Best of the Week: May 18-25 – The Wellingtonista

Our weekly wrap-up of what’s good, this time featuring featuring Emma, Joanna and Tom

Emma’s bests

Best theatre:

Farce Onion at BATS – a deeply warming joyous nonsense improvised time

Best vibes:

Stillwater – I only had a drink there with some mates so I can’t speak to the efficacy of their coffee or food but the vibe was impeccable and on a warm and breezy day it’s nice as. (Ed note: I thought Emma was talking about Highwater and it was only when I went to add a link that I discovered it existed. Woo!)

Best food:

Milk & Honey, up at the uni. Consistently great, but I really love the rosti egg potato stack with bacon and hollandaise – I’m getting one this morning.

Joanna’s bests

Best small village feel of the week:

Everyone coming in to congratulate the barman at Nga Waka in Martinborough (more about that in a post soon) on becoming a father. Adorable!

Most popular tweet of ours that TERFs absolutely didn’t get was at their expense:

Is @JoelMacManus the bravest man in Wellington? Daring to go where no other journalist would, taking on legions of rabid angry people on the internet, all to speak truth to power….

…. that Jermaine Clement’s new show needs work

— The Wellingtonista (@wellingtonista) May 23, 2024

Best example of someone Generation Y pretending to be a Millennial in the tweets:

I’ve seen enough Final Destination memes to know to pull over and get coffee in Featherston instead of following TWO double trailer log trucks over the Remutakas! pic.twitter.com/3n2RfqLlIO

— The Spokesvagina (@johubris) May 21, 2024

(the decaf at Brac & Bow did not taste good though, it seemed made well enough so perhaps I do not like Karamu decaf beans)

Best emotional writing:

Mike White’s piece on one year since the Loafers Lodge Fire

Best “are you fucking kidding me that they were using messenger pigeons in 1994???” writing:

30 Years of Rob Kitchin

Tom’s bests

Best spot for those who realise we’re post pandemic-response, not post-pandemic:

Arlo Café in Willis St has become one of my go-to spots for breakfast and lunch. Not only is the food delicious and the service extra-friendly, but it has not one but two outdoor areas for those of us who are still trying to avoid COVID. On a fine day, the front tables let you watch the world go by, but the expansive courtyard hidden at the back has enough shelter that you can dine outside even on the most inclement days.

Among the dining options, my current favourites are the crumbed chicken focaccia and cocoa granola with fresh and poached fruit. But on a winter’s day, a hearty soup with a properly cheesy scone is also a great choice.
(Ed note: Reddit says the owners are ex-Rahzoo, which is a great pedigree for salad and scone options)