Marty’s Guide » Blog Archive » It’s not about lifestyle, it’s about living with style

It’s not about lifestyle, it’s about living with style

I take this as meaning that anyone can have a blast no matter what their situation. Keep aware of possible opportunities, keep it varied, keep smiling and the good times will teem your way. If in doubt of options, attend some of the things listed below, there’s a better than average chance that I’ll be there, and we can P.A.R.T.Y, forgetting that we have to wait a full 5 months till we get another legit long weekend.

Playstation, false human enhancements, references, fashion, rock stars, business plans, reunions, hotels, babies, art and magazines. That was my week. Let me break it down, so you get a visual of how it went.

Knights in armor don’t come any shinier than Warwick, one of Sony NZ’s top guys, who is heading overseas. He threw a party. Many of the hoi polloi attended, and many drank more than their share. I realised that I can’t drive game drunk (those controllers are little devils to operate), and that I am appalling at Singstar. I did somehow manage to Hugh-it though and sign off the night in my jacuzzi with a handful of ladies (mean age 21.5) where only one hadn’t had enhancement surgery.

My 2.5 week house-sitting stint ended in smiles and I now have a glowing reference if anybody out there wants to feel secure about going away and leaving pets or property. I’m just an email away.

The Fashion Industry of NZ (FINZ) meets a couple of times a year. Last Thursday they swarmed the Pony Club. I’ve never been to an event down there that’s required you to behave. It was well lit (added illumination from glowing branded torsos), well catered and the attendees (although a largely different bunch from those I normally move amongst) were friendly, fun and all achieving in their own areas. The most interesting new people I spoke to were; Nigel Eru, former head Bendon lingerie designer, now charged with tackling Line-7’s range aiming to boost its pubic, and industry, perception; Roy Young, Maxxium Liquor’s Northern Regional Sales Manager, who used to be on the upper rungs of Wilson Parking. We chatted at length about business, sport and women (yes in that order). Lastly was Trelise Cooper, I’d been told her personality was like barbed wire. What a farce, she’s lovely. Interestingly her son’s doing something similar to me in Europe.

Clap Clap Riot impressed me beyond belief, every chord a classic that I would actually pay to hear again. They shone out as the obvious winner at MTV’s Kickstart finals concert, so they got the $200,000 package of boosters to aid them into orbit and stardom. Moshing up front brought back university memories, getting whacked by a hurled drumstick was new, yet I felt blessed concurrently. They ran the show with military precision, pizza dished out at 6.40pm, and devoured by 6.55. Show starts at 7pm, ends at 8.45pm, ultimate winner announced at 9pm, lights out at 10pm. Amber Peebles, and to a lesser extent Jay Reeve, hosted like Oscar winning pros, with the 10 worthy judges relaying great feedback and the correct result.

It’s not all play time for me. Recently I devoted myself full time to making this guide, and the website, a soaring business success, as I’m continually told that I’m sitting on a goldmine. So with the help of many mentors I spent most of Saturday drafting a business plan, and the following few days adjusting it. Watch this space over the coming months for big changes.

Exhausted from too much brain work I kitted up and headed around the corner, up the street, past the lights and down a steep driveway to “Carnevale”, a friends masquerade party in the tradition of the movie Eyes Wide Shut. Have a look at the album of pictures on the website to see what I had to deal with. I said my goodbyes as the temperature began to go skyward and we meandered to Spy Royal, which really should have been named Spy Reunion. It’s been a long time since I saw so many great party people in 1 place. Grant Marshall showed why he’s one of the best club DJ’s in NZ, with solid mixing and track selection. Like an incurable disease he had our feet shuffling, and hands in the air till he signed off about 5am, when the fever raged on with more from a different set of hands.

The Westin hotel opened almost a year ago and honestly is a cut above everything else we have in Auckland. Instead of leaving town with the masses I got a suite with harbour views. The plush place is very calming, hassle free and all staff are hooked in to a main frame like secret service agents. So you could call the concierge for a bucket of ice, and by the time you’d replaced the receiver there’d be a knock at the door. It felt like I was in a 5 star tropical resort hotel, but without any signs of jet-lag. There was a choice of 1m long pillows, squidgy feather traditional, or modern and ergonomic, and the bath could hold 3 with ease. The only downer I came across was the $17.95 charge to watch a movie, but then again, a treat from time to time is always allowed.

People say I’d be a good Dad. I’m not overly convinced (well not for a few years at least). On Monday afternoon I played father figure for 2 boys, one 6, the other 2. Nintendo Gameboy Advance took care of the older and a cracker and TV remote the younger. It felt incredibly odd walking around the Viaduct checking out the boats pushing a buggy, with a midget hitched on. When I passed at friend I just said hi and kept on truckin’, not knowing how to explain my sudden family.

I self performed the Heimlich maneuver on myself on Tuesday, when I clicked that the lady I’d just had a rambling discussion with about the sloppy usage of negative space of a photo, was none other than the NZ Minister for The Arts, Heritage and Culture, the Hon. Judith Tizard. She was in town as guest speaker for “They Were Young Once”, a photographic exhibition of emerging and iconic artists. I went along early evening to unwind after a rough day in the hood, before I moved on to something more racy; a magazine launch at Bungalow 8. Mag launches have been weekly lately, this one is special though: it’s NZ’s first carbon neutral mag. Called “Good”, even the ink’s good for you. 2 highlights were being taught how to make paper napkin roses to impress ladies, and falling in love with Robyn Malcolm, what a down-to-earth star she is.

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