Miramar Creative Centre

Hi there

There 's a new creative centre in my suburb of Miramar.  I'm not quite sure what a creative centre does, but as the building is almost next door to Park Road Post Production, across the road from some casting offices, around the corner from Weta Workshop, down the street from Stone Street Studios, and amongst a spread of graphic/digital offices, I rather figure that the new Miramar Creative Centre  is to do with acting, directing, editing, computer graphics, and the like.  I'm thinking that portraitists, landscape artists, ballet dancers, jugglers and bagpipe players won't get a look in.  The creative centre is a division of Victoria University.

lamp posts!

Hi there

As my four readers know by now, I go power-walking in Miramar a lot, usually up Park Road, past Park Road Post Production, and also past Weta Workshop.  A lot of times I end up over the hill at Worser Bay or Scorching Bay.

For quite some time now, I have been annoyed by a lamp post slap-bang-dead in the middle of the footpath in Park Road.  It has a "Temporary Pole" notice on it. 

When I'm walking, I often have my head down, contemplating the ground, making sure that my feet aren't in the way of tree roots, or ruptures in the pavement, or cats that I have to pat, or puppies that I am required to coo over...

The first time I encountered this lamp post, I banged into it.  Now, I'm ultra-wary.

Weta Cave

Hi there

Weta Cave/Workshop in Miramar, Wellington has had a facelift.  Now, the visitor walks through a Hobbit hole entrance.   I often  power walk past the building and there seems to be more and more  visitors by the day.  Buses, cars, tourists....  Such a busy little empire.

I have read some reviews of the Weta Cave where the reviewer is totally upset.  I have a feeling some people expect Weta to be like a Universal Studios Theme Park.  The cave is a shop selling Weta film models and stuff, there's a little movie detailing Weta successes,  and a year ago a Workshop tour started up..

Bus No 2 from the city will drop a visitor off prettymuch near the workshop. 

Me, Biking??

Hi there

I have been a bit of a wimp the last week or two re pushing boundries with my bad knee, but then I suddenly thought, "I walked around Mt Maunganui a couple of weeks ago, i am not an invalid!"  Granted, to walk around The Mount probably takes an uninjured person about 45 minutes and it did take me an hour and a half, and with the aid of my hiking stick.  I did sit down a lot.

So?  So... I went for a bicycle ride yesterday, just to prove that I could do it.

Every time i came to even a slight rise, I had to get off the hired bike and push it because that was when my knee sort of did hurt.  I was kind of embarrassed to let others see me doing this, but the pride of being able to even ride the bike in the first place soon overcame any feelings of embarrassment.

I still can't do breast-stoke or over-arm in the water.  I can only swim on my back which is a bit of a downer but, hey, there's always next week...

Up and at 'em!

Miramar Wanderings

Hi there

I was power-walking through Miramar last week and approached the goods entrance for Weta Workshop.  Standing in the gateway was a guy in a fluorescent vest with some sort of two-way radio in his hand.  We were probably about a metre or so apart.

He said into his radio, and looking right at me, "There's a big truck here now-"

"I hope you're not referring to me," I said.  "I know I've put on weight but ..."

As I walked away, he was apologising profusely, explaining that he wasn't talking about me; there was a truck coming up the road to the back of me.

It's so sad that people nowadays are so scared of being politically incorrect that they don't register a joke when they hear it.

above:  Weta Workshop goods entrance.  The building immediately behind is the Weta office block.  I haven't been in there for a few years but in their conference room they had their Oscars on display.
***

Today: I power-walked the same route this morning.  As I turned a corner away from Weta, I came upon something being filmed from across the road.   It's for tv apparently.

Smaug at Wellington Airport

Hi there

Yesterday Richard Taylor from Weta Workshop unveiled - at Wellington Airport -  the giant sculpture of Smaug, the bad dragon from The Hobbit movies.  I trotted down to the airport this morning to have a nosy.  Unfortunately, I happened to get there at exactly the same time as the 200 winners from around the world who had won a trip to New Zealand travelling around Hobbit and LOTR locations.  They spent yesterday in Wellngton, including seeing the upcoming Hobbit 3 movie:  Rise of the Five Armies.  In advance of the preview next month.  Wow.... Jealous, anyone?

Anyway, these fans were congregated around Smaug at the airport so I couldn't really devote the time needed to take a good photo.  The organisers were being interviewed by tv and I heard them say that they were bound by contract not to reveal anything about the upcoming movie.

