Farewell to Jimmy

I am at The Jimmy again as it is closing on December 21 so I may as well use it while it's here, it's good value and very comfy. Armchairs and all that, but you can see why it's not making money, it's just abit off the beaten track although it is on Courtenay Place.  Oh well, that's cafe business, you've got to have a gimmick these days.

Am gearing up for my big weekend, tonight at Michael Fowler with Peer Gynt, and tomorrow at Beth's, and Sunday, a double whammy. Will be glad when Monday comes around when I have the last WellMac session for the year, but unfortunately again missing out on my swimming.

It is a strange dichotomy, living in this town, with so much to offer but still with the problems of people like the lady Mayor who I believe, doesn't have much of an idea how to do anything. It has taught me that unless you get up and do it yourself you can't really criticise anyone, but perhaps getting out is the final solution. However Wellington will always retain its charm if only because of its confined and beautiful harbour, encompassing a small non high-rise city with an amazing collection of restaurants, bars and boutique cinemas and its myriad of Arts festivals.

The Jimmy, soon to close..

...making my farewells..

The fabulous Long Bar...

After the fantastic concert I have repaired to the Crumpet, the cafe attached to the Opera House, which is playing at the moment Mama Mia, a far cry from the high brow music at the Michael Fowler Centre, but surely just as enjoyable.

The Mozart, Tchaikowsky and Greig  program was very ably played by the NZSO with the high point doubtless the cello solo by an Armenian musician who played so beautifully the audience was enraptured. He gave two encores and the last was to his countrymen present in the theatre. He played an evocative piece which appealed to all people who were away from their homeland. Well it made me cry and I felt so strongly homesick that my decision to return home was even more strengthened. A great night's music.

It was dark at the Crumpet, but the hot chocolate was served with a nice piece of Whittakers chocolate, very nice, I'll come again.

Back again....the Belle

Another day another season... that's Wellington!

Am again at the Belle with a filo pastry spinach roll which is quite good, and their version of my coffee which they call a 'versato', long black with hot milk. Have visited NZAF to talk World AIDS Day next week with R and L. Last year we collected more than $1600 dollars, mainly at the New World Supermarket. Wellingtonians are very generous, and more so, apparently than their Aucklander counterparts.

Cancelled French this morning as I don't want to make it a die-hard habit with J as it is not something to set into concrete when I know I am outta here in eight months. My excuse is the meeting I went to which is very valid. It will be a decorated Christmas this year in Wellie as the city rebelled against the sombre non-display of last year's Christmas in Wellington. The city is very pretty but it still needs to be lit up for Christmas fare, not that I celebrate it at all. It is a city run by the Chinese and the Indians to boot, although the vast real estate wealth of course lies in old hands  inherited from the colonial days.

Young and generous Maori athlete winning the Man of the Year Award

Filo and spinach...

A sample read at Belle...

My outlook....

...and a large place for smokers!

Am gearing up for a big weekend with a 70th birthday bash on Sat arvo at Beth's followed by a Long Hall talk on the history of the Opera House on Sunday arvo and then afterwards the big Concert for Interfaith. Dancing is cancelled on Sunday night. Oh, I forgot, Friday night concert of Peer Gynt at Michael Fowler courtesy of Fir who gave me her ticket which she was unable to use. So a big weekend, but it is amazing how much I can fit into life in this town, possibly because of its casual mid-speed pace of life....just cruises along.

Last night, for example, with no Scottish Dance, I caught a movie at the Lighthouse. An excellent French comedy with Maggie Smith starring with Kristen Scott Thomas and Kevin Kline in a just managed English spoken French movie. Subject of course, American in Paris, infidelity, mystery of fatherhood, and two f***** up kids being reunited as possible lovers after a lifetime of tragedy. Typically written and made by a Jewish writer who knows the trauma of a bad childhood. It was called My Old Lady and Maggie was indeed, a great interpreter of the role of a ninety two year old woman.

Bloody weather!

I can say now that I am homebound. That is, stuck at home. Plans for an early library visit were curtailed by impending gales and rain. It has cleared somewhat but the winds are still there and I am still here. However I have done a few emails and am going to HU at six thirty and afterwards to catch a Maggie Smith movie with Kevin Kline set in Paris. Should be easy on the eyes anyway. 

Letter today to Peruvian B in Port Stephens, just to fill him in a little about me and my background. Frighten him away or make him interested perhaps. Who know?  Also have arranged to meet Norma in Auckland on my Board meeting visit there on Decenber 13. Now to organise flights with Ron. It will be a worthwhile trip as it includes a farewell to Bruce on the Friday night, with nibbles, a little frugal in my humble opinion. But the meeting with N after forty years will be interesting, could even be a disaster!

