Today’s Herald pull-out Viva names some of the best take-aways in Auckland, and it’s hardly an exhaustive list. I’m pleased it doesn’t have my friend Fat Boy though, that’s a little secret between you and me. Good to see awesome Dominion Road dumplings make the list though (http://www.dineout.co.nz/restaurant.php?rest=3852).

But since we don’t all live in Ponsonby or Mount Eden, what are some of your faves?

YWCA is calling for “inspired and inspiring” photographs of women in Auckland, “empowered and embracing leadership in all roles in their lives”  - and we know there are tonnes of ‘em around here!

Details from the competition page:

Competition closes on November 25th at 5pm.

Winners – announced in The Aucklander on December 2nd – must be able attend a YWCA cocktail evening in Newmarket on Wednesday, December 1st.

All entries must be in jpeg format, at least 15x10cm and 300dpi, and must be emailed to:photo@theaucklander.co.nz

Categories and prizes* are:

Overall winner: Wins a Google Nexus One mobile phone and a two-hour tutorial with photographer Becky Nunes, combined worth $1500.

Public vote (one from all three categories): Wins Nokia E75, another high-end handset worth $900.

The three categories and prizes are: Portrait winner receives a Vodafone 845 smartphone worth $399; Youth (aged between 12 and 18) winner gets a Samsung digital photo frame in black (SPF-107H) 10″ screen, 1GB built-in memory, ultra slim, worth $244; and Creative Interpretation wins the latest Polaroid 300 and 1 pack of film worth $230.

* Phone prizes do not come with contracts.

I find these statistics particularly interesting because I’m 39, female, spent the first 19 years of my life in Dunedin and I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis just under a year ago.

I’m not going to rattle on about my personal experience. If you’re interested I wrote about it in my personal blog ManikPixi. Rather I want to give kudos to the MS Society Auckland Region. This year has been difficult, but it would have been so much harder without the education, support and compassion I have had from them (and particularly my wonderful Field Worker).

Like any charity MS Auckland has to work hard to fund the good work that they do, and on Sunday 14th November you can don your walking shoes, take in the sights of Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour and support MS Auckland’s work by taking part in the Footloose Funwalk.

The event starts at 10am at the Waitemata Plaza on Customs Street, and participants can walk, run or wheel the 2.5km course around the Viaduct Harbour. The really fit (or lunatic) among you can even choose to make it a 5km course by going round twice! Entry fees are $15 for non MS Auckland Region members, $10 for MS Auckland Region members and $30 for a team (4+ individuals).

The Footloose Funwalk is kindly support by Auckland Sky City Community Trust and Auckland City Council. More information and registration is via the MS Auckland Region website.

O Auckland my Auckland! Our fearful trip is done,

John Banks has weathered every rack, the prize he sought is won,

The port is (not) near, the bells I hear, the people all revolting,

While follow eyes the steady dollar, the World Cup grim and boring;

But O heart! heart! heart!

O the bleeding drops of red,

Where on the deck public transport lies,

Fallen cold and dead.

Also, it would seem, Gelato.

Giapo sells Gelato. And, if I may say so, it’s epically good Gelato. They have a range of flavours which cannot be said to be exotic, but are definitely wide ranging, and are all delicious. But the tastiness of the flavours are not why I’m thinking about social networking while writing about frozen dairy desserts. That’s because Giapo is amazingly engaged with various social networking systems, and internet stuff in general. They have a Facebook Page. They’re on Twitter. They have a blog and no less than two different youtube channels. They have a Google Apps form for daily flavours. (Note: My favourite flavour is ‘Just For Girls”. Read into this what you will.) Holy shit. They may actually be leveraging this stuff more than any other company in New Zealand. Certainly more than any national or local government body, so far.

The net result of all this social networking is that you start to think of them less as a faceless corporate purveyor of frozen snacks, and more like a friend. A friend you might drop into when you’re in town, and then twitter about how utterly delicious their gelato is.

And you will.

Giapo is at 279 Queen Street, just up the road from the Civic.

I have definite magpie-like tendencies. By which I don’t mean that I swoop down from trees to viciously peck unsuspecting pedestrians on the head. Rather, I’m irresistably drawn to pretty shiny things. So the New Zealand Jewellery Show is right up my alley.

Held at SkyCity from 2-4 July, the show will feature over 100 contemporary and fine jewellery designers from throughout New Zealand along with an exhibition featuring work from Fingers and Masterworks, the Regal Castings Jewellery Design Awards and the Designers’ Choice selection which this year will focus on rings.

More information, including opening times and ticket prices, can be found on the official website. So go along, browse, and buy something pretty for me because I’ll be on a plane winging my way to England for a three week family holiday. (Yeah, I know. It sucks to be me.)

So when a friend asked if I wanted to hit Coco’s Cantina for a mid-week dinner, I was stoked. But when we arrived there was an hour long wait. On a freaking Tuesday. Is it really that good? And is it just a cool restaurant with Mexican food, a la Sweet Mothers Kitchen, just more expensive?

I saw The Cult perform in Wellington in 1993. I was four months pregnant at the time and spent the whole concert trying not to breathe in order to avoid brain damage to my unborn baby from the *ahem* herbal cigarette smoke that wreathed the venue; and the very drunk guy standing next to us took exception to the way my (now ex) husband looked at him and threatened violence.

I didn’t enjoy the concert much at all. Not because of herbal smoke or dickhead drunks, but because it was, quite frankly, lacklustre. Some musicians make their audience feel a part of something. Even if lines like “wow, this is the best audience we’ve played to” are hackneyed and trite, with the right delivery and some genuine emotion behind it the audience will believe. Other bands give off an “if it’s Wednesday then this must be New Zealand” vibe that leaves the audience with the impression that the band would rather be anywhere doing anything else than playing this particular song for the 157th time, and The Cult was one of those.

But hey, I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. I still love their music and wouldn’t mind seeing them again, so I’m quite tempted to book myself tickets for their concert at Trusts Stadium on Monday 3 May. The Love World Tour follows a different format from your standard concert, with The Cult performing in its entirety their seminal 1985 album “Love”, followed by a “best of” finale showcasing their biggest hits.

So, what do you think? Should I give them another chance? Tickets are available from Ticket Direct.

Te Tuhi lemon tree grove, Preston Road reserve, East Otara

I’m pleased to announce that the foraging movement is growing around New Zealand. ha. Growing. Oh, I’m hilarious.

Anyway… Auckland in particular is lush with free fruit and vegetables. The brilliant thing is that Councils are now supporting the movement (among many other fabulous people). East Otara is on it’s way to having the first Freedom Fruit Garden:

The inaugural planting of a Freedom Fruit garden will occur on Friday 25 June from 9.30am, at Preston Road Reserve, East Otara, Auckland. The day of planting will be celebrated with an official opening event, with performances including Rongomai Primary School’s Kapa Haka group and conclude with a hangi.

John Darroch, guerrilla gardener and general horticultural genius, recently appeared on Close Up talking about foraging in Central Auckland. If you want to give it a go but don’t really know where to start, there is a helpful google map of free food sources all around New Zealand. General foraging etiquette applies… in basic terms, be nice. Also, feel free to add your own secret spots to the map. In particular, if you have a feijoa tree and happen to live near Newmarket, I’d be pleased to see your input. Kthx.

I’m on a mission to do some guerrilla gardening of my own. I think the empty section next door would be infinitely more fetching with a giant pumpkin patch on it. Yusssssssss.