America's Cup

I've been an uber slacker about posting lately but thats because so many fun things are going on and sitting at my computer writing about them is taking a backseat. Anyways to catch up, waaaaay back in September my dad and I went down to Pier 27 to watch America's Cup races. I know literally nothing about sailing or sailing races but it was a gorgeous day so we couldn't pass it up - plus 'America' is in the name so I had to check it out. 

They had all these great AstroTurf areas set up with beanbag chairs and giant TV screens with race commentary. It was pretty packed and the beanbag chairs were a hot commodity- people were hoarding them in giant piles so they could lounge comfortably. There was also a inflatable theater that showed a short documentary about the boats and a cool exhibit put on by the Exploratorium to explain some of the science behind sailing. Fun fact about me (fun being a relative term): in 8th grade we all had to learn how to sail. We studied the history of sailing, the physics of sailing, the vocabulary of sailing, etc. Then on one sunny but cold day we headed down to Rocky Point and set sail in our little sailboats. Yup three 8th graders...alone..in a boat...unsupervised. Surprisingly only two people fell in the water- the rest of us spent most of the time confusing 'port' and 'starboard' and screaming bloody murder while almost tipping over...ahhh the memories.

Anyways, the best part of this whole America's Cup thing in my opinion? There were bars everywhere! If day drinking and sailing go hand in hand well then I might have just found my new favorite sport. Pretty much all the bars were out in the open (under some shade) and they all had great lounge areas with TVs so you could either take your drink to the water or enjoy your beverage in the comfort of the lounge. Every sponsor had a bar set up but my dad and I had our sights set on checking out the New Zealand Moa bar (aka the pirate bar) for some beer. I'm headed to New Zealand soon so I figured I should start learning about the culture- or at least the beer drinking part.

The races were a little boring for the most part because you couldn't really see what was going on but we were by the finish line so the excitement really picked up watching the boats fly through. We watched the NZ team win two races and then watched the Oracle team ('Murica!) win one and people went nuts. I'm talking people literally just yelling 'America! Yea!' over and over...and no it was not me.

Fun way to spend the day with my dad- maybe in three years it'll be back? 

Right next to the main America's Cup park is a pop-up restaurant and bar on Pier 29 called the Waiheke Island Yacht Club. We ended up having my birthday dinner here and it was amazing- one of the best meals I've had and my whole family enjoyed it. Luckily its still around for a little while longer- they're hoping to extend their stay until the new year so if you're in the area you should definitely check it out.