There was also a bunch of school children present.  They were totally overawed.  The dragon slowly opened and closed its evil eye.  Any faster, and it would have been a wink.  My beating heart would surely have told me if Benedict Cumberbatch was hiding inside Smaug..

Plumbers, guarantees, hot water cylinders, and me

Hi there

I got a new hot water cylinder installed two years ago.  Cost about $1,000.  A notice plastered proudly on the cylinder's side proclaimed that there was a five year guarantee.

The cylinder started to leak about a fortnight ago.  Oh,  well, not to worry.  There was that guarantee, wasn't there?

Ah hah.  No.....   To all intents and purposes, the guarantee is a bust.  The cylinder would not be replaced, only repaired.  This would necessitate sending the cylinder to Auckland, a temp one would have to be installed in my house, and I would have to pay for all labour and additions which would amount to about the same price as if I had bought a brand new one.  And without a further guarantee that the repaired cylinder wouldn't fail again.

I was all but forced to buy a new cylinder.   $1500.

Sigh.  So much for guarantees.    Oh, yes, it was a Rheem brand.   I have now another brand ceramic-lined hot water cylinder that my pet plumber says will outlast me.   Oops, does he know something that I don't?

xxx

PS:  It appeared the storage unit fire mentioned by me recently was caused by an arsonist.  He was arrested today.  Silly guy didn't realise he was being filmed.  So sad that two oscars were lost.

PPS:  J and I had a lovely swim at Hataitai Beach yesterday.  We couldn't get over how lovely it was in the water, this being mid-April.  As I got into my car afterwards, I heard via the radio, that the outside temperature was 21c.  That's summer for Wellington!

How old do I feel? 16? 18? 20? Yep, I'll go for 20! ... plus Roxy Theatre, Miramar

Hi there

In my head, I feel about 20 years old.   My swimming friend J tells me that when she goes to her doctor - who is a woman of about 36 - J feels, in her head,about 36 as well.  And then it suddenly comes home to her that the doctor sees her as an old woman!

We both hate being called 'dear' by shop assistants or shepherded out-of-harm's-way-love by friendly strangers who fear all our bones will break when we accidentally get bumped into.

Last week, when I visited my friend in a lifecare facility that she'd recently moved into, I went to the kitchen to get her some water.   I was immediately mistaken for a resident and told off in no uncertain terms, by the cook, for setting foot into this hallowed sanctuary.  I slunk out of that kitchen, away from the bully, thoroughly mortified.  I had to stop and think that, by golly, the cook truly didn't see me as a twenty year old.

In future, I vow to bounce into that facility as if I own the place, with all the bounce I can muster,  and I'll dress up to the nines, drip with jewellery, look as young as I can possibly look, and glare down my snooty nose at the cook.   But, you see, as we grow older, we - as a geriatric bunch - do tend to let others walk all over us. 

I shall (try to) be strongerl.

*  The Roxy Theatre in Miramar is having it's 3rd birthday today (Sun 6th).  The celebrations were due to start at 11 am, and I wandered past at 10 am, so there wasnt much doing at that time.    You can see the Gandalf street sculpture on the right.  The theatre is owned by Weta Workshop's Richard Taylor, Tania Roger, and Jamie Selkirk.

**  J and I have done 5 swims so far this month.  It's been lovely at Hataitai Beach, with very warm water.

Fire in the eastern suburbs

Hi there

There was a big fire down the road in the early hours of this morning (Fri) NZ time), one of the biggest fires in many years in Wellington.  It was Kiwi Storage which is at the foot of the airport runway and right next door to where a branch of Weta Workshop also had a fire a couple of years ago.  On the other side of the storage facility is .... Kilbirnie Fire Station.  Seventy-something fire-fighters fought the blaze that lasted for 6 hours,.  It started at 1.30 a.m. and when J and I were swimming way across the bay, we could still see the smoke at 3 pm in the afternoon.

There was quite a bit of stuff in the Storage sheds, put there by Weta folk.  Some collectible vintage cars and it's thought that two Oscar awards for "Lord of the Rings" also went up in the fire.   As well,  some stuff that had once belonged to Madonna.  I have a feeling the awards might have been Alex Funke's from the Weta Miniatures Department.

I took a photo from the bus window as I went past this morning, but the pic didnt turn out.  Curse you, bus driver for going so fast!  That's certainly a change.  Usually the buses go at a snail's pace.

Here's a pic from the New Zealand Herald website.






