PONSONBY NEWS - APRIL '17

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PUBLISHED FRIDAY 7 APRIL 2017

Established: OCTOBER 1989 – CELEBRATING 27 YEARS OF PUBLISHING HISTORY!

APRIL 2017

DIAMONDS ON RICHMOND Michael & Michelle Wobcke siblings & business partners

SPECIAL FEATURES Planning weddings & real estate update

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DAW S O N & C O .

WHAT’S INSIDE THIS MONTH

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P26: SMEG Racing - the crowd gathered at Giltrap Audi to witness the unveiling of SMEG Racing’s new GT Endurance car; P46: Shanghai Lil's opening, K'Road Fiona Tarlton, Katie Hawks & Daphne Bush celebrated the bar's new location with furnishings and fitout from the film set of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon".

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR FROM THE EDITOR DAVID HARTNELL: ONE MINUTE INTERVIEW PIPPA COOM: WAITEMATA LOCAL BOARD MIKE LEE, COUNCILLOR FOR WAITEMATA & GULF JOHN ELLIOTT: LOCAL NEWS LOCAL HISTORY U3A PONSONBY NIKKI KAYE: AUCKLAND CENTRAL MP PLANNING WEDDINGS

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MILLY NOLAN - DESIGNER GIFTS COVER STORY - DIAMONDS ON RICHMOND EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY VEG FRIENDLY: GARY STEEL PONSONBY NEWS READERS ARE EVERYWHERE FASHION + STYLE ANGELA LASSIG: LETTERS FROM MAUDIE LIVING, THINKING & BEING HELENE RAVLICH: LOCAL BEAUTY

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FUTURE GENERATION PONSONBY PETS PONSONBY PROFESSIONALS HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS HEIDI PADAIN: ENTERTAINMENT IN YOUR GARDEN REAL ESTATE UPDATE ARTS + CULTURE HOROSCOPES: MISS PEARL NECLIS PONSONBY PINK PAGES

JOHN APPLETON ON HEALTH FRONT COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: Julz Glover Photography

PONSONBY NEWS+ is published monthly, excluding January by ALCHEMY MEDIA LIMITED LIM POSTAL: P.O. BOX 47-282 Ponsonby, Auckland 1144. www.ponsonbynews.co.nz T: 09 378 8553 or 09 361 3356 Editor/Publisher Associate Publisher & Ad Manager Distribution Manager Advertising Sales Operations Manager Contributing Fashion Editor Contributing Music Editor Contributing Editor Contributing Editor Proof Readers Layout Designer Designer

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LETTERS + EMAILS

Views in Ponsonby News reflect the authors’ and not those of Alchemy Media.

The problem of sewage overflows into the Waitemata Harbour I am a keen reader of Ponsonby News and the good number of local articles always included. I note the last two editions have included contributions from you regarding the problem of sewage overflows into the Waitemata Harbour occurring in this area of Auckland and agree wholeheartedly that a solution needs to be found.

of the development but is about the multiple challenges of all the existing housing. To ensure that Ponsonby News provides a balance view i would be interested in you finding out if the approved development on the old 'Gables' site has consent conditions with appropriate engineering solutions that ensure the development doesn’t contribute to the existing discharge challenge.

The long-term delays in establishing that solution are probably because it is hard to find an easily and economic solution to deal with the large number of individual combined wastewater and stormwater discharges from individual residents that were all part of the infrastructure philosophy when these areas were first settled many years ago. And also obviously that the council’s pipes are not large enough!

A couple of challenges for you above, but I think both are worthwhile and are good opportunities for Ponsonby News.

On this subject I note that a number of neighbours have completed recent additions on their properties. As part of the consent requirements, Auckland Council has required these residents to install stormwater retention tanks on their properties. This requirement is obviously about not adding additional stormwater to an already overloaded sewerage system during wet periods and therefore makes good sense.

It's always nice to hear from happy clients...

Thank you so much for all the exposure for DYRBERG/KERN in the March issue of Ponsonby News. We are absolutely thrilled. The last few issues we have featured in have worked really well for us and we can’t wait to see how this one goes... I have a funny feeling it will be great! We look forward to continuing this great partnership with you all at Ponsonby News. Thanks again.

Georgia Sullivan, Ponsonby

I have a suggestion to make. Maybe Ponsonby News could take an initiative and work with Auckland Council to encourage all residents in this area to put in place stormwater retention tanks on their properties so that the majority of stormwater from people’s roofs is not added to the sewerage system during periods of wet weather. Admittedly this won’t completely remedy the problem but it will help. Also as part of this initiative Auckland City could put in some local pump stations to collect, store and then pump out stormwater that collects on the streets during wet periods. This stored water would then be discharged to the current infrastructure at periods of low sewerage flow hence utilising the current infrastructure but not overloading it at peak periods.

Thanks again for all the good articles and community news. Keep up the good work.

Dave O’Donovan, by email

Ponsonby News online Just love this magazine... and thrillled to bits that I am now able to read this online. I was introduced to this magazine on a recent trip back to New Zealand.

Ivy On Hing-McLeod, by email

We lived for many years in Wellington which had issues in the older parts of town where only the one discharge pipe was laid on individual properties. Many years ago Wellington City forced the individual owners to install separate stormwater and sewerage pipes on their properties. Interestingly this requirement was mostly driven by the fact that it was uneconomic to carry out tertiary wastewater treatment on thousands of square metres of stormwater which, if separated, could be discharged into Wellington Harbour without treatment. This is another issue but again highlights that while we do nothing we are not only incurring environmental damage but also wasting money treating stormwater as if it is sewerage.

I also note that when individual developments are planned and consented, that many councils require the developers to include significant 'on property' sewerage retention tanks so that sewage from these developments is pumped into the city pipes only at low sewer demand times. I was involved in a mid size hospital project in the Greater Wellington area where this provision was a requirement of the consent. Sewage was therefore discharged only at low flow times making use of the existing redundancy in the pipework infrastructure at the low flow times. In this area this low flow time was between 1am and 4am in the morning.

While not having specific knowledge of any of the consent requirements of any developments currently allowed or planned under the SHA provisions, it would appear to me that any increased stormwater and sewage generated by this increased housing density could be most likely managed within the existing Auckland Council infrastructure as long as there were requirements for 'on site' storage tanks so discharges were restricted to low flow times. Requirements could include zero discharge during any wet periods and that all discharges occur, for example, between 1am and 3am in the morning. This would be for both the stormwater and sewage stored on site.

My view is that the current environmental problem that exists is not about a number of new developments in our area where engineering solutions can be provided as part

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LAST MONTH THE DESIGN OUR COMMUNITY CHOSE FOR PONSONBY PARK AND the two runners-up were announced. With well over 1200 votes received, there was a huge engagement by the community for this much-desired urban park. In third position was 03 Motu Design Ltd, in second was 07 Geoff Houtman, and the chosen design was 01 LandLAB, who received almost 40% of all votes cast. Congratulations to Jennifer Ward, Chris Bailey and their team and the 11 entrants, who contributed some fantastic designs - P10.

The Grey Lynn Business Association’s street carnival will be held on Saturday 29 April and has a Totally Locally Grey Lynn theme, with the aim to boost our local economy. It will take place in the heart of historic Grey Lynn, in Great North Road. Supported by local businesses Pocket Bar & Kitchen, Kokako Café, Tart Bakery, Barfoot & Thompson and Tiger Burger. For those who need it, parking is available in Countdown supermarket carpark, accessible from Coleridge Street - P26.

photography: John Elliott

Kelmarna Gardens held its first autumn festival since Mary Paul resigned as chairperson of the Kelmarna Gardens Trust after a long period of service. Mary is photographed with Pippa Wilkie, her successor. Ponsonby News congratulates Kelmarna Gardens on another successful event - P16.

L to R: Joanne Barrett, Martin Leach, Jay Platt, Melissa Paynter and Gwynne Davenport

In her column this month, Deirdre Thurston reminisces about the good old days of The Gables and expresses her concerns about a multi-level apartment building pouring more raw sewage into the already heavily polluted Coxs Bay. Ponsonby News will continue to oppose this discharge until the council stops it - P31.

This month’s issue special feature is on wedding planning. Our cover stars, Michael and Michelle are well known on Richmond Road as local jewellery retailers, Diamonds on Richmond. You will see outlined on P32, a men’s wedding ring guide, which offers helpful advice and suggestions to guide you through the process. While talking to the pair, we were reminded of the drama following a car smashing through their front window at 1.30am last November. This accident brought many of the businesses on Richmond Road closer together and helped to engender a better sense of community.

Next month we will be including our A to Z of local cafes and restaurants, which will include Vodka Room, where I took television personality Ian Towning and his family.

A welcome addition to Ponsonby’s Williamson Avenue! We now have Goodfor, an organic, bulk wholefoods and household items refillery that uses zero packaging and plants a tree for every purchase made - P52.

Lauded by Kim Knight of the NZ Herald as “the restaurant you didn’t know Auckland was missing,” and the “bar (that) takes Auckland’s nightlife to a whole new level,” by The Urban List, Vodka Room approaches traditional Russian cuisine with a singularly deft, modern hand and eye - P51.

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

Six local leading realtors give their opinions on the latest trends in house buying and prices this month. If you’re buying or selling read their helpful advice - P102.

PN (MARTIN LEACH) F

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2017

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DAVID HARTNELL’S ONE MINUTE INTERVIEW Paula Wray is Trixie the Fairy who lives and works in the Ponsonby area.

What's the best thing aout where you live?

Grey Lynn’s Western Springs Park is my backyard. It delights me that I see elephants on my morning walk.

You were recently awarded The Variety Artists Club of New Zealand’s Top Children’s Entertainer Award.

How long have you been entertaining children and how did it start?

My first professional gig was as a puppeteer for CCS touring primary schools. Fate set a clown in my path who suggested I become a fairy and Trixie was born 22 years ago.

photography: Andi Crown Photography

What was your childhood like?

Ideal. I had an enormous amount of freedom as my parents encouraged independence. Summers meant roaming Waimarama and hanging with my dad and his dive mates on the boat. I did speed skating so a lot of term time was spent at the rink and training. I was also an avid reader and Mum would tell me off for taking books into the shower.

I will die happy if…

I die laughing.

Which TV series would you never miss?

I have an inconsistent schedule so binge-watch box sets when I have the time. I'm currently watching Seinfeld. What I watch is largely dictated by what's available on the $1 days at my local video store.

Your dream holiday?

Hawaii to dive with the manta rays and laze on the beaches.

What’s on your bucket list?

Magical master class with Jeff McBride. The Burning Man festival. Write and illustrate a children's book. An exotic yoga holiday.

What do you love most about your age?

It was my birthday yesterday! Still settling in to this new age so I'll let you know.

If your life was an ice cream, what would it be called?

Pistachio. It's colourful, a little nutty and rolled out on special occasions.

Something that you really disapprove of?

Cruelty to animals and animal testing.

If you won a million dollars what is the first thing you would do?

Enter the Auckland property market.

What motivates you?

This living business is expensive and no-one else is picking up the bills.

What do you think happens when we die?

I don't know. It will be a surprise. Hopefully a nice one.

Give your teenaged self some advice?

Be brave. Ask for help. This is advice I would also give to my middle -age and aged self. If only I listened.

Which item of clothing can't you live without?

My black, fluffy bomber jacket. Until my bunny fell in love with it, covered it in bunny joy and now it's he who can't live without it.

Your favourite time of the day?

10pm - 2am. I've always been a night owl. I like this time especially as the neighbours start switching off and the baby in the apartment above takes a break from crying. It's a good time to work on one last project, tie up loose ends and potter. It's so beautifully quiet and still.

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Tell us about your dream home?

By the sea. Surrounded by bush.

What are you insecure about?

That the phone will stop ringing. I love what I do and my self-worth is linked to how full my diary is.

Greatest fear?

I discovered a fear of heights while on a glacier climb. Years later I was asked to participate in a charity skydive and spent the month preceeding it waking with night terrors.

Favourite hero of fiction?

Pippi Longstocking. She's strong, hard-working, capable, loyal, optimistic, generous and fun. All qualities I greatly admire.

Which talent would you most like to have?

A tuneful singing voice. After years of lessons I still can't make it through a song without going badly wrong!

What cliché do you most hate?

If you want it bad enough and work hard, it will happen. Really?! Way to give someone a complex.

Greatest indulgence?

Ridiculously high heels that I can't walk in and never wear.

Comfort food?

Pork chops and roast vegetables.

Your dream guest list for a dinner party and why?

My artistic hero Raymond Crowe. I'm limited to one guest due to a single chair (bunny mistook the couch for his litter-tray), a lack of unchipped crockery and no dining table. As Raymond is an Unusualist I do not think he would mind my peculiar dining situation. We could swap curly hair tips and create a shadow play with bunnies racing about my living room walls.

Favourite movie?

Labyrinth. David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly and a stellar cast of weird and PN wonderful puppets! (DAVID HARTNELL, MNZM) F

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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LOCAL NEWS PONSONBY PARK - AND THE WINNING DESIGN IS... LANDLAB You have done it! The people have spoken and we’ve heard you loud and clear! We want to thank you all for embracing the Community-led Design (CLD) process. Even though at times it seemed to repeat itself, we got there.

We consulted and modified, consulted and reworked until we had a design brief that captured the community’s wishes and desires for the site at 254 Ponsonby Road. We then took this to design professionals and the wider community, to request designs for the site based on the brief. The response we got was magnificent with a total of 11 submissions (14 options) received. Wow! For their generosity, vision and support, the CLD team would like to sincerely thank all of the design submitters who worked pro bono: LandLAB, Reset Urban Design Ltd, Motu Design Ltd, White Landscape and Urbanism, LA4 Landscape Architects, Burgess, Treep & Knight Architects, Geoff Houtman, Allan Matson Heritage Consultant, Paul Woodruffe, Stem Architecture and Anna Gandy.

There was a huge amount of interest in the final designs for Ponsonby Park with many people attending the physical exhibition on 4 - 5 March. The online option ran for another two weeks and by the end there were well over 1200 votes cast. This is an incredible show of community engagement and support. And so to the result: With almost 40% of the overall votes, the chosen design is Number 1: LandLAB. On behalf of the entire community, we congratulate Henry Crothers and his team for their design concept and vision for 254 Ponsonby Road. To conclude our CLD work for the Waitemata Local Board (WLB), a budget for the chosen design will be done. We will then formally present the design, the budget and the feedback from the voting process to the WLB at their 11 April board meeting. Please do come along to witness this historic event.

So when do we get our park?

Well, the Waitemata Local Board has resolved to advocate to council on your behalf for the funds. You can help with this by getting involved in the long-term plan consultations later this year. The more people calling for Ponsonby Park to become a reality, the sooner it will be. Watch out for details in the Ponsonby News later in the year of how to get involved.

254 Ponsonby Road, it’s our place and it’s your place and it’s coming! From your volunteer Community-led Design group, THANK YOU! F PN

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

SUCCESSFULLY SOLD AT AUCTION Word on the street is that the current real estate market is challenging. There have been a noticeable number of properties passing in at auction and sitting on the market for quite some time. Conversely 24 O’Neill Street, Ponsonby sold very successfully under the hammer at the on-site auction on Saturday, 11th March.

With recent changes in buyer mind-sets it has become more important to employ well educated salespeople with exible strategies, excellent auction training, strong negotiation skills and an extensive international network. While we are part of a global brand, which includes 850 offices worldwide we will provide you a personal, bespoke service.

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PIPPA COOM: WAITEMATA LOCAL BOARD REPORT

Waitemata construction update The diggers are out in Waitemata as a mix of projects get underway that create better local connections or provide new recreational facilities in our parks. Funding for each of the projects comes from a range of sources including a local board contribution Ponsonby Road Pedestrian Experience Project There are a number of diversions in place on Ponsonby Road as Downers works on behalf of Auckland Transport and the Waitemata Local Board to improve eight intersections to create a continuous walking experience along Auckland’s celebrated destination road. The improvements include two new pedestrian crossings, upgraded and wider footpaths, new street furniture and trees and better lighting.

The works are staged along Ponsonby Road and are expected to be complete by August.

More details on Auckland Transport’s website.

Grey Lynn Greenways In 2012 we finalised a Greenways Plan. The first major greenways route from that plan is being completed in stages. Last year paths were widened for the Hakanoa Reserve and Grey Lynn Park sections. The next stage is underway taking the route from Coxs Bay Reserve through to Great North Road via Westmoreland Street, Hakanoa Reserve, Cockburn Street, Dryden Street, Grey Lynn Park, and Grosvenor Street. The aim is to create a mix of shared paths and calmer speed environments (with treatments like speed tables) both on the route and surrounding streets. The work should be complete by July.

Grey Lynn pump track What started out a couple of years ago as the idea of enthusiastic Grey Lynn parents is fast turning into a new pump track. The hard work of volunteers, fundraising and a contribution of $30,000 from the Waitemata Local Board helped get this community-led initiative get off the ground.

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The track will provide an all weather, small-size circuit for children of all ages. It can be used with bikes, skaters and scooters. Once open the pump track is conveniently located on the Grey Lynn greenway route.

Fukuoka Friendship Gardens Fukuoka Friendship Gardens is taking shape in Western Springs by the zoo. Construction should be complete by mid-year. The original garden was gifted to Auckland 25 years ago by the city of Fukuoka as a symbol of our sister city relationship.

Saving water Finally, thanks to everyone who found ways to save water following the extreme weather event in March. At the time of writing, Watercare is still advising of the need to save 20 litres a day per person to ensure the amount of water being treated can continue to meet demand.

Auckland Council contributed to the water-saving efforts by turning off water fountains, beach showers and taps, stopping hosing around pools and switching off fountains and water features, even those which use recycled water. Additional measures put in place included staff sourcing non-potable water for annual planting programmes and Anzac Day planting. (PIPPA COOM) F PN Contact Pippa Coom, Chair of Waitamata Local Board: pippa.coom@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

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1. Pump track under construction in Grey Lynn Park; 2. Ponsonby Road pedestrian improvement project construction of raised table on Lincoln Street; 3. New splash pad in Myers Park (turned off during the water supply situation); 4. Grey Lynn greenways route under construction.

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

MIKE LEE: COUNCILLOR FOR WAITEMATA & GULF

Here comes the coalition!

History repeats as citizens step up to protect the harbour. The mid-March storms revealed just how stretched Auckland’s civic infrastructure has become.

More ‘chickens coming home to roost’ after years of council and government high-population growth policies for Auckland. While the irony of water restrictions after very high rainfall was partially due to the decision in the 1990s to allow private timber milling operations within the Hunua Ranges water catchment, the underlying problem is population-driven demand. Though Auckland’s bulkwater infrastructure (10 storage lakes in the Waitakere and Hunua Ranges, augmented by the Waikato pipeline) is probably the strongest element of our civic infrastructure, it is worth pointing out that 10 years ago a storm event of similar magnitude would not have caused the same problem. In 2007 Auckland’s water consumption was 350 million litres per day so the Ardmore filtration plant could have easily coped with the current problem. Ten years on with daily demand at 450 million litres per day - it’s a different story. However, thanks once again to Aucklanders’ willing response to Watercare’s calls for voluntary restrictions the problem will soon pass. But growth-driven pressures on our infrastructure will not.

They are only going to get worse.

Growth, specifically population growth (two/thirds of it from record immigration), is also driving the current property boom and the ‘housing crisis’. The affordability of housing in Auckland is an extremely worrying sign of growing social inequality. House prices continue to increase while average family incomes and relative purchasing power have steadily declined. Most of the politicians, bureaucrats and lobbyists who talk about the housing crisis are not particularly interested in this demand side problem, nor in tackling the monopoly price rort in building materials. Nor indeed are they interested in diverting growth away from Auckland. What they are focussed on is the supply side and continued deregulation, with little apparent concern about the impacts on neighbours - or on the environment.

After all, as will be remembered, it was in the name of solving the ‘housing crisis’ that Special Housing Areas and the Unitary Plan were log-rolled though, the former suspending normal rights of affected neighbours and the latter ‘upzoning’ most of the Auckland isthmus for intensified housing.

polluting the Waitemata Harbour. The scale of this pollution has been covered up for years but according to recent disclosure by Watercare amounts to 2.2 million cubic metres per year.

Over the recent holidays I read up on the political rise of Sir Dove Myer Robinson as part of researching the new Browns Island regional park (Ponsonby News’ February issue). As we know Robbie’s defining achievement was his long battle to stop Auckland’s sewage being discharged into the inner Hauraki Gulf at Browns Island. Against the odds Robbie managed to defeat the political establishment’s plans, thanks to a grass-roots citizens’ organisation - the militant but mildly named ‘Auckland & Suburban Drainage League’.

As historian Graham Bush wrote in his ‘Moving against the Tide - the Browns Island drainage controversy’: "The League came into being in very inauspicious circumstances. In November 1944 the Harbour Preservation Society, on the point of succumbing, reconstituted itself into a body with a more narrow and relevant terms of reference.

That body - the Auckland & Suburban Drainage League - commenced its existence with a steering committee transferred straight from the Preservation Society."

The first meeting of the league took place at the old Parnell Library.

Soon other organisations like the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron joined it - and the rest is history. Last month at a meeting which I helped organise, I had the uncanny feeling that what was taking place was of similar historical importance. It was at the Ponsonby Yacht Club where the leaders of the St Marys Bay Association, Herne Bay Residents Association, the Gables Neighbourhood Group and harbour environmentalists agreed to form a coalition with a mission to raise awareness and exert political pressure on Auckland Council to clean up the appalling level of sewage discharges into the western bays by resuming the task of separating stormwater and sewerage.

‘Ponsonby News’ readers are better informed than most on the problem of sewage from our overloaded combined sewerage system

Mike Lee is the Auckland Councillor for Waitemata & Gulf ward, www.mikelee.co.nz

photography: Everall Deans, PBA

The Unitary Plan Government-appointed ‘Independent Hearing Panel’ made no secret of its complete disinterest in infrastructure. The whole focus appeared to be on furthering the interest of developers who take the profits and externalise the costs - onto the ratepayer and the taxpayer. I am talking of the costs of infrastructure: reticulated water, wastewater, stormwater, roads, public transport and public facilities, parks, schools, hospitals, etc, the costs of providing which faced by Auckland ratepayers is truly enormous. There is also another cost, that borne by the environment.

The coalition headed by retired High Court Associate Judge David Abbott (St Marys Bay) and Dirk Hudig (Herne Bay) has a working name ‘Stop Auckland Sewage Overflows Coalition’ - and a watchword ‘natural streams - clean harbours’. As I write this, other residents associations, mainly representing ratepayers living in older parts of the city served by the old Combined Sewerage Area are rallying to the new coalition.

Grey Lynn Residents, Grafton Residents, The Western Bays Community Group, Freemans Bay Residents, the City Centre Residents, Westmere Heritage Protection, Westmere Residents, and the Parnell Community Committee among others have already agreed to join. The advent of the coalition is remarkable. It appears to be history repeating. I believe PN the coalition will attract widespread public support. (MIKE LEE) F

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JOHN ELLIOTT: LOCAL NEWS

Longtime Kelmarna Gardens stalwart steps down Dr Mary Paul, a senior lecturer at Massey University and a stalwart at Kelmarna Gardens for over a decade, has stepped down from the Kelmarna Trust, which she chaired for the past three years in its period of transition.

We asked Mary how she became involved with Kelmarna in the first place. From 1987 Mary and her family lived in Wanganui Avenue, and they sometimes used to get produce from the gardens. The gardens began in 1981 but it was much later in 2005 and after her family moved to St John that Adrian Roche, who has been at Kelmarna since the late 1990s, did some gardening for Mary. And to quote her, she “gradually got dragged into helping out.” It was then Joy Foote, one of the first trustees, who Mary said did tremendous work for Kelmarna, insisted Mary take over as secretary, which she did with some help from Jennifer Ward and Meredith McNab. Mary Paul liked the fact that people who helped out at Kelmarna were not pretentious.

No one worried what sort of car you drove, dog you owned or house you lived in.

Mary and I met at Fusion Cafe, along with Michael Graham-Stewart also a longtime Kelmarna Trust member. Michael explained that they both wanted to give something back to their community, and he praised Mary’s contribution to the trust. When framework exited in late 2014, Mary assumed a new role as chairperson of the trust (the trust had only had a secretary and treasurer before that.) Mary is proud of the sense of community she helped to engender, and the fact that in her term as chair she has been able to attract wonderful new and able trustees, and the organisational and structural changes she and they have initiated.

There was a fundamental change of direction in 2014 when Framework pulled the plug on their involvement with Kelmarna. Framework had funded mental health clients who gardened at Kelmarna since 1992.

Money became even tighter than before, and Kelmarna was only able to fund one garden manager, Adrian, to work and that was three months at a time.

Mary Paul has been instrumental in hiring a landscape gardener, Carl Pickens, to draw up plans for a garden makeover. Kelmarna is a large space, and while not wanting to create a pristine, all edges trimmed environment, Mary believed there was space for more activities.

There is no desire to turn Kelmarna into a fully fledged commercial entity, but improving the structure, health and safety, and general management of the trust, convinced Mary that funding could then flow more easily. They live from grant to grant, and it would be nice to have a major benefactor. They are open to enquiries!

Looking after Kelmarna has always been first about survival, but Mary has visions of developments which could add to the mix, as some do overseas, to provide education, entertainment and local festivities at Kelmarna Gardens.

In today’s dog eat dog consumerist society, people wanting to serve and add something to their community are becoming rarer. It is people like Mary Paul who should receive the knighthoods.

Thank you for your great contribution, Mary Paul. You have done your community proud.

(JOHN ELLIOTT) F PN www.kelmarnagardens.nz

James and Maria

Pip Wilkie with Mary Paul

Kids' arts and crafts activities

Claire O'Connel and Suzy Timpson at the raffle stand

Katie Addison

photography: Jade Paynter

Isabel, Karl, Tim and Karen of Bread & Butter

KELMARNA GARDENS AUTUMN FESTIVAL - HERNE BAY - SUNDAY 26 MARCH

16 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2017

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DEIRDRE ROELANTS: LOCAL HISTORY

17 Collingwood Street Terry Sutcliffe is a fervent collector and restorer of timepieces but his interest in items from yesteryears extends much further, and when he bought the house on the corner of Collingwood and Heke Streets he had a feeling it would be full of pleasant surprises.

He surmised correctly that it probably had heritage value so he embarked on researching its history. To begin with he discovered that Heke Street was once named Clyde Street and the three lots on its northern end were part of a sizeable suburban residential development that was subdivided under an 1859 Crown Grant.

The parcels of land changed hands several times before they were purchased in 1874 by a French polisher, Edward Drinkwater and he, or one of the former owners, erected a brick building on one of the lots, probably where Terry’s house now stands. He obtained a list of all the ownership transfers in the Deeds Register Office pertaining to Auckland and bought the house from the latest owner, Doctor Ruth Helen Butterworth who received a gong for services to tertiary education and had owned it since 1978. He learned from Ruth that number 17 had once been a hub of the Labour Party and the young Helen Clark cycled to many of the meetings held there.

Once Terry and his wife gained possession of the house they embarked on a refurbishment that eventuated into a major restoration project which was costly and time consuming. However, they were determined to bring the house back to its original state no matter what. The downstairs bathroom was falling apart but they managed to rescue some tiles that depicted major causes that were a reflection of what was happening during Ruth’s time, such as the Dawn Raids, Bastion Point, the All Black game against South Africa, the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior and others.

These were probably done by studio potter, Warren Tippet whose work was a departure from the traditional anglo-oriental stoneware that dominated pottery until new aesthetics started to emerge.

Warren’s colourful work was radically different and reflected a Pacific setting, as well as Asian and Mediterranean ceramic influences. They

18 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2017

are a work of art and Terry has set them on a framed panel that will be set on a wall in the house.

When the house was being prepared for a paint job, Terry noticed high up under the eaves on the Heke Street corner a small piece of metal that bore the original name, Clyde Street, but would have been painted over after the name change. Another intriguing sheet of metal was exposed after the old fibrous board lining in the basement was removed. It proved to be Muntz metal, which is an alloy of zinc and copper used for cladding wooden ships to protect them from an underwater worm, Teredo navalis, that attacks floating and submerged wood, the damage undetectable till the whole structure collapses.

Terry’s assumption is that whoever built the house went down to the Freemans Bay shipyards to obtain seven sheets in order to fireproof the wall behind the coal range. After a thorough cleansing and polishing the Muntz trademark became visible and the metal regained its original gleaming patina. These will also be displayed in the house along with the tiles.

Leading down into the basement there is a huge stained-glass sash window that extends from the floor to the ceiling allowing access to a balcony. It’s a very important architectural feature not commonly seen in New Zealand houses. They are sometimes called box or Yorkshire windows, where they were once widely used. Other features such as the original gas and rewired old light fittings have been retained so everything is original.

The Suttcliffe’s project was to take the lovely old villa built of heart kauri back to its original state and they hope it will last another hundred years and maybe beyond. Terry loves old houses because their history speaks to him. (DEIRDRE ROELANTS) F PN

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RACHAEL TE AOTONGA: LEYS INSTITUTE LIBRARY NEWS

Wow, it is April already!

Here at the library, April means school holidays and we are going construction crazy. Building with Lego, building robots and building new toys.

On Tuesday 18 April from 2.30-4pm here at Leys we have a Lego construction challenge.

Join us as we completely take over the Leys' reading room with a ridiculous amount of Lego creations. Spend the afternoon building some crazy Lego structures. On Saturday 22 April from 2pm-3pm we will also get the Lego out for some free-play time. There will be some Duplo for the younger ones, too.

We are excited to have Robogals Auckland come along to run a workshop for children ages 8-13 years on Thursday 20 April 2.30pm. This is a free workshop and Robogals aim is to encourage females (and eager boys) to pursue a career in engineering by setting up fun and engaging workshops using EV3 LEGO Robots. If you think you know someone aged between 8-13 years who would be interested, we have a registration list behind the desk or give us a call to book now. (T: 09 374 1315 or email leysinstitutelibraryponsonby@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or you can even PM us on our Facebook page). Places are limited so get in quick. Children participating will get to adapt and programme a robot to complete a series of different challenges.

Robogals is part of a global organisation that has chapters around the world. The Auckland chapter is a student-run club at The University of Auckland. The group aims to increase female participation in engineering in New Zealand.

To finish up the school holidays on Thursday 27 April from 2.30pm - 3.30pm we will be creating Frankentoys. Come along and upcycle some old, tired and broken toys. Give them a new life as a Frankentoy using hot glue, your imagination and maybe some basic sewing skills. If you love destroying the odd thing to create something new this may just be the perfect activity. All you really need are some broken toys, sharp scissors, a glue gun and your imagination.

For our Frankentoy creations afternoon we are in need of worn and broken toys. If you have any at home you would like to donate please drop them in to the library by Monday 24 April. Thank you in advance.

Lastly, just a quick reminder that over Easter when you take a break so does the library, we are closed Good Friday (14 April), and Easter Monday (17 April). We are open as Normal 9am-4pm on Easter Saturday 15 April. We are also closed on Anzac Day Tuesday 25 April. However, our digital library is always open if you really can’t wait. (RACHAEL TE AOTONGA) F PN LEYS INSTITUTE, 20 St Marys Road, T: 09 374 1315, www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz

PONSONBY COMMUNITY CENTRE NEWS Ponsy Kids Community Preschool

Ponsonby Community Centre & Leys Institute Gymnasium Hall

• 20 ECE funded hours.

