On a lazy Sunday morning, I love stuffing my face with Sweet Mother’s enormous breakfast burrito.

Fidels on Cuba are a haven for vegans especially in terms of baking. The blackberry, peach and chocolate muffins are amazing and animal product free. Wooo whoo!

Tucked away in a back alley, this unassuming cafe is a favourite spot to camp out on a rainy day and drink a pot of tea and read the paper. It dark and warm and the atmosphere always has a little buzz which makes it easier to concentrate on what you’re doing. Come a sunny day it’s good to pop outside too and enjoy the sun.

It’s a bit of a way out of town, but if you don’t live in Lyall Bay it is definitely worth the trip. The food here is amazing — I love the crispy manuka honey smoked bacon that they use — and despite it always, always being busy the service is impeccable.

Possibly the coolest cafe down the "business" end of town, Thunderbird has the Cuba Street vibe just with a few more suits at lunch time. The food is hearty and delicious with a range of cabinet food available for you to grab if you’re in a hurry.

Two words - Gingerbread pancakes! Who knew they existed, but you won’t be able to think of anything else once you’ve tried them.

On a lazy Sunday morning, I love stuffing my face with Sweet Mother’s enormous breakfast burrito.

Fries? Hardly. More like potato bricks. The chips from the Mount Vic Chippery are divine. The fresh spuds are thick handcut beauties which are lovingly fried so they’re crisp and delish. Oh and try the kumara chips, the best in town.

This innocuous little diner down Bond Street is one of Wellington’s gems. The Fisherman’s Plate serves up some of the best chips in Wellington as well as a selection of amazing fresh Vietnamese dishes. All amazing.

Fat hand cut chips and an array of seafood make the fish and chip shop on Aro Street an institution. My fave is the chips. Can’t beat ‘em.

You can spend hours lost in this amazing book store and pick up anything from a physics text book to a bird watching manual.

If you’re looking for a rare New Zealand classic novel, or something about spoons made in Vienna during the reign of Franz Joseph I you’re in luck. Ferret has it all. This eclectic but impressive range of secondhand books will drive any book nut wild.

When I go into Unity, I end up either a) spending at least three hours in there browsing the huge selection of thought provoking reads or b) buy about a million books so I can read them at home. Either way I am never disatisfied by the outcome of entering this Wellington institution.

Having floor to ceiling bookshelves filled with tomes of wisdom and knowledge is a not so secret dream of mine, but sadly not a reality. Enter Parsons books. This nook of intelligent book choices down Lambton is a sanctuary of awesomeness in an otherwise busy part of town. Check out their wide selection of books then pop up stairs to enjoy it with a cuppa.

The smell of old books is truly intoxicating. It fires the synapses in my brain telling me that learning and knowledge must be somewhere in the near vicinity. So when you walk into Quilters be prepared for you brain to go into knowledge hungry overdose. The huge collection of preloved books and the cosy nook down Ghuznee street is sure to lure you in.

When you walk into Hawthorne Lounge it’s like stepping back in time to a 1920s speakeasy. The open fire and the felt-topped tables lend themselves to intimate games of backgammon over classy drinks made by the knoweldgeable bar staff. Also you can toast marshmallows. SO GOOD.

$4 bottomless coffee, this is the perfect place to sit in the window and watch the world go by.

A favourite spot to grab a drink and enjoy the summer sun, St. Johns is a Wellington icon with it’s character interior and prime waterfront location you won’t be disappointed.

If I drank beer, I would def drink a lot of it here. Regardless, this basement bar is a cool place to grab a drink (whether or not it had alcohol in it). With the wide selection of craft beer and conspiratorially low ceilings you’ll feel the epitome of cool grabbing a drink down here.

Loving the new tasting menu, each plate a new taste sensation. It’s dim light interior is a great place for a date.

When you walk into Hawthorne Lounge it’s like stepping back in time to a 1920s speakeasy. The open fire and the felt-topped tables lend themselves to intimate games of backgammon over classy drinks made by the knoweldgeable bar staff. Also you can toast marshmallows. SO GOOD.

I like reading, but sadly the public library closes early on a Saturday night and they frown upon you drinking in there. Luckily Library bar encourages both reading and drinking (in my case non-alcoholic). The great waitstaff are happy to recommend a drink to suit your mood and a book to go with it.

Ombra is a great place to kick off a night on the town. The tapas style food is always amazing — try the grilled sardines with lemon and parsley — and the dink selection is good for those who are sober too. The place is always packed, which is a testement to how amazing the food and service is. Be prepared to wait for a table, it is worth it.

The thick aroma of wood-fire cooked meat is rich and delicious and will fire up your taste buds from the moment you walk into El Matador. Another great place to line your stomach in preperation for a night out on the town, this Argentinian style steak house is truely a wonder.

From comedy to country music there is always something good happening at SFBH. A wide array of local and international acts play at this venue. Make sure you get tickets though because queues often go halfway up Cuba on a busy night. The balcony is good during summer months too to get fresh air and enjoy the warm nights out.

You can get lost in here for hours, even days. I always find something new every time I go.

This may be my favourite place in Wellington, there is something really amazing about seeing wildlife in its natural habitat.

Swimming is fun no matter what age you are. The Wellington Aquatic centre is great for a family day out whether you want to splash around in the kids pool with your kids or, if they’re a bit older go sit in a private spa while they play.

No matter how old — or young you are — Wellington’s Zoo is a full day of adventure. From the howling gibbons to the Kiwi house there are enough cute critters here to entertain adults and children alike. My favourite animal would be a toss up between the giraffes and the meerkats, although the native birds are pretty cool too. I once did a close encounter with the giraffes and got to feed them. It was ridiculously fun.

Having used the cable car to get to up to uni for many years I am always amazed by the looks of wonder that children get as they ride to the top of Kelburn on this antique. There is something about the experience that kids love and once they get to the top the museum and the botanic gardens await.