In Auckland

Here I am! It's still very surreal to be here. Being in the city is definitely hectic, but I'm starting to calm down now that I know my way around and am starting to meet people and get situated.

The hostel I'm staying at is on Queen Street in the shopping district, so there's a lot of cool fashion, a lot of expensive cafes, and a lot of people rushing around. Here's the Sky Tower, that people frequently bungy jump from, and the view from the window right in front of my bed in the hostel:



This is Albert park, right up the street from the hostel, and I laid in the grass in the sun the first day I was here, and read a book on a bench this morning. Lots of people jogging around, it's very cute.


And yesterday, I took a long walk to a cuter part of town, and I picked a lemon! From a tree in someone's yard, but I'm sure they don't mind; it was hard as a rock.


I took an amazing Ashtanga yoga class at a studio I found when I was walking around. It was an awesome class, with a lot of people, and the studio was so light and airy. I felt right at home, and I'm definitely sore today, it kicked my butt.


And some of the many bookstore's I've poked around in...




Here's a view of the ocean, there's a lot of sailboats and the city extends across the whole bay; it's huge.

And here I am in the hostel, happy but feeling dazed. I'm starting to get used to it though, from the orientation I went to today I'm getting very excited to feel at home here and explore.


I'm off to Wellington early tomorrow morning on an 11-hour bus ride...wish me luck!

Post-Op.

Sitting in bed, minus 4 wisdom teeth but plus a lot of yuckiness.
Reading a lot of books and watching movies and sleeping.


I just found Celeste Potter.

An artist who did a video for Sarah Blasko. Click. Watch.

The illustrations are so good. So good.

Last night was spent out in the small cabin by the lake. I woke up and did yoga on the porch while the fish were jumping, and took a walk.

Everyone will be leaving really soon. To college, and for me, to adventure. I'm having mixed feelings, between the excitement of leaving and the reverence of how long we've been friends.



Right now I'm making lemon-lavender shortbread and cleaning out the room we'll be giving to a boarder.

I'm reading The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp, and it has me examining my creativity as a responsibility--to learn about it, to give it time every day to grow by sitting down with a pencil or a paintbrush, by finding out more about it by exploring my own creative tendencies, by respecting it enough to let it lead me.

It has really interesting exercises, like going a week without looking in a mirror to see how your perspective of yourself changes, or not speaking for a week, to absorb your surroundings instead of add to them. Also, it has questions that delve into the nature of your creativity, how you view the world, what makes sense to you, how you express whatever is inside.

It's making me think about my future in an entirely different way.

pretty things. REALLY pretty things.

I love this ring. If I could make jewelry, I would make this ring. The whole gallery is beautiful.

I want to sit in this room. Lay on this bed and read books. Just be listless.


Somebody please buy me this bag from moop. I love all of their bags. And their photos of them make them just so enticing and pretty.

Listen to the Teacups. They are adorable.

Also, this video of Emily Wells. Watch it and listen, it's cool.

Also, Rebecca from playful noshings is so inspirational. She teaches yoga on farms. I read that and immediately thought "I want to do that!". Growing my own food, teaching yoga, baking good things, living happily in each moment...it's exciting.

Love, darlings!

Added Later: Okay. So I've been reading more about Moop, and falling more and more in love with them. It's a couple-run business, and check out their studio:
I love it.

This interview with them is all about the good and bad of running their own business. It seems totally worth it, despite all the hard work, because they're doing what they love. I think that's the most important part.

Oh, and we have a lavendar plant outside, maybe I could make this lemon-lavender shortbread. Yum.

Not much to say, just pictures.

Make These Scones Now.

We're having a garage sale today, I made scones to sustain us. They're healthy and yummy and ridiculously easy. I should probably get down to the sale now!

Scones from Babycakes Bakery

Ingredients

2 cups flour (original recipe calls for spelt, to make them gluten-free)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup canola oil

1/3 cup agave nectar

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup hot water

1 cup fresh raspoberries (I used frozen blueberries)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, whisk the spelt with the baking powder and salt. Stir in the oil, agave nectar and vanilla. Stir in the hot water, then the raspberries.
2. Scoop 12 mounds of batter 1/3 cup each onto the prepared baking sheet and lightly brush the tops with oil. Bake the scones for 20 minutes, or until golden. Let the baking sheet cool completely on top of a rack.