The Volkswagen Polo is returning to New Zealand, so we’re teaming up with the Volkswagen Polo to meet some little legends of our own: the people behind the places that make Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch special. We handed each of them the keys and asked for their favourite spots.I’m the owner of Boar & Blade, a modern men’s salon in Auckland with a big focus on skilled barbering and great service. I also founded Micky Day after getting frustrated with not being able to find hair products that worked the way I wanted them to.One of the best parts of the job is the people you meet and the different walks of life they come from. We’ve got a really diverse mix across our stores, both in our teams and the people who come through the doors, so there’s always a great atmosphere. No two days are really the same - I think that’s what keeps it interesting.I love Auckland because you’re so close to heaps of great weekend spots, but there’s plenty happening in the city itself too. Good coffee, great cafés. Everyone seems to be out doing something for themselves, which gives the city a really motivating energy.The Volkswagen Polo was smooth and easy to drive. Exactly the kind of car I’d want for ducking out of the big smoke to one of those weekend getaway spots.These are some of my favourite spots around Tāmaki!

The Volkswagen Polo is returning to New Zealand, so we’re teaming up with the Volkswagen Polo to meet some little legends of our own: the people behind the places that make Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch special. We handed each of them the keys and asked for their favourite spots. I stumbled into hospitality while on holiday in Cancún in the early ’90s. It was intoxicating and way too much fun getting paid to live in paradise, so I stuck with it. At one point, I was lucky enough to work at La Boom, which was one of Latin America’s biggest nightclubs, before moving to London and starting my sommelier career. That took me into some incredible venues and introduced me properly to the good things in life. At Hakkasan, we had weekly food-matching sessions, and I got to work around some amazing chefs. I’ve now been in New Zealand for more than 15 years, and these days I run Tacoteca, where tacos, margaritas and beers are the holy trinity. What I still love most about hospitality is the people. I’m fascinated by human interaction and the chance to meet interesting people every day. Good service can genuinely change someone’s day for the better, and I love being part of that. Even after 15 years here, the generosity and goodwill of Aucklanders still surprises me. That’s probably one of the biggest reasons I’ve stayed. Plus it’s beautiful - you don’t need to drive far or even leave the city to find a beautiful beach or bush walk. My kids come home from school and bike around for hours without any worries. That’s gold. And when you do need to drive, the Volkswagen Polo is a great little companion. Comfortable, easy and genuinely fun. Here are some of my favourite spots around Auckland.