You’re never too old for Disneyland.
If you’re in L.A., it’s a must. Since I went there in ‘87 and ‘03 it’s changed a lot, with new attractions and a major new shopping town parked right outside the front gates.
Some things in the world will never cease to amaze me, and Disneyland is one of [...]

My recent trip to Los Angeles brought to life all my wildest junk food dreams. I have the world’s sweetest tooth, and it was given a good workout over the 12 days I was in the U.S.A.
Pinkberry is a cult in L.A, so the first sighting of it in the Beverly Centre couldn’t be [...]

Now here’s a cafe that lives up to its name!
Started very recently by a couple of clever folk who also know a thing or two about the coffee roasting business, this sneaky little hideaway serves up low-key brunch like cheese toasties, sardines on toast, jam donuts and muesli, with a supreme selection of coffee and [...]

I rediscovered my romantic side a few months ago and decided it was time to take a break with my girlfriend up north for a bit of R&R.
Kourawhero Lodge is a tranquil and rather expansive location that completely takes you away from the city life, a perfect 40-50mins drive north of Auckland.
Our stay was only [...]

Rotorua. The tourism capital of New Zealand. Mud pools, hot springs, bubbling geysers, Maori dancers, sheep shearing. The works.

Then there’s Rotorua, the quiet, serene, idyllic getaway destination that most of us (even those of us who live here) wouldn’t believe existed.
Well, on Easter weekend, 2008. I found it. Like a Christopher Columbus wannabe (but with [...]

As you can see from the photos, Whakatane Airport looks like something out of Teletubbies or that has been built with Lego.
It’s naive and playful exterior is actually the result of Wellington architect Roger Walker and was a masterpiece of its time.
When you arrive on the tarmac, several casually-dresed attendants rush to secure the planes [...]

If you’re ever in Brisbane for a night, catch a ride to a city-fringe suburb called Bulimba and have a meal at Sugomi Restaurant.
Sugomi is a casual place to eat, but has a menu and staff that far exceed the expectation that its reserved veneer portrays.
Caine Edwards, the restaurant manager, was working the night we [...]

I was first introduced to Puhoi at my sister’s wedding. She and her fiancé chose the quant little village’s town hall as the location for her ceremony and reception one sunny day in summer several years ago, and ever since I’ve had quite the soft spot for it.
One little treasure in particular is the [...]

The Matakana Markets are the current market du jour for any discerning new-wave hippie, organics fanatic, straw hat-wearing, coffee drinking, Blackberry toting city slicker with a penchant for escaping the city of a weekend and discovering real living again.
Located 35-40mins drive north of Auckland, the Matakana Markets are one of the little pearls that Matakana [...]

Many people have not yet discovered the wonders of the small luxury hotel, and to them I am eternally grateful.
It is their naivity and lack of taste that will surely keep these little treasures of private accommodation and hospitality safe from the ruins of mass transit tourism and discount price deals all over the world.
It [...]