This florist is amazing! I ordered flowers off their website from Florida, and they were…read moredelivered, fresh and beautiful, literally 2 hours later. I highly recommend!

I ordered a large bouquet of flowers from the U.S. for my aunt who lives in Auckland. The flowers…read morearrived in a timely fashion, were very fresh, and most importantly, she loved them! When I called to place the order, the assistant made placing the order very easy. I highly recommend them!

Easily the best smelling shop in Takapuna! Florienne makes up for being rather tiny by being packed…read moreto the brim with a delightful array of beautiful smelling flowers. Personally, for me, it's all about the peonies - big and bright in a million shades of pink...delightful! When ordering flowers at Florienne they ask if you want it in a box or bouquet style. Both are beautiful but bouquet is my preference - they start at around $60 and are happy to work to your preferred colour palettes. Delivery in the area is only $5 and they are happy to do same day delivery (provided they are not craaaazy busy). They also have a fantastic range of cards and some beautiful potted orchids. Definitely my no.1 flower shop in Takapuna - would definitely recommend if sending flowers in the area!

My favourite florist on the shore! Very creative, good quality flowers and I love the other bits…read moreand pieces instore!

Arazzo is Mum & I's go to for gifts. They stock a beautiful range of candles, gorgeous body…read morelotions, silk scarves, jewellery, cookbooks and more. But the best thing about this small shop is that they turn over their stock at lightning speed, which means for a regular like me there's always something new to fawn over. It's obviously as popular with the other Milford locs as it is with our family. The other fabulous thing about Arazzo is that, compared to many other independent home decor stores, it's affordable. I love candles and so they have become somewhat of a price indicator for me and at $40 (they have quite a range), Arazzo's are an absolute steal! Try their beautiful handmade ones from Devonport. I forget the brand name but they come in a stylish black and white box and are stunning. They also currently have some fabulous christmas decorations, which the owner tell me are flying out the door. Cute wee reindeer and fairy lights galore - it certainly put me in a festive mood!

Want to buy a gift for somebody and have absolutely no idea what to get them? Flying Saucers could…read morehold the answer. Every time I walk into this shop I find something that I could not have imagined there was a use for, but not in the way of the $2 shop, something kind of cool and funky that people won't look at you funny if you give it to them. There are also always the old staples like smellies, jewellery etc. The only thing is that everything costs about double what you think it will. If you spend $40, the gift recipient is likely to think you spend $20; $100 and they will likely think $50 etc. So it will be an expensive gift-giving excersize.

Another one of those shops perfect for picking out gifts or goodies for around the house. A while…read moreago I was hunting every last corner of Auckland looking for a piece of jewellery for my 21st. I was after something a little different and not something I'd find draped on every second person across the city. At Spinz I was surprised to find jewellery at all as I kind of thought it was more a tacky trinkety shop. I was quite wrong. There was some beautiful jewellery inside including some different brands, designers and pieces locked away in the sparkly cabinet. The staff were very helpful and eager to play a part in my selection. They did not hesitate in whipping out brochures and designer catalogues and checking with suppliers and stockists. They were also not too pushy which I found refreshing as sales assistants can really grind my gears when they say something looks "PERFECT" on you when you know it looks like S***.

If you're a nick-nacker or you like trinkets or bargains or sifting through budget bins for that…read moresomething special - you must visit The Furniture Store. Don't be mislead by its name as there's much more than just furniture there. What you will find are cool canvases with inspirational sayings to hang on your walls, clever gifts for all kinds of people and for lack of a better word - bits and bobs. So if you're ever stuck on a present idea or feel like buying something to brighten up your bedroom, make The Furniture Store one of your first stops!

From the owner: New Zealand's most diverse owner operated gift and home ware destination found online. Here you…read morewill find uniquely wonderful gifts for all your family and friends (and maybe a little something for yourself). Plus, an extensive range of furniture and home accessories to suit all tastes and décor styles.

Anyone who knows me, knows I'm not a big flower person. I mean don't get me wrong, their nice to…read morereceive and they smell good, but they also die quickly. Not the best symbol of everlasting love. Get me something practical, like a frying pan any day. But most girls do like flowers. On the days when you have dug yourself the worlds biggest hole and your gf hates you, nothing says forgive me like a nice bouquet. This is a nice little flower shop, that will certainly go some way into helping you dig your way out of that hole. The lady I talked to when I was in there was super helpful and friendly. And they had a good selection of nice fresh blooms, at not unreasonable prices (is fresh a word you can use when referring to flowers?) Outside on a table that had been set up they even had a selection of cute wee hair clips and headbands as well, so maybe include one of those to really sweeten the deal ( it really just depends on how much trouble you ARE in)

These guys were great. Clean site, easy to use and delivered our gift quickly to a very surprised…read morehappy recipient. Will use again. Thanks guys

From the owner: About Giving is a New Zealand company offering free delivery on a wide range of gift products. From…read moreunique living tree gifts and online gift baskets to beautiful flower bouquets, we offer fantastic gifts for every occasion. Shop online with About Giving today to find the perfect gift for your friend, colleague or loved one. Plus, get same-day delivery in Auckland and next-day delivery nationwide.

Like a moth to a flame, I was drawn into Living Lights. It's a beautiful candle store with a…read moregorgeous assortment of different colours and designs. There are a few things I LOVE about Living Lights. Firstly it's all Kiwi owned and manufactured. There are no 'made in china' stickers to be seen. All the candles are designed and created in Golden Bay. Secondly, the smell! It really is divine. When I mentioned this to the lady in the store she told me that their 'Soy' candle held onto aroma more than usual wax, hence the glorious scents. These candles are big and bright. The bulb shape ones are my favourite and would make a funky centre piece for the table or mantel. For around $40 they also make an excellent gift. Living Lights is really a gorgeous store and I think has given a whole new life to the humble candle.