By KRISTIE KELLAHAN
One of Auckland's best ... Ponsonby Social Club.
IF WELLINGTON is the New Zealand equivalent of Melbourne, then Auckland is closer in spirit to Sydney. With a pretty harbour, great restaurants and plenty of big-city confidence, Auckland is also a join-the-dots town of neighbourhood villages. One of the coolest is inner-city Ponsonby, a hub of dining, shopping, galleries and clubs.
Buzzing with activity all week, the area comes alive on Friday nights.
PONSONBY SOCIAL CLUB
DON'T be surprised if you return here every night of your stay in Auckland. Classy, grown up and welcoming, the social club is one of the best bars in the city. A rotation of live music and DJs warms up the crowd, while a cocktail menu impresses with its accompanying history (who knew the Negroni was invented by an Italian count?) At $NZ25 ($19.50) for a martini, it's not cheap but it is satisfying. The club's Sunday Grill is a terrific way to wind down the weekend: chefs fire up the barbecue next to the bar and prepare delicious plates of Moroccan-style lamb skewers, scallop and prosciutto kebabs, barbecued chicken breast and sausage sangers. The bar serves jugs of social sangria. The result? A very celebratory Sunday.
152 Ponsonby Road; +64 09 361 2320; ponsonbysocialclub.com.
THE GREAT PONSONBY ARTHOTEL
SMALL, perfectly formed and with just 11 guest rooms, the Great Ponsonby Arthotel is intimate enough for you to get to know the owners, Sally and Gerry. They're passionate about sustainability and have won points from the Lonely Planet GreenDex for their efforts to reduce the hotel's waste and carbon emissions. They're also passionate about all things New Zealand, with local and Pacific artworks on the walls and a library of NZ music, books and films to borrow. It's Kiwiana, only classier.
30 Ponsonby Terrace (near the corner of Ponsonby Road); +64 09 376 5989; see greatpons.co.nz.
THE GARDEN PARTY
THE mission is clear: The Garden Party specialises in unique and beautiful gifts made in New Zealand. The result? A store full of stuff you'll want. From the Pacifica skincare range to collectable wooden brooches by Ian Blackwell and decorative chrome fairies by Inzspired, everything is a joyous homage to the creative forces of the Land of the Long White Cloud. Don't miss the collection of cool tea towels designed by various artists. We like the one that reads: "While you're up could you put the jug on."
71 Ponsonby Road; +64 09 378 7799; thegardenparty.co.nz.
BONITA
A LITTLE taste of the Mediterranean in the heart of Auckland, this authentic, Spanish-style tapas bistro is beloved by beautiful people and anyone with a hankering for tasty mortals, oops, I mean tasty morsels. Blackboard specials brag about what's good today: a typical sampling might include stuffed mushrooms, baked fresh sardines, marinated calamari and spicy sausage. Shared plates work best, or for stronger appetites, order the mighty seafood paella. Sangria, salsa music and sultry service add the requisite seasoning.
242 Ponsonby Road; +64 9 376 5670.
PONSONBY ROAD MARKET
BE PROMPT if you want to score cool collectables, vintage and retro trinkets, designer clothes and handmade jewellery as Auckland's newest outdoor market is open only on Saturdays between 10am and 3pm. Started last year by enterprising design folk, the vibe is low-key and community-based. Each week, the market hosts about 30 stalls, usually staffed by the artists or designers themselves, and they are only too happy to talk about their work. Pick up a unique souvenir while supporting the local Auckland arts scene.
65-67 Ponsonby Road.
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