Saturday night was Nick’s birthday party, it was fabulous! We all had lots of fun and I have the pictures to prove it.

Pre-party. Drinks and dinner.

Are we vain or what?

At about 1am, after about two bottles of wine - we look surprisingly good!

Birthday boy

I really don’t know - but it’s a cool photo. Haha

Plenty more below on this nifty little photo browser I found.

Then on Sunday night my friend Sarina and I headed over to our friend Jo’s for dinner. She was wonderful and cooked us a three-course meal including roast pork. Was delicious! We even managed to squeeze in some party pictionary while the roast was cooking. Good laughs!

It’s now Monday afternoon, I have been working on by group assignment all day and preparing for our small family-party we’re having for my sister Allie for her 22nd birthday. So right now I must get back to my chicken pie! The filling is already, now I just need to put it altogether with the pastry and bake it!

The latest Harry Potter movie is set to be released December 11th, 2008 in New Zealand. A whole two weeks after the release in the United Kingdom. I feel truly ripped off!

I’ve read the books, so I know what’s going to happen… but still!

Here’s the trailer for all the other HP fans out there!

EDIT: ANOTHER UPDATE: The Dark Knight was absolutely brilliant! I definitely want to see it again. The whole movie was awesome, not one slow part. I can definitely see what people are saying about Heath Ledger winning an Oscar. He definitely steals the show and becomes the main character.

Dinner at my sister’s was fun. She had no power. So we had wine, cheese and bread by candlelight. Unfortunately for my sister and her boyfriend, I was the third wheel at the romantic candlelit meal. But they weren’t too worried.

I also went to Nick’s party after the movie. Was a lot of fun. I was driving, so didn’t drink. I had had a few wines at dinner. So just had one tequila shot to tide me over. It’s Nick’s birthday party on the 16th of next month. It’s going to be a big night, so will not be driving that night! Must get myself prepared for it. Can’t wait!

Was home just before 3am this morning, not too bad.

The ballet was absolutely fabulous. As I expected it to be. I definitely recommend it, ladies. Grab a girlfriend or your mother and go! I don’t think it’s an outing for the men, but you never know, someone may have a boyfriend who likes the theatre.
It had everything; the dresses (no tutu’s… boo!), the orchestra, men in tights and of course the romantic love story that is Romeo and Juliet.
I will definitely attend the next ballet that comes to Auckland, if I like the story of course.

Tonight I’m off to my sister, Allie’s, house and she is going to cook me dinner - I’m bringing the wine!! - then we’re off to see The Dark Knight. Oooh exciting! I’ve also been invited to a friend, Nick’s, party so we will go over and join in after the movie.

The weather service has said that New Zealand is going to have a huge storm in the next few hours, the biggest storm we’ve had in over a decade; with high speed wind and lots and lots of rain. Joy. So I’m at work. Best place to be I feel.

Tomorrow night I am off to the Royal New Zealand Ballet. They are performing Romeo and Juliet. I am very excited, it will be my first professional ballet concert. It also means I can cross another item off my 100 things.
I am really into my culture and shows at the moment. After seeing the Priscilla musical and all the films in the film festival I seem to be on a roll.

These are shots from last nights performance.

I was a ballerina up until the age of 11, which is when we moved to Auckland. We have many home videos of me in tutu and costumes performing on stage. It’ll be great to see some real professionals. I can’t wait!

The Film Festival is coming to an end here in NZ. It finishes July 27th. I have only managed to see two movies; Persepolis and I Just Didn’t Do It. Hopefully I will squeeze in another before the end.

Persepolis was a French animated film, that I would definitely see again.

I Just Didn’t Do It was a Japanese film that also enjoyed and would see again.

There’s two that I missed that I’m angry about. Be Kind Rewind; with Jack Black, and In Bruges; with the sexy Colin Farrell. But I am suspecting that both will come out on DVD eventually. So Sarina and I have agreed to have movie night and watch them. She saw both and loved them equally.

Have you had a Film Festival near you? Seen any good films?

On Friday night I met up with a group of girlfriends and we headed to the city, to the Civic, to see a film featured in the Film Festival. My friend, Sarina, organised it for her birthday as she absolutely loves all the films at the Film Festival. It was an animated French film with English subtitles. I thoroughly loved it. It was called Persepolis. About a young girl who grew up in Iran during the revolution and war. It had a bit of everything and definitely played with your emotions.
After the movie we all went out for some dinner and drinks in the city. I haven’t been into the central city of Auckland in ages, it was great to go!

So I have told Sarina to email me a list and dates of all the ones she’s going to watch and I’ll hopefully be able to fit in another one or two to see with her.

Saturday night we headed to my sister, Allie’s, house for dinner. She made a delicious three-course-meal, which ended with a lemon tart. Yum!

I also managed to fit in 12kms of walking this weekend. I did 6km on Saturday and 6km on Sunday. Which was the first exercise I’d done in two and a bit weeks.

Now I’m excited as my sister’s and I head off on our trip on Tuesday morning, very early. Allie said we’d be leaving at 7am! Geez… way to start a holiday?!

That is the age I have turned today. I can’t believe it! 24! My 21st party doesn’t seem that long ago. But I’m happy, 24 isn’t a bad age, it’s a fun age!

I have been spoiled rotten today and had lots of lovely messages from family and friends.

I had a fabulous time last night out with friends celebrating the end of our exams for this semester. I thought I hadn’t drunk much, but after recapping this morning I realised I’d had four glasses of wine, a cocktail and a shot of tequila. Not bad.
I woke this morning feeling OK, but have developed a sore head now that I’m at work. I have heard wine can do that to you.

But no complaining from me, just lots of water and neurofen. Because tonight… is round two.

I have work drinks (because it’s Friday - and that’s what we do) at 4pm, dinner with my family (solid food - only had a piece of pizza bread last night) at 6.30pm, then have Annabelle’s birthday party after 8pm! The same crowd from last night are going so I’m sure we’ll have as much fun as we did last night. Uni life has hit it’s high. It best stay here for as long as possible.

Now off to raid the work first aid kit for neurofen….

Today is my baby (well hardly a baby, but my youngest sibling) sister’s 18th birthday. We’re having a family dinner tonight for her. I asked her if she’d like me to bake her a cake and if so, what flavour. She requested chocolate cupcakes. So the angel that I am and wonderful eldest sister, I baked them.

I have put the recipe under the cut.

In between study and cupcake baking today I pulled out my inner Hills and painted my nails black. Not a normal colour for me. But it actually looks good and seems to be the in nail colour at the moment.

This Friday I have my work-do. They’re taking us to see the Priscilla, Queen of the Desert musical. It’s had a lot of good reviews and is supposed to be amazing. I saw the movie years ago, so have the general jist of what it’s all about. So looking forward to a night out!

As promised; the recipe:

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