Rubys Cinema & Bar

Date night - it still sounds funny, like snigger funny not haha funny, but I love them. We decided to forgo the usual 'date night' experience of meal at home (with candle), bottle of wine we like that's not in the under-the-$9.99 budget, & a DVD from Video Ezy. So it was off to Rubys Cinema & Bar in Wanaka. We were able to reserve seats over the phone when their online booking site was having technical difficulties. The great thing about actuallty specaking to someone on the phone is they 'up-sell" you to the Premium seats. From Clyde/Alexandra it's an easy one hour drive (no Kawarau Gorge!) to Wanaka. If you take the left hand turn after the Hawea turn-off, Riverbank Road, you can skip Wanaka entirely, just remember to turn right onto Orchard road & right again to get to 50 Cadrona Road.
Rubys is just gorgeous - sumptuous, quriky, bespoke. Why 'Rubys'? Best to read the story of Ruby on their website. We each got a glass of wine & made our way ito the tiny cinema - tiny by volume of seats but with a whopping great screen! Greg perfers the nose bleed section but the premium seats - massive lazy-boys, complete with electic reclining & foot-rests are pratically under the screen. But just as the lady had said on the telephone it will feel like you are actually in the movie. The movie being the quirky tale of "Hugo" by Martin Scorsese in 3D. A truly wonderful tale of an orphan boy living the walls of the the Paris train station where he keeps the stations clocks running on time. Unlike the final 'Harry Potter' movie the 3D effects were not more important than the story & it was truly 3D all the way throught the film.
We could have gotten blankets & pillows with our premium seats & although I got a little chilled & thought I could do with a blanket it was probabaly best I didn't as I'm sure inspite of being totally engaged by the film I would have snuggled up & had a nap - not appropriate behaviour for date-night.
After, we went upstairs to Lone Star with its bespokedness. (Yes, I do know that that's not actually a word but you'll catch my drift all the same). While I'm not a fan of 'themed' reataurants I was pleasantly surprised by the decor, food & fantastic service for a great dining experience. Ultimately, would I do it all again? Most definately YES.