I have moved!!

I have moved my blog!!

I now have a swanky new website with all my writing, blogs and photography.

Check it out at www.kapcha.co.nz - see you there!!

Passion Of The Christchurch - TNT Article

This is my latest article to go to print - in the Winter 2010 edition of TNT New Zealand.

PASSION OF THE CHRISTCHURCH


Londoner turned Christchurch local KATHERINE KEARSLEY gives us the insider's guide to going out in the South Island's biggest city.

Finding the happening places in a new place is always a challenge and Christchurch is no exception. However, Christchurch is not just the Garden City. Hidden down alleys and back streets are a suprising number of awesome bars and clubs. 

I often come across people who have stopped briefly in Christchurch and think the nightlife is nothing to write home about. Invariably they had ended up on 

‘The Strip’, as Oxford Terrace at 2am in the morning is so-called. This little city, however, has just about something for everyone, as long as you know where to look. 

An area called SOL Square (stands for South Of Lichfield) has become the place to go in recent years. Found between Minx and His Lordship’s Pub on Lichfield 

Street, it rivals some of the laneways of Melbourne and Europe. Live music can be found just about any night of the week, ranging from jazz to trance, while the food on offer includes everything from homemade pizzas to teppanyaki via fish and chips. Each bar has it’s own history, whether fact or fiction so it’s definitely worth a look. 

Also worthy of pub crawl inclusion is another laneway-type area called Poplar Street, just off Lichfield Street – the other side of Manchester to SOL Square. 

It’s similar to SOL Square with plenty of variety all within a quick stumble, including a Russian vodka bar, a German beer bar, an English micro brewery and my 

favourite, the mod bar Vespa – complete with a real Vespa scooter on the wall. This area tends to attract more of the late-20s crowd (compared to SOL’s 

youngsters), so it tends to be quieter during the week but has a real buzz on the weekends. 

Other popular haunts are: 

Sullivan's Irish Bar - Manchester Street - great live music on the weekends. 

Cruz on Lichfield Street is the city's best gay club. 

The Bog Irish Bar on the corner of Cashel Mall and Oxford Terrace. Great live music and an awesome Monday night quiz. 

Pomeroy's on Kilmore Street near Fitzgerald Avenue. Great English pub. 

The Bangalore Polo Club on Oxford Terrace. Great food and a funky place. 

Christchurch Idol on Manchester Street is the place to go to for karaoke. 

Boogie Nights on Manchester Street. Tunes guaranteed to get you dancing. 

Shooters, on the corner of Manchester Street and Cashel Street, goes off. 

Did you know..........

......... that elephants are the only 4 wheel drive animal!!!????


All the rest of the animal species are rear wheel drive!! You learn something new everyday!! lol


Interesting little fact I got off the radio this morning.

Photos around the world

So I was contacted by a photographer who was an organising an event. The aim was for everyone involved to take a photo out of their window at the exact same time around the world - and see what results came along!!

These are my 2 that I sent him - not great but it was 5.30am so he's lucky I managed to drag myself out of bed at all!! 

Looking forward to seeing all of them though!

Dating 101 by ME!!!

Feature article from the February Issue of Cityscape!! 

More people seem to stay single these days than they ever did in Grandad’s day, despite us having cars, telephones, jobs and computers. It seems that all the social networking in the world won’t help in this area. Desperate and dateless might seem like an amusing state to the attached, but for a lot of people Valentine’s Day rolls around every year with still no partner in sight. Fear not – there are some avenues that even the most hardened serial dater won’t have tried. Read on and begin to put some of my ideas into practice – you probably won’t find love in time for this Valentine’s, but there’s no harm in getting started for next year!

My grandparents keep saying to me that if I don’t want to meet a guy who only wants to hang out in bars and get drunk and grope you, stop trying to meet guys in bars! As much as I hate to admit it, they’re right. So, if this is the case, where does one meet eligible singles in this city?

Since moving back to Christchurch three years ago, I have had a string of unsuccessful relationships and disastrous dates. Whilst the tales keep my friends amused, the experience leaves me wondering whether there are any decent single men in this city who don’t have a ton of baggage – if so, how do I find one?

