The picturesque Stoney Bay

Ahh the serenity

Getting away from the hustle and bustle of Auckland is big on my list of things to do each summer – the further away the better.

My recent destination was Stoney Bay, about a 3 ½ to 4 hour drive by the time you allow for toilet, coffee and supply stops, but it is definitely worth the trip when you drive around the final bend and find you are in a truly isolated paradise.

After packing the camping gear, sending some final texts and emails we departed ‘civilisation’. The township of Thames is the last spot to offer any decent stores for last minute camping supplies, including Pak ‘n Save, The Warehouse (for those forgotten camera memory cards or mobile chargers) and Stirling Sports.

Make sure you stock up on water – it does not pay to rely on the water at any campground which may not be safe for drinking. If you are taking along beer/meat for your trip, get plenty of ice for the chilly bin.

The Coromandel Smoking Company

Once you leave the Thames coastline, the next stop is the small township of Coromandel. Here you will find a multitude of cafés with great food and coffee. Coromandel is a quaint little town which is always buzzing with holiday makers on their way to favourite spots along the peninsula. You can pick up beautiful art and crafts here by some very talented local artists.

For something a little different, checkout The Coromandel Smoking Company (not what it sounds like!) where you can buy the most delicious smoked fish and mussels. Our purchases here were lucky to last the rest of the journey they were so yummy!

From Coromandel, take the main road to Colville – the coastal scenery is truly spectacular – and then head towards Port Charles. By now, the excitement in our small group is really building as our final destination is just a short distance further along the dirt road. Glimpses of the bay are seen through the coastline bush, but it is not until the last bend that Stoney Bay reveals itself to the wary traveler.

Split halfway by a freshwater creek, fed from native bush-covered hills that surround the bay, Stoney Bay is a DOC-run campground that offers the camper many beautiful locations for pitching a tent. Choose to camp beside the scenic creek surrounded by large pohutukawa or, if you are lucky, pitch your tent facing a coastline that would not look out of place on any postcard. The latter is our favoured option.

The trusty barby

The facilities in the bay (all maintained daily by the friendly rangers) include toilets, showers (cold), fireplaces for a bbq and a large rubbish skip located at the entrance.

If you own a kayak, definitely bring it. Just a short paddle north out of the bay is a dramatic rocky coastline that includes a series of caves you can paddle through. We were incredibly lucky one weekend to paddle with four large dolphins, an experience I will never forget.

As well as kayaking and swimming, there are several walks from Stoney Bay, including a coastal track that goes all the way to Fletcher Bay (allow up to 3 hours one way). This a wonderful experience – unforgettable scenery, native birds aplenty in the stunning forest backdrop. A gentle grade ensures that walkers of all fitness levels can manage easily.

Packing up and leaving paradise to head back to the city, cheer yourself up by stopping at Colville Café for a much deserved brunch. Friendly staff and a delicious menu, it’s a great way to end a long weekend camping.

Over the years I’ve had luggage get ruined, as you do. Mostly fabric bags which would be ripped by heaven-knows-what. I truly think some baggage handlers must carry ice picks to slash and pull lugagge out of planes.

I bought my first hard-shell suitcase about 3 years ago in Kuala Lumpur with a TSA lock for secure travel around the world lest someone Schappelle Corby me. This one though had a key lock and lo, MAF here in New Zealand was inspecting my bag in my absence (a lost luggage story you don’t want to know about!) and they snapped the key in the lock. My only key. Fortunately for me they took full responsibility and replaced the bag. It was deemed that the Antler Flyweight suitcase was the closest fit and that is now my bag of choice. In fact, I’m so enamored by Antler lugagge, that I’ve convinced them to let me sell it!

So here’s why I love Antler (and some links to independent reviews too!)

Three sizes in the Flyweight

My bag is the Flyweight. It has 4 swivel wheels for easy peasy gliding through airports and hotel lobbies and weighs only 4kg (medium size) so less chance of paying for overweight luggage. It has a combination TSA lock so there’s no risk of snapping or losing keys. The shell is a high-tech ABS material which is practically crack-proof, but is somehow remarkably malleable for when I over shop and need to stuff all manner of purchases into it! It opens in two halves, so I use this for dividing my lighter weather gear and warmer gear, and a zipped in mesh bag secures one side of luggage. Love love. Have a look here at the prices and sizes. I can do free shipping in New Zealand and you’ll have it on your doorstep in 3 working days (or faster actually).

