Recently loved movies and stuff

I'm pretty useless about reviewing things but there are three movies,one book  and two apps that I've really enjoyed recently that I wanted to do quick reviews of on this rainy holiday Monday 

I LOVED this movie. It was the first one that I've actually had to look away from because the action was too intense though. It's all bravado and stunts and it's stupid as hell but SO COOL! People start talking plot holes with these movies but the only plot hole that matters is that they'd all be dead before the first half was up if any of that ish actually happened to them. It's so slick and so shiny. There's a LOT to like about this movie if you take it for what it is and don't expect anything else. I think my fave bit was when The Rock flexed his way out of a plaster cast! LOL!!!  Oh ... and also Vin in a tux ... just sayin.

The last bit was so well done and they really did well paying tribute to their lost friend. Over all 10/10 AWESOME

This has just come out here but I think it's pretty old. It had zero advertising and the only way I knew it existed was that I saw the trailer when I went to see another movie.. but lets not go there ( Into the woods blurgh).

We have a typical love triangle/interfering parents type fairy tale here. Everyone  knows how this story goes but I adored the way they presented it. The animation is bright and bold and vaguely Tim Burton-esque ( to this untrained eye at least) and the setting is so original. It's a movie about life and love told in the realm of death. I love the idea that no one is ever really dead so long as there is someone left to remember them and the Day of the dead festival to do just that. Personally I think it's more beautiful than morbid or scary. It was a little slow to build but seriously by the time I left the theater I was so in love with this. It's one that will still be good at home even if you don't have a giant TV to play it on so go watch it people! 8/10

I hadn't heard anything about this movie at all and actually watched it at home. I just .. ITS SO GOOD! I don't even know how to write something articulate about it. It's funny and cute and made me cry, it's smart and sensitive and just the best animation I've seen in forever. LOVE LOVE LOVE Big Hero 6

This book has had a ton of hype which can sometimes make me a little wary but I saw it on the rental shelf at the Library and decided to grab it. It's hard to explain the book without giving it away but it's about an experiment done by a Doctor of Philosophy on his family and the life long effects. It's about Animal rights and what family really means. It's so many things to be honest. I found this families life absorbing and read the book in a few sittings. It feels like a true story and when I was having a discussion with my mother a few weeks later about a similar issue I had to stop and think if I'd heard it on the news or read it in this book. We are all completely beside ourselves is intense and a bit weird and in some places it feels like you've read this story before ( BUT no you haven't). It's really original and feels smart though it's one of those things that will incite people with a bit of knowledge on the subject to come out swinging against it I'm sure. Take it for what it is and don't expect a fun ride. It's unhappy and bumpy and will certainly make you think about what you think about the world. 7/10

so that's what I've been loving recently. I also want to mention this ap

I just downloaded it a couple of days ago so I'm still in the fun, figuring it out and playing with things phase but so far it's awesome. I'm using the free edition and you can make videos up to 60 seconds long and use about 10 photos and 40 seconds of video. I've made a couple of little things that are really cool :)  ... and of course this one which turned my boyfriend into the prettiest little stripper out there...

My Idol is all in Chinese but reasonably easy to figure out. At first I was a bit frustrated because the photos of my boyfriend were going onto female figures and every time I ended up as a male! I thought it was using some algorithm to decide he was just prettier than me but then I looked a bit harder LOL. Lots of fun but I'm probably going to be over it pretty quickly. 

We're off to see the Avengers this afternoon so if I like that as much as I liked the first one I'll probably review it at some point :)

xoxo

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

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

And he hits it out of the park AGAIN :)

I had such an awesome Sunday this weekend. It made me feel so grateful to live in this lovely city and so lucky to have such a cool guy to share such fun times with and make me feel so special.

We began with a quick stop at a flash hotel to have a look at the view from the top. It was pure glamour and I tell you, I want to move in there :) Super beautiful. 

Ahhhhh I love it. The building has a long history in Auckland and I have vague memories of coming to this room for morning tea with my dad when I was little and it was still used as a canteen type of place. It's much prettier now.