When trying to find a partner, there are various routes to take. The most tried and true is to get a friend to introduce you to someone they know. That way you’ll hopefully avoid finding out that he or she is a raving lunatic – although this is not guaranteed! Personally, this hasn’t really been an option for me. Most of the people I know are foreigners or out-of-towners, or only know couples (why does everyone get married so young in Christchurch?) or 30-year-olds acting like they are 20! If you find yourself in this situation, don’t despair, there are more options to explore.

There are several dating agencies around. For a fee you join their database and they match your qualities and what you are looking for to find you a suitable partner. The upside is that someone is weeding out the dead ends before you even see them. The other bonus is that they only take professional 30-plus people who are serious about finding someone for a relationship. Unfortunately, there are often not enough men on the books to meet the demand of the ladies. Note to decent single men: get yourself registered with one of these companies and you may win the lady lottery! Companies to try are Bonjour and Xpose or Club Evolution.

A slightly different approach is attending singles events such as speed dating or singles dinners. This way you meet a number of people in a relaxed atmosphere (speed dating is actually a lot of fun once you are there – not at all scary like I thought it would be). Companies to try are M Factor Events or Distinctive Dining. The plus side is you get to meet more than one person during the evening, including one-on-one time with potential partners. This means not having to go on lots of individual dates before finding someone you’re interested in. The downside is that you’re competing with everyone else there – and let’s face it, no one likes to be the underdog! The one I attended at Boogie Nights was great fun and people were having a fantastic time, though I’m not sure how successful it was for long-term relationships – by the end of the night people were way too sloshed to chat and it was mostly groping and grinding on the dance floor with a bit of tonsil tennis thrown in to boot!

There are pros and cons in internet dating. Lots of success stories but lots of disaster stories too (I, unfortunately, seem to fall more often into the latter category!). A large part depends on what website you join, so before signing up to anything, do your homework and check them out. Do a quick search to see if there are any potential targets and if the site feels right for you. Keep an open mind but remember that people may seem perfect on paper but in reality they can be far from it. Sound advice from my grandparents (and I hate to admit it, but they’re right) would be that if you do agree to meet people, make sure you tell someone where you are going and what time you’ll be back. Always meet in a public place (ruling out any stalkers finding out where you live) and remember that if it doesn’t feel right or you want out, just make a polite excuse and leg it! I have bravely gone on a few dates with guys from various sites but so far these have been disasters and only served to highly amuse everyone when I retold the stories!

First there was the extremely short guy who, even before the main course had arrived, told me I could buy an $85,000 engagement ring and had planned the layout of our house. Then the hung-over and unresponsive guy who, after having a hair-of-the-dog beer, proceeded to tell me he was awaiting DNA test results to see if he was the father of a one-night-stand’s child! Next was the one who took me on a first date to Denny’s and told me I wasn’t allowed to order anything but the cheapest thing on the menu – and freaked out when I got a second glass of orange juice (he had the full-on cooked breakfast incidentally – oh, and I wasn’t there by the time the food arrived – SOS call!). Then there was the married guy who was apparently separated, but who I happened to see a few weeks later on a family holiday with his wife and kids! Finally, the man who took a glass of ‘fine wine’ off me because I had just eaten a mint, then somehow had me clearing out his freezer (I still don’t know how or why I even started that!). His over-inflated opinion of himself meant he thought he was God’s gift to women (think short, podgy, middle-aged, balding!).

Now, my grandparents would be proud of me for suggesting this next one (and again I hate to admit it, but I think they are right). The way to meet someone nice with common interests is to take up some sort of hobby. I’m not talking about stamp collecting or anything like that, I mean taking classes where there are likely to be eligible singles around. I know quite a few people who have met the partner of their dreams through dance classes, for instance. Personally, the high-heeled, flared-pants-wearing guys at salsa class don’t float my boat, but there have been a few hotties at swing dance. Granted, a lot of guys come with their partner but the odd one is single (or the person you thought was the partner in fact turns out to be just a friend!). Other things to try would be martial arts, a computing course, photography, surfing, sailing – or anything, really, that you have an interest in – whatever the activity, you’re already one step ahead with a shared common interest (I’m guessing you won’t have much luck in knitting club, however).

