Issue No53 — Everyday Rewards

If you were to ask me my three least favourite places to go in Tāmaki, I would say Chemist Warehouse, Briscoes, and the Countdown (sorry, Woolworths) on Dominion Road.

My relationships with the first two are manageable – only on occasion do I have to venture to either – but on the third I have an unrelenting reliance. 

There are many reasons to not like supermarkets, which are not worth delving into here; we all know the duopoly is bad, we all hate how much we’re paying for groceries, we all hate the harsh, artificial lighting, and trapped sparrows. My gripes go beyond.

Dom Road Woolworths is one of Auckland’s busiest supermarkets, with some 33,000 visitors a week. It is a lawless land. Children run and scream at all hours, people have loud video calls in the aisles, and there is a residual sense of confusion over where things are after their major interior redesign. I still don’t know where the breadcrumbs are.

The high foot traffic also makes it one of the best places to bump into the worst people you know – typically when your hair is well overdue a wash and your outfit is really more of an ‘infit’.

I once dropped to my knees and crouched behind a pear display to avoid someone. I was wearing an experimental neckerchief and really not in the mood for attention. Unfortunately they still saw me, but at least they didn’t dare approach.

This is all made worse by the fact I am not an efficient supermarket shopper. I prefer a basket runaround, fetching provisions for one meal at a time. You could consider me a super regular, and if you have shopped there sometime in the last seven years, there’s a high chance we have been in the supermarket at the same time.

So I understand its ebbs and its flows. It is mayhem between 4 and 7 p.m. on weekdays and seemingly any time during the weekend. To avoid these peaks, I endeavour to shop late at night – the ‘treating hour’ – when everything I want to buy is inaccessible due to the necessary restocking, and the sweets and ice cream sections are at their busiest. Sometimes after 9pm there is a large, light-up speaker cradled in a trolley that blasts heavily-distorted music by the cordoned-off alcohol zone. This is still preferable to the lack of baskets during the day, just.

Despite all this, it is also one of my favourite places. It’s somewhere where anything goes, filled with aisles you can acceptably walk down in tears without anyone batting an eyelid.

Sure, the international selection could be better, but which supermarket’s couldn’t? They more than make up for it with their excessive tinned tuna display. Cherry Ripes are frequently on special for a dollar, and the in-house pharmacy means I can almost entirely avoid Chemist Warehouse.

It’s a mêlée at the best of times, but still, it’s my supermarket. Who knows, perhaps we’ll pass each other in the aisles one day. But please, if you see me, don’t say hello.

FLORENCE S. FOURNIER is a Cherry Ripe defender, fig enthusiast, and modern design aficionado. When she’s not at the supermarket looking bewildered, you can find her, wine in hand, at gallery openings around Tāmaki.

By Jean

NEW OPENINGS

There is a new-ish coffee spot in Takapuna called BEANIE, serving up Coffee Supreme and a cabinet full of baked goods.

ICYMI last week, SUNNYSIDE in New Lynn is open now. It’s owned by Nicola Standage, who was previously cheffing at Hare and the Turtle and, before that, Bestie on Karangahape Rd. So I bet the food is yum!!

The old Belly Worship spot on Dominion Rd is now a bottomless BBQ joint curiously called Comma, Meat. AI signage abounds.

The old, tasty Indian/Mexican place in the orange shipping container by the library seems to now be a straight Mexican in a green shipping container called TACO BARRIO

COMING SOON

A new sign up in the window of the old Le Chef on Vulcan Lane suggests whatever is going in is going to be called Nova Nine and the company record has it owned by Aseem Sandhu, a sous chef from the Hilton.

EVENTS + NEWS

Meeso on Kitchener St are TURNING ONE today and giving their first 100 customers from 8am a free cookie!

Also today, on the occasion of their 8th birthday, Krispy Kreme will give you a free glazed donut if you go into one of their shops and say ‘Hip Hip Hooray’ out loud. Maybe wait till the store is empty if you experience a lot of personal shame.

