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..

Awww how I wish we had something like this in Hawaii. ALL the foods looked great. The smoked salmon…read morewas by FAR the best I've had. So delicious, wish we had bought more! But it was our last night in Auckland. Some of the extras actually made the journey with us to Queenstown. Enough vendors to get your fill on the spot as well as to go. A nice assortment of foods that you still need to prepare, sides, breads, smoothies, etc. Worth a visit as a local or a tourist!

Voted Auckland's best food market by a local newspaper, La Cigale French Market is held every…read moreSaturday from 8 AM to 1:30 PM and Sunday from 9 AM to 1:30 PM. This market is inspired by the wonderful food markets found in France. This market didn't exist when I lived in New Zealand in 2003, but I figured it would be an eye-opening experience to compare and contrast the Otara Polynesian Market. This market is just a 20-minute drive from the Otara Market, but will feel worlds away with its much pricier food options, perfectly primped dogs, live jazz performances and wine bars. If you're into high-end experiences, this will be your jam.

Such a great little beach!! I came here when I had a Thursday off and spent almost three hours…read morelaying in the sun and cooling off in the water. The beach is small but not overly crowded, and there is even a dock in the water for kids (or adults haha). There is a grassy area right by the beach if you want to chill out in the shade for a while. That would be a great spot for a picnic! There is street parking available but no car park. This probably helps keep it not so crowded There are public bathrooms with showers to wash the sand off, but make sure to bring your own soap or hand sanitizer as the bathroom doesn't stock soap. Overall this is a great beach if you're looking to catch some sun - there isn't much shade on the beach but if you want some, head on to the grass. Make sure to bring your own water and snacks! It's based in a residential area so you won't have lots of food and drink options.

Since Pt Chev beach was re-sanded it's really become a gem of a city beach. It is great for a…read morepicnic date, a family adventure, or a good beach adventure for your pooch. Parking can be a bit difficult during the summer but there is also plenty of street parking before the Coyle Park car park. It's off-leash for dogs all the time during the winter and before 9am and after 7pm during the summer. The only real important thing to be mindful of is the tide. Pt Chev beach is incredibly tidal so if you rock up during low tide expecting to go for a swim it ain't gonna happen. Likewise, if you arrive expecting to go for a beach walk at high tide, it will prove nearly impossible. Otherwise, Pt Chev beach is one of those places that makes Auckland such a great city to live in.

Right beside Morningside train station is some of the best graffiti art in the area. More than just…read moretagging, these images link and overlap in interesting and creative ways, livening up otherwise boring and ugly cement walls. One wall is a mixture of images, including an evil octopus, house on the run and demonic kitty-person, while around the corner is a portrait style masterpiece of a woman with traditional pacific designs weaved around her. This graffiti artwork reflects the multiculturalism of Auckland and also the talent of our young graffiti artists. It may not be worthy of the Art Gallery, but I love seeing local talent and creativity displayed on the streets and in some ways by being right by a train station, these walls are the best gallery of all. Hundreds of people see this artwork every day. Don't be the one to miss out, next time you're in Morningside check them out.

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.

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.

Who doesn't love a garden? I especially love a flower garden and this is one of Auckland's best and…read moremost beautiful. I don't have green thumbs and all attempts at creating my own gardens have been, if not complete failures, then somewhat challenged. This kind of gorgeousness, while all natural, takes a lot of time, care and effort and it's lovely to have a place to come and literally stop to smell the flowers. The volcanic Maungawhau rock makes it something special and there's a cafe too which is always a bonus. You do have to pay for entry but that's ok, it's well worth it. It's actually a great family activity because while not immediately springing to mind as something kids might be into, they actually really enjoy the space (5.5 hectares of it) and the magical storybook quality of this urban oasis.

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 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.