#900 ... SFAD

These lucky guys are the result of auctioning themselves as "slaves for a day" to raise money ... and they're all dressed up for the christmas tree !!!

#898 ... Station Exit

Station Exit ... looking north to the train platforms ... across the main lobby of the Wellington Railway Station
Image by Josh Blandford

#897 ... Monique Gemmell "Restriction & Release"

Another of the amazing creative talents from the Massey University, School of Design. This collection has been developed by Monique, after closely looking at the restrictions placed on the body from lingeie and corsetry. The marks, textures, lines and altered sillouettes created through the restriction and the temporary marks left behind on the skin after being released were explored as a point of particular interest.

Dye techniques shibori and batik were used as methods of recording the restriction and release directly to the fabric. Stitching and elastic were used as methods of manipulating the surface creating puckered, wrinkled, gathered areas and contrasting textures emulating those explored during on the skin through the research that Monique carried out.

#896 ... Night Shell

The local Shell service station at Crofton Downs is getting it's forecourt refurbished. The petrol station has been closed for two days and tonight was full on as the canopy was fixed in place ... lights, camera, action

#895 ... Emily George "COIL"

Crochet is a process that has the ability to create textile structures that have an organic quality, visually and structurally. Drawing inspiration from skeletal structures such as rib cages, spines and snake skeletons, Emily gas developed a unique crochet technique using braided yarn and cut leather.

By wrapping an object with yarn and using crochet like a spine to hold it together a skeletal structure is left when the object is removed. ... and thanks to Emily for these words as well. The show that you guys put on was creatively awesome.

#894 ... We are through

The Fallon name became indelibly linked to New Zealand's World Cup history when Rory headed the All Whites' winner against Bahrain to send them to the finals 27 years after his father Kevin helped oversee the first appearance by the Kiwi footballing heroes.

The 27-year-old striker got up to head a Leo Bertos corner into the back of the net in the 45th minute of a pulsating qualifier in Wellington.

Fallon wasn't alone with his heroics of this 1-nil win. Kiwi keeper Mark Paston saved a second half penalty as the All Whites desperately held on to win the dramatic match and claim a place in next year's World Cup finals in South Africa.

Three minutes before his goal Fallon had another header denied by a wonderful reflex save by Sayed Mohamed Jaffar. But the Bahrain goalkeeper had no chance off the corner as the big Plymouth Argyle forward rose high to claim his second goal in just three games for New Zealand.


PHOTO: taken by Photosport for stuff.co.nz

#893 ... We fly, we see, we play

The Bahrain team has been delivered for the football game tonight against the All Whites at the Westpac Stadium... and is now parked up waiting for the return charter flight. Wellington Airport

#892 ... Football Footnote

The Footnote Dance Company strike the white pose in the Capital to encourage whiteout conditions at this weekend’s World Cup football qualifier. Tourism Wellington is urging people to dress all in white to show who they support when the All Whites meet Bahrain at Westpac Stadium on Saturday.

Dancers from the Footnote Dance Company were taking the message to the city streets this week. They started at the railway station, before making their way along Lambton Quay, through Civic Square and into Cuba Mall.

Company director Deirdre Tarrant said people were enthusiastic about the idea. “Hopefully, we’ll see all 35,000 fans at the stadium, and everyone at the Queen’s Wharf party wearing white.”

#891 ... Welcome Bahrain

The Bahrain football team arrived in the Capital for their match against the NZ team the All Whites. They were met by a media scrum at the airport ... all keen to question their chances of a win

However New Zealand's potential place in the World Cup football finals is being questioned overseas as top countries are eliminated.

On Saturday, the All Whites, minnows on the world football stage, play Bahrain in the second leg of a World Cup qualifying match, with the prospect of making the finals for the first time in 27 years if they win. Whichever team wins, New Zealand with a world ranking of 83, or Bahrain, 61, they will be at next year's finals in South Africa ahead of other teams with considerably higher rankings.