I was on my way in the bus to the hospital.  I was surprised to discover that there is a grand piano in the hospital foyer and volunteers play lovely soothing music.

Feeling Sorry for myself

Hi there

Back to dentists again, sorry.  The past seven days have seen me feeling all sorry for myself.  I blame the dentist.  All dentists.  Every dentist who has ever existed ...   In my mind, dentists are one step above medieval torturers ....

A week ago the dentist went ahead and seemingly emptied the contents of an entire drawer into my mouth.  Since then I have been having to put up with bruising and tearing and pain (oh, my).  I haven't been able to open my mouth very wide at all to eat.   I've been living on creamed corn, mashed potato, scrambled eggs and Weight Watchers chicken casserole for days .... and days.  My friends have suggested tins of baby food, but I nixed that.

Yesterday, I bought a blueberry muffin from New World.  I had to break it up into a thousand crumbs.  The muffin took about an hour to eat.

And to think that the tortune goes on next Monday with another hour and a half scheduled session. 

Still ... I pulled myself away from my lethargy and forced myself to go for a walk during the weekend.  I traversed the zig-zag path down to Scorching Bay.   The first photo is of the bay from about halfway down the path.  In the second picture (click on it) you might be able to see the outdoor tables and chairs that belong to the cafe "Scorch-a-Rama".  This cafe used to be called  "The Chocolate Fish" and when "The Lord of the Rings" was being filmed, the actors and crew used to love going there for a bite to eat.  I believe, under it's new name, the cafe has been popular, too, with "Hobbit" and Weta Workshop workers    The cafe building is separated from the beachside tables and chairs by a road.  Waiters have to face maybe-death-by-traffic to deliver meals.

Swimming at Hataitai beach

Hi there

J and  I have been cruising along with our swimming since about October.  Today everything ,changed.  We got in the water, and there was beautiful blue sky overhead, but by the time we got out, thunder clouds were approaching.  The winds were chilly.,

And my feet in my sandals were freezing.   Freezing toes usually means winter swimming is on the way.

J's chauffeur met us as we were coming out of the water.  He said the forecast for this afternoon was thunder, hail, cold, rain.   As I drove home, it started to rain.  And as I type this, (about an hour out from the beach ) I cannot seem to get warm.

Oh dear, will we be able to complete winter swimming - we go in wearing just our bathing suits, no wet suits for us! - this year.  Or will we chicken out?

The first day of Autumn, here in NZ, was 1 March.......  

brrrrhhhhh...

(Oh, heck, I better sign off as I can hear thunder coming from over Island Bay way.  I don't want possible lightening to home in on my computer)

Here's a not very good photo of one of the gateposts at Weta Workshop, in Miramar, Wellington, New Zealand, just up the road from where I live.  It depicts a dwarf from The Lord of the Rings/Hobbit movies.

Weta Workshop, Richard Taylor

Hi there

Here's a story I have told before but there is now a little add-on to it.

A couple of years' ago, I was walking around Miramar, Wellington, and approaching Weta Workshop,  From a distance I saw someone hard at work cleaning the gutter, complete with spade and wheelibin.

"Poor guy," I thought, "The Wellington City Council have got him working on a Sunday."

I got closer and I saw that there was a 'Weta' sticker on the bin.

"Poor guy," I thought.  "Weta have got him working on a Sunday."

I got closer and saw that ... it was Richard Taylor!  The Richard Taylor.  Yep, nice guy Richard Taylor, everyone-adores-him Richard Taylor.  Boss of Weta Workshop Richard Tayor, the bloke who along with Peter Jackson, Jamie Selkirk, and Tania Rodger, had the guiding hands behind the"Lord of the Rings" movies.

And he was cleaning the gutter?

He told me that Sundays was the only day he could get at the gutter because cars were parked there all the other times.

The add-on bit I was telling you about is ...  My friend, AJ, is a teacher.  In class one day a teen boy had dropped some litter on the ground and didn't bother to pick it up.  AJ trotted out my Richard Taylor/wheelie bin story ending up with, "...so even Richard Taylor isn't above picking up rubbish."

The suitably-chastised kid picked up his litter.

I took this photo on the day Prince Charles visited Weta Workshop.

4th swim at Hataitai Beach for August

Hi there

J and I have completed our fourth swim for August, and that was our minimum number per winter month, so every swim from now on in is a bonus swim.

