NOVEMBER' 12 - PONSONBY NEWS

+ PUBLISHED FRIDAY 2 NOVEMBER, 2012 Established: OCTOBER 1989 – CELEBRATING 23 YEARS OF PUBLISHING HISTORY!

NOVEMBER 2012 | www.ponsonbynews.co.nz

LUCY’S MAKING WHOOPIE IN WEST LYNN There’s a little shop on Hakanoa Street selling unique sweet treats that owner and baker Lucy Stuart makes on site. Originally they were made by Amish women for their husbands who would cry whoopie when they opened their lunch boxes, or so the story goes. Because the icing is on the inside, they wrap and travel really well and can be filled with any flavour.

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PONSONBY JEWELLERS: ‘What we’d give for Christmas’

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WHAT’S INSIDE THIS MONTH 034

West Lynn, aka Richmond village 044

photography: Frances Carter

photography: Michael McClintock

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006 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 007 FROM THE PUBLISHING TEAM 008 DAVID HARTNELL: ONE MINUTE INTERVIEW

010 SHALE CHAMBERS:

WAITEMATA LOCAL BOARD

012 PIPPA COOM: GREY LYNN 2030 014 JACINDA ARDERN: LABOUR LIST MP AUCKLAND

015 K’ROAD BUSINESS ASSOCIATION 016 NIKKI KAYE, AUCKLAND CENTRAL MP 022 JOHN ELLIOTT: SOAPBOX 028 JAY PLATT: WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT 030 FASHION + STYLE

034 CHRISTMAS JEWELLERY 038 ANGELA LASSIG: LETTERS FROM MAUDIE 040 PONSONBY NEWS READERS ARE EVERYWHERE

044 WEST LYNN: RICHMOND VILLAGE 050 EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY 060 LAURAINE JACOBS 062 LANI LOPEZ: ON HEALTHY LIVING 064 HELENE RAVLICH: NATURAL BEAUTY 065 LIVING, THINKING + BEING 068 JOHN APPLETON ON HEALTH 080 SIDELINE WITH GEORGE BERRY 082 FUTURE GENERATION

022 087 HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS 102 STREET NAMES 106 THE BOYS BOOK CLUB 110 FIONNA HILL: PONSONBY GARDENER 117 PONSONBY PEOPLE & THEIR PETS 119 ARTS + CULTURE 130 PONSONBY PINK PAGES COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: Michael McClintock

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photography: John Elliott

Above: P030 DORIS DE PONT on the ARRANGE fashion show at Flagship Studios, Grey Lynn; P034 PONSONBY JEWELLERS: ‘What we’d give for Christmas’; P044 We love the community-mindedness of WEST LYNN, aka RICHMOND VILLAGE; P022 Mrs Woo, the owner of the Erawan Thai villa, sadly has plans to demolish it!

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FORTY YEARS OF DEDICATION TO ST MARY’S BAY Tony Skelton is obviously an excellent bloke, however, on the subject of cycling he is way off beam. I am nearly 70 and have been bike commuting for the past 30 years in Auckland. Cycling in the city is now going off! Every week I see more cyclists of all types and ages. Particularly good for the older cyclist is the folding bike – in case of rain, or too tired to go back up the hill, just fold your bike, get out your Gold Card and catch the bus! And what about electric bikes? A fantastic way to get around the city and there are many good models to choose from.

CORRECTION - THE OLDEST LAWN TENNIS CLUB IN THE COUNTRY Congratulations again on an excellent October edition of the Ponsonby News. I felt it important that I draw your attention to a small issue in George Berry’s article on page 83 regarding The West End Cup. In the article George refers to West End being, “the oldest lawn tennis club in the country”. Unfortunately this is not true as the Parnell Lawn Tennis Club is not only the oldest club in the country, but the second oldest tennis club in the world having been established in 1872. Older than Wimbledon.

Tony should start thinking about a future without cheap oil. Of course pedestrians and cyclists should be able to use the bridge. His barge idea will sink without trace.

BARBARA GRACE, Grey Lynn

Other than that it is great to see Justin and his team creating an innovative and great tennis tournament. On behalf of the Parnell Lawn Tennis Club we wish all those concerned all the best for the West End Cup. PAUL HARVEY, President Parnell Lawn Tennis Club

BUNNINGS - GREY LYNN RESOURCE CONSENT A resource consent for Bunnings has been approved to operate on the old Summit site in Grey Lynn. When looking at the consent which seems to have not been a notified application, we note Karl Hancock has given approval under discretionary approval status for the requirement to provide 213 car spaces, to be reduced to just 79 spaces, a shortfall of 134 spaces.

Wish you weren’t here!

The argument for this being ‘there is sufficient public parking in the surrounding road network to accommodate the peak parking demand proposed, such that any effect on the public parking in the area will be less than minor.’ I would suggest that Karl Hancock spends a day on Great North Road to see what spaces are left in the ‘surrounding road network’ that would allow more cars to park and make visits to the megastore.

For instance, one side of the road is a clearway from 7am – 9am, and the side, which the proposed new store is on, is also a clearway from 4pm – 6pm. Outside of these hours there are approximately 20 spaces on Great North Road within the vicinity of this address. The surrounding side streets of Dean, Beaconsfield, Grosvenor, Ariki and Bond Streets are full with either commuters or residents, or local workers and there is no space left at all during these operating times.

Parking at present is at a premium, and local shop owners, shoppers and workers often have to walk long distances, to get where they need to go. Great North Road is an extremely busy road at most times of the day; the traffic congestion from cars turning in and out of these driveways is going to be hugely disruptive to moving traffic.

How this consent was approved purely on the traffic restrictions it will incur is beyond belief. Furthermore, how can council allow this type of development of huge windowless buildings with large car parks infringing onto our pathways to proceed? This is a ridgeline carriageway, with newly planted trees, a mix of residential developments and strip shopping which is becoming one of the preferred locations to move to and live in.

Megastore such as these need to be located in industrial and commercial areas, which are designed for this type of activity. The residents of Dean Street are extremely concerned about their rights to peace and quiet being disturbed seven days a week – 8am to 5pm.

We understand Bunnings are in discussion to increase the site right through to the Bond Street intersection and have already purchased other buildings or are in the process of trying to purchase the remainder of the buildings along this strip so they can expand their empire once they get a foot in the door.

We would strongly urge the council to ensure this application will be notified so that the residents and public of Auckland and in particular Grey Lynn, will have a voice as to whether or not they wish to see this type of development taking place on one of our arterial routes. DON HASTILOW, Grey Lynn

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A VERY ELEGANT YOUNG LADY (an expat no less) IN NEW SOUTH WALES enjoys a back issue of Ponsonby News! Our facebook friend Darian Zam tells us, “It’s quite a rough life for us ex-pat pioneers on the south coast of NSW. Yet, we see no reason not to make an effort to be elegant, refined and ladylike by reading the Ponsonby News religiously.” Darian, you have the look of a young Queen Mother about you, but where is the corgi? PN

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FROM THE PUBLISHING TEAM

CONGRATULATIONS TO TWO LOCAL GREY LYNN BUSINESSES WHO EACH won accolades recently in the Northern Regional ‘Sustainable Business’ awards – Kokako, a coffee roaster and café won the ‘Small Business Trailblazer’ award for being consistent, visible and for their committed approach to organics, Fair Trade and ethically sourced products. photography: Jane Blundell @ kloser

Raw Essentials, a pet food business located near our office in West Lynn, won the ‘Emerging Small Business’ award. They were praised for their big picture thinking on pet ownership and working towards a sustainable pet food industry both within New Zealand and also globally.

THIS ISSUE FOCUSES A LITTLE ON WEST LYNN, AKA RICHMOND VILLAGE by the locals. John Elliott interviewed Hoani Heremaia, the local organic butcher who sadly closed his doors last month. His departure brings to an end 117 years of continuous butcheries at that site. A new bar will be opening shortly.

Just along from our offices the Grey Lynn Farmers Market is leading the way to become New Zealand’s first zero waste farmers market with a range of innovative approaches aimed at reducing, reusing and recycling the waste that is created at the Market.

“We are seeking creative solutions to combat our growing rubbish problem, by giving shoppers the opportunity to bring back unwanted items, reuse packaging that is normally thrown away, and by offering alternatives to plastic bags and composting all our organic waste” says market manager Charlotte Gordon.

The project started with a popular ‘bring it back’ depot, where items can be dropped off or taken away, such as egg cartons, glass jars, takeaway containers and plastic bags similar to a small-scale resource recovery centre in our neighbourhood.

In November the market will be launched as officially Zero Waste with a series of Zero Waste events including a ‘make your own lovenotes’ workshop to create hand designed stationery from waste paper, a composting workshop by Kaipatiki Project, a zero waste cooking class where 2012 chef of the year David Schofield will present how to use up food like old veggies and bread, that often gets wasted. There will also be a talk by Waveney Warth on her ‘rubbish free year’.

DIARY DATE: Grey Lynn Festival, Saturday 17 November.

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JAY PLATT, MARTIN LEACH, JULIE ROULSTON + JO BARRETT AS CHRISTMAS IS LOOMING, OUR COLLEAGUES JAY PLATT AND JULIE Roulston have included some suggestions for gifts and jewellery which we hope are helpful when thinking of Christmas shopping.

ART IN THE DARK IS ON AGAIN NEXT WEEK AND IS RUN BY A TEAM OF young professionals in Western Park, 9 - 10 November. Art in the Dark is more than just pretty light installations. It is a platform for emerging artists to be placed alongside established artists. This event allows the community to come together to celebrate beautiful artwork in a beautiful space for free.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A BIT OF FUN AND BE PART OF SAFE, THE animal welfare charity’s ‘Go Veg’ campaign? Why not challenge your friends, colleagues or family to become vegetarian for 30 days? They’ve dubbed it the ‘Eat like a Genius Diet’ as so many famous minds have been fuelled by a vegetarian diet. www.goveg.kiwi.nz FINALLY, AFTER MORE THAN SIX YEARS AT THE PONSONBY BUSINESS Association we say a sad farewell to Gail Wright-St Clair. She is leaving to spend some time up north enjoying the summer and doing some renovations to their home on the beach at Kerikeri. PN

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DAVID HARTNELL’S ONE MINUTE INTERVIEW WITH KATE SIMMONDS Kate Simmonds is a local resident and a senior publicist for Elephant publicity, and in my estimation is one of the best publicists in the business.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT PONSONBY? The fact that there are so many fab shops, restaurants, cafes, parks, beaches all in walking distance from my house. All I need are my feet to get me there. I’ve lived on and off here for the last seven years (Europe stole me for three years).

IF YOU HADN’T GONE INTO PR AS A PROFESSION WHICH OTHER CAREER WOULD YOU HAVE SELECTED? I trained at Unitec Performing Arts School with stars in my eyes... I soon realised that I’m a routine girl and couldn’t handle waiting around for the next role to come my way.

I didn’t want to leave the arts so when Michelle Lafferty from Elephant PR took a chance on me I wasn’t going to say no! And you know what? I love it.

HANDSHAKE, HUG OR CHEEK-KISS KIND OF GAL? I’ll shake your hand; pull you in for a hug, while kissing your cheek on the way.

THE MOST ANNOYING CELEBRITY TODAY? The fame chasers.

DO YOU READ GOSSIP COLUMNS? Absolutely, however... I tend to take them with a grain of salt. Since working in PR I’ve seen first-hand some of the false stories (good and bad) that have been made up about ‘famous’ people. Don’t believe everything you read! Be smart about it.

COMFORT FOOD? Ross Hamilton’s Chicky Pie followed by his self saucing pudding. Best flatmate a gal could ask for.

SOMETHING YOU REALLY DISAPPROVE OF? Fellow drivers not giving the wave of thanks on John Street – it only takes a second.

FAVOURITE NEW ZEALANDER? The Goodnight Kiwi – where did he go?

FAVOURITE TIME OF THE DAY? Walking to work with my flatmate Ross, grabbing a Trade Aid coffee and giggling like school girls all the way to our respective offices.

THE BIGGEST CHANGES IN PR OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS? The arts pages – during the recession they were the first thing that was cut. And now, it’s the move to social media – it’s happening people.

FAVOURITE FICTION HERO? Dr. Sam Beckett of Quantum Leap.

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOURSELF WHAT WOULD IT BE? Accepting that to fail is okay – it’s how you learn.

WHICH TALENT WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO HAVE? All that comes with being a musician. Singing, playing an instrument, writing hit songs.

The lot.

WHICH LIVING PERSON DO YOU MOST ADMIRE? Those who have continued to march to the beat of their own drum, no matter how many times they were told to change the rhythm.

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO DIE? Dancing to the sound of laughter.

THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW? That everything feels right.

WHOSE GREATEST HITS WOULD YOU TAKE TO A DESERT ISLAND? One of the hardest questions to answer. Music is one of my vices. Right now? Sixto Rodriguez. If there’s one documentary to see this year, it’s ‘Searching For Sugarman’.

The man could have been bigger than Bob Dylan.

WHAT GIZMO CAN YOU NOT LIVE WITHOUT? My clothes de-piller. Now, when some of my fave jumpers get a bit ‘pilly’, I just shave them.

LAST TIME YOU TURNED OFF YOUR CELL PHONE? Woah, woah, woah... there’s an off button?

YOUR GREATEST INDULGENCE? Online shopping.

IF YOU WON A MILLION DOLLARS WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU WOULD DO? Self combust. After gathering myself up, I’d skip along Ponsonby Road stopping in at all my faves ending up at Flotsam & Jetsam to see Cameron (and purchasing anything I want, because I could).

FAVOURITE SEASON? Summer. Although...seems someone forgot to invite her last year. Hope they’ve sent her a reminder for 2013.

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU? Happy clients.

ANY RECURRING DREAMS? Do daydreams count? If so, ALL THE TIME.

WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE? You get into the After Party. I better be on that guest list.

YOUR DREAM GUEST LIST FOR A DINNER PARTY? The Black Keys, The Beatles, Louis CK, Jamie Oliver, Heston Blumenthal, Ricky Gervais and Annie Leibovitz. There’d be laughs, music, great food, and photographic evidence – and best of all, I wouldn’t have to do a thing.

SOMETHING PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU? I have a tattoo on the sole of each foot.

DESCRIBE YOUR FIRST PET? Max the Australian Burmese cat. The stockiest cat I’ve ever seen. RIP.

IDEA OF PERFECT HAPPINESS? Being in love. (Naw)

HOW DO YOU TAKE YOUR COFFEE? Flat white, one sugar. I’ll get the next round.

GREATEST FEAR? Great white sharks. Although – saying that, I’d love to get into one of those shark cages to have a ‘close encounter’...I know, even I don’t understand it myself.

TRAVEL LIGHT OR HEAVY? I’ll let the suitcase with all the ‘heavy’ tags speak for itself.

(DAVID HARTNELL) PN

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CHAIR’S WAITEMATA LOCAL BOARD REPORT: SHALE CHAMBERS ONE OF THE BIGGEST TASKS OF THE ‘SUPER-CITY’ WAS ALWAYS GOING to be trying to join together all the District Plans into one coherent and cohesive document, the Unitary Plan. It is a huge challenge for politicians, communities, residents, businesses and planners alike.

Our communities here in Waitemata were engaged in shaping the Auckland Plan over the last two years and our board is strongly supportive of its key priority of a compact city and our own priority of “a distinctive, high-quality built environment that embraces its heritage”. The challenge of achieving a compact city for the inner city communities is this must be achieved whilst protecting the city’s environment, character and heritage.

Three months ago the council asked me to represent the Isthmus Local Boards on the Political Working Party on the Unitary Plan and I have focused on getting community input at this preliminary stage right. Our local board held two lively meetings with some community and heritage groups to get their high level preliminary ideas and input last month, and the board has been meeting groups who individually request a further discussion with us.

With board members Christopher Dempsey and Tricia Reade, our Heritage, Urban Design and Planning portfolio holders we have also had ongoing discussions with a number of groups on local issues. We are committed to working for and alongside our communities to create the best possible outcomes for our area, and the city.

can be completed in about three years after being formally notified, but preserving parties rights to be heard and effect changes to the draft plan, which inevitably will not get everything right.

The initial draft will be bought out in March with an extensive engagement with our neighbourhoods and community groups until May. That feedback will be used to shape the proposed plan which will be notified in September.

The proposed plan will go to an independent hearings panel similar to a board of inquiry, to hear submissions and make recommendations back to council.

One thorny issue hotly debated has been whether the Unitary Plan should apply, or be what is termed ‘operative’ right from the time it is notified next September, and before any hearings and appeals process.

My main reservation is that two Christchurch MPs, the Ministers for the Environment and Conservation will appoint the panel and Council and your elected representatives will have no say over the appointments.

Some argue it may be seven to ten years before the Unitary Plan gets finalised in the Environment Court and that the commercial and legal uncertainty to those in the house and building construction industry will hold Auckland back.

Local councils in New Zealand have always made plan change decisions, and in the main it is the democratically elected representatives of the local people who hear what thousands of people want and think for their city during the hearings process, and then make the decisions. Local representatives’ best know their communities and the balance that has to be got right for the future of their environment, maunga, villages, towns, and cities.

Others argue that property owners and other groups should retain the legal right make challenges through the Environment Court system, no matter how long that process takes, but also argue that the appeal process will be much shorter than is claimed.

Some will recall Plan Change 163 which sought to give greater protection to Residential 1 and 2 character homes, many of which are here in our wonderful suburbs. It was notified mid-2005 and has yet to be finalised through the Environment Court because of all the legal challenges by Remuera lawyers and character house demolition companies to that plan change. By comparison to the Unitary Plan, that was a very tiny plan change and seven years has gone by with no certainty.

Last month the Government brought down a compromise decision for a legislative change, which I think mostly strikes a better balance. It speeds up the implementation of the Unitary Plan with a streamlined process, so that the process

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High Court judges certainly know about property rights, and that is only one factor in the mix when considering the future growth of Auckland. While Auckland council still gets to accept the decisions of the hearings commissioners and make the plan operative, if it rejects any recommendations those elements it does not accept are subject to full appeal to the Environment Court. Government appointed commissioners are making all the critical decisions on how our communities will be shaped for the next 20 years rather than the local representatives you elected. That needs to be changed.

Enjoy all the festivals, fireworks, fun and feasting November brings.

(SHALE CHAMBERS) PN Contact me: shale.chambers@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

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PIPPA COOM GREY LYNN 2030 NEWS

ZERO WASTE NOVEMBER AT THE GREY LYNN FARMERS’ MARKET Since the Grey Lynn Farmers’ Market was started as one of Grey Lynn 2030’s first community projects in September 2009 it has been a goal for the market to generate zero waste. We want to lead the way for farmers markets in New Zealand by creating as little waste to landfill as possible.

We already have a ‘bring it back’ reuse depot, where people can pick up or drop off glass jars, seedling punnets, take away containers and egg cartons. We have our ‘grab a bag’ bin, for all those who have forgotten to bring a shopping bag. We are also composting all our coffee, juice cups and plates used during market hours, thanks to We Compost.

The next stage is for all stallholder packaging to be either recyclable, bio-degradable or compostable. In November we officially launch our market as zero waste and celebrate with a series of events.

OUR RUBBISH FREE YEAR – SUNDAY 4 NOVEMBER Local couple Matthew Luxon and Waveney Warth will talk about their year of living rubbish free. In 2008 they succeeded in creating only one supermarket bag of waste to landfill. Matthew and Waveney will tell their story of living rubbish free and share the trials and treasures of the experience. They will also give their insights into what ordinary people can make to minimise waste in our lives.

CREATE YOUR OWN LOVE NOTES WORKSHOP - SUNDAY 11 NOVEMBER An incredible opportunity to turn waste paper into beautiful note pads and writing books in this special one-off workshop, run by Lovenotes. Participants will bring along 100 sheets of waste paper and create four notebooks and exercise books, all professionally bound and with their own unique cover design. There will be an old-fashioned letterpress and stencilling tools to create really special and uniquely designed stationery. This workshop costs $30, which covers binding costs, use of letterpress and refreshments. Registration essential.

CREATE YOUR OWN EDEN COMPOSTING WORKSHOP – SUNDAY 18 NOVEMBER This Kaipatiki Project course offers an introduction to the three basic composting systems, which can be used in the home and garden: traditional bins, bokashi buckets and worm farms. Not only is this workshop free but all participants receive a $46 discount for purchasing a composting system.

THE ZERO WASTE COOKING CLASS WITH CHEF DAVID SCHOFIELD – SUNDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2011 and 2012 Chef of the Year David Schofield will teach us how to be less wasteful with food with some basic cooking tips and recipes for the food we normally throw away, such as cooked rice, stale bread and old vegetables. David will be at the market, demonstrating his cooking in an outdoor kitchen.

The last market of the month is now at the law centre car park at 449 Richmond Road as part of Last Sundays in West Lynn featuring the market, Car Boot Sale on at the RSC car park and Kraftbomb.

Check out our website for details and start times. www.glfm.co.nz (PIPPA COOM) PN

SUSTAINABLE POP-UP CITY – DISCOVER 121 EASY WAYS TO LIVE WELL Popping up for three days on Auckland’s waterfront, the Sustainable City Showcase will take visitors on a tour of what it is like to live and work sustainably. Visitors will be able to glimpse the way the future is heading with the latest in electric cars and 121 sustainable solutions on show. Be inspired by talks, engage in interactive workshops and forums, and learn about emerging technologies. If all that tires you out, enjoy discovering delicious organic and sustainable cuisine in the café and food zone.

Businesses take centre stage on Thursday with the Sustainable Business Power Sessions from 12pm culminating in the NZI National Sustainable Business Network Awards, a fun night of entertainment and delicious organic food and drink, where the best in sustainable business will be celebrated.

On Friday night at 6pm you can indulge in New Zealand’s first ethical fashion show with designers Miranda Brown, We’Ar, Starfish, and Nature Baby. This will be a very different show to anything you have seen with ‘Greendrinks’ to kick it off, George FM powering up the music and a catwalk you’ll have never seen before. There will be children’s entertainment on Saturday, making it a perfect day out for the whole family. At 11am you can participate in a Carrotmob which is a new movement born out of conscious consumerism. For every item that is purchased between 11am – 2pm on Saturday 24 November, participating businesses will donate a proportion of their takings to Garden to Table, an organisation that teaches children to grow their own food.

Visitors to the sustainable city can walk through a buzzing marketplace arranged into different zones of the city – office spaces, home and lifestyle, fashion, transport, cafés and entertainment, and experience everyday sustainable solutions. The Sustainable City Showcase, which is organised by the Sustainable Business Network, and supported by Waterfront Auckland, Principal Partner Meridian Energy and Presenting Partner Green Ideas, is open to the public and entry is free*. *Tickets must be purchased for the Ethical Fashion Show and NZI National SBN Awards Evening www.sustainablecity.org.nz PN

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GREY LYNN COMMUNITY GARDENS FUNDRAISER Grey Lynn Community Gardens in Surrey Crescent survive successfully on very few funds but they need a little boost for spring. They are having a fundraising table at the Grey Lynn Farmers Market on Sunday 11 November from 9am - 12.30pm.

photography: Fionna Hill

They’ll be selling edibles seedlings from their organic gardens including some unusual edibles and they’ll man the stall to explain what the goodies are and how to grow them; saved seeds from the gardens and some of the super produce that you may have seen before on the trading table plus some suggested recipes.

(FIONNA HILL) PN

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JACINDA ARDERN

LABOUR LIST MP AUCKLAND

The Prime Minister, John Key, wrote a letter recently, asking employers to consider hiring a young person on an unemployment benefit who had successfully completed a six week training course.

and victims. As Kiwis, we’ve added our own words to the lexicon. Among the 11 words and expressions used only in this country to describe social services - as identified in the annual journal NZ Words - is the term ‘benny- bashing’.

Almost as soon as the postage stamp had been applied, Paula Bennett was trumpeting her latest welfare reforms. Ask any Kiwi what they know about those reforms and they’ll probably reel off a list - drug testing, cancelling a person’s benefit if there’s a warrant out for their arrest, extending sanctions for people turning down work, and cutting benefits of parents who don’t have their children in school or early childhood education or haven’t enrolled them with a GP.

Of course there will be those asking whether, in the scheme of things, perception matters. It does, absolutely, and not only because it’s unfair, but because it is completely counterproductive.

Notice the contradiction? On the same day Ms Bennett was ramping up tried and true welfare mantras, the Prime Minister was pleading with employers to take on the very people the Government was categorising as drug taking criminals who don’t look after their kids.

We’ve now reached a point where we have made it almost too difficult to achieve what is, by and large, a shared goal across the political spectrum. The majority of politicians, like the majority of New Zealanders, want to see people assisted in to the dignity of work. We differ on how we get there, and that’s largely because some are willing to throw more punches along the way in the hope of gaining some extra votes. But ultimately our goal is still the same.

It’s a political phenomenon that is not unique to us. Ronald Reagan coined the term “welfare queen” in his 1976 US presidential campaign to describe women who misused the system, while Mitt Romney’s recent “47 per cent” label branded millions as loafers

Over 80 per cent of people receiving the unemployment benefit do so for less than a year. People want to work, but to work, we need jobs. As economist Gareth Morgan noted recently: “The numbers on benefits move in line with business cycles. When the economy is growing and employers are short-staffed beneficiaries go to work.”

No-one is denying that there is a very small group who take advantage of our social security system, undermining it for those who genuinely need it. But it is not the norm, and nor will it be solved by simplistic policy responses. Meanwhile tagging everyone who receives some sort of government support with a label means missing the bigger picture altogether, and wasting money in the process.

We have never treated every taxpayer as though they are, by default, a tax avoider.

To do so would suck up huge amounts of time and money, resources that could be better spent on other things. Yet we are content to do it when it comes to welfare.

It’s time we called time on the politicking, treated people fairly, and just started doing what’s right, and what works. PN JACINDA ARDERN, Labour List MP based in Auckland Central www.jacinda.co.nz

Pictured left: Labour Party leader DAVID SHEARER cutting the 10th anniversary cake with RECREATE NZ founders CAROL CHOUHFEH and JOY WELLS. Pictured right: Labour Party leader DAVID SHEARER joins RECREATE NZ kids in celebrating 10 years of the charity.

NEW DECADE BEGINS WITH NEW PREMISES FOR RECREATE NZ AUCKLAND KIDS WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND TIME WITH Labour Party leader David Shearer when he made a special appearance for children and young adults with disabilities last month. Held at their new premises at St Columba Church Hall in Grey Lynn, Recreate NZ hosted an event to mark 10 years of providing quality programmes and services to youth with disabilities.

Recreate NZ Chairman Andrew Olsen said moving to a new location seemed like the perfect way to celebrate a decade of Recreate NZ. “We are very excited to become part of the Grey Lynn community, establish links with local businesses and work towards our ultimate goal of becoming an economically sustainable organisation,” he said.

The move to the central suburb has been welcomed by all those involved with the not-for-profit organisation, considering it as a vital step in the right direction. “As this is Recreate’s first permanent location it makes it easier for those in the central, western areas and the North Shore. We now also have the chance to expand our range of programmes to include life skills training and respite care services,” said Mr Olsen.

The highlight of the event was singer Josh Leys; an up and coming New Zealand musician who has performed at Big Day Out shows, opened for local band Opshop

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and toured around the country with musician Dane Rumble. Local businesses Ripe Deli and Party Hire Auckland also supported the event by providing catering and equipment.

Recreate NZ is a charitable organisation committed to enhancing the intellectual, social, emotional and physical development and independence of individuals aged 9-24 years with disabilities. This is achieved through providing over 150 adventure, recreational and social programmes every year in Auckland and Christchurch.

The charity provides a challenging yet safe and supportive environment where self esteem and independence are the core focus. The services also help in preventing isolation of disabled teenagers, encouraging behavioural improvement with peers and the community as a whole.

Recreate NZ is located at 92 Surrey Crescent, in the same area as the Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre and The Southern Stars Charitable Trust.

For more information visit www.recreate.org.nz or visit the Facebook page – keyword search ‘Recreate NZ’. PN PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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NIKKI KAYE: AUCKLAND CENTRAL MP

BETTER PROTECTING OUR COUNTRY’S MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN BEING A CONSTITUENCY MP HAS GIVEN ME A HUGE INSIGHT INTO MANY different families and walks of life. I often say to people that the privilege of my job is that I get to see the best of New Zealand but sadly sometimes I also see the worst of our country.

Each week I meet some pretty inspiring people - you will not necessarily read about them on the front page of the paper but nestled within our community are some extraordinary and compassionate people who dedicate their lives to helping others.

The downside of my job is that I also do see cases through my office where people have done some pretty horrific things and sadly their families are often their first victims.

The harsh reality is that in the last five years, over 50 children in our country have died as a result of serious abuse or neglect – often by the hands of those who should have been protecting them. We know many of the faces and names of these children, and we know that many more children suffer abuse and neglect behind closed doors.

The package also includes greater investment in specialist trained caregivers for high needs and high-risk teens. The system will also screen people working directly with children through a legislated vetting process and we will encourage social workers to register with the Social Workers Registration Board. We will introduce tough new restrictions for abusers through child abuse prevention orders to allow judges to stop child abusers from gaining access to children.

Often we use the analogy of a safety net to protect our most vulnerable. Many of these White Paper initiatives are intertwined and together each strand will help to try to weave a better system. We must deliver a system that ensures more of these children are placed in loving and safe homes and in the saddest cases we literally help save the lives of our most vulnerable children. (NIKKI KAYE, AUCKLAND CENTRAL MP) www.nikkikaye.co.nz

While I believe in personal responsibility and that those people who abuse or neglect children are ultimately responsible. In many of these cases, a range of people all held some information about a child or a situation. Too often, however, these pieces of information remained separate. Had they been put together, we may have been able to better help these children. Knowing all this, we are determined to change how we deal with these cases to better protect some of our country’s most vulnerable children.

There are many pieces of work happening across government targeting disadvantaged children and their families including welfare reform, greater investments in housing, health and education. However, in the last few weeks we released the White Paper which focuses on our most vulnerable children who are at risk of abuse and neglect.

This is the most significant piece of work to advance child protection measures that our country has ever undertaken. It is the result of months of research, discussion and policy development, based on almost 10,000 public submissions – including over 2,000 submissions from children. The White Paper identifies over 30 initiatives targeting resources, interventions, and support to vulnerable children.

Initiatives include new legislation focused on greater accountability by making the chief executives of government departments jointly responsible for achieving results for all vulnerable children. A new Child Protect phone line will serve as the first point of contact where people are concerned about a child’s wellbeing, and will also triage calls to ensure the right response for each case.

You will no doubt be aware of the recent independent investigation into Work and Income computer systems to give people assurances that security is robust and private information is safe. While I believe it is totally unacceptable for information of this nature to have been accessible, in my view that situation should not deter us from implementing future systems that better enable us to protect our most vulnerable children.

The new Vulnerable Kids Information System will be focused on holding all relevant information on vulnerable children in one place enabling us to be able to build a clear and comprehensive picture of a child, and what is happening to them.

It is very significant that we intend to provide on-going support for families who take in a child. We will also be reviewing the Child, Youth and Families complaints process and parental leave provisions, with a view to extending these to families who take in a child permanently.

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LOCAL NEWS: DEIRDRE TOHILL 9

THE PULL OF HOME RUSS FLATT IS NO STRANGER TO other climes. His British father was in the air force and the family lived in Singapore when Russ was born. They later moved to Christchurch, then to Auckland where Russ received the rest of his schooling at Rosmini College. By the time he turned 23 he was ‘outa here’, first to Sydney for a couple of years then on to London, the mecca for many young New Zealanders with itchy feet, and the city where Russ found his calling. He wanted to become a photographer but at the age of 24 he was a late starter. Already employed in the fashion industry, he started going to night classes at the London College of Printing as well as enrolling for a foundation degree in art and design. But New York’s siren call beckoned and having good contacts there, he left and immersed himself in a city of which Walt Whitman has said, “There is no place like it, no place with an atom of its glory, pride and exultancy.”

Russ arrived there before 9/11 while America was still in exultant mood. He kept learning his trade by assisting photographers, which involved lots of travel to all sorts of exotic places. Working with the eminent celebrity portrait photographer, Brigitte Lacombe, who is French but resides in New York, was a great opportunity. She regularly contributes to Vanity Fair, the New Yorker, German Vogue and many other prestigious publications. Russ assisted her shooting movie trailers and was inspired by the way she photographed young actors, establishing friendships and trust as she followed them through their careers. Assisting people like Brigitte pulled him into situations he’d never have access to as a young photographer still finding his way.

By 2000 he was ready to branch out and establish himself as a freelance photographer.

It was slow at first then he landed a job shooting a cover for San Francisco’s ‘Soma’, a long running independent, avant-garde, arts, popular culture, and fashion magazine.

American singer-songwriter, composer and actor, Tom Waits was the subject. After shooting this cover, his career went from strength to strength. A definite highlight was getting commissions from publications such as Vogue Homme International, V magazine, and i-D in London. Add to these The Telegraph fashion supplement, GQ and a host of others too numerous to list.

As well as Tom Waits, he also shot portraits of other high profile entertainers including Yoko Ono, Jimmy D Lane, Peaches, Jim Jarmusch and Julia Deans. In 2004 a series of his portraits were exhibited at the huge Hyéres International and Photography Festival Festival which has taken place annually at the end of April since 1985. He was living his dream, then in 2006 he received a wake-up call from his family. His father had fallen very ill and he needed to go home and spend time with him before he died.

Russ started returning regularly for short monthly visits that soon lengthened into longer stays. Just after the family buried his father, both his mother and one of his sisters were diagnosed with cancer. He made the huge decision to stay in New Zealand and be around his family, which was a tough call but the right thing to do at the time. He hadn’t had close contact with his mother for 15 years, but he became her caregiver, which he found a very rewarding experience. During this testing time he met his lifelong partner and now, six years later, they have just bought a place in Grey Lynn.

