Just Back From Auckland
by Tully Rosenberg
If you want a trip overseas but can only manage a weekend away, then New Zealand is a great escape! A 3-hour flight is all it takes to Auckland – a city not dissimilar to my own hometown of Sydney, but enough to make me feel like I am ‘away from it all’. We had been forewarned of the chilly weather so were well equipped for the frosty conditions we faced coming off the plane. However, Sydney was no better so we immediately felt right at home. The rest of the weekend saw the best weather the city had seen for months so we took advantage of the climate to get out and about.
Given that I have visited Auckland before, this time around was a more relaxed visit with no real plans other than hanging out with friends, exploring the city from a more intimate point of view and the simple pleasures of shopping and eating!
Blessed with sunshine and blue sky, and a touch of frost in the air, we made an early start for the Saturdays Otara Market. A backdrop for the famous film ‘Once were warriors’, this popular flea market is a fusion of authentic suburban and island culture. Among it’s treasures are a great range of printed t-shirts (iFob was a favourite!), iconic NZ hip-hop brand Dawn Raid, All Black memorabilia, flax baskets and Greenstone, and Maori inspired clothes, food, arts and music. Having satisfied most of the wants of our wish list we recharged on a breakfast of mussel fritters, steak & egg rolls, and hot chocolate. Mmmm… yum!
The next stop on our evolving shopping spree was K Rd, one of the main arteries of the city. Though it comes alive a night with it’s bars, clubs and restaurants it still exudes a cool, grungy appeal by day with an interesting selection of shopping hotspots. My favourite is Misery – a bit of a ‘Wheels and Doll Baby’ for the closet rock chic, with great clothes, shoes and accessories. St. Kevin’s Arcade is a fashionable hub of handpicked vintage and hot young designers. A great stop for browsing and picking up something unique.
A short drive around the corner brings us right into the city centre and a more refined image of Auckland’s retail therapy. We follow the steps of our trusted companions up the staircase of a dark office block and into the very trendy Rakinos – a cool and casual café overlooking O’Connell St. We eased into a cosy sofa under the streaming sunlight for a round of scrambled eggs, spicy plum cake and great coffee. Back to the spree at hand, we return to the pavements below to inspect more of the cities offerings. Though they have most of the mainstream stores we do, there are a few that stand out on our adventure including acclaimed NZ designer Karen Walker, sneaker-haven Loaded, street wear outfitters Paris Texas and Harlem 23, exclusive Ionic and vintage emporium Tango. En route home for our well-earned siesta we cap off our tour with a final stop at The Lee Factory Outlet in Ponsonby, a worthwhile detour for bargain jeans and casual gear.
For dinner we were taken to a favourite hideaway of our in-the-know friends. Tanukis Cave is an atmospheric underground yakitori bar dishing out an endless supply of sizzling skewers. Our tasty treats included sirloin steak, duck breast, mashed kumara coated with almond chips and shitake mushrooms with chicken mince. Japanese beer and sake added to the authenticity, and the hospitable service and ambience were surpassed only by the delicious cuisine.
Our second day away proved far less active as we relished the great weather in more relaxed surroundings. With blankets and newspapers in tow, we head to the Domain in the city centre to sprawl over the grass, absorb the sunlight and while away the hours. With the persistent cool breeze came a beckoning coffee craving so we take a spontaneous trip to the Sky Tower. Yes, we finally exposed ourselves as tourists! However, even our resident companions had never been atop the soaring structure so it was an eye opener for all. For $NZ18 you travel up the 368m tower in 40 seconds. The revolving platform and massive glass walls offer expansive views of the city. Sunset was the perfect time to visit, as the changing horizon over the harbour is spectacular. Keep an eye on the digital timers that countdown between Sky Jumps, and witness someone free-falling on the other side of the glass before your eyes. If you are tempted to take the leap it will set you back about $NZ190. Of course, we could not bypass the coffee shop where we relaxed with a cuppa and the best view in Auckland.
Concluding our great weekend led us to our final port of call - the airport. Not to be deterred by it’s swift end, I spent the last of my NZ dollars on fabulous local products - pineapple lumps, kiwi fruit lollies and lanolin lip balm. It is the final tribute to a fun, relaxing and satisfying weekend away in an exciting and cosmopolitan city.
