Lately

Theatre Cafe

Queenies Lunchroom

Cosset

This week has been nothing short of freezing!  It's like from one day to the next winter suddenly arrived... and I'm not sure I'm such a fan!  As a result a large chunk of the week was spent huddled in cafes sipping on coffee and eating soup.  The rest of the time was pretty much occupied with photographing, listing, packaging and standing in line at the post office with vintage clothes that are off to a new home.  I think the biggest thing I have come to realise in the past week is that I need to up my productivity or face getting a 'real' job!  I always threaten myself with having to become a travel agent if things don't work out... and I really don't want to do that so I soldier on.  I must say that I feel incredibly lucky to be able to do what I love and still maintain the kind of lifestyle I want to live as well.  Dealing with vintage has taught me so many valuable lessons and I really feel that I'm a better person for it.  I no longer hit the mall every weekend to spend my hard earned dollars on mass produced, sweat shop rubbish.  Instead I have become a real advocate for quality over quantity and would rather buy locally made or vintage products that I know somebody has found or created with love and care.  As well as that my house has never looked so beautiful as now where it is filled with brightly coloured furniture and quirky little antique treasures.  It has even taken us a step further by buying all our fruit and veges from small local growers who sell at the weekend markets too.  I can honestly say that this way of life is incredibly rewarding AND I know I am not contributing so much to the decay of the planet.
Ok that's all I have to say about that :).  Hope you had a great weekend. x

Just like at Grandma's

 Would you look at that sister of mine!  Sure she arrived nearly 20 minutes too late for our tea date... but I'll excuse her for that because she walked in looking like a stunning 1940s bella!  After our disappointing trip to the Tea Lady last week  (because they were closed even though their website said otherwise) we decided not to give up and headed back again on Monday.  I'm so glad we did!  This place is so freaking cute!  It is every bit what our grandparents used to do (I don't know about you but afternoon tea seemed to always be the most important part of my grandmothers day!).  There was a huge tea menu to choose from, I had a Geisha tea and Saba's was something delicious smelling with Hibiscus flower, everything was served on old china and mine came complete with a spoon celebrating Queen Elizabeth.  We also ate some adorable little club sandwiches (ermm okay I actually ate four of them, much to the surprise of the poor lady who then had to make another batch) and sweet little tarts with whipped cream.  Oh and my favourite was the Lucky Lady spinning wheel!  It still works!!  Except instead of putting the recommended 2 cents in, you now pay 20 cents.  My turn landed me on something depressing like 'Don't worry, things are yet to get worse'.  Let's hope she's wrong!
After our tea we wandered around and hit up some of our favourite second hand shops, I had no luck but Saba did quite nicely for herself.  I did however get the fright of my life when I glanced over at a truck and saw this poor guy gazing up at the clouds...

Anyway so there you have it.  If you're ever in Auckland and you're wondering where you could go to have a good old fashioned afternoon tea then head to The Tea Lady!
x

A date with the Tea Lady

Oops those would be my pins that you can see in the reflection there!

I heard about this little place about 6 months ago from a fellow store holder who also owns a restaurant.  She raved on about this tiny tea house that serves all the little cakes and sandwiches you would have eaten at your grandmothers house!  Oh and of course they serve a vast array of tea's.  So I thought this might be the perfect place to take my little sister (a tea lover, vintage nut and budding pastry chef) to as a belated birthday present.  Alas when we got there yesterday (in some pretty cold and windy weather) it turned out to be closed!  We stood around for a while not really knowing what to do with ourselves, before deciding that we would treat ourselves to beautiful flower and a delicious lunch at home.

Saba wore her beautiful new 50s frock and I had my favourite pelican print Vested Gentress dress on, so it seemed like a shame not to have ourselves a nice afternoon anyway!

On Saturday afternoon I was at the Kingsland Festival selling a little loot of vintage.  I was blown away by how many clever crafters there were, I mean where do people come up with these amazing ideas?!  The place was teaming with prams, babies and pregnant bellies... and I would be lying if I said it didn't make me just a teeny bit clucky myself!  I think more than anything I imagine it as a way to re-live my own amazing childhood, is that selfish?!  Ha ha.

I'm really looking forward to this week. 
- I have an exciting job coming up for the next two days for a magazine. 
- I'm having my little studio space shot for an exhibition later this week.
- I'm hoping that this miserable weather passes quickly so that I can get out and shoot some of the adorable capes and winter coats I have for the shop.
- Oh and my blog going to be undergoing a (professional) make over!
So bring it on week!  I'm so ready for you :)

x

Dashfield City Guide: Little & Friday cafe

Welcome to the first post of the Dashfield City Guide!  This is one of the projects I have been wanting to do for ages now (and had originally started on a new blog... but since deciding to broaden this one I thought heck why not just add it here!).  The Dashfield City Guide is a tour of Auckland (and beyond), it will feature all those cute, quirky little cafes, shops and markets that are tucked away in side streets and hidden in unsuspecting suburbs.  Travelling and visiting new places is what I LIVE for!  And the first thing I always try to figure out is where the locals go, so I felt it only right that I should start by introducing you to my city.

Little & Friday

 This is a café after my own heart!  The minute you step through the roller door and walk past Martha’s Fabrics you find yourself in a quirky old warehouse space.  Two huge communal tables decorated with giant fishbowls (yes with actual goldfish swimming around in them), jars of cookies and old milk bottles with cinnamon and mint water fill the room.  Everything from the old fruit jars containing antique cutlery, to the white wash warehouse walls give you that delicious vintage feel.  And then the food!  Oh the glorious food!  Mouth watering savoury tarts made with sweet onion, field mushrooms and tempting cheeses.  Adorable little desserts oozing with custard and fresh fruits, dangerously rich miniature chocolaty cakes and all sorts of other sweet delights.  And like the a cherry on top everything is served on miss matched chinaware!

Yes this is definitely a place I would like to make my second home.

Best thing on the menu: 

This would definitely have to be the fruit tart.  Fresh fruit nestled on top of delicious custard.  Sooo good!

Little & Friday Newmarket
Open 8-3 Monday - Friday, 9 -3 Saturday & Sunday.
12 Melrose Street
09 524 8742

(Psst, Little & Friday also have a sister café in Takapuna)