Evans Bay Timelapse

Great 50 second time lapse video of Evans Bay towards Miramar and the airport as shot from Hataitai by John Lewis* as discovered by Rowan Simpson – enjoy:

* the person, not the department store

Lordy Lordi

According to our spies, noises are emanating from the TSB Arena that indicate the presence of metal at varying degrees of heaviness. The autograph-hunters waiting outside confirm that this might indeed be a warm-up for this weekend’s rocktastic mayhem. Penniless bogans of Wellington! Get yourself to Queens Wharf for a free sampler of Rock2Wgtn and a chance to meet your (wizened) heroes!

And on the third day, He boozed again

While not of a religious persuasion, we flies can see the value of the pagan festivals that pre-dated Easter. After all, who wouldn’t want to celebrate the bountiful fertility of nature that brings us grapes, and hops, and agave, and … well, you can see where I’m going with this.

The gummint, that’s who! Easter licensing laws remain as restrictive as ever, and just as the bingeing worshipping gets into full swing at midnight on Saturday, bars will be forced to shut. Or will they?

Local bar: Ageists

I’m appalled to discover that local Wellington sports establishment the ‘Big Kumara’, home of more giant TVs than your local Harvey Norman, is willing to ban a willing drinker because he’s “too old”.

Since when did age come between a bar and its lushes patrons? Are gone the days of drinks for all and cheer all round?

Let’s consider this carefully. What has Mr. Norman Levido done other than have slightly questionable taste in clothes and be older than 30? Nothing that I’m aware of.

If the Big Kumara (and The Establishment) wants to ban people, how about giving a little more evidence? Perhaps let the old bugger actually pinch a bum before we go making assumptions? Then, out into the street you old codger!

Craft2.0 – this Saturday, 11am-3pm, TheNewDowse

This regular craft market is run by our very own Sue.

It’s a chance to meet up with quite a few of the Wellingtonista staffers who will be on both sides of the stalls (I think).

It’s a perfect time to treat yourself with something special and totally you darlink!

Details, details, details:

Want to know who’s got craft stuff for sale, read on …

Everything AND the Kitchen Sink

Some Wednesday night party good times for you all, in celebration of the new-ish Kitchen Sink event guide site…
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Come early (doors are at 7:30pm) for goody bags and a seat!

Vigil in Solidarity

There is a Vigil in Solidarity with the current situation in Tibet tomorrow (Wednesday 19 March) on the steps of Parliament at 5:30pm.

Keith Locke is expected to speak while Tibetans in NZ, and all over the world, their friends and family, Buddhists, supporters of Tibet, human rights advocates, peace lovers, other national governments – including the US, Canda and Australia – are calling for the Chinese government to stop the oppression now.

Chinese authorities are cracking down heavily on protests in Lhasa that began on 10 March. This appears to be the largest uprising in Tibet since 1989, and if unconfirmed reports are true, there may be more Tibetan casualties in the streets of Lhasa than at any time since 1959.

The protest comes at a time of escalating human rights abuses in Tibet, despite China’s promise of improvements in human rights ahead of the Olympics. While political leaders in the US, Canada and Australia are speaking out, New Zealand remains silent. What message does this send to China, the country about to host the Olympic games?

Pizza overload

All you gourmets and gourmands will no doubt know about Scopa’s attempt on the world pizza-eating record on Saturday the 22nd, and the fact that if you join in you will essentially be eating FREE pizza. If that sounds like your sort of thing (and why wouldn’t it?), then you’ll need to register first, and according to Texture, you’ll have to do so by Monday.

To get in the mood, you could do worse than waddle down to the Overseas Passenger Terminal this Sunday for the Italian Festa, which is also sponsored by Scopa among others. Combine that with the fact that the recently papered-over windows of the former Imbibe are covered in plenty of Italian Festa posters, and one might start to guess who’s planning to reinvigorate that Swan lane favourite. Could it be the Bresolin boys?

Cinephilia: Opening This Week

Run Fatboy Run posterThe Festival of the Arts has been soaking up almost every spare minute of my working day so this is going to be a bare bones update.My highlight: Simon “Shaun of the Dead” Pegg back on screen in Run Fatboy Run about a marriage-shy waster who tries to win the love of his life (Thandie Newton) back by running the London Marathon. Readings, Empire, Regent-on-Manners, Lighthouse Petone, Penthouse.

For the kids who like those dance-as-a-substitute-for-gang-warfare movies we have Step Up 2 The Streets, sequel to the massive 2006 hit that launched Channing Tatum on an unsuspecting world. He returns for the sequel. Readings only.

[The rest of this week’s new releases after the jump]

Wellington’s best hip hop bar….NOT

Is it just me or does a removal truck being loaded up with boxes of liquor outside a bar that billed itself as “Wellington’s best hip hop bar” suggest that the bar wasn’t quite as good as it would have liked to have thought, and is now in fact in receivership?

Or is it actually just moving to a new location?