New Zealand local fashion boutiques: Britomart, Auckland! Cassia modern Indian restaurant & cocktails.
Kia ora… from Auckland, NZ!
If you’ve been following my social media (@lacarmina), you’ll already know that I’ve been travelling with Contiki — a tour company for 18-35 year olds — in New Zealand.
I joined about 30 young travellers on their Sun and Steam tour, and it felt like a big road trip with friends. We went all around the North Island, stopping to take in the spectacular nature, nightlife, and a daredevil activity or two.
My Contiki trip started and ended in Auckland, NZ. In this first post, I’ll take you to a hip fashion district, and one of the city’s top restaurants: Cassia!
It was my first trip “down under” and I flew 14 hours to get here (direct from Vancouver to Auckland). I was rewarded with the perfect sunny weather and a pristine view of the harbour, with the Sky Tower hovering over the central business district.
Why was I was excited to travel around New Zealand with Contiki? Let me count the ways…
– The tours are for millennial travellers. Everyone was my age, and the itinerary was tailored to our interests.
– There’s lots of “Me Time” and optional events, so you can explore at your own pace.
– Contiki takes care of all the logistics: transportation, hotels, activity bookings, most of the meals and entrance fees. I could just relax and pose in front of the bus!
I’ll introduce you to my Contiki crew in the next posts — but let’s begin in Auckland, where we had a free day to spend however we wished.
Outfit details:
– I’m wearing a witchy dress and hosiery from Black Milk. They also make this dress in a Game of Thrones map print!
– My bag is from Japan, but you can get this similar blue faux fur purse here. Or this blue handbag, which also looks it has a face on it.
– My jacket is from Hong Kong. It’s very similar to this blue cropped leather jacket, or less expensive Elie Tahari one.
First stop: Britomart, the best area of Auckland to browse local, indie fashion.
(Nail art by Glam Nail Studio, and silver Ouroboros ring from the legendary Alex Streeter Jewelry.)
Britomart, a former industrial area, underwent a transformation in the 1980s and 90s. Today, it’s a hip shopping district that mixes old (heritage buildings, Maori art) and new (mod green spaces).
You can find international clothing brands in Britomart, but I went straight to the local designers. New Zealand’s Karen Walker has been making a splash worldwide, particularly for her fabulous eyewear and bags. (I own a pair of her round sunglasses.)
Below are my favorite Karen Walker designs (click photos for more info.)
A local friend encouraged me to visit Taylor Boutique. Everything here is 100% designed and made in New Zealand.
Taylor uses leading-edge fabrics to make experimental, yet wearable garments. Love their oversized sleeves and peek-a-boo layers.
These NZ stores were advertising winter fashions, since the seasons are reversed down under!
(Here’s where to find my Black Milk dress. faux fur purse and studded leather jacket. Hair by Stephanie Hoy in Vancouver.)
Local designer Juliette Hogan is another must-visit. Her contemporary fashions are notable for their cut and craftsmanship.
(You’re probably noticing that Britomart is eco-design heaven… gorgeous greenery everywhere.)
For fabulous dressers, World is your destination. I could have spent an hour in this store, a treasure-trove of peacock taxidermy, exotic perfumes, dapper hats and other oddities.
In addition to Britomart, it’s well worth taking a stroll in Auckland’s Posonby district. You’ll find many of the same local designer stores here, as well as shops dedicated to home decor, coffee, raw food and more.
(Photography by Salima Remtulla and me.)
All this shopping worked up my appetite. I walked over to Cassia, a modern Indian restaurant that is racking up all the top dining awards in Auckland. (Address: No 5 Fort Lane, Auckland, NZ)
Inside, there’s a mural of the Hindu festival Holi — a perfect summary of how Cassia’s menu mixes creativity and tradition.
Chef Sid Sahrawat (famous for his fine dining establishment SidArt) wanted to break away from the stereotype of an Indian restaurant. At Cassia, he fuses the authentic flavors from his childhood with the seasonal, local produce of New Zealand.
Before we talk about the food… let’s start with a drink! Cassia has an exceptional gin and tonic menu that made me re-think the possibilities of this “basic” cocktail. Mixologist Prateek Arora made me a Tanqueray Tan with grapefruit and East Imperial Burma tonic — fine ingredients that elevated the flavors. On the right, he prepared The Herbalist, a perfect balance of Domaine Canton French ginger liquer, kaffir lime, cucumber, Angostura white rum and Benedictine.
