Exclamation Exclamation

Oops

2010-05-16T03:14:00.001-07:00

Haha Amber just bought to my attention that the random post I just posted actually comes up on RSS reader even though I deleted it 2 seconds later (I was just giving my Aunty a demonstration on how easy it is to make a blog post as she is going to have a blog, and that was the first picture on my desktop) oops.

It's probably fine as I'm pretty sure Amber is the only person with this blog on a reader, hehe

x

Unnecessary disclaimer

Update - we are slackbums

2010-05-13T19:04:00.000-07:00

Hi,
Just in case anybody stumbles across this blog anymore...this is just to say that we never blog anymore but maybe we will, at some point.

I'm busy prepping to move back to London and Christine is busy being a high flying journalist type.

But we love you, whoever you are

xxx

A reason to blog again

2009-11-08T23:25:00.000-08:00

We've been really bad at this lately!
But here is a treehouse, and suddenly I'm inspired again:

It ain't me, babe

2009-10-04T18:24:00.000-07:00

Go 'way from my window,
Leave at your own chosen speed.
I'm not the one you want, babe,
I'm not the one you need.
You say you're lookin' for someone
Never weak but always strong,
To protect you an' defend you
Whether you are right or wrong,
Someone to open each and every door,
But it ain't me, babe,
No, no, no, it ain't me, babe,
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.

Go lightly from the ledge, babe,
Go lightly on the ground.
I'm not the one you want, babe,
I will only let you down.
You say you're lookin' for someone
Who will promise never to part,
Someone to close his eyes for you,
Someone to close his heart,
Someone who will die for you an' more,
But it ain't me, babe,
No, no, no, it ain't me, babe,
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.

Go melt back into the night, babe,
Everything inside is made of stone.
There's nothing in here moving
An' anyway I'm not alone.
You say you're looking for someone
Who'll pick you up each time you fall,
To gather flowers constantly
An' to come each time you call,
A lover for your life an' nothing more,
But it ain't me, babe,
No, no, no, it ain't me, babe,
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe.

Funny Facebook

2009-09-23T19:29:00.001-07:00

Facebook has the weirdest ads

"Get some of our teeth whitener and your lips will turn glossy and multi-coloured as a bonus!"

Top notch advertising.

Bigger than Jesus

2009-09-23T18:07:00.000-07:00

Gosh, I love this photo of The Beatles! Look how awesome and happy go lucky and chuffed and cool they all are. Especially John - my favourite Beatle.
When I'm not listening to The xx (which isn't often), I'm listening to The Beatles White Album. Best album. Guitars gently weeping, etc.

Korean Pancakes

2009-09-23T16:31:00.000-07:00

Like I NEED another food addiction.

Someone tipped me off to the little hole-in-the-wall Korean Pancake shop on the corner of Wellesley & Lorne St.

So far I've tried chicken&Cheese and Beef&cheese, they also have sweet ones and vege ones and ham ones. And all for $2.50!

They're so good...really just a big cheap greasy mess, but I have to say I am really quite partial to big greasy messes :/ :/

Umiya has serious competition!

The xx

2009-09-21T02:01:00.000-07:00

Today is "Listen to Nothing But The xx Day."
In fairness, the last week has almost purely been "Listen to Nothing But The xx Day." I'm obsessed: Every single song is so beautiful. Liss and I are both feeling a lot of feelings for The xx at the moment and we particularly like Intro, Crystalise, Islands and Infinity. The songs love is made out of.
It's the soundtrack to all things lovely and special, and everybody should listen to it. This video to Crystalise is also rad:

Spring shadows

2009-09-16T03:01:00.000-07:00

Our friend Chelsea has this very cool blog about our home town, called I Have Loved You So Long. We are rather parochial around here and really do love the East Coast.
Anyway, I love these photos she took of the shadows from the spring sun coming through her bedroom window. So lovely !

Dreams

2009-09-08T16:31:00.000-07:00

I’m going to Fleetwood Mac! Tickets sold out within minutes but luckily I have a friend with super speed internet that snapped us up a couple just in the nick of time. Joy! My life is complete.

Top 5 all-time best ever reasons why Fleetwood Mac is going to rule:

1)Stevie Nicks is one of my heroes.
2)Rhiannon, Dreams, Sara, etc has been the soundtrack to my life.
3)I have never been to Taranaki before
4)Me & my chum are going to hire a campervan, which is both hilarious and awesome.
5)Imagine all the amazing op shop and trinket spots I will discover on the nine-hour journey to the naki?!

Need this:

2009-09-04T15:09:00.000-07:00

I want this ring slash bracelet! Or one that is pretty much the same! Where can I find one? Or can somebody make one? Or somthing ? Lissy? Help !

Shamelessly sucked in by ads.

2009-09-02T21:36:00.000-07:00

I don't know what it smells like, but I do know I want it anyway.

Nice wee reminder

2009-08-31T22:22:00.001-07:00

The First

2009-08-31T22:00:00.001-07:00

I love “first” days. Today is a perfect example – the first day of September, the first day of spring, my first day back at the gym and the first day of my “I’m totes sticking to it this time” health regime. What a day to start afresh! And what makes a “first” day even better is when it’s beautiful as today was; crisp and sunny outside, blossoms on the trees and those lovely good natured, nice-guy flowers daffodils and jonquils in every well-tended garden around town. Today is also random act of kindness day!
What was my point here? Oh, right – Noah and the Whale. Their latest album The First Days of Spring is so lovely. It has been on heavy rotation on my iPod the past few weeks and it seems even more appropriate to listen to it since it really is the first days of spring. It even sounds how spring would sound if it was music (?).
My random act of kindness for the day is posting this link which allows you to download the album. Sharing is caring <3

:)

2009-08-31T01:57:00.000-07:00

- Port, I've recently been introduced to this by someone I now drink with on rather a regular basis and think it's safe to say I've developed a definite craving :/ it's all I want to drink now! (try drinking it in a caravan in a small sea-side town whilst playing drunk pictionary and it's a pretty cool Saturday night) :)

- Umiya Japanese takeaways in the atrium. Amaaaaazing. I have a problem/addiction

- This song always pleasantly surprising when you can like an artist/band for months and not get sick of them! :) <3 you Ellie

Fashion loves.

