Lynfield, Auckland

Got a question or a FYI?

Got a question or a FYI?

Don't be shy, click in the Post a Message box and share your message.

1789 days ago

Taco Bell opens its doors today, inviting West Aucklanders to get their first taste of food loosely inspired by Mexican culinary traditions.

Brian from New Lynn

In the United States, Taco Bell has a reputation for being particularly popular among consumers who've imbibed a few too many beverages.
So entrenched is this notion that a list on the Spoon University food website ranks all Taco Bell meals based on how drunk the consumer is.
It's only … View more
In the United States, Taco Bell has a reputation for being particularly popular among consumers who've imbibed a few too many beverages.
So entrenched is this notion that a list on the Spoon University food website ranks all Taco Bell meals based on how drunk the consumer is.
It's only fitting then, that the Taco Bell in New Lynn will serve alcohol and, most notably, frozen margaritas. The restaurant will include iconic features like Taco Bell's 16inch bell, a self-serve music kiosk and an open kitchen. Free wifi, USB charging stations, kiosk ordering and beacons that give you a 'bell' when your food is ready will also be available. What we've all really been waiting for, however, is the food. So, here's a rundown of what different items at Taco Bell will set you back.
================================================
First up, the Crunchwrap Supreme, which is basically a hybrid between a burrito and sandwich, will cost you $6.99 for a single or $10.49 for a combo. The famous Double Taco Supreme, featuring two tacos, will set you back $8.50 or $12 for a combo. You will have to pay a bit more if you want Double Crispy Chicken taco, which costs $8.99 or $12.49 for a combo. A Cali Burrito costs $7.99, which a Grilled Stuft Burrito comes in at $8.99. Those who prefer a slightly healthier option could for the Cali Burrito bowl at $8.99 or the Power Bowl at $9.99. There's also a single quesadilla for $6.99 or a combo for $10.49. The Cheesy Gordita Crunch taco, a much bigger variety of a traditional taco, costs $6.99 by itself or $10.49 in a combo. Overall the prices are cheaper than most fast-casual Mexican-style joints, but it doesn't have quite as many of the $1 options that Taco Bell is famous for in the US.
=================================================
That said, perhaps the menu will expand as Taco Bell spreads across the country, we'll see a few additions to the menu. It is still early days, after all. The LynnMall store is the first of 25 Taco Bells that operator Restaurant Brands plans to roll out in the next five years. Russel Creedy, the chief executive of Taco Bell's parent company Restaurant Brands, previously told the Herald the priority for the brand at this stage was to roll out the business to other venues. At this stage, we are securing locations within the main metropolitans of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, with the view to expanding further afield in the coming years. "The broader rollout plan will see a minimum of 25 restaurants trading in New Zealand over the next five years, with the view to launching the next restaurant in Q1 of next year."
==========================================================

1790 days ago

11 phrases that will make you more successful in any relationship

Baptist from Avondale

The importance of communication

What you say at work is almost as important as what you do at work. Learn the phrases that will help you sound smarter, more respectful, and ultimately help you succeed at the office.

Cancel meetings with tact

You have to cancel a meeting and come up with a … View more
The importance of communication

What you say at work is almost as important as what you do at work. Learn the phrases that will help you sound smarter, more respectful, and ultimately help you succeed at the office.

Cancel meetings with tact

You have to cancel a meeting and come up with a reason—or tell the actual reason. Excuses already sound, well, excuse-y, so to validate your behaviour it’s important to choose the right words. Gary Burnison, author of Lose the Resume, Land the Job, reported for CNBC that standard Stanford business practices include being honest whenever possible, and avoiding typical excuses such as “current meeting running late” and “got a fire to put out.” Instead, validate the significance of the missed appointment by saying “I understand how important this is…” or “I’m really sorry but I have to reschedule.” Then quickly move towards potential dates and times when you can make this happen. Setting an example is one of the best ways to build trust with your work colleagues.

Ask the question

Challenge your assumptions about others by asking a question instead of responding with a statement; this can be a powerful argument avoidance strategy in the workplace, according to Mack Shwab, an executive director at the Dale Carnegie Institute. He recommends getting in the mindset to be a more curious person by asking “Why do you think that?” to gain more information about a person’s stance instead of jumping to conclusions. Want to go even further in your career?

Make them think your solution is their idea

In every classic persuasion training, the “winner” has succeeded by making the other person think their solution was the other person’s own idea. Shwab says it’s no different now. To accomplish this, use more questioning strategies to get them to consider multiple points of view such as: “What would be the benefit if we go that way?” and “What would be the benefit to you if that happens?”