I encourage you to chat with the friendly Prateek; I enjoyed hearing him talk about the inspiration for these drinks.
I’m a fan of anything ginger, and adored the Ginger Monkey (an infused whisky sour with egg white foam). The Kashmiri Dragon above is exceptional: a hit of chili powder, vodka, fresh lime, and Six Barrels feijoa syrup.
A quick aside… if you’re in New Zealand, you can’t leave without trying feijoa. This green fruit tastes a bit like guava, and is found only in NZ and parts of South America.
Cassia’s exposed bricks and lightbulbs create a hip dining space. The industrial design once again breaks away from one’s expectations of an Indian eatery.
Head chef Lesley Chandra prepared a selection of dishes designed for sharing. I recommend the starter of roasted carrot, cashew, leek, cavolo nero (kale) — the rich colors point to the careful choice of ingredients.
Next up: venison tartar, beetroot, cabbage. Once again, he prepared a vivid dish infused with authentic spices. I confess that I scraped up every morsel of the sauce!
One of the most popular main courses is the free-range pork with vindaloo, apple and ginger. Tender layers, perfectly cooked, in a spectacular balance of sweetness and heat.
Dessert was this deconstructed beauty: blackcurrent sorbet, raspberry and hazelnut. I was blown away the intensity of the berry flavors, which unfolded on your tongue. An outstanding, clean finish.
Cassia deserves its reputation as one of the best restaurants in Auckland. I encourage you to come by for an innovative meal and cocktails, which will change your perceptions of Indian cuisine.
I leave you with this night-time scene from Auckland’s Wynyard Quarter, a reclaimed area by the waterfront with over a dozen international restaurants.
Coming up, I’ll show you more of Auckland and the North Island, on my Contiki journey. Their motto, #NoRegrets, is in line with my approach to travel: challenge yourself, see new places, meet people, and never look back.
On that note… Would you like to go on a Contiki trip to New Zealand, like mine? They’re offering my readers a discount code for 10% off all NZ trips, if you book with Contiki Asia by May 30! All details of the voucher are here; just be sure to reserve your place before it’s too late.
SHARE & COMMENT
Angkor Wat, Cambodia sunrise & temple tour! Ta Prohm, Tomb Raider tree roots temple.
Call me Lara Croft, braided hair and all.
One of my favorite travel adventures was exploring the mysterious temples of Angkor Wat, Cambodia. If you watched the Tomb Raider movie, you’ll recognize this as the site of Angelina Jolie’s adventures.
My team and I came here thanks to HK Express, which flies multiple times a week between Hong Kong and Siem Reap, Cambodia (where these ancient ruins are situated). The flight was less than three hours, on a low-cost but comfortable and modern carrier.
For years, I’ve wanted to see this “lost world” for myself. Did it live up to my expectations? This photo diary says it all, from smiling Buddhas to Khmer pyramids.
Our dream-hotel, Le Meridien Angkor, arranged a private day-tour for us. We had an air-conditioned van with a driver and guide, who spoke about Khmer culture and allowed us to avoid the tourist-saturated sites. (Check out my full review and photoshoot at this Le Meridien hotel.)
It was an early start: 5am wakeup call! But it was worth it, to see the legendary sunrise over the towers of Angkor Wat. Our guide took us through the less-crowded east gate, and we walked to the best location for photos of the temple: the second (further out) reflective pool on the west side. While there will be a lot of tourists around, you can find and unblocked view and capture this iconic silhouette.
We sat in silence over this bank, observing the clouds and lotus flowers, and listening to the crickets. The sky gradually lightened and a burst of sun appeared over the rooftops. I felt at peace here, taking in the constantly changing view.
We were glad we were staying at Le Meridien Angkor, since it was less than a 10 minute drive from the main temple. It was easy to return to our hotel after the sunrise, to enjoy a big breakfast spread including Cambodian dishes and tropical fruits.
Tickets and admission info: You’ll need to buy a ticket in order to enter Angkor Wat and see all the temples (as you can see above, they take your photo). There are various checkpoints at different sites, and the papers get crumbled easily, so I recommend keeping them in a plastic bag or ticket pouch.
