Out and about in Auckland
Are you on the hunt for the most memorable, uniquely-fun date ideas Auckland has on offer?
We’ve got you covered!
Whether you’re looking for a first date idea (with a difference) or are keen to spice up weekends with your long-time lover, you’ve come to the right place.
Whether you’re looking for a first date idea (with a difference) or are keen to spice up weekends with your long-time lover, you’ve come to the right place.
Discover the best Auckland farmers’ markets. Spread right across the City of Sails and open right across the weekend, this guide will help you plan your next weekend adventure.
Who doesn’t love a quality farmers’ market?
With fresh, organic produce and delicious tasty treats to eat as you browse, a visit to your local market really is a wholesome way to support local.
With fresh, organic produce and delicious tasty treats to eat as you browse, a visit to your local market really is a wholesome way to support local.
Join us as we introduce you to all 53 of Auckland’s Volcanoes. Considered the most volcanic city in the world, the City of Sails is the perfect place for volcanologists and all those that love a good view!
Auckland is a remarkable city. Surrounded on all sides by ocean and extensive harbours – the Manukau Harbour to the west, Waitemata Harbour to the east and Kaipara Harbour to the North – this maritime settlement is also built on upon a vast volcanic field.
Featuring an impressive 53 volcanoes, spread over an area of 1,000 square kilometres, it’s no wonder that Auckland is recognised as the most volcanic city in the world..
Featuring an impressive 53 volcanoes, spread over an area of 1,000 square kilometres, it’s no wonder that Auckland is recognised as the most volcanic city in the world..
If you’re looking for the best way to entertain your whānau, you’re in the right place! These are the best things to do with Kids in Auckland. Discover familiar favourites and hidden gems whilst keeping your family engaged and excited in the City of Sails.
Every parent knows the struggle of finding new, affordable and interesting kids activities in Auckland.
In the school holidays, it practically feels like a full-time job keeping the whānau entertained!
Mini golf is the ultimate in friendly (but competitive) fun, wouldn’t you agree?
Auckland has a number of fantastic mini putt courses, each with their own unique features.
Whether you’re planning a date, want an afternoon of fun with the family or are looking to challenge your mates, hitting one of these courses could be just what the doctor ordered!
I just love hosting tours! I started in 2017 taking a small group to Vietnam and since then I’ve taken small groups of Kiwis to Italy, China and the USA. But for the moment it’s all about seeing beautiful New Zealand so here are three gorgeous tours I have coming up in 2021.
These tours below are for a week to 10 days and they tend to suit my demographic – that is the 50+! They are designed and costed up on one person per room, but if you bring a partner or friend, there’s a big discount on the second person.
I am also thinking about shorter tours and weekends away like a girls trip to Wellington for WOW in September/October or maybe events, festivals and shows. I’d love to hear from you if you’re interested in joining any of my tours.
14-20 February 2021
Starting and ending in Auckland, this 6 night/7 day tour includes: 2 nights in Hokianga to see Tane Mahuta, Opononi, Rawene and the Kauri Coast, then 4 nights in Russell to explore Paihia, Waitangi, Kerikeri and Cape Reinga.
Read the full itinerary over on Blogger at Large >
5-14 March 2021
Starting in Nelson and ending in Hokitika, with the option of adding on a few more days to take the Trans Alpine across to Christchurch or see more of the South Island, we’ll
Read the full itinerary on Blogger at Large >
8-17 April 2021
Starting and ending in Queenstown, this 10-day tour includes 4 nights in Queenstown with day trips to Glenorchy, Arrowtown, wine tasting and exploring the city, then 2 nights in Wanaka and 4 nights in Clyde staying at the boutique hotel, Olivers.
When Auckland mum of four, Richelle Leahy-Mullins, decided she wanted a career change in 2012 from the hectic life of an event manager to become a florist and open her own business, she dreamed of whimsical, soft, romantic, country styled flowers which appealed to French country lovers.
Inspired by her grandmother’s creativity Flourish Floral Designs is based out of a studio at Richelle’s home in the leafy suburb of Epsom and it’s fair to say it’s her happy place.
“I have the best office in the world,” she says looking around a room filled with fresh and dried flowers, as many of us pivot from working in grey offices to working from the dining room table.
