Glorious Miramar

It's not often you get to put those words in the same sentence, letalone next to each other.

Back in February I did a food walking tour of Miramar (link here) for a story for the Auckland-based Herald on Sunday. Today they finally ran it. Despite an obvious cock up attributing photos not to the Animator but to some random, it hopefully pays tribute not only to the lovely women who run the tours but also to the locals who were so generous with their food and their stories  (click here to read).  

NZ Herald Feature

Today's NZ Herald Canvas Magazine publishes my feature on three Kiwis who discovered how much fun it can be to take up former childhood hobbies (click here to read).

This is one of the commissions I was rushing to complete before I went to Seoul, but think it turned out okay. It features one of the nicest women I have ever interviewed, lawyer and breast-cancer survivor Penelope Ryder-Lewis (pictured below).

(Pic credit: Canvas Magazine)

Doggy Friday

A gloriously sunny day today; I think someone has forgotten to tell Autumn it is up.

There was a run along the waterfront, oodles of work as one of my Seoul stories is due Monday and a walk with a new member of the Mt Vic Dog Walking Crew and her adorable woofer who she shipped over from London six months ago. This lovely woman's marriage is currently disintegrating, so talk naturally turned to  love and life, hope and dreams and coming out the other side. I hope in some small way I was able to help.

Today's visuals come from the adorable blog, now book, of US photographer Theron Humphrey and his rescue coonhound Maddie. During a year-long, cross-country road trip, Humphrey says he discovered his dog's amazing balance and patience. Since then, he's posted pics of Maddie happily standing on everything from fridges and watermelons to bikes and people. Apparently Maddie had become an internet sensation. She is ADORABLE.

Right, am off to find things to stick Bristol on top of...    

Moving on

The last day at my current contract brought flowers and a book voucher, cards and a cake marathon with morning and afternoon teas.

I've been at this contract since last July, much longer than the short-term, get-in-get-out contracts I usually go for. But I did it, I made it, and this organisation is now part of my narrative.

In three days I start a new three-day-a-week contract in the comms/marketing team of a large tertiary institution I contracted to back in 2009. It's also the place that awarded me a degree. I am looking forward to returning.

Today's visuals are of the floral goodness that is now filling my kitchen with its delicate fragrance.

      

Calorie insanity

Today started with the most delectable blueberry pancake at a place near work for a darling colleague's birthday breakfast (note the singular pancake - these things are the size of a small car).

At lunchtime, I met a dear friend I haven't seen for a while; eggs and bread were involved.

Sadly, after work the weather turned feral, squashing any chance of a run. Instead, there was a walk with the Hound which turned into a hour-long outing when we ran into a couple of his doggie mates and their humans; more talking than walking was involved.

Tomorrow there will be exercise, I promise.

(Pic credit: Smitten Kitchen)

My first byline in Urbis

Yeeha! My first ever story in NZ's Urbis Magazine appeared today (click here to read).

Along with this feature, I also have a book review and a contributor profile thingy up the front of the April issue. Will Dropbox that for y'all another time.

I agree

I feel as though I've gone nine rounds with Mike Tyson; my limbs ache, my eyes hurt and I know, I just know, that I am incubating several viruses who want to have their way with me. But hopefully a few early nights, and a vat of echinacea, will help sort it.

Today was all about getting my house of work in order: schedules were drawn, research done and contacts emailed. I am about to dive into a sea of back-to-back deadlines; it may be some time before I emerge. But as a freelancer, that's a good thing, no?

Thankfully there was time to walk with my friend Ani and her woofer Humphrey in the Town Belt. What with Bristol's kennel cough and Humph's snip, the boys hadn't seen each other for a couple of weeks, so there was much racing about and leaping like spring lambs in the long grass. It was glorious to watch.

The Animator was too busy finishing painting the back of the house before the cold weather sets in to process any more Seoul pics so here's another dodgy one from my iPhone - snapped in one of Asia's largest shopping malls. I am totally feeling the sentiment, even though it makes my inner pedant bristle with rage...