Caroline C.'s
Top Dessert Spots in Nelson
- 12Ford's Restaurant & BarNelsonVanilla bean crème brulee, peach & apricot compote, ginger shortbread sound’s pretty good to me! Ford’s has been around for a few years now and has a great reputation for its good food and service. It’s located close to the Cathedral and has outdoor seating during warmer weather, so it’s a good inner city choice for coffee and dessert to wind your evening up nicely.
- 23What could be nicer than watching the sun go down over the Mapua inlet whilst enjoying a chocolate and hazelnut tart at Jellyfish on the Mapua wharf. Now that the weather is getting warmer and the evenings longer, the delicious dessert menu and great location make Jellyfish a local treasure.
- 35Mint Dining RoomNelsonKnown for it’s award winning food by chef Grant Dicker, Mint is tucked away in the back streets of Nelson but well worth searching out. Mint serves, as far as possible, local food and produce so you can be sure the chestnuts in your local chestnut and white chocolate cake with chai latte sorbet and poached mandarins came from trees growing not too far from here. Yum.
- 45Now open in the evening, Comida’s dessert menu is heavy on the Mediterranean influence, with panna cotta, gelato, tortino and affogato all vying for attention. This is a busy daytime cafe that’s made a seamless transition into more sopshiticated evening dining. The coffee is great, and the desserts delicious. Inner city location means it works well for a dessert venue before a movie or a night out.
- 52Another great evening dining venue in Mapua. The Apple Shed is in a prime location with great views of the inlet from inside and out, so perfect for a cooler evening. The dessert menu has, of course lots of fruit - locally grown apples, boysenberries and feijoas have all the flavour you’d expect in a region known for its orchards and fresh produce. Enjoy a yummy Granny Smith apple zeppole with salted caramel sauce and vanilla bean ice cream while you watch the yachts sway at anchor in the Mapua inlet.
Caroline C.'s
Gifts for Dad
- 13Another family day out activity for Fathers Day - hire bikes from the Gentle Cycling company and do a winery or brewery tour, with lunch along the way. Or take picnic and explore the Great Taste Trail. They have bikes for all ages, and a tow-behind for the little ones so everyone can join in.
- 26ProkartsTahunanuiBest fathers day gift ever - a spin on the track at Prokarts. These guys have just upgraded all their karts and can cater for all ages, with double karts for the little ones with a parent. The track is fast and fun, great family activity or boys day out.
- 33McCashin's BreweryStokeTreat Dad to a brewery tour and tasting session at McCashin’s in Stoke and he’ll be a happy chap. The tour is an insight into the Craft Beer Revolution and is sure to work up a thirst for a tasty brew afterwards.
- 42Global SoapNelson EastGlobal soap does a nice range of men’s shaving kits, manly soaps and shampoos for the Dad in your life. Not too pricey, but something a little different to show you care. You can buy at the Saturday Market or their shop on Nile Street.
Caroline C.'s
Great ideas for Spring in Nelson
- 11As spring rolls in Gardens of the World is lovely for a walk around the grounds seeing the spring flowers come up. The six acres of mature gardens offer a horticultural tour of the globe with mature trees, spring bulbs, flowering shrubs and lovely picnic areas.
- 21Get your gardening groove on here with vegetable plants, fruit trees, shrubs and ornamentals. There’s a nice wee cafe for a coffee while you take a rest in between filling up your trolley with garden delights.
- 32ASB Aquatic and Fitness CentreRichmondAfter spring comes summer right, so now’s the time to get fit and flab free so you can fit in to last year’s togs. Get down to the ASB Aquatic Centre for gym, swimming and all round fitness training and get in shape for summer. Even though it’s still a bit chilly outdoors, the ASB Aquatic Centre is always warm inside.
- 45Kimi Ora Spa ResortKaiteriteriFancy a weekend away relaxing before its warm enough to sit on the beach? Kimi Ora is a good choice - close to Kaiteriteri’s beach for a walk if the sun comes out, but there’s also the weatherproof option of a spa and massage if it doesn’t.
- 54Abel Tasman National ParkMotuekaThe ATNP is a pretty weatherproof walking destination. Drive to Marahau and walk or take a water taxi out into the park. It’s beautiful in spring and not too busy, although a bit chilly for swimming. The sand is still golden, and the walking tracks are pretty good all year round. This is a good time to enjoy a day walk or overnight to one of the huts.
Caroline C.'s
Where to shop for spring
- 11Nelson Market LtdThe WoodNelson’s Saturday market is a local icon, and as the days warm up it gets busier and busier. Great place for coffee, flowers, fresh bread, sausages, vegetables and excellent arts and crafts. On a fine sunny spring morning it’s the place to be.
