The Outing - Lyall Bay and Blue Lagoons

The other weekend (actually probably three weeks ago now - wow, where does the time go?) Luke and I decided to exploring. So we headed down to Lyall Bay, a seaside suburb that we hadn't spent too much time in before, to see what we could find.

We had lots of fun chilling on the beach and watching all the people walking their dogs. A few even came over to us to say hello.

We then discovered an awesome cafe on the waterfront called Maranui Cafe. Apparently a lot of other people have "discovered" it too, as it was quite popular.

The tomato-shaped tomato sauce dispensers are an iconic feature of Kiwi restaurants. And I'm appreciating my artistic ability (read shaky camera hand) in this photo.

For those who do not know, a "Fluffy" is milk froth in a cup for kids, which I think was some smart cafe owner's solution to kids always wanting to steal the froth off their parent's cappuccino (I know because I have totally been there).

Best-looking iced chocolate ever. Look at all those goodies on the top. Yum! We also discovered that despite my original research, New Zealand does have blue heaven milkshakes - they just go by another name here. I feel the blue heaven flavour of milkshake is... awesome, and also impossible to describe as a flavour. I think it was quite popular in the 1940s. It's vanilla, but not really, and blue in colour - some people say it might be blue raspberry mixed with vanilla. The debate continues. I love when even Google can't answer a question. Anyhow, if you're looking for it in New Zealand (although it's harder to find), scan the menu for blue lagoon. :)

Love the old boat theme going on here.

Check these out. Aren't they great? I'm guessing they're from the 1950s or 1960s. Want to zap yourself for health and fun kids? It's all the rage, just insert sixpence and hold the handle. >.< No thanks!

So the Maranui is definitely worth a look, although you might want to visit at off-peak times to ensure you get a spot. Nice views over the ocean too, if you can grab a window seat.

Until next time :)