I’m a Slave for you
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toWIjjTadB8]Anyone remember this guy? The self-same enterprising young man has been seen with an assortment of HI-VIZ clad worker types, some waiters and a guitar stumming up interest in an event rather shockingly entitled: "the Wellington Charity SLAVE AUCTION". Don’t worry folks, it is all above board and for a damn good cause. Tomorrow at Queens Wharf Square businesses will be donating services (and products) that will be auctioned off to benefit the Skylight Trust.
A sample of the services on offer:
- $1000 Pyrotechnics / fireworks display
- 6 hours of top-rate nanny services
- 2 x male waiters for 2 hours
- 16 hours building / landscape work
- $700 Beauty spa treatment
A sample of the products on offer (start from $5):
- $300 basket of GHD products
- $100 wine from Te Kairanga
- 3 month Dominion Post subscription
Entertainment will be provided by Sasha Vee so if you feel like opening your wallet for a good cause get on down from 11.00am until 1.30pm.
Check out the full list of what is on offer here.
Predictive Bussing
We’ve long dreamed of being able to time our morning cornflakes to the actual arrival time of our bus, rather than having to wait 20 minutes outside a jammed bus shelter during a howling southerly storm.
The dream goes a little like this. You’re having your coffee and your phone softly blips. You look down. A message says your bus is 3 minutes behind schedule and will be at your stop in exactly 8 minutes. You have time to finish your coffee before you grab your coat and go. And you arrive at the bus stop at exactly the right time.
Luckily for us this is, in time, becoming a reality.
Read on to to find out why…
Good bastards like you to drink vodka
42Below’s founder Geoff Ross has written a book with his wife Justine about the story behind the vodka called Every Bastard Says No. They’re having a book launch this Friday at the’Ho that’s supposedly invite-only but we bet you could sneak in if you were smart enough. In order to promote the book, I got to interview Geoff and Justine via email (my choice, things are crazy hectic this week at the Wellingtonista towers), but of course since it’s not released until April 30, I wasn’t sure what to ask. Various Wellingtonistas helpfully suggested I should enquire about the War Memorial Scandal – but that’s not related to the book – or the allegedly homophobic ad campaign in the USA, but I know nothing about that. And I don’t want to risk having my opportunities for free booze taken away from me. I’m a blogger, not a journalist, after all. So, after the jump, I lob some soft balls at them, and Justine in particular impresses me with her love for Wellington.
Questions and answers with Geoff
1. Why did you start with vodka? What is it about the spirit that drew you to it?
I drunk it. And actually more specially I saw more and more Vodka Cocktails emerging. Vodka is the Switzerland of Spirits – it goes with anything. And with the re birth of cocktails I could see it being the universal ingredient. Also New Zealand seemed it might have some cred with Vodka. We couldn’t do Tequila or Scotch because of Provence – but Vodka kind of fitted. (someone once told me New Zealand was the Sweden of the South pacific)
When are you people going to realise that the octopus threat is real?
We’ve all heard the stories about how there was a tank at Wellington Airport with an octopus in it and another tank with fishes in it, and the fish started disappearing and no one knew why until one night security cameras filmed the octopus climbing out of its tank and into the fish tank and eating the fish. Now we have yet more evidence shot off the South Coast that OCTOPUSES ARE EVIL AND THEY ARE GOING TO KILL US ALL IN OUR BEDS WHILE WE SLEEP. Consider yourself warned.
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5DyBkYKqnM]Help is Coming
Pecha Kucha 7
It’s time for another Pecha Kucha evening.
For the uninitiated, a Pecha Kucha evening consists of a number of speakers who present 20 slides, talking about each slide for 20 seconds each.
The details:
Monday, 19 April 2010
Downstage Theatre, Cambridge Terrace
Doors open: 6.30pm, start: 7.30pm
$9 cash doorsales only
This one is going to be awesome for two reasons:
1. It will incorporate the set for Downstage’s current production, "Biography of my Skin", which features a giant video screen – perfect for PK presentations.
2. The Wellingtonista’s own Tom will be one of the speakers! Yes, our Tom will be giving a talk "about a sentence by Baudelaire". What is that sentence? Well, you’ll have to come along to find out, etc.
After the jump, the full line-up.
Week Ends & Odds April 12
Some link loving for you to start your week right.
- There’s a new hair salon on Cuba Street called Wildilocks. The pretty girls like it.
- Metlink Wellington have started a twitter account to keep bus riders informed of delays. They could probably use some feedback about it.
- The Aucklandista point out that Wellington’s social page pictures in the Sunday Star Times are of Ladies’ Night at the Establishment. How embarrassment.
- You like food reviews? Here’s one of the Cellar-Vate dinner for Coney Wines.
- Richter City Roller Derby is throwing a Quiz Night Fundraiser on April 28 at the Watusi. You should go along, but be warned – the Wellingtonista team will probably beat you.
What else should we know about?
Stone in the bosom
Shinobi Sushi Lounge is having two special kaiseki nights Monday and Tuesday this week. Tuesday is fully booked and Monday has less than ten places left so if a bloody amazing 3 course feast featuring 18 dishes using only fresh local ingredients appeals BOOK NOW.
We sampled a few of the bluff oysters that will be on the menu and saw the master handmaking ramen for the occassion. It is going to be an event in my mouth I am sure of it.
Oishii so desu.
What: Kaiseki (multi-course dinner)
Where: Shinobi Sushi Lounge
When: Monday 12 April (tomorrow)
Cost: $80
For more pictures from last year’s kaiseki head over to James Ogle Photography.
“Please don’t forget to tag off” finally tags off
You know when you tag on with a Snapper and the voice goes "PLEASE DON’T FORGET TO TAG OFF"? Well, duh.
Or when you tag on with less than $12 on your card – gasp! – and the voice goes "CARD VALUE LOW" in a tone that sounds really concerned for your financial wellbeing, like it wants to add "This has been happening for a while now. Oughtn’t you get some budgeting advice?"
Well, Snapper have realised that these voice alerts are kind of annoying and/or unnecessary; and that we as public transport users have learned how the magical fish box works, so they’re updating the Snapper sounds.
Here’s a handy table of the changes:
.jpg)
That’s right – the Snapper boxes will now go beedoo beedoo beedoobie diddly doo.
And not only that, it’s also going to be a lot quicker to tag on. No waiting for the previous passenger’s tag-on message to play before you can tag on.
Go Wellington buses will be updated with the new beeps and sounds from this Friday evening, 9 April.
And there’s a comprehensive post about the changes over at the Snapper blog.
Dialogues with Tomorrow
We’re not sure if science is the new rock ‘n’ roll, but art and science are coming together in Dialogues with Tomorrow, a series of collaborative talks over the next couple of months:
DIALOGUES WITH TOMORROW places artists in conversation with scientists, business people and thinkers on themes relating to climate change. In each session, an artist or cultural commentator presents ideas and work inspired by environmental issues. A response is provided by an expert in the field, followed by a discussion that brings together the knowledge, ideas and reactions of the speakers.
The first talk is next Thursday, April 15, 5.45pm at Downstage Theatre. Called Antarctica Terra Nullius?, it looks at art’s role in giving us a new understanding of Antarctica. Tickets are $15 and can be booked at Downstage.
Check out the full programme here – there’s a fine selection of speakers and topics.