Interior Magazine - Take 2

Here's the second of two stories I have in the current Interior Magazine, this time about the fit-out of this funky digital agency's HQ.

Click here to read.

More house stuff

I am currently scribbling a travel piece for an overseas magazine about NZ's luxury lodges (of which there are a surprising number) and scanning the horizon anxiously for the deadline to come bounding after me.

I cannot, ergo, tarry for long. Instead of words, you shall have visuals of a very, very, very, cool old musical instrument case I nabbed at a second hand store in Foxton while we were up the coast at a friends' bach a few weeks back. All the Animator had to do was to have his way with a little glue and a couple of nails and voila, it is now an outstanding receptacle in our entranceway. I am currently crushing out hard on the old shoe-in-a-box thing, as you can see...

      

Sunday morning has gone to the dogs

We spent a pleasant few hours with the dog walking group this morning, walking up to the Massey Memorial which, hilariously, required circumnavigating several curious cows - and trying to stop the fur babies from rolling in/digesting the numerous cow pats.

The rest of the day was made of work, tedious invoicing and the last few eps of this fabulous series.

       

ANZAC weekend

We didn't make it to the dawn service but it was lovely to have another three-day weekend.

In commemoration of our fallen soldiers, the Animator made these ANZAC biscuits yesterday to take to our friends Lorna and Jake's place, following a dog-walk with Bristol and their woofer Dobbie. Except we forgot to take them and now have more of the oaty/buttery concoction than we know what to do with.

  

This afternoon, as I toiled over a story for North & South Magazine, a sub-editor mate sent me this link to a piece on BuzzFeed about what happens when a media industry slices resources to the bone (click here to read). The world is indeed fukt.

Interior Magazine

The first of two stories I wrote in the current issue of this glossy magazine focuses on the fit-out of Contact Energy's Wellington HQ (click here to read). Wish I worked in a place like this.

Travel Talk Wednesday

Today's Travel Talk column features the lovely Hone McGregor, who I knew as a kid back in the Nui. Now, randomly, he and his partner Rob live round the corner from us (and have the cutest wee dog, Mia, who Bristol adores). Click here to read.

 

My newest crush

Bristol would kill me if he knew, but I spent a chunk of the weekend fraternising with the enemy.

On Saturday night it was Tab and Chris's two gorgeous ragdoll cats, Lola and Frankie, and today I popped in to see the newest addition to my friend Rachel's whanau - a tiny wee bundle of fur called Hershey. And Hershey's older sister, Honey.

I almost got stoned on Vitamin D on the run home - the sunshine was glorious. The last story of the weekend was written, (yay for me, I did EVERYTHING on my list), there was a walk in the Town Belt and a laugh with our English friend Sarah (mum of Betty, one of Bristol's favourite GFs) and a group of her mates who were rolling painted boiled eggs down the hill (!)

It was, all in all, a Very Good Weekend.

Today's visuals are of Rachel's fur babies. Cute doesn't even come close.

       

Shiny new stuff

The Animator has been out melting the credit card, blissfully unaware that in approximately three weeks (or thereabouts, I can't be arsed emailing my accountant to ask), I will be required to hand over the entire contents of my bank account to the tax man.

His first purchase was this stupid teevee (asking what's wrong with the old one fails to elicit any response). It's big, ugly, dominates the room and contravenes every interior design bylaw. He initially wanted to buy an even bigger one; I told him he could do so if he agreed to move into the garden shed.

One useful thing his spending spree did yield was this tablet; am tried of lugging my laptop around on my travels so although we didn't need it, and it's a bloody waste of money that should really be earmarked for the government (in your eye tax bastards), at least it falls under the 'useful' category.

On the plus side, I have pretty much kept to my stupidly overwrought work schedule; another two phone interviews done today, another two stories almost complete. I think that deserves a gin...

 

    

Saturday

We just got home from a dinner party with our friends Tab and Chris - there was a bottle of good bubbles (Piper) and this gorgeous veggie dinner that apparently was downloaded from the Jamie Oliver app. There was also a banoffee pie that the Animator promised to make but, at 4.00pm when I asked him where dessert was, he mumbled something about buying a new TV and shot out the door. I had to abandon a story I was writing and step into the breach. It should come as no surprise that the Animator is currently filed under 'my least favourite people'.

I also promised to share this week's Travel Talk, which features the gorgeous Catherine from Sparkles the Dog, she who sent me the flowers the other day and someone who would never find herself in the same category as the Animator (click here to read).

  

Oh Vienna

A less than stellar week (too many deadlines, people flipping out, etc) ended on a fantastically high note - I was offered a media famil on a cruise from Vienna to Budapest in the first week of June! I was last in these parts about four years ago, again on a media trip, and all I can remember about Vienna is a gi-normous Zara (where, of course, I spent up large) and cafe after cafe filled with sachertorte that was like a snog from an angel.

But wait, there's more: when I asked the PR company in Sydney if I could tack on a week in the UK afterwards, they agreed! So although I didn't manage to get to Bristol and London in March, looks like I am going to see my lovely mates in June.

Tonight, I am well and truly on my way to Happy Town.

