Hungry for more New Zealand!!!

Do not read this on an empty stomach! I repeat, DO NOT read this on an empty stomach! I just finished a bowl full of boring kibbles for dinner, and my tummy is still growling for more after looking at all these wonderful foodie pics. I promised an update on all the New Zealand grub my parents devoured, so here's a journey across New Zealand vis-a-vis my parent's bellies! 

As you know our tour began in Auckland. My parents sipped and savored the night away down at the Viaduct Harbor. They started their evening with a crisp Speights cider and a basket full of tasty, truffled greasies at Snapdragon. From there, they headed on to Soul where they threw back a few oyster shooters, marveled at the beautiful backdrop, and dined on some seriously spectacular entrée dishes. Everything was of course washed down by a couple glasses of Central Otago pinot noir...duh. 

Viaduct Harbor, Auckland

You had me at Pinot!!!

I know what you're thinking...my parents are moo-moo-fatties. I won't lie to you, they did pack on a few extra el-beezies this trip, but as you can see, the extra bulge around the waistline was well worth it and absolutely enjoyed! I indulged a bit myself while on vacation, and was startled to see the scale tip 14-lbs as I propped my caboose up on it. I'm a hefty wiener!!!! Hehehe ;) To make up for the weight gain, we've all been on a diet in the Stewart household. Mommy and daddy are hitting the gym hard, and I've been getting lots of exercise and ball time.

Daddy's main course = Roasted hapuku and littleneck clams with white beans, gremolata and fennel. 

Mommy's main course = Oxtail and porcini tortellini with braised veal sweetbreads.

Now onto dessert....we were just getting started people!!! What goes better together than crème brûlée and BUBBLY!?!? 

Feijoa Crème Brûlée - Poached feijoa (local Kiwi fruit) with lavender honey ice cream. Mmmmmmmmm!!!

The final stop before they passed out...a hole in the wall wine bar just around the corner from their hotel. 

I suspect this parma ham plate was due to some late night drunken munchies. Is that sherry in the background???

The next day they were up early, and on a plane to Christchurch. In an effort to combat the countless calories consumed the previous evening, they went for a refreshing run through a local park. They followed it up with a quiet evening of pizza and ginger beer (non-alcoholic) on the pier in New Brighton. The lights were out before 8:30pm....possibly a combined result of jet lag and nursing a minor hangover. To give them credit, New Zealand is five hours ahead of Bangkok. For some reason, though, I think they were feeling the effects of the hangover a bit more ;) 

Perfect cure for an upset tummy! This inspired mommy to make homemade ginger ale too! That stuff is D - Lish!!! 

World famous Spag's Special @ Spagalimis Pizza!

The next day they left Christchurch early to drive to Franz Josef. For the long road trip ahead, they packed the car full of all sorts of yummy snacks to munch on along the way...New Zealand soft chew licorice bites, delicious beef jerky, and even a delectable scrummy mix. They skipped lunch in order to save their appetite for dinner. 

For hor d'oeuvres, New Zealand green lipped mussels.

Daddy ordered fish and chippies! 

Mommy slurped down a bowl of pumpkin soup while warming up by the fire. 

Who cut the cheese!?! 

They were up early again the following morning to hike the glacier. After that, lunch consisted of coffee and some serious comfort food...MEAT PIES!!! 

Mommy - Do you like a little milk in your coffee? Or should I say, coffee in your milk!?! 

That ain't no ordinary pot pie!

The next stop on their food journey - Cromwell! Similar to Franz Josef, Cromwell is a very, very small town. The dining options include: the local grocery store (which closes at 8pm), Subway (home of the $7 footlong in NZ), a Thai joint (mommy and daddy get plenty of that here in the Big Bangers), and a local pub. Good call on the local pub! 

New Zealand - Home of the most tender, fall off the bone, finger licking (or paw licking in my case) good....LAMB!!! Glad to see you're getting some veggies in your diet too, daddy!

Literally caught that day...New Zealand salmon burger.

Their first full day in Cromwell included some wine tasting, bungy jumping, and a wee bit of cheese! 

On day two of touring the Central Otago wine region my parents splurged and had an incredible lunch at Mt. Difficulty Winery. Mommy ordered the sampler platter that will forever live in infamy. Daddy enjoyed the panfried Stewart Island (whoop whoop....represent!) Bluecod. By the time dinner rolled around, they were still stuffed, so they drank their dinner instead! After some delightful NZ vino on their balcony they were ready for bed.

Can you imagine the countless permutations with that platter?!?

Go fish!!!

The food tour continued with a stop in Queenstown. With almost too many restaurants to choose from, you can't go wrong in Q-town. The first thing my parents tried were Aggy's fish and chips. They passed the lil' shack while walking through downtown. It smelled and looked way too good to miss! I'm just a bit baffled why they didn't pack some up in their suitcase and bring it home to me!

Those are some good lookin' greasies!!! 

For dinner they snuggled up in a cozy little Italian restaurant, Bella Cucina, which was highly recommended by their taxi driver. The ingredients were fresh, the flavors were incredible...just as I'd imagine they'd taste if they had come straight from Italy. 

