One of Auckland’s largest metropolitan parks, originally called The Takapuna Domain, Centennial Park in Campbells Bay incorporates a number of tracks, a tennis club and a golf course within a total area of 160 hectares. Weeds and exotic species are gradually being cleared from the area and more natives planted thanks to the great work being done by the Centennial Park Preservation Society. The bush is alive with birdsong and the area boasts some rare birds such as the long tailed cuckoo. You’ll see wood pigeons, white eyes and fantails and many more native and introduced birds. There are maps available from the city council, or you can view the main map at the Beach Road entrance to the park. View a map of the park on Google Maps. Read more about Centennial Park and its history here.

Sure, it’s not Coronet Peak, but the slope at Snow Planet in Silverdale (just a little north of the North Shore) is heaps of fun. This is New Zealand’s only indoor ski resort. Take the kids there for a couple of hours during the school holidays or in the weekend, and let them loose to exhaust themselves. If you’re a beginner, it’s a great place to gain your ski legs, and you can get a lesson thrown into the hire package. It can also be helpful for the more experienced skier who needs to hone their skills or get a little ski-fit before hitting the real slopes. Snowboarding is popular at Snow Planet, and it’s a safe and easy place to learn to ride. You can even try out your jumps. Snow Planet is open every day, from 10am – 10pm (from 9am on weekends, school and public holidays). Take the Silverdale off ramp from SH1, turn left and then left again at Small Road. All the ski gear is available for hire – check out the prices here.

mmmmmmm……..Fresh Baked Bread

I have (like many people) a passion for good bread. I’m excited to have Wild Wheat on the Shore now (originally in Mt Eden) and visit a few times a week to buy my bread. This is the good stuff, mainly artisan and mainly sourdough (their apple based starter is reputedly 10 years old!). If you think sourdough bread is not to your liking, put your prejudices aside and go sample some of the Wild Wheat product. It’s wonderful! I’m slowly working my way through all the flavours, and standouts for me are the fruit bread, the baguette (ooh that deep crust!) and the kumara sourdough. The breadmaking process takes about 36 hours, which helps to develop the great flavour, as well as making the bread far more digestible. It also keeps really well – just wrap it in a clean tea towel and store in the pantry. This is bread the way it used to be made and the way bread should taste. Wild Wheat Bakery also has cakes and other sweet things, and you can pick up a great sandwich for lunch, then go eat it on Takapuna Beach. Wild Wheat is located in Hurstmere Road, near The Promenade (between GPK and Glengarrys), and there’s another store at 1/69 Lake Road, Belmont. You can check out the range of products and some background information on the Wild Wheat website.

Northart Gallery is a community funded art gallery in Norman King Square, Northcote Shopping Centre, which regularly hosts local art exhibitions and runs after school art classes.  It’s open every day, 10 – 4, and admission is free.   In 2008, the gallery celebrated its 10th anniversary with an  exhibition called 10 Big Paintings,  which received some favourable reviews in Art News and  The NZ Herald. See what’s in the calendar at Northart.

Visit the Lake House Arts Centre in Fred Thomas Drive, Takapuna. In a beautiful garden setting (formerly the site of the Barry’s Pt tip), which often has fantastic outdoor sculptures, the Lake House is a fine example of Victorian and Edwardian architecture, preserved and lovingly maintained by a charitable trust. It was a boarding house in earlier times, built at the northern end of Takapuna Beach and was moved to its present site in the late 1990s.

You can visit the Lake House galleries to enjoy the rich variety of artworks on exhibition, you can join an art class for a term or more (adults and children’s classes are offered), or enjoy breakfast or lunch at the on-site cafe, amidst this wonderful piece of North Shore heritage. Perhaps you’d like to book your kids into a school holiday programme. Check out the timetable here.

Old building, new face

The Department Store, located at 10 Northcroft Street in Takapuna, is a refreshing change from the bland sameness of shopping malls. It’s a groovy industrial space – polished concrete floors, concrete ceilings and exposed beams – occupied by some savvy designers and retailers. Karen Walker Clothing, Black Box Boutique, Simon James Furniture/Design and Michael Lett Galleries occupy the ground floor, along with The Marr Lab (organic, non-toxic skin care), and The Tea Room (excellent coffee and delicious treats – I love the poppy seed cake!). There’s so many gorgeous things to look at and try on, and I really enjoy browsing the range of books on offer – architecture, design, cookery, art – the goods may be up-market but the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. A white spiral staircase leads to Lucy and the Powder Room (beauty spa), and the new Top Shop is on the top floor, sharing space with Stephen Marr Hair. The wash basins are cleverly hidden from view by an exotically lush, living wall of plants, all growing quite happily and providing a soft contrast to the hardness of the concrete. This building has come a long way since it was used as the Post Office (I worked there as a bank teller in the 70s). Good on the designers and business people who had the sense to retain the building and reinvent it as a superb, sophisticated retail experience.

So much yummy food to choose from!

A cafe with a name as cute as this has to be on the list of things to do on the North Shore. It’s little indeed -  a commercial kitchen with a bit of space out the front for customers. And it was only supposed to be open on Fridays. Fortunately, they’re now open Wednesday to Sunday, between 8 am and 3 pm.

The kitchen is separated from the public area by a glass counter that’s just bursting with  delightful looking goodies – quiches, cakes, brioche both sweet and savoury, and wonderful pies. Homemade fudge is piled high on the counter and the individual-serve cakes are works of art. They serve Supreme coffee (an awesome Wellington roastery) and the friendly barista makes a great espresso.

Sitting in Little and Friday is a bit like being in your mother’s (or grandmother’s) kitchen. Wonderful aromas waft out,  you can see everything that’s going on, and you get to sit around the big old dining table with its linen tablecloth, array of cookbooks, bowls of fruit, vase of flowers and fresh baked cookies under retro glass covers. It’s cluttered, homely and unpretentious. Even the outdoor furniture is an intriguing collection of old wooden beer crates, packing boxes and odd chairs.

This wee cafe is very popular with the locals – it’s run by people who are passionate about food and the passion is contagious. Read what the locals say about Little and Friday. You can order whole cakes and anything else on the menu by phoning 489 8527 or email kim@exquisit.co.nz

Piles of delicious fudge with samples to try