The Wellingtonista

Random stuff about Wellington since 2005

Plenty to wine about

by Joanna on March 15, 2007 in Events, Festival, Food & Drink, Kapiti

There comes a time in everyone’s life when they feel the need to leave Wellington, even if it’s just for one day. No really, it happens! And a particularly good day to get out of town, if you don’t like the colour green, or potatoes, or Guiness or drunken fake-Irish louts, would be this Saturday. So where to go to get away? How about a wine festival – after we all know, that wine drinkers are a better class of people than beer drinkers – somewhere out of town but still nearby?

Well it just so happens that March 17 is your lucky day, with not one but two festivals taking place nearby. There’s the Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival in Gladstone (as well as the International Balloon Fiesta and the day before Round the Vines, and also the Great Wellington Wine and Food Festival in Paekakariki. So how do you choose which one to go to when they both cost $25 for an entrance fee? Take our quiz to find out.

1. Do you need to drink beer and listen to an Irish band to enjoy your day?
Yes/No

2. Are you the sort of person who would rent a helicopter (at around $1500) to fly to a festival?
Yes/No

3. Can you read John McGrath’s society pages in The Wellingtonian without wanting to stab out your own eyes or throw up?
Yes/No

4. Don’t you remember how awesomely lovely all the Wairarapa winemakers were at the food show?
Yes/No

5. Do you agree with the statement “Paekakariki, boys are cheeky; Wairarapa, girls are crapper”?
Yes/No

If you’ve answered mostly yes, then to the Great Wellington with you. If you’ve mostly answered no, then I will see you on Saturday in Gladstone.

Joanna McLeod

Joanna McLeod has started calling herself the Empress of the Internet because she can. As well as wrangling the other site contributors and Getting Shit Done, she likes to eat, drink and write in equal amounts. Yes, she would love to be invited along to your event in order to do those things. Joanna's also the best person to talk to if you're interested in advertising on the site.

{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

magoo March 15, 2007 at 7:16 pm

mmm… It’s been over 20 years sicne I lived there, but even oz boy here knows that pauatahanui is one side of Paekak Hill road (and said hill), and Paekak itself is the other. So saying that the Wine and Food Festival is in Paekakariki might confuse a few people.
(I’m imagining them all jumping off the train at paekak station and looking for the pub. When DID that close down, 2005 or 2004 ??)

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Joanna March 15, 2007 at 8:32 pm

I guess we’ll have to hope that the helicopter pilots know where they’re going then.

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llew March 16, 2007 at 8:51 am

I think it closed 2005 or even as late as 2006. That is one ugly building going up in its place…

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Joanna March 15, 2007 at 4:14 pm

Bad puns like that make me hopsing mad, so put a cork in it.

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llew March 15, 2007 at 4:04 pm

I’d love to wine, but I can’t beer to.

Reply

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