44 South

Happy New Years!

2009-01-04T17:55:00.000-08:00

Hope you all enjoyed a very happy new year! We just returned from a wonderful trip with Mat's family; we hit many highlights this country has to offer and had a great time.

We picnicked in the park:

We traveled by plane, boat and Bongo:

(yes, we all fit with our luggage!)

We discovered new places:Drank lots of wine, ate lots of cheese and napped (only sometimes in that order):
Saw breathtaking scenery:

And had lots of fun:

A big thank you to our second visitors for making the long trip, we were so happy to spend time with you!

Happy Holidays

2008-12-15T19:00:00.000-08:00

The Holidays are upon us! Its hard to believe that we will be celebrating our second Christmas in New Zealand and how quickly it has come. We are a little behind on our Christmas cards so we hope this reaches many of you in time to say Happy Holidays! As the Kiwi's fire up the barbe, we hope you are at home cuddling by the fire and enjoying the gifts of the season. We will miss many Christmas traditions from home, but if you want to see some more about we will be enjoying as we celebrate a Kiwi Christmas, click here!

New Zealand Purses

2008-12-04T17:06:00.000-08:00

Recently, my friend Holly (above with her Mom) introduced me to a line of wallets/purses called Hunter and Pike that I had to share! I'm always on the lookout for unique and beautiful New Zealand handmade goods and these definitely are some of my favorite.

They are customizable so that you can choose the size, color and add or subtract the strap.

They can be worn as a purse, wallet or even a clutch.

And, they are so on trend... I'm thinking of going hands free a la Rachel Bilson etc.

For more, check them out at here!

Goat Island Marine Reserve

2008-11-29T20:52:00.001-08:00

We went to Goat Island Marine reserve this weekend to enjoy some of the best weather of the season. Armed with wetsuits we were able to snorkle and see some great fish!

On the way to Goat Island we saw this funny sign at a local bar:

My Mo Bro

2008-11-29T20:41:00.000-08:00

Movember has come to an end... but Mat already can't wait till next year to grow one of these again:

North Head

2008-11-14T22:07:00.000-08:00

Today we explored North Head in Devonport which is, in our opinoin, one of the best places in Auckland. North Head is an old volcano, strategically positioned above the shipping channel. Historically this area was a defence position and the old gun emplacements and underground connecting tunnels are open for exploration. The views are fantastic and there are beaches nearby which makes it a great way to spend a sunny Saturday afternoon!

Weekend

2008-11-08T19:42:00.001-08:00

This weekend we had beautiful weather in Auckland, perfect for going to the French Markets and visiting the festival of roses in Parnell. Here are a few pics of what we were up to:

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend as well!

Things are getting a bit hairy...

2008-11-05T17:43:00.001-08:00

Yep, thats right, its THAT time again and guess who is participating? Will be sure to post the progress soon.

Feeling Patriotic

2008-11-05T16:49:00.000-08:00

Living so far away has allowed me a different lens through which to view my home country; I have learned a lot about the way Americans are perceived both good and bad. To view the election from half way around the world, surrounded by non-Americans, was a particularly special vantage point and was an experience I will certainly never forget.

Not only was it a historical day in American history, it was a day that I'll never forget personally for the indelible effect it had on my patriotism. Election coverage was broadcast for almost the entire day on New Zealands national TV channel and many Kiwis followed it closely; at about lunch time, the polls were closing so my team took a break to watch the states turn blue.

I was so proud to see Obama in Chicago and show my Kiwi friends; as an expat it was truly remarkable to see how the hope of a nation was infectious and touched the world yesterday.

I even brought in some patriotic cookies for the occasion which have been affectionately dubbed "Nutty Americans".

Music Update

2008-11-02T23:06:00.000-08:00

It’s been a while since I updated the New Zealand music info here on the ol blog. I’ve got two newbies for you to check out:

1) High time I featured a kiwi lady and this one is particularly lovely. Sarah Brown has one of those honey like voices that coat each word and no matter what the subject matter, it sounds soft and kinda sweet. Check out her website and have a listen over at her myspace page if you are so inclined. In May, she will be in Auckland and I would love to see her play at Stonyridge Vineyard on Waiheke.

2) It’s almost obligatory that I mention the other artist I’m featuring today. Tiki Tane has gotten so many accolades this year that he is one of this countries most talked about people. I don’t love all his stuff, but this song will be sure to remind me of New Zealand long after I’m gone.

Its the little things...

2008-10-30T01:07:00.000-07:00

For those of you who know me, you know my affinity for the Food network, more specifically Everyday Italian's Giada De Laurentiis. Much to my dismay, New Zealand doesn't follow American celebrity chefs very much. Their favorites are Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson; but after 12 long months they finally realized what this country is missing...

Giada is on every Wednesday night and for 30 minutes I feel like I am home again :)

Best of Sydney Shopping:

2008-10-23T13:38:00.000-07:00

I’m a bit starved for quality retail experiences living down in New Zealand and our trip to Sydney only made that more apparent. Many kiwi’s go over to Oz for shopping trips as their Aussie counterparts have more selection and in my opinion a better selection of wares. It is nothing against Auckland, but shopping here is not their strong suit.

Sydney on the other hand has a plethora of options if you want to indulge in some good old fashion retail therapy. Here is a quick overview:
I would suggest hitting the Paddington Markets if you are in Sydney for a weekend. Saturday from 10-4 this market is bustling with local artists, jewelry, antiques and clothes. The atmosphere is part bohemian part hipster- overall fantastic.

I picked up my favorite souvenirs of the weekend while shopping the markets. A set of antique coasters and a pair of brushed silver stud earrings from a very adorable local artist.

