A busy few days

Yesterday, while I looked longingly out of the window at the sun, I was stuck inside on deadline. I was saved by the arrival of the Animator's cousin from London, who gave me an excuse to hit the off button and join them in the sun-splashed garden for a good old chinwag.

And then we walked down the road to this very cool neighbourhood bar, followed by Mexican food.

This morning it was an early-ish start as the cousin departed and we headed over the winding Rimutakas for a story for a house magazine. The Animator and the woofer went for a walk by the river while I interviewed the lovely owners. And then my boys joined us for afternoon tea in this bucolic setting. Which, of course, started the Animator off on his favourite rant (of wanting to sell up in the city and move to the country. Which I also want - just not yet).

But a lovely weekend so far - and we get to do it all again tomorrow when a friend pops over for arvo tea. In between I have a ton of work to get done so best I crack into it (yeah I know, could my Saturday nights get any more thrilling?!)

        
(Photos: supplied)

Lonely

No, not me. Lonely is the name of a Kiwi lingerie label (yeah, I don't know why either) and I wrote about their swanky new Wellington branch for Interior Magazine (click here to read).

Actually, today was anything but lonely. I spent several hours with my friend Susan, drinking various hot beverages and catching up on the last two years. I worked with Susan about nine years ago; two years after that she and her hubbie moved up near Whangarei, to live out their Good Life fantasies. I last ran into her in the departure lounge at Auckland Airport - she on her way home from a visit to her daughter in Welli, me on the last leg of a 24-hour schlep from Europe. I don't think I was making much sense.

Anyway, Susan was in Welli this weekend before flying to Portugal for three weeks so I managed to wedge myself into her busy schedule and we chatted and gossiped and laughed.

As we are thinking of following Susan's lead in the next few years- ie upping sticks to live off the land - it was great to get her take on it.

Not a lonely Sunday by any stretch of the imagination...

   

Bats Theatre

My piece on the revamped Bats Theatre is featured in the current Interior Magazine (click here to read).

Interior Magazine

A couple of months ago, you may recall, I spent several hours chatting to a lovely architect who was responsible for waving the renovation wand over what has since become my new best friend, Loretta, a cafe at the top of Cuba Street (it's now my favourite spot for doing interviews).

The story has just been published in Interior Magazine's December issue (click here to read).

(Pic credit: Paul McCredie) 

How nice is this?

Spent a goodly chunk of this morning talking to a very nice architect who has done the fit out of one of Welli's newest cafes, Loretta, for Interior Magazine. The terms 'raw, honest materials', 'natural textures' and 'intimate spaces' were flung around a lot.

The afternoon was spent attempting to make sense of my notes, setting up what is going to be quite a tough interview for a national magazine next week and walking the Hound in the glorious sunshine, which we soaked up like wasps drinking syrup.

Tonight I go back to the running group after what feels like an eternity. Wish me luck.

Today's visuals are of the lovely Loretta cafe.

  
(Pic credit: Thonet and Stuff)

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.

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.