• 5
• A Memorable Destination

The Blue Bird café/restaurant in Mt. Eden is right up there among my most favorite destinations, and my visits there always offer something memorable – something new and delicious on the menu, perhaps some conversation with a stranger, perhaps something illumining in a book chosen from the ‘help yourself’ shelf at the counter, one of the many titles there by the spiritual master Sri Chinmoy. I like to sink unashamedly into the Blue Bird’s gigantic upstairs blue couch and quieten my thoughts, and the peaceful feeling here is conducive to that. I’m grateful too for the standard of service – politeness, helpfulness, promptness, something rather scarce these days – and there is a family feeling among the patrons, a friendliness that might be the kinship of fellow vegetarians. Strangers actually smile at you! When I go out to eat, food is less important to me than the intangibles – feeling, friendliness, subtle things that also nourish the spirit. While nibbling at my lunchtime bowl of salad and nachos today I found and read a charming book by an Auckland writer, a compilation of stories and reminiscences about his years with Sri Chinmoy, who I believe inspired the Blue Bird café’s beginnings over 17 years ago. The book title is called ‘Subarata’, named after the author’s wife - I read all sixty stories, a wonderful compilation of spiritual experiences with a master, a wonderful literary / culinary half hour. I was sorry to find that the Blue Bird’s upstairs gallery of original paintings by Sri Chinmoy had gone during my absence from Auckland – I really loved looking at these, the peaceful feeling they conveyed. But the great food here always compensates, along with a real genuineness in the friendly and solicitous staff.