Although I have had some bumpy dating experiences in the last few years, I am forever the eternal optimist and hopeless romantic. I love to go out on dates and meet new people, and have made several good friends through the various websites, clubs and classes I have been to. So although I haven’t found the man of my dreams there are benefits to trying different options  – as I always say you can never have enough friends. There is still a little glimmer of hope that I may one day find my Prince Charming (send a postcard if you know of any you can pass my way!), but I have to admit that for the time being, I have better things to concentrate on than worrying about being single – and still I wonder if I was right when I was 5 years old and told my Granddad that I would never marry a kiwi.

just a click away …

Findsomeone [www.findsomeone.co.nz] My favourite of them all. Free to join, but you have to be a member to email people – although you can reply to people even if you are not a paid member. There seems to be a better selection of people on here than a lot of other NZ-based sites. I know several people who have ‘found love’ on this site, including my Mum, so there is hope for us all yet! It’s good to see that it has space for people to actually voice their opinions on subjects like children, commitment, love, etc, rather than just the drop-down boxes on a lot of other sites. Really easy to use as well, which is a bonus!

Match.com [www.match.com] Not as big as some of the other sites in New Zealand but huge overseas (always good if you want to find yourself an international lover!). You don’t have to pay to place a profile on the site but you do if you want to read or send emails. Be aware that fees are charged in Australian dollars. Match has a good selection of people and because it’s paid for, people seem to take it more seriously and are not just looking for a quick roll in the hay. A great site, and I love checking out the South American hotties!

Matchfinder [www.matchfinder.co.nz] I’m unimpressed with this one. There is a large selection of people on the site, but none seem to be what I’m looking for. Each to their own so you may find the man of your dreams on there. You can reply to emails without being a paid member but you need to pay to send them first.

NZ Dating [www.nzdating.co.nz] I think this site is the worst of the bunch! It’s free to join and although ‘gold members’ get more search options and privacy controls, anyone can email anyone at any level. I have to say I have had little or no luck at all on here – and not many people I know have either. I am frequently presented with ‘interesting’ photos of guys’ nether regions – seriously, do you really think we like looking at them? – as well as offers to have steamy sessions with a guy and his seven mates, or to watch some guy that looks like he was dropped on his head at birth have some fun on his webcam! Hence I am not holding out much luck for the man of my dreams to suddenly appear on this site.

Rainbow Serpent Nights!!

This was the end of one of the best days I have had in a long time. Thanks to everyone who made my experience at Rainbow Serpent festival so much fun. I had a fantastic time and value the new friendships that I made and hope to see you all soon.

Rainbow Serpent Festival & The Nargile Lounge

Whilst in Melbourne friends and I spent almost a week at a festival called Rainbow Serpent. It was held in the bush near Beaufort and Ballarat about 2 hours outside of Melbourne. There were lots of DJ's and a few live acts as well as various performers and entertainers too.

I was part of a group that went and set up a gift economy space called the Nargile Lounge. A lot of the organisers were Burning Man people and this is a concept that is very common at Burning Man festivals around the world. I haver never been a part of something like this though and so was not sure what to expect.


The aim of the Nargile Lounge was to provide a free space for people to come and enjoy and hang out in. Nargile or Nargila as it's pronounced are hookah pipes, or hubbly bubbly pipes as I call them. We had several of these for people to smoke as well as given out peppermint tea and various snacks like dried fruit, nuts and turkish delight.

It was amazing to see how much people appreciated the space and were so grateful for the chance to enjoy the tent with us. It made me feel really great to be a part of the team and to be offering people this experience.


The festival was awesome. Some great music was played and I was often found dancing away till the sun rose each morning. There was a huge mix of people at the festival and all seemed to be enjoying their experiences.

It's been a long time since I went to a good festival and so was great to let my hair down and enjoy every aspect of it and meet some fantastic people along the way.

Melbourne - oh how I love thee!!

Yesterday I returned from 2 weeks in Melbourne. It's a city I have always had a fondness for. I lived there for 6 months when I was 19 and have always said I want to move there one day. 

I was a little apprehensive about going there as had such fond memories of the city and wasn't sure if I would see it in the same light. No worries about it though. It's exactly the same as I remember and even better. It's been so long since I was in a big city, I'd forgotten how much I love the hustle and bustle of it all. There was always something going on whatever time of day or day of the week. I especially loved the trams and travelling around exploring the city on them.

I managed to catch up with old friends as well whilst there and it was fantastic to chat about old times and it even felt as if I'd only seen them about 6 months ago even though it had been at least 8 years with most of them!

I loved the shopping. Melbourne is a shoppers paradise! So much to choose from. So many great designers and funky stores as well as amazing discount stores like Target which quickly became and regular haunt for us. 


