Where else to spend summer but on a beach

“Hey Chica, you will definitely be able to help me. I would like to take a guy on a date. I thought of a picnic on a nice beach. However, not sure where to go… Any ideas?”

Well, where can I start… 🙂

Not long ago, I discovered Tawharanui Regional Park. There is a beautiful beach, quite popular, but long enough so you can find a spot for yourself. There are quite a few trails around you can walk. And if you stay overnight (in a campsite – bookings essential), take a redlight torch with you and search for real kiwi birds in the dark. To get to Tawharanui, you drive through Matakana village. While there, visit a farmers market that is on every Saturday or crafts market happening every Sunday morning. You might say ‘just another market’, however, this one is super cute, has lots of good food and interesting crafts, live music and heaps of people. If you are into ice-cream, don’t miss one of the best ice cream shops in New Zealand – Charlies Gelato Garden.

I’ve been to Te Arai Point hundreds of times, surfing. I never even bothered what is behind the rock.  Finally, I decided to have a look. I took a short walk to the right and found this tiny little bay, perfect for swimming and at the high tide, jumping in the water. I walked a bit further and discovered a whole new bay. Rocky beach with waves breaking directly onto is not exactly a paradise for swimmers, but it offers a perfect spot for a little picnic on the beach with only a fisherman or two standing on the rocks waiting for fish to bite.

If you prefer the rougher and tougher west coast, my favourite beach would be Maori Bay right next to Muriwai beach. It is simply gorgeous and it offers one of the most amazing sunsets ever. If you feel like exploring a bit, there is a gannet colony to visit right next to it. If you feel like running, head to Muriwai beach ‘next door’. Or, if you feel a bit adventurous, drive up the road and get lost (not literally though) in the Goldie Bush. I haven’t tried that one myself yet, but a friend of mine showed me his photos and the walkway made it onto my to-do-list.

Muriwai beach is very popular, so you are better off visiting Bethels beach if you are looking for some privacy. Walk across the sand dunes and stroll either to the south end of the beach or to O’Neil’s Bay at Bethel’s northern end.

Recently I visited my friend who lives at Red Beach, just south of Orewa. I took the opportunity and dipped into the water. A beautiful white sandy beach not far away from Auckland. Way smaller than its sister’s beach Orewa, and also less populated. I certainly envy all those people living in houses right on the beach – aaaaa, so beautifuuuuuul!

If you don’t feel like driving too much (or at all), take a bus or a ferry to Devonport and walk to any of the beaches on the east side, looking directly to Rangitoto. There will be runners passing by, dog walkers, a few swimmers, kids, young and old people, but you might also spot some dolphins. if you stop at Little & Friday on the way and grab a cake or a snack, your date will fall in love with you, almost guaranteed :).

If you are more into popular places or would like to grab a nice lunch first and then go for a walk along the beach and around the bays, head to Mission Bay, Kohimarama or St Heliers. If you are a bit adventurous, grab a SUP or kayak and go on a little trip to the islands nearby. Watch out for boats passing though :).

 

 

 

 

 

South East Asian dinner followed by chocolate extravaganza

A friend of mine was coming for a visit. Just like that. One Friday night. She had some errands to run in Auckland, so she decided to come the night before, so we can properly catch up. Yeeeey, I was stoked, I love when friends come by!

“I’m taking you out for dinner. To thank you for all that delicious food that your boyfriend is cooking when I visit you guys (I know, not fair to Seb for Val to be taking the credit for his world-class French cuisine). What do you feel like having tonight?”

“Something Thai-ish.”

Right. After a little bit of research, I came across Monsoon Poon – a vibrant South East Asian restaurant offering exotic flavours of India, South China, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. Close enough!

The menu was overwhelming. “What are we having? Tandoori Lamb Cutlets? Firecracker Chicken or Shaking Beef? Or maybe Billy Tong’s Wontons?” It doesn’t matter, I tell you! The food was divine! I’m not so sure about the atmosphere, though. The place is pretty big, which takes away the feeling of privacy  and cosiness. However, there are different compartments and also the round sofas in the main area that help bring back some of that warm and private feeling. If the music was anything different to modern dance beats, it would also help :). This might sound wrong, but what impressed me most (well, right after the food) were bathrooms, at least the ladies’ one! Man, as I walked in, I couldn’t help myself but to stop, breath in and comment on the outstanding inner design of the toilet. Flowers, music (slightly different to the beats in the dining room), even the smell (and yes, I am talking about the toilet)! Not to mention a wide range of beauty products to help you refresh after your bathroom experience, with (standard and often seen) hand fragrances and even hair spray! At Monsoon Poon, they certainly have thought of everything :).