Across the street from the markets are tons of boutiques with all kinds of clothes and little cafes. I was so excited to see Kiehls and eat the cup cake bakery!

You could spend all day shopping in that area, but if you are looking for more options go back into the CDB and you can hit the Pit Street Mall or Paddy's markets which are close to Chinatown. One store that blew me away (which again made me realize just how deprived of shopping I really am) was Lululemon. I love this line of attractive yoga wear and active gear but had never visited a store before. Being in the brand experience biz made me appreciate all the little details—the store feels like a tranquil yoga studio and every person working in store had on yoga clothes. On top of that there was a person doing yoga in the window, a huge display of all the yoga studios in the city and even an offer of a free session at the yoga studio of the month with purchase. Mat practically had to drag me out of this store.

We could definitely have spend more time shopping than we did, but the weather in Sydney really beacons you outdoors which is why we ended up doing this instead:

Best of Sydney- Sights

2008-10-21T00:31:00.001-07:00

Without a doubt, the Sydney Opera house was what surprised me most. Although it is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world, the ubiquitous pictures of it gracing the harbor do not do it justice. Naturally, there are lots of cafes and bars around this area so we grabbed a drink, slipped on our sunnies and watched the world go by for a while. If you look closely, you can see adventurous tourists walk along the top of the bridge.

We came back to the harbor at night to take in the Opera house and Harbor Bridge lit up, check out The Opera Bar at night for great people watching, live music and a magnificent view.

A must do is getting out on a boat into the harbor. To experience Sydney at its best is to enjoy the sunshine out in the harbor, even if it is just on a ferry. We did precisely that, taking the morning ferry over to Manly Beach (only 15 minutes on the express) and it was an awesome way to see the skyline from the water. Manly Beach is what I've always thought Australia would be- beachy and bawdy, sunshine and surfers.

We are the happiest as tourists just walking the city and Sydney was a great city to explore on foot. Starting at Hyde park in the center of the city, we walked through a great outdoor photography exhibit:

Saw St Mary's Cathedral: And then went on to the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Along the way we had at least 3 interesting animal sightings:

This last pic is of the grey headed flying fox. They are the worlds largest bat- no joke and there were hundreds of them.

There were so many sights that didn't fit into our short weekend. When we go back we want to also do: Bondi Beach, Blue Mountains, Sydney Aquarium, Barracks Museum, and the Hunter Valley Wine Country just to name a few!

Best of Sydney

2008-10-20T01:26:00.000-07:00

(thanks National Geographic)

Lots to catch up on; most notably, Mat was away in Sydney for business last week so I got to fly over and meet up with him for the weekend!

Our first trip across the ditch was awesome; Sydney was a wonderful host- beautiful weather, beautiful beaches and beautiful people.

Check back in the next couple of days as I'll recap the best of Sydney. With only two days there was a lot to do and not enough time to do it all so I'm already planning to do when we go back!

Earth from above

2008-10-08T20:38:00.000-07:00

New York City is going to host a free exhibit of works by photographer, Yann Arthus-Bertrand in May 2009. The collection of large scale aerial photography titled, Earth from Above, is visually stunning and purposeful; Arthus-Bertrand hopes the images bring awareness to our earth's fragility as well as beauty.

I was captured by these images that a friend sent me today, check them out:

Worker resting on bales of cotton, Thonakaha, Korhogo, Ivory Coast. Cotton crops occupy approximately 335,000 square klilometers worldwide, and use nearly one quarter of all pesticides sold
Icebreaker Louis Saint Laurent in Resolute Bay, Nunavut Territory, Canada
Icebergs and an Adelie penguin, Adelie Land, Antarctica. Antarctica, the sixth continent, is a unique observation point for atmospheric and climatic phenomena; its ancient ice, which trapped air when it was formed, contains evidence of the Earth's climate as it has changed and developed over the past millions of years.

Behind the Lens, Albert Park

2008-09-30T17:17:00.000-07:00

Summer Heights High

2008-09-30T13:40:00.000-07:00

I have bemoaned the limited selection of NZ television for almost a year now. However, I now have Sky City to thank for introducing me to my new favorite TV show. Summer Heights High is a dark comedy mockumentary series parodying life in a fictitious Australian high school.
Comedian Chris Lilley is an absolute genius; he plays the part of all three main characters. Below is a quick sketch of each:

Jonah Takalua:
13 year old pacific island boy
Known for scrawling his graffiti tag "dicktation" around Summer Heights High and for phrases such as "I'm not dumb, I'm just choosing not to be smart at the moment"

Ja'mie King:
16 year old girl
Pampered and manipulative, she is taking part in a swap scheme to bridge the gap between public and private school but is having a tough time leaving her pampered and privileged past

Mr G:
Drama teacher extraordinaire
Known for writing musicals for his students including one called Tsunamarama, based on the events of the 2004 tsunami disaster, set to the music of Bananarama. He is relentless in creating an arena spectacular school musical

By far one of my favorite scenes was when Jonah performed a rap song at the school's Polynesian day, click here to watch a clip.

The series has been bought by HBO and is scheduled to broadcast later this year in the states so keep your eye out!

Air New Zealand Fashion Week 2008

2008-09-23T16:40:00.000-07:00

The 2008 Air New Zealand Fashion Week has come and gone. Yes, that’s right; New Zealand hosts its own fashion week in Auckland each spring. Yet, unlike the other fashion weeks being hosted this time of year by glamorous cities across the globe- Auckland’s is far more accessible by both location and ease of attendance (cheap tickets are sold online and in some cases at the door and off you go—try that in Bryant Park) The shows highlight the quintessential quirkiness that I have come to understand is a mark of pride by native New Zealanders. In their fashion and in life- eccentricity abounds, nothing is taken too seriously and a glass of bubbles continues to be the most covatable accessory.
Without further adieu I give you a quick recap of this years looks that I’ve aptly categorizes into the good, the bad and the ugly…

The good
Trelise Cooper- the darling of New Zealand fashion came out with a collection inspired by her travels which featured beautiful prints and theatrical flare.

