"Across New Zealand you'll find weekend farmers' markets packed with vendors of artisanal products and organic fruit and vegetables, as well as innovative food trucks providing tasty options for breakfast or lunch. Held in the leafy surrounds of Christchurch's historic Riccarton House, this Saturday-morning institution attracts gourmands from across the city. For travelers, it's a great place to try cheese and salmon from around the South Island, sample craft beer from local breweries, and stock up on baked goods for on-the-road picnics. Must-visit stalls include Sausage Sisters (for hearty pork-and-apple-sausage rolls) and Utopia Hot (for freshly baked waffles with seasonal fruit)."

"Just a short walk from Auckland 's Eden Park, home of big rugby games in the city, the funkyand bohemian Kingsland neighborhood is also developing a reputation as an eating and drinking destination. Some of the city's best coffee is served at Atomic—try the Vietnamese iced coffee with coconut milk—and the savory pies at the Fridge are world-famous across Auckland. Packed with vintage furniture, the Portland Public House is a raffishlive-music venue, and Citizen Park's combination of Mexican food and robust cocktails has a strong following. Travelers seeking unique gifts should head to the Royal Jewellery Studio, with work by local artists including Maori designs crafted from pounamu (greenstone)."

"Known to New Zealand's indigenous Maori people as pounamu, jade or greenstone is treasured throughout the country, and in the North Island city of Rotorua, Rakai Jade provides travelers with the opportunity to craft a special memento of their visit. Working with local Maori artisans, a one-day Carve Your Own experience takes you throughthe full process from initial design tofinal product. Popular traditional varieties include pendants and stylized fishhooks, but if you can't spare the time for a custom bauble, many excellent already-carved pieces are also available. (Reserving at least one day ahead is recommended for a design-and-carving session.)"

"There's plenty to see along the rugged and wild West Coast of New Zealand's South Island, but an interesting contrast to the spectacular Punakaiki Pancake Rocks or the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers is a day spent making a knife by hand in the sleepy hamlet of Barrytown. Catchup with the thoroughly entertaining Steve and Robyn at Barrytown Knifemaking, and work with them to craft your own implement using local rimu timber and forged steel. Look forward to lots of laid-back Kiwi humor from Steve, and the opportunity to practice archery or play on a giant swing during downtime in the creation process. The toasted sandwiches for lunch are damned good, too."

"A Bookstore That Brings Us Together Unity is what all bookstores should be: a good collection of global newspapers by the door, a room stacked to the gills with curated books and magazines, and an extremely well-read staff. Three people is a crowd here; 30 is a very civilized riot. —Nat Cheshire 19 High St., 64/(0) 9-307-0731. This appeared in the March/April 2013 issue. Read more about Nat Cheshire's Britomart neighborhood of Auckland . By Afar Magazine"

"Better Than a Plastic Tiki Hmmm, what to buy when you want a New Zealand souvenir that's not a tacky plastic tiki or kiwi-shaped ashtray? That’s when you head to Pauanesia (pron. Pah-wah-nesia). Named after the Maori word for abalone, this High St. Auckland store has unique and interesting gifts. From authentic pounamu (greenstone) pendants that you traditionally gift to friends (never buy one for yourself) through to tea towels with 1970s motifs on them, you can be sure no one else will have what you’ve brought when you get back home."

"Saturday morning and this is the place to be to get a true slice of the Pacific. The Otara Flea Markets have rows and rows of fresh fruit, clothing, bric-a-brac and of course food, but it's the Polynesian colour and music that makes it so special. Far from the traditional shop fronts of Queen Street, this is where commerce meets culture and you can pick up a mighty decent bag of apples for $1.50."

"Brave New World World is probably the most eclectic shop in Auckland , a "Factory of Ideas and Experiments" specializing in women, men, and beauty. Last time I was in one of the stores I spied everything from Fornasetti candles to stuffed animals to mustard-colored trousers. The staff are just as diverse and interesting—always ready to share a story about the item that's just caught your eye—and you get the feeling they have a genuine love for everything in the store. World is best described as "different," and if you're looking for something to take home, something found nowhere else in Auckland, you've come to the right place. Photo: flickr."

"Designing NZ Karen Walker started off as a local clothes designer, and is now recognised as a bona fide fashion icon. With three stores in Britomart, Grey Lynn and Newmarket, her eponymous label has branched out to include eyewear, footwear, gold and silver jewellery and even diamonds. International cred has also come her way - in Phaidon’s ‘Sample’ she's listed amongst the most significant fashion designers working today, and she also appears in Taschen’s ‘Fashion Now 2’. Her flagship store is this one in Britomart looking out onto a courtyard that oozes design."

"The Matakana Farmers' Market Have time to explore beyond Auckland’s CBD? 45min north is the village of Matakana that gets inundated ever Saturday morning by Aucklanders going to its Farmers Markets. Fresh organic produce, whitebait fritters (a local delicacy), hand-made clothes, antiques, and kiwifruit sparkling wine all vie for your attention as the barrista yells out the latest coffee order, the country band plays on, and the dog sitter holds on tightly to leashes at the entrance to the market."

"North Shore Shopping Market-Style The biggest market on Auckland 's North Shore is the Takapuna Markets, best known for its range of fresh flowers, artisan produce, handicrafts and antiques. Less than a five minute walk from Takapuna's famous beach, the markets take over the whole of the Anzac St carpark every Sunday morning and it doesn't take long for everyone to arrive. Local tip: get there early and you'll find it easier to snap up bargains."

"Like a Kiwi Etsy shop come to life, Made It is the home of homemade. Shop for clothing, jewelry, artwork and ceramics all made in Wellington or around New Zealand . The stock changes with the seasons and output of the artists, so you could find anything from a merino wool cardigan and a hand-stitched Christmas tree ornament to a vintage tea-towel pillow and upcycled earrings. Made It is tucked away on a small lane near Bond Street, recently given a makeover with polka dots painted on the pavement and frequent pop-up events in the summer."

"Newmarket Strikes Back Once the bastion of every designer in Auckland , these days Newmarket specializes in what it does best: upmarket retail stores for upmarket clientele. Even the mall in Newmarket, the imaginatively named Two Double Seven (its address is 277 Broadway), refuses to house lesser brands. If you have a shoe fetish, the suburb of Newmarket should be your first stop. Between Nuffield, Broadway, and Teed streets there are over 20 shoe stores, and if you need to have a break from carrying all those shoe bags, there are cafes and bars aplenty on the side streets."

"Christchurch excels at reinvention, whether in creative solutions such as the Cardboard Cathedral, or in the use of shipping containers to house shops and restaurants. So it's no surprise to find a thriving vintage-and-antiques-shopping scene as well. Among Ferry Road's secondhand shops, Vintage Wonderland lives up to its name, featuring carefully chosen and displayed retro design and home items and collectibles. Find your treasure here, perhaps an Art Deco travel clock or a New Zealand –made teacup—or someone else's souvenir postcard from Victorian-era Christchurch."