Born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand author Jennifer Mayne lists Mission Bay as one of her favourite places. Here she divulges all the secret finds and things to do during lockdown.
![Jennifer Mayne is a New Zealand author and Mission Bay resident. Photo / Jennifer Mayne](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/PPIOVKKQZXWQH427JVUGQALNEE.jpg?auth=759ea573a22cf543790f4e864dd9b5412d9bc0888a971bd53fa05a8e65f892bf&width=16&height=24&quality=70&smart=true)
When bringing up my children, I used to walk from Kepa Rd to Mission Bay daily, pushing a pram to do my daily shopping. Back then there was only a local grocery store, butchery and dairy, whereas now it is full of flourishing restaurants and the Art Deco movie theatre, which has been a landmark of the area for decades.
Walking is a favourite pastime for so many and Tamaki Drive stretches from Ōkahu Bay right through to St Heliers, with a special bike lane for cyclists. A promenade from Kohimarama makes an easy stroll to St Heliers Beach and there is a great choice of takeaway restaurants along the way. Grab some fish and chips from my favourite takeout store in Melanesia Rd: Kohi Fresh Fish & Takeaways, grab a bottle of wine from the Kohimarama Boutique wine shop and sit on Kohimarama Beach to watch the boats returning from a day of fishing.