In spite of a tough market where many people in the same industry are struggling, Russ has fulfilled his goal of working and making a living as a freelance photographer back here. He has regular clients that include Hallensteins, Glassons, and Max Fashions, plus he does a little bit of personal work which is more of a Photo Art discipline. He has been a guest photographer on New Zealand’s Next Top Model for the last three cycles and since returning home has worked in Sydney and NYC on several occasions. Kete Aronui has shot a documentary on his life, work and journey back to Aotearoa that screened on Maori TV, an appropriate homage to this talented New Zealander whose heritage stems from his Ngãti Kahungunu iwi in Hawkes Bay. (DEIRDRE TOHILL) PN

SURREY CRESCENT MOON OLD MUSOS NEVER DIE, THEY DON’T EVEN FADE AWAY. HELLO SAILOR MAY not be as visible nowadays as when a whole generation of young people would dance night after night to their beat at the Gluepot. Sadly the old whizz-bangery is no more and in the words of Harry Lyon “It changed from rock to frock” and the Auckland music scene is the worse for it. The heyday of wonderful Ponsonby music venues is past but thankfully, Hello Sailor is still around and about, strutting its stuff.

Last summer the band toured with Jimmy Barnes, were a major attraction at Whangarei Christmas in the Park, did a show for the World Cup, and performed at last year’s Marlborough Wine Festival. During October they toured with Australasian rock band Dragon on its fortieth anniversary tour of New Zealand and on 4 November they will be the star attraction at the Powerstation’s Gluepot Reunion Show.

The band’s enduring fame can be attributed to its long history. Harry and David McArtney formed a little band when they were still at primary school. They played The Shadows music which was understandable with Cliff Richards and his backing group dominating the British popular music scene at the time, five years before the Beatles broke worldwide. Dave’s mother called him one day about an item in the latest Women’s Weekly. “Some band called the Beatles has a singer with a name like ours!”

Dave’s family moved to Wellington and Harry’s father, a Navy engineer, transferred to England for a short time. While there, Harry saw the Beatles first television appearance and returned home toting an electric guitar, some Please Please Me sheet music and wearing pointed shoes, a lurex tie, all set to go. He reunited with Dave at Auckland University where Graham Brazier was working as a gardener along with other poets and artists. Graham impressed Dave with some ‘pretty cool songs’ and they ended up sharing a house in St Mary’s Road. They formed a group that jammed together, the genesis of Hello Sailor.

Hello Sailor soon had a huge following, playing in hotels the length and breadth of New Zealand. In 1977 the band released its first album, Hello Sailor and three of its top singles formed the first locally made New Zealand record to achieve Gold Record status. After six albums under its belt the flow ceased in 1995. Now 17 years later Hello Sailor returns with its inimitable sound in a brand new album, Surrey Crescent Moon, as an acknowledgement of their city and the central urban area they grew up in. “A new generation of picaresque anti-heroes are marching down old ‘K’Road, under the mournful lustre of a Surrey Crescent moon.”

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Hello Sailors’ music has been dubbed South Pacific rock’n’roll or Ponsonby reggae, and one critic has written, “The great thing was that when they sang about ‘Gutter Black’ you knew the gutter wasn’t in New York or London.” They have never been mainstream rock’n’roll and have always played original music that reflected the urban landscape of inner city Auckland. In this new album Graham’s songwriting, singing and harmonica playing will draw listeners back into the darker shadows of that landscape as will the gems Dave and Harry have contributed.

So what has been the motivation to produce a new album after all this time? Harry says they had some new songs and wanted to put them out and about. As with all artists, they like to exhibit “because it’s no fun just playing them in the bedroom”.

Last year’s induction into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame may have been another spur and they’ve gone right back to the raw sound that is Ponsonby reggae, because that’s where it all began, playing in the Gluepot. Also, they seem to be tracking relationships in the songs with a mixture of humorous and wry observations.

One way and another the band has connections with each other that go way back and apart from the music, it’s one of the reasons they stay together. They have made a great deal of music together and have never stopped. People love to listen to it and the band finds playing it incredibly relaxing. So in the words of an old song “Let’s play the music (of Surrey Crescent Moon) and dance. (DEIRDRE TOHILL) PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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LOCAL NEWS: DEIRDRE TOHILL 9

SILO FINDS A NEW HOME FOUR YEARS AGO THERE WERE A LOT OF LEASES HELD BY DIFFERENT ART groups in the Britomart area. The Silo Theatre Company had an interim lease in the Quay Building and as developments started happening all around them, they knew their days were numbered. By 2012 it was time to move and they found the ideal place on Ponsonby Road. The venerable little building numbered 16A is owned by the Samson Corporation and Silo was helped into it by the Friedlander Foundation, without whose help it would have been unaffordable. Artistic Director, Shane Bosher and Executive Director, Jessica Smith couldn’t be more delighted with their new home.

“Since moving in two weeks ago we’ve had more visitors than we had during four years in the Quay Building.”

The location near the K’Road/Ponsonby crossroad does seem ideal because most of the artists and creatives they work with all live on this side of the tracks. An added advantage is the proximity to their rehearsal rooms in the Viva Latino Dance Studio at the top of Newton Road. They came across the studio last year when they were looking to rehearse a show that had quite a lot of movement work. Apparently one of the imperatives for the creative process is natural light and because rehearsal space is so scarce in Auckland the action often has to take place in church halls and other places that aren’t conducive to a positive result. They had such a great time in Viva Latino’s airy, light space they knew they had to return.

Previously, in the Quay Building, they had a large open space they shared with another organisation that had its benefits, but they couldn’t breakaway and work quietly on their own. Now they have the luxury of their own offices that they’ve furnished with props from some of their shows. Shane speaks of the sense of ease he has working close to where he lives in St Mary’s Bay. Travelling from home into the city creates a certain trauma and now he loves the morning walk along Ponsonby Road seeing jobbing actors chain smoking and drinking endless cups of coffee. Jessica was brought up in Ponsonby but like many of her peers she can’t afford to live in what’s become a very expensive suburb. Now with work based here it feels like a homecoming.

Shane believes the spirit in which works are created is almost tangible and audiences respond to it. Having rehearsal rooms in the near vicinity for their latest show ‘Brel’ is beyond price. Even though there are only four cast members it’s a massive production that will play in the Concert Chamber till 24 November. As with all theatre companies in Auckland, Silo does not have its own theatre, which Shane says is absolutely okay because they can choose whatever venue suits the personality of the production, rather than having a space they have to work in all year round. The Concert Chamber is ideal for this cabaret-style theatre show which is reminiscent of smoky, dimly lit basement bars in Paris, New York and Berlin.

Silo did a former series of Brel’s songs in 2005 and audiences flocked to it. This production differs in that they are working with a multi-plurality of disciplines.There is Jennifer Ward Lealand who is New Zealand’s First Lady of Cabaret, groundbreaking singer/songwriter Tama Waipara who has studied the clarinet at a conservatoire in New York, Shihad’s frontman Jon Toogood, and rock singer Julia Deans. This creates an interesting tension with those disparities complementing and contrasting with one another and it posed a challenge to those who are used to performing their own material.

A couple of the songs are sung in French but the majority are translated into English.

Brel wrote about 300 songs in his lifetime, many of which have been popularised by other performers. Some never made it into the popular genre and it’s a wonder that one in particular, a three minute life story called ‘Ces gens-la’ has never come to light.

Translated into English this wonderful song sounds somewhat banal and doesn’t convey the feeling that’s evoked when delivered in French which fortunately, Jennifer is conversant with. Accomplished musical director, Leon Radojkovic has rearranged the carefully selected songs and Michael Hurst is the director.

(DEIRDRE TOHILL) PN

WATERFRONT IDEAS ALWAYS WELCOME The nation’s daily newspaper turned the spotlight on Auckland’s waterfront recently. It provided a week-long series looking at what people want to see on the water’s edge at the foot of our city.

Waterfront Auckland, the council organisation that looks after the development of the waterfront has a long-running feature on its website that enables people to give their feedback all the time. Its online Ideas Bank has a direct link to the urban designers at the organisation and you’re guaranteed a reply and consideration of your ideas.

Chairman of Waterfront Auckland, former Mayor of Waitakere City, Bob Harvey says there is always room for more good ideas. “Listening to a range of people and taking their feedback into account before you create a city space is the key to developing something that people can be proud of and want to use. This is how cities stay alive and relevant, constantly evolving.”

To keep up with what’s happening next and for information about events and activities on the waterfront, the Waterfront Auckland Facebook page is the best place to find out. www.facebook.com/waterfrontakl or www.waterfrontauckland.co.nz BECOME A VOLUNTEER Do you love Auckland’s waterfront, the changes that are taking place and sharing your knowledge with tourists and locals alike?

We are always on the lookout for friendly, energetic volunteers that are passionate about their waterfront to support the Karanga Plaza Kiosk at the heart of Wynyard Quarter and the new kiosk on Queens Wharf.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer and are available a minimum of four hours once a fortnight please contact us at kiosk@waterfrontauckland.co.nz to find out more information. PN

Left to right: JESSICA SMITH, Executive Director; TIM BLAKE, Communications and Digital Content Manager; SHANE BOSHER, Artistic Director; PIPPA NEELS, Programme and ticketing Co-ordinator

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JOHN ELLIOTT: SOAP BOX GREED AND SELFISHNESS HOLD SWAY — ERAWAN WILL SURELY GO, SHAME ON WOO! I was not born in Auckland, but in Whangarei. However, I have lived in Auckland since 1960, just one year after the opening of the Harbour Bridge. When we came to Auckland to see my grandmother and other rellies in the 50s my father usually drove around the Upper Harbour to get to Auckland, unless we kids could persuade him to catch the vehicular ferry from Devonport, which we loved.

In the early 70s I taught at Bayfield School. I was Principal for half a year.

It was during that time that I came to love Jervois Road, the Gluepot Pub, and the hustle and bustle that was inner city living. One of the features of Jervois Road was the line of lovely old 1900s villas, including the best of them all, the one at 165 Jervois Road which houses Erawan Thai Restaurant. It was formerly owned by Tony White, well known Auckland restaurateur. He called it the King Edward VII. Tony was a lover of heritage buildings and memorabilia. He famously collected old painted toilets, gas lights, and other bric-a-brac. The new owner, who nobody seems able to contact, but who is apparently the mysterious Jessica Woo, wants to demolish this iconic Herne Bay Landmark and build apartments on the site.

No resource consent is required, the land is zoned Res 6a, and Ms Woo can do what she likes with the building – tear it down or sell it off for removal. I don’t know Ms Woo, obviously, but I hope some locals can get alongside her and explain what these old buildings mean to us, our forebears, and the future of Auckland.

The Auckland Council wants population intensification in the city to prevent further urban sprawl which was threatening to cover large swathes of Whitford, Kaukapakapa, Kumeu and Karaka with acres of concrete. I support attempts to prevent more urban sprawl, with all the costly infrastructure and wastage of scarce oil, that it entails, but not at the expense of large chunks of our heritage being consigned to the bulldozer.

Where this intensification is to go is a major question which the council must decide only after listening hard to the people. They are being accused right now of making plans with less consultation, not more. If that is correct, there will be some huge bunfights. Ratepayers will insist, quite rightly, on being listened to. Too many decisions have been made behind closed doors by recent councils, often to the advantage of big business and developers, cronies of the C and R teams which governed Auckland for so much of the last 50 years.

photography: John Elliott

I have fond memories of Auckland when I was a child – the sound of tramcars, the smell of gas hobs, and my father’s frustration at the traffic congestion.

I’ve grown to love Auckland, but still cheer for the Northland Cambridge blue -jerseyed rugby team against Auckland.

I remember the golden days of Johnny Smith, Peter Jones and Sid Going – Northland rugby icons.

us sick. The fact that 1% of Americans captured 93% of the meagre growth in the last year, is a sign of growing inequality, an inequality which is striking hard at the roots of New Zealand society too. It’s making many of us cynical and bitter - we are no longer the happy egalitarian society we once thought we were. We are now a society run by politicians and big business, which does not listen, who make token efforts to consult, but who have their own agenda anyway. They’ll tell us what is good for us, and if we don’t like it we can lump it.

No wonder there is a widespread malaise, and lack of interest in politics by the young.

They know they won’t be listened to, so “why should I bother to even vote? No b***** will care what I think.”

And so, the Erawan Thai Restaurant owner will no doubt be given notice to quit when Jessica Woo is good and ready to demolish the lovely old villa, and appeals to emotion, history, a sense of community being lost, will all fall on deaf ears, or result in a message to “Talk to my lawyer”.

The way it’s going lawyers will soon join the 1%, if many of them aren’t there already.

Some of my best friends are lawyers, but what happened to ethics, values, honesty, integrity, and above all, that sense of community that looks out for everyone, especially the old, the young, and the vulnerable. Tearing down old heritage buildings just to make more money is not progress - it is economic vandalism and a moral outrage.

(JOHN ELLIOTT) PN

The question is - is this newly elected council of the Super City listening any harder, or have they set their own agenda too, and not an agenda prepared by the 99%?

Is Auckland, with its secretive CCOs, with exotic salary packages - 19 Watercare executives earn more than $200,000 a year - still catering to the 1%?

One by one, sometimes at dead of night, or at least with stealth and no consultation with neighbours, old buildings in the city are being demolished, and there is no mechanism available for concerned citizens to save them.

We know, tragically, that the days of handshake decisions are a thing of the past.

Everything now requires a lawyer, and too many of us are money oriented. The almighty dollar is calling the tune, but it isn’t making us any happier. In fact it’s making

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9 LOCAL NEWS THE GENERALIST - A NEW PR BUSINESS IN THE ‘HOOD THE GENERALIST GREW FROM ANOTHER COMPANY, BARE PR, WHICH specialises in promoting natural beauty brands. As well as representing renowned beauty brands such as Trilogy, Weleda and Pure Fiji, bare pr also has natural health and food clients, including Blackmores, Go Healthy, Lisa’s and Neat Meat. As a direct result of our success and results for these clients, we’ve been asked to represent all their brands, not just the “green” categories. And thus The Generalist was born.

Generalist {jen-er-uh-list} may refer to a person with a wide array of knowledge. The opposite of which is a specialist. We at The Generalist are born connectors and according to Malcolm Gladwell (author of the Tipping Point), we are a rare breed.

“Connectors are people in a community who know large numbers of people and who are in the habit of making introductions. A connector is essentially the social equivalent of a computer network hub. Connectors usually know people across an array of social, cultural, professional, and economic circles, and make a habit of introducing people who work or live in different circles.”

Pictured above: REBECCA PURDY and LEE PLUMMER

The Generalist is headed up by Rebecca Purdy. Rebecca has been in PR for 15 years and has owned a number of PR companies during this time. Having worked on a number of beauty, food and houseware brands over the years, Rebecca is passionate about the industry and knows how to get the best results possible for her clients.

Lee Plummer is also on board as a senior account manager; Lee has a strong media background, having worked in radio and as a freelance writer for multiple publications for the past 14 years and loves working in PR. PN We are known for a couple of things, so we thought we’d jot these down: Honest PR Creative Reliable Approachable Renowned for achieving results Low on the bullshit factor Check us out www.thegeneralistpr.co.nz or call Rebecca on M: 021 776 341

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LOCAL NEWS 9 CREATING NEW LIFE FOR OUR ICONIC BRIDGE – THE AUCKLAND SKYPATH The Auckland SkyPath will add to the enjoyment of the planned Waterfront Auckland promenade from the Wynyard Quarter to Westhaven and the Harbour Bridge, says the group behind the proposal. The proposed SkyPath will mean that Aucklanders and visitors to the waterfront will be able to continue by foot or by bicycle from the end of the promenade at Westhaven and head over the bridge, to either check out the views from a viewing platform, or continue on to Northcote to catch the ferry back to the city.

“Aucklanders see the SkyPath as a great attraction with a lot of appeal for recreational use as well as providing a transport connection. And it’ll be a showcase for tourists and visitors to the Auckland waterfront,” says SkyPath Project Director Bevan Woodward.

“The SkyPath will really enhance the iconic values of the existing bridge, as do bridge crossings in other cities around the world.”

As public funding isn’t available for the $28 million construction cost, the organisation behind the SkyPath project, The AHB Pathway Trust, has proposed a user charge to pay for its construction and operation.

Bevan says, “Our surveys show that Aucklanders are happy to pay a small charge if this means the path will be built now, and we won’t have to wait another 20 years for pedestrian and cycle access across the bridge, if and when another crossing is built - which might never happen anyway.”

“We think Ponsonby residents will see the benefits of being able to have access across the bridge, which has been a missing link for Auckland for years, and the positive effects of integrating the SkyPath into the development of the waterfront promenade.”

The not-for-profit Pathway Trust is working to establish a partnership agreement with private investors, Auckland Council and the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA).

They are excited about the funding and delivery arrangement which has been proposed by the Public Infrastructure Partnership (PIP) Fund for the $28 million construction cost.

“We’re confident that SkyPath’s business case is very strong and we’re looking forward to progressing the arrangement proposed by the PIP Fund,” Bevan says.

The SkyPath business case, including the offer from the PIP Fund, is under review by Auckland Transport.

NZTA, which who owns and manages the Auckland Harbour Bridge, said it sees the SkyPath as a community facility, but can’t provide any money from national transport funding. NZTA’s engineers have been working with the SkyPath engineers to review the structural design feasibility, and to ensure that the Skypath, which will sit under the southbound clipon, won’t have any effect on future traffic capacity on the AHB or the life of the bridge.

Bevan Woodward says he believes Auckland Transport will see the value of the facility, which he says will return dividends within a 20 year period. After that time the proposal ensures that the facility passes into public ownership and, with at least a 50 year life, will continue to be effective. PN If you’d like to contribute to the Skypath project in any way then please contact the SkyPath team at www.skypath.org.nz

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LOCAL NEWS: DEIRDRE TOHILL 9

CHIPPING IN FOR MERCY HOSPICE What does it take to run a mid-week Strawberry Festival in Downtown Auckland?

“1,680 chips of strawberries and 600 litres of New Zealand Natural Ice Cream for starters,” says Mercy Hospice Community Fundraiser Rebecca McCaughan, “That and a whole lot of heart and muscle from our incredible sponsors and volunteers.”

Rebecca acknowledges that without the generosity and support of the Auckland community and community-friendly corporates there simply wouldn’t be a festival.

“Every Aucklander needs a good excuse to get out and celebrate the start of summer. Our sponsors and supporters make it happen,” the 24 year old says, “Not only do we have amazing support with free product and services from generous sponsors, nearly all the helpers on the day are volunteers from local businesses.”

Wednesday 28 November marks this year’s Strawberry Festival. Now in its fourth year, the one-day-only event in Queen Elizabeth II Square is shaping up to be the charity’s biggest celebration of all-things-strawberry yet.

A LONG LIFE AND A HAPPY ONE The volunteers at Ponsonby’s Mercy Hospice Shop at 300 Ponsonby Road have the assistance of a back room helper who they regard as a treasure beyond price.

Sister Patrice is a Sister of Mercy in her mid eighties who works at the Hospice Shop three days a week and has done so for the past seven years. Prior to her recent role, she was a volunteer for 13 years at St Vincent’s. Even though she was retired from active duties in the convent many years ago she doesn’t feel, or act her age and simply loves spending time in the Hospice Shop. She sorts clothes, hangs them up, steams them, and looks after the other volunteers, giving them morning and afternoon tea.

Sister Patrice’s mother suffered severe rheumatoid arthritis and the family was constantly on the move seeking centres that provided relief for the condition.

Consequently she didn’t receive much religious instruction and when the time came to follow her vocation she didn’t feel qualified enough to become a teacher. Her entry to the order was delayed until she was 32 because she had to care for both parents who, by this time had both fallen ill. Eventually her married sister stepped into the breach and finally Patrice was free to take her vows.

Nuns tend to be moved around a bit within the order and Sister Patrice served time in Te Aroha, Avondale and Monte Cecilia. Her title was ‘Boarders Mistress’ and her duties were to care for small children who had been placed in Catholic orphanages.

She loved looking after them, filling that role for nearly 10 years and remembers how in some cases when parents were separated, the mother would visit on a Saturday and the father on Sunday, which she found very sad.

A big scoop/coup for the charity and those in their care is confirmation that new sponsor New Zealand Natural are coming to the party supplying their premium icecream at no cost to the charity.

New Zealand Natural’s Auckland factory produces almost all of the ice cream for the company’s franchised network of over 700 branded outlets in 24 countries.

New Zealand Natural look forward to being associated with such a positive cause and know everyone will love the product.

“Kumeu strawberry grower Phil Grieg and Carlton Party Hire are once again providing their products and services free-of-charge too,” Rebecca adds, “When sponsors agree to supply their products at no cost to Mercy we are particularly grateful. It means that more money raised on the day can be used where it’s needed most – caring for patients facing life-limiting illnesses (as many as 260 patients at any one time) as well as their loved ones.”

And the icing on the cake? Rebecca says, “Another new sponsor, Auckland Z stations, are donating 400 delicious strawberry cupcakes for Mercy Hospice to fundraise with at the event.”

Celebrity guest volunteers for the day include a number of well-known foodies such as MasterChef winners Brett McGregor, Nadia Lim and Chelsea Winter and finalist, Ana Schwarz and New Zealand’s Hottest Home Baker judge Dean Brettschnider. The festival kicks off 8am and runs to 4pm. Be sure to bring your taste buds and plenty of spare change. PN www.mercyhospice.org.nz

Not one to stand on ceremony, she eschews the formal ‘Sister’ and likes to be addressed as Patrice. Well Patrice certainly gets out and about, walking everywhere, catching the Link bus around town, bussing again to visit a friend who lives on the North Shore, and once every six weeks she goes to Mt Eden to have lunch with her good friend Jacqui, who manages the Mt Eden Hospice Shop. She loves putting on her cool shades and going for a spin in Jaquie’ s sports car, regretting she’s never learned to drive herself. Recently she donned a small backpack, caught the ferry to Rangitoto and climbed to the top! When I spoke to her she was looking forward to a two week holiday. The next day she and a friend were travelling to Wellington and on the way back stopping for brief sojourns in Whanganui and Rotorua.

Patrice says she has many wonderful friends and her long experience as a volunteer has been invaluable when it comes to working in the Hospice Shop. She is proud of what she does and how it brings in money for Mercy Hospice. Patrice exudes happiness and according to the Dalai Lama it is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions. (DEIRDRE TOHILL) PN

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MERCY HOSPICE’S STRAWBERRY ANGEL enjoys a delicious ice cream from festival sponsor New Zealand Natural

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JAY PLATT

                             CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Ottmar Horl Durer’s ‘Hare’ $230 each @ Design55 www.design55.co.nz; Blue cut glass vase $129 @ World Beauty www.worldbrand.co.nz; Cuisinart Griddler/Panini press $289 @ Millys www.millyskitchen.co.nz; Silver picture frame $55 pic not included @ Republic www.republichome.com; Price’s ‘household, open window & chefs’ candles $18.50 each @ Tessuti www.tessuti.co.nz; Piggy Bank $22 @ Askew www.askew.co.nz; Cire Trudon candle ‘Cierge Camee’ $139 @ World beauty www.worldbrand.co.nz

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WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT

                            CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Carved penguin $29 each @ Republic www.republichome.com; Fornasseti small square dish $300 @ Design55 www.design55.co.nz; Lego ‘Darth Vader’ Torch $62 @ Askew www.askew.co.nz; ‘Winter’ candle holder with crystal drops by Micheal Topor $540 @ Indice www.indice.co.nz; ‘Hunter’ black Millbank boots $190 @ Askew www.askew.co.nz; Coloured Skulls $99 each @ Republic www.republichome.com; ‘Frontroom’ goblets $58 each @ Tessuti www.tessuti.co.nz.

STYLING: Jay Platt PHOTOGRAPHY: Danilo Santana David, Fisher Santana PN

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FASHION + STYLE ARRANGE AT FLAGSHIP STUDIO

GLEN PRENTICE

EMMA GLEASON

DORIS DE PONT IS THE FOUNDER OF THE NEW ZEALAND FASHION MUSEUM. The much-loved, highly respected Grey Lynn resident had her own label Doris de Pont for many years (and before that DNA, a partnership with Adrienne Foote) and went on to complete an Honours degree in Museum Studies at the University of Auckland. With the Fashion Museum she has also published two books: BLACK: The history of black in fashion, society and culture in New Zealand and very recently HOME SEWN - both on sale at bookstores now.

Doris was Ponsonby News’ fellow guest at the ARRANGE fashion show at Flagship Studios in Grey Lynn recently, and shares her overview of the event.

Do you ever wonder what happens to all the graduates of our fashion design courses?

On Friday 19 October at the Flagship Studio, an artist run space in Grey Lynn, Arrange Collective treated an audience of fashion industry people, media and style aficionados to a slick and inspiring showing of their recent work. Each of the four AUT graduates and one current student successfully communicated the essence of their design aesthetic in a capsule of five to six looks. As a group they are on a shared wavelength which lends cohesion to the collective. The same piece of music, the same sandals, all the hair styled by their friends from Stephen Marr and make up by the MAC team contributed to a seamless presentation of five very individual voices.

The unpretentious setting, the measured pace of the presentation and the clothes made me mindful of the Japanese inspired aesthetic of the 1980s as expounded by designers like Issey Miyake and Yohji Yamamoto. Their radical departure from the tailored and fitted fashion of our western tradition as dictated from Paris was embraced here in New Zealand by labels such as Marilyn Sainty, Soo Kim, Zambesi and Nom D who saw in Japan the opportunity to source new cloths, fabrications and design ideas.

The image on the invitation was of fabric wrapped objects, stacked and tied together in a bundle with packing twine, signalling the groups concern with their materials.

Georgia Pratt showed mastery in crafting fine silks that floated and flowed down the runway. Jack Roy harnessed the clean simple qualities of cottons, individually quilting his jacket and vests. A hand painted check was beautifully integrated into Emma Gleason collection which used silks in crisper variations of Thai and Dupion. The long black dress by Glen Prentice reflected his attention to lustre and tonality. Thistle Brown used man-made materials and fabric bonding technology to dramatic effect creating brilliant wearable objects.

GEORGIA PRATT

Just like the Japanese aesthetic of the 1980s many of these garments are androgynous.

They are not in first instance tailored to fit the body but are rather fashioned from the material. This allows them to reach beyond the dictates of fashion. While it might appear that these young designers are channelling the 1980s it would be more instructive to see their work as an expression of the present because their design arises from an entirely new social context. Where the rise of the Japanese designers represented an opening up of fashion to a broader global culture, Arrange Collective embodies its opposite; a celebration of the individual, the unique, the one off. PN www.nzfashionmuseum.co.nz

THISTLE BROWN

photography: Frances Carter www.facebook.com/francescarterphotography

JACK ROY

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FASHION + STYLE RELOCATION SPECIALS AT RODEO DRIVE BOOTS Rodeo Drive Boots and Accessories has moved from what was their temporary rear showroom to a new and exciting location further along Ponsonby Road.

Their new showroom can be found opposite the ex-Mini Garage site and they are pleased to say it is more accessible for their customers.

Rodeo Drive has many loyal customers who really appreciate the quality of their boots.

The Rodeo team pride themselves on offering the very best service. PN RODEO DRIVE BOOTS & ACCESSORIES, 95 Ponsonby Road www.rodeodriveboots.co.nz

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FASHION + STYLE PACO DESIGN STORE SUPPORTS LOCAL AND SOUTH AMERICAN BRANDS The Paco Design Store is located in St Kevin’s Arcade and is a bright minimalist haven to South American fashion and design. Owned

by Gilberto Navas-Cotte and Paul Askew, the business started as an online store in March 2010.

Gilberto brings a touch of South American style to Auckland, selling a number of pieces from Colombian and Argentinean labels. Fashion is in his blood; his father owned clothing factories and stores in Colombia from the 1960s and his siblings also work in fashion, keeping him in contact with Colombian style. “One of the qualities that we look for is that manufacturing is kept local to the designer and not mass produced. This gives our products a distinctive quality not found in larger chain stores.”

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AT PACO DESIGN STORE THEY HAVE A RANGE OF UNIQUE AND EXCLUSIVE BRANDS THAT INCLUDES: • CYCLUS – Bogota, Colombia; Beautifully designed, the accessories are constructed from recycled tyre rubber so every bag has its own unique texture.

• CARGA Bags – Argentina; The CARGA collection is batch-produced in a family -run workshop in Buenos Aires. Bianucci’s designs use materials and construction techniques from the architectural world to create stylish, high-end pieces.

Paco Design also support local brands and are now stocking GUS, an Auckland based menswear label along with the Sink / Swim summer collection. The clothing is based upon highly aesthetic design, varied textures and fine detailing, with all garments 100% New Zealand made. PN

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photography: Ayla Brie Jenkins

PACO DEIGN STORE, Shop 7 St Kevin’s Arcade Karangahape Road T: 09 889 44004 www.paco.co.nz

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REYNOLDS + ARCH HILL + WORKSHOP + BECKS Thursday 11 October An evening of music, art and Beck’s beer was held at Workshop’s Ponsonby store, to celebrate the brand’s latest collaboration with renowned New Zealand artist John Reynolds. The ensemble features a series of Workshop t-shirt prints to accompany Reynold’s work on Beck’s ‘art beer’ bottles, which launched in October. Reynolds, who has worked with Workshop for more than 20 years, referenced song lyrics from local record label Arch Hill’s extensive catalogue as inspiration for the designs.

Four prints can be won through Beck’s art beer promotions and a further special edition Reynolds for Workshop print is available in men’s and women’s styles exclusively at Workshop stores, at $149.00.

1. John Reynolds; 2. Ngila Dickson, Hamish Keith and Chris Cherry; 3. Lili Sumner and Helen Cherry.

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FASHION + STYLE

RETAIL SUPERSTAR OF THE MONTH Amokura Potaka - Hartleys HOW DID YOU COME TO BE A RETAIL SALESPERSON? Well, to be honest – by accident. I returned to Auckland and couldn’t get a job in the field in which I was qualified - having been a concierge in Florida – and two of my friends who worked for this company said “why don’t you come and work for us”.

And that is how I came to work in the industry. And that was 12 years ago.

WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO 100 PONSONBY ROAD? I had been living in Bali for several months and was asked if I returned to Auckland would I manage the new store in Ponsonby Road. It was a great opportunity as my home is in Ponsonby, so to live and work in the area I love was a bonus.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR STORE? I believe in what we sell – our ranges are diverse and we can generally get a look that suits our customers and they are happy wearing it. I should also add that Hartleys is a great company to work for – the company is professional and supportive of its staff.

WHAT MAKES A STANDOUT RETAIL SALESPERSON? Taking customer service to that extra level and providing an environment where customers like to be and want to return to. Most importantly being truthful to customers and having soul.

TELL US ABOUT A MEMORABLE SALE YOU’VE MADE THIS YEAR...

A customer came in who really didn’t feel good about herself. I spent about two hours with her and she purchased several items and by the time she left she was so happy.

In fact, she was so happy she came back the next day just to thank me.

IF YOU COULD WAVE YOUR WAND AND HAVE ANYONE IN GREATER PONSONBY WALK INTO YOUR STORE RIGHT NOW, WHO WOULD IT BE? My great buddy, Scott.

WHERE DO YOU ENJOY SHOPPING? Bhana Brothers. Their produce is displayed with love and it shows, and Harry knows what I want as soon as I walk in.

NAME SOMEONE YOU THINK IS A GREAT GREATER PONSONBY STORE...

Bed Bath and Table, as they are always happy and always helpful. Café 39: I go there every morning and their great coffee and lively conversation makes for a great start to my day. PN HARTLEYS, 100 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 376 3243 The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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FASHION + STYLE

JULIE ROULSTON

PONSONBY JEWELLERS: ‘WHAT WE’D GIVE FOR CHRISTMAS’ Who better to ask what jewels to buy your honey for Christmas, than the creators themselves?

SHAUN MCBRIDE - SEVENTYSIXDESIGN The best kind of Christmas pressie, for sure, is something homegrown. At Seventysixdesign we have been massively inspired by our wonderful customers’ stories, told via their tattoos and cultural heritage pieces, that end up being their wedding rings. This has lead us down the path of creating our own ‘Pacific’ collection.

We have created three different rings: the first is a wide dome ring with a Samoan Tattoo design; second is the straight Maori design and lastly there is the thin Spear design. In our opinion, what better Christmas gift than a ring that speaks “Pacific”? Perfect for overseas gifts, too, as they are not too heavy and a reminder of home.

Wide Samoan tattoo ring - $360 in sterling silver; Maori design ring - $360 in sterling silver Thin spear design ring - $165 in sterling silver SEVENTYSIXDESIGN, 14 Jervois Road, T: 09 376 0676 www.seventysixdesign.co.nz www.facebook.com/SeventySixDesign

ANNA KNAPP (GOLDSMITH) - AUCKLAND RING COMPANY For a Christmas gift I would recommend jewellery set with coloured stones. Coloured stone stud earrings are great as they are practical enough to put on and forget about, perfect for summer activities and most importantly look amazing on.

High quality Ceylon sapphires or natural rubies make beautiful earrings. If you’re after something a little more dressy, drops are the perfect alternative. We have some diamond and onyx drop earrings I’m busy making now that are popular. If your Christmas budget is more forgiving, yellow diamonds set you apart from the others and will look stunning in the summer sun.

Natural ruby earrings shown: $1,575; Earrings available from $195 AUCKLAND RING COMPANY, 275 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 376 0275 www.aucklandringcompany.co.nz

COLIN THOMSON - AURUM FINE JEWELLERY Diamond studs make the perfect gift, any time. Simple and elegant, they are a key component of a woman’s jewellery collection.

Worn every day or simply on special occasions, sparkling diamond earrings will be cherished for years to come.

Most popular shapes are the square-cut Princess or round Brilliant-cut stones set into traditional claws or a contemporary rub-over in yellow or white gold. Aurum Fine Jewellery studs sit as close to the ear as possible, in platinum, yellow, white or rose gold, depending on skin tone.

All diamond studs can be made to order in as little as a week. Being made to order they are also made to suit your budget…the perfect Christmas gift.

AURUM FINE JEWELLERY, 89 COLLEGE HILL T: 09 378 1335 www.aurum.co.nz

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FASHION + STYLE

JULIE ROULSTON SARAH HUTCHINGS - ORSINI FINE JEWELLERY Even if you’re one of those rare men who remember all the important dates and anniversaries and birthdays, it’s still challenging to come up with new and fabulous gift ideas. And your partner is bound to have extremely exacting standards. Now your present dilemmas are solved, quite literally forever.

ORSINI FINE JEWELLERY

The Dodo collection, by legendary Italian jewellery brand Pomellato, is a range of quirky hand-finished animal charms. The silver, gold and jewel-encrusted charms can be worn on their own or in unique combinations, as bracelets and necklaces. Dodo is playful and a little bit flirtatious.