- 24Willow Floral DesignTahunanuiWillow Floral Design is a wonderful spring thing. Sarah and the girls have just moved shop to Trafalgar Street (opposite Trafalgar Park) into a gorgeous wee shop space that fits the Willow brand perfectly. At this tim elf year the spring flowers are just starting to appear, so fill your house with jonquils or lilies and enjoy the scent of spring.
- 33Palm BoutiqueNelsonJane Palm is one of Nelson’s best know fashion people. Her store is always full of a great range of designer clothing, carefully chosen by Jane for the Nelson clientele. Palm is a great place to go at the change of seasons for the new ranges coming out - and of course sale bargains from last season! But most of all Jane is very good at picking what will suit you and putting an outfit together
- 41Jays FashionsNelsonJay’s is another long standing Nelson store full of great clothing choices from some of the best known labels. They are known for their range of styles, helpful staff and good pricing. I like Jays because of the great selection of clothes, and the fact that you can find something here for any occasion, at any time of year.
- 51Located on Bridge Street this is a clothing resale store. It’s a good place to go for pre-loved designer label gear to freshen up your wardrobe for spring at resale prices. The quality of the clothing is always good and you can get some real bargains here - stuff that’s hardly been worn.
Caroline C.'s
How to be healthy
- 12Jamila Knopp is my go to person for massage, ayurvedic wellness coaching and supplements. Jamila is a lovely kind gentle person who makes all her clients feel special. Her myofacial release massage is great for sports people, and she also runs a very successful weight loss programme.
- 21Bodywise is a long standing Nelson centre for health and wellbeing. Owner Sally Grant and her team of natural therapists are all professionally trained and very knowledgeable about products and therapies. Bodywise offers a wide range of remedies, advice, seminars and treatments. There is also an excellent range of natural skin care products. I always feel better just for talking to the people at Bodywise!
- 32MiGymNelsonI like MiGym because it seems pretty friendly, it’s not intimidating and the staff are professional but very helpful. MiGym runs excellent spin classes, pump classes and has all the facilities you’d expect from a well run gym. But there’s more- MiGym is open by keycard access 24/7 365 days a week, so you can got for a work out any time of day and night. And it’s run by world class adventure racer Trevor Voyce (Team Seagate) and his partner Rachel, so they really know what they are doing.
- 41HealthPostCollingwoodHealth Post is an online health shop selling every supplement and health food you could think of. It’s based in lovely Golden Bay but sells its products all over New Zealand. Their website has a great wellness blog and recipes for healthy living, and their process are very competitive for top quality products. Delivery is super fast. All round a good place to go for your health and well being nutritional needs.
- 51Massage WorksNelsonIf you’re looking for a super-dooper sports massage give Massage Works a go. These people are experts at pre and post event massage, getting your muscles in shape for a big event and winding down afterwards. A great addition to any training schedule. They also do trigger point, pregnancy and relaxation massage.
Caroline C.'s
Rainy day ideas
- 12The Suter Art GalleryNelsonOn an rainy day or any day the Suter Gallery is the Nelson region’s civic art centre. The gallery usually has a main exhibition as well as something local., The Suter has a significant collection of local, national and international art that includes work by John Gully, Toss Woollaston William Gear, Ivon Hitchens and Bryan Wynter and a significant collection of works by ceramic artists of national and local renown . There’s also a lovely cafe and gift shop.
- 23Moutere InnUpper MoutereIf it’s too wet for walking or biking, head to the Moutere and visit new Zealand’s oldest pub. The pub is a craft beer lovers delight, has a big fire, comfy seats, a pool table and no TV. Try a pint of best bitter and a bar meal and the rain will fade into insignificance.
- 32Close to town, lots to see and do and a nice cafe. Wearable arts from around the world and a collection of classic cars make this an iconic ‘must see’ Nelson NZ visitor attraction that celebrates two distinctly different passions. It;s easy to find on the main road between the airport and city.
- 44Nelson Provincial MuseumNelsonGet a bit of culture here! The Nelson region’s provincial museum always has something interesting on. Soon to be a holding an evolving exhibition on the Great War of 1914-18, called World War 100, it will be the centre of Nelson’s war commemoration activities.
- 52Founders Heritage ParkNelsonFounders Heritage Park is a good rainy day option as you can walk around most of the display buildings under their verandahs. The park has a collection of heritage buildings that are interesting to explore, along with static displays and several businesses operating out of the park buildings. Founders caffe and brewery is well worth a visit too.