So after most of the day in front of the computer I need to get out, so after lunch I am off to the  local   supermarche at Kilbirnie for some provisions for weekend's get-togethers, after all they expect the miracle of the loaves and fishes with eight to cater for one hundred with 'bring a plate'! The sun comes out and the day miraculously turns into summer time, weird weather ay? I shop, I visit Tom who's not yet home after work, and then to wait till six-thirty I frequent my old friend Maccas where I actually have the best hot chocolate I have had in New Zealand. Thanks to the young Islander barista who knows his stuff. There is hope yet!

Numero uno cioccolatta calda, with two marshmallows!

This is a barista who know his apples, and his espresso machine!

Below, death by jogging

After HU and before movie, a quick snack at my early favourite bar Midnight Espresso, remember that one? Well it is still exactly the same and the the young people have even more tattoes. The headlines of the Dom Post talk of a tragedy in downtown Wellington where a woman jogging ran straight in front of a bus and died as a result. What have I been saying? Wellingtonians are born to jog, just as they are born to die. There was no blame attached to the distraught Maori bus driver and I feel so sad for him as he says everyday he thinks of the accident and blames himself for the death. I don't think they will ever stop jogging these Kiwis, so there has to be a fatality occasionally, it's just in the statistics.

At HU tonight I met two retired Kiwis of my age who have decided to build their own Yurt and live in it on their friend's community garden precinct.  Again a couple getting off the grid. I think it is vaguely somewhere I am heading too. My return to Oz must have a game plan with a set of goals. All my Kiwi goals will have been realised by July next year when it is time for me to leave. But still, eight months or so to go, make the most of them, there is still much to learn!

Cafe Jimmy

Well it's downright ironic that today, sunny and beautiful, in the great Jimmy cafe at St James theatre, my favourite theatre cafe, I am so happy about my decision to quit these Windy Isles. And my coffee today is absolutely purrfect! Last night I had nearly decided to change my mind completely. It seemed ridiculous. I am here, paying practically no rent in a beautiful bayside home with views to die for from my bedroom, I have  a super-snooty BMW convertible, and  so much going on in my life that is positive, upbeat, and rewarding, and I decide to leave. Am I crazy or what?

But there is something under the surface, as in Tassie, that is not my cup of tea so to speak. There is a toll to be paid for all this perfection, this island beauty, there is a sort of madness that you can't totally avoid. Those that do stay here travel incessantly to escape this eventuality.  And the others leave for good. I am being a bit weak perhaps in not persevering, but the challenges in Oz are just as big, if not bigger. And the climate and heat in Oz is one big negative about which I have no control. Last night I dreamt I was in Gosford, with my BMW, getting lost driving home, but having been told the directions I knew I would eventually make it. It would be a little troublesome, but hey, what's easy is not always the best. It's time, as Gough Whitlam said, for a change.

And I just read in the Dom Post that this cafe is about to close, an icon in Wellington, not making enough cash, must close and become a fast-food outlet. Am I vindicated? I have see the best of Wellington, the worst is yet to come. I saw the table of suits sitting here yesterday, eight men bold and brave, plotting the downfall of another historic and much loved venue. Quelle tragedie!

Perfect coffee..

Things are a bit 'sicko'..

In this wonderful town...

Where its famous cafe is demobilised

Mondayitis...at the Belle

Today I woke up to more cold drizzle so as quickly as I could stretch my limbs, shower and have a cuppa, I was on my way to town. I missed the bus, it arrived early, so I walked around the Point to wait for the Number 14. The Memphis Belle was calling.

Photo op for Tony Abbott

The Belle at fast speed

The excellent barista.

Wall art....

90 year old gym junkie!

On checking out the news I discover that I actually missd the most exciting part of the footy game on Saturday night. Oz scored in the last minute for a win, but the try was disallowed because of a suspect forward pass. Such a win for the Kiwis who did walk away with the trophy, but the Aussies still had their pride. Theirs was, after all, a second string team.

After this bout of national pride it is interesting to see how my plans for a return to Oz are slowly but surely taking place. Of course there are new friendships like J to consider, but she knows already of  my impending departure, sometime. And really what else is there to to consider? BP won't miss me, the swimmers won't miss me, the Ti Whanawhana I will be sad to leave, but really, I am not Maori and never will be. My blood remains Anglo Celtic and I am four generations Australian. And Eckankar, my major reason for moving anywhere, I believe now has more things for me to do in my native country than here in these adopted isles. Things are done differently here I discover, and that is how it is. Big challenges await me in Oz.

