@youngadventuress

"Women's rights are an essential part of the overall human rights agenda, trained on the equal dignity and ability to live in freedom all people should enjoy." Ruth Bader Ginsburg . I’ve been so overwhelmed with work lately that I haven’t even had a chance to process the passing of RBG and what her legacy means to me. All of us women are where we are because we stand on the shoulders of giants like her. From being able to get a mortgage in our own names to protecting pregnant women in the workplace to pushing for equal pay, her presence on the Supreme Court was pivotal to allow us the freedoms we likely take for granted today. . It’s never been more important to remember that you have to fight for equality and justice, you can’t count on systems who benefit from suppression to change on their own accord. If women like RBG and countless others hadn’t dissented and fought, would we be where we are today? Just remember that when you vote, because we have a chance to grow and continue moving forward for true equality across all race and genders, or slip back into oblivion

Wow how time flies! The past couple of months have been a blur as I worked like crazy to get my latest project @node.nz off the ground in Lyttelton. In contrast to my hectic life of travel and social media, whenever I was home I would work with my indoor plants and in the garden. With @giuliosturla by my side, I decided to transform his iconic restaurant Roots into NODE - a stylish space for plant-loving folk. . Here I’ve poured my heart and soul into creating a place for people like me, who are curious and who love bringing nature inside, creating cozy and happy spaces (yes, I’m stocking my beloved @wilsondorset sheepskin goodies). In many ways, NODE is a space that’s totally new. When I have plants, there’s houseplant pop-ups but other likeminded creatives can use it too. It’ll be a little community hub in Lyttelton with all kinds of events, and workshops and foodie collabs with Giulio. I also see it as a place much bigger than me, to be used by others too who share the love for mindfulness and coziness and self-care. Does that make sense? 😜 . Keep following along because it’ll always be changing! And if you’re in Christchurch, come say hi at 8 London Street. I’ll be open this weekend from Friday: 2-6, Saturday 9-4, and Sunday 12-4 😊

On March 20th, 2017 something remarkable happened in New Zealand. Parliament passed legislation declaring that Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) possesses the rights, powers, duties and liabilities of a living person. It’s a strong and powerful example of legal rights for nature. . A campaign petition slid into my inbox recently that reminded me of this historic decision. is a bold idea: let’s petition the UN to make it a recognized human right to live on a healthy planet. After all, isn’t that something we all deserve? . We all know as a planet we’re not doing great. Teetering on the brink of chaos, our systems are totally unsustainable, something that became blindingly obvious during COVID-19 lockdowns. We now have a chance to treat our home better and try to undo centuries of harm. . I’ve popped the petition link in my Stories to demand the UN to make it a universal human right to live on a healthy planet. Please sign too if you feel inclined ✌🏻

In Spain when you love someone very much, you call them “mi vida” which means my life. I would hear my friends use it with their lovers, and I would roll my eyes and say how cheesy and dramatic it was. But perhaps deep down, my heart wondered if I would ever have a “mi vida” or if someone would ever say it to me. . Eight years later, finally confident in my own skin and my own circumstances, on the other side of the world in New Zealand, I found “mi vida.” A Chilean expat who found his way to the same place here by way of Spain too. Isn’t it funny how the universe works? . Te quiero mucho mi vida @giuliosturla ❤️ “Te amo sin saber cómo, ni cuándo, ni de dónde, te amo directamente sin problemas ni orgullo: así te amo porque no sé amar de otra manera, sino así de este modo en que no soy ni eres, tan cerca que tu mano sobre mi pecho es mía, tan cerca que se cierran tus ojos con mi sueño.” Pablo Neruda

Follow the kiwi ❤️ memories from a perfect weekend on Rakiura/Stewart Island with the best crew, led by the pirate king of Southland @gravityfishingnz himself 😊 .

Tbt to the best day ever ❄️ heli-skiiing in Wanaka with the ultimate badass girl squad - led by @lydiabradey with @southernlakesheliski ❤️ it’s days like this where I fall in love with snowboarding again and again. Winter is beautiful. Our mountains are beautiful. What a special place we live in, eh? 📷 by honorary girl squad member @markclinton 🙏🏻 .

