{"id":137715,"date":"2025-11-16T10:07:12","date_gmt":"2025-11-16T10:07:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/137715\/"},"modified":"2025-11-16T10:07:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-16T10:07:12","slug":"great-journeys-nz-mystery-ride-auckland-santa-experience-cathedral-market-nights-and-gold-coast-opening","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/137715\/","title":{"rendered":"Great Journeys NZ mystery ride, Auckland Santa experience, Cathedral Market Nights, and Gold Coast opening"},"content":{"rendered":"

Herne Bay\u2019s favourite Italian is back and better than ever. Andiamo Bar and Dining Room has reopened with a new name, look and energy. The revamped space now centres around a lively bar, perfect for spontaneous aperitivos that roll into dinner. Guests can sip creative cocktails like the Caprese Martini or Coconut Chilli Margarita under the glow of a twinkling outdoor canopy.<\/p>\n

On the menu, crowd favourites like fried calamari and truffle fries sit alongside new items such as green pea ravioli, vitello tonnato, and a seven-layer lasagna. With heritage-inspired interiors, local art, and signature Italian warmth, Andiamo is the perfect spot for those craving a slice of Italy in Auckland.<\/p>\n

andiamo.co.nz<\/a><\/p>\n

\"HerneHerne Bay’s favourite Italian spot is back with a new look. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n

Santa comes to Auckland Museum<\/p>\n

Christmas magic is arriving early at T\u0101maki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum, as Santa Claus sets up his southern hemisphere study from November 22 to December 21. For the first time, families can meet Santa in his cosy, twinkling study inside the museum, open on weekends from 9.15am to 4.30pm. Visitors can snap photos, share Christmas wishes, and even post letters straight to the North Pole via the museum\u2019s festive mailbox.<\/p>\n

Adding to the cheer, the museum\u2019s four-metre Christmas tree returns to the Grand Foyer, while free Festive Wh\u0101nau Weekends bring holiday crafts, choir performances, and creative fun for all ages. From decorating wooden baubles to singing along with Auckland\u2019s finest choirs, there\u2019s something for everyone to enjoy. For Kiwis looking for a heartwarming way to celebrate the season, Auckland Museum offers a uniquely local, magical twist on Christmas traditions. aucklandmuseum.com\/visit\/whats-on\/kids-and-family\/visit-santa-s-study<\/a><\/p>\n

\"MeetMeet Santa at the Auckland Museum. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n

European glamour on the Gold Coast<\/p>\n

Gold Coast diners can now experience a touch of Europe at Velvet Cafe and Lounge in Miami. The new venue combines rich maroon interiors, marble accents, and plush velvet booths to create a stylish retreat from the city\u2019s beachside bustle. Guests can sip coffee outdoors or unwind inside with a cocktail in hand. Colombian chef Jose Pineros brings finesse to the menu with dishes that draw from Spanish, French, and Mediterranean traditions. His attention to flavour and presentation gives every plate a fine-dining touch. For Kiwi travellers who love exploring beautiful dining spots, Velvet Cafe and Lounge delivers the perfect blend of glamour and relaxation.<\/p>\n

\"VisitVisit the Gold Coast’s newest coffee spot. Photo \/ Instagram, @velvetcafelounge<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Herne Bay\u2019s favourite Italian is back and better than ever. Andiamo Bar and Dining Room has reopened with…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":137716,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[44096,6116,95,51,93918,69514,11586,1349,7126,17515,53958,9903,4241,16773,12130,14054,92205,807,3331,4960,225,4275,8732,13631,111,43,139,11550,69,10521,143,21529,58605,9095,7069,165,55469,93917,102,80],"class_list":["post-137715","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-zealand","tag-aboard","tag-agent","tag-and","tag-auckland","tag-bondinspired","tag-cathedral","tag-coast","tag-court","tag-dies","tag-experience","tag-express","tag-fantasy","tag-gold","tag-great","tag-inner","tag-james","tag-journeys","tag-kiwis","tag-launch","tag-live","tag-market","tag-murder","tag-mystery","tag-never","tag-new-zealand","tag-news","tag-newzealand","tag-nights","tag-nz","tag-opening","tag-partners","tag-ride","tag-santa","tag-secret","tag-theatre","tag-their","tag-thrilling","tag-tormore","tag-with","tag-zealand"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/137715","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=137715"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/137715\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/137716"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=137715"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=137715"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=137715"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}