Newtown 'Indian'

' Heavenly Customers,' the sign says, loyal friends of Curry Heaven. Here I am taking refuge having not been able to find a local cafe in Newtown to sit and watch. But a Mango Lassi beckons, and I am not disappointed.

 Newtown, my earlier 'suburb of choice' for residence, never really got there, and in retrospect, would not have been a good result. It has proximity to everything, the hospital especially, but is essentially Asian/Indian/ Maori in character, which is really very Wellington, but does not have yet, the 'achieving' feeling which is so encouraging. Roseneath, where I did end up, is upper-end socio-economic, vastly different, but with no village. Its village, I suppose, is the city, merely twenty minutes away.

 I notice on the other side of the street to this Indian cafe, Wellington 'Halal Meats'. The  Middle East is well represented here also. I reflect on where I was last night, a polar opposite at Victoria University at an inaugural lecture on Architecture at the Hunter Chamber, a very impressive Victorian building welcoming the gallant and the great to bear witness within its hallowed walls.

The commemorative lecture was predictably academic, and also delivered in a monotonous tone which only served to make its subject less interesting. A subject which could have been fascinating, but which just didn't cut it, for me, any way. The vote of thanks, on other hand, woke up the rather somnolent audience and this speaker, an English professor newly arrived in Wellington, showed exactly how a speech should be done. With verve and audience connection, he embraced the listeners and elicited a more than warm applause, given more for his speech, I would think, rather than that of the honouree!.

Another, i-Pad user has come into the Indian caff for her evening curry. A Wellingtonian of a certain age, probably well travelled, certainly weather beaten, she too is playing with her i-Pad. I wonder how many of us lonely singles are around, now married to our 'Apples'!