Merry Christmas to all my readers

Hope you all have a fantastic day and bring in the New year with a bang.

pre Christmas craziness

Since last post I have celebrated my sisters Birthday, My friend Michelles Birthday. Seen two great movies, Into the wild and Mr Magoriums wonder imporium. Had the work client christmas do at the fancy Rocco restaurant. Explored 2 more markets round town the French style one which was great and the Victoria Park one which was the worst yet. Also had my Bookclubs Christmas do which was good to stock up on good books pre summer holidays. Congrats to Lauren who is expecting. The building Christmas party and work staff party so all in all a very normal frantic busy end of year.

Also finally watched the whole of season one and two of Outrageous Fortune so am up with all the goss at work about the characters.

I finally got to see my sisters friend Reubens band the Mint Chicks live - they were pretty crazy looked like an 80's pop band sounded like heavy metal and had a crowd of young and hips. I did a bit of moshing but realised was not fit enough to sustain it for what was an incredibly long set. Glad I got to see them before they head over to Portland Oregon to live for a while.

by the way the image of the tree is a pohutukawa, as it flowers in december and is red and green we call it the NZ Christmas tree. I have severalm just outside my window. The skytower also gets into the vibe and changes it lights for the occasion.

Love the silly season

This is such a great time of year as here is always so much to do - and best of all alot of it is free.

Saturday I brought a beautiful new stool for my place so I can seat more than 2 people which was from the trade aid store all the way from india and in my ever so favourite islamic style with lots of detail and pattern and it even has hearts on the top. Then I went to the craft markets and farmers markets. then I bumped into Kate Boswell in a typically embarrassing Tanya fashion on Ponsonby Road.

Saturday Night I got to dance and sing my heart out along with 100,000 other christmas crazies at the Coca cola Christmas in the park which was great and the rain held out right till the end. Amazing fireworks and the huge mrs Claus float was very cool.

Sunday I took our two secondees from India Sarves and Sivarim out to breakfast in the revolving restaurant in the Sky tower and then to Kelly Tarltons underwater world and antarctic experience which was alot of fun.

Finally Sunday night went to see American Dance troupe Complexions at the Aotea Centre who were amazing so emotional and fabulous choreography, lighting and outfits. Hope they come again.

december is here

At work alone this week we have had 2 birthdays, a farewell and a birth. So lots of cake and pizza and beer. Then outside of work have seen two movies. The first being Heartbreak Kid which made crack up so much at all the weirdness. The other was Beowolf in 3d which was really cool love 3d, struggle not to put my hand out to try and touch the things. The animation was so life like at times I could have sworn they were real people. And unfortunately for us girls - Angelina even looks good as a cartoon.

Also went to a gallery opening which was fun as got to go out for dinner afterwards with all the artists and their friends.

Thursday caught up with Sean who was over on business from Melbourne - was nice to hear what has been happening over there.

Friday got to catch up with my parents who had recently returned from a week in Samoa - which I have to say looks amazing - another place I will have to visit.

Today went for a walk in town only to first bump into a maori protest and then a bit further down a pro smacking protest and then a little further down again a parade of Hari Chrisnas with their golden chariot. so a rather colourful walk. Then caught up with my sister and started to do the xmas shopping - ooooohhh so love it.

Congrats to Dane on becoming a dad

Congratulations go out to my boss Dane. His son was born on Wednesday 28th November weighing a small 3kgs or 7lbs 4.

Weird Christmas Decorations

on my work today I noticed that the street decorations had gone up on Krd one of Aucklands seedier and more colourful roads. Which makes the decoration all the more funny as they are angels that only have one wing. I was wondering if they were suggesting it was the area of fallen angels. The photo is not a good representation as it shows the wing of the angel on the reverse so could almost look normal.

In our main road we also have Giant baubles that look as though they have crashed into the earth. Oh and as pointed out by Grant our department store windows have two elves that are dry humping.

