Hello everyone! I really wanted to wait to blog about Melbourne until we were really settled down in a home, sipping on a cold glass of sav blanc in our massive backyard garden, eating a variety of fancy take-aways from one of the hundreds of delicious restaurants around town (variety provided by our ample incomes at our new, much-loved jobs)... oh wait that's the dream version of my life...
Ok, things ain't so bad. It was a little touch and go there for awhile. I did hold off on updating ya'll because I was feeling pretty down and out about the way things were panning out here, but I think we just much be starting to get the hang of this Melbourne thing. (Hopefully I didn't just jinx it, I have a way of doing that).
I know I probably confused a lot of people on facebook with my cryptic updates about being homeless, so let me just clarify everything now. I'll start at the beginning...
We arrived in Melbourne on October 3rd, and shuttled and trained ourselves to our first temporary home (airbnb WIN) in Clifton Hill. We stayed with Jess and Sean, a fun French-Canadian & Australian couple, who, true to airbnb form, did an excellent job of orienting us to our new city and making us feel all kinds of comfortable. The neighborhood was quiet and leafy green, our "front yard" a park. The Merri Creek Trail was just a short run away, making for a nice morning routine, and we spent a few days tramming/walking towards Smith street and the surrounding Fitzroy area, which has a Capitol Hill-esque feel to it. To say I was overwhelmed by the amount of amazing, quirky, delicious, and cozy restaurants/cafes/bars in town would be an understatement... arriving here with no spending money has been quite a challenge.
The first few days were occupied by wandering wide-eyed around the city, taking care of business, and editing resumes at least 20 times. The first setback was the good ol' temp agency, Hays, completely failing to help me in any way. It took me a week and 10 email/voicemails to even get ahold of anyone there, and when I was finally called in to get registered, I was told "it's kind of slow right now and there isn't much available." In in a city of 4 million people, there are no reception jobs available, riiiiiiiight. Well screw you, Hays. I sorely regret banking on the idea of them coming through for me like they did in Wellington. In the meantime, I hadn't pursued any hospitality jobs, because I liked the idea of being in a 9 to 5 job with weekends free to explore... so I needed to reset my thinking. Brian had been dropping his resume off at cafes around town and already had three trials set up!!
His first trial was at a cafe called Siyia, where he was making coffees (on trial) for about a week before being let go. We look back now and laugh at being in Wellington and everyone talking about the "Wellington standard" for coffee... People were so snobby there about their coffees, but the Melbourne standard is even more ridiculous. Barista-ing (is that a word?) is truly an art here. Brian's experience is all from quick, on-the-job "training," where he wasn't so much taught how to do things as corrected for his mistakes, so how is he supposed to know? Well, at least he got a few shifts and a handful of cash for his time there (and he didn't really like it there, anyway). His second trial (and current job) was at a restaurant called Paragon, in the lovely Rathdowne Village in Carlton North (dreamy neighborhood). He's been working there for about 2 weeks, waiting tables, pouring drinks, and getting reamed out by his meanest boss to date (anyone surprised about this? We have a great track record with amazing bosses). The pay is good and he's been able to get some decent hours in so that's great, and he's a much stronger person than me to put up with such a drill sergeant (this guy is seriously, seriously mean, and not in a non-confrontational way like Richard MacFarlane). Here's hoping Brian can keep getting hours and staying out of his boss' way as much as possible!