   (Pics of Vienna: Google Images)

Flowers

It has been a long, long day and I have run out of words. I am now hunting down the back of the sofa to see if there are any hiding there.

There were five, count them, FIVE phone interviews for various corporate and glossy publications which reached across the gloriously messy spectrum of human experience - from an 18-year-old mechanic in Gore to a glitzy architect in Auckland and a minister in Hamilton. My hand is cramped and my brain feels like boiled marmalade and I desperately need to find the Off Switch.

And then the doorbell rang and a courier appeared out of the dripping rain with this gorgy bunch of flowers. From a lovely woman who I profiled in today's Travel Talk in the DomPost (haven't got the clipping yet so will feature it tomorrow). It was such an unexpected surprise but just want I needed. And, after the odd behaviour of certain folk over the past few days, it helped restore my faith in human kind.

Tonight I shall pull on my wet weather gear for a trot with the running group (is there anything worse than running in waterlogged trainers?) which, admittedly, does not transport me to the Valley of Happiness, but it has to be done.

At least I will come home to these glorious blooms from the ever glorious Catherine.

    

       

Seriously?

Today, while waiting to meet a client, a student sitting next to me in reception was rifling through her handbag. Somehow it fell off her knee, scattering its contents all over the floor. Amongst the detritus I counted at least 20 condoms. Either this girl is a rep for a latex company or she's having a really good time. It has to be said that neither the girl, nor any of the other students in the waiting room, batted an eyelid.

In other random news, a colleague bent my ear about tonight's lunar eclipse and how it seemed to be doing odd things to folks; I was initially dismissive of that "hippy shit" but, on reflection, have decided there may be a grain of truth. Today has brought all sorts of odd behaviour from all sorts of folks. I am choosing to be Zen about it and put it down to the lunar stuff, rather than good old fashioned bad moods and tanty throwing. All I can say is, it better be over by tomorrow.

One thing that did gladden my heart was this gorgeous story from the Huff Post about a homeless dude's dog that waited outside a Brazilian hospital for eight days for him. Which, once again, confirms which side of the animals Vs humans scale I come down on.

In keeping, today's visuals are of more cute woofers (and it's not even Friday)...

 (Pic credit: Tumblr)

Photos and drinks

There was much fist-shaking at the weather gods who rained on our photo shoot for a national magazine (to go with my story about living in Mt Victoria).

Thankfully, we managed to race out between showers and hopefully the art director has enough to go on. Here are some of the out-takes.

Tonight we're having drinks with a few of the neighbours, including a couple who are heading off to France for three months. I have been trying to keep the Animator away from this cake all day.

  

We beat Kate and Wills...

NZ is currently awash with Royal fever, as Kate, Wills and bubs traipse up and down the country. Having lived in the UK twice, and witnessed the impact the Royals have on the public purse, I can't say I'm a fan (although I'm currently back-filling in the comms team for an organisation directly involved in the tour so, ironically, they've provided me with employment).

Earlier this week the visitors headed over the winding road to Wharekauhau Lodge, a luxurious country estate in the Wairarapa. About six years ago, the Animator and I managed to blag a freebie there for a story for the Herald on Sunday (click here to read). It was, from memory, a ridiculously indulgent weekend. Am guessing not much has changed since then, so trust the Royals enjoyed it.

(Pic credit: Google Images)

Happy Anniversary

Six years ago today we were doing this, in Las Vegas, no less, for a story for NEXT Magazine (click here to read).

Happy Anniversary to the Animator. Tonight there will be dinner here and, no doubt, a few of their delicious cocktails.

 

Travel Talk Wednesday

From today's DomPost, my interview with the lovely Bill Gosden, king of the Capital's film festivals (pictured below). Click here to read.

Stupid amounts of work were done today, my only working from home day this week. There were interviews and the setting up of, furious typing of stories, invoicing and general madness. There was much nervous watching of the sky and wondering whether my knee would hold out for the first running group in ages. It did rain and my knee did hold out but it was fun to see everyone again and muscle memory did what it was supposed to. I easily slipped back into my running rhythm and it was a great feeling to knock out 8kms without too much effort. Thank you, god of running...

Pack a fearless palate

The NZ Herald finally ran my Singapore food piece today (click here to read). 

Cover story

My story of this cute couple and their even cuter beach-side cottage is the cover story of the April issue of Your Home & Garden Magazine. Click here to read. 

What we did this weekend

Bright and early Saturday morning we headed up the coast to stay at a friend's bach at Waiterere Beach (translation for overseas readers, a bach is a holiday home/weekender).

There was much nosing around second hand stores in Foxton and Shannon, walks on the beach and fish and chips in the sun. There was even some work squeezed in (deadlines are no respector of weekends).  

On the way home, there was an interview with the wonderfully unconventional Kirsty Green, the woman behind the Bus Stop Cafe (yes, that is a big blue bus in her front garden).

Last night was the first night since we got him 2-1/2 years ago that Bristol hasn't spent under our roof. He was a little bewildered as to why we were in strange surroundings, and may even have tried to escape via the cat door (I have chosen to throw a veil over that particular episode as it may not have had the happy ending it did) but he had a great time on the beach and is now shattered. I predict he will sleep all week.