Oh how much I love Christmas :)

What a week

Well the week started fun after a long night out with good conversation on Sunday with an old friend but then it sped up and all sorts of things happened. The company I work for announced that the two directors were spliting the company so I went from 18 to 5 on the upside I apparently have the cool boss and we get to stay in the nice building.

Then my bank claimed the form I had signed from them locking in an interest rate was not the right one (like I was supposed to know that) so tried to make me pay a whopping 2% more than agreed so fought like crazy and after talking to 3 tiers of managers finally bet them back to my original price.

So you can imagine I was looking forward to the weekend. Got to do one of my favourite things - watch the santa parade which is convieniently just at the end of my street. Love seeing all the mad costumes and floats and the smiles on the kids faces.

only 29 days till Christmas man has time flown.

New Haircut and The Grey Lynn Festival

So I have shed Grant and am single again - with this in mind thought it was time for a change so for the first time ever I have a fringe. I call it my hairy caterpilla as it tickles me all the time and still not used to it keep looking in the mirror and feeling like a stranger is there. But its always good to try new things.

Also went to the Grey Lynn festival which was fabulous a beautiful sunny day, some great reggae and hippy music and lots and lots of people, also the first market which reminded me of St Kilda only its only on once a year so am trying to suss out where they are normally.

would appreciate your thoughts on the fringe.

Christmas in the city

Well its my favourite time of year again and I am happy to report the classic massive finger beckoning, eye winking santa is still appearing on the old farmers now whitcoulls building. Also happy to say that Auckland has window to compete with myers in bourke street melbourne. yippee only 38 days to go.

New office

The company I work for has just moved from Queen street in the heart of the city into Williamson Ave in Ponsonby which is the heart of the trendy area for those in Melbourne kinda the Chapel street so not good for lunch times as way too many temptations. But on the upside a much nicer building and I have a huge desk and a window seat.

Guy Fawkes

Had such fun lighting (Well actually my sister did the lighting) of lots of fireworks tonight we even managed to spell letters with the sparklers and save them on film. so glad we can still celebrate them in NZ really missed this while living in OZ. Oh and for those that don't know guy fawkes actually is the 5th of november and commemorates the bungled attempt to blow up the houses of parliament in England.

Op Shop and Brooke Fraser

Last night I was lucky enough to watch two homegrown singers and they were both amazing. I have loved brooke fraser for ages and she is just as amazing live and extremely funny you get a comedy show at the same time as a music one. Glad I have her cds so can keep singing along.

Coming to Melbourne in January

This time it is a definite as have booked my flights. So anyone in town between 19th and 23rd of January hopefully I can steal a minute. Only commitment is the sure to be beautiful wedding of Regan and James on the afternoon of the 19th. Anyway I am very excited only 54 days till xmas and 79 till I come over I'm sure it will fly.

Happy Halloween

Hope everyone is having a scary night and making it better by eating lots of sweets. I still have my virus but am finally getting a bit better just waiting till walking 5 metres doesn't make me puff.

Labor Weekend

Well It should have been an amazing weekend away with Grant to Waiheke Island for three days but unfortunately we made the most of it but the weather was awful, our neighbours extremely noisy and I was sick as a dog and when I got back to the mainland I went to see my doctor only to find out I have Glandula fever. No idea how I got it as no one round me has it - and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy as I have never felt so achy and tired and completely dependent in my life. It is day 11 and I am still not even close to being back to normal as everything still makes me tired and my ears are still blocked. but atleast I had my first night without fever and sweats so that was nice.

Any advice from people who have had it on how to get rid of it a bit faster would be great.

can't make it over for labour weekend

so apologies to everyone I told I was heading over next week. that was before I started seraching for flights. I can't seem to find any for less than $1200 so way too much for 3 days. On the upside I have Regans wedding in January so will try and come over for a long weekend then. hopefully you won't all be away on holidays.