“Would you ladies like some deserts?”

“No. Thank you, we need to go!” I blurted at a poor waiter. “No, are you sure?? Are you feeling all right? I don’t think I have ever experienced you walking out of a restaurant without a desert…” Val was seriously considered for my health condition…

“We are not saying no to a desert, but I have an idea! I’ve heard of this ‘desert restaurant’ in Britomart…” Milse is tiny, and I guess always busy. This didn’t stop us. We bought a couple of sweets and finished them outside, on the street. Mmmmmmm… I think I have just discovered my favourite place in Auckland…

 

 

 

Tonight, I feel like Italian

A while ago, I was telling my friend Valentina Paladini, a born and raised Italian, about amazing Italian food I had in Wellington. “That Pasta Alfredo was just delicious!” “Pasta Alfredo?? There is no such thing as Pasta Alfredo in Italy!! I’ll tell you what is real Italian food!” And so she wrote this post:

Italians have two passions: food and talking about food.

If you are hanging out with an Italian and spend most of your time looking for good places to eat, don’t be surprised. Us, Italians, we don’t eat because we are hungry. We eat to socialise, to meet new people, and to establish deeper and stronger connections with people we care about.

There are many Italian places in Auckland, too many :). But can you distinguish an authentic Italian menu from a ‘fake’ one, when you look at it? Here is an unbeatable check list for you: 

Cream. In Italy, we never (and I mean never) put cream in a pasta sauce. Is there cream in the menu? Mmmmmh… perhaps you might want to try somewhere else.

“Pasta Alfredo”. Let put it this way, Alfredo is an Italian given name for males. To me, Alfredo looks like an old-style guy quite… you know… naff. I wouldn’t trust a pasta sauce called Alfredo…

Hawaiian pizza. Whaaaaaat? Pineapple and chicken are not pizza toppings. Full stop. No way. No go. Please help me to boycott Hawaiian pizza!!

But hey, it’s not all the lost case. I have been in Auckland for a while now and have come across a few really nice Italian places. Next time, you will want to indulge in some true Italian food, here are my suggestions:

Divino Bistro

The best “Spaghetti alle Vongole” (spaghetti with mussels) I have tried in my life! And I’m from Italy… Great bruschetta, superb desserts (either tiramisu or crema catalana). Generally speaking, whatever they have on the special of the day blackboard deserves a try. Save money on wines though. There are better places to have a drink (eg. try any red wine at Baduzzi on the Wharf next to the Fish Market).

Dante’s Pizza

Short menu, few choices, but the finest ingredients. Try any of the pizzas on the menu and have a taste of Naples.

La Bruschetteria

Toasted bread topped with delicious and fresh ingredients from both Italy and New Zealand. Nice and warm atmosphere, authentic Italian staff happy to recommend the best wine/beer match with your bruschetta.

Al Forno

Have a breakfast there and indulge yourself with a cappuccino and pastry. If you visit on Sunday they should have apple strudel as well…. Not a typical Italian dessert but it’s simply delicious! They bake their own bread every morning. Try the ciabatta or the schiacciata for a salty snack.

Big budgets? Don’t miss Poderi Crisci on Waiheke Island.

It’s a spot of Italy in New Zealand. It looks like the typical Italian farm in Tuscany with vineyards behind. The main stone built restaurant is perfect to enjoy a long Sunday lunch (4hs long) or just a shorter a la carte lunch.

E buon appetito 🙂 !

I was thinking of getting a pet – how about an alpaca?

The other day I had an idea about getting an alpaca. I think these animals are cute, beautiful, interesting, friendly, funny, and they look very warm in their fur. I started my research about them, where to get them, how much they cost, what do they eat, what do you need to accommodate them, how to look after them, and what are they like in general.

I found out this is a pretty serious business. There is a governing body (Alpaca Association NZ), they have a national conference and expo (Alpaca 2015 National Show in Mystery Creek in September), there is even a National Alpaca Day.

My friend introduced me to Valerie, who has an alpaca farm north of Auckland and is also a registered breeder. I went to visit her one day, and I got a chance to meet these animals, and learn a bit more about them. I still think they are amazing and very friendly, but have learnt that at the moment I am not really in a position of having one. I was also not too happy when one (Georgia was her name) spat straight in my face :).

Anyway, alpacas are beautiful and very interesting animals. Go see a show, or visit a farm, if you have a chance!

Ponsonby Social Club

A few weeks ago a friend of mine invited me to his gig at Ponsonby Social Club. He was playing with Jennifer Zea, who is one of my favourite musicians (latino music performer with a solo career and a member of Latinaotearoa), so spending a Wednesday night with them sounded like a good plan.

“Where is the gig?”