2009-08-20T20:18:00.001-07:00

Cool kids stick together

2009-08-17T23:45:00.000-07:00

Further benefits of being a fan of bands on facebook: Having a rare peak into the Alison Mosshart inner circle. She posted these behind the scenes photos from The Kills tour with The Horrors, (what a combo) providing insight into the fun times had when you're in a cool band. Like drinking at bars in Brooklyn with Alexa Chung and putting Noel Fielding into a merchandise box. Looks like a proper lark!

Muscats @ Millton

2009-08-15T14:58:00.000-07:00

Everyone should come to this awesome party our friend Mon is having at her place! It's going to be so fun! In fact, why not come to gissy for the whole labour weekend and come to the Wine & Food festival on the Sunday too! The festival is also extremely fun, and if you don't believe me, just look at what a laugh we had last year:

Penguin Books

2009-08-14T19:38:00.000-07:00

As Lissy mentioned previously, we love old books. Lots. For a while I was focusing my collection on extremely old hard-covered books, with pretty spines and gold leaf pages but recently I've been turned my attention to Penguins. I love the coded and organised nature of them, the simplicity and the fact they are so penguin-ish; they're easy to spot among walls of books. I got a couple of these ones today for only $2 each!!!!! Bargain. And I'm so excited about my rapidly growing collection I just had to share some of my favourites. x

The Hangover

2009-08-14T15:39:00.000-07:00

The last thing I remember from last night was dancing around a lounge to Violet by Hole and wine spilling over my glass. Suddenly I woke up at 5am, extremely uncomfortable, on some flattish type couch with my heels still on. Groan.
I made my way home, surprisingly made my way to work and now I'm dealing with several symptoms of The Hangover. You know, the usual stuff: cringy flashbacks, cellphone sent message horror, that taste in the back of your mouth that simply WILL NOT GO AWAY, an indescribably bad feeling in my stomach, eyes that look like pissholes in the snow, zero cigarettes, and an overwhelming need to be hugged.

So, I give you the Top 5 All-Time Best Ever Things for The Hangover:

1) All manner of drinks. Not just one, ALL MANNER, such as: banana milk, cup of tea, coke and mandarin mizone.
2) Pasta! I always have hungover cravings for cabonara type food, as well as meaty croquettes, creamy mayo cheeseburgers or eggs benedict. Any of these will do.
3) Television or movies that requires no thinking. Such as shortland street omnibuses, Keeping up with the Kardashians, The Hills, Bromance or, the worst ever, Denise Richards: It's complicated. Shit television is surprisingly therapeutic.
4) Hugs! Reassurance from wholesome people that everything is going to be ok.
5) Suri Cruise. Just look at her!

Great stuff

2009-08-14T15:13:00.000-07:00

I love all of this at the moment.

Bring back thank you notes

2009-08-14T15:10:00.000-07:00

Especially ones like this

Girl crush

2009-08-14T15:03:00.000-07:00

How much of a fox is Georgia Jagger?

:) and :/

2009-08-11T16:13:00.000-07:00

:)
- Feijoa cider from the Wine Cellar...genius/ah-mazing. Warning: you will NOT have "just one pint"

- My new Yeti! we've called him Not Yeti, and he is the new keeper of my heart <3 you can get him from here!

- Studying/learning, yay, love it!

:/
- Not blogging for months, where have I been? I forgot that I love writing down random thoughts and bits & bobs so much! hehe

- Snarkyness

- Student poor-ness setting in. Hmmm. Not loving it

Magic Pony

2009-08-11T16:06:00.000-07:00

Aaargh I love old books (yes I copied you Chris :p) especially one with awesome old school illustrations on the cover. I got the Mills&Boons ones from Levin Sallies for 50c each, with titles like "Caribbean Pink" how can you say no? I think the Magic Pony is my fave though, someone a wee bit spesh gave it to me, which always makes cool things even cooler :)

Sitting on the shelf

2009-08-07T21:41:00.001-07:00

So there is a point to becoming a fan of things on facebook after all. I got this little update from She & Him, thanks to being a facebook fan, which pointed me to this very cute video clip for their song, Why Do You Let Me Stay Here, which I love. It's got Zooey Deschanel and Joeseph Gorden-Levitt in it and was made as a little bonus for their new movie, (500) Days of Summer. It's produced by the same guy from Juno, so I'm pretty sure it will rule. The video clip definitely does - it's impeccably-styled and fun and awkward, and has inspired me to revisit She & Him again after overkilling it last year!
Why do you let me stay here was a kind of theme song in my flat for quite a while, as us three girls were all single and became obsessed with the concept of "sitting on the shelf." We talked a lot old maids, cats and such and went so far to line these russian dolls up above the fire place as a sad (actually, not that sad) reminder we were still sitting on the shelf. I can report two of the russian dolls are no longer on the shelf, mine not included.
haha. what a digression.

Here's a link to watch the video, you should.

Just do it

2009-08-04T15:52:00.000-07:00

Why oh WHY do I put stuff off and not do it even when it just so needs to be done (yes non existent illustrations for poetry zine, I'm talking to YOU)

So I've come up with a new mantra that I am going to repeat to myself over the next 2 days and whenever else I'm at the end of deadline time and haven't even STARTED something:

"Just do it, so it's done"

Then there's no more stressing about it!....cos it's DONE!

Not very deep, not very profound, but very sensible.

I'm off to do it, so it's done

Be excited, be be excited!

2009-08-04T15:49:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love a good zine? Everybody in Auckland should come to Zinefest!

It's at my new flat (Cross St Studios) NEXT SATURDAY! 15th Aug! complete with a big fat after- party (yeeyah)

Check out the blog for more details!

xx

Sauces are dangerous

2009-08-03T21:58:00.000-07:00

Karl Lagerfeld - amazing, but clearly thoroughly wound up about food and diets etc.
All of this nonsense came out of his mouth:

"No, and I never, ever eat in between the meals. I control it well enough and with no pills, and I sleep seven hours a night. I go to bed. I fall asleep, and I wake up seven hours later, and this is the most important."

"Some people would like me to be round again."

"I eat fish, three times a week meat, and if not yogurt, something like this and it rarely continues."

"Yes, some people say to me you're too skinny, but never a skinny person says that to me, only people who could lose a few pounds say that."

"I have now exactly the same weight I had when I was 18, 20."

And, the best of all:

"If there's something dangerous, sauces are dangerous for the body."

