This Weekend: Feed belly and brain

Herald online

2 Aug, 2013 02:00 AM3 mins to read

TEDx is happening in NZ, Besos Latinos restaurant, it's NZ Roast Day and Simon Gault.

This Weekend lands in Life & Style online every Friday. Check it out for our tips on how to relish your weekend.

This weekend we're all about feeding your mind and body. Get out there and sample the city of Auckland's tastiest offerings.

Feed your foodie at the Auckland Food Show:

This is the biggest weekend in the calendar year for Kiwi foodies. The Food Show promises to dish up a buffet of expert exhibits, food offerings and demonstrations. Our favourites are: the inspiring wellness talk from holistic nutritionist Dr Libby and chef Cynthia Louise; the creative cooking of this year's MasterChef winner Aaron Brunet and the theater of popular New Zealand chefs like Sean Connolly, Peter Gordon and Simon Gault.

ASB Showgrounds, Friday to Sunday 10am to 5pm. Get your tickets here.

Then feed the brain

We've never been to one in the flesh, but have been watching the vids online for years of the global TEDx shows. Starting 29 years ago in - naturally - California, TEDx is where interesting people get together to talk about world-changing ideas. No pressure then. Unlike any other conference, you get stimulated most by people talking about stuff waaaay outside your usual circle, in very short bites. TEDx has landed in NZ and we're looking forward to Auckland's eclectic mix including Helen Clark, brain researcher Richard Faull, Oooby founder Pete Russell, Pacific local food chef Robert Oliver and our favourite Kiwi booster in New York, Brian Sweeney. Check out this video for some of the best TEDx talks and get inspired.

Aotea Centre, Saturday 10am to 4pm. Check The Edge for tickets from $70.

Cook up a storm for Selaks NZ Roast Day

This Sunday, New Zealand will notch up its fourth annual roast day. This year, wine label sponsor Selaks is encouring Kiwis to seek international inspiration. The idea is to encourage families to embrace the nostalgia of the traditional Sunday roast, bringing together family and friends for a home-cooked meal. My favourite roast is probably chicken (although pork crackling is one of the best things ever), but for this special occasion I think I will go with lamb. Get social networking with your picks and share them with #selaksroast.

Sink your teeth into Auckland Restaurant Month

We could be intellectual about Auckland Restaurant Month too, but let's face it, we just love the smart packages put together by over 120 central city restaurants. Tonight it's French at the Sofitel, we can go Latino at Attico Cocina (or Besos Latinos Elliot Stables tomorrow), and grab a City Tastes Tour (at the i-Site visitor centre). But it's the four course banquet for $35 at Everybody's Izakaya that's got us salivating, or $49 bucks for a dozen oysters and two glasses of bubbles at Depot. Lucky we made room for it all by a Dry July.

Head to Biglittlecity.co.nz for details and to book. Runs from now until the end of August.