Joel, a Pākeha man, stands outside the beehive and smiles

Meet Joel MacManus, the journalist that Wellington actually deserves

It’s been a very weird week in Wellington where we’re thinking actually Chris Bishop has done good for once with the District Plan? Very strange position to be in. Obviously, city councilors who want a city for the living and future have pushed for this for a very long time, but I don’t think it […]

Preview: The Blacklight Comedy Club at Moon

Hello, I’m Jonny, and I’m about to start a comedy night at Moon in Newtown. It’s called the Blacklight Comedy Club. If you’re able to come along, please try. I think you’ll enjoy it. Jo asked me to write a Blacklight Comedy Club ‘guest manifesto’ for the Wellingtonista. I’ve realised that I can’t. To me, […]

Reviewing the review: David Burton loses his noodle

Once again Mr Burton has ventured into the mean streets of Newtown, this time

A lion (and others) in winter

Right now the magnolias are in bloom along Roy Street in Newtown, and it’s gorgeous. But of course, it’s around this time last year that it snowed, so don’t be fooled – it’s still winter. The good news though, means that Wellington Zoo has entry for only $5 on Wednesdays throughout all of August. Naturally […]

fabric-a-brilliant

Imagine if you will,  40 tables  stacked full of vintage fabric from the 1950s and 1960s,  and lace from the 1920s.  Add in all sorts of delightful sewing accessories like buttons and vintage patterns and you start to get an idea for what the biannual Fabric-a-brac sale  is  all about It’s being held this Saturday 19 […]

forget fireworks this is an explosion of fabric

Kind of inspired about getting into making post-Craft2.0? Well if fabric is your thing, then Fabric-a-brac is the place you want to be this Saturday From WoW winners and fashion designers to Christchurch earthquake evacuees and button obsessives, the stallholders at this weekend’s fabric- a-brac event will be part of the biggest fabric-a-brac event ever. […]

Top times at Kopi Tiam

Over the past couple of months I have been reviewing Malaysian restaurants all around Wellington for Malaysia Kitchen (full disclosure – I got refunded some of the costs). It’s time to share the reviews! Today’s Malaysian quest takes us out of the CBD to Newtown, but luckily parking is easy at Newtown Mall and we can do […]

Some Italian jobs

1. The Mediterranean Warehouse in Newtown has undergone some renovations taking out the wall separating the pizzeria from the warehouse, so now there’s an extended deli counter and you dine among the shelves. The price of an individual pizza may have gradually increased $4 over the past couple’o years but now you can get a bowl of […]

A lake of laksa

As it’s getting colder, and we’re getting colds, the minds of the Wellingtonista turn towards hot, spicy satisfaction. For some of us (well, at least me), this means laksa. But where on earth in Wellington can we find Malaysian food??? What’s that you say, on every second block? Okay, fine. But not all laksas are […]

Coffee in Newtown?

Can anybody help me locate a decent coffee in Newtown during these interminable public holidays? Peoples’ is shut until Monday, as is the café at the Med. The only option I have located thus far is Eva Dixon’s at the Zoo (which was a lovely walk in the sun) but resulted in a small latté in a large takeaway cup topped by prodigious amounts of froth, cost me $5.20 including the surcharge, and tasted like filth.

So, tomorrow I need a better option. Any ideas?

UPDATE: Thanks to the helpful comments I headed north today to find that The Ballroom, The Recovery Room and Pranah are all closed (which I suspected after having the same problems last Easter). And I did feel fairly strange prowling the corridors of the hospital looking for the Fuel kiosk which was also closed.

So, I’m off to the movies at Island Bay where, hopefully, the Empire can serve me up a brew before Alvin and The Chipmunks.