The bad
Zambesi- the perennial favorite of the hip and cool Auckland set has me baffled yet again.

The ugly
Lucie Boshier

Explains so much:

2008-09-22T00:40:00.001-07:00

This was posted in the elevator of the parking deck in our building.

Donavon Frankenreiter

2008-09-09T18:11:00.000-07:00

photo from here

If I didn’t know any better, I would have this guy pegged for a Kiwi based on the photo. Donavon Frankenreiter, American pro- surfer turned musician has a sound infused with the laid back beachy life style he is passionate about.
Best known in the surfing world (he came onto the stage in his early teens), Donavon utilized that community as a platform to promote his music. He has extensively toured Australia and New Zealand which could explain the uncanny similarity he has to the blokes in this part of the world.
His music has taken him far away from the sand and surf, but thanks to NPR, listen to his recent concert in Philly and you’ll be instantly transported to his beachy state of mind.

Perfect Pet for Apartment Living.

2008-09-09T03:21:00.000-07:00

Dogs and photography are two of my favorite things; Newfoundlands and New Zealand photography- the peak of my interest!

Seemlingly unrelated topics, right? Well not anymore.

Meet, Rachel Hale. She is an Aucklad based photographer that will do house calls for your pets (my co-worker tells me) but she is also the author of many internationally known books.

She is perhaps most famous for images of her beloved Newfoundland, Henry:Until we can get our own, these images are my perfect apartment living pet.

Anniversary Weekend Part 2

2008-09-09T02:24:00.000-07:00

If you couldn't tell, we just can't get enough of the beaches here. Midwesterners at heart, the idea that the beach is just around the corner (literally) is a novel one; after almost a year, the novelty has not dissipated.

Therefore, it was a natural choice for our relaxed anniversary celebration, to spend most of our day enjoying some of our favorite beaches near Auckland. First up, St. Heliers Bay for breakfast and a walk along the shore to enjoy the lively scenery. There are always a stream of people running the bays, some brave soul swimming the surf and plenty of dogs! I could sit for hours on the benches and watch the world go by.

We then drove out to the west coast beach, Muriwai, so Mat could go surfing. It was a bit too cold and windy for me to brave the water, so I played photographer instead and tried to capture Mat in action...

The above is one of my favorite shots; every time I sit and overlook the waves at Muriwai I am reminded that we are on an incredible journey living in New Zealand. What a perfect sentiment for our anniversary.

After a day at the beach, what could be better than enjoying one of our favorite home cooked meals and cake?! I just had to post of picture of this amazing treat. Our friend, Jane, made this specially for us which blew me away. She made each and every one of those flowers by hand, isn't it beautiful!

Thanks for all of the anniversary wishes, it made our day even more special. xxxx

Anniversary Weekend Part 1

2008-09-08T02:07:00.000-07:00

To celebrate our anniversary, we enjoyed a "staycation" in Auckland. We filled the weekend with some special experiences in and around the city- take a look:

Saturday morning we woke up early and drove north of Auckland to Matakana. We had the most wonderful breakfast at the Matakana Patisserie, voted New Zealand's best bakery. From fresh bread, homemade donuts and muffins to quiche and gourmet sandwiches everything looked fantastic. Even my latte was pretty:

Afterwards, we strolled through the Matakana Farmers Market which is hosted every Saturday by this quaint little town. Not only can you pick up choice local produce and nibbles, but you can bring your knife, axe or sheers to be sharpened for free! Although this market may cater to the farming locals it also a very popular and trendy place for us Jafa's to get away for the day.

It was so enjoyable to walk around and enjoy the music and the food, we will definitely have to go back.

photos from Flickr

In the afternoon, we went horseback riding on Pakiri beach. I have had a love affair with the idea of horseback riding for years so this was definitely my pick of activities, but I think Mat ended up enjoy this much more than I did. For one thing, they put me on a horse named Stewart and he had anger management issues. Stew didn't like other horses and I feared for my life a few times when he started bucking and kicking. However, when I wasn't hanging on for dear life, I was dazzled by one of the most beautiful unspoiled landscapes I've ever seen. The beach was pretty much desolate besides our little group of 5 and for two hours we were guided along the beach and up through the dunes- stunning!

I'm sorry that I couldn't capture a picture of Mat (again, Stewart was a disaster and I couldn't even get close to Mat's horse to grab the camera- so much for the romantic notion of riding horses together into the sunset). As with many other athletic activities, Mat is naturally inclined. Not only did he look comfortable on the ride, he went on along with the more experienced riders to attempt a canter. What?!

We ended our day at Harbourside restaurant to enjoy some seafood and then hobbled our way back home on saddle sore legs. Will be back tomorrow to share what we did on Sunday!

One year ago today...

2008-09-06T20:19:00.001-07:00

We looked like this:

Today, we are celebrating one year of marriage and looking forward to making eachother laugh for many more years to come...

Spring Is In The Air

2008-09-03T21:33:00.000-07:00

It may be too soon to put away the umbrella, but this week we have enjoyed 4 whole days of sunshine!
My sunglasses were in hibernation for the past three months and I’m happy to be needing them again. Along with sunshine, I am enjoying some of my other favorite things about spring:

tulipsspring fruits and veggies at the markets

and spring clothes!

