Cityscape Issue 109

CHRISTCHURCH CURATED | ISSUE 109

Woohoo – it’s party time! Loud music, hot food, cold drinks and cool company. We talk to the

artists who are going to bring the beats, to the artisans who will bring the tastes and to the stylists

who will bring out your best. Hey ho, let’s go!

Open 7 days from 12pm until late

Phone +64 3 365 7363

Email info@kingofsnake.co.nz

Level 1 - 79 Cashel Street

Christchurch, New Zealand

Contents

CITYSCAPE — ISSUE 109

16

STORYTIME WITH KATE

34

MAKING A SCENE

10 // WORD ON THE

STREET Tip-offs, trends

& more.

18 // DOUBLE BOGEY

Golf, but not as you may

know it.

29 // CULTURE

40 // VODKA, VIOLIN &

POPPY TEA Q&A with

Lyttelton violinist Motte

AKA Anita Clark.

41 // TURNING UP

Homegrown indie folk

singer Mel Parsons talks

Lyttelton, laughs and

lawn mowing.

42 // SHIFTING SOUNDS

The mind behind Pacific

Heights, Devin Abrams,

chats about new music

and good old times.

15

BACK TO THE CENTRE

44 // PARTY TIME The

Arts Centre restoration

is complete and it's time

to celebrate!

46 // FASHION +

WELLBEING

50 // THE 'R' WORD

A wellbeing programme

by Dr Lucy Hone.

52 // COTTON &

COLOUR Working Style's

Karl Clausen ditches drab.

53 // THE JOURNEY TO

YOUR NEW STYLE

Lou Heller takes you on a

style journery.

55 // FLEXING YOUR

WAY TO BETTER

NUTRITION Dr Libby lifts

the lid on flexitarianism.

60 // HOME + LIFESTYLE

61 // HOME EDIT Take a

walk on the wild side.

68 // TRENDY

INTERIORS YOU WON'T

REGRET IN 5 YEARS

Anna Dick explains

how to ride trends in a

timeless way.

71 // HOW SERENDIPITY

FIXED ROSS'S CLOCK

Restoration at its finest.

77 // FOOD + DRINK

82 // SNAKE'S ON A

ROLL Q&A with the man

behind the King of Snake

magic, David Warring.

Local award-winning

writer Kate Preece shares

her inspiration, what

she's celebrating and her

goals for 2023.

21

SEASON OF CELEBRATION

Insights from the unsung

heroes building the sets

behind every great show

at The Court Theatre.

Christchurch's reborn

city centre is buzzing

with new attractions and

hidden gems.

The best of the fests with interviews and tips from

party professionals.

04 CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Issue 109

46

FASHION + WELLBEING

66 — BY DESIGN

Take time out to reassess

your clutter in true

Kondo style, and make

room for beautiful

objects that spark joy.

62

EXCELLENCE & INNOVATION

Our magazine is

full of unique and

independent

businesses that

stand ready to

provide you great

service. So get out

there and support

them, and don’t

forget to say you

read about them

in Cityscape!

77

FOOD + DRINK

78

BREW HAHA

Three Boys Brewery boss

man Ralph Bungard is a

humble winner.

96

SUCCESS OVER EXCESS

Delicious treats

from Christchurch's

cornucopia of artisans,

bars and eateries.

Fitness coach Bevan

James Eyles has the

last word on surviving

the celebration season

without undoing a year’s

worth of healthy living.

We celebrate Christchurch's architectural

achievements.


Celebrate good times,

come on

It's a celebration!

ool & The Gang’s disco banger is a

K welcome ear-worm for me as our

season of sun and fun kicks off.

How are you going to celebrate?

Throwing shapes to some sick beats at

Hagley Park? Skanking to Fat Freddy’s?

Singing along to a Hoodoo Gurus’

classic with Dave Faulkner?

Or maybe a day worshipping at the

altar of beer? How about slurping down

some huhu grubs? Would you like a gin

with that?

Choices, choices, choices – isn’t it

wonderful to have those again!

With the borders thrown open I am

also looking forward to a long overdue

reunion with friends and whanau from

afar. It’s been so long!

One thing I have learned is to not take

for granted the opportunity to mash it

up in a mosh pit or mix and mingle in a

crowded bar. As Joni sings, you don’t

know what you’ve lost till it’s gone.

So I’m on a mission to make sure I

wring every last drop of good times

from the months ahead. Not just in a

crowd but also in some of the beautiful

quiet spaces we are so blessed to have.

Whether that’s heading into the high

country or just taking the dog for a walk

on the beach.

It’s ka pai to be back at Cityscape.

I love the buzz that comes with sharing

the city’s latest with our readers, both in

print and online. When I was last here, in

early 2020, it seemed everything I was

writing about was getting cancelled the

next day. Dark times indeed.

But now we have come into the light.

Long evenings, warm seas and cool

company beckon.

So bring your good times,

and your laughter too.

We gonna celebrate your

party with you.

Mark Wilson

editor@somocreative.co.nz

CITYSCAPE

MAGAZINE

Issue 109

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & PUBLISHER

Andrea Rickerby

EDITOR

Mark Wilson

CREATIVE

Tristan Brehaut

EDITORIAL

Eva Urlwin

ADMINISTRATION

Claire Ross

ON THE COVER

With a talent for songwriting

Mim Jensen is a rising star in

the local music scene.

Image: Naomi Haussmann

NEED TO GET IN TOUCH?

Advertising, editorial

& distribution enquiries:

03 366 3340

info@somocreative.co.nz

cityscape.co.nz

PUBLISHED BY

SOMO Creative Ltd

somocreative.co.nz

Cityscape is a division of SOMO Creative

Ltd. Cityscape is subject to copyright in its

entirety. Opinions expressed in Cityscape are

not necessarily those of Cityscape. Editorial

contributions welcome. No responsibility taken

for unsolicited submissions. Prizewinners will

be notified by phone and email. If Cityscape is

unable to contact the winner within 14 days,

Cityscape reserves the right to draw another

winner. Cityscape reserves the right to use

image/name of competition entrants for

publicity purposes.

ISSN 2324-4879 print | ISSN 2324-4887 online

cityscape.co.nz

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WORD ON THE STREET

TIP-OFFS, TRENDS & MORE

BROODS SET

FOR RE-ENTRY

The delays are over. Broods,

AKA Nelson siblings Georgia

and Caleb Nott, sweep into

town in April for a gig long in

the waiting, thanks to you

know what. The gig, at Ngaio

Marsh Theatre, is part of a

tour in support of their

February 2022 album Space

Island, considered by some as

that year’s #1 break-up album.

While the mood may be

sombre, the beats aren’t, with

indie-pop bangers ‘Piece Of

My Mind’ and ‘Keep’ bringing

some light to the dark.

Georgia and Caleb are stoked

to be bringing their show

home: “We’ve missed you and

we can’t bloody wait to hang

and sway and sing and

dance,” they told fans.

broodsmusic.com

TOUR

LUX!

ROCCABELLA

BELLISSIMO

The Art Deco curves of

the Santa Barbara

building are now home to

jewellery rock star

Roccabella. The Scandi

cabinets and sleek fitout

make a perfect backdrop.

roccabella.co.nz

SPORT

COOL CATS COME TO PARTY

SailGP is coming to Lyttelton Harbour in March, the first time these insanely fast

catamarans have raced in New Zealand, and everything is pointing to thrills and

spills on the water and party time on the hard. Lyttelton’s former reputation as a

partying port town will no doubt get a new lease on life during the event. And what

can’t fit will spill over to Christchurch, so expect the bars to be pumping!

sailgp.com

NO STEPS REQUIRED

Euro-inspired food, a

fabulous wine list and a

cosy setting: that’s the

order of the day at

Downstairs, new sister

venue to the awardwinning

Twenty Seven

Steps. The vibe is

sophisticated wine bar

meets hole-in-the-wall

pub, if either of those

came with chic décor and

seasonal food ready to

pair with your wine.

downstairs.co.nz



WORD ON THE STREET

ACOUSTIC SOUL FOOD

Here’s a treat for lovers of

Celtic folk, jazz and blues.

UK-born and NZ-based

guitar maestro and singer/

songwriter Andrew White

returns to Christchurch on

2 April for an afternoon gig

at A Rolling Stone, with

support from Isabella (Izzy)

Miller Bell. This is a rare

chance to see a modernday

troubadour in action!

Bookings: eventfinda.co.nz

millerbellmusic.com

EARLY WARNING // He is hailed as one

of the greatest songwriters of all time and

he is coming to Christchurch. Jackson

Browne will perform at the Town Hall on

21 April. Tickets on sale now.

jacksonbrowne.com

JOLLY GOOD LAUGHS

UK comedian Michael McIntyre is bringing his

observational humour to Christchurch in

March as part of his Jet-Lagged and Jolly

tour. His ability to turn everyday situations

into masterclasses of human exasperation

has made him one of the UK’s most popular

comedians and he has performed to sold-out

crowds in over 20 countries. His latest

target? The madness of the last few years.

premier.ticketek.co.nz

NZSO BRINGS THE BAROQUE

The flamboyance and grandeur of the Baroque comes

to Christchurch in March courtesy of the New Zealand

Symphony Orchestra. Brandenburg, at The Piano on

14 March, features four works by the Holy Trinity of the

musical style, Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric

Handel and Georg Philipp Telemann. A highlight of the

performance will be soloist Bridget Douglas, NZSO

Section Principal Flute (pictured).

nzso.co.nz

FIELDS OF GOLD

Rolleston Fields opened its new Eateries Precinct in

December with classic Kiwi staples Burger Fuel, Lone

Star and Majestic. It’s phase one of the exciting new

town centre, a sustainable hub bringing specialty retail,

a library, a health and wellbeing precinct and plenty of

entertainment to Rolleston, including play areas and a

skate park. It’s set to be the beating heart of Selwyn’s

fastest-growing town – watch this space!

rollestonfields.co.nz



WORD ON THE STREET

JENNINE BAILEY

JAZZING

IT UP

J

odi Wright just can’t help

herself. Despite the setbacks

and swerves of the last three

years, the perennial organiser is

back with a five-day jazz and

cabaret festival in March featuring

over 100 musicians and performers.

Jodi, who founded the city’s

Buskers Festival in 1994 and Jazz

and Blues Festival in 1995, can’t

recall a time, even as a kid, when

she wasn’t planning an outing or a

party. She enjoys the process of

putting it all together and has

always been more interested in

‘what’s possible’ than ‘what is’.

She says that nothing in her

career has felt as good as staging

the World Buskers Festival and the

Jazz and Blues Festival in Hagley

Park in the aftermath of the

earthquakes. It was pure joy

watching the crowds and artists

having a great time.

The 2023 Jazz and Cabaret

Festival will be held late March in

venues throughout the central city,

including The Piano, Little

Andromeda and Fat Eddie’s.

Among the lineup of over 100

musicians are Irish jazz legend

JODI WRIGHT

MICHAEL GRIFFITHS

Mary Coughlan and Australian

cabaret star Michael Griffiths.

Several of the 2023 festival’s key

acts were only weeks away from

performing when the 2020 event

was cancelled due to COVID-19.

The March event will be the

festival’s first since 2019.

One such act is Australian

cabaret star Michael Griffiths, who

will finally get to present his Cole

Porter tribute show to a

Christchurch audience. The musical

chameleon says taking on the

challenge of being Cole Porter is

not as simple as getting the look

right. “Nailing his accent has always

been a tricky one. Also to consider

is his extraordinary wealth – his

MARY COUGHLAN

ALI HARPER

family was one of the richest in

Indiana, and privilege has an accent

of its own.”

Ali Harper and Tom Rainey will

also team up to pay tribute to the

magic of Nat King Cole with their

show Unforgettable, which features

timeless hits such as ‘The Very

Thought of You’ and ‘Papermoon’.

Mary Coughlan wasn’t on the bill

in 2020 but she is no stranger to

the earlier Jazz and Blues Festival.

With a back story steeped in

hardship, Mary brings authenticity

to her repertoire of Billie Holiday,

Bessie Smith and other jazz greats,

and has been wowing Christchurch

audiences for several decades now.

jazzcabaretfestival.co.nz


WORD ON THE STREET

THE JUNIPER COLLECTIVE

GELATO & TEA

AUSTIN CLUB

BACK

TO THE

CENTRE

T

hose in the know already

know about the cool new

attractions and hidden gems

of Christchurch’s reborn city centre.

Our downtown has rebounded

from the setbacks of the quakes

and COVID-19, emerging as a

modern centre of art, architecture,

vibrant places and serene spaces.

The centre is now abuzz with a

hot combo of funky markets,

bodacious boutiques, crafty

brewers, moody cocktail bars,

outrageous street art, acres of

green space, state-of-the-art

conference digs and streetscapes

made for meandering.

Then there are the events. Music,

theatre, dance, celebrations,

CASA PUBLICA

exhibitions. Something

for everyone in a host

of new venues.

For the cognoscenti,

then, it may come as a surprise to

find out that while you know all

this, some do not. Some have yet

to follow your lead and return to

their favourite streets, lanes and

boulevards to discover all that is

on offer.

The Central City Business

Association has joined the charge

to change that. It has launched the

Centre of It All website, a treasure

trove of diverse shops, hip hospo

venues, office spaces of every

variety and the coolest of

experiences, most of which you

won’t find in malls or suburban

shopping centres.

The businesses of the central city

would love your help in spreading

the word, so here is your chance to

become an influencer. Next time

you are heading into town for a

shopping spree, city adventure or a

night out clubbing, take two

friends. Tell them to do the same

with two of their friends.

Get the gram-worthiest

pics on your feed and let

the good times snowball.

You may even surprise

yourself – the pace at

which the central city is

blossoming means there is always

something new to discover.

To help you plan your inner-city

itinerary, the people behind the

Centre of It All website have put

together a series of experiences for

you to consider. Soul Station takes

you around the city’s musical

treasures. Tales & Wonder makes

for a lazy Sunday of exploring.

Perfect Love Triangle invites you

for dinner, drinks and dessert at

three of the stars of New Regent

Street. Captive Hunger combines

the drama of an escape room with

the reward of some ka pai kai once

you find the key. There’s a host

more, and more to come as well.

Parking woes are a thing of the

past, with the central city now

served by over 10,000 car parks.

The website has a handy guide to

help you find your ideal spot.

Christchurch’s central city is now

home to about 1000 businesses. All

the CCBA wants is for people to

discover them and get back to

having fun in the Centre of It All.

centreofitall.co.nz


WORD ON THE STREET

Storytime

with Kate

As a writer and magazine editor,

Kate Preece spent 14 years sharing other

people’s stories. Now she is sharing her

own, having fun and winning accolades

along the way. She talks to Cityscape

about inspiration, celebration and her

goals for 2023.

C

ongratulations on the awards you

have been winning for your

writing – you must be rapt?

Absolutely. One Weka Went Walking is

really hitting its stride. I couldn’t be more

pleased with how it has been received and

love seeing it on the shelves. It’s been a real

buzz winning an international short story

competition too. This year has been about

building up my literary CV, and being able

to add awards to it is what I need to make

this passion into a career. How is it

different to your previous writing roles

and magazine editing? It has been a huge

change of pace. I’m no longer juggling the

needs of six mastheads, and the deadlines I

have now are all self-imposed. I’ve enjoyed

‘I enjoyed exploring the

islands through the eyes of

the curious weka. ’

14 years sharing other people’s stories but

now my own characters are leading the

way – it’s so much fun! As a kid, I went to

the Christchurch School For Young Writers

and it feels like I’ve returned to where it all

started. How did the shift come about?

I started writing a novel, inspired by a

Banks Peninsula bach we almost bought

with a group of friends. This was ticking

along in the background while I was at

Allied Press Magazines. However, in order

to achieve my next goal – to publish a novel

– it needed my full attention. What was the

inspiration for your children’s book One

Weka Went Walking? My husband is from

Rēkohu/Wharekauri and during a visit

there in 2014 I began playing with what is

now the starting line on every page: ‘One

weka went walking and what did he…’

I enjoyed working with the rhythm and the

subsequent rhyme, and exploring the

islands through the eyes of the everpresent

and particularly curious weka.

What are you looking forward to now

that we can mix and mingle more? Wine

and food festivals – the calendar is filled

with them and Canterbury knows how to

throw the best ones. Do you have any

goals for 2023? Have my novel accepted

by a publisher, publish my next children’s

book, and repeat.

Read our full Q&A with Kate at

cityscape.co.nz

YOU’VE GOT FRIENDS

COMING FROM OUT OF

TOWN. HOW DO YOU

SHOW OFF THE CITY IN:

2 hours: Park at The

Crossing, peruse the

shops, wander through

to Tūranga for coffee

and culture, and back up

through Cashel Mall via

The Juniper Collective.

a half-day: Lunch at

The Brewery, shopping

at The Tannery, then

out to Sumner for a

walk on the beach and

an ice cream.

24 hours: Brunch at

Hello Sunday, shopping

at The Colombo (the

Curious Dog Bookshop

is a must-visit!), ziplining

at the Canterbury

Adventure Park, drinks

at gin gin, dinner at

Seven, cocktails at the

Pink Lady.

WHERE DO YOU GO TO:

Wine and dine with

friends: BYO and

peking duck pancakes

at North & South

Gourmet, Addington.

Shop up a storm: Loft

Preloved Boutique,

Tai Tapu.

Get away from it all:

Camp Bay, Banks

Peninsula.


WORD ON THE STREET

eath Ling loves books.

H Throughout his five decades

they have given him joy in

good times and solace when things

have got tough. He is in his happy

place when he is lost in a bookshop.

After a varied working life in

which he has sold menswear for

high-end department stores,

managed charity shops and helped

Christchurch people negotiate the

minefield of earthquake repairs,

Heath now shares his love of words

and literature from behind the

counter of Steadfast Books on

Ferry Road.

At Steadfast Books, Heath buys

and sells second-hand books,

maintaining a trade that

Christchurch was once at the centre

of before the earthquakes of 2010-11.

If you ever got lost in Smiths Books,

Liberty or Pacific Books and ended

up late for your next appointment,

Heath has the shop for you.

Steadfast Books has some fiction

but it’s the non-fiction that drives

Heath, making up about 80 percent

of the shop’s contents. He also

stocks DVDs. If there’s a book you

really want but he doesn’t have it,

Heathʼs

happy

place

A haven for book lovers. No

matter your literary preferences

Heath's got you covered.

you can go on the ‘wants’ list and

he will keep an eye out for it.

He rejects the notion that

reading is going out of fashion.

In fact he is seeing a real thirst

among those in their early teens

to late 20s – the Twilight and

Hunger Games generation – for the

original dystopians, such as George

Orwell (Animal Farm) and Aldous

Huxley (Brave New World).

Heath is open about his

struggles with mental health and

the solace that he finds in a good

book. When he opened Steadfast

Books, he had a couple of

armchairs and room for people to

sit down with a cup of tea and

something to read.

That space has been swallowed

up by more bookcases with even

more books but Heath is keen to

get back to providing customers

with a safe place for them to curl

up with a book. Accessible rather

than elitist, he says. A sanctuary

for his fellow bibliophiles.

So next time you feel the need,

head to Steadfast Books in Ferry

Road, have a chat with Heath and

lose yourself.

Heath Ling curates an eclectic mix

of books old and new at his Ferry

Road store. Find out more at

steadfastbooks.co.nz


WORD ON THE STREET

PUB GOLF

Take a day with some friends and

visit nine of Christchurch’s excellent

pubs. Start with a brunch, keep up

the hydration and drink responsibly

so you can enjoy each hole. Pick a

short course you can complete on

foot or opt for something more

wide-ranging with the occasional

Ola or Lime in between holes. Our

suggested course includes bars but

we think it’s appropriate for the

modern experience!

DOUBLE

BOGEY

WE’VE GOT TWO ALTERNATIVE TYPES OF GOLF

FOR YOU TO TRY OUT IN ŌTAUTAHI CHRISTCHURCH.

DISC GOLF

This is the hottest thing on the

sporting scene. Have you seen

people in parks around the city

conspicuously flinging Frisbees at

strange metal structures? These

are the new wave of athletes. Well,

maybe not athletes but they’re at

least athlete-adjacent. The idea is

pretty similar to the golf you know

and love; you’ve got to get the disc

from the tee to the hole (or basket)

in as few throws as possible. There

are even different ‘clubs’: discs with

different weights and flight profiles

that take the place of a driver,

putter, wedge or other club. You

might even see someone with a

full-on trundler or backpack

stacked with dozens of discs.

TOP COURSES

Jellie Park for a walk with a water

hazard; Queenspark for a beginner

course; Warren Park for some

sweet fairways in between the

trees; and Ascot Park, behind

QEII, for the city’s longest disc

golf course.

THE RULES

Make up your own or follow our

responsible drinking rulebook:

• Assign a par at each pub

depending on the volume of the

drink (par 1, a shot; par 5 a pint).

• Swap your drink out for a water

if you’re not feeling up to it.

• Politely clap when someone

sinks a hole (finishes a drink).

• Golfing outfits recommended.

• Keep your own score.

• Penalty strokes for spilling

drinks, failing to clap, burps,

un-golfy behaviour, and for

hassling water-drinkers.

• Lowest score wins!

SUGGESTED COURSE

1. Tee things off with brunch and a

beer at No.4 Bar & Restaurant in

Merivale. 2. Head alongside the

Ōtākaro Avon water hazard for a

Curiosity Gin at the Riverside

Cocktail Bar. 3. Cross the fairway

for lunch at Fiddlesticks Restaurant

& Bar 4. Pass a long afternoon on

the par 6 at Dux Central. 5. Pop

into the fringe of New Regent

Street with a wine and light food at

Downstairs. 6. Find a caddy to

wheel you to Three Boys Brewery

in Woolston. 7. Hit the bunker at

Two Thumb Brewing Co.’s brew bar

in Colombo Street. 8. Head back

into the central city and take a

mulligan with some laughs at the

Good Times Comedy Club bar.

