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Sunday, 20 May, 2012 |
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Christchurch on $10 or moreAn A - Z of Christchurch on $10 or more ..... the Christchurch community will be grateful to visitors who dig deep to help get the city back on its financial feet.
The guide was updated in March 2012, but please follow links provided for up-to-date information. The map on whatsopen.co.nz will help you find bars/cafes/restaurants etc. The i-SITE Visitor Centre has relocated to the Botanic Gardens, Rolleston Avenue (next to Canterbury Museum), it's open 7 days, 8.30am - 5pm. Airforce Museum, 45 Harvard Avenue, Wigram www.airforcemuseum.co.nz Discover the history of the Royal New Zealand Air Force for free. For $5 you can buy five minutes in the Mosquito Flight Simulator and there are a range of inexpensive tours. It's story time for the children every Sunday at 2.30pm (free). Open daily, 10am-5pm. (Rankers reviews).
Bookme has come to Christchurch, Canterbury and Kaikoura. Check for discounts to activities and attractions like Punting on the Avon, Orana Wildlife Park, The Horsepower Experience and Willowbank Wildlife Reserve. Botanic Gardens www.ccc.govt.nz Situated on the banks of the Avon River and within walking distance of the central city the Botanic Gardens include more than 21 hectares of colour to wander. Pick up a map from the i-SITE in the gardens to help you find your way around or take a Caterpillar Garden Tour (reduced hours in winter) or walking tour (usually run mid September to mid May).
The gardens are open from 7am daily, the garden information centre and Botanic Gardens cafe nearby are open (Curator's House Restaurant on Rolleston Avenue remains closed). Conservatories housing special collections are closed but aside from that the gardens are very much intact - botanic gardens updates.
Breakfast Sophie's Cafe, 8 Papanui Road www.sophiescafe.co.nz Sophie's Cafe opens in time for breakfast - try the Quake Off Brekky or the All Blacks Grill. Sophie's is also known for great steak and burgers, and the children's menu caters for the kids. If you’re lucky you might meet the bubbly Sophie. Check the website for menus and voucher deals - DineOut reviews. Open 7 days. Update March 2012 - Unfortunately Sophie's has closed, possibly temporarily, visit Facebook or the website for updates.
Crumpet Club www.crumpetclub.co.nz The Crumpet Club is looking for new premises, visit the website for updates. Drexels Breakfast Restaurant, Westfield Mall, Riccarton www.drexels.co.nz Early risers can have breakfast at Drexels American Breakfast Diner from 6.30am during the week and 7am weekends. There's a special menu for children and they offer gluten free options. Their signature hash brown is served with most dishes and the filter coffee and tea are bottomless. (Drexel's in Hereford Street has been closed since the February earthquake but Drexel's in Westfield Mall, Riccarton is open - DineOut reviews).
Budget accommodation ten minutes walk from Cathedral Square with free Internet ($2 for 20MB wireless) - Around the World Backpackers, 314 Barbadoes Street (Trip Advisor reviews). Unique budget accommodation near the Railway Station - award winning Jail House Accommodation, 338 Lincoln Road (Trip Advisor reviews). Campus summer stays offers well priced accommodation for groups and families over summer at the Ilam university campus.
Nearby Jailhouse Accommodation is Addington Coffee Co-op, 297 Lincoln Road. Service and food are really good, they use Fair Trade products where possible and provide free Wifi with purchase. They support the work of Freeset in India by selling clothing and bags (Freeset offer alternative employment to women in the sex industry). There's also a laundromat - three washing machines and two dryers, eco friendly washing powder is provided free. Open 7 days. (DineOut reviews)
Accommodation to suit all budgets - visit wotif.com, we can personally recommend Amore Motor Lodge (Trip Advisor reviews) and Kauri Motel on Riccarton (Trip Advisor reviews). Both motels are modern, clean and well equipped, they're close to Drexels Breakfast Restaurant and Westfield Riccarton. Tip: Pre book accommodation if you can, rooms can be scarce. Unique accommodation outside the city - Wagonstays Luxury Escape, a pioneer wagon with modern conveniences - Press article and Trip Advisor reviews. A B&B and farm stay option is Huntingdon Grange, 20 minutes drive from the city (Trip Advisor reviews). In March 2012 we stayed at Pomeroy's on Kilmore, a guest house in the city, B&B from $145. We enjoyed our stay - Trip Advisor reviews.