Shameless Plug for New Zealand

2008-08-25T01:00:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite blogs is La Tartine Gourmande which is why I was so excited to see the post today that talks about New Zealand. After reading more, I discovered that Bea used to live in Wellington, New Zealand and shares my affinity for this country.

Mat and I are planning for his family to visit us this coming December and are we are really looking forward to going back down to the south island. Well, this amazing photographic tour of Bea's trip around the south island has only added to my excitement. I love that she has even added some restaurant reviews!

Images from here

Thousands turn out to be titilated

2008-08-20T15:39:00.000-07:00

Big news in Auckland, the Boobs on Bikes parade closed down Queen Street (which is the main thoroughfare in the biggest city in the country).

Yesterday at 5:30 this was my conversation with Mat:

Me “Hi hun, how was your day”

Mat “Fine, just the usual”

Me “What did you do for lunch today?”

Mat “Saw some boobs”

Me “Ya right”

Mat “Oh ya, I could barely walk across Queen St to get a kebab because there were so many people out to watch the boobs on bikes parade. There was even an American contingent, I had to watch and be patriotic”

If you read this article, I think Mat definitely falls into the category of those with a convenient excuse!

Be sure to check out this video of the "news" coverage for a real laugh.

Olympic Observations

2008-08-19T14:12:00.001-07:00

This is so funny.

Travel Dreams

2008-08-18T00:48:00.000-07:00

This has nothing to do with New Zealand, but I couldn't resist. It has been a long time dream of mine to travel through Spain and taste its culinary marvels... well look who did and filmed it! Sadly, I'm pretty sure New Zealand will not be broadcasting this (we are still a season behind on Brothers and Sisters) but let me know if you catch it, I would love to hear a review! You know you wanna a sneak peak.

Fresh Air

2008-08-16T23:13:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit behind on posting as it’s been a busy couple of weeks with work. Not a whole lot new to report, but I am excited to share some photos from the last two weekends. We were getting a bit stir crazy due to rainy weather and too many days in the city, so we headed to the west of Auckland for some fresh air and great scenery. Last weekend we enjoyed the break in the rain and saw sunshine for the first time in weeks!

This is the start of the hike

Our 9km hike took us through lush forests that are part of the national park called Waitakere Ranges. This beautiful area is known for its black sand beaches and rain forest with magnificent kauri trees. We heard a lot about the kauri tree when we first moved here from the guide books (many of the tourist shops sell kauri wood souvenirs). However, until I saw them in person, I didn't understand what all the fuss was about; below are a few pics:

The photos don't capture how truly giant these trees are; they look like something out of your imagination.

We also saw lots of the silver ferns that New Zealand is famous for. The silver fern is New Zealand’s national symbol and is emblazed on nearly everything you can think of (the All Blacks jersey and their Olympic uniforms just to name a few).

Today, we went west again and this time went for a hike at Bethells Beach. Despite steady rain, we had a great time. The over cast day made for some beautiful colors at the beach:

Xena and Hercules television series were filmed in this area.

Hope you all had a great weekend as well!

Sweet As Bro

2008-08-05T19:03:00.001-07:00

This is why I didn't understand anyone when I first moved to New Zealand....

So True

2008-08-01T16:55:00.000-07:00

For some reason I'm having trouble getting a video to link up to the blog- so click here to watch The Black Seeds video for one of my favorite songs, So True.

The video is shot in and around the Coromandel peninsula so the scenery is beautiful!

Sound of the Islands

2008-07-31T19:44:00.000-07:00

Living in New Zealand has opened my eyes to many new things. One of my favorites has been discovering new music. I’m lucky enough to work with a group of people who are on to the scene and are very excited to share their music with me.
The New Zealand music scene has an island flavor; much of their music is of a genre called dub. It’s a bit of reggae mixed with hip hop, instrumental and soul.
One of my favorite groups so far is the Black Seeds; we brought their CD home with us over the 4th of July and it received high marks from our family (we made them listen to it!). Bret McKenzie of Flight of the Concords fame was a former member of The Black Seeds and they have now 5 albums in total.
I hope this blog will serve as a way for me to share my new discoveries and hopefully help you at home find a new favorite or two. Please find that I have started to add links to New Zealand bands on the left side bar of the blog, you can click to get more information and have a listen.

"Bomb" hits NZ

2008-07-25T22:20:00.000-07:00

A large area of low pressure that rapidly developed in the Tasman is now ravaging Auckland- this phenomenon is affectionately called a "bomb". The storm is not technically a hurricane, cyclone or typhoon but packs a similar punch. The NZ Herald has called it a once in a decade storm with high winds and pounding rain.

So far the storm has caused wide ranging power outages and uprooted boats from their mooring in the harbor. You can actually feel our apartment building sway with the wind and the howling from the windows is so loud it can not be drowned out.

This has left me questioning once again why homes in NZ are built without insulation, double siding or central heating. The concept of being as cold inside as outside is very foreign to me and perhaps one of the hardest things to adjust to as an expat.
As a native Chicagoan, I’m well versed in cold weather and bad storms. However, I have never been as cold during the winter as I have been here. It is because I am cold all day at work and practically sit on the space heater that I have next to my desk. Yes, instead of central heating everyone has space heaters that crate a 3 foot radius of warm air around their desk. At least a few times a week the power is tripped and our computers shut off because the system is overloaded with space heaters!

Despite the raging storm and cold indoor climate NZ winters are shorter than those in Chicago which gives us hope for warmer weather and longer days to come soon.

Love me some Phil Collins

2008-07-23T18:03:00.001-07:00

Cadbury Gorilla was named most popular TV UK advert of the year at tellyads.com and has gone on to be a sensation here in New Zealand. The popularity of "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins has sky rocketed and become the number one Itunes download. Is the US in on this madness?