9. For the final hole, head into

Monarch for sick cocktails and

sweet hi-fi.


WORD ON THE STREET

ust a short drive from the city

J centre is the ultimate outdoor

playground for all ages, the

Christchurch Adventure Park

(CAP). Nestled in a pine forest in

the Port Hills, the park feels miles

away from the hustle and bustle

of city life.

Whip out your selfie stick when

you take a ride on the 1.8-kilometre

chairlift (the longest in the country)

– you’re in for epic views across the

city to the Pacific Ocean and the

Southern Alps.

Having made the ride up, you’ll

need to choose how to get back

down. Option one is a heart-racing

zipline tour that will see you flying

over the forest and through the

trees at speeds of up to 100km an

hour. These four ziplines are New

Zealand’s highest and longest,

and nearly anyone can do them.

Race your mates down the dual

ziplines, or just lean back, relax

and enjoy the ride.

Next option on the list is to get

your blood pumping on one of the

CHOOSE

YOUR OWN

ADVENTURE

If you’re after time out in nature,

adrenaline-fuelled activities,

or the best views in town,

Christchurch Adventure Park

on the Port Hills has it all.

many mountain bike trails for an

exhilarating trip back down to the

Adventure Park village. There are

flowy bike trails for beginners,

sweeping intermediate trails, sick

world-class jump tracks for those

who crave air, and hand-built

technical trails for the experts

among us. Group lessons, private

coaching and bike hire means

anyone can tackle the trails and

enjoy one of the world’s fastestgrowing

sports.

Or, you can choose relaxation

and enjoy the scenic ride back

down the chairlift while you watch

the adventure unfold beneath you.

The park’s free walking trails

cater to nature lovers who prefer to

keep two feet on the ground. Keep

your eyes and ears open for native

birds on the 45-minute forest loop

trail, or get a front-row view of the

action going on all around you as

you conquer the uphill hiking trail.

Pro tip: you can ride the chairlift

back down for free.

Younger adventure seekers might

spot fairy doors hidden in the forest,

or they can burn some energy on

the free pump track, beginners’ bike

loop, or trampolines.

Choose your adventure at

Christchurch Adventure Park.

Find out more –

christchurchadventurepark.com


PUNK IT UP!

“Walking on the beaches looking at the peaches...” –

the opening line of The Stranglers first hit, Peaches, is

as synonymous with the UK Summer of Punk as the

Sex Pistols’ God Save the Queen. And come April, they

will be live in Christchurch. Even better, musical

soulmate Jon Toogood will be opening for them,

smashing out Shihad hits and personal favourites.

thestranglers.co.uk

DIVINE DEFINED

Inspired by his family and his faith,

Christchurch artist and graphic

designer Paul Rees has brought

Jesus to High Street. At his Cube

Art Gallery, Paul is exhibiting 30

paintings and prints that depict the

gospel story from the New

Testament. The exhibition, Jesus

On High, will run through to Easter

2023. Paul picked up his brushes

again during lockdown,

culminating in him painting a series

of works on the life of Jesus that

became the impetus to open a

gallery. Paul’s own paintings are

joined in the exhibition by a range

of Old Masters and more recent

works. From Glasgow’s Kelvingrove

Art Gallery comes an image of

Salvador Dali’s Christ of St John of

the Cross. From Te Papa come two

works by Colin McCahon.

Jesus on High, 153 High Street.

www.cubeartgallery.co.nz


IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Neighbours Day Aotearoa is growing – from

just one day when it began in 2009, then

expanding to 10 days and now spanning the

entire month of March in 2023. Now known

as Neighbours Aotearoa, this community

development initiative is all about connecting

and strengthening neighbourhoods across

the country, and during March, encouraging

everyone to do something small or large to

get to know your neighbours. You can find or

register activities in your neighbourhood on

the website and check out community

toolkits, ideas, inspiration, even recipes. Go

ahead and join or host an activity to get to

know the people living around you. Hum the

Neighbours theme song while you’re at it!

neighboursaotearoa.nz

ELECTRIC AVENUE 25 Feb // Hagley Park. Image: Lucy Hammond

DARE WE DREAM THIS IS THE SEASON WE HAVE BEEN WAITING 3 YEARS FOR? DAMN STRAIGHT!

AND OUR RUNDOWN ON THE BEST OF THE FESTS IS THE PERFECT COMPANION, WITH

DEDICATED PUNTERS, PROMOTERS AND ARTISTS SHARING THEIR NO.1 FESTIVAL HACKS.


MILESTONE FOR MIM

C

hristchurch artist Mim Jensen is

fizzing about her summer. After

gigging their way around the local

live scene, Mim and her band are now on

the festival circuit, including a gig at

Nostalgia in February.

“These gigs will be the first festivals

I’ve played so it feels like reaching an

awesome milestone for me! They are

really cool festivals too!”

Mim is looking forward to reaching

new fans, hanging out with other bands

and creating new memories.

“I’ve only been to a couple of small

festivals in the past so it will be cool to

have that new experience as an

up-and-coming artist.”

Following the festival gigs, it’s looking

like a banger 2023 for Mim and her

band. “We are opening for Great Gable

for their whole New Zealand tour in

February, which is super exciting!

“I’m also releasing my debut album this

year, which is so special. I’m so excited to

get it out into the world finally!”

Right from the drop, the first single

from that album, Germaphobe, was

spreading like a meme. Punters love the

energy and passion of Mim’s live shows.

On stage, her songs of love and loss are

drenched in indie attitude alongside

soaring harmonies and searing guitar.

As a newbie on the festival circuit,

Mim is going to be soaking it all up and

learning from the pros how to handle

the “hurry up and wait” of it all. In the

meantime, her No. 1 festival hack comes

from experience as a fair-skinned

festival punter.

“Stay hydrated and don’t forget to

slip, slop, slap and wrap. Sunstroke is

never fun.”

Nostalgia // 11 February // Ferrymead

Heritage Park

‘I’M SO EXCITED

TO GET MY ALBUM

OUT INTO THE

WORLD FINALLY!’

IMAGE: BEVAN TRIEBELS

SHAWSY’S GOT FOMO

C

raig ‘Shawsy’ Shaw doesn’t do

half measures. His celebration

schedule of festivals and concerts

over the next few months is busier than

some of the acts that will be playing there.

“I’m going to the wine festival, the

beer festival, Electric Avenue, Rüfüs du

Sol in Auckland, Groove Armada in

Auckland, Fat Boy Slim in Christchurch,

Billy Joel in Auckland and Elton John

in Christchurch.”

Nothing definite yet but the keen

festival punter and promoter might also

be breaking out his DJ skills at a gig or

three over the summer.


SONJA LOVES VARIETY

W

ellbeing coach Sonja Courtis

rattles off a list of the mega

festivals she went to while

living in the UK – “Glastonbury, Leeds,

some of the big ones in Europe”. She

loves the variety of acts you can see at

festivals like that.

That’s why her biggie celebration this

summer in Christchurch will be Electric

Avenue, with its smorgasbord of musical

tastes on offer.

That’s not top of her wishlist though.

Sonja grew up thrashing her mum’s Pat

Benatar cassette tapes and she is so

pumped at the chance to see the queen

of the power ballad when she plays

Queenstown as part of the Summer

Concert Tour. Promoter please note – to

actually meet Benatar would be a teen

dream come true.

What else? Sonja will be joining the

pilgrimage north to Auckland for Rüfüs

Du Sol. There will also be a few camping

and glamping trips for rest and recovery.

Sonja loves the way a big festival can

introduce you to an act you have never

heard of before. “That happened to me at

Electric Avenue about five years ago

when a band called L.A.B played at 2 in

the afternoon – it was amazing. Now

they’re headliners! That is definitely one

of my most memorable moments.”

Sonja’s festival-going experience

means she has some smooth fashion

hacks to get through the day.

“A cross-body or bum bag is a must.

Also a top that you can tie around the

bag’s strap for later in the night."

For the girls and boys out there who

like to add a few highlights for the day,

Sonja advises carrying a touch-up kit so

they can refresh their makeup.

Waterproof mascara is on her list –

“They’re Real!, by Benefit.” There’s also a

Mac matte lipstick in her kit. Colour?

“Always red.”

NOSTALGIA

11 Feb // Ferrymead Heritage Park

This laid-back indie music

festival features epic beats and

delicious treats nestled into a

historical corner of the

Heathcote Valley. Soak up the

live roving theatre and find

hidden treasures.

nostalgiafestival.co.nz

FOMO is behind the gruelling list.

“One thing I have learned over the

last few years is to not put something

off and take for granted that it will

still be there later. The risk is too high

that it won’t.”

So Craig is seizing the days. “The list

is a bit longer than usual because there’s

so much available. A lot of artists have

faced restrictions on touring and now

the floodgates have opened. There’s so

much variety – there must be double the

usual number of acts coming through.”

He’s got the tickets, now Craig has his

fingers crossed for the good hot

weather that will make everything fall

into place. “Over the last few years the

opportunities to connect with friends

and family have been taken away from

us. Spending time with people, that

social interaction, is so important.”

He’s happy for now to be in the crowd

rather than wearing the promoter’s hat.

“I’m still erring on the side of caution

there, waiting to see what happens.

Watch this space though.”

With all that coming and going,

Craig’s plans for New Year’s Eve are

pretty simple – “Relaxing, and food

and wine!”

Craig’s No. 1 festival hack? “Always

drink lots of water, and check the

weather forecast so you can be

prepared.” That’s the voice of experience

there, kids, so learn from Craig rather

than learning the hard way.

ELECTRIC AVENUE

25 Feb // Hagley Park

You’ll rock down too at

Christchurch’s biggest and

boldest one-day extravaganza,

packing Hagley Park with food

trucks, carnival rides and 12

hours of the freshest beats

around. Headliners for 2023

include Lorde, Flume, L.A.B, Fat

Freddy’s Drop and Synthony.

electricavenuefestival.co.nz



‘ONE THING

WE’VE LEARNED

IS TO ALWAYS

GO AROUND THE

FOOD VENDORS

AND WORK OUT

WHO’S GOT THE

GOOD EATS.’

IMAGE: GEM REY PHOTOGRAPHY


FREDDY’S SHARE THE LOVE

After 20 years of playing festivals here and everywhere, Fat Freddy’s have

the drop on how to make the most of the occasion. Saxophonist Scott

Towers shares his wisdom.

W

hat are you looking forward to

this festival season? I guess it’s

just having the option to go out

as often as possible or as often as you

want. That’s the thing I am excited

about. And also getting out and

supporting promoters and the industry.

I’m really conscious that business has

been really tough for the last couple of

years. Costs have spiralled out of control

and promoters can’t really pass that on

so they are wearing it. If we want there

to be a music and arts scene in New

Zealand we need to get out and support

them. Electric Avenue will be cool

because I’ve never seen Lorde live and

I’m really looking forward to that. It’s

really different hearing people on the

radio or on record and seeing them in

their live show, to see how they take

something that in her case has been

crafted in a studio and turn it into a live

show. For Freddy’s it’s really the

opposite – we take a live show and try

to turn it into something in the studio.

So I’m really intrigued to see what that

looks like for her. Then further afield I’m

really interested in a day party called

Morningside Live Block Party up in

Auckland. It’s a really cool little thing for

us. We have programmed a bunch of

artists we want to see get a wider

audience. Lucky Lance of Team

Dynamite and Christoph El Truento are

on the bill. They released a really cool

hip-hop record last year. It got a lot of

kudos from critics and the like but I’d

like to see them and the other acts get

some more exposure. There’s a guy

from Raglan, Reiki Ruawai, a young guy

with a lot of talent. We’ve helped

produce and record him. Freddy’s horns

are on his record and Mu has been

producing that. And DJs too. We have

eyes on Benny Salvador. He’s the son of

our trombone player, Joe Lindsay. We’ve

been watching him since he was little.

He does house and techno production

at home and DJs as well. He’s been

DJ’ing in Japan. Opportunities like

Morningside are what launched our

career. It was launched off the back of

DJs overseas that supported our first

records. Without that we wouldn’t have

had 20 years of touring. If we can do the

same now for others then we should.

What about New Year? I’ve got New

Year’s Eve off this time – we’re only

doing a few festivals over summer. So

I’m looking forward to firing up the

pizza oven at home. After 20 years of

gigging at them, what’s your No. 1

festival hack? One thing we’ve learned

is to always go around the food vendors

before the doors open or before it gets

too busy and work out who’s got the

good eats. You don’t want to get stuck

without a good meal. So do your

research on the kai front, don’t get stuck

with the crappy leftovers. There’s a

reason why there’s a queue in front of

one food vendor and not in front of

another. As an artist at a festival you do

have a lot of time waiting. A backstage

tip is we have a turntable and some

speakers set up. We are always checking

out the record stores wherever we go so

we’ve got new music to listen to. So we

set up the turntable and speakers and

play music to each other during the day.

When we first got started, we always

made sure we had enough ice – a warm

cocktail is a terrible cocktail. Day or

night – what’s your favourite time to

take to the stage? Freddy’s love playing

during that changeover from day to

night. You see the energy levels come

up a bit. The heat has gone out of the

sun, people have emerged from their

tents having recovered from the night

before. You can see them transform in

front of you.

Electric Avenue // Saturday 25 February

// Hagley Park

SELWYN SOUNDS

4 Mar // Lincoln

So much more than just

brilliant music, this all-day

festival doubles as a last hoorah

for summer, perfectly placed

for kicking back on the lawn

with friends or dancing the day

away. Acts this year include

Hoodoo Gurus, Dave Dobbyn,

Gin Wigmore and Stellar*.

selwynsounds.co.nz

HOKITIKA

WILDFOODS FESTIVAL

11 Mar // Cass Square, Hokitika

From delicacy to disgusting,

challenge your tastebuds.

Strut your stuff at the Feral

Fashion show and enjoy music

from Dave Dobbyn, Zed, Greg

Johnson and Cassie Henderson.

wildfoods.co.nz



GURUS, GUITARS & GABBA GABBA HEY

Australian rock legends the Hoodoo Gurus are headlining March’s Selwyn Sounds

festival. Cityscape talks to co-founder Dave Faulkner about his heroes, pet hates and

where music comes from.

W

ith all your awards and

accolades, you've become

Australian rock royalty,

haven't you? Royalty? I don’t know

about that. It’s a bit like that saying

about prostitutes and ugly buildings

getting more respectable as they get

older. Are you looking out for the new

ones coming through? We've never

really worried about anyone around us,

whether they're new, older or whatever.

Obviously we have our own heroes that

we were influenced by that we're very

keen to acknowledge when we get the

opportunity. But as far as continuing the

tradition, we hope we've had people

that have used us as a guide post, just

as others have inspired us along the way

as well. Who are some of your heroes?

I was a kid in the 60s, so that's classic

Stones, Beatles, Easybeats, The Kinks.

They all influenced me as a kid, and

they're what I've taken with me all my

life. Then when I became a teenager, I

discovered hard rock – Deep Purple, Led

Zeppelin and things like that. Creedence

Clearwater Revival, the glam rock era.

I soaked it all up like a sponge.

You're obviously a fan of pop culture,

B-movies and so on. Were you ahead

of your time there? I'm not sure about

ahead of our time, just a product of our

time. Both my parents worked so I was a

latchkey kid. And so consequently I'd

come home from school and on TV were

a lot of old black and white sitcoms from

‘I PERSONALLY

THREW AWAY A

WHOLE BUNCH

OF ELTON JOHN

RECORDS AND

I HAD TO RE-BUY

THEM ALL LATER

ON BECAUSE

I REALISED I

LIKED THEM.’

IMAGE: CHRISTOPHER FERGUSON


the 60s but they were still being shown.

We used to have back-to-back sitcoms

on several channels. I'd watch McHale's

Navy, Gilligan's Island or Lost in Space.

That’s one of my favourite shows of all

time. It's like the comic book culture

that The Ramones celebrated?

Absolutely. The Ramones were a big

influence. I think of The Ramones as

being one of the greatest bands of all

time. There's this kind of teenage

dumbness which can be very

sophisticated and clever and funny.

And they really made it explicit. They

had that deadpan sort of thing, which

elevated the banal into the profound.

I mean, it was punk rock. The Ramones

were the originators. They went back to

concise pop music with catchy

melodies, like The Beach Boys and so

on. And they married it with a deadpan,

disaffected suburban kid alienation.

They were just the perfect band. And

they took it away from this sort of

pseudo-classical fantasy stuff. I mean,

I like all that stuff too, and you can

appreciate it. But punk rock was like a

Year Zero thing, where we suddenly just

threw everything out to start again and

build from the ground up. Yeah, but for

example, I personally threw away a

whole bunch of Elton John records and

I had to re-buy them all later on because

I realised I liked them. Playing live

seems really important for you as a

band. We've always been strong live,

that's been our whole raison d'être since

day one. We were very much an

outsider band when we started.

Everything around us was synthesizers

and drum machines. And we were doing

something so unfashionable, playing

guitars and rock and roll. No one wanted

to know about that. We didn't care. It

just so happens that through sheer

willpower, of playing to people, having

people like us live, that it created the

market for our music. And playing live

has always been the most essential part

of the bands we were raised on. That's

what we love to do. Is that what makes

you still want to get up on stage in

front of thousands of people? Well, we

just love playing music. It's not so much

the thousands of people thing, although

obviously that's financially beneficial.

But we just love playing. I mean, I'm

financially comfortable. I don't need to

play to to pay the rent. It's because I just

love music and that's how I express

myself. It's hard to explain. For most

people they have five senses. But for

me, music is another sense. And the

only way for me to really be inside that

sense is actually being an instrument

myself and being on stage singing and

playing guitar or whatever. By basically

being completely immersed in the

music. It's a different kind of swimming,

you know, swimming in music. What's

the big difference between touring

now as against the early days. Are the

hotels better? Oh, look, we haven't

shared a hotel room for a very, very, very

long time. That's probably why we can

still talk to each other. And I'd rather be

at home, no matter how good the hotel

is. But we recognise and are more

conscious now about the special magic

that we have together, and that is

something that we really prize. All of us

are very focused on just playing the best

show ever every time we play and that is

something you can't fake. And I'm very

glad to say that all four of us have the

same kind of motivation. We're music

nuts and we can't help it. We’ve just got

to do it. What’s your No. 1 festival

hack? Here's my answer as a punter,

because I've been to many a festival. My

advice is really a strategy to get the best

position to see and hear the music. If it's

a really, really crowded venue, it's very

hard to work your way up to the front

because people don't want to let you

through. So my advice is, you go all the

way up to the front and to the side

where you can't see the artist because

you're basically at the fence. You can

usually easily get to where the speakers

are because no one wants to stand by

the speakers. And then you work your

way back at a 45-degree angle towards

the centre. The tip is going from the

front to the back and people will let you

through that way. They won't let you

come the other way.

Selwyn Sounds // Saturday 4 March //

Lincoln Domain

Read our full Q&A with Dave

at cityscape.co.nz

GINDULGENCE

11 – 12 Mar // Ilam Homestead

How do I love gin? Let me

count the ways at Gindulgence,

Aotearoa’s biggest and best

celebration of all things gin.

Sample the botanical delights

from over 20 different gin

exhibitors, savour delicious

eats from local vendors and

deep-dive into the art of gin at

the Gin Theatre.

gindulgence.co.nz/

christchurch-event-5/

DUNEDIN FRINGE FESTIVAL

16 – 26 Mar // various venues

The Fringe returns to the

Edinburgh of New Zealand,

offering audiences the chance

to see new work from

established and emerging

artists. The borders are open

and the festival welcomes back

international artists from

Scotland, Switzerland, Canada

and Australia. Events take

place in everything from

theatres to bars, museums to

churches, cycleways to shop

windows across Dunedin.

dunedinfringe.nz



BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY

Looking for a good time shouldn’t turn into a bad time. Cityscape talks

to Joel Faulkner, Christchurch regional manager of drug-checking

service Know Your Stuff.

W

hat does Know Your Stuff do?

We provide drug checking and

drug-related harm reduction

services across New Zealand. How do

you do it? For drug checking we use an

FTIR spectrometer and reagents. The

spectrometer uses infrared light to read

the chemical signature of the substance,

which it then checks against food, drug

and other relevant substance databases.

This machine can't tell the purity of a

sample but it can detect when samples

have had other substances added to

them. Reagents are chemicals that react

to certain substances in certain ways.

They produce a colour change that can

be checked against a list of known

reactions. One issue with reagents is

that they can't detect the presence of

multiple substances in a sample. This is

why we predominantly rely on the

spectrometer, with reagents mainly

being used to double-check results.

What can’t you do? Our methods can't

check cannabis, mushrooms or other

organic-based samples. How has the

attitude of authorities changed since

Know Your Stuff began? The police,

medics and other health officials have

continued to react positively to our

work, recognising the clear benefits

of harm reduction services in this area.

When we show people that their

substance is a different, potentially

undesirable substance to what they

expected, they won’t take it. When

people don’t unexpectedly take

high-risk substances, it keeps them out

of the medics’ tent or A&E. That makes

life easier for emergency services, which

they appreciate. If people are going to

buy drugs, are there any signs they

can look for that things are not what

they should be? You can't tell anything

about a substance with your eye

besides its colour and basic shape and

so we always recommend coming to get

anything you plan to take checked by

a licensed drug-checking team. If

anyone has any qualms about the

substance they have, they should

absolutely come and get it checked.

What are you expecting? Any alerts

from overseas? Our last few clinics

show we’re still seeing a few different

cathinones being mis-sold as MDMA, or

ecstasy, as well as some MDMA pills that

have more than one standard dose in

them. We can’t really say whether or not

this trend will continue but it’s a safe bet

to say that people should definitely bring

their substances to us for checking.