Tigers and Shit

2009-08-02T19:46:00.000-07:00

At Big Day Out this year, one of the coolest parts of the day was when Arctic Monkeys lead singer Alex Turner announced they would play a song never been heard before.
“It’s about tigers and shit,” he told the crowd, cementing my opinion he is one of the coolest dudes ever. The song about tigers and shit was cool, but the best new song they played that day was Crying Lightening. I remember my friend Nicki and I looking at each other with sheer joy, observing the epic-ness of the moment and the brilliantness of the song, made even better by the fact we were watching it live, sandwiched in a mosh pit of other monkey lovers.
“AH-MAZING,” Nicki declared. “SO AH-MAZING,” I agreed.
Even though the album isn’t due for release until the 25th of August, it’s all over the internet for download. Ever since I got my greedy little hands on it I have not stopped listening to it. I highly recommend.

Yellow Submarine

2009-07-24T15:48:00.001-07:00

Do yourself a favour, if you haven’t already, and watch Yellow Submarine by The Beatles. It ticks all the boxes of attributes you want in a movie: psychedelic kaleidoscope-ish animation, a tripped-out plot, magic, puns and double entendres, British accents and, naturally, The Beatles songs. It’s amazing.

Would you read a book by this woman?

2009-07-15T16:42:00.000-07:00

Apart from Justin Bobby, I don’t like any of the characters on The Hills. Characters probably being the wrong term given it’s a *cough* reality show. But I watch it anyway, mainly because it’s so fucking lame. Now that Lauren Conrad has left The Hills, we can all find solace in her new novel, LA Candy, which by the sounds, is essentially The Hills in book form with new names.
I love this review on nogoodforme.com so much. It’s hilarious. And just as a gushy, love-your-work aside, I also love that blog in general. One of the contributors, this “scrappy” stoner chick called Laura Jane writes the darnedest things that have me LOLing all over the place.

Here is an exert from her review of Lauren Conrad’s LA Candy:

"Lauren Conrad is not the Joseph Conrad of 2009, though L.A. Candy does use the word "frisson" twice. I wonder how she learned the word "frisson"? I guess she thesaurus.commed "thrill," or maybe Brody Jenner told her it (I don't think Brody Jenner told her it). Beyond "frisson," however, L.A. Candy is the worst-written piece of crap shit trash shit filth puke boring lame annoying garbage I've ever read in my life. On page 173, Conrad writes, "Worry marred his smooth, Asian-American face." Worry marred his smooth, Asian-American face. That sentence is so horrific, it's almost brilliant. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN ASIAN-AMERICAN FACE. "

Given my appreciations of things that are so bad they’re almost good, I think I need to read this book.

Could Not Have Put it Better Myself :)

2009-07-11T03:01:00.000-07:00

Oh the sweet awkwardness

2009-07-11T02:20:00.000-07:00

We/I love awkward stuff (in fact I've created my very own slightly awkward situation over the course of the weekend...but that's another story, haha) we love awkwardness so much we've even invented an abbreviation for ease of explanation of these situations in texts and emails....) "ASM" = Awkward Social Moment, so imagine my delight on discovering this actually I didn't "discover" it, a dude I met on Thursday night told me about it (we then proceeded to re-enact some ASM's, it was pretty funny)

Lets Dance

2009-07-10T14:55:00.000-07:00

I know exactly what I'm doing tonight and it involves Pinot Noir, great friends and rad music. The best nights are often the low key ones spent at home, getting ludicrously tipsy with your girlfriends until the Dirty Dancing soundtrack comes out. You know it's been a goodie when you wake up to find your entire CD collection (the good, the bad and the ugly) scattered over the floor, ciggarette butts in teacups, lipstick marks around wine glasses and the usual drunken debris.
The older you get, the busier everyone becomes and it seems very difficult to get your closest friends together for a jolly good catch up. The wait, however, is entirely worth it when you find yourself trapsing down memory lane by way of Dr Dre and stories of epic parties in fourth form.
Friends are awesome. x

Sick eyes.

2009-07-10T14:39:00.000-07:00

The best boys have sick eyes. I realise you can't really see Faris's eyes but you get the picture. And Justin Bobby is probably more of the sparkly-eyed ilk than crack eyed but I'm not one to miss a JB photo op. I don't think anyone will appreciate this post other than us Lissy but anyway.
HAPPY SATURDAY! X X

Bloggers Block

2009-07-05T00:49:00.000-07:00

Oh god I haven't blogged anything in so long I don't know if I can anymore? the pressure the pressure! have to come up with something awesome and/or witty and/or deep/ and/or super insightful and interesting.

But na.

Instead, I give you...

Awkward band photo

F*ckin babes

RIP MJ

2009-06-25T17:09:00.000-07:00

I’m sure every self-respecting eighties child is reeling from the shocking news of Michael Jackson’s sudden death this morning. I am. I’ll leave you with a photo from what I regard as MJ’s finest moment, his song ‘Give in to me’, a collaboration with my hero Slash, of Guns n’ Roses fame.

Rest in Peace Michael Jackson.

Blog of the day

2009-06-21T16:14:00.000-07:00

Meet Icle and Lardee. They’re only small. Just two little teeth trying to find their way in the world. I’m an absolute sucker for everyday objects (or teeth) with basic smiley or angry faces drawn on them. A bit like pet rock, with his cute little eyes and half moon smile. You can see more of Icle and Lardee's adventures on My Milk Toof.

Deerhunter

2009-06-17T21:29:00.000-07:00

Play in Auckland tonight. Sigh. It’s always times like these I get this caged-in feeling and overwhelming desire to skip this town. The only thing cheering me up right now is looking down at my beyond a joke cute grey sequinned keds I got from Salvation Army yesterday for a fiver. But I digress. Deerhunter, cool. Reminds me of long trips on the central line in London and being contemplative. Spring Hall Convert is a brilliant song. I’m working tonight.
Yes, play your violins a little louder as I can’t quite hear them . . .

House Mouse

2009-06-15T16:48:00.000-07:00

I'm posting this on the very off chance that somebody stumbles across this blog and just so happens to know somebody/somebodies looking for a flatmate in Auckland. I arrive on Saturday and I need a hoooome. Prefeeeeerably somewhere cheap and central, but central is most important, don't mind if it's a bit shabby chic, actually, would prefer that to yucky shiny apartment.