The fancy pants Liquis

Liquis is the top of the range and up there with Samsonite in quality and price. It comes with all of the above but is made with sturdier PC (poly carbonate) material. It’s also amazingly light – only 3kg for the medium size. Have a look here at this independent review from The Vacation Gals >>>

So if you want to check out the prices, jump here to the new retail section. You won’t find cheaper as I have slashed the prices by up to $120! Blogger at Large Products >>>

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Al Brown's Depot

If you slip down Federal Street between the Sky City’s valet parking entrance and Sky Grand’s entrance you’ll see a raft of new restaurants and bars spear headed by celebrity chefs and bursting with happy diners. It’s easy to miss though if you’re not a regular to the casino or one of the inner city commuters who hot foot it down Federal. Buses line the street like a train at any given time and a taxi rank stretches for at least half of it. But when they “move that bus” (Auckland Council please make it permanently so!) the big reveal is quite simply fabulous.

Today I lunched at Al Brown’s Depot. He opened his doors at the same time Luke Dallow opened Hummingbird (read our opening night review here) next door and Sean Connolly opened The Grill just on the other side of the Sky Grand’s new entrance. Like Hummingbird there is outdoor seating for those brave enough to sit amongst the bus fumes, but we decided on a table next to a new window that has been blasted through the Sky Grand wall to reveal their swanky lobby.

Just slide these suckers off the shell in one

Nick (from somewhere in the north of England by the sounds) was our waiter and after hearing about the Depot’s most popular dishes until a little pool of drool collected on the table in front of me, we let him come up with a selection of small plates and one main for us to share. I was also keen to try the wine on tap. Yes, pinot noir out of keg from Mt Edward in Central Otago’s Gibbston Valley. It was 17.5˚ (which I find quite suitable for a red) and is done especially because Al is a mate. It pays to be mates with Al, who was sitting behind me, because he’s been selling barrels of it. That and Spy Valley sauvignon blanc and Mt Edward rose, also on tap but chilled like beer.

While poring over the menu a little plate of complimentary and deliciously smooth babaganoush arrived with flat bread. But it was the raw seafood bar that grabbed my attention.

The fabulous warm peach and proscuitto salad

I’ve never seen tuatua just sitting on ice like oysters before. Let alone tasted them. The only way I’ve eaten tuatua (after doing the hip swivel in the sand at low tide) is to throw them on the barbie in their shells with a little white wine when they pop open. But no. Here they come raw and shucked with a little vinagarette to drip on and “schloopp”. That’s the sound you make when you suck them off the shell. (NB: Not first date fodder). The texture is tougher than an oyster, but the flavour mild, like a scallop maybe? You’ll have to try them and decide for yourself. $2.50 each.

A plate of raw salmon sliced thinly was our next dish with wasabi mayo, $15. Nice but not as wow as the rest of what was about to come.

These tiny fish burgers are FAB

The plate of the day for me was the white peach and proscuitto salad. It was a surprise and I have already tried to emulate it at home putting peach slices on the bbq. This was sublime: warm charred peach slices, salty proscuitto, rocket, toasted macadamia nuts and tart blue cheese with a cab sav dressing. I think it’s only a special so you’d better get there quick.

Next was also fab and I’d already read Tweets about it: Turbot Sliders, 4 for $15. This light fish is similar to flounder, lightly egged and pan fried, served with aoli in tiny burger buns that are a little sweet. But we still weren’t done.

Slow cooked pork and potato skins

A swig of my tumbler of pinot and the 6-hour cooked pork hock which fell off the bone served with crispy skin, grated apple and a parsnip puree arrived. This is a main dish ($29) and would be great to share with a wine for two.

I’d almost forgotten that we also ordered the potato skins – most likely deep fried, they were that delicious, with shaved chevrago cheese and dusted with porcini powder giving it a truffle taste, $10.

Done and dusted and heading home for a lie down! I’m going back with my Bloke as soon we can

Depot Eatery and Oyster Bar, 86 Federal Street. Ph 09 363 7048. But you can’t make a booking, so just call if you’ve left your wallet!

www.eatatdepot.co.nz

Are you following Megan on Facebook?

Certainly not me. I was staying there for a Monday and Tuesday and didn’t know what could possibly occupy my time since the market is only open on Saturday mornings. Clearly Matakana’s Farmers Market has a very good PR person because 2 days wasn’t long enough to do everything else.

