The Masked Barfly has been busy in the last little while soaking up the scene and hanging around the hors d'oeuvres in our buzzy little town. As could be expected the Masked Barfly favours fecund environs where one can imbibe a good compost of booze, blood and guts, gossip and culture.
Some bullets of buzz:
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We've raved about Monterey Bar before, but just quickly, we want to point you to their blog on which they display the best of the artworks drawn on their paper-covered tables. You have to wonder about what was going on when this divorce settlement was written, or what exactly is wrong with these tights - but I could tell you the backstory to Senor Handsome if you ask nicely.
Last year, for the second time in a row, Team Wellingtonista won the Webstock Pub Quiz (we intend to win it this year too, by the way). Our prize was a $300 tab for Lagerfield at 21 Blair Street. Having been there late at night when it was full of munters, I was not overwhelmed with enthusiasm, but as it turns out, it was a lovely experience.
I've never been afraid of eclecticism. A dash of Kiwiana and a touch of faded grandeur can go down a treat if served with a generous slug of hipster irony (see Mighty Mighty). A grab-bag of Nana kitsch can turn into something resembling conceptual art if it's assembled with wit and flair (see Auckland's Northern Steamship Company). But sometimes it all goes horribly wrong.
I know! Let's grab some
As a fly, I obviously have some distasteful habits, and I am sometimes accused of buzzing too close to pretension or political bias. Well, I'm hardly going to change the habits of a lifetime, but just this once here's a mystery bar without a hint of pretension.
I'm appalled to discover that local Wellington sports establishment the 'Big Kumara', home of more giant TVs than your local Harvey Norman, is willing to ban a willing drinker because he's "too old".
For the Love of Letterpress offers a behind the scenes tour of Wai te ata Press with Sydney Shep, showcasing the studio’s remarkable letterpress technologies and the only working collection of Chinese full form heritage type in the southern hemisphere.
Kia ora St John’s whānau, This Sunday we gather for worship at 10am and we continue the story of Moses (now he’s grown up) We hear the extraordinary encounter Moses has with a burning bush – our Bible reading is Exodus 3:1–15.
Be among the first to experience He Toi Whakairo: The Art of Māori Carving, a landmark exhibition bringing together seven centuries of artistry from Te Papa’s collections.
E-News 28th August 2026 Talofa lava, tēnā koutou katoa, and warm Pacific greetings. It has been one of those weeks that has held a mixture of sadness and celebration, remembrance […]