“At Ponsonby Social Club. It starts at 9pm sharp.”

“9pm sharp? I’d like to see that (I’ve never met a latino who would actually be on time 🙂 ). But Ponsonby Social Club?  Who are you playing for (I thought this was some place where grannies would come to socialise and play bridge)?”

I was wrong, big time! The bar is cute as, with an amazing atmosphere, a nice little place for a small band or DJ, a good music, and very friendly bartenders. It instantly became my favourite place in Ponsonby. And for the audience, there were no grannies and no one played bridge :).

PS: The gig didn’t start till 10.15pm. So much for being punctual, ha ha.

“My mother said to me: ‘If you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, you will become the Pope.’ Instead, I was a painter, and became Picasso.” Pablo Picasso

Dream big, so you too will become someone.

 

Jump, jump, jump

It was a cold and rainy Saturday and no one was really keen to go out of a bed, let alone out of the house. So we needed something very attractive, not too expensive, providing ultimate fun, and preferably involving some sort of sport activity. And we went to Jump!

A big hall in Rosedale is full of trampolines of all sorts. Long ones, small ones, extra springy ones, dodge ball court, basketball field, and my favourite, foam pit. We spent an hour jumping and practicing front flips, back flips, walking up the wall, and other gymnastic elements. There was 5 of us, all grown ups, and we didn’t really mind to share the fun with about 100 of others, mostly in the age of 3 – 15. Some the little ones were actually really good.

For 18$ you get a good exercise, bright yellow socks, a few bruises, and a severe muscle pain the next morning :). I think I have just discovered my winter activity!

 

Let’s boogie tonight!

Winter time is perfect for exploring Auckland’s nightlife. It is not too cold (like Europe cold) to be walking around at night, and the weather is often crap (or at least too cold to surf 🙂 ), so you can easily spend a lazy day at home the morning after. So, I’ve been dancing my nights away lately :).

I would recommend Bungalow 8 if you don’t mind partying with 16-year olds. The place is too light, but I really like the ‘balcony’ area on the side of the room opposite of DJ, as it gives you a bit of privacy and some extra space to dance (I hate dancing in the middle of crowds, I need some space around, so I can breathe and show off my best moves 🙂 ). To enjoy Bungalow you have to love the latest dancing hits as the repertoire (at least on the particular Saturday night) is very commercial.

I prefer the Ponsonby clubs to Bungalow 8. Revelry plays more R’n’B tunes, while Longroom plays more of those dance ones. The visitors seem to be more grown up :). I like the layout of Longroom a bit more. I think it is more spacious and it has some ‘separated’ (seating) areas where you can have your very own dance floor (if you move the little tables on a side 🙂 ). I prefer the lighting in Longroom as well, as Revelry seems quite dark to me.

One thing that I am impressed with are bouncers in New Zealand. They are all very friendly, but they take their jobs very seriously. It’s not an easy job watching people having fun, stopping someone ‘having fun’ if necessary, and dealing with mostly drunk people. They have certain power but I haven’t come across anyone who would be taking advantage of it. They have all my respect!

Bogie Down – Unit Three – Let’s Boogie Tonight

What do picnic, bike cruise and slackline have in common?

Looking for an idea how to spend a beautiful sunny day with friends and / or family in Auckland?Look no further :).

A friend of mine met me at my house at Northcote Point. We took our bikes on a ferry to the city centre. Another friend joined us there and we went for a morning coffee to Wynyard Quarter. It was a beautiful warm morning with not too much wind and Pescado cafe offered a perfect set up to read a morning paper, drink a coffee and soak in the first sun. We went back to the ferry house, where the fourth friend joined us. This time we took a ferry to Devonport. In the park there we put down a blanket and had our picnic. We were waiting for the fifth friend. As he arrived, we moved to the Narrowneck beach, as we needed a place that would have at least two trees apart enough and sheltered from the wind to set up a slackline. After a couple of hours we continued towards Takapuna and back to Northcote. Of course we stopped at Little & Friday on the way (there is no way I would miss that dark chocolate beetroot cake with salty caramel on top). The first friend said goodbye at Northcote, as we passed by his house. I was the next one to wish farewell and the rest of the group caught the ferry back to the CBD.

The beauty of this trip is that it can lasts for as long as you want it too, people can join in at anytime, anywhere, and also leave at anytime, anywhere. And it is all happening pretty much at your backyard. All you need is a bike (city cruiser will do), a picnic blanket, a slackline (optional) and a musical instrument (if you have one and you can actually play it). Enjoyable, a little bit of excercise, fun, a deserved cake, relaxing, sort of adventurous little trip :).

 

“You have to dream before your dreams can come true.” A.P.J. Abdul Kalam