Author: Bunny Eats Design

The Spreading Tree

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There is a newly painted building not far from my house. Isn’t it sweet? On further investigation, it looks like it is new centre for artists from all different disciplines to converge and make experimental art.  

Happy 4th birthday City Farmers’ Market!

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Today marks 4 years of the City Farmers’ Market in Auckland city behind Britomart. It’s one of the the closest farmers market to me and easy to get to by walking, bus or train. It’s the last one before Christmas, so if you’re thinking about foodie gifts or buying good ingredients and products to feed the hungry masses, come to City Farmers’ Market. I usually come home with some fresh vegies, some fancy bread, smoked fish and seedlings to add to my tiny vegetable garden. On today from 8.30am until 12.30pm. Visit their website for more details.

Given the chop

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A few weeks ago, a massive pine branch fell in our backyard and obliterated our washing line. It had been really windy and the branch fell overnight. That branch was chopped up and removed. Then a week later, a second, larger branch fell. It was a perfectly still, summer afternoon and witnessed by us and our neighbours. It made a hell of a noise and the creaking branch just before the fall warned our neighbours who came over to warn us. It was kinda cool and weird to see it fall without a breeze in the air. The broken stump at the top right was the first break. The new break is on the left. The poor washing line was hit a second time, so lucky it hadn’t been replaced after the first branch. Tofu found the fallen branch fascinating. Can you find him in this photo? The tree gave privacy from the housing block on the other side of the fence. But they couldn’t risk another branch or the entire tree falling so the decision was made …

Crunchy yum bacon quiche

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I love pulling out random ingredients from the fridge and being able to make something cohesive . I keep a constant supply of streaky bacon and puff pastry in the freezer and eggs are usually around too. Then it’s a matter of using up whatever vegetables are in the fridge at the time to fill up the rest of the quiche with and to make a side salad. We were lucky to have a bit of beetroot chutney too. Otherwise it would have to be tomato sauce and/or Kaitaia Fire Kiwifruit & Habanero Pepper Sauce. Also time to show off my new tea towel from the Fisher & Paykel stand at Taste of Auckland. Fisher & Paykel are a major appliance manufacturer based here in Auckland. Fisher & Paykel are pretty smart with their online presence. They’ve realised that people that buy their products like to cook and be inspired by foodie things. So they’ve set up their own food blog called Our Kitchen. Brilliant! See how two of the pastry corners curled over and two …

Cinzah’s first solo show and afterparty

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Photos from Cinzah’s show on last Friday at Rebel Yell Gallery and afterparty at Khuja Lounge. I love art shows and arty afterparties. Fun! Mural painted on Rebel Yell wall. Cinzah and fans. Simon (Cracked Ink) drawing at the Khuja afterparty. Cracked Ink goes bang. Gene drawing Jeff the Maori. Jeff the Maori. Doodle wall. They let riffraff like me draw! I did some bunnies and conjoined critters. Live art on stage. Liam (City King). Nice work guys!    

Japanese Lifestyle Goods

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One of my favourite local places to shop is Japanese Lifestyle Goods. It’s open 7 days a week until 7pm and is only 10 minutes walk from my house. They have heaps of cute kitchen stuff as well as other stuff for your house. They have a small but well curated food section too for those essential Japanese ingredients you need but your supermarket doesn’t stock yet. I’ve never owned a lemon juicer. Weird huh? At $3.50 I couldn’t resist this cute yellow one. I also bought some shaped cutters.  Not for cookies, I don’t make cookies but I’m going to use these to shape puff pastry. Fingers crossed these do the job. Japanese Lifestyle Goods 75 Dominion Road Mt Eden Auckland Phone 09 638 8038

A magical elixir for the food blogger

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I just drank my first dose of a magical elixir. This vaccine is to protect me from the harms of cholera and traveler’s diarrhea. I pray this will give me the iron stomach I need to eat all sorts of varied, wonderful and slightly questionable things. I bumped into my sister this morning and she said that the potion was delicious. I was apprehensive. Maybe if I was expecting an awful taste, it would take pretty good. It was a rasberry and saline flavoured drink. I wouldn’t call it delicious. But since I was expecting delicious, I was a bit disappointed. Oh well, I didn’t have this drink for the flavour sensation. It is the effects of this drink that I am interested in. Onwards and upwards!

