PONSONBY NEWS - MARCH'14

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MARCH 2014

VIVA ITALIA - THE REAL ITALIANS VALERIA CARBONARO OF STUDIO ITALIA WITH ARMANDO KOCI OF GUSTO ITALIANO, PONSONBY

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WHAT’S INSIDE THIS MONTH

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P110; TRICIA LAFFERTY and KYM AIKIN are offering vendors a new service, which costs clients nothing when they list and sell with them. What’s the catch?

P126; Last month’s Pride Parade was a very special experience and a crowd of 60,000 gathered along Ponsonby Road to watch all the rainbow community’s 48 floats.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR FROM THE EDITOR DAVID HARTNELL: ONE MINUTE INTERVIEW SHALE CHAMBERS: WAITEMATA LOCAL BOARD NIKKI KAYE, AUCKLAND CENTRAL MP MIKE LEE, COUNCILLOR FOR WAITEMATA & GULF JACINDA ARDERN: LABOUR LIST MP AUCKLAND GREY LYNN NEWS U3A PONSONBY COVER STORY: VIVA ITALIA

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JAY PLATT: WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT FASHION + STYLE ANGELA LASSIG: LETTERS FROM MAUDIE EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY LAURAINE JACOBS: THE SEASONED PALATE PONSONBY NEWS READERS ARE EVERYWHERE JOHN ELLIOTT: LOCAL NEWS KINGSLAND: THE NEW PONSONBY HELENE RAVLICH: NATURAL BEAUTY LIVING, THINKING + BEING

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SHEENA SHUVANI: STARDUST ASTROLOGY JOHN APPLETON ON HEALTH PONSONBY PEOPLE & THEIR PETS FUTURE GENERATION SIDELINE WITH GEORGE BERRY LOOK WHO IS IN THE ZOO HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS STREET NAMES ARTS + CULTURE PONSONBY PINK PAGES COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: Michael McClintock

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LETTERS + EMAILS PLEASE SEND LETTERS TO info@ponsonbynews.co.nz A grateful local On Monday 17 February, I was bowled off my Vespa and suffered a broken collarbone, heavy bruising and lacerations to my leg. This happened on Ponsonby Road just outside Salta and I was hoping you could publish this letter as a note of gratitude to the great folk who emerged to check on my well being, the doctor and nurse, the delightful lady from the coffee shop and the young woman who insisted I went to hospital, and who ran back to my office to get my phone and let my colleagues know.

There were other folk who were also there in support and you will know if you were, so a heartfelt thank you to you all for your care and consideration.

BRIAN CORBETT, Westmere Missing photos from burglary Sadly we were burgled last week and unfortunately they removed from the property (among a huge range of other things) several of our irreplaceable photo albums and a box of photos. These of course have no monetary value and it is simply a malicious act.

The burglars were disturbed by our fantastic neighbour, who at 5.30am went to investigate in his undies, and they apparently left the scene, dumping the occasional item around the Herne Bay and Westmere area. They were subsequently arrested and are awaiting sentencing. While most items are replaceable, it is a crushed light green velvet album, a flip aluminium album and a floral shoebox filled with photos that I am hoping someone may come across if the burglars have thrown them away.

I have learnt a lot about what to look for - they go in and shut the curtains and often have a spotter street side either in a car or loitering. Unfortunately we do live in a hotspot (as do most of your readers) for home burglaries.

Name and address withheld upon request.

FROM THE EDITOR: If anyone comes across these items please let me know.

Fukuoka Friendship garden for Ponsonby Park Ponsonby Park is the perfect site for the Japanese gardens demolished at the Zoo. What’s more, they could be installed NOW! The rear of the site is under-developed and under-utilised car parking that could be surrendered for the beautiful Japanese garden.

JENNIFER WARD, Ponsonby Summer on Jervois Road I’ve just finished reading the February issue, which I’ve now read from cover to cover. My husband and I have lived in Herne Bay for the past 20 years and thoroughly enjoyed the editorials on the businesses on Jervois Road. Ponsonby always gets plenty of publicity so we were delighted to see some of our local businesses take the limelight.

It was nice to see the Tessuti ladies on the cover. Their store is beautiful and stocks so many nice things. We are big fans of Dida’s and we were there a few nights ago sampling one of their delicious Bordeaux wines. Keep up the good work Ponsonby News, we love your work.

SANDRA JONES, Herne Bay

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

AUCKLAND RATED IN TOP THREE CITIES IN THE WORLD Auckland has taken third spot in Mercer’s 2014 Quality of Living rankings for the second year in a row, cementing its position as a world-class city.

Auckland features behind quality European destinations Vienna and Zurich, in first and second place respectively. Mercer praised Auckland for its stellar quality of living and said that Auckland’s ranking in the top three cities reinforces New Zealand as an attractive destination for overseas expatriates.

Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development Chief Executive Brett O’Riley says this is another feather in Auckland’s cap.

“To consistently feature in the top three in the prestigious Mercer rankings is a great credit to Auckland and acknowledgement of our progress to becoming the world’s most liveable city,” he says.

The announcement comes hot on the heels of Auckland celebrating its biggest weekend of events and tourism since Rugby World Cup 2011, with the city welcoming around 200,000 people for major events.

Mercer’s Quality of Living Index ranks cities to help multinational employers pay their global workforce fairly when they are on international assignments. F PN

My pride and joy On my birthday last year, my 18 year old grandson son paid me a visit not only to wish me the best for my special day but also to tell me, in his own words, he “preferred men.”

As a grandmother I knew from a very early age he was different from his older male siblings, but of course I knew that only he could “come out” in his own way and in his own time.

What a relief when he did! I hugged him and said I loved him unconditionally and that he ought to be very proud of who he is, that having a gay grandson made no difference to me. This brings me to say I really enjoyed the Pride Festival this year and how fantastic it is that we can celebrate together regardless of our sexual orientation!

As I watched the Parade on Ponsonby Road (which by the way was a little slow) I had mixed emotions. Sad as my thoughts drifted back to my youth when in the 1970s many of my (gay) friends got beaten up, bullied and taunted. But happy knowing that my grandson lives in a world where he can be himself and live his life with pride!

JANIE B, Grey Lynn Give us more diversity I‘m sorry I missed the Pride Parade last month. I had to go out of town to a wedding. But I saw a bit of it on TV and was a little disappointed.

I recently went to a fiesta in Cebu in the Philippines and was very impressed. Participants came from many different islands all over the Philippines. They had different dance routines, different costumes and different floats. Many of them were school children.

They were celebrating diversity, cultural and ethnic.

Now next year, how about the Pride Parade focusing on diversity of all kinds? It would be bigger, brighter, and more colourful. I love the gay floats, but Auckland’s full of lots of other colourful groups too. Vive la difference!

And another tip: next year make the road a bit narrower. It looked as if there was too much empty space.

GREG TONY, Westmere

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FROM THE EDITOR

Last month’s Pride Parade was a very special experience and a crowd of 60,000 gathered along Ponsonby Road to watch all the rainbow community’s 48 floats. The theme for this year’s Pride Parade was TIME. One organiser told us, “Our memories are filled with first peoples, gods, canoes and ships, art, dance and music. History is colour and sound.

We’ve lived at the margins and we’ve come into the centre. We’ve had political struggles and legal victories. We mourn the people we have lost. We honour our forebears, but celebrate the living.”

Curran Street’s red bench in Herne Bay was lovingly restored last month to its beautiful tram red, inviting people passing to take a rest. The bench has been transformed by local residents Dr Ralf and Helen Schnabe to become the Herne Bay community’s love bench. Featuring brass signs of the word “love” in different languages including French, Chinese, Latin, English, German, Maori, and even Braille. This is a true community project in the spirit of love. Bryan Lomas told us, “The seat came from the harbour ferry SS Muritai. Several were donated to Auckland City Council at the time the vessel was scrapped in

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photography: Jane Blundel @ Kloser

EVERY MARCH, WE RUN OUR VIVA ITALIA FEATURE, which creates an opportunity to focus on things Italian. Our cover stars this month are “real” Italians, Studio Italia’s Valeria Carbonaro with Armando Koci, owner of Gusto Italiano. Valeria specialises in bringing iconic Italian furniture brands to Auckland, while Armando has created a friendly and popular Italian restaurant in the heart of Three Lamps, Ponsonby.

Gwynne Davenport, Martin Leach, Jo Barrett, Julie Roulston and Jay Platt 1960/61. It’s great to see this remaining one preserved, which looks great in red but they were painted dark green in their day.

On a sad note, we send our condolences to Miles Hughes’s wife Bronwen. Miles, a local writer had been ill for several months and passed away last month in Mercy Hospice. A few weeks before, his friends (from Spit.It.Out, Inside Out, NZSA) held a “Roast For The Writer” at One2One Café, Ponsonby.

Anita Arlov from Inside Out was the MC for the event, which included poetry readings, music performances and a humourous skit by MeeMee Phipps, which parodies Miles Templar trilogy. In all, 16 people contributed, the last being singer song writer Caitlin Smith who is one of the country’s best known performers.

Six of Miles Hughes titles are available as eBooks from the Auckland library system. “Richmond Road”, his final book is available at Dear Reader, Novel and The Women’s Bookshop. We hope everyone is enjoying summer and look forward to seeing some more beautiful weather before winter is upon us. (MARTIN LEACH) F PN

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DAVID HARTNELL’S: ONE MINUTE INTERVIEW Long time resident of Point Chevalier, radio host Dom Harvey opens up in this month’s one minute interview.

What was your childhood like?

I would say on the porvo side of middle class, which was probably normal in the 70s and 80s. There were six of us living in a three bedroom house. For some odd reason mum and dad upgraded to an impressive six bedroom home AFTER my older sister and I had left home.

Who is the most annoying celebrity today?

Te Radar. No real reason. He just irritates me. I think it started with that silly name - what is a Te Radar? And why don't the TVNZ make-up team who do such a great job on Wendy and Simon, sort his hair out?

Who do you think are New Zealand's best dressed man and woman?

Colin Mathura Jeffree for the men. For the women, I'd say Karen Walker. Any lady who can say she was "dressed by Karen Walker" every single day is probably doing ok.

Would you ever consider having Botox?

Had it. Loved it. Probably won't do it again though.

I did it as a chapter in my book "Bucket list of an Idiot." I got it done on the canyon sized crease between my eyes and it worked amazingly well... but it cost about $400. I am vain but also frugal so I am unlikely to go back for seconds.

How would yo like to be remembered?

As the miserable bastard who died with millions but left a will that instructed every last cent of it be used to build the biggest marble statue of me that money could afford.

Last time you turned off your mobile phone?

When it seized up and needed a reboot. I have a terrible addiction to being connected.

Something that you really disapprove of?

Long lines at supermarket checkouts. They have 20 aisles, and make millions of dollars in profits, but never open more than three or four checkouts. Miserable bastards.

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

Go to Wellington and cash in that ticket!

Your life motto?

It's easier to beg forgiveness than to seek approval.

What cliché do you most abhor?

You can't cry over spilt milk. Because you can. Maybe the milk you spill happens at the end of what has been an emotionally charged day. Maybe you are pregnant and hormonal. Whatever your reason, the saying is BS. Tears can be shed over the spilling of milk.

What’s your comfort food?

Potato fritters.

What’s the best thing about your life right now?

I'm 40 and about as fit and healthy as I have ever been. I have a great job and awesome family and friends. My life is not perfect and there is stuff I'd love to change or tweak but mostly it is awesome so selecting one aspect is impossible.

What motivates you?

Fear of poverty.

What gizmo can you simply not live without? iPhone. I use it so much that most days it requires a top up charge. So lame!

What do you think happens when we die?

Sadly I think that's it. We have our time then we are gone. There is nothing else. No afterlife, no better place. It's a lovely thought but incredibly naive given the lack of any evidence.

Your greatest weakness/indulgence?

Sweets. Desserts, confectionary, soft drinks, ice cream. I love it all!

Your favourite book?

It's a tie - “Misconception” by Jay-Jay Feeney and “Bucket list of an Idiot” by Dom Harvey.

Your favourite time of the day?

Bath time. And run time.

Your idea of perfect happiness?

Travelling with JJ. We love everything about it - the break from work, the exploration, the dining, the time out, the flights, the airport. Going anywhere, even back home, is a fun adventure.

Your greatest fear?

Failure. And being poor. I think this stems from attitudes instilled in me at a young age.

Change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I'd be less materialistic.

Are you a handshake, hug or cheek-kiss kind of person?

Always a kiss for women. I find a handshake a bit too businessey and formal.

Favourite season?

Summer... during winter. Then winter... during summer. I think summer would be the fave but I actually like aspects of both.

The best holiday you’ve ever had?

Honeymoon in Bora Bora.

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

The anti-smacking law! Reverse it. Sometimes kids NEED a smack. Kids are not rational so reasoning and negotiation doesn't work.

The last time you cried?

At my nana's funeral in August. She was in her late 80s and had lived a good life. I think the tears were selfish ones - thinking about how much I was going to miss this awesome lady. (DAVID HARTNELL) F PN

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SHALE CHAMBERS: WAITEMATA LOCAL BOARD REPORT IT WAS ANOTHER STUNNER PRIDE PARADE LAST MONTH. AUCKLAND IS indeed lucky that the modest Ponsonby Road street parade from 10 years ago has blossomed into a full scale “month of pride” and with the many artistic and fun events that surround it being innovative and colourful, Auckland is close to rivalling Sydney.

The Waitemata Local Board is currently working on our next three-year local board plan. We have been busy seeking early input from many locals over the last month. The local board plan aims to reflect the aspirations of our community and set the board’s strategic direction for the next three years. It will say what’s important, what local services people think we should provide and what local projects we should focus on.

The plan has the following proposed objectives: • A distinctive, high-quality built environment that embraces our heritage • Connected, healthy transport choices • An innovative economic hub • Respecting and enhancing the natural environment • Quality places created for people to use and enjoy • Strong communities that are inclusive, vibrant and engaged The draft plan will be out for formal consultation in June 2014, and we would welcome your input and views on our efforts at that time.

In the meantime, the work of your local board on seeing through the priorities and projects of the first three years continues apace.

The board-funded refurbishment of ArtStation is complete, and it re-opened for classes last month. Its relaunch as a more flexible creative precinct space has not been without controversy, but the place is looking fabulous. The galleries have been moved to the ground floor, creating four new gallery spaces, and ArtStation now has studio spaces for hire, to establish a community of creatives-in-residence. As a precinct, we hope it will be well received by artists, designers, writers, makers, sculptors, ceramicists, object makers, fused glass artists and other creative people. If you have not visited ArtStation, pop in and have a look at its gallery displays; 1 Ponsonby Road. It’s your community space.

The board’s 1.4km Weona-Westmere Coastal Walkway; part coastal boardwalk, part reserve walkway track along the Westmere coast received resource consent late last year. We are hopeful the concerns of appellants will be resolved shortly, enabling this stage of the board’s coastal walkway to be constructed, joining Waterfront Auckland’s Westhaven Marina boardwalk presently under construction.

The Myers Park upgrade, including new playground, significant entranceway upgrades, and park safety lighting and CCTV improvements is to commence very shortly. In fact, Myers Park is but one of a series of significant playground and parks improvements that we will see roll out in our community this year and beyond. The playground and toilet facilities in Western Park and Costley Reserve’s playground in Freemans Bay, Cox’s Bay Reserve’s pathways, the playgrounds in Tole Reserve in Ponsonby, and Salisbury Reserve in Herne Bay, and both playgrounds in Grey Lynn Park, including the return of

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Pacifika Festival 2013 Te Ariki Vaine Dance Group the flying fox, are all scheduled for replacement and in many cases improvement as part of the board’s wider assessment of community needs in those parks.

Some of you may have noticed new drinking fountains popping up in your local parks.

As part of the board’s strategy to provide drinking fountains, including dog facilities in our off-leash parks, new drinking fountains have recently been installed in Vermont Reserve, Old Mill Reserve, Cox’s Bay Reserve, Auckland Domain, Basque Reserve and Tole Reserve. More are to follow shortly at Sentinel Beach, Jagger’s Bush, Leamington Reserve, Francis Reserve, Bayfield Park, Myers Park, Grey Lynn Park, and Alberon Reserve. Your local board continues to focus on steady and affordable improvements to our rich local park and coastal beach network.

Bring out your colourful Pacific shirt. The Pasifika Festival is on again at Western Springs Park on March 8. The park will be transformed into 11 Pacific island villages showcasing the song, dance, food and craft of their Pacific island nations in an atmosphere of high energy and bustling markets. For the first time in the festival’s 22 year history, we welcome Hawaii as a new member of the Pasifika family alongside Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Niue, Samoa, Tahiti, Tonga, Tokelau, Tuvalu and Aotearoa.

We all enjoy the markets and on-stage performances, the taste of authentic island flavours, and experiencing traditional crafts such as weaving, tattooing and carving, and learning the unique customs and stories of the Pacific Islands.

February has days that are sometimes too warm. March weather brings some cooling but also the close of daylight saving. There is hopefully still a month of great weather left before this year’s late Easter break. Enjoy the rest of Auckland’s summer, and all PN that the outdoors of inner city living has to offer. (SHALE CHAMBERS) F Contact me: shale.chambers@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

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LOCAL NEWS AWARD WINNING GREY LYNN WOODTURNER GRAEME MACKAY Meeting award winning Grey Lynn woodturner Graeme Mackay brings to mind attributes of the Grey Lynn Tribe outlined by authors Jill Caldwell and Christopher Brown in their book “8 Tribes, the Hidden Classes of New Zealand.”

Having lived in Grey Lynn since 1980 Graeme could be said to be a foundation member of the Grey Lynn Tribe.

A person of wide interests and abilities he describes himself on his website as a woodturner living and working in the wonderful Republic of Grey Lynn. He is one of New Zealand’s leading woodturners, whose work spans a range from utilitarian to exquisite art pieces, commissioned works and mixed media working with other artists.

Graeme is also a career specialist, a professional member of the Career Development Association of New Zealand and a qualified occupational assessor. His educational background includes a Masters degree in Politics, a Diploma of Town Planning, Certificate of Adult Tertiary Education and a Certificate in Woodturning. He travelled widely, including a time in England and Europe and was a professional yacht racer. Woodwork and woodturning, he says were his “other life”. He started with carving, making wooden instruments and for the past decade has been woodturning. As his work has evolved artwork has come as a consequence.

An hour in his company takes you through the story of the 100 plus year old home that he has shared with wife Jude Buckler since their marriage in 1980, his workshop which has expanded from the original pigeon

loft on the property, a fascinating range of lovingly crafted wooden items and award winning wooden art pieces displayed in the house, all of which are for sale. He has won many awards for his work and some award winning pieces can be viewed. Prominent among these is a beautifully decorated whale which won an award at last year’s Easter show. The patterns and textures are applied using pyrography, formerly known as pokerwork, a skill that has been around for centuries. Graeme produces many exquisitely decorated pieces, including bowls and other items.

“It’s not just drawing a picture,” he explains. “It’s making textures to touch, designed to be felt.” His range of stress relief pieces are an example. Small pieces, exquisitely decorated, for desk or pocket with texture perfect for feeling. Some include smooth areas to indicate having reached smoother waters, or a hole pointing out that there could be a hole in our theory. They make thoughtful and humorous gifts.

Reading Graeme’s website makes you want to meet him and to see his work. This can easily be arranged by phoning M: 027 206 7083.

PN (PHILIPPA TAIT) F www.thegreylynnwoodturner.co.nz

Exquisitely decorated with patterns and textures applied using pyrography, Graeme Mackay’s whale won an award at last year’s Easter Show.

The woodturner from Grey Lynn, Graeme Mackay

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LOCAL NEWS WESTERN PARK VENUE FOR TREE CLIMBING COMPETITION Ponsonby’s Western Park will host this year’s New Zealand Arboricultural Association and Husqvarna Auckland/Northland Regional Tree Climbing Competition on Saturday 8 March.

New Zealanders and current world tree climbing champions, Nicky Ward-Allen and Scott Forrest, will be at the event, with Nicky climbing on the day.

Preliminary events kick off at 8:00 am - these test a competitor's ability to professionally and safely manoeuver in a tree, while performing simulated work-related tree-care tasks in a timely manner. Those with the highest total score from the five events will qualify for the National Tree Climbing Championship in Rotorua this year for the men’s and women’s national titles. The national champions qualify for the International Tree Climbing Competition held in the USA. This event provides a competitive but educational opportunity for working arborists to demonstrate and exchange new climbing techniques, equipment and safe work practices. It provides positive public exposure for the profession, demonstrating some of the skills of professional arborists.

Organiser Craig Webb encourages everybody to head along to Western Park for the competition: “Entrance for spectators is free and it’s a chance to see some of the very best competitors in action. We’re very lucky to have such a big talent pool in New Zealand and our climbers are consistently among the top in the world.”

Craig Webb adds: “Western Park is a spectacular setting with some outstanding trees.

If you have never seen one of these events before they’re well worth checking out - the skill level is incredible and you might catch a world champion in action.” F PN www.nzarb.org.nz

LIVEABLE CITY ART AUCTION 21 MARCH Auckland’s arts community has thrown its support behind a battle to stop Bunnings building a big box development in the heritage neighbourhood of Arch Hill.

A stellar collection of artworks by some of New Zealand’s most prominent artists including John Pule, Gretchen Albrecht, Sheyne Tuffery and Fate Feu’u will be auctioned on the evening of Friday 21 March at the majestic Hopetoun Alpha, Beresford Square.

John Hodgson, curator of the art auction and Grey Lynn resident, says he initially supported a Bunnings being built in the area. “I thought great, no more travelling to Mt Roskill. But I was dismayed when I discovered it would involve a huge box on the Arch Hill skyline dropped into a mixed-use/heritage neighbourhood.

“When I heard Auckland Council had approved this non-complying development, thus setting a precedent for ‘big box’ invasions in small Auckland communities, I was deeply opposed. It’s not just about Bunnings; it’s about sustainable long-term and appropriate commercial development. Once it’s there it is never going away. Whatever happened to the Auckland Council and Len Brown’s vision of a ‘liveable city’ that has been sold to us?

A Bunnings in this setting does not make our community ‘liveable’!”

Soala Wilson, fellow Grey Lynn business owner and resident, has been the driving force behind the Liveable City Art Auction and a shining example of the wider community support this fight has engendered. “Our wider community has done a huge amount of work with residents and business owners to determine what their urban village should be and look like. We don’t want that compromised by Bunnings.”

“If this development goes ahead it will send a signal to all big box retailers that any non -complying development, regardless of scale or suitability, can obtain council consent in a mixed use zone. We don’t want our community turned into a Wairau Park or Lincoln Road, nor do we wish to see other communities similarly zoned suffer the same fate due to the lack of Auckland Council’s planning foresight.”

Fundraising is URGENTLY required to fund the Environment Court appeal. If you would like to make a cash donation please deposit to:

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Arch Hill Residents Inc. Society 38-9014-0148242-01 ref ‘Donation’ (your name) Arch Hill residents hope the Liveable City Art Auction, which will be previewed on Thursday 20 March, will boost the fighting fund by $50,000. F PN

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NIKKI KAYE: AUCKLAND CENTRAL MP

Positive shifts in education We are very lucky to have a number of great schools in Auckland Central, with excellent teachers who are very committed to helping students reach their potential.

Personally I doubt I would have had the opportunity to be in Parliament if it wasn’t for the kind and inspiring support I received from one of my teachers. I often hear stories of local teachers inspiring their students, and making a real difference. Throughout the last few years I have had the privilege of working alongside some dedicated Auckland Central principals, teachers and boards on a number of local issues.

We have secured additional funding for schools that are dealing with large roll growth, and ensured the confirmation, and delivery, of many new buildings and school facilities to deliver 21st century learning environments for children. I am looking forward to officially opening several new buildings and classrooms across Auckland over the next month.

Most parents that I meet are very driven and want to help their children reach their full potential, and they know having access to a good education is key to achieving this. Recent national provisional NCEA results show some very positive shifts, with more students leaving school with better qualifications. 2013 results show that 76.8% of students left school with at least NCEA Level 2, up from 66.5% in 2008.

These results reflect the great work being done in our schools to raise student achievement. The results also show a significant lift for Maori and Pasifika students which is very positive, particularly for the future of

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Auckland with so many young Maori and Pasifika students living here. As part of the Government’s Better Public Service Targets, we have set the goal that 85% of 18-year-olds will have achieved NCEA Level 2 or an equivalent qualification in 2017. We are well on the way to achieving this.

To help support the great work our teachers are doing in the classroom, we have also announced we are investing an additional $359 million over the next four years to help lift student achievement.

All the evidence shows that the quality of teaching is the most important factor in a child’s education, followed by school leadership.

We have been worried that many teachers move out of the classroom to advance their careers, meaning children can lose out on the opportunity to learn from the best.

To address this we are introducing four new teaching and leadership roles in our schools - executive principals, expert teachers, lead teachers, and change principals.

This follows on from National Standards that are delivering better, and more accessible, information for parents, teachers and principals on student performance - ensuring we know how well they are doing at school.

These new roles are about recognising excellent teachers and principals, keeping good teachers in the classroom, and sharing expertise across schools.

People in these new positions will be paid additional allowances on top of their usual salaries in recognition of their new responsibilities. These allowances are significant, for instance the 5000 new lead teachers will receive an extra $10,000 on top of their salary.

I have had great feedback across the electorate from teachers and parents about the policy.

We are working through further detail of the policy, with the sector unions and key education groups, but we expect the first roles to be appointed in 2015.

It’s great to be part of a positive shift in our education system, where we will be able to help our best local teachers further their careers, while helping lift student achievement in local schools.

Ensuring young people have the best education possible is one of the most important things we can do to help them personally succeed, and help build a better PN New Zealand. (NIKKI KAYE) F HON NIKKI KAYE, MP for Auckland Central www.nikkikaye.co.nz

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MIKE LEE

The plight of the South Island kokako - extinction by armchair?

THIS MONTH, FOR ONCE, I WANT TO GET AS FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE FROM LOCAL CITY issues - and travel to the remote deep forests of the west coast of the South Island, where the South Island kokako has long been considered to be extinct - suffering the same fate of its cousin the huia, that most remarkable and beautiful of birds. Hunted for the price of its beautiful feathers (previously the preserve of high chiefs) by both pakeha and Maori, the last official sighting of the huia was in 1907.

The huia belonged to New Zealand’s ancient family of wattlebirds (Callaediae) as does the kokako. The North Island kokako was highly endangered (in the 80s I used to have a “save the kokako” sticker on the rear window of my car), but is now on the road to recovery.

Late last year, like a lot of other bird lovers I was thrilled to hear that a sighting of the South Island kokako had been officially accepted by the prestigious Records Appraisal Committee of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand. I will quote from the December issue of its journal Notornis.

ACCEPTED RECORD OF A SPECIES REGARDED AS POSSIBLY EXTINCT South Island kokako (Callaeas cinerea) One seen among red beech/rimu forest at Rainy Creek, Upper Inangahua Valley, Reefton, on 21 & 22 March 2007.

“On 21 March 2007 at 0945 hours Len Turner heard a call he described as a haunting resonating call (“an eerie call like an Aboriginal wailing”) that he had not heard before.

About 15 minutes later he saw at close range (10-15 metres) an unusual bird with the following description. The plumage of the bird was steely grey with a bluish tinge. Most distinct were the wattles on the sides of its bill. The base of the wattles was a deep matt blue and the remainder (the larger part) ochre (“fleshy orange-brown”). The bird appeared to be curious, looking at Len, turning its head from side to side. He viewed the bird for about 30 seconds then it glided away with some heavy dull wing flapping.

Len noted the rounded edge of the wings in flight, and described the flight as clumsy.

Further evidence of the presence of kokako was obtained the following day when Peter Rudolf (an experienced North Island kokako observer ) and Len re-visited the site...”

