Vincent Price on The Muppet Show

Happy Halloween! 

Free face painting at The Department Store

I love The Department Store, always thinking of their smallest customers! Free face painting and trick or treating this Sunday.  Get them dressed up in their chicest Halloween costumes.1000 count Egyptian cotton sheet ghosts perhaps?

Stuff to do this weekend

Friday


Both the Auckland Museum and MOTAT are holding Halloween events tonight. Entertain Me have discounted tickets for the MOTAT event, including a pretty good family pass.


Saturday


The Southside Gig is on in Manukau tomorrow. It's part of the Southside Arts Festival, is mostly free and includes a DJ showcase and live graffiti art. 


Sunday


Puhoi Valley Cafe is launching their Lazy Sunday Jazz sessions this Sunday. They've got a pretty good playground up there so could be a nice little trip out of the city if the weather's good. 


The Viva Waitakere Festival is also on this Sunday. HEAPS of really great bands (Artisun Guns, The Vietnam War, The Nukes...) playing and it's all for free. 


The Department Store in Takapuna is doing free facepainting and Trick or Treating on Sunday!


And if you're just kicking it downtown this weekend head down to the surprisingly family friendly Britomart Country Club. Lewis Tennant is DJing from 2pm and then Dylan C is on at 5pm. Chilled beats in the sun? Yes please!


I got talking to the lovely ladies who run Workshops at the Wharf down at the Wynyard Quarter last weekend. They don't advertise the workshops because otherwise it would be too crowded but they're usually down there, doing some cool free art activities with the kids. Check it out between 1pm and 4pm, Saturday and Sunday.


Have a great weekend everyone. I'm going to be taking it very, very easy after last weekend's craziness. I'm going to make a Dia Los Muertos costume for Haeata for Halloween!

Lazy Sunday at Puhoi Valley Cafe

Wine, cheese and jazz at the Puhoi Valley Cafe this Sunday! Entry is free and looks like they've got some cool stuff planned for the kids. Apparently they have a pretty cool playground too.

Britomart Country Club this Sunday

Have you been to Britomart Country Club yet? They also have a roster of great DJs playing and not just late at night. This Sunday Lewis Tennant will be on at 2pm follwed by Dylan C at 5pm. If the weather's nice they roll back the roof so you can bask in the sun with a cold beer or a cocktail while the kids run riot around the courtyard play quietly in the courtyard (whatevs, they're totally relaxed and love kids there). And as Dylan pointed out to me the other day, they have board games there! So maybe challenge the little ones to a game of back gammon.

Photo credit : architecturenow.co.nz

Southside Gig

This Saturday at the TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre in Manukau from 9am - 9pm, the Southside Gig is holding the Kings of Style graf art battle. There will also be a DJ showcase featuring new DJs working alongside the very talented DJCXL.

There is a dance crew competition later on in the day but looks like tickets to that cost $10 where as the earlier DJ showcase and graf battles are free. 

Halloween events this weekend

Auckland Zoo's "Boo At The Zoo" has been canceled this year but there are still some fun things happening at both the museum and at MOTAT. 


From 6pm - 8:30 on both Saturday and Sunday night the Auckland Museum will have it's galleries dimly lit for their Halloween event. Tickets are $20 but it does look like a fun night. What could be more spooky than a dark museum? Booking is essential.


MOTAT is also holding an event on Friday night from 6:30pm - 10:30pm. There will be spooky Victorian characters wandering the grounds, a ghostly conductor on the tram and a live band. Tickets are $13 for adults and children but under 5's are free. It looks like Entertain Me still have discounted tickets are available so give that link a go. 


Is anyone Trick or Treating with the kids? I know it's not really done here that much but I think I'm going to try to make it happen in my neighbourhood. Cruising round the hood, dressed in crazy costumes, getting to know your neighbours and racking up some lollies? Sounds good to me!

Viva Waitakere Festival

The festival over at Henderson Park this Sunday has got a great line up of artists - Ruby Frost,
The Vietnam War, Artisun Guns, Mali Mali, Black Science, The Nukes and many more.


They're fundraising to start a food forest in the park (yum!), adopting out native seeds to help with restoration of the area and painting a mural.


There will also be lots of local food and traders in the marketplace.


I wonder if the Hungarian fried bread stand from the Oratia market will be there? So much goodness! 


The festival starts at 1pm and you can check out more info right here. 

Peter, Bjorn & John - Young Folks

Is it alright with you guys if I admit I kind of hope nothing cool is happening this week because oh my god I am exhausted. But you all feel the same right? You don't really want to take the kids anywhere this week. You just want to chill and listen to music and watch cool videos. Like this one! 