Most delightfully of all, each one carries a personal, hidden message from you. Simply choose the animal that expresses what you want to convey. There are dozens and dozens of versions available, so you can be sure you’ll never run out of things to say.

The perfect charm for Christmas to get you in the good books with the Mrs could be Penguin - ‘Crazy in love.’ In honour of its extinct namesake, Dodo is a proud supporter of the World Wildlife Fund.

Dodo charms from $195 ORSINI Showroom, 241 Parnell Road, Parnell, T: 09 354 3115 www.orsini.co.nz

MARC MOORE - STOLEN GIRLFRIENDS CLUB For the guys out there, you’ve got to be careful when giving a girl a ring - you don’t want to give them the wrong idea. The Jaws ring demonstrates the ideal level of commitment without getting too dangerous. A tough but precious way of saying “hey I do care about you… but not in a fatal way.”

STOLEN GIRLFRIENDS CLUB: For all retail enquiries please refer to www.stolengirlfriendsclub.com; or alternatively Black Box Boutique or Superette Ponsonby. PN

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FASHION + STYLE ORSINI JEWELLERY - QUALITY, STYLE AND LASTING BEAUTY Sarah Hutchings is the creative force behind Orsini Jewellery and we asked her to tell us about her business.

TELL US ABOUT ORSINI: The Italian language bestows so much meaning to a word. ‘Orsini’ is not only an Italian name, it is a word that implies: family, quality, style and lasting beauty. The word is also an appropriate designation for a fine jewellery collection I hand source predominantly from Italy. Orsini has been operating in Parnell for the past four years and is growing steadily year upon year.

I am the only supplier of some exclusive brands in the southern hemisphere and have women visiting from other countries round the world to view my exclusive collections. The calibre of the predominantly handmade jewellery is now becoming well known in Auckland and I have regular clients who love the jewellery selections. Women love to have something that is a little bit different and has style, there is much the same everywhere, I love the fact that Orsini jewellery is classy and stands out as being quality.

WHAT BRANDS ARE YOU MARKETING? I mainly specialise in high end, Italian brands exclusive to my store. I stock the world renowned Damiani, a brand that leads the world with ‘Pret a Porter’ jewellery, Pomellato, the fun Dodo range and Hulchi Belluni ‘exquisite’ jewellery in gold and diamonds. Due to customer demand I have also produced my own jewellery designs, the ‘Orsini Bridal collection’.

WHO OR WHAT ARE YOU INSPIRED BY? I am inspired by my travels, especially to France and Italy. Every time I visit, which is quite regularly, I return feeling energised and motivated. I love going to the famous

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design stores in Milan for example, 10 Corso Como, and get very inspired by the designers and people I meet through my work at Marco Bicego & Pomellato. The people themselves are passionate people and they tend to embrace life, culture, food, fashion, design.

Everything is done with ‘gusto’.

For New Zealand women and customers who are unable to get to Italy, I love being able to bring true Italian jewellery design and store ambience back to New Zealand for women to enjoy. I have been trained in Italy and worked in stores in Milan so I have been truly immersed in the Italian jewellery culture. I absolutely love it and bring this passion to my work.

ANY FAVOURITE PIECES? Where do I start! I love the capri rings (pictured above). I have recently received from Pomellato, they are absolutely gorgeous colours and designs. I have just launched my new Orsini Bridal collection which has stunning classic diamond ring designs, and I have also within the past few weeks launched a new range of jewellery called Hulchi Belluni. This jewellery is exquisitely made. There is a selection of beautiful engagement rings as well as exquisite pendants and earrings. The diamonds are extremely good quality, often ‘D’ colour. I also love the Marco Bicego pieces as they can be worn casually or dressed up, they are ‘everyday luxury’, I believe it is better to buy a few good pieces of jewellery that you can wear year after year. I try to bring different pieces into my store on a regular basis as the collections I can select from are extensive, this results in many favourite pieces. PN ORSINI FINE JEWELLERY, 241 Parnell Road T: 09 354 3115 www.orsini.co.nz

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ANGELA LASSIG: LETTERS FROM MAUDIE

The monthly jottings of a free-spirited Ponsonby dressmaker of the 1920s, as imagined by Angela Lassig.

VERMONT STREET, PONSONBY 15 NOVEMBER 1925

I thought that you would like to hear my very exciting plans for the most unexpected legacy left to me by Aunt Jane. But first I really must thank you once again for the gorgeous jeweled heels that you sent me earlier in the year.

They are now attached to a second pair of shoes, these being deep russet brown silk brocade with a very modern woven pattern. I was lucky enough to purchase these lovelies at half price during an end of season sale at Smith & Caughey. Even at that price they were rather costly but now they look like a million pounds!! I don’t know just where I’m going to find the time to give them an outing though as so much is happening.

The main reason son for my letter is to tell you about my new working room for which the foundations ndations will be dug very soon, hopefully before the end of the month. As you u (and dear departed Aunt Jane) well know, I have been talking about a new working room for many years now.

Although Aunt nt Jane didn’t specify how I was to use her gift, I deeply suspect that she wished d me to fulfil my long-held desire for more space. I’ve only seen photographs of her former London workroom, taken long before I was born, but I feel as if I know it intimately. I shall be using it for inspiration.

If you remember ber the house from your last visit, you will recall that I currently use the front two rooms for my business. After advice from my carpenter builder, a local cal Ponsonby chap who lives in Barrie Street, [i] I have decided to have a new wing added to the left side of the house that extends xtends forward to a yard and a half of the front fence. I’m having the front verandah extended ended around to follow the new extension, with doors opening pening from the workroom and my consulting room directly onto the verandah.

The latter is a huge relief to me as it means that my customers won’t have to o enter my private hall for their consultation. I’ll also get one of my front rooms back, which is absolutely lovely as it gets a good amount of morning sun, and will be perfect as my new bedroom..

The extension n will essentially become my new workroom, apart from a little room off the back where I will store my rolls of material and trimmings. rimmings. What utter luxury!! My builder is going to make me a much bigger cutting table out of some kauri floorboards that hat he will carefully join and polish to my satisfaction. I simply can’t wait to use it!

For the past fi ve years I have been five using a large old dining table that I picked up from om the ‘Busy Bee’ [ii]. You will remember it as the quaint second hand shop where you spied and purchased d that lovely Georgian map ap sampler for a bargain price. e. Do you still have it, I wonder?

+ 2012 38 PONSONBY PONSONBY PARISH NEWS+NEWS November

At the street end of the workroom, facing into the front garden, I am planning a low window in front of which I shall place my desk, as the light there is very good. I shall be placing my sewing machines along the wall parallel to the street, with good natural lighting provided by two large sash windows. That way I can sew and keep an eye on the comings and goings along Vermont Street as I work!

This weekend I’m having my good friend Tom over to help transplant several rose bushes that are sadly in the way of the foundations. Now that the cricket season has started in New Zealand it’s been very difficult tempting him away from the pitch. He plays for the Ponsonby Cricket Club, which has practice wickets down in Victoria Park. If he doesn’t turn up, I’ll know where to find him! I’ve promised promis to cook a roast chicken dinner and bread and butter pudd pudding for dessert on Sunday evening that I think will provide tthe best enticement yet.

I do hope that you like the scar scarf that I have included in this parcel. The cut silk velvet is a piece left over from a little spring coat that I made ffor myself and the watered silk lining is from a customer’s evening frock. There were e two days last week when I had to confine my walking to a minimum (due to a slightly sprained ankle) so I used the opportunity to practice my beadwork. I do hope that the Mackintosh [iii] rose roses are to your liking. I know that you admire his work.

Well, dear Aunt Blanche, I should really close now as I have to run to my love lovely butcher who is keeping some nice lamb chops chop back for me today. He usually sells out by three but knows that I like t to shop for my tea when I take Tiger for his late afternoon walk walk. I suspect that he will also have a treat for Tig Tiger.

I do hope that you thin think my pending alterations exciting and that Aunt Jane w would approve.

With all my love to you and Sweetie. I’m thinking of getting my own little canary once I have my new workroom.

Your devoted niece,

Maudie x [i] The Auckland Star carried Au regular adv advertisements in September 1925 for a carpenter builder who lived in 8 Barrie Street, Ponsonby B [ii] ‘Busy Bee’, 165-66 Ponsonby B Road’ (in 1925) 1 [iii] Charles Charle Rennie Mackintosh - Scottish d designer, architect and painter painte

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illustration: 99designs

Dear Aunt Blanche

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PONSONBY NEWS READERS ARE EVERYWHERE 1

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1. Grey Lynn resident HELEN LUCKIE has recently returned from Cork, IRELAND, and sent us this photo taken at the Cobh Heritage Centre.

2. BELINDA FREDERIKSENS emailed us this shot of her children Raiden and Toshiko (who both go to Ponsonby Intermediate) in COOLANGATTA. They were on their way to the airport to head home, leaving the stunning weather behind, so the kids weren’t in the best mood, she told us.

3. WAYNE and DIANE WRIGHT have relocated from Christchurch to Ponsonby for very obvious reasons. They lost their home in Fendalton and business in Victoria Street. Wayne is pictured outside their French home in the Lot/Dordogne region in FRANCE and he tells us, “We love the Ponsonby News, it has helped us acclimatise enormously to our new surroundings. Keep up the good work.”

4. YANGSI LIU emailed us with his photo. This was taken in Tianjin, CHINA, in front of Tianjin TV tower (415.2 m), which is a member (10th tallest) of the World Federation of Great Towers.

PONSONBY NEWS READERS ARE EVERYWHERE

5. Westmere residents, KATHY CRISPIN and VIOLET CARTER in Death Valley, USA. Violet, aged 77 had just completed her first helicopter flight into the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas.

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FJORDS AND FUNICULARS

by Kate Gohar, Director, World Journeys Yes, we have fjords and they are unquestionably beautiful; we also have a funicular, but Norway’s are set amongst such dramatic surrounds, and are never far from medieval towns, and fairytale castles, or wild and rugged islands. The long summer nights and spectacular scenery of Northern Europe are literally a world away from us, and the sheer depth of history and culture in this area stretches way beyond our New World imagination.

Norway’s Sognefjord, the world’s longest navigable fjord, has been enticing visitors for over 150 years. Towering waterfalls cascade down steep mountainsides and the incredible Flam Railway takes you through a steep, narrow valley beside Aurlandsfjord, making it one of the world’s steepest railway lines and a truly breathtaking experience.

Another quirky ‘must-do’ is the Fløibanen or funicular railway to the top of Mt Fløyen in Bergen. In just a few minutes you find yourself on top of a mountain with a stunning view of the city and its surroundings.

Bergen itself is a beautiful city, with colourful harbourside buildings from the Hanseatic era, a strong café culture, and a vibrant art scene – the Bergen Art Museum houses a unique collection of Edvard Munch’s paintings which are well worth seeing. The Fish Market is also worth a visit – buy some freshly cooked shrimps and enjoy them al fresco on the quayside.

As here in New Zealand, much of Norway’s cuisine is derived from its coastline, with herrings, smoked salmon and Atlantic cod featuring heavily, but where else in the world would you find Reindeer steak?

Also uniquely Norwegian are its wooden stave churches, dating from the Middle Ages, many still intact. When mighty cathedrals were being built in stone elsewhere in Europe, similar techniques were being developed in Norway for building with wood. The stave churches are considered to be an integral part of the Norwegian architectural heritage and Norway’s oldest, the Urnes Stave Church also features on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

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Further north, architecture is also a highlight of Alesund, the Napier of Norway. Suffering a devastating fire in 1904, the town was rebuilt entirely in the Art Nouveau style of the day. Alesund is an important port along the route of the popular Hurtigruten voyages which ply the Norwegian coastline. From Alesund you can really get in amongst the fjords, my favourite of which is the spectacular Geirangerfjord, with its tiny town of around 250 residents.

As the focus of Norway is inevitably on its coastal towns and fjords, the best way to get around is on a cruise, allowing you to also incorporate some of the highlights of Denmark, Sweden and perhaps even the Baltics and Russia.

Yes, Scandinavia is all about fjords and funiculars, but there’s so much more that comes with it. Go there for not just the amazing natural scenery, but for the history, the architecture, and the cultures that are so uniquely different to the rest of Europe.

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6-7. Ponsonby antique dealer JILLIAN BASHFORD-EVERS is pictured in a traditional French Restaurant in Toulouse. Her friend and colleague FAYE CHANDLER is seen relaxing in her salon in the south of FRANCE. 8. JULIE BROWN works in Gourmet Trader, a speciality food store in Gate Pa, TAURANGA and is seen pictured with her copy of last month’s Ponsonby News. PN

PONSONBY NEWS READERS ARE EVERYWHERE DEAR READERS Please keep sending us your holiday snaps reading your favourite magazine, we love getting them! Photos need to be in high resolution (300dpi), so please email them to info@ponsonbynews.co.nz without reducing the size.

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TRAVEL BREAKS: THE NEW THERAPY! M SAIL AWAY ON A CRUISE HOLIDAY Cruising is one of the most popular and most relaxing ways to travel – you only have to unpack once while each port comes to you while you sleep overnight.

And with all accommodation, main meals and entertainment included onboard, cruising is the ultimate in affordable luxury, making it very easy when planning for your next holiday.

Fly and cruise options are a fantastic way to explore the world’s most picturesque and famous waterways such as the Caribbean, Mediterranean and Europe, allowing you to visit multiple destinations without having to spend long durations on a plane and living out of a suitcase.

From the remotely beautiful landscapes of Scandinavia, to the sunny shores of the Mediterranean, a cruise is the perfect way to experience the scenic and historic attractions of Europe.

The Mediterranean offers a unique combination of sun, sights and world class dining, combined with amazing beaches and a number of attractions. Discover the famous art and architecture in Barcelona, visit the birthplace of ancient gods in Greece including the perfect mix of history and modern design throughout Athens and experience the World Heritage listed monuments in Italy.

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From elegant super-liners to small adventure ships, there is a cruise to suit all Kiwis, whether it is a three day local cruise or a round-the-world trip, the opportunities are almost endless. PN To book your next cruise holiday, contact New Zealand’s dedicated cruise specialists at CRUISEABOUT PONSONBY on T: 0800 867 667 or visit www.cruiseabout.co.nz

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WEST LYNN RICHMOND VILLAGE BUTCHER GOES - CHANGE NOT ALWAYS PROGRESS

Hoani Heremaia tried, but failed to sell West Lynn Organic Meats as a going concern, and is heading with his wife Cindy and their three children, to the big wide world of Oz. Ironically, Hoani bought the business from Brian Quinn, who also decamped to Australia in 2000. Butcher shops are a dying breed. Supermarkets, time constraints, the rise of vegetarianism, the increasing cost of meat meals, and some health questions around eating too much meat (strongly disputed by farmers, and other advocates of good lean beef, lamb, pork and chicken), have led to the closure of many inner city butcheries.

The only other three local butcheries left are Westmere Butchery in Garnet Road, Grey Lynn Butchers on Great North Road and Superior Meats on Ponsonby Road.

The closure of West Lynn brings to an end 117 years of continuous butcheries on the site, beginning with C. Norgrove, who originally owned the whole block. He either sold or lost the business during the 1930s depression, but the butcher shop remained.

Hoani is sad to be leaving, but wants to give his young family a fresh start in Queensland. His 16 year old son, Kalum, is a very promising rugby and league player, who is dreaming of an NRL career. Hoani also bemoans the downturn in small business profitability. “Buying habits have changed,” he tells us. “People are eating more takeaways because they are working long hours and it is inconvenient to have to go home and spend several hours cooking a meal. Others have never learned how to cook anyway.” One stop shopping, especially at supermarkets, hasn’t helped small businesses either.

Hoani Heremaia started at West Lynn with Brian Quinn in 1988, and has been there ever since. He won ‘butcher of the year’ in the Metro 2011 awards, and was in the Top 5 in 2010. He is grateful for the loyal locals he has met and fed over those years, and

photography: John Elliott

Greater Ponsonby is the home of the modern cafe. Now the historic West Lynn Organic Meats has closed and the new owner will not be running a butchery in West Lynn. Not all change is progress.

But the new owner has promised to keep the historic tiled facade (inside and out) to the shop.

will miss many of those customers. However, he says as West Lynn has gentrified and house prices have reached a million dollars, many old customers have sold up and left.

And now, Soho, Farro Fresh, Ponsonby Central, and of course supermarkets, have cut the guts out of the butchery business. The dollar spend is now spread very thin.

Many of us have enjoyed Hoani’s sense of humour and great personal service over these years and we will miss him. I will miss our regular chats about race horses, slow or slower. I was very jealous when he had a share in a very good winner, while my investments either died or ran so slowly they were quickly retired. I don’t think any found their way into Hoani’s freezer, but they may have been in pet food cans readers may have bought for their moggy.

Ponsonby News asked Hoani Heremaia to name a highlight of his 24 years at West Lynn Butchery. He didn’t hesitate, “Being the first Auckland butcher to offer organic meat.”

The Heremaia family is looking forward to their new venture in Australia, they will miss their many friends, but they leave with fond memories of West Lynn.

One suggestion Hoani. Get a big house so we can all come over to stay when winter hits Auckland. We’ll miss you mate. (JOHN ELLIOTT) PN

WEST LYNN’S NATURE BABY IN ETHICAL FASHION SHOW LOCAL LABELS NATURE BABY AND MIRANDA BROWN WILL JOIN WE’AR, Starfish and Kowtow on the runway at New Zealand’s first ethical fashion show, to take place on Friday 23 November at 7pm at The Cloud on Queen’s Wharf. The $30 fashion show ticket price includes a goody bag and a glass of sustainable wine. The ethical fashion show is part of the Sustainable City Showcase, to be held on 22-24 November. The wider event (organised by the Sustainable Business Network in conjunction with Waterfront Auckland) is free and open to the public, and will allow visitors to take a tour through a sustainable pop-up city to view and interact with the latest designs, products and technology.

CEO of the SBN Rachel Brown says that the Sustainable City Showcase is a unique opportunity to experience the latest thinking in sustainable living. “120 businesses and innovators will come together under one roof to create a buzzing marketplace, cleverly arranged into zones of a sustainable city,” she says. The zones are Transport, Lifestyle, Fashion & Beauty, Workplace, and Food. There will also be the Conscious Commute: on Friday 23 November between 7.30am and 9.00am, the GreenFleet Conscious Commute will be celebrating sustainable commuters by offering a free coffee to the first 200 conscious commuters. Delicious organic breakfast treats will be available to purchase from Ripe Deli and Kokako.

The event’s Saturday also promises the world’s biggest Carrotmob - wherein a group of people offer to spend their money to support a business, and in return the business agrees to make an improvement that the people care about. Gather at the Showcase at 11am and show your support for local, ethical businesses by purchasing one of their sustainable products. In return, participating businesses will donate a proportion of their takings to Garden to Table, an organisation that teaches children how to grow their own food. PN On Sunday there will be a day of educational activities and games for children.

SUSTAINABLE CITY SHOWCASE www.sustainablecity.org.nz

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WEST LYNN RICHMOND VILLAGE NEW OWNERS MAKE SUBTLE CHANGES AND KEEP THE ESSENTIALS ANYONE WALKING ALONG RICHMOND ROAD PAST DELICIOUS WILL HAVE noticed a few changes have been slowly taking place inside. About three months ago Greg Williams and Anthea Potter bought the restaurant from long time owner and maitre d’ Geoffrey Chunn. They have been learning everything there is to know to maintain the consistent standard and reputation developed over the last nine years.

Greg has been a chef for 15 years working most recently at Ibisu and Anthea has been in front of house hospitality for 18 years, running cafes in Auckland. Anthea is Greg’s aunt and they have been talking about and looking for an opportunity to use their skills together for about three years. They wanted a place in a good location, with a good reputation and room for expansion. Both have a love for Italian food and Greg has been working intensively with Ollie Chunn to learn what makes the pasta at Delicious so special.

He says, “the simpler the food, the more mistakes you can make and the food here is very simple, it’s not extravagant and we don’t have heavy sauces. Ollie has been making the pasta here for the last four years and it was important that I learn everything he knows. He has been indispensable. He has a real passion for food and now I have his knowledge I am confident we will continue to satisfy our customers. We’re fortunate that all the kitchen staff have stayed with us and our maitre d’ Conrad, who has been here for four years, is building a new front of house team. Their passion is still there and this helps maintain consistency. Everyone wants to be here and their passion and desire inspires me to be here. Clean plates coming back to the kitchen are very encouraging too. It’s a nice feeling when our customers are happy.”

Delicious is a comfortable, quality suburban restaurant and maintains a high level of service. Locals like it for what it has been and continually ask for their old favourites to be put back on the menu. Greg and Anthea have inherited the original recipe book with all the recipes dating back eight years. Although the night menu will change seasonally, many familiar dishes will remain such as the pumpkin ravioli with mustard fruits.

HOLISTIC MEDICAL CENTRE – PROVIDING THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS The Holistic Medical Centre returned to the inner-western suburbs early this year, and the team say how good it feels to be back! Now situated in the heart of the West Lynn shops, the busy little practice fits right in with the community.

Their core ethos of increasing wellbeing by treating the symptoms, as well as addressing the cause, gives their patients the best of both worlds and highlights the nature in which their doctors practice.

Patients are booked in for half hour consultations so the doctor has time to thoroughly assess their wellbeing. The clinic naturopaths are often brought into the consultation as well, offering nutritional and remedial advice that is second to none.

The Holistic Medical Centre aims to provide traditional medical solutions with an integrative edge; as some of their patients have found, sometimes the simplest solutions are what is required, and can prove to be the most powerful.

Their own Dr Glenn Twentyman, featured in the TVNZ documentary “Is Modern Medicine Killing You?” perfectly demonstrates how the simplest solutions are sometimes the best for seemingly complex problems. PN HOLISTIC MEDICAL CENTRE, 412 Richmond Road T: 09 370 0650 www.holisticmedicalcentre.co.nz

“We are uniquely placed as far as competition goes offering a broad range of quality home-made Italian food. I’m confident we do what no one else is doing and although I will put my own touch on the food, there’s no point in changing for the sake of change.

I think it’s important to make changes softly without affecting the brand. We’re now open for lunch and dinner six days and offer more counter style food, salads and lighter options at lunchtime, but the dinner menu will be similar to how it has always been.”

There have been a few physical changes with tables replacing the bar and a new bar and coffee service area in the front. The outside courtyard is under renovation and will be open during the day for lunch and coffee until 6pm. It’s a beautifully sunny space and a much needed area for outside dining in West Lynn.

Greg and Anthea are certain the changes they have made enhance the solid reputation built over so many years. I dropped in to eat before they knew me and had the zucchini and lemon ravioli with sage butter. I was impressed. The pasta was thin and perfectly cooked; the filling juicy and tangy and there was plenty of sage butter melted over it.

If you haven’t been in a while, make a date to go, there are so few Italian restaurants in our city and this is one of the best. (REBECCA JONES) PN DELICIOUS, 472 Richmond Road T: 09 360 7590 www.delicious.co.nz

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WEST LYNN RICHMOND VILLAGE THERE’S SOMETHING SWEET AND UNIQUE JUST AROUND THE CORNER THERE’S A LITTLE SHOP IN WEST LYNN village on Hakanoa Street selling unique sweet treats that owner and baker Lucy Stuart makes on site. Originally they were made by Amish women for their husbands who would cry whoopie when they opened their lunch boxes, or so the story goes. Because the icing is on the inside, they wrap and travel really well and can be filled with any flavour.

Lucy grew up in Sydney and studied communications but when she finished realised that she didn’t love the industry. She answered an ad for Dorothy the Dinosaur Show and worked for many years with The Wiggles travelling the world with the show. She took a break to become an apprentice pastry chef and studied back in Sydney for four years then joined up with The Wiggles again. It was while she was on a tour of New Zealand that she met her partner, Nick Maddren, who was a sound engineer.

Lucy says, “it was at this time that I injured myself and was unable to dance anymore, sometimes life is meant to be like that. I moved to Auckland two years ago working briefly at The Store on Kohi. I really wanted to work for myself and use my skills as a pastry chef. On a trip to the U.S, I tried whoopie pies and thought they were really interesting and that I could do more with them, expand the idea into a more modern style that wouldn’t be just another fad.”

Nick and Lucy started making the whoopies at home after they got their home kitchen certified and had a special section of their home designated for commercial production.

Nick did all the branding; marketing and design, then they started wholesaling.

“At first we were selling to cafes and online through the website but after six months the whoopies had become so popular we needed to move into a retail space with a real baker’s kitchen.

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“We found this shop and really liked the feel of Grey Lynn and the community and it meant we could sell directly to the public as well. We still sell to cafes and we have a stall at La Cigale market on Saturday which is great advertising for us. People come to the shop because they see us there.”

“I love making things from scratch. Knowing how to take basic ingredients – flour, eggs, sugar – and turn them into something else is very satisfying. Training as a chef is a good foundation for making good food. I love Asian food and want to try to incorporate some of the different flavours of Asia into my recipes.

“There will always be the core flavours, but I love to make new things. I have ideas for breakfast whoopie’s with savoury flavours inspired by ingredients like ricotta, fresh herbs and vegetables. Whatever flavours you like can be made into something easy to eat that tastes great.”

The business has grown so much that Lucy would like to one day open a small kiosk downtown, but she says, “This is the best neighbourhood to be in. The community are lovely and really supportive and loyal. What we like about this neighbourhood is the individual shops are all pretty unique and interesting and the people who live in the streets around here walk by every day. We wanted The Whoopie Shop to be a happy place with really good quality baking that people get excited about and leave with a smile after eating a whoopie. There’s nothing nicer than returning customers.

“We use tasty fresh ingredients and we’re proud of making a good quality product with integrity. I believe that if you’re really passionate about something and enjoy what you’re doing, then you will do it well.” (REBECCA JONES) PN WHOOPIE, 2a Hakanoa Street T: 09 555 4219 www.whoopie.co.nz

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WEST LYNN RICHMOND VILLAGE WORK LIVE AND PLAY IN WEST LYNN VILLAGE - A PRIVILEGE

For them, their business has grown quite considerably in the last 24 months. With more salespeople and more homeowners choosing to work with them than ever before, they needed more space. Having always had a strong presence in Grey Lynn and Westmere from their Ponsonby Road office, it made sense that they would open in the heart, which is the West Lynn village.

“In a globalised world, we feel that as much as we can be, we must be in the community we serve” says Gower Buchanan of Ray White. “During the renovation of our new offices, I found Last year’s street party in WEST LYNN was a popular event for the local community myself in the Village more than I ever had before. “Shopping at Harvest Wholefoods, Mamata, the Dear Reader bookshop, the All of the businesses in the village provide a valuable service to all who live nearby butcher (such a loss), all of the eateries and other small businesses is such a joy. and the team at Ray White are so proud to be a part of such a vital community.

I have even had occasion to enter Nature Baby - not my usual sort of clothing store, Having the opportunity to live work and play in the West Lynn village is a privilege that none of them takes lightly. PN but fantastic nonetheless.”

DAMERELL EARWAKER GROUP, RAY WHITE GREY LYNN, 422 Richmond Road T: 09 360 7004 www.rwponsonby.co.nz

PLANS TO CLEAN UP COX AND MOTIONS CREEKS I RECENTLY CRITICISED THE WAITEMATA LOCAL BOARD’S PROPOSAL TO build a new Weona walkway in Westmere, partly on the grounds that a pollution clean-up should precede any more million dollar spends in that area.

I have now had several discussions with Watercare and the council which has convinced me that plans are firmly afoot to solve the stormwater and wastewater problems which dog the Cox’s, Motions and Meola Creeks.

Not so successful have been my attempts to find out when rubbish cleanups in this area actually occur, and who is responsible for them. I’m talking about bottles, cans, cartons, and all sorts of other carelessly abandoned trash. I understand that council stormwater has done some work to install litter traps to help reduce the amount of discarded litter that enters the Bay.

Auckland waterways would be fixed but it would take a billion dollars, money not now available, and so the project could not be done overnight.

Brent Evans from Watercare told Ponsonby News that the old method of catchment wide storm water and wastewater separation is out of fashion internationally, and that the interceptor storage and conveyance tunnel offered better long term sustainable outcomes for similar cost. Watercare’s predecessor Metrowater, had plans for widespread sewer separation which have now largely been abandoned.

Evans pointed out that Cox’s Creek is a very old part of Auckland, with an old combined sewerage system. Auckland council and Watercare seeks to manage the overflows in the catchment but until the Interceptors are in place ad hoc clean ups will continue to be necessary.

According to Watercare’s Principal Adviser to the Local Boards, Brent Evans, and Craig McIlroy, Auckland Council Stormwater Manager, the council and Watercare share the cleanup efforts and costs of overflows especially after heavy rain. Watercare and Auckland Council stormwater have also been working collaboratively to help clean up the catchment. Recent inspections of the network have identified and rectified a number of private illegal wastewater connections thereby removing direct discharges into the Bay. Some localised sewer separation works are also planned.

The route and resource consent application for the central interceptor tunnel can be viewed on Watercare’s website, and there is a commitment to getting on with the project as money allows. My plea would be, please don’t do it by doubling our water rates which are already very high.

Council stormwater is also working with Auckland Transport regarding the maintenance programme for cleaning out catch pits. These are short term measures and long term planning will eventually see a proposed waterfront interceptor that will store and convey wastewater overflows before they are transferred for treatment.

This project will eventually join up to and complement the proposed 13 kilometre long, four metre wide central interceptor tunnel which will convey wastewater to Mangere for treatment.

McIlroy also told us that these projects will help reduce the amount of stormwater going into the combined sewers and the frequency of overflows.

Unfortunately, this central interceptor is budgeted to cost about $800 million and take until 2027 to complete, while if approved, the Waterfront interceptor is estimated to cost $135 million and be completed by 2023.

These figures tally with comments made by former Minister of Environment, Nick Smith, at a meeting I attended in the Ponsonby Community Centre about two years ago. Hosted by local MP Nikki Kaye, Smith said Cox’s Creek and all other

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Craig McIlroy also told us that “the council has plans for a number of stormwater projects in the Cox’s Creek catchment which are designed to reduce the risk to a number of properties where the habitable floors are at risk of flooding.”

In early 2011 the council completed a $1 million project to remove sediment and rubbish that has built up in Cox’s Creek.

It is a disgrace that so many people just chuck their rubbish any old where, leaving tins to cut children’s feet, and takeaway food packets to litter the walkway of Lemington Reserve and other popular walks.

We say to central government, give the council the money and tools for the jobs that need doing, and if necessary raise taxes on the wealthy to achieve this. Those of us who regularly walk around the Cox’s area demand Council clean up action. We should not have to smell the rubbish when we want to smell the roses.

(JOHN ELLIOTT) PN PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

photography: Michael McClintock

Many of you will already know that Ray White have opened another office and auction rooms in the West Lynn village on Richmond Road.

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PHIL PARKER: WHOSE WINE IS IT ANYWAY? GO WEST - KUMEU’S WEST BROOK WINERY ONE OF MY FAVOURITE KUMEU WINERIES WHICH I FREQUENTLY VISIT ON my wine tours is West Brook. Situated in Waimauku next to the Riverhead pine forest, the vineyard and winery sit among landscaped manicured lawns with a placid duck pond and neat rows of vines climbing the slopes beyond. Third generation Croatian winemaker Anthony Ivicevich and his charming wife Susan own the small family business, which has been in operation since 1935. The Cellar Door welcomes visitors seven days a week, with picnic tables, petanque, giant chess and BBQ facilities available. Deli foods are available from the chiller.

ANYWAY TO THE WINES: Waimauku Pinot Gris 2012 $26.00 Delicate and elegant with mineral notes on the palate and a deliciously crisp finish.

Flavours of Nashi pear, quinine and Braeburn apple.

Barrique Fermented Chardonnay 2011 $22.90 Made from a blend of Waimauku and Marlborough fruit. Toasty oak and lush flavours of peach and pear, with a hint of yeasty brioche.

Waimauku Estate Chardonnay 2011 $29.50 All home vineyard fruit. Citrus, stone fruit and toast with a mineral crisp finish.

Waimauku Pinot Noir 2011 $26.00 Light and elegant with cherry/berry red fruit flavours with earthy undertones.

Waimauku Estate Malbec 2010 $ $32.00 Ripe and full with black fruit intensity and spicy, savoury flavours. Medium tannins and lengthy palate. Drinking beautifully now, but could cellar for another three years.

WEST BROOK WINERY, 215 Ararimu Valley Road, Kumeu T: 09 411 9924 www.westbrook.co.nz Open 7 Days Mon – Fri 9.00 to 5.00 Sat 10.00 am to 5.00 pm Sun 11.00 am to 5.00 pm Phil Parker is a wine writer and operates Fine Wine & Food Tours in Auckland. www.insidertouring.co.nz PN

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LIZ WHEADON: WINE, GLORIOUS WINE

CHRISTMAS PARTY CATERING – ASK THE EXPERTS At Glengarry we have been organising catering for events and functions for many years, it’s no exaggeration to call the team experts in this area.

In addition to their knowledge, there’s a host of services that we offer that it’s timely to highlight: • • • • • •

Sale and return for functions Glass hire – with wine purchased from us of course Ice and ice bins Chilled deliveries Exceptional food – catered by Dida’s And plenty of advice – you can start the process with the quotes section off our website www.glengarrywines.co.nz/quotes.jsp

• Kegs of beer – not just a student flat thing! At Glengarry Victoria Park, you can organise to hire a keg pump and order your favourite handcrafted Stoke beer keg.

If you’ve got the numbers, why not!

• Food – don’t forget the food – it’s good host responsibility to feed your guests as well. All of the Dida’s Foodstores – Jervois Road, Victoria Park and Takapuna offer a takeout catering menu; whether it’s canapés, sandwiches to go, salads, picnic hampers, antipasto platters or a cheese board, the list is endless.

• Glass hire – we are big on great glasses at Glengarry and do have stocks of our Riedel glasses to hire out. As well as that, we do have a range of everyday glasses available for hire with purchase of wine from Glengarry. PN That’s a general idea to get you started. Don’t hesitate to contact the team at Glengarry to assist you further. (LIZ WHEADON) www.glengarry.co.nz

And for those charged with organizing the drinks for this year’s Christmas party, we’ve detailed a few tips to get you started, take a look and don’t hesitate to contact us.

