This place is consistently on trend ! And you can find…read moregreat gifts here , they also have Seedling range for kids with a little bit of pocket money . I mentally pick out stuff to put in my house when I'm a grown up . Wait for their sales , really get that bargain you need . They also sell online .

I was so looking forward to going in and seeing lots of retro furniture and other stuff. I must…read moreadmit that there were a few bits but not as much as I hoped. Good for buying some unusual ornaments etc.

ZABOL - four stars,but only just... A unique store I have…read morevisited a few times. Each time I am instantly drawn in by the shop window items, middle eastern treasures of brass ornaments and detailed exotic rugs, beautiful and traditional. Although the venue is small they also stock some traditional pottery with unique geometric designs, also stunning in my opinion. Think Moroccan. Lanterns, jewellery, a few bits and pieces but mostly rugs/kilims, which was my particular purchase aim. I have honestly however walked out empty handed each time, they are far beyond my price range. I will consider this a high end art gallery I guess, beautiful items to be admired only. They have an amusing sign on the front door regarding the opening hours. Lets just say their hours of trade are 'subject to change' regularly, and I can attest that this is very true! Weekdays are likely to be between noon till 5pm, but no guarantee's they will actually be there either. RING first! They are also happy to have you come visit/buy outside of these times but once again call and ask. They staff are very friendly and happy to help where they can.

The visual Arts have long been of interest to me, even prior to my own days spent in an art school…read morefor several years. So, seizing on the opportunity to write reviews for Yelp I decided it would provide a great opportunity to sight some galleries around Auckland that I had not yet seen since moving here last year. NKB on Mt Eden Road was holding an exhibition titled 'Impressions' (28th March till 16th April 2013) when I went in to have a look at both the gallery and the art. Neither moved me all that much I am sorry to say. The gallery was very small, boxed in and simplistic with its stark white walls and typical timber flooring. Now, this could be just me to some extent, a personal review remember, not a critic. I like 'old school' art and unique 'old school' galleries. So modern fine art is not really up my alley, now having said that the one piece that I did admire, just a little, was a piece called 'Lone Tree Wangamui' by Matt Palmer, a simple print that made an impact with its line work, colouring and composition. The gallery does have a more varied collection of fine art in the stockroom that can viewed on the website too.

Perhaps the most pleasant and affable art galleries in Auckland. By no means the largest, but nkb…read moreGallery has quality art over quantity. It is a sad thing that it has become common place to be ignored, or even looked down upon, by staff in art galleries. I was almost stunned as I entered nkb and the staff member politely finished his phone call and offered information on the exhibition, all without forcing a brochure into my hand and peering over my shoulder. This small Mt Eden shows off some great art, of various techniques, by up-and-coming New Zealand artists alongside some more familiar names. An inviting gallery I will be sure to keep an eye on in the future.

Walking into this store is like stepping into the bedroom of your dreams. Harrowset Hall is has…read morenarrow spaces between beautifully dressed beds with stunning duvets, quilts, blankets and hand embroidered throws, so many cushions and plump pillows. French armoires are open displaying more bedding and down the back of the store there are plush organic cotton towels from Portugal and bed linen, 500 plus count sheets made from Egyptian cotton. All of the beautiful French furniture in store is available for sale so you can recreate Parisian sleeping bliss in your own bedroom.

I'm a fan of Trade Aid, and the High Street shop is a tiny peace of ethical heaven in the middle of…read morethe CBD. They seem to have crammed everything they fit into the larger shops in this tiny one - namely jewellery and hair accessories, cards and giftwrap, musical instruments, soap, ornaments, toys, gifts, cushions, rugs, bags...the list seems endless. Some of my favourite things to buy from Trade Aid are the chocolate bars, which have a delicious and distinct flavour, and the coffee and spices. Much-appreciated gifts I've given from Trade Aid have included platters and placemats.

Growing up in a home decorated with sculptures, rugs and artsy items I love trade aid. One day…read moreafter uni I was walking to Britomart with my bed on my mind then I saw these basket items in a shop window. I decided to go into the shop because I suddenly remembered that I needed something. Whatever it was I was certain this store with awesome baskets in the window would have it. I walked into the store and it felt like I was back home in the markets as I was surronded by so many cushion covers, beads and essence. I was in heaven and all my thoughts about my bed faded. After I browsed around the shop I learnt that the shop was all about fair trade! It only felt right to walk out with a few coin pouches and chocolate, you never know when it might come in handy. This place is perfect when you are struggling to find a present for that one friend who is hard to shop for.

I'm not sure if i'm just getting old or my style has just changed but I used to walk into Superette…read moreand want to buy everything, these days i'm lucky if I see only a couple of items to add to the wish list (I say wish list bc as a new homeowner, clothes have gone waaaaaaay down the priority list). By no means has the quality decreased, it's still a beautifully curated collection of both international and local designers, I think it's just no longer my style. That being said Superette gets four stars because their store is always immaculate, the staff re friendly and they're a great one stop shop for jeans with a tonne of brands to choose from. I also have bought a couple of great gifts from their selection of homewares and one thing I have most definitely added to the wish list is their linen sheets (waaaaay higher up the priority list these days). It seems to be a bit of a trend at the moment for popular AK City businesses to open up shop on the Shore and being a proud North Shorian myself, let's hope it continues!

For service, Canon are fantastic…read more Get your DSLR or lens a service here for very reasonable prices. Bring it here your self and pay half what you would in a photo store. Services take about one to two weeks. Repairs take about the same depending on the damage or repair required. They will also call to confirm whether you wish to proceed and the analysis fee is deducted from the final total. All repairs come with their warranty. Come on, you're dealing with the camera manufacturer, not a cowboy car park repair shop. Also, there are refurbished and even brand new cameras on reduced sale price here for minor packaging damage. Lens caps also for sale at $15 dollars and I've paid $45 dollars retail in photo stores! Easily located there is also visitor car parks and you just let reception know you're heading up to the service department. Easy as.

There is just so much stuff at Spotlight. Even if you are looking for one particular item, chances…read moreare that you will end up wandering the store checking out everything else. I've been to Spotlight a lot over the years for many different reasons. I've had great fun picking out fabrics and they've got a lot to look through. Depending on the type of fabric you're after, the price is rather reasonable here and I've found that if you're not quick enough, there aren't enough metres left of the fabric you want! It's certainly one of the more popular places for sewing equipment because its a one-stop shop. I've found Spotlight's bedding to be quite expensive, so I usually wait for a sale to happen. They've got a lot of children's bedding too and tonnes of matching Dora the Explorer/One Direction sheets and luncboxes- just a side-note for any parents wondering where to get these! The arts and crafts section here is pretty substantial and its the first place I can remember doing huge wooden letters for displays. I love their selection of iron-on prints for jerseys, they've got some awesome letterman/varsity type fonts you can choose from to personalise sweaters and jumpers. Spotlight has a lot of stuff you'd probably never think you'd use, but it's great for buying stuff for scrapbooking, sewing, home storage, homewares and the like.