Located in an area of 4 hectares in Flatbush, Auckland, Fo Guang Shan is one of over 200 centres under the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Order.  The temple is free to visit (a dress code applies - ladies should not wear tanks or shorts and no jandals).  There is a welcome desk at the Front Shrine and we were invited to light a stick of incense and leave it in front of a statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. We walked around the Chan Gardens and admired the Novice Monks and Stone Lights. We visited the Art Gallery and admired calligraphy and cultural displays.  We looked into the Main Shrine and the statue of Sakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism from just outside (shoes need to be removed to enter the shrine). We'd hoped to visit the popular Water Drop Vege Cafe on our way out but the queue was spilling out the door.  We'll have to return to sample the healthy vegetarian food. Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Last Friday husband and I took a drive from Queenstown to Wanaka.  Wanaka is a beautifully scenic town set on Lake Wanaka and one of the most popular attractions is  That Wanaka Tree , a lone willow which grows in the lake.  Husband wasn't best impressed though.  After we'd gotten lost trying to find it, when he eventually saw it he said 'is that it?' and started photographing a beautiful autumnal tree nearby. That Wanaka Tree It made me think of a couple of other wacky tourist attractions in New Zealand.  In Wellington, on Cuba Street there is a bucket fountain. Since 1969 this bright kinetic structure has taken pride of place among pedestrians. Bucket Fountain But my favourite wacky attraction is the Lemon and Paeroa bottle.  L&P is a lemon flavoured soft drink and a seven-metre bottle stands tall in Paeroa.  An obligatory photo with the bottle is a must! Me with the L&P bottle

Anzac Day  is a New Zealand public holiday which falls on 25 April, marking the  anniversary of the landing of New Zealand and Australian soldiers at Gallipoli in 1915.   It is  commemorated by military and returned servicemen  with a dawn service at a local war memorial, joined by other members of the community.  In the lead up to the day, the public wear a red poppy as a symbol of remembrance. Another tradition is to bake Anzac biscuits on the day.  According to the National Army website  there were no Anzac biscuits at Gallipolli, although the troops did eat a 'rock hard tooth breaker' which was a standard Army biscuit.  The majority of Anzac biscuits as we know them today were sold at fetes and fundraisers, raising 6.5 million pounds for the war effort. I love Anzac biscuits.  They are similar to the oat 'crunchies' that my mum baked for me as a child.  Here is a simple Anzac biscuit recipe. Ingredients:...

How well do you know the area you live in?  I love researching holidays and things to do, but often forget how much there is closer to home.   Papakura is a nearby suburb that I sometimes visit to go shopping at Farmers department store or visit Mottletop Cafe.  I decided to go on an adventure one afternoon and was surprised with how much there was to do.  Here's what I found...

Autumn is festival season in Auckland and the city becomes a cultural sensation. Comedy The New Zealand International Comedy Festival  runs between 26 April and 20 May 2018.  Every Wednesday is 'Big' at the Classic  with up to 10 comedians sharing their latest comedy, while the SKYCITY theatre will be hosting international headline comedians. Get your tickets here Open Book The Auckland Writers Festival  has been running for the last 18 years.  This year there are 230 of the world’s best writers and thinkers gathering in Auckland from 15 - 20th May.  Among my favourites is Karen Joy Fowler  whose book We Are All Completely Besides Ourselves  was short-listed for the Man Booker Prize in 2014.   Check out the festival's Facebook page Photograpy The theme for this year's  Auckland Festival of Photography  is Control .  Exhibitions at several centres around Auckland will showcase different...

For the past month I've been on the hunt for owls.  Not the nocturnal type, which I find pretty scary, but the brightly coloured sculptured owls scattered around Auckland.   Sponsored by  Haier , The Big Hoot is a public art trail.  There are  47 uniquely decorated owls all around Auckland and by downloading the app you can unlock each owl along the way.  There are also 60 owlets, the majority of which were created by school students. The Big Hoot Owl On Easter Monday, my mum and I took a walk along the Auckland Viaduct and Wynyard Quarter and unlocked 4 owls along the way bringing my current total to 17.  I have until the 6th of May to up my game, there are still 30 to go!! To the Land Where the Ponga Tree Grows I love the creativity of the artists.  The passion that was put into making the owls shows in the finished products.  This is a great activity for kids over the upcoming school holidays (hey, I'm a big kid ...

Wellington is a wonderful city and has the best cafes to start your day the right way.  Here are 3 of the best! 1.  The Hangar The Hangar is the flagship café of Flight Coffee, who produce amazing coffee while always aiming to have the best impact they can on the industry.  Located in an airy space on Willis Street, come for the coffee but definitely stay for breakfast.  The granola was simply amazing! Granola from the Hangar 2. Nikau Cafe Tucked away in Civic Square this cafe is not the easiest to find, but is worth getting lost for!  Open from 7am on weekdays (8am on the weekends), you have the option to build your own breakfast starting with eggs and adding on anything from bacon to kimchi!  Delicious with a lovely vibe. 3.  Seize Seize is all about clean eating, and who could have known that waffles could be so healthy?  With lots of vegan options, including delicious brownies, Seize really is a treat.

