...life after 35

I’m back kids – sincere apologies for the delay – it’s been a bit of a bumpy ride of late. Here’s what I’ve been witnessing since I last posted….

I had a relationship break up. Horrid, those things and let’s face it, no one really likes rejection. But I’m of the opinion that when one door shuts eventually a better brightly coloured one will open….

While many of my friends gave birth to babies in recent months, I instead had my appendix out. An interesting experience, and full credit to the nurses at Auckland City Hospital.

I’ve seen one of my closest friends go through hell and back fighting her cancer battle. She is an inspiration.

I decided life was for living so quit my regular 9 to 5, and am about to start an exciting new job doing something I’m passionate about.

I undertook a massage course so that I could ‘give back’ to friends and family. From this I have found my niche.

….and I turned 35.

Yep. I didn’t want to make a big deal about getting older – who CARES. I’m still young, I have the world on my plate yada yada yada – but alas who was I kidding, and still found myself having the same ‘guilty’ feelings that I had when I turned 30 (holy crap, I should be married with 2 kids by now, with a good retirement savings plan under way).

When you turn 35 you suddenly realise that you’re rapidly approaching the dreaded Four-O;  and you find yourself ticking a different ‘age bracket’ box, when filling in surveys/competitions/lifestyle polls (that’s a smug slap in the face I tell ya).

But I got a grip and hardened up, as some like to say. So WHAT if I’m still single, so WHAT if I’m nearly 50. I’m fortunate enough to have seen the world over. To have experienced many a lifetime that lots of people could only dream of.  I have the best friends and family a girl could ask for, and whom I adore so much I would marry them if I could (the friends, not the family may I add).

35 is the new 30. A time to kick back and enjoy each day as it comes. This is your life, do what you love. If you don’t like something, change it. If you are looking for the love of your life- stop. They will be waiting for you when you start doing the things you love. Life is short, so live (just get that retirement savings plan under way).

Rock ‘n roll
Auckland Girl

Dance like no one's watching

A few weeks ago I felt a bit overwhelmed with everything so decided to dance like a fool in front of the stereo at home to get rid of some built up steam.

Is it really that time?

I don’t know about you, but these recent dark mornings have well and truly thrown me. My alarm goes off, it’s pitch black, and I always feel like someone’s playing a trick on me by resetting the alarm to 2 am. But no, it’s always the correct time yet I pretty much lie there for about 30 minutes thinking of good reasons why I should get up, while the rain pelts down comfortingly on the roof.

Speaking of waking early in the dark, an amusing yet dumb-arsed incident happened to me last Saturday.

My landline phone starting ringing at what seemed like the middle of the night but it was actually 6 am on the dot. I considered ignoring it but being so early in the morning, those panic thoughts started running around my brain: ‘Oh God, someone’s died or been in a car crash’ – so I staggered to the phone to answer it.

“Hello?” I whispered in my early morning husky, concerned voice.
It was my friend calling from London.
“Hi it’s me” she said, “I’ve just sent you an email”
“….that’s great”, I smiled. “But it’s 6 am”
“I know, sorry, I thought you might be up already, you go to the gym a lot” she replied.
She had a point.

She then proceeded to tell me about her email in her fast-kiwi-voice-when-we’re-excited-about-something, for about 4 minutes. “Read the email and call me back this weekend sometime” she said. I muttered a reply which sounded something like “kaythenluffubye” and headed back to bed.

‘Oooh!’ I thought, sounding like Homer Simpson, ‘This would be the perfect time to take your morning iron tablet because you’re supposed to take it 1 hour before breakfast and that never happens’ (I’m such a girl). Unfortunately I wasn’t as clever as I thought I was…..I was so thrown by the surprise wake up call, and the topic of our conversation, that I accidentally took a sleeping tablet instead of the iron tablet.

About 2 seconds after swallowing it, I knew I’d made a huge screw up and considered putting my fingers down my throat to retrieve it, but instead muttered aloud “Oh sod it” and went back to sleep. For about 6 hours.

Was late for lunch with friends but my God, if I don’t say so myself, I looked a-mazing from all that beauty sleep!

Is it only me that these things happen to?

