The place isn’t mine, but it is for the next 2 weeks. At last I’m being seen as someone who can do more than just party till dawn at the drop of a hat; a regular person, trusted, living unattended in another person’s home. So, who wants to come on over for a night-cap and get wrinkly in the spa? Drop me a line on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=604755155

With my sister in town last week I was extra busy, as taxi-man and provider of fun conservative outings. One evening I gathered a skilled team for an interactive pub quiz, we lead most of the way, but some shocking calls from people who should have known better saw us slip to 3rd overall.

The next night Stella Artois put on a movie at Rialto. They’d asked Brooke Howard-Smith to pick his fave all time movie, and get some friends along. He did that and they tackled the hospitality. I was miffed at his choice at the start, but as the movie finished up I could correlate the similarities, and it all made sense. “The Princess Bride” wouldn’t have been my pick, but I’ve never been asked. I would go for something like “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” if asked right this minute. What about you?

I’m in the throws of a steroid and antibiotic 10 day course, for a silly respiratory fault and my morning dose has just kicked in. My goodness they make you motor, my fingers are flying over these keys. I now have an inkling as to how Ben Johnson felt before the 100m dash in 1988. I digress, right, so Thursday was different. I’d sorted the 2 private themed Japanese dining rooms at Kermedec Restaurant for 12 quality friends to meet and prosper in. I sat in the one with the goldfish pond encompassing the sunken table, with a waterfall wall behind me. It was brilliant; if you want something uniquely special look no further.

Seeing the comedy festival was curtailing I took everyone to see Brendhan Lovegrove. Then Thrice Pudding, now the Thrice team were funny. Consisting of an IAG lawyer, Japanese ESL student and a primary school teacher, they had us in fits. A well planned show, with elements of greenness, you could see they weren’t pro’s, this was just a hobby, and that’s what made them so appealing.

Damn these three, as they put us on a mega high, so we sort more quality entertainment. Where else on a Thursday but Pony. The Neon’s played and we downed Moet after Moet, thanks to a visiting friend from Mt Maunganui. This excessive drinking lead to more elation, so I decided to test how much my flatmate liked me. I sent out the Chinese whisper, “Everyone back to mine”, sadly for my sleeping flatmate, most obeyed.

We tried to be considerate, but by the texts coming from upstairs, we were failing. It was approaching 8am, so rather than face the venom of a surfacing 6ft landlord with panda eyes we bounced to a nearby home to acclimatise back into our ways.

Probably the one thing that stands above all as my #1 Auckland gripe is the traffic congestion. I left the CBD at 1.45pm and returned at 5pm, I don’t think it was the route I took, the rain, or that it was Friday arvo, it’s just that the elevator doesn’t reach the top floor of the noggins of those that call the transportation shots. But I’d collected, and delivered, my cargo (my brother in law) safely, so mission accomplished.

Getting 14 hours sleep in one night, when you’re used to getting barely 5 or 6, is an odd sensation. So everything felt wrong come Saturday morning. I felt dazed, yet wide awake, weary yet fighting fit, very surreal sensations indeed. I picked up my sis and her hub at 10am and we wandered the “Parnell Market Day”, (what a joke (it’s got nothing on the Ponsonby equivalent), the café called Dunk, does sell a mean savoury scone though). We moved up the rise to Newmarket for some heavy window-shopping, my sister wanted a handbag, that had to be just right, we drove away empty handed.

Tarantino movies, Pinot and positive convo filled the remainder of the daylight hours. Sawadee Thai restaurant filled our stomachs, The Ponsonby Social Club filled our eyes with smoke and hustle, Bar Retro filled our ears and nostalgic glands with the best 80’s tribute tunes ever (it was like Bros, Bon Jovi and Bowie were actually there). And then finally SpyBar was filled with dozens of happy faces that I knew.

This was a non OTT Saturday night, I chose to observe, keep my new white shirt just that, retain possession of my latest Sony camera, remember conversations and new introductions, but best of all drive home confidently. Due to all this absorbed info and pondering sleep wasn’t possible (makes me wonder how much I miss out on with all these benders), so as the blue sky appeared with the suns rays, I could be seen by the odd dog walker jogging around Ellerslie, still weighing up the racing topics in my mind.

It still wasn’t time to pick up the family, so I stopped by work to update my Facebook status and see if I’d won the green card lottery (I hadn’t).

Relishing the feel-good pitch blue sky I took Penny and Dean to Mission Bay. We attempted De Fontain, the Belgium Beer café there, loved the balcony views, hated the appalling service (will never go again), so left, in favour of the bakery downstairs and a mini picnic on the beach.

I was sad to see the family depart later that day; I’d very much enjoyed the reality of it all. I reacted by opening some more Noir and visiting happy friends, cherishing the comradery.

Which famous white-suit toting band of boys, with voices of serene angels had a concert on Monday night that was actually damn good fun? It was the smallest venue they had ever played in during their 10 years at the top, by a large margin, the on-stage set and equipment dominated the sold-out Aotea Centre, but it held its own providing a very intimate spectacle. There must have been at least 6 or 7 costume changes for the boys and multiple rip-offs from other artists, like Justin, Robbie and Michael, but it was a great show that appealed to grannies and homeys alike.

That’s me for another week, if you see me out and about please come up and say hi, or if there’s a fun event that you think I should know about drop me a line. Take care.