New Zealand’s vegan hot spots

Foodies with an eco-conscious palate have an evolving choice of cafés and food outlets throughout New Zealand where vegan goodness is the by-word to delicious flavours and wholesome sustenance. There are many popular cafés and restaurants in the main visitor centres that offer some vegan options for those with a preference for natural, and those offerings can be very … very good.

Auckland: Little Bird Unbakery

New Zealand’s cult vegan destination is surely ‘the unbakery’ - Little Bird Organics in Auckland. At three cafés around central Auckland, where everything is made from scratch, the salad bowls are legendary, and so is the ‘cheesecake’. Little Bird’s ‘unbakeries’ are found in Ponsonby, Kingsland and Britomart.

Little Bird Organics ‘unbakery’ now has three sites around central Auckland and makes everything from scratch PC Susanna Burton

Auckland: Revive

Revive is an Auckland institution that has been keeping vegetarians and vegans happy in Auckland since 2005. The menu changes weekly with an extensive range of salads along with daily meal, hotpots and dhal specials. The café has also released a series of successful cookbooks so customers can recreate their favourite dishes at home.

Auckland: Misters

Misters Real Food has a strict food philosophy using only wholefoods, free from gluten, dairy and refined sugar. While not exclusively vegan, their vegan options are hard to match and their infamous lunch bowls are extremely popular with the locals.  Using only the best organic, local and seasonal produce, the results are in the taste and nutrition.

Located in Auckland, Misters Real Food's Acai Bowl is made with organic acai berries, kiwifruit, raw granola and coconut snow PC Misters Real Food

Auckland: Hectors at TheHeritage Hotel Auckland

Hectors Restaurant in the heart of Auckland’s Heritage Hotel pays particular attention to the needs of vegetarians and vegans. Newly launched menus in the restaurant and lobby bar are entirely plant-based. A whole section of the kitchen is animal-product free, right through to the coffee machine using only soy and rice milks. Executive chef Jinu Abraham, who specialises in plant-based cooking, trained in India. 

The spinach and pumpkin beignets with mint & silverbeet salad, lemon cous cous & cashew coriander dressing at Hector's the hotel restaurant at Heritage Auckland PC Heritage Hotels

Auckland: Farmer’s Markets

Even in Auckland - New Zealand’s largest city – you’re never far from a farmer’s market. On Saturday mornings local producers and farmers set up in Britomart Square, in downtown Auckland, where city slickers can buy fresh organic produce for the week. Oratia Farmer’s Market, a short 20-minute drive west from Auckland, is set on a vineyard. Each Saturday morning locals and visitors stock up on fresh bread, fruit and veg. In a beautiful rural setting, Clevedon Farmer’s Market (a 40-minute drive south of Auckland) is one of the region’s premier markets. Be tempted by the seasonal offerings of fruit and vegetables picked as recently as the night before if not early on market morning.

Wellington: Maranui

Maranui, right on the beach above the surf club in picturesque Lyall Bay and just 10 minutes from Wellington city, is a Wellington institution. So much so that when the building was severely damaged by fire, the hospitality industry got together to help them raise the funds to open up again. The vegan fare is delicious and they proudly proclaim themselves as the ‘best coffee in the bay’.

Wellington: MidnightEspresso

Wellington’s infamous Cuba St is a colourful strip in the heart of the city. Midnight Espresso, found at number 178, is laid back and relaxing, they also offer a range of predominately vegetarian and vegan counter and menu food. Vegan donuts here are extremely popular and often sell out.

Wellington: Deluxe Café

Deluxe is another Wellington hotspot where you will find locals sipping long blacks and munching back wholesome food in uber-cool surroundings. Keep an eye out for their famous vegan sandwiches. They’re just along the street from the Embassy Theatre (think Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit premières), at the end of Courtenay Place. Address: 10 Kent Terrace, Wellington

Deluxe Cafe in Wellington is famous for their vegan sandwiches and vegan friendly salads PC Nicola Edmonds

Wairarapa: Food ForestOrganics

Greytown, in the Wairarapa region and just an hour’s drive north of Wellington, is home to Food Forest Organics. This small-town grocery store stocks a variety of specialised organic products and produce. James and Suzy Cameron’s nearby ‘Cameron Family Farms’ is the primary producer supplying the own-brand in store honey, olive oil and hemp seed oil that is processed in-house in small batches.