Stuff To Do This Weekend

Hey, guess what people?

Four more days and they're back to school/kohanga/playgroup/playcentre/aoga amata/kindy!!! (please insert your regularly scheduled programme that has been viciously cut for the holidays. Personally, we have been seriously missing Monday morning Kiddy Kapa Haka)


And look what we have here, something for every single one of these next four days...


Friday


Free art workshops for the kids down at the Wynyard Quarter this afternoon as part of Auckland Art Week

The Rooftop Collective is playing a free early evening gig in Albany

Saturday

Southside Arts Festival has been on all this week and is going for another few weeks. Check out the link for some free events happening this weekend.

The Matakana School Gala is on this weekend and the weather is predicted  going to be awesome. Sounds like the food stalls are going to be worth the trip alone. 

Sunday

Very Tall Stories are playing at 5:15 in Albany for free. They'll be followed by Ladi6 at 7 - totally worth keeping the kids up a little late for! And anyway, you really think they're going to sleep through all the screaming and yelling later on that night?

Monday

The Kiwi Day Out is on at the Auckland Domain this Labour Day. Dave Dobbyn, Avalanche City and the Patea Maori Club all performing for free.

And on every one of those days Auckland Zoo is open. We went today and checked out the new Te Wao Nui area. Te wow nui alright (womp womp)! It's really beautiful and I can't wait to get a day off so I can just go hang in there by myself and read a book. It made me realise I'd never seen a Kea or a Kakariki up close before. And those Kakariki were up really close! 

Oh and the elephant was just casually walking around the zoo today. 

Kids under 4 are free and kids 5 - 14 are just $11. Pack a lunch; there are some cool picnic spots in Te Wao Nui and the weather is supposed to be is going to be really nice this weekend.

Ponsonby Party tomorrow!

I think this is basically the Ponsonby Market Day but it's been renamed because this weekend is going to be one big party and because really, Ponsonby Market Day is a party.


Live music (Easy, Queen City Big Band and more) on every corner, cultural performers (Te Puna Iano this weekend. The Tahitian troupe last month were amazing), pretty awesome sale tables outside the shops and FOOD. Seriously, just walk up and down Ponsonby Rd eating samples from outside all the eateries. So much deliciousness. 


Starts tomorrow at 11am. See you there!

Kiwi Day Out

Free stuff for you to do on Labour Day! Auckland Domain, 12pm - 6pm. Music (Dave Dobbyn, Stan Walker and yay- The Patea Maori Club!) starts at 3pm.


More info here. 

Stevie Wonder on Sesame Street

Ugh. Stevie Wonder is so cool damn it. I have to thank Dylan C from Base FM for the tip to this great vintage video from 70's era Sesame Street (i.e the BEST era of Sesame Street).





Check out the kid up on the stairs in the red top - GETTIN' IT. 


And then I found this little gem : 





So good! I have to find the whole episode somewhere! 

Free Live Music

Alright, it's the last week of the World Cup and that means it's the last week of free live music. For now. Summer is apparently on the way and that will mean lots and lots of beautiful outdoor gigs in the middle of the day. I'll make sure I've got all those covered but for now, here's some good stuff...


You can check out the RWC Fanzone site for a full schedule of events but my picks would be Rooftop Collective playing at the Albany fanzone at 5:45 on Friday evening or Very Tall Stories at 5:15 in the same place on Sunday afternoon. Rooftop have got a cool reggae, soul, funk kind of vibe but you can check them out here at their bandcamp. Very Tall Stories has a nice New York Soul sound. Ladi6 is playing after Very Tall Stories so you know, you might as well just stay...and then the games on so maybe bring the kids in their PJs aye. If you're out West, The Black Seeds are playing before the match at the fanzone there just quietly. Hey, the kids have got to witness NZ finally winning the World Cup right?! 

The Rooftop Collective

Auckland Art Week - Part 2

Last week they were making books and 70's style nail and string art pieces, this week they're making dioramas and wind trees. I used to love making dioramas when I was a kid! I would pour over those little shoe box worlds until I'd have to be forced into doing my dumb maths homework. 


On Thursday at The Wynyard Quarter you can make a "kinetic sculpture" out of recycled and repurposed materials. The workshop is from 1 - 4  and the inspiration is Michio Ihara's Wind Tree sculpture near the playground. 


Then on Friday afternoon you can make sea inspired dioramas!


