Westmere, Auckland

Wondering about something in your neighbourhood?

Wondering about something in your neighbourhood?

Whether it's a new building going up or a strange noise you keep hearing, ask your neighbours here.

1765 days ago

Recipe: Fried Garlic Prawns with Mayo

New Zealand School of Food & Wine

Prawns are a fast and convenient choice of protein for the busy cook. Straight freezer, they can defrost quickly and be pan-seared to make a delicious dinner course.

Prawns can be confusing. Firstly, they are referred to as crustaceans and are also sold by size -shrimps are small and prawns are … View more
Prawns are a fast and convenient choice of protein for the busy cook. Straight freezer, they can defrost quickly and be pan-seared to make a delicious dinner course.

Prawns can be confusing. Firstly, they are referred to as crustaceans and are also sold by size -shrimps are small and prawns are larger. There are both freshwater and marine varieties. Most prawns are imported frozen into NZ although there is growing local supply. So when you see “fresh” prawns they have generally been defrosted. Fresh prawns in many cases appear green or grey and it is only when cooked, that the colour changes to what we recognise as “pink” prawns. If you buy prawns or scrimps that are pink, this means that they have been cooked.

Then, there are a series of questions to ask:
• Do you cook them in their shells or peel before cooking?
• Do you remove the head and just cook the tail?
• Do you remove the vein (intestinal tract) or black line that runs down the back?

You can use prawns for the same recipe whether they are peeled or deveined. Many people believe that cooking prawns with the shell will enhance the flavour of the broth and result in more succulent prawn meat. The downside is that they are a bit messier to eat. To peel the prawns, you just need to wriggle them a little and ease off the shell, piece by piece.

There is no big deal about cooking prawns with the head on – it is more a cultural thing about people not wanting to see the eyes! The head pulls off easily if you twist it. The tip of the tail can be removed in the same way.
The prawn is de-veined or has the intestinal tract removed as many consider it the prawn more attractive without the black line. It also removes the prawn's stomach waste so that you do not need to eat it! See below for the method.

Like all seafood, prawns should be eaten as soon as possible and not left in the refrigerator for days. If they smell off when you come to cook them, your only choice is to throw them out!

Fried in garlic and paired with home-made mayo showcases these crustaceans at their best.

Check out the full recipe on the link below.

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1765 days ago

DVDs to go

Christina-lee from Sandringham

1 DVD > Sisterhood of the travelling pants - $3
7 DVDs > Complete collection of the original Sabrina the teenage witch Series - $30 lot
4 DVDs > Complete season's 1-4 The Vampire Diaries $35

All DVDs in good, clean and working order;
So too are majority of the cases with exception to… View more
1 DVD > Sisterhood of the travelling pants - $3
7 DVDs > Complete collection of the original Sabrina the teenage witch Series - $30 lot
4 DVDs > Complete season's 1-4 The Vampire Diaries $35

All DVDs in good, clean and working order;
So too are majority of the cases with exception to one or two which have minor wear and tear.

Negotiable

1765 days ago

Sous vide (water oven)

Bronwyn from Ponsonby

Brand new in the box, needs an electrical transformer ($40 from hardware store) as this item is wired for American use.

Price: $20

1765 days ago

Boys P. J. s

Christina-lee from Sandringham

Size 10, Boys, Game over pajamas.
Never worn - although I have washed these a couple of times in attempt to gift them.

Price: $10

1765 days ago

ZUMBA Fitness Exhilarate

Christina-lee from Sandringham

NEW condition (apart from wear around the encasing box sleeve from moving/storage)

Contents contain:
- 7 work out DVDs
- Toning sticks
- Programme guide

DVDs unused and scratch free, Toning sticks still wrapped in their original wrapping too

Price: $30

1765 days ago

🚨6 WEEK CHALLENGE 🚨

Mike from Anytime Fitness Mt Albert

🚨6 WEEK CHALLENGE 🚨

Only a snippet of what’s to come!

▪️Varied workouts that can be adjusted to any fitness level! Don’t be scared of the numbers. Everything can be scaled!!!

▪️Lets take you out of your comfort zone while performing safe movements with 2 trainers at … View more
🚨6 WEEK CHALLENGE 🚨

Only a snippet of what’s to come!

▪️Varied workouts that can be adjusted to any fitness level! Don’t be scared of the numbers. Everything can be scaled!!!