This was stunning news but after my initial euphoria I realised that this sighting actually took place in March 2007 - nearly seven years ago. My question is, how has the Department of Conservation (DOC) responded to this information? Given the number of previously inconclusive sightings of this bird, should there not be a contingency plan for circumstances like this that the director-general of DOC could pull out of his filing cabinet? One would imagine an emergency panel of scientists and expert field workers would then be convened to decide on the details of intervention with emergency conservation measures. Kokako are not strong fliers and are normally long-lived. So if this bird, or birds, managed to survive the pests that infest our forests it should be still in the area where it was seen.

The answer seems to be that DOC, which has suffered funding cuts and been obsessed for years with corporate restructuring, has done nothing. In fact from the reaction of its spokespeople, one gets the impression that it almost hopes the South Island kokako is extinct. As one scientist suggested this type of apathy is tantamount to “killing the birds off from our armchairs.” Let us hope DOC’s new director-general, who has a noted field conservation background, can make a difference here.

The extinction of the huia remains a dark stain on the history of this nation - though the government officials at the time, unlike today, had meagre scientific knowledge to go on, their efforts to save the huia over a 100 years ago were bumbling, inept - and too late.

The South Island kokako, should it still exist, is part of New Zealand’s and the world’s priceless natural heritage - we are all responsible for its survival. The tragic fate of the PN huia should not be allowed to be repeated on our watch. (MIKE LEE) F Councillor for Waitemata & Gulf www.mikelee.co.nz

BIRD OF THE MONTH Summer is a wonderful time of year for seeing native birds, mostly because people spend a large portion of it outside of the city.

I’ve been lucky enough to get away a few times over the last few months and the bird that has most regularly been a pleasant sight has been the kereru or New Zealand wood pigeon. It’s always weighed on my mind that we can’t see more of the kereru in the city.

I’ve found it interesting observing kereru at this time of year as the males are in full display. At the start of a nesting cycle the male kereru give frequent animated flights, are often found perching at the top of trees and are very visible. This contrasts with the non-breeding season when the only evidence of a pigeon being present is the loud raucous it makes as it lands and takes off from a tree.

They are widespread throughout New Zealand and are one of the more commonly known endemic species - alongside tui and kiwi. They are one of the largest pigeons in the world and are similar to many large birds in that they only have one chick a year - and will often have none if the conditions are not appropriate. Their nest appears to be one of the most poorly built and badly planned projects in nature. It is an untidy platform of sticks in a fork of a tree or amongst vines. It doesn’t seem capable of holding together even without the cumbersome weight of a pigeon.

The kereru plays a key role in the ecosystem of New Zealand as a seed spreader. It is vital to the regeneration of forests and it is the only fruit-eater large enough to spread the seeds of some species in our forests. This is due to the extinction of other large browsers like the moa. Because of this it is crucial to the survival of our forests that kereru are protected and have the ability to disperse widely around the country.

The threats to this pigeon are nearly identical to the threats to most of our species.

They are vulnerable to introduced mammals and predators, and destruction of forest habitats removes feeding and breeding grounds. The main concern for pigeons are the predation of their eggs and chicks by rats, possums and cats. In some locations around

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the country over half the offspring don’t survive. The competition between rats and possums for the food that pigeons feed on combined with the habitat loss that harms all New Zealand forests present major concerns for kereru nationwide.

Despite these threats kereru are one of the more widely visible and known native birds and there is a lot of awareness surrounding them. Many inner city areas have begun planting kowhai, taraire, puriri and other trees that attract pigeons in the hopes of drawing more into the city. Likewise large pest control programs are being undertaken all around the country, for numerous species, and all of these assist the kereru in the area.

I shouldn’t need to provide locations to see the New Zealand pigeon in the Auckland region as they are commonly found in many areas of Auckland, and occasionally even in Ponsonby. I remember there was a resident pigeon a few years ago outside Bayfield Primary School. So keep your ears open for the loud thumping noise that signals PN a pigeon in flight. (FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT) F PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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JACINDA ARDERN: LABOUR LIST MP AUCKLAND

The best start for children I recently met with a social worker who had been working with families for more than 30 years. I asked whether, in her many years of service, she had ever met anyone who didn’t want the best for their child. Her answer “just one, in all those years.”

That pretty much sums up my experience working on issues like child poverty over the past few years. By and large, the vast majority of parents want the very best for their children, and for them to have opportunities that they never had. But the sad fact is that despite working hard, many are struggling to provide the basics for their family.

LUNCHTIME CREATIONS AT PONSONBY CENTRAL GLAD HOSTED A LUNCHTIME INSPIRATION DAY AT THE SAPPHIRE ROOM AT Ponsonby Central recently in the hope of inspiring parents (and more importantly their children) to get involved in their lunchtime creations. The goal was to inspire kids to actively get involved in their lunchtime creations, and by making lunch look PN more appealing, the hope is that lunchboxes may come home empty this year! F

The numbers speak for themselves. This year alone, housing prices in Auckland are up 15%, the cost of milk, cheese and eggs is up 7% and the cost of meat and chicken is up 8%.

I’ve always believed that the best measure of a society is how they treat their young and their old. We have made great gains in tackling poverty amongst our elderly, but not for children. So why don’t we treat the early years of a child’s life in the same as we do for an older person?

Yes, we have things like paid parental leave to support parents to spend more time with their new baby, and that’s something we believe should be extended from 14 weeks to 6 months. But 60% of new families aren’t eligible for this support. We have a big gap in our system, and it exists during the most important years of a child’s life.

That’s just one of the reasons why Labour Leader David Cunliffe recently announced our “Best Start” package, a comprehensive plan to give families support during the early years of their child’s life. Because like most New Zealanders, Labour believes that investing in our children is critical for New Zealand’s future.

The first part of our plan is a “Best Start” payment of $60 a week in the first year of a baby’s life for families earning a combined income of less than $150,000 a year. For families that are eligible for Paid Parental Leave, the payment kicks in once Paid Parental Leave ends.

For families on low and modest incomes, this payment of up to $60 a week will continue until their child’s third birthday.

The Children’s Commissioners Expert Advisory Group recommended that we introduce a universal payment in the early years. We share the aims and goals of the Children’s Commissioner, but for now we have had to do what New Zealand can afford.

We will also help young Kiwi kids start learning early by increasing Free Early Childhood Education to 25 hours, up from 20 hours for three and four year olds. High quality early childhood education makes a huge difference in a child’s early development. Evidence shows for every dollar invested up to $11 is saved down the track.

But as many parents have found, 20 hours free is not enough and doesn’t always fit with centre schedules. By lifting it to 25 hours a week we’re enabling parents to have more choices and we’re continuing to build investment in our kids.

The Best Start Package recognises that we’re all better off when we invest in children.

It puts tools in place so parents are helped to do the very best they can to give their kids the opportunities they deserve. Now that’s something we could all be proud of.

PN (JACINDA ARDERN) F JACINDA ARDERN, Labour List MP based in Auckland Central www.jacinda.co.nz

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PLANTING ON GRASS BERMS Auckland Transport is reviewing its policy and guidelines for planting of vegetation on grass berms.

The current policy is that planting is not permitted as it may create safety hazards (impairing sight lines, covering signage etc); cause damage to underground services such as sewerage, water and power; and increase on-going road corridor maintenance costs, if planting is abandoned by the homeowner.

Auckland Transport Chief Operations Officer, Greg Edmonds, says the organisation is aware of a number of residents and businesses who have planted berms outside their property. “We will not take any action in terms of removal whilst we are reviewing the policy unless those plantings pose a very real safety risk,” he says.

“We will be taking a customer-focussed and pragmatic approach to our review, in consultation with Auckland Council; however safety for road users, pedestrians and cyclists will be paramount as will be managing the cost of on-going road corridor maintenance.” F PN PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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NIKI WRIGHT: LEYS INSTITUTE LIBRARY NEWS

Self-check competition BE IN TO WIN A HAMPER OF TRADE AID GOODIES Have you tried our new self- check machines? They are fabulous - you can check out any free items including books, magazines, audiobooks and children’s puzzles. You can even check out a pile of items all at once!

You can also use the self-check machines to print a list of all items you have out, renew books and check to see if you have any fines.

During March we will be running a self-check competition - each time you use the selfcheck you can go into the draw to win a basket of delicious Trade Aid goodies including chocolate, coffee and tea.

If you want a demonstration of how to use the self-check machines just ask any of our friendly staff.

Wriggle and Rhyme at Auckland Zoo When: Every Tuesday from 18 February - 25 March, 10.30am - 11am Where: Auckland Zoo band rotunda (or the Elephant House in case of wet weather) Cost: Free to holders of Auckland Zoo tickets Join Auckland Libraries’ and Auckland Zoo for Wriggle and Rhyme fun at the zoo!

The 30-minute session is a fun positive-movement experience for babies aged 0-2 years, but preschoolers are also very welcome.

If the sun is shining, you will find us at the band rotunda, but if it looks like rain we’ll be sheltering in the Elephant House. Bring a blanket and your smile.

Monique Nathu - the Leys Institute library‘s children’s librarian will be hosting sessions on Tuesday 4 March and Tuesday 18 March.

Our regular Wriggle and Rhyme and Storytime sessions will continue at the same times during the week.

Tuesday 10.30 - Storytime Wednesday 10.30 - Wriggle and Rhyme Thursday 10.30 - Wriggle and Rhyme Friday 10.30 - Storytime Saturday -10.30 - Storytime Makerspace A “makerspace” is a place where people can collaborate, innovate and create using information, resources and tools provided.

In February the Leys Institute Library hosted a very popular 3D printing expo and will be hosting a 3D printing workshop session in March. Check in the library or on our Facebook page, Leys Institute library Ponsonby, for dates and times.

Makerspace hangouts - Central City library If you are interested in more makerspace opportunities check out the sessions at the Central City library

NEW VICAR FOR ST COLUMBA St Columba Anglican Church in Grey Lynn has a new vicar with a clear eye to the needs of his flock and how to meet them.

Rev Brent Swann, the newly inducted vicar of St Columba, brings uncommon strengths and experiences to his post. Born and raised on the East Coast, of Ngati Porou and Rongowhakata descent, Brent is a father, husband, an ordained priest of 20 years, a surfer, counsellor and family therapist.

Life before the priesthood included work in the building industry, the Royal New Zealand Air Force, farming and a range of jobs during extended travel in Australia, the United Kingdom, Europe and the Middle East. All told Brent has a wealth of life experience.

Brent has set up home near the church with his wife Huia and four of their family of five children. “I am excited about beginning this journey with St Columba, a diverse, inclusive and welcoming local church that has much to offer with its Progressive Christian approach,” says Brent. The parish not only gets Brent as its minister but the support of his whanau as well. His four sons are already involved in the church youth group and Huia plays a large part in church life.

Although raised in the Christian faith, Brent’s calling to the priesthood came late. “While in Sydney I began a half-way house for young people and others caught up with drugs, alcohol and poverty,” he says. “Archdeacon Kingi Ihaka, who was the Maori priest in Sydney at the time, encouraged me to go home, go to St John’s Theological College and become an Anglican priest.”

In the ensuing years Brent gained a Bachelor in Theology from the Melbourne College of Divinity through St John’s College Auckland and a Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Theology from Westminster College, Oxford University. He then returned to the East Coast in 1995 to become the vicar of Ruatoria.

By 2008 Brent had served as a priest at the historic Holy Trinity Church in Gisborne and then as priest in charge of the Turanga-Whangara Pastorate. His work as a priest then took on an extra dimension with the decision to obtain formal qualifications and experience in counselling.

“Through the experience of officiating at several suicide funerals I realised that I did not have enough in my kete to support families who were suffering with the complexities that came with suicide,” says Brent. “This is where I made the decision to pursue study in counselling so that I could be more effective in my ministry as a priest.” This prompted a move to Auckland in 2009.

Together with Huia, Brent studied counselling at the University of Waikato, graduating in 2013 with a Masters Degree in Counselling and Post Graduate Certificate in Counselling Supervision. They combine study with counselling work at Selwyn and Tamaki Colleges and the Glen Innes Family Centre in east Auckland. Brent and Huia work with families, couples and individuals. Their counselling practice approach and ministry is shaped and influenced to a large extent by Maori cultural values and beliefs.

“As a priest my job is to live the gospel of Jesus Christ, to reach out and be available, to PN listen, be respectful and support in any way I can,” says Brent. (CHRISTABEL EARL) F

Auckland Libraries makerspace will be hosting 3D printing or computer game-making “hangouts” in March.

These casual sessions are an opportunity to share your knowledge and learn from others. Beginners are welcome, and experts are encouraged to come along and share your knowledge!

photography: Susan Cato

3D printing: Saturday 1, 15 and 29 March, 1pm - 3pm Computer game-making: Saturday 8 and 22 March, 1pm - 3pm (NIKI WRIGHT RLIANZA) F PN LEYS INSTITUTE LIBRARY, 20 St Mary’s Road T: 09 374 1315 www.facebook.com/LeysInstituteLibraryPonsonby Shown in back ground are Brent and Huia Swann In foreground: L-R; Tamati (17), Tahu (12), Hemi (14) and Ihaia (19)

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DEIRDRE TOHILL: LANDMARK BUILDINGS >

The Unitarian Church

Of all the Unitarian churches that were started in New Zealand, the Auckland church is the only one to have survived.

It was registered under the Historic Places Act in 1993 because of its importance as the first Unitarian church to be built in the country and continues to have a congregation that throughout its history has included prominent scholars, writers and politicians. Among their number have been John Lee, Frank Sargeson, and New Zealand’s first Rhodes Scholar, Fred Sinclaire. The central character in Maurice Gee’s novel “Plumb” was modelled on his grandfather, the Reverend J. Chapel who preached there during the 1930s. The church is also notable for being the first in Auckland to have a woman minister, Wilna Constable.

Architecturally it has significance as being a fine example of the Decorated Martineau gothic style which is specific to Unitarian churches. James Martineau was an outstanding theologian and philosopher of the 19th century and his influence on Unitarianism was extensive. Martineau, while not intellectually a follower of the Oxford Movement, was also affected by the Romanticism of the times and desired the same beauty in places of worship that he saw as more conducive to a Christian devotional atmosphere. He supported the development of Unitarian architecture away from simplicity in favour of a more detailed Gothicism. This was in stark contrast to the airy octagonal chapels built by the dissenting Unitarian, Joseph Priestley.

TROLLEY TECHNOLOGY AIMS TO IMPROVE SHOPPER EXPERIENCE Foodstuffs North Island says a new technology trial is underway in New World Victoria Park. The supermarket is trialling PathFinder trolley tracking technology developed by NextGen Group Pty Ltd in Sydney. Next Gen describes the trial as a “world first”.

This breakthrough technology allows store managers to track the location and movement of all baskets and trolleys within the retail store environment. This is achieved through a small plastic tag (15cm x 2 cm) attached to the basket or trolley and triangulation technology, similar to GPS, which identifies where in store it is at any given time.

The Auckland church was designed by Thomas Henry White, an architect who had studied in Birmingham and Paris. Some time after arriving in Auckland he began practising in the Waikato and was a pioneer in concrete construction. The FirthTower in Matamata is an example of his work. He was also a member of the Unitarian congregation in Auckland and chairman of the church committee in 1901. His design for the church was based on one he had built in South Africa and was constructed in timber with a steeply pitched roof. The vertical emphasis is repeated in three lancet windows on the upper facade, which is expanded down to a verandah featuring wide flanking arches and a central portion now boarded in.

Neil Rechlin from NextGen says the PathFinder technology is globally unique in the level of accuracy it can provide when tracking trolleys and baskets.

The interior is lined with tongue and groove panelling, demonstrating the Unitarians’ preference for local materials and quality craftsmanship. There’s a nod to the Arts and Crafts style as well. The vestibule is lit by two 45-pane windows and on the left is a library.

To the right a small room accommodates a stairway leading to the choir loft. Lancet arch frames give access to the very spacious nave which has been designed to suggest a meeting hall rather than a church and emphasises its function as a social forum. The nave also incorporates the chancel which is flanked by an organ built in two sections.

Rechlin says the technology is not intrusive as it tracks the baskets and trolleys not the people pushing them. “We have no idea who is pushing the trolley,” he says. “It doesn’t track Mrs Jones for example, as she shops in the store. What it does do is collect information on where the trolley has been, at what time of day, how long a customer spent in a particular section of the store without tying any information to an individual. It will allow retailers to ensure they have the right products in the right part of the store and available at the right time of the day and week. It allows them to optimise the in-store environment for shopper benefit.”

The organ is an intact example of George Croft’s work. He came from England to New Zealand when an infant but returned there to learn his craft. When he came back he established a substantial business, George Croft & Son and built or rebuilt a large number of instruments in both islands. The Unitarian Church organ was the first example in New Zealand of tubular prismatic action in a divided instrument and was the largest in Auckland at the time, drawing large crowds to the many recitals held there. A master carver, J. H. Edwards fashioned the pulpit that features Gothic tracery surrounded by floral and plant motifs distinguishing it from the rest of the church, and along with the organ is central to the historical value of the building.

The two foundation stones were laid at a ceremony on 17 August 1901 attended by 200 to 300 people. The opening and dedication of the building took place four months later on Wednesday 4 December. “The Rev. W. Jellie presided and in the course of his address he thought if it had been desirable to give the church a name he would favour its being called the ‘Church of the Holy Spirit’, dwelling on the fact that happiness and freedom were watchwords of the Unitarian faith. The congregation joined whole -heartedly in the singing of the hymns; a collection was taken up for the building fund; and the party adjourned to the Foresters’ Hall where a sumptuous repast was provided.

A social and public meeting was held in the evening attended by various dignitaries where instrumental items were played at intervals during their short addresses.”

(DEIRDRE TOHILL) F PN

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“This level of accuracy is unprecedented in the retail environment,” states Rechlin.

“Through being able to track the trolley movements a retailer is able to tune the store environment to better meet the shopper’s needs. For the store manager the technology allows him or her to ensure that there are sufficient trolleys and baskets available, shelves are correctly filled at the right time of day and the right numbers of checkouts are open.”

New World Victoria Park’s owner/operator Jason Witehira says the trial is about improving his customers’ shopping experience. Data from the trial has already led him to make changes to his store layout. “The information we have garnered through the trial has allowed us to identify gaps in our in-store experience such as early identification out of stock. The insights have also shown how we can shorten customer journey times and improve their overall shopping experience. We recently changed the layout of our store to create shorter shopper times through shorter routes. Globally it’s been proven that a bad store layout will negatively impact on a shopper’s experience so we’re trying to create the very best experience possible.”

Witehira accesses the data collected through the PathFinder dashboard by logging onto a secure server populated by all of the tracking data. “The technology also doubles as an asset register allowing the store to track its baskets and trolleys and ensure it has the right number on the floor at the right time. It provides me with an up-to-date overview of performance by department and sub-category, dwell times and aisle traffic.”

Technology enabled innovation is a key part of Foodstuffs North Island strategy and the group will review this current trial over coming months before deciding whether to introduce it to other stores. In the meantime Rechlin says the technology will go live with PN a “major retailer” in Australia early this year. F PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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GREY LYNN NEWS GREY LYNN GETS GOING FOR 2014 The Grey Lynn Residents Association has had a busy start to 2014.

Things kicked off well, learning that we had been successful in an application for grant funding to carry out a needs assessment for Grey Lynn.

The intention is to canvas residents and users of Grey Lynn on their opinions, to inform action for the community to be taken up by the GLRA, other Grey Lynn community groups and the Waitemata Local Board.

The projects and initiatives we identify through the needs assessment will also help the GLRA provide input into the local board’s next three-year plan which is currently under development for consultation in June. We expect to begin work on this in the coming months, so we will keep you posted, but in the meantime if you have any input or would like to be involved, please email us at greylynnresidentsassociation@vodafone.co.nz.

We have also been engaging with other Grey Lynn organisations about submissions on the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan, to ensure we are sharing knowledge and presenting a cohesive vision for the community. The GLRA supports the zoning of much of Grey Lynn as single house zone pending an urgent character assessment, but we have concerns around greater public notification of proposed developments.

Just before Christmas the GLRA submitted on the proposed changes to the electoral boundary, and subsequently we were invited to speak at the Representation Commission’s public hearings on this in January. The proposal would see Grey Lynn being cut in two, with one half coming under the Auckland Central electorate and the other half under the Mt Albert electorate. Our position was that Grey Lynn should be kept as one, allowing us to speak with one voice and have one accountable political representative.

Elsewhere, we have been consulting with the Waitemata Local Board about the future improvements and enhancement of Grey Lynn Park along with many other local groups, advising the new Freemans Bay Residents Association, assisting residents with concerns about local developments, and continue to liaise with the Arch Hill Residents Society (Arch Hill Matters), on developments and ways we can help in the fight against the proposed Bunnings development on Great North Road. Members of GLRA will be at the Liveable Art Auction to be held on 21 March at the Hopetoun Alpha. Twenty artists are helping raise funds for the Arch Hill residents to take their opposition to the Environment Court. Should you like to contribute or help in any way, please contact the event organiser Soala Wilson on 027 437 26.

Grey Lynn has been celebrating Neighbours Day since the inaugural street party was held in 2010 at the West Lynn shops, and numerous localised events spring up every year in the area. This year the Grey Lynn Business Association presents its next neighbourhood street party on Saturday 29 March 12-3pm at the Surrey Crescent shops. There will be music, local art, food and more in celebration of Grey Lynn. The GLRA will be down there, and we look forward to catching up with our members and hopefully meeting some new ones.

PONSONBY U3A: FEBRUARY 2014 FOR 30 YEARS FORMER ROYAL NAVY COMMANDER ROBERT GREEN HAS PURSUED THE truth behind his aunt Hilda Murrell’s bizarre murder. Told in his 2011 book, “A Thorn in Their Side: The Hilda Murrell Murder,” a new 2013 UK edition of the book again raises questions of state-sponsored murder and political conspiracy in the media and British Parliament, as well as “explosive” new evidence that Robert Green claims could have acquitted Andrew George, his aunt’s convicted murderer.

Dr Kate Dewes, the book’s co-author and co-director of the Peace Foundation’s Disarmament and Security Centre in Christchurch with her husband Robert Green, was guest speaker at the February meeting of Ponsonby U3A. She told the story behind the book and the extraordinary new evidence that has come to light since the book was first published. She said that she and her husband are under constant surveillance and continue to experience interference with their mail in the United Kingdom and in New Zealand.

Hilda Murrell was a renowned English rose grower who became an anti-nuclear campaigner after she retired. At age 78, she had gained approval to testify at the first British planning inquiry into a new nuclear power plant at Sizewell, Suffolk. A few weeks later she was found brutally murdered in a copse outside Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

The 10 minute speaker was U3A member Monika de Man who returned to Spain in 2012 to walk 150km of the famous 700km trail El Camino De Santiago (The Way of St James) that she was unable to complete in 2010. She had walked 550km of the trail, but the fact she had been transported for part of it rankled with her. This time it was summer and she walked the 150km from Burgos to Leon, much of it through fields and nurseries, as well as the toughest day of all, which was very hot on a 12km straight and dusty Roman road that had no signs to indicate that the end was near. She is happy to have completed the walk to satisfy herself and that she can now claim that she has walked the entire 700km trail.

The February meeting was the first for the year. Convenors of the 13 special interest groups outlined upcoming activities. There were 10 visitors, including the President of the Singapore Association for Continuing Education, Goh Kim Seng with his wife Eleanor.

He is spearheading the establishment of U3A in Singapore.

2014 marks the 20th anniversary of Ponsonby U3A, which will be celebrated later in the year.

Visitors and intending members are welcome at Ponsonby U3A meetings held on the morning of the second Friday of the month at Leys Institute in Ponsonby.

Gillian Elmslie will be the March speaker. Her talk is entitled Wellness, Ageing and Feldenkrais. F PN NEXT MEETING:

9.45am - Friday 14 March.

First Floor, Leys Institute, 20 St Marys Road.

ENQUIRIES:

Jane Jones, President, Ponsonby U3A. T: 09 378 7628

Neighbours Day (held over the weekend of 29 - 30 March) is a great opportunity to take part in acts of neighbourliness. The Neigbours Day website has heaps of resources for making our streets fun, safe and friendly places to live, neighboursday.org.nz.

PN (LIZ HANCOCK) F greylynnresidents.org.nz

Speaker at U3A’s February meeting Dr Kate Dewes, co-author of ‘A Thorn in Their Side,’ with U3A member Joan Macdonald. The two women worked together for many years in the peace movement.

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LOCAL NEWS WOMEN’S BOOKSHOP NEWS The Women’s Bookshop has been in its present, wonderful location on Ponsonby Road for 15 years.

I originally opened the shop in early April 1989, and spent 10 happy years in Dominion Road, Mt. Eden. Then in 1999, with the help of lots of customers and friends with trucks, vans and trailers, I made the bold and brilliant move to Ponsonby.

When I think back, the changes, especially in technology, have been huge over the 25 years. I originally recorded sales manually in a counter book, researched unusual titles on microfiche, and was excited when a neighbouring shop acquired a fax machine that I could share to send orders to publishers. I was the one and only staff member, whereas we now have a team of four, with part-timers and many helpers who volunteer.

THE WOMEN’S BOOKSHOP TURNS 25!

Computers and the internet have transformed the shop. Our computerised stock-control system lists all titles and is linked directly to the online shop. Our customers now buy online, as well as by phone, email and browsing in the store.

Independent bookshops - the ones who are knowledgeable, passionate and provide brilliant service - are not only surviving but thriving. In the current climate of internet giants and e-books, this is something to celebrate.

Our stock-holding has broadened over the years and the many male customers have felt increasingly comfortable. We do smile, though, when men ask permission to come in! While our focus remains the promotion of books by, for and about women, the shop caters for everyone - we have a carefully-selected children’s section, a large counselling and therapy area, gay and lesbian titles, parenting and feminist titles, cookbooks and a stunning selection of literary fiction.

The Women’s Bookshop on Ponsonby Road is celebrating its 25th birthday in early April and has just experienced the best Christmas in its long history. Real books, beautifully wrapped, are still the perfect gift. Staff who read them, can discuss them, and whose recommendations the customers can trust, are gems in any bookshop.

Our popular author events have become famous over the years and we have hosted many prestigious New Zealand and international authors, including Margaret Atwood! As well as inviting the public in, to author events and book group evenings, the shop takes bookstalls out, to conferences and events.

The staff at The Women’s Bookshop not only read avidly but have always been involved in author events and literary festivals, from the Women’s Book Festival in the 90s to the current on-going participation in the Auckland Writers Festival. The shop’s own author events have become famous, with the Ladies’ Litera-Tea, serving food for the brain as well as the body, selling out every year.

We have been involved in literary festivals over the years, from the decade of the Listener Women’s Book Festival in the 90s, to the current on-going participation in the Auckland Writers Festival.

Times have changed and the bookshop has changed with them, particularly in the area of technology, with an online bookstore, e-Newsletters, and Kobo e-Readers for sale.

But it has always maintained its core values of providing good service and promoting books by, for and about women. The range of books has broadened over the years and men customers are now as numerous as women.

“I started 25 years ago with a telephone and a pen, a background in English and drama teaching, and no business training at all,” said owner Carole Beu. “I never dreamed that I would create an award-winning business that is also a community meeting-place and a literary focalpoint for so many bookaholics. I am very lucky because I love what I do PN every day.” F The Women’s Bookshop, 105 Ponsonby Road T: 09 376 4399 www.womensbookshop.co.nz

Our colourful BookChoice newsletter is posted to its 4,000 recipients less frequently these days - we now email an occasional electronic newsletter as well, that keeps customers up-to-date with events and literary happenings.

We sell Kobo e-Readers and give our customers direct access, via the shop’s website, to the 3 million e-book titles on the Kobo website. The expectations of our customers have changed too - they require rapid service as well as good advice. All the staff read avidly and we are all skilled at talking to people about books. Over the years our customers have come to trust the recommendations of the bookshop staff.

The bookshop has won many awards over the years - Promotion Awards in 2000 and 2001, Independent Bookseller of the Year at the Book Industry Awards in 2005, Penguin NZ Bookseller of the Year (2011 and 2013), recognition in Metro Magazine’s Best of Auckland. What we are most proud of, though, is the fact that in a world of chain store discounting and internet giants, our special bookshop continues to flourish.