Canterbury Cheesemongers sell hand made cheese and baked goods, there's a couple of tables outside to enjoy coffee and treats in the sun - www.cheesemongers.co.nz. They're the only business still operating in the Old Registry Building at the Arts Centre, 301 Montreal Street. Open Tuesday - Friday 10am-5pm. (Canterbury Cheesemongers also sell cheese at the Farmers Market every Saturday at Riccarton House, 16 Kahu Road).
Cheese rolls are a unique South Island creation. If you would like to make your own try the Ultimate Cheese Roll recipe, winner of the cheese roll competition at the 2010 Science Festival. Cookies - Cookie Time Factory Shop, 789 Main South Road, Templeton (on the outskirts of Christchurch). Buy big bags of broken cookies for $8 as well as cookies at discounted prices. My favourite - yoghurt & apricot cookies are no longer made, buy the last of them from the factory shop.
Cooking classes - A few options for those who would like to make cheese or do a cooking class - Mediterranean Foods, She Chocolat, Thai Food Cooking School (coming soon), Ground Culinary Centre, Homemade Cheese, Seagars at Oxford and The Akaroa Cooking School. More Cooking Schools around the country. Canterbury Museum, Rolleston Avenue (entrance opposite Worcester Boulevard) www.canterburymuseum.com Discover Canterbury's history at the Canterbury Museum - see a recreation of a Victorian Christchurch street, Antarctic artefacts, a hall of NZ birds and a costume gallery. Curious Kiwiana - visit the recreation of Fred and Myrtle Flutey's paua shell lounge, and watch a short film about the hospitable couple who welcomed over one million visitors into their home in Bluff. The museum is open from 9am daily except Christmas day, enquire about free guided tours. Entry is free, but donations are appreciated. The Museum Cafe on the 4th floor has good views over the Botanic Gardens.
Christchurch Art Gallery, corner Worcester Boulevard and Montreal Street www.christchurchartgallery.org.nz The Christchurch Art Gallery exhibits contemporary NZ art, onsite is a gift shop and Alchemy Restaurant & Bar. Join a free guided tour of the gallery at 11am daily (no booking required). The Art Gallery is usually open from 10am, entry is free however there may be a charge for some exhibitions, and donations are appreciated. Tip: Visit on Wednesday nights until 9pm. (The Art Gallery and Alchemy Restaurant & Bar are still closed due to demolition work taking place next door, but the gift shop is open from 10am daily - entry via Worcester Boulevard). Art Gallery Blog.
Create your own carving at The Bone Dude's Bone Carving Studio, 153 Marshland Road, Shirley (new location). Choose from a range of designs or create your own, in three hours or less you will have a finished product. (Trip Advisor reviews). Design your own jewellery at Beadz Unlimited, corner Innes Road and Cranford Street. Choose beads and create your own unique piece of jewellery or purchase a ready made creation. Open daily. (Previously located in the Arts Centre).
Events - The Christchurch City Council Events Team run Be There.co.nz, a Christchurch events guide. To find music gigs visit Mukuna and Groove Guide. Cityscape is a good little guide to what's happening, pick up a copy from the i-SITE. Ferrymead Heritage Park, 50 Ferrymead Park Drive, Ferrymead (15 minutes drive from the city) www.ferrymead.org.nz The Edwardian township at Ferrymead includes a Museum of Flame - firemen will appreciate the display of old fire engines from around the country. Aeroplane enthusiasts can chat to the friendly plane restorer and find out which two planes were used as chicken coops on an Otago farm.
