What’s not to love about ice dancing? It’s just so very … sparkly. I like the sparkly and I’ve long dreamed of being an ice dancer. But then throughout my life I’ve variously dreamed of being a cabin steward (too short to reach the overhead lockers), a vet (allergic to lots of animals) and a trapeze artist (I cried when they tried to get me on the flying fox at school camp) so it’s safe to say when it comes to realistic expectations I fail.

If you’re a fan of the sparkly, or want to relive your ice dancing dreams then Swan Lake on Ice, performed by The Imperial Ice Stars could be just the thing for you.

Featuring 26 World, European and National Championship skaters who between them hold more than 250 competition medals, The Imperial Ice Stars will be performing Swan Lake on Ice at The Aotea Centre’s ASB Theatre from 21 to 25 July as part of a two year world tour. Tickets will be available from 9am Monday 15 March from The Edge.

One market I have visited (more than once even), purely by virtue of it being close to home, is the Avondale Market. Held at Avondale Racecourse, Avondale Market has been running since the early 1970’s, and averages 15,000 to 20,000 visitors most Sundays.

All the things you’d expect to find at a market are there, from second-hand clothes to handmade arts and crafts, bric-a-brac to natural remedies, small clothing labels to cheap imported tickety-tack.

Avondale Market’s strength, however, lies in its fresh produce. The sheer number of stalls selling fruit and vegetables is almost overwhelming, and the multicultural nature of Avondale Market is evident in the produce on offer – next to the potatoes and carrots you’ll find gorgeous Asian greens, fresh coconuts, taro and plenty more, including a few things you may not be able to identify. Once you’ve seen the quality, prices and range of produce on offer you’ll wonder why you ever bought your fruit and veg from the supermarket.

During the hotter months it pays to do your shopping at the market as early as possible in the day – once the temperature rises and the humidity sets in being jammed amongst those crowds can start to feel a little like being in a sauna with the temperature turned up and all the exits blocked.

Avondale Markets run from 6am to midday every Sunday at the Avondale Racecourse. Carparking is available at the racecourse for $3.00, watch your step as you walk through the carpark, sometimes the horses have ‘been’ there before you.

Do you like classic cars and rockin’ guitars?
Candy floss and cupcakes?
Vintage clothes?
…Beer?
Then look no further than Pirate City Rollers’ first big fundraiser for 2010 – the Jukebox Jamboree!

Jukebox Jamboree is like the school gala you always wanted, but forget the white elephant sales and awkward Monkees cover bands of old, Jukebox Jamboree is going to be loud, fast, fun and fancy… and it’s all on your back doorstep.

The dear hearts at Mt Albert Primary School have (foolishly?) loaned Pirate City Rollers a fabulous space for the day, so come along, relive the days when you were three feet tall, and get a hot rod ride, candy floss, some new vintage digs and an ice cold beer while you’re at it.

The girls have a wealth of talent at their fingertips, so stick around into the evening for boisterous bands, burlesque beauties, and of course – brews.

This fundraiser is all in aid of getting the Pirates to their first-ever Australasian tournament. So if you promise to come along and support your local derby league, they’ll promise to get to Australia and do this country proud. Come one, come all!

So on Saturday March 20, get your ass along to Mt Albert Primary School from 4pm-10pm and have a great time for us. Thank you!

Back by popular demand – the hottest all-girl syncronised-wading water-ballet troupe this summer, the Wet Hot Bitches presents
Wet Hot Beauties!

Pretty ladies all in a row!
A fantastical aquacade!
A memorial to the King Of Pop!
A hand in glove mix of syncronised swimming and water boogie – don’t miss the underwater hit of the summer!

Two performances – Sunday 28 February at 5:00pm,
and Sunday 7 March at 3:00pm

At: The historic Parnell Baths, Judges Bay Road, Parnell.

WHBs performing for your koha at these glamorous outdoor heated salt-water pools. Entry to the Baths is $5.70 for swimmers (and please join us pre & post-performance for splashy fun) and $1 for spectators.

Deeply silly, delightful and glorious, the 40s era water musical aquacade is back, MJ styles!
Hilarious!
Hot!
Wet!
Wet Hot Beauties!

