Here are five of the best family-friendly cafes praised by our parent pals.

A new twist on the Kiwi staple of meat and three vege..

The Block NZ 2012 winner Ben Crawford and his girlfriend Kylie are building their dream home. Share their proud moments and pitfalls every week.

Mix and match your prints for a splash of style.

East meets east in the kitchen of the latest addition to the small eating-out precinct at the eastern end of Fort St.

Comedian Urzila Carlson talks about gender-bending life experiences, the delights of toilet humour and learning to man up.

Take advantage of the daylight hours and make hay (or compost) while the sun shines.

Cookies and tarts – a sure sign that autumn’s here.

I really like the actress Celia Imrie, one of the stars of the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel movies. So I wanted to like her debut novel, but I struggled at times.

Growing up, my family and I spent a lot of time in the ocean. My fondest memories were jumping in the old light blue (Smurf-coloured) Holden ute with mum and dad, ready to head down the line to the rugged west coast beach of Mokau.

There’s no doubt St Patrick’s Day is great craic. To get into the spirit, we bring you five of the best places to get amongst the festivities.

Matterhorn, which opened down an alleyway off Cuba St in Wellington more than 50 years ago, is such an institution in the capital that Fat Freddys Drop recorded their first album there.

Fashion takes inspiration from the past this season with a vintage ladylike feel.

It's St Patrick's Day on Tuesday and this year more than any other, beer drinkers are spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing how to celebrate.

Seeds saved from your best crops will look after you in seasons to come.

Indian novels tend to be sprawling, colourful and chaotic affairs. Em and the Big Hoom is some of those things but not all.

Clams and tuatua make a seafood banquet all the better.

The living room pod has finally arrived.

An Auckland Arts Festival show doesn't just blow things up, blow things over, and blow people's minds, it proves that science isn't just for boys.

Take to the streets with a spring in your step.

i never read the reviews on those dining-out sites. The opinion of a random, usually anonymous, stranger just doesn't cut it for me.

Charles Bradley is the ultimate soul survivor. The kid raised in a Brooklyn housing project, who endured years of hardship and who moonlighted as a James Brown impersonator, found fame as the so-called "Screaming Eagle of Soul" at the age of 62.

Control heating and lighting with your phone.

The season of succulent Bluff oysters kicked off this week, and we can't wait to slurp them straight from the sea-salty shell. The experts say they're the best Bluffies yet and the season looks promising.