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Sunday, 20 May, 2012 |
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Wellington city on $10 or lessAn A-Z of Wellington city on $10 or less .....
Absolutely, Positively Wellywood - Lord of The Rings fans can visit Weta Cave, corner Camperdown Road and Weka Street, Miramar. Look around the mini museum and watch behind the scenes interviews with the Weta co-founders. Open 7 days from 9am - 5.30pm, free entry.
Airport Flyer leaves the airport for the city every 15 minutes and continues on as far as Upper Hutt. It's about a 10 minute ride from the airport to Courtenay Place and costs $8.50, pay by Snapper and get 20% off. There's free Wifi onboard. New Archaeological remains of Te Aro Pa are under glass at 39 Taranaki Street in the central city. Remnants of the 150+ year old Maori settlement were discovered during the demolition of a building in 2005 that made way for Bellagio Apartments. Breakfast - Build your own from $3 (two free range eggs, poached scrambled or fried on toast) at The Occidental, 101 Lambton Quay. We added some extras from $1.50 or order from the a' la carte menu from $5. Breakfast is served from 7.30am during the week and 10am on weekends. Update
If you like to breakfast by the beach Parade Cafe in the Tugboat on Oriental Parade have breakfast options under $10, open Monday - Friday from 7.30am; Saturday and Sunday from 8am. Maranui Cafe in Lyall Bay is another beach side option and serve breakfast from $6, open from 7am - 5pm, 7 days.
Chocoholics can get their fix at Butlers Chocolate Cafe, 103 Willis Street. All beverages purchased come with a complimentary chocolate. I visited in April 2011 and chose hazelnut and caramel covered in dark chocolate to go with my latte ($4.40). I highly recommend Butlers for a sweet pick me up any time of the day. Open from 7am. For more information about chocolate shops in Wellington and around New Zealand visit our Chocolate Shop Directory.
Chocolate Bus - She Chocolat's Chocolate Bus is in Wellington until October 2011, but may stay over the summer months, follow the bus on Facebook to keep up to date with its location and tour options. The bus is an old English double decker and aside from some tables and a serving area it's still in original condition. I enjoyed a decadent date ($4.80) or there's Belgian hot chocolate ($6.50) a cup as well as truffles and other chocolate treats. The bus is on the waterfront next to Te Papa, Wednesday-Sunday, 10am - 3pm. New
Commonsense Organics - If you're looking for organic produce and products Commonsense Organics have four stores in the Wellington area. The city branch is at 260 Wakefield Street. New Conscious Consumer? If you're a conscious consumer and want to eat in cafes that use free range eggs, recycle and allow customers to take their own cups for coffee check out the network of Conscious Consumer cafes in Wellington. I called in to Finc Dining Room at 122 Wakefield Street for morning tea in September 2011.
A latte and a slice of Louise cake with perfect meringue topping were served with a friendly smile. Finc combine their love of food with art and there is art work for sale on the walls and some unique copper light fittings, the fresh flowers on the counter were a nice touch. Finc is open 7 days for breakfast, some nights for dinner and serves high tea on Sunday. New Cupcakes - visit Tempt's petite store inside Smith The Grocer in the Old Bank Arcade, 233 -237 Lambton Quay. You can eat the cupcakes in store if you make a purchase at Smith The Grocer or take an individually boxed cupcake away. Curious conveniences (or designer dunnies, lobster loos (Stuff) or a crayfish crapper? (Capital Times)) can be found in the Kumutoto precinct on the waterfront. Another curious convenience close by is the Cuckoo Cocktail Emporium, buy coffee, cocktails or all the second hand furniture and accessories inside, everything has a price tag. For directions visit the Waterfront Map or pick up a copy from the i-SITE. New
Dine in or take awayFrench pastries from award winning Simply Paris, 181 Cuba Street and 112 Riddiford Street, Newtown. Simply Paris is a licensed cafe, boulangerie, patisserie and creperie. Open Tuesday to Sunday, early morning to late afternoon. Dip into the warm water at Freyberg Pool & Fitness Centre, 139 Oriental Parade or cool off in the nearby beach. A swim in the heated indoor pool costs $5.70, spa sauna and steam room $4.60, and casual fitness classes from $10.60. Open 6am - 9pm, every day except Christmas Day.
