Fruit Picking at Penray

I was invited to go fruit picking this weekend to celebrate the birthday last weekend of my friend Lucy.

It was a stunning day with a light breeze and the strong New Zealand sun shining down on us, I'm really glad I bought my hat because even though we weren't out all day there was still a risk of burning. 

I came across some lovely horses at the edge of the gardens and grabbed some fallen apples to feed them. We also grabbed handfuls of grass cause they didn't have much leftover from the dry weather we'd been having!

I got my friend Kristin to take photos of me and I like them but there is a hair loose that really irritates me!!!

Check out dem apples! 

I love this shot!

I really recommend going fruit picking here at Penray Gardens in Otaki, They have a huge selection and it's a nice day out with friends. Happy Birthday for last weekend Lucy and I hope you had a fun time, I sure did!

Capsicums

Pumpkin Patch

Strawberries, Unfortunately not for picking according to a sign next to the patch.

We finished the day with ice creams and Iced coffee at a cafe 5 minutes down the road. 

Eyebrow or Low Brow?

I don't know what that means, I was thinking High Brow or Low Brow and this post is about my Eyebrows so, you know, thoughts...

Anyways, I tint my Eyebrows and thought I'd share the before/during/after shots! I use a product called Depend although any will do, whatever you can find, just make sure its a suitable colour! You don't want Black eyebrows if you're a Red Head like me!

Before

During

After

I've been looking at photos of Rita Hayworth in the photographic retrospective book titled Rita Hayworth (by Caren Roberts-Frenzel) and she has the most exquisite eyebrows which I really envy.

Vintage Hat Hairstyling

As I've previously mentioned I entered the Miss Pin Up NZ 2013 competition and now I'm looking at deciding what to wear! Now part of this includes wearing hats and I may usually be seen with something in my hair whether its one of my lovely Fascinators made from a mans tie or a flower clip, but, hats have evaded my head. 

I would really love to wear them but finding a hairstyle to suit indoor and outdoor wear as well as one that will stay on in the Wellington wind is very tricky. 

For this competition though I've decided to wear a hat and it just so happens that the hat I purchased is one which I cannot name. I've tried googling different descriptions but nothing comes up in the images browser that answers my question.

So what I will do is post a photo of different hairstyles and the hat and if ANYONE knows the name please comment below.

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The style I'll be attempting to recreate is based on these instructions

Go to

Beauty is a thing of the past

for the original and so many more!

I've modified this because I swear they had bigger heads then, They must have in order to fit all those pin curls on their heads! 

Here's my pin curled head

And here's the end result

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Check it Out

I love finding new blogs, websites and the like which inform and stimulate. Here is a yellow brick road of links that will, Hopefully, help and entertain you.

Beauty is a thing of the past Blog

I have enjoyed this as a source of information and as a fun way to pass the time. I hope you'll find things in your quest to be as authentically vintage as I do with this blog.

Brain Training with Lumosity

I was recommended this by a friend of my mothers and I am very glad to have followed through and signed up. Apart from playing fun games you do notice an improvement with focus and memory through brain training and it's very easy to get into good habits when you're having fun doing so! 

Feminist Jezebel Blog

I really enjoy reading this blog because although it isn't perfect I find it enjoyable and thought provoking. I actually prefer reading the comments after the blog entries and hearing from feminists around the world is always enlightening. It's not a negative thing to be a feminist!

Lisa Fremont Street

If you don't already (What have you been doing!!!!) then you really should check out this youtube channel. She is a self taught hair and makeup guru and I really love watching the different styles she attempts. Her blog is also worth a read. 

My Facebook Page!!!

If you haven't already then you should like my Facebook page. I upload photos of my hairstyles and other things you won't see on this blog. Also I measure my self worth on how many people like me on this thing. 

No, not really! 

Well a little. 

I leave you with this Easter youtube video of kittens, bunnies and chicks.

