The press on Doritos in NZ is here.
Theedge.co.nz on Doritos
Promotional teams are out on the streets making sure all the kids get to try it. Shelves are lined with the large Doritos bag at the dairy (corner store).
Before you get jealous (Shane especially), realize that we don’t get
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When we first arrived in NZ, Ken and I stayed in a hotel. Some of you may recall my tale of the fisherman next door. I was terrified of that fisherman. His accent was thick and his friendliness was startling. That fisherman was quite young and wanted to make fish for us and have us over for drinks. It didn’t occur to me then that fishermen spend most of their time on boats and truly enjoy their social time on land. Instead of making friends, I went back into my hotel room and drew the curtains shut and called Monet and told her there was a strapping young man of a sailor next door and that I was scared of him. View full article »
Here’s the link to our Easter weekend pics. We went to the West Coast via the Lewis Pass to Punakaiki, then south to Franz Glacier, then back home via Arthur’s pass. Word to the wise: Arthur’s Pass is steep at times and there are stretches of unfinished road. We drove it at night which added to the scariness of it, but overall it was fairly safe and is the quickest route back to Christchurch from the West Coast.
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| Easter Weekend |
Hi all, this is Kenny. People been leaving comments asking how I’m doing. Been doing really well. I miss everyone in SF, DC/VA, etc., but everything here has been going well. I’m really into this backyard we have now. We barbequed tonight, oh yeah.
Also, we’ve been busy setting up the house. I love our little apartment. The rooms are a bit small, as is Kiwi style, but they are really nice. I had the idea of putting a little office in the closet of the guest room. If you come visit, this may be your office space. Carlo thinks I’m crazy. Unfortunately, the desk we got is just a tiny bit too big. It still fits, but you can’t close the closet doors.
What else? We’re definitely into trying out Kiwi products. Hokey pokey candy bars and ice cream are good. It’s hard to describe what hokey pokey is, but it’s sweet and tastes a bit like butter + honey.
They also have great baked goods here. Everything is advertised as being gluten free, not sure what that’s about. So here’s a gluten free orange & almond tart next to a berry friand (?).
I’m getting really sick of the sausages here. They are served everywhere and kinda nasty, English style food. Here’s some Carlo picked up that I am afraid to try.
I started like sweetened condensed milk in my tea and coffee before we left SF, and that’s supa easy here. They even sell the stuff in sqeeze tubes.
What else? My job has been just about perfect so far. The head of the department is really kind and I really respect him as a researcher. There are a lot of very talented young people here, full of energy. A lot of them went to school in the UK / Europe, and it’s neat to see a different perspective on things. I don’t have to teach for a few weeks, so there isn’t so much pressure there. A few people have come to me with good research ideas, which is exciting (and basically never happened at NASA =p). I am given the freedom to study what I want, and the teaching bit will be really meaningful I’m sure. The students are funny, all little surfer types with skateboards, sandals, etc., or asian kids with super stylish hair, etc.. Carlo and I got some furniture and cable tv coming on Monday, and that will make us feel that much more at home. I’m still amazed at how there are parks EVERYWHERE. I walk across a park to get to work, to go downtown, to do anything. And in every direction outside of the city, there is stunningly beautiful scenery. In summary, this place is perfect except for our friends and family not being here.
I met a couple of locals yesterday that invited us to meet up at 8 o’clock for some poetry readings at Catalyst at Al’s Bar. They were happy to see that I was delighted at the prospect and promised that I would even get to see some of the local talent, specifically Ross, who they said graduated from the U of C a few years ago and they were quite certain that he’d been published in a few of the local rags. They made some mention that he was or “odd” or “different” which I’m quickly learning is a way that locals tend to describe people that stand out. I don’t think there’s anything derogatory about it, but I do sense a slight hesitation to get really descriptive, perhaps so as to not offend me… ?
When we first went in, I thought the fellow at the microphone was a stand-up comic and my partner remarked to me that it was just what I’d anticipated, someone getting up on stage and letting loose some banter whilst referencing local and national politics. I guess it’s just the way of the world with these sorts of things. Unlike San Francisco, the topics were about the Bain trial and poking fun at the upper crust in the hills of Lyttleton rather than rights activism and poverty. It turned out this guy was the emcee and he proceeded to do an excellent job at getting the crowd excited to hear poetry. Usually when I’ve been to poetry readings, there’s something restrained about the person doing introductions but this guy seemed to be without pretense and also made it clear that it took quite a bit of courage for people to get onstage and bare their souls. He was quick to praise and jowl any “virgins” that came up, all in good fun.
The diversity of poets was amazing, ranging from the shy student afraid to stand too close to the microphone to the accomplished elder writing in meter. Someone even wrote a villanelle which made use of the word “music” repeatedly. The stars of the evening were Ross who simply has a lively delivery and a knack for abstraction and a woman whose name I can’t recall but she read three poems about being a “home executive” and working in the kitchen that were at once funny, gothic, and sexual. Someone also read some hilarious “Star Wars” poems and his one pirate poem brought resounding “Argghhss!” from the audience.