‘WHEN WE SHOW

PEOPLE THAT

THEIR SUBSTANCE

IS DIFFERENT TO

WHAT THEY

EXPECTED, THEY

WON’T TAKE IT.’

THE LAW

Changes to the law on drug

checking allow organisations

such as Know Your Stuff to

check substances at events

openly and without fear of

prosecution. The changes

came in with the Drug and

Substance Checking

Legislation Act 2021.

RESOURCES

knowyourstuff.nz

highalert.org.nz

drugfoundation.org.nz


OUR BOY Local lad Marlon

Williams is touring his most

recent album, My Boy.

Doo-doo-doo check it out!

marlonwilliams.co.nz

culture

33

LISTENING / 34 MAKING A SCENE

42

SHIFTING SOUNDS / 44 PARTY TIME


PODCASTS

LEGEND

DISTRANGEDDESIGN + RIGHT BRAIN

STREET MAKES THE SHIFT

CHIMP

The cans are empty, the paint dry and the doors open

on SHIFT: Urban Art Takeover at Canterbury Museum.

Local and international street artists have taken over the

empty museum buildings and turned them into five

floors of dazzling images and dayglo eye candy. Huge

murals jostle for space with traditional graffiti on the

walls, while sculptures have sprouted from the floor

and whole spaces – both the galleries you’re familiar

with and the storerooms and offices you’ve never seen

– have been swallowed by immersive installations.

Ōtautahi’s finest are well represented on the artist roster,

joined by top national and international talent. SHIFT is

a ticketed exhibition with all profits going towards the

Museum’s much-needed redevelopment project. So

treat your inner b-boy and get along! As one door

closes, another opens. The Museum has leased the

CoCA Centre of Contemporary Art Toi Moroki building

at 66 Gloucester Street for a pop-up museum on

the first floor, opening mid 2023.

canterburymuseum.com

NORMAL GOSSIP

Indulge in all the

pleasure of gossip

with none of the

guilt. These totally

juicy stories are

from the real lives

of total strangers,

anonymised for

your petty

listening

enjoyment.

HOT BUTTONS

Fashion

entrepreneurs talk

hot fashion topics,

including changes

in the industry, the

demand for more

sustainable

business models,

and what the

future of fashion

might look like.

GIRLS THAT

INVEST

Sim and Sonya are

two kiwi millennials

who created a

podcast to

demystify investing

only to have it go to

No. 1 with would-be

investors here and

elsewhere,

including the US.

STING’S SONGS

Perennial hit-maker Sting will bring

his My Songs tour to Christchurch

Arena in March and it is going to be

a banger! The tour has garnered

rave reviews since the first gig, in

Paris in May 2019. After COVID

postponements, the world tour is

back on track and now it is our

turn. Got the message?

sting.com

SMALL BUT MIGHTY

Tiny Fest, Ōtautahi’s visionary

performance festival, is back in

late February for three days

of contemporary practice. The

festival is a coming together of

Christchurch’s artistic community,

hoping to inspire, uplift and move

its audiences, as well as enriching

the practice of fellow artists.

tinyfest.org



CULTURE

CULTURE

ALICE IN PUTTERLAND

MINI GOLF | NEW BRIGHTON

Fall down the rabbit hole at this fantastical mini golf

experience. The 18-hole course tells the story of Alice’s

adventures in Wonderland, falling through the ceiling

to begin the first six holes, then exploring a psychedelic

glow zone complete with Cheshire Cat for the next six.

The final six features the Red Queen – see if you can

conquer the hole with the Jabberwocky!

60 Brighton Mall aliceinputterland.com

NZ MUSEUM OF TOYS AND COLLECTIBLES

TOY MUSEUM | CENTRAL CITY

This treasure trove of a museum really hits the core of

what it means to be a kid (or a kid at heart). It’s a house

of the old and new, everything from LEGO sets to Star

Wars memorabilia, Hot Wheels to Barbie dolls. Whatever

your age and whether you bring the kids or not, visit this

wonderland to turn on your nostalgia tap, and see the

latest in modern toy design, too.

36 Manchester Street, 03 366 7785 nzmuseumoftoys.com

OH! DANNY BHOY

COMEDY | ISAAC THEATRE ROYAL

Comedian Danny Bhoy is heading our way in March to

premiere his brand new show, Now Is Not A Good Time.

Judging by the title of the show he will be aiming his

razor-sharp wit at all that has happened in the world

since his last visit in 2019. Plenty of material then! The

new show opens in Adelaide before landing at the Isaac

Theatre Royal on 21 March. Tickets are on sale now.

dannybhoy.com

GOOD TIMES COMEDY CLUB

COMEDY BAR | CENTRAL CITY

Good times are guaranteed at the dedicated home of

comedy in Christchurch, stocked with all your favourite

beer and wine and bringing the belly laughs courtesy of

local comics and out-of-town guests. The club also hosts

regular events such as trivia contests, open mic nights

and karaoke. Hit up Good Times for your next work

function – the office will love you for it.

224 St Asaph Street FB/GoodTimesComedyClub


CULTURE

PLAYLIST

The killer tracks on

high rotation in the

Cityscape office.

RACING

‘In Silver’

Single

Listening

MUSE

‘Will Of The People’

Will Of The People

PIXIES — DOGGEREL

The latest from the punk-rocking Pixies is

set to be a bigger, bolder version of punk,

according to frontman Black Francis. He

says it’s going to bring an extra-special

energy, while guitarist Joey Santiago

says there are going to be “more

conventional arrangements but still our

twists in there.” It may be a little different

from their previous outings, but we’re

confident it’s going to be setting another

ferocious alt-rock gold standard.

MAYA HAWKE — MOSS

Maya Hawke has a lot of identifiers to her

name: the daughter of Uma Thurman

and Ethan Hawke, Robin from Stranger

Things, and singer-songwriter with a

second album on the shelves. Moss is

about feeling hemmed in, sitting still,

gathering moss, if you will, and Hawke’s

BINGEWATCHING

warm, poetic vocals and melancholy pop

style reminiscent of Taylor Swift’s folklore

make for a haunting and beautiful record

you can listen to again and again.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS —

RETURN OF THE DREAM

CANTEEN

Coming swiftly on the heels of their last

album, Unlimited Love, and a few months

before they hit New Zealand shores on

their international tour, the new album is

the latest on what appears to be a major

hot streak (no pun intended). It’s the

second album recorded since guitarist

John Frusciante returned to the band in

2019, and the Chilis have said of the

album, “We went in search of ourselves

as the band that we have somehow

always been.” Old-skool Chilis are good

Chilis, so colour us very excited for this

latest drop.

FOO FIGHTERS

‘Love Dies Young’

Medicine At Midnight

BRITNEY SPEARS/ELTON JOHN

‘Hold Me Closer’

single

FLEETWOOD MAC

‘Dreams’

Rumors

WHAT WE’RE HOOVERING UP ON THE SMALL SCREEN // 01 WEDNESDAY — Everyone’s favourite kooky, ooky

and spooky family is back with Tim Burton’s Wednesday, a comedy horror series following deadpan Wednesday

Addams through her teen years at Nevermore Academy. Snap snap. Watch on Netflix. 02 GUTSY — What does it

mean to be gutsy? An eight-part docuseries based on The New York Times bestseller The Book of Gutsy Women

seeks to answer that very question, featuring Hillary and Chelsea Clinton sharing intimate conversations with

trailblazing women Watch on Apple TV+ 03 THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER — This

highly-anticipated return to Middle Earth is set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord

of the Rings, depicting the major events of Middle Earth’s Second Age, including the last alliance between Elves

and Men, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron and the forging of the Rings of Power. Watch on Amazon Prime



THE SET DETERMINES THE

STRUCTURE OF A PLAY.

ENTRANCE. EXITS. WHERE THE

ACTION HAPPENS. CITYSCAPE

GETS TO KNOW THE UNSUNG

HEROES BUILDING THE SETS

BEHIND EVERY GREAT SHOW

AT THE COURT THEATRE.

T

he Court is the only theatre

in Aotearoa with its own permanent

professional set-building team. The

full-time construction crew consists of three

guys: Richard van den Berg (middle), Nigel

Kerr (right), and Seth Edwards-Ellis (left).

Richard and Nigel are both veteran artists and

all-rounders, and Seth is a young-gun builder

who’s lightning-fast at putting together

framing and set structures. There’s also Richie

Daem, who’s in his 70s now. He was the

official Court metalworker for many years

before retiring, but he still drops by to put his

hand to a set construction from time to time.

In his absence, Nigel and Seth pick up the

welding gear. The two artists also sometimes

do set design, and The Court has a pool of

professional designers from around the

country it calls on for different shows.

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS

The designer produces a concept and then

working drawings. Like architectural

drawings, these tell the builders what to do.

But there’s a huge variety of designers and a

huge variety of working drawings. Some

prescribe every little detail while some allow

for a lot of creativity.

The builders are all problem solvers, with

considerable experience in making things

work. How will the different parts of the set

open, close, move, stay in place, be safe and

look amazing? Occasionally they’ll get lucky

and find the perfect window at salvage yard

Musgroves or another item at another store,

but they build the vast majority of set

equipment themselves, even down to the

furniture, right here at The Court Theatre. The

No. 1 material used in sets? Plywood. Sheets

and sheets of plywood.


THE LIFE CYCLE OF A SET

Set building starts three to six

weeks before opening night.

There’s limited space to store it,

and the builders need to

coordinate with the designer and

director before beginning. There’s

always something abuzz at the

Court, so things just have to

happen quickly. Everything in

theatre involves planning: the

actors, the crew, the programming.

It’s forever in flux. So with good

planning, the builders install the set

over three days, then there’s just

two weeks to sort out the lighting,

technical rehearsal and dress

rehearsals on set. Enter lighting

and sound and you’re ready for the

big show. While the show is

running, the builders get to work

on the next set. Then, after closing

night, they move in, dismantle the

set, and install the new one. Done.

RICHARD VAN DEN BERG

I’ve always been a maker. Because

building a set is just making. It

doesn’t matter what it is. If there’s

something that needs a solution, I

want to be part of it. I started at

‘BACK IN THE DAY, I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT

PAINTING WAS THE ONLY WAY TO DO ANYTHING.’

— RICHARD

The Court pretty late in the game, I

started when I was 30, in 1999 or

2000. I’d never worked in theatre

before, I had no concept of it. It just

so happened that while by most

accounts I was pretty unemployable,

I just happened to have the right

set of skills that made me useful to

work in theatre. I came from a

maker’s background and a painter’s

background. I spent a lot of my

years painting large-scale murals,

that’s how I cut my teeth. And then

also I spent a number of years

making clocks which I would sell at

the Arts Centre, and they were

quite successful. They were quite

bespoke ones, quite sculptural. I

had a studio in town. I would just

be painting murals and making

clocks and doing whatever. The

craziest set in this building that

I’ve worked on was The Wind in the

Willows. It had a giant motorised

revolve, and a giant proscenium

arch that we hung from our grid. A

lot of things had to operate and

move and be stored. Often storing

things is quite difficult because you

get them off the stage then where

do you put it? The most fun set,

well, the old Court Theatre in the

Arts Centre was a different space

that required a lot of different

solutions. For me, it was The Rocky

Horror Show. That was really a

fantastic combination of a really

great show that I loved, and a really

amazing set. That set required a lot

of different considerations in terms

of how we built it, what we did. We

used a lot of different materials and

paint effects, and the design of it

was really fantastic. The big shows

are kind of daunting. You’re

thinking, “Can we build this on time

and in budget?” I have done set

design. I’m not one of the main set

designers, but I’ve done a lot of

touring shows, which is a specific

type of set design because it has to

be movable, it has to be easily

installed and it has to survive the

tour. There’s a high degree of

survivability required. And they are

more children’s shows or kids'


shows or young adults’

shows. I prefer those.

Stylistically, I enjoy them,

they’re kind of less literal

and for me they’re just a

lot more fun. I’ve

designed a couple at The

Court on the main stage,

and in the past we had a

second theatre with a

smaller stage space and

some intimate sets. I like

things in profile. Pure

profile or purely front-on.

So it’s a way of trying to

encapsulate the pure

graphical nature of an

object. It’s trying to

capture the essence of an

object or an idea.

I studied at Christchurch

Polytechnic [now Ara],

visual communications, which was

very graphic design-orientated. I

was always good at art but I didn’t

have an eye for type. I found myself

moving towards three-dimensional

design, and I’ve always been a

painter as well, which led to

painting murals. I finished painting

murals because I went overseas.

Up until about ’95, I had a

reasonable amount of murals that

were known around the city. And

then of course the earthquakes

happened and just about every one

of those murals was gone. The

easiest way to inject creativity back

into a broken city was doing

large-scale paintings, that’s the

most bang for your buck. And so

Christchurch suddenly got this

reputation for really amazing wall

art. All this new work was going up

but my legacy had come down. So

I suddenly felt disconnected from

the whole thing. One of the first

murals I ever did, strangely

enough, was revealed when a

building came down as part of the

demolition. I think I was 17 when I

painted it. I had signed it and dated

it like a true geek in 1988. I have a

few artistic influences. I’m very

graphic and I’ve always been

influenced by New Zealand artist

Michael Smither. He is somebody

that to me has a kind of clarity

and a cleanness and a use of

colour that I seem to have

always had myself. Now, I work

on the computer. I haven’t

painted art in years. Now I do all

my work in Photoshop. If

required for the image I’m

working on, I’ll hand-draw it or

photograph it or paint it, or I’ll

find an image, but I don’t really

care too much. I’ve moved towards

digital collage. Back in the day, I

would have thought that painting

was the only way to do anything,

but I’ve realised that just being a

painter I’m kind of limited by my

abilities. I was good stylistically on

one level but never great enough

to realise what I sometimes

wanted. It’s pretty easy to have

the idea, there’s a lot out there, but

the determining factor is to

transform your idea and manifest it

into a real thing. I’ve always sold

works through gallery shops. I

make work to sell, and for people

to enjoy. I get a kick from it, the

idea that anybody pays money for

anything that I do, it still blows me

away. In my spare time, I’m pretty

obsessive. I’ve always got a project

on the go. If there’s a moment that

I can’t determine what to do, I’ll

always fall back on a project. I

spent like five years obsessing over

and developing paper automata

toys, which I produced a whole line

of. That was just to keep me

occupied. At home I’ve got a

studio. I always make sure I’ve got a

good space to work.

NIGEL KERR

What I find really exciting at The

Court Theatre is working with lots

of different designers. They all have

different characters and therefore

different ways of working. Some of

them are incredibly collaborative,

some of them will come in with all

the plans and you just follow the

dotted line. We are all, in our own

right, creatives. So collaborating at

the start with a designer, with their


concept, enables us to invest more

in the project, I believe. There’s a

magic in theatre that you can’t

have on film or television. It’s so

cheap to stay at home and watch

Netflix and Neon and Amazon. We

don’t want to be competing with

them. We can do unique,

conceptual things with sets. Rather

than have a complete house with

walls, just have a door and a

window, or maybe just have a

table. I think that can get people to

think more about what they’re

seeing. If it’s all laid out in front of

you, you can just watch it all from

beginning to end and that’s it. With

a set, the only thing you see is the

surface, and it’s in a black box, so

the only thing you see is what we

put a light on, as opposed to a

white box, a gallery, where we light

everything. It’s a unique position, in

the theatre, being a black box. And

I think it’s something we can

exploit to create something unique.

For The Girl on the Train, it was a

Daniel Williams design, a young

designer from Auckland who I’ve

got a lot of respect for. Dan is a

designer who doesn’t build

anything. And because he’s not

limited by thinking about the

economics of material, his designs

capture the essence of the show.

When I design a set, because I

make things, I will make it to fit a

1200 by 2400 plywood sheet, or

increments of 600mm, whereas

he’s freer than that. He brought

along a company from Wellington

to do all the audiovisual stuff.

That’s what I’m talking about when

I say we should be exploiting our

position in the black box. I like the

modern take on theatre with

the use of audio and

projections. I like it when

designers, lighting

designers, costume designers,

sound designers, set designer, all

of us, push our position. And I like it

when we bring new young talent

in. Give them a crack. One of my

favourite sets to design and build

was for Stag Weekend, directed by

the comedian Mark Hadlow. It was

a bach in the bush, there were

certain scenes that happened

behind it and in front of it. So I put

the bach on a revolve, and then

took half a wall out so you could

see inside. For the forest set, I

wanted to use the offcuts from the

very start of the timber milling

process, which will give you just a

slight round profile. So I got all

these offcuts from Halswell Timber.

These were real logs. So as a

bonus, I got the smell and the

texture of woodland. Another

cracker show that I have fond

memories of was called Ideation,

directed by Dan Bain and staged in

the rehearsal room. It was a

corporate office that was deciding,

because of overpopulation, ways in

which we could cull the population.

So we, the audience, were

implicit in this. The rehearsal

room is also a studio used for

song and dance and one wall

of it is completely covered

with mirrors. Normally, we

would put curtains across the

front of them and put the set

long-ways with a stage at one

end that we look into. But I put

the set in front of the mirrors, so


MAKING A SCENE

the audience was all the way

around it and the glass was the

background, so we could see

ourselves. I think that connected us

much more than just watching

while they decided who should live

and who should die. When I was at

high school I was not academic. I

spent all of my time in the art room.

And I remember doing School

Certificate. I got 99% in art, which

was the high score in Canterbury,

and the rest of them were below

40. So the writing was on the wall.

I was a wharfie in Lyttelton for 20

years. I made heaps of money and

travelled heaps. I used to spend

summers here working and then

bugger off for the winters. Then I

pottered around doing building in

Lyttelton, the odd renovations and

stuff, but it sort of wasn’t really me.

I didn’t like the repetition, I didn’t

like the fact it wasn’t that creative.

I wanted to retrain so I went to

teachers’ college and became a

secondary school art teacher. I had

placements here in Christchurch at

Christ’s College, the polytech, and

Cashmere High. Then I went

relieving for a year at Wellington

Girls’ College, which I really

enjoyed, before returning to

Christchurch. My first taste of

working in film came when I was

asked to help build sets for

Heavenly Creatures. I loved the

whole collaboration and the

massive budgets were pretty

impressive. After that, I started

working on television commercials

in Christchurch. Then there was an

airport built in Queenstown, so all

of the production companies

moved there. It quietened down

here in Christchurch and I wasn’t

that keen on travelling so much.

I’ve been at The Court since 2000.

A friend of mine was building a

theatre set and needed help. And I

liked it. I liked that there was a limit

on budget so you had to be a bit

more creative with materials. I like

the people in theatre. It was less

ego-driven, it was more “We’re

here because we love theatre.” And

it’s creative.

SETH EDWARDS-ELLIS

I got involved in theatre working

at The Street Theatre in Canberra in

2011 as a casual lighting, set and

venue technician. I also did live

sound and sound design. I moved

back to Christchurch in 2015 and

qualified as a builder. I spent the

next three years building domestic

residences and then decided to

take my new skills back to the

theatre. I started doing some

casual work at The Court Theatre in

February 2020 and then became

full time. I am the youngest in the

building team and am learning a lot

from Rich and Nigel, who have

shown me a trick or two. They have

a wealth of knowledge and

experience to tap into.

We are all involved in the planning

and building of the sets once we

get the design and plans, and it’s a

very collaborative team approach.

I enjoy the artistic side and the

freedom with it, but also enjoy the

practical side and finding an

effective way of doing something.

I love the creation of scenic

elements and the process involved

from start to finish. To stand back

and see something that was once

an idea turn into a fully realised

working set is amazing. A favourite

set of mine was Little Shop of

Horrors. The whole process was

enjoyable; we had problems that

needed solving, like the inflatable

plants growing out the set. Outside

of work, I enjoy working on a

smaller scale with model kits and

craft projects.

‘TO STAND BACK AND SEE SOMETHING THAT WAS

ONCE AN IDEA TURN INTO A FULLY REALISED

WORKING SET IS AMAZING.’

— SETH

MORE AT THE COURT

For more info about the current season, cast and crew profiles, and to

get your show tickets visit courttheatre.org.nz


CULTURE

T

ell us how Motte came to

be? An old flatmate of mine,

Lucette, was running a show

called Strange Bedfellows in

Lyttelton where she paired off a

bunch of different creatives,

including me, who then had two

weeks to come up with a

collaborative performance. I was

paired up with a children’s book

illustrator, Helen Taylor. Helen

pulled out a story she had written

and subsequently hidden away, to

which I decided to make a

soundtrack. My good friend James

Sullivan sat me down in front of his

studio gear, showed me how to use

it and away I went. It immediately

seemed a very natural way

for me to write music.

After that project,

James encouraged

me to keep

recording to the

end of the

cassette tape,

which I did one

night with

quarter of a

bottle of vodka

and some

poppy tea, and

that became my

first album

Songs For Movies.

Give us your take

on the music for

Cold + Liquid. There is

a combination of more

traditional song structures,

songs with vocals and lyrics,

and also a very filmic feel to it,

soundscapes and atmosphere.

