Amber

Londres – Some Thoughts

by Amber on January 27, 2012 in Notebook

londres

Regent's Canal

Muffin break

The Fox

batman bricks

Lost

I’ve lived in London for nearly 6 months now. It’s starting to feel ‘real’. Some things I have learned:

1. Local natives are rare. I seem to be hanging out with a lot of French kids lately. And Brazilians, Swedes, Dutch, and of course Kiwis.

2. Coffee is not great here, but exceptions can be found. Maps: Allpress, Climpson & Sons, Shoreditch Grind, Brill, Flat White, Monmouth

3. Moving makes all the other smaller decisions about change easier. If it’s not working, start fresh. Job, house, attitude.

4. Always take your A-Z out and about, even to the local pub.

5. Having never encountered it before – IKEA is amazing. You can even drink a beer there, it makes the housewares sparkle.

6. The best way to explore is on foot.

7. Also, there’s no hills, so cycling is far more fun. The downside – no hills means less sticky-outie landmarks, so see point 4.

8. Europe is just a flight or train ride away. Over Easter I’m going to Barcelona with some pals, I can’t wait.

9. Squirrels never fail to amuse.

10. The homesickness does pass. But calling home is still important.

Call me

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London, Paris, New York, Kuala Lumpur

by Amber on December 1, 2011 in Travel

Cleo Malaysia - Blogger Travel Special

Check me out! The lovely team at CLEO Malaysia recently got in touch, and asked if I could share a memorable trip for their travel special. Conveniently I had just eaten my weight’s worth in fromages en Français. Other travel junkies featured included the familiar faces of Young – Half Girl, Sarah -Yes and Yes, and Olivia - Make Believe. And I got an introduction to the blogs of Cheesie – Cheeserland, Andrea – Green Tea, and Benita – Purrsie. All these women have FASCINATING and diverse lives – their blogs are great reads!

Thank you CLEO for letting us share; Paris, I miss you…

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Belgium City-Break: Antwerp

by Amber on November 19, 2011 in Travel

This week Thom and I zapped off on the Eurostar to Belgium for our first city break since moving to England. Being greedy ambitious adventurers, we figured we had enough time to see the sights of both Antwerp and Brussels. After getting up way too early in the morning for my liking, we caught a breezy train to Antwerp – one of Belgium’s Flemish cities.

Catherdral

The beautiful cathedral in the heart of the old quarter. We stayed in a quaint little hotel right behind it.

waffle

It seems like you can get waffles everywhere in Belgium – even from train station vending machines.

Tea for two

We stopped for coffee & lunch to escape the chill. Despite my mittens, I wasn’t prepared for how cold it was!

metro

There are dual language editions of this daily newspaper, in two different colours (green for French).

Anvers

T & A

Twins

Antwerp’s retro-winkels, AKA vintage stores were great. Best find: a set of antique chocolate moulds for €20.

Leaves

We spent most of out time just wandering the streets, ducking into interesting shops, and taking photos. One evening we went spent a few hours in a tiny bar, making friends with some locals, and then later, the Frites man. It amused him no end to explain all the different chip and mayo options to two enthusiastic tourists…

Next stop: Brussels!

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To-Do’s

by Amber on September 19, 2011 in Notebook

Right now London is a whirlwind of interviews (please send me luck, I need it!), catching up with old friends, life “admin”, figuring out what tube line I need to be on, and just absorbing all the little things I need to get up to speed with (woah – cream comes in a pottle not a bottle).

Last week I did manage to have some friends over for dinner; we ate risotto by candlelight in the back garden and watched aeroplanes soar overhead. Cooking for others is really important to me. It made me think of all the things that I need/want, to make me feel at home here. Mostly it is doing; making some roots and settling into routine.

1. Find a darkroom and start developing & printing once more. I used to do this in high-school. I want to do it here; B&W film developing and processing costs are high! And because I lugged my heavy Canon AE-1 across the planet…

2. Write daily. As a writer, this obviously happens, but I’d love to – rather, need to – carve out a chunk of time each day to write for me. Not for my blog, not emails to my friends, articles or copywriting. My own personal creative works that have no ambition to be published, or expectations. At my new house we have an amazing garden shed which looks like a log cabin (and used to be a home recording studio). I’m hoping to take it over, add a desk, and a light and get up early every morning

3. Buy a bicycle. I had to sell my pink and orange beastie in Auckland, but thankfully London is some sort of bicycle city of the future. There’s single speeds, fixies, and Boris bikes abound! Most of all, I want to get one with a basket.

