tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66318727395296116702024-03-13T13:15:15.388+13:00mel in the milkywayabout life in existence and all that inhabits the milkyway: travel, pop culture and lifestyleMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comBlogger591125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-15116817785532418412018-07-27T00:17:00.001+12:002018-07-27T00:17:19.150+12:00The unwanted moment I realised I became an adult<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, 21-years-old, not realising what I'm getting myself into.</td></tr>
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There's nothing quite like finding a white hair the length of your hand, actively growing from the top of your scalp.<br />
<br />
"Oh dear Lord Jesus," I tell to my bathroom reflection and God above. "How long have you let this exist?"<br />
<br />
As I thoroughly sweep through my black roots to eliminate the glowing minorities (I sadly find three more), I can't help but think 'This is it'.<br />
<br />
I'm an adult.<br />
<br />
As I approach my 27th birthday, I'm fiercely aware how long I've avoided referring to myself as an adult. I'm a pretender, a fake, an imposter. I'll never be part of that world, I used to tell myself.<br />
<br />
Never mind the engagement ring on my finger, the house I own, the mortgage I now pay and my genuine interest in getting a shower dome. None of that meant I was a real adult.<br />
<br />
However, a 17cm long albino white was the last strand of confirmation.<br />
<br />
I look at myself, clean-faced with my tired naked eyes and permanent dark circles concealer struggles to hide. Standing in my bathroom, I have a humbling and melancholic experience. A reminder of morality. An awareness of the change ahead. And while I lay my head to rest on the same mattress I've slept on for 10 years, in the same room I've lived in for 25+ years, I look to reassurance. So I try to let my last thoughts be positive enough to comfort me to a sound sleep.<br />
<br />
"Well, I have a good reason to colour my hair again."<br />
<br />
It's the only silver lining I've discovered, though I'm sure plenty more exist, just like the hidden silver strands growing from my head too.<br />
<br />
Happy birthday me, heh.Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-25623531671887994002018-07-19T20:53:00.002+12:002018-07-19T20:53:55.367+12:00The Marathon of Wedding Planning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kG1tGB99rO8/W1BRaSU_kuI/AAAAAAAAHps/xiwfslP_hLsl06dbZh007pjkywuhuqtAQCLcBGAs/s1600/unsplash-bride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1100" height="360" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kG1tGB99rO8/W1BRaSU_kuI/AAAAAAAAHps/xiwfslP_hLsl06dbZh007pjkywuhuqtAQCLcBGAs/s640/unsplash-bride.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I've decided wedding planning isn't like a walk in the park, nor is it a sprint. It's like a marathon. The Pinterest boards are opened. The date is set. The race is on.<br />
<br />
Like in the first kilometre of any marathon race, the first few weeks of wedding planning feel good. You make charts, download "wedding planning lists" off Pinterest, and create endless dream boards, searching for everything from centrepieces to fairy lights. It's like you're running with that engagement adrenaline that your mind bursts with ideas and themes. <br />
<br />
At some point, that excited buzz and energy begin to waiver. Reality is setting in. For me, it was month three. I was travelling quite a bit around the country for work so I would only be home on weekends. At the same time, D and I were trying to buy a new house, so our free time was spent talking mortgages and open homes. Wedding planning became the project I just couldn't make time for. And while we were blazè about the amount of time we had left - here we are, seven months in, with little accomplished because wedding planning dropped quickly down the priority list.<br />
<br />
Then the further you get in, everything feels like a struggle because you're hitting your limit. In running, that's a physical limit. In wedding planning, it's the limited budget. Weddings are not cheap. And it's been difficult rationalising spending a large amount of money on "ourselves" for one day in our life. Sure, it's a big life event. But knowing that $5000 spent on catering could be $5000 fixing the house, or $5000 on an overseas holiday/honeymoon - it really puts your mind (and wallet) in place. <br />
<br />
Like marathon running (well, "half-marathon" running in my experience), it's so easy to wish your way out of the race. There isn't a week that goes by that we joke about eloping. But while that cheap and easy way out is desirable, something about actually doing it doesn't seem satisfying. Like, if you were to just take the shortcut to the finish line, sign the papers and be done - it all means the same, but not celebrating the almost nine years we've put into this relationship seems a bit of a letdown. Not just for others either, but ourselves. <br />
<br />
More than that, it's actually a privilege to be able to do this too. Naive 18-year-old me would have never expected to marry my high school ball date. We deserve a beautiful start to our next chapter. We essentially trained and worked for this moment.<br />
<br />
For that reason, we can't allow ourselves to get discouraged. It's not easy, especially as the date looms closer and closer, and we're racing against time. It's testing, tiring, and sometimes choosing to go through this process annoys me. But we just have to press on, one step at a time. It will be all the more rewarding in the end. <br />
<br />
And then after the wedding, the real marathon begins.<br />
<br />
[Photo: Unsplash]Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-19408521957483471772018-06-21T22:28:00.000+12:002018-06-21T22:45:11.420+12:00Why NZ is allowed to celebrate our Prime Minister giving birth<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_KMfZMtrE1g/Wyt9DlkmVMI/AAAAAAAAHpc/QuqmUWJqo44E-83Jz0njbUyfAc_fj7eqwCLcBGAs/s1600/unsplash-baby.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1100" height="361" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_KMfZMtrE1g/Wyt9DlkmVMI/AAAAAAAAHpc/QuqmUWJqo44E-83Jz0njbUyfAc_fj7eqwCLcBGAs/s640/unsplash-baby.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>"Breaking news, a woman gave birth to a baby. Why is this news?"<br />
<br />
This is just one of many negative comments spotted under the news announcement of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's baby.<br />
<br />
Sure, be cynical. Question the fact that this is news. Because yes, the essence of this story is about a woman who did what thousands of other women did today: birth a child into this cold, unforgiving world. But the significance of this event is bigger than a woman and her newly born daughter.<br />
<br />
Our Prime Minister was one of 17 or so women today who gave birth at Auckland City Hospital. A big moment in modern NZ history. Because in a time where women can still be looked down for choosing a career or choosing a family, or choosing to do both, well here is a world leader who is achieving everything she strives for: a child and career.<br />
<br />
<div style="height: 0; padding-bottom: 76%; position: relative; width: 100%;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="100%" src="https://giphy.com/embed/3ohfFhG5VDtDTzQv2o" style="position: absolute;" width="100%"></iframe></div><br />
Let's not forget how <a href="https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/08/jacinda-ardern-it-is-totally-unacceptable-to-ask-women-about-baby-plans.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">it was mere months ago when a small-minded man</a> with access to a television audience told middle-class NZ that he thought it was acceptable for an employer to ask a potential female candidate their future childbearing plans (he probably assumes that the boss in question is male too).<br />
<br />
And while I can barely keep my daily schedule in check, let alone the future occupancy of my womb, it should never decide how effectively I can do my job or the way in which I will pursue my career.<br />
<br />
Jacinda Ardern isn't doing anything new. Women are fantastic multi-taskers. They can be smart, savvy and brilliant contributors to the workforce and to families.<br />
<br />
The difference in Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is that all eyes are on her. And she's still not backing down on either motherhood or ministerial front.<br />
<br />
That's what today's small-minded naysayers need: Proof a woman can run a country and run a home. That she can play two roles, and with the support of people around her, she can successfully achieve both. Everyone needs support in raising up a child. And should I ever accidentally cross that baby bridge myself, I want a society to accept my life choices and encourage my aspirations in no matter path a choose: career, children, or both.<br />
<br />
And most importantly, we and our country's future women will be no lesser for it.<br />
<br />
So no matter your political tendencies, let NZ talk about and celebrate a woman being both a mother and a world leader. Females are strong enough to do both, no matter what some people think.<br />
<br />
<div style="width:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:76%;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://giphy.com/embed/3ohfFs3aK6zdT70DkY" width="100%" height="100%" style="position:absolute" frameBorder="0" class="giphy-embed" allowFullScreen></iframe></div><br />
[<a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/LVxLkEprd10" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">photo source</a>]Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-39687284684274837812018-02-07T23:42:00.000+13:002018-02-07T23:43:19.440+13:00The drunk and sobering sights of Berlin<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r1A6WI5EV9o/WnloQIGt6jI/AAAAAAAAHfk/NzBHiYrWEeIOb4igtHK4GbbkxaXyW0JFACLcBGAs/s1600/berlin-reich.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1100" height="361" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r1A6WI5EV9o/WnloQIGt6jI/AAAAAAAAHfk/NzBHiYrWEeIOb4igtHK4GbbkxaXyW0JFACLcBGAs/s640/berlin-reich.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Before I travelled to Europe, Germany has always been written into my mind as a cold, broken place. The centre of World War II, its country's history crosses over into New Zealand's past only in the name of war and conflict.<br />
<br />
It probably didn't help that when we woke up in Berlin on a cold late October morning, the skies were a moody grey, and the temperature less than warm and friendly unlike the fresh and bright Amsterdam we were in the day before. In our tour group of forty, no one named Berlin as the city they were looking most forward to.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--IURkc6nruU/Wnl_4WWTMNI/AAAAAAAAHgQ/L9K6c_2zwncdOm5XE2hZ0MQ-qPutsU1GgCLcBGAs/s1600/berlin-wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1100" height="361" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--IURkc6nruU/Wnl_4WWTMNI/AAAAAAAAHgQ/L9K6c_2zwncdOm5XE2hZ0MQ-qPutsU1GgCLcBGAs/s640/berlin-wall.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A section of the Berlin Wall still standing</td></tr>
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</div>
It's hard to separate what the identity of Berlin is without bringing up the words of war. A city scattered with scaffolding and signs of construction, Berlin didn't feel old or new - just incomplete. Potholes covered many exteriors, bricks scarred and battered by bullets. Roads feature the scraps and markings of the old Berlin Wall, while plaques marked tunnels and their sympathies of years past. The city had seen much more than what was still visible today.<br />
<br />
Through the walking tours, the monuments and museums we passed, I was drunk on the history of Berlin, yet sober in emotions. The stories of the city felt so detached from any humanity. How was it possible for people to accept these conditions of war, death and punishment? The feelings and thoughts left me emotionally drained, as grey and moody as the skies above.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Eastern Europe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
But in the contrast, there was life in the signs of rebellion. Where there is brokenness and hurt, art comes alive.<br />
<br />
One large section of the Berlin Wall that stands is labelled the 'East Side Gallery. It's covered in graffiti street art that gives them the space to celebrate freedom, and with that, the freedom of expression through art. At the time, the walls were protected and fenced, but it didn't stop some people wanting to leave a mark on the spare spaces unfenced and available.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">East Side Gallery</td></tr>
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</div>
Food is always a source of happiness, where beer halls of Berlin still remain full of excitement, large steins and many bratwurst sausages. And you can't go past the Ritter Chocolate shop that is a literal rainbow of sweets and life.<br />
<br />
One of the happiest moments of the trip was when our Contiki group, chilled by our 'Cold War and Cold Drinks' walking tour, took to the bars for a drink or few. The first bar was a dud, as patrons played ping pong in a cold room, walls lined with blood covered spray paint, and wine handed in cheap glass tumblers. We eventually stumbled into an empty beer garden which we had all to ourselves. And when you have a bar all to yourselves, your Aussie and Kiwi pals bring out their partying ways. There was dancing, singing, and some Mr Brightside belting as we held our complimentary pretzel bread.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-clpGHfrVmVI/WnmChM5CQ1I/AAAAAAAAHgc/5oKKxuWZ2JkNzqTjQ1gJ_QNGt4TKDBieQCLcBGAs/s1600/berlin-eastsidegallery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1100" height="361" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-clpGHfrVmVI/WnmChM5CQ1I/AAAAAAAAHgc/5oKKxuWZ2JkNzqTjQ1gJ_QNGt4TKDBieQCLcBGAs/s640/berlin-eastsidegallery.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Trans. "The universe loves you and will help you" </i>- East Side Gallery</td></tr>
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The rest of the night was a blur, leaving the next day in the grey and moody rain once again. But we didn't leave with the shaded opinions of war and destruction we first arrived with. Berlin may seem like a cold and broken place, but in those broken parts are light and life just ready to take over. Amongst the art, the rebellion, and that one weird drinking bar where they played ping pong, the next generation of Berlin is bound to be filled with promise and life. And maybe then, 40 new tourists visiting Germany will have more to look forward to than what's broken, grey and moody.Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-9798726360783550202018-01-29T23:51:00.000+13:002018-01-29T23:51:04.562+13:00The one flaw of most proposals<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BDGppgrVPtI/Wm7vbiO1nUI/AAAAAAAAHdg/C3kU2irWGycb2HywDeKGA75VmwhW4JL2gCLcBGAs/s1600/unsplash-proposal.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1100" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BDGppgrVPtI/Wm7vbiO1nUI/AAAAAAAAHdg/C3kU2irWGycb2HywDeKGA75VmwhW4JL2gCLcBGAs/s640/unsplash-proposal.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>I cried when D proposed to me.<br />
<br />
In D's head, I assume our proposal that day was supposed to involve a beautiful summer's afternoon, walking along our favourite beach with ice creams, joking and laughing, until he dropped to one knee at our favourite spot. But after I refused to go to this first potential proposal location cause 'it was too hot and I'll get sunburnt', he came up with a backup plan. But it didn't take long till I unknowingly ruined his potential second opportunity, so there was nothing left but to ask the question where we stood - getting ready to go get Asian food for dinner.<br />
<br />
I was a bit dumbfounded in the moment, caught completely off-guard by a completely unfamiliar question in a too-familiar unromantic location. But as he explained to me what his original plan for the day was, I struggled to process.<br />
<br />
Instead of hearing the excited words of 'yes', he heard me through tears saying 'oh no, I ruined it!'<br />
<br />
And so, that short brief summary of our story will be told forever for the rest of our lives. I've already told over and over again to numerous people every time someone asked the words 'How did it happen?'<br />
<br />
