Ryan's birthday.
Family and friends attended = happy and appreciate this gesture for Ryan.
Slow service, average food = not happy.
It's a shame that occurred because now I assume Beach house is another over priced restaurant.
The grab one meals were designed to hook us in and it did. Unfortuantely they failed to deliver today...
and for $107 I would have to say I am not happy.
Fail on your part, Beach house (Bucklands beach).
Lame.
Tovah
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Friday, August 24, 2012
Tanuki Cave + The Basement Theatre
Firstly, I have to say I WISH YOU CAME ALLIE! because I had an absolute experience tonight.
1. Japanese food at Tanuki's Cave. (Amount spent $80 between 3 people)
2. The Basement - double the plays! yep - two one hour length plays!!
AWESOME
Kia Ora New Zealand!
It's nights like these that make me really glad I am continuing with this blog and continuing to "YOLO"
(my how I hate that acronym). But in all honesty, I am very happy with my new frame of mind and the added pressure of Ryan (my partner) telling me to spend my money instead of saving it or being tight with my money. Because basically, I keep saying to myself "Oh what if I need my money for something else this week" !!! So thank Christ-mas I am spending some now....and still putting away a satisfactory amount...good compromise if I must say so myself.
So!!!!!
Tanuki's Cave - let's start with you aye!
Wicked!
Atmosphere... so relaxed. I felt like I was in a dear pub. A place where business men meet for "spontanious" meetings away from the long tabled boardrooms.
...Which is quite the contrast from my first impression. Firstly, it's located where you'd assume caves would lead....underground. If it was in Hamilton, I'd cross the road before it and then cross back again once I passed it. It's a dodgy door with an Asian man smoking outside of it. He unlocked the door with his free hand and off we went down poorly lit stairs to a small room with an island bar in the middle.
Enough about that though - the food was the funny part! Small and dear. Of course. That's what you expect in Auckland. Everything comes in twos and you only were allowed really a bite or small nibble each, if you're sharing. Two kebabs = $10
FWWWAAAARRRR !
But hey, I tasted the following things, which I probably never ever would have, if it wasn't for Bianca's friend's expensive taste.
1. Chicken mince balls wrapped in capsicum
2. Mushrooms stuffed with chicken mince
3. black king prawns (tasted like crayfish! hurrah!)
4. steak kebab
5. octoballs (well what I called them. Seafood chowder in a crumbed batter)
6. pork riblets
7. chicken wings
8. beans..... (my first response was "where's the fucken meat!"....felt the same way after eating them too)
9. Chicken liverssssssssssss -slimey pillows of jelly-like goo...similar to truffle.
10.Plum liquer
What a great experience and I even managed to share my drink with my pants on the first sip. Fail.
The Basement
To write two reviews will be hard on the fingers because I could write and write and write. So I'm going to take a whack at being brief. Wish me luck.
Firstly, I am impressed.
'N0ughty Girls' (directed by Hera Dunleavy) is a two women cast, that play multiple roles (both genders). It is about two girls that work at a cafe together, after first meeting in a pub waiting for the toilet. One has a morbid sense of humour, the other is a rather innocent. One is single and mingles....regularly (if you know what I mean), the other has invested in a 7 year relationship with a lazy boy named Ben. However, they both want a taste of each other's lives.. and like most dramas, it somewhat occurs after the other girl's influence.
The acting was not completely spot on, as one actress carried the other. There was an akward moment where one was playing a guy and the other was the girlfriend. It became awkward when they had to kiss. It wasn't the kiss that was deemed awkward to me, it was rather the preempted lines staggering along then the hesitant heads jarring towards each other, when they were meant to be into it.
In my eyes, if you are not going to do something the whole way, don't do it at all! Nothing should ever be done half-arsed. Nothing! It just spoils it....and in this case, it did spoil the scene.
I'd have to say that I particularly enjoyed Chelsea McEwan Millar taking on the role of an Irish "diddle lee dee" player. Her facial expressions and pausing made the "dinner date" scenes most enjoyable. It was at a point where I became excited when the right hand side of the stage lit up on the pub table. Good work, indeed. I felt she let herself go in that role...her work as the female lead was weaker. But she was still the best actress, in my opinion.
I won't even start on the other girl, Elizabeth Mc Menamin. Although, she also, carried a better male role than a female.
