5 fab things to do ON A GIRLS’ WEEKEND IN WELLY
Sido joins the fun fest as the city comes out to party!
Ilived in Wellington for years and every time I visit, I swear it gets funkier. A March girls’ weekend to coincide with the CubaDupa street festival was a great reminder of what a cool time our capital city can turn on.
1 Getting around
A bonus for a Welly weekend getaway is you don’t need a car. The airport’s central, public transport is superb and the city is so compact, it’s best to beat the feet. Knowing the festival action was on Cuba Street, we stayed right on the strip at the CQ Quality Hotel with modern apartment-style accommodation. For a treat, try the QT Museum hotel, which is chocka with New Zealand art and eclectic interiors, plus the fabulous Hippopotamus bar and restaurant.
2 Thank God it’s Friday
First stop, Nobel Rot, an awardwinning bar with helpful sommeliers and an extensive menu of wine by the glass. Next, a stonking cocktail at Hanging Ditch on Hannahs Laneway – where bottles hang from bungy cords above the bartender’s head – before dinner a few steps away at hotspot Shepherd. I loved this warm, relaxed restaurant, hip but not intimidating thanks to fantastic service and lovely dim lighting. The smoked fish fried rice with kale and a fried egg sums up the menu – fresh comfort food with a kick. For nightcaps, the Hawthorn Lounge is a ’20s-style oasis.
3It’s Saturday!
After a smashed avo and egg breakfast at Prefab, we had a little lie-down at Spring Spa for a manicure and a shoulder massage, before getting serious about shopping. In the blocks between College, Jesse, Ghuznee and Cuba Streets, we found seriously good clothes shops, from the upmarket No. 16, ENA and Caughleys, to vintage stores Hunters & Collectors, Ziggurat and Emporium. But it was Kowtow, which has just opened a flagship store full of beautiful basics, and The Service Depot, which curates top Kiwi labels, where I spent kerching! And I found treasures for the kids at Magnolia gift shop. By the time we dropped off our loot at the hotel, CubaDupa was in full flight.
4 CubaDupa
This crazy and colourful street festival comes alive from noon to midnight on a Saturday and 11am to 6pm on Sunday, showcasing over 250 wacky and wonderful performances. Punters are treated to parades, bands, singers, dancers, theatre, installations, DJs and street artists – and local restaurants spill onto the pavement serving up cheap eats. We wandered for hours and as night fell, the party vibe ramped up. Among the crowd, I found old buddies, and we boogied to Richter City Rebels and Nickodemus before our feet would dance no more.
5 Culture Club
After a scrummy breakfast at Scandanavian-style eatery Loretta, we walked through the CubaDupa action to the civic centre, across the Para Matchitt City-to-Sea bridge and along to the Harbourside Market. When I’m with the kids, exploring Te Papa museum is compulsory, but this time I headed straight to Level 4 to see the new gallery Toi Art. To welcome you in, artist Michael Parekowhai has curated an entrancing show from the national art collection and new modern works. Toi Art exhibitions include fashion activists Pacific Sisters and NZ jeweller Lisa Walker, and Kaleidoscope: Abstract Aotearoa is an exploration of colour, shape and pattern in the Pacific. Tiffany Singh’s new work Indra’s Bow – a rainbow of colour and scent – will knock your socks off. A treat for the senses to end a wonderful weekend.