Beach and Lanterns: Another great saturday

I was lucky enough to have a whole weekend off work, so I took the most of it by visiting Mission Bay and going to the Chinese Lantern Festival.

Mission Bay is such a beautiful place and the weather was stunning. I collected some sea shells which now I will be googling what to do with them, I relaxed in the sun (got a little bit burnt) and of course went to Kiwiyo and treated myself to some amazing frozen yoghurt.

That night my flatmates and I ventured to the Chinese Lantern Festival which is held to celebrate the Chinese New Year, and it was crazy busy I was shocked and a little overwhelmed. We even got half a watermelon and managed to eventually finish it off, it was amazing but I think I ate my weight in watermelon! The lanterns were beautiful and there were so many, my favourite is the last photo.

Flat bonding, beach, lanterns and such a beautiful day it was a very good Saturday.

Wine, Zoo and Fire: What every weekend needs

This weekend a friend visited me from my little hometown in the South Island, and for the first time in what has felt like months I had the whole weekend off. So I made the most of it by doing what any normal person would do, which is going to the zoo. It has to be one of my favourite places to go to in Auckland as the animals always have a way of making you happy, excited about life and also makes you feel slightly like a child. 

Other than the zoo we of course had some wine, went out on Friday night, ate far too much food (but who can resist Movenpick) and early this morning (Sunday here in NZ) 6am to be exact, the fire alarm went off which meant evacuating the building while three fire trucks pulled up to turn off the false alarm.

So you could say it was a pretty eventful weekend.

A Farewell

Yesterday was one of my friends dads funeral. I have only known her for a year but for such a tragedy to happen to such a fun loving person really does break my heart. I have never lost any one close to me so I could not imagine what she is going through right now. She is such a brave and strong person and all my love goes out to her and her family. If you have ever lost some close/dear to you my heart goes out to you.

It makes me realise how fragile life can be, and that we must live every day as if it was our last. Sometimes life doesn't make sense, but just stop take a breath and look around at all the beauty life gives you and in return live your life to full!

New things and a familiar face

Top to bottom: Velvet dress from Glassons, Black dress from Lippy, The Hunger Games DVD, Urban Turban meal, Macy and I, Bonfire time, and again.

All photos taken by me.

So last week was pretty exciting! One of my best friends came up to Auckland for the week and what a week it was! We went shopping together, had dinner at Urban Turban one night and I meet a couple of her friends who were also up in Auckland at the time. One of her friends has a bach further up north from Auckland in an area called Langs Beach. It was amazing, it was such a beautiful area and they had easy access to the beach so we decided to start a bon-fire. But it failed, it only lasted for a little bit which was enough to take some pictures while it was a blaze.

It was so good to catch up with my friend and meet some new people as well, but one week was not nearly enough time (and I made her fall in love with Auckland). But now I am back to my crazy work hours and soon uni will be back on as I only have one week left of holidays.

The Wanted in Auckland

Last Monday (so on the 13/08/12) I was lucky enough to see The Wanted at an exclusive showcase in Auckland. I won a double pass through the radio station ZM and that was the third time I have ever won anything in my life, and what a prize to win!

They were only on for half an hour because they were only here to promote their EP, so it was not a full blown concert, but I am still super excited that I got to! It's not often that you walk up to a showcase with your name on the door. I have been a fan of The Wanted when I heard their single Gold Forever, this was a long time before they were even popular over here in NZ so I was very excited to see them live, and was impressed that they sounded so good live!

Taking my friend from Uni we ventured to a place called Turkish Cafe on K'Rd (as The Wanted were playing at The Studio) and had a kebab. When we got our kebabs they were nothing like we expected and were instead on panini bread. But these kebab's were amazing! I am definitely going back there another day because they were also cheap, and I want to try one of their wood smoked pizzas!

Reunion, of a sorts

 Top to bottom: Best rice ball in Christchurch, my sister all rugged up, a cloudless sky in Christchurch, going for a walk around Hagley Park, spending time with two of my best friends, braces are off, my mum, a book I found at my nana and grandad's, going through a car wash, catching up with friends, glow bands, Mt Hutt, the mountains which I grew up looking at.

I am now back at Uni after my four week break between semester's, and what a busy four weeks! I went down to the South Island for two weeks for the holidays, and it was nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of Auckland and to enjoy the open space and quiet. I also got to spend time with my friends and family which I was very thankful for and I finally got my braces off which I am very happy about and I can't seem to stop smiling. My first week I spent in Christchurch with my sister and I got to see all of my best friends which is very rare since we have all spread out throughout New Zealand, so it was a very good catchup. The second week I went to my hometown Methven and spent it with my mum and just relaxed and enjoyed the beautiful mountains, even though it was freezing. And then in my last weekend I went to Timaru and seen my Nana and Grandad, and ate too much food as per usual when I visit them. It made me realize how much I do miss them. Moving to a new city where I didn't know anyone has been tough, but I'm happy that I am doing it. I've been through some tough times in my life, but its made me who I am, so I know I can get through with living far away from my comfort zone.

Getting away for a couple of weeks gave me some more determination to keep going and studying what I love and to not give up. It was a trip worth taking!

Taking a Break!

Shot time after exams, the amazing burrito, iTunes visualizer, working on the play list, ticket and flights, Matt Corby's EP, my new postcard.

What a week! I am now officially on holidays since my last exam was on the 14th, so my friend Abby and I went to the student bar after our exam and celebrated with a few well deserved drinks, and the bar was filled with nearly every person studying the same degree so it was big celebration for the Communication students. But Abby and I weren't silly we decided to try out the new burrito place which is conveniently close to uni, I was expecting some small burrito but it was huge! The picture doesn't do it justice, I couldn't eat it all so I brought it home with me to eat after we went out drinking, and what made it even better is that it was only $10, so I have now found my go-to burrito place!

Since I am now in holiday mode and I don't have a job I am going back down to the South Island for a couple of weeks! And to make the trip even better my best friends are also going to be flying into Christchurch so the gang will be back together in Christchurch which is a very rare event for us, I can't wait! We are all going to this Ministry of Sound event on the 28th which will be an amazing event, and of course we are having pre-drinks so I have decided to make a playlist for this epic night! While I was playing around with iTunes I discovered it has a visualizer!! I have had iTunes for like 5 years now and I did not know it had this, it feels like I have a new gadget it's awesome!

While finding new music for this place my friend told me to check out a guy called Matt Corby, and all I can say is WOW! His voice is so different and it gives me little shivers when he sings, he is super good and his EP was a free download so of course I downloaded it! and it has been playing non-stop.

I also got another postcard from my mum over in the UK. She is flying back on the 23rd and to make it even better my sister, her boyfriend and I are surprising my mum, nana and grandad at the airport. They think that I am flying down on the 24th, but I am flying down on the 22nd so they won;t be expecting me and my sister has told them that she can't get time off work but she has! It is going to be so much when we see there faces, I can't wait!

My two weeks in the South Island is going to be crazy, busy, epic, exciting and I just can't wait to see my family and friends!