If you've looked outside recently you will have noticed that spring hath sprung.
Bring on my bright pink, cats eye shades. Bring on iced tea. Bring on flowers and balmy evenings. But wait, school exists and this causes me to pretty much live in a space with no windows, eat nothing but pizza and spend all my time either crying or practicing (or doing both... at the same time!). However, today I took an hour off to re-explore one of my favourite Wellington streets.
I present to you this weeks tahi, Wellington's Aro Street
My old stomping ground
Aro is an amazing community that feels frickin surreal. It's like an emerald cloaked fairy land that's just chilling five minutes from the city. As you go into Aro street, you'll see one of the three beautifully decorated bus stops that the street possesses. 'Bus Stop Boutique' is an adorable mural of a vintage store, featuring a bowie t-shirt, twiggy poster and a rad Cleopatra looking model. Public art/tekau, I just wish this was a real, bus-stop sized shop.
So cute! Tempted to make a little pop up stall here, make that 2D into 3D!
Ahhhh spring flowers and a nice font, nearly as good as a cup of tea and a lie-in
Just down from the stop is Philosophy House, which used to be a children's home (or so I've been told) which is home to three rad black cats. I've actually spent way to much time hanging with these dudes and breathing in the hell-tonne of lavender that grows outside P.H. (now thats an even better combo than a cup of tea and a lie-in).
And it wouldn't be Aro without the Aro Valley Community centre, with mother-freakin' solar power!
Take a closer look at those panels!
There's also a huge patch of strawberry plants in Aro Park (next to the community centre), which is worth noting as food in public places is the tahi (look out for a later blog post on this very subject).
Aro Park was also the venue for the 'Arolympics' which was held for the first time this summer.
Dammmmnnnn look at all those possible fruits
The park always has a faint smell of hops from Garage Project mixed with the delicious smell of baked goods (and y'all know how I feel about baked goods) from Arobake. In terms of beer recommendations, I know about as much about beer as I know about algebra, so sweet frick all. In terms of cake recommendations there's nothing I know better on all of this sweet earth. Get the PEAR AND GINGER CAKE IT'S LIKE EATING A VISIT TO YOUR GRANDMA'S HOUSE (If your grandma is a ginger angel who has a massive pear tree).
Cherry Bomb sounds like a good stripper name
Home of the pear and ginger cakes (and The General Store to the left)
Aro Street is also home to The General Store, a shop that features groovy vintage doo-dads, Wellington made foods and local crafts / arts. I bought a great zine from there today on the history of Aro.
Someone please buy me all the things
There's also a really good DVD rental (Aro Video) which has a HUGE Queer section, for all my Queer Bears out there. They also have a really good nostalgia section for all your Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyk and Audrey Hepburn needs (not to mention the Twin Peaks boxed set with ALL the special features).
Holy Times New Roman, I love Aro's fonts.
Deals for days!
Aro Street is like a giant canvas. There's a community art wall (featuring RED PEAK!) and various rad street art pieces by artists such as BDM and Wobbles.
Damn natural lighting, you lookin' fine.
Heartwarming as frick
Community art featuring Red Peak! (and LOVE graffiti)
A slightly worse for wear piece by BMD on an abandoned building
WELL DO YA??? WELL DO YA, PUNK??
A piece by 'Wobbles'
Aro valley is chocka blocka full of feathered folk, thanks to the bush surrounding the area. Including this crazy friendly tui who gave me a good old fashioned waiata and wasn't even fazed at my photo taking or ridonculously bright outfit.
This dude invited me over for Kowhai and chill
Aro is a great community with not ONE but TWO community places on one street. The second of which is Kai Te Aro's 'The Orchard'; a community garden for the people of the valley. Filled with table staples such as spinach, tomatoes, strawberries and various herbs. The garden also sports a community compost heap and encourages bikers who use the neighbouring bike tracks to water the garden with their bottles post ride. Damn gardeners, your green thumbs are clever as heck.
Thanks for the Kai!!
Get amongst this community compost!
Popeye's heaven
Is that planter off his face or is he just stocked at the prospect of communal vegetables?
If you make it all the way to the end of the valley, you get to see the BEST BUS STOP IN THE WORLD (well, in my world anyway). The Holloway Road bus stop is a beautiful tribute to art deco and is always beautifully maintained (despite the occasional graffiti). My favourite part is the clouds on the inside.
So dreamy!
A sneaky spider stencils adds to this rad stop.
So yes, that is my BRIEF (even though this post is like a novel) tour of Aro street. In short, outside is fun, stress is lame, art is a jolly eye feast and community initiatives are the mother flippin tahi!
Join us next week for SOMETHING ELSE!
I shall leave you with a pic of Aro's other bus stop that I have titled "woweeee trippy sea time".
Love,
Ruby xx
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