Stateside

2008-07-20T02:24:00.000-07:00

After approximately 1o months in New Zealand; Mat and I were more than excited to take a trip back to the states to celebrate the 4th of July, enjoy summertime weather (its winter here in NZ) and spend time with our family and friends.
Its hard to put into words how wonderful our trip home was. There are many things we miss about the states and for two weeks we relished every oportunity to soak in the feeling of being home. Here are a few pics that I had of our bonfire on the beach in Northern Michigan- so fun!

Cooper and the gang

Roasting the famous pleva hotdogs
our set up

beautiful Michigan sunset (taken at approx 10:30 pm)

More to come...

Only in New Zealand...

2008-06-24T15:21:00.000-07:00

Would they have a milk flavored candy:

Eye Candy part II

2008-06-21T23:11:00.000-07:00

Bay of Islands
Driving from Christchurch to Queenstown
Hiking in Queenstown
About to take flight from Queenstown
From the air, as we head to Milford Sound

Eye Candy part I

2008-06-20T19:28:00.000-07:00

I'm finally getting around to sharing some more photos from when my parents came to visit; my dad took so many beautiful shots that I had a hard time picking which ones to post. But here are a few of my favorites:

Mom in Albert Park
Karekare
Karekare
Bay of Islands
Bay of Islands

Stay tuned, I'll post more soon

The worlds best places to live 2008

2008-06-20T09:59:00.000-07:00

Auckland was ranked 5th in this years round up of the worlds best places to live. Mercer consulting used a variety of factors that measured quality of life to determine the top bunch. While this list may be subjective, I'm inclined to agree with its assessment if Auckland ranks towards the top; it's taken nine months, but am feeling more attached to our new city than I thought I ever would be.

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons why:
http://realestate.msn.com/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=7992217

The Haka

2008-06-14T20:55:00.000-07:00

The haka is a traditional Maori dance rich in history and legend. Today, the haka is a vibrant New Zealand cultural icon most well known for being performed by the All Blacks before kick off at rugby matches. It is said to unsettle even the most steel hearted opponents.

Last night we attended the All Blacks match in Auckland and saw the haka for the first time. The intensity and fervor of the performance combined with an arena of charged fans was one of the most memorable tourist experiences I've had since moving here.

The you tube clip below will give you a better idea of what I'm talking about...

All Blacks

2008-06-14T17:48:00.001-07:00

Farm Gear with the Wow Factor

2008-06-12T18:13:00.000-07:00

As I read in the NZ Herald today, "The Ag Art Wear and Possum Fur Fashion Design Awards, which began 12 years ago, give rural designers the chance to showcase their wearable art from things found on the farm.
Among this year's entries are bodices made of clay targets and dog biscuits, outfits made of shotgun shells, hats fashioned from barbed wire and pretty necklaces of artificial insemination straws."

Well this, you gotta see:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/multimedia/image.cfm?c_id=1501080&objectid=10516078

My personal favorite is 'horny lady' designed by Rebecca Jones.

A late autumn sunset in Auckland

2008-06-08T02:11:00.000-07:00

Rugby

2008-05-17T22:47:00.000-07:00

This weekend, we attended our first rugby match. The Auckland Blues took on the Wellington Hurricanes in an 80 minute non-stop battle of brawn.
Although Megan has almost no understanding of the game of rugby, it was good fun to take in the atmosphere. Rugby is the country’s most passionately supported sport and the crowd is not too far from typical American football fans.

Megan and I had a good time recapping the similarities and differences between a rugby match and an American sporting event. Here are some of our favorites:

Beer
American: Bud Light
Kiwi: Speights

Snack
American: Nacho’s
Kiwi: Chips (a.k.a French-fries)

Half time show
American: Musical performance
Kiwi: Samoan war dance

Pre-game preparation
American: Tailgates
Kiwi: Pints at the pub

Stadium size
American: Regularly sellout 100,000+ seats
Kiwi: First sellout since 1987 at around 37,000

Cat call
American: "Show your tits!"
Kiwi: "Show me your rack of lamb!"

Public service announcement
American: Don’t drink and Drive
Kiwi: Don’t drink and Fry (unattended cooking is the leading cause of house fires in NZ)

Ok, so I many not convert to a full blown rugby fan while here, but I had a great time being a kiwi fan for the night! Let’s go Blues!

Parking Meter, New Zealand

2008-05-09T03:12:00.000-07:00

Our first visitors!!!!

2008-04-27T02:18:00.000-07:00

We have welcomed our first visitors to NZ! Last Wednesday my Mom and Dad arrived in Auckland and its been such a fun time showing them around the north island.

Here we are enjoying the view from Mudbrick Vineyard on Waiheke, if you look closely you can see Auckland in the background. Its official, its our favorite restaurant-ever!
We took advantage of our day off of work (thank you ANZAC day) and visited the west coast.
This is the view from the top of Whites Beach, it was such an amazing hike......
Check out my mom practically rock climbing to the bottom!

Here they are at Ransom vineyard with an awesome nibbles platter.

Over the weekend, we drove up to the Bay of Islands. Although it was a very rainy day we enjoyed an overnight stay in Russel (the historic little town that was originally the capital of NZ). This week, my parents are going to explore the south island; Mat and I cant wait to fly to Queenstown and meet up with them. More pictures and adventures to follow!

In the NZ Herald Today

2008-04-16T21:38:00.000-07:00

Did Neanderthals speak like New Zilanders?

LONDON - Neanderthals have spoken out for the first time in 30,000 years, with the help of scientists who have simulated their voices using fossil evidence and a computer synthesiser.
And they may have sounded a bit like New Zealanders.

Is this why I cant understand anyone?!