****putting out my happy successful flathunting vibes***

x

Rhythm & Vines

2009-06-12T15:36:00.000-07:00

In a few weeks there will be the first line up announcement for the magical, dream-come-true festival that is Rhythm & Vines.!!!. Last night I had a drunken conversation with one of the R&V dudes, who, somehow did not let wine or my incessant nagging force him into spilling the beans on the line up. It will be good though, he says. Real good. I begged for Fever Ray and Pete Doherty. He said he'll see what he can do.
Anyway - whoever plays, it is guaranteed to be a sweeeeeet festival. Last years was mindblowing / best thing ever / the new year to end all new years etc, and I can't wait to get back and have my daily samosas, coin new stupid phrases and interview cute band boys again. I <3 R&V.

If you want cheap tickets, go here

Slash, I love you

2009-06-11T21:40:00.000-07:00

WE'RE NOT WORTHY! WE'RE NOT WORTHY!

Another clever person making clever stuff

2009-06-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

Aren’t these cool? This guy has dug up “classic records lost in time and format” and redesigned them in a weathered Penguin book style. There are some rad album selections among them too, including a few of my favourites. You can see the rest here.

Need this:

2009-06-07T19:48:00.000-07:00

To borrow a Rachel Zoe-ism, I DIE for this Meadowlark Protea cocktail ring from their new Eternal Garden collection. It’s not on their online store yet so I remain blissfully unaware of the financial inconvenience it will cause, but I figure given the pittance I usually spend on dirt cheap rings from diva/junk shops etc, buying one special piece would be perfectly justified. And if I didn’t have such an damning track record of waking up with one earring missing after a night out, I would definitely buy the serpent bow earrings as well. Too cute.

Where's Liss?

2009-06-04T20:44:00.000-07:00

You might be wondering where Liss, of totally-looks-like Nicole De Boer fame, has disappeared to. She is currently stuck in Levin. Ok, not stuck, she’s willingly there at her own choice and spending valuable time with her mama, a velvety lazyboy and Brody Jenner by way of Bromance marathons until she moves to Auckland. She has no access to the internet in Levin. Not even dial up. I can’t wait till she comes back so I stop looking like a greedy little blog poster.

The Phantom

2009-06-04T19:43:00.000-07:00

Don’t be alarmed, dear readers, this isn’t a post about Lindsay Lohan. It’s about a car. If you look beyond LiLo you will see the car I drive in my dreams with James Franco in the passenger seat: the Rolls Royce Phantom. LiLo is renting one (even she couldn’t afford $450,000 to buy one) and with that said, I swear that will be the last time I write her name on this blog. Anyway, back to The Phantom. I’m not usually one to froth over cars, but The Phantom is different. It’s badass.

Top 5 reasons why I need a phantom:

1)It’s MATTE. OMG, Swoon, etc.
2)Check out the grill, yo.
3)Guaranteed to be a total babe magnet
4)It kind of reminds me of a tank, so driving it would give my small self an immense sense of size and power.
5)It’s called The Phantom like the superhero. Therefore driving one would further reinforce false sense of power, particularly whilst playing my yet-to-be decided theme song.

Dreams are free. The end.

Snips and snails

2009-06-04T19:24:00.000-07:00

Sugar and spice and all things nice

2009-06-04T18:45:00.000-07:00

Give me an assignment, quick.

2009-06-01T21:06:00.000-07:00

Back when I was a student, I was one of those square and probably quite annoying types that loved getting a new assignment (no, really), with checklists, assessment criteria and recommended readings. I also enjoyed the girly-swat satisfaction of handing in neatly bound final project to my tutor by the due date. It’s the little things. Anyway, I came across this university project on yayeveryday, and it got me dreaming about studying, particularly something that has scope for such creativity. I’m not going to, but Liss is about to start a web design course which is awfully exciting! I really like the intelligent and fitting design for this hypothetical Wes Anderson Film Festival; in fact I love the whole idea of an Anderson film festival in general. I love his movies. What was the point of this post again? Oh yeah. Studying is fun, (note moral boosting, Liss), Wes Anderson is cool and this project is neat. You can see more of it here.

Treehouse of the Week # 7

2009-05-28T16:09:00.001-07:00

The Gypsy Wife

2009-05-28T15:56:00.000-07:00

I’m obsessed, obsessed, OBSESSED with this song. It’s so beautiful. The version on his Live in London album is even more special than this one. I can’t believe it took me so long to discover Leonard Cohen . . . I have your Dab and our trip to Bali to thank for that Lissy!
X

This is my story:

2009-05-26T23:50:00.000-07:00

I love lists! I've noticed this fun little format on a few blogs so I'm going to steal it everytime I get the urge to list things :p

Watching: Bromance, Running in Heels. I don't understand why I enjoy Bromance, it's so bad. It creeps me out that fully grown men fight over "one on one" time with Brody Jenner. I watched the entire marathon on sunday : /
Reading: A portrait of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (slowly but surely)
Listening: Guns n Roses greatest hits, Leonard Cohen live in London, The Doors platinum collection (the best doors CD i've ever heard)
Drinking: St Clair Vicar's Choice Pinot Noir - exactly what I want after work on a cold rainy day.
Wanting: This dress, a return flight to London and a Glastonbury ticket! The line up this year is so good it's just insane. It pains my heart. I can't believe we were actually there two years ago :(
Trying: To be a diligent little journalist and not moan about the ridiculous amount of work I have on at the moment. Oh and keep my new car sparkly and clean!

Interior noms

2009-05-25T19:42:00.001-07:00

Aaargh I so hope I find an awesome flat in auckland that I can decorate all pretty like :) well, my bedroom at least. I've been a bit obsessed with decorating blogs lately!