We’re at the end of our swanky 5-day tour of a teeny part of Northland (Waipoua on the west coast, Bay of Islands and now Matakana) and I’ve had a brilliant time exploring the nooks and crannies of this part of the country and acting like a posh tourist.

And I am doing it posh. First 2 nights at Waipoua Lodge, last night at Bay of Islands Lodge in Paihia and today we are heading back to Auckland via 2 nights at Takatu Lodge and Vineyard, just out of Matakana.

Owners John and Heather Forsman originally bought this rolling piece of countryside to produce a Bordeaux-style wine – no additives and minimal intervention. They weren’t planning on the whole luxury lodge thing, but the land pretty much called for it. While John (an airline pilot in between tending to the vines) was busy studying everything needed to make the perfect drop, Heather was researching design and architects. They eventually found Steve McCracken who has helped them build one of the most beautiful, modern and minimalist lodges I’ve seen.

Disclaimer: I confess to loving this style of building anyway. But how can you not want to build your dream home just like this?! Open fire in the huge living room with ceilings as high as the moon. Ten-metre wide French doors that spill onto a patio and the vineyard at the end of the front lawn, and the kitchen fully involved in the middle of the hospitality.

It’s deceptive though when you arrive. We pulled into the stone courtyard where two guest suites flank both sides of the front door and to be honest, it’s lovely but doesn’t prepare you for what it’s hiding. Open the huge wooden door and the wide hallway stretches out like an infinity pool dropping into the view of the vineyard and hills beyond. Okay, I’m raving here, but it’s flippin’ cool!

John and his cohort, winemaker Herb Friedli (who also makes wine for Waiheke vineyards Te Whau, Kennedy Point and Poderi Crisci) are more about taste than quantity. In fact John confessed to not being able to look when the workers prune most of the grapes off to allow the sun to ripen only the best ones.

But the result is award-winning wine that Peter Gordon, for one, has snapped up for his London restaurant Providore. They have 9000 vines of red, 5000 of pinot gris and their dry rose is deliciously non-sweet. Of course, as guests, we got to sit in the late afternoon sun with an antipasto platter and taste them, along with a posh couple from England who were on their grand New Zealand adventure.

But this isn’t such a posh lodge that you can’t wear Hawaiian boardies and bare feet to breakfast (as the aforementioned English gentleman did). It’s homely and Heather and John are genuinely interested in their guests.

The rooms each have enormous bathtubs under French windows with views of the vineyard, a CD player (with a selection of great discs that we loved so much we went away and bought one), a super-king bed with 500-thread count linen and fresh coffee to make our own brew.

That night we took Heather’s recommendation and dined in Matakana at Tapiano Bar and Bistro, or we could have poodled along to Leigh to Sawmill Café the other way. But we’ll save that for next time.

Takatu Lodge & Vineyard, 518 Whitmore Road, Matakana
www.takatulodge.co.nz

#blog4nz

Mmmm, 6 satays for $5. Dinner

With The Bloke away and me enjoying a sunny Saturday pottering about, my big outing was a visit to said market. And I wasn’t disappointed. They’re open 6pm till midnight every Saturday, rain or shine because they’re under cover. In the Pakuranga Warehouse carpark, to be precise.

Not sure what Bunch of Mutton is...

Since I first wrote this blog in March 2011, the market has quadrupled in size.

Come hungry because you’ll find all sorts of food sizzling away from Malaysian satay to Pad Thai noodles to dumplings, Hangi pies, steamed pork buns, curry and plenty of sweets in the form of churros, donuts and even a cupcake stall.

There were a couple of stalls selling antiques (read second-hand), some cheapie jewellery stalls (which will be perfect when I bring my 8-year old god-daughter here for her birthday treat). Artists painted kids names to be framed, and kids $2-shop style toys make it fun to bring the kids with a bit of pocket money. People were selling soaps, others socks and pantyhose. A candyfloss man was making floss on a stick bigger than a kids’ head, the Avon lady was there and so was The Coffee Guy. There are clothes for sale and fresh fruit and vegies. A sound system was being set up which I presume was for some markety tunes, but I’d had my fill by the time he got it all plugged in.

An octopus anyone?

I bought The Bloke a battery powered fly swat from a stall selling toys and electronic games, and I’ll be grateful not to consume any more giant puffs of Raid every time a fly enters his personal space.