PN (CAROLE BEU) F

The Women’s Bookshop current staff; L to R Tanya Gribben, Mary-Liz Corbett, Patricia Kay and Carole Beu. The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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VIVA ITALIA MOOOI – A HIGHLIGHT OF MILAN FAIR AND EXCLUSIVE TO ECC Dutch design company Moooi grabbed ECC’s attention by putting a lamp shade on the head of a life-sized horse in 2006 and have continued to amaze them, under the creative guidance of Marcel Wanders, ever since.

The latest collection is no exception. The magical transformation of an empty warehouse into a series of iconic, rich and colourfully dressed living areas was a highlight of the Milan Fair last year. The mix of new releases and classic designs were presented in a truly eclectic way drawing on culture, experiences, pattern and texture.

Labyrinth Chair by Studio Job for Moooi

Moooi takes pride in producing timeless objects of beauty which possess the uniqueness and character of antiques combined with the freshness of modern times. They have worked with Royal Delft, a Dutch ceramic producer dating back to 1653, to create modern new vases. They took a traditional chandelier and covered it in a white paper finish to produce the Paper Chandelier.

More recent pieces in stock at ECC include the clever Labyrinth Chair, a bold statement piece guaranteed to enliven any room, Bart Sofa, which will add a touch of grandeur and New Antiques Bar stools, suitable for outdoor use. Lighting of note includes the Construction Floor Lamp, finished with brass screws, and the LED Kroon pendant, which changes shape by sliding in and out.

“We can’t wait to see what they produce this year, but in the meantime you can add your own touch of flair to your interiors from the current collection at a great price during our PN March sale.” Moooi is exclusive to ECC. F ECC, 39 Nugent Street, Grafton www.ecc.co.nz

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Construction Floor Lamp by Joost van Bleiswijk for Moooi

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VIVA ITALIA FROM STUNNING ITALIAN BRANDS TO CUSTOM MADE DESIGNS “I love knowing that a customer is truly happy with their engagement ring; after all an engagement ring is a symbol of love and designed to last a lifetime.” Sarah Hutchings.

Sarah, director of Orsini, loves being able to bring quality jewellery to clients in New Zealand. “Orsini” is not only an Italian name, it is a word that implies family, quality, style, and lasting beauty. Steeped in such meaning and tradition, the word was also an appropriate designation for a fine jewellery collection Sarah lovingly hand sources from Italy. Orsini has some of the most stunning Italian jewellery brands in store, with the iconic world famous Pomellato, Dodo, Marco Bicego and now the exquisite range by the Belgium company Hulchi Belluni.

Sarah also creates a stunning range of custom made engagement rings inspired by her annual trips to the Italian jewellery fairs and closely following the international trends.

Sarah is able to source diamonds of just about any colour, shape and size. She follows a careful consultation process to decipher the customer’s budget and preferred design and ensures that the customer is absolutely satisfied before going ahead with the finished product. The team at Orsini draft sketches or produce a CAD design or a wax mould prior to going ahead with the final ring. Sarah has a specialised knowledge on diamonds having achieved certification and specialist diamond grading training through the Gemological Institute of America. F PN To book an engagement ring consultation contact: ORSINI, T: 09 354 3115 or www.orsini.co.nz

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A POLIFORM WARDROBE - REAL ITALIAN STYLE Why choose a Poliform wardrobe solution?

Poliform leads the Italian wardrobe market. They re-invest huge amounts of money into their research and development and through this have developed the highest levels of finishes and capabilities with their manufacturing. They commission some of the best furniture designers in the world to work for them, therefore making your wardrobe not just a wardrobe but a beautifully crafted piece of furniture.

The rich classic oak finishes or the more contemporary lacquers will make your wardrobe the perfect compliment to organising your life.

How does or how can a Poliform wardrobe fit into my existing wardrobe space?

All Poliform wardrobes are bespoke. No matter how big, small or tall your space might be, fitting our wardrobes in is easy. We design for your specific needs. If you are Imelda Marcos, making space for all those shoes is a breeze!

the design, manufacture and installation. Our qualified in house designers and installers oversee everything.

Are Poliform wardrobes expensive?

No I don't think so. Italian designed and imported products have the perception of being expensive. The Poliform wardrobes are more accessible than people imagine as they are specifically tailored to ones needs. You can fit them with as many or as few internal fittings as required, for example, shoe pull outs, safes, trouser hangers, ironing boards, belt or tie racks just to name a few, all these affecting the costs. I am a firm believer in “do it once and do it right�. Using a Poliform wardrobe will be the solution to your wardrobe storage needs for a life time! F PN STUDIO ITALIA 96E Carlton Gore Road T: 09 523 2105 www.studioitalia.co.nz

How does the process/installation work?

We take care of the process from start to finish, from your initial conversation with us to

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IN LOVE WITH ITALY

by Kate Gohar, World Journeys Pienza, Montalcino, San Gimignano, Umbria and Pompeii. Before I even arrived, I was seriously pre-disposed to adore Italy. Those glorious syllables just tumble around my tongue as lovingly as a great red wine or some rich Italian cheese. Add my appreciation of culture and history to centuries of wonderful wine and food, and Italy must surely be my spiritual home.

Venice is breath-taking in so many ways. St Mark’s Square, despite the perpetual crowd, is enough to make you gaze about in dumbstruck awe; the Doge’s Palace is awash with engraved wooden ceilings, marble chimneys with lavish, delicate carved decoration, paintings, friezes and stuccoes. The glimpses of the lagoon and San Giorgio through tiny windows along the Bridge of Sighs immediately transport you to the Romantic period where prisoners passing from court to cell farewelled their freedom with a sigh, thus giving the bridge its evocative name.

The city centres of Florence and Rome have hardly changed in centuries; stunning buildings and piazzas host hordes of visitors from home and abroad, restaurants and historic shops burst with colour and tantilising smells feed all your senses. An atmosphere of timelessness pervades every nook and cranny. Even the Trevi Fountain in the centre of Rome casts a unique spell - crystal waters tumble beneath the feet of

Neptune and his two Tritons, one struggling to control a spirited horse while the other animal appears far calmer, perfectly symbolising the contrasting moods of the sea. I can never resist throwing a coin over my shoulder into the water to guarantee my return.

The Amalfi Coast is positively magnetic, even for Kiwis who have their fill of beautiful coastlines at home. It may well be the intoxicating mix of centuries old vineyards, enchanting Costiera villages with winding medieval streets, the scent of lemon groves, endless whitewashed buildings precariously clinging to the cliffs and the unashamed ostentation of Positano that elevate this to an area that should not be missed. On 24 August, 79AD, Mt Vesuvius literally blew its top, spewing molten ash and gas into the atmosphere. The debris engulfed the surrounding area suffocating the inhabitants of the cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae. Once thriving communities disappeared and the cities remained buried until excavation began in 1748. These excavations continue today and provide an extraordinary insight into life during the Roman Empire.

And finally on to luscious sounding Pienza, Montalcino et al. These Renaissance gems dot the countryside through Tuscany and Umbria; the narrow streets, organic farms, UNESCO world heritage sites and Etruscan hillside towns all bursting with charm are a complete delight and one can completely understand the impulse that has me almost leaping from the car and moving into a dilapidated stone farmhouse much like Frances Mayes (Diane Lane) in “Under the Tuscan Sun”. Wherever you are, it is easy to find a small restaurant where Mama cooks local specialities exactly as her family has done for centuries. Accompany this with a delicious local wine - it’s no wonder I’m in love. F PN

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VIVA ITALIA

VIVA ITALIA HAIR TODAY The intricately French braided hairstyles that have been so big over the past few years have evolved into a more relaxed, Italian Renaissance style perfect for the modern woman. Go for a loose, middle parted ponytail tied at the bottom of the neck, with lightly curled bangs to frame the face and a small headpiece. Think Leonardo’s ‘Ginevra de’ Benci’ and Domenico Ghirlandaio’s ‘The Birth of Mary”.

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VIVA ITALIA

WHAT’S HOT AT SABATO SAY CHEESE! A FAMILIAR FACE AROUND PONSONBY CENTRAL, WE RECENTLY WELCOMED CALUM Hodgson to the Sabato team as resident cheesemonger. An expert in his field, we are thrilled to have Calum with us. He will be available for consultation on all cheese related needs from planning cheese boards, to selecting the best cheese for your recipes and menu ideas, to sharing what is ripe for eating. We will be running cheese education sessions to share his wealth of knowledge - stay tuned for details.

In our cheese fridge you will find a top quality selection from New Zealand, Spain, France and of course, Italy. Our Italian selection includes all the favourites…

PONSONBY’S CLASSIC ITALIAN RESTAURANT - GUSTO ITALIANO!

Montanari & Gruzza Parmigiano Reggiano - One of the most widely known Italian cheeses, Parmigiano is a delicious and tasty addition to top your favourite pasta dish, shave over a salad, stir through risotto or add to a cheese board. Montanari & Gruzza age their Parmigiano for 24 months - creating a pale yellow product of exceptional quality and flavour, with tangy and fruity flavours. We also have an organic Parmigiano Reggiano, of the same incredible flavour and fragrance.

Locals and visitors to Ponsonby who have dined at Gusto in Three Lamps over the past five years will know they have been treated to a real Italian experience!

Gorgonzola - Italy’s most famous blue, we have both dolce and mountain gorgonzola.

Dolce is a younger, sweeter cheese, exceptionally creamy with the sharp flavour of the green penicillin mould to contrast with the cream. Mountain gorgonzola is a more traditional version, aged for longer with a drier, firmer texture, and earthy, piquant flavour.

Inspired by the charm of a classic Italian restaurant, Gusto, meaning “taste and enjoyment” brings the authentic feeling of Italy to its guests. They focus on fresh hand -made pastas and pizzas and an excellent range of seafood and meat dishes.

Tallegio - This delicious washed rind cheese has a strong aroma but a mild and delicate flavour. With a velvety soft texture it is melt-in-the-mouth at room temperature and makes a decadent addition to fondue.

You can enjoy live opera every second Wednesday as well as special events such as degustation nights and Mediterranean nights with live folk music.

Fontina - Made from milk rich in vitamins and natural flavours, Fontina is rich and creamy, with a herbaceous and fruity flavour. The original fondue cheese, Fontina is mild and smooth when melted - divine when eaten hot with fresh, crusty bread!

“We strive to stay true to authentic Italian style without compromise while providing PN a relaxed friendly atmosphere - a home away from home,” says owner Armando Koci. F GUSTO, 263 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 361 1556 www.gustoitaliano.co.nz

This is just a snippet of our cheese selection - visit us instore to discover a huge variety PN of cheeses from all over Europe, now cut to order. F SABATO Limited, 57 Normanby Road T: 09 630 8751 www.sabato.co.nz

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VIVA ITALIA PICCOLI PIATTI COMBINES ALL THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS Recently opened in Jervois Road, Piccoli Piatti has been described by one diner as “simplicity and excellence typifies both food and décor.

For a restaurant in its infancy (a mere three days old when we dined) Piccoli Piatti has all the ingredients for legendary longevity.”

Meaning “small plates” in Italian, Piccoli Piatti restaurant is proud to serve modern Italian inspired cuisine with pasta made in house and charcuterie sliced to order. Owners, sisters Lynda and Joanna King, say they are proud of their take on modern Italian food, while head chef Rob Richardson formerly of Molten, Mt Eden (a Metro Top 50 restaurant) creates excellent yet simple dishes with ease.

“We source exceptional Italian products, combine them with superb local produce and let them shine,” says Joanna “and our focus is on offering a range of antipasti style shared plates and fresh pasta made by hand in our kitchen daily.”

Pasta is available as an entrée or main size, there is a selection of mains, sides, desserts and cheeses. As well they offer a range of options for children and in true Italian style they open at 5pm for families to dine early. Daily specials are posted on Facebook.

The perfect way to begin your evening is with classic Italian cocktails such as Aperol Spritz, Bellini with white peach sorbet and Negroni. House wines include Invivo Central Otago Pinot Noir and Invivo Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. The wine list covers a variety of regions with a selection of Italian wines many by the glass, as well as renowned New Zealand brands from artisan vineyards and organic wines are available. F PN Hours: Tuesday - Friday 5pm til late and Saturday-Sunday 3pm til late PICCOLI PIATTI, 170 Jervois Road, T: 09 376 5367 www.piccolipiatti.co.nz Facebook: Piccoli Piatti

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VIVA ITALIA THE DANTE ALIGHIERI SOCIETY OF AUCKLAND The Dante Society in Auckland is a branch of the Dante Alighieri Society headquartered in Rome.

Founded in 1889, the society’s principle aim is to promote Italian language and culture in the world by reinvigorating the ties that link Italians abroad with their country, and by encouraging a love of things Italian among non-Italians.

The society is named after Italy’s most illustrious poet and author. Born in Florence in the 13th century, he chose not to write his famous work in Latin, but used a new language, Italian, based on the regional dialect of Tuscany with some elements of Latin and other regional dialects.

The Auckland branch, based at the Freeman’s Bay Community Centre, is headed by President, Cav. Sandra Fresia. For nearly 20 years Sandra has pursued the aims and objectives of the society, running language courses which she teaches, holding holiday programmes for children and adults, promoting the language and culture of her native Italy. You will have noticed the Cav before her name above. This is her Italian government’s Knighthood for services to Italy abroad. Cav is the abbreviation used for the honour, Cavaliere.

Ponsonby News went to the Dante centre and met and spoke to a group of Italian women who now live in New Zealand. A photo of those women is shown attached to this article.

New Zealand did not get the influx of Southern Europeans that Australia did in the 1950s and 60s. Australia has thousands more Italians and Greeks than New Zealand.

Many, but by no means all, of the Italians in New Zealand followed their spouse who got work in New Zealand. Some, like Fiorella Kirwan, married New Zealanders, eventually finding themselves at the bottom of the world, even though many, including Fiorella, had lived outside of Italy before.

L to R: Alessandra, Monica, Fiorella, Sandra, Flavia and Martina The Dante Society is a great meeting place for Italians in New Zealand, Flavia agrees, but it is also a magnet for lovers of Italian language and culture. Flavia told us there are a good number of Asian students at Dante classes. The classes attract a melting pot of people from around the world.

Flavia and I have something in common, we have both owned Fiat Bambinas. Flavia left hers at home when she came to New Zealand, and she loves them referred to as Bambinas. In Italy they are Cinque Cento (500s). These women are a decided asset to New Zealand. They are dedicated to their own language and culture, and happy to share that with Kiwis, but, they have also embraced life in New Zealand.

Alessandra jokingly told us that when she tells people she has an Italian husband they often say “wow”, as if she owns a Ferrari. Have a look on the Dante Alighieri Society website or visit them in Freeman’s Bay. There is still a sense of glamour and old world PN charm about Italy and things Italian. F www.dante.org.nz dantealighieriauckland.blogspot.co.nz

There are daunting challenges for anyone living in a new land with a new language and culture, without the support of family and friends. The women we spoke to were not immune from those challenges. But they all stressed the importance of the Dante Alighieri Society, where they could meet with fellow Italians, bring their children to speak Italian together, and share their stories of adjustment to a new country. As Alessandra Zecchini told us, “they come here after work, they walk in and relax. They almost feel back in Italy. The Dante Society is a home away from home.”

I asked these women about the similarities and differences between New Zealand and Italy, their biggest challenges, the pros and cons of living in New Zealand. While there were points in common, there were also big differences in how each found New Zealand.

Some have found New Zealand more open, less rigid and structured than Italy, a pioneer country where one doesn’t have to conform to centuries old norms, whereas Fiorella was surprised at the New Zealand habit of feeding kids early, shipping them off to bed, and seldom inviting them with their parents to parties. She felt friends may be sometimes more important than family. She favours, and so do I, the whole family eating together.

As to be expected, she and John cook and eat mainly Italian food. She believes New Zealanders are well organised, have everything planned, do everything by the book, whereas she thinks Italians are more prone to the “she’ll be right mate” attitude we often attribute to Kiwis.

One of the youngest of the group I met was Flavia. She and her Italian husband holidayed in New Zealand just over two years ago. They returned to Italy, but they had been so taken by New Zealand, her husband , an engineer, sought a position in New Zealand, and they came back four months later. They love New Zealand, the openness, the lack of rigid traditions, the young pioneer nature of New Zealand, no one tells you how to dress, how to live, but Flavia admits to missing her close knit family back home. “It is so far from the other side of the world.”

Flavia’s husband loves surfing, and New Zealand lamb - much better than Italian lamb according to Flavia. She now cooks roast lamb every Sunday. So these two have certainly embraced the New Zealand way of life. They enjoy New Zealand wine too.

PN (JOHN ELLIOTT) F

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VIVA ITALIA POLTRONA FRAU - NOW AT MATISSE An Italian company, famed globally for the extraordinary quality of its leather and workmanship, is now represented in New Zealand

by Matisse in Parnell.

Poltrona Frau’s leather graces quality environments all over the world - the interior of the European Parliament in Brussels, private planes, superyachts, opera houses in fact anywhere the ultimate in luxury leather is enjoyed by a discerning clientele.

The company was founded in 1912 and therefore has a long tradition of leather handcraft. This enables Poltrona Frau to produce furniture with the finest of details, perfect buttoning, tufting, pleating and finishing.

Vanity Fair

This in turn means that Poltrona Frau is still able to produce styles from their archives with the same leather detailing produced in 1912 for their famed “Chester” - a magnificent classic Edwardian Chesterfield sofa built to last for generations to come, or the “Vanity Fair” - the perfect timeless club armchair from 1930. These feature in Poltrona Frau’s museum in Italy but can also be purchased from Matisse for your home.

Contemporary designs are a major part of the catalogue at Poltrona Frau - The “Kennedee” - a long low modular sofa system by Jean-Marie Massaud is reminiscent of the elegance of the early 60s. The “Archibald” chair is the perfect comfortable guest chair - the undulating folds of leather, an iconic design feature, envelop the sitter.

The best way to experience Poltrona Frau leather, its quality and the hundreds of colours unique to their collection, is to visit Matisse. F PN MATISSE AUCKLAND, 99 The Strand, Parnell T: 09 302 2284 www.matisse.co.nz

Kennedee Bianco

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VIVA ITALIA AUTUMN GARDEN DELIGHTS Summer is coming to an end, and it’s the best time to get a head start on the coming season by sowing your autumn vegetables now.

Kings Seeds have made it easy with their Autumn Best Sellers seed selection which contains 10 of their top selling autumn vegetable varieties. You can grow something for everyone in the family; the selection contains Beet Rainbow Lights, Broccoli Tender Stems, Beetroot Detroit Dark Red, Carrot Touchon, Florence Fennel Milano, Cauliflower Violet Sicilian, Onion Ishikura, Kale Cavolo Nero, Radish French Breakfast and Rocket.

Barbara Martin from Kings Seeds said “Our Autumn Best Sellers seed selection gives people the opportunity to grow a range of different vegetables throughout the season.

We’ve taken the hassle out of what to grow with everything being carefully selected by us, so you can get on with sowing and growing in the garden.”

The Kings Seeds Autumn Best Seller’s selection contains some of their most popular tried and true varieties. Beet Rainbow Lights is a vibrant swiss chard that brings a pop of colour to the garden with its multi coloured stems of yellow, gold, pink, crimson and more. Broccoli Tender Stems is an easy to grow garden favourite that has a main head with tender tasty side shoots that can be snapped or cut off as you need them.

Beetroot Detroit Dark Red can be eaten fresh or canned, and its dark green foliage with red veins makes a bright addition to baby leaf salads.

Striking looking with an intense deep orange colour, Carrot Touchon is a long cylindrical coreless carrot. Sweet and juicy, it’s perfect for eating raw, cooking or juicing. A compact plant with a large, very white spherical bulb and sturdy green foliage, Florence Fennel Milano has an excellent flavour and good bolt resistance. Cauliflower Violet Sicilian looks like a cross between broccoli and cauliflower, but its rosy-violet florets have a delicious fine texture. Packed full of flavour and ease of culture, this variety is a must for cauliflower growers! The hardy Onion Ishikura is an improved Tokyo Long White type and is as interesting as its name. Recommended as a single stem, this little or no bulbing spring onion has a growth habit more like a leek than a bunching onion. It has a very mild pungency, 45cm long white stalks and dark green leaves. Kale Cavolo Nero is a must

Kings Seeds Autumn Best Sellers seed selection for your autumn and winter garden. Looking like a cross between cabbage and kale, it forms no head; instead it grows upward in the form of a palm tree with attractive narrow dark green savoyed leaves in a rosette on top of the stem. An old, very ornamental rustic Italian variety, use its versatile leaves as cabbage or kale. Radish French Breakfast is a slender radish type with a delicate crunch and gentle heat that is best harvested promptly upon maturity and eaten, or kept in the fridge to retain its flavour and texture.

The unique peppery tasting rocket is a versatile salad green ideal for use in salads, sandwiches and even pizza to add extra zing! Super easy to grow, make successive sowings so you never run out.

The Kings Seeds website has more information on the varieties in the Autumn Top Sellers seed selection, plus practical information about seed sowing so you can grow the healthiest seedlings this autumn. Alternatively purchase a copy of the 2013 Kings Seeds catalogue which is packed full of an extensive range of seed, with something for every type of gardener - small scale or large!

Kings Seeds have the largest range of seed in New Zealand, all available online. Their seeds are also stocked in selected retailers nationwide. They offer an expansive catalogue with many organically certified varieties. Kings Seeds started in 1978 and is owned by Gerard and Barbara Martin. For more information on the products available as well as special offers, recipes, or sowing and growing tips and techniques, visit PN www.kingsseeds.co.nz F

ITALIAN CHAIRS AT TRENZSEATER The LOUIS AC 575 and AC 5042 chairs are hand carved in Italy by a company called Angelo Cappellini and are stained and upholstered in New Zealand.

Angelo Cappellini also have a huge range of other armchairs, sofas, dining tables and chairs, bookcases, bedroom furniture in both traditional and contemporary styles. F PN All are available from TRENZSEATER, 80 Parnell Road T: 09 303 4151 www.facebook.com/trenzseater

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JAY PLATT: WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT...

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1 Cat & Dog biscuit jars by Alessi $86 each @ Askew www.askew.co.nz; 2 Amarelli Bianconeri liquorice chewy sugar-covered nuggets of liquorice flavoured with mint $9 & Sassolini liquorice mixed flavours $9 each @ Sabato www.sabato.co.nz; 3 Missoni Laguna, Maremma & Bianconero candles $128 each @ Tessuti www.tessuti.co.nz; 4 Fornasetti room spray ‘Sole di Capri’ $299 @ World Beauty www.worldbrand.co.nz; 5 ‘Rocks VII’ decanter by Vittorio Locatelli $250 @ Indice www.indice.co.nz; 6 ‘Proraso’ shaving cream Eucalyptus & Menthol and Sandlewood & Shea Butter $25 each @ World Beauty www.worldbrand.co.nz; 7 ‘Leone’ Pastilles assorted flavours $5 each @ Sabato www.sabato.co.nz; 8 ‘Bialetti Moka’ espresso coffee maker $82.50 @ Millys www.millyskitchen.co.nz

42 PONSONBY NEWS+ March 2014

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT

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1 ‘Niche’ centerpiece by Zaha Hadid for Alessi $303 @ Simon James Design www.store.simonjamesdesign.com; 2 Torrone Siciliano chocolate dark, lemon & orange flavours $15.90 each @ Sabato www.sabato.co.nz; 3 ‘Carrara’ Egyptian cotton luxury towels made in Milano wash cloth $12.50, hand towel $18.50, bath towel $67, bath sheet $98 each @ Tessuti www.tessuti.co.nz; 4 Ceramic ‘Bitossi’ hippo $285 @ Askew www.askew.co.nz; 5 ‘Scooter’ pizza cutter $19.95 @ Millys www.millyskitchen.co.nz; 6 Baba Napoletani ‘Limoncello’ 500g $24.90 @ Sabato www.sabato.co.nz; 7 Fornasetti 60cm feather pillows PN made in Venice $495 each @ Design55 www.design55.co.nz F STYLING: Jay Platt PHOTOGRAPHY: Danilo Santana David, Fisher Santana.

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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FASHION + STYLE JANE DANIELS NEW COLLECTION The stunning turquoise, cobalt and lapis lazuli blues were inspired

by Jane’s recent visit to the fabled cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva on the old Silk Road.

These ancient cities of Central Asia, in modern day Uzbekistan, all have a strong tradition in handmade crafts: suzani embroidery, silk yarn and fabric making, dyeing, carpet weaving and ceramics, all abundant in colour.

Jane explains, “The shimmering turquoise domes, golden walls and, in particular, Samarkand’s Shah-i-Zinda (the sacred street) provided me with great inspiration.

This street is like an extraordinary blue garden, covered in mosaics, majolica, swirling arabesques and elegant geometrics in every shade of blue on blue with turquoise and touches of saffron yellow. I have named my blue colours after these Silk Road cities.

The peony and petal pink I have featured this season are colours favoured by the women there as well as magenta and coral reds. These, along with sea green and a bright citrus, all sit well against my neutral base palette of winter white, stone, pewter, black, charcoal and especially dark French navy which softens the brights and produces more interesting colour combinations.”

Most of Jane’s fabrics come from Europe and, in particular, the Italian woollen mills work with her to create an exclusive colour palette based on her exotic travels.

Jane adds, “In styling I have reworked some contemporary classics. The biker jacket is in our soft European stretch wool as well as German suede, and our trench is in faux suede from Italy. I have drawn inspiration from the star shaped mosaics with the cutting and style lines of many pieces. Our new Italian stretch wool sculpts the body in a very haute couture way, while New Zealand merino in gorgeous colours adds flippy fluted skirts, draped tops and dresses.”

As always there is Japanese influence with pleated, spliced, origami folded and wrapped pieces. Textured fabrics and layering pieces provide versatility - working in a number of different ways. Artistic monochromatic jacquard fabrics are from Italy and Spain.

Jane loves travel, art, history and, of course, fashion and she is always drawing inspiration from these. “They give me a new and fresh perspective on colours, detail and styling. I am proud to say that all my garments are still made in New Zealand and PN I am surrounded by a fabulous team who help make all this possible.” F JANE DANIELS, 2 Birdwood Crescent Parnell T: 09 358 5756 www.janedaniels.co.nz

taylor at Audi’s

44 PONSONBY NEWS+ March 2014

BMW MD Nina Englert, Dan Gosling, Dame Pieter Stewart and Josh Emmett with the NZFW New Gen Designers PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FASHION + STYLE News from Auckland Weddings The wedding. To a bride, it’s the most important and significant event she’ll ever have to plan.

However, there are a lot of things to organise and many brides don’t know where to start. After the initial yes, the when and the where must be discussed. The venue is usually chosen next with the help of the groom. With the location in mind the details usually begin to fall into place with guidance from magazines, friends and if you’re lucky - a wedding planner. But the one thing that is totally about the bride is the wedding gown.

Deciding on a dress can be overwhelming, with more varieties now than ever before and a wider range made accessible through the internet. The choices are narrowed with most brides starting out by seeing a few local bridal shops or opting to find a designer to work with. Some of the bravest, however, will try their luck buying on the internet, see a dressmaker, or buy second hand.

When buying or having a dress made, the first thing to think about is the budget. Working out what a bride wants or has to spend is important. Too many times I have heard of brides who bought gowns online for a set price without realizing all the extra costs involved getting the gown to fit!

Online shopping works mostly well with day wear, but bridal gowns are a different story. Whatever marketing leads you to believe, the majority of bridal gowns out there are mass -produced in factories in China. If that’s not concerning

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

enough, a lot are knocking off well-known brands. There are other issues associated with buying imported gowns.

Brides often find that their gowns arrive in a tiny box vacuum packed so small that a few hundred dollars need to be spent getting the gown professionally pressed!

