Bhana Brothers fresh fruit and vege shop has been around forever!! They supply the freshest, most perfectly arranged selection of exotic fruit and vegetables and the flowers are my favourite florist shop. I think I have been buying produce from this family for years and they're so lovely to deal with

Gosh I could wander around this place for hours ... everything you need is all under one roof and there's more to come too. Beautifully presented you can buy a bit here a bit there nice.

The fruit and vege store that hosts the Chinaman's Hill Bazaar (it's coming back next summer I hope) has a lovely array of fresh exotic and local fruit and vegetables and daily specials to keep an eye out for

There is nothing flash about this place, but the biggest selection of asian condiments, foods both fresh and preserved you will find in the Auckland CBD and if you need any plateware, flatware or plastic and bamboo accessories they've got those as well.

A lovely place for a quick bite to eat after browsing all of the delicatessan delights to be had.

Perfectly located this ex Shell Petrol station is about to go through a make-over with the entire forecourt and shop about to be newly renovated and re-installed. I love that you can actually get real service, with an attendant that will help you check the oil and water. The staff are really friendly and love to share a joke, a laugh and brighten everyone's day :) and if you need your car fixed or a WOF completed, just ask Vaughan in the Workshop next door and they'll be able to squeeze you into one of the busiest auto mechanic workshops in Ponsonby/Grey Lynn.

The cleanest shiniest looking workshop I have ever seen and super fast service and he always waves out to you as you drive past ... nice and friendly like

WOW who would have thought that an auto accessory shop could be so clean and organised lol and they sell everything you could think of for any car or vehicle. They've even got pink tool repair kits for those women out there that have already got everything

If you ever get caught out on the road miles away from a battery shop, just give Vince a call and he'll send out one of his man vans and they'll come get you going again. Vince is so good at this - he can give you a diagnosis over the phone of what's possibly wrong with your car and if it really needs to be brought in - he's got a great workshop ready to fix it for you :)

For a quick getaway meal that is nutritious and healthy, try the vegetarian lasagne and the apple custard pudding; made with organic ingredients and much love xx

Wendy's on Dominion Road is our first stop off when collecting our Rachel from the airport - I don't think they have Wendy's in Wellington lol. Taco salad - tasty and still a wee bit healthy if you ignore the sour cream

I love it when you ask the stallholder "how much is this?" and they say $2, and "and that?" $2 ... bargains !! for the best fruit and vege organically grown and tables loaded with 5 x loaves of fresh bread only $20, buy 4 x pottles of olives, feta cheese or any of the delicious hummus offerings and you get 1 x free - all for only $20 ... bargains and all delicious

I love Japanese food especially when served inside the snug confines of a real Japanese restaurant. Ramen Takara can be found on the edge of Browns Bay beach at the quiet end nestled amongst a few shops and they are always busy with people enjoying dishes like Tonkotsu Ramen pork flavoured noodles with egg hmmm

This entire market is all about good wholesome healthy food and it's a nice way to meet up with the kids and friends and graze on all the delicious offerings, mostly inorganically grown and bulging with sweetness and taste. I love how you can buy a bit of this and a bit of that and find a table somewhere and then enjoy

Jordan creates taste explosions in your mouth - you will be intrigued with the embellishments decorations unlike other traditional cake ensembles and even when you they're dissolving in your mouth you will be excited by the delicate flavours and unusual textures. Dark chocolate with pears and teeny bits of pistachio hmmm

One of the best things about Saturday morning brunch at home is the deliciously sweet twists of delectable almond and soft yoghurt bread from Diehl's!  It is so yummy, you can really taste the freshness and the authenticity.

Frasers Cafe is a bustling corner cafe in the middle of Mt Eden Village.  The french doors open wide to reveal a room crammed with people at tables and chairs and not a scrap of spare space available but do we care? No because the hovering and waiting while you place your order at the back of the shop is well worth it.  The service is fast, the food is delicious and lots of it, the quality of the sweets and pies are out of this world.  Binoffee pie made on site, delicious layers of caramel, banana slices, blancmange and topped with cream. 

What a great way to end a morning visit to the NEW Hobsonville Point community.  Catalina Cafe is a bright and cheerful cafe that serves delicious home made brunches and lunches with a delectable array of sweet treats, cakes, scones to tempt you and even ice-cream cones for the kids.  They have an amazing selection of cakes, wraps, sandwiches, pizzas and they even cater for folk who are gluten intolerant.  You won't be able to resist the al fresco dining with live music, a place to rest while the kids play.  They've even got a cosy, dining-room/lounge inside, perfect for those that prefer their tea in comfort.  Catalina is right next door to the Hobsonville Point Farmers Market and a short drive to Auckland's newest wharf and ferry service. 

Hmmmm my mouth is watering as I think of the delectable sweet treats awaiting. Who would imagine something so simple, the lightest thinnest crepes sprinkled with sugar and drops of lemon could taste so devine and yet refreshing ... délicieux

Where else could you wander amongst the mighty Moreton Bay Fig trees, walk barefoot over pebble mosaics amongst architectural ruins with a glorious view down to the city harbour and everyone's dogs are FREE to run and chase after each other off the leash?

The best things about this place are the children and lots and lots of dogs all running around playing and chasing things. Dogs love the zoom slide ramp and running around the fields chasing stuff. There's a paddling pool for the kids and acres of fields to wander through ... poor doggie can't quite make it all the way around.

This place is WILD and windswept, and easy to find along Meola Road. Just park amongst the flax and release the dog to run helter skelter along this long length of ancient lava flow that juts out into the harbour.

For the more sedate doggie walk, on the lead of course - can't have the wee thing being harrassed by all those honking geese and scary swan beasts lol. It's much nicer to go here on a sunny day, but you've got to dodge the ducky poo as you wander through the par and over bridges spanning pools of weedy water.

You really need a BIG dog to do this walk, preferably an alasation and our Snowy LOVED that place - he would catch rabbits, scared the bejesus out of me and then I'd be left with the spoils to sort out eek. Used to be filled with loads of pheasants when they let the grass grow naturally, but fairly good walk from Mt Albert through to Waterview.