 The Wellington City Council seemed to have come to a stop re building the new steps at Hataitai Beach.  But good on them for making such a great start.  J and I are a bit worried that the steps look raw and prickly-wood;  they might splinter our tootsies.  Still, I expect WCC have some under-water varnish or something.  Also let's hope they attach a rim to the edge of each step (like previously) so as we swimmers don't slip.  Oh, goodness, and while you're at it, WCC, we'd like a cafe bar in the changing sheds, a four-jet shower, and heated floorboards (hehehehe...).

The outdoor statue of Gandalf the wizard, from Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit has been placed in the new little plaza outside the Roxy Theatre in Miramar.  I think it was the statue that was in the Weta Cave for a while, and also in the foyer of the Roxy.  I'm sorry to say the pigeons have got at the statue already.  Also, I'm thrilled to see that in homage to my latest visit to Las Vegas, glitter capital of the world, the lamp-posts in the little Roxy plaza are sparkly glittery silver.

Oh, and here are three trolls that are outside the Weta Cave/Weta Workshop in Miramar.   If you're in the area, don't miss out on a visit to the workshop.  I think tours are something like every hour and can be bought from Weta Cave.  My swimming pal, J, is a great expedition leader, but when she went recently to the Cave, she failed to read the notice that said visitors could also tour the workshop.  Tsk.tsk.

More about my trip to Las Vegas later this week.

 

 

Weta Collectables

Today I went down to the Weta Cave.  It's the Weta Workshop shop/mini museum/small theatre that shows a great film on the growth of Weta.  Surprise, from today they'd opened a new section that takes you skirting around the inside of Weta Workshop for $20.  We saw loads of props, costumes, sculptures,  weapons, models used in the movies like "District 9", Narnia Chronicles, LOTR, "King Kong", "Meet the Feebles", etc.  We saw the armoury, and there were also two sculpters working on Weta collectable sculptures.  We were told by the guides that they didn't know how long the display would be open for, maybe just this week or a little bit longer.  It looks pretty permanent to me.

Here is a photo of the two guides (notice the LOTR sword) in front of the newly painted outside wall of Weta (the design wasnt there a few days ago).  Guides are rotating a bit this week.  The woman works in Costuming, the guy in Armoury.

I bought a new t-shirt advertising the world premier of The Hobbit.  Here is front view (hobbit burrow) and back view stating premier date, etc.

Also, too,  there was a pin (that I heard about on the grapevine) advertising the premier, but you had to ask for it.  Apparently it's a collectable.   I wouldn't be surprised if they passed some of these out to the crowd by the red carpet on Wednesday.

Prince Charles at Weta Workshop, Miramar

Prince Charles and Camilla are in Wellington today.  Prince Charles visited Weta Workshop in Miramar, home of movie sculptures, models, replicas, etc.  Though it's probably less than a km from my place, I had to take the car because of my bad foot.  I thought director Peter Jackson might be there.  And he was.  But he purposely kept to the shadows whilst waiting for the Prince to arrive and it was very hard to photograph him because the great unwashed public were not allowed to set foot inside Weta grounds.

However, lovely Richard Taylor, head of Weta, came outside and spoke to people.  I saw oscar winner Tania Roger there as well.

Now, wait for it.........   Prince Charles shook my hand!  I said 'Good luck' to him.  The woman beside me said to give her best to Camilla.  Prince Charles thanked us.  And do you know what?  He was smiling the whole time, and he was so gentle and insisted on talking to lots of people.  He was so different from how I thought he would be, i.e. stiff and formal. 

Photos from top to bottom:  Richard Taylor, me alongside the Prince's car, Prince Charles, VIPs (including Peter Jackson) waiting for the Prince to arrive.

I'll bet the Prince enjoyed his visit to Weta because he's a movie buff.  He was about five minutes late arriving, but about a half hour late leaving.

J and I had our second swim for the month today.  Whoopeee!  We stayed in water about 25 minutes.

Wellington Airport ,Gollum from Weta Workshop

I trotted down to Wellington Airport this afternoon and discovered Gollum from "Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit".  Made by Weta Workshop to welcome people to the middle of Middle Earth.  Wow, what workmanship.  It was just such a pity that the light coming through the windows, plus the ceiling spotlights made it a bit difficult to get photographs.  But.... congrats, Weta, what a magnificent job.

Some conversations are more weird than others.

A friend said to me the other day, "Odd things always seem to happen to you."  And I had to think hard about this because she was right.  Is it that I can read odd things in happenings that other people can't?  Am I more alert to what's going on around me?    Who knows?

 In my rush to catch the ferry at Seatoun Wharf the other day, a guy stopped me as I was storming across Worser Bay beach.