At first, I was a little bit embarrassed about our story. You would have thought after eight years together, that 'one moment' would have been something a bit more spectacular than being handed an engagement ring while I planned our night excursion to get noodles. But, original tears aside, it then became funnier and funnier to tell. Here we were, trying to get food, with me forgetting things and we running late to eat as usual. If anything, the "one moment" was a very "us" moment. <br />
<br />
But what's also nice about telling people my "how I ruined the proposal" story is that about eighty percent of people had their own "ruined" moments to share. Funny enough though, there was one common factor between most 'failed' proposal stories...the fiancee-to-be.<br />
<br />
Most proposals which had gone awry appeared to have involved women saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, leaving a slightly deflated husband-to-be struggling and stumbling to save the romantic gesture. While men have a picture in mind about how they want things to go, women just like to be in control of what's going on, and clearly, we get suspicious when we find something out of place.<br />
<br />
That's how we always seem to say the wrong thing - trying to make us do things we hadn't planned to do.<br />
<br />
So if there's anything to learn from this, men: you can plan a proposal a million ways. But the biggest obstacle and threat to the perfect plan is not the ring, not the location, and not the words. <br />
<br />
It's the woman who controls everything with the last say - literally.Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-25010449623736945572018-01-08T22:49:00.000+13:002018-01-08T22:56:00.374+13:00Why we delayed being 'Facebook Official'<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FDNlp0RXNEs/WlM9lmKoxvI/AAAAAAAAHdE/HSZUXMfvJm8xii1QZfLbHniFd6SC89FCwCLcBGAs/s1600/unsplash-ring.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1100" height="361" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FDNlp0RXNEs/WlM9lmKoxvI/AAAAAAAAHdE/HSZUXMfvJm8xii1QZfLbHniFd6SC89FCwCLcBGAs/s640/unsplash-ring.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<b>The Bridiaries: Chapter #1 - </b><br />
Today is the day we finally announced our engagement on Facebook. After eight years together, we're telling the world (or at least the Internet) we're getting married.<br />
<br />
The thing is, we actually got engaged over a month ago. We just didn't post anything about it. Instead, we told people in person.<br />
<br />
In some ways, it's a relief to have it out on social media. But in others, I missed the delightful secret it was to the people I could tell.<br />
<br />
In the world of social media, where emotions feel sterilised and stock standard through algorithms and binary, there's a missing joy of human interaction that, over the month we told our close friends and family face-to-face, I realised had truly missed.<br />
<br />
I did worry that the delay in time telling people would lessen the impact or excitement, or even that people would get offended that I didn't say it any sooner. But no, there was still a genuine joy and disbelief that social media can't ever capture.<br />
<br />
What I think I liked most about telling people in person was that each reaction was different. Not a copy-and-paste wave of 'Congratulations' *insert endless emojis here*. They were surprised, shocked, a couple of excited screams, and one that did get annoyed I took two hours into our meet-up to mention anything. But with each person, it definitely felt personal, unique, and reminded me why I really valued their friendship.<br />
<br />
As the weeks went on and as I got used to the weight on my finger, D and I got a bit creative in the "telling" process. We'd think of new ways to drop "the ring" into the conversation, or seeing how long it would take for people to notice the new jewellery on my left hand. And for those who already knew, it was a game that they could quietly join in and watch, which I know they equally enjoyed being in on the 'secret'.<br />
<br />
The one thing to take away from this month-long secret spilling is that there is so much value in being around people and communicating with them one-on-one and in person. It's almost ironic that social media is an excuse and a filter for our emotions that it can be disconnecting to relationships. Why talk with someone if you can just know what happens with a Facebook update?<br />
<br />
The word is now out in the open, so I hope you join me in my bridal diaries as I begin a new chapter in my life - engaged!<br />
<br />
[Photo: <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/3_YP8_mh-Kg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Unsplash</a>]Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-2175248081731258562018-01-06T13:56:00.005+13:002018-01-07T23:10:43.684+13:005 bizarre Kit Kat tastes only from Japan<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L3WNtveqjIM/WhgB5GR2IlI/AAAAAAAAHZE/zu8gectajJ0WCSyQ9kseOljDHI6LA6F6ACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/japanese-kit-kats.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1100" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L3WNtveqjIM/WhgB5GR2IlI/AAAAAAAAHZE/zu8gectajJ0WCSyQ9kseOljDHI6LA6F6ACPcBGAYYCw/s640/japanese-kit-kats.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Did you know Kit Kat in Japan has more than 300 different flavours? And did you know I must try them all?<br />
<br />
There was an article I read about a guy whose dream is to eat every Kit Kat flavour. He had eaten about 100 so far, photographing each one he has tried. If you have to be remembered by this world for something, that's not a bad way to leave a legacy.<br />
<br />
Contrary to popular belief, or what I at least expected, Kit Kat isn't easy to find - at least in the 300 flavours the Japanese county boasts to have. While I didn't have time to stop by the official Kit Kat Confectionery in Tokyo, most convenience stores didn't stock Kit Kat (and I visited many stores, but that's another blog post).<br />
<br />
Instead, I bought three of the dozen or so flavours I found at Tokyo's Narita Airport (the other two in a Tokyo supermarket). And so, as an introduction to Japan's crazy 300 Kit Kat flavours, take a break and read the following ranking of weird chocolates that only the Japanese could produce.<br />
<br />
<b>Rum & Raisin Kit Kat:</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-76XnPaZlgI8/Whj2MerFrCI/AAAAAAAAHZY/ysbjB22LLZgIeHUE1Nlr1g0lAk0wltpHACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/rumraisin1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1100" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-76XnPaZlgI8/Whj2MerFrCI/AAAAAAAAHZY/ysbjB22LLZgIeHUE1Nlr1g0lAk0wltpHACPcBGAYYCw/s640/rumraisin1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Found at the airport and honoured as the flavour of Tokyo, it is a Kit Kat distinct for its fruity taste, and its alcoholic smell. This all despite having a single raisin or rum.<br />
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Unlike the other rum and raisin chocolates you can get from Kiwi brands like Whittaker's, Kit Kat's version is almost overwhelmingly sweet with the use of white chocolate.<br />
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But while some flavours you feel you only need the one or two sticks, you could almost get away with eating another set.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-binP5QUdP7M/WhxOV50qfpI/AAAAAAAAHaU/QEreISiZw7gH61khGqeU_ZcoWWCTe-VsQCLcBGAs/s1600/rumraisin2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1100" height="361" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-binP5QUdP7M/WhxOV50qfpI/AAAAAAAAHaU/QEreISiZw7gH61khGqeU_ZcoWWCTe-VsQCLcBGAs/s640/rumraisin2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b>Weird Kit Kat Rating:</b> 3/5<br />
<b>Delicious Rating:</b> 4/5<br />
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<b>Matcha Tea Kit Kat:</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6O4G6FRcf24/Whj3sIGP4SI/AAAAAAAAHZo/Q0qncOMh9d08G3TTcHafHhJtryZnj27MwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/matcha2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1100" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6O4G6FRcf24/Whj3sIGP4SI/AAAAAAAAHZo/Q0qncOMh9d08G3TTcHafHhJtryZnj27MwCPcBGAYYCw/s640/matcha2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>I like matcha tea. I like chocolate. I like chocolate and matcha tea. But I'm not 100% a fan of the matcha tea Kit Kat. A distinct dark, earthy green, the taste is distinctly earthy too. But it's a bit confusing.<br />
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Matcha isn't sweet but eating it in Kit Kat form almost feels like it is trying to be. Maybe if it was dark chocolate instead of white, it wouldn't seem so weird.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6rqHj0USPbY/WlAelgUL6II/AAAAAAAAHc0/3BqdxOpOaXUYkiOP3PCR_j6Cnne1pvKwACLcBGAs/s1600/matcha1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1100" height="361" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6rqHj0USPbY/WlAelgUL6II/AAAAAAAAHc0/3BqdxOpOaXUYkiOP3PCR_j6Cnne1pvKwACLcBGAs/s640/matcha1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b>Weird Rating:</b> 2/5<br />
<b>Delicious Rating:</b> 2/5<br />
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<b>Sweet Potato Kit Kat</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1nET0r5P1w8/Whj38cucuGI/AAAAAAAAHZo/-hooOD9eXvQJCClOK8eszhs4yB8mxVp8wCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/sweetpotato1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1100" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1nET0r5P1w8/Whj38cucuGI/AAAAAAAAHZo/-hooOD9eXvQJCClOK8eszhs4yB8mxVp8wCPcBGAYYCw/s640/sweetpotato1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>When you grow up around enough processes Asian food, you learn anything purple is bound to be sweet potato flavoured.<br />
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This sweet potato Kit Kat (benuino) is extra sweet, heightened due to the mix of white chocolate used.<br />
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I don't consider it to be that distinct in sweet potato-y kumara flavour, but its quite pleasant to eat.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-poWyBmoWScc/WlAdjAwdeFI/AAAAAAAAHcg/2Se0h-LM2D4OaDoYBxyVE1_GRIu1_RgPgCLcBGAs/s1600/sweetpotato2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1100" height="361" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-poWyBmoWScc/WlAdjAwdeFI/AAAAAAAAHcg/2Se0h-LM2D4OaDoYBxyVE1_GRIu1_RgPgCLcBGAs/s640/sweetpotato2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b>Weird Rating:</b> 3/5<br />
<b>Delicious Rating:</b> 4/5<br />
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<b>Cranberry & Almond Kit Kat</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ew9OVjov-pk/Whj5EzlkKDI/AAAAAAAAHZ0/GVk52srwBS8oWgEA6Trc5rZqaMVYS1_hwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/cranberry1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1100" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ew9OVjov-pk/Whj5EzlkKDI/AAAAAAAAHZ0/GVk52srwBS8oWgEA6Trc5rZqaMVYS1_hwCPcBGAYYCw/s640/cranberry1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Found in the supermarket, it's arguably the most normal of the flavours, and the most stingy with this "collectors version" only served in single sticks.<br />
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Despite being the alternative flavour that was dark chocolate, it deviates the most from the classic Kit Kat shape, with a naked uncoated top exposing the scattering of cranberry and almond. And it is one of my favourites - think fancy higher-class Kit Kat.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hDq9rLZwTlU/WlAdjCOCCvI/AAAAAAAAHcc/SZGeZtz0xccgko0pdF7SfsRrrrJZWRVzgCLcBGAs/s1600/cranberry2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1100" height="361" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hDq9rLZwTlU/WlAdjCOCCvI/AAAAAAAAHcc/SZGeZtz0xccgko0pdF7SfsRrrrJZWRVzgCLcBGAs/s640/cranberry2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b>Weird rating:</b> 1/5<br />
<b>Delicious Rating:</b> 4/5<br />
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<b>Wasabi Kit Kat</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xpTUJBbWW6Y/Whj42iLP1WI/AAAAAAAAHZ0/Bj-QWzzTbfcxF4sr2Q1pWXlGZ4q9Do8XgCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/wasabi1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1100" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xpTUJBbWW6Y/Whj42iLP1WI/AAAAAAAAHZ0/Bj-QWzzTbfcxF4sr2Q1pWXlGZ4q9Do8XgCPcBGAYYCw/s640/wasabi1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The most characteristic Japanese flavour you could have, in the most uncharacteristic chocolate flavours.<br />
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However, despite the wasabi label it had none of the heat - unless you breathe in a certain way through your nose and mouth, only then do you feel a slight wasabi sensation. Not necessarily the burning, but maybe that whiff of a sharpie marker-like smell. It's unusual and unnatural to have sweet with chocolate, but there's something about it that always makes me feel curious to try it again just so my brain can work out what's going on.<br />
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It's no Ferrer Rocher dream chocolate. But my boyfriend said this flavour was his favourite.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UHxejgl0PSM/WlAeLsPIcqI/AAAAAAAAHcs/YIWsysMGD-UQqLKWxuEegOLRJOyvvnhkwCLcBGAs/s1600/wasabi2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1100" height="361" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UHxejgl0PSM/WlAeLsPIcqI/AAAAAAAAHcs/YIWsysMGD-UQqLKWxuEegOLRJOyvvnhkwCLcBGAs/s640/wasabi2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b>Weird Rating:</b> 5/5<br />
<b>Delicious Rating:</b> 3/5Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-15595754567251060062017-11-26T23:16:00.000+13:002017-11-27T23:17:31.488+13:00Why K-Pop in the western world is a win for the Asians<div style="text-align: center;">
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Searching headlines from this week's American Music Awards brings up a number of results; Pink telling fans she wasn't cringing through Christina Aguilera's performance, Demi Lovato singing to her haters, Selena Gomez bleaching her hair... But other than those three headlines, there were three letters constantly repeated in the AMA newsfeed: BTS.<br />
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For millions of viewers, this was an unfamiliar name with unfamiliar music. Foreign, in more ways than one. But for a subculture of Hallyu fans, and a dedicated self-described Army, it was an event that marked a new milestone in Korean music, and Asian entertainment.<br />
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When the world became most familiar with K-Pop through Psy's 2012 viral song, 'Gangnam Style', it was an accidental sort of appreciation and fame - in the same manner when the bizarre Spanish 'Las Ketchup' song was a hit in the 2000's. Defined by a catchy melody and a gimmicky dance - 'Gangnam Style' did wonder for Psy's international career, but heavily polarised the western audience. <br />
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However, the western popularity that comes with BTS (known in Korean as the Bangtan Boys) is different. It's not viral, or gimmicky, or of "one-hit wonder" status. This is a genuinely dedicated fandom. You only have to see the Twitter trends, hear the screams, and witness the fan chants that you understand this is like One Direction's Korean equivalent craze.<br />
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However irritating you may consider fan girls in any capacity (wherever Directioner or Army) I can't help but feel a sense of pride at the reaction. I'm not Korean, not one of BTS's Army, but as an Asian living in the western world, I'm proud of them. <br />
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The western media is influential on how society shapes it's thinking. And, no offence to Psy and the work he did (because he has opened the doors for the Asian entertainment and pop culture), but for Asian men in western media, the assumption and visualisation of them has been painted as awkward, dorky, uncomfortable weak men who yell and get frustrated easily.<br />
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<a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/max-black-caroline-channing-2bg-xpfiKad7FE0KI">via GIPHY</a><br />
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Take 'Han' from '2 Broke Girls'. A TV show I used to enjoy until I really broke down the humour and heavily stereotyped nature of the comedy to realise 'it's not actually funny'. He's a restaurant owner, verbally harassed by his staff, with an overexaggerated accent, and painted to be an undesirable sexual deviant. It's no wonder that, to mainstream media, Asians are seen as the least desirable.<br />
