ARSEHOLES, ACTION AND ART IN AUCKLAND

I'm just back from Auckland. I went down yesterday to meet up with The Old Girl. As she is off to Christchurch on Monday she stayed in Auckland through the weekend so I went down for a 'date' last night. We went to the Crowne Plaza in Albert Street for a glass of wine and some tapas. The Crowne Plaza, as I've said before has a very good wine list. Expensive, but you get a good pour and there are some top wines - Seresin Pinot Noir for her and Trinity Hill Chardonnay for me at $19 a glass each. The tapas dishes are great - tempura prawns and asian mini spring rolls. Wonderful. The Australian rugby team is staying there and we saw a lot of familiar faces including these two partners in crime.

It is said that O'Connor looks like Justin Bieber.

FIGJAM

From where I was sitting he looked more like Michael Myers.

From there we walked down Queen Street to Queen's wharf and 'Party Central'. The atmosphere was good with all facilities working well and everyone in a good mood that the showers didn't dampen.

We watched the All Black's beat Japan on one of the (very) big screens that are in place there. What a great facility. Free viewing with nearly as good an atmosphere as being at the game. All those miserable knockers should just get a life.

Sonny Jim going for a try (or maybe he didn't pay for his sushi)

On the way back to the apartment we stopped off at Vivace in High Street for a glass of wine and more tapas. Deep fried mushrooms and shrimps for her and Mediterranean lamb meat balls for me. Delicious. If you are in Auckland this is a must visit place. Affordable, interesting and very spacious with a great atmosphere. They serve good wines including a good selection of European wines. A French Merlot for her and a Rioja Creanza for me.

This morning we went to the new Auckland Museum (refurbished and recently opened). This is stunning and leaves for dead some I've been in in Australia and USA. Spacious and well designed it sets off the artwork very well. The Gallery collection is on show along with some loaned/donated works including the generous donation from Julian and Josie Robertson who have gifted works by Picasso, Cezanne, Matise, Gaugin and Mondrian among others. The gallery design incorporates the neighbouring Albert Park beautifully with dramatic views of the trees seen through tall glass windows at the top of staircases and from many of the gallery room's windows glimpses of the park, the band rotunda and the vegetation. The Old Girl bumped into an architect she knows and he confessed to hardly noticing the art as he was fascinated by the building.
Another nice trip.