School Holiday Programmes We have Gym Kids and Young At Art running school holiday programmes at both our facilities. Gym Kids Gymnastics is based at our Leys Institute Gymnasium Hall and run a Monday to Thursday 9am to 4pm, Young At Art is based at Ponsonby Community Centre and runs on alternate days visit the website: www.youngatart.co.nz for more information.

• New session times developed to meet the needs of our community.

Our Tamariki are the centre of everything we do. Ponsy Kids is a child’s home away from home where they are nurtured, respected and valued as individuals with a strong sense of belonging.

We believe to truly know a child you need to know the family. Our families are an integral part of our teaching and learning environment where they know they have a place and are respected and valued.

Ponsy Kids is a not-for profit community-based centre and we believe that the best outcomes for children occur when teachers are qualified with high teacher-child ratios.

This allows teachers to build stronger relationships with children, provide high-quality interactions and deepen their learning.

We believe the environment acts as a third teacher. We aim to create an inviting space that children are excited to interact with as it reflects their interests and shows that we value these.

We support our children in the next step of their learning journey as they transition to school. Our close links with local schools and knowledge of our community supports children and families into this new learning environment.

Children will leave Ponsy Kids affirmed in their sense of identity. They are ready to take on new challenges as capable, confident, life-long learners - something that we are proud to be part of.

Contact details are: Head Teacher: Julie Ferguson E: julie@ponsonbycommunity.org.nz T: 09 376 0896

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Ponsonby Community Playgroup We have a lovely playgroup that meets every Tues 9.30am to 12 noon during term time. A great way to meet new families if you are new to the area. Ponsonby Playgroup has been based at the Ponsonby Community Centre for over 10 years and provides a wide range of activities for preschoolers both inside and outdoors. Come and visit the Playgroup on Tuesday mornings.

Baby Sensory Group We welcome Kay to the Leys Institute Gymnasium Hall. Kay runs the Baby Sensory Group on Thursday mornings 9.30am to 12.30pm every week during term time. Baby Sensory Programme is an award-winning programme specifically designed for babies aged from birth to 13 months. With an incredible variety of sounds, smells, sights, textures, music, dance, singing and massage, every activity is carefully crafted to stimulate your baby’s senses and move learning and development forwards.

Each week is different at Baby Sensory and we have lots of exciting activities to look forward to each term. There are developmental reasons behind all the activities we do at Baby Sensory, so be sure to check out (and like!) our Facebook page which contains information about the activities each week as well as lots of lovely photos from class. www.facebook.com/babysensorynewzealand/ Classes are $132 per eight-week term F PN For more information on Ponsonby Community Centre please T: 09 378 1752; M: 021 244 0904; E: info@ponsonbycommunity.org.nz, www.ponsonbycommunity.org.nz; Facebook: Ponsonby Community Centre

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JOHN ELLIOTT: LOCAL NEWS

Poo Harbour While Phil Goff pursues a legacy issue for himself - The Phil Goff Memorial Stadium - the city continues to excrete into the harbour, with no-one taking responsibility.

It’s time for the buck passing to stop - Watercare responsible for this, council responsible for that. We have begun to forget that Watercare is part of council, or, to put it correctly, a council-controlled organisation.

Council-controlled my foot. We have allowed Rodney Hyde’s mammoth mistake to ruin our city. It’s too big and it’s out of control, and while Phil Goff, five minutes after being elected, has given PWC some unknown sum to prepare a report on a new white elephant stadium, he is failing to address the real issues facing Auckland, including third-world, raw sewage flowing into our harbour.

Emeritis Professor Ian Shirley, former Director of the Policy Observatory at AUT who has written extensively on the Super City, its strengths and its weaknesses, puts it this way, “The major problems facing the region stem from the lack of infrastructure investment over several decades: public transport, wastewater management; and in the case of public transport, central government has been a major obstacle.”

Professor Shirley is highly critical of central government bullying, including the bombastic tirade against mild-mannered councillor Mike Lee, from Nick Smith. He also speaks out against what he describes as “the commercial silos in the form of CCOs such as Auckland Transport, Ports of Auckland, Watercare and ATEED.” Goff has not made a good start to his mayoralty. Is it just his little retirement scheme?

He never came near the Ponsonby News readership area during the campaign, and now he has ignored my requests for an interview to discuss our concerns, which certainly include, but are not limited to, raw sewage disposal.

Professor Tookey, of AUT, said recently in the NZ Herald, “the current $1 billion cost estimate (for a stadium) was hugely conservative. My biggest concern is that politicians keen to start their pet projects are low-balling costs.” He went on to decry what he sarcastically called “bragging rights.”

Most locals we spoke to in the Herne Bay area agreed that the city was in grave danger of getting its priorities wrong.

Watercare’s CEO Raveen Jaduram told locals Dirk Hudig and John Abbott that separation of stormwater and wastewater will solve the problem. However, that solution is no longer supported by council. It would cause too much disruption in precincts like St Marys Bay for instance, they maintain. What they really mean is that it would be too expensive, but it also means that overflows will never stop.

Maybe the Central Interceptor will be built (estimates of when vary from early 2020s to 2030s), and even the proposed Waterfront Interceptor for the Western Bays area (not due to be built until the 2030s), but we cannot allow increased sewage to pollute our harbour in the meantime.

Professor Shirley thinks Nick Smith was confused when he approved the SHA to replace the Gables. “Smith chose the most affluent suburb in Auckland. He clearly thought his advisers were talking about increasing the affluence of the region rather than the effluence.”

Coliform readings, especially around Coxs Bay, are alarmingly high. They are dangerous to human health.

It seems to Ponsonby News that there is at least one simple decision that could and should be made by council - stop any further building intensification until the infrastructure is in place.

It is grossly unfair to existing residents, let alone unsuspecting future residents, to have the council, led by Mayor Goff, fiddling around with stadium ideas, spending ratepayers money with PWC, while ignoring a major health and safety issue.The world’s most liveable PN city - that is rapidly becoming a new Tui billboard! (JOHN ELLIOTT) F www.gng.org

How the political year might shape up If New Zealand politics was still a first past the post race, National would bolt in again this year. Labour just wouldn’t be near National.

National may still win with a little help from Act, the Maori Party, Winston, and Peter Dunn if he can hold on to Ohariu. The polls certainly show National has not crashed without John Key. But, with coalitions the norm in recent governments, who could team up with who, to secure a majority, is the big question.

The Greens look likely to poll very well this year, but will inevitably build their vote at Labour’s expense. They need to target soft National voters. Watch for some very bold list placings for the Green Party. Their candidate conference, from all accounts, showed off lots of talented newcomers. It will be interesting to see whether exciting young candidates like Chloe Swarbrick and Jack McDonald can secure high enough list places to win a seat in parliament.

So, if Labour can reach 30%, and it should be able to, and the Greens get 13%, could National fall as low as 42%? Remember, last time Bill English was leader National secured just 22% of the vote. As we prognosticate in April there are still six months to go before the election on 23 September. The old saying “a week is a long time in politics” is very true. So how are the main protagonists likely to appeal to the voters?

Bill English is still on honeymoon. So far he’s been steady, and doesn’t have a charismatic Labour leader to combat. English has said he will oppose any abortion reform, which might cost National. It’s usually about leaders, but what of this year's deputies?

Paula Bennett takes no prisoners. Remember her “zip it sweetie” retort to Jacinda Ardern last year. She is the antidote to Bill English’s boringness. But so, too, is Jacinda the zip that Andrew Little lacks. Bennett and Ardern might just cancel each other out.

22 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2017

Jacinda No-Second-Name is the Labour face of Auckland and hopes for the younger voter, but she is still largely untested. Nikki Kaye would surely have beaten her again in Auckland Central, but Jacinda scarpered from Auckland Central as soon as she could. Mt Albert was a Clayton’s victory - the victory you have when you don’t have a victory, with no National candidate. Auckland Central doesn’t auger well for Labour, as it continues to gentrify and Kaye continues to impress.

One problem for National is the perception, well reported by Professor Ian Shirley, retired Director of the AUT Policy Observatory, that this National Government can’t keep its paws off Auckland, threatening legislation if Auckland doesn’t do its bidding. Professor Shirley cites ministers, including Nick Smith, trying to “override the local and regional government of Auckland.” He deplores, too, the “social deficit” incurred, including wide disparities in income and wealth.

The issues highlighted by Shirley and others may hamper National in Auckland. Winston Peters can never be counted out, and Trump and Brexit have both shown a growing opposition to globalism, while anti-immigration rhetoric could also help Peters, in what may be his last hurrah. I don’t rate Gareth Morgan’s Opportunity Party, despite the Universal Basic Income idea being worth discussing.

So - my prediction: National will not win extra support in Auckland. New Zealand First will win plenty of provincial votes, and although the Greens will do well, they will largely be cannibalising the Labour vote.

Conclusion: If you don’t want a National/ New Zealand First government, get out and support the ones you do want. Vote or don’t complain. (JOHN ELLIOTT) F PN PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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PONSONBY U3A: MARCH 2017 Not being the youngest kids on the block there are very few U3A members who don’t require eyesight assistance, be it reading glasses, cataract surgery or, in some cases, have the sight-stealing condition glaucoma.

Members sat forward in their seats to hear the glaucoma message delivered by Auckland eye specialist Dr Stephen Best at the March meeting. He spoke about how glaucoma is detected, how it affects lives and how it can be treated. His termed it what you can do now to see in the future. Unsurprisingly here were many questions at the end of his presentation.

Glaucoma is the number one cause of preventable blindness in New Zealand and other developed countries. It is the name given to a group of related diseases where the optic nerve is being damaged. The nerve fibres progressively die taking away the peripheral or side vision first. Therefore visual loss goes undetected until it is quite advanced.

Dr Best emphasised the importance of regular eye testing from age 45: five-yearly until 60, two-yearly until 70, then every year. He stressed the importance of an eye test at 45 to detect early signs of the condition, even though for many people buying reading glasses from the shelf is all that is required at that stage. Over the age of 80 the condition is more prevalent.

U3A member Sally Parker was the 10 minute speaker. Her talk, 'Taking Root in a New Land', was based on her research as a museum curator for a social history exhibition of immigrants in the Waikato in 1993. She outlined the stories from Hindu Indian, Sikh Indian, Chinese, Dalmation (now called Croatian), Cambodian and Pacific Island people and an Italian woman. In three instances the women involved were in arranged marriages. One was put on a ship and met her husband for the first time on her arrival in New Zealand.

Past president Annie Webster is vice president and newsletter editor for Australia based U3A Online. She recently returned from a management committee meeting in Melbourne and reported to the meeting. U3A Online is a world-first virtual U3A that allows older people to study U3A-type courses at home. There are 59 independent study

courses and 28 courses with a leader, all available at minimal cost to U3A members, to be studied online almost anywhere in the world.

U3A meets monthly on the second Friday morning of the month at the Herne Bay Petanque Club, though the April meeting will be held a week early because of Easter. As well as two speakers, the convenors of the 20 special interest groups report to the meeting. The special interest groups are said to be the lifeblood of U3A and cover a wide range of topics and activities. The groups are where people develop their interests while increasing their knowledge and also where they U3A speaker Dr Stephen Best make new friends. New groups are constantly being formed - and 17 members are about to take their first ukulele lesson in preparation for a brief performance at the end of year function.

Guest speaker for the April meeting will be Gillian Eadie, managing director and co -founder of the Memory Foundation - 'How are you protecting your memory?'

PN (PHILIPPA TAIT) F NEXT MEETING:

10am, Friday 7 April at Herne Bay Petanque Club, Salisbury Street Reserve, Herne Bay.

ENQUIRIES:

Collene Roche, President, Ponsonby U3A. T: 09 373 3277, www.u3aponsonby.org.nz

JOHN ELLIOTT: LOCAL NEWS

Green Party invites council plan submissions The Green Party set up a table at the Grey Lynn Farmers’ Market recently and invited people to make submissions to the Council’s Plan.

Among the issues discussed with an enthusiastic group of shoppers was the continued use by the council of the poisonous glyphosate spray. The council refuses to ban its use, despite a flurry of countries around the world convinced that the latest evidence is that glyphosate is a killer.

Another hot topic of discussion was the continuing flow of saw sewage into our harbour, and the council’s refusal to stop intensive housing and apartment growth until the infrastructure is in place to stop the discharge.

Ratepayers don’t mind paying a little extra for much-needed infrastructure, but they draw the line at fancy new projects, particularly around the waterfront, that will benefit millionaires on cruise ships and super yacht owners.

This grandiosity seems to be seducing our new, and as yet unproven, mayor, who should be sticking to the basics. It’s election year folks - go tell them what you want.

PN (JOHN ELLIOTT) F

There was also talk of water shortages, at a time of huge floods. Watercare is struggling to keep up with the needs of an increasing population. Aucklanders use 453 million litres of water a day. The question was asked, why aren’t Aucklanders encouraged to put water tanks in their backyards? Of course they can, but huge resource consent charges are a major disincentive. Council should insist those disincentives are removed.

Several of those present noted that Mayor Goff seems more intent on a legacy stadium on the waterfront than solving our wastewater problems.

There is a distinct feeling, even among those who voted for him, that Phil Goff is not on top of his job. I remember Rob Muldoon, for all his sins, warning new ministers to beware of bureaucrats pulling their favourite plans from their bottom draws to promote to these new ministers. Goff must get control fast or he never will. Promoting a new billions of dollars white elephant stadium is a distraction we just don’t need.

24 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2017

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LOCAL NEWS TOTALLY LOCALLY GREY LYNN...

Grey Lynn Business Association is throwing a street party to celebrate its vibrant and progressive community.

“Totally Locally celebrates Grey Lynn’s entrepreneurial spirit and recognises the critical contribution that independent businesses make to our community life,” Jennifer Northover says. Grey Lynn’s business community has welcomed the campaign by collaborating enthusiastically to ensure the event is packed with creative activities and family friendly fun. “The Grey Lynn shops are blossoming and we want to build on that,” says Jennifer.

The event will radiate from the intersection of Williamson Avenue and Great North Road, the location of three hip eateries that are attracting crowds from all over Auckland.

“Kokako Café, Tiger Burger and Pocket Bar & Kitchen have formed a golden triangle of sorts that’s proving to be a drawcard to the area,” says Jennifer. “They all build on the unique character that Grey Lynn is known for.”

“Where else in Auckland can you pick up a bag of taro, enjoy a Papua New Guinean speciality coffee, indulge in Korean-inspired kimchi fries and down a local craft beer in a glass house?” Grey Lynn’s reputation as a historic hood with innovative ideas will be celebrated at the event, she tells us. ”We want everyone to know that spending a little bit of their money 'Totally Locally' can have a huge impact on local jobs, businesses and life.

“We’d like to see it become a mindset that people adopt all-year-round,” she adds. “We are encouraging people to just switch $5 of their weekly shopping from chainstores, supermarkets or online to an independent business in Grey Lynn. Buy your lunch and coffee locally and shop with the independent butcher, it is that simple.”

The GLBA believes the Totally Locally campaign will also encourage Grey Lynn’s independent businesses to use local suppliers. “Consumers can help create a sustainable business community by supporting a business that supports lots of other local businesses,” Jennifer says.

The street party, held on Saturday 29 April, has been timed to coincide with the World Masters Games, which are taking place in Auckland from 21-30 April. “Grey Lynn expects to be hosting a lot of visitors for the World Games because we have so many Airbnbs in the area,” she says. “The street party will be another fun event the visitors can be involved in.”

Totally Locally campaigns all around the world have helped people to rediscover and fall in love with their local shops. “Independent businesses and shops are the mainstay of Grey Lynn and when they thrive it has a flow-on effect for the entire community,” says Jennifer.

Parking for the street party will be available in the Countdown carpark (entrance in Coleridge Street). F PN

Mark Jones Chairman of The Jones Family Business

SMEG RACING - GILTRAP AUDI On 23 February, Mark Jones, chairman of The Jones Family Business, addressed the crowd which had gathered to witness the unveiling of SMEG Racing’s new GT Endurance car at Giltrap Audi in Grey Lynn - see P28.

ST COLUMBA ANGLICAN CHURCH NO LONGER UNDER THREAT The wider Grey Lynn, Pt Chevalier and Westmere communities will be relieved to hear that St Columba Anglican Church in Surrey Crescent is no longer under threat of redevelopment, as was the concern late last year.

"The indignant and vocal response from the wider community was heartwarming," says vicar, Reverend Brent Swann. "We're not out of the woods yet, but we have seen considerable growth in all areas of St Columba since the time of the public meetings.

Community support has been strong, and we are grateful for that."

One local business, in fact, is organising a fundraising event for St Columba in mid-April.

Planet Wines is holding a wine tasting event in the St Columba hall on Saturday 22 April, and all proceeds will be donated to the church. Tickets are available from the church office (T: 09 376 9119). Shortly after that, the annual Clay Works Potters' Market will take place. This is its third year, and the numbers of keen buyers has almost doubled.

Many of Auckland's most well-regarded potters, as well as emerging talent, sell their work at Clay Works. This year there will be around 10 new potters participating, so there will be exciting new pieces. It's the week before Mother's Day - the timing is ideal for finding a unique, handmade present for Mum. F PN ST COLUMBA ANGLICAN CHURCH, 92 Surrey Crescent, T: 09 376 9119, www.saintcolumbas.org.nz

www.glba.co.nz

Potter Louise Rattenbury has been a constant supporter of Clay Works since it began in 2015

26 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2017

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CARS + MOTORING SUPER V8 CHAMP SIMON EVANS TELLS US ABOUT THE NEW AUDI Q2 What is the Audi Q2 like to drive?

It’s a great, nimble car to drive. Being up high you get great visibility which makes parking so much easier but also you can drive with more confidence.

How fuel efficient is it?

The combined fuel consumption is 5.5L per 100km which is excellent. Yes, the motor sounds small when you hear 1.4 but the turbo gives it a great kick of power when you need it and the smaller CC means when you don’t need the extra power you’re not using much fuel.

What features make it stand out from other SUVs? The big one-piece grille. When people look in their rear vision mirrors they will tell it’s an Audi but its got very dynamic lines through the bonnet and down the side of the car. A nice touch is the optional colour choice for the ‘C’ pillar blade.

It looks great in yellow, but what other colours are available?

Yes, it looks awesome in yellow! They have a new red out called Tango Red which displays the lines really well and Coral Orange does the same. It’s a car that really suits a bright colour. If they aren’t for you then Black, Grey, White, Blue and Silver are also available.

Anything else you’d like to add? Price range? Petrol vs diesel?

Starting off at $54,500 (plus ORC), it is very well priced. Depending on what features

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your like in your car there are optional packages. They do a Techonology Package, Leather Package, S-Line Package and Driver Assistance Package so you can find a car PN that suits what you’re looking for. F GILTRAP AUDI, 150 Great North Road, T: 09 336 5250, www.giltrapaudi.co.nz

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NIKKI KAYE: AUCKLAND CENTRAL MP

Dealing with the hard social issues for the next generation The rising costs of superannuation and an ageing population One of the issues I feel very strongly about is the rising costs of superannuation and an ageing population. Most people know we have an ageing population as it is a global issue not unique to New Zealand and it is something that has been talked about for a long time. The number of people over 65 will double from approximately 700,000 today to 1.4 million by 2050. Things have been tracking this way for a while. For instance, in 1990 there were approximately six people working to support every person getting a superannuation entitlement. Today there are approximately four people working for every person on a superannuation entitlement. That will halve in 30-odd years to two people supporting one person on a superannuation entitlement.

Last week we announced the detail of our superannuation policy which we intend to legislate next year if re-elected. It is to progressively lift the age of eligibility for New Zealand Superannuation from 65 to 67, starting in 20 years’ time. This time period is important because it enables people time to adjust. We also understand the potential impact for those people in certain more physical jobs so we will ensure there is a legislated review to work out how best to support them.

We have also announced potential changes to residency requirements for the eligibility for New Zealand Super from 10 years to 20 years. The change will apply to people arriving in New Zealand after the legislation is passed. We are pretty out of step with countries best comparable to New Zealand such as Canada that requires 40 years of residency before you can get their full superannuation entitlement. We have also committed to resuming contributions to the Superfund once our debt is less than 20 percent of GDP. These policies together will help make superannuation more affordable.

New Zealanders are healthier and living longer so adjusting the long-term settings of NZ Super while there is time for people to adapt is the right thing to do. I am very proud of our PM and party to be putting forward a policy that looks far ahead and is totally focused on supporting Gen X, Y and the millennials to deal with the rising costs of an ageing population.

It's not always popular to put up tough policies but it is the right thing to do. I believe too often politicians look short term and then the community hurts because of dramatic

changes that have to occur later down the track. Many people don't have the means to adjust and suddenly be able to save more or work longer. It was a bit disappointing to see other political parties not either agree with these changes or at least put up alternatives to deal with this significant issue. The reality is this is not the only cost of an ageing population. Areas like health will likely be stretched in the future too, with so many people over 65. I really hope we will be able to get cross party consensus on these issues as it is so important for the next generation.

Reducing family violence Another social issue that we have been working to help families and communities address is the unacceptably high rate of family violence. Police respond to over 110,000 family violence incidents a year, and nearly half of homicides are family violence related. Family violence is undeniably one of New Zealand’s most difficult social issues. And there’s no quick fix.

But we are focused on making changes to redesign the way our system understands, prevents, and responds to family violence. We’re starting by building a better legal framework for a more integrated and more effective response to family violence. We have introduced the Family and Whanau Violence Legislation Bill that will overhaul our family violence laws - the biggest reform in 20 years.

Some of the proposed changes include new offences for strangulation, coercion to marry, and assault on a family member. It is important that the bill will make the process of gathering evidence easier for police and less traumatic for victims. As an MP I have helped out people who have needed additional support due to a dispute or violence from a partner. It is tough enough having to deal with what has occurred so anything we can do to make it easier for victims is a good thing from my perspective.

Another way we are better-supporting victims and their families is by improving access to protection orders, and better tailoring them to victims’ needs and the rights of children.

The bill also helps make property orders more effective by keeping victims in their homes.

When our economy is strong we have a lot more choices to be able to fund social services such as health, education and the police. I get a lot of good feedback about our Government’s economic management. However, I want people to also know about the significant social reform that is also underway as both are important to ensure we PN are leaving a better and stronger New Zealand for the next generation. (NIKKI KAYE) F Hon Nikki Kaye is the MP for Auckland Central, www.nikkikaye.co.nz

SMEG RACING - GILTRAP AUDI Continued from p26

Above: Debbs Jack, Douglas Blair, Robert Barlow & Dean Sheed Below: Colin Waite, Mark Jones & Ian Barlow

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THE NEW LEXUS RX.

THE BEST FORM OF REBELLION.

Defy ordinary and experience the new RX350 and RX450h at Lexus of Auckland City.

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29 Great North Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland City.

Phone: 09 3700227

www.lexusofaucklandcity.co.nz

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TINA PLUNKETT: PONSONBY CENTRAL

@ PONSONBY CENTRAL We are currently looking for tenants for our creative office spaces. Right in the heart of Ponsonby Central... morning, noon and night you can enjoy a coffee, cocktails, beer or a bite to eat at one of the many bars and cafes, you’ll find everything you need at Ponsonby Central.

Surrounded by cafes, restaurant, shops and cool creative people, this is the place you have been looking for. As well as the office space, you will have access to the shared board room, client waiting area and shared bathrooms. There are two spaces available.

Space A. Space Available 1 - 4 people Total Area (m2) 26sq m An industrial-styled first floor office, air-conditioned, natural light and windows for fresh air. Includes a small kitchenette.

Price $22,000 p/a plus opex and GST. Available now.

Space B. Space Available 1 - 2 people Total Area (m2) 9.5sq m A stylish first floor office, air-conditioned, natural light and ceiling window for fresh air.

Price $15,000 p/a plus GST (opex and power included) Available now.

DIRECT ENQUIRIES TO DANIEL 021 709 383

30 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2017

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

DEIRDRE THURSTON: ON MY MIND

The Local My love affair with The Gables, on the corner of Kelmarna and Jervois, has been largely in my head in latter years, though once upon a time I used to be a regular patron.

One of my friends worked there as a barmaid a couple of nights a week. Funnily enough, drinks were uber cheap those nights. At the time, I lived in Kelmarna Avenue in a sunny half-villa flat with a husband, a Burmese cat that wandered over the road to a friend’s flat to be fed when we didn’t come home after work and a big, suntrap backyard where we grew veggies and other things in abundance. We shared our produce with those around us and had dinner one night a week with our Samoan neighbours. Those were the days.

I know architecturally The Gables wasn’t the prettiest but goodness knows what grey, generic apartment building will replace it. And shade the first block of villas in Kelmarna Avenue. Certainly my old veggie patch would not have thrived like it did with a complex so large obliterating sunshine. And then there’s the traffic and what most gets me upset is the sewerage problem. How will the system cope? It cannot. Our local, inner-city beaches are gems - but unfortunately getting dirtier and more polluted by the day.

At other times I have watched World Cup rugby finals amongst a cheering, beer-soaked crowd at The Gables which, to my surprise, I really enjoyed, participated in quiz night, eaten Sunday roasts with Yorkshire pudding, extra gravy on the side in a little white jug, celebrated a friend’s birthday and simply sat and chinwagged by the fire with my ex over a bottle of red. I’ve even met up with a blind date there. Surely he was as bored as me because I spent the entire hour thinking up exit strategies. Hardly a scintillating companion.

The Erawan Thai restaurant villa disappearing from Jervois Road was bad enough.

Why it was not heritage listed I can’t fathom. What will be built there? More retail and small apartments costing mega bucks? I know everything changes and progress is inevitable. But is a huge apartment block with retail (do we need or want more retail in Herne Bay village?) really the best thing in place of a local pub? Locals I’ve spoken to don’t think so.

In latter years, I have passed by The Gables several days a week as I got in my 60-minute walk. Once, on a blue-mood day, feeling very alone, I heard my name called as I walked by the beer garden cum smokers’ corner. Looking up, my downcast mouth lifted into the biggest smile. There was my bro-in-law, his wife and their two year old. Bro-in-law walked over with his boy in his arms and we kissed through the glass barrier. My mood lifted immediately and I walked on with a definite spring in my step. I’ll never forget that moment because I really needed connection and there it was courtesy of my local and extended family. I have loved seeing The Gables sit there all local and inviting, family friendly and low-rise. Part of the village. There is something special about a local pub.

It’s a hub, the heart of many a village. Like in England. Even when it became Speights Ale House, I always referred to it as The Gables. As did many other locals.

We can only hope that the property developer and architect treat the design with integrity.

Make it as village-feel as possible. We need to remember that when things change, usually there is no going back. Money/huge profits at the expense of aesthetics and ecology are most often at the root of change and developments such as The Gables. Yes, I understand we need more housing. We don’t want another generic suburb with leaky buildings and ho-hum design. Personality is key whether it be Herne Bay, Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, West Lynn, Te Atatu or Eketahuna.

And now it sits abandoned and looking terribly lonely. Buildings have lives of their own.

Now empty, this building seems so forlorn. Akin to an old, dumped dog at a shelter.

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

I am upset for Herne Bay village, upset for the surrounding homes and families that will cop the consequences of this development, and sad I will never walk past the good old Gables and hear my name called, tread the ugly carpet or chat by the fire. There’s something about a local. (DEIRDRE THURSTON) F PN The Gables Neighbourhood Group, www.gng.org.nz

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photography: Clare Gemima

OUT + ABOUT

PRIDE PARADE 2017, PONSONBY - SATURDAY 25 FEBRUARY

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

OUT + ABOUT

Bhavitha and Zoe - Freemans Bay Play Centre

Danni and Valentine - Chapel Bar

Salsa Dancers

De Soto Band

Gerardo Torres

Hamish and Emily - Cake and Co

Matecito Latin Band

Jana and Jodie - A Little Shop

Live music Jervois Road

Madale outside Lululemon

Local Artist - Joseph

Poppy & Anton outside Saben

Sophie and Karin - 27 Names

Matecito Latin Band

photography: Everall Deans, PBA

Anna and Jesse - Adam Arnold

PONSONBY MARKET DAY - SATURDAY 11 MARCH The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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PLANNING WEDDINGS MEN’S WEDDING RING GUIDE Men often find that choosing a wedding ring can be a slightly daunting process.

@ DIAMONDS ON RICHMOND 1

There are so many options available and factors to consider that finding time to try on potential styles can sometimes prove to be a little difficult.

It is important that you know what to look for when choosing your wedding ring. After all, it's a ring that you will be wearing for a very long time, so you need to choose one that suits your personality, lifestyle and one that is comfortable to wear.

There are so many options available to you from a plain wedding band, in a more traditional width, to a particularly thin or wide band. There is also the option of adding diamonds (white or black) to the design and/or mixing two metals. Perhaps a twist on the simple wedding ring or a ring with a satin finish rather than a polished texture, the list of options available to you is endless.

To start the process you need to pop into a jewellery store with a large selection of men’s wedding rings and begin by trying on plain rings and then move to more patterned or ‘designed’ rings and see what feels most comfortable on your hand and what most accurately reflects your personality.

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Many men are concerned that a wedding ring will not be comfortable to wear. The two factors to consider here are the shape of the ring and the width of the ring.

First, look for a ring design that has softly rounded edges, rather than sharp angular edges. This does not mean that a flat-band style cannot be comfortable. A flat band can have a good construction where the edge of the band is made with a very gentle rounded inside edge to make it more comfortable to wear. The width of the band needs to be in proportion to your hand size so the ring is comfortable when closing your hands.

Once you have decided on the design, you need to choose the metal that the ring will be made out of. Precious metals include white gold, yellow gold, platinum and palladium.

You can also choose to add a non-precious metal to your ring to create something a little different, like adding zirconium to the ring (a black metal) to create a two tone effect.

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And last but certainly not least is deciding on the best ring size. You will need to consider the width of the band here as a wider ring will require a larger finger size and a thinner band a smaller size. A lot of guys don’t want the ring to feel uncomfortable so will choose a finger size that is actually too large for them. This often results in an insurance claim when the ring comes off in the ocean, so do take some time to make sure the finger size you are choosing is right for you.

Diamonds on Richmond have a large selection of men’s wedding rings and expert advisors in store to help you navigate this process. Pop in and see them any day, Monday PN to Friday 10am to 5pm and Saturday 10am to 4pm. F

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DIAMONDS ON RICHMOND, 98 Richmond Road T: 09 376 9045, www.diamondsonrichmond.co.nz

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1. Blush Pink Diamond Ring $6800 incl gst 2. Double Row Diamond Ring $1950 incl gst 3. Claw Set Diamond Ring $1950 incl gst 4. Six Stone Diamond Ring $3900 incl gst 5. Off Centre Diamond Set Ring $1950 incl gst 6. Topaz Dress Ring $750 incl gst 7. Morganite and Diamond Ring $2900 incl gst Two-tone men's wedding rings available at Diamonds On Richmond

34 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2017

8. Smokey Quartz and Diamond Ring $2900 incl gst PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

MILLY NOLAN: DESIGNER GIFTS

Gifts for eternity If a marriage is to be forever, the gifts that you are given should also last the distance. Here’s a selection of tried and true gifts that will be sure to stand the test of time while your love continues to grow.