Purchasing your bridal gown this way can add a lot of unnecessary stress to the process of organising a wedding.

Thinking that you’ve bought the gown of your dreams to find it nothing like what you expected, fabrics and beading compromised and not fitting properly is the last thing anyone wants to find just before they walk down the aisle. Ill fitting imports make up a good portion of the second-hand market, and it’s no secret as to why!

As the designer for Vinka Design I can happily say brides have never had it so good. With so many beautiful fabrics and laces that we have access to from all over the world, we create gowns and make them here, be they vintage, classic, traditional, boho, or contemporary in style.

There are innumerous horror stories out there, but having the day ruined by a bad dress can easily be avoided.

Check with your designer if the garments are made inhouse or made in New Zealand. Choose wisely with thought and consideration for what experience you are after. All the effort and planning of your wedding, having a great photographer, beautiful venue, gorgeous hair and makeup can easily be ruined by a bad dress. When you put that gown on it should make you feel beautiful - don’t settle for anything less. F PN (Anita Turner-Williams of Vinka Design, an Auckland Weddings vendor) www.aucklandweddings.co.nz T: 0800 203 778.

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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 15 MARCH 1925

Dear Aunt Amelia

Methinks that such magnificent footwear deserves to be accompanied by a new gown or coat! I might take a morning off later this week to do the rounds of the salons. Mrs Barton -Walker’s[ii] shop or Elsie Ginns[iii] are at the top of my list and I suspect will have a good variety of exquisite things to try on.

I am simply too busy to design and make something for myself and frankly, I’m a little tired of doing so. Elsie has just advertised that she’s recently received a shipment from Paris and London and that she has many lovely things in stock now. As you know, she has such exquisite taste... I am expecting that I will have trouble choosing something!

I don’t feel at all guilty about a little indulgent shopping, as I’ve done rather well for myself with regard to my wardrobe this summer, acquiring a few new pieces by the gentle art of bartering! Most of my friends in the trade are more than happy to partake of this most civilized of practices. I’ve just acquired two beautiful hats from my friends the Misses McCabe of Karangahape Road who, in exchange, were very pleased to relieve me of a box of silk remnants and a bag full of short lengths of braid. Although I like to keep these things to make flowers and other trimmings, I certainly won’t miss them! The McCabes are sure to transform them into sublime little trifles that will adorn their winter millinery collection.

You asked for some local news. I wonder if anyone has written to you about our frightening incident with the escaped leopard? Curiously our papers carried news of a leopard that escaped in a Paris park only last month... you would have been well and truly back home in Bath by then I trust.

Although no one really knows what happened, her demise may have had something to do with Jagger’s Tannery (which is too close to me for comfort when it comes to leopards on the run).

Apparently she had been seen a number of times in the vicinity of the tannery and it was thought that she may have become stuck in the mud in Cox’s Creek and was caught by the rising tide and washed out into the harbour.

Another report states, and I hope it isn’t true, is that the poor thing fell into a chemical vat at the tannery and then became poisoned after cleaning itself before, being in a weakened state, falling into the creek while drinking. While I feel very relieved that the whole saga has come to a close I do feel a little upset that whole episode was allowed to happen in the first place. I feel so sorry for the poor beast which had to endure being captured in the Indian jungle, suffer a long arduous sea journey (that incidentally saw the death of some of her fellow captives - one monkey, two peacocks and three partridges), being caged and then being alone and lost in a very strange country. Oh dear, I’m feeling a little maudlin now...

I think it’s time to put on my new shoes and take them for a stroll around the house... perhaps to the kitchen where I shall put the kettle on for another round of tea.

Thank you again for the most wonderful surprise package! Please do write soon with news of your Parisian adventures.

With much love,

Maudie xx [i] Helstern & Sons, Paris - famous footwear brand founded in 1870 [ii] Mrs E. Barton-Walker, the Model House, Strand Arcade, Auckland [iii] Elsie Ginn Salon, 40 Winstone Buildings, Queen Street

illustration: Michael McClintock

I really don’t know how to thank you and Aunt Myrtle enough for the glorious shoes! Apart from the merest tightness across the width, they are a perfect fit! I’m sure that the brocade will stretch a little after the first or second outings. In any case, who wouldn’t suffer a little to wear the most stylish pair of shoes in all of Auckland! I know you spoke about it, but I never have dreamed that you would both really visit Paris, or spend a day shoe shopping, nor purchase for me the most divine pair of shoes on this Earth! So I am the proud owner of a pair of Hellstern[i] gold and emerald green silk brocade, oriental style evening shoes (which incidentally sit right in front of me as I write this letter!) Just describing them gives me a frisson of pleasure!

For almost a month we had a leopard on the loose. The poor thing had only just arrived in Auckland from Calcutta a day or two before it escaped. The authorities are still unsure how it came to be loose and the papers are now full of criticism of both the zoo and the council for allowing the leopard to escape and for not notifying the public of the potential danger soon enough. I must admit that I was a little frightened to go out in the garden in the evenings and although the weather at the time was hot and very humid, I didn’t dare keep any windows open. I also kept a keen eye on Tiger and Pusskins as the papers stated that there was a chance that the leopard might attack and eat pets or chickens if it became hungry. Over the entire month the papers were filled with “Leoparditis” as the Star put it, with apparent sightings of the creature, which had it roaming from Ponsonby to Mt. Albert, to New Lynn and even out to the Waitakeres! A bounty of £20 if caught alive or £10 if found dead I’m sure fuelled many of these wild visions! The leopard was eventually found, drowned, floating in the harbour near St. Heliers by four men who found it while they were out fishing.

+ MarchNEWS NEWS 2014 + 46 PONSONBY PONSONBY PARISH

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FASHION + STYLE: JULIE ROULSTON

SHOE LOVERS’ SHOES Boots. Heels. Flats. Leather, suede, snakeskin! How to choose from the new season’s styles?

We asked some of Ponsonby’s confirmed shoe lovers to share their picks.

Doris de Pont, New Zealand Fashion Museum “Style and comfort reconciled in a classic elasticated ankle boot - so on trend for this winter. This one is called Betty and is made in gorgeous soft chocolate suede right here in New Zealand by Minnie Cooper. Picture is me trying them on - just waiting for my size to come in.”

Mark Thomson, taylor Boutique “The boot I am wearing at the moment and loving is the Alexandre Plokhov Costa Boot.

This has been constructed from raw leather and has been described as “like a boot caught by a cartoon hobo while fishing in a pond for food.”

Mark Thomson, taylor Boutique

Kerry Gladman, Heavenly Soles “The boots that I will certainly be buying this season are from the new Manas Winter 2014 range. Made in Italy out of beautiful leathers with amazing comfort and great styles.”

Stephen Marr, Stephen Marr Hair Design The shoes I am wearing are from Workshop by Common Projects - style Achilles Suede.

You can wear them with most things. I tend to thrash shoes if I like them.

Angelique Fris-Taylor, Publicity PR “One shoe definitely on my list will be the "Miss Wilson" Lucy Heel. This was my first ever Kathryn Wilson shoe and I wore it into the ground - it was sooooo comfortable. Can you imagine how excited I am that it is included in the "Best of 10 years" collection. My colour choice? Gold!”

Angelique Fris-Taylor, Publicity PR

Claire Hammon, Meadowlark Jewellery “I am a bit of an Ann Demeulemeester shoe collector; pictured are just one of four pairs I would like to buy this season. These are at the top of the list because they are the only ones that aren't boots. I just love them, they are the perfect combo of a sandal and a heel.”

Ange Marshall, Briarwood Shoes “If I had to choose only one shoe this season (which would be very difficult!) I would choose our new Briarwood GABY ankle boot. It is stunningly simple and stylish, so perfect in every way! Heel height, the cut around the ankle, toe shape, width across the foot - this beautiful, silky smooth boot has it all. I wear it nearly every day already and it’s gorgeous with any outfit. Love it!” (JULIE ROULSTON) F PN Ange Marshall, Briarwood Shoes

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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FASHION + STYLE THAT’S QUITE NICE If you think it would be quite nice to support local, independent designers and retailers, but sometimes the convenience of shopping online is hard to beat; we have great news.

Thanks to Lana Hunter, you can buy design-based gifts locally and online at her e-boutique, quitenice.co.nz Hunter, whose site launched late last year and operates from Newton, believes there is always room online for interesting and quirky gift sites with items for the home, children and fun. She had been working on the Scotties online store for some time, and so had invaluable experience in e-retail prior to launching. Lana’s mother Marilyn Sainty helps in sourcing lines overseas, others Lana finds herself, like the 3D printed horse sculptures, Equus.

Some products are found in Paris, like the printed card pop-out dogs by Marc Tetro; and others are commissioned here in New Zealand, like the porcelain salt dishes by Northland based Desiree Hirner on pottery Marilyn made, or the Pohutukawa scroll based on a gift photographer Mark Smith gave to Marilyn and put into production. Then of course there are the immediately desirable Marilyn Sainty baby coats in pure wool with Japanese cotton trim Lana also blogs on the site about places, spaces and things she likes about the Ponsonby PN area - a local in every sense. F www.quitenice.co.nz

RETAIL SUPERSTAR Roderick Singh Working Style, Ponsonby How did you come to be a retail salesperson?

While studying towards a degree in engineering, I took up a part-time sales position with Working Style. After graduation, I continued to work in sales roles in various industries but was enticed back to Working Style.

What brought you to Working Style Ponsonby?

On the basis of a solid track record in another of the Working Style stores, I was offered a key position running the Ponsonby store.

What do you love about your store?

Firstly, I enjoy working within the Ponsonby community. Secondly, I particularly love how the layout of the store embodies the Working Style brand; and thirdly it would be the well-stocked liquor cabinet and fridge out the back that I regularly share with customers.

What makes a standout retail salesperson?

Someone that listens to the customer’s needs and provides a level of service over and above customer expectations that keeps them coming back. I also think getting to know your customer on a personal level enhances their experience and it has gained me many new friends over the years.

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

Helping a young gentleman with gear for his graduation ceremony. I know the feeling of graduating and how significant the day is. The young man was more stoked about looking fantastic than actually graduating!

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

Nick Wooster, Scott Disick and Jay-Z. If you could wave your wand and have anyone in greater Ponsonby walk into your store right now, who would it be?

Everyone who enjoys luxurious, timeless, quality clothing in a friendly atmosphere.

Where do you shop/enjoy shopping?

Apart from Working Style - Huffer, and I enjoy wearing Stolen Girlfriends Club.

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

My boss, Chris Dobbs, when he decides to come up and see me. F PN WORKING STYLE, 186a PONSONBY ROAD, T: 09 376 3840 www.workingstyle.co.nz

48 PONSONBY NEWS+ March 2014

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FASHION + STYLE IT’S ANDREA MOORE, BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW HER Andrea Moore’s new diffusion line asks, “Why fit in when you were born to stand out?”

The likes of Zac Posen, Valentino, Chloe and Marc Jacobs all have their own spin-off labels - offering their clients younger, fun, accessible and more colourful ranges at a legitimately affordable price point. So when local designer Andrea Moore, announced her plans to launch a diffusion line, we couldn’t help but be excited.

Born in 2013 and called I AM, the new label captures all the electric brights and bold prints of its big sister. The Autumn/Winter 14 collection, titled I AM FREE, is perfectly designed for the stylish urbanite. Silhouettes are simple, letting the electric, Dr Seuss neons and sixties-esque geometric prints speak for themselves.

Pleated skirts and mini dresses in fluorescent orange and green houndstooth will brighten any dreary day, while swing-me jackets and Brixton minis in textured metallic black and neon yellow offer a quirky twist on she’s-a-mod classics. Merino tunics and sweaters in jewel tones inject a shot of warmth as temperatures drop.

Boyish grey marle sweatshirts are accented with feminine touches like lace and the season’s signature Bee in the Box print. The Andrea Moore brand is known for intelligent, impeccably structured garments made with beautiful fabrics sourced from around the world, and I AM is no different. F PN ANDREA MOORE, 63 Mackelvie Street, T: 09 360 0473 www.andreamoore.co.nz

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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GARY STEEL: VEG FRIENDLY

Stuck In The Mud Have you ever stopped to think about why we do the things we do? You know, why we have certain habits that we’ve had for as long as we remember, and why we eat what we eat? Our daily habits and rituals are the products of thousands of years of slowly evolving cultural practices, but do we ever challenge them?

There’s been a lot of coverage lately about certain cultures not conforming to new ways of thinking, with particular reference to manner of headdress and formal ceremonies.

Many of us find the wearing of veils amongst women in strict Muslim culture disquieting and even offensive, a cultural practice that doesn’t gel with modern thinking about equality of the sexes. Similarly, we baulk when traditional Maori ceremony excludes women on the basis that it’s a time-honoured practice. And we’re aghast at the brutal disfiguration of female circumcision, a tradition that persists around the world in immigrant cultures despite its medieval mindset and a good deal of wilful ignorance.

There are many habits and routines in modern society, too. To live life without some kind of processional repetition or cultural marker would be unthinkable, even in this new, seemingly secular society. While fundamentalist Muslims grow up accepting their holy book’s teachings on women’s place in the home, agnostics have simply replaced the church-dictated value system of their ancestors with a new set of habits revolving around shopping, acquiring things we mostly don’t really need, the pursuit of enjoying those things, and unquestioningly eating everything that we’re told is yummy.

TEA, ICE AND ALL THINGS NICE Well known for their luxurious loose leaf teas and tisanes, Harney Fine Teas are excited to launch a line of beautifully packaged bottled iced teas and juices.

Brewed from organic tea leaves sourced from around the world and created with love in small batches. Harney & Sons bottled iced teas contain no preservatives, are rich in antioxidants, low in calories and all certified organic.

Choose from flavours such as invigorating-peach, energizing-black, refreshing-black currant or the ingenious lemonade-tea and big-berry. For the adventurous give the quirky and vibrant coffee-tea a try; Auckland baristas say that this is one to rival cold drip coffee.

The juices contain all organic goodness; there’s apple juice: crisp, dry and delicious.

The citrus orange-mango is bursting with tropical fruit flavours and the mouth-watering cranberry ticks the boxes. The generous 473ml glass bottles have been very welcome!

Discover your favourite at Farro Fresh stores and Ceres Fresh Market at Ponsonby Central; leading organic foodstores, Smith & Caugheys and great cafes across Auckland. $5.90. www.harneyteas.co.nz F PN

It’s become a bit of a cliché that rampant consumerism has become the new God, and that going to the mall now fulfills a similar role to church in years gone by. It’s a cliché, but it does have the ring of truth about it. We’ve all become so familiar with the routine of working long hours to buy stuff we want more than need, that many of us have long become immune to the rush of freedom - the freedom to buy! - that lured us into this mode of living in the first place. Of course, not all of us love the mall. We might spend a lot of our favourite times cruising the harbour, or cruising the bars, or playing or watching sport. Hey, whatever gets you off can’t be bad, unless it kills somebody or starts a war, right?

But in the end, it comes down to one thing: unbridled hedonism. Where previous generations worshipped that grumpy old guy up in the sky and hoped like hell he wouldn’t punish them when they dared to have fun, we simply have a sense of entitlement. Because we work hard for our money, and our things, we feel entitled to whatever we can get.

Routine and hedonism leeches into every area of our oh-so-modern lives, but we’re not taught how to question any of it. If we’ve eaten bacon from an early age, and acquired a taste for it that’s based on a keening nostalgia from those early memories, we’re less likely to want to question the ethics of eating bacon. And if we’re not taught to question, but rather to go along with the crowd, then we’re less likely to ever make a change when we find out where bacon comes from: that it usually involves a very intelligent animal living a miserable life while it’s fattened up and slaughtered, for our creature comfort, our habits, and our hedonism.

Perhaps it’s a bit like calling the kettle black when we accuse others for keeping alive practices that are anathema to modern thinking, when we haven’t even begun to process the enormity of the problems around what, and how, we’re eating - from factory farms to our bloated mouths. At least a Muslim knows why a veil must be worn. The sad fact is that few of us even know where the meat we eat comes from, or what manner of holocaust took place to ensure it got to our plates (nicely priced, of course).

On a brighter note, this month I would like to commend Karangahape Road’s iconic café/restaurant Verona, which has developed a menu that edges towards organic, and even includes some gorgeous vegan options, which are clearly signposted on its mouthwatering menu. Chef Annie Randall has come up with a vegan set menu combines two dishes: the Miso Pretty (a Japanese-inspired delight with cabbage, kale, hijiki seaweed, avocado and marinated tofu) with a kind of delicious bean wrap. Verona, you get this month’s “Good One” award. And don’t forget: if you know of a café or restaurant PN that does vegetarianism well, let me know! (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

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ANY PAGE IN PONSONBY NEWS IS A GOOD PLACE TO BE SEEN

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY

photography: Michael McClintock

Highly Commended winner, Fionna Hill, with Geoff Scott and Martin Leach; Largest Vegetable winner, Tony Hudson, with Geoff Scott and Martin Leach; Traffic Light Trio Winner Kathryn LeGrove, with Geoff Scott and Martin Leach; below Best Heirloom Variety winner, Lisa Loveday, with Geoff Scott and Martin Leach; judging the entries.

HOMEGROWN VEGETABLE COMPETITION The Ponsonby News Homegrown Vegetable Competition was judged last month at the Grey Lynn Farmers’ Market.

Six lucky winners were presented with a winners’ certificate, a bottle of Toi Toi wine’s Sauvignon Blanc, a jar of Multiflora honey and a Grey Lynn Community Centre, Farmers’ Market shopping bag. The Kids’ Grown Vege was won by the Grey Lynn School Garden Club, who also won a Dorothy Butler Children’s Bookshop gift voucher.

Thanks to everyone who supported this competition especially Fionna Hill, who went out of her way to help. A big shout out to Julie Bonner for the very popular wine and to Geoff Scott of Vinnies, Herne Bay for help with picking the winners. F PN

52 PONSONBY NEWS+ March 2014

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY THE WORLD’S FINEST TEA, NOW IN NEW ZEALAND At BOLU, we believe tea is more than just a beverage.

It’s a spiritual awakening of the senses. That’s why each of our fine organic teas are personally tasted and selected by BOLU’s tea expert and creator Shai Nair. BOLU’s range is a mix of exquisite varieties, predominantly biodynamic from single tea estates in the Darjeeling, Assam, Nilgiris and Kangra regions. Purchasing directly from the tea gardens, and sampling it throughout every tea season means we can be sure BOLU teas are amongst the best in the world.

Setting the standard for Indian teas; BOLU was founded with a clear vision: to set the standard for Indian teas in Australasia. BOLU is about bringing connoisseurs only the finest organic and biodynamic Indian tea, while educating and inspiring them too - helping to refine palates and introduce New Zealand and Australia to a new class of tea.

On a deeper level, Shai hopes to bring to her customers the full experience of tea, which goes far beyond simply drinking a cup. Fine tea can be a social experience, the chance to gather friends around a steaming pot. It can also facilitate meditation and thought, a rare opportunity to pause in the middle of a busy life and take stock.

Quality tea, quality packaging; using New Zealand packaging experts and winning second place in the 2013 Dieline packaging awards, we’ve taken care to create packaging that protects the fragrant tea leaves, while also giving customers an insight into their quality.

All BOLU teas are packed in vacuum-sealed packs and light-weight and stackable recyclable boxes. The attractive box is decorated to reflect BOLU’s colourful traditions and core values - the east-meets-west link between people on either side of the globe, joined by their shared passion for exquisite tea. Certification; BOLU is licensed to use the Darjeeling CTM under agreement with the Tea Board of India - this is a mark of authentication and origins of its tea. F PN T: 0800 BOLUTEA (0800 265 8832) www.boluteanz.co.nz

MUNCHY MUESLI MIX With the addition of milk and at a serving size that’s more than what most packaged cereals state, this easy-to-make muesli is an inexpensive, hearty start to your every day. Keep a container-full on hand in your cupboard or in your office desk drawer and you’re good to go.

Serves 6 (75g serve) Time to make 10 minutes.

11/2 cups rolled oats 1/2 cup flaked almonds 1/3 cup pumpkin kernels 1/3 cup sunflower seeds 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped 1/2 cup sultanas Method Combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Variation You can vary the dried fruits you use in this cereal.

Nutrition High iron.

Recipe: Sarah Swain Photography: Melanie Jenkins Recipe reprinted from Healthy Food Guide magazine with permission from Healthy Life Media Ltd. Find out more about shop-bought cereals and their sugar content in the March 2014 issue of Healthy Food Guide magazine ($5.90), on sale in supermarkets and bookstores or subscribe at www.healthyfood.co.nz F PN

T: 0800 BOLUTEA (0800 265 8832) www.boluteanz.co.nz The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY REBECCA RUSSELL - CENTRAL AUCKLAND’S ‘MRS WHIPPY’ Why did you buy the Mr Whippy franchise for Central Auckland?

Before becoming “Mrs Whippy” for Central Auckland I was an English language teacher.

I’m originally from the UK, and as a child I remember the excitement of having Mr Whippy come down my street everyweek. I was very excited to see Mr Whippy still going strong in New Zealand. My territory includes Pt Chevalier, Westmere, Grey Lynn, Ponsonby and Herne Bay plus Parnell, Newmarket, Remuera, Orakei, Meadowbank and Kohimarama.

There is a special anniversary this year what can you tell us about this?

2014 is Mr Whippy’s 50th birthday in New Zealand. Mr Whippy fans should pencil Saturday 29 March in to their diaries because on that day we’ll be giving away 20,000 free ice-creams around New Zealand! And by asking for a gold coin donation, we aim to raise $20,000 for the Child Cancer Foundation in the process!

What does Mr Whippy mean to Kiwi’s?

Mr Whippy has been making Kiwi’s happy since 1964. Invented in the UK, it has become a much-loved Kiwi icon. From the famous ‘Greensleeves’ jingle to watching your ice cream being made, Mr Whippy makes everyone smile! I have catered for corporate functions, sports events, weddings, concerts, school galas, staff shouts and parties, conferences, rest homes, fundraisers, product launches and trade fairs. Mr Whippy is easy to book, convenient and still very affordable; often described as the highlight of any event we attend. Equally loved by young and old, it’s rewarding for me to see Mr Whippy bringing neighbours, communities and even competitors together!

We are health conscious, what is in Mr Whippy ice cream?

Mr Whippy ice cream is 100% New Zealand dairy and comes from the finest dairy farms the Waikato has to offer. It’s a surprisingly simple skimmed milk product, which is mixed with 50% air, making it lighter, tastier and lower in fat than hard ice cream. It is 90% fat-free, gluten-free, soy-free and egg-free; contains no peanuts, chicken or pig fat, and has no additives. For more product information visit www.mrwhippy.co.nz F PN

54 PONSONBY NEWS+ March 2014

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY TOP FIVE CREATIONS

FAVOURITE PONSONBY LOCAL CELEBRATES 15 YEARS ON THE STRIP

Ponsonby News asked Amin Shahin, owner of Dessert Dojo for his top creations. With this hot summer weather, what a great way to keep cool with his cold stone ice cream.

Founding member of the Ponsonby Hall of Fame, Lime bar has long been part of the Ponsonby Road repertoire.

1. “Nuts about You” - The Dessert Dojo iconic mix - peanut butter and Nutella mixed with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce!

3. “Oh là là” - As the name suggests errr… this mix is amazing! - peanut butter and the Kiwi Whittaker’s dark chocolate mixed with French vanilla and caramel sauce!

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

2. “Cheesecake” - If you feel like a fruity treat then this is for you! - biscuits and a mix of berries (strawberries, blueberries and raspberries) mixed with strawberry ice cream and topped up with whipped cream!

Launched in 1998, the bar rapidly ascended to the position of local favourite. Over the years this whippet thin bar has evolved into a late night residence for individuals seeking to park their worries at the door and kick up their heels.

Considering Lime is reputed to be a one-stop shop for scratching that late night itch, it was surprising to learn of the alarming number of marriages that have resulted from an unassuming night out - a definite tick in the redemption box. Nothing has changed there, but there are indeed some significant changes that have taken place.

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

4. “Dream a little” - For all you dreamers out there! - white chocolate chip with a mix of your choice of berries, strawberry sauce and strawberry ice cream. Heaven in your mouth!

The cleverly designed front of house renovation has resulted in a transformation of Ponsonby’s least imposing footprint into a delightful portico ripe for the picking. Intimacy remains intact, but with plenty of room to accommodate a group outdoors.

5. “Orea Ready?!” - Oreo special - Oreos, chocolate brownies, vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. Can this get any better? Extra Oreos perhaps? F PN

Be sure to stop in and say hi to Matt and meet the new kid on the block - resident PN superstar Jonas. F

DESSERT DOJO, 95C Ponsonby Road T: 09 378 0919

LIME, 167 Ponsonby Road T: 09 360 7167

56 PONSONBY NEWS+ March 2014

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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LAURAINE JACOBS: THE SEASONED PALATE

Orphan’s Kitchen Simplicity has not been the buzz word on the lips of Auckland’s restaurant patrons of late.

So it is utterly refreshing to go to Orphan’s Kitchen on Ponsonby Road for the ultimate stripped back experience in town. Walk in and there’s nothing to either surprise or startle you in the way of décor. The tall vertical timber walls make a subtle statement with each board painted in soft neutral colour tones and not a piece of artwork in sight, apart from one large gilt framed mirror. The tables, all high top, are sturdy slabs of macrocarpa with the tree trunk still evident on the edges. Metal stools are adorned with sheep skin covers and you get the feeling that this is a very natural place. And shock horror, no bookings, so just roll on up and take your chances.

After seven months of operation this brainchild of two business partners, Josh Helm who manages front of house, and Tom Hishon who works the magic in the kitchen, has settled in with an almost full house each night of diners who appreciate the friendly service and straightforward menu of just eight choices. Divided by “smaller” ($15) and “larger” ($25) plates, each dish has a mere four or five key ingredients. But first up as you settle in, relax over some of the best bread in town, accompanied by a brown butter scattered with ash. Both the bread and the butter are made in house and if you request extra, there will be a charge of one dollar per piece. Yes. You read that right. Just one dollar for the most delicious bread and butter in the city. Where, I wonder could you find anything in any restaurant for just one dollar? Amazing!

All the fashionably vaunted ingredients are on that small menu; line-caught fish, heirloom tomatoes, venison, Ora King salmon, milk fed lamb, goats curd, karengo, samphire and more. I was also amused to see “hen egg”. Is this a new trend I wonder? The heirloom tomatoes I wanted were not available but I seized the chance to order their replacement, courgettes with a soft goat’s curd and embellished with capsicum and capers. That was perfect, just the right crunchiness in the vegetables to prove they were absolutely garden fresh. The other smaller plate we ordered was smoked salmon with a refreshing and seasonal crisp adornment of celeriac and apple and the surprising palate-awakening bite of fresh horseradish.

For mains, it’s always tempting to order fish and the night’s market fresh line caught blue moki was the only disappointment. It arrived at the table colourfully and beautifully

58 PONSONBY NEWS+ March 2014

photography: Joe Dowling

We’ve witnessed glitzy fit outs costing millions, exotic menus of dazzling proportions with complexity and showmanship on every plate, and an array of drinks including cocktails, craft beers and wine lists that would challenge Harry’s Bar or the Ritz. Bookings have been hard to come by at some of the most popular places so that you’re left crossing fingers and toes hoping for the return call that confirms a place for you at a time that suits them.

plated with roast cauliflower, red cabbage and scattered olives and herbs to garnish, and although as fresh as fresh, the soft flabby texture of this uncommon fish didn’t really appeal. The milk fed lamb made up for that however; tender, juicy, and carefully matched to little jersey bennes, some pureed aubergine and feijoa chutney with samphire.

And for dessert a stunning sourcream ice cream. I am one of those people who spurns dessert - too rich and cloying at the end of a lovely meal with wine, but I would happily order this again and again as the caramelised pineapple, passionfruit and basil were heavenly and very light. It’s that old maxim, simple well thought out food is always going to be a winner.

