Bonjour Nouvelle Caledonie

Tomorrow I'm off again, this time on an Air NZ media trip to New Caledonia - for four nights.

The last time I was in this French overseas territory three and a bit hours from Auckland, it was to cover a food festival. This time I'm heading to the Isle of Pines.

Sunshine, here I come.

  

Masters degree

My story about this fabulous Brooklyn home is in the current issue of HOME Magazine (click here to read).

Fabulous Feilding

Spent yesterday in Feilding, in the Manawatu, for an interview and photoshoot for a national magazine. And the sun shone and a snowy Mt Ruapehu was our backdrop and there was even a random bloke riding his horse down to the local shops. As you do.

I love rural New Zealand...

     

What's behind the blue door?

My story on this historic Carterton house is the second of two stories I have in the June issue of NZ House & Garden (click here to read).

The QT Museum Wellington

Five and a bit years ago, when we returned from the UK, the Animator's employers kindly put us in the Museum Art Hotel for six weeks. It was wonderful, if slightly surreal, living in a hotel.

Fast forward to last year and the Australian QT brand bought the hotel, its first on this side of the ditch, and re-branded it as the QT Museum Wellington.

Last night we got to play tourists in our own town when we stayed there the night for a story. I'm pleased to report it was as glorious as I remember, with so much modern art strewn about it's almost like staying in a gallery. The rooms were gorgeous and the high tea was even more so. Highly recommended if you need to lay your head down in central Welly.

A few visuals of our lovely night away.

The view from our suite:

            

The Victorian factor

My story about this large-scale renovation on a London house is published in the current issue of Renovate Magazine (click here to read).

The fabulous Philippines

Apologies for the lack of visual evidence of last week's media trip to this glorious smattering of islands. But my body is still in shock from the transition from 30+ degree temperatures to the high t of eight that Welly has managed to stretch itself to today. 

But there was bustling Metro Manila, a visit to Cebu and two islands - Miniloc and Bohol - as well as a food walking tour, the Chocolate Hills, a visit to a sustainable bee farm, being awoken by monkeys on the roof and island hopping in settings so stunning they almost looked Photoshopped.

Now I just have to craft it all into stories.....

Here are a few pics from last week - more to come when I can find five minutes amongst the madness.

      

Back home - and food bloggers

Yes, I know the two aren't related. But I'm just back from the gloriously hot Philippines (come back 30+ degrees, all is forgiven!) and once I have sorted out my photos I promise to share some here.

But, in the meantime, am playing catch-up. Here from last Saturday's Dominion Post Your Weekend cover story is my piece about the rise and rise of food bloggers (click here to read).

Vampire running

My piece on vampire running, on exercising in the dark (and cold), is published in the June issue of North & South magazine (click here to read).

In a few hours, I head to the airport for my flight to Auckland and then onto Manila for a week-long press trip. See you on the other side.