Number One:

Bella Kai – I’d heard the name a few times but never paid much attention, that is until we drove out for some fun on the weekend and I spotted the new building located at the edge of town. Bella Kai is a new store in Invercargill and it’s awesome! It’s exactly what I’ve been wanting for a while now.

Bella Kai is a homegrown foods store and cafe, selling local produce and other fantastic additive-free produce sourced from other parts of the country. Everything is sold in it’s most natural state, which I LOVE. For people or families like mine who try to eat as natural as possible it’s great. There are far too many hormones and preservatives in our foods today and having had to battle the battle of obesity my entire life because I knew NOTHING about nutrition and ate far too much packaged food as a child, there’s no way I’m raising my kids without the knowledge that fresh is best.

The new store is spacious, there are meats from local butchers, gorgeous little handmade condiments, the vegetables are priced to compete with the supermarkets and you just feel good supporting NZ made. If you’re local, you must visit.

Find it: At 808 North Road, Invercargill.

Number Two:

Quinoa – This little food has an interesting history. Quinoa hails from South America and was once considered ‘the gold of the Incas’. It was considered sacred and it was used in rituals. So why is it in my list? Because quinoa is rich in protein and contains all the essential amino acids required by the body to grow and repair tissues. It acts as an antioxidant and helps get rid of cancerous cells as well as other diseases. It can help offer relief from migraines and high blood pressure; it’s a great source of calcium which helps to grow healthy teeth, bones and skin, it can also help prevent gallstones, type 2 diabetes and childhood asthma. As if that wasn’t enough, here’s a bonus for many of you out there with food allergies… it is gluten free!  It has a few other great benefits too so if you can’t tell already, it’s a super food and really easy to prepare. We use it in place of rice. The children noticed it looked different but they didn’t complain once about the taste. That’s a WIN in my books!

Buy it: At Bella Kai or your local fresh food market. Some supermarkets now stock it too.

Number Three:

Annah Stretton – Wise Heart – I’ve been reminded why the only books I’ve read in the past few years have been design books with a lot of pictures in them. KIDS!

It was my sons birthday on Sunday and while I was out shopping for him last week I spotted this book. A book featuring wise words from a NZ business woman/fashion icon… uhh, yes please! I wanted to buy it right there on the spot but I saw a sign that said I’d be getting a 35% discount voucher for my next visit when I bought the goods for my son, so I paused and calculated the $14 discount and figured it was enough to make me wait just a few more days until I could use my voucher. See…told you I’m tight lol. The fact that I bought a book from a book store instead of a second hand shop is amazing too.

Anyway, I’m 91 pages in and really enjoying the tips and techniques featured in the book. All I want to do is lock myself away and read it cover to cover but I haven’t had much luck in doing that yet. I knew I’d be able to relate to Annah and I’m pleased with what I’ve read so far. After this post, you know exactly what I’ll be doing. I have no other plans until this evening (miracle) so I’m going to invest some time in this book to carry on sourcing inspiration for my own life. That is if my children let me.

Buy it: Wise Heart: 10 Strategies for Success in Business & Life NZ$29.95 (On sale now!)

Number Four:

A Pear For Life – Cath Sheard – I love this painting by local NZ artist Cath Sheard. I curated an exhibition at City Gallery Invercargill earlier in the year and saw some of Cath’s pear paintings in person. I love, love, loved them! This artwork in particular has caught my eye on numerous occasions, I want it! I’m big on supporting NZ artists, I know what it takes to be one. So check out Cath’s website to view her work and feel free to stop by her blog too.

Buy it: A Pear for Life – NZ$120.00

Number Five:

Waiana Maxi – I’m a maxi dress fiend. I wore a maxi in the same cut as this when I showed at First Thursday’s in Auckland, this year in February. It wasn’t mine, it was a dress of my cousins that she picked up in Australia when she was on her honeymoon but it was fabulous! I remember telling her that I hadn’t felt so good about myself in such a long time and it was all because of the dress. So not only do I love the cut of this paticular dress, I love the colours, I love the Polynesian feel to it and I love that it’s made by a company called MENA, a group of Samoan sisters turned designers, who named their company after their seamstress mother, Mena Loheni. They started in Samoa but you can find them now at the Onehunga Mall in Auckland.

Buy  it: Waiana Maxi (Foliage) – Sizes (NZ): XS to XL – $379 NZD

Number Six:

I don’t have a photo for this one (yet) but my nephew will be being brought into this world right about now. I’m so excited to be an Auntie I’m getting a bit weepy as I type. I love babies!

Sorry, can’t buy this.

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