Among those already eliminated are world No 8 Croatia and the Czech Republic who are No 15. Former English football commentator Barry Davies said he was not surprised by criticism that countries so far down the world rankings had a chance at the finals, while top teams were eliminated. However, New Zealand appears to have less of a presence than Bahrain, with All Whites captain Ryan Nelsen on Tuesday saying his Blackburn Rovers teammates, coming from nations including South Africa, Australia and Denmark, saw New Zealand as the easier of the two teams to get past.

Davies, a veteran BBC commentator, called several of New Zealand's World Cup qualifying matches in the historic 1982 campaign, and said the attitude to New Zealand was not new. The 1982 team created a slice of sports history during their long World Cup qualifying campaign of 15 matches. It ended in a sudden-death qualifying match in Singapore in January 1982, where they cut China out of the World Cup finals in Spain.

#890 ... After the Plunge

The exilaration of having done it ... adenalin pumping ... shivers just starting to kick in !!!
for more photos of the event go to more photos

#889 ... Annual Tradition

Wellington Girls College year 12 students do the traditional jump into the Lagoon to celebrate the last day of wearing school uniform ... lots of yelling, screaming, psych-ing up ... and then the count down for the jump into the tepid water ... YEAH RIGHT
For more photos of the event go to more photos

#888 ... Spaghetti Western

Legal cowboys and a 'maser' ... a competitor in the TargaNZ Rally ... NZ Police carrying out breath testing of drivers beside a nice piece of Italian automotive machinery ... in front of Mac's Brewery and the NZ Stock Exchange ... Taranaki St Wharf

#887 ... Six Words

adDRESSING SPACE, an installation exhibition by third year textile design students, last night at the Print Factory, King Street.This event was for one-night only- a free event, part of Massey University's annual BLOW arts festival. All members of the public were welcome to attend ... wine & nibbles provided. The creativity of the fabric constructions, the student fashions and the venue which was dimly lit except for the highlighted installations ... was a worthy part of the annual Massey University event.

This piece was mesmerising ... but it must take the prize for the most succinct description. Most students wrote an artistic narrative describing the inspiration or the meaning of their work. This one speaks for itself

Katie Cookson
Untitled
Vinyl on fabric

#886 ... Con- temporary

The street refurbishment has now moved to Courtenay Place ... so some transport adjustment is required ... like moving the bus stop ... although maybe the signs dont need to look so temporary even if they are contemporary in an artistic sort of way. Afterall the roadworks will go on for sometime ... don't they always?

#885 ... A txt platform

On my own platform ... in my own world ... txting paradise. Courtenay Place next to the St James Theatre

#884 ... Past use by date

Last years Yellow Pages ... no longer wanted ... and lying discarded on The Terrace by Woodward Street

#883 ... Stickem Up

The poster boys at work in Cuba Mall ... it is interesting to look at the layers of promo material on these poster columns ... sometines up to 4 and 5 cm thick ... history in the making?

#882 ... Cruisin' Again

The first ship of the summer cruise season ... one of the larger ones to visit Wellington ... compare the size of the Westpac Stadium

#881 ... Nice to meet you

A conversation between twin cars in Tennyson St ... off Taranaki St.

#880 ... THEME DAY: Doorways

Traditionally doors and doorways are of houses & cottages however in a city it is perhaps more appropraite to have office doorways or apartment entrances ... well as Wellington is known for its multitude of cafes and coffee stops .. I felt it was more interesting to show a smorgasboard of all the places you may wish to visit when going on a coffee binge !!

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

#879 ... Last Stage

The last stage of the Targa 2009 Rally ... leaving from Taranaki St Wharf ... next to Te Papa (background right) .. and under the watchful eye of the law ... who were breath testing all the drivers.

Targa Rally ... the story
Targa New Zealand is a motorsport event company that organizes the best closed road races on public (tarmac) roads. All of our events are based on the North Island of New Zealand. To enjoy these roads within the magnificent New Zealand scenery will leave you with an indescribable experience that will never be forgotten.

