Nam Ky Khoi Nghia - Asialife HCMC

Sarah Hunter Aaron Burgess
Mojo’s outlets are in Wellington
and the city is known for a wide
range of independent coffee
houses, don’t be put off. Mojo
is enjoying such huge success
because they offer great coffee
from around the world. Dr.
Mojo’s Feel Good is a blend of
Ethiopian and Peruvian coffee;
The Raj mixes three coffees from
India and single origins hail
from Panama, Kenya, Honduras,
El Salvador and Guatemala.
Friendly staff and comfy seating
seal the deal. Mojo is open from
8am to 4pm Monday through
Friday and 10am to 2pm on
Saturdays.
Botanic Garden and Carter Observatory
and Planetarium
www.wellington.govt.nz
Need a serenity fix? Make your
way to the Wellington Botanic
Garden, located on 25 hectares
of protected native forest, for
some respite. Ponder life on
the serene walking trails as you
take in conifer plantings, exotic
trees, seasonal blooms and na-
tive bush. From November to
May, more than 25,000 tulip
bulbs come into bloom and the
Lady Norwood Rose Garden
boasts 106 rose beds. The setting
is extremely soothing—one
Wellingtonian says she spends
many lunch hours here to keep
work stress in check. The Carter
Observatory and Planetarium,
sculpture trail and kids playground
are also worth a gander.
The garden is open daily from
sunrise to sunset. To get there,
take the historic Wellington
cable car from nearby Lambton
Quay (www.wellingtoncablecar.
co.nz).
Wellington Waterfront
Wellingtonians make the most
of their breathtaking waterfront
and promenade with harbour
cruises, swimming, rollerblading
and rock climbing activities.
Throughout the summer, numerous
cultural festivals embrace
New Zealand’s island cultures,
as well as cultures from around
the world. It’s a great place to
enjoy a coffee or gelato while
taking in the surrounding blue
waters and cityscape. On Sundays,
you’ll find a weekly food
and wine market that features
tastings and demonstrations and
a farmers market. Visit www.
wellingtonnz.com for details.
Matterhorn
106 Cuba Street
www.matterhorn.co.nz
While Matterhorn may look like
just another trendy restaurant,
this eatery has staying power. Its
history dates back to 1963 when
two Swiss brothers started the
establishment, which in those
days featured waitresses in full
Swiss garb serving up lots of
fondue. Ownership changed
hands a few times and in 1996
Matterhorn was converted into a
boutique cocktail bar, attracting
both Kiwi and international
celebs and hipsters. The menu
is creative, the food is spot on,
the atmosphere is ultra-cool
without being pretentious and
the service is accommodating.
There’s also live music on Saturday
nights.
Kura
19 Allen Street
www.kuragallery.co.nz
Contemporary, handcrafted
Maori and New Zealand pieces
by Kiwi artists are the star attraction
at Kura, located near
Te Papa. While prices get a bit
steep—some pieces cost one
thousand NZ dollars (about
USD $700) and upwards—moderately
priced items are also offered.
Kura has a large selection
of traditional Maori carvings, ceramics,
glass, furniture, wall art,
jewellery, paintings, prints and
sculpture and features regular
exhibitions of its artists’ work.
And international shipping
takes the worry out of damaging
your treasures as you hike the
Franz Josef Glacier.
Thanks to Rebecca Mitchell from
Positively Wellington Tourism for
her assistance in this article and
amazing Kiwi hospitality.
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