A local, independent cinema in the Auckland suburb of Balmoral. You'll find it situated on…read moreDominion Road, just past the Balmoral Road intersection, and by all the amazing (and cheap) chinese restaurants. It doesn't look much from the outside (my flatmate did in fact wonder what kind of movies were shown there) but walk inside to find a beautiful foyer with chandeliers. A range of snacks are on offer, such as Movenpick ice creams and you can even enjoy a wine with your movie if you so desire. This one cinema wonder certainly delivers on its luxurious surroundings. The plush purple chairs are very comfortable, while the curtain across the screen is a sign of a bygone era. It is a nice change from the cinema mulitplexes that we have become so accustomed to. While the ticket prices haven't gone back to $5, there is still a Tuesday night special (adults $10.50). So make a night of it, perhaps visit a restaurant across the road for some homemade dumplings and then make your way to the cinema for a movie. Thank me later for that great idea.

I'm strong believer that whoever redeveloped the Capitol Cinema was a bit of a romantic. From the…read moremoment you enter the cinema and dodge the entrance to where people are trying to scale ridiculous height, you begin to climb the stairs up to a different time. They have captured the essence so well of what it was like to go to the cinema, not from my childhood days but possibly my parents as well. The kiosk where you can pick up your treats (which I relatively well priced compared to the big mulitplex cinemas) has welcoming staff and you feel like they're genuinely interested in the movies being played. The seating is comfortable, not a great amount of leg room for someone over six foot, but enough to get through a movie without having to fall into some crazy yoga position. The quality of the screens and audio are as good as you would find in any "new" cinema. Overall, if you want to take a loved one for a romantic night out to the cinema, this is the place. Oh and either before or after you enjoy your time at The Capitol, I recommend you fill up on dumplings across the road at New Flavour.

Even though the Stardome is now named after a benefactor (can't be helped I guess), it is still as…read morecool as it ever was. The staff don't mind if you just wander in and have a look around and the foyer alone has enough to amuse the kiddies for at least half an hour, probably longer. During the school holidays they run all kinds of fun stuff and if you haven't been before, it's unlike anything else you can do around the town. You absolutely have to be organised and book in advance and maybe the movie is a bit dated, but it's fascinating and presented in a way that makes astronomy accessible to everyone - even 3 year olds. There's an arty crafty session where the kids get to make their own (artistically questionable) souvenir but the highlight is that the film is shown Cinema 180 style on the ceiling. A bit hard on the neck but SO worth it. You can hire the Stardome for functions but when I looked into booking it for an event, I ran in to the problem of how to keep kids from playing unsupervised in the lobby so that's something to consider. I'm ashamed to say I have never been here in the evening and actually looked through that giant telescope at the night sky. I intend to do it every Winter but late nights out in Winter just don't seem to happen. This is the year.

We were thinking about what show we should pick and have chosen "The winter sky". It was just…read moreamazing, to see what stats and planets we can see with our naked eye from Auckland. At least in good weather. After the show we went outside to see the Saturn through telescopes. Not the Zeiss one, but smaller. I saw the Saturn through the telescope for the first time and it was the biggest happy moment I have had in years! You can actually see the planet and the rings! Super cool! We haven't had a chance to use the Zeiss telescope because of the weather, but we are definitely going to do this next time.

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.

The Village Winery is a richly stocked liquor store that was originally a working winery. Now they…read morestock a large selection of fine New Zealand and Australian wines, along with a selection from France, Chile and Spain. They also provide port, whiskey and some boutique beers. The staff are obviously very experienced, if a bit reserved, but offered bread and dipping oil while I was browsing. Another exciting aspect of the business is the upstairs tasting room, which you can receive invitation to via their newsletter, be it for wine or whiskey tasting or an exhibition they may have on. And the bus stops directly outside.

Well the theater is surely oldish and the seats as well, but the sound is particularly great and…read moreenjoyable. Went to a concert last time and was surely not dissapointed . Also the welcome was nice and we'll organized. Good place for concert or local activities

BBQ meat is really tasty smokey and full of flavours, visited at 7pm on Friday night and lucky…read moreenough to get table immediately, ordered right away and food came within 10 minutes. Chilled vibe. Satisfaction

The first of the Gogo Music Cafes started here on dominion road. The menu is exactly the same as…read moreBurswood branch. Mainly serving charcoal BBQ skewers, milk teas or beer and large sharing plates. Oh course there are side dishes, sweet foods and small noodle dishes available too! Most popular things to order would be the lamb skewers and the big plate of chicken with extra hand made noodles (you can't miss the big picture on the menu. Top left corner). Today we ordered a variety of the weird and unusual skewers (chicken gizzard, chicken heart, chicken knees, beef tongue, pork belly, lamb... You name it) and a big spicy stewed fish in steam pot style where u add misc items into the big pan while it's cooking away on the portable stove. We order 3 large bottles of Qingdao beer which I really recommend. It's got a lighter yeast taste so it's really easy to drink. I'm not a beer person but this one is an exception. People have compared it to the taste of Tui. I gave it less stars than the Burswood branch because the food seems to be fresher and tastier (more well seasoned) at their quieter and cleaner Burswood shop (but both have an 'A' grade). Service is nicer and faster than this one too... So I recommend visiting their Burswood rather than this one. This one also gets crazy busy and packed on Saturdays.