I had some drama with the job situation. After dropping off my resume all over town, I got a trial for last Thursday at Residential Kitchen, a cafe in Carlton North (just a few blocks away from Paragon), and a trial for Friday at the Curious Goose cafe/restaurant on Sydney Road in Brunswick. I was really pleased with my success, but the next few days were a rollercoaster of emotions. My trial at RK went really well, and I was offered the job. I really liked it there and the owner seemed very level-headed and organized, but the pay seemed really low. I told him I had a trial the next day and wanted to see how that went before I made my decision, which he said was fine. The next morning as I got ready for my day at the Curious Goose, the owner texted me and asked if we could move my trial to the following day (this should have been the first sign...). I went into RK and told the owner my trial had been moved and could I please have another day to decide, and he seemed ok with it. Saturday morning I went to my CG trial, which was very short and seemed great, the owner told me right away he liked me and wanted me to work there, but then got very vague about what hours were available, and said "get together a proposal" for me and call me the next morning with it. He also emphasized, for the 3rd time, how upfront he likes to be with people and not make them wait/jerk them around/waste their time. This put me in a really awkward position, having to ask the owner at RK to wait for me yet another day to make my decision... (the fact that CG kept putting me off should have been my second sign to run far, far away). Using all my guts, I ventured into RK and explained the situation, apologized profusely, and was received coldly by the owner (understandably so). I was basically told they couldn't wait for me forever and they were trialling someone else so we'd have to see what happened. I went home, sick to my stomach about how I'd made (and was continuing to make) the wrong decision. The next day, hours and hours passed with no word from CG, no response to my pleading text, and me spending the day feeling awful and worried that I'd now lost both potential jobs. I finally called CG again at 6pm, and was told the shifts which were previously open to me had been given to someone who trialled previously (the day I was meant to have my trial but was pushed back, I presume), and that there was, MAYBE one shift available on Sundays, if I wanted it, but no real promises there, unfortunately, bla bla bla/ I hung up the phone knowing there was nothing for me there and the owner was making me wait/jerking me around/wasting my time. I called RK and left a voicemail basically begging for the chance to get a job there, and waited in agony until the next morning (yesterday) when I found out my job offer was still on the table. SO I HAVE A JOB! I start at Residential Kitchen on Friday, I'll let you know how it goes :)
Meanwhile... house drama was also in full effect. While we were staying with Jess and Sean, we looked at 3 houses that we really liked. It was the second house we saw (where we are currently residing) that we decided to go for. It's a massive, beautiful, newly renovated house in Brunswick, with the dreamiest backyard/patio and those window-doors that slide all the way open (like at a restaurant!) to leave your living area completely open to the outside... we fell in love with it right away but the lease term was a year. The current flatmates, Alex and Tim, said that the landlord is really great and would probably change it to a 6-month lease if we could move in right away and start paying rent. We had to kind of be in limbo for awhile as we waited for new information, and in the meantime we saw another house in Carlton North (ideal location for us) that we liked, but not as much. Incentives included lower rent and NO BOND (this is huge).... but we wanted to see what would happen with the other house because we loved it so much, so we said we'd think about it. Over the next week these things happened: the property management company wanted us to fill out an application before they approached the landlord about changing the lease terms, we filled one out (and looked horrible on paper), the managers said they couldn't change the lease terms but we could maybe sign the year lease then find someone to take over, and in the meantime Alex and Tim invited us to move into the house while we waited for the logistics to sort out so we could save money on our airbnb accommodation. This seemed like a good sign; after moving in it felt like everything was going to work out but we were just waiting. Then the prop managers wanted rental history letters of reference, which I had to frantically reach out for (thanks Jemma and Johnny!), then we found out Tim hadn't filled out his app yet, and when he did he didn't put any references, and the managers told Alex things weren't looking good for us because "overseas rental references aren't as good as Australian ones" (because the US is a little podunk country from where references obviously can't be taken seriously). Anyway, the next day we were denied, and all of us were given 28 days to vacate. Oh and of course in the meantime (it has been 2 weeks, after all), the other house became no longer available. So, yes, we have been living in our dream house, even if we don't technically "live" here... but now we've got to go. Luckily with the 28 day window we should have plenty of time to find somewhere else to live. We are already so attached to this house and neighborhood, it's going to be so sad to live, but at least we got a little time in a dream home. :)
It has truly been a rollercoaster. There are times when I am elated and feel like I could live in this city forever; the thriving arts and music scene here, vibrant neighborhoods and amazing food... and there are times I just want to curl up on my (Tim's inflatable water floaty) bed and not leave the house for days. Transitions continue to be hard, after all this time... looking for a job, being vulnerable and broke in a new place, trying to find a home, trying to make new friends; these are things you shouldn't have to do so often. But I keep reminding myself that this feeling of helplessness is only temporary; transitions only last a little while and then it's just life. I have to give a big shoutout to Brian for being so amazing the last few weeks. He is so much better at dealing with the complicated emotions we're going through right now and I don't know what I'd do without him. His many pep talks, attempts at distraction, and being able to always make me laugh have seen me through some dark days lately. We just celebrated 3 years together; time flies when you're having fun! Love you, Bri :)
Ok, that's the end of the heavy stuff, my apologies for an emotionally-draining blog post, but I just know the next one will be full of all the wonderful things we'll be doing once business is all taken care of! This city really is wonderful and has a lot to offer; I can't wait to take full advantage of it and enjoy the coming of summer!
Until next time!
Monday, October 22, 2012
Friday, October 12, 2012
Leaving home again
We're in Melbourne! So far, so good; there are obviously a lot of logistical things to deal with that are a little stressful at the moment, but we're slowly but surely crossing items off our to-do list. I'll write a post all about this amazing city soon, but first I want to tie up the end of our year in New Zealand.
