PONSONBY NEWS - September'15

+ PUBLISHED 4 SEPTEMBER, 2015

Established: OCTOBER 1989 – CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF PUBLISHING HISTORY!

ponsonbynews.co.nz

SEPTEMBER 2015

THE LONG-TERM VALUE OF TREES IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS Help save the magnolia trees at 230 Ponsonby Road - P30

THE A-Z OF LOCAL BARS IN & AROUND PONSONBY The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

Despite the winter chill, you will be sure of a warm welcome in Harry or any of our DEADLINE OF THE MONTH 48 local- 20TH watering holes...PONSONBY P32 NEWS+ September 2015 1

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WHAT’S INSIDE THIS MONTH

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P32; The A-Z of local bars in and around Ponsonby - despite the winter chill, you will be sure of a warm welcome at any of our 48 watering holes.

P72; ‘Historic Churches’ - St Mary’s Old Convent Chapel in Ponsonby has been included in a recently published book.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR FROM THE EDITOR DAVID HARTNELL: ONE MINUTE INTERVIEW SHALE CHAMBERS: WAITEMATA LOCAL BOARD U3A PONSONBY NIKKI KAYE: AUCKLAND CENTRAL MP MIKE LEE, COUNCILLOR FOR WAITEMATA & GULF JOHN ELLIOTT: LOCAL NEWS LANDMARK BUILDINGS JACINDA ARDERN: LABOUR LIST MP AUCKLAND

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A-Z OF LOCAL BARS EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY THE VEG FRIENDLY CHALLENGE LAURAINE JACOBS: THE SEASONED PALATE PONSONBY NEWS READERS ARE EVERYWHERE FASHION + STYLE ANGELA LASSIG: LETTERS FROM MAUDIE LIVING, THINKING + BEING HELENE RAVLICH: NATURAL BEAUTY ALI LAWRIE: PERSONALITY TYPES

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JOHN APPLETON ON HEALTH FUTURE GENERATION SIDELINE WITH GEORGE BERRY LOOK WHO IS IN THE ZOO PONSONBY PEOPLE & THEIR PETS PONSONBY PROFESSIONALS HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS JAY PLATT: WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT HEIDI PADAIN: ENTERTAINMENT IN YOUR GARDEN ARTS + CULTURE

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: Clare Gemima; HARRY PHOTO: Elizabeth Clarkson

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LETTERS + EMAILS PICK UP YOUR ACT DOG OWNERS I am totally and utterly sick of seeing/dodging an increasing amount of dog poo on our footpaths in Herne Bay. This problem has become increasingly worse recently for some reason. I was prompted to write this letter after walking home this afternoon when my children and I had to dodge several piles of dog poo spread along the footpath directly outside Andiamo.

It is disgusting, unhygienic and lazy to not clean up after your animals, there is no excuse for our footpaths to be covered in stinking dog poo.

DISGUSTED AND FED UP HERNE BAY RESIDENT DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY OLD PHOTOS OF 40 JERVOIS ROAD? My father owed a laundry at 40 Jervois Road called Charlie Nams Laundry (where Enchanted Rose is now based). A friend would like to write an article on laundries in Auckland and she remembered that my family owned one. We never had a camera in those days and would like to know if any of your readers have photos of that end of Jervois Road.

The only photos I have found went from the Gluepot to the ‘Armstrongs’ second-hand shop but it didn’t show from their shop to Glengarry. I would love to have a photo of the laundry; I remember it painted in green with gold leaf around the letters and a bit of clear glass where we would peep out and see the people passing by. Hope your readers can help.

JOYCE KHOO (NEE NAM), email joyce_kuez@yahoo.com PETITION TO SAVE THE TWO MAGNOLIA TREES ON PONSONBY ROAD Thank you to the 490 signatories of the petition to save the two magnolia trees on Ponsonby Road. We have written to the owners and asked them to withdraw their application to de-schedule the trees. The letter has also been lodged with the Unitary Plan Tribunal.

We also attended the Unitary Plan hearing on trees on 13 and 14 August and made submissions in support of the two magnolia trees on Ponsonby Road retaining their Notable Status.

Submissions were also made about the Unitary Plan process for trees and the failure of the council to consider, in the drafting of their Notable Tree Criteria and tree regulations, the fundamental facts about our urban trees; their priceless contribution to our air, air quality, the eco-system services and biosphere management services they provide.

We asked that the process be paused so that residents, council, the utilities and transport can get together to consider the way forward because these issues affect the health and welfare of the people of Auckland. We are hoping to take this matter further with Auckland Council.

Cities like London, which have planted 20,000 trees in seven years, are doing a huge amount of work on mapping and valuing their urban forests because they recognise the importance of their mature trees. For example, Keith Sacre of Barcham Trees, the largest container tree nursery in Europe, supplying more than 60,000 each year, says the standard street trees they sell to London boroughs are 3.5m high with a 14cm girth. He calculates that to replicate the leaf area of just one mature plane tree on the embankment, 60 new trees would have to be planted. “One-for-one replacement is mad,” he says. “Planting has got to be slow, steady, planned and resourced. There has to be a long-term commitment to recognising trees as the asset that they are.”

Toronto’s mayor, John Tory, who has planted 40,000 trees since his election victory last December and has promised 3.8m over the next decade.

What is Auckland doing? Cutting down more trees than it plants. If Auckland is serious about being one of the top cities in which to live, equal to Vienna or Zurich, forget branding, what we need is to embrace our mature trees.

Views in Ponsonby News reflect the authors’, and not those of Alchemy Media. www.twitter.com/Ponsonby_News

CAFE ON LITTLE GROCER SITE TURNED DOWN The proposed 45-seat cafe on the corner of Richmond Road and Peel Street - the Little Grocer site - has been turned down.

Celebrations are muted until the 15-day appeal possibility is extinguished. This decision is the culmination of a huge campaign to oppose the cafe on this totally inappropriate site.

Led by Jessica Fowler, Mattie Wall, Susan Hirst and a strong cohort of local activists, the community arguments were accepted by the three independent commissioners.

The hearing was told that the nature, scale and intensity of the proposed development was inappropriate for this site in a Residential 1 zone.

As a non-complying activity it would have had adverse effects on the environment, including noise, traffic and parking. This is a problematic corner anyway without further complications being added. The proposal was commercial and should be located in a commercial zone. There are already a good number of cafes within 500 metres of the site.

The hearing took two and a half days over June and July. The costs were significant and were exacerbated by the drawn-out nature of the process. They involved hiring a planner, a barrister, traffic experts, setting up an incorporated society and numerous other tasks and expenses.

The total cost to the Grey Lynn and Westmere Resident’s Society was $70,000.

The community has raised $24,000 to date, and are now $46,000 out of pocket.

Ponsonby News urges locals to applaud this decision, and to make a contribution to offset the cost of the exercise.

The Grey Lynn and Westmere Residents’ Society bank account no: 02 0248 0096560 00.

Congratulations team - well done. Local action and hard work win the day.

PN (JOHN ELLIOTT) F TOLE RESERVE PLAYGROUND UPGRADE COMPLETE I noticed the advertisement from the Waitemata Local Board thanking Ponsonby residents for their patience during the construction of the playground upgrade. I think they all deserve a thankyou from us as well. The new playground is wonderful and our grandchildren love it. Well done.

J. WEBB, PONSONBY

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The two magnolia trees are still not safe so please sign the petition: www.toko.org.nz/petitions/2-old-magnolia-trees-at-230-ponsonby-road WENDY GRAY, BY EMAIL

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FROM THE EDITOR THIS ISSUE WE INCLUDE AN A-Z LISTING OF OUR 48 LOCAL BARS. It’s comforting to know that many of them in our neighbourhood are still going strong and there are a few that have changed owners or been renovated. We say drink well and responsibly while you enjoy yourself.

The other example is the strong resolve of the business people in the shops in Grey Lynn to resist Auckland Transport’s decision to do away with car parks on Great North Road and neighbouring streets to enlarge bus stops. This issue is not yet resolved. AT are finally listening, but, according to the business owners, are resisting compromise. Readers will recall AT had to back down on their plans to cut down pohutukawas at Western Springs. The September issue features more news on threats to trees in our urban environment.

An excellent example of grassroots activism over the last 40 years has been Tony Skelton’s work for the St Marys Bay Association, both at home in St Marys Bay and the central city.

We wish Tony all the best and thank him for his efforts over so many years.

Another issue concerning us where bureaucracy needs to be tamed is the dangerous practise of using allegedly carcinogenic Roundup herbicide to kill weeds throughout the whole of

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

photography: Michael McClintock

The most liveable cities in the world are now looking at bottom-up planning, genuine consultation with residents and ratepayers, abandoning dictatorial decisions from above. These cities are really listening to what their residents want. We have two good examples of this going on in our own community right now. One of them, the decision to turn down a 45-seat cafe where the Little Grocer was, is already a success story for the voice of local people.

Martin Leach, Jo Barrett, Angela Martin, Jay Platt and Gwynne Davenport

Auckland Council territory. Since Monsanto launched Roundup in 1974 an increasing number of horror health stories have emerged. This dangerous chemical needs to be banned.

From the end of this month there will be a series of interesting talks on Ponsonby’s heritage at The Leys Institute, starting on Wednesday 30 September with a talk on the Victorian villa.

Winter clothes cover a multitude of sins, so with spring approaching it is now time to get your body in shape and this month we feature a number of healthy ways to get fit.

Not that long ago there were about a dozen butchers in our area and now two remain. How times change.

As Helene Ravlich discovers, we now have a growing number of old-fashioned barbershops offering old school and new cool services. It’s cheaper and no bookings are required. One of the highlights of my weekly visit to N&A Barbers is their use of the wonderful Bay Rum, a hair tonic and aftershave.

Anyone else love that smell?

Finally, if you have a local issue, get together with friends and neighbours and don’t be afraid to PN challenge bureaucracy. (MARTIN LEACH) F

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DAVID HARTNELL’S: ONE MINUTE INTERVIEW Trevor Easton lives in Grey Lynn and is the General Manager of OUTLine NZ Inc and is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet!

What does your job entail?

I’m the General Manager of OUTLineNZ Inc. which is the only free (0800) telephone nationwide support, helpline and counselling service to the LGBTIQ (rainbow community), staffed by trained volunteers.

We also offer face to face counselling by qualified counsellors, either in person at our offices in St Marys Bay or via Skype if outside Auckland. My role is very varied from ensuring training for new volunteers, granting applications to emptying the waste baskets.

Where do you live and what’s the best thing about it?

I have just recently moved into a new apartment in Grey Lynn after living 25 years in a townhouse in Herne Bay. Quite a different lifestyle! We are very lucky as we have all day sun and lovely views over Grey Lynn and the upper harbour.

You married your partner Marty of (23 years) did you ever think that you would see gay marriage?

I still can’t quite believe it, I certainly didn’t think I would see it in my lifetime especially after the struggles we had getting law reform through 29 years ago. It’s amazing and, yes, Marty and I got married in February. We had the best time; it was amazing, surrounded by family and friends.

Who do you think is the most annoying celebrity today?

The Kardashians.

Your dream holiday?

We both like travelling and there are so many places on our bucket list. For just “bobbling out”, Bali without a doubt - lovely people, great food and sun.

Best thing you have bought back from an overseas trip?

An old unknown painting of a man from a small town in Wales.

How would you like to be remembered?

For being myself, with all its flaws, and caring for people.

What do you love about your age?

Being able to be myself and not caring so much what others think.

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The best dressed woman on earth?

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge.

Something that you really disapprove of?

People’s cruelty to each other, whether that’s violence or use of language.

Your biggest disappointments?

Not having children.

What motivates you?

At work trying to do my very best at whatever the task is, but really it’s people. I enjoy people; seeing them grow to their full potential.

What happens when we die?

Have no idea, although I have meet people who I’ve thought have been here before. Although I believe this life is no dress rehearsal.

What is your favourite movie?

‘The Exotic Marigold Hotel’ and ‘Pride’.

The last time you cried?

Probably my wedding, tears of extreme happiness.

Give your teenaged self some advice?

Have the confidence to be you and be proud of yourself.

When you have self-confidence you can do anything.

Who would play you in the movie of your life?

Dustin Hoffman because I’m told we look similar.

You’re all-time favourite book?

‘Tales of the City’, nine novels written by American author Armistead Maupin.

What do you love about your life right now?

I feel very lucky; I have a wonderful husband and great friends.

What are you insecure about?

Most things, part of being an introvert I think.

What is your greatest fear?

Public speaking.

Who is you favourite hero of fiction and why?

Superman - because he can fly.

Change one thing about yourself - what would it be?

There are so many. Probably be a better speller.

Which talent would you most like to have?

To be able to sing. I’m almost tone deaf.

What gizmo can you simply not live without?

My smartphone.

What is your greatest indulgence?

Cream on my porridge.

Are you a handshake or a hug kind of person?

I love hugs but it’s not something I do easily; it depends on the person.

Comfort food?

Good old Kiwi roast with all the trimmings.

Who would be on your dream guest list for a dinner party?

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (did I say she’s my hero?), President Obama, Dame Judi Dench and Graham Norton.

How do you take your coffee or tea?

I’m more a tea drinker and that’s Earl Grey.

What is the best holiday you’ve ever had?

Last year we went to the South of France for a very close friend’s 50th birthday. Great company, wonderful food, great wine, great weather and lots of laughs.

If you could change one law or policy in New Zealand what would it be?

To have a better system to look after people in need whether they are poor, have mental illness or need help getting their life back on track. A government that cared for all its people. (DAVID HARTNELL, MNZM) F PN

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SHALE CHAMBERS: WAITEMATA LOCAL BOARD REPORT The role and functions of local boards under the super city shared governance model continues to develop and mature.

This year the Waitemata Local Board has had the unenviable task of reviewing local alcohol bans in our parks and streets and also proposing changes to dog access rules to our beaches, foreshore areas and selected parks.

Both, if not got right, can be highly charged issues and require careful balancing of rights and responsibilities in our community.

For the review of local alcohol bans the local board was required to determine which of the existing widespread but previously largely unenforceable bans must lapse and which, on an evidence basis, could be justified to be retained under new legislation.

In May, the board adopted for public engagement a proposal to retain 46 alcohol bans and allow 53 to lapse unless further evidence could be supplied. This followed an earlier, less formal but very helpful engagement directly with our communities’ many residents and business associations, which provided some preliminary evidence sufficient to assist with preservation of several of the 46 bans. This included the continuation of city centre and Ponsonby and other town centre, all hour’s bans; a new 24/7 mainstreet Symonds Street/Uptown ban, and the extension of some all hour’s bans to parks adjoining town centres, like Brown Reserve in Ponsonby, where increasing evidence of alcohol harm at night on our streets is all too evident.

Members of the Grey Lynn and Westmere Residents’ Association

Some have sagely commented that if existing alcohol bans are working there could not be evidence of current alcohol harm of sufficient a standard to retain bans under the new rules, and that a comprehensive ban should be maintained. The difficulty with that position is that that is not the law; evidence of alcohol-related crime or disorder in an area is now required. Police now also have a new power to enforce any liquor bans with $250 instant fines. This will now make enforcing of any justified ban that much easier, and effective. But equally, no one agrees that merely having a glass of wine with their family picnic in summer in a park with a ban is deserving of restriction.

It’s always some else’s behaviour that is inappropriate.

After hearing helpful submissions last month, the local board’s Hearings Committee is pretty confident we have the balance right. Aside from confirming the 46 alcohol bans - outside of town centres and immediately adjoining reserves and carparks, and most night time parks bans - the local board also created a more comprehensive Newton town centre ban, and added Vermont Reserve in Ponsonby to the nightime bans.

New signage will be installed in all alcohol ban areas around the time the new rules come into effect in October. If the new rules don’t work for you, let us know with any examples you have of alcohol-related crime or disorder and we can then review any ban that has been lifted.

The dog access rules are too detailed to list here, but again signage will be installed prior to the new rules becoming effective for Labour Weekend. After hearing further great submissions, the local board Hearings Committee retained the well-used dog morning and evening off-leash provisions surrounding the sportsfields at Cox’s Bay.

Thanks to all who took the time to share their stories with their local representatives.

It is always rewarding to see community empowerment and cohesion in action. A recent example was the widespread opposition represented by the Grey Lynn and Westmere Residents’ Association and 61 submitters to a cafe chain resource consent application to convert the Little Grocer site at 311 Richmond Road to a full 45-seater cafe within an historic character residential building and street. The proximity of the proposed cafe to neighbouring residential properties, 16 alternative eating and drinking establishments in the nearby commercial zone of West Lynn, increased traffic in a street with existing parking shortfalls, noise and waste odour are not conducive to making this area more liveable.

The local board recognises that applicants and affected party interests are not always aligned and exercises any input role sparingly. However, the local board took the rare step of formally opposing this application and the board chair was a witness for the residents’ association at the recent hearing of independent commissioners.

The decision has recently been released and the residents did themselves proud. The application was comprehensively declined on multiple grounds - all as submitted by the residents. It is a pity the community must at times fight these unequal contests, and at great cost in time and money, but it is even more pleasing to see that a successful outcome can be achieved through collective action and application. We have the honour of representing a fine community living in the inner city suburbs of Auckland.

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

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LOCAL NEWS

Big turn out of St Marys Bay Association members

ST MARYS BAY ASSOCIATION CELEBRATES ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY AND LONGTIME CHAIRMAN TONY SKELTON HAS NOW RETIRED The opening of the Auckland Harbour Bridge in 1959 marked the end of an era for St Marys Bay. The waters which once lapped at the foot of the pohutukawa-clad cliffs disappeared under the reclamation for the motorway linking the Auckland Harbour Bridge with the city. The tranquil days of swimming, and sail boats on our doorstep may be over, but much of the historic charm of this little cul-de-sac of a suburb right in the heart of the city still remains. Why? Because in 1975 a group of local residents formed the St Marys Bay Association.

The catalyst: the Auckland Harbour Board planned to fill in 30 acres of Westhaven for a marina; instead the St Marys Bay Association redesigned the plan, which is now a benchmark for marinas throughout New Zealand. Another first-year challenge was to oppose a Ponsonby Business Association scheme for a shopping centre.

The association has always been driven by the big picture - central city projects which impacted on St Marys Bay, but which also touched the lives of all Aucklanders. Since that first meeting at the Leys Institute in 1975, the challenges have just kept on coming. Princes Wharf redevelopment, Tank Farm chemicals storage, additional harbour crossings, Ponsonby redevelopment, the Victoria Park Tunnel, transport studies, commuter parking, Ponsonby Road studies, SkyPath, Wynyard Quarter development, the Unitary Plan... the list goes on.

Many of these projects have been drawn out over years. Most have required submissions, some have required appearances at resource consent and select committee hearings and one, the Victoria Park Tunnel, forced the committee to door knock to raise a fighting fund to stop additional motorway lanes being built on the reserve.

photography: Clare Gemima

Tony Skelton and Kevin Clarke

Many of these projects have been a huge challenge, but the St Marys Bay Association took them on because it believes in protecting the environs, not simply the individual streets that PN form this unique suburb. F

L to R: Shivaun LaHatte and Grant Blair; Peter Williams, Craig Stobo and Wendy Moffett

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LOCAL NEWS NEWS FROM GREY LYNN COMMUNITY CENTRE WHEN CATH BATHE-TAYLOR TOOK over as manager of the Grey Lynn Community Centre she saw a need for local young people to have a voice in the community.

Nina Santos with Cath Bathe-Taylor, manager of Grey Lynn Community Centre

That will soon become a reality with the imminent formation of the Grey Lynn Youth Guild, which will have its headquarters at the community centre.

“Youth representation at the community centre was the one important thing missing,” says Cath. “But it needed the right young person to spearhead the project and bring colour and leadership. Thanks to Amira Puia-Taylor, a youth outreach programmer at Auckland Museum, I was contacted by Nina Santos, an extraordinary young Grey Lynn resident, who we have got to know and who will head the project.”

The Grey Lynn Youth Guild will support the community with sustainable exhibitions and workshops with the community centre at its heart.

Project leader, 16-year-old Nina, who came to New Zealand with her family from the Philippines three years ago, is a year 12 student at Auckland Girls Grammar School.

As well as being an A-grade student she has an impressive record of engagement with various committees and organisations in and out of school. At school she is part of the Global Citizenship Initiative, which focuses on human rights, diversity and sustainability.

She attended the annual Young Enviro Leaders Forum hosted by the Sir Peter Blake Trust - and as a result has started an enviro group called ‘The Green Team’ - and was part of the AGGS team that won this year’s Auckland Enviro Challenge. She is also a form representative, a member of the school council, the debating team, ASTRA (outreach group), Global Citizenship Initiative and Sapere Aude (students who demonstrate high potential in terms of their academic, cultural, artistic and leadership abilities). She is also a member of the National Youth Advisory group for the Ministry of Youth Development, and has attended several United Nations youth events and the annual UNICEF Youth Congress.

“My family came to New Zealand for a better life and being here has changed me and my perspective on life,” she says. “With the natural disasters occurring in the Philippines, there seemed to be no way to fix it, but here there are beautiful places and we need to do everything we can to make sure it is all here for the next generation. Coming to New Zealand changed everything - there is so much potential in the youth lifestyle and youth can have a say in decision making.”

Young people interested in joining the Grey Lynn Youth Guild should contact Cath Bathe -Taylor at the Grey Lynn Community Centre.

Cath is also putting out a call for “exciting, forward-thinking, community minded” people to consider joining the community centre’s governance committee. “Although the building is owned by the council, the Grey Lynn Community Centre is not a council-run facility, says Cath. “We have a fantastic committee of local residents who do that - but we need more similar hands on deck.”

Cath says that new appointees to the committee will ideally encourage group decision making; build working relationships that contribute to the governance committee reaching informed consensus; have business and financial acumen and/or be able to adapt these skills to the needs of a small community organisation; contribute to the GLCC fundraising strategy and participate in fundraising activities; have good time management skills and commit to attend meetings every four weeks; participate in regular email correspondence; suggest nominees to the board who could make significant contributions. And, finally, says Cath, have a sense of humour and enjoy making meetings pleasant and productive for everyone. If you would like to know more, PN give Cath a call at the community centre. (PHILIPPA TAIT) F GREY LYNN COMMUNITY CENTRE, 510 Richmond Road, T: 09 378 4908 www.greylynn.org.nz

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PONSONBY U3A: AUGUST 2015 Popular president Annie Webster was returned unopposed for another year at the Ponsonby U3A Annual General Meeting in August.

The meeting was held at the Herne Bay Petanque Club rooms and ended with a lunch to brighten a wet and windy winter’s day and to celebrate the good heart of the group.

In her report, Annie pointed out that the membership is at an all time high, with prospective members queuing up. Annie said, “We are profoundly lucky here at Ponsonby U3A, to have a compact, albeit growing membership, which allows friendships to flourish and supportive, stimulating study groups to thrive.” She paid particular tribute to the convenors of the fourteen (soon to be eighteen) special interest groups. “Keeping a band of often assertive seniors on track can be a demanding undertaking,” she said. “The interest groups are, of course, the backbone of every U3A and it is invigorating to see the range of subjects addressed and the way members engage so fully in gatherings and outings, and open their homes so generously.”

Annie Webster, re-elected President of Ponsonby U3A

Following the AGM the monthly guest speaker, Associate Professor Melinda Sue Allen from the Department of Anthropology, Auckland University, talked about her group’s current research into traditional long-distance Polynesian voyaging and contacts between widely dispersed island communities in the period following island settlement. She gave fascinating insights into the trail of increasingly longer voyages out into the Pacific up to the time of New Zealand settlement.

The trail was able to be followed by the discovery of stone adzes and other artefacts that were carried across the oceans from their points of origin. She discussed research undertaken on the small Cook Island of Aitutaki, describing it as “...a little island with a big story - a tiny little island with broad connections to other parts of the Pacific, for reasons that are still a mystery.”

She said that it is unique in that it had more numerous contacts than any of the other islands Guest speaker Associate studied by the group. “For a long time to the late Professor Melinda Sue Allen 1800s archaeology embraced oral traditions, but with the rise of science the stories were not told as much. However, now we can look back at them as a source of information which sits alongside the scientific.” Associate Professor Allen said that it is an exciting time to be part of this research and that it was able to take place thanks to the Cook Island Government and to the National Geographic PN Society which funded the 2014 research. (PHILIPPA TAIT) F Guest speaker for the September meeting will be Pauline Sheddan, Community Liaison and Bequests Manager, Coastguard New Zealand.

U3A meetings are held on the second Friday morning of the month at the Leys Institute, Ponsonby. Guests are welcome to attend U3A meetings. If you would like to attend a meeting please contact Annie Webster on T: 09 376 2902, or Jane Jones on T: 09 378 7628.

NEXT MEETING:

9.45am, Friday 11 September, First Floor, Leys Institute, St Marys Road.

ENQUIRIES:

Annie Webster, President, Ponsonby U3A, T: 09 376 2902, www.u3aponsonby.org.nz

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NIKKI KAYE: AUCKLAND CENTRAL MP

Resilience and diversity at the heart of economic prospects As the MP for Auckland Central, I take a strong interest in the issues that affect our economy and the small businesses that play such an important role in it.

There are tens of thousands of small businesses in our electorate, and I constantly receive feedback on economic issues that affect them. Throughout the last couple of weeks there’s been a lot of talk about the dairy industry and its effect on the economy as a whole. Despite some of the current difficulties the dairy sector is facing at this time, the wider economy is diversified and resilient. It is strong and has a number of long-term prospects.

There are several growing sectors in our economy that contribute to development in Auckland. International education supports more than 30,000 jobs in New Zealand.

Exports of IT software and services have grown at 14% a year for the past six years.

ICT makes up 1.7% of our GDP. Retail trade and accommodation saw the largest annual growth in a decade, at 6.1% in March 2015 year, with increasing levels of tourism and major events such as the Cricket World Cup helping drive this. Tourism is growing strongly too, up 7% on last year to a record three million overseas visitors coming here in the past year, and is now worth 7% of GDP and growing strongly.

The National Construction Pipeline Report provides national and regional forecasts of building and construction activity.

The latest report forecasts the strongest sustained level of growth in the building and construction industry in 40 years - largely driven by Auckland residential construction.

80,000 homes are forecast to be built in Auckland in the six years to the end of 2020, compared to the 30,000 built over the last six years.

Encouragingly, the latest labour market data shows continued job growth, with 7000 more people employed over the last quarter and 69,000 more New Zealanders in work than a year ago. 194,000 new jobs have been created in the last four and a half years.

In 17 out of the past 18 quarters, we have recorded positive employment growth, including the past 11 consecutive quarters.

Our economy is also expanding at a pace of 2.6% a year, compared with 2% across the OECD. Businesses costs, and home owners’ mortgage costs, are expected to remain lower for longer than the last time this country was expanding at this pace.

So what does this mean for our local community and businesses? Locally, investment continues with the green light being given for the New Zealand International Convention Centre. This will be a significant venue and place for Auckland which will lead to 800 permanent jobs. The Grid AKL precinct is a central hub for Auckland’s growing innovation corridor, and is attracting international investment from ICT and digital media companies.

94 local future innovators will also benefit from R&D Student Experience Grants in Auckland - these grants allow students with science, technology, engineering, design, or business qualifications to advance their skills and understanding of commercial R&D within New Zealand companies.

I talk to many local business people who are optimistic about the opportunities that lie ahead for our city. There has been a significant amount of regeneration in the central city, and more businesses are looking toward Auckland as a crucial hub in the Asia -Pacific region.

Our positive long-term outlook has been achieved through the hard work and entrepreneurship of Kiwis, alongside our clear economic plan and careful financial management.

The Government will continue to work in partnership with businesses to strengthen our PN economy, support our local economy and local businesses. (NIKKI KAYE) F Hon Nikki Kaye is the MP for Auckland Central. www.nikkikaye.co.nz

Associate minister of education Nikki Kaye and Mt Albert MP David Shearer officially open Westmere School’s new buildings last month.

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LOCAL NEWS COUNCIL USE OF POISONOUS HERBICIDES According to Auckland Transport’s Media Manager, Mark Hannan, there has been no change to vegetation control in the new Super City since amalgamation. Auckland Transport still uses the same sprays used by the legacy cities which have merged into Auckland Council.

This means that the poisonous, possibly carcinogenic, herbicide, glyphosate (trade name Roundup), is still used on the road corridor throughout Rodney District, Waitakere City, Manukau City, Papakura District and Franklin District.

In North Shore City the decision was made by the previous council to use hot water and mechanical methods instead of glyphosate; while in Auckland City, a plant-based herbicide called BioSafe is used. But when you dig a little deeper it isn’t quite so clear cut.

So it is clear that glyphosate (Roundup G2) is widely used in the Super City super multinational chemical company, Monsanto, much hated by environmentalists worldwide, introduced glyphosate herbicide in 1974. Monsanto’s seeds are genetically engineered to tolerate the chemical so farmers can apply it to entire fields without destroying crops. It is widely used on soy, corn and cotton.

Research has now clearly shown that glyphosate is a probable carcinogen, is antibiotic resistant and hormone disruptive.

Both North Shore and Auckland City (except Waiheke Island) “still use glyphosate to some degree to treat specific weeds which are resistant to these other vegetation control methods.” (Mark Hannan)

Traces were found in 90% of 300 soybean samples.

The American Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), says new findings show that glyphosate raises the risk of cancer in people exposed.

To what degree, and where? Ponsonby News could not find out. Auckland Transport has not responded to our enquiry for more detail about where Roundup is still being sprayed in Central Auckland. Anecdotally there have been reports of unwellness among some residents, who believe spray to be a contributing factor.

It has certainly been well proved now that glyphosate is dangerous near pregnant women, children with asthma or allergies and the elderly.

The EPA sets the limit on glyphosate in water at 7ppm (parts per million), but it has been shown that GM corn contains as much as 13ppm. In Europe, the maximum glyphosate in water is set at 2ppm, while organ damage in animals has occurred at levels as low as1ppm.

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So GM corn at 13ppm is a huge threat to humans.

Other studies have revealed Roundup has estrogenic properties and drives breast cancer proliferation. Rats

fed Monsanto maize developed massive breast tumours.

The big unanswered question is the potential health effects of low levels over extended periods of time. There are many cancers that do not emerge in people’s bodies for 30 or 40 years after repeated, albeit minor, ingestion over many years. Cigarette smoking is a classic example.

Residents, including children, are treading over the berms outside their homes every day, several times a day, often with bare feet.

Most worrying is the continued use of Roundup in the old Auckland City area, a big chunk of which is covered

by Ponsonby News circulation. What and where are these resistant weeds which, in the opinion of Auckland Transport, require Roundup, with all its attendant dangers. It is clear from the exception Mark Hannan indicated, that Waiheke Island has said “no” to Roundup.

It is about time the rest of this Super City woke up.

Ponsonby News will continue to monitor this issue and we welcome information from residents who can tell us where this poison is being sprayed and whether it PN concerns them. (JOHN ELLIOTT) F E: johnelliott@ihug.co.nz

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MIKE LEE: COUNCILLOR FOR WAITEMATA & GULF

There’s much to do before we achieve world-class rail services in Auckland A couple of weeks ago I took the train out to Henderson to attend a council meeting. Riding the brand new EMU as it powered quietly and smoothly along a corridor now amazingly free of graffiti and weeds, past attractive modern stations (the openings of each of which I recalled attending over the past 10 years), I mused on the long struggle to get where we are today. I confess, readers, to feeling a momentary glow of pride. But enough of that.

The recollection that 90% of the complaints I receive about Auckland’s public transport are about rail services soon brought me back to earth. The truth is there is still much to do before we achieve world-class rail services in Auckland. Despite the brand new EMUs, on-time performance is definitely non world-class.

For instance, punctuality on the Eastern Line in June was a hopeless 60.9% - and with new electric trains. This is not some technical teething problem; electric trains had been running the Eastern Line for many months at that point. And passengers and train staff complain of unacceptable levels of anti-social behaviour and fare evasion (the two go hand-in-hand). The evasion problem is largely due to the lack of station gates outside of Britomart and Newmarket to go with the ‘Hop’ smart cards. The lack of these gates over most of the network means in effect we are operating a voluntary payment system on our trains.

Disconcertingly, after recent time-tabling changes, rail services on the Western Line are running slower than they did back when Britomart first opened. We didn’t really spend $1 billion on electrification to have slower services, did we? And despite strenuous public objections, passenger services to Waitakere have been withdrawn (for the first time in over 100 years) and planned extensions to Kumeu despite the enormous growth in that area have been put on the never-never.

I was recently told, by a disgruntled Pukekohe train commuter, of a widespread belief among her fellow passengers that the Pukekohe shuttle services have become so unreliable that Auckland Transport management must be trying to drive away customers (as some critics claimed happened with Waitakere), thus removing the need to electrify the line to Pukekohe. The conspiracy theory is baseless but sadly that’s what these customers believe. Even more serious for the long-term financial sustainability and expansion of Auckland’s rail services is the disproportionately high operational costs of running the network.

This year, ending June, it was a staggering $159m. For the previous year, June 2014 when Auckland and Wellington rail services carried almost an identical amount of people (11.5 million trips), not counting the large NZTA subsidy, Auckland ratepayers coughed up $43.3m for train services whereas Wellington ratepayers paid only $18.8m for theirs.

At the same time Wellington Metro collected $43.26m in fares whereas AT managed to recover only $30.63m. This year, ending June, Auckland ratepayers’ contribution increased to $52m and while patronage went up by 22% to 13.9 million trips per year, revenue increased only by 16%.

Auckland councillors, under pressure from the public fed up with rates increases, have called for an investigation into this, which is now underway. A contributing factor may lay in the fact that in Wellington services are a matter between the Wellington Regional Council and KiwiRail. In contrast the Super City’s rail services management system is a complex, unwieldy ‘too many cooks’ arrangement of Transdev, KiwiRail and, of course, Auckland Transport (AT) - which is demonstrably too expensive, inefficient and allows too much room for dodging accountability.

Auckland’s long-suffering rail passengers and ratepayers deserve better than this.

Along with the brand new electric trains, which AT promotes as “quieter, better, smarter”, we need a similar level of improvement to the way we manage our rail services, if PN Aucklanders are indeed to get world-class public transport. (MIKE LEE) F Councillor for Waitemata and Gulf www.mikelee.co.nz Mike Lee is the local councillor for Waitemata and Gulf ward, the chair of the council’s Infrastructure Committee and a director of Auckland Transport. He writes in his role as a councillor.

WESTMERE SCHOOL’S OFFICIAL OPENING Nikki Kaye - in her capacity as Associate Minister of Education - officially opened Westmere School after its $9.9 million redevelopment, on Friday 21 August. The project, which was completed in mid-July, includes the refurbishment and rebuilding of 3/4 of the school’s teaching spaces, administration block, library and related infrastructure.

Principal Carolyn Merino

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JOHN ELLIOTT: LOCAL NEWS

Public transport and the Grey Lynn shops On Monday 17 August I attended my third meeting with Auckland Transport, the Waitemata Local Board and local business owners about bus parking on Great North Road and surrounds, and parking issues in general.

The meeting was good humoured, and the Auckland Transport representatives were polite and behaved in a collaborative fashion all evening. And yet, I left the meeting profoundly disappointed. The next morning I spoke to one of the concerned owners, and she echoed my disappointment.

Walkability is a subjective thing. My partner will walk much further than I will to a cafe, the library, the post office. Partly it is a time question, but distance is the major impediment.

I cannot walk from Herne Bay to Great North Road, and if parking becomes too difficult I will just not go at all.

We both disagreed with local board member, Pippa Coom’s assessment that the outcome was a win-win situation. How could it be when several existing car parks, out of very few anyway, were being removed? That it was fewer than AT originally proposed does not represent a win for the struggling business people of Great North Road.

Auckland Transport conducted a survey on the ground in Great North Road, and they trumpeted the results at the meeting. We all know that figures twisted around can prove anything, and AT did their fair share of manipulation of the figures they gathered.

We also concluded that while Auckland Transport did finally consult - after being badgered and bullied to do so - in the end it was largely token consultation, and was not actually with the aggrieved business people affected by AT decisions.

So what was the problem? Auckland Transport called on business people and residents to make submissions on AT’s proposal to do away with some of the few car parks on Great North Road and surrounding streets, to better accommodate bus movements.

Many people took up that offer. Auckland Transport analysed those responses and then met with local board and Grey Lynn Business Association members to discuss modifications to their original proposal.

That was an important part of the problem. Neither Waitemata Local Board nor Grey Lynn Business Association actually represents that small group of business people on Great North Road.

Both of the above organisations have their own agenda, and they are both staunchly pro-public transport. I too, strongly support better public transport, and I applaud the council decision to make it a priority over the next 10-year period. But, as I said to Pippa Coom after the meeting, until the council bans the use of private cars, some of us, including me, will go to Grey Lynn shops for our meat, hair cut, coffee and TAB bets - by car.

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However, the following figures do not lie. 47% of those surveyed arrived by car, 36% walked, while 13% came by bus. A further 2% cycled. When questioned about their spend, over 60% of cyclists spent between one to twenty dollars, while those in cars spent most - up to $300. Surprise, surprise! This is not Hanoi where cyclists might head off down the street with a TV or a bed balanced on their bike. Cycling is dangerous enough in our unforgiving, car-mad city, without them carrying several hundred dollars worth of goods. It didn’t need an AT survey to tell us that.

Similarly, surveys of car parks in Grey Lynn are highly subjective. Seven thousand bus patrons sounds a lot, but this is per month, and represents just over 200 per day, or less than 20 per hour (on and off). This number covers five existing stops - four per stop!

Now, as I say, statistics can tell all sorts of lies if analysed unfairly, but Grey Lynn town shops are being severely affected by continued stopping of dozens of buses disgorging one or two passengers only, few of whom patronise local shops.

This small group of business owners is literally hanging on to their livelihood by a thread.

The post office has closed, the ASB has gone, and Countdown is poised to close. These business owners are proud of Grey Lynn. They predict growth in the years ahead, but they need help, not constant attacks on their neighbourhood’s viability.

The general opinion of the businesses affected by the Auckland Transport proposals is that they have made some concessions to their original ‘ludicrous’ plans, but their latest proposals are still highly detrimental to business in Grey Lynn shopping precinct.

PN (JOHN ELLIOTT) F

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RACHAEL TE AOTONGA: LEYS INSTITUTE LIBRARY NEWS

2015 Ponsonby Heritage Talks The annual Auckland Heritage Festival kicks off at the end of this month, and we are celebrating at Leys Institute Library by hosting a series of interesting lectures.

These popular events are organised by Ponsonby Business Association and include a wide range of interesting speakers and topics relating to our local history and heritage.

HERITAGE TALKS Ponsonby presents: Inside the Victorian Villa Wednesday 30 September, 6.30pm-7.30pm Join this popular photo lecture and enter the fascinating world of Victorian domestic architecture and interior decoration. This covers the changing aesthetics and fashions in interior design up until the First World War. Social context is explored along with factors such as technological advances, privacy and hygiene.

Speaker: Edward Bennett Ponsonby presents: The Design of Victorian Houses Thursday 1 October, 6.30pm-7.30pm Discover more about the design and planning of Victorian and Edwardian houses through this fascinating illustrated lecture with Edward Bennett. This covers the changing aesthetics and fashions in architectural design as well as factors such as technology, privacy and hygiene.

Ponsonby presents: Our Music Heritage: Crumbling into Obscurity Saturday 3 October, 1-2pm Conductor of the Leys Orchestra, David Britten, presents an illustrated talk highlighting the wonderful but largely forgotten music from Auckland’s yesteryear, and the precarious state of much of this heritage.

Many Auckland orchestras flourished and faded over the past century and a half, leaving their libraries of music behind. This sheet music is slowly becoming useless as missing instrumental parts cannot be replaced, and is at risk of deteriorating into crumbling obscurity.

Mr Britten shares some of the stories behind this music, and outlines what Leys Orchestra is doing to bring this music to life. He also makes a plea for action to preserve this heritage for future generations, and provides examples of sheet music and manuscripts for the audience to view.

Ponsonby presents: Victorian Gardens Wednesday 7 October, 6.30pm-7.30pm Learn more about Victorian domestic gardens through this engaging presentation with Edward Bennett. The design of 19th Century gardens in New Zealand was influenced by a number of concepts and factors. This lecture presents the social and aesthetic reasons behind their design.