1. EM77 Stelton Metallic Vacuum Jug - $310 One of the most iconic, not to mention best-selling pieces for Stelton, this jug is both stylish as well as practical, allowing you to keep your coffee warm for up to five hours.

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2. Marble Basics Noir Slim Vase - $204 Organic in nature, this marble vase makes the ultimate wedding gift and will display flowers beautifully for years to come - or will just sit pretty on its own.

3. Le Creuset Signature Cast Iron Oval Casserole Dish - $480 Everyone should own at least one Le Creuset item in their lifetime. This cast iron casserole dish is a kitchen essential that will serve many a meal time after time.

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4. Marble Basics Marble Round Tray - $350 This round marble tray has endless opportunities within the home - fill it, style it and make it your own.

5. Vera Wang Duchesse Crystal Toasting Flute Pair - $170 With their sense of elegant simplicty, these toasting flutes combine luxury with tradition. Sold as a pair, they are the perfect gift for newlyweds - designed to toast anniversaries and special ocassions.

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6. Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer - $1049 Made to perform and built to last, the iconic Kithen Aid stand mixer is an item every married couple needs in their kitchen - whether they are keen bakers or not.

7. Blacklist Studio Deux Art Print - $165 Receiving artwork makes for a special wedding gift, and this appropriately titled print, ‘Deux’ (French for ‘Two’), is a perfect piece for a newly married couple.

8. Marble Basics Essential Salad Servers - $140 Perfect for a little bit of everyday luxury or used while entertaining, these salad servers are both modern and timeless.

PN (MILLY NOLAN) F

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All products available at www.mildredandco.com

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

RETAIL SUPERSTAR Matt Wishart Diamonds on Richmond

How did you come to be a retail salesperson?

It just evolved really. Almost 20 years ago I started work as a sales manager for a retail business and ended up buying it - no turning back from there!

What brought you to Diamonds on Richmond?

Pure nepotism. I’ve known Michelle and Michael at DOR for a very long time. I wanted to go in a new direction and they provided the opportunity.

What do you love about your store?

The natural light (I’ve worked in some dungeons over the years), the fitout and the location - I’ve walked to work (admittedly only once due to a flat tyre).

What makes a standout retail salesperson?

It may sound clichéd - however, clear, concise communication, integrity and in-depth product knowledge are key. Also, if you don’t know the answer to a client’s question, find out for them, don’t bluff. Finally, remember, ‘You don’t get a second chance at a first impression’.

Tell us about a memorable sale you've made this year...

They all are, but recently a young guy came in and chose a diamond with lovely gradings and a superb ring design, ending with a unique, romantic (and successful) proposal. He kept us up to date the whole way through and it was brilliant to be involved.

If you could wave your wand and have anyone in the world walk into your store right now, who would it be?

Christian Von Koenigsegg - a gregarious, unhinged genius!

If you could wave your wand and have anyone in greater Ponsonby walk into your store right now, who would it be?

A drawback of retail is the time spent at work, so I’d love for our six-year-old Austin to walk in - I don’t see enough of him!

Where do you shop?

I live in Three Lamps, so most of my shopping is done in the greater Ponsonby area.

I restore vintage BMX bikes, so I also spend a lot of time on eBay looking at incredibly rare parts at obscene prices.

Name someone you think is a great greater Ponsonby retail salesperson…

I’m not brown-nosing (well, maybe a little), but Michelle here at DOR puts a massive amount of energy into each and every client’s creation. Genuinely inspirational. F PN DIAMONDS ON RICHMOND, 98 Richmond Road, T: 09 376 9045, www.diamondsonrichmond.co.nz

PLANNING WEDDINGS @DIAMONDS ON RICHMOND On Wednesday 25 November, 2015 at 1.30am a car smashes through the front window of Diamonds On Richmond.

For brother and sister owners Michael and Michelle, to be woken at that time of the night, with this news, was a far cry from what was planned for their brand new store.

The Christmas decorations were about to go up and the new cabinets had just been installed. This store was many years in the making and celebrating their first Christmas was a highly anticipated event.

Arriving to what they thought was a ram raid and attempted robbery on their business, they found out the crash was actually a car accident caused by a speeding drunk driver. He and the two passengers were lucky to be alive.

Thankfully the doors were only closed for three days while a small team, but mostly one man, Stuart Hurst, cleaned up the complete mess that was the shop front, ready for trading by the Saturday. “We can’t thank Stu enough for what he did for us, basically working for three solid days till we could open the doors to the public, he was just incredible.”

There were many others offering support and help to them, including Hell Pizza Grey Lynn who delivered pizzas to the workers. “We were just overwhelmed by how much support we had, we even had customers coming from out of the area to give us their business and other jewellers offering their premises to trade from, it was just amazing,” explains Michelle.

Diamonds On Richmond was established in 2008 and was originally run from a villa in Grey Lynn, by private appointment only. As the business grew, larger premises were required and Michael and Michelle moved to a commercial building with more space.

As much as they loved being there, it had always been a dream of theirs to open a boutique store on Richmond Road and when 98 Richmond Road became available to lease, the pair jumped at the opportunity as they just loved the character of the building and the location.

“We love the community here in Ponsonby/Grey Lynn and feel we have now arrived at the location DOR was always destined for. The business continues to grow and we couldn’t be happier with where everything is at now,” explains Michael.

While the crash changed the plans they had for their very first Christmas in the store, the support and love shown to them by the community was overwhelming to say the least and although it has taken over a year to properly rebuild the store, the brother and sister team say they wouldn’t change a thing and have learnt so much over that time. F PN www.diamondsonrichmond.co.nz

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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PLANNING WEDDINGS FOR THE CONTEMPORARY BRIDE @ SABATO The latest trend for the contemporary bride - wedding cheese towers. Cheese cakes are a stunning way to feed a crowd and we have several options to suit any budget at Sabato.

Creating the perfect cheese cake is simple - just make your selection from our superb range of European and New Zealand cheeses and adorn it with accompaniments. The hardest part is selecting your favourites!

a delicious illusion that will give you more tiers for your dollar, and the cheese is already cut and ready to eat. Serve your cake on a Lazy Susan, get the photos done ‘cutting the cheese’ spin her round and presto - let’s taste.

It’s often flavour versus aesthetic or a combination of both. Whole wheels or halves.

A cake comprised of half wheels will appear on camera as a whole wheel cake. It’s

For the base, we recommend choosing a large hard cheese such as Gorwydd Caerphilly, a raw milk traditional Welsh cheese, with three distinct flavours - lactic and citric in the centre, creamy and mushroomy towards the rind and musty and earthy in the rind itself.

Or try Mahoe Blue, a New Zealand organic farmhouse blue - balanced fruity acidity without the bite.

Follow this with a different family of cheese with an interesting rind, like a semi-soft washed rind from Wangapeka Family Dairy. It’s a smooth, creamy melt in your mouth cheese or try a few bloomy wheels that demand celebratory bubbles.

For your final tiers, choose a smaller soft cheese. We love Pierre Robert or Crottin de Champcol. To finish your cake, decorate the base with fresh or dried fruit, drape over some muscatel clusters and decorate with walnut halves. Drizzle with honey and serve alongside Julie Le Clerc Arabian date chutney or Peter Gordon fig, walnut & whiskey chutney. F PN To start creating your cake, call T: 09 630 8751 to speak to our dedicated cheesemonger or visit SABATO in-store at 57 Normanby Road, Mt Eden; www.sabato.co.nz

@ MAGAZINE DESIGNER CLOTHING 1. Eve Hunter Beaded Dress - check your closest store for availability 2. White Label Noba Gold Dress (New Zealand Exclusive to Magazine) and Euphoria Slip Dress 3. Eve Hunter Black Gold Dress - check your nearest store for availability 4. Chocolat Botanical Glow Top with matching Duster over Chocolat Double Layer Dress 1

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MAGAZINE DESIGNER CLOTHING, T: 09 849 3494, www.magazineclothing.co.nz

38 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2017

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

PLANNING WEDDINGS JEWELLERY SHOULD MAKE YOU FEEL AMAZING At Carats, the aim is to open people’s eyes to the vast possibilities of design.

They take their inspiration from nature, architecture and much that life has to offer to create their collections.

Their distinctive style of jewellery creations fits a range of tastes from bold, colourful and conceptual design to the subtle, traditional or elegant designs. The Carat’s signature is evident and the result is always the same - strong, stunning pieces of jewellery.

“All our jewellery is made on location in our Vulcan Lane store where we have been since 1996. Our jewellers have been trained in the finest tradition of English jewellery design and have refined the skills and techniques passed down through many generations and reinvented them with a unique New Zealand flavour.

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“We guarantee all our pieces are intricately crafted and finished to the highest standards.

Nothing you see here is computer generated virtual stock.”

The team at Carats believes jewellery should make you feel amazing. If you are after something a little unique you can select from their Collections range: the Carbonated, Coloured Gems, Flowers, Hidden Heart, Kina, Life and Water collections. Or, if you’re looking for something more classic, then their fine-jewellery range offers engagement and wedding rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets and perfect gift options.

To replace lost, stolen or damaged jewellery, Carats can provide excellent service.

They work closely with you and your insurance company to ensure your jewellery is replaced to your satisfaction. For valuations they use two of Auckland’s leading and most recognised independent valuation companies, Gemlab and Jewellery Valuers Company.

Carats is committed to the principles and terms of the Kimberley Process. This is a joint international initiative designed to certify the origin of rough diamonds from sources PN which are free of conflict. F 1. Diamond set 'Carbonated' rings from $7480 2. 'Life' rings featuring the Koru, a symbol of new life and new beginnings, From $6500 3. White and pink diamond platinum clusters rings from $15,000 1

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CARATS, 25 Vulcan Lane, T: 09 309 5145 email@caratsjewellery.co.nz www.caratsjewellery.co.nz

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PLANNING WEDDINGS KILT - MADE IN NEW ZEALAND

BY CLEVER KIWI Tucked upstairs at its Ponsonby Road Boutique, KILT has recently opened a new fancy collection!

There’s a great range to suit with pastel to jewel tones, floaty to fitted and every hidden gem inbetween.

Discover the perfect selection of dresses for bridesmaids, wedding guests or if you’re looking for a stunning dress for a ball or any formal occasion, their stylists would love to help guide you through the selected range. If you find that the dress of your dreams isn’t here, they also offer a made-to-order Bridesmaid Collection that you can check out at www.kiltonline.co.nz For an exclusive look through KILT Fancy, you can book in your own personal styling session. The stylist will assist you to get the perfect look for you or your bridesmaids. If you’re visiting the North Shore then drop by the boutique in Takapuna. You can also treat yourself to some KILT goodness online or at any of the many boutiques across the nation!

All of the styles that KILT creates are designed and made right here in New Zealand by clever kiwi. With new designs in boutiques weekly, New Zealand made gives them the advantage of being able to listen closely to feedback and react to what their customers want at a quicker pace, while also keeping jobs and skills within the country. To be the first to know about new styles and hear all of the latest updates, follow KILT on Facebook. F PN KILT, 271a Ponsonby Road and 104 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna, https://www.facebook.com/KiltClothing/

CREATING UNIQUE VISUAL MEMORIES If you’re looking for someone to design your invitation, create artwork for the venue, create an artwork as a memoir of your special day or as a unique wedding gift, then talk to the team at on2canvas.

Whether it is typographic or photographic, the team of experienced Photoshop artists, with a keen eye for detail, will work with you to create a special design.

On2canvas can help you choose the best photos from your instagram, off your smart -phone or even scan existing photos hidden away in an album from yesteryear. If the photo requires editing such as having items removed, compiling a collage of images, or creating a unique pop-art design, then talk to them about the best options for you. They see this as a collaborative process between your ideas and their skills.

The finished art can then be printed to any size, and you can choose from a variety of materials such as canvas, specialised paper or linen. When it comes to framing there are many options to choose from. The team at on2canvas will consult with you on the best way to present the printed artwork to suit your style and decor.

They have been in business for 12 years and are always keen to experiment and try new ideas. For them it is about looking at creating a unique and personalised piece of art for each of their clients whether it is for you or as a special gift. They also do gift vouchers.

To make an appointment call on2canvas M: 021 465 465 or for inspiration check out their website www.on2canvas.co.nz and Facebook page.

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

PLANNING WEDDINGS @ CRANE BROTHERS

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1. Drake's Silk Pochette: $139 2. Crane Brothers Suspenders: $99 3. Crane Brothers Silk Duchess Bow Tie: $159 4. Crane Brothers Made in Italy Aria Tuxedo: $2595 5. Crane Brothers Landsdowne Dinner Shirt: $395

1. Delaide SG Necklace $239 2. Linda SG Earrings $169 3. Aiko SG Ear Cuffs $169

CRANE BROTHERS, 2-4 Hight Street, Auckland, crane-brothers.com

DYRBERG/KERN, 65 Mackelvie Street, T: (09) 376 9989, www.dyrbergkern.co.nz

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

4. Mila SG Rose Earrings $199 5. Splendid Watch $399 6. Vivian SG Ring $189

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PLANNING WEDDINGS SEVENTYSIX A GEM TO BE DESIRED

@ SEVENTYSIX DESIGN

SeventySix is a jewellery studio with a difference, focusing on modern and contemporary design.

Shaun and Ange McBride are the collective perspective and eye for uniquely founded SeventySix. They specialise in one-off, custom-made engagement, wedding rings and the remodelling of old jewellery, using platinum, gold, silver, diamonds and other precious gems. SeventySix has a new collection called Silver Shop, available online, adding a new dimension to their jewellery.

SeventySix is the result of a long love for the arts which has enabled Shaun and Ange to push the boundaries of what ring design really is all about. F PN

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SEVENTYSIX, 14 Jervois Road (Shop front on Redmond Street), Ponsonby, T: 09 376 0676, www.seventysixdesign.co.nz

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1-2. Rose and yellow gold (inspired by the paper doyley) stacker rings from $1160-$1590, White gold stacker ring $2880 5

3. Yellow gold and diamond signet ring $1650 4. Sterling silver Domed Tattoo ring $450 5. White gold and diamond Frangipani Flower ring (every second flower set with diamonds) $3220 Shaun and Ange McBride of SeventySix

42 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2017

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY

SPECIAL GIFT WITH WEDDING FRAMING @ THE FRAME WORKSHOP Your wedding day is one the most special events that you will ever celebrate.

Why not go all out and show off your day with personalised picture framing at The Frame Workshop.

At The Frame Workshop there is a vast array of frames from sharp and simple to ornate and opulent, combinations to suit your home and personality, with staff that will guide you with your choices and budget.

With your wedding pictures custom framed in the months of April and May to the value of over $200, as a special offer they will gift you a sterling silver photo frame to keep as your own or to give as a special gift. These come boxed in various shapes and will be a lovely addition to any surroundings to remind you of your day or even just something special. Come in and get a quote while this offer lasts! F PN THE FRAME WORKSHOP & GALLERY, 1/182 Jervois Road, T: 09 376 4749, www.frameworkshop.co.nz

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY MY UNDERGROUND DELI My Underground Deli - 100 favourite recipes from Jess’ Underground Kitchen is hitting shelves nationwide later this month.

This is Jess’ latest labour of love - a behind the scenes journal of life in her buzzing Herne Bay deli, with everything from Middle Eastern mezze to turmeric fish tacos, plus plenty of crowd favourites inbetween. She even shares the recipe for her much-coveted oaty ginger slice, which many customers deem “the best they’ve ever had.”

The recipes are mouthwatering, accessible and don’t require a plethora of obscure ingredients. But they also challenge budding domestic goddesses and gods to think slightly outside the square, pairing goats’ cheese with honey... roasted grapes in a salad... salted caramel popcorn with fresh thyme leaves... yum!

My Underground Deli is priced at $40.95 and is available in all good bookstores. F PN JESS’ UNDERGROUND KITCHEN, 203 Jervois Road, T: 09 378 7111, www.myundergroundkitchen.com

COMPLETE DINING & ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE Garnet Station Tiny Theatre open day, 8 April, 9am - 9pm Free

In 2015 Garnet Station did something a bit different, converting their standalone back studio into a theatre for live performance, hosting up to 20 plays a year.

This year Garnet Station won the Auckland Fringe Festival award for Best ‘Off Broadway’ Venue. An accolade gained with the help of new venue manager, Teresa Sokolich.

Trophy event, and eight years of creating memorable celebrations for SKYCITY theatre.

Now Teresa has come back to her main passion, working in community-based theatre.

“I found that there was this great opportunity to help Verity and Lisa grow the theatre they had already started and the wonderful, inclusive, community they offer with Garnet Station Café. The theatre is ‘tiny’ but gives so much to the arts and locals, allowing new work to be trialled, a place for voices to be heard and an excellent place for events. I love this space, it is truly boutique.”

So the time has come to throw the doors open and invite everyone to be part of this fun with venue tours, roving artists, musicians, storytellers, prize giveaways, a gourmet sausage sizzle, free face painting and Fairy Clare magic amid the secluded cottage garden.

From her beginnings in professional theatre stage-managing at the Mercury Theatre, Teresa has worked extensively in an industry she says, “gets into your blood.” She brings with her a wealth of knowledge and 30 years of experience in the live performance industry. Those years have seen her move from actor to stage manager to associate producer and production manager of the Auckland Theatre Company, which she cofounded with friend Simon Prast.

Since leaving the ATC, Sokolich has gone on to gain experience with events such as WOMAD at The Edge, as creative director for the L’Oreal Professionnel annual Colour

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Find out what being in front of a 35-person audience feels like, speak into a microphone and feel the bright lights in your eyes. See the props table laid out back stage, and sit in the actors makeup chair pre performance.

Verity George and Lisa Prager, who established Garnet Station 10 years ago, love to create a complete dining and entertainment experience for the locals and wider audience and are excited to share it with their supporters.

GARNET STATION TINY THEATRE, 85 Garnet Road, T: 09 360 3397

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GARY STEEL: VEG FRIENDLY

Eggs over easy "I am the egg man, I am the walrus, coo-coo-cachoo." Do you, dear reader, remember the recent furore around supposedly free-range eggs that weren’t?

It happened just a few weeks ago, but in the current 'news' environment - where entertainment reigns supreme and we’re expected to have the attention span of an infant - things have already moved on.

Back in the good old bad old days (because things are never as simple as being all good or all bad) we could at least expect news journalists to stay on the scent of a developing story, and to report back over weeks or months, and maybe even to dig down and find the story hidden deep within the story; one that perhaps contained a seed of pure avarice that the main story didn’t even touch on.

If you’ll cast your mind back for a minute, you’ll remember that a free-range egg producer was caught on film outsourcing eggs, and picking up crates of battery-laid eggs. They reckoned millions of battery eggs had been sold over the past few years as free-range eggs to unsuspecting Countdown customers who wanted a fairer life for hens.

Most of the coverage was around the allegedly fraudulent activities of this 'free-range' egg man, as well as the lack of rigorous policing of egg producers and, of course, the poor customers who had paid a premium for the eggs. As usual, there was little discussion around the plight of the poor chookies that spend their whole lives in hellish conditions (lives that amount to 18 months of egg-making hell before they are summarily executed), which would have led inevitably to discussion around the negligent attitude of Government towards animal welfare, and its 'profit at all costs' philosophy. Maybe they just thought the story was over-egged?

I suppose a positive spin could be given to the story. It’s clear that demand for free-range eggs from Countdown customers has for quite some time out-stripped the egg-man’s ability to supply the numbers required. What this means, of course, is that people really do care. They care enough to pay a little more for eggs that they believe plop out of happy chooks that spend their days sunning themselves outside on idyllic lifestyle blocks. They’re appalled at the images that they’ve seen on television over and over again, depicting the miserable conditions hens have to endure.

But a few weeks hence, who knows what’s being done to stop this fraud happening again?

And have Countdown (or any of the other supermarket chains) done anything to move to free-range-only sales?

While the idea that there’s a huge and growing market for free-range eggs is encouraging, every time I do my shopping I see people buying trays of battery eggs, and it never fails to make my blood boil. Why? Ignorance is no excuse. You’d have to live in a bubble not to know, at this point, the terrible story about hens in sheds.

So here’s a question for you, dear reader: do you care enough to buy free-range eggs? Do you insist on free-range when you’re chowing down on your 'eggs benny' in your favourite cafe? Do you check out the free-range status of eggs used in biscuits and baked products?

Or would you rather turn a blind eye to the ongoing tragedy of battery hens? I really want to know what you think. I’m not just egging you on. (GARY STEEL) F PN Gary Steel is an Auckland-based journalist who runs online vegetarian resource www.doctorfeelgood.co.nz He can be contacted via beautmusic@gmail.com

Bridget Schmidt, Ribena & Kelly Joyce

Grady Elliott, Katie Hawks, Fiona Tartlon & Talosia Talosia

Melissa Paynter & Verity George

Leah La Hood & Sheena Shuvani

Russell Green & Pamela Grant

Daphne Bush & Bim Wilkinson

SHANGHAI LIL'S OPENING, K'ROAD - THURSDAY 16 MARCH with furnishings and fitout from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

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LIZ WHEADON: WINE, GLORIOUS WINE

Port explained As the days get shorter and the nights longer, seems only fitting that we explore the glorious fortified wines from Portugal.

Nothing beats a warming glass of port on a cool evening. Port comes in an array of styles and the factors affecting the resulting port include: the varieties used, the site, the maturation, whether blended or not and much more. Port, though, is from Portugal, the Douro Valley which runs inland from the town of Oporto. Within the Douro there are three subzones: Baixo, Cima and Douro Superior. The most revered grape variety is Touriga Nacional although it’s common to have many varieties planted together in Douro vineyards, with more than 80 varieties present.

Very old vineyards were often a mix of 20-30 varieties in the same vineyard. Touriga Nacional is a small, thick-skinned berry that produces very low yields of dark, concentrated berries with enormous fruit character and tannins. Touriga Nacional fruit characters include raspberry, cassis, mulberry and violets; a deep red wine that gives great depth, quality and ageability to the wines. Touriga Nacional is often joined by Tinta Roriz which has larger berries, higher yields, slightly more under control tannins and, given time, develops a beautiful elegance.

The next variety is Touriga Franca which is very like Touriga Nacional though often subtler and has an attractive floral scent. Enough on varieties. With over 80 we could be here all year - let’s move to how port is made.

Port is a fortified wine; the fortifying spirit is added after two to three days of very rapid extraction of colour and tannins in granite lageres where it is foot trodden. The journey for port from here takes several paths depending on the style.

White port is made in the same way as red but without any contact with the skins during fermentation; it is then bottled young to retain its fresh, fruity style. White port is best served chilled and is an exceptional match with almonds and cured ham.

Colheita means harvest or crop and is a tawny port from a single year. These are aged for a minimum of seven years (usually longer) and are labelled with the date of harvest and bottling on the label.

Vintage port is the Rolls Royce of port, though represents less than one percent of all port sold globally. Vintage ports are ports from a single year, blended and aged for two - three years before bottling.

Vintage ports then require bottle ageing to enjoy these wines at maturity, which can be many (30 plus) years. Vintage ports are made from the best grapes off the top vineyards sites. Vintage ports are not made every year, rather the IVDP decides based on samples reviewed to declare a year a vintage year or not.

Late bottled vintage is a port from a single year that is bottled four - six years after harvest and released ready to enjoy now. These are wines for enjoying when purchased, not for ageing further.

Arriving in store this month at Glengarry we have the entire range of Quinta de la Rosa ports in 500ml bottles, making the price point super-attractive and a handy sized bottle. Quinta de la Rosa is a tiny quinta, family-owned and steeped in tradition, having some of the best land on the Douro and, while they make magnificent ports, their table wines have long received much acclaim as well.

Managed by the father and daughter team of Tim and Sophia Bergqvist, and assisted by Sophia's brother, Philip, Quinta de la Rosa has been in the family for 100 years. The wines are all grown, produced and bottled on the premises. At present the Quinta has 55 hectares and produces approximately 50,000 litres of port and 100,000 litres of wine. (LIZ WHEADON) F PN www.glengarry.co.nz

Ruby port is the first step on the red port ladder. A multi vintage wine, young port is blended together and bottled young retaining its deep ruby colour and strong fiery taste.

Tawny port is then ruby port that is aged in wood to turn tawny.

A standard tawny is then a blend of different barrels of aged port that has turned tawny in colour and taken on some oxidative characters.

Aged tawny is then labelled 10, 20, 30 or 40 which indicates the approximate age of the tawny when tested and approved by the IVDP (Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto).

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY WIN-WIN BRINGS FUN RETRO COCKTAIL VIBE TO PONSONBY If you’re a Ponsonby local or just enjoy a drink along the strip now and again, you’re no doubt familiar with The Whiskey.

Bringing the bright lights of Vegas to Ponsonby, Win-Win has a fun, retro cocktail bar vibe.

With a concise but regularly evolving cocktail menu, current picks include the Smoke & Mirrors, a refreshing and smoky blend of Gracias a Dios mezcal shaken with fresh watermelon, lime juice and Maraschino liqueur; and The Perfumer, a luxurious and alluring combination of Jose Cuervo Gran Centenario infused with white chilli truffle tea, fresh lemon, sugar, balsamic vinegar and orange blossom water.

A marriage of fruit and spice, Shot Gun Sipper features Bulleit bourbon stirred over ice with peach liqueur, angostura and habanero bitters. A long citrus drink to quench your thirst, Lemon Mirage marries Bacardi Carta Blanca, Limoncello, fresh lemon juice and house-made orange-ginger syrup. And we just can’t get enough of Desert Sage, a herbaceous Reposado Tequila sour with rhubarb, fresh marjoram, apple, lemon, agave and egg white.

With new specials each week and several cocktails on tap including Auckland’s first nitro espresso martini, bartenders Seth Williams (ex Whiskey) and Thomas Atuahiva and Isaac Fitzpatrick (ex Augustus and Ostro) will also happily magic up whatever your taste buds desire.

Not solely about the cocktails, the wine list features some unique offerings and there is plenty to satisfy the beer drinkers among us too.

Once thirsts are sated, guests can snack on sweet or savoury popcorn and jelly bites made by experimental jellyologist Jessica Mantis - our favourite, the espresso martini. Those after something a little more substantial will also enjoy the arancini balls, potato croquettes or stuffed mushrooms on hand from Ponsonby’s Il Buco.

And when the sun goes down, a mix of funk, boogie and retro disco and pop provides the perfect soundtrack for a good time with DJ Dan Sing and others spinning tunes on weekends. photography: Anna Kidman

Causing a stir in the neighbourhood, the owners of this Ponsonby institution have recently added to the family with a wild, younger sibling right next door.

Open 5pm to late Wednesday to Sunday. F PN

WIN-WIN, 212 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 361 2667, www.facebook.com/winwinbar, instagram.com/winwin.bar, www.winwinbar.co.nz

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PHIL PARKER: WHOSE WINE IS IT ANYWAY?

Ten top New Zealand whites Domain Road Defiance Central Otago Pinot Gris 2016 - $20.95 A light and fruity refreshing wine, ideal for warm weather. Smells a bit like lemon squash and nectarines. Best served a tad chilled - maybe 30 minutes in the fridge. Flavours of Rose’s Lime Juice, with a hint of pineapple, nectarine and juniper.

Soljans Estate Marlborough Riesling 2016 - $19 This one should please hard-core riesling fans. Pale gold colour, with aromas of beeswax, honey and nectarine. Crisp and just off-dry, it has flavours of guava, honeysuckle and clover honey with a dry and tangy crisp finish.

Toi Toi Reserve Marlborough Riesling 2014 - $22 Classic beeswax and citrus aromas and a nice green-gold colour in the glass. Just nudging off-dry at 12% alcohol, in the mouth it’s crisp and fruity with flavours of sultana, mandarin and apricot. Lengthy aftertaste. A great New Zealand riesling that has garnered many awards.

Fairhall Downs Single Vineyard Marlborough Pinot Gris 2016 - $24 Stone fruit and floral aromas. Opens up in the glass with nashi pear, nectarine, nice and mouth-filling with a hint of oak.

dry with a lengthy aftertaste. Flavours of quince, fresh cut pineapple, almond nougat and a hint of clover honey.

Gladstone Vineyard Viognier 2016 - $25 Hailing from Carterton. Smells like blond tobacco and honey. In the mouth, it’s rich and slightly oily with a good hit of 14% alcohol. Flavours of ripe peach, pineapple, lime and orange peel. Dry lengthy finish.

Domain Road Defiance Central Otago Chardonnay 2015 - $28 Very classy chardonnay from Central. On the nose, it’s hazel nuts, stone fruit and citrus.

Swished around in the mouth, it opens up with crisp fruit, minerality and a dry finish.

Flavours of toasty vanilla oak, peach and a hint of herbs. Dry and lengthy finish.

Matawhero Church House Gisborne Chenin Blanc 2016 - $25 Fresh, crisp and zingy - this one has aromas of lime and lemon with a hint of nectarine.

On the palate, it has crisp mouth-watering acidity and flavours of nashi pear, lime citrus and honeysuckle.

Pegasus Bay Waipara Gewürztraminer 2016 - $28 Even as a youngster, this wine has a huge amount of depth and complexity. Aged in old oak barrels and using some botrytised fruit, it has a gold colour in the glass and aromas of honey and crystallised ginger. In the mouth, it is oily, ripe, rich and mouth-filling.

A symphony of canned peach, nectarine, manuka honey, ginger in syrup, and lemon zest with a surprisingly dry finish.

Ngatarawa Stables Reserve Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2016 - $16 Aromas of toffee apple, lemon zest and lime squash. Easy drinking style. Very creamy palate with ripe pineapple and raw cashew, with a tad of pineapple and a soft acid finish.

Dry River Martinborough Chardonnay 2015 - $55 A lean, classy and elegant style (imagine... Gwyneth Paltrow in a white designer dress, with an enigmatic smile) similar to Kumeu River Mate’s Vineyard premium chardonnay.

Smells like hay, clover honey, tonic water and vanilla pod. In the mouth, it is crisp and

For local availability - I highly recommend searching www.wine-searcher.com (PHIL PARKER) F PN Phil Parker is a wine writer and operates Fine Wine & Food Tours in Auckland. See: www.finewinetours.co.nz Phil’s new cellar door book ‘NZ Wine Regions - A Visitor’s Guide’ is now available on Amazon Kindle.

MEET THE MAKERS IS A SOPHISTICATED WINE AND FOOD SHOWCASE Are you a local boutique food or beverage maker looking to reach your brand to a discerning market?

We are currently looking for exhibitors at St Mary’s College key 2017 event:

This ‘taste sensation’ is in a fun social setting at St Mary’s College in St Mary’s Bay, with live entertainment and fantastic auction packages.

MEET THE MAKERS Saturday 12 August, 7pm St Mary’s College

There’ll be parents, family, friends and the local community at this showcase - which is a fundraiser for the school’s science block.

