Kerri R.'s
Best gift stores
- 18MixtKingslandMixt is an intentionally kitschy gift shop that stocks awesome art/home decor/general knick knacks, created by Kiwi artists and crafters. There’s loads of rad art prints, wall-mountings (ducks in suits? Yes please), jewellery, handcrafted vases and ceramics, greeting cards, lamps, it goes on. I like to get my thank you or birthday cards from Mixt… a screen-printed, New Zealand-designed card feels a lot more personal than a mass-produced Hallmark. The pricing is reasonable considering that most items there are handcrafted and unique. The retro and art focus really appeals to me, and I often find myself popping in to browse when I was really just planning on walking to the dairy. There’s also a retro furniture shop next door, under the Mixt name, but I try to avoid going in as everything inside is fantastic and I can’t fit any more furniture in my house.
- 226The Bread and Butter LetterAuckland CentralThe bread and butter letter is hip and local-focused. Jewellery, prints, stationery, tea – it’s an eclectic store and you’re likely to find the perfect gift within its walls… maybe for the person you’re shopping for, definitely for yourself. I recently bought an absolutely adorable clear, bell-shaped umbrella, and I get all excited when it rains.
- 35Super TrashMt EdenSuper Trash is an absolutely ridiculous store. I love it. It sort of feels like it’s your grumpy great-uncle’s attic, and you’re allowed to look through it but only if you don’t mess anything up. There’s a lot of trash, if we’re being honest, but there’s also a lot of treasure and it’s so much fun to wander around and pick through the piles- the place is just jam-packed with interesting bits and bobs, and if you’re looking for a weird and unique gift but don’t know what, this is a good place to find it. The owner/operator is a wee bit grouchy but you’ll leave with a bargain.
- 430Iko Iko AucklandNewtonIko Iko is one of my favourite stores to browse, as they have a great mix of weird things that you’d sort of expect to only find on the internet. For example – I got a ceramic statue of an origami stegosaurus. That’s just the tip of the iceberg as far as the sort of awesome thing they carry. Most stock is reasonably priced, and it’s a great place to look for a last-minute gift for any of the weird/hip people in your life.
- 549Mighty ApeRosedaleMighty Ape has a pretty impressive stock of weird & wonderful things, which makes it easy to find something perfect for just about anyone, regardless of age or level of nerdiness. The customer service, shipping, and quality are consistently fabulous. Mighty Ape is by far my favourite NZ place to shop online.
Kerri R.'s
Where to take your sweet tooth
- 157MoustacheAuckland CentralA milk and cookie bar is like something out of ten-year-old me’s dreams, and I’ve basically never bothered growing up so… Moustache is perfect. The shop itself is darling, the cookies are creative and delicious, the Paris tea tasted exactly like it smelled (incredible) and the vanilla bean milkshake made me wish I never had to not be drinking vanilla bean milkshake.
- 26Whoopie NewmarketNewmarketTry the italian hot chocolate. It’s basically like they’ve melted a cadbury bar, put it in a cup and said it’s okay to drink it. It’s super intense though so get a small, because you’ll want to try one of the whoopie cakes too. The peanut butter one is amazing, but I can’t imagine that any of them would disappoint!
- 354MilseAuckland CentralThis is a beautiful, fancy restaurant for desserts. DESSERTS ONLY. Which is amazing. They don’t take reservations so you have to be kinda lucky to get a seat, and it’s not inexpensive, but so very worth it.
- 422Andiamo Restaurant & BarHerne BayAndiamo isn’t a dessert-focused restaurant, and while I’ve found that many restaurants that are great for dinner kind of slack off when it comes to dessert, Andiamo is pretty exceptional for both… and because my favourite dessert in the world is on its menu, I think it deserves a spot on this list. I’ve been several times just for drinks and dessert because the vanilla bean pannacotta with wine poached pears is absolutely perfect.
Kerri R.'s
Cheap & cheerful dining
- 115Strawberry AlarmclockParnellThis is my favourite cafe. The meals are huge and $15 or less, the coffee is fantastic, and the courtyard in the back is cosy and bright.
- 227Petra ShawarmaKingslandThe food here is delicious, authentic, totally affordable, and the staff could not be any sweeter. They sometimes have little honey cakes they give away with your order which are basically manna from heaven.
- 314Toro BarKingslandI’m a huge fan of Mexican food. There are loads of different styles of Mexican in Auckland, and Toro is kind of on the tex-mex side. Two tacos and a bottle of sol with lime will run you $15 and it’s so good I haven’t really bothered trying anything else. The bar has a great, bustling environment that’s perfect for a casual night out.
- 445The Baker's CottageKingslandThe Bakers Cottage has pretty amazing sweets, but I’m always impressed by their selection of lunch foods – the sandwiches are huge and fancy as, and only ~$5, and they also have a fabulous selection of seasonal lunch dishes. In winter they have soups and warm pasta dishes, but summer is best because they have heaps of the most amazing salads. Like, ever. One of my favourite places to grab a table outside and enjoy lunch with a friend.
- 58Hulu Cat Tea House Anzac AvenueAuckland CentralHulu Cat is in the running for the most adorable restaurant in existence. Cat pictures on the walls, cat statues, figurines, pillows… it’s amazing. The seating is cosy (I always try to grab a couch), and the waffles are shaped like hearts. The bubble tea is delicious. But definitely get the waffles. :]