Northcote College 150 year reunion

Well lets just say this was a disaster as even though there were over a 1000 attendees as for ones who attended between the years of 1980 and 2007 there were 10 of which myself and my two friends were 3 so not much of a catchup. but did get to say hi to a lot of my old teachers and hear some amazing stories from people who attended during the war.

Cybele at NZ fashion week

Well lucky stylishly challenged me has a very talented friend who is one of the designers at Cybele the next big thing in NZ fashion so I got to go free to their catwalk show and it was so much fun. I had my sister with me who knows who everyone is so that made it even better as got loads of goss on all the fashion crazies. Also got to see Trelise Cooper up close one of my all time favourite designers. Also in true Tanya fashion managed to totally do something embarrasing with no idea as walked up to a girl in the crowd and said "I recognise you from somewhere" "Did you used to live in Scotia" luckily she did but as it turns out she is one of the biggest faces in NZ TV so starting the conversation with you look familiar was a bit funny luckily after I explained I had been out of the country during her rise to fame I was let off with a laugh.

Back into the shoe box

On september the 10th (fluckily the same day I left on my world trip a year ago) I moved back into my apartment in the city. I was happy to find that after 5 years and no sightings that everything was still in reasonably good nick. Don't get me wrong still had to do heaps of scrubbing and throwing out before it was deemed liveable by my standards but there really is something so much nicer about your own place as opposed to renting. Still need to work on the decor a bit. And far from having moved all my stuff in yet as most of my artworks and books are still st the folks.

Also brought my first real bed and it was alot of research and alot of hopping on and off beds but well worth it the bed I now have is a top of the line dream machine it even makes me the most morning person I know want to sleep in that little bit longer.

OK back to blogging

So sorry for the long absence, I don't really have a huge excuse just got out of the habit. Lots has happened so will break it all up. For those that don't know I have a new man in my life called Grant. met him through Kev in Melbourne originally and caught up when I got back and it went from there. So that is a nice development and we have been having fun going to movies and on little trips together for the last 2 months.

August update

Well started the month flat out with temping at businesses such as Fairfax, Bluestar, M&C Saatchi, Gibson Rusden which was interesting to get an insight into what is happening round town in the agencies.

Then headed to semi permanent lectures with my Fashion designer friend Emma to get inspired by lots of local and international speakers. Was most inspired by a company called UVA who do lighting production for people like massive attack and the V&A. Also loved Misery a local grafitti artist who had dancing sausages as part of her talk.

Seen some fabulously funny movies - chuck and larry and knocked up. Saw a great DVDs blood diamond, read a great book Lance Armstrongs biography.

Went to an opening of my sisters boyfriends art at her gallery and also got to see some great porn pics from the victorian age and the 60s so different to todays.

Went to see Greg Johnson perform at the sky city wasn't overly impressed but his support act was amazing.

Went to see Sir Ian McKellen in King Leah and it was amazing and his naked seen was a surprise, he has a big willy for an old guy.

And of course most important went to work at Marker for the first time. I absolutely love my job and the people just hope they love me back and decide to keep me round for a while.

Art Cars

As dad is a fellow on the designers institute of NZ I luckily get to go to all sorts of inspiring things. Last night we were lucky enough to hear talks from 2 transport designers. One was even one of the inventors of go carts. Also got to see 4 of the art cars that BMW have sponsored over the years. My favourite was one by Liechenstein who had drawn comic style the landscape as it whipped by onto the car.

In Memory of Graham

It is a very sad time for our family as we have had to say a final farewell to our cousin Graham. He will be sadly missed.

Rainy Day in Murawai

well sunday saw Grant and I head for a nice drive to Murawai beach for a brisk walk in the rain. It really showed me how unfit I was though as by the walk back the sand walking was killing me. I love love love beaches though and no rain was going to stop me from enjoying myself. we also saw a few crazy rock fisherman still all alive when we left.