Manukau is not a city. The centre contains a Westfield, public offices, substantial police and justice facilities (supply and demand), two pubs, two cafes, a Warehouse, a smaller shopping mall and various factories, call centres and lunch bars sprawling into the distance. Plus a theme park.

That is a suburb…

Heh – I think I'm with you now Danielle :) – after the Magnolia experience, did you bother subjecting yourself to Punch Drunk Love?

I forgot to say: there are three members of my Very Tiny PT Anderson Hate Club* – my husband, my friend Ben, and me. Ben *did*…

on my first trip here the airport terminal was in fact, and indisputably, a shed.

Thankfully that shed is now... umm... pumpkins?
Which I must admit I like in some ways, seemingly in the minority on that though

raining frogs? puhlease

These things happen :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raining_animals

http://allaboutfrogs.org/weird/general/raining.html

I always feel affirmed when someone says that. Because so many people rave about how bloody brilliant it is, and I stopped watching it because I couldn't be arsed carrying on

Heh – well, on the Magnolia front I'm obviously somewhere between the fad-boys and Danielle – I enjoyed it…

I really enjoyed Magnolia up to a point.

And to further underline my argument – raining frogs? puhlease.

You see, Richard, I'm not sure if you've gathered, but I really, really, really hated Magnolia. :)

I always feel affirmed when someone says that. Because so many people rave about how bloody brilliant it is, and I stopped watching it because I couldn't be arsed carrying on.

Well ...... while its fair to say There Will Be Blood is very different to Magnolia, there are a few similar themes.

Are the characters one-dimensional set-pieces who keep repeating, heavy-handedly, what they symbolise in the film? Is the music weirdly portentous when nothing interesting is happening? Does everyone chew…

I am so wary, because my hatred for Magnolia knew no bounds

Well ...... while its fair to say There Will Be Blood is very different to Magnolia, there are a few similar themes.

Myself, I think TWBB is a landmark film that will still be causing arguments in 50…

There Will Be Blood

Man, everyone loves this film. I am so wary, because my hatred for Magnolia knew no bounds. Just the thought of that film makes me viscerally angry. Gack.

..... as Mark says, dancing like a loon with the kids

Actually that should be "dancing like a loon with kid AND giraffe and Lion King soft toys."

And also, yay for the Auckland zoo, kazoo solos, bopping around to 'Bright Grey', and note-perfectly badass covers of 'Love is the Drug'. Lumber up, limbo down.

Ditto. A perfect end to a great weekend, starting with an early viewing of There Will Be Blood (and there was, and DDL…

We went out last night to a screening of F.W. Murnau's silent masterpiece 'Sunrise' (1927)

Oh, I love that film! Yay for Hamilton.

And also, yay for the Auckland zoo, kazoo solos, bopping around to 'Bright Grey', and note-perfectly badass covers of 'Love is the Drug'. Lumber up, limbo down.…

... I agree..We…

Thanks Russell for being a catalyst and Auckland for hosting him.

hear hear. russell has organised some of the best events i've been to over the past few years in wellington. the great blend being an example.

and mr crawford is right, wellington's public transport has added to our dreary…

But the chip on the shoulder stuff about Wellington and our noses being placed firmly in the taxpayers trough can get rather tiresome as well.

maybe its the circles I move in, but really I've not heard that for years, and even then only once or twice. I'd say most…

I have similar…

Thanks Russell for being a…

My theory about Wellington's grimness myth, evolved out of the rail ferry terminal. It's under the motor way, it's gray and if there's a southerly its cold and windy.

I once saw one a theatrical event based on Fiat Bambinos at that venue. In many ways that was a turning…

I have found it the other way (see Damian Christie's pronouncements)

to be fair Don, DCs comments were spoken with tongue firmly placed, rather than the pure vitriol many of us Jafas have to deal with once we venture past Levin (you rarely get it north of that line, not…

my wife commented how lovely it was "and how fantastic it would be in Summer"... unfortunately it was February!

Two reasons for the weather situation.

1. It makes us better sailors
2. It keeps the JAFAs away (kaboomcha).

WRT the rest of the country's obsession with Aucklanders...I have found it…

I feel a little awkward going back on-topic after that. Fingers crossed – I hope Finn's okay.

i was worried it was a little heavy, but finn, if you're reading, get in touch with someone bro.

We had a family outing to the Phoenix Foundation, Lawerence Arabia and Tama Waipara at the Zoo last night. Absolutely fantastic – a huge, happy, well-behaved crowd, kids a-plenty and a great…

if you've seen him either get in touch with his partner, the police, or someone who can contact her. if you know where he is please ask him to contact home.

Or you can contact Che or myself and we'll pass on the info.

cheers Hivemind

if you've seen him either get in touch with his partner, the police, or someone who can contact her. if you know where he is please ask him to contact home.

Shit. I have a lot of time for Finn and from private correspondence I know some of the challenges…

finn higgins is a regular poster here on PA System, but this past monday he disappeared around 7pm.

his partner is understandably worried about him, so i'm putting out word on her behalf.

it's thought that he might have disappeared to auckland. we're hoping that is the case.…

it seemed particularly glorious this summer. The weather was great, the nights were warm, and there was hardly anyone on the roads.

And yet you rail against global warming??
You're such a flip flopper ...!
:)

Yes, the latter involves a feather, the former the whole chicken...

>Wellington is depraved of good hardware shops.

>Typo of the week. Never checked out the depraved hardware shops of either Wellington or Auckland so I'll have to take your word for it.