Full Swing Vintage Clothing Sale Fun

I was lucky enough to combine with a friend and sell our bits and bobs at the annual Full Swing Vintage Clothing Sale, Best of all was having a great time doing so!

As it usually is with these things I ended up with a few purchases of my own and as it is usually is with me I ended up spending more than I made. But not to worry! My purchases were worth it and I am very happy to have gotten rid of more than I bought, so at least I have more room in my wardrobe. And in the bags on the floor. and on the floor. Hmmmmm, I should really clean my room.....

I made a little sign to make me feel more legit.

Just a sample of some of the lovely things for sale.

But not her, she's my friend!

Taipei in Photos - Part 2

                          

Part of the trip included going to Tainan with friends of Duncan. These were friends who are behind the Youtube Video and project, "Why do Foreign Backpackers seldom come to Taiwan?" or 為什麼外國背包客不來台灣? 

Here is the link to their facebook page and Website:
http://www.facebook.com/17taiwan
https://flyingv.cc/project/135

It was so amazing going to see another part of Taiwan with local Taiwanese and not my big brother to help me out, I got to experience things in a different way and being filmed from the time I woke up to the time I slept added a whole new element to the process. We started off the trip by hitch-hiking from Douliu Train Station to Tainan and caught a ride with two different people.

 The first was a lovely mother and daughter that reminded me so much of myself and my mother especially their interactions with one another! They gave me a necklace for safe travels that she had hanging in her car rear view mirror which was so so so kind and made me wish I had something to give back to them.

They took us as far as they could and when we got out I only had to wait for another 15 minutes or so. The next kind driver happened to be the superintendent of a local Orphanage who was needing to go to his work but offered to take us to Tainan which was about 45 minutes away. Because he only spoke a little English I needed the help from Belle, Yoyo and Will who I was travelling with to confirm everything but It ended up being very fortuitous as we were asked to visit the children at the orphanage and stay the night. I only wish I could verbally communicate with the children and adults because there was so much I wanted to learn, I'm going to go back in the next few years so I will make sure to learn Mandarin.

We saw some amazing things after we left the Orphanage and headed to Tainan, Here are some photos showing just a snippet.

I ate the most spectacular meal of my life at this stall. I don't know why I found it so delicious but it was. The meal was creamy, tangy, sweet, savoury and satisfying, everything you could want and more.

 

 

We also visited the largest Buddhist monastry in Taiwan and It was in such a beautiful location that you couldn't help but feel at peace.

 

This is a lemon jelly dish that was worrying to look at for me but I gave it a go and it was so delicious! The lemon was sweet but not overly and it was very refreshing.

This is what I got to look at while I ate the above mentioned Jelly dish.

This is all I have to show for my trip because soon after I caught the train back to Taipei and spent the next few days packing and posting my purchases for my flight back to Wellington. I hope you enjoyed the photos and If you are still unsure about Taiwan then have a chat with me and hopefully I can convince you otherwise.

Xie Xie 

Miss Pinup New Zealand 2013

So I got organised and sent in my application for Miss Pinup NZ 2013 a few days ago and I am feeling quite nervous about the probability of going to Auckland and competing. The rules are that 8 woman from around New Zealand compete for the title, two from Auckland, two from the Central north island, two from Wellington and two from the South Island. At the moment there are 6 of us so I'm feeling pretty good about my chances. Its something I wanted to enter last year but wasn't organised in time and I also saw the other ladies competing which made me feel like I didn't stand a chance, I still feel like I won't win but I'm hoping this will give me exposure and I will grab the attention of the right people in order to advance my performing career.

I would appreciate your support so if you have a moment please check out my entry and when voting opens on the 11th of February take another few moments to place a vote!

Here is the link and a couple more photos that I was contemplating sending through,

http://veryvintage.co.nz/miss-pinup-new-zealand/entry-anna-miranda/

All photos excluding the foosball table shot were taken by Ngahuia of Ataahua Pin Ups and you can find her at this link. The above photo was taken by my friend Lucy Wass at a weekend away in this beautiful house you can hire here.