4. Visit every museum in London. Apparently there are over 200 of them in this city, so this is a loftier, long-term goal. Most of them are free, which makes for excellent – and cheap – weekends out! Next on the list: Bethnal Green’s Museum Of Childhood.

5. Build a wardrobe. When it comes to clothes, I have the opportunity to start from scratch. I moved to England with 2 dresses, 1 pair of jeans and a handful of shirts. It’s really a pleasure to have the time to consider what matters to me when it comes to style, and to invest in some great pieces. Also, UK shopping is amazing! Uniqlo, H&M, Topshop, Zara…

 What’s on your September list? I can’t believe advent calendars are in the shops already. It’s all downhill to 2012 from here!

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Mini Me

by Amber on September 9, 2011 in Notebook

tiny

friend to bunnies

ap

Nostalgia for the old days; when I had the friendliest pet bunny, lots of time to sleep and great teeth! The last one is my passport photo from when I was five. I like how at 25, I have pretty much the same hairstyle.

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Sunday Afternoon In The City

by Amber on July 3, 2011 in Notebook,Photographic Evidence

Despite the calendar telling me it’s winter, I can’t quite believe it yet… There’s too much warm sunshine and colour everywhere. So what to do on a clear Sunday afternoon, with not much money and tummies full from breakfast galettes? The answer is walk, from the top of town to the bottom, from head to toe; peering in shiny windows packed with merchandise, and people watch, until the sun sets over the port.

city

Jumper

sale

Vintage friend

Kitchen aid

unity books

yellow

The White Lady

Tattooed lady

Container city

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A Quick Personal Note

by Amber on June 21, 2011 in Travel

underground

Hello friends! I’m very excited to say that in August I’ll be moving 18331 kilometres (or 11390 miles) away to London, England with my fancy new visa.

The next little while will be busy – I have to finish up at work, have my tonsils removed, pack up my life (into a 30 kilogram baggage allowance no less), and have one last fling with Auckland. Oh, I’m stopping in Paris for a week first to to “recover” from jet lag with cheese and wine, before zipping to my final destination on the Eurostar.

Gosh oh gosh I will miss my loved ones, but I’m really looking forward to this new adventure.

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Sail Away Sail Away Sail Away

by Amber on May 31, 2011 in Notebook

Boat Nose

Last weekend, my friend Rachael was kind enough to take Thom and I sailing out on her yacht, White Out. Despite the wind chill, was so much fun! We set off from the Orakei Marina, an headed to the middle of the Waitemata Harbour. We then had a little picnic onboard with delicious sandwiches wrapped in paper, and cold cans of beer. After lunch Rach, Thom & Rach’s dad started fishing, hoping to catch some dinner.

Sail Away

While they cast their lines, hoping to hook a golden pink snapper or stubby kahawai, I lounged about on the side of the deck – looking straight out over the green sea to an ancient volcano. It was really nice – I watched shags dive into the ocean and waved at passing boats. Our number one catch was “the bottom”  - it snagged lots of lines and when we were lucky, we pulled up a few rocks! However in the end we did come home with 2 decent sized fish. It was really refreshing to get out on the water, I hope I can do it again soon.

Red

Fish Hooks

Dinghy

(The title of this post is lyrics from Orinoco Flow (Sail Away) by Enya.)

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Mo’ Scooter Style

by Amber on May 12, 2011 in Notebook,Style,Travel

At lunch time yesterday I’m picked up a brand spanking new scooter to make my commute a bit more zippy. The agency I work for at the moment has just picked up and relocated itself a little way out of the CBD, and buses are just not cutting it as a mode of transportation. For someone living in the city, needing a low maintenance option, and on a budget; the moped is the perfect solution. Aside from the heavy rain I encountered on the way home (baptism by monsoon), it was so much fun to ride!

Scooters hooning down a street

Paris Fashion Street (v2)

Pink Vespa by Michela Ghio

cub

Cute Teal Vespa

Hot tips for scooter riding:

  • Get a rain jacket to protect yourself from the drips. Mine is silver and sparkly!
  • Full face helmets may not be the sexiest, but neither is brain damage/mushed face.
  • Baskets on the front or back will make carrying your handbag and groceries so much easier.
  • Like the CUB moped above, a matching key-chain will boost your style quotient.
  • Remember that stickers can make everything cuter – helmets, side panels.