Drive or walk to the long gallery (located at the entrance) to Museum Hotel, 90 Cable Street to see a toast portrait of NZ Prime Minister John Key (the art at the hotel is rotated so it may not always be available to view). Museum Hotel has a collection of art and if you're not a paying guest you're welcome to view the art work in public areas and have a drink in Hippopotamus Bar. Please note Museum Hotel is a luxury boutique hotel so please act and dress accordingly. To see more toast art visit www.mauricebennett.co.nz.
Enjoy a good story? Wellington has a Storytellers' Cafe, stories are aimed at adults (but young people are welcome), entry fee $5, includes a hot drink. Each month there is a different storyteller and there is usually time for others to tell a short story or few. First Tuesday of each month, 7.30pm - 9pm, Toi Poneke Arts Centre, 61 - 69 Abel Smith Street.
Rugby themed gardens were planted in 2011 to celebrate the Rugby World Cup 2011, pictured above is a silver fern with a flax rugby ball in the background. Update Exit the city free in a Thrifty free relocation vehicle, we can't vouch for this service however if you want to get to Auckland for free within 48 hours it would be worth checking out. Thrifty are located at 197 Wakefield Street. New Film buffs - Visit the Film Archive, 84 Taranaki Street (free). Classic Kiwi movies and TV shows are screened Wednesday - Saturday night, from $8. Check the website for a calendar of free and charged screenings. Film Archive Cafe has two computers with medianet access and you can watch documentaries, short films and advertisements. Of particular interest to us was a 1969 documentary about Americans travelling through New Zealand in camper vans, and documentaries about NZ authors. We could have easily spent more than a few hours at the Film Archive. Follow the link for opening hours.
For a virtual view of Wellington harbour and surrounds visit Wellington Views, there is also a five day weather forecast. Fossick for second hand and new books at Arty Bees, The Oaks, Manners Mall. Open 7 days, Monday - Thursday 9am - 9pm, Friday and Saturday 9am - 10pm, Sunday 11am - 9pm. Check out The Arty Bees Cabinet of Curious Bibliophilia, The Arty Bees Easy Inspirational Present Flowchart may help you out or at least make you laugh. Free Wifi is available on Wellington's waterfront and in the CBD. Free Wifi with purchase is offered by Esquires Coffee Houses - Unit F6, 100 Courtenay Place and 5 Woodward Street. Pay as you go Internet access is available at Wellington City Library, 65 Victoria Street, and next door at the i-SITE. Update
Gig guide - Visit Mukuna for a list of cheap ($5-$10) & free gigs in Wellington, also look out for a free copy of Volume magazine, printed each Tuesday. www.wordonthestreet.co.nz is "an official yet kind of independent guide to what's going down in Wellington" and wotzon.com also lists gigs, events and what's on. Update Head to Cuba Street to hang with the hip and arty crowd and to get your street side caffeine hit at one of the many cafes. For fish 'n' chips visit Wellington Trawling Sea Market at 220 Cuba Street, dine in at one of the few tables or takeaway. Cuba Street has a Fringe Market every Saturday from 9.30am. Update
Hill Street Farmers' Market is held every Saturday from 8.30am - 12.30pm on Hill Street in Thorndon. Hit the Heritage Trails - walk the Art Deco Heritage Trail, Maritime Trail and Te Ara o Nga Tupuna (The Path of Our Ancestors) Trail, visit Wellington City Council's Heritage page for more information or pick up the booklets from the i-SITE. Ink art - Visit the National Tattoo museum at 187 Vivian Street. Open 7 days from 12 noon, free entry. The small museum will be of particular interest to those interested in Moko - Maori tattoo.
i-SITE Visitor Centre on Civic Square is the place to get information about all that Wellington has to offer, they will also assist with accommodation bookings. Join everyone who visits The Library upstairs at 53 Courtenay Place for "two for one desserts" on Tuesday, dessert from $10. Open 7 days, from 4pm until late on Friday and 5pm until late on other days. We visited on a Monday night, service was top shelf and friendly, there's plenty of reading material to keep you occupied if you're waiting for friends. Rumour has it there are drink vouchers between the pages of books.
