Some days in Wellington - to quote the words of Marty McFly in 'Back to the Future' - you just need to "...get out of town!"
Wellington is wider than just our (wonderful) inner city and suburbs. It is easy to forget we have access to the Kapiti Coast and the whole of the Wairarapa region - and that's just the start. So sometimes - especially on long weekends like Wellington Anniversary Weekend - when I feel the itch to feel the wide rolling countryside, I head to Greytown or nearby wine mecca Martinborough with Matt. It keeps Wellington life feeling interesting.
Check out the video below for the whole weekend adventure vlog.
I've been wanting to visit Poppies Vineyard for aaages. It has such a beautiful reputation for both its location, wine and food. So when my friend Finn Lawrence (start-up guru and recent entrepreneur whizz-kid with his electric car hire company Mevo) offered to lend us one of the Mevo cars to take her for a spin, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to hit the road for Matts sisters birthday lunch at Poppies.
First, a bit about Mevo. I heard about these guys when Finn and I were doing one of our regular catch ups (read: I bribe him into picking his brains about a recent tech issue about this blog). He had told me while he was working at Lightning Lab XX last year he had a cool start-up he had been working on on the side. It was when he told me that they had a fleet of hyrid electric Audi cars I knew this was the business for Welly.
Fast forward 8 months later and Mevo has set up at Chaffers Dock Wellington. What makes Mevo different to other car hire companies is that they are seeking to provide an alternative for Wellingtonians that live in Wellington but don't own a car. If you need to get somewhere every now and then, Mevo is a great option because you can just nip down to the waterfront, fire up the Audi and then take it back at the end of the day. So if you have a car and never drive it in Wellington, maybe Mevo could be a good option, saving you on parking, car maintenance and petrol. They are also better for the environment! Ya know what I mean?
To make sure I felt fancy enough for our beautiful navy blue Audi and delicious lunch at Poppies, I donned my recent Bones Style Club Summer Ribb Dress in Organic Grey Marl Cotton. I've already raved about Tess and Charlotte from Bones Style Club here before but these girls are the BOMB, producing organic cotton fair-trade clothing, all made in Raumati. It was so soft and comfortable to wear - perfect for a warm Wairarapa day. Paired with a set of mustard Droplet Earrings, my Tamsin Cooper necklace and old Marc Jacobs denim jacket from Workshop, I felt as fresh and modern as Poppies Rose.
We had a magical lunch of delicious food and wine. But the standout performer of the day was the car. Previous to taking it out, Matt had vowed he would only ever drive a Japanese import car, like a Toyota Camry (his beloved!) if we bought a vehicle together one day far far from now. From the moment he stepped foot in the Audi A3 which we could unlock with the special Mevo app, he was a man lost. "This is soooooo coool!" he kept chanting. I couldn't wipe the grin off his face. The drive was smooth and super controlled, even around the winding Wairarapa roads. Excellent suspension meant it felt like we were flying. I am no expert on cars, but I can tell you it doesn't get much more fun than this!
The sun shined down at Poppies and we made decent work of the delicious platter and wine. After a wine tasting and a wander around the vineyard, we were thrilled to get back in the car and head to Matts parent where we played a game of charades. Sometimes the most old fashioned fun is the one that brings people together!
Even if like us you have a car in Wellington, trying Mevo for a day out is a really exciting way to re-explore Wellington. It can also be a great idea if you are thinking about buying on of the Audi A3's. I felt so excited about such a cool company starting in Wellington. While there are similar models overseas, there is nothing quite like Mevo in New Zealand. I can't wait to see Finn and his business partners succeed with Mevo and watch as they take over the whole of New Zealand. I'm sure the rest of the residents of Wellington will be cheering them on as the zoom to the front of the pack! Make sure you check out Mevo, y'all.
Wellington is a stunning city in and of itself with great shops and cafes. However, it is so easy to get complacent and forget to explore beyond the city limits. A day out in the Mevo car reminded me that not only is there so much more to the Wellington region, from stunning vineyards to winding country roads and the roaring ocean, but it really is very close to everywhere. For so many people all around the world, they have to drive for hours to get to the countryside or ocean. Wellingtonians are spoilt - it is only 50 minutes away. Thanks to this lovely weekend, I remembered an important thing- It is up to me to keep on discovering the beautiful city I'm blessed to live in.