The wine list is small but strong. Helm finds all sorts of gems to list that are inexpensive and interesting, and offers each and every one by the glass, in a 500ml serve or as by the bottle. Averaging out at about $45 per bottle or $10 a glass this is one of the strengths of the place. I loved my glasses of vouvray and albarino and we finished with one of the most fascinating wines I have tried in ages. A glass of old vine negroamaro from Puglia in southern Italy was dark and inky and made me think of chocolate and licorice.

There’s a very small bar to the rear and the upstairs room is available for groups of more than ten. As for the “orphans” name, Helm and Hishon were mates in London and those were the days when groups of friends shared good meals in their flats rather than eat out all the time. They’d gather together and Hishon inevitably cooked for everyone in what became known as the “orphan’s kitchen”. They’ve paired up here again and so that name was a first for them back home. We’re glad they’re here and doing so well.

PN Open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday, lunches Thursday and Friday. F Orphan’s Kitchen, 118 Ponsonby Road T: 09 378 7979 (bookings for large groups only) www.laurainejacobs.co.nz

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

LIZ WHEADON: WINE, GLORIOUS WINE

AN OLD FRIEND – JACKSON ESTATE EVERY DAY THE RANGE OF WINES THAT APPEARS IN MY OFFICE TO REVIEW IS overwhelming, there are literally hundreds of new labels arriving. I do think that with all this innovation and development, sometimes those that have been producing great wine year in year out don’t get their fair share of the limelight - we do seem to live in a culture of loving the next big thing. I recently had the opportunity to taste through the entire Jackson Estate range, something I’d not done for some time. I was really excited by the quality and flair of these wines.

Jackson Estate’s vineyards were planted over three decades ago in a partnership between two pioneering Marlborough families, the Stichbury and Jackson family. They are based on the Wairau River plains in Marlborough along Jackson Road. In 2013 Jackson Estate’s majority ownership did change and it is wonderful to see it remain a New Zealand company with John Benton, a Wellington businessman, taking on the majority shareholding.

Jackson Estate’s head Winemaker is Matt Patterson-Green; Matt has been with Jackson Estate for nine years now, having previously working in vineyards and wineries in South Canterbury, Waipara, USA, Marlborough, Germany and Nelson. Alongside every great winemaker, you do need a super talented viticulturist; Geoff Woollcombe has been at Jackson Estate for over 20 years, having previously worked for Vavasour during the 89-90 vintage in Marlborough, you’d have to say with all that experience in Marlborough viticulture, he knows a thing or two about growing grapes in Marlborough.

Lastly, the Somerset Vineyard, which is planted with Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir; this site is in the Waihopai Valley. I drove through the back roads of the Waihopai late last year and it is striking the difference to the terroir in this part of Marlborough, it has its own distinctive set of conditions that make the styles from here very unique. This vineyard is planted with Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.

The Jackson Estate range of wines covers Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir; in trying the full range I loved them all, with one standing out. I must admit to not being the biggest New World Chardonnay drinker out there, having said that the Jackson Estate Shelter Belt Chardonnay, made from fruit off the mature vines on the Homestead Vineyard is divine. A rich buttery, complex Chardonnay, everything is there in just the right proportions: peach, nectarine and stone fruit, balanced acidity a broad rich mouth feel and a generous finish. For those searching for a bolder style of Marlborough PN Chardonnay - here it is. (LIZ WHEADON) F www.glengarry.co.nz

Jackson Estate has four sites within Marlborough; Runnymede Homestead is the original Jackson family home, with a wonderful orchard planted by the first generation there that still bears fruit. The Homestead vineyard is located around a giant gum tree which features on the Jackson Estate label and is planted with Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir; it’s this vineyard’s mature vines and stony soils that produce the intense Sauvignon Blanc that Jackson’s reputation was built on. The Eversley vineyard is planted with Pinot Noir, a mix of clones; one whiff of a Pinot Noir from this site shows you the pedigree of Pinot Noir that can be produced from the right site in Marlborough.

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JULIE BONNER: NEWS FROM FROG POND FARM Oh dear me, it’s nearly the end of February. Looks like “hot cross buns” will be on the menu before we know it!

Our garden is looking great, even if it has been hot and dry. My version of the three sister’s garden (corn, cucurbits and sunflowers) is skyward bound. I have splashed seaweed and fish fertiliser about, as corn are huge feeders and need loads of tucker.

There is a raft of self seeded stuff in here too, cleome, tomatoes, phacelia, borage and heaven only knows what else. And guess what? I have no intention of hoisting any of it out either. Including the “what on earth is that cucurbit?” that is growing like mad in the same space. It reminds me of a body builder flexing muscles as it shoulders other plants out of the way. Yes, I’m more than happy with this garden, and spend time here gloating.

Powdery mildew is alive and well in my garden too - Jack be Little pumpkin and Cocozelle zucchini are playing host. I cut off as many infected leaves as I can, pop these in a bag for the rubbish and then spray the plants early in the morning with fish fert. Other than feeding the plant, this application should help to change the pH of the leaf. Of course, this doesn’t always work, so next out will be the baking soda. Do you have any organic spray suggestions? I would love to hear.

How is your garden going with pests? Summer brings the little suckers out in hordes.

Green shield beetles, passion hoppers, katydids, aphids, thrip, crickets... I endeavor to ignore most of these, unless they are being incredibly destructive. Of course, that is with the exception of the green shields who blatantly sun bake in my garden or spend time sucking sap and juices from plant and vege alike. Believe me, I have no hesitation squashing these bugs and have become rather adept at catching them too.

I recently broadcast some phacelia as a cover crop in one of my vacant beds - sadly it has amounted to zip. So as a nice replacement, I threw about some lupin seeds. As this plant is a nitrogen fixer, it will not only feed the soil as it grows but will also protect it from the weather. Looks very pretty too.

Our orchard is supplying us with a selection of beautiful peaches, pears and apples. The damson plums have been picked and popped into large vessels with vodka and sugar, which will be perfect in a few months time. There are still loads of fruit left on the trees to ripen - quince, crab apples, persimmon, apples, pears and olives, which by the way, I’m still sharing with those wild turkeys! Hmmm.

We have lifted lots more spuds Lisetta, Rua and Nadine, filling two rather large buckets to the brim. This garden will be having a wee break, so into this space will go some composted horse poo, planting mix and yes, more lupins.

Speaking of sowing seeds - I have finally prepared my winter planting plan and have poked some brassicas, giant spinach, lettuce and herbs into two ice-cream containers full of planting mix, which once germinated will be pricked out into larger pots and then into selected beds.

The beans are still feeding us; the cucumber is running out of “oomph”, beetroot for Africa, loads of tasty herbs, juicy Cherokee toms and spring onions on steroids. What PN more could I ask for? Happy gardening. (JULIE BONNER) F www.frogpondfarm.co.nz

60 PONSONBY NEWS+ March 2014

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

PONSONBY CENTRAL: THE PEOPLE TERRY CURTIS, WEEKEND TRADER

JIMMY THE FISH HIS FRESH FISH AND seafood shop has been open for over a year, tucked away in the Food Market of Ponsonby Central. JIMMY THE FISH himself is busy throwing the pots and pans around, whipping up delicious fishy comestibles and establishing a market atmosphere unique to the area.

It’s a family business, with Jimmy’s son Tom selecting the freshest fish first thing every morning from Auckland Fish Market. Tom can source anything that comes from the sea, supplying the shop with the best selection of fish species available in the area.

He can cut large specimens on site and orders are taken for shellfish. Jimmy is always willing to consult on any special requirements and any occasion can be catered for. Every dish on the changing blackboard menu is embellished with Jimmy’s vast experience, he’s been cooking seafood over 30 years.

Jimmy has put a Kiwi stamp on his Vongole dish. His love of spaghetti was introduced to him by his father who escaped from an Italian prisoner of war camp to venture through the countryside and discover the simple food pleasures and hospitality of the Italian people. Jimmy’s giving out his Vongole recipe, but it is still better to get it cooked by him!!

Vongole Ingredients: 1 portion 10 live cockles 1 heaped teaspoon fresh garlic 1 heaped teaspoon fresh chilli (seeds and all) 50mls of chardonnay 50mls of fish stock (available at JIMMY THE FISH) 100 grammes dry spaghetti 50mls extra virgin olive oil Dessert spoon of rough chopped Italian parsley Method Heat 25cm cast iron pan, add cockles, jiggle pan until cockles partially open and toss in garlic, chilli and half of the olive oil. Jiggle pan about until garlic and chilli soften.

Add chardonnay, reduce a little and then add fish stock and cooked spaghetti. Toss pan about until a light sauce consistency is reached. Serve in a bowl topped with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with parsley. Enjoy!

Come to JIMMY THE FISH for fish to cook for your table or ring for great fish and chip takeaways. T: 09 360 1554; Email jassid@vodafone.co.nz

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

What drives you?

A love for handmade and functional pieces for the modern world.

How would you describe yourself?

I have a strong personality and know what I want in life. I’m a perfectionist. I’m not afraid of hard work and I don’t submit to the status quo. I like to have a vision, follow it, push boundaries, experiment, and be honest and upfront with everything I do.

I can be a little rough around the edges, I like good quality and authentic things, tried and tested.

Understated but noticeable. All these traits are reflected in the things I find and produce for Weekend Trader.

How did you get there?

I have a background in graphic and environmental build design, have designed for a local homeward company as well as range of popular ceramics.

What gets you up in the morning?

I love change. Change is good. I am constantly expressing Weekend Trader’s style and feel in new ways, be that through products or the interiors of the shop itself. It’s not just to keep customers interested, it’s to keep me stimulated too! I couldn’t imagine the same thing day in and day out.

Weekend Trader’s Ponsonby store has been open 12 months now, and not only have we brought smiles to the faces of many happy customers, we’ve moved premises within Ponsonby Central, created interior spaces, knocked them down, painted them, and re-styled them again.

How would you describe Weekend Trader?

Weekend Trader’s style is bespoke, mixing textures and materials, the essence of creating a homely interior. Some people come in and they don’t get it? But that’s ok, some people don’t get me either! How does the saying go? “you can please 10% of the people 90% of the time...”

I provide not only beautiful things for someone’s home, but also ideas and inspiration to create a place they can love and be proud of. If I can influence someone in a certain direction that makes them happy, I’m winning. F PN Weekend Trader - vintage and industrial decor. T: 09 378 9128; E: terry@weekendtrader.net

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY ROAST FOR A WRITER Miles Hughes is among the number of successful writers who have taken to the craft as a second career. Mary Wesley and Paul Torday are two that spring to mind.

Mary Wesley amazed the literary world by having her first novel published when she was 70 and Paul Torday gave up a successful business in the oil and gas industry at the age of 57 to write full time. Sadly, he was too ill to attend the film premiere of his first book, “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” and died in December last year.

Miles worked as a professional engineer at home and abroad then began writing novels part-time in 1998. Eventually he retired from engineering in order to specialise in writing non-fiction, and novels for both adults and young adults. In 2009 he graduated with a Master of Creative Writing from AUT and last year was joint winner of the Spit.It.Out Event for the most impact for the spoken word at the 2013 Auckland Fringe Festival. He also was on the short list for the 2011 Graeme Lay Short Story Competition with his composition, “Farewell” and for the 2013 National Flash Fiction Day Awards with his story, “Buried at Sea”. Six of his titles are available as e-Books from the Auckland library system.

Recently Miles was suddenly struck with an illness that took hold aggressively. His friends and colleagues from Spit.It.Out, Inside Out, NZSA, and One2One Café had limited opportunities to enjoy his company so they decided to get together to show him how much they care for him. On Sunday 9 February they put on a “Roast For The Writer” at One2One Café. Anita Arlov from Inside Out was the MC for the event which included poetry readings, music performances and a humourous skit by MeeMee Phipps which parodies Miles’ Templar trilogy. In all, 16 people contributed, the last being singer song writer Caitlin Smith who is one of the country’s best known performers.

The place was packed to the gills with well wishers, Miles, tall and elegant, and his beautiful wife Bronwen in fine form, greeting people as they arrived, not giving off a hint of melancholy. A stylish pair indeed and obviously very much loved. They were accompanied by their children and grandchildren, the tiny tots obviously very attached to poppa. There was a low key launch of Miles’ last work at One2One on the following Wednesday evening, which they didn’t attend. “Richmond Road” is set in Ponsonby a hundred years ago. The narrator is a tough old man who is at loss trying to cope with a tragedy. His much loved young grandson has tried to commit suicide and is lying in a coma. Hospital staff suggested he talk to the boy which sometimes brings people back to consciousness, so he decides to relate his life story to him.

The book is very well researched and paints a vivid picture of life in early Auckland. In fact Ponsonby and its environs becomes the other main character as the old man describes familiar streets and places that would be unrecognisable now. For instance Richmond Road once petered out into a walking track leading to a muddy tidal creek. Queens Wharf used to be a hive of a very different daily activity with a fleet of mullet boats and fishing scows preparing to go out with the tide. This is a very engaging book, beautifully written and well paced making it a real page turner. The biographical form also appeals and will find resonance with anyone whose family has been through hard times.

The Kindle edition is $5.63 including free international wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet. The paperback edition will soon be available at Dear Reader in West Lynn.

PN Congratulations, Miles. Rest assured, your book is a winner! (DEIRDRE TOHILL) F FROM THE EDITOR: Miles Hughes sadly passed away in Mercy Hospice 20 February 2014.

Above family and friends of Miles Hughes gather; Miles & Bronwen Hughes; Knights Templar MeeMee Phipps and friends parody Miles Templar trilogy.

62 PONSONBY NEWS+ March 2014

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

PHIL PARKER: WHOSE WINE IS IT ANYWAY?

Stella Bella – Aussie Wines Being in the wine tourism business, I do get to meet some interesting characters. And a recent tour to Waiheke Island with two Australian couples resulted in a box of nine bottles of very nice wine being delivered to my door (barking mad Maltese/Shitzu cross notwithstanding).

It turned out that the Aussies were investors in a Margaret River winery in Perth. “How about we send you a few bottles and see what you think of them?” they suggested over lunch at Mudbrick. “Jolly good,” I replied.

The winery goes by the name of Stella Bella - also the name of their premium range wines. Sounds like a great name for a thoroughbred.

“And... it’s Stella Bella out of the bottle, into the glass and racing into the mouth.

Swishing gently around the palate, down the neck and looking for a lengthy finish.” They had some fun with the other lower ranges, namely Skuttlebutt and Suckfizzle.

As you may know, Margaret River is a cooler climate boutique region near the Perth coast where the Western Australian climate is moderated by cool winds from the Indian Ocean. Consequently they can grow white grape varieties as well as the renowned reds.

Skuttlebutt Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2013 Surprisingly Marlborough-like, this is a soft but full flavoured blend with gooseberry and passionfruit flavours.

Suckfizzle Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2009 This one was oak aged and not quite to my palate with more vegetative flavours than the previous white blend.

Stella Bella Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Again, not unlike a Marlborough Sauv but with softer acidity and gooseberry flavours.

Stella Bella Chardonnay 2010 Very classy wine, with a creamy soft texture, upfront stone fruit and toasty nutty and lengthy aftertaste.

Skuttlebutt Rosé 2013 A typical fresh young thing - raspberry and strawberry palate with mild sweetness and moderate acids.

Skuttlebutt Cabernet Shiraz 2010 Slightly “dusty” aromas, fairly typical of Cabernet, with some spicy Shiraz notes in there.

Big, juicy and voluptuous velvety red.

Stella Bella Shiraz 2009 Slightly feral aged Shiraz aromas but balanced with medium to firm tannins and liquorice/ spice flavours. Yum. Stella Bella Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2009 Dusty nose again. Sweet ripeness and black berry fruit flavours, with medium tannins.

Suckfizzle Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Showing nice mellowing from bottle age. Ripe and soft with black currant and cherry flavours.

My personal faves - the big reds and the Chardonnay.

P.S. They are looking for a New Zealand distributor.

Email me: Phil.parker@xtra.co.nz Read Phil’s blog at nzwineblogger.blogspot.co.nz Phil Parker is a wine writer and operates Fine Wine & Food Tours in Auckland. www.insidertouring.co.nz

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY

ZUS & ZO - LICENSED TO SERVE A change of ownership, a solid menu, tasty counter treats and consistently friendly service had Metro Magazine voting them Best in Suburb cafe - 2013!

Herne Bay’s Zus & Zo Café on Jervois Road is a favourite with the locals and has recently undergone some exciting changes! Now licensed to serve wine and beer, they have a superb selection of Pinot Gris and Rosés to compliment a newly launched menu, perfect for the summer months.

The newly furnished Albany Room is a quiet, bright and stylish space perfect for business meetings or large groups looking for a private venue for any occasion.

Recently Zus & Zo have launched an out-catering service, so whether you require beautiful fare for a special family gathering or a work/client function, the friendly team

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are happy to help you plan your menu to suit, whatever the occasion. Always promoting organic and free-range products, Zus & Zo is committed to bringing you the best coffee and food; the Coconut Milk Porridge with mango compote and pistachios topped with whipped coconut milk is very popular as is the Salmon Rosti with asparagus, wilted spinach, smashed tomatoes and topped with poached eggs. So do pop in next time you are in the neighbourhood!

Open Monday to Friday 7am-3pm, weekends and public holidays 8am-3pm. F PN ZUS & ZO, 228 Jervois Road T: 09 361 5060 - see us on Facebook www.zusandzo.net.nz

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4 PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

ROSS THORBY: SEA FEVER

Rio De Janeiro - a city of contrasts Nothing can prepare you for the way the Brazilians have taken to removing their clothes and exposing as much of their skin as their heavily Catholic society will allow them… nothing.

Even the city’s back streets are packed to the brim with its populace wandering in and out of shops and sitting in buses wearing only a thong or a pair of budgie smugglers.

And that’s just the men. It also appears that a large amount of both men and woman appear to be sporting supplementary bulges that they weren’t born with, for here, “plastic enhancement” appears to be de riguer.

On day one, guide Alexandre picked me up from the hotel and we made our way up to the hill-top suburb of Saint Theresa, named after the monastery on its slopes.

A beautiful and tranquil neighbourhood filled to overflowing with once grand mansions, abandoned and neglected, but recently rediscovered by the arts community and now undergoing gentrification. Art schools and cultural centres now replace the derelict squats and empty palaces. The main focus of the art in the area around the city’s lack of a tram service.

Recently the brakes failed on one of the city’s much loved trollies and the conductor and six passengers were killed. That was 18 months ago. Today the brakes still haven’t been fixed. The Transit Administration replaced them with old buses. On the cobblestone streets in teeth shattering conditions, you are jiggled and jolted, but now the populace has awoken. There is rebellion in the air. The campaign has blossomed and most cars in the city now sport stickers supporting the call to bring back the tram while wonderful street art depicting a corrupt administration and the missing trams has appeared, the city is richer for it. Auckland take note.

1. Somboon Khansuk with Linda and Peter Stopforth, checking out the Ponsonby News while cruising on the beautiful CELEBRITY SOLSTICE. 2. Tom and Jenny Frank live on the GOLD COAST. They never miss getting a copy of the Ponsonby News sent over, to keep them up to date with what is going on back home.

3. John Savage is pictured reading Ponsonby News in the Rod Laver Arena during the Australian Open Tennis 2014 in MELBOURNE. 4. Enjoying a day trip to WAIHEKE ISLAND, Eru Wano reads Ponsonby News at Palm Beach bus stop while waiting to hop on to the bus to Oneroa.

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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The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

After lunching in the cool luxury of the hills, we swapped one hill of decadence for another of poverty. A favela. One of the city’s many slums that spill down the granite hills towards the white pristine beaches. Much has been written about the danger and the gangs that run these settlements, but we saw none of that. What I found was a community centred on its elderly and its children. The gangs and guns are slowly being moved out and the sense of pride and ownership by the residents is being allowed to flower.

The one-room shacks here that cling precariously to the cliffs and escarpments, contain a sense of pride and companionship missing in most “first” world communities.

Interestingly, the rest of the world has got it wrong. Even here, in the favela, towering above us, you can’t escape the Big Fella on the hill. Curiously, in the main square of the slum is another worshipped figure. A life-size bronze statue of Michael Jackson. He is revered by this particular favela for landing here in a helicopter and filming a music video, and thereby putting the place on the map. The statue and proffered flowers to him seemed out of place and very, very weird.

The rest of the afternoon was taken up with a visit to the big Jesus on the hill. Christ the Redeemer. Covacado. The views from the hill are outstanding and a highlight for the most jaded of visitors. However, if you want to have your picture taken with the statue in the background, you will have to jostle for position amongst the rest of humanity to get a decent shot. I wonder what He thinks of what’s going down on the beaches below him.

On a subsequent day I was dropped off by the hotel car at the far end of Ipanema and walked the length of the beach and along back to the Copacabana Palace Hotel and its sanctuary, away from the eye watering visions parading along the Cornishe.

Unfortunately I did not see the “Girl from Ipanema”. She is a local celebrity and a target for tourists to be pictured with her. I was more than prepared to swallow my pride and have one taken too, but my final day arrived before I had the chance.

From the beach across from the hotel at 6am I watched the Queen Victoria arriving in Rio. There is nothing like the sight of a Cunarder coming to pick you up and I doubt I will ever PN tire of it. (ROSS THORBY) F

The QV arriving in Rio across Copacabana beach

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JOHN ELLIOTT: LOCAL NEWS

World authority on a vegan diet visits Auckland Will Tuttle, PhD, an American from California, is in New Zealand promoting vegan eating, and bemoaning the exploitation of animals for experiments and for food.

He is the author of best seller, The World Peace Diet, which promotes vegan eating, and eating for spiritual health and social harmony. We met Will, along with wife Madeleine, at the Little Bird Cafe in Ponsonby. He is gentle, charming and articulate.

Will Tuttle explains how eating animal foods is not only cruel to sentient animals, but also bad for the environment, increases worldwide starvation, and spreads health problems like cancers, cholesterol issues, heart attacks and many other killers.

At his most extreme in the book, he connects the theft of calves from cows so they can be free to supply us with milk, and the raping of cows by artificial insemination, with sexist, macho anti-female behaviour in the western world.

He is just as vitriolic about eating eggs. “When we buy eggs we instigate theft and violence against horribly abused females, and contribute to environmental contamination, social pathology, and disease. Eating eggs is eating the vibrations of misery.”

Tuttle quite rightly, in my opinion, is extremely critical of zoos, and circuses. I told him about the poor insane polar bears which used to pace back and forth, back and forth, across their compound at the Auckland Zoo. While zoos still exist and Tuttle would probably want every one closed down, those inhumane practices have ceased at Auckland Zoo anyway.

Tuttle appears to be beyond compromise. When Ponsonby News suggested it was unrealistic to expect four million converts to vegan eating overnight, he did not waver, let alone accept it might be a staged process.

The World Peace Diet spells out in minute detail the obscenities of large scale factory production. Although we in New Zealand have been made only too aware of chickens in factory production, and inhumane treatment of pigs (highlighted by SAFE with high profile comedian Mike King) we may not be so conversant with the behaviour of factories in the US. As Tuttle says, "Eating is the most intimate of all activities in which we actually accomplish the complex and longed-for union of self and other, subject and world. And so it has always been seen, cross-culturally, as the most sacred human activity, and the most culturally binding as well."

Tuttle goes into interesting detail about man’s evolution, socially. He talks about the patriarchal dominator cultures that were based on herding animals, which emphasised the more fierce, cruel, and violent cultures which dominated wild animals and people, especially females This domination can repress our natural human compassion by excluding others and seeing them as essentially not like us. Animal activist philosopher, Peter Singer, called this speciesism.

And so what is the definition of vegan. Britisher Donald Watson coined the term vegan in 1944. Watson was dissatisfied with the word vegetarian because it does not account for motivation and refers only to the exclusion of animal flesh from the diet. His definition of vegan was - “Veganism denotes a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude as far as is possible and practical all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals, and the environment.”

Will Tuttle admits that veganism is still rare because early social conditioning is difficult to transform, but he insists that, “the health benefits of a plant-based diet are the perquisites of loving kindness and awareness, and the diseases and discomfort caused by animal foods are some of the consequences that follow from breaking natural laws.”

We asked Will Tuttle where he draws the line on creatures being sentient, that is feeling pain. He cited research showing sentient behaviour of fish, and told in his book of the horror of discovering several hours after the catch, two fish still squirming in his pocket.

He quotes Paul Watson, “Seafood is simply a socially acceptable form of bush meat. We condemn Africans for hunting monkeys and mammalian and bird species from the jungle yet the developed world thinks nothing of hauling in magnificent wild creatures like swordfish, tuna, halibut, shark, and salmon for our meals.”

Will Tuttle acknowledges that opposition to our herding culture nature is extraordinarily subversive to the status quo. He says, “Veganism is a call for us to unite in seeing that as long as we oppress other living beings, we will inevitably create and live in a culture of oppression. Class struggle is a result of the herding culture’s mentality of domination and exclusion, and is just part of the misery that is inevitably connected with eating animal foods.”

In chapter 12 of his book The World Peace Diet, Tuttle counters commonly held objections to veganism, including refuting that man is naturally carnivore, and that other animals are ethically inferior to humans. He ends this chapter saying, “When as a culture we stop commodifying creatures, a new world of kindness, fairness, cooperation, peace, and freedom will naturally unfold in human relations as well.”

The message from Will Tuttle is about the need for a complete epiphany. See the light and act. Just like a religious conversion.

He ends his book asking us to apologise to the animals who “have suffered immense agonies under our domination,” and now that we know better, “we can act better, and by acting better, we can live better, and give the animals, our children, and ourselves PN a true reason for hope and celebration.” (JOHN ELLIOTT) F

John Elliott with Will and Mrs Madeleine Tuttle

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KINGSLAND: THE NEW PONSONBY WHAT THE LOCALS LOVE ABOUT THEIR PATCH OF AUCKLAND… Ruth Hawes: I LOVE the delicious Mediterranean food at Petra Shawarma - it's a great place for lunch and the chicken shawarma is so tasty. Relaxed, affordable and with lovely service - a perfect example of what makes Kingsland such an awesome neighbourhood to belong too.

Tim Hawes: All of the dining right at the door; walk up the road five minutes from home and I can eat something great from anywhere in the world! The bars are great also and you can't go wrong with our newest Mexican bar/tapas lounge Bandita!

Douglas Chandler: Where else in Auckland can you walk and get to Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, Western Springs, the City, Mount Eden, Mt Albert, Sandringham in about half an hour? Of course Eden Park is in Kingsland too... plus all those wonderful cafes, bars and restaurants catering to a large variety of palates and tastes.

Emma Kippenberger: I love Shaky Isles - delicious food and coffee and such a quirky cute café - best thing ever is coffee in the sun outside watching the world go by...

Tui Thorn: I just love the convenience of this area. It’s a great place to stay and hang, or literally a few minutes via car/bus/train to heaps of the best spots Auckland has to offer. The massive (and delicious) selection at Baker’s Cottage is a life saver after a night out making the most of all the cool bars!

Caroline Franklin: Kingsland’s a great suburb to be in and I’m so lucky that two of my favourite places are opposite our offices - amazing coffee from Atomic for the mornings and refreshing drinks and yummy food from Citizen Park for after work relaxing.

Stasya Zatylnikova: I love to enjoy the first coffee of the morning in Kingsland. One of the newest additions to the neighbourhood, Dot.. make an unbelievable cuppa (and have some pretty decent things to eat too)! F PN RAY WHITE KINGSLAND, 437 New North Road, T: 09 815 9008 www.rwkingsland.co.nz

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HELENE RAVLICH: NATURAL BEAUTY

Local beauty: Ashleigh Scott facialist IT’S WIDELY KNOWN THAT CELEBRITIES AND “IT” girls have facialists on hand to deliver bespoke treatments according to their skin’s whims where and when they need it, and international beauty names like Eve Lom and Kate Somerville kicked off their careers through word of mouth from some very influential clients.