Kirkcaldie & Stains, 165 - 177 Lambton Quay is the closest New Zealand gets to Harrod's or Bloomingdales. It's free to browse .... www.kirkcaldies.co.nz. If you celebrate Christmas you might like to visit their Christmas shop during the festive season, you'll find it on the second floor. Review of high tea at Kirkcaldie & Stains ($25pp). Update Kiwi icons decorate The Kiwi Pub at 26 Allen Street and you can play pool for free. The pub is like a cross between a Kiwi Nana's house and a Kiwi Dad's back shed. Visit their Facebook page (link above) for current promotions.
Late night at Te Papa Tongarewa Museum is Thursday night, the museum is open until 9pm. An Introducing Te Papa Tour is run on Thursday at 7pm, visit the website for daily tour times, cost - $12 adult, $6 child (under 15). Usual hours are 10am - 6pm daily, admission free. The Museum of Wellington City and Sea showcases Wellington's maritime history and the city's early days of development. Free entry, open daily 10am - 5pm. More museums in the city that may be of interest are New Zealand Cricket Museum, $5 entry; Bank of New Zealand Museum, free entry; Reserve Bank Museum; The Olympic Museum, free entry and Cable Car Museum, free entry. Moore Wilson's city location is corner of Tory and College Streets. Moore Wilson's stock a variety of goods including food, wine, fresh produce, fish, toys and home ware items. Legend has it they have the biggest range of food stuffs in the country. Thursday is Workshop day in the Fresh Demo Room, $10 ticket includes coffee, join the mailing list to find out what's coming up. Outside Moore Wilson's you can fill up a two litre bottle with water from the historic Crystal Spring, voluntary gold coin donation.
Movies - For $10-$11 movie tickets on Tuesday visit Embassy Theatre, 10 Kent Terrace. The Embassy occasionally have "Chicks At The Flicks" special screenings for the girls. Another cheap Tuesday movie option is Reading Cinema, 100 Courtenay Place. Need a hideout on a rainy day? Visit a cafe in the Old Bank Arcade, 233 - 237 Lambton Quay. Every hour the clock outside "Rixon Groove Shirt & Tie Makers" opens up and tells a brief history of the building, it's a real work of art. Alternatively, make yourself comfortable in the Wellington City Library, 65 Victoria Street. The library is open 7 days (1pm - 4pm Sundays).
One for the girls - Take tea in a china cup at pretty Martha's Pantry, 276 Cuba Street. Tea, scone, jam and cream is $8. Pick up a free book while you're there from the Official BookCrossing Zone, for more information on how you can find and release books visit www.bookcrossing.com. Martha's Pantry is closed Monday. (The owners of Martha's Pantry have opened Arthur's at 272 Cuba Street, it's been described as a "cross between a man den and tearoom", there's some top reviews on MenuMania). New
There is another BookCrossing Zone at The Loft Cafe, 312 Lambton Quay (Whitcoulls Building). It's a bit tricky to find but go to the top floor of the Whitcoulls Building in the lift, take a right and then a left and you will find The Loft at the back of the building. It's a quiet spot in a busy city for lunch or morning and afternoon tea. Open Monday - Saturday. On the first Wednesday of the month there is a reverse auction for experiences, events and activities in the coolest little capital. Auctions start just after 9.00am on Wellington Wednesday, see how low the prices can go. (Sign up to be emailed a preview). Parliament tours - Aspiring politicians can take a free, one hour tour of parliament, allow 15 minutes before the tour for a security screening. If you're short on time you can take a tour on the web at www.parliament.nz. Opposite parliament is Backbencher Pub & Cafe at 34 Molesworth Street. Backbencher is worth a visit for the political cartoons and puppets, and the all day Ballot Menu has a more than a few options for $10 or less. Backbencher is open 7 days from 11am.