Alieto Dessert are POPPING UP AT KOMPASS COFFEE this Saturday from 6.30 till sold out. On the menu appear to be chocolate pistachio cookies, tiramisu cheese cake brownies, matcha strawberry cake and more. 

Darling on Drake, the bar-slash-restaurant by Victoria Park, has ENTERED LIQUIDATION. God, it’s hard to thrive in that area. That’s where my work’s office is, so, trust me, I know. Personally. Also closing: Mekong Baby, who have been in the old GPK spot in Ponsonby for thirteen years!

Aotearoa’s annual LATTE ART CHAMPIONSHIP is on Sunday, all day from 8.30 to 6pm. It is free to spectate, if you wish to watch baristas wiggle their milk jugs just so.

The Lucky Taco are POPPING BACK UP AT THEIR OLD SITE in Ponsonby (230 Ponsonby Rd) and giving away 500 free tacos on Saturday from 11am till gone. It appears to be a Hello Fresh brand activation, since they’re also giving away a month’s worth of Hello Fresh if you tag a friend in that post. Free groceries are free groceries, sure, but at what cost?

Looks like East St Hall is LOOKING FOR NEW OWNERSHIP AGAIN after a very 2026-coded eruption of instagram carousels of text statements from various parties about unpaid bills, poor behaviour and subsequent rebuttals.

By Mike

There’s a fallacy, less common now but still heard occasionally, that Tāmaki Makaurau is one of, if not the, largest cities by area in the world. Unsurprisingly we aren’t at the top of that list, even if the rural land that makes up 85% of the Auckland region is counted as being part of the city proper. But the underlying truth of a spread out, low density urban expanse – an archipelago of suburbs – has a long history of being used by detractors to deride the idea that Auckland could nonetheless be well-served by public transport. 25 years ago, the city had no dedicated rapid transit modes and, as recently as 2010, then-supercity mayoral candidate John Banks was pushing for new motorway development in preference. As of this week, AUCKLAND RAPID TRANSIT INCLUDES FIVE BUS LINES AND THREE TRAIN LINES, AT LONG LAST THREADED TOGETHER BY THE FULLY OPERATIONAL CRL.

While it’s much too early to gauge the new additions' impact on the efficacy of the network, there is something uncanny about Auckland having transformed into a city with a metro from one day to the next – a ten year, overnight evolution that feels extraordinary and yet suddenly familiar after only a few rides. The grandeur of the new stations is at least proportionate to their cost and thankfully the booby prize of most expensive train line ever built is about to be handed over to Toronto’s new Ontario Line: at $US1.45B per kilometre, it’s half as much again.

Emerging into the enormous paved DMZ outside Maungawhau is disorientating and the sub-two minute travel time between city centre stations belies the engineering effort involved. Like any upgrade, the novelty will fade into the everyday. But what if, just maybe, this is not the end of our civic ambition, but the beginning of it?

Choice items from the liquidation sales of Auckland’s two-speed recovery.
By Simon

DRINK BOTTLING/LABELLING PLANT
Current bid $450, Closes Sunday 27th
Looks like almost everything you need to start your own drinks brand - the previous owners were using it for kombucha but would apparently do beer/soda etc - also looks like it could conceivably all fit in a decent size garage?

ASSORTED DOG RACING BIBS
Current bid $0, Closes Friday 25th
All the stuff from another Greyhound track (this time Waikato) is now online including a pretty good winners podium and this amazing collection of canine sportswear. Could potentially also fit a large cat.

ITAN MAX POP UP SPRAY TENT
Current $0, Closes this morning
Stop being pasty, Summer is coming.

10 A-MARK SNAPBACKS
Current bid $20, Closes this morning
These Steve Dunstan/Auckland FC collab brand caps are still selling for $70 each in the brand store so $2 each seems like a great deal.

MINIONS FRAGRANCE
Current bid $20, Closes this morning
I can’t work out who this is for.

By Simon

THURSDAY 17TH

POUMATA FESTIVAL
Till Saturday, Aotea Square, Free
A new public festival celebrating the 186th anniversary of the gifting of the lands around Auckland to Governor Hobson by Apihai Te Kawau with kapa haka, kai, kōrero and more!