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Three Years Later…

by Amber on May 5, 2011 in Notebook

Go - Santigold

Happy birthday, Code For Something! It started out 3 years with a post about Santigold… and conincidentally, she has just released a new album – which includes this lovely single Go, featuring Karen O.

May 5th is a new year of sorts for me (it’s also exactly 6 months until my birthday). It’s a great day on which to remember to keep thinking big and try new things… Watch this space! GO!

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Tied Up With String | Finishing What We Start

by Amber on November 25, 2010 in Notebook

Sheets from the calendar are tumbling. In New Zealand, the days are getting longer and longer. Before I know it, it will be high summer and I’ll be sitting on beach with friends in Pauanui, toasting in the New Year with lashings of Veuve Cliquot.  But that’s still a good 5 weeks away!

what we do

I always want to achieve my resolutions and goals. Live, work, create. But more than that, I want to finish what I’ve started. Big and little. That’s my focus for the rest of the year (and beyond into 2011). Here’s what is on my list:

  • Mend those dresses, sew buttons back on, and send that giant box of clothes to charity.
  • Clear the drafts folder of my inbox.
  • Take a peek at the drafts folder of my blog!
  • Finish decorating my apartment. And take photographs of it.
  • Print the Bad Crushes zine properly and distribute it.
  • Finish the short stories I’ve started writing, otherwise abandon them in a bottom drawer.
  • The large pile of half-devoured novels by the side of my bed? I’d love to put a dent into that.
  • And all those other little things…

How about you? Anything lingering in the corners of your life that you need to wrap up? It’s going to be hard, but I’m going to tie all those loose ends up, double bows and all.

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Halloweenie

by Amber on November 3, 2010 in Art & Photography

Halloween was awesome this year! A zombified prom princess. A fluffy blue bird. A murderous maniac or two. A nautical cat. Blood on the dancefloor/everywhere…

The raw ingredients: a virgin silk dress snapped up from The Paper Bag Princess for $20, fake blood, and a willingness to slash!

splish

me and birdy

ladies

<a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/teststrip/5140612140/” title=”blood in the sink by Amber P., on Flickr”><img src=”http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1189/5140612140_5bb1431dcd.jpg” width=”500″ height=”375″ alt=”blood in the sink” /></a>

blood in the sink

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Photographic Evidence: 30-August-2010

by Amber on August 30, 2010 in Photographic Evidence

Oh, hello! I haven’t done a week in review for a while, I guess I overload with the photos when I’m traveling and when I’m back I just want to leave the camera at home for a while… I can’t believe how much has happened, Europe feels like so long ago.

Let’s start with evidence that Auckland does have some secret architectural gems. Also, I took this photo from a lane… Durham Lane! Lanes, alleys and little nooks are what maketh a city.

gothic

The Auckland Zinefest a couple of weekends ago was a pretty fun day of small press, bigger and better than last year. {Ooh, look what I was doing in August 09}

Zinefest 2010

It was the lovely Meg’s birthday on Tuesday night, so we ate lots of yummy Japanese and drank from a large can of beer at Tanuki’s. The tofu steak there is delicious!

Beer!

Wrapping presents with tissue paper printed with a small mouthless cat.

hello present

A present for me! My friend Tessa gave me this cute narwhal badge. I offered to give everyone stick tattoos with it. Thankfully, they all declined. Easier to wear it, right?

narwhal badge

I have been going to Revel a lot. I really like their bagels with pesto, and their dinosaur table numbers. I always feel like a winner every time I get it! They also have Space Invaders, which is a nice way to while away a Monday morning with a cute boy.

Dino 16

pesto bagel
tea

And finally, from Saturday night: me before a wonderful party, and my friend Mon in situ at the party-  hanging out on an awning!

hi

Mon

❤

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Disposable Memories

by Amber on July 17, 2010 in Travel

down &amp; out paris

coffee

london

underground

deluxe bike

copenhagen park

swan

tivoli

Why 35mm? The thrill of opening up that packet. Finding out what worked, a few visual surprises and a reminder to use-the-flash-goddamn; it gets me every time.

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