Firstly you need to define the type of party – a cocktail party, drinks for a few hours, a full dinner, late night party, lunch, and breakfast – what’s the format. The next thing to work out is the split of male and female and to understand who is coming along!

Armed with all that information, here are a few general tips and bits of information: • 1 bottle of wine will serve 5-6 glasses of wine depending on the size of the glass • How do you work out how many drinks per person you should cater for? Working on these numbers below will give you a good balance as some people won’t drink and some may have a glass or two more: – If the event is over say 2-3 hours and is a cocktail party, drinks for a few hours, a casual get together, then work on 2-3 drinks per person for 2-3 hours – For a dinner, work on about 3-4 drinks per person – If the event is more of a party, then 3-5 drinks per person is the best calculation • Understanding your female/male split will help you work out the beer / wine ratio – although that’s of course a huge generalisation in itself – but you’ve got to start somewhere • Water / Non Alcoholic drinks – something not to forget - very important to look after the sober drivers. There’s a great range available – from sparkling water, to natural carbonated drinks like Stoke Ginger Beer.

• Low Alcohol options – Cider has grown in popularity over the last few years and the range that’s available now is quite something – there are some wonderful local options and new imported ciders like the Aspall Apple Cyder all the way from Suffolk in the UK. • Ice – keeping everything cold on those hot summer days coming is a challenge – putting the drinks in a large ice bin filled with ice outside is also a great way to ensure that the fridge stays a little clearer for keeping the food cold.

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY GLENGARRY KINGSLAND – A NEW LOOK AND A NEW LOCATION Early October, Glengarry reopened in Kingsland, across the road and down a little from our previous site. You’ll find us at 420 New North Road, just through the New North Road / Bond Street lights and situated beside a local legend, Atomic Café.

We’ve been in the area for a few years now, but had always yearned for a site where we could represent more of our range, so when the site beside Atomic cafe became available we jumped in boots and all.

Whilst you’ll find all the things you love about Glengarry in our new store, we have tweaked and modified it to bring you a new and fresh looking Glengarry store, which we know you’ll love. There’s something in it for everyone and to ensure easy navigation to just the right part of the store, there’s clear signage and a home with just the right feel and look. Colourful winery vistas, a digital screen with winery scenes and information, it’s a Mecca for wine, beer and spirit aficionados.

We’d love to see you in store very soon, and to tempt you here’s a little tour of what you’ll find. Just inside the door, we have two large Riedel glassware cabinets full to the brim with Riedel stemware and decanters. Housed between the cabinets, is an extensive range of the very best Champagne in the market (best prices too).

Heading around the corner, you’ll find our well thought out selection of New Zealand and international Pinot Noir before you come to the Glengarry Top Ten. The Glengarry Top 10 is a monthly selection of the best wines from the 100s that we taste each month to select for Glengarry. Next up it’s the tasting station – where the team have wines open for you to try before you purchase. Behind the counter lined with Bordeaux box ends, you’ll find a collection of fine spirits. So that’s the left hand side of the store.

Over on the other side, there’s a wall of chilled white wine, behind which you will find a beer fridge crammed full of craft beers. Crafty enthusiasts - got your growler yet?

We have put our biggest growler station yet into Glengarry Kingsland, fitted with state of the art technology. At the growler station you can fill your bottle with an exciting and changing range of craft beers. Once you’ve finished it, pop back and purchase a refill.

Our new store is run by a familiar face; Danielle has been with Glengarry since 2007.

Danielle started out with study and training heading towards a career in winemaking, and whilst she’s pretty good at that (I’ve tasted a drop or two she’s produced), it’s retailing that she excels at. A natural lean towards selling vino, a charismatic and friendly persona, Danielle is now the manager of the new look Glengarry Kingsland.

You can find all the store details on line at www.glengarry.co.nz/kingsland, here you’ll also find all the information on the tasting and events. PN

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

DANIELLE GREVERS, Manager Glengarry Kingsland

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WHAT’S HOT AT SABATO FESTIVE GOURMET GOODIES AND GIFTS AT SABATO At Christmas time, the shelves at Sabato are laden with fabulous festive treats.

Delight and give thanks in the most delicious way with a gorgeous hamper or artisan indulgence from our generous selection.

Sabato hampers are brimming with carefully hand -picked gourmet goodies, nestled in charming baskets and boxes, and complete with recipes to help the recipient make the most of their gift.

We are also happy to work with you to custom create a unique gift, original to you or to your business. We welcome corporate enquiries, and can set you up with an account to make the process simple and straightforward.

Visit our Mt. Eden showroom (open seven days) or browse our range online. PN SABATO, 57 Normanby Road T: 09 630 8751 www.sabato.co.nz

A PASTRY BY ANY OTHER NAME...

TART BAKERY’S NEW PIANO TART, THE NEW BAKERY ON GREAT NORTH ROAD, IN THE HEART OF THE Grey Lynn shops has the ultimate busker’s instrument – a piano on the pavement outside the shop.

The bakery owner’s young son works at Tart doing dishes. He’s sitting Grade 8 piano and was going to miss his lessons and said he wouldn’t practise because he was working. Problem solved – a piano on wheels was acquired,by Philippa Stevenson, his mum and stationed on the pavement outside every day. Now, there’s no excuse!

photography: Fionna Hill

TART, 555 Great North Road T: 09 376 5535 www.tartbakery.co.nz

SURE, CROISSANTS ARE NOTHING NEW - BUT A BEAUTIFULLY RENDERED classic deserves a moment’s appreciation. Dominique Colombie, co-owner of Paneton, grew up in a patisserie in south-west France – and Paneton’s perfect croissants are still made with the traditional French recipes he learned from his father, and brought to New Zealand.

Even better, you can buy Paneton croissants in a Ready-to-Rise version, which come raw and frozen. Just take them out of the freezer to rise overnight, then bake them in the morning for delicious, freshly baked croissants – still warm! The Paneton Ready-to-Rise range includes Croissants and (for an extra special treat) Pain au Chocolat – both of which come in Petits and Grands size. PN PANETON, 21 Halsey Street T: 09 309 5338 www.panetonbakery.co.nz

During the school holidays Paul Mitcheson and Philippa Stevenson watch TALLULAH, a visitor from Wellington, tickling the ivories

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY OH I DO LOVE TO BE BY THE ANGLESEA SIDE …

As Ponsonby Road begins to gear up for its traditional end of year celebrations, there’s already both excitement brewing and brewing excitement in one little stretch of our beloved strip. And given this little stretch spans the corner of Anglesea Street, the home of Chapel Bar & Bistro and Tin Soldier, it should come as no surprise that the mastermind plotting both is none other than our favourite all round bon-viveur and Chapel Bar & Bistro owner, Mr Luke Dallow.

Not content with simply keeping us coming back for other people’s golden nectar, Luke has this year put his considerable hospitality experience, skills and enthusiasm into creating his own craft brewery to tickle and tempt our taste buds. They may be brewed locally, but the beers in Luke’s Dedwood Brewery draw inspiration from around the world, and happily for us can now be enjoyed on tap at Tin Soldier.

However Luke’s beers are not the only reason to pay a visit to Ponsonby Road’s newest bar and eatery. Tin Soldier has been designed for sharing: drinks, conversation and of course the beautifully-crafted dishes from head chef Steve Smith that have been creating such a culinary buzz around town. The sharing menu features a very modern twist on some old favourites, and will change the way you think of traditional staples like cheese on toast and fish pie forever. If you’ve not ventured in yet, stop punishing yourself and indulge your curiosity – you won’t be disappointed.

While Tin Soldier may be the smart new kid on the block, its neighbour, Chapel Bar & Bistro has just celebrated its seventh birthday, and in the words of its owner has been “creating miracles since 2005.” These miracles come in all forms, shapes and sizes, and collectively contribute to creating the unique Chapel atmosphere.

As well as serving as Ponsonby’s very own local, Chapel Bar & Bistro is equally famed for its entertainment, party nights, quirky themed events and generosity – and a quick retrospective of the last seven years shows just why. Events such as the LBD (Little Black Dress), Sex and the City and Snow Parties have brought glitz, glamour and even genuine snowflakes to Ponsonby Road. Chapel Bar & Bistro has also given away a heap of amazing prizes to party goers, including two diamond rings, valued at $10,000, a $5000 trip to Las Vegas, a Porsche for a weekend, a $2000 shopping spree and a $1000 exclusive party at Chapel Bar & Bistro.

Ever the matchmaker, Luke has also drawn his Cupid’s bow with Lock n’Key parties and crowned the Ponsonby Bachelor and Bachelorette of the year. He’s also indulged his own passion for great food and two-wheel travel by launching the Ponsonby Long Lunch and the Chapel Scooter Club.

And then there’s the music. Chapel Bar & Bistro has launched Gin Wigmore, and hosted a who’s who of the local music scene including Annabelle Faye, Jonny Love, Josh Leys and Luke Thompson. The bar has also become home to Auckland’s best Sunday Session with the inimitable Thane Kirby. Are you sure it’s only been seven years Luke?!

Of course, a key ingredient to Chapel’s ongoing success is its menu – serving restaurant quality food at local pub prices. Luke told the Ponsonby News last week that he reckoned he had sold exactly 150, 745 pizzas, and had worked out that if he laid every one of these 30cm disks of delight next to each other, he’d have a pizza chain stretching 4500 kilometers! All of which got him thinking further, about where that 4500 kilometer chain might lead from this small but very popular pub in Ponsonby? And this is where he wants your help.

If you can find him an exciting destination, 4500 kilometers from Chapel Bar & Bistro’s front door, then Luke will reward you with one of these delicious pizzas for free, valid until the end of November. Grab your atlas or start Googling, and email your answer to chapel.admin@xtra.co.nz.

Oh, and don’t forget to wish him Happy Birthday! PN

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY THE PONSONBY NEWS TEAM’S FAVOURITE CAFES Readers often ask us for our recommendations and we are spoilt for choice with excellent cafés in this area - here are our personal favourites.

Martin Leach - KOKAKO CAFÉ & ROASTERY, 537 Great North Road

As a vegetarian I’m spoilt for choice here, the menu has dishes that have natural and organic ingredients sourced from local or New Zealand suppliers. The café has a nostalgic feel with the very cool retro fit out and reminds me of the iconic Grey Lynn Post Office whose home was once here.

Jay Platt - CAFÉ PEOPLE, 38 Ponsonby Road

Whilst avocado and tomato with toast is not on the menu, the friendly Café People staff are always happy to make it for me. It’s a great place to meet, sit, eat and relax.

Jo Barrett – MARCELLO’S CAFÉ, 28 College Hill

Marcello and his friendly staff are always so welcoming! I simply love their toasted savoury muffins like no others; full of flavour and generous to a fault. I find this place perfect for meetings with clients or when time doesn’t permit, grabbing a quick bite and coffee on the run.

Julie Roulston – GARNET STATION CAFÉ, 85 Garnet Road

I love Garnet Station for Verity’s warmth, and the way they’ve embraced Westmere Primary parents and kids. Mums and Dads will also find cute and affordable little treats here.

Gwynne Davenport – CATROUX CAFÉ, 129 West End Road

There is a great selection of cabinet food, especially the crusty bread sandwiches (so good toasted up) and tasty pies, and the coffee is consistently good.

Richard Gravenor - URBAN JUNGLE, 571 Great North Road

My partner and I find this place friendly and welcoming. I personally love their chocolate brownies with fresh whipped cream which goes down well with a chai latte!

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Anya Veryaskina - OH!SO CAFE, 29 Crummer Road

What I love about OH!SO is their team, who make you feel welcome on every single visit, their consistently great coffee and lovely breakfasts - done with love. And my all time favourite - date scones!

John Elliott - MONTEREY, 432 Richmond Road

Run by a friendly husband and wife, this is the place locals meet, to relax, chat, and connect with each other over good healthy food, and all poultry, eggs and pork products are certified free range. It’s unpretentious, has a nice outdoor garden and their food waste and coffee grounds are dutifully taken to the local community garden compost site. PN

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY THE ELEGANT SHED “I’LL JUST BE WORKING IN THE SHED for a while.” We’ve all heard that one before.

But now a group of ‘shed enthusiasts’ who brought contemporary style to an old goods shed on North Wharf, have been awarded for their ‘tinkering’.

Jack Tar; the restaurant and bar that now occupies the old shed has received the Best Heritage Award/Auckland, at the New Zealand Architecture Awards 2012.

Mike Davies of HDT Architecture in Wellington was behind the good work and said after the awards “We tried not to detract from the original character of the existing structure so its heritage significance shone through.”

No doubt he succeeded and getting an award for building a great bar is, of course a great reason for going back to the bar and popping a few corks.

Peter Parkin, partner at Jack Tar and a man of few words suggested that people might like to come down for a look and tidy up a few of the tasty plates on offer. The fare is elegant gastro-pub - try the twice cooked hoi sin pork-belly on kumara mash with spinach and onion jam, or any one of the superb pizzas.

But be warned. Minutes turn into hours when you are mucking around in this shed so Jack has already found a ready market for its appealing mix of popular fare and relaxed sophistication. On a warm summer evening there may be no better place to relax with a cool glass of Little Creatures and a slice of Moroccan lamb and pumpkin pizza. PN JACK TAR, North Wharf Auckland City T: 09 313 1002 www.jacktar.co.nz

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY GLENN ELLIOTT: KING OF KIWI! A FREEMAN’S BAY RESIDENT FOR OVER 20 YEARS, GLENN ELLIOTT IS A BIT of a legend around town. For years he was responsible for creating some of the most off-the-wall and interesting television shows to come out of the country, working with subjects as diverse as John Rowles, the Ratana Church Marching Band and Australia’s notorious Chopper Read, and always has a great story to tell.

After years in television production he felt it was time to turn his considerable talents to something new however, and two years ago he began working on a beverage project that soon became ELLIOTTS King of Kiwi.

A small but perfectly formed, family owned boutique juice business, it produces 100% natural Kiwifruit blends that I can vouch for as being absolutely delicious – and addictive! They are 100% juice, no added water, no added sugar and – heaven forbid!

- definitely no preservatives.The juices do however contain loads of vitamin C and E, dietary fibre and plenty of other good stuff. And they’re available in three flavours – Green Kiwi, Gold Kiwi and Feijoa.

“I’d been in television long enough,” he tells me, “and I wanted to create something that I could take to the world from New Zealand that actually ‘made sense’. Kiwfruit makes total sense!” He started looking around and found that there were no decent kiwifruit -style drinks available in the marketplace, “mainly I think because it’s a really hard fruit to turn into a drink. You can’t squeeze it like an orange, and just minutes after you cut one it starts to turn brown. It’s not an easy task.”

It took him just over 18 months of working with the best people in the kiwifruit industry to develop the end product, as well as a master food technician who had previously worked with brands like 42 Below. “He’s a truly amazing man who has worked in the industry his whole life,” says Glenn, “and he really wanted to retire but as they say in the mafia movie The Godfather – people keep pulling him back in!”

He says that the process was long and challenging, and there were many opportunities to cut corners and cost. “But in our opinion there is enough rubbish in the world already, so why add to it? So we didn’t.” This even came down to commissioning their own bespoke bottle, which was designed by New Zealand designer Andy Jacobs. “We also opted for glass for its environmental and health benefits over the petroleum-based competition,” adds Glenn, “once again, just because it felt right.”

When I ask him why he added a feijoa juice to the lineup he laughs and says, “I don’t know… just because I love them! They are like the Bible, they polarise people – you either love them or you hate them.”

But back to kiwifruit, which are becoming more and more sought after worldwide due to their numerous health benefits. They are rich in many vitamins, flavonoids and minerals, and in particular, they contain a high amount of vitamin C (more than oranges), as much potassium as bananas and a good amount of beta-carotene. They can help protect our body against free radicals from all fronts, and Italian studies performed on six to seven year old children have also demonstrated additional health benefits to the respiratory tract. In particular, children that were fed five to seven portions a week of citrus and kiwifruits had 44 per cent less probability of wheezing compared to children eating them less than once a week. They are also packed full of fibre, making them an essential fruit for everyone in the family.

ELLIOTTS is now available in stores through New Zealand, Guangzhou and Hong Kong, with loads more stockists soon to come. “They really are a superfruit, it’s all true!” says Glenn, and I have to agree. (HELEN RAVLICH) PN

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY FAVOURITE PONSONBY LOCAL EMBRACES CHANGE - AND RETURNS TO ITS ROOTS Founding member of the Ponsonby Hall of Fame, Lime bar has long been part of the Ponsonby Road repertoire. Launched in 1998, the bar rapidly ascended to the position of local favourite. Over the years this whippet thin bar has evolved into a late night residence for individuals seeking to park their dignity at the door and kick up their heels.

Lime’s always been the preferred venue for lovers of music where even if you don’t know all the words, you can rest assured you’ll be well equipped to belt out those familiar choruses. And it’s expected you will - vocal talent is definitely not a prerequisite.

Considering Lime’s reputation as a one-stop shop for scratching that late night itch, it was surprising to learn of the alarming number of marriages that have resulted from an unassuming night out – a definite tick in the redemption box.

Nothing’s changed there, but there are indeed some significant changes afoot…

Lime has since re-discovered its early roots as a meeting place where after work, pre-dinner catch-ups leisurely converge into late night singsongs. This alluring little magnet now boasts an inviting outdoor, early evening suntrap.

The cleverly designed front of house renovation has resulted in a transformation of Ponsonby’s least imposing footprint into a delightful portico ripe for the picking.

Intimacy remains intact, but with plenty of room to accommodate a group outdoors.

Select between a refreshing craft beer and the infamous Lime Mojito – Ponsonby’s first and finest, and ordering from the newly introduced food list is a welcomed addition to hit the spot at the end of a busy day. PN LIME, 167 Ponsonby Road T: 09 360 7167

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LAURAINE JACOBS: THE WELL SEASONED PALATE

PRETTY FINE DINING AT VINNIES IT’S ALL ABOUT CREATING THE SETTING FOR A FINE MEAL; LIGHTING, SOFT surfaces and seating that gives diners enough space to feel special. Geoff Scott’s recent revamp of his Herne Bay fine dining restaurant Vinnies ticks all those boxes.

There’s thick carpet on the restaurant floor, luxuriously upholstered chairs, dark moody walls and just enough distance between tables so you don’t have to listen to others’ intimate conversations.

But it’s the lighting that’s really special. Small spotlights can adjust to the configuration of the tables so that the light falls on the tables, illuminating the white tablecloths, making menus easy to read and ensuring the food becomes the hero. (That the soft reflected light is quite flattering to the diner was not lost on me.)

Chef Scott was one of the first to jump on the foraging trend. Years ago he’d scour the countryside around Auckland in search of the freshest, ripest vegetables and fruits and new and unusual artisan producers and growers. A menu in a fine restaurant should tell a story and Vinnies’ generously mentions these special suppliers he continues to find, and has such lines as “we love oysters and will only serve live ones, shucked from the closed shell, when you say.” I say bravo!

Another thing that’s not expected, but is always a delight when doing the fine dining thing, is the unrequested treats that emerge unannounced, from the kitchen. In our case it was a miniature milk bottle, to whet our appetites, filled with a creamy potato with a hint of hazelnut soup sipped through a little straw. Then, once we’d ordered, a munificent warm sourdough bread roll with butter and grassy South Auckland olive oil turned up, and later in the meal, the tiniest glass of properly-made blood orange granita. All welcome gifts received with gratitude.

As is the mode, the listings on the menu are a little oblique. Who knows what ‘citrus oil poached gamefish, garlic puree, tapioca and Coromandel scallops’ or ‘buffalo shoulder, sunchokes, papaya white chives, peanuts’ might look like?

Main course choices were wagyu beef, beetroot and mascarpone risotto (for the vegos, hurrah), venison, snapper, lamb and wild hare. No birds, interestingly. The portions are not large but they’re perfectly formed and there’s hours of work in the accompanying garnishes, sauces and vegetables. Two dégustation menus are offered. That’s probably a very good way to go here as that’s where real value lies and you get to see the depth of the kitchen’s talent and thoughtfulness. Next time I’d take it as the pace and portioning is ideal, and eating that way introduces a little drama to the evening.

The wine list is a goody. The list is not extensive, but a tight well chosen selection of each varietal. Sommelier and maitre d’ Rachel Haughton has a fine palate and was right on the button with her suggestions of Two Hand shiraz for us. She flits about like an excited butterfly and charms diners with her Scottish lilt, advising and hosting everyone. It was a lively evening; although only half full, the private room was occupied by a business group, and a large table of ten in the restaurant included three nine year -old boys who had been there all afternoon for a cooking lesson. “I made this seaweed jelly,” one proudly boasted.

We finished with a shared dessert, quince and croissant bread and butter pudding with mint ice-cream. It was a delight. The pudding was as light as air and accompanied by a cone filled with minty green ice cream topped with hundreds and thousands and serendipitously plopped upside down onto the plate. I was told one of Geoff Scott’s young sons was handed an ice-cream and immediately managed to drop it on the ground. Amazing where chefs find their inspiration! PN VINNIES, 166 Jevois Road T: 09 376 5597 www.vinnies.co.nz (LAURAINE JACOBS) www.laurainejacobs.co.nz

photography: martin leach

Well I know as that’s what we ordered for our entrées. The buffalo shoulder was not the hulking great chunk of meat that my mind had conjured up, but rather a perfect

nugget, probably cooked confit style and served with an almost south-east Asian salad of ribbons of green papaya and Jerusalem artichoke, peanuts and a few judiciously chosen herbs, all artfully arranged and dressed. The gamefish was poached tuna, and the tapioca was cleverly flavoured with crayfish – a standout on the list that also included another dish I may return for. ‘Manuka smoked kahawai, pickled mussels, seaweed jelly, granny smith and kiwi mayonnaise’ sounds to me like the ultimate expression of everything that Chef Scott seeks in his pursuit of local and unusual.

‘DAY OF THE DEAD’ SKULL CAKE The day we moved into our new office local resident Devoney Scarfe called in and dropped off a treat for us for morning tea! She tells us she is based in Westmere and bakes special occasion sweets and treats - this beautiful skull cake is called ‘Day of the Dead’. www.sugarmama.co.nz

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LANI LOPEZ: HEALTHY LIVING SPRING CLEAN FOR A HEALTHY HOME Home is where the health is. At least it should be. Recent US research found that one in four of us are sensitive, even allergic to substances in our own home. Here are some simple steps you can take to have a healthy home.

CLEAN AND HEALTHY We frequently suffer sensitivity to household cleaners, from dishwashing liquid and disinfectant to laundry powder and soap. Try non-chemical alternatives. A 5% white vinegar solution can clean 95-99% of bacteria and up to 80% of germs. Mix a spray bottle to disinfect kitchen and bathroom. Add your favourite essential oil e.g. lemon or lavender for a homely scent. Baking soda, is a non-abrasive cleaner for bathtubs, sinks, ovens and effective pre-vacuum carpet deodoriser.

If you suffer any skin irritations clean-out chemicals and move to natural, petroleum free, unscented soap. Often airborne, allergens make air quality all important. Let fresh air in at every chance you get. In our damp spring a standard dehumidifier, with regularly cleaned filters, can keep your home at a healthy relative humidity below 60%.

CREATE A CRAVE KILLING KITCHEN What do you see when you hungrily eye the counter top? Chocs and packaged snacks or vital accessible water and fresh fruit? Keep carrots, celery and healthy protein -filled nuts in full view. Let their healthy robust goodness seduce you, rather than fatty, packaged and processed foods. Fresh and in season snacks increase the nutrient value of our diet and aid digestion, reducing exposure to allergy promoting foods.

SWITCH OFF AND TUNE IN Living and sleeping rooms are relaxing spaces. End the TV’s reign as a focal point.

Make music and mood the mainstay of your lounge and that hypnotic box soon loses its allure. Speaking of allure, the bedroom is for rest and recreation. You may make love with the lights on, but we all sleep best with them off. I’ve discussed this in detail before but briefly keep bedrooms free of bright lights, mobile, TV, tablets and laptops.

If your e-reader is backlit then even that stays outside.

YOUR HOME YOUR HAVEN When you get home today, take a moment to build a mental and physical barrier to the outside. Keep outside clothes (coats etc) and shoes OUTSIDE. Indulge yourself in some fashionable house shoes or snuggly slippers and use them. Every day. Make coming home a ritual. A time and place to leave the outside world behind you.

Shut the door on hassles and ill-health. Welcome to your healthy home. PN

LANI LOPEZ (BHSc AdvDip NatMed) is our Favourite Naturopath and founder of lanilopez.com Email comments or health questions to naturopath@lanilopez.com or find her on facebook/lanilopez.com

GO BANANAS WITH YONANAS INDULGE WITHOUT THE BULGE! DO YOU DREAM OF ICE CREAM? DO YOU love a sweet treat but feel guilty afterwards? Well, dessert lovers can breathe a sigh of relief as they can now enjoy a delicious, creamy, all natural, low cost frozen dessert made in their own home thanks to yonanas, a revolutionary new kitchen appliance.

With its patented technology, the yonanas machine quickly turns frozen bananas and other frozen fruits into a variety of guilt-free treats that look and taste like soft-serve ice cream (seriously, you have to try it to believe how ice cream-like it is). The yonanas is the hottest new kitchen appliance to hit New Zealand’s shores this year and is expected to be a huge hit this Christmas with ice cream-lovers and healthy eaters with a sweet tooth.

Unlike ice cream, a ‘yonanas’ has zero fat and zero cholesterol. Also, because it uses bananas as a base, it’s full of fibre, vitamins and minerals. Simply add frozen berries, and your ‘yonanas’ is also now antioxidant-rich!

The advanced technology of the yonanas machine means you can make dozens of different flavours – the only limit is your imagination. Why not try peach and blueberry, summer melon or mocha chocolate? Sold yet?

And if that wasn’t already enough to tempt you – yonanas offers great value for money, especially because you can use fruit that you might otherwise throw away. So invest in a yonanas this summer and you can afford to indulge yourself every day of the week. yonanas machines are available from Farmers, Briscoes and Mitre 10 stores this summer. PN

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HELENE RAVLICH: NATURAL BEAUTY

BE SUN SAFE THIS SUMMER WHENEVER I’VE ASKED BEAUTY EXPERTS – BE THEY dermatologists, make up artists or cosmetic surgeons – for their pick when it comes to anti-ageing skincare, they all agree that the most important thing you can do to keep your skin looking good well into old age is wear a sunscreen.

Daily. No arguments, no forgetting on a cloudy day, no saying, “my olive complexion is a sunblock in itself”! Oh, and last year’s model won’t cut it either – most sunblocks don’t last more than 12 months after being opened, so always reinvest.

It’s the product I’m most likely to recommend to someone, and the ultimate desert island pick if ever there was one!

Finding the right sunscreen to fit your skin type and your lifestyle is all important, and lots of people I know are choosing to opt for all-natural versions due to the fact that many chemicals found in your average ‘supermarket’ brand sunblock can be more harmful to your health than the sun.

The most controversial is oxybenzone, which can change the way hormones work in our bodies. The result could mean something as relatively benign and not life threatening as fertility issues, and then something as potentially life threatening as hormone sensitive cancers, like breast, prostate, ovarian cancers. In Europe, sunscreens with oxybenzone must carry a warning label on the bottle. Still, others say that wearing sunscreen laced with oxybenzone is better than wearing none at all – the choice is all yours.

I believe that when choosing a sunscreen, it is important to select a reflective, non-absorbent formula, as the UVA and UVB chemicals are less likely to be absorbed into the bloodstream and are easier to wash off. Zinc and titanium seem to be the best and safest on the market, and I’m always on the hunt for bright new formulations coming out of labs all over the world.

A brand new to the market that I’ve fallen hard for of late is COOLA suncare. It was a name I wasn’t familiar with but after a little digging thought it was definitely worth a bash, and my gut instinct was so right! I took several of their suncare options on a recent trip to Fiji and was blown away by how good they were.

A beautifully packaged collection of organic sun essentials produced out of Southern California, the COOLA range includes a plethora of yummy products that are high performance yet delicate and kind on the environment. It is produced in limited quantity batches in California (where the company is based), meaning that the range can be reformulated often, taking advantage of new developments in sun science and labelling regulations almost as they happen.

The COOLA range has three distinct organic sunscreen collections to choose from: plant UV, mineral, and classic, each based on different active ingredients. The classic sunscreens use organic active ingredients (commonly referred to as ‘chemicals’), while the mineral sunscreens use mineral (‘physical’) active ingredients like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide to scatter and reflect UVA/UVB rays. The mineral sunscreens are effective right after application, making them perfect for the whole family. The plant UV collection protects the skin with naturally protective plant cells that contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. All are blended into luxurious, moisturising bases which make up about 90 per cent of the product, and 70 per cent of this includes certified organic ingredients.

One of my favourites on holiday was the SPORT SPF 35 Piña Colada Sunscreen Spray, which offers broad spectrum SPF 35 protection along with the ability to nourish, repair and hydrate skin with 97 per cent certified organic ingredients. Needless to say it also smells incredible, and is available in a citrus mimosa scent if piña colada is not your cocktail of choice! (HELENE RAVLICH) PN To find out where to buy COOLA, call T: 0800 223 288

MARION BARNES and JANICE MILLS collecting for BREAST CANCER AWARENESS on Ponsonby Road last month

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING

A FRESH NEW FACE BLOSSOMS AND BLOOMS ON PONSONBY ROAD SPRING HAS SPRUNG AND WITH IT BLOOM SPA & BEAUTY HAS BLOSSOMED. You can’t miss the gorgeously bright pink swing signs and scattered rose petals beckoning you to visit and see what lies beyond the stone walls and stained glass windows of their beautiful heritage building on Ponsonby Road.

Bloom’s philosophy is very simple – personalised, results-oriented skin, beauty and well-being treatments in a warm, friendly environment that will delight your senses relax your body and restore your well-being.

Bloom specialises in advanced skin and facial treatments including micro-needling, skin rejuvenation and the luxurious Thalgo skincare ranges. There is a skincare programme for everyone – whatever your age, skin type or concern.

At Bloom you will find experienced beauty therapists who know what it feels like to be over 35 and genuinely care about making you look and feel “the best you possibly can!”

They’ll tailor an in-salon and homecare skin care and age-management programme that delivers results and fits with your lifestyle.

In addition, Bloom offers all the essential beauty services that you can’t live without - including waxing, IPL, eye treatments (including lash extensions), manicures, pedicures, massage spray tans, electrolysis and more.

With Christmas just around the corner you might also want to remember that Bloom Spa & Beauty have gorgeously packaged gift vouchers available that are sure to please everyone on the Christmas gift list.

If you’re walking down Ponsonby Road and you think you’re dreaming as you cross a trail of rose petals…you’re probably not …you’re simply outside Bloom Spa & Beauty.

BLOOM SPA & BEAUTY, 1/209 Ponsonby Road T: 09 361 1511 www.bloomspa.co.nz

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CLARE CALDWELL

THE ART OF LIVING

I’ve been asked questions recently by lots of people wanting to know about Creative Arts Therapy. Some simple explanations and applications of this complex, efficacious and wonderful modality have been set out below.

Creative Arts Therapy can be used in two main therapeutic ways – recreationally as in art-making, and as an adjunct to a deeper therapy process. It’s a way of “saying” things through painting, drawing, claywork, collage, that we find hard to articulate.

Through art we find expression in colour, symbol and metaphor, for things that disturb us and things we want to rejoice in. Since ancient times, humans have used the arts to communicate, to celebrate and to heal.

A vast amount of our experience is felt, expressed or stored on a non-verbal level. When we try to make sense of these feelings verbally, we often find they’re more complex than words alone can express. The creative process, by utilising a non-lineal brain pathway and embracing a more lateral approach, allows us to access images, memories, emotions and ideas we wouldn’t arrive at through analytic thinking or logical brain processes.

Creative Arts Therapy differs from the traditional arts (where the emphasis is on a high quality end product) - here the focus is on the creative process itself, and is not dependent on any training or expertise. It also differs from traditional talking therapies by allowing the client to do and make rather than think and explain. Words only describe what we already know, so by leaving talking until after the creative work is done, something new can emerge.

Art provides us with a way of “dredging” through our subconscious, of releasing what is within us by throwing images up onto the page without over-thinking them, always allowing the client to make their own interpretations and connections.

Creative Arts Therapy is suitable for all ages and abilities and can be helpful for many situations: life changes, relationship issues, lack of confidence, illness and many more. It can be useful for contributing towards a more integrated sense of self, with increased self-awareness and acceptance It can help to identify and clarify issues and concerns, especially when it’s difficult to find words to adequately express repressed feelings and anxieties or when a person tends to over-verbalise, thus staying in their lineal, rational brain and not allowing connection with their deeper body wisdom – the realm of the subconscious.

I believe one of the greatest gifts we can give anyone is to journey with them where they need to go – respectfully and compassionately until THEY make sense of their situation, holding these moments sacredly and mindfully within the safety of the therapeutic relationship. PN Clare (Claudie) Caldwell is a Creative Arts Therapist who runs a small private practice from home. She is Voluntary Team Leader of Creative Therapies at Mercy Hospice Auckland, College Hill, where she has worked for the last ten years. She is also a Freelance Artist.

Enquiries: T: 09 836 3618; M: 021 293 3171; E: clare.e.caldwell@gmail.com

INTRODUCING AROHA DRINKS: HAND MADE...

CRAFTED WITH LOVE... NATURES FINEST! As a child, Mark Dillon remembers his mum picking up a French hitchhiker. Who would’ve thought, that that chance encounter would change the direction of Mark’s future career. Welcoming this French man into their home, he taught Mark’s mother how to make elderflower syrup from the elderflowers that grew wildly on their Canterbury farm.

Years later, these elderflowers still grow on the family farm...and using these as inspiration, Mark Dillon created Aroha Drinks; all natural beverages which will re-inspire your tastebuds.

Harvested wild, and personally crafted by hand, Aroha Drinks was given this name for a reason; each bottle is made with love.

WITH AN ABSOLUTE FOCUS ON ONLY USING NATURE’S FINEST, AROHA DRINKS CONTAIN: NO artificial preservatives!

NO colours!

NO flavour enhancers!

That means 100% pure and natural goodness and no nasties what so ever. Ever!

