Our old friend.

Autumn has officially arrived. There are leaves all over our front porch, I can hear the rain on the roof, and I've officially started wearing boots. It's a welcome change from the hot humid summer, and I love it because suddenly it becomes overcast - beautiful weather for photographing. This weekend has been so nice, our good friend Campbell is back from Cairo, it feels like a lifetime since we saw him last (it was his first time meeting Max) and it makes me realise how much we miss all our friends that are away. He came bearing gifts! Take a look at the hat he brought back for Zach from Afghanistan (Maxime took a liking to it), and gave Maxy Where's Wally and a nice top from Peppin. So generous! I cooked us all a lazy Saturday lunch, slow-roasted cherry tomato pasta with goat's cheese and basil, and we just relaxed all afternoon with a couple bottles of wine. We are missing you already Campbell! Safe travels back to Cairo xx.

Easter Friday.

I've finally had the chance to sit down and properly look through the photos I took on Easter Friday, Maxime's first trip (and mine for that matter) to the Botanic Gardens. The weather was really beautiful (almost too sunny) which meant I needed to photograph very carefully, but it was fun showing him all of the flowers, and letting him roll around on the lawns. We had such a lovely low-key weekend around the house, sleeping, eating and playing with Max. Friday night we played 500 with family, I made a delicious slow roasted pumpkin and lemon pasta with goat's cheese and basil, and we drank Campari and Gin & Tonics because I forgot that you can't buy any alcohol on Good Friday (so no wine for me). I've been busy photographing up a storm with my new camera - it finally does everything I wished my old camera could do. I'll try and write again soon.

Lessons for my son.

I'm well into my fifty book challenge and I am now becoming accutely aware that I must not become completely absorbed in such an anti-social activity. I find myself wanting to pull out of social occasions with no excuse other than wanting to curl up on the sofa, block out the outside world, and read. I also have an uncanny knack for choosing depressing novels, like 'Family Matters' by Rohinton Mistry, whose ability to weave intricate story lines for even the sub-characters is completely intoxicating - and mind numbing with the sad choices his characters invariably make. Due to a slightly obsessive personality, I have to take care that I instill a sense of balance within myself, or before long, I'll find that I'm reading at a pace of ten books a month (I've read seven since February 1st) - and at what expense.

With that said, I've been thinking about the power of words, and brilliant websites dedicated to publishing them like this and this and what I would tell Maxime, if he could understand, about what I hope for his life.

I would loosely tell him this.

1. You're loved - first and foremost. With that love, you need to learn to be generous and kind.

2. Share your ideas, and view the world with open eyes. Don't become a slave to religion, indoctrinated people, or words without substance. Think with both your mind and your heart.

3. Never be jealous. Realise, that success is happiness shared - and that jealousy is as obvious as two people in love. It stains the soul.

4. Work out how somebody wants to be loved, and love them that way. Don't waste kind words on somebody who would rather practical favours. But at the same time, know that the way you love is valuable, and if it is too hard, it's not a symbiotic relationship.

5. Read and educate yourself. Don't be opinionated without cause, but be firm in the opinions you rightfully hold.

6. Be wise enough to accept you are not always right, and confident enough to know that sometimes you don't have to be.

7. Listen with all of your senses to the people you love.

8. When you say sorry, mean it.

9. Watch film and theatre, go to art galleries and openings. Immerse yourself in culture, for it is these things, you will learn to fall back on time and time again in conversation.

10. You can only control, what you can control. And sometimes it's best to not be in control at all.

11. Get up early, and learn the value of hard work. Stay up late, and learn the importance of having fun.

12. You don't need a million friends, but you do need a few. Value your friendships and tolerate the flaws that make all of us bad friends from time to time.

13. Don't wait for happiness - you are happy.

To conclude, my beautiful brother wrote Maxime a letter when he was born, and this is one of the nicest pieces of advice I have ever read:

" Dear Maxime... you can either move or sleep in this world. Both are enjoyable but friends are less impressed by stories of your dreams. "

Valentines Day.

