Vivid colours, artistic lighting, and marine projections brought with it the challenge of photographing a light festival in Auckland at night. Bright Nights brought Viaduct Harbour alive with a light and sound spectacular curated by international award-winning light artist Angus Muir Design. As always, New Zealand knows how to throw a party. “The waterfront means …
Volvo Ocean Race Around the World – Auckland Stopover
Auckland knows how to throw a party, and I could feel the excitement in the air as I approached. The City of Sails is perfectly situated for a stopover of Volvo Ocean Race Around the World. Auckland has been a host for nearly all of the races since it’s inception in 1973. A gruelling test …
Auckland Lantern Festival: A Vivid Celebration of Chinese New Year
Brightly coloured Chinese lanterns will light the Auckland Domain at the Auckland Lantern Festival from February 14 – 18, 2019. Celebrating the Chinese New Year welcoming in the Year of the Pig, it’s an event filled with hundreds of handmade Chinese New Year lanterns as well as crafts, performances, and food (plenty of food). It’s …
Latin Festival – Auckland Summer is a Colorful Fiesta
New Zealand knows how to throw a party, and that was clear yesterday at the opening of the weekend-long Latin Festival Auckland. The schedule of events at this Auckland summer fiesta weekend is varied. With two sound stages, there seemed to always be multiple options of things to do. The main dance floor alternates between a …
Kiwi Slang: Funny New Zealand Phrases – Visitors Beware!
The longer I live in Auckland, the more natural the New Zealand language feels. They call it English, but the Kiwi slang creates a variant that is often amusing. Four years ago I wrote about it and won an expat contest for my entry. I re-read it this morning and discovered it is still on …
MOTAT Christmas Lights Raise Money for Auckland Children
Celebrate the spirit of giving and enjoy Christmas night lights at MOTAT. Auckland’s Museum of Transport and Technology has once again used thousands of fairy lights to create a magical wonderland that should be on everyone’s list of things to do before Christmas. To include everyone, the MOTAT entry fee is only $2 for the …
Why the Auckland Food Show is my Favourite NZ Event
The Auckland Food Show is a solid reminder that New Zealand’s focus is clean and green, with quite a lot of fun tossed into the mix. It’s one of my favourite annual events, and once again, it did not disappoint. Let’s face it, who doesn’t love food? The next Auckland Food Show dates are Auckland …
Flying Boats Race at Manly Beach in New Zealand
They call them “flying boats” and the first of these arrived in New Zealand only six months ago. This class of WASZPs are small, single-man sailing vessels each with two foils attached to its underside. These lift the hull out of the water allowing it to “fly” at twice the speed of the wind. This …
New Zealand Sunset Photos
I love watching colour burst from the sky as the sun sets beyond the horizon. Living in New Zealand, sunset is a treat I get to enjoy often. Recently I moved all my photos to Lightroom. While I sort through 10 years of images I am reminded of many things, including spectacular sunsets in New …
Auckland Street Art, Waterfront Artwork and Sculptures
Auckland New Zealand is eclectic and modern city visually enhanced with street art and sculpture. You would be hard-pressed to find a business district in the city that didn’t have some sort of public art. Auckland street art ranges from classic painting to modern graffiti-like styles. Similarly, the city’s sculpture covers a range from traditional …
Ten Reasons to Visit the Chocolate and Coffee Show in Auckland
I don’t need ten reasons to visit a Chocolate and Coffee Show. The name is enough. It lasts for only two days each year in Auckland New Zealand. And let me tell you, they are two great days for a coffee and chocolate fan like me. For those who need a bit more motivation, here …
Impressive da Vinci Machines: Traveling Exhibit now in Auckland at MOTAT
Leonardo da Vinci was a genius who was hundreds of years ahead of his time. Whether you know of him as an artist, an inventor, a designer, an anatomy expert, or a renaissance man, you will probably discover another facet of his brilliance at the Leonardo da Vinci Machines exhibit. Travelling around the world, it …
Collecting Cockles at Okoromai Bay in New Zealand
As the tide retreated, we could see a few people collecting cockles at the water’s edge. Okoromai Bay in Shakespear Regional Park is one of the few spots remaining in the Auckland region where one can gather these clams. While ordinarily a summertime activity, fresh New Zealand cockles are delicious all year long. It was …
Pasifika: A Celebration of Pacific Island Culture
Capturing the atmosphere at the Pasifika Festival with only a digital cameral is virtually impossible. Yet I had to try. This annual Pacific Islands-themed festival took place this past weekend in Auckland New Zealand. Attracting close to 100,000 visitors, it is the largest festival of its type in the world. As you enjoy these photos, breathe in the aroma …
Sarah’s Sunday Snapshots #35 – Armageddon Expo
One of New Zealand’s largest annual pop culture events, Auckland’s Armageddon Expo occurred this October and drew more than 65,000 people over the four days it ran. Taking place at ASB Showgrounds, it holds everything from gaming to costumes in several large halls and in the outside area. What is just as impressive as all of …