I go to Rialto on a semi-regular basis. Most of my experiences here have been good, although they…read moreoften seem short staffed (or the only staff on hand cannot perform all the tasks needed to serve someone). They don't have frozen coke and more often than not don't have Nut Top ice-creams (my favs) but they do have Kapiti ice-cream which serves as a great alternative. For those wanting an alcoholic beverage, they also have quite a range in their bar and bar snacks to match. Keep an eye out for deals - they often have special events or cheaper priced nights!

Rialto cinema is an attractive cinema that offers an extensive range of screenings, bringing to…read moreAuckland otherwise overlooked film festivals. Chirpy French pop played matched to their current French film festival while the current Hollywood hype was advertised beside screening from The Metropolitan Opera. And it is ONLY because of this range in movies that I would give this venue anything above a 1 star rating. While paying almost double the amount of other cinemas, expect service that is nothing short of a teenage bowling alley. Uncleared tables. A caffeinated decaf coffee. Ignored during a 10 minute interval in the movie. No to mention our exquisite opera was preluded with music by a rapper and a Spice Girl. Staff seemed to lack product knowledge, management or incentive so that their lethargic attitude left a bad taste in our mouth and an empty space in our bellies. Now if only there was some way of downloading movies and viewing them in the comfort of your own home...

One of the best benefits of having kids is getting to be a kid yourself and Megazone is a great…read moreplace to do just that. I never understand when parents don't partake in childish activities - we even had a boys' birthday party here where a dad went INSIDE the warzone to just stand and watch. If you have no idea what all this is about, laserstrike is the preferred birthday party choice of boys (and some girls) aged 7 to 12 and probably older - we're not there yet. You rally your troops, divide them into two teams, tool up and go to war. There's an instruction video and staff on hand to help you get into your harness-thing. The harness-thing has light targets for your enemy to see and of course your laser gun. You then go run around in the dark shooting each other and the team with the most points wins. Most excellent entertainment - especially getting those kids that are, let's say, not your favourites. So ring up, book your group and they'll give you a room where you can do the food and cake thing along with two 20 minute game sessions. Get pizzas delivered and it's simple and fairly affordable as far as these things go. Just make sure you join in - it's bloody good exercise and wicked fun.

Laserstrike! You can do it here. What else do I need to say? Only that's it crazy good fun, and if…read moreyou're not totally exhausted by the end of it from running up and down ramps, hiding from the other team, and ambushing your opponents, you're not playing it right. This is one of the more fun laserstrike places I've been to, because it's got two floors, plenty of hiding spots and full on ATTACK music. They also give you an extremely serious briefing, which is pretty funny considering what a dork you look like when you put on the harness. Try and get a couple of groups together, it's more fun when you know the people you are playing with and against, not to mention it being a pretty good way of finding out who is a take-no-prisoners, no-mercy type, (yes, it's always the quiet one) and who is a big scardy cat.

Located just minutes from New Zealand's renowned Eden Park Stadium and a mere $15 taxi ride to…read moretown, the Ginger Minx couldn't be more perfectly situated. On an average night one can share a drink with their in-laws while lounging on comfy sheepskin throws in the outdoor area, or can gossip, mingle and people-watch inside over a cocktail with the girls. The Ginger Minx boasts eclectic funky decor, both indoor and outdoor seating as well as a dance floor, complete with turntables where local DJ heroes like Dick Johnson can be found most nights spinning dubstep and drum n bass beats. The Mexican inspired/street-style decor and photos pinned behind the bar create a shrine-like composition that is an interesting way to occupy the time it takes bar staff to concoct their masterpieces. The Ginger Minx has managed what most bars and restaurants (especially those outside of town) aspire to; it is the perfect blend of familiarity and excitement, young and old, local and exotic - and it is this combination that keeps its patrons coming back again and again. Strongly recommended for both visitors to Auckland, as well as local residents; the fun, comfortable atmosphere means a good time is guaranteed.

Ever feel like having a dance after doing your supermarket shopping? Fancy a laid back drink with…read moreyour nana? Maybe a sunday session that stretches far into the night? The Ginger Minx is your place for all of the above. I believe it's owned by the same people who own the dominion, but thankfully they have let the manager do their own thing with the place, and it has turned into a well regarded little spot for the discerning partier. There is a spacious outdoor area, a halfway indoor-oudoor seated zone , a large table next to the window and a big dance floor in the back. A wide range of DJ's play , and you never really know what you are going to get when you go. The beers are a bit expensive - 9 dollars a pop, but they do cheap bloody marys on sundays as well as other deals - but those in particular can be a lifesaver.

Gorgeous Art gallery in the heart of Auckland! My husband and I enjoyed strolling the gallery…read moreduring a recent trip. I really enjoyed their Manet and Picasso pieces. If you have a few hours to spare, there's a really nice outdoor space to sit and read a book!

We had just finished eating on Queen Street and were wandering around the area when we stumbled…read moreupon this art gallery museum. We decided to walk in and I'm glad we did. The first floor is free and features several exhibitions, so we took our time roaming around. One of the main exhibits focused on Māori art, and we spent about an hour exploring the pieces and learning more about Māori history in New Zealand. It was genuinely informative and beautifully presented. There was also a display by a Korean artist on the first floor. I don't quite remember the theme, but the design of the house-like structure had some Chinese influences, which made it visually interesting. Overall, if you have some time to spare and want to cool off from the scorching sun, this gallery is definitely worth a visit. Bonus points for clean restrooms, too!