Christchurch: The LotusHeart

The Lotus Heart, in Christchurch, is dedicated to conscious living and healthy eating. Lotus Heart is a pure vegetarian restaurant that also offers options for vegan, gluten-free and raw food diets. There is a health store on site and vegans looking for a coffee should try it with the homemade cashew milk.

Queenstown: Aro HāWellness Retreat

Queenstown’s Aro Hā Wellness Retreat provides a rainbow of stylish vegetarian and vegan cuisine. Paleo-friendly, gluten-free, dairy-free, and enzymatically active, the award winning retreat aims to treat the body a diet rich in trace minerals, vitamins, and phytonutrients. Before or after a healthy vegan meal, yoga, meditation and other relaxing activities are on offer.

Queenstown: Bespoke Kitchen

Bespoke Kitchen holds the title of the 2016 New Zealand Café of the Year and it just so happens that healthy eating is the mantra at this award winning establishment. Most of the food is either raw, vegan or gluten free with menu highlights such as the miso and rosemary buckwheat raw pizza with tangy tomato sauce, rocket, olive and vegetable salad with cashew cheese. 

Visa procedure: One may forward their application to the TT office in Mumbai or Delhi, which will then be directed to Immigration New Zealand. A visitor visa for New Zealand is processed within 15 working days. 

Airline connections: Connecting flights to New Zealand are available on Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Cathay Pacific and Malaysia Airlines with stop-overs in their respective hubs.  New Zealand’s international gateways are Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown. 

Domestic services: You can fly between all New Zealand cities and most major towns using domestic air services. Air New Zealand and Jetstar are the main providers. Their services are complemented by regional airlines, charter companies and scenic flight operators.

The Outing: Ireland’s LGBT matchmaking festival

They say love can be found in the most unlikely of places; well, if that’s the case, then Ireland has a festival for you if you happen to be a member or friend of the LGBT community.

Called The Outing, this music and matchmaking festival in Lisdoonvarna, County Clare, in the West of Ireland, takes place in a town of just 800 residents. It’s the last place you would expect to find gay men, women, trans, drag queens – all sorts of people from all around the world having a ball and looking to fall in love or just to have fun.

Running from 7–­9 October, The Outing is not just a matchmaking festival, it’s a music, arts and film festival and more, and it’s quickly becoming one of the most offbeat and festive LGBT events in the world.

Now in its fourth year, the highly successful offshoot to the traditional Irish matchmaking event will see thousands descend on the tiny village on Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way.

This year’s entertainment will be led once again by the High Queen of Drag in Ireland, Panti Bliss, who will also be doing some matchmaking alongside Lisdoonvarna’s own legendary matchmaker Willie Daly.

TheOuting weekend will provide non-stop entertainment including live music from international Irish girl band B*witched, Eden 'Electro Pop' and Jonny Woo, queen of London’s alternative drag scene who will perform his show of ‘alt-drag performance song book’.

Club nights will feature leading DJs John Sizzle from the Glory London among others, DJ Mo (The George Dublin, Club Tease), and the Confession Club to be run over three nights and presenting the biggest and best ever love party.

The outrageous Le Gateau Chocolat, the baritone drag queen diva star of La Soiree and top Irish TV presenter Brendan Courtney will host the hugely popular Blind Date event. There will also be cruising with ‘Love Boat’, caving, rock climbing, hiking and biking activities, and tours to local attractions such as the spectacular Cliffs of Moher and the Father Ted filming locations.  

Pop-up clubs, drag performances, comedy, ceilis, a drag workshop, the GAZE Film Festival on tour, an art exhibition and interactive events are just some of the other organised activities taking place. But there’ll be also be plenty of unscheduled partying around the streets and pubs of Lisdoonvarna.

British Irish Visa Scheme

The British Irish Visa Scheme allows for travel to and around Ireland and the UK on a single visa. The recently launched scheme allows visitors from India to travel freely within Ireland and the United Kingdom using either an Irish or UK visa. This will mean that tourists and business visitors will be able, for the first time, to visit both Ireland and the UK, including Northern Ireland, on a single visa. 

