So fitting to The Mount beach lifestyle – casual and affordable is the word, although there’s nothing simple about the service and food, shared plates and pure flavours, craft beers on tap or the uncomplicated wine list. It’s a great place to meet friends or introduce yourself to new ones.

This local hot spot has a Tapas and a la carte menu – ethically correct free range and locally supplied. There’s nothing mundane here – it’s a cool place where the beautiful crowd hang out and rowdy party central to the locals.

The popular local gastro-restaurant and bar not only caters for everybody capturing a local crowd of all ages but Katherine and her team do it extremely well. The soup on the go right now is a tasty tomato and potato, flavoured with hints of rosemary and is changed weekly. For some people it’s big enough to fulfil the needs of a lunch-time meal, or a warm-up starter before dinner at the start of one of Rain’s big nights – live music Sundays’, quiz night Tuesday or weekday happy hours.

Regarded as one of the region’s premier restaurants the beautiful tastes of Post Bank’s cuisine are a consequence of an innovative and interesting menu, all based on a literary note. It’s popular, so don’t expect it to be a quiet occasion and even if you and your dining partner aren’t talking there’s plenty of books to entertain.

Having a busy restaurant with patrons bursting at the seams during mid-week is a sure sign of popularity and a jovial wait crew was the final lure that pulled me in. A perfectly cooked steak washed down with a Pepperjack Shiraz confirmed this is as a very cool place to eat and drink.

If you love rockabilly, vintage and sexy-fitting stuff that’s a little bit different pay a visit to Natalie and Karla’s shop in downtown Hastings stocked full of their original and designer brands.

I love this sweet fashion fix for its funky style and reworked one-off vintage dresses. Artist Richard Boyd-Dunlop big louder-than-life canvas’s line the walls. It’s stocked with edgy gear and accessories. Right now I’m loving their cool T-shirts.

Napier-based Kilt has just added another store to it’s now 11. They have great passionate staff and some very cool spring stuff to shake off the winter gloom. I’m especially loving the Lippy Bella Top.

Suzelle is known for their swimsuits and lingerie but they also stock a lot of gorgeous nightwear. The locally-owned business have been around for 85 years and have three stores in Hawke’s Bay, in Hastings, Napier and Taradale. The ladies will give you some great advice and recommend what best suits your perfect body.

Casual, elegant, edgy or just fashionable - whatever is on your shopping list these ladies will find it for you. Stocking some of New Zealand’s best designers - Andrea Moore, Trelise Cooper, Paula Ryan, Not Your Daughter’s Jeans, Loobie Story… there’s something for everyone. It’s a place people head for when visiting Hawke’s Bay.

Don’t we love Moochi light capsule, the home of the stylish Mount brand everything from floaty chiffons to hard-edged leathers thanks to owners and skilled designers Kellie and Chris Taylor. Their successful team are still creating refreshing and edgy creations after a decade in business.

The staff will go the extra mile here to make you feel welcome. Nothing is too much trouble for the talented team of Wendy’s Wardrobe Angels, who will fit you out with an outfit for any occasion from a selection of New Zealand’s fashion houses and international labels. Wendy's has customers coming for their fashion fix from all over NZ, and as far as Australia. They've just renovated with a fresh white, timeless, modern new-look store.

Funky relaxed style from inspired Tauranga designers that will take you across seasons. Repertoire stores are a sensual and tactile sensation with a delightful range of body products, homewares and accessories. The locally-based team have now opened five stores nationwide in five years.

I know I shouldn’t but I often sneak in to this high-end designer store for a browse to see the latest labels and offerings from around New Zealand. Just loving Cooper By Trelise’s retro-look Castle in the Sky Dress and the exotic European holiday it conjures up.

This Mount Main Street shop is a very cool and the flagship retail store for Chaos & Harmony and Blak. And now Auckland’s fashionable strip, Ponsonby Road, has a Blakchaos store for Chaos & Harmony’s awesome exclusive shoes and Blak’s fashions. Well worth a visit.

This 20km-long dog park is one big happy place for dogs, with very few no-dog or on-leash areas, which include within 200 metres of the Papamoa and Omanu Surf Clubs and Mount Main Beach. Dogs can swim, surf, fish, dig as many holes as it likes, hang out with mates or just chill out. By all means let them go barking mad but keep your dog under control, respect the wildlife and be courteous to non-dog people and keep off the Papamoa Dune Wilderness Area, where birds are nesting, because the neighbourly dog police will be up in arms and limit access.