A few weeks before we left Brian and I managed to both get a weekend off of work (first time that had ever happened since we'd been employed), so we decided to get out of town. We rented a bach (pronounced like the first part of "bachelor;"which is what New Zealanders call a holiday home) in Opunake, which is about a 4.5 hour drive from Wellington on the west coast. Mark, Caitlin, and Sean joined us and we had a fun little roadtrip for the weekend! The bach was really nice and had a front and back patio, yard, fireplace, and nice big kitchen. We planned to do some day hikes around Mt. Taranaki, but honestly, when we got there I think we all just wanted to relax, so the hiking never really happened... the sun came out and it felt HOT and amazing (we were all feeling a little starved for warmth & sun), so ambition turned into lazing about in the sun with mimosas, snacks, and card games. On Saturday night Caitlin and I cooked up a big Mexican-style dinner (the San Diegans are forever missing their beloved Mexican food) and it was such a delicious feast after the sun had zapped away all our energy. On Sunday we wanted to take our sweet time getting back to Welly, so we headed over to check out New Plymouth. Along the way we stopped at a gorgeous beach and relaxed in the warm black sand (one of the finest pleasures in life; warm sand between your toes). In New Plymouth we walked around an artisans market, got some lunch, and walked along part of the coastal walkway. New Plymouth is so cute! It had such a relaxed skate/surf culture (amazing surfing there, I'm told) and lots of character. We made it back to Wellington late that evening, really pleased with how lucky we were weather-wise. All in all, a great trip; it was too bad we didn't get to do things like that more often while we were living in Wellington. It's so easy to get caught up in the drudgery of the work week and routines; sometimes you just have to take a weekend away!
The rest of our last few weeks in Wellington were spent enjoying time with friends, saying goodbyes, and being stressed out about various things. Advertising for and hoping to fill our rooms in our beloved, mold-filled house was kind of nerve-racking, but ended up very well after all was said and done. There was lots of deep cleaning, scrubbing, and toxic chemical-use in our house for awhile there... but it came out looking pretty shiny and new in the end. It's almost as if the mold was never there... ;) Mark found an amazing house to move into and was able to fill his room quickly (kind of shocking considering the size; we really lucked out in that regard!), a couple moved into our room, and Jemma decided to stay for awhile. The only downside to the whole situation was that Brian and I had to pay an extra week's rent because the couple taking our room couldn't move in until after we left, but that was a small price to pay to get rid of the stress of filling the room.
Then there's the car issue. OHHHHHH THE CAR.... Guess what? We couldn't sell it! Anyone surprised?! This was a stressful situation that is continuing to be stressful for us and also for our wonderful friends in Wellington who are still trying to tie up that loose end for us. After an ongoing classified ad as well as 2 consecutive auctions on TradeMe, we had no luck getting rid of that cursed thing. We dropped the price to a laughable amount and still no one seems to want it. The worst part is that our friends are stuck in Wellington with a car to sell that now has an expired warrant of fitness and registration, which you will all probably remember is not just pocket change to take care of. Sigh. I go through waves of guilt and horror about that car and how awful we feel living it in the care of our friends... if any of you are reading this I am so sorry! Feel free to push the car right off a bridge or drive it into the bush and blow it up. I wish now that we had abandoned it, but I think we would have had to take off the license plates. Not to mention I am still not convinced the car is worth as little as everyone else seems to think it is, but anyway. Let's just say I won't be investing in a car anytime soon.
But! Those stressful things were definitely overshadowed by lots of fun and good times before we left. It's kind of crazy to look back on the last year and think of all we did and all the people we met... It was a very exciting and action-packed year. We made such wonderful friends and found "homes" all over the country. Saying goodbye to our friends in Wellington was especially hard; our time there was the longest stretch of time we spent in one location all year. It was so nice to feel comfortable and know the ins and outs of a city! It's comforting to know our life in Wellington is only a 3ish hour plane ride away. And I hope our Welly friends will come visit us in Australia!
As for life after New Zealand, well, we'll have to see what happens. There's no plan. We're bouncing back and forth between societal (and self-inflicted) pressures to move home, get serious jobs/go back to school/become responsible adults and just wanting to keep the quasi-nomadic lifestyle up for years and years. You only get one life, so you better live it, right? But then again, there are pros to settling down too. Honestly, I'm trying not to think about it right now. It's time for Melbourne now, that's all I know. After awhile, Melbourne time will be up and something else will happen... we'll just have to wait and see!
