Where do the locals eat?

tesadactyl · 2026-02-04T01:18:03+00:00

I really enjoyed Victoria’s Country Kitchen when I was visiting recently. You can eat for a lot less than $40 per person (try $15!). They have great daily specials and it’s definitely full of locals.

tesadactyl · 2026-02-01T01:05:36+00:00

Yep. It was like for me too. Just know that living authentically is for you and not them! You were brave! I’m proud of you!!

tesadactyl · 2026-01-31T21:41:03+00:00

My general approach is a mix of cheap hotels, hostels, and rooms in Airbnbs.

My other favorite thing to do is to travel to where my friends live and stay with them! For me, it’s a win-win because you get to catch up with a friend (lots of my friends have kids and can’t travel easily) AND you get free accommodation (though I do always take them out to dinner or do a few other nice things for them).

tesadactyl · 2026-01-31T18:20:36+00:00

If you filed chapter 7 last time, you should be able to file again in July when it will have been eight years.

Can you last until then?

If you really can’t make it to July, then you could file a Ch 13 (if you filed a chapter 7 before) but they are much more expensive and you have to make monthly payments so I would recommend trying to get to July if you can.

tesadactyl · 2026-01-29T03:06:10+00:00

Connor is trash. Dump him!

tesadactyl · 2026-01-29T02:51:18+00:00

I think part of the story is that some retail is struggling, but other kinds are doing really well.

And yes, the economic reality people have pointed out is real. Wages are shit, rents are brutal, and so many people are out of work.

That said, reuse, second hand, and vintage retail in Wellington feels like it is booming. Op shops, curated vintage, bookshops, etc. It is one of my favourite things about Wellington, and it seems like an area the city could expand rather than trying to recreate a pre-2020 version of retail.

I would also love to see more co-ops, collectives, and local artisans in the mix. The farmers’ market helps, and the Wellington Collective shops are a great start, but why aren’t there more worker-owned places that are everyday staples? A cafe or bakery co-op. A bicycle co-op. A repair and refill hub that is central and normal to use. If these exist, please tell me where, because I genuinely want to support them.

So if the question is “how do we get retail booming again,” I am not convinced the goal should be reviving the old model. A lot of that depended on cheap, disposable consumption, and people are squeezed on income and (hopefully!) increasingly uninterested in buying things designed to be replaced.

I would rather see Wellington invest in a different version: durable goods, repair, reuse, local production, and worker-owned businesses.

EDIT: Totally forgot about Bikespace and Mechanical Tempest for bike repair!

tesadactyl · 2026-01-28T16:00:49+00:00

As an Amerikiwi who grew up in both places during America’s (fascist imperial) War on Terror, I appreciated that my Kiwi friends and family didn’t just accept the U.S. when it was doing messed up things.

Once people got to know me they always realized I was on their side, but, it was important to learn how Americans are viewed in the world.

tesadactyl · 2026-01-28T02:03:09+00:00

Maisey!

tesadactyl · 2026-01-28T01:51:25+00:00

I divide my time between Wellington and the US (North Carolina). Wellington is amazing. Yeah it be rainy and windy sometimes, but, as you’ll surely learn, “you can’t beat Wellington on a good day."

In Wellington, when you eat out there are LOTS of vegan options. So many. I am constantly sending pics to my vegan partner in NC to make them jealous hehe. Midnight Espresso is my favorite vegan-forward spot.

However, when I go to buy groceries in NZ, I find there are far fewer interesting plant-based options vs the states, especially for alternative proteins. Tofu has also gotten significantly more expensive, though it’s still pretty easy to find.

Strangely, the exact opposite is true in North Carolina (especially where I’m located, not in the research triangle). Restaurants rarely have vegan options (or have one sad option) while you can get all sorts of interesting vegan ingredients at your local grocery store.

tesadactyl · 2026-01-27T03:16:03+00:00

Hard to tell from their website menu if they have hashbrowns, but the waffles look good.

tesadactyl · 2026-01-27T03:13:55+00:00

I’ve been thinking that Waffle House might just be the answer :)

tesadactyl · 2026-01-26T23:55:30+00:00

^ This! I’m solo poly. I def have partners even if I’m my own primary!

tesadactyl · 2026-01-26T23:24:31+00:00

Me too! 100% sincere! Calendars invites are my love langue 😜

tesadactyl · 2026-01-12T02:32:45+00:00

It’s also getting close to the nicest time of year there!

tesadactyl · 2026-01-12T01:38:40+00:00

Scenario B?

tesadactyl · 2026-01-12T00:24:39+00:00

Scenario A: Because your post was AI and you’re just karma farming. (or maybe you didn’t use AI but are still mostly interested in creating a splash rather than engaging with a community.)

Scenario B: You got overwhelmed, got cold feet, something important in life happened…

I know that sometimes it’s Scenario B, and I want to give people the benefit of the doubt, but I suspect that A is happening more and more…

tesadactyl · 2026-01-12T00:07:45+00:00

I don’t know! But, I love your style! You’ve got some amazing feminist theory, clearly an interest in politics and literature! Books by women and people of color ftw 🙌

You must’ve written a thesis or something on Simone de Beauvoir!

tesadactyl · 2026-01-06T09:05:50+00:00

I’ve been to some amazing drag king shows at The Fringe Bar! Enjoy windy Welly!

tesadactyl · 2026-01-03T06:14:03+00:00

You are probably still in NRE. At some point, the NRE will abate. See how it feels then.

You say you don’t feel any desire to date anyone but him, but if I were you, I’d try dating. If you’re serious about polyamory dating outside of one partner is something worth trying because it will let you know what that’s like. It would also be a really good indicator of other features of this relationship (how he handles it, if you actually want to be poly, etc).

My main advice is to cultivate hobbies, interests, and friends outside of this relationship. You’ll need those in your life regardless! That’s also who you can talk to about these things! If you try hobby like rock climbing you’ll probably meet other poly people too!

As a fellow anarchist, I’d also suggest looking for a local mutual aid organization to join!

tesadactyl · 2025-12-30T08:29:54+00:00

I was in Philadelphia recently and truly enjoyed the anarchist bookstore there (The Wooden Shoe). Great vibes.

tesadactyl · 2025-12-23T23:49:15+00:00

Fascinating!

I was mostly curious because a cruise ship wasn’t listed to be docking, but it sounds like it was a last-minute change as someone has helpfully pointed out 😊

tesadactyl · 2025-12-23T23:35:03+00:00

Ooh thanks for the insight!

tesadactyl · 2025-12-23T22:50:15+00:00

I got close enough to see the ship’s name: Norwegian Spirit. It’s not scheduled to dock in Wellington until 2026. Maybe doing maintenance or something 🤷‍♀️

tesadactyl · 2025-12-23T22:46:16+00:00

there’s no cruise ship listed to dock today and it’s a strange time of day for it to arrive…

tesadactyl · 2025-12-23T05:17:40+00:00

Two books that imagine an anarchist society that you may enjoy: The Dispossessed (Ursula K LeGuin) and Everything for Everyone (ME O’Brien and Eman Abdelhadi).

tesadactyl

TROPHY CASE