This week’s small pleasures 506

Despite a message from Air New Zealand on Tuesday morning with a ‘weather warning’, I flew back from Hawke’s Bay on time (leaving and landing) and hardly any bumps. Wellington is known for its at times interesting landings, and if you like you can read this rather exaggerated description of landing in Wellington. Anyway, it was a good visit but even nicer to get home. The weather today? See below as seen on my lunch time walk.

In the basket

We didn’t get a Wonky Box this week as I still had lots to use up from last week. I bought a bag of mandarins (which have been so good this year) on Wednesday and a couple of avocados too. On Sunday, I picked up a grapefruit, carrots, oranges and half a cabbage along with some feta, sour dough bread, pork mince and a bag of mesclun. From our local butcher, we got sausages and beef mince, the latter used in a pasta sauce on Sunday.

Beervana

On Saturday afternoon we headed out to Beervana, the annual two day beer festival here in Wellington. We ate early on, enjoying pierogi from the Little Polish Kiosk, with a beer from Good George to wash them down. Naturally we tried a few, including a rather strong tasting glass of a liquorice porter from local brewery Garage Project. The kiosk in the middle right below was a great gimmick where you could get your beer from a fortune teller machine. People dress up (see below), enjoy beer…and oysters too.

Film Festival

The New Zealand International Film Festival ended on Sunday, and we managed to get to our only film this year, De La Comédie-Française. Nina, an experienced actress, is now taking on the role of directing a performance of Macbeth. Unfortuntely, everything that can go wrong does, from a missing Lady Macbeth, to malfunctioning props, to behind the scenes affairs. After she meets the ghost of Molière, she has the confidence to get the play on stage. It was a light, funny film, fine for a Sunday afternoon.

Simple things

• Being at home.
• Making an excellent dinner on Wednesday even though I say so myself.
• Feeling that spring is here.
• Going to the pub with friends on Friday, laughing a lot and eating fish and chips.
• Getting to the hairdresser.
• Enjoying daffodils.

What were your small pleasures this week? Here are some other blog posts from a few fellow bloggers looking at the good things in life.

• I so enjoyed this post from Alex Keerie about a recent cooking class.
• Jo tells us about her recent reading.
• Carol Ann shares her delights and moves on in her writing.
• Poor Laurie has Covid…
• Anne tries Google Lens with interesting results.
• The Glasgow Gallivanter continues her wonderful tour of Gozo.
• And off we to go Trieste with The Eternal Traveller.
• Meanwhile Travels Through My Lens has fun with famly and friends in France. .
• The Travel Sketcher shares the week in The Pearl.
• Mr Tootlepedal enjoys a summer day.
• While Ilze has no electricity after a storm.
• Maria celebrates the start of a new week.
• And Neal enjoys a Saturday.
• Ju Lyn shares her happy place and space.
• And Natalie tells us about her month in Spain. 
• Deb also enjoys spring.
• Finally….Mr Platypus celebrates ten years of being a blogger.
• ..…and all the other lovely bloggers out there. Sorry if I have missed anyone…..

Thistles and Kiwis is a Wellington, New Zealand based blog written by Barbara, who likes cats, summer and good food. Thistles and Kiwis can be found on Facebook and Instagram @thistlesandkiwis