Anyway, thanks, New Zealand, for one of the greatest, most memorable years of my life. And now that we're in Oz you all have another chance to start a collection jar on your dresser to buy a plane ticket to visit us! You're welcome anytime. :)
A few weeks before we left Brian and I managed to both get a weekend off of work (first time that had ever happened since we'd been employed), so we decided to get out of town. We rented a bach (pronounced like the first part of "bachelor;"which is what New Zealanders call a holiday home) in Opunake, which is about a 4.5 hour drive from Wellington on the west coast. Mark, Caitlin, and Sean joined us and we had a fun little roadtrip for the weekend! The bach was really nice and had a front and back patio, yard, fireplace, and nice big kitchen. We planned to do some day hikes around Mt. Taranaki, but honestly, when we got there I think we all just wanted to relax, so the hiking never really happened... the sun came out and it felt HOT and amazing (we were all feeling a little starved for warmth & sun), so ambition turned into lazing about in the sun with mimosas, snacks, and card games. On Saturday night Caitlin and I cooked up a big Mexican-style dinner (the San Diegans are forever missing their beloved Mexican food) and it was such a delicious feast after the sun had zapped away all our energy. On Sunday we wanted to take our sweet time getting back to Welly, so we headed over to check out New Plymouth. Along the way we stopped at a gorgeous beach and relaxed in the warm black sand (one of the finest pleasures in life; warm sand between your toes). In New Plymouth we walked around an artisans market, got some lunch, and walked along part of the coastal walkway. New Plymouth is so cute! It had such a relaxed skate/surf culture (amazing surfing there, I'm told) and lots of character. We made it back to Wellington late that evening, really pleased with how lucky we were weather-wise. All in all, a great trip; it was too bad we didn't get to do things like that more often while we were living in Wellington. It's so easy to get caught up in the drudgery of the work week and routines; sometimes you just have to take a weekend away!
The rest of our last few weeks in Wellington were spent enjoying time with friends, saying goodbyes, and being stressed out about various things. Advertising for and hoping to fill our rooms in our beloved, mold-filled house was kind of nerve-racking, but ended up very well after all was said and done. There was lots of deep cleaning, scrubbing, and toxic chemical-use in our house for awhile there... but it came out looking pretty shiny and new in the end. It's almost as if the mold was never there... ;) Mark found an amazing house to move into and was able to fill his room quickly (kind of shocking considering the size; we really lucked out in that regard!), a couple moved into our room, and Jemma decided to stay for awhile. The only downside to the whole situation was that Brian and I had to pay an extra week's rent because the couple taking our room couldn't move in until after we left, but that was a small price to pay to get rid of the stress of filling the room.
nice 'n' moldy
cute little kitchen
Then there's the car issue. OHHHHHH THE CAR.... Guess what? We couldn't sell it! Anyone surprised?! This was a stressful situation that is continuing to be stressful for us and also for our wonderful friends in Wellington who are still trying to tie up that loose end for us. After an ongoing classified ad as well as 2 consecutive auctions on TradeMe, we had no luck getting rid of that cursed thing. We dropped the price to a laughable amount and still no one seems to want it. The worst part is that our friends are stuck in Wellington with a car to sell that now has an expired warrant of fitness and registration, which you will all probably remember is not just pocket change to take care of. Sigh. I go through waves of guilt and horror about that car and how awful we feel living it in the care of our friends... if any of you are reading this I am so sorry! Feel free to push the car right off a bridge or drive it into the bush and blow it up. I wish now that we had abandoned it, but I think we would have had to take off the license plates. Not to mention I am still not convinced the car is worth as little as everyone else seems to think it is, but anyway. Let's just say I won't be investing in a car anytime soon.
I hate you.
But! Those stressful things were definitely overshadowed by lots of fun and good times before we left. It's kind of crazy to look back on the last year and think of all we did and all the people we met... It was a very exciting and action-packed year. We made such wonderful friends and found "homes" all over the country. Saying goodbye to our friends in Wellington was especially hard; our time there was the longest stretch of time we spent in one location all year. It was so nice to feel comfortable and know the ins and outs of a city! It's comforting to know our life in Wellington is only a 3ish hour plane ride away. And I hope our Welly friends will come visit us in Australia!
As for life after New Zealand, well, we'll have to see what happens. There's no plan. We're bouncing back and forth between societal (and self-inflicted) pressures to move home, get serious jobs/go back to school/become responsible adults and just wanting to keep the quasi-nomadic lifestyle up for years and years. You only get one life, so you better live it, right? But then again, there are pros to settling down too. Honestly, I'm trying not to think about it right now. It's time for Melbourne now, that's all I know. After awhile, Melbourne time will be up and something else will happen... we'll just have to wait and see!
Anyway, thanks, New Zealand, for one of the greatest, most memorable years of my life. And now that we're in Oz you all have another chance to start a collection jar on your dresser to buy a plane ticket to visit us! You're welcome anytime. :)
walking on Cuba St
last day in Welly :(
after our going-away dinner
fav graffiti artist
hehehehhehehehehehhehehehe, had to
yen wor kind of night
exploring Wellington's coast
ciders in the sun with Jem
bye! sniff sniff
Recovery Room
Brian with Shelly
Stay tuned for a Melbourne update! (sneak preview below)
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Shannon's Best of Wellington
As our time in Wellington draws to a close, we find ourselves saying over and over, "oh... we never made it there...," and "ahhh, I always wanted to try out that place..." (followed by a sad face). Seems like whenever it's time to relocate, suddenly so many amazing, not-to-be-missed places jump out of the woodwork, taunting you. Well, there's just not enough time (or money in our tight budgets) to do it all, so I have to bid Wellington adieu without visiting every single bar, restaurant and coffee shop (sad face).
