Noone really does any work on Fridays, do they? So instead, tell us a story about one of your most memorable nights out in Wellington in the comments section. We’re looking for location, location, location, and what you choose to disclose is entirely up to you. Just entertain us. Thank you. My story will follow very shortly.

Wishbone have put up the prices of most of its food by $1, so now you will pay $7.50 for their cranberry, chicken and brie sandwich (luckily, next door to my local Wishbone is the Concorde Cafe where I can get a crusty baguette filled with salami and cheese, and a mystical half olive for a bargain $3.50). They say that it is the rising cost of petrol that has forced them into it. We say that maybe if they investigated ways to reduce the ridiculous amount of plastic that their food comes in, the cost of petrol wouldn’t affect them quite as much.

PS: Their black plastic boxes are #5, which can’t be collected, but you can take them in to Commonsense Organics who will recycle them for you. If you’re that dedicated. We think that Wishbone should take them back too.

Registration for this year’s ‘V’ 48 Hours Furious Filmmaking competition closes in only 8 days and organisers are once again looking (somewhat apprehensively) at a record-breaking number of entries. 2007 saw more than 120 teams take part in the Wellington region alone, and this year extra capacity has been made available so no one will get turned away.

There are over $100,000 of prizes up for grabs including a special Wellington-only prize for Best Film Written or Directed by a Woman, donated by WIFT (thanks to the efforts of the wonderful Gaylene Preston). While the attractions of camera-gear, facilities vouchers, travel, movie tickets and guarana-infused fizzy drinks are obvious, most teams enter for the sheer joy of filmmaking and return again and again.

Teams will shoot their films on the weekend of 16-18 May and the Heat screenings (this year free of charge) take place at the Paramount from 20 May. The Wellington Grand Final will be at The Embassy, once again, on Wednesday 11 June.

We know that we’ve mentioned their sales in the past, but we know that you like books, and discounts, and also free wine, and that is why we must let you know that once again, Vic Books is starting its sale of awesomeness.

It starts with drinks, nibbles & great books with ridiculously low prices from about 4pm, Thursday 1st May, in the Kelburn shop. The sale runs in both shops until Thursday 22nd May, and they have two special “discount days”: 25% off all non-fiction not already discounted on Thursday 8th May; 25% off all fiction not already discounted on Thursday 15th May.

And remember – if you’re too lazy to walk up the hill, you can take the Cable Car, or the numbers 17, 20 and 23 buses to get there, or check out Vic Books down at the Railway Station if you’re not so keen on fiction.

This just in from Metlink – Disruption to GO Wellington bus services – Wednesday 30 April 2008

On Wednesday 30 April bus services on all GO Wellington routes will be suspended between the hours of 10am and 2pm.

“The suspension of services is to allow a scheduled union meeting for our people represented by the Wellington Tramways Union,” says Zane Fulljames, General Manager Southern Region. “The union has one meeting each year to discuss union business with its members.”

“We apologise unreservedly for any inconvenience this causes our customers” says Mr Fulljames.

“With advance notice we trust our customers can plan their day’s activities with minimum disruption”

Services will be limited between the hours of 9.00-10.00am and 2.00-3.00pm.

Between 10.00am and 2.00pm, there will be no GO Wellington bus services.

A normal full service on all GO Wellington routes will operate up until 9.00am and will resume from 3.00 pm.

Valley Flyer, Runcimans, train and Cable Car services will not be interupted and will operate as normal.

A group of well-bred yet raffish gentleflies embarked on a Chaps‘ Night Out last night, in search of rare delights and exquisite debauchery. I won’t bother you with all the sordid details, but I think there are a few valuable lessons that are worth sharing.

• It’s dashed inconvenient to find so many otherwise fine establishments closed on an Anzac weekend.
• When in search of enlightenment and exotic delights from the mystic East, I wouldn’t bother with Raki.
• On a night when hordes of be-sneakered young ruffians have been lured into the city by popular music, one has yet another reason to steer well clear of the vulgar hoi polloi of Courtenay Place in favour of more sedate watering holes.
• When Hawthorn Lounge gets busy, the quality of their caiparinhas can slip quite alarmingly, yet they can still deliver an impeccable Crown Jewel Martini.

…

The Masked Barfly
Uncategorised
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Recently the Wellingtonista were sent an email from “Dave, Designer fella in Wellington” enquiring whether we thought that Wellingtonian Creative Web Design Folk might fancy the opportunity to meet up monthly; to drink, discuss related stuff and network.

Our response was:
“Web people getting together to drink (and talk geek), you have to ask?”

But we thought we’d ask you anyway. We do appreciate that there are many sorts of sub committees that happen organically, but they’re all sub styles. So how about it, Web Creative folk? Leave your comments and thoughts here for Dave to collect. And please feel free to contribute ideas for venues and sponsorship while you’re at it.

Looks like our invertebrate colleague has been doing what flies do best: spreading dirt. But the fine weather has made us cheerful, so we thought it was time to spread some sunshine about some of the things we love.

The Chef’s Café, 251 Cuba St. Not exactly high-class decor, but at $12.90 all-inclusive for better-than-average curry, rice & naan, we’re not complaining. Plus, it’s BYO.

Sprinklers saved St Peter’s: might they save you next?

Stable, at 47 Willis St, seems like the most interesting of the Chews Lane retail offerings. More than the usual Huffer/Diesel streetwear (though there’s that too): Marc by Marc Jacobs, Kate Sylvester menswear and Cheap Monday.

Dymocks’ Tuesday Temptation deals (20% off and changes each week).

Sweet Fanny Anne’s. The delightful Claire has a totally winning smile and attitude, and if you buy a coffee, you get to draw a card. If you get an ace, you get the coffee for free. If you draw the Joker, you get to tell a joke, and if you make Claire laugh, you also get free coffee!

A certain bar owner in Wellington may have to rethink his staff work policy. Especially considering we as bar patrons prefer not to get violently ill after being served by contagious bar tenders who were forced to work by you.

Sadly this whole thing might be going to court so we can’t really say much more. I can’t even really tell you what bar to avoid like the plague (so to speak). Let’s just say choose your cocktail concocter carefully.

Well, we expect a $6 lunchtime pizza in the usual standard from where we usually get it and for it to take a reasonable time.

And if it will take a bit longer or won’t be as good we expect to be told so. We wouldn’t mind, honestly, we just have to plan our lunch hours.

And finally if we complain about the wait or the quality we like to be treated a bit nicer.

So if you really wanted to know “what do you expect on a Tuesday?”, that would be it. Thanks for asking.