I wanted the album to feel

otherworldly, expansive and

galactic, but I also have a lot of

sampled sound gathered from

around me, so without meaning to,

I’ve also made it sound very

localised to where and when I

made the album. How do you

think it differs from your first

album Strange Dreams? Me and

Michael Summerfield recorded

Strange Dreams really quickly, I

wanted something I could take to

Aus when I toured there. I think of

VODKA, VIOLIN

+ POPPY TEA

MOTTE, AKA ANITA CLARK, IS A

VIOLINIST AND COMPOSER HAILING

FROM ŌHINEHOU LYTTELTON. HER

ATMOSPHERIC, EXPRESSIVE

INSTRUMENTALS AND HAUNTING

VOCALS PLAY ON YOUR HEARTSTRINGS

LIKE, WELL, A VIOLIN.

it as a really minimalistic album, the

bare bones, and sounded like me

playing it live. Thinking about

creating Cold + Liquid, I wanted to

implode upon that and make the

macro version. Since releasing

Strange Dreams I’ve done a bit of

film soundtrack work, so I’ve taken

those new ways of thinking on

board too. You’ve played with a

wide range of New Zealand

artists. What do you like most

about these collaborations? I love

being in a supportive and

“I REALLY ENJOY TRYING TO

FIND THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OR

APPROPRIATE WAY TO AMPLIFY

WHATEVER EMOTION IS BEING

CONVEYED IN A SONG."

accompanying role playing in other

artists' music. I feel like my strength

lies in being a bit of a chameleon

and I really enjoy trying to find the

most beautiful or appropriate way

to amplify whatever emotion is

being conveyed in a song. It’s

similarly satisfying producing film

soundtracks too. I’m always having

to upskill in a way, like for the

Phoenix Foundation Friend Ship

tour I played a lot of keys and

percussion which I hadn’t done a

lot of, and switching between

playing NZSO arranged string

parts and then soaring overdriven

violin lines like guitar solos for

other songs. What makes the

violin such a transcendent

instrument? I love so many

styles of violin playing.

I guess it’s the way

the violin can

morph into

different

instruments that

attracts me.

Especially if you

play through

guitar pedals

and an amp.

I’m also such

a sucker for

shimmery

string sections,

and no matter

what kind of

music it is, a

good string section

will always make a track

sound more lush, expansive

and fancy. What do you like most

about working on solo music?

Having the complete overview to

really delve into a different – my

own – world. And I feel proud

being able to step back from a

project like this and realise, for the

most part, everything has come

from my own brain. I love a good

collaboration, but I am enjoying the

succinct feeling of truly creating a

body of work.

PHOTO: DAVID DUNHAM

Read our full Q&A with

Motte at cityscape.co.nz


W

e’re loving your

new album,

Slow Burn.

What’s it all about to

you? It’s quite a mix I

think. It’s still me writing

songs, so I don’t think it’s

any great departure from

what people know of my

music already, but there

are a few more upbeat

songs on there that head

towards a bit of

indie-new-wavy kind of a

vibe. Tell us about your

experience recording

this album. We made the

record at LOHO Studio in

Christchurch, with my

band and a few guests.

Being local was actually really

awesome, getting to head home

and regroup at the end of each

session made it a really relaxed

process. We had a lot of fun in the

studio, after the uncertainty of the

last wee while we were excited to

just be back in a room playing

together. Pre-production meant

the songs were pretty well shaped

before we went in, but actually the

band hadn’t heard anything before

we set up. They’re all such brilliant

players in that way. There’s a lot of

energy in the recordings rather

than it being too laboured.

It sounds like the album name is

a bit of a commentary on the

process? Haha it sounds like it

should be! Slow Burn comes from

the title track which was the first

song I wrote for the album, but I

guess everything for everyone

these past couple of years has

slowed down too, and the

album-making process was no

exception. What influence did

your Lyttelton location have on

the writing? I think it’s hard not to

be influenced by your environment,

and Lyttelton probably has just the

right balance of grit and beauty,

which appeals to me. Ultimately

though, my writing is a very

unconscious process in that I write

what comes out, so probably I

could have been anywhere and

TURNING UP

HOMEGROWN INDIE FOLK

SINGER-SONGWRITER MEL

PARSONS IS AT IT AGAIN WITH A

NEW ALBUM. SHE CATCHES UP WITH

CITYSCAPE TO TALK LYTTELTON,

LAUGHS AND LAWN MOWING.

these songs would have arrived in

a similar form. You’ve collaborated

again with your cousin Jed

Parsons on some of these tracks

– what’s he like to work with? We

joke around and tease each other a

lot, but really he’s one of my

favourite people. Jed has been

playing in my band since 2015 and

honestly I can’t imagine not having

him in there. He’s brilliant musically,

a very sensitive ear which makes

him a natural harmony singer, and

beautiful feel as a drummer as well.

He’s such a mellow and fun person

to have around too. What do you

do when you’re not writing,

recording or touring? Gardening,

playing the drums, cooking,

hanging around. I’ve got a mild

obsession with water blasting, so

CULTURE

quite a bit of that. Lawn

mowing. What’s one

thing people probably

don’t know about you?

My favourite instrument

is actually the drums.

Hands down the most

fun. Best piece of advice

you’ve ever received? To

just keep turning up. I

think as a creative person

it’s easy to get bogged

down in critiquing

yourself and thinking

something is never going

to be finished or good

enough or just never

going to happen

full-stop. But I’ve found if

you just keep turning up

to whatever it is you’re doing,

eventually there will be an

outcome. Songs are like that for

me, I have to just make myself sit

down with the guitar or at the

piano, even when I might not feel

like it, and see what comes out. It

might not be that day that the gold

turns up but if you don’t turn up

you’ll never know. Have you got a

favourite spot in Ōtautahi? Our

house in Lyttelton. Which is lucky,

given the past couple of years! One

of my favourite things about

Lyttelton is being able to see the

water from wherever you are.

What music have you got on high

rotation at the moment? I’ve been

listening to a lot of old stuff,

digging back into the '90s actually.

We listen to a lot of classics at

home, jazz, soul, a lot of '60s and

'70s songwriters. I love the sound

of Khruangbin. Also there are a

bunch of great artists coming

through from Canterbury which

I find really exciting, acts like Pretty

Stooked, Goodwill, MIM, Emma

Dilemma, Sam Heselwood to name

a few. How do you relax? Catching

up with friends, I like the drop-in

culture in Lyttelton. Our house is

quite hectic so people know just to

turn up and there will be coffee or

wine and maybe a fire going

outside to sit around.

melparsons.com


SHIFTING

SOUNDS

DEVIN ABRAMS IS AN ŌTAUTAHI BOY, A FOUNDING MEMBER

OF SHAPESHIFTER, SUCCESSFUL MUSIC PRODUCER AND

MASTERMIND BEHIND THE SOLO PROJECT PACIFIC HEIGHTS.

CITYSCAPE ZOOMS HIM FROM HIS HOME STUDIO IN HAWKES

BAY TO TALK ABOUT NEW MUSIC AND GOOD OLD TIMES.

Tell us about your new album, The

Waters Between. It’s definitely a

departure from previous Pacific

Heights records but I have quite a

history of doing that. The Waters

Between is about the distance that

ironically we’ve faced through

the pandemic, but it was

conceptualised before the

pandemic when I was living in

California. I was away from my

family a lot. I’ve got two little kids

and a wife and I was spending a lot

of time away for work. And so it

was the idea of emotional distance

and how we deal with that. And so

all of the songs on the record are

kind of like emotional power

ballads in a way. They’re all letters

about distance and emotional

vulnerability. Do you sing on the

record? Only backing vocals. My

manager hates that I don’t do any

lead vocals, as I’ve done on

previous records. But I just don’t

like my voice as a lead vocalist

sound. As a producer, I’ve worked

with so many amazing vocalists,

the more I do of that the more

I hate my own voice. Was the

album recorded a bit here and

there and around the place? Yeah

it was. We started in Los Angeles. I

wrote a lot of the initial ideas which

spurred the album on, just beats

and ideas. And then I collaborated

with some songwriters over there.

Then I came back to Aotearoa and

I finished a big chunk of it in

Wellington, and then over the last

two years all the tweaks and Zoom

sessions and everything have been

done in Hawkes Bay. ‘Cold Nights’

sounds like it’s going to be the big

one on this album. Tell us about

that track. It’s got Stan Walker, and

it’s got an amazing Australian artist

called Larissa Lambert, she’s

popping right now. It’s amazing

what she can do. But that song was

probably the biggest punish for me

on the record. There’s always one

on every record. I remember ‘In

Colour’ with Shapeshifter, that was

a big punish for us back in the day.

And sometimes the punish isn’t

worth it, but I’ve always felt with

this song that whatever I had to do

to get it right it was going to be

worth it. So it’s been the longest

gestation period, and longest

finessing period for any song I’ve

done for myself. It was one of the

first songs conceptualised on the

record, I wrote it with some friends

of mine in Los Angeles. I mean,

there’s three versions of this song

completely mixed and mastered.

That’s how bad it’s been. But the

version where it is now, I’m so

happy that I fought for it because

it’s just such an incredible song. It’s

exactly the intent that needs to be

there, the emotion’s all there, the

vulnerability is there. That’s why

I love how Stan sounds, because

I feel like he’s found a part of his

voice that’s restrained and he’s not

belting it, it feels really vulnerable.

Who are some of the other big


CULTURE

collaborations on the album?

My collaborations have always

been a mixture of new and older

established artists. There’s Louis

Baker who I love working with,

Lepani who’s had a bit of a profile.

He’s an Auckland-based artist,

amazing voice. There’s Solomon

Crook who I love, he’s a young

artist who’s got a really beautiful,

deep, old-soul raspy voice to him.

Then there’s Paul McLaney who’s

a bit of an established artist,

Gramsci, I loved writing with him.

There’s a new artist who I’ve been

doing a lot of songwriting with

over Zoom from Perth called Bri

Clark. There’s Foley who are an act

out of Auckland. They’ve had some

really great success touring and

streaming. And then Jack Page

who’s an Ōtautahi artist. He’s a new

artist out of Jazz School, a great

player, great singer. And then

there’s Lance, a young artist out of

Wellington I’ve been working with

who sounds incredible. Is it a

different kind of satisfaction

releasing your own album as

opposed to someone else’s?

I need them together. If I didn’t

have my own artistic project, that I


had autonomy over, I’d probably

go insane. But the flipside is, if

I didn’t have the other work I’d

probably feel too precious about

Pacific Heights. What I really love

about collaborating on other

people’s projects is leaving that

ego and autonomy at the door and

trying to fill someone else’s vision,

imagining what that could be, and

then creating that. Because you’re

effectively trying to lock something

in that doesn’t exist, that

somebody only feels. So you’re

having to imagine and then create

from the ground up something that

doesn’t exist. With Pacific Heights

I just go with whatever emotion or

whatever space I’m in. I don’t really

have to think about stuff too much.

Whereas with other people’s stuff,

I’m constantly having to think what

could this be, what references can

I put in that make sense? If I’ve

done my job right, people are so

happy that you’ve got to this place

that didn’t exist, and that’s so

rewarding, when you hit that.

That’s the mecca of creativity,

I reckon. Do you have any music

venues that stick in your memory?

I obviously loved the Jetset Lounge

back in the day. Ministry of course.

The Town Hall, I loved going to gigs

there. And obviously playing there

with Shapeshifter with the

orchestra. The Dux of course, the

original Dux, I remember sneaking

in there when I was well under-age,

which pretty much everyone did

back in those days. There’ll be new

versions of those but it is sad to not

be able to go back to those venues

and reminisce. I remember the first

Shapeshifter gig we played at the

Dux. A measure of success in

Christchurch was if you had a

packed Dux, and not only did we

have a packed Dux but we had a

queue down the street, and I was

like “We’ve made it!”

pacificheights.co.nz


Devin Abrams at

cityscape.co.nz

Party time

Three days of merry-making will mark the welcoming back to

The Arts Centre of those to whom it belongs – the people of

Christchurch and its visitors.

A

fter a mammoth project to

repair The Arts Centre’s

quake damage, a three-day

festival of music, comedy, theatre,

food and entertainment will

celebrate its restoration.

Off Centre, from March 3–5,

celebrates the end of the

restoration project and the

welcoming back to the precinct of

those to whom it belongs – the

people of Christchurch and its

visitors. It’s been a massive project

for the charity to tackle and would

not have been possible without the

insurance payout on the

earthquake damage.

Arts Centre Director Philip

Aldridge couldn’t be more chuffed.

“The people of Christchurch have

saved their Arts Centre not once

but twice. First they saved the

buildings from demolition in the

1970s after the university moved

out. Now, after the earthquakes,

people have contributed money,

attended events and lent their

support to the heritage restoration.

Off Centre is a chance to celebrate

what we’ve achieved together.”

The Arts Centre is the largest

collection of Category 1 heritage

buildings in New Zealand. The

whole precinct suffered extensive

damage during Christchurch’s

earthquakes. Of its 22 Gothic

Revival buildings, 20 have now been

restored. The former Engineering

School buildings, where The Court

Theatre operated for 35 years, have

been mothballed for now. The

former Student Union, original

home of the Dux de Lux, is a

Category 2 building, so work on that

won’t begin until all the Category 1

buildings have been restored.

The Off Centre programme is

jam-packed with more than 50

events from over 250 local artists.

There’s kids’ activities, street

performance, circus, spoken word,

theatre, dance, and contemporary

and classical music. A new venue

will be launched, an intimate

40-seat Cloisters Studio.

The Arts Centre’s food and retail

offerings will get a boost both days

with a special festival mākete from

10.30am to 4.30pm.

Philip loves the history of the

buildings and the memories they

hold. “The heritage flagstones have

been worn down by the footfall of

generations who have come here

to learn, sing, dance, play music,

listen to bands, eat and drink,

watch movies, fall in and out of

love, and even get married. We’re

conscious of our history but not

weighed down by it; we’re enabling

people today to create new

memories here.”

Even before Off Centre kicks off,

the team is working on future

events, including the Matariki

festival in July and Sculpture

Festival in October. There’s also a

national dance symposium in April,

regular lunchtime concerts, Arts on

Tour shows, the creative residence

programme and opportunities to

work with artists on joint ventures.

Expectations are building ahead

of the opening mid-year of a

dedicated space for Māori artists.

There’s also a regular programme

planned of comedy, cabaret, drag,

circus, burlesque, indie music and

contemporary dance in the

Gymnasium, which used to be the

Academy Theatre, then was home

for Free Theatre and most recently

the Backstage Social Club.

artscentre.org.nz


CULTURE

RECLAIMING THE CENTRE

Imagine a glorious riot of people and

performers mingling in The Arts Centre’s

Market Square before parading through

the former University of Canterbury

precinct to the North Quad.

That will be the scene on the opening

night of Off Centre. It’s a chance for the

people of Christchurch to symbolically

reclaim what before the earthquakes was

a vibrant jewel of the central city.

The free event begins at 6pm. Performers

will give a taste of what is to come over

the weekend before leading the parade to

North Quad. Spoiler alert: for those who

join the parade, expect some surprises

along the way.

‘The people of

Christchurch have

saved their Arts

Centre not once

but twice.’

— Philip Aldridge

PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS

Tiny Ruins: Hollie Fullbrook and her

indie-folk band perform in The Arts

Centre’s beautiful Great Hall.

Toi Toi Opera: Colourful site-specific

operatic scenes for everyone to enjoy.

th’Orchard Dreamers Reprise:

Story-telling in song with Mark Vanilau,

Solomon Smith and th’Orchard crew.

The Tony Chestnut & Richard Rhythm

Comedy-Thon: Brynley Stent, Rutene

Spooner and friends bring us a night of

top-notch comedy.

A Baby Called Sovereignty: A journey

with local wāhine through impressive

indigenous sound, movement, text, and

visual arts led by Juanita Hepi.

The Revolver Club: Two cabaret evenings

with Shay Horay and the team.

artscentre.org.nz/whats-on/off-centre


CELEBRATION STYLE

This aptly named Celebration

Shirt is designed for holiday fun.

It's the perfect combo of laid

back, stylish and locally made.

(RRP $540) from Mahsa.

mahsa.co.nz

fashion +

wellbeing

50

THE 'R' WORD / 52 COTTON & COLOUR

53

THE JOURNEY TO YOUR NEW STYLE


LIGHT AS AIR

KEEP COOL IN THE HEAT

WITH THESE SASSY NEW LOOKS

2

1

5

3 4

6 7

8

9

1 Gingham Shirred Dress (RRP $359) from Kate Sylvester 2 Thing Thing Tie Up Ziggy Dress (RRP $159.99) from Stencil 3 Faithfuls Airy Dress (RRP

$359.99) from Moochi 4 Run Away with Me Dress 2.0 (RRP $795) from Maggie Marilyn 5 Riviera Dress (RRP $540) from Infinite Definite 6 New Balance

U9060WCG Sneaker (RRP $240) from Infinite Definite 7 Aēsop Geranium Leaf Body Balm (RRP $133) from Seletti Concept Store 8 Meadowlark Deux

Halo Earrings (RRP $435) from Infinite Definite 9 Lola James Harper 27 Do What You Love With People You Love EDT (RRP $159) from Roccabella


2

3

1

4

6

5

7

8

1 Mahsa O'Keeffe Dress (RRP $870) from Fashion Society 2 Vanessa Bruno Nano Moon Bag (RRP $649) from Devál Boutique 3 Fleur Singlet (RRP $219)

from Untouched World 4 Marle Marta Top (RRP $280) from Infinite Definite 5 Seams Come True Dress (RRP $679) from Trelise Cooper 6 Nagnata Motley

Track Jacket (RRP $540) from Seletti Concept Store 7 Rush Tote (RRP $679) from Deadly Ponies 8 Glyn Espadrille Wedge (RRP $469) from Devál

Boutique 9 Finding Calm by Dr. Sarb Johal (RRP $37) from RUBY 10 Vanilla Beauty Collagen powder 2.0 Refill (RRP $119.99) from i.am.me

9

10


1

2

3

6

4 5

7

8

9

10

1 Koa Sweater (RRP $399) from Untouched World 2 Garrett Leight Ruskin Sun 48 Sunglasses (RRP $570) from Infinite Definite 3 YMC Wild Ones

Striped Tee (RRP $149) from Infinite Definite 4 G-Star Raw Typography Tee (RRP $69) from EnCompass 5 Cotton Jacket (RRP $699) from Working

Style 6 Linen Blend Shirt (RRP $249.95) from Cutler & Co 7 Vans Old Skool 2-Tone (RRP $149.99) from Stencil 8 Brakeburn Ecru Stripe Socks (RRP

$20) from Man About Town 9 Rhizome Eau De Parfum (RRP $299) from Working Style 10 Innova Lion Mid-Range (RRP $45.99) from NZDSS


FASHION + WELLBEING

L

ucy Hone, director of the

New Zealand Institute of

Wellbeing & Resilience

(NZIWR), feels buoyed and excited

about the future of Christchurch.

“We often have visitors at home,

predominantly young people down

from Auckland because that’s

where our sons are now, and they

are always amazed at how

beautiful our city centre is.”

Dr Lucy believes the story of

Christchurch’s new face and its

post-quake life should be shouted

from the rooftops. “People want to

come here, so we need to get

better at showcasing that we are

the best little city in the world to

live in,” she says. “I have had

enough of it being presented as the

Garden City with images of

punting, because we are so much

more than that. Those are the

images of the past… I want to see

images of people sitting in traffic

in Auckland and us already out at

the beach.”

Over the last two years, from her

Ōtautahi home office, Lucy has

developed a new programme with

NZIWR called Coping With Loss.

The programme helps people

around the world deal with their

own tragedies. It came about as a

response to the pandemic but the

programme is for anyone who

needs it, Lucy says. “People, sadly,

always have to deal with death.”

The institute is a global brand

based in Christchurch. The team

work remotely and over half of

them are in Ōtautahi. Last year,

NZIWR trained 30,000 people

around the world, including

leadership teams in massive

multinational companies and

well-known tech giants.

It’s no secret that Christchurch

has seen its share of trauma,

between the Canterbury

earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 and

the March 15 2019 mosque

shootings. Lucy has also dealt with

her own personal tragedy – the

public health and wellbeing expert

became a household name after

speaking and writing about coping

Dr Lucy Hone

THE

‘R’

WORD

A wellbeing

programme born

in Christchurch is

a bubble of hope

helping people around

the world deal with

grief and develop

resilience during the

COVID-19 pandemic.

with the loss of her daughter Abi,

who died with her best friend and

her friend’s mother in a car crash

in 2014.

The programme is based on the

principles of Lucy’s book, Resilient

Grieving, and her viral 2020 TED

Talk, both grounded in Lucy’s

personal experience of grief and

resilience as well as her research on

the topics. It is built on the

knowledge that people are looking

to be active participants in their

own mental health and want the

tools to do so.

“When Abi and our friends died,

I was horrified by the existing

resources,” Lucy says. “They were

very passive. We were told to write

off five years of our life and we

were told about the five stages of

grief. I was like, bugger that, I want

to know what I can do.”

She looked for support groups

and found them wanting.

“You just have to go look on

Facebook and search for these

groups. They’re miserable places to

hang out.

“I didn’t want to add to my

misery. I wanted hope. So we’ve

created a hopeful place.”

Coping With Loss is a nine-step

online course, combined with a

community. It’s a place to share

and support people to take action.

“It’s been amazing to see this

community come to life and the

appetite people have for it.”

Lucy is the first to acknowledge

that the word ‘resilience’ has

become overused and maligned in

Christchurch, as politicians, media

and just about everyone else have

used ‘resilient’ to describe the city

and its people since 2011. Lucy calls

it ‘resilience fatigue’.

“The word was actually being

bandied around in the Global

Financial Crisis in 2008, that’s

when I got into it,” she says.

“People are fed up with being

told they need to be resilient

without being taught how. They’re

told to be resilient without being

empowered to do so.”

The word is even used as a stick

to beat people with, Lucy says.

They are told to be more resilient

and work through burnout when

they are overworked and

under-resourced.

But used properly and carefully,

it’s a word used to describe

something essential. All the time

people need to deal with divorce,

dementia, death, infertility, terrible

diagnoses and other huge life

events. We all need to understand

how we can help our own mental

health, Lucy says.

“And that is resilience. You can

call it whatever you want.”

copingwithloss.teachable.com


FASHION + WELLBEING

‘PEOPLE ARE FED

UP WITH BEING

TOLD THEY NEED

TO BE RESILIENT

WITHOUT BEING

TAUGHT HOW.’

