Top 10 moments of the Queen’s Ferry Hotel.

After two years of travelling the world, Queen’s Ferry Hotel was the perfect place to come home to. It was full of travellers, and it felt like I was still on an adventure. Kiwis were the minority, and around me were Americans, Canadians, Scots, Brazilians, Irish, English, Swedes and many more. Just like when you travel, you form such tight bonds with people, because it’s not a job, it’s a family and a lifestyle and I will never forget it!    

So let’s raise our glasses one last time: Cheers Queen’s Ferry, here’s to all the memories with all weird and wonderful people!

Two Mysterious Australians:

Two Australians walk into a bar. Two bartenders mischievously look at each other.

Bridget was the other bar tender, she was from Boston, she would buy people a drink if they told her a joke she hadn’t heard, and every time ‘Tiny Dancer’ comes on I think of her.

This night isn’t one to remember because of mysterious Australians, it’s one to remember because of mischievous times with Bridget. Jokes were told, shots were drank, Tiny Dancer was badly sung, we ended up getting a 50 dollar (AUSTRALIAN) tip, and Australia won their game in the soccer world cup 2010. It was one of those nights where it’s unexpected, can’t be explained, but so much fun.   

The Haunted Hotel

When I started work at Queen’s Ferry, Joe, a duty manager and now the general manager, sat me down one night and scared the bejezus out of me. He told me that his ex girlfriend had seen people standing, watching her in the mirror. One time one of the chefs heard a little girl’s voice down in the basement. He told me that when you work in the private function room, the Ginroom, you always feel like you’re being watched.

He challenged me that I wouldn’t go up to the third floor by myself as if this was some type of initiation into the Queen’s Ferry family. So gingerly I made my way up the stairs, pushed past the chairs and tables in my way and unlocked the third floor. The air seemed to be thicker, the night darker, and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. I heard every creak and cranny, and I ran into the room and ran out.

I ran downstairs determined to be all cool and calm, and aint no thang when I got there, but on the way Joe jumped out and I screamed so loud that I ended up having the last laugh by making him deaf.  

Meeting the Base player from Tears for Fears.

Friday lunch was crazy busy, and the last thing you want is a man sitting at your bar wanting to have a chat when you are trying to catch-up. However this is what happened, an older guy with tattoos and a wife beater singlet ordered a beer and sat down. I sighed mentally, and tried to get on with it.

He did what they all do and stared thoughtfully at the whiskies, “what’s sheepdip?” he asked.

I put down the cutlery that I was frantically trying to polish, and showed him the bottle. I heard his American accent, and asked him where he was from, and that lead to other pleasantries like, “what do you do?”

“I play base in a band.”

  “Oh ok, which band?”

“Tears for Fears.”

I had no idea who Tears for Fears were, so I asked,

“Do you guys have any gigs coming up?”

“Yeah tonight at Victor Arena.”

Holly Shit. I would like to think I did a pretty good job at hiding my astonishment, but I am pretty sure my eyes betrayed me by popping out of my head. This isn’t some little band that hasn’t got off the ground, this is world famous stuff.

“Oh wow, ok.”

We chatted for a bit longer, me, a little more enthusiastic about my bar companion by this point. He came back later that evening with the whole band! Joe deeply sceptical that it was them led Bridget to put on one of their more obscure songs, which they noticed and pointed up to the music.   As well as Tears for Fears, I met the Dropkick Murphies, and the Stone Temple Pilots.

St Patrick’s Day 2011

I am glad that St Paddy’s day 2013 I can be a customer at Queen’s Ferry, but I will miss working this crazy day where you get food colouring all over your hands because the beer is green, can’t stop for a break because the bar is always packed, and hope to be the one going round selling trays of shots, because customers are generous and shout you one on St Paddy’s Day.

It is also the one day of the year that we all get to work together, and I loved it! On this day I met Lou 2 – one absolute gem that I found at Queen’s Ferry.

Lou 2 was from England, thoughtful and kind, and every time she hears Hey Jude, she calls up her mother (Judy) and screams it down the telephone.

Sober Month

One of the challenges I set more myself was to do one month while I was still working at Queen’s Ferry – stone cold sober! I started blogging around this time, and you can read about it here.

I met Patience during my sober month, and she was so cool with her masses of earrings, chunky rings, and her bohemian style that I was sure she thought I was super boring because I didn’t drink. The opposite. When I talked to her, she accepted me with open arms, we bonded straight away, and she is one of those people that I will keep in my life for a very long time!

Lou 2 and I became even better friends. She took me out on dates where we would sip diet cokes, eat delicious platters, and talk about life. She was trying to save money for her travels so she was the perfect sober companion.

Janine took me out for movie dates, and when I say movie dates, I really mean we saw Bridesmaids on repeat... HOLD ON FOR ONE MORE DAY!

Janine was from Switzerland, confident and abrupt, and every occasion, she will buy her friends personalised cards to celebrate them.

Military Men

Louise and I always met interesting people on Sundays from Stunt men to U.S Marines. Read about our experience with these guys here.

Louise was from Essex, loud and sexy, and she is a great person to hit the town with.

Mumfords and Sons

Mumford and Sons will always remind me of Damiana. So many shifts we put on ‘Little Lion Man’ and had a wee dance because of our mutual love for them. Stina, this has now extended to you my dear!

Dami was from Brazil, SUPPPER cool, and sweet, she stayed skinny even though all I saw her eat was parmiganas with wedges and sour cream.

Stina was from Sweeden, smart and fun, willing to make fun of herself, but also determined to stand up for what she believed in.

Rugby World Cup

We met Drew Mitchell from the Wallbies, a ex rugby captain from France, Victor Vito from the All Blacks came in for a green tea, we ran out of pretty much everything on finals night, we all supported different countries, and rooted for the others. Auckland was buzzing, and it rubbed off onto Queen’s Ferry – it was an amazing time to work in a bar.  

The Naked Chefs

Maybe I am talking figuratively like Jamie Oliver is the naked chef, or maybe I am talking literally... Working 12+ hours on a Sunday made us all go a little mad, so thank you for the entertainment guys, all the hugs, and all the delicious experiments you let me sample.

Balcony Hang Outs

It’s not the events I will miss the most, it’s the people. On the balcony we talked, we teased, we swore, we sung, we smiled, we laughed and we cried. We got to know the most intimate details about each other, and this quote seems to sum it up nicely.

“I will forget what we said, or what we did, but I will never forget how you made me feel.”

Queen’s Ferry you made me feel like I was part of the family.