Ron Mueck Exhibition – review

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We got visit Ron Mueck’s exhibition in Christchurch last month (exactly 1 month ago today). It is on at the Christchurch Art gallery until 23rd January so there is still time if you want to check it out. I thought it was amazing the amount of detail and work that goes into these works. One thing that makes it a bit less creepy, is that none of these works are actual size. They are smaller or larger than us which makes it easier to examine without feeling like you are staring at another human being. It’s really worth going to because you just can’t get the same experience looking at photos. The realistic quality of the skin the texture, the colour etc. Each hair inserted individually, veins running underneath the skin. I’m not usually a photographer of feet, but something about Mueck’s subject’s feet really struck me. The toes were expressive! I’m sure most people that see this work asks the same question: how? Luckily there is a room with screens showing footage of the …

Cinzah’s first solo show!

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We’re going to the opening of Cinzah Merken’s first solo show tonight. He’s called it Big City Island Kids and it’s on at Rebel Yell Gallery in La Gonda Arcade at 203 K Rd, Auckland. From 6pm until 9pm with an afterparty with live art at Khuja afterwards. Cinzah also paints as Seekayem. Cinzah’s work is a kooky combination of illustration, graffiti and low brow art. His wall-eyed, bung eyed smiling characters will charm the pants off you, so wear a belt. Check it out! (click image for larger view)

Friday Favourites: Meat Feast

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Vegetarians, look away now. My favourite carnivorous experience in Auckland city has got to be Wildfire Churascaria. The style of eating is Churrasco, Brazilian BBQ. The idea is that various cuts of meat are brought to your table and you have a stop/go toggle to indicate if you are ready to feast or prefer a break. Here’s a review of my experience from last October: Despite the below average reviews from a local restaurant review website, we went to Wildfire night for dinner. We had a great group of carnivores and we opted for the early session (10 clams cheaper). The Koala and I arrived a little late (parking woes) and bread and dips were already at the table. We were all briefed on not filling up on bread and vege so we didn’t tear into them like crazy monkeys. The bread I did have was really hard so I could only eat 1 piece anyway. That’s fine. I wasn’t here for the bread. We ordered our drinks and the first meat – the smoked salmon – …

Love Your Mountain

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I have my very own volcano on my doorstep. It is called Mt Eden or Maungawhau and it takes me 40 minutes return to walk from my house, to the base of the mountain, up to the top of the mountain and back. Not long at all. Yep, my little life would be over in a heartbeat if it were to erupt. Having a volcano in the ‘hood means that our soil is rich and the area really flourishes with green goodness. So let’s celebrate this sleeping giant! This Sunday is Love Your Mountain Day 2010. There will be guided walks and free entry into Eden Garden and Government House grounds. Sunday, December 12, from 10am to 4pm. In past years there have been origami cranes and wishes strung up to a big tree. I think they might be able to use my origami crane skills. After folding 1000 cranes for our wedding, I like to think I’m somewhat an expert at folding. More info here. p.s. I love you.

Stuff for the season

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Stuff. Who needs it? As we grow into real grownups we realise we have so much stuff. Our houses are filled with stuff. In the last few years, I’ve really enjoyed giving people I love experience presents. Dinners, circus tickets, subscriptions, stuff like that. It makes it one less awkward thing you can’t throw away and memories of a fun experience is worth much more. I love giving gifts. There is something really satisfactory (is that selfish?) in giving someone something you know they will love. I’ve bought 1 thing for a Christmas present so far this year and I’m happy to leave it at that. The present is for our nephew Lucas who is 1 and a half years old and it’s a gift that should grow with him for years to come. It’s not a toy, I like to think of it as functional, educational art. I better not say any more in case he is a genius literate baby and reads his auntie’s blog. Avoid the malls and gift experiences to enrich …

Monday Bunday: Moon Rabbit

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Taiwanese designer Hsia-Ying Lin has worked together with craft artisan Jun-Ching Tang on ‘Moon Rabbit’ cup and plate. Made from black clay, these tableware pieces interpret the famous chinese fairytale of the rabbit on the moon, commemorated every autumn in taiwan during the moon festival celebrations. Lin and Tang have designed a cup in which the rabbit sips the water within along the lip of the vessel; and a plate where a rabbit is found sitting on its edge,its stretched ‘reflection’ becoming the dish itself. A collection of Moon Rabbit cups and plates. This collection has a sombre, serious tone. They’re fun, but not in a “let’s hold hands and frolic in the sunshine” kind of way. It must be the black clay. There is something very grown up about black clay.