Ahhh the ol' Bruce Mason! I remember when it first opened. We were absolutely chuffed to finally…read morehad a decent sized theatre on the North Shore. Since then I reckons it's gone from strength to strength. It's not the prettiest theatre i've seen but it now gets many of the same shows as the Aotea Centre and in my opinion, it's a much better size - literally no matter where you're sitting you get a good view. There's also a decent bar and Daikoku is right next door - who doesn't love Teppanyaki!

Thanks to the Bruce Mason Center, the North Shore gets to have a slice of the Auckland performing…read morearts pie! This multi-purpose built venue may not be on par with the heritage theatre buildings in downtown Auckland, but it isn't without uniqueness. The Center is associated with New Zealand's most prominent playwright, Bruce Edward George Mason and home to some of his memorabilia which are on display in the main foyer. The Bruce Mason Centre offers hassle-free parking with direct access to the venue and there's plenty of nearby options for pre-concert drinks or dining. So in the realm of performing arts, one can break a leg on both sides of the Harbour bridge!!!

Pretty scary! My family and I did the 13+ and did the haunted house, woods, and disturbia. We all…read moreagreed that haunted house was the scariest. Definitely recommend for people who love a good scare!

NO Matter how many times i got to this place it scares the hell outta me... however towards the end…read moreits really rib-tickling funny.The actors are so scary,the corn field and the chain saw guy chasing us is just amazing hahaha.... its fun to see all the girls shout and scream and start running away ftrom the chain saw guy.. the 3D maze is stupid i loved the corn field haha..and the haunted house !! Try it out guys :)

Auckland to me is like a flashy magician or something. It's always pulling something out of its hat…read moreand acting all come hither like, 'Don't you want to get involved Sophie? Why yes Auckland I do thanks. The Auckland arts festival is just one of Auckland's many white rabbits. Being staged from the 6th of March through to the 24th it is an all inclusive tour de force. To kick it off one of the biggest fire shows of the year was put on in the domain, this show entitled 'Breath of the Volcano' was inspired by the Volcanic cones of Auckland, and was an outdoor theatre spectacular like nothing I've ever seen. The fireworks were able to be seen city wide. One of my favourite events of this festival and I've been to a few was 'White Night' , where Auckland's cultural epicentres like its museums and art galleries stayed open after dark, till late. It was a remarkable opportunity to explore my new city from a wholly different perspective. Honestly I couldn't recommend this festival enough.

For me, the best thing about Auckland Arts Festival is that you can be as involved as you want to…read morebe. If you want to go to watch a performance, there are loads of plays to choose from (this year, I'm going to see Hui) as well as Opera, ballet, dance-theatre...the list is endless and there's enough variety to suit everyone. Alternatively, if you don't want to be that involved, you can go sit for free in the Festival Garden on Queen Street (where I spent almost all of Saturday afternoon) watching live music performances on wooden benches with a glass of the Stoneleighs wine that is available on-site. And if you're not even up for the that, just walk down Dominion Road and you'll find loads of free street performances from the Auckland Theatre Company on at various times throughout the festival. An annual event that takes place over three weeks every year, the Arts Festival is such a fantastic event and great way for everyone in the city to appreciate local and international theatre right here in the city. It's something really worthwhile to get involved in.

I love the Corban's Art centre. Has consistently great exhibitions which showcase local and…read morenational artists, workshops in which you can chat to local artists and a fantastic gift shop which is always my first stop if I want to buy a gift with an Aotearoa flavour. Also runs community art workshops and has a lovely coffee shop. Love it!

I have just discovered my favourite art gallery in Auckland!!! Yay!!!!…read more I had heard about this place in the past, even considered applying for a job in their shop at one stage, but because I don't go out to Henderson all that much it just had never happened, so earlier this week I made a lunch date with my husband at the Corban Arts Estate Cafe (also a winner on my list of Auckland's finest haunts, please refer to separate review to find out why...). After our yummy lunch he headed back to work and I went of gallery viewing... The gallery has three separate rooms but all under the same roof, as you enter the front building. The gallery space is not ample, but laid out professionally and aesthetically. There was three shows exhibiting whilst I was visiting, my personal favourite was by the artist Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi, a name that may be challenging to pronounce but worth remember, this artist is a very skilled craftsman. His work revolved around La Lava, "the Tongan art of lashing or binding". He demonstrated his art through several mediums, from weaving intricate and time consuming wool pieces displayed on the wall, to building large and small geometric designs with timber. They created wonderful patterns for eye and mind to appreciate. I also liked the lightings relationship with the art, creating shadows of the designs playfully across the wall. Plus, the framing was matched beautifully, unique double edges that brought the work forward bringing extra life to the forms. Last, but not least was a really great shop were the artists (in residence) sold their mix of talents - from pottery, paintings, upcycled crafts, jewellery, cards and much more. And at affordable prices! If you haven't been to Corbans before then it is time to go; if you have been there before then go again.