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And don't get me wrong, there have been influential Asian stars in the industry (Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, John Cho) but every generation needs a new example. <br />
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Which is what brings me back to BTS. They're called one of Time's top 25 most influential people on the internet, Billboard's 'Top Social Artist', and one of the most retweeted bands on Twitter. They're proving that they're talented, can sing, dance, rap, are seen as attractive and desirable. And if Ed Sheeran can do wonders for ginger people, what can a Korean boyband do?<br />
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As an underdog in the midst of rising mainstream, BTS's invitation to perform onstage at the AMAs will hopefully lead forward more genuine acceptance and diversity in the western entertainment industry. Watch out western world - you're only tapping into the surface of the Asian entertainment market. <br />
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If you're curious about what is BTS, hear a few more of their hits, which I prefer more than their current 'DNA' song:<br />
- <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEeFrLSkMm8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">'Spring Day'</a><br />
- <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmE9f-TEutc" target="_blank">'Blood, Sweat and Tears'</a><br />
- <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALj5MKjy2BU" target="_blank">'Fire'</a>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-43362424823811707812017-10-25T22:12:00.000+13:002017-10-26T01:37:17.732+13:00A soundtrack and story of Lights' 'Skin & Earth' [Album Review]<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zICKWVRbu9I/WfB7G56rzVI/AAAAAAAAHYQ/1CIzHY-zhtUuFXhyoPeYJgTjyFpCZUeagCLcBGAs/s1600/lightsskinearth.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1100" height="361" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zICKWVRbu9I/WfB7G56rzVI/AAAAAAAAHYQ/1CIzHY-zhtUuFXhyoPeYJgTjyFpCZUeagCLcBGAs/s640/lightsskinearth.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
It's an art and craft to produce the perfect soundtrack for a film or TV series. A collation of tone, variety, melodic grandeur and lyrical importance can make a scene or spoil a setting. Some of my favourite songs can come from standout soundtracks. And some songs can be a redeemer from the worst excuses of films ('Twilight' soundtracks were the only worthwhile thing from the movie trilogy).<br />
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I can't tell you of any comic book series that has its own soundtrack like Lights' <b>Skin&Earth</b> album and comic. But her album paints the mood to her self-made comic series, with songs that both supplement the graphics and stand out on its own.<br />
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Like Beyonce channelled Sasha Fierce, Lights embodies the red-headed En. A fiery, ketchup-maned outcast, she lives in a dystopian world divided by the elite, inhabiting a house at the brink of a toxic wasteland. That's all I can tell you about the comic as I haven't read any further than the first free section of issue #1 myself, but <a href="https://nerdist.com/read-the-first-pages-of-musician-lights-original-comic-skin-and-earth-exclusive/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">travel into the world of Madison Oasis</a> and read about a land more desolate and dysfunctional than our own.<br />
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In terms of the album, the songs are a perfect balance between badassery and romantic drama that the track arrangement could breathe as its own storyline. It begins with the plot kicker of second song '<b>Skydiving</b>'. Singing about the risks that come diving headfirst into romance, the melody will freefall you into a bed of falling vocal notes, repeatedly rolling you down the octave.<br />
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The anger and conflict sit in the hard-fisted track '<b>Savage</b>'. Ruled by its boastful, chest-beating drumming and strong electric guitar, Lights belts out the savagery of a man she once trusted. "<i>In a flash flood of cruelty, you washed the ground out from under me</i>". As seen in her music video, many of the lyrics appear straight from the comic's story, bringing to life the fire of emotions.<br />
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The moment of vulnerability creeps into slow track 6, '<b>Morphine</b>'. Almost reminiscent of Lights early music with its gentle keys and soft-spoken vocals, it gives a breathy change of pace to the punchy album. One of my clear favourites.<br />
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The most unique sounding track is, of course, the lead single, '<b>Giants</b>'. An anthem defined by its changing beat between verse and chorus, it's enthused vocal encouraging us that we too "<i>could be giants</i>" has an emphatic drum beat that could be enough to encourage any ketchup-coloured head to "rise up" and fight the status quo.<br />
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However, two final tracks of the album can't be glossed over. Every storyline has a big fight or conflict, and in the well-titled '<b>Fight Club</b>', it brings the "heavy" in catchy pop beats and light keyboard notes. With Lights' staccato breathing through the chorus, it is almost like she's in a boxing ring punching this song out.<br />
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And of course, every story needs a climactic resolution, which sits perfectly with '<b>Almost Had Me</b>'. A strong electric melody, with a chorus that really strikes me; "<i>I was a knife in the gunfight... you were a wolf in the daylight, and you almost had me</i>." It's an eloquent closing song that rises and soars, playing as if the credits are rolling in your head to this heroine's story told in 14 songs.<br />
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The <b>Skin&Earth</b> album is a tidy collection of songs, following a narrative that covers love, risk, conflict and resolution. The arrangement of songs has the balance to be delicate and strong in all the right places. And ultimately, it feels like an album that ticks all the boxes. I only hope the comic is as polished as the album.<br />
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<b>Stand out tracks: </b>Savage, Morphine, Fight Club, Almost Had Me<br />
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<b>For people who like:</b> Ellie Goulding, gaming references in pop culture<br />
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<i>Update: so I ended up buying the Skin & Earth comics that have been released so far (currently up to issue #4 of six). Totally brings another aesthetic to reading as each chapter aligns itself with each song. And it gives a new meaning to all the songs on her album that you wouldn't think of when you first listen to them. Truly a soundtrack that provides a multi-medium experience.</i><br />
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[Image: screenshot from Giants - Lights]Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-55464449070555220452017-10-14T00:14:00.001+13:002017-10-14T15:22:26.591+13:00What do you do when a stranger swears at you?<div style="text-align: center;">
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"Stay the f#ck out of my way".<br />
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I stood dumbfounded on my driveway, in disbelief of what I just heard.<br />
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I had, only seconds ago, walked out of my house in my running gear ready to start my Saturday run, when this grey-haired man in sports sunnies and a black shirt swore at me under his breath. He may have been running on the sidewalk at such a pace, determined and focused, but definitely had enough oxygen spare to swear loud enough for me to hear.<br />
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And what did I do wrong? Apparently, stood and waited in the near proximity of a sidewalk he had claimed for himself.<br />
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My area is relatively friendly "morning" street greeters. The type that, if you're not occupied in a group chat or phone call, you would give a nodding gesture, a "morning" in passing, a friendly smile-by.<br />
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But it seemed to be that patiently waiting in my own driveway for a man to run past me before I crossed the street was a swearable offence.<br />
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I stared at the back of his head as he didn't give me a second thought, my mind in doubt of my own ability to hear. I crossed the street, started my run in the opposite direction, and then began to get really mad.<br />
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"How dare he!"<br />
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It wasn't music filling my head or my footsteps matching a beat of a song. My hands were clenched, my arms swung at the air, and frustration hit the ground with every step.<br />
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I frowned as I replayed the fleeting scene in my head, mulling over the few seconds of interaction. All I literally did was stand there in my driveway, waiting for him to pass.<br />
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The further I ran, the madder I felt. In some ways, running was a good way to use my energy. But it was a bad way to fill my head with a thousand alternative endings.<br />
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"I should have yelled at him. Followed him on his run," I thought. "Tripped him up. Did he notice I was Asian? Maybe this cranky middle-aged man is a racist too."<br />
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"He wouldn't have sworn at me if I wasn't a 5 foot 2 female. I should have got in his way. Maybe I'll run into him again. Maybe I'll get in his way. He can move out of the way for me!"<br />
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This was my brain for at least 10 kilometres. In that distance, I ran past everyone, looking to see if it was the same jerk. Part of me wanted to face him and finally, defend myself. The other part of me just wanted to go home.<br />
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An hour and a half later, the anger had finally been replaced with tiredness. My feet ached and I could feel the blisters forming. I headed back, and as I did, I prayed I didn't have to bump into anyone again. I just didn't have the energy for it. Or the confidence to deal with another confrontation.<br />
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That thought didn't last long. As I came up towards the hill, I spotted a woman ahead of me, walking her border collie dog. As I thought between passing by her from the road, or just crossing the street completely, she heard me running behind her. Pulling her dog to the side, she patiently told her dog to sit as I ran past.<br />
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"Thanks," I quickly said, moving as fast as I could out of her way, relieved how painless it was. I ran one final loop of the street and headed back towards home.<br />
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I was only metres from home and from where that jerk swore at me when once again, I came across the woman with the border collie dog. This time, she was coming towards my direction.<br />
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Once again, she pulled her dog to the side out of my way, but as I came closer, she recognised me from minutes before.<br />
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"Keep going, you're doing well!" she told me, smiling as I passed.<br />
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I smiled and said thank you as best I could with my limited breath, and with that, there was almost a relief from my heart. As if the darkness from hours before was removed from me. And I almost felt I had the energy to run again - but I didn't, because blisters aren't cured by encouragement.<br />
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As I took the steps to my house, I thought of how differently my run started to how my run ended. Had it not been for that woman with the dog, I think I would have sat in my bad mood bubble for the rest of the day.<br />
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The moral of the story is that there are people in this world who are jerks. They will be selfish, and cruel, spread negative energy and spoil your mood.<br />
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But for every negative person out there, there is also a good person who will cheer you on - even if they are a complete stranger. A smile and word of encouragement make a difference to someone's journey.<br />
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And it also proves that dog people are truly good people. Thank you border collie lady.Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-29666684741094862142017-10-08T15:34:00.001+13:002017-10-14T15:20:51.836+13:00Seoul Delicious: A ranking of the best South Korean food<div style="text-align: center;">
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I was never a fan of Korean food before I travelled to Seoul.<br />
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Their cuisine in my head consisted of rice and a hundred average tasting side dishes that weren't flavorful like Chinese food, refreshing like Vietnamese food, or as fun as Japanese food.<br />
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But my sister, who had been studying in South Korea for the past 4 months, aimed to change my mind by feeding me everything great and popular about Korean food. And in my recent overseas holiday, I truly ate my way through Seoul over 4 days. So from amazing to alright, here's my definitive rank of the Korean Cuisine:<br />
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<b>1. Korean Fried Chicken // Chimaek (치맥):</b><br />
It may not have 11 secret herbs and spices, but it's still better than anything KFC could do. Why? When it comes to their chicken, you could eat pretty much a whole box and not feel any regrets, unlike eating 2 1/2 pieces from a KFC bucket. It's not greasy, the coating is delicious, and their spicy version is tastier than any wicked wing. Also a plus: no bones. The chicken my sister bought for us was from a takeaway service who delivered it to us park-side of the Han River. We were outside and they came to find us. Up your game K Fry.<br />
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<b>2. Shaved ice dessert // Bingsu (빙수):</b><br />
While it's not the top shaved ice dessert ever (that spot in my heart is still saved for the Malaysian Ice Kachang) the snowflake-like iced milk shavings are the perfect summer dessert. Ours was covered in matcha green tea ice cream, red bean, bites of dark chocolate and small rice cakes - but careful about the sizes as the one I had in the centre of Myeongdong was definitely a two person filling dessert.<br />
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<b>3. Korean BBQ // Gogigui (고기구이):</b><br />
This was the first and last meal we had in Seoul, and it definitely requires you to bring your appetite to the table. It's a skill of multitasking, quick hands, constant movement and big mouthfuls as you grill, scoop, eat and repeat. The side dishes keep coming, and you walk out with your hair smelling of barbecue. Best with a few people around a table as you can take turns keeping an eye on it all. (My sister's suggestion, grill the kimchi and raw garlic too.) If you like pork, samgyeopsal (삼겹살) is a staple for a Korean BBQ. Cut it up, wrap it with lettuce, chives and a bit of soya bean paste... oh my gosh I'm hungry now.<br />
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<b>4. Cold Buckwheat Noodles // Naengmyeon (냉면):</b><br />
Cold buckwheat noodles are just what you need for lunch on a hot Seoul summer day. Refreshing, cooling, and just focused on a delicious cold bowl of rich broth soup and fresh garnish. The noodle has a nice delicate bite to it too that other cold noodle dishes like udon don't compare to.<br />
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<b>5. Dumplings // Mandu (만두):</b><br />
You can't go wrong with deep fried dumplings, as long as you cook it well. Ours were ordered by home delivery and were a great accompaniment to jajangmyeon.<br />
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<b>6. Bibimbap (비빔밥):</b><br />
Think of it like a mix-yourself Korean fried rice. Filled with vegetables like carrots, mushrooms, dried seaweed and a heaping of gochujang (red chilli paste), it's a healthy meal. I love rice but if I had to pick my favourite part of rice, it's finding a crunchy and slightly crisped section of rice amongst a bowlful of soft cooked rice. This definitely gives you that balance, while ultimately being presented in a colourful and nicely divided bowl that you control mixing up yourself.<br />