Oh and I also bought a bag of fantastic seasoned salt mixed with smoked garlic and chilli which will go just grand on roast chook, barbecued salmon or as a dip with bread and oil. In fact this was the purchase of the night and I am now an internet purchaser of the stuff.

If you’re in the area, pop in one Saturday, The Auckland Night Market, Westfield, Pakuranga Plaza, Auckland.

Here’s the low down of what’s on where:

Jake Gyllenhaal in Source Code

Mercury Energy Movies by Moonlight

Inception – with live music by Bond Street Bridge: Friday Feb 10 – Tahaki Reserve (Mt Eden) – 7.30pm

Young at Heart – with live music by Family Cactus: Saturday 11 Feb – Tahaki Reserve (Mt Eden) – 7.30pm

The King’s Speech – with live music by Bond Street Bridge: Friday Feb 17 – Auckland Botanical Gardens (Manurewa) – 7.30pm

Johnny English Reborn – with live music by Family Cactus: Saturday Feb 18 – Auckland Botanical Gardens (Manurewa) – 7.30pm

The Social Network – with live music by Macombee & the Absolute Truth: Friday 24 Feb – David Lange Park (Mangere) – 7.30pm

Surf’s Up – with live music by Family Cactus: Saturday 25 Feb – David Lange Park (Mangere) – 7.30pm

Midnight in Paris – with live music by Oval Office: Friday 2 Mar – Dudding Reserve (Little Shoal Bay) – 7pm

Puss n Boots – with live music by Macombee & the Absolute Truth: Saturday 3 Mar – Dudding Reserve (Little Shoal Bay) – 7pm

Avatar – with live music by Oval Office: Friday 9 Mar – Milford Beach Reserve – 7pm

The Smurfs – with live music by Macombee & the Absolute Truth: Saturday 10 Mar – Milford Beach Reserve – 7pm

Source Code – with live music by Oval Office: Friday 16 Mar – Luckens Reserve (West Harbour) – 7pm

People’s Choice – with live music by Bond Street Bridge: Saturday 17 Mar – Luckens Reserve (West Harbour) – 7pm

For more info on the films and driving directions jump onto this link to the Auckland Council Movies in Parks website >>>

Air New Zealand is having a Pacific Island sale (for some real summer sun). Click here for Air New Zealand special deals >>>

United Travel is having a New Year sale with deals on to Australia, Asia, South Pacific and America. Click here for United Travel’s sale >>>

House of Travel have teamed up with Air New Zealand to offer flights and hotel deals. Click here for House of Travel’s New Year sale >>>

Jetstar has special offers to Australia from Auckland Christchurch for $139 and $149 one way. Click here for Jetstar’s special offers >>>

Harvey World Travel has great deals on to Asia and Europe on Singapore Airlines. Click here for Harvey World Travel’s summer sale >>>

Virgin Australia has a sale on for flights from Auckland to Australian destinations. Click here for Virgin’s flight specials >>>

Air Asia has some ridiculously cheap flights from Christchurch to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Bangkok from $249. Click here for Air Asia’s great deals >>>

Flight Centre has a Boxing Day Qantas sale that runs until Jan 16. Click here for Flight Centre’s deals >>>

The new Santa with silenced finger and eyelid

Auckland’s hulking Santa is 51 this year and love him or hate him, you can’t miss the big guy. He’s 21-metres tall with a tremendous 27m girth and looks knowingly down from the Whitcoulls building. But his dodgy wink and come-hither finger had brought him much flak over the years and more than a little bad press, so last year he visited the fibreglass surgeon and now  holds his head high as the age-defying jolly old man.

But ask Santa what he’s seen since 1960 and he’ll tell you a lot of naughty and nice since he first stood on the old Farmers Building (now Heritage Hotel) on Hobson St.

He remembers how easy it was delivering presents to boys and girls when Auckland’s population was half a million in 1964, and then how he had to put new stream-lined delivery systems in place when it reached 1 million in ’96. He remembers the naughty towaway zones being introduced in 1967 and the rioters on Queen Street in ’84, the same year (nicely) that tolls were abolished on the Harbour Bridge, and he also sees exactly who those boy racers are each night!

The old winky Santa with the creepy finger

Indeed Santa sees everything. (That’s how he knows who to bring gifts to each year.) But there was a time when he was down and out and found abandoned in a rubbish dump in Mangere (he didn’t want to talk too much about this).