Ponsonby presents: Clothing, Complexions and Cosmetics: Beauty in the Victorian Period Tuesday 6 October, 6.30pm-7.30pm

Ponsonby presents: 20th Century Gardens Thursday 8 October, 6.30pm-7.30pm Join local historian Edward Bennett for an illustrated talk on gardening in New Zealand since the First World War. Learn about the changes in taste and technology which altered our relationship with the landscape and the garden. This lecture touches on a broad range of topics including social change, technological advances and fashion.

Today Ponsonby is synonymous with fashion and beauty culture, but what trends would 19th Century women have followed? Join Dr Kirby-Jane Hallum, a specialist in the lives of Victorian women, for an illustrated talk on the changing standards for female beauty over the second half of the 19th Century.

Tours of the Leys Institute - Behind the Scenes at the Library Friday 2 October, 2pm-3pm Saturday 3 October, 11.30am-12.30pm Wednesday 7 October, 2pm-3pm

A specialist in the lives of Victorian women, her research is published as a book, titled ‘Aestheticism and the Marriage Market in Victorian Popular Fiction: The Art of Female Beauty.’

Discover the fascinating history of this iconic building. Explore the nooks and crannies and learn the vision the Leys brothers had when they implemented this treasure in our community in 1905, which remains strong today.

(RACHAEL TE AOTONGA) F PN

All lectures are free and open to the public, and will be held at Leys Institute Library, 20 St Marys Road, Ponsonby.

To book a place, email: heritage@iloveponsonby.co.nz or T: 09 360 9301.

LEYS INSTITUTE, 20 St Marys Road, T: 09 374 1315, www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz

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DEIRDRE ROELANTS: LANDMARK BUILDINGS

17 Hepburn Street This large Italianate residence was built for a Henry Elliot in 1890 but the large house is notable because it was subsequently lived in by William Crush Daldy.

He whom the historic steam engine tugboat is named after and a street in Freemans Bay. Built in 1935 for the Auckland Harbour Board the tug is fired by two coal burning boilers, making her one of the strongest still afloat today. When one of the pre-assembled main sections of the Auckland Harbour Bridge was in danger of being lost or damaged in a major storm, the manoeuvring boats failed to keep control of the the construction barge that was floating the structure into place. The William C. Daldy came to the rescue and kept up the pull until the wind subsided.

Captain Daldy was born in 1816 at Rainham, Essex where his father was a coal merchant.

He began seafaring life at the age of 16 in one of his father’s colliers but upon the latter’s death he struck out on his own and sailed for Van Dieman’s Land as Captain of the ‘Sharnrock’ that traded between British ports and various others around the world.

The first Custom House in Auckland opened the day Captain Daldy brought his schooner into the port, 1 July, 1841, and for three years the vessel traded between Auckland and Sydney. In 1847 he purchased land in the neighbourhood and for a couple of years traded as a timber merchant. He then established a wholesale shipping house company, ‘Coombes and Daldy’.

Captain Daldy had always taken an interest in public affairs and in 1858 was elected as Auckland’s representative, becoming a Minister of the Crown in the same year. He was a hearty supporter of provincialism and and later was appointed Provincial Secretary when he carried through a Bill for Auckland’s first provincial loan of half a million. While on a business visit to England in 1865 he acted as agent for the Auckland Provincial Government and in that capacity sent about one thousand emigrants to New Zealand, all of whom paid the greater part of their passage money. In doing so, he certainly proved himself a a capable and efficient salesman for his adopted country. He also purchased the first railway engine plus material for the province in the Home Markets.

When the Auckland Harbour was formed he was chosen as its first chairman, a position he held for seven years. He was responsible for the acquisition of some five thousand acres of sea bed, a major portion of which has since been reclaimed, providing the board with a huge asset. In the original document endowing the board with rights to the Auckland Harbour, he cunningly inserted the words ‘and its bed’. He sat on the Auckland Council for a few months but in that short period he was instrumental in negotiating the Western Springs water supply for the city. The frequency of fires prompted he and other prominent citizens determined to take preventative measures, and to that end formed one of the finest fire brigades in the colony. Daldy was appointed its captain.

He married Frances Pulham in 1841 who died in 1877. A few years later he married Amey Hammerton, a woman of radical views for the times who campaigned for women’s rights and social justice. Perturbed by the heavy losses fires caused during those early years he was a founding member of the New Zealand Insurance Company and was appointed one its first directors. His activities as a citizen were so many they make for a long list. He was a man deeply concerned with the community’s welfare and never sought public recognition, but gave wholehearted support to any movement which made for progress. His life and times would make a riveting biography but I believe such a book has yet to be written. William Crush Daldy died at 17 Hepburn Street on 5 October PN 1903. (DEIRDRE ROELANTS) F

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MEET JAMIE COBEL, A LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER Jamie Cobel is an award-winning, Ponsonby-based photographer specialising in architectural photography.

He has worked exclusively as an architectural photographer for more than 10 years for an international publishing house producing up to 48 architectural titles per year, under which he has published more than 1500 architectural editorial stories. Jamie has recently gone freelance.

How long have you been a professional photographer?

I’ve been a professional photographer for 16 years, the last 10 of which have been based exclusively in architectural photography.

Any helpful advice about getting the best shots?

Side-front lighting usually produces the best architectural images. It provides plenty of illumination and casts interesting shadows across the face of a building, making textured facades stand out and giving it a more three-dimensional look. Another tip for shooting architectural subjects is to take your time. A building’s look and feel change significantly at different times of the day.

Shooting in RAW format has huge advantages at the editing stage. You can fine-tune exposure settings, white balance, sharpness and other parameters to bring out the best in your images.

Any favourite buildings or interiors you’ve shot?

I’ve been privileged enough to visit and photograph some incredible buildings and houses around the world but the one that’s blown me away the most has got to be Jagged Edge in Queenstown. Utterly spectacular.

How do you switch off from work?

I’m passionate about architecture and design, so the lines between work and play can be blurry, but to really wind down you can find me mountain biking with a mate at Woodhill Forest or entertaining my three-year-old boy.

When did you first move to Ponsonby and what attracted you to the area?

My wife and I have lived in Ponsonby for five years. We absolutely love its unique, young, urban atmosphere and the easy proximity to the city. Retail development around our part - Mackelvie Street - has been especially dynamic over the last couple of years and we can’t wait to see what happens next. F PN To see some examples of Jamie’s work: www.jamiecobel.com

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DEIRDRE THURSTON

Would I pine for familiar sights and sounds?

I readily admit that I watch too much TV - most of it uninspiringly dull - while I scold myself for not reading a good book instead.

However, there are a couple of gems among the dross. My all-time favourite is ‘Country Calendar’. Stories full of bucolic bliss and family unity with the added draw of animals and all kinds of produce.

Soon, I am travelling through Greece and Turkey. Will I find my forever home, my special place there? I doubt it, but who knows? What I do know is that life can change in an instant and I would never say never.

Lately, I’ve been hooked by a fantastic programme that aired on TV One: ‘My Town’. It is my new fave. Not only is it directed and produced well but I am finding myself so inspired by the everyday people, their passion and lives it highlights.

Waiheke Island, in particular Onetangi Beach, has always been where I feel I’ve ‘come home’. As soon as I drive along Onetangi Road and suddenly, at the brow of the hill, the bay - blue, grey, calm, rough, it doesn’t matter - stretches out in front of me, warmth spreads through heart and soul. And I just have to go and lay on the sand and reconnect.

Every grain is me; every pohutukawa leaf rustle from a breeze which caresses my neck with a familial hand welcomes me home. Magic.

It has also unsettled me, triggering me to wonder: small town New Zealand - could it be my turangawaewae? Never before have I been so tempted, inspired to pick a spot and leave my beloved Herne Bay/Ponsonby neighbourhood behind. Leave Auckland altogether and become part of another place, smaller and more intimate.

Or would I become bored and feel hemmed in? Would I pine for familiar sights and sounds? The friendly exciting hubbub of Ponsonby Road, the magic of the western end of Jervois Road at sunset when the sky turns electric pink and orange? I would not see those twinkly lights on the Harbour Bridge anymore, have fresh mint tea in a tall glass at Zus and Zo. Ponsonby Central’s clamour, din and mouthwatering aromas would be a distant memory. Then there’s the comfort of always knowing I can find white tulips in a black bucket outside Bhana Brothers that I take home and arrange in an old blue glass vase. Would I fret for the sight of my neighbours’ cats rolling in the sun on footpaths outside gates, wanting a tickle and a chat as I walk by? I know I would miss the heady scent of the crimson-red Dublin Bay roses, peeking over a white picket fence on Jervois Road, which gift me moments of pure joy. So many little things that make up my life here.

Not to mention family and friends, work and play. Yet something tugs at my heart: find a new place to stand.

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Westhaven/Herne Bay feel like home too. I know all their nooks and crannies, smells and sounds. The dinging and clanking of the flagstaffs along the promenade at the marina are a comforting soundtrack to memories old and new. Then there is a tiny village in northern Italy called Fiascherino where my feet certainly found a place to stand and my heart was captivated. I often dream of living there and calling it home.

Perhaps it’s a case of waiting for my true turangawaewae to find me.

In the end, is it not where we live that matters but how we live - in kindness, love and compassion? We need to wake up every morning, no matter where we are, together or alone, and ask: how can I help today?

We must have purpose wherever we find ourselves. Then our hearts are full. Perfection, to me, and what I’m looking for, is doing this in my turangawaewae.

(DEIRDRE THURSTON) F PN

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JACINDA ARDERN: LABOUR LIST MP AUCKLAND

The TPPA - free trade but not as we know it If you were anywhere near Queen Street, or watched the news a few weekends back, you will have seen thousands of New Zealanders taking to the streets to raise their concerns with the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA). In my opinion, that concern is totally justified. And here’s why.

I am in favour of free trade agreements that benefit New Zealand and New Zealanders. But the terms need to be fair. It was a Labour-led government that signed a free trade agreement with China, which will remove 96% of Chinese tariffs to New Zealand’s exports by 2019. This has significantly boosted our economy, and China is now our largest export market. Our dairy industry benefited enormously from this.

But the TPPA is unlike any free-trade agreement we have ever signed. It’s not just about trade between countries, it’s about the rights of investors, the length of patents, and ability for states to govern in the best interests of their citizens.

These are all things that will have a massive impact on New Zealand. That means transparency, and at the very least a little open dialogue from Government is so important. We not only need to know what they are signing us up to, we deserve to know.

Labour will only support the TPPA if it protects New Zealand’s sovereignty and is in New Zealand’s best interests. But how do we know it will do that without seeing the text? That’s why we have gone ahead and set out our five key principles that are non-negotiable bottom lines.

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Firstly, Pharmac must be protected to ensure that medicines remain affordable.

Secondly, we would remove the investor-state dispute settlement provisions which would provide corporations with the ability to sue the government when it regulates for the public good. If for instance government introduces plain packaging for cigarettes, no company should be allowed to sue the government for that decision. Thirdly, state must retain its ability to enforce its interests to protect state sovereignty.

Fourthly, the government needs to retain the right to restrict overseas investment so that New Zealanders have a say in whether overseas speculators can buy our houses and farms. The government also needs to achieve meaningful tariff reductions and market access for dairy exporters like the Labour-led government negotiated in the China Free Trade Agreement. And finally, it is also vital that the Treaty of Waitangi and its principles are upheld.

We are concerned about both the substance and secrecy involved in TPPA negotiations. We must protect our sovereignty and our interests, and can’t support PN the TPPA until that is guaranteed. (JACINDA ARDERN) F JACINDA ARDERN, Labour List MP based in Auckland Central. www.jacinda.co.nz

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JOHN ELLIOTT: LOCAL NEWS

The long-term value of trees in urban environments Why don’t people value trees in the urban environment? A business owner in Ponsonby Road is keen to cut down several trees on his property which he says are obstructing views and cutting out light.

Since the Government cut tree protections out of the Resource Management Act in a recent amendment, unscrupulous developers and land owners have been given carte blanche to cut down trees they don’t want.

The council’s population intensification policy is laudable, but is foundering in the inner city, partly because of tree loss and resistance to cutting down more trees.

Meantime, small groups of trees, or individual trees, are threatened every day. It is difficult to impress on most people the importance of tree protection, particularly in an urban context.

A group of Auckland University academics have been analysing a group of trees in the Wynyard Quarter, assessing their value to the urban environment.

A number of studies worldwide have highlighted some of the benefits of trees. These include temperature and humidity studies.

As Alison Greenaway of Landcare Research says, “Trees absorb heavy metals, preventing them from entering our harbour, keeping our water cleaner.”

Recent research has shown that most urban people no longer enjoy simple things like camping and tramping. Auckland University ecologist Dr Margaret Stanley put this down to a ‘nature deficit disorder’.

A major study led by Dr Stanley also showed poor protection was threatening the urban tree cover in the Auckland isthmus. Across that area, the amount of tree cover was just 6% and of that 63% was on private land and only 15% of trees - few of them native were protected.

“The housing crisis means more people, more houses, more intensification, meaning a loss of green spaces - and this will only get worse,” says Stanley. She went on to say that trees lost to development were often replaced by weedy palms and lowmaintenance shrubs.

Research has shown that trees benefit us in ways we’ve perhaps never considered. In big cities they have been shown to improve the health of pregnant women, speed up recovery times of hospital patients and cut the use of anti-depressants.

Wendy Gray and Holly Hudson

Other advantages of trees include improved house prices when there are trees within 100m of a house for sale. Also, people feel safer in leafy suburbs.

Aucklanders should research suitable natives and may decide to plant kowhai, which attract nectar-eating birds like tui.

Green-walled buildings, green roofs, bee hives on roof tops, daylighting of streams are other benefits of urban greening.

But our city fathers must resist the temptation of some developers to flatten every bit of land they own so they can make their housing developments more intense.

The main benefit of this behaviour is more profit by those developers, at the expense of urban amenity, including trees.

Daylighting of streams can transform empty and ugly spaces into glittering little gems. Little streams are restored to the surface, with surrounding stream banks and parkland being replanted with trees and flax. These rejuvenated reserves offer havens for wildlife, including tui and kereru, and restore the quality of watercourses in the city.

Not all trees deserve survival forever. It is important to plant trees suitable for their environment. We have an ever-growing kauri on a private property near us. It will eventually have to go. Urban sections are not the place for large natives like kauri.

Above all, Aucklanders should watch out for the next round of amendments the Government wants to make to the Resource Management Act. Tree protection is not the only amendment which is worrying. The author of the RMA, Sir Geoffrey Palmer, is concerned about the Government’s proposals.

It’s a real threat, but is a story for another day. Meantime, plant a tree and help our environment. And petition against unnecessarily chopping down trees.

PN (JOHN ELLIOTT) F

Local resident Wendy Gray (pictured above) reminds us that the two magnolia trees at 230 Ponsonby Road are still not safe so please sign the petition: www.toko.org.nz/petitions/2-old-magnolia-trees-at-230-ponsonby-road

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

LOCAL NEWS

photography: Clare Gemima

L to R: Save our trees; Holly Hudson; Trisha Reade getting signatures

L to R: Stefan Sinclair and Jordan Rondel; Levi Brinsdon-Hall; Maxime Goutard and Simona Curti

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LOCAL PONSONBY A-Z OF BARS It’s comforting to know that many of the familiar bars in our neighbourhood are still going strong and there are but a few that have changed owners or been renovated. We say drink well and responsibly while you enjoy yourself.

BAR 151, 151 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 360 9138 Located on the beautiful corner site of Ponsonby Road and Anglesea Street.

BAR 151’s signature dish is an impressive cheese and cured meat board, which includes: Gibbston Valley cheese, Zamora artisan-made cured meats, home-made fig jam and honeycomb, to name a few. With handcrafted cocktails, craft beers, live music on Fridays and DJ’s most other nights, BAR 151 is definitely a great bar-styled establishment to complement its buzzing Ponsonby neighbouring restaurants. Open Wednesday - Sunday from 2pm.

BARRIO, 44 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 376 8147, www.barrionz.com A popular local featuring a rotating cast of DJs including Roger Perry, Manuel Bundy, Murray Cammick, Greg Harper, T.D.K and more. Check out their website or Facebook for session times. Coopers Pale Ale is on tap. Open Wednesday - Friday from 4pm, Saturday from 6pm, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday by arrangement.

BEDFORD SODA & LIQUOR, Ponsonby Central, 5 Richmond Road, T: 09 378 7362, www.bedfordsodaliquor.co.nz Bedford Soda & Liquor is a New York inspired neighbourhood bar named after Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It serves handmade sodas, cocktails, floats, shakes, meatballs and sundaes. Open 12 noon - 12am, seven days with an eclectic mix of DJs playing from 6pm Thursday - Saturday.

BROTHERS BEER, City Works Depot, Shed 3D, 90 Wellesley Street West, T: 09 366 6100, www.brothersbeer.co.nz Brewery, retail store and tasting lounge with over 200 beers - 18 of these on tap.

Brothers is Auckland’s home for lovers of beer. They offer a range of beers brewed on site and an ever-changing selection of the world’s best craft beers from New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Europe and the United States. Enjoy a tasting paddle of five beers and try their thin-crust pizza. They host regular events such as live music, tap takeovers and special releases. Open seven days.

CALUZZI BAR AND CABARET, 461 Karangahape Road, T: 09 357 0778, www.caluzzi.co.nz Legendary Caluzzi Bar and Cabaret offers an unforgettable dining experience with entertainment by New Zealand’s most awarded drag artistes. It’s an interactive cabaret show with fabulous food, dazzling costumes, DJs and disco and is a great place to have a social get together. Bookings are essential.

CHAPEL BAR & BISTRO, 147 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 360 4528, www.chapel.co.nz Now a Ponsonby institution, Chapel embodies the spirit of Auckland’s most iconic and sociable boulevard. It is the perfect place for drinks with friends after work, for dinner, a snack or a night out. Well worth the visit to sample delicious and very affordable fare such as the crispy Italian style pizzas. Open Monday - Wednesday 3pm - late and Thursday - Sunday 12 noon - late.

CHOP CHOP NOODLE HOUSE & WHISKEY BAR, Ponsonby Central, 140 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 360 0708, www.ponsonbychopchop.co.nz A punk ramen bar with The Eagles on the radio, lip-smacking pork buns, fried chicken - and a damn fine selection of whisky. Expect handsome descriptions, like their peaty 10-year Ardberg, hailed as “a long and glorious mix of sea-salted caramel and beach bonfire smoke”. They’ll even spike your choice of milkshake with a slug of bourbon. Chop Chop’s where great whisky gets a side of tasty Asian.

Open seven days 12 noon - late.

CONCH KITCHEN & BAR, 115A Ponsonby Road, T: 09 360 1999, www.conch.co.nz The Conch Kitchen & Bar is part of the entertainment scene day and night, serving South American inspired food, New Zealand organic wines, fresh sugar cane

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photography: Michael McClintock

BONITA, 242 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 376 5670, www.bonitabar.co.nz Bonita is a wine and tapas bar with an excellent wine list and cocktail credentials.

Bonita’s relaxed atmosphere is the perfect place for a casual drink or tapas indulgence.

Happy hour runs from 4pm - 6pm daily. Open Tuesday - Sunday 4pm - late.

SHANGHAI LILS cocktails and local craft beers. Open Monday - Thursday 4pm - late, Friday - Sunday 8am - late (winter hours).

CORK GIN & WHISKEY BAR, 65A Mackelvie Street, T: 09 360 1260 Small, intimate and classy, unlike its big brother Grand Central. Specialising in gin and whiskey, with one of Auckland’s largest selections of Irish whiskeys (and from around the world) and also over 25 different gins. Open Friday and Saturday nights until 4am. New rear courtyard area opening October. Available for function hire.

DIDA’S WINE LOUNGE, 54 Jervois Road, T: 09 376 2813, www.didas.co.nz With a great wine list backed up by great wine knowledge, this smart wine lounge has a rich heritage in hospitality like no other. The superb selection of tapas are simply delicious and the monthly food and wine matches are exceptional. Open seven days, 12 noon - late.

DILECTA, 549 Great North Road, T: 09 376 6682 Dilecta is a local bar and eatery where you can gather with friends in a relaxed environment. Enjoy some good food, shared plates, entree, main or just a dessert while drinking some fine wine or one of their many craft beers. The large space, including an outdoor courtyard, is perfect for functions and events. Gift vouchers available and bookings welcome. Open Tuesday - Saturday 5pm - late.

ELBOW ROOM, 198 Jervois Road, T: 09 376 2613, www.elbowroom.co.nz The Elbow Room is a favourite neighbourhood bar with a discerning wine list, a wide range of beers including Peroni, Asahi and Coopers Pale Ale on tap, as well as an extensive cocktail selection. The bar can be booked for private functions, either exclusively or shared use. Open seven nights Monday - Tuesday 3.30pm - late and Wednesday - Sunday 3pm - late.

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PONSONBY A-Z OF BARS

FREEMAN & GREY, 43 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 378 6496, www.freemanandgrey.co.nz Freeman & Grey is a great sunny spot with a laid-back atmosphere, great sharing plates menu and a heap of fun to be had. It’s the perfect location for that special event, birthday, corporate or Christmas. They’ll take the stress out of your next function, offering a wide range of food and beverage options, and can sort audio visual details for you. Open from 12 noon Monday - Sunday.

FREIDA MARGOLIS, 440 Richmond Road, T: 09 378 6625 You’ll find Freida Margolis on the corner of Richmond Road and Hakanoa Street tucked away in 112 years of Grey Lynn history. Ask for a Garage Project Craft Brew or a French pomegranate punch... as well as fine wine, bottled beer and sliders.

GABLES KITCHEN & BAR, 248 Jervois Road, T: 09 376 4994, www.gables.kitchen Gables Kitchen & Bar is a great well-known local, offering functions in a cool, contemporary setting. They offer friendly, knowledgeable staff who will ensure that your event runs smoothly. They offer canapes, mouth-watering buffets, elegant set menus from spit roast or barbeque. Choose from their beautifully crafted wine list, fantastic range of tap and bottle beers and their great selection of spirits, organic juices and lots more.

GRAND CENTRAL, 126 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 360 1260, www.grandcentral.net.nz The oldest and best-loved bar on the strip and still going strong after 16 years.

Famous for its live music and late nights of dancing and good times. Huge range of craft beers now available (six on tap). Live music seven nights, great outdoor smoking areas, three function areas available. New rear courtyard area opening October. Open seven nights until 3 or 4 am. Ponsonby’s longest-running happy hour 4pm to 7pm.

GREY LYNN RSC, 1 Francis Street T: 09 376 2909, www.greylynnrsc.org.nz Live music every Friday night and no cover charge. Bistro dining - great caterers, TAB, gaming machines, function room upstairs, big screen TVs for live sport.

Visitors are most welcome.

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LOCAL PONSONBY A-Z OF BARS GREY LYNN TAVERN, 521 - 523 Great North Road, T: 09 376 6521 The Grey Lynn Tavern is a friendly neighbourhood place to have a drink, dance, sing or watch the game on the big screen. TAB facilities and pokie machines are also available and the bar can be hired for private functions. Open seven days 11am - late.

GYPSY TEA ROOM, 455 Richmond Road, T: 09 361 6970, www.gypsytearoom.co.nz Gypsy Tea Room has been attracting people from far and wide for the past 13 years. There is a smaller private room for up to 30 people, a tasty bar snack menu, thoughtful wine list, beer including Asahi and Coopers Pale Ale on tap and cocktails for the discerning. This is a great place to meet friends old and new. Open seven days Monday - Thursday 4pm - 11.30pm, Friday and Saturday 3pm - 2am and Sunday 3pm - 11.30pm.

HARRY, 155 Ponsonby Road, M: 021 081 62299, www.harrythebar.co.nz Harry is your new little local. He has all the elegance you need without the fuss.

Pop in for a cheeky glass of wine and feel at home. Private hire available. Open Tuesday - Sunday 3pm - late.

LA ZEPPA, 33 Drake Street, T: 09 379 8167, www.lazeppa.co.nz One of Auckland’s favourite rooftop bars with impressive views over Victoria Park and to the Sky Tower. La Zeppa offers delicious hot and cold tapas to enjoy with friends and a glass of wine and is the perfect venue for social functions from two to two hundred. Open Tuesday - Friday 4pm - late and Saturday - Sunday 2pm - late.

LIME BAR, 167 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 360 7167 Small but perfectly formed, Lime is a quintessential Ponsonby favourite and the perfect spot for a refreshing craft beer, celebratory champagne or a really well made cocktail. It’s an easy vibe featuring their trademark tunes from Sinatra to Springfield and an older, more sophisticated late night crowd letting their hair down.

Open Tuesday - Saturday 5pm - 2am.

HARRY

LITTLE EASY, 198 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 360 0098, www.littleeasy.co.nz Little Easy delivers unpretentious fun and classic ‘pub-dom’ with great tasting food and vibes to match. This is much more than the average pub fare. They run weekly food specials, happy hours everyday from 4-7pm and DJs jamming till late. The classic Kiwi pub menu is infused with American traits - their burgers are served on fresh brioche buns, and a range of chicken wings. Both not too be missed! Open Tuesday -Thursday 4pm - late, Friday - Sunday, 12 noon - late.

LONGROOM, 114 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 360 8803, www.longroom.co.nz With a covered courtyard, sunny deck and spacious warm interior, Longroom offers a great range of spaces for any drinking and dining occasion, all year round.

Whether it’s an after-work glass of wine and catch up with friends, a girls’ night out on the cocktails, or a cold beer on Saturday after the game, Longroom has a great range of beverages to suit. Longroom also has a significant offering of tasty treats to accompany any tipple of choice. From a selection of bar snacks, small plates, pizzas and platters through to salads, classics, bigger dishes and sweet treats. Must try cocktails are: Long-jito, Cal-fresa Margarita, Coppa-tini and Longroom’s Bloody Mary. DJs play during the evening Thursday to Saturday. Open Monday - Friday 11am - late, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays (for brunch) 10am - late. November to March. (Closed Mondays from April to October.)

MALT BAR & RESTAURANT, 442 Richmond Road, T: 09 360 9537, www.maltbar.co.nz A friendly neighbourhood bar and restaurant in the heart of West Lynn. Malt serves a variety of delicious lunches, mains, woodfire pizzas and tapas - enjoy your meal with a cold pint or glass of pinot gris. Get along to quiz night Tuesday, and check out thirst-quenching happy hour on Fridays - $6 pints, wines & spirits including Emersons & Mac’s craft tap range! Open daily from 11am - late, Saturday and Sunday from 10am.

MEA CULPA, 3/175 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 376 4460, www.meaculpabar.com A bar for the serious cocktail drinker, whether it’s a classic or modern creation using seasonal produce, the drinks menu displays imagination and finesse. Passion and

34 PONSONBY NEWS+ September 2015

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

LOCAL PONSONBY A-Z OF BARS love go into every glass and it’s easy to see why they have won so many awards.

Open Tuesday - Saturday 5pm - late.

PICCOLI PIATTI, 170 Jervois Road, T: 09 376 5367, www.piccolipiatti.co.nz A modern Italian restaurant and bar serving a selection of small plates (piccoli piatti) and homemade pasta with an impressive local and Italian wine list and delicious cocktails. Open Tuesday - Saturday 5pm - late.

PONSONBY FRIENDS LICENSED BAR, 106 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 376 0800 A fully licensed bar with a great selection of beer and wine at reasonable prices.

Located at the centre of the Ponsonby International Foodcourt. You can also quench your thirst with freshly squeezed fruit or vegetable juice and soft drinks.

Open seven days 10am - 10pm.

PONSONBY POOL HALL, 106 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 360 2356, www.ponsonbypoolhall.co.nz This is the longest running pool hall in Auckland, with 15 pool tables and a private snooker lounge featuring Rolling Stones memorabilia. There are over 40 bottled beers to enjoy while you play and they’re open every day except Christmas Day. Available to hire for social functions, watch the video on Facebook. Open seven days 1pm - 1am.

REVELRY, 106 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 376 8663, www.revelry.co.nz A luxurious bohemian-style parlour with hints of opium den chic, this venue boasts one of the best decks in Ponsonby, a warming double-sided fireplace and visual delights from lanterns to antique furniture. The delicious food menu includes a selection of Asian fusion sharing plates, platters and bar snacks. An extensive New Zealand and international wine list, classic and original cocktails with seasonal recipes, and craft beers will give you something new to try every visit. Open from early afternoon until late every night of the week. Brunch service is available Friday - Sunday.

SHANGHAI LIL’S, 212 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 360 0396 This jazz cocktail bar provides a unique experience where you can relax in luxurious brocade and velvet chairs, surrounded by lush plants and decorative oriental pieces, all the while sipping on a sumptuous cocktail. You’ll be entertained most nights by resident pianist and co-owner Billy Farnell, as he performs the classics on a gleaming black baby grand piano. Open Wednesday - Sunday 5pm - late.

SNATCH BAR, 171A Ponsonby Road, T: 09 361 6170, www.snatchbar.co.nz Snatch Bar is a retro 1950s lounge bar with delicious cocktails, a relaxed atmosphere and great music. Enjoy one of their special cocktails in a comfortable leather sofa as you watch the evening unfold on Ponsonby Road. Open mic comedy on Wednesday from 8.30pm and visit their Facebook page for upcoming events and promotions. Open Tuesday - Saturday 6pm - 3am.

SPQR, 150 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 360 1710, www.spqrnz.co.nz A Ponsonby institution, SPQR has been a prominent fixture along the Ponsonby strip for 22 years. The lively atmosphere and friendly service gives SPQR an authentic, first-rate reputation. The pizza is great for an anytime snack and veal marsala is an old favourite. Eat in or take-away. Open seven days, 12 noon - late.

SWEAT SHOP BREW, 7 Sale Street, T: 09 307 8148, www.sweatshopbrew.co.nz Sweat Shop Brew Kitchen in Freemans Bay is known for their succulent smoky BBQ meats and their exclusive beer range, which is hand crafted in their very own craft brewery. Americana-spice rubbed meats with native New Zealand woodchips for an alarmingly delicious experience. It’s a great spot for a few brews as well, with regular DJ’s and live gigs taking place every weekend. Open seven days 11.30am until late.

THE BIRDCAGE RESTAURANT & BAR, 133 Franklin Road, T: 09 280 1690, www.birdcage.co.nz The Birdcage has been returned to her former glory with stained glass windows and original brick walls blended with more modern elements to give it a chic, metropolitan continued P38

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LOCAL PONSONBY A-Z OF BARS GREY LYNN RETURNED SERVICES CLUB - A COMMUNITY GEM One of the most fabulous things about Grey Lynn is its diverse culture. The RSC building has been in its Francis Street location for over a century.

It housed the Richmond Picture Theatre in its early days, was a movie making studio with stables attached and housed the Grey Lynn Primary School prior to it building its own school on Surrey Crescent back in the early 1900s.

Commemorating the 100 year anniversary of Anzac Day, the RSC commissioned local artists Dan Tippett and DLT to complete the mural on its facade, Grey Lynn style. The Waitemata Board generously assisted with this project. The RSC is open 365 days a year.

It welcomes new members, at a most reasonable joining fee for associates - being any community member. Facilities include an old style bar, a bistro open five nights a week, TAB, gaming machines, full size snooker tables, pool tables, multiple large screen TVs. This should be your local place to go and to watch the Rugby World Cup. Quiz night is Thursday night from 7.15pm. Live bands, blues, rock, soul and more, play every Friday night from 8pm. You will brush shoulders with such a variety of local people, musicians, politicians, All Blacks and league stars, journalists, artists, poets, radio identities, TV personalities old and new. It is not an RSA it is an RSC, come in and see the difference; you will feel the difference.

The function room upstairs is our secret gem in the ‘hood’. It has a restaurant area, bar, large dance floor and is booked months in advance for weddings, birthdays and Christmas parties. Local community groups can use this facility, just email your requirements. F PN GREY LYNN RETURNED SERVICES CLUB, 1 Francis Street, T: 09 376 2909, www.greylynnrsc.org.nz

OLIVER AND ELLA, HARRY AND GEORGE AND JACK OUT THE BACK We had a bit of a chat with Oliver Driver...

You’re well known in TV and theatre, what are you currently working on?

I am directing a new TV show called ‘Filthy Rich’ which will be out on TV2 soon. A show I made called Live Live Cinema where four actors perform the music, dialogue and sound effects for the 1960s version of the film ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ live on stage is currently touring Australia. I’m working on this year’s Christmas show for the Basement Theatre and getting ready to bring back the ASB Santa Bach which will be at Wynyard Quarter this December. Oh and I just got engaged to the amazing Ella Mizrahi who I’m having a baby with - together we run Harry plus we are opening two more bars next door.

There are a lot of bars in Ponsonby, what’s so special about Harry and his brothers?

We have always been fans of small intimate venues that are like an extension of your own home. We are not slick, this isn’t our seventh bar and we are not some generic business following a formula. We really just made a place we would like to go for a drink, like the lounge in our house but with better glassware. We kind of fell into this and thought it would be a fun project. I mean we give away way too much homemade chocolate vodka, Clarke Gayford is our DJ and we spend most of our income on flowers and candles - we’re ridiculous, but people seem to like it. So our other bar next door called George will be more like our back deck and the one overlooking the city will be like dad’s study.

Will you be serving food, craft beers, boutique wines and cocktails?

Our philosophy is to work with locals and New Zealand brands as much as possible, Ponsonby Road Bistro provides our food, our coffee is by eighthirty, we serve Six Barrel Soda which is a little company in Wellington - all our craft beers and wines come from New Zealand. I make homemade chocolate vodka, which is nearly as big as 42 below, I’m expecting a call from Geoff Ross any day, and our cocktails... well, to be honest, we serve the ones we know how to make. So on a night our manager Taren is working you can have whatever you want but if it’s me you’re going to get an espresso Martini and if you’re served by Ella, you’ll get a gin and tonic at best.

What sort of customers will be attracted to the bars?

Locals I guess, but we don’t discriminate. We’ve been getting a great ‘after work’ crowd from the local businesses, dates and debriefs, later turning into giant house parties with people dancing on the tables... so all sorts really.

Do you have a private function facility?

We sure do, best on the strip we’ve been told. Honestly if you haven’t had your party at Harry, you haven’t lived. We supply everything you want or need, have great deals to entice you and with our fancy new room out the back, he’s called Jack, you get the view of the whole city.

What are the opening hours and days of operation?

Tuesday to Sunday 3pm - late. Monday we sleep.

What motivates you and what do you love about Ponsonby?

Combined, Ella and I have lived in Ponsonby for 50 years, we’ve seen it change, we love that it’s a village, a neighbourhood where people know and care about each other, where you can hang out and chat in the park while the dogs run wild. Where buying a lettuce takes 10 minutes because you stop to talk to six people on the way to Bhana Brothers. Where the dairy is run by people you count as friends and buying a coffee is as comforting and informative as going to a mate’s house. We have always been the customer, but now people come into our shop, we get to fully be part of the tapestry of Ponsonby Road - an honour we don’t take lightly. Though we thought there would be more perks... is there some secret business club we don’t know about? F PN

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LOCAL PONSONBY A-Z OF BARS

New York-style bagel with bacon jam and cream cheese

HIDDEN BAGELRY AND BAR GEM IN THE HEART OF THE CITY IN JUST UNDER A YEAR OF MANAGING THE STATION, OWNER NICK SYME HAS TURNED an Auckland architectural gem into a go-to bagelry and bar. Local Beresford Square residents and businesses quickly fell in love with the laid-back atmosphere and madeto-order food. Involvement in the popular First Thursdays has cemented its place with Auckland’s cultural crowd.

The Station team pride themselves on serving the very best New York-style bagels and stone-grill pizzas, which are now available to eat in or take away through the day. The pulled-pork bagel with homemade bacon-jam will satisfy any hunger craving, and the wide range of New Zealand craft beers are the perfect accompaniment.

The 120 person capacity, two outdoor seating areas and views across Ponsonby, make The Station an ideal venue for all social and corporate events. Outdoor heating, and the recent addition of a giant jenga set, add a fun twist to traditional after-work drinks. With a flair for flavours both in the kitchen, and with a cocktail shaker, this gem will not stay hidden for long. The Station is open 7:30am to late on weekdays; 9am to late on weekends.

THE STATION, 2 Beresford Square, T: 09 300 5040 @TheStationAKL, www.stationbar.co.nz

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LOCAL PONSONBY A-Z OF BARS continued from P35 vibe. The north-facing courtyard bar is one of the biggest and sunniest in Auckland, a perfect inner city destination to gather with friends. The food is rustic in style.

They are open six days a week, closed Mondays during winter. Seven days a week over summer.

THE BOTANIST, City Works Depot, Shed 13, 90 Wellesley Street West, T: 09 309 9494, www.botanist.co.nz Cafe by day, wine bar at night. Florist seven days a week. A oasis of flora amidst the concrete and steel of City Works Depot. Award-winning chef Sara Simpson’s menu brings the best seasonal produce together in an innovative way. Included in Metro Top 50 Cafe 2014, Denizen’s Best New Cafe 2014, ReMix Best Saturday Brunch 2015. Resident florist Eden Hessell is Auckland’s leading floral artist and stocks a unique range of plants and flowers. Open seven days.

THE CAV, 68 College Hill, T: 09 376 4230, www.thecav.co.nz As per its gastropub theme, The Cav offers bistro-quality food in a casual friendly environment and is a great place to meet for a couple of relaxing beers or a glass of wine or two. They offer an extensive menu featuring succulent, modern cuisine with an ethos of providing great value for money. Open Monday - Saturday, 11am - 1am, Sunday 11am - 11pm.

THE DOG’S BOLLIX, 2 Newton Road, T: 09 378 1845, www.dogsbollix.co.nz A well-known Auckland live music venue, the Dog’s Bollix, has been all cleaned up and is ready to get down once more. Catch bands from across the spectrum of the local music scene performing live by checking the Facebook page or call them to book a table for a group. Tuesday - Thursday 5.30pm - 1am, Friday - Saturday 5.30pm - 3am.

THE GOLDEN DAWN, Corner Ponsonby and Richmond Roads, T: 09 376 9929, www.goldendawn.co.nz There is a green door and behind it is this must visit bar with local and imported ‘guest’ beers, cool tunes and super styled service. If you cannot find the green door, they are not there. Open Tuesday - Thursday 4pm - late and Friday - Sunday 3pm - late.

THE OAKROOM, 17 Drake Street, T: 09 300 6313, www.theoakroom.co.nz Situated in Victoria Park Market, one of Auckland’s most historic and treasured landmarks, The Oakroom is a beautiful space in an old part of town. Formerly a stable in the 1800s, The Oakroom has been carefully crafted in order to enhance a contemporary feel and maintain its natural and historic features. Open Tuesday - Friday 11am - late and Saturday 4pm - late.

THE PONSONBY SOCIAL CLUB, 152 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 361 2320, www.ponsonbysocialclub.co.nz Just like an RSA but without the asparagus rolls or pokies. Live music and DJs throughout the week, check the website for details. Open seven nights 5pm - late.

THE STATION BAGELRY AND BAR, 2 Beresford Square, T: 09 300 5040, www.stationbar.co.nz The Station Bagelry and Bar serves New York-style bagels all day in sunny Beresford Square. At nights it converts into serving all the best craft beers from around New Zealand, gourmet pizzas and is available for exclusive functions on the weekends.

With regular live music, DJs and events there is always something going on @TheStationAKL. Open Weekdays 7.30 - late, weekends 9am-late THE SURREY HOTEL, 465 Great North Road, T: 09 378 9059, www.thesurreyhotel.co.nz This local pub has a cosy atmosphere, friendly service and food available all day.

There is a breakfast buffet, brunch, lunch and dinner menu as well as bar snacks and wood-fired pizza. Open 7 days 7am - 9.30pm.

THE WHISKEY, 210 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 361 2666 This hip bar plays classic rock and offers intimacy and action seven nights a week.

There is a huge range of whiskey to suit all palates and wallets. A great spot to meet friends after work, relax in the surrounds and continue late into the night.

Open seven nights 5pm - 3am.

TOM TOM BAR & EATERY, 27 Drake Street, T: 09 377 5737, www.tom-tom.co.nz Elevated above Victoria Park with north facing views through the treetops across Auckland, Tom Tom Bar & Eatery is a great place to meet for drinks and experience their unique cuisine. Open Tuesday - Sunday 11.30am - late.