The food was amazing too. We found a fantastic place to have breakfast on Sydney Road. It served all kinds of things including american style pancakes with real maple syrup and made a great cup of coffee to have with it.

Melbourne definitely has a special buzz about it and I can't wait to go back and discover more of it at some point in the future!

AN OBITUARY PRINTED IN THE LONDON TIMES

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, 'Common Sense', who has
been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his
birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be
remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: Knowing when to come in out of the rain; why the early bird gets the worm; 

Life isn't always fair; and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more
than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in
charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but
overbearing regulations were set in place. 

Reports of a 6-year-old boy
charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from
school for using mouth wash after lunch; and a teacher fired for
reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job
that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.


It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent
to administer sun lotion or an Aspirin to a student; but could not inform
parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. 

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and
criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar
in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to
realise that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her
lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement. 

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust. His
wife, Discretion, his daughter, Responsibility, his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights; I Want It Now;
Someone Else Is To Blame; I'm A Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realised he was gone. If you
still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

Dinner watching the sunset in Hokitka

 originally uploaded by Fire Fairy.

I was on the West Coast with work last week and one night stayed at the Beachfront Hotel in Hokitka. The restaurant in the hotel had an amazing view from the balcony and I ate dinner whilst watching the sunset!! What better way to enjoy a meal!!

The Phoenix Foundation to release Christmas album

Following in the footsteps of Cliff Richard and The Darkness, The Phoenix Foundation are releasing a Christmas album, both digitally and physically, on the 7th of December titled MERRY KRISKMASS. The first single to be released is Everybody’s Money and although not Christmas themed is still a great tune that will have you swaying in your seats.

The lyric’s however, give an ironic twist to the upbeat tone of song. I asked Samuel Scott from The Phoenix Foundation what the story was behind the lyrics: It was written in London last year. The whole credit crunch thing was going down and I wanted to sing about that in a joyful fun tone. Not that I enjoy financial troubles, I just wanted to poke fun at what is ultimately a rather absurd situation. Specifically it was written in James Milne's (aka Lawrence Arabia) flat in Dalston. I wrote a few tunes about Dalston itself and for a while James and I were going to write a Christmas musical about the joys of North East London.

Why a release Christmas album? Why not! It almost coincidental that it's Christmas album. But Chris and Krisk (the two 'people' on the cover and the subject of some of the lyrics) are essentially Christmas ornaments. So it was a mix of timing ridiculous content and a desire to be like Cliff Richard.

What’s your favourite Christmas album and why? To be honest I have never met a Christmas album that I liked. Actually thats not entirely true, there was a Twinset Xmas thing featuring Dermania Loyd, that was pretty good. My family always play this Dean Martin Christmas album, it's horrible.

What are your plans for the Christmas holidays? Eat some Roast Krisk.

Any plans to come to play in Christchurch in the near future? I hope so. In fact I think we are coming down in February, I'm not sure of the details. Christchurch has become a really good destination for TPF, we always have a great time.

Everybody’s Money for some reason makes me think of a great night out on the town followed by the hangover from hell the next day, hugging the sofa, reminiscing about the night before with something easy to listen to on the stereo. And for me to be listening to anything at all the day after a big night out it has to be good. The lyrics are clever and I love the contrast between them and the tune. This is definitely one song to be added to my i-pod for my summer roadtrip and I can’t wait to hear the rest of the album.

The September Issue

R J Cutler’s documentary The September Issue is a must-see film at this year’s New Zealand International Film Festival, on now at the Regent on Worcester.

The film takes a close look at the notorious Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of the prestigious American Vogue magazine and the nine-month process to create the September 2007 issue – the bible of the fashion world.

The crew follows Wintour to runway shows and fashion weeks, private breakfast meetings with advertisers and designers and into her private office to film heated debates about finances and editorial content with the creative director, Grace Coddington.

It will have you gasping in your seats and realising that your boss really isn’t that bad after all!

SOL Flavours

This month we decided that it was time to rediscover SOL Square and the myriad venues within its precinct. Has SOL lost its soul and merely after the big bucks? Or underneath it all is the area still alive and kicking with the vibrancy and quirkiness that the developers originally intended?