I stopped into St Patricks to listen to the choir prepare for the service. I was a little disappointed (just a little though) to miss the service because from what I could tell the male choir leader was singing and his voice is just so amazing!  I lit a candle for my flat mate and all my hopes and dreams before I left.

After the hotel we went down to the seafood market at Wynyard quarter and absolutely destroyed our seafood platter for two and also a bit more beer than was probably good for us. It was fantastic and eating like that really lead to a great vibe. We were sharing and just going slow and enjoying the beautiful food. I love that restaurant and after chatting with the manager it sounds like there are some exciting things on the horizon for it that will mean it's going to be a top choice all year round and not just in summer like it is now. If you're ever in Auckland and looking for a great place to eat ... look no further.

HEHEHE this is how good the sauce on the muscles was. mmmmmmm He actually just beat  me to it. I would totally have had a go at the bucket if I thought of it first, I mean there weren't that many people around... 

Stolen from Mr's facebook.. I stopped taking photos by the time we got here :)

After spending hours and hours eating and drinking and sneaking in to watch the Warriors play on the big screen in the wine theater we strolled up to Ichiban Japanese restaurant on Albert street. It's a teeny little place with a whole wall of fun manga to look at while you eat. I have never quite got my head around graphics ( I know I suck) but these were really cool to flip through because they were all in Japanese. It just enforced my feeling that the best thing to decorate with is books!! I have no idea how we had room for any more food but I have to say that my curry went down very well indeed :)  I still prefer Ramen-Daikoku in Britomart for cheap Japanese but this was fun and absolutely value for money.

So. Awesome city + Awesome boy = Extremely happy me :)

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

K is for (The) Knife of never letting go

This is a bit of a cheat but OHMYGAWSH I just finished this book yesterday and ... ARGH SO GOOD!!! This is the same book that I have a picture of in the "b is for buying books" post and wowowowow did I make a good choice. This is amazing and I can't come close to articulating how much I wish I had a 14-16 year old that I could pass it on to. I don't even know how to explain how good this book is. It's a horrible plot in so much as the characters suffer so much but the story is so amazingly compelling. I am not usually a sci-fi kinda gal but this won me before I was half way through the first chapter. It's exciting and really really hard to put down!

READ.THIS.BOOK

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

Looking after ze kisser...

I recently saw the paw paw and honey balm reviewed in a blog and went straight out to purchase it! This stuff is so amazing. The texture isn't sticky and it really lasts on your lips. I've been loving how moisturising it is and even how it tastes is a win! I've found that the Lucas pawpaw ointment that most people are buzzing over tends to dry out my lips and disappear in 2 seconds and this version does neither. Awesome Awesome AWESOME!

I recently had a blonde moment and left the house with a clean but unmoisturised face and ended up sunburned! The sun here in NZ is intense and a few day later I am still suffering with painful lips. My day moisturiser has an SPF 30 in it and I usually put on a bit of sunblock on top of that so without the protection my face burned in a few minutes :(

And so today I realised that despite how much I absolutely love the Suvana I need to go get some lip protection with a good SPF in it. Neither of these do the balm part as well but they are pretty decent and they'll actually protect my lips for the long future kissing career ahead of them! hahahahahahahahaha

xo

Dogmatic on Queen Street

Yesterday I was between buses and sooooo hungry so I decided to check out the flash hot-dog place at Britomart because ... well really because I couldn't come up with a better alternative.

It's a cute little deli type place that has signs up saying 'standing room only' and 'keep calm and eat hot dogs'. Some tables during summer time at least would be pretty cool but that's a hellishly busy little bit of footpath so I bet the council would either flat out say no or charge an arm + a leg + a new born from every staff member who ever worked there for the privilege and thus the deli takeaway situation...

The hot-dog I chose was ... actually I have no idea of the name but it came with coleslaw and cheese. It normally has BBQ sauce but that's just nasty so I took that shit OFF! LOL.  It was so weird to read the menu and see mashed potato as a key ingredient of some of the hot-dogs!