These workshops are both free and will go ahead rain or shine, perfect if this weather doesn't get any better. 

Dreaming Of You

This video from the Wellington International Ukelele Orchestra is great. And look kids, bubbles!


I found the video last night on the always inspiring Babysteps blog. There are lots of great music videos up there right now so go check it out. Totally going to have to post that Labyrinth video later in the week too!

Free Skateboarding Workshops

Alright, bit of a late start this morning but I'm hoping everyone else in New Zealand was up late last night too! Did anyone let the kids stay up and watch the game? Haeata was never going to make it till 9pm but my niece was just dropped off here and is all full of Richie McCaw love this morning.


You've all got a whole week to get the kids to polish up their haka for the final but in case you need something to distract you, Auckland has got lots of great stuff happening this week. 


On Wednesday and Thursday you can take them to the brand spanking new skate park in Botany for  free skateboarding workshops! Wednesday is for under 10s and Thursday is just for girls. 


The workshops are just one hour from 10am - 11am and booking is essential so click on this link to email the organiser. 

Stuff To Do This Weekend

My pick for the weekend - head down to the Wynyard Quarter, grab a Kokako Coffee from the Winter Garden and let the kids go crazy at the playground* while Bobby Brazuka, Isaac Aesili and Chris Cox serenade you with some sweet beats. Come back at 6pm for free movies outside!

There are also some cool free workshops for kids happening at the Wynyard on Saturday and Sunday as part of Art Week so really, you don't need to go anywhere else.

(* yeah man, I've heard the horrible rumours about plans to build a freaking apartment building over the playground too. Awesome. Occupy Wynyard anyone?)


But in case you do feel like going somewhere other than the waterfront....


You can check out a kite flying festival in Mangere this Saturday! 


The monthly Crafternoon Tea Market is on in Kingsland again this weekend. I'm still yet to make it along but apparently it's pretty cool. 


The interactive exhibition Aqua is still on at the museum and the live show Taniwha is back for the school holidays too. From what I've heard Taniwha is supposed to be pretty amazing. But if you don't feel like splashing out on the show there is actually a free aerial show happening in the atrium of the museum during the weekend!


And I know I bang on about it but you guys, the new Auckland Art Gallery is so cool. Just GO.They have a cool learning centre for kids and everything. 


Finally, I don't know how I missed this but apparently Auckland International Carnival is on this weekend. Alright, I've never heard of this event before but looks like there's some fun stuff happening all day for the kids and there's an actual carnival parade on.

Auckland International Carnival

An animal farm, skateboard exhibition, workshops, train rides and BELLY DANCERS!
Good times. 

Isaac Aesili - Bobby Brazuka - Chris Cox FREE at Wynyard Quarter

Alright so, lots of free gigs (Katchafire, David Dallas, Julia Deans etc..) happening at RWC Fanzones across the city this weekend and some of them are after bedtime but whatevs, I won't judge if I see you out partying with your kids in their PJs. They can catch up on sleep when they're stinky teenagers! 


But what I'm most excited about are these DJs playing down at The Wynyard Quarter during the day : Chris Cox and Bobby Brazuka from 11am on Saturday, then Isaac Aesili and Chris Cox again on Sunday! From what I can tell, the Wynyard Fanzone is in the car park right across from the playground and the Winter Garden cafe. Perfect...get some Kokako coffee and then chill to some good music while the kids rip it up on the jungle gym. 


For those of you who haven't heard of those DJs they each represent varying vibes of funk, soul, latino, hip hop and jazz. Perfect for getting a little middle of the day dance on or just kicking back and nodding your head slowly depending on whether or not you scored some babysitting the night before!


Oh and then at 6pm they're playing movies! Boy on Saturday night and Footrot Flats (I know!) on Sunday night. 

Kite Flying Festival

Work tonight has been seriously derailed by some seriously good music (Katalyst - I'm obsessed for reals) so I'm sorry if Friday posts are a little light on commentary. But, look! I've found some stuff for you to do! Like this ...

Yay, giant kites! Colour The Sky is a kite festival happening in Mangere this Saturday. Do I need to say "yay, giant kites!" again? It's free. Go. 

Best party EVER on Jimmy Fallon

Alright, Mama didn't get much sleep last night so today you guys are getting some music. I'm sure I meant to let you know about some cool stuff though so check back later today!


 But FOR NOW.....Yo Gabba Gabba and DJ Lance Rock, Erykah Badu, Biz Markie, The Roots and Bootsie freaking Collins all on stage together! 


 STOP. IT.


