There’s a sunrise and a sunset…

…every single day, and they’re absolutely free. Don’t miss so many of them. ~Jo Walton

You know all that Jazz about joy eventually (emphasis on eventually) springing from adversity? Well, lovesick when S was away, I started running around the neighbourhood at dawn every day. Here are some recent photos of the sunrises I’ve witnessed. I would say, it’s probably one of the best decisions I’ve made for my health (mind, body, spirit). I hope you too will experience it. The first times aren’t easy but then you get better and then it’s not so bad, and each time you’ll feel it’s definitely worth it.

Don’t Fear The Light That Dwells Deep Within…

You are powerful beyond what you imagine. Just let your light glow.



Cheater cheater pumpkin eater!

Japan is that you?! (If you haven’t already, I totes recommend checking out newly opened Japan Mart at Riccarton Westfield.)


Self empowerment no53279 buying flowers (and cacti) for yourself.

Reason 437698 I LOVE my job: so many 5 year old birthdays!

Robot art by Jella, age 5.

So incredibly proud of Mandy and Sebastian for working crazy hard to make their dream a reality! Utopia Ice is officially opening shop in Sumner village next week!

Sorry for the radio silence my friends. I have been working on a children’s story! It is one from my childhood and named after my dear mother. I am in the process of having my manuscript assessed before sending it to a publisher so please please pray for me! Worst case scenario, I’ll publish it on my blog for y’all to read.

Much much much love,
Me.

Who Knows If The Moon’s

who knows if the moon’s
a balloon, coming out of a keen city
in the sky—filled with pretty people?
(and if you and i should

get into it, if they
should take me and take you into their balloon,
why then
we’d go up higher with all the pretty people

than houses and steeples and clouds:
go sailing
away and away sailing into a keen
city which nobody’s ever visited, where

always
            it’s
                   Spring) and everyone’s
in love and flowers pick themselves

~e.e. cummings




Love is…cooking together. Love also is, I presume, Italian! 
All above photography by my love, Soroosh.

Hi there my dear followers. How have you been? How are you Lavanya? Are you still in Brisbane? And you Jose and Bea? How are the kids?! Has their English improved significantly? And auntie Pouneh, how is the new fluffly member of your family?! Yuka, I still can’t believe you have a girl! And Lifa and Akiko, your family is my inspiration! Fukuda sensei, Ashida sensei, do you still visit my blog? Hiromi and Olivier, how I wish to return to your idyllic home! You too, and your hard-work and dedication, inspire me! And Blogger friends, Randy, John, Josh, Teck, how are you?! Is the world treating you kindly? I think of you all, I think of you all fondly…

 

Only Kindness Makes Sense. Everything Else Is Excruciating.

Breakfast goals: freshly baked croissants and walnut sourdough from BELLBIRD Baked Goods.  Disclaimer: although the watermelon was delicious, it was TEN bucks! Holy moly, eating food-bloggy ain’t pocket-friendly! Who else is counting down to Summer?

Godley Head desu. 
We were freezing, our smiles are fake.


Last week I opened the pantry in the morning to grab muesli and happened to spot this cutie pootie thing! A boiled egg holder (yes, such a thing exists) that I spontaneously bought (precisely for it’s cutie pootie aspect) during my Japan days. Take.Me.Back.
Pimping out my work locker *love heart eyes*Vegan and gluten-free dessert from The Lotus Heart *more love heart eyes*

Updates

Hi dear dear friends from around the world, how are you all doing? I’m sorry I am no longer religiously blogging… Do you miss me? (hehe). I miss you, that’s for sure! Things have changed in my world. In short, I am now working as a full-time preschool teacher, soon to be starting my postgraduate diploma in Early Childhood Teaching. This means, I am busy busy (like the rest of you) working, and soon also studying (eek!). It is literally mind-blowing to look back and see how God has confirmed me in every step of my life leading to this very opportunity. I am so lucky. There is a Sufi poem which goes: ““God long ago drew a circle in the sand exactly around the spot where you are standing right now,” -this could not be more true for me (or you, for that matter). I have always adored spending time with young children, and if I may say so, I think they also like being around me. Sometimes I feel sad thinking that by going down this path I will be giving up on my writing but then I remind myself that everything in our universe is interconnected and that this too shall lead onto something. All in all, I am incredibly thankful. Of course, nervous – the job is definitely not easy, but grateful for the opportunity to grow both in my career and as a person. As for my love life (wink wink) things are going smoothly. You know, S is another reason why I’m not regularly blogging. I used to be this maniac (sometime I still am) who wanted to do absolutely everything and I had to keep reminding myself: Anisa, you can do anything but you can’t do everything! Being around S is changing me. He is an incredibly relaxed being.  I’m not going to lie, at first this drove me a little crazy – I needed him/us/me to always be doing something! Overtime though, I have come to appreciate his way of doing things. Like my brother-in-law once said, true, life is short but life can be very long also. In other words, it’s okay to unwind once (or twice) awhile (yes, this means you too!) xx

This is funny. So, I always prefer homemade muesli (for every meal if I could actually). But here is S forcing some of his famous scrambled eggs on me. The picture above is last week and the picture below, from my time in Nashville 6 months ago. 