Top 3

2009-05-25T19:30:00.000-07:00

Marina & the Diamonds - Obsessions - I don't usually like chicks like this but I like this song :)
The Antlers - Kettering - um this is like the saddest song I've heard in ages, listen to the lyrics, waaaaaaa (why do I like sad songs so much but I'm not sad?? weeeeird :p)
Grizzly Bear - While you Wait for the Others - new album not quiiiite as good as old ones but still <3

A drunk shaman gets a second chance

2009-05-25T16:43:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago I was at Mighty Mighty dressed up as a future shaman (naturally), had drunk far too many wine (naturally) and I bumped into Kelvin Cruickshank of Sensing Murder fame. Me being me, I had to tell him how I loved him, loved the show, loved mediums, and so on. I felt like an utter twit when I remembered the whole cringey display the next morning. But tomorrow is my chance to redeem myself because I’m interviewing him! I wonder if he’ll recall me as the mess in the blue feather headdress and compass claiming to have her own psychic “feelings?” I sincerely hope not. Regardless, I’m well excited about it because I genuinely do love all that stuff. I’m also quietly hoping he might have a couple of messages from the other side for me . . . hmmm…

MOTHER LOVER

2009-05-25T15:07:00.000-07:00

You really should watch this new clip from Saturday Night Live of Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg singing Mother Lover. because it is AWESOME.
I love how Justin Timberlake is secretly a comic genius. The old sly dog . . .

:D and : /

2009-05-24T17:20:00.000-07:00

:D

Narwhals: Whales with heliacal tusks! Some even grow TWO tusks! They are known to use their tusks in battle to reinforce their place in the underwater community. This is called tusking. I’m completely fascinated by the concept of a whale that must SURELY be related to unicorns?!

The Horrors Primary Colours: I can’t get enough of this album. It’s so good (well, it’s totally my “cup of tea” anyway). Thanks to iChild for putting the whole album on her blog so I can listen to it at work!

Cross-dressing: Every morning I find myself dressing like a boy these days. I guess partly because it’s a) freezing and b) looks so fabulous when made a bit girly with heels + accessories etc.

: /

Paying out adults that live with their parents then deciding to move home myself: And I’m an adult too. Hypocrite! Except I have good reasons (surely like everyone else) and my stint of adult-at-dad’s-place-AGAIN will be short this time, I promise!

Charities asking for MORE money: I already give rather generously to Greenpeace each month (well, generous considering I’m not rich) and still they call me to ask for more?! I guess the recession is hitting everyone . . .

Friend requests from strangers: I think it’s a bit weird to request someone you probably wouldn’t say hello to on the street. Being in the same syndicate at intermediate doesn’t count. Nosey bastards.

James Franco = Justin Bobby

2009-05-23T21:50:00.000-07:00

The Hills with James Franco and Mila Kunis from James Franco

BANG ON.

The Break-up

2009-05-22T17:50:00.000-07:00

Oh Wellington.

This is hard. It's not like we've even had a fight, or fallen out of love! it's just...circumstance, but oh the things we've managed to fit in to 1 year and 8 months, 3 flats, 2 jobs, 1 payrise 1 redundancy, 1 funeral (:() 3 weddings, 2 summers, 1 and a half winters, 2 boyfriends (well, one and a half...ish, haha), 2 overseas trips, old friends, new friends, countless gigs and parties and amazing times, times I don't even remember, times I do remember, times I'd rather forget and times I'll never forget (okay, this is getting a bit voiceover-at-the-end-of-a-cheesey-movie-ish so I'll cut it now I think)...photos! oh photos, you're making me teary...

Fake tattoos and fake motorcycle rides

Boat shed drinking, complete with ipod-as-boombox

The Kills!

Spin the bottle and zebra masks

Adventuressss

Welcome Takeaways

Aaaw my beautiful twinicorns

Street hanging, aaw miss you already Cuba

The night we formed our band!

I will not miss atrocious photos of me on Neonsleep

One week to go, getting major separation anxiety already.

I love you Wellington.

And we will always have ex-sex

x

Tacky nom noms

2009-05-22T14:54:00.000-07:00

I just received a parcel from Christine with a Pinky bar in it (that's not all it had in it, that would be creepy, just freighting each other chocolate) it was yummy, even if I do feel a bit naughty having it for breakfast. I love the packaging, it's so tacky, made me recall a convo me and Chris had not so long ago about all the tacky food that we secretly (or not so secretly) love. I think my number one weird tacky thing is the craving I get when I'm hungover, 2 minute noodles and chocolate milk. I know. Other tacky secrets include (but are not limited to):
- peanut butter and jam on toast
- Marmite & chip sandwhiches
- chips & dip
- sausage rolls
- Surimi from the supermarket (hehe "I'm so clossy right now, I'm eating crab")
- Mallow Puffs
- fish fingers
- sausage sizzles outside the Warehouse! hehe
- cheese on toast with tomato sauce

....okay I'm starting to feel gross now, like This is Why Youre Fat-ish. Hahah

Your skivvy makes me feel uncomfortable :(

2009-05-21T14:22:00.000-07:00

Seriously what is he TALKING about?
creepy.

Top 3

2009-05-20T11:53:00.001-07:00

Amesoeurs - Amesoeurs - an almost METAL-in-some-parts (weird for me) girl band, I stole from Caro, and, of course, immediately found my way to the more mellow (and I think better :p) tracks

Van She - Strangers - I like this, it reminds me of Cut Copy....which reminds me of sweet summer lovin'...which is nice right now when it's SO FRIGGEN COLD OUTSIDE (sorry, talking about the weather = boring)

Georgia's Horse - Erzulie Dantor - sort of droney folk/Americana guitar pluckin' mellowness, Patti Smith or Beth Gibbons with a Southern drawl, if you will. (and cool album art)

Awkward Family Photos

2009-05-19T21:45:00.001-07:00

Do you ever find yourself google image searching unspecific terms such as “dad’s 55th birthday” or “office merger party” to find really shit photos of really average people doing really boring stuff? Have you ever thought to yourself while trawling through the pages of not-what-your-looking-for search results, ‘there must be an easier way’? Well, there is. Now, on Friday afternoons when I want to email lame photos to selected office buddies / Lissy and now, you, dear blog readers, I will go to Awkward Family Photos: a comprehensive online resource for unbelievably uncomfortable photos. Genius.
Enjoy x

*DISCLAIMER: If the above, or in fact, anyone on this website is your mum or your friend or whatevs, I'm sorry. This is for humour value, not mean spiritedness. x

Sea within a Sea

2009-05-19T02:27:00.000-07:00

I didn't think all that much of The Horrors first album, I tried to listen to it but I didn't love it at all. Then I got really bored of seeing loads of emo boys with teased black hair dressing like them. But anyway, that's not the point here. The point is I was very pleasantly surprised to hear this track from their second album Primary Colours, which was only released a couple of weeks ago. It's like my new favourite song! I've listened to a few more songs from the album and I think it sounds pretty amazing. Even if you think you don't like The Horrors, you should take the time to watch this video, it's long, but it's worth it . . .