PONSONBY POOL HALL

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY

SEE THE PONSONBY FEW GET TO EXPERIENCE A unique night walk that showcases the strip at its best. Ponsonby is famous for its nightlife, and now thousands of people will be able to experience ‘the strip’ in a unique and dynamic way - in the night-time walking half-marathon Walking Stars.

Dressed in coloured lights and glow-in-the-dark accessories, participants leave Auckland Domain at sunset and will pass through Karangahape Road, Ponsonby Road and Jervois Road as part of the 21km route that starts and finishes in Auckland Domain.

The cheers and encouragement coming from people on Ponsonby and Jervois Roads were common highlights for the 2000-plus participants in the charity fundraiser last year, and the organiser Mel Lloyd hopes Ponsonby will again provide a great buzz when Walking Stars is held on 28 November.

“There was a real party atmosphere in the area, with people in bars cheering everyone on, cars tooting as they went past. The Ponsonby area really embraced the walkers,” Mel says. “It would be great for them to have that vibrant response again this year. It keeps everyone motivated.”

Walkers wear a back bib with the name of the person who they are dedicating the walk to, often people who are fighting or have fought cancer. All the proceeds raised go to the Cancer Society and Look Good Feel Better, to fund cancer research and support services.

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

An impressive 97% of those who took part in the 2014 Walking Stars said they would recommend it as an event. “This was my first time, I loved walking at that time of the night, it was something different. The atmosphere was buzzing,” wrote one competitor in last year’s post-event survey.

Registrations are $59 per person (or $75 with a commemorative sports t-shirt) until 30 September, when prices rise to $75 per person ($99 with t-shirt). Registration includes a $40 Shoe Science voucher and nutrition and training plans. Walkers are encouraged to raise at least $150. Now in its third year, Walking Stars has so far raised more than $500,000 to benefit cancer patients.

If wanting to register, Mel suggests making the most of the many places to eat in Ponsonby, by incorporating them into your training. “Park your car by your favourite Sunday morning coffee stop and do a loop from Ponsonby and Jervois Roads to up College Hill and back to your car. Or maybe from the Domain to Ponsonby Road, and your coffee is the reward before you double back again.” For more information, go to www.walkingstars.org.nz F PN

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PHIL PARKER: WHOSE WINE IS IT ANYWAY?

Sound Riesling Riesling is one of three classic aromatic white grape varieties originally from the cool northern European wine region of Alsace.

The other two are pinot gris and gewürztraminer. Riesling is also a wine that a lot of people love to hate. In fact, many of my overseas wine tour clients (especially Brits) produce garlic and crucifixes at the very mention of the word and have to be seriously talked into trying one of ours.

The blame goes way back to some pretty awful sugary sweet style rieslings from the 1970s and early 1980s.These were cheap, mass-produced wines in quirky bottles which caught the imagination of newbie wine drinkers and for many years thereafter branded riesling as an awful sweet wine to be avoided.

Nowadays we tend toward the drier end of the spectrum, mainly producing wines that are crisp, fruity and dry, or ‘off-dry’ - just slightly sweet. And that’s not to say that riesling can’t shine as a sweet style when the grapes are left on the vine till they are extremely ripe and full of natural fructose sugar. Taken to extreme, these wines are called Late Harvest Riesling (very ripe and shrivelled); or Noble Riesling (affected by a symbiotic fungus called Botrytis, which sucks out the water content and leaves very sweet concentrated juice with a honeyed taste).

Craggy Range Te Muna Martinborough Riesling 2014 - $33 A very classy, lean and elegant style with aromas of lemon squash and jasmine. Fruity and just nudging off-dry with a mouth-watering crisp finish. Available from Glengarry.

BOSS BURGERS AND BAKED VEGGIES

Rockburn Tigermoth Central Otago Riesling 2013 - $30.60 Another clean and lean style. Not a lot of aromas - with just a hint of herbs and beeswax, but opens up on the palate with tangerine, honey and Rose’s lime juice. The back label says ‘medium sweet’ which is about right, but there is some racy acidity in there to balance the natural sugars. 9% alcohol. Available from Glengarry, or online at Advintage.

Serves 4, Cost per serve $5.10 Time to make 30 minutes

Dusky Sounds Waipara Riesling 2014 - $12 Just to prove that it’s not always about the price. Great value easy-drinking medium dry style with flavours of lime and lemonade, and hint of green herbs. Finishes dry.

Widely available.

2 heads broccoli, cut into florets 2 capsicums (red and yellow look great), cut into 2cm-wide strips 200g mushrooms, halved freshly ground black pepper oil spray 2 x 400g cans four bean mix 1 lemon, rind and juice 100g sundried tomatoes 1 teaspoon allspice 2 tablespoons flour large handful coriander, chopped 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ cup lite sour cream 2 teaspoons sweet chilli sauce

Schloss Vollrads Rheingau Kabinett Semi-Dry Riesling 2013 - $27 Rheingau is one of the smallest of Germany’s 13 wine regions, yet renowned for its rieslings. The bottle presentation is pretty cool - it looks like a metal screwcap closure, but is sealed with a t-shaped glass stopper and a clear plastic seal. Anyway, this is a more subtle yet complex wine, with faint citrus blossom and ripe grapefruit aromas. Swished around the mouth it has a rich palate of grapefruit, nougat and a creamy richness that I’d normally associate with a Champagne method wine. Available from Glengarry.

Ngatarawa Proprietors Reserve Hawkes Bay Noble Riesling 2014 - $39 Yum. I’m a fan of desert wines and this one’s a ripper. Aromas of beeswax, honey and candied orange peel. It’s a luscious medium-bodied sweet wine, but not syrupy. Flavours of dried apricot, honey and marmalade, with just enough zip of citrus to balance the sugars. Available online from Advintage and Ngatarawa Winery. (PHIL PARKER) F PN Phil Parker is a wine writer and operates Fine Wine Tours in Auckland. www.insidertouring.co.nz Read Phil’s Blog at nzwineblogger.blogspot.co.nz

Diabetes friendly and vegetarian. Need to put dinner on the table in a flash? These delicious, easy-to-make bean patties with veggies can be whipped up in half an hour.

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fanbake. Place broccoli, capsicum and mushrooms on a large oven tray, season with pepper and spray with oil. Place in the oven. Bake until soft.

2. While the veggies are cooking, drain the beans and place in a food processor with the lemon rind, sundried tomatoes, allspice, flour and coriander stalks (keep the leaves).

Blend until smooth, scraping down the edges so everything is well combined. Using wet hands divide the bean mix into eight even-sized patties, about 2cm thick.

3. Heat oil in a large frying pan on a medium-high heat, add the patties and cook for 5-10 minutes on each side until golden. In a small bowl combine sour cream, sweet chilli and lemon juice. Serve bean patties alongside the roast veges with the sour cream sauce and garnish with the coriander leaves.

Recipe reprinted from Healthy Food Guide magazine with permission from Healthy Life Media Ltd. Find more quick, easy recipes in the September 2015 issue of Healthy Food Guide ($6.30), on sale now in supermarkets and bookstores or subscribe at www.healthyfood.co.nz.

Recipes Jess Moulds Photography Melanie Jenkins Styling and food prep Sarah Swain

40 PONSONBY NEWS+ September 2015

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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GARY STEEL: VEG FRIENDLY

Bouquets and brickbats And the winner is…

A year ago I started chewing Ponsonby News editor Martin Leach’s ear (not literally, you understand) about Ponsonby eateries. Everyone knows that our community boasts some of the best bars and restaurants in New Zealand, if not the world - so much so that every time one of our provincial cousins wants to display its style, the ‘P’ word inevitably comes up.

Last time I visited Tauranga, for instance, I read in their community newspaper that a dreary suburb called Greerton was calling itself the Bay of Plenty’s answer to Ponsonby. And now some fool has even opened a bar in Rotorua called, you guessed it: Ponsonby Rd. We decided to conduct an unscientific but hopefully indicative study of Ponsonby food venues, not just for the overall standard of their culinary delights, but also for their willingness to cater to the ever-growing legions of vegetarian and vegan punters, along with others with specific food requirements.

The endless procession of television cooking competitions attest to a mania for top -quality food preparation and presentation, but we wanted to know something that should be more fundamental: are our cafes and restaurants providing those of us with specific requirements what we need, and are they making it easy and painless to do so?

During the course of the Ponsonby News Vegetarian Challenge, we would have to eat at a huge number of eateries in the greater Ponsonby area: a huge sacrifice to make, as you can imagine. [If this was Facebook, I would insert a pathetic smiley face just here].

What our 10-month odyssey revealed was that, while most Ponsonby venues were happy and willing to accommodate vegetarians, few of them went out of their way to provide or signpost specifically vegetarian dishes on their menus, and despite a massive surge of veganism in New Zealand, few venues made even a cursory attempt at catering to those who don’t eat any animal products at all.

Congratulations to KOKAKO, you are the resounding winner of the Ponsonby News Vegetarian Challenge, and salutations to the nine runners-up, all of whom were so neck-and-neck that we couldn’t decide a running order.

We thought the standard of the vegetarian fare at Richmond Rd Cafe, Dizengoff and Mary’s was stunning, and Zus & Zo, Salta and Bread & Butter were also so good that it was incredibly hard to rate them in descending order. Marcello’s won points for its community feel and the staff’s keenness to provide hearty vegetarian options on request.

WHAT ARE SUPERFOODS? HOW TO USE THEM IN EVERYDAY LIFE

Every cafe on our finalist list, we thought, was world class and we’d happily recommend them. But there are a few problems that we think they should address. As I have pointed out regularly in this column, plant-based diets are healthier, more ethical and more environmentally sustainable, so why are there still so few vegetarian and vegan items on Ponsonby cafe menus?

SUPERFOODS ARE NATURAL FOOD PRODUCTS WHICH CONTAIN A HIGH CONCENTRATION of nutrients, phytochemicals and antioxidants that are shown to have health benefits beyond those of ‘common’ foods. They are the most natural, complete, purest and rawest form of nutrients available and can be conveniently added to your current diet to increase the nutrient value. Superfoods offer the whole nutrient in its rawest form.

We think that as great as they are, the likes of Bread & Butter, Dizengoff and Richmond Rd Cafe should get with the programme, and clearly state on their menu the vegetarian options available.

Superfoods are: • Natures purest form of nutrients • Foods with high concentrations of nutrients, phytochemicals and antioxidants • Increase the nutrient value of your daily diet • Provide multiple health benefits • Easy to use as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle

And while it’s probably too much to ask restaurants to provide a list of all ingredients, can it be that hard to state if something that looks like it should be vegan or vegetarian has actually had animal products used in its preparation? Now to my biggest bone of contention: eggs! Most cafes have vegetarian dishes but most of those contain eggs and more eggs. How hard can it be to have protein substitutes like tofu?

Clearly, even though vegetarians can scrape by at most Ponsonby cafes, the best eating houses are still those that are completely meat free. The resounding winner then, of our Vegetarian Challenge, is the wonderful Kokako. A cafe that doesn’t advertise itself as vegetarian, but is.

Kokako is the winner on all sorts of levels (the incredible organic coffee, the nutritious, tasty and great-value salads, the attentive table service) but most of all because there’s heaps to choose from, and it’s one place a vegetarian can eat without feeling like a freak. A close runner-up is Little Bird with its celebrated ‘nearly raw’ philosophy and veganism, followed by Dear Jervois - the only omnivorous cafe we could find with an PN actual vegan dish on its menu. (GARY STEEL) F Gary Steel is an Auckland-based journalist who runs online vegetarian resource www.doctorfeelgood.co.nz He can be contacted via beautmusic@gmail.com

42 PONSONBY NEWS+ September 2015

It can be challenging to ensure there is enough fibre, calcium, protein and nutrients in your everyday nutrition. This is where superfoods can play a role to top up your current intake and make sure your nutrition is optimised so you have good energy, a healthy glow and feel amazing.

Bioglan offers a full range of superfoods options for everyday use. Ingredients such as Bioglan Cacao Powder, Bioglan Maca Powder and Bioglan Coconut Oil can be used in delicious nutrient-rich baking.

There are two delicious flavours of Bioglan Wholefoods Smoothie Berry and Vanilla, for an easy breakfast option which could be topped with Bioglan Breakfast Booster for extra texture and nutrition. Alternatively make your own smoothie using Bioglan Acai Powder or go green with Bioglan Multigreens Powder in Tasty Tropical or Bioglan Kale or Bioglan Spirulina Powders.

BIOGLAN SUPERFOODS are now available from Countdown Richmond Road, Grey Lynn in PN the health foods section. Prices start from $11.50. F PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY WINE STYLE & SOIREES For 24 years Foxes Island has been producing fine wines that have earned a loyal following.

Founded by John Belsham, one of the country’s most acclaimed winemakers and critics, it’s no surprise the wines are sought after. Fortunately for city dwellers, the Foxes Island Tasting Room is conveniently located at 15 Williamson Avenue and offers refined wine country living with a twist of New York City; aka partner Kelly Brown. In addition to offering fine wine, Brown has composed a Luxury and Lifestyle Collection that puts glamour back in the drink.

You will find a stunning collection of Zalto Denk’Art hand-blown, glassware. Considered the finest stemware for wine, you can even try before you buy; the Austrian stems are used in the tasting room.

For a stylish home bar, explore a range of designer and mid-century pieces that ooze sophistication. And for the ultimate, modern ‘must-have,’ cast an eye on a EuroCave wine cabinet. Extending the wine country hospitality, the Tasting Room is also available for private events.

Having hosted many soirees, Brown offers a few event-planning tips: • Select a venue that offers quality client services to coordinate the detail and advise intelligent spends.

• Use elegant stemware. Feelings of pleasure are largely derived through the tactile and olfactory senses.

• Offer stylish, alcohol-free drinks. Sparkling water and organic juices served with an edible flower are festive and look great served in stemware.

• Simple Drink Calculator - one drink per hour, per guest.

FOXES ISLAND TASTING ROOM, Williamson Avenue, (Corner of Mackelvie Street), T: 09 378 1369 www.foxes-island.co.nz

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43

LAURAINE JACOBS: THE SEASONED PALATE

Lauraine Jacobs discovers world-class pizza at Farina That pizza at Farina! A puffy yet thin yeasty crust topped with baby white mushrooms, great gobs of meltingly creamy fresh mozzarella, baby spinach, roasted pinenuts, cream, parmesan and truffle oil, all assembled as you watch, whipped into the oven for three or four minutes and whisked to your table. A lovely soft, aromatic feast to sink your teeth into with not a knife and fork in sight. It doesn’t get any better.

When the young engineer-trainedturned-chef Sergio Maglione arrived in New Zealand from Naples to work with his uncle he would not have even dared to dream he’d return to his homeland 20 years later to compete at the World Pizza championship in Parma, Italy. Better still, he was placed in the Top 20 in the world in April with his version of the pizza Boscaiola mentioned above. And that prize winner is on the menu at his bustling little airy casual ristorante, Farina, in the heart of Ponsonby.

Maglione first worked for that uncle, Antonio Crisci, at various sites around the city including Non Solo Pizza, Toto and others before branching out on his own to run Toto in Nelson Street. Then, with business partner, Mike Ross, he opened Farina a year ago, taking over a place on the corner of Summer Street that had seen several incarnations. He’d wanted to call it Toto Modern Pizza, but as he put the place together his vision widened and he developed a full Italian menu to appeal to anyone and everyone who loves the simplicity of the freshest and best ingredients cooked or assembled to order.

The atmosphere is fitting with a modern Italian feel that offers traditionally influenced Italian food. There’s the clean look of white tiled walls, a long bar that runs the length of the front room and marble table tops with high stools opposite. At the back three long communal tables and red velvet banquettes make for friendly eating and cosying up to other diners. Don’t fuss about that as it is a good thing when you can see what others order and follow suit as they feast and devour with delight.

Farina is the Italian word for flour, and much of the menu is based on flour-based dishes - light as air fresh pasta, crisp bread from the oven, ravioli, gnocchi and lovely dessert cakes like delizia al limone (a limoncello custard cake) and sfogliatella Napoletana (flaky pastry filed with an Italian cheesecake stuffing.) And of course those pizzas. (More on those later.)

a menu with so many choices, especially with more than six or seven entrees and mains, as I have always thought there is bound to be a few dud dishes lurking in such a vast operation, but not here. The antipasta, all prepared daily, the secondi and primi dishes and the sides and desserts have all been exceptionally tasty and deliciously cooked with real Italian flair.

The pasta selection is fabulous and the duck tortelloni which is a rich braise of duck, mushroom, porcini and truffle oil is to be highly recommended. Also fabulous are a couple of vegetarian pasta dishes; gnocchi gorgonzola and a risotto that is made with freshly imported porcini (frozen but still pungent) and stracciatella cheese which is that wonderful Italian cheese that almost stretches all the way from the plate to your mouth.

Big eaters can have lamb ribs, a half metre skewer of market meats and vegetables with salsa verde, fish, crumbed veal and a charcoal marinated baby chicken.

But for me, it’s the pizza that cannot be missed. There are two sorts of pizza - the first and more common pizza has a tomato pulp base on which a variety of carefully thought out and traditional toppings are piled up. The classics are Margherita, Marinara and Napoletana while some modern variations are offered too. Or step up and go for a gourmet or special pizza with some stunning combos like mozzarella, prawn, pesto and zucchini, or salsiccia which has Italian pork fennel sausage, mozzarella, spiced broccoli and parmesan. And then of course, there’s my absolute favourite - the pizza bianco (white pizza as there is not tomato pulp) that I mentioned in my first paragraph. It really is a thing of wonder. And also a thing of wonder is that pizzas can be ordered as a magnificent metre-long takeaway.

After his prize-winning trip to Italy, Maglione decided to make the best pizza he would need the best pizza oven. So that enormous electric fired oven at the rear of the restaurant is about to be flung out and right now, on the sea somewhere, is an even more enormous wood-fired pizza oven that should be installed by the end of the month.

Then, Maglione promises, Farina pizzas will be even more magnificent. That new oven will bake them in 60-90 seconds and the thin crust will be crisp and smoky. I cannot wait.

PN (LAURAINE JACOBS) F www.laurainejacobs.co.nz Open seven days: 12 noon to 10.30pm. Aperitivo evenings from 4pm to 6pm Tuesday to Thursday.

FARINA, 244 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 390 6213, Takeway Pizzas; T: 0800 868 674, www.farina.co.nz

The gluten-free brigade need not despair. Amongst the antipasti, secondi and primi sections, which all good Italian menus follow, there are plenty of lovely options to indulge everyone who has the misfortune of avoiding flour.

The thing about Maglione’s food is it is all cooked from scratch with absolute passion.

He sources the absolute best ingredients he can and works with them respectfully and carefully. The cured Italian meats and cheeses are the best around - Maglione turned up with a selection of rosy meat at our table and spent time explaining how important the cutting of salami is. No hacking or rough sawing around here. Even better, some wonderful bread, freshly baked in the restaurant kitchen that day, to accompany the meats and homemade pickles.

If you choose to drop by for a glass or two of fruity wine or an aperitivo, Farina has a terrific little Italian wine list with scant regard for Kiwi wines, and the snack menu (sfizi) harbours all sorts of delights like octopus pungent with chilli and garlic, salty confit sardines with toasted bread, crunchy crocchette, and even a Napoletan-style sashimi - squeaky fresh raw fish with garlic, chilli and mint and a seven-year-old balsamic that will keep the wolf from the door while you sip and relax.

I have no idea just how the kitchen does it but they have mastered the art of a very, extensive menu without missing a beat. My heart usually sinks when I am handed

44 PONSONBY NEWS+ September 2015

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY SPRING IS IN THE AIR! With spring now officially upon us we can look forward to longer warmer days. What better way to enjoy spring dining than with lamb cutlets accompanied by leafy greens.

This tempting recipe is full of flavour with prosciutto, horseradish and salsa verde.

PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED LAMB CUTLETS WITH SALSA VERDE Serves 4 12 lamb cutlets, French trimmed Iblea sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp Darlington’s hot horseradish 6 slices prosciutto di parma, cut in half lengthways Extra virgin olive oil (EVO) 1/3 cup Sabato salsa verde Julie Le Clerc Moroccan Chutney or Arabian Date Chutney 150g rocket leaves Lemon-infused extra virgin olive oil (EVO) Forum Chardonnay Vinegar Heat a barbecue or grill on high. Season lamb all over with salt and pepper and rub with horseradish, to coat evenly. Wrap half a slice of prosciutto around the meaty part of each lamb cutlet. Brush with EVO on both sides and place on a tray.

LITTLE & FRIDAY OPENS IN PONSONBY WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT ‘LITTLE AND FRIDAY’ HAS OPENED LAST month in Ponsonby. The owners are very excited that Little and Friday is becoming part of the Ponsonby community. They are located at 42 Douglas Street, Ponsonby (where ‘Good One’ was based). F PN

Barbecue or grill for 2-3 minutes on each side (depending on thickness of meat) until browned and cooked to medium-rare. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes and keep warm under a tent of foil.

Drizzle with salsa verde and serve with Julie Le Clerc Moroccan Chutney or Arabian Date Chutney on the side, to spoon over. Serve with a side salad of fresh rocket leaves drizzled with the lemon-infused EVO and Chardonnay Vinegar. F PN For more recipes and gift ideas, visit the Sabato website www.sabato.co.nz SABATO Limited, 57 Normanby Road, Mt Eden, T: 09 630 8751

Wency and Rosaria, two of the team

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY HIGH-PROFILE PONSONBY CENTRAL CAFE RESTAURANT GOES UP FOR SALE...

A highly acclaimed restaurant and bar in one of Auckland’s leading suburban hospitality hubs has been placed on the market for sale.

Toru in the Ponsonby Central food and beverage precinct on Ponsonby Road is a licensed hospitality business serving a cafe-style breakfast and lunch menu during the day, then morphing into a modern New Zealand cuisine establishment at night.

It is the first site within Ponsonby Central to come up for sale since the hub opened in 2012, and is one of only two dining venues in the complex with frontage and seating facing on to the high foot traffic catchment of Ponsonby Road.

The business operates on a 142 sqm floorplan - encompassing 55 sqm of kitchen/food preparation and bar service space, 81 sqm of covered dining space and 6 sqm of outdoor dining.

Toru has twice been selected among Metro magazine’s ’50 Best Cafes in Auckland’ awards - receiving back-to-back accolades in 2013 and 2014. Toru is part of a stable of award-winning cafes from the V & M Cafe Group including Teed Street Larder, Wai Kitchen, and Scratch Bakeries. Toru is being marketed for sale through expressions of interest closing on 16 September through Bayleys Auckland broker Leah La Hood.

Ms La Hood described the venue’s décor as a blend of character industrial - with exposed high stud steel beams, metal rod ceiling framing and sprinkler system piping, and skyward-facing saw-tooth windows - blended into contemporary minimalist chic through polished wooden floors and concrete block walls.

Ms La Hood said Ponsonby Central operated a ‘beehive’ marketing approach - creating a ‘buzz’ of activity where customers were attracted to the destination as an entity rather than individual venues, and then spreading discretionary spend across multiple locations.

“The business is currently operating on an eight-year lease running through to 2020 and employs 12 staff - consisting of seven full-time personnel and five part-timers split PN between the kitchen and front of house sections. F For further information on the sale of Toru, contact Leah La Hood on M: 021 897 788.

She said the floorspace within the cafe/restaurant subtly segregated Toru into multiple zones - embracing standard cafe table settings, bar stool seating, and a lounge style area. As an eatery offering contemporary New Zealand cuisine, Toru sits alongside the more ethnically specific choices within Ponsonby Central offering Latin American, Italian, South-East Asian, or Japanese fare.

As with all businesses operating within Ponsonby Central, Toru is levied a marketing fee by the landlord - equating to four percent of the base rental. That contribution pays for the marketing and advertising of Ponsonby Central as a brand across the broadcast, print and digital mediums as an urban drinking and dining destination.

“The marketing philosophy sees the 15 food and beverage operations within Ponsonby Central uniting their marketing focus with a purpose of collaboratively attracting customers to the location in preference to generic and competing Ponsonby Road destinations, or the likes of The Viaduct or Britomart,” she said.

“The concerted marketing approach is one of the reasons why Toru, and other hospitality businesses within Ponsonby Central, show better-than-industry-average revenue figures.

“As a result of high-foot traffic volumes - particularly at night - Ponsonby Central was fully tenanted within months of its completion, and has gone from strength to strength on the back of individual outlets’ promotional activity and public recognition, and the levy-funded marketing campaign.”

Ms La Hood said the Toru premises operated under a restaurant license - allowing for the seven day service of liquor between 11am and midnight, and also displayed a sought-after A-grade foodservice certification from Auckland Council.

“As a well-established and efficiently functioning operation, Toru offers a potential new owner the existing base of continuing on with the existing food and beverage style and menu selections, and extending the night time dining that is currently operating from Wednesday - Saturday,” she said.

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FREE YOGA IN THE SAPPHIRE ROOM - WITH BRIAN DE GREGORY It’s Monday evening in Ponsonby Central and I am doggedly ignoring the tempting aromas emanating from the laneway restaurants.

Corporate HR executive and yogi are not usually words in the same sentence, let alone at the top of a CV, but Brian is both. He spent more than a decade in the corporate world, predominantly in HR global strategy and training, and has been practicing yoga for fifteen years. For him the lines between the two are blurred. “Helping people to achieve their utmost is what I am here for, whether it’s encouraging someone to strike a difficult pose for the first time, or coaching a CEO to deliver a rocking speech, it’s the same thing.”

“When Brian approached us with the idea of running a free yoga class in The Sapphire Room we thought why not? It’s a beautiful space, let’s share it!” says Daniel Beetham, who manages the venue. Two months down the line and the Monday night class has a strong loyal following, with new people turning up each week as word gets out.

The rustic wooden floors are now covered with coloured mats (it’s BYO mat here), and Brian begins the class with an inspirational theme. Tonight he asks us to acknowledge our fear, to greet it and embrace it. He doesn’t name the fear, that’s up to us, and then we are into the flow of his power vinyasa-style yoga.

photography: Stacey Simpkin

Instead, yoga mat in hand, I head up the stairs to The Sapphire Room. At the door I am bathed in a golden light emanating from the western windows, and greeted by Brian De Gregory. “So glad you could make it,” he says sincerely. He has a way of making eye contact that makes you feel glad you turned up. As people trickle in for the 6 o’clock class, he greets everyone in a similar manner, with the odd bear hug and cheek kiss thrown in.

With a cool sound track that Brian happily shares on his Facebook site, this yoga is a bit different. There is a tangible sense of community, and there’s an ease to how it caters to all levels. Brian works the large space constantly so it doesn’t feel like there is a back or front of the room. His gentle voice (accent soft New Jersey) urging you to push yourself that little bit further, makes you want to do just that! Towards the end of the hour I find myself attempting a headstand for the first time in my life. I can’t help emitting a little shriek of joy (combined with fear) when I actually achieve it, just for a couple of seconds.

Such is the power of Brian. (FIONA GARLICK) Free Yoga Mondays 6-7pm in THE SAPPHIRE ROOM, T: 09 889 0720, www.briandegregory.com

MR. W & ME

UBER CENTRAL!

New spring arrivals are available now at Mr. W & Me. Styles include the much anticipated Side-Saddle Loafer $139 - available in grey patent and pale pink leather.

We are happy to welcome Uber to Ponsonby Central, as sponsors for our Free Wifi. So when you pop along for your coffee, or your business lunch, just login.

T: 021 655 896, www.mrwandme.com

Even better, download the Uber App, and they’ll give you a free first ride.

Uber connects you with a reliable ride at the tap of a button.

DUCT TAPE WORKSHOP Duct Tape Workshop sells high quality used and refurbished iPhones, iPads and MacBooks. Trade in your old iPhone 5 to a new iPhone 6 with us today!

When you order, you can see exactly where your car is on your phone so you know when to drink up and order the bill.

Signup using the code PONSONBYC to get $20 off your first ride!

T: 09 361 1234, www.ducttape.co.nz

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LIZ WHEADON: WINE, GLORIOUS WINE

New Zealand chardonnays making a mark here and abroad I recently had the opportunity to taste an extensive range of New Zealand chardonnay, amongst a host of New Zealand wines, whilst judging in Napier at the Bragato Wine Awards.

The overall quality of the many Gold Medal winners was exceptional and whilst many varieties shone, the variety that would get the award for ‘most improved’ would have to be chardonnay. Fitting then, that this month we take a look at Pask and Kate Radburnd - a master of New Zealand chardonnay.

The story at Pask is really a tale of two talented people: Chris Pask, who established the vineyard, then in 1990 Kate Radburnd, a graduate of Roseworthy College, joined. Kate is a senior wine judge and has been awarded the prestigious Sir George Fistonich Medal for her services to the wine trade. Kate has worked over 30 vintages in the Hawkes Bay and is the queen of Hawkes Bay chardonnay. In 1993 Kate became the co-owner of Pask and was appointed the managing director in 1999.

Pask has grown to now have 90 hectares located around the local landmark Roy’s Hill. There are a number of ranges of wines that are exported around the world, winning acclaim everywhere they go. Pask produce excellent merlot which is widely planted in their vineyard. It’s their chardonnay that recently caught my attention; not just one of their chardonnays, the whole range. At the top of the pyramid sits the Declaration range which is only produced in exceptional vintages and from their top vineyard sites. The 2012 Declaration Chardonnay is made from 100% Mendoza chardonnay off their low yielding vines on the Gimblett Road vineyard. Carefully harvested and lightly pressed, racking to new French oak, indigenous fermentation and ageing for around 11 months in French barriques. One of the key characters to Kate’s chardonnays is that they don’t undergo malolactic fermentation (the conversion of lactic acids to malic). Kate prefers to let the fruit shine, and through careful work with the fruit and oak use, produces integrated, complex chardonnay that you’d swear had gone through malolactic fermentation. The Declaration Chardonnays when young are a delicate style of chardonnay with a very youthful expression right now - looking through that, there’s so much waiting to express itself - I just hope I am patient enough to age some of this.

as Gimblett Gravels. The light, stony soils in the Gimblett Gravels are low in nutrients and completely free draining. Chris Pask had the perfect perspective of this area; working as a local top dressing pilot, he looked down and believed that it would be an excellent area to grow grapes and planted vines in the Gimblett Road in 1981. From the start the wines were award winning with the 1985 cabernet achieving 5 stars in Cuisine Magazine.

PN www.glengarry.co.nz (LIZ WHEADON) F

The Pask range of wines starts with Roy’s Hill, a selection of fruit-driven wines, then the Gimblett Road selection, where Kate has the opportunity to express the unique growing conditions of this region, then the Declaration range. There is another string to her bow - the Kate Radburnd range - an aromatically focused range. Also within the Gimblett Road selection, a new range of small batch wines, including an excellent chardonnay from the 2013 vintage - Pask Small Batch Wild Yeast Chardonnay 2013 - this range, the best kept secret from the bay.

Pask winery is found in the Gimblett Gravels wine growing region which was created following the 1876 floods; after the floods subsided the Ngaruroro River had changed its course and exposed a gravel river bead in the warm, sun-filled valley that we now know

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY MID WEEK DINING SIDART invites diners to create their own tasting menus on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 9 courses from our monthly changing menu.

Each course is priced at $17.

The whole table is required to have the same dishes and number of courses. Please advise of any dietary requirements at time of booking.

SIDART, Level 1, Three Lamps Plaza, 283 Ponsonby Road | T: 360 2122 | www.sidart.co.nz

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JULIE BONNER: NEWS FROM FROG POND FARM Are you over the long damp winter yet? I’m busting for days of sun, warmth and garden growth; I think it is called spring.

There is something special about living in the country and we are fortunate having a beach within a short drive. It just so happens that Muriwai Beach is not only a great spot for surfers, but it is the perfect place to enjoy daily walks with the pooch.

Visits to the beach never disappoint. There is always an array of interesting things that get washed up, shells, driftwood and from time to time seaweed, which strangely enough manages to end up in my garden. Brilliant!

A neighbour’s sheep recently gave birth to triplets. So with a cuppa in mind and some time to spare, I raced over with my camera. Donned in bright red jackets for warmth and dryness and not for some new lamb fashion wear, these woolly bundles were taking centre stage... cuteness overload.

Back at Frog Pond Farm, my veg garden is coming along nicely. The garlic is boasting significant greenery, as are the leeks. Our brassicas that were incredibly slow to get growing (something to do with the late planting) are finally sporting some tiny broccolis and at last, our broad beans are flashing loads of white flowers.

Buds are forming on trees in the orchard; there is blossom on the almond tree and an early plum. I still can’t believe that we are growing our own bananas, which are happily tucked in next to our forest in their own special microclimate.

I have loads to do in my garden - always weeding and feeding on the agenda. A few weeks back on a lovely sunny Sunday, I was out and about spraying my vegetable garden with seaweed fertiliser and not the smelly stuff either. The sprayer was in the tray of the ATV and yours truly was motoring around the garden blasting vegetables and flowers alike with loads of good cheer and kelp!

My garden never ceases to amaze me. I wish I had the same vigour... I would bottle it and make a fortune! If only. Do you grow your own herbs? We have all the usual ones, plus others that are a bit fancier: chervil, lemon grass, pineapple sage and Vietnamese mint (a favourite in Asian salad dressings).

Needless to say, those wonderful self-seeded lettuces (Freckles) are doing a fine job thrown into Caesar salads with a mix of bacon, anchovies and chunks of bread cooked in garlic and melted butter (oh, delicious - not everything has to be healthy does it?).

Do you share the cooking at home? My hubby is a great bloke and a fabulous cook into the bargain. Whether it is duck and Toulouse sausage cassoulet or a sublime chicken roast with home grown veg and a glass of Toi Toi (of course), he is a star in the kitchen.

There is something so special about growing your own and nothing beats raiding the freezer and enjoying peaches and strawberries from summer months baked in pies and topped with crumble and coconut yoghurt.

With spring tapping on the door I have garden plans to finalise, secateurs to sharpen, seeds to sow, mulch to buy and compost piles to turn. I’m not the only one waiting on spring - the resident wild turkeys are also having their usual ‘turkey’ get togethers, procreating is on their agenda and our chickens are back in business. Egg production is well underway.

We are still minus a rooster - you don’t know of one that needs a good home do you?

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

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

TRAVEL BREAKS: THE NEW THERAPY!

CAPTIVATING CUBA

by Chris Lyons, Director, World Journeys ‘Crumbling colonial charm’ just doesn’t cover it. Arriving in Havana is like landing in a time warp mash of 1800s Spain and 1950s Americana. Old Havana’s rambling streets are lined with candy coloured vintage cars, locals lingering in doorways, and strains of salsa music drifting from open windows.

Atmosphere, intrigue and colour are what make Cuba one of the world’s hottest new travel spots.

Another first impression is the lack of advertising in the streets, with none of the big hoardings we’re used to. Certainly there are some big billboards featuring Che Guevara but hardly ever Fidel Castro. Apparently he did not want himself portrayed as a cult or personality - rare for a dictator!

Staying in Old Town Havana offered easy access to shopping, and the famous bar where the Daiquiri was invented. La Floridita was the favoured watering hole of Ernest Hemingway, whose bronze statue now has a permanent position leaning against the bar.

I was really surprised at the number of pre-revolutionary American cars on the road. Far from being purely for tourists, they are actually still in common use. Hiring a beautiful old Buick convertible is the best way to see the city!

A visit to a cigar factory is a must, as is the Havana Club Rum Factory, if only for a tot of rum before a walking tour of the Old Town. Much of this area is now pedestrianized, and great to wander around in soaking up the atmosphere. A lot of restoration is going on which is encouraging, and dining locally revealed a vast improvment on the culinary front since my last visit. It’s also really worthwhile taking in a salsa show in Havana, or you could venture out and enjoy Havana’s vibrant nightlife, with salsa and jazz clubs open until the wee hours. Be prepared to dance!

History surrounds you in Havana, from the colonial architecture, to the Spanish forts.

You can visit Che Guevara’s house, and a display of missiles that were at the centre of the 1962 ‘Missile Crisis’ when the world came to the brink of nuclear war.

En route to Trinidad, we passed through rural countryside of sugar cane and horse and carts. Stopping at a country school, our gift of exercise books from New Zealand was

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received with great glee by the kids, who responded in song. One of those spontaneous moments that stays with you forever.

Trinidad itself offers a much more low-key experience, with an interesting museum, small market, and a quaint square perfect for people watching. Close by is the very pleasant town of Santa Clara, with its memorial to Che Guevara. An interesting little museum revealed that Che was in fact a very keen rugby player when at university in Buenos Aires.

So there it is. I thoroughly recommend Cuba! OK so the roads are a little less than perfect and things don’t always run to clockwork, but this is more than made up for by the people, the amazing atmosphere PN and the absolute gem that is Havana. I’d return in a heartbeat. F

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ROSS THORBY: SEA FEVER I’ve never been big on poetry, but my time in Jordan is remembered not by a collection of atmospheric photos and hastily scribbled travel notes but by the torn and tattered copy of a poem by John Burgon called ‘Petra’.

The words still as arousing and confronting as they were when I first heard them whilst standing in front of the ‘Treasury’.

“...but from the rock as if by magic grown, eternal, silent, beautiful, alone”

“It seems no work of Man’s creative hand, by labour wrought as wavering fancy planned;”

Most of the buildings on the floor of the valley can be viewed from the cliffs surrounding the Treasury. While our group meandered its way past the obsolete 6000-seat theatre and out towards the Roman mosaic floors and temples in the distance, a couple of us escaped from the confines of the tour and climbed the 1000 steps of the escarpment overlooking the area. We shimmied on our bellies to lean out over the cliff to view from above, a very different perspective of the oft seen buildings. This was before we heard that half a dozen tourists a year perish doing just that.

It was one of most magnificent cities of its time. Cradled in the ‘Valley of Moses’ and hidden in one of the driest places on earth within a canyon of red, yellow and blue limestone. An ancient version of Las Vegas, thriving in the time of Jesus and a place of conspicuous consumption featuring royal palaces, fountains and a lush green vegetation fed by an ingenious system of aqueducts and cisterns that captured and tamed the precious desert water. An architectural cacophony of Greek, Hellenistic and Egyptian styles, the columns and portals created a wonderland of coloured stone.

Unfortunately, the ancient Nabataeans were forced to abandon their capital after a series of ruinous earthquakes and it lay forgotten and undiscovered for 1000 years until rediscovered by the West in 1812. It was the city that time forgot. Its entrance, a crack in the cliff face invisible to all passing travellers unless viewed from a certain angle.

Very few are left today of the original 30,000 inhabitants, save a small group of 12 Bedouin families who eke out a meagre existence with their goats and donkeys in amongst the ancient architecture. The timeless echoing of the animals’ tin bells bounced off the limestone walls and reverberated around the entrances to the around 800 tombs, amphitheatres and towers carved into the 70m high cliff faces.

The most famous building in Petra is the Treasury, made famous by Indiana Jones with its striking facade no less confronting than in the movie. It is the first thing that you see when you come through the darkness of the ‘Siq’ and out the great fissure in the rock into the city’s entranceway where the unfiltered sunlight makes the rose coloured frontage gleam and glow. The elaborately carved edifice surrounded by mythological deities and a classic pediment supported by tall columns is topped by an urn that shows the countless scars of gunshots. Rumoured to contain a treasure, its pock-marks proving... it doesn’t.

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On top of the cliff plateau was a simple stone hut that seemed incongruous considering the grand surroundings. Belonging to one of the few inhabitants left in the valley, the old Bedouin dweller invited us to sit and admire the view while he made us coffee over an open fire. A thick grainy blend, so strong and thick your spoon stood up in the metal mug. After our coffee he took us off-the-beaten-track to show us a tomb with carvings so sharp and clear they could have been carved the day before. Inside, his flock of goats rested from the heat of the strong desert sun.

By the time we clambered down the cliff it was dusk and there was a special event for our party being prepared at the base of the Treasury. Hundreds of candles and torches were set up along its base to create an ethereal glow on the limestone around us. The flickering light making the shadows and figures carved in the rock, come to life and dance. Whilst sitting and drinking in the cool of the desert evening, Burgon’s poetic monologue was delivered to us and the canyon seemed to take on just that bit more magic and mystery...