Major touristing at Christchurch Museum.

After a warm coffee at Sign of The Kiwi Cafe, we are not cold, we swear!

Waiting for the food…

My number one supporters in every single decision I have ever made. You know what I think is good parenting? Trusting. Mum and dad, I love you both with my entire being. 
An Indian friend of ours once said Corianders is the best Indian restaurant in Christchurch, and we agree!Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.
~Japanese Proverb (Sunrise at work)

We Will Love

How is it July already?!

The best way to spend a Saturday morning in Christchurch? Utopia Ice with your lover.

Followed by a romantic stroll through Mona Vale , of course. 
Is it just me or is this the weirdest thing ever? A duck in a tree?! Now you don’t see that everyday (or do you?)

Another angle…
Even in winter there are roses!
His and hers, Nandos.

Soroosh’s super cool photography.

My favourite dinner is breakfast. And my favourite person doesn’t mind (yay).

Packed his bento like a good Japanese wifey <3

Love Is A Believing Creature

All photos by Soroosh:

(Lake Tekapo)

(Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown)

Okay, this one’s by me hehe (notice the Dr. Pepper? #Merica)

(Millenium Hotel, Queenstown)
(Hyde Park, Sydney)

(Castle Hill Koala Sanctuary, Sydney)

(City Centre, Queenstown)


(Skyline, Queenstown)

Celebrating our one year anniversary at Strawberry Fare, Christchurch, followed by a hilarious night at Scared Scriptless.

When A Woman Becomes Her Own Best Friend Life Is Easier

Except my momma is my best-friend. Here’s a lovely green-smoothie bowl recipe I made for her and I earlier this week: simply blend 1 banana, 1 kiwifruit, 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1/2 cup coconut yoghurt and 1 tsp cinnamon until smooth then top with favourite toppings. When I sent this photo to Soroosh, as I often do of my random daily snaps, he said: “tell your momma the days of smoothie-bowls are over, I’m coming for it!” Yep, don’t blame him. Twas delish.

In addition to purelyinstagramworthyflowers, I topped them with my homemade gluten-free muesli which is basically a concoction of mixed nuts and seeds, buckwheat puffs, brown rice puffs and quinoa flakes – all individually bought and mixed together.

Posted this fatty on Instagram. My friend Chris commented: “Garfield, is that you?”

If you haven’t read Flow magazine, you’re missing something big. So lovely, so delicate, and so inspiring. 
BearLion Foods have the best salads in Christchurch. This is a fact. Pictured is a mix of two wholesome vegetarian salads bought on my to work from the Riccarton Bush Saturday Market and enjoyed on my lunch-break in sunny Sumner. 
When it comes to organic food stores, I lack serious self-control. I want to buy everything. The trouble is, I can hardly afford one thing! I think this was $6 something. ARGH why so expensive? Alas, it was heavenly. So good that I recreated it myself the next day ;) Simply warm 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 2 tsp raw cacao powder, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp cardamom powder, and some orange zest in a small pot on medium heat. Once hot, stir in 1-2 tsp of honey or coconut sugar.


Heaven is a place on earth. UTOPIA ICE is simply the best. I mean come on, where else can you get 5+ vegan options including: passionfruit coconut ice-cream and raspberry and saffron sorbet?!

Sorry for the copyright Flow Magazine but I just couldn’t agree more! “Coming out of  a period of scarcity, we have now reached a point where we have too many things, and it’s damaging our health.” True dat. Pad Thai selfie from my family’s all-time favourite: Zab Thai.

In case you missed my infamous bathroom selfies with the glorious towel backgrounds.

There Are Hundreds Of Ways To Kneel And Kiss The Ground.

A photo diary:


Dark chocolate and roasted hazelnut ice-cream.
White peach and vanilla sorbet. 
The mastermind herself.

My attempt at having a non-cereal breakfast: free-range scrambled eggs (2), avocado, and organic gluten-free bread.

This is a non-traditional Persian New Year haft-sin (literally, seven “S”) table. It’s non traditional because I only had 5 of the real S’s. The other two, I made up myself: S for saat (clock/watch) and S for sparrow (yes sis, I realised sparrow wasn’t Persian. Whatever). 

Celebrate Every Small Victory

Flowers planted by my daddy.

Beautiful 7.15am sky on my way to work (PS I’m a sensei again except this time, to littlies)

A big box of organic backyard stone-fruit to be shared between mama, daddy, Deli, Andy, Ella, Lucky, and me.Mandy’s amazing creation: vegan coconut ice-cream with rosewater and raspberry.

World’s largest cucumber photographed by my momma #sizedoesmatter.