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<b>7. Five Senses Tea:</b><br />
We came across this tea house after walking the historical village in Seoul. A beautiful, traditional influenced wooden building that centred around this small peaceful garden, it truly was the perfect setting to get in touch with the five senses. With tea leaves grown in Moon-Kyung, Northen KyeongSang, it's a delicious drink I've never experienced before. Spicy, sour, sweet, bitter and salty, the tea was fruity, light, and is supposedly great for headaches, asthma and hangovers.<br />
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<b>8. Spicy Pickled Cabbage // Kimchi (김치):</b><br />
I ate enough kimchi in a few days to last me the year in Seoul. But I learned that there are many variations of kimchi and a real versatility to it in every savoury dish. Much like tomato sauce or mayo is a staple condiment in western cooking, kimchi is that perfect bit of zing to a standard Korean meal. But also careful about the amount you eat because sometimes after a meal, I still felt like I was tasting cabbage.<br />
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<b>9. Seaweed Soup // Miyeokguk (미역국):</b><br />
Sometimes it's the simple dishes that can satisfy. While seaweed soup explains what it is in two words, it's the broth that wins. Much like my love of a good miso soup, I could happily drink a few bowls of it for any occasion.<br />
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<b>10. Black Bean Noodles // Jajangmyeon (짜장면):</b><br />
When you're jetlagged, humid and lazy, these noodles are the perfect comfort food. We got this delivered to our Airbnb with a serving of dumplings, and while I'm not the biggest fan of dark sauce noodles, they were quite sweet and delicious.<br />
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<b>11. Ginseng Chicken Soup // Samgyetang (삼계탕):</b><br />
They say this dish is one of the best to keep you healthy and well - that's probably due to the whole chicken and all the ginseng it's stewing in. When you add ginseng, a root plant with plenty of health properties, to a chicken stuffed with rice, garlic and jujubes, it's like chicken soup times 100. We ate at a speciality samgyetang restaurant, on one of the warmest Seoul summer days, served to us in a hot pot that never really cooled down - which I felt was difficult because your whole body is so warm that it made you feel you were sweating out the soup. But they say that it's super healthy for these reasons.<br />
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<b>12. Sweet Korean Pancake // Hotteok (호떡):</b><br />
I didn't know what to expect to eat when my sister kept sending me photos of hotteok, but in the rarity of summer, she managed to get this deep-fried treat for me from a street vendor. Think of it as an oily fried doughnut filled with hot sticky sweet honey. I don't particularly recommend it during summer as burning your tongue and hands on a hot doughnut is the last thing you want to do, but it would definitely be the most delicious hand warmer.<br />
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<b>13. Rice Cakes in Spicy Sauce // Tteokbokki (떡볶이):</b><br />
A staple for Korean street food, tteokbokki is straightforward hot rice cakes cooked in a spicy sauce. The rice cakes aren't delicate things either, with a bit of chew in each bite. There isn't much flavour to the cakes themselves, with the focus all on the sauce. But if you can only handle a certain limit of spicy food, you only need a few pieces before your mouth is on fire.<br />
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<b>14. Stir-Fried Glass Noodles // Japchae (잡채):</b><br />
While I've had good versions of these in Korean restaurants in Auckland, this was not the best dish I ate in Seoul. Mind you, I also bought it from a lonely open side street vendor at 9pm. And when my little sister ordered it with chicken, she was not aware that the part of the chicken she ordered was ₩5,000 of chicken intestines. At the end of the dish, all I had were sad cold noodles, vegetables that needed to be cooked more, and chicken intestines you couldn't chew apart. However, the noodles, which are made from sweet potato starch, are quite delicious on their own.<br />
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<b>15. Fish cake soup // Eomukguk (어묵국):</b><br />
I can see the appeal of fish cake soup when you're out on the streets and you want a quick soup and fish cake skewer for a snack... Actually no I can't really understand it. But maybe when it's winter and you're waiting by a bus stop, and you want something that will warm your body and your soul, a good fish cake soup could be the way. The fish cake skewer is simple, but what makes it nice is the broth which is slightly spicy and is soaked into the flavour of the fish cake. Problem is that it's a two-handed meal to hold your soup while eating from the skewer, so don't even think about ordering other food at the same time - there's only so much you can juggle.<br />
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<a href="http://www.melinthemilkyway.com/search/label/Asia"><b>Read more Asia travel adventures</b></a>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-18934101665557932042017-09-26T23:24:00.002+13:002017-09-27T09:55:22.110+13:00I'm not interested in dating Asian guys<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--iK7io8c6nc/WcooHWC5CkI/AAAAAAAAHWM/25QbQpBi3KUeXBUKJFMwuRtLzTNcmveDQCLcBGAs/s1600/unsplash-dating.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="1100" height="361" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--iK7io8c6nc/WcooHWC5CkI/AAAAAAAAHWM/25QbQpBi3KUeXBUKJFMwuRtLzTNcmveDQCLcBGAs/s640/unsplash-dating.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>'I'm not interested in Asian guys.'<br />
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That's what 16-year-old me used to say. And it's an attitude that 26-year-old me now thinks it was completely stupid to believe.<br />
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It was an hour-long taxi ride from Auckland Airport back to my house. My Chinese taxi driver was conversing with me about growing up as an NZ born Chinese. It's a common conversation I typically find myself in when I meet someone who has immigrated to New Zealand from an Asian country. They are always interested in the story of how you got here.<br />
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Anyway, while we were exchanging origin stories, he was explaining to me how he wished his only Chinese born son, currently based in Dunedin, would move back to Auckland.<br />
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"The Chinese food isn't good in Dunedin," he said. "I wish he could move back here and meet a nice Chinese girl. All he does is 'come home, play computer games.'"<br />
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He asked did I spend my time playing computer games too - to which I said no, my boyfriend does though.<br />
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"Kiwi?" he asked.<br />
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"No, South African actually."<br />
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We continued our conversation as I directed him towards my house. I paid my fare, and then he wished me well for the night.<br />
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"It's a shame you are not single. I wish my son could meet a pretty and smart Chinese girl like you; you could have been my future daughter-in-law!" he joked.<br />
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"I'm not sure I want to live in Dunedin," I laughed. "You said the food wasn't too good there!"<br />
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I was very good-natured about his jokes and was flattered by what he said about me. But I thought for a while about how he wished his son would date someone Chinese. What if he found someone who wasn't Chinese? Why did it have to be a requirement?<br />
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When I was younger, dating a Chinese guy seemed to be something I would write off immediately. I told my parents to never expect me to introduce them to a Chinese boy, or even an Asian boyfriend. When I was younger, I didn't want to associate myself as dating someone who was from "my kind," especially when I didn't associate myself as part of that "kind" too.<br />
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"Blue eyes, cute smile, someone who makes me laugh, is outgoing, is creative, and can cook," I would always explain as my ideal.<br />
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But other than "blue eyes", all those ideals are not confined to a race or ethnicity. Why did I think it was okay then to write off a complete continent of races from any dating prospects? I don't hold those conditions with people in my daily life. In fact, you wouldn't treat someone in that way if it came to a job, to someone serving you, or someone you would friend in general.<br />
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I could easily fault growing up in western media and the influence it had on my perception. Their avoidance of making Asian males seem more "dateable" in romance plot lines is a true problem when you look at Asian representation, but then again, that is still no excuse.<br />
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The fact is, we treat it as being superficial if we based someone solely on their appearance. The same should be said about judging someone on the shape of their eyes or the colour of their skin. And while cultural differences could come into play, that is just like anything to consider like different personalities or beliefs.<br />
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I may never date an Asian in my life now since I'm in a solid relationship with my South African boyfriend. However, if I could go back to 16-year-old Mel, I would definitely have a few words to say about her attitude towards dating more than ethnicity. I always ask the world for acceptance based past the lineage of my cultural identity. There needs to be more openness in this world to different races. But while we aim for a world focused on raising good human beings, the first place it should start with is me.<br />
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[Photo: Unsplash]Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-30384600531604995912017-08-17T23:58:00.000+12:002017-08-20T00:36:05.825+12:00Who is Kwon Ji Yong - G-Dragon live in Auckland [concert review]<div style="text-align: center;">
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I've never spent more than $200 for a single concert ticket. Not for Beyonce, not for Adele, not Ed Sheeran, or Coldplay, or even Switchfoot. <br />
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But I spent it on G-Dragon.<br />
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None of my friends would know who he is. And he's a hard act to describe. He's successful like Justin Timberlake, has bad boy rebellion a bit like Justin Bieber, a hitmaker like Pharrell, a stage presence like Beyonce, passionate facial expressions that rival Gerard Way's, is a rapper, a singer, a dancer, a fashion risk-taker, and arguably the biggest Korean pop idol of his generation.<br />
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Quite frankly, I struggle to even think what Western artist could even equate to the brand that is G-Dragon.<br />
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The entertainment industry in South Korea purely fascinates me, and at the centre of it, the career of K-pop idols. G-Dragon, the stage name he picked from 12-years-old, has been crafted and trained to become the star he is today under an agency that releases some of the most popular Korean pop music of this era. He grew to become the persona of G-Dragon for the past 11 years, a name that flourished like fire but contained in scrutiny under the public eye. But it's the name, and the real person behind it which into the narrative of his concert.<br />
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'Act III: M.O.T.T.E World Tour' is the biggest solo Korean act world tour ever, and GD's first in Auckland. And in many ways, it's the perfect first concert to have as the songs span his eight-year solo career are eloquently divided into three parts.<br />
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Part 1: G Dragon<br />
Opening with Heartbreaker, the song that launched him into his solo career, it's a flurry of dancers, fire, and a stage bathed in red as G Dragon appears on a platform raised off the main stage. Giant screens follow his every move, and with classic G Dragon stage swagger, he sings and dances through the best of his first album as his dedicated fans clutching crown torches passionately beat their light sticks to the beat. <br />
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Part 2: G Dragon vs Kwon Ji Yong<br />
In a candid series of interviews with influential celebrities and workmates, G-Dragon is described as a superstar, an artist, a force to be reckoned with. He's an influencer in what has made the Hallyu wave (the term given to Korean pop culture) so internationally recognised and they're quick to sing his praises. However, the contrast between asking who GD is and asking who Kwon Ji Yong shows a different side. An obedient dutiful son, an introverted thinker.<br />
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Going through the body of work from his second and third album reinforced his place in the game. A person who has directed his place into the industry, he sings crowd favourites like That XX, Crayon, MichiGo and one of my favourites, Who You, that fills the concert with high-energy under the guise of his playful yet cool attitude.<br />
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Part 3: Kwon Ji Yong<br />
In a (subtitled) monologue camera, he describes himself as unsure of who he is. He's known as G-Dragon the star, but to reveal himself to the public as Kwon Ji Yong is a difficult and vulnerable first. However, that's how he wants to be remembered, as that's who he is in his loneliest moments - which leads into performances from most recent album 'Kwon Ji Yong'. <br />
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A different sort of self-titled release, the third act is interpreted in so many ways - as a farewell to his former lover from a previous relationship, a farewell as he goes into his (Korean-age) 30s, and almost a farewell to the identity he had before he took on the persona of G Dragon to the world. It struck me the most in his song 'Superstar' when he stood floating above the stage on a platform, not completely dressed in glitzy red but clinging to the rope 'I need somebody, I ain't got nobody' showed the other side of him that is outside the walls of the concert.<br />
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He took two encores for the night. Everyone held out especially for his biggest hit 'Crooked', which set the whole concert to their feet (and admittedly shouting along to the easy Korean words.)<br />
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But 'Untitled, 2014' while slow, was the powerful farewell the show needed as it felt it was a farewell to Kwon Ji Yong as he walked up to the barriers of the crowd. Through the course of the night, he removed the layers of persona, got closer to the fans, and eventually let us become personal with the man behind the superstar status. <br />
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While his name was on the $200 ticket I bought, no one chanted G-Dragon's name that night. I realised when the night ended, the only name people cheered out for was Kwon Ji Yong.Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-27759577063259644222017-07-31T19:30:00.000+12:002017-08-20T00:35:21.197+12:00Six things I learnt before I turned 26<div style="text-align: center;">
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Happy (belated) birthday to me! I've spent the past few days recovering from the long food coma that comes from numerous lunch and dinner outings. I put on two kilos in a week... it's true when they say your metabolism slows after 25.<br />
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But like every birthday of past years, it's a good time for reflection of what has been and what could be to come of the next year. More so when you're clearly unable to deny you're in your mid-20s now. But I'm in many ways proud of what I achieved in myself in the past 12 months, in what could be summed up in 6 neat little lessons I learned.<br />
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<b>The world is getting smaller but there's still so much to see.</b><br />