“Match me such marvel save in Eastern clime, a rose red city half as old as time.”

PN And we think a 100-year-old villa in Ponsonby is old. (ROSS THORBY) F

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

PONSONBY NEWS READERS ARE EVERYWHERE

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8 7. Maree Porter and her daughter Mikaela from Westmere are photographed at the GRAND CANYON, Arizona, USA. They told Ponsonby News, “We travelled from Las Vegas on Sundance Helicopters and would recommend their services.”

8. Kate Williams is one of the on-site building managers at MOne apartments on Richmond Road. This is a photo of her having a read of the Ponsonby News at the top of Whistler mountain in CANADA in July.

She told us, “This was my best friend and my first stop on a 4000km girly road trip around the Rockies, we hadn’t seen each other for over a year and decided to do a three week trip. Our trip included stops at Whistler, Kamloops, Valemount, Banff, Golden, Osoyoos, Victoria and Vancouver city.

9 “We passed through Jasper National Park, Glacier Icefields National Park, Banff National Park, Yoho National Park and Manning National Park seeing lots of wonderful wildlife on the way including mountain goats, deer, two wild black bears, osprey, herons, bald eagles, martens, Columbian ground squirrels and marmots”.

9. Pippa Coom is a local resident and a member of the Waitemata Local Board and told us, “I’m really glad you reminded me to take my Ponsonby News with me on the day I left for London. (Thank you for the phone call!) I took my Ponsonby News along with me on a ‘Boris’ bike ride in LONDON near St Paul’s Cathedral. I’ve really enjoyed using the bike sharing scheme for short trips although the traffic is still horrendous. Hopefully see you soon - perhaps at the Tole Reserve playground event on Saturday or the market on Sunday. I will be rather jet lagged as arrive back early on Saturday morning.”

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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PONSONBY NEWS READERS ARE EVERYWHERE

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6 1. Andre Bates in Santorini, GREECE! We miss SPQR and Ponsonby Bistro food!

2. Sally James from the Great Ponsonby Arthotel reminisces about life in Ponsonby with jazz singer, Hattie St John, now resident in BERLIN.

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3-6. Grey Lynn resident Tony Grieshofer and family spent July travelling EUROPE staying with family at their Austrian guesthouse and farm, travelling via Dubai, London and Paris. These photos show him with his well travelled Ponsonby News enjoying the fabulous northern summer.

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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PONSONBY NEWS READERS ARE EVERYWHERE

11 10. Ponsonby residents PJ & Viv Burrowes (currently on overseas assignment) recently co-ordinated a holiday break in ROME with close family from New Zealand who brought the latest Ponsonby News with them (as requested).

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11. Daniel Heier tells Ponsonby News he has returned back to Auckland from visiting his family in beautiful sunny BAVARIA (Lake Starnberg and the alps in the background) He tells us he just had to take the Ponsonby News with him.

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE HONDA HR-V In 1997, the Honda HR-V was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor show, creating a new market for the compact SUV. 18 years later, the HR-V is back, and set to take the New Zealand market by storm. The new incarnation is sleek and sophisticated, with sharp, dynamic lines. It’s an SUV but with none of the bulk, keeping interior space while looking like a streamlined coupe.

dash adds to a sporty feel. A panoramic Sky Roof and the generous windows allow you to appreciate the scenery.

The prominent black grille and chrome trim are strong, and the alloy wheels complement the striking lines of the vehicle. The LED headlights and daytime running lights complete the elegant exterior beautifully.

The technology in the vehicle is astounding. Even the base-spec is kitted out with a 7” touch screen, and the HR-V Sport also comes with a handy Lane-watch camera which shows your blind spot when changing lanes. Of course, the HR-V also boasts the Honda Magic Seats, which are a true feat of Japanese engineering.

The HR-V’s interior is just as impressive. The large glass areas make the car seem open and airy, and the sleek dash is highlighted by piano black accents. The leather trim on the seats and the door linings add to a feeling of luxury, while the soft-touch highly-designed

Honda New Zealand expects the HR-V to emulate the success of the Jazz - which was released to rave reviews last year - and if the media hype is anything to go by, that looks set to happen. www.honda.co.nz F PN

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FASHION + STYLE ONE STEP AHEAD One Step Ahead has been based in Ponsonby’s Three Lamps, for 17 years since 1998. Owner Gary Ashton and his colleague Bruce McRae, love to help locals wanting their shoes repaired and keys cut.

Thank goodness we still have a business like yours on the strip. What keeps you in Ponsonby?

I really enjoy the work I do, it’s the only job I have done since I left school. It’s been 29 years now!

Tell us a little about your history? What changes have you seen?

I first came to Ponsonby in 1998 after buying half of my dad's business. My wife and I bought out my parents fully a few years later. The last few years have seen more changes in the stores in Three Lamps than any other time since I've been here. Some old places have closed down and some totally new businesses started up. Quite a few have come and gone pretty quickly.

We recall your business sold the biggest prize in Lotto history.

Are you still a Lotto agent?

It was a fantastic experience selling the big $33 million ticket. I sold the Lotto franchise to Mark and his team across the road at Paper Plus a year ago, so I'm no longer involved in Lotto. We are now able to concentrate more on the core business elements of the shop.

MAKE THIS SUMMER MORE ELEGANT WITH TRIBÙ OUTDOOR FURNITURE Dawson & Co are very excited on welcome Tribù to their outdoor furniture collection.

Tribù is a mix of contemporary elegance, distinctive purity and individual modernism that doesn’t feel tired, even after years of enjoyment.

The characteristically delicate detailing of Tribù modern outdoor furniture denotes a finesse that can be compared to that of the finest interior furniture.

To ensure every detail is refined, international designers are behind a large part of their collection. They select designers who understand the Tribù style: simple lines with a unique sense of detail. Including Monica Armarni, Piergiorgio Cazzaniga and Vincent Van Duysen all of which are acclaimed designers who have worked with the world’s leading furniture brands. F PN View this exciting new collection at the brand new DAWSON & CO showroom at 115 The Strand, Parnell, T: 09 476 1121, www.dawsonandco.nz

Do you offer other services apart from shoe repairs and key cutting?

Yes, besides our main services of shoe repairs and key cutting we also carry a wide range of shoe care products, offer a knife sharpening service and we are also an agent for drycleaning.

Any thing else you’d like to add?

Just that we are hoping to be here for many years to come and look forward to helping our customers out with any of our services. F PN

photography: Martin Leach

ONE STEP AHEAD, 287 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 376 3289, www.onestepahead.co.nz

One Step Ahead owner Gary Ashton and his colleague Bruce McRae

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FASHION + STYLE RETAIL SUPERSTAR Melissa Ly - Mi Piaci

How did you come to be a retail salesperson?

My parents encouraged my brother and I when we were really young to open up our own store. It was a scary decision to make but it all easily fell into place. We’d had the business for six years when we were approached by a buyer to sell up. After we sold the business I moved up to Auckland and have been working in retail ever since.

What brought you to Mi Piaci?

Prior to moving back to Hamilton for family reasons, I had worked in Ponsonby for six years. After being away for two and a half years, I really missed my friends and Auckland.

When a position became available in Mi Piaci’s Ponsonby store I decided to go for it and fortunately for me, I was the lucky candidate.

What do you love about your store?

The store is a simple, clean and elegant space and we’re right in the middle of exciting developments in Ponsonby. I can’t wait for summer - Ponsonby will be humming!

What makes a standout retail salesperson?

Someone who is welcoming - you have to be approachable and friendly. Knowing your product - so that you can fully inform your customers to enable them to make the best decision - is paramount.

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

This isn’t in regards to a sale, but when I was working for Mi Piaci in Hamilton I used to have a lovely elderly lady named Margaret Collins who used to insist on working with me. She was a really loyal customer who had a great spirit and wicked sense of humour - a pleasure, she always made my day! It’s the characters that you meet that makes working in store memorable.

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

I don’t get star struck with celebrities, but musicians are an entirely different story. If David Bowie or Josh Homme walked into the store, I would probably die!

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

Paul Henry - I like his audacity!

Where do you shop?

We’re really spoilt for choice here in Ponsonby with all the beautiful boutiques and cafes in the area. I do love Miss Crabb and Ruby. I purchase a lot of Cybele online and the girls in store will tell you that I have quite a weakness for Foxtrot Parlour and Bread & Butter Bakery across the road - everything is delicious!

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

Angie from Pearl. She is great fun and knows her work - she really is a superstar! F PN MI PIACI Shop 2, 130 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 973 5039, www.mipiaci.co.nz

FASHION THURSDAY ON K’ ROAD 26 events on one night - 10 September 6-9pm

Following on from the precinct’s showing at New Zealand Fashion Weekend, K’ Road designers will be throwing open the doors of their stores and studios on Thursday 10 September from 6-9pm at an event entitled Fashion Thursday All On K’ Road. The event, now into its third year, will be a celebration of the famed strip’s combined fashion flair complemented by events such as an emerging New Zealand designers market, fashion illustration, two on-street fashion parades and experimental collectives’ designs on show.

At the west end of K’ Road established label Lela Jacobs will be making her spring/summer statement in store, while newer names to the street, such as Jason Lingard, jeweller Thyen and weaver Christopher Duncan will be introducing their creative talents to the public for the second year. Ten year veteran Jimmy D will join the west-enders with a pop-up store.

His designs, described variously as dark, deconstructed and characterized by over-sized silhouettes, have achieved recognition in Vogue Japan and Taiwan and been selected for permanent installation at the country’s national museum Te Papa.

Nick von K, the avant-garde jeweller who takes inspiration from ‘a collection of strange and wonderful things’ including animal skulls, mammoth ivory and exotic butterflies will be studio-side at La Gonda Arcade. At 7 and 8pm his new jewellery range will parade the streets on exotically dressed models.

Red Bar hosts an ‘unusual’ fashion show at 8pm with installation by Si Omer paired with food, cocktails and tunes to match. Leo O’Malley’s windows will come alive with a performance art gentleman’s club as a celebration of their 80th year in men’s fashion.

A pop-up shop and peep preview of the London Pacific Fashion Collective show at Waikare on Q in Queen Street is a rare opportunity to see garments ahead of the London set. Featured designers include Shona Tawhiao, Louina Fifita and Jeanine Clarkin.

There’s a secret makers guild under K’ Road: The Underground Paper Doll Society. To become inducted, join Linda Lew in the Bread and Butter Basement to create paper dolls, dress them in fashionable finery and adorn them with trinkets and treasures. Bring kids along to this fun creative workshop!

From main-street store to hidden studio, the spectrum of K’ Road’s couture offering will be on show. For the full programme of events visit www.allonkroad.co.nz PN www.facebook.com/allonkroad F

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FASHION + STYLE VANILLA INK - LEAVING THE HOOD Dear fabulous clients, supporters and friends...

After 10 great years in the lovely West Lynn village we are leaving. Our lease is expiring and we’ve decided to bring everything back to the mothership in Dominion Road.

It’s been fabulous; the stories, laughs, parties, gorgeous women in gorgeous clothes, we’ll miss it deeply.

We are having a sale, of course, and it’ll have to be BIG. Goodness knows how we’re going to fit everything in one little store - same way I get into my jeans I guess.

We will only be 10 minutes away at 293 Dominion Road, Mt Eden, 09 623 0200, when you feel like a little Vanilla Ink goodness.

The silver lining is that we think West Lynn is going to have a very cool new neighbour when we leave. ALMOST as cool as us!

But down to the equally important news... our sale has begun and we’ll be around for the next month or so. Pop in and grab yourself a bargain!

Our leaving party is yet to be announced but we will be sure to let you know... love from PN Susan and the Vanilla Ink team. F VANILLA INK, 438 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn, T: 09 376 1913, www.vanillaink.co.nz

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FASHION + STYLE THE GEMSTONE FOR SEPTEMBER Donna Mills, owner of Jewels and Gems introduces us to the qualities of moonstone.

Most of the information comes from the scientifically conducted trials of German stone specialist Michael Gienger, interpreted by Donna.

Moonstone has an affinity with many of the sun signs, including Libra. Its inner structure bends light, giving the polished stone an undulating, shimmering iridescence. This quality results from the minute inter-layering of different feldspars that develop by chemical separation during the process of crystallisation, enabling the layers to catch and reflect the light in a magical way. It is found in brown, yellow, grey, green and pink but the white, rainbow moonstone is the most sought after, with its gorgeous, blue and rainbow -coloured light, playing and dancing on the surface of the stone.

TWENTY SEVEN NAMES OPEN NEW ZEALAND FASHION WEEK Wellngton based, Ponsonby-represented label twenty seven names opened New Zealand Fashion Week on Tuesday 26 August, with their ‘Still Life’ (Winter 2016) show.

Drizzle didn’t deter designers Anjali Stewart and Rachel Easting from showing outdoors, with guests sheltered by giant multicoloured umbrellas that created a fabulous set against grey sky and a navy/peach collection palette. F PN

The moonstone has been associated with clairvoyance and mediumistic abilities throughout history. Gypsy races believed it was the best stone to use in foretelling future events. For the layperson that doesn’t aspire to crystal ball gazing, it can simply enhance intuition and lucid dreaming, particularly at the time of a full moon. It not only helps you remember your dreams but is said to help control sleep walking, which is worth a try if you have a child who suffers from that.

photography: Michelle Weir

Moonstone can open our field of perception, helping us notice synchronistic signs and patterns, thereby showing us that there is a greater intelligence at work in the universe than the small consciousness we often limit ourselves to in our daily routine. It also bestows depth of feeling and empathy, which can make us more open to spontaneous impulses. This can bring about happy coincidences but sensitive souls must be careful, while wearing moonstone, not to get caught up in illusions or to become over-stimulated by their own emotions or those picked up from other people.

Physically, moonstone stimulates the pineal and pituitary glands, which have a great sensitivity to light. Because of the increased functioning of these master glands centered in the brain, important regulatory systems in the body can be balanced. It helps get the endocrine system back in tune with nature and can be used for all complaints caused by a disruption to the central regulation of hormones, easing the path of any hormonal changes. This stone is a friend and helper to women, throughout all stages of life and rites of passage. In puberty it reduces fluctuations in emotions and helps with acne.

It helps painful, irregular, or too light or heavy menstruation. It helps with infertility and then reduces the impact of complaints in early pregnancy (food cravings, nausea, colonic inertia, oedema, tiredness and disturbed sleep). After birth, it helps with fear, anxiety and depression. In menopause it can reduce hot flushes, palpitations, migraines and mood swings.

It is not only a stone for women and shouldn’t be over-looked by men when the process PN of change interrupts a previously established order and rebalancing is required. F JEWELS AND GEMS, 54 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 378 4389, www.jewelsandgems.co.nz

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FASHION + STYLE RING ETIQUETTE The wedding season is fast approaching and if your wedding is between September 2015 and March 2016, it is advised that you start looking for wedding rings sooner rather than later, allowing plenty of time for your rings to be custom made exactly to your specifications.

MAX GIMBLETT ART OF REMEMBRANCE AT WORKSHOP The Art of Remembrance project - featuring the work of New York -based, New Zealand artist and long-time Workshop collaborator Max Gimblett - has been partly reinstalled in store at Workshop.

Cut from solid brass and individually screen -printed, there are seven individual quatrefoil designs, all of which are available for purchase through the Workshop stores at $100 each. All proceeds go directly PN towards the restoration of St David’s. F ART OF REMEMBRANCE www.rememberthem.nz

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

With so many options available to you, it can be quite overwhelming at first and women also need to consider which style will complement their engagement ring. These rings are significant purchases, on many levels so you definitely want to spend some quality time trying on a variety of styles to find the perfect ring for you.

Along with the style of the rings, there are also many options available in terms of which metal they are made in. For women, usually the ring will be made in the same metal as your engagement ring, if you have an engagement ring. For guys, there are quite a few options and it is really important to find these out and choose the best metal for your lifestyle.

Once all of these decisions are made and your wedding day has arrived, tradition dictates that your wedding rings be worn on your ‘ring finger’ (fourth finger on your left hand) symbolically declaring your eternal love for one another. If there is an engagement ring, tradition has it that it is then placed on top of the wedding ring, ensuring your wedding ring should remain closest to your heart, where your partner placed it on your PN wedding day. F DIAMONDS ON RICHMOND, 98 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn, T: 09 376 9045, www.dor.co.nz

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FASHION + STYLE: JULIE ROULSTON

New season, new shoes Never has there been a more abundant choice of gorgeous footwear available in Ponsonby than right now. Whether you’re looking for heels or flats, the new season’s shoes are about glamour, luxe and killer attention to detail.

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photography: Ryan Meta

photography: Amanda Betts

FASHION + STYLE

ROLE MODEL Point Chevalier resident Amanda Betts always greets you with a huge smile, yet she’s a no-nonsense woman. No surprise, given a harrowing childhood and rise in the face of adversity.

Having left home at 15 with the clothes on her back, $20 in her pocket and two years’ high school education chalked up, Amanda stepped into the world to escape the suffering of living at home.

After two years doing what it took to survive, it was 1985 when Amanda was gifted a confidence course by her grandmother. She was booked for a $5000 television commercial before the course was over, and is the first to exclaim, “Can you believe a modelling course saved my life?”

Loving the abundance of opportunity the fashion industry offered, Amanda weaved her way throughout until, after becoming a mum in 1997, she followed a calling to become a model agent - eventually co-founding Red11 Models in 2005.

Amanda launched and managed thousands of careers. But after 16 years as a model agent, she heard the call again, this time with an overwhelming desire to pool her extensive fashion industry, professional and personal experience to give access and opportunity to teens who’d suffered as she had.

In August 2015, the Bridge The Gap Project (BTGP) was born. “The people of the BTGP are dedicated to helping young people grow their self-belief and achieve their potential through confidence-building experiences - using fashion as the foundation.

“Working with teens from all walks of life, including various sectors of Child, Youth and Family, we offer a diverse range of confidence building experiences through our Over2U programmes,” Amanda says.

It’s easy to see from the videos and ‘Before and After’ pictures on AmandaBetts.com, that these young people are not only transforming, they’re having fun while they do it.

“One of my greatest achievements is working with a teen in the lead-up to parole after a lengthy stint in Youth Justice… quite different to prepping models for Paris Fashion Week and Karl Lagerfeld, I can tell you!” says Amanda.

Then there’s the BTGP Shop, where everything is $39 with the proceeds going to dress-disadvantaged teens. They’ve collaborated with Lindi Kingi to bring a variety of bracelets, Ryan Meta ‘Hand Bags’ and donated Kingan-Jones slips with more merchandise on the way.

BTGP bracelets are also available at Sempre (Ponsonby Road), and bags, bracelets and slips are available at Covet (Richmond Road).

Amanda says, “It’s incredibly rewarding empowering teens from all walks of life on how to pool together to create outfits with $39 and donated clothes. We’re bridging the gap using the $39 price point.

“It’s amazing what you can create with just the clothes on your back and $20. But essentially, it’s always over to you to create it.” F PN BRIDGE THE GAP PROJECT, www.amandabetts.com

WHERE TO BUY IN GREATER PONSONBY 1. See by Chloe heel ($498) @ Workshop www.workshop.co.nz 2. Mimco heel ($299) @ www.mimco.com.au 3. Chaos & Harmony ‘Mystique’ ($349) @ BlakChaos www.chaosandharmonyshoes.com 4. Moochi heel ($399.99) @ www.moochi.co.nz 5. RUBY Audrey heel ($299) @ www.rubynz.com 6. Karen Walker Adriana heel ($375) [Centre] Karen Walker sweatshirt ($225) and wide pant ($600) Karen Walker @ karenwalker.com 7. Sol Sana Chuck II heel ($269.95) @ www.sol-sana.com/ 8. Alexander Wang heel sandal ($798) @ Workshop www.workshop.co.nz 9. Chaos & Harmony Skyline ($329) @ BlakChaos www.chaosandharmonyshoes.com 10. Proenza Schouler heel ($959) @ Workshop www.workshop.co.nz 11. Chaos & Harmony ‘Linea’ ($279) @ BlakChaos www.chaosandharmonyshoes.com 12. Chloe suede espadrille ($598) @ Workshop www.workshop.co.nz 13. Marc by Marc Jacobs spot sneaker ($298) @ Workshop www.workshop.co.nz 14. MM6 silver sneaker ($447) @ The Shelter www.theshelter.co.nz 15. Dr Martens tassle loafer ($259) @ Zambesi www.zambesi.co.nz The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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OUT + ABOUT

L to R: Kate Sylvester Runway

L to R: Kate Sylvester Runway

photography: Clare Gemima

L to R: Kate Sylvester Runway

Above: Kate Sylvester and Wayne Conway; Kate Sylvester Runway

MARR FACTORY - KATE SYLVESTER RUNWAY @ GOLDEN DAWN, PONSONBY PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH 66 PONSONBY NEWS+ September 2015

(except January)

OUT + ABOUT

L to R: NOM*D Runway

L to R: NOM*D Runway

photography: Clare Gemima

L to R: Chloe Pratt, Jess Reihana and Hayley McElwain; Adam Warin and Maddy De Young; Sighle Illston and Scott McDiarmid

L to R: Art Green and Emily Green; Alex, Mino, Chin, Danny; Sandon James and Chris Scott

MARR FACTORY - NOM*D RUNWAY @ GOLDEN DAWN, PONSONBY The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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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 SEPTEMBER 1925

Dear Myrtle,

Since receiving your card I feel so much more relieved about my decision to have all that silk dyed banana yellow. Did I tell you that Charlie, the owner of a local laundry[ii], who never comes out from the back of the shop, asked me two times if I was absolutely sure about the colour and made me go and look at a sample they’d pulled from the vat!

I’m pleased to know that some of the more advanced fashion salons feature my yellow in their spring windows. In Auckland, I’ve only really looked at Smith & Caughey. They have a few lovely things in the shade but they don’t seem to be making a feature of them. Just wait until my lovely ladies get out and about in their lovely banana frocks!

Then we’ll see it everywhere.

To be completely honest, I’m wondering if I’ve made the right decisions about my spring colours. Of course I have plenty of fabrics in gorgeous (and dependable) black, ecru and rose shades, which always find favour with my customers, but if France has decreed colour, then it is colour that my customers shall have. I just need to convince them.

With that mission in mind, I have decided to turn my little consulting room into a ‘Jardin des Modes’![iii] If my customers can’t travel to Paris to see what their fashionable sisters are wearing, then Paris shall come to them. I have already selected my paint colours from Crooks[iv] - egg white walls with apple green for the skirting, dado rail and architraves. I have asked the very talented Mrs Annie Tilley (a fruiterer by trade)[v] to plait me a rag rug from cheap bright yellow, white and green cottons that I picked up for next to nothing at Holmes[vi]. During the year Annie makes lovely hearthrugs for the St Margaret’s Maternity Hospital[vii] Christmas [viii] fair from remnants that Shanly’s give her. By themselves, these fabrics are usually quite ghastly, which is why they haven’t sold - even on sale - but in Annie’s hands they become transformed. Let’s see... what else? I’m making new cushions for the chairs with some pretty floral silk that includes all the colours. While not terribly robust, it shall do nicely for my spring ‘Jardin’ and should last the season.

I’ve had George repaint one of my iron plant stands white and purchased six new terracotta pots which he’s filled with ferns from the garden. I’ve also had him pot up two large bowls of white freesias which his mother let me have from her lower garden. Tomorrow I’m going to have a talk to the nurseryman down the road[ix] about bright yellow flowers he can recommend for my front path.

What do you think thus far? Am I mad?

Oh, the most important part of the ‘Jardin’ will be the 10 or so large fashion plates, carefully removed from my best and latest French magazines and framed,

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which will adorn the walls. The finishing touch will be a pretty afternoon dress made up in banana yellow silk that will be displayed on a form in the corner. If all this doesn’t delight and inspire my customers to surrender to the new spring colours then I don’t know what will.

My sample collection of original Maudie designs, which is almost finished, includes all the colours in the ‘Jardin’ as well as a stunning persimmon crepe de chine afternoon frock and lapis blue evening dress. I have to describe the blue dress for you as it is such an ingenious design. As you know, the scarf is destined to become more important this coming season, something more than a mere accessory to be donned or discarded at will. In this frock I’ve cleverly (if you will permit me to say so myself) incorporated the scarf as an integral part of the overall design of the gown. The scarf is quite wide and exceptionally long and I’ve made it up in heavy lapis blue silk georgette. The evening gown is made of matching satin and is rather plain in style, possessing a simple bodice with thin straps and a mid calf-length skirt. The magic is created by passing the scarf through a silk loop that I’ve added to the middle of the bodice, then taking the scarf over the shoulders, placing it under the shoulder straps and crossing it over rather high at the back and then bringing the ends over the shoulders and lightly fastening them to the point at which the straps attach to the bodice. The scarf is then left to hang loosely, providing the impression of long, graceful side panels reaching several inches below the skirt. I’ve trimmed the ends with a band of satin matching the dress, and very lightly weighted the ends so that they hang correctly. I know it sounds rather complicated but it isn’t really and the effect is divine!

Next summer, my dear, when all the fuss about my ‘scarf gown’ (I must think of a more elegant name!) has died down, I shall permit you to offer the idea to your customers. I only hope that, in the mean time, none of my ladies wears her dress while zooming around the coast in an open top car.[x] Until your parcel of goodies arrives, when I shall duly write and express my gratitude and delight, I am your true friend,

Maudie xx Penrose’s department store, corner George and St Andrew Streets, Dunedin (1909-1995) [ii] Charlie Num, Laundry, 40 Jervois Road (in 1925) [iii] Garden of Fashion [iv] John Crooks, Oil and Colour Merchants, 82 Ponsonby Road (in 1925) [v] Annie Tilley, Fruiterer, 74-76 Ponsonby Road (in 1925) [vi] Mrs. Mary Winifred Holmes, Drapers, 134a Ponsonby Road (in 1925) [vii] St Margaret’s Maternity Hospital, 231-235 Ponsonby Road (in 1925) [viii] Shanly’s Ltd, Ponsonby Buildings, Ponsonby Road (in 1925) [ix] Ponsonby Nursery Depot, 184 Ponsonby Road (in 1925) [x] A allusion to the dancer Isadora Duncan, strangled by her long scarf which got wrapped around a back wheel while driving on the French coast, 14 September 1927 [i]

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

illustration: Michael McClintock

I was so pleased to receive your postcard from Dunedin. It seems to me that you might have had too much of a good time my dear! Jazz dances, supper parties, fancy soirees... not counting the shopping! Is there actually anything left at Penrose’s[i] after you swept though? Thank you again for offering to pick out some printed silks and cottons for me. As I said to you, I’ve been told many times that the fabric selection at Penrose’s is exceptional and as you are the only person whose taste I absolutely trust, I simply cannot wait to see what you’ve chosen to buy with my £10!

LIVING, THINKING + BEING HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT WHITENING YOUR TEETH? Spring is in the air and the sun is starting to make an appearance again - what better time than now to give your teeth a spring overhaul?

Maybe you have a big event coming up such as a wedding or a job interview. Whitening your teeth can give you that boost in confidence that you’re after.

Or maybe you’re just tired of the yellowing of your teeth that happens naturally over time. Coffee or tea stains, smoking or a build -up of plaque and tartar are all causes of discolouration of the teeth. Removing these stains with whitening can make a positive difference to your overall appearance, giving you a whiter, brighter, more youthful look.

When compared to other cosmetic procedures available to help us look younger, whitening is relatively inexpensive and is a very non -invasive process.

To welcome in the sun, Cameron + Field Dentists are holding a special on whitening packages. Visit us to receive a gentle, safe and efficient in-office treatment option to whiten your teeth with Phillips ZOOM. F PN CAMERON + FIELD DENTISTS, Level 8, Landmark House, 187 Queen Street, Auckland Central, T: 09 379 0196

ECO BOUTIQUE - LOCAL BEAUTY STARTUP Herne Bay mumtrepreneur Anna Jobsz has launched her new online eco beauty store, Eco Boutique. The store features 100% pure mineral makeup, natural and organic skincare ranges, and other beautiful products for New Zealand women at affordable prices.

Anna and her team of makeup artists launched Eco Boutique and its products as part of New Zealand Fashion Week late last month. “I loved getting amongst it at Fashion Week - so many women came to try the makeup and I heard many stories of dry skin, irritations and acne. I think most women want to make the move to a completely pure and natural mineral makeup range like Eco Minerals. They were also really interested in choosing the right skincare for their skin types and learning the best way to apply mineral makeup. I have met some beautiful women, many of who have now started their journey into natural beauty,” says Anna.

The signature makeup online is Eco Minerals with its range of 100% pure mineral makeup from Byron Bay. The range includes 12 shades of mineral foundation, mascaras, blushes, bronzers, concealers, brushes and eight eyeshadows. The products are certified vegan, certified anti-cruelty and feature a natural SPF 24.

New Zealand luxury skincare range Estella is the featured high-end skincare on the site, with its 98% organic Estella Day Creme and Estella Face Serum Estella’s ingredients list includes vitamin E, manuka honey, ovine and flaxseed oil.

Ponsonby News readers can head into Harvest Wholefoods in Grey Lynn or the Raw Kitchen in Ponsonby to check out the Eco Minerals Makeup range - or take advantage of a 10% discount off their first order when they shop online using the code ECOM10.

Eco Boutique, www.ecoboutique.co.nz The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING INTRODUCING THE OCKHAM NEW ZEALAND BOOK AWARDS Local Surrey Crescent based business Ockham Residential are extremely excited to announce that they have partnered with the New Zealand Book Awards Trust and the Auckland Writers Festival with their sponsorship of the country’s premier book honours the New Zealand Book Awards.

Ockham Residential co-founder and director, Mark Todd, says there are strong synergies between the book awards’ aims and Ockham’s philosophy.

“We set up the Ockham Foundation, an education-focussed charity, concurrently with our commercial development company. Right from the start, we knew we wanted to operate a business that had ambitions wider than profitability. Original thinking and critical thought are two key elements of public discourse we wished to promote by way of education.

“Currently we are working with the University of Auckland to fund First Foundation Scholars studying science and we are funding two postgraduate scholarships in Statistics.

We recently funded an outdoor classroom and nature trail at Grey Lynn Primary School.

“Partnering with the New Zealand Book Awards in their pursuit of critical thought, creativity and literary excellence is a great fit for us,” says Todd.

New Zealand Book Awards Trust chairwoman, Nicola Legat, says Ockham Residential is a truly outstanding sponsor.

“To have an organisation so philosophically aligned to the awards makes for a robust and rewarding partnership for us all. We look forward to a long and happy association.”

PURE FIJI POPS UP ON PONSONBY ROAD The ultimate in South Pacific luxury has washed up on Ponsonby’s stylish shore! Discover the dreamy scent of Pure Fiji at the pop up store, now open at 133 Ponsonby Road.

If you haven’t yet discovered the Pure Fiji brand you are in for a treat. It’s only open for a limited time so make sure you head up to the store on Ponsonby Road soon. Inside, you’ll find your favourite products for face, body and hair as well as the home ambience range. From October, the store will also stock a full range of Christmas gift products.

The New Zealand Book Awards winners will be announced at an event during the country’s largest literary gathering - the Auckland Writers Festival - in May 2016. As part of its awards sponsorship, Ockham also joins the suite of Auckland Writers Festival gold partners.

Pure Fiji offers a complete line of natural beauty products containing unique coldpressed Fijian nut oils and plant extracts. The secret is a balanced blend of exotic drift nut oils which include virgin coconut oil, dilo oil, sikeci oil and macadamia nut oil. This time honoured blend has been used for centuries in the Pacific as a therapeutic remedy and also as a daily ritual for moisturising, nourishing and protecting skin and hair.

“It is so heartening when businesses recognise the value of working with the literary arts,” says Festival Director Anne O’Brien.

Here are some spring beauty tips direct from the Pure Fiji Spa:

“The Auckland Writers Festival attracts some of New Zealand’s and the world’s biggest writing names. With attendance growing exponentially year-on-year (more than 62,000 in 2015), we are a future-focussed marquee proposition for businesses.”

There are four main awards categories: Fiction, Poetry, General Non-Fiction and Illustrated Non-Fiction and, should there be sufficient entries, a Maori Language category. Three Best First Book Awards are also given.

Each category will be overseen by specialist judges, three per category, plus a Maori language adviser for the Maori language award.

The judges will select a longlist of around eight books in each category, which will be announced on 25 November 2015. The shortlist of four books in each of the categories will be announced in early March 2016.

Entries to the 2016 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards for books published between PN 1 June 2014 and 31 December 2015 are eligible for entry. F

• If you suffer from eczema, use Pure Fiji Shower Gel - it’s sulphate-free and non-irritating • To get sandal-ready apply Body Butter to your feet before bed and wear cotton socks overnight • Use Exotic Oil as a deep conditioning, warm, scalp treatment • Exfoliate with Coconut Crème Scrub before self-tanning • Dilo Gel will instantly soothe skin irritated by sunburn or insect bites The Pure Fiji Pop Up Store (opposite S.P.Q.R) is open Tuesday to Sunday. Pop in and say PN “bula” to the team! F PURE FIJI, 133 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby, T: (09) 621 2222, www.nz.purefiji.com

http://booksellers.co.nz/awards/new-zealand-book-awards/submissions

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING ‘HISTORIC CHURCHES’ - ST MARY’S OLD CONVENT CHAPEL IN PONSONBY St Mary’s Old Convent Chapel in Ponsonby has been included in a recently published book, ‘Historic Churches’. The following is an extract from the book.

Chapels always have a special appeal, partly because they are small and intimate. And St Mary’s Old Convent Chapel in Ponsonby has extraordinary charm. It is a beautiful little chapel and, with its links to the Sisters of Mercy, it has a particularly significant history.

The chapel is one of a group of Catholic buildings built on the Clanaboy estate in Ponsonby. Bishop Pompallier purchased the estate in 1853, renaming it Mount St Mary. Pompallier had visited Ireland and recruited the Mercy nuns. This followed a panui (invitation) from Maori women in the Auckland area to Bishop Pompallier in 1839. They asked the bishop to bring out a group of wahine tapu (holy women) to support the women and children in need in Aotearoa.

a working-class suburb. By 1864 a school, St Mary’s College, had been added to the site, and four years later the chapel was added to the convent complex.

In keeping with the main accommodation block of the convent, the chapel was designed in the Gothic Revival style. It was designed and built by Edward Mahoney who, like the Sisters, was Irish. The Heritage New Zealand website - in its extremely thorough summary of the significance of the chapel - suggests that architecturally it was a bridge between Mahoney’s ‘first tentative expression of the Gothic style... and his later ecclesiastic designs, which expressed Gothic Revival ideas more fully’. It has the traditional cruciform shape and steeply pitched roof.

The Sisters of Mercy had been founded in Dublin in 1831. They were an apostolic religious order, dedicated to assisting the poor - specifically educating the children of the poor, offering refuge for exploited servant girls and providing aid for the poor in their own homes. Bishop Pompallier had been in New Zealand since the late 1830s and was appointed Bishop of Auckland in the 1840s, when the colony had been divided into two dioceses.

It was an inspired choice to seek the assistance of the Sisters of Mercy. Mother Mary Cecilia Maher, the Mother Superior at the convent, and seven other Sisters from St Leo’s Convent in Carlow joined his party, arriving in Auckland in April 1850.

Wherever Mahoney was on his Gothic Revival journey, he certainly created a very charming little chapel. Its internal layout is particularly appealing; in keeping with the fact that it was designed for the religious formalities of a convent rather than parish services, there are two rows of stalls on either side of the nave, facing each other across the central aisle. It is such an evocative design, and it isn’t difficult to see the Sisters in full religious regalia demurely filing into their pews. Interestingly, the interior was initially intended to be divided into spaces for the Sisters in the choir, boarders from the school in one transept, orphans in another, with room for the general public in the nave. Instead, the nuns’ seating was installed in the nave from the outset.

The Sisters of Mercy were the first religious Sisters to come to New Zealand. Auckland wouldn’t have felt completely foreign: in 1850 Irish Catholics made up 28 per cent of its population. The Sisters became actively involved, working with children, supporting the sick and needy, and running schools, orphanages and hospitals. Initially they lived in a small convent on the site of St Patrick’s Cathedral in Wyndham Street. When Bishop Pompallier bought Mount St Mary, the Sisters set up a school for Maori girls. In 1862 a large convent was erected, overlooking Freemans Bay, at that time

From its official opening in August 1866 the chapel was at the centre of convent life. Bishop Pompallier took Mass at the chapel at least twice a week. And the Sisters of Mercy continued with their commitment to those in need in Auckland. From 1870 until 1887, when the Church of the Sacred Heart was opened in Ponsonby, it served as a parish church. But by the end of the 1960s the changing needs of religious orders, not to mention deterioration in the convent building, led to the construction of a new accommodation block and chapel on the site of the original main convent.

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So the old chapel passed out of daily use, and in many ways it’s a miracle that, in an era not known for its conservation ethos, it didn’t go the way of the convent.

There were concerted efforts to save it, and by 1979 it had been restored. However, maintenance costs are ongoing and it certainly helped that there were significant women associated with the chapel. During the 1980s past pupils of New Zealand’s best-known singing tutor, Dame Sister Mary Leo, performed annual fundraising concerts. Who wouldn’t leap at the chance to hear Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and support a good cause at the same time?

In 1984 the chapel was recognised as unique - the only Catholic church in New Zealand that had remained unaltered since Pompallier’s time. But this lovely lightfilled chapel can be recognised for far more than this.

There it stands, to remind everyone of the Mercy nuns who came so far from home to practise what they believed in - assisting the poor, educating all, nursing the sick. For those with not entirely happy recollections of the stalwart Sisters, perhaps it’s time to put to one side the memories of being whacked over the knuckles when learning the piano.

Mother Mary Cecilia Maher died at the convent on 25 November 1878. She is buried in the small cemetery behind the convent, along with Mother Mary Bernard Dickson, who nursed in the Crimean War with Florence Nightingale.

The chapel is occasionally used for weddings and other ceremonies, and also for religious education classes for pupils at St Mary’s College. The Sisters of Mercy remain New Zealand’s largest order of nuns.

Reproduced with permission from Historic Churches: A Guide to Over 60 Early New Zealand Churches by Linda Burgess. Published by Penguin Random House NZ. PN RRP $50. Photography by Rob Burgess. F

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EXERCISE: THE KEY TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

LIVING, THINKING + BEING GIVE PAIN THE NEEDLE WITH FREE ACUPUNCTURE

Union Fitness offers an effective fitness solution for everyone, whether you prefer group training or something more personalised.

If you are suffering from pain, whether from an injury or daily stresses and strains, you should know that acupuncture can help.

After moving to Auckland, Matias Herrera set up Union Fitness here in Ponsonby in 2014 to offer local clients his unique blend of training styles. Matias has a wealth of international and local qualifications and experience, having worked in gyms, sports clubs, and fitness studios throughout Argentina and Spain. He brings together these experiences to create fun and effective training programmes.

In fact, if you have had an injury, ACC will subsidise the cost of acupuncture sessions, from a qualified practitioner.

Acupuncture, on its own, or in combination with physiotherapy, can bring fast results to a number of conditions - which is why Return To Form, Ponsonby’s physio clinic, has engaged a specialist acupuncturist.

Matias Herrera

At Union Fitness they believe that physical activity is the key to a healthy lifestyle. They have helped clients reach goals as varied as running a marathon through to being able to play with their grandchildren without getting puffed.

Dawson is a registered acupuncturist and to promote this new service, Return To Form is offering free acupuncture with a valid ACC claim and half price for all other sessions.

Apart from injury pain relief, Dawson can help with many conditions such as headache and migraine, weight management, acid reflux, menstrual and menopausal problems, insomnia and stress.

Union can assist you with weight loss, nutritional planning, general fitness, or high-level sporting goals, and have a range of boot camp and personal training options available.

Boot camps run for six weeks, all year round (indoors during the wetter months) so it’s easy to commit to a programme and stick with it. The focus is on cardio fitness as well as on increasing strength and muscle tone, so everyone sees results.

So now, there is really no need to put up with that annoying back or neck pain, joint pain, or headaches. And if you have lifestyle issues such as weight management, irritable bowel syndrome or acid reflux, now is a perfect time to take some positive action.

