Woodward Optical Ltd

11/02/2026

FRAME OF THE WEEK!!!

This week I bring you the brazen Akoni Eyewear cat-eye, Sagitta. Full acetate frame with titanium gold accents, we have the Sagitta in N**e Grey Swirl and Burgundy Gold.
It's got the shape.
It's got the colour.
It's got the blingy little accents.
It's a frame that my late grandma would say "Leaves nothing to chance."

Come in and check out the full Akoni range!

MON-FRI 8:30am - 5pm
SAT 9:30am - 12:30pm

https://woodwardoptical.co.nz/
https://woodwardoptical.co.nz/product/akoni-sagitta-3/
https://akoni.com/products/sagitta

05/02/2026

04/02/2026

As promised, we went for a traditional hot cross bun this week. New World's Bakery Hot Cross Fruit Spice Buns 6 pack is under the spotlight.

PREPARATION:
Fraser - room temperature with no butter. Ate it like an apple. I listen to enough true crime podcasts to recognise this as total psychopath behaviour. 😑
Rachael - room temperature with DF spread
Janeen - toasted with butter
Jim - microwaved with butter

TASTE:
Close your eyes, take a bite, it's a hot cross bun. Pretty light on the fruit and spices though. Leaves a lot to be desired.

TEXTURE:
Didn't register good, bad or otherwise so it's a win I suppose.

PRICE:
$6.29 / 6pk = $1.05 each

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS:
If this hot cross bun was a sausage, you'd find them outside the local hardware store where there's more satisfaction in your gold shinies helping the kids' cricket club than any culinary fulfillment. It's a hot cross bun, does what it says on the tin. Won't impress but also won't offend.

04/02/2026

FRAME OF THE WEEK!!!

The Lone Wolf comes in with its sleek elegance. Part of the Classic Collection, The Lone Wolf is not only the coolest named frame, but also the best coloured with the Matte Black and Rose Gold. 100% stainless steel and with trademark ic!Berlin screwless hinge design, The Lone Wolf (I'll keep saying it) is an awesome choice for the minimalist within.

MON-FRI 8:30am - 5pm (except for tomorrow as we're closed Waitangi Day)
SAT 9:30am-12:30pm (usually but closed this weekend).

https://woodwardoptical.co.nz/product/
https://woodwardoptical.co.nz/product/ic-berlin-the-lone-wolf-l/
https://www.ic-berlin.com/glasses/the-lone-wolf-large/

02/02/2026

JANEEN & RACHAEL SIDEQUEST.
1 chip = meh but interesting aftertaste
2-4 chips = yuck yuck no

29/01/2026

This week we had a guest judge as one of our reps was in store when the buns got busted open.
Still hitting up Woolworths with their Hot Cross Buns Brioche Chocolate. But Rachael! Didn't you say last week you're lactose intolerant?!
Yes, yes I am.
But I will fall on the dairy laden sword in the name of science. Let it not be said that Woodward Optical lacks integrity!

PREPARATION:
Jim & Rachael - toasted with nutellex (Jim didn't see the actual butter sitting next to it...lol)
Janeen, Fraser & Rep Rosalie - toasted with butter

TASTE:
Some of us really enjoyed these ones. The chocolate was light so there wasn't a chance of the bun getting sickly. Others found them lacking in flavour.

TEXTURE:
The fluffy consistency of the buns held true even when toasted. After the GF BS of last week, it was a pure delight.

PRICE:
$6.80 per pack (on special) - 1.13ea

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS:
Really yum but still lacked the proper hot cross bun flavouring. As a sweet baked good alternative, we were divided between this one and the biscoff filled buns. Depending on availability, next week we will most likely veer away from the "show off" buns and hit some more of the no nonsense options.

28/01/2026

FRAME OF THE WEEK!!!

The latest frame shapes and styles are taking me back to the 90s. Some are gross and won't find residence in our hallowed drawers (looking at you shield sunglasses).