But! I am in love with sooooo many places we've been... and as I try to fall asleep on my last night here, my brain is going a mile a minute making lists and trying to hold tight to my time here. So, I thought maybe I'd make a little list of what I love, just in case any of my readers ever make it to Welly. So, without further ado, in no particular order- my favorite places to eat/drink/dance:
1. Maranui Cafe (Lyall Pd, Lyall Bay): had to put this as #1 (even tho these are in no particular order...) because I am OBSESSED. I was introduced to this place by Caitlin and Sean, who live nearly an hour bus ride away, but make the trek there for brunch, milkshakes, and walks on the beach. I must admit, I was hesitant to join them at first; going out for a (often hungover) brunch at home was something I did on a regular basis, but only because I knew where all the vegan treats were hiding and I could enjoy a mimosa or 3 to cure what ailed me. Since being in NZ, the ever elusive vegan brunch has not been part of my weekly or even monthly eating schedule, because I'd rather spend my money on a yummy Asian or Indian takeaway meal than toast with avocado (one of the few choices I get here and something I'm quite capable of preparing myself, thankyouverymuch). Imagine my surprise when I walked into a brightly-lit, kitschy cafe with not only AMAZING waterside views but multiple vegan menu options and at least 5 vegan salads/pastries in the case? I'm crying thinking about not getting to eat there again... the only flaw was that they only sell champagne by the bottle, so self-assembled mimosas are really only affordable when there's a large group at brunch (and mimosas aren't as good when you can't have more than one, right?). I love you, Maranui!
2. Midnight Espresso (Cuba St, Te Aro): snobby bratty hipsters behind the coffee machine/till, but I'll take it for your many, many delectable vegan cakes, pilafs, sandwiches, and even nachos. Nice on the pocketbook too (not always so easy to find). Yummmmm, such a good place to grab a snack (and I hear the snobby hipsters in Wellington REALLY know their coffee).
3. KK Malaysia (corner Guznee St & Cuba St, Te Aro): this place was recommended to us by our friends and very trusted food-sources, Mel and Dan. With so many Malaysian restaurants in town, which one to choose? Look no further. This small place is packed to the gills the moment they open and is well worth the wait. For 10 bucks you can't beat these meals.
4. Deluxe Cafe (Kent Terrace & Courtenay Pl, Te Aro): a smaller, less snobby, and more "intellectual artist-hangout" version of Midnight Espresso. Same variety of vegan options with even more delicious cakes. Located right next to the Embassy Theatre, this place is the best for a pre-movie treat.
5. Hop Garden (Victoria St & Kent Tce, Mt. Vic): our "local" microbrew heaven. It has an outdoor/greenhouse-y beer garden and suuuuuuchhhh delish beers on tap. The crowd is pretty chill and the bartenders are always nice and knowledgable. Like any and all good beers in NZ, you'll pay a pretty penny to get a buzz. We're usually too broke to go for more than 1 or 2, but it's a great atmosphere and nice to get away from the cheap shit every now and again. :)
6. Cafe Baba (Courtenay Pl, Te Aro): ok, so this is one of many kebab places in Welly, and is by no means amazing. The only reason I list it is because it's my go-to kebab place, because it's one of the only ones in NZ that offers tahini as one of the sauces. And let's face it, for a felafel kebab when you can't have yogurt sauce, tahini is the only thing that brings it home (besides extra hummus, of course). Many of my drunk nights end up here.
7. Hashigo Zake (Taranaki St, Te Aro): here's a little underground hidden gem, a beer bar with tons and tons and tons of international treats. I myself have only been here once, because it's too expensive for me, but such an amazing place to go for a pricy treat. If you're craving a special brew from back home, there's a fair chance they'll have it here. The bartenders were amazing and really love what they do.
8. Aunty Mena's (Cuba St, Te Aro): vegan Asian fusion... need I say more? They have 3 pages of menu options, ALL of which I can eat, and all for less than $14. Vegs, look no further. YUM.