How to Vegas

Everybody who comes to Las Vegas pretty much already knows that you can buy a bottle at a nightclub, a suite in a hotel, a dinner at a famous restaurant, a souvenir shot glass or front row tickets to a Cirque show. But with Vegas being the city it is, there has to be a whole slew of items that you didn’t even know existed for purchase. Here's a curated list of 10 items you probably didn’t know you could buy in Las Vegas.

Mark Twain’s Huck Finn At Bauman Rare Books in the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian/The Palazzo customers can view all kinds of first-edition books and documents. Complete in its collection is a first edition of Mark Twain’s Huck Finn and Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.

Make the Fountains of Bellagio sing I’ll admit, this is a little pricey. But it would make a pretty good story to say you turned on the Bellagio fountains. Once the fountains are turned off, a gold box will be delivered to you at Hyde Bellagio nightclub. Inside the box will be a selection of songs to choose from and a red button. Once you pick a song, you can press the button to turn on the fountains.

Buy wine in an IV bagAt Heart Attack Grill on Fremont Street, customers who order wine will get it served to them in an IV bag (with a straw, not a needle). We should probably also mention that shots come in a pill bottle and when you walk in, staff offer you a hospital gown. 

Get married on the High RollerIt seems that you can get married everywhere in Las Vegas, but to get married 550 feet in the air is a whole other experience. At the High Roller observation wheel at The LINQ, couples can tie the knot in their own private cabin. The ceremony, which consists of one complete rotation on the wheel, takes 30 minutes and couples are able to invite 40 of their closest friends and family.

South Korea's Boryeong Mud Festival starts this July

One of the most popular summer festivals of South Korea - The Boryeong Mud Festival - will be held on the west coast at Daecheon Beach in Boryeong. The festival will begin on July 15 for 10 days at the Daecheon Beach Mud Plaza. The Boryeong mud, which is rich in mineral component is collected from the yellow sea. Apparently, the mud has elements that prevents skin aging!

Every year, this festival attracts youth from different parts of the world.  The side events like mud bath games, mud wrestling, swimming in the mud mega tub and the vibrant music nights offers the visitors to have fun. 

Visitors feeling particularly energetic can try the marine mud-training course, whilst those looking for something more chilled can relax in the mud massage zone. In the evening, music and fireworks continue the party on the beach.
The admission tickets to experience zone range from Rs 450 to Rs 600 approximately. The Festival is open to all from 10am till 6pm at the Daecheon Beach and Downtown area. The beach is easily commutable through train and intercity buses or car from Seoul. 

Guest post: Simply Sydney

Sydney, the largest gateway into the country, is truly a melting pot of culture. From the Indian-origin boy at the 7 Eleven till to my extremely talkative Bangladeshi taxi driver who thought five cars at a signal was ‘heavy traffic’, you find all sorts in Sydney.

Take a bow

The iconic Sydney Opera House plays host to the best plays and performances in the world (to my great joy, George Bernard Shaw’s plays were a regular feature the week I was in town). But the beauty does not lie in just the theatrics. Regular tours are conducted through the Sydney Opera House, regaling visitors with tales of the making of the building, right from design selection to the acoustics of each auditorium, as well as the heart-breaking tale of what made the designer leave without ever seeing his masterpiece complete (No spoilers!).

Up high!

The Sydney Harbour Bridge, fondly known as ‘The Hanger’ among locals due to it’s strange shape, does the noble job of connecting the CBD to the suburbs across the harbour. But the builders were not satisfied with just that. As a result, we found ourselves in protective gear, strapped to the railing of the Bridge, climbing the multitude of steps that took us to the centre, a viewing deck from where we enjoyed a stunning view of the city on either side of the harbour. What we embarked on was the twilight climb, one that starts towards sunset, so by the time we reached the summit, the city was all lit up. Mind you, it is rumoured to be the most romantic climb of the day, so you probably shouldn’t climb it alone like I did!