DR LUCY HONE’S TIPS FOR

DEVELOPING RESILIENCE

The best tool for individuals

looking to develop resilience is

to ask: “Is what I’m doing, how

I’m choosing to think, how I’m

choosing to act, helping or

harming me?”

You can change the wording of

this question but the principle

is the same. Ask yourself

things like this:

• Is having that glass of wine

helping or harming me

achieving my goals?

• Is arguing with my daughter

about a towel on the floor

helping or harming our

strained relationship?

• Is scrolling through

Instagram helping or

harming me finishing that

presentation for tomorrow?

This technique is researchdriven

and it works. Lucy gets

a message a week from people

around the world saying:

“Your ‘helping or harming’

strategy changed my life.”

For resilience in the workplace,

Lucy encourages teams to

consider these factors that can

cause or prevent burnout:

• The support you’re giving

each other.

• How well you know

each other.

• How inclusive the

environment is.

• How much autonomy team

members have.

• Levels of fairness.

There are ways of thinking and

acting we can put in place to

improve our own capacity for

resilience. And we can help

others by including them;

being curious, not judgmental,

about their differences; and

making them feel welcome,

safe and validated.

IMAGE: STEPHEN GOODENOUGH


FASHION + WELLBEING

Cotton

& colour

The season of celebration brings

lots of opportunities for men to

ditch the drab and have a bit of fun.

A

s the days draw longer you

can’t help but think about

those opportunities summer

offers to spend time with friends

and family. There will be social

gatherings, dinners and parties to

look forward to and get dressed up

for. There will of course be plenty

of summer weddings for those

tying the knot and for those in

attendance. But what should you

be wearing?

This season at Working Style

we are really excited about the

neutral colour tones of our

sportscoats – the foundation of an

outfit. The colour spectrum spans

from a light chalk (think ‘80s

Bryan Ferry) through to tan and

chocolate, which are all really easy

to wear because they go

with a large variety of

coloured trousers. We

have highlighted the

collection with blues

and greens.

KHAKI COTTON JACKET (RRP $699)

KHAKI COTTON TROUSER (RRP $299)

‘Suits were

always the go-to

for weddings for

a reason – they

look great’

In addition – and

something new – striped

blazers this season will

offer up the chance of a

contemporary take on a

boater blazer. While not

as punchy as what you

would find at the Henley

Royal Regatta, this style

adds a point of difference.

We suggest your stripes

be more subtle as not to

impact on your versatility.

Ties are fun again, now

worn by choice, and

should have a little

personality. Our current

collection has nods to the

‘70s and ‘80s in its design.

These can look right at

home with either a cotton or linen

button-down collared shirt, a style

that is having a moment again as

the menswear influence moves to

slightly preppy.

Trousers are still being worn

tailored and slightly cropped for

those comfortable enough to do

so. This gives the opportunity to

show a little ankle, be it wearing

invisible socks or no socks (don’t

forget to moisturise if you’re going

sockless – nothing worse that scaly

dry skin on show), or socks with

some considered colour or design.

If you are prepared to embrace a

shift from your slim-cut, flat-front

trousers, try a fuller fitting pleated

trouser. These are incredibly

comfortable to wear and perfect

for a warm day.

For the guys out there who are

yet to get themselves a pair of

loafers, this is the only shoe you

need for summer – and to be

fair, has been for the past three

summers. These now come in a

variety of styles, as a driving shoe,

tailored loafer or your classic penny

loafer. A chocolate brown should be

your first choice, but these are great

to wear in a navy blue or taupe

suede, too. All these styles can be

worn with chinos, jeans and shorts.

For anyone attending a wedding

this summer, you might like to

consider wearing a cotton suit.

Suits were always the go-to for

weddings for a reason – they look

great. But by wearing one crafted

in cotton, you can achieve a softer

look without losing the kapow!

Wear an open-neck plain or

patterned shirt underneath, or

maybe a T-shirt or polo for a more

relaxed look. You can also wear

each piece separately for work or

play, or perhaps you might just

prefer to wear them with your

newly acquired loafers and freshly

moisturised ankles and see where

the night takes you.

Karl Clausen is the creative director

at Working Style. Drop in and see

him at the Oxford Terrace store or

visit workingstyle.co.nz


FASHION + WELLBEING

The journey to

your new style

‘THEN WE

WORK OUT

YOUR

SILHOUETTE

(SPOILER:

YOU AREN’T

A FRUIT)...’

Style consultants aren’t scary! It’s a gentle journey to your

improved self – here’s a bit of a taster of what you might

experience working with one.

Ideally, you’ll start your journey by taking a trip backwards. Once

you and your style consultant understand why your current style

has landed the way it has, we are better placed to move forward.

Consider this the foundational work that your new, true style

will build on.

From here, you can narrow in on your own particular style

resonance, including the value of mood boarding and how to pick

and choose elements from various ‘looks’ to inform your own.

You might set aside a day in your activewear to deconstruct and

reconstruct your wardrobe with your consultant. It’s heavy work,

both emotionally and physically.

Then we work out your silhouette (spoiler: you aren’t a fruit)

and your inner dialogue, both of which are key to working out

how to invest carefully. I teach easy-to-remember rules for

keeping emotional and risky purchases in check.

You’ll be inspired to start balancing fundamental pieces with

accents to make your wardrobe work for you again and again.

And last, but definitely not least, you should have a look-in to the

bare essentials: undies, knickers, smalls and jocks.

You deserve to feel noticed and, believe me, when you get

honest about looking within and doing the work, great things will

flow. Style consultants are just here to help you on that journey.

FASHION ITEMS LOU

LOVES THIS SEASON

• A power piece. One

piece that is your

foundation to build

on that makes you

feel 100% you.

A dress, a cool tee,

a skirt, pair of jeans,

a top, or a kick-arse

pair of shoes.

• Upgrade your

sunglasses ready for

the sun. These can

help elevate any

look ASAP.

• Statement jewellery.

Wear to update your

fave oldest clothing

piece that you still

love with a more

modern feel.

Lou Heller is a personal stylist and the creator of Your Style Journal

– six downloadable modules combined with a personal journal for

your own thoughts and access to videos, updates and a private

Facebook group supporting you to make your own style decisions

with confidence. louhellerstylist.com


FASHION + WELLBEING

BRINGING BACK THE BUZZ

Victoria Street has an undeniable

buzz these days, with swishy retail

stores and hoppin’ bars and

eateries heralding a return to the

hustle and bustle of old. One of the

stores contributing to the revival is

Man About Town, a store for the

stylish man looking for something

a little bit more than varying

shades of black, navy and brown.

Nostalgia for the days of her

childhood was the spark for store

owner Sharon Biddle to establish

Man About Town in this sweet

location. Back in the day, everyone

would stroll along and peruse the

different shops. Her favourite? The

hat shop. Sharon’s background is in

women’s retail and for years she

had been hearing from men who

were asking for a ready-to-shop

menswear stop in the city. “There

was a desire to have something

different in menswear that was

more middle-of-the-road in pricing.

Taking my husband shopping

throughout the years was

eye-opening, and I knew that I

could create an experience for men

that was both rewarding and

stylish.” Sharon wants men to be

comfortable to come in and shop.

She hosts private events, and

clients can also book one-on-one

styling sessions without the

distractions of the day or other

customers. “They can focus on

their personal fashion and achieve

what I want all of my customers to

achieve: look good, feel good.”

Find them on Facebook

DECLUTTER YOUR FRIENDS

A friend in need is a friend indeed. But if it’s always them

being needy, how’s that working for you? We all have one, the

friend we never hear from unless they need to vent for 30

minutes on the latest injustice in their life. If you’re lucky you

might get a perfunctory ‘And how are you?’ towards the end

but you know they are just being polite. In the language of

Marie Kondo, does this friend spark joy for you? If not, maybe

it’s time for a declutter, a checking in with yourself on who

should be in and who should be out of your social circle for

2023. Time away from your routine is the ideal for such

contemplation. It’s when we get away from the daily grind that

we gain some perspective on the quality of our friendships.

Where do you find joy? Who energises you? Who drains you?

Who do you want to spend more time with? Just as you would

with a wardrobe or garage clear-out, make a list. Write down

some goals for the next two, five or 10 years. Who of your

friends do you see helping you get there? Once you have a list

of the people who spark joy in you and give you energy, find

ways to make time in your life for them. Reach out and arrange

a regular catch-up. For the ones on the ‘other’ list, be kind.

They were once a good friend. If not, you would not have had

to cut them from your list. So don’t just ghost them. Find a way

to let them down gently. Finally, as you set off with your newly

curated list of ‘real friends’, check in with yourself to make sure

you’re not always the needy one. Or you might find they start

questioning just how good you are for them.


H

ave you noticed that every

possible way of eating has

a label now? While it’s

fantastic to see more people taking

an interest in their wellbeing, these

labels often come with strict rules.

This set of criteria around what’s

acceptable and what’s not may

work for some but for others it

simply isn’t sustainable.

When people ask me what to

eat, I will often encourage them

to explore what I fondly call

“flexitarian eating”. This is all about

listening to what will best serve

your body, health, energy (note:

this does not mean tastebuds rule

the choice!), and even your spiritual

practice. The concept of being a

‘flexitarian’ can be used by anyone.

It simply means you don’t have

stringent rules.

You might approach your

nourishment with the idea that you

have high standards. In other

words, you don’t avoid that highly

processed, sugar and preservativeladen

snack because someone told

you to. Instead, you don’t eat it

because it doesn’t serve your

health or quality of life. In saying

that, please always remember that

it is what you mostly do that

impacts your health, not what you

do occasionally. Feeling guilty

about the odd poor quality food

choice does nothing for your

health either.

Another flexible approach is

what some like to call “zig and

zag”. A “zig” meal is made up of

nutrient-dense foods and no

FLEXING YOUR

WAY TO BETTER

NUTRITION

alcohol. A “zag” meal focuses more

on the company you are in, being

playful and relaxing. Zags are part

of a healthy and sustainable

lifestyle. If this approach is going to

serve someone’s health, I would

guide them to zag once a week, or

for three out of their 35 eating

occasions in a week. For others,

five zag occasions better suits

them. That’s still 30 meals that are

high quality nutritionally!

If you know you are going to

your office party or friend’s

birthday, that doesn’t mean the

whole day is a write-off, yet so

many people approach their life or

health in this way! This also tends

to ramp up over the summer

period. With the increase in

festivities, many people seem to

throw nourishing choices out the

FASHION + WELLBEING

‘Another flexible

approach is what some

like to call zig and zag’.

window until all the celebrations

are over and the new year’s

resolutions kick in. Going to your

festive celebrations is even more

reason to eat a nutritious breakfast

and lunch and to follow up with

nutrient-dense food choices the

next day. You enjoy the zag, but

when you live mostly as a zig, the

zag takes very little toll on your

overall wellbeing.

The way you take care of

yourself needs to be sustainable.

When you are kinder to yourself

and put less pressure on fulfilling

set criteria, you are more likely to

make choices in your life that you

can maintain. So if following rules

feels like deprivation to you, or if

you are just looking for a more

sustainable approach to how you

eat, give flexitarianism a try.

Nutritional biochemist Dr Libby

Weaver (PhD) is a 13-times

bestselling author and speaker. Her

practical and supportive online

courses have helped more than

10,000 women around the world

find freedom from their health

challenges. For more information

go to www.drlibby.com


FASHION + WELLBEING

FRAGRANZI

PERFUME | CENTRAL CITY

Nestled in the Arts Centre Boys’ High

Building, Christchurch’s only perfume

studio offers artisan perfumes and

experiences. Book a perfume design

event led by the perfumer who

guides you on an informative and

creative experience, or a one-day

course to enhance your perfume

knowledge and skills. Try a makeyour-own

experience for yourself or

with a group of up to 25.

The Arts Centre, 3/28 Worcester Boulevard, 020 4081 4558 fragranzi.co.nz

Bishopdale, Wigram Skies and Hereford Street, 03 360 3606 musclepeople.co.nz

MUSCLE PEOPLE

PHYSIOTHERAPY

HEALTH / PHYSIOTHERAPY

Providing world-class physiotherapy

with several locations around

Christchurch and Canterbury,

Muscle People work to relieve pain,

rebuild strength and stability, and

help you exceed your fitness goals.

Each of the clinics is staffed with a

fantastic team of knowledgeable and

passionate physios who will work to

get you fighting fit. Muscle People

can also serve as your dedicated

exercise centre, with expert guidance

to back you all the way.

PROUD BEAUTY

BEAUTY | CENTRAL CITY

This luxurious beauty salon

specialises in lash extensions, teeth

whitening, and brow treatments

including henna brows and

lamination with tinting. Owner

Lauren Proud adores the creative

aspect of the beauty industry and

prides herself on delivering the

best possible results for her clients,

working closely with them to make

their beauty dreams come true. Your

experience here is guaranteed to

leave you glowing inside and out.

Shop 8, 92 Hereford Street, lauren@proudbeauty.co.nz proudbeauty.co.nz


FASHION + WELLBEING

HERB NERD NZ

HERBAL HEALTHCARE | FERRYMEAD

Step into a world of organic herbs, natural remedies,

teas, essential oils and toxin-free skincare. With an

extensive herbal dispensary on site, this peaceful

Ferrymead haven is herbal HQ, home to over 80 different

dried herbs, as well as tinctures and professional-grade

supplements. The Herb Nerd is a medicinal herbalist and

does all her own blending and manufacturing on site.

2/27 Waterman Place, 027 861 1499 herbnerdnz.com

MAN ABOUT TOWN

MEN’S FASHION | CENTRAL CITY

This men’s fashion store in Victoria Street is a destination

for quality menswear with a pop of individual flair. Add

a splash of colour, a sophisticated pattern or some eyecatching

accessories to your wardrobe from the curated

collections in store. There’s something here for the man

who enjoys looking and feeling good, whether it’s casual,

businesswear or threads for a night out.

149 Victoria Street, 027 294 1222 Find them on Facebook

We absolutely love all the wonderful Christchurch businesses –

from fashion boutiques to fitness, salons to social clubs. If you’ve

been wowed by what you’ve seen here, go check them out. Take your

friends. Tell your local business you saw them in Cityscape.

NAILS BY TOMO

NAIL SALON | ST ALBANS

Come and visit Nails By Tomo at the

beautiful new St Albans location.

Nails By Tomo is helmed by leading

nail professional Tomoko Tsuji

(right), who has over two decades

of Japanese nail art experience.

She and her team give your nails a

totally personalised transformation,

specialising in gel manicures and

stunning nail art using only the finest

quality products from Japan. Your

nails will not only look amazing but

also grow healthier and stronger.

2/422 Innes Road, 022 194 6055 nailsbytomo.co.nz


FASHION + WELLBEING

INFINITE DEFINITE

FASHION | CENTRAL CITY

Founded in 2008, Infinite Definite is

an independent high-end streetwear,

fashion and lifestyle store. Owneroperators

Jono and Sarah Moran

curate an eclectic mix of designers

and products hand-sourced by

them from New Zealand, Australia

and around the world. Infinite

Definite prides itself on fostering a

community for well-designed and

quality goods with plenty to choose

from, including a fab selection of

cutting-edge homewares.

246 High Street, 03 371 7465 infinitedefinite.com

Guthrey Centre, 118 Cashel Street, 021 719 900 representfootwear.nz

REPRESENT FOOTWEAR NZ

SHOES & ACCESSORIES | CENTRAL CITY

One of the city’s best kept secrets,

Represent Footwear is a destination

for quality shoes and bags from New

Zealand and European designers.

It’s all about old-fashioned service

here, with friendly team members on

hand to measure your feet and make

sure you find a shoe that suits your

needs and fits you perfectly. You’ll

find practical shoes sitting alongside

the head-turningly edgy, as well

as footwear specially designed for

problem feet, allowing you to walk

boldly no matter your flavour.

The Colombo, 363 Colombo Street, 03 374 6134 stencil.co.nz

STENCIL

FASHION/ACCESSORIES | SYDENHAM

Established in 2002, Stencil has

long been stocking national and

international brands such as Nike,

Adidas, New Balance, Vans, Reebok,

Nudie Jeans, Patagonia, Carhartt,

Levis, Huffer, Champion, Mitchell

& Ness, Converse, Herschel, Thing

Thing, Stüssy, Status Anxiety, The

North Face, and Bellroy. The store

packs an unbeatable selection of

sneakers, hand-picked apparel and

accessories, so pop in for a wealth

of product knowledge and friendly

service in a relaxed environment.


FASHION + WELLBEING

ROCCABELLA

JEWELLERY | CENTRAL CITY

This iconic Christchurch jewellery

store is a destination for exclusive

brands, bespoke design and some

of the best diamonds in the world.

Now in a stunning new home

in Victoria Street, designer and

owner Vikki George knows that

fine jewellery is about stories and

memories. Roccabella’s purpose

is the drive for the highest quality

in fine jewellery, and perfectly

translating your unique story into

cutting-edge elegance.

169 Victoria Street, 021 539 329 roccabella.co.nz

WILDFLOWER BOTANICALS

NATURAL REMEDIES | SYDENHAM

Driven by a passion for pure plant

skincare and wellbeing for the last 14

years, Wildflower Botanicals’ ethos

shines through in its craft, creating

products to ensure you are healthy,

radiant, and glowing from the inside

out. The extensive range of skincare,

natural remedies, fragrant spice

blends, teas and infusions are all

formulated using certified organic,

fair-trade and wildcrafted botanical

ingredients. Be sure to check out the

new range of vegan massage balms,

available in store and online.

462 Colombo Street, 03 974 3002 wildflowerbotanicals.co.nz

TRUE GRIT

HAIR/MAKEUP | CENTRAL CITY

The team at True Grit are true

experts, providing exquisite service in

a fabulous environment. Experience

the creative, skilful professionalism

of True Grit’s dynamic masters, style

directors and new generation stylists.

Beautiful hair goes deeper than a cut

and colour, which is why True Grit

offers fabulous luxurious bespoke

rituals to treat your hair and leave

you with stunning, well-maintained

locks. Book now with the experts

in hair beauty. True innovation, true

passion, true hair!

87 Manchester Street, 03 377 7889 truegrit.co.nz, shop.truegrit.co.nz


home +

lifestyle

62

EXCELLENCE + INNOVATION / 66 BY DESIGN / 67 UPGRADE YOUR HOME

68

TRENDY INTERIORS YOU WON’T REGRET IN 5 YEARS

71

TREASURE TIME / 72 TECH IT OUT

AL FRESCO

Dine outside in style this summer with

the Roda Levante Dining outdoor table,

perfectly paired with Roda Harp Chairs.

ecc.co.nz


1

HOME EDIT

TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE!

3

5

2

4

6

7

8

9

10

1 Monkey Bean Ash Velvet Cushion (RRP $295) from LaLa Linen 2 Moooi Rabbit Lamp (RRP $1313) from ECC 3 Baobab Candle (from $125) from Corso

Merivale 4 Safari Style: Exceptional African Camps and Lodges (RRP $165) from LaLa Linen 5 Ortigia Sicilia Zagara Gatto Diffuser (RRP $105) from LaLa

Linen 6 Hanno the Gorilla (RRP $295) from Brown and Co. 7 Enamel Bowl – Toad (RRP $45) from Seletti Concept Store 8 Hippo Table (RRP $569) from

Greenslades Furniture 9 Monkey Hanging Lamp (RRP $695) from Seletti Concept Store 10 Deck Chair – Snakes (RRP $325) from Seletti Concept Store


EXCELLENCE

+ INNOVATION

mid the grey clouds that hover over

A New Zealand’s property market, Christchurch

is a ray of sunshine. Prices are holding up and

so is supply, with plenty of choice for buyers

regardless of their budget.

That’s not all – the quality of homes being built in

Ōtautahi remains exceptional, a testament to the talent

among our architects, builders and interior designers.

The judges for the Registered Master Builders House

of the Year awards certainly feel that way. A stunning,

sprawling Fendalton home was awarded the 2022

National Supreme House of the Year over $1m, as well

as nine regional awards including Regional Kitchen

Excellence, Regional Outdoor Living and Regional

Interior Design.

Similarly, the judges at the 2022 ADNZ Resene

Architectural Design Awards named a Redcliffs home

designed by Gareth Ritchie of Archco Architecture the

national winner for Residential New Home Between

150sqm and 300sqm.

Christchurch homes have been well represented in

the House of the Year awards over the last two years,

featuring heavily on the honours list. This is also the

second year in a row that inner-city new builds have

taken out supreme awards.

In 2021 the supreme award went to a Dutch-inspired

four-bedroom home, also in Fendalton and built by

Clive Barrington Construction. Its sculptural copper

roof and curved windows envelop a cosy 405sqm

light-filled masterpiece of myriad angles and easy

living. Multiple living spaces, inside and out, provide

plenty of spots to relax and to entertain. The practical

yet elegant kitchen spills into the dining room and then

onto the patio, sheltered by another copper wave.

The 2022 Supreme House of the Year winner is an

elegant, luxurious six-bedroom home, built by Metzger

Builders and designed by O’Neil Architecture. It’s

certainly on the grander scale of family homes at

924sqm, but the judges were impressed with how

liveable and comfortable it felt despite its size;

unmistakeably a welcoming family home. As well as

the six bedrooms there are four bathrooms, three living

areas, a bar, games room, eight-car garage and a

swimming pool complete with changing rooms.

The genius of the design is that something so big is

able to sit in harmony with its surroundings, with the

home reclining elegantly across its 3,000sqm site.

The exterior is clad in dark, contemporary tones,

with low-slung rooflines and large cantilevered

overhangs. The interior is opulent but timeless with

solid brass, herringbone timber, marble, stone and

textured wallpaper.