ps if you also love it or think you could learn to love it, you can download Sea within a Sea for free here

Daydream Believer

2009-05-19T01:24:00.000-07:00

To this day I still have childlike fantasies of living in the above bottle. I was obsessed with I Dream of Jeannie when I was small, mainly, I suspect, because she lived in a lamp. To borrow lissy's quote of the week, if "a nook is where the heart is", then my heart is in that velvety and bejewelled pink and purple paradise.
I was equally obsessed with her matching pink and purple harem pants /drapery combos (my favourite colours), her ability to blink herself into midget form and hide in small everyday objects, and then, when it all got too much, evaporate into a puff of pink smoke and hide in her lamp. That is the stuff dreams are made out of.
Images from here

The Actually Alright Lady wears Prada (?)

2009-05-18T15:05:00.000-07:00

I found this quite interesting, considering she seems to never speak to the media at all and is known as an utter b*tch, I dunno, I kind of like her after watching that, though she could just be PUTTING ON that actually-I'm-okay demeanor for the cameras? I love this quote used to describe her - "peaches and cream, with a touch of arsenic" haha

Watch it here

Stop loving your bedroom so much <3

2009-05-18T02:40:00.000-07:00

Following my own advice, tonight I cleaned my room until it was suitably sparkly for chilling in. But the satisfaction of a shiny room is bittersweet with the knowledge I, too, must farewell to this nookish bedroom shaped like a marae. My window looks out to the sea and the lightweight triangular roof means it's amazing for listening to the rain and howling winds on cold nights. I think you could put a photo of this room in the dictionary as a pictorial definition for "wholesome". But I have to move in a month, so my heavy dresser and desk et al must be painfully lugged down flights of stairs again. Gay. Anyway, here are some snaps of my special things in my special mini-marae....after all you always have your memories. And lissy: "nook is where the heart is" is quote of the week!!hahah! x

The wisdom of trees

2009-05-17T20:47:00.000-07:00

“Everyone who enjoys thinks that the principal thing to the tree is the fruit, but in point of fact the principal thing to it is the seed. – Herein lies the difference between them that create and them that enjoy” - Friedrich Nietzche

“A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees” - William Blake

“A tree’s a tree. How many more do you need to look at?” - Ronald Regan

:) and :/

2009-05-17T16:05:00.000-07:00

:)
- Having hot chocolate for breakfast, yum

- Not drinking ALL weekend, I feel so clear headed and serene

- MAC lipsticks...they're just SO good, I don't think I can use anything else any more, wish they were $5

:/
- When you've needed to buy something for SO LONG and it's not even that expensive but for some reason you just can't bring yourself to buy one....I NEED a mousepad with a cushioney bit, yet have been using the same piece of cardboard for the whole year and a half I've been back from London! it's getting silly

- Blog haters! seriously, get a life, if you're going to hate on people you don't even KNOW who are actually really awesome and are just having fun then you at LEAST better be pretty awesome yourself, like almost god-like, and, from the looks of it, you're really not. at all.

- Packing. I just don't want to do it

Goodbye little nook

2009-05-17T15:51:00.000-07:00

I had my first Oh My God I'm Leaving Wellington cry yesterday (seeing good friends will do that :/) so, it's started, my process of flying the Wellington nest, and the safe little haven that is my Aro St nook. I leave it in exactly 13 days, which is going to fly by, I took some photos so I can gaze at them when I'm in scary Auckland and I need comforting. I love this room!! especially when it's raining like today, oh I will miss you my nooky friend (and will I ever be able to reassemble bird montage correctly in new place?!?) xxx

I will never get sick of pretty pictures <3

2009-05-17T15:07:00.000-07:00

(stolen from here)

x

Top 3 (attack of the girly synth pop-sters)

2009-05-15T17:32:00.000-07:00

Ellie Goulding - Starry Eyed - London's Lykkie Li
Sally Shapiro - Miracle - my new Swedish pop crush <3 just need to get past atrocious album art :/
Ladytron - International Dateline - thrashed this song a bit last year and then forgot about it, but rediscovered today, still love it, yay :)

Treehouse of the Week # 6

2009-05-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

Ch-ch-changes

2009-05-13T23:56:00.000-07:00

Ha, I'm so fickle, so after being so passionate about wanting to do advertising (whilst actually, admittedly now, having doubts) I'm now super passionate about doing digital media/web! I had an interview this afternoon and I got accepted! karazy times, can't believe I'll be living back in the AK to-the L in a months-ish time! I am so excited! but also, pretty darn sad to be leaving Wellington and all the things I love about it, especially the wonderful amazing peeps. So I'm making a list of stuff I love about Auckland to remind me that this is an exciting move! not sad! no sad!

- More Japanese restaurants
- Lots of family
- Some international bands only play in AKL
- The salad bar at Raw Power
- Aotea markets
- Awesome asian supermarkets
- K-Rd opshopping
- The tacky-powdered-and-not-actually-"proper"-but-I-secretly-like-it-better chai from Muffin Break on Queen St
- Wendys! (haha stop listing food related stuff piggy)
- The little cheap asian clothing shops in that arcade bit (that have a lot of crap but sometimes quite cool stuff)
- Big Day Out
- More international flights
- Catching the ferry for daytrips to Devonport and Waiheke
- Shanghai Lils (and other bars that I don't know of yet cos it's been so long but hopefully love)
- The Museum
- More jobs, once my 40 weeks of being a ("mature""! aaargh) student are up
- Discovering new friends and new favourite places and just generally shiny newness

Yay, change is good. Right??

blue day

2009-05-11T22:04:00.000-07:00

There are always days that suck. Often for no particular reason, you just feel off-kilter, blah, gloomy, moody and a bit sad. They are expected on hungover Sundays, but as for this blue Tuesday, I have no explanation for my lingering feeling of discontent.
So I’ve made this handy wee list of blue day cures! It’s all about appreciating the little things . . .