Now Ponsonby and Grey Lynn have their very own bespoke facialist just a phone call or email away, in the form of petite blonde aesthetician Ashleigh Scott. When I visited Ashleigh at her Grey Lynn clinic at the end of January she had only been open a week, but word was already spreading about her presence in the ‘hood.

Her background as a facialist is international, and she refined her knowledge and experience through working with top facialists and professionals in an exclusive clinic in Knightsbridge, London. “I only returned to New Zealand last December,” she says, “but I knew straight away that the Grey Lynn/Ponsonby area was where I wanted to be.” It didn’t take her long to find a quiet, private space beneath Loxy’s hair salon in the Summerfield Villa block on Richmond Road, where she delivers facial treatments particular to each and every lucky client.

“Everything I do is completely bespoke,” she explains, “and is about what your skin needs at that time, your lifestyle, and the weather that may be affecting it. I then use different combination of very high performance products to treat it accordingly.” Ashleigh takes a natural approach to skin, believing it is a reflection of your lifestyle, internal wellbeing and environment. She takes also into account your individual skin concerns and tailors the treatment to get the best outcome for you. Using her extensive knowledge of skin, she cleverly merges active skincare with facial massage, to lift and firm the facial contours while expelling toxins from the skin. The end result? That all-too-elusive “glow” that we all want but are often not exactly sure how to achieve.

Her philosophy is to work with the skin using non-invasive methods but very high performance formulas to get the best outcome for every client. “I really take it back to basics,” she says to me, “and don’t use any machines or needles. I work with the skin and not against it and have spent time researching the very best product lines to deliver enhanced results.”

Her product lines of choice are Skinceuticals and some favourites from the Medik8 line, which are used together to get the best result for you. The combination could include deep cleansing using clay, paraffin and extraction, with exfoliation coming from chemical and enzymatic peeling along with face lifting and contouring coming from a deep facial massage and lymph drainage. “The products I use are designed to really make a change in the skin and are full of the likes of antioxidants and AHAs,” explains Ashleigh to me, “and contain some pretty amazing ingredients.”

After our chat I spent an hour submitting to Ashleigh’s hands for a Signature Facial ($140). It incorporated manual skin and muscle softening techniques that instantly released any tension held in my face, which as well as enabling unrestricted flow of oxygen to all areas of the skin and muscles felt like pure heaven. The aim was to bring clarity, luminosity and tone to my post-holidays dehydrated skin, and a neck and shoulder massage with pure coconut oil that my skin drank up was the absolute icing on the cake.

The products were used in such a well balanced combination that I left without a hint of redness or having been pummelled into submission, and the next day my skin really did have more than a spring in its step.

Ashleigh also has the option of a 90-minute Super Facial ($180), which she says is a restorative treatment featuring a plumping, brightening and hydrating collagen mask for added skin radiance, a full upper body massage and more time to focus on your individual concerns. There are also the likes of eyelash and eyebrow tinting, waxing and tidying available add ons, so you can just lie back and wake up truly transformed.

Traditional with a twist - Ashleigh Scott does it extremely well.

ASHLEIGH SCOTT, 4C/386 Richmond Road M: 021 882 795 PN www.ashleighscott.co.nz (HELENE RAVLICH) F

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Beauty + Style: Zoe & Morgan’s Zoe Williams One third of the team that make up the internationally acclaimed, New Zealand-born Zoe & Morgan jewellery house, Grey Lynn resident Zoe Williams is one of my favourite people to talk to about style, luxury, motherhood (she has two under-sixes) and fashion.

Back in 2005 she and her brother Morgan combined their love for jewellery, music and fashion to create a true collaboration between luxury jewellery with a rock n’ roll edge, and their designs have been featured adorning some of the most famous faces here and internationally. Inspired by their wordly travels, the still-handmade collection is a seasonally based, classic mix of both playful and grown up that appeals to all ages, styles and races and is available locally at Superette and Simon James.

The brand really got its legs in London, where sister Ruth runs things in that area of the world whilst Zoe takes care of business in the Southern Hemisphere. In 2010 Zoe happily returned home to New Zealand with her husband and son Ace, with daughter Mia joining the family around the same time. Zoe and her siblings grew up in Grey Lynn and she says she wouldn’t live anywhere else right now, the relaxed and unique vibe of the suburb fitting her perfectly.

Last year saw the opening of the spacious, exquisitely fitted out Zoe & Morgan showroom in the CityWorks Depot development, which has over time morphed into quite the bustling space. “We had our store in London already,” explains Zoe, “and I wanted to open one in New Zealand but not in a traditional ‘shop’ sense so I could still continue to pick up my son Ace from school and that sort of thing by only being open from ten ‘til three.

We have been so busy though that I’ve had to hire a full time employee so we’ll actually have regular hours!” The space also is without a store front of sorts, being tucked away down a corridor and with enough room to display the brand’s beautiful pieces to their best advantage.

The new location and its organic growth spurt have let Zoe and her brother get as creative as they please with how they’d like the brand to develop, focusing more on their luxury “Fine” line and “giving us the chance to meet lots of interesting people who come looking for something different, as well as engagement and wedding rings.

We have never advertised the service but it has been really popular, so we’re bringing out a wedding collection later in the year.” She loves that fans of the brand are “hunting me down, and I love sitting with them one on one to figure out their style and what they like, hearing their stories and creating something they will love.” The Fine collection is also a great line-up of very special styles, full of heritage pieces that are destined to be passed down through generations. “The Fine collection is almost an anti-fashion move,” says Zoe, “as well as more conscious on an eco level, which is more in line with the way we aim to live our lives.”

Their latest collection, Map Of An Invisible World is a mix of Fine, silver and gold-plated pieces, and is inspired by the team’s early childhood as well as a trip that Morgan recently took to the islands of Raja Ampat in Indonesia. “Our parents used to take us to the countryside to see meteor showers, we would lay our mattresses and blankets on the batch roof top and look up at the starry sky,” says Zoe, and it includes a series of different star and moon pieces using top quality diamonds and made in yellow and white gold, as well as larger gold-plated and silver statement pieces that have to be seen to be believed. The Seven Sisters earrings are a true standout, as well as a direct reference to the constellation that Morgan would look at each night as he fell asleep on the upper deck of a boat. “Each design has a lot of thought put into it and its own story to tell,” says Williams with a smile, “and could be worn just as easily with an evening gown as a pair of jeans and trainers.”

Still the only New Zealand brand to exhibit at both London and Paris Fashion Weeks, she says that she and her siblings have “specifically chosen to keep Zoe & Morgan as a small, international business. We supply around 80 stores around the world but want to keep it family, we see this as a lifelong journey.” And I’m sure it’s a beautifully bohemian, PN free-spirited journey at that. (HELENE RAVLICH) F PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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LANI LOPEZ: HEALTHY LIVING

A flourishing brain What does it take to help our brains flourish? I’d like to grow old gracefully but I demand that my brain works as well as my body.

My close friend has brain decline which makes this topic dear to my heart. What could we have done? What can we do to protect ourselves from age related brain drain? Let us look at food and nutrition first.

We can take a daily drink. The ritual of green tea sipping protects the brain nerves and brain fat keeping it and us young. And my favourite, dark chocolate deflects sad feelings.

So if you have a chocolate craving, enjoy. Caffeine has been used for centuries to give us a natural increase in energy and a mental high. Tea, coffee and chocolate stimulate the neurotransmitter impulses that surge through the brain after taking one bite or a delicious sip.

Science teaches us that omega 3 can decrease the risk of cognitive decline in adulthood.

It’s found in some vegetable oils, such as soybean, canola, and flaxseed, and in walnuts.

Some green vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, kale, spinach, salad greens and fish, borage or flaxseed oil supplements contain omega 3. You can also get omega 3 naturally in a can or by eating fresh salmon, sardines, tuna, or oily fish.

That said one man’s poison is another man’s pleasure when it comes to food and the brain. Certain foods can cause brain fog. Gluten from wheat, oat, rye and barley, fatty foods, alcohol and food sensitivities, from tomatoes to eggs can cloud our thinking.

Then there are certain conditions such as internal overgrowth of candida and gut dysbiosis (or imbalanced gut bacteria) and the use of the oral contraceptives, HRT, certain medications and antibiotics that can block our memory and stuff our head with cotton wool. Healing the gut and taking acidophilus and bifidus supplements are important as is getting rid of and avoiding food sensitivities. See a naturopath for an elimination diet to help you through this.

Exercise, especially the cardio get-your-heart-pumping kind, can substantially improve brain function increasing various neurotransmitters, nerve growth factors, and the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis). This helps brain regeneration and repair.

Along with good nutrition and exercise the key for optimal brain function is to learn how to manage stress and build up the capacity for resilience. One way is being social.

Perceived intellectually stimulating activities with others, especially in our early and middle years, build up our cognitive reserve reducing our risk of degenerative brain illness like Alzheimer’s.

Mental stimulation and social interaction that is particularly complex and demanding, can improve executive functioning and lower stress levels. This is what helps us reach our goals in life. The trick is to train your brain to develop the specific brain functions required to flourish.

Training our brain includes mental flexibility, perspective taking, anticipation, problem -solving, decision making, working memory, emotional self-regulation, sequencing, and inhibition. Not just remembering or doing a crossword puzzle. Think of it as a kind of physical conditioning or going to the gym. We need more weight to get stronger and stretch ourselves for increased flexibility. We also need to exercise one of our largest and sexiest muscles, the brain.

Change the way you think. Learn a new language or a new instrument. Good long-term mental growth is nurtured by continual novelty, challenge, and variety. Realistic positivity, meditation, cognitive therapy and training or personal growth courses are also crucial and must be a constant practice. So we now know that the healthy foundation of aerobic exercise, green tea, coffee, omega 3 and being social is all a part of a good life and a good brain. Dinner party anyone? Get back to work and be motivated with me, and PN Ponsonby News. (LANI LOPEZ) F New Zealand’s favourite naturopath, clinical nutritionist and health expert, Lani makes natural health easy to follow, to inspire and encourage us all in a life of wellness. Follow Lani Lopez Naturopath on Facebook www.facebook.com/lani.lopez1 and twitter.

Lani Lopez BHSc, Adv.Dip.Nat is a naturopath, clinical nutritionist and top-selling author.

Founder of lanilopez.com find her and ask questions about your well-being on facebook.com/lanilopez.com or email Lani personally naturopath@lanilopez.com

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MICHELLE OWEN: POSTURE TO PERFORMANCE

Conditioning to improve performance Participation in something athletic is a great way of keeping active; whether it’s a round of golf with business colleagues, going to the gym to do weights or yoga, jogging along the waterfront, tennis, swimming or biking at the weekend.

Most people think of their sport as a way to get their strength and conditioning. But the more active you are the more you need a proper strength programme to achieve balance. Examples are golfers or tennis players, who do a lot of flexion (bending forward) and rotation on one side. It is easy to understand this can develop a muscular imbalance. It can also create a lot of niggles or injury. You may be a seasoned athlete or just a weekend warrior; either way, these pains are no fun at all.

Discomfort may not take you out of the game but constant low-level nagging of neck, shoulder, back or knee, or a strained Achilles tendon, are a warning something is not right. A lot of these come from lack of base conditioning.

Everyone’s body position is different and needs appropriate foundational exercise; this is why an assessment is needed to determine what you need.

Take two different people. One could be loose and floppy in their joints and need a lot of stability and strength to sustain their structure with little need for stretching. The other might need a lot of mobility and stretching before a strengthening programme.

There is a definite order of importance in conditioning: Corrective stretching, mobilisation, stability, strength and then sports -specific training. Failure to comply with these fundamental rules creates constant troubles such as back and joint pain, hamstring and rotator cuff tears, disc injuries and more.

Quite often a lot of damage has already been done within the spine and joints from many earlier years of sports. But even if you have spine or joint degeneration, getting the body back to a favourable position and stabilising it can prevent further damage and reduce pain.

A conditioning programme • A specific stretch and mobility programme might involve 15-20 minutes daily to loosen tight musculature. Tight muscles will pull the joints out of their optimal alignment. This is not about stretching for a particular sport but to have optimal resting joint position so they don’t wear out and become painful.

• A stability, strength and functional movement programme might be done 2-5 times a week depending on goals, sport intensity and muscle imbalance. Joints need intrinsic (internal) stability of the smaller muscles prior to functional strengthening.

• Your strengthening programme should also mimic your sporting patterns and correct imbalances.

• Invest in skilled advice when it comes to your athletic performance. If you need a lawyer or an accountant, you would not hesitate to hire professionals. The body PN requires similar knowledge and attention. (MICHELLE OWEN) F www.michelleowen.co.nz

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HELENE RAVLICH: NATURAL BEAUTY

A life lived well: Claire Robbie and Luke Sniewski of Jack & Olive Retreats When yoga teacher and walking advertisement for wellness Claire Robbie talks about the power of making a “life transformation”, she most definitely knows what she’s talking about.

Several years ago she had just left a successful career in broadcasting and a job at TV3 to travel to Los Angeles to live with her now ex-husband, not knowing what the future would bring. Come late 2013 she was making the move in the opposite direction as a confidant yoga teacher, wellness retreat leader and pregnant with her first child to her equally as inspirational new partner, Los Angeles lifestyle transformation coach and trainer, Luke Sniewski.

Now teaching yoga at Ponsonby’s Urban Ashram, Claire was fresh from her first New Zealand retreat under the Jack & Olive moniker when we spoke, which took place in breathtaking Queenstown. I was lucky enough to be a participant in the week -long getaway, which included everything from Power Vinyasa yoga classes to early morning metabolic fitness sessions, kayaking, hiking, restorative work and the tools for transforming your life. Incredible food and fine wine were also a factor, and our home base at the luxurious property known as The Rees apartments meant that once you’d hiked, down dog’ed and press upped your way to exhaustion you had a front row view of glassy Lake Wakatipu to read a magazine or fall asleep to. Our group was kept small-but-perfectly-formed as per Claire and Luke’s general modus operandi, and there is already a follow up with yoga and fun in the snow to come at the same location in August of this year.

Claire is loving planning ahead for a week-long retreat in Fiji come November as well, along with some wellness weekends close to home that will be happening at a couple of luxurious properties with a view in the Auckland region. “The retreats I led in the US and Costa Rica were purely yoga-focused,” she explained to me over coffee at Foxtrot Parlour, “so it’s amazing to utilise Luke’s skill set as well as include fitness, goal setting and nutrition for a more holistic focus. I believe for a healthy, happy life you need a wide variety of different facets to come into play.”

The three day long wellness retreats based in Auckland are perfect for those needing to “check in” with themselves and kickstart some healthier habits, and Claire and Luke also offer a “design your own retreat” option that lets you and a group of friends, family or workmates create something that is exactly in line with what you need right now. “We’ll help you find the ideal location and create an itinerary that is catered especially to you,” she says, “whether it be a corporate wellness getaway, a healthy and adventurous bridal shower, or a couples yoga retreat. We combine yoga, fitness, nutrition and wellness education with whatever you desire - fine wine, healthy, locally sourced cuisine adventure or just plain old relaxation.”

Luke is training and mentoring from a gym in Grey Lynn at the moment, along with finishing his first book - A Million Ways to Live - and working with Claire on the evolution of Jack & Olive. Luke started his career in health and wellness as a personal trainer but soon realised that there was more to health than just a good workout. He became obsessed with the body and all of its interconnected systems. He learned the most important detail regarding human health: every little detail matters. It’s the whole lifestyle, not just a fad diet or exercise programme but how people eat, move, laugh, think, love, learn, and socialise that creates a healthy individual and feeds his buzz.

His ultimate goal is to make his clients their own wellness guru. He has been featured as an author and health professional in magazines like Entrepreneur, San Francisco Chronicle, Huffington Post, Men’s Health and Marie Claire, and spending time with him is an absolute joy. His enthusiasm is truly infectious. “I am definitely not in the business of training clients three times a week and pushing them into the way I think they should be living,” he explains. “I’d rather help them to create a sustainable programme that will help them to understand their strengths and weaknesses and learn to work for

themselves. For me the keys are: real food, movement, rest and relaxation, love, lifelong learning and community - if you have those six things in your life you are healthy, and you’re also able to create the life you want to live to stay that way.” It’s a philosophy that I agree with wholeheartedly, and know many others that will too.

“We’re both just finding our footing in New Zealand at the moment,” Claire says with a smile, “using the tools we’ve brought from Los Angeles to hopefully really make a difference in people’s lives.” It’s a bright new adventure for the pair, and for everyone who crosses their path. (HELENE RAVLICH) F PN www.jackandoliveretreats.com

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING AROHA HEALING MARCH WORKSHOPS IF YOU HAVE BEEN CONTEMPLATING MORE SELF CARE FOR 2014, THEN PERHAPS learning something new that can be used positively to change and heal yourself and others is what you need, and the perfect opportunity to check out Aroha Healing’s March workshops.

The weekend of 8 - 9 March is the first Aroha Healing Reiki 1 workshop for 2014. In this workshop you will learn self healing; how to balance, heal and ground yourself and then how to do the same to others, animals and plants. Aroha Healing offers a full chakra workshop as part of this course and Rosanna has a completely open approach to the art of Reiki healing. You can find the course outline on the workshop page of Aroha Healing’s website.

On the afternoon of Saturday 22 March, Aroha Healing is offering a new, exciting workshop for women. The “Wahine” afternoon is interactive, offering teaching, application and tips for enhancing your world and allowing you to feel amazing and divinely feminine. Feeling great, looking great and appreciating your own unique individuality and beauty is a very healing and empowering process.

Join Rosanna to learn Eye of Horus natural eye makeup application. The vibrant Brittany Hill, owner of Hair Organics in Grey Lynn, will style your hair glamorously and teach you the techniques for re-creating the look, learn focused candle meditation to manifest all you need in your life, and enjoy tea, fun, laughter, refreshments and readings! Click on the “Aroha Beauty” page of the website and check out “Aroha Make-up workshops” for more details. This is a great opportunity to keep up with the flow of 2014 and feel fantastic. Spaces are limited so please contact the Aroha PN Healing team to reserve your place. F AROHA HEALING, 3 Maidstone Street T: 0800 646 326 www.arohahealing.co.nz info@arohahealing.co.nz

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SHEENA SHUVANI STARDUST ASTROLOGY (February 20 - March 20) ♓ PISCES Element of water. Symbol: Two Fish

Quality: Mutable = flexibility

Your lucky number According to Cheiro (the world’s most famous seer) the day of your birth is the luckiest of all numbers for you!

Planetary Ruler Neptune and Jupiter.

Your deepest desires Lifelong friendships. Lifelong union with your soulmate.

Character Gentle day dreamer. Your natural effortless Piscean charm and considerate ways causes others to relax in your delightful company. Sensitive, intuitive, perceptive, creative and adaptable, that’s you. You love music and art as much as you avoid housework.

Your memory is usually excellent and you are impressionable and receptive to outside influences. Flirty and romantic, you see the world through rose-coloured glasses but can surprise with your unexpectedly perceptive and caustic wit.

Favoured precious stones Diamonds, moonstone, amethyst.

Career Pisces are not particularly materialistic, gravitating often towards poetry, music, dancing and acting. They will study to learn about and enter the swim of their chosen vocation.

Shy, modest, non competitive, you can be lured to the spotlight and shine, encouraged by recognition, admiration and applause. Although self-doubting, Pisceans offer dutiful service as nurses, beauty therapists, hospitality or even as street cleaners.

Favoured flowers Waterlily, lotus.

Favoured colours Aquamarine, turquoise blue, lavender, sea greens (paua shell colours).

Favoured Metal Silver. (SHEENA SHUVANI) F PN

Love and Sexuality Romantic and sensuous, ever on the lookout for the intense connection of truly deep emotion. Lifelong love addicts, you desire a magical union of tender caresses and intimacy, celebrated in a steaming love-dance display. However, a romantic set back can really churn up the waters, plunging Pisces into despondency which can settle into bitterness and cynicism (temporarily) until your tides rise once more. At these times the sympathy of friends or a therapist will help heal a broken heart.

Helpful Advice Be as kind and encouraging to yourself as you already are to others. Say the positive affirmation “I can do it!” daily to empower yourself. Believe in yourself. Don’t overindulge in rich foods and wines.

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TRISHA MARTIN: INNER DEVELOPMENT & WELL-BEING

The Numerology Guidebook Uncover Your Destiny and the Blueprint of Your Life

by Michelle Buchanan (Hay House $26.00) I had a numerology reading with Michelle in 2011 and was impressed by the accuracy of her reading. Her passion and knowledge of numbers and their significance in our lives left a lasting impression on me.

When I heard she was writing a numerology guidebook I knew it would be practical, easy to read and bursting with enthusiasm. True to form, The Numerology Guidebook is one of the most thorough and engaging books on the subject that I have read.

Numerologist, Michelle Buchanan

Numerology is the ancient metaphysical science of numbers, where your name and date of birth reveal the blueprint of your life. This book provides all you need to get a good look at who you really are, what you came here to do, and how you can best fulfil your destiny.

Michelle engages the reader right from the beginning in an introduction with a brief history of numerology, the core or significant numbers in your life and helpful tips to keep in mind as you work your way through each chapter.

You will learn how to calculate each of your core numbers and then how to put it all together to get a complete look at the numbers in your life. Another plus, is the inclusion of a forecasting and timing section where you can calculate and interpret the major cycles in your life and your personal number for each year. All the calculations are fun and easy to do, with ample examples to follow. Once you’ve calculated all your numbers read the revelant section on the meaning for each number and prepare for more than a few “ah ha” moments!

The Numerology Guidebook is due for release in March and we will have plenty of personally signed copies in stock. Also, purchase The Numerology Guidebook or her Numerology Guidance Cards from Pathfinder Bookshop during March and go into a draw to win a free personal reading with Michelle.

Local resident Michelle Buchanan is a speaker, teacher, and writer who has studied numerology for more than 20 years. Michelle hosts the Numerology Guidance show on Hay House Radio and provides personal readings, workshops and seminars to clients all over the world. (TRISHA MARTIN) F PN PATHFINDER BOOKSHOP, 182 Jervois Road, T: 09 378 6269, www.pathfinder.co.nz

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JOHN APPLETON: ON HEALTH

Sugar – what’s all the fuss about?

Almost every day in the media there is an article that draws the attention of the public to the issues associated with sugar and other refined carbohydrates.

Sugar is being talked about as the next “tobacco” and industry lobby groups seem to be losing ground as the facts emerge from a smokescreen that has conveniently hidden the dangers of excessive sugar/refined carbohydrate consumption.

consumption of sugar. Diabetes is one of the best known and you may recall that some years ago diabetes was known as sugar diabetes (I wonder if the sugar industry lobbyists had any say in changing the name to type 2 diabetes?).

For years saturated fat has been vilified as the bad guy. Fat was an easy target because it had few allies, and by pinning the blame on fat the issues associated with the consumption of sugar/refined carbohydrates could be avoided. Fat, sugar and salt are major contributors to the taste of food. Removing all three would not have consumers coming back, so when the 99% fat free message became a feature of many food labels what did the food industry do? They pumped in the sugar and the salt.

According to cardiologist Dr Stephen Sinatra, sugar is the number one dietary contributor to heart disease. Harvard Medical School professor Judah Folkman MD says that for each 2kgs of fat that you are storing in the body the heart has to pump blood through two miles of blood vessels - a big ask for the heart and a very good reason to avoid a principal cause of the build-up of fat.

Everything became 99% fat free - apart from the people whose waistlines continued to expand and obesity, and all the diseases associated with it, became a significant cause of concern. One would think that simple observation of the trend would have caused alarm bells to ring, but as so often happens the inconvenient truth remained buried because the industry lobby was just too powerful.

The very sad reality of the “fat is bad” message is that in New Zealand and other countries in the western world, we became addicted to sugary drinks - cereals and baked goods. We crave sugar and I have heard it said that addiction to sugar is worse that an addiction to tobacco or alcohol. Sugar has almost become ubiquitous in our food supply - it’s found everywhere. It would indeed be interesting to assess all the products in a supermarket which note sugar in the contents. If we removed them all I imagine the shelves would be all but empty. Check out the amount of sugar in the ice-cream and yoghurt and breakfast cereals that the kids love so much. And this is before we consider the massive amounts of sugar found in soft drinks.

So why is sugar so bad for us? When it comes to the fat that accumulates around our middles, on our thighs and “derriéres” sugar and everything we eat that metabolises as sugar (refined carbohydrates and grain foods generally) should be prime suspects. It works like this: When we consume sugars, insulin is released by the pancreas to deal with the increase in blood sugar. While the biochemistry is somewhat more complex, it will suffice to say that the role of insulin is to push sugar into storage - sugar that can’t be burned for energy is simply stored as fat. If you want to lose weight think sugar and grain products (in the United States they fatten their cattle on whole grains).

Sugar does a lot more to us than make us fat. In Nancy Appleton’s (no relation) well known book “Lick the Sugar Habit” she lists 108 problems associated with the

It’s a surprise to many people when they learn that cholesterol production in the body has strong connections with the consumption of sugar. Every time you stimulate the need for insulin to restore blood sugar levels to normal you are likely to be raising your cholesterol. When have we ever heard about reducing our consumption of sugar to control cholesterol? It’s much more convenient to pin the blame on fat.

Sugar suppresses the immune system. It has the potential to reduce the body’s defences by 75% or more for up to five hours after ingestion. Linus Pauling talked about this in the 70s. How much sugar is added to hospital meals? A lot from what I have seen. Dietary sugars feed harmful intestinal yeasts, fungi, toxic organisms - think candida “thrush”.

The preferred fuel for all cancers is glucose. The list of health issues associated with the consumption of sugar goes on and on.

There are calls from many sectors in the community to tax sugary drinks but I am not sure that this addresses the problem. It seems to me that consumers should be demanding safe, non-toxic alternatives to the use of sugar. Replacing sugar in drinks with Stevia would be an excellent option. Stevia is extracted from a plant native to Central and South America. It’s been used in Japan for decades but was banned in the United States (presumably because it was in direct competition with Aspartame which is a highly controversial artificial sweetener). For any mum wanting to make the kids a healthy drink - get a Soda Stream - squeeze the juice of a lemon into the water and add a couple of drops of Stevia (lemon flavoured drops are available from any good health food store).

Anyone who takes the time to look closely at why chronic illnesses are an ever increasing problem would find a lot of bells ringing if they investigate the role of sugar.

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

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING SERENA JUDGE JOINS THE TEAM AT GARETH & CO Serena Judge has recently joined West Lynn hair salon Gareth & Co. We asked her to tell us a little about herself.

How long have you been a hair stylist?

Fourteen years this September.

What styles are your favourites?

I love flirty curls, tousled bed head hair, the bigger the better...

What do you love most about your work?

It has to be the people I meet on a daily basis. I love to have a good craic (that's Irish for laugh) with my clients. The more laughs the better... with great looking hair to boot.

What do you love about this neighbourhood?

My walk to work down Cockburn Street with a sneaky swing on the tree swings makes me smile and recaptures my childhood. I never seem to venture far from Ponsonby or Grey Lynn as they have all I need. They are a happy upbeat places to be. F PN GARETH & CO, 1a Francis Street T: 09 378 0031 www.garethandco.co.nz

THE WORLD'S BIGGEST EGG HUNT THE WORLD'S BIGGEST EGG HUNT IS HATCHING IN NEW ZEALAND THIS EASTER. The Whittaker’s Big Egg Hunt will raise funds for the Starship Foundation, a charity supporting the national children’s hospital to provide world-leading care for almost 120,000 patient visits each year. New Zealand's leading artists, designers and architects have been invited to transform 2 ½ foot eggs which will be hidden across Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch for 33 days, from 21 March to 22 April. They have been created by well-known and emerging artists, designers and brands including Dick Frizzell, John Pule, Max Gimblett, Greg O'Brien, Karl Maughan, David Trubridge, Nigel Brown, Seraphine Pick, John Reynolds, Dame Trelise Cooper and Denise L’Estrange-Corbet.