The home had earlier picked up Canterbury Supreme

House of the Year over $1m, with the judge commenting


HOME + LIFESTYLE

REGISTERED MASTER BUILDERS 2022

NATIONAL SUPREME HOUSE OF THE YEAR

WHERE: Fendalton, Christchurch

DESIGN: O’Neil Architecture

BUILDERS: Metzger Builders

SIZE: 924sqm

OTHER AWARDS: 8


HOME + LIFESTYLE

REGISTERED MASTER BUILDERS 2021

NATIONAL SUPREME HOUSE OF THE YEAR

WHERE: Fendalton, Christchurch

DESIGN: Clive Barrington Construction

BUILDERS: Clive Barrington Construction

SIZE: 405sqm

OTHER AWARDS: 5

that in 14 years of being on the House of the Year panel,

this is one of the best homes he has seen.

To recognise builds within a lower price bracket, the

2022 awards introduced the Supreme House of the Year

Under $1 million category. The Canterbury regional winner

was a home built by John Ross Architectural Builders on a

challenging and steep site in Mount Pleasant. The national

award was won by a new home in Wānaka.

In Redcliffs, Archco Architecture’s successful entry in

the ADNZ Resene Architectural Design Awards was

named a “showstopper” by the judges. The sloped site

offers stunning views of McCormacks Bay all the way

to South New Brighton and the Southern Alps. Gareth

Ritchie’s uncluttered composition of natural materials

and native landscaping maintains privacy and is

sympathetic to the character, scale, and landscape of

the neighbourhood.

houseoftheyear.co.nz


HOME + LIFESTYLE

THIS PAGE PHOTOGRAPHY:

STEPHEN GOODENOUGH

2022 ADNZ RESENE ARCHITECTURAL

DESIGN AWARDS NATIONAL WINNER

WHERE: Redcliffs, Christchurch

DESIGN: Gareth Ritchie, Archco Architecture

BUILDERS: Hayden Diehl, HD Built

SIZE: 228sqm

OTHER AWARDS: 1


HOME + LIFESTYLE

1

BY DESIGN

Take time out to reassess your clutter in true

Kondo style, and make room for beautiful

objects that spark joy.

5

3

2

6

7

4

If you love minimalist Nordic

design and perfectly balanced

interiors, you’ll want to dive

head first into this book and

live within its full-colour

pages. Soft Minimal by Norm

Architects is an inspirational

example of the sweet spot

between having nothing left

to add or take away.

gestalten.com

8 9

10

1 Dr Suits - Wood Stripe 2 (RRP $500) from Fiksate Studio & Gallery 2 Guaxs Cubistic Round Vase (RRP $1488) from ECC 3 Roger Murray Resonance, 2022

(RRP $4200) from Suite Gallery 4 Notre Monde Square Wooden Tray (RRP $350) from McKenzie & Willis 5 Tom Dixon Scent Elements Candle Earth (From

$294) from ECC 6 Nomon Barcelona Clock (RRP $2596) from ECC 7 Bensen Delta Club Chair (RRP $ 7029) from Tim Webber Design 8 Textura Pandan

Wallpaper from Arte International 9 Mater Bowl Table (RRP $1246) from ECC 10 Belle Interiors Collection Liaison Sofa (From $7610) from McKenzie & Willis


HOME + LIFESTYLE

BEDROOM EDITION

Lisa Sinke, the mastermind behind

Wink design, fluffs the pillows on

the perfect bedroom.

N

obody else ever sees your bedroom

so it doesn’t really matter what you

do with it, right? Wrong.

We spend a third of our lives in bed so

making that room look and feel great is

essential to living well, says interior

designer Lisa Sinke. “And really, do we live

our lives for others or ourselves?”

The centrepiece of a well-designed

bedroom is the bedhead. Back when slat

beds were the norm, bedheads and bed

‘It’s your bedroom,

so it’s all about you.’

ends were everywhere. “I always remember

looking forward to being a grown-up so I

could get my own,” Lisa says. “I got a

beautiful oak bed and I was so proud of it.”

But now, with the prevalence of

enormous mattresses and boxed ensemble

bed bases, bedheads have gone the way of

the moa. “There’s something really missing

in our bedrooms. There’s a lot of focus on

linen and cushions but actually to anchor

your bedroom scheme and your bed, you

really do need to have a bedhead. And it

gives you something to sit against. It just

doesn’t feel proper sitting against the wall.”

Wink’s custom bedheads have a lot of

choice in shape, colour and fabric. A lot of

people struggle with the choice. “Go with

your heart,” Lisa says. “At the end of the

day, if you try and compromise or you try

and overthink it, then you can be a bit

disappointed. It’s your bedhead, it’s your

bedroom, so it’s all about you.”

Don’t forget about a valance. You can

stick with classic white or neutrals but

don’t be afraid to go for something more

out-there or custom to fit your scheme.

There’s more to bedroom furniture than

just a bed, nightstand and tall boy. “It’s

always quite nice to have a chair or a

footstool, for if you can’t be bothered

hanging everything up in the wardrobe

at the end of the night.”

Also, think about getting attractive dog

beds in the room, if relevant.

When it comes to lighting, you might

want two kinds, Lisa says. “You want to be

able to jump in bed and read your book

well, but also have lovely soft ambient

lighting if you’re not going to be reading.”

And don’t forget about sustainability.

Choosing planet-friendly materials is good

for the environment but also good for your

health. “Bedheads are full of quite toxic

materials such as foam that actually never

degrades. And also quite often they’re

made with cheap timber and toxic glues,”

Lisa says. “Foam off-gases and so does

cheap timber, and you’re sleeping right

next to that. We grow wool here and it

absolutely works as a bedhead stuffing.”

winkdesign.co.nz

LISA’S QUICK

BEDROOM TIPS

Picking swatches

Think about what you

like to wear and what

type of cushions you

like. They’re all good

clues as to what type of

textile you like. Then

focus on whether you

prefer patterns or

geometrics or plains.

It’s really a process of

elimination.

Patterns and plains

There’s a big trend at

the moment towards

complementary

patterns. There are

some fabulous

designers who mix

patterns so well. It’s by

no means set in stone

that just because you

have a very patterned

bedspread you should

have a very plain

bedhead, or vice versa.

Materials Remember

you can even supply

your own fabrics for

custom furniture and

curtains. We once

made a bedhead with

woollen fabric that

came from our client’s

own farm!

Curves Sure, it’s hard

to go past a good solid

rectangular bedhead,

but curves just add a

nice, soft, calming,

human-friendly

element to a bedroom.

I just love them.

This season’s colours

Picking fave colours

and patterns is a bit like

picking your favourite

child. However a couple

of standouts right now

are Nine Muses'

wonderful patterns and

colours, and Oat

Studio’s stunning

architectural prints.


‘DON’T BE AFRAID TO MIX

TRENDS FROM BYGONE ERAS OR

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONS.’

TRENDY INTERIORS YOU

WON’T REGRET IN 5 YEARS

Whether you like them or not, trends are a part of our everyday life.

Here are three tips to ride the trends in a timeless way.

A

rchitectural and interior

trends help keep the

design aesthetic fresh and

interesting. But trends do change.

Some are influenced by the

seasons, fashion, decades gone by,

and our northern hemisphere

friends. The reality is that nothing is

new, everything that is trending

now has trended somewhere else

in history or around the world. So

how can we feel like we’re on trend

without fearing we will regret it in

five years’ time?

Within interior design,

decorative aspects can easily roll

with current trends. We can more

easily change cushions, rugs,

window dressings, some furniture,

and colours than the permanent

aspects of interiors like kitchen and

bathroom design. The permanent

spaces require more thought and

careful consideration when

designing to current trends to

avoid feeling typecast to a

particular year. It’s easy to fall in

love with the imagery we gather

online, but not all of it in saturation

may be appropriate for us, our

homes and our lifestyles.

Design to the architecture and

geographical location of your

home. Coastal homes are

wonderful with soft lines, colours

and materials, while their hillside

counterparts feel great with

sculptural sensibilities. Being

sympathetic to these aspects and

creating a foundation that uses

beautiful scale and balance within

the spaces that relates to the

overall home and site will help

stand the test of time.

Timeless elements in the kitchen

and bathroom. When used as a

dominant design aesthetic in these

spaces, such elements can leave

scope for an aspect of a current

trend you may love to be

incorporated as an accent.

Whether it’s a tile, tapware,

benchtop material or a particular

colour, using an on-trend feature

that’s blended cleverly over a

whole space with a neutral

backdrop will feel more intentional

and seamless.

Blend the trend. Design to an

overall theme that can easily

incorporate a current trend.

Themes like elegant, classic,

mid-century modern, minimalist,

coastal, or European will all have

aspects of current trends. Look at

where the trend came from and

see what other aspects of that

genre will suit the architecture,

geography and your lifestyle. And

don’t be afraid to mix trends from

bygone eras or geographical

locations. Eclectic design is a

theme in its own right, and one I

particularly love.

The trend is always your friend,

when carefully considered. A good

designer can help navigate the

world of trends so that you’re still

very much in love with your interior

design in five years’ time.

Anna Dick is the whole-house

interior designer behind Anna

Margaret Interiors. Check out her

projects and get in touch to talk

about your design needs at

annamargaret.co.nz.


Resene

Pumice

Resene

Silver

Chalice

Resene

Bullwhip

Resene

Papier

Mache

Resene

Canterbury

Clay

Resene

Spanish

Green

Office outlook

Never under-estimate what a fresh lick of

paint and a pop of colour can do.

If your home office needs a new look, here

are some easy, inexpensive ways to

improve your outlook.

Paint accessories with fresh colours to tie

in with your new scheme. Testpots are

perfect for this kind of painting. Most

Resene colours are available in testpots,

and the finish is a durable low sheen.

Upcycle furniture. Try the Resene Karen

Walker Chalk Colour paint for a soft matte

or vintage look. Or, for something with a bit

more pop, try Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss

waterborne enamel.

Create your own art with Resene testpots

on canvas, ply or card. A gallery wall is also

an option – it’s a good idea to pick a theme

and repeat in different styles, such as

flowers or line work, or you can frame your

favourite Resene wallpapers.

Add greenery. Having green leafy plants in

your office helps lift your mood, and not to

mention they look very stylish when

planted into a custom-painted planter pot.

Brooke Calvert is a design advocate at

Resene Canterbury. Visit resene.com/

colourconsult to book an appointment with

a Resene colour expert.

IT’S ON THE WALL

• Add some Resene

wallpaper or a mural.

• Painting an arch is a

fun and budget

friendly way to create

a focal point. Try this

look behind a

bookshelf or desk.

• Half-and-half walls

are a good option for

those who don’t want

to commit to colour on

all walls. Pick a deeper

shade or wallpaper

for the bottom and

an off-white or tonal

lighter shade for

the top.

• Create a noticeboard

with Resene FX

Write-on Wall Paint.

PAINTED WALL

CLEANING TIP

Keep your home

looking its best with

Resene Interior

Paintwork Cleaner

designed for use on

interior painted

surfaces. Quick and

easy to use, it dries

film-free, so no need

to rinse. It’s available

from your local

Resene ColorShop.


HOME + LIFESTYLE

Nature’s

rich

mosaic

returns

Ecologist Dr Jaz Morris of Boffa

Miskell looks at how public

landscaping is helping native

species to thrive and recover.

G

o back 50 or even 20 years

ago and most public

landscaping reflected a

colonial approach to nature. These

spaces were more often

characterised by stately English

trees, hybrid roses and manicured

lawns rather than the complex, rich

mosaic of New Zealand’s native flora.

More recently, natives are often

the centrepiece of urban plantings,

although many botanists would

point out that ‘native’ doesn’t

necessarily mean local and that

some of the most hardy and

popular native species are now

seen in parks and alongside

pavements from Kerikeri to

Dunedin – far beyond where they

originally grew.

In urban plantings, landscape

architects can choose from a wide

range of native species to suit the

desired form and location – or even

to take advantage of an

opportunity to boost rare native

plant populations. Boffa Miskell

ecologists often advise the

company’s landscape architects

when it comes to preparing a

planting palette, and botanists will

know an appropriate locally

common (or rare) grass, herb, shrub

or tree for every centre in Aotearoa.

But urban planting must

consider certain practicalities and

aesthetics as well. Some native

plants are difficult to propagate;

few have showy flowers, and some

take ages to get very far off the

ground. This is probably why

attractive or easily grown native

species are typically selected for

landscape plantings and therefore

may now be far greater in number

and more widely distributed than

they were before human arrival.

Species like mīkoikoi native iris,

rengarenga lily and horoeka fierce

lancewood come to mind.

Some, like oioi jointed wire rush,

are not only attractive in their own

right but are ideally suited to

functional plantings such as swales

and rain gardens. Its natural place

is typically at the upper edge of

estuarine wetlands, meaning it can

tolerate extremes of wet and dry,

and probably give it an edge when

it comes to tolerating salt, metals

and other urban contaminants.

On the other hand, including one

or two exotics like gaura (a

favourite around Ōtautahi

Christchurch) is a great way to add

movement and colour.

Dr Jaz Morris is an ecologist and

botanist in the Boffa Miskell

Christchurch office.

boffamiskell.co.nz

‘In urban plantings, landscape architects can

choose from a wide range of native species to

suit the desired form and location.’

IMAGE: JAY FARNWORTH/IMAGESOURCE FOR BOFFA MISKELL


HOME + LIFESTYLE

HOW SERENDIPITY

FIXED ROSS’S CLOCK

W

hen Ross Morrison of Mr Mod came

across a clock in an antiques shop in

Hawke’s Bay, he knew straight

away that it was the work of famed

19th-century clockmaker Thomas Cole.

The clock wasn’t working but Ross

bought it anyway, vaguely hoping he might

find someone who could repair it. Back in

Christchurch, he put it on a shelf in his St

Martins shop.

That was when serendipity came to visit.

Bruce Aitken, trade-qualified clockmaker of

40 years’ experience and fixer of anything,

popped in during his morning walk – he

only lives a few blocks away. Ross showed

him the clock and Bruce also knew just

how special it was.

Bruce’s day job involves the restoration,

repair and reconstruction of kinetic

sculptures by Christchurch-born artist Len

Lye. Bruce works closely with the Len Lye

Foundation, which preserves and promotes

the artist’s legacy. He also specialises in the

restoration and repair of antique clocks.

What came next is like an episode of the

TV show The Repair Shop. Bruce took the

clock back to his workshop, inspected it,

found the problem and then reassembled it

to working order, making a new key from

scratch along the way.

Thomas Cole (1800-1864) was the son of

James Cole and brother of the more

eminent James Ferguson Cole. At first Cole

worked in partnership with his brother at

3 Bond Street, London. Then from 1839 until

his death he produced the work for which

he is best known. Most of these were

TELL US YOUR STORY

The special talents on

display in hit TV show

The Repair Shop can

also be found right here

in Christchurch.

Cityscape will be

sharing local stories of

repair and restoration

such as the Thomas

Cole clock featured

here. We want to salute

our city’s artisans and

experts and encourage

readers to seek them

out when it comes to

repairing a family

heirloom or artwork.

Got a story to tell?

Get in touch:

ed@somocreative.co.nz

produced for and sold through high-end

London jewellers and goldsmiths.

Ross’s clock, numbered 508, probably

dates from 1846/47. Its design is known as

cheval, as in the mirror style that was

popular at the time. It is of 8-day duration

and is in original condition. The decorative

Fleur de Lis hands are a typical Thomas

Cole feature.

How did it come to be in New Zealand?

It’s a travel clock, designed to keep going

while on the move, and originally would

have been in a protective case. So there’s a

good chance it came here when new.

Alternatively, being such a valued luxury

item, the owner did not want to sell it off

before moving to the Antipodes.

Either way, neither Ross nor Bruce is

surprised any more at what turns up here.

Colonists brought with them all manner of

exquisite objects to make their new home

feel more like the one they had left behind.

For Bruce, working on the clock was a

pleasure. For Ross, busy setting up his Mr

Mod showroom with the latest shipment

from Italy, it’s a link back to an even earlier

time when craft was king.

mrmod.co.nz; blaitken.nz


HOME + LIFESTYLE

4K IN THE SKY

There are a million types of drone out there,

so take a recommendation: this one packs

a whole lotta camera in a wee 249-gram

package that you can fold and jam

in your pocket. DJI Mini 3 Pro

(RRP $1488) from PB Tech.

THE COOLEST AND HOTTEST IN CURRENT AND UPCOMING TECHNOLOGY

HIT THE

STREETS, DOG

There’s basically only

one e-motorcycle in

the world worth having

if you’re looking for

street cred, and it’s

made right here in

Aotearoa New Zealand.

FTN Motion Streetdog

(RRP from $10,000)

from FTN Motion.

E-CONVENIENCE

If you’re still slogging away on a regular bicycle, it’s time for an

electric upgrade. This one folds up to stash under your desk, in the

hallway cupboard or in the boot of your Leaf. Tern Vektron Q9

2022 (RRP $5990) from Christchurch Electric Bicycles.

BREWING SMARTER

Use the touchscreen to

choose a brew then let

this automated machine

take care of the rest while

you keep an eye on it

over Wi-Fi. Braumeister

Plus 20 L (RRP from

$2995) from Braumeister.

THE HOUSEHOLD

BARTENDER

This robot stores your

favourite spirits and

mixers and makes up the

perfect cocktail every

time. Barsys 2.0+ (RRP

$US1500) from Barsys.


HOME + LIFESTYLE

H

ave you ever wondered what

it's like to live in a world of

humans when you're a dog?

How I feel, why I do what I do and

what my amazing senses allow me

to process through my eyes, nose,

mouth and ears?

One of the biggest myths is that

all dogs are sociable all the time, or

should be. Is every human

sociable? No. Does that make them

bad humans? Of course not. It may

mean they like their own company,

they like to do other things or that

they're happy in their own world.

For our humans, that means

reading the signs for when we are

not feeling sociable and don't want

to be pushed into groups of

humans or other dogs. We will do

that with body language or our

voice, or we will try to run away,

look scared or pull on the lead.

So don't take me to a dog park if

I growl at the other dogs or bark at

them, or I walk around the fence

and ignore them. It may be I'm not

sociable, or I'm tired, sore, scared,

have a headache or not feeling

well. It could be that I'm older and

can't keep up with the other dogs,

or that I'm getting picked on.

Please don't be angry if I'm

quite happy hanging at home with

my humans and generally enjoying

life. Just like the people that love

reading books, lying on the beach,

hanging out on their own, climbing

mountains – it’s about having a

choice. We dogs rely on our

humans to ensure we get to

choose what we like to do.

WHY DOGS DO

WHAT THEY DO

Colin the lowchen cross knows

what life is like for a dog in a

human’s world. With a little

help from Geoff at Kuri, he

opens up about why he and his

doggy mates don’t always want

their ears rubbed or your hand

stuck in their face.

Don’t force me to greet humans

either. In my world, humans are

angry bears. What else in nature

stands on two legs, has arms

dangling by its side and is very tall?

A grizzly or black bear. When

they're angry, they stand on two

legs too. So it's no wonder when

some humans approach me I feel

scared. I'm trapped on a lead or

I’m in my house and can't run

away. That’s when I revert to

my natural instincts.

Just like humans, I have three

options: fight, run away or freeze.

My instincts tell me the best form

of defence is attack. Then my

humans and I get in serious trouble,

all because someone thought I

liked my ears being pressed against

the side of my head and rubbed

frantically. Imagine if I ran up to a

human and did that to them? They

would not be impressed.

What humans don't understand

is that I can tell by taste and scent

exactly how you are feeling. With

the right wind direction I will know

from 3km away. So here's a tip:

never approach a dog. Always let

us approach you. The abilities

nature gave us mean we will know

how you're feeling – be it angry,

sad or friendly.

Please don't put your hand out

for me to smell it. My nose can

detect two cells of a virus inside

the human body, so I know what

you smell like. Sometimes your

fingers will look like sausages, and I

love sausages, so don't offer them

to me if you don't want me to taste

them. If I want to meet you I will

come to you, I promise.

So please try to understand how

I feel. I understand how you feel.

The more you know about me, the

happier we will both be.

Geoff manages Kuri, which offers

daycare and other specialist canine

services from its central-city base.

Colin loves hanging there with his

doggy mates and the team of

friendly humans. kuri.co.nz


HOME & LIFESTYLE

EXPERT OPINION

You know you can get appointments at the

doctor, tailor, or hairdresser, but what about

at the linen showroom? Lala Lifestyle in

Victoria Street offers one-on-one

consultations so you can relax in the

beautiful interiors shop, have a cuppa and

take your time working with an expert to

select designs that work for you and your

home. Monique will help you curate soft

furnishings to give your space that awesome

wow factor.

lalalinen-nz.com

MATISSE

Channelling the ultimate

in European style and

sophistication, Matisse is

the place to go for

exclusive. They’re the

leading supplier of top

international designer

pieces and have

extensive experience in

interior design and fit

out. Step into their

showroom and be

wowed by the array of

brands they stock – B&B

Italia, Cassina, Gandia

Blasco, Vitra, just to

name a few. They’re

committed to working

only with the best in the

business, so you can be

sure you’re choosing

right for your home.

matisse.co.nz

SET THE TRENZ

Thinking of freshening up your

humble abode? Stylemaker

Trenzseater is there for you,

offering a full interior design

service, styling advice, drapery and

blinds and everything in between.

A stroll through the showroom on

Blenheim Road will reveal a

sophisticated and timeless style,

and every client can expect a

friendly, enjoyable and professional

experience. There is a strong focus

on detail to give personality and

character to each look. The store

has an extensive range of locally

sourced product and international

brands, with the majority of

furniture made right here in

New Zealand.

trenzseater.com

ANNA MARGARET

INTERIORS

INTERIOR DESIGN

Imagine how you’ll feel in a home

that cleverly blends your personality,

travels and lifestyle with timeless,

elegant interior design. Specialising

in kitchen, bathroom, and wholehouse

interior design, Anna weaves

a cohesive aesthetic ensuring your

experience throughout the journey

is extraordinary. Learn how to save

time and energy for a fun and

successful project with

Anna Margaret Interiors.

