Brendans Dairy

Opposite the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club; always light meals starting with breakfasts from about 7.00am, weekdays and 8.00am, weekends. Saturday or Sunday are the best days to make the big effort as the mornings at the weekends are so easily lost in bed. Brendan serves full Egg, Tomato, Sausage, Bacon, Tea and Toast breakfasts for around $4.50 all in. The shop boasts an endless succession of friends of Brendan, an amazing number of whom make their own breakfast and possibly yours as well. At times you may get the idea that you are the only one who seems to pay for anything.

If you are still up at 3/4/5/6am-ish after The Big Night Out (not claimable for bursary purposes - unless it's a SOSC 101 Field Trip) and want to walk around and chew the fat with a few strangers before breakfast, may I suggest a tour of the Overseas Terminal. Late at night and till dawn there is more activity there than in the daytime. Dozens of fishermen and women are camped about the wharf, children and dogs asleep, coats, seats, knives, bait and buckets of soggy bread spread thinly around each person's territory. Its all go.

Alternatively, if you get up early to have a breakfast and finish reading Saturday morning's Dominion from cover to cover, you can wander over to the Yacht Club 'hard' opposite and see what what. It is a pretty poor day when you can't let the conversation wander to an invitation for a sail if you want one. A couple of hours with a scrubbing or paint brush helping someone that you don't know is the most common entry into the NZ Yachting world. On days too rough to sail you can while away many happy hours and free cups of coffee gazing into the open boat sheds and the alladins cave cum time capsule within each one.

If you just want a cheap cuppa tea and a snack plus a bit of interest laid on, try Turners & Growers vegetable auctioneers in Allen St from 5.00am, on. Food from 6.30 or 7.00am. You can pick up the odd bargain while you are there.

Victoria Catering also offer a breakfast but I suggest only suitable for those who want to eat. I'm trying to Introduce you to Dawn and Places and the Whole Damn Thing).

Bought breakfasts - like discreetly gate crashing funerals - can become a way of life.

Robert Lithgow