Great times on Great Barrier

Everyone I know who has been to Great Barrier Island loves their time there. Andy and I were meant to visit with our friends, Toni and Dean (who are essentially locals), but they have a baby due this month (yay!) and could no longer join us (boo!). Instead, Andy and I hired a car, booked…

10 places to visit near Warkworth!

During the recent Easter break, Andy, Kelsey and I headed up north for a few nights based out of Warkworth, ready for some relaxation, plenty of chocolate, and the chance to explore somewhere new. A last minute decision saw us leave Wrigley at home, which meant we had a bit more freedom to visit some…

Kai Iwi Lakes: Northland’s freshwater paradise

Kai Iwi Lakes is the colloquial name given to a series of three lakes located about 30 minutes north of Dargaville, on Northland’s west coast. It’s a camping spot I hadn’t heard of until after we moved to Auckland, but when I did it immediately sounded like something I would particularly enjoy. Lakeside camping, freshwater…

The Tongariro Northern Circuit

Waitangi Weekend 2023: after all the recent weather events, we were DETERMINED that our plans for the weekend would go ahead. Dan, Gord, Andy and I loaded up the car and set off down to Te Awamutu, driving in mostly rainy conditions to hike the 45km Tongariro Northern Circuit track. We stopped in Hamilton at…

Review: Bestie Cafe

Housed in the St. Kevins arcade, Bestie Cafe is tucked off K Road and as it name suggests, it’s one of the best. The cafe seating is located in the arcade itself, which lends itself to a vibrant, naturally lit setting with lots of greenery and magnificent windows overlooking Meyers Park. The coffee beans are…

Review: The General Cafe

The General epitomises ‘trendy brunch cafe’, with its expansive menu, breakfast cocktails and light and airy setting. It’s the place to be on Saturday morning, and its proximity to the Mount township adds to its popularity. While there is usually a queue, the General is roomy and tables turn over quite quickly.  The menu lends…

Review: Azabu Ponsonby

It’s discrete, it’s intimate and it’s sophisticated. Azabu is nestled into the K Road end of Ponsonby Road (right next to my work actually) and it is definitely one of those places that you would walk straight past if you didn’t realise it was there. Its inconspicuousness leads to one feeling as though they have…

Review: Eddies and Elspeth

This trendy little spot in Mount Maunganui embraces a concept I haven’t really come across, but am all on board for. Eddies and Elspeth are actually two separate entities, sharing premises but still very much distinctly their own. They may share a countertop, but the tills are separate, so order for Eddies at one end…

Review: Oscar and Otto

A funny one actually. Rewind three months, and I had never heard of Oscar and Otto. Now I have visited there three times in approximately four weeks, and we have secured Hereford Kitchen (the owners of Oscar and Otto) to cater our wedding. A whirlwind romance (with Oscar and Otto, not with Andy 😉 ),…

Review: Geeks on Sainsbury

Prompted by our recent shift to Auckland, I resolved that in 2022 Andy and I would work our way through the Urban List’s best breakfasts. Our first weekend in Auckland (despite having lived there for almost two months) was spent suburb hopping, wandering streets and precincts, trying to orientate ourselves as quickly as possible. The…