Two of Christchurch's best features...

..being...1) the first trees of blossom for Spring (these are my first to be sighted), and 2) the Christchurch Town Hall, assuredly sitting behind.   Pretty.  Pretty cool.
(Photo taken from top secret location of Black Estate all day strategic quarterly meeting).  Nice view for thinking.

Chilli Tamarind Sorbet at The Bohdi Tree

So dinner on Thursday night was at the Bohdi Tree - and this $6 dessert has to be the best cleansing dessert in town.  Sweet, sour, 'hot' and cold!!  Visit just for this (but the other plates of Burmese food are stunning - and I really don't like use of that word - but - the food there really is....'stunning').

Book Club Finale

I started a book-club 2 years ago now, which is courageous for me as 'clubs' or regular commitments are not really my thing...and I only really started to read for pleasure at 30 (4 years ago)!  It has been great - 6 women have got to know each other - and built confidence around talking about books - or even confidence in just meeting each other and having people round!  We decided to end it on a 'high'.  The final book was The Portable Dorothy Parker - her poems and stories.  Check out the best chocolate macaroons in town next to the finale book!

 

And there was some great wall paper going down at our Book Club hostess' home..

This was almost like a hologram!

These stripes were custom made...

Wot a setting for book discussion...

Last days of the million dollar view on the roof...

This view has been a 5 day-a-week treat for the past 4 years - its the view from Tuam Towers' roof top (the Christchurch City Council building), and it is on this roof top that the Events Teams have got on with their work with a lot of french cricket, some sun bathing, not nearly enough parties, and the odd canine day visitor - all which have gone mostly unnoticed.  Soon we will depart into a very cool new building - a 1950s refit.  I will post my new work station on September 10. Yep - watch this space for some exclusive pics!

Weeding...'Spot the Difference'

Before

and....After!

Colourful Saturday Lunch

'Bunny Breath'

Over the last week, this guy has been obsessed with finding rabbit burrows - especially ones with baby rabbits - and doing unmentionable things with them!  We all know I have referred to him as a 'human-dog' or 'dog-child'.  Well - he has now moved through to full throttle....'dog'.  Go him.

Antarctica - in many ways...

Quality control required on the photograph front I know! But, at least I am still keeping up the records up while back to a heavy work week in Christchurch.  This is the launch of the 'Heart of the Great Alone' - an exhibition from the Royal Collection (yes - Betty's collection), and the only time outside the Queen's palaces that the photos will be exhibited.  The Governor General (bless him - what a lovely speaking voice he has), read out a message from the Queen to open the exhibition - and apart from his dolcet tones you could have heard a pin drop during her message. Amazing power that woman has! And gorgeous to get all 'royal' on it. And to hear new stories for me on Scott and Shackelton's journeys.  Their words (like the Queen's), were so well chosen.

One of the many brilliant people who work with Antarctica in Christchurch wore this great tie to the event. It was a souvenier of one his first 'winter-overs' in Antarctica. 1987. I liked the 'club-vibe' of it.

Vine Grillin at Pen and Nick's Place...

Pinot prunings from the vineyard plus a bit of oak barrel created some pretty good coals to grill this slab of Canterbury lamb for lunch!  Served with a celeriac lentil salad and warm baked beetroot slices...green salad to follow, with cheese and the most delicious savoy pears baked in vanilla and cream.  Gee it was good.

Celebrating the Seasons

I've been at Pen and Nick's place in Waipara this weekend (the sis and brother in law..).  I found this beautiful picture book titled 'Seasons' by Gecko Press. 

Graphically I have shown what we have been up to.... (so conceptual)..

Why I married my husband...

Thursday night, I come home to 2 x organic pork chops, coleslaw (a la Thomas Keller's Adhoc recipe) and roasted smashed potatoes.  Note the sage 'brown butter' on the side to dress the pork, nicely placed on 1 of 2 vintage napkins I found in San Francisco.  Eating in has never been so good! 

We've beaten the national average - 3 years married!

We celebrated 3 years of being married on August 11th - with a nice drink at the Christchurch Temperance Society.  Anniversary celebrations are even better than birthdays in my book!

Nice Window

I had a work dinner at the Great Hall on Monday night - open fires, long tables and this lit window (camera didn't pick up the light).

A Night Out at the 'Rugger'

We had a unique night out last night - invited to AMI stadium to watch the Bledisloe match. It started off with some quality entertainment in the Square - as well as Phil Koegan and Jason Gunn, we had some travelling Japanese chanters who like to develop chants for national teams...

This guy looked to be enjoying it...

...promoting an interesting philosophy, reminiscent of another era perhaps....?

We jumped on our bikes to cruise down 'rugby road', which is quickly being revamped for the Rugby World Cup. It was all closed to traffic, making biking a breeze, and conversation with the rugby fans easy.

 

It was the first sell out crowd at the recently expanded AMI Stadium (39,000) - and ChCh put on a smooth running night.  We are ready!

And we finished a very mellow night of sport at the Bike Thief where the Naish parentals and the Naish/Brown combo met up with us. Al and I enjoyed a decadent hot chocolate (with full whittiker bar melted within and a good slug of brandy).  Nice combo.

Check out the 3 kronans racked up outside at the 'thief'.

 

"Testosterone City"

Rugby fever has taken over the Garden City - you can see I even had it - so much that my hand was shaking as I clicked Richie McCaw! So I saw about 10 All Blacks around the Square. Their arms are so big.  the 'maleness' of them was alarming. We are going to the Bledisloe tomorrow - walking from the Square - where Phil Keoghan will be officially launching 'Rugby Road' - the road to AMI Stadium for the Rugby World Cup in a years time.  Nothing changes in this fair city.  Kind of fun though I have to admit!!