Mingle with the winemakers and brewers, taste their varieties and buy at cellar-door prices, matched with gourmet food from local Ponsonby restaurants.

Great sponsor options exist: Naming Rights & Gold and Silver Sponsorship Packages If you have a beverage or food business and would like to take part in our event, for more information please contact Jacob Sheehan (jsheehan@stmaryak.school.nz) or Libby (eandmvesty@gmail.com) PN or on 021 467 761. F

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY

VODKA ROOM OPENS IN PONSONBY TO HIGH PRAISE FROM CRITICS New Ponsonby restaurant and late-night bar Vodka Room opened in January and has since been embraced by both foodies and food critics alike.

Lauded by Kim Knight of the NZ Herald as “the restaurant you didn’t know Auckland was missing,” and the “bar (that) takes Auckland’s nightlife to a whole new level,” by The Urban List, Vodka Room approaches traditional Russian cuisine with a singularly deft, modern hand and eye.

Expressions of this innovative approach can be seen in the Vodka-cured gravlax, the unorthodox addition of Russian king crab to the traditionally salmon-filled blini, and an Olivier salad that is transformed through the use of quail eggs and truffle. In a nod to Auckland’s obsession with the dumpling, pockets of beef and pork are invigorated with the addition of kimchi and chilli.

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Premium, fresh, seasonal produce with an emphasis on sharing plates is paired with an extensive cocktail list drawing from over 100 different brands of premium vodka.

Open seven days a week, the venue unfurls across two levels boasting three bars, three dining areas and an additional three private function rooms that can be hired for private dining, corporate meetings, cocktail parties or functions. The smallest space catering for up to 12 and the largest for over 60. We strongly recommend the afvodkato to finish, with ice cream, coffee and, of course, your choice of house-infused vodka. F PN VODKA ROOM, 5 Rose Road, T: 09 360 5050, www.vodkaroom.co.nz

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY

Belinda Nash, Jane Lowe, Olivia Scott & Abbie O'Rourke

Dani Robinson & Crystal Chenery

photography: Martin Leach

Helene Ravlich & Janelle Brunton-Rennie

Georgie Hendl, James Denton & Paul Denton

James Denton & Maddie Cooper

GOODFOR LAUNCH, WILLIAMSON AVENUE - WEDNESDAY 15 MARCH

photography: Jane Jackson

A welcome addition to Ponsonby! We now have an organic, bulk wholefoods and household items refillery that uses zero packaging and plants a tree for every purchase made.

GREY LYNN RSC, FRANCIS STREET

Dan Tippett and DLT have been creating an amazing mural on the carpark wall of the Grey Lynn RSC - the club will be 'best dressed' on Anzac Day.

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY KEITH GALBRAITH CELEBRATES 'PEAK OF 40-YEAR CAREER' Keith Galbraith, beer purist and pub owner has been brewing for over 40 years. A stickler for his craft, Keith brings winemaking philosophies to make his beer unique.

For him, it’s about bringing the best out of quality, authentic ingredients from where the beer style originated. Keith’s goal has been and always will be, to make great-tasting beer that is true to the beer’s heritage, fresh in New Zealand.

Keith has a long history with Ponsonby, having resided in the area, almost unbroken, since 1985. It was during his early days of residence, his keen enthusiasm for brewing, became apparent. “When I first moved here, my flat on Franklin Road had a huge underground laundry, which soon became the flat’s brewery. Many a night Jak Jakicevich (owner of Glengarry Wines), and I, used to stay up to the wee smalls, exhaustively testing my latest brew.”

Keith’s passion for brewing got the better of him, and in 1987 he left New Zealand to refine his beer making skills in the United Kingdom, working in a small very hands on brewery in Kent. Upon returning from his sojourn, Keith moved back to Ponsonby and set about obtaining the skill set needed to establish the institution that is now Galbraith’s Alehouse, in 1995. The alehouse, home of the brand for 22 years, is where you can enjoy fine fare and company and where Galbraith’s brewers tinker to their heart’s content. As Keith often says, “we were brewing craft beer before it was cool.”

Even though the alehouse sits in an iconic old library in Grafton, Ponsonby is not far from Keith’s heart: “Although we practice our craft across the gully from Ponsonby, my family and I still live here, and Ponsonby bars and restaurants have been particularly kind to our brand by embracing it completely. From Mark Wallbank’s Blue Breeze Inn (who serves our Gold Medal Czech pilsner on tap), to the small, but perfectly formed, 'The Governor' and of course Janene and James Draper of Farro Fresh who have been supporters since the beginning. No matter the shape or size, we have been accepted as Ponsonby’s own brewery.”

However, it’s on the international stage Galbraith’s was recently recognised, winning two gold medals at the esteemed 2017 International Brewing Awards, held in Burton-uponTrent, England in March. This year, Galbraith’s was the only New Zealand brewery to win a gold medal, and the only brewery in the world, to win two gold medals! Galbraith’s Bohemian Pilsner received a gold medal in the ‘Lager Class’ and Galbraith’s Rurik stout, received a gold medal in the ‘Strong Dark Beer Class’.

“This is huge for us, and for New Zealand craft beer in general. To be acknowledged by a group of your peers that both your ale and lager are of world standard is the peak of my 40 year career,” said Keith.

The International Brewing Awards have a long history, with the show often referred to as 'The Oscars of the Brewing Industry'. There were 45 judges, all experienced, working professional brewers, who came together to judge more than 1100 beers and ciders, from 21 countries. In each class, only one gold, silver and bronze were awarded, further enhancing the prestige of these accolades.

But wait, there’s more...

Upon going to print, it has just been announced that Galbraith’s Redemption 2.5% medium strength beer, has been awarded a gold medal at the 2017 New World Beer and Cider Awards. Another admired accolade to add to Galbraith’s already impressive list.

We are also pleased to report that our fine ales will soon be pouring at the team from Ponsonby Road Bistro’s new Jervois Road venture on the corner of Wanganui Avenue.

GALBRAITH’S ALEHOUSE, 2 Mt Eden Road, T: 09 379 3557, www.alehouse.co.nz

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ROSS THORBY: SEA FEVER

Somewhere out there We continue this year’s World Voyage journeying around South America towards Australasia and then back once again.

This morning we greeted the new dawn from the fantail at the back of the ship amongst a group of some 30 people who have been meeting here regularly since the beginning of the voyage. Interesting, mainly because there seems to be a similar group who meet also, but in the pitch darkness of night to watch the celestial guides in the night sky at the other end of the day.

Occasionally they have been accompanied by some of the ship’s officers who point out the constellations and explain how the ancient mariners navigated their way across the oceans with only the knowledge of the sky’s illuminations and the luck of the weather gods. Now that we are back in the Southern Hemisphere, our own Southern Cross seems to outshine all of the other constellations as our guide back - it feels like home already.

Ross Thorby with Pitcairn Island Tourism Minister Heather Menzies

This morning our following wake spreads across the flat, oily surface of the sea towards a fiery orange ball as the sun rises slowly above the horizon, lighting up the sparsely clouded sky. Amongst the crowd standing in awe at the majesty of the moment, were some holding iPads aloft in an ill-conceived attempt to capture the moment.

square grid-search around Podesta's alleged co-ordinates of 32 degrees, 14 minutes south and 90 degrees, 8 minutes west. For weeks they painfully tracked their way back and forth across the Pacific searching for the elusive isle only to come up short - as have so many other searchers over the past one hundred and something years.

The ocean holds many mysteries. In days of old, sailors recounted stories of monstrous octopuses ensnaring ships in their tentacles and great whirlpools that swallowed up whole armadas. More recent myths recall areas of great energy vortexes like the Bermuda Triangle, poised ready to engulf ships and planes foolish enough to venture too close. More recently the loss of flight MH370 confirms that the world is still a mysterious place.

There are a number of shoals and reefs in this part of the world that we will pass, some you can see from the ship - others are just a blip on the ship's sounder or a cursory reference appearing in our newspaper in the left hand column of the daily programme. In a few days we will also visit the mysterious Easter Island.

Today we were to sail within coo'ee of an area in the Pacific where the Island of Podesta is supposed to have been situated.

With today’s technology, the Earth's surface is well documented, an open book to sailors with modern technology - and thanks to Google Earth and Navman, includes us landlubbers who will never get closer to the sea than dipping our toes into the wild waters of a West Coast beach.

An island also known as 'Phantom Island'.

So, to the mystery of Phantom Island.

In 1879, sighted by Captain Pinocchio (I kid you not... it’s not April Fools Day, I checked) who reported it as being an island "...about two thirds of a mile in circumference with a two mile sand bank and a height of about 12 metres."

If Captain Pinocchio actually did discover his Island in 1879, for it only to disappear within a few short years, there could be several explanations.

A mysterious island, lush and tropical perhaps with undiscovered species and inhabitants, possibly pirate treasure - who knows? He named it after his ship. But it hasn't been seen since. The island, not the ship.

Several search parties have been sent out to rediscover it over the intervening years, - most recently in 1957 the Chilean Naval Amada did a systematic, 1350 kilometre

Discovered and vanished well before modern global warming effects were identified, theories abound of its demise through underwater volcanic activities or the effects of the devastating tsunamis thanks to its proximity to the Challenger Fracture Zone and Chile’s frequent earthquakes - although a 12-metre high island would be hard pressed to disappear overnight. That’s a lot of sand and debris to sink. And so it remains one of the maritime world’s most intriguing mysteries and the subject of South American naval training exercises. The oceans of our planet are an ever-changing and shifting playing field. (ROSS THORBY) F PN

Podesta is the phantom island located 1390km due west of El Quisco, Chile

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TRAVEL BREAKS: THE NEW THERAPY!

Inspired by nature with World Journeys The saying goes 'God created the world in six days, the seventh day he devoted to Rio'. Chances are he/she spent at least half of the remaining days on the rest of South America!

From the beaches of Copacabana to condors soaring over the high Andes, this is one spectacular continent. If you want to see ‘everything’ in a once-in-a-lifetime journey you’re best to take a small group journey on a well-planned itinerary (distances are vast!). Having a tour escort with you to ‘smooth the way’ also helps; this is South America after all. Others may prefer to explore a few spots more in-depth or focus on some of the incredible natural wonders. You won’t miss out on history and culture - it is everywhere you go!

THE PANTANAL While a lot of the Amazon’s wildlife is elusive, the wildlife of the Pantanal (mostly in Brazil) is much more on view. The seasonally flooded grasslands and tropical forests of the Pantanal are home to a myriad of wildlife from jaguars to caiman and capybaras to name a few. The fabulous Araras Ecolodge is set in its own private reserve and is the ideal base from which to explore.

Here are our five top natural wonders:

PATAGONIA At the most southerly and sparsely populated end of South America lies Patagonia. Shared between Argentina and Chile, this stunning region encompasses the end of the Andes, the wild archipelago of Tierra del Fuego and the spectacular Torres del Paine National Park.

Cruise the Chilean fiords and glaciers or base yourself in a luxury ecolodge.

THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS About 1000km off the coast of Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands and their unique wildlife were Charles Darwin’s inspiration for his theory of evolution. Today you can still encounter creatures found nowhere else on earth, and thanks to a lack of predators you can get up close without disturbing them. The islands range from volcanic black rock to white sandy beaches, and it’s all best explored on a cruise with onshore excursions accompanied by expert naturalist guides.

You can’t fail to be inspired be South America, this is nature on a very grand scale.

(WORLD JOURNEYS) F PN

THE ATACAMA DESERT This remote, high-altitude desert lies between the Pacific Ocean and the Chilean Andes, with vast salt pans, colourful rock formations and steaming geysers. The little town of San Pedro de Atacama is picture perfect, but we love the eco-lodges - our favourites are Alto Atacama and Tierra Atacama. Take guided explorations by 4WD, on foot, mountain -bike or even horseback, with all the comforts awaiting you back at your lodge.

THE AMAZON Size does matter! The Amazon is the world’s largest rainforest, its river the largest by volume, and its species the most diverse of any ecosystem on earth. Take a cruise from Iquitos (Peru) or Manaus (Brazil), or stay in an eco-lodge deep in the Peruvian, Brazilian or Ecuadorian Amazon. The biodiversity is stunning, from pink dolphins to colourful parrots and vociferous howler monkeys, and the local guides are passionate about preserving this pristine environment.

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JULIE BONNER: NEWS FROM FROG POND FARM How good has the autumn weather been?

I love watching the leaves change colour as the trees ready themselves for the winter slumber, shedding those leaves that crunch underfoot. The weather has been absolutely amazing. Today is another warm and sunny day with bright blue skies, a light breeze and the odd cloud puff that slides slowly across the blue.

The bugs are chirping merrily away outdoors, relishing the gorgeous autumn weather.

The grass, thanks to the volumes of rain we experienced early March, resembles an electric green carpet. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly it can change colour and grow like mad when the conditions are right.

My ‘to do’ list is also growing daily and as I’m passionate about pruning, it is top of the chores. Our peaches and plum trees are first in line, time for a serious haircut and to avoid disease, I’m particular about sterilizing equipment between trees. We have an absurd number of fruit trees; I’m going to be busy.

Our orchard has an array of fruit. There are banana hands hanging from rafters while they ripen, which are divine thrown into a smoothie or chopped up and given to the chooks for breakfast. Our crop of crab apples is fairly insignificant this year as are the quinces. Plus we have been having some night-time visitors (think four legged), who have been doing a super job of gnawing the unripe fruit. I would much prefer to leave them on the tree to ripen, but at this rate if we don’t pick them, the larder will be devoid of quince jelly.

It won’t be too long now and we will be enjoying that perfumed fruit which we Kiwis know so well. I picked my first feijoa the other day.

My garden is looking rather good I have to say! The corn, cucurbit and sunflower garden is just divine which is sharing a bed with stunning zinnias, chamomile, cosmos, zucchini and melon which is doing a fab job at attracting bugs, bees and monarch butterflies.

Never to old to change our gardening ways, I have decided from now on that I will plant my summer crops later, which is what I did with my corn garden and probably why I am enjoying its colour and promises of produce now.

Bill went back to the United Kingdom a few weeks back. The house has been quiet since he left and the kitchen has been devoid of the fragrant smell of jams and jellies and sweet concoctions.

We ventured to the beach a couple of weeks back on a Friday night for some fish and chips. We plonked ourselves on the black sand, unfolded the layers of paper, poured a glass of wine and enjoyed the sunset with our pooch (who by the way always likes fish and chips.)

Easter isn’t far away either. I have a penchant for hot cross buns slathered in butter, dark chocolate Easter eggs and a few days off to get out and do some serious gardening.

It’s also time again to think about my winter crop, what goes where and when.

Happy gardening. (JULIE BONNER) F PN If you are interested in more news from our place or perhaps some gardening tips, then visit my blog www.frogpondfarm.co.nz

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

TRAVEL BREAKS: THE NEW THERAPY!

LUXURY, PRIVACY AND SUNSETS Bringing luxury and style to the Hokianga, Marriner’s is located in historic Rawene, a 3.5-hour drive from Auckland and just 50 minutes from Bay of Islands/Kerikeri airport.

The large guesthouse is fully self-contained and has a mini bar stocked with organic fruit juices, plus iced teas, kombucha, wine, champagne and beers, dining for four and a television with a DVD player and Chrome cast.

Robyn’s vision is to sell a range of catered food and preserves, and this should be fully operational by the beginning of the summer season. Breakfast, dinner and pre-dinner cocktails will be served by arrangement and there is an excellent cellar plus a range of specialty beverages, and local produce and delicious pre-cooked, home-made meals for sale. Teas and freshly ground coffee with a choice of espresso machines or plungers are complementary, as are Forest & Bird NZ Botanicals Skincare bath toiletries, candles, and citronella for outdoors.

Both guesthouses offer Wi-Fi, Bose music players, a barbeque, a picnic hamper, indoor and alfresco dining, and access to a storeroom with extra cooking amenities and refrigeration to make sure your own provisions stay fresh.

The courtyard includes the swim spa and the petanque court and the outdoor sauna will be ready for winter. Both guesthouses have heated outdoor showers and discreet lighting and the courtyard faces into the sunset, making the swim spa a wonderful night time experience.

When Marriner’s owner Robyn first arrived in Rawene she faced the daunting task of rebuilding and renovating her old villa house. It was during this process she decided to stop being a barrister who cooks and start a business that was food and accommodation focused.

“I wanted to create the sort of place that I would like to stay in,” says Robyn, “with comfort, elegance and intimate lighting, fabulous bathrooms and a degree of self sufficiency and independence from the host when I want privacy.”

SPECIAL OPENING RATES APPLY UNTIL OCTOBER 2017: Large guesthouse: $195.00 + GST per night for one; $275.00 + GST for a couple. Small guesthouse: $135.00 + GST per night for one; $185.00 + GST for a couple. Two couples booking together: $415.00 + GST per night for both guesthouses.

With spectacular west facing views of the Hokianga Harbour, Marriner’s offers two elegant and stylishly appointed guesthouses, perfect for a romantic holiday or an indulgent lone traveller.

Check in after 3pm and check out by 11am. Marriner’s is not suitable for children.

MARRINER’S BOUTIQUE GUESTHOUSE, 2 Marriner Street, Rawene, Northland, M: 027 530 7881, T: 09 405 7881, robyn.bedford@xtra.co.nz www.marriners.co.nz www.marriners.com

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PONSONBY NEWS READERS ARE EVERYWHERE

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2

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1-2. Local resident Dianne Hill sent us several shots of herself on her recent trip to South INDIA. She was photographed at the fishing nets at Fort Kochi and at Aiyappa Mandir Temple.

3. Sarasa Shimura enjoying a trip to Tokyo meeting with old work colleagues Eneko and Naomi at Zakuro Restaurant in AKASAKA. Number one place Shabu Shabu and Sukiyaki introducing Ponsonby News to everyone!

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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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FASHION + STYLE

I LOVE UGLY X ONITSUKA TIGER It’s quite an honour: menswear label I Love Ugly is the first ever Australasian brand to work with one of the world’s leading international sportswear performance brands, Onitsuka Tiger.

The collaboration aligned Onitsuka Tiger’s rich heritage with the evocative geological characteristics of New Zealand.

I Love Ugly started with the existing Onitsuka Tiger Colorado 85 Mt Samara sneaker, and created two different styles to represent the North and South Islands. Both feature a full grain-tumbled leather representing New Zealand’s rugged landscape. The lighter pair showcases the North Island’s vibrant volcanic environment, with fiery red speckles

DON’T MISS+THE MAY

PONSONBY NEWS DEADLINE TO BOOK ADVERTISING:

Call Jo Barrett 021 324 510 or 09 361 3356 Melissa Paynter 027 938 4111 or 09 378 8553

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featuring on the heel. The darker pair pays homage to some of the ‘visually astounding’ rock formations of the South Island. Green speckles point towards dense native greenery.

Both styles are priced at $220. They launched for sale via I Love Ugly site in mid March, with a further release on 1 April via ASICS channels, Onitsuka Tiger flagship stores and select retailers. F PN www.iloveugly.com

MAY SPECIAL FEATURE + A - Z LOCAL CAFES & RESTAURANTS - INCLUDING DINING OUT, WINES, COFFEE, FUNCTIONS...

COPY DEADLINE: Thursday 20 April PUBLISHED: Friday 5 May

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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FASHION + STYLE: JULIE ROULSTON

'My new season' Ingrid Starnes Founded 2009 AW17/The Lost Pink Valley “The Hindu Kush, the Pink and White Terraces, the past, all tinted rose and all lost today. The Lost Pink Valley travels through places unreachable, with a romantic sadness and celebration.

“What we have now is special, and not forever. Imagination and memory, bespoke prints, embroidery, colours and textures make up an ephemeral story of beauty, hue and silhouette.”

Your favourite piece: “The Monsoon dress in our own Glacier print - it’s a shirt-dress style that's so easy to wear.”

Hot seller - your prediction: “The Glacier print is selling really well - and the embroidery story is a favourite for any occasion.” www.ingridstarnes.com

Elisabeth Findlay ZAMBESI Founded by Elisabeth & Neville Findlay, 1979 Autumn/winter 2017 “The Zambesi Winter 2017 collection makes a social statement through the embroidered inscription on cotton sweat shirting across both men’s and women’s collections.

LIBERTÉ – EGALITÉ – FRATERNITÉ - chosen for their meaning, they reflect the integrity and values of the brand.”

Your favourite piece: “Fabric is always my source of inspiration and the new collection includes a beautiful Italian stretch suiting in black with a polka dot in green and also in mud.

"One of my favourite styles in this fabric is the Cigarette Trouser which I already have in my wardrobe in basic black suiting. The Stretch Jacket in the same fabric completes the perfect suit.” www.zambesistore.com

Vicki Taylor taylor Founded 1999 Distant Latitudes AW17 “Echo. Repetition. Order. ‘Distant Latitudes’ draws inspiration from the minimal beauty found in recurring patterns. The circular and rectangular shapes created by entrances to tunnels, with curves that dissect flat planes and gradually diminish to a vanishing point, and the engineered beams and filtered lights that flicker and repeat as you pass through.”

Your favourite piece: “The Cloaked Tunic - design-wise this piece is stunning and clever and anyone who knows me and my layering, knows I would throw a black merino underneath for easy winter style.”

Hot seller - your prediction: “The Overlay Sweater - it’s just so easy to wear and I haven't been able to take mine off since I got it!”

Emilie Pullar Maaike Founded by Emilie Pullar and Abby van Schreven, 2010 KAME-ZA “We have taken a major inspiration from Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama and have gone completely polka dot crazy.

“Our custom fabric print is a dotty extravaganza and the whole collection has a Japanese feel in texture and silhouettes.”

Your favourite piece: “The Unity Kimono. We do a kimono every season and this version is full length with very traditional panelling.”

Hot seller - your prediction: “The Mirror Dress - a simple and oversized t-shirt dress in the most divine pleated fabric.” www.maaikeclothing.com

www.taylorboutique.co.nz

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FASHION + STYLE Turet Knuefermann Knuefermann and TK Founded 2005 Autumn “The classics are what it’s all about this season: easy, timeless pieces are what will work the hardest for you and take the stress out of deciding what to wear.

“A good reminder that quality and a timeless cut make you feel so good over throw-away fashion.”

Your favourite piece: “Light grey marle merino /cashmere jumper.”

Hot seller - your prediction: “Merino/cashmere jumper - it just landed and it’s flying at an amazing price of $369 - incredible value for money and like wearing a down jacket <3 Olive, black, grey and natural.” www.tk.net.nz

Madeleine Harman & Jessica Grubiša Harman Grubiša Founded 2014 Rococo “Rococo is designed to be both refined and playful, as its namesake suggests. This season we focused on romantic silhouettes, pleating and rich colour and textures throughout.

Think high-shine metallic golds, mixed with blush and berry coloured sateens and a signature jacquard textile woven throughout. The range includes our well-loved statement coats, as well as a collaborative jewellery offering, made alongside local jeweller Jasmin Sparrow, and a return to footwear.”

Your favourite piece: “The Ruth Shirt in white” (Jessica), “The Sia Skirt” (Madeleine).

Hot seller - your prediction: “The Houston Styles.” www.harmangrubisa.com

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FASHION + STYLE @ THE SHELTER Twice a year, The Shelter manager Jade Smythe, travels to Paris for a whirlwind buying trip.

Read about her Paris Fashion Week trip below: What designers are you always excited to see in Paris and why?

Marques’ Almeida, Uma Wang, Issey Miyake and Ellery never disappoint. They are always really surprising, fresh and new, or just insanely beautiful and clever. I can’t get enough!

What pieces are you most excited to bring into The Shelter next season and what pieces will be making their way into your personal wardrobe?

Oh this is hard! The whole Ellery collection was really amazing, can’t wait to have that at The Shelter and I am definitely going to be building on my collection of flares - I have a new-found appreciation for how cool they are! I also saw a lot of full-length skirts, so I’m excited to bring those to The Shelter and I will be working one of those in to my wardrobe for sure - paired with sneakers they just look so effortlessly cool.

What is your favourite showroom/highlight from this trip?

The Issey Miyake 132 5. showroom was super cool. The inspiration for this next collection focused on going back to the roots of the Issey Miyake brand - garments cut cleverly from one piece of fabric. It took me back to my design school days of studying Issey and his techniques and it felt really special to be in their showroom viewing the incredible work (and to be able to bring such pieces back to The Shelter). There were so many cool dresses and pants it was almost impossible to choose!

How does The Shelter’s brand and product selection differentiate from other stores?

The Shelter is all about showcasing the very best of local and international designers that have a unique point of view. Every piece selected for The Shelter is special and we have strong relationships with our designers to ensure we are providing our clients with a unique and curated offering. After the franticness of Paris, I love coming back to our little pocket of Ponsonby and sharing the world’s most incredible designers with our clients at The Shelter. F PN THE SHELTER, 78 Mackelvie Street, T: 09 376 6544, www.theshelteronline.com

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

OUT + ABOUT

Scott Woolright and Admir Mullaaliu

Rebecca Mahoney from team Showroom 22

The teams - THE SHELTER, Showroom 22 and Asset Factory

Victoria Cooper-Smith from THE SHELTER

photography: Thian Benton-Fieulaine

Mark and Hugo Thomson from THE SHELTER

Daniel Taylor, Phoebe Ratcliff-Reid & Melissa McIndoe

Riley entering the public choice competition

Zane Subritzky, Olivia Renouf and Jo Mackie

THE SHELTER, MACKELVIE STREET, BACKYARD BOYS CLUB

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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 APRIL 1925

Dear Clarice,

I’m happy to say that the repairs on my little workroom are now complete and I’ve been back in there working for the past week. I decided to make the most of the opportunity and change my broken window to a pair of large sash windows that I’ve had installed lower than is the usual - only two feet above the floor. The amount of light is wonderful and will be especially appreciated in the depth of winter. Dear George obliged my request for a box seat set below the ledges where I can sit in the summer with the lower windows fully open. It’ll make such a difference on really hot days.

I’ve made a nice long cushion for the bench. I’ve covered it with an old piece of cretonne with a delightful print of lilac wisteria blooms and wandering leaves in the prettiest of greens. I’ve lined the inside of the box (the seat is hinged) with a heavy calico cloth and will use it for storage. I’ll just see how damp it gets in there over winter before I decide to use it for fabric. For the moment I’m using it to store my pattern weights, various rules and other bits and pieces, which helps to keep my table free.

I’m in the midst of designing and cutting coats for the autumn season, but am having a little break from that today to make myself an afternoon dress. I’ve been invited to the wedding of one of my Ponsonby friends (another dressmaker) who’s getting married the Saturday after Easter... so I don’t have much time! As I didn’t want to use any of the fabrics I’ve been buying up for the exclusive use of my customers, I decided that it was a good excuse to go shopping and visit all the local drapers. There were so many beautiful cloths to tempt me, including a gorgeous deep emerald green silk taffeta, but once I spotted a length of silk velvet in a sublime copper colour at Shanlys,[i] I knew it was ‘the one’ and had to have it! It wasn’t cheap but as it was the last length in that shade and I am such a good customer they let me have 20% off the purchase price.

The design of my dress is inspired by a sketch I found in a Vogue magazine from late last year. It’s very simple and will look lovely made up in the velvet. Let me try and describe it to you... It is sleeveless, with the sleeve edges cut right to the waist (it’s not as scandalous as it sounds!). It has a low V-neck and a loose-fitting natural set waistline to which a plain skirt is attached. I found a matching piece of copper -coloured silk for this. The silk skirt forms an underskirt for a pair of floating velvet panels to the front which are attached at the waist seam. The fuller velvet back panel is lightly gathered into the waist. Inset to the neckline and under the

+ AprilNEWS NEWS 2017 + 64 PONSONBY PONSONBY PARISH

arms (providing modesty) are panels of old gold lace. I’ve attached a long eight-inch-wide panel of the same lace to the centre front of the skirt which is overlapped by the floating velvet panels and which will be revealed when moving. The waist seam is hidden by a pleated sash belt of the same velvet.

To finish the gown off, I’ve made three lovely full roses from the left over gold lace, which I will attach to the lower point of the V-neck. In my mind’s eye, which doesn’t often fail me, the effect will be charming, just like me!

I am thrilled with a coat that I’ve designed for one of my customers. It’s devilishly complicated but the effect will be most striking. She’s only just decided to go to Sydney to see her sister and is travelling in three weeks’ time. As she hasn’t given any of us enough time to design and make her entire wardrobe, there are a number of dressmakers currently engaged in the process. My soon-tobe-married friend is making her a pleated tweed skirt, a cream silk blouse and a best quality black Melton[ii] jacket. The blouse is to be worn with a black silk tie - très chic! It reminds me of the suits by that French designer Chanel. You must have seen her clothes in the magazines? One has to be very thin to carry them off.

Anyway... back to my coat! It is seemingly very simple - a straight cut style with a collar and long sleeves that widen slightly at the wrist. But it’s not as straightforward as it appears, which makes it so very interesting.

Inset two inches from the sleeve and hem edges are deep panels with zig zagged edges. As you can imagine, this represents a lot of work and intense concentration when sewing... hence the break to make my dress which will be a dream to sew in comparison! We decided on a heavy wool crepe with the inset panels in deep sapphire blue crepe of a matching weight.

Happily, I dissuaded her from satin panels - can you imagine how frustrating that would have been to sew? I’m feeling anxious just thinking about it! I know it would have looked astonishing but I’m not Madame Vionnet with a dozen skilled machinists at my beck and call. To date I’ve cut everything and have made the sleeves - so far so good. I’ll attempt the back panel on Friday and finish the fronts on Monday - I think I’ll need a rest over the weekend! I absolutely love this design but won’t be making another - ever! So this is a Maudie exclusive.

And speaking of Maudie exclusives, I hope you like the chocolate fudge that I include with this letter. It is my own special recipe! My secret ingredient is the real chocolate that I use in place of some of the cocoa.

Well my dear, I must take Tiger for his walk... he’s just trotted in, lead in mouth and tail madly wagging. How can I resist!

Maudie xx [i]

Shanlys Ltd was a major drapery store in Ponsonby Road A high-quality, all wool fabric with a velvety feel

[ii]

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

illustration: Michael McClintock

Thank you for your letter and the box of butterscotch, both of which helped to soothe my rattled nerves after the storm. With my tree tidied up and all unstable branches now removed, I feel rather relieved and ready to cope with any tempests that the coming months might bring. As a bonus, I have a nice big pile of wood drying off in my shed which should see me through most of the winter.

FASHION + STYLE EXCLUSIVELY FOR YOU Magazine offers a range of beautiful designer clothing from size 10-26 that is predominantly New Zealand designed and made, including its own label â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

In-store they have casual lifestyle clothing options through to fabulous special-occasion wear specialising in mother-of-the-bride, groom and guests. Magazine works closely with New Zealand designers to ensure much of the range is exclusive to Magazine Clothing.

They carry an exquisite range of accessories including jewellery, fascinators and bags to complete every outfit.

At Magazine they will help create your individual look with feminine, flattering and contemporary clothing tailored to suit your lifestyle and personality.

When you visit Magazine, regardless of your age, shape or size, you will have an amazing experience and be totally satisfied with your choices. To ensure you make the right choice, the team at Magazine has extraordinary styling ability, masses of creativity and fashion flair, as well as professionalism and an absolute commitment to deliver the ultimate service.

