Looking back
Thursday, June 25, 2009
You know in TV sitcoms where they have that episode where the "gang" reminisces about previous fun times and they show the flashbacks?

Well, I'm doing the same thing here, looking back at some of my previous blog posts for the month of June over the past 4 years.

Here's me moaning about a 3-day hangover, drooling over Italian football players, talking about the types of men I've dated, going to an exhibition displaying some very moving and harrowing images, sharing my fave SATC quotes, happy about finding a new flat and pondering child beauty pageants.

Tart at 8:52 PM | 0 comments
My neighbour
Sunday, June 21, 2009
About three or so weeks ago, new neighbours moved into the house next door. I haven't until now, met them (I've never met the downstairs neighbours, and I've lived here 11 months LOL).

But this morning I was standing outside the neighbours house, waiting for a bus (I live, very handily, right on a bus stop) to take me to Hataitai and the neighbour came out and walked past me. 

Holy shit.

Gorgeous! He looked a little like Henry Simmons or Blair Underwood, but with chin-length dreads. Hot.









I need to think of a reason to go next door and introduce myself. I can't use the "I've run out of [insert grocery item]" as a great little mini-supermarket is right opposite my house LOL. I could throw a ball over the fence to their garden and go over to get it. Lost cat? (I don't have one, but I can improvise LOL). I'll think more on this while I'm away for the next three days for work - I will be in Christchurch and Dunedin this week, am totally ill-prepared, I can't find my favourite pair of gloves or my nice hat. I guess I'll just have to go and buy some. What a shame.

Speaking of shopping, today I got some great bargains at Country Road, Kimberleys and Farmers. I love this recession, heaps of sales on LOL. I got a lovely fine knit cardigan for $35 (down from $149), a pair of grey light herringbone pattern wool trousers for $49 (down from $229) and this really lovely crop black satin-esque jacket, which was only $35 from Farmers (and doesn't look like it came from Farmers, totally has a Zambesi feel to it!). All I need now is shoes for work (a pair of heels and a pair of flats), a winter coat (waterproof with a hood, not a puffer or a wool one) and a chocolate brown  handbag. 

Tart at 6:54 PM | 2 comments
Tui Billboard
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
It's a Tui billboard waiting to happen...

Anyone believe the Belgian teen? I don't believe she could've slept through that, especially not 56 tattoos. When I got tattooed, it wasn't really painful, but it did hurt. So yeah, I think she knew what was happening and now has tattoo remorse LOL.

In totally unrelated news, I'm working hard on getting swine flu. I've decided that a week of quarantine (or, "splendid isolation" as I call it) wouldn't be that bad. I could get groceries delivered via online shopping at Woolworths, I've got lots of DVDs to watch, I've got internet and TV. I'd be perfectly happy LOL. So I'm the weirdo sitting next to the guy sneezing on the bus (when all seats surrounding him are empty), touching all the communal door handles in the office and not using hand sanitizer. I bet I don't get it LOL.

I saw the trailer for Public Enemies the other day, looks really good. Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, that's definitely worth the $16 ticket. I also saw the trailer for The Ugly Truth, which looks really bad. Not worth the $16 ticket, but maybe $2 DVD rental LOL.


Tart at 9:31 PM | 1 comments
You're invited!
Monday, June 15, 2009
To a great, big pity party! Bring Vodka. I've got the chips.

I've been so grumpy lately, stressed and tired with work commitments, as well as some family issues (and I won't mention the married man cos that just makes me feel worse LOL).

I need more support at work, but that's looking very unlikely. Unfortunately I can't delegate any project work because everyone else is crazy busy as well. No budget for a temp either. So 10 hour days are a common occurrence for me. Sucks arse.

Familial issues are ongoing... my mother is menopausal and loopy and I'm annoyed with her and my Dad for the way the treat me and my sister (very differently, not difficult to work out who's the favourite... it's not me LOL). It's also impacting on my relationship with my sister. I don't want it to, but I can't help but feel slightly resentful. I sound like such a drama queen.

Anyway, I don't want to go into details because a) it'd bore you and b) it'd make me grumpier. 

So, to help ease the pitifulness... I have these... I call it "Mantitty Monday".

Enjoy!




Tart at 9:06 PM | 3 comments
Rituals
Sunday, June 07, 2009
There's probably one ritual that I miss the most since breaking up with the ex. The Sunday morning ritual.

He'd go and get the paper, coffee and bread from Le Moulin, I'd make breakfast and we'd just chill out for the morning and then meet up with friends or family for lunch or dinner. I miss that.

But I've started my very own Sunday ritual. It is now coffee while shopping at the vege market (Chaffers/Te Papa market) then home to watch the Home & Away omnibus while I munch on pain au chocolate purchased from Pandoro. Doesn't that just sound ever so exciting...

Tomorrow and Tuesday I'm away, working at a conference that I've helped to organise. Should go well, I'm looking forward to getting out of Wellington for a few days. Ideally I'd like to take a week off soon but it's just June and July are crazy busy at work. So fingers crossed I'll get some time off in August. Really should make the most of the cheap flights and go somewhere fun.