9. Havana (Tory St Alley, Te Aro): BEST BAR in Welly! I'm dying that I didn't find out about this place until about a month ago. Jemma took us there one night and since it hides in a secret alley (one of the many; a few of those secret alleys had Brian and I going, "awww..... no! Why haven't we known about this?!" today as we walked around), it's like a hidden treasure. I splurged on a cocktail (methinks it was the only cocktail I've had in a year?) last weekend and damn was it good. Well-worth the $16- artfully crafted using fresh fruits and top shelf liquor. Nothin but the best. This is where all the good-looking and swanky hipsters go for drinks and small local music acts crammed onto a minuscule dance floor. It reminds of any and all good aspects of Capitol Hill and when I'm there it makes me wish I was rich and had an outfit that was carefully assembled from vintage designer labels and American Apparel pieces. Sigh.
10. JJ Murphys (Cuba St, Te Aro): This is just your average, run-of-the-mill Irish pub, but we have had many, many a good dance party there, so feel compelled to include it. Plus points for our favorite band, whose name we don't know, and will probably never be able to figure out, and the wonderful night we had dancing to their performance (pre-missing our roomies, sniff sniff).
11. San Francisco Bathhouse (Cuba St, Te Aro): Atomic (80's night), 24 Hour Party People (Indie night), and round the clock cheap drinks... always a good time. Cheers to trying to recreate a beloved past-time from at home (Tues nights at the Noc Noc)! No bike short-sightings yet, but there are plenty of fancy dancers around.
12. Monterey (Rintoul St & Riddiford, Newtown): ok... Mixed feelings here. I'm putting this down because theoretically it's my favorite bar in Wellington. Plus it's in Newtown, which is our next-door-neighborhood full of grit and dodgy-ness, home to both the Recovery Room and Medi Foods, so it's very dear to both Brian and my hearts. The bar is tiny, amazingly/quirkily decorated, houses my favorite cider in NZ, and has tables covered in paper you can draw on. Also very, very hipster (Brian would argue that's why I like it, but that's up for debate). However, the bartenders are such assholes that I've vetoed this place forever. It's not really an interesting story so I won't go into it, I'll just say, if you go to Monterey, go during a very slow time of day, and get someone else in your party to order the drinks so you can remain out of contact with the bartender, and I guarantee you'll have a good time. Such a sad ending to what felt like a promising relationship between me and a charming little neighborhood spot.
13. Mighty Mighty (Cuba St, Te Aro): So, I've only been here once, but it was amazing. Also, I was several glasses of wine in... but the decor and whole vibe of this bar/club is awesome. Too many hipsters for Brian, but yeah. There are comfy couches around for those feeling antisocial, while the rest of us can dance. I wish I would have been able to come here more, but let's face it, my friends and I aren't big on cover charges (even tho it's only $10) and I was usually too lazy to figure out what bands were coming on/organize a night out there so there you have it.
14. Southern Cross (Abel Smith St, Te Aro): Brian took me here for my surprise birthday lunch date, and it was so dreamy. It was a gorgeous, warm (even though it was winter!) day, and we sat on the huge back patio in the sun and I ate a mushroom-lentil burger that was so delish. The patio on a nice day just can't be beat; I wish we could have spent more time there as the weather turned nicer!
15. Pranah (Riddiford St, Newtown): another gem discovered way too late in the game, although that's probably for the best, considering how many consecutive days I went there once I discovered it... Just a little neighborhood cafe with lots and lots of vegan desserts, salads, pakoras, samosas, burritos, yum. I never had time to sit down for a meal there but I did buy cookies pretty regularly there for a few days, heh.
16. La Boca Loca (Park Rd, Miramar): We stumbled upon this place while looking for shelter from a crazy rainstorm following my craft fair in Miramar one Saturday afternoon. To be honest, we just had a drink while we were waiting for the bus and trying to dry out from the rain, but the menu looked so good and I would imagine they'd have some really nicely crafted cocktails and margaritas as well, if that's your thing. The chef and owner are Mexican and Californian-missing-Mexican-food (respectively) so I might imagine this place would be spot on for the elusive traditional Mexican cuisine in NZ.
17. Siem Reap (Dixon St, Te Aro): This is a last-minute addition, but an important one. We went here for dinner on our last night in town and discovered it made one of the best meals we'd had yet! Not to be missed. Delicious Cambodian food right on the fringes of the CBD! BYO on Mon/Tues nights made for a really nice send-off dinner.
18. Fidel's (Cuba St, Te Aro): Wellington meets Portland. The set-up of the place reminds me so much of Porque No! Fidel's is a coffee shop (boasting the perfect cup every time, which I would bet is pretty accurate) with a back patio/open-air picnic bench area. Fresh juices, Havana coffee, delicious pastries... perfect for playing cards and sipping a tea in the sunshine. And So Portland. :)
If only we had endless amounts of money I know this list would be 5x as long. There are amazing, quirky, cute cafes/bars around every corner, and you could easily go out for every meal for a month without exhausting the city. I wish I had lovely food photos to decorate this blog post I was probably too busy eating and drinking to bring out my camera, so you'll just have to use your imagination. Should you ever find yourself in Wellington, please contact me so I can give you even more ideas of winning ideas for what to do in my home-away-from-home.
