The White Lady: The Great New Zealand Pie Cart

As I've been staying quite alone here in Auckland, I'm always looking for different things to do, which can be both a good and a bad thing at the same time. When we are close to our families and friends, we have so much to do that we end up missing a lot of the city's cultural events. Then, as I got a bit tired of reading on Saturday morning, I decided to check what was on the Auckland Art Gallery, and one event caught my attention: The White Lady – the Great New Zealand Pie Cart.

I clicked on the link and read all the event information, but I must confess: it was the title that got me interested. What is a pie cart? And who is the White Lady? Rather curious, I headed myself to the Art Gallery to enjoy the traditional kiwi pie cart food while Lindsay Neill, Ted Bryant and Claudia Bell gave an illustrated talk on the history of pie carts.

As soon as I got there, I received a warm welcomed from one of the event's organizer. As usual, I was one of the first to get there, and I was soon allocated on a table close to the small stage in the front of the room. Just after that, other four women were seated at the same table and we introduced ourselves – five different women from five different places: New Zealand (Auckland and Christchurch), Czeck Republic and Brazil, which was quite interesting. All wooden tables had a large tray of pies, some bread, a bowl of salad and another one of a typical spicy sausage sauce. Everything was amazingly well organized and cozy!

The event's title The White Lady – the Great New Zealand Pie Cart is the name of the book written by the three presenters and, while they explained about the number 2 best selling food book in 2008, we kept enjoying the food. Apparently, until the late 1960s, instead of going out to dinner, many kiwis used to eat at fish-and-chip shops or pie carts – mobile, trailerlike cafés parked at a convenient location. It was usually opened until late at night, and people could also get a bite after going out. It was a huge success and the so called pie carts were spread all over the country!

A sad thing is that although we can still find pie carts on the streets nowadays, many have already been shut down due to the development of American-style fast food in the country. It's a pity to see that this kind of thing is happening all over the world...

So, I have already explained what a pie cart is, but what about The White Lady? It is actually one of the country's most famous pie carts and has been in continuous operation in Auckland since 1948. It was amazing to see pictures of the The White Lady's first and glorious years – young people dancing in front of it, girls with polka dot skirts and boys with slicked back hair. During the talk, we could also enjoy a young couple doing the Twist on the sound of one of New Zealand's most famous Rock n' Roll songs: The Pie Cart Rock n' Roll by Johnny Cooper and the Maori Boys.

From one lonely afternoon to such a magical day – what a lovely surprise! :)

Waiheke - Island of Wine

Saturday was one of the most fantastic days I've had since I moved to New Zealand. We were a group of eight people who decided to spend the day in Waiheke, an island in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand, located about 17.7 km (40 minutes by ferry) from Auckland. Besides being known for its scenic beaches, Waiheke Island has also become known as New Zealand's Island of Wine due to its climate and soil characteristics.

We decided to go on a wine tour which included the return ferry ticket Auckland-Waiheke; and a bus to take us to three wineries for $115 each. It was a good idea as we were so many, and it's rather difficult to please such a large and diverse group of people. You can book the tour online (http://www.fullers.co.nz/destinations-tours/waiheke/wine-of-waiheke.php), and all you have to do is print the receipt.

We caught the ferry at the Downtown Auckland Ferry Terminal at 12 pm, but I reccomend getting the 1 pm ferry, as we had to wait at the Matiatia Wharf for the tour bus, which leaves at approximately 2 pm. We thought we could walk around the wharf before the tour in order to know a little bit more about the island, but Oneroa, the closest village, is located about 2.5 km (a thirty-minute walk) from the ferry terminal. We started walking along the Ocean View Road (from which you can't actually see the ocean, by the way), but we had to go back at a certain point not to miss the bus.

Brian, the friendly coach driver, was there waiting for us and other nine people to start the tour. We were a very mixed group, but composed mostly of native-english speakers, such as English, Canadians, Americans and Australians. It was lovely to hear Brian explaining the island's history and its relation to wine culture and to enjoy the view, while on our way to the first vineyard.

The first stop was Mudbrick Vineyard, where we experienced the Premium Wine Tasting. The place is lovely and cozy, and as soon as we arrived there, we were greeted by a very friendly girl and a glass of white Chardonnay. She took us on a tour around the vineyard, always explaning about each of the four different wines we tasted. I left the place willing to go back soon, and to get the chance to dine overlooking the waters of the Harauki Gulf – such an amazing view!

Ridgeview Estate, the next vineyard on route, is one of Waiheke's newest and highest wineries. We didn't dine there either, but as we tasted other five wines, they served us a platter of bread and pastes. It was a relief to able to eat after all the tastings, but the amount of food is not enough if you're hungry! (I highly suggest having lunch and buying a bottle of water before the tour) Besides the snacks, Ridgeview Estate is the one I would skip if I had to choose...

Te Whau vineyard is the last stop on the tour and their wine tastings are definitely worth the wait! Not only does Te Whau have a breathtaking 360 degrees view of the Hauraki Gulf, but it also provides a fun wine tasting lesson and a stunning modern architecture. It was great to be able to compare two types of wine in regards to their colour, aroma and flavour. Definitely a must-see!

Art Connection: http://rachelsmagicalmysterytour.blogspot.com/2009/11/waiheke-island-of-wines.html