Watching NZ play Australia in World Cup cricket. Couldn't get tickets to the game so had lunch at…read moreMamak and now am at Vulture's Lane. Seems to be the place to be. Massive selection of beers and nachos are $5.00 today. Had a pint of Garage Project and now thinking about a pint of 8WiredSemiconductor!

A charming little lane off Queen Street with lots of good bars and other shops of interest. It's…read morethe little lanes like this that make the CBD interesting and offer welcoming relief from the blandness of Queen Street. There's a few good bars, namely The Belgian Beer Cafe; O Carrolls Irish bar and the best of all: Queensferry Hotel. The first time I came here in 2007 (on holiday) I recall browsing in a cool record store and buying a Bob Dylan album. That store is gone now but it indelibly marked Vulcan Lane as one of the cooler places in the CBD. The Vulcan cafe is a good spot to watch the people go by and another useful addition to the lane is Wishbone Deli. In case you haven't read my review, it's got a great selection of pastas and risottos which are great if you are on the go. A bit of cult place to Aucklanders, there's a lively vibe here and there is always something going on.

Awww how I wish we had something like this in Hawaii. ALL the foods looked great. The smoked salmon…read morewas by FAR the best I've had. So delicious, wish we had bought more! But it was our last night in Auckland. Some of the extras actually made the journey with us to Queenstown. Enough vendors to get your fill on the spot as well as to go. A nice assortment of foods that you still need to prepare, sides, breads, smoothies, etc. Worth a visit as a local or a tourist!

Voted Auckland's best food market by a local newspaper, La Cigale French Market is held every…read moreSaturday from 8 AM to 1:30 PM and Sunday from 9 AM to 1:30 PM. This market is inspired by the wonderful food markets found in France. This market didn't exist when I lived in New Zealand in 2003, but I figured it would be an eye-opening experience to compare and contrast the Otara Polynesian Market. This market is just a 20-minute drive from the Otara Market, but will feel worlds away with its much pricier food options, perfectly primped dogs, live jazz performances and wine bars. If you're into high-end experiences, this will be your jam.

I suppose you can guess by the name that not everyone knows about this little gem of a cakery. They…read moredon't have a physical address but they make all of their cakes to order you just have to enquire, they are quite possibly the best cakes in Auckland. For one, each cake is a work of art I mean they are just stunning and they also taste incredible, you can tell that all the ingredients are top quality. You can order from their awesome website which has a full gallery showing all the different cakes they can do (as well as cupcakes). Their instagram account is also so much fun to follow just search amyssecretkitchen. My favourite cake of theirs is the hot pink rose case, it would be perfect for a birthday especially a 21st. They top their cakes off with this adorable miniature bunting and it really finishes everything off, they look so beautiful you almost don't want to cut into them, but then you do :) Note: They don't have opening hours they just make to order.

I have to say, as free events go, this has to be one of the best I've been to, be that here in…read moreAuckland or back in Blighty (to be honest, the council would have charged for this kind of event back in the UK). The imagination behind the installations at this years Art in the Dark was amazing, with so many of the pieces having my wife and I going "wow". I had no idea that Western Park was so big, as I've only ever passed the park from Ponsonby Road. The event organisers made great use of the space and really showed off the natural beauty of this park. Although, better lighting on some of the footpaths may be something to think about for next year, especially the paths being lifted up by stretching tree roots. From the very cool QR Code mobile to the giant fish riding around on cycles, we very much enjoyed our first time at Art in the Dark and look forward to next years.

I feel like I'm a couple of years late to the Art In The Dark party…read more.. Awesome idea - wander through Western Park in the dark, check out light installations for FREE. The only problem was it was waaaay too busy. Painfully so. The line moved at a snail's pace and with people packed in like sardines it was rather claustrophobic. This was my first time to Art In The Dark so I don't have a point of comparison but I think it was particularly bad this year because of the weather. It had been raining, hard, for a couple of days beforehand so you couldn't leave the paths without the risk of falling over, which we saw several people do. Hilarious, when it's not you... Also, the bad weather meant that come Sunday (the last day and also the first break in the miserable weather), every man and his dog were there. Plus we went just after it got dark. Rookies. My recommendation is to go a little later, after all the kids have gone to bed. I think it's awesome that Auckland plays host to annual free events like this and it's unfortunate that the weather didn't play ball but I can't help that think that perhaps it's time they moved to a bigger (and flatter) park.

Queens Wharf in Auckland is a cool mix of old and new right on the waterfront. It's a great place…read moreto walk around, with nice views of the harbour, especially when cruise ships are in. I walked around for an afternoon and went to the shopping area and some of the speciality shops while checking it out.

