The titan of the NZ Fashion scene, guys if you need to get a present for your girl you can do no wrong with something KW. She does the best sunglasses and jewellery hands down. The Ponsonby store has shifted up the road from where it used to be, and while it’s a little smaller now, it highlights the accessories and kind of feels like you’re walking into a Karen Walker jewellery box. Love it!

Miss Crabb has the best style! Her pieces are often one size fits all – which means you can spend hours playing around with different ways to tie them, or knot them to get different effects of draping. Her dresses are always so versatile, and because they’re a huge volume of silk they feel super luxe to wear. The colours are always gorgeous too. She also stocks Areez Katki knitwear, whose cool playful approach to colour and shape is the perfect accompaniment to her stuff. Love love love it!!

Ruby clothes always have a real sense of fun to them, and are super wearable. They use really cool fabrics with awesome prints. I’m always super excited when a new Ruby or Liam collection is about to drop (and maybe also a little scared because I know I’ll want everything). The High Street store is immaculate and I always get wonderful service here ☺

Ingrid Starnes pieces are proudly hand made in NZ. The cuts often hark back to decades past giving pieces a vintage sort of feel, and she works with a dyer to come up with exclusive colourways that you won’t find anywhere else, and are always fresh unexpected pops of colour – a stellar combination. The Newmarket store is super cute complete with vintage light fittings, and also stocks Ingrid Starnes lingerie pieces which are just beautiful as well as Miss Crabb and Penny Sage. Love it!

This store is light and airy and full of pretty things. Juliette Hogan pieces are always feminine and beautifully tailored, often simple, and in gorgeous soft colourways. Love the silk quilted jackets in here, and am really looking forward to getting my hands on some of the floral drawstring pants from the Kaleidoscope City collection dropping for summer – gorgeous and comfy!!

Props to Al Brown! One of my favourite additions to the akl food scene, this place is awesome! The Yodi, with pastrami, pickles, mustard and melted swiss cheese is delish - but my fav has to be the King which really lives up to its name - generous amounts of salmon and cream cheese. The kitchen is open which adds to the cool vibe of this place, you get to peek at the process behind it all.

Hands down my favourite burger place in the city - they get it right every time. The view of the city at night from the Ponsonby joint is amazing - the perfect backdrop to a laid back date. You can build your own burger to get exactly what you want, and they have some sweet vegetarian options too.

Love the Misodare tofu here! They have a shared vibe with the bar next door both in Ponsonby and the CBD so you can grab a drink and they’ll bring your food to you there. Perfect! Great takeaway option too if you want something quick and yum.

The hot dogs here are super yum in great flavours - try the Banh Mi, a Vietnamese style chili and lime chicken one - unusual and delish! Served from a suave looking cart in the industrial/Melbourne vibes Imperial Lane, a very cool late afternoon snack option paired with a beer.

Can’t go wrong with Sal’s! Open late, perfect for an end of the night bite. I love the vegie pizza, and the garlic knots always seem irresistable side option as well. Smells so good and is always piping hot - its hard to hold back and let it cool down a little before tucking in. I’ve burnt the roof of my mouth a few times cos I couldn’t resist!

This place is a treasure trove of great books, and half the fun is in searching through the shelves, and climbing up the rickety ladders to get to upstairs nooks. There’s a wide range of interesting genres stocked. It’s easy to wile away a few hours without even realising - a great way to spend an afternoon!

A Mt Eden village institution, this place is super cute and even has it’s own cat! The staff are all really lovely and knowledgeable, full of great recommendations - makes you glad you didn’t buy from somewhere online.

Full of gorgeous books, the window display lures me in every time - its always packed full of beautiful art related books. They’re really well stocked here - they’ve never not had something I’ve been specifically looking for, from classics to contemporary novels - and other interesting things will always catch my eye too. Unity has the best range of non-fiction. Highly recommended!

This place has a great atmosphere - they’re really passionate about what they do. As the name suggests there’s a focus on women’s interests, but i’m also always surprised by the great range outside of this that’s on offer. Lots of great children’s books too, and they are specially known for stocking therapy and counselling books.

It’s a real treat to pop in here - all of the books are full of beautiful mouthwatering photography, and make you feel excited and inspired to spend some quality time in the kitchen! They also offer cooking classes that I’ve heard heaps of people rave about - I’m super keen to try the cheese making class!

