Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Those were different times ...

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  • Simon Grigg, in reply to George Darroch,

    Nu Zihlindlish, lah? Except it will have a slight Indian lilt, I’m sure.

    So, like Malaysia? I have a friend - Chinese Malaysian - who almost sounds Indian at times.

    Indian infused Chinese is a hot cuisine here right now, so why not the language :)

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Simon Grigg,

    Indian infused Chinese is a hot cuisine

    Intrigued. Examples?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg, in reply to Sacha,

    http://www.cnngo.com/mumbai/none/indian-chinese-food-598134 is a pretty good backgrounder

    Chinese merchants from India come here in pretty large numbers so I guess it didn't take long to cross over.

    And of course, Southern Thai (as compared to the more northern and north eastern flavours we think as Thai food in NZ) has strong Indian influences.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    Well, this is an interesting conversation I have come late to...just been on a round trip Hamilton-Napier-Gisborne-Opotiki, visiting cinemas along the way (for my www.cinemasofnz.info website), ending up at the silent film festival in Opotiki. *
    Interesting to experience contrasting versions of New Zealand on display--on one side of the street there were ladies of a certain age dressed up in some imagined past of flappers and shiny cars; across the road there was a large Maori birthday party underway, and a couple of horses hitched to the hotel railing.

    * the highlight was footage of the 1905 Originals and the 1926 Invincibles , screened by the Film Archive, with Lloyd Jones rteading from his Book of Fame. Not so great was watching Waikato lose the ITM Cup final, at the local Masonic Hotel.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Simon Grigg,

    Southern Thai

    Ta. I think we discussed that crossover into NE Malaysian cuisine, didn't we?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg, in reply to Sacha,

    Ta. I think we discussed that crossover into NE Malaysian cuisine, didn't we?

    Yes indeed. Hungry now.

    I'll go all nepotistic here and plug Brigid's food blog - the second half of this post is an incredible family owned Southern Thai eatery near us. The images say more than I could.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Geoff Lealand,

    Geoff, are you aware of any online history of the original Roxy cinema in Wellington? Or the Princess and any of the other pre-Chase fleapits?

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Simon Grigg,

    I’ll go all nepotistic here and plug Brigid’s food blog – the second half of this post is an incredible family owned Southern Thai eatery near us. The images say more than I could.

    Wow. And those are her photos too?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Compelling, eh. I had to go and cook

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand, in reply to nzlemming,

    Geoff, are you aware of any online history of the original Roxy cinema in Wellington? Or the Princess and any of the other pre-Chase fleapits?

    Not online but Wayne Brittenden's The Celluloid Circus: The Heyday of the New Zealand Picture Theatre (Godwit Books, 2008) is an excellent source--and it includes photos of the Roxy and the Princess (and The Lido, which I remember bettter).

    My interest is not so much in the history of the cinemas* but in those independents which are surviving, and serving local communities. New art house venues too: The Globe (a 39 seat art house cinema) opened in Ahuriri (Napier) last Friday and there is the renovated Roxy in Miramar.


    * but I do include some history, such as the De Luxe in Opotiki celebrating its 85 year of operation.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Geoff Lealand,

    New art house venues

    Like Welli's Te Aro one announced recently.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • recordari, in reply to Geoff Lealand,

    * but I do include some history, such as the De Luxe in Opotiki celebrating its 85 year of operation.

    That was my childhood cinema, and where I saw my first motion picture. I would dearly love to see/read whatever it is you produce from this exercise. Did you have a look in Shalfoon & Francis Grocery Store Museum? Visited on a recent return, and it was like being 5 again, wandering around admiring all the boxes.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Geoff Lealand,

    Not online but Wayne Brittenden’s The Celluloid Circus: The Heyday of the New Zealand Picture Theatre (Godwit Books, 2008) is an excellent source–and it includes photos of the Roxy and the Princess (and The Lido, which I remember bettter).

    That's great, thanks. I shall look that one out.