Fusilli pasta with lamb, eggplant, zucchini, olives, mushrooms, and fallegio.

Wood fired pizza with parma ham, mustard cream, rocket, and parmesan. 

It was their last day in Queenstown, and parents wanted to go out BANGkok style...with a bang! They started the day off right with a breakfast of champions. An oh-so-soft ham and cheese croissant and a delectable egg omelet at Les Alpes, a cute French Bistro overlooking Lake Wakatipu. This more than fueled them up for their Sawpit Gully Hike that afternoon. 

Dinner time, which meant it was time to get serious with some SERIOUS BURGERS. Ever heard of Ferg Burger?? It's kind of a big deal. No one leaves this place hungry! N.O. O.N.E!!!

Can I get a Ferg Burg w/cheese and a side of fries, please!?! 

That's some SERIOUS prime New Zealand grass fed beef!

It's so big it takes up the whole plate! HA! Don't worry my parents shared just one.

I'm sad to say, but my mum and pop's food adventure is coming to a close. They headed to Auckland for a delicious round of tapas and the last stop on our tour - Elliott Stables Epicurean Village. I'd describe this place as a gourmet food court. Leave it to the Kiwis to take something so simple and make it so SPECTACULAR! Step #1 - Find a seat (pretty tricky on a Saturday night). Step #2 - Order from any of the surrounding restaurants. Step #3 - Wait for your food to be delivered to your table. Step #4 - Stuff yo' face!!! 

Elliott Stables

Can you say Pintxos? No seriously...can you?

They may have left New Zealand a few pounds heavier, but a newfound culinary perspective and many, many delicious memories will remain long after the pounds have been shed! All right friends, it's time for exercise. I gotta go play with my balls!

See you soon!

Falling In Love With New Zealand

Kia ora mates!!! (Hello friends)! What’s going on in your neck of the woods? We’re hunkered down at home trying to keep cool indoors. Summer is in full swing in Bangkok, and lately we’ve had temperatures pushing 41°C (106 °F),  plus humidity :( My mum and pop just returned from a holiday in New Zealand, so to say they’re missing the refreshing fall weather in the southern hemisphere would definitely be an understatement!

Oh, what a wonderful trip they had! I’ve enjoyed watching their photos flash up on the television, and reliving the trip as if I was there. As for myself, I was on a wee bit of a holiday too. I spent the time chilling out at a friend’s house…getting lots of puppy playtime! We shared laughs, bones, and lots of snuggles! Wrestling and romping around with that big, sexy bitch certainly left me all buggered out ;) HeyO!!!!

Pooped!

Taking switch hits off the bone. 

We go together like peanut butter and jelly!

My best friend, Sunday :)

Since I have all sorts of free time on my hands, my parents asked me if I could share their New Zealand adventure with you. I felt it best to break this trip up into two parts…just too much good stuff to talk about! The food really got me drooling, but I'll share all the treats and eats my parents gorged themselves on another day.

Meat Pie. Whaaaaammmmmy!!!!

First off, I think it’s most appropriate that everyone attempt reading this post with a New Zealander accent. Seriously, what doesn’t sound better when spoken like a cute Kiwi? This was my parent’s first trip in a while visiting a country where everyone speaks English…well at least for the most part. I’m going to try and pepper this post with a few of their crazy sayings…hopefully I won’t lose ya!!!

Just for shits and giggles…try slipping these into a conversation today!

Bach – Holiday Beach Home

Fart Sack – Sleeping Bag (*my personal favorite!)

Jandals – Flip flops, sandals, thongs

Loo or Dunny – Toilet

Nappy – Diaper

Mountain Oyster – Sheep’s Testicle

Ankle Biter – Small child or toddler (Also an unfortunate nickname some doxies have. I’ve never bit an ankle in my entire life, and I have absolutely no intention to!)

Sweet As – Something really good. For example, “New Zealand is sweet as!”

Baaaaaaaaaaah!!!

Where's Frodo!?!

They arrived in Auckland on a beautiful sunny, but chilly, fall day. First thing on the sightseeing agenda…the Sky Tower, the tallest building in the southern hemisphere. If you’re craving an adrenaline rush, or you’re just plain crazy, you can jump off the Sky Tower and free fall 192m to the bottom. Neither of my parent’s had the balls to do it. They could barely walk over the plexiglass viewing floor without gripping the railing. So instead of taking the plunge, they enjoyed their first glass of crisp New Zealand sauvignon blanc while watching the sun retire for the evening.

Only a crazy MoFo would jump off that thing!!! 

The main observation level at 186m has 38mm thick glass sections of flooring giving a view straight to the ground. I'd prefer it to be thicker...("That's what she said!")

Viaduct Harbour, Auckland

The next morning they woke up early and headed to the airport. They were off to explore the South Island, aka home of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy!!! 1^st Stop – Christchurch! Unfortunately and as expected, most of downtown Christchurch and the cathedral were shut down due to damage from last years earthquake. Driving through the city they passed countless condemned homes and businesses. Similar to Tokyo, they experience several earthquakes a week…luckily most are so small they go unnoticed.

