A five-star day out in the City of Sails
A day for Food, Fashion and a fabulous Hotel called Fable…
Arriving into Auckland on a rainy Autumn morning I was anticipating warmer weather - but luckily my plans involved sunshine for the soul in the form of shopping, lunching and a gallery visit - a day of pure indulgence. First stop Depot Eatery.
Depot Eatery
Industry friend and celebrity chef Al Brown’s little diner/cafe Depot is the perfect spot for coffee, breakfast or lunch. Sitting on Federal Street opposite the Sky Tower the interior is casual and no fuss, but lively and always with great staff. The menu is simple but delicious, serving excellent coffee and sweet and savoury delights. I did what their website suggested and “parked myself up” under the awning and watched the rain fall quietly outside. Normally I prefer something savoury for the first meal of the day but I decided to switch it up, partly because it was a day of indulgence and also because I just couldn’t resist ordering the French sounding “Beignets with passionfruit curd”. I am so pleased I did…
Being a solo traveller I was compelled to share this delicious plate of deep fried, soft-centred, pillowy morsels as they caught the attention of passers by asking for “one of what she has”. While their plate was being cooked I shared a few to keep their salivation at bay… but I didn’t share my piccolo. I needed it after my early morning flight!
Depot Eatery is always a great place to start the day in Auckland and make new friends.
Fable Hotel
I then walked a couple of blocks down to Queen Street and checked into Fable - a boutique hotel, hidden on Auckland’s Queen St. The delightful front of house Karen (originally from Portugal) took me on a private tour, explaining some of the hotel’s former history: once a sky-scraper, this beautiful art deco building used to be a tea house and before that a bank. It is now dwarfed by the larger structures in Auckland but still holds a lot of charm…
Art Deco inspired Chandelier in the Foyer at Fable Hotel.
The foyer boasts a lovely tiled floor and chandelier - radiating Art Deco drama and elegance. Beside this, an oval, spiral staircase winds up the eight floors with glimpses out little windows on each landing. The staircase is worth a climb: it provides a fantastic view up and down the stairwell - instagram worthy! But if staircases aren’t your thing… you can take the elevator.
Fable Art Deco oval Staircase - view half way up looking down to the concierge desk
Each floor has golden-hued, mirrored glass elevators which reflect the seating area and flowers decorating each landing. Karen showed me the small but perfectly formed guest amenities to enjoy: a secret roof-top garden, sauna, spa and gym are all tucked away on different floors but can be booked exclusively so you have them to yourself. The sauna is calling me…
The Luxury King rooms are elegant and spacious. Delightful details add the extra touch: the tea set with specialty teas, a magazine to enjoy while you sit in your luxurious armchair and an extremely comfortable bed with side lights and lamps to add to the ambiance. Other little details included a cute little dish to pop your jewellery in while you sleep and sumptuous pillows for those in need of just the right pillow. The golden glass-tiled bathroom with a marble vanity worked perfectly and the carpet was so soft underfoot.
A very enjoyable stay indeed. Perfect for a little fancy (and pretty!) stay.
Fable Auckland MGallery
Shopping
Venturing through the designer boutiques at Commercial Bay I enjoyed some window shopping and considered my next designer handbag options.
Well, who can resist a little retail therapy? This girl certainly has no self-restraint when it comes to fashion. Of course, I was really filling in time before my lunch booking at Origine Restaurant: - a French Brasserie adopting a fusion of New Zealand & French speciality fare - housed in a beautiful fit-out within the Commercial Bay complex. I had dined here with my husband for our Wedding Anniversary and the experience was so good I couldn’t wait to return.
Origine Restaurant
As you walk through the unimposing entrance you are wowed with the double height space designed with a nod to the Parisienne residence Maison de Verre: the floor to ceiling glass louvres looking out over the harbour and the historic Baroque Ferry Building. Groupings of modern glass pendant lights and chandeliers add theatre and radiance, while the European bentwood chairs immediately call to mind a classic French café.
Origine Restaurant - image from their website
I sat at the banquet looking out through the glass and pondered Origine’s extensive wine list. Catering for those who love French wine (moi) and also those who may need some guidance, the wine list has been curated into appellations, distinguishing the different grape varietals from each region. I ordered a glass of Bernard Fouquet “Silex” Vouvray ’21. The perfect start to my lunch, this wine was crisp, linear with white florals on the nose and a subtle oily mouthfeel beginning to develop. This accompanied my Bluff oyster teaser which was served with a chardonnay mignonette which was piquant and fresh. (Although I stayed true to the oyster and just had a squeeze of lemon).
Something that I have made at home (but far prefer a French trained chef’s version to my rudimentary home cooking) is Soupe à l’Onion. The Origine version was rich, silky, caramelised with a depth of flavour I’ve never tasted before. This divine broth was slightly sticky - it coated the back of my soup spoon - it was unctuous and delicious and was even more decadent with the accompanying toasted bread with pulled oxtail and compté (chewy and crispy in each mouthful). The only thing I needed was another glass of wine…oh, and a serving of the Origine mini baguette (this has a slight wholemeal flavour with a warm inside and crunchy crust) which I smothered with lashings of demi-sel (salted) butter to cut through the richness of my meal.
A little piccolo to finish and I was une femme heureuse…
My professional and personable m’aître d’ named Judika (hailing from Canada) made my departure from Origine very special with a French bakery recommendation in Auckland and insights into Origine’s philosophy for food. Make a booking next time you are in town: lunch or dinner - pas de regrets! And if you go for dinner make sure you get their silky mashed potato if it is on the menu. Divine!
Auckland Art Gallery Exhibition.
Guo Pei: Fashion, Art, Fantasy
Then it was off to the Guo Pei Fashion, Art, Fantasy Exhibition at Auckland Art Gallery. This was a retrospective of her incredibly detailed and sumptuous haute couture garments. This did not disappoint! Chinese designer Guo Pei’s dresses were mind-blowing and the breadth of her work on display was expansive like her designs.
Guo Pei painted chiffon Renaissance dress
This exhibition was beautifully curated - the rooms had backgrounds painted with varying colours to reflect each design theme and special lighting. After walking through all the rooms and thinking there couldn’t possibly be anything more incredible than the last piece, I walked into the final room - painted a rich dark blue with blue illuminations from the floor and ceiling and a large stepped stage which revealed her pièce de résistance: the Yellow Queen Gown worn by Rhianna at the 2015 Met Gala. I inhaled sharply in amazement and then breathed out deeply in wonder. This piece was mesmerising. I urge you to visit this while it is still on.
I will be “flaneur”-ing past her new boutique in Rue St Honoré, Paris later this year!
Guo Pei’s Yellow Queen Dress worn by Rhianna at the 2015 Met Gala.
After this incredible journey through the artistic fantasy land of Guo Pei’s Haute Couture I headed back to Fable Hotel for a sauna and a wonderful sleep…dreaming of French wines, fashion and Furla…
