Summer

Princes Wharf

Summer in Auckland reminds me of summer in Portland: ideal temperatures in the 70s, sunny days, brown lawns, music, art, beer, wine, and food festivals, outdoor sporting events, boating, and swimming. In the City of Sails, there must be 50 times the number of sailboats Portland has, even though both cities are of a similar size. Last Monday was a holiday - Auckland Anniversary Day. In true Auckland style, it was celebrated with a music festival (with food trucks) at Silo Park, an air show, tugboat races, and multiple regattas featuring hundreds of sailboats, including some stunners.

Auckland Anniversary Regatta

Red Checkers - Royal New Zealand Air Force, flying by the Skytower

Close call during the regatta.

William C Daldy steam engine tugboat during the tugboat parade en route to the tugboat races.

I've taken quite a few pictures of the superyachts around here but unless other boats are in the picture, it's difficult to appreciate the scale. Christopher, 46m, dwarfs the Devonport ferry.  

The series below represents the typical scene at the Stanley Bay ferry wharf during summer - guys (90%) jumping off the wharf, and even the roof of the corrugated steel shed. 

 

A 40-minute ferry ride away, Waiheke Island hosts Headland Sculpture on the Gulf. I loved photographing the NZ Sculpture OnShore exhibit at nearby Fort Takapuna so I knew Waiheke's exhibit would be wonderful as well. It was.

Portrait of Traction and Transmission, David McCracken.  How did the artist install this piece at the bottom of a steep hill and at the edge of a cove with protruding rocks? Discuss. 

Wildfire, Sarah Brill.  As I approached this installation, extending above and below the trail,  I heard someone mention that this is a raw subject right now, with recent devastating wildfires in Australia, and here in New Zealand's Canterbury region, dominating the news. As we got closer, the fearful images triggered by the distant view became playful and beautiful images up close. The bright disks on wire tips reminded me of buttercups with their shiny petals and poppies with their sunset colors. 

Pavilion Structure, Gregor Kregar. I can't remember the last time I was on a swing. I took several pictures of this installation from the seat of one of the several swings-with-a-view. This view is towards Matiatia Bay and the ferry wharf.

I was a little unsettled looking up at the support for my swing - scrap wood nailed together in a seemingly haphazard fashion.

The Pavilion.

Nga Whetu Tiaroaro (Pataka), Glendale Rangihaeata. This shipping container is oriented towards One Tree Hill, south of the Skytower and CBD visible in the distance, left. The artist's work is deeply personal, representing the Pataka, or Maori storehouse, that held his belongings when he moved from Christchurch after the earthquakes to Auckland. One Tree Hill, popularized by one of my favorite U2 songs, used to be a Maori Pa, or fort, named Maungakiekie. Before that, it was an active volcano. Recognizing the site's cultural significance, Auckland Council and Iwi leaders are still deciding what to do with the top of the currently treeless hill.  

Detail from the floor of the Pataka. 

Snake, Phil Price. At first I didn't think much of this structure, but after watching it twist and turn in the wind and admiring its graceful curves from a bit further away, it became one of my favorites. 

Bunker Vision: HI-FI, Jonathan Organ and Jessica Pearless.  After hearing a talk by the artist (J. Organ), I wanted to go back and visit this structure again to better appreciate the details. At first, the black bunker set into the hill seemed too simple for me to explore. I considered not even scrambling down the steep approach to look inside. The view of the turquoise blue water in the background with green leaves supported by blackish branches in the foreground through the panoramic opening rewarded my unstable slide downhill. The simplicity is the thing. 

Sheep Track, Gina Ferguson.  It's not often you're invited to walk on a piece of art. Shortly after I took this picture, a group of people came by with their shoes off so they could fully experience this piece. 

Waiheke Island Sway, Fatu Feu'u. 

April 1975, Matthew Muir. I haven't been to a bach yet, what we'd call a lake / beach cabin back home, but this small scale version with an idyllic setting has me ready for a planned weekend to a bach owned by a friend of a friend. 

Shrine for the Sea, Soil, and Sky, Terry Stringer. Again the value of reading about the artworks while standing in front of them - I saw the head (here) and the foot (from the view as I step right), but I didn't go around to the other side with my back to the water to see the hand, also sculpted on to this one piece. The title should have clued me in to a third perspective.

Beyond Good and Evil, Konstantin Dimopoulos. Because I'm an ornithologist, I couldn't understand the title of this piece - evil, birds, what?! The artist is referencing Hitchcock's movie, The Birds. My title would reference another digital treat, Portlandia's Put a Bird On It!

My own version of Put a Bird On It! courtesy Fossil and Gummies.

Summer in Auckland wouldn't be complete without some of my favorite foods. Ice cream (of course) tops the list. I've begun a strengthening program for the muscles supporting my hobbled knee at Habit, discovering what may likely become a co-habit, a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich and/or scoop of delicious Vanilla Strawberry ice cream at The Kapiti Store.

I've been meaning to get up to Ponsonby Road for some time, one of Auckland's best shopping and dining districts. When the stylist at Annah Stretton Devonport found the dress I wanted in my size at the Ponsonby store, I finally took the bus around the corner and up the hill from the CBD. Dress in hand, I browsed more cute stores before getting a late lunch. I think I've tipped my hand on which portion of my lunch I ate first! The presentation was beautiful before I greedily poured the espresso and drinking chocolate over delicious vanilla ice cream for the best affogato anywhere at Il Buco. The pizza was delicious too.  

Rhubarb and pear crepes at Calliope Road Cafe, Devonport. I almost rented a furnished one bedroom apartment with a partial view of the water two doors down from this cafe. It would have been more convenient to the Devonport ferry and the grocery store, but if I lived next to this cafe, I would have spent my savings in rent on food and coffee here.  

And here's that daily mocha I'd have to have at the Calliope Road Cafe. I go there  2-3 times/month and order  the crepes and mocha every time. Next time I'll have to try the pancakes with fresh strawberries and lemon sauce.  

At home, I'm trying to be a responsible adult and eat something besides ice cream and nachos. This is my favorite salad. 

I eat soft tacos several times a week back in Portland. I love corn tortillas but the packaged  tortillas here are flour tortillas with the rare appearance of long-shelf-life corn tortillas. Not interested. This is one of my early attempts at making my own corn tortillas. Thankfully, the local grocery store stocks corn masa mix - just add water! Lacking a rolling pin (then, now I have one), I used a (getting squishy after several uses) lemon to roll out my tortilla between sheets of baking paper. After a quick warm-up on the skillet they're ready to top with salsa, cheese, and corn salad.

My favorite corn salad recipe, from Field of Greens, Greens Restaurant, San Francisco. 

It seems everyone here drinks wine. Lots of it. Waiheke Island has some wonderful wineries with beautiful settings for a day-long tasting tour. I prefer scratch margaritas. I'm sure there are places here that make wonderful margaritas but I haven't found them yet. I finally decided to buy some tequila and make my own. It's when I headed over to the produce aisle at the grocery store that I discovered why I'm having a difficult time finding a good margarita for a reasonable price: two limes cost $6.50! $30/kg. The investment I made in the tequila was probably wasted because I can't afford limes.