An all encompassing list of things that are good. Lissy sent me this little blurb of things I love earlier today, just to remind me that I’m a lover not a hater, and there is plenty to be joyful about. She's right, all these things are good:

New shoes, opshop finds, RIP nail polish, friends, wine, drunken conversation, chocolate, croquettes, writing, art, photography, family, travel, giggggs, discovery of new music, old books, Shanghai Lils, Renkon/Tanukis/Kura, spirituality... and the list goes on, and on :p

Cleanliness is godliness apparently. I may not be ultra-godly but I definitely dig the therapeutic qualities of cleaning. If you’re feeling blah, it’s great to turn some music up really loud and cleanse the demons from your system, via your vacuum cleaner. There is nothing more wholesome than a clean, nookish space you can retreat to. This above bedroom looks a lot like mine and I’m taking some comfort in its current state of order!

Awesome movies from your youth. Nothing will make you feel better than something you remember from a time when you literally didn’t have any problems. When I used to watch Wayne’s World as a child, having to tidy my room was the extent of my worries. Now the great thing with Wayne’s World is that it is waaaay funnier as an adult (I think so anyway) and the musical interludes make you feel good (Dreamweaver, Bohemian Rhapsody: Word).

Reading. Takes you far, far away from all your worries. How could blah-ness exist when you’re deep in the fanciful world of Oscar Wilde?

Music that makes you happy. Everyone has their individual preferences for this, but my current happy songs are Zero by Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Soul Kitchen by The Doors, Heard Somebody Say by Devendra Banhart and Got to Let U Know by The Knife. They make me dance and smile and all that stuff, which is only a good thing.

THE END

Top 3

2009-05-10T00:46:00.000-07:00

Because I'm such a nice young lady I am going to start uploading my top 3 for the listening pleasure of our hoards of screaming blog fans, yay for sharing the love <3 (also Sendspace only keeps files up for a limited time, so be in quick kids!)

In For The Kill - La Roux
On my Shoulders - The Dø, random cool European pop song
Red Sea, Black Sea - Shearwater

:D and : /

2009-05-08T19:11:00.000-07:00

Stones ginger wine. It's like the drink version of pickled ginger, it tastes like it could actually be improving your health. It's great with soda, or, for the seasoned drinker, whiskey. I have a date with some tonight
The discovery of croquettes in Gisborne that actually taste like the amazing ones from Febo in Amsterdam. Mmmmm mashed meaty deeped fried deliciousness.
Hearing N.W.A on vinyl last night and the rebellion on the dancefloor that ensued. Fuck tha police

Madonna is a twit for rolling with the above outfit.
The word phlegm.
Everytime someone says they're getting sick and some other dickhead pipes up "oh, gee, you must have the swine flu." Lame.

Mayim Bialik

2009-05-08T18:59:00.000-07:00

LOL

Treehouse of the Week # 5

2009-05-08T18:42:00.000-07:00

There is a special story behind this treehouse. It's called Takasugi-an, which means 'teahouse built too high'. I just love translations. It's in Chino, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. And it was built by a tea master (that's right, tea master, what a dude) called Terunobu Fujimori.

Photos by Edmund Sumner via Dezeen Blog).

Wendy Bevan

2009-05-08T18:29:00.000-07:00

I love Wendy Bevan's photography. I just came across these beautiful photos from Marie Claire Italy. Ah-mazing.

:) and :/

2009-05-07T20:54:00.000-07:00

:)
- The above clip from Sarah Marshall, love that little stoner man, teehee

- My horsey bracelet from Diva, it's love! when I first saw him I thought "hmmm bit...obvious" but I don't care that he's obvious he's still surpassed baubly tassley necklace as new most cherished jewelry item

- Google Reader, why did I not set you up sooner??

:/
- Still receiving email alerts from London gig guides, I really should stop the pain and get around to unsubscribing to them all

- Baking (with a purpose) and then sitting in front of Sky and eating half of it....hmmm I wonder if any of my fellow potluckers tonight will take note of my meagre offering of apricot fudge balls?

- De La Soul coming to NZ, seriously, Woop di do. I know people would rather shoot me than hear such words uttered. I don't HATE their music, but by the way people have been banging on about it you'd think Obama was coming to town. I have back-up on this too. Please read final few paragraphs
x

Stuff journalists like

2009-05-07T17:00:00.000-07:00

I’m a journalist . . . I’m one of those people that sit there sheepishly in the corner, looking down or playing with my hair while others blame all the problems in the world on the dreaded “media.” Quite often, I agree with them. Like many other young wannabe “creative-alternative” writers, I always bang on about how one day I’ll do the type of writing I actually want to do, but that’s a whole other post in itself.
Anyway, I love stuff white people like, heaps, so can you imagine my delight when I discovered stuff journalists like?! It goes into how we love free stuff, google, press passes, pandemics, weather stories, drinking, the good old days, etc. It’s funny ‘cos it’s true.
So go ahead, please, have a read and a laugh and point at us journalists; we’re fair game. I think we’re rated about lowly as car salesmen and lawyers among professions.

Grazia <3

2009-05-07T04:27:00.000-07:00

I <3 Grazia, for such a cheap mag it has some pretty awesome fashion (balanced out nicely with just the right does of tacky celeb goss, but disguised as a bit higher class by the clever use of cooler-than-NW graphics and layout) genius. Did that sentence make sense? it did in my head, but it's late (and I don't want to go to bed because I can't be bothered brushing my teeth :/) so I will just scan pretty pictures all night I think :)
This shoot makes me a) wish I suited softer colours b) wish I had cool platinum hair, and c) want something orange!! (I never thought I'd say that, ever)

Pretttty

2009-05-06T05:34:00.000-07:00

I wanna learn origami!!! I probably won't though. Till I'm old and stuff.

Hehee so cute/so mean

2009-05-06T03:52:00.001-07:00

Brenda's Back

2009-05-05T19:43:00.000-07:00

Fashion never knows whether it’s coming or going or who its father is, but according to this photo shoot on WhoWhatWear, the latest incarnation came from the early 90s and its father (fajar hehe) is Jim Walsh. My washed-up, trashy childhood hero-come doppelganger Brenda Walsh is cool again, hence this Beverly Hills 90210-themed styling. I still vividly recall nearly crying over a 90210 bubblegum-card trade gone bad, so this all makes me feel very very old. What better time to bury my head in the sand and relive my youth through fresh 90s fashion !

