Mari T.'s
Beersies
- 125Hashigo ZakeWellington CentralBeer heaven in an underground den. Beers are rotated so often it’s hard to keep up with what’s on tap! Makes for a great beer tasting experience
- 240Groovy garden bar with lots of live music and heaps of room, fantastic for beers by day or night
- 38Little Beer QuarterTe AroIf you’re after a bit of culture, LBQ is the place to go. Great atmosphere, great service, great beers, ‘nuff said
- 48Fork & BrewerWellington CentralThe deck at Fork and Brewer is a great place to relax in the sun and enjoy great beer. If you work up an appetite head inside for a tasty meal
- 59The Cambridge HotelMt VictoriaThis iconic Wellington pub is a must visit. Terrific for a beer whether you’re there for a catch up, the big game or quiz night
Mari T.'s
Where to shop for women
- 12Bendon Lingerie Lambton QuayWellington CentralA beautiful store with a beautiful selection. I love their Stella McCartney range and their awesome sales!
- 23Cue Clothing Lambton QuayWellington CentralBeautifully made clothes to make you look sharp in the office. I love Cue because most of their clothes are made in Australia and they are into making sure their workers are treated well. If the bank balance is a bit slim, make sure to shop up during their wonderful sales!
- 33L'OccitaneWellington CentralBeautiful products which are great as gifts for your girlfriends or even for yourself. Their hand creams smell devine!
- 416Good As GoldTe AroEqually good for the boys and the girls. They’ve got an awesome range of jeans and shoes including GAG exclusives. It’s also a great place to get little gifts as they stock things like Six Barrel Soda syrup and beautiful jewellery.
- 51Goodness - PetonePetoneEverything here is just beautiful! They have a great range of Olga Berg bags as well as other brands you don’t see much of anywhere else. Just go there and see for yourself!
Mari T.'s
A night on the town
- 13Taste Of KoreaTe AroWhat’s not to love about a private neon coloured room to sing your heart out? They do some excellent chicken wings to give you sustenance and they have Korean rice wine for confidence.
- 25Arashi Kushiyaki BarTe AroThere’s a great range of food here including kushiyaki which is a tasty grilled morsel on a stick. To make things easier, they also do sets which come with rice, miso soup and salad. The portions are well sized and I’d say Arashi is my favourite Japanese BYO!
- 319Amazing cocktails and an excellent lay out in general. A great place to kick off a night on the town.
- 432Chow ToryTe AroOn Saturday nights they do 2 for 1 cocktails which almost seems to good to be true! They have a great range of drinks and also do excellent food to keep you going, their kitchen is open until late. Bonus!
- 54K C Cafe & TakeawayTe AroNo night out is complete without a meal at KC's. They have a huge range of food and it comes out nice and quick! KC's is also good during the week too ;)
Mari T.'s
Friday night with friends
- 112El MatadorTe AroThis Argentinian restaurant is a great place to go with friends. My group shared one of their steak plates, which was loaded with perfectly cooked meat and came with a side of their delicious chimichurri. I also highly recommend saving room for the churros, which comes with an incredibly moreish chilli chocolate dipping sauce. Muy bueno!
- 222Beach BabylonOriental BayThe best thing about this retro beachside eatery is their selection of fondues. They’ve got cheese for the purists and butterscotch for those with a sweet tooth. A group of your fave girls around a pot of fondue is a guaranteed good night! Don’t forget, the first person to drop into the fondue pot shouts the first round of drinks!
- 39Pan de MuertoWellington CentralI think this place has one of the best fit outs in Wellington. So much attention to detail with sugar skulls and mosaics galore. I can’t go past the Jalapenos Rellenos (deep fried, cheese filled chillies) and their churros. They have a range of Mexican beers and tequilas if you’re feeling brave and of course they do a great range of margaritas too!
