Very good things we actually spent our own money on!
Twenty-seven Names dress that’s now on sale
Full transparency: this wasn’t actually purchased in July but earlier this year, but it's now on sale and we highly recommend it. Twenty-seven Names always does a wonderful print, and this pastel floral (designed by Lily Paris West of the band Mermaidens) is particularly delightful. With its high-neck and longer hemline and sleeves, it is also a perfect representation of the dress genre we like to call ‘amish but make it fashion’.
Uncle Dunkle’s wood-fired chilli sauce
If the illustration on the bottle doesn’t spell it out, this is very hot sauce (there are milder versions available but we got ‘extra hot’; there’s also a ‘mega hot’). Made in the Coromandel (and sold at Luke’s Kitchen and online), it’s slow-cooked and smoked with tea tree wood over three days.
Sphaera hair bars
Okay, we didn’t actually buy these (sorry: we really do try to showcase legitimate purchases but y’know… start-up life!) but we were sent them and we wholeheartedly would buy again. We love a product that removes plastic from our lives and while Rebecca doesn’t wash her hair often, these bars are awesome for children while also providing a great learning opportunity for environmental awareness.
Hot-water bottle
We are big advocates of the old-fashioned hottie, but some are better than others. These from Everyday Needs come in a variety of colours and are made from naturally biodegrading rubber (rather than plastic). And yeah yeah, remember to be careful with boiling water!
The Other Side by Warwick Roger, from Hard to Find Bookshop
It will come as no surprise to anyone that we love a second hand bookstore, and Auckland’s Hard To Find is one of our favourites. Housed in a beautiful old Catholic convent that is filled to the rafters with books, here you could spend hours perusing and discovering unexpected finds.
The front room is dedicated to New Zealand books, and that is where we found this collection of columns by the founder of Metro magazine - including a piece from 1993 that claimed politicians simply did not understand the real Auckland.
“It is far more complex than the rest of New Zealand seems to realise," wrote Warwick. "Auckland is bigger, poorer, sicker, younger, browner. And angrier. It is highly politicised - and becoming more so all the time."
Pt Chev cookies
We apologise in advance for getting you hooked on the most incredibly drool-worthy treat you could even set your lips upon. These contain all the sugar and all the carbs but none of the nasty preservatives and fillers found in mass produced biscuits, plus they come in sustainable, compostable packaging and are baked by a nurse in her home in Pt Chevalier. According to sources, all the flavours are incredible, but we wouldn’t know as we can’t stop buying the salted caramel.