Magazine has 10 beautiful stores throughout New Zealand and is proud to announce the opening of its newest boutique in central Hamilton at 19 Worley Place. Other stores: Pukekohe, Mt Maunganui, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Christchurch with outlet stores in Pt Chevalier, Auckland and Taihape. F PN MAGAZINE, 4 Byron Avenue, Takapuna, T: 09 488 0406, 937 Mt Eden Road, T: 09 630 5354, www.magazineclothing.co.nz

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UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL Deborah Crowe, Crowe Creative Art Services/Fraser Crowe clothing Working out of her studio at the end of Ponsonby Road, Deborah Crowe is a visual artist who uses her design training and creative approach to make exhibition and commissioned artworks. She runs a bespoke art services business and co-designs and co-directs for Fraser Crowe, a womenswear clothing brand.

She is an Art Venture Creative Entrepreneur Award recipient who uses her strengths in communication to operate collaboratively in these areas of the creative industries.

Tell us about your partner My partner-in-life-and-crime of 28 years, Gary, works on Auckland wharf and often helps me with various art installation jobs and other creative projects. My business partner in Fraser Crowe, Kim, is an amazing creative collaborator. Every time we’re in the studio the adage ‘the whole is greater than the sum of the parts’ fits so well. We pool our thinking and ideas to cultivate invention, designing Fraser Crowe’s in-house digital textile prints and minimum-waste garments.

Do you have any pets?

I have a 10-month old tri-colour English bull terrier called Coco. She’s my studio companion (and studio security!)

How do you keep fit?

Walking up and down the hills in nearby Western Park with my ‘studio security’ keeps me quite fit. I love hill walking in Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas, but don’t do it enough. The same applies to going to the gym (except I don’t love it).

Your best friend would say of you...

I’m always there for her. I'm fun, empathetic, staunch... but also enjoy a joke.

Your mother would say of you...

I’m creative, ambitious and loving.

What are your virtues?

Optimistic, imaginative, open-minded, direct and a good listener.

And your vices?

Chocolate, coffee, working too much, being a perfectionist and (sometimes) being direct.

If you weren’t a visual artist, you’d be?

Hypothetically, if I wasn’t on this career path, and because I have the ‘service gene’, I’d probably be doing something that involved being creative and working with people.

Where do you live?

I live in an apartment just off of K'Road, three minutes’ walk from my studio at 1B Ponsonby Road.

Which is your favourite Ponsonby cafe?

Craft Kitchen - a short walk across the road from my studio and ‘to die for’ haloumi sandwiches.

Where do you spend your holidays?

I love to spend holidays exploring new cities, visiting exhibitions and or walking in stunning ‘otherworldly’ landscapes. Holidays always feed my creative practice and business; primarily because I’m constantly shooting images for use in my artwork or textile designs, but also because other places are great sources of inspiration and research.

Your favourite Ponsonby store?

The Shelter.

What's your perfect Sunday?

A flat white while reading the Sunday magazine in bed, walk the dog, potter around tending my vertical garden, sit in the sun watching the Warriors win at Mt Smart, go to a movie or have dinner with friends in the evening.

What were you going to be when you grew up?

I always wanted to pursue art as a career. Some years ago I thought I’d perhaps like to be a lawyer - mostly because I like detail, picking things apart, word games and structuring an argument. Then I talked to a lawyer...

How did you come to be a creative producer?

My parents encouraged me (and my sister) to develop our creative predilections, and to work hard at becoming independent people and thinkers. Art school was a great foundation for developing constant curiosity and inquiry. Alongside exhibiting for nearly 30 years I also worked in tertiary education and advisory groups. Immersion in that learning environment kept me stimulated and developed my ability to ask exacting questions and solve problems. Now, being self-employed, I use creative thinking all the time - not only in the studio making my artworks, but also in approaches to business planning.

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Favourite Ponsonby fashion label?

Zambesi.

Your best-kept Ponsonby secret?

The ridge of Western Park was once called Te Rimu Tahi (lone rimu ridge) and the Tuna Mau stream used to run through the park.

Your advice to Ponsonby art or fashion shoppers?

It seems appropriate to quote Viviennne Westwood here: "buy less, choose well, make it last." Be selective and acquire what resonates with you (fashion and art-wise) rather than something that is populist or trend-driven. Consider the narrative behind the artefact, ie, what you make it mean, who made it, where and how it was produced and whether you want to develop a relationship with the piece.

Your advice to young Ponsonby people aspiring to work in the creative industries?

Get to know your ‘natural game’, eg, if you do your best creative work at certain times of day or tend to focus too much on detail. Be open-minded, adaptable and willing to collaborate - it pays off and is fun. Say yes to opportunities to learn from others and recognise situations where you can utilise your creative ability. F PN DEBORAH CROWE, 1B Ponsonby Road, T: (027) 2771 225, www.deborahcrowe.net; www.crowecreative.net; www.frasercrowe.com

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FASHION + STYLE

Back row: Rob, Jess, Amelia, Alana, Laura; middle row: Bianka, Sarah; front row: Millie, Laura C, Matt, Meighan, Natalie

THE NEW SERVILLES PONSONBY Matt Borsos can easily say Ponsonby has become his second home, having already worked at the Three Lamps corner for half of his life.

As teenagers Matt and his siblings would travel in from Titirangi, where he still lives today, to get their hair styled at Servilles because his family always had a passion for excellent hair.

When Matt made the decision to pursue hairdressing as a career, Servilles was naturally the only place he wanted to work. "As soon as you walk through the salon doors the welcoming feeling hits you and you get to experience the energy of the salon. You come to understand the value of the artistic expression and being able to create something new every day," says Matt. This is what really appealed to Matt and he wanted to be a part of it.

Matt began his career at 18 under the guidance of the amazing Louise Pilkington, who had been one of Paul Serville’s early assistants. "Louise taught me so much more than just hairdressing; she was a mentor for the soul. Her outlook on life and warmth to everything was an inspiration that the whole team would feed off, a vibe that clients would then absorb,” says Matt. This is the Servilles ethos, nurturing and supporting staff to reach their full potential in their life and careers. Paul often reminds everyone, "What got us here, won't get us there."

Servilles recently welcomed Amelia Henderson back to the team, which was a surreal experience for Matt. He had taken on her role as Louise’s new assistant when he started 15 years ago, she would also shampoo Matt's hair as a client. So Servilles has both new and familiar faces at the Ponsonby salon.

Matt Borsos owes everything to Servilles, he wouldn’t be where he was in life now without them. He meet his wife Lisa there, also a hair stylist and now they have a young son together. This career has also allowed Matt the flexibility to pursue another passion, playing guitar in a touring metal band. Quite the contrast to hairdressing, he knows.

Paul Serville now lives locally and is often on the floor styling for clients.

“It is really unique to have the owner and visionary of the company so personally involved with the staff and students who come through Servilles Academy. It all helps to create an environment where the team feels like one big family.” Matt says

Matt now feels extremely privileged to sit in the big seat as the Ponsonby salon manager and lead an amazing team for Paul Serville.

Matt and the team wish you a very happy Easter and are looking forward PN to seeing you at Servilles Ponsonby. F

Matt Borsos Manager of Servilles Ponsonby

SERVILLES PONSONBY, 348 Ponsonby Road, (Corner of Jervois and Ponsonby Roads) T: 09 378 9799, www.servilles.com The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING

Julie Evans, Rachael Brown, Rodney Wayne & Grant Bettjeman

Rebekah Banks, Fiona Goddard & Seb Tomlinson

Colin Mathura-Jeffree & Sophie Chung

Wednesday 29 March Kérastase launched its new Aura Botanica collection at Augustus Bistro, Ponsonby.

INTRODUCING THE COSMETIC DENTIST TO THE DENTISTS, DR CLARENCE TAM Clarence is the chairperson and director of the New Zealand Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

She is currently one of two dentists to gain board-certified accredited member status with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry in Australasia. This standard reflecting the excellence of her work is sought by dentists and prospective patients alike.

Clarence's practice is mostly limited to cosmetic and restorative dentistry and based conveniently in Newmarket, Auckland. She is wellpublished in the international dental press, writing articles, reviewing and developing prototype products and techniques in clinical dentistry.

She frequently lectures internationally.

Clarence is an opinion leader for multinational dental companies Henry Schein NZ, Ivoclar Vivadent, DentsplySirona, 3M ESPE, Kuraray Noritake, Morita, Kerr, GC Australasia, SDI, Coltene-Whaledent, Triodent, Rhondium and is the only Voco Fellow in Australia and New Zealand. She holds fellowship status with the International Academy for DentoFacial Esthetics. She is a passionate and approachable individual, and is committed to an interactive approach with patients in all of her cases.

Before

After

Her slogan is ‘transforming lives, one smile at a time’, and we have seen it in action - the confidence change people can get from a smile they truly love is priceless. F PN Contact the practice for a consultation today: T: 09 524 8399 or T: 0800 PH 4 TEETH, www.clarencetam.co.nz

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING NAILS ON RICHMOND, MORE THAN JUST NAILS Nails on Richmond was developed in early 2000 and is still delivering the latest technology for nails.

Starting out within the nail industry, Natalie Pennell, an icon in her field, maintained a highly effective and productive salon with her methodical and exceptional procedures.

Today, Nails on Richmond has moved through many changes, now providing not only all aspects of nail care but spray tanning, eyelash extensions, eye couture, beauty therapy, IPL, waxing and all things beauty.

Nails on Richmond provides only the best quality products including Environ Skincare, Medica8, Pure Fiji, St Tropez, Lilash and OPI. You will be spoilt for choice when it comes to service and retail.

Without a doubt Nails on Richmond knows all there is to know about beauty, priding itself on care and quality services. Each therapist is an expert in her field, with only you in mind when providing your treatment. Serving great coffee and wine after 4pm whilst you relax and your pampering begins.

Nails on Richmond is still located on Richmond Road within the Summerfield Villas, having relocated for a short period whilst the villas were undergoing a recladding. The brand new premises have been fully redesigned to accommodate all beauty services and covers all four floors.

You may not see Natalie as much as you used to, but rest assured she will always oversee the delivery of the latest nail designs, ensuring quality and procedures stay PN second to none. F NAILS ON RICHMOND, 2/386 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn, T: 09 360 1950, www.nailsonrichmond.co.nz

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING Arvigo Maya abdominal massage therapies - a healing practice every woman should experience.

Arvigo Maya Massage is offered at Aroha and is fast becoming one of their most asked -for treatments. It is a modern adaptation of ancient Mayan healing techniques that incorporates modern knowledge of anatomy, physiology and herbology. Through noninvasive massage, this technique gently manipulates the muscles and connective tissue that hold the pelvic organs in place.

The intention is to reposition the pelvic organs so that any congestion blockages and adhesions are removed. When blockages and congestion are resolved, the body can self-regulate, heal and regenerate. In addition, physiologically, there is increased blood flow, the functioning of the lymphatic system and nervous system are optimised, and life creating energy is maximised. Both female and male fertility can be enhanced by applying these daily massage techniques.

When reproductive organs shift out of proper position, they can constrict normal flow of blood, lymph and nerve connections. Just a few extra grammes sitting on delicate blood and lymph vessels can cause havoc throughout the different systems of the body.

For women, by gently shifting the uterus back into place, homeostasis (or the natural internal balance of the body) is brought back to the pelvic area and surrounding organs.

Toxins are flushed and nutrients that help to tone tissue and balance hormones are restored to normal order. This is essential for conception. Old adhesions from invasive treatments to the pelvic and abdominal area are diminished gradually and safely when addressed by uterine massage.

"Rosanna from Aroha is a miracle worker. I've had a number of Arvigo and steam treatments from her leading up to fertility treatment, which resulted in a pregnancy.

I have no doubt that the work I did with Rosanna prepared my womb for the implantation of the embryo.

"I also found the treatment incredibly relaxing and it relieved stress in a way that I had not experienced before. In the past my stomach had always felt quite tight and I had lots of digestion issues. The self-care Rosanna taught me transformed my stomach into a soft, stress-free zone in a very short amount of time. I felt connected to my whole body and felt more alive. Once I have my baby I will be going straight back to Rosanna for after-birth care. I believe that every woman would benefit from this treatment no matter what your circumstances are. I could not recommend this treatment with Rosanna more highly" - Angela Maurice.

To read more about ArvigoÂŽ therapies please go to the Aroha Love website or email Rosanna directly. (ROSANNA MARKS) F PN www.arohalove.co.nz E: info@arohalove.co.nz M: 0273 866 587 or T: 0800mindbody

IF YOU DO NOT USE IT, YOU LOSE IT! In today's ever-growing world of electronics and cyber space conveniences, it is way too easy to become sedentary.

Remote controls, elevators, driving the car, emails instead of walking to the post box; even driving has become too energetic and we use home delivery. Being sedentary is one of the biggest reasons for our obesity epidemic - life is fast and all about short cuts but our longevity is not something we want a short cut on.

So please take advice from Keri Ropati Weightloss & Fitness and move at least once or twice a week. Get that heart rate up. Work that precious heart muscle. Take the time out to create a healthy, strong and mobile lifestyle. Then, you can sit back and enjoy those cheeky home deliveries every now and then.

(KERI ROPATI - certified nutrition/personal trainer) KERI ROPATI WEIGHTLOSS & FITNESS, 21 Regina Street, Coxs Bay, M: 021 530 807, keri.ropati@xtra.co.nz, www.keriropati.co.nz

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JOHN APPLETON: ON HEALTH

Vertigo - when the room is spinning but you aren’t How many readers have had the very unpleasant experience when attempting to get out of bed to suddenly find the room is spinning around them?

This form of dizziness often accompanied by nausea and sometimes vomiting is commonly referred to as vertigo. Vertigo is, however, a symptom not a diagnosis. It's important to understand this as there are several potential causes of the condition, which may require treatment including hospitalisation.

The most common form of vertigo is a condition known as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), which can occur during specific head movements, while standing up or bending over, or getting out of bed. BPPV generally lasts less than one minute but during that time it can be very frightening for the person suffering the ‘attack’. If it lasts for minutes it could be vascular resulting from reduced blood flow or if it’s hours it may be Meniere’s disease (vestibular migraine). BPPV usually affects older people, with most cases occurring in folks over 50 years of age.

BPPV is thought to be caused by small fragments of debris (calcium carbonate crystals) which break off from the lining of the channels in the inner ear. The fragments are commonly referred to as ‘ear rocks’ but the formal name is otoconia. They don't usually cause a problem, unless they get into one of the ear's fluid-filled canals. When your head is still, the fragments sit at the bottom of the canal. However, certain head movements cause them to be swept along the fluid-filled canal, which sends confusing messages to the brain, causing vertigo.

What can be done to help anyone suffering with BPPV? Dr John Epley MD an American Ear Nose and Throat specialist discovered a surprisingly successful treatment option which was first described back in 1980 and is now known as the Epley manoeuvre. The procedure is as follows and many GPs are familiar with it.

1. The patient begins in an upright sitting posture on the edge of a bed. The legs are fully extended and the head rotated 45 degrees towards the side of the affected ear.

2. The patient is then quickly and passively lowered backwards by the clinician performing the treatment into a supine position with the head held approximately in a 30-degree neck extension, and still rotated to the same side. If it is the correct side the symptoms of spinning may be quite severe. The patient will not always know which is the correct side and the process may need to be repeated to determine this.

3. The clinician observes the patient's eyes for primary stage nystagmus (rapid eye movement).

4. The patient remains in this position for approximately 1-2 minutes.

5. The patient's head is then rotated 90 degrees to the opposite direction so that the opposite ear faces the floor, all while maintaining the 30-degree neck extension.

6. The patient remains in this position for approximately 1-2 minutes.

7. Keeping the head and neck in a fixed position relative to the body, the individual rolls onto their shoulder, rotating the head another 90 degrees in the direction that they are facing. The patient is now looking downwards at a 45-degree angle.

8. The patient remains in this position for approximately 1-2 minutes.

9. Finally, the patient is slowly brought up to an upright sitting posture, while maintaining the 45-degree rotation of the head.

10. The patient holds sitting position for up to 30 seconds.

I have observed this treatment on several occasions and I have been impressed with the outcome. The Epley manoeuvre can easily be done at home but my recommendation is to consult with a doctor in the first instance in order to obtain a correct diagnosis.

PN (JOHN APPLETON) F

APPLETON ASSOCIATES, T: 09 489 9362, john@johnappleton.co.nz, www.johnappleton.co.nz

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SARAH-JANE ATTIAS: HEALTHY LIVING A big welcome to all athletes and spectators converging here for the Auckland 2017 World Masters Games, Friday 21 April to Sunday 30 April 2017. Plus a ‘special offer’ for Ponsonby News readers, a free ACC (no co-payment) osteopathic treatment.

Are you ready for it? It's the largest multi-sport event in the world, we haven’t seen an event of this scale since Rugby World Cup 2011. More than 25,000 sports competitors, from over 100 different countries. With audience attendance stirred into the pot, that totals a staggering 250,000 visitors over two weeks. The great thing is that it’s also school holidays so families can take part or head out of town to the bach - whatever takes your fancy.

We are excited to be involved. At our Living Osteopathy Clinic, we have two clients entering - yacht racing and tennis - both are veteran sports people. The preparation has been huge, a 12-month wind-up of body, mind and soul. What a climax, all that blood, sweat, tears and dedication. We are part of their high-performance support team - fine tuning, stretching, strapping, maximising blood flow, balancing and decompressing a developing body. If injuries are sustained, as New Zealanders, they are eligible for the support of ACC - the envy of the sporting world.

New Zealand has become internationally famous for being able to deliver on major events.

As a sporting nation we do it so well. Approximately 12,000 Kiwis are expected to compete. Even though competitors don’t represent their country, there tends to be a great deal of patriotism involved. This event demonstrates that whether you are 25 or 95, you have the ability to set sporting goals and achieve them.

These games, like the Olympics, are held every four years. There are 28 sports: archery, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, canoe, cycling, football, golf, hockey, lawn bowls, netball, orienteering, rowing, rugby, sailing, shooting, softball, squash, surf life saving, swimming, table tennis, tennis, touch rugby, triathlon, volleyball, water polo, and weightlifting. There are 45 disciplines within these sports - for example, swimming has backstroke, butterfly, freestyle and breaststroke. All in all that's a lot of competitors at 45 locations across Auckland - expect to feel their presence everywhere.

All sports events will be run to international federation rules and guidelines including anti-dope testing - good - my blood boils when I hear about someone doping!

Competitors generally compete within their own age group. This presents participants of all levels of skill the opportunity to compete against athletes of similar capability and age to win medals. Each sport offers men and women competitions. I’m chuffed that these games will deliver the largest-ever para-sport programme in the history of the World Masters Games. A total of 11 para-sport options for athletes with a disability.

The cost of staging the event in Auckland will be $33.6 million. Auckland Council and the Government have each approved $11 million funding with the remaining $11.6 million to come from registrations and sponsorship. An independent economic consultancy expects the event to deliver a cash inflow to Auckland of approximately $45.2 million, and a GDP impact of about $36 million. I hope that grabbed the attention of our Western Bays business community - let's roll out the red carpet!

In the light of all this good sporting spirit - and to support you finding your ‘innerathlete’, Living Osteopathy is offering Ponsonby News readers during April and May a first appointment with free ACC (no co-payment) for new clients with our associate osteopaths, Kushla Currie and James Hutchinson. Kushla and James are keen sports people and can advise on technique. Kushla plays club tennis, tramping and is a year -round swimmer. James enjoys competition-level badminton and mountain biking.

Remember, as accredited ACC providers, you can come directly to us. We can assist you in completing the forms, provide assessment and a treatment plan - no requirement to PN see a doctor first. (SARAH-JANE ATTIAS) F Please quote ‘Special Ponsonby News Offer’ when booking online or do give us a call on T: 09 361 1147, www.livingosteopathy.co.nz Disclaimer: This article is for general information purposes only. If you have a specific health problem you should seek advice from an appropriate registered health care provider. Living Osteopathy is a Primary Health Care Provider registered with ACC and the OCNZ. Living Osteopathy does not accept any liability other than to its clients.

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING UP LASHES & BROWS OPENS IN FREEMANS BAY Lash and brow specialists UP Lashes & Brows brings their flagship salon to its new home in Freemans Bay. After many years of experience delivering world-class lash and brow services, UP Lashes & Brows is excited to announce the opening of its brand new salon in Freemans Bay. The opening of the salon was a project two years in the making. In 2015, UP started construction at the bespoke new premises on College Hill, after a short period of time the property was sold to new owners. This led UP to temporarily relocating its head salon.

L to R: Sayuri Kobayashi; Ui Takemasa and Izumi Sugihara

Now in 2017, UP Lashes & Brows has returned to Freemans Bay in style. “We are so excited about the opening of our flagship salon on College Hill,” beams salon director and master stylist Ui Takemasa. “Our new home has put us back in the heart of Auckland’s beauty and fashion district, where many of our long-standing clients are based. Our clients have called out for a world-class destination for premium lash and brow treatments in the area, and we think our new space really delivers.”

Ui Takemasa has more than 10 years' experience in the beauty, specialist lash and brow industry in New Zealand and abroad. Her team draws on combined industry experiences of over 22 years in New Zealand, Canada, Japan and Australia, providing high-quality natural lash and brow solutions.

Contact the friendly and knowledgeable team at UP Lashes & Brows to arrange a free consultation or check them out at online. Better yet, drop in and ask about their PN dedicated client wine fridge, which has just arrived. F UP LASHES AND BROWS, 28 College Hill, Freemans Bay (Corner of College Hill and Cascade Street), T: 09 283 0687, www.upsalons.com

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HELENE RAVLICH: LOCAL BEAUTY

New in natural Natural beauty and skincare brands just keep getting better and better.

While interest in natural products has increased steadily amongst skincare users of all ages, research by skincare giant Kiehl’s has found that consumers still feel they are compromising efficacy when using natural skincare solutions. I can’t say this is true for all natural skincare ranges but for many, it sadly is. And we shouldn’t have to compromise, right? Luckily there are some brilliant innovators creating amazing new formulas all the time, so I have rounded up a few of them to chat about here.

Kiehl’s hardworking chemists spent considerable time over the past few years hitting the lab and created Pure Vitality Skin Renewing Cream (RRP $98). This 99.6% naturally derived formula is the first of its kind to leverage the combined efficacy of two world-renowned wellness ingredients - New Zealand-sourced manuka honey and Korean red ginseng root. The manuka honey used in Pure Vitality is sourced from a Maori-owned company called Watson & Son, who are one of the biggest producers of manuka honey in the world. So how does it work? Well, while cocooning the skin in a comforting, creamy texture, the luxurious moisturiser also helps skin resist hydration loss while aiding in recovery from existing skin damage. That is one hell of a multi-pronged approach to dehydrated skin, and I for one give it two thumbs up.

When a natural skincare brand gets major props on the notoriously thorough - and tough - Paula’s Choice Beautypedia website, you know it’s got to be good. This is the case for Drunk Elephant, a brand recently arrived in New Zealand at meccabeauty.co.nz and Mecca Maxima. Based out of Los Angeles, California, Drunk Elephant was founded back in 2012 by former skincare executive Tiffany Masterson. As their website describes, Masterson developed the brand out of a desire to create 'natural-themed formulas' that were effective and high performance. Masterson was emphatic that they leave out that which wasn’t effective - primarily added fragrance.

The inclusion of a plethora of exotic fragrances is where many natural-themed brands seem to go wrong, leaving many potential customers with major irritation to their already-sensitive skin.

Fragrance, be it from essential oils or synthetics, has even been found to cause damage in some skin types. Happily, Drunk Elephant are one step ahead with their innovative, fragrance-free products.

The Drunk Elephant line is a small but beautifully curated one, and it makes each product count.

All of the clever packaging keeps the ingredients inside protected, and many of the formulas include marula oil, which contains an array of beneficial fatty acids, anti-inflammatory agents and antioxidants. Drunk Elephant's Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil has been on high rotate in my house of late. It’s actually a very straightforward beauty product, in that it contains just a single ingredient: marula oil. Marula oil is an excellent ingredient for skin, and thanks to the great packaging that keeps it stable, this product is a winner.

High in critical antioxidants like tocopherol (vitamin E), tochotrienol, phenolic compounds and omegas 6 and 9, it hydrates, preserves and nourishes your skin, while restoring that elusive, youthful plumpness. Straight from the 'pip' of the marula fruit, the virgin marula oil in the bottle is virtually untouched by any chemical or fragrance, natural or synthetic. The oil itself is lightweight enough that it can be applied directly to skin, absorbing within a couple of minutes. It is amazing for those with dry to very dry skin like mine, but if you have oily or combination skin with patches of dryness, this can be applied to those areas too. If you haven’t checked out this new range yet then I highly recommend that you do - their Lala Retro Whipped Crème moisturiser is another absolute winner.

“I think that lipsticks are like flowers, they have an instant feel-good factor that will brighten anyone’s day,” says Karen Murrell, Creative Director of Karen Murrell Lipsticks, and I couldn’t agree more.

Karen’s lipsticks have even more to feel good about than most, being hailed as the ultimate ‘vegetarian lipsticks’. The range has no animal-based materials or testing. Instead, they contain avocado oil (to provide moisture, nourishment and hydration), cinnamon, evening primrose oil (rich in omega 6 to soothe and moisturise), and carnauba wax; renowned for its high melting point, ensuring they are hard wearing in even the roughest handbag.

Karen is always adding new shades to her range and lately, she also launched Karen Murrell natural lip pencils (RRP $27) as the perfect partner for your favourite natural lipstick shade. Smooth and easy to apply with long-lasting, natural colour, they can be used alone for a matte finish or as a liner or base to complement your lip choice. They are as natural as it comes without compromising on performance, which is rare when it comes to many natural lip formulas that last about as long on as they take to apply! From product to packaging, even the gorgeous boxes that house the new Karen Murrell lip pencils are ethically created: they were printed with vegetable-based inks on sustainably sourced paper by an FSC-certified printing company. Amazing, and how good would it be if all beauty brands went to the same lengths as these?

PN (HELENE RAVLICH) F

74 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2017

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

LIVING, THINKING + BEING ACADEMY AWARDS OF NEW ZEALAND HAIRDRESSING Entries have closed and judging has begun for the 2017 Industry New Zealand Hairdressing Awards - the country’s independent awards, aka the Academy Awards of hairdressing in New Zealand.

Judges are international hairdressers at the top of the industry (Frank Apostolopoulos, Wella ambassador for Australia and New Zealand, Kate Reid, North American Colour Director for Kevin Murphy; Sacha Mitic, Director/founder of Sachajuan; Snowden Hill, international ambassador Fudge hair/celebrity stylist), with the inclusion of local fashion editor Trudi Brewer to consider the beauty and fashion elements of photographic collections.

Hairdressers from all over the country enter - this year in record numbers.

Allsop says, ”While a lot of work and energy goes into producing the awards, it gives me great joy seeing the winners take the stage each year. I love seeing stylists, or artists as I like to call them, get recognition for their creative skills.”

Past winners include Michael Beel, Mana Dave and Brad Lepper.

The categories showcase hair with an editorial element. They include Hairdresser, Colourist, Emerging Stylist, Creative Team and Men's Stylist of the Year, with entries anonymous until the judging process is complete.

Industry was launched by Sara Allsop and Jock Robson in 2012 as a platform for New Zealand artists to showcase their creativity, their tag line: "where hair and fashion collide.”

Hair by Jenny Eastwood

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

Hair by Mana Dave

Finalists will be announced on 9 April, with winners celebrated at the Pullman Auckland PN on 21 May. F www.industrynz.net

Hair by Anne Marie Young

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CARING PROFESSIONAL

Sunnie Dang, nail technician/store manager at The Art of Nails Sunnie Dang came to New Zealand in 2010 to study cookery.

She tells Ponsonby News, “After the cookery course, I started a beauty course and found a part-time job in The Art of Nails in 2013. It has been really helpful in supporting my tuition fees and living expenses while I am living in New Zealand.”

How do you differ from other nail technicians?

I love what I do. When my client feedback says that these are the the best nails (not just the service) they have ever had, that makes my day.

How did you come to be a nail technician?

I was interested in looking after myself and doing nail art and facials.

Can you share an anecdote about a client?

My favourite story of all is me telling a client, “Please relax your hands.”

What do you love about your job?

I get to meet so many great women and help them with their nails and just like any other industry there is always something new to learn. I enjoy learning new things and I never have a boring day at work.

What do you do to care for yourself?

I always have my nails painted, no matter what.

What do you find challenging?

Nail art is always a challenge for me and I love it.

What's your advice to people seeking manicures and pedicures?

Please ask your nail technician about the products they are using and how the treatment is carried out. F PN THE ART OF NAILS, 1-3 Cowan Street, Ponsonby, T: 09 378 9585, www.artofnails-ponsonby.co.nz

Clothing Alterations

Alter Ego Roong T: 09 376 8689

M: 021 032 9128

182-4a Jervois Road, Herne Bay E: ra_cha29@yahoo.com “I get all my bits & pieces done by the smiling helpful Roong... and she’s got Eftpos = sorted...” MARTIN LEACH

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

LIVING, THINKING + BEING

HELP NIGEL WALK AGAIN Forty-eight years old, kind, gentle and full of life, Nigel suffered a stroke five years ago - in his spine, which is a rare thing.

It left him wheelchair-bound and learning to live a completely new life without the use of his legs.

Fortunately his spinal cord wasn’t damaged but the neurological pathways that fire the muscles to work and assist with walking were. The undamaged spinal cord gave Nigel hope and so he did two things: one was to maintain a weekly physio, yoga and pool routine as he was determined to stay strong and physically fit. The other was to research the internet for every possible way to get walking again.

Which led him to discover the ‘Ekso Skeleton’ (eksobionics.com). It’s revolutionary technology - a bionic machine that uses robotic engineering to assist the body to relearn the process of walking again. And he knew it was the best possibility to help him walk again. Then he then learnt that this ultra-modern technology was not yet available in our part of the world. New Zealand and Australia still lack these life-changing facilities.

Back to the internet and after months of intense research and hundreds of emails later, Nigel ended up travelling to Regibase, a state-of-the-art facility in the Czech Republic.

His initial assessment wasn’t good - he was told that his left ankle was too weak and using the Ekso Skeleton would negatively impact his leg. Disappointed but determined he vowed to return. After months of intense exercise and physio to improve his ankle, Nigel returned and finally experienced walking inside a robot. The Ekso Skeleton raised him up into a standing position and assisted him to walk again, step by step. Nigel has been told that with a more intensive Ekso Skeleton programme he could achieve his goal of walking again - goodbye wheelchair.

And this is where you come in dear reader. You could contribute a little to the $40,000 needed to cover the costs of flights to Regibase and five weeks of ‘walking’ inside the Ekso Skeleton. There are no guarantees but there is a very high probability that Nigel will walk again.

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

You can Help Nigel Walk Again by donating at: givealittle.co.nz/cause/getnigelwalking

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MEET THE TEACHER Kedra Schwab Kadimah School Currently teaching: Years 4/5 - 19 students How did you come to be a teacher?