But others are a delightful return, especially the narrow and horizontal oval. Gary Oldman rocked this shape with blue tinted pince nez (pinch bridge) glasses in Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992); then Laurence Fishburne's Morpheus finished his outfit with mirrored versions of the same shape in The Matrix (1999).

That's right. The Matrix came out in 1999.

27 years ago.

27. Years. Ago.

But I digress.

LGR Teos absolutely rocks this shape but sticks with regular spectacle traditions by having temples and not asking the wearer to have them pinching their nose.
Come in and check out the Teos in Havana Bordeaux or Black and we can chat about who wore it better (both gents are wearing snazzy suits admittedly).

MON-FRI 8:30am - 5pm
SAT 9:30am - 12:30pm

https://woodwardoptical.co.nz/
https://woodwardoptical.co.nz/product/lgr-teos-2/
https://www.lgrworld.com/en/product/teos-black-01/

22/01/2026

Ok - we did not see the Gluten Free label until after so some of us dug our own graves in the preparation stage. But I think the score still stands.

PREPARATION - Rachael - Room Temperature with Nutellex (DF spread)
Jim & Fraser - Microwave with butter
Janeen - Toasted with butter

TASTE - bland and overwhelmed by the god awful texture

TEXTURE - I (Rachael) know that gluten free bread is best toasted so didn't give it a fair shot. It was spongy sawdust. Janeen had it best with it toasted and the boys found it fine microwaved.

PRICE - $9.50 per pack so $2.38ea

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS - Being lactose intolerant seems so much tastier than being coeliac. Thoughts and prayers for all of you that have to perform sorcery to make your baked goods edible.

21/01/2026

FRAME OF THE WEEK!!

Let's go full on sunnies with another from .

The Kualana AF is a classic round titanium frame. The light frame includes a signature native engraving around the frame front rim and along the rubber temple tips. Able to hold most prescriptions, check out the Kaulana AF for your next pair of sunglasses!

MON-FRI 8:30am - 5pm
SAT 9:30am - 12:30pm

https://woodwardoptical.co.nz/
https://woodwardoptical.co.nz/product/maui-jim-kaulana-mj627/
https://www.mauijim.com/US/en_US/shop/sunglasses/classic/kaulana-asian-fit

15/01/2026

Crazily enough, none of the cafes and bakeries around town have started selling Hot Cross Buns. Almost like, it's a little too early for the Easter treats to be out.
So this week we went back to Woolworths, got another flavour from the Indulgent range and tried the Cinnabon Hot Cross Buns.

PREPARATION: Rachael - room temperature
Jim - microwaved
Janeen - toasted
Fraser - toasted but then forgot that the toaster lid is heavy and that we had told him there was a gooey centre. Was not burnt but was very flat and messy.

TASTE: Overall, we were underwhelmed. The toasted contingent seemed to get more of the hot cross bun flavouring than the microwaved and room temp subjects. Cream Cheese Flavouring was super meh across the board.

TEXTURE: Like last week, the heated gooey centre was a mess, otherwise all was as expected.

PRICE: $9.00 per pack = $2.25each

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS: Again, it's a fine alternative to a donut but didn't excite the judges. If I was at Woolworths begging for a sweet baked goody, I'd side step these for a pan au chocolat from the self serve area.

14/01/2026

FRAME OF THE WEEK

While all lenses are UV protected, these sunny days are asking for greater comfort for our eyes. The Flying Eyes collections with their magnetic clip ons are a great option for your next set of glasses. Their flexible temples make them easy to put on when wearing any form of helmet (motorbike, cycling etc). Also they are very comfortable when spending long times wearing overhead headphones (noise cancelling, pilots' etc).

We have the Otus frame in Matte Black and Satin Tort. A classic shape that has great form and function. Bring in your helmet or headphones and try them with any of the Flying Eyes range.

MON-FRI 8:30am - 5pm
SAT - Closed for Wellington Anniversary Weekend

https://woodwardoptical.co.nz/
https://woodwardoptical.co.nz/product/flying-eyes-otus/
https://flyingeyesoptics.com/