High Tide is the kind of gift shop that once you know about it, you'll go back to shop for…read moreyourself. So it's type of gift store that has things you'd actually want to receive yourself, rather than just the okay but slightly pointless stuff you sometimes find in other gift shops. It has a New Zealandy theme without being tacky (think teatowels with the Four Square man and lovely handcreams featuring local ingredients and scents). Everytime I go here the stock seems to have been updated, which must be trickly in a little suburban shop, but is so necessary to keep customers' interest. It also has a bit of a beachy theme going on, which is all sort of fresh, white and blue striped, and relevant to the area too (the beach is just down the road). Best of all, the prices are genuinely reasonable for the quality of the products, and the service is brilliant - very relaxed and chatty.

I was shopping there a long while ago and my 3-year-old daughter wanted to check out one of the…read moreglasses, but before she could even reach her hands out the storekeeper lady went out of the counter and so rudely grabbed my daughter's arms while yelling NO TOUCH! Well, I was going to stop my daughter anyway because I understand that sunglasses can be fragile in the hands of a toddler, but I was purely angry that the lady should GRAB the arms of a little kid! I wondered whether she did this to everyone or just us, now reading the other reviews I think I have the answer. I will never recommend anyone here and I'm simply disgusted and repelled by the way they treat customers!

NEVER SPEND MONEY HERE!!! Today I went in to buy accessories for an event. The shop assistant who…read moreis the owners daughter was not very helpful when we asked questions. She also made me feel like I was stealing things when I went to pay for my items. Expecting ME the customer to tell her where I opened and placed things as it was not in the right place to save her from having to look for it later i assume. HOW DISGUSTING!!! What kind of person says that to a customer!!!! Then she has the nerve to try and apologise and say that she was NOT STEREOTYPING!!! She had the nerve to be RACIST!!! They are lucky my mother had to stop me from refunding the money that I feel that they DO NOT DESERVE!!!

I love Love Cast. Geddit? Well, that's okay, it wasn't really a joke was it…read more This isn't the kind of shop that you'd come to for one thing in particular, it's much more a browser (nothing to do with computers). It's definitely a girly-girl, nana-ish type of place, and as all of the stock is Asian, may I say Asian-y? The best things are these little microwaveable porcelain bowls that come with plastic lids, so that you can store leftovers classily in your fridge and then reheat them easily. So now you know that you have to appreciate the dinky to really like Love Cast. No wait, the best things are these plastic spoons. I'm not sure I can give them full credit here though. They come in lots of different sizes (from eating to serving) and colours, and are I think made of melamine. I have quite a collection and find them superior for desserts and cereal consumption when the thought of the cold metal of an ordinary spoon is deeply offensive to one's sense of culinary aesthetics. And perhaps they're so appealing because we all ate off them as babies. Also, they have slippers (in the manner of thin-soled things to offer to guests), some pretty quilts down the back of the shop, and some extraordinarily kitsch clocks. There's also jewellery and other bits and pieces.

I adore 101 Howick, and perhaps my one regret in life is that I left it too late to snap up one of…read morethe incredibly stylish and New-York-loft-esque stools that were basically one huge thread with a seat on top, and you could hand-screw to adjust in height. Okay maybe that's not the best description... Point being, they have tasteful, unusual, and beautiful homeware and gifts. There's a little bit of everything really, and if you like Redcurrent, you'll love 101 Howick. It's like Redcurrent with more cushions, and fewer candles. With more stylish pieces of occasional furniture, and fewer Olga Berg bags (not that I'm knocking them). Visit for a present you'd never have dreamed of, or a decent spoil for yourself.

Ever wandered where to find a store with nice wicker baskets that don't cost the moon? Well, head…read moreon down to Highland Park - there's a store down that way that has wicker baskets, wicker doll prams, cane wall art and nice lamps. They were very well priced, much better than The Warehouse or another furniture shop. It's also extremely environment friendly, with their products made from 100% sustainable materials, such as willow or rattan. Slightly annoying to have the shop lady on the phone nattering away very loudly, but the ambience of this place is really, really inviting. You almost want to turn it into a baby nursery or a woman's craft room.

I first discovered Little White Box at the Kraftbomb market. They sell a range of cute and dainty…read morehand crafted ceramics, mainly ornaments and kitchenware. They are all handpainted and made right here in Auckland. I have purchased a few hanging ornaments of birds and an angel and they are really special. I see now, looking at the products on their website there some cute bunny rabbit designs too. As for the pottery range, I really like the bowls/cups that have red hearts painted on them, and the polkadots and the blue stars. These would make a great addition to any kitchen. The Kraftbomb market is held every last Sunday of the month at the Grey Lynn Community Centre in Auckland 11am-2pm, and is the perfect way to spend a lazy sunday!

It took me ages to find a decent wind chime, as they aren't nearly as popular as they once were…read more After scouring $2 stores, gift shops and second hand places, I eventually found myself in Rivendell. The ceiling is covered in wind chimes of all different shapes, sizes and prices! I was delighted and still have the one I bought that day. Aside from that, it lives up to its magical middle earth name by having the greatest array of fantasy objects you can imagine. Dragons, fairies, crystals, skulls, wizards, witches or even the odd troll. If you care to be inspired, go visit the elves hidden in Manukau Westfield.

This lovely shop hidden away in a shopping mall, seems to transport you to a different world when…read moreyou enter. Maybe a gateway to Middle Earth is somewhere within. Such a vast collection of Dragons, Dream Catchers, and Fairies alike have gathered here awaiting new carers. Just the place to pick up some crystals and healing oils too.