When I was a teenager I was inspired by my diverse and interesting teachers at Mt Maunganui College. I really loved how they had such an interesting job that allowed them to serve the community in a creative way.

Where did you train?

I trained at both Victoria and Waikato campuses.

What brought you to your current school?

I enjoy working at schools with special character. It adds an extra dimension to school that makes teaching and learning extra special.

What are your favourite things about being a teacher?

Getting to know students and using their interests and passions to drive learning.

What has been a highlight of your teaching career?

I like to find high points every day, eg, when a class that was individualist succeeds at a team challenge. Or when a child learns something new - a girl in my class can now talk your ear off about the 'Goldilocks zone'.

What has been a low point of your teaching career?

Some days it seems that nothing you do is getting through to your students, but finding the good points and remembering that tomorrow is a new day helps!

How would your principal describe you?

Hardworking (I hope...) and dedicated.

How would other teachers describe you?

Techy and helpful.

How would your students describe you?

Knowledgeable and fun (after all, my class has K'nex and chatter rings!)

If you could wave a magic wand in your classroom...

I would make it stay tidy - learning is never orderly in my class. We make a mess, but we are still learning to tidy it up!

Five tips for mums and dads of primary school kids?

1. Make games out of every day activities, eg, on a walk/in the car ask "what is the biggest number you can see? What number is 10 more/10 less?"

2. Read with your child every day and if they are older, take turns at reading pages.

3. Have at least one device-free dinner a week and make conversation.

4. Allow children some down time - boredom inspires creativity.

5. Discussion idea: PMI. Discuss one plus, one minus, interesting thing that happened throughout the day. www.kadimah.school.nz

SAINT MARY’S STUDENTS AT IRB NATIONALS Saint Mary’s College students Lola Key (16) and Gaby Marshall (17) are to compete at Surf Lifesaving New Zealand’s IRB championships this weekend (1-2 April 2017).

The event will take place at Waipu, with 269 athletes making up 83 crews from across the country.

Around 60% of rescues carried out by lifeguards each year involve the use of the iconic orange IRB and the events are designed to test crews in skills both in and out of the water, from assembling and launching an IRB off the beach to picking up 'patients' from the water.

Lola is in her second year of racing and is driver; Gaby, in her third year, is crewman. Both girls started their IRB racing careers as patients (when newly qualified 14-year-old lifeguards), and have sat examinations in order to drive and crew.

Their team - Port Waikato's Sunset Beach, led by Shane Edwards - are the reigning New Zealand champions. The 28 teenagers and young adults train four times a week, and are expected to undertake a weekly run and swim over and above that.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand Sport Manager Mike Lord says, "Owning the title of top IRB racers in the country is a big honour and these crews will be wanting to finish off the season on a high note, so we can expect to see some impressive racing on display and a great atmosphere on the beach.”

Other crews will travel from parts of Northland, Auckland, the Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Christchurch, Wellington, Gisborne and the Hawke's Bay. Five different events will be contested including the Assembly Rescue, Mass Rescue, Tube Rescue, Single Rescue and Teams Race across the under 21, senior, women's and premier divisions.

Gaby says, "Through joining the Sunset IRB Team I have been lucky to learn countless new skills to assist in my surf life saving pathway. I’m now confident enough to drive a powerful boat into massive surf and hopefully save a life - and I have built a huge group of friends which I hope to keep for my whole life.” F PN www.surflifesaving.org.nz

Kedra Schwab

78 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2017

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FUTURE GENERATION SEASON OPENS AT WSAFC Over the first weekend of April you will find over 1800 junior and youth footballers from all our local schools donning the green and white of Western Springs Association Football Club and getting their season underway.

The planning and preparation started last year: there have been trials - lots of them - teams have been announced, a hugely successful open day and boot swap undertaken, now the games start!

At 'Springs' it all kicks off with Friday night football under the lights and on the turf with our eight year olds. Then, over the course of the weekend at Seddon Fields and all over Auckland, over 170 referees will blow their whistles to begin the season for our kids and their supporters. F PN www.wsafc.co.nz

ALL-ROUND ATTITUDE ENCOURAGED AT DIOCESAN The world is changing and the role for women is changing even faster. Co-ed or single sex education is one of those topics likely to start a heated debate at most dining tables.

A growing body of research supports the fact that single-sex schools provide the best opportunity to empower girls to achieve their full potential. And, as competition increases to get into top university courses, it’s not just academic success that is becoming increasingly important.

The ability to display leadership, collaboration, creativity and resilience are key traits which both universities and future employers are looking for. The vision at Auckland’s Diocesan School for Girls is to give your daughter the best possible start by encouraging and challenging her to be the best she can possibly be.

This attitude resulted in Diocesan graduates being offered more than $1 million in university scholarships in 2016. These offers include every New Zealand University as well as significant offers from Harvard, Cambridge, Sydney, UCLA, Brown and Singapore, giving Dio graduates access to tertiary institutions globally. Success in arts and sports sits alongside academic achievement and this year, swimmer Annabelle Paterson will take up a four-year swimming scholarship at Harvard University.

Not only do Diocesan students consistently achieve higher than average results in NCEA nationally, they are also a cut above their co-educated peers nationally in decile 10 schools, with at least 15% more Dio girls achieving NCEA Excellence across all levels of NCEA in 2016.

Results in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma were also excellent. IB scores are calculated out of 45 and a total of 24 is needed to be awarded the diploma.

In 2016, three Dio students scored 40 or higher and were acknowledged at the national awards ceremony.

In addition to this, Diocesan students received an outstanding number of New Zealand Scholarships across a range of faculties, with two Year 12 students topping New Zealand in their subjects.

Diocesan’s Principal, Heather McRae, credits the single -sex environment as one of the key ingredients for students’ consistently high academic achievement, with results in line with statistics from across the Tasman and in the United Kingdom.

“These differences in results do not mean that girls do not learn in co-ed schools; it means that the opportunities

that are provided by girls’ schools enable girls to achieve their full potential.

“In a learning environment that is free from gender discrimination and stereotypes, girls achieve greater academic success, are more confident and assertive, and are more likely to study science, technology and mathematics (STEM) subjects and participate in physical education. Post-school they are more likely to pursue tertiary study and careers in STEM, hold leadership positions and earn higher wages.”

But it’s not just about academic success. Heather says, “At Diocesan, girls take on leadership roles traditionally filled by males, they participate more freely in discussions, feel empowered to behave more competitively, and take healthy PN risks, such as trying new sporting or artistic activities.” F www.diocesan.school.nz

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DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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LOOK... WHO IS IN THE ZOO!

L to R: Lizzy with female ruru Rhu, who was nick-named after the rhubarb yoghurt pot her food was prepared in as an owlet; Rhu at five weeks old.

Lizzy shares her love for ruru Lizzy Perrett is passionate about birds. A zookeeper of 16 years and Auckland Zoo’s Animal Experiences team leader, she has worked with avian species from all around the world but has a particular fondness for owls, especially ruru (our New Zealand native morepork).

Lizzy is pictured here with Rhu, who she hand-reared after Rhu hatched at Hamilton Zoo - an around-the-clock job for a stint that saw her develop some nocturnal skills of her own!

The 17-month-old now lives at Auckland Zoo, and is one of four ruru we have, two of whom live in Te Wao Nui’s The Night. Rhu is among a growing number of advocacy animals that Lizzy and her team can be discovered out and about with around the zoo, giving visitors some very cool up-close and personal experiences.

“Late afternoon’s a good time to spot Rhu, when we sometimes bring her out for some dinner. We’re also training her and our other hand-reared ruru Nox (who was rescued from a dog park) to show off some of this bird’s natural behaviours as part of our expanding animal experiences programme,” says Lizzy.

What do you love about ruru?

Like all nocturnal birds of prey, ruru are expert hunters with incredible instincts. Their ability to see a little moth or cicada and grab it mid-air is pretty impressive, as is their silent flight and hauntingly beautiful call.

I also just love how many facial expressions ruru can have. They really are the most expressive of birds. Take Rhu, she’s got her very relaxed look where one eye closes and she just chills, and looks slightly out of it. She’s also got this ‘Oh my gosh, I’m so surprised/ shocked’ look where she gets these giant eyes. Then, when she’s what I would interpret as annoyed, such as when I’m cleaning her aviary, she makes herself look very thin and tall and gives me this bizarre look. It’s as if she’s saying, please stop!

wild morepork that visit the zoo every night - so look out for them in urban parks and your gardens.

How can we best help ruru? Control predators like possums, rats and stoats in forest areas and urban parks and your gardens. Plus, keep old hollowed out trees and plant new (preferably native) trees on your property to give morepork good nesting places.

NZ’S NATURAL TREASURES IN YOUR BACKYARD Daily until Wednesday 31 May Ruru are just one of dozens of Aotearoa’s natural treasures you can discover at Auckland Zoo. This autumn, come and take a trek through our New Zealand precinct, Te Wao Nui, home to everything from our 'living dinosaur', the tuatara, and cheeky mountain parrot - the kea, to little penguin, tuna (longfin eels) and kiwi, to name just a few!

See and find out what makes these taonga (treasures) so special and unique. Visit us anytime between now and 31 May, and you'll also be in to win a wildlife adventure, including return flights and five nights' accommodation for your family (2 adults / 2 children) to a whio habitat and a day out with a Department of Conservation ranger. www.aucklandzoo.co.nz

Best physical attributes?

Those stunning eyes for night vision. Because the eyes fill the entire eye socket, they can’t move them, but ruru more than make up for this by being able to turn their heads 270 degrees. They also have an amazing sense of hearing and exceptionally soft feathers for silent flight. All these things make ruru the ultimate stealth hunter.

Why such great hearing?

Ruru have very odd asymmetrical ears. One ear is a lot higher on the head than the other, which helps them locate the direction and distance of their prey. Their facial feathers also help channel sound to their ears (and light into their eyes), which means a ruru can detect creepy crawly prey in complete darkness and when hiding under leaf litter on the forest floor.

Can we see/hear ruru in central Auckland?

You can! While they generally breed in bush habitat and pine forests, they can sometimes be found breeding in urban areas, like bush-dense gullies or parks. We have

80 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2017

Tuatara PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FURRY AND FABULOUS - $500 PRIZE ANGELA BEER: ANIMAL LOVER

PETS AND PATS LUXURY DOG DAYCARE AND FARMSTAYS Welcome to Dog Disneyland, a 20-acre farm, 18 minutes from Ponsonby, where your dog can do as much or as little as they like, all in the safety of their own private, gated, secure, country estate. We pick up and drop off to your home/office.

Pricing from $40. Free $195 complimentary voucher for you to use for a no-obligation trial.

Daycare: We look after a small, discerning number of local families. We are like the private school of dog daycare. We have the largest and best facility in the country with the smallest numbers of dogs, the largest indoor and outdoor spaces and lots of one-on-one individual attention with our highly skilled staff. Kids can swim, play, unwind in our play paddocks, bushwalks, tennis courts, pool and cinema lounge.

Farmstays: We only have eight VIP guests staying per night and they sleep inside our luxury farmhouse with all the creature comforts they enjoy at home. When looking for care for your beloved pet, here are some questions I encourage parents to ask when interviewing potential places/services.

1. Ask how many dogs are in your facility/care?

2. Ask what is the staff to dog ratio and what qualifications do your staff have? So you can ensure your dog is getting quality one-on-one attention.

3. Ask what does my dog do in your care? Find out how much time is spent in cages or inside vs how much time exercising/playing, etc.

4. Ask what onsite care is available when my dog is with you. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not uncommon for some places when dogs are put to bed from 4pm to not have anyone living on site during the night. You should also ask how close is the nearest vet.

5. If using a dog walking service, ask where do you walk my dog, is it safe, how many dogs do you take out at a time, how long is my dog travelling in a vehicle for, what happens if there is an accident? Do you have insurance should anything happen to my dog or my home?

At Pets and Pats, we understand dogs are our best friends and cherished members of our family, they deserve nothing but the best. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to try the Pets and Pats experience, please call for your $195 free complimentary voucher. We look forward to welcoming you.

Dog HQ: Herne Bay; Country Estate: Dairy Flat. M: 021 539 699, angela@petsandpats.com facebook.com/petsandpats

SPCA ANIMALS LOOKING FOR HOMES

Izzy

Snow White The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

Potato

Jaxon

Champagne DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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PONSONBY PEOPLE + THEIR PETS

Vaughn Davis and Spike Vaughn Davis has lived in Ponsonby for some 20 years (“I moved in back when human beings could afford to move here”) and for the past six years has been running an advertising agency called The Goat Farm.

Vaughn’s office is about a five minute walk from home, which makes for a pretty easy commute.

How old is Spike? What breed is he?

Spike is six years old. He’s a Border terrier (AKA border terrorist) although other Border terriers we’ve met seem to have somewhat shorter legs and are nowhere near as handsome. Most other Borders we meet seem to be regularly groomed too... Spike prefers to keep his natural full-body mohawk.

How long have you had Spike and how did you choose him?

We’ve had Spike since he was 12 weeks old. We were looking for a family dog with a great temperament, and one that would be big enough not to be afraid of our chickens, but small enough to comfortably ride along in my plane. As it turns out he doesn’t really like the plane and the chickens terrify him. I also considered a beagle, but a biosecurity dog handler at the airport convinced me I’d be nuts to go for one.

How did Spike get his name?

Spike got his name from his devil-may-care hairstyle. He’s basically a bunch of hair standing on end with a dog attached. Not that that hair stays attached for long... I sweep up so much from the floor that I could glue each week’s haul to a cooked chicken and have a whole new dog.

What is your favourite thing to do together?

Spike loves walking with me up and down Ponsonby Road and is very grateful to the shop owners who provide water bowls outside their doors.

SPCA - NEW ACCESSIBLE STORY BOOKS Last October SPCA launched a series of original storybooks in schools with the aim of helping Kiwi kids to both improve their reading skills and learn to care for and respect animals.

Now, our Education Team is working with the Blind Foundation to make these storybooks accessible for children who have vision impairment.

They will be transcribing our six SPCA storybooks into accessible formats so that they can be enjoyed by everybody. These formats include Braille, large print, audio and accessible electronic text.

The SPCA Learn-to-Read Storybooks are skilfully written to enable teachers to integrate them straight into their classroom literacy programmes. The intention of each story is to teach core animal welfare messages, while also supporting the development of children’s reading skills and strategies.

Each of the six books is based on a real-life animal from the SPCA and has messages of animal welfare and tips on how kids can care for their own animals at home.

The SPCA Storybooks are the latest addition to the SPCA Education programme launched in July 2016. SPCA Education is an evidence-based programme for New Zealand schools that aligns with the curriculum and teaches animal welfare in a real-life, meaningful context. F PN You can find out more about our new books on our SPCA portal at: https://kids.spcaeducation.org.nz/ and purchase the books on our website at http://rnzspca.org.nz/shop/spca-learn-to-read-story-books.

Does Spike have any friends?

Spike is always keen to say hello to any dog or cat he meets on our travels and always forgives the ones who growl or bark (secretly he’s judging them though).

What does Spike like to eat?

Spike will arise from the sleep of the dead at the merest hint of a cheese package being opened, but mostly he lives boringly but nutritiously on Hill’s Science Diet. He also has the cherished remains of a beef bone he’s been working on since 2015. F PN www.tgf.co.nz

82 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2017

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

PONSONBY PROFESSIONALS: LOGAN GRANGER

2016 budget changes due to come into effect 1 April 2017 The 2016 budget announced by the National Government introduced a bill containing proposed changes to various business taxes including changes to the withholding tax rules.

This initiative is part of the Government's plan to simplify business taxes for small to medium-sized businesses, intending to make it easier for contractors to comply with and self-manage their tax obligations. The legislation was passed this month, with the changes taking effect from 1 April 2017 and affects all payments from this date on.

or temporary employees who receive salary or wages. If you are a labour hire business and you’d incur reasonable costs to have systems in place to comply with these new tax changes, you can delay the date you start complying to the earlier of 1 July 2017, or the date when you can start complying.

You may be affected by the changes if you are one of the following: • You pay schedular payments • You receive schedular payments • You're a labour hire business and you pay contractors • You're a contractor working for a labour hire business, eg, recruitment company, or • You pay provisional tax

Changes to the provisional tax regime are mainly surrounding the use-of-money interest rules. To provide more certainty, the following has changed for tax payers using the standard method (Previous year’s residual income tax + 5%).

If you pay schedular payments, on behalf on contractors, and they want to change their rate of withholding tax, or if you have a new contractor start working for you, then you will need to give them a tax rate notification for contractors (IR330C) instead of the tax code declaration form (IR330). Using the IR330C, contractors subject to schedular payment rules can choose their own tax rate subject to minimums.

If you are required to have withholding deductions and the IR330C is not submitted by 31 March 2017, then the default withholding rate of 45% will be deducted from your payments as specified by the IRD. If you are a labour hire business and you pay contractors to do work for your clients under a labour hire arrangement, from 1 April these payments fall under the schedular payment regime and tax must be deducted. You will need to complete the new IR330C for all contractors, and elect which rate to deduct tax at. These rules don’t affect employees

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

• When determining the interest start date, the $50,000 RIT threshold for individuals using the standard option has been increased to $60,000.

• This threshold will also apply to non-individuals.

The new bill also has made a slight change to the monthly incremental late penalties charged to the different tax accounts. The 1% monthly incremental late payment penalties will no longer be charged on the following: • GST debts for the period ending 31 March 2017 and later • Income tax (including provisional tax) for the 2017-18 and later income years, and • Working for Families Tax Credits overpayments for the 2017-18 and later income years. (LOGAN GRANGER) F PN Disclaimer - While all care has been take, 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

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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HELENE RAVLICH: LOCAL AGENCIES

Dow Design’s Donna McCort Local agency Dow Design is in the 'business of brand', and has been for nigh on 23 years.

This is a phenomenal achievement for any business let alone one in an industry as fastpaced and fickle as advertising, and Creative Director Donna McCort has been there for pretty much the whole of the ride.

When we chat on a busy - nay, chaotic - Tuesday afternoon there is a definite pride in her voice about what has been achieved by the still-nimble team of professionals. Many of the team are long serving employees like her, and even the average client tenure at Dow is 10-plus years, with some clients like Fonterra Brands sticking with Dow since its inception. Clearly they know what good design looks like and how to sell it, and then sell it some more.

During her 21-year-long stint with the agency, Donna has helped brands like Hellers, McCoy and Fonterra reinvent and refresh their image, messaging and branding, and her approach to branding and design is that creative excellence will bring clients a healthy return on their investment. She started with Dow as a part-time contractor then turned full-time employee, eventually taking on the role of creative director after passing through the ranks of the innovative creative team.

The industry veteran says she has watched the advertising and design industry landscape shift dramatically over the years, “with so many of the big players that were around when I started no longer in business today.” So what is the key to Dow’s longevity, their true point of difference? “Well, I believe the first point is that we’re not afraid of being commercial,” says McCort, “even though that may be a bit of an outmoded term.

We are really results-driven for our clients, and although some of our competitors are doing absolutely beautiful and super-creative work, that approach can veer into the ‘arty’ side of design and may not always work once it hits the market.” She adds that they are pragmatic and almost without a ‘house style’, as they try to produce work that is right for the client as opposed to being immediately recognised as the work of the Dow Design creative department. “We put the client first and create work for them that reflects their wants and needs, as opposed to just something ‘cool’ that people might now engage with in that way.”

Another key point of difference - and strength, if you will - that Dow Design is proud of is the fact that the business is headed by a woman (Annie Dow) and that there are a large number of females on their team. Dow started the business with her late husband Greg after the pair saw a gap in the New Zealand market for a truly boutique brand design business. Greg came from an account service background and Annie had made a name for herself in design, and together they saw that as a complementary match.

And it worked. Donna is one of the few female creative directors in the New Zealand

advertising industry, which is both sad and a reflection of what happens all over the world. She is clearly proud of what she and Annie Dow have achieved as members of an industry minority, “and I think it makes us more intuitive and also more empathetic perhaps than many of our competitors.

Although we have a lot of men on our team as well, our culture is different and our clients appreciate that.”

With a team of just 16, Dow Design is still proudly boutique, but pull in contractors with specialist skill sets when those are required. They also add to their number when particularly big jobs are reaching a crucial point, and that goes across both the design department and production. “We do get through an incredible amount of work for a small team though,” says Donna with a laugh, “which could be a girl thing too!”

One of the campaigns the company has worked on over the past 12 months that they are especially proud of is a rebrand and refresh for Mac’s beer. A lot had changed for Mac’s in the beer category since it trail-blazed the birth of craft beer in New Zealand, back in 1981. Despite its rich heritage and independent brewing reputation, the brand had started to lose a bit of momentum in a market jostling with bright-eyed, fancy-named new players. They were still quietly making great beer and consistently winning awards, but the challenge was to tell the burgeoning ranks of discerning and mindful beer drinkers more about what makes each of Mac’s’ brews so great. “It was an amazing project for us to work on and the results have been incredible,” says the respected creative director with a smile. “When we inherited them as a client their sales were 20% in decline and they clearly needed help. We carried out a full rebrand and now PN their sales are up 34%. We couldn’t be more proud!” (HELENE RAVLICH) F www.dowdesign.co.nz

KITTENS FOUND LIVING ROUGH - NOW READY FOR ADOPTION Thirteen kittens of varying ages up to three months were found living in hideous conditions at a house in Auckland.

One kitten had a broken leg, one was so anaemic due to being flea ridden (as they all were) he had white gums and was so listless he couldn’t move - the mums were starving. The good news is the kittens are now being fostered and we will

Ted

soon be looking for homes for them. Geraldine at the Herne Bay Pharmacy is kindly fostering seven of the kittens and Gareth of Ponsonby Vet and Herne Bay Vet is fostering the others. They are all being de-sexed ready for adoption.

Mandy

Tilly

For further information call Billie, M: 021 671 712 or email billie@daviesandpartners.co.nz

84 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2017

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

PONSONBY PROFESSIONALS: METROLAW GOT A LEGAL QUESTION? ASK MICHAEL@METROLAW.CO.NZ

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.

Q:

I run a restaurant in town with views overlooking the entire city towards the harbour. The landlord has just begun carrying out work on the exterior of the building and has installed scaffolding that I am told will remain for several months. Our windows are basically covered and it is difficult for customers to even access the restaurant. What can I do about this? I realise that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unlikely I will be able to force the landlord to take down the scaffolding.

It seems like renovations are in the air at present with half of Auckland covered in scaffolding. It is hard not to sympathise with the shops and restaurants whose businesses are being interfered with as the land owners attempt to maintain their buildings and comply with earthquake strengthening regulations. At the moment one team is digging up our street, while another is digging up the pavement opposite and the jackhammering is almost constant.

A:

The standard terms of the current Auckland District Law Society Deed of Lease provide that a landlord is entitled to conduct necessary works on leased premises so long as these works are carried out with the least possible inconvenience to you, the tenant.

A balance needs to be found between the right of the landlord to undertake maintenance on their property and the rights of the tenant to quiet enjoyment of the premises. The right to quiet enjoyment is expressly contained in the majority of leases and is now implied into all leases of land by the Property Law Act 2007.

A breach of your right to quiet enjoyment will occur when there has been a substantial or material disruption to your use of the leased premises due to an act or omission by the landlord. There have been examples in New Zealand where a tenant faced with renovations to their building (at times preventing access and creating noise, dust and disturbance) was successful in obtaining an injunction to stop the landlordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s works.

Put simply, even though the lease allows for the landlord to enter onto the premises and perform repairs and other works this may still breach your right of quiet enjoyment. You may be entitled to damages or in some circumstances an injunction stopping the work.

At first instance the best course is to negotiate with your landlord. It may be that you can agree to a plan for carrying out the works that would minimise disruption. Going to court to enforce your rights is expensive but still remains an available option.

Let me know if you require any assistance from Metro Law. We can assist you with reviewing your lease documents, advising you and communicating with your landlord.

PN (MICHAEL HEMPHILL) F 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.

METRO LAW, Level 1, 169A Ponsonby Road, T: 09 929 0800, www.metrolaw.co.nz

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2017

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS

@ COAST 1. COAST Outdoor Cushions - $135 A perfect accessory for Coast outdoor bean bags, made from Sunbrella outdoor fabric.

2. COAST Marine Bean Chair - $599 Designed and made in New Zealand with a five-year exterior guarantee, from Marine-grade Sunbrella brand fabric and available in four stock colours.

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3. COAST Picnic Bags - $399 Made from hardy, waterproofed cotton canvas, fully insulated and complete with flexible bottle-holders and three external pockets.

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4. COAST Cotton Beach Towels - $69.99 These are thick, generously proportioned and deliciously soft in 100% premium cotton.

5. Govino Wine glasses - $34.95 Perfect for hosting a party or picnics, Govino is top-rack dishwasher safe and shatterproof, made from BPA & BPS free polymer.

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COAST, 77 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 354 4552, info@coast.co.nz, www.coast.co.nz

@ DAWSON & CO 1. Gatsby Sofa by Timothy Oulton - The Gatsby sofa transports you back to the Roaring Twenties, evoking glamorous parties at home when everyone let loose, poured a drink and put on some jazz - $9879 2. Den Sofa by Timothy Oulton - A luxurious lair, the Den sofa is built to be shared with friends. The high back and sides create a feeling of intimacy for truly engaging conversations, while the nest of lofty feather -filled cushions offers supreme comfort - from $8839 3. Wildcat Chair by Timothy Oulton - The award-winning Aviator Tomcat chair takes a walk into more wild terrain with the Wildcat chair, swapping its industrial persona for a more natural and relaxed temperament - from $3069

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4. Cabana Yeti Chair by Timothy Oulton - Inspired by relaxed outdoor lounging, the generously proportioned Cabana chair is clad in a choice of premium finishes, offset by rustic weathered oak legs - $4319

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DAWSON & CO., 115 The Strand, Parnell and 38 Constellation Drive, Rosedale, T: 09 476 1121, www.dawsonandco.nz

86 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2017

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS

@ CORSO DE FIORI 1. Sempre Kubu Egg Chair - $929 2. Artcopi Atelier extension dining table - $6690 3. Salam teapots - $179.90 4. Artcopi Charme des Temps white panel cupboard - $6299

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CORSO DEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; FIORI The Foundation, 8 George Street, Newmarket, T: (09) 307 9166, www.corso.co.nz

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DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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STREET NAMES: THE HISTORICAL BOROUGH OF PONSONBY AND GREY LYNN

Potatau Street Potatau is the family name of a dynasty of Maori kings.

The Potatau came to the fore as royalty in 1858. Potatau Te Wherowhero, the first Maori King was was born about 1800, the son of a famous warrior, Te Rauangaanga who waged many campaigns against the Ngati Toa tribes in Taranaki until the European missionary effort influenced the warlike chiefs to desist hostilities and they became more inclined towards peace. Although Te Wherowhero attended church services regularly, he refused to be baptised.

When Governor Grey sent emissaries to the Waikato in the hope of getting leading chiefs to sign the Treaty of Waitangi, none of them, including Te Wherowhero would cede sovereignty to the British Crown. Nevertheless, he tolerated European settlers in his region but became less friendly towards them as they started to gobble up more and more Maori land. Because of his huge mana, he was declared Maori King in 1858. His investiture was celebrated with great ceremony at Ngaruawahia.

Potatau cut an impressive figure and was probably the most famous warrior of his day.

He was over six feet tall and apparently Te Wherowhero means red man because he was the first among his people to wear a scarlet blanket. Potatau means ‘he that counts by night’, the name given to him when his wife, for whom his love was so great that he sat sleepless for many nights as she lay dying. Te Wherowhero died on 25 June 1860. Many tribes gathered to pay tribute to the great warrior chief and he was succeeded as king by his senior wife’s son, Tawhiao Tukaroto Matutaera Potatau Te Wherowhero.

First named Tawhiao, he was brought up by his maternal grandparents and his reign lasted for 34 years right through the most turbulent era of Maori-Pakeha relations. He was a Christian and bible student as well as being very familiar with the Tainui priesthood’s ancient rites. Later he was baptised by an Anglican missionary and named Matutaera or Methuselah. During his adolescence his father had encouraged him to be a man of peace and in later years his sayings were regarded as prophetic. The main problems that Maori had to contend with after signing the treaty were the accumulation of land by the settler population and the social mayhem caused by European contact. The wars of the 1860s in Taranaki and the Waikato, and the government's confiscation of Maori land saw Potatau and his people landless and forced to retreat into King Country.

When British forces invaded the Waikato on the pretence that the Maori tribes were intending to attack Auckland, Tawhiao, as he was now called, and his people lost more than a million acres to the settlers. He was a strong advocate of guerilla warfare but his warriors insisted on retreating into fortresses which were overwhelmed by the British. If his tactics had been adopted the Waikato campaign would have been more problematic for the British. Tawhiao then moved deep into the King Country where he ran a prosperous pa until peace was made in 1881.

The third Maori King, Mahuta Tawhiao Potatau Te Wherowhero was Tawhiao's second son but elected to the office of king by the Kauhanganui or King Parliament that was set up by Tawhiao to complement the Colonial legislative council but was denied by Auckland authorities. The parliament's members consisted of tribally appointed delegates who advised the king on policy and was used by him to communicate with his subjects. It remains in existence today. Mahuta did a deal with Seddon which enabled him to accept a seat on the Legislative Council. This was in exchange for opening up one million acres for settlement on a leasehold basis. He later decided not to remain on the council in order to maintain the King Movement’s independence. He died in 1912.

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Te Rata Mahuta Potatau Te Wherowhero, the eldest of Mahuta’s five sons was the fourth Maori King. He travelled to England and was granted an audience with King George V when he presented yet another petition asking for the restoration of confiscated land but the British government reiterated that Maori must look to the New Zealand government for the redress of grievances. Te Rata fell ill during the failed expedition but it confirmed his status as the first Maori King to be received by a reigning British monarch. He died in October 1935. The following Maori Queen Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu was a descendant of Te Rata as is the present Maori King.

David Batten runs a Facebook page - Arch Hill Matters and tells us that about 1935 Potatau Street was known as Codrington Street. He doesn't know why it was changed except that soon after Codrington Crescent appeared as a street name in Mission Bay. PN (DEIRDRE ROELANTS) F

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WAKE UP ON THE RIGHT SIDE WITH FREEDOM FURNITURE If you're looking for a timeless bedroom refresh, Freedom Furniture’s Luxe Bedding linen range provides a great start for those seeking a room revival or simply the perfect finishing touch to any bedroom.

Unique textures, subtle patterns and modern fabrics form the foundation of the Luxe Bedding collection, creating the ultimate retreat worthy of many long Sunday sleep-ins.

With natural muted colours of white, grey, charcoal, dusky pink and navy at the fore, the Luxe Bedding line has a style for those who sway towards classic neutrals, those after something a little more moody and masculine as well as those wanting to mix, match and layer textures and tones.

The Distressed Print Quilt Cover in calming white (RRP$179) is a staple for anyone seeking the ‘crisp and clean’ décor and has a timeless beauty that will last for many sleeps to come. Pair with wood-based furnishings for a neutral look or inject some greenery for a nod to the ‘urban cabana’ vibe.

Better still, an investment in the versatile Luxe Bedding collection means not having to revamp the whole look as the seasons change - a quick swap of a cushion or the layering of the separates will provide an instant refresh.

