It started falling at about 5:30am yesterday and didn't letup until about midday. It made everything look very beautiful and clean and was a fun experience (except for the extremely cold temperatures).

How about some anecdotal evidence? When I am out witnessing my lips are so numb from the cold that I find trouble speaking. Last Thursday, after opening the shower window to let out some of the moisture, the steam that had condensed and formed into droplets on the window froze before it had an opportunity to drop onto the ground! When the wind is cutting through you like a knife, would you find it easy to think about anything else? ;-)
On a more positive note, Miho, our friend Mariko and myself went to a Danish bakery today called Copenhagen Bakery and were greeted with a taste sensation. I had a Steak & Cheese pie and a Mixed Berry pie and Miho and Mariko had a Panini each. If you're a local and haven't been yet, I'd highly recommend it.

I managed to get some tickets for EP3 for a group of us for the very first showing worldwide (that's one of the perks of living in New Zealand ;-) Just a tip for locals, if you get a group together (10+) to go to Reading Cinema's The Palms, the tickets are $10 each!

We had a nice time at the Canterbury Wine and Food Festival yesterday. It will be the one and only time I go, though, because it wasn't cheap. I naively thought that the ticket price would include some complimentary wine/food but that was a negatory. The festival currency was 'crowns' which equated to $1.10 a crown, and most items averaged about 4 crowns (or $4.40). Even small items like a donut or a belgium waffle were this price! The only real consolation was that I found 6 crowns lying on the ground in one of the toilets ;-) The entertainment was great, though, with some really talented musicians/vocalists. Based on the kind of clientele that was there, I think the event is aimed towards those who are a little more monetarily endowed. If you've got a bit of dosh to splash around, might be your kind've scene.