-----A 20 minute interval and awayyyyy we went onto the next showwwwwww!-----
The second play was called 'The Pantry Shelf'. I enjoyed this play the most. It was fast paced and snappy.
The characters all had their strnegths and they shared a bond with one another that reflected in their performances. It was good to see no one over staging another, as they each has a role that was unique and hilarious. Because each actor had multiples roles, it was quite enjoyable to see the quick changes between gigantic food product costumes and tones of voices. I particularly enjoyed Michelle Blundell (you may know her as Hailey, the psycho from Shortland St) her facial expressions brought out the energy and fire in her. I loved the "up the nose" milk carton, punching Wasabi peas and her geeky professor cereal characters.
She was even quick to help out her "love interest" when he fumbled recognisably through his lines....which is something I truly respect in another actor. Some people tend to let the other actor rot, in fear of being upstages, but not her. Well done.
The love interests worked really well and they were not your typical hotties either. I think the warm nature of Peter, the "porridge" package, made the audience connect with the lovers "boring" characters a little more than they could have. I enjoyed the typical "run to find your true love and kiss and make up ending". I felt like I was watching a movie for a brief moment, which is an effect I have never experienced with theatre.
I had a great night tonight and am so glad I went out !
Now off to bed for me to dream about my next endeavour "Black Grace".
That is definitely something to be excited about !!!!
Overall: 8/10
Tovah Xx
1. Japanese food at Tanuki's Cave. (Amount spent $80 between 3 people)
2. The Basement - double the plays! yep - two one hour length plays!!
AWESOME
Kia Ora New Zealand!
It's nights like these that make me really glad I am continuing with this blog and continuing to "YOLO"
(my how I hate that acronym). But in all honesty, I am very happy with my new frame of mind and the added pressure of Ryan (my partner) telling me to spend my money instead of saving it or being tight with my money. Because basically, I keep saying to myself "Oh what if I need my money for something else this week" !!! So thank Christ-mas I am spending some now....and still putting away a satisfactory amount...good compromise if I must say so myself.
So!!!!!
Tanuki's Cave - let's start with you aye!
Wicked!
Atmosphere... so relaxed. I felt like I was in a dear pub. A place where business men meet for "spontanious" meetings away from the long tabled boardrooms.
...Which is quite the contrast from my first impression. Firstly, it's located where you'd assume caves would lead....underground. If it was in Hamilton, I'd cross the road before it and then cross back again once I passed it. It's a dodgy door with an Asian man smoking outside of it. He unlocked the door with his free hand and off we went down poorly lit stairs to a small room with an island bar in the middle.
Enough about that though - the food was the funny part! Small and dear. Of course. That's what you expect in Auckland. Everything comes in twos and you only were allowed really a bite or small nibble each, if you're sharing. Two kebabs = $10
FWWWAAAARRRR !
But hey, I tasted the following things, which I probably never ever would have, if it wasn't for Bianca's friend's expensive taste.
1. Chicken mince balls wrapped in capsicum
2. Mushrooms stuffed with chicken mince
3. black king prawns (tasted like crayfish! hurrah!)
4. steak kebab
5. octoballs (well what I called them. Seafood chowder in a crumbed batter)
6. pork riblets
7. chicken wings
8. beans..... (my first response was "where's the fucken meat!"....felt the same way after eating them too)
9. Chicken liverssssssssssss -slimey pillows of jelly-like goo...similar to truffle.
10.Plum liquer
What a great experience and I even managed to share my drink with my pants on the first sip. Fail.
The Basement
To write two reviews will be hard on the fingers because I could write and write and write. So I'm going to take a whack at being brief. Wish me luck.
Firstly, I am impressed.
'N0ughty Girls' (directed by Hera Dunleavy) is a two women cast, that play multiple roles (both genders). It is about two girls that work at a cafe together, after first meeting in a pub waiting for the toilet. One has a morbid sense of humour, the other is a rather innocent. One is single and mingles....regularly (if you know what I mean), the other has invested in a 7 year relationship with a lazy boy named Ben. However, they both want a taste of each other's lives.. and like most dramas, it somewhat occurs after the other girl's influence.
The acting was not completely spot on, as one actress carried the other. There was an akward moment where one was playing a guy and the other was the girlfriend. It became awkward when they had to kiss. It wasn't the kiss that was deemed awkward to me, it was rather the preempted lines staggering along then the hesitant heads jarring towards each other, when they were meant to be into it.
