Icons and a Ghost Named Jimmy

"Med Market" in Wanaka

Sunday, 13 December 

Cindy @ Mediterranean Market

Last night in Wanaka - before the movies

Mediterranean Market

Certainly the Cinema Paradiso is a Wanaka icon. For us, so too is the Mediterranean Market. Therefore, before leaving Wanaka, we made one last visit to the "Med Market" (our term for it) to stock up on cheese, bread, olives and salami. Cindy served us, and we learned that she aspires to make cheeses! We therefore asked her the question that has been puzzling us since arrival: Why are we not finding any sheep cheeseries here in New Zealand? Ned posited the theory that the sheep cannot multitask, that they are too busy growing wool to produce milk for cheese. His theory, it turns out, is not that far from the truth, but I shall save that for another blog post... 

Cardona: A Bar Bitch named Mike, Bras, and a Ghost Named Jimmy
Between Wanaka and Queenstown, on the Crown Ridge Road, is the Cardrona Hotel. Established in 1863, it is one of New Zealand's oldest pubs and is advertised as the most iconic. Even Mike, the self-proclaimed "bar bitch" has icon potential.

Hotel, ca. 1863; Car, ca. 1926

Ned, ca. 1942

Mike, the "bar bitch" (his term, not mine!)

While there were no Harley Davidson bikes parked outside on a Sunday, it reminded us very much of Mattei's Tavern in Santa Barbara.




Bras

On the highway, en route to Cardrona and just before the soon-to-open (Wednesday, 16 December) Cardrona Distillery and Museum, there were a number of cars pulled over. We wanted to see what the fuss was all about - BRAdrona, in support of New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation.

 

Even the Cardrona Pub featured its own "bra fence"! 

And now for the ghost... Signage at the Cardrona Pub informs the patrons that the cat is named Henry, the dog is named Louie and the ghost is Jimmy. James Patterson owned the Cardrona from 1926 until his death at age 91 in 1961. Jimmy was also an icon. Every winter, Jimmy traveled to Christchurch and simply shut the hotel doors, leaving a note: "Beer under counter - help yourself." He also was famous for controlling the amount of alcohol he would serve a patron. Men traveling the short 23 kms to Wanaka were allowed two drinks. Men traveling to Queenstown over the treacherous Crown Ridge Pass were only allowed one. Jimmy preferred not to serve women at all! His ghost supposedly continues residence at the Cardrona, perhaps in protest over the bras that dangle from the rafters.