Tag Archives: Taranaki

The Christmas Village, New Plymouth

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If you’re someone who loves Christmas whatever the time of year, or you like to go all out with your decorations and are looking for new ones to add to your collection, then you’ll like The Christmas Village in New Plymouth. It’s open Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 10am-4pm for most of the year and longer hours over the festive season.

The village is brimming with beautiful decorations, I especially liked the lanterns and lamp posts but decided my budget fell more in the Christmas angel range. Lay-by is an option for big purchases – see The Christmas Village on … Read the rest

Govett-Brewster Art Gallery / Len Lye Centre, New Plymouth

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The exterior of the Len Lye Centre in New Plymouth is eye catching and impressive. The 14 metre tall structure is made of concrete clad with stainless steel. The curved stainless steel reflects and plays with light making the outside of the centre an art piece in itself, and probably the most photographed building in Taranaki.

Who was Len Lye? 
Christchurch born Len Lye (1901-1980) was an artist who made films, wrote poetry and painted, he also became known for his kinetic sculptures. Len Lye spent most of his life overseas, his connection to the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery began in … Read the rest

Stoney Oaks Wildlife Park & Farmstay, Inglewood

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We arrived at Stoney Oaks Wildlife Park & Farmstay after a long drive down the Forgotten World Highway. We were ready to lay our heads almost anywhere but as it turned out hitting the hay in The Barn at Stoney Oaks was an excellent choice – rave review ahead.

The Barn’s interior is built of macrocarpa and corrugated iron and has heaps of interesting features. Deer antler has been turned into light fittings, door handles and towel rails. Some of the fixtures are ingenius in their simplicity – two hunks of wood built into walls are bed side tables, … Read the rest

Back to the 50’s in New Plymouth

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New Plymouth hosts Americarna, an all American car event, and also has its own American style Deluxe Diner. We pulled in to Deluxe Diner for breakfast and were impressed with the mint green and red decor, comfy booths, and big menu.

I’m a shocker for taking too long to choose my food but buttermilk pancakes always make it easy for me, Mike settled on the breakfast hot dog, both good choices. The drinks menu is almost as big as the food menu and stretches from cherry cola floats to Spirulina, VIP malted shakes to alcoholic milkshakes, and free fluffys … Read the rest

WOMAD Festival 2015

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More than 300 artists from 22 countries performed at the World of Music, Arts and Dance Festival (WOMAD) in New Plymouth from 13-15 March. The sprawling Brooklands Park near the city centre is an ideal festival venue, four stages are set up in the big garden and festival goers can roam between them with stops for food and drink. Detours can also be made to the Village of Wellness for a meditation or yoga session, or to see what’s cooking at Taste the World.

WOMAD is a 3 night / 2 day event, I went on Sunday – $109 for … Read the rest

Unusual fences

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Some of the unusual fence decor we’ve seen around New Zealand ……

Coffee cup fence at Krafty Cups in Rahotu (Taranaki)

Children’s Toy Wall in Eltham (Taranaki)  ….. the toy wall on Bridger Lane is said to have started when Fay Young found a toy car outside her property. She put the car on her garden wall so it might be found by its owner, it was never claimed.

Fay embedded the car into the wall and it started a toy story in cement that grew as children donated toys for the collection. Fay passed away in 2000, she generously … Read the rest

Cheese rollin’, rollin’, rollin’, rollin’

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*Eltham Cheese Day is now a biennial event – cheese will be rolling again in 2017*

Limp Bizkit sing it slightly differently but cheese will again be rollin’ at the Eltham Downhill Cheese Race on Saturday, April 6 2013.

Watch surefooted souls chase a cheese wheel down Cheese Hill. Those who make it can buy an “I Survived” t-shirt, and those with fast feet will take home a cheese wedge trophy.

In 2012 boys in blue raced against a Santa who forgot the spirit of Christmas and ran off with the cheese – toward a getaway car full of crackers? … Read the rest