New Zealand, Culturally Starving?

So its March, and the "International Comedy Festival" is still 2 months away but shows have alredy sold out. U2 tickets were gone in less than an hour and the Rolling Stones sold 40,000 tickets in a day. Kayne West sold out while they were still showing the adverts on TV.

So THANK GOD, I managed to get Tickets to see Danny Bhoy......after my first choice Dylan Moran had already sold out. I mean, Who the HELL flys ALL the way to New Zealand and only does two shows.

So we are all lapping up tickets like starving dogs at a gravy factory. The reality is we are far away from the rest of the world, so when big name acts arrive we go temporarily insane. And on the flip side, we suffer so badly from cultural cringe and tall poppy syndrome that we dont even go see a local act till they've made it big overseas.

But its getting better. Local music is on the up and up. I mean no one is willing to fork out more than ten bucks to see a local band, but hey at least people are turning up to the free gigs now.

Oh! Look what I bought!!!!

So. You may have been waiting with baited breath to see what items I purchased for my birthday.

• Cast Iron Wok

Its heavy and after a years use, everything I cook in it will taste great. I already have a cast iron pan and its the best for cooking steaks,pancakes and salmon in. the only trouble with cast iron is washing up. You cant use detergents and I like to reseal it after every wash. Time consuming but so worth it!!

• Ceramic Hair Straightner

Oh yeah, I hope I can figure out how to use the bloody things and not melt my hair. **bloody hell, I have a lot of fricken hair...these things take forever!! I might just stick to paying some one else to do it!!!!!!

• Electronic Kitchen Scales

I know, sounds boring but they are the coolest. In fact they were my impulse buy! They dont even look like scales. They rock. I will post a picture later to prove it.

I'm Officially Older!

Another year has past and I find myself inevitably rushing towards 30 but for now I'm happy to be 26. Zed and I went to the wasabi restaurant in Takapuna were we enjoyed a delicious Japanese meal and delicious warmed sake. Later I was showered with gifts. The most gorgeous pearl earrings and DVD'S to keep me out of trouble during the forthcoming winter. Of course I had to treat myself to a few things since its my birthday. Most importantly a day off work and a check up at the Doctors... Oh yeah I really know how to party. But after the check up its off to spend my hard earned cash on some frivolous items for myself.

Win a TEN grand payment on my Student loan!!! or yours...whatever

The good people at Sunday Star Times are running a competition to have a $10,000 repayment made to your student loan. If you dont have a student loan then you can nominate a person to receive it, and that person could be me. So everybody rush out and buy a Sunday Star times and text the code DEBT to 3993. Make sure you buy a new paper each weekend to find out the new code.

Domestic Tips for the Clueless from the Clueless

Never, ever buy cotton/polyester sheets. God they are awful. I was seduced into buying them, like most people I suspect, by the *SALE!*. They were a fashionable shade of brown with a high thread count and low low price. Delighted with my purchase I kept them sitting in the packaging till one day I felt the urge to throw them on the bed. Being sensible I washed them first. How I waited, so eager, while the spin cycle finished. Oh how I hung them with care in the sun to dry.
Then the disappointment began. Upon bringing them in from the line, I noticed they felt kinda crinkly and stiff. I put them on the bed anyway hoping they were just stiff from drying in the sun. Later that night when I hopped into bed, the nightmare began. They were HORRIBLE to sleep on. All scratchy and stiff, also polyester doesn't breath like cotton, so I got all hot, then all cold, then all hot again. After a second night they have been banished from the bed and pure cotton reigns again.
So let this be a lesson to all. Only buy pure cotton sheets if you want to live.

Caring for your introvert

Well, did you even know I am one? I wasn't always one, I think when I was a child I was different.
Now, however this essay describes me and how I feel everyday. Some of my best friends (yes you especially Jamie) have expressed frustration with my antisocial behavior, but may I kindly direct you to this essay it will explain everything.
Would it be bad form to leave a copy lying around at work? I still get hassled about the last conference we went on. I only managed an hour at the social events planned for the evenings. My colleagues were dismayed to find me perfectly happy reading a book in the hotel room at 9:30pm.
Well after dinner, a couple of drinks and a bit of socialising I was happy to call it a night.
As the essay describes, introverts find other peoples company tiring. After a time, I just need things to be quiet again.
"Just because I'm not talking doesn't mean I hate you"
and you can quote me on that.

Art on Sunday

Sunday morning seemed like the perfect time to wander the halls of the Auckland art gallery. A significant amount of wall space was taken up with the Frances Hodgkins exhibition and I'm not a big fan, so we stuck to the established collections. He Konei mai was mostly Goldie potraits and Lindaur(the artist not the $12 bubbly!) potraits with other odd artists thrown in. The chance to see Goldie works up close was wonderful. There are no barriers in this section of the gallery and you really see the details. Goldie is amazing, his paintings are so detailed, you can see every pore on a face and I was hard pressed to see brush strokes except on the backgrounds. It was amazing. There was also a small collection of modern art which was a bit average with the exception of a stand out piece by Shane Cotton called "southern cross". The constellation was represented by birds and it really caught my eye. I have no artistic expertise, I liked it cause it was pretty.
St Sebastian seems to be a theme for the Gallery at the moment, with many depictions lining the walls. The galleries pride and joy is a recently restored work by Guido Reni. Its huge powerful and quite an emotional picture of St. Sebastian. I looked at it for quite some time.
Although not on display, I do have a small claim to fame, my grandfather has three water colours (1956) held in the Auckland collection. Perhaps there is some talent for art appreciation somewhere in my genes...... there could be hope for me yet.

DMZ Turns 3!

Well after 3 years of "band practice" on Wednesday nights, they finally have a finished album. (I say this in inverted commas because I know for a fact that "band practice" consists of drinking beers and eating tim tams!). So to celebrate there was a gathering of friends fans and hangers on in Ponsonby on Saturday. Since the band was officially 3, the theme was a 3 yr olds birthday party. Fairy bread, cheerios and Champagne make for an interesting afternoon. As an added bonus after everyone had gone home we got to watch "Five go mad in Dorset". Dean (the lucky bastard) had just purchased the complete comic strip set on DVD. He is my new best friend.

Chinese Lantern Festival

Well the 2006 Chinese lantern festival was very popular this year. It was my first visit to the Albert park event and what lanterns I managed to see were pretty cool. The crowds and the heat were phenomenal. I didn't stay too long as I was dragging round one tired man and two under 14's. The crowds just became a bit much for us after a while so we headed home and stopped off for an ice cream on the way home.
I think i'd happily go by myself, but trying to move a group of 4 through the crowds was pretty stressful.

Nathan Haines Live at the Sawmill Cafe

What an experience! Firstly there is the 45 minute drive north from Auckland, take a right at Warkworth and begin enjoying picturesque country side, vineyards, and galleries. Drive until you reach the coast. Take a few turns and drive straight past the fish processing plant until you get to the Sawmill cafe. While its reputation for service is crap, the food and the atmosphere are wonderful. Stocking mostly local wines I enjoyed a couple of Hyperion Pinot gris. Lets say the wine was better than their website. At 10pm the concert began, an hour later than advertised, but that's ok because I got to drink more wine. Nathan Haines had teamed up with a band called the "All Stars" and they were. A fantastic percussionist and two amazing singers, one maori fella and one chick from the UK (not to mention assorted keyboardists and a bass guy). The style was Jazz leaning towards pop. Very acessible tunes punctuated with grand jazz solos from Nathan on flute and saxophones. The bongo solo however really bought the house down. It was a great crowd and a great night, I'll be hunting down the latest CD for sure