The bar itself was an excellent venue for open mic. They had beers on tap and supposedly the cheapest good wine to be found in all of Christchurch. All in all, I’m very happy to have found such a fun local hotspot. I’d recommend it to anyone that’s new here and wants a little local culture on their evening out or better yet, bring some writing and get up onstage. I think there’s a chalkboard at the front of the bar where you sign up. The format is four poets read about three or four poems and then they take a break for buying drinks and also the magazine that Catalyst publishes.
This isn’t going to be a self-pitying blogpost, I assure you. Just wanted to relay to you how nervous I was before going to the University to meet with this group called Uniq. They are a student run group that invites people from the university and from the community at large to come socialize and have lunch on the campus.
Leave it to me and my overactive imagination, but I had decided prior to going that chances were good it would be a group of the creme de la creme of gay society, kiwi style. They would all have fashionably spiked hair, intense gazes, be thin and muscular, and have deep bronze tans. And of course, I wouldn’t be able to understand anything that anyone said at all.
So of course, I go in and I am sweating through my shirt. Mind you, I never have back sweat unless I’ve been on the cardio machine. So I get there and I’m sweating in all the wrong places and I’ve gone to some effort to bring up some paltry white bread chicken pesto sandwich from the cafeteria– somehow this also was part of my projection, that everyone would be incredibly thin and handsome and I would be stuffing my face with some yucko sandwich. Long story short, this was just a bunch of very nice students that wanted to get together to chat. They were indistinguishable from any other bunch of students that you might see on campus and my fears were quite quickly soothed by enjoyable intelligible conversation.
I met a really nice couple that not only had lots of tips for me on where to buy things cheap but also invited me out to a poetry reading tonight which is downtown but a little bit off the main strip. I cannot express how grateful I am to have a little bit of insider information at last.
But before all that, we are picking up the keys for the apartment tonight, which means that we shall finally have a bathtub and warm water. I neglected to tell you, but the motel we’re in seems to only have warm water sometimes. Some days the most you can get out of the shower is trickle of warm water if you turn the knob all the way to hot. Not that I’m complaining. We have loads to be grateful for.
Another note, I got a call today from the Volunteer Center. Will keep you posted on whether or not yours truly has what it takes to be a volunteer Conversation Assistant.
Sunset view from Ascot Vale Motel
The sun is setting on what was, for me, a wonderful day. We got exactly the apartment that we wanted, complete with a private garden and a washing machine. I had time to read a little, to write a little, and even to do some stretching and breathing. Our new landlords are the most precious people that I’ve ever met. I’m so glad that we didn’t have to go through an agency.
Kenny’s rented a car so that we can explore the island on Saturday and then on Sunday we’re off to a barbecue. I don’t really know if things could be going any better.
Here’s a pic of the rear view of our townhouse.
view from livingroom of the townhouse
I sent a letter of inquiry in today for a volunteer position as Conversation Assistant, helping refugees and other immigrants practice their English. If I have similar luck, I will soon be enjoying another new activity!
In a barefoot city
The housekeeper brushes over the low shag carpet
With the canister vaccuum trailing behind her
Black leggings beneath a salmon print sundress
Her hair’s tied back and it seems she could only be going about the most pleasant busines
I feel guilty puzzling over why she isn’t Mexican
She’s trudging over the carpet with splayed toes
Can she feel when the floor is clean?
In this barefoot city
We are walking through the shopping mall
Looking for cold medicine
All I really want is pseudoephedrine
But it’s hell trying to decipher the labels
I am a hacking and wheezing American
Frightened at sudden cold turned to sunshine
I don’t know what it means that the wind can blow
From the south over glaciers
Or that the northerly winds bring a different climate altogether
My lungs are heavy with confusion
The automatic doors of the mall slide open
And up walk two local young men
Slender and tan, their feet bare to the elements
The weather is incidental to them
Somehow they are healthy and know every bit the way to the beer and the good times
I know only that I am in a strange place
That is at once cold and bright
I wonder how long it is before
My lungs and eyes will clear up
And I can bare my feet here
Marmite (or Vegemite) is basically a yeast extract that’s derived from the beer brewing process. It’s a savory paste that tastes like a bitter tamari. You can eat it plain on toast or crackers, but I like to dress it up a little. (I also hear that Marmite is a good additive for hamburgers!)
1. Make a spread with some Marmite and soft butter. This will enhance the taste of the Marmite while mellowing it out a bit. The proportions are up to you.
2. Spread on wheat crackers. I tried it first on a peppered cracker, but found that to be a little strong.
3. Top with thinly sliced cheese and cucmbers. Also good with smoked salmon, but just a little because you don’t want to lose the flavor of the marmite.
4. Enjoy!
