Nothing about signs here, I promise, except that a tweet I saw after the storm wished that the sign had been up so that we’d have alphabet soup in the harbour right now. But in some bullet points that you might be able to use: 

• Congratulations to Ange whose Four Seasons Cocktail has won her a double pass to the 42Below Cocktail World Cup. Can you please email us your address so I can send that out to you, Ange? And the rest of you can buy tickets for yourself online or at the Hawthorn Lounge. The Old Museum Building is a lovely venue and cocktails are always a good time. 
• Speaking of alcohol-related events, Cellar-Vate are starting up their winemaker dinners for the year with Coney Wines on March 31. Tickets are $45 and are available in store, or you can book on the phone. Coney make delicious wines, and their tasting notes are kind of hilarious, so it should be a good night. 
• Our cousins in the north, The Aucklandista are making a go of it again, so if you had deleted it from your bookmarks due to inactivity, you might want to resubscribe. 
• We set up a formspring account so y’all could ask us anonymous questions, and while it was easy to reply if we get paid by any of the bars we mention (we’re not. Full disclosure though: occasionally we get treated extra nice, but only as regulars are, rather than because we wield the almighty power of teh blogosphere) it’s much harder to advise on how could someone find a bookclub to join. Do you guys have any answers? 

The Wellywood sign madness/awesomeness continues!

Aucklander Edward from has created the Wellywood Sign Generator.

This is a crop of my attempt, where I have added a helpful "lol" to explain that the sign is a "send-up" and a "tongue-in-cheek play" on the Hollywood sign.

First it was "Bret or Jermaine?" then "Smash Malice or Brutal Paegent?" but now it’s time for the really big decision – which Facebook group to join – "Hey, let’s NOT have a ‘Wellywood’ sign in Wellington"or "A WELLYWOOD sign on the Miramar Cutting Hill is a STUPID idea"?

Everyone knows that while Wellington has a world-class, award-winning film production industry, it’s been sorely lacking one serious thing: a giant sign proclaiming WELLYWOOD.

Well, our prayers have been answered! By June a giant WELLYWOOD sign will be erected in the hills of Miramar, and will serve as a visual distraction for passengers suffering a bumpy approach to the airport.

Quoted in the Dom Post, Mayor Kerry sez:

"The sign will be one of the first things people will see when they arrive in Wellington. They will be left in no doubt that this is the heart and soul of New Zealand’s film industry."

Unless you make the approach from the Lyall Bay end of the runway. In which case, you will be left thinking you’ve just arrived in Wellington, not the world centre of the film-making universe.

Oh, I suppose I shouldn’t mock it. After all, the Hollywood sign turned that small Los Angeles village into a film-making centre second only to Wellington.

And, to be fair, it’s a little embarassing that Mosgiel has a giant sign in the hills but Wellington doesn’t yet.

One of the nicest things about the Festival of the Arts is that there are almost always several events that leave the realm of overpriced towers of high-culture and invade the everyday places. For example this year, we’ve loved the circus events and the dancer with digger in Waitangi Park.

Right now, the festival is getting a little more into the faces of the golden mile shoppers and office lunchtime refugees with a series of shop window installations along Lambton Quay and nearby streets.

This is the Revolt of the Mannequins, from French theatre company Royal De Luxe. Every night, a new "episode" in each installation is revealed; stories are told against a wider narrative of a revolution of mannequins against their oppressors. 

And while you’re busy checking out all ten official locations (map here), put this track on high rotate, and let us know what and where you see the mannequins next. For not all of the mannequins are inside the shops (as the passers by who caught sight of the sniper yesterday found out). 

And who knows – it could be that those that are not for the revolution, are against it. 

There’s a lot on at the moment for fans of Modern architecture. The Long Live the Modern exhibition is at the New Dowse until the 4th of April, including two bus tours this weekend.

Sunday’s tour will feature Bill Toomath talking about his design for the Teachers’ College in Karori. Wellington City Gallery’s exhibition on Toomath’s work, Liberating Everyday Life, finishes this Sunday. Eye of the Fish hosts two lively discussions on his waterfront plans and study, showing that Toomath’s contribution to Wellington architecture and architectural debate is still strong.

If you’re more interested in what the buildings of tomorrow might look like, have a look at Reactive Architecture at Te Papa. Some of the giant inhabited sails, human-powered slotcars and polyp-like motion-sensitive façades may seem fanciful, but it’s a much more inspiring approach to materials and design than just choosing which Hardie product to use.

If you weren’t aware, just a heads up that the Pompeii exhibition down at Te Papa is free for Wellington ratepayers and residents this Thursday (4 March). Details here.

[hat-tip: goNZo Freakpower]

Craft2.0 kicks off 2010 with a fourth birthday bash this Saturday (March 6th) from 11am to 3pm at TheNewDowse in Lower Hutt.

Over 4 years Craft2.0 has become synonymous with high quality, diverse products proudly claiming ‘New Zealand Made’ or even better, ‘Wellington made’. March sees the biggest fair yet with 70 crafters, many selling for the first time. You may discover that your neighbour moonlights as an artist, a colleague is a closet knitter and the kid next door’s Dad is rather resourceful in the design department.

Many of the crafters use recycled/vintage materials, like cast-off aluminium tabs, e-waste, old board games, cutlery and other quirky objects that often end up at the rubbish dump – it’s all about being resourceful.

Plus there is a free making table for a kids, and if you are a Friend of Craft2.0 you get a free gift on arrival and the ability to start shopping at 10.15 before the crowds arrive at 11.

and if you’ve a hankering for all things handmade, don’t forget The Inaugural 2010 JAM OFF tomorrow at 11.30 at mojo old bank.