All posts filed under: Events

The Auckland Food Show 2021

calling all food lovers! THE AUCKLAND FOOD SHOW IS HERE!!! Held at the Auckland Showgrounds over four days (Thursday 29 to Sunday 1 August 2021), The Auckland Food Show showcases the best in food, drink and kitchen equipment from product owners around the country. There is so much to sample and buy at The Food Show, plus you get the opportunity to meet and talk with the owners behind all your favourite brands, and sample new and existing food and drink products. There are also fabulous specials on the products – see below for my favourites! Ticket entry (purchase here) also includes cooking demonstrations by some of your favourite culinary stars at the Cooking Theatre! There will be 19 sessions over the four days, featuring Samir Allen (of Gemmayze St, one of my favourite restaurants), Michael Van de Elzen, Josh Emett, Two Raw Sisters, and many more. Check out the timetable here. Mazda Food Show Shuttle The Food Show and Mazda have partnered to bring you the Mazda Food Show Shuttle! Simply head to the designated pick-up point to be …

#NZContentCollective Margarita Masterclass with Mexico

Last Thursday night, #NZContentCollective and I hosted a Margarita Masterclass at Mexico in Britomart.  One of my other loves (besides food) is T E Q U I L A! I mostly like it straight, and of course, in Margaritas – my favourite cocktail! Since travelling around Mexico two years ago (including visiting the Jose Cuervo Distillery in the town of Tequila and learning about the history and how it is made), my passion for all things Mexican (hello calaveras!) has grown and I am an even bigger fan of the spirit.  So, when the opportunity arose to collaborate with Mexico by organising a Margarita Masterclass with Herradura and El Jimador Tequila, we were in! Plus, the idea of becoming a master in the fine art of making and consuming margaritas simultaneously sounded like our type of evening, so why not share it with 37 other like-minded people, namely content creators, bloggers, foodies, and business owners! On a chilly Thursday night, we arrived at Mexico in Britomart and were led upstairs to their super cool Mexican-style …

Bottomless Brunch at Wu & You

A few weekend’s ago, #NZBloggers and I hosted our Xmas Soiree at Wu & You in Mount Eden. This was our last #BRUNCHCLUB for 2019, so we celebrated it in style! Wu & You are known for their exciting, dynamic and delicious Asian-Fusion dishes, and on the weekends, they offer Bottomless Bubbles and Brunch🍾🍾 Prior to the event, we loved the sound of their WFC Burger with Wu fried chicken, kaffir lime mayo, lettuce and coriander, the Five Spiced Pork Hawker Roll with hoisin and star anise glaze, Malaysian slaw, fried garlic and peanuts, and the Chili Scrambled Eggs with spicy mayo, fresh herbs, crispy shallots and toasted sourdough. YUM. Check out the rest of their menu here. On the day, we were seated in their outdoor courtyard and had this to ourselves! We priced our tickets at $40 which included Wu & You’s Bottomless Bubbles & Brunch (usually $49), sweet treats during the event (like Sweet Little Favors Christmas cookies and Krispy Kreme doughnuts), plus a FABULOUS Goodie Bag to take home at the end. …

Taste of Auckland 19

HEADS UP FOODIES… TASTE OF AUCKLAND IS HERE!!! November is the most exciting month of the year, for three reasons: 1. It is my birthday month; 2. It is starting to feel like summer; and 3. Taste of Auckland has arrived – woohoo! On Thursday night, I attended my sixth Taste of Auckland, including the VIP Opening, where Taste presented the ‘Best in Taste Awards’, judged by MARCO PIERRE WHITE (and daughter), Tony Stewart (Clooney), Chand Sahrawat (Sid at The French Cafe/Cassia) and Amanda Linnell (VIVA). The winning dish was the Beetroot Taco Pao with Pulled Sticky Pork Belly, Pickled Carrot and Crispy Shallots by Nanam. Jessabel Granada / Executive Chef at Nanam Plus, a new award this year – ‘People’s Choice Award’ – judged by Nicole O’Brien, who won a VIVA competition to become the judge! Her top pick was the “Miann Hot Dog” with Chocolate Parfait, Eclair, Passionfruit and Raspberry by Miann. Read more below to see a picture! Held over four days (31 October – 3 November), Taste of Auckland is ideal for those who love food, cooking and everything in between. In other words, it is …

Meadow – Auckland

After a successful #NZBloggers Pink Ribbon Brunch last month (more details here), we are back doing our usual brunch clubs! #NZBloggers is a group encouraging, supporting and enabling networking for bloggers and influencers. We host a monthly #NZBloggers #BRUNCHCLUB event, where a few of us take turns organising (I previously organised March’s one at Ozone Coffee Roasters). A bunch of bloggers and influencers meet up to have brunch and learn more about blogging. The thing I love most about these events is meeting people whom you follow on social media, but otherwise wouldn’t get the chance to meet.  This June, our #BRUNCHCLUB was held at Meadow in Meadowbank! Meadow is a sophisticated and modern bistro and bar, taking local neighbourhood dining to the next level. Offering a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere, plus elegant interior and an expansive courtyard – perfect for al fresco dining! Meadow put on a beautiful morning for us – we were seated outside in their courtyard under a private marquee (surrounded by plants and trees), and they decorated a long table with a navy blue theme in mind. …