Targa New Zealand was founded in 1995 and since the start it has grown from a 74-car entry list to around 200 entries and from one event a year to an annual three-round series:
Targa Bambina (2-day event) held in March based around Franklin and Waikato district;
Targa Rotorua (2-day event) held in June based around the Rotorua district;
Dunlop Targa (6-day main event) held in October starting in Auckland and travelling through the North Island to Wellington.

Each event consists of open road touring and competitive Targa special stages on closed sections of public tarmac road, where the competitors race against the clock, without the fear of police cars or speed guns. The event is divided into two competitions, Classic and Modern, each with five vehicle categories difined by means of age, giving the competitors a chance to compete on a level footing with cars of similar speed. Over 1200 tyres are consumed by the competing cars annually during the three events, and Dunlop is the proud supplier of these tyres and the main sponsor of Targa New Zealand.

Targa New Zealand has become New Zealand’s largest competitive rally series and the longest closed-tarmac road motorsport event in Australasia, spanning vehicles from the 1950’s to today. The unique aspect of Targa NZ is this variety of cars, from old to new, from very expensive to the very affordable, all driven by passionate car enthusiasts. This is car culture at its finest: driving fast, loads of fun and an element of danger!

The attraction of this unique event is the ability for people from all walks of life to compete, even in a relatively standard vehicle. Given reasonable reliability and a good standard of driving ability, it is possible to be as competitive as the man with the unlimited chequebook.

Youth are not forgotten with the event targeting young drivers through a series of initiatives to assist them to compete and race in a controlled manner, rather than testing their skills in an open road situation. Local community involvement is an important part of the Targa New Zealand events. Schools (tomorrows decision makers) and community clubs are involved in activities for fundraising through the events from providing a morning or afternoon tea, pre paid lunches, passage controls and car washes. Parents are being utilised as marshalling in return for a donation to the school or community club.

Targa New Zealand’s charity of choice is Cure Kids and since our relationship began in 2002, we have raised over $400,000.00 for them. Cure Kids is a very worthy cause and we are proud to be supporting an organisation that gives hope to so many children and their families.

#878 .. On yer bike

A group of cyclists ... heading north at the top end of Willis Street .. waiting for the green.

#877 ... Sleeping City

An afternoon nap in Cuba Street ... oblivious to the wider world.

#876 ... School Girl Rush

A group of school girls on a mission .. rushing across Lambton Quay .. view looking south from Esprit and James Cook Arcade

#875 ... Keep on Truckin'

A line up of truck & trailer units on Thorndon Quay ... .. there were two more units out of shot to the right ... the giveway sign on the left is the start of Tinakori Road. The trucks were waiting to pick up earth being excavated from the Johnsonville railway line as behind the buildings .. behind me!

#874 ... Blue Crane

Not a bird ... not a plane .. but a crane .. disassembling another crane (yellow variety) ... Taranaki Street. The blue crane, the blue shroud around the building and the brooding sky made an interesting combination.

#873 ...The Watchers

Appropriately dressed and watching the proceedings across the road ... you can partially see the event reflected in the Cafe window behind the four dapper gentlemen. .. tomorrows post will have what was happening across the road

#872 ...Sleeping with the angels?

Outside dreaming

#871 ... STOP GO FAST SLOW

Modified road signage in Boulcott St ... another use for "gaffer" tape?

#870 ... It's coming

Kirkaldie & Stains are moving Christmas into the store ... just moments before this the young lady had had a happening and tipped one of the trees onto the street ... this was post-event as they recommnced their tree journey.

#869 ... 1963 Original

A 1963 original Fiat Bambina spied in Taranaki Street ... and with a delightful number plate. My mother had one of these ... red with soft top ... and with four teenagers on board we could almost get to 60mph down hill with a tail wind.

#868 ... Lion Supporter

The face of a Vodafone Wellington Lions rugby supporter .. this guy was handing out the flags and posters before the game ... many of the "younger" kids were also sporting these superbly done "big cat" faces ... awesome

#867 ... Little boxes on the hillside

Just like the PP&M song ... a typical Wellington vista ... looking North West from Barnard St, Wadestown towards the hills of Crofton Downs and Ngaio ... what is most evident is the amount of "green"