In my eyes, if you are not going to do something the whole way, don't do it at all! Nothing should ever be done half-arsed. Nothing! It just spoils it....and in this case, it did spoil the scene.
I'd have to say that I particularly enjoyed Chelsea McEwan Millar taking on the role of an Irish "diddle lee dee" player. Her facial expressions and pausing made the "dinner date" scenes most enjoyable. It was at a point where I became excited when the right hand side of the stage lit up on the pub table. Good work, indeed. I felt she let herself go in that role...her work as the female lead was weaker. But she was still the best actress, in my opinion.
I won't even start on the other girl, Elizabeth Mc Menamin. Although, she also, carried a better male role than a female.
-----A 20 minute interval and awayyyyy we went onto the next showwwwwww!-----
The second play was called 'The Pantry Shelf'. I enjoyed this play the most. It was fast paced and snappy.
The characters all had their strnegths and they shared a bond with one another that reflected in their performances. It was good to see no one over staging another, as they each has a role that was unique and hilarious. Because each actor had multiples roles, it was quite enjoyable to see the quick changes between gigantic food product costumes and tones of voices. I particularly enjoyed Michelle Blundell (you may know her as Hailey, the psycho from Shortland St) her facial expressions brought out the energy and fire in her. I loved the "up the nose" milk carton, punching Wasabi peas and her geeky professor cereal characters.
She was even quick to help out her "love interest" when he fumbled recognisably through his lines....which is something I truly respect in another actor. Some people tend to let the other actor rot, in fear of being upstages, but not her. Well done.
The love interests worked really well and they were not your typical hotties either. I think the warm nature of Peter, the "porridge" package, made the audience connect with the lovers "boring" characters a little more than they could have. I enjoyed the typical "run to find your true love and kiss and make up ending". I felt like I was watching a movie for a brief moment, which is an effect I have never experienced with theatre.
I had a great night tonight and am so glad I went out !
Now off to bed for me to dream about my next endeavour "Black Grace".
That is definitely something to be excited about !!!!
Overall: 8/10
Tovah Xx
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Fluro Party !
House parties.
What comes to mind for me are bonfires, couches outside in the cold, RTD bottles scattered all over the back lawn and the odd couple of strangers pashing it up next to a group of smokers oblivious to the PDA.
But then again, that is a party influenced from a small town. So what on earth would come to mind in a big town?
Well, instead of contemplating it, I actually experienced it...
Auckland, middle of town, a high-tech security apartment and little ole me with a backpack filled with left over vodka bottles and cartons of Just Juice.
Kia Oraaaaaaa New Zealand!
One little white Maori went for a mission to hang out with a bunch of Canadians.
The theme was fluro so I dressed in purple jeans and a purple jacket and made my way to the ferry. I spent $13.90 return on tickets and was told by the lady behind me that one day I would earn millions of dollars. I had asked if there was a student ticket and was told no. How reassuring. Cheers for calling me cheap, lady. Good start.
Up I went to enjoy a relaxing time looking at the view on the top deck...It was lovely and warm up there so I made myself comfortable and then, DOM DOM, a flock of testosterone flew up the stairs with drinks in hand. I was hit on inappropriately and was annoyed by a man that refused to follow the simple "no smoking" policy on the boat.
The Sky Tower came around the bend and once I reached the shore, I paced myself for a great climb up Victoria St West. I waited patiently to be let in and away I went for around 7 hours enjoying a night filled with drinking games, laughs, new greetings and of course loads of fluorescent lights.
I really enjoyed the Auckland house-party, even if it was in an apartment. There was no necessity for clubbing. We enjoyed dancing, drinking without paying $100 on booze or entry fees and were able to select music ourselves to cater to our moods.
Everyone was friendly, no one was hitting on us girls inappropriately and everyone was there just for a dam good time.
The reason I am writing this blog is to re-enforce the importance of experiencing things.. I wasn't going to go to this event, because I assumed no one would. A few people pulled out from the event and I negatively assumed the worst. I truly had a great time. It was great to be around people that were not catty, were not uncomfortably flirting with me and genuinely wanted to have a good laugh.
I look forward to more experiences and hope I continue to push myself to attend events and experience life properly.
Xx Kia Ora Canadians for a great house party.
