A few days ago, my mum and I visited a stunning place situated in the heart of our old neighbourhood of Parnell, just a short walk from the Auckland Museum is one incredibly awesome garden. If you’re a tourist or local admiring artifacts of New Zealand history at the museum, do not hesitate to stop by the Domain Wintergardens (est 1913)  just down the road! Two large glass houses with different climates (one normal temperature one and one heated one for tropical plants) bursting with flowers and marble neoclassical statues that will immediately make you feel like you’ve been transported to a 19th century novel.

The sea is an eternal source of joy and it makes us feel connected to one another. One of the virtual ‘love-of-the-ocean’ connections my Mum has made online is with a young Rhode Island-based female angler.

As you can tell with my Mum’s jewellery designs, she’s drawn to the old, imperfect and forlorn beauty. The other week we went on a trip to Auckland. And we were so excited to stumble upon this curiosity shop in the heart of Ponsonby Road. Ponsonby Road is known for its posh cafes, restaurants and hi-end clothes shops. So what a treat to enter an indoor market set up like a quirky old house with old furniture, old rugs, and even collections of creepy old dolls inside. The contrast couldn’t be more stark as this little shop embraces the beauty of being imperfect and derelict while everything around it is done up to perfection.

The cutest marine creatures I’ve ever seen is the small coconut octopus. I watched a video of this mini invertebrates the other day (see below). These highly intelligent creatures have a unique habit – they fossick for empty coconuts and sea shells. And they transform them into a cozy home for itself.