Amazing amazing amazing. Really consistent quality. I advise ordering spicy chicken udon, and eating a few pieces of sushi while you wait! Delicious.

Hana Sushi has really great quality take away sushi. They’ll even make it fresh to order. Great service, so yum.

The flagship St Pierre store really sets a high standard for the chain. Great deals, a huge variety - excellent place for lunch when you’re on K road.

Such a simple menu but everything is so amazing! I recommend the Salmon Karaage - don’t hold back on the japanese mayo.

This is understated exterior houses one of the best Japanese restaurants in Auckland. The food here is so good. We save it for special occasions - not because it’s prohibitive expensive - but just because it’s that good.

There is so much light in this cafe! It has great vibes for constructive conversation - the space is very versatile, so great for gathers of 2 to 8 people!

Alleluya is a great space for creative meetings. I always feel inspired sitting in the old arcade surrounded by greenery with great brews!

Atomic has lots of space. The large table in the centre makes this a good spot for meetings of different sizes. Lovely outdoor seating. The coffee here is hard to top.

Cosset is great for meetings for two. They have lots of cute intimate spaces in this wee adorable cafe. Not to mention their excellent coffee.

Amazing courtyard right in the heart of the city. Great place to meet up for those who work walking distance from the CBD. Amazing menu and lovely staff.

This is a pretty good place to start when looking for a gift for brothers, fathers and boyfriends. DVDs are a tried and true option. Or check out their range of the latest igadget accessories.

Whenever I venture into a hallensteins store I am quite surprised by their ever expanding range of MAN THINGS - by which i mean cool accessories and trinkets that dudes are into. A pretty good place to stop in when shopping for a male.

Every nerd boys wet dream - ubertec has an amazing range. You will definitely find a gift for the technically savvy man in your life here.

Who knew there were so many bells and whistles associated with vehicular transport! Well there are, and some of them are pretty dang cool. Definitely check out out Repco when buying for a motorhead male friend.

Tools for your tool guys! An impossibly large range to suit the needs and interests of anyone you might be buying for.

One of my favourite things is finding a red checkered picnic blanket, a wicker basket and stocking up on the amazing french bread & cheese from the Pyrenees deli. Find a quiet spot on Mt Albert and picnic away - divine.

This quaint french establishment is open 7am-10pm every day - making it perfect for early morning coffee, brunch dates or wines with friends. French wait staff always round off the experience for me. A+

A lovely weekend activity. You can always find some delicious fresh goodies. Best enjoyed with good company.

The pinnacle of fine dining, French-style in our fair city. An excellent place to celebrate special occasions with a touch of class and very happy tummies.

French for ‘The Pantry’ this place is so bloody adorable I swoon every time I walk past. I highly recommend the smoked salmon crepe.

Over the last few years Basement has supported the Auckland theatre scene and helped it blossom into what it is today. The new look is amazing and classy. I love having a drink there. The staff are impossibly friendly!

Centrally located, this 186-seat theatre is perfect for intimate performances. The slanted seating makes for excellent viewing from every seat in the house. Really well maintained venue. Always a pleasant evening.

Q has a range of different performance spaces to suit different types of performance. There is so much flexibility even within each of the spaces. Not to mention that the bar and restaurant are a lovely way to start or finish an evening.

A staple in community theatre. Walking into this lovely Art Deco style building always feels a bit fancy. Great performances can be seen in this versatile space. They had me at orchestra pit!

Both the full 448 seat Maidment Theatre and the more intimate 104 seat Musgrove studio are excellent theatre venues. I’ve seen an array of different uses for the Maidment space and all of them done perfectly. They put on some great traditional performances - a great place to see upcoming talent in the Auckland Theatre community.

The pure size of this place gets me excited. Their craft supply section is exhaustive. I can go in here with no ideas but a crafty spirit and come out with three different projects!

So many great bits’n’bobs in here. You can find lots of little elements for craft projects. So much bling!

If you need fabric for any upcoming projects - Nicks is the place to go. A great range but not a huge daunting warehouse. Very friendly service and amazing prices.

From paints and canvas to buttons and ribbons to hooks and jars - Geoff’s has everything you’ll need for any crafty endeavour - and at a very reasonable price.

A den of crafty goods. Geoff’s North Shore brother - Ike’s in an excellent place for shore folk to go for all their craft supply needs. Great selection, friendly service.