Watching NZ play Australia in World Cup cricket. Couldn't get tickets to the game so had lunch at…read moreMamak and now am at Vulture's Lane. Seems to be the place to be. Massive selection of beers and nachos are $5.00 today. Had a pint of Garage Project and now thinking about a pint of 8WiredSemiconductor!

A charming little lane off Queen Street with lots of good bars and other shops of interest. It's…read morethe little lanes like this that make the CBD interesting and offer welcoming relief from the blandness of Queen Street. There's a few good bars, namely The Belgian Beer Cafe; O Carrolls Irish bar and the best of all: Queensferry Hotel. The first time I came here in 2007 (on holiday) I recall browsing in a cool record store and buying a Bob Dylan album. That store is gone now but it indelibly marked Vulcan Lane as one of the cooler places in the CBD. The Vulcan cafe is a good spot to watch the people go by and another useful addition to the lane is Wishbone Deli. In case you haven't read my review, it's got a great selection of pastas and risottos which are great if you are on the go. A bit of cult place to Aucklanders, there's a lively vibe here and there is always something going on.

For us, the monthly visit to the night market is really just entertainment for the kids and a very…read morecheap dinner. I love any Asian/Indian/ethno food so can always find something to keep the wolf from the door. There is a wide range of cuisines: Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Philipino, Hungarian, Hong Kong, Pacific Island, and more plus a plethora of post prandial sweets. The food quality at some stalls might be a bit iffy - I suppose at $6 they won't be using the best ingredients, but I have never been sick!!. Sometimes I wonder about the hygiene too but fingers crossed... A lot of the food is in bain maries pre-cooked but the last two meals I've had have been cooked on the spot. It always amazes me that there is a huge queue for churros, which must be the most over-rated snack ever - flavourless dough sticks covered in a sauce of choice. Having said that though I wish I owned that business because the queues reach out the door and they are making a killing!! As at the time of writing this, the Pakuranga market is getting overcrowded. We went last night, arriving at 6pm opening time and it was already extremely busy. We were glad to be in and out within 30 minutes because it was becoming uncomfortably congested. If the crowds continue to grow, the market will need to expand its area. If I was designing the space I would move the "dining" tables to an area away from the throng of hungry punters trying to buy food. And in my perfect world pushchairs would be BANNED from all pedestrian areas!! Why, oh why, do people bring push chairs into crowded pedestrian areas? Dumb. I recommend the night market for a bit of frivolous fun on an evening when you have nothing else on and want to take the kids out for some low key entertainment and dinner. The "shopping" is best avoided unless you want fruit and veges. However, if on the other hand, you have an urge to offload your cash on $2 Shop junk, costume jewellery, flannelette onesies, carvings, mobile phone covers and accessories, a (fully-clothed) back/neck massage, ear candles, cheap and nasty nail polish and nail art, a dubious fortune telling, or second-hand bric-a-brac then this will be your Shangri-la!

Awesome place to have a super unhealthy Friday night dinner. The cuisine there is just so varied u…read morecan have anything u cud think of.. Obviously cheap food.. As for the shopping.. There are a few vege stores and a lot of cheap low quality stuff, items that may entertain children..

Since when did craft fairs become sooo cool? I'm pretty sure that back in the day craft fairs were…read morejust full of knitted jumpers and painted eggshells. Well, that is certainly not the case these days. At Crafternoon Tea specifically, you'll find cool terrariums and succulents, beautiful prints of pencil drawn animals (look at the photos), modern jewellery and these adorable woolen hot waterbotttle covers (ok, so that's sounds a little nanna-ish but trust me, they're cool). The fair runs one Saturday a month from 10am - 2pm in the old church at the top of Bond St. Head along first thing and then stop in at one of the many cafes nearby to refuel. Perfect Saturday morning activity!

Crafternoon Tea is such a good market to visit. It's held in Kingsland in the Trinity Methodist…read moreChurch Hall in Kingsland, a great hub for lots of creative and crafty people. It's usually packed with loads of stalls and people milling about them. There's everything from soap, to clothes, cupcakes, jewelry and more. And the best thing about it is that anyone can have a stall for around $30. However, they stress that it needs to be handmade or retro and nothing imported can be sold. I think this is such a good idea to keep the market, well, a market. It's so great to see local people using local resources to create awesome Kiwi products. They also have lots of tutorials on their website that show you how to make some of your very own handmade delights.