I travelled to 18 different countries in the past 12 months. It's hard to believe I would get the courage and chance to explore, and I feel ridiculously blessed that I was able to see so much from a collective 5 weeks of holiday I took. But while it can be so easy to jump from one country to other sometimes, the planet is bigger than you could ever fathom, with endless experiences available. I feel as an Aucklander where life keeps within its sheltered little bubble, going overseas allowed me to get a taste of what it's like to be outside of my comfort zone, in places I don't really share a language with. There's always something new and unfamiliar to experience. And the joy of exploring what's new also makes you value the meaning of familiarity and home.<br />
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</b> <b>It's worth waiting for the things you want most. </b><br />
I waited an entire year without a holiday in order to go to Europe, and while at the time it felt ridiculously long, it was more satisfying knowing I was working towards something that I felt I was earning to deserve. In many ways, you can take a lot of pride in that. The same can be said about saving your money and reconsidering going out to parties or buying drinks in town - the value of many $10 ciders can eventually add up to a plane or concert ticket, by far a better experience than a hangover.<br />
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<b>Consider all possibilities.</b><br />
You can't say yes to everything in the world, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't say no. There's a reason why people say to go with your gut feeling and what brings peace to your heart. Book smarts and street smarts don't lead to mental wellness. And what the head may say doesn't mean it's the smartest move to make. In those times, pray, meditate and I will go with what I feel satisfies my soul.<br />
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<b>It's easier said than done to let go.</b><br />
Even in the most inconvenient timings can something good happen, even if it is a good life lesson to be learnt. It's difficult to do in a world that prides itself on the idealistic and perfected, but in the small little mistakes we make is the opportunity for something you never knew would happen.<br />
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<b>Work with people, not on people.</b><br />
It's really easy to want your way but sometimes we seem so self-involved in our own wants and needs that we forget those that are there to support us. The older I get, the more important it feels like to be present and focused on working well with those around, as opposed to those who demand what they feel they're entitled to.<br />
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<b>Most importantly, don't kill the dream.</b><br />
Just because someone says no doesn't mean it's over. I think that if you always stay true to your character, your beliefs and what you know is right - there's less of a chance you'll fall. Work for towards it, don't idly wait for it.<br />
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Here's to a sweet 26 years!Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-61224604346454092162017-06-20T20:12:00.000+12:002017-06-21T08:52:39.289+12:00How to stay organised before your big overseas trip - aka avoiding my awful nightmare<div style="text-align: center;">
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The other night, I had a stressful nightmare. I was with my Contiki group and we were heading towards the international airport of some location. While we were there, my friends and I got distracted by this museum, and we decided we had time before we needed to meet up with everyone, so we walked through all the displays. For some reason, we needed to take off our shoes so we could walk inside - so I had my (impractical) black wedges on that I checked in with this older man who left it on one of the racks, then I walked inside the shop.<br />
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I walked through the shop very quickly; there just wasn't much to see. I waited for my friends, and when we were all together again - we walked towards the airport.<br />
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But oh! I forgot my shoes!<br />
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I tell my friends to not wait up, I'll just quickly grab them. But wait - I go to find them within the racks behind the man, and I don't see them anymore. I can't just walk to the airport without shoes...<br />
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I'm freaking. The lady behind the desk tries to find the pair I'm trying to describe - black, strappy, with a small sized wedge heel and a silver zipper down the back. She brings me another pair of shoes which are strappy, but flat. I tell her I guess they'll have to do because I have to get to my flight on time. But I really loved my wedges, and I'm basically stealing someone else's shoes. So I'm endlessly searching the racks till I basically have no more time. I have to run to my flight now.<br />
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But hold on - I don't even know what flight I'm taking. I only know I'm going to Hawaii. I reach for my phone to try and phone Ebony our tour manager. But I've got my NZ sim card - my Europe one had the phone number in it! I'm panicking now - what am I gonna do?<br />
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So I start running. And running. I don't even know what direction I'm meant to go in, I just need to find a desk and ask someone. I take turn after turn - and for some reason, there are a lot of cruise ships leaving the international airport too. I run through gate 11 and find someone to talk to, and I tell her my name. She asks 'Are you Elissa?' and hands me Elissa's boarding pass.<br />
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'No, my name is Melissa. Melissa Low. I don't know where I am meant to go, I just need to get on my flight to Hawaii'.<br />
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She searches my name and finds out I'm meant to be at gate 10 for my 8pm flight. I check the clock - it's 7.58pm.<br />
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'No!' I stress out. 'What am I supposed to do!"<br />
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~ and then I wake up back in my bed, stressed out and full of anxiety.<br />
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It may have been a dream, but the feelings were very real. I hate feeling like I forgot something or that I should have done something ahead of any trip, whether it's a local trip across the ditch or a big overseas holiday. So I have seven tricks I follow to help me feel in control over preparing myself before I head out to the world.<br />
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<b>Make your own itinerary.</b><br />
It sounds corny but having a go-to document for everything saves you a lot of time and confusion. Whether it's knowing what time your session tickets for a show are for, to which accommodation your taxi needs to take you. You can always create one for yourself in an online document, or there are websites and apps that will help create everything for you. But when putting your itinerary together, always list the codes such as airline codes and ticket booking numbers. It can make it easier on both you and whoever is behind the desk. I personally create it in Google Forms so I can share it with the family or friends that need it, but the Google Trips app is an okay substitute for using yourself.<br />
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<b>Put all your documents in one place.</b><br />
Passport wallets are alright - but travel wallets are better. In a travel wallet, you can keep your flight tickets, your itinerary so you know your next accommodation, any other relevant documents, and even a pen so you can fill out your customs forms when you need to. My travel wallet became my second handbag while travelling, and saved all that time rifling through my backpack for small items.<br />
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<b>Make a printed copy of your online tickets or documents just in case.</b><br />
Phones are supposed to make things easier, but you can't always rely on it, say when you don't have data or no signal. It's best to not stress yourself out and just keep a backup to keep either in your travel wallet or your suitcase.<br />
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<b>Get a world clock on your phone.</b><br />
Because international time zones are confusing and it's the worst thing to be late.<br />
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<b>Buy space saver bags. </b><br />
I received some for my birthday and I was a bit sceptical at first how much space they'd actually save me. But other than really flattening your clothes, it's also great for keeping your clothes organised. I used mine in Europe to separate what I'd wear for different temperatures and between casual and more smart-wear. Then I had a spare third bag to separate my dirty clothes from my clean clothes during the trip.<br />
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<b>Get yourself a proper toiletries bag.</b><br />
This is especially for your carry-on luggage. I try to choose overnight flights because I find it easier to fly at night, and it usually saves me a night accommodation. But with airline rules about how much liquid you can take in your carry on - it's simpler to get a proper regulation sized toiletries bag, with containers you can use specifically for travelling. So I carry things like face wash in a travel-sized bottle, toothpaste, toothbrush and facial creams that all squeeze into one ziplock bag. And then customs never has to worry about it when they see the size of my stuff.<br />
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<b>Keep a To Do list with every thought in the lead up to your trip.</b><br />
Instead of saying to yourself 'okay I'll try to remember that later' while you're in the middle of another task during the day - just write it down on your phone. Keeping a list of notes of thoughts and tasks will save you a lot of stress and panic about 'I hope I didn't forget anything!' Then, when you have the time, there's nothing better than clearing your Travel To-Do list. My go-to apps for this include Todoist and Google Keep.<br />
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Hope this will keep you organised the next time you're preparing to head overseas!Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-15927431379148356162017-05-26T21:44:00.001+12:002017-05-26T21:56:48.404+12:00Kangaroos in the winery [Video Postcard from Melbourne]<div>
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If there was one thing I didn't expect to see in Melbourne, it was kangaroos. Real wild, bouncy kangaroos without a care in the world.<br />
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Check my first blog YouTube video, my postcard from Melbourne, and read more of my High/Lows below:<br />
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<b>Melbourne Highs:</b><br />
1. Seeing kangaroos jump in the wild out in the Yarra Valley! My cousin who had been living in Melbourne for 9 years told me it was the first time they had ever seen a wild kangaroo. I had such excitement seeing two, probably not helped by the wines we had sipped through moments before.<br />
2. Watching a glam rock girl band in a bar/club called Yah Yahs. It was 70's flicked hair, latex body suits and a woman screaming about her ex-boyfriend with glam rock flair.<br />
3. Sitting at the outdoor exhibit at the National Gallery of Victoria, lying in a beanbag under the Melbourne afternoon sun, writing blogs.<br />
4. Coming home with a lot of brand new clothing - the majority coming from H&M's sale rack.<br />
5. Squeezing all that plus two bottles of wine in a 15kg luggage!<br />
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<b>Melbourne Lows:</b><br />
1. Not having enough time to see St Kilda, which I've also heard heaps about!<br />
2. Having the largest blister develop on my right heel on Friday - and it only grew as I avoided popping it for the rest of the trip. It was Tuesday by the time I dealt with it and by then it was bigger than my thumbprint.<br />
3. Walking to the Queen Victoria Market for a delish French fruit custard pastry - only to find out they don't open on Mondays.<br />
4. Drunk women on my Jetstar night flight to Melbourne - and then the same woman appearing on my overnight flight back! The chances...<br />
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Till the next journey!<br />
Much love, MelMelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-43672288675577016922017-04-29T15:01:00.000+12:002017-04-29T15:04:56.631+12:00Everything wrong with '15 things you must do by 30' lists<div style="text-align: center;">
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"<i>15 things you need to do before turning 30</i>" the headline read.<br />
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It's raining on a Saturday morning, at a time I'd normally go for my beach run. Lying in bed and scrolling through my Facebook feed, the article catches my eye. I'm 25 years old, so tell me Internet, what should I know by the next five years?<br />
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I scanned my eyes down the points, raising my eyebrow at many of the bullet point titles. "Discover yourself", "Don't diet", "Find your style", "Future-proof your career", "Plan your uterus".<br />
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Plan your uterus? Are you kidding me?<br />
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That was a sample of some of those bullet points. I never usually take these lists to heart, but I never expected that some of these lists, in particular, depressingly suggest you have to have life aced by the big 30.<br />
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<b>1. I don't expect anyone discovers themselves by thirty</b><br />
There was a great quote I read while walking through Thames with my parents;<br />
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<i>'It's not a journey to discover yourself. It's a journey to create yourself'.</i><br />
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If you've "discovered yourself" already - I assume you've finished with life. To be living without ambition and that need to learn, you're merely existing. And what is admirable about just existing? Being uncertain is part of life, keep discovering.<br />
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<b>2. There's a difference between a "diet" and being stupid with food choices</b><br />
I'm not going to lie - I've dieted before. I've tried cutting processed foods before and stopped eating excess sugar for a month. I've been on a strict vegetarian-based diet in the past <a href="http://www.melinthemilkyway.com/2014/03/21-day-diary-of-my-daniel-fast.html"><b>which messed up my body a bit</b></a> (though I did lose weight.)<br />
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But I feel there's nothing wrong with the right sort of "diet" - provided it's not like 'one head of lettuce and a handful of almonds for snacks' sort of things. Just be smart about it like an adult should be. Diet knowing what your body needs to be healthy.<br />
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<b>3. You'll forever be finding your style, whether you're 30 or not.</b><br />
Your style, like fashion, changes like seasons do.<br />
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Five years ago, my style was preppy dresses and headbands. There was the time I wore purple tights with combat boots and black dresses. I've been through a button-up shirt phase, gone through a heavy cardigan-wearing phase (I cardi occasionally now), and up until three years ago, I thought full-length skirts made me look fat and short. Even my hairstyle now I'm still finding ways I can change it.<br />
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Just when I think I've "found my style" I get experimental with other looks - and that's how fashion is.<br />
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<b>4. There's no definite way to future-proof your career</b><br />
Even though I work in the digital sphere, I can't even guarantee that five years from now, my job will be "future-proof" from bright digital-savvy youths, let alone the "robots" they mention.<br />
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Their article highlights on being "strong on flexibility" and growing "soft skills" like "being considerate, helpful and a great communicator". Quite frankly, that's just being a good human being.<br />
