Top 5 Spots to Spot a Celeb
It’s all about celebrity culture these days – remember when the handbag used by Tana Umaga to hit a teammate was sold for well over $20,000 on Trade Me? You might not be able to score such a lucky break, but here’s out staff pick of the Top 5 places to rub shoulders with the stars….
Euro, Viaduct Harbour, Auckland - Join the local celebs and dine amid the superyachts at the ever popular Euro Restaurant. Owner and celebrity chef Simon Gault recently served up some tough challenges on the Masterchef NZ series, and when runner-up Kelly Young lucked out on the Masterchef title, he gave her a job in Euro’s kitchen!
Waiheke Island, Auckland - Lady Gaga went fishing at Onetangi Beach in her high heels – and Pammie was ‘papped’ jumping out of a chopper at Stonyridge winery. Wait till a big star’s in town to play Vector arena, then catch a ferry from Quay Street and try your luck star spotting on this island paradise in
Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf.
Huka Lodge, Waikato – The luxury riverside haven of Huka Lodge has drawn royalty, business leaders and stars alike to unwind in its private seclusion. Guests have included Queen Elizabeth II, Microsoft magnate Bill Gates and actress Kate Winslet. If you can’t afford the room rates, you can try hooking a star onboard a Lake
Taupo fishing charter.
Wellywood – Where Else? Peter Jackson and Weta Workshop have made this hip town even hipper, churning out special effects for The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, District 9, Lovely Bones, Avatar and more. If you can’t spot a celebrity here – you can’t spot one anywhere! Have a coffee at the legendary Chocolate Fish Café, where LOTR stars used to hang, and check out the bars and clubs of Courtenay Place.
Queenstown – There’s been a celebrity invasion here thanks to that crisp Central
Otago air and stunning alpine scenery. Country singer Shania Twain, US actor John Travolta, actor Sam Neill, and millionaire jeweller Michael Hill all own homes here. Go for a tasting at Sam’s Two Paddocks winery, or join the elite for a night of total luxury at Glenorchy’s Blanket Bay, where Actor Robin Williams went fly-fishing and mountain-biking.
