RWC: Where to watch the ‘breakfast games’?
This is a cry for help!
Can someone out there leave ideas, suggestions and even actual locations for those people, of a rugby following tendency, that wish to watch the Monday morning pool games (starting this Monday, 10th – get the schedule for Outlook, Google and others).
Within the Wellington CBD we mean.
The games tend to start around 6am and the Wellingtonista has discovered that most ‘rugby-type’ venues aren’t opening until their normal time of 7am due to licensing restrictions.
Now, whilst alcohol at 6am on a ‘school day’ isn’t a desired kick off (although some sort of coffee and breakfast is) the licensing issues does limit the number of places open for business with the TV on.
That’s where we (rugby following people) need your help.
Leave as many suggestions (play nicely people) for venues and the winner* gets a free breakfast on the author.
* chosen by the author using the author’s intricate and secret rules
Cinephilia: Opening This Week
Our annual opportunity to worship at the feet of Pixar arrives this week in the shape of Ratatouille (I’m a fan, can you tell?). Written and directed by Brad Bird, who made The Incredibles and Iron Giant, Ratatouille is about a rat named Remy with a talent for fine cuisine but who, obviously, isn’t welcome in the kitchen. Voices include Peter O’Toole, Ian Holm and the lovely Janeane Garofalo. Readings, Empire, Regent-on-Manners, Lighthouse Petone, Sky City Queensgate.
Writer and director of Waitress (Empire, Lighthouse Petone, Penthouse), Adrienne Shelly (alumni of the once-great Hal Hartley), was sadly murdered soon after finishing the film – as pointless and random an act as you can imagine. There aren’t enough women film directors in the world as it is without losing them like that.
[The rest of this week’s new releases after the jump.]
Bus woes
I’ve avoided it as long as I can but I’m going to have to start laying into the Wellington buses. This will serve two purposes — to gather a weight of evidence with which to construct a platform from which I can launch a series of more formal remonstrances; and possibly more importantly, to make me feel better.
I have begun a journal of woe — chronicling my problems and frustrations — and you can join in too, if you want.
It’s a festival! Of zines!
Did you know that Wellington City Libraries has a collection of over 500 zines (and growing!) with special emphasis on locally produced Wellington zines?
You did? You’re very clever, you know.
So what are you doing on Saturday the 8th? You’re heading down to the Wesley Church Hall on Taranaki St between 10am-4pm to check out Zinefest? Damn straight you are! You know how much you support self-publishing, music, art, craft and food!
And you’re going to introduce yourself to Joanna and buy her BOYS BOYS BOYS BOYS BOYS handwritten zine, 101 Stories that I want to tell you purge and her cookbook/entertaining guide You’re SO entertaining as well as her sugar scrub that all the Wellingtonista rave about? You are, right? That’s awesome! Well done you!
Living City
Did anyone see the installation on Wakefield Street yesterday?
I’d popped out to the central library, and someone had outlined a parking space with small, potted pansies.
It was right next to the zebra crossing outside the West Plaza.
The cutest bit was the meter ticket put into one of the plants!
If you were involved in that, or knows who was, could you get in touch with the Wellingtonista? Thx.
Pop along to the Book Fair
The DCM Book Fair is on this weekend at the TSB Arena on Wellington’s Queens Wharf.
On sale will be books, magazines, records, CDs, puzzles, stamps, artworks and DVDs. I was one of their helpers in setting up books this afternoon and i can confirm there are some supremly awesome bargains to be had.
Plus you can feel smug about doing good things. The Book Fair raises many valuable dollars towards DCM’s work with those who struggle in the city.
and that can never be a bad thing.
1st Day of Spring
Because not all Wellingtonista are indestructible, I was ensconced at home this morning with a touch of a cold.
Actually, a hell of a cold. But I’m persevering.
And the weather helped! It’s miraculous!
Stepping out onto Cuba Street, I wandered along to Truffle to buy some Pain au Chocolat (chocolate croissants. they’re frozen, but you can defrost them and cook them for breakfast).
Now, you can believe what you like. But Wellington Winter’s aren’t always that bad. It’s the freakin Spring that is truly awful. The winds really start to wind up, and the rain starts.
Today though… today the wind was gentle, the sun was out, and people were out with it.
I heard a young couple talking about who had the most duvet last night. They sauntered past with nary a glance in my direction.
People were all over Cuba St eating in the sun.
That girl with Down Syndrome was out juggling. She’s terrible at it, but I flicked her a dollar anyway.
That guy who plays the bamboo flute that looks a lot like a bong was out, playing the same tune over, and over, and over, and over.
And I thought to myself, “You know, on a day like this you almost forget what the Spring is like. This Wellington, she is a fickle mistress”.
So that’s what they mean by ‘isolated showers’
Looking south from Waitangi Park as yesterday evening’s southerly change was coming in.
Any poor sod who was stuck under this could feel justified in feeling picked on by the elements, but most of the Wellingtonista Great Blend team was already safely ensconced in Port Café scoffing fish ‘n’ chips with BYO wine. A Great Blend round-up will no doubt follow from one of my diligent colleagues.
Gigging of a Friday night
Tonight you can have your cake and eat it too.
Longtime guitarist and co-conspirator of Greg Johnson’s, Ted Brown is playing a free gig at Bodega. Singer-songwriter Brown has been based in Los Angeles over the past few years, after making the big move there with Greg Johnson (U.S. site) in 2002. After 5 years building a following they now tour regularly across America. And did I mention that the gig is free? That’s better than bad.
Across town at the Adelaide, the post-rocking Dukes of Leisure are playing with rock-posters Marineville. They’ll be starting at a sensible time, providing as much opportunity as possible for drinking plenty of that cheap cheap Adelaide booze. Door $5 for that show.
Why I love Wellington Public Library
Well to start
– it’s prutty
– i can never resist the whit chocolate and raspberry muffins at clarks at the central branch.
– the karori branch has a fully integrated cafe so one can have a coffee in the library
– most importantly they keep on doing new and cool things.
My latest library discovery is downloading audio books, and not at the library but from the comfort of my own computer
It looks like a recent thing, and to access this all a Wellingtonian needs is their library card
so for now their downloadable media section is now taking pride of place in my toolbar.
Plus you can win a DVD rental by check out their new visual catalogue
which adds one more thing to my list
i also love the library because they use logical names for new things.