Personal training programmes are more flexible; they can focus more on your personal goals, and keep a closer eye on your progress, leading to greater results. Union Fitness can tailor sessions to your needs and help you with diet and fitness habits. F PN For a trial session or more information visit www.unionfitness.co.nz or email train@unionfitness.co.nz UNION FITNESS, T: 022 066 1885, www.unionfitness.co.nz

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

Return To Form is offering the free sessions for a limited time, so call them now on 09 551 4460, or pop into the clinic upstairs at 334 Ponsonby Road (by Paper Plus) and see how we can help you.

And remember, you can benefit from these free or half price sessions, even if you are already a physio client of Return to Form. F PN RETURN TO FORM, 334 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 551 4460, www.returntoform.com

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HELENE RAVLICH: LOCAL BEAUTY

Old school and new cool - our neighbourhood barbers “When I was growing up, barbershops were incredibly low end. It was a place where you got a $5 haircut, and it smelled of sadness and Barbasol,” said Morgan Spurlock, the well-coifed, affable director of the documentary Mansome.

“Now there’s been this kind of resurgence of barbershops being a cool place to hang out. They can do much more than the traditional barbershop ever did.”

This perfectly encapsulates the vibe at some of our local barber shops, which are the perfect mix of old school charm and new school cool, and keep customers happy at every end of the spectrum.

Victoria Street chop shop Maloney’s has been making the cut for many loyal customers for over 10 years now. When owner Julian Maloney opened his doors all those years ago after returning to New Zealand from his OE, he says he had very little idea of what running a business actually entailed but knew it was what he wanted to do.

“I had worked in a barber shop in Ponsonby in the mid-90s,” he told me last year, “and when I came back from overseas I noticed that barbers were just coming out of the stigma of being just a place for old men, and getting a whole new type of attention. There is an age gap between the likes of me and the earlier generation of barbers of about 20 years, and then a huge number of younger guys who have popped up recently too, which is great.”

Some of these younger barbers were trained in traditional salons but wanted to move out of what he called ‘chemical work’ and just concentrate on cutting, whilst others have been drawn to the nostalgia and tradition of the truly artisan profession.

Tokoya Barbershop is a new spot at the Three Lamps end of Ponsonby Road and already clocking up a happy clientele made up of businessmen, senior citizens, kids and hipsters. Owner Sarai Kaisei was profiled in the August issue of Ponsonby News, talking about his training as a hair stylist and eventual transition to barber. “At Tokoya each individual barber can cut any style,” he says, and if you want a sharp, clean, tapered haircut or a longer, softer look, just ask our talented barbers.”

Stefan Sinclair is the owner of Ponsonby’s Flash City tattooists and barbershop, which opened just over two years ago next to Sinclair’s other business, Two Hands Tattoo. He tells me that Flash City being an extension of Two Hands Tattoo means that its point of difference is that it “pays homage to the earliest tattoo parlours, which were often found out-back of a barber shop. Also Flash City is a little off the beaten track, hidden up a flight of stairs nestled in amongst a traditional tattoo parlour. You kind of need to know about it to find it, which creates a cosy little clubhouse vibe.”

Bundy Blake of Boar & Blade, based in Ponsonby Central Last up, my editor’s favourite place for a cut and a shave is N&A Barbers at 505 Great North Road in Grey Lynn, where he and his partner, Jay, go once a week for a tidy up.

“And you can’t write about barbershops without mentioning Bay Rum hair tonic and aftershave,” he tells me, “it is an absolute classic which I’ve loved since the 1960s!”

(HELENE RAVLICH) F PN

There are two barbers on deck at all times, and the place is always packed with punters putting their name on the board and/or queuing up for a cut. Their reputation is impeccable, and the one product that keeps flying off the shelves? “JS Sloane Pomade, which holds like a traditional classic pomade but can be washed out with water.”

Barber Bundy Blake opened Boar & Blade Barbershop in Ponsonby Central a little while back, after establishing a top shop with the same name in Wellington that opened in 2013. The shop has grown into one of the city’s most sought-after grooming salons for the modern gentleman, and their spot in Auckland is set to do the same. When asked why he made the move north he tells me, “The shop in Wellington is very successful and I have a great team down there in the capital, but I wanted a new challenge.

“My partner is from Auckland too, so I wasn’t going in blindfolded moving to a new city.” Andy Davies, owner and creator of Ponsonby Central asked him if he’d be keen on opening a branch of Boar & Blade Barbershop in the popular venue. “And it worked out perfectly as I live within walking distance. My team and I love Ponsonby and Ponsonby Central, it’s just an awesome place to be.”

When I ask him what the Boar & Blade point of difference is he says, “We are a traditional barbershop which means we respect the trade, the old ways and services like the hot towel shaves, but we add a modern twist. We also have great relationships with the community and that matters the most. The families and people from our neighbourhood and all over Auckland who come to Boar & Blade are from all walks of life, and that’s what makes a great barbershop.”

The most recommended products at the shop are pomade and beard oil, and Bundy adds, “Personally, apart from those obvious products I think cologne is a big one. If you hair is looking good and you’re well groomed then a man should have a good cologne!”

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING HAVE YOU GOT NERVE ROOT SYNDROME? At Gilmour & Associates Physiotherapy over the past 10 years we have researched lower back disorders.

In 2008, we highlighted three neurological syndromes in a publication in Spine USA. One of these is nerve root syndrome, nerve root compression due to disc protrusion, which results in lumbo-sacral radiculopathy. Lower back disorders and injuries resulting in nerve root syndrome are disabling.

The disorder can make it difficult to lift objects, walk, sit, get up after sitting, there can be difficulty with putting on socks in the morning. The back feels stiff, and there is pain on coughing or sneezing. Nerve compression in the lower back causes weakness of muscles in the leg as well as numbness and pins and needles.

At Gilmour & Associates, to determine whether nerve root syndrome is present, we examine muscles in the legs to identify any muscle weakness using specific repeated muscle tests.

In our approach, if we can change the status of the weakness and improve the power of the affected muscle (The Gilmour Neurologic Response™) then in most cases we can help the client back to normal health.

This approach is the basis of our most recent publication. Haswell, K, Gilmour, J.M., & Moore, B.J. (2015). Lumbo-sacral radiculopathy referral decision-making and primary care management. A case report. Manual Therapy, 20 (2), 353-357 www.elsevier/math F PN GILMOUR & ASSOCIATES PHYSIOTHERAPY, 134 Jervois Road, Herne Bay, T: 09 376 4500, www.gilmourphysio.co.nz

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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ALI LAWRIE: PERSONALITY TYPES

ESFP: Chris Foote using sensing at work A recent article in the Business Indicator noted that certain personality types were more prone to unemployment, included in these was ESFP: Extraverted, Sensing, Feeling and Perceiving.

The poll was based on working in the traditional corporate environment which typically requires regular hours and a fixed routine. This is not the working style that appeals to the freedom, fun loving and sociable ESFP. More often than not, ESFPs find self employment to be the most satisfactory way to work as it accords with one of their main drivers: freedom. This is exactly what local business woman and funeral director Chris Foote has done.

Chris Foote embarked on her pathway into the funeral industry 15 years ago when she established one of the first ‘natural’ funeral companies in Auckland, cleverly named Six Foote Under. A passion for taking care of people in life had translated to the care and attention that she feels is so important in death. Her interest in this area was sparked by the death of her grandmother when she was 12 years old. As was customary at the time, Chris was not able to see the body of her loved one and she was curious as to what was happening. Thus began her journey of discovery into how death is handled by different cultures and communities. Chris has developed a business that is based on her deeply considerate and respectful attitude to the process of death and grieving.

She has always been a hands on person, creating sumptuous meals, loving beautiful clothes, fabrics and furnishings, always having a veggie garden and even building at one time while living on Waiheke Island a mudbrick house. Currently, Chris is in the process of planting out an organic orchard on her property up north. She has raised three daughters, and has always enjoyed an open home policy, frequently entertaining her friends and family with her culinary creations.

Her business, now named The Natural Funeral Company, has been running successfully for seven years from its base behind the Garden Party in Ponsonby Road. Chris runs her business in much the same way she runs her life, with an openness, natural warmth and a knack of knowing how to support people at a time of deep grief and sadness.

Although she began her funeral directing career in a more traditional environment, she instinctively knew the natural and ‘green’ pathway rang true to her relationship with the natural world. The Natural Funeral Company does not embalm the deceased and uses natural materials for caskets.

It takes a certain type of person to work in this area and Chris, with her cognitive preferences for ESFP, fits the bill perfectly. The drive to care for and draw together others is typical of this personality type.

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An ESFP is a caring, social person who enjoys bringing people together to enjoy the finer things or pleasures in life. They tend to delight in the sensory world and are keenly attuned to people and interpreting their needs.

The personality leads with Extraverted Sensing, giving the personality an ability to sum up the immediate physical environment, read it, and take appropriate action immediately.

Whether it is seeing a mountain and climbing it or a delicious chocolate cake and devouring it, these personalities savour tangible, sensual experience. When dealing with people in a state of grief or transitioning from life to death, there is something very primal about the nature of emotion experienced.

An ESFP, with their heightened functioning of Extraverted Sensing, can leap into action beautifully, allowing understanding of the situation, assessing immediate need accurately and then taking appropriate action. The ability to just physically just sit in stillness and be present for the family is a gift well appreciated. Having the cognitive process of Introverted Feeling in the support position means most of these physical actions will involve people and will accord with personal values. For Chris, there is nothing more important or meaningful than valuing and celebrating the transition of living and dying.

In this work there is a need for flexibility and to be open to an ever-changing landscape of the day that unfolds. Death is not always predictable and the Perceiving nature of the ESFP allows changes to a schedule without creating too much stress.

Much of the work is the organisation of the funeral itself, which requires the ability to plan an event and utilise hospitality skills with great sensitivity. Chris understands the strengths of her small team and allows them to focus on areas that best suit their personality types, having a good appreciation of who will best suit each area of the business. Funeral directing at The Natural Funeral Company is a fine balance between leading and allowing the space for the intimacy of the occasion, Chris and her team PN manage this with grace. (ALI LAWRIE) F To find out how to get the best out of your team contact Ali. www.personalitytype.co.nz

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING D.VICE THE TOY SHOP FOR CYCO - NEW OWNERSHIP, GROWNUPS WINS TOP SHOP AWARD NEW LOCATION Ponsonby Road retailer, D.VICE the toy shop for grownups, has won the ‘Single Store Omnichannel’ category for the NZ Retailers Association Top Shop Awards.

The winners were announced at an awards ceremony at Sky City last month. D.VICE has been in the finals previously and their Queen Street store (no longer open) won the Lifestyle category in the first year it was open.

Ema Lyon, a director of D.VICE told Ponsonby News, “This is an exciting win for D.VICE’s Ponsonby store and a tribute to the team - Chanel, Cheryl and Chase - for the fantastic customer service they offer to every customer. The omnichannel category acknowledges companies that trade and interact with their customers through multiple channels including online and social media.”

The Jervois Road branch of Glengarry Wines won the Food & Beverage catergory while KILT Ponsonby, the fashion retailer, won Multi-Store Omnichannel.

Congratulations to our three local businesses. F PN www.retail.org.nz/events/top-shop-awards/winners/top-shop-winnersupper-north-island

Darren ‘Champ’ Murray a former Tour of Southland stage winner and Round Taupo winner is now the proud owner of CYCO. Continuing with the CYCO family tradition, Darren Murray has been running the awardwinning workshop for the past 14 years.

Voted the best bike shop in Metro 2015, CYCO has been a firm favourite in the Auckland market for the past two decades.

As he told Ponsonby News, “Moving five minutes up the road to 348 New North Road, Kingsland, we are as dedicated to our customers’ needs as we have ever been. From road to hybrids, mountain to cyclocross, commuter to kids bikes, there is something for everyone. Pop on in, say hi, have a coffee and let the team at CYCO answer all your cycling questions.”

They are open Tuesday - Friday, 9am - 6pm and Saturday - Sunday, 10am - 4pm.

YOGA PROJECT FOR TEENS BRINGS MINDFULNESS TO A NEW MARKET

CYCO, 348 New North Road, Kingsland, T: 09 376 4447, E: cyco@xtra.co.nz www.cyco.co.nz

A British yoga teacher aims to bridge the gap in the market for teenagers in Auckland.

An Auckland-based British expat and yoga teacher is aiming to bridge a gap in the market with a new yoga community project aimed at teenagers getting ready for life after high school education.

The project will bring together yoga movement, mindfulness, and meditation, with a focus on encouraging the next generation in the workforce to be mindful and use meditation techniques in their everyday lives, something Nina Rogocki, the 33-year-old Brit behind the project and the founder of The Soul Laundry, has been practising for almost four years.

Nina, who currently lives in Grey Lynn, came up with the idea for Yoga, Mindfulness and Meditation for Teenagers after noticing that the majority of yoga practices aimed their classes at either adults or young children. “There seems to be a gap for the generation I feel need it the most,” she says. The teenagers and older school age children who are getting ready for life after education and, in many cases, entering into the big wide world, often with little guidance.”

The six-week programme will cover yoga, breathing for meditation, and mindful meditation in weekly hour-long sessions, with the introduction of open discussions as the course progresses.

She’s starting the project in Auckland but Nina eventually wants to take the project into schools and colleges across New Zealand. “I want to work in communities that haven’t usually got access to this kind of thing,” she says. “I want to try to steer everyone to a good place.”

Nina is currently raising money to purchase equipment and hire a space to run the classes on Pledge Me, the New Zealand-based equity crowdfunding platform, and is offering business mentions and the option to send your teen to her six-week course free of charge as a thank you for helping to fund the project. More information on the Yoga, Mindfulness, and Meditation for Teenagers project can be found on Pledge Me. F PN www.pledgeme.co.nz/projects/3916-yoga-mindfulness-and-meditationfor-teenagers The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING THE NEW TRUE PILATES TEAM! Owner, Helen Leahy, would like to introduce three new instructors - Irene, Alicia and Mia - who have joined her and Amanda at True Pilates.

Open since 2007, True Pilates is a haven away from your daily pressures and provides a peaceful and pleasurable environment to work out in. The studio carries a full range of imported Gratz Equipment as designed by Joseph Pilates.

All the instructors at True Pilates teach the authentic Pilates method. That way, you are guaranteed a thorough knowledge of the work from your instructors, meaning the same high level of teaching from the whole team.

Here at True Pilates, all the instructors have a deep knowledge of body mechanics and anatomy. They can read how a body moves and how to correct any imbalances and weaknesses with exercises. Pilates isn’t just for women either! We have a huge number of male clients that really feel the benefits of Pilates, which helps them with their flexibility, overall strength and balance.

Each instructor brings their own strengths to their teaching - from experience with being a first-time mother, to several years as a massage therapist, to being a professional dancer. All the instructors at True Pilates undergo hours of training, focusing on the authentic method. We keep up to date with continuing workshops and seminars throughout the year.

Whatever your age or level of fitness, the team invites you to experience the True Pilates difference, while working out in their distinctive, peaceful studio. At the end of each session you will walk away with an improved feeling of balance, good posture and a confidence that will carry you through your day. F PN TRUE PILATES, 2/5 Seymour Street, St Marys Bay, T: 09 376 7203, www.truepilatesnz.co.nz

CLARE CALDWELL: THE ART OF LIVING After many months of soul-searching, listening to my intuition and taking heed of the nudges and synchronicities life was throwing at me, I have left Mercy Hospice Auckland where I ran a voluntary art and art therapy programme for 17 years.

My involvement with the hospice began when it was called St Joseph’s Mercy Hospice and was a single ward over in Mountain Road as part of the Mercy Ascot Hospital complex. One day, following a photographic exhibition of mine at a local gallery, I received a phone call asking me if I would like to come in and set up a voluntary art therapy programme at the hospice.

Even though I wasn’t sure quite what art therapy was, I felt a resounding “yes” pass through my body, and always being one to be guided by these intuitions, I agreed.

I started by serving tea and coffee on the ward to patients to ‘get the feel of the place’ and as potential clients for art therapy increased, a trestle table full of art materials was organised on the beautiful balcony area. I then proceeded to embark on a journey of discovery, post-graduate academic study and life-changing experiences that were to captivate me for many years.

And what a journey it’s been! My life is a thousand times richer for having had this amazing time of working with the dying and their families and friends. It is an indescribable privilege when someone lets you accompany them on their final journey, sharing through art, words and unspoken empathy, the deeper and often tightly held aspects of who they are and have been.

Knowing when to lean in and engage with an unfolding process and knowing when to lean out; building therapeutic ‘containers’ of trust and safety to gently and respectfully hold all manner of raw material emerging as art forms; helping people find ways of ‘saying’ things they can’t talk about through drawing, painting, clay work and collage, was, and will continue to be, all part of my ongoing learning.

I believe fiercely and passionately in the efficacy of art as a therapy on so many levels and will continue to crusade for its acceptance till the day I die! I would like to thank everyone at Mercy Hospice Auckland for giving me such a wonderful and life-changing experience over these years and for those I didn’t get to see on my last day, big hugs and many thanks to you all to.

With life continuing to nudge me in another direction, I’ve now begun an art and art therapy programme at Auckland City Mission, working with the marginalised and homeless. While leaving Mercy Hospice Auckland is a big wrench after so many years, I feel excited about this new direction and have to trust that this is where my heart has taken me.

(CLARE CALDWELL) F PN Clare (Claudie) Caldwell is a creative arts therapist who runs a small private practice from home. She now runs a voluntary art and art therapy programme at Auckland City Mission. She is also a freelance artist.

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

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING BOX YOUR WAY TO SUMMER FITNESS Summer is just around the corner so it’s time to get active and get sweaty with one of the best boxing classes around!

Set to pumping music with easy-to-learn routines, BoxSlim takes you out of the boxing gym and into a group-based fitness class, where you will be working those muscles and running on endorphins in no time!

Using focus pads, they’ll pair you, up ready for an hour of body moving, body sweating, full boxing action. Everyone is welcome at BoxSlim - any fitness level and body type, regardless of how co-ordinated you are. They’ll show you how to do everything from the get-go and work alongside you to help you get the right technique and keep you motivated. They don’t stand on stages, preferring to get amongst the action and motivate you, pushing you and making sure they get the absolute best out of every minute you’re training with them.

With the unique BoxSlim fitness classes, help is right there when you need it. The goal is to work you hard and make sure you leave happy and on track to achieving your goal.

BoxSlim proves it’s possible to work hard, get results and have fun in a supportive and encouraging environment. With their friendly instructors they welcome everyone into the BoxSlim family.

So come along and see for yourself, there are locations in Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington and they’ve even made it easy by offering a free trial class when you book online! F PN Visit www.boxslim.co.nz, info@boxslim.co.nz or call 0276 333 331.

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING INNOVATIVE NEW TREATMENT FOR DRY EYES AT VISIONX DO YOU GET RED, GRITTY, TIRED EYES? FEEL DRYNESS AND DISCOMFORT FROM contact lens wear? Looking for relief from dry eyes other than eye drops? VisionX in Parnell is able to offer relief from the symptoms of dry eye with the utilisation of the latest IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) technology.

This serendipitous discovery can be credited to Ophthalmologist, Dr Rolando Toyos (USA), who found that patients being treated with IPL therapy for skin lesions were pleasantly surprised to also have a significant reduction in their dry eye symptoms.

The IPL device (E-Eye) used by VisionX is currently the only medically approved IPL device for MGD (Meibomian Gland Dysfunction) therapy. MGD is recognised to be the leading cause of dry eye.

The IPL device generates a polychromatic pulsed light by producing perfectly calibrated and homogenously sequenced light pulses. The energy, spectrum and time period are precisely set to stimulate the Meibomian glands in order for them to return to their normal function, therefore addressing the problem at the source and returning the ocular surface to a more normal-like state.

Associate Professor Jennifer Craig (Head of the Department of Ophthalmology’s Ocular Surface Laboratory) completed a study of this IPL device at the Auckland University PN which resulted in an 86% patient satisfaction. F Should you be interested in this revolutionary approach to dry eyes or wish to discuss the therapy further, please contact VisionX in Parnell on: 09 373 4879 or parnell@visionx.co.nz VISIONX, 259B Parnell Road, Parnell, T: 09 373 4879, www.visionxparnell.co.nz

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THE WELLBEING CENTRE - HELPING YOU MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES The WellBeing Centre is the place for fun and inspiring short courses, classes and workshops.

Look and feel fabulous for summer; take on the October Healthy Eating Challenge and if you want to get fit as well, they have teamed up with Xtend Barre for their 20/30 Challenge.

There are three evening seminars running over September and October: ‘Solutions for Respiratory Disorders’ - just the thing for hay fever sufferers, asthmatics or that persistent cold. ‘Sleep Well, Be Well’ - for anyone who dreams of a good night’s sleep, whether you have full-on insomnia or are someone who wakes up exhausted. ‘Stress Free Living:’ understand the impact stress has on your health and learn easy ways to incorporate actions that will make a difference.

The WellBeing Centre has two fabulous cooking classes, too. ‘Cooking Raw!’ 17 October.

Everyone would benefit from including more raw food in their diet and this class shows you how, with gorgeous tasting food and heaps of recipes. The second is ‘Gluten-Free Gourmet,’ 1 November. You don’t have to be allergic or even intolerant to benefit from eating less gluten - learn to make sublime tasting food that isn’t highly processed.

There are also three one-day workshops; learn self-hypnosis techniques to get a breakthrough on something that’s important and keeps eluding you. Create your own natural first aid kit or, if you are 40+ and want to feel fabulous, then they have the solution for you.

If you are pregnant and want to experience a stress-free birth that promotes bonding, PN book in to our hypno-birthing class, commencing in November. F For more information on all WellBeing Centre courses go to www.thewellbeingcentre.co.nz or call T: 09 378 8420

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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HELENE RAVLICH: NATURAL BEAUTY

Yoga teacher Constanza Causa Every Sunday at 5pm (all going to plan) you’ll find me on the mat at The Centre, taking part in one of yoga teacher Constanza Causa’s Sunday Bliss classes.

The perfect way to seal the week and prepare for another, it is an absolute joy and she a living treasure. The Chilean-born instructor’s lilting voice takes the pain away during the more challenging poses, whilst her beautiful tales and anecdotes that accompany the more restorative series of moves will lull you into the perfect Sunday evening vibe. To say the classes come highly recommended would be an understatement, and I fear I’ve just given away my best kept secret!

When we meet on a Monday to talk about life, yoga and the universe, it’s the day of the Great Auckland Hailstorm, and we are hunkered down in Wilder & Hunt, sheltering from the weather bomb. As always, Connie is calm, collected and cool as a cucumber, relishing an afternoon watching a movie with her three-year-old daughter, Luna.

She begins by telling me that as well as her classes at The Centre, she teaches aerial yoga at a studio in Ponsonby and hot yoga in Britomart - and she is a qualified Bikram yoga instructor. She says she began with Kundalini practice when she was really young, “followed by Astanga before my sister forced me to go to a Bikram class. I thought I wouldn’t like it but I absolutely loved it, really, really loved it!” She says that the first thing that hooked her on the style was “the simplicity, and the fact that it works. Whatever your reason is for being at that yoga class, it works. My sister was right - she is my inspiration still today.” Connie was sponsored to do her teacher training, and then moved into the aerial yoga arena. “I started teaching at festivals. It is so much fun…” I make a mental note to try it myself, despite a fear of being turned upside down and instability in general. “That is why you need it,” she says with a laugh, “we go easy on you!”

The most recent training she undertook was in Bali and involved studying the art of sequencing. “It was all about how to create a sequence with your teaching practice and move from a hatha style to a vinyasa, or perhaps a more restorative style,” she explains. This directly informed her Sunday Bliss class, “but I still allow it to be a little spontaneous as well because it is sometimes full of people all at different levels of fitness.

I have a sequence in mind but then I tailor it a little as well, it was a co -creation with [The Centre founder] Rebecca, and it was always designed to be very flexible and go with the flow.”

space they could be in. Both can be physically challenging but you give people the technique to be safe and then remind them to breathe and consider the quality of thoughts they might have... they really are very similar.”

She teaches private and group classes, and says that most people seem to come to yoga seeking some peace of mind, as well as space for themselves. One of her favourite statements is “I don’t get what I want from a class, I get what I need,” and she describes yoga as “a magical recipe, it has given me abundance. It keeps me grounded and connected. If I’m injured, it gives me healing. If I’m confused, it gives me clarity. I surrender to the class because I know it will give me what I need.” She says that witnessing the growth of yoga within the New Zealand community has been incredibly invigorating. “Especially when I see people who have had a busy, crazy day maybe and instead of just going home they are saying ‘I just want to be on my mat...’”

She loves the fact that Kiwis are up for practising all styles of yoga as well. “I think they are all great as they each give you something different. I am pro all kinds of yoga and won’t say one is any better than any other, and I think a lot of other practitioners in New Zealand support variety too.”

She asserts that with yoga, you become more aware of what your body wants.

“Sometimes your body wants water when your mind wants coffee. The body always talks, PN and with yoga we can listen to it.” (HELENE RAVLICH) F

She says that the pair wanted to create a Sunday late afternoon practice that was still based around energy, as opposed to “just coming in and saying ‘it’s Sunday, I am done with this week!’” says Connie. “I wanted to give people energy for what is coming next, like a transition that helps raise their energy levels and then gives them some restorative practice at the end. It will keep evolving, I am sure.”

As a person she is also constantly evolving as well, arriving in New Zealand originally in the role of a canyoning instructor. “I was sponsored to stay here by a canyoning company in the Waitakeres and I love it, but now yoga is my path,” she explains. When I say that the two professions seem quite opposed she says no, “They are actually very similar. When you are working with people canyoning for the first time you are telling them physically what to do but also to think about mentally the best

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LIVIING, THINKING + BEING The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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JOHN APPLETON: ON HEALTH

Raw foods and our health An article in a British magazine caught my eye recently. It was titled ‘The cure for all diseases - raw food’. Could it really be true that when it comes to avoiding chronic degenerative diseases, what we put in our mouths has such a significant role to play?

While dieting is a regimen which is seen as a short-term fix for a specific problem, usually excess weight, diet is about what we eat every day of our lives. It is diet that we must look into carefully if we are to have any chance of avoiding, alleviating or controlling the degenerative conditions that so many people live with and ultimately die of. In the world today we tend to live ‘short’ and die ‘long’.

So why do so many people end up spending their last years of their lives in pain and misery, often in rest homes where they have to be cared for until they die? Why don’t we simply die of old age? Research has shown that humans have the genetic potential to live to 120 years but in today’s world very few of us have our health when in our 80s.

I am, however, convinced that it needn’t be this way.

True good health is achieved when the body is functioning as it’s designed to function.

We should be experiencing boundless energy all the time, and have a strong and positive emotional state. This is very different from most people’s experience, which is one of moving through life in a kind of mechanical, often sluggish way, feeling ‘okay’ in between intermittent bouts of colds, headaches, the flu, and various kinds of aches and pains that everyone in modern society has come to think of as ‘normal’.”

I have come to the strong view that from the day we are born, we slowly poison ourselves through poor food choices that set in place the processes which lead to the degenerative conditions that plague western civilisation. In her wonderful book ‘Lick the sugar habit’ Nancy Appleton PhD says, “All of my ailments were caused by the substances I put into my body.” Humans are the only animals to eat meat and cook their foods. Cooked foods contain no enzymes to help with digestion and an enormous amount of energy is needed to digest them.

A health-inducing diet involves eliminating all the foods that we are literally ‘dying’ for and replacing them with real (live) foods that tick all the nutritional boxes. It should be obvious to anyone with even a basic knowledge of nutrition that nutrient-dense raw foods, rich in antioxidants and enzymes which assist with digestion, are far more likely to be health inducing than highly-processed packaged foods that are found in all but the outside aisles of supermarkets.

Fresh (preferably organic/not sprayed) fruits and vegetables should be on the menu every day and consumed as close to their natural state (raw) as possible. This is the only way we can be sure of extracting all the nutrients. Raw foods are live foods.

Specifically if we look at diabetes - heart disease - arthritis and cancer I would challenge anyone to provide evidence that a diet based on raw, pesticide and chemical-free foods didn’t significantly improve the statistics. This is because these chronic illnesses have similar causation.

If we remove the foundations of disease, it cannot be sustained. David Wolfe, internationally recognised as a leading authority on raw foods, says: “The solutions are here - they have always been here - food does matter.”

If you would like to empower yourself and change the way you eat and live ‘FOOD MATTERS’ is a must see documentary. If you write to me, I am happy to lend you a copy.

PN “Don’t dig your grave with your knife and fork” (English Proverb). (JOHN APPLETON) F APPLETON ASSOCIATES, T: 09 489 9362 john@johnappleton.co.nz www.johnappleton.co.nz

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING THE HOTTEST NEW TREND IN CLEANSING Inner glow doesn’t come from carefully applied primers and luminisers. It relies on choosing the right cleanser.

Cleansing balms have taken the beauty world by storm in recent years. These wonder products remove all traces of make-up and leave skin looking plump and hydrated. They have become cult favourites among make-up artists for their ability to dissolve even long -wearing foundation, mascara and lipstick.

Trilogy has just released its new Make-Up Be Gone Cleansing Balm, a carefully curated blend of the pure plant oils the brand is famous for. With a silky texture and luxurious feel, this balm thoroughly cleanses without stripping away the skin’s natural oils.

The combination of mango seed butter and coconut, sunflower and certified organic rosehip oils gives it a gorgeous golden colour. Worth noting - celebrities such as the Duchess of Cambridge and supermodel Cara Delevingne swear by Trilogy’s rosehip oils for their proven ability to rejuvenate and repair the skin.

RRP $38.90 trilogyproducts.com

Unlike most cleansing balms, Trilogy’s is certified natural and preservative-free. MakeUp Be Gone Cleansing Balm is ideal for all skin types and comes with its own top quality, unbleached, Turkish organic cotton cloth. With the scent of ylang-ylang and cedarwood, this little pot of goodness is definitely an affordable, spa-like luxury.

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Short of living in a bubble, there’s little we can do to prevent pollutants and grime from invading our skin. But with a proper cleansing routine we can combat the effects and intensify the health and radiance of our skin. And make a natural choice into the bargain. F PN TRILOGY, www.trilogyproducts.com #discovertrilogy

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CARING PROFESSIONAL Malcolm Nicholls - Bodyspark Malcolm Nicholls is a certified Hellerwork Practitioner and runs a clinic called BodySpark on College Hill.

He also own a business called BizSparkUp with helps other health and wellness practitioners create successful businesses.

How did you come to be a Hellerworker and set up BizSparkup?

I used to be a professional footballer and by the time I hit my late 20s my body was broken. I tried all kinds of different therapies and none of them made any difference to the pain and discomfort I was feeling. I felt like I was living in a 60-year-old body - I was 28! But then I tried a session of Hellerwork after being referred by my mum. After one session I was hooked - the difference to my body was amazing. As a consequence, I gave up football at the end of the season and started my journey into the health and wellness industry.

A couple of years ago, I decided I wanted to help other health and wellness practitioners became successful doing something that they love. I also feel that helping healers become successful is a way of helping to heal the planet.

What do you love about your job?

I love connecting with people. My work is all about shifting from a state of being stuck and often in pain (whether that is physical pain or the pain of not being able to make a living) to a state of freedom, excitement, energy and achievement. It is an incredibly satisfying experience sharing that journey with people.

What do you find challenging?

To be honest, I find our current paradigm of life challenging. As a culture it feels to me like we are focused on the wrong things: money, being busy, getting ahead (often at the expense of someone else) and acquiring stuff. For me, a good life comes from connecting with people, slowing down and enjoying what I have, helping out, living healthfully - these are things I feel we need to connect into being more as a society, because constantly striving forth without the balance is what I find soul destroying.

How do you differ from other Hellerworkers?

When I was doing my Hellerwork training, someone told me about what makes up the healing process. It goes something like this: 40% of healing occurs purely by whether the person coming in wants to be healed. The next 40% comes from the relationship between the practitioner and the client. The final 20% is then about what you do. What makes me different is I am really interested in the 40% between practitioner and client.

The marketing programme I run differs because it is specifically aimed at health and wellness practitioners. Health and wellness practitioners are heart-based people and need to be taken through the dry world of business in a way that speaks to them.

Can you share an anecdote about a case?

From a friend of mine: “The one downside to working with Malcolm and his purposeful and yet subtle physical therapy, is that his bodywork spoils you so completely that any other form of bodywork becomes a rather random, numbing, gross moving of hands on the body experience. I can no longer see anyone else!”

What do you do to care for yourself?

I get a lot of bodywork from a Hellerwork buddy of mine - Alan Roberts, also a worldclass aikido teacher. In addition I have a yoga habit and am a big Les Mills Grit fan.

What’s your advice to people seeking Hellerwork treatment?

If something is not working for you in your life (you usually know if this is the case because you have physical or emotional pain somewhere in your life) then go and get help. A great quote that I think comes from Buddha is “Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.” In other words, we are always going to suffer pain but you are in control over whether you do something about it or not. F PN BODYSPARK, 89 College Hill, M: 022 108 3804 www.bodyspark.co.nz

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING AROHA DANCE AND TANTRA YOGA CLASSES Are you in need of a lifestyle change and looking for something deeper and more connected? If you feel a desire to heal and awaken sensuality within your body in a safe and supportive environment, then Aroha Dance and Tantra Yoga classes for women are the perfect way to begin.

Rosanna Marks has added to the Aroha Healing Dance and Yoga schedule with a new and exciting combination for seven women who wish to open and expand their hearts: Aroha Dance class fused with beautiful Tantra Yoga with Siri Embla Simonovic.

Aroha Dance is moving meditation and deep healing for women of all ages, shapes and sizes wishing to understand their bodies and energy flow with the sensual movement of Egyptian Bellydance. Rosanna incorporates floor work, breath, mudra and bellydance into the 90-minute classes. No dance experience is necessary, as bellydance is an individual expression of who you are, beginners are most welcome. Women wear casual workout gear and bare feet or socks to class. With special attention given to the chakra system and focusing on pelvic floor work, Aroha Healing Bellydance classes are very popular for women who wish to enhance sensuality, fertility, balance hormones and temperament - especially associated with feeling low and hormonal fluctuation.

Siri’s Tantra Yoga class flows directly from the Aroha Dance class. Tantra teaches reintegration with the whole and highlights life from a wholesome perspective. Based on the Kaula system of traditional Tantra yoga, a space to open up body, mind and heart is created. To love more: yourself, others, life - because you are a part of it. This is yoga you will love. Classes are designed to maintain health and elevate positive physical experience. Postures focus attention on what feels right in the body and cultivate deep relaxation and meditation within the postures.

Practice gives participants the opportunity to listen to their own body. Most of the series is done lying on the floor, pranayama is integrated into the practice - nurturing a freer flow of prana through the asanas and the breath. The eyes are closed most of the time - encouraging letting go of the need for external approval and comparison.

With a strong spiritual awareness, Aroha Dance and Tantra Yoga classes introduce women to a path that will enhance sensuality in relationships and allow women to view their bodies in a more positive and empowering way. Aroha Dance and Traditional Tantra Yoga classes suitable for all levels. It is an intimate beautiful space and the classes are limited to seven attendees therefore bookings are essential.

Classes will be held on Wednesday evenings beginning 21 October, 6pm-7.30pm at 3 Maidstone Street, Grey Lynn. Cost is $20. For more information and to book your PN space please email Rosanna directly. F AROHA HEALING, 3 Maidstone Street, T: 0800 646 326 www.arohahealing.co.nz www.arohahealingcandles.co.nz info@arohahealing.co.nz

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING LOCAL BUSINESS OFFERS LOW-CARBON TECHNOLOGY Just down the road from the Ecostore on Scotland Street is another sustainability-minded business, with a focus on green technology.

Urban Cleantech sells a range of electric bicycles and are the authorised distributors for the top-selling American brand, ProdecoTech. They also stock electric bike conversion kits, electric boat motors and rent out a fully electric Nissan Leaf car. Founder Michael Tritt, who has previously worked in senior management at Greenpeace and on energy conservation in the North American electricity industry, is passionate about environmentally friendly technology. “There’s no good reason for things to run on fossil fuels anymore,” Tritt says, “and quite a few good reasons why they shouldn’t.”

As well as promoting electric transportation, Urban Cleantech helps households and businesses reduce their electricity bills. They provide free assessments on their energy use and solar potential, and by selling a range of energy-saving technologies in-store and online. “A lot of people want to reduce their bills and be greener, but aren’t always sure where they should start” says Tritt.

“Solar power, for example, can be very cost effective, provided you have the right kind of roof and usage profile,” says Tritt. “LED lighting is fantastically efficient, but it’s important you choose products that are right for your fittings, and the way you use lighting - now and in the future.”

To check out Urban Cleantech’s product range or book a free energy assessment for your home or business, come in-store to 5 Scotland Street, PN email info@urbancleantech.com or phone (09) 889 2019. F URBAN CLEANTECH, 5 Scotland Street, T: 09 889 2019 www.urbancleantech.com

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING GET CHECKED FOR PROSTRATE WEST END TENNIS CLUB: CANCER DURING BLUE SEPTEMBER FOR BIG AND SMALL Our columnist David Hartnell MNZM who’s an ambassador for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand says: “Spare your blushes, men, and get checked for prostate cancer during Blue September.

“Two years ago I lost my best friend of 50 years, theatre director and choreographer Robert Young, to prostate cancer. The last six months of his life it just took hold. It is just unbelievably aggressive,” David says.

“Robert handled it with grace, dignity and humour - during the last months and weeks it was extremely hard for him and his partner - but Robert never once said ‘Why me?’

“I spent his last 10 days with Robert and I told him I was going to do something with regard to prostate cancer, so he knew before he died that I was going to do it for him.”

Robert announced he had terminal prostate cancer in 2012 in a bid to encourage men to get regular checkups. Robert said, “Too many men put off going to see their doctor.

I wasn’t one of them, but I still got caught out.”

For one and all! West End Tennis Club is doing more than a spring clean this year.

As many of us have noticed there is a lot of activity happening down at the tennis club by Cox’s Bay. After a great deal of planning, the club house is undergoing a major overhaul.

The result of this will be a fantastic new facility available for the community to use for many years to come.

It is a spectacular location and although the building’s footprint isn’t changing, the facility will now have a much larger, more user-friendly design inside and out. With almost 70% more open space, new rooms available for regular or ad hoc hire plus lots of room allocated to storage for the regular users, this will be a huge asset to the tennis club and all the surrounding communities. The backing of the Auckland Council was central in making this project a reality, alongside major community funders including Foundation North, NZCT, Four Winds Foundation and Lotteries Community Facilities Fund plus many others.

Six months after Robert died, David became an ambassador for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand, in Robert’s memory. Men should undergo annual prostate specific antigen blood tests and digital rectal exams starting at age 45 or earlier.

It is great to see projects like this happening and definitely worth getting in touch now if you are looking for a venue for your group in the New Year. The crowd at the tennis club have been working on this project a long time to get it to this point and are still raising the final funds. There is a chance to ‘buy a brick’, make a donation or attend one of the upcoming events. Please do get behind it and help out if you can.

Having the test could save your life, David says. “Men just don’t talk about prostate cancer. The digital rectal exam still puts so many off getting tested but it’s a matter of seconds - it’s no big deal. So just give prostate the finger this September.”

The tennis courts remain all go, and there is lots of social activity happening so head along to their Open Day on Sunday 13 September to see the progress or to find out more: www.westendtennisclub.co.nz or westendtennisclub@xtra.co.nz F PN

Facts about prostate cancer: • There are about 3000 men diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in New Zealand, and a quarter of them will have an advanced version which can't be cured.

• Most of those with advanced disease will die within three years, about 150 of those diagnosed are Maori.

• 600 men die each year from prostate cancer - one in 10 men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime. It is really important to get checked - if you are over 40 get a PSA blood test and if you are over 50 have a blood test and a ‘finger check’ each year.

PN • Early diagnosis means better treatment and better outcomes. F

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Pompallier Lawn Tennis Club opens for its 50th summer season on Sunday 20 September, and while hitting your half century is always a milestone, for a local tennis club run mostly by volunteers, it really is something to celebrate.

ALL EYES AT MARR FACTORY M.A.C Cosmetics created high spirited feature eyes for designers at the recent series of in-season shows at Golden Dawn.

