Serendipity Kiwi Style

[threemonkeys]

Most of the folk reading this are sf fans of some sort. Are you ever apprehensive about admitting your hobby? Do you think that people will think you are strange for liking this stuff? (Do you want them to think you are strange?) With sf being so mainstream these days, I don't think there is the reluctance to admit your interest that there might have been in the past. But I wonder if there is still the tiniest little bit of doubt when it comes to the crunch. This story may remove any lingering worries.

I drove strangedave and Robin over to Martinborough yesterday for a bit of wine tasting and sightseeing. After checking out Martinborough Vineyards who are always good, I planned to go to Muirleigh Rise or one of the other places along the same road but they were all shut. So instead we went around the corner to Tirohana Estate. As we were tasting the wines (not me personally - I was doing the driving) we were talking to the guy there about why Dave was in town all the way from Perth. When we mentioned an sf convention he became very interested and we found some common ground - turns out that as well as running (owning?) the winery he is also one of the main figures at Cloud 9. This is the company which made The Tribe and a bunch of other TV series aimed at younger audiences. They are also subcontracted to do prop work for other productions like LOTR and Hercules. We were invited into the back room and shown a little treasure trove of props. Swords from LOTR, Hercules and a crystal sword from William Tell. There was also a very strange alpenhorn from William Tell. Not to mention various models and costumery including a very peculiar helmet that Robin got to model. Dave took some photos so, with a bit of luck, you will all be able to see how cool it all was.

So letting slip that you are an sf fan can have all sorts of potential benefits. We didn't mention that we were fans at anywhere else we visited - perhaps they all have interesting collections hidden away.

Comments

[darthsappho.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... any chance he'd be willing to do a "show & tell" at Conjunction, do you think?

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

Cloud 9 should definitely be on your list of people to talk to about doing something at the con. They did some stuff for Con With The Wind and I think it was Simon who talked to them back then. We did mention this to Simon last night at The Malthouse.

[catsparx.livejournal.com]

Whenever I mention that I am a sf *writer*, let alone a sf fan pretty much anywhere I am met with ridicule & asked whether I wear my Star Trek jumpsuit to work under my clothes, etc etc. I'm glad you guys had such a positive experience. But it ain't the norm, in my experience.

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

Really? I haven't had that type of comment for years. Perhaps you should move over here to the land of LOTR, Kong, Hercules & Xena etc etc. ;-)

[catsparx.livejournal.com]

yeah, maybe I should.

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

*starts preparing arguments for use at Convergence*

[catsparx.livejournal.com]

are you coming to Convergence?

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

I most certainly am - with a couple of extra days for checking out a few bits of Melbourne. Assuming, that is, that I make it to my 6am flight tomorrow.

[catsparx.livejournal.com]

Cool! Do come and say hi -- I'll be selling Daikaijus in the dealers room.(ID photo icon attached)

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

Looking forward to seeing you there.

[catsparx.livejournal.com]

ditto!

[cricketk.livejournal.com]

*is jealous of the winery visits*

*is jealous of the props collection*

Though if all goes according to my parents' plans, we may end up with a holiday home in the Wairarapa, which would make this vineyard jealousy much easier to bear.

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

*is jealous of holiday home*