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Dear Mime: my post was ONLY related to the subject of the topic : we are in the forum FASHION and the topic is about Online Plus Size Store ==> what do you want me to talk about? is it wring to give an answer related to the topic?

Yes I'm a foreigner, but I don't think and will never think that there is a "lower standard" in NZ!!!! Yes on this forum, on this topic, I was speaking about material things, but it is the same for everybody else. I have other questions than the ones about my wardrobe, but once again, it is not the object of the topic, and for these questions, there are loads of websites and forums for expats where I am harrassing people with questions about NZ in order to prepare our installation, I'm also reading a lot, I have a few friends in NZ and one here who always gave me a lot of advice (most of them are men, so not very useful for the question of shopping), and my partner is also doing a lot of research...

I know that there is abundance of other values "more important" that shopping, but I love shopping, that's my own private addiction, I can't help it, I am this way, it doesn't mean that I'm not interested in any thing else, or I would not be actually working on a mission about development and cultural affairs in Tanzania, where, believe me, you can just forget about shopping...

I have a work permit, and my partner also, so we don't have to worry about immigration. But I don't see the point of talking that much about it here, as it is not the subject of the topic....

I hope that you understant better now, and won't judge me in such a bad way anymore.

Cheers ^-^

SandyK: yes, would be a pleasure to meet you once I'll be there (I'm arriving on the 10th of may, which is also my birthday, tickets are bought!!!! I'm so excited now!!!...and a bit stressed also...)

Hi Sarah, as a "foreigner" myself, I immigrated here from UK and have made NZ my home, I've been here 19 years, only feels about 5, and I'm now a kiwi citizen LOL. I can honestly say you will love it. Most people here, at least the ones that I've met are fantastic, open, warm and friendly, give yourself time to settle in and you will enjoy it too, at least I hope. You will be arriving almost in our winter though, having said that, the winters here in Auckland are not too bad, however we do get rain and lots of it at times.
Also Sarah, you don't have to explain your position to us, well at least not to me, it doesn't matter, what matters is that you enjoy the site and the people here, and the topics, well join in those that you wish to. I confess I too love shopping at times, sometimes not though, when I try to find something I want in my size and the very thing I love is made for the size zero's only...Ha! You get that the world over though.

SandyK wrote:

QUOTE:
Hi Sarah, as a "foreigner" myself, I immigrated here from UK and have made NZ my home, I've been here 19 years, only feels about 5, and I'm now a kiwi citizen LOL. I can honestly say you will love it. Most people here, at least the ones that I've met are fantastic, open, warm and friendly, give yourself time to settle in and you will enjoy it too, at least I hope. You will be arriving almost in our winter though, having said that, the winters here in Auckland are not too bad, however we do get rain and lots of it at times.
Also Sarah, you don't have to explain your position to us, well at least not to me, it doesn't matter, what matters is that you enjoy the site and the people here, and the topics, well join in those that you wish to. I confess I too love shopping at times, sometimes not though, when I try to find something I want in my size and the very thing I love is made for the size zero's only...Ha! You get that the world over though.

Thank you so much for your lovely message SandyK, you're right, I should not explain myself, but it is always so frustrating when you're misunderstood by someone... and you know, meeting a lot of kiwis, and working with them when I was in Samoa has been part of the reasons why we decided to move there
About the winter, gosh, it is so hot right now in Tanzania, I can' wait for going back to France in 3/4 weeks where it's going to be april, and winter is my favourite season, so you can't imagine how happy I was when we decided to move in may! And it's also the best excuse ever for shopping ^-^
And you know, what is great about shopping online all over the world, is that when you find something that you love, you can be sure that somewhere, someone has designed it in plus size, it takes time, but at the end, you can always find it (or almost). When I'll have some time, I'll try to do a list of plus size websites from everywhere, included NZ, it could be useful!

S.

Paris in the Springtime ! That, according to many popular songs, is just the best time ! The thought of Paris any time is very appealing to me.
It is such a romantic city. Besides, I love French cuisine too. You can keep the Gordon Ramsey's of this world and give me a French chef any day. Any French chef , any day !.
What will be your most favourite local dish, that you cannot wait to get home to Paris to consume Sarah ? What food have you missed the most while you have been away from your own country ?

