A Sunday night track

I been thinkin bout a slow dance :)

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

Pharrell Williams - Happy - We are from Auckland

I saw this on my facebook feed this morning. I'm quite over the song to be honest BUT this really made me smile. Check out my awesome city and the beautiful people who live here :)

xo

E is for Ear Candy

*** I had this post all good to go yesterday (Saturday) so that I could just upload it as I knew I'd be out most of the day but then...you know.. life. So this morning (SUnday) I'm going to fix my first fail of the month :)

I started with the PussyCat Dolls as my perfect example of pure ear candy but on this sunny morning I just have to add what I'm currently listening to. A vaguely related but really totally different genre but still simple, easy listening ear candy!!




***and now back to our regular - pre-scheduled programming***

Ear Candy... !!!

I love this song. It's the perfect definition of perfect POP :)

I say lock the pussycats in a room and don't let them out till they make more!  
xo

C is for Charming Country Boys

I live in New Zealand where Country music and Death Metal are about as popular as each other. I think One Direction are much more likely to get to the top of the charts than any Country artist. I've always been a little bit of a sucker for it but I really fell pretty hard for Country music when I spent a year in Alberta Canada. I kind of think it's the law there that everybody owns at least one country CD and has a stetson somewhere in the garage :)

I first heard Toby Keith and Carrie Underwood and Trace Adkins. I love the way that the music tells stories and combines real musicianship with all the fun and light heartedness of pop music. I know that the purists don't put much stock in most of the 'country' that's popular these days but you're always going to get your music snobs right?

Last night I was really bored ( have you seen television recently??) so was trawling You Tube and enjoying some country boys. I really noticed something...

Country music videos and more specifically Country BOYS are so charming! What is it about these boys? They're not all super good looking but when they start drawling through some of these super sweet songs and telling these stories ... Well ... hmmm what was I saying again?? LOL

I used two from Mr Shelton because I couldn't embed the best example of this phenomenon that I've found recently which is Luke Bryan's 'Crash My Party'. Now there's a charming man singing a charming song LOL

Now I must get off You Tube and be productive but ... maybe one more? hahaha

xo

Brian McKnight 'More than words' tour

Last night this happened....

I had the most amazing afternoon/evening :) I started off by finding an outfit that didn't totally suck and having an OK hair day. Then I was off for a drink with Mr who was ... well he was buggered after a long week but still his lovely self. Then I went to the Aotea Centre for the best show ever. I'm still a little overwhelmed by exactly how good it was!

popping into my flatmates room to use her mirror for a kissy-face selfie. I had to send it to my sister to get her opinion on the outfit or it was gonna be a really long decision making process LOL

LOL - Mr and I enjoyed a beer at Orleans which shares an outdoor area with Racket bar. Thought this was a funny idea. Wonder what the bouncers think of it...

Tevin Campbell (my first love) was the opening act. He is so funny looking now all bean pole body, shiny shoes and hat. He was so good. I mean... just... WOW. There was no sense of it being at all pathetic for him to be singing songs from when he was 15 and 16 as I feared. To be honest I actually think the lyrics worked pretty well for a 37 year old. He still has that voice and I have to admit that I pretty much burst into tears at the opening notes of 'I'm Ready'. During his set it was weirdly hard to remember to breathe. I was so happy for intermission ahahahahaha

Brian McKnight was next and he was even better than last time though ... the shows were different. I dont think he needs the band and all the lights even a little bit. BUT. They were really cool. I loved his bass player who added some comedy and of course a mean bass line. This time around there was a lot less talking and importantly he sang my all time fave song from his catalog "The Rest Of My Life". *SWOON*. I'm seriously not even joking. Again it was kinda hard to remember to breathe. He is just so good! I mean really??? WOW. There are no words to adequately express how amazing he is. 

It was honestly a night that I don't think will be topped in a hurry. I can't imagine what could come my way that would be better :) The only downside was all the stary-eyed couples around me hanging on to each other and slow dancing the show away. Honestly they were so cute and it was so cool to see BUT .... I was there alone!!! Bummer hahahahahaha

I feel so grateful. Grateful to my mum for giving me the ticket for Christmas and even more than grateful I think privileged to have been in that auditorium to see those men perform.  So thank you Mum thank you Tevin and Thank you Brian :)

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

True That!

While I'm loving Beyonce and Sol3 MIO right now I am really feeling the lyrics in this song. It's so beautiful :)

"My girl, she ain't the one that I saw coming
And sometimes I don't know which way to go
And I tried to run before
But I'm not running anymore
Cause I've fought against it hard enough to know

That you love, who you love
Who you love
You love, who you love
Who you love
You love, who you love
Who you love

Oh, you can't make yourself stop dreaming
Who you're dreaming of
If it's who you love
Then it's who you love

My boy, he ain't the one that I saw coming
And some have said his heart's too hot to hold
And it takes a little time
But you should see him when he shines
Cause you never wanna let that feeling go"

x

I'm slightly in love ...

I was introduced to SOL3 MIO by my mum. I'm not generally one to go for opera but ... just ... it's so nice to listen to and they're so damn adorable. As I always say .... Samoa = land of the beautiful people!

This video will definitely get you in the Christmas spirit if nothing else will. Enjoy :-)

  

x

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 :)

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 :)

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 ;-)

Sunday

I am the newest member of this fan club <3

So Much AWESOME :)

This song is so fab

so happy and colourfull

Love LOve LOVE

:)