LOVE YOU, WELLINGTON!! xoxoxoxo
But! I am in love with sooooo many places we've been... and as I try to fall asleep on my last night here, my brain is going a mile a minute making lists and trying to hold tight to my time here. So, I thought maybe I'd make a little list of what I love, just in case any of my readers ever make it to Welly. So, without further ado, in no particular order- my favorite places to eat/drink/dance:
1. Maranui Cafe (Lyall Pd, Lyall Bay): had to put this as #1 (even tho these are in no particular order...) because I am OBSESSED. I was introduced to this place by Caitlin and Sean, who live nearly an hour bus ride away, but make the trek there for brunch, milkshakes, and walks on the beach. I must admit, I was hesitant to join them at first; going out for a (often hungover) brunch at home was something I did on a regular basis, but only because I knew where all the vegan treats were hiding and I could enjoy a mimosa or 3 to cure what ailed me. Since being in NZ, the ever elusive vegan brunch has not been part of my weekly or even monthly eating schedule, because I'd rather spend my money on a yummy Asian or Indian takeaway meal than toast with avocado (one of the few choices I get here and something I'm quite capable of preparing myself, thankyouverymuch). Imagine my surprise when I walked into a brightly-lit, kitschy cafe with not only AMAZING waterside views but multiple vegan menu options and at least 5 vegan salads/pastries in the case? I'm crying thinking about not getting to eat there again... the only flaw was that they only sell champagne by the bottle, so self-assembled mimosas are really only affordable when there's a large group at brunch (and mimosas aren't as good when you can't have more than one, right?). I love you, Maranui!
2. Midnight Espresso (Cuba St, Te Aro): snobby bratty hipsters behind the coffee machine/till, but I'll take it for your many, many delectable vegan cakes, pilafs, sandwiches, and even nachos. Nice on the pocketbook too (not always so easy to find). Yummmmm, such a good place to grab a snack (and I hear the snobby hipsters in Wellington REALLY know their coffee).
3. KK Malaysia (corner Guznee St & Cuba St, Te Aro): this place was recommended to us by our friends and very trusted food-sources, Mel and Dan. With so many Malaysian restaurants in town, which one to choose? Look no further. This small place is packed to the gills the moment they open and is well worth the wait. For 10 bucks you can't beat these meals.
4. Deluxe Cafe (Kent Terrace & Courtenay Pl, Te Aro): a smaller, less snobby, and more "intellectual artist-hangout" version of Midnight Espresso. Same variety of vegan options with even more delicious cakes. Located right next to the Embassy Theatre, this place is the best for a pre-movie treat.
5. Hop Garden (Victoria St & Kent Tce, Mt. Vic): our "local" microbrew heaven. It has an outdoor/greenhouse-y beer garden and suuuuuuchhhh delish beers on tap. The crowd is pretty chill and the bartenders are always nice and knowledgable. Like any and all good beers in NZ, you'll pay a pretty penny to get a buzz. We're usually too broke to go for more than 1 or 2, but it's a great atmosphere and nice to get away from the cheap shit every now and again. :)
6. Cafe Baba (Courtenay Pl, Te Aro): ok, so this is one of many kebab places in Welly, and is by no means amazing. The only reason I list it is because it's my go-to kebab place, because it's one of the only ones in NZ that offers tahini as one of the sauces. And let's face it, for a felafel kebab when you can't have yogurt sauce, tahini is the only thing that brings it home (besides extra hummus, of course). Many of my drunk nights end up here.
7. Hashigo Zake (Taranaki St, Te Aro): here's a little underground hidden gem, a beer bar with tons and tons and tons of international treats. I myself have only been here once, because it's too expensive for me, but such an amazing place to go for a pricy treat. If you're craving a special brew from back home, there's a fair chance they'll have it here. The bartenders were amazing and really love what they do.
8. Aunty Mena's (Cuba St, Te Aro): vegan Asian fusion... need I say more? They have 3 pages of menu options, ALL of which I can eat, and all for less than $14. Vegs, look no further. YUM.
9. Havana (Tory St Alley, Te Aro): BEST BAR in Welly! I'm dying that I didn't find out about this place until about a month ago. Jemma took us there one night and since it hides in a secret alley (one of the many; a few of those secret alleys had Brian and I going, "awww..... no! Why haven't we known about this?!" today as we walked around), it's like a hidden treasure. I splurged on a cocktail (methinks it was the only cocktail I've had in a year?) last weekend and damn was it good. Well-worth the $16- artfully crafted using fresh fruits and top shelf liquor. Nothin but the best. This is where all the good-looking and swanky hipsters go for drinks and small local music acts crammed onto a minuscule dance floor. It reminds of any and all good aspects of Capitol Hill and when I'm there it makes me wish I was rich and had an outfit that was carefully assembled from vintage designer labels and American Apparel pieces. Sigh.
