If I were a journalist

I remember arriving November 2009 and dressing inappropriately for the weather, because Auckland is so damn unpredictable. 

Today was exactly the sort of day that would have caught me out last year. The skies were grey, with a few patches of blue and as I walked out the door I saw drizzle blur my glasses. Today , as I correctly predicted, it would rain for a little while (motorbike trousers to be worn from C’s house into the city) and then clear up (motorbike trousers demoted to backpack after arriving destination #1). 

C and I had a delicious lunch at Vivace, his treat. I had; 

Rigatoni wchilli, green olive tapenade, oven roast tomatoes, arbequina olives & feta

C had;

Pork Fillet on Jersey Bennies with feta, caramelized onion and port wine jus

Accompanied by a cheeky Chianti from Tuscany - dry and fruity. 

Both mains were delicious. We swapped mouthfuls, of course. The chilli in the Rigatoni sauce was particularly delicate, spicy enough to exist but not so much to burn your mouth off or so little that you didn’t know it was there. 

I let my lunch digest with a few chapters of ‘Down Under’ by Bill Bryson in the newly finished Aotea Square. Though why they haven’t watered the grass, so it could be opened to the public at the same time as the rest of the square, I don’t know.

Despite the short comings on the grass, there is a wonderful photography exhibit currently gracing the concrete, which is well worth a look. 

After an eventful afternoon, which included catching up with a few friends and viewing yet another room in a house share, I met C again and we had ice cream from my favourite place down by the waterfront - Valentino’s. Their gelato really is second to none. I scoffed a scoop of chocolate (simply the best) and italian hokey pokey (honeycomb caramel). 

We topped off the night by watching The Town at the cinema, which was superb. Action packed, with a solid storyline, it was great - I recommend it.