The Bananas conference is over, and you can read some of the reports from speakers like Jack Yan and from nzmuso.spaces.live.com.
I really enjoyed sharing some of the podcasts and videos from the show. You know, it's strange, but although it's been a year since we aired the I am Singaporean podcasts, sharing Ginny's episode, and hearing my wife's voice ringing through the Fisher & Paykel Appliances Auditorium, still chokes me up.
It always feels warm to meet new friends on our travels. Maylene and Chris took us out to dinner after the Bananas conference, at a Chinese restaurant called China Restaurant. A bit literal, the shop names here. Haha! There was also a multi-storey car-park near Viaduct Basin called The Carpark.
China Restaurant is located behind the Foodtown, the 24-hour supermarket we ran in the rain to buy groceries from, on our first night here. Maybe it is because there are many Chinese here, but Ryan and I have yet to eat any Chinese food that is not good, and China continued that record.
We got up a little late today. Eh, Uncle woke up at 7.00am to be at the breakfast session at the conference on Sunday, ok? Though it was really worth it, because I met so many friends that morning, like Lee Hoi, Maylene, and Graeme. And coffee was from Karajoz, which is damn good, man! I had two cups, and I don't even drink coffee usually.
Our Monday morning breakfast was at the hotel, but we added the NZD5 for the full breakfast (means "got meat" Continental breakfast means "hardly any meat" or "Bread and cornflakes only"). Then we hooked up with another new friend, Charles Chow, who brought us all around Auckland, showing us the best views and sights, like Mission Bay, the Railway Station, and Michael Joseph Savage Memorial.
We also went to Auckland Fish Market. You can get very fresh fish at very decent prices here. For around NZD60, you can buy enough fresh fish for a sashimi party for six!
We had our lunch at a cafe at the corner of the Auckland Fish Market, tucking in to a lovely Penang fish curry, grilled fish, and fish kebabs in satay sauce. The Penang fish curry was authentic and we found out why. The chef, Ricky, is from Penang, Malaysia.
We asked the affable Ricky how he decided what went up to the Specials board, and he said, "In the morning, when I wake up, I think of what I feel like eating that day, and then cook that. I felt like Penang fish curry, and so I made that."
Sounds like a good method to me.
He has a Japanese chef who specially comes in to prepare the sashimi too. And a Russian chef too. And he encourages his team to do their own specialties, to keep the menu new. He has had ambassadors and ministers for customers at his fine cafe, which serves really fresh and tasty fish dishes at decent prices.
Charles also took us for coffee at Pyrénées French Charcuterie and Epicerie at 5 McColl Street, Newmarket. It is a little French cafe, in the midst of low-rise offices, and on the second floor, you can buy wine from Maison Vauron Wine Merchants. We chatted with his friends, Bong and Mark (thanks for buying, Bong!) and admired the wines on the second floor. You can have dinner and wine at the long tables there too. Very cozy.
We had dinner with Lincoln and his family at Dominion Road. Here, you can find affordable and great food even late at night. Our dinner place was Sapor, where they serve zhi-char style food for much lower prices than downtown. A big bowl of hot and soup soup costs only NZD5, and the four-combination on rice, only NZD7.50. Four combination means you choose four different meats, like char siew, roast duck, or siew yoke, to go with your rice. Very value for money.
After a little stop at Mount Eden to see Auckland at night time (you can see the silly video at mrbrownshow.com), we retired to the hotel.
We heard there is a "Boobs on Bikes" parade event coming up on Wednesday, so maybe we'll pop down to see what the cold winter air does to their, er, visors and helmets. Apparently, it is not illegal to ride a motorbike topless in NZ, so this parade can happen. You can also drive and use your mobile phone here. Topless and mobile phones, so relaxed, the traffic laws here.
I have a live radio interview on Radio New Zealand National that morning, so Ryan may have to attend the parade alone. I am sure he won't mind.
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