How we could actually improve our roads
If you’ve ever driven from Newtown to Kilbirnie, you’ll know how godawful the intersection with State Highway One is. The problem is that in order to cross the constant stream of traffic, you are forced to rely on the kindness of strangers giving way to you of their own accord. One enterprising young man had […]
Notional Significance: Disinterment
[See all Notional Significance posts] The entry to Bolton St cemetery is unremarkable: a gap in a white fence off a respectable street, a canopy of pines, plain crosses against a corrugated iron fence. But I know that I’m passing into a territory that would have the earth-magic wing of the psychogeographical movement panting with […]
Mojo Origins
We can’t help feeling a little bit pleased that one of the Starbucks on Lambton Quay has closed, and been replaced by a shiny new Mojo: This is the new Mojo Origins, out the front of Lambton Square, behind a schist facade that some years ago had been put together for an earlier tenant, Rodd […]
It’s MAC GONE MAD, Wellington version
We’ve all had many chuckles at Damn You Autocorrect, but then we came to the shocking realisation that Steve Jobs must have secret insider knowledge of Wellington. Just behold these iPhone autocorrects: Churton = Churn. “Behold how we churn through so much petrol with our SUVs in even going to the shop to buy a […]
Cinephilia: World Cinema Showcase 2011 Preview
For this year’s World Cinema Showcase preview I started with a list of all the films I wanted to see and then realised that I had used up my entire world limit. So, forgive me if these briefs are brief but this year’s Showcase is as heavyweight as it’s ever been (and runs for three […]
Notional Significance: Concrete Archipelago
The path, from tilted field down into the motorway chasm, winds past richly-tagged garage walls and rear fences. In my mind, I think that Oak Park Avenue was once like this — dark brick, spalling concrete, crunching gravel, rusting corrugate — but I no longer trust my memory as anything other than a synthesis of sensations and […]
Letting Space on the Terrace
From the public art programme which brought you Kim Paton’s Free Store and Tao Wells’ The Beneficiary’s Office (which both caused significant national media interest and debate) I’d like to present to you: Colin Hodson’s The Market Testament. An entire office building on Wellington City’s The Terrace is to be turned into a work of […]
The carrots! They are mobbing!
Conscious Consumers is organising New Zealand’s first Carrotmob.The basic idea of a Carrotmob is to organise consumers to shop at a particular business, if that business pledges to use the money to adopt more environmentally and socially responsible practices. The business that wins the ‘mob’ of consumers is the one that pledges to use the […]
Rumble in the Jumble
The Great Eclectic Jumble sale is back, for those of us who love all things vintage, the Jumble sale is like a single op shop on crack, and really good high quality crack at that. This annual sale is packs out St Ann’s hall with fabrics and textiles, buttons, jewellery, hats, gloves, shoes, clothing, bags, […]
Did I Believe You Should Look Around You?
At the Wellingtonista, we love us some live theatre and comedy. About the only things we love more are bars and hard liquor, so when a PR company offered us some vodka to give away as a promotion for a comedy show staged in a bar, how could we resist? As it turns out, quite […]