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But they are right in saying to be "strong of flexibility". Because five years from now, there will be new job titles you would have never thought to have existed. A person whose job is being a "social media expert"? Highly doubt people five to ten years ago thought that could be a respectable career.<br />
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<b>5. And there is no way to "plan your uterus"</b><br />
Contraceptive methods are 99.9% effective. So there's still that 0.01%. Life happens, literally.<br />
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And on the flip side, you can't always guarantee a pregnancy when you decide to. Your head may have plans, but your body could say otherwise.<br />
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But can we just say how bizarre of a sentence "plan your uterus" is?<br />
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[photo: taken accidentally by my friend Sara in Melbourne - because sometimes the best things in life can be unplanned]<br />
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<i>Note: I don't take anything of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/life/91918431/15-things-you-need-to-do-before-turning-30" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the article in question personally</a>, nor do I accuse the original list of being ignorant or writing badly. This is just an alternative perspective with my points just as refutable as theirs.</i>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-83709117332050525152017-04-17T08:09:00.000+12:002017-10-12T23:22:41.942+13:00I finally found my tears at a wedding in the middle of nowhere<div style="text-align: center;">
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"So, how was the wedding last weekend?" my workmate asked. It was my sixth wedding in four months, the last I was invited to for this season.<br />
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"Was really good," I shared. "Just a beautiful wedding, such perfect weather, and I actually got teary at this one for once," I laughed.<br />
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"What made you cry at this one?"<br />
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I had been asking myself that all weekend because, honestly, I never thought I'd be one of those crying wedding guests. It's not really me. The six different weddings I had attended involved various degrees of friends I grew up with and family friends I had known for years. Yet, I didn't shed a tear until the sixth wedding. What made this different?<br />
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~<br />
It was an early wake-up flying from Auckland to Dunedin, then getting a rental car to drive an hour up north, travelling by my lonesome into the serious countryside. Normally I enjoy driving by myself with the radio blaring - but while it was a picturesque drive, I wished I had company.<br />
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By the time I got to my destination, it wasn't even midday, yet I almost felt I had been travelling for days. I happened to bump into my friends/the bridesmaids who had also flown into this small town, and in turn, I got to see the bride at the salon they were all getting ready in.<br />
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While I hadn't seen my friend (The Bride) in a good 4-5 years, we caught up as if life were just the same (except for the whole "getting married that afternoon" thing). We had lunch, we had some good chats, then I left them to get ready for the wedding. For me, I was in a new town, a new half of the country, surrounded by different people, but yet it all felt comfortable. It was odd.<br />
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It was only as I stood in at the wedding location, in a field alone surrounded by strangers (my partner was still in Auckland) that I finally felt like "this is a wedding".<br />
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I hope my friend, the bride who said she reads my blogs (this will be the test!) doesn't mind me sharing these details. But within the half hour or so that was her wedding ceremony, my feelings were caught up with so many emotions, it was an unexpected surprise that I couldn't rationalise at the time.<br />
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I sat alone at this wedding, picking the third row closest to the aisle. Watching the only friends I knew in this small town walk down the aisle as the pretty bridesmaids, I try not to grin too much like an idiot. When you're a bridesmaid, everyone is staring at you, but no one definitely cares about you because you're not the bride. I've been there, I get that.<br />
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The sky is cloudless as the late sun warms against the cool fresh breeze, circling around this flat grassy field. Everyone's turned to look down the aisle for the bride to make her entrance. Traditionally, the father of the bride walks her down the aisle, but since he wasn't at the wedding, her mum took her hand and walked her down.<br />
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They look at each other before they take their first steps, smiling at each other as they semi-dance/walk hand-in-hand together on the aisle. Suddenly, a flood of emotions takes me by surprise and catches my eye.<br />
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It's the moment they exchanging gazes, their silent messages worth a thousand words that only they could translate. I saw the love of a mother and daughter taking the next big steps - that the bride was to start a new family with a new name, and that her mum was leading her there. As a teenager, seeing them together was familiar, but watching them today take these steps made the realities of a white dress and growing up hit home.<br />
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As I stood alone as a spectator and a guest, with all my attention on them - I had to keep wiping away the tears. And just when I thought all the emotion was over, and the couple shared their first kiss, the tears started again the moment I congratulated the bride's mum. In some ways, I felt ridiculous, since no one in this town knew my name and yet I was the teary Auckland girl in the third row with mascara and eyeliner smudging over my face.<br />
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The rest of the wedding went by as relatively normal as you could expect. However, what I realised reflecting back on it, it wasn't necessarily a nostalgic, or melancholic reaction to cry at a wedding. But it was defined in a simple moment, that summed up a lifetime of growing up and moving forward. Here's not to say that it didn't happen at the other five weddings I attended, but I don't think I noticed it as strongly as I did in that one look between a bride and her mother. It was beautiful, and in those few seconds did I finally get the emotion of a wedding ceremony.<br />
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[photo: unsplash]Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-11459940219377350512017-04-09T16:52:00.001+12:002017-04-09T16:52:46.468+12:00All the reasons you need to fall in love with Melbourne, Australia<div style="text-align: center;">
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Everyone in Auckland raves about Melbourne. And while on the surface, it's easy to say that the shopping is better, the culture is better, and the food is better - you don't actually understand why it's so good until you step foot in Australia's cultural capital. I gave myself a long weekend (four days) to find out what made Melbourne so wonderful and while I barely scratched the surface of the city, it was easier to write this list than I initially thought. Imagine if I had a whole week to take on the city properly!<br />
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<b>WiFi Freedom</b><br />
It seems trivial to put that as one of the first things I noticed about Melbourne, but as I originally debated over the cost of roaming or buying a SIM card for my short trip - it didn't end up being a problem at all. Free WiFi is everywhere. Melbourne Airport (despite how small the international airport is) and SkyBus both carry free WiFi (though SkyBus's service is a bit limited). Within the central city is 'Free Vic WiFi', as well as public spaces such as the malls and art galleries that provide all the internet access you may need on the fly. Cheers to the Melbourne Central mall who footed a lot of my WiFi needs while I was trying to sort out work issues from my phone.<br />
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<b>A city-wide buffet</b><br />
Food comes as multicultural as Melbourne comes. There is a lot of freedom to eat anything and everything because there's just so many options (maybe too many when you've only got money for the one meal!). Burger joints sit next to Mexican cafes, which are next to ramen shops, opposite the street from Turkish and Greek restaurants, between dumpling houses. And while the ethnic range of food is mind-blowing, the level of speciality food stores is ridiculous. Special doughnut shops. Crepe shops. Exclusive Waffle + Coffee shops. Even a shop that only produces delicious melt-in-your-mouth 'three types of cheese' tarts (holla at Melbourne Central's Hokkaido baked cheese tarts.)<br />
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<b>The lady and the tram</b><br />
While the city isn't as sloped as Wellington, or as hilly as Auckland, the convenience of free inner city trams is your footpath angel. Saving your feet from the endless sidewalks, the tram is usually very efficient with very little wait time between rides. And while I will admit I didn't really get my head around which directions they went in, there were usually people who could help.<br />
In general, public transport seems reasonably good as it stops in all the main city areas, and runs on the same network. Plus, there's a cap on how much you will end up spending on travelling in one day - so let public transport be your friend!<br />
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<b>Getting your dose of greens</b><br />
Parks, urban spaces and the peaceful Yarra river. These are only some of the things that make Melbourne feel so livable and relaxed. On the banks of the Yarra river are seats and benches you can peacefully take in the riverside view, and there are endless places in the Royal Botanic Gardens you could lie back on the grass and stare up at the sky. In particular, within the Royal Botanic Gardens are gardens dedicated to cultures and people so there's always a space that will suit you. But my favourite place to relax in the city was in the outdoor installations of the Melbourne Art Gallery where there were bean bags, seats and endless sunshine to really relax into.<br />
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<b>Shops, shops, shops, shops, shops</b><br />
It's not the number of shops that is impressive in Melbourne, but it's that whatever your budget is set at, there's a place for you to shop. From the upper-class stores in Emporium, the designer stores on Collins, to your every day Melbourne Central and unbelievable DFO malls (Designer Fashion Outlet - aka cheap shopper's heaven), there is so much you can buy within a reasonably walkable distance of each other in the city centre. Plus, for your tourist heart desires, Queen Victoria Market has all those classic gimmicky items, while selling fresh produce and the best fruit custard pastry I've had in a long time.<br />
By the way, Queen Victoria's Market isn't open on Mondays - in case you try walking there for another fruit custard pastry for breakfast and get disappointed...<br />
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<b>Aesthetically artistic</b><br />
Melbourne is a beautiful city. Standing at the top of the Shrine of Remembrance, <span style="background-color: white;">I</span> remember looking out towards the inner city and seeing how beautifully laid out the roads were amongst the cityscape. Straight, well-sectioned blocks, framed by trees shadowing wide footpaths. Skyscrapers, streets and sidewalks compliment each other in ways no city I've seen could compare. Heritage buildings stand beautifully at many street corners, flora and sculpture features fill empty concrete spaces, and waterfront buildings almost give a nostalgic London vibe. Just a shame about the ugly SBS building opposite Flinders Street Railway Station.<br />
Other visually aesthetic places include Hozier Lane for beautiful graffiti, botanical gardens for beautiful gardens, and Eureka Skydeck for an unbelievable 88-storey high 360 view of the entire city.<br />
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Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-61376771744905219882017-02-13T22:58:00.001+13:002017-02-14T11:46:43.956+13:002017 Grammys Fashion Review<div style="text-align: center;">
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The cleavage was out, Twenty One Pilots' pants came off, and live F-bombs were dropped on live television. All in a day of The GRAMMYs. This year, it was all about the women. Adele. Beyonce. Lady Gaga. The kinda average song by a blonde-haired, sneaker wearing Katy Perry. Either way, the ladies opened, filled, and ended the awards - and it was all sorts of amazing. The outfits, however, are something else.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>The shiniest shortest dress ever:</b><br />
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<b>Heidi Klum.</b> To be honest, it's basically a long sequined tee. She's not kidding anyone by saying it's a dress. Even if she wore tights with this, you'd still say it isn't a dress. But hey, if I had legs like that...<br />
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<b>The most floral florally floral outfit.</b><br />
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<b>Elle King.</b> Wearing a floral print wasn't enough for Elle King. No, she had to make sure it looked like it was growing off her dress, and pairing it with a floral crown. Never such a thing as too much floral, right?<br />
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<b>The most well-dressed zombie to walk the red carpet</b><br />
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<b>Lea Michele.</b> With her slicked down black hair and her pink diseased looking eyes, she already looked like she had two weeks of hard nights before she turned up at the Grammys. But nothing was going to stop her, as she already looked like she was dead on the inside.<br />
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<b>The Shiny Award</b><br />
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<b>CeeLo Green.</b> Tin Man was searching for a heart. CeeLo Green was searching for an outfit to be out of this world. So, inspired by C-3PO, the portable shiny freezer bags you generally keep meat cold in, and a Ferrero Rocher chocolate tower - someone needs to tell CeeLo Green that the Oscars statues are only needed two weeks from now.<br />
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<b>The biggest big as skirt you can ever imagine:</b><br />
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<b>Rihanna.</b> Despite the tiniest top ever (which I will admit, looks great that it fits perfectly and doesn't obstruct her famous chest tattoo too much), her skirt had all the fabric she could ever need for three more Awards Season outfits. Best summarised by my workmate - "you could hide a table under that thing.'<br />
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<b>The Best 'The Weeknd' Dress Up:</b><br />
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<b>Jason DeRulo.</b> Because nothing says staying relevant quite like copying the hairdo that made The Weeknd popular in 2015.<br />
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And now, for the more bigger awards...<br />
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<b>The Best Dressed Nominees:</b><br />
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<b>Carrie Underwood.</b> It's a bit of a cop-out best-dressed pick as she's usually so well dressed, but it's a beautiful red beaded dress that I would love to have in my own closet. Not that I'd know where to wear it, other than to sit in my room and feel pretty in it...<br />
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<b>Tori Kelly.</b> As for this dress, I'd hate to have this in my closet, but it suits Tori so well. It's fun, flirty, in a brilliant shade of green, and just compliments her style and her hair. It's just a well-put together outfit.<br />
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But if I have to give <b>the Best Dressed award</b> to someone, it's gotta be...<br />