Tram rides are usually available weekends and school holidays, the steam train runs on some Sundays. Open daily from 10am, admission costs. (Please note: If you visit during the week you might have the place to yourself (and not all attractions operate), you may appreciate visiting on weekends when the atmosphere will be more lively). Gap Filler - a creative approach to using empty spaces. The aim is to fill spaces with creative projects until they're required for re-building or other use - see current gap fillers. Play petanque in Lyttelton (BYO boules or borrow some from the library). (For additional information see thecuriouskiwiblog - Air Guitaring at the Dance-O-Mat).
Groynes Recreation Reserve, 160 Johns Road, Belfast (12km from Cathedral Square) www.ccc.govt.nz Take a bush walk and spot the bird life, you can also fish for trout (you need to purchase a licence first). Boats can be hired on sunny weekends (single canoes $5, pedal boats $10 for 15 minutes). Coin operated BBQs are available if you want to make a day of it. Groynes is a rubbish free park so you will need to take your rubbish away with you. Gates open 7am.
Head over the hill to Taylor's Mistake, a popular surf spot and home to some classic Kiwi baches. To get there you will need your own transport, look for Taylor's Mistake Road south of the village of Sumner and drive the winding road to its end. See the surf conditions on the webcam. (The road to Sumner and Taylor's Mistake is open but it may be muddy and bumpy - check road information for updates or enquire via Facebook).
In Sumner you can hire surf boards and wet suits from aumoana, 9 Wakefield Avenue. I visited Coffee Culture at 28 Marriner Street for morning tea, another cafe option is Underground Coffee at 25 Marriner Street. The Hollywood Cinema in Sumner is hosting the World Cinema Showcase from 26 April - 9 May.
Heading for a career in the military and want a practice run? How about Tanks for Everything - a military tank experience. Get a guided tour of military vehicles, put on camouflage clothing and take control of a tank on the purpose built track. Located at 985 McLeans Island Road (1km from Orana Wildlife Park, 10 minutes from the airport), bookings essential. Check out the reviews on Rankers and Trip Advisor.
Horsepower gives you the chance to get out on the race track and ride on a sulkie behind a champion pacer. The video on the website shows you how it's done. Horsepower is located at 59 Russley Road, Avonhead (2km from the airport). Indulge your chocolate craving at She Chocolat, 79 Main Road, Governors Bay and enjoy the stunning view. Try a Chocolate Lovers Platter or book a half day Chocolate Culinary Tour. She's latest addition is the Chocolate Bus, follow Chocolate Bus on Facebook to find its location on the streets of Christchurch or Wellington. Open 7 days. (DineOut and Trip Advisor reviews).
The Fudge Cottage is now in Bishopdale Shopping Centre on Harewood Road (you can also order online). The Fudge Cottage left its old time feel in The Arts Centre and the new store is bright and modern. There's the possibility of a small cafe in future and kitchen tours will be re-started, visit the website for updates. The shopping centre is 5 minutes drive from the airport and 10 minutes drive from the central city. Open 9am - 5.30pm Monday - Friday and 10am - 3pm on Saturday. i-SITE Visitor Centre has relocated to the Botanic Gardens, Rolleston Avenue (next to Canterbury Museum). The i-SITE's your one stop shop for visitor information and booking services. Open 7 days, 8.30am - 5pm. Visit the new Pop Up City Christchurch blog written by Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism. Jump start your day with a flat white at Crafted Coffee Company, 121 Blenheim Road, Riccarton or the cafe in the new Cashel Mall Re:START. Hide Kono from Crafted Coffee was the 2011 Huhtamaki NZ Barista Championship winner, and Carl Sara, owner of Crafted Coffee Company, is a 4x NZ Barista winner, obviously these guys know their coffee.
