My little corner of the world : Omaha

My family has been going up to Omaha for over 20 years now, and it is without doubt one of my favourite places in the world. 


A kilometer of icing sugar sand, cerulean blue water that often shows you your toes even when you're up to your neck, well-preserved dunes that hide the rash of holiday houses, and the knowledge that even on the busiest of summer weekends you will have plenty of space to spread out. 


This weekend it was rainy one minute and biting sun the next, but even the nutty weather couldn't penetrate the bubble of calm that envelopes me as soon as we cross the bridge into Omaha. However long we stay, it is never long enough, especially now that there's an ice cream shop near the surf club!


Sigh...


x

Sunday Sounds : Slow Club

I'm sharing a little secret today, a website called They Shoot Music, which is a Bermuda Triangle for your spare time. I can literally spend hours browsing this site and watching beautiful, indie music played acoustic, in gorgeous European settings.


Nice and sleepy and slow, perfect hangover listening.


x

Saturday Scrapbook : Cinemusts

This awards season, there are so many brilliant films hitting cinemas; I can't remember the last time my list of 'must-sees' was so long. I won't bore you with the whole thing, but here are a few films on the top of my list, starting with 'Like Crazy', which is out 2nd February. Two words...heartbreaking, beautiful. 

George Clooney, a Hawaiian setting and a (not your usual) love story. 'The Descendants', out 26th January.

This trailer makes me smile, I can't wait to see the film; 'Vincent Wants to Sea', out 23rd February.

Annie Goldson was one of my lecturers at Auckland University, and I'm excited to see her latest documentary, due out 8th March.

As you may know from this beauty icon post, I'm a Marilyn fan and have been waiting for the release of 'My Week with Marilyn' for months now! It is finally out 8th March.


Plus, honorable mention goes to upcoming kiwi flick 'The most fun you can have while dying', due out in April.


How about you, Beaunz belles? Which films are you hanging out to see?


x

There's a mermaid in my bath

There’s a little mermaid in my bath 

I know she’s there, I heard her laugh. 

Making bubbles with the soap, 

And splashing as she does back stroke. 

I hope she knows to clean her toes

Behind her ears, below her nose. 

And though I haven’t got a tail, 

I gather it could smell quite stale, 

Like Poppa’s feet or old sardines 

Unless she gave it quite a clean. 

Though she isn’t making trouble 

I’m more than just a little puzzled. 

Did she climb up through the drain? 

And does she plan to come again? 

Then with a flicker and a glug 

She disappears back down the plug. 

A glistening, scaly tailed delight, 

I hope she’s back tomorrow night.

x

Come, I am tasting the stars!

I've always been of the opinion that you shouldn't add anything to Champagne. Sparkling wine - definitely, but when I'm drinking the good stuff I like it nude. However...


While in Australia, we were treated to Champagne cocktails at the beautiful Queenscliff Hotel, built in 1887. Served on the front porch looking back at the grand old building, these cocktails went down like a fireball, mellowing to leave the warmest glow in my chest. One was enough, not because I didn't enjoy it but because I was already starting to feel woolly tongued (I'm a cheap date these days).

I will definitely be recreating these when the weather cools down, they are the perfect winter aperitif. To make them yourself...

Place a sugar cube at the bottom of a Champagne flute.

Add a dash of angostura bitters and a nip of brandy.

Fill with Champagne and serve with a maraschino cherry.

Enjoy!

x

Waxing Lyrical about Jo Malone

The beautiful 'tasting bar' at Jo Malone

I've been sitting on this post for a month now because every time I re-read it I sounded gushy, but I can't help it! I have taken out as many superlatives as I can, I hope you'll forgive me the rest.

Just before Christmas I spent an hour with the ladies at Jo Malone in the new Britomart flagship store. From the moment I arrived, on a ridiculously soggy, windy Auckland day, I felt like I could stay for days.

The minimalistic, apothecary-style layout is a little daunting at first, especially when you realise that the rows upon rows of candles and fragrances and body products are not, as they first appear, all the same. There are literally dozens of scent combinations, and each can be layered again with other combinations...cue squeal of delight from this self-professed fragrance fanatic - oh the possibilities!

Thankfully my expert Anne had the patience of a saint as I literally opened and smelled every bottle. The interesting thing I noted, was that even though each fragrance smells unique, there is definitely a signature undercurrent that ties the Jo Malone collection together. My nose isn't refined enough to recognise exactly what it is, but you can be sure of one thing, the ingredients that make up these scents (and the candles and body products) are absolute, premium quality. They go on fresh and vibrant and true, then dry down (nestle in over the next hour or so) warm and deep so that they seem to emanate from your skin. If you want to smell expensive, this is your brand.

I'll be completely honest, though I adored a couple of the fragrances I tried on the day, I haven't been swayed from my 10year love affair with Lalique de Lalique (we are truly scented soulmates). But I've been burning Jo Malone candles at home (their limited edition Chestnut is heavenly), and cannot recommend a (complimentary) Jo Malone fragrance consultation highly enough if you are looking for your own signature smell.

You can just turn up on the day, or phone them to book an appointment. How fun would it be to bring a hen party here before heading out for the night?

What about you, Beaunz belles, do you have a signature scent? Or a 'wardrobe' of fragrances that you wear on a whim?

x

For the love of...Almond Gold

Whittakers Almond Gold.


Rich, pillowy, bordering on espresso-bitter chocolate, and toasted almonds with just the right amount of bite.


Come to Mama...


x