Full Story:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/6/story.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10504671

Christchurch

2008-04-16T02:23:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday to Mat!!! We celebrated by traveling to the south island for the first time. It's only a one hour flight to Christchuch from Auckland and you are in a whole new world. Our 3 day weekend was spent exploring Christchurch and the surrounding Canterbury region.

Highlights of the trip included perfect fall weather, the Banks Peninsula and Arthurs Pass.

Check it out: http://picasaweb.google.com/megan.leanderson/Christchurch

On another note, we are preparing for our first visitors; cant wait to welcome my parents to Auckland next week!!!!

Tornado Races

2008-04-16T02:12:00.001-07:00

A couple weeks ago Mat was invited to attend the Tornado Races in Auckland Harbor. Here is an amazing photo of that day by a local photographer that we love. More on the races later...

Bay of Islands

2008-03-23T16:54:00.000-07:00

This weekend we headed North to the Bay of Islands and hired a sail boat for a few days. The Bay of Islands is a truly special place with historic significance and unparalleled, unspoiled beauty. The backdrop to our adventure was stunning despite some mishaps with fuel and accommodations!

Mat was the captain of Kea, our boat, as I am still learning to sail. It would be kind to say that Kea was a bit dodgy ... compared to some of the amazing boats we saw, we were definitely sailing economy! Although Mat may disagree, I think sleeping on top of our sea latrine in a very small compartment with no pillows and towels as blankets is roughing it. The true crown jewel of our experience was coming within a half mile of the dock and running out of gas. (We sat for an hour until we gave up on the wind and called the company we rented from to come and bring us gas!)

Despite these setbacks, I think the pictures speak for themselves; the Bay of Islands is a must see when coming to New Zealand. As we watched the sunset and drank our NZ wine on night two, we lamented how much we miss everyone at home and how much fun it would be to sail again with our friends and family on board. Hope this finds everyone well, you are in our thoughts

Here is link to our pics:
http://picasaweb.google.com/megan.leanderson/SailingTheBayOfIslands

Morning in Auckland

2008-03-09T01:10:00.000-08:00

This is a recent photo of Auckland early in the morning from our balcony

NZ Drivers License

2008-02-28T19:14:00.000-08:00

Check out question number 34 on the New Zealand drivers license test:

When a flock of sheep are coming towards you on a country road, you should:
a. sound the horn on your vehicle to move them.
b. slow down or pull over to the side of the road.
c. turn on your vehicle hazard lights and drive on.
d. turn on your vehicle headlights and then drive on.

Queen Elizabeth 2

2008-02-23T16:18:00.000-08:00

Auckland is visited weekly by cruise ships and throngs of tourists. This week an especially memorable ship docked in the wharf- the Queen Elizabeth 2.

The infamous ship is on its final world voyage after 41 years of service. This luxury liner is still one of the fastest ships in the world despite having traversed the Atlantic more than 800 times with over 2.5 million passengers. Its stately presence drew crowds all day; at 10:30pm when she left Auckland, the city rang with her horn and many people lined the wharf to wave goodbye.

This is just another example of the nautical flavor this city is known for!

Cool Kiwi Campers

2008-02-12T00:09:00.000-08:00

To kick off the new year, we took a 5 day road trip around the North Island! In the interest of gaining a true New Zealand experience we rented a campervan. Emblazed on the side of our van was a rudimentary drawing of a kiwi bird and the logo, "cool kiwi campers".

The van allowed us a very flexible travel plan; NZ still has many opportunities to free camp which we tried to take advantage of. Some of the best nights were spent in little self made campsites off the side of the highway.

At we learned, kiwi highways are little more than two way roads for almost the length of the island. State highway 1 twisted and turned through many small little towns and countless breathless views. Beaches, mountains, lakes and plentiful livestock were the backdrop to our drive.

This trip gave us a richer appreciation for this country and better feel for what life is about here. Here are some of our pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/megan.leanderson/CoolKiwiCampers

Happy New Year!

2008-01-06T17:58:00.000-08:00

Best wishes for a happy, healthy 2008 to all of you!! We celebrated new years by watching the fireworks over the skytower, wanted to share a few pics...

Waiheke Holiday and Christmas Wishes

2007-12-27T19:51:00.000-08:00

Only 35 minutes from downtown Auckland is Waiheke Island, one of the many islands in the Hauraki Gulf which surrounds the city. Accessible by a ferry that departs from the heart of the city, it’s a popular destination for a relaxing weekend. We had such a wonderful trip, our B&B boasted an amazing view and the weather was favorable which allowed us to explore the charming ‘town’ of Oneroa its beaches and some beautiful vineyards. Waiheke is known for producing world class wine and olive oil, thus the island is reminiscent of Tuscany in some aspects. However, in addition to the Mediterranean feel of the island, you are greeted with many lush flowers and trees that feel almost tropical. The highlight of our weekend was definitely dinner at Mudbrick Vineyard. (We both agree that our meal ranked as one of the top dining experiences we have ever had) The pictures simply don’t do it justice. It was such nice weekend we can’t wait to go back; in fact we are going again this weekend for a concert.
Here are our pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/megan.leanderson/WaihekeHoliday

Our weekend trip took us right into our first Christmas in Auckland. And I am happy to report that on Christmas Eve, the moving company delivered our shipment from home!!!! This was by far the best Christmas gift we could have gotten and I dare say this comes in as one of Santa’s finest maneuvers- perfect timing. Therefore, our Christmas day was very busy opening the boxes that were floor to ceiling in our tiny apartment. We literally had to dig our way out the door in order to attend mass! And although it is a bit delayed, we wanted to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and happy new year. Especially this past week, our family and friends have been in the forefront of our thoughts. It was hard to be far away for Christmas, but we felt so loved by everyone back home and wanted to say thank you again sooo much.