"Excuse me, do you know where the troll is?  It's supposed to be here somewhere."

"Um, no, " I said.  "The last troll I saw was at Wellington Airport."'

"Oh, well, thanks ...." 

We both went our individual ways.

What a conversation!   It could only happen on the Miramar Peninsula, home of Peter Jackson and Weta Workshop.  Any stranger listening in would have thought we were completely mad.


PS:  7th swim for September.........Done!

"Wellington Blown Away" sign

the "Wellington Blown Away" sign was erected this afternoon at the entrance to the Miramar Peninsula.  I stood watching for 3 hours and, boy, was it freezing cold.  My knees were like a couple of ice blocks.  But it was a bit ironic, the name of the sign, because there was no wind whatsoever to day in 'Windy Wellington'.  
I did disappear for 15 minutes at one stage.  I rushed home, had a cup of soup, donned a woolly hat, and rushed back.

W and E and L and another L and I and N were erected on high as single letters.  Then G and T and O and N were attached to a background lattice work, then the 'blown away' stipey-thingees were added.  Then after several rehearsals and three or four attempts when the letters were raised a bit, then lowered to the ground again, the whole thing was raised and the abseilers at the top of the framework were able to do their thing, i.e. attach the letters to the scaffolding.
The land is owned by Wellington Airport and they commissioned Weta Workshop to carry out the making of the sign.

Weta Cave and Stone Street Studios, Miramar

I like living on the Miramar Peninsula in Wellington.  So many overseas people wander around Miramar nowadays, both tourists and film workers, and I love the buzz of it all.
As well as Weta Workshop, Weta Digital, Park Road Post (Production), and the Stone Street Studios (see bottom photo), we now have the Weta Cave.  This is an add-on to the Weta Workshop and sells everything Weta-orientated.  There's also a mini-museum of film props, and they show a wonderful (free) film about the growth of Weta.   If anyone is interested in going to the Weta Cave, just take a no 2 bus from town and get off one stop before the end, and even if you 'over-run', it's only a short walk back to Camperdown Road. 
There is a 'sculpture' of a Komodo Dragon outside the Weta Cave (peer closely at second photo). 

Ah-ha, it's not really a sculpture.  It's a mould of a Komodo Dragon that died at the San Diego Zoo.  Weta made one for themselves and one is now at the zoo.
After the Cave, walk a minute or so (towards the direction of the zig-zag path, but don't go up it, unless you want to do 'the short loop')  along Camperdown Road to Park Road.  On Park Road, you'll pass (see top photo) Park Road Post.  My fave game is trying to work out which window would belong to Peter Jackson.  Many buildings along the first half of this road belong to the movie industry, so keep an eye open for 'things happening' inside the old warehouses.
Keep walking for about ten minutes to the Miramar shops.  You'll find the Roxy Theatre.  Ask if you can go upstairs to look at the decor and any exhibition that might be happening.  Look at the ceiling art.
From the Roxy, turn right around the corner at the Indian restaurant, and walk a minute or so down Miramar Avenue  to New World Supermarket.  You're at Stone Street, home of director Peter Jackson's Stone Street Studios. 
Then trot back to the Miramar shops to catch a no 2 bus back to town.

Miramar All Blacks Sign

Well, after me posting a photo of the "All Blacks" sign a a few days ago, today it appears that, within the week, the sign is coming down.  "Wellington Blown Away" (official name) is to take its place.  This means it will just be the word "Wellington" but the last few letters will look as if they are blowing away with the wind.  Wellington is, of course, known as "Windy Wellington". 
Originally, the sign was going to be "Wellywood" - such bad taste.  The signs are made by Weta Workshop (multiple academy award winners).  The new sign should be up within the week.

Here's a pic of part of the Miramar Peninsula.  It's very unusual to see horses on the peninsula.  I can only think that they're kept in a field at the top of the hill (where up until a few days ago Peter Jackson was filming village scenes for "The Hobbit", part 2 - incidentally, A's daughter has been an extra on the set for something like 28 days).

Well, my "it-isn't-a-cold-it's-just-through-spraying-the-garden sore throat has now turned into a full blown head cold.  Feeling sorry for myself and eating so much ice cream and honey that A, my health-food conscious friend is horrified by what I'm putting into my mouth.
Yesterday was such a beautiful day, the tide was right, and J was obviously all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, aching to get in another swim, but I had to back off because of my cold.  I feel awful about this.  J, you can go in by yourself, if you want.....