Sarah M.'s
School holidays fun for the young adventurer
- 190**** your little one ready to explore the mysteries of the deep sea and the sights and sounds of the Antarctic? The ocean is the only place on earth left to explore – that alone is enough to have an aspiring adventurer’s mind ticking over. If they are anything like my little niece, then the king penguins will be the highlight of the day, for the older kids check out the walk-through replica of Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s Antarctic hut. Don’t be surprised if you end up watching Happy Feet or Finding Nemo over and over again post visit!
- 28North HeadDevonportThe one place that I always wanted to visit in the school holidays when I was a kid was the North Head tunnels. If you have a young one who is obsessed with history and fascinated by war then a trip to this world war military site is a must. Gun forts, tunnels and cannons – need I say more? Brush up on a little NZ history and pack a torch, this is a young explorers dream.
- 3107MOTAT Museum of Transport and TechnologyWestern SpringsIf you live in Auckland, have kids and haven’t been to MOTAT yet then this holidays make sure to put it on your list of things to do. The aviation room alone will have any young adventurer’s imagination running wild. You never know, you might just have a young Jean Batten in the making. While your there, make sure you take a ride in the tram, the 30 minute trip is possibly one of the highlights of the MOTAT experience for any young one.
- 49Heroes For SaleNewtonAre you attempting to occupy your superman in the making? If you have a young one who lives in the a world of heroes and villains, gadgets and superpowers, then I can imagine the school holidays are as much about capes and tights as they are about late nights and sleep ins. I have no doubt that a trip to Heroes will be the highlight of young Clark Kent’s two weeks off.
- 561Stardome Observatory & PlanetariumRoyal OakWhen you are a kid, its hard to wrap your head around the stars in the sky. A trip to the Stardome will blow their mind. Not only can the jump on the end of a telescope and peer into the night sky but they can watch it come to life before their very eyes in the planetarium. Check out their special school holiday attractions suitable for every age range.
Sarah M.'s
Best gift stores
- 11Stonex JewellersPapakuraBuying a ponamu for someone special is something that you need to do right. Don’t even think about heading to one of those horrible tourist shops to pick up a taonga. My family has always gone to Stonex in Papakura to get our ponamu, not only do they have a huge selection but they are sourced directly from the carver himself. Take the ponamu and hold it in your hands, close your eyes, you’ll know if it’s the right one or not and remember, never ever buy a ponamu for yourself - they must always be gifted. If in doubt, the lovely staff at Stonex will look after you, they know what they are doing.
- 230Iko Iko AucklandNewtonWhen I’m searching for the perfect gift Iko Iko is the first place I head to. You can find something here for just about anyone, including that annoying cousin of yours that’s so ridiculously hard to buy for. They even cater for the tiny ones and have a great selection of eco friendly toys for tikes. Let them know it's a gift and they will happily wrap that inflatable palm tree for you. Make sure you check out their awesome and slightly oddball cards. Definitely one of the more quirky gift stores around. One day I will buy myself one of the vintage robots, I’m determined to!
- 324Do you have a friend who’s obsessed with My Kitchen Rules? Is it their birthday coming up and you have no idea what to get them? Look no further than Millys. Perfect for the wannabe chef in your life or perhaps the next hottest home baker, everything they will need to keep their dreams alive you will be able to find here. Check out their awesome range of cake decorating tools, if in doubt the little fiddly accessories always make for good presents.
- 45Buana SatuNewtonBuana Satu is full of treasures from near and far, prefect for gift shopping, especially when the person you are buying for is a wandering soul. For the more musically inclined check out their range of world instruments - with everyone buying their music online these days it can be a little hard to know what to get a muso for that special occasion. Pick up something a little bit left of centre, it’s bound to be a gift to be treasured.
- 51Trade Aid BotanyManukau CityTrade Aid is perhaps one of the most lively little gift stores around. A not for profit business with a heart of gold, if there was ever a store deserving of your money it would be this one. A beautiful kaupapa and beautiful products, the name says it all really. Every product sold is helping to enrich the life of someone around the world who needs a little bit more of a helping hand then your average craftsman. Shop with a conscious and check them out.