Richelle is after a distinctive wild and whimsical, almost Renaissance, feel which she has acquired from her travels in France after visiting numerous French florists to study their style and return home with a definite French Country vibe about her designs.
“The floral industry is pretty competitive in Auckland,” Richelle tells Auckland Scene. “There’s a lot of florists out there, however not many with the style that I create at Flourish.”
A typical day starts at 7 o’clock when local florists descend on the markets in Mt Wellington to buy fresh flowers from growers from all around the region.
Richelle gets most of her orders via her website the day before and can order what she needs from her buyer who gets it ready for her. The next morning she makes a bee-line for the markets letting her imagination run wild looking for the extra special pieces she can either dry or incorporate into a design.
She uses a wide variety of country garden flowers that are in season. Strong favourites in the summertime are peonies and roses, especially the big country garden variety, along with white oriental lilies.
Classic white and green arrangements are always popular but Richelle mixes in a variety of beautiful foliages like eucalyptus, stock, pierus, manuka, protea and whatever berries are available such s hypericum, and viburnum into her arrangements.
Richelle loves the trend of dried flowers in bouquets and wall hangings, wreaths and dramatic arrangements. She dries a lot of them herself from her own garden as well as what she finds in the markets, and friends who let her come and pick.
“What I really love about dried flowers is that you can just go totally wild with your arrangements as they have a real strength about them and they’re not too fragile. They last virtually forever and there’s so many different ways of arranging them.”
“I am loving the dyed hydrangeas and fan palm and especially New Zealand natives. The toi toi, wheat, banksia and dried protea are so gorgeous and so very New Zealand. Every home should have a little bit of Kiwi dried fauna – it’s so uniquely us!”
Richelle’s dried arrangements might have a mix of dried, fresh, preserved flowers and even a sneaky little silk flower popped in occasionally.
She usually wraps them in brown paper and delivers them by hand, but as a keen second hand store shopper, has plenty of little vases to complement the right look.
• Definitely keep them out of direct sunlight so they don’t fade, says Richelle.
• If you place them upright in a vase they stay looking fresher for longer.
• A really handy tip is spraying them with hairspray which helps to retain the colour. Also they prefer to be in a cool and dry area.
• Give them a little fluff up every so often – just blow on them to remove dust or if you have to, use a feather duster just lightly.
• And definitely, definitely do not get them wet! So absolutely do not put them in your bathroom!
Other than that, it’s plain sailing! 🙂
Richelle will soon be running dried arrangement workshops. Details on the Flourish Floral Instagram page. Be quick though as numbers limited to 4 per class with a glass of bubbles.
Waiheke Island’s annual, and hugely popular, walking festival is coming up and it’s bigger and better than ever, so dig out your hiking boots, get some mates together and start your stretches!
Now in its eleventh year, the Waiheke Walking Festival is this year an 18-day event offering a huge range of walks from 11 – 29 November 2020.
The walks vary in length from a couple of hours to a few days and offer various levels of effort to ensure all abilities and interests are catered for. You’ll find photography walks, music, conservation, fitness, history, story telling and even booze walks!
Josh Emmett and Oyster Inn are leading a 6km oyster and bubbles walk from Oneroa Beach this year. There’s a 4km Brewer’s Loop from Onetangi Sports Park with beer tastings along the way, and a gin and tonic making walk with high tea and bubbles ending at Batch Winery.
How fit do you need to be?
Many walks are family-friendly and not strenuous, while some of the walks end up at Waiheke’s vineyards to allow participants to enjoy the local food and wine on offer. There are beach clean ups and scavenger hunts for the kids, some are dog friendly, there’s even a nine-day walk covering 10-12km per day.
How much does it cost?
Most of the walks are free, but as numbers are limited you’ll need to register as soon as tickets are released (see below about becoming a Friend of the Festival) as they fill up quickly. Several walks are in the $20-$35 bracket and one is $450 for 3-day walk with accommodation.
How many people can join each walk?
With COVID-19 now a reality in our world, walks will be operating at a limited capacity of walkers this year. But to counter the smaller number on each walk, the festival is longer in duration and some of the more popular walks are repeated more than once. See details for each walk here >
Becoming a Patron or a Friend ($100) of the Festival will assist with early access (starting from September 17th) for booking your choice of walks, helping to increase your chance of getting onto the walks you want to.
