Current Status: Holidays

351 Responses

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  • Rob Hosking,

    Sam F:

    Speights summer ale is reputed to have an apricot-ish taste...which sounds to me as if it might be more tart than some summer ales and along the lines of what you are after. (Me, I just do the same the year-round - Kingfisher lager or Speights Distinction).

    But Scorching Bay on Boxing Day was glorious - blue sky,white sand, aqua sea full of swimmers, magnificent scarlet trees among the green along the hills, pleasantly hot sun, lots of families picnicing. Then the white ferry came round the point and you could almost hear the Warratahs singing.

    Presume you mean the Interislander song.

    Not the one which starts

    'Say goodbye to Welling-town
    Before it shakes to the ground...'

    South Roseneath • Since Nov 2006 • 830 posts Report

  • Robyn Gallagher,

    Radler? More citrus than cloying honeyspice.

    I'm not a fan of Monteiths Radler - it tastes like beer with lime cordial added (which is pretty much is). Yeuch!

    I'd be more inclined to just make a radler using my favourite lager and some, oh, Phoenix lemonade.

    The Wikipedia shandy page has many suggestions for versions of beer 'n' lemonade from around the world.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    Monteith's lager, then?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Paul Williams,

    outside old St Pauls have been stunning. For some reason the best pohutukawa displays come out just as Wellington has emptied out for the holidays. But Scorching Bay on Boxing Day was glorious - blue sky,white sand, aqua sea full of swimmers, magnificent scarlet trees among the green along the hills, pleasantly hot sun, lots of families picnicing.

    Sniff! Pictures please Hilary?

    Then the white ferry came round the point and you could almost hear the Warratahs singing.

    The Wa(r)ratahs?

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    The band methinks, not the bird or th team.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Hilary Stace,

    Yes Warratahs - iconic Wellington band around for ever, obviously pre-dating the more recent trend to promote Kiwi national identity through culture otherwise they would have been the Pohutukawas, not a mispelling of a similar Australian tree.

    A few years ago they provided the track for a long running ad for the Interislander ferry which my memory suggests (although it might be faulty) used this exact scene from Scorching Bay.

    (Incidentally - for those who have been out of the country for a while - the last Labour government was responsible for both the conscious promotion of national identity through arts and culture and the buying back into public ownership of the Interislander ferries. They belong to us now.)

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    Ooops, the tree.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    @ sam F

    Macs Hop Rocker.
    or Galbraiths pub pets.

    Emma thank-you kindly and Sacha, no, 3kings

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • David Hamilton,

    Random holiday request: the ideal summer beer. I have tried the Monteith's Summer Ale many a time but am tiring of the honey-spiciness and require a suitable light refreshing alternative (preferably not at highway-robbery boutique prices, but if it's good enough...). Thoughts?

    I second Robyn's yeuch on the Radler. I've been drinking a bit of Mac's Sun Dance, it's crisp and refreshing, a good summer beer. If you see it, TaaKawa is also very nice, light with a hint of peppery kawakawa.

    Hamiltron • Since Nov 2006 • 111 posts Report

  • Paul Williams,

    Yes Warratahs - iconic Wellington band around for ever, obviously pre-dating the more recent trend to promote Kiwi national identity through culture otherwise they would have been the Pohutukawas, not a mispelling of a similar Australian tree.

    I remember them well now - their hit Hands of My Heart springs immediately to mind. How quickly I've forgotten!

    (Incidentally - for those who have been out of the country for a while - the last Labour government was responsible for both the conscious promotion of national identity through arts and culture and the buying back into public ownership of the Interislander ferries. They belong to us now.)

    I left in 2002 - this strategy had begun but possibly hadn't yet had the full impact. I have a good friend who sends me stuff I'd not otherwise hear and I used to stream bFM often now I tend to listen to TripleJ if I'm not listening to ABC news. I still lament however, that NZFirst didn't really push Youth Radio when Deb Morris was Minister. I suspect she did her best but.

    It's fantastic to know that the government's push of NZ talent is working though. Wellington still seems to have lots of good live venues - something sadly lacking in Sydney I should note - and the NZ bands touring Australia are consistently good.

    Thanks again for the reminder of the Warratahs... I've realised a gap in my collection though as they don't even feature on Nature's Best!

