Wellington has more restaurants than NYC per capita!  The concierge has given us a list of some of their finest dining experiences from historic buildings to a food truck…

This is Logan and Brown on Cuba street.  They serve smaller portions ~ big ambience.  It is in an old New Zealand Bank building.  The space is as important to me as the food.  It was lovely afternoon with Bob.  Cuba Street is a local boutique type shopping experience to not be missed if you are ever in Wellington.

The Boulcott Bistro.  This is an early century home turned restaurant.  You will see the stairs are narrow and steep.  I always try to imagine who used those stairs while it was still someone’s home.  Fresh flowers says to me they care about the details.  The food was good, ambience better.

I think I posted this before but it is worth noting that though it was a food truck, the food was amazing.  It sits on the side of a bending road next to the ocean on your way to Weta Caves Museum.  That’s the only address I have.

What you find when you’re walking the boardwalk in Wellington.

It is a city that honors and encourages its arts.

Bob and I thought this had to be some kind of funky BBQ restaurant.  As we got closer we found it was a public restroom.

A story or poem or quote can be found all over this giant sculpture of a woman.

They have these walls around the boardwalk by the sea to encourage artistic expression

My favorite picture we have ever taken!  It belongs in some magazine.  This guy is a trainer and I suppose he was testing their obedience.  Those dogs did not move.  I wanted to go up and pet them but worried I’d break the spell.

One of the beauties of a sabbatical where you are trying to make big decisions is that you stay alert for moments that inspire.  This quote spoke to me and my personal journey to detect why I am here.  It is little moments like this that make me grateful for the smallest tender mercies and signs that remind me that God is ever watchful and involved.  I know I am not here by chance and so I cannot just watch and describe life.  We need to find the courage to live it…”Damn the torpedos” comes to mind.

 I am the city of action and the world headquarters of the verb.

(I’ve have never fully understood the etymology (the origin of a word and the historical development of its meaning) “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!”.  It was a famous order issued by Admiral David Farragut during the American Civil War during the Battle of Mobile Bay, a paraphrase of the actual order, “Damn the torpedoes! Four bells. Captain Drayton, go ahead! Jouett, full speed!”.)  Now you and I know.