TAWHAI RICKARD & NGAROMA RILEY
Tim Melville, Free
Pongo Rā / when will you walk with me – a show of whakairo by Riley and Victorian playing card paintings by Rickard. Runs until October 10.

CLUB-A-LUBBA-LING-LONG
Goblin, Free
The alternative variety show returns, hosted by Matthew Crawley and Barnie Duncan and with 10 acts including Tom Sainsbury! The effort that goes into novel programming at Goblin, even after all this time, is astounding.

FRIDAY 18TH

KARANGAHAPE ART WEEKEND
Along Karangahape Rd, Free
A big activation with twenty galleries in and around the Karangahape strip – including a three-day pop-up show for Henrietta Harris at Melanie Roger, a free tour of Karangahape art spaces with Damien Levi on Sunday, a secret listening room at The Keep on Friday, and Paradox Princess, Ducklingmonster and Odeious are playing in the RM loading bay on Friday!

MEG PORTEOUS
Treadler, Free
A new show from the now LA-based photographic artist, cheerily titled fantasy, ambition, obsession, labor, achievement, torpor, collapse. Runs till October 17. 

HELLO KETE
Whammy, $20
Fundraising show for Wheke Fortress with Takatapunani, Righteous Marcel, Samara Alofa, Big Fat Raro, SPDRTWNBBY, Man(k)Ila and Rewasoft!

O’FLYNN
Neck of the Woods, $30
Highly regarded UK electronica artist touring his third album, Kairos. Support from Beccie B and Rydr.

SATURDAY 19TH

SOPHIE GRIEG & MICHAEL HARRISON
Ivan Anthony, Free
Two new shows up at Ivan Anthony - Dairy from Sophie Greig and First to Fall by Michael Harrison. The detail from Milking an Axe by Grieg used in the show’s promo image is particularly good IMO. Runs till 31 October.

SLUMBUG
Tu Tira/Mt Eden Scout Hall, Koha
A visual listening party for the riot grrrrlish trio’s new album with anime visuals from Sailor Moon, Madoka Magica and more!

2CHARM
Double Whammy, $50
An Australoqueer dance pop duo spun off from Cub Sport with real life married couple Tim Nelson and Sam Netterfield. Support from Lucy Gray and Chris Keene. 

BERLIN RAVE
Il Brutto, $40
Trippy techno night with Onarsé, Spoilt and Rocke from Australia alongside locals Takydon, Emmy J and Starfvcker.

SUNDAY 20TH

SHE’S SOLD
Silo, Koha
The third and final Sunday play reading for this run at Silo with a play about the Auckland real estate market by Sam Brooks.

WARRIORS v KNIGHTS
Eden Park, From $30
Note the change of venue for this elimination game because $$$$. Also, an observation: Alofiana Kahn-Pereira looks more like David Chappell playing Prince at the moment than any other Aucklander ever has. RELATED: Under the Cherry Moon is playing at the Academy on Thursday and Friday.

TUESDAY 22ND

GARITHMETIC
Basement, Koha
A post-Guy Mont Spelling Bee math-based game show for comedians hosted by Gareth Blackler. I’m surprised there hasn’t been more of this sort of thing given Guy Montgomery’s successes, but maybe we just didn’t have another willing comedian whose name would pun into a format until now. Runs till Saturday.

WEDNESDAY 23RD

THE PEARL FISHERS
And Friday + Sunday matinee, Aotea Centre, $80
An early opera by Georges Bizet exploring a doomed love triangle in ancient Sri Lanka. There’s not a lot of opportunities to see fully staged opera here, and presumably what little there is will start to dwindle even more with the permanent erosion of the funding environment, so go while you still can. Sung in French with English surtitles (which is a real word that I had to look it up).

LIVE REEL 100
Basement, Koha
The 100th edition of Live Reel where comedy practitioners try to perform a classic movie (tbd) from memory alone. To celebrate the anniversary there will be prizes and special guests! Hosted by Nicky Vella.