BEST OF THE BOROUGH: SEASONAL SHIFT
As spring beckons, we’re shedding our winter layers and filling our weekends with these unmissable places to eat, drink, shop and visit
Consider this your eviction notice. Time to breakup with your Netflix habit, retrieve your spring wardrobe from the attic, and start trading your latte addiction for the iced variety. Be inspired by the diverse offerings in the heart of Auckland City to coax you out of hibernation this spring.
EAT & DRINK
Be tickled pink this spring by ducking into The Glass Goose’s Spring Blossom Popup. In association with SOHO Wine Co, The Glass Goose is set to be transformed into cherry blossom paradise – complete with a colossal cherry blossom tree; floral vines adorning the rafters, saccharide-sweet treats and bespoke SOHO wine cocktails. Think Cereal Killa freak-shakes; Real Rad Food baked goods, organic and vegan Lalele Gelato, Bondie Designer Cupcakes and cookie sandwiches from the Kookie Haus. Head along every Friday from September 7 – October 5, where these prized sugary treats will make an appearance for lunch and dinner.
If Mother Nature’s being kind, take a Saturday stroll along North Wharf and take your pick of spots to brunch. From Asian fusion to upmarket pub fare or Spanish tapas, you’ll be spoilt for choice. After a deck? Look to Britomart’s Talulah –a modern take on a tiki bar. Offering unspoiled views of Auckland Harbour, this rooftop bar is a tropical oasis amid Auckland’s central city.
SHOP
Trade your winter woollies for lightweight layers as we transition into spring. Fashion obsessives are likely to be queuing up for hours to be one of the first to set foot in H&M’s new Commercial Bay location when it opens tomorrow. Filled with fashion for him or her, the newly minted store also extends to the popular brand’s Home collection – the first of its kind in Auckland. MECCA is getting a facelift come mid-September, when they take over the multi-level space formerly occupied by TopShop. The new MECCA is set to feature all the beauty brands we know and love of the department store, including Too Faced, Mecca Max, NARS and Urban Decay.
EVENTS
There’s no excuse for boredom this September, with plenty of events fighting for a spot on our iCal. Visit the New Zealand Fashion Week Pop Up Sale on September 1 – 2, and shop local designer’s wares without the hefty designer price tag. Forget Lollapalooza, Pinot Palooza is where it’s at come September 8. The largest touring Pinot Noir festival on the planet, Pinot Palooza celebrates the best Pinot producers from Australia, New Zealand, and further afield. Secure a VIP ticket and arrive early to enjoy a glass of bubbles on arrival, and first pick of tastings. Be awed at La Boheme, Puccini’s glorious opera masterpiece which explores youth, passionate love and heartbreak. Comprising four talented New Zealand singers and two Australians, add September 13 – 23 to your diary, when La Boheme takes over the ASB Theatre in Aotea Centre. From September 18 – October 3, Giltrap Audi’s season of Rendered by Stuart Hoar takes up residence at the ASB Waterfront Theatre. Set between a Middle Eastern desert and at home in New Zealand, this tale explores the lives of six individuals, whose stories come together in a web of intrigue, danger and espionage.