If the surf and sand wilderness on Papamoa Beach is a bit too much for your pampered pooch the walking/cycling pathways around the stormwater reserves are a great alternative. They stretch from Gordon Spratt Reserve right down to Pacific View Reserve. Hours of good fun and doggie crowds.

A nine-km loop, with lots of access points and parking means the walk can be as long or as short as you wish. The easy track covers grassland, boardwalks through wetlands and regenerating bush and on the estuary side there’s no danger of traffic. It’s suitable for an easy relaxed stroll and bikeable so you can keep up with energetic dogs. The joy of this park is its variety, safe shallow swimming spots and lots of canine friends.

Big shop with lots of fashionable accessories for those fashion-conscious dogs and vet services, puppy school for the youngsters, grooming and a DIY dog wash, especially good for the super-sized canine or mud-happy dirty dog.

Whether it’s a puppy cut, colour or full blown perm and braids Showdogs offer dog grooming, a dog blog for the latest tips and trends and a friendly day-care facility and a classy boutique with lots of bling and cool canine gear.

The Hole Diggers must be the ultimate in loving dog health spas. As well as a posh dog grooming parlour, pawdiatrist and nail bar, dog deli with a pick-n-mix doggy bag and some cool fashion accessories The Hole Diggers Club offers a natural healing clinic, where you dog can honour its true spirit with Reiki, acupuncture, aromatherapy and crystal therapy for starters. Dogs are barking about it.

I’m not in the market for a dog at the moment but I love following the many success stories on Adopt A Dog’s Happy Tails blog and Facebook page. The not-for-profit group rescue dogs from death row at the local pound providing these precious pooches with tender loving care in foster homes until their forever home comes along so if you’re thinking of getting a dog give them a thought.

Online pet sitting and dog walking service where you can choose who you want to mind your beloved fur baby. Everything is transparent – all information, prices, services and ratings are all online so you know exactly what you are getting. Dog lovers recommend this site.

Your fur baby can get right down to business and let loose in this wild country. Poochie woochie’s locked up urban imagination will be unleashed hunting on the grassy savannah plains, fighting through bush, swimming in the game-infested waters of nearby Ngaruroro River or the more gentile Raupere Stream. Alternately they can strut sedately down rural paths with a new-found stick teasing their doggy pals. You know this park has the official doggy stamp of approval when dog waste bag dispensers are available.

Hawke’s Bay humans are so lucky to be able to share this amazing 99-hectare paradise with their furry friends. It’s an off-lead park, but the trust requests dog walkers always keep one on hand in case any woolly-four-legged grazers get in the way and Rover gets too excited. With so many walks to choose from there will be plenty of alternative track options. Pack a poo bag as well.

Fresh produce is what Hawke’s Bay does best and the summer Hastings Farmer’s Market under the old trees in the A & P Showground – one of the originals – is not-to-be-missed. Local organic cheeses, wine, olive oil, fresh vegetables, herbs, fruits, juices, figs, hot coffee – you name it and it’s there. If you can’t get to Hastings, try the Napier Urban Food Market, or the Gisborne Farmer’s Market.

An increasing appetite for organic meat transformed what began as a fledgling local business on the ‘Ti Kouka’ farm 14 years ago. Now known as The Organic Farm it sells across the country and five certified farms supply The Organic Farm Butchery in Hastings. They stock everything from wild red deer venison, lamb, beef, pork and gourmet sausages, bones and lard. Everything is nitrate, preservative and gluten free and they boast their waste footprint is almost zero.

Originally made to supply the Hohepa community homes these deliciously tasty hand-crafted cheeses, from what must be one of the smallest factories in New Zealand, are able to be sampled and sold at the Clive-based outlet Hohepa shop. The award-winning cheeses are made organically from milk supplied by Hohepa’s biodynamic farms.

I love Moana Park wines. They produce wines as naturally as possible, letting nature dictate the flavour – no chemicals or additives, resulting in low allergen wines. The aim is to create the best fruit, grown either organically or through sustainable methods to make the best quality wine. It’s a boutique operation, nevertheless they’ve managed to win a string of awards and are Vegetarian Society approved. So if you get the snuffles or a flushed face try one of their wonderful varietals.

This long-standing gem in downtown Hastings has an amazing range of everything organic, including a herbal dispensary and health clinic. They have everything from fresh produce, gardening and household products to wine, food and pet products.