What I managed to find out later was that he and his reindeer were dumped from the Farmers Buildings and a kindly gentleman bought him for $1. He then met some Whitcoulls big wigs who helped find the thousands of dollars needed to rebuild him and give him a new home.

Maybe Santa was just misunderstood. His bad press was, quite frankly, because he was ugly. Shame on us, that’s not polite! But he is expensive to run and avoiding arthritis in that finger was only the start of the costs.

Three years ago he was nearly a gonna with Whitcoulls having to make a tough call about whether he would even make it onto the roof in 2008. A dramatic rescue plan was hatched with Heart of the City and thankfully he is still here today – facelift and all.

So pop down and say hi, before he disappears for another year into his secret Santa storage for another year.

Music for the Kiwi BBQ

I started with this compilation: Music for the Kiwi BBQ and chose 13 tracks – some new, some old – of Kiwi musicians that go perfectly with a sizzling snarler and a quiet ale (or sauvignon please).

Click on the link to have a look at the album and if you like it, simply download it through your iTunes account. You can also pick and choose just the tracks you want if you already have some of them.

You’ll find Gin Wigmore, Brooke Fraser, LadyHawke, Dragon, The Muttonbirds, Ladi6, Avalanche City, Annabel Fay, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Midnight Youth, Hello Sailor, The Naked and Famous, Tiki Taane. Perfect!

Click here: Music for the Kiwi BBQ >>>

Meanwhile I’m working on my next compilation….

The view from 6J

The two aisles have just one angle-parked seat on each side. Herringbone pattern they call it. Basically the exterior people all get their head at a window and their feet alongside the guy next to them. Not that you notice, because your entire seat-cum-bed is surrounded by a wall and it feels like just me on here.

The brown leather seat and padded seatbelt are the first signs of luxury – to my small mind anyway! That and the gift box wrapped in purple ribbon containing a pair of funky striped socks and an eye mask that has different things written on it. Mine says ‘are we there yet?’ It also comes with some teeny tubes of La Prairie moisturizer, eye cream and lip balm. Plus a pen, a toothbrush and those funny orange ear plugs that I never can get to stay in. Not that you need them, because next we get to the noise-cancelling headphones that are currently playing Adele’s album to me.

The king prawn starter with a cheeky wine and warm garlic bread

Business Class and Premium Economy both get the same food – but Business has the posh white table cloths and a bigger table from which to sup. Dinner was a choice of three options created by notable chefs.

I started with king prawns with fennel salad and lemon mayo, thanks to Rex Morgan of Wellington’s Boulcott Street Bistro. Then for the main I chose dukkah crusted lamb with eggplant, beans and lime courtesy of Geoff Scott from Vinnies restaurant in Auckland. Other choices were cranberry and cherry stuffed chicken leg with orange glaze and pumpkin and courgettes – again from Geoff. Or the golden fried snapper with garlic chilli plum sauce, kai lan, Sichuan eggplant and egg fried rice (we are on our way to China after all).

Then pud pud was 2 hearty scoops of icecream – triple chocolate and passionfruit and lemon curd. I declined the cheese board, popped a sleeper, slugged my red wine (I hope no doctors are reading this) and began the lie-flat bed procedure.

The lamb

Like a groupy I took photos of each of my plated courses at dinner and the breaky cereal, but as I had no room for the choice of hot cakes with apple and ginger compote or the cheddar chive scramble, you’ll just to have imagine that.

The crew are on hand to help convert your seat into a bed, but I’m a pro at these things now.

Here’s how to assemble your Business Class Bed: Get out of your seat and clear it of anything like cardys, books and tuck your telly back into its place. Push the bed button on your pod wall and your seat back will tip forward until it is completely face down and now the seat back has joined your little foot rest and become a mattress. Undo the plastic bag containing a thin padded sheet, duvet and pillow, put on the Are We There Yet mask, and it’s see ya later.

Of  course if you’re not ready for sleep, there are (hang on, just counting…) 54 movies on demand, plus umpteen TV shows and CDs and games for the really bored.

I quite happily slept for about 7 hours I’d say and woke to a smoothy drink of pineapple and orange then on came breakfast with hot croissants, cereal and fruit plus those hot choices that I simply had to decline.

Thanks Air New Zealand. Still the best business class product I’ve met.

Read my review of Air New Zealand’s Premium Economy class here >>>