SOL Square was initially set up to redevelop the old warehouse district – an aged, down-at-heel part of the city. Developer Dave Henderson sought to revitalise these forgotten architectural gems of Christchurch’s history. In doing so, he has recreated a look epitomised by so many other cities around the world. Think the cobbled streets of Soho in London, the alleyways behind Montmartre in Paris or Greenwich Village in New York and you’ve got SOL Square, albeit with a very Kiwi twist.

It’s testament to Dave Henderson’s vision (and his art department) that SOL Square appealed to and was so quickly embraced by those slightly left of centre, or perhaps those who’d done a bit of travelling. It seemed to offer something different to The Strip, and therefore attracted an older, arty and more sophisticated kind of crowd. The offer from each bar was varied and had an originality that hadn’t been seen in Christchurch. So why has the perception of SOL seemed to have changed over the last year?

An assumption at the moment is that SOL Square is just a mass of bars, frequented by the former inhabitants of The Strip. The drunken teeny-boppers out in force and causing havoc on the weekend seem to have replaced the once-discerning punter. Granted, in certain bars after midnight this can sometimes be seen, but then a lot of places around Christchurch are afflicted with the same problem.

However, we’re pleased to say that SOL Square is truly a village within a city, somewhere you can spend all day, literally starting with brekkie and finishing up with a boogie on the dance floor (much) later that evening, all without thankfully encountering the RTD, under-18 crowd. A seemingly little known fact is that SOL has a wealth of places that offer great dining experiences, and is not all about drinking till you drop.

Get back out there and rediscover SOL Square for yourselves. Don’t just take our word for it!

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The Bars & Restaurants

Here’s a quick glance at all the restaurants, bars and cafés to be found within SOL Square, and a few anecdotes that reveal the quintessential nature of each venue.

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His Lordships
History: First given a liquor licence in 1880 Atmosphere: English pub Quirky: Old radios on the wall that came from a Smith City Auction. The original pub was actually where the entrance to SOL Square is, but burnt down in 2000 Favourite food:Sunday roast Thing to look out for: Live music seven nights a week, beer school running every Wednesday night from 6-8pm till October.

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Mexican Café
History: Opened in Christchurch in 2005; Mexican Café is a 25-year-old institution in Auckland Atmosphere: Vibrant, Latin-influenced, noisy and good fun Favourite food: California/Mexican inspired – must try the taco salad Favourite drink:Margaritas by the jug. Huge range of Mexican beers Things to watch for: 157 different tequilas, including the world’s most expensive. Watch out for the chilli tequila!

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Cartel
History: Opened February 2007, when five guys got hold of a hole in the wall that had some outside space and decided to open a cool bar. Had a small budget but the vision of a Cuban theme to go in the bar Atmosphere: Cuban-themed with a mix of old furniture and sofas to create a comfy yet funky bar to hang out in. Great music with DJs on weekends Quirky: Only seats 30 people! Drink to try: Mojito cocktail or one of the 35 rums available Thing to look out for: Hot water bottles – get the staff to fill one up for you to keep you warm when sitting outside. Board games like Connect 4, Monopoly, Yahtzee, etc, to keep you amused.

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La Petite Croix 
Atmosphere: Inspiration taken from a cellar of an ancient French Château, yet designed to be like the local place to go. Not pretentious, simply ‘French’! Favourite food: The garlic-infused prawn hot pot Best drink: A huge range of Champagne to choose from Things to watch for: Upholstered exterior, original silver and pewter teapots, the bar made from an old intricate ceiling panel.

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YellowCross 
History: An old sewing factory; some of the old machines are up on the mezzanine floor and the tables downstairs are sewing tables Naming origins: The cross used to sit on top of the Odeon Theatre from the days when it was a church; Dave used to see this from his office window every day and decided to use it Quirky: When a floorboard came loose on the dance floor they found thousands of pins underneath it – see if you can sneak a peek Favourite food: Any one of the pizzasFavourite drink: The India Pale Ale is a must Things to watch for: Check out the micro-brewery tanks with the cheeky cherubs.

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Vinum 
Atmosphere: An intimate space, designed to be as if the local farmer has converted his barn! Naming origins: Vinum is Latin for wine (pronounced vee-num) Favourite food: An unlimited supply of peanuts – you even throw the shells on the floor! Things to watch for: That you don’t get caught up in the lock-in. Check out what’s holding the menus – the old skeleton of some goat!