Kai can be gathered at Christchurch Farmers Market, Riccarton House, 16 Kahu Road on Saturday from 9am - 12noon and Wednesday 4pm - 7pm (November - April). Rare Fare Produce Market is held every Saturday from 9.30am - 12.30 at 29 - 31 Main North Road, Papanui. Lyttelton Farmers Market is held every Saturday from 10am - 1pm in the lower grounds of Lyttelton Main School, Oxford Street.
Kayaks are for hire at the picturesque Antigua Boat Sheds, 2 Cambridge Terrace from $10 per hour. Alternatively, go punting on the Avon in an authentic Edwardian punt. Punting and boat hire available 7 days. The Boat Shed Cafe next door is open for breakfast and can provide you with a picnic basket of snacks to take on the water. Cafe open 7 days.
Live acts and craft beer are back on the menu at the new Dux Live on Lincoln Road in Addington. (Look out for New York Deli at 363 Lincoln Road, Dux Live is behind the deli). If live theatre is something you enjoy see what's on at the new Court Theatre, Bernard Street in Addington.
We visited Cassels & Sons Brewery in Woolston and Harrington's Breweries in Belfast for craft beer - information in Brewpubs shortly. The casual public bar at Parkhouse Tavern in Sockburn is also open and sells the Matson's craft beer range. Local artists exhibit their work at the Centre of Contemporary Art (CoCa), 66 Gloucester Street. CoCa remains closed but Cityscape notes what's happening art wise in Christchurch. Lyttelton's London Street has lost some of its iconic colourful buildings but a petanque pitch and community space has been built on a vacant section, and a cafe is next door at number 48 (recently renamed Tommy Chang's). As the article states the cafe was "cobbled together" - when I visited the windows had no glass, only part of the cafe had a roof, and furnishings were all sorts from everywhere, making it a quirky cafe experience. Names under consideration at the time were Tin Tin & Derelict. No doubt the spirit of the Lyttelton community and local support will ensure the cafe continues to be a work in progress.
Other cafe options are Samo Coffee Lounge, 3 Canterbury Street (another eclectic little place - location temporary) and Coffee Culture, 18 London Street. Lyttelton has a Farmers Market every Saturday, 10am-1pm.
The Loons Theatre Company on Canterbury Street is still under repair however there are performances at various locations. Wunderbar reopened on 30 March and Port Hole bar is a new addition to the village. Lyttelton Harbour Information Centre is operating from temporary premises at 65 London Street.
Mona Vale, 63 Fendalton Road, Fendalton www.monavale.co.nz Mona Vale homestead operated as a cafe/restaurant. It is situated next to the Avon river, has a country style garden, ornate fern house and gazebo. (Mona Vale is closed until further notice due to significant damage, however the gardens are still open to the public - visit Facebook for updates).
Movies on cheap Tuesday - pay $10 - $11 and catch a movie on Tuesday. Visit Hoyts (Hoyts Riccarton and Northlands are open but Hoyts Moorhouse and Regent on Worcester are closed). Reading Cinema (The Palms) re-opened in November 2011 and both Hollywood Cinema (Sumner) and Movieland (Hornby) are open. Motor enthusiasts should take a look at Fazazz - The Motorist's Shop. Unfortunately the Lichfield Street premises were demolished but Fazazz are re-designing their website for online shopping, and can still be contacted by those looking to buy or sell classic cars. Past displays at Fazazz included a collection of vintage motorbikes, car badges, car magazines, books, and classic cars big and small. Look out for the return of the checkered flag.
NZ Cup & Show week is a week long celebration of horse racing, fashion and entertainment. The Canterbury A&P Show is a highlight and ran from 9-11 November 2011 (entry $20-$25). Calendar of events for Cup & Show week. New Brighton Library, Pier Building, 213 Marine Parade The architects who designed this seaside library thoughtfully provided large windows looking out onto Brighton beach. On the ground floor of the library are comfy chairs where you can relax and read, or plan your next move as you gaze out to sea. (The New Brighton Library is open - for a complete list of libraries that are open in Christchurch visit Customer Alerts).
