Beaujolais Nouveaux

Is pretty good this year.  I had a couple of glasses today as Wellington has the first official opening in the world.  We open up the bottles at noon today which co-insides with Beaujolais doing so at midnight.

In France they go to bed after tasting theirs; we drink the stock dry with wild boar sausages (you read that right - wild boar sausages.)  In France they open them in a cold damp cellar because it is better than being out doors in November; we do so outdoors and enjoy the glorious Wellington spring.

This is the second year in a row I have gone to this event.  Both times were great fun.

I was reminded today just how small Wellington is.  Last year I met some new people, this year I put names to familiar faces I had seen on the street.  It was fun to figure out where we had met, one was at the event last year.  The most interesting is someone I met through my father-in law.  This man worked at the 'Black Harp' the Irish bar in town (BTW they have the best Steak and Guinness Pies)  After he told me, I proceeded to tell him the story about taking my father-in-law who lives in Atlanta there and as I was going to say "and it turns out your bar tender had lived in Atlanta" he said "I lived in Atlanta for eight years!"  Yep it is a small town I live in here.  Oh by the way Don, Steve says "Hi."

It is amazing how much has changed in a year.  Last year I didn't even know where Woodward Street was located, that it ran between the two main roads in Wellington (Lampton Quay and The Terrace.)  This year I know my way around the city!  But what was most telling about my transition into a Wellintonian is that I put names to faces that I recognized from walking in the CBD!