The late Ray Keenan built up the modern club as we know it, and while he didn’t live to see the 50th Summer Season, he would be delighted the club can now boast almost 500 members, spread across juniors, seniors, families and student members. Joining is easy - just go online to www.pompalliertennis.co.nz and chose a flexible payment plan to suit your budget and a membership level to suit your lifestyle.

Pompallier’s head coach Tracey O’Connor offers an innovative junior programme, senior coaching for all ages and stages and regular members-only competitive and social organised tennis events each week across several evenings and during the day.

Casino Tennis on Friday evenings has just started for the spring/summer season (and non -members are welcome), while the regular Wednesday club night is so popular in summer, an extra session is being added once daylight saving starts, to cope with demand.

Nom*D - key makeup artist: Kiekie Stanners, M.A.C Senior Artist

photography: Olivia Hemus

LIVING, THINKING + BEING POMPALLIER TENNIS CLUB - 50, FIT AND FACING A BRIGHT FUTURE

Pompallier is privileged to have had key sponsor Champagne Bollinger on board for over 25 years through Negociants NZ. Not only does the club have a great selection of wines and beers on offer, championship and tournament winners always head home with a bottle of Bollinger for the cellar. The club also acknowledges additional sponsors, Humphrey’s Landscaping, Sleep Drops and La Zeppa Kitchen and Bar.

photography: Olivia Hemus

If you think Pompallier Tennis Club is for you, come down on Sunday 20 September for Season Opening Day - 10am-12 noon for Juniors and 2-4 pm for Seniors. Sign up for membership and coaching on the day. F PN POMPALLIER LAWN TENNIS CLUB, 11 Green Street, (off New Street, off College Hill) T: 376 5689, www.pompalliertennis.co.nz

photography: Olivia Hemus

Workshop/Helen Cherry - key makeup artist: Caitlin Lomas

photography: James K Lowe

Karen Walker - key makeup artist: Kiekie Stanners, M.A.C Senior Artist

Ashley Good one of New Zealand’s most successful international models - for Workshop/Helen Cherry

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING PUTTING THE FOCUS BACK ON YOU AND BEAUTIFUL SKIN ROOM NINE WAS OPENED FIVE YEARS AGO BY ADVANCED SKIN SPECIALIST, AMELIA STORY, after recognising the need for a clinic which put a nurturing focus back on the client.

Emphasising a journey, which is taken together, by both client and specialist, Amelia wanted to create an environment in which her clients felt valued as individuals.

“We take care of our clients. As their skin changes over time, we accommodate our care and procedures to work alongside those changes. Skin doesn’t stay the same throughout our lifetime. It changes with the various events, stresses, joys, levels of sleep and nutrition that shape our lives at any given moment.

photography: Olivia Hemus

“At Room Nine, we place a strong emphasis on holistic internal wellbeing - and our team of four (Amelia, Taryn, Caroline and Cathy), take time to ensure the highest standard of treatment whilst providing specialised care in a relaxing and discreet environment.”

With easy parking available, they offer the best in advanced skincare and laser treatments, boutique grooming, relaxation massage and expert skincare. And due to the growing popularity and demand for appearance medicine treatments, they have now also engaged the skills of facial aesthetics nurse, Cathy Botica, to help women achieve a fresh and natural look using dermal fillers and botulinum toxin.

At the moment, Room Nine is also running a special on first-time hair removal. “Your skin is unique. If you want an expert to appreciate you as an individual, book an appointment online or call to come in and see us.”

Workshop/Helen Cherry - key makeup artist: Caitlin Lomas

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ROOM NINE, 19 Surrey Crescent, Grey Lynn, M: 021 546 896, www.roomnine.co.nz

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FUTURE GENERATION CHILDREN’S BOOK REVIEW Girl Who Rode the Wind by Stacy Gregg. HarperCollins, $24.99 Another wonderful horse story based on real events from internationally renowned New Zealand author, Stacy Gregg. When Lola’s grandmother, Loretta, takes her to Siena, Italy, for the summer, Lola learns about the town’s historic Palio races - a fast and furious event where riders whip around the Piazza del Campo, and are often thrown from their horses while making the treacherous turns. Lola is amazed to learn her grandmother used to take part in these races - and had the nickname ‘The Daredevil’. Nonna Loretta tells Lola that she used to race in a rival team to the boy she loved, who was captured by the Nazis in 1941. Lola develops a bond with a beautiful racehorse and she jumps at the chance to enter the Palio. Can she win, in honour of her grandmother and can she PN uncover the mystery of the boy’s capture and fate all those years ago? F DOROTHY BUTLER CHILDREN’S BOOKSHOP, 1 Jervois Road, T: 09 376 7283 www.childrensbookshop.co.nz

OUT & ABOUT

Grey Lynn Library held an event, ‘Rich Man Road: A Tale of Two Families’ last month with bestselling new novelist Ann Glamuzina.

SWIMMING LESSON OR GLORIFIED PLAY SESSION?

Ann (centre) and her sisters Sharon (left) and Julie (right) are pictured with a poster of the part of Croatia where their family originally comes from. About 50 people attended the evening. As well as Ann's talk they enjoyed Dalmatian - New Zealand-derived wines courtesy of Glengarry and were able to buy copies of Rich Man Road from Grey Lynn bookseller Dear Reader.

SWIMMING LESSONS ARE A BOX EVERY PARENT NEEDS TO TICK. THEY’RE UP THERE with other important goals, such as learning to read and write. However, in their haste to ‘get the job done’, some parents opt for the closest and cheapest swimming lessons they can find; often at the nearest public pool where learning swimmers mix it up with everyone else who decided to go to the pool that day.

When it comes to learning to swim, the quality of the lessons and the swimming environment determines the outcome. New Zealand’s most successful international coach, Hilton Brown, who has been teaching Auckland children to swim for more than 40 years, often encounters parents who are in denial about their kids’ swimming skills.

“I’ll hear someone say ‘my child can swim 200 metres’ then I see the child in the pool thrashing about making incredibly hard work of it. Swimming should always be comfortable, with a streamlined body and an efficient stroke.”

Swimming is a complex motor skill that takes time and practice to master. With a great teacher and a pool area that’s exclusively for swim lessons, the learn-to-swim journey is shorter and smoother.

“Our instruction programme and facilities are designed to enable every child to master the art of swimming so that they can enjoy a lifetime of water enjoyment. Triathlons, harbour swims, water polo, surfing, they all depend on a proper aquatic education.”

Hilton says that in a perfect world, swim lessons should begin as early as possible, ideally as babies. This not only aids children’s development in these formative years, it also ensures they don’t pick up bad habits that could be with them for life. If you’re concerned about your child’s aquatic education, you can book in for a free trial lesson at PN your nearest Hilton Brown Swimming centre. F www.hiltonbrownswimming.co.nz

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FUTURE GENERATION OUT-OF-ZONE OPPORTUNITIES AT NEWLY DESIGNED BAYFIELD SCHOOL AFTER BEING IDENTIFIED AS A SCHOOL WITH WATER TIGHTNESS ISSUES IN 2009, Bayfield School has proudly opened a newly constructed block, consisting of 12 classrooms, administration offices, a staffroom, library and resource rooms. The hall, which is also being rebuilt and includes a dedicated music room, is due to be finished at the end of August. Landscaping and groundworks, including a new playground, will continue until the end of the year.

In line with the Ministry of Education’s policy of creating Modern Learning Environments (officially termed ‘Innovative Learning Spaces’), this new building is a vibrant, innovative learning environment, designed for 21st Century digital-savvy students.

It is designed for collaborative teaching and learning and allows the students to learn in flexible ways. The spaces incorporate good design and functionality with regard to acoustics, lighting and heating, insulation, ventilation and air quality. Demonstrating adaptibility in design, there are spaces for students and teachers to work individually, in small groups, in a traditional ‘one class’ way or as a bigger three-class hub.

New styles of furniture have further enhanced the versatility of these areas and have contributed further to giving students choices about how and where they work.

Conjointly, the new building, with its new furniture and design, has given Bayfield School more room and enabled its flexibity to grow.

Over the past two years, the teachers have spent time developing Bayfield’s pedagogy in order to teach in these modernised collaborative spaces. Bayfield is now excited to be bringing alive the school’s updated vision statement ‘inspired today - prepared for tomorrow’.

The Board of Trustees is offering out-of-zone places for students in 2016 in order to maximise the wonderful new facilities at the school. Interested families should apply through the ballot. F PN BAYFIELD SCHOOL, 2-12 Clifton Road, Herne Bay, T: 09 376 5703 www.bayfield.school.nz

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MEET THE TEACHER Paul Curtis - Ponsonby Intermediate

Currently teaching: 540 year 7 and 8 students (the whole school), five classes of approximately 28 each term.

How did you come to be an intermediate school teacher?

Up to the age of 40 I had had many work experiences, such as a travelling musician, a truck driver, a builder and a horticulture worker. I had always enjoyed working with young people and loved interacting with them. With encouragement from my wife, who is also a teacher, teaching seemed to be a natural choice. It is a decision I have never regretted.

Where did you train?

Auckland College of Education.

What brought you to your current school?

A former principal from a school where I used to work knew I was into music and offered me a job at Ponsonby Intermediate. I have been here ever since - 14 years.

What are your favourite things about being a teacher?

The energy from the students, seeing students grow in self confidence and ability, and of course as a musician getting to do music as a job.

What has been a highlight of your teaching career?

Watching students who have written original songs perform to audiences and blow them away.

What has been a low point of your teaching career?

Seeing the Arts in New Zealand education being devalued. Over the last five years music teacher training has diminished dramatically. In many New Zealands schools music and performing arts are a luxury, not a necessity. Unlike literacy and numeracy there is no requirement to assess the arts as a National Standard.

How would your principal describe you?

A teacher with a passion for music and outstanding skills.

PT CHEV ATHLETICS CLUB 70TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY To commemorate its 70th anniversary, Point Chevalier Athletics Club is on the search for memorabilia to be included in an upcoming display at the Point Chevalier Library.

Established in 1945, the club is one of the few remaining children-only athletics clubs in the central Auckland area. Photos (ideally high resolution), stories, personal memories or memorabilia are all welcomed, and can be forwarded to us in the following ways: Email: Post: Dropoff:

ptchev70@gmail.com Point Chevalier Athletics Club, PO Box 44 123, Point Chevalier Kate Snushall, 36 Tui Street, Point Chevalier

How would other teachers describe you?

Always gets the show rockin’ in music assemblies, productions and class.

How would your students describe you?

Mr C makes music fun.

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

I would have fewer student per class so there would be greater focus for one-on-one music tuition.

Five tips for mums and dads of primary and intermediate school kids 1. Read with them, play with them, spend time with them.

2. Tell them they are special, but no more special than any other child.

3. We all need boundaries.

4. Create opportunities for them, allow them to adventure.

5. Start them early with an instrument. Even if a child is not musical, it’s good for the soul. F PN

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L to R: Roy Wyatt, Peter Snell, Nigel Dingle, Lola Cassie.

Club President Roy Wyatt introducing Olympic multi gold medal winner Peter Snell at the Point Chevalier Amateur Athletic Club Prizegiving night in May 1964.

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PONCENTRIC: LIVING THE GOOD LIFE IN PONSONBY

Youthline - working with young people in need This month’s column is not about food or my normal content. This month it’s about the fantastic work that Youthline do for our young people in need. And they’re based in Maidstone Street in Ponsonby.

I was aware of their existence and recall driving past the building. I now know a lot more about what they do as I have the good fortune to be working for Youthline at the moment - so there’s my declaration of interest. But in a way, this column is not about Youthline per se, it’s about young people in need and about how we can help.

I knew Youthline provided telephone counselling for young people but I was amazed to find out about the wide range of other support services they provide. In effect, they are a youth development organisation. They offer a wrap-around service that includes early intervention, counselling, youth work and training and development.

Much of this is under the radar for most of us who live in Ponsonby.

Just checking out some of the statistics relating to youth activities and services is hugely revealing. According to the Auckland Council there are 27,000 young people in Auckland who are not involved in education, employment or training - they’re called NEETS! And it’s likely that this figure does not include the 1500 young people who are currently homeless within Auckland!

Scary figures for sure. I had no idea of the scale of this problem. It is a problem, and it’s our problem. Maybe it’s not enough for us to donate $5 to the street appeal collectors, not enough to text donate $3. Maybe we have to assist in a more practical way, lending our experience and wisdom in support of young people who need a break.

Back to Youthline for a moment. Established in Auckland in 1970 (45 years ago!) Youthline works with young people, their families and those supporting young people.

It is made up of volunteer and paid staff members - and there are centres across the country. They are a fantastic

bunch of caring and dedicated young people helping other young people. Here are some more poignant and sobering figures: in the last year Youthline worked with 38,000 individual young people and its volunteers contributed over 58,000 hours. As well there were 277,000 digital connections by phone, email and text with text, being the predominant form of contact. I was surprised that texting was so predominant but of course it stands to reason - texting is an easy, anonymous, safe form of contact that can be made from anywhere and you can’t be overheard!

Making contact with Youthline can be the first step to a programme of personal development that benefits the individual and society. There are two wonderful programmes that I wanted to mention that reflect the diversity of youth support activities.

Action Education is a youth development organisation with an edge. They use creative and action-based methods (spoken word, drama, music and poetry) to engage young people in youth development processes that improve self-confidence, resilience and social interactions and behaviours. In the first six months of 2015 they have presented 40 spoken word poetry workshops to 993 young people at schools across Auckland.

Action Education also runs an inter-secondary schools poetry competition (called WORD - The Front Line) that has ignited significant interest across Auckland secondary schools. The 2015 competition attracted entries from 22 schools from around Auckland with 32 teams and 144 young people participating in the auditions. Twelve teams made it through to the grand final to be held at the Aotea Centre in Auckland on 24 October. This is amazing stuff.

In May of this year, Youthline launched a free, confidential and friendly Youth Health Service where testing, prescriptions and general checkups are available for anyone under 25. There’s no grumpy doctor’s receptionist to navigate your way past in this process! Of course, it wouldn’t occur to most of us that young people don’t get medical attention when they should.

Remember those 27,000 NEETS? Many young people don’t have the benefit of being supported by their parents or whanau, many don’t have the money to pay for the doctor’s bill. So what’s my point? Well, two points actually.

Firstly, there is a large group of young people out there who need support and help and wonderful organisations like Youthline are providing support that is part of a journey to personal development and contributing positively to society.

Secondly, we as individuals can help more than just putting $5 into the collection bucket. We can volunteer.

There are many not for profit organisations out there looking for volunteers. This year’s theme for the recently held National Volunteer Week 2015 was ‘There is a Place for You to Volunteer!’.

A good place to start would be Volunteering Auckland at www.volunteeringauckland.org.nz. They have heaps of opportunities to volunteer with upcoming appeals including for cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, CanTeen and Pink Ribbon.

As I said earlier, maybe we have to assist in a more practical way, lending our experience and wisdom in support of young people who need a break. Take up the PN challenge! (GEOFF LAWSON) F

And by the way, you can check out what Poncentric is up to at www.poncentric.com and www.facebook.com/poncentric

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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FUTURE GENERATION ‘TOOT - THE WORLD’S TINIEST WHALE’ Produced by local St Marys Bay author

Up-and-coming St Marys Bay author Joy Ramirez has just published her debut children’s picture book, ‘Toot - The World’s Tiniest Whale’. This charming children’s story is written, illustrated and printed in New Zealand. ‘Toot - The World’s Tiniest Whale’ is read by New Zealand’s comedian Dai Henwood in a fun-filled bonus audiobook!

The story is packed with imagination and charm. The unique characters include: Toot a whale the size of your thumb, Henry the Fifth - the royal goldfish, Lord Squigglebottom, and Princess Bambella. Ponsonby Illustrator Mike Chapman brings the story to life with colourful, charismatic line drawings and watercolour illustrations.

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www.easydays.nz

Author Joy Ramirez says, “My passion is to create stories that help to teach children positive attitudes and social skills, so they grow into awesome adults. This story is about perseverance.” Toot jumps out of his fishbowl into the great unknown, in search of the sea. With the help of his goldfish friend, Henry the Fifth, Toot learns to keep on swimming - even when he feels out of his depth.

Joy says, “Toot only grows when he has the courage to jump out of his little fish bowl and follow his heart. For me, jumping out of my fishbowl was leaving my corporate job and learning how to write children’s stories! I threw myself in the deep end and gave it a go.”

Since starting the project in June 2014, Joy wrote 28 drafts of the Toot story over 10 months before it reached its final form. While learning to write children’s books, she also learned how to set up a self-publishing business, and published the book through her company, Mercury Fox Media. The book was made possible because of the generosity of the Spark My Potential crowd-funding supporters who donated $7335, which enabled the 40-page paperback book to be illustrated.

The world-first preview of the book was held at the book launch at Studio One Toi Tu in Ponsonby on 6 August, sponsored by award-winning New Zealand beverages, Black PN Robin Rare Gin and Blue Duck Rare Vodka. F

Ponsonby Illustrator Mike Chapman with St Mary’s Bay author Joy Ramirez

WHO COULD RESIST THESE BEAUTIFUL FACES - AVAILABLE FROM THE SPCA

Meet sweet DONATELLO at SPCA

Meet handsome CHARLIE at SPCA

Meet adorable CHERRY at SPCA

Meet lovable Clide at SPCA

98 PONSONBY NEWS+ September 2015

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

SIDELINE WITH GEORGE BERRY

Future leaders in our midst As All Black captain Richie McCaw was being recognised at Eden Park last month for his leadership qualities during his record breaking 142nd test match, just around the corner Taylor Jordan was sitting at home watching the game, equally satisfied with his contribution to Bayfield Primary School’s year 5 and 6 side.

Bayfield won the Auckland City Primary Rugby Championship, thanks to his last minute try, beating St Francis and winning the game four tries to three.

Winning the tournament means they took the Bryan Williams trophy back to the Bayfield Primary School’s trophy cabinet for their peers to marvel at.

That try, along with other fantastic play during the tournament by the inside back, ensured he was named most valuable player of the tournament.

They now get the chance to add another trophy to their cabinet, when they contest the title of being the best year 5 and 6 in the whole of Auckland, at the champions of champion’s tournament on 16 September against the three other best primary schools in Auckland.

The group of 10 and 11-year-olds was also led by a young man described as their inspirational skipper, Louis Eglington. Not only did they win that particular game, but they won all seven, yes seven, of their games in the one day.

Bayfield’s seven wins were all pretty impressive, beating Point Chevalier in the round robin 6-0, Ponsonby 5-1, Freemans Bay 3-2, and Richmond Road 4-3, they won the semi final against Waiheke 10-2. (GEORGE BERRY) F PN

All Black Sevens squad underwhelming There was no surprise Sonny Bill Williams and Liam Messam or even that Hurricanes flanker Ardie Savea were named in the All Blacks Sevens squad for next year.

However, the big surprise was the lack of other stars committing to a punt at Olympic glory.

Earlier in the year, there had been plenty of talk that the likes of Ben Smith and Beauden Barrett would shelve their spots in the All Blacks and Super Rugby for 2016 and put their hands up for selection, but when Sir Gordon Tietjens announced the 16-man squad to contest the upcoming World Sevens Series, their names were nowhere to be seen. Not even a mention of them other than to say initial interest from some players had since been withdrawn.

The All Blacks Sevens coach later admitted he had a list of around 50 players who are still interested in making themselves available for the abbreviated game, but there again was no real indication that that list included any big names.

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

Personally, I’m really looking forward to seeing SBW try his hand at Sevens, mainly because while his initial dabble in Fifteens was impressive, the game has moved on to such an extent that his attacking powers, and once devastating offload have now been negated by the layer of defence rugby employs.

With only one line of defence in rugby league, it’s simple enough for him to crack the line, slip an arm through and deliver a drop off pass to a team mate running off his shoulder.

However, in Fifteens, when you’re running at the line, you’re having to navigate layers upon layers of defence, not only have you got your own man to beat, but so too the half a dozen forwards sliding across to shut down any form of attack, side step or inside pass.

But with just seven players on the park, those layers of defence have disappeared, simply through the lack of numbers of the field.

For that very same reason, it would have been fantastic to again seen Highlanders skipper Ben Smith back in an All Blacks Sevens jumper, his explosive speed along with deceptive running make him an ideal target of Tietjens, so, too, Hurricanes first five Beauden Barrett.

Let’s hope that before Rio next year we get to see some more star players turn out in the All Blacks Sevens squad.

If anything has been proven over the last couple of years, (Commonwealth Games included) New Zealand needs the best of the best to win Gold in Rio, so whatever needs to be done to get them across the line, should be done.

(GEORGE BERRY) F PN

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SIDELINE WITH GEORGE BERRY

American football invasion Perhaps it’s just serendipitous timing, but after decades of Kiwis and Australians dribbling into the United States trying to crack its gigantic football market and just as Australian Jared Hayne looks to have done so, rather than continue to wait for us to go to them, American football is coming to us. American Football is heading down under.

On 5 March next year, Eden Park’s rugby posts will be transformed to those of American Football, and two Super Bowl winning coaches will go head to head on its hallowed rugby turf. A week later the two sides will head to Wellington to again showcase themselves on our shores.

While the teams will be made up of players on the cusp of the NFL, what makes this move so exciting is the organisers of the Southern Bowl have managed to secure the services of two of the sport’s most notable coaches to guide each team. NFL coaching veterans Mike Holmgren and Mike Shanahan have been named as the head coaches.

Holmgren and Shanahan have both had long-standing careers as coaches in the NFL and are well respected as masters of their coaching craft, with six Super Bowl wins between them.

Holmgren vs Shanahan almost sounds like a boxing contest befitting a venue like Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. The duo are famed for their mentoring of two of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, Brett Farve (Holmgren) and John Elway (Shanahan).

Mike Holmgren

“The Southern Bowl in New Zealand is a wonderful opportunity for young men to get another chance to fulfil a lifelong dream. Our players will be able to showcase their skills and potential in two games at amazing venues,” says Mike Holmgren. “I’m honoured to be a part of these games as the coach of one of the teams. My good friend Mike Shanahan and I will do our best to make the games exciting and competitive. I can’t wait!”

Holmgren had a professional coaching career in the NFL spanning 22 years with the San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, and Seattle Seahawks. Throughout his career, Holmgren won three NFC championships and three Super Bowls, two as Assistant Coach for the San Francisco 49ers and one as Head Coach for the Green Bay Packers.

Shanahan coached in the NFL for 28 years, including 19 seasons with the Denver Broncos, as well as the Los Angeles Raiders, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins. Over the course of his career, Shanahan has coached in eight College Bowl games, two NCAA national championships, 10 NFL conference championships and six Super Bowls. Coach Shanahan won one Super Bowl as an assistant coach for the San Francisco 49ers and two as Head Coach of the Denver Broncos.

The Southern Bowl won’t be the first time that Holmgren and Shanahan have gone head to head at a Bowl game. At the height of their careers, they clashed at Super Bowl XXXII in 1998, with Holmgren’s Green Bay Packers defending their Super Bowl title against Shanahans’ Denver Broncos. The Broncos took the title, led by quarterback John Elway. Super Bowl XXXII is widely considered one of the three best Super Bowl clashes of all time, with Holmgren and Shanahan spearheading their teams in the ultimate American Football battle, and we can expect nothing less when these coaches clash again at the Southern Bowl in March next year.

NFL scouts will be at the games in New Zealand providing a huge source of motivation for players trying to crack or re-enter the professional league. The goal of the Southern Bowl is to start and continue NFL PN careers. (GEORGE BERRY) F

Mike Shanahan

All good in France for Mr Fox Bonne réussite and chapeau might be words that leave you in a puzzle, but they are now anything but to Auckland golfer Ryan Fox. You see bonne réussite is French for “good success” and chapeau is an informal way of saying “hats off to you” or “congratulations” and Fox is beginning to have plenty of “good success” in France.

After playing some more than creditable golf in very trying conditions at the British Open at St Andrews, the 28-year-old not only made the cut at his first ever golf major, but eventually finished in a tie for 49th at 4 under.

Fox then slipped across the Channel with his form intact to win the Le Vaudreuil Challenge in Northern France. That victory saw him race up the second tier Challenge Tour from fourth to sixth place to be inside the top 10. The top 15 receive automatic entry into the main card European tour for 2016.

100 PONSONBY NEWS+ September 2015

And after a quick trip back to New Zealand, Fox has been at it again, this time at the Golf Club de Genève in Switzerland.

Fox’s opening round of 10 under par 62 had him in the lead before a steadier second round saw him slip back, but still close enough that a solid weekend would see him in contention for a second win on French-speaking soil. The recent run of form now has him ranked at 134 in the world.

And just as Fox shows good signs of improvement, so too fellow Kiwi Danny Lee. After starting the year ranked outside 200, Lee is now at a career high 54, following his maiden win at the Greenbrier Classic. Consistency has also been the key for Lee, who so far this year has banked over US $3million. Great signs for golf in New Zealand with the sport set to debut at the Rio Olympics next year. (GEORGE BERRY) PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

LOOK... WHO IS IN THE ZOO!

Zoo gives thumbs up to sign language interpreters Auckland Zoo is delighted to have New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) interpreting students now interpreting at some of its animal encounters as part of an exciting new four-month trial.

Third-year students from AUT’s Bachelor of NZSL–English Interpreting are bringing keepers’ animal encounter talks to life for the Deaf community every second Saturday of the month until the middle of November.

The new initiative has come about through the zoo’s team leader of Animal Experiences, Lana Laurenson. Lana came up with the idea after observing a family signing to other family members while having an impromptu chat with a zookeeper in the zoo’s lorikeet aviary.

“I thought, why don’t we do that?! At our scheduled daily public encounters keepers share a lot about our animals, what’s happening with their species in the wild and actions we can all take to help them - often sharing their own personal stories and experiences, in a really compelling way. It’s this kind of sharing that can really build on people’s connections and appreciation of wildlife, and it just seemed a real shame that we weren’t making these accessible to everyone,” says Lana. The organisation BE Accessible put Lana in contact with AUT staff and what started as a possibility, quickly became reality.

AUT student Julia Freeman signs at the zoo’s Saturday orangutan encounter.

AUT NZSL Interpreting Programme Leader George Major says there has already been a lot of interest from the Deaf community via social media about the new initiative, and a lot of support for these students as well.

Dr Major says for their degree, the students are required to do 50 hours interpreting observation followed by 50 hours of practical interpreting experience in a wide variety of community settings. Having the zoo be part of this for the first time is just fantastic.

“We are so lucky to be working with the zoo on this initiative - it’s such valuable practice and experience for our students, and at the same time we get to support this important trial for making the zoo more and more accessible to the Deaf community in the future.”

Students will be interpreting the zoo’s animal encounters on 12 September, 10 October and 14 November. For a full schedule of Saturday encounters visit www.aucklandzoo.co.nz. For more about learning NZSL visit www.aut.ac.nz

A good turn for the white-fronted tern

AUT NZSL Interpreting Programme Leader George Major (left) and Auckland Zoo’s Lana Laurenson (centre) with students (from left) Vicki Bennett, Jess Robertson, Julia Freeman and Maddison Haslam are all thrilled at the interest and response to the trialling of sign language interpreting at zoo encounters.

Auckland Zoo’s field conservation co-ordinator Claudine Gibson is co-ordinating what she hopes will be a good turn for New Zealand’s white-fronted tern which, although abundant, has a globally declining population.

Claudine and other zoo staff are working with Long Bay College students, who will paint 30 plastic tern decoys to match the black, white and grey markings of the real terns. Later in September - the start of breeding season - the artificial colony will be installed on the terraced slopes of Home Bay on Rotoroa Island, where Auckland Zoo has partnered with Rotoroa Island Trust to create a unique wildlife reserve. All going to plan, these plastic birds will attract the real-life terns to the island to visit and in future, to breed.

The white-fronted tern is most likely to be declining due to loss and disturbance of breeding habitat.

It’s also possible that disruptions to the marine food chain due to depleted numbers of kahawai may be contributing to declining numbers. Terns may be having to work harder to find food and nesting sites may be too distant from the feeding grounds, all of which means that the breeding success rates of terns will be reduced.

“You can easily see them in the Hauraki Gulf and sometimes roosting on the wharf at Rotoroa but they’re not currently breeding there. We’re really keen to encourage this to happen, to increase their breeding locations and also boost Rotoroa’s biodiversity,” says Claudine.

“Like other seabird species, these terns are brilliant eco-system engineers. They agitate the ground, and through their guano (poo) they bring amazing marine nutrients to the soil. This improves its fertility, which in turn improves plant growth and invertebrate life, which is great for other bird and reptile species.”

The Zoo’s Claudine Gibson with the yet-to-be-painted white-fronted tern decoys that will be installed on Rotoroa Island later in September The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

Once the decoys are installed, it’ll also be great for visiting school groups and other public to see and learn about the role of this artificial colony, and hopefully see the real terns as well,” says Claudine.

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

THE TOY SHOP - YOUR LOCAL, PET LOVING EUROPEAN MECHANIC When you think of your local mechanic, you might not expect to find a dog on its staff, but that is just one of the ways this family-run workshop is different.

The Toy Shop is owned and run by husband and wife team, Trevor and Anne McCarrison. This familyfocused pair combine their unique mix of automotive and marketing skills when it comes to running the business, but they both admit that the real boss and head of customer relations is Leroy Brown.

Leroy, their always enthusiastic and totally lovable French bulldog, has been a daily fixture at the workshop since he was just a pup, splitting his day between the workshop and outings with the Pets and Pats team.

Leroy has a unique way of welcoming clients to the workshop, making each person feel special, particularly if they give him a good scratch. This sets the tone for the whole Toy Shop experience, with the team working hard to make sure they’re delivering the best possible service, not just for the vehicle but also for the owner.

As an independent European workshop, they cater for all European makes and models but have a particular focus on Range Rover, Land Rover, Jaguar, Aston Martin and Volvo. Although, as the name suggest, they also welcome anything that could be considered a toy.

So on any given day, you will find a family Range Rover next to a classic BMW, a lovingly restored classic Ford Fairmont, and a Pets and Pats school bus.

Plus, you might also meet one of Leroy’s many furry friends who often visit the workshop with their owners.

Leroy, who is currently with his mum on maternity leave, wanted to extend a big sloppy kiss to all The Toy Shop’s wonderful customers for keeping him in treats, toys and comfy beds.

Check out their website www.thetoyshop.co.nz or give them a call on 0800 TOY SHOP.

If you know a local animal lover, email us at angela@petsandpats.com, the person featured in this column will receive a fabulous photoshoot and pet services worth $500. Furry and fabulous, brought to you by Angela Beer, owner of petsandpats.com and Fiona Tomlinson photographer www.fionatomlinson.co.nz

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102 PONSONBY NEWS+ September 2015

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PONSONBY PEOPLE + THEIR PETS ASK ALEX Each month Dr Alex Melrose answers readers’ pet -related issues. Email yours to: alex@vetcare.net.nz

Q:

I have an eight-month-old bearded collie, Sam. I have recently discovered that he loves to watch dog shows and vet programmes on television! I have often wondered how dogs see and how they take in information. Many other dog owners have similar stories, supposedly he only sees the shows in black and white.

What is he responding to? Andrew, Freeman’s Bay

Meet cute little ERIN at SPCA

HOT ROD DAY AT SPCA Are you ‘tyre’d’ of boring weekends?

Race along to Westney Road in Mangere for SPCA Auckland’s Hot Rod Day on Sunday 27 September. It’ll be a fantastic day for the whole family. Gates open at 10am!

Cruise around more than 160 hot rods and classic cars displayed around the grounds

by Renegade Rod & Custom Club and fuel up at the food trucks, coffee vendors, and sausage sizzle. There’s plenty for the kids as well with face-painting, colouring in, and candy floss to keep them entertained.

At midday, make sure you park yourself at the massive charity auction where you’ll find a whole range of great products up for grabs, from electronics, experience vouchers, and DIY essentials to beauty therapy and restaurant vouchers. Don’t hold back, you’re sure to wheel home a bargain.

And of course, you must pull in and say hello to the animals while you’re here - we have lots of pets just waiting to be adopted and taken to their forever homes.

Hot Rod Day gets bigger and better each year, and this year will be no different. We’ll PN be taking it up a gear, so don’t miss out on what is sure to be a fun-filled day for all. F SPCA, 50 Westney Road, Mangere. Open 7 days from 10am to 4pm. www.spca.org.nz www.facebook.com/SPCAFriends

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Contrary to popular belief, Sam is in fact taking in a lot of visual information while he watches your TV. He is probably also responding to the noises of the animals. Dogs like Sam can indeed see some colour. They see colours in the blue spectrum pretty well but are red-green colour blind having only two types of cone cells at the back of their eye, compared with humans who possess three types of cone, and at 10 times the density.

A:

Their ability to see fine detail is estimated to be about 1/6 that of ours, lacking a fovea which is an area of the retina consisting of 100% cones, that all people have. This gives them acuity of about 20/75 vision, meaning they will see an object from 20 metres away as well as a human standing 75 metres away. They are much more adept at detecting movement and focus well on the edges and outlines of the animals they’re watching on the screen, which is important considering so much of dog social interaction relies on postural movements. Certain breeds such as Labradors have better eyesight than others. Instead of a fovea, all dogs have a tapetum, which is a reflective area of the eye which boosts the brightness of light hitting the retina. They also have more rods at the rear of their eye than we do, and these two features allow much better night vision. They can’t judge distances as well as us, due to a more lateral position of their eyes but they have better peripheral vision.

I will write a script for you to go and buy a very expensive new television with a high Hz rate of 200 so images won’t appear to flicker to Sam. Kind regards, Dr Alex Melrose.

PN (DR ALEX MELROSE BVSC, MRCVS) F VETCARE GREY LYNN & UNITEC, 408 Great North Road, Gate 3, 101 Carrington Road, T: 09 361 3500, www.vetcare.net.nz

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PONSONBY PEOPLE + THEIR PETS

Sam Inglis and Winston Sam Inglis lives in Westmere with his wife Annabel, son Harry, and dog Winston.

The family has lived in the area for about a year and half having moved to Auckland some three years ago, and they think they have ended up in the perfect spot. Sam works in the centre of the city, so Westmere provides an easy commute on his scooter while having great access to parks, water and The Fish and Chip Shop. He says, “We love the community and family feel of the neighbourhood.”

Winston the Labrador is two years old and has been with the family most of that time.

Sam wanted a Lab as he sees the breed as the ideal dog. “They are (overly) friendly and can be both very active and very lazy. Therefore they are up for fun and action when you are, but also open to lazing around the house when you need it... as long as there is food.” Sam having decided the breed, Annabel got to decide on the colour.

Winston was named after his father, a show dog, Bornefield Noble-Statesman aka Winston. Sam tells, “We simply liked the name. In fact, he is officially called Winnie, with Winston being his nickname. It turned out the people who picked up a puppy from the same litter before we did, also liked the name Winston, and supposedly you are not able to have the same name on the papers, so Winnie it was, with Winston for short.”

Sam and Winston’s favourite thing to do together is wrestling in the lounge. Most mornings the pair can either be found running around the local area or throwing balls down at Cox’s Bay. Winston always enjoys a trip the beach, too, particularly when there is a bit of surf.

Winston is friends with anyone, dog or person - which Sam says can be a problem. He apologises to anyone Winston has sprinted at across the park just to jump on and say hello.

Although Winston likes to eat everything, Sam and Annabel try to limit him to dry dog food with the odd bone. “Food the baby drops is the main treat we allow, but what he really likes to go for is socks - a costly habit. We had to have one removed from his intestines earlier in the year.” F PN

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ONE PRINT AND COPY HUB TO RULE THEM ALL Whether you need thousands of brochures, hundreds of document copies or a few large posters, there’s only one address you need to remember - 100 New North Road.

Now that Rocket Print has moved from Khyber Pass Road to Soar Print’s site, you’ll never have to think too hard about where to go for any kind of printing or copying. At 100 New North Road you’ll find the greatest concentration of print technology in Auckland.

There’s also plenty of parking.

Quick copying and binding: When you need document copies, you can email files directly to Rocket along with instructions. If you need compiling and binding, just let them know. Delivery to your door is easily arranged.

Quality digital printing and labels: Expect beautiful, accurate colours and high definition plus personalisation too, if you have a database. Rocket also has a digital label press that can print every kind of pack label.

Large format posters and signs: Retail posters, health and safety posters, trade show displays and banners, permanent signage and other forms of large format printing can be entrusted to Soar’s masterful printers. Latex ink ensures long-lasting results that won’t fade. High volume offset: Soar has one of Auckland’s most astounding offset presses - the Heidelberg XL 105. It can produce up to 18,000 sheets an hour. For big volume brochures and publications, it’s the bee’s knees.

Graphic design studio: If you need artwork or design services, talk to Soar Studio.

The finished product can flow straight into print services.

ROCKET PRINT, 100 New North Road, Eden Terrace, T: 09 379 6362, www.rocketprint.co.nz SOAR PRINT, T: 09 302 9100, www.soarprint.co.nz

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PONSONBY PROFESSIONALS: LOGAN GRANGER

Non Resident Contractor Tax Non-Resident Contractor Tax, frequently referred to as the forgotten tax, serves to stop a gap in New Zealand International Tax Rules.

It is often overlooked by the contractors coming to New Zealand and their payers.

Non-residents who undertake short term assignments in New Zealand often operate as contractors and are subject to Non Resident contractor Tax (NRCT). Unlike PAYE, it is not easy to tax non-residents.

A contract payment that relates to a non-resident contractor’s contract activity or service, is a schedular payment from which withholding tax must be deducted under Pay As you earn (PAYE) rules. Withholding tax will be deducted at the rate of 15% if the payment is: • To a non-resident contractor • To an agent of the non-resident contractor • To a person acting on behalf of the non-resident contractor.

NRCT is an interim withholding tax. Non-residents can file a tax return after the end of the year and if the tax withheld is in excess of their income tax liability, the excess tax withheld can be refunded.

The non-resident contractor needs to notify its payer the NRCT code by completing a Form IR 330. However, if they do not make the required declaration, the default rate would be 30% for individuals and 20% for companies.

A non-resident contractor may apply for an exemption from NRCT, if there are appropriate grounds to do so. The exemption will apply to

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

the payments made after the date of issue of the certificate.

No deduction of NRCT is required to be made from the following contract payment: a) Contract payment to a non-resident who has full relief from tax under a double tax agreement and is present in New Zealand for 92 or fewer days in a 12-month period. b) A contract payment made to a non-resident contractor where the total amount paid for those activities to the contractor is $15,000 or less in any 12-month period. c) A contract payment that is covered by an exemption certificate.

Exemption certificates for non-resident contractors The non-resident contractor can also apply in writing to the commissioner for a certificate of exemption. A certificate of exemption allows payments to a non-resident contractor to be made without NRCT being withheld.

The commissioner may issue a certificate of exemption if: • The amount that a non-resident contractor receives from a contract activity or service is not income, either because of the DTA or for some other reason.

• The non-resident contractor provides a bond or security for the payment of income tax payable on the amount derived from a contract service or activity.

• The contractor has history of good tax compliance in New Zealand for at least two years before the date of the application and the commission is satisfied that contractor will continue to do so.

An exemption certificate will apply to the payments made from the date it is issued, therefore it is important to apply for an exemption certificate before any payments are made.

The system of applying and being granted certificates of exemption can be cumbersome and can cause delays in payments to contractors. However, contractors who take advice in a timely fashion should be able to avoid cash flow issues that result from delays in getting a Certificate of Exemption.

If you require any immediate advice or have any questions related to the above or other matters please do not hesitate to contact Logan Granger.

(LOGAN GRANGER) F PN JOHNSTON ASSOCIATES, 202 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 361 6701, www.jacal.co.nz Disclaimer - While all care has been taken, Johnston Associates Chartered Accountants Ltd and its staff accept no liability for the content of this article; always see your professional advisor before taking any action that you are unsure about.

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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.

I have a successful landscaping company that specialises in producing one of a kind creations for our customers. A while ago, a company who shall not be named asked whether we would like to feature our unique designs on their development project. Once completed we invoiced the company for the work done but we did not hear anything. We have sent them reminder after reminder but we still have not been paid. I have heard through the grapevine the company is in trouble and now I am starting to think they do not have any money. What can we do?