 I want to be at this party so bad.

Auckland Art Week

Auckland Art Week starts this Thursday and there are heaps of cool free things you can take the kids to. 


This Friday get down to the Wynyard Quarter from 1 - 4 to make a book! You'll learn simple book making techniques and make your own pages and covers.


On Saturday they're getting all retro and holding a wood, string and nail artwork workshop, also at the Wynyard. Bring back 70's arts and crafts! Hands up who had one of those hanging in their home growing up? Expect to see them showing up in Your Home and Garden now. 

Pirate Fun at The Maritime Museum

Did anyone go check out the Diwali activities yesterday? We're going to go down today, watch some Bollywood moves and get some sweet henna tattoos. 

If you need something else to do today, or for the rest of the week, the Voyager Maritime New Zealand Museum is providing pirate themed activities every day of the school holidays from 10 - 4. Adults are free and kids are just $5 so it sounds like a pretty good bargain. Make pirate ships, pirate hats, dig for treasure, hang out with pirates and check out all the cool boats. I've been meaning to take Haeata back there since we visited on their Pirate Day last month. Turns out she's really into looking at boats. Apparently I actually have a middle aged man for a daughter. 

Haeata at the last Pirate Day

Bloom Family Festival

Alright, now this event isn't happening until January but I thought I should go ahead and give you all a heads up now because far out it looks like all kinds of awesome! 

A full weekend of good music in the sun and you don't even have to organise a babysitter. Ladi6, Sola Rosa and Greg Johnson are all lined up to play and there are still more acts to be announced. And what do they have for the kids, besides great music to get down to? A sandpit? A bouncy castle? Well, yes probably, but how about a 13 metre waterslide?! A mobile farm, lantern making, water balls, a Sports Village, a Magic Meadow, circus shows and dress ups were all mentioned to. You can check out their website for more amazingness because quite frankly it's making me a bit giddy and all the details would make a way too long post.

Ladi6

The website also uses tantalising phrases such as "Farmers Market", "cool beer", "chilled wine" and I think I saw the words "cocktail hour" in there too. 

Early bird tickets went on sale yesterday so get in now for discounts and the best camping spots. 

Sola Rosa

Diwali School Holiday Workshop

Hey everyone, are you dying already? I mean, yay ... School Holidays! I'm sure you're all loving it but just in case you're feeling a change in scenery might be a nice idea, I have a solution for you.

Today and tomorrow you can take the kids to the Aotea Centre from 12 pm - 2pm for a free Diwali workshop. You can watch dancers and puppeteers from 12 - 1 and then after 1 join in on a bunch of workshops from mask making to henna painting. 

All happening in the Air New Zealand foyer of the Aotea Centre and it's all free. 

Stuff to do this weekend

Breathe in whanau, there's a lot on this weekend! 


The skate park at Victoria Park is reopening today. I like to make a habit of counting Friday as part of the weekend, makes it a whole lot more fun.


Diwali starts this weekend and there is an amazing range of things happening at the Aotea Centre. There are some Diwali school holiday activities happening next week so stay posted, I'll have something up on Monday or earlier. 


The street art crew Cut Collective is having a sale this weekend. Your chance to get something really unique for your walls! Or just give the kids an alternative art viewing experience.


The Titirangi Mums' Craft Market is on Saturday. Always lots of cool hand made stuff there.


The World Press Photo Exhibition has it's final day on Sunday.


The Grey Lynn Farmers' Market is setting up a trading table just for kids on Sunday. And holding a Sand Saucer making competition! 


And lots of live music at the free Atamira - Maori In The City festival, including Ms Black, Ardijah and House of Shem!

Hope you're all feeling prepared for the school holidays! I'll make sure I have some entertaining videos up on Monday in case you're feeling a little desperate. I've been saving a couple of special ones and I have a feeling the first day of school holidays might be worth bringing them out for.

Atamira - Māori In The City

The Atamira festival is on this weekend at the ASB Showgrounds, entry is free and open to everyone. The festival is a showcase of Māori culture and the goal is "to celebrate being Maori and living in Tamaki Makaurau in a way that authentically honours our heritage as Maori, genuinely reflects our contemporary achievements and inspires the actions of the future."  

There will be kapa haka performances, art and craft stalls, traditional and contemporary food (instantly craving paraoa parai with butter and golden syrup now), a dance competition and a really good line up of live music. Check out the schedule below...Miss Black (Whirimako Black's daughter), Ruia, Ardijah, Sons of Zion and House of Shem! 

Mouth watering yet?