Here's what it looked like and no it didn't come pre-bitten I just decided to review the place after I'd already taken a bite hahahaha. I was in a bit of a time crunch as, like I said, I was between buses so I ended up speed eating a sausage in public! Ba-hahahahha it was very sexy :-P

Overall I wont be back. It's a cute place and I like the premise. I even enjoyed the hot-dog whilst I inhaled it BUT it's wildly overpriced. That thing was $9.80! It's really good quality ingredients and ... you know all of the requirements from newborn children from the staff and all but I still really felt super ripped off. I was dying for a coke but $3.00 for a can? I don't think so sista! The service was just average and the experience was a bit of a let down all in all. Also I ended up with some nasty green crap all over my hand while I was waiting... I think it was relish or I hope it was!

Of course it's all personal opinion but I don't think these guys will last at that price point. If they were selling the hot dogs for perhaps $6.00 people might be more enthusiastic and the kids who mill around the precinct after school (and during the day) might splash out. They're nice enough that people might come on their lunch breaks but they're not $9.80 nice and especially because they do NOT in any way constitute a whole meal. In the food court I can get a massive kebab or rice meal WITH A DRINK for only about  a dollar more and it will be all the food I need for a day. Their hot dogs just do not compete. Nice as they are.

xo

Friday night is but a drunken haze of awesomeness

It's summer time and as I am currently... between appointments... I've been enjoying myself like crazy. Last night my friend Janelle and I went to Wynyard Quarter and had a fabulous drink (or two) in the sun at the fish market and then an AMAZING-Send you to church- Best food EVER dinner at Miss Clawdys. I mean ... seriously the person who thought of combining rhubarb and pear cobbler with rum eggnog is a freaking genius! WOW

I 110% recommend the wonderful Miss Clawdys with awesome drinks and better food all in a cool restaurant with a great vibe. GO GO GO!!!

The cocktail list all sounds good so for that reason alone Ima go running back! LOL I want to try all of them! I had the punch (pictured) which was delicious and a hurricane which was fine but not amazing.

The desert was the hi-light of my week. SO.DAMN.GOOD

of course, being summer the night markets are on at Silo Park. They were a fantastic place to clear our (read my) drunken haze and full tummies. I always enjoy the markets and actually purchased something this time. Loving my little skull bracelet. Great for summer and weirdly my first skull purchase.

Even though I've spent the day recovering I had an awesome time and totally recommend both beers at the fish market and dinner at Miss Clawdys. The whole precinct is just bursting with awesome and more is coming all the time. 

Just one more awesome thing about this city :)

xo

 

LUSH lovlies

I got my first pay check in almost a year last week. I was determined to spend some of it in Lush and purchased the Seanik solid shampoo bar which I'd had before and the Big solid conditioner. I haven't reviewed products and I don't really intend to but sometimes things are just cool! I forgot to take pics before I used them so these come from Google images :)

This stuff rocks my world! My hair absolutely loves it. I found it really strange to start with but now I really prefer the solid form shampoo. I simply lather it up in my hands and then rub it through my hair but I guess you could always rub it directly onto your head. The Seanik bar gives my hair such a good clean and I always end up with such a shine! Perhaps the best thing about it though is that it lasts and lasts and lasts! It's kind of expensive but when you consider how long it lasts and the freaking awesome results it is honestly so much more cost effective than anything at the supermarket.  

I used this for the first time tonight. I have to say that if the lovely girls at Lush on Queen street hadn't explained it I would have freaked out! Its so bizarre. There is no lather and it doesn't really dissolve in your hands. You have to break off a bit and sort of just pull it through your hair. I wasn't holding my breath in the shower let me tell you. I couldn't even see how it would get to all my hair. It seems to just sort of sit in clumps but in reality some sort of alchemy happens. I left it on my head while I did my face scrub etc and then rinsed it out. Even at that point I could tell it was going to be a win. 