Happy Silly Season

2007-12-26T11:37:00.000-08:00

This has been a holiday season of many first for Mat and I. Our first Christmas as a married couple, our first Christmas away from home, and our first time celebrating what is called ‘Silly Season’. The holidays in Auckland don’t seem to attain the same fervor as in the states. I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of Christmas music in the stores and Santa’s in the mall. There are lukewarm attempts to commercializing the holidays here, however, none as spectacular as at home. Some American expats find this a welcome relief; some are left feeling like something is missing.

What the Aucklanders lack in their way of Christmas spirit, they certainly make up for in merry making. Parties, and not necessarily holiday themed abound—thus they have dubbed the Christmas season, ‘silly season’. Our first silly season fete was the Maersk Christmas Party. We were invited to dress in national costume, whatever that is, and join his co-workers on a trip around the world. (aka, our party was very similar to a fraternity around the world party—and some of the costumes looked more suited to kegs and frat boys than upstanding employees) Mat and I showed up in our best American costume: jeans, sneakers, baseballs hats and t-shirts…..

Other people showed up wearing costumes that did not represent their nationality, but the stereotypes of other nationalities. WHAT?! We didn’t need to indulge in the free flowing bar to enjoy some of the most hysterical moments the night yielded. Let’s just say, we left after the band went on, but before the belly dancers (3AM we are told).
Here are some silly moments:

http://picasaweb.google.com/megan.leanderson/SillySeason

West of Auckland

2007-12-11T13:38:00.000-08:00

December 8, 2007:
The region west of Auckland is known for stunning beaches and fantastic hiking (or bush walks as the locals say). Often compared to Northern California because of its rocky cliffs and beautiful vistas we were very excited to explore this region on our second day- trip outside of the city.
About 30 minutes to the west of Auckland, if you don’t get lost, is the magnificent regional park called the Waitakere Ranges (pronounced why-tuck-airy). Our first stop was the gateway to the ranges, Arataki Visitor center, where were learned about the volcanic origins of this landscape.
A short jaunt down the road we stopped to eat at the local café, Elevation. Perched atop a steep and windy road this venue was crowded with Aucklanders out for a weekend brunch. We had such a great meal and although the weather was not cooperating, we could tell the view from the venue would be truly spectacular on a clearer day. After our food break, we headed on to what would be the highlight of the trip. We visited Karekare and Piha beaches which are both special in their own right. Karekare is particularly well known for being in the movie, The Piano, and is a stop on the ‘natural wonders’ tour. It is rugged and isolated in a way that you would never find in the states. Piha is just down the road and is a bit more commercialized, but just as beautiful. Both beaches are synonymous with good surfing and have tumbling waves.
Recently, Auckland has been rather windy and rainy; our trip was a bit dicey due to the weather but none the less the scenery was breathtaking. We can’t wait to go back on a more pleasant day and are so pleased to find something so great close to the city!

http://picasaweb.google.com/megan.leanderson/WestOfAuckland

Boney M. - Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord (1978)

2007-12-06T00:28:00.001-08:00

American TV has its fair share of funny holiday commercials....well so does New Zealand TV. This has to be the funniest, they frequently run a holiday commercial promoting this CD... what?!

Hongi

2007-11-29T23:55:00.000-08:00

David Beckham is now in NZ! Pictured above is Becks giving a traditional greeting (called a hongi) to a local Maori dancer as he arrives in Wellington.

A Nation of Hairy Philanthropists

2007-11-29T18:28:00.000-08:00

Movember, formally known as the month of November, is a very popular annual charity event held in NZ. Movember participants register at the beginning of the month with clean shaven faces and subsequently are dubbed, mo bros. Mo bro’s then take upon themselves the daunting task of growing and grooming a spectacular mustache and raising money for men’s health issues. This hairy undertaking culminates with Gala party events in Auckland, where it is rumored that, “Tom Selleck and Richard Hadlee look-a-likes battle it out on the catwalk for their chance to take home the prestigious Man of Movember title.”

Nearly every morning on their news (the Breakfast show) they talk about Movember; they are keenly chronicling the hair growth of one of the news anchors. Viewers have been treated to a play-by-play of the mo growing process.

A dedicated mo bro also wears mo gear, a collection of t-shirts and paraphernalia that supports their cause. My personal favorite is this lovely gem, the mo ho necklace:

http://www.movember.com/nz/souvenirshop/product.php?productid=16154&cat=0&page=1

As this Movember is coming to an end, I have noticed an overwhelming presence of hairy philanthropists in my midst. Why today I saw 3 mo’s just in the Starbucks! Despite my overwhelming desire to document this phenomena, better manners have prevented me from taking pics of the mo’s roaming the streets of Auckland. I will leave that to your imagination….

