New Zealand, Auckland (what stores, resturants, hot spots is there?)

[thelion1856]

So my friend is visiting New Zealand and she wants to know some hot spots to hit up, she will be there for a week.

Any good shopping spots for female clothing? Resturaunts? Any good wine spots? She loves wine. Or any hot spots? She's more into lounge type places but if there are any cool clubs list them too. (might come in hany for when i do my new zeland trip) thanks New Zealanders!

[Cue]

I've only been back for a few months after many years away, so am a bit useless on this.

Most of the nightlife is pretty standard fare, but the wine is wicked.

From Auckland - get the ferry to Waiheke Island (35 mins) if you are after wine related goodness. There are loads of yineyards there - http://www.waihekewine.co.nz/

It's a really nice place for a day trip ...

Hap will be your man for more info on shopping and bars, I really only know what was around 6+ years ago.

[soepom's sl*t]

Visit Zambesi in Wellesley St., Auckland City (cool local label...)

And must try the Zorb in Rotorua! Good fun, I did it twice!

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/48/185687364_6a7c8fb57f.jpg?v=0

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/66/185687455_3f781ded57.jpg?v=0

[tg76]

^zambesi is on vulcan lane

most of the good shops are around high street vulcan lane area, or in newmarket

the wine cellar on k rd is my fav place to drink a bottle or two, the guy that owns it is awesome tell him your day and hell pick you a wine to suit

[haptronic]

Cue

you may be ahead of me after years in auks i guess i should make it to waiheke sometime...the olive oil from there is also fantastic..

on the wine trail tip you could also day trip north to matakana or head out to the wild west waitakere to the vineyards on your way to karekare piha or if you have good navigation bethells beach or anawhata there is a reason all of these spots were used as film sets/locations.

as far as restaurants go the last hot spot i went to was clooney just incredible food perfectly cooked from the freshest ingredients...

there are a number of good japanese restaurants near the town hall on queen street ...tanukis cave for yakatori and kushiage ....kirin if you are after seafood...kens yakatori round the corner on karangahape road [locals call it k road]has good yakatori and plenty of atmosphere..

for cafe style food head up to ponsonby road...there are a huge number of great cafes with by all reports some of the best coffee in the world...aucklanders are fussy about coffee....dizengoff...bambina...around to jerviois rd to fusion...ponsonby/herne bay you can barely swing a cat without coming across a good cafe...

if you want more atmosphere with you coffee and breakfast and you can deal with the morning debris of a red light area populated with mostly samoan transexuals then brazil on k rd is amazing...single source beans over roasted bitter strong and aromatic...last time i ate there the food was good too...

auckland is a sprawl...and it is best to think of it like a whole lot of little villages...all with their own predilections... i mean you could always go out to otara for some samoan style raw fish or avondale for maori boil up...

this is off the top of my head and there is so much more on offer here...depending what you like...

shopping for clothes may be a little different new zealander's have quite specific tastes when it comes to clothes...and the better local stuff has a subdued colour palate...layered with silhouette being the focus ...if this may appeal to your friend then by all means send her to the bottom of high street/vulcan lane/o connell st in the cbd...

for more mainstream fashion newmarket may be worth a look...most if not all of the nz and austrailian designers are represented there...one chain store that may be worth checking for girls/women is glassons...cheap quickly turned around clothes meant to last a season....like a nz h&m but for girls only...

kia ora

[azif]

Anything happen in wellington?

im guessing not

[tg76]

Anything happen in wellington?

im guessing not

nah.. its full of blowhards

actually its a fantastic city, but i havent been there recently to give advice

[haptronic]

shops

gold as gold ruben has eclectic buying habits for the store, they often break new brands, which you will find mixed in cheaper basics. the closest in style elsewhere i can think was american rag san francisco [RIP], they have just had a sale store which had all sorts of goodies from vibskov and perhaps even some complex geometries

wakefield hotel. stock iron heart and three sixteen, they have a huge selection of onitsuka tigers, vans, and most interestingly for this part of the world pf flyers. hemi is passionate and knows his stuff. whenever i get ideas about questioning him about the tigers and being a metro sexual menswear store, i remember that he used to be a pro rugby player and is now a a brown belt in bjj.

zambesi has a big store on customhouse quay with the usual selection of nz and imported goth inspired goodness. and the usual girls who are sexy and dress good as staff.

for coffee and cafes it is all about cuba street, midnight espresso fidels ernestos are all amazing, there is a great selection of food all along the top end of cuba street. interesting is that there are arguments in coffee circles about who invented the flat white, between dkd's in auckland and midnight espresso here. dkd's is long gone, while midnight espresso is still here and the owner is still sourcing his own cuban beans.

if museums are your thing te papa along the waterfront is good and the city gallery in civic square has nicely curated shows.

the main bar strip is courtney place and like no where else i have been in the world you will find a mix of people in most places, my favourite for this is the garden bar on dixon street, the downstairs is a venue for shows and the third floor is a gay/trannie bar, the second level is a semi indoor smoking area, and bar which always creates a crazy mix.

good luck bar at the top of cuba mall is modeled after an opium den and has an amazing selection of top shelf, plus kirin on tap.

the eastern suburbs past the airport are crazy in that almost every semi industrial space is film industry, peter jackson owns most of mirimar now, and his film company is based in an old naval base around towards seatoun. weta workshops and digital are based all through there , there is the weta cave if you want to check out some of their stuff.

wellington is small [around 400 000] though because some of the biggest films in the world are made from here [lord of the rings, avatar, king kong, the hobbit] there is a lot more going on than you could reasonably expect.

[azif]

Sweet thanks for the info.

What would you do NYE if your just by yourself (like do i need tickets for shit or just rock up somewhere)?

[haptronic]

Sweet thanks for the info.

What would you do NYE if your just by yourself (like do i need tickets for shit or just rock up somewhere)?

i have only just got back to wellington after a long long time living elsewhere. so i am not sure what is up NYE.

by all accounts the city is different from the other cities in nz in that not everyone is at the beach. there is stuff on but i have no experience of getting in places so sorry can't be of more help.

[ono]

Good As Gold in Wellington has just finished a complete fit out.

looks awesome.

Good As Gold

www.goodasgold.co.nz

Corner of Victoria & Manners Streets

Wellington City