by tashmcgill | Oct 18, 2012 | Food & Drink, Girl About Town, Lifestyle
Ever wondered what the ‘cup of kindness’ Robert Burns referred to was? You don’t have to dig too deep into your dialects to realize he’s toasting his lifelong kinship and brotherhood with a glass of fine amber gold, otherwise known as whisky. As far as lasting tributes to the great Scottish tradition, it’s hard to compete with the likes of Burns or even Iain Banks who wooed us to the great misty world of Scottish distilleries in ‘Raw Spirit’. But, Ken Loach has done a remarkable job with a low-budget but perfectly formed film. It will touch on all aspects of your humanity and most importantly, it makes a hero of great whisky.
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld land syne
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet
For auld lang syne. (more…)
by tashmcgill | Apr 27, 2011 | Food & Drink, Girl About Town
Originally posted at Auckland Scene
When do you know this bar thing is getting out of hand? When you order a drink at on a Monday night (on the night in question, a semi-traditional Whiskey-Mac with equal parts Irish Whiskey and ginger wine over ice with lemon, no mixer) and the bartender looks at you, smiles, winks, then says “Ah, hospo – right?”
Mondays, otherwise affectionately known as “hospo night” (when a lot of local bars and eateries take a well-deserved day off) is a strange time of the week to be reviewing a bar, but hey – for the Bar Scene Babe, anything goes.
Now, I know you’re all dying to hear about the tastebud challenge game I’ve been playing with my favourite bartender lately – but the raspberry marshmellow dreamdrop and the chocolate licorice bullet sazerac will just have to wait because it’s Monday and we’re on Ponsonby Road, chasing down a nostalgic open mic night. (more…)
![A Clandestine Affair at The Department Store.]()
by tashmcgill | Apr 20, 2011 | Girl About Town, Lifestyle
I’ll be honest here, ok. Brace yourself. I’ve lived on the North Shore of Auckland for at least 10 years of my life. But, after all the years I’ve lived on the Shore, being firmly re-ensconced in central Auckland only reaffirms my feeling of being a foreigner when it comes to Takapuna. I mean, cliché as it is – it really is the land of BMW, Audi, white pants and now – the offshoot brainchild of some of New Zealand’s finest creatives – The Department Store. Which I think has and will continue to be a destination shopping & beauty experience for Aucklanders!
Therein, the conflict of interest lies. You see, I’ve had a bit of a lucky streak lately which started with winning $150 worth of The Department Store vouchers, which as Twitter informed me… doesn’t get you much. So, the very un-fashionista me… needed to go to the centre of high style in Takapuna. What a wicked tale of indulgence it begins.. (more…)
by tashmcgill | Apr 18, 2011 | Food & Drink, Girl About Town
When the Golden Dawn opened in December, there was much talk around town. For some of the young bartenders around town it was the place to work with Jacob Briars aka The Vodka Professor compiling a stunning drinks list and backbar selection of spirits.
And despite the flurry of new bars in Britomart, there are some things that just work, especially on Ponsonby Rd, no doubt thanks to the input of Sam Chapman (think Matterhorn, one of Wellington’s best bars), and Stephen Marr (hairdresser) and one of The Department Store brainstrust.
Righto – to the point, here’s what everyone else loves about Golden Dawn.
- The name. It’s a bit cheeky and while it’s the best time of the day to be drinking – let’s be honest, on Ponsonby Rd it could mean just about anything.
- It’s big enough to be flexible, find a quiet corner or dance to DJs in the packed out Friday & Saturday night scene.
- The hard-to-find, speak-easy entrance. It might look closed but pop your head around the corner, follow the light and noise from the outdoor courtyard. A little bit of mystery, woos the punters.
- That outdoor courtyard with coloured festoons strung from a maypole and long tables for sharing, it really does give you that New Orleans/county fair feeling. (more…)
by tashmcgill | Apr 18, 2011 | Food & Drink, Girl About Town
I’m currently writing a series of reviews & stories about my travels around town for the wonderful BloggeratLarge.com (Megan Singleton!) I’ll post them here as well. Be sure to join the fun on the Auckland Scene Facebook page for all the latest updates about this great city.
There’s something about having a local that makes you feel like a real grown-up. Being that this is my first outing for Blogger At Large, all things considered it was time to take an objective look (and set the standard) with my tried and true, The Corner Store in Eden Terrace. (25 Mt Eden Rd, www.thecornerstore.co.nz, 09 379 5099).
The Corner Store is an art-deco styled classic cocktail bar at the top of Mt Eden Rd, landmarked by the Sunlight Soap advertisement painted on the bricks of the upper floor and a regular flurry of Mediaworks types from just down the road.
Right – but onto the drinks. Or rather, the bartenders serving them. The Corner Store is currently home to the Lewishams Bartender of the Year 2010, Chase Bickerton. Sadly though, Chase is soon to be setting off for a while and on the night in question.. there was a new guy trialing behind the bar. Perfect.
Alessandro is about as Italian as it gets, and just as tall and delicious as an Italian bartender ought to be. I sidled up to the bar, said hi to a few of the regular crowd and took a seat. (more…)
