Your helpful Visa WOAP weekend planner

June 5, 2018

Coming from out of Wellington, in need of some inspiration, or just want a plan delivered to you on a plate (so to speak...)? Visa WOAP is neatly divided into 3 weekends, and blogger Beth has devised 3 different itineraries, right down to where to stay if your visiting (or stay-cationing it).

10-12 Aug: Beer and burgers

Let’s start with the classics – a beer and a burger. They’re the George and Amal Clooney of the food world – perfect in every way.

• Kick off your weekend with 14,000 other beer lovers at NZ’s biggest beer festival – Beervana. Insider’s tip - hit up the Friday afternoon session – this is the best one! Check in close by at the InterContinental before heading to the Sprig and Fern pub in Thorndon for Beer No Evil, Pie No Evil where you’ll down five local Siggy’s Pies matched to the Sprig’s beers.
• Keep it casual on Saturday and check out a few of the Burger Wellington offers from participating restaurants (matched with Garage Project beers of course). Want that full American diner experience and a classic cheeseburger? Pop in to Shepherd Restaurant where they’ve transformed themselves into fast food joint Goldburger for the duration of the festival.
• On Sunday upskill with Dillinger’s BBQ Smoking 101 masterclass, learning how to prepare and smoke meats, while sampling the wares and a few beers to finish.

Beers, burgers and one big food baby.

17-19 Aug: Pop ups and parties

This plan is about letting loose with the best parties in town and hitting the pop ups when you finally roll out of bed. Being so close to the action the Grand Mercure is perfect place to rest your head plus their in-house restaurant Forage Kitchen + Bar is also taking part in the festivities with a $55 three-course Dine Menu. Score.

• Friday night make friends with Salty Pidgin at their Good Companions pop up, where they’ll be swinging fish & chips and local tipples (on during the whole festival). Finish with the Lashings Pop Up Brownie Bar at Wellington Chocolate Factory (CHOCOLATE. BROWNIES. Need I say more?)
• Saturday arvo, tango your way to Kanteen for their Spanish Fiesta including live flamenco dances and Spanish food and drink. Don your glad rags for the evening, because A Little Party Never Killed Nobody as Thistle Inn relives its infamous years in the 1920’s as a hedonistic hot spot.
• Sleep-in Sunday before living out those childhood party dreams with Burger Liquor’s Party Popper beef burger that comes with Fanta BBQ sauce, Salt & Vinegar chips INSIDE it’s “lucky dip fun bun” and a take home party bag. Or get festive with Southern Cross’ Christmas themed Dine menu; their ‘Mushroom Wellington’ will have you thinking twice about that over-cooked grey lamb next holidays. A good ol' Sunday session at The Library Bar downing their Chefs do Partie cocktails inspired by Wellington’s top chef’s desert island desserts will see you sign off in style. Pavlova, rhum baba, lemon tart...? With all the aforementioned excessive consumption thank goodness these tasty treats come in liquid form!

24-26 Aug: Feasts and fancy

Feel like going all out (#YOLO)? This itinerary is for the folk who've saved up a few pennies and like to feasts and feel fancy. And when you’re feeling fancy free, where better to stay than the classy QT? 

• Check in and head to Hot Sauce to turn things up a notch with their fresh and feisty Arrack Attack cocktail, then get a (however slight) brush with Hollywood royalty at Hillside Kitchen's Suppliers Dinner event, showcasing Cameron Family Farms. Yes, as in James and Suzy Cameron.
• Saturday, either go classy with a seven-course black-tie dinner dedicated to the late legend who pioneered nouvelle cuisine ‘In the Spirit of Paul Bocuse’ or eat to excess Viking-style at Sterling – think whole beasts, rustic dishes piled high and goblets of wine and tankards of mead. What's not to like? 
• Not one to be broken, Sunday brunch like no other at The Arborist’s Two Hours of Power. Their all-you-can-eat event is set at a leisurely 1pm, where you'll enjoy a Kiwi take on Yum Cha with a continuous rotation of delicious and innovative brunch dishes. Graze the rest of the day away on fancy cocktails and tapas by Wellington’s mixologists BUT if you're all about go big or go home (and then maybe to the gym), you'll be at Capitol’s Magnum party, because you may as well end as you started with this Feast of Epic Proportions.