Words on Wednesday: a Cuba Street stroll

Thistles and Kiwis

As regular readers know, I don’t work on Wednesdays, and often use the day to catch up on things like dentist appointments, ironing and tidying up. However, I also use the day to go to exhibitions, eat lunch out and go places I don’t have time or opportunity to go to otherwise. With both Wellington on a Plate and the New Zealand International Film Festival on just now, this Wednesday I enjoyed both of these as well as a stroll along Cuba Street, the well known Wellington street full of all sorts of interesting shops, cafes, restaurants and other things to look at.

I stopped off at 1154 Pastaria for the Wellington on a Plate dish, an amazing rigatoni with tiger prawns in a cream, tomato and vodka sauce with sweet chilli and garlic. It was a wonderful dish, and well worth the lunch time visit.

I then walked up the street, taking a stroll down Tonks Grove to look at these heritage houses, thought to have been built by a William Tonks for his employees. They are constructed in timber and clad in weatherboard, and the second one below is designed in the Victorian Georgian style that was popular at the time.

I then strolled up to The Nut Store, a shop specialising in nuts, seeds and dried fruits (featured image at the top of the post) and picked up some pistachios and flaked almonds, and wondered why I had never been to this shop before. From there I wandered into Good Housekeeping, a shop specialising in eco home cleaning produce and other household goods. I picked up a new nail brush with a cute little dachshund and another string bag. I then popped into Minerva for a good browse, had a coffee in Customs and then went to second hand book shop Pegasus Books, where I found this book by Rumer Godden with a great cover and an old book of recipes by the well known New Zealand broadcaster, Aunt Daisy. One of our local restaurants is in fact called after her.

From there it was time to head to the cinema….but more of that on Monday….

Thistles and Kiwis is a Wellington, New Zealand based blog written by Barbara, who likes cats, summer, good food and pretends to garden.

You can find Thistles and Kiwis on Facebook, and also on Instagram @thistlesandkiwis.  As for Twitter….am totally inactive these days.  If you want to get in touch, email me on thistlesandkiwis@gmail.com

Published by Thistles and Kiwis

20 Comments

  6. A perfect day. I’ve already come to love Wellington’s parks, gardens and restaurant interiors. Now I’m delighted to see the pretty streetscape. Your beautifully illustrated walk has made me more eager than ever to visit NZ. I’m a city girl at heart, so I hope you take us on more urban strolls. On to the next Wednesday!

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  7. I love a walk through a city I don’t know very well, so it was nice to see some of the houses around your area. I love the look of the rigatoni with tiger prawns, delicious! My memory of Wellington food is fresh produce and generous servings…lovely!

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