QENZ Tour – Leg 04
It’s time to get your martini shaker to shaking! Shake that thang, stir it up! Did you know you should stir gin, and shake vodka? Yep. You can actually bruise the gin causing it to diminish in flavour. That’s my QENZ tip of the day! Are you ready for the next instalment? Throw it back, honey!
Molli: I can’t believe how cute I look.
Mr. Sparkles: I know!
Molli: You know what? This is, like, the cutest we’ve ever looked.
Mr. Sparkles: Oh, it’s definitely the cutest.
Molli: Don’t you love how we can say that to each other and know we’re not being conceited?
Mr. Sparkles: Oh, I know. No, we’re just being honest.*
A tuxedo does a body good! Especially true if you’re being invited to the Captain’s formal cocktail party! We danced! We drank! We loved! And we did it all in fabulous shoes. Those girls didn’t know what hit them as I descended the grand staircase. I got stopped about every steps with these gemstones on my feet. I’d tell you where I bought them, but I can’t have you running around in the same shoes as me!
Our private dining room slayed every night with lobster, salmon, duck, guinea fowl, and a whole bunch of things Mr. Sparkles loved, and I wouldn’t eat. Fussy cutter, and fussy eater! I still managed to dive deep into the deliciousness of my surroundings and stylings though. Oh, and the food I ordered certainly slid down easily, especially when dessert involved a Bombe Alaska flambé.
Our dedicated wait staff: Alexandra and Joshua kept us happy and stuffed. It really rang true when Alexandra shared with us, “There’s only one thing complimentary on this ship: the weight gain!” Girl, you know it’s true. I’m still trying to slice some of those calories off my hips!
My fave stop of the trip had to be Dunedin. It’s at the very south of the south island, with a strong Scottish heritage. We only had a day there, but the village vibe was strangely inspiring. There was a creative spirit in the air, evidenced by the numerous pieces of street art scattered down alleyways. One of the most popular tourist attractions is the train station, which also houses an art gallery!
And if the art gallery in the train station wasn’t enough creative inspo, I just had to look down. Look at all that mosaic tile work. Incredible! It even coordinated with my shoes; they obviously knew I was coming. Wouldn’t those look fabulous on a Round Robin quilt? I’m keeping this photo in my back pocket for my next opportunity with that one!
While in Dunedin we also hiked up a few hills to get to Olveston Historic Home – an historic mansion preserved to the Gods. You couldn’t take photos inside! In this day and age? What! Imagine all the publicity IG could provide to this hidden gem. Apparently though, they’ve had a few incidents of people knocking vases and the like over while trying to take photos. Ah ha! Point taken! So you’ll just have to believe me when I say that it was capital “D” divine!
Can someone tell me what this flower is? I saw it in multiple colour ways and each and every one was saturated to the max. It’s totally my spirit flower! I’m left wondering if I can grow it on our balcony because I need it in my life!
Finally, I have to show you this funky piece of art we purchased at Gallery De Novo in Dunedin. It is by local artist Mark Cowden, of a style I’m sure would be classified as Op Art because of its dimensional quality. As you walk by it, your perceived view of the colours and shapes change because of the angles of the paper. Again, the saturation levels are crazy-intense (much like me), so we agreed it had to come home with us. All in all, Dunedin was a stunner! I can’t wait to go back!
*Don’t you dare come for me. This is an ironic reference to the classic movie, Romy & Michelle’s High School Reunion.
Love your post, also love Dunedin, especially the chocolate. Your unknown flower is a fuchsia, which is on the way to becoming a weed in parts of the world, originally from South America.
That flower is a fuchsia and it is one of my faves too! Enjoy reading about your adventures!
Let me just say this, you two are adorable! Handsome doesn’t begin to cover it. The tuxes with lapel pins ( Mr Sparlkes’ should be on my dress)💋, your outstanding shoes❤️, and the photo proof of your adventure warms my heart. Wish I could have joined you. Oh, about those flowers, I think they may be from a Fuchsia Plant. Xox
Those brooches are beautiful!
Hi from Dunedin! Florida that is. I believe your plant may be a variety of Bleeding Hearts. We have some growing in the yard against a trellis, most people have them in hanging baskets. Even on the odd week in Winter when our night temps drop to freezing + below while most of our plants and tropical trees need to be covered in sleeping bags if not brought in, these get freeze burnt but amazingly have always come back. I doubt They would even in north FL. They must have great roots. The most important thing is Congratulations on your nuptials! You both look delish! BTW what size are those snazzy shoes? Hope you find the plant…look in a tropical nursery.
Fuchsia! Always gorgeous. Like men in formal wear. 😀
That’s a fuchsia. They like shade and lots Of wAter so very hard to grow in Australia. They look like ballet dancers to me.
I can see why you’d be hooked on the gorgeous fuchsia – they’re also know as dancing ladies !! and they’re available us some awesome colour combos !! The shoes – gah 😍😍 another wonderful instalment that has me wanting to jump on a cruise right now !
I think the flower might be a Fuchia (sp). Not sure of the spelling, but my grandparents used to have tons of them growing in hanging pots.
Love the stories of your travels, love all the pictures, and I love your shoes !!!!
Love you too.
Don’t you 2 scrub up well in your fancy suits and bow ties – and thoseflowers are my favourite garden plant – Fuchsia – I have them in 10 different colourways and mine flower throughout the summer, sometimes into October and November, if we get a good mild autumn 🙂 Thanks for sharing your wonderful holiday snaps in NZ 🙂
You guys look gorgeous and it looks like a fabulous trip. I was thinking the flower was fuchsia and after reading the other comments I now know my hunch was correct.
You are mah-velous, darlings!!
-Jean💙
Miss Molli,
That flower is known in the states as a fushia. It comes in many colors.
My mom, too, used to have hanging pots of fushia (sp?) in all different colors. They were beautiful. This was in LA, which probably has similar weather to Sydney, so I suspect you cold grow them. Fabulous trip, by the way!