- 44Siem ReapTe AroThis Cambodian restaurant has to be one of my faves. There’s so much to choose from, even your fussy mates will find something to their fancy. My favourites are their Deep Fried King Prawns and Green Curry. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water! They also do delicious frozen cocktails which are a nice alternative to dessert if you’ve eaten a bit too much ;)
- 522Beach BabylonOriental BayThis is a recent addition to my BYO spots but I’d say it’s here to stay. The staff are great and I’ve seen them cope with large crowds with patience and a sense of humour (key if you’re working at a BYO). The best thing about this retro beachside eatery is their selection of fondues. They’ve got cheese for the purists and butterscotch for those with a sweet tooth. Don’t forget, the first person to drop into the fondue pot shouts the first round of drinks! Situated on Oriental Bay you know you’ll have a satisfying walk to your next destination with the ocean views and a belly full of fondue.
Mari T.'s
Fun ways to keep fit
- 12Wellington Circus TrustNewtownEver wanted to join a circus? Learn a party trick? Touch your toes? This is the place to learn it all. They take students of all shapes, sizes and abilities in a safe and encouraging environment. I’m currently trying to master the art of hand balance but there are HEAPS of other course such as hula hoop and trapeze too. Half the fun of going to class is watching the others leap, bound and balance around you. I don’t think enough people know about this Wellington gem so go and see how cool it is for yourself! It’s good for you too!
- 21Wellington High School & Com Ed CentreMount CookSo many classes, not enough time! The Community Education Centre have a range of classes to suit. From languages to fitness, cooking, crafts and business courses, the classes are offered throughout the year. The great part is that for a lot of the more popular classes, there are options for days and times. Some courses go for a term, others a month, there are even Saturday courses. Go with a friend or brave it alone, the teachers are friendly and so are the other students. It’s never too late to learn something new!
- 33Cityfitness Group LimitedPoriruaUnlike other gyms, Cityfitness is affordable and their group fitness classes are run by friendly and approachable instructors. They’re located in lots of handy locations so it’s hard to make excuses not to go.
- 44Hangdog Climbing AdventuresAlicetownHangdog is awesome because you don’t need to commit to weekly classes or have your own fancy gear. You can hire everything you need and just go when you want to. Their experts are great and you feel completely safe (if not exhausted) scaling their walls. If you get hooked, which I’m sure wouldn’t take a lot, you can get 10 trip cards and membership pricing too.
- 51Action Indoor Sports Stadiums Hutt ParkGracefieldNetball, cricket, soccer, the choice is yours. Indoors sports is a great way to keep fit and a great way to socialise. This place is pretty new so it’s nice and tidy and even has a games centre to keep the kiddies (and young at heart) occupied.
Mari T.'s
What to do on a rainy day
- 134I’ll never get sick of going to Te Papa. I aways take out of towners - make them stand in the earthquake house and then show them the colossal squid. They love it! It’s also the perfect rainy day hide out and entry’s free! They also have great exhibitions and events where you’re bound to learn something!
- 218Wellington City GalleryWellington CentralI love going to this beautiful building to look at their beautiful artwork. They have a great selection of contemporary works by both local and international artists. Their Nikau Cafe is amazing too.
- 34Hangdog Climbing AdventuresAlicetownHangdog is awesome because you don’t need to commit to weekly classes or have your own fancy gear. You can hire everything you need and just go when you want to. Their experts are great and you feel completely safe (if not exhausted) scaling their walls. If you get hooked, which I’m sure wouldn’t take a lot, you can get 10 trip cards and membership pricing too.
- 412Light House CubaWellington CentralI’ve always loved Light House in Petone and was over the moon when I heard they were opening one right in town! You can get delicious hot coffees, tasty cabinet food and yummy Rush Munroe’s ice cream to take into the cinema and what’s more, once in you can relax on their cosy seats complete with cushions!
- 52Westfield QueensgateLower Hutt CentralPeople give the Hutt a hard time but it’s really not bad at all. Queensgate is a great place to go on a rainy day, especially when you have errands to run and things to get. Shoes, bags, gifts and clothes, you’ll most probably find what you’re looking for here. You can also get a hair cut, go to the bank and do your groceries without taking a step outside! 10 points for convenience!