LOCAL POLL II #3 - AUKLAND, NEW ZEALAND!

What's yer name/nickname yer going with here:
Ellen

Where do you live?:
Auckland, New Zealand

What neighborhoods or areas around where you live you do you recommend exploring?
It has taken a long time for Auckland to grow on me - it's kind of a personality-less city on first impression. But now I can say: go to Mt. Eden for coffee shops and restaurants and second hand stores and book stores; K Road, which smells like incense, for its eccentricity; and the Shortland Street area (and the Viaduct) if you're in the mood for a yuppie encounter.

Any good parks round you for sitting in or wandering through?
I live in the "Eastern 'Burbs" so I go jogging in Waiatarua Reserve. The track goes around the edges, but in the middle is a birds' watering hole, where you get to see all sorts of fun Kiwi Birds. Just the other day I saw a White Heron - which is a pretty special sight.

The Domain is the big park in Central Auckland which is also worth a gander - lotsa gnarly pohutukawa trees and views across the Waitemata Harbour.

Albert Park is right across from where I work, and that's the place to go to hang with the Uni-kids. and it's pretty. I also like to take my lunch down to the Viaduct Harbour and sit there watching the sail boats go by.

Any good festivals? When?
I like the festivals that are inspired by the burgeoning immigrant population. I went to the Hindu New Year celebration and to the Chinese Lantern Festival. I missed Buddha day though. If you come away with nothing else, you will at least find some good food.

Right now it's New Zealand Music Month, which isn't really a festival, as much as it is a cause for binging on rock shows.

Best on-line/print source(s) for local entertainment info:
I been going to www.muzic.co.nz for my rock show info. They also have a pretty good catalog of the local music. The difference here is that "local" means "national" - New Zealand is small that way.

Best place(s) to stop in to see inexpensive local rock music (particularly those that regularly book bands with females):
Kings Arms Tavern! i'm sure there's others, but that's become my regular largely cuz it books international acts as well as locals, and it's the grungy rock venue we all know and love (regardless of what town you live in). Old-fashioned glass chandeliers ironically hang from the ceiling - i love how that gives the place a sort
of identity crisis.

Best place(s) to stop in to dance:
I haven't explored the options here - but I've been to Boogie Wonderland which has a dance floor that lights up a la Saturday NIght Fever, and takes its tunes mostly from the 70s and 80s. fun fun.

Best place(s) to stop in to get a beer without pretention or hoo haw:
i been hangin' at the campus bars, just cuz that's where I go with the co-workers. My general impression is that drinking in New Zealand is easy and non-pretentious pretty much anywhere you go. However, I should add that outside the city, when you get to TRUE local pubs, it's a little less easy, because when you walk in, the locals look up from their beers to inspect The Outsider, and that can be a little intimidating actually.

Best place(s) to stop in to get a drink: i got nothin' to add.

Best place(s) to stop in just to stop in while visiting:
Art Gallery Cafe has a lovely patio cafe. Aotea Square - oh i can't believe i haven't mentioned that yet - nice place to sit and drink coffee, watching people go by (when it's not raining).

Best secret deals:
i know they exist, but they're not in my head.

Best bets for lodging:
the hostels in town are kinda shady - some of 'em look like they double as flophouses, so you gotta be careful. that's not really a recommendation, but it is a tip, nonetheless.

Is public transport available? Do you recommend it? If so, how much is it? If not, how should a visitor get around?
Busses are sub-optimal, but you can make 'em work. There's always cabs when the busses fail, but they're expensive, so try to make the busses work. If you stay in the inner city, your feet will take you far enough anyway, because the inner city is small.

Local book store(s)/music shop(s) to check out:
Unity on High street.

Locally-run cheap restaurant(s) you dig (yay to veg friendly and regional flair ones!):
GO to the food courts and take your pick. seriously - so many options (indian, thai, malaysian, dim sum, sushi, kebabs, and on and on)! and they're usually
really good and cheap to boot!

One road trip outta town you like:
The West Coast beaches (Piha, Kerikeri, Bethells). That's just a day trip, but the scenery is incredible - and it's right there just outside of Auckland.

Best/worst time of year to come. Why:
June through December, so i'm told. looks like it's gonna be cold and rainy the whole time.

Shoes you recommend bringing for a good visit:
Comfy walking and standing shoes.

Quirks of yer town we should know about:
Parking and traffic are ridiculous. Auckland was not built for metropolitan growth -it was built to be a gigantic 'burb - which is fine until you get stuck at a clogged intersection for 30 minutes, wondering who overlooked the need for a few extra lanes to accommodate the traffic around here. Just take some patience with you when you're trying to get around, and avoid rush hour, of course.

A bit about who you are:
I'm a scientist. I am 30. I am reading the Unbearable Lightness of Being. I been listening to Nick Cave of late. and I like writing and swimming and sailing - anything with water (preferably salty) is good for me.