Buller's mollymawk: Thalassarche bulleri (Rothschild, 1888) . Order: Procellariiformes Family: Diomedeidae New Zealand status: Endemic Conservation status: Naturally Uncommon . One of the most common small albatross in New Zealand, especially south, these guys are just stunning to see in the wild. Small by albatross standards, they still look like airplanes soaring the skies. We spotted many around Rakiura / Stewart Island with @gravityfishingnz ❤️

- Picasso once said that we are all born artists. The problem is how to remain an artist as we grow up. Boy, do I know that feeling. My entire life, I’ve been passionate about art and design. From making jewelry and clothes as a kid to painting with oils late into the night as a teen to writing stories on the backs of exams, I was always gripped by an unspoken desire to make and create. . Undoubtedly one of the greatest parts of my job is that I get to meet and collaborate with some of the most creative humans. While I was in Botswana with @debeersgroup last year, not only did I get to travel around with some renowned sustainably-focused jewelry designers but I also got to meet some incredible up-and-coming jewelry designers from Botswana. . At De Beers’ , an eminent design competition exhibiting the best and brightest jewelry students from Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Canada (where DBG recovers diamonds), I got to say hello to the president of Botswana and take a selfie with Bruce, the CEO of De Beers, while watching some of the most incredible young talents seize the opportunity to reveal their designs to some of the most powerful eyes in the business, with finalists receiving scholarships and training opportunities from some of the top institutions in the world. . To say chatting with Gaone Otsile, who won the top prize for Botswana (and who kindly let me take her portrait here), was inspiring is an understatement. Is it too late for another career pivot? It made me so ridiculously happy to see how DBG invests in the next generation of jewelry designers and creatives from the countries where they operate. For over 20 years, they’ve provided young and talented jewelry designers a platform and opportunities to develop their talents. It goes to show you the impact that a company can have. Let’s keep those artists around and invest in them. We need them. The future is creative.

Ay mi Wapi! ❤️ I can’t even begin to express how much joy and happiness it brings me to have a dog. An animal lover my entire life, I always dreamed of having a puppy in adulthood, but my hectic travel lifestyle always kept me from it. It would be deeply unfair to get a dog when I would never be home. . Falling in love with @giuliosturla was one of the biggest surprises of my life. I never thought I would find my person, but it turns out he was just there, waiting for our stars to align 💫 moving in with him in Lyttelton came with the added bonus of two marvelous kids (never thought I’d say that) and a puppy, Guapa. . I grew up with big (somewhat dumb) dogs my entire life, so learning to love a scrappy little ankle biter who is too smart for her own good took a while, but I’m happy to report @guapa_lyttelton has wiggled her way into my heart and is never leaving. I love her so much, even when she revenge poos in my office or brings home half dead rabbits 😭 When I was going through loss, anxiety, stress and fear, feeling her curled up next to me or nuzzling her face into my neck made me feel safe and calm. Of course, Giulio’s presence helped too 😜 . There’s something so basic and calming about the pure love of a dog, right?

My own little slice of heaven ❤️ what’s yours?

Nostalgia for cozy days curled up by the fire at Cattle Flat Hut on the Banks Peninsula ❤️ always looking for comfy joyful spaces where I can (literally + metaphorically) let my hair down and just chill out - this is when I always do my best thinking and dreaming @canopycampingescapes .

Happy World Elephant Day! 🐘 . August 12 has been set aside as World Elephant Day since 2011. Supported by numerous conservation agencies, the day is a time to spread awareness, share knowledge, and provide solutions for better care and management of both captive and wild elephants. Elephants continue to face numerous challenges, including poaching, habitat loss, exploitation, abuse, and proximity to human conflict and poverty. Incredible, intelligent creatures, I’ve been lucky enough to observe elephants in the wild many times, in both Asia and Africa. Seeing them roaming in their natural habitat bring me a joy I can’t begin to describe. . Last year I wrote about the incredible work @intrepidtravel undertook to pioneer the halt of elephant tourism. Please don’t ride elephants EVER. Please don’t participate in any “sanctuaries” that allow for interactions with elephants, especially under the guise of conservation. Be wary. Ask questions. . The UN has been asking private companies to help the planet, and for the past year I’ve been working with @debeersgroup on their conservation initiatives, my fave being @movinggiants - a collaboration with @peaceparks foundation in translocation “extra” elephants from the VNLR in South Africa to Zinave in Mozambique. Elephants thrives a little too much resulting in too many elephants which began to cause problems on the delicate ecosystems within the reserve whereas Mozambique lost most of elephants during a civil war in the 80s. . DBG helped pioneer Moving Giants and translocating hundreds of elephants across Africa, as well as providing funding for the ongoing training and employment of experts to protect translocated elephants, they are putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to looking after our environments. . How are you celebrating World Elephant Day? I would love to hear your fave example of a private entity making a difference in conservation. Spill ❤️ .