Walk it off

While there is an abundance of tours in Sydney, my favourite were the walking tours around the city. I took two called ‘I am Free’, run by volunteers born and raised in the city that works entirely on tips. A day tour has them walk you to all the heritage buildings while narrating entertaining stories of the place’s significance. An evening ‘The Rocks’ tour takes you through the precinct of the same name, and shows you all the bars vying for the position of ‘oldest bar in Sydney’, and tells entertaining (yet disturbing) stories of the mobs that functioned in the region. My favourite was the one about a man being cooked alive (Please don’t judge me!).

Queen Victoria Building

The Queen Victoria Building, a heritage structure, stands proud in the centre of the CBD, and houses some of the most prestigious shops and cafes in town. I walked, on the insistence of my colleague Jennifer, into the Old Vienna Café at the top floor, and straight into an Enid Blyton induced coma. The scones and tea I had only read about in books unfurled in front of me in the form of tea. For those, like me, who only visited England through the pages of a book, should definitely pay a visit.

By the water

At the risk of sounding clichéd, one of my favourite evenings in Sydney was meeting an old school mate at the Harbour, and settling down at one of the waterfront restaurants overlooking the Sydney Opera House. With the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge all lit up, and a platter full of delicacies in front of you, is the way to spend an evening out in town.

Art Attack

You could walk through the lanes of Sydney and find the strangest sculptures and works of art where you least expect them. At a quiet corner of a square full of shops is the sculpture of man on a bench reading a newspaper. In one of the smaller lanes, you suddenly hear birds chirping and look up to see about 50 bird cages strung up to signify how trapped we are in our worlds.

And finally, the one that baffles me the most – on a busy road in The Rocks area, an American artist, who had bought himself a compact, cherry red car, parked it in the middle of the street, drew a face on a large boulder, and proceeded to drop said boulder on the car! Although I doubt anyone understood the significance, the car still stands in the middle of that street, a roundabout created about it so cars can drive past.

Pride Walk

My cousin took me on to Surrey Street for great vegetarian food and delicious ice cream, followed by a walk down Oxford Street. You will recognise it immediately when you start walking down a lane that has scrumptious men in their knickers at the doors of every bar! It’s easy to believe that it’s also the road that hosts the annual Mardi Gras parade!

And all this was while I was hard at work in Sydney! Imagine all you could do while on holiday!

Maansi Sharma got fed up of all the free food and booze so she decided to leave journalism behind and earn more money to fuel her gadget obsession. If you enjoy LOTR/Harry Potter or similar trivia or have some technology-related query, you can contact her at ms.maansi@gmail.com. 

Taiwan 101

Taiwan remains a youth magnet for the new generation willing to understand and uncover the gem that resides in its geography.

The exotic country of Taiwan is adventurous and offers a mosaic of scenic beauties to fulfill the quest for travelling pursued by young travelers. Educated youth with easy access to technology and available information find the Taiwanese cities fascinating to travel to.

The dazzling metropolis of Taipei is home to a number of experiences - both youthful and cosmopolitan.

Shopping
Explore the iconic landmark of Taipei 101, shop in the bustling night markets or go clubbing in the sprawling clubs to soak in the infectious vibe of the city that never sleeps. Taipei 101 Mall features a world-class shopping destination to shop for luxury goods, fine dining and fashion. Steeped in tradition and culture, Taipei is home to famous monuments, landmark sites and premier centers for performing arts. Moving further away from Taipei, Hsinchu, Hualein, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Puli and many other destinations offer a myriad of experiences.

Adventure
A land of rugged mountainous terrain with abundant rainfall, for experienced mountaineers and hikers, it is the most sought after destination to go for mountain adventure. Young travellers with the passion to explore the hidden gems of nature can participate in outdoor activities that include: underwater adventure in the tropical surface, hiking in the foothills close to the city or climbing the roof of Taiwan, Mt. Hade at nearly 4,000 meters above sea level, the highest mountain in Northeast Asia. 

Economical stays and warm hospitality of the locals makes it very convenient for youngsters to travel to Taiwan where adventure never seems to end.Taiwan is located in the western Pacific Ocean 160 km off the southeastern coast of the Chinese mainland and is a convenient gateway to Asia for the Indian traveler. 