10. JJ Murphys (Cuba St, Te Aro): This is just your average, run-of-the-mill Irish pub, but we have had many, many a good dance party there, so feel compelled to include it. Plus points for our favorite band, whose name we don't know, and will probably never be able to figure out, and the wonderful night we had dancing to their performance (pre-missing our roomies, sniff sniff).
11. San Francisco Bathhouse (Cuba St, Te Aro): Atomic (80's night), 24 Hour Party People (Indie night), and round the clock cheap drinks... always a good time. Cheers to trying to recreate a beloved past-time from at home (Tues nights at the Noc Noc)! No bike short-sightings yet, but there are plenty of fancy dancers around.
12. Monterey (Rintoul St & Riddiford, Newtown): ok... Mixed feelings here. I'm putting this down because theoretically it's my favorite bar in Wellington. Plus it's in Newtown, which is our next-door-neighborhood full of grit and dodgy-ness, home to both the Recovery Room and Medi Foods, so it's very dear to both Brian and my hearts. The bar is tiny, amazingly/quirkily decorated, houses my favorite cider in NZ, and has tables covered in paper you can draw on. Also very, very hipster (Brian would argue that's why I like it, but that's up for debate). However, the bartenders are such assholes that I've vetoed this place forever. It's not really an interesting story so I won't go into it, I'll just say, if you go to Monterey, go during a very slow time of day, and get someone else in your party to order the drinks so you can remain out of contact with the bartender, and I guarantee you'll have a good time. Such a sad ending to what felt like a promising relationship between me and a charming little neighborhood spot.
13. Mighty Mighty (Cuba St, Te Aro): So, I've only been here once, but it was amazing. Also, I was several glasses of wine in... but the decor and whole vibe of this bar/club is awesome. Too many hipsters for Brian, but yeah. There are comfy couches around for those feeling antisocial, while the rest of us can dance. I wish I would have been able to come here more, but let's face it, my friends and I aren't big on cover charges (even tho it's only $10) and I was usually too lazy to figure out what bands were coming on/organize a night out there so there you have it.
14. Southern Cross (Abel Smith St, Te Aro): Brian took me here for my surprise birthday lunch date, and it was so dreamy. It was a gorgeous, warm (even though it was winter!) day, and we sat on the huge back patio in the sun and I ate a mushroom-lentil burger that was so delish. The patio on a nice day just can't be beat; I wish we could have spent more time there as the weather turned nicer!
15. Pranah (Riddiford St, Newtown): another gem discovered way too late in the game, although that's probably for the best, considering how many consecutive days I went there once I discovered it... Just a little neighborhood cafe with lots and lots of vegan desserts, salads, pakoras, samosas, burritos, yum. I never had time to sit down for a meal there but I did buy cookies pretty regularly there for a few days, heh.
16. La Boca Loca (Park Rd, Miramar): We stumbled upon this place while looking for shelter from a crazy rainstorm following my craft fair in Miramar one Saturday afternoon. To be honest, we just had a drink while we were waiting for the bus and trying to dry out from the rain, but the menu looked so good and I would imagine they'd have some really nicely crafted cocktails and margaritas as well, if that's your thing. The chef and owner are Mexican and Californian-missing-Mexican-food (respectively) so I might imagine this place would be spot on for the elusive traditional Mexican cuisine in NZ.
17. Siem Reap (Dixon St, Te Aro): This is a last-minute addition, but an important one. We went here for dinner on our last night in town and discovered it made one of the best meals we'd had yet! Not to be missed. Delicious Cambodian food right on the fringes of the CBD! BYO on Mon/Tues nights made for a really nice send-off dinner.
18. Fidel's (Cuba St, Te Aro): Wellington meets Portland. The set-up of the place reminds me so much of Porque No! Fidel's is a coffee shop (boasting the perfect cup every time, which I would bet is pretty accurate) with a back patio/open-air picnic bench area. Fresh juices, Havana coffee, delicious pastries... perfect for playing cards and sipping a tea in the sunshine. And So Portland. :)
If only we had endless amounts of money I know this list would be 5x as long. There are amazing, quirky, cute cafes/bars around every corner, and you could easily go out for every meal for a month without exhausting the city. I wish I had lovely food photos to decorate this blog post I was probably too busy eating and drinking to bring out my camera, so you'll just have to use your imagination. Should you ever find yourself in Wellington, please contact me so I can give you even more ideas of winning ideas for what to do in my home-away-from-home.
LOVE YOU, WELLINGTON!! xoxoxoxo
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
