Fare thee well

It is with heavy hearts and heavy bags that we lug ourselves homeward bound. Thank you to all our wonderful new Nu Zealand mates for welcoming us into the deep crease of Jesus Christchurch.

More bloggy wrap ups with incriminating photos to come...

loving thoughts from our double sided taped bottoms up.

xo
S + L

Ranita Zablosnky+Terry Gross=Eva Radich

WKRC in Christchurch¡

Click HERE to listen to RC's interview on RadioNZ¡

Eva, our lovely interviewer, was actually up in Wellington, so it was just RC in the sound booth discussing work, pahtners, and the benefits of benefits. Much like the weather in New Zealand (4 seasons in a day, the expression goes), we experienced the full spectrum of human emotion in our brief 14 minute interview. Love, Repulsion, Anger, Fear, Shame, Death, Rebirth, finally peaking in an endorphin bath. Wow. Thats radio, folks¡

More stories to come¡ Stay tuned for pictures from our upcoming workshop and artist talk...

xo RC

¡Pavlovian!

We live there.
Holy days and nights in JesusChristchurch.

We had assumed that this mural showed a tender moment between Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mum, but no, it's just a couple of jolly NZ gals sharing a laugh.

Ye gads, do our holy days and nights fly by down here. We've been pounding the pavement on our handy, silver cylces. Here's our new bike gang: The Silverados. Members welcome...

We introduced this new style of vertical bike security to the tough streets of Jesus Crimechurch.

In addition to prowling the mean streets of ChCh, robbinschilds was pleased as Pavolva punch to receive a dinner invite to sup with the lovely famiglia Montgomery. Kate the Great lives in a magical cottage, although who knows what goes on in her "off limits" rooms. Bootlegging psychedelic Elderflower wine Katherine? We were joined by Mont and Carm, Kate's spunky parentals, who whipped up this Pavlovian masterpiece. For those who don't know, The Pavlova dessert was invented right here in NZ. Do not believe the Australians....

NZ pride. RC adopts the Montgomerys ( The Montgomeri)

And finally here we are after a wonderful second day of shooting with John Chrisstoffels, a ChCh treasure!

xo
S+L

To the left to the left¡

Left is right and right is wrong here in New Zealand...

when you're driving that is¡

We rented a car and took Sonya's mum's very sage advice to repeat the following mantra:

To the left, to the left!

It took quite a bit of concentration initially to adjust to being on the wrong side of the road but we got the hang of it in no time and headed out of Jesus Christchurch to see more of this beautiful country.

Stopped in for a hot soak at Marouia springs. Sulfur baths, sand flies and Germans in a picturesque setting.

Then onto a town called Blackball best known for its salami and being the site of the most haunted building in all of NZ¡ We spent the night in the Blue, I mean Blackball Hilton and had to bravely fend off an enormous spider before drifting off, not so much, on our lumpy saggy bed that was better than the lumpy saggy breakfast. Hmm, I don't know about you but does Spaghetti O's sound like B&B fare to you?

Then to the "west coast". The wondrous Tasman Sea.

The amazing "pancake rocks" made up in spades for the breakfast debacle. Slivers of rock formations slowly being worn away by rough ocean...spectacular¡

Gorgeous river walk in lush tropical vegetation. Hats are an absolute must here just underneath the hole in the ozone.

An afternoon at "dorky park"

more tales to come... stay tuned¡

oh and P.S. we realized that Orion and all the constellations are upside down¡

xo S + L

to the left to the left¡

Mission Eft Possible

Hang on Mate! get back here! Layla tries to run away from the camera outside of the Christchurch Contemporary Art Gallery.

Thanks to our mates at The Physics Room Kate and 'Nessa, we finagled our way into the grand opening ceremonies of the newly designed building.

We spent a little quality time with Nico, enjoying a spot o' sunshine before heading into tha' foyer aka lobby.

