Sunday, 27 April 2014

Wants and Wishes #1

A few things I really want (but for the most part probably will not get):



This floppy fedora for my winter wanderings. Can't get over the way hats are coming back. Now I just need to find somewhere to start flaunting my increasing collection.

This fluffy jumper in patriot blue AND coral blush. SO COSY.

This swing skirt to make me feel like my life's a movie.

A cape a little like this one, though I can only find them on pinterest, woe is me!

Some customisable trainers which will 100% get me to the gym! I love this trend of cool and colourful trainers, makes exercising so much more fun. Or trendier at least, you'll still hurt afterwards.

A raincoat! My kingdom for a decent raincoat!! It is so wet and windy down in wellington and though I have a light raincoat, I need a decent windproof, waterproof, rain can't get me raincoat. I have my eyes on a few but this one looks pretty decent though a bit pricey. If it's for a few years then maybe I can justify it!
Maybe...
Rachel xx

Sunday, 20 April 2014

Week in Photos - April mid-semester

I'm home for a fortnight for Easter and the midterm break so a quick update on my last week or so.


We went for a nosey around the night markets on cuba street and popped into Pegasus books.
Might have bought a book.
Might not have.
(hint: I did)

My university hall had a "The Oscars" themed dinner night and we took a break from work (slash I think I was the only one with a test left by that point..) to get dressed up.


We had a floor event and all went out for a byo dinner at Ozeki Japanese Restaurant.
It may have been raining but we still had a lovely evening though I 100% over ate and had to go home and food coma for a while after.
No regrets.


When all tests were over we went out on the town and ended up at a cowboy bar.
No questions asked please.
Sadly I did not get to keep the hat.


Oh hello William and Kate, how nice to see you! Lined up with hundreds of other people to catch a glimpse of the royals as they went for a walkabout on their final day in the country!

On to lots of holiday rest!
Rachel xx

Saturday, 19 April 2014

Growing Up and Going Out

I just want to put it out there that I have been working on this post for basically a month now. But everytime I sat down to finish it, I reminded myself that actually, I had a lot of tests looming and really hadn't done that much study... and so I got back to work and saved this for another day.

So.


A few weeks ago, my friend turned 18.
This was a joyous time for all of us, because she's one of the last ones to turn 18 and so we crept a little bit closer to all being able to go out on the town together!

But before we could care about going out, we went to the zoo.

As everyone should do on their 18th birthday!

The birthday girl in all her glory

Everyone took a break from their assignments, from their studying and their stresses and we all went and were wild little kids for an afternoon.


There were meerkats.


Sunbears, just hanging out.


Us hanging out with a (slightly less real) sunbear

A giraffe or three, just popping over to say hi


They'd spread the word that it was feeding time.

Giraffes can be such gossips.


It was a fabulous day and although very windy by the end, we had a loverly time.
Don't mess with this gang.

I spent about half an hour ( I actually don't think I'm exaggerating) watching the chimpanzees because there was a baby chimp who desperately just wanted to play with the teenage chimp and I could not walk away from it.

Not to mention there was a baby Agouti!!

So stoked with life.

No one seems to know what an Agouti is so here is a picture of a baby agouti from google because to be honest, I can't really explain it to you.

SOCUTE.

Renee went out for dinner with a family friend that night so we took the opportunity to wrap her presents.
Unfortunately whilst we'd managed to get all the presents, whoever had been on wrapping paper duty had failed sadly.
So we became the ultimate students and wrapped all her presents in newspaper - and they say kids these days have no ingenuity!

We got ready for our big night out for the (finally) 18 year old and had a wee bit of a floor photo sesh.











And a good day was had by all!



Monday, 31 March 2014

Follow me on Bloglovin.

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/11982051/?claim=nh5j7pa2m7e">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>


I'm not 100% how this works to be honest but you can now follow me through bloglovin!
How exciting you cry. Expecially if you, like me, love a good procrastination excuse.
Because I am cuurently in the uni library.
Pretending to be working on my psychology lab report.
But not.

Whoops.

Rachel xx

Friday, 21 March 2014

University Days


I may have been a bit remiss with this blog. I told myself I would post at least once a week. I told myself I would be committed and dedicated.

Obviously I am a bit of a liar.

In my defense I have started university and there's been Oweek and moving into my hall, starting lectures and actually trying to make some friends!
All that aside, I am gonna keep trying. I promise.

So in the absence of actual regular updates, here's what I've been up to:

- I moved cities to the capital, moved into my new hall, my new room and settled down.

Decorating.
What a great view of the harbour...and the boys playing sports on the field below!

-Except for I didn't because it was Oweek and it's prime friend making time. Think Toga party, think themed parties, think clubbing every night for a week. My feet hurt by the end if I'm going to be perfectly honest.

toga!
Pixies together x


-I have made some great new friends, and despite only being here a month, (I've been here a month already!?) I feel like I've known some of them forever.

Tiger, Teacher, Prisoner, Princess, Pharoah, Pixie.

-I've started my lectures. This semester I'm taking four papers: English, History, Psychology and Law. It's hard after being out of the whole learning thing for a year but really great at the same time.