Sarah M.'s
How to increase your street cred
- 14SmooveAuckland CentralNothing says badass like a leather jacket and Smoove is the only place in town to sort the men from the boys. Recycled vintage leather jacket has a nice ring to it doesn’t it? Who says you need to own a motorcycle to rock the leather look, it’s all about the way you carry yourself. Whether you want to channel James Dean or Sid Vicious this is the place for you, whatever you do don’t go for the Tom Cruise look – we all know how far that will get you.
- 212Stephen Marr is the place to go for your all of your alternative lifestyle haircut needs. Coat check that leather jacket and get yourself tucked in to one of their chairs, in the next 45 minutes you will be transformed into a brand new you. Girls don’t be afraid to ask for those sides to be shaved number one, go as short as you want, you won’t have your hairdresser questioning your decisions like you do at the salon down the road from your childhood home. Gareth is the god of alternative lifestyle haircuts and comes highly recommended. Go on - live a little.
- 38Pat Menzies ShoesAuckland CentralFloral Doc Marten’s anyone? How about a brand new pair of everyone’s favourite Chuck Taylor’s in a leopard print trim? If you are like me and feel a lot more comfortable in Doc’s then you do in heels then this is the place for you. Pat Menzies is shoe heaven and what makes this store just that little bit special is the massive range of alternative and rare colours of your trusty favourites. If you ever wanted to stand out from the crowd then this needs to quickly become one of your go-to places.
- 413Whammy BarAuckland CentralThrow on that leather jacket and your shiny new classic black Doc Marten’s, it’s time to get head out for a night at Whammy. You will know you are in the right place when you come across a bunch of super rad cats mulling around St Kevin’s arcade, having a cigarette between sets. This is most likely the band that’s playing tonight so now is not the time to get all cocky and have conversations about how good you are on your vintage Les Paul. In fact, maybe that’s something you should think about never bringing up in conversation. Swallow your pride and head down the stairs, you’re in for a wild night out.
- 51New JewelleryAuckland CentralIf you are wanting to stand out from the crowd I’ve always been one to preach that it’s all in the details. It’s all about that big chunky ring on your finger, or that handcrafted little pistol hanging around your neck. When you are feeling like you need to up your game then this is the place to come – this is jewelry like you’ve never imagined, jewellery for the alternative and for the unique.
Sarah M.'s
Spring fever
- 121Palmers PlanetAlbanySpring is the perfect time to get stuck into the garden. Head along to Palmers Planet to find all of your gardening needs in one spot. If you are anything like me you may need to put a limit on your spending before you jump in the car, this is a gardeners dream store. You also may need to make more than one trip, I have no doubt that you will end up coming home inspired with a list of things to measure and convince your lovely partner are spring garden essential. (Maybe don’t mention the new irrigation system.)
- 24Parnell Rose GardensParnellGet outside and smell the roses – its spring! Perhaps one of the most romantic seasons in the year and there is nothing more romantic than roses. Walk hand in hand with your loved one and soak up the sunshine, a stroll through the Parnell Rose Gardens is sure to have you both seeing love hearts and rainbows. Pack a picnic and tell her how much she means to you – this is the perfect Sunday date location.
- 324Junk & DisorderlyBalmoralSpring conjures up thoughts of wild flowers and new beginnings and there is nothing like a good old fashioned spring clean to bring in the new season. After you have thrown that ugly sofa out the winter and the dining table has wedged itself in your stairwell you are going to need a few new items to replace them. If you are looking for something a little trendy with a bit of charm then you need to head over to Junk and Disorderly. This place is a warehouse jam packed full of treasures. Be prepared and hire a trailer on your way, you are going to need it!
- 48Judges BayParnellThe weather is heating up and summer is nearly here, it’s time to pack the picnic basket and head to one of my favourite little spots, Judges Bay. Now don’t all head there at once because part of its charm is that it can be the middle of summer on a hot weekend day and you can be the only people there to soak up the sun. Sit on the grass and unpack that cheese and crackers, you may be here a while. Bliss.
- 523Bhana BrosPonsonbyBeautiful fresh flowers are the way to any girls heart, and despite what the advertising giants may have told you, simple is best. There is nothing like a bunch of freesias wrapped in white paper to remind you that spring is here and your loved one is thinking of you. No matter the occasion, flowers will speak a thousand words and Bhana Bro’s always have the most beautiful selection in all of Auckland. I wouldn’t think of going anywhere else.