Piece by piece or bead by bead string together your own creation at Tiger Eye Beads, 109 Cuba Street. Open 7 days. Abstract Designs at 125 Cuba Mall have a range of New Zealand flavoured giftware, cards, jewellery and more, most if not all products are made in NZ. Open 7 days. If you're seriously into shopping visit www.wellingtonnz.com/shopping. Poetry - Write it, read it or just interested? Find out about Poetry events in Wellington and around the country here. Queue up outside Boogie Wonderland, 25 Courtenay Place to go disco dancin'. Open Thursday-Saturday, from 9pm, free entry. Roll up and enjoy a savoury or sweet crepe at Crepes A Go Go, 57 Manners Mall. Look out for the weekly and Sunday specials. French Kiss Cafe on Post Office Square also have French crepes on the menu.
Stand up comedy every Monday at The Fringe Bar, 195 Cuba Street - Raw Meat Mondays from 8pm, $5. New Stock up on fresh goodies at two markets situated alongside each other on Sunday - City Market (8.30am - 12.30pm) and Harbourside Market (7.30am - 1pm in winter, 7.30am - 2pm in summer). On Saturday there is the Underground Market from 10am - 4pm at Frank Kitts Park. Te Aro is home to the Colonial Cottage Museum, 68 Nairn Street. The cottage was built in 1858 and is Wellington city's oldest original cottage. The heritage garden is modelled on the original cottage garden and is open during the day. Visit the website to check opening hours, cottage entry $8 adults.
Travelling with children? There is a playground in Frank Kitts Park on the waterfront and another in the Waitangi Precinct near Oriental Parade. For directions visit the Waterfront Map or pick up a copy from the i-SITE. New Unwind at Parade Cafe in the Tugboat on Oriental Parade. There are a few breakfast options for $10 or less or enjoy something sweet from the cabinet and eat onboard or take away to the beach.
Visit Katherine Mansfield's BirthPlace at 25 Tinakori Road, Thorndon. A self guided tour of the house is $8. The house is 10 minutes walk from Parliament Buildings or catch bus number 14 and hop off at Park Street. Closed Monday. Those interested in learning more about the writer can pick up the brochure "Katherine Mansfield's Early Wellington", it takes in the Katherine Mansfield Memorial, Old St Pauls where the family worshipped, etc. You would need your own transport to visit all of the places mentioned but you can do a good portion of the tour in half a day on foot. The writing theme continues with ....
Wellington Writers Walk, waterfront walking on Wellington harbour. He wore blue dungarees. His beard and hair were long. His breath smelt of mussels and paraoa. When he smiled it looked like the dawn. James K Baxter. From The Maori Jesus.
Walk the sculpture trails - Below are three random photographs of outdoor sculptures in Wellington. There is a series of six guided sculpture walks that you can take, access free Wifi on your smart phone, tablet or lap top. New
Walk Wellington - Hit the heritage trails, wander the walkways or mix it up on a mountain bike track. Follow the link for more information and a link to the Walkways iPhone application. Alternatively call in to the i-SITE Visitor Centre on Civic Square as there is a series of "Explore Wellington Walkways" brochures printed by the Wellington City Council.
Xtra cheap lunches are available from Subway sandwiches. Visit the Store Finder to find a Wellington city location. Yahoo mail, check yours on a library computer. It costs $6 for 60 minutes of Internet access and you can use any remaining time within 30 days. Visit the Wellington City Library, 65 Victoria Street. (Also see Free Wifi above). Zero in on Maori art and contemporary New Zealand art and design at Iwi Art Gallery, 19 Tory Street and Kura Gallery, 19 Allen Street. Next door to Kura is ORA - New Zealand Art and Design, and a cafe. ORA cafe menu is 100% gluten free.
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