Monthly Archives: January 2010

Blog: Beating bad habits with good ingredients

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Salad

While I know that spending money to save is a complete fallacy most of the time (look at this dress I got just like my other one it was on sale down from $350 to $300 so I saved heaps even though I wasn’t going to buy anything thing month…) I’m trying to put into action the idea of spending more on groceries as a way to combat my extreme lunch and takeaway spending. The theory is that if my cupboards are full with delicious and preferably easy to cook/assemble meals then I won’t eat expensive food with limited nutritional value to the extent that I currently am. Hey, anything is worth a try.

I took myself to Nosh to do my irregular grocery shop last night on the way home from work. I was really excited when I heard that there was going to be a store reasonably close to my house and this was reinforced by some lovely food I had at a pre-Christmas BBQ which was from there and a chat with one of their knowledgeable and non-threatening staff at the same party. A reoccurring theme in this blog is my loathing of places where they make you feel stupid when you first visit (thus ensuring that there is never a second visit) so it was nice to talk about the store with someone who was enthusiastic but not a snob.

I rolled up around 6pm on a Friday night, grabbed a mini-sized trolley and surveyed the store. It’s not a tiny boutique store or a giant supermarket and its very mellow compared to my usual grocery shopping destinations. Fruit and vege prices are reasonable, specials are great, but the plus is that things are just right – case in point, the three avocados for $2 that were all at the perfect ripeness or just about. After being stuck with some awful ones lately, this was a big win.

I won’t list all my purchases, but in summary, this is what I thought:

Quality = great

Prices = reasonable

Specials = very good

Staff = helpful but not annoying

Best purchase = 500gm cheese for $3.99

Tonight’s dinner = steak, mashed potatoes and salad – all super fresh and tasty

Overall = didn't spend more than usual but my last couple of meals have been awesome. So far so good on the experiment. I've eaten way more fruit and veges than a usual lazy Saturday – no toast in sight!

Food by Josie Campbell, photo by Cate Owen, shot on an iPhone.

Blog: Otto Who?

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Ottowoo

 

We went to Mission Bay for dinner tonight and as usual spent too long walking up and down deciding what flavour food we wanted to eat. There are so many options there and being an overwarm Friday evening everywhere was packed.

We decided against some of the eateries for a variety of reasons. I had Indian for lunch today and Japanese for dinner last night. One of the cafes had a really awful font (nearly as bad as comic sans) on its outdoor menu so I refused to reward them for the tastelessness with my custom. The staff at a couple of the places were too loud and enthusiastic trying to get our attention on the footpath – the trapped feeling makes me walk away not go in to restaurants, I wish people would learn that there is a difference between inviting and telling.

But goodness found us, as we walked back down the road I spotted the Otto Woo sign and we both instantly agreed that it was just what we felt like.

There’s something comfortable about going to a place that’s an old favourite and although this is not the same one I used to go to when I lived in Ponsonby, there is something reassuring when a menu that has stayed pretty much the same for its ten years.

I ordered the classic chicken salad which is udon noodles, salad, chicken and some mysterious sauce that I have always loved. I remember when I first discovered this dish a long time ago (back when dinner at Otto Woo was considered expensive for my youthful budget) I thought it was the most beautiful sauce I’d ever had. I still love it.

Thanks Otto Woo – l love your noodle boxes, your menu and your attractive font.

Oh, and I really must mention that we added another layer of delicious to the evening with a trip to Giapo in town to try the Pavlova gelato. It was a revelation, highly recommended.

Blog: How to look effortlessly cool for Laneway

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It cannot be stressed enough that fitting in with the crowd is critical at music festivals – if you don’t look right then terrible things could happen such as:

·         Your friends abandoning you when you are in line for the toilets

·         Your less attractive but better dressed friends all being asked for their numbers by handsome and stylish strangers

·         No-one asking you which band you are in

There are a whole lot of things to consider before you choose your event look and research should be undertaken including watching music videos to see what the crowds are wearing; going to gigs at the Montechristo Room and Cassette number 9 and Facebook stalking your hippest friends and relations to see what is being worn at the parties they forget to invite you to.

Once you’ve got the look right in your head, keep an eye out over several weeks (not longer or your look may be dated) and collect clippings from magazines in a special folder. Try mixing and matching with a cut out of yourself to see if you really can pull off the look, then take a copy with you while shopping for your outfit.

When hitting the shops, don’t take your mum or any of your friends who will tell you that you look okay/great in everything. Aim high, bribe someone cool from work to take you on a lunchbreak. Don’t let your preferences get in the way of your decisions – avoid sparkles, heels and at all costs bootleg jeans. If in doubt go black and skinny.

Once you have your outfit and you’re confident that you’re ready to channel your inner indie star, remember that everything will be ruined if you look like you’re trying too hard. Here are a few hints on how to pull off your new casual look:

1.       Have a practice run – like a bride who has at least one hair and makeup rehearsal, try your look out several days before so that you have time for adjustments.