#NZBloggers Pink Ribbon Brunch

Last weekend, #NZBloggers and I hosted our first and fabulous Pink Ribbon Brunch to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Foundation. Featured: Krispy Kreme Finger Bun Doughnuts. Photo credit: Vicki Watson (Instagram).  As some of you may know, in my spare time (alongside running my blog and social pages), I also volunteer for NZBloggers, a group encouraging, supporting and enabling networking for bloggers and influencers in New Zealand. Each month we host events for bloggers by bloggers.  This month, we hosted an extra special event where everyone was invited to help us fundraise for the Breast Cancer Foundation. Welcome to our Pink Ribbon Brunch! It was a great success and we have since raised over $2,000 for the Breast Cancer Foundation. Link to our page is here. Our Pink Ribbon Brunch was open to EVERYONE, not just bloggers. It was not like our usual monthly sit-down #NZBloggers brunches. It was interactive, with grazing tables, a help yourself station, plus we had pop-up stalls where you could try on clothing, get your hair/makeup done and/or get a facial.  ME! …

Ozone Coffee Roasters

About a month ago, a few foodies and I went along to the opening of Ozone Coffee Roasters in Grey Lynn, where we sampled some of their menu dishes and got to know more about their brand. At the opening, I came across a long table at the back of the eatery and thought “this would be perfect for the #NZBLOGGERS #BRUNCHCLUB!” So, a few weekends’ ago, I hosted my first #NZBloggers #BRUNCHCLUB at Ozone Coffee! There were about 20 bloggers in total, and it was lovely to welcome some new faces along, as well as catch up with old friends. Ozone Coffee has been roasting coffee and building relationships in New Plymouth, London and beyond for the past 20 years. Ozone’s latest venture in Grey Lynn is an all-day eatery, with seating for 100, complete with an open kitchen, and a dedicated coffee bar, with many brews on offer and their beans are roasted on-site – make sure you take a peek at the back to see all the action! The space is beautifully designed, …

Auckland Fish Market

I absolutely love seafood. Oysters, mussels, prawns, hoki, kina, gurnard, crayfish, whitebait, clams, flounder, scallops, tuna, snapper, paua – you name it.  I would eat seafood for every meal if I could… maybe just not for dessert as that is reserved for my other favourite food – chocolate. So, when I was invited to the official opening party of the Auckland Fish Market last Monday, I was super excited! Most of you will already know, but for the last nine months’, the Auckland Fish Market in Wynyard Quarter has undergone renovations, to include eight new eateries, a courtyard bar, a world class fishmonger – Sanford & Sons and seating for 400 inside and out, making it an ideal dining destination for Aucklanders and for tourists alike.  The newly refurbished Auckland Fish Market is a celebration of New Zealand seafood – in fact it sells the widest range of the freshest seafood available, straight from the boats to your dinner table.  At the opening party of the Auckland Fish Market, we sampled freshly shucked TeKouma Bay oysters, fish sliders from Market Galley, swordfish, green …

Krispy Kreme Chancery Square

  Attention doughnut lovers, the HYPE is real… Krispy Kreme is opening a third store in Auckland CBD’s Chancery Square… tomorrow!!! This world-famous doughnut and coffee chain first opened in 1937, and the brand is still going strong, having celebrated its 80th birthday last year (on 13 July). There are over 1,000 stores around the world – with New Zealand now in the mix, 35 countries selling these divine doughnuts! In February, Krispy Kreme opened its first New Zealand store in Manukau and its second store last month at Auckland Airport’s domestic terminal. It has been a roaring success ever since! The new Krispy Kreme store in Chancery is extra special – it is not just a second store, but a brand-new look for Krispy Kreme – first of its kind in the world. It is Krispy Kreme like you have never experienced before! Are you excited yet?! Details for the Grand Opening below… Tonight, Evo and I went along to Krispy Kreme’s new store in Chancery for an exclusive sneak peak! This new branch is …

Taste of Auckland 18

HEADS UP FOODIES… TASTE OF AUCKLAND IS HERE!!! November is the most exciting month of the year, for three reasons: 1. It is my birthday month; 2. It is starting to feel like summer; and 3. Taste of Auckland has arrived – woohoo! 2018 is a big year for Taste of Auckland presented by Electrolux as they are celebrating 10 years! This iconic food festival has helped launch brands, watch restaurants come and go, and of course, provide the public with an amazing event each year.  Taste is also being held in a brand new location – occupying the entire space of Queen’s Wharf on the waterfront! I am in love with the new seaside location, as it is more spacious, and easier to get to. You could drive, but why not walk down from work or take public transport if you can?!  On Thursday night, I attended my fifth Taste of Auckland, including the VIP Opening, where Taste presented the ‘Best in Taste Awards’, judged by Chand Sahrawat, Lachlan Colwill and Amanda Linnell. The winning dish was Xoong’s Ruakaka Kingfish Tartare. …