Once inside we endured eft possibly the longest welcoming speech known to wo-man-kind. However this backbreakingaching durational ritual was brigthened by the sight of Sonya and Layla circa 2040. We were only able to shoot these two awesome birds from behind, but try gentle reader, to guess who's who... Here's a hint, one of them was just before the picture happily gnawing away at a wedge of toast. Correct guesses awards you a bare bottoms up.

Who's who?!?!?!?!?!

Some local flotsam and jetsom here, in the form of birthday boy Oscar. Happy 17th Mate!

Once the speeches wrapped up, we poked around checking out the art. The gallery has a nice collection, Must give special shout out to Nathan Pohio who's wonderful diptych held us captive for a quite awhile. Bravo Nathan.

And finally, you might be wondering what "Eft Pos" could eft possibly mean? Well, it's the local method of using your debit card. So anytime you need to pay for something without cashola, you gotta ask yourself. "Hey is that really eft possible?".

The local Op Shop aka thrift store called The Cat Protection League!!!!

And finally the local Crystal Palace.

Beaming love from NZ.

your mates,

S+L

Waux¡

top of the muffin to you¡ ....or mince pie anyone?

heading out for a tramp (a walk or hike) gets the appetite going, so on the way to Castle hill, we stopped in at a cafe to sample our first venison and chicken pies (all sold out of mince). imagine a mini, fluffy, handheld buttery chicken pot pie. pretty delish.

maybe the waux (coralie and ryan's van) was jealous of our little pick me up, cuz half way there, waux needed a cool down before making it the rest of the way¡ (...but, what would a van trip be without a little engine trouble?¡ felt just like home)

We did make it to Narnia afterall and what a beautiful spot. Enormous boulders all over the place and a pretty little porto-potty just in case.

spotted some rock climbers and boulderers. bouldering- imagine a hackysack player crossed with a skate boarder crossed with a momix dancer. S/He sets up a tumble mat next to a large rock and tapes up her fingers and starts feeling around the contours of a surface area and goes about "solving" his problem. subtle shifts of weight in her hand and body may not look like much more than a gentle scalp massage, but her quest is quenched we she can lift her body's weight onto the boulder.

more adventures to come¡

!Gobble Gobble¡

Happpppy Thanksgivvving!

how'd that mozzarella get in here?

Yes even in the nether lands we gave our thanks......

We were very tit elated to take many a New Zealander's Thanksgiving virginity. They were quite impressed by the size of our......spread. We swapped the turkey for some tasty roast chickens, and Layla improvised two pies using some deep dish casserole plates. We had a small setback with the mysterious NZ electric oven-- grilled apple pie anyone?-- but aside from that and a few minor oven burns we successfully indoctrinated our friends in good ol' American't gluttony.

xo

S+ L

definitely the most controversial dish, but also maybe the most delicious!

discovering Thanksgiving!

magenta

C.L.U. E. opened Tuesday night @ The Physics Room¡

TPR family portrait...the lovely Jamie, Kate and Vanessa (aka 'Nessa)

robbinschilds kicked off the evening in magenta tracing the perimeter of the gallery.

Brave new friend, Nico, in surround sound

Monitor mountain range

(kiwi)dipthong..thong..thong..thong. thong!

Ayelo theyuh! Nu Zuilund fanz,
Toodaiys post eees ment ta b red n a Keewee accent. Sew, pleyuz set bak, poor ya'self a toll won, an don't forget to red a'loud while standin' on your hed, eh?

Now wheyuh were we... ah thas right. heyuh in jeisus chroistchurch, eh? Now, we're sitting heyuh on our heds with our new mate and naybuh, Clare. Clare's a Chroistchurch naitive, aka eh, Kiwi, eh? Eh. Now, Clare's anartist, and she 'appens to alsew be in rezidnece at the ChroistchurchArtes Centre. We've bin 'avin a groit time of it gittin to no her.

