One of the great things about working two days a week means that you can grab a mini break at any time. I got some Grab a seat fares for less than $100 return so I took the chance to visit family and friends.
I made return visit to The Tannery and it was as lovely as ever. I called into Portobello Vintage store and there were faces glaring or staring at me all around.
Unfortunately you don’t need photos to see what is happening ( or not) post earthquake, so much is still a wasteland.
I saw facades of lovely old restaurants ripped open to the elements. I used to visit La Petite Croix and now it is just another building torn apart.
I managed also to catch up with one last film in the festival as it was still on down there. Called Iris, I left not knowing what to think. Yes I could admire her talent at putting clothes and accessories together, and I enjoyed her sprightly 90 plus year old mind and yet there was also something obscene in the collection of literally thousands of clothes, beads, brooches, furs, and so on. Even she in the end, admitted it was rather meaningless. She appeared immature, courting attention like a teenager doing selfies.
The best part about going to the film was the gorgeous venue- the completely refurbished Isaac Theatre Royal. http://isaactheatreroyal.co.nz/ I felt as though I should be wrapped in furs and bedecked with jewels. They have done a fantastic job of it.
I also tracked down Graham Bennett’s sculpture, Sextant, that I wrote about in an earlier post. It is down a little lane just off the top of Victoria street
It was great to catch up with old friends, especially my oldest and dearest friend, Rose, who lives in and adores, Lyttleton. We had a delicious brunch together at Freemans. nothing fancy, just good pizzas and friendly serviceon a cold and rainy day.
http://www.freemansdiningroom.co.nz/
Lyttleton was pretty devastated by the earthquakes and they have lost some lovely buildings but it is definitely rising from the ashes. If I moved back to Christchurch i would definitely consider living there.
We peered through the windows of a very simple, spare little restaurant called Roots which beat out The French Cafe for best restaurant of the year. They say, “We are a small restaurant in the port town of Lyttelton featuring an open kitchen, two dining rooms and a private courtyard. We offer degustation menus crafted from high quality ingredients sourced from sustainable local farms and foraged ingredients from our surroundings as well as from our own garden. We celebrate seasonality and what our ever-changing environment has to offer.”
Rose has a big number birthday coming up in October so I might have to go down again and try it out!
http://www.rootsrestaurant.co.nz/
It was quite cold and there was a lot of rain but I think if you have a well-insulated house and you enjoy a proper change of seasons, Christchurch has a lot to offer. Think of the money you could save by selling in Auckland and shifting there.
I arrived home to celebrate my son’s 23rd birthday. We had a lovely day, buying him shoes, going to the Lucky Buddha for lunch and going there and back via the Devonport Ferry. It was yummy Asian fusion and good for vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Thanks for the recommendation and the company, Bruce.
I always feel lighter once I come to Sammy’s birthday, the mornings are getting lighter, the days a bit longer and Spring feels a bit closer.
Good luck for the rest of the week. FG
Fluffy George 