KKK Katy: Yep, French cuisine is yummy, unfortunately, I'm not the best cook ever, too much into "experimental cuisine"
What is great, it's that in any country, you can find a way to cook almost anything: it may take time to find all the ingredients, but we even managed to make the best lasagna ever at the bottom end of Tanzania, or a chocolate fondue in Cuzco (Peru)!
So what I can't wait to consume.... let's say: crêpes (speciality from Brittany, in the west part of France) made by my grandmother (they are always better), salmon with butter sauce cooked by my mother, Mexican Mole from Huatanapa (a mexican restaurant), and a good home made "Boeuf Bourguignon"!
But I have to confess that I have really missed 3 things here: real bread, real croissants&pains au chocolat, and some good chocolate ==>even by using the special system of importation that some lucky expats can use here, we can't have this... and gosh, I love chocolate, & I miss chocolate....
But on the other side, here, fruits and vegetables are so good, I have a fresh smoothy whenever I want, restaurants are quite cheap, and I can still cook "almost" everything...
I just wish that someone would open a "Boulangerie" sometimes.... but the tanzanian market is not ready for this....anyways...

And you know what, there is a NZ restaurant in Paris, I'll go & eat there as soon as possible: http://www.kiwicorner.fr/ as I don't know much about kiwis' specialities ^-^

Cheers,

S.

PS (edit): english version http://www.kiwicorner.fr/index_en.htm

I think that one of the differences that I noticed and liked in France, was the way the restaurants which cater more to the families rather than to the tourists, seemed to serve the vegetable or salad dishes as a separate course rather than putting it all on the one plate with the very flavoursome meat dishes. It is lovely to be able to savour the flavour of the vegetables on their own as in a side dish and you develop a better appreciation of them, than when they are smothered with the meat gravy or some other sauce which alters the more delicate favours and makes everything tast the same as the main meat dish. I do that often at home for myself now. It is also good I think if you were trying to reduce the size of your meat consumtion for health or diet reasons.
Not sure why on earth anyone would really want to reduce their consumption of a great home cooked "Boef Bourguignon " though. One of my favourites during winter especially. Mouton a` la bayonne is another favourite of mine which I used to enjoy when I had business connections with a company in Biarritz many years ago. Even my husband loved that in spit of it having baby turnips in it and he always used to tell people that "the only vegetable I can't stand is turnip!" Little did he know.... I used to put it in soups too, and he has eaten turnip many times before I told him.
It is not always easy to get baby turnips here in Auckland , but I have adapted to use parsnip instead, even though the flavour is not as subtle it is still good. As you say Sarah, there are always ways and means to adapt to find ways around. It is how recipes evolve. We can all take any recipe and put our own special slant on it. Even the blooming Australians did that when they started making our kiwi invented pavlova !! I was highly amused to see on the menu of that "Kiwicorner'" Restaurant website, that they serve "Aussie Pavlova and "Kangaroo Kebabs." This restaurant is obviously not owned by either a New Zealander or an Australian for that matter. It probably a bit of a misnomer to call it "Kiwi Corner" because a name like the "South Pacifica" restaurant or even the "Downunder Cafe" would be more appropriate. The menu is a pretty eclectic mixture of cuisine from all of the Pacific Oceania region, rather than just from Kiwi land - New Zealand... I would go there Sarah ... It sounds great.. the menu is a very interesting one, and I bet the French have added their own very excellent cullinary touch to some of the dishes too. The owner is a rugby fan... how do I know that ? Well, they sell, All Black souvenirs in the restaurant as well... I would bet good money it is not owned or even managed by a NZ'er even so !. Many French love the rugby, and especially the All Blacks don't they ?

hey, I guess you know almost more about french cuisine that myself, I never noticed that we especially serve salad as a different dish, 'guess it is only in certain restaurants... But Paris il becoming so multicultural that you do find almost everything in terms of restaurants, which is great!
Regarding rugby, yes, we are definitively fans, same for soccer, and lot of us, including me, loved All Blacks ( I even supported them .... against France....)
& yep, 'guess that the kiwi corner, is mainly for tourists, but I'll still go there, just for the fun, and to taste some new flavour ^-^

'have a lovely week end

S.

We have drifted right off original topic Sarah, but do get in touch when you are settled in here in Auckland,