Eggshell Green

Share and share alike

There’s been a bit of flack about the new bus lanes in Wellington city. They’ve cost lots of money, ripped up a popular pedestrian mall, and cars are still allowed to share most of the new road after all that.

However when it comes down to the risk to pedestrians (three have been struck while crossing the new lanes), why can’t people just use common sense? If you cross a road, you look both ways. You cross at the crossing. You don’t weave in and out of buses to save a couple of minutes or a few metres of walking. The number of people who just casually walk out in front of buses and traffic in general is disturbing (as well as damn annoying and frightening when you’re driving).

Having said that, I also think bus drivers need to share the road better as well. Having been a public transport user for years, there’s a lot to complain about. Despite the slow speed limit in the city, in my experience, bus drivers do speed, and often. They go through yellow and even red lights, often accelerating to do so. They don’t give way at pedestrian crossings. Of course I’m not saying all bus drivers do these, but certainly some do.

I can’t really comment if these new bus lanes have improved public transport and congestion as I have not had to use them, but as it stands, the mall is now a normal road. It should be treated as such, and buses and pedestrians need to act responsibly as they should on all roads everywhere.

And to all drivers everywhere: don’t be a dick and block pedestrian crossings – that does not help anyone and makes you look like a stupid driver (and I may take a photo and share it with the world).

Go Wellington - isn't it ironic that I can't go?

Tags: buses, public transport, Wellington

Old people are good value

Seriously.

When I worked at the supermarket, this little little old lady would come to my checkout almost every week and ask me if I was from ‘Ch-eyna’, then tell me she was from Scotland. No sorry, I’m not from China, just like the last time you asked (of course I was polite and didn’t actually say all that). I should’ve stopped her half way and tell her that I can predict what she’s going to say next.

Today I was at the post shop and an old lady was fidgeting with the stuff on the shelves, commenting how expensive everything was, and knocking stuff off as well as dropping her letter on the floor. She started cooing over Abby, and told me what lovely skin “you people” have. I told her that Abby’s dad was Kiwi, so she’s whiter than me, lol.

I’m not sure if it’s the same everywhere, but old people seem to be invincible to traffic around here. They literally walk out in front of cars and everyone just stops for them like magic. I saw three old folk doing this along the little stretch of shops on Bay Road in Kilbirnie. I guess you can’t let out that road rage like you would with other people – I would feel very bad for making an old lady cry. Or they might hit my car with their walking stick/frame.

Senior citizens can get away with so much. I guess it’s the reward for putting up with so much crap in their lifetimes.

You know the grumpy-old-man-sitting-in-the-rocking-chair type? Abby’s (step)Grandad’s a bit like that. I won’t repeat the things he’s said (political correctness – what’s that?) but let’s just say, lucky he’s old. He’s not really grumpy, but will voice his opinion, even ringing up the local MP, and good on him for it. Maybe we should all be like that – when we’re old.

Let me end with a quote from Dumb and Dumber – I guess they’re right – old people: though slow and dangerous behind the wheel, can still serve a purpose.

Restaurant Review: Zico

Well, well, well.

Unfortunately, my only experience at Zico last week was nothing to rave about.

We were a large group of ten, out for a birthday dinner on St Patrick’s Day, and the waiters were new or just clueless, so perhaps those factors have to be taken into account for the less than satisfactory service.

First off, getting the waiters to take our orders was more trouble than it should have been. We told one of them we were ready to order and he disappeared without saying if he’d be back to take them. Luckily there was another that we caught the attention of, but her order-taking skills could have done with some polishing.

Ms Constantine inquired about the salmon carbonara to ensure she could get it without bacon. Her carbonara didn’t just come without bacon, it came without carbonara sauce and was delivered as a pomodoro pasta – if you work in an Italian restaurant you’d know straight away that there was something wrong with that. The waitress however didn’t seem to know the difference and was confident that the dish was correct.

The three boys ordered the “real deal” lasagne which is “served with green beans and potatoes” as the menu stated. This turned out to be a vegetarian dish made with green beans and potatoes. Far from the meaty tomato-based lasagne that you would expect as the “real deal”. Until we realised that there was no meat in the lasagne, there was much confusion over where the green beans and potatoes were because the menu implied they would be on the side and not in place of the meat.

As for my meal, I ordered the duo of lamb and steak, medium please. It arrived mostly rare and some bits were barely sealed… at that point I just couldn’t be bothered with making more fuss so just ate what I could. The bits that were cooked to my liking did taste good though.

And at least I had a good glass of red wine.

'Medium' does not mean one half done and the other half raw

Tags: restaurant, review, Wellington

Restaurant Review: Matterhorn

Two words – small and pricey.

We went to the Matterhorn a couple weeks ago with the hubby’s brother and his then-pregnant wife (who had her baby the day after me). The brother-in-law heard good things so we were keen to give it a go.

The meals were tasty, but boy they were the smallest dishes I’ve ever been served!

On top of that, the sister-in-law wanted to be cautious with her steak so asked for it to be well done. It took them three goes before they got it right. It came out medium first two times, and she had to wait an extra half hour or so after our meals were served before the poor lady could eat! How hard is it to cook a steak well-done!?

I got the ‘monk fish with spanner crab’. Ok, when you list something as spanner crab, I expect some pure spanner crab like a claw, or at least a hunk of meat. But no. Where was the crab? I could only assume it was mixed in among the processed sausagey thing that surrounded my two tiny pieces of monk fish. Disappointed with the description. I wish restaurants would describe their meals more accurately.

Matterhorn meal - feed a child for $36...

Definitely a place where you need an entrée, main and dessert, to feel satisfied – and poor. We opted for supermarket dessert on the way home instead.

Tags: restaurant, review