Wellington Harbour was the most beautiful sight yesterday. You can walk for a quite some time around the old port area and it is heaving with eateries, locals, tourists, runners and business men on suspiciously long lunches. The usual business of a working port with boats, ferries and ships weaving in and out of the people. 
The weather was quite simply perfect. 
We took a bus from Newtown …
..down into Wellington proper. We Wandered about Lambton Quay, then up into Courtney place, shopping and chatting, buying not very much. The pohutukawas are flowering everywhere. 
…then back to the water we went..
eventually choosing..
Shed 5 for our lunch. Like most of the restaurants along this stretch, it is a converted warehouse sitting on the old ..
pier.
We had a long leisurely lunch of posh fish and chips and champage right beside the sea, followed by a lovely bottle of rose, under a red umbrella.
Good morning. Today my daughter and I, who are inseparable when we are together, will pack up and de-camp to Senior sons for a few days. He lives in Wellington also and tells me that he is very close to the sea and the beach. There will be more walks into the hills with some views of our rugged coastline, I hope.
So pack your wee bags again, we are going to be collected in the Valiant (a classic old car in New Zealand) about 2 this afternoon.
On the other side of the world, Christine, who runs a bed and breakfast in a place called Glenhinnisdal in the UK, has painted a beautiful portrait of TonTon, do pop in and have a look. It is so beautiful. Her blog is named after her house – Garysbuie. She has very kindly offered to send this lovely painting to me so that I can frame our dear wee doggie and hang him on the wall. Isn’t that awesome. I do miss TonTon. Aren’t blog people grand.
Back on the prairie, the footings for the Coupe have been poured and the Kiwi builder (who actually grew up in Wellington) has sent me a drawing for you. 
I can now see where I want to put the other windows.
There will also be a glasshouse on the South side of the original house.
This really has become an exciting project. The image you see is at noon on the longest day so that all the high windows, plus the covered verandah where the summer table will be, are in shade.
Good morning everyone. I hope you are all going to have a lovely day.
We will. I will be back tomorrow with a new view!
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
70 responses to “Champagne with Fish and Chips on the Waterfront”
That’s what I’ve been saying, Champagne goes with everything!
wise girl.. ! c
Lovely pics!
Champagne is especially good for breakfast – in case you are wondering 🙂
Wellington is turning on the great weather for you, long may it continue.
I love the look of the coupe – It is going to be wonderful to ‘see’ the progress… off now to look at Ton Ton’s portrait.
If one drinks champagne at breakfast it is important to drop a strawberry into the glass, so your bubbles have a food component.. I am actually willing to bet that you do this too anyway!! c
Fish,chips and champagne is one of my favourites. My friends used to think me quite mad for doing this.
I think you are obviously a very sensible girl .. bubbles go with everything! c
Champagne, sea water, flowers, a wonderful daughter – what more could you ask for? My first car was a 1968 Valiant – blue with a red stripe. Loved that car and it lasted forever. I was thinking how much the Daily View will have changed by the time you get back to it…
Oh yes, the daily view .. especially after all the colours and growth out here in NZ! it will be very different.. c
i am glad you are having so much fun. that is my kind of lunch! the painting of ton ton is perfect!
Isn’t it neat! She is a very talented girl.. c
You really are having a great time and what a beautiful place 🙂
That portrait of Ton Ton is very good.
It is beautiful and the weather was unusually brilliant yesterday, even with sunblock I got a wee bit of pink.. which is quite nice really.. c
That’s the rosé going to your cheeks!
Ha ha .. maybe so, drinking in the sun is a dangerous business! c
Hurray for perfect weather and a perfect place to eat fish and chips with rose (now where do I find an accent aigou for the ‘e’ on this keyboard?!)
I searched and searched and in the end I had to write a ‘bottle of..’ so you would not think i was drinking a lovely red rose from a vase.. funny.. c
I love the outdoor markets, the color of the sea, the popping hue of the flowers…all so different from Minnesota. Thank you for taking me along on this journey to a place I will never see in person.
The colours are fantastic aren’t they.. it will be interesting to see what pictures i get today! c
Mmmm, love fish and chips…and with champagne? Natural! That’s a lovely painting of Ton, you must be thrilled. What a lovely birthday/holiday you’re having. I suspect you probably miss the farmy but this is too much fun, isn’t it?
I do miss them, in fact I am such a baby I cannot look back at old shots without a definite pang, but only a couple of weeks and we will be back in deep winter for a good while.. so I am thrilled to be in the warm sun for a little while with my family! c
Man bit I’m glad you are having such a good time… enjoy it further…
Morning honey! c
I am having such a glorious holiday with you Celi. I think Jimmie’s could be a favorite place of mine. I like the look. The colour of the water, the red of those flowers it is all so exotic and wonderful. What year is your son’s vintage Valiant? In l967 I traveled to Mexico city, then back up to Canada via the West Coast in a l959 Valiant. I love that you’re drinking champagne with your fish and chips. Definite my kind of woman. V.
I shall ask him about that car this afternoon,he will be thrilled to fill us in i am sure, in fact Maybe i will get a picture too!! c
Interesting tattoo’s … do they depict a ‘story’? Very pretty Capital City. Maybe the Kiwi should go on top the coupe … being built by a Kiwi and all 🙂 Laura
The tattoo is what they call a sleeve.. now the kiwi on the coupe is a very good idea.. I shall look into that re: sight lines and so forth.. c
Ooops, my apologies … off to have the spec’s checked 🙂 Laura
a tattooed sleeve.. sops and i don’t talk about it..
Well, add me to the list of Valiant lovers – there are a few still tooling around town, here! I think we’ll need a photo…
Loving each and every one of your Posts from Home…hope everything stays beautiful for the rest of your trip!
I am sure we will get some nasty weather eventually but it will not put a damper on our spirits.. too much fun to be had! c
C, I’m boarding a plane. Meet me at the airport with fish and chips and champagne. Bring a dog that wags its tail and loves to give kisses. I shall carry your bags the rest of the trip. HF
excellent.. let me know when you get in, next week we are on a road trip!! c
It just gets better and better! Now, how do I get the pigs on the plane. Pigs on a Plane, a good title for a movie! HF
The mind boggles!