honeymoon in new zealand: matakana region

This time last year I was at my honeymoon with my wonderful husband in New Zealand. Yes, we just recently celebrated our one year anniversary on June 6th. This past year was such a transition year for me, but more on that later…I have so much to update but not on this post. Back to New Zealand…I realized that I never finished my post on my honeymoon to that wonderful country of delicious food, amazing wine, friendly smiles and green galore! So a year later, I will put the effort (and it is quite the effort!) to finish my post on one of my favorite trips ever.

The second part of my New Zealand Honeymoon was to the Matakana region, north of Auckland. We stayed at a Bed and Breakfast called Waimana Point Lodge owned by Gloria and Geoff. This place is incredible, and the views leave you nothing but speechless! Luckily for us we had the whole place to ourselves because of the low season. Every morning we did not fail to watch the sunrise; it was so spectacular, you just couldn’t miss it. Our deck led to the backyard which was green pastures that faded into the blue marine of the sea. Similar to Breakfast on the Beach, every afternoon we would meet with Gloria and Geoff for wine, canapés and a great conversation. It was so great getting to meet them both and to hear about Geoff’s travels through Latin America.

While at the Matakana Region we got to explore a few of the wineries around that were as amazing as the ones in Waihike Island. Here are my favorites:

Heron’s Flight Vineyard Café – Tony and I had Lunch at this winery and it was AMAZING! Just can’t believe that every place in New Zealand that we went to did not fail to impress us. The décor of this place was one of my favorite, Spanish-Mediterranean architecture with a hint of Rustic touches…my favorite! At this place we had an amazing Sangiovese (which means ‘Blood of Jupiter’ in Italian).

Brick Bay Wines – This place is amazing for taking a hike and finishing off with a good glass of wine. The place has an amazing trail through a sculpture garden with very modern outdoor art. After the hike you can enjoy a glass of fine wine at the Glass House…and this wine tasting room is really made all out of glass! From this very modern building you can relax as you look out into the vineyard while enjoying the zenful atmosphere of this wonderful place.

Ransom Wines – This winery is a MUST! First of all they have the most amazing cheese platter I have ever had in my whole life. The presentation is exquisite; it comes with a variety of things, and I mean lots of yummy things to try. It was soooo good! Second, their wine was lovely. Third, they have a wonderful story that brings chills to my body every time I tell it…a little too long for this post but it has to do with their Carmenere wine. We ended up buying a bottle of this and this is the bottle we opened as we celebrated our one year anniversary.

Lastly, we visited The Vintry, Wine Centre and Lounge Bar located in the Matakana Village Complex. This is a wonderful wine bar that gives tastings of wines only found in the Matakana Region. Because of the low season, the owner sat with us and gave us a private lesson about wine and the history of the area. The service we got here was impeccable. We learned so much, as well as tried lots of different wines. The tasting was very different from other places; the bottles were wrapped in a paper bags to make sure that we did not get influenced from the label. The funny thing is that Tony and I liked the cheapest wine and the most expensive one. Some of the labels that we liked were Hinchco Family Vineyard and Hyperion.

We ended our trip in Auckland at the Great Ponsonby Bed and Breakfast – small rooms but very affordable and cute place. Tony and I explored the city and ended up at an excellent little bar…I think it was called Bonita, where we had some amazing sangria and continued dreaming about our future plans.

Honestly, traveling with my husband is one of the best things in the world! We are such a good travel unit, we always have fun and we enjoy every moment we spend together. I am so lucky to have him in my life and I am so proud to be his wife!

my first reupholstery project

I have been trying to get back in touch with my creative spirit lately and decided to work on some fun projects. The first one has been to reupholster a chair. It took me a while to find the chair but I eventually found one that was in perfect condition on craigslist. It turns out that it wasn't the easiest chair to begin my first reupholstery project. However, I managed to complete the project and I think it looks beautiful. I bought some amazing fabric that was way over my budget! But it was sooooo irresistible and I am glad I did because the chair looks amazing!

I am now looking a for a good home for my chair. It is such a great accent piece, I can imagine billions of ways to make it work in either a room or a living room. Let me know if you are interested...

here is the before pictures:


Tito claimed the chair as soon as he saw it, but he only got to enjoy it for one day because as soon as I started working on it, it was off limits to kitties.

...and here is the completed chair...believe me, it is so comfy!

fix my room!!!

I love decorating and anything interior design...actually anything that involves creativity and inspiration. This past week my good friend Dalena asked me to help her decorate her room. She was temporarily sleeping on a futon cover while she waited to purchase her new bed frame at ikea. I agreed to help her if she chose not to purchase the ikea frame. She hesitantly asked..."what do you have in mind?" I told her..."well, I would like to stretch your money more...I think we can get much more than just a bed frame." Her large room was pretty empty and she was in need of more furniture. She agreed and together we jumped on the crazy wagon and we focused on our mission to find the best deals. I thought it would take us more like 2 to three weeks to finish the room, however, since we were both so into this project, we finished it in two working days...lets say three days.

Here is her room before, pretty much that was all you could find in her room.

And here is the room after (we still have to add a couple of accents, but for the most part it is done). We recycled what ever we had and although not all the colors matched, somehow it came together so well. I bet she now feels like a brand new woman in her new room! I am so happy for her.