A few Waiheke Walking Festival highlights…
Onetangi Progressive Lunch Walk – This year the walk offers two date options at different restaurants, hitting some of the best food spots on Waiheke Island. Eat and drink at Casita Miro, Tantalus Estate and Three Seven Two on Thursday 12th November ($110) or Obsidian, Shed at Te Motu and Three Seven Two on Thursday 26th November. Both walks are from 10am – 4pm ($95).
5-Day Te Ara Hura 100km Walk – This five day, 100km Te Ara Hura walking adventure which will see you circumnavigate Waiheke. Tackling 5-7 hours of walking every day at a moderate pace, you’ll get stunning views of Waiheke Island throughout the 20km stretches you’ll be doing each day. Wednesday 25th – 29th November ($150).
Mindfulness in Whakanewha – This two-hour walk will invigorate the mind and body. Walkers will experience how to use their senses with intent and connect them with nature and themselves. The medium grade walk will finish with spectacular views and a delicious, specially priced optional lunch and bubbles at Batch Winery. To ensure the experience is intimate and connected, bookings will be limited to max 30 people for this walk, happening on Tuesday 17th November, 10am – 12pm ($35).
ASTRONZ Night Sky Walk – This is a fantastic non-walking opportunity for an evening of astronomical adventure for all ages. View the night sky through telescopic equipment and hear fascinating information about what twinkles above from the experts at Astronz and Dark Sky Waiheke Island. Dress warmly and bring along a sense of wonder, Saturday 21st November, free to all walkers, bookings required.
Wild Herbal Gin and Tonic Walk – Join local Helen Elscott, well known medical herbalist, and gin maker, for the Wild Herbal Gin and Tonic Walk. Helen, from the popular Botanical’s Distillery, will lead walkers for a wander in Whakanewha Regional Park. The experience will then finish with a gin masterclass, high tea and bubbles at Batch winery, on Tuesday 24th November 1-4pm ($95).
Shrinrin-Yoku Forest Bathing Walk – Accredited nature and forest therapy guide, Gabrielle Young will host a forest bathing (Shinrin-Yoku) experience in Goodwin Reserve. Walkers will get the chance to slow down, connect with nature, become mindful, and open their senses during this special two-and-a-half-hour experience. The Forest Bathing Walk will take place Wednesday 25th November, from 9:30am – 12:30pm, and is free for participants, but must be booked prior to arrival.
Whakanewha Photograhpy Walk with Peter Rees – For moderately experienced amateur photographers, let brilliant landscape photographer Peter Rees guide you through beautiful Whakanewha Park sharing tips and ideas to further develop your photographic skills. Sunday 29th November, 10am-12pm, free to participants with bookings mandatory.
So, grab a group of friends, put the dates aside and use the festival as a good excuse to become healthier and fitter, and support local, whilst having fun! Head to the website for the programme, booking information and to sign up to the e-newsletter for updates. Tickets to the general public go on sale Thursday October 1st
See the full programme of Waiheke Walking Festival walks >
Explore our own backyard with a farm-to-fork master class like no other!
With the global pandemic putting a halt on our usual international holidays, exploring what’s on offer closer to home never sounded so appealing.
Auckland Scene has found a fun and educational farm-to-fork experience for food lovers, gardeners and those who simply want to discover something new, less than 40 minutes from Auckland.
The Good From Scratch Cookery School on a lifestyle property in coastal Muriwai is offering visitors master cooking classes with one of New Zealand’s most renowned and respected chefs – Michael and Bee Van de Elzen.
The couple opened the Good From Scratch Cookery School with the philosophy that food is best when it’s prepared from scratch.
The Van de Elzen’s cookery school offers a fun-filled day or half-day class option, that involves gathering the various ingredients from their small farm and learning about that produce’s importance to the day’s menu.
The preparation and cooking of the dishes is a hands-on experience for all and ends with everyone eating the meal they made, washed down with a selection of local wines, craft beers and homemade sodas!
“The farm is a labour of love and we want to share this unique piece of paradise with our Kiwi whanau,” says Michael, who has starred in a number of Kiwi television shows, including more recently Eat Well For Less New Zealand on TVNZ 1.
“Bee and I love welcoming people from all walks of life to enjoy what our cookery school has to offer. It’s a unique experience and our ultimate aim is for people to walk away smiling, satisfied in the knowledge they’ve learnt and with the food they’ve created but most importantly, nourished in the understanding that ‘good from scratch’ is essential for a healthy life.