027 672 3364 annamargaret.co.nz


LIGHTBULB MOMENTS

Cityscape checks out three genius

and iconic lighting designs that

have been copied the world over.

1

1 — PH 5 BY LOUIS POULSEN Embodying the best of

Danish design sensibilities, PH 5’s design is based on

the principle of a reflective three-shade system, and

directs the light downwards and laterally, illuminating

itself. The light is also designed to be 100% glare-free.

cultdesign.co.nz

2 — BEAT BY TOM DIXON Inspired by artisan

craftsmen in Northern India, and modelled after a

repurposed water vessel (think hand-beaten copper

pots welded into functional silhouettes) the Beat

collection has become the most recognisable Tom

Dixon creation. ecc.co.nz

3 — SNOOPY BY FLOS First released in 1967, the

design of this quirky lamp is based on the famous

Peanuts beagle. Flos’ Snoopy is a true classic for the

modern era, available in black or retro hues. ecc.co.nz

3

2

1972 JAGUAR E TYPE SERIES 3 ROADSTER

DUTTON GARAGE

Classic car lovers rejoice! The iconic Dutton

dealership is now in Christchurch, revving up

its engines with the biggest collection of

top-of-the-line vintage and classic cars in the

country. It’s part of the global Dutton brand,

and has the worldwide network to tap from

when sourcing for cars. Owner Royden

Mauger travels far and wide himself in search

of rare gems for his customers.

duttongarage.com

FIKSATE

ART GALLERY | SYDENHAM

Fiksate Gallery is New Zealand’s

leading urban contemporary art

gallery. The gallery offers original

artworks from New Zealand urban

artists alongside a handpicked

selection of international talent.

Located in a great creative hub in

Sydenham with many other art

galleries nearby, Fiksate showcases

diverse artworks that vary from

abstract to portraiture, prints to

sculpture and everything in between.

The team also offer a comprehensive

custom framing service.

54 Hawdon Street, 03 365 0763 fiksate.com, FB/Fiksate


HOME + LIFESTYLE

COSI FAN TUTTE

GIFTS | WOOLSTON

Step into an emporium of sensory delight in the beautiful

Tannery and you’ll find yourself surrounded by gorgeous

wares, embraced by delicious scents, and lulled by

beautiful sounds. Inspired by the vintage markets of

Europe, every item in Cosi Fan Tutte’s extensive range of

clothing, homewares, gifts, and jewellery is selected for

its uniqueness, natural beauty, and Olde World charm.

3 Garlands Road, 021 247 2466 cosifantutte.co.nz

COURT FLORIST

FLORIST | CENTRAL CITY

Delight with brilliant bouquets from one of

Christchurch’s foremost florists, blooming since 1937

and still creating perfect posies for any occasion. Be

enthralled by the beauty of stunning fresh flowers,

creatively arranged by the talented team. For every day

or special occasions, for yourself or someone else,

Court Florist brings you inspiration in spades.

143 Victoria Street, 03 379 8255 courtflorist.co.nz

NILE RUGS

RUGS | ST ALBANS

Genuine, hand-knotted oriental rugs imported directly

from the people who make them. The Nile team travel to

the countries where rug weavers have honed their skills

for centuries, and personally pick the best sustainable

and environmentally friendly rugs to display and sell

in Christchurch. Nile Rugs has the largest collection of

hand-knotted, vintage, and antique rugs in New Zealand.

1027 Colombo Street, 022 505 1725 nilerugs.co.nz

BESPOKED CYCLES

BIKES | ONLINE

Switch from four wheels to two with a custom-built bike.

Bespoked Cycles rocks a huge number of build combos

including unlimited colour options. Design your bike

from scratch with high-quality components to fit your

style, adding flip-flop hubs so you can switch between

fixed and freewheeling, or take your pick from the range

of primo prebuilt bikes.

bespokedcycles.co.nz


FIDDLE ME THIS

What's a cocktail but not a cocktail? It's a mocktail,

and it's one of the most delicious things you can

have right now! fiddlesticksbar.co.nz

food +

drink

78

BREW HAHA / 82 SNAKE'S ON A ROLL

85

SPOTLIGHT ON NEW REGENT STREET / 86 FED BY THE MED


‘To hear

our name

announced

and see

Three Boys

on the big

screen was a

real surprise

and such

a treat.’


Brew

HAHA

Three Boys Brewery recently took home the big

Champion Exhibitor award, as well as 12 medals

and a trophy at the New Zealand Beer Awards.

Cityscape caught up with boss man Ralph Bungard.

H

ow did it feel to be awarded

champion? It felt amazing! The

Brewers’ Guild Beer Awards is a

really big deal in our industry. It’s the only

awards where you really get to put yourself

up for comparison to all the brewers in

Aotearoa. To win anything on the night is

an honour and something that brewers in

New Zealand judge where they are at in

terms of quality. On the night we were just

so excited about all the medals we had

received that we weren’t really

concentrating when it came to the big one.

To hear our name announced and see

Three Boys on the big screen was a real

surprise and such a treat. What’s your

secret? No secret really. We have been

doing this for a long time now, 18 years. We

take pride in our quality and consistency

and we always do pretty well in the awards.

We have pushed hard for this trophy a

couple of times over our history but got

there this time. We are very happy to be

listed on the trophy along with some other

fantastic New Zealand breweries. Tell us

about the trophy-winning Three Boys

Lager. It was pretty exciting winning this

trophy. The way the awards work, sort of

like wine awards, is that there may be two

golds, no silver and one bronze awarded,

for example, or even no medals at all in a

category. The trophy, however, is awarded

for the best of the best in the class. We got

a gold medal and the trophy in this

International Lager category. Funnily

enough, it’s a really coveted trophy

amongst brewers, as being a lager, brewers

would say there is no place to hide when it

comes to quality. The beer must be

perfectly balanced and fault-free to even

start to get a look in with the judges.

Making a perfect lager is often seen as a

marker of a brewery that has all its quality

and technical skills in order. On top of that,

you are competing directly with some of

the big multinational brewers who have

made their business on producing this

style. It’s a great win. What’s the perfect

food to enjoy with a lager? Lager is

traditionally gentle and balanced. It’s not

designed to be the lion on the table,

beating up on all the other flavours. For

that reason, I would say it’s one of the

beers that is simply designed to be either

enjoyed without food or with food that has

really dominating flavours. Think either a


BREW HAHA

‘Ōtautahi has

always been

the brewing

capital of NZ,

the real OG!

What we

are not so

good at is

blowing that

trumpet.’

delicious quencher at the end of a

summer’s day or a refresher when your

mouth is being bombarded by hot and

spicy. You had some strong competition

from Beer Baroness on awards night – is

there a friendly rivalry there? Hate those

guys! Nah, just kidding. We love the Beer

Baroness team and have a lot to do with

them, work-wise and socially. They have

really lifted a class in the last couple of

years, thanks largely to their fantastic brew

team. To be honest, if they had won the

Champion Trophy on the night, we would

have been over the moon for them. We

know enough to know that everything has

to fall in place at just the right time for the

award to land in your favour, and it could

have easily done so for them. Likewise for

Altitude in Queenstown, another brewery

that did remarkably well and one that we

also have a great relationship with. It was

fantastic to see Te Waipounamu brewers

really shining. What is it about this city

and brewing? Is there something in the

water? Ha! That’s a good one! Brewing is

so much about water quality and

historically many beer styles have

developed largely because of the water

chemistry of the region; think pilsner and

British pale ales as great examples. In many

respects that is also true for Ōtautahi; we

have great groundwater that is a good

base to brew all sorts of styles. Less

literally, I do think that there is a long

tradition of brewing out of Canterbury

because we were the malt-growing centre

of Aotearoa. What makes our city a great

brewing city now is the water, the tradition

and the passion of those involved in the

industry. We are a city of independent

brewers. We don’t have a multinational

brewer in Ōtautahi any more. In some

ways, that means brewing in Christchurch

belongs to the locals of Christchurch – that

has got to make things pretty cool. Is it

time Christchurch took the craft brew

crown from Wellington and Auckland?

Did they ever have their hands on the

crown? Or was that just their PR spin? We

have been just too busy making good beer

in a city where we had other things that

took centre stage. I think that whenever

someone takes the time to do the numbers,


BREW HAHA

Ōtautahi has always been the brewing

capital of NZ, the real OG! What we are not

so good at is blowing that trumpet. What

do you think of our local brew bar scene?

Ōtautahi has some amazing drinking spots

ranging from full-on craft beer havens to

cafés that now stock only local craft beer in

their fridges. It’s a great turn-around and an

indication of how good our city and region

has become at supporting locals. Good

locals supporting good local hospitality,

supporting good local producers. That is a

dream environment for our business. It’s

great for the community and it’s great for

the environment. For the local economy it

makes sense – local hospo buying our beer,

we buy ingredients locally and pay our

staff, and they go out and eat, drink, get

their car fixed or get their house painted. It

just works for everyone. Environmentally

it’s a win too; we really don’t need to be

shipping 95% water around the country or

even the world. Do you ever dabble in

drinking wine or spirits, or are you very

much a beer man? I do love beer. The

variation in styles is just so good that there

is always a beer to match any occasion. I do

love wine too, and there’s plenty of that to

love in Aotearoa. And I do love whisky but I

don’t drink much of that. My boys have got

into the habit of buying me one bottle on

Father’s Day and another on my birthday,

and that seems to be just right for the year.

But having said all that, if I was heading to

a desert island and could only take one

tipple, then that would have to be tea!

There are very few drinks that can quench

a raging thirst like beer can, but tea is one.

When I have a cuppa tea in hand, thinking

about beer, I’m in my happy place. Hazy

seems to have been the style of 2022 –

what do you think is coming next? Lagers

are back, for sure. And craft lagers are the

way for 2023. But also back in vogue are

some of the more original styles, the wheat

beers, the traditional British bitters and the

old-school North American IPAs along the

lines of the early days of craft brewing. If I

was to pick one for Three Boys, our wheat

beer is bangin’. It’s going to be the beer to

find in 2023. What new beers are Three

Boys working on? We recently released a

tea beer called Harvest Ale. We used an

apricot-infused tea as a base for a classic

NZ Pale Ale. It was amazing. This time of

year though, we are thinking about getting

more sour beers on the brew. Sours are

great for the warmer months and they

really create a great base to blend in some

unusual flavours – look out for a cucumber

melon sour. You’ve got friends coming

from out of town. Where do you go and

what would you do to show off the city in

… two hours: A drop into Three Boys and a

quick flick through the tunnel, Lyttelton

and up over the hills to Sumner and back to

Coolston. … a half-day: Central city, Arts

Centre, Art Gallery, the Gardens, Riverside

Market and the SALT District. … 24 hours:

All of the above but topped, tailed and

punctuated by breakfasts, lunches, dinners

and drinks at the city’s fantastic collection

of restaurants, cafés and wineries that have

grown the beauty of not only our suburban

landscape but the central city’s semiindustrial

periphery.

threeboysbrewery.co.nz


FOOD + DRINK

K

ing of Snake had a big

night at the Canterbury

Hospitality Awards. How

good was that? We were thrilled

with the results and humbled by

them. It’s been a particularly

challenging time for the entire

industry. We took on a lot of risk

with a project of this scale in the

middle of a global pandemic. The

entire team has worked incredibly

hard and there has been a lot of

personal sacrifice, so it was

fantastic to see that acknowledged.

What do you think swayed the

judges your way? I think a

combination of things that we

have been able to put together in

the new premises. Obviously, the

commitment from our staff both in

the engine room and front of house

and the standards they set. We’ve

been able to create a culture that

encourages the best in individuals

in service of a shared ideal. That,

along with the environment we’ve

delivered, makes the whole greater

than the sum of the parts. When

we committed to the space, I

strongly believed that the market

had outgrown the traditional

“theme bar/restaurant” interior. We

took a calculated risk on letting the

style of our cuisine speak for itself

and showing some discipline and

restraint in the design. I think it’s a

SNAKE’S

ON A ROLL

The judges have spoken and

King of Snake rules! Cityscape

talks to the man behind the

magic, David Warring.

maturity in our dining experience

that people wanted, and we were

able to deliver that for them.

Winning Supreme Establishment

of the Year must seem a real

endorsement of all the changes

you have gone through at King of

Snake? Absolutely. There is always

that possibility of missing the mark

or being wrong about what you

believe people will appreciate. We

took some brave decisions in

leaving the entire King of Snake

interior themes in the past and

reinventing the brand and the

experience. It’s hugely rewarding to

know we made the right decisions.

King of Snake also won the award

for Outstanding Ambience and

Design – who gets the kudos for

that? I am lucky to have a very

talented wife, Jennifer, who has her

own architectural design company,

Studio Collective. When we took

the space, I knew we had a unique

opportunity to create a sense of

arrival and movement. That creates

confidence, a feeling of luxury and

generosity and a sense of personal

ownership. Jennifer understood my

vision and nailed it. What’s next for

King of Snake? Now it’s the

challenge that all restaurants face

– maintaining consistency and

drilling down on the details. That

process never stops and we have

some plans to develop the cuisine

and dining experience.

kingofsnake.co.nz


David at cityscape.co.nz


The hard word on Chard

Do you adore a beautiful buttery

Chardonnay, or do you want to

swish it all directly down the

drain? As it turns out, this dry

white grape is somewhat divisive.

T

IMAGE: WINEFRIEND

he WineFriend Great NZ

Wine Census shows that

Canterbury’s favourite white

wine is Chardonnay, The variety

got a quarter of the votes.

And our least favourite white

wine is… Chardonnay! More than a

quarter of Cantabrians hate it. So

what is it about Chardonnay that

gives Canterbury wine drinkers

such strong opinions?

We asked WineFriend chief

tasting officer Yvonne Lorkin, and

her answer was, well, she doesn’t

know. She’s a dyed-in-the-wool

Chardonnaylien and wants to be

embalmed in 2014 Sacred Hill

Riflemans Chardonnay when she

dies. “However some folk are very

much in the ‘I can’t stand it’ camp

and that’s fine,” she says. “It takes

all sorts, right? Perhaps they just

haven’t met the right one yet.”

POSSIBLE CULPRIT:

BAD MEMORIES

What we do know is that

Chardonnay got a sketchy

reputation somewhere along the

way, and for some people it hasn’t

recovered. The 1980s became

saturated with Chardys that were

perhaps a little over-oaked on

average. OK, a lot over-oaked.

Some tasted like biting a log, or

sipping a lightweight bourbon.

POSSIBLE CULPRIT:

CHARDONNAY STYLES

Part of the divisiveness might

come from the fact there are so

many styles of Chardonnay. They

come in classic style, dry, lemony,

oaked, unoaked, or even sparkling.

So it pays to know what you like.

Look at labels and tasting notes for

telltale signs of oakiness or

unoakiness, and particular fruity,

acidic or mineral flavours you

might like or dislike.

GETTING A STYLE YOU LIKE

Find someone you trust who

knows the styles you like and ask

them to guide you and tell you

when they come across something

they think you’ll enjoy.

IMAGE: WINEFRIEND

FOOD + DRINK

Always read the back label or

Google the wine on your phone to

check other people’s reviews.

If you buy a Chardonnay you

don’t like, make a note as to why,

and don’t assume all Chardonnay is

going to taste like that because the

bottle right next to it on the shelf

could have been perfect for you.

That’s where a WineFriend

subscription will help cut out that

risk factor because we send you

only the types of Chardonnay that

we think you’ll like.

YVONNE'S PICK OF CANTERBURY

CHARDONNAYS

• Greystone Erin’s Reserve

Waipara Chardonnay

• Pegasus Bay Waipara

Chardonnay

• The Boneline Sharkstone

Waipara Chardonnay

• Pyramid Valley North

Canterbury Chardonnay

• Bell Hill Chardonnay

• Black Estate Netherwood

Waipara Chardonnay

There are also tasty examples to be

had from Tiki, Torlesse, Waipara

Hills, Sherwood Estate, Muddy

Water and Whistling Buoy.

winefriend.co.nz


FOOD + DRINK

W

ith fishing, like a lot of

things in life, the difference

between adventure and

adversity is comfort and safety.

That’s why if you’re looking for a

fishing adventure, you should talk

to skipper Ian Croucher of Kaikōura

Fishing Charters. Ian has 35 years’

experience fishing the Kaikōura

coast and his boat, the Kai Moana,

is the most modern charter vessel

operating out of the port town.

Ian loves showing off his

backyard to visitors. Hop aboard

one of his fishing and sightseeing

trips along the stunning Kaikōura

coast. Fish for the whānau and the

freezer while enjoying some family

fun or a day out with the boys.

Ian’s calm demeanour will help

even the most nervous to relax and

enjoy the beautiful scenery of the

Kaikōura mountains and coastline.

A side trip to the area’s famous seal

colony in also on the cards.

For those hankering to go further

out after the big fish, Ian can oblige

there too. The fact that a lot of his

business is from people coming

back for more means he delivers on

both safety and adventure.

Most days Ian has trips going out

and spaces available. Over 4-6

EXPERIENCE

GIVES IAN

THE EDGE

Relax and enjoy one of skipper

Ian Croucher’s fishing and

sightseeing trips along the

stunning Kaikōura coast.

hours he can take you out to some

crayfish pots, where you will try

your luck for this Kaikōura delicacy,

then on to his special fishing spots.

There you can drop a line and

pull up a plump sea perch or

groper. Blue cod, tarakihi, Ray’s

bream and bluenose are also a

regular catch.

Tight for time? Talk to Ian about

a shorter trip.

Once you’ve caught some fish,

Ian will fillet and bag them for you,

ready for cooking. This usually

attracts a huge variety of the

seabirds that inhabit the Kaikōura

coastline, such as giant royal

albatross, mollymawks, petrels and

many others. Birdwatchers and

photographers will enjoy seeing

them taking off, soaring, landing on

the water and diving for fish.

If you prefer, you’re welcome to

catch and release.

The Kai Moana is purpose-built

and government-surveyed for 10

people, with full toilet facilities and

plenty of seating inside. She has

electronic fish-finding, GPS and

radar. Even the reels are easy to use

– they are fully electric.

Planning a stag do, boys’ day out

or team-building experience? Ian

can customise a fishing,

sightseeing or special event trip for

your group.

Bookings are essential. All trips

are subject to weather conditions.

kaikourafishingcharters.nz


FOOD + DRINK

DINING HOTSPOTS

IN THE SUBURBS

Mama San is right at

the meeting point of

Wairakei and Strowan

roads, and it’s rocking

absolutely astounding

Vietnamese and

Southeast Asian food.

If it’s Thai food you’re

looking for in

Bishopdale, then you’ll

want to try out

Aksorn’s Thai Kitchen

– run by a family of

famous Christchurch

Thai foodies.

Bomba in Lyttelton is

the closest you’ll ever

get in Aotearoa to the

traditional Italian

‘camion’ food truck

experience, with

hand-made pizzas

and gnocchi.

Mona Vale isn’t just a

beautiful spot for a stroll

by the river – it’s also

the home of Ōtautahi’s

best Sunday roast.

Seek out Nori Table at

the far end of The

Tannery. It’s straight-up

amazing stuff, with

ultra-fresh and

flavourful sushi

constantly replenished

in the self-serve cabinet.

For an à la carte

Japanese dining

experience, you’re

wanting Tomi

Japanese Restaurant

in St Albans – try the

incredible Prime Beef

Fillet Tataki.

For the full winery

restaurant experience

right on the cusp of

Christchurch, head up

the Port Hills to

Tussock Hill Vineyard.

NEW REGENT STREET

This Spanish Mission-style walkway may

be the prettiest street in Christchurch,

but its real drawcards are all the

speciality destinations packed into

its 120-metre span.

Twenty Seven Steps

New Regent Street was originally the

location of Christchurch’s Colosseum. Our

gladiators were armed with ice skates

rather than swords, but it was still pretty

cool. In the early 1930s, New Regent Street

Limited developed the street in the Spanish

Mission architecture we see today, with

stylised gables and columns. It was a

forerunner to modern malls, designed to

group several small businesses together in

a single themed development. In the ‘90s it

officially became a walking street, though

the space was to be shared with the tram.

The street was shut down after the 2011

Christchurch earthquake, but reopened in

2013 and has been going from strength to

strength ever since.

DINE // Twenty Seven Steps and Story

are the kings of cuisine on this royal street.

The former is cosy and intimate with rustic

European fare, and the latter specialises in

global cuisine made with care and

premium local ingredients. Rollickin Gelato

regularly has a queue out the door, people

waiting to try the latest exciting flavours.

For a little-known and excellent Korean

street food spot, check out New Regent

Chicken & Chips. The Nook Thai Eatery is a

little restaurant with big heart and all your

favourite street foods from pad Thai to

fried spring rolls. And then of course

there’s the Waffle Haus, serving Belgian

waffles stacked with sweet and fruity

ingredients. Technically just around the

corner, but worth a very honourable

mention, is Odeon and Francesca’s Italian

Kitchen for the best dine-in Italian cuisine.

Downstairs

IMBIBE // New Regent is Ōtautahi’s

speciality bar destination. We’re talking a

brand new ‘wine pub’ experience at

Downstairs, gin cocktail bliss at gin gin., a

whole wall of incredible whiskies at The

Last Word, Central American-style rum

house Casa Publica, and craft beer and

cocktails on point at the cosy

speakeasy-style Institution.

CAFFEINATE // There are three lovely

cafés, all in the northern half of the street.