Pictures taken with my iphone.

berkeley's colorful farmer's market

Tony and I love going to the Farmer's market...and I bet you can tell. It is such a great and relaxing way to spend Saturday/Sunday mornings. The best part is all the delicious fruits, vegetables, breads, and cheeses that are available to purchase as well as a full variety of other goodies. The fruit samples are the best! How many different peaches and nectarines do you think there are? TONS! and many times you get to try them all! Yup, you can get a whole serving of fruits just by trying all the sweet samples. Another thing I love about the farmer's market is the vivrant colors that fill the space. It is unbelievable what beautiful colors nature can create...and no, it is not food coloring!

Since many people don't know when and where farmer's markets take place, I decided to put together a list of some of the locations around the bay area. Enjoy and remember to support our farmers!

Berkeley
Saturday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Center Street @ M. L. King, Jr. Way

Tuesday 2 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Derby Street @ M. L. King, Jr. Way

Thursday 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.
All Organic
Shattuck Avenue @ Rose Street

Oakland
Friday 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Old Oakland Farmer’s Market
Ninth Street @ Broadway and Clay

Friday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
3801 Howe Street

Saturday 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Grand Lake
Grand Ave @ Lake Park Ave

Sunday 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Jack London Square

Sunday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Fruitvale
34th Ave @ East 12th St.

Sunday 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Montclair Village
La Salle Ave @ Moraga Ave

Sunday 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Temescal
5300 Claremont Ave (DMV)

San Francisco Ferry Plaza
One Ferry Building along the Embarcadero and Market Street

Tuesday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Year round

Thursday 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Spring-Fall only

Saturday 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Year round

Sunday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Spring-Fall only

Hayward
Wednesday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
27400 Hesperian Blvd.

Saturday 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
777 B Street

Castro Valley
Saturday 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Castro Valley BART Station
May 16th through October

i am still alive and working!

Picture by Diego Rivera

LIFE! For a while I felt as if I was living real life; however, now that I have gotten a taste of what real life is I have come to the conclusion that what I was living before was a fantasy experience. College was heaven on earth… yeah it was tough at times, but the experience itself was amazing. Being able to sit under a tree and study, chatting with friends while grabbing a coffee, going to the gym to take Pilates classes, or simply having time to sit and decipher Rousseau’s The Social Contract made life pleasurable and fascinating. The most important aspect of school (at least according to me) was being able to travel around the world and visit places without worrying if the sky was going to fall on me. That was life! No wait…that was a fantasy world!

Now that I have begun to work full time (and thank god for having a job!) life, as most people know it, has slapped me in the face and has looked me straight in the eye with a mischievous smile showing the satisfaction that it has captured yet another victim for its slave camp. Yeah, I have finally stepped into the real world and have smelled its odor of money and sweat that have penetrated my clothes, my skin and my bones; a smell that no shower can wash away.

This sounds miserable you tell me; I tell you not really. As much as it stinks, I have entered the real world with so much excitement. It is a process of being alive…of living life. I look forward to learning new skills that will help me in my career path and of opportunities that will open up doors to I-don’t-know-where. I get thrilled at the idea that my work is making an impact on businesses around the country and potentially around the world. I also enjoy the fact that work really tests your limits, breaks you down and then reassembles you stronger and more capable.

It is not easy. The transition has made me feel as if I were riding a rollercoaster without a seatbelt…yet at times I find myself throwing my hands up in the air trying to enjoy the ride. Today I started the beginning of my fourth week at the job and I finally feel as though I have earned the right to sit down and write these words.

I am working as a business analyst at a consulting firm that does strategic consultancy for financial services companies. And man did I set myself for a crazy ride. In one week I learned so much about investing to be able to speak to portfolio managers at various wirehouses. I have learned so much about all types of securities, different investment platforms, compliance, regulations, you name it. I have never stopped learning and I know that I have so much to continue learning over the weeks, months and years. The best thing about this job is that every project assignment is different and thus I will be able to learn a lot about the financial world, not just about one sector of the industry. It is pretty exciting to be able to have a conversation with a financial advisor and not feel completely lost or intimidated. I am also very proud to be able to take on the challenge in an environment that expects nothing but hard dedication and commitment.

These past three weeks at the job I have worked 12 hour days, have taken 20-30 minute lunches or at times no lunch at all, and have come home from a long day at work to continue working 2 more hours more on my own time. I have become a workaholic! Not because I want to be one but because the high expectations at my job have pressured me to work hard to prove that I am capable of doing the job. I have carried on the responsibility and the weight of my project home and have not gone one day without falling asleep thinking about it, dreaming about it and waking up thinking about it. It has driven me insane! However, I have enjoyed the challenge and I am proud to say that today, the first day of my fourth week, I finally feel as if I have gotten to a point where I can feel satisfied to leave work at work and enjoy my personal life at home. I feel as if I have finally freed myself from the chains of being a newbie at work and have settled in to a good pace that keeps me sane.

Things to remember as I continue my journey into the real life:
1. I must remember to have a balanced life- as hard as this may be because of the expectations at work, I must remember that life is not just about making money but also about enjoying time with family and friends
2. I must remember to breath, to pause and to enjoy the ride
3. I must remember to have my tea in the mornings with a little breakfast, eat lunch and eat snacks throughout the day (I have lost weight at this job for not eating)
4. I must remember that my home is sacred and no place to bring in the stress from work – try hard not to bring work home (I was doing this out of pleasure! Crazy girl!)
5. And my last one, I must remember to not become a workaholic!