    Yup, I well remember the Lido, which is where Rocky Horror Particip-ation parties were held, and the Princess seemed to specialise in chop-socky action films in the 70's when I was going to them. The Plaza was more mainstream - I saw Ice Station Zebra there as an eight or nine year old and was gobsmacked to here someone refer to New Zealand in a "real" film. The Kings over the road was quite grand, as was the Majestic in Willis St (Superman was awesome there), and the Regent had a genteel shabbiness that its concrete successor traded in for a popcorn concession. But my favourite was the Cinerama with that big, big screen - perfect for Star Wars and other blockbusters and almost too intense for a double feature of Mad Max 1 and 2.

    The Roxy has a special place in my memory, though - continuous showings and no worries about age verification. I was at the last showing (appropriately "The Last Picture Show") and it was a huge party atmosphere. I'm pleased Jackson et al have resurrected the name in Miramar, but nothing will match the awesome seediness that was the original.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand, in reply to recordari,

    The De Luxe carries on, with Friday and Saturday and school holiday screenings.--but very dependent on community volunteers and fund-raising. You should try and get back there for the annual silent film festival (silent but for the piano and audience laughter) .

    The De Luxe is pretty much part of a whole block of olde time celebration, which includes Shaflo0on & Francis grocery store.

    Interesting piece in this week's Listener too, about the youth murals in Opotiki.

    A sadder story is the Gaiety Theatre in Wairoa. Geoff Hole has sunk so much money and energy into this magificent old cinema and despite great community support, he can't get anything much out of the council.

    Sacha: can you send me details about the Te Aro venture?

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Geoff Lealand,

    I only know what's in that DomPost article I linked

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Yep.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand, in reply to Sacha,

    Thanks, Sacha. I should have looked more closely.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • recordari, in reply to Simon Grigg,

    Yep.

    Nice photos. Talk about 'salivational'. I would be eating almost continuously if I lived there.

    You should try and get back there for the annual silent film festival (silent but for the piano and audience laughter) .

    Thanks Geoff. It sounds like it would be worth a trip. Although I'd have to learn to ride a horse.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to recordari,

    Nice photos. Talk about ‘salivational’. I would be eating almost continuously if I lived there.

    I was moved to ordain a Father's day dinner at Flourishing Cafe in Avondale. Different cuisine, I know, but I cannot believe how much the three of us ate.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • recordari, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Flourishing Cafe in Avondale.

    Thanks for the tip. Foodie blog? We're so nearly there, without even trying. Just sayin'.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Flourishing Cafe in Avondale.

    Did that one once - yes indeed!

    It's a long way from the days when your reasonable Chinese food options (i.e. not just variations on Chop Suey, Egg Fu Yung, Sweet & Sour or Chow Mein) could be counted on the fingers of one hand.

    What was that place next to Strangely Normal in Hobson St? That - and it may be a false memory given the bar was so low - was pretty ok in the 80s, but that was about it in the central city at the time.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Flourishing Cafe in Avondale.

    I've passed it a thousand times and not tried yet. Must be time.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Simon Grigg,

    It’s a long way from the days when your reasonable Chinese food options (i.e. not just variations on Chop Suey, Egg Fu Yung, Sweet & Sour or Chow Mein) could be counted on the fingers of one hand.

    When we brought the Singaporean blogger Mr Brown over several years ago, he was amazed by the quality of some of the downtown Chinese restaurants. He had a local fan club to take him places, but clearly, the places were there.

    The head chef at Flourishing Cafe comes from Canton in Kingsland, and the menu is quite similar -- just a bit better and a bit more expensive. The place itself was Sunday night bedlam, but you adjust to that. We had a really good time stuffing ourselves full of good food.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Simon Grigg,

    What was that place next to Strangely Normal in Hobson St? That – and it may be a false memory given the bar was so low – was pretty ok in the 80s, but that was about it in the central city at the time.

    Wun Loy.

    It was good. Murray Cammick used to take us there on Rip It Up deadlines. I’m struggling a bit to recall, but it was maybe the top end of the common Chinese takeaway style. They served their nasi goreng with a fried egg on top. Murray asked for it without the egg once. Did not go down well.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Islander, in reply to Simon Grigg,

    As patron of the (A)NZ Republican movement, I have an on-going bet with a Famous australian Author...to wit, ANZ will become a republic before Oz does...
    I have good reasons to believe this-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

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