Q:

If you are owed a debt by a company that you suspect is having financial trouble, then I suggest you issue a statutory demand against the company. The purpose of issuing a statutory demand is to discover whether the company is solvent. If it turns out that your suspicions are correct and the company does not have any money then you can apply to have the company put into liquidation.

A:

Before you serve the demand you must be certain that the debt is undisputed. It is useful to review the correspondence and make sure that there is nothing that suggests that they are unhappy with your work. If the debt is disputed, then there is a risk that the company could apply to set the statutory demand aside. You would then have to defend the application or risk having the demand set aside and being liable for their costs.

If you are confident the invoice is not disputed you can proceed with serving the statutory demand. I would recommend you engage a lawyer for this process so that the requirements set out in 289 of the Companies Act 1993 are complied with and that it is properly served on the company.

After the demand has been served, the company has 15 working days to either pay, settle or secure the debt. If the company does not comply with the demand within this period then you can apply to the High Court to place the company into liquidation.

PROPERTY FIRM TAKES ON CITY FRINGE COMMERCIAL MARKET Boutique commercial property firm ‘Wilson Hurst’ has launched a sales and leasing division, addressing a gap in the booming Auckland CBD and fringe markets.

Chris Batchelor and Laura Osborne have joined Finn Hurst to lead the firm’s new division, set up in response to the ‘huge potential’ in the CBD and fringe property markets - which are sought after among investors and business occupiers and are currently experiencing extremely high levels of confidence.

“There is tremendous interest in Auckland city fringe commercial property, but the market hasn’t been thoroughly serviced by specialist agents to date,” Chris said. “We’re offering a skilled and experienced team who can advise vendors and buyers based on up-to-the minute knowledge of market trends, as well as in-depth local expertise and relationships.”

Wilson Hurst is now lining up some ‘significant offerings’ and the group also has further recruitment in its sights. “We’re looking to grow our eight-strong sales and leasing team to 20 by the end of 2016,” said Chris.

Offering a comprehensive suite of cross-sector services is the firm’s key focus. “We are providing a full range of sales, leasing and advisory services across industrial, retail and office. This reflects the sheer diversity of property in the CBD and city fringe markets.”

The new business division complements Wilson Hurst’s existing service lines, which include property management, property consulting and corporate real estate advisory, with offices in the main centres of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. F PN www.wilsonhurst.co.nz

A statutory demand can be a powerful weapon because part of the process when it expires is to advertise in the local newspaper and in the New Zealand Gazette that liquidation proceedings have been started, including the place, date and time setting for the hearing. If the company wants to avoid the embarrassment of publication and running the risk of other creditors discovering the pending liquidation proceedings, then they are likely to try and settle the demand.

If the company still does not comply with the demand, you need to apply to the Court to liquidate the company. There is some expense in advertising and making the application, so you need to be prepared to follow through with this action in the event that they don’t PN pay. (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.

METROLAW, Level 2, 36 Williamson Avenue, T: 09 929 0800, www.metrolaw.co.nz

ENHANCE YOUR LIVING SPACE NORDIC BUFFET - This stunning Scandinavian piece manufactured from European oak will be the focal point of any room.

FORMA, 51-53 The Strand Parnell, T: 09 368 7694 www.forma.co.nz www.facebook.com/formafurniturenz

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JAY PLATT: WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT...

Fantail, Tui & Huia bird print cushions $65 each with inner, $49.90 each without Presentz, West Lynn

George & Co Porcelain Squirrel table lamp $49.90 and Porcelain Owl $54.90 IkoIko, www.ikoiko.co.nz

Glerups (shown red with heel) indoor shoes $189 Design Denmark, www.designdenmark.co.nz

Dick Frizzell designed reusable coffee cups $19.50 each Millys, www.millyskitchen.co.nz

‘Hungry Jax’ Crocodile $79.90 Republic, www.republichome.com

Birds of New Zealand stacking dolls $52.90 IkoIko, www.ikoiko.co.nz

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Bamboo solar powered calculator $55 Askew, www.askew.co.nz

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WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT ‘Victorian Wars’ melamine plate set $69.90 set of 4 Askew, www.askew.co.nz

‘Salt’ pig and spoon $17.95 Millys, www.millyskitchen.co.nz

Normann Copenhagen large Nyhven vase $107 Design Denmark, www.designdenmark.co.nz

Brass Elephant bookends $553 a pair Republic, www.republichome.com

Alessi ‘My Squeeze’ citrus juicer $129 Askew, www.askew.co.nz

Quail ceramics Lion Jug $44.90 Leopard and Rhino head egg cups $26.90 each IkoIko, www.ikoiko.co.nz

‘Spike’ Hedgehog mugs $23 each, assorted colours Millys, www.millyskitchen.co.nz Smith & Co chemistry candles $33.90 each Chambers, www.chambersnz.co.nz

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STYLING: Jay Platt PHOTOGRAPHY: Mark Heaslip

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS

ARTIFICIAL GRASS GROWS IN POPULARITY Urban turf artificial landscaping grass is the perfect solution for low-maintenance, outdoor spaces. In New Zealand, we love being outside in our own garden.

However, we would rather spend our valuable time enjoying the space than maintaining it. Urban Turf manufactures a premium range of ‘true-to-life’ landscaping grass. Artificial grass can be installed to replace natural grass and is also used in many situations where real grass just does not work. The products are child and pet-friendly and carry a seven-year warranty against fading from New Zealand’s harsh UV conditions.

Urban Turf Solutions’ customers choose its products over real grass as they are basically maintenance-free, requiring no mowing, watering or spraying for weeds. The lawn looks immaculate and is usable for 12 months of the year.

There are six landscaping looks to suit every customer and the price ranges from $85 to $115 a square metre fully installed. The initial outlay is more expensive than real grass however the savings are made up with low maintenance and the time you get back to enjoy it with the family.

Urban Turf can be installed as a DIY solution, but most customers choose Urban Turf Solutions’ professional team to install. Most of their installers are also landscapers and work with the customer to re-create the perfect low-maintenance space.

In a backyard makeover, the existing surface and top soil is removed, a base course is laid, compacted and levelled and the Urban Turf installed on top. The process is straight forward and small backyards can be completed in a day. Urban Turf Solutions is also seeing an increase in the popularity of backyards being transformed to mini multisport areas or putting greens. Creating spaces to be able to play hockey, football, tennis and basketball is a great way for the whole family to get involved. Families can play their chosen sport or practice 365 days of the year in their own backyards.

URBAN TURF SOLUTIONS, T: 0508 872 268, M: 021 540 304 E: jared@urbanturfsolutions.co.nz www.urbanturfsolutions.co.nz

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REAL ESTATE UPDATE: KAREN SPIRES

Let us have a tipple As a nation we have a shared love affair with two things - rugby and beer. The two form a cherished pastime that is as much a part of our nationhood as Pavlova and gumboots.

When the Webb Ellis Cup made its way down under in 2011, we basked in the constant supply of rugby, and we did an outstanding job of hosting the 20 competing teams and their supporters.

Sadly, this year’s Rugby World Cup is being held on the other side of the globe and for those unable to make the 18,000km journey, the current alternative is to watch the games at home, or miss them altogether if you are without pay television. Reliving the fever pitch atmosphere of four years ago seems unlikely.

There are few things that can unite the nation like an All Blacks game can, and even more so when the coveted Webb Ellis Cup is on the line. To effectively be kept under ‘house arrest’ for these occasions seems a gross denial of our right to enjoy the game and a drink with our mates and fellow supporters.

Thankfully, the Government has moved to allow bars and pubs to open for Rugby World Cup matches that fall outside of regular trading hours.

If the bill gets the green light, Ponsonby Road will undoubtedly become a rugby-watching hotspot for the duration of the six-week event and particularly for All Blacks matches, most of which fall between the hours of 3.45am and 9am.

There is some concern that the law change will see intoxicated fans spilling out onto the streets mid-morning as families walk their dogs and kids get dropped to school.

However, only two of a potential seven All Blacks games are being played on weekdays.

Given that most people have a responsibility to be at work following these games, I would be surprised to learn that they had overindulged in the early hours of the morning.

SHUTTERS PROVIDE YEAR-ROUND COMFORT IN YOUR HOME Harvey Furnishings shutters are the ultimate piece of window furniture; providing timeless style, unmatched function and value in a bespoke product that will last a lifetime.

The simple, clean lines of shutters never go out of fashion. While they look classic and original in renovated villas and bungalows, they look equally at home as a stylish, minimalist option in contemporary apartments and townhouses.

The dual function of Harvey Furnishings shutters ensures year-round comfort in one beautiful window covering. In summer, the tilt mechanism is used to filter sunlight, controlling daytime heat and light to add protection to interior furnishings and comfort.

In winter, shutters provide excellent thermal insulation when closed, sealing off the cool window from the rest of the room.

A truly bespoke product, every aspect of shutters including the colour, manufacturing materials, style, louvre and frame sizes, opening options and more are specified and manufactured to millimetre perfect measurements just for your windows. Almost any window can be catered for, including bay windows and windows in unusual shapes, even round. Older homes with windows that are no longer level are no problem.

A window shutter of the exceptional quality offered by Harvey Furnishings will certainly add value to your home and will continue for many years to look as beautiful as the day it was installed.

Harvey Furnishings shutters are available exclusively through their home consultation service. Call T: 0800 008 880 to book your consultation now. F PN www.harveyfurnishings.co.nz

Instead, I imagine most people simply wish to share in the excitement of the World Cup and cheer for the All Blacks somewhere with a bit of atmosphere, as opposed to the solitude of their lounge room.

England passed similar legislation during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The law covered England matches exclusively and was largely found to be a success.

The law is supported by the many bar and restaurant operators in Ponsonby and its surrounding suburbs. There is the potential to create a carnival-like atmosphere around the four-yearly event and it would provide a welcome cash injection to the local economy.

For those that feel like a beer at 5am, they should be served like any other customer, but for the rest of us who might prefer a flat white and some eggs benedict with our rugby PN then we too should be afforded that luxury. (KAREN SPIRES) F Karen Spires is a Bayleys Real Estate ‘Top Achiever’ - placing her sales data among the top 5% of salespeople within the company.

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MY FAVOURITE ROOM

Noelle Davies - Le Monde Noelle Davies is the co-owner and operator of homeware store Le Monde.The interiors lover and expert has lived in all manner of ‘homes’ over the years, from a boat, to their large family residence and a few apartments in between. Now she calls a light and airy Ponsonby apartment home with Craig, her husband of 39 years.

She says, “We have always lived in the eastern suburbs and only recently moved to Ponsonby. It’s the best apartment we have lived in. I love the convenience of being so close to everything and because of it we are spending a lot more time together after a very hectic past few years. We love exploring greater Ponsonby and trying a new place for dinner every week.”

Noelle’s most-loved room is easily the lounge, which is decorated with a combination of stand-out statement pieces, like the leather and jute Oscar arm chair from Le Monde, and family heirlooms. Amongst the treasures are a gorgeous credenza and a foot stool that have been passed down to her through three generations.

“It’s a calming space, decorated in neutral tones but of course with interesting cushions and some great vignettes of beloved pieces I’ve collected over the years,” explains Noelle.

“Friday nights have become a favourite catch-up with family, enjoying wine and delicious pate from the local $5 Deli. It has gotten to the point where the first question my young granddaughter, Taylor asks when they arrive is, ‘Where’s the pate?’”

For Noelle, whose daughter Jess Graham co-owns Le Monde Ponsonby, everything is about family and the lounge is always a sunny and warm haven to relax in with her loved ones. F PN LE MONDE, 36 Pollen Street, Ponsonby, T: 09 376 2993 www.le-monde.co.nz

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MILLY NOLAN: DESIGNER GIFTS

For the little ones Enchanting animals, beloved superheroes and playful graphics colour the world of children’s interior design. From on-trend monochromatic objects to metallic hints, here are some of our favourite picks for the wee lads and ladies in your life.

1. Little Pop Studios Bat Boys Pillowcase, $30 Who better to watch over your little one while they sleep than Batman and Robin? These masked heroes make for a fun addition to a child’s bed setting.

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2. General Eclectic Copper School Clock, $113 Retro in design, this large Copper School Clock is available in seven colours and will help to keep your little one running on time.

3. George & Co Deer Canister, $20 An adorable deer stands guard atop this ceramic canister, perfect for keeping all manner of small treasures.

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4. Toodles Noodles Love You to the Moon & Back Flag, $30 Fun in felt and with an adorable message, the Love You to the Moon & Back Flag from this eco-friendly New Zealand brand looks great hanging on the wall.

5. General Eclectic Gold Cross Paper Bag, $28 These patterned washable paper bags have countless uses, from stowing away small toys, items of clothing or bits and bobs.

6. Suck UK Bunny Lamp, $160 The loveable porcelain Bunny Lamp, with a lightbulb where his fluffy tail should be, is made with energy efficient LEDs so the bulb stays cool to touch.

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7. Maiko Nagao Dream Big Little One Rabbit Print, from $39 With words to inspire, create and motivate, the Dream Big Little One Rabbit Print is a sweet as pie addition to a nursery.

8. Alphabets & Animals Batman Disguise Print, from $45 Gorgeous French Bulldog Hunter stars in the Batman Disguise print, dressed up and ready for adventure.

9. Burrow & Be Clubhouse Storage Sack, $45 Storing anything from soft toys to dress ups, the reversible, 100% cotton Club House Storage Sack is a safe and stylish solution for a nursery or bedroom.

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10. General Eclectic Gold Spot Cushion, $60 This double-sided Gold Spot Cushion offers bold pops of gold metallic and the perfect pink to dress a bed or armchair.

Words by Milly Nolan. All products available at www.mildredandco.com

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ASK AN ARCHITECT: DANIEL MARSHALL Each month architect Daniel Marshall answers readers’ property related questions.

Q: A:

My name is Mardie and I am a Year 6 student in Ponsonby. I would like to be an architect when I grow up and I am wondering what it is like? Can you tell me about a typical day in your life?

Thanks for your question. It is great that you would like to be an architect, it is a really rewarding profession in many ways but like most creative occupations in New Zealand, if you are looking at earning lots of money it is definitely not a good job to do! But you do get to experience lots of really interesting things and see some amazing places. I have travelled in helicopters and had meetings in Beijing and Chicago and London because of my job.

Architects do tend to specialise in all sorts of areas, so a typical day for me is quite different to a typical day of someone that works in a large architectural practice. My office is quite small, with seven people working here, three men and four women. My puppy comes in most days and sometimes causes chaos.

I will use today (Wednesday, 19 August) as the day because tomorrow is the deadline for my Ponsonby News Article!

8:30 - I pick up my colleague Nick from the office and we head downtown to catch the ferry to Waiheke for a site visit to a house we have designed there, Seamus my dog comes with us and he loves playing on building sites, although sometimes the builders’ dogs are a bit scary for a city dog!

I answer a whole lot of emails then start looking at some changes to the plan of a new house we are designing in Westmere. It is fun drawing on the drawing board with pencils and tracing paper. I have to get the plans finished before 4pm because that is when I am meeting the client.

14:00 - Nick and I meet with a plaster specialist and talk about the range of finishes we can get on the walls for the house on Waiheke. It was really interesting to look at all the different ways of applying the plaster and the different finishes we could get. Talking to craftspeople is the best way to learn about the different parts of how a house comes together.

After that, I get back to designing the house and we have it all ready for the meeting at 4pm. The house is drawn in three dimensions, just like on a video game, so we can take our client right through the house and they can see all the different parts of the house.

16:00 - We have the meeting and talk through all the bits and pieces with our clients. It takes quite a long time but they are happy and the meeting finishes about 6pm

While we are on site, we work with the builder Kevin and all the subcontractors, to make sure everything is going well and according to plan. It is a great time to sort out little problems and make the design better. Going onto building sites is my favourite part of being an architect. There is always so much happening and it is amazing to see an idea you have had take shape into a real thing.

18:00 - I walk down K’ Road to a friend’s art exhibition opening. It is quite lovely work and I enjoy a wine but then remember I have to write the Ponsonby News article so I rush back to the office to finish it! So quite a long day, but with interesting and lots of different sorts of things so I never get bored! I hope this answers your question Mardie.

PN (DANIEL MARSHALL) F

12:45 - We catch the ferry back, Seamus and I share a pie. We head back to the office.

DANIEL MARSHALL ARCHITECTS, 472 Karangahape Road, T: 09 354 3587, www.marshall-architect.co.nz

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AUCKLAND PROPERTY SALES RACE AHEAD WHILE PRICES MARK TIME While Auckland house sales activity was at its highest in more than 15 years during July, price increases stalled with the average sales price at $827,359 remaining much the same as for the past two months.

“In July, the average sales price was within $1000 of that for June, and only $5000 ahead of that for May,” said Peter Thompson, Managing Director of Barfoot and Thompson.

“A stable average price over a three month period is a trend we have not witnessed for some time.

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“The combination of high turnover and stable price points to buyer confidence in the strength of the market at current prices but also recognition that property is fully priced.

“The last three months of trading also demonstrates that high sales numbers can be sustained without prices increasing.

“The first signs that price increases were slowing could be seen in last month’s sales figures, and this month’s results confirm that prices are no longer racing ahead.

“In fact, the median price in July at $757,000 is down $29,000 on that for June, but up $7000 on that for May. “What continues without pause, however, is property turnover, and in July we sold 1388 homes, 18.9% higher than the number in June and 41.2% higher than in July last year.

“It is the highest sales figure for a July going back to 1999, and 4.5% higher than in July 2003, the year normally regarded as the most active on record.

“New listings at 1777 were the second highest for any month this year (the highest being in March at 1997), and were 27.3% higher than in July last year.

“Total listings at month end at 2802 were at their lowest since December last year and will contribute to choice remaining tight during August.

“Sales of properties in the million dollar plus category at 411 during the month were the second highest on record.

“There was also strong interest in property in the under $500,000 category, with sales numbers reaching 200 and representing 14.4% of all sales. In June, sales of properties under $500,000 fell to 13.6% of sales.

“With spring approaching, comparing market activity in the next few months with 2014 trading could be challenging, as in 2014 trading was significantly impacted by a ‘wait and see’ attitude that developed as we moved towards the General Election. In the lead PN up to the election, sales numbers slowed and prices did not recover until November.” F

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USE TECHNOLOGY, NOT POISON, TO CONTROL RODENTS In the past few years, there has been a major explosion in the numbers of rats and mice that have been plaguing many areas throughout New Zealand.

Constant changes in weather conditions have created an ideal environment for rodents to breed in much larger numbers. Rats and mice are no longer only appearing in the winter months. In New Zealand, it is now a constant 12 month struggle, for most people, to get on top of, and eradicate, some of the most common intruders to New Zealand homes and businesses... rats and mice!

With the Pestrol plug-in Rodent Free unit, you can rest easy knowing you are protected.

It is fast, easy, and most importantly, it is highly effective! Not to mention, it is chemical free! Meaning no poison or traps and no need to dispose of dead rodents.

The Pestrol Rodent Free unit covers walls and ceilings, open spaces, and also helps to control cockroaches. The unit utilises electromagnetic technology which makes use of the electrical wiring in a building, generating pulses using the wires, which irritates the rodents and makes them want to leave. The added benefit is the ultrasonic technology embedded in the unit, which sends out ultrasonic sound to deter the rodents.

Rats and mice can cause considerable damage to food, electrical wiring and they can also spread a range of diseases - as well as cause electrical fires!

One unit will cover a smaller home and you will require two or more units for larger homes or buildings. Just plug them in. Pestrol - it just works better. F PN PESTROL, 156A Bush Road, Albany, T: (0800) 88 88 44 www.pestrol.co.nz

OFFERING EXCEPTIONAL GARDEN DESIGN Solving problems creatively always provides the greatest satisfaction.

At Topia Garden Design they draw on their wealth of experience working as one of Auckland’s leading landscape design and build companies. This experience enables them to help you solve problems and create your ideal outdoor living environment.

The team recognises that each garden design project is unique and their aim is to respond thoughtfully to ensure every aspect of each garden design is carefully considered.

To maximise the potential of each garden, their design process aims to capitalise on the challenges and opportunities each property provides; creating gardens which inspire and establishing elements of surprise - achieving results which delight their clients.

“We have a passion for providing an exceptional garden design service and and reputation for creating beautiful gardens across a range of properties throughout New Zealand.

PN “We’d love to help you transform your garden into your dream garden.” F

TOPIA GARDEN DESIGN, M: 0277 884 496 or E: lestchat@topiagardendesign.co.nz www.topiagardendesign.co.nz

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UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL Dame Pieter Stewart, New Zealand Fashion Week Dame Pieter Stewart is Managing Director of New Zealand Fashion Week (NZFW), an event she started 15 years ago “With the goal of showcasing New Zealand’s amazing fashion industry to the world.”

Dame Pieter is quick to talk of her prized team and how proud they are of what NZFW has achieved over the past 15 years.

Do you have a partner?

My husband Peter has his own charter boat. We have four delicious grandchildren - three girls of 8, 2 1/2 and 3, and a little 18-month-old boy.

Where do you live?

My family home is in Central Canterbury but when I am in Auckland I have an apartment in Ponsonby.

If you weren’t an event director you’d be...?

Spending a lot of my time working in health and education, which I did before I became so involved with NZFW, and hope to do again once I am able to step back from being full time in Fashion Week.

Do you have any pets?

Not at the moment - we are away too much, but look forward to having another black Labrador when we are more settled, because we have always had a family Lab.

What’s your favourite Ponsonby cafe?

SPQR.

How do you keep fit?

I have a fantastic personal trainer at Studio gym but don’t go often enough.

What’s your favourite Ponsonby restaurant?

Prego.

Your best friend would say of you…

Hopefully loyal, passionate and pragmatic.

What’s your favourite Ponsonby store?

I love the whole strip.

What are your vices?

Good New Zealand pinot noir.

Please share your best kept Ponsonby secret?

Miss Moonshine.

What’s your secret passion?

Richie McCaw.

What’s inspired you recently?

My amazing work colleagues.

What’s your secret talent?

I know all the dance moves to Greased Lightning... my daughter Myken has a great story about that.

What would be your desert island distraction?

Anthem by Leonard Cohen.

Where do you spend your holidays?

At our bach in the Marlborough Sounds.

What’s your perfect Sunday?

A slow start, lying around watching Q & A, pottering around the house and the garden, and family coming for lunch or dinner.

What were you going to be when you grew up?

A doctor - always - but never did it!

How did you come to be an event director?

I have had a long career in the fashion industry and was heavily involved in fashion shows including the Corbans Fashion Collections, the Wella Fashion Collections and the Wella Fashion Report. New Zealand Fashion Week was a natural evolution.

The house is on fire and your family is safe - what do you save?

As many of our photo albums as possible.

“I’d be lost without my...”

Children and grandchildren - they are just the best part of life.

One thing you have learned about life is...

Don’t ask why people do things the way they do - accept that everyone if different and we all think and do things totally differently.

Your advice to Ponsonby fashion shoppers?

Take the time to walk the entire road, both sides diverting into the offshoot streets, taking in the different eateries and shops. Then work out where you want to settle to eat, and where you want to buy.

For someone who lives in the country with no shops or indeed anything but paddocks around, it is such a treat to have a weekend in Ponsonby and be able to have everything right at my doorstep.

Your advice to young Ponsonby people aspiring to work in the fashion industry?

Volunteer at NZFW for starters - you will see a lot of the inside of the industry, and perhaps get a good idea of what direction to go in. Study, gain experience at retail level and of business. Then you will have a good basis from which to choose what you want to do. F PN NEW ZEALAND FASHION WEEK www.nzfashionweek.com New Zealand Fashion Weekend - the open-to-the-public arm of NZFW - opened with a party on Friday evening 28 August, with two full days of shows and events on the following Saturday and Sunday at the Viaduct Events Centre. The Ponsonby Presents show was held on the Saturday. Tickets: iTicket.co.nz

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS BOB & FRIENDS - BEAUTIFUL THINGS, WEDDING REGISTER AND HOME STAGING It’s been exactly a year since Ron Redel and his team moved into their beautiful villa in Ponsonby Road. “It’s flown by,” says Ron. During this past year they’ve certainly grown into their space. All the rooms are filled with beautiful things and displayed in such a way that it helps you to visualise how a certain piece of furniture, a wall hanging or ornament might look in your own home.

Included in their space is SCP furniture, String shelving, Bison ceramics, Donna Wilson’s eclectic mix of creatures, ceramics and wonderful pouffes, Katie Brown’s hand blown lights which are beautiful, you can have them made specifically to suit your taste and in any colour you like.

In addition, there are Vintage Moldovian rugs, Lao textiles and Polls Potten cut glass.

Bob & Friends are even doing a wonderful collection of baby cloths and blankets.

They have their own range of New Zealand-made sofas as well as their latest addition, the stunning Elsa sofa by Luca Scacchetti direct from Italy.

The shop keeps getting stronger and the range deeper. They’ve added a home staging service to their repertoire and for those of you who are planning a wedding, they have a fantastic wedding register (why not get a Mathew Hilton Balzac Chair for you wedding).

This month, they need to make room for even more pieces so they are having a one off floor clearance sale of some of the best sofas. The sale runs from 5 to 19 September.

BOB & FRIENDS, 231 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 378 7350 www.bobandfriends.co.nz

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THE HISTORICAL BOROUGH OF PONSONBY AND GREY LYNN: STREET NAMES

BIRD OF THE MONTH

Cowan Street

The little blue penguin

The Rev. Grant Cowan was born in England and studied at both the London College of Divinity and Christ’s College, Cambridge.

I try to have a variety of birds featured in our Bird of the Month column, so it was time I finally got to one of our sea dwelling species, the little blue penguin.

He was ordained in 1905 and came to New Zealand in 1912, where he was vicar of Hunterville before transferring to Hawera. During his five years in the parish, he was so well liked that his farewell ceremony was recorded at length in the Hawera and Normanby Star with the headline in large print, A Popular Vicar. Some of the value placed on his work as an Anglican vicar as well as in the wider sphere of civic life was reflected by the size of the crowd that met at St Mary’s Hall on 13 February, 1920 on the eve of his departure to Auckland where he had accepted the charge of St Matthews.

Visible on land only under the cover of darkness, little penguins spend most of their day swimming at sea and foraging for food. They can reach a top underwater speed of 6km per hour. When breeding and rearing chicks, little blue penguins will leave the nest at sunrise and forage all day for food. They return just after dusk to feed their chicks. This is the reason that during the day you’ll only find penguin nesting boxes’ chicks nestled in the corner, waiting for their parents to return. Long-term partnerships in parents are the most common, although separation does occur.

The first part of the evening, the local talent provided ‘an excellent concert’ followed by addresses from various dignitaries and prominent churchmen. Mr Burgess, the people’s warden presided over the function and explained that when Mr Cowan had received the invitation to accept St Matthew’s invitation a short time ago, he was very doubtful about the course he should adopt at first, but he finally accepted the invitation and would be leaving early the next week. Mr Burgess went on to say that he was very pleased to see such a large attendance, which demonstrated the feeling his parishioners had towards the vicar.

They often nest in dunes, coastal forest and rocky areas, and can be found many metres inland, often under beach houses or other structures. These nests are generally identified due to the smell associated with fish and chicks.

It seems Mr Cowan would be a hard act to follow. Ever since his arrival in Hawera, his organisational talents, application and perseverance was such that he left the church in a very prosperous situation. When he arrived in Hawera, he saw the need for the building where his farewell function took place. The cost was scary but on this occasion it was debt-free due to his parishioners’ generosity, but nevertheless credit was also due to Mr Cowan. His organisational powers resulted in increased numbers attending St Mary’s School and he negotiated provision for country scholars by acquiring a valuable property at a reasonable price.

Among the dignitaries at the function was a Mr Parkinson, one of the oldest members of the church, who spoke glowingly of Mr Cowan as the most courageous and energetic man they had ever had in the district. The methodist minister, Reverend A Liversedge, described how Mr Cowan had welcomed him warmly on his arrival in the town and that they had been real friends ever since. He described how when he had to go out into the country, Mr Cowan would arrive at his gate in his redoubtable Ford to relieve him of having to travel on his rather bone-shaking bicycle. He said he had come to regard Mr Cowan as a kind of colleague - a sort of superintendent Methodist minister. Mr Liversedge went on to say that he found great joy to know that even though they differed on ecclesiastical matters, on Christian fundamentals they were absolutely at one and could work hand-in-hand in Christ’s Kingdom.

You may have seen these at Auckland Zoo, or swimming in the ocean when you’re out on a boat, or perhaps in the nest boxes on Tiritiri Matangi. Despite being the smallest penguins in the world, they’re quite well known.

Penguins, especially the little blue penguin, have always been of interest to humans, especially children and they are regularly found in zoos. Unfortunately, despite our interest little penguin populations in New Zealand have been declining. Many colonies have become extinct and others are at high risk. While it is not considered an endangered species, it has been on the decline and this is often due to man-made causes.

The list of threats to penguins is large and includes many things that impact our ocean mammals and other sea birds. These include discarded fishing line which can entangle penguin and result in drowning oil spills which are toxic and can damage their plumage and uncontrolled pets that can prey on nesting colonies.

As is often the case with species that inhabit our waters, marine reserves are one of the best ways to protect them. But it all comes down to awareness and an interest in preserving our natural environment. When you’re at the beach or on a boat, don’t litter, and pick up rubbish you see - especially fishing line or plastic bags that can entangle our birds. Little blue penguins use our coastlines as much as they use our waters, so let’s keep them clean and keep an eye on your pets in areas that may be home to nesting birds as they are most vulnerable at that time.

PN (FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT) F

When it was time for the Mayor, Mr Dixon, to give his oration, he emphasised that for the past 25 years he had friendly associations with vicars in Hawera but there were none whose work he valued as much as Mr Cowan’s and how he appreciated the way he had stood by him as Chief Magistrate. He went on to praise Mr Cowan’s work on patriotic bodies and his connection with the Soldiers’ Club, which was a credit to the town.

Spontaneous applause and a rendering of “He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” greeted Mr Cowan when he rose to make his farewell speech. He spoke of the friendships he had made during the five years of his incumbency that neither time nor distance would sever, and that whatever he had done could not have been achieved without a magnificent band of unselfish helpers. He concluded by saying he would be pleased to meet any of his former parishioners should they visit the Queen City.

In his role as vicar of St Matthew’s Church, Mr Cowan continued to impress. He was indefatigable in assisting the Community of the Good Shepherd to raise money for a proposed new mission house in Grey’s Avenue. In recognition of his organisational work the Standing Committee of the Auckland Diocese decided that he should be appointed canon of St Mary’s Cathedral in Parnell. In his new office he undertook special organising work for the whole Diocese. (DEIRDRE ROELANTS) F PN

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS

MY HOMIES Jackie Mathews

Jackie Mathews is the owner of ‘Howlistic’ pet store Munky’s Corner. She and her husband have been living in Auckland since 2014 with their four kids: Lu the doberman, Munky the American bulldog, Wiley the English springer Spaniel mix and Gypsy the Chihuahua/ Jack Russell. Ponsonby News asked Jackie to tell us about the people who help run her busy household.

Window washer Munky’s Corner’s windows get cleaned every few weeks by Ivan Hunter from Topline Window Cleaning. He does residential and commercial windows and has the best rates in town!

Raw food Chris and Shane are our raw food homies. They are based in Pukekohe and make the best range of raw food for our four furkids. Everything gets gobbled up within seconds and with the large variety they have, they never get bored!

Dog walking and play group Our bull terrier mix Huevos loves going out on play dates with Angela from Pets & Pats.

She gets picked up, socialised with other dogs outside and gets love from Angela and her team. When she gets dropped off, she is always happy and content. We love our kids’ Aunty Angela!

Photography I’m not big on taking human photos, especially not myself. But when I had to get some photos done for our Munky’s Corner article, Fiona Tomlinson is hands down the best!

She’s fun, hilarious, loves dogs and made me super comfortable about having my pictures taken. Gypsy adored her - Fiona made her feel like a super model! Fiona also makes the best macarons in town.

Animal homeopath Katrina Lund-Tangye is our animal homeopath. She provides full consultations as well as online and phone consultations. With four dogs, one of them is bound to need to see their Aunty Katrina at one point or another!

Vet We haven’t had to go to a vet (knock on wood) except for one after hours emergency visit for Doberman Lu. Lu went to the Animal Emergency Centre on Carrington Road and received the best care, cuddles and loves. If and when our kids do need to go to the vet, our go-to would be Dr Megan, Dr Erin D and Dr Erin C at The Strand.

Dog and cat rescue Our favourite rescue ‘homies’ are the awesome people at HURRAH. All their dogs and cats are fostered so they get to have a temporary home and family. Being a responsible rescue group, they make sure each dog and cat is a good fit for you and your family, and they do home inspections as well as a one week trial period. Getting our daughter Huevos from HURRAH was one of the best adoption experiences we have ever had. F PN MUNKY’S CORNER, 136 Ponsonby Road (Ponsonby Central) T: 09 360 3192, www.munkyscorner.co.nz

SPACES DESIGNED FOR LIVING A renovation or building project can be like a giant jigsaw puzzle. The order in which the pieces are added can affect how successfully you use the space and ultimately achieve your goals.

Interior design, in particular the design of kitchens, bathrooms and storage are often thought about at a stage that is too far along into the process. Finding the right interior designer early on will mean your project will have a more cohesive result, saving mistakes and money. A spatial interior designer’s skill is in making sure that when you walk into your house, it will be the home of your dreams.

Design director Liz Kerby sees the kitchen and bathroom as key components to a home, off which other aspects of the interiors can flow. With open-plan living spaces, the kitchen not only has to work beautifully but look fantastic. It often sets the tone for the rest of the home. Components like the bench-top, cabinetry and appliances are long -term investments and therefore ones you won’t want to change in a hurry.

While the team at Lizzie K & Co specialise in designing kitchens, bathrooms and built-in cabinetry, they also advise on how a house flows from room to room, the lighting to use, colour schemes, flooring options, furniture, and more. They work with any budget, big or small, and work in with the other design professionals and trades people involved.

Liz and her team can help you make the right choices from the very start. So as soon as PN you get your plans in hand, call Liz to ensure your home is the best it can possibly be. F

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LIZZIE K & CO, M: 027 218 5608 E: liz@lizziekandco.co.nz www.lizziekandco.co.nz

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SWEET OPTIONS FOR CIDER RETAIL - COUNTDOWN PONSONBY The opportunity for specialty retailers to be part of Ponsonby’s Cider Building is now on offer, with three quality spaces left for lease in the highly anticipated development anchored by Countdown.

Jessica Martin of Colliers International, who with colleague Nilesh Patel is marketing the retail units within the Cider Building at 4 Williamson Avenue, says the new development will revitalise the Ponsonby community.

The Cider Building is due for completion mid next year and will sit beside Vinegar Lane, which forms the remaining half of the old DYC Vinegar factory site. The neighbouring developments in Vinegar Lane will include high end residential and commercial spaces with architecturally designed office and retail units, centred around an architecturally designed courtyard.

“This development will form the heart of a new Ponsonby precinct, creating a captive consumer base for lifestyle shoppers. Quite literally, it is possible for patrons to both live and work in the same building.”

There are now only three retail units remaining for lease out of the original 10, ground level, road frontage units that were allocated within the Cider Building. These units are Unit 5 (84 sqm) and Unit 6 (106 sqm) which front onto Williamson Ave, and Unit 9 (166 sqm) that faces Pollen Street. Martin says the spaces will ideally suit food and service operators.

“Food and service vendors will be able to further complement what is an already diverse line-up of operators which include a Japanese restaurant, a gelato store, a pizza shop, a gift shop, a barber and a cafe.”

Last year, Mansons Portfolio Limited bought the site at 160 Ponsonby Road previously occupied by Video Ezy. A new development, currently under construction, will consist of approximately 518 sqm of prime retail space fronting Ponsonby Road and a single office level above. There are four retail tenancies in the development with completion scheduled for later this year.

Location: The Cider Building is located within a 14,000 sqm Ponsonby block fronting onto both Williamson Avenue and Pollen Street.

Patel says the Cider Building is well-connected to public transport routes and is only minutes from Auckland’s central business district (CBD).

FOR LEASE

Cider Building, Countdown Ponsonby Retail Tenancies, 4 Williamson Avenue • • • • •

Last 3 retail units for lease from 84m² Located adjoining the Countdown supermarket with road frontage Completion due Q2, 2016 550 carparks on site Call now for more information

Property details: On completion, the Cider Building will consist of three levels of office space above a 4360 sqm modernised Countdown supermarket.

Below this will be five levels of parking with more than 220 spaces dedicated for the supermarket alone.

All Cider Building retail units will have road signage and present an upscale, industrial feel, says Martin. “The retail units, in fact the entire development, have been designed with Ponsonby’s eclectic and upmarket environment in mind. The added attraction of the direct road signage means each tenancy will benefit from maximum exposure in what is a high-profile neighbourhood.”

The landlord, General Distributors, will present the tenancies as a shell for the tenants to complete their own modernised fit-out. This includes aluminium shop fronts, concrete floors and ceilings and gib-lined walls, with power, plumbing and gas. Patel says Ponsonby is seeing further revitalisation of its retail along Ponsonby Road.

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Jessica Martin +64 9 358 9859 +64 21 392 117 jessica.martin@colliers.com Nilesh Patel +64 9 359 7926 +64 21 761 733 nilesh.patel@colliers.com Chloe Franklin-Hall +64 9 358 8704 +64 21 797 424 chloe.franklin-hall@colliers.com

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HEIDI PADAIN: ENTERTAINMENT IN YOUR GARDEN There have been quite a few occasions that I can recall having held a bird.

Feeling its heart beating against the palm of my hand and watching the dull look in its eyes slowly become more alert, the feeling that you get when the bird looks around, and you open your hands and then watch as it flies away is pure bliss. There’s not always a positive outcome, and certainly not an immediate recovery. I recently decided to learn more about what to do when encountering a bird that is injured. So, I organised a time to visit the New Zealand Bird Rescue Charitable Trust.

When I arrived, Lyn Macdonald was seated at the small desk near the front door. She had a rainbow lorikeet on her shoulder. She was just as I imagined her to be. “Hello, how are you?”

I recognised her voice having spoken on the phone a few times, Lyn Macdonald but because I was looking at her when I heard it, I’m not sure that was what she said, and I had this fleeting thought that I had perhaps imagined hearing those words.

Lyn and I launched into conversation with ease, which isn’t hard when two avian enthusiasts get together.

Eventually, we were politely interrupted by one of the volunteers carrying a young pigeon. I followed them both to the area that they use to treat birds. This pigeon had large lumps of congealed poop stuck to its claws. It had set like concrete. Lyn explained that the condition was called dirty nurse and is a result of this bird residing in an unhygienic environment.

The volunteer, a lovely young lady who has been working with Lyn for four years, and has a soft spot for pigeons, held the bird firmly whilst talking to it gently to keep it calm. It took some time and physical strength for Lyn to free the bird’s claws, and I marvelled at this point on to how they operate here.

There were three other volunteers that day and they all moved around busily. It’s a small environment to be honest and when Lyn told me that this wasn’t their busiest time of year, I wondered how they coped when it was. And by that I mean not in terms of people and enthusiasm, but sheer space. Lyn is hopeful that they will one day have enough funds raised to extend the centre by building a hospital and I certainly hope so too.

Next I was introduced to a pink fluffy bundle of joy.

The infamous Australian galah who is known as Billie. However, Lyn tells me that they don’t use this name as eventually when he has recovered they will find him the perfect home and the new owner will have the pleasure of naming him. This galah has a condition known as undershot beak. He was unable to eat or groom himself properly due to this beak deformity.

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He has since had what can best be described as cosmetic surgery. Billie is sporting an acrylic beak, courtesy of a nail technician, who worked closely with veterinarian Berend Westera. As the beak grows correctly underneath, the acrylic prosthesis will serve and protect, and no doubt be replaced from time to time. I loved having Billie sit on my arm, and I marvelled at how relaxed he was with all the activity.

He quite happily sat on the treatment bench and watched love and care being administered on a wide variety of avian species.

Lyn and I stepped outside for a short walk and I was introduced to a rather sleepy-eyed morepork.

This bird had been found rolling around on a golf course and was thought to have been hit by a golf ball. This isn’t uncommon apparently, the bird rescue centre has had 26 morepork brought to them this year, most have some level of head injury, as they are often hit by cars at night.