For some girly indulgence it’s super fun to hit up Lucy and Powder Room for a manicure with a friend and catch up while being pampered. The girls that work here are always super lovely, and the place itself is effortlessly stylish.

Love love love The Dressing Room on the first floor of The Department Store, tucked next to Lucy and the Powder Room. Absolutely brimming with divine lingerie by NZ labels like Ingrid Starnes, Kate Sylvester, Miss Crabb and Lonely by Lonely Hearts. Browsing through the racks is a totally dreamy experience - beautiful cuts, colours and trims.

Ryder has a really cool vibe - the staff are all fun and great at what they do. They work hard to make sure you’re catered to and get exactly what you want. Really look forward to my visits here and have always left happy with my cut and colour :)

For a spot of pampering About Face is the place to go. From facials to massages they offer a great range of treatments and their staff are really knowledgeable about what products to use for certain skin types. A facial from here is super relaxing and will make your skin glow!

Bikram Yoga is an intense workout, an acquired one at that - I personally felt terrible during my first class. I really recommend sticking with it though as by even your second class your body gets used to the heat, the sweat and the detox and feels amazing, buzzing and light afterwards. Totally refreshing and revitalizing, and a great stretch and tone for your muscles. I haven’t done anything else that compares to it. It’s a really great way to centre yourself after a busy day. The facilities and instructors at both Ponsonby and Newmarket are excellent. Really recommend it!

The lemon and coconut cake is one of my favourite sweet treats in Auckland! Presentation here is always gorgeous, with cakes topped with little flowers a pretty touch, doughnuts oozing with filling and sugar dusted doughnuts winking at you making it hard to choose just one thing to be tempted by. The savoury options are great too, as is the coffee. Sets the bar high for cafes in akl!

The perfect spot for a little fix of luxury! The Parisian-style patisserie serves up Kokako coffee and beautiful teas aside decadent and delicate desserts that look like works of art. My favourite was the chou-chou a beautifully presented profiterole and toffee caramel concoction - but it’s hard to choose just one!

A Ponsonby rd mainstay, this place has a super cool vibe with NZ art dotting the walls and consistent friendly service. The purple chicken bagel is a little bit of a celebrity among my friends because it’s Just So Good, and it often keeps me from trying other things on the menu. The mushrooms on toast are also yummmm. Great coffee here too, and it’s open til 5 so a sweet spot to hit in the afternoon.

This place is always brimming with people (which can often mean a little wait for a table) and for good reason - both the location and the food are amazing. Have never been disappointed with the food or service. Definitely worth a trip to the shore if you’re city side based. Great to go for a walk on the beach as well.

Nothing beats sitting in the sun at Alleluya in St Kevin’s Arcade surrounded by little potted palms and big beautiful windows looking out to Myers Park and the city. This place has so much character and is the perfect place to relax with friends. Try the breakfast burrito and the coffee - both are great, as is the service :)

Everything at Milse looks and tastes dreamy. It’s super busy, often with a long waiting list (for good reason) but you can get the gelato sticks and some other treats to go - a perfect accompaniment to wandering around Britomart’s twinkly fairy lights if you’re there at night. My pick is the salted caramel gelato, so nomm! The perfect mouthwatering balance of sweet and salty. If you do get to sit in you can choose from the amazing a la carte menu, with some quite adventurous flavours, and an open view to the kitchen which makes for a really fun atmosphere.

The red velvet cupcakes are totally scrumptious - the perfect treat if you need a sugar fix. Petal’s presentation is half its charm, with each cupcake lavishly iced in pretty poppy colours in yummy flavours. Getting or giving a box of these as a present is always fun!

This place is suave and you definitely feel like you’ve been transported out of Auckland the minute you get in the door. I’ve always had excellent service here and it’s always buzzing with people. Try the oreo doughboys (deep fried oreos) with a side of vanilla shake. Makes for a super fun night when paired with an alcoholic vanilla or chocolate shake!

There is no better way to spend a weekend morning than wandering La Cigale with a coffee in hand deciding which fresh out of the oven pastry to try. I can never seem to go past the delicious almond croissants, they are so light and happy-making. Yummy juices, paella, crepes, vege market - there really is something for everyone. A perfect way to wile away a lazy morning.

A local institution, this place is fitted out diner styles and has a really fun atmosphere. Great for a classic ice cream sundae or shake - especially if you want a late night sugar fix!