2007-11-27T14:13:00.000-08:00

On December 16th we will be moving out of temporary housing into our new apartment. Space may be a little tight, but who needs a bathroom when you have good views, right?
We will be lucky to enjoy views of some of Auckland's most famous landmarks. Skytower is the space needle looking building which is only a block away and we can also look out to the Auckland bridge which goes north out of the city. Our apartment is not well suited for those afraid of heights; being 24 floors up in a space that is 1/3 windows you are well aware of how high you are.
Best of all, Mat will be able to walk to work. We are right off of Queen Street which is the main street in the CBD (central business district). Queen Street is a busy area with lots of shops and cafes, but perhaps most importantly it is partially covered so that in the rainy season you can walk for blocks without getting wet. We are anticipating come NZ winter (Junish through August) this will be a major bonus since their winters are supposed to be very rainy and chilly.
We continue to anxiously await the arrival of our container which has all of our furniture and personal belongings in it. As we go on week number 6 living out of a suitcase, I cant tell you how comforting it will be when that sweet ship comes from America. Our container is supposed to land at Auckland's port on December 16th and then could take days or weeks to clear customs. Therefore, we will be living in the new place without anything for a little while. We are hoping for a Christmas miracle, it would be so nice to have a holiday with some stuff in our apartment!
I continue to find NZ is challenging to adapt to in ways that are difficult to quantify and explain. The nuances of the kiwi culture and the subtle day to day things that make me feel so far from home are starting to add up. In speaking with other Americans here in Auckland, I discovered that we are not alone. Nearly everyone we have talked to who moved here from the states gives us a knowing smile and uses a sympathetic tone when they say they understand.
Conversations with other Americans usually go like this:
"Ya- I know isn't it so weird?"... "Highly bizzare"..... "Christmas is not really Christmas, its a barbe on the beach"...... "Don't worry, you will get used to driving here".... "No, coffee is not really coffee"...."Nope, there is not shopping here, just forget it"...."If someone asks you to tea in the evening, they mean dinner".....you get the idea
Mat is in Manila for a week on business. He arrived safely despite the looming typhoon and yesterday called to tell me he experienced his first earthquake. No worries, he says business as usual went on and he is doing just fine.
http://picasaweb.google.com/megan.leanderson/NewApartment

North of Auckland

2007-11-19T16:00:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, we rented a car and explored north of Auckland. Our trip marked a number of firsts; our first time outside of the city, our first glimpses of the famed NZ beaches and the first time driving on the left side of the road.

As New Zealand became a British colony in 1840, many kiwi traditions and customs are hallmarks of their English background. Tea, fish and chips and driving on the left are all part of New Zealand life!

Mat was an excellent driver, his only instructions by the rental company were, “keep telling yourself to stay left”. We repeated the mantra over and over as we made the first couple turns and then before we knew it, we were out of the city and onto the 2 lane “major highway”.
We explored a few small towns, a couple beaches, a vineyard and enjoyed the beautiful countryside. Please follow the link to view our pictures:
http://picasaweb.google.com/megan.leanderson/November

The NZ countryside is beautiful with rolling hills and lush fauna. It is particularly striking how few people inhabit this country once you are outside of the city. New Zealand’s population is about 4 million total and about 1/3 of those Kiwi’s live in Auckland. Therefore, as soon as you leave the city you see more livestock than humans by far. (Fun Fact there are nearly 10 sheep for every human in this country).

We found it amazing that there were so few people at this amazing beach!

Overall, it was relatively easy to get out and explore. The adventures we had this weekend only made us more excited to have visitors……. Hint hint!

2007-11-06T15:34:00.000-08:00

As promised, I would like to elaborate on my previous mention of Food Alley. It has become a running joke that this is Mats favorite place in Auckland; if given the chance he would eat there every night.

It is conveniently located directly across the street from our temporary apartment and it is comprised of booth after booth of asian cuisine.

For those of you who know me, I love trying new food. For those of you who know Mat, he loves his food courts. Therefore, Food Alley is one of our favorite finds! (BTW Mats co-workers think we are highly bizarre because of this)

Before our first visit to Food Alley we read about it in our guide books and thought it sounded exactly like the places Anthony Bordain would visit in his no reservations guide to Auckland. That's exactly what you get- authentic cuisine, no frills. (OK OK, by this I mean its pretty dirty, you sit on benches and you feel like you are in China)

I have attached a video for you to get the full idea! Enjoy!

First Days in Auckland

2007-10-28T16:02:00.000-07:00

We have officially arrived, safe and sound to New Zealand. After a very long trip, we have begun to settle into our temporary housing in the city center. We are in a perfect location, a block from the waterfront; a block from Mearsk’s building and walking distance to most amenities we will need. Additionally, and most incredibly exciting (at least for Mat) we are across the street from a huge, highly acclaimed international food court. They call this mecca, Food Alley. More on this later…..
We spent the weekend getting acquainted with the city, which is very easy to do. It is not difficult to navigate the cities neighborhoods (they call them suburbs). So far we have been especially grateful that New Zealanders speak English, however their vernacular and amusing accent has been the most difficult thing to adjust to as of yet. Our first impression of Aucklanders and perhaps the country as a whole is that they do not take themselves seriously- AT ALL. Nowhere is this more prevalent than on the local morning news. We wake up in stitches every morning as the news casters report on the daily scoop. As of late, the locals are disappointed that they were unable to enjoy the annual “half naked” run through the city which was not sponsored this year. And the valor with which they talk about cooking on the BBQ has also been one of our favorites. The Barbe is serious business!
So far we have been most surprised by how similar yet dissimilar our cultures are. There are the obvious commonalities in language and their obsession with our celebrities. But the sports, the driving on the left and the eccentric personalities add up to making us feel very far from home. All in all, we are doing well and the jetlag is nearly kicked, but we already miss people from home. So keep in touch and we hope to have more news soon!

Link to a few wedding photos

2007-10-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

http://picasaweb.google.com/megan.leanderson/Wedding

44 South

2007-10-16T18:35:00.001-07:00

The last couple months have passed by in a rush of once in a lifetime events. Both Mat and I graduated; me from GW and Mat from his trainee program. And after two long years of speculation, we have our expat destination-- Auckland, New Zealand! Oh ya, and did I mention that we got engaged this past August and married in September :) We couldn't be happier to finally be together and are so excited about moving abroad as a married couple. Its been a very blessed couple of months.
It is hard to believe that we are one week away from our move date. This blog will serve to chronicle our travels and hopefully keep us in touch with everyone we will miss back home!
Stay tuned.....