March 23, 2025 On a beautiful Sunday afternoon we decided to head out of town to the beach. Gathering our niece Debbie, we hopped in the car and headed north to meet up with our good friends Simon and Michele and go for a swim at their local beach, Scott’s Landing. The water was soContinue reading “Scott’s Landing, New Zealand”
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Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand
March 22, 2025 Previously we walked through the residential neighborhoods that make up much of Parnell but there is also an extensive redeveloped industrial zone and that is where we began our walk. Today it is the center of Auckland’s design industry and there are a number of upmarket furniture stores and galleries. There isContinue reading “Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand”
Pakiri Beach, New Zealand
March 15, 2025 Pakiri Beach is just over an hour north of Auckland on the east coast. Here are some photos from our recent visit. Next to the beach, a cricket match was taking place in one of the more idyllic spots you could play the game.
Hillsborough / Onehunga, Auckland, New Zealand
March 8, 2025 The Pah Homestead is a historic home located in the Auckland suburb of Hillsborough. It is, currently, owned by the Auckland Council and is operated as an art gallery. It was built in the 1870s for businessman James Williamson. Among other things, Williamson was a Member of Parliament and co-founder of theContinue reading “Hillsborough / Onehunga, Auckland, New Zealand”
Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand
March 7, 2025 On yet another beautiful sunny day we set out to explore Parnell, one of Auckland‘s oldest and most affluent suburbs. We started off walking around the edge of Hobson Bay before heading up into the neighborhood streets. These are some sites we saw along the way. If you find yourself in Parnell,Continue reading “Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand”
Milford / Castor Bay, Auckland, New Zealand
March 6,2025 Finding ourselves in Milford on the North Shore, we decided to walk up the coastline to Castor Bay. Because this is New Zealand where having a cafe nearby at all times is mandated, we came across this cute little cafe by the marina. We then headed up around the headlands looking back downContinue reading “Milford / Castor Bay, Auckland, New Zealand”
Newmarket, Auckland, New Zealand
March 2, 2025 A number of major roads converge on the suburb of Newmarket from all parts of Auckland and from early settlement times, it has been a retail center. Around 1850, it received the name Newmarket because it was the site of the new market for livestock, where farmers would bring their cattle andContinue reading “Newmarket, Auckland, New Zealand”
Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand
February 26, 2025 Today we set out to explore one of Auckland’s oldest suburbs, Grafton. Today it is dominated by Auckland Hospital, surrounded by narrow streets that have not changed much since the neighborhood was established in the 1800s. The suburb is bordered on the east by what has always seemed to us to beContinue reading “Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand”
Manitoga, New York, USA
October 25, 2024 Manitoga is the home and woodland garden of Russell Wright (1904-1976), who in the mid 20th century was one of America’s most prominent product designers. He is best known for his colorful American Modern dinnerware, which manufactured between 1939 and 1959, is still America’s most widely sold ceramic dinnerware. The pitchers alsoContinue reading “Manitoga, New York, USA”
Storm King Art Center, New Windsor, New York, USA
October 24, 2024 The Storm King Art Center is a 500 acre outdoor museum in New York’s Hudson Valley. It is reminiscent of Gibbs Farm in New Zealand with its massive sculptures dotted within beautiful countryside. In fact, we noticed a number of works by the same sculptors that we saw at Gibbs Farm, includingContinue reading “Storm King Art Center, New Windsor, New York, USA”
Mal and Lauren 