The Tree of Life Sucks!!!!

Saw "The Tree of Life" at the Wellington Film Festival tonight. There wasn't much to like about it except for the female lead's gorgeous vintage "day" dresses. Other than that, it was pure crap.

• TOO LONG
• Hardly any story line.
• There were DINOSAURS in it. Dinosaurs that stepped on each other's heads and then decided not to eat each other.
• Little flames of God that talked, throughout the movie. Does that sound like a movie you want to see?
• When the mother prayed to God about why her son died (btw we have no idea the circumstances of his death), there is about 20 minutes of pictures of space, "evolution" like dinosaurs with fins crawling onto a beach, and volcanoes.
• the movie has no ending. It just ends.
• Sean Penn is in the movie and it's not quite clear why.

This 2.5 hour movie is not worth your time or money, it wasn't worth ours! I wish I could delete it from my brain. What a pretentious load of crap!

Penthouse Cinema Ginger Loaf

My friend Tash introduced me to the wonders of the ginger loaf at the Penthouse Cinema in Brooklyn. Pairing it with lemonade is divine! We are lucky enough to get their recipe from last week's newspaper; we're baking it tomorrow.

Penthouse Cinema Ginger Loaf
(makes 3 loaves)

Grease and line loaf tins. Preheat oven to 160C.
4 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice (Do you know what this is??)
1 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp ground cinnamon
850g golden syrup
250g butter, roughly diced
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups milk

Bake 60 mins and cool in tins overnight.

Electric blankets

When Bryce and I moved here we learned about the wonders of what we called "bed warmers." Put both sides of the bed on maximum #3 about 45 minutes before bed --- heaven! Especially in that first month we lived in the poorly insulated little house in Christchurch-- 33 degrees F many days. It was over a year before we learned that these pads-- placed under mattress pads, were called "electric blankets," not "bed warmers." We've had them in our Normandale house, our Makara house, and most hotels we've stayed at-- but never in hostels.

We made a mistake on Sunday. Huge sale on electric blankets-- $14 instead of the usual $99. We forgot to pick it up. AAGH! Cold sheets! Night after night!

Vintage Ski Poster

While in Pahia over the summer in January, I found a great postcard of a vintage poster about skiing the Tongariro. I gave it to Bryce when I saw him in the States; and he found out that we could get the picture printed to poster size if we buy rights through the National Library. We did that for $20, and today Bryce got an "A1" sized poster printed. Can't wait to frame and hang this one.

Living in town!

ahhh, a big sigh of relief from Bryce and I as we finally relax in a mostly clean and mostly okay-smelling home after 8 days of cleaning. We're feeling at home now in this great flat (in an old Engineers' office building that it around 100 yrs old). It's got high ceilings and an old-fashioned lift-- you know, the kind that you have to open two sliding doors to get in to. The kitchen is huge and we're really enjoying eating from a dining room table for the first time in almost three years.

Last night was our anniversary; the walk to the restaurant we went to took literally three minutes. Our place is in a great location; near the fun and the water, and several good friends who will keep me busy while Bryce is away snowboarding on the weekends.

Today we had a quick visit w/ J and M and their growing baby, and then on the way home I skyped mom on Bryce's iphone-- I talked with her while pointing the camera towards the views so she could take in our drive home. We talked for about an hour as we drove South along the Tasman Sea and into the city of Wellington. I told her we'd have to go so we could shop Brisco's for a duvet cover, but she asked to come along. I didn't realize she was serious at first, but she was, so to Bryce's mild embarrassment and amusement I took her along, after making her promise to be quiet (she was on speaker). She ended up helping us pick out a great duvet cover, which felt so great and comfy to have my designer mum along for the trip! Unfortunately we were a bit distracted with talking to her and shopping that we got the wrong size insert. Bummmmmmmer, especially since the sale is over today. Brisco's ALWAYS has a sale; in fact everyone pretty much knows not to go there until there is a sale. We got a duvet cover that goes for $70, for $15 with the discounts.

We are so pleased to look around and see our boxes unpacked, and the ugly red suede sofa covered, and the scented candles going (we rented a furnished flat). We're only in this apt for 6 months but we plan to make the most of it. We are not looking forward to finding a place around xmas but I'm trying not to think about it. A cocktail party is in the very near future!

3rd Anniversary

Hard to get around the fact that we had to finish moving and cleaning, on our anniversary.

It was sad to look out at the beautiful view from the bedroom window for the last time.


It was a gorgeous, sunny day. Outside, in just a thin sweater, it was warm in the sun. It's the equivalent of December 25, Christmas, in the States--

Napped through most of the warm day; I had been up late the night before, and up early cleaning our new place. Woke up, prettied up, and there was Bryce with a dirty martini for me and a manhattan for him. A 2-minute walk to dinner at Capitol, where we ran into a couple of friends also having a romantic night out. Two more years until June 2013 beachy vacation!! Bryce and I are trying to brainstorm locations.

Last Makara Sunset

Last weekend in our wonderful Makara house. We are regretting this move. We're happy to be moving into a place close to our friends, work, and fun spots in town, and to have a place with internet. But life in a beautiful little house on the beach has been idyllic; same with the commute to work through rolling green hills and toi toi, past roosters, white geese, horses, hairy cows, and blue pukekos.

I spent all day in view of the view. Here is our last sunset. (We usually get home from work after dark now as the days are so short).