2.       Remember that you’ve got nearly 12 hours that you want to look hot for. Speaking of hot: wear waterproof mascara and not too much slap – it’s going to be a long day and you don’t want your face to melt off.

3.       Hair – perfection is old school. Make sure you allow at least 90 minutes to sculpt that devil may care style. You may need up to three hair products and multiple appliances to get it just right. Remember it’s better to stay home than to look too perfect, so once you’ve straightened your hair make sure you mess it up a little. Big is out, unless you’re a male vocalist.

4.       Shoes – while you may have issues with height, high heels are not recommended and neither are opened toed shoes. Get yourself some Chuck Taylors and make sure they’re not pristine. Scuffing is essential.

If you have followed this advice, you should have how you look sorted. Don’t ruin it by looking too excited about seeing your favourite band

(Image: Family Cactus, who will be performing at Laneway Festival)

Blog: I heart Nanna goes to the Pictures

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Meet my new favourite blogger Nanna. She’s 84, lives in West Auckland and she is a regular moviegoer. She’s the person her family checks in with to see what movies are worth seeing. Her granddaughter, my friend Joanna, thought that perhaps Nanna could share her film feedback to a wider circle and has set up the Nanna goes to the pictures blog with her.

 

It’s pretty much the coolest thing I’ve seen for ages – both because the idea is adorable and also because she writes funny and succinct reviews. Great ideas are one thing, execution is quite another. In my opinion her reviews are spot on, she says more in a paragraph or two than many long winded reviews I’ve read. Adding to these good points, anyone who calls Mr Clooney ‘Gorgeous George’ is okay with me.

 

Check www.nannagoestothepictures.posterous.com for yourself, I think you’ll like it. Here’s a brief summary of the reviews so far:

 

The Lovely Bones

“It was a delicate, whimsical portrayal by a talented young actress”

Nanna rating: 5 balls of wool out of a possible 5

 

Sherlock Holmes

“I find it hard to reconcile Robert Downey Jnr, looking like an unshaven tramp, as the super sleuth.”

Nanna rating: 3 balls of wool out of a possible 5

 

Up In The Air

“An incomprehensible and unsatisfactory ending left the viewer “Up In The Air” so it was well titled.”

Nanna rating: 3 balls of wool out of a possible 5

 

It’s Complicated

“It becomes a riotous triangle with a predictable happy ending.”

Nanna rating: 5 balls of wool out of a possible 5

 

Nanna is a great example of how to age fabulously. I’m working through a few schemes on how best to adopt her. Go Nanna!

 

 

Blog: More than mild amusement

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Laughing_horse

 

I was at collection of short plays tonight – serious and funny and sometimes both at once. They were excellent, but this blog is less about them than the hilarious guy I was sitting next to – not the friend I went with but a random on the other side of me.

I really enjoyed the plays and I laughed and cringed and felt what was going on as much as most of the audience. Hilarious guy laughed louder and cringed more than the rest of us. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t alcohol, I think he was just loving it – especially when his friends were on stage.

My event attendance style is to fit in. I like to dress to genre and blend. It works for me. But I think every now and then we should all laugh uproariously and unselfconsciously, just to make sure we remember what it feels like.

Blog: 10 things I’d like you to do for me please

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Fur_real_friends_butterscotch_

 

Some suggestions for friends that I think are more useful than the facebook ones which tell me to get in touch with people I sit next to at work:

1.       Send me funny links, but not bulk emails

2.       Talk about ideas with me

3.       Don’t be the person who always pays or the one who never pays

4.       Commiserate with me when I’m down and celebrate with me – and let me do the same for you

5.       Tell me when I’m being bitchy (but gently please)

6.       Laugh with me (especially at my jokes because you know I can’t help laughing when I tell them)

7.       Help me remember what is really important when I lose perspective

8.       Laugh with me some more

9.       Remind me if it’s been too long since we actually spent time together – it’s almost definitely accidental

10.   Have conversations with me about silly things like politics and important things like shoes

 

Blog: It’s not what you know…

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Magnet_lend_a_hand_lift_a_hear

 

Life teaches us more than we realise sometimes. We are taught things by family or at school as kids, we absorb trivia from conversations or the media and we learn stuff the old fashioned way, by doing.

Knowledge is power – it’s how people make money, learning something that other people don’t know and then charging obscene amounts for the privilege of showing off their intel.

This is the way of the world, I get it, but there’s something I’d like to say about the knowledge thing.

It’s really cool when people choose to share some of their knowledge, especially stuff that is helpful in real life. Example: I’ve had my laptop for a year – the anti-virus software needs to be updated/paid for. Ooh look – someone recommends this article: Computer Maintenance For Beginners: http://bit.ly/4n3VRV – A simple guide to keeping your PC happy (written for my clients, and mum!) These are useful tips that probably lots of people know, but I didn’t know about the free options for internet security. I’m now fully up to date and stoked with my mad computer skillz. It’s pretty good of Chris Rae http://www.esport.co.nz/ to share the info with us. Thanks Chris.