I know lots of people that object to the notion of Valentines Day, however, I quite like it. I really don't need an excuse to be romantic, because I'm secretly quite a romantic at heart (I don't like gushing, but the casual 'you're awesome' is pretty nice). While I no longer have any desire to sit side by side, two on two, in a restaurant with fledgling relationships, it is a good excuse to cook something different from one's usual repertoire. I even made the big call this year and said, don't worry about buying me flowers. We have a perfectly nice hydrangea bush at our house, and I'd rather just pick from that and put the money towards wine. I'm a pretty good wife - even if I do say so myself. Zach's coming home to an Israeli couscous salad with cherry tomatoes, olives, red onions and goat's feta, with a balsamic lemon dressing; a roasted lemon chicken; and a deliciously wicked homemade chocolate mousse. Because I won't have time between bathing Maxime, serving food, and pouring the gin and tonics - you'll have to make do with the 'in progress' photos, rather than the finished result. Happy Valentines!

The engagement continued.

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Feeling quite blessed to be able to capture two of my best friends, on such a special occasion. It is so enjoyable photographing friends - nobody minds that you're walking around with a camera in tow, or in my case, a camera and a baby. Everybody is relaxed, smiling, drunk and/or happy. Nobody seems to have any inhibitions in front of the camera, like we might have, years ago. I love sitting in my study editing the shots, because I can't help but feel when I look at some of them, that Max will ask one day: who's that? And I can tell him about how our stories intertwine. We are so lucky to have the friends that we do, we're all so different but still manage to look at the world in a similar way. My friends are fun, self-deprecating, humble, creative, smart (so very smart), and kind. And you don't get a much better person than Olly, someone above was on top form when he was made, or as vivacious and generous as Beas. I couldn't be happier that they'll always be part of my life.

An engagement preview.

Yesterday played host to a engagement party in a garden in Grey Lynn. It was such a fun day with friends, and Beas (always such a host) made some delicious food (some of which was transported all the way up from Wellington with Nicole on the plane!). Some of the deliciousness included salmon with dill and cream cheese; bruschetta with pea, mint and feta; brownies; caramelised onions with goat's cheese and thyme; and copious amounts of bread from Il Forno (at least I think that is where it was from?). The weather was perfect - Auckland is really on form at the moment, and I am told it went until the early hours (life is quite different now that I have young Max). Here are a few shots, will publish some more soon I hope. Hope you find your phone Beas.

To Beas and Olly!

x

Date night - with the girls.

Tonight I'm off on a date with the girls. Nothing better than a yummy dinner with a bottle of wine or two - and banter of course. Plus pretty excited to have Zach babysit Maxime! Here's a shot I was commissioned to take by Tony at Clooney, to celebrate their new menu, late last year. And while we are not quite heading to Clooney, it should be pretty fun all the same.

In other news, I'm busy cooking up some delicious caramelised onions with goat's cheese and thyme for Beas' engagement party tomorrow. I'm also taking all the photos of the lovely couple, so stay tuned for some beautiful engagement-day pics.

And, tomorrow is also Zach's 28th birthday! Planning a delicious breakfast at home of fresh coffee, poached eggs with grilled tomato and prosciutto with delicious sour dough bread. I can't wait for him to open his presents from Maxime and me.

I've also recently finished 'Open', Andre Agassi's autobiography. It is amazing, if you haven't read it you must get a copy. I'm not even a major sports person and I couldn't put it down.

Also, if you are film nut like me, you should head along and check out this incredible interview with some of today's most celebrated directors (Quentin Tarantino - Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Reservoir Dogs; Gus Van Sant - Good Will Hunting, Milk; David O Russell - Silver Linings Playbook, The Fighter; Tom Hooper - The King's Speech, Les Mis, and Ben Affleck - who is literally in awe of all of his idols) and hear them all in an open conversation with The Hollywood Reporter. It literally is one of the best things I have watched all year - and I am incredibly fussy.

A family affair.

I'm quite encouraged by some really nice feedback I've received about the blog, which has given me the energy to do another post.

Last week the whole family (including our two dogs) took a leisurely stroll up Mt Wellington. I know, I know, you're wondering why would we choose Mt Wellington over Mt Eden or Remuera's Mt Hobson? Until you've walked these hills extensively, you're likely to ask this question time and time again. The truth is, there is an apocalyptic feel to Mt Wellington which is breathtaking. The grass is burnt yellow, it's devoid of people (perhaps because people do think of it as an undesirable location) and you can literally drive up into the heart of the crater. The surrounding hills are steep and rugged, and it is the perfect vantage point for an industrial view of the city. The dogs love it there, and I love the fact you scarcely come across anybody on a full walk of the volcano. I hope it remains undesirable for a long time so that I can take Maxime for solo adventures here for years to come.

PS. Before you ask, yes, that is my Shih Tzu keeping up with the big boy (our blue heeler) giving hell to the tennis ball. She's awesome.