The Pacific Star Bistro at the Glen Eden RSA does quite a nice roast dinner on a Friday night, and…read moretalk about economical it's just $15 for the carvery which of course comes with the salad bar and desserts. A friendly club which welcomes new families, you do not need to be a member of the armed forces to join remember, they are always looking to increase their membership. Quite a few people I know enjoy networking at their local RASA. Glen Eden is no exception. They have regular dance bands, social clubs like darts and snooker, and entertainment for the young and old.

The Glen Eden RSA is actually a lot better than it's reputation. The people are friendly, the bar…read moreis neat and tidy, there's a few pool tables, some dart boards, a stage, a restaurant, a dance floor, and of course, the drinks are cheap. Because everyone there has to be a member or invited by a member, most people there are generally friends and nice people. A huge range of ages, from the oldies to younger members newly joined to the club. By becoming a member you can join heaps of the RSA clubs, including the 8 Ball club, the cruise club, and they always go away on group trips around the country visiting other RSAs. Heaps of parking outside, and they run a van to take everyone home, contributing to fixing the drunk driving problem we seem to have in this country. A nice place on a Sunday arvo or for a Friday night out.

LOVE what Aucklands been up to lately! I feel like over the past decade and particularly the last…read morefive years we have transformed into a cool city with lots of great public spaces. Silo park is the epitome of this with it's markets, free concerts, free dance lessons on a Sunday, basketball hoops, water features and much more! They also have a great range of events in the Silos themselves such as art exhibitions with my favourite two thus far being the time lapse of NZ landscapes with accompanying music through headphones while lounging on beanbags and if course Tom Gould and Anna Delanys Two of a Kind exhibition. Added bonus that you can go for a fish off the rocks a bit further down Keep up the great work Silo Park!

Definitely a community park with a unique history, Silo Park in Auckland NZ is located right off of…read morethe harbor in Wynyard Quarter. When we visited on a Sunday afternoon, it was very much alive with children, many of whom were practicing to ride their bikes (some with training wheels, many were not) at the adjacent parking lot. It is so named because of the 7 silos that dominate the scenery around the park. They were built and used to store cement, but have now been converted into an art and exhibition center and movie screen for outdoor cinema. How cool is that!

The food is good. The staff are nice. But there is bird poop all over the tables. I think that if…read moreyou would go take some anti-bacterial wipes

Howick Historical Village is a superb family day out. Think of it as education disguised as fun for…read morethe kids, and fun disguised as education for the adults. Go on a 'live day' when people are wandering around in full costume, going about their daily business of spinning, making charcoal, or generally being ye olde villagers. There's a toy shop, a sweet shop, a school, a church, a waterwheel, and more, as well as a traditional Maori hut and lots of little houses filled with beautiful quilts - all of which you're free to explore. Don't miss out on the tea and scones they serve in the cafe, they're scrumptious.

Q Theater is a nice venue, however I found it quite confusing. You walk in and don't know whether…read moreto yield right and order food, or go left. Where is the box office? Why are there no signs designating show times? I was seeing a comedy show there a few weeks ago and didn't know what to do when I arrived. After I made a circuit around I stopped at a desk at front that appeared to be the box office. I asked what to do for the show and was told to keep an eye out for when folks gather in a certain area - which would indicate the show I wanted to see would start. Ummm, ok. I'd arrived early so I decided to grab food. I ordered a burger and fries and a cider. Those items came out and I found myself with nowhere to sit. Q Theater was packed! I ended up asking a nice lady if I could sit with her just to eat. Luckily she allowed it. The burger wasn't good, but I think it's because I come from the land of burger. The cider was decent. The comedy show itself was good but was in a small basement space with folding chairs. That's on par for what I paid so, can't complain there.

Blood, sweat and lots of fundraising (over 10 years) have brought us 'Q Theatre'!…read more Purpose-built space with the 'Rangitira' theatre that holds 400+ people, which is the largest auditorium at Q. The 'loft' is more of an intimate performance space with capacity for 110 people. There is also the 'vault' that is a cute rehearsal space that you can hire for $20 per hour. Having experienced both auditoriums, they both cater to maximise good visibility, adequate lighting, comfortable seating in a truly 'thespian' way. Q also have a cafe/bar which is heavily stocked with daily specials, artisan menu and great wines by the glass. You can sit in the foyer, in the bar, or outside for a catch-up with a friend, or pre-drink before a show. Lastly Q is in Queen Street - houses productions by Silo Theatre and Auckland Theatre Company and is one 'hip' venue to acquaint. Yelping Ab Fab.