With the combo my hair is so good right now! I'm a bit bummed that I'm just in my pajamas watching the music countdown on tv! I look so good I should really be out flaunting it LOL but ... I'm old so what-eves. 

10/10 to this combo for sure. I will absolutely buy it over and over again as the money allows. The only problem is that the conditioner will last a fraction of the time the shampoo does but I guess it will give my hair a chance to breathe in between and not get too used to the one product.

Thanks Lush

x

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

Fashion and Hello Kitty... all in one morning!

This morning I caught up with a friend I haven't seen for a while. She's been busy moving to the other side of the city and getting employed and such while I've been hanging out reading a lot... LOL

We went to the Auckland Museum to see their 'Selling Dreams' fashion photography through the years exhibit. I really liked it but nothing compares to the 'Who shot rock and roll' exhibit from the Art Gallery last year :) There are some pics from the museum below. I even took a couple of snaps of my fave photos before I noticed the no photography sign. Apparently it's a copyright thing so I wont load them up here even though they rock! I don't know if I would recommend a special trip for this exhibit but certainly check it out if you happen to be at the museum. It's cool but not large enough to really justify paying for it I don't think.

After that we went to the pinkest cafe in the history of the world... seriously I could have got myself a dose of diabetes just by looking in the window! Actually it's pretty cute and if they put a little more effort into the details they would have an A-MAY-ZIng little cafe. As it stands I would love to host a 6 year old girls birthday there :) The coffee was pretty good and of course they have super cute templates for decorating. The wedges were amazing. Really perfectly cooked. I just think that if they made it a little more luxe by focusing on little details like the cheesy little stickers on the walls and the cheap white plates they put the coffee mugs on then it would elevate them a lot. I'm also obviously a terrible person but I found it quite off putting that the staff were all male.... I don't know. They were perfectly lovely and good at what they did but it just felt kinda wrong. I know... off to sexist jail for me but .... really??

I'm not gonna say anything about that chair ... it was pleasantly firm... bwa-hahahahaha :-P  The collage is sadly not as clear as the photos are individually but the idea is to showcase how crazy awesome I am at having my photo taken!! hahahaha I have the dumbest look on my face in every one of them. I hardly look like I brushed my hair! LOL.  It just makes me laugh :-)

x

Federal Delicatessen and Montreal Poutine!!

A couple of weeks ago my friend Hue was so excited to let me know that she'd found somewhere that was selling poutine. Ever since I returned from my year in Canada in February 2010 I've been missing the stuff. I mean it's kinda gross and really a heart attack on a plate but it's just soooooo tasty and holds a ton of fab memories for me. I especially used to love hitting up the Dairy Queen that was behind the library I worked in for cheap poutine and an iced tea the size of my head. Good times!

The restaurant in question is the Federal Delicatessen. It's a gimmicky little New York style (I assume) place opposite the Sky Tower. From the waitresses uniforms to the menu it's all about 50's fun.

 

The menu is very Jewish with Kosher this and that. It just screams tasty. I wanted to eat almost everything on the menu. Sadly my food intolerance meant that I was pretty restricted. Sometime I will go back and just carpe diem and eat the damn cheese! hahahahaha yesterday though it was all about memories....

May I present ... dum da dum.. Montreal Poutine!!!! yaaaaayyyyyy!!!!! :)

This delightful little concoction is fries, gravy and cheese curds. It doesn't look so amazing but it's seriously tasty. I would say that the Federal Deli did a pretty admirable job with recreating the awesome but not perfect. It just wasn't... heart attack-ey enough! LOL. I think if they'd presented it in a bowl and been a bit more generous with the gravy and the cheese then it would have been almost perfect. For me the flavour of the cheese wasn't quite right either but that's probably a personal preference type of thing. I really remember the curds being a very mild sort of flavour and these ones were quite intense by comparison. Still.. this was great! I will absolutely order it again but next time I'll try one of the amazing looking sandwiches or mash dishes. This really is my kinda place!