The charm of the Canterbury plains, the joy of the pickers who return year after year for harvest season, and the simple pleasure in knowing Aroha Drinks are creating beverages that we can enjoy guilt free, makes them beverages worth tasting!

THE AROHA SPARKLE RANGE OF DRINKS INCLUDES: The Elderflower Original Sparkle A brilliantly refreshing drink, lightly sparkling with notes of Lychee, honeydew and gooseberry. A must try for anyone who has yet to discover the delicious treat that is elderflower!

When putting the drink into the bottle, product integrity is maintained by using a special pasteurising technique. Pasteurisation often degrades the fruity goodness inside juices but with Aroha’s method the goodness that goes into the bottle...stays in the bottle!

Elderflower Blackcurrent Sparkle Sourced as locally as possible...in this case the blackcurrants come all the way from across the road at Murray Steven’s place. A Selwyn district local for four generations, Murray grows arguably the best blackcurrants in New Zealand, and New Zealand grows some of the best blackcurrants in the world ... so he’s a talented man that Murray!

Perfectly combined, the sweet honeydew flavours of elderflower balance the tart sourness of delicious blackcurrants ... better yet, the health benefits of these two fruits means you’ll feel perfectly angelic drinking it!

Feijoa Sparkle These green grenades of flavour grow so well that during the New Zealand autumn they will choke your lawnmower if you can’t eat them fast enough. When feijoas are blended with elderflower something very special happens.

You will see why the drink is called Aroha because you will indeed fall in love with the combination: floral and fruity, citrus and sweet... and better still, available all year around!

Elderflower Rhubarb Sparkle This lil’ tipple has proven such a hit, that Mark has to keep expanding his rhubarb patch! The sheep haven’t made much of a fuss about their paddock size reducing, which is just as well, because this sparkle is proving to be a new favourite with customers! PN www.arohadrinks.co.nz

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JOHN APPLETON ON HEALTH

HOW’S YOUR LIVER? ‘HOW’S YOUR LIVER TODAY’ IS A COMMON GREETING IN RUSSIA AND THERE’S good reason for it. Our liver is absolutely vital to our health and wellbeing and this is why the Chinese refer to the liver as the ‘father of all organs’. Many medical terms that refer to the liver start with hepato – or hepatic which derive from the Greek word for liver – ‘Hepar’. The liver (which is our largest internal organ) is truly the workhorse of the human body fulfilling such wide variety of roles and yet it is also one of our most under-appreciated organs. We find the liver ‘wedged’ beneath the lower right rib cage and with a width of approximately 20 cms and weighing approximately 1.5 kgs (the liver is somewhat smaller in women) it occupies much of the upper right side of the abdomen. Some of our liver’s many functions include: conversion of excess glucose into glycogen which is then stored ready to be used for energy – production of cholesterol and the storage of iron - vitamin D, vitamin B12 and vitamin K. The liver also regulates blood clotting and it produces immune factors that help us resist infections.

While our liver might just look like a spongy piece of reddish/brown ‘meat’ its is a very complex organ with some big jobs to do in order to keep us healthy. There are three major functions that our liver has to perform: metabolism – filtration of blood and secretion. Metabolic functions involve the breakdown of nutrients, drugs and chemicals which arrive in the liver via the blood coming from the intestinal tract. All drugs are toxic (pharmaceutical and recreational) and they can put the liver under huge stress when it has to detoxify them ready for excretion. If you read the data sheets that come with pharmaceutical drugs you will understand just how toxic they can be and perhaps like me wonder about the cumulative potential for damage when several drugs are taken regularly. And it’s not only prescription drugs that have potential for causing serious harm. Acetaminophen, the active ingredient found in seemingly innocuous over the counter pain relief products, can be very harmful if dose recommendations are not strictly adhered to.

is more serious particularly for babies and children who may end up with liver problems later in life and hepatitis C which can become a chronic illness and is generally treated with drugs such as Interferon. When researching alternative options for treating hepatitis C, I came across a protocol used by American Doctor Burton Berkson which involves the use of alpha lipoic acid – selenium and silymarin (milk thistle). It seems to be very effective. I also came across an article in the newsletter of the Auckland Hepatitis C Resource Centre which talks about the successful use of ozone in the treatment of hepatitis C. I am happy to email this information to anyone interested.

Loving our liver is really important if we want to maintain good health. Cut back on alcohol and drink plenty of fresh pure water (preferably tepid). Try to limit your consumption of very fatty foods. Your liver will love you if you eat lots of vegetables and especially consume fresh vegetable juices. Ask your Doctor to discuss alternatives to the drugs you might be taking. Up your intake of vitamin C (which protects against fatty liver) and vitamin B12 and if you think that your liver is really in need of help take some milk thistle (silymarin). Australian Doctor Sandra Cabot has written a number of books about liver health and she has a very informative website www. liverdoctor.com “Action will remove the doubt that theory cannot solve.”

– Pehyl Hsieh (JOHN APPLETON) PN APPLETON ASSOCIATES, T: 09 489 9362 john@johnappleton.co.nz www.johnappleton.co.nz

Our hard working liver has another very important role as a vascular filter. Nearly 1.5 litres of blood circulate through the liver every minute, and during that time, the liver not only extracts wastes and toxic matter from the blood but also regulates overall blood volume. While all this is going on each day our liver secretes a litre of bile (which is stored in the gallbladder) which facilitates the digestion of fats. Bile also plays a central role in waste removal, picking up waste products from the blood and transporting them through a series of ducts for excretion through the intestine.

When we see someone who is jaundiced (yellowing of the eyes and skin) this is a sign of over-production of bile or a blockage of bile movement through the liver’s duct system. It can also be caused by a leakage of bilirubin into the bloodstream. Bilirubin is a product formed by the breakdown of old red blood cells and it’s what gives bile its colour. Bilirubin is the pigment that gives faeces its brown colour.

There are many ways we can harm our liver and right up there with drugs is alcohol consumption. 90-98% of the alcohol we consume has to be broken in the liver and it’s a by-product of this process known as acetaldehyde that does the damage. There are three stages of alcohol induced liver disease: fatty liver (which can be reversed if the individual stops ‘drinking’) leads to alcoholic hepatitis which causes the liver to swell.

The final stage is cirrhosis which involves permanent scarring and ultimately leading to liver failure. With so many people combining drugs and alcohol it’s amazing that our liver can retain its ability to function at all. The reason that our liver is so forgiving is that it’s the only internal organ capable of regenerating itself, being able to fully regenerate up to 75% of its tissue.

An often talked about and feared disease that affects the liver is infectious Hepatitis (inflammation of the liver). There are three types of hepatitis which are all viral infections – hepatitis A which can make the individual ill for two to three weeks – hepatitis B which

DIRTYMAN SKINCARE TEAMS WITH SURF LIFESAVING NEW ZEALAND HERE’S A REALLY EASY, USEFUL STOCKING FILLER THAT ALSO SUPPORTS one of New Zealand’s dearest good causes. New Zealand brand Dirtyman Skincare has teamed up with Surf Life Saving New Zealand, and have launched a skincare gift pack. Retailing for $20, the Dirtyman Skincare Gift Pack contains a full size moisturiser and shaving gel, and an impressive $5 from the sale of every pack is to be donated to Surf Lifesaving New Zealand.

Surf Lifesaving has been providing surf lifesaving services to New Zealand communities for nearly 100 years. Whether patrolling swimming areas or rescuing in heavy surf, every surf lifeguard knows the powerful motivation of saving or protecting a life. It’s a motivation that marks surf lifesaving as more than just ‘something to do’ at the weekend - lifeguards are truly ‘in it for life.’

The partners aim to raise $25,000 plus for Surf Lifesaving from sales of the Dirtyman Skincare Gift Pack from now until the end of summer. You can buy the pack online, and shipping is free.

Treat yourself or the man in your life, and do your bit for Surf Lifesaving too! PN www.dirtyman.co.nz

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HELENE RAVLICH: NATURAL BEAUTY

GRAYSON COUTTS’ HOTTEST HOME MAKEUP STUDIO HITHERTO RENOWNED FOR HIS KITCHEN SKILLS ON HIT TV SERIES, NEW Zealand’s Hottest Home Baker, Herne Bay resident Grayson Coutts is also one hell of a clever makeup artist – and a lovely bloke to boot. I’ve had my makeup done by him several times over the years at Ponsonby’s Smashbox retail store, but now he’s launched a seriously luxe home-based makeup studio all of his own.

Super serene and very private, he tells me that it was created specifically to offer ‘flexibility, comfort and privacy’. “The studio allows me to offer a more comprehensive and streamlined service,” he explained further, “it’s a unique professional space, where my clients can relax and unwind during their appointment, with no interruptions.”

Fresh from working backstage at New Zealand Fashion Week for the fourth consecutive year this September, he’s gearing up for a busy summer with wedding and party appointments already in the book. He also now offers a range of makeup courses to suit all skill levels from beginner to pro, with no more than four students per class guaranteed, and many options totally private. They start with a one and a half hour Masterclass, which I’ve done with Grayson before and can highly recommend.

It’s totally private and one-on-one, and involves having your chosen ‘look’ applied to one side of your face step by step, during which you repeat the process, step by step.

It’s great if you love doing your own makeup but often have one element that you haven’t quite nailed – such as perfect concealer application or every woman’s old friend, the Smokey Eye. He also offers a one day Intensive Private Course, which Grayson says “is for the beginner or already pro artist wanting to learn from the basics, refresh, or build on their already proficient makeup skills. You’ll learn two makeup applications, as well as colour matching, contouring and lash application.” All products and tools are included for use during the class, and a model is provided so you can give things a whirl with an expert looking on.

Last up, he offers a three week long course that covers everything you need to know - skin care and tools, foundation and concealing, a day look, an evening look, lash application, and some theory on makeup for photos - run over three weeks, with one three hour class per week. Numbers are restricted to no more than four students per class to ensure maximum attention can be provided to each student, and I think this would be great to do with friends.

“I’m passionate about my work and I take pride in making people feel great about themselves,” he tells me, “my courses are about having respect for the individual in the makeup chair and catering directly to their needs. Summer makeup is about keeping it light and sheer according to Grayson, but there are still ways to add a little of your own personality to your look. “My key tip to look fresh and youthful is to start with a perfectly groomed brow. Fill them in with eyeshadow or a pencil and you instantly look younger and draw more attention to your eyes.”

For a classic and casual day look, he says to try a clean winged liner – which is about as low maintenance as it gets, whilst still looking groomed. “Use a cream or gel liner to line the eyes as you normally would, thickening up the outer corners of the liner.

Extend the line past where your lashes stop and thin it out to a point. The flick should more or less follow a line from your bottom lashline to the edge of your brow.” Oh and it goes without saying: pair with lashings of mascara of course! (HELENE RAVLICH) www.graysoncoutts.com

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PLANET AYURVEDA: ASK DOCTOR AJIT Each month, DR AJIT, Australasia’s most experienced Ayurvedic practitioner answers a reader’s question. Please e-mail yours to info@ponsonbynews.co.nz

Q: A:

I am hoping you could help me with a delicate matter. I am chronically constipated and need an evening laxative to stay regular. Do you have any advice? Name and address withheld.

The frequency of bowel movements can vary from person to person, ranging from three movements a day to three times a week. If more than three days pass without a bowel movement, the contents of the bowel may harden and a person may have difficulty or even pain during elimination. This is called constipation.

Food that has been digested in the stomach moves through the small intestines in a semi liquid form. As it travels further, the nutrients from this digested food are absorbed.

Muscle contractions in the wall of the intestines propel the waste products into the large intestine, where re-absorption of up to 90% of the water and salt takes place as they are essential for many of our body’s functions. If too much water is absorbed or if the waste moves too slowly, one may become constipated.

In Ayurveda, this excretory process is controlled by Vata, the bodily intelligence that governs all kinds of movement in the body. Because there is so much movement in the lower abdomen, the colon is the prime site of Vata in the body. Typically, when Vata gets out of balance, its qualities of dryness and irregularity will cause stools to become hard and impacted and affect our ability to evacuate normally.

• Massaging the whole body with warm, cold pressed black sesame oil once or twice a week will always help.

• In chronic cases of constipation, applying warm oil or ghee on the naval area will bring some relief.

• Ayurveda has a wonderful herbal preparation called Triphala that is ideal for treating the symptoms of constipation. It is made from the three Indian fruits (emblica officinalis, terminalia chebula and terminalia bellirica) and can be taken at night with a teaspoon of honey or ghee.

As always, Ayurveda is interested in understanding why the body is out of balance and providing strategies to re-invigorate its natural intelligence. The use of laxatives is only treating the symptoms, rather than addressing the root cause of the problem. (DR AJIT) If readers have any health concerns they are welcome to contact me at my clinic, PLANET AYURVEDA WELLNESS CENTRE, 41 Gillies Avenue T: 09 522 5390 or email info@ planetayurveda.co.nz www.planetayurveda.co.nz PN

Constipation is generally caused by eating the wrong foods at the wrong time, eating food that is difficult to digest and not eating enough dietary fibre (eg. vegetables). Conversely, frequent fasting is also considered as a cause of constipation. It is also caused by not sleeping well or sleeping very late at night, irritable colon, colitis, and negative emotions like stress, grief, fear and worry.

However, from an Ayurvedic perspective the most common cause of constipation is the suppression of the body’s natural urges. The body has a natural urge to eliminate waste first thing in the morning (typically at or before dawn). We often find this time inappropriate or inconvenient and force ourselves to suppress it. This habitual suppression can lead to a kind of psychological form of constipation, which makes us dependant on laxatives to stimulate the elimination process.

It is well known that prevention is the best approach to constipation so the following guidelines should help: • It is important to eat a well-balanced diet that includes whole-wheat grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables.

• High-fibre foods include beans, whole grains, bran cereals, fresh fruits, and vegetables such as asparagus, sprouts, cabbage, and carrots.

• Avoid heavy foods that are difficult to digest eg. cheese, sugar, yogurt, bread, ice cream, meat, pizza, processed foods and pastries, especially at night.

• Drink plenty of fluids during the day but make sure that your drinking water is warm, not chilled.

• Exercise regularly.

• Have a regular time for breakfast, lunch, dinner.

• It is very important not to ignore the urge to defecate and avoid a dependence on laxatives.

• Improve the digestion with the use of light spices such as cumin seeds, coriander, turmeric powder, fennel, and asafoetida.

• Drinking a glass of warm milk at bedtime helps in evacuation the next morning.

• Regulate your sleeping hours. Ayurveda advises the common saying, “early to bed and early to rise.”

• In the morning after waking up, drink a glass or two of warm water with 1tsp of honey, ½ tsp of grated ginger and ½ tsp of lemon juice and then wait a few minutes before going to the toilet.

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT FOR ALL AGES ORTHODONTICS HAS UNDERGONE A REVOLUTION IN RECENT YEARS. BRACES have become smaller, less visible and more comfortable to wear, and a growing number of adults are seeking orthodontic treatment. Having your teeth straightened can improve your appearance and give you more self-confidence - and it also benefits your dental health, as straight teeth are easier to keep clean.

Turner-Lim Orthodontics offers high quality care to patients of all ages in a relaxed, friendly environment. Orthodontists Dr Fiona Turner and Dr Donna Lim are specialists who are members of the New Zealand Association of Orthodontists. They keep up with the latest techniques and developments in this evolving specialty. They are passionate about providing people with straight teeth and beautiful smiles for life.

They provide the full range of contemporary orthodontic treatments including Invisalign and clear aesthetic braces - gone are the days when teeth straightening meant a mouthful of metal. They are supported by a great team that includes orthodontic auxiliaries and assistants Sam, Yen, Kara and Debra and administrative staff Jo, Becky, Kim and Melinda.

At an initial consultation, Dr Turner and Dr Lim will assess a patient’s teeth and explain the options available. You do not need a referral from a dentist to come to Turner-Lim Orthodontics.

Orthodontic treatments can take on average two years depending on what is required and what your orthodontic problem involves. At your assessment you will receive an outline of your treatment plan together with an estimate of the time and costs involved.

There are affordable, flexible options to pay off the investment over the time of care.

TURNER-LIM ORTHODONTICS CLINIC, 15 Rata Street, New Lynn PN (next to the Warehouse) For appointments, T: 09 827 1478 or email reception@turnerlim.co.nz. www.turnerlim.co.nz TURNER LIM ORTHODONTICS ARE DUE TO RELOCATE TO NEW PREMISES OPPOSITE LYNNMALL AND THE NEW LYNN RAILWAY STATION

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING

AMORC THE ROSICRUCIAN ORDER THE ROSICRUCIAN ORDER IS AN ANCIENT, MYSTICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL organisation. It has a traditional history that stretches back for 3000 years and currently disseminates its teachings through a home study system. Once a highly secret society whose members included Leonardo da Vinci, Isaac Newton and Claude Debussy, it now has around 2000 members in its Australasian Jurisdiction. The Order teaches practical techniques like meditation and deep concentration to help members gain insight into their own minds. People do have spiritual meeds and if they find them inconsistent with their religious beliefs they are often attracted to the Rosicrucian Order.

As the so-called “new age” movement is becoming increasingly mainstream, more and more people are searching for alternatives to organised religion. Looking beyond religious dogma and conventional spiritual practices, these seekers desire a more independent and self-directed approach to developing their fullest potential. Cast adrift in a sea of literature, programmes, lectures and seminars, it can be difficult to make sense of it all – to put it together in a way that is practical and relevant to everyday life.

What seekers need is a systematic approach by which they may freely investigate the mysteries of life without compromising their desire for independent thinking.

The Rosicrucian Order, AMORC, offers a system of study that is based on traditional, mystical principles that have been successfully applied by individuals for centuries.

Through simple weekly lessons, which are studied at home, students learn useful

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techniques, which may be applied on a daily basis to awaken their higher faculties, leading to improved health, better life situation, and feelings of happiness and peace.

For those who are looking for an enhanced sense of purpose in their lives and who desire to deepen their spirituality, the Rosicrucian teachings are an effective means of achieving those goals through a process which Rosicrucians call self-mastery.

AMORC, which stands for Ancient and Mystical Order Rosae Crucis, is not a religion and does not require a specific code of belief or conduct. Rosicrucian students come from a variety of cultural and religious backgrounds. Some do not subscribe to any specific religious beliefs, but those students who do practice a religion feel that the Rosicrucian teachings help them better understand the mystical principles which form the foundation of the respective religions.

The Rosicrucian Path is a mystical path, a term which is often subject to misinterpretation.

Mysticism does not mean those things that are mysterious. The Rosicrucians seek to demystify mysticism. It is simply the process by which each individual may eventually experience direct, conscious union with the Divine Mind, Universal Intelligence or the God of our Hearts. This is not done by adhering without question to specific tenets or beliefs, but by learning and applying natural laws which, over time students experience as divine or cosmic consciousness.

It is important to note that the Rosicrucian Order does not attempt to define the nature of the deity. Rather, each student is free to discover this through his or her own reflections. www.amorc.org.au PN

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING

IS MODERN MEDICINE KILLING YOU? THE BUTEYKO BREATHING CLINIC IN FREEMANS BAY FEATURES IN A NEW series that screens at 8pm Wednesday on TV One. Each episode features two patients who have tried to get well using a number of prescription drugs, over-the-counter medication and remedies. When none of these work, they turn to two Auckland GPs who use natural and complementary medicines and therapies which have a scientific basis to help treat the patient rather than mask their symptoms.

Right from the initial consultation, the audience sees a diagnosis and follows each patient on a path of discovery to the cause of their illness. In the third episode, on 17 October, Philip Parker was referred to our clinic for his sleep apnoea by Dr Glenn Twentyman. Glenn practises at the Holistic Medical centre on Richmond Road.

Philip had previously suffered from a heart condition requiring a triple bypass in 2004.

Like many people Philip hadn’t realised the link between sleep apnoea and his heart condition. What’s more he wasn’t aware that by correcting his breathing he could not only overcome the sleep apnoea but also improve his heart health.

For anyone that snores or has sleep apnoea you should know the risks. A 2008 study found loud snorers had a 40% greater risk of having high blood pressure, 34% had a greater risk of heart attack and 67% had a greater risk of stroke. A 2005 Yale study found that people with sleep apnoea are three times more likely to die from a stroke than people of similar health who don’t have the breathing disorder.

If you saw Phil on Is Modern Medicine Killing You then you know he completed the Buteyko Clinic programme. With this and lifestyle changes recommended by his doctor he made a complete recovery. He now sleeps like a babe with renewed health and vigour.

Phil is one of thousands that have completed a Buteyko clinic programme and achieved the same results. If you too want to enjoy restful snore-free sleep and all the benefits of optimal breathing, give them a call. PN BUTEYKO, T: 09 360 6291 www.buteykobreathing.co.nz

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HOROSCOPES ♏

MISS PEARL NECLIS

Scorpio (the Scorpion): 24 October - 22 November

Your health and wellbeing are a priority this month as you have been rushing to a deadline and it’s you that has suffered. Let someone else take the lead now and take a well deserved rest.

♐

Sagittarius (the Archer): 23 November - 22 December

If you don’t want to feel gloomy, it might be best to avoid difficult or grumpy people if you can, it sounds like a difficult task but you’re clever at detecting moods.

♑ Capricorn (the Goat): 23 December - 20 January

If you find yourself in a conflict between doing your duty or creating a bit of friction this month, I would choose the latter. You have been a model citizen for too long now and it’s about time you let your hair down.

♒

Aquarius (the Water Carrier): 21 January - 19 February

Eavesdropping on any conversation can be a bad thing especially when you then pass on what you heard wrongly. Keeping secrets can be a burden but so can someone passing them on.

♓

Pisces (the Fish): 20 February - 20 March You may have considered travelling over the next few weeks but I would wait a bit as you have been in two minds recently, you have always listened too your intuition before so don’t stop now.

♈

Aries (the Ram): 21 March - 20 April Taking advice where money is concerned can be a minefield of information especially if you have to deal with it on your own. My advice would be to discuss what’s bothering you with those closest as you will be surprised by the response.

♉

Taurus (the Bull): 21 April - 21 May You may begin to slow down a bit as the last few months begin to take their toll and you are able to reflect on what you have accomplished over the last few months. You need to pat yourself on the back and enjoy any compliments that come your way, don’t overanalyse.

♊ Gemini (the Twins): 22 May - 21 June

Your concern over something or someone is making you lose your way, if you’re not focused on what you’re doing then you will make mistakes. If that happens then you will become the subject of concern.

♋ Cancer (the Crab): 22 June - 22 July

You may be torn between work and home this month as you’re juggling your personal and professional responsibilities, as usual you’re just getting on with it, but be aware that your plate is at tipping point and who knows what may come crashing down around you.

♌

Leo (the Lion): 23 July - 21 August You have to get this mood of yours under control and this inability to communicate properly with those around you especially people you work with. You can be very quick to let people know you’re in a bad mood but they never know why.

♍

Virgo (the Virgin): 22 August - 23 September You have heard that other people think that you should be doing more for your family especially as you’re by yourself, but you don’t have to take any notice at all. You know what you do and your good intentions matter only to those who are important.

♎

Libra (the Scales): 24 September - 23 October You are always a positive and empowering person, but lately you have been having problems meeting your obligations. This might be because you have taken on too much and are unable to cope without realising it. Take time for you and sort out your life first.

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TRAVEL TAKES US PLACES - LOVE BRINGS US HOME ‘WE SAY HELLO, MAGGIE, WELL HELLO Maggie, it’s so nice to have you back where you belong’. When people leave a place for an extended period of time they tend to become a distant memory. Not so with Maggie Eyre.

She’s very fondly remembered and the question has often been posed, “What has happened to Maggie Eyre?” After spending seven years away on the other side of the world, she’s back in town, happy to be home again, and Ponsonby is the richer for her return. When Maggie walks into a room the atmosphere is immediately charged with the energy and vibrancy she imparts. No wonder she’s been so successful in her chosen profession, and no wonder she was able to ‘crack it’ as an unknown in London when she transplanted herself there in spite of being at the top of her profession back here.

Maggie trained and acted at Theatre Corporate in the 80’s and in the 90’s she became the artistic and founding director of the Performing Arts School.

Eventually she set up her own PR company, Maggie Eyre Promotions, and turned to good friend, Liz Greenslade who became her mentor and taught her the ropes. From 1992 to 1996 she was media advisor to Helen Clark as well as working with high profile clients such as Dame Sylvia Cartwright, Lady Hardie-Boys along with CEO’s of several New Zealand blue chip companies.

Not surprisingly she was head hunted by Michael Dunlop of Consultus where she was, among other assignments, spokesperson to the media on subjects related to presentation skills.

A key achievement was her book ‘Speak Easy: The Essential Guide to Speaking in Public’ which was rated among the ten top business book best -sellers by Whitcoulls in 2002. Helen Clark spoke at the launch and gave it a glowing endorsement. “As Prime Minister I make hundreds of speeches a year.

The advice I received from Maggie all those years ago still stands. I hope others will benefit from taking her advice.” When it was time for Maggie to respond she uncharacteristically was almost lost for words! So what motivated Maggie to leave her perfect job that paid the perfect salary, to try her luck in London?

The simple fact is, she craved adventure and was also interested in finding a new publisher.

Breaking into an overseas market is not a laid down misère but Maggie had underestimated the degree of kudos that comes from being a published author.

Maggie Warbrick, a co-worker from the Consultus days was also based in Europe and the two decided to go into business together. Doors were opened and in no time the two Maggies were busy as bees. Maggie E’s business presentation coaching took her to corporations in Dubai, Germany, Spain, Switzerland and Italy. She also revised her book for the UK market and found a publisher, Constable Robinson who re-launched it at New Zealand House.

Life in London couldn’t have been better but Maggie had an underlying worry.

Her visits home in order to keep in touch with family were lengthening and when her Mother, who is 92, was diagnosed with breast cancer, a permanent return became imperative. She moved into the family home and became her Mother’s part-time carer and she wouldn’t have it any other way. She owns two apartments in Vermont Street and will take up residence there once her tenants’ lease expires in March.

Ponsonby is her turangawaewae and every time she walks its streets and feels its pulse she realises this is where she truly belongs. In London nobody knew who she was and that was refreshing for a while but she missed the sense of community. Here when strolling along Ponsonby Road she keeps bumping into old friends she hasn’t seen for years who call out to her, “Hi Maggie, where’ve you been?” Her favourite butcher is still round the corner, famous Fiona still dispenses advice in the Amcal chemist, her former doctor is still practising, so there’s a welcome sense of continuity. Nevertheless after having a playground in Europe she still yearns for a more expansive arena which is why she is targetting companies in Sydney where she already has a major client. Go for it, Maggie, you deserve it! (DEIRDRE TOHILL) PN

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

LIVING, THINKING + BEING

SIMPLY CHIROPRACTIC - SIMPLY GETTING YOU BACK IN BALANCE ISN’T IT JUST NORMAL TO HAVE WEEKLY HEADACHES? ISN’T IT NORMAL to have daily bloating after a meal and turbulent digestion? Isn’t it normal to have fluctuating hormonal levels and irregular periods? Oh, it’s just normal to have that ‘on and off’ numbness and tingling in your hand! What about the back pain, mood swings, disrupted sleep …they are just normal as well? Simply Not! So often, we go about our lives suffering through symptoms we believe are “normal”.

At Simply Chiropractic, they challenge this notion and focus on clearing neurological interference that is hindering the communication between the brain and body.

By helping you get back in balance you will find yourself functioning towards the real normal! Families and individuals consult them for many different reasons; some have been to chiropractors before, while others are making new choices for their health.

For whatever the reason you choose to see them, it is their commitment to assist you towards your individual health goals. It’s Simple – let’s get started. PN SIMPLY CHIROPRACTIC, 3/29 Surrey Crescent T: 09 360 0280 www.simplychiropractic.co.nz

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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SIDELINE WITH GEORGE BERRY

CRICKET IN THE HEART OF PONSONBY

CHANGE OF TACTIC TO FIND THE MONEY

A little over a year ago when “The Cloud” on Queens Wharf was unveiled there were undoubtedly mixed emotions from Aucklanders all over the city. Controversial would be an understatement. Not only about the look of the 180-metre ultra-modern design but also the functionality and need for a building able to accommodate up to 5000 people right on Auckland’s waterfront; not to mention the removal of some of the city’s history from dismantling the old sheds that were previously there to make enough room to build the Cloud.

GONE ARE THE DAYS OF CAKE STALLS, RAFFLE TICKETS AND BOOK sales to fund a sporting trip. Grants from the pokies now resemble the Australian outback and for many teams and budding sports stars Santa Claus never seems to turn up with an open ended chequebook. Unfortunately there just aren’t enough AIG’s about to splash their logos on our jerseys in exchange for an eight figure sum or even an $800 donation.

So to make those dreams come true aspiring athletes have gone in search of different ways to help them stand out from the crowd.

But if the Barfoot and Thompson sponsored ITU World Triathlon weekend was anything to go by those negative feelings towards the building and the wharf redevelopment have well and truly evaporated.

Sportsfunder.com and thrillpledge.com are two of the latest websites designed to help bridge the financial gap between competing and staying at home. Just as musicians have turned to their fans to produce an EP or an album, or film makers have called upon interested Kiwis to donate to help release their film, more and more athletes are turning to these sites as well.

Love it or hate it, the location is perfect, and the ability to cultivate events around it is now the jewel in Auckland’s events crown.

Three that have popped up of late are a demonstration of just how grass roots these sites are.

Given this it’s easy to wonder if the chorus calling for a top notch international calibre cricket venue to be erected at Victoria Park might actually be making sense.

Kiwi surfer Paige Hareb, who is currently ranked 10th in the world, New Zealand’s top junior equestrian rider Samantha Felton, and water skiing up and comer Renee Hannah, all have sponsorship packages ready and waiting to be funded.

At times, when you stroll through the park and are surrounded by such a variety of sports taking place, it’s hard to comprehend that a change to the park might actually be the best thing that could ever happen.

Like many, I’ve played touch rugby, cricket, thrown a frisbee, had lunch, exercised and ridden my bike through the park, but I could be swayed to take those activities elsewhere if the park was no longer an option.

Could the ill feelings towards the concept be just as they were with the Cloud, a passage for people opposed to advancing the City of Sails to vent, and hamstring the city from moving forward and keeping pace with other internationally regarded cities.

Or are there enough sporting venues in Auckland already and those who’re pushing for the change should take their love and affiliation with the summer sport somewhere else?

Putting aside the debate about Victoria Park and looking at it from a simple sporting fact: Auckland’s current options for first class cricket are slightly above the sort of venues acceptable at senior club level. It may receive a reluctant pass mark for 20-20 but to play a test match there is a pure commercial decision that will backfire in the long run.

Eden Park is a rugby ground. It is not a dual purpose venue. It’s more than capable of hosting other winter sports. The Warriors and Wellington Phoenix have helped the grounds team prove that, but an international cricket venue it is not.

Hamilton, Wellington and Dunedin all have separate cricket venues and Christchurch is on its way to finding its feet and establishing one of its own. Hamilton and Wellington’s grounds are also both the equivalent distance to the centre of their respective city centres as Victoria Park is to Queen Street.

Hareb’s seeking $30,000 to help cover the costs of accommodation and travel while competing on the world tour, while Felton’s quest for $4,000 is a little more modest and will see her able to head to the UK and spend time training with Mark Todd, Andrew Nicholson, Jonathon Paget and the rest of the New Zealand bronze medal winning equestrian team. Hannah says the $5,000 she’s after will go a long way to helping her compete in Chile at the 2013 Open World Waterskiing Championships.

Hannah hit a new under-21 New Zealand record of 43.8 metres at the World Championship final in France last year so looks to have the ability to hit her goal of 48 meters and a new open national record in years to come.

The sites have restrictions on what can be funded and if the athletes targeted goal isn’t achieved within the time set the money is returned to the donater.

This is designed to stop people not achieving the full amount requested and not fulfilling their promises in competing where the donation/sponsorship was intended. The sites are by no means well known, like many start ups they need promoting themselves, so it’s not an easy ride to just create a project and leave it to run its course, but it quickly alleviates some of the pressures with raising money, handling cash and keeping records.

You can direct friends, family and keen sport followers to your projects through many different forms of social media including facebook, twitter and emails.

Before you know it you have an army of people spreading your fundraising needs. This would be a perfect way to achieve that school camp, sporting trip or event you’ve been dying to hold without the drudgery of knocking on people’s doors with cap in hand. Beat the queue and have potential sponsors come to you. (GEORGE BERRY) PN

So why isn’t Auckland doing the same?

The sports team at Ponsonby news are keen to gauge your thoughts on the idea, after all the proposed development is right on our doorstep.

We are interested in your thoughts and comments both for and against the proposal and will post some of your opinions in our Christmas - New Year edition of the Ponsonby News. Please send your thoughts to ponsonbynewssport@gmail.com In order to have decent week long test matches in Auckland and bring with it the opposition’s travelling supporters, Auckland needs this venue.

England will be touring New Zealand in February and March – and so too will the Barmy Army. When quizzed on playing test match cricket at Eden Park their reaction was, “we love coming to Auckland, but you might as well have scheduled the match for one of the lad’s back yards.” (GEORGE BERRY) PN

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KNOW YOUR MANUKA HONEY THE STORY OF THE VALUE OF NEW ZEALAND’S BIODIVERSITY AND ITS manuka honey will be told by Ruud Kleinpaste – the Bugman – at a special seminar in Auckland during November. Run by the UMF Honey Association, the seminar is for consumers, retailers and anyone interested in or specialising in manuka honey who wants to know more about the mystery and uniqueness of this special honey.

The seminar, which will also include a presentation by a representative from the Commerce Commission, will be held on Monday 5 November at the Crown Plaza from 10am to 12pm. There will be information packs available to help unravel the secrets and the exciting story behind manuka honey. PN To find out more or to register to attend this event, go to www.umf.org.nz.

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

SIDELINE WITH GEORGE BERRY

SPORTSMEN GROW FOR A CURE Over the past eight years the month of November has been transformed into MOVEMBER, and in 2012 the 30 day men’s health initiative looks to be getting an even bigger boost than ever before.

Some of the country’s top sportsmen will be donning the MO. They’ll masquerade as the 2012 version of Tom Selleck (Magnum PI), Australian cricket legend Merv Hughes or a slightly more groomed replica of Sir Richard Hadlee and the infamous caterpillar.

