First Roll

Some snaps from my weekend in New Zealand a few weeks ago, my first time using a manual SLR.

Packing Up

T and I have started packing in earnest for our departure from Australia in 4 weeks. I tend to keep things forever, so it has been quite cathartic and freeing to get rid of things that we don't want to store. Do you have regular clean-outs, or do you keep things forever like me?

As a reward for today's hard work, we are going to have Thai takeaway for dinner and watch Gran Torino.

Children's Books

T and I arrived back tonight from a wonderful long weekend with my family in New Zealand. While my camera is still (!) in Sydney being fixed, I took lots of photos using my Oktomat, and T's Minolta SLR from the 1960's inherited from his grandfather. It was my first time using the Minolta, so hopefully there will be some successes that I will be able to post later this week.

My niece Cara turned one in April, so as part of her present, T and I gave her a copy of one of our favourite childhood books: Where the Wild Things Are. While she is a bit young for it right now, she loves books so much already that I thought it would be a good one for her to grow into.

I'd also like to get Cara some Peter Gossage books as she gets older; they are a series of illustrated children's books about various Maori legends that I also loved as a child. The illustrations are gorgeous, lots of bright, bold colours:

Does anyone have any other recommendations for good children's books?

The Corner View - The Beach

Back to the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand, as I still have no word of my camera coming back from Sydney. This is Hot Water Beach, an amazing place where there are ribbons of hot thermal water running underneath the sand. You can dig a hole and make your own natural spa pool. I've never been anywhere in the world like it.

Check out these other great corner view bloggers:

jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele, modsquad, caitlin, joyce, ani, couturecoucou, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage,trinsch, c.t.,jeannette, outi, schanett, ritva, dongdong, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana,denise, cabrizette, bohemia girl, ruth, dianna, isabelle, amber, a girl in the yellow shoes, mister e,janis, kari, jgy, jenna, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, amy, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la lune dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa,britta, virgina, april, rebecca, b, kyndale, samantha, karen, kristina, angelina, dorit,

goldensunfamily, sophie, janet, nicki, ruth, mcgillicutty, desiree, di, travelingmama, aimee, sunnymama, amanda,

ali, jenell, guusje, britta, juanita, pamela, inna, daan, myrtille

A Corner View - Cityscapes

I'm late with my corner view post, and I'm (still) also lacking any photos from Melbourne, as my camera continues its holiday in the Sydney camera hospital. So I thought I'd post about one of my favourite cityscapes, the view of Hong Kong from Victoria Peak. I found it quite magical watching the sun go down, night fall and the lights of the city come one.

Check out these other great corner view bloggers from such great heights:

jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie,esti, sophie, cele, modsquad, caitlin, joyce, ani, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch,c.t.,jeannette, outi, schanett, ritva, dongdong,

francesca, stateofbliss, jennifer, dana, denise,cabrizette, bohemia girl, dianna, isabelle, amber, a girlintheyellowshoes, mistere, janis, kari,jgy, jenna, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise,

cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin,otli, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie,

lalunedansleciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, virgina,april, rebecca, b, sunnymama, kyndale,

samantha, karen, kristina, angelina dorit, goldensunfamily, sophie, janet, nicki, ruth,

mcgillicutty, desiree, di, travelingmama, aimee

A Corner View - Coffee

My camera is still at the camera hospital in Sydney, so again these are archived photos from my trip to the US late last year where I enjoyed many cups of coffee:

1. Waiting for coffee at Quiet Storm in Pittsburgh
2. Coffee, orangina and some potato wedges with a TLT (Tempeh, Lettuce & Tomato) at Grapefruit Moon in Toronto
3. Coffee at Twede's Cafe (the Double R Diner in Twin Peaks) in North Bend, Washington State

In response to Jane's questions regarding coffee here in Melbourne:

How do you say "two coffees with milk" in your corner?

"Two xxxxx thanks" (depending on what sort of coffee you want), or if it is my usual weekday morning (D'Marcos) "my usual thanks" (soy latte with one sugar).

What are the most popular ways to drink coffee?

Seems to be a latte or flat white.

How do you take your coffee?

With one sugar, and the milk is always soy as I am a vegan.

French press, percolator, espresso, or other?

Caffe latte.

Are you a dunker?

No, I don't like crumbs in my coffee : )

What was the funniest topic of conversation over a recent cup of coffee?

Discussing with a friend which character we wish we were and which character we really would be from Seinfeld. I wish I was Elaine, but really I think I would be George : )

Check out these great corner view bloggers hyped up on caffeine:

jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele,modsquad, caitlin, joyce, ani, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe,kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t.,jeannette, outi, schanett,ritva, dongdong, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana,denise, cabrizette, bohemia girl, dianna, isabelle, amber,a girl in the yellow shoes, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, jenna,skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon,victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, ida, caroline, lisa,dorte, kimmie, la lune dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa,britta, virgina, april, rebecca, b, sunnymama, kyndale,samantha, karen, kristina, angelina, dorit, goldensunfamily, sophie, janet, nicki, ruth,mcgillicutty

Tu

I am reading Tu by Patricia Grace at the moment. The novel takes place in Italy during World War II, and is about three brothers in the Maori Battalion.

I am really enjoying it, just as I have enjoyed everything else that I have read by Patricia Grace. I love her writing style; sometimes it feels like I am listening to a conversation back home in New Zealand.

Are you reading anything interesting at the moment?