I looked at my recent dream diary and discovered many dreams situated in my home town of Gosford, so it may well be there where I relocate. After all, my good friend PK wants me so much to live in his Gosford house, which I suppose, at a pinch, I could do. After all, one thing I have learned in these years of moving house, is that possessions and place are not essential to one's well being. Although a flat of my own is still an attractive prospect. However that can still eventuate once I am back on home turf and where I can organise things more simply and clearly. May be the 'way to go' as they say in the vernacular. 

We'll see, I must not forget that patience has been the virtue I am learning most in Kiwiland.

Sunday post mortem

This may be a typical newspaper headline, but it this case it is all too typical of such 'blunders'  that seem to happen regularly in Kiwiland. Forensic samples were 'lost' because of sloppy police work. I supposeit goes with the territory, New Zealand is one of the safest, if not the safest place, in the world to live, so the police are pretty slack in the main, everyone is just too honest, except of course, the lone Kiwi runaway to Rio who recently miraculously got apprehended at a back packers. He also absconded from a country with lax rules on passports and immigration. It looks like they will have to up the ante and become like all other first world countries with high security and all that it entails.

The G20 in Brisbane shows what needs to be done when world leaders get together, you can't move without asking a security guard. Of  course the other headline is a house burnt down after a party in Hamilton and three young people lost, presumed dead. Another Kiwi tragedy.

Anyway I am here on the waterfront and it's sunny, but windy, and I so I don't know how long I'll last outside. The wind kills everything in Wellington, plants as well. All these little things add up to sometimes an intolerable situation and I feel my decision to leave is well grounded and well founded, I am just following in many others' footsteps who weren't able to cut it here because of the weather.

Sunday headlines...

Blue skies..

But too windy so I retreat inside.

Last night at Westpac stadium where I left before the end of the game to avoid the crowds of drunken celebrating  Kiwis, they won needless to say, I thought about my differences to the Kiwi mentality. It is just that I am too old really, if I were young I could blend in somewhat, and decide to have the great quality of life they have here. But no, I am ready for a return to OZ as it's homelands calling although my experience here I will never forget.

Getting too windy..

The Kiwis - condemned to jog.

My ticket to defeat...

Saturday Footy

It looks silly but it is a weekend of Rugby and Rugby League. Tonight are the finals of the four nations League, with Oz vs Kiwis which I hope to witness, and OS in Edinburgh, Moorefield, a big Rugby game of All Blacks vs Scotland. The Kiwis will be having orgasms of some sort tonight, and also tomorrow morning when the Scots game is telecast at 6.30 am.

I have gone to the Cafe Bordeaux at Newtown to get out of the cold and windy house but the weather has finally brightened up and the sun is shining.  I have a good coffee with a croissant with egg and bacon, also very nice, and sit to read the local weekend newpaper.

The news is all doom and gloom but also some good stories of Kiwis' overseas, which is where they all seem to have incredible successs. In fields of writing, and cooking, films and acting, Kiwis are to the fore. But the headlines of the Dom Post give dire warnings about the health system here, crippled by bureaucracy where good doctors just leave because they are stifled. Very sad that, and I can understand completely given some experience with the public service. But in the arts and cuisine it's a different story, they are at the top of the pile, if only because of the great education system and fabulous fresh food available which is mostly naturally produced. 

There is so much to learn from living in NZ. How to survive in their very weird weather is just one of them, and how to be patient and cope with bureaucracy is another. But stories like Madeleine Sami  below, a super talented actress, is inspiring and refreshing. Also another, not pictured, of Peta Mathias, a redhead who does Agony Aunt columns for the weekend magazine; she is always witty, entertaining and to the point. She is giving a one woman comedy show touring NZ next year so I hope to get a ticket as I certainly am a fan. A dedicated foodie and traveller, she takes tours on cooking trips to India, and no doubt has a huge following.  I wonder if my living with Sonny will result in my getting over my phobia of India and visiting there one day? It could be life changing, again. But just how many changes do I have to go through? Lol.

Anyway I am off now to market and perhaps have another coffee with  Tom if he is available. Already the sun is shining and people are smiling in the streets, it never takes long for that in Windy Wellington. But of course it could rain again this afternoon with gale force winds also predicted. You just never can tell.

Disaster in health...

But fun in Newtown..

Fear all around...

But footy to the fore...

A great talented actress..

No coffee with Tom but a short visit instead to new friend J who seeks my advice about a publishing problem she has, or rather with personal relations where artistic temperaments are involved. I tell her to follow her heart and I'm sure she will get rhe right result. She is very sick btw, having put herself under too much pressure and also flying to Auckland to review rhe Sydney Dance Company, which was less than enthralling she dared say.

Now I am resting before the final Ceilidh of the year and then the footy bonanza at Westpac Stadium. I hope I can get a good seat!

I did...and we lost, the Kiwis were jubilant and I was happy for them!