Just to the south of popular Muriwai beach on Auckland's West Coast is the small cove of Maori Bay…read more This beach can be accessed either by foot from the stairs at the Southern end of Muriwai, or by turning up left before the car park. To get to the beach you are faced with a very steep walk down over rocks gravel, and this is one of the reasons that if you went to this beach to relax, you are less likely to be surrounded by hoards of children. What you will come across is a large number of surfers. My partner tells me that the break at this bay is better than at Muriwai, and it is often less crowded. This is not a swimming spot for amateur or weak swimmers as there are no life guards on duty, and there can be a very nasty rip that runs along the beach and straight into the rocks at the northern end. I have seen surfers walking back around over the cliff path after being sucked out and swept around to Muriwai. You have been warned! Rare and endangered Fairy terns nest at the northern end of the beach in the right season, so heed the signs and don't touch the baby ones, even if they look lost!

Every time I pull into the car park at Maori Bay I smile. Even though I visit the surf spot often,…read morewhen the swell is good, I am always surprised by the amazing views. The car park sits high on a cliff giving you a tremendous view of the rough ocean crashing onto the rocks at the base of Otakamiro point, where hundreds of gannets flock together at one of New Zealand's few breeding colonies. It really is a sight. The west coast waters here are a little too feisty for the casual swim, but even if you're not a keen surfer, the grassy clearing next to the car park sets the scene for the perfect picnic to watch the sunset. Or if you're more of an adventurer take the walk over the hills to get snap-happy up close and personal with the gannets!

I have to say, as free events go, this has to be one of the best I've been to, be that here in…read moreAuckland or back in Blighty (to be honest, the council would have charged for this kind of event back in the UK). The imagination behind the installations at this years Art in the Dark was amazing, with so many of the pieces having my wife and I going "wow". I had no idea that Western Park was so big, as I've only ever passed the park from Ponsonby Road. The event organisers made great use of the space and really showed off the natural beauty of this park. Although, better lighting on some of the footpaths may be something to think about for next year, especially the paths being lifted up by stretching tree roots. From the very cool QR Code mobile to the giant fish riding around on cycles, we very much enjoyed our first time at Art in the Dark and look forward to next years.

I feel like I'm a couple of years late to the Art In The Dark party…read more.. Awesome idea - wander through Western Park in the dark, check out light installations for FREE. The only problem was it was waaaay too busy. Painfully so. The line moved at a snail's pace and with people packed in like sardines it was rather claustrophobic. This was my first time to Art In The Dark so I don't have a point of comparison but I think it was particularly bad this year because of the weather. It had been raining, hard, for a couple of days beforehand so you couldn't leave the paths without the risk of falling over, which we saw several people do. Hilarious, when it's not you... Also, the bad weather meant that come Sunday (the last day and also the first break in the miserable weather), every man and his dog were there. Plus we went just after it got dark. Rookies. My recommendation is to go a little later, after all the kids have gone to bed. I think it's awesome that Auckland plays host to annual free events like this and it's unfortunate that the weather didn't play ball but I can't help that think that perhaps it's time they moved to a bigger (and flatter) park.

If you like coffee, you have to come here and sample the traditionally brewed Ethiopian coffee. I'm…read morepretty sure it's the best coffee in the world. The process of making the coffee is interesting to watch in itself, but the taste is heavenly. A tiny cup of incredibly thick, strong, aromatic coffee with teaspoon after teaspoon of sugar stirred in. I don't even like sugar in my coffee usually, but Ethiopian coffee is a revelation. There's other stuff at the festival too! I've been a number of times and always had a great time. With it's focus on the art and food traditions of refugee communities, it's an opportunity to share in some culture that you might not be so familiar with. Ever-popular are the drumming demonstrations and the dancing on the main stage, but there are also heaps of stalls to browse, food to taste, and the Annual Cultural Football Tournament. If you've been before, note the change of venue; the festival won't be held at Potter's Park this year (2013), but at the War Memorial Park instead, on Sunday the 7th of April.

A lovely place to visit and walk around the gorgeous lush tropical like native NZ gardens and walk…read moreto the top of the hill and look at the amazing views over Auckland and out to Devenport and further. There is even a resident hen, and gold fish in the pond, which gives the place a lovely homely feel. The entry store has some great gifts too.