▪️Lets take you out of your comfort zone while performing safe movements with 2 trainers at each group session!

Testing your body is what will create change

💥Sign up with Brad today in office
or by emailing: mtalbert@anytimefitness.co.nz

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1765 days ago

Learn to Sail - Pt Chev Sailing Club

Bruce from Mount Albert

Still some places left for term 1 learn to sail classes.
sites.google.com...

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1768 days ago

A Child Doesn't Travel Free on Weekends, AT Bureaucracy Gone Mad

Tee from Point Chevalier

In late November, I made a mistake of registering the AT Hop Card for my 5 year old grandson to a later year of birth making his age as 2+. When the online registration was completed his status is shown as “child” as shown on the screenshot at the top of the attachment.

There's no … View more
In late November, I made a mistake of registering the AT Hop Card for my 5 year old grandson to a later year of birth making his age as 2+. When the online registration was completed his status is shown as “child” as shown on the screenshot at the top of the attachment.

There's no alert on his account to say that he'll be charged an adult fare.

The mistake was discovered not long after registration and duly updated in his account with the correct year. By that time four trips on weekends have been made and he was charged adult fares for for all of them.

I contacted AT pointing out the mistakes: the later birth year but still registered as a child; and he's been charged adult fares, and asked for an explanation and a refund. It took 5 or 6 phone calls and several emails to AT, which have taken much of AT and my time, costing a few hundred dollars of ratepayers' money to get a reply from AT today.

The reply is an oxymoron, self contradictory in the underlined sentence in the second screenshot of AT's email in the attachment: “the child is under 3 years of age (2017-07-07 ) you were charged the default adult fare as children under 5 travel for free”.

I subsequently called AT to point out the contradictory statement and asked for clarification, and was given the same repeated mantra as above. I was last told by a manager that AT is not budging in their position of not refunding repeating the same mantra. But not answering why they charged him adult fares despite registering him as a child and why no alert in his online account of going to charge default adult fares.

AT Bureaucracy Gone Mad.pdf Download View

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1765 days ago

Borage plants

JEFF from Freemans Bay

Borage is like drugs for bees - the best plant in the world as it provides a lot of food in a 24 hour period. Small plants but they like to be handled gently so this a good time to get them in the ground so they are a decent size at the end of summer. They self seed so you get free plants next … View moreBorage is like drugs for bees - the best plant in the world as it provides a lot of food in a 24 hour period. Small plants but they like to be handled gently so this a good time to get them in the ground so they are a decent size at the end of summer. They self seed so you get free plants next year. Pretty flowers. If you love bees message me.

Free

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1766 days ago

Poll: Teens' behaviour using the internet

Kelly Dennett Reporter from Sunday Star Times

Hi Neighbours, we are looking into teenagers' internet habits and keen to hear your experiences of your children's use of the interweb. We'd like to know, has your teenager skipped meals in order to spend time on the internet?

Teens' behaviour using the internet
  • 41.5% Yes
    41.5% Complete
  • 54.6% No
    54.6% Complete
  • 3.9% I'm not sure
    3.9% Complete
972 votes
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1766 days ago

GARAGE SALE- Sunday 19th January. 39 Lloyd Ave, MT ALBERT.

Trudie from Mount Albert

Moving house and downsizing!
Furniture, leather couch, high chair, kitchenware, bulbs, garden shed items, clothes (adult and children)...... books books books. Starts at 10am not before!

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1766 days ago

FREE PIANO

Leanne from Westmere

We have a piano we'd like to give away. It's a lovely old stand-up in good order (will need a tune). The catch is we need it collected by Sunday the 19th! Please call 021 480 698 for more info.

Free

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1766 days ago

What do you think of new Jump, Beam and Neuron e-scooters?

Brittany Keogh Reporter from Central Leader

Hi neighbours, Shared e-scooters have taken over footpaths again after the launch of three more brands - Beam, Neuron and Jump in - Auckland. But not all of them are created equal. Stuff compared the rent-to-ride e-scooters across five categories. Have you tried the new e-scooters yet? What do you … View moreHi neighbours, Shared e-scooters have taken over footpaths again after the launch of three more brands - Beam, Neuron and Jump in - Auckland. But not all of them are created equal. Stuff compared the rent-to-ride e-scooters across five categories. Have you tried the new e-scooters yet? What do you think of them?

1768 days ago
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