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Travel Guide: Auckland, New Zealand
New Zealand's fashion, cafés and
nightlife are miles away from Middle
Earth.
By Sarah Daniel Dolphin
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Auckland in a day: Start with poached egg and bacon on organic arugula at Bambina, followed by a walk down posh Ponsonby Road. The area's stylish cafés and jewel-box pastry shops belie its rather seedy past: In 1935, one-third of the neighbourhood's homes were deemed "unfit for habitation" due to overcrowding, and nearby Victoria Park was once an open-air morgue! But don't let that ruin your appetite: Try a bowl of local green-lipped mussels at The Occidental Belgian Beer Café . Take a short ferry ride to lovely Waiheke Island, which has more than 20,000 olive trees and 26 wineries. Enjoy a wine tasting at Te Whau Vineyard, which boasts the longest wine list in New Zealand .
Where to drink and dine: The chic set mingle at Dine by Peter Gordon. The New Zealand-born celebrity chef is known for his Five-Spice Cambridge Duck and Kumara Miso Mash, as well as inventive desserts like Warm Pistachio Baklava. Or check out the ultra-exclusive Clooney. This transformed industrial space is so dimly lit, you could be sitting next to the All Blacks - the national rugby team - and not even know it. Hit Shanghai Lil's Bar & Lounge, where incense burns and stained-glass lamps glow, for post-dinner drinks. "It's like stepping into another era," says Cooper.
Getting there: Air New Zealand offers non-stop service between Auckland and Vancouver.
In living colour
When Trelise Cooper started her fashion empire more than 10 years ago, the fashion industry didn't think she'd succeed. "They thought my clothes were too colourful," says the Auckland-based designer. Since then, Cooper's frocks - often embellished with romantic touches of vintage glamour - have won over stylish starlets like Reese Witherspoon and helped launch her namesake lingerie, as well as children's and accessories lines. Her whimsical label is a contrast to the arch intellectual styling that most local designers favour. "I want to create clothes that have personality and a quirkiness to them," she says.
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