We got the 1-day pass for $20 US (bring American cash in Cambodia, instead of changing it to the local currency). However, you can also get 3-day or week long passes. If possible, go to the ticket booth at 5pm the day before you want to visit the temples. That way, there’s no lineup and you can go in to see the sunset for no extra charge.
We quickly realized how important it was to have an Angkor Wat guide: the archaeological park has over a thousand temples, within 1.5 million square meters!
Some people rent bicycles or hire a tuk tuk to go between locations. However, if you come all the way here and have limited time, it’s better to have someone to take care of these logistics. We were able to enjoy the sights and listen to the guide talk about Khmer history. And I admit l liked having an air conditioned car to go back to, between the sites.
For the fashion-travelers out there, let me warn you… it’s not easy being Lara Croft. Be prepared to trek for hours, over uneven jungle terrain in high humidity. Wearing good shoes, sunglasses and sunscreen are a must.
Outfit Details: I’m wearing new Oliver Goldsmith sunglasses, which are actually prescription eyeglasses that I outfitted with Transition lenses (so they turn dark under sunlight).
My long, floral skirt is by Pylo; I love the 1990s Goth-bohemian feel of this design. Here is a shorter version of this 90s-style skirt.
Angkor Wat was the passion project of Khmer king, Suryavarman II. It originally was built to be his mausoleum and religious complex for the Hindu god Vishnu. However, by the 12th century, it had become a Buddhist temple.
We walked through these “elephant gates,” which are large enough to let these gentle pachyderms pass through.
The gates are topped with smiling Buddha heads. You can’t help but smile back when you see this gentle face, merging into the moss and stones.
A closer look at my red Oliver Goldsmith cat-eye glasses. I have a hard time finding glasses I like, and tried on quite a few before finding this London designer. He makes luxury eyewear based on vintage icons: these ones are the Grace Kelly frames.
Oliver Goldsmith also has retro-styled eyewear inspired by Audrey Hepburn.
We wanted to see the most famous temples in Angkor Wat, but also avoid the crowds whenever possible. Our guide delivered. He took us to hidden jungle pathways and lesser-known structures.
This pyramid-like temple was a perfect example. It’s as impressive as anything else in this UNESCO heritage site — and yet, there was nobody around. We got to climb the steep stairs and shoot images without anyone photo-bombing us.
There’s a feeling of energy, in the towering trees and snaking roots found all over the park.
I was fascinated by the ancient Khmer spiritual architecture. These temples are made primarily from sandstone bricks, and harmonize beautifully with the surrounding nature.
Although some parts had crumbled, the structures still stood. The intricate carvings looked even more mysterious in the moss and ruins.
Most of Angkor Wat’s temples give you full access, meaning you can explore to your heart’s content without running into a “do not cross this rope” sign. We ducked into tunnels and climbed through the windows. Just look out for the tall, steep stairs!
(Photography by Sniper Chau and Ken Yuen)
I couldn’t believe how well the bas relief carvings stood the test of time. Our guide took us to a wall of meditating figures with beatific expressions.
Other carvings showed Buddhas and demons, and apsaras and devatas (Khmer nymphs, celestial dancing girls).
Our guide took us to Ta Prohm, where Tomb Raider was filmed. This mesmerizing temple has trees growing right out of the ruins.
The thick roots have wrapped themselves around the doorways and sculptures. Nature has become part of the architecture, and in this case, rendered it even more mystifying. One trail of root covers an entire wall, except it parts around a carved deity’s face.
Our guide took us to a small space in Ta Prohm where if you stood in the right place and thumped your heart, you could hear it resonate throughout the room.
In a single picture, you can see how high Khmer civilization rose in the 12th century. Not long after, the Thai invasion changed the course of history…
For anyone fascinated with ancient civilizations, Angkor Wat will not disappoint. To get the most out of this adventure, I encourage you to hire a guide and driver, get the 5pm ticket, and prepare for the humidity and hiking.
This is not your last glimpse of Angkor Wat: I still have a travel video for you, and a tour of the main temple. Also check out my guide to Pub Street in Siem Reap, and fashion shoot at Le Meridien Angkor.
Are you familiar with this temple, maybe from seeing it in Tomb Raider? Is it on your list of destinations to see?
LA CARMINA
