Aussie loving her Shore life

Stand-up comedian Sacha Jones is appearing in the Auckland Fringe Festival

How long have you lived here and where are you from?

I grew up in Sydney, leaving high school at the age of 14 to study ballet full time. I have lived with my husband and three children in Belmont for 24 years, developing the tiny, former state house we moved into back then into a lovely family home.

Describe your neighbourhood.

Our street in general has seen much development in those years and a great deal of coming and going of the residents, too. Our wider neighbourhood is a middleincome-level community of people from all races and walks of life, half from overseas, like me, half born and bred Kiwis, like my husband and children.

What is your earliest memory of the Shore?

Being stung on the arm by a massive jellyfish at Castor Bay beach (my husband’s local beach as a boy), when I first came over with him from Australia in 1989; so much for leaving the things that bite and sting behind me. It didn’t put me off, though when my arm came up in masses of angry

‘‘ I would love to see ... a causeway connecting Belmont to the Harbour Bridge’’

red welts, it did make things a little awkward at my summer job in a short-sleeve uniform operating the checkout at the justopened Devonport New World. I had to tell quite a few alarmed customers: ‘It’s not a rash, it’s a jellyfish.’

What are the greatest advantages to living here?

I love living in Belmont as it’s very central to city and sea, with great public schools and a short drive to the picturesque peninsula village of Devonport that takes you back in time to the beauty of Victorian era architecture, as well as offering the rare charms of a volcanic landscape and coastline.

Where is your favourite North Shore beach and why?

Takapuna Beach is within walking distance from our house and we spend some part of almost every day enjoying its many faces that are ever changing with the seasons.

Who is the person you admire the most and why?

I admire and have been inspired by many of our local comedians, from the late great Billy T and John Clarke, to the enduring Ginette McDonald, Michelle A’Court, Justine Smith, Brendhan Lovegrove and the Flight of the Conchords, most of whom I have seen perform live.

What do you like least about the Shore and how can we fix it?

If there is a complaint I have about living where we do on the Shore it is the Lake Rd and Esmonde Rd peak-hour traffic, which I would love to see improved by a causeway connecting Belmont to the Harbour Bridge, as well as a pedestrian walkway across the bridge.

Where is the best place to have a meal?

I am bound to mention our local cafe´ Little & Friday which never fails to impress and sustain all who go there in style.

What are you doing this weekend?

We like to go to the cinemas, as well as a variety of arts festivals and live shows. We have been to a few hilarious comedy nights at the Brewbar on Hurstmere Rd, The Vic Lounge, the Classic Comedy Bar and Q Theatre in Auckland.