Je voudrais un croissant s'il vous plait

I love this little tune. And the video is so cute! Don't blame me if you get it stuck in your head...



And here is Bret in the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra.
Ukulele's rock.


And here he is again in The Black Seeds with a nice little tune for Summer.
Can't wait for those hot summer days and afternoon treats from the dairy.

Music Tuesday - iPod is sad and so am I

I don't know what I did before I got my iPod. Actually I do. It used to take me forever to make mix tapes and I used to have to carry alot of tapes with me. Then cds. Then mini discs. Then I got my iPod and life was sweet. Until it started playing up recently. I have had my iPod for almost 3 years now. I use it pretty much every day. It's not a colour one, but it is white. And it is clever.
So I bought a new computer 2 weeks ago and I have been able to update my iPod, but sometimes it doesn't want to. Like yesterday. It just will not show up in the source list so it cannot update! I hate it when technology goes wrong.
I hunted for my extended warranty details and lucky me, bingo, I found them. So tomorrow I will have to make one of those phone calls I hate. Probably first to a machine, then on hold for twenty minutes or so, then to someone who probably can't help me. See how excited about it I am already? It's just that these things never go well. Those extended warranties that I never want but always seem to get always have clauses. Like when I lived in London and I had worldwide travel insurance through my bank and I went to visit my friend in Scotland and got pick pocketed on the way back home but the insurance would not cover it because I didn't have 'pre-booked' accommodation. Yes I did I told them. I didn't just turn up on my friend's doorstep!
Sigh! Wish me luck!

Something beginning with S...

{photo by flickr user Dave Gorman}

my name: Sarah

four words: serendipity. super. signature. smitten.

town/place: Stratford. Sicily.

boy name: Spencer

girl name: Sabine

occupation: scientist

something found in a kitchen: saffron. sugar. straws

something you shout: salute!

something you look for in a guy/girl: sense of humour

something that is in your room: shoes

place to shop at: Selfridges

name a band/artist: Supergrass. Stephen Malkmus

inspired by Alyson

Are you an eagle or a shark?

{image from Eagle vs Shark}

It's hard to believe it's Monday already. But the nights are getting lighter and the days are getting warmer. I'm loving the winter sun. We have been lucky.

It was a very quiet weekend. Actually I had a whole list of things I wanted to achieve but I spent most of the weekend not well in bed. Stink.

Anyhoo, on Friday night I went to The Fish & Chip Shop for dinner and had the 'Cheap as Chips' meal. De-lish.

{Emma at The Fish & Chip Shop}

Then we went to see Eagle vs Shark. It was sweet, funny, sad, hilarious, embarrassing. In fact, it was a whole lot of things and it has a lot of quotable lines if that's what you're into sucka! (It has a great soundtrack too).

Happy Monday to you x

Music Tuesday - a catchy tune

I know the subject is a little sad but I like this song and it's catchy tune.
I love Kate's accent. And the video is cool too, especially Kate's pretty yellow dress, her haircut, the patterned spiral staircase and the dinky toothbrushes!

Kate Nash - Foundations

{I know it's Wednesday and this is my Music Tuesday post but I went to a pub quiz last night and didn't have time to post!}

A lot happened...

It was a good weekend. Actually, every weekend is a good one. Simply because I have time for me. I love that.

I went to a couple of movies at the Film Festival. Finally getting to see Once. Oh my! Could I possibly be more in love with this movie? I loved every second, every song. Then I went searching for the soundtrack and couldn't find it anywhere. People didn't know what I was talking about. So I listened to the songs on the movie website over and over and then discovered a great podcast which had a full concert by The Swell Season. Ali, by all means you can say 'I told you so' because you posted about this way back here.

Then it was time for a little Japanese for dinner before going to see Death at a Funeral. Hilarious! Go see! Go See! Go see! Sadly, Rupert Graves doesn't do it for me quite like he did as Freddy Honeychurch. Must we get older? Loved Daisy Donovan.

Sunday was spent with a little baby love. How cute are these two?! Sorry that the photo is a little blurry. I was trying to take the photo quickly to try not to wake them up!

I'm trying to figure out bloglines. I can blog, set the dvd timer to record, tune in tvs so why do I find bloglines complicated? It works though yeah? So I should persevere?

Liz posted a great mosaic she made with flickr toys. I love these toys. I think I got a little addicted playing last night and that's why I felt a little light headed today. Oops.

And right now I am super excited because this morning I got tickets to see the Klaxons when I go to Melbourne in October. 9 weeks and counting...

The King lives on

I'm sure you have all heard about this song and video which has been realeased today on the anniversary of Elvis' death (which was actually yesterday in NZ).
I love this song. I have to admit, I'm not so sure about the video but the song definitely has impact and I am pleased that the proceeds are going towards charity.
Read more about it here.

It's so freezing cold here. I'm in for a lazy Friday night watching Rove and then the Elvis Comeback Special from '68 is on the telly. That'll do me.
Happy Friday!

Finished.