Sarah M.'s
Friendliest vet's in town
- 15Pet Doctors at Animates - GlenfieldGlenfieldWhen you are a proud mamma of five lovely little kittens and two of them are born unhealthy you can imagine how distressing it must be. We bundled these little guys up and took them over to the amazing team at Animates in Glenfield and I’m so grateful that we did. The staff were amazing and did everything they could to ease our minds and make sure our two little ones were receiving the best care. One year on and the little tikes are with their proud new owners and happy as ever. Amazing team and just the kind of friendly faces you want to see during a stressful time!
- 25Care Vets Te AtatuTe Atatu PeninsulaAfter our little stray had her first litter we brought her to Care Vets to have her spayed. A trip to the vets is definitely a stressful time for most animals and I can imagine being spayed would make things ten times worse. The team at Care Vets do their very best to make sure every trip is as calming as possible and our little one was relaxed as anything the second time we made a visit -post operation. This place came highly recommended by a friend and I would certainly agree with her on this one!
- 33Franklin VetsPapakuraFranklin Vets has been my families local vet my whole life and when you have a ridiculous amount of cats like we do you need to find a place that does their job well. Having moved from the area I tend to miss the amazing team here, they come to know and love your pet as if it were their own and understand those harder trips when it’s time to say goodbye to a family pet. Brilliant team and always friendly, if you are living in the area I would most definitely give them a call next time your furry friend is a bit worse for wear.
- 42Ponsonby Veterinary CentrePonsonbyWe started coming here because they were only a short walk from our house and we realised we were on to a good thing after we finally found out why our little cat was throwing up her food. Sometimes it pays to be persistent and when the other local vets were unable to diagnose the problem we had a lot of luck here. Now we have one very happy cat on a strict diet of hypoallergenic food and an amazing vet to answer all of our ridiculous and quite possibly over dramatic questions. When you own a pet you know just how important it is to find the right vet and we certainly have found ours.
Sarah M.'s
Best Indian restaurants
- 11Ginger Indian Cuisine PukekohePukekoheMy parents know a thing or two about good food and they happened to be the ones who first took me to Ginger. This restaurant is the talk of the town and it’s easy to see why, you will have trouble getting a table if you haven’t booked in advance so make that the first thing you do. The second thing should be ordering an entree, you are going to regret it if you don’t and you don’t want to be that person who ends up picking off other people’s plates because you made poor decisions. Thirdly I would suggest you order a korma, the vegetarian is my go-to but for my carnivore friends, the lamb is also highly recommended - thanks mum!
- 23Flame Indian CuisineGrey LynnThis little Grey lynn Indian restaurant is my local and just like a good local they never seem to fail in providing top quality food. I’ve dined in a few times but honestly this is where to go if you are looking for the comfort of Indian food combined with the comfort of your own home - it’s more of a takeaway kind of place. Check them out next time you are on the hunt for a good vege korma and make sure to order a couple of extra garlic naan (maybe not the ideal first date meal)
- 310When you feel like Indian and you are prepared to drive from the city central to Rothesay Bay and back just to get that amazing vege korma then you know that you have found something special. Chand is worth the drive, trust me. Some people say that all Indian restaurants were created equal, those people would be wrong. Chand is a treat for your taste buds. You’ll feel like a king sitting in their huge wooden chairs and that’s all part of the charm, Indian restaurant’s generally are best when they are a little quirky, I don’t know why and I’m not here to question it either, why question a good thing?
- 48Raviz Indian Cuisine - PonsonbyPonsonbyRaviz is a chain Indian restaurant and I’m going to admit it, usually I stay away from chains. There is something a little different about Raviz though, they have lunch time specials that are hard to resist. If you are looking for a cheap eat and are after something tasty for your money that’s bound to fill you up then head along Ponsonby Road to this little joint. You can’t go wrong with a good old hearty curry, naan and rice on a chilly spring day.
- 540If you haven’t heard about Satya then it may be possible that you have been living under a rock. Shake that moss from your shoulder and call your friends, if you love South Indian food then prepare your taste buds for a whole new experience. This is unlike anything I’ve ever tasted, fresh, authentic and flavoursome. You are going to want more. This is the kind of place that you will need to come back to again and again, everything on the menu sounds amazing and its difficult to decide. If you go with a bigger group I’d recommend everybody ordering something different and sharing with the table, its the perfect way to get your first taste of Satya.