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<b>Chrissy Teigen.</b> Always daring enough to show off her skin, I think what I appreciate the most in this dress is the detailing and cut that makes the dress look sexy, but not overdoing it to be too revealing. The black is classy, the cut flattering, and it just hangs beautifully on her. Add in the great makeup and her rich hair colour - she's got it nailed.<br />
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Which leaves <b>the Worst Dressed Nominees </b>as...<br />
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<b>Katy Perry</b>. When I first started sewing, sometimes I sewed the wrong back pieces together or sewed the wrong skirt piece upside down. However, whoever did Katy Perry's outfit put two completely different pieces together. It's as if Katy's dress was decided by a crazy outfit flip book. It's a real shame because her hair is great on its own. Her top is great on its own. Her skirt is great on its own. Put it together and she looks like a paintbrush with a shiny handle.<br />
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<b>Halsey</b>. For taking it too casual and looking like she rolled out of bed in blue satin PJs from the 90s.<br />
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So, who's <b>Worst Dressed</b>?<br />
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Anyone who wears a Trump outfit - and is smiling about it. She doesn't even deserve having her name mentioned.<br />
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But of course, who could ever forget this award; <b>the Lady Gaga Award</b>.<br />
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<b>Lady Gaga</b> doesn't fail. With fierceness and more underboob than you ever thought would ever be allowed, Lady Gaga just did her thing. And I'm okay with this.Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-39032194056017648012017-02-11T18:39:00.002+13:002017-02-11T21:19:06.990+13:00No, I won't catch the wedding bouquet<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l5wyPitiMiE/WJ2hmIfj2bI/AAAAAAAAHQA/1GK4fPzLt7gNFcxW1uCa1zG1j4P-lyuXgCLcB/s1600/bouquet.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="371" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l5wyPitiMiE/WJ2hmIfj2bI/AAAAAAAAHQA/1GK4fPzLt7gNFcxW1uCa1zG1j4P-lyuXgCLcB/s640/bouquet.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
In the past two months, I've attended four different weddings of close friends, with each one beautiful in their own distinct ways and styles. But what has been common in each ceremony is the moment the wedded bride blindly tosses her bouquet to a group of slightly inebriated, opened-armed women behind her. And it's this moment I hate the most.<br />
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I'm in an amazing relationship with a man I have loved since I was 18. That's more than seven years long. And I'm not going to lie - we're great together. We are both Christian, we love the idea of marriage, and we're not uncertain about what we want in our futures. However, he understands me when I say to him "You know I love you, but I'm not going to catch that bouquet." <br />
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Bouquet catching is an old tradition that I Googled originated in medieval times. Back then, single ladies ripped off pieces of the bride's wedding dress in order to receive good luck. It's good that's not the thing anymore; I hate it when I get a hole in my clothing, let alone the idea of having my expensive wedding dress ripped up.<br />
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I know in this day and age, the toss of the bouquet is not meant to be taken seriously. But as I am pushed and forced to stand behind the bride with the other single and unmarried ladies in the room, all I feel is I'm being made a spectacle of in the worst way. 'Behold folks, see the gathering of unwed women on the dance floor...' Why is my unmarried status something that needs to be fixed by a magical bouquet that will bestow upon me the right of becoming the next bride?<br />
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It used to be a lighthearted and slightly irritating question, but I actually dislike constantly being asked: "When are you getting engaged/married?" I love the idea and thought of marriage, of having my own beautiful wedding, and the symbolic meaning behind it all, but I hate the pressure and questioning others give me about it. Often when I respond with a "when it happens" or "when it's the right time", it leads on to discussing and justifying all the reasons I am not currently interested in creating a Pinterest board for my ideal wedding ceremony. No one says it outright, but to be a 25-year-old Christian woman in a long term relationship who doesn't want to get married tomorrow - there is some unspoken assumption that maybe there's something wrong with me. <br />
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As I receive the playful jests and jabs people give me about becoming a bride, the expectation and pressure of marriage from others are frustrating from my standpoint. Being constantly pressured about the status of my relationship also takes the shine off what is meant to be a beautiful image of marriage. It is like being reminded to practice my musical instruments or attend my sports practices - I'll do it anyway but it feels more than a chore I'm being forced into, rather than a joy I chose to participate in. <br />
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And when it does happen - trust me, I'll tell you myself. Though quite frankly I'm also tempted in telling no one and just surprise everyone that they all missed it.<br />
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Being single or unmarried isn't a long-term sickness that needs to be cured by another bride's baptised bouquet. Nor should marriage be a decision made by other people for you. So while the symbolic wedding bouquet is tossed towards the hands of unwed females - do not expect my own arms to catch it. Let my partner and I make the decision between us. Because I don't need to spend the rest of someone else's wedding night being asked when my own ceremony will be.Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-63511052378663125212017-01-14T20:52:00.000+13:002017-01-14T20:52:15.768+13:00Five quirks about London I never found in New Zealand<strong>currently:</strong> listening to 'Castle on the Hill' by Ed Sheeran.<br />
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There's a lot you can learn about London in just three days. From the underground train system to the difference between pounds versus pence coins, to knowing what people mean when they discuss The Shard and The Gherkin. I found London fascinating, urban, busy, and somewhere I could imagine living - if I had to pick somewhere else to live in the world. But during my many, many walking trips around Britain's Big Smoke, there were some things I couldn't help notice about the city that I know I just wouldn't get back home in New Zealand.<br />
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<b>1. Thug Pigeons</b><br />
The rats of the sky. We may have pigeons in New Zealand but they're wusses compared to the British pigeons.<br />
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Every kid in New Zealand has played with birds by chasing seagulls and pigeons. You'd giggle and squeal as you try to chase after them, but of course, they run away too fast or fly away too quickly so you never actually worry about touching them.<br />
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But in London city, the pigeons are a different sort of breed. They're tough, and it's scary. They don't flinch when you walk near them. In fact, they dare to get very, VERY close to you. And when they do fly, they seem to fly at a human's eye level that you're the one ducking out of the way to avoid a mid-flight collision. I swear one of the pigeons in London flapped at my head as it swooped past. After that one bird, I just didn't dare to confront any other pigeon.<br />
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<b>2. Secret squad of police cars</b><br />
We have unmarked police cars in New Zealand but I think across the three days I was in London, only twice did I see marked police cars.<br />
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The other 20 police cars I saw were unmarked cop cars, but you'd always spot them so easily with its flashing lights hidden in the grill, its sirens, and the fact that unmarked police cars seem to like travelling in packs of three.<br />
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Do London police just not invest any money into proper police cars nowadays or is everyone a 'Secret Inspector Detective Sergeant Johnstone of the Northumberland Marylebone Police Force'? Clearly, I've watched a lot of British cop shows...<br />
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<b>3. Every little pence counts</b><br />
When I was younger, New Zealand used to have 5 cent coins. They were great; these tiny little coins with indigenous tuataras printed on them that were the size of your pinky fingerprint. They didn't weigh much and were so easy to find on the streets. And when you're 7 or 8 years old, street coins were a great place to make some extra money. Plus in those days, every cent counted!<br />
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But about 10 years ago the government ended the use of 5c coins, and at the time I didn't understand why we needed to do that. That was until I got to the UK where they have the biggest nuisance in the world - tiny 1 pence and 2 pence coins.<br />
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Those coins are actually the worst, digging your way through a sea of tiny cents just so you can pull out an actually valuable £1 coin in your wallet. I tried to do a "keep the change" with a teller at the Buckingham Palace gift shop so I didn't have to claim back all the coins. He laughed at me and said he didn't want it either as his cash register needed to have an accurate sum at the end of the day. Even he didn't want to carry tiny annoying pence coins<br />
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<b>4. Little pay trays</b><br />
Now I don't know if it's cause I'm impatient, or if it's because in New Zealand we're very forward about paying the bill - but the process to pay for food at a restaurant is confusing to me in London, thanks to little pay trays.<br />
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Generally, it sounds easy that when the meal is done; you ask for the bill, you pay it, then you leave. But why is it when you ask for the bill, it's like you need to wait 10 minutes for it? And then after you get given the little pay tray, you got to wait another 10-15 minutes for them to come back? Or are you allowed to just leave money like that on the table?<br />
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Also, when you have to pay by card, but no one is at the cash register... it's such an uncomfortable wait. You want to leave, but you can't leave, and you don't want to look like you're doing a runner and skipping out of the bill.<br />
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And it's all because of the little pay trays...<br />
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<b>5. Londoners aren't phased by accents (or by mine at least).</b><br />
One friend of mine back home asked me while I was overseas if I had anyone interested in how "exotic" I was with my accent. Nope. They were not interested in me at all in London.<br />
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It is one of the most multicultural places in the world and they weren't phased by a 20-something Chinese Kiwi. Unlike Malaysia where people are often quick to catch my foreign sounding accent, no one in London seemed to bother to ask what was different about me. No one even tried to guess where I was originally from. And quite frankly with the amount of Kiwis I knew in London, there were enough New Zealanders to just be another norm.<br />
<a href="http://www.melinthemilkyway.com/2017/01/best-british-eats-london-food-tour.html" target="_blank"><br />
</a> <a href="http://www.melinthemilkyway.com/2017/01/best-british-eats-london-food-tour.html" target=""><b>See more: Best British Eats: London 'Food Tour Party' Special</b></a>Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-72580876479538863372017-01-03T12:16:00.000+13:002017-10-08T09:03:49.153+13:00Best British Eats: London 'Food Tour Party' Special<strong>currently:</strong> listening to 'My Home' by GOT7.<br />
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We travelled 27 hours, took two long-haul flights, crossed many oceans, and finally reached the big British city of London. A bustling and busy urban cityscape, London was my introduction to the other side of the Western world and the original foundations of New Zealand's European culture. We walked for endless hours in the chilling British wind and autumn weather, and the stops we had for food were our most welcome breaks. Here are some of the best and most memorable places we ate across those three days in the City of London.<br />
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<b>Best Breakfast: Poached Eggs in Quinoa at London Grind</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W0WKKgEs8tI/WGo8YoPMfaI/AAAAAAAAHNE/LakvB9wkZCg3oSIfd2RthuMv66wJbLH_ACPcB/s1600/londongrind.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="402" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W0WKKgEs8tI/WGo8YoPMfaI/AAAAAAAAHNE/LakvB9wkZCg3oSIfd2RthuMv66wJbLH_ACPcB/s640/londongrind.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Located near London Bridge, this urban little kitchen was relatively small and packed, and while we were waiting for some time for our food to arrive, the delicious meal was worth the wait. My first British breakfast, featuring poached eggs, rolled in quinoa and served on a bed of rocket salad, sliced whole grain bread and fresh tomatoes; it wasn't exactly the traditional English breakfast. But as a healthy alternative, the eggs were poached perfectly and not overseasoned. A well-done breakfast focusing on simple flavours and fresh-tasting produce.<br />
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<b>Best Lunch: Fish & Chips at Bag O' Nails</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9Pn_6nBSydU/WGo8VbXWHHI/AAAAAAAAHM8/OJYnl_inIZg14kUloPsnvLbWAmaSQdXJgCPcB/s1600/london-fishandchips-bagonails.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="457" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9Pn_6nBSydU/WGo8VbXWHHI/AAAAAAAAHM8/OJYnl_inIZg14kUloPsnvLbWAmaSQdXJgCPcB/s640/london-fishandchips-bagonails.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>On the bucket list of food must do's in London, a pub meal is essential. And while fish & chips are a staple in New Zealand, its origins come from the British motherland. So in a strangely named tavern, not far from Buckingham Palace, we chose to have a pretty delicious fish and chip dish that they proudly displayed at the front of their menus.<br />
Served with peas, curry sauce, tartare sauce, pickled onions, sliced bread and butter - these fish and chips were something very different from my hometown takeaways which are typically wrapped in newspaper. The fish was crispy and not too oily, the chips were just right, but the side dishes were interesting to mix with. It was a pretty filling meal that I was glad we chose to share it between two. The only downfall was how long we waited to receive our food. But to be honest, it really was the best lunch of the whole London trip.<br />
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<b>Best Dinner: Duck and Waffle at Duck & Waffle </b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-An558o9fFoc/WGo8UFSEMwI/AAAAAAAAHM0/G2zU5sYJPt4gp-6pp_fw57kLKwmKiXokQCPcB/s1600/london-duckandwaffle.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-An558o9fFoc/WGo8UFSEMwI/AAAAAAAAHM0/G2zU5sYJPt4gp-6pp_fw57kLKwmKiXokQCPcB/s640/london-duckandwaffle.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>On my London friend's suggestion, we knew nothing about Duck & Waffle other than it was located in a pretty tall building, and that it was pretty hard to get a booking.<br />
But my friend knew what she was doing booking a table at 9 pm on a Friday night, and we dined in the most perfect location of the restaurant - a corner view overlooking London Bridge and the Gerkin. The service there was fantastic as they really took care of you, and the waiter knew how to take the right photo.<br />
As for the dinner - wow. We all got the famous signature 'Duck and Waffle' dish, and while I'm not typically a big duck eater, you couldn't deny how well cooked it was as the skin was so crispy, yet the meat could be easily pulled off the bone. Drizzled with this yummy mustard maple syrup, and served between a waffle and a fried egg, this dish is served all day - but it doesn't feel like you were having breakfast at 9 pm. A perfect meal with a perfect view.<br />