Tonight I finished these two notebooks at my bookbinding course. I was thinking of making a lot of these for presents. The folding and sewing I like. But the glueing sucks. It took me all night just to finish these two covers! It wasn't a good night. I mean they turned out ok, but it was like my hand eye co-ordination wasn't working. So I may have to rethink my presents plan. Hmmm. And on that note, I need to give my eyes a rest so night night. x

Some degrees of separation

Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City series of books are on my all time favourite list of books. I fell in love right from the start. And then I saw the tv series (which I have on dvd, that's how dedicated I am) and I fell in love with Laura Linney playing Mary Ann Singleton and Olympia Dukakis playing Anna Madrigal. In fact, all of the characters were perfectly cast.

And now there is another book! Michael Tolliver Lives. Thank you Mr Maupin!

I also love the new look for the old books. Pity, I already have my well loved set, or I would be tempted to buy these just for the pretty covers!

I can't wait to get this in my hands and read it from start to finish. But I still have to finish Harry Potter. Can you believe I am only halfway through?! I don't know why it is taking me so long. Then I have to read Eclipse. I must find out what happens to Bella and Edward next. When Jo was staying over the weekend I kind of got her hooked on these young adult fiction books. She's 36.

So anyways, my some degress of separation to Armistead Maupin goes like this:

My friend Audrey lives in Cornwall, UK and she is friends with author Patrick Gale who is friends with Armistead Maupin and Audrey has received Christmas cards from Mr Maupin herself.

So I don't know just how many degrees of separation that is exactly. 2? 3? 4? But whatever it is, I think it's pretty cool.

Oh, and I think he used to live in Akaroa, NZ which is only about an hours drive from my house. But I could be wrong. In one way or another, it is a small world indeed.

Armistead Maupin has a blog here.

Music Tuesday - discoveries & confessions

I'm fairly late to this band but I have recently discovered The Klaxons and I am loving their sound. And that discovery led me to discover that they are touring Melbourne when I will be there. This tour is delayed because they had to postpone after Jamie broke his leg after jumping off the stage in France (so rock and roll), so even though most tickets are already allocated, I'm crossing my fingers that I will be able to get my hands on a couple.


And my confession is... that I love singing loud in my car. Ok, so that's not that shocking. We all do it. But the song on repeat play this week is Patience by Take That (again, I am a little late, but hey). I've always had a soft spot for little Marky Owen and even talked my friend Katie into going to see his solo tour with me on my last week in London. I had to go out on a high. The next night, and my last London gig was The Strokes.

Thursday is my favourite day

It's been fun today shopping in the sun. Yes, that was not a misprint, the sun. It's so crazy, we are right in the middle of winter here in NZ, yet today was a day I would be happy for in November/December. I could have even gone crazy and worn jandals. Maybe tomorrow I might live on the edge and do just that.

Started the day with one of the fabulous hot chocolates I blogged about here but this time I took my camera. Looks good huh? And it tasted just as good!

Jo did some great shopping. I will try to take photos of her lovely purchases tomorrow.

And then the day ended with another session of bookbinding. These little notebooks are still in progress but I am smitten with these open spine designs. I found the folding of paper and the stitching very calming. The glueing will start next week, I might not find that very calming. I come a little unstuck (no pun intended!).

And I would like to thank you for all your sweet comments on my concertina album. You guys are the best cheerleaders ever!

And I'm looking forward to another day off tomorrow. Bliss...

Being crafty

Here's a shot of the concertina album (Amy Butler fabric) I made in my bookbinding class last week. I like these.

And I have the next few days off. Hurrah! I am so happy to have a break from my 8-5pm routine. My sister Jo is down from Wellington for a long weekend so we get to play. Yay.

Wishing you a fabulous day!

Music Tuesday - Swap-o-rama

If you missed out on participating in Ky's Storyteller cd mix swap, then it's not too late to participate in Shelly's Little Faux cd mix swap. Check out the details here.

Not at all music related but swap related. Marta is holding another swap and after the success of the Mellow & Yellow swap, I am sure this one will be a hit too. It's a Back 2 School swap (except it's no back to school in NZ, we have our summer hols in January), and I am already drooling over the things I will send my partner. Put me in a good stationery shop (think Kikki K and Muji) and for me it is like being locked overnight in Hamleys toy store. Get involved here.

The Sweetest Thing

It was a sweet weekend.
I spent my Saturday evening celebrating Chris & Emma's engagement. I love these guys.

They are some crazy cats who seek fun and make the most of life.

Every second spent with them is a blast and I can't wait until they hurry up and get married and have babies.

The world will be a better place then.

Hope your weekend was just as fabulous x

Seize the day

We all know we should seize every day. Every moment. But too often, for some reason or another we get buried under other things that consume us and our motivation and desire wanes. Until that moment when something significant happens that stops us in our tracks. Forces us to reflect everything that our life means. Everything that we have done. Everything we want to do.
These videos are about 10 minutes long each. 30 minutes total. Not long for a lesson about how to make every moment a moment to remember. Forever.
Belinda = inspiration. And we all need a little of that.


{part one}


{part two}


{part 3}

I love Seletti

Just take a look at this lovely tin can I purchased from The General Store on the weekend. Except that it is ceramic!
Oh I love love love it with it's dinky lid.
Check out the other lovely things you can get from Seletti here. The world dinner maps are cool!