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report

  • Sam F,

    Ta muchly to all who offered beer suggestions. I am occasionally partial to the Radler but will likely give Sun Dance a go.

    Shame about today's weather in Auckland then...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report

  • Bob Munro,

    On a completely different topic.
    I thought I was having a senior moment last night watching ‘Lost in Austen’. I was clicking over to the cricket on Prime during the ads as well so it might just have been me but I could swear there was a cut in the scene where Amanda appears to sit down at the piano to entertain Mr Darcy, Caroline and Mr Bingley, then gets up with Caroline saying rather sarcastically ‘well at least you can sing.’

    I wandered around the net a bit and found that she in fact sings
    Downtown’

    Okay maybe I missed a rather large chunk of it watching the cricket but then found this on a blog about the series.

    The down side to the DVD is that a very greedy copyright owner of 'Down Town' has forced the deletion of the song from the DVD. What a pity!! The song is essential to the plot. The exclusion means that an exciting song will never be part of a superb drama series.

    So was it just me not paying attention or was ‘Downtown’ cut from the scene last night?

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    I think you're right, Bob. I had assumed it was deliberately referred to rather than shown - and like you was not paying full attention all the time. The reaction shots would have been priceless.

    I did think of our Mr Haywood whenever otter-strewn Hammersmith was mentioned.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    Actually not as impressive as I thought:

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Isabel Hitchings,

    Aha - that explains why that scene seemed to jump around a bit.

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Okay, todays holiday.... got up..... toast with smoked salmon and lattes for those who came yesterday and didn't leave, (and us) and now the plan may well be what was discussed last night which was .... GALBRAITHS! amongst booze fuelled happiness. And now it is only 2 sleeps (aaah sleep zzzz) until my birfday. :) I'll move along now

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Peter Darlington,

    It's been a fairly varied and full on Christmas so far, staying at a wonderful place on the beach at Rarangi with a full load of family in town in Blenheim. My sister got married on Boxing Day at my parents house and I was the best man.

    Jon is from Ipswich so we set up a MacBook in the garden running Skype over wireless. His family back in the UK got a projector in and gathered around in the late winter evening to watch their son marry my sister in the beautiful bright sunshine of a Marlborough summer morning. It worked so well that afterwards we had shared toasts backwards and forwards across the world. Technology sometimes really does rock.

    Now I'm back at work going through disaster recovery plans and generally wishing I was back out in the Sunshine.

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report

  • Jan Farr,

    Lost in Austen: Thanks! Big gap filled! And I thought, rather beautifully - although doesn't repeat so well.

    Carterton • Since Apr 2008 • 395 posts Report

  • Hilary Stace,

    Thanks Sasha. We too wondered about the missing Downtown. Couldn't resist watching the wet shirt scene as well. Why are all the men so tall, or are the women just very short?

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report

  • Hilary Stace,

    Sorry mispelled - Sacha

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    Good detective work, Bob.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Bob Munro,

    Why thank you. I was quite relieved to see that the synapses were still clanging together enough to notice the cut. I have my doubts some times...

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2007 • 418 posts Report

  • Hilary Stace,

    For those who think Wellington isn't a sea swimmy sort of place. In the last two days my son has swum at Lyall Bay, Raumati South, and on this warm and still late afternoon a glassy Balaena Bay. Wellington beaches are regularly tested for healthiness and are doing quite well these days, and with the wonderful weather we've been having lately lots of locals are taking to the sea.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report

  • robbery,

    Sofie did you get along to the ak 79 gigs and if so, impressions, highlights?

    new zealand • Since May 2007 • 1882 posts Report

  • Kerry Weston,

    a glassy Balaena Bay

    That's a new one to me - what area of Welly is that? You're quite right tho, Welly is gorgeous on a sunny day and eminently swimmy.

    I just had a week in Napier, but the equinox was still doing its thing and it was cloudy/drizzly most of the time. had a kayak on Pandora Pond, but no swimming & the boogie board stayed in the car. We house-sat for some friends which was brilliant - a bolt hole from the crowds. Fed the two fattest cats in history - Ronnie & Clyde. Caught up with lots of old mates and had xmas dinner with family - not without the obligatory family fight, however. sigh.

    I was stunned at the miles of vineyards that have gone in the last few years - they're everywhere. Now I'm home to catch up on chores, like painting the house. Lucky!

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report

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