They all offer al fresco seating, and each

has its own unique charm. Belle is the

micro roastery on the corner with a

picture-perfect à la carte menu and hot

and iced drinks. At Café Stir you’ll be

served quickly and with a smile at a sunny

outdoor table or in the iconic New Regent

interior. Coffee Lovers is a Parisian-style

café for the true coffee lover, complete

with prime people-watching location.

Belle


FOOD + DRINK

BOLINA SWEETS

INDIAN | CENTRAL CITY

This is the place to indulge your taste buds in delicious

vegetarian Indian food. The sweets menu here is

extensive and unbeatable, so if you’ve never experienced

the pleasures of traditional Indian sweets before, Bolina

Sweets will happily induct you. Try the besan laddu, or

the chef’s favourite, gulab jamun.

811 Colombo Street, 03 930 1034 bolinasweets.com

THE GELATO LAB

DESSERTS | OPAWA

If you’re hankering for the flavours of Italy, welcome to

your new happy place. The Gelato Lab’s creations are

all made on-site by Italian (or Italian-trained) gelato

chefs. You’ll find classic Italian flavours here, as well as

some with a distinctly New Zealand twist. All dietary

requirements are catered for, and the team also do a

fabulous line in Italian hot chocolate and Belgian waffles.

5/132 Opawa Road FB/TheGelatoLabNZ

KIWI SPIRIT DISTILLERY

DISTILLERY | GOLDEN BAY

This family owned and operated distillery specialises in

unique spirits handcrafted from the purest homegrown

ingredients. Living up to its name, the Delightful Dry Gin

is bursting with aromatic delights and botanicals picked

fresh from the distillery’s own grounds, including vibrant

lavender and zesty lemon.

430 Abel Tasman Drive, Golden Bay, 03 525 8575

kiwispiritdistillery.co.nz

We absolutely love all the

wonderful Christchurch

businesses – from bakeries

to bike shops, salons to

social clubs. If you’ve been

wowed by what you’ve seen

here, go check them out.

Take your friends.

Tell your local business

you saw them in

Cityscape.


FOOD + DRINK

FED BY THE MED

Fusion cuisine goes all the way back to the 14th Century

in the original melting pot of Andalusia, where Jewish,

Muslim and Christian influences combined with the

rich soils and abundant waters of this Mediterranean

territory to give the world gazpacho, calamari, chorizo

and a smorgasbord of mouth-watering tapas.

New Regent Street restaurateur Shafeeq Ismail

(pictured) of Story fame has always been inspired by

the fresh, seasonal and simple cuisine of this area of

Spain and now he is sharing the love with Christchurch

and its visitors, giving taste buds a zing at his new

establishment, Odeon.

Before coming to Ōtautahi, chef Shafeeq worked in

southern Spain and the Middle East, soaking up the

influences of the Mediterranean region along the way.

All that is celebrated in the menu and milieu of Odeon,

at the New Regent end of Gloucester Street.

You can’t talk Spanish cuisine without saluting the

rich history of wine styles from the region. Odeon’s

general manager, Loren Mitchell-Moore, is a sommelier

by profession and has put together a cellar of organic

or biodynamic wines that she has chosen to be

educative and well as enjoyable. An extensive list of

sherries is another paean to Spanish culture.

For those wanting to experience the Mediterranean

tradition of communal dining, there’s even a long table

available for private bookings. It’s called Matt’s Table in

honour of designer Matt Smith, who built it as part of

his work designing the restaurant’s interior. In keeping

with the eclectic vibe, the seating is straight from the

1950s courtesy of Ross ‘Mr Mod’ Morrison.

The relaxed style of Mediterranean hospitality means

you will feel right at home at Odeon whether you are

there for a celebration dinner of just popping in for an

Allpress coffee or a wine with friends any time

Wednesday to Monday, 9.30am to 10pm, or even later

if the mood warrants it.

Weekday lunchtimes there are hot and cold

sandwiches available or a changing lunch menu; for

dinner there is a full menu of tapas and sharing plates.

Come the weekend you can indulge in a wide selection

of brunch, lunch and dinner choices. Oh, Odeon!

odeon.co.nz

GRATER GOODS

VEGAN DELICATESSEN | SYDENHAM

Grater Goods’ kaupapa is to bring

you all the pleasures of fine foods in

plant-based gourmet deli items, in

particular luxury antipasti products

such as cured meats and soft cheeses.

It’s called Ethical Hedonism – not

having to compromise pleasures for

principles. Taking those products to

Australia is the next challenge. Flip

and the team are excited to give their

loyal customers and other supporters

of sustainability the chance to join

them on their journey. For more, go to

equitise.com/offer/grater-goods

105 Orbell Street, 027 289 9295 gratergoods.co.nz


FOOD + DRINK

BEHIND THE BAR

Abbey Curd is the bar manager and cocktail

maestro at Pink Lady Rooftop. In her seven

years in hospitality, Abbey says she’s

experienced many different venues, each

unique in their own way, however nothing

beats the Pink Lady. “The views, the intimate

setting and the endless cocktail list make it

the most unique place I’ve ever worked at,”

she says. She has a real passion for cocktails,

and while she can’t go past a classic, she has

a real talent for invention that has seen her

create some of Pink Lady’s unique signature

sips, like the Violet Sour, a marriage between

The Aviation and the Whiskey Sour. “The

need for innovation is constant,” Abbey says.

“We try to stick to seasonal ingredients and

recipes, allowing us to experiment with a

wide array of flavours.”

pinkladyrooftop.co.nz

SPRING FORWARD

Practise mindfulness in a whole new way. Leeya from Mikaku Tea

runs regular workshops to celebrate the change of season and

help guests explore themselves and wonderful teas at the same

time. Each workshop starts with a settling exercise to prepare for

intuitive tea blending, then an exploration of herbs, fruits and

flowers so each guest can create their own unique tea blend. The

workshop winds up with everyone experiencing the sensations,

taste and smell of a Mikaku Tea blend and guided meditation

session. You can also have your own Mikaku Tea experience at

home – check the website for local suppliers and online orders.

mikakutea.co.nz

MILKING IT

That blissful sip of your first weekday

morning coffee just got even better. Grain

Coffee in Southwark Street has recently

started using Canterbury’s Choice A2 milk in

its perfect brews, and it’s everything you

want it to be: smooth, creamy, easier on the

tummy… oh, and did we mention it’s super

sustainable too? It comes in glass bottles,

reducing waste in the café, and the farm is

dedicated to planet- and cow-friendly

practices, meaning no bobby calves, no palm

kernel feed and no harmful sprays. Delicious

coffee that’s better for everyone – sign us up!

graincoffee.co.nz


FOOD + DRINK

WOOF TO THAT!

Celebration is synonymous with a toast. So

why when everyone else gets a glass of

something special do our best friends miss

out? Thanks to Wigram Brewing Co, that

social dilemma is a thing of the past. Now

your good boy or girl can have a brew of

their own. Be assured – Wigram’s Dog Beer

contains no alcohol, hops or barley. No

added salt either. Right from its launch, the

brew has had a good reaction from dog

owners. Wigram co-founder Paul McGurk

says some are concerned at first about how

healthy it is. Paul is reassuring there. “It has to

be safe and it is. Mind you, how bad can it be

– they lick their own arses don’t they?”

wigrambrewing.co.nz

TRIPLE SHOT TRIPLE WINNER

Espresso Studio’s trademark

triple-shot coffees have amped up

the Canterbury Hospitality Awards

judges for the third year in a row,

giving owner Fumi (pictured) his

third gong for Outstanding Barista.

And just like last time and the time

before, he wasn’t expecting it, even

though many of the loyal customers

of his Riverside Market store were

telling him he was a shoo-in. Fumi’s

quick to share the love as well – to

his mind, it’s the quality of the

beans from Lyttelton Coffee Co.

that give him the winning edge

rather than quantity – “They just

roast their beans so well.”

FB/espressostudiobyfushoken

FLYING HIGH

With Richard Branson’s Virgin

Galactic already taking bookings

for tourist trips into space, it’s only

a matter of time before people will

be wanting a celebratory tipple up

there. Enter G.H. Mumm, which

has already revealed the first

Champagne designed for human

spaceflight, with a foam that coats

the mouth to combat the effects of

zero gravity. Fancy something a little

stronger? Scotland’s Ardbeg and

Japan’s Suntory have experimented

with sending their whiskies to space.

No word yet on cigars.


THE WINE LIST

THE CRATER RIM FROM THE

ASHES RIESLING 2020

Named for the fire that burnt the

winery to the ground in 2009,

this flaming good Riesling is

fresh and fruity as a spring berry.

thecraterrim.co.nz

PEGASUS BAY BEL CANTO

DRY RIESLING 2020

This spectacular drop is from

the Reserve range and is, quite

frankly, one of the best Rieslings

in New Zealand.

pegasusbay.com

STRAIGHT 8 ESTATE

COPPER 8 RIESLING 2020

Very well priced and something a

little different with its joyful tint.

A medium Riesling best served

fresh from the fridge.

straight8estate.co.nz

FOOD + DRINK

50 BISTRO

NEW ZEALAND | CENTRAL CITY

50 Bistro offers inspired bistro food

with modern flavours, excellent

wines and a great bar. Executive Chef

Chanaka Jayabahu leads the kitchen

team, designing seasonal menus

that utilise the best local produce.

The menu at 50 Bistro offers a large

variety of dishes, featuring classics

twisted with a unique 50 flair, and

a 100% plant-focused menu is also

available. 50 Bistro’s high teas are

perfect for a catch up with friends,

hens parties and special occasions.

The George, 50 Park Terrace, 03 371 0250 50bistro.co.nz

281 Greers Road, 03 260 1214 aksornthai.co.nz

AKSORN’S THAI KITCHEN

THAI | BISHOPDALE

This fresh and exciting Thai

restaurant is the new venture of the

family behind well-known Edgeware

restaurant Sema’s Thai Cuisine. Sema

and his daughter Aksorn have joined

forces to bring you all the traditional

Thai flavours you know and love

with a splash of unique flair. You’ll

find beloved family recipes here,

such as the special Pad Thai sauce

and the famous hot and spicy Tom

Yum Soup, as well as Aksorn’s own

signature noodle soups and plenty of

vegan and vegetarian options.

121 Blenheim Road, 03 348 4833 craftedcoffeecompany.co.nz

CRAFTED COFFEE CO.

CAFÉ | RICCARTON

This premium roaster and café makes

great coffee an art form, with several

awards to prove it. The team love to

share their knowledge, too, offering

regular barista workshops, courses

and coffee tastings to up your skills.

Both the menu and cabinet are

stacked with delicious snacks, from

hot soups and zingy salads to the

crowd favourite jalapeño sausage

rolls, as well as vegan options. The

café is now open every Saturday,

perfect for a comfort food fuel stop

on a busy weekend.


FOOD + DRINK

THE DISH

ASIAN FUSION | CENTRAL CITY

Attentive service and an inviting

atmosphere is what you’ll find at

The Dish. This sophisticated space

is open for lunch and dinner,

the perfect place to grab a meal

before going to see a show at the

Christchurch Town Hall. You’ll feel

at home as you indulge in delicious

fresh food, full of flavour and

beautifully presented. Fully licensed

with vegan and gluten free options

available, it’s the perfect spot to

create memories with friends

and family.

376 Montreal Street, 03 925 9787 thedish.co.nz

FIDDLESTICKS

RESTAURANT & BAR

NEW ZEALAND | CENTRAL CITY

Sophisticated, sociable and relaxed,

Fiddlesticks is one of the city’s best

retreats. This distinctive restaurant

and bar provides an inviting

atmosphere for whiling away some

time. Dine al fresco and watch

the street-side activity from the

sheltered courtyard, or join friends

in one of the intimate dining spaces.

The talented kitchen crew provide

delicious seasonal and local fare.

48 Worcester Boulevard, 03 365 0533 fiddlesticksbar.co.nz

FRANCESCA’S

ITALIAN KITCHEN

ITALIAN | CENTRAL CITY

Home to authentic Italian cuisine,

whether it’s woodfired pizza, fresh

hand-made gnocchi and tortelloni

or the genuine, traditional version

of your favourite Italian classic.

Enjoy pre-theatre meals and special

celebrations with a selection of

Italian and New Zealand wines.

Francesca’s new weekday lunch

menu features Italian favourites at

affordable prices, perfect for midweek

indulgence.

149 Gloucester Street, 03 374 9790 fransitalianchristchurch.nz


FOOD + DRINK

KUMO JAPANESE CUISINE

JAPANESE | ADDINGTON

Renowned for authentic and

delicious Japanese cuisine and for

being the first Japanese restaurant to

boast a sushi train in the city, Kumo

is at the forefront of Japanese dining

in Christchurch. With an assortment

of dishes on the menu, you can dine

on traditional sushi or take your pick

from the selection of main dishes as

well as highly tempting desserts.

351 Lincoln Road, 03 339 0886 kumo-cuisine.co.nz

MONA VALE

HOMESTEAD & GARDENS

RESTAURANT | FENDALTON

Order yourself a glass from Mona

Vale’s growing selection of local

wines to pair with the locally focused

menu designed by Head Chef Keshan

Sedara, or perhaps even indulge in

the Mona Vale High Tea experience.

Enjoy your meal al fresco on the

patio and soak in the surrounds of

the beautifully manicured gardens

that overlook the Avon River. A

perfect restaurant to feel relaxed

with family and friends.

40 Mona Vale Avenue, 03 341 7450, gather@monavale.nz monavale.nz

NO.4 BAR & RESTAURANT

NEW ZEALAND/COSY PUB | MERIVALE

This Merivale local has a lively

atmosphere every day of the week.

Take a seat in a candlelit corner,

pull up the couch in the library, or

celebrate with friends in one of the

covered outdoor courtyards. When

you’re comfortable, check out your

dining options. Brimming with

fresh, seasonal and locally sourced

delights, the menu has earned No.4

a legendary reputation. Drop in for

exceptionally good beer, food

and stories.

4 Mansfield Avenue, 03 355 3720 no4bar.co.nz


FOOD + DRINK

NORI TABLE

SUSHI BAR | WOOLSTON/KAIAPOI

Fabulous sushi that is as appealing

to the eye as it is to your taste buds

is what you’ll find at Nori Table. With

two beautifully modern locations

in The Tannery and Kaiapoi, Nori

Table is the ideal place to take time,

whether it’s choosing from the

incredible range of pick-your-own

sushi or enjoying a laid-back lunch

in the stylish surrounds. The huge

array of options includes vegetarian

alternatives, and Nori Table’s

takeaway containers are eco friendly.

The Tannery, 3 Garlands Road, 03 925 9027 and

178D Williams Street, Kaiapoi, 03 925 8511 noritable.co.nz

PEGASUS BAY WINERY

WINERY | AMBERLEY

Taste a large range of estate-grown

wines at Pegasus Bay’s cellar door,

open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

When you start to feel peckish,

the sophisticated Mini Deli has you

covered. Grab a handwoven basket,

choose from a range of local bites,

add a glass (or bottle!) of your

favourite drop and head out to the

gardens to find your slice of paradise

for the afternoon, or cosy up inside on

the couches by the roaring open fire.

263 Stockgrove Road, 03 314 6869, tasting@pegasusbay.com pegasusbay.com

SOUTH TOWN CLUB

CAFÉ | CENTRAL CITY

This hip spot is a champion of

understated quality, with an

ever-changing menu that offers an

original take on traditional brunch.

STC keeps it interesting through

drool-worthy menu items such as

giant cookies, Caribbean doubles,

cornbread with salted maple butter,

and breakfast dumplings. With a

collection of local suppliers providing

the very best ingredients, Coffee

Supreme in the cups and excellent

chat from the staff, you’ll find this a

hard one to stay away from.

10 Welles Street, southtownclub.co.nz


FOOD + DRINK

THE SPIRITS WORKSHOP

SPIRITS/DISTILLERY | SYDENHAM

Best known for the fabulous

Curiosity Gin and now the awardwinning

Divergence Single Malt New

Zealand Whisky, these distillers are

certainly talented artisans. Pop in to

The Spirits Workshop Distillery for a

tasting or tour where you can see the

stills, soak up the smells and enjoy

your own gin and whisky masterclass

– you’ll learn to talk the talk like a

true expert. Buy gift vouchers online

or give the friendly team a call to

book your distillery experience.

11 Sandyford Street, 021 336 416 thespiritsworkshop.co.nz

STORY

RESTAURANT | CENTRAL CITY

Located in Christchurch’s famous

Spanish Mission architecture-styled

New Regent Street, Story is a small

social hub offering exquisite culinary

fare by way of chef Shafeeq Ismail.

Inspired by global cuisine and

culture, the innovative set menu

changes daily, using local produce for

an end result that is fresh and full of

flavour. With a wine menu boasting

only local Canterbury wines, this

light and classic space is perfect for a

long, relaxed evening with friends.

8 New Regent Street, 03 261 9441 storynz.com

TASTE @ TWENTY

GOURMET FOOD STORE/CATERING |

CASHMERE

taste @ twenty stocks a tempting

array of fresh produce, Vic’s breads,

Hummingbird espresso and beans,

free-range eggs, and milk. The store

also offers its own range of pestos,

hummus, aioli, and some say the best

coffee in Christchurch. Everything is

made with love and a smile. Catering

is also available, from finger food for

your function to tasty treats for your

work shout.

20 Colombo Street, 03 982 1399 FB/tasteattwenty


FOOD + DRINK

TOMI JAPANESE

RESTAURANT

JAPANESE | ST ALBANS

Immerse yourself in some culture

from the Tomi family as you dine

on traditional Japanese cuisine.

Tomi has a wide range of Japanese

sake and a comprehensive wine list,

and offers a delicious selection of

authentic speciality Japanese dishes.

The menu boasts a range of flavour

delights, from stunning sashimi to

house-made ice cream, and the

warm ambience and gracious hosts

will keep you coming back for more.

76 Edgeware Road, 03 377 8028 tomi.co.nz

TOWN TONIC

RESTAURANT | ADDINGTON

Town Tonic is an innovative and

contemporary eatery that prides itself

on serving creative food using only

the freshest locally sourced produce.

Whether it’s for breakfast, lunch or

dinner, the bistro-style open kitchen

lets diners experience the action as

the culinary team work their magic.

The food is complemented by an

extensive list of fine wines, craft beer,

delicious cocktails and a dedicated

gin menu with over 20 different

drops to choose from.

335 Lincoln Road, 03 338 1150 towntonic.com, IG/towntonic_

TWENTY SEVEN STEPS

EUROPEAN | CENTRAL CITY

Serving dinner, drinks and love

on New Regent Street since 2015,

Twenty Seven Steps now introduces

Downstairs, a wine bar underneath

the popular restaurant. Here you can

try a slow braise or one of the 40

glass pours with a side of chips, while

upstairs you can indulge in rustic,

Euro-inspired fare like fillet steak and

crème brûlée. The restaurant is open

Tuesday-Saturday from 5pm, while

Downstairs is open Wednesday-

Saturday from 4pm, and Sundays

from 2pm.

16 New Regent Street, 03 366 2727 twentysevensteps.co.nz


THE LAST WORD

Success over excess

How can we survive the celebration season without undoing a year’s worth

of healthy living and exercise? Bevan James Eyles has some tips.

W

e’ve got to think

about our

approach to the

holiday period.

Unfortunately for a lot of

people they think

because it’s my holiday I

get to drink every night, I

get to eat a bit more and

so on. We want to

remove ourselves from

this idea. I had a client

who put on 10kg during

the three or four weeks of

the holiday period. That’s

a massive cost. It took

him several months to

get back to fitness.

We need an attitude of

this being a maintenance

period with moments of

excess. For most people

the holiday period is not

a time when we are aiming to get

fit. Instead, we want to add the

least cost for this period. Instead of

lots of drinking, eating excessively

and so on you might say that two

nights a week I will have that

excess but outside of that I want to

stay within healthy criteria.

It’s really challenging because

often on holiday we live a

smorgasbord lifestyle. Eating is all

over the place. We go back for

seconds and go back for thirds.

Think about putting a strategy in

place. Make sure you are the last to

fill up your plate, and then when

you are finished put your plate

away. This will mean you don’t get

to that excessive place.

One thing we have during

holidays is that we are time-rich. So

if you don’t do any exercise, this is

a time when you can. It doesn’t

have to be crazy, just every day

maybe go for a walk. You can

‘One good idea is to

create a holiday

fitness challenge.’

embrace nature and your

surroundings. The key thing is just

get out there and move. Do that

over the summer period and then

see how you can keep it in place

once you come back to work.

One good idea is to create a

holiday fitness challenge. Runners,

for example, can look at a

three-level challenge.

Level one is to run 20

kilometres a week, level

two is 40 kilometres and

level three is 60. Choose

the level you want and

then run that distance

over seven days. Mix it

up. If you choose level

one, get there with a 10k

run and two 5k runs.

Make it work in a way

that fits for you.

If your exercise routine

is more gym-based, you

won’t have the

equipment but again you

can put some kind of

challenge in place. For

example, say to yourself

“I’m away for three weeks

so over that time I’m

going to try to do 2000 press-ups,

2000 burpees, 2000 squats, 2000

sit-ups.” Like the running challenge,

you get a lot of freedom over when

you do this so it’s still exciting. And

at the end of your holiday you have

maintained a base level.

What I find good is to

understand the ‘why’ of your

holiday. For me, it’s to unwind and

recharge. During the year I am up

early every morning so on holiday I

sleep in every morning. That’s a

real treat for me. My ‘why’ is to

unwind, have some cool

experiences and enjoy

reconnecting. Yours will be

different to mine. You just need to

find it for yourself.

Christchurch fitness coach Bevan

James Eyles is the author of I Will

Make You Passionate About

Exercise (Mary Egan Publishing).


Cityscape Issue 109

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