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Enough with the Sheep Jokes One of the questions on my first drivers license test was "What do you do when you come across a flock of sheep crossing the road?"...and it wasn't April Fool's day! As irritating as the sheep jokes are to native New Zealanders, it's true that on these picturesque islands the fuzzy mammals outnumber humans 20 to one. I've been asked more times than I can count - generally by Californians who imagine New Zealand's some idyllic paradise - why I'd want to leave my homeland. But when you add the sheep factor to an isolated local and far too much breathing room (though the country's mass is roughly that of California, Japan or Britain's, the population is a mere 3.6 million), is it any wonder the natives have island fever? By age 18 I was desperately craving a place populated by people who hadn't lived with my sister, slept with my best friend, slept with my boyfriend or seen me in diapers. We antipodeans (those from the opposite side of the earth) also suffer from something of a Napoleon complex. A phenomenon academics refer to as the "Cultural Cringe" has long plagued both New Zealand and Australia. In layman's terms, this means we think if it's homegrown it must be shit. The stamp of our European colonizers lingers, leaving behind the odd assumption that anything British is somehow, innately, vastly superior to that emerging from our own efforts. Seeking adventure and opportunity, young Kiwis flock to foreign lands in droves each year, with many not returning home for several years. It's virtually de rigor for 20-somethings to take off to parts unknown on their OEs (short for overseas experience). Generally they head first to London, but you'll find hordes of young New Zealanders in backpacker hostels everywhere other than the South Pacific. So many in fact that I've wondered if the census accounts for all those missing in action. The most interesting thing about this mass exodus is that we almost invariably return, many with a newfound patriotism and appreciation for national culture. As exciting as foreign travel may be (fabulous fodder for pub-talk at any rate), the stresses of living in a truly big city make many long for their laid-back island, where spectacular scenery is commonplace and strangers say hello. Moreover, after years living abroad, on a recent visit home I was pleasantly surprised by Auckland's cosmopolitan flavor. Of course I'm convinced that it's the city, not I, that has changed. Rose-tinted nostalgia notwithstanding, some genuine booms have occurred across several industries. At one time New Zealand filmmakers almost always released their films abroad before they screened them at home. The reason: only a film that had won an award at Cannes, or at a similarly prestigious venue, would stand a good chance against such a self-critical audience. Thank God for break-through pictures such as The Piano, Heavenly Creatures and my own personal favorite, Lee Tamahori's brilliant adaptation of Alan Duff's novel "Once Were Warriors," which brought New Zealand film to the world's attention and made Kiwis deservedly proud. National television also prospered, with the local filming of Zena, Hercules and Young Hercules, alongside admirable efforts to encourage local productions by New Zealand On Air. While the country's only produced a limited number of world-famous musicians -- Crowded House, Split Enz, Chris Knox and The Chills all hail from New Zealand, not Australia, thank you very much -- many music aficionados associate the country with a small, but thriving, underground scene. The Auckland-based label Flying Nun is widely respected for its production of alternative bands. On the literary front, what was once a rather stark landscape is now a far more vivid, colorful scene. Janet Frame, Keri Hulme, Katherine Mansfield and Frank Sargeson are among a number of writers who have left their mark on the world, and their visual counterparts haven't exactly been left in the dust either. The cumulative result of all these successes is a country that's finally shaking its ancestral history and forging an identity of its own. The land that was long known as "The Little England in the South Seas" has acclimatized to its reality as an oceanic island, flavored as much by its indigenous Maori and Polynesian residents as by its European descendants. Add to this the country's silver fjords, moist rain forests and endless miles of butter beach -- over 100 around Auckland alone - and New Zealand emerges as more than just a great place to visit WINING AND DINING AUCKLAND STYLE It's definitely not merely the arts and entertainment industries that've flourished in Auckland. Twenty years ago the city's center had more generic pubs and fish and chip joints than restaurants or bars, and there existed a bland English reticence about "exotic" foods. Thankfully this mentality seems to have all but faded, particularly with the rising popularity of Pacific Rim cuisine, where sultry flavors of the Mediterranean meet Asian spice and saltwater fresh seafood. New Zealand cuisine melds these flavors with Italian and French influences, and the results are often spectacular. Auckland now boasts more than 900 restaurants, some of which rival those of any metropolis. But as a native Aucklander, it's not the swanky harbor-side restaurants I long for, but rather the chic comfortable cloisters of the city's more casual eateries - in particular those establishments that manage to harmoniously meld the low-key atmosphere of a local bar or cafe with the gastronomic pleasures of a good restaurant. Here, eating falls along a blissfully relaxed continuum: you can drink a cappuccino and read the morning paper, grab a cocktail before hitting the clubs or sit down with six friends for a full-scale feast... all in one mellow place with a relatively low price tag. So, rather than direct you to the tourist traps, here's a list of few places where the locals like to hang out. Note that New Zealanders refer to appetizers as entrees and entrees as mains, and that hours are often listed as "until late." This nebulous term can mean anywhere from midnight to four a.m., a linguistic idiosyncrasy reflective of New Zealanders' casual attitude toward time. Suffice it to say, a Kiwi should never pair up with a German!