Check out the collection online at: www.freedomfurniture.co.nz or head into your local Newmarket, Sylvia Park, Westgate, Botany (pop-up), Wairau Park or Albany store.

Freedom Furniture - distressed print quilt cover in white

@ DESIGN WAREHOUSE 1. Brentwood: The Brentwood Relaxing Chair is made with reclaimed teak and rope. It has an earthy vibe that is also sophisticated and very good looking. Plush and durable Sunbrella cushions are included in the price.

2. Reclaimed Teak Trestle Table: Create a stylish and inviting outdoor dining space with a Design Warehouse favorite, the Reclaimed Teak Trestle Table. Available in three sizes. Everything always comes fully assembled.

3. Natalie Rope Dining Chair: Contemporary, innovative and eclectic perfectly describes the Natalie Rope Dining Chair.

Its fun, rounded frame and beautifully woven seat make it a standout piece. Topped with a Sunbrella cushion for extra comfort.

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DESIGN WAREHOUSE, 137/147 The Strand, Parnell, T: 09 377 7710, www.designwarehouse.co.nz The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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@ LE MONDE Le Monde Ponsonby is celebrating its second birthday this month.

Le Monde is not just about inspirational homeware, they also offer a range of gorgeous quality gifts from outdoor lanterns, bookends, glassware, cushions, books, and accessories. Le Monde Ponsonby has a wide range of gorgeous quality products to turn your house into a home.

Visit them at their Pollen Street store opposite the Countdown car park. Parking is available under the building down the ramp. F PN LE MONDE, 36 Pollen Street, T: 09 377 9518, www.le-monde.co.nz

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2nd BIRTHDAY

Join us for a day of celebration!

We always love an excuse for a celebration so please join us for a day of Giveaways, FREE chalk paint workshops, FREE interior design talk, and discounts.

Saturday 8th April 2017 | 10am - 4pm

For more information look for our updates on Facebook 36 POLLEN ST, PONSONBY 09 376 2993 opposite the Countdown { Underground Parking

LeMondeHome

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TOP FIVE TIPS FOR MAXIMISING SPACE IN AN APARTMENT Downsizing is no longer a dirty word - with more and more people embracing the minimalist approach, less can be more when it comes to inner city apartment living.

Craig Watkins, Director of Apartmint real estate agency, shares his tops tips for maximising space in an apartment.

and proactive with de-cluttering and mindful that space is minimal. Too much stuff in an apartment can make it look cluttered and messy.

1. Multi functional equals space saving Everything in your apartment needs to be multi functional. When buying a couch, invest in a sofa bed. Utilise this multi-purpose piece of furniture daily as a couch, and pull the bed out when guests come to stay. The perfect spare bedroom, it’s compact and tidy.

4. Visuals Soothing, even tones throughout the aparment will create a calming effect, and illude to more space. Continuity between rooms is important. Be realistic when it comes to artwork, mirrors, lights and wall hangings. You want each piece to be a feature and speak for itself, so one statement piece per room or living space is a good rule.

When buying furniture look for hidden storage space, a bed with draws in the base, shelves that can hold baskets, a storage ottoman and a dual function table that doubles as a desk.

2. Rotate seasonal items When the seasons change, store away items that will no longer be of use. Thick winter blankets can be vacuum packed and stored away during the warmer months.

3. The minimalist approach Be realistic when it comes to purchasing new clothes and furniture. If you don’t need it, don’t buy it. If something new comes in, something else must go out. You need to be tidy

Framed pieces look better displayed above eye level to give the illusion of a tall ceiling.

Hang lights from the ceiling over the bench or dining table to break up open spaces.

Horizontal mirrors can help create the illusion of a wider room.

5. Organisation Organisation is important when living in a smaller space, be conscious that everything has its place. Creating good habits will ensure that everything goes back in its designated spot. F PN APARTMINT, 54 Ponsonby Road, T: 0800 360 003, www.apartmint.co.nz

@ TRENZSEATER The latest ‘Mohebban Milano’ collection of vintage decolourised Turkish (finished in Italy) rugs.

These are authentic, traditional antique rugs that have undergone a decolouration process and monochromatic re-dyeing to give a more edgy finish; however, a resemblance of the old vintage rug still remains. This collection of rugs are hand knotted and hand carved to give a 3D effect. No two rugs are the same.

TRENZSEATER, 80 Parnell Road, T: 09 303 4151, www.trenzseater.com

DON’T MISS+THE MAY

PONSONBY NEWS DEADLINE TO BOOK ADVERTISING:

Call Jo Barrett 021 324 510 or 09 361 3356 Melissa Paynter 027 938 4111 or 09 378 8553

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MAY SPECIAL FEATURE + A - Z LOCAL CAFES & RESTAURANTS - INCLUDING DINING OUT, WINES, COFFEE, FUNCTIONS...

COPY DEADLINE: Thursday 20 April PUBLISHED: Friday 5 May

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

MY FAVOURITE ROOM YAELA BETSALEL owns and runs international Hospitality Marketing and PR agency Typhoon Hospitality

Yaela Betsalel Together with her husband and two children, Yaela Betsalel decided to pack their bags and move from Amsterdam to Auckland just five months ago.

Yaela owns and runs international Hospitality Marketing and PR agency Typhoon Hospitality. The European team is based in Amsterdam and the launch of the Auckland office is coming up.

Yaela lives with her husband Ofir, her son Yair (8) and daughter Sarai (6) on Hepburn Street. “When we visited during a vacation last year, we stayed in Ponsonby for a week. After that we knew this is where we wanted to live. No doubt about it! It really is the perfect place for us... balancing the buzzing Ponsonby vibe with the serenity of Western Park.

The family call's Yaela's favourite room 'woonkamer' which literally translates into the livingroom. “Although the kids prefer to call it the chill area.”

She says, “What don't we use this room for? As I work a lot of nights and mostly from home, flexibility is very important to me. I use this room to work, read, relax, watch TV,

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hang out with family and friends and even fold the piles of laundry my family magically creates.

“As we've only just recently moved here, I've been on a mission to find 'the perfect' pieces. I love finding these little (secondhand) gems, and slowly turning this house into our home. This is my favourite room because it's a reflection of my character - eclectic, colourful and a little bit unusual.”

Yaela's favourite things in the room? “I absolutely adore the Nood coffee table, the turquoise rug and the yellow couch which my daugher has dubbed the sunshine couch.

Oh, and of course the copper-plated hashtag my friend bought me to make fun of my embarrassing behaviour when we go out for dinner. I will do anything for the perfect shot of a gorgeous dish or cocktail #sorrynotsorry”. F PN www.typhoonhospitality.com

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@ FORMA 1. Forma Cascade Coffee Table - $1550; 2. Forma Foam Cubes - $300 + fabric; 3. Forma Fleur Sofa - $3425 + fabric; 4. Forma Casa Ottoman - $1430 + fabric, available in different sizes; 5. Forma Kent Chair - $1830 + fabric, with its tubular sleigh base and simple design, the Kent chair looks great in any space; 6. Forma Sud Sofa - $4515 + fabric, a contemporary design, with a wide arm and brushed stainless steel or black powder coated frame.

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FORMA, 51-53 The Strand Parnell, T: 09 368 7694, www.forma.co.nz, ww.facebook.com/formafurniturenz

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HEIDI PADAIN: ENTERTAINMENT IN YOUR GARDEN I saw a touchscreen tablet moving slowly through the bush. It was wrapped around the face of a young man. The fantails and the warblers were flitting around him like manic fairies.

The stream beckoned loudly and the foliage tilted a fraction to shine their colours upon his path.

The man who could see nothing around him was suddenly hit by a speeding tree and then swallowed up into a deep, dark metaphorical hole.

Seem familiar? So many of us are attached to our devices or caught up doing things for others that we're not making time to look around us, de-clutter our minds, or simply breathe.

Adventures do have a way of finding us if we're not paying attention. I'm not keen on surprises. I prefer to keep my wits about me, but even so, I do lose my way at times. Life threw a curveball my way recently. Nothing sinister, but it certainly had me distracted.

I was so focused on finding a solution that it kept me busy, both mentally and physically.

I reached a point where I found myself craving solitude, craving nature time. I took a walk with my camera and I have to say that on this day, I took my best photo yet of a fantail.

I was so incredibly lucky. This bird was demanding my attention. Swooping around me and peeping so loudly it almost hurt my ears. I also got lucky with this shot of the grey warbler. Neither the fantail nor the warbler sits still for long, so it takes a keen eye and a great deal of concentrated effort to get a shot like this.

So, my mind was focused on something else and all the while I was breathing in the wonderful smells, and getting some exercise. By the time I arrived home I was in a completely different frame of mind and I had a brilliant idea on how to tackle that curveball.

It's very hard to maintain a good-work life balance, but if we're not tuning in with nature, ourselves, or those around us we can become stuck. With the winter months approaching, I would like to encourage you to schedule some nature time for yourself.

Your epiphany may well be waiting in the wings. (HEIDI PADAIN) F PN To see some of Heidi’s other photographic work go to www.flickr.com and type Heidi Padain into the search box, or, you can contact Heidi by email hidihi@xtra.co.nz.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR The past nine years I've read your magazine, I have always been impressed by the community heart that hums along at the centre of your well-oiled machine.

That is why I am writing to you. I am doing something for the community, supported by the community and wonder if you, with your deep community links, can help.

I am assembling a team and organising a raffle to raise a minimum $6k, so we can stage a professional presence at the North Island General Practitioners Conference this June in Rotorua.

The raison d'être is to take two medical professionals (a consultant anaesthetist and a GP), several patients, including seriously ill ones, actual medicines and the current literature on medical cannabis to the medical profession, at their largest North Island conference. Since Peter Dunne has washed his hands of medical cannabis, saying it is for doctors to assess and recommend it. We are going to inform and mobilise them.

• • • •

2 x $50 Chop Chop vouchers A yet-to-be specified amount of deSpa cosmetics $50 of Lucky Taco sauces And a bag/shirt combo from Coco's Cantina

I think its a good mix, and legally I still have $1200 worth of prizes allowable to find.

So, to you. Can you help us please?

Buy a ticket in the Help Doctors Raffle page on Facebook.

Tadhg Stopford, for the Medical Hemp Roadshow Raffle, authorised by Norml.

This raffle is both social and political. It's an opportunity for businesses and entrepreneurs to show their support for positive change towards hemp and cannabis, and a chance for the public to do the same.

So far I have: • $2000 worth of accounting services from Cleaver & Co. Chartered Accountants of Crummer Road. The accountants are leading the charge! I love that!

• $800 worth of appearance medicine (Botox to you and me), from Dr Marcia Walker • $500 of portrait photography from Rachael Hale Mckenna • $250 from the glorious Blue Breeze Inn

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RUTHERFORD REDE RETIREMENT PLANNING SERIES: PART ONE Retirement, the time when you give up paid work and rely on all of your investments for your new life.

Jocelyn Weatherall

Phil Ashton

Richard Knight

Henry Ford

Almost everyone thinks planning for this time revolves around having enough money and ensuring it will last. This article is the first in a series that digs deeper. Indeed, having sufficient financial resources is important but it is not nearly enough if you want your retirement to provide you with broad happiness and security.

First consider what work provides. Sure it provides income but it provides many other things. It provides a reason to get up in the morning, a structure for the day, stimulation for the brain, satisfaction and fulfilment, social interaction, identity, status and a sense that you are contributing to something bigger than you.

It seems these factors are more difficult for men to leave behind when they leave work than it is for women. It has been said that men tend to do two things. They work and they play. And when they stop work, play for seven days a week stops being play. Women on the other hand seem to have a broader range of activities. They fit work around those activities and when they retire simply do more of those activities now that work takes less time.

To ignore the things that work provides is potentially a gap in the retirement planning process. These should be the happiest times of your life, but for many they are just the opposite. Strangely often the degree of happiness has nothing to do with money.

Look for our next article when we go into more detail on planning for retirement.

RUTHERFORD REDE LIMITED, www.rutherfordrede.co.nz, T: 09 361 3670 Jocelyn - jweatherall@rutherfordrede.co.nz, Phil - pashton@rutherfordrede.co.nz, Richard - rknight@rutherfordrede.co.nz or Henry - hford@rutherfordrede.co.nz Opinions are of a general nature and are not to be considered financial advice, specific advice is recommended to be sought before action is taken.

Disclosure Statement(s) relating to our advisers are available on request & free of charge

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SPECTACULAR STORM NERO Porcelain Slabs for Splashbacks, Benchtops, Floor to Ceiling use.

In stock : 6 & 12mm

98 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2017

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AUDI Q2 INSPIRES NEW ART WORK AT PONSONBY CENTRAL Audi teamed up with Kiwi artist Gina Kiel to market the new Audi Q2, a compact SUV with an extremely progressive design.

The new Audi Q2, which launched in New Zealand recently, inspired a new piece of art on the side of Ponsonby Central by Kiwi artist Gina Kiel, the first ever artwork commissioned by a brand at this location.

Audi partnered with Kiel to create an art installation to celebrate the launch of the all new vehicle. The artwork adorns the exterior wall of Ponsonby Central and it took two full days to paint and is 4.8m in width and 3.6m in height across the brick wall.

The Audi Q2 is a highly customisable vehicle allowing customers to express their personal style. The Audi Q2 can be configured in over 3500 different variations, and this theme is truly reflected in Kiel’s artwork. Impossible to categorise, the Audi Q2 has been called #untaggable.

Audi New Zealand’s general manager Dean Sheed commented, “Gina’s style of artwork is bright, progressive and personalised, just like the Audi Q2. She has created a beautiful psychedelic piece of artwork inspired by the vehicle, and we encourage people to come and experience it.”

The Audi Q2 offers a selection of 11 paint colours, five alloy wheel designs and four additional contrast colour C-Pillar blades. Colours like yellow, orange and red are available for inlay, customers can choose colours for sections of the seats and contrast stitching. Kiel commented, "I was really interested in the duality of perception concept around the new Audi Q2 - how different people perceive an object differently.

“I believe people are multi-dimensional. An object can be attractive in a multitude of ways to a range of people; it can also be attractive and viewed in so many different ways to one person. I love that and I’m embracing it in this piece of art work for Audi.”

Sheed commented “The Audi Q2 brings a unique mix of style and technology to the smallest member of our Q family. The Audi Q2 is full of charm. It’s vibrant, it’s fun, it’s spacious and we expect it to be extremely popular here in New Zealand.” The art wall can be seen at Ponsonby Central at 6 Brown Street. Pricing for the Audi Q2 starts at $54,500 plus on PN road costs. F

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REAL ESTATE UPDATE: KAREN SPIRES Across New Zealand, the real estate landscape is in a state of flux. Sale volumes are down, yet many regions continue to report record sale prices - and it can all be very confusing to those not immersed in the industry.

The best way to explain these fluctuations is that the real estate market operates like clockwork. The favourable market we have experienced in recent times is deemed a ‘sellers market’ and sits at the top of the cycle in 12 o’clock position, while the ‘buyers market’ at six o’clock indicates a drop in the market.

Having been in the property game for nearly 18 years, I have seen every phase of this changing cycle, and from the early millennium property boom which saw huge development across the major cities, to the effects of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) in 2008/09, I have certainly learnt a thing or two about keeping cool under the pressure of a changing market.

We have been riding the wave of 9pm to midnight for quite some time now - values have been high, and demand has propelled the market forward, yet now we find ourselves teetering on the edge of 1am and frankly, the possibility of the unknown is having an intimidating effect.

But it’s not the unknown - and there is no need to be frightened of a shifting market.

History makes a fine crystal ball, and we can certainly stay one step ahead armed with the knowledge of the past - the variable is the degree of severity.

Prophesies of a GFC 2.0 have had a tentative effect on both buyers and sellers. However, it is important that we look at the bigger picture - and in particular the key differences between our position leading to 2008 and now. Most notably: • This year we continue to experience a housing boom unmatched by consumption.

Households today are showing more restraint in their spending compared with 2008.

• The strong New Zealand dollar and other depressive factors are keeping inflation in check.

• The question of sufficient housing supply is a central issue, although rather than too much stock (circa 2008), this time around we are struggling to meet demand.

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• The absence of the shadow-banking sector, otherwise known as unregulated lending institutions.

While we are keeping one eye firmly on economic developments both domestically and abroad, New Zealand is sitting in a more preferable position to that of 2008 thanks to precautionary measures such as the loan-to-value lending restrictions implemented by major lending institutions last year.

It is clear that times are a’ changing, and the property clock is ticking away, but change is the catalyst for opportunity. It’s an opportunity to improve infrastructure, where developers and local government can come together to mitigate risks and create meaningful projects.

It’s an opportunity for individuals to reassess their financial values - perhaps the apartment you bought for your children during university has served its purpose and you’d like to recycle to profits to help them into a home of their own? And it’s an opportunity for the professionals qualified to sell real estate to really polish their skills.

Whatever your motivations, or the economic climate - people will always buy property.

It’s the skill of your sales agent and the scope of your marketing campaign which will determine success.

The last 18 months of this property cycle has seen demand for Auckland property so high, it has practically sold itself, yet it’s the months ahead which will truly test our expertise as salespeople.

Traditionally, Bayleys has performed very well during less buoyant periods in the market simply because we offer the tools, knowledge and skills that others don’t. Rather than compromising on commission (negotiating fees), I look to add value to each transaction by investing in smart, targeted marketing, casting the net wider and ultimately delivering the buyer - not just the first buyer.

Change is an inevitable force shifting and pulling everything from energy to enterprise, and it needn’t be frightening because, very simply - there is no perfect time to buy or sell. It’s a matter of utilising educated, experienced advice and smart service from PN professionals you trust. Thanks for reading. (KAREN SPIRES) F

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REDESIGN YOUR LIVING SPACE Consignment was developed because they know we often like to redesign our style and living spaces, so it seemed like a no-brainer to offer a showroom in which to on-sell investment pieces at competitive prices.

Consignment is a first port of call for interior designers, people with a keen eye for style, those looking to down -size, up-scale or simply wanting that unique designer piece for their home, apartment or beach house.

Consignment provides an alluring way of showcasing gems for homes. The spacious store seamlessly marries much-loved quality pieces with the timelessness and luxury of new and pre-owned designer pieces. Nobody wants to be wasteful and recycling has become part of

the consumer lexicon with our growing awareness of the benefits of redistribution. And itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a brilliant way of providing quality pieces at affordable prices.

Consignment takes the stress out of moving things on... selling online can be very challenging and frustrating, often with a disappointing outcome.

Consigning is easy to access with a phone call, email or a text. They take it from there and showcase the items in

a beautiful space alongside some of the best designs in the World: Driade, Minotti, B&B Italia and Liaigre.

More than just a showroom/gallery, Consignment is as social hub too, with in-store espresso bar Orca serving amazing coffee. The showroom is a great venue for business meetings, pop-up installations, exhibitions and special events. You are all warmly invited to stop by for a visit, stay a while, and enjoy the finest espresso courtesy of the team at Consignment.

CONSIGNMENT, 2A Railway Street, Newmarket, T: 09 524 0084, www.consignmentfurniture.co.nz

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REAL ESTATE UPDATE There has been talk of interest rates going up, house prices slowing and of immigration putting pressure on the housing market in Auckland. We asked local real estate office managers to give their opinion on the current market: the forecast regarding interest rates, trends for house prices, supply and demand, rental affordability and other influences.

TIM IRVINE BARFOOT & THOMPSON, PONSONBY The forecast for interest rates is to remain reasonably steady over the year and they are still low in comparison to years ago with affordability at a good level. Many buyers in Ponsonby are looking for their family home or home of residence, hence it carries emotion.

We have evidence of properties slowing, with the number of days on the market pushing out, and we are seeing evidence of fewer buyers on properties.

Auctions are still the preferred method of sale but there may only be one or two bidders at the auction.

For many years there has been little or no correlation between rental levels and property values in the central -west suburbs and most local landlords consider their investment to be in the capital of the property rather than the rental return. The local market has followed the city trend overall of rental levels increasing but not at the same percentage gains as many southern and eastern suburbs have seen over the past few years.

Our rental stock levels have remained stable and have actually increased over the past few years with the completion of numerous apartment buildings and generally there is good supply covering all price points from entry to executive rental properties.

People migrate to Ponsonby/Western Bays for various reasons but lifestyle and close proximity to CBD are two key factors.

BERNADETTE MORRISON BAYLEYS, PONSONBY Sales growth across the market has eased, but this mustn’t be mistaken for sale values, which continue to climb. Strong demand continues to propel the Ponsonby property market, and the area is consistently touted as one of Auckland’s hot-spots, demonstrated by the new record median sale price of $1,477,500 in the last quarter. Given the upward trend of milliondollar sales and the DNA of sales in the area, we have avoided the same degree of flattening as the wider domestic market.

The unprecedented sales growth experienced last year (and conditions implemented for control), along with a continued shortage of supply and degree of financial uncertainty has had a tentative effect on buyers and sellers, who are seeking encouragement to dip their toes into the market. However, our sales team adapts, and in more challenging markets clients look to engage salespeople with skills, knowledge and networks rather than those with the lowest fees.

Predominantly owner-occupied, the greater Ponsonby rental market is not a target for investors. However, it is interesting to note that our rental division has reported a surge in tenants seeking executive

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accommodation (more than $1000 p/w). While properties commanding such high sale prices do not always make for a favourable return on investment (ROI), the emerging wave of developments is certainly helping to satisfy the appetite for rental properties.

Alongside immigration, construction delays are mounting pressures on existing housing stock with a host of sub-issues including the shortage and rising cost of skilled labour, cost of materials, tightened lending criteria, existing infrastructure and its inability to meet demand (think sewage in Coxs Bay).

Unlike East Tamaki, Glen Innes and Hobsonville - Greater Ponsonby has not been earmarked for extensive intensification, and sprouting developments are supplementing the local market rather than underpinning it. This has had a positive effect on local sale values which continue to plough upward as the area remains exclusive, desirable and competitive.

STEVEN GLUCINA L J HOOKER, PONSONBY The property market has experienced at least a 10% drop in activity since the lending criteria changed late last year. The number of new listings were up 17% in January this year, compared to last.

Banks have certainly put up more hurdles for buyers to jump over. However, to off-set this over 70,000 migrants came to live in the country last year, interest rates are still relatively cheap (although expected to rise) and around only 6000 new homes were built in Auckland last year.

Builders can’t get them up quick enough and the Unitary Plan has opened up some great opportunities, as some property owners now have the right to subdivide their properties in some areas in Grey Lynn, Pt Chevalier, Mt Albert and Sandringham.

The demand is still high for well-presented character homes, or stylish town houses and funky apartments, especially in the central suburbs of the city, in preferred school zones, with good motorway access and on the transport corridors. Property has always been about location though!

Current statistics* show that 46% of the properties were sold to buyers with more than one home, 26% are buyers who have sold one and moved to another, 20% are first home buyers who have required a mortgage and the balance, 8%, are new buyers coming into the market and paying cash, with no mortgage required.

This may all change with the General Election, which is less than six months away, especially if there’s a change of political power, who will know what will happen if the bright line test was moved out to five

years? Housing will certainly be a hot issue with the politicians leading up to 23 September.

If sellers are considering a decision, my advice would be sooner rather than later! As many buyers will be procrastinating about buying a month or so out from the election, we have all seen this happen in the past, and if there is a change of government, it could be another couple of months before everything settles back to normality... then it may be Christmas card time and 2018.

Rentals still remain very strong and the demand since the start of the year has been phenomenal, rents have certainly risen with numerous applications for landlords to choose from. Many investors are only seeing perhaps a 2% return on the current value of their investment property and will soon be facing extra costs like insulation to make their rental properties comply with pending legislation.

Many younger folk have faced the inevitable in that buying a free-standing home in the central suburbs is a hard goal to achieve, especially without two very strong incomes coming in to support the large mortgages that are now required.

Some buyers will be also relying on good family support, like relatives deciding to give with a warm hand and not with a cold one later on and we're seeing the younger generations enjoying inheritances much earlier than before. We have seen some buyers who started their property search three years ago in suburbs like Grey Lynn and they are now looking in New Lynn and beyond. Most have regretted standing back waiting for a downward ‘correction to happen’, only to watch with disbelief, as the market has continued to rise well beyond their budgets. *Core Logic NZ Ltd ROSS BRADER PROFESSIONALS SELL REAL ESTATE LTD Interest rates have come off their lows, with banks now increasing floating rates even though the OCR is static. However, HSBC are still offering 3.99% fixed for 18 months. The higher rates go, the less affordable mortgages will be - house prices accelerated as interest rates plunged and will probably level off, or perhaps result in a lower rate of increase over the next 12 months.

Homes that tick the boxes still achieve premiums with multiple offers presented, and in some cases still sell under the hammer, whereas homes with issues are taking a hit. We’ve certainly noticed lower-priced 'investor' properties have less demand, with the 40% deposit requirement in place. The upside is that some first-home buyers and those with lower budgets can get into the market without competing with investors.

As a result of the new rules, higher interest rates and

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banks setting stricter criteria, we’ve changed the way we market homes. The majority of auctions are failing to sell and we’ve had to go back to asking prices or proven negotiation methods. We’re now presenting conditional offers and subject to sales and although they may take a little longer to conclude, sellers have been happy with the outcomes. Sometimes great results take time and we’re back to negotiating sales, rather than just leaving it up to the auctioneer.

Rents have increased so landlords who purchased years ago will be feeling smug, but returns on rentals, if buying today, are so low it’s difficult to make anything stack up with the 40% rule also a barrier.

Immigration is one factor that will push rentals higher and prevent house prices from falling, and motorway traffic due to increasing population is getting worse by the day. So the inner city suburbs from Ponsonby to Pt Chevalier will no doubt become even more desirable due to the shorter commute.

SIMON DAMERELL RAY WHITE, PONSONBY The residential real estate market, like many others internationally, is in a state of flux and as with anything where uncertainty prevails, nervousness abounds.

The banks, implementing Reserve Bank policy, have greatly tightened lending criteria.

The obvious aim is to dampen demand in an attempt to bring prices back to a more 'affordable' level. World economic and political events also create a degree of uncertainty and this is adding to the general state of nervousness. This is affecting housing demand.

On the other side home owners aren’t 'trading up' so the supply of homes has also decreased, thereby putting a degree of balance back into the market demand/supply equation. We predict prices in greater Ponsonby and other city fringe areas will remain strong

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

into the foreseeable future as the factors making this one of Auckland’s most liveable neighbourhoods haven’t changed.

The trend is likely to be fewer homes sold, longer days on the market, but prices at worst, holding at current levels or rising more slowly than over the past few years.

The tightening the of supply of money also affects developers, so the supply of new apartments is also affected. We predict that the increased supply of new apartments will be largely met by those people who have, so far, not been able to afford to purchase in and enjoy all greater Ponsonby has to offer.

Auction clearance rates have declined as a result of financial and political uncertainty also. However, the figure at which auctions are passed in, gives a transparent indication to buyers as to where negotiations need to commence, post auction, and such properties are frequently sold within a short period after the auction.

Our observation is that expat Kiwis are returning to New Zealand in far greater numbers than previously seen, often moving into properties which they had rented out in their absence. This is displacing tenants, adding pressure upon the private rental market.

As frequently occurs when there is negative employment, financial or housing data, new migrants become the focus of people’s anxiety and blame. The facts are that there is little evidence to suggest new migrants are playing any significant part in our tight local housing market.

JONATHAN SISSONS SOTHEBY’S All economic indicators predict that the interest rates will increase. However, it is important to note that interest rates are still historically low. The recent

and the predicted future increases in interest rates tend to have a greater impact on first and second time home buyers but has less effect on the higher -priced properties more typically found in the greater Ponsonby and Western Bays market.

Property prices continue to achieve new records.

However, the growth rate has slowed compared to last year and the days on market are slightly longer.

Some buyers have advised that they believe the market prices will drop and are prepared to wait and see. Yet immigration figures continue to be high, increasing the demand for inner city properties. The demand continues to outstrip supply therefore keeping prices high.

New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty brings a bespoke approach to each property we market.

Ensuring no stone is left unturned to find the best buyer for each property. This includes advice in presentation, photography and advertising.

The depth and strength of the brand is unparalleled with extensive reach internationally with 880 offices worldwide selling $95 billion in property last year.

We have an exceptional number of referrals from our international network being a combination of expats from Australia and Great Britain returning to New Zealand to new immigrants from Asia and more recently there has been a huge spike of enquiries from the United States of America.

For example, this morning I received a phone call from a family in Denver, Colorado who are looking to immigrate to New Zealand and want to buy a home in the inner suburbs of Auckland.

All buyers both domestic and international are attracted to the convenience that inner city suburbs offer with easy access to the central city for employment combined with the culture and lifestyle associated with the greater Ponsonby and Western Bays area.

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS

HISTORY AND DESERT DUST “The Merchant of Rajasthan”, an appropriate name, given ‘tongue in cheek’ to Rajasthan Treasures’ store owner David Forrest by a friend, after David’s frequent travelling over 40 years to, and through, the vast expanses of the North-Western Indian desert state of Rajasthan.

Expeditions to source and acquire fascinating antiques and tribal pieces redolent in both history and desert dust, these exquisite collections are now finding their way into local homes here.

Upon entering this Mt Eden village store and passing the two twirled-mustachioed Maharajas’ teak guards outside, one is met with an amazing array of colourful treasures, fascinating curiosities and objects.

There are huge, ancient rustic teak doors from Haveli’s (old houses and small palaces), camel harnesses, old window shutters transformed into interesting coffee tables, vibrant textiles, marble and timber curios, a Maharaja’s chair, grand old chests with brass edgings, mirrors, bamboo latticed screens that echo times of the Indian British Raj. A 130-year-old, exquisite, marble templetop found lying in the dust in a small rural village and destined to be casually broken up with hammers for road making, was rescued.

108 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2017

Other surprises are the vintage 1930s industrial pieces like fans, tables and iron and buffalo-leather chairs. One piece that captures attention is the stunning, carved teak old doorway/mirror found intact in a stone wall in an ancient 850 year old Haveli, with pieces of the old stone still lodged in the side of the framework.

The store attracts architects, interior designers and people seeking something completely unique and very individual to create a personal touch and a sense of history in their homes.

Some of the massive heritage doors in turquoise, mint greens, vivid blues, and rustic earthy tones are now destined to find their way as wonderful entrances to New Zealand houses. Intriguingly, while New Zealand architecture is at the cutting edge of design, our front doors, hugely symbolic in most cultures, are often bland, flat and boring with little character. However, it appears this is changing for those with imagination.

Such is the appeal of this store, many people are visiting it several times a week and are frequently amazed at still discovering things they missed on previous visits. The treasures are knowledgeably sourced by an owner who shares many a story and where the echoes of history ‘talk to you’. You can almost still smell the camel dust of the PN Rajasthan Desert. F RAJASTHAN TREASURES, 414 Mt Eden Road, Mt Eden Village, M: 021 024 99 420, www.rajasthantreasures.com

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DAN’S GARDENING TIPS It’s time to transition your garden from summer to autumn and remove crops that have finished producing. If you’re not doing a winter plant, sow a green crop like lupins; best of all, fork some compost around the garden.