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<b>Best Sweet Street Food: Nosteagia Bubble Waffle</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T_zOROWRXJw/WGo8VHMYGSI/AAAAAAAAHM4/YcbtvxfzTQ0doCEWfDWowu38CnnNZiQzwCPcB/s1600/london-bubblewaffle.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T_zOROWRXJw/WGo8VHMYGSI/AAAAAAAAHM4/YcbtvxfzTQ0doCEWfDWowu38CnnNZiQzwCPcB/s640/london-bubblewaffle.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>Sometimes you can ignore a sweet-tooth craving, but as we walked past this small street facing stall in Shoreditch, the cravings call out to you. This fusion food stall put together 'bubble waffle' with delicious sugary toppings that, on a cold autumn night, can be a delicious warm comfort. I chose marshmallows and chocolate as my toppings and it was a sweet, sugary, Instagram-worthy dessert.<br />
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<b>Best Savoury Street Food: Matador from Pieminister, Borough Market</b> <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--Sj_aPaLBLA/WGo8Ys_Q-wI/AAAAAAAAHNI/1eZwMcmdktAdzFfSZNPKb5Jdd8CecX2ZgCPcB/s1600/london-pieminister.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--Sj_aPaLBLA/WGo8Ys_Q-wI/AAAAAAAAHNI/1eZwMcmdktAdzFfSZNPKb5Jdd8CecX2ZgCPcB/s640/london-pieminister.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>The famous Borough Markets in London had so many choices and options inspired from a range of ethnic flavours. However, when the weather is cloudy and the wind is making your nose cold, it's perfect pie weather. The pies from Pieminister are a decent size, and my Matador pie was generous with the filling. Gourmet in style, the beef steak and chorizo meats are swimming in a generous spicy buttery sauce. All it was missing for a final British touch was a side of peas and a drizzle of gravy.<br />
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And just on a side note - London eatery names are on point with their puns.Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-85955687802899257992016-12-30T12:56:00.000+13:002017-05-26T21:30:23.218+12:00The best music videos of 2016<strong>currently:</strong> listening to 'Catch Me If You Can' by Walking on Cars.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sakJVJGOBLI/WGQ-vCF7YbI/AAAAAAAAHMk/zJRaVbc10-gDZnvFDv3R_QxZwvtDIBaPACLcB/s1600/bestmusicvideos2016.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sakJVJGOBLI/WGQ-vCF7YbI/AAAAAAAAHMk/zJRaVbc10-gDZnvFDv3R_QxZwvtDIBaPACLcB/s640/bestmusicvideos2016.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>2016 has served us the most interesting of years. For me, it was a year of new worldly discoveries and learning to make moments of life, rather than search for life moments. For the world - it's been a seriously messed up serving of Brexit, Trump and celebrity deaths (though to be fair, the age of television culture has probably contributed to the number, <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-36108133" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>according to this article</b></a>.) But if there's any better traditional salute to the year that was, it is with the best music video picks for 2016 - a range of videos that helps encompass and summarises the year we had. <br />
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<b>David Bowie - Lazarus</b><br />
<i>[Most chilling music video]</i><br />
If you don't get goosebumps watching David Bowie's last ever music video, you must have been hiding under a rock at the beginning of 2016. Released on the 7th of January, 3 days before his death, the song itself is a final farewell to Earth from the Starman. "Look up here, I'm in heaven. I've got scars that can't be seen."<br />
But forget the meaning behind the words of his swan song - the visuals of 'Lazarus' is powerful on its own. His body floating over the hospital bed, the bandages and button eyes, the sassy swing of the arms, and the monster ready to drag him away. He may have walked quietly into a dark cold closet, but in all essence, David Bowie is Lazarus. He lived so many lives and with so many faces - only he could make a deathbed exit into something with style. And also, this is the only video that can get away with being completely square.<br />
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<b>Wonder Girls - Why So Lonely</b><br />
<i>[Best group of mannequin beating bandits in a music video]</i><br />
South Korean girl group Wonder Girls and their reggae-pop hit is a beautifully pink and blue hued 70's influenced video, featuring four lonely girls and the four-timing, cheating, empty hearted hollow plastic boyfriend. These stoned-faced beauties hide a dastardly torture plot, censored on screen with the niceties of toy guns and silly string. Never have I ever wanted pink hair as much as I wanted it after watching that video. <br />
The best scene is the last shot of the four girls, staring emotionally conflicted at their mannequin boyfriend as they play their final drum beat. Man, if a look had a thousand words...<br />
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<b>Jane Zhang - Dust My Shoulders Off </b><br />
<i>[Best use of paint on everything]</i><br />
There's little I could tell you about Jane Zhang. A quick Wikipedia scroll can tell you she's a Chinese pop star who's now paired up with Timberland to break into the Western music scene. And while her song is something you could hear any American artist sing on the radio, her music video is a real point of difference. Parodying traditional art with a modern YOLO lyric ("I don't worry bout nothing, I dust my shoulders off"), the visual look of all the costumes keeps giving you something captivating to look at, so you're never bored. Not often can you just watch a music video, and be surprised when you reach the ending before you were prepared to. <br />
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<b>Sia - The Greatest</b><br />
<i>[Most powerful use of children in a music video]</i><br />
If you ever thought Sia's concept of the dancing child in her music videos was becoming a tired, overused concept - shut your mouth and watch this video. There's an unconfirmed theory that this video was filmed in tribute to the Orlando nightclub shootings back in June this year, but you don't need to publicise a motive for such a striking video. The 48 children with grey painted faces, dressed in grey rags and with just as elastic facials as Sia's child reincarnate Maddie Ziegler - this is definitely one of the greatest music videos in Sia's collection (no pun intended.)<br />
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<b>Carly Rae Jepsen - Boy Problems</b><br />
<i>[Best selfie in an open casket]</i><br />
Carly Rae Jepsen is one of the most over-publicised but underrated artists out there. Her E.MO.TION album is more 80's than Taylor Swift's 1989, has more genuine feelings than Swift's lyrics, and she's just way sassier that she doesn't even need a squad. And Carly's music video 'Boy Problems' is the perfect example of that. Think of it as a generic boy-whinge song? Watch the video and just see how self-involved each character in her video is and you'll realise it's way more than it meets the eye. Juxtaposed with Carly's dark gloomy room and her tiara-donned Joan Jett haircut - her lyrics will get stuck in your head and make you feel stupid for ever worrying about boy problems.<br />
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<b>Radiohead - Burn the Witch</b><br />
<i>[Creepiest use of Postman Pat-like stop motion and puppets]</i><br />
At first glance; a stop-motion music video about an innocent town. Seemingly harmless until you watch the entire thing that has you feeling unsettled for the full music video music video. And it's only heightened by the use of creepy Radiohead vocal reverb and screechy violins. If I could make a suggestion about this video - you shouldn't watch it before going to bed. Also, don't watch the crappy Nicholas Cage version of The Wicker Man. NOT THE BEES.<br />
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<b>Gwen Stefani - Make Me Like You</b><br />
<i>[Most deceptively elaborate music video set]</i><br />
The most expensive music video ever made in 2016, it was only when I heard that this video was shot completely live in one take that I realised how great of a music video it was. A clever, playful and fun video - to logistically coordinate all those dancers, cameras, sets and costume changes within four minutes is seriously outstanding.<br />
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<b>OK Go - The One Moment</b><br />
<i>[Literally the best music video shot in just a few seconds]</i><br />
I could watch this video over and over again. OK Go have proven themselves time and time again that they are the kings of music videos of this side of the millennium. And even when you assume that they can't beat their last effort - they prove you wrong time and time again. There are no words for this one. It's just not required.<br />
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Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6631872739529611670.post-25015618252088447142016-11-26T23:30:00.000+13:002016-11-27T22:09:25.695+13:001040 Minutes: a 17+ hour diary on the world's longest flight<strong>currently:</strong> listening to 'All We Know' by The Chainsmokers and Phoebe Ryan<br />
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On October 11th, 9.20pm, I left Auckland, New Zealand to travel on what is the world's longest long-haul flight. Emirates currently has the longest non-stop flight duration from Auckland to Dubai - a journey that takes approximately 17 hours and 20 minutes. (This will soon be surpassed by Qatar's newly announced flight from Auckland to Doha by an extra 20 minutes next year.)<br />
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That 17-hour 20-minute flight equates to exactly 1040 minutes - 400 minutes short of a full 24 hours. Essentially I was in the same confined space for two-thirds of a day, with very little room to walk about, and few activities to do than the ones on a screen in front of me.<br />
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The following 17 hours are an account of what I did on the world's longest long-haul flight.<br />
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<b>Hour 0: </b>The New Zealand time is 9.20pm. It's late, it's dark, and I'm full of Pita Pit that I had at Auckland Airport two hours before. I'm wearing my chunkiest clothing and shoes because there's no way I was going to be able to fit it in my small checked-in luggage.I feel slightly overdressed with my leather jacket and boots, but they'll come off as soon as the seatbelt sign is off. Our "couple seats" are near the back and it's nice to be sitting in a row of two - but quite frankly this plane is half empty. To my right, a woman has a complete row of four seats to herself. In front, one woman occupies the three seats to herself. Unfortunately, there is someone sitting behind me, but you can't win them all...<br />
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<b>Hour 1:</b> Food! And despite it being 10pm, this is a decent sized dinner meal, complete with dessert, tiny Tic Tacs, and a mini-crackers with dip snack set. This is actually a lot of food, and I know I don't have to eat it all... but then again, I have to eat it all. I paid for this flight. And I don't want to waste food...<br />
For this flight, they've also given us this little gift bag of toiletries, complete with a tiny toothbrush with toothpaste, a pair of socks, and an eye mask. I'm now glad I didn't spend money on any of these things. That eye-mask is gonna get a lot of use...<br />
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<b>Hour 2: </b>Eating dinner and then aeroplane second dinner is a bit too much - but I've eaten everything, except the packet of tiny Tic Tacs. They're coming by with the tea and coffee now - but I'm picking wine as I watch Allegiant, in hopes I'll relax enough to fall asleep.<br />
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<b>Hour 3:</b> Finished watching Allegiant, and I'm pretty sure I've missed the film in the middle of the Divergent series... But anyway, I feel the need to brush my teeth after all I've eaten so I can properly fall asleep. It's a nice touch in the cabins when they dim the light and little tiny LEDs on the ceiling look like stars. I'm sure I could also look out the window for them but it's still a nice feel.<br />
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<b>Hour 4: </b>At some point, I fell asleep to 'Hunt of the Wilderpeople'. Great movie to watch despite me falling asleep through it (I happened to have watched it the week before). But the now-playing audio of some loud British lady called Jo talking about her two children didn't keep me asleep for long... What is appropriate sleep music? After flicking through the plane's music catalogue I'm settling on 'The Fault in Our Stars' soundtrack - because anything that starts with an inspirational and relaxing Ed Sheeran pop ballad is bound to work.<br />
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<b>Hour 6:</b> Good soundtrack, crap sleeping position. My body aches a lot, but as soon as I stretch, I stop feeling as sleepy. Also, this gentle turbulence feels like I'm being passive aggressively shaken while I sleep. The woman next to me in the other row is basically sleeping across all four seats like it's a bed. I envy her.<br />
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<b>Hour 8:</b> To my head, it's 5am, and I felt I was finally in a deep enough sleep but my friend wakes me up as an attendant gives me a small lamb pie on a tray. And for 30 seconds, I legitimately don't know what's going on or where I am before I wake up to my senses, and to this meat pie smell. Not sure how I feel about 5am breakfast pies. And I don't know when was the last time I got up, but my feet have never felt so fat. I want to walk to the bathroom with my shoes on too, but did my shoes ever feel this tight? Time to watch another movie, and because I've never watched Mamma Mia before... may as well tick that off the list.<br />
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<b>Hour 9: </b>So wait, you never know who Sophie's father is?<br />
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<b>Hour 12:</b> Actually fell asleep for more than 1 1/2 hours this time. The lamb/beef pie I ate and the movie I just watched gave me some weird dreams. I can't actually recall what exactly happened but I think it involved a wedding on camels in the middle of the desert...<br />
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<b>Hour 14:</b> It's 11am NZ time I think, but we're having breakfast now. I'm actually really hungry, despite how that breakfast pie made me feel. What's funny is that we've been travelling through the night for so long that there's really no sense of time. Just permanent darkness out the windows. I'm going through my fourth movie now, a Tina Fey 'Whiskey Tango Foxtrot'. And while it stars Tina Fey, turns out not all Tina Fey movies are ROTFLMAO-sized comedies. However, I really rate the use of Martin Freeman.<br />
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<b>Hour 16:</b> We're getting close to landing soon, and while it doesn't exactly feel we've been in the air for hours, we really have. My body aches. The queue to go to the bathroom is pretty long. Thankfully, no one is too weirded out by me lifting my legs and stretching while I wait in the line. However, I still envy the woman who had four seats to herself. She's still asleep.<br />
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<b>Hour 17:</b> It's here. It's finally here. My feet don't feel like my feet anymore, and I don't know what it's like to lie horizontally, but we're almost seeing the sun again, and will soon see the tarmac. I'm excited, and tired, and have no idea what the plane cameras are even broadcasting on the services channel. Maybe I'll get what sleep I can.<br />
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<b>Hour 17, minute 16:</b> Every few minutes of sleep while flying have been precious but we're finally on the ground, and my body is weak to staying awake. However, the excitement of a new country, a new journey, and another 7-hour flight to get to London is still an unbelievable dream. I've actually really enjoyed this flight, despite my feelings towards tiny lamb/beef breakfast pies when you're barely awake. The food has been pretty decent, the service has been nice. The toiletries bag with the eye mask is now my new favourite thing and I'm totally making use of it for my next flight. But if I could change one thing, it would be the ability to have a row to myself. Half-packed airline flights are my new favourite I think.<br />
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Next stop: London.Melhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00598351902467172509noreply@blogger.com