Laurie Hinchcliff, an Auckland WiSE Guide, has lived in Ellerslie for six years. She tells Rebecca Kamm why it's her favourite place in the world,
The best thing about Ellerslie is its sense of community: I have friends and family all around me; there's a street party and fairy festival every year; and we even have our very own old-fashioned Christmas parade. Just yesterday we saw a community working bee in the township. People were painting, varnishing, fixing - you name it. It was truly amazing.
There's a great mix of shopping and the stores are all stable and well-patronised, thanks to the Ellerslie business area across the motorway. The Richoux Patisserie has won gold medals for its pies, the Ellerslie organic butcher has won medals for his sausages. He has amazing free-range eggs too, big ones that don't fit the cartons - the best.
I go to an Indian grocer called Shahji's Royal Masala that has 18 different kinds of flour. And just across the road from Shahji's is La Mamma, an affordable gourmet food store. My son and grandchildren all go to Ceres Wholefoods, where they reduce the prices on pies after 3pm.
There are lots of cafes and restaurants in Ellerslie and I like them all. Legend Noodle House is good for cheap takeaways. And if you want fast-food there's your Pizza Huts and Burger Kings. You can get good coffee almost anywhere.