Still with us? Yea? Not too knackered yet? Alright. Aces. Sew, Clare. Tell the folks in America something about yourself, mebbe a bit about yor practis:

"Wot me? oh ma gawd, I'm going ta git some whisky."
(editors note: Clare's right, it is annoying what we're subjecting her to. She a very good sport. eh?)
"Baisically it's hard to not sound like a wanka.."
Groit, eggselent point. Now, for the folks at 'ome, eef you had to chewuz just won, wots your favorite kiwi expreshun. Mebbe a noice cheeky won. Go on...

"How about a nu zeelund conspiracy myth instead? Wot about the Rambo worior-"

Rambo?

"Uh...newuh... raiNbow. Basically it was protesting against nucleayuh testing in Fre-anch Polyneeeesha "

Oh oh you mean Rainbow Warrior, the ship.

"Yea. Rainbow Warrior belonged to Greenpeace, and it got bombed, well it got sunk. it sank in the port of Awcklund. In the urly 1980's. Nu Zealund has been neayuhly nucleayah free, not just the land the woters also. Sew we don't allow any of your US ships that have nucleayah power into our woters. Sew the story goes that it was two Fre-anch agents who worked from the inside."

Gentle raidars, pleyz wiki for more enfo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinking_of_the_Rainbow_Warrior

(Sohry 'Nessa, we dewn't know how to properly dew linx. No worries eh?)

Grayte, sew now we knowah. Nu Zeallunnd: No-ah Nukes. No-ah Snakes. No-ah squirrils. No-ah cops with guns. No-ah shirts and no-ah jandals but ya steel git sirvuce. But you don't have to tip.

Alright mates. Seeya laytuh. S'long from the bottom of th' world.
The luvly Clayah

leggo my pukeko!

C.L.U.E. opens tonight at The Physics Room www.physicsroom.org.nz

Last night after a long day at the gallery Kate M. of TPR took us on a gorgeous sunset beach walk.

We learned what a Pukeku is and its not a frozen waffle... its the regal chicken's cousin, a bird variety that we won't be eating for friendsgiving¡

xo S + L

ps for curb your ethusiasm enthusiasts, this is not to be missed¡ http://jezebel.com/5411004/curb-your-enthusiasm-7-seasons-of-susie-screaming?skyline=true&s=x

jesus christchurch! we're in the southern hemisphere¡

RC unpacks C.L.U.E. at The Physics Room in Christchurch, New Zealand¡

While

everyone in New York was having a simply ridykeulouse weekend (I just spent 13 minutes googling to remember how to spell ridykeulouse¡), robbinschilds (equal but differently hard to spell¡) is living it up down in the southern hem. Sad as we were to miss this weekends not to be missed festivities (ridyke, X- and Anna Halprin), we're feelin pretty pretty good from the bottom to the top¡ and if you're wondering why i'm exclaiming my enthusiasm with upsidedown exclamation points, its because a lot of things are opposite here in New Zealand. the water whooshes the opposite way when you flush, they drive on the left side of the road, its just turning summer in late November, and even in a town named after our lord, the police men and women don't carry firearms. (We learned a bit from the friendly police officer, Paul, who we sat next to on the plane down here. He'd just been visiting Denver on a cultural exchange and was shocked when asked by his American host cop what firearm he had with him while in town. Paul wasn't packing then and he isn't isn't packing now even as I write this blog.) With just 50 murders per year in the whole country, you have to ask yourself which came first, the chicken or the gun?¡ ...I dunno, I guess I'll have the lamb.

RC is being very nicely accommodated while here on our very first monthlong residency. We've been given a super cute apartment in the neo-goth Arts Center complex with our very own farmers market and weekend crafts bazar. Mostly been busy installing our show which opens Tuesday night at www.physicsroom.org.nz but fit in some exploring with our new friends. See Sonya and Layla go swimming in the chilly pacific.

more soon ....

xo S + L

the lovely gallery gals at TPR, Kate M. and Vanessa brrr cold