Sick In The City

Oh man! Why is it that every time you quickly pop out to the dairy, dressed in your tracky-dacks, bags under your eyes, no makeup and haven’t washed your hair for two days, you happen to bump into someone who you haven’t seen for over 10 years?!  Why is it that that person looks amazing while you curse silently to yourself and wish you were wearing your darkest shades, possibly even a wig?

This happened to me today. I’ve been sick for 4 days – housebound, bed ridden and had innocently dashed out quick as a fox (my Nana’s words of ‘Don’t get a chill’ echoing in my head) – to feed my bronchitis/cold with the purchase of more panadol, when low and behold there is Miss High School Smarty Pants looking glamorous and beautiful purchasing her bottle of low fat milk. I avoided all eye contact and hope that she didn’t recognise me. I wanted to shout: ‘I don’t normally look like this. Yeah nah, I’m normally pretty tidy me. Yep. Stylish sometimes too’. Instead I coughed and sneezed at the same time, which wasn’t the best move. Argh sods law.

I don’t know about you, but I go a little stir crazy when home for days on end. I’ve slept, made hot lemon drinks, drank litres of orange juice and caught up on ‘Home and Away’. I’ve seen so many adverts for ‘Zumba’ that I cannot wait to get back to the office…

Last weekend a few of us decided to take a day trip to Muriwai. It had been years since I’d laid eyes on the place and I’d forgotten how 45 minutes is all it takes to land you in the peaceful countryside with wild waves and hot black sand which sparkles a shade of purple.  People who live out that way have got it good, and maybe that’s why the Gannets have set up camp there.

I also popped into local neighbourhood bar The Bramble in Onehunga. It’s Onehunga’s best kept secret I reckon (my friends even asked me not to write about it). It’s a delicious small cocktail bar with a beautiful decor and over 2 pages of cocktails on the menu. It’s the type of bar with friendly chatty staff who make you feel at home and it doesn’t matter what you wear either (maybe I should rock up in my tracky-dacks).

Have yourself an ace weekend!
Auckland Girl

Cocktail hour

My lovely friends and I are planning a few cocktails this Friday night. It’s the perfect opportunity to catch up on gossip and to have a bit of a rant – so in honour of this exciting occasion I thought I’d highlight my top favourite cocktails. Woot!

1. Pina Colada

Now that’s what I’m talking about. The creamy pineapple tang mixed with the strong Bacardi and Malibu combination reminds me of long hot summer fun. One of my favourite songs too.


2. Cosmopolitan

The Sex and The City series made this drink a popular number, and it’s still a favourite of mine. Plus all that cranberry juice must be doing something good for your kidneys, right?


3. Feijoa Moscow Mule

I’m not a fan of the feijoa fruit but mix together a blend of Feijoa Vodka, ginger beer, lime and brown sugar and your taste buds will say ‘hello sailor!’ (or ‘Goodnight Nurse’ depending on the situation).


4. Bellini

Classic and chic, a Bellini – Champagne with a dash of peach schnapps – is a simple cocktail which tastes like a million bucks.


5. Margarita

A few people can’t stomach tequila after a few too many nights of innocent fun in their early 20′s, but who doesn’t like a good margarita? The sudden wake up you receive from the bitter salted edge and sour lime taste is also incredibly refreshing – and of course it’s great with corn chips.


What are your favourite cocktails?
Auckland Girl

The Silly Season

Holy Haka, it’s busy at this time of year aye?

Christmas parties, seasonal catch-up drinks, hangovers, wedding invites, bbqs, summer festivals …crumbs it’s choice.

I’ve had the pleasure of some great dinners out and about Auckland recently including De Fontein, Goode Brothers, Fig & Olive and Mutiara. It’s nice to press pause, relax and spend some quality time with close friends and special people during this silly season and the busy lead up to Christmas.

We had our work Christmas Party last week. The theme was 80s Irish Beach Rave. Yes, I know. But I love a good costume party and fully got into the swing of things with my 1980s bling. It’s always amusing seeing people from work in clothes other than what you’re used to seeing 9 to 5 (which sounds a bit dodgy, but I don’t intend it to be).

I saw Pearl Jam a couple of weeks ago. Talk about impressive. Sell out crowd, massive long set, and not one but three encores. Rock N Roll. The tribute to Chris Knox was pretty awesome too.

I can’t actually believe this but I accidentally broke not one but two mirrors last week within the space of two days. Talk about paranoid. I now wonder if I will spend the next 7-14 years avoiding bad luck like that movie ‘Final Destination’. I’m trying to remain positive.

Have a great week and remember to wear your best smile
Auckland Girl

Girls night out

Blimey Charlie, Saturday’s Girls Night Out has well and truly thrown me. I feel as though I’ve been pulled through shrubbery backwards and left by the side of the road weeping quietly into my gumboots. I need to harden up.

But boy it sure was fun (I actually had trouble looking myself  in the eye the following day). We started off with a few vinos and homemade gluten free pizza at the Mt Eden flat then headed into Ponsonby Road. It was a busy night and we popped into (with what seemed like half of Auckland) Ponsonby Social Club, The Longroom and Whiskey bar for a few more vinos and a couple of gins. After getting a bit fed up with queues and shouting at each other for hours, we decided to call in on a bar we hadn’t been to before and tried Lolabar on for size.

Disco balls, pole dancing, neon lighting, and retro white seating welcomed us brightly at the door, as well as 70s video clips belting out from large plasma screens above the bar. Kinda cool in an old skool way, and despite being much more sedate than the busier bars we’d previously visited, we weren’t really feeling it (something to do with the overdose of disco tunes perhaps?)  Never mind though, the cocktails were pretty damn good and we busted some mean pole dancing moves. Good times.

The highlight of the evening? A very drunk TVNZ personality who hassled me for ‘taking my time’ in the loo and bashed on the door like a mad woman because she was busting. Hilarious.

Laters
Auckland Girl

The red shoes

By hokey Auckland, I’m looking forward to the weekend!

Despite the fact that it’s only Wednesday, it’s been a long week (and the weather has been nothing but boring rain) so I’m looking forward to fun times with good company.

Heading to Ponsonby Road for a few drinks and a bite to eat tomorrow, and I’ll be donning the red shoes on Saturday for a solid Girls Night Out. Destination yet known at this stage but we’ll probably kick off at the Mt Eden flat and aim for the direction of town. Whoot!

Until next time, here’s to sunnier weather eh – and may I just add here’s to remembering on Armistice Day.

Auckland Girl

Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout

I love Tapas.

Sometimes when eating out, I just want to order two entrees instead of a main course, and I think this is why Tapas appeals so much – plus after spending many a hot and hazy summer in Spain, I fell in Iove with the concept of grazing over a shared meal, jug of sangria at my elbow.

So I was chuffed when it was agreed earlier in the week, that my friends and I really fancied a meal of Tapas and some beve’s.

We headed to La Zeppa as it came highly recommended – and we weren’t disappointed what so ever!

La Zeppa had an instantaneous laid-back vibe, with happy friendly, flirty staff, and the Tapas were delicious. It sounds gross, but the stuffed prunes were da bomb. The cocktails were also pretty damn fine too.

2 beers, 3 wines and 6 cocktails later, as we headed for home with full bellies and big grins we agreed that we had finally found a new dining favourite.

In fact there’s talk of going back there in a fortnight. No qualms from me……

Have yourself a great week

Auckland Girl