After living in New York with my wife for more than 15 years, coming back to New Zealand has been about rediscovering a changed homeland. Cafes I loved 16 years ago are no longer in existence or under new management. Everything changes. But Jess and I have liked grabbing brunch at the Honey Cafe in Takapuna. The eggs Benedict are really good and the coffee is great.
Favourite restaurant for dinner with friends?
We recently had some dear friends over from Queens, New York (home of Spider-Man) and we took them for a tasting menu at Cocoro in Ponsonby. It was delicious. There’s nothing better than sharing a tasting menu with friends. It’s a super special treat and we are always grateful. The chefs at Cocoro are artists and the food is just amazing, if you love elevated Japanese food you won’t be disappointed.
Favourite place to take a visitor to?
The volcanoes in Auckland are all great to walk up. Mt Eden has a great view of Auckland City, love taking visitors up there. Also, a day trip to Rangitoto is fun. Mission Bay is always good in summer to soak up some rays and grab an icecream. I volunteer for Big Buddy, which is an amazing organisation that pairs good men with fatherless boys. We act as mentors for them. My little buddy, Martyn, loves the Auckland Zoo and we go there heaps. I used to hate the zoo as the animals looked so depressed when I was a kid, especially the gorillas in cages and the poor polar bear in its fake concrete enclosure. I still get emotional thinking about how unhappy those animals were. But it’s changed so much. The animals look way happier there now and the enclosures are way better. Go Auckland Zoo! Big Buddy needs more good men to volunteer, if you are reading this and are keen go to www.bigbuddy.org.nz to check out the great work they are doing.
Favourite spot to finish a night out?
Back in the day, there were late-night spots I would find myself at in Ponsonby but it’s been many years. Recently I found myself at the Basement Theatre bar after a show at the Q Theatre and I enjoyed the vibe there. It was chill and the place was packed with interesting folk. There’s nothing better than hanging out with friendly people after a fun night out. The last thing you want is to end up in a room full of pretentious types, angling to be seen. I’ve been in show business a long time and I can do without.
Favourite place to get coffee?
The Garden Shed in Mt Eden does great coffee. We live in Mt Eden and it’s a short walk to the village. It’s always a treat to grab a flat white and walk home with it on a Saturday. Nothing better than a Kiwi flat white. I missed them in New York.
Favourite fish-and-chip shop?
There’s a goodie on the North Shore. When we first arrived back in NZ in 2020 we stayed with a dear friend, Linda Cartwright, in Forrest Hill and they had a favourite fish-and-chip shop on East Coast Rd called Cronwhill Fish and Chips. We enjoyed many a delicious takeaway dinner from there. Perfect old-school fish and chips.
Favourite trail for a hike?
I love hiking. It’s one of the reasons that I came back to NZ from NYC. I wanted to get out into our healing nature and I’ve done plenty of epic walks since returning. I am trying to get all the Great Walks under my belt before my knees give out completely. Recently I discovered the Auckland Tramping Club which does day walks every Wednesday, I highly recommend them. Currently one of my favourites is the Te Henga Coastal Walkway that runs between Bethells and Muriwai. It’s awesome but I think it took a hammering in the rainstorms a few months ago. I’m also waiting patiently for some of the walks to reopen due to kauri dieback closures.
Favourite venue for a gig?
I’ve always loved The Civic on Queen St but the events there are usually rather big, impersonal affairs. I do like to get up close to the performers and enjoy more intimate spaces. I recently enjoyed the Spiegeltent during the Auckland Arts Festival. My wife and I saw several live musical acts there and they were just fantastic. We need a permanent venue like that for Auckland.
Favourite place to find a bargain?
We love going to the various markets that Auckland has on offer. Takapuna and Avondale are great markets. But if you can motivate yourself to drive a bit then I highly recommend Matakana and Clevedon markets too.