Oh, and while we’re on the subject… I think it is lame when people use big technical words to make themselves sound clever. In my opinion the smartest people are the ones that can translate information into a form that people can understand. I’m just saying.

I’m not sure what you know, or what I know that could be useful to someone else, but I like the idea of sharing the resources, being generous with helpful knowledge (not necessary the same as being free with opinions) and living in a world that rediscovers the motto I learnt in Brownies way back in the 1980s. Lend a hand.

Today’s image is purposely cheesy and is from www.smileyme.com. 

Blog: Tennis courts and tantrums

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017

 

I love going to live sport and summer is tennis o’clock. One day I’d love to get to a grand slam, just to be part of the vibe. The game is exciting to watch, especially the power of the men’s game. While I was in Oz I watched a bit of the tennis that was on in Perth and Brisbane on the telly and got to see the laughable Leighton Hewitt treat every point like he’d won the Australian Open. A little fist pumping I can deal with, but regularly with the chainsaw thrown in – sorry Lates, but you look a bit ridiculous.

You don’t really expect to see such drama at the Heineken Open, we seem to attract the quietly talented rising stars and players who are consistent but not often brilliant. There is passion, but it’s not in a grandiose attention seeking kind of way. Here in New Zealand we don’t really appreciate that kind of behaviour anyway.

I went to the feature game of day one of the Open tonight. The delightfully named duo, Jurgen Melzer (Austria) and Fabio Fognini (Italy) played a very even first set with Fognini taking it out 7-5. It seemed early in the second set that the tit for tat game would continue the whole way through, but then Melzer started to hit a few clever shots to take the lead and Fognoni’s composure began to slip. While Melzer didn’t completely dominate and seemed to miss quite a few serves, he took the next two sets respectably 6-6, 6-2. I’m slightly ashamed to admit that my favourite moment of the game was at the end of the penultimate game when poor Fab threw his racquet down with all the fervour of Pat Cash. I assume it was frustration directed at himself, but it just looked like a tanty.

Tennis is great to go to. Once I got to enjoy all the luxury of a corporate box right by the net, with all the deliciousness that entailed. Tonight I settled for beer and chips. It’s a fun event whether you go luxury or el cheapo and beer and chips are pretty fantastic anyway.

Well done to the organisers, sponsors etc, even for day one it was a reasonable crowd, the venue looks great, the Heineken Hotel is cool, people seem excited to be there (even though they seem to think it’s okay to wear ANYTHING in the boxes, do we have no class New Zealand?). Totally worth a visit – and if tennis is not your thing why not cruise down to support the lovely Anna Scarlett (and her partner Susan Blundell) at the NZ Beach Volleyball Open the following weekend, when the whole place gets filled up with sand.

For both events the best advice I’ve received on what to wear to Stanley Street is SUNSCREEN. Too right. Take an umbrella too, this is Auckland.

Photo: My below par photo of today’s winner, Jurgen Melzer. 

Blog: Back to work

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Typingmonkeylarge

Holidays are great, especially longer ones. I’ve spent the last 17 days resting, exploring, eating and generally winding down. It seems a shame that I’ll need to wind up again, this lady of leisure thing is something I could get really good at. As it is, I’m a talented amateur.

But alas, like many I’m back to work tomorrow morning. Looking back at least year I remember boasting that I enjoyed my job… it’s just that it’s a job and I’m pretty sure my body is still on Melbourne time – you know, wake up at 10am, get up eventually.

Reality is about to arrive, so I’ve spent this afternoon preparing. I was going to make sure I did things like tidy my shoes but instead I read a book about travelling to Italy and ate a banana sandwich. Incidentally, it’s been a long time since my last banana sandwich, but I think it might be time for them to make a comeback alongside peanut butter. It was good to read a book though, it shows that I can still read, so perhaps turning the brain on tomorrow won’t be as difficult as I feared.

So, how can we make the first few days of work enjoyable? A few ideas:

1.       Make sure you take breaks – don’t fall back into your rushed sandwich at the desk scenario… if the sun is out, go for a walk and breathe some non-air conditioned air at lunchtime.

2.       Take a little summer into your work wardrobe – I’m not talking jandals/flip flops, but we don’t all have to go back to black immediately – summer frocks or coloured shirts are much more cheerful.

3.       Take treats in to share with your team. Everyone is going to spend some time dissecting their holidays anyway, so why not do it over some homemade shortbread (hint hint) or snacks.

4.       If things aren’t totally frantic immediately, spend some time setting yourself up for the New Year – clean out your inbox, file stuff, write to do lists. Even if you are frantic, to do lists can be lifesavers.

5.       Remember that working is a normal part of life. It’s not your bosses, workmates, client’s fault you’re there – in fact, this is what funds the fun. Try not to let the post-holiday blues get you down.

6.       Finally, make the most of the summer evenings – have BBQs, go out for a drink, go for walks. Keep the mellow feeling going as long as possible.