A weekend for Us.

Something Mike and I value just as much as family time is 'couple time'.

And after a busy, tiring and long calving season on the farm we like to take a 3 day weekend to recoup, relax and reconnect.

For the past two years we have headed to Taupo to stay in an amazing apartment on the lake front.  We take yummy food to snack on and eat out or order in, so we don't need to do ANY work.  I take a book and magazines and spend the time either on the deck chair or lounging inside, or in the hot tub on the deck. Bliss.....

However this year was a little different, because calving was alot easier this year, due to great weather and great staff on farm.  So we didn't feel the need to go and just blob.

We wanted something more.

So my husband, who hates Auckland, suggested we go to Auckland!!

So we made the booking, right in the city by the viaduct.  We'd never been to the viaduct so that was on our 'to do' list.  So was visiting a little cafe in Ponsonby Little Bird Unbakery.

I fell totally in love with Ponsonby and all the little old villas. Streets and streets of them.

I couldn't help thinking of the history of all these houses.  I was imagining what life would have been like on the street.  Would there be children running around or would they be working couples. I'm sure with the close proximity of each house they would have all chatted while collecting the mail.  There were no garages (unless it had been modernized and added on) and one side of the street never had front fences so we were 3 steps from their front door.  I truly felt like we were in a different country!

We had lunch at Little Bird Bakery, which is another experience all in itself.  The food is all raw, including cheesecakes, bagels, biscuits and yummy salads.  Not to mention, to die for smoothies!

Both Mike and I are making a big effort to exercise and eat healthy so this place was just the right thing for added inspiration.  Who knew a raw salad and big smoothie at lunch would fill us up until Dinner.  And not be heavy and stodgy,

We had a nice walk around the viaduct in the sun.  It's obviously a real culture thing to go to the viaduct for Friday after work drinks because there was ALOT of business suits around.  Kinda felt under dressed.

Dinner at Soul.  Would have to be THE nicest meal and best service we have ever had.  The waitress even lay the napkin on our laps. :-0

A nice cold cider before dinner.

The yummiest dessert ever! Mostly fruit you will see. Tamarillos!

Then came bed time... Ahhhh 

 

And to wake up to this was a treat!

We watched as the thousands walked to Shed10 to watch the Americas Cup on the big screen and then watched as they evacuated very fast and very disappointed both days.

I would have to say one thing about staying in the middle of the City is one doesn't get much sleep!!

Even 22 floors high, we heard all the street noise until early hours of the morning.  People yahooing, tooting cars, fire engines. police sirens, not to mention the massive thunder storm.  I guess coming from a nice quiet farm in the country we are rather blessed.

This was our friend in the mornings.......

And this was our friend in the afternoon....

Breakfast!!!!

I did try and get Mike to do some second hand treasure finding but he is not a thrifter at all!!! I will have to save that for my girl friends.

Oh and I found a Tea shop!!!! Yes all about Tea!!! I don't like coffee at all so am a bit excited about this one, because I've been drinking alot of herbal teas over the winter and I love iced tea in the summer.  Click here to see the website.  It's first NZ store is Queen St, Auckland but will hopefully be opening more.

They had tasters..... Chai Tea, Strawberries and cream tea, Lemon and Ginger iced tea and more!!! And gorgeous tea pots and tea cups.

I did make a little purchase.

The jug is an Iced Tea Maker. It's VERY cool! And I have already made fruitalicious iced tea which is yummo! The little sachets are samples which gives two cups of tea. Licorice tea...... Yum can't wait to try that. And I bought a mesh ball and little tea pot to brew my home made chai tea (which I have been boiling in a pot on the stove).

We had such a lovely time!! We always do alot of talking, un-interrupted talking.  We discuss the immediate future, the distant future, children, parenting, hobbies and interests.  We just 'connect'.  And I love it!! There is no one in the world I would like more to do life with than my husband.  He is loving, kind, fun, gentle, genuine and very much himself!!  And I love him to pieces.