Salt on the Pier cafe next to the library provides sea views with coffee and is open 7 days from 8.30am. (Salt on the Pier restaurant is located upstairs). The majority of reviews on DineOut apply to the restaurant. (Please note that all city beaches are now open for public use including New Brighton beach - November 2011). Only 90 minutes from Christchurch are two of our favourite small villages in New Zealand - Hanmer Springs and French flavoured Akaroa. Relax in one of the country's best hot pool complexes - Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools & Spa. In Akaroa visit the magical mosaic garden at Giant's House B&B, you can also swim with Hector's Dolphins, one of the smallest and rarest breeds of dolphin in the world. Black Cat Cruises dolphin swim experience is rated highly on Rankers.
Orana Wildlife Park is an open range zoo and utilises moats and banks where possible to keep animals enclosed rather than cages and high fences. If you'd like to get up close and terrified by lions drive through the African Lion Habitat on the back of a modified truck - Lion Encounter. Lunch for the lions ensures your experience will be remembered - short video of the encounter (it's not captured on video but the lions can get angry vying for their share of lunch). Orana Wildlife Park is open 7 days (except Christmas Day), 10am - 5pm. (Rankers reviews).
Tip: There are 20 tickets for the Lion Encounter each day at a cost of $30 pp (on top of park admission - $25). Tickets are first come first served but you can phone ahead to reserve and pay for your place. It's a tight fit in the back of the truck and weekends are especially busy, if you visit during the week you might strike it lucky and have less people in the truck giving you more opportunity for an extra close encounter. Poetry - Open mic poetry once a month at Beat Street Cafe, corner Barbadoes and Armagh Streets.
Pomeroy's Old Brewery Inn, 292 Kilmore Street www.pomeroysonkilmore.co.nz We like the atmosphere at Pomeroy's - old English pub meets historical Canterbury. Craft beers are on tap and there are regular beer tasting events. The Pomeroy's Press let's you know what's new and contains beverage information and the menu for Victoria's Kitchen. On our latest visit in March 2012 we ordered Three Mushroom Risotto ($22.50) and Chicken Rigatoni ($21), good portion sizes, great taste and reasonable prices - no complaints here. (DineOut reviews). Closed Monday. To make a night of it stay next door at Pomeroy's on Kilmore, guests receive a voucher for a beverage of their choice, cheers. Public bus transport is run by Metro, a new central station opened in October 2011 at 46-50 Lichfield Street (behind Cashel Mall Re:START). A $3.20 ticket gives you one free transfer within two hours - head to Lyttelton for lunch or Sumner for a walk down the beach, return to the city within two hours and it's a cheap trip. Metrocard may be better value for long term visitors. An airport bus service is run by Red Bus. Queen Elizabeth II Park Sport & Leisure Centre, 171 Travis Road, New Brighton www.qeiipark.org.nz QEII is currently closed, it has been relocated to the Parklands Community Centre. Alternatively Pioneer Recreation & Sport Centre at 75 Lyttelton Street in Spreydon is open and has an indoor pool, spa, sauna, steam room and fitness centre. Riccarton House & Bush, 16 Kahu Road, Riccarton www.riccartonhouse.co.nz It's free to visit the bush and gardens, a tour of Riccarton House is $15 (the house is currently closed for repairs but the gardens and Deans Cottage are open). The bush is a "Kiwi Creche", Kiwis 4-7 months old are released until they can fend for themselves in the wild, Kiwis are nocturnal so you won't see them during the day. If you would like to see a Kiwi you can visit Willowbank Wild Life Reserve (Rankers reviews). Riccarton House also hosts the Christchurch Farmers Market and Sunday Artisan Market.