A number of airlines such as China Airlines, Cathay Pacific, China Southern and Thai Airways fly directly or with a stopover in to Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport from the Indian metros of New Delhi and Mumbai. The average flight time between India and Taiwan is of about 6.5 hours; and Taiwan is 2.30 hours ahead of India. 

Californian art

Did you know that California is a great destination for art and architecture lovers?

Even if you don’t know the difference between a California bungalow and a Bauhaus box, you will like visiting some of California's most unforgettable bridges, buildings, and other structures. Cross an iconic span (Instagramming the whole way, of course), walk through an opulent castle, and see hipster 1950s chic. Tour these impressive sites, like the state capitol in Sacramento, and you will be saying 'double-domed rotunda' in no time. 

Some of the must-visit architectural treasures in California are:

Sundial bridge, Shasta Cascade: A functional work of art, the remarkable bridge, designed by renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, spans the tree-lined, trout-filled Sacramento river in Redding’s Turtle Bay Exploration Park. The 700-foot/213-meter-long span is undeniably striking, with its glass block walkway and soaring white tower and suspension cables forming a functioning sundial—a nod to human creativity and ingenuity, both important themes of the 300-acre park.

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco: With towers soaring 746 feet/227 meters into the sky, its span arcing across the mouth of San Francisco bay, and all of it painted fire-engine red, the golden gate bridge is, quite simply, amazing. if you’re scratching your head as to why a bridge called “Golden Gate” is in fact red, here’s why. It’s generally accepted that the mouth of San Francisco bay—the narrow strait that the bridge spans, was named Chrysopylae (Greek for “Golden Gate”) by early explorer John c. Fremont. (Captain Fremont thought the strait looked like a strait in Istanbul named Chrysoceras, or 'Golden Horn') so it makes sense that the bridge is named after the expanse of water that it crosses. 

But what about that crimson color? Call it an unexpected surprise. When the steel for the bridge was first installed in place, it was only covered with red primer. A consulting engineer liked it, suggested the color be kept, and helped develop the bridge’s final paint color

Mid-century Modern Design, Deserts: Filled with distinctive post-world war II buildings designed by leading architects of the time, Palm Springs is America’s mid-century modern mecca. Right off the bat when you arrive in town via state highway 111, the soaring roofline of the tramway gas station (designed in 1965 by mid-century master Albert Frey and now the Palm Springs Visitors Center), it’s clear that mod dominates the local landscape. even Palm Springs City Hall, all sharp angles, bold cut-outs, and circles, has distinctive mid-century modern styling.

The Getty Center, Los Angeles: perched in the hills above west Los Angeles, the Getty Center looks like a modernist city on a hill, a collection of dramatic buildings housing galleries filled with modern masterpieces. To reach this complex designed by renowned architect Richard Meier, ride a tram from the parking lot up to the snow-white Getty Campus, with buildings clad in travertine mined from a quarry outside Rome. 

Inside the galleries, see European masterpieces, decorative art, and photography. And it’s all free—a gift from philanthropist J. Paul Getty. (there is, however, a fee for parking.) for all of its art, the Getty is equally stunning outside. Broad courtyards with fountains, leafy bowers and the Grand Central Garden is a living work of art, with outstanding views stretching from Mount Baldy to Santa Catalina island. Watch the sunset from elegant the restaurant at the Getty for a memorable splurge. a variety of free self-guided and guided tours enrich your visits, and spirited family programs—like jousting workshops—can turn your kids onto art too.

State Capitol, Sacramento: With its noble columns and snappy cupola, all painted wedding-cake white, California’s state capitol building looks like a mini replica of US Capitol in Washington, DC. Take a free tour to learn about the 1869 building’s architecture and history, and to appreciate extensive restorations in the offices of the secretary of state, treasurer, and governor. 

This is very much a working capitol building, and, if legislators are in session, ask about access to public galleries to watch bills being debated or votes being cast. Outside, stroll through the adjacent 40-acre Capitol Park, where you can admire trees from around the world, and visit the sweetly scented international world peace rose garden. Take note of the civil war memorial grove—in 1897, saplings from famous civil war battlefields were planted here.