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The Fish & Chip Shop
History: Part of two buildings that were built for the Lichfield Shirt Company in 1932 and 1954 Atmosphere: Kiwiana – remember that 60-ish sofa and those chrome legged, formica-topped tables? Sourced from all over New Zealand, what was once considered naff and kitsch seems to have come into a fashion of its own Naming origins: Before all the other fast food joints opened up, fish & chips were the takeaway of New Zealand so it made sense to name it after that Things to look for:The paua shell count has to be seen to be believed.

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Cleaners Only 
History: In the old Lichfield Shirt Company Building Naming origins: The fictional story tells that at the turn of the century alcohol was hard to come by, but luckily cleaners of the time knew someone who knew someone who made a still. Hard liquor was brewed, drunk and eventually distributed on site. Every night just enough bricks were removed to allow the cleaners to sneak through when their shift ended and then to indulge themselves until the early hours Atmosphere: Like a cleaner’s cupboard: mops and buckets, gasoline cans and more junk, sourced from garage sales, Supershed, demolition yards and secondhand stalls! Favourite food: Microwave pies Favourite drink: Can of Double Brown Things to look for:The dirty overalls hanging from the ceiling rack!

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Fat Eddie’s
History: It’s based on the legendary (but purely fictional) Edward J Schwartz, known as Fat Eddie, a music impresario and promoter of old. Famous for his irreverence, cocktails, American-style food and, most importantly, his ability to spot great jazz talent. He is still very much present in all the quirkiness that Fat Eddie’s venue provides Atmosphere: A monument to jazz music history, with walls covered in memorabilia and a life’s collection of photos with the stars! The mezzanine floor is designed to evoke an ‘old man’s attic’ Favourite food: Buffalo wings or pretzels; ice cream sundaes Things to look for:Make sure no one takes a photograph of you while you’re perched on one of the bar stools – head up there to find out why! Also, boys, check out your toilets and you’ll be amused to find some lips waiting for you…

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Toast Café Bar
History: Opened over two years ago; one of the first hospitality places to open in SOL Square Naming origins: All about ‘toasting’ good mates with a cold beer, great wine and food to share Favourite food: The platter menu Favourite drink: The signature cocktail Banana Toast (banana, gingerbread syrup, Baileys, Kahlua, apple sours and banana liqueur and flamed cinnamon).

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Base Bar & Nightclub
History: Originally on Colombo St. Moved and was one of the first hospitality places in SOL Square to open. One of NZ’s longest running and most well known nightclubs. Has hosted DJs from all over the world Atmosphere: Purpose-built nightclub with a great sound system. Plays commercial, house, electro, trance Favourite drink: Cosmopolitan cocktailThings to look for: The Bacardi Lounge, a members-only bar inside Base. The 100-year-old floorboards and brickwork which were restored and used in the club.

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Ishimoto
Naming origins: Actually after Dave’s sister’s beloved family cat Atmosphere: Designed to be a grotto, with a butterfly here and an orchid there; a place one might find fairies and elves playing in a clearing in the woods Favourite food: Yakitori, tempura crab, seaweed salad, tofu marinated in teppanyaki sauce Favourite drink: One of the many infused sakes Things to look for: The stunning branch balustrade and door handles and real branch canopy!

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Culture Club
Naming origins: Remember Boy George? Atmosphere: Just think tacky – and the 80’s! Cool space for people to relive the days when they wore some baggy, flared jeans and bright-coloured shirts Favourite drink: Pina Colada Things to look for: Glow balls and the Pacman and Space Invaders games.

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Minx Bar & Restaurant
History: The building was built for the Wellington Woollen Manufacturing Company in 1919 Naming origins: Named after the first family car – the Hillman Minx Atmosphere: An orgy of colour and pattern. Loud in the bar, more subtle in the restaurant. Experimental materials with a nod to mid-century design, with original sample mahogany chairs and sofas and lampsFavourite food: The most amazing oysters with a citrus twist, made by award-winning chefs Favourite drink: Hemingway cocktail in the bar or Central Otago Pinot Noir in the restaurant Things to look for: Be mesmerised trying to figure out a pattern behind that light wall in the bar. Keep an eye out for the lava lamp which sits on the wine wall area in the restaurant. Very hypnotising…

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Mu Steakhouse
History: Built as a receiving depot for imported British merchandise in 1893 Favourite food: The aged steaks Things to watch for: This seems to be a popular bar with some sports personalities.