The Classiest of Cafes.

Or rather, the best coffee. And food. We present our list of the greatest places in Auckland to get your caffeine fix. You're welcome to add anywhere we missed in the comments! (Where we know what coffee they use, we've noted it too.)

1. Rutland St Expresso Bar - conveniently located between the AUT Business and Communications schools, and the Auckland Public Library (my three weekday homes), this fantastic, tiny coffeeshop is run by a couple of really cool guys who make a mean latte. They're happy for you to hang out for an hour and only order one coffee, and their ginger crunch is to die for. Supreme Coffee.

2. Craven 'A' on St Paul St. Another uni cafe, these ladies will memorize your order super quick and the coffee is always good, albeit sometimes a bit too hot. Allpress coffee.

3. Expresso Workshop Manukau Rd - go to cafe when we were at school, award winning barista and incredible coffee. They now have a cafe down in Brito, but we all know that's just selling out . . . House brand coffee.

4. Teed St Larder, Teed St Newmarket. Always good coffee, the food is either brilliant or awful, but the cabinet food is a great bet. Generous servings, fabulous decor. Try not to get a crate table though - uneven surfaces are suckers for spills! Three Beans coffee.

5. BRD. Up the road from my house, the local go to for all remuera mothers and various other people with small dogs. They can take ages, but it's pretty failsafe good. Allpress coffee.

6.  Cafe Massimo, Nuffield St (also in Takapuna). A regular for catchups, the atmosphere here is lovely, and if you sit out on the pavement you can watch all sorts of crazy people go by. Guaranteed to see a few people you know. Good coffee, house brand.

7. Les Pyrenees, Remuera Road. Don't go in here hungry - you won't be able to resist the divine tarts and macarons on display. They boys here are charming and French (bonus points), and it's service with a smile.

8. La Boulange, Lorne St. Manned by the lovely Sophia, this teeny tiny coffee window will give you great coffee and some french pastry goodness. Win-win.

9. Shaky Isles, Britomart & Kingsland. Cool modern vibe, and free wireless while you drink! "For all your youtube, facebook and other 'work' requirements". Plus the pancake serving sizes are impressive. Caffe L'affare coffee.

10. Johnny Wrays, High Street. On the way to uni for me, $3 coffee for students and they'll sometimes give you a free banana or brownie. Could it get any better? House brand coffee.

11. Cafe Melba, Hurstmere Road, Takapuna. Go for great coffee and Sean Kim's amazing coffee art. Among the best have been an elephant, an easter bunny and an Angry Bird! The best place for brunch. House coffee.

12. Little & Friday, Eversleigh Road, Belmont. The original Little & Friday. The coffee is good, the staff are lovely and the food is absolutely amazing. Good to look at, too.

When in doubt, hit up any one of these amazing places. Hope you enjoy.

Love Amy & Lizzie xx

LabelLove: Lululemon

This is a little bit of a fraud of a post, given that so far all the lululemon I own is a couple of headbands, but if someone bestowed on me a large amount of money, I would be hitting up this amazing store for sure. My darling mother has been in a few times, and vouches for the incredible variety of stuff on offer.

It's been clear to me for a while now that Nike is in danger of being relegated to the mainstream, no longer the elite second skin of all skinny, stunning Les Mills attendees. The little omega shaped logo of lululemon has been popping up on all kind of butts, boobs and bags. I didn't even know who this new player was until quite recently, when Georgia and I ran past the store on Ponsonby road, and she cries 'There, there! That's the brand all the Les Mills barbies are wearing!' Really, it was that dramatic.

Their gear looks a little bit more fun than the Nike or Adidas stuff, more interesting and fashion-ey. (Although their sports bras don't look like they have a patch on the amazing Nike ones). I also like that they have lower cut running tops, not because I like running with my boobs out (I don't, I strap them down in aforementioned Nike running bras), but because high necked stuff makes me look like a stumpy dwarf. True story.

After having a quiet peruse of the website, I like their branding and their ads, and so am looking forward to letting you know how my actual store visit goes, if these assignments don't kill me first. . . . 

See what I mean about the sports bras looking less than supportive? 

Needing a running jacket in this weather!

Everyone's favourite color.

I don't even know if I could bear to wear this only to the gym!

Fluoro, nice. Do the legs come with purchase?

Cute pic from the website - good principles to live by haha.

I need this when I bail on Saturday morning yoga.

Hell yeah! From their website.

From Muffin top to Mountain top!

Have posted before - am posting again because it is doubly true.

Amy xx 

P.S. Congratulations to Lizzie for her early hand in last week!! Go time management!

P.P.S. Sorry that I'm not all flash like Liz with my details of what each garment is and price and where you can purchase it. I trust that you know how to google.

En ce moment.

Bits and pieces I particularly appreciate at the moment, in no particular order. 

The Beckhams - Victoria for helping to edit the September issue of Glamour (this I am so interested to read), and for not bailing on the Spice Girls at the closing ceremony! David for being generally gorgeous, and British. And gorgeous.

Coolest window display ever, in Melbourne.

Just white and minimalist things in general - but particularly pining for summer clothes, summer foods and nice weather! I do not usually cycle, but this bike might change that.

Palm trees and stupidly colorful photos.

Peonies (I know, how original), thank you notes, macarons and collages!! Sadly my photoshop skills suck and so collages are a near impossibility.

Vanity Fair spreads, and sisters. Mostly my sister actually. She's pretty cool. I intend to post this spread in full at some point.

As usual, lusting after all things sunny and stunning.

Edna Modes. Best animated character ever.

Audrey Hepburn - have just watched funny face for the first time (although above pic is from Breakfast at Tiffany's), and love it! Below is the book of graphics from Vahram Muratyan, which I posted excerpts from here.

Suits. Only show I bother to watch on American time, most kickass girls ever.

Two upcoming LabelLoves: Lululemon and Comme des Garcons. I could not agree more with the statement on the left.

People always ask who the ultimate dinner party guests would be - I can never decide, but these three always cross my mind.

 Loving black as a statement, not a default - though I feel blondes can carry off all-black better than brunettes, something to do with not looking like a goth? On the hair note, would love to have the guts to dye my hair some crazy pastel color, but 1) I don't, and 2), I still wouldn't look like that^^.

Wordswordswords. Best word blog is other-worldly. It's a tumblr, go have a looksie. Can guarantee you'll find some word you think is really cool.

Hope your week is bright and shiny, Amy xx

LabelLove: Moochi

Currently in a state of mad love for the New Zealand label Moochi, headed up by Kellie Taylor, which has been around Auckland (on high street) since 2000.

Their basics are to die for, albeit very expensive for someone on a student budget. However, I have purchased their 'Breathe it all in' singlet and their 'Y pants' which are merino, and to die for, even though they were an irrational purchase post-last-exam in June. If I had a whole lot of money to invest in clothes, Moochi would be my first stop. 

Spring 2012

Spring 2012

Studio Dress, $269 and various pieces from AW12.

Studio dress in gold (very nearly my 21st dress!), Slide sweater and Dazzle dress.

Raw tee, $150

Jessie Dress (left) and Dusk dress (right)

Badass moldboards from AW12

With their awesome moodboards, they're an easy label to love. Check them out.

Amy xx