch!! LOL When I was down on the coast with my mum I had to bite my lip soooooo hard to avoid looking like an Auckland D-Bag when I had to wait about 20 minutes for two coffees in an empty cafe. That was a real test of my self control but the pace of life and peoples expectations are different down there so while the guy was insanely slow I would have only made myself look bad if I said anything to him. At least he was a really sweet guy :)

Today the weather has turned to custard so it's all about television. This afternoon I watched the new eps of Ice Road Truckers that I missed. OMG I love that show!!! I'm a bit bummed that Jack Jesse isn't on the roster for this season. He rocked my world but it is cool that they're splitting it between Canada and Alaska so I can get a bit of a weekly fix of Canadian accents :)

The Canadian Truckers. How cool are Alex and Hugh?? I want them to be my grandfathers :)

Today was also the return of Heart of Dixie!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE this show. It's perfection with the southern drawls, great clothes and awesome music all set in the lovely little picturesque town of Blue Bell. It's so nice to have something that is a bit wholesome and simple lovely fun. So happy it's back on but I just wish that it was in a different time slot.

x

City Works Depot - Dry & Tea and The Great Gatsby

Today I went into the city to take advantage of my free movie ticket. I had planned to see the Melissa McCarthy + Sandra Bullock release 'The Heat' but it only came out today and apparently my ticket was only good for movies 2 weeks old or more... mmmyeah. Ok. So I decided to finally see The Great Gatsby.  Soooooo glad I did. I completely fell for Gatsby and Daisy. The scene in Nicks lounge where they meet again for the first time was so perfect :) Have to admit though that I did close my eyes *cough - fall asleep - cough*..... It was a beautiful and exciting movie but sadly I just don't think that even Baz Lurman could overcome that story. It's a bit of a snooze. Never the less I still wanna be Carrie Mulligan. She is so damn beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And the CLOTHES. OMG THE CLOTHES :-)

While I was waiting for the later than anticipated movie time I strolled up town to try and track down the City Works Depot which seems to be the home of all of the new and exciting cafe's and such in the city.  When I got there it was a little bit intimidating for all of its 'cool' AND I really wasn't hungry so I went into the Dry and Tea tea house for a pot of 'Buddhas Tears'. 

It's all very new and girly and very fancy but despite the fact that I definitely enjoyed my tea and the place is lovely it was a little underwhelming. The shop is so small that it feels like more of a takeaway place. I sat in one of their teeny booth seats while I had my pot of tea but it wasn't particularly comfortable. The selection of tea was a bit average for somewhere calling themselves a tea house. I was hoping to have a long list of exotic teas to chose from but while really nice they were pretty limited and very standard. The tea cups and the tea timer were pretty ... the prices were good ( $5.50 for a 3 cup pot) , the little cakey thing that was on my spoon was out of this world..   I don't quite know what else to say. It was nice but I wouldn't go there if I was with another person and it's not in a very central location so for now this will probably be my only visit.

X

W.W.B.D???????

The Queen is coming!!!!!

It looks like this summer is going to be an amazing time for music in Auckland. We have Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Fleetwood Mac, Justin Beiber and BEYONCE heading to our arena from October to March. I'm sure there are others that I'm forgetting. 

I would love to see Taylor and Bruno and obviously I would LOVE to see the queen. My problem is that I am a poor student and I have to think very hard before going to a movie let a lone paying to see a show like any of the above. I have friends who have tickets to some of these and I am already so green with envy. Some of those friends are just going for the sake of it and couldn't identify a song from the artist if their life depended on it!!!! (jealous GRRRRRRR)

I kind of put the queen in another category. She is not just a touring artist that I happen to like. I mean she's freaking BEYONCE. I absolutely can not afford it but OMG I wanna go. 

In times such as this I just have to stop and ask myself... WWBD?? what would Beyonce do? ....

I shall have to see what the universe provides but sadly in this situation I think the queen would probably be sensible and not put the crazy ticket price on her credit card. 

The DVD of the Mrs Carter show will undoubtedly be in stores by next year so I guess I'll see the show that way. 

Beyonce is so wise ;-)