I then met a fabulous large male tui who flew toward Lyn when called. This bird was released from the centre some time ago, but recently returned. Lyn believes it’s the time of year, and that he has come back for a bit of extra food.

As I mentioned above, it’s a busy environment, with no swanning around, well, with one exception. Lyn introduced me to a recent arrival, a black swan with an injured leg. I heard the typical hissing as she lifted the bird from the crate. Lyn showed me the best way to support the swans neck, she gently swung the neck of the swan around her own like precious silk scarf. This is my favourite photo of the day of course. Gorgeous!

Lyn Macdonald is a wonderful bundle of knowledge, and chuckles. I couldn’t resist giving her a big hug on my way out. As I made my way through the door I heard a very clear: “Hello, how are you?”

I turned around and took a good look at one of the centres long-term residents, a beautiful yellow crested cockatoo. I’m sure this bird has the same glint in his eye that Lyn Macdonald does. Hilarious!

I’m definitely going to pay the bird rescue centre another visit soon.

If ever you’re in need of advice, want to become a volunteer or simply make a donation, just pick up the phone, or go online and find out more.

PN (HEIDI PADAIN) F Lyn Macdonald, 74 Avonleigh Road, Green Bay, Auckland, T: 09-816 9219. www.birdrescue.org.nz or just look them up on Facebook...

New Zealand Bird Rescue Charitable Trust.

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

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FREE BUSINESS, FREE CAR, FREE WINE... JUST BUY THE BACH A 4-plus star Great Barrier retreat to purchase as a going concern or just for you and your fabulous friends, whichever way you choose to go... it is gorgeous!

The lodge is interior designed down to every detail and nestled in 10 acres of lush native bush and gardens above lovely Okupu Bay. Bay Lodge accommodation has a Qualmark rating of 4+ and was fully re-decorated in 2013. It has everything you could need for a comfortable stay. The airy one-bedroom, self-contained and fully serviced (when required) cottage sleeps two people in a comfortable queen-sized bed. The layout is open-plan with a fully appointed modern kitchen and bathroom. There is a wood fire for cosy winter evenings.

Follow the private bush track for a few minutes and you will find yourself on a beautiful sandy beach, where you can swim and sunbathe in peace and quiet. Finish your day on the deck in the warm evening air, sipping wine and watching the spectacular sunsets. It is small but perfectly formed, it’s easy to add fold out couches for more friends to stay and increase the number of people per night and with 30% plus occupancy, you’ll enjoy a supplementary income.

To find out more about this stunning Great Barrier dream property, go to www.baylodge.co.nz or the Facebook Page ‘Bay Lodge’ or the Book-A-Bach site: www.bookabach.co.nz/baches-and-holiday-homes/view/19119 Phone Charlotte Wilson for a chattels list, you won’t believe the all-inclusive package plus full training on the booking systems will be provided.

Charlotte Wilson, M: 0275 396 326 or Sandy Allen M: 021 0268 1050, MACKYS REAL ESTATE LTD, BAYLEYS, Licensed under the REA Act 2008

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FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT

Skyscraper Stan - Ponsonby’s roaming troubadour He is one of Australia’s tallest rock’n’roll Americana troubadours and he’s at home in the back of a station wagon, under a bridge in the south of the United States or in some small town in Australia. He’s known as Skyscraper Stan, and he grew up on the border of Grey Lynn and Ponsonby. I caught up with Stan in Sydney during a rare week off.

“I’m essentially homeless. I’m vaguely based in Sydney at the moment.” Having spent a lot of time in Melbourne he gave his band, The Commission Flats, a break for the winter and set off on a solo tour of Australia.

“I’ve been touring completely solo for the last few months, I’ve covered a lot of ground doing it that way. I did the whole east coast, Perth and Darwin. Darwin’s a pretty interesting place. One of the gigs I played was in this small satellite city out of Darwin, called Palmerston. It sprang up in this 10-year period, to service an army base. It’s all miners and army dudes on leave in the pub.

I’m playing to these guys and they’re heckling, one of them is threatening to stab me. It’s dark, putting them all in a pub in a town where there’s a six to one guy to girl ratio, it does actually feel like the Wild West.

“I started the tour three months ago. I was based in Sydney and just doing weekend trips. Three weeks ago I hit the road full time and now I’m back in Sydney getting ready to come on down to NZ.” This is only Stan’s second trip back to play in New Zealand since 2009 when he left for Melbourne to complete his biology degree. Playing at the Tuning Fork with Tami Nielson in April was the first time Stan had been back.

“I had come back for important family events for a few days but that was the first time I’d come back to play shows. It was fantastic, I couldn’t believe how overwhelmingly warm the response was.”

Growing up in Ponsonby, he went to Westmere Primary and Ponsonby Intermediate before finally attending Western Springs - and I actually remember him from the bus home to Ponsonby - mostly because he was as tall back then as he is now, and funny. He started a job at the Wine Cellar on Karangahape Road, one that turned out to be fairly important for his career.

“I played in the Wine Cellar a lot, that’s how I ended up with the name Skyscraper Stan. Tom Rodwell was playing this summer residency, which was almost every night all summer. He got me drinking one night and his guitar was still on the stage and I got up and started noodling. I hadn’t been playing for long, only started writing when I was about 16.” Rodwell told Rohan Evans, the owner, and asked if Stan could get up in between sets and play some songs.

“It was nice to have him back me up like that and give me that opportunity. I started a band called Skyscraper, because I was really creative with my naming, and we were awful.

But we thought we were cool at the time, and I played around a bit with those guys.

“I wanted to play music in Australia, so I transferred to Melbourne University and finished my degree over here. It took me a long time to get gigs in Melbourne.” Stan actually gave up and spent a few months living out of his station wagon travelling the country before some musicians at a festival in New South Wales convinced him to return. They gave him some opening slots at their shows and he soon became a Melbourne staple, solo and with his newly-formed band. He had a ‘musical odyssey’ to the United States where he followed in the footsteps of his idols, with very little money and the naivety that is needed when you take off with no plan. Next year should hopefully see him return on a proper tour as Skyscraper Stan.

Catch Skyscraper Stan performing with bandmate Oskar Herbig all around New Zealand in August before they hit The Tuning Fork on 5 September with Holly Arrowsmith and Tom Cunliffe. They are also performing at Leigh Sawmill Cafe on 6 September.

PN (FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT) F www.skyscraperstan.com www.facebook.com/skyscraperstan

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FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT

Carnivorous Plant Society – a house of musicians in the heart of Ponsonby Did you know there is a house off Ponsonby Road full of musicians? There are actually quite a few, but there’s one that is home to the Carnivorous Plant Society.

What their exciting and novel name promises is exactly what you get. I sat down with Finn Scholes, trumpet, keyboard, vibraphone and tuba player for the band.

“It’s hard to say,” he responds when asked how they would describe themselves. “We all went to jazz school, so we’re all jazz trained and the band has those elements. It’s kind of a Mexican, future, science fiction sort of genre. You could say jazz but you wouldn’t be able to guess what it sounds like without using a whole lot of other words.”

Carnivorous Plant Society are an instrumental (most of the time) band with numerous multi-instrumentalists and a scarily large number of instruments. They released their debut eponymous album in early 2014 and have been a popular and innovative band on the Auckland circuit for a few years. Apart from living together in the same house, they all play in numerous other projects, including Tiny Ruins.

“I was always into carnivorous plants and did belong to The Carnivorous Plant Society,” says Finn. “There’s quite a few of them actually. That was quite fun, I used to go along with my mum. I’ve still got a bit of a collection that are just surviving the cold weather at the moment.” It seems an apt name for a band and it certainly stands out.

Alongside the musicians and the numerous instruments Carnivorous Plant Society also bring an exciting visual element to their gigs - music videos. “We have three at the moment. They’re for the songs, so in that sense they are a music video, but we mostly play live with them.” Setting up a projector with some visuals for an audience can often help the audience to connect to a band with no lyrics. “I feel a bit self-conscious not having any vocals sometimes. Some people when they hear instrumentals, they don’t get it. They need a little more, like some pictures.

“They’re hand drawn animations, they’re cartoons and stories and it gives a story-telling element to the set. We have some conceptual pieces, which we wouldn’t release, they’re a bit too conceptual. One at the moment is characters from a daytime TV show and then we play a musical theme of a TV show. It all makes the live sets interesting.”

While there isn’t a lot of instrumental bands in mainstream music Finn comments that the band often listen to movie scores as inspiration. “Quentin Tarentino type of stuff, they have great instrumentation, sort of quite rocky and upbeat, and lots of trumpet in that sort of stuff.” The band recently were part of the Auckland Film Festival, performing a score written for silent film Lonesome by Lawrence Arabia at the Civic.

Carnivorous Plant Society’s live sets are constantly changing, with new songs being added to gigs regularly. Living together certainly makes rehearsing, writing and performing very easy. It also allows them to constantly change what they do live, and in addition to the delightful cartoons and animations, their live shows are not to be missed.

Finn has grown up in Ponsonby, lived here his whole life and now teaches, practices and lives out of the same house. Most of the musicians in Ponsonby seem to live out of that house. Any instrument that is played in the Carnivorous Plant Society can be taught there so if you’re looking for music teachers, get in touch with the band. Finn is especially eager for a tuba student. “It’s a great instrument, it’s the lowest register brass instrument you can get.”

You can catch Carnivorous Plant Society live at the Audio Foundation on 19 September, or at The Wine Cellar on 23 October. (FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT) F PN

www.facebook.com/carnivorousplantsociety www.carnivorousplantsociety.com

Finn McLennan-Elliott has a Bachelor of Science Honours degree specialising in human geography at Auckland University. In his spare time, Finn plays clarinet and guitar in an orchestra and a folk music group. He is hosting ‘Folk at the Old Folks’ on the first Sunday of every month at the Auckland Old Folks Association Hall, an intimate afternoon concert of folk music.

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SHOWING AT VERGE GALLERY DEPOT ARTSPACE

ARTS + CULTURE DEDICATED, DETERMINED, DIMINUTIVE

Simon Kerr - Stuck in the Middle of Me Until 17 September

Young Cellist Catherine Kwak performing Elgar’s Cello Concerto Op 85 in in E minor with St Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra.

Sunday 20 September 2.30pm

Simon Kerr, one-time member of the infamous Hole-in-theWall gang, prison escapee and activist has turned his remarkable talents to painting, creating a body of work which is both narrative and allegorical, the story of his life and redemption and a commentary on the place of human beings in the world.

With a bright future ahead of her cellist Catherine Kwak returned from London last month having performed at St Martin in the Fields and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with Quattro (her cello quartet).

Quattro won the 2014 Pettman/ ROSL Arts Chamber Music Scholarship.

“I'm almost embarrassed to be described as an ‘artist'.

I’m constantly thinking my skills are decidedly humbled by such talents of other painters. I truly shake my head that people may like how I paint... what I have to say may reach them.

Catherine Kwak who started cello lessons at age seven is studying for a Bachelor of Music at the University of Waikato with James Tennant and Katherine Austin.

“I am a casualty of my own actions. I am messy because of that fact, but mindful I’m also a response to a childhood that had its own realities that were out of my control.

Home Handyman - This is me trying to fix my heart. To the right of me is me, the boy watching in horror as I hammer away. To the left of me, with a hand on my shoulder is the calmer me I am comforting the home handyman.

“I have no desire to be a painting expert, in fact, I’m active in dodging that bullet. I don't want to copy things or lives. For better or worse, I have my own life story to tell and my own observations of the world to blurt out. I’ve escaped many times from places; always running from trouble. But now, I'm on the biggest and hardest escape ever. I’m not running away from anything, it’s impossible to run from what has already been lived and endured.

“I’m running to somewhere now - escaping to love; the only thing I have ever found that deserves my continued existence. Every other human condition has proved itself as merely an antidote to contentment in its purest form - love.

“I am not looking to be accepted by society, I want to contribute to it. I don't want to add my mess to it in a destructive way as I have in the past. I want to give all that mess a home for good, a place where it won't cause any trouble for anyone. A picture on a wall PN is a safe place for it all to live now.” F DEPOT ARTSPACE, 28 Clarence Street, Devonport www.depotartspace.co.nz

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

She is a Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship recipient: and was a prize winner at the 18th International Brahms Cello Competition held in Austria; the 2013 Gisborne International Music Competition and the 2013 ILT National Young Performer of the Year Competition.

Catherine performed at Cellist Catherine Kwak the Euro Arts Festival and Academy (Germany 201213), International Summer Academy Biel (Switzerland) 2012) where she was chosen by Prof. Wen-Sinn Yang to perform as a soloist with the Budweis Philharmonic Orchestra, and did solo recitals in Köln and Weimar (Germany 2012-14).

St Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra who will accompany Catherine Kwak produce music that is magic; excellence is their only option. Highly recommended - their concerts play to full houses. Make sure you get there early. F PN TICKETS: Door sales cash or cheque, adults: $25, concessions: $20, children under 12 free.

ST MATTHEW-IN-THE-CITY CHURCH, corner Wellesley and Hobson Streets. www.smco.org.nz

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ARTS + CULTURE

PONSONBY ARTIST FLOX PARTNERS WITH SEALY IN SUPPORT OF BREAST CANCER AWARENESS Ponsonby-based artist Hayley King, better known as ‘Flox’, first turned heads by transforming grey inner-city walls with her trademark native birds, ferns and flowers.

She has since applied her distinctive Flox style to many indifferent mediums - including clothing, prints, murals and even a musical collective with Fly My Pretties. Most recently however Flox has taken up the challenge of producing a bespoke bed design for Sealy Posturepedic’s third annual Designer Bed charity auction, which takes place during October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Ponsonby News caught up with Flox to get the inside word on the upcoming campaign.

Tell us a bit about your collaboration with Sealy and why you decided to get involved?

I was super excited to be a part of this collaboration with Sealy. It’s an honour to be involved and to play my part in helping to raise awareness around breast cancer in New Zealand. The campaign is in its second year now - I am one of four artists /designers who were approached by Sealy to create a bespoke bed design, all of which will be auctioned off with money going to the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation.

I was basically given a blank canvas, or in this case a blank bed, to ‘Floxify’, so I jumped at the chance. Keep an eye out for my creation on TradeMe in October and get bidding for a good cause!

What inspired your mattress design? Are you happy with the result?

I’m really happy with what I put forward. I wanted to do something totally out of the box in terms of bed design, and I liked the idea of using the mattress as a canvas and staring away from too much repeat pattern. The result is one giant image on top, with two rabbits looking into one another’s eyes. The design is cheeky, but still sophisticated enough for the conscious consumer.

Is the NZ Breast Cancer Foundation a charity you have a personal connection with? Why are you happy to be supporting this charity?

Fortunately I can’t say that I’ve been personally affected by this really harmful disease, but I know it’s prevalent, and I know we need more support. This collaboration has given me the opportunity to apply my passion in such a way, that others will really benefit.

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What have you been up to in the past year?

I’ve spent most of this year away. I was all over the country at the beginning of the year for touring workshops, and then late March I embarked on an overseas artist residency in Taiwan. Supported by the Asia New Zealand Foundation and Creative New Zealand, I was given the platform to make solid networks and create a whole new, Taiwanese -inspired body of work. Now I’m back and tackling the next round of National Colab Workshops, private commissions, a solo show, commercial-based projects, and oh yeah, being a mum (my favourite)!

What are your plans for Flox in the next few years?

I’ve got my eyes on Asia. I think it’s a really untapped market and from the work I’ve already done up there, the feedback I got and the connections I’ve started to make, I think this is just the beginning of something new for my practice. I really appreciate all the support I get from my New Zealand audiences, and the successes I’ve had here over the years, so my goal now to think more global!

Is your studio still based in Ponsonby? Why do you like being based in the area?

I love this area, both from a personal and professional perspective. Ponsonby is my home, I just can’t imagine being anywhere else now. I love that it’s big enough to have a fabulous array of shops, galleries and cafes, but still small enough that you’re almost certain to bump into someone whilst walking down the road. I joke with my mother-in-law all the time, to make sure she’s got her lippy on when leaving the house around here, cause you’ll surely see someone you know!

Sealy’s Designer Beds are revealed in September and are auctioned off on TradeMe from 5 October. F PN

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

ARTS + CULTURE CENTRAL AUCKLAND CREATIVE RESIDENCIES NOW OPEN Emerging artists, creatives and writers can now spend the summer honing their craft in the leafy inner city suburb of Ponsonby - by applying for one of four residencies at Auckland Council’s Studio One Toi Tu. The recipients of the four summer residencies will receive six months of free studio space at Studio One Toi Tu from November 2015 to April 2016, including mentorship and 24-hour access to facilities to help achieve their project goals.

“The residencies at Studio One Toi Tu offer a great opportunity for our emerging artists, creatives and writers to develop their talent, whatever the discipline,” says Shale Chambers, Chair of the Waitemata Local Board, which governs the local arts facility.

“Ponsonby is an inspiring part of the city to work from, especially during the summer months when it is at its peak of vibrancy. The suburb is close to some of the city’s largest parks and inspirational locations such as Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki.”

Studio One Toi Tu manager Echo Janman says the residencies are offered because of the gallery’s commitment to up-andcoming talent.

“There are four residencies available. Applications are open across all creative categories including fine art, creative writing, literature, design, object art, film making and fashion. We are open to any creative discipline, as long there is a sound idea behind your proposal.

“The application process involves a simple form that you fill in online, where you tell us your idea, what you wish to do during the residency, and outline your creative background.

“Each successful resident will have access to resources, networking opportunities and mentorship from professionals associated with their field. It will be an inspiring and exciting six months for four lucky creatives.”

The inaugural Studio One Toi Tu summer residencies are open now for applications. To apply, send a proposal outlining the work or project you wish to pursue throughout the residency to Smarty Grants (please note that applicants must be PN residents of New Zealand). Applications close 10pm, 1 October 2015. F Echo Janman Studio One Manager

https://aucklandcouncil.smartygrants.com.au/StudioOneToiTu_StudioResidency

SHOWING AT TOI ORA Until 2 October, THE FAMILY SHOW

We are told that creativity runs through families; this group show comprising of artists from Toi Ora and their whanau, who are also established artists acknowledges, the importance of the family both in art and life. Artists will display an exciting range of work including: Peter Yeates’ bronze sculptures alongside vibrant paintings by his son Matthew.

Kim Maree and Sophie Batten: sound and moving image.

Daniel Larsen Barr and Elizabeth Wilson: mixed media.

Maggie McCabe: drawings.

Andrew and Beth Serjeant: painting and printmaking.

Sarah McKenney: paper cut outs.

Victor McKenney: drawing.

Pamela Webster: ceramics.

Liam O’Halloran and Martin O’Halloran: photography.

Mary Shirley: painting.

Peter Yeates: sculptor and ceramicist, “Homo Reflector” bronze sculpture

Toi Ora Gallery, 6 Putiki Street, T: 09 360 4171 info@toiora.org.nz www.toiora.org

Matthew Yeates; Untitled, Acrylic on paper The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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ARTS + CULTURE GARY DAVERNE, MUSICAL ARRANGER, COMPOSER, CONDUCTOR, DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER Local resident Gary Daverne, ONZM, is a musical arranger, composer, conductor, director and producer. Earlier this year, he published his first book 'From the Podium' sharing tales from his life of 40 years conducting orchestras and choirs around the world.

What made you decide to write your memoirs?

It was way back in 1975 while conducting the rock musical, Man of Sorrows, (the launching pad for the late Rob Guest and many other fine musicians and actors), that I first considered writing about, what I called ‘happenings’ while on the podium. Those ‘things’ that went right and wrong, ‘happenings,’ that the audience and often the orchestra and cast members where generally unaware of. Some of these ‘happenings’ were serious, others were down right hilarious and many occurred in encores at the end of a performance. Perhaps we had performed a great concert, the pressure was off and we all felt a little too relaxed.

There was one concert at the Auckland Town Hall, where I repeated the Thunderbirds March, which we had played earlier in the programme, as an encore. The audience demanded more and, believe me; you can tell when they really want more.

Now at the beginning of the Thunderbirds, the strings have a loud, frantic, eight measure arpeggio figure, before the trombones come in with full force playing the melody. On this occasion, the section decided to play in their full glory, after only four measures.

The trumpets know they come in four measures after the trombones, so they don’t need to count. The horns then play two measures after the trumpets, followed by the woodwind and percussion. So no one counts. No need to, so they think. There is now a four-measure difference between them and the strings and of course, the harmony changes. I managed to get through the Lord’s Prayer twice before the strings caught up, after about four beats and, would you believe, not many in the audience that I asked had even noticed.

A ‘moment of madness,’ all played with so much energy and conviction. So after some 40 years of conducting orchestras and choirs all around the world, including 35 of those years as Music Director/Conductor with the Auckland Symphony Orchestra, I put pen to paper. I guess retiring from the Auckland Symphony in 2010 gave me the time to recall those memories and to write them down.

Of course I would like to sell a few copies and recover some of my printing costs. But the whole exercise of writing From the Podium was that I felt I had something to tell and share, and for me it was a wonderful trip down memory lane. One of the more difficult tasks of writing this book was sourcing old photos. We didn’t always have digital cameras and how many of us kept those old photos anyway?

Any stand-out moments in your long career?

I was once told by a English lady conductor, just before going on stage to conduct London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, sensing that I was a ‘little’ nervous, she said “Take things seriously but not too seriously. Have fun.”

This I did and I have applied this principle to most things in my life. All my concerts were special for me, but perhaps the ones that stand out in my memory were the annual Christmas Carol concerts in the Auckland Town Hall. These were sing along concerts with the Auckland Symphony and combined Pacific Island Church Youth Choirs of some 300 voices.

What a sound, what an evening, usually the highlight for my conducting year and we always performed to turn away audiences. I presented these sing along concerts for 12 years.

You must have quite a few favourite pieces - what do you enjoy listening to?

I grew up as a rock ‘n’ roller in the 60s and I still love some of the British hits and groups of that time. Pink Floyd, Rick Wakeman, Yes, Ginger Baker, The Shadows and of course The Beatles. With ‘classical’ music, I like the Russian School especially, Borodin, Glazunov and Rimsky Korsakov.

I love British composers and British light orchestral music, the radio programme theme music: Charles William, Eric Coates, Robert Farnon, and the Queens Hall Light

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Orchestra, to name just a few. I have a special love for today’s film music, anything from the 1940s Eastern European composers, like Milkos Rozsa, Dimitri Tiomkin, Max Steiner, Franz Waxman, onwards to my favourites, Jerry Goldsmith, Ennio Morricone, John Williams and James Horner. Those big, broad melodic themes that represent the wide open spaces, which is reflective in my own orchestral compositions. Today, I have gone back to my musical theatre and rock ‘n’ roll roots.

What has been your most challenging piece to conduct?

There have been two actually.

Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture mainly because, as it is not played very often in concert, you don’t get the opportunity to rehearse it and also, there are some difficult musical moments in it. The second was the Ravel Piano Concerto. I conducted this once in Taiwan and that was once enough.

A lovely piece of music which I always enjoy listening to, but not to conduct. Some very nasty bits for me in it.

What’s the first thing you do when you get a musical score?

Usually I just sit and cold read through the music, marking in pencil sections that could need attention and interpretation during rehearsal, like tempo changes, solo cues, dynamics and most important the feel of the music. I sort out difficult passages and any special bowings for the strings that I might want, but generally, I leave the bowings to the section leaders.

I only listen to recordings of the music after I have a good understanding of the composer’s intentions. I can spend hours doing my homework, just reading the score and mentally playing the music. Sometimes I am required to conduct music that the orchestra engaging me has requested. I don’t always like it, but before I stand in front of an orchestra, I must know the score thoroughly and know all I can about the composer.

What attracted you to Ponsonby/Herne Bay? In the early 70s, when I returned from my big OE (driving overland from London to Kathmandu via the Middle Eastern countries) I was teaching Commerce and Accounting at Kelston Boys’ High (I am a qualified secondary school teacher in Commerce, but that’s another story).

I was renting a unit in Avondale. The landlord put the rent up on me three times in a year, so I decided to apply my commercial knowledge that I had learnt at university and what I was teaching the boys at school, and enter the residential property market.

Herne Bay and Grey Lynn were my preferred choices.

I have lived now in Herne Bay since the mid 70s. I love it here.

I retired from teaching in 1980 to pursue a career in music. F PN ‘FROM THE PODIUM’ is available from Paper Plus, 332 Ponsonby Road or email Gary direct daverne@ihug.co.nz PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

SHOWING AT OREXART Peter James Smith - Line of Sight 8 September - 3 October Opening: 8 September 5.30 - 7.30pm The Line of Sight works echo Peter James Smith’s wide interest in science, culture and history. They include representational landscapes and black paintings carrying texts from the geographic ends of Earth (Scotland, Iceland, England, Australia, New Zealand, sub-Antarctic, the Antarctic). Smith’s Line of Sight is an historical, scientific and cultural thread that entwines these geographies.

ARTS + CULTURE SHOWING @ WHITESPACE Bob Kerr: It was all the Fun of the World 8 - 26 September

Bob Kerr is a story teller and a painter with an interest in New Zealand’s history and landscape.

His new series of paintings reflect on the story of Tim Armstrong, who was arrested for sedition in New Zealand in 1916 and who eventually became a Labour party politician.

WHITESPACE, 12 Crummer Road, T: 09 361 6331, www.whitespace.co.nz

The arresting thing about his landscapes is his ability to marry his Romantic style of painting - historically a reaction against the scientific rationalisation of nature - with scientific vernacular itself.

All Line of Sight pieces are mounted in found antique frames that have been restored and blackened so as to be simultaneously period and contemporary.

Before I was twelve years of age. Oil on Board, 60 x 122cms

PN Please contact rex@orexart.co.nz for details. F

OREXART, 15 Putiki Street, Arch Hill, T: 09 378 0588, rex@orexart.co.nz www.orexart.co.nz

Bob Kerr

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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ARTS + CULTURE SPRING SEASON STRIPPED BARE TINY THEATRE GARNET STATION CAFE No Holds Bard - 10 - 12 September, 8pm, $25/$20 Michael Hurst’s acclaimed solo show No Holds Bard began life in 2012 at the Wellington International Festival. Described as ‘an adventure in the Shakespearean afterlife,’ it is a high-energy exploration of the mind of an actor caught in the process of unravelling, featuring tights, multiple personalities and blank verse.

Crouching Tiger Rising Moon Feast - 18 September, 6.45pm, $45 Gourmands Tanah Dowdle and Freddy Sy have created a fabulous hands-on indoor /outdoor food event with Oriental delicacies like hand-pulled noodles, dumplings with a twist, exotic rice paper rolls with sesame crusted Mt Cook Salmon and pickled pink ginger. In addition there will be moon block throwing to tell your future, blessings, lantern wishes, calligraphy and art. To book call M: 021 917 766.

A performance in Grey Lynn

by Jennifer De Leon

A solo dance with vulnerability, terror, strength, stillness, poetry, and extraordinary movement @ The Studio, 14b Westmoreland Street East, Grey Lynn on 15 and 16 November @ 6pm.

PN Entry by donation, $20 suggested. F Please book your place T: 09 376 1671 or E: jennydancer@paradise.net.nz

Bill Massey’s Tourists - 23 - 26 September, 8pm, $25/$20 In the past year Jan Bolwell of Paekakariki has presented her solo show throughout New Zealand. The play is titled Bill Massey’s Tourists because this is what the Kiwi soldiers called themselves, referring to their Prime Minister Bill Massey. Theatre director Raymond Hawthorne saw the special presentation to members of the Auckland Regiment last year - it is a great piece of theatre!

Based on her grandfather’s reflections of World War I, Jan Bolwell reveals both as a writer and performer the horrors, humour and pathos of those hellish times at the front; a moving experience. As Arthur tells his story, the teenage Jan begins to understand why her grandfather has ended up a grumpy, unwell and uncommunicative old man.

Bookings essential - only 35 seats available.

TINY THEATRE GARNET STATION CAFE, 85 Garnet Road, T: 09 360 3397 www.garnetstation.co.nz

Jan Bolwell as The Patriotic Woman in her solo play ‘Bill Massey’s Tourists’

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ARTS + CULTURE

UPTOWN ART SCENE The visual arts are very useful for protesting how we see things and even literal methods can vary widely in their styles.

Emily Karaka (Ngati Tai ki Tamaki, Ngati Hine, Ngapuhi) is a well-known artist who was prominent in the 1980s Maori land protest movement. She describes landforms with hot, bold colours in an Expressionist, or very direct brush style, and uses text to pinpoint disputes, confiscations and to boldly state her position. Land has been the troubled interface between Maori and Pakeha for much of New Zealand’s history, and Karaka’s work loudly protests the official way of seeing it. Her work in the Five Maori Painters show at Auckland Art Gallery last year contrasted with the exhibition Our Country of Australian Aboriginal artists downstairs, also protesting loss of land. While the continuing injustices across the Tasman brought tears to my eyes, the Maori artists were obviously operating from a much stronger position - their protest had begun to bring about change.

Jude Rae showing at Whitespace

The paintings in her latest show, at OREXART in Putiki Street, have a more optimistic feeling, reflecting the vitality of Maori contemporary society, which she describes as “our new dawn”. While the work still deals with issues such as loss of language, disempowerment and land loss, the outlook is more confident and the approach more considered, with a focus on reviving and maintaining matauranga Maori.

ART ASSOCIATES With a vast collection of contemporary artworks, we make the process of leasing or purchasing art easy and accessible.

Contact us to find out more.

37 Scanlan Street, Ponsonby T: 09 376 4308 www.artassociates.co.nz

Jude Rae’s protest is more subtle and has to do with our perception: Rae protests how we see. Her still life paintings have a quiet expectancy about them, a weight that exerts an almost gravitational pull on the viewer. They seem very simple: containers on a base and against an unobtrusive background.

One can see through to the initial layer of paint, a burnt orange that gives a wonderful glow, which the foreground and background cover with one layer of sparse paint. The containers are more modelled, but all in all they should be very simple constructions; yet the eye keeps moving around them, sampling each tasty portion of paint. It soon becomes noticeable that there are no hard edges anywhere; even the edge of the canvas is soft.

Visually, there are no hard edges in our world - we are bifocal, and our eyes bring two separate images that are slightly out of alignment to our brains for overlaying. Close one eye and with your arm outstretched, cover a wall edge with your finger. Keep your arm in place but now close that eye and open the other: the edge is no longer covered by your finger.

“We assume so much about seeing and the visual world,” says Rae in her Sight Undone essay. “Priorities dictate that generally we are not conscious of certain visual specificities - the fall of light on objects and the configurations they make in the world we inhabit - even though these details constitute the very fabric of our being... Seeing is believing as the old saying goes but, as anyone who has taught or studied observation based drawing will have found, the reverse also applies: we see what we expect to see.” We are very fortunate to be able to see Jude Rae’s paintings at Fox Jensen in Putiki Street from time to time. F PN (WILL PAYNT, STUDIO ART SUPPLIES)

REMBRANDT REMASTERED EXHIBITION Hurry don’t miss out - closes soon A remarkable collection of digitally remastered and life-size paintings from one of the world’s greatest painters of all time. Each work reproduced exactly as it may have left the master’s studio nearly 400 years ago.

Level 6, Smith & Caughey’s, 253 Queen Street OPEN 7 Days a Week www.rembrandtremastered.co The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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ARTS + CULTURE SHOWING AT BASHFORD ANTIQUES Fatu Feu’u and Joshua Bashford - Pacific Generations 20 September - 31 October, Opening: 20 September, 2pm

PACIFIC GENERATIONS, featuring renowned Samoan artist, Fatu Feu’u and Joshua Bashford of Pakeha and Samoan decent, incorporates ARTWEEK 10-18 October.

Fatu’s career spans over 30 years. His vibrant oil on canvas works dwell on Pacific iconic symbols going back thousands of years, depicting his Samoan genealogy and heritage.

A selection of spectacular stone sculptures will also be exhibited.

Joshua Bashford

Joshua Bashford, mentored by Fatu Feu’u, was Artist in Residence at the Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies in 2011. They have exhibited together in Canterbury, in Apia as part of the ‘Return to Hawaiiki’ visiting artist’s programme, The Diversion Gallery in Picton and the Little River Gallery. He gained a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree (Honours) in 2012 from the University of Canterbury.

Joshua converted his late father’s Little River engineering workshop into an art studio that houses his printing press. He executes his large mono prints on canvas from his intricately carved woodcuts depicting wildlife - fish, birds, landscape, rivers and sea.

Inspired by the surrounding Lakes Forsyth and Ellesmere and Birdlings Flat - rolling hills, sea, fish and hawks translate into motifs intermingled with images of family and his Christian faith. His title theme for ARTWEEK is Faith Fauna Fanua (Samoan for land.) F PN BASHFORD ANTIQUES, 24 Williamson Avenue, T: 09 361 5142 www.bashford.co.nz

Fatu Feu’u

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THE PONSONBY PHILOSOPHER John Key Accuses inner city residents of nimbyism It’s an easy accusation to throw around. NIMBYism is opposition by residents to a proposal for a new development because it is too close to them, often with the connotation that such residents believe that the developments are needed in society but should be further away.

So a high rise development planned for Great North Road should be built in Jervois Road according to residents in Grey Lynn heights, while a proposed Jervois Road development should be built on Great North Road according to Herne Bay residents.

As I have written in an earlier Ponsonby News piece, I don’t think it is that simple. It is about loss of amenity values.

Online examples of NIMBYism include fracking, chemical plants, wind turbines, prisons, pubs, brothels, as well as large-scale housing developments.

It is these large scale housing plans, often high rise, which are the major concern in the urban environment. These developments are likely to increase traffic, reduce property values, cause noise pollution, and be a visual blight on a neighbourhood, with architecture that does not fit in with the surrounding built environment. Multistorey buildings are often accused of being ugly, casting shadows which restrict light, and hovering threateningly above adjacent old villas or bungalows.

One psychological issue seldom discussed when population intensity is proposed is the question of personal space. People regard a certain distance around their bodies as inviolable - it is psychologically theirs. New Zealanders are not used to living and travelling around in such close proximity to others as, say, those living in crowded Asian cities - cramming into buses and trains, negotiating crowded streets and shopping precincts.

Although apartment living, even high-rise, is becoming more normal in New Zealand, especially Auckland, there are still many Aucklanders who wouldn’t live in a high rise apartment if you paid them. They are psychologically adjusted to their one fifth of an acre section with a bit of lawn and garden. They often value trees in urban areas too for the health benefits they provide.

And so the question is this: what right does the Prime Minister, or the council, have to tell residents how many more residents they want to cram in beside them, either in terrace housing or high rise?

What rights do citizens have to their existing amenity values - quietness, trees, traffic, privacy, density levels?

And crucially, in terms of the world’s most liveable city, what will be added, and what will be subtracted, by enforced intensification.

I could be naughty and say it’s okay for John Key, he can just be ‘Now In Maui Beside Yachts’, while long-standing villa residents in Ponsonby, Herne Bay and Grey Lynn have their BBQs and pool parties oggled from on high, from new seven storey apartment blocks, hard up against their boundaries, looking straight into their backyards.

All the talk I hear around the inner city is not about what a wonderful liveable city we have, but how much rates have increased and how unpleasant it will be if we are surrounded by dozens of high-rise apartments. Wind tunnels on Jervois Road and Great North Road, cars and noise everywhere, and green spaces drastically reduced.

Some of us will bugger off out of Auckland if we don’t have a job which keeps us here. Council still has a lot of thinking to do so that they get the right mix for the long-term betterment of Auckland. (JOHN ELLIOTT) F PN E: johnelliott@ihug.co.nz

50/50 WOMEN The Women’s Bookshop invites you to help select the top 50 women writers of the last 50 years.

Margaret Atwood and Barbara Kingsolver were ‘neck ‘n’ neck’ for the top two places on the list, with Janet Frame and Patricia Grace not far behind, in both previous surveys, conducted nationwide in 2005 and 2010.

The 50/50 list, and the prize winners, will be revealed at a celebration Champagne party in THE WOMEN’S BOOKSHOP, 105 Ponsonby Road at 5pm on National Bookshop Day, Saturday 31 October.

It’s now 2015, so The Women’s Bookshop, with support from Harper Collins Publishers, are organising their survey again, to find out whom the women authors are that New Zealand readers love and cherish.

For more information contact: Carole Beu or Tanya Gribben T: 09 376 4399 books@womensbookshop.co.nz www.womenbookshop.co.nz

The Women’s Bookshop has a permanent display space for these top 50 titles.

“Customers often exclaim in delight about how many of them they have read,” says the bookshop’s owner Carole Beu. “They purchase some they haven’t read and leave clutching a copy of the list.”

The survey will be conducted entirely online this time, much to the relief of the team at The Women’s Bookshop, who spent many hours collating the results of previous surveys.

Win the TOP 50 books! Voters are asked to choose their top five women authors and then to select their favourite book by that author. By voting, they will automatically go in the draw to win one of the five piles of the new Top 50 books.

VOTE at www.womensbookshop.co.nz by clicking on the 50/50 WOMEN link - voting closes on 9 October, giving individuals and book groups plenty of time to ponder and debate.

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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HOROSCOPES: MISS PEARL NECLIS

What your stars hold for September

♍ Virgo (the Virgin): 22 August - 23 September

♓ Pisces (the Fish): 20 February - 20 March

♎ Libra (the Scales): 24 September - 23 October

♈ Aries (the Ram): 21 March - 20 April

♏

♉ Taurus (the Bull): 21 April - 21 May

You do have a problem letting go and just when you thought you were free of your past, you find another anchor keeping you in place. Maybe you need to help letting go and see how far you fall.

Sometimes you just have to do what you want and if that means being reckless and spontaneous then go for it! You have to learn to enjoy your life, as it’s not all about work.

Scorpio (the Scorpion): 24 October - 22 November You feel alive this month and you have a desire to tell the world exactly who you are. Any decisive action you take will have a direct impact on your future, just don’t hesitate or the moment will be lost.

♐ Sagittarius (the Archer): 23 November - 22 December

If you have the opportunity to do something different this month, then do it otherwise you’ll find yourself regretting things you could’ve done. You can’t just lock things away in your conscious for another day, the time to act is now.

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

You want to be social with your friends and have some excitement in your life but you seem to be the life and soul of your entire circle. Try shaking things up a bit and remind everyone that you’re only using your powers for good.

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

You may dream about the possibilities of a life that is different from the one you are used to.

But if you try and live a different life now you will only create heartache. You will get there, it just might take longer than you think.

You may not be in the mood to share much this month as you struggle to get over a disagreement you had with someone close. Don’t let any conflict get in the way of any future plans for partnership.

You have to carry on with the way things are until you have cleared a path for what may come. If you set a date in your head for sometime not too far in the future, this will give you a clear goal to work towards and it will change your life.

You’re usually quite stubborn and often a creature of habit once you have made up your mind and this month will be no different. You could surprise everyone and be someone else for a change, you never know you might enjoy it.

♊

Gemini (the Twins): 22 May - 21 June You’re often drawn to new things and your questioning mind usually distracts you from everyday life. You can change your mind as often you like, that’s up to you, but think about everyone else you might have inconvenienced along the way every time you change things.

♋

Cancer (the Crab): 22 June - 22 July You know you want something different or maybe to make a change but you don’t quite know what it is yet. Don’t wait around trying to figure it out though, as you’re not entirely sure yourself. Just get on with things and enjoy life.

♌

Leo (the Lion): 23 July - 21 August You’ve had a cracking month and you can feel the urgency about life and the passion returning once again. Focus those feelings on your business and you will see the start of a new you.

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

Planet Ayurveda, 41 Gillies Avenue 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

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 Atomic, 420c New North Road

MT EDEN Citta Outlet Store, Corner Enfield & Normanby Road Sabato, 57 Normanby Road Studio Italia, 25 Nugent Street

146 PONSONBY NEWS+ September 2015

NORTH SHORE Rug Direct, Wairau Park Dawson’s Furniture, Mairangi Bay

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

PARNELL Jane Daniels, 2 Birdwood Crescent Parnell Community Centre, 545 Parnell Road

PONSONBY Askew, 2b Jervois Road Bayleys, 305 Ponsonby Road 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

WESTMERE Glengarry, 164 Garnet Road

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

THE PONSONBY PINK PAGES

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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148 PONSONBY NEWS+ September 2015

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)