Speaking of cricket and the mo it seems even timelier that Movember comes around with the recent news of Kiwi cricket legend Martin Crow’s diagnosis of lymphoma cancer and the sound of summer, Australian legend and now commentator, Tony Greig’s battle with lung cancer.

Cricketers, footballers, basketballers, and many other athletes all over the country will resist the itch and the disparaging comments from wives, girlfriends and work collegues and allow the stubble to blossom into full flight manliness. Even the All Blacks, who’ll be on tour in the northern hemisphere are getting in on the act.

It’s a long tradition not to shave when on the road for rugby teams, but during Movember the razor won’t quite be getting a full month on the bench. Time will be spent in front of the mirror trying to establish some sort of fashion or at least order on many faces that are usually otherwise stripped of their links to the caveman.

Richie McCaw’s cape won’t be worn on his back, but shown off loudly and proudly upon his upper lip. Captain fantastic will become Captain Mo and lead the charge just as he does on the paddock.

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

Meeting the challenge laid down by the boys in black will be the Scottish, Welsh and English rugby teams (Movember’s yet to catch on in Italy – so I’m not 100% sure if they will be squaring off against the Kiwis in the facial hair competition while the two teams are in Rome), with the final match of the northern hemisphere tour at Twickernham on 1 December set to be a contest in so many different ways. Kiwi born Dillon Hartley, who plays for the English team, is a fierce competitor on the park, so expect him to pull out all the stops to encourage an intimidating bushy set of chops.

Since 2004 Movember has raised over 370 million New Zealand dollars through the efforts of 1.9 million Mo bro’s and Mo sista’s.

The big thing that’s impressed me about the organisation, is Movember’s drive to find a cure for prostate cancer. While a fair amount of the money raised goes to helping men and their families deal with the effects of the illness, the bulk of those funds are being used to find a way to eradicate the disease for good. They are the instigators in establishing a programme that brings some of the leading scientists from around the globe to work on a cure.

I will be in the UK and on tour with the All Blacks during their end of year tour, so please head to my page and or anyone else you know who’s signed up and donate. Keep an eye on what I’m up to and where I am, there will be photos, news and videos posted throughout the month, along with interviews with All Blacks and other sports stars from around the globe. PN http://uk.movember.com/mospace/3235293 or search for MoBro.co/georgeberryNZ

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MEET THE TEACHER NAME: Miriam Kent SCHOOL: Western Springs College CURRENTLY TEACHING: English (one class of each year level, Y9-12) HOW DID YOU COME TO BE A SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHER? I have friends who have known what they wanted to be forever. I wish I could say the same. Instead, when I finished school I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life.

So, I took a gap year (that turned into two years) where I worked and travelled, mainly in Australia. During that time I found I really enjoyed working with young people. I was doing a lot of volunteer youth work at my church and in schools; I was leading camps and mentoring a group of teenage girls. But, to be honest, I missed learning. So I came back to New Zealand to study towards a BA. After finishing my degree, I knew I was going to be a teacher. It was a career in young people and education - two things that I love. I had rebelled against that idea for a long time as both my parents and two of my three siblings work in education. But here I am – and I really enjoy it.

WHERE DID YOU TRAIN? I did my first year of a Bachelor of Arts at Victoria University in Wellington (which is a fabulous city and an excellent University), but I fell in love … so moved to Auckland and completed my BA and Graduate Diploma of Teaching at the University of Auckland.

It was a good move – I married the man I moved up here for.

WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO WESTERN SPRINGS COLLEGE? I did a placement here during my teacher training, and found the school really interesting.

I love the open-ness, acceptance and honesty that is displayed between both staff and students. I appreciate how Springs really cares for its students holistically. But the big clincher for me in coming to Springs were my colleagues in the English department who I work closely with – they are superb!

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE THINGS ABOUT BEING A TEACHER? There are too many! It is such a great honour to be part of a students’ development, academically or attitude-wise, and it is awesome when you see a student you have worked with succeed. I love being able to encourage students to reach their potential.

I am continually learning about the world as a teacher, through students’ work and through professional development. I also genuinely enjoy teenagers – they are hilarious, quick-witted and we have excellent discussions about the world in which we live.

HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR TEACHING CAREER? Again, this is hard to narrow down. Some highlights include; the first ‘aha’ moment that I experienced, when a student truly ‘got’ what it meant to ‘explain’, having a student that has not got an Excellence in anything before, get one in my class, my first ‘thank you and well done’ note from a parent, to name just a few.

LOW POINT OF YOUR TEACHING CAREER? The first year of teaching (last year) was quite tough all round. There is a lot to get used to: 110 kids that you are responsible for, a whole new set of colleagues, understanding the task of teaching itself, marking and grade boundaries – the list goes on. By week nine of term one, I was more exhausted than I had ever been before, and I still had two weeks to go. It was a hard couple of weeks.

HOW WOULD YOUR PRINCIPAL DESCRIBE YOU? Hard-working, empathetic and structured.

HOW WOULD OTHER TEACHERS DESCRIBE YOU? Conscientious, constantly developing and the bringer of chocolates to meetings. The last teacher who visited said, “You adore the kids and the kids adore you.”

HOW WOULD YOUR STUDENTS DESCRIBE YOU? Passionate, encouraging, organised and sometimes prone to talking too much!

IF YOU COULD WAVE A MAGIC WAND IN YOUR CLASSROOM...

Everyone would love to read and they would all proofread their work before they hand it in!

FIVE TIPS FOR MUMS AND DADS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL KIDS Sorry, I made it six!

• Reading is one of the key ways to help develop and strengthen your child’s English skills. Please help them be into reading.

• Don’t be strangers. Please email us if you have any concerns, questions, thoughts about anything to do with your kids. Our best form of communication is by email, but we are happy to call or meet with you too.

• There is a direct correlation between the students that succeed and those who have good organisation skills. It is important students know how to use diaries (electronic or old-school), have folders where they keep their work and understand the importance of time-management.

82 PONSONBY NEWS+ November 2012

• Teachers work really hard to give their students quality feedback and feed-forward to help them develop. Encourage your kids to use this valuable resource and be “ready, willing and able to act on feedback” (New Zealand Curriculum).

• It is really wonderful to get praise and thanks as a teacher, both from your students and their parents. There were a couple of little notes that came through last year affirming me as a teacher which I have kept and look at every now and again, especially after a bad day.

• In my vast experience (22 whole months) of teaching, I have come to truly know only one thing: teenagers are weird, moody, hilarious, wonderful and developing people. They need a support network of people who continually ask questions about their life, are prepared to gently guide them, help them grow in both their strengths and their weaknesses, and accept them always. PN

BUTTERFLIES A GO-GO INTERNATIONAL AWARD-WINNERS MERINO KIDS HAVE CREATED a brand new Limited Edition Go Go Bag ™, perfectly timed for Christmas. “The butterfly experiences a complete life cycle from caterpillar to cocoon and then into a beautiful winged creature ready for flight – much in the same way that children do when they grow from our newborn cocoon swaddle wraps into our Go Go Bags,” says Amie Nilsson, Merino Kids founder.

Suitable for summertime babies and toddlers, the new Limited Edition Merino Kids Butterfly Go Go Bag™ features a whimsical baby blue butterfly printed on a light weight white background. It has a 100% pure merino lining and a 100% natural linen outer; these two materials work together to help regulate your child’s body temperature for a better night’s sleep during the hot summer months.

Perfect at home, and on the go, the Go Go Bag’s ™ award winning design helps to easily transfer a sleeping child from a car seat or buggy into their cot or bed, while they continue to sleep soundly. Experienced mums will confirm that Go Go Bags wash and wear exceptionally well, and are often lovingly passed down from baby to baby - an investment both loving and sound.

RRP $175.00 (Newborn – two years); RRP $185.00 (two to four years) PN MERINO KIDS, T: 0800 124 646 www.merinokids.co.nz

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

BILLY HARRIS: KIDS IN THE COMMUNITY

THE BIGGS KIDS AND THEIR NEED FOR SPEED IT’S ABOUT AS FAST AS YOU can go without the aid of wheels, an engine, or gravity. The skaters are all geared up like Flash Gordon and tear around the track almost as fast, leaning into the tight corners until they’re almost parallel with the ground. Adding even more danger to the racers are the blades which are just about sharp enough to shave with, and the ice, which is hard as rock.

To combat the threat of injury the skaters wear crash helmets, kneepads and shinguards, and – as evidence of the very real danger posed by the blades – cutproof gloves, a cutproof neck protector and a cutproof undersuit.

The walls around the track are padded to absorb the impact of out of control human bodies flying into them at speeds up to 45 kph.

18 years olds, beating two 17 year olds who’d represented the country at the junior worlds. He’s also steadily improved his results in Australia, from a ninth placing in the Midgets in the Aussie Champs in 2008, to a second placing in the sub juniors in 2012.

Mikayla’s resume is just as impressive, culminating in a first place at juvenile level this year in New Zealand, while across the Tasman she’s recorded a 2nd in the Nippers in 2010, a 4th in the Midgets last year and a 2nd in the Midgets this year.

Pictured above: ZAC and MIKAYLA

In ice skating’s sister sport, in line skating, the Biggs have been just as prolific, putting together an impressive CV of titles and records. Zac holds the unique distinction of being the only skater in over 40 years to have both national ice and in line titles. Mikayla won her grade in 2011 but this year moved up a grade and, while still nine, managed some placings among 10 and 11 year olds.

In short, speed skating appears to be a sport you’d have to be either very brave, or very crazy, to do, but the danger doesn’t deter Pt Chevalier kids Zachary and Mikayla Biggs. For six years now they’ve been hurtling around the tracks of New Zealand and Australia, and they’ve been accumulating honours almost as quickly as they move across the ice. With speed skating not exactly a major sport in New Zealand, it isn’t the sort of thing – like soccer or cricket or netball - you start doing because everyone else is doing it. It was the Biggs kids’ dad Matthew who got them started, when Zac was seven and Mikayla just four. Matthew represented New Zealand in the 80s and 90s, competing at two Winter Olympics, and took the kids along to Paradice in Avondale to join the Hauraki Ice Racing Club.

As in any sport, excellence doesn’t come easily. The kids train four times a week – twice on the ice and twice on in line skates – in addition to some cycling and an exercise programme, including squats and plyometrics, for quadricep strength. They compete about six times a year, at the Auckland, Canterbury and National championships, the Australian championships, and other small meets at the end of training camps.

There are two versions of the sport, short track and long track. Long track is on a 400m track and is purely a time trial. There are no long track rinks in the country, and never will be unless someone stumps up $150 million to build one. Short track, which is what the Biggs kids do, is on a 111m track and is done pack racing style with four to six skaters going like greyhounds on fast forward.

Mikayla lists her assets as good technique on the straights and the ability to skate a tight track, thus preventing opponents from overtaking on the inside, while she needs to work on her strength and endurance. Zac has good leg speed and tenacity and wants to improve his technique and strength. The kids have a way to go yet before they’re as good as their hero, Korean skater Lee Ho Suk, known for his crazy passes, brilliant wins, and spectacular wipe outs, but if they continue to improve as they’re doing, we’re going to be hearing a lot more about them in the future.

With all the gear required, speed skating is an expensive sport. A decent pair of skates costs $500 (though if you want to go the whole hog with a pair made from moulds of your feet, you’re looking at $4000). Throw in the rest of the outfit and you’re getting toward $800. Then, if you’re serious, the spending really starts. With so few competitive skaters in New Zealand, our best go to compete in the Australian championships, which Zac, a 13 year old student at Western Springs College, has done five times, and 10 year old Pt Chevalier primary pupil Mikayla, three. In 18 months Zac will be old enough to compete in the junior World champs, so clearly Matthew won’t be giving up his day job any time soon.

But the results have justified the expense. Zac has been New Zealand champion in his age group every year since 2007, and came third in the junior men’s race for 15-

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

Good coaching is also critical to the mix, and here the kids couldn’t be in much better hands. Aside from the ongoing influence of their father, they’ve been coached since March by New Zealand’s most successful speed skater Mike McMillen, former 1000m world record holder, and silver medallist at the world champs in 1992.

You can see Zac, in the yellow helmet, coming second at the Australian Nationals by googling “sub Junior Men’s 1000m Aust Nationals 2012”. Mikayla, also in the yellow helmet, wins her race in “midget girls 500ms Final Aust Nationals 2012”.

Anyone wanting to try speed skating should call Rosemarie on T: 09 376 3585 or Matthew on T: 09 849 4609.

Do you know of a kid in the community we should write about? He or she might be doing something interesting in academia, the arts, sports or anything else. Drop me a line at billyharris2000@hotmail.com (BILLY HARRIS) PN

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FUTURE GENERATION THE ‘GOOD BLOKE OF THE MONTH’!

We just received an email from Howard Dixon one of our lovely readers who tells us...

“While I was protesting against the Erawan Thai demolition last month, this older resident with a walking stick came wobbling down the foodpath by us and attempted to cross Jervois Road in the very busy peak hour traffic.

“An Indian man (the new owner of Jervois Foodmarket) was standing outside watching us and spotted the old boy and sprinted across Jervois Road, latched onto him and helped him navigate his way over the road - meanwhile cars, buses and trucks whizzing past them in both directions.

“An admirable thing to do, and I reckon he should get the Good Bloke of the Month Award!” Well said, Howard. PN

KIDS CREATE! SATURDAY ART CLUB AT ARTSTATION Children aged 5-12 created glorious papier maché animal masks and screen printed creatures in term three’s Saturday Art Club at Artstation. They were instructed by local artist A.D. Schierning.

A.D. says the fact that the children meet every Saturday from 10am to midday for a term, allows the instructor to really get in touch with the kids about the types of things they like making.

KADIMAH – A GREAT LOCAL INTERMEDIATE OPTION SUSAN AND WARREN WOOD OF GREY LYNN MOVED THEIR TWIN BOYS to Kadimah School at the beginning of Year 6. “With the intermediate years fast approaching we wanted them to be in a school that offered a structured environment that challenged the boys academically and helped them transition through the intermediate years before heading off to secondary school. Although we have a great local Intermediate option Kadimah really appealed to us as they place an emphasis on art, music and language.” says Susan.

Susan and Warren found that Kadimah’s living values and philosophy appealed to them. “We wanted the boys to be able to experience spirituality and the values that go with that. The boys appreciate having an element of it in their school day and it helps to create the most amazing family environment where the older kids look out for the younger ones. Because Kadimah has such a rich and diverse culture the boys are able to enjoy lots of new experiences through the various Jewish festivals.”

Kadimah School has space immediately available in preschool and years 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8. If your family are looking for an exceptional all-round Preschool, Primary and Intermediate education, contact the Kadimah Principal, Robert Minahan for a personal tour. T: 09 373 3072 or E: robm@kadimah.school.nz PN

A.D. loves teaching art to children. “I think that kids make the best art because they are not overeducated or inhibited. I like keeping that creativity really open, whereas art in the formal education system can be more systematic.”

Promise You a Miracle is A.D’s own exhibition, currently showing at Artstation.

“It highlights the beauty of simplicity,” she says, “something as simple as planting a seed and watching it grow.”

Artstation offers after-school and school holiday programmes in addition to Saturday Art Club. A.D.’s exhibition closes on 10 November. PN ARTSTATION, 1 Ponsonby Road T: 09 376 3221

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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FUTURE GENERATION CHILDREN’S BOOKSHOP REVIEW THE MAN FROM THE LAND OF FANDANGO by Margaret Mahy.

Frances Lincoln, $29.99 The recent loss of our most prestigious children’s author, Margaret Mahy, has been a blow for children’s literature in New Zealand. However, Margaret’s publishers had two new picture books underway and fortunately she saw the illustrations before her death.

One is The Man from the Land of Fandago which Polly Dunbar, a favourite illustrator of previous books by Margaret – Down the Back of the Chair and Bubble Trouble – has once again enhanced Margaret’s wonderful, rhythmic words. PN DOROTHY BUTLER CHILDRENS BOOKSHOP, 1 Jervois Road T: 09 376 7283 www.childrensbookshop.co.nz

RICHMOND SCHOOL ART AUCTION THE RICHMOND ROAD SCHOOL annual art auction, Art with Love, on Tuesday 27 November is promising to be yet another huge success for this local school.

Each year Principal, Stephanie Anich is in awe of the work that local and national artists submit to make this annual fundraiser so successful.

A diverse range of art from up and coming artists to the well known, always attracts the interest of its committed supporters. And each year there are a core group of art lovers, who even though they have no connection to the school, have made attending the opening and auction part of their art calendar.

Diversity is found in the school’s own parent group of artists, from the impressive gardenscapes of Karl Maughan to the uber cool spray paint art of street artist, Kool, who both feature in this years auction, with over 40 other artists. Photography, sculpture and printmaking are all present in this years auction complementing the more traditionally known artform, painting.

All are welcome to enjoy a complimentary glass of wine and nibbles at the opening on Friday 23 November. The gallery will be open through the weekend of 24-25 November for a more intimate look at the works. Auction night has always managed to deliver a surprise or two, this year it is on Tuesday 27 November. PN For more information www.artwithlove.org or email ange@artwithlove.org

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS REAL ESTATE TIP OF THE MONTH It’s important to get photographs of your property right for marketing says Barfoot & Thompson, Ponsonby agent Leila Morris.

The photographs help to create an inviting atmosphere. Therefore, neutral tones such as beige, grey and brown need to be enhanced with bright colours, allowing buyers to step into summer. Creating an atmosphere with photography is always more important than showing details and providing information about the home.

Presenting your home to the buyers market. Once your photographs have attracted buyers to your home, it is important to make the most of what your home has to offer through presenting it in an exclusive approach. Whether you are trying to portray a chic home or a funky, contemporary villa, simple seasonal maintenance should be completed.

This will include; cleaning gutters, water blasting your driveway and tidying your courtyard. The next most important task is to present your house in a stylish and spic and span condition; all the way from cobwebs on the ceiling to the duvet in the master bedroom.

Sometimes, especially at present when houses are sold in a short timeframe, it is worthwhile considering moving out and allowing your home to be staged with show home furniture (e.g: Interior Concepts). This will add value to your home and will not leave you having to worry about its presentation.

Finally, ask yourself, what intrigued you about this property? How does it differ from all the rest? Concentrate on highlighting those aspects and making them stand out from the rest. Those are the qualities that make your home one-of-a-kind and will interest buyers. (LEILA MORRIS) PN

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS

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SUMMER LIVING AT STUDIO.ITALIA 3

STUDIO.ITALIA IS PROUD TO INTRODUCE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEW Zealand two leading Italian furniture companies: Living Divani and Porro. Perfect, harmonious proportions with a sense of understated luxury are the distinguishing features of their designs. Piero Lissoni, Jean Marie Massaud, Christophe Pillet are some of the high profile designers that have collaborated with these companies.

“After almost two years of negotiation to get the exclusivity to sell their products in New Zealand, I was very happy when during my last visit to Milano we finally sealed the deal!” says Valeria Carbonaro one of the directors of Studio.Italia. “It is important for us to always offer new and existing products for our discerning customers.”

A range of these amazing designs are now displayed in their showroom in Newmarket.

1. Jade chair designed by Piero Lissoni for Porro; 2. Sdraio deisnged by Piero Lissoni for Living Divani; 3. Bloom chair designed by Piergiorgio Cazzaniga for Living Divani; 4. Kale white corian stool by Living Divani; 5. Stack tables design by Nathan Yong by Living Divani. PN STUDIO.ITALIA, 96E Carlton Gore Road T: 09 523 2105 www.studio.italia.co.nz

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS NEW ZEALAND’S FIRST ETHICAL FASHION SHOW Feast your eyes on the latest sustainable fashions from Miranda Brown, We’ar, Starfish, Kowtow and Nature Baby on Friday, 23 November at 6pm! $30 tickets include a goody bag and a glass of sustainable wine. To purchase tickets go to www.sustainablecity.org.nz ANOTHER INTERESTING EVENT HAPPENING AT THE SHOWCASE The Conscious Commute An average of over 230,000 Aucklanders take public transport or cycle every day, and that doesn’t include all those who get out and walk too. So Sustainable Business Network and Auckland Transport have got together to reward all those sustainable ‘Conscious Commuters’.

On Friday 23 November between 7:30am and 9:00am, the GreenFleet Conscious Commute will be celebrating sustainable commuters by offering a free coffee to the first 200 conscious commuters. Delicious organic breakfast treats will be available to purchase from Ripe Deli and Kokako.

Come and have a sneak peek at the Sustainable City Showcase at The Cloud, Queen’s Wharf while you’re enjoying your breakfast! This pop-up sustainable city will be displaying all that is new and cool in sustainability products and services, including transport. The latest bikes will be on show and there will be a chance to find out about Auckland’s new electric train roll-out.

Other zones in the showcase include workplace solutions, home and lifestyle, fashion and entertainment, and organic food and drink. There’ll be inspiring workshops, New Zealand’s first ethical fashion show and New Zealand’s largest Carrotmob! PN 7:30-9:00am, Friday 23 November, The Cloud, Queens Wharf Find out more: www.sustainablecity.org.nz MIRANDA BROWN

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS BELLA’S BED & BREAKFAST OFFERS STYLISH ACCOMMODATION It’s been a long term dream of Sandra Stockwell’s to transform her Freemans Bay home into a gorgeous bed and breakfast.

In 2005 Sandra and her husband Doug undertook an extensive renovation of their villa, specifically designing it as luxury, boutique accommodation. It was handy that Doug owned local building company Eaglen Homes Construction.

Whilst the home maintains many of its period features, it has been updated to the highest standard incorporating contemporary architecture, materials and furnishings.

Sandra who is currently completing an interior design course has designed three well -appointed suites each with sophisticated refinement and individual character with beautiful linens, wallpapers and furniture.

BELLA’S BED & BREAKFAST owners DOUG AND SANDRA STOCKWELL

Doug and Sandra used the impetus of the Rugby World Cup to kick start the business and it’s been going from strength to strength ever since. Bella’s guests include a mix of internationals and locals. However, Bella’s has quickly gained a reputation as hosts for bridal preparations on the day before and day of the wedding. The large guest living room to the northwest has a gorgeous double height space bathed in natural light, perfect for photographers and make-up artists.

Sandra and Doug are proud to welcome guests to an environment that is stylish, sophisticated and relaxed without being stuffy and overpowering.

Each suite has an ensuite bathroom with under floor heating plus a small fridge with tea and coffee making facilities. Sandra’s complimentary home made baking including ginger / walnut fudge, has been a hit with guests as are the complimentary refreshments. Cooked breakfast is standard fare at Bella’s where guests will enjoy local produce which is organic or free range where available. PN BELLA’S BED AND BREAKFAST BOUTIQUE ACCOMMODATION, 33 England Street T: 09 378 8819 M: 021 383 651 info@bellasbedandbreakfast.co.nz www.bellasbedandbreakfast.co.nz

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS GREAT TEAM WORK - SUCCESSFUL BUILD Doug Stockwell has seen a renovation or two in his 17 years living and working in the greater Ponsonby area. As Managing Director of Eaglen Homes Construction and Freemans Bay local, he’s undertaken a multitude of contemporary villa makeovers, including his own beautifully modernised villa in England Street.

“I’ve been in construction for more than 25 years so I know a few things about what makes a successful project. There is no single thing that brings it all together but the whole project team, from builder, architect, key subcontractors and of course the client. The construction process can be daunting for some clients, so Doug will ensure communication levels are maintained at all times to ease the stress.

Doug has a passion for architecture and residential construction and has a team of superb craftsman to refurbish and enhance your existing home. They will respect the integrity of the existing period features while integrating new features, contemporary fixtures and furnishings.

The team at Eaglen rise to the challenge of building demanding houses without compromise, never cutting corners or incorporating substandard materials. Their project managers, quantity surveyors and highly skilled carpenters will ensure your project runs smoothly and in a cost effective manner working within your budget.

So give Doug a call if you are undertaking a renovation or new build. No job is too big or small and they are happy to meet and provide advice even if you are in the early stages of design. PN EAGLEN HOMES CONSTRUCTION LTD, T: 09 378 1401 M: 0274 522 062 doug@eaglen.co.nz www.eaglen.co.nz

The EAGLEN HOMES CONSTRUCTION team from left ALEX ANGELAKOV, DOUG STOCKWELL and WILLIAM DEIHL

DON’T MISS THE DECEMBER PONSONBY NEWS+ DEADLINE This is our final issue until we publish the February issue on 1 February 2013 COPY DEADLINE: Tuesday 20 November PUBLISHED: Friday 7 December (Please be on time, as any material arriving after deadline may incur a 20% surcharge)

SPECIAL FEATURES: CHRISTMAS GIFTS + SUMMER HAIR & BEAUTY + CHILDREN & SCHOOL HOLIDAYS TO BOOK ADVERTISING: ask about our special positions!

Jo Barrett on 021 324 510 or T: 09 361 3356 or 09 378 8553 E: joannebarrett@xtra.co.nz W: www.ponsonbynews.co.nz

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New advertisers receive 250 words of editorial when booking a minimum of a quarter page advertisement.

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS GREY LYNN’S FATHER RABBIT Father Rabbit has opened the doors to his home and locals can now enjoy shopping in person at his general store at Cockburn Street in Grey Lynn.

Father Rabbit is the alter ego of interior designer Claudia Zinzan and her partner Nick Hutchinson, who launched their online store www.fatherrabbit.com nearly two years ago selling an impeccably curated selection of homewares.

Claudia, Nick and their son Tony now evenly share their split villa in Grey Lynn with Father Rabbit, providing a unique and inspiring retail environment and an insight into Father Rabbit’s way of doing things.

Father Rabbit is not about grand gestures, but elevating those mundane everyday tasks. Embracing the simple pleasure of a well made bed (with ironed pillowcases) and completing a bathroom clean with fresh cut flowers. His heart sings with the freedom of organisation. Books in line, cans facing out, drawers tidy, garden weeded, tools away.

Ticking each job off. Finishing one, before starting the next.

Those simple little things – individually they aren’t life changing, but the culmination of them together make your home at once a well presented, thoughtfully considered and pleasing place to be. And his store is indeed a pleasing place to be. Pristine white and orderly perfection. Pop in and see him today. PN

Cox’s Bay House, by MCKINNEY+WINDEATT ARCHITECTS

FATHER RABBIT, 14 Cockburn Street, Grey Lynn T: 09 360 2573 www.fatherrabbit.com

Cleverley-Wilson House, Westmere, by CCM ARCHITECTS

AUCKLAND ARCHITECTURE AWARDS The Auckland Architecture Awards were announced last month and the architects behind two local properties won accolades. The Cox’s Bay house above was praised by the judges as being “subtle and clever, well planned and scaled, the house is an adroit composition of internal and external spaces ideally suited to contemporary innercity life.” The Cleverley-Wilson House in Westmere, was “Well detailed and constructed additions in brick, steel and concrete sit well with the existing weatherboard cladding, and house a series of inviting domestic spaces that open out to a transformed garden.”

Congratulations to CCM Architects and McKinney + Windeatt Architects. PN

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS WHAT DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW ARCHITECTS AND DESIGNERS WORK with Greenair for building fit-outs. Event companies call on them to give their events visual impact.

Residential customers come to them for green walls and vertical gardens.

And they work directly with corporate customers who need office plants to create healthy workplaces and boost staff productivity.

Green Air is a sustainably managed plant hire, plant scaping and green wall business based in Grey Lynn. They use creativity, skills and knowledge to design and install healthy, attractive natural environments.

Greenair supplies the latest systems for greening urban environments, including design, construction and maintenance services for: • Vertical gardens • Green walls • Green facades • Living walls • Displays for events Greenair has great DIY green wall solutions. Their systems are very easy to install and perfect for small shrubs, ferns, herbs and vegetables adding a culinary delight to any wall. Speak to the team to discuss the most appropriate product for your space.

GREENAIR, 140A Williamson Avenue T: 0800 725 648 or email info@greenair.co.nz www.greenair.co.nz

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MILLY NOLAN - MY FAVOURITE ROOM

After eight years of being a journalist, Milly branched out this year to start her own business – Mildred & Co, which is an online wedding registry and gift store.

Milly grew up in Parnell but moved to Ponsonby in 2007. “After living in London, any other suburb in Auckland felt far too quiet!” she says. “I now can’t imagine living elsewhere.”

Her favourite room – one large space – is the hallway, living room, dining room and Milly’s office, combined. “It’s my favourite ‘room’ because I like the openness of it and especially how it is filled with sunlight in summer,” she says. “It’s also a great space for parties! The furniture gets pushed to the side and voilà, you have an instant dance floor – apologies to my neighbours!”

Milly’s favourite things in the room are her Stephen Tilley artwork, a photo of Milly and her Mum from when she was three years old, candles from DL&Co and Jo Malone, “my motley collection of books” and Neville, her one-eyed goldfish.

MILDRED & CO, www.mildredandco.com

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TRADITIONALLY ANTIQUE DEALERS DON’T HAVE SALES! AFTER EACH PIECE OF STOCK IS HANDPICKED AND CAREFULLY RESTORED, which takes a lot of different skills and craftspeople to get it ready for the next person to look after as it has been looked after in the past, the dealer is normally reluctant to just “knock it out”.

John McClenaghan and Bob Gilhooly, owners of Hawkins and Scuffell, are not in the business where they can have a sale, then ring up and order the next lot. But they do have a sweet but rather small shop and have many beautiful items waiting in the wings so some room must be made! From 1 – 10 November they are breaking tradition and having a sale! They will be bringing in a few of those items from the wings as well.

HAWKINS AND SCUFFELL, 236 Jervois Road T: 09 361 1006 PN www.hawkinsandscuffell.com

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THE HISTORICAL BOROUGH OF PONSONBY AND GREY LYNN

STREET NAMES: SHEEHAN STREET Sheehan Street is a departure from the Royals, Generals, Admirals and Statesmen early settlers loved to commemorate.

David Sheehan was a carpenter who emigrated from Ireland to Melbourne in 1840 but didn’t stay there long.

He travelled to Auckland a year or two later then moved north to ply his trade in Warkworth. He must have done quite well because by the 1860s he was back in Auckland and publican of the Governor Browne Hotel. He also represented the Northern Division on the Auckland Provincial Council from 1861 to 1869.

David’s wife, Ellen Byrne was a former Irish farm servant and widely acclaimed as a woman of ‘unostentatious benefactions and great kindliness of heart’. She was determined their precocious son, John should have a good education and arranged for him to be tutored by school inspector and former headmaster of St Peters School, Richard O’Sullivan who also happened to believe teaching should be secular. So is Sheehan Street named after the father or the son? I don’t know, but the son became the epitome of a new breed of colonial politician. He succeeded his father on the Provincial Council from 1870 to 1873 and was elected to Parliament as the member for Rodney in 1872, becoming the first New Zealand born European to attain Cabinet rank as Minister of Native Affairs and Minister of Justice from 1877 to 1879.

Now John’s ebullient persona was frowned upon by the prudish sector of colonial society. He was instrumental in establishing the Auckland Catholic Institute where his musical, debating and organising talents were put to agreeable use. There was even dancing which led some to suspect the Institute was a cover for unsavoury pursuits.

It was certainly a convenient venue for John’s amorous liaisons which he had aplenty, particularly with Maori women. His Irish cousins at Riverhead had married into the Maori community and John was probably bi-lingual, which would have been an advantage when wooing was on the agenda. Another perceived wrongdoing was his penchant for hard liquor.

Inevitably John’s politics were influenced by his parents who had suffered religious prejudice, political repression and absentee landlordism in Ireland. Consequently he was a fervent advocate of secular education where religious intolerance had no sway and even more importantly would help break the wealthy run holders’ dominance in politics. He claimed they regarded themselves as the governing class and had ensured that ‘the bulk of the common people’ received only a basic education ‘for fear they would get to know too much’. When elected to the House of Representatives his maiden speech was the best ever delivered in the House.

John’s short political career was full of ups and downs. He expected his appointment as Minister of Native Affairs would give him the opportunity to sort out the most difficult and crucial area in New Zealand politics. He also maintained that Maori had no appreciation of the full value of their lands. Together with Grey he initiated meetings with Maori leaders in order to open up the King Country to European settlement, and hopefully accelerate racial assimilation.

The prophet Te Whiti-o-Rongomai who had established headquarters at Parihaka, opposed the government’s subdivision of confiscated Maori land on the Waimate plain and it was thought Sheehan’s considerable charm and knowledge of Maori would dissipate this resistance.

The entire strategy was a disaster. Te Whiti regarded Sheehan as a clever Crown swindler ‘governed by the basest of Maori women and stupefied by swallowing the strongest of fire-water’. Sheehan regarded Te Whiti as a fanatic and a fraud who was impossible to negotiate with. His term as minister ended in violent controversy, resulting in Parihaka being destroyed by the Armed Constabulary, which he condoned.

His political career went into abeyance after this debacle but he stood for and won the Tauranga seat in 1885. Before the year was out he died of pneumonia and cirrhosis of the liver, only forty years of age.

At his funeral, tributes came from all members of the House though no doubt many were pleased to see the last of one who has been described as a brilliant failure - a shooting star that flashed briefly across the political landscape before falling into oblivion. He was buried in the Catholic section of Symonds Street Cemetery and now a motorway covers his grave. (DEIRDRE TOHILL) PN

TRENZSEATER’S HOT NEW LOOKS TRENZSEATER WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THEIR NEW COLLECTION, which is online and in store now. This collection is a co-ordinated range of sofas, armchairs and occasional designs specifically designed to work together in any interior. This collection also offers some very distinctive pieces with unique detail which can complement existing designs.

ASTON Sideboard is a versatile New Zealand made sideboard /entertainment cabinet which features two sliding doors on the front and a powder-coated steel base. It is available in various sizes and stain colours.

BORDEAUX Armchair is an elegant statement armchair. It features a solid oak base, silver stud detailing and a contoured back. It is tailor made in New Zealand in your choice of fabric or leather.

HENRI Armchair is a unique chair that features a deep-buttoned back, seat and inside of arms. It is tailor made in New Zealand in your choice of fabric or leather.

With the CABANA Dining Table you get a mixture of old meeting new with its sleek contemporary lines and its vintage oak finish. It is available in various sizes and stain colours.

MONTANA Sofa is their latest modular sofa which sits high off the ground and features a deep seat and brushed stainless steel legs. It is tailor made in New Zealand in a number of different configurations and your choice of fabric or leather.

