Auckland doesn’t have many of the artistic flourishes that other cities have. Those little bursts of colour and quirkiness that soften the concrete edges of a city and are treasured by visitors and locals alike. Khartoum Place is one. Bright… Read More ›
New Zealand
What To Do With A Few Hours in Auckland
My lovely, and lucky, sister flew away yesterday for an journey across the United States. In Los Angeles she had one of those stop overs which is too long to sit in an airport lounge and just long enough to… Read More ›
60 years ago they knocked the b****** off
It was 11.30am on Friday May 29, 1953 and for the first time a man stood on top of the highest mountain in the world. Two men actually, New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay. They were part of a… Read More ›
Myers Park in the Heart of the City
There’s a sign board in Myers Park that says that in the early 1900s it was “an unwholeseome spot” in an “unsightly gully”. This less than flattering description stuck to the park like mud for years and it is only… Read More ›
ANZAC Day
Today is April 25. A significant day. A day that is dedicated to remembering and honouring the New Zealand and Australian men and women who fought, and are still fighting, in conflicts around the world. New Zealand has sent her… Read More ›
Street food in Glenfield
Glenfield is a sprawling suburb on the North Shore of Auckland. It doesn’t have sea views or historical buildings. Just streets of solid homes interspersed with a few parks, bush reserves, schools, a shiny shopping mall and a strip of… Read More ›
Picking Grapes in Matakana
Turning grapes into wine is a messy business. In fact it’s a science experiment on a grand scale and the first step in the process is picking the fruit. As volunteer grape pickers on one of the last days of… Read More ›
Market Day in Matakana
There is nothing more guaranteed to delight your taste buds than a morning foraging at Matakana Market. The market is very popular and it’s easy to see why. We made a family outing of it, driving north from Auckland on… Read More ›
Making wine in Matakana
Bring Your Own is a concept that was dear to my heart in my student days when eating out was a luxury and taking your own bottle to was the only way to drink decent wine but I only recently… Read More ›
Rotoroa Island Magic
There is something wonderful about Rotoroa Island and it’s not just the sandy beaches, emerald green water or the breathtaking views from every grassy vantage point. The truth is that there are many other places in New Zealand where the… Read More ›