I came here for the first time with a couple of my girlfriends late last year. I didn't even know…read moreit existed to be honest but it does, this beautiful garden in the middle of the city. We came around the end of tulip season but still got to see the tulips and so many other beautiful flowers as we wandered through the gardens for over an hour. There are also native birds which you can hear singing amongst the trees, it is really idyllic. There is also a waterfall and if you want to take your walk to the next level a path that requires 'appropriate footwear', worth it though for the view. Eden Garden is a nice place to visit, even if just the once so you can experience the beauty of nature that lay hidden within Auckland city.

OMG what a discovery. I was excited to see that we were going on a tramp to a waterfall when I was…read morerecently at camp with my daughter and what an amazing place it turned out to be. I know there's a lot of secret little places in the Piha/Karekare area and this is one of them. Although I've since discovered that most people I've talked to already know about it. Oh well. If you drive to the end of Glenesk Road in Piha the tramp is clearly signposted. The walk is fairly steep in places and takes about 45 minutes (many more with many many children in tow) each way. I thought I was fairly fit and coped really well at the time but my legs felt like jelly at the end and I literally couldn't walk properly for several days - something to do with the steps coming down and the way they affect your calf muscles. Anyway, whatever, it's SO worth it. Remember this though: go right at the fork and come back on the other side (doing an anticlockwise loop). Trust me if we had done the reverse I'm not sure I would have made it out. If you go in the morning as we did the water in the pool will be freezing cold - I truly thought I was having a heart attack. Later in the day the sun comes over the cliff-face which I imagine would warm it up a bit. There's also an amazing rock canyon just down from the swimming hole that can be abseiled into. Just having a peek down there blows your mind, it's very cool. This is one of those idyllic Auckland spots that just has to be seen to be believed and the walk through the bush is so peaceful, even as you are killing your legs.

Very nice & sweet trail. Felt like I was at Rain Forest Cafe in America! :) would definitely come…read moreback for this hike again. Walking through nice green scenery while listening the the streams made my mine clear up a bit from stressful life back at home. Much needed vacation and throughly enjoyed my time at the Kitekite Trail & Falls!

Welcome to Paradise…read more I've heard Waiheke Island is the Hawaii of New Zealand. But even though I have not been to Hawaii, I disagree. Why? I don't think anything can compare to this place. There are two entrances to the hiking trails to Fisherman's Rock. We took the entrance off of Littler Oneroa Beach. Tip: Dragonfired Wood Oven Pizza food truck is located on the beach and it's a great way to enjoy pizza on the beach! There are steep wooden steps built into the side of the rocks to help guide you up. Throughout the entire hiking trail, there are random spurts of wooden steps that aid you along the way. The hiking trail is fairly easy, with only the uphill portions potentially making this trail slightly medium difficultly. But regardless of the uphill trail, the views are absolutely phenomenal. If you walk all the way from Little Oneroa Beach to Fisherman's Rock, it should take approximately 35 minutes. But you will take longer because it is impossible to not stop and take in the breathtaking views as you are surrounded by the beauty of the ocean. As you approach Fisherman's Rock (which really is just close to the edge of the cliff), you can go down to the rocks and get on a small makeshift swing! Again, the views down there are incredible. Seriously, if you go anywhere else in New Zealand, make this a priority.

Khartoum Place is a square situated between Kitchener and Lorne St in the heart of Auckland city…read more It is right beside the Auckland Art Gallery and is just as worth a visit as the gallery is. The Place is characterized by a multi-level waterfall and paintings of the Women's Suffrage Movement - a part of history very important within New Zealand, as we were the first country to give women the right to vote. This pedestrianed square therefore acts as a memorial to women's suffrage. Not only is a Place the quickest way to cut through from the university to Queen St, it is also a lovely place to meet friends for lunch or coffee. A downside however is that it doesn't get much sun so it can be quite nippy there in the late afternoon. I recommend taking a jumper and grabbing a hot drink from the Esquires cafe located directly opposite the Place.

Nestled between Lorne Street and Kitchener Street beneath the Art Gallery and Albert Park beyond,…read moreKhartoum Place is perhaps my favourite public square in Auckland. The surrounding buildings give the square a feeling of being a semi-enclosed outdoor room, while the two large plane trees set in the middle of the square always keep it feeling cool and secluded. It's somehow serene in a way that belies its central city location, and ever so slightly grungy with the arty types (and homeless) that often occupy the space. The stairs that take you up to the Art Gallery are a tiled artwork/water feature commemorating the Womens' suffrage movement, so there's even a bit of history built in. In short, this little square has character in spades - great place to just sit and people watch.