Riccarton Rotary Sunday Market, Riccarton Park Racecourse, Racecourse Road (10 - 15 minutes drive from the city) www.riccartonmarket.co.nz There are over 300 stalls to browse at the Sunday market, 9am - 2pm, rain or shine. Shopping – If you like shopping in malls you'll like shopping in Christchurch - Riccarton mall, Northlands mall and The Palms are three of the city’s best. The Orbiter will take you to the shopping malls if you don't have transport. Until December 2012 you can also shop in Cashel Mall Re:START, a container shopping centre in the heart of the city - it's well worth visiting. (For additional information see thecuriouskiwiblog - Cashel Mall Re:START, Christchurch).
Stock up on organic produce at Piko Wholefoods, 248 Stanmore Road - certified organic fruit and vegetables, a range of whole foods and personal care products. There is also a Lyttel Piko at 12 London Street, Lyttelton.
Taste your way around Feast of Canterbury - Canterbury's biggest food and wine festival, held in September each year. Tea party at The Cup Cake Collection & Sweethearts at Berryfields The Cup Cake Collection is a gorgeous wee store in a small, suburban mall at 140 Colombo Street, Beckenham. Decorated in pastel colours with pretty tea cups, plates and tea pots it's the perfect place for tea and sweet cakes with friends. Lovingly presented cupcakes from $4.50. Open Monday - Friday, 9.30am-5pm and Saturday 9.30am-4pm. The Cup Cake Collection also has a stall (no seating or beverages sold) on Level 2, Westfield Riccarton.
Sweethearts at Berryfields, 161 Gardiners Road, Harewood www.sweethearts.co.nz Sweethearts have been serving Victorian High Tea for almost 20 years ($27.50 per person). Other morning and afternoon tea options include Devonshire Tea ($17.50) and Queens Tea Sandwiches ($15.90). Breakfast, brunch and lunch are also served and fresh berries can be purchased (seasonal) - DineOut reviews. Open 7 days, reservations recommended.
Trash to treasure - EcoShop (formerly Supershed & Retroshed) has relocated from New Brighton to Blenheim Road, Riccarton. If it's recyclable it will be here - the place to find treasure from other peoples trash. Facebook page. Unique coffee stops, cafes and bars are popping up all around Christchurch including Kea Coffee, corner Manchester and St Asaph Streets (may have relocated); Coffee Corner, opposite the Arts Centre on Worcester Boulevard (formerly in the Arts Centre); and cafes in containers including Hummingbird Coffee in Cashel Mall.
Vegetarians or vegans - visit the Christchurch Vegetarian Centre website to find restaurants and a vegetarian / vegan shopping guide. Walk the Writers' Trail - Many of the plaques are in the red zone and unable to be viewed. If you're interested in writers with a Canterbury connection check out the Writers' Trail brochure.
Whodunnit? Dame Ngaio Marsh (1895 - 1982) is New Zealand's Queen of Crime fiction writing, and a world renowned fiction writer. Tours of her home at 37 Valley Road, Cashmere can be arranged by appointment, $10 (2-10 people), $15 (individual person). Tours are run by volunteers so pre-booking is essential. White out - It snows in Christchurch, the photographs below were taken in August 2004.
Writers Festival & NZ Book Month Christchurch Writers Festival usually runs for four days and features around 80 writers, next festival 30 August - 2 September 2012. NZ Book Month is celebrated every year in March, visit the events section on the website to see what's happening in the Christchurch area. X marks the spot at Map World, 35 Moorhouse Avenue. Buy maps, travel books, local guide books for cyclists, GPS devices, compasses and travel accessories. Closed Sunday.
You will be entertained at the World Buskers Festival in January each year. Garden City Summer Times concerts and events are held 31 December - March and the Christchurch Arts Festival usually runs from August - October. Other festivals include Dram Fest (February); Festival of Flowers (February/March) and Body Festival (September - October). Zero charge for WiFi - Following the February 2011 earthquake, Telecom NZ are providing free WiFi at Christchurch libraries. Telecom is also providing free Wifi hotspots throughout the city - WiFi hotspot map. Thanks to Trade Me, Enable Networks, FX Networks and The Press for the free WiFi in Cashel Mall Re:START.
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