Blog
-
Music Review: Lacuna by Reb Fountain
Seeing Reb Fountain perform live is a bewitching experience, not just because she is an absurdly-talented songwriter and musician, but also because she has a way of dancing that makes you want to question everything you ever thought to be true and give yourself over to Reb’s groove. That director Lola Fountain-Best chose to focus…
-
Review: The Story of New Zealand Freeskiing
To push a stick in the sand and write the story of a sport that is about as niche as you can get (maybe aside from a short history of underwater hockey) is a bold leap of faith. But I’m glad Sam Masters took it. In The Story of New Zealand Freeskiing, he has captured…
-
Book Review: Creative Conservation – A celebration of artists who are wild about nature
By Chrissy Wickes and Sonia Frimmel (New Holland Publishers, 2021) Creative Conservation showcases 35 established and aspiring artists who work with and celebrate the landscapes, flora and fauna of Aotearoa. There’s art created out in the field , art made from natural materials found out in the field, and in situ pieces that sit out…
-
Food Review: Royal India, Geraldine
Yes, you read correctly, Geraldine. And for those keeping score, this will be the third mention of Geraldine’s culinary scene in 1964 (Al’s Hot Pepper Sauce, The Running Duck Cafe). For those traveling between the Queenstown Lakes District and the East Coast, Geraldine (population 2,800) is the spot for a snack, a meal or a…
-
Book Reviews: A Biker’s Tale and A Life of Extremes
A Biker’s Tale by John Hellemans IT’S PROBABLY MY BAGGAGE, BUT I’M SUSPICIOUS OF THE PLETHORA OF “HEY-LOOK-WHAT-I-DID” BOOKS WEIGHING DOWN ‘OUTDOOR ADVENTURE’ SHELVES IN BOOKSTORES AROUND THE WORLD. (REALLY? I WAS IN LABOUR FOR TWO DAYS, GAVE BIRTH TO A NINE-POUND BABY, THEN DIDN’T GET A FULL NIGHT’S SLEEP FOR THREE YEARS. BUT THAT’S…
-
Book Review: A Life of Extremes and A Biker’s Tale
A Biker’s Tale by John Hellemans IT’S PROBABLY MY BAGGAGE, BUT I’M SUSPICIOUS OF THE PLETHORA OF “HEY-LOOK-WHAT-I-DID” BOOKS WEIGHING DOWN ‘OUTDOOR ADVENTURE’ SHELVES IN BOOKSTORES AROUND THE WORLD. (REALLY? I WAS IN LABOUR FOR TWO DAYS, GAVE BIRTH TO A NINE-POUND BABY, THEN DIDN’T GET A FULL NIGHT’S SLEEP FOR THREE YEARS. BUT THAT’S…
-
Book Review: Railways Studios
How a government design studio helped build New Zealand By: Peter Alsop, Neill Atkinson, Katherine Milburn and Richard Wolfe For 65 years, the go-to designers who produced advertising for any-and-all clients was Railways Studios, the design studio of the New Zealand Railways. The Railways Studios decorated every city and town in New Zealand with outdoor…
-
Book Review: Scenic Playground – The story behind New Zealand’s mountain tourism
Scenic Playground (Te Papa Press) explores the story behind the promotion of New Zealand’s mountains from the 1890s onwards. With an exquisite gallery of photographs, paintings and posters the book explains how the country built its reputation as an alpine playground. The ultimate coffee table book for a mountain bach, Scenic Playground is a lavish,…
-
Review: Alchemy Café Cinnamon Scroll
THE WINE WORLD HAS SOMMELIERS, BEER HAS CICERONES, RESTAURANTS HAVE MICHELIN STARS AND CINNAMON SCROLLS HAVE, WELL, ME. LIKE SOMMELIERS, I HAVE BEEN A STUDENT OF MY CRAFT FOR DECADES, WORKING COUNTLESS HOURS TO FINE TUNE MY PASTRY PALETTE. Rumours have been swirling in the cinnamon scroll community for months about a new chef in…