Tart at 1:58 PM | 1 comments
Ode to cheese
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
I love Cheese. I've loved it for a long time. But not all kinds of cheese (can't eat any blue vein) but if it's stinky, pongy and ripe, I'm all over it. When I used to go to France on holiday, I would eat my own weight in the stuff - all that un-pasteurised stinky Gallic goodness. When I lived in London, I would visit Neal's Yard Dairy every week, they knew me by first name and I practically had frequent buyer points. I'm just drooling now thinking about all those fantastic cheeses... Stinking Bishop, Lincolnshire Poacher, Wensleydale.

Over the weekend, I bought this very nice sheep's milk washed rind soft cheese made by a Hawke's Bay cheesemaker. It smelt like cat pee combined with toe jams but tasted so lovely, especially smeared over a cracker. One good thing about liking stinky cheese, is that I don't have to share it with many people. The smell of it usually puts them off.

In completely non-Cheese related matters (but keeping to the food theme), my latest batch of chocolate cupcakes aren't that nice. I tried a new recipe and they're very dense and slightly dry. I think I'll stick to the Martha Stewart one that is really nice. I'll take this lot of cupcakes to work, colleagues are not that fussy LOL.

A couple of other random things, I wish BNZ hadn't used Tiki Taane's Always on my Mind as the song in their new ad. I quite liked that song and album and now I can see I'm going to get sick of it. Also, in that new Telecom XT ad, the one with the short guy from Top Gear, they put Zoe Bell in that shipping container and drop her off in the ocean. How on earth did she get out of the container? The doors aren't open and it hasn't sunk, so how did she get out? Or am I being too pedantic about that?

I'm debating over whether or not to go see Terminator: Salvation. 

Pros: Christian Bale, Sam Worthington (who I've liked since I saw him in that Australian TV series Love My Way)























Cons: Poor reviews

Maybe I'll wait until it's on DVD.

Tart at 10:53 PM | 1 comments
Random stuff
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
I really hope that Wolf is going to be in this latest series of Outrageous Fortune. I love Wolf, but looking at the line up on the main page of the official website, I don't see any Wolf. Bummer. Won't be the same without Wolf.

Photobucket


I'm addicted to making cupcakes at the moment. I'm trying out various recipes, so far they've all been yummy LOL. I'm sticking to the basics, vanilla or chocolate. I did add some raspberries to one of the chocolate recipes, and passionfruit to the icing of some vanilla ones. Not terribly adventurous.

Am I tragic for enjoying reality TV shows like I Love New York? It's crap but so addictive. The guys are such douchebags... so greasy looking, like they've bathed in some sort of oil. And let's not talk about their hair. And they all seem to walk like their balls are 2 feet wide LOL.

How insane is that Cadbury's TV ad (the new one, with the kids and the eyebrows). So random LOL.

Anyone seen any good movies lately? I've seen Bottle Shock, Last Chance Harvey and The Class which I enjoyed. Still haven't seen Star Trek. Not that keen to see Angels & Demons, doesn't seem like my kind of film.  I saw the trailer for Sunshine Cleaning, which looked very funny, quirky and offbeat.

I'm thinking Laura is going to win New Zealand's Next Top Model. Although Christobelle is pretty and has lovely long legs, something not quite right about her face (it's kind of all pushed into the centre, weird). Hosanna is attractive, but too short. So Laura is my pick.

I've fielded quite a few phone calls and texts the past few days. A guy was killed surfing at Lyall Bay. Name hasn't been released (or not that I know of) and it was reported he was 33. So, my ex is a surfer and a similar age, so I had quite a few texts from people asking about it. To my knowledge it isn't him.

I've eaten 4 cupcakes in the time it's taken to write this blog post. They were yum.

Tart at 10:30 PM | 0 comments
I've come very close
Monday, June 01, 2009
to buying:

Pro-Activ
Youthful Essence
Sheer Cover
Malibu Pilates Chair
Barefoot Orthotics

So many bloody infomercials. And they are so convincing. I'm pretty sure I need Sheer Cover. I mean, if Alyssa Milano says it's changed her life, then maybe I should give it a try. 

The arctic weather has meant that I've spent some of this Queens Birthday weekend watching TV. It's all shit though, nothing decent really screens over the weekend. It doesn't help that I only get good reception for 4 channels. Though I am not getting SkyTV installed, I don't need 100 more channels screening crap.

I haven't spent all weekend watching TV, I have ventured into the kitchen to make cupcakes, soups (Thai Pumpkin and Minestrone), bread and white bean pate. I've read two books and done some housework. I had lunch with a friend on Saturday, drank lots of lovely red wine. Lovely wine. Mmmmm. Wine. Oohhh, I think I've got a bottle of white in my fridge. I'll be right back.


Tart at 1:30 PM | 0 comments