If you arrive by smaller cruise ships to Auckland you dock here…read more Larger ships dock in the industrial area and a bus takes you to Queen's Wharf. You can't walk through the commercial area. You'll be dropped off at The Cloud on the wharf. Public restrooms are available inside. The wharf is located Quay Street and Queen Street right in the heart of Auckland. The area is a mix of beautiful historical buildings and new. You can shop or dine along the waterfront. Wander in and out of the buildings and enjoy the architecture too. Passenger ferries can be caught here also. Leave the wharf through the stunning red brick gates and enjoy the high end shopping of CBC of Auckland. Know that days a ship is docked, the area is quite congested with foot traffic.

Khartoum Place is a square situated between Kitchener and Lorne St in the heart of Auckland city…read more It is right beside the Auckland Art Gallery and is just as worth a visit as the gallery is. The Place is characterized by a multi-level waterfall and paintings of the Women's Suffrage Movement - a part of history very important within New Zealand, as we were the first country to give women the right to vote. This pedestrianed square therefore acts as a memorial to women's suffrage. Not only is a Place the quickest way to cut through from the university to Queen St, it is also a lovely place to meet friends for lunch or coffee. A downside however is that it doesn't get much sun so it can be quite nippy there in the late afternoon. I recommend taking a jumper and grabbing a hot drink from the Esquires cafe located directly opposite the Place.

Nestled between Lorne Street and Kitchener Street beneath the Art Gallery and Albert Park beyond,…read moreKhartoum Place is perhaps my favourite public square in Auckland. The surrounding buildings give the square a feeling of being a semi-enclosed outdoor room, while the two large plane trees set in the middle of the square always keep it feeling cool and secluded. It's somehow serene in a way that belies its central city location, and ever so slightly grungy with the arty types (and homeless) that often occupy the space. The stairs that take you up to the Art Gallery are a tiled artwork/water feature commemorating the Womens' suffrage movement, so there's even a bit of history built in. In short, this little square has character in spades - great place to just sit and people watch.

A very picturesque spot in Auckland behind the stunning St Patrick's Cathedral, St Patrick's Square…read moreis a place to take a breather from the inner city rush. Whether you'd like to sit next to a relaxing fountain stream, read a book underneath the shade of a tree on some well-kept grass, feed the pigeons or read the wall of important things to do before you die, this spot has all of those. The neon blue glow at night reminds me of a stage musical, as the water cascades down the hill in a dramatic way. It's an enjoyable place. I wish there were more spots like it, both inside and outside the city.

Auckland is slowly playing catch-up with providing quality urban public spaces, and St Patrick's…read moreSquare is a perfect case in point. This is urban design at its best. The focal point is the eponymous St Patrick's Cathedral at the southern end which is surrounded by stately paving. The northern end forms a series of grassy steps with a water feature and cool sculptures. It's a favoured lunchtime spot for the office workers in the area, as well as the hordes of students at the nearby language schools, so it's always colourful and full of people during the day. At night the water features glow a cool neon blue - very cool!

Public spaces in the central city have been designed in mind of developing an interesting…read morepedestrian environment. A special feature of many of these spaces is the acknowledgement of their particular cultural significance, the signpost that indicates Mahuhu ki te Rangi Park is evident of this, as it tells the story of where the park takes its name from (which has particular Maori significance). Native plants are also an important part of this story. This park is directly across the road from Vector Arena and has been given the effect of being a sheltered, internally focused open area. There is a pond/fountain, a staged area with a gazebo type shelter to protect from the sun and a grassed area of course. This little spot is always busy when I'm there, boot camp fanatics, families with young ones, couples, just people out taking advantage of what the central city has to offer if you just bother to look hard enough.

Auckland Fringe is the coolest freedom of live performance art I have come across in New Zealand…read more Fringe has been around since 2009, and every year since presented a showcase of individual innovative works. I had a massive choice of where to go and what to see, as Fringe takes place in venues all over our beautiful cultured city from Parnell Baths to St Kevin's Arcade. The types of shows to choose from are cabaret/burlesque to dance, or music, outdoor, comedy, and theatre. I know we are spoilt for choice. As of recently a new wonderful production has re-emerged that of water ballet; it's been till last Fringe 2012 over fifty years since water ballet had been on stage so to speak in New Zealand. I was part of an audience of Swan Song, such a creatively intoxicating classical water ballet with modern music and a funky twist on the original classic. I witnessed 100 tutus all swishing and swirling simultaneously around the pools, a fantastic performance of artistic expression. Fringe is well worth your time and attention, and such an unforgettable experience.