:Entertainment

We’re kicking boredom to the curb with the Flossie weekender – everything you need to get you out of the house or keep you occupied indoors – either way, blissful weekends are on us.

Yes, the forecast isn’t looking too crash-hot this weekend, but what’s a little rain when there’s a long hot summer lying ahead of us! Then again, this is New Zealand so the weather could well turn on the hottest weekend of the year just to keep us all on our toes - whatever it does, get out there and make the most of it!

Need a new activity to get some bonding in with the man in your life – partner, brother or mate? Pick up a copy of Entourage - Season 4 (out now on DVD from Warner Brothers, RRP$39.95) and hit the couch this weekend. If that terrible show with Courtney Cox as a tabloid mag hag terrorizing celebrities for paparazzi pictures turned you off the idea of schlebs being ‘ironic’, don’t let it taint your view of Entourage! Vinny Chase, E, Turtle and Johnny Drama are a crew of Hollywood B-Listers driving around Hollywood trying to break into the movie biz, either as actors, agents or just hangers on. Based loosely on the life of the show’s executive producer, Mark Wahlberg, Entourage is a male perspective into the celebrity lifestyle in Hollywood packed with plenty of laughs, great characters and a stellar rotation of cameos; grab your copy from ferrit.co.nz.

OK, so you might not get to take it out to play this weekend but just think of all the hours of use you’ll get out of the Four Person picnic basket through summer. Picture yourself, Nigella-like, lolling back in the shade of a pohutukawa with your delightfully stylish picnic basket, relaxing while active types play cricket around you, feeding yourself grapes from its depths, enjoying dinners for two at dusk, passing out exquisitely formed nibbles that you whipped up in a flurry of domesticity… And if the weather does come crashing down this weekend - sitting on the floor playing picnic with the kids. Four Person picnic basket, $69.99, from The Warehouse.

No, not the rain coming down, the Auckland Highland Games at Three Kings Reserve, Mount Wellington on Saturday. Bring out your inner Scotsman with this free colourful display of Scottish heritage, Highland dancing, singing, piping, caber tossing, sheaf tossing, haggis tossing (which we predict will be the messiest of the tossings), a tug of war and historical fighting - plus plenty of games for the kids to get involved in. Find more details at View Auckland.co.nz, or if you’re down the other end of the country, wait till next Sunday when the Dunedin Highland Games hit town.

Take yourself off to the Auckland Flower show this weekend and you could win a trip to the Chelsea Flower show in London! We’re feeling all inspired to get into the garden after reading garden guerillas, Xanthe and Zoe’s inaugural gardening blog and what better way to make a start than head to a flower show (no digging required!). The Auckland Flower Show kicks off on Thursday at Alexandra Park, Epsom, (so it’s all weather) and runs until Sunday. For more information and ticketing prices see The Flower Show.

Get Sunday off to a flying start with a big batch of Corn Fritters with Sweet Chilli Sauce. The Chilli sauce is for dipping so the whole family can adjust the taste to suit and we’re pretty sure that whipping up something yummy first thing will elevate you to hero status; meaning you’ll be waited on hand and foot for the rest of the day (we haven’t tested this logic but we believe in it!). See Fresh in the Kitchen for the recipe and enjoy!

What do you have planned this weekend?
Are you looking forward to summer, or missing the cosiness of winter?

Let us know in the comments section below.

Last updated: Thursday, November 20th, 2008