A fistful of gelato
Caffe e Gelato has just opened on the waterfront at the base of the NZX building. With the weather like this right now, it may be worth noting that as an opening special, this week they are offering single scoop gelato cones for just $1.
A reminder: get your nominees in for the Annual Wellingtonista Awards
Soon we’re going to start publishing lists of our nominees for the AWAs (this year, it’s the TAWAs because it’s the Third Annual). Always after we do this, we have people go "oh but you should have nominated blah blah and this and that", so let us remind you again: if you want something to be nominated, you need to tell us. Do it now, or forever hold your peace or piece – at least until you get to vote, of course.
Bikes, Boobs, and Ballots
Just a couple of last minute reminders.
First, somewhere in town there’s rumoured to be a bunch of boobs on bikes heading toward Parliament. Expect gratuitous nudity, ogling & who knows what once they get to the Beehive.
Secondly, please do remember to haul yourself out of the house tomorrow & vote. It’s your civic duty. And I want some serious entertainment to watch tomorrow night.
Also, if anyone’s still sitting on a nucular strike for one party, candidate or another, now is the time to reveal it with a flourish & an evil "Mouahaha!"
US Politics in Wellington
Right now there’s a group of expat Americans drinking nervously in JJ Murphy’s, and we’re joining them in hoping that there will be more of a party in Chicago than Arizona tonight.
Knock on wood – Northern Rata wood at that!
Wellington at its most grotty (and breath-taking)
Tonight the Wellingtonista Season of NZ features at the Film Archive is sadly coming to a close. However tonight’s film Carry Me Back is a rollicking ride from 1982 featuring a Ranfurly Shield Match, a boozy ferry crossing and a deceased farmer.
A comedy about two brothers who smuggle their dead father back to his farm in order to receive their inheritance, the film stars Grant Tilley among others, was directed by John Reid, art directed by Jim Barr, and based on a story by Joy Cowley!
Screening tonight at 7pm, there’s a complimentary glass of wine with each ticket ($8/$6 concession).
As Jane Clifton writes, "The script is excellent, with no shortage of wonderful lines – and it’s beautifully filmed. Carry Me Back revels in Wellington at its grottiest, and its most breath-taking…"
Credit where credit is due
Clam, crab, cockle, cowrie….
The folks from Intersect have created a snappy little poster for their upcoming event at the The Southern Cross tomorrow night. While I am not sure that even Joanna Newsom and her harp could weave whimsy with CO
What do cars, cows, cement and conifers have in common?
Why, emissions trading of course.
If you want some educating on the ins and outs of carbon trading, Leah Murphy (from the Ministry of Transport) and Amy Kearse (from the Ministry for the Environment) will be talking us through the economics and the opportunities.
Where: The Artist’s Room, Southern Cross on Able Smith Street
When: Tuesday 4 November, 6:00pm start
This event finishes before quiz at 8:00pm and the Wellingtonista are back on top again at quiz, so come on down and try to knock us off our perch.
I dare ya.
Hot theatre
BATS Theatre’s new play Heat starts this Friday, and has been selling itself on an unusual point: "eco-theatre". The show’s lights and sound will be completely off-grid, and the preparations for the sustainable energy sources were visible over the weekend.
Such a ploy could come across as gimmicky, but it’s designed to mimic the constraints of its setting, an Antarctic survival capsule. And with talent such as playwright Lynda Chanwai-Earle and composer Gareth Farr involved, it’s bound to have a lot of appeal, and one of the actors even has the appropriate name Brian Hotter.
Shaker Run!
For those of you who missed the recent screening of Shaker Run at the Wellingtonista Film Festival (next up, Carry Me Back on Wed 5 Nov), here’s one of the best bits: a car chase through the streets of mid-80s Wellington, then up and over the Rimutaka Hill Road…
[youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roFmeudE6Sc]
Says Kiran, in a review over at Texture
The film is like one long, extended stunt scene. Endless car-chases, explosions and fancy racecar tricks around the South Island and Wellington left me feeling exhausted…
The Greens: recyclers extraordinaire
This particular Wellingtonista was just down at a protest taking place at the Greater Wellington Regional Council offices.
Of course, the GWRC transport plans (PDF) are well worth protesting about: more roads, no light rail? Despite the hundreds (and the great majority) of submissions asking for the opposite?
As Wellington City Councillor and Greens’ spokesperson Iona Pannett points out…
The Plan ignores Wellingtonians’ huge support for more public transport, their opposition to new tunnels and Wellington City’s commitment to carbon neutrality … Over 4,500 people made submissions on the study the Plan is based on, with 3,750 people supporting light rail, more buses and walking and cycling options whilst opposing the two tunnels and flyover. In contrast only 480 people submitted that the tunnels should be built. So, by a ratio of nearly 8 to 1 there was huge support for public transport and opposition to roads…
Quite.
But, what really caught the eye was the many protesters placards. Not so much the front of them, but the back. It was heartening to see the Greens and their allies recycling (presumably) discarded Real Estate signage upon which to display their protest slogans. Nice.
Tae Kwon Do World Champs
Wellington has secured the rights to host the 2011 Tae Kwon Do (or Taekwondo, Taekwan-Do, or other variations, depending on where you look) World Champs.
New Zealand finished 3rd at the 2007 World Champs (note, link is to a PDF of the medals table), and, with the sport thriving in NZ, the home team is expected to do well with the next event on home turf.
To celebrate, the International Taekwon-Do Foundation of New Zealand has organised a Taekwon-Do demonstration today (Thursday 30 Oct), which will, ahem, kick off at 2:30pm at Civic Square.