Family night out, and a wonderful surprise

Auckland is awesome for foodies, and now the kids are getting older (and just slightly more manageable), we can actually eat out occasionally without it ending in tantrums and tears (and that’s just the adults…)
On Saturday evening, we took a trip up to Ponsonby. C. wanted pizza, H. wanted pasta, and Husband and I yearned for yummy grown-up food.
Luckily, we found GPK, a buzzing Ponsonby restaurant which has apparently been around for years.
While the kids guzzled happily on L&P, Husband and I shared a delicious Nelson Sauvignon Blanc, and actually got to enjoy a conversation.
Best of all, the menu catered for all of us. C. chose bacon and cheese pizza, H. gorged on spaghetti bolognaise (though she pronounced it: “Not as good as Daddy’s”.) Husband devoured his Angus steak, and I inhaled my linguine with seared scallops, asparagus, semi-dried tomato, peppers and basil.
The service was excellent – efficient, without being fussy – and the kids loved their ice-cream sundaes for dessert. (Husband was naughty and enjoyed a sinful steamed fig pudding. Okay, I was naughty too, because I finished the wine).
It was so great to go out as a family to a restaurant which catered to all of us!
Sunday involved a movie, and a couple of visits to the pool, and on Monday – the first official day of the school holidays – Missy Moo had a friend over to play.
Imagine my surprise when I opened the door to let her in, and found a gorgeous gift basket sitting there.
Had K. been overcome by a fit of romance? No, it was a thank-you from NZ celebrities Jay-Jay Feeney and Dom Harvey, whom I’d written about in this week’s New Zealand Women’s Weekly.
Jay-Jay and Dom host The Morning Madhouse at The Edge, New Zealand’s most popular morning radio show. But they also happen to be spectacularly lovely people, and have adopted Jay-Jay’s nephew Seven, because his parents can’t take care of him.
It was a lovely surprise. Over the years, I have interviewed many Aussie, UK, and American celebrities, but I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’ve been sent a thank-you. From "normal" people, yes, but not from celebs. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Kiwis Rock!

My surprise. Filled with Belgian chocolates, fruit, jelly, meringues and more!

Linguine with seared sea scallops from GPK

Angus sirloin fillet with gratin potatoes, green beans and bearnaise sauce

Mmm, pizza

Mmm ... spag bog