Celebration

There were 643 semi-polished words of a Singapore travel piece that's due next week, pleading emails to far-flung corners of the globe for a piece for an architectural/design mag and two walks in the glorious sunshine - one with one of the Mt Vic Vixens, just back from Tasmania, the other with a neighbour, Andy.

That's not why I'm celebrating, though. I'm toasting (or I would be if I had any bubbly in the house) Kiwi author Ellie Catton (below) who today won the literary equivalent of the World Cup, the Man Booker Prize, for her doorstop novel, The Luminaries. And, in true Kiwi style, she did it whilst also breaking records - being the youngest ever Booker winner and having the longest winning book (832 pages). I haven't yet had the physical or head space to tackle her novel, but am currently reading one of the other nominees - The Lowland, by Jhumpa Lahiri - which I truly heart.

Today was a VERY GOOD DAY for NZ literature.

        
(Pic credit: Stuff)

Another of my Family Time articles

This time it's the lovely Cecilia Robinson from Auckland, who was a dream to interview (click here to read and watch the video).

 (Pic credit: Stuff)

Boring

I am banging the 'too busy' drum once again; and yes, talking about it is getting as tedious as living it.

Last night we had dinner with our animator friend from Aardman, Martin, and his lovely wife Gosia (they've been in Welly a couple of months now) and another British Aardman alumni, also currently at Weta. It was all kinds of fun, and lovely veggie food, and before we realised it, the big hand was way past our bedtime.

It made for a rough start this morning, which wasn't helped by a day spent chasing my tail (and other people's). It was a relief to fall into the arms of 5.30pm.

Having fed and watered all the members of this household, it is now time to start work on an 800 word piece that's due later this week.

Today's visuals are of Gosia's delicious vegan berry cake and banana bread that we gorged ourselves on last night.

In love with

the adorable restaurateur Valentina Dias and her stunning Seatoun home (pictured below), where I spent an enjoyable hour this morning for a national magazine article. If I hadn't been so preoccupied with chatting and taking notes, I would have remembered to snap pics of the amazeballs views from every room of her house.

Saturday errands included a visit to my favourite shoe and handbag repair guys (they always greet me like a long lost daughter) and the usual Samba around the farmers market. Later there was an extended walk with the Hound and his favourite big dogs, Riley and Simba, who could easily chomp him but are ever so gentle with my wee darling. We are now about to sit down to this movie which, the boys at work tell me, is as quirky and cute as the trailer would suggest.

And, good news just to hand, the wonderful Wellington mayor Celia Wade-Brown has held onto her position for another term (and yes, I was one of the few who bothered to vote).  

(Pic credit: Stuff)

My ideal Friday

There was the arranging and re-arranging of 583 words of a travel piece; it is due next week so am pleased to have made a start.

There was an hour spent peeking through the dustier corners of the internet to find the world's best luxury beach resorts for a glossy mag piece; the sighing and cursing that my surname isn't Zuckerberg was probably audible from your place.

There was a dog walk with Lorna and Dobbie and, my treat after a trying week, a facial with Marie, the glorious skin whisperer.

And then I got home to this - a package of Antipodes goodies from the amazing Elizabeth Barbalich who I recently interviewed for Stuff's Family Time series (see a couple of posts back). Doing a HUGE happy dance right now.

May your weekends be as lovely as my Friday...

       

Begging for a waistband amnesty

This morning at work, someone had the inspired idea of doing a cronut run. You know cronuts, the 'new' cupcake that foodies everywhere have clasped to their increasingly ample bosoms?

They're basically the love-child of a donut and a croissant but with custard injected into them. A calorific cuddle and heart attack in equal measure. Last month in Singapore I consumed my first - a salted caramel number that was nice but, frankly, a little faddish and more than a little fattening. I was happy never to walk in the valley of the cronut again.

But today the boys decided to check out a new bakery's deep fried offerings, so off they trotted and came back with these chocolate, vanilla and lemon delights. As I'm trying to claw back my running fitness, I opted to share one with a pod buddy. Which turned out to be the right choice when I saw these monsters - probably double the size of their Singaporean cousins. And the resulting chocolate/carb coma wasn't nearly as bad, either.

Tonight, before the rain set in, the Hound and I legged it up a series of hills to try and work it off. I'm hoping some kind of balance has been achieved...

       

One of those days

Winter has forgotten to go home. This morning on my walk to work - and again on the return journey - heavy rain sloshed from above.

The bits in-between weren't so crash hot, either: a busy day at work was made more difficult by the fact I had to figure out code for a direct mail thing I was writing. Do I look like an IT geek? It made me want to eat my own head. But, thankfully, I cajoled one of the front-end dev guys (am too scared and distinterested to ask what those rows and rows of shiny young lads actually do) to assist. And within five minutes he had it sorted. Play to your strengths, as I always say...

After work there was a walk with one of the Mt Vic Vixens and her woofer, and dinner for one (the Animator is out drinking). I wish I could say I was settling in for a night with the central heating, my beloved Uggs and a book; instead I am writing a Q&A document for a corporate client.

Cutting through today's dreich are these gorgeous blooms I got at the veggie market on Sunday. Not being in possession of the Maggie Barry gene, I have no idea what they are and lack the arsedness to find out. But they are beautiful and make me smile every time I enter the kitchen.