Top 3

2009-05-05T18:14:00.000-07:00

Snow Leopard - Shearwater (this is my new favourite band, I <3 them, kinda Grizzly Bearish) oh and I picked this song cos it was one of Pitchfork's "100 songs of 2008" and I think I'm a hipster, please see This Post. This song is slightly Radioheadish rip-off but none of the others seem to be.

6669 - Neon Indian (such a trendy name, but you can forgive them that when the song is so cool)

Crystalised - The XX

Dracula Song

2009-05-04T23:40:00.000-07:00

Hahah this is when I knew I loved him

:) and :/

2009-05-04T23:03:00.000-07:00

:)
- Forgetting Sarah Marshall, watched it on Sunday and it's actually a really awesome movie! it instantly made me feel less Sunday-ish (and I totally fell in love with Peter, move over RPatz you weedy teenager)

- Walking past my old work today and feeling smug and free :) (I have to take these good points about being made redundant and focus on them!)

- Mango chutney, OMG it goes with everything

:/
- Fake Facebook notifications, I don't care that so and so has challenged me to a quiz, and I also really don't care about SPEED DATING, mmmm BiggieCZ08 you sound like my kinda guy

- People describing their ugly clothes on Trademe as "vintage" when they're really not, mmmm your tacky faux leather bag you got from Kmart in 2001 is so, so, vintage. Also, enough with describing things as ***STUNNING**** before writing the description, I think I can judge for myself whether I think something is "stunning" or not thanks.

- The Hayley Westenra Unicef ad, don't mean to sound like a bitch, I'm all for charity work, but she's so cheesey and angelic in this it's yuck

The meaning of shoegaze

2009-05-04T20:17:00.000-07:00

If you’re a diligent little NME-reader, I’m sure you’ve come across the vague term ‘shoegazer’ being bandied about to describe the next big thing in indie land. I keep coming across it on reviews, MySpace music pages, iTunes et al, and every time I’m like, ‘what the fuck is this shoegaze shit all in aid of’? No, really. It means nothing to me. Probably a bit like the above photo means absolutely nothing in relation to this post(apart from the fact it has stars, stargazing, getit?)
Frustrated at my own ignorance, the word’s ignorance, or whatevs, today I hit up Wikipedia for some answers. Turns out the term is derived the way said ‘shoegaze’ bands stand on stage looking at their effect peddles. That’s all. I don’t know what I expected but something a little deeper than that, perhaps.
For anyone else out there who has wondered what shoegaze is, here we go:

Shoegazing (also known as shoegaze) is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged from the United Kingdom in the late 1980s. It lasted until the mid 1990s with a critical zenith reached in 1990 and 1991. The British music press—particularly NME and Melody Maker—named this style shoegazing because the musicians in these bands maintained a motionless persona during live performances; they stood on stage and stared at their effects pedals or the floor, hence the idea that they were gazing at their shoes

And, thanks to those thoroughly avant-garde dudes at drowned in sound, here is a shoegaze mix tape, for all your shoegazing needs.

Snow Globes

2009-05-03T19:00:00.000-07:00

My grandparents always used to buy me snow globes when I was small, I had ones of Rotorua, Japan and the North Pole. I loved them.
So it was with great joy I stumbled upon the work of Walter Martin and Paloma Muñoz, a husband and wife artist duo who sculpt and arrange miniature, three-dimensional scenes of alienation, dread and dark humor and set them inside snow globes.
Um, cool! I love miniatures! And I love the uncomfortable little scenes that are revealed when the snow settles.

"Inside the globes, beneath curved glass that creates optical distortions, bland, suited figures carrying suitcases appear ambushed by hunting parties. Citified ladies trudge through snowbanks toward lurking wolves and worse. Trees are not just leafless but may have nattily dressed bodies hanging from their branches. A large-headed boy methodically bangs his forehead against a tree trunk."

You can see more of their work here

Shocking retro music video of the week #1

2009-05-03T18:49:00.000-07:00

Have you seen this video clip? Because it is AWESOME.

Hipster Hatin'

2009-04-30T20:19:00.000-07:00

Look at This Fucking Hipster

Aahah some of these are pretty amusing (thanks Monica)

“With this application, I pay pitchfork.com to buy the music they say I should listen to, and it all goes directly onto my iphone. It’s great. I can’t tell you how much more time I now have to tye-dye my bootlaces.”

Love him

2009-04-30T17:26:00.000-07:00

:) and :/

2009-04-30T16:48:00.000-07:00

:)
- New boots! bugger the recession, I couldn't do it
- Getting rip-off version of Twighlight DVD in Bali and taking R-Patz love to the next level
- The new improved Diva on Lambton! they actually have some pretty damn awesome stuff, I only spent $30 but it took every scrap of willpower I had to not spend at least $100

:/
- Cask wine, evil necessity of recession living
- Massage withdrawals
- Facebook quiz overload, everything in moderation yes but it's getting out of hand

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

2009-04-30T16:33:00.000-07:00

Elton John is definitely not “cool”, in fact he just might be the antithesis of cool. Tantrums and tiaras etc. But. I am really digging him at the moment! I don’t want to know about his annual bill for fresh flowers and other matters of his decadent lifestyle, but he did make some damn good tunes back in his day, I’ll give him that. Actually, there’s just two I’m currently obsessed with: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Bennie and the Jets. I love them.

Treehouse of the Week # 4

2009-04-30T16:10:00.000-07:00

Crossroads

2009-04-30T16:00:00.000-07:00

I just learnt how to convert a word document to a PDF! This is a momentous occasion because, a) I can’t usually do stuff like that and b) it symbolises I no longer have excuses for not making a CV. See, we’re in the process of putting stuff in place for a move in the not too distant future. We’re all about exciting new shit at the moment, fresh starts, ch-ch-changes etc. The word-PDF conversion was step 1. Surely everything else will be just as easy . . .

2009-04-26T06:46:00.000-07:00

Hi there,

We are vacationing in Bali. We've been getting massages, drinking cocktails and bintangs, swimming, eating tasty food, dancing in discotiques (?), riding motorbikes with indo babes, plus occasionally singing wet wet wet on karoke.
Therefore we are out of office and will be back, um, tomorrow.
Possibly a late for an "out of office" message.
Basically I'm just showing off. Further to this showing off, tomorrow we'll be on a plane, a motherfucking plane. We never thought we would be on a plane.