AUCKLAND EATERIES
Karangahape Road
Verona Cafe
Habanero
Brazil
Lost Angel Downtown
Manifesto
Merchant Mezze
Gloria
Ponsonby
SPQR
Byzantium DON'T STOP AT SAUVIGNON BLANC New Zealand's wine industry was more or less ignored well into the eighties. Then sauvignon blanc from Cloudy Bay, a Marlborough region vineyard, caught the attention of critics worldwide. In the years since, New Zealand wines have scored consistently high in international competitions. Equally appealing is their affordable pricing, approximately two out of three New Zealand wines in the U.S. market are priced below $20. The country's still primarily known for its silky sauvignon blancs, in which bright flavors ranging from lime, grapefruit, pears and sweet peas, to the oddly odorous asparagus, are rounded out with florals and highlighted with herbs. A heady passion fruit aroma is often the giveaway of a New Zealand sauvignon blanc, as is the tart flavor of gooseberry - a fruit not often found in the United States. Along with Cloudy Bay, a number of vineyards offer excellent whites...among them Babich, Gibbston Valley, Goldwater, Jackson, Te Mata, Villa Maria and Chancellor. Varietal characteristics vary according to climatic shifts north to south. Auckland produces soft fig-scented chardonnays, Gisborne is known for its tropical bouquets, and Hawkes Bay has gained fame for its use of ripe grapefruit. From the cooler climate of the South Island comes riesling, fragrant with peaches, apricots and apples. However, I can't truly speak to these most-worshipped of all wines, because to me even the most exquisite white can't hold a candle to the warm glow of a good red. During my poor student years I spent countless hours sipping cheap reds in dark BYOs, maddening the staff by ordering garlic bread and water for four, and becoming a connoisseur of budget blush. While New Zealand's cabs, merlots and pinot noirs may not receive the same accolades as their white counterparts, their high quality is finally beginning to get noticed. The North Island is the primary producer of cabernet sauvignon and merlot, both rich with plum, blackberry and vanilla oak. The majority of quality pinot noir also hails from here, but note that the Matinborough region of the North Island has enjoyed some lovely successes with this notoriously difficult grape. These inexpensive reds are remarkably drinkable. A QUICK GUIDE TO NEW ZEALANDISMS There are many colloquialisms - both slang and words of British or Australian origin - that may befuddle American tourists. This quick guide should help avoid embarrassing situations. Don't feel your face for zits if a Kiwi tells you you're "spot on," you're simply being told that you're completely right. Avoid dodgy (sketchy) characters, or you may end up with guts for garters (in big trouble). Ask for a fanny pack and you might get your face slapped because a fanny is, well, a vagina. Conversely, what New Zealanders call the bush is the more literal meaning of a forest. If someone says he wants to bonk you, you're about to get lucky, but someone who says they've done bugger all has, disappointingly enough, been doing nothing. Last but not least, if you're told that it's your shout, you'd better buy the next round of drinks. ACCOMMODATION GUIDE To dial internationally, call 011-649 and then the local number. Within New Zealand, Auckland numbers are prefaced with 09. (Prices are in N.Z. dollars) HOSTELS:
Auckland Central Backpackers
Auckland Downtown Backpackers
Ponsonby Backpackers B&B;'S
Herne Bay Bed & Breakfast
The Great Ponsonby B&B;
Bavaria B&B; 4- & 5-STAR HOTELS
Carlton Hotel
Hyatt Regency Auckland |
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