TRENZSEATER, 80 Parnell Road T: 09 303 4151 www.trenzseater.com

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UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL: YVETTE JAY Yvette Jay started her interior design practice in 2004 after 12 years of working in the design industry. “Residential interiors are my speciality”, she says. “I really enjoy working alongside my clients to make their homes a delight.” Yvette throws in some boutique commercial and hospitality work for fun, too. Recently she has added styling and writing for some of her favourite design magazines and publications to the mix – “it keeps me on my toes!” says Yvette.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Livingstone Street, Coxs Bay. Love it.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS? I used to be a slave girl to three furry tyrants, but I’m now wonderfully liberated from all former responsibilities.

WHERE DO YOU SPEND YOUR HOLIDAYS? Coromandel.

HOW DO YOU KEEP FIT? I like to run – I sign on for the Auckland half marathon each year. The theory is that it keeps me off the couch and away from the cheese and chianti over the winter months.

YOUR BEST FRIEND WOULD SAY OF YOU... “best dressed person on the bus”…

I have started to dabble with public transport.

YOUR MOTHER WOULD SAY OF YOU... “Are you taking care of yourself?”

WHAT ARE YOUR VIRTUES? I’m the detail and follow up queen.

AND YOUR VICES? Acquiring expensive fabrics and shoes more often that I really should…..and doing several laps of the showroom at Farro’s when they have yummy snacks up for sampling. Shameless.

WHO’S YOUR ULTIMATE ROCK ICON? I’m torn between Cold Chisel, Journey, and Lenny Kravitz.

WHAT’S YOUR SECRET PASSION? Hand made ethnic fabrics.

AND YOUR SECRET TALENT? Strength in the face of adversity.

WHAT’S YOUR BEST KEPT PONSONBY SECRET? Rosemary in the chicanes on Parawai Crescent – great for those of us without gardens. Pick on the pavement side above cocked dog leg height and you are away laughing.

WHAT WERE YOU GOING TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? Fabulous.

HOW DID YOU COME TO BE AN INTERIOR DESIGNER? I trained as an architect, then focused more and more on the interiors sector of the profession.

IF YOU WEREN’T AN INTERIOR DESIGNER YOU’D BE..? A hippie growing my own vegetables and weaving my own ikat fabrics on a loom.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE GREATER PONSONBY CAFE? Richmond Road Café.

I’m lucky to have it as my local.

FAVOURITE PONSONBY RESTAURANT? Ponsonby Bistro – always classy and never disappoints.

WHAT’S INSPIRED YOU RECENTLY? The fabulous movie “Diana Vreeland – the eye must travel.” I cried. What an amazing woman, such energy and vision. She worked, and worked, and worked. I suspect that I might have cried for different reasons had I ever actually worked for her myself.

NAME YOUR DESERT ISLAND DISTRACTIONS: Cold Chisel – Flame Trees; Californication; Nina Garcia’s ‘What to wear for every occasion Look Book’…gotta look fab wherever you are and Nina has an answer for everything.

THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE AND YOUR FAMILY IS SAFE – WHAT DO YOU SAVE? Nana and Grandpa’s dinner set – oh the memories of Christmas feasts past.

I’D BE LOST WITHOUT MY... shoe collection.

FAVOURITE PONSONBY STORE? Hospice Shop… my $3 Alessi Ron Arad stainless steel bowl would have to be the buy of the decade, closely followed by seven carved wooden pineapple dishes with inlaid mother or pearl for $7. I am a shameless fossicker.

AND YOUR FAVOURITE PONSONBY FASHION LABEL? I have been having a wee love affair with Storms knits over the past year or so.

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ONE THING YOU HAVE LEARNED ABOUT LIFE IS? Never say never.

WHAT WAS YOUR STANDOUT JOB OF THE LAST 12 MONTHS? A project I lovingly refer to as Club Med – Orakei Road. Lovely clients, lovely house…I never want to leave. PN

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THE BOYS’ BOOK CLUB WHAT WE’RE READING Books us blokes on the Ponsonby News team are reading, or have recently enjoyed. We LOVE reading in the bath, or in bed. A real stress buster!

MARTIN LEACH ROD: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY

by Rod Stewart (Century/Random House) The extraordinary life and career of music legend Rod Stewart, in his own words for the first time. Roderick David “Rod” Stewart, CBE (born 10 January 1945) is a British singer-songwriter, born and raised in Highgate, north London, and is of Scottish and English ancestry.

Stewart was inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and was inducted a second time into the US Hall of Fame, as a member of Faces, in April 2012.

With his soulful and singular voice, narrative songwriting, and passionate live performances Rod Stewart has paved one of the most iconic and successful music careers of all time.

Now after more than five decades in the spotlight, he is finally ready to take a candid and romping look back at his life both on and off the stage. From his humble British roots to his hell-raising years on tour with his bandmates, not forgetting his great loves (including three marriages and eight children) and decades touring the world, Rod delivers a riveting ride through one of rock’s most remarkable lives.

JAY PLATT Connecting Dors The Legacy of Diana Dors

By Niema Ash in Collaboration with Jason Dors-Lake (Purple Ink press)

With his distinctive raspy singing voice, Rod Stewart came to prominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s with The Jeff Beck Group and then the Faces. He launched his solo career in 1969 with his debut album ‘An Old Raincoat Won’t Ever Let You Down’. His work with The Jeff Beck Group and Faces influenced heavy metal genres.

He is the author of such beloved songs as ‘Maggie May,’ ‘Tonight’s the Night,’ ‘Hot Legs,’ ‘Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?’ ‘Young Turks,’ ‘Forever Young,’ and ‘You Wear It Well.’ His career in its fifth decade, Rod Stewart has sold over 265 million records worldwide, making him one of the best selling artists of all time. In the UK, he has had six consecutive number one albums, and his tally of 62 hit singles include 31 that reached the top 10, six of which gained the number one position. He has had 16 top ten singles in the U.S, with four of these reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked him the 17th most successful artist on the “The Billboard Hot 100 Top All-Time Artists”. A Grammy and Brit Award recipient, he was voted at number 33 in Q Magazine’s list of the top 100 Greatest Singers of all time, and number 59 on Rolling Stone 100 Greatest Singers of all time. As a solo artist,

I have just read Connecting Dors or rather skimmed over most of it because I found myself not really enjoying it as much as I thought I would. Diana was a truly British bombshell in every sense of the word. She was by the mid 50s, and driven by the publicity machine, marketed as ‘the English Marilyn Monroe’. She appeared in over 70 film and television roles but success in the United States or real success evaded her. She or rather her life was quite tragic, getting pregnant at 16 and then having an abortion, numerous marriages. She became an early ‘celebrity expose’ for the News of the World at the time for some of the wild parties that she gave. The book with the collaboration of her son Jason Dors-Lake is actually quite disappointing, there seemed to be quite a lot about Jason and what his life has been about and to be quite honest there was a bit of whining going on. Whether Jason is cashing in on his mothers legacy who knows, but for fans it’s a disappointment. Diana Dors was a legend and it is a shame that her legacy isn’t living on in a better way. PN

100% NATURAL SILK – THE HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVE Silk Room has been bringing the luxury of silk bedding to New Zealand for over eight years and as owner Alison Heslop says, “Silk is very durable, a duvet should last 15 – 20 years and it is very easy to care for.”

The Chinese have known for centuries the health benefits of sleeping on silk pillowcases. Silk is the nearest thing to human skin known to man, it contains a natural protein and 18 essential amino acids and studies show amino acids can counter the effects of aging especially in the facial skin and can help calm the nervous system.

Silk also contains natural cellular albumen, which helps speed up metabolism of skin cells - thus helping to reduce signs of aging - it is amino acids and albumen that is used in anti-aging moisturisers.

Silk is naturally hypoallergenic making it a must for allergy sufferers especially eczema - helping sensitive dry or itchy skin. It is resistant to dust mite and naturally fire retardant.

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The benefits of sleeping in silk will help with eczema, sensitive skin, allergic rash, skin inflammations (psoriasis), shingles, post-chemotherapy sensitive skin, post surgery sutures, Reynaud’s Disease, sunburns and vascular sclerosis.

Silk duvets because of their thermal criss-cross pattern provide the required thermal properties at a weight a fraction of traditional feather, down or synthetic duvets. The light weight on your body is a real benefit to people suffering from circulation issues and arthritis where the weight of bedding causes discomfort. PN SILK ROOM, T: 09 555 4420 www.silkroom.co.nz

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REAL ESTATE UPDATE: KAREN SPIRES HERNE BAY MAKES THE TOP 10 LIST – THREE TIMES Herne Bay hit the news headlines recently when it was revealed that three of its streets made it onto the list of New Zealand’s Top 10 most expensive streets as compiled by market analysts, PropertyIQ and reported in the NZ Herald, 22 October 2012.

Two Herne Bay streets starred in the Top 5; heading the list with a median council property valuation of $5.25m was Cremorne Street followed by Stack Street in second place. Bella Vista Road rounded out the suburb’s notoriety making it into the Top 10.

Only two streets on the list were not in Auckland; they were Streamside Estate in Queenstown and Breadalbane Place at Langs Beach.

So, whilst Herne Bay has some of the most expensive real estate in Auckland – and indeed, New Zealand - the median sale price for this in-demand suburb as a whole has sat at around $1.6m over the last year. Slightly less heart-stopping than the $5m-plus median as quoted above for Cremorne Street!

The suburb was tightly-held over the winter period. Fewer high-end properties made their way onto the market compared to other blue-chip suburbs such as Remuera where the median prices hovers around the $1.2m mark.

However, now that we are well into spring, we are seeing a number of $2m-plus homes come to the market in Herne Bay and enquiry levels are heartening. There is certainly demand for homes in this price sector with buyer confidence fuelled by the suburb’s lifestyle credentials and enticing home loan interest rates which continue to linger at historically-low levels.

With Kiwi Bank currently offering a fixed rate of 4.99% for up to two years and other banks courting prospective buyers with competitive deals, the lending environment is seductive as banks hustle for market share. Economists are widely picking that the OCR will remain on hold through until the end of 2013 or the start of 2014 so it is no wonder that buyers are coming out of the woodwork and entering into talks with lending institutions to secure a win-win deal.

Meanwhile, a general shortage of available stock is currently limiting choice and thwarting the dreams of some buyers. However, there are signs that the traditional summer lift in property listings may be kicking in which will be good news for the pre-qualified and ready-to-go purchasers waiting in the real estate wings.

(KAREN SPIRES) PN

BIG ART FOR A BIG HEART For twelve years Ripeka Nukunuku has been part of Westmere School life, opening every event with a karakia and blessing every new child, teacher and classroom. Prior to this she had the same role at Richmond School for eight years. Known to children and parents simply as Nanny Ma, she is a familiar and much-loved part of school life.

Next March the families of Westmere’s Maori unit, Ngā Uri O Ngā Iwi, hope to take Nanny Ma home to Whangaparaoa in the Eastern Bay of Plenty. She has not been home for many years so this will be a significant event for her and her whanau. The children who go with her will have the opportunity to learn more about Nanny Ma and where she is from as she shares with them the stories of her childhood, land and ancestors.

To raise funds for Nanny Ma’s homecoming Westmere School is holding an art sale and auction in their school hall on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 November.

Confirmed artists include Robyn Kahukiwa, Fane Flaws, Tracey Tawhiao, Sheyne Tuffery, Lonnie Hutchinson, Otis Frizzell, Mike Weston, Mike Davison, Rona Ngahuia Osborne, Shona Tawhiao, and the list goes on...

Works will soon be available for viewing at www.ngauriongaiwi.co.nz.

Friday evening and Saturday morning are opportunities to preview auction lots and buy works offered for sale, and the auction of all other artworks begins on Saturday afternoon at 3pm. Come and support an unsung hero of our community and help Westmere School make Nanny Ma’s homecoming a reality. PN

Karen Spires is a leading sales person for Bayleys Real Estate – specialising in the marketing of high-end homes in the St Mary’s Bay, Ponsonby and Herne Bay areas.

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FIONNA HILL

THE PONSONBY GARDENER

BENEFICIAL INSECTS Attracting beneficial insects to the garden can be done simply by planting certain flowers to attract and host the insects.

There is no rule that says vegetables and flowers can’t mix; our vegetable garden benefits greatly from the addition of some flowers and herbs and not just aesthetically. Interplanting flowers and herbs provides several beneficial features that can protect your vegetables from pest insects and even make them more productive.

Many flowers will attract insects to your garden with reasons such as: • Flower plants may provide a safe environment for wintering over.

• Flowers with short florets suit wasps that suck the nectar.

• Flowers with long florets suit butterflies with their long proboscis.

• Flower plants may provide a surface on which to lay eggs.

• Flowers may be a varied food source of nectar, pollen or leaves.

• If they flower at different times of the day plants fit in with differing feeding patterns.

Phacelia or purple tansy is a hero; it attracts bees and friendly insects, such as hoverflies which feed on aphid larvae. We grow cornflower (centaurea cyanus) in our edible flowers garden and it doubles as an attractor of ladybirds, lacewings, and beneficial wasps. The leaves also release nectar even when the flowers are not blooming. Alyssum (lobularia maritima) is a low-growing annual. It is highly attractive to aphid-eating flower flies. It’s also a weed-choking ground-cover to interplant in vegetable beds.

beneficial insects, and the feathery green or purple foliage looks wonderful in spring and early summer.

Fennel is also a host plant for the caterpillars of the anise swallowtail butterfly.

Anise hyssop (agastache foeniculum) is a new one for me this spring. I’m told that the nectar-rich flowers are very attractive to both butterflies and pest-eating beneficial insects; the colour and shape of the flowers are among bees’ favourites.

Other herbs that will attract bees are anise, bergamot, chamomile, dill, and sage. We have rosemary, bay laurel, lavender and several citrus trees for bees too.

Sow swan plants now from seed and look forward to monarch butterflies later. Butterflies also like cosmos, echinacea, mignonette, phacelia, salvia, tithonia goldfinger, and tweedia.

Bees are more attracted by colour than scent; they like yellow, blue, mauve and purple. They also prefer single flowers, not doubles, as these are easier for the bees to visit and if they’re simple traditional flowers, even better.

Borage comes up uninvited but welcome by me – bees love it. It self-seeds a little freely – I’ve even changed the course of a path to avoid pulling out huge borage.

Many weeds are known to be visited by insects; they include ox-eye daisy (chrysanthemum leucanthemum), ragwort (senecio jacobaea) and dandelion (taraxacum officinale). I grow hogweed (heracleum sphondylium); it has beautiful large umbels of white flowers and has been recorded as visited by 118 species of insect!

However, it takes up a lot of space.

Nasturtiums are probably the best known ‘catch crop’ for aphids and whitefly. If you’re worried about nasturtium running riot across your garden try buying seeds of the ones which grow as mounds rather than long trails. Shoo-fly is a natural deterrent to white fly - and it’s pretty to boot. It has unusual black pods and appealing mauve flowers.

Kings Seeds has a beneficial seed blend containing untreated seeds of buckwheat, dill, bishops flower, parsnip, ammi visnaga, fennel, daucus carota, phacelia, bergamot and alyssum. Kings are also promoting new varieties for attracting bees, butterflies and insects: • Agastache astello indigo - bees are attracted to the aromatic nectar and butterflies are attracted to the blue flowers.

• Coreopsis amulet - a wildflower that bees love.

• Cornflower classic fantastic and classic romantic - edible flowers that are good for attracting bees.

• Nepeta border ballet - see the bees and butterflies dance! Cats’ love it too as it is from the catnip/catmint family.

• Salvia tricolour mix - another flower that attracts the bees. (FIONNA HILL) PN

The herb garden has culinary herbs with small flowers, such as basil, parsley, thyme, fennel and coriander; they are all excellent food plants for beneficial insects. Fennel (foeniculum vulgare) has long-lasting flowers that are attractive to all nectar-feeding

SUPPLIERS Organic Herbs and seedlings at the Grey Lynn Farmers Market www.kingsseeds.co.nz

Grow buckwheat for beneficial insects as well as a green manure crop. Cleome is very pretty as well as a catch crop for green vegetable bugs. Sunflowers too catch the same bugs when they go to seed.

A BIG ANNIVERSARY - THE FESTIVAL OF FLOWERS Historic house, Highwic is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year and as part of the festivities there will be a Festival of Flowers from 16-18 November - 10.30am to 4.30pm.

In the 19 century the Buckland family of Highwic supported a festival of flowers which was held annually – in this spirit guest floral designer Fionna Hill and the Coatesville Country Garden Club will decorate the handsome Victorian house.

Fionna has plans for expansive arrangements of garden foliage and flowers; the grand dining table will be a highlight with a floral centrepiece among historic dinnerware, silver, glassware and cutlery from the Highwic collection.

The urban bike community will join the festival on 18 November 11.30am – 2.30pm with a parade of decorated bikes. There will be a decorated bike competition and entertainment with music, lawn games and information on city cycling.

Intensive work by the Highwic volunteer team has banished a lot of invasive weeds from the original Victorian whimsical garden. New planting, including 240 buxus plants has resulted in fresh and abundant looking beds, timed to be at their flowering best in November. The Billiard House also has a fresh new colour scheme and the choice of bright Edwardian colours will be used when painting any woodwork on the exterior of the house in future.

110 PONSONBY NEWS+ November 2012

Highwic, 40 Gillies Avenue. Entry from Mortimer Pass.

Admission $10.00, children free, NZHPT members $5.00.

16 November: 6 - 8pm, VIP evening. Meet Maggie Barry and Jack Hobbs $25.

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PONSONBY U3A: OCTOBER 2012 A certain sense of complacency that New Zealand finds itself in is worrying, said Professor Greg Whittred, dean of Auckland University’s business school at the Ponsonby U3A October meeting. New Zealand wants to grow and be prosperous and faces some unique challenges, he said.

Graduates of the university’s business school will inherit these challenges. Outlining the economic situation facing New Zealand now and in the future, he pointed out that the only way to pay for our future is by economic growth, productivity and international competitiveness.

“The business school sees its job to produce graduates with knowledge and ideas” said Professor Whittred. He feels optimistic about what the young can do. “They don’t think about career paths in the way we do and they have different values and expectations. Most of the jobs they go to today didn’t exist 10 years ago.”

The business school has 7,000 students out of a university total of 34,000. It has 400 fulltime employees and 2000 casual staff. Twelve hundred students graduate each year. The school is globally ranked 38.

Teaching is now being undertaken differently - away from the “sages on stages” approach and the school has invested in learning technology. A student can instantly download a lecture onto an iPod, iPhone or iPad. The school’s pioneering team-based learning programme is gaining attention internationally and overseas universities are sending software developers here to observe this work. Two-hour workshops are held in rooms holding 100 people, seated at desks, each with a screen showing the work being discussed. Attendance at the workshops is 99 per cent and students are having fun while learning, he said.

Students are starting to live differently - in a virtual world. The student labs are open 24 hours a day and usage is monitored. Most utilisation is social networking - multitasking with Facebook, Google, Twitter and other windows open. Using this technology, young males can now multitask. Businesses can now use videoconferencing instead of flying staff to meetings. It’s cheap and it’s possible to run global businesses this way.

The October 10-minute speaker was U3A treasurer Winifred Lamb, who shared her years of involvement with the Girl Guide movement. She outlined the history of guiding in New Zealand from its beginnings as Girl Peace Scouts, holding its first meeting at Kaiapoi in 1908. In 1923 the New Zealand guiding movement was officially registered with the Girl Guide Association in England.

COLLAB! KATE SYLVESTER / DOUGLAS + BEC KATE SYLVESTER IS WELL KNOWN FOR HER ATTENTION TO DETAIL, FOR wonderful use of colour and most of all for the clever simplicity of her garments.

Rebecca Snelling of Douglas + Bec is known for the same - but in the design of wellcrafted pieces of furniture. The fact that these two have come together should not have surprised us at all. The result is beautifully turned lamps in two styles, a chair in two colours/fabrics, a stool that can also be a bedside table, a coffee table, and a leather framed mirror, as well as both a table and a floor lamp.

With the use of brass/gold fittings, red woven flex, blush leather, and linen in two shades of blush pink and duck egg blue with plenty of wood to ground it all - this is a cohesive and beautiful collection. I love all the little details - the simple turned ring around the All Oak Turned Lamp ($1448) - with the duck egg blue linen shade and red flex cord on all the lamps. Both the Angle Floor Lamp 2.0 ($1285) and the Angle Table Lamp 2.0 ($720) are shapes we have seen from Douglas + Bec before (I adore the Angle Table Lamp 2.0 in yellow) but in oyster spun metal they have a sleeker look to them. All the pieces have a strong practical feel - both beautiful AND functional. They should be used on a daily basis. They are available on-line and in-store now, at both Douglas + Bec and Kate Sylvester. Please note, this collection is a limited collaboration so I wouldn’t wait to order a piece you love. (ANYA BRIGHOUSE) www.beautifulbedlam.co.nz DOUGLAS + BEC, 9 St Mary’s Road, T: 09 551 3685 www.douglasandbec.co.nz KATE SYLVESTER, www.katesylvester.com

Winifred joined Girl Guides in Surrey Crescent at the end of the War and said much of what she learned then has been of use throughout her life. In the 1970s, when her own children were at primary school she again became involved with Girl Guides in Mt Maunganui, eventually becoming captain of that group. Times have again changed in Girl Guides and Winifred showed information she had been sent on the current Girl Guide movement.

October was a busy month for Ponsonby U3A’s special interest groups.

The Ramblers Group enjoyed a day out at the SPCA and Otuataua Stonefields Historic Reserve at Mangere. The Supper Club took in a Thai meal on Jervois Road, Art History continued studying 1920s European Art, Current Affairs debated the issues of the day, Classical Studies prepared to read Sophocles’ tragedy Antigone, Gallery Visits were having a quiet month, the Green Fingers group is a perennial favourite, New Zealand History is studying the Treaty of Waitangi, Scrabble has a group of dedicated followers, Armchair Travellers are planning a trip to the Planetarium in November, and petanque enthusiasts meet on Thursdays at the Herne Bay Petanque Club. In short, there’s a special interest group for everyone, fulfilling the purpose of U3A - to provide education, discussion and stimulation for its members.

Next month’s guest speaker will be local apiarist Carol Downer - “An apiarist in an urban environment.” U3A member Margarita Mahon’s 10-minute talk will ask the question, “What to do?”

Visitors and new members are welcome to U3A monthly meetings, held on the second Friday of the month, 1st Floor, Leys Institute, 20 St Marys Bay Road.

NEXT MEETING: Friday, 9 November at 9.45 a.m. Enquiries: Jane Jones, President Ponsonby U3A. Telephone: 09 378 7628. (PHILIPPA TAIT) PN

112 PONSONBY NEWS+ November 2012

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

ASK AN ARCHITECT: PAUL LEUSCHKE

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Each month Grey Lynn resident and architect Paul Leuschke of Leuschke Kahn answers readers’ property related questions.

Email yours to jane@leuschkekahn.co.nz

Q: A:

We are starting to plan our house alteration and wonder if you could give us some advice.

I believe houses reflect how we live. Gone are the days of facing the street regardless of orientation and pulling the drapes to stop fading. We are less formal. Over recent years clients have wanted more than just inside-outside flow, they want to live outside, but under cover. They want cover to keep out of the direct sun and also to shelter from summer sun showers and the dew point in the evenings.

We are designing big living porches and open-able louvered roofs. Retractable louvers have just hit the market. Small sections make dedicated outdoor rooms difficult (townplanning rules) but glass rooms whose walls slide open to make the inside room and outside room can overcome this.

If you are lucky the outdoor room forms part of the garden. Living outside means eating outside and attached near these outdoor rooms is the kitchen. The open plan kitchen dining living area is now totally acceptable and desired. Kitchen noise has

POPULATION PROJECTIONS BACK NEED FOR INVESTMENT IN AUCKLAND THE LATEST POPULATION PROJECTIONS ARE PROOF OF THE NEED FOR Auckland to plan and invest for its future according to Auckland’s Deputy Mayor.

Forecasts released by Statistics New Zealand today indicate within the next 20 years, Auckland’s population will have grown by a third from the current 1.5 million to around two million.

been addressed with soft close drawers and cupboards. The dishwasher and food processor are located in a separate walk in pantry which usually has a second sink, is used as a food prep area and dumping ground for all the messy kitchen stuff.

Steam ovens are gaining popularity due to their healthy method of cooking. They are about the size of half an oven. Induction tops have also made it domestically but a new set of pots and pans are needed.

So the kitchen is now the center of the house, the casual/formal part of the house.

It’s neat and tidy due to the pantry, sunny and light due to lots of glass. The separate formal lounge is now the family room/media room, darker with more walls and filled with the stuff of families, big screen tv, play station, family photos, books and games and comfortable/sleep-able couches.

Bathrooms have changed with the stand alone bath becoming a relaxing pleasure soak again. The shower used for the daily clean. (PAUL LESCHKE) PN www.leuschkekahn.co.nz

ARE YOU SELLING? ‘you can’t sell a secret... good marketing makes a difference every time’ www.ponsonbynews.co.nz

“None of this should come as any surprise to anyone, nor should it be seen as necessarily a bad thing,” says Cr Penny Hulse, who also chairs the council’s Auckland Plan Committee. “New Zealand needs an international city to compete on the international stage. But to be a great international city, and to be the world’s most liveable city, we have to plan and invest. If people think congestion is bad now, imagine what things would be like with two million people living here. We need to fix our public transport system. That’s why we’ve put in place building blocks to prepare for the growth.

“Next year we’ll see the first of our new electric trains, we’ve started work on the City Rail Link to open up the whole rail network, and there are more buses on the roads than ever before, but there is much more to do. We’ve passed the Auckland Plan, which takes a 30-year vision of how our region should develop and we’re delivering the largest ever investment in our local communities in order to cater for our population increase. Auckland Council will take a prudent approach to paying for that growth and we will deliver $1.7 billion in savings over the next ten years.

However, people should be wary of those who say we should cut a lot more or Auckland will grind to a halt.”

Thirty-four out of every 100 New Zealanders currently live in Auckland. The Statistics New Zealand projections indicate by 2031 that will increase to 38 percent of New Zealanders. PN

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PONSONBY PROFESSIONALS LOGAN GRANGER

SHOULD YOU GIFT? When transferring your home to a family trust, it is sold to the trust at market value, but often as the trust pays no physical money for it you personally become a lender to the trust. That is to say the trust owes you money for the house. No money actually changes hands; the transaction is recorded in legal documents.

The debt the trust owes you is considered your personal asset, meaning it is still something you own for the purpose of claims against you. Therefore in order to separate yourself from this asset you use a process of gifting. This is where you gift back to the trust to reduce the debt owed to you when you originally transfer your property to a family trust.

Before October 2011, there was a limit of $27,000 you could gift in one year without paying ‘Gift Duty’ to Inland Revenue. This has been abolished and there is now no limit to how much you can gift.

For example, before October 2011 if you transfer a house worth $540,000 to a trust it would take 20 years for the trust to get rid of this debt without paying Gift Duty, now you can get rid of the debt straightaway.

OOOOBY NOMINATED FOR RISING STAR AWARD Ooooby (out of our own backyards), a social business that makes local and cottage food convenient and affordable, has been nominated for Deloitte’s Rising Star Award.

“I am excited about the possibility of winning the Deloitte Rising Star Award,” says Pete Russell, Ooooby’s founder and director. “It would be fantastic to win as this would really help the local food movement gain more widespread awareness.

Ooooby’s mission is to make ethical and local food easy and affordable for local communities. Our modern food system has reached a point where the harm to our health and home outweighs the benefit conferred by large-scale, centralised food.

During this centralisation of our food system, we lost control of it.”

BUT SHOULD YOU GIFT? • Should you give your assets to a trust? You will lose a level of control over any assets gifted to a trust, as the trustees now control the assets – so it may not be wise to put everything into a family trust if you don’t want to consult your trustees every time you wish to deal with a particular asset.

• You may wish to consider the merits of gifting away funds you previously lent to your children to buy their first home. Will you need it at a later stage in life?

• Would you want to gift an inheritance to a trust which you share with your partner?

Similarly, do you really want to forgive loans to a family trust? What happens if the relationship breaks down?

YOU SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER OTHER IMPLICATIONS: Creditor protection and insolvency • The Insolvency Act 2006 allows the official assignee to automatically cancel gifts made within two years of bankruptcy and up to five years before bankruptcy if the bankrupt cannot demonstrate solvency at the time the gift was made.

• The Companies Act 1993 gives the official assignee similar powers but over a shorter time frame (six months and two years).

• Rest home care: The Ministry of Social Development can count gifts in a person’s financial means assessment, as follows: – Gifts up to $6,000 per year made in the five years before applying for the RHCS can be excluded from the financial means assessment; and – Gifts of more than $27,000 per year, made before the four year gifting period, may be added into the assessment. NB there is no time limit on this.

Clearly if you are in business, protection of your assets is imperative, but every person is different and every situation unique. It is always best to seek independent legal advice from a lawyer in conjunction with accountant when dealing with major assets, and Trusts.

If you have any further questions or would like to discuss this matter please do not hesitate to contact Liam Afitu or Logan Granger. PN Disclaimer – While all care has been taken, Johnston Associates Chartered Accountants Ltd and its staff accept no liability for the content of this article; always see your professional advisor before taking any action that you are unsure about.

JOHNSTON ASSOCIATES, 202 Ponsonby Road T: 09 361 6701 www.jacal.co.nz

The model adopted by the company fully supports and encourages locals to start up food distribution hubs in their communities. The tools and information are provided; all that’s required is passion. Through Ooooby, a community keeps control of its food systems as they’re developed and improved.

OOOOBY’S GOALS ARE: To put the control of our food supply back into the hands of communities.

Currently an elite few control the sourcing and distribution of almost everything we eat.

To reduce external influence on our food supply.

The further away our food, the more influence foreign politics have on our food supply.

To gain more knowledge of our food.

Currently we don’t know who grew our food, how they grew it, where they grew it, or how fairly they choose to conduct business.

To reduce our impact on our only home.

Our planet is already under too much strain. Importing food that can be grown locally is wasteful and unnecessary.

Ooooby is currently available in Auckland and Waiheke Island, with potential hubs in Wellington, Australia and Ireland coming soon. As the model spreads, profit is put back into the local food system to make it better and speed its growth.

Eventually it will be easy for everyone to eat locally, and thus more healthily, ethically, safely and in a way that can be sustained by our communities and this little planet we call home. PN For more information visit www.ooooby.org or call 0800 OOOOBY.

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GOT A LEGAL QUESTION? ASK MICHAEL@METROLAW.CO.NZ

PONSONBY PROFESSIONALS

Email Michael with your question and include PONSONBY NEWS in the subject line.

Michael Hemphill, a partner of the firm will answer one topical question each month.

I set up a family trust with my dad’s lawyer a few years ago. He is a trustee along with my wife and me. For the past few years I have felt that the lawyer is more of my dad’s lawyer than my own and that I need to get his permission before I can do anything. We get charged each time we sign up new loan documents for our home. How do I go about replacing him as a trustee?

Q:

To remove or replace someone as a trustee the first place that you want to look is at the trust deed. It is common for the settlor(s) of the trust deed to have the power of appointment to appoint (and remove) trustees. Other considerations are whether your trust deed requires there to be an independent and/ or professional trustee. I expect that you would find that the trust deed gives you and your wife the power of appointment so I would expect that you could remove the lawyer as a trustee and appoint someone in his place. Trust deeds can be quite complex documents though so I recommend that you get some professional advice on this.

A:

Assuming you do have the power of appointment then it would be usual for a Deed of Retirement and Appointment to be signed where the retiring trustee is indemnified by the trust and you then need to go through the process of transferring the property and redocumenting any loan and mortgage obligations with the bank. This process is likely to cost you anything from about $800.00 to $1,500.00. Before you take this step it seems to me that it would be worthwhile having a frank discussion with the lawyer about how the relationship is (or is not) working for you. In this way you can see whether the relationship can be mended and even if you still decided to change trustees this would be a lot easier if the trustee is cooperative with the change.

If you do not have the power of appointment and the trustee is not willing to resign then you could go to the law society as this may be an interference with your right to choose which lawyer you want to act for you and as a last resort you can go to the High Court.

(MICHAEL HEMPHILL) PN Disclaimer - This article is for general information purposes only. If you have a legal problem you should seek advice from a lawyer. Metro Law does not accept any liability other than to its clients and then only when advice is sought on specific matters.

METROLAW, Level 2, 36 Williamson Avenue T: 09 929 0800 www.metrolaw.co.nz

NEVER A BETTER TIME TO ADOPT A DOG SPRING IS FINALLY HERE AND TIME TO CLEAN OUT THE GRIME OF winter and try something new like adopting a dog from SPCA Auckland. If you’ve always wanted to own a dog, now is the perfect time to follow through and get one. It’s a big responsibility but also a huge amount of rewarding fun – and SPCA Auckland can make it all the easier for you.

“When you adopt a dog from SPCA Auckland, you’re getting an animal that has undergone thorough veterinary and behavioural checks, been vaccinated and treated to eliminate fleas and worms. So you can count on your new canine companion being in tip-top shape,” says Christine Kalin, SPCA Auckland CEO. “And every dog adopted from SPCA Auckland has been micro chipped and de-sexed therefore all the major costs and hassles have been take care of for you.”

There are some things you’ll still need to arrange in advance. We recommend that if you adopt a puppy, you make sure someone will be home during the day to provide regular small feeds and help your new companion settle in. You will need a fully fenced property for a dog to prevent it from straying plus a kennel to keep your dog happy and healthy in all weathers.

“We’ll also take a bit of time to match your lifestyle, property, and experience to the right dog – because our aim is to get everything sorted from the outset to ensure the adoption is permanent and successful,” says Christine. “Once you make the decision to adopt a dog, we will help you every step of the way towards making that decision a reality. Then you can get on with enjoying your pet, getting heart-healthy exercise going for walks, and basking in all the unconditional love you can handle. And it will warm the cockles of your heart to know you’ve saved a dog that has had a hard start in life and has now found its forever home with you.”

To view the selection of dogs visit SPCA AUCKLAND, 50 Westney Road, Mangere. Open seven days 10am to 4pm. Or call T: 09 256 7300 and ask about adopting a dog. www.spca.org.nz PN

116 PONSONBY NEWS+ November 2012

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

PONSONBY PEOPLE + THEIR PETS

THE HYPNOGUY CHARITY SHOW – THE LONELY MIAOW ASSOCIATION Auckland Cat Rescue charity, The Lonely Miaow Association is holding a hypnotic fundraising event on Saturday 17 November, in order to raise much needed funds in preparation for the increase in stray cats over the summer months.