The bathroom is one of the most frequently used rooms in the house.  Most modern bathrooms are fitted with ways to save water with half-flush toilet settings and low-flow shower heads and taps.  But there are other ways to be more eco-conscious in the bathroom, here are three suggestions: 1.  Tree Free TP smartass  is made from   a combination of sugarcane and fast growing bamboo that can be grown year on year with little wear and tear on soil quality.  It  is also free of bleach, inks, dyes and perfume.  Every day we flush the equivalent of 27,000 trees down the toilet.   Trees play a critical role in absorbing the greenhouse gases and contribute to the water cycle by returning water vapour back into the atmosphere. Without trees, millions of species will lose their habitat and global carbon emissions will rise by 15-20%.   smartass offer different subscriptions for cartons of 48 rolls, as well as one-time purchases...

Auckland Council manages 26 regional parks.  Isn't that incredible?  We chose  to spend a long weekend over Waitangi at  Muriwai Regional Park .  This beautiful area boasts 50km of surf beach. Muriwai Regional Park We stayed at Muriwai Beach B & B , a five minute walk from the beach accessed by a steep stairway on the Lookout Track.  After a morning cuppa at the popular Sand Dunz Beach Cafe  we followed the Otakamiro Point trail which led us down to the beach and up a path to viewing platforms overlooking the gannet colony. Muriwai Gannet Colony Gannets come to nest from late July and chicks are born in the spring.  Each pair lays one egg and the parents take turns on the nest.  As the chicks mature, they grow juvenile feathers and begin to exercise their wings in preparation for the one-shot jump off the cliff.   Once airborne, the young gannets leave the colony and cross the Tasman Sea to Australia....

There is a saying that nothing beats Wellington on a good day, and it's so true.  Reknowned for it's blistery, blustery days, Wellington  is a true gem  on a sunny day .  Here's how I spent the day and made the most of the sunshine. Wellingtion boasts coffee brewers like Havana, L'Affare, Mojo and Flight.  I started the day with a bowl of Granola and a cuppa at the Hangar on Willis Street.  This highly rated cafe is worth the visit. Granola from Hangar Next I walked down to Lambton Quay and took the cable car up to the Cable Car Lookout.  The cable car runs every ten minutes and climbs 120m in just 5 minutes.  Take in the views from the top and visit the Cable Car Museum. Find Cable Car lane for the entrance to the cable cars. A short but scenic ride Wellington view from the lookout Cable Car Museum I took a leisurely walk back down to the city centre through the Botanic Gardens.  There are different tracks...

Sculpture in the gardens  has been on show at Auckland Botanic Gardens since last November, but will come to an end on February 25th. Here are three of my favourite sculptures at this year's exhibition: 1. Seed Introspection by Ramon Robertson Relaxed and contemplative 2. Full length mirror by Sam Duckor-Jones Love the extra leaf prop! 3. Survey by Bryn Jones There is a man on the ground looking up at his mirror image in the tree!

Every now and then my husband takes me out on a DOFFA (Day of Fun Filled Activities).  Yesterday he took me to  Ōtara  Market.   There's no better place to experience cultural diversity than at the weekly weekend markets in South Auckland.  At  Ōtara  market, island music blares out the sound systems as revellers shop for fruit and veg.  In  Māngere  town centre the smell of BBQ fills the air, and crowds queue for sausage sizzle and chicken skewers.  On Sundays, the smaller market in Manurewa takes place in the car park opposite the RSA. Enjoying the atmosphere with a flower in my hair! When we first arrived in New Zealand, we didn't understand what was meant by 'Islanders' or 'Pacifika'.  These are peoples of Pacific Island Origin living in New Zealand.   According to the 2013 census,  7.4% of New Zealand’s population (295,941) identified with one or more Pacific ethnic groups.  Auckland is hom...

There are lots of Public Holidays coming up in New Zealand in the next few weeks.    On Monday 29th January is Auckland Anniversary Day (Northland and Nelson too) and the following Tuesday 6th February is Waitangi Day.  If you still don't have anything planned why not take a trip to Thames? Thames is a trendy township in the Waikato region of New Zealand and is situated between the Firth of Thames and the majestic ranges of the Coromandel Forest Park.  It is the gateway to the Coromandel Peninsula, with most beaches within an hours drive. The best day to visit is on a Saturday when the Grahamstown end of Pollen Street comes alive with the weekly market.  Operating between 8am and noon, there are stalls offering fruit and veg, plants, crafts and antiques. Dogs having their morning coffee At the end of Pollen Street is the Depot complex.  Within the courtyard are a deli, art gallery and other delights.  The front of the Depot hosts Cafe Melb...

The Coromandel Peninsula is a wonderful place to escape to during the summer holidays.  Here are the 3 best cafes to retreat to before a lovely day at the beach... 1. Blackies , Whangamata This lovely cafe is situated a few minutes away from the beach.  Serving takeaway coffees or beautiful brunches, Blackies is a treat.  We grabbed our cups and watched the waves go by. Catching a wave in Whangamata 2. Hot Waves Cafe , Hot Water Beach The best time to visit Hot Water Beach is within two hours of low tide.  The best time to visit Hot Waves Cafe is on your way to or from Hot Water Beach!  Lovely garden setting, great service. 3. Cafe Nina, Whitianga Tucked away on Victoria Street, away from the hustle and bustle of the main shopping parade is Cafe Nina.  A great place to escape with a good book.

A Kiwi-style Christmas is a relaxed day which makes the most of the warm weather.  I've created a little jingle to the tune of the 12 Days of Christmas of all the things that encapsulate the day, hope you enjoy it! On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me... Twelve Cherries Chilling Ten Jandals Jangling Eleven Cricketers Bowling   Nine hangis cooking. Eight Pukekos Playing  Seven Surf and Swimmin' Five Barbeques Four Pavlovas Three Fantails Two Pohutukawa and a Picnic on the beach Merry Christmas everyone!!