“Emphatically” admitting you’re wrong

We’ve all heard the deep significance of apologizing when you are wrong in a relationship. But the Carnegie institute specifically teaches doing so “emphatically.” For example, instead of just saying “I’m sorry,” elaborate a bit to ensure the other party really feels your emotion. You could say, “Hey, I’m really wrong about that and I’m really sorry.” The emphatic nature of this style of apology diffuses the other person more quickly and also creates a culture where it’s safe to admit mistakes. It’s also a best practice to outwardly say you forgive someone, instead of leaving them to wonder where they stand. It’s also key to not sabotage your own apology.

Avoid the “and/or/but” to demonstrate respect

After pursuing the other person’s viewpoint, it’s imperative to avoid the words “and,” “or,” and “but” to ensure the colleague or boss has felt thoroughly heard. Instead, replace these debate-oriented words with a pause and a breath, then say, “that’s an interesting idea. It triggered a thought in my head,” Shwab recommends. His strategy of separating your colleague’s suggestion from your presentation of your own idea demonstrates respect for them.

Kill them with kindness

We all have that colleague, but we don’t have to be that colleague. Using extreme friendliness with the toughest cookie in your department may not change their generally terrible demeanour towards the world, but you may be the person who, as Shwab calls it, “begins in a friendly way.” He compares it to how a dog acts when they can’t wait to see you, complete with the wagging tail. “You will be shocked by the way they change.” Simply starting with “How are you?” and caring can make a difference. You can even attempt small, intentional acts of kindness in your workplace to improve these relationships.

Acknowledge unsolicited advice

A suggestion is defined as an “idea or plan put forward for consideration.” When you receive unsolicited advice at work, responding with “thanks for the suggestion,” will preserve your integrity when you are annoyed and can simultaneously shut down the advice-giver while making them feel somewhat appreciated (maybe both). After all, their idea is out there for your consideration, not your immediate acceptance, right where advice belongs.

Getting to yes

Sometimes negative colleagues or bosses are simply in a sour mental place and used to saying no. You have the power to get them in a “yes” frame of mind before pitching an idea or requesting something through a series of questions about basic facts, Shwab says. He shares an example of trying to sell a widget in a proposal in which others are already against it. Asking a series of yes or no questions to present the positives will lead to more “yes’s.” “For example, you could ask ‘Do you think it will help our customer base?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Do you think the new widget would make us more profitable?’ ‘Yes,’” he said. Then you move into the potential problematic areas discussion with this yes mindset prepared.

A compliment plus a reason

We’ve all given and received meaningless compliments. “That’s amazing.” “Great job.” While they are appreciated, it’s so much more meaningful to demonstrate evidence for the compliment with specifics. To make it sound sincere, Shwab says, “You have to substantiate it with evidence…if you don’t give an example it loses all its teeth.” Being authentic is one of the best ways to give a meaningful compliment.

Repeat it back

Listening and relationship experts encourage reciting back someone’s words, in your own words, to ensure you have understood and to communicate that understanding back to the speaker. This can start simply with “What I hear you saying…” or “What I think you are saying…” and then discrepancies can be corrected from there before proceeding onto the real work. According to the Harvard Business Review, people only ever retain half of what you said, so this can ensure you remember at least that much.

Accept compliments graciously

A thank you with a period is more sincere than a “thank you so much” or an “I really appreciate it.” It’s the classiest way to receive a compliment, without any elaboration, self-deprecation (“Thanks. I didn’t work that long on the presentation.”) It demonstrates confidence and appreciation without cockiness or insecurity.

1789 days ago

Train timetable changes on the Western and Onehunga lines

Communications Team from Auckland Transport

On Sunday 17 November, the train timetables for the Western and Onehunga lines will be changing to provide earlier and later services. New timetables are live in Journey Planner and AT Mobile. Follow link for more info: at.govt.nz...

Image
1789 days ago

Cash for cars - get your wreck off the road!

The Team from AAA Auto Parts

Do you have a vehicle that is taking up space and becoming an eyesore? At AAA Auto Parts we dismantle and wreck cars. We will pay top cash whether your car is dead or alive!

* $300 - $3000 for small cars
* $700 - $10,000 for 4x4 utes, vans, 4WD, trucks and buses
* Same day removal
* Free … View more
Do you have a vehicle that is taking up space and becoming an eyesore? At AAA Auto Parts we dismantle and wreck cars. We will pay top cash whether your car is dead or alive!