-Went for an open day look around Government House, got chatting with a lady there and ended up with a job!
 
Had to wear those gloves to look through that book.

SUCH a nice day and yum, kaffe eis ice creams

one minute basically tourists...

...the next, employed!

 -Actually joined a gym! This is pretty massive for me as I've always been a little bit anti-exercise. But I've realised that I do actually love how I feel after I work out and you can do some such fun classes. I've been taking a few yoga classes and also fight-do, which is 'shadow boxing' but it leaves you feeling so empowered, like you could take down any one who came at you!

And so many other things.

Tonight, we were about to go to dinner when we all got a text saying that we should go out to dinner, cos some one was craving steak. So we all got a wee bit dressed up and headed down in to town. We didn't book, just wandered until we found a restaurant and all piled in.

The girls.
Sorry for the photo quality, they were taken on a friends phone.

Most of us ordered steak as it's not exactly one of the meals we get in the dining hall and consequently it was one of the most delicious meals of my life.


J & I

 Hope you all have a great weekend,

Rachel x



Tuesday, 18 February 2014

Kawhia Dreamin'

This past weekend we went on a mini road trip.

A, G, Morgan and I all piled into G's tiny car Cleo, and motored on out to Kawhia. For those of you not from NZ, that's pronounced ka-fee-ah.

The beautiful G

Our friend Erika lives out there, right on the waters edge. Her house is a beautiful old house with so much character and charm that you never want to leave.


Not to mention the fact that she is so lovely and her family is so lovely. Weekends there are weekends you'll remember for all the right reasons.

Last time we went for a few days and we A, G, Erika and I were meant to be having a french study weekend.
Not precisely how it went down.
We did have an evening of french cuisine and made a music video to a sort of french song though.

Saturday was Erika's birthday and originally we were going out in the afternoon but due to work and things like that, the four of us didn't end up arriving until past 9.

The sunset was so pretty as we were driving but this was the best picture I managed!

But regardless of the time we arrived, our welcome was super warm. There were some other family friends already round who had arrived for dinner and luckily for us they had waited dessert!

And thank goodness for that because it was marvelous. Chocolate fondue with mounds of fruit and marshmallows too, and then french vanilla cheesecake for her birthday cake and then cup after cup of tea for Erika and I while the others had herbal teas and hot choccies. 

Stuffed!

There was an older man there (Erika wasn't really sure who he was. Sort of a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend scenario) who made a few comments like 'oh, that's very fatty' and 'better watch how much of that you're eating', which I think got to Morgan a bit as she was next to him. HOWEVER, being the tough old gals we are, we soldiered through and devoured pretty much everything on the table.
I think that's the only way to deal with people like that.

We then sat by the fire-pit for ages as it grew darker and everyone else snuck off to bed. It was such a lovely night, not cold but just the right amount of crisp. We chattered and sang and gossiped until we finally removed ourselves to the sleep-out where we chattered and gossiped for even longer. 
Except for G. She fell asleep so fast I had to take her glasses off her.

Bounce.

The next morning we woke mid morning and Erika's parents were out but they had left us a platter of fruit and told us that they'd cook up brunch when they were home.

So we started the fire-pit going again. They have this barbeque thing which is a stand with trays that swing over the fire, and bread toasting forks and nothing ever seems to taste better. 
So once again we sat around the food for ages, just taking it in. 

We sauntered down to the edge of their property which is on the waterfront and hopped onto the platform her brother and his friends had made. Although some of the boards were a bit thin, over all it was pretty sturdy. Admittedly none of us went jumping around but still. 


You'll have to excuse the finger.
And the Miley Cyrus hair.
No one tells you just how comfy it is to wear.


Finally about mid afternoon, we had to start heading back. Sad though it was to say goodbye to Kawhia, Erika is also heading down to the capital for uni so her I will see again in no time.

Been anywhere dreamy lately? x



Friday, 14 February 2014

Girls Day In

Yesterday we had a b-e-a-utiful girls day.


Nothing glamorous.
Nothing glitzy.


We helped my friend A paint shelves and a coffee table for her new flat.

See? Told you it wasn't glam.

But we had a great time just hanging out together, singing along to music (A and G harmonising beautifully as usual) and laughing when we got paint on ourselves. Laughing probably more than the occasion warranted to be honest but you know how it is when you get with your friends.

And once we were done (sort of not really), we went for a walk and rewarded ourselves with ice creams.
I somehow managed to get chocolate all down the front of my top. Just lucky I guess.

Here's our slightly singalong girls day in playlist (or a little bit of it anyway.)


  • Undercover of darkness - The Strokes
  • That's what makes you beautiful - One Direction
  • Undercover Martyn - Two Door Cinema Club
  • Haven't met you yet - Michael BublĂ©
  • Northside Gal - JD McPherson
  • Red - Taylor Swift (To be perfectly honest, we listened to the entire Red album)
  • Featherstone - The Paper Kites
  • Ready or Not - Bridget Mendler
  • Trumpets - Jason Derulo
Have fun!