Word to your momma
Auckland Girl

Shapeshifter

I’ve been meaning to tell you about my brilliant night out when I saw Shapeshifter live at The Powerstation. Shapeshifter are my current favourite band, I never tire of their music, so seeing them live on stage was enough to cause as much excitement as a 4 year old seeing The Wiggles Live in Concert…..yep, I could’a peed my pants.

Speaking of kids, the concert was – as the kids say these days – MEAN! And I’m talking awesome, cool, wicked – phat even. The Powerstation has recently been refurbished and as we stood upstairs centre stage it almost felt as if they were Shifting Shapes directly to us. I danced like a prime fool but loved every minute of it.

We then headed into town for a few drinks and further dancing.

Namely Chapel and Whiskey Bar on Ponsonby Road, a favourite haunt for girls nights out.

My beautiful friend was busy chatting up a fella so I chose to dance with his mate mostly because I felt sorry for him as he was getting down with his bad self all on his own. Just platonic like, you understand – I’m a nice girl I am

A great night followed by the mantatory 3am crap-but-brilliant-tasting-cos-bit pissed-burger-and chips from the open all night chippy. Solid gold

Hope all’s good in your hood
Auckland Girl

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

Hot Tamale

This weather is pretty damn fine isn’t it? It’s pretty hot and pretty muggy which sometimes in turn doesn’t actually make me feel altogether very pretty …. I’m sure I’m not the only one who suffers from heat induced swelling or sweaty blotchy makeup (yes I know, a lady doesn’t sweat – she glows).

I love a long hot summer – but hells bells, I’ve been a bit of Sweaty Betty lately let me tell you…

The air-conditioning in the office decided not to cooperate last week – which brought on that hot and bothered feeling; and then there was a power failure at my gym which meant zero air conditioning – it was like a sauna, you could literally see the heat radiating from each person.

Speaking of hot, a few friends and I popped into Dida’s Wine bar last week. I hadn’t been there before so I was looking forward to it all day. Dida’s is a lovely popular bar/tapas lounge, and it was jam-packed at 6pm when we arrived on a hot Friday night, thirsty as a wooden dog.

We decided to go somewhere different to eat after a few drinks and headed off for a curry down the road – yes call us crazy:  Indian on a balmy summer night – but we’d been wanting to test drive Shahi, and maybe it’s just a theory but they say eating hot food (or drinking hot tea), cools you down when you’re feeling like a hot tamale…whoever ‘they’ are.

Shahi was a lovely pleasant surprise. Always thought it was just a takeaway joint, but there is upstairs seating on two separate levels over looking Jervois Road. Sorta felt like we were dining in their living room or attic, which was kinda cool. Good choice – and yes I was feeling less hot and bothered afterwards.

Have a great weekend and stay cool ’till after school
Auckland Girl

Up the Duff

Crikey, is it just me or is everyone of late jumping on the pregnant wagon? (excuse the pun).

It seems like every time you turn around, another friend, family member or colleague has a special announcement, and while I’m very happy for these people, I can’t help but wonder why the sudden rush to keep up with the Joneses? Did I miss the memo/text/Facebook feed?

I was talking to a friend about this the other day and she agrees. It’s like a new decade is underway and everyone is freaking out about getting old, so are in a hurry to get up the duff and procreate.

I’m actually slightly concerned for the next person who rushes up to me, beaming about their news while rubbing their stomach fondly, because it’s likely that I won’t even bat an eyelid….lol it’s crazy!

Anywho, I’ve been having a great few weeks so far this year, catching up with people and enjoying the long summer nights. Have visited Maggie’s (great all day breakfast); Bonita (rad authentic Spanish bar with good sangria and tapas) and Chapel (one of my favourite bars, you can’t keep me away).

I’m still trying to figure out my new year resolution(s). I’ve never been one to make a list and follow it through, I just sorta go with my gut and achieve the resolution if I feel like it. I’m thinking a sky dive might be in order sometime this summer, and will possibly take up yoga again so I feel good inside and out. Hell, I might even get a tattoo if I feel like it….maybe.

Hope you are enjoying your summer!
Auckland Girl