The View from the Silo at the Wynyard Quarter
As part of the Auckland Heritage Festival, there were tours of the silos at the Wynyard Quarter. This is the view of the city from the top of the silos.
More Skywatch images at the Skywatch Site!
Auckland - West
Mainly West of Queen Street - seen through my lens
Month: September 2011 (page 1 of 3)
Fashion Connoisseur
The New Zealand Fashion Museum has a pop-up show in a black box on Britomart Square, entitled Black in Fashion — an exhibition about wearing the colour black in New Zealand. An interesting addition to the Rugby World Cup activities, and playing nicely on the (All) Black theme of the event. Apart from the inevitable All Blacks (as well as other sporting codes) uniforms of various vintages, there is quite a range of items, of which ‘Tino Glam’ by Shona Tawhiao caught my eye in particular (Premier Award and also winner Obviously Organic category, in the 2007 Villa Maria Cult Couture competition).
The New Zealand Fashion Museum is not a brick and mortar institution, preferring the pop-up concept. The exhibits are purloined by members of the public (with large wardrobes…) for specific projects such as this. I was told that male items were hard to come by, because men wore their clothes to death – she summed me up with one knowledgeable glance.
'Tino Glam' by Shona Tawhiao
With two Forks
A study in moderation…
Ponsonby market day, last weekend.
Thirsty?
Without sponsorship there would probably be no major events. Sponsorship, on the other hand, seems to involve humourless and draconian rules designed to support the misconception that the world begins and ends with the sponsor’s product. At least at the Rugby World Cup.
I enjoyed the above advertisement taking the mickey out of one of the biggest sponsors (“worldwide partner” to use the correct term). On QEII Square, right next to “Party Central”.
Worldwide Partner
Où est le bar?
Last Saturday was a brilliant day of sunshine, and the Viaduct precinct was abuzz with people, locals and visitors alike. Conspicuous by their colours the supporters of the French rugby team, and here is my tribute to them.
(In case you do not follow the rugby: the NZ All Blacks won…)
Mac's Gold on Tap at O'Hagan's Irish Pub
Foto Opportunities
La Tricolore down under
Railway Tracks
The train to Newmarket.
For more black and white images check out Dragonstar’s Weekend in Black and White.
Inner Link
The City Link is a bus route that essentially goes up and down Queen Street, with an appendix to the Wynyard Quarter. And it’s Free (fares subject to change …). Here the bus is parked by the Fish Market, adding a real reflection of the Sky Tower to the mix of ornaments on the bus.
For more weekend reflections, go to James’ Weekend Reflections site.
The Avondale Spider
Affectionately known as “Dale”, this is a monument to the Australian immigrant (from the 1920’s) huntsman spider (Delena cancerides) which seems to have settled in the Avondale area, and therefore is called the Avondale Spider in NZ. Probably our largest spider, its body size can reach over 4cm. Despite its fearsome appearance, it is quite harmless.
The creatures used in the movie Arachnophobia were Avondale spiders: Australia does not allow the export of native wildlife, so how convenient to have some non-native NZ relatives…
The illumination of the spider’s web seems to be a recent addition, maybe for the Rugby World Cup? (Which reminds me: there is a game tomorrow against France – Go the All Blacks!).
More Skywatch images at the Skywatch Site!
The Avondale Spider
The Portage - Looking towards the Waitemata Harbour
Auckland lies on an isthmus formed by Manukau Harbour and Waitemata Harbour, the latter opening out to the Pacific Ocean, and the former to the Tasman Sea. One of the narrowest land passages between the two is roughly along what now is “Portage Road”, named after the fact that Maori used this stretch of land and the waters of Avondale Stream (Wai Tahurangi) to move their canoes from one side to the other.
This transformer is near the intersection of Portage and Golf Roads, next to the Avondale Stream. The artist depicts a glimpse of Rangitoto Island as you look north to the Waitemata Harbour, and Manukau Heads with the cone of Te Komoki as one looks south. And in between footprints in the wetlands. Painted by Sean McCarthy, 2011.
The Portage - Looking towards the Manukau Harbour
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