Little Ferbie, their sweet stickshift.

Despite the quietness of Christchurch, they still had a wonderful time and a delicious pizza dinner on the pier in New Brighton. With a big drive ahead of them in the morning, they called it an early evening and headed back to their hotel to huddle up in front of the space heater. Since we’re never cold here in Bangkok (unless the aircon is blasting on high), the brisk fall weather was more like FREEZING for my parents!

New Brighton Pier

It was at this point that the official ROAD TRIP had begun! My parents blasted out of Christchurch before the sun had even kissed the horizon. Next stop…Franz Josef, or Ka Roimata o Hinehukatere in Māori. During the 376 km journey, they zigzagged through mountain passes and crossed numerous climate zones on their way to the west coast, which they then hugged all the way to the glacier. Apparently there was some seriously spectacular scenery on this drive! Trust me when I say my parents never mumbled the words, “Are we there yet?” The final destination didn’t matter when they had so much to enjoy along the way.

Kiwi Crossing! How cute!

They reached the small town of Franz Josef just before sunset. When I say small town, I mean really, really small town! With a population barely over 400, you can literally drive through the entire town in less than a blink of an eye. It was a very refreshing change from Bangkok’s bustling population of over 12 million. As you can imagine, my mum and pop really enjoyed the fresh air, delightful weather, peace and quiet, and most of all...personal space!

WIDE OPEN SPACES!!!! 

Their second day in Franz Josef included a trek to the glacier face. It was hard to believe a glacier was just around the corner as they tramped through thick, abundant moss and ancient ferns. Watching the glacier appear amidst the greenery and lushness of the bordering temperate rainforest was beyond dramatic. After a great night in Franz Josef and some wonderful eats, they hit the (fart) sack ready for their next stop…Cromwell! In the heart of the Central Otago wine region, these peeps make some seriously rockin’ Pinots!!!

Franz Josef Glacier Hike!

Shorts on a glacier?!? You fit right in with the Kiwis Pops!

Blue Ice!!!

On day one of wine tasting my mum and pop headed to the gorgeous Gibbston Valley. Their first stop was Chard Farm Winery, which just so happens to be across the road from the historic Kawarau Bridge (the world’s first commercial bungy site!) They had to swing by the bridge first and check out all the action. Would they have the mountain oysters to take the plunge?? Having certainly not dressed for the jump, nor being the least bit mentally prepared, they promised each other they'd return on their way to Queenstown and make it happen. What better place to jump than at the birthplace of bungy, right?!

Chard Farm Winery

Contemplating the jump...

Kawarau Bridge = 43m

It was time to get back to the wine tasting! Second stop was Gibbston Vineyards. They had some excellent wines and even a few cheese snacks, but mum and pop were having a hard time focusing (let alone enjoying the wine!), what with the impending jump hanging over them and all. After a parking-lot pep talk and a bit of liquid courage (thank goodness for vino!), they turned right around and went back to the gorge. A couple release form signatures, multiple bathroom visits, and less than thirty minutes later, there they were...standing on the jump platform together, looking down at the seemingly endless drop below. No joke, it really does look higher from the top! Somehow, despite terrible acrophobia, at the end of a man's hurried 5-4-3-2-1 countdown..........THEY JUMPED!!! Momentary weightlessness, their breath sucked out of their lungs, and just when they thought the icy, cold water below would be their watery grave, that wonderful bungy cord grabbed hold and rescued them from gravity's tight grip. It was over, and boy were they happy! "Try everything once", that's what I always say. Well, unfortunately I don’t think I’ll ever bungy. I’m already prone to back injuries, so I don’t even want to think about what would happen if I jumped. I picture myself cracking like a whip in the wind. Yowza!!!

With the exhilarating bungy ordeal in the past, they could now properly relax on day two in Cromwell! Despite being over 7,000 miles from California, as my parents sat on their balcony overlooking the vineyards, sipping delicious Pinot while the sweet smell of fermenting grapes lingered in the air, it somehow felt just like home. Sad to leave the beautiful Central Otago wine region, but excited for their next destination, they drove onward to Queenstown, their final stop before heading back to the North Island.

Mum, you shouldn't operate heavy machinery while drinking!

They jam packed their two days in Queenstown with all sorts of outdoorsy activities. This included a ride on the Skyline Gondola up the mountain with fantastic views of Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu, and they even had time to tramp (hike) the Sawpit Gully Track (trail). Queenstown has a delightful South Lake Tahoe feel, with an adorable downtown, lots of shopping, tasty food, and plenty of adrenaline filled activities to keep you more than occupied during your stay.

Lake Wakatipu

Sawpit Gully Tramp (Hike)! Ha!

This will certainly be a trip my parents will reminisce about for years to come. It only took 10 days, but my mum and pop have undeniably fallen in love with New Zealand. It could be the amazing and oh-so-friendly people they met along the way, the world class wines they enjoyed over picture perfect vistas, the awe-inspiring natural element that speaks for itself, or the conquering of something absolutely terrifying together. Or perhaps its simply because New Zealand is...well....SWEET ASSSSSSSSS!!!!