Ponsonby local, Elena Keith, is the artist liaison for the Big Egg Hunt and said the response from artists has been incredible. "We've been so lucky to enjoy the support of some of New Zealand's most celebrated artists. We've also been blown away by the contribution of some of our local artists such as Virginia King, John Reynolds, Flox, Hye Rim Lee, Judy Darragh, Misery, Garry Nash, Chiara Corbelletto, Richard Adams and Denise L'Estrange-Corbet."

Local glass artist, Garry Nash, who has been operating out of his studio in Mackelvie Street for nearly 25 years, took a unique approach when creating his egg. He cut lightning strikes into the fibreglass and then installed neon tubing and a crackle tube that emits a compelling light from inside the egg. Virginia King, a St Mary's Bay sculptor, took inspiration from her editioned Dragonfly series and incorporated wings into her design to represent hope and anticipation. All 100 eggs, each a masterpiece, will be auctioned off for Starship - 80 of them on Trade Me, and 20 of them at a gala event in April. Information about The Whittaker’s Big Egg Hunt is at: www.thebigegghunt.co.nz and www.facebook.com/BigEggHuntNZ F PN

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING BODYNEED SPORTS CLINIC NEW LOCATION

Tell us about BodyNeed and what treatments you offer.

We have been in business in Ponsonby for 13 years and recently moved to our new clinic on Maidstone Street We help people stay fit and active for life and believe in the old adage “use it or lose it� - feeling young, strong and supple is all about continuing to move. Our key difference is the full team approach. You might first come in to see a physiotherapist but then be referred for massage, acupuncture, pilates or nutrition, depending on specific needs. Every client requires a different approach - our team works together to get the best possible outcome for you.

Who would benefit from BodyNeed treatments?

Anyone who wants to run, skip, jump and play like they used to as a kid, or who find injuries or ongoing pain are holding them back. We have an extensive client base from runners to tri-athletes, hikers to mountain bikers, weekend warriors to corporate warriors and mums, dads and kids; primary age to teens.

What do you do to stay at the top of your field?

Our team is continuously researching and up-skilling, we have an inhouse journal club who meet every six weeks to review latest research. The sharing of knowledge is one of our core values. All our practitioners are senior level with at least three to four years experience and full qualifications - we have four physiotherapists, six massage therapists, three pilates trainers, one nutritionist and now one osteopath - Elaine Bennett of Peace Clinic has joined the team!

What do you love most about working in Ponsonby?

We love the people we get to know and their amazing stories of epic struggles from injury to achieving huge goals. Ponsonby people have a passion for life and love to have fun! Most of our new clinic was designed and built by Ponsonby people; main design

by ASC Architects; fit-out by Axiom Projects; Interior design by Nash Design-Laurence Nash; signs by Blomfield Signs and Robin Day reception chairs from BobandFriends. F PN BODYNEED SPORTS CLINIC, 17 Maidstone Street T: 09 360 8821 www.bodyneed.co.nz

AUCKLAND'S FIRST CITY-WIDE FOLK FESTIVAL Auckland's first citywide folk festival is nearly upon us!

The festival is designed to celebrate the many facets of Auckland's folk and acoustic music and cultural scenes. Events range from workshops, social dances, exhibitions and gigs from some of the best Auckland has to offer. Family friendly and inclusive, the festival will offer a vibrant, fun opportunity to hear new music, join in local dances, meet great people and learn new skills.

Ponsonby music lovers are in for a real treat, as many of the festival events are happening in or around Ponsonby and K Road areas. Local events include folk/acoustic musician Roger Marshall's CD release at The Thirsty Dog, celebrated songstress Donna Dean performing at Rafters in Ponsonby, previous Tui Folk Album of the Year winners Great North performing with The Bitter Years in Ponsonby, tribute nights held at the Wine Cellar in St Kevin's Arcade which feature some of New Zealand's hottest folk acts, including Tiny Ruins, Delaney Davidson, Adam McGrath from The Eastern, acclaimed duo The Bads, Bernie Griffen and so many more.

More information can be found at www.folkfortnight.co.nz or by contacting Emily at emily@folkfortnight.co.nz or Louise at louise@folkfortnight.co.nz F PN

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING YOU HAVE SMELLY BREATH (WELL YOU MIGHT, BUT NOT KNOW IT) My best tips to keep it under control: It’s not just embarrassing; it can indicate something far more serious... bad breath is technically known as halitosis and unfortunately, many people just aren’t aware of how bad their breath is - it’s like a secret that everyone else knows - except you!

Bad breath is one of the most common complaints my patients bring up with me. It’s a problem that most of us will suffer from at some point. Between 35-45% of the world’s population have some level of halitosis and I’d estimate a similar percentage of the patients that I see also suffer from this problem. There are plenty of myths surrounding how to cure bad breath that continue to be circulated.

1. Mouthwashes and breath fresheners help.

False - they only mask the problem for a few minutes at best. Alcohol based mouthwashes worsen the problem because they dry the mouth and can actually cause an increase in mouth odours!

2. Brushing your teeth more frequently will help eliminate a breath condition.

False - in fact, brushing too frequently can lead to increased problems with not only the breath, but also may damage the teeth and gums over time.

Here are my six simple steps to help eliminate embarrassing smelly breath: 1. Visit us regularly, not just when you have a dental issue.

I know seeing your dentist is something most people avoid, however similar to servicing your car six monthly, you need to see a dentist and/or hygienist to remove build-up of plaque/tartar. Sometimes you might need three to four visits a year if gum disease is present.

2. Clean your entire mouth.

Most people brush their teeth for only 30 to 45 seconds which just isn’t enough. To clean all the surfaces of your teeth you should brush for at least 2 minutes twice a day.

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Brush your tongue, too - bacteria loves to hang out there. Don’t forget to floss to remove harmful plaque and food particles that become stuck between your teeth and gums.

3. Stay hydrated as saliva reduces bad breath.

When you’re properly hydrated you produce healthy amounts of saliva. Saliva prevents unwanted bacteria from moving in as it continually cleans the mouth. Healthy saliva levels also help clear food particles from the mouth and keep the tongue clean.

4. Take care with your diet.

Consuming dehydrating food and drink, such as coffee, alcohol and sticky sweets can lead to bad breath.

5. Don’t smoke (for all sorts of health reasons).

Your mouth is exposed to all sorts of chemicals contained in tobacco smoke. Many of these chemicals dry the mouth and encourage growth of the wrong type of bacteria. On top of all this, it can damage the tissue in the mouth leading to infection and diseases such as cancer.

6. Medical conditions and medications.

The side effect of many medications can also contribute to mouth odours.

For example, antihistamines, antidepressants and asthma inhalers contain steroids which can dehydrate the mouth encouraging bad breath.

Bad breath can affect how you interact with people and how they respond to you so please don’t wait until it becomes a problem that hangs around like a bad smell. (Dr Usha Narshai) www.greylynndental.co.nz

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING MORE THAN SKIN VOTED BEST BEAUTY DESTINATION 2014 With the Hollywood award season in full swing, it was the perfect opportunity for the winners of Bauer Media's Best in Beauty Awards 2014 to be announced at a glittering event last week.

Alongside the vast array of winning lotions and potions the best beauty destination in New Zealand was also acknowledged with the top honour going to More Than Skin Spa & Beauty.

In the five months leading up to the unveiling, Bauer Beauty editors trialled thousands of products and treatments to arrive at their final list of nominees. They also launched the new best beauty destination category this year, replacing the previous best salon and best day spa awards (which More Than Skin also won in 2013).

The winners were then chosen by public vote on Bauer’s official fashion and beauty website. Almost 50,000 online votes were placed for over 80 beauty product and treatment categories. The top beauty destination section was hotly contested by Auckland’s best and brightest, but the support of More Than Skin adherents shone through and this chain of spas and salons was awarded the prestigious title.

More Than Skin are thrilled to receive this consumer recognition and media accolade which builds upon their continuing success. Ponsonby Urban Spa Manager, Vanessa Shepherdson is absolutely delighted with the win stating, “the fact that the public have chosen us as New Zealand’s best beauty destination or day spa for two years running is an incredible achievement.” She also thanked the salon’s loyal clients for their votes and ongoing support which had a huge impact on this win. Congratulations More Than Skin!

To book a treatment for yourself and see what the fuss is all about, contact Vanessa and the Ponsonby team on T: 09 361 2231. F PN

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CLARE CALDWELL: THE ART OF LIVING

The torus and free energy Every living system on the planet is interconnected and designed to flow freely and thrive. Our purpose is to thrive.

If we look closely at nature we can begin to see similar patterns in the way every living thing works and interacts, right out into the greater universe. Mathematicians and physicists call this aligning pattern the torus. So much of the world’s suffering is due to lack of energy sources or lack of ability to utilise them.

In the 1900s, scientist Nikola Tesla tapped into what we now call “free energy”. In simple terms, he took energy from space and transformed it via the aligning torus pattern and harnessed a clean, safe, endlessly renewable source of power that would be free to everyone. Sadly, like many free energy inventors after him, he was shut down, threatened and destroyed.

We can see this torus pattern everywhere, from the cross-section of an apple to the magnetic field rings around the earth. These self-regulatory and holistic systems form nature’s blueprint for a healthy, creative and sustainable existence. This is how the universe works.

This living geometry was known thousands of years ago. Symbols for this torus energy are seen to be encoded in different art forms throughout the cultures of many ancient civilisations such as India, China, Egypt, North America, and today in crop circles scattered throughout 30 countries but found mainly in England.

In 2001 a crop circle appeared which was unlike the usual organic and circular patterning. This one was rectangular and when overlaid by the rectangular encoded message NASA sent into space in 1974 was almost a complete match. NASA had sent this encoded message as an attempt to communicate with extraterrestrial intelligence.

Are these crop circles mere hoaxes? Done by humans in the dead of night with strings and boards as many believe? The attempts I have seen look clumsy and crude and nothing like the exquisite geometry of the majority of the circles.

Many believe we are now once again being contacted and guided by beings from our greater universe who already utilise free energy, to re-activate this ancient knowledge for the survival of our planet before it’s too late. The continued suppression of this energy benefits only an elite 1% of our world’s population who hold the reins of control, money and power and who stand to lose everything if the human race becomes fully abundant.

Unlike our present fossil fuel and nuclear power dependence, free energy cannot be metered, therefore no-one stands to make money out of it. It would be the biggest single power shift ever seen on our planet. (CLARE CALDWELL) F PN Clare (Claudie) Caldwell is a creative arts therapist who runs a small private practice from home. She is voluntary team leader of creative arts as therapy at Mercy Hospice Auckland, College Hill, where she has worked for the last 10 years. 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 THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF E-BIKES AND SUP BOARDING Flux is Auckland’s newest Stand-Up Paddle Boarding (SUP) and Electric Bike Shop located in Westhaven Marina beside Swashbucklers.

The convenient shop location beside the calm waters of the marina is perfect for learning to SUP, and the safe road at Westhaven is great for electric bike (e-bike) demonstrations.

Flux’s local owner, Neil Pollett, has a team of qualified ISA instructors offering a range of SUP lessons from beginner to intermediate, fitness to yoga. Come rain or shine the team are out at St Mary’s Bay teaching and encouraging locals to get into the world’s fastest growing water sport. It is a great way to get out on the water for fun with your friends and family without breaking the bank. Neil’s team have over 10 years combined experience so you’re in safe and experienced hands.

If the water isn’t your scene or you fancy something different, then try one of their rental e-bikes. Kill those hills with pedal assistance and see the city from a different perspective. No more traffic jams or parking worries on one of these zero emission e-bikes. Flux has one of New Zealand’s largest ranges of electric bikes and the e-bikes are becoming an increasingly popular method of transport around Auckland. They also cost next to nothing to run, so why wouldn’t you give it a go?

Discover the wonderful world of SUP and e-bikes for yourself. Come and see the friendly team at FLUX, or check them out online.

Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9am-5.30pm, Saturdays 9am-3pm. F PN FLUX, Unit 2, 23b Westhaven Drive, T: 09 303 4030 www.flux.net.nz

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING

Vivi Gao owner of Youkon Massage

YOUKON MASSAGE OPENS ON PONSONBY ROAD Massage therapist, Vivi Gao, completed her Chinese Medical Massage qualification in 2007 before moving to New Zealand in 2008 where she began working in a clinic at St Luke’s.

It was during this time she studied therapeutic massage at the New Zealand College of Massage. In 2011, Vivi returned to China for further study at Hubei Chinese Hospital.

This study involved advanced training in acupuncture and moxibustion massage, with a focus on occupational stress, muscular overuse and chronic muscular pain syndrome.

Now back in New Zealand, Vivi has opened her own clinic, Youkon Massage in Ponsonby Road. She is dedicated to helping anyone with physical and muscular pain and is devoted to ensuring each individual client gets the best possible treatment; her clients have positive things to say.

“After moving to Auckland I finally found an absolutely awesome massage therapist a year ago. Working in the health and fitness industry I get weekly deep tissue massages to keep my body in great condition. Vivi knows her muscle groups extremely well and exactly how to get out any knots and alleviate aches and pains. I would highly recommend her to anyone, she is thorough, knowledgeable, experienced and just the best.” (Angela Yates - Nutritionist) “I have been seeing Vivi on a regular basis for the past 12 months and have come to realise the importance of a skilled therapeutic massage executed by a professional, trained individual. Beyond her professionalism, I find that Vivi truly cares about each individual, their health, their circumstances - mind, body and spirit. She is dedicated to PN her profession and I cannot speak highly enough of her.” (Clare) F YOUKON MASSAGE, 1/209 Ponsonby Road M: 021 0236 5615 www.youkon.co.nz

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PONSONBY PEOPLE + THEIR PETS Ian Webster is co-founder of fashion label Verge and a long-time Herne Bay and more recently St Mary’s Bay resident.

KILLER GRAPES

His miniature schnauzer Bex is just over 18 months. Bex has been with Ian since she was eight weeks old.

In veterinary emergency we are often asked about whether various foods are toxic to pets and one of those is grapes. This includes sultanas, raisins and currants.

“We chose Bex because we had the same breed in the salt and pepper colour who passed away in early 2012. Miniature schnauzers generally have excellent temperaments, are easy to train and great companions,” explains Ian. There had been 10 possible names on paper for the new puppy, but once Ian collected her from the breeder it was apparent that “Bex” fitted her personality perfectly. Ian says, “Bex is quite popular and has a couple of boyfriends who are both mini schnauzers - Baxter from Karaka and Gus from Grey Lynn.”

Bex loves the beach, water and a ball or stick to chase... “doggy heaven”. By choice she would eat anything off her owners’ plates (“which is not an option,” stresses Ian), but generally she dines on a mix of chicken, meat, vegetables and pasta with the odd treat for good behaviour. F PN

Despite significant confusion, I can confirm that toxicities can occur in dogs. It is a complicated toxicity, since the toxic mechanism is unknown and there doesn’t seem to be a correlation between amount consumed and clinical effects. A dog might eat a few sultanas and show severe signs of toxicity, while another dog might have eaten large amounts and show no symptoms whatsoever!

Symptoms you may see if toxicity has occurred include; lethargy, lack of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea, excessive drinking, excessive or lack of urination. Grapes affect the kidneys and will destroy or impair the function. Symptoms may develop within one or two days after ingestion.

If the consumption was recent, the veterinarian could make your pet vomit and administer agents which bind toxins, so they are removed from the system without being absorbed in the gut. The functionality of the kidneys can be checked by blood tests.

Treatment with intravenous fluids for several days is recommended to prevent or reverse the kidney damage. The treatment of kidney disease is notoriously difficult and might not be successful, leading to the death of your pet.

Therefore, prevention is key! I would strongly recommend you bring your pet in for treatment immediately if you suspect ingestion of even a small amount of toxic foods.

PN (Dr. Marieke Wijnen BVSc) F ANIMAL EMERGENCY CENTRE, 97 Carrington Road, Mt Albert T: 09 849 2121 www.animalemergency.co.nz

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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 Last Friday afternoon I brought my cat Mickey in with a limp. She was seen by your vet team and held back for an x-ray. The x-ray revealed a fractured bone in her paw and the recommendation was for her to stay in all weekend to rest, receive fluids and to have the leg cast. Mickey was then put on pain relief, anti-inflammatory meds were provided and she was told to have cage rest at home for six to eight weeks.

Q:

She’s coming back in this week to have the bandaging checked and to check her paw.

What might you be looking for? Mickey and Sarah.

Thanks for taking the time to give me a heads-up. Mickey has had a half splint applied to her fractured paw, also stabilising the carpus “wrist” joint above it to prevent movement of the fracture site and allow bony fusion and healing. This treatment was the best course of action, the fracture being small, lined up well and low down in the limb, sparing Mickey the need for major surgery with internal stabilisation using plates or wires.

A:

Having said that, while being much simpler and cheaper than internaI repairs, it’s really difficult to get splints and bandaging perfect, especially on cats (even more tricky applying a true cast). The main issue is that it needs to be pretty tight to stay on, agile and determined little things that they are, without being too tight and causing swelling or pressure sores. It’s a fine line that we will be checking for at her revisit, along with assessing pain levels and monitoring the fracture site for alignment, stability and bony bridge formation.

The cage rest is super important to stick to, otherwise too much movement happens at the fracture site and we get no healing and a very swollen paw and a lame pet heading to complicated salvage surgery at a site where bone may now have started to die off and could require a bone graft. (DR ALEX MELROSE, BVSC MRCVS) F PN VETCARE GREY LYNN, 408 Great North Road T: 09 361 3500 www.vetcare.net.nz

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BILLY HARRIS: KIDS IN THE COMMUNITY

Max Dickey hits on a winning formula New Zealand tennis hasn’t been in the best of shape in recent years. Older fans fondly remember the days of Onny Parun and Brian Fairlie.

Then we were able to enjoy the incredible achievement of Chris Lewis reaching the Wimbledon final. Since Lewis, both Kelly Evernden and Brett Steven were able to give just about any player in the world a good tickle-up on their day.

But since then, in the men’s game, the tennis canvas has been about as barren as the Sahara in a heatwave. There’s not a player within cooee of the top 100, and there ain’t a lot on the horizon either.

Yet, just over the horizon, and a few more miles into the distance, there’s a young player who just might have the ability - and more importantly the passion - to get Kiwi tennis fans excited again.

A boy with the patience to keep banging away on the backboard after everyone else has gone home and his parents turn up in the fading light to drag him home.

With a fascination for the ball, and the way it curves, floats or dips in flight depending on the spin you impart on it.

With the sort of love for the game that can’t be coached but which is an essential element in the make up of any successful player.

Boom… boom… boom…

That’s the sound of 10 year old Max Dickey hitting a tennis ball against the backboard at the Westend Tennis Club hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of times, giving him the consistency to outlast opponents, including the second seed from Christchurch in the pre-Christmas Auckland tournament. The South Islander was a much stronger player than Max, but again and again he’d hit what looked like winning shots, only to have them returned by his tireless opponent from Westmere Primary. Ultimately Max’s concentration and consistency were to prove too much for his opponent.

Boom. Max wins the doubles Northern Spring Championships with Jack Loutit from the Next Gen club last October.

Boom. He takes third place in the Christmas Auckland Championships for the 10 year age group last December.

Boom boom. He wins both singles and doubles (with Jack Stewart-Becroft from the Waimauku club) in the 10 year age group at the Northern Summer Championships this year.

Even though Max’s drive to succeed comes from within, it certainly helps to have a great support group. His grandma Jeannette represented Nelson and is one of his most ardent fans. His mother Roz was nationally ranked and played Caro Bowl. And his father Chris is coming round to the realisation that Max’s budding rugby career (he was Ponsonby age group player of the year for the last two seasons) will have to give way to Max’s first love, tennis.

And his siblings may play important roles in the big plan too. Already Max is trying to convince his six year old sister Genevieve, who shows some promise, that she might like to go on the circuit with him. And eight year old Sam has no interest in tennis but intends

to be part of the cabin crew for Emirates when he gets older, meaning he’ll be able to organise the travel schedules for Max and Genevieve as they jet around the globe to their various tournaments.

Before then, though, there’s a lot of work to be done. Max has been playing since age four, but since age eight, when tennis fever took hold, he’s been putting in big hours, working out either morning or night, or both, every day. He practises with the Westend tennis squad, and the Auckland tennis squad, and his coach Blair Brian, and when none of the above are happening, with just about anyone who’s prepared to have a hit. And if there’s no one around, there’s always the backboard.

That’s the way Max likes it, and that’s the way it’s got to be if he’s to realise his dream of going one better than Chris Lewis and winning Wimbledon. In his attempt to do so, he’s basing his game on that of his hero, and the player many think is the greatest of all time, Rafael Nadal. He has a one handed forehand and two handed backhand like Nadal, and, using his junior Babolat Rafael Nadal racket, is working on using Nadal’s exaggerated top spin to give his shots plenty of clearance over the net and minimise the error rate.

Throw in the same never say die attitude of the Spanish maestro and you’ve got one very resilient tennis player in the making.

But the work doesn’t stop there. Off the court, Max spends a lot of time in the study watching Rafa’s latest match, and he’ll watch certain points over and over to better understand the technique and strategy which makes Nadal such a formidable champion.

The next chance Max will get to put his developing skills to the test is at Easter when he plays in tournaments in Wellington and Christchurch. If results there and elsewhere continue to reflect his unusually rapid development, his parents may look to build his experience by sending him to play tournaments overseas.

That would be just the first step on a long, tough road, one which makes special demands on those who travel it.

Sometime in the next decade we may have learned that Max Dickey is one who has just what it takes. (BILLY HARRIS) F PN

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TO BOOK ADVERTISING: ask about our special positions!

Jo Barrett on 021 324 510 or t: 09 361 3356 or 09 378 8553 e: joannebarrett@xtra.co.nz w: www.ponsonbynews.co.nz

90 PONSONBY NEWS+ March 2014

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FUTURE GENERATION CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW A year full of stories by Georgie Adams, illustrated by Selina Young. Orion, $45.99 366 stories and poems - share a brand new story or poem every day of the year!

Perfect for bedtime reading. A treasure trove of stories and rhymes, with something for every single day of the year. Crammed to bursting with fun, invention and sheer high spirits, this book is designed to entertain every family. Each day of the year becomes special in this one-of-a-kind book. This exceptional treasury is a book to cherish. F PN DOROTHY BUTLER CHILDREN'S BOOKSHOP, 1 Jervois Road T: 09 376 7283 www.childrensbookshop.co.nz

KRISTIN’S IB TOP SCHOLARS HONOURED THE ACADEMIC SUCCESS OF 14 KRISTIN STUDENTS WAS CELEBRATED AT THE ANNUAL International Baccalaureate (IB) Top Scholars’ Awards Ceremony at Government House Auckland last month. The Top Scholar Awards Ceremony honours the New Zealand candidates who achieve a score of 40 points or more, out of a possible 45, in the prestigious IB Diploma. Students who attain this score are ranked in the top 6% of students worldwide. One in six of Kristin’s recent IB Diploma graduates achieved this result.

Isobel Campbell achieved a perfect score of 45, something achieved by only 0.2% of IB Diploma candidates worldwide. Following closely behind were fellow Kristin students Lucy Bayliss and Mack Lee (44), Lingshu Liu, Nadia Sussman and Tabitha Yeoh (43), Alec

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Xie (42), Celina Chang, Isabelle Hunt and Holly Thomas (41), Sorina Casvean-Muresan, Louis Harden-Bull, Ji Youn Kim and Andrew Wetherell (40).

The IB Diploma consists of six subject areas including native and acquired languages, social sciences, experimental sciences and mathematics and the arts, and is designed to be academically challenging and holistically balanced. Kristin was the first school in New Zealand to introduce the IB Diploma programme in 1989 and since then its students have developed a reputation for producing consistently high results in the demanding qualification. www.kristin.school.nz F PN

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FUTURE GENERATION FUN TIMES RETURN TO RICHMOND ROAD SCHOOL RICHMOND ROAD SCHOOL IS ABOUT TO INJECT SOME fun back into the community at its annual gala day, three months after a devastating fire.

In the early hours of January 12 a suspicious fire at the historic primary school in Grey Lynn destroyed a toilet block, gutted one classroom and severely damaged three others.

New principal Jonathan Ramsay says it was a tragic event just a few weeks before the new school year was due to begin. “It was very upsetting for a lot of staff, pupils and parents but with the support of staff, the local community and the Ministry of Education, we are back on our feet and up and running again.”

Four temporary classrooms have been installed to enable children to start the new school term. “We are very grateful to everyone who helped us to start the year on time for all our children and we want to repay some of that generosity by putting on a really special gala for the whole community. It’s our little way of saying a big thank you.”

The gala on Saturday 5 April features a range of fun activities, rides, face painting, music, great food, coffee, cultural displays, raffles, a silent auction and bargains galore.

It runs from 11am-3pm in the school grounds at 113 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn.

Everyone is welcome to come along to the free event. “It will be a fantastic day out and a lot of fun for both kids and adults,” Jonathan says.

PN www.richmondroad.school.nz F

YOUTH MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME PUTS OUT CALL FOR BUDDING ELEANOR CATTONS Three lucky secondary school students are again being given the opportunity to work with three of New Zealand’s best professional authors in order to hone their writing skills and develop their craft.

The NZSA Youth Mentoring Programme 2014 is now open and offers three aspiring young writers (15-18) a 10 hour mentorship - not surprisingly the mentorships are hotly contested. Previous recipient Ashlee-Ann Sneller of Kaitaia devoted her time with poet Siobhan Harvey to a poetry collection and says the mentorship was an amazing experience and helped her secure an English scholarship for Auckland University, not to mention a page dedicated to her writing in her school year book.

“The mentorship helped me to see myself as a “real” writer and gave me the confidence to show my work to the public. Before the programme, I THOUGHT I was a writer. Now I know I AM a writer.” The intent of the programme is to foster and develop emerging writing talent with the support of established authors. The NZSA has run a highly successful mentoring programme for writers since 1999 and it is sponsored by Creative New Zealand. F PN Deadline: 1 April 2014. For further information and application forms: www.authors.org.nz/wawcs0137984/Programmes-and-Services.html National Office: PO Box 7701, Wellesley Street, Auckland 1141 T: 09 379 4801 E: programmes@nzauthors.org.nz

A JUMP IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT PATRONAGE January saw a jump of 3.3% in the number of people using public transport in Auckland. The number of trips on rail was up 7.6% in January compared to the same month last year.

Auckland Transport’s Group Manager, Public Transport, Mark Lambert says the increase for rail is pleasing considering the disruption to services in January because of on-going work to electrify the rail network.

The Northern Express bus service saw a rise in patronage of 7%, while the number using all other bus services was up just under 5% compared to January 2013.

Auckland Transport has been running promotions to encourage more people on the North Shore to use the Northern Express.

Ferry patronage was down in January. One of the reasons for the drop in the numbers using ferries was the poor weather over the holiday period. On an average weekday some 236,000 trips are taken on public transport in the region and Aucklanders are now travelling on more than 200,000 AT HOP cards. F PN

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FUTURE GENERATION NEW BOUTIQUE PRESCHOOL OPENS IN THE CENTRAL CITY HONEYBEES PRESCHOOL owner Natalija James talks about how the idea came about. "When our little boy was a newborn HoneyBees Preschool was still a twinkle in our eyes. As we lay there in those blurry morning hours too overtired to sleep, we imagined what a preschool he would go to one day might be like. We thought about warm loving teachers who genuinely connected with him and truly felt the responsibility of what they were being entrusted with.

We visualised a beautiful open space with lots of sunshine and light and natural wooden toys; we hoped for food that was organic and unprocessed so that he would get the best nutrients to build his growing little body; we saw a group of parents and children and teachers who really felt like a family sharing happy days together.

We dreamed of him learning how to make his way in the world, becoming confident and sociable as he got bigger and stronger and more independent; we talked about laying the foundation with lots of experiences, languages, and technology that is so important in those first few years, exposing him to as much of the richness of life as we could... and out of all those wild imaginings grew HoneyBees Preschool three years later, the sort of place that will make all its children believe anything is possible for them."

"Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon."