The Hypnoguy Charity Show to be held at the Albert Theatre at Devonport’s, The Vic, is a unique fundraiser featuring experienced New Zealand hypnotist, Tony Banfield.

Performing a mesmerising two hour show, Banfield aka ‘The Hypnoguy’ will bring out the dramatic power of the creative mind in this slick, hilarious (but always respectful) must-see show.

With over 12 years experience of performing on the stage in New Zealand and the USA (as well as being a clinically trained hypnotist), The Hypnoguy is sure to appeal.

Lonely Miaow’s volunteer Foster Home Manager, Ann Eade says, “we are thrilled to have Tony perform for us and to support our charity”.

From November through to April sees the largest number of stray cats being rescued around Auckland. Many strays are often pregnant therefore desexing is a key part of the rescue process along with fostering and rehoming the cats and kittens.

Running expenses for Lonely Miaow over the last year was just over $100,000 which includes vet bills, microchipping, food and litter costs. Holding regular fundraising initiatives are one of the main avenues for funding for the organisation. All Lonely Miaow volunteers are unpaid and work out of love and dedication for stray and abandoned cats and kittens around Auckland.

Tickets cost $26 (available to adults only) www.thevic.co.nz and all guests will receive a goodie bag on arrival. This is an opportunity to attend a great night of entertainment.

More information about The Lonely Miaow Association and the show can be found at www.lonelymiaow.co.nz PN

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

CARING FOR YOUR PET WHEN YOU CAN’T Do you feel guilty about leaving your dog home alone, while you work long hours at the office?

Are you a first-time dog owner, concerned about leaving your dog alone for the first time? Does your cat prefer to stay home instead of going to a boarding facility when you travel? Or do you need someone reliable to take your pet to a vet, groomer or boarding facility on your behalf?

Walkabout Pet Services is your solution.

Julie Clayton-West owned her own dog walking and pet care service in rural New York State and hiked with her packs at huge reservations in all sorts of weather conditions. Auckland is very tame compared to her experiences with coyotes and blizzards.

She is a certified pet therapy volunteer for Outreach Therapy Pets and through this charity has worked with at risk children in reading programmes and is currently visiting residents at a dementia ward with Chase, her chocolate Labrador.

She has been involved with rescuing feral and unwanted cats and kittens in New Zealand, Australia and the United States and is a strong supporter of the SPCA and Paw Justice animal charities. Julie has travelled internationally with her animals and understands the various protocols when transporting your pets to and from New Zealand.

Her total commitment towards her own animals spills over to yours when they are in her care. She also holds a current Pet Care first aid qualification and always has a well-stocked pet first aid kit in the Walkabout van in case of emergencies.

WALKABOUT PET SERVICES, M: 027 226 2890 www.walkaboutpetservices.com

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ASK ALEX Each month Dr Alex Melrose answers readers’ pet related issues. email yours to: alex@vetcare.net.nz We are buying a Leonberger puppy from a reputable breeder. They have recently informed us that one puppy (out of five) in the litter has been found to have Neospora. The mother has also just been blood tested and found to be infected. The puppies are now four weeks old. They will all be blood tested at six weeks. They have been told that only 20% of the litter is usually affected. Our main query is if the blood tests of the remaining puppies (or at least some of them) are found to be negative will that guarantee that they will not get the infection from that particular source? i.e. their mother. And will this then mean they are fit and healthy for us to add to our family? Hope you can help with this as I understand it is somewhat rare.

Q:

You are looking at a beautiful large breed of dog. The current vet thinking on this rare, peculiar and potentially very serious protozoal infection identifies these key points. The proportion of pups afflicted can vary from a quarter to three quarters of each litter, possibly significantly more than the one in five suggested above. The effects of this infection can be very serious with severe neurological problems and even death in some instances.

A:

Treatment is also difficult and prolonged and will never remove the cystic life stage from the host dog, which will then carry the organism for life although a relapse of symptoms and contagiousness is very rare. Rather than cure any medications given are to treat symptoms and shorten the period of shedding the protozoa to other dogs.

The mother can infect the pups trans-placentally (the likely route here) with the pups born infected and unfortunately should not be used for breeding again as she will potentially do so again to future litters.

FUN AND GAMES WITH THE FUR-KIDS! WHEN I WAS A FEARLESS AND AGILE CHILD, DANGER WAS AN abstract concept. Now that I am cautious and less nimble, I have developed a protective streak. I watch the fur and feather children around me, exploring their environment, with my heart in my mouth.

An easy way to tire out an energetic pooch is to teach them to fetch. At the Animal Emergency Centre we commonly treat dogs with painful injuries to the delicate tissues in their mouths or throats, caused by sticks. Injuries can occur when the stick is caught mid-flight, or if it hits the ground, digging in, and the dog runs on to it with an open mouth. Ouch!

Continue the catapulting fun, but use balls throwers or frisbees. When it comes to balls, size matters! Small balls can get lodged in the throat and the worst are solid rubber balls. Dogs find them exciting to chase, and they are often precisely the size to cause an airway obstruction.

Surely cats are too fastidious and smart to get into such mischief? Unfortunately not! With their love of pouncing, chasing and ‘killing’ their toys, cats often swallow small items which can cause intestinal blockages. Long thin objects can cut through the intestinal wall, leading to peritonitis (severe abdominal infection).

Ribbons, string, wool and pieces of fabric are exciting toys for young and playful cats, but because they are potentially dangerous, it’s best to keep them safely hidden away! PN ANIMAL EMERGENCY CENTRE, 97 Carrington Road, Mt Albert, T: 09 849 2121 www.animalemergency.co.nz

The bitch is unlikely to be infectious at this point, so the pups negative at six weeks are probably clear. However, there are isolated reports of hosts remaining infectious and shedding the organism for months so I wouldn’t be 100% sure this wasn’t still going on.

Please keep me posted on the blood results and decisions you make.

(DR ALEX MELROSE, BVSC MRCVS) PN VETCARE GREY LYNN, 408 Great North Road T: 09 361 3500 www.vetcare.net.nz

IS THIS YOUR CAT? BRUNO IS BECOMING ALMOST A PERMANENT FIXTURE IN MY HOME and I don’t know if he’s been abandoned or is just a big wanderer. If he’s yours, please get in contact before I adopt him. E: Christy.weightman@gmail.com; or M: 0276 111 430. PN

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A NIGHT-IN WITH TIM WAKELY The Hollywood A-list take centre stage this month at Civic Video Ponsonby.

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU ARE EXPECTING This is a fluff-ball comedic piece about the realities of preparing to give birth. The film focuses on couples who, over a nine month period, prepare for the arrival of different babies in their own unique 21st century way.

Director, Kirk Jones, makes a good multi character film that most will enjoy. The film is perfect for those sun -kissed November evenings, when all you want to do is relax and watch something a little mind-numbing.

The couple I enjoyed the most were Holly (Jennifer Lopez) and Alex (Rodrigi Santoro), as their relationship and overall storylines seemed the most genuine and real. However, Jenny from the block didn’t steal the whole entire show, as the bikini model turned actress, Brooklyn Decker, added a lot to the comedic mix. With the assortment of B-grade celebrity cameos it gave the film a distinct Hollywood touch, which you can’t help but enjoy. Although the storyline fell flat in parts and the comedic laughs were far and few in between, this film was enjoyable overall.

What to expect when you are expecting is an easy to watch and easy to forget film which nicely fills up a bit a time. This film probably won’t be remembered this time next year, but for now it’s worth a watch or two.

DARLING COMPANION Darling Companion is a “dog is a women’s best friend” film, which fails to go anywhere. This pointless film centres on an hysterical affluent housewife who finds an injured collie on the side of the road and of course wants to keep him. Although content with her life of luxury before discovering the hound, Beth begins to blame her husband for everything especially when he loses her new best friend. Darling Companion fails to tick any of the dog boxes; the dog doesn’t save the day, nor does he do anything interesting.

The predictable plot line moves way too fast for any character development to take place and the two-dimensional characters scattered throughout the film are not relatable. To be honest I really don’t understand why Dianne Keaton did this film, I really don’t, you’re better than that Dianne – you’re Annie Hall remember.

Darling Companion is one of those films that should never have been made. The film makes no sense and I failed to feel any empathy or understanding towards Beth or her husband in this film at all. In hindsight this is truly a non-event film.

ROCK OF AGES

photography: Jo Barrett

Never has a rock’n roll film ever felt so squeaky-clean.

Rock of Ages is a throwback musical that has taken many of the iconic rock songs of the 1980s, and re-packaged them into a colourful and feel good feature. Instantly the film put me into a good mood, as I couldn’t help but sing-a-long to the Pat Benatar, Journey and Twisted Sister tunes embedded into the film’s readable plotline.

ART WEEK LAUNCH @ PONSONBY CENTRAL Wednesday 24 October 1. Evan Woodruffe and Scott Gardiner; 2. Lynne Parker with Vivienne Rosenberg and Gail Wright-St Clair; 3. Gerry Copas and Jennifer Buckley; 4. Rex Armstrong and Bianca Gardiner.

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

The film centres on Sherrie Christian, an ambitious blonde, who leaves the comforts of Oklahoma to pursue her rock’n’roll dream. Packed with an array of outlandish characters, the film never gets boring as every scene is mesmerizing. What makes this film truly remarkable is that almost every character sings; from the impressionable journalist, the American sweetheart turned waitress, and the high and mighty Mayor’s wife, played by Catherine Zeta Jones. It would be hard to pick a stand out character or actor in the film, as every character added comedic and dramatic value. However at times, Tom Cruise’s character, Stacee Jaxx was rather cringe as his attire made me feel uncomfortable.

Zeta Jones’ portrayal of, Patricia Whitmore, stood out amongst the A-list cast, as her energy throughout the film never lulled.

Rock of Ages is a cheesy light musical, which even the harshest cynics will enjoy.

Packed full of laughs, New Wave rock, and out there characters; Rock of Ages is 123 minutes of solid fun. (TIM WAKELY) PN

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ARTS + CULTURE SPECTACULAR REVIVAL OF THE DEVONPORT ARTS’ FESTIVAL 17 – 25 November 35 local individuals and groups are bringing together over 140 art, literature and musicrelated experiences over nine days.

Once an annual institution, with roots far reaching into the 50s The Devonport Arts’ Festival is proudly being revived. After a nearly ten year hiatus, the people of Devonport Peninsula have pulled together to create what will be a rich and exciting nine days showcasing local creative talent.

With an average of 16 events on offer each day, all ages and all creative palates are catered for. Included in the programme are art demonstrations, special exhibitions, talks with artists, gigs at the Masonic, a film festival at The Vic, free workshops, craft markets, face-painting for the little ones, a Plunket picnic and the first ever North Shore based Pecha Kucha.

The festivities will commence at 4pm on 17 November at The Depot Artspace with a few words spoken by Mayor Len Brown, followed by poet laureates’ Michele Leggott and Ian Wedde, who will wax lyrical about the significance of Devonport in the Auckland artscape.

With support received by Auckland Council’s Creative Communities Scheme, the festival planning began November 2011. It is coordinator Toni van Tonder’s hope that The Devonport Arts’ Festival may continue to grow and once again make its mark as a significant national art event; a dream that is supported by BAYLEYS residential who, after hearing about this community project, have come onboard as principal sponsor.

The full programme is available online at www.devonportartsfestival.co.nz or in various locations around the village. PN

SHOWING AT WHITESPACE JAMES ORMSBY: 13 November – 1 December In his art practice Ormsby constantly explores his heritage. His works invariably make reference to history and his Christian religion, and the work of his forebears has always influenced and guided him. He questions what his ancestors, both tangata whenua and Scottish, would have used to make their marks, and ponders the significance of the visual symbols they chose to depict.

Drawing on sources that they would be able to recognise and associate with, Ormsby uses natural pigments, inks and oils as well as graphite. In combination with these he employs new technology in developing a distinctive visual language.

He has work in the permanent collections of Te Papa Tongarewa, the Auckland Art Gallery and many other public and private collections internationally. James Ormsby is currently the Auckland Council artist in residence at the Tapapakanga Regional Park.

WHITESPACE, 12 Crummer Road T: 09 361 6331 www.whitespace.co.nz PN

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ARTS + CULTURE CORBAN ESTATE ARTS CENTRE MAKING FICTION SPEAK - WITH LINDA OLSON 14 – 18 January Corban Estate Arts Centre launches ‘Making Fiction Speak,’ a new fiction writing class with international award-winning, novelist Linda Olsson, writer of the best-selling first novel ‘Let me sing you gentle songs’ which has been translated into 26 languages and sold well over a million copies worldwide.

Linda won the first place award at the Sunday Star Times Short Story Competition in 2003 with her short story ‘Someone to Watch Over Me.’ Her third novel, The Kindness of Your Nature was published in German to coincide with the 2012 Frankfurt Book Fair.

With words of abundant authenticity and integrity, Linda brings life to her narratives and reveals a deep understanding of human relationships. Her elegantly well-crafted prose speaks truthfully and connects emotionally with her readers by evoking similar memories in us and allowing us to identify with her genuine characters.

Enthused over sharing her passion for writing, Linda will teach her well-honed writing techniques in ‘Making Fiction Speak,’ a five-day creative writing course suitable for students with some experience in writing. The course will focus on techniques to bring life to fiction writing and make the words move the reader.

Students will have the opportunity to analyse texts and put their discoveries into practice in a series of writing exercises where they will also have the chance to review work in progress in a one-on-one session with this renowned novelist.

The CORBAN ESTATE ARTS CENTRE’S 2013 Summer School programme is an event open to students of the arts nationwide. PN For more information: www.ceac.org.nz

MUSIC IN PARKS RETURNS FOR ITS 19TH SUMMER Music in Parks is back this summer providing Aucklanders with the opportunity to enjoy free music and a good time for the 19th year in a row.

This Music in Parks season is spread geographically further than ever before.

“The programme is extended across 20 local board areas, which is a marked increase on the 13 it was in last summer,” says Alf Filipaina, Chair of the Culture, Arts and Events Forum.

“We’ve also increased the number of events from 40 to 43, providing Aucklanders with increased opportunities to enjoy what is one of our region’s most popular annual summer events programmes.”

With a range of performances by both big-name and local talent, Music in Parks offers something for everyone. From opera to hip hop and everything in-between, Music in Parks showcases some of Auckland’s hottest musical talent in some of its best open spaces. PN A full line-up of venues, concerts and event dates will be announced next month.

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ARTS + CULTURE PLAYING AT Q THEATRE TELL ME ON A SUNDAY – CARLY BINDING 14 – 24 November Director David Coddington’s latest production ‘Tell Me on a Sunday’ stars local resident Carly Binding. This is a one woman musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Don Black. A one-act song cycle, it tells the story of an ordinary English girl from Muswell Hill, who journeys to the United States in search of love. Her romantic misadventures begin in New York City, lead her to Hollywood, and eventually take her back to Manhattan.

As she told Ponsonby News, “When the opportunity arose for me to play the girl in ‘Tell me on a Sunday’ it wasn’t something I needed to think about for very long.

I come from a musical theatre background - Both my mother and my grandmother were stage performers and I studied classical music along with musical theatre when I was younger.

“Although my life went off in a different musical direction - that of pop music - I have always had a special place in my heart for theatre.

‘Tell Me On a Sunday’ has been a worldwide musical hit and includes the much loved musical numbers; ‘Take that look off your face’, ‘Capped Teeth’ and ‘Caesar Salad’.

“The chance to play such a real character in such an intimate setting is both exciting and an enormous challenge but I’ve never been one to shy away from these things.

I hope everyone who comes to see the show loves it and finds a little of themselves in this very human character.”

‘Tell me on a Sunday’ is Carly Binding’s debut in a musical. Three live backing singers are more fully involved than in any other ‘Tell Me on a Sunday’ production, and along with a live band make this a stunning night out.

TICKETS T: 09 309 9771 www.qtheatre.co.nz

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ARTS + CULTURE SHOWING AT BLACK ASTERISK

23 November – 24 December Preview: 22 November 6.30pm

A SPRING SAMPLE - EMMA BASS 15 - 21 November Black Asterisk will be showing a small selection of new work by Emma Bass. The work on show will serve as an advanced preview of her upcoming major solo exhibition that will be held at the gallery in April of next year, drawing on and expanding the ideas of her successful show ‘Imperfect’.

Bass’ new bunch of limited edition photographic works promise to once again brighten the main gallery space of Black Asterisk and provide a spring sampler of her beautiful new show, for a strictly limited one-week period.

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WILD THINGS - Art for the imaginations of children

Maurice Sendak, the children’s author, wrote: ‘Children do live in fantasy and reality; they move back and forth very easily in a way that we no longer remember how to do’.

‘Wild Things’, encourages children and adults alike to merge imagination and reality through the display of otherworldly creatures and alternative worlds.

Model sculptural worlds created by Markus Hofko present characters suspended from the ceiling on peculiar islands. Simone Anderson’s pack of foxes stare at us with innocent doe eyes, yet skulk and lurk seemingly with menacing intent. The whimsical creatures of Michael Kennedy fish for donuts in a surreal seascape.

Sarah Jansen’s life size guardians crawl across the floor as if recently emerged from a watery underworld. Infant alligators slither about feminine deities as they sit regally on the wall, in Vivien Masters portraits, exploring the costume and symbolism of 15th century religious painting.

‘Wild Things’ allows us to create our own stories and aims to entertain and excite children, and remind older ones how to once again move effortlessly between lives of fantasy and reality. PN BLACK ASTERISK GALLERY, 10 Ponsonby Road M: 021 040 1168 www.blackasterisk.co.nz

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ARTS + CULTURE THE INITIAL GALLERY FOR FINE AFFORDABLE ART The Initial Gallery has no floor, walls or ceiling. “Fine, affordable” paintings is our marketing mantra,” says Gallery Director Les Markus. We are a ‘Virtual Gallery’ offering paintings from a small group of artists, each with their own very different handwriting.”

Initial specialises in interior design art as opposed to investment art. “Our aim is to give people a stunning painting that they’ll get pleasure from every day without having to raise a second mortgage to buy it.”

The Initial Gallery supplies a very limited number of retailers including Bradford’s Interiors, Hunter Furniture, architects and interior designers. Earlier in 2012, two of their artists, Sari and Robianto had very successful showings at the Lake House Arts Centre in Takapuna.

This month’s featured artist is Mogi. He was a polio victim as a child and started painting at the age of eight. Showing a fierce determination to overcome his physical handicaps he decided to pursue his painting as a career.

SHOWING AT CRAVE CAFÉ ANGELA HEEMSKERK Until 16 December

His works comprise large colourful abstracts and other more detailed compositions showing a subtle finesse and depth of style that create very striking and sometimes surreal compositions such as “Icarus & Cassandra” as seen below.

THE INITIAL GALLERY T: 09 378 9445 or M: 021 950 405 initial@xtra.co.nz www.initialgallery.co.nz (under construction)

Where is the place that your soul feels content and the chaos of life melts away?

Perhaps it’s sitting under the beautiful Magnolia tree in your back yard, watching the old Pohutukawa blow gently in the spring breeze or simply enjoying the view while sitting on your deck, relaxing with a glass of wine after a busy day.

Your home and the street you live in are filled with memories. Artist Angela Heemskerk invokes these memories in her colourful oil paintings. Remember your first family home, the street of your first bike ride, or your beautiful garden.

Heemskerk finds inspiration from her local environment, capturing its essence through images of nature, familiar streets and iconic character villas. Her current exhibition focuses on house portraits, historic villas and beautiful gardens.

In this solo exhibition, her colourful images release feelings of tranquility and peacefulness.

Heemskerk’s art will keep your memories alive. Her work has been sold privately and has been commissioned by businesses, private individuals, vineyards, and graphic design agencies.

Call Angela on M: 021 533 708 or email angelaheemskerk@hotmail.com and discuss your inspiration. PN CRAVE CAFÉ, 25 McDonald Street Morningside www.angelaheemskerk.com

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ARTS + CULTURE SHOWING AT THE DEPOT GALLERIES

SHOWING AT MOMENTUM GALLERY ROSS JONES

STACK THE DECK 1 - 20 December

Throughout November and December

The theme of this exhibition takes account of the part chance plays in our lives and how circumstances may seem ‘stacked’ against or for us despite the apparently rational decisions we make.

Open Night: 22 November 6.30 – 9pm

In Stack the Deck, each artist is given the opportunity to turn the tables on a random act, in this instance the cards they have been dealt, and create something significantly and identifiably their own.

Every person has a slightly different take on what is happening, shadows create intrigue and there is just enough information in the composition to engage the viewer.

Ross’s paintings are all about telling stories; they are a mixture of seemingly perfect places and events, but like all good stories not everything is as it seems.

Stack the Deck is an exhibition of work by 18 established artists with edgy practices, working across an exciting and inspiring range of media, styles and techniques, including painting, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking and jewellery.

Each artist has been randomly dealt one picture card and two other cards using the two jokers, to complete the ‘Deck.’ Their brief is completely open and there are no limits on size, theme or interpretation. A diversity of approaches and subjects – stacked no doubt with good humour and acerbic social commentary – is therefore likely to prevail. PN THE DEPOT, 28 Clarence Street Devonport T: 09 963 2331 www.depotartspace.co.nz

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

ROSS JONES - MOMENTUM featured Artist for November.

From there it’s up to the viewer to fill in the gaps and create their own story.

Ross still loves the line “Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story”, so as you view his paintings don’t let your imagination stop you from seeing the big picture. How far the journey takes you is entirely up to you. www.jonesthepainter.com PN MOMENTUM GALLERY, 1/182 Jervois Road T: 09 376 4749 www.momentumgallery.co.nz

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photography: Claire Flynn

ARTS + CULTURE

MAKING A SPLASH FOR THE WATERFRONT THEATRE Drama students from around Auckland jumped into the Viaduct Basin to show their support for the Waterfront Theatre project recently.

The project centres on a 600 seat performing arts theatre which, if funding is secured, will put Auckland on track to becoming the world’s most liveable city, adding to the city both culturally and economically.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown is right behind the project and welcomed the show of support. “It’s great to see how passionate young Aucklanders are about the waterfront and the creative future of their city,” said Brown. “The Waterfront Theatre project is an opportunity that we cannot afford to miss.”

Today’s Waterfront Splash comes after an announcement by Creative New Zealand that they will commit $3 million to the project, and recent conversation in the media about the shape Aucklanders want their city’s waterfront to take.

The young enthusiasts dressed as their favourite theatre characters and dived off the tidal steps at the Karanga Plaza. One of the participating students, John Burrows, said that the project is a reflection of the city’s changing theatre scene. “Theatre in Auckland is growing, as is the number of young people who want to participate in it,” said Burrows. “But it needs room to grow, the waterfront theatre will enable that.”

The proposed waterfront theatre will be built in the centre of Wynyard Quarter, Auckland’s emerging business and entertainment district. The venue will be adjacent to the new ASB Bank Ltd offices, and become the permanent performance home of Auckland Theatre Company.

The project has received significant support from the community, but requires an additional $10 million before construction can begin. PN

HELEN HOLMES CREATES WORK FOR NZ SCULPTURE ONSHORE Jeweller and textile artist Helen Holmes has up-scaled to sculpture with a dramatic work exhibited at New Zealand Sculpture OnShore this month. Hand Stand is her work in wood and bronze, the bronze detailing a tracery of little saplings growing on the ends of tree branches.

With Nicola Guiness, Helen is also involved in Ponsonby’s Front Room Fabrics, exclusive hand printed art designs for a range of bedding and table coverings printed on luxurious fabrics.

Though her sculptures are as tall as a person, they are delicate and slender and will be one of many intimate and whimsical discoveries for people visiting Fort Takapuna,” says Garrett.

Exhibition curator Rob Garrett, also a Ponsonby resident is impressed by Hand Stand: “Helen Holmes has been crafting metalwork for more than two decades, and her work for New Zeland Sculpture OnShore brings the delicate touch and attention to detail that we expect of jewellers and fine art metalworkers.”

Like many artists this year, and in previous years, Holmes is inspired by our flora and fauna. In Hand Stand she has created a family of sculpted saplings that morph the forms of leaf and hand, twig and arm.

Helen will also have smaller works in the indoor Sculpture Gallery at the exhibition.

She is also approves that the exhibition raises funds for Women’s Refuge in New Zealand.

A number of sculptors from the Ponsonby area – among them Paul Hartigan, Brendan McGorry, Kiyun Lee, Charlotte Fisher, Juliette Laird, Isla Osborne and Sally Tagg – are in NZ Sculpture OnShore’s exhibition at Fort Takapuna Historic Reserve, Vauxhall Road Devonport, 8 – 18 November from 10am – 6pm each day.

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ARTS + CULTURE FROM HERE TO THERE AND BACK AGAIN MONTH FIVE: ISLINGTON (London) and GLASGOW ISLINGTON: My home for 10 years.

I spent two weeks working in Sarah (aka Sally) Jones silver-smiths’ workshop. Situated in an old munitions factory, where Spitfire parts were manufactured during WWII, at the end her garden behind one of Islington’s oldest houses. To me this was workshop heaven. A beautiful light space, equipped with an extensive range of silver-smith tools.

I was able to hand make larger pieces for the first time on my travels. The intensive hammering and physicality involved in this making of bowls and spoons goes right to the heart of the experience of being a silversmith.

TE MATA NIGHT AND DAY, oil on canvas, 167x91cm, 2011 by FREEMAN WHITE

SHOWING AT JV GALLERY 23 November – 23 December Preview: 23 November 5pm THE BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC BUILDING (OLD ZAMBEZI BUILDING IN VULCAN Lane) has been transformed into a three level art gallery where new works by some of the finest artists this country has to offer will be exhibited and will debut some new up and coming artists.

FREEMAN WHITE: One of New Zealand’s top figurative painters and winner of the 2006 Adam Portrait Awards.

ISRAEL BIRCH: One of the country’s most talented young Maori artists who is currently exhibiting with Shane Cotton and Bob Jonke and in another with Ralph Hotere.

Sally and I used to have adjacent workshops in Clerkenwell when we were starting out as makers. It was a pleasure to work next to her again and to see her witty, skilfully crafted work.

GLASGOW: Home town of my friend, Maureen White.

I stayed in the city centre and rented a bench space at Au Boutique workshops. Started a couple of years ago by Glasgow Art School graduates, Au Boutique is a well set up space providing by-the-day bench space and classes situated behind their newly opened jewellery gallery.

I concentrated on finishing pieces started at earlier destinations, making links and catches and doing the fiddly bits required after the initial burst of inspiration! I took some time out at Maureen’s home overlooking the Holy Loch. We walked on nearby mountains enjoying sunny, crisp, weather with a backdrop of gorgeous autumnal colours. (CARLINA GOFFE) PN

FANE FLAWS: Flaws has worked prolifically for over thirty years across a diverse range of media. He has worked as a graphic designer painter, songwriter and director.

RAKAI KARAITIANA: A graphic designer, who explores the mediums of screen printing, surfboard craft and photography.

WELLESLEY BINDING: A seven time Wallace Art Award finalist he has exhibited widely in New Zealand. His Motif-rich art work addresses complex cultural and historic issues.

PAMELA TINNING: She explores colour and form, citing Mark Rothko and Gerhard Richter as key influences.

JO BLOG: fuses common objects with common media to make strikingly eye atching artworks.

JV Gallery owner, Joey Vaessen knows well the running a dealer gallery. Since 2002 he has sold works by artists including Ralf Hotere, Shane Cotton, John Walsh and Simon Kaan and established relationships with the likes of Wellesley Binding and Israel Birch.

Last year Joey started JV Gallery with a move away from the conventional art gallery to instead curate exhibitions of exceptional quality, making use of some of the amazing empty buildings available around Auckland.

JV GALLERY, 13 O’Connell Street T: 021 266 0017

CARLINA GOFFE working in the Glasgow workshop

PN

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photography: Jo Barrett

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‘EATERY’ BOOK LAUNCH (RANDOM HOUSE) @ ALT GROUP STUDIO Grey Lynn Monday 15 October Approximately 200 guests turned out at the Alt Group studio for the launch of Carl Koppenhagen and Natalia Schamroth’s book EATERY. To celebrate Natalia and Carl’s great achievement the guests were treated to delicious finger food and champagne along with entertaining speeches that gave an overview of the couples’ fascinating journey.

1. Ray McVinnie and Kieran Scott, photographer of Eatery; 2. Carolyn Alexander of Unity Books and Rebecca Simpson of Random House New Zealand; 3. Lucy and Stephen Marr with Michael O’Driscoll of Cook the Books; 4. Sara Sadd and Hamish Keith; 5. Carl Koppenhagen and Natalia Schamroth of The Engine Room and authors of Eatery; 6. Hamish Keith, Vicki Vuleta and Gary Langsford. PN

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ARTS + CULTURE PONSONBY NEWS OUTLETS Ponsonby News is published on the first Friday of each month excluding January. Copies go quickly so be quick to collect yours from any of the following outlets. The issue is also published on our website www.ponsonbynews.co.nz

FREEMANS BAY

Glengarry, Corner Sale and Wellesley Streets Kellands Real Estate, 4 Drake Street New World, Victoria Park Sale St, 7 Sale Street

GREY LYNN

Barfoot & Thompson, 533 Great North Road Barkley Manor, 400 - 402 Great North Road Grey Lynn Community Centre, 520 Richmond Road Grey Lynn Community Library, 474 Great North Road Raw Essentials, 401B Richmond Road Ripe, 172 Richmond Road Sliced,104 Richmond Road Tapac, 100 Motions Road Vetcare, 408 Great North Road

HERNE BAY

Herne Bay Post & Stationers, 240 Jervois Road Five Loaves & 2 Fish, 206 Jervois Road Icing on the Cake, 188 Jervois Road

SHOWING AT TSB BANK WALLACE ARTS CENTRE GARRY NASH AND CLAIRE BELL FROM PONSONBY AND Grey Lynn resident Paul Hartigan will join United States artist Mundy Hepburn and eight other New Zealand luminous glass artists in the Electric Glass exhibition. It will be Mr Hepburn’s first ever New Zealand exhibition.

Luminous glass artworks are electrically lit using neon and plasma technologies. Although luminous glass art is wellestablished overseas, it is a relatively new field in this country.

Electric Glass will involve artists from a range of disciplines, including sculptors, glass blowers, scientific glassworkers and traditional neon benders. They will showcase their skills with the aim of challenging the perception and use of neon and plasma technologies.

Electric Glass exhibitor Garry Nash says New Zealand artists have only recently gained access to technology that enables them to make very large pieces so the luminous glass art movement is still in its infancy here. “It’s an exciting time in this field and New Zealand’s leading luminous glass artists have joined forces in the hope that the exhibition will raise public awareness and appreciation of this medium, and attract other artists to give it a try,” he says.

The luminous glass studio art movement arose in the United States in the late twentieth century following concern that commercial neon and plasma glass making skills were being lost as manufacturing processes increasingly became mechanised.

Luminous glass is an exciting art form that appeals to everyone from the very young to the very old: “People love it because it’s bright, kinetic, attractive and dynamic. Unlike most other types of glass art, luminous glass can also be interactive.”

KINGSLAND

Artworks can range from small pieces designed for use in domestic settings, through to huge installations designed for commercial buildings or public spaces.

MT EDEN

“Luminous glass presents a wide range of new artistic opportunities, particularly for domestic usage, because technological advancements mean that modern luminous glass materials will last decades and are also energy efficient,” says Garry Nash. PN

Atomic, 420c New North Road Citta Outlet Store, Corner Enfield & Normanby Road Sabato, 57 Normanby Road

NEWMARKET

Planet Ayurveda, 41 Gillies Avenue Studio Italia, 96 Carlton Gore Road Taylor Boutique, 1 Teed Street

NEWTON

Benediction Café, 30 St Benedicts Street Design 55, 55 Upper Queen Street

PARNELL

Jane Daniels, 2 Birdwood Cresent Essenze, 285 Parnell Road Parnell Community Centre, 545 Parnell Road

PONSONBY

Artstation, 1 Ponsonby Road Barfoot & Thompson, 184 Ponsonby Road Chapel Bar, 147 Ponsonby Road Fitness Trainer, 36 Jervois Road Harcourts, 89 Ponsonby Road Leys Institute, 20 St Mary’s Road The Longroom, 114 Ponsonby Road Mag Nation, 123 Ponsonby Road Ponsonby Community Centre, 20 Ponsonby Terrace Spa Ayurda, 213 Ponsonby Road Whitespace, 12 Crummer Road WORLD, 97 Ponsonby Road

WESTMERE

Glengarry, 164 Garnet Road

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

“The Master Bedroom” TSB Bank Wallace Arts Centre The Pah Homestead 72 Hillsborough Rd, Hillsborough www.garrynash.co.nz

THE NEW ZEALAND UKULELE FESTIVAL Held on Saturday 1 December, The New Zealand Ukulele Festival is the key annual event from the New Zealand Ukulele Trust, a charitable trust that promotes participation in music to New Zealand youth and their communities.The Trust is determined that every child in New Zealand will get the opportunity to have a life enriched with music.

The Trust aims to make music easily accessible for children through funding of instruments and resources into schools and creating key events to allow children to learn, perform and participate in music.

For thousands of children in New Zealand, ukulele learning has opened up a whole new world of music knowledge and skills thanks to the Trust. The ukulele is an affordable portable instrument that is learnt easily, so success comes quickly and the children become self motivated to practise to keep up with the group. It is also an instrument that can accompany singing so develops singing as well as the ability to read notation and tablature.

The NZ Ukulele Festival is in its sixth year. It’s a fun filled event where over 10,000 performers (youth, amateur and professional), families and spectators come together for a day of singing, playing and sharing music. The star attraction of the festival is the performance of the largest Ukulele orchestra in the world – The Kiwileles consisting of over 3,000 players from 125 schools from Auckland, Northland and Waikato. PN Local schools include Bayfield, Freemans Bay, Newton, Ponsonby Intermediate, Ponsonby Primary and Westmere. www.nzukulelefestival.org.nz DEADLINE – 20TH OF THE MONTH November 2012 PONSONBY NEWS+

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