A space odyssey

A few weeks ago, you may remember, I  spent a lovely few hours tootling around a renovated Mt Vic villa for a story for Capital Magazine.

That story, in the September issue, is published this week (click here to read).

SPCA puppy walking

This adorable bundle of fur was the SPCA puppy I walked tonight after work.

It took every ounce of willpower not to pop her in the car and take her home. ADORABLE.

Puppy walking on a Monday night is, hands down, the highlight of my week.

  

(Pic credit: Wellington SPCA) 

My interiors cup runneth over

Spent a few hours yesterday nosing around this gorgeous Wadestown reno for a story. The best bit? The house is set on 2.5 acres of lush bush, thick with native trees and birds, just 10 minutes from the city centre. #Gottalovewellington

  

September's books

Thanks to the courier who just made a dreary Friday afternoon brighter.

These books are all due for release next month and I will take great pleasure in choosing one to review for North & South Magazine. Plus, reading material for the plane is always welcome.

Happy weekend, y'all.

       

Ho Chi Minh City Travel Expo

Apologies for the radio silence - there is too much work and not enough time to do it. I constantly feel as though I'm playing catch-up, which isn't a bad thing when you're a freelancer. So I will stop whingeing forthwith.

Today's visual is the official flyer for the HCMC travel expo which I'm attending in a few weeks. I CANNOT wait for 30 degree temperatures and the chance to bust out the summer clothes. Global warming seemed to swerve around Welli this winter and I am soooo over the cold and rain.

Hello sunshine, my old friend...

 www.itehcmc.com

   

Fearless in Fashion

How would you feel if you'd had your leg amputated from the hip down when you were nine?

My story on a courageous designer who didn't let this horrific experience stand in her way, and an equally brave mother who overcame her son's issues, is published in this month's NEXT Magazine (click here to read).

  

The 'reel' McCaw

Last month I sat in a darkened cinema with a bunch of film distributors to watch Chasing Great, the doco/feature film about Richie McCaw which opens nationwide on 1 September.

And although I'm as far from your standard rugby head as it's possible to be, I found myself engaged with the tale of the shy farm boy who became one of the best rugby players of all time.

My story about the film is published in this month's North and South Magazine (click here to read).

The King and I

My story on Graceland, which I visited last year as part of a Trafalgar media trip, is published in this week's NZ Woman's Weekly to coincide with the 39th anniversary of Elvis' death (today, as it happens). Click here to read.

    

Giselle

Tonight I will hobble down to the Royal New Zealand Ballet for the opening night of Giselle .

Thank you to the God of Media Tickets, who has been extremely generous lately.

Vibrant Vietnam

So runs the tagline from the Vietnam Tourism Board.

But no matter how they brand this slither of land which spoons both Laos and Cambodia, the fact remains that I will be there in a month!

After much to-ing and fro-ing my media trip to Ho Chi Minh City in early September is now sorted. And I am very, very excited. Particularly about the 30 degrees my phone tells me the temperature is there today. Oh to feel sunshine on my bare arms again. I CANNOT wait.

        

  (Pic Credit: Google Images)

Second Vancouver story

My 16-page piece on Vancouver (that is not a typo, it was a bloody long story that took forever to co-ordinate and even longer to back-and-forth) is published in the new issue of  Urbis Magazine (click here to read).

Epic fail

This is what you get when you're trying to do 100 things at once - you miss the last step and inelegantly face-plant at the bottom of the stairs. The dregs of the hot chocolate you're carrying splatter all over your face and you twist your right ankle to buggery.

Thank god for the Animator who cleaned me up, did an emergency dash to the pharmacy to get some crutches, made ice and expertly wrapped my swollen ankle in bandages.

Apologies for the fat, ugly toes in the first photo but everything south of my shin bone has swollen like a balloon. Am hoping against hope that it heals pretty quickly as I have a full week coming up and don't have the time or energy to be faffing around with crutches.

The sliver lining in this whole mess? I've now got a legitimate excuse not to go for a run this weekend.

    

Italian feast

My foodie story on Bologna from last year's Emirates media famil is published in the August/September issue of Food Magazine (click here to read). 

Home and garden envy

I spent a couple of hours this afternoon with the couple who own this renovated Mt Victoria villa for an interiors magazine. She's an architect and he's a photographer so the place was pretty spectacular.

Much like their house, they were interesting and entertaining. Best of all, we bonded over our unashamed love for our suburb. There's definitely nowhere else in Wellington I'd rather live.

Here'a a couple of scouting pix.

The General Store

My story on The General Store, a fabulous vintage place in Aro Street, is published in the August issue of Your Home & Garden Magazine (click here to read).

Happy International Childfree Day!

A few weeks ago I didn't even know such a day existed. Until an invite from the Wellington Childfree Chicks group I belong to plopped into my in-box, inviting me to celebrate this global event which has been going since the 70s.

So last night I ignored the cold, and several impending deadlines, to walk to a pub at the other end of town for a drink with about 40 or so other cool chicks. It's not overstating it to say the evening was bags of fun and, along with seeing a couple of women from the last event who have now become friends, it was an opportunity to meet like-minded women, including a fabulous vet who let me bang on about Bristol for ages. And, as always, it was sweet relief to be with my peeps.

One of the best ways to close a weekend I can think of.