Entertainment book: 88
Having recently purchased an entertainment book through the social club at work, I am determined to get more than my money’s worth out of it, so I’m going to try and work my way through it systematically.
First up I wanted a quick dinner before bowling, and since I didn’t have the book with me, only the gold card, it had to be somewhere in the ‘fine dining’ section, and it had to be somewhere in the Courtenay Quarter to be near The Lanes. A quick search on their website led me to 88 on Tory Street.
But what about the children?
There are hundreds – nay thousands – of possible venues in our fair city for children’s parties. Today I bring you one that I have recently used and enjoyed.
The YMCA on Tasman St is available for hire at a very reasonable rate. It is pretty rough, which actually is nice and relaxing when you have 20 under 4s hooning around. There are crash pads, a huge foam pit, beams, balls and lots of opportunities for kids to run themselves ragged.
You can take your own food and there is chilled water on site.
No alcohol allowed, so I’ll be rethinking it as a venue for my own birthday. A martini in that foam pit seems very appealing.
I didn’t spot a single Young Christian Man, nor did anyone perform YMCA. We had a goodly dose of the Spice Girls though.
YMCA of Greater Wellington INC
69 Tasman St Wellington 0–4‑385 4091
Harem Scarum
Because she is obsessed with Elvis, and also maybe due to some experiences on tour buses that she alludes to but never puts her photos on flickr from, our intrepid publisher decided to treat us all from the Wellingtonista towers to lunch at Harem to celebrate the launch of the new URL.
The Hunt Brings Us Life
More NZ Music month goodness is upon us, with the release of the Phoenix Foundation’s Samuel Flynn Scott’s solo album – ‘The Hunt Brings Us Life’.
Those of us lucky enough to receive sneak preview copies were also amused by the very excellent accompanying press release courtesy of ‘Prof’ Russell Brown, which we recommend you go to and read in its entirety over at Public Address. If only all musical acts could approach their PR with such good humour. (Tellingly enough, the last CD that had anything remotely as good was fellow Phoenecian Luke Buda’s PR for his also recently released ‘Special Surprise’ album, which featured photos of Luke as Rambo and Hercules (although not, we were disappointed to see, Benny from Abba (although, we did fix that))).
As if all this Phoenix Foundation members doing their own thing wasn’t enough, we get the added bonus of a broadcast of Scott’s other ‘other’ band – Bunnies on Ponies – live at Bar Bodega, on National Radio tonight (web stream available here). At 7:30pm. When … hold on … there’s something else on .. around then? Anyway, Scott describes Bunnies on Ponies as…
…hotch potch kind of folk band that combines gentle folk
songs with slightly aggressive improvised arrangements.We know exactly what he means. And, for those who don’t, you can just tune in and find out.
Slav to the Rhythm
Luke Buda – Benny Andersson (ABBA) impersonator extraordinaire, and one of the frontmen of Wellington band The Phoenix Foundation – has just released his debut solo album ‘Special Surprise’ (following on from his 2004 release ‘The C‑Sides’ mini-album, which is still available over at Slow Boat Records so we’re told).
And it sounds great. Fans of The Phoenix Foundation will know roughly what to expect: lots of nice melodies and guitar action, but with a touch more humour and a lot more synth action than the two ‘Phoenecian’ albums to date. But don’t believe us, believe the paid professional reviewers. Says Lindsay Davis of the Dominion…
Musically, the album is eclectic, mixing the gunslinging rock on the ‘Stallion’ to the Latin feel of ‘Sauerkraut Bossa’, which combines a cheesy electro-lounge rhythm with organ washes and yet somehow you are hooked. ‘Slav to the Rhythm’ updates mid-period Bowie with a slick lyric that morphs into a a driving fuzzed conclusion that would make the Tin Machine blush.
…and Lyndon Walker of Rip it Up…
With lots of soft melodies, mellow synths and a sound which is part Phoenix Foundation and part his own, this album is a great listen from beginning to end…
Any Aucklanders who happen to be reading this blog should be aware that Buda is playing up at the Kings Arms this Saturday (8th April) with SJD, and for us Wellingtonians, more gigs are apparently in
Synth Birds of Dawn: take two
Well, this particular Wellingtonista thought the Synth Birds of Dawn sounded great. Nic McGowan and his two fellow theremin players waved their arms about half an hours worth of other-worldy noise making early on Tuesday morning, creating sounds that at times sounded like the gibbon cries heard from the zoo in Newtown every morning, to […]
Your last supper
Let Wellingtonista point you towards the Last Supper Club’s bible-quoting yummy sounding menu that’s available at their website. Yesterday it was more elaborate, while the restaurant features a much more simple version. However, today, the real menu is online. We all live happily ever after. Here’s a hot tip for you – if you are […]
The Dockside Christmas Menu
This particular Wellingtonista was lucky enough to be invited to an associate’s Christmas lunch at the Dockside. It’d been a while since we’d been there, and last time it was a wintry evening & we huddled somewhere upstairs. Yesterday however, was as tropical as it comes & we were delighted to discover that our table […]
Lee “Scratch” Perry at the Wellington Town Hall
Photo © karimsahai.com. Used with permission. Lee “Scratch” Perry and The Mad Professor performed At The Town Hall last night – Karim Sahai was there with camera in hand, and got some fantastic pix. Enjoy.
What I Did On My Holidays
School Holidays means a very quiet time around Wellingtonista Towers, as all but one of the regulars are fully-fledged card-carrying parents. And Jo won’t come in if there’s no-one to regale her stories of horrifying medical treatments and bowel-movements to. As well as looking after the kids, the homebound Wellingtonista have been taking some time […]