Samurai Pizza Cats

...Somewhere in Kingsland...

Residents of the Kamona were shouted to a 'night on the town' after several months of under-budget supermarket shopping, despite "treats," such as chips, biscuits and ice-cream, being added to the weekly shopping list.

On hearing about well-priced, metre-long pizzas made downtown at a place called Toto's, we booked a table for six.

A framed certificate on the wall bearing, "Auckland's best Italian restaurant, 2010," had us thanking our lucky stars for budget management as we entered the dining area.

Promptly seated with napkins spread over our laps by the head waiter, we were presented with a choice of sparkling, still or tap water.

However a quick flick of the menu confirmed our fears - perhaps we were in the wrong place.

"Ah, do you do metre-long pizzas here?" asked Paul, leaseholder.

"That is downstairs," our waiter replied.

After some conferring, our coats were retrieved from the vestiaire and we were led down several flights of stairs and presented to a deflated-looking Italian man drawing heavily on a cigarette.

His brief exchange with the head waiter was sharp, but we got a table - this time with paper napkins, plastic cups and a ginger beer for Ellen retrieved after five minutes from down a dark hallway.

A metre-long pizza later, along with a standard pizza, tiramisu and sorbet, we were still thanking our lucky stars for budget management.

The reggae soundtrack was not half bad either.

Also celebrated was Chris's birthday and the fact that he is still alive after 31 years, as talk turned to the various pipe-bombs and bits of plastic he has been responsible for burning and blowing up in the last decade.

"We had a good night," commented Tineke, " and perhaps we can do a flat karaoke night for my birthday [in three weeks]."

Family portrait

"This is more like us!"

In a happy place.

Samurai pizza cats.

Happy Birfday Chwis.



Monday Morning

...Somewhere in Kingsland...

Mondays are like Sundays at The Kamona.

The first of many coffees

Willy making tea

Group shot, the porch

Austerity Measures

Somewhere in Kingsland...

Our flat account may not be as much in deficit as some countries in the Euro Zone or the United States, yet the Kamona knows austerity.

To be a resident at The Kamona means to forgo creature comforts, such as insulation and heating, along with restricted movement in the food budget and heavy-handedness concerning the chore-wheel.

Chris climbing into his loft

 Three of the residents are fortunate to have "loft" beds close to the ceiling, generating slightly more warmth than others. The cat has taken to sitting in the showerbath after hot showers. Warm clothing and camping gear is run-of-the-mill leisure wear.

Ellen wearing warm clothing

 Morale remains high, however, with someone turning up the temperature of the butter conditioner so the butter is spreadable.

Food Costs Hit Roof But The Rent Is Alright

Somewhere in Kingsland...

Soaring global food prices have hit the roof this year yet flatters at The Kamona are thankful rent prices in Kingsland have stayed the same.

The New Zealand Herald reported this morning that, "the median rent for a three-bedroom property in Mt Eden (including Kingsland and Balmoral) rose a modest 2 per cent in the year [2010] to December," compared with the mid-20% increases of houses in suburbs like Takapuna and Remuera.

Flatters at the Kamona have enjoyed a consistent flat-rent price since 2008.

"The only reason I stay here is because of the rent, to be honest," says leaseholder Paul, "although it is a great flat."

The article also mentioned Kingsland's growing popularity in this year's renting stakes, with one local property hosting "200 would-be renters in a half-hour open-home."

After a particularly buoyant flat-meeting last week The Kamona looks like it will stay strictly 'No Vacancy' for some time, however.

Competing with soaring food prices is La Nina's humid temperatures, and electronic fans have been "flying off" retailer shelves, reported another Herald article.

With no budget for appliances, Maddy prefers using Willy's chilly-bin, tossed in for free when he bought a couch off TradeMe, to keep cool.

Neighbour Murray celebrated his birthday last week.

He enjoyed a banana cake at The Kamona before acting as Duty Manager for a night at a popular Kingsland cafe.

Candles in the shape of a '30' were used as a ruse to keep Murray's real age incognito after rumours were spread when he disclosed his age to a neighbour in private.

Great Expectations

Somewhere in Kingsland...

Residents of Kingsland flat The Kamona have revealed they are "glad" to be leaving 2010 behind and are anticipating a better year in 2011.

Finishing university is the top reason most flatmates are welcoming the new year while launching a career, or embarking on a new one, is a significant goal for nearly all six flatters.

Ellen, a Fine Arts 2010 graduate from the University of Auckland's Elam Art School says, "Now I'm free from studying and other things. I'm looking forward to playing my own [music] shows."

New flatmate Tineke, also a 2010 graduate with a Bachelor of Education from Wellington's Victoria University, anticipates the start of a teaching career.

Willy Dub Stylez: 'Selector,' like Ellen, is looking forward to being involved with music this year.

"I'm going to make an EP this year, I'm just in the process of getting the beats together," he says.

Already several events have unfurled to mark the start of an exciting year, such as the engagement of Paul (leaseholder) to girlfriend Jocee, the arrival of new flatmate Tineke and a well-received flat garage sale held on 15 January (pictured left and below).

The flat is intending to remain together for the year, although rising food and petrol prices may cause some residents to find cheaper alternatives.

"I might have to move back home so I can save money for the wedding," says Paul, a 2010 graduate with a Bachelor of Music from Auckland University.

Although uncertainty lingers around the future of The Kamona, Murray and John have confirmed that they will remain at Gang HQ for the year to come.

Murray and Willy organise merchandise.








Chris making the most of La Nina.

Chris on Ellen's unicycle

Negotiating dismount

Paul and Jocee's engagement banner

Pancake Evening

Flatting is a cheap alternative to spending money on leisure activities during the week, flatters have found.

"When you live with other people you can do stuff with them at home," says Kamona flatmate, Natalie.

Activities such as cooking, gardening, doing dishes together or looking after pets provide an environment for making friends with flatters as well as inexpensive entertainment.

Last night, residents of the Kamona made pancakes and watched a movie together as an alternative to going out-of-doors and spending money at the movies or playing pool.

Handling the Business

Somewhere in Kingsland...

The Kamona's firepit was dismantled early this afternoon following recent disagreements from neighbours and the landlord over its safety.

A series of events related to a birthday party in early September led to the firepit's demise as well as a continued ban on events involving more than ten people.

"It's good to get it [the firepit] out of the way," says Paul, leaseholder.

"We had our fun but this is a really good flat and we don't want to risk getting kicked out."

The firepit was built two years ago by a former resident following the disappearance of the flat's brazier.

The pit was constructed of bricks found on the property and was "whipped up" one night before a barbeque.

The firepit has been directly involved with several run-ins with the law and authorities were contacted on at least two occasions.

"We had a fireworks party one year and someone made a pipe bomb in an old toilet which exploded over the neighbourhood and broke a window," remembers Paul.

"The fire brigade came and hosed the fire out.

And just recently security showed up at a party after the neighbour over the back fence threatened us," he says.

The firepit also posed an environmental risk, with burning plastic creating a "toxic cloud" at a party two years ago.

Another time, a conflict of interest over an old couch which partygoers wanted to throw on the fire caused tension among guests.


"Some people just wanted to burn everything," says Paul.

The Kamona residents look forward to rebuilding good faith with their landlord and enjoying the neighbourhood in a safe way.

"We're going to water it [the firepit] and soften it up and hopefully get some grass growing on it again," says Paul.


Meanwhile Murray has been landscaping the property, leaving a trail of devastation in his wake.

















"They's brothers that can handle they bidness." Chris Rock, Bigger and Blacker (1999).