* $300 - $3000 for small cars
* $700 - $10,000 for 4x4 utes, vans, 4WD, trucks and buses
* Same day removal
* Free quotes over the phone

We will beat any prices in the market by 10%.

Support your local business.
Give us a call on ** 0800 50 00 01 ** and we will be happy to have a chat.
Enquire now

Image
1792 days ago

Auckland's 'creepy' Santa gets the sack

Brian from New Lynn

Auckland's Santa, which has proudly towered above Queen Street for almost 60 years, is being retired after this year's festive season. First installed in 1960 on the Farmers building on Hobson street the 19-metre statue has polarised Aucklanders. In 2011 he was named as the world's … View moreAuckland's Santa, which has proudly towered above Queen Street for almost 60 years, is being retired after this year's festive season. First installed in 1960 on the Farmers building on Hobson street the 19-metre statue has polarised Aucklanders. In 2011 he was named as the world's most unintentionally creepy Christmas decoration by Cracked.com. An attempt to retire him in 2014 was met with backlash by the public and a number of companies banded together to keep him going. A statement from Heart of the City, who owns the statue, said it was costing too much to maintain the weary Santa and it was time to retire him. "We know Santa is well-loved by many Aucklanders," said Viv Beck, CEO of Heart of the City. "But sadly, for a combination of reasons it is time to retire this model." "We love Santa too so it wasn’t an easy decision. However this is not the end of Christmas in the city centre. "We’re already underway in thinking about how Christmas could be celebrated here in the future, and in the new year we will involve the city centre community in exploring what Christmas 2020 and beyond could look like."
Santa will go up for the final time on November 10 and will be taken down on January 10. "We want to provide Aucklanders with the opportunity to say goodbye to Santa. Christmas is a time for joy and celebration and we’re sure many of us have fond memories of him," Beck said. Memories and photos can be uploaded to heartofthecity.co.nz, emailed to farewellsanta@hotcity.co.nz or shared on Instagram and Facebook using #FarewellSanta. They'll then be published to a dedicated page on heartofthecity.co.nz/farewellsanta.
==========================================================

1790 days ago

Converting garage to a home gym

Kiwi Self Storage - Mt Roskill

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to workout in the comfort of your own home? Or perhaps you are getting more serious about your training, and having equipment at home is an integral part of your training schedule. A home gym is a solid investment for your health and well being. We have … View moreHave you ever wondered what it would be like to workout in the comfort of your own home? Or perhaps you are getting more serious about your training, and having equipment at home is an integral part of your training schedule. A home gym is a solid investment for your health and well being. We have taken a look at what you need depending on how you like to workout.

Image
1790 days ago

Poll: Would you pay to use your neighbours' swimming pool?

The Team Reporter from Stuff

People rent out baches, rooms in their houses, their garages and car parking spaces, so surely hiring out swimming pools is the next logical step.

A new app lets people hire their private pools by the hour, but it hasn't come to New Zealand - yet.

To read more, click here.

Image
Would you pay to use your neighbours' swimming pool?
  • 28.6% Yes please!
    28.6% Complete
  • 71.4% No, that's weird.
    71.4% Complete
1561 votes
1790 days ago

Together with New Zealand Police we're shutting the gate on rural crime! 🐮❤️

The Team from Neighbourhood Support New Zealand

Learn more about our new rural crime prevention signs, now available for purchase to the public, on our website: neighbourhoodsupport.co.nz or click the 'Read More' link below. 📰

#safercommunitiestogether

Image
1790 days ago

Have you had a plant stolen?

Mikaela Wilkes Reporter from Homed

Hi neighbours,

We're to keen to know if pot plant and garden thievery is still a common problem and what people are doing about it.

If you've had a pot plant or something else taken from your garden in the last year and would like to share, could you please email homed@stuff.co.nzView more
Hi neighbours,

We're to keen to know if pot plant and garden thievery is still a common problem and what people are doing about it.

If you've had a pot plant or something else taken from your garden in the last year and would like to share, could you please email homed@stuff.co.nz with your name, your neighbourhood and a quick recap of what was taken and how it happened.

We'd love to hear from you!

Image
1790 days ago

Friday Jams: Auckland R&B party's lineup, set times, prohibited items, road closures

Ripu Bhatia Reporter from Central Leader

The R&B party of the year will see Janet Jackson, 50 Cent and The Black Eyed Peas perform at Western Springs next weekend.

Image
Top