I brought some dishwashing gloves and a pot plant in a Wellington hardware shop the other day

Don't…

Fourth generation Auckland, first time caller..... I loved being able to park right where I wanted on Ponsonby and Parnell Roads in the glorious post-Xmas period. Bliss......

I've only lived here for a quarter of a century, but it seemed particularly glorious this summer. The weather was great, the nights…

we noticed that they do bugger off at Xmas, and the peace that reigns over the week to new years…

I should be clear: it was the combination of virtues on Thursday evening I found so winning: great band, wonderful atmosphere and then the chance to stroll over to a nice bar like the Hawthorn for a couple of drinks. It really was great.

I…

Wellington had an ice skating rink for years – roughly about where the library is now in Kilbirnie. I've skated there myself. It wasn't a financial goer then, so it folded, and I doubt one would be now either, though I'm always willing to be proved wrong.

Assuming they get…

although its nowhere near as bad as you get further south.

Try telling folks south of the Strait that a) you are from Ak, and, worse, b) you don't follow Rugby and have no idea who the Crusaders are.........

also have never been able to get my head around non-Aucklander's obsession with Auckland, especially as it's not reciprocated. We tend not to notice or really care.

Very true. Some years back when I was living in Auckland: a bunch of us went on a tramping trip down the South…

Wellington is depraved of good hardware shops.

Typo of the week. Never checked out the depraved hardware shops of either Wellington or Auckland so I'll have to take your word for it.

Pretending that Auckland is five cities, not a city centre surrounded by urban sprawl, is just silly though. My view on a city is that it's a large urban area, usually surrounded by suburbs, and then countryside.

Surely you got that I was being silly on purpose. Yeah, it's a…

I'm a self identifying Aucklander. Fifth generation, very proud of it. There are lots of us around you know. I don't think that Auckland is better than any where else, it's just my home.

Agreed, even though, right now I don't live there. But also have never been able to…

Pretending that Auckland is five cities, not a city centre surrounded by urban sprawl, is just silly…

No it doesn't but I'm always bemused by the need to redefine a city as a bunch of people who can get together easily and walk everywhere.

Ditto to both points....Wellington does not Sux, but just because it's the University Tramping Club of NZ, doesn't mean it's the only good…

Wellington Sux

No it doesn't but I'm always bemused by the need to redefine a city as a bunch of people who can get together easily and walk everywhere.

But then there's the rain, and how difficult it is to organise these things when we have a very high rate of precipitation. It's doing it at the moment........

Well,some people walk in the rain and others just get wet.Also, our plants really appreciate it.
I know it can be frustrating…

The Kilbirnie library…

DJ Peter Urlich on a tour of hotel ballrooms

I don't know why he just couldn't have stayed the lead singer of th' Dudes, and be done with that.

Auckland has its advantages

Well yes it does – we have great cultural events around this time of year, especially. Like…

No ice rink though. They've tried to get one up and running, but its struck resource consent problems I understand. Can't call yourself a real city without 60 x 30 m of frozen water.

Actually, the trouble was getting the ice to set flat. Every time they tried it kept…

Screw the wine-sipping gits at the Zoo gigs.

It's the Zoo ferchrissakes!

YES , and drinking with the animals at the zoo can make for better company. ; )
I love the cosmopolitan " Beast" that Auckland is.

So aside from wind and an excess of espresso snobbery Wellington is perfect. We have three bowling alleys after all.

No ice rink though. They've tried to get one up and running, but its struck resource consent problems I understand. Can't call yourself a real city without 60 x 30…

the lovely mojo folks are rather good with the 'proper' iced coffe

also evil starf*cks

somewhere at the wellingtonista is even a post by hadyn documenting his testing most cafe's in town for a proper iced beverage. He had a good success rate

but i am hungover and…

The one thing that annoys me about my home town, and this is very picky, the distinct lack of iced coffee.

This serious issue was recently addressed by the coffee-lovin' folk at the Wellingtonista here, with a follow-up here.

Conclusion: it's possible to get a great iced coffee in Wellington,…

The one thing that annoys me about my home town, and this is very picky, the distinct lack of iced coffee. Real watery American style iced coffee. Its and…

Alan, that sounds blimmin perfect!

Well yes it was.

Although they've been a bit tired today; even so, the youngest enquired as to where The Phoenix Foundation were playing tonight, as she wanted to go again...

Total Wellington porn!

Dimmer? David Kilgour? Bailterspace?

That is a suburb which happens to have had local government concentrated there.

LOL, sounds like the definition of a city. And Wellington is a suburb that happens to have the state government concentrated there. But I'm not knocking it. I've never had anything but a good time in Wellington,…

A collection of tubes?

?

That is a suburb…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-hP-9j9IkA&feature=user

We took our two bairns (4 & 7), as was entirely possibly given the timing and location, and they really loved it. Such a…

Coz Auckland isn't really a city, it's a collection of suburbs

Or a collection of cities perhaps. Central, Manukau, WestieLand, North Shore, and the Far East. Which means that you get to work in one city and live in another!

It was a very…

To which is say: Peh!

try this... free too...
Phoenix Fest, March 29, Basque Park, Newton Akl. "Featuring Kora along with SJD, The Lewis McCallum Orchestra and The Turn Around DJ’s PLUS Activities for the kids, with live performances by The Funky Monkeys. MC’d…

Phoenix Foundation AND James Milne (as Lawrence Arabia) are playing in Auckland on sunday... at the zoo!! Fair enough, it's not free, but the zoo is a great venue

Tickets are $27, and when you consider that's a mere $9 on top of the normal zoo admission fee of $18,…

go silicon welly!