“Bee shares my passion of preparing food from scratch and has supported me immensely on my journey to educate New Zealanders, especially children, about healthy eating and showing people how easy and cheap it is to cook a healthy meal. The Good From Scratch Cookery School helps us to further to deliver that message.”
The school is a ‘dream come true’ for the chefs, with it being in the planning for over 20 years. Along the way, the ambitious couple have run many successful restaurants including award-winning Molten, Food Truck Garage and Boy and Bird. Michael is also the author of five cookbooks and works with a number of companies under his Good From Scratch brand.
“The initial thought was conceived when Bee and I were working in a small luxury hotel in an Irish village called Dundrody. What made this award-winning hotel such a success was that the majority of the produce cooked for its guests came from its own gardens. Both Bee and I knew then that this was what we wanted to create in New Zealand.”
The first step to turn their dream into reality, was the Van de Elzen’s purchase of a small farm in the beautiful Muriwai Valley in 2015. They fell in love with the land so much they put an offer in without even looking at the house.
Set on 15 acres of land, Michael and Belinda have developed the farm to now include an orchard, greenhouse and kitchen gardens, where their focus is to share in the simplicity of creating flavoursome dishes from scratch, including gathering and picking seasonal produce, right at the doorstep of the cookery school.
The farm also houses chickens, honeybees, cattle and pigs all of which are reared on the property producing honey, eggs and meat for use in the classes.
The orchard and gardens have an abundance of heirloom variety specimens such as Early Strawberry and Peasgoodnonsuch apples, Billingtons plums, Monavale almonds and Warkworth apricots, to name just a few. The Good from Scratch classes will tap into all that the farm offers as well as local in-season ingredients from neighbouring farms.
The Good For Scratch Cookery School also offers bespoke cookery events, including a recent Pig. Smoke. Fireday classwhere home cooks learnt about butchery, small goods, smoking and cooking over flames. Pig. Smoke. Fire was led by talented butcher Francesco Visco alongside Michael. In the school holidays, look out for their classes for little chefs.
For more information and to book a unique farm-to-fork experience visit goodfromscratch.co.nz
I’ve been meaning to walk Waiheke’s headland Sculpture on the Gulf trail for ages and finally last weekend I did. It was also the hottest day we’ve had so far this summer (of course!), but my friend had come over for the day so along we shuffled and nattered under the blazing sun and this is what we saw…
If you want views to to upload killer Instagram pics then the Sculpture Trail has it in spades. Here are just 4 of my favourite photos, but I could have filled this post for days!
Outside of this event, there are plenty of other trails and walks past lavish homes and rolling hills, so allow a couple of hours on your next visit to Waiheke to wander along one.
From 250 initial proposals from artists, 34 were eventually selected. What I would have liked was a brief description from each artist as to their inspiration and meaning. Maybe artists just don’t do that lest they take away from my interpretation, but honestly some were too wacky for me yet probably had a cool story if it had been told.
So I probably need to write a small disclaimer here: I don’t really understand “modern” art. Wacky art. The Emperor is wearing no clothes kind of art. Don’t get me wrong, there are several stunning pieces here – and they’re all for sale. But some? Welllll, I’ll let you decide whether you want to fork out a cool $20K…
I did like this one. Like fish hanging on lines to dry with carved tuis on each post
This installment was weird! Buried gemstone, it was called. Bricks by any other name! And it could be yours for $21,000
I loved these flying birds catching the light. I understood that!
This was cool too. Phantom Fleet made from marine grade stainless steel. Three waka hanging in the gnarly pohutukawa tree and all for sale for around $50K each.
Nope sorry. Didn’t get what this hose reel was about. We did wonder how the artist would recreate it exactly for the buyer too!
I’m sure this had a good meaning. Some kind of totem, but it was lost on me.
This was a close call with the bricks as to wackiness. Sorry. What? Why? Who would?
The coloured panels are called 12 Intervals and made of plywood. This could be yours for $26,000
I liked this one too.
These are just some of the amazing and weird installations and you have from January 27 to February 19, 2017 to see them.
For more info including buying your ticket for $10 (however they call it a donation) with your ferry pass, click onto headland Sculpture on the Gulf website >>