P.S. Fluro party theme = Fluro font in my blog. I'm brilliant. So are you.
8/10 Experience
$50 roughly on transport and booze (with left over alcohol for future experiences)
What comes to mind for me are bonfires, couches outside in the cold, RTD bottles scattered all over the back lawn and the odd couple of strangers pashing it up next to a group of smokers oblivious to the PDA.
But then again, that is a party influenced from a small town. So what on earth would come to mind in a big town?
Well, instead of contemplating it, I actually experienced it...
Auckland, middle of town, a high-tech security apartment and little ole me with a backpack filled with left over vodka bottles and cartons of Just Juice.
One little white Maori went for a mission to hang out with a bunch of Canadians.
The theme was fluro so I dressed in purple jeans and a purple jacket and made my way to the ferry. I spent $13.90 return on tickets and was told by the lady behind me that one day I would earn millions of dollars. I had asked if there was a student ticket and was told no. How reassuring. Cheers for calling me cheap, lady. Good start.
Up I went to enjoy a relaxing time looking at the view on the top deck...It was lovely and warm up there so I made myself comfortable and then, DOM DOM, a flock of testosterone flew up the stairs with drinks in hand. I was hit on inappropriately and was annoyed by a man that refused to follow the simple "no smoking" policy on the boat.
The Sky Tower came around the bend and once I reached the shore, I paced myself for a great climb up Victoria St West. I waited patiently to be let in and away I went for around 7 hours enjoying a night filled with drinking games, laughs, new greetings and of course loads of fluorescent lights.
I really enjoyed the Auckland house-party, even if it was in an apartment. There was no necessity for clubbing. We enjoyed dancing, drinking without paying $100 on booze or entry fees and were able to select music ourselves to cater to our moods.
Everyone was friendly, no one was hitting on us girls inappropriately and everyone was there just for a dam good time.
The reason I am writing this blog is to re-enforce the importance of experiencing things.. I wasn't going to go to this event, because I assumed no one would. A few people pulled out from the event and I negatively assumed the worst. I truly had a great time. It was great to be around people that were not catty, were not uncomfortably flirting with me and genuinely wanted to have a good laugh.
I look forward to more experiences and hope I continue to push myself to attend events and experience life properly.
Xx Kia Ora Canadians for a great house party.
P.S. Fluro party theme = Fluro font in my blog. I'm brilliant. So are you.
8/10 Experience
$50 roughly on transport and booze (with left over alcohol for future experiences)
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Ara Tai, Half Moon Bay.
Another spotted success at Ara Tai Cafe!
Kia Ora New Zealand!
We have now decided to come here (Ara Tai) every second week. Yes, it is definitely that good.
I think, other than the food, I particularly enjoyed the fact hardly any people were there and meals were quicker than normal. I also liked the lack of wind, the warmth of the sun and the view of lazy boats tied up at the wharf.
I could smell Spring and it felt like an early morning in the middle of Summer.
Ryan had bacon and eggs on toast and I had french toast.
Only it was more like cinnamon donuts covered in banana and super crunchy bacon. It was a little too chewy/crunchy for my liking - but everything else, PERFECT.
The picture pretty much speaks louder than words.
Then there was the berry smoothie..... actually tasted real - there's a first.
Other than Tank, where will you ever find real smoothies?
Congrats Ara Tai you now have two very happy regular customers that will gladly spend $40 a fortnight having a lovely relaxing and romantic breakfast.
Xx Tovah
Kia Ora New Zealand!
We have now decided to come here (Ara Tai) every second week. Yes, it is definitely that good.
I think, other than the food, I particularly enjoyed the fact hardly any people were there and meals were quicker than normal. I also liked the lack of wind, the warmth of the sun and the view of lazy boats tied up at the wharf.
I could smell Spring and it felt like an early morning in the middle of Summer.
Ryan had bacon and eggs on toast and I had french toast.
Only it was more like cinnamon donuts covered in banana and super crunchy bacon. It was a little too chewy/crunchy for my liking - but everything else, PERFECT.
The picture pretty much speaks louder than words.
Then there was the berry smoothie..... actually tasted real - there's a first.
Other than Tank, where will you ever find real smoothies?
Congrats Ara Tai you now have two very happy regular customers that will gladly spend $40 a fortnight having a lovely relaxing and romantic breakfast.
Xx Tovah
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