More Nelson

Oh goodie, look what I found. More photos from Nelson, thought lost, but (re-)discovered filed in the wrong place.

First up, an advertisment from a bakery in Nelson, touting what has to be the most amazing pie EVER:

Secondly, a couple of shots from the 90's Retro Theme Party at Harry's Bar in Hardy St.

Though a poor second to a good 24 Hour Party People, it was good fun, despite a little too much reliance on cultural artifacts like glow-sticks, flashing jewellery, shirtless djs, head/sweat bands, yada yada, and, er, the "hostess with the mostest" (pictured). The Sifter would have had a huge one.

A word about Harry's. I may have been previously graceless enough to bemoan the lack of decent bars in Nelson. It's certainly a popular topic of conversation amongst the locals whenever I am there. Until recently the only viable options have been these barn-style beer halls (The Grumpy Mole, below left), or "hip" little bars like Fiction (below, middle and right) which try oh-so-hard to get it right, but get it oh-so-wrong - attractive and well-meaning but clueless midgets rather than competent barstaff; wretched djs and live acts at innappropriate volumes; Playboy-theme parties, anyone?

There's even dives like the Rock Bar, with its wall-to-wall RTDs, large screen music videos, on stage sex sandwiches at 3.05 am, and a cocktail list which can at best be described as humourous:

But of late things have started looking up. There's (the bizarrely and slightly unfortunately named) Bar Delicious in Trafalgar Street, where the staff actually appear know how to make drinks and serve them. And then there's the adforementioned Harry's, which serves delicacies such as the "Long Beach Iced Tea" - a Long Island Iced Tea made with 'premium' spirits (Grey Goose, Tanqueray 10, Club 151, Jose Cuervo 1800, and Cointreau) and something kinda different as the split (this is all from memory - forgive me if I'm slightly hazy on the details). They still don't seem to know how to make a good Martini though, which is why I have to resort to ordering straight spirits.

Note: If you follow the link to the Long Island Iced Tea recipe - don't even think about making one with cola; dry ginger ale is the only thing you should ever put between you and a conglomeration of loverly tipples like that.

(you know the drill, click for larger)