GROWING FOOD • Managing transition from the end of the summer garden: now is the time to remove spent, diseased crops that have given up their best yields • Replenish organic matter ahead of spring planting: dig over the cleared areas and add compost or veggie mix plus some sheep pellets to replenish organic matter ahead of new planting • Time to sow a green crop: generally lupins and mustard seed - lupins must be dug in when knee height before they flower • Seed-saving: The seed from any heritage/heirloom vegetables may be saved and stored in paper envelopes or bags in a cool dry area. For tomato seeds rub them in a sieve to get rid of pith and dry before storing.

OTHER WORK • Nature’s Best: The planting season of the year. The soil is warm and moist and there is time for to establish plants before the cold hits • Fork some compost around everything in the garden • Early flowering camellias (sasanqua varieties) begin their flowering season from now on. Excellent for medium height hedges • Baby cyclamen and the traditional polyanthus seedlings are available in punnets in the garden centres - brilliant for some winter groundcover where bright colour is needed • Plant spring flowering bulbs: tulips, hyacinths and daffodils are ready to hit the soil.

THE LAWN: It's a great time to sow new lawns. See how to with TV One Seven Sharp gardener Andy Ellis: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTyHj1dCjsM.

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS

WAIMA TERRACES - A STATEMENT OF QUALITY AND STYLE The best-kept secret in Grey Lynn is no longer. With flexible configurations, these terraces provide the perfect living solution for urban professionals, downsizers and families - or perhaps you want a commercial aspect so you can work from home?

A stunning interior design by Brasell + Ojala and Barney Milic Architecture combined with award-winning gardens by Zanthe White, you will feel right at home stepping into these generously proportioned, boutique terraced homes. The statement of style and quality is immediately evident - the inviting atrium, high ceilings and glass creating a real sense of space and completed with quality fittings throughout.

The spacious floor plans of these stunning homes range from 166m2 to 186m2 and each home is fitted with top of the line Bosch appliances, central vacuum systems and stunning panoramic views of Mt Eden.

Waima Terraces create a sense of belonging from the moment you step in. The city-luxe vibe is evident throughout the living spaces and views. This development is designed to let you have an easy, fun city lifestyle whilst being right in the hub of the action. Waima lets you live, work and play, just a stroll to Ponsonby Road and the commercial centre of Queen Street.

These are completed and ready to go, so get in quickly if you would like to secure yours. Marketed by Abbey Davis and Richard Humphreys from Harcourts Charlton Realty, please join them at the open homes at 6 Waima Street, Grey Lynn every Saturday and Sunday from 12.30 - 1pm. F PN For further property information please visit www.abbeyandrichard.co.nz or feel free to phone them on either M: 021 893 310 or M: 027 464 5121.

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT

Ponsonby music venues I thought it was probably time to do my semi-regular venue roundup for Ponsonby.

Now that the crazy first couple of months of the year have passed us by, it’s time to start looking at those places that could become your regular haunt for the rest of the year!

Let’s start with the new/old kid on the block. Cafe One2one is back and booming since its change of ownership late last year. Thursday nights are overflowing out the back onto the deck. Chris Priestley looks right in his element hosting the music nights he has long been known for, back in the suburb he started in. Jazz on a Friday and Saturday night shows with Mark Laurent and friends are also back in full swing. The Young Musicians Club is still going strong on the first Sunday of every month. Get in touch if you’d like to play at any of these evenings, or just find out more about what to expect. As an added bonus, the food is mind-blowing these days, and they’ve really stocked up their fridges with great drinks.

Golden Dawn is just along the road and is still offering its eclectic mix of alternative, jazz, rock and indie music. With over 300 nights of music a year, it has a strong focus on original music, but they’ll always have an awesome DJ in the outdoor courtyard playing a mix of old jazz, weird psychedelic and quirky alternative music. The bar is always full and it can get nice and hot in the midst of a cranking set from a band, get on down to the corner of Richmond and Ponsonby if you want to work up a sweat!

Now, if you would like to have a dance, you will definitely find that at Grand Central.

Featuring the best party bands from around the town, Friday and Saturday nights always go off with funk, blues and rock offering you something to move to.

As you wander along K'Road, you’ll find multiple excellent music venues. The Thirsty Dog is first, home of the Thirsty Dog Folk Club and much more. Not far off around the corner you’ll find the venue for everyone, The Dog’s Bollix. Perfect for a rock band, and with all the history, the old Irish Pub is a great space for any event you might want to put on.

Finally, as you get closer to Queen Street, you’ll come across The Wine Cellar, Whammy Bar and all the other little backrooms and such that make up the under-zone of St Kevins Arcade. There is live music to be found in here every night of the week, ranging from folk through to metal, electronic, indie, and everything in between. I can’t say enough good things about these spots, they have been my local music destinations for many years. If you want a spot to find local music, up and coming acts, and raw music, played in basements with excellent sound and they have reasonably priced drinks, these are your places to go.

Over in Grey Lynn, Freida Margolis is still putting on great gigs every now and again. The little bar only has room for a few punters, but it’s well worth checking out when they book someone. My last little tip is to keep an eye on Garnet Station as they often have pop-up gigs here and there, and you never know who could turn up and play.

PN (FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT) F Happy gigging!

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FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT

March was a crazy month for new albums As is often the case there is a burst of albums at once, and February and March regularly have this honour. I’m going to quickly skate through some of them and give you the run down on what to look out for.

I’ll start with Lydia Cole’s album, an early frontrunner for album of the year in my books.

Released in late February, it is nine tracks of pure emotion and blissful arrangements.

The album, Lay of the Land, is a slight shift and move away from her earlier work, exploring the sonic landscape of her songs with added guitars and synths. It adds a new level of depth to each song, that challenges you to listen to every layer while also taking in the stunning lyrics. She is understated in her lyrical content, with some songs only featuring a couple of small verses, and songs like ‘Glimpse’ that really only have a single verse, before it opens up into the most intense and drum-heavy segment of the album, leaving you absolutely itching for more. I’ll have this album on repeat for some time to come.

Nadia Reid returned with her second album, long expected, Preservation. This, arguably, will be the album that ensures she becomes a household name. This is a more reserved album, a slow build, that will take you a few listens to full appreciate. The songs are reflective, discuss relationships and decision-making with a tinge of sadness, and are not the light listen that you may look for. The arrangements are heavier than we’ve seen before, with many layers underpinning Nadia’s honest words. Her debut, Listen to Formation, Look for the Signs, put her on our radar, this one locks her in as a permanent location. Nadia is celebrating Preservation with a concert at The Tuning Fork on Saturday 8 April.

The Nukes released III at the end of February. Their third offering, it shows a huge shift in their sound and their approach to recording. They teamed up with the brilliant and multi-talented Gerry Paul to produce the album, and they’ve created a bigger, bolder sound. They were joined in the studio by a crew of talented musicians, from brass to pedal steel to electric guitar. Challenging the three-piece ukulele band image, but

done with delicacy, subtlety and perfection, these new instruments and arrangements highlights the depth and talent these three have for songwriting. They’re having their Auckland release concert on Friday 7 April, up in Titirangi at The Refreshment Room. Be sure to check that out!

One of my favourite bands out of Wellington is the dream-folk group, French for Rabbits. Their new record The Weight of Melted Snow comes on the back of emotional turmoil within the band, relationships breaking and changes to the way they approach songwriting and life. With the album written in part before front two songwriters Brooke Singer and John Fitzgerald split their personal relationship, and the other half written after, there is depth, intensity and heavy thoughts to the album. It is darker in tone, but holds the beauty of Brooke’s vocals, surrounded by intricate arrangements and sounds. Blurring the line of dreamy pop and ethereal folk, they offer something no one else does. You can also see them play in Auckland on Friday 7 April at Rec, celebrating the new album.

One of the hardest working and nicest musicians in town, Stretch, has put together his debut album for us, released in late March, Bury All Horses. After months of touring over the last couple of years, he’s garnered respect within the music community as an all-round great guy, and has released a stunning debut. Hard hitting, straightforward alternative country and folk, with some stomping tunes mixed with heartfelt ballads, it’s everything you want in a record.

You will find all these records online at the artist's bandcamp or Facebook pages, on Spotify or in many of your local record stores. If you like the sound of any, go and check them out, and support your local talent! (FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT) F PN

LYDIA COLE'S photography: Josh Yong

new album Lay of the Land released in February is nine tracks of pure emotion and blissful arrangements.

114 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2017

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

ARTS + CULTURE A CHAT WITH...

African Film Festival New Zealand Trust chairperson, Boubacar Coulibaly, and co-producer and social media manager Fama Ndiaye...

How long have you been involved with the African Film Festival?

BOUBACAR: I have been involved since the incorporation of the AFFNZ Trust in 2014.

FAMA: I started in 2016 as a volunteer helping in social media and communications.

What other community/cultural projects are you involved with?

BOUBACAR: I was the funding president of African Communities of the Auckland Region Incorporated which became ACOFI African Communities Forum Inc. I was also involved in the ethnic soccer, and lately I’ve become a Member of the Board of the Ponsonby Community Centre.

FAMA: I am a volunteer for The Blind Foundation, it has been two years now, I guide and visit the foundation members and

participate as a guide to their sport events. I like to give my time to the communities - that’s how I grew up, helping people in need.

What do you love about living in Ponsonby/Grey Lynn?

BOUBACAR: I have been living in Grey Lynn for 28 years. It’s a great part of the city, people are very friendly, community minded, and I really like its multiculturalism.

We feel so supported in all the projects we have been involved with, especially the film festival project, it has been widely welcomed by the Ponsonby and Auckland communities.

FAMA: I lived in Ponsonby/Freemans Bay area for two years and now in Grey Lynn for a month; I am still discovering the city.

I love Ponsonby because of its multiculturalism, great foods and music. I love walking around the area to find a nice place for a coffee and sit for a couple of hours with my computer.

AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL @ RIALTO,

Fama Ndiaye and Boubacar Coulibaly

6 - 12 April

The organisers of the 2017 African Film Festival, New Zealand are excited to be forerunners, once again, in widening the scope and range of arts and culture in Auckland.

The following quotation serves as a perfect introduction to the essence of the 2017 edition of the African Film Festival, New Zealand.

A character in 'Ayanda' - one of the films at our 2016 AFF - used these words: “My mission is to capture what it means to be African. I feel we’ve been completely misrepresented. It’s not all civil war and kwashiorkor... It’s really understanding the vibrancy, the colour, the flair that is Africa. It’s embracing our music, our culture, our arts, sewing our own tapestry. So what I’m looking forward to doing with this story - this journey - is to answer the question: who is the modern African?”

So what is the offering this year? Perhaps you love the work of the great Senegalese musician, Baaba Maal. One of this year’s films provides a unique insight into the man and his music. An African take on the after-life? It’s here. How does a young woman from Niger handle the complexities of love, engagement and marriage? Come and find out! How do the problems of being transgender look in an African context? What about the issues arising from cross-cultural relationships or from having a disabled child? The festival tackles those topics too. Many of the films also explore the theme of the clash between tradition and modern ideas - especially for women. How appropriate, then, that four of the films are actually directed by women. Another stereotype overturned.

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

The organisers have put together a diverse, fascinating and thought-provoking range of films, but they are not interesting solely because of their themes. Lovers of the medium will be impressed also by the directorial skills, by the range of techniques and by the excellent cinematography on display.

“We are delighted that Rialto Cinemas, Newmarket have once again agreed to host the festival. We are also very proud of the impressive line-up of patrons, sponsors and organisers of African film-festivals, worldwide, who are supporting our 2017 event. In particular, the opening night promises to be something extra-special, with many of those people in attendance - not to mention the Ethiopian coffee-makers, traditional food, singing and drumming which are all part and parcel of the evening. Come along to help us celebrate!”

The closing night also includes an added opportunity of a double-feature, with a glass of wine provided during the intermission. You can purchase tickets for the two-film package or for either film separately. F PN To find out full details of the 2017 AFF programme (including film synopses and trailers), and for ticketing information go to: https://africanfilmfestivalnz.org.nz/

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ARTS + CULTURE CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF THE BARFOOT & THOMPSON YOUNG AUTHORS CHALLENGE Since its launch in 2008, the Barfoot & Thompson Young Authors Challenge has turned over one hundred students into published authors.

The competition has gone through a few changes in its lifetime, but the core aim, to foster a lifelong love for reading and writing within Kiwi kids, has remained the same.

are put into children’s hands each year, and for some, this may be the only book that they own.

Every year, primary and intermediate students from all over Auckland and Whangarei are given the opportunity to create a short story and enter it into the challenge. In the past 10 years the number of entries has increased each year until last year it received a staggering 1600 entries.

The Young Authors Challenge is a unique opportunity for students and teachers alike.

Fitting within primary and intermediate curriculums, it provides an exciting learning experience and has the ability to open up new pathways for creative young minds.

The writers of the winning stories then work with an acclaimed New Zealand author to put on the finishing touches, and have their tales brought to life through illustrations by well-known New Zealand names. Past illustrators have included Keven Mealamu, Otis Frizzell, Benny Tipene, Kiri Nathan, Dick Frizzell and Liz Findlay.

Part of the competition’s charm, is its commitment to giving back to the community. All proceeds from sales of the storybook go to the Starship Foundation and the Magic of Reading programme.

Past book editions have included 2016’s Kindness, Courage and More Uplifting Stories, 2015’s Home Sweet Home and Seven Hearty Tales and 2014’s Super Sparrow and the Black Cat. We hope that the tenth book, released this year, will be another classic to add to the bookshelf.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: • The Barfoot & Thompson Young Authors Challenge is open to all primary and intermediate students in Auckland and Northland

“For us, this is about so much more than just running a competition,” says Barfoot & Thompson Managing Director, Peter Thompson. “It’s about helping students to embrace the magic of reading and writing, and even further than that, giving them the opportunity to be part of something bigger than themselves. This is about Kiwi kids helping other Kiwi kids.”

• Individuals, groups and classes can enter a story of up to 600 words by 2 June 2017

The Magic of Reading programme aims to gift a book to every child that stays overnight at Starship Hospital or in the children’s ward of Whangarei Hospital. Over 25,000 books

• For more information visit www.youngauthorschallenge.co.nz

• All proceeds from the book go to the Starship Foundation and the Magic of Reading programme

UNEXPECTED CONNECTIONS "An artist can make something that takes us somewhere we didn’t expect to go. This can be rejuvenating, and we all want that.”

EVAN WOODRUFFE It was 1999 when Evan Woodruffe took a studio in Grey Lynn. His first exhibition was at Kokomo Haircutters, who were fabulously wild in those days and are still on Ponsonby Road. Several years of showing in non-dealer spaces had begun.

Evan was the recipient of the Becroft Premier Award in 2003 and had his first exhibition with Oedipus Rex Gallery (now Orexart) that same year. He continued his interest in figurative art, showing regularly with the gallery and entering awards, winning the Molly Morpeth Canaday Award in 2011.

Evan entered into post-graduate study, first with AUT and then Elam, graduating with MFA (1st Class) in 2014. The discipline this study instilled is really paying dividends, alongside the strong partnership with Paulnache, his New Zealand representative.

In the last two years, Evan has shown in Melbourne, Sydney and Beijing, as well as nationwide, with shows booked across the region well into 2018.

“I think of my work as a baroque abstraction of our current urban environment. My paintings are assertively decorative, inferring complex relationships with our surroundings - a space that we now experience both offline locally and online globally almost simultaneously.

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“We observe with thought - both referencing our knowledge and using imagination and supposition - as well as directly with our eyes, and this understanding enabled me to develop the work I make now.

“I’m trying to make a space we can move across, into and through,” says Evan. "Moving through a pictorial space is linked to our movements through real space, and more recently through virtual space also.

I’m attempting to create a space where our awareness is kept open, so that we can have thoughts and make connections that are unexpected or new. A bit like the way we can go through the world with expectancy - of what, we’re not sure, but we’ll know it when we see it.”

Evan's studio practice takes four full days a week and is his main source of income, but it can be irregular so he maintains three days a week at Studio Art Supplies in Grey Lynn, where he’s been since 1986.

His practice has involved using acrylic, oil-colour, watercolour, gouache, inks, silverpoint, monochrome drawing, monoprints, collage and fabrics thanks in large part to his work at Studio Art Supplies. He is also current chair of the Artists Alliance, the organisation that provides professional practice assistance for artists.

“At its strongest, art can affect us irrationally, causing us to cry or be angry or excited. It can take us to another place. For me, paintings are locations where we can think in a non-linear fashion, drifting in and out of thought, travelling somewhere new. And it can be new every time, because art remains the same, but every time we come PN back to a painting we have changed." F Follow Evan on Instagram #evanwoodruffe and see more of his work at www.evanwoodruffe.com

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

ARTS + CULTURE PARTNERSHIPS FOR CHANGE - OUTLINENZ INC

NEW CAFE AT LAKE HOUSE ARTS NOW OPEN

OUTLineNZ was established in Auckland in 1972, developing into Aotearoa’s only specialist counselling service for LGBTI people or people questioning their gender identity/sexual orientation.

Award-winning chef, Grant Kitchen has launched an exciting new cafe and evening dining venture at Lake House Arts in Takapuna, open from 8am - 4pm weekdays and 8am - 3pm on the weekends.

Evening dining will be starting in the next few months.

Rates of suicide and self-harm in Aotearoa New Zealand are high by OECD standards.

Free, anonymous and nationwide, 0800 OUTLINE operates 9am-9pm weekdays and 6pm-9pm weekends. Calls are free of charge to the caller from a New Zealand landline or mobile phone.

Call-takers complete details disclosed by callers for our call-log system. With increasing use of mobile technology and caller ID blocking, fewer than half of the calls are identified by geographical location. However, OUTLine receives calls from the Far North to Southland.

OUTLine works with families and friends of LGBTI people, especially young people, to make people personally stronger, more authentic and better integrated with their local communities.

Local Ponsonby resident Heather Fisher hosted a house party on the evening of this year’s Pride Parade. Her guests donated raising $560 for OUTLine. F PN For more information or to make contact www.outline.org.nz, info@outline.org.nz www.facebook.com/pages/OUTLineNZ Nationwide/357852547618488 twitter.com/OUTline_NZ

Grant is currently the head chef for the exclusive Number 5 restaurant, Le Chef in O’Connell Street in the city and previously, Pinot Plus in Takapuna.

Grant also judges at culinary events around New Zealand, he is a member of the New Zealand Chefs Association and trains up and coming chefs and stewards to class winners at local and national culinary events. As head chef of Le Chef, he won the Golden Knife Award during 2016 Restaurant Month.

Grant’s motto for his cooking is ‘savour, service and simplicity’. He believes Lake House Arts is a great spot for a cafe/restaurant themed around social dining, families and healthy and hearty food options.

The cafe will also be able to cater for large groups, functions and conferences with several package options being developed along with Lake House venue management.

PN Open seven days. For bookings T: 09 486 0802 F

LAKE HOUSE ARTS, is easy access, straight off the motorway at Esmonde Road onto Fred Thomas Drive, Takapuna, www.lakehousearts.org.nz

Heather Fisher pictured with OUTLine New Zealand General Manager Trevor Easton who was very appreciative of this generous donation

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

Creamy truffled mushrooms, leek, sourdough, parmesan with bacon

Eggs Benedict a la Lake House bacon or cold smoked salmon

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ARTS + CULTURE

Niki Hastings-McFall

UPTOWN ART SCENE Often a good idea is worth revisiting, especially when it was a formative moment in one’s career.

Fifteen years ago, artists Niki HastingsMcFall, Lily Laita, and Lonnie Hutchinson shared a residency in Samoa. Together they explored ‘star mounds’ rock platforms called tia seu lupe, where the ancient sport of pigeon snaring was performed by matai (men of high rank). Here they discovered symbols, patterns and shapes which, despite the sport being stopped by missionaries last century, can still be found in Samoan oratory, and has continued to influence the artists profoundly.

Vahine L to R: Niki Hastings-McFall, Lonnie Hutchinson and Lily Laita

The residency culminated in the exhibition Vahine, which marked a significant moment in each of their Lonnie Hutchinson weeding can be careers. For the first time since then, a daily chore the three artists are showing together in a reprise: Vahine: Catching the Trade Wind, at Whitespace Gallery in Crummer Road. Like the traditional tatu each received during their Samoan stay, this new exhibition reveals how motif developed then remains in their work. Gallerist Deborah White showed me some of Lily Laita’s beautifully rendered journals kept during the residency, alongside Lonnie Hutchinson’s statement to Tautai that sharing the residency with her ‘co-pigeons’ “has been totally a unifying event in my life.”

Lily has presented layered, strongly coloured paintings with pigeons supplying deeper metaphors around colonialism and ritual, while Lonnie uses ink drawings, printmaking and cutouts to suggest women preparing for or celebrating the dance groups that accompanied the pigeon hunting.

Lily Laita 4 of a kind

Niki Hastings-McFall has assembled glass vessel ‘depression troughs’ to resemble hei tiki and reflecting water, as well as covering lampshades on tall stands in white lei, like frangipani or climbing honeysuckle.

Fifteen years can be a long time in the art world, so it’s great to see all three artists still producing mature and consistent work. And it’s been 19 years since Deborah White first showed Niki Hastings-McFall and Lily Laita at Melbourne Art Fair - there’s plenty of longevity in these Vahine!

PN (WILL PAYNT STUDIO ARTS SUPPLIES) F

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

ARTS + CULTURE

@ OREXART

‘Take Me to the River’ - Richard McWhannell 8 - 29 April, Opening: 8 April - 1pm to 3pm ‘Take Me to the River’ is a body of work that precedes 2015 the series ‘Springs and Falls’. The compositional devices continue to emanate from Breughel and Bosch though these recent paintings are more deliberate in initial design.

On one hand the works are a nod to a pastoral landscape, figured with foible with yet grand characters that have colonised a yet-tobe seriously at-risk world. On the other, they are surrealist, back-of-the-brain scape works that include figurative biological and mechanistic references in a world more obviously disturbed. From the purity at The Source to the mutations and acidic bilge of Out-Fall, McWhannell’s ‘river of life’ has issues.

Says McWhannell, “It needs be said: there’s a lot that is comic here and plenty of graffiti.

I wish not to disturb or depress utterly. [As Brett Whiteley states,] painting is a ‘difficult pleasure’. I love it. I have fun in the moment, and the thoughts and musings along the way are manifold and far from endlessly bleak. Every day is a day in paradise but you have to be concerned as you walk the banks, from source to sea.”

@ WHITESPACE

Kenneth Merrick: Beats & Pieces 25 April - 13 May Kenneth will present improvised sound works on Saturday 29 April from 2pm - 4pm - all welcome.

Beats & Pieces brings together a collection of recent work

by Kenneth Merrick spanning drawing, painting, sculpture and sound. Grounded in DIY approaches and processes, his hybridised images, objects and soundscapes hack the cache of his aesthetic influences. May the Horse be with You, 2017 From the flotsam and jetsam of graphic tropes, to the pooling mass of sample culture, to the pit of bargain basement B-grade oddities. The geography is rough and unsteady.

Please contact rex@orexart.co.nz for details. F PN

Kenneth Merrick is an Auckland-based artist whose work currently orbits around drawing, painting and digital/analogue media. Merrick graduated with a Bachelor of Design and Visual Arts, Unitec in 2012 and completed a Bachelor of Music, University of Auckland in 2004. Over the past five years his works have featured in a variety of exhibition settings and spaces in New Zealand, and overseas. F PN

OREXART, 15 Putiki Street, Arch Hill, T: 09 378 0588, www.orexart.co.nz

WHITESPACE, 12 Crummer Road, T: 09 361 6331, www.whitespace.co.nz

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ARTS + CULTURE ARTMART @ FREEMANS BAY COMMUNITY CENTRE 29 April - 10am - 4pm

Rotary Westhaven is excited to be launching a local market with a difference. A cross between an art Show and a market, showcasing new and emerging talent and creative entrepreneurs.

As a fundraising event, proceeds will enable us to continue our active support within the local community and contribute to Rotary global projects, such as End Polio Now. In basing the market at the Freemans Bay Community Centre, the ArtMart will add another vibrant activity to the cultural calendar of the Ponsonby neighbourhood and is supported by local business.

We have an eclectic mix of items on offer from decorative pots and original art to jewellery and commissioned portraits of your ‘fur child’.

For relaxing ‘weekend ambiance’, St Mary’s College Parent Teachers and Friends Association will host a pop up cafe called ‘Saints’. There will be activities to keep your little ones amused whilst you browse with a coffee in hand.

Rotary brings together people from all walks of life, who want to use their expertise and passion to do good in communities around the world. The Rotary Westhaven team is keen to partner with local organisations to help make this happen. F PN For more information please contact d9910rotarywesthaven@gmail.com or go to the Facebook page, www.facebook.com/rotarywesthaven

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NEW JENNIFER DE LEON WORK AT BASEMENT Choreographer/performer Jennifer De Leon’s new work, ‘Bugs and Worms and Desire’ will open at the Basement Theatre’s Upper Room for a three-night run from 25 April.

De Leon describes the new dance work as being about “What it takes... an intimate look into a journey. Determination, grace, grit.”

Dance writer Raewyn Whyte has described the dancer as “one of our most radical performers,” and show-goers can anticipate a work “radical to the point where either you will scream, or you will be enfolded into something that you too, know and walk.”

The show is directed by Kerry Wallis, with costuming by Olga Khimitch and poetry by Anthony Doerr.

‘Bugs and Worms and Desire’ is prefaced by a partnered work, ‘Swimmer’, and the two PN pieces will be presented without an interval. F www.basementtheatre.co.nz

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

ARTS + CULTURE SHOWING @ STUDIO ONE TOI TU Daphne Mason - Sacred Land Collection 20 April - 18 May Opening: 20 April 5 - 7pm

This exhibition gives visitors a unique opportunity to view 2016 works by 88 year old established artist, Daphne Mason, whose career spans over 50 years. Drawn from her Compositions series, begun in 2013, these are highly structured and rigorous works in which Daphne challenges herself through the juxtaposition of colour and form.

The title of the exhibition refers to Daphne’s sense of responsibility as guardian or steward of her conservation block north of Auckland, in the face of rapidly encroaching land development in the area.

In the 70s, the late Ngati Maniapoto leader Dr Pei Te Hurinui Jones JP OBE, a friend of her husband’s, suggested the name ‘Whenuakura’ (sacred or red land) for the block Daphne had recently acquired. It is this land and its birdlife, threatened yet still protected, that PN inhabits these works. F STUDIO ONE TOI TU, 1 Ponsonby Road, www.studioone.org.nz www.facebook.com/StudioOneToiTu

Artist Daphne Mason at work in her studio

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HOROSCOPES: MISS PEARL NECLIS

What your stars hold for April ♉

Taurus (the Bull): 21 April - 21 May You’ve had a hard time recently understanding whether you’ve heard correctly given that as good news doesn’t always come your way. Fond memories come flooding back especially about a life you used to have.

♊

Gemini (the Twins): 22 May - 21 June That lightbulb you’ve been waiting to go off may have just happened without you realising it. Probably because you have too many things going off at the same time.

Sharing your lightbulb moment may be a bit more difficult than you think.

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

You may have come to that decision that has been brooding away inside of you for years and instead of ignoring it you’re actually exploring it. Even the first step will take you into uncharted territory.

♌ Leo (the Lion): 23 July - 21 August

You could be accused of dreaming of stuff that’s more out of reach and out of touch than what you’re going to get in reality. Keep going though, as fantasy can be a lot more enjoyable than real life.

♍ Virgo (the Virgin): 22 August - 23 September

Just be careful about getting too close to people and then they confide in you. You are taking on board too much emotionally and not realising that there will be consequences.

♎ Libra (the Scales): 24 September - 23 October

There seems to be romance in the air but unfortunately you don’t seem to be getting your share. Don’t look for it or ask for it and you might be suddenly in the middle of it.

♏ Scorpio (the Scorpion): 24 October - 22 November

The more effort you put into work, the more you seem to go unnoticed or so it seems to you. Don’t feel you have to make any extra achievements personally as you’ll be overdoing it.

♐

Sagittarius (the Archer): 23 November - 22 December You seem to be at cross-purposes with someone and a sudden change of plans will offer you a much better reward. Say yes to what’s on offer and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

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

You know that whatever you have started you have always managed to finish. So why have you now decided to half-heartedly do things or have you bitten of more than you can chew?

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

Trying to do everything at once is problematic and you need to take a step back and realise that you are allowed to take one day at a time.

♓ Pisces (the Fish): 20 February - 20 March

You may think you have every tool at your disposal but there is always something else that you feel will complete you. This won’t be a material cost but it could be an emotional one.

♈ Aries (the Ram): 21 March - 20 April

You are always the one to step up when something needs to be done and you always feel that if you don’t the job won’t get done. If you can take a step back then do, you may not know it but someone will always be there to back you up.

PONSONBY NEWS OUTLETS FREEMANS BAY

NEWMARKET

Ecostore, 1 Scotland Street Glengarry, Corner Sale and Wellesley Streets Kellands Real Estate, 4 Drake Street New World, Victoria Park

Taylor Boutique, 1 Teed 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 Tapac, 100 Motions Road Vetcare, 408 Great North Road

NORTH SHORE Rug Direct, Wairau Park Dawson’s Furniture, Mairangi Bay

PARNELL Jane Daniels, 2 Birdwood Crescent Parnell Community Centre, 545 Parnell Road

PONSONBY

Atomic, 420c New North Road

Askew, 2b Jervois Road Bayleys, 305 Ponsonby Road Countdown, 7 Williamson Avenue Harcourts, 89 Ponsonby Road Leys Institute, 20 St Mary’s Road The Longroom, 114 Ponsonby Road Mag Nation, 123 Ponsonby Road Paper Plus, 332 Ponsonby Road Ponsonby Community Centre, 20 Ponsonby Terrace Servilles, Corner Jervois & Ponsonby Road Studio One, 1 Ponsonby Road Whitespace, 12 Crummer Road

MT EDEN

WESTMERE

Citta Outlet Store, Corner Enfield & Normanby Road Sabato, 57 Normanby Road Studio Italia, 25 Nugent Street

Glengarry, 164 Garnet Road

HERNE BAY Herne Bay Post & Stationers, 240 Jervois Road Five Loaves, 206 Jervois Road Icing on the Cake, 188 Jervois Road Momentum, 182 Jervois Road

KINGSLAND

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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

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

THE PONSONBY PINK PAGES

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13 Herne Bay Road Herne Bay

27 Picton Street, Freemans Bay ID 1670691 22 Woodford Road Mt Eden

89 Norfolk Street Ponsonby

5 Ardmore Road, Herne Bay ID 1670692

123 Williamson Avenue Grey Lynn

17 Tirotai Crescent Westmere

48 Murdoch Road, Grey Lynn ID 1670693

Exceptionally tuned in to what’s happening in your area, Karen’s your No. 1 property professional.

For an outstanding result, let Karen direct your sale.

18 Norfolk Street Ponsonby

Karen Spires AREINZ 027 273 8220

6 Arney Road Remuera

karen.spires@bayleys.co.nz

Bayleys Real Estate Limited, Ponsonby Licensed under the REA Act 2008.