Other events will also be on offer during the weekend, including heritage tours of the estate; live music, dance and theatre performances; art workshops and demonstrations of Pacific weaving. Local caterer Claire Inwood will be providing lunches, snacks and beverages at the Corban Kitchen Cafe, and fresh coffee will be available from the Flow coffee cart.

More information is available on the CEAC site, the Corban Estate Arts Centre is located at 426 Great North Road, Henderson.

You don’t have to be a gardener to appreciate the rose. In fact, having tried to grow the little blighters in the past I appreciate them more when I’m not having to tend then – they are a lot of work.

At Auckland Museum the exhibition Wonderland: The Magic of the Rose tells the story of the rose and the many ways it appears and is represented in our lives, from its growth and breeding it to its inclusion in poetry and fashion.

“Wonderland is about telling the stories of our favourite flowers in fun and accessible ways,” says Auckland Museum director, Dr Vanda Vitali. “The iconic image of the rose has infused itself with art, myth and legend since the dawn of civilization. This is a chance for Aucklanders of all ages to discover the rose’s allure in a unique setting.”

A programme of events including including panel discussions, Fabulous Fridays, a Midsummer Night’s Dream-themed performance and sleepovers for children accompanies the exhibition, which is on until 16 April. Entry is $8.00 for adults, children under 15 and Museum members are free.

For those of you who don’t know, Amanda Palmer is engaged to author Neil Gaiman, who is giving a Town Hall Talk in Wellington as part of the NZ International Arts Festival. Palmer and Gaiman were amusingly described as “musician Amanda Palmer and guest” when they appeared on the red carpet at this year’s Golden Globe Awards, despite the fact that they were there because Gaiman was nominated for a Golden Globe as the author of Coraline. Which just goes to show that a little bit of fact checking never hurt.

Amanda Palmer is playing The Kings Arms on Wednesday 17 March, doors open at 8pm. Tickets are available from Under the Radar.

I’m a product of the ’80s – when I was a teenager George Michael was still straight (well as far as we knew anyway), Berlin was a city and a band, and former Prime Minister Sir Robert Muldoon guest starred as the narrator when The Rocky Horror Show toured New Zealand.

All that is far in the murky depths of the past now, or so I thought, but recently I’ve had the oddest feeling that I’ve stepped back into the ’80s again. Not only has the ever revolving wheel of fashion brought ’80s clothes back to the stores, but now it seems like every band who had a hit song or two back then has reformed and is touring. And actually, that’s fine by me. When Duran Duran played Vector Arena in 2008 I was there, singing along at the top of my lungs.

This year sees at least three big acts from the ’80s coming to New Zealand. Scottish group Simple Minds (whose lyrics thankfully are easier to understand than their indecipherable accents) play The Civic on Tuesday 30 March as part of a world tour to celebrate their 30th anniversary. Then on Thursday 29 April Tears for Fears and Spandau Ballet (who, if my circle of friends was anything to go by, were the subject of many a teenage girl’s daydreams) play a double bill at Vector Arena.

Simple Minds tickets can be purchased from The Edge, and Spandau Ballet/Tears for Fears tickets from Ticketmaster. And if you go to Spandau Ballet and some five foot tall chick is bouncing up and down behind the tall people and shouting “I love you Tony Hadley” at the top of her lungs it’s totally not me, honest.

Do you like dressing up crazy and having your photo taken, while drinking delicious punch and contributing to an art project? Then Maz Leyden at the Cross Street Studios totally has your number this Saturday, April 25:

Bring  fancy dress, silly props, contribution for punch & a sense of humour. There’s more information here.

Building on a series of summer shows, new Auckland band Rata & Sons is playing the Kings Arms on Friday 27 March with guest drummer Paul Roper (Mint Chicks) and country pyschadelic rockers Royal Falcon.

Rata & Sons describe themselves as “where Oasis and The Jam meet Cheap Trick and the Kings of Leon”, while Royal Falcon have “expansive lead guitar and dark narratives to create something pretty intense” so it sounds like a pretty interesting gig to check out.