Food babies all around

I want to visit a buffet once a week.

I’ve only decided this again recently, mind you.  The day I was first introduced to Valentines (many years ago) I think my 10 year old self must have just stood in awe at the abundance of food that surrounded me.  The cherry on top was that like most other parents, Mum would be able to smuggle me out a handbag full of free jellybeans stuck in a papery napkin.

But the thing that re-ignited my love for the buffet came from a birthday dinner out with my Mum on Monday night with a visit to a fairly new restaurant called ‘Eight’ at the Langham hotel.

The experience at Eight has been described as a journey, with 8 interactive kitchen stations, each from a different part of the world.  The Route 66 kitchen is filled with every type of meat you could think of, the Spice Route offers a range of curries and Indian cuisine and the Great Ocean Road has a selection of seafood.  Freshly made sushi/sashimi is also on offer along with a Chinese section and a salad bar that beats Valentines hands down.

So we arrived at the Langham hotel for a few bevvies before the event that was dinner.  We were then shown to our table and taken on a tour of the kitchen area/buffet area.  I hesitate in even typing the word ‘buffet’ because to me it screams the same old roast meats, some suss salads and an old soft serve machine.  Valentines served me well until I dined/gorged myself/then whined about my sore stomach at Eight.

We grabbed our plates, and headed for food with a strategy in mind.  We weren’t wasting our time on salads and curry was low on the priority list for fear of filling up too fast.  After devouring many servings of beef wellington, oysters, sashimi, crab, naan and dumplings, our table headed to the dessert bar. Words cannot describe my joy.

So now to the price…of course we didn’t pay for our meal so that may have been another reason why we enjoyed it so much.  After looking on Eight’s website I saw that dinner charges are $70 per person while lunch goes for about $37 per person.  Pricey but good value if you come from a long line of determined buffet eaters like I do.

Wow.  Wow. Wow.  No more Valentines for us.

Neighbourhood crush

I want Dominion Road.

Don’t get me wrong, I love little old Westmere.  We’ve got nice parks, good playgrounds, a sprinkling of great cafes/bars/delis/butchers/clothing shops, markets and even an RSA.  There’s a blend of families, creative types, the odd NZ celeb, and all-round oddballs that make Westmere an interesting place to inhabit.

But then there came ‘the other neighbourhood’.  Or really just a huge stretch of road that I enjoy spending my time with.  It’s one of the oldest main roads in this fine city of Auckland; Dominion Road even has a song named after it.

Dominion Road isn’t the perfect street.  It’s frequently busy and there’s a little bit of a seediness that oozes from parts of it, but there’s a whole range of goodness on offer.

FOOD GOOD

Dominion Road hasn’t escaped the chain train so you can eat your heart out at one of the many fast food restaurants: Wendys, Burger Fuel, KFC.  If you’re feeling slightly more daring, take my suggestion and go chinese.  New Flavour is my favourite with a huge plate of steamed dumplings (pork & chive) for $8.  BYO anything to drink from what I can gather.  Even better, you can get a $10 massage next door while you wait for a table to open up.  Family have also given me good reviews of Love a Duck and Golden Steamboat is next on my list to try.  And Zap2 Thai another eatery which has been raved about.  And…Banzai Japanese is another cheapie with lovely service and atmosphere.  And… there’s a Filipino supermarket closeby Wendys.  I can’t stop thinking about food.

SECONDHAND SHOPPING MECCA

I’m never disappointed by the mass of cheap stores on offer.  Not only does Dominion Road have an impressive Salvation Army store and a Red Cross store but there are a range of stores that specialise in bits and pieces/nick nacks/odds and ends.  Geoffs Emporium is a favourite.  Items to date include a floral cooking apron, tan belt and numerous fancy dress costumes.

ACTIVITES

The Capitol Cinema on Dominion Road is not your average cinema, only showing 2-3 films at a time. For an indecisive person like myself, it is the perfect night out.  A double scoop of Movenpick will set you back a measly $4 and the Capitol has jumped on the $10 Tuesday bandwagon – Hurrah! Alcoholic beverages also available.  Potters Park the odd event on and would be a nice place to eat your chinese takeways or get your game on (pretty sure there’s basketball courts there).  Mt Eden War Memorial Hall is just across the road and has hosted the retro fair (massive array of all things brown and orange) and a range of other events.

http://www.eventfinder.co.nz/whatson/events/auckland

http://www.ikes.co.nz/

http://www.capitolcinema.co.nz/

Living in the trees

I want a treehouse.

And not for my future kids.  For me.

Flicking through an old issue of Mindfood the other day, I stopped my page-flipping when I spotted these treehouses.  A-MAZING.  There’s something different about living slightly above ground level and getting a view that is uniquely yours.

I’ve got a bit of a connection with these whimsical looking structures from having a pretty awesome kids version growing up at Piha.  Mine came complete with windows that opened, a swing attached, and a pulley system for essentials like food and barbies.  I also remember going nuts for a certain kids cartoon called Ewoks, who ran about on swing bridges, from treehouse to treehouse.  Maybe another reason I’m pining for one of these things…