WETA Workshop

Today I woke up at 5-5:30 to a nightmare. After tossing and turning, I finally gave up on being able to go back to sleep and FaceTimed Sanya and Liv. Starting my day with her definitely set the tone for the day, because it was a good one. 

Me and Laura started our day wandering through some shops before meeting Aunt Jo and  Unce Von for lunch. We had decided we weren’t going to have breakfast because we’d been eating so much, it was starting to feel uncomfortable. We had Angry Ramen for lunch, and all I wanted was some gyoza and agadashi tofu because I knew dinner would likely be pretty heavy and large. 

After lunch, Uncle Von took Laura and I to the Weta Workshop for a tour. I thought it would be a little boring and educational like the Harry Potter Studio Tour we did in London, but I actually had fun. While it was educational, they let you touch and feel some of the props real and fake. (Real sword VS its fake replica) Unfortunately for us we were not allowed to take too many photos once inside the workshop apart from a few areas. Where we could it was fun, and for once I felt a little lighter in the last 2 weeks. My inner nerd was so happy. I got to touch the Hobbit Feet shoes that were used in the actual film, we got to put on Gimli’s helmet, an Orc helmet, a Power Ranger helmet, and a Warrior helmet, plus we met some of the artists that work on miniatures and set props/ models.

Having fun with the trolls outside before we even begin the tour. I could have gone home at this point super content with the experience already. Talk about playing with packaging over the toy. 

It was really interesting to see the painstaking hours and work that go into make the tiniest prosthetics and they amount of time it then takes to put them on the actors. It was so cool to see the real costumes, and props and life size models of characters I grew up watching on big screen. The first 2 rooms they don’t want you to touch anything and I’m a sensory touch kind of person, but also a rule follower.. this was my personal hell. The props and swords and costumes was starting to call me like a siren song. The temptation to touch and feel the leather in the Riders of Rohan Costumes or the Elven silk and chainmail intertwined into ethereal armour or the life size Sauron costume displayed on a model, the temptation was wild. My fingers would start reaching and hovering around whatever I was looking automatically. It was as though my precious was calling to me.  At one point, I couldn’t help myself and I touched Sauron’s armour under the pretense to point something out to Laura. 

Finally in the 3rd room we got to meet Mark Fry, he was the Weta Miniatures artist. He was in his little workshop just working on miniatures that are eventually sold in the Weta Giftshop and educated us on the importance of keep the art of crafting alive. You could tell he loved what he did and even made a joke that he wants to die there and that when he’s dead they can just sweep out his ashes from under the desk. Morbid, so naturally we were delighted by that comment. I was here we got to play with some of the props and I genuinely felt excited. 

Definitely felt like a hobbit wearing a normal human sized helmet in this picture… I wonder if this is how Merry felt before going off to war with Eowyn

The Gimli Helmet was one of my highlights! 

The next room we went into, there was another artist Warren Beaton that was creating Tin Foil Sculptures. It was nothing like I’d ever seen and then they coat it with a substance called Pal Toya which dries like stone, which cuts down the sculpture making by days if not weeks. So cool. Me and Laura made our own little tinfoil creations - Dagger and Plague Doctor.

Warren Beaty

It was actually a lot more engaging than I had thought it would be and like I said, a lot more fun. I just wish we could touch and play with more of the costumes and props in an even more immersive style tour. 

Charley Noble and The Hostess
Once we got back, we met up with Aunt Jo to go for dinner at Charley Noble. Evidently they don’t take reservations for parties smaller than 6. We got there and were told there were tables available, they just need to put a table together. As soon as our name was down, a rush of people started walking in and before you know it there was a line up of people trying to get seated for dinner.

The initial Hostess that greeted us with a warm smile that lit up her face went to go look for the table that she assured us was availble to be put together. In the meantime another man reiterated the same thing and asked us to wait 10 minutes and he’ll work with her to find us a table.

While we were waiting we sat at what felt like a waiting area table by the front door, not a dining area table in the dining area. Our original Hostess noticed and came back, this time appearing a bit frazzled as she whipped by, depositing a drinks menu in front of us. We all looked at each other a little confused. She sped across the floor, behind the bar and comes back with water glasses which she puts down in front of us. She was in such a rush to pour water in them while looking in 10 different directions, that she basically spilled half the water that should have gone into the glass without noticing and as such—doing nothing about it.

As each additional potential dining patron walked in, her curly hair seemed to start tightening into tighter and tighter curls which somehow got frizzier and frizzier. By the minute this lady was starting to look more disgruntled and frazzled, to the point that Aunt Jo was to scared to ask her for a cup of hot water out of fear that she would spontaneously combust. 

The dinner itself was very good, which we knew it would be judging on how packed this place was. I ordered Fish and Chips with a the Spencer Potato (I know - the chips are also potatoes) on the side. Laura got the Cappeletti (which was basically mushroom tortellini)and the same potatoes. The potatoes were to die for the with their rosemary and garlic butter confit with mascarpone and sundried tomato. chefs kiss

Fish and Chips

Cappelletti and Spencer Potato

After dinner, it was still early so we decided to take the (allegedly) only cable car in New Zealand up the hill to walk down the Natures path to the Botanical Garden all the way down the hill back into the city and back to our hotel. Me and Laura love being immersed in nature, especially the woods to let our inner gollum flag fly. I have spoken about the New Zealand trees before and I finally was able to get as many pictures to my hearts content of the gnarly trees that look like they are multiple trees growing out of the same root. Because we stopped to take a thousand photos throughout this walk, what should have been a 30 min stroll took us probably 2 hours. I think we might not get invited back to stay with Aunt Jo and Uncle Von next time. 

was doing my best Sméagol here, when a man walked by and stop to watch what I was doing to which I slowly lifted my hand and rested it under my chin to appear a little more normal..

Who knew Aunt Jo was a tree hugger.

We finally made it back to our hotel as night fell, and I could appreciate that after an age, today felt like a truly good day.