(Spelled whiskey if you’re Irish or American.) This event entitled Whisky Tasting with a Burns Night Dinner Hosted by International Chef and Raconteur Chris Evans is part of the Kapiti Summer School and takes place on 19 January from 7 p.m. At present it is listed as “class full” but you can be added to a waiting list in case of cancellations — details here

We called in to see Chris a couple of days ago — he said his venue is steadily picking up, but he still drives buses on the Coast to supplement his income. He is pretty critical of KCDC bureaucracy and charges which instead of helping business start-ups, hinders them. This confirms what the local Chamber of Commerce has had to say about it: so much for the millions of dollars the KCDC has spent on “economic development.” He told Mayor Guru his frustrations during a visit by the latter, who didn’t want to know.