World Press Photo Exhibition

The World Press Photo Exhibition has it's last day on Sunday so if you haven't seen this amazing collection of photos yet, get down there now. 


Some of the images are pretty confronting so have a look at this gallery and decide whether or not it would be appropriate for your kids. I'd say if you have older kids and don't mind having some very honest conversations then go for it. Otherwise get a babysitter and go check it out yourself!


Entry is only $5 and all proceeds go to local charities. On at the Nathan Club, 40 Customs St, 10am - 5pm (open till 7pm tonight). 

Grey Lynn Farmers' Market - Kids Trading Table

When I was a kid I would draw crazy little pictures of ladies with umbrellas and try to sell them to people outside my house. Sometimes I would just cut pictures out of magazines and glue them onto paper. Visionary shit. I never made that much anything but point is, I'm all about kids getting their hustle on.

This Sunday your kids can get their own hustle on at a one off trading table set up at the Grey Lynn Farmers' Market. They can sell or trade old clothes and toys but they could also sell or trade plants, painted rocks or crazy little pictures of ladies with umbrellas.

And hold the phone people because they're having a Sand Saucer making competition at the market! There will be a kids' category and (I'm sincerely really excited about this) an adults' category! I'm tempted to get down there and bust out the skills that earned me first place for my sand saucer at the 1986 Taneatua Primary School Calf Club Day.

New Skate Park Opening

The skate park in Victoria Park is reopening tomorrow at 10am. The new park has two sets of stairs, a flow park, a BMX jump box, two quarter pipes and a mini ramp.

Even if your kids are too little to be carving it up it'd be worth getting down there tomorrow as I'm sure the opening will attract some pretty skilled skaters. 

This photo, by the way, is thanks to Jonah Merchant over at Auckland Free Family Fun, a really great Facebook group. The groups wall has a constant stream of fun, family-friendly things happening for free or super cheap all over Auckland. Join now!

Diwali

The Diwali Festival of The Lights starts this weekend and there is a whole lot of fun stuff happening down at the Aotea Centre and outside in Aotea Square. 


You can do yoga on the grass at 12:30 and 2pm on Saturday, see a tabla and sitar performance at 1:30, watch Indian puppeteers at a bunch of different times on Saturday and Sunday, do Bollyrobix on Sunday afternoon, watch a Bollywood dance competition and of course there will be a whole bunch of amazing food available. 


Basically a whole bunch of good times happening so check out the full programme here.

Cut Collective Spring Clean Sale

I'm a big believer that exposing kids to art doesn't just mean taking them to the art galleries. Take them for walks and point out some of the great street art we have in Auckland. Artwork by the Cut Collective in particular can be found all over the city and they've just completed a new work on the stairs leading from St Kevin's arcade to Meyers Park.


If you want a piece of Cut Collective in your own home, now's your chance! This Saturday only, from 9am - 4pm, get down to 38 Poyton Tce, off Pitt St and behind St Kevins Arcade.


There will be drawings available from $20 so take the kids along and let them pick something out.  Their first fine art investment! 


More info at Base FM's website. 

Titirangi Mums craft market

The Titirangi Mums' Craft Market is on this Saturday from 10 - 2 in the Kaurilands Primary School Hall. Check out their Facebook page to see what kind of stuff they have on offer.

Prudie

I was in a rush the day I met Prudie (just part of the reason for such a blurry photo) so I don't know any details about her outfit or if she spells her name with an ie or a y. My sister Lizzy would get really annoyed when people spelt her name with an ie so if Purdie/Purdey's parents are reading this please feel free to correct my spelling in the comment section! Also, where did Purdie get her amazing coat?!

We Are Curative

The Torpedo Bay Navy Museum in Devonport is holding the first ever exhibition in New Zealand to be entirely created and curated by children. Students from Point Chevalier School have worked with staff from the museum on every aspect of the exhibition including project management and accounting. 


The show opened on Saturday, is running until the end of November and is totally free. (As a bonus, I've heard good things about the cafe there).

Gone Baby, Don't Be Long - Erykah Badu

Badu - Gone Baby, Don't be Long from beeple on Vimeo.

Haeata just made me play this cool sci-fi vibed video from Erykah Badu three times in a row. There are flying saucers! And spoiler alert, a rocket taking off! And a head nodding space funk track backing it all up. 


She's right now sitting on my lap singing "Don't Baby, Don't Baby, Don't be goo-oone" and "Go Baby, Go Baby, Go go looo-oong". I'm sure Ms Badu would approve of her improvising.