PN www.honeybees.co.nz F

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FUTURE GENERATION

THE HERNE BAY HUSTLERS ARE BACK IN ACTION! Calling all Under 85kg rugby players in the Ponsonby/Grey Lynn area…

Firstly, a bit of a recap from last year; we won our grade and the 72 dozen Speights on offer - a half pallet to be precise! It was a great achievement in which we went through the grade unbeaten. After the season finished, we took the 72 dozen Speights to Port Charles for a weekend of diving and fishing, a few beers and a chance to begin plans for our 2014 season. It was a great weekend, safe to say the crayfish on coach’s plate was the winner on the day.

Training has just started up again and we are fired up for another big season! If you think you are handy at code, can get yourself under 85kg, bring some good banter and don’t live too far away from Western Springs then please get in touch with us. The best thing about 85kg rugby is that if worse comes to worst and you step the wrong way, the player tackling you is going to weigh less than 85kg. So get involved! We are looking for a big squad this year.

As per last year, we will be looking to run a Hustler bachelor of the month. Most of the boys are still finalising their tans/completing the necessary man-scaping, but we do promise a purebred stud for next month’s issue.

We really appreciated all the community support last year and this year we are providing local businesses with an opportunity to sponsor a jersey, for $250 + GST for the whole season. Get in quick as it's first in first served with what number you sponsor. Your logo will appear on the back of the jersey and will get plenty of publicity, especially if you choose your number wisely.

In other news, the TAB have released the following odds to kick the season off: Most likely to get injured: A Boivin ($1.60)

Injury prone in the touch season, but will his heart get him through? Or does this old horse need to be put out to pasture?

S Hamilton ($8.00)

Chronic hamstring tension normally plagues him. Certainly thwarted his 100m dash last year. He must make the field for this bet to be paid. Has this Shetland pony got one more trot in him?

M Barton ($3.10)

Pure physics that those shoulders must give way soon. Must leave the field for this bet to be paid. Don’t count on it!

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Most likely to not make weight limit: J Oliver ($1.02)

Currently 90kgs and 65% body fat, he needs to hit the pavement ASAP. Easy money here.

G Young ($3)

Certainly a dark horse, however any slight injury will send him over.

L Napier ($8)

Big upper torso built with two 20kg dumbbells but standing on match sticks. Do some leg work.

Mostly likely to find love in 2014: T Hall ($3)

Young stud looks about ready to settle. Being a Bedian Ranger will surely hinder his chances.

Gez ($5)

Seems to like girls so not a bad bet. Needs to learn to warm hearts rather than chill them. Always a chance in the ice cold winter though.

J Ghinis ($20)

A punter’s chance but unlikely to rein in this frisky goat.

See you next month - and remember, please get in touch to register your interest ASAP! Training is Wednesday nights at 6.30pm Ponsonby Rugby Club (Western Springs Stadium). If you are interested in playing or interested in sponsoring a jersey please email Nathan@conbrio-it.com F PN

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

MEET THE TEACHER ANNE CAWLEY Freemans Bay School Currently teaching Years 3 and 4 - 25 students How did you come to be a primary school teacher?

It was a long road - I have been a chef, an office worker and a gardener! I finally became a teacher in 1999. It may have taken me a long time to get there but when I did, I realised I had found what I really wanted to do.

Where did you train?

Auckland College of Education, Epsom.

What brought you to Freemans Bay Primary?

When I qualified, jobs were hard to come by. I started off at a school in Papatoetoe, which I loved, but I always wanted to be in the inner city. I was delighted when an opportunity came up at Freemans Bay in 2003 and I grabbed it with both hands. It’s a wonderful school so it was a great move for me, including the fact that I met my partner there. We’ve been together for 10 years now!

What are your favourite things about being a teacher?

The long holidays! Only joking... working with the kids, seeing them grow and develop.

They’re the future.

Highlight of your teaching career?

Every time I see a child overcome a challenge.

Low point of your teaching career?

Being unable to make everything right for the children who face difficulties and barriers to learning.

How would your principal describe you?

A good team builder - of adults as well as children. She says I see and value people’s strengths and bring out the best in them. She also appreciates my passion for Enviro

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-schools, particularly promoting student choices in their curriculum and on things that affect them at school.

How would other teachers describe you?

Teachers will often stop by and talk to me about any concerns they have. Like how to get a child moving to the next learning stage or how to raise a matter with a parent. I guess they would describe me as approachable and considered. We are always having a bit of a joke about each other so I would also be described as fun loving.

How would your students describe you?

I think they would say I am fun, fair and always willing to listen to them. Encouraging to help them work out how to get to the next learning - in terms of what their next steps are as well as how to get there. I organise camps every year for my students.

Many report that this is the highlight of their time at primary school - so I think they appreciate the effort put in to making these happen. In a couple of weeks we have our first camp at Piha.

If you could wave a magic wand in your classroom?

For every child in this country who comes from a disadvantaged background to come to school each day with food in their tummy, clothes on their back, ready to learn and take advantage of the opportunities on offer.

Five tips for mums and dads of primary school kids 1. Build resilience - failure is OK, we learn from our mistakes.

2. Support your child’s interest - everyone has a passion for something.

3. Keep homework fun - don’t let it become a battleground, it’s really not that important at this age.

4. Read with your child every day - enjoy books together whether you’re reading to them or they’re reading to you.

5. Praise effort, rather than just success. F PN

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SIDELINE WITH GEORGE BERRY

Kiwi athletes performance at the Sochi Winter Olympics In light of an article published about the Kiwi athletes performance at the Sochi Winter Olympics by a fellow journalist recently in the New Zealand Herald and the scathing response to her article I couldn’t help but wade into the debate.

If you missed it, the gist of her opinion was that our athletes didn’t perform to the level she believed they should, or that we’d been led to believe, and that watching them on TV was like watching a bunch of mates enjoying an expensive taxpayer funded ski holiday.

Many of New Zealand’s top athletes, from multisporters, Olympic medal winning rowers, cyclists and a raft of others have taken to social media to vent their disgust about her article, some even going as far as setting up a Facebook page dedicated to her views and opinion’s about winter Olympics and how they feel they are grossly inaccurate. The page had two and a half thousand likes after just 24 hours of being set up.

I’m a massive supporter of minnow spots and always try to ensure they get their fair share of coverage, the athletes often perform well above their pay bracket (if they even have one) and try extremely hard. But without trying to defend the article or the particular journalist’s credibility I wondered, does she have a point, albeit that she got right to the pointy end of the topic in a hurry.

It is almost guaranteed that she didn’t write the headline either, which further added fuel to the opposition’s fire.

The article was also written the day prior to Jossi Wells finishing just outside the medals in the ski halfpipe along with his younger brother Beau James claiming sixth so the timing of the article probably wasn’t the best.

But should we, as taxpayers, expect more return from our money invested?

Were their efforts in line with what we feel we should see when we turn the TV on in the middle of the night to watch the winter Olympics and support our athletes?

Or, given the success of our summer olympians and paralympians, are our expectations way out of kilter?

I’m sure the athletes themselves aren’t really hanging out in Sochi and enjoying a ski holiday as it was suggested, but I do also wonder if we could have done better and often ask what New Zealand will have to do to finally get another winter Olympic medal.

I know we don’t have a luge or skeleton course for athletes to train on but we have some of the best snow facilities in the world and the athletes that are competing for New Zealand are wildly talented, but why aren’t we getting those athletes up on the podium?

Our equestrian riders have to live on the other side of the world to get constant competition and be at their best, so why is it a struggle to believe that we couldn’t also do that with a few of our winter disciplines?

My only guess is the language and style of the winter athletes is so vastly different to our rowers, cyclists and hockey players that maybe it’s harder to connect with them. When they say they’re a little bummed it actually means they they’re completely gutted with the result, but would rather deal with it internally than display their disappointment.

Maybe the difference between 7th and 11th doesn’t matter at all because we expect them to podium anyway. Either way, I’m sure deep down we really are proud of being PN represented in Sochi by the athletes that have competed. (GEORGE BERRY) F

COUNCILLORS UNABLE TO SEE THE LIGHT It’s one thing telling people where they can park their car, even charge them a levy for the privilege of parking that said car on the street outside their house but now the council is seriously bordering on the ridiculous. The title nanny state quickly springs to mind.

The council is in the throes of imposing a curfew in which sports clubs have to have their lights turned off by 6pm on Sunday nights and public holidays.

What would be so wrong if the folks down at the bowls club wanted to hold a twilight meeting on a public holiday or a Sunday?

Have the policy makers in the council actually lost the plot??

The council’s draft Unitary Plan is currently up for debate and is headed toward its final document stage which states that floodlights adjoining residential areas must be turned off at 6pm on Sundays and public holidays. As opposed to the existing time of 10pm, seven days a week.

Playing tennis at night time in the summer not only fits into people’s lives it’s possibly the safest time of the day to play. Try doing either of these in the dark.

Why oh why would a council want to restrict people participating in sport?

96 PONSONBY NEWS+ March 2014

I doubt the changes to this law will have any sort of effect on rugby clubs or any other winter sports, but come on, next they’ll be trying to ban BBQs on your deck just in case you set something on fire… oh wait there’s talk of that too!

PN (GEORGE BERRY) F

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

photography: Photo Sport

SIDELINE WITH GEORGE BERRY

Wow, how good were the Auckland Nines!

They say the early bird catches the worm and there’s no denying that Wellington secured the sevens worm while Auckland was sleeping.

But the problem with a worm is it’s not that big, and unless you’re a bird, you are soon feeling hungry and looking for more.

And now after 15 years it looks like Auckland has finally woken up and come up with a tournament to rival the sevens, an event to fulfil sporting punters looking for something new.

The inaugural tournament was a huge success on many different levels so here’s my nine reasons it will continue, and get even better over the next few years.

1) Unpredictability; There weren’t too many experts predicting the North Queensland Cowboys to take out the tournament especially after they lost to the tournament favourite Warriors in pool play. Unlike the sevens, where you can start watching the competition from about semi-finals and still be guaranteed to see some of the best action of the tournament. And also see New Zealand play as well. The potential for there to be upsets right from game one in the Nines made the viewing a must watch throughout the tournament. And for this very reason the TAB’s predictions were wide of the mark on this one as well.

2) Favourite teams; Rugby League supporters in New Zealand all support different teams, given the Warriors never arrived on the scene until 1995, teams like Manly, the West Tigers and the Brisbane Broncos have a large following around the country and especially Auckland. So for that very reason there’s already a support base for teams outside of the Warriors.

5) Buy in; the Nines has buy in form all stakeholders, the clubs the NRL and the council so when tweaks to the format or transport or timing of the event are required they’ll be able to achieve it. The Sevens is an International Rugby Board owned event and there are pretty firm rules around hosting the tournament. The structure is awfully rigid so any changes to the competition format are unlikely.

6) Schedule; the days the tournament is played on. The final day being a Sunday is a master stroke. When you’re offered a day of recovery before heading back to work it’s just too much of a carrot for those who like to over indulge and therefore escalates any alcohol related bad behaviour.

7) Sold out; on top of the people that watched it this year on television and no doubt want to go next year. The ugly duckling that is Eden Park looked a little like a swan, at least for the weekend with crowd numbers around the 45,000 mark each day. The cricket had five days to try and draw a crowd and despite the style of game they’re playing or the fact they took on what was one of the best teams in the world they still would have been lucky to have 45,000 over the whole summer of cricket let alone a weekend. It’s fairly safe to say the feedback from local businesses, taxis and hotels. will be pretty positive about the tournament, which in turn will allow the event’s organisers a bit more leeway for the next few years.

8) Mistakes; with a year under their belt now they will be able to make a few tweaks to ensure the tournament is a success. But they’ve also had 15 years of watching the sevens and working out what does work and what doesn’t.

9) Entertainers; the organisers of the tournament aren’t a league club or council run department, they are in the business of running sport events, they are business people and this is what they do. So you can bet your bottom dollar if the entertainment starts to wane on the pitch, there will be plenty to see around the stadium. Can’t wait to get my tickets for next year. (GEORGE BERRY) F PN

3) Super stars; Each team has them, and by the sounds of things the ones that didn’t come this year want to be part of the tournament next year. Watching Todd Carney and Paul Gallen turn out for Cronulla in game one was significantly better than watching Portugal take on Wales at the Sevens, giving punters every reason to sit in their seat and watch the entertainment. And given the prize money on offer there are already UK Super League teams asking to become involved... Perhaps a name change is on the cards already.

4) Crowd behaviour; in almost perfect timing there was a big to do at the Sevens about the bad behaviour and drunk party goers. It served as a timely reminder and almost set the event up for a one strike and you’re out policy. Everyone that set foot in Eden Park on either Saturday or Sunday already knew there had been plenty of attention on the issue and quite clearly didn’t want to add to the problem.

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DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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PONSONBY PROFESSIONALS: LOGAN GRANGER In the previous edition of Ponsonby News we started looking into why our clients and small business owners across the globe are loving Xero as an online accounting software package.

Last time we wrote that our clients are loving it because it is easy to use, you can collaborate with your team and your accountant on the same data in real time and you know exactly where your cash flow is at any point in time. The add on applications that link into Xero are also a huge drawcard for small businesses who don’t want to spend thousands of dollars buying and integrating systems. So what are these add-ons?

Allowing business to work smarter and faster has been a key goal of Xero from the very start and to assist this, Xero allows other applications (Add-ons www.xero.com/add-ons/) connect to their platform. It works in a similar fashion to the way the iPhone does with its app store. Xero is like the iPhone and depending on what line of business you’re in, you can purchase separate add-on applications. The only difference being, they don’t waste your time with Angrybirds and Candycrush, these applications actually make your business more efficient.

This new way of procuring and plugging together software means that integration is done vendor-to-vendor, eliminating integration headaches for the customer. This opens up huge opportunities for efficiencies in how your business can work and how you can manage your core business and IT functions. The business app categories include point of sale, CRM, job management, inventory and advanced tools such as advanced reporting, benchmarking and many more.

Previously if you were opening a retail store, you would have to buy a point of sale (POS) system and then either manually enter transactions into your system or integrate it which could be painful and costly. Later on down the track you might also want to branch out into the online retail world, however you find that your POS and accounting systems don’t talk to your online store which means more manual data entry for you. Now you can link your Xero software with a POS system like Vend so your data automatically flows through into Xero and if you wanted to also open online Vend and Xero also link in with Shopify.

98 PONSONBY NEWS+ March 2014

The three key benefits I see are: • Remove manual data entry: cloud based software so all your data can move seamlessly between the applications.

• No upfront investment, cloud based software as a service has no upfront investment costs as it is all charged on a monthly basis and in most cases you also get a free trial to try before you buy.

• Future proof your business: as these are cloud services they generally link together you can scale up as you grow.

In the following issues of the Ponsonby News we will be interviewing some of our JACAL clients and finding out what they love about Xero and the Add-on partners and how it’s changed the way they do business and the way they interact with us as their accountant.

If you want to find out more about how Xero can help your business, please contact us at JACAL, and if you want to know more about Xero and the add on partners check out www.xero.com/nz/add-ons If you have any further questions, would like to discuss this matter please do not hesitate to contact Logan Granger.

Disclaimer - While all care has been take, Johnston Associates Chartered Accountants Ltd and its staff accept no liability for the content of this article; always see your professional advisor before taking any action that you are unsure about.

JOHNSTON ASSOCIATES, 202 Ponsonby Road T: 09 361 6701 www.jacal.co.nz F PN

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

Email Michael with your question and include PONSONBY NEWS in the subject line. Michael Hemphill, a partner of the firm will answer one topical question each month.

Q:

Dear Michael, I am in my early 70s and need money for an hip operation.

I own a property but am retired so my bank is not prepared to lend me money without a family member providing a guarantee for the loan. I am considering a reverse mortgage over my property to pay for the operation. What should I be thinking about?

A:

A reverse equity mortgage is a special type of home loan that lets you convert the equity in your home into cash whilst you are still living in it. If you are over the age of 60 and the youngest resident in the property is 55 or over then you are likely to be eligible for a reverse equity mortgage.

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Unlike a usual home loan, a reverse equity mortgage does not require repayments. Any payments that are not made will accrue interest and be added to the loan balance. With some providers it will be irrelevant if the loan balance exceeds the value of the home, the borrower (or the borrower’s estate) will not need to fund this shortfall, although there are limits on the amount they will advance.

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There are some things you need to be wary of with reverse equity mortgages.

Jo Barrett on 021 324 510 or t: 09 361 3356 or 09 378 8553 e: joannebarrett@xtra.co.nz w: www.ponsonbynews.co.nz

The lending is generally at a higher rate of interest which can reduce the equity you have in your property quickly. On top of this, there are a range of fees to be considered.

Loan application fees and valuation fees are required to be paid up front and there are further top up and variation fees. When the loan comes to an end there will be a discharge fee. You should have a clear understanding of all fees before entering into a reverse equity loan.

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The lender will usually have the right to inspect the property at any time to ensure that it is properly maintained. Some property owners may feel as if they no longer have control over decisions related to their house in these circumstances.

The largest provider of reverse mortgages in New Zealand requires repayment within six months of the last nominated resident ceasing to reside at the property. If you move into a retirement home or pass away you (or your estate) will only have six months to sell the property or find another way to repay the loan.

It is important that you seek independent legal advice before entering into a reverse equity mortgage as there may be alternatives open to you.

If you have a family member who is able to help you out in these circumstances then you may be able to provide them with a specific interest in your property. With a proper estate management plan you may be able to get funds for those unexpected expenses while protecting your loved ones’ interests.

Your solicitor should be able to discuss a range of alternatives with you to help you make a decision on whether a reverse equity mortgage is the best way forward in the PN circumstances. (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

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PLANNING RETIREMENT

SMART MONEY # 2 Successful investing is a matter of making smart decisions, consistently; Smart Money sets out to build your knowledge and challenge your thinking to enable you to ask the right questions and make smart financial decisions.

The broccoli and pizza portfolio approach… rethink the way you invest.

For some of us, it’s hard to give up on the idea that investment should be exciting.

Picking investments can be entertaining, after all, and there’s nothing like getting your timing right. For all the collective wisdom, particularly about the value of soundly based investment allocations and about diversification and discipline, we do appear as a human race to tend towards over confidence, and are bound to see investment as an end in itself rather than as a means to an end.

A Duke University study of corporate executives, published in 2010, found a dismal record of prediction from a group you might have thought would do well. Indeed, of 11,600 forecasts of the S&P 500 index over nine years, the survey found executives’ estimates of future returns and actual outcomes were negatively correlated (this is a technical way of saying the executives were hopeless forecasters).

An investment approach that advocates working with the market, diversifying around risks related to an expected return, trading efficiently, exercising discipline, watching fees and taxes, is going to sound like the financial equivalent of a broccoli and walnut salad - healthy but boring.

Our recommended approach is to separate the investment nest-egg from the play money. If someone really wants to speculate on the market, they can certainly do that with only one proviso, that their long-term investment money be invested with “fewer thrills”. This way we investors can buy some (sometimes expensive) entertainment

For more information or to make an appointment to meet, with no obligation, please contact Rutherford Rede today.

and accumulate a few war stories to share without compromising the portfolio designed carefully for them.

It’s understandable that for some people investing is a kind of a hobby, keeping much of the financial services industry and media in business.

In separating the concepts of speculation and investment, you can still enjoy the odd treat while ensuring a balanced diet overall.

Call it the broccoli and pizza portfolio... rethink the way you invest, contact us today. We welcome you to call or email Jocelyn or Richard on T: 09 361 3670 or jweatherall@rutherfordrede.co.nz, rknight@rutherfordrede.co.nz Jocelyn Weatherall, BCom BA AFA AIF, is a director of Rutherford Rede, fee only, authorised financial adviser. Jocelyn and Rutherford Rede advises individuals, trusts and charities in matters of strategy, financial matters and investment. Richard Knight, BCom AFA, is an authorised financial adviser and associate at Rutherford Rede.

A disclosure statement(s) relating to our advisers are available on request and free of charge. Thanks to our friend and associate Jim Parker, for supplying the essence of this message.

SUCCESS BREEDS MORE SUCCESS AT ST PAUL’S COLLEGE Several times in the last year we have reported success stories from St Paul’s College.

On Friday morning, February 21, I had the privilege of attending a prize-giving breakfast for the highest achieving St Paul’s students in the 2013 NCEA exams.

nurturing their boys in the best of family, school, as well as spiritual values, cultural activities and sporting prowess, all areas where the school already shines.

Local MP and Associate Education Minister, Nikki Kaye, gave an off the cuff, inspirational address to students and their proud parents gathered for the occasion. She stressed integrity, hard work and courage as important ingredients for success. It was clear when results were announced, and boys came forward, one by one to proudly receive the plaudits of all, that she was preaching somewhat to the converted. These were boys already imbued with the qualities she espoused.

Local families deciding on a secondary school for their sons, would do well to run the tape over St Paul’s to see if it would be a good fit. Congratulations from Ponsonby News on the outstanding successes of your boys in last year’s NCEA. Keep up the good work, your community is proud of you.

(JOHN ELLIOTT) F PN

Nikki Kaye told of the courage she needed to complete the Coast to Coast bike, run and kayak. She was aching all over, bruised too, and felt like quitting. But Nikki Kaye, as those who have got to know her are aware, is no quitter and she finished the race. She urged these high performing boys to look out for their lower achieving and more vulnerable mates, guiding them along the right lines to success. Nikki Kaye also praised the values and culture of St Paul’s, which contributes so much to the success of their students.

New head boy, Xavier Rice, acted as MC at the breakfast, and thanked and congratulated the successful boys. His proud father, Principal Mark Rice, also officiated.

The pride and humility of these winning boys was very evident and the loving pastoral care of St Paul’s which has helped to get them where they are today was also obvious.

A lovely breakfast box from Ripe (congratulations to the lovely Angela) was enjoyed by all. This was a warm and intimate occasion and a fabulous launch pad for the 2014 year for St Paul’s, where staff are determined to keep improving academic standards, while

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Principal Mark Rice, Head Boy 2014 Xavier Rice (as well as Level 2 Achiever), Hon. Nikki Kaye

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LOOK... WHO IS IN THE ZOO!

These Nepalese red panda cubs, just 100g at birth, now weigh well over 600g.

TINY TWINS WOW THE WORLD The birth of two rare Nepalese red panda cubs at Auckland Zoo in January was reported on around the world, with photos and a YouTube video of them particularly popular.

Just 100g each at birth, these newborns, the second and third offspring of mum Bo and dad Sagar (who relocated from Darjeeling Zoo), are genetically very valuable additions to the international breeding programme for this threatened species that’s doing it tough in the wild. They’re also incredibly beautiful animals, which is no doubt why they won the hearts of so many.

As Ponsonby News goes to print, these tiny two have now grown to well over 600g in weight, are increasingly active, and will have just had their first vet check, allowing us to confirm their sex. As you’re reading this, they may have now begun to venture outside their nest box and into their enclosure with mum Bo. You’ll find updates on our Facebook page, including details about our naming competition.

“As she did with her first-born Pabu, Bo’s proving to be a fantastic mum and naturally protective, so apart from essential checks and weighing them to track their progress, we’ve left her alone to get on with parenting,” says Auckland Zoo keeper Lauren Booth.

The twins’ older brother Pabu (now 15 months old) will relocate to another zoo in the Australasian region later this year. In time, the twins will also move on to other zoos as part of the Australasian regional breeding programme.

NIGHT OUT AT THE ZOO Wednesday 12 March until 7.30pm Discounted entry from 4.15pm Come and enjoy the last of Auckland Zoo’s Jetstar Summer Zoo Lates series on Wednesday 12 March from 5.30pm - 7.30pm (last entry 6.30pm).

It’s the perfect opportunity to chill out with your family, friends of workmates on this late summer’s evening, enjoy live music at the band rotunda with jazz combo “Lenny and the Laidbacks”, wander the zoo and get along to some special animal encounters with our keepers. Bring a picnic or dine out at our cafes.

By attending you can also be in to win a Jetstar travel voucher or a major prize of a family trip to Singapore! Visit the Jetstar tent at the band rotunda, where you can also bring your little ones to get their faces painted for free.

Prices (discounted entry from 4.15pm): $15 for adults, $10 for children, and under fours are free. If you visit earlier in the day, you can simply stay late for no extra charge.

Whio Family Weekend 22-23 March 9.30am-5.30m To celebrate our iconic whio (blue duck), this weekend at the zoo will feature whio encounters in Te Wao Nui’s The High Country and lots of fun activities including a flipper adventure challenge and a very cool blue duck race! Whio Family Weekend is proudly supported by Genesis Energy. F PN

“As zoos we work together to ensure genetic diversity is achieved for insurance populations like the red panda. This is vital, but it’s an insurance policy, not a solution.

Increasingly, we’re part of conservation efforts in the wild. In the case of red panda, we’re continuing to grow our support of Red Panda Network. They’re implementing outstanding community education and forest guardianship programmes in eastern Nepal (key red panda territory) and playing a vital role in helping protect this species that’s threatened by habitat loss and poaching,” says Lauren.

Red panda fast facts • The Nepalese red panda is found in the temperate forests of the Himalayas - from Nepal in the west to China in the east, and in northern India, Bhutan and northern Myanmar.

• Global wild population is estimated to be about 10,000 individuals but is continuing to decline. There are close to 500 individuals in zoos.

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS

THE FREEMANS BAY RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION Residents of historic suburbs close to the CBD have plenty of concerns generated by the Unitary Plan.

Lynne Butler is one of them.

She has lived in Freemans Bay for 10 years and decided to invite some friends and neighbours for dinner to sound out the idea of trying to form a Freemans Bay Residents Association. They were all Lynne Butler, Freemans in agreement, so she contacted Pippa Coon who was Bay Residents Association positive there should be one, and put Lynne in touch with some people who were active in the community. Thus encouraged, she opened her house for an informal meeting with some locals just to see if there was enough interest to pursue the scheme. There was plenty of very favourable feedback so she contacted the recently formed Grey Lynn Association which was very helpful, sharing all their rules and talking Lynne and a fellow resident through the setting up process.

The initial group distributed a flyer announcing a public meeting was to be held on December 3 at the Freemans Bay Community Centre, outlining a proposal to establish a Freemans Bay Residents Association. The response was very gratifying with 97 people attending and 20 apologies recorded. With this level of support they decided to to go ahead and called for interest in forming a committee. An open discussion followed about concerns at what was happening in the area. Protecting the heritage aspect and maintaining it was paramount. Other worries were the state of Franklin Road footpaths, the intermittent undergrounding of lights, parking, and in particular the proposed Spring Street development plan.

The next meeting was held February 4 to specifically investigate the zoning changes in the draft Unitary Plan and the proposed re-development of Spring Street pensioner housing.

109 people attended and the association became full-fledged with a committee and working groups. Lynne Butler, a very capable project director working in the healthcare sector was appointed the chair. The treasurer, Andy Smith spends his time in the not for profit sector as a volunteer. Margaret Jowsey, who has lived in the wider area since 1990 has taken on the role of secretary. Pre Super City she served on the Western Bays Community Board. Other members include Amy Galway, a young single mother of two boys who owns a PR company, Event Horizon (NZ) Ltd; Grey Seagar, a barrister has lived in Freemans Bay for 21 years, during which time he has witnessed significant changes in the area and thinks the community should have more say in its future; Megan Joyce is Deputy Principal at Auckland Girls’ Grammar and believes Freemans Bay residents need a concerted voice to influence decisions affecting their daily lives.

COMBINING AESTHETICS WITH ETHICS THE IVY HOUSE ON JERVOIS ROAD IS THE New Zealand home of Armadillo&Co rugs, and has chosen Herne Bay for its flagship showroom. The Ivy House owner and local resident, Annie Loveridge, had been eyeing up the “little shop” previously used to temporarily house the Herne Bay pharmacy, for some time. “It’s not a big space, but it’s got just the right feel. Stepping out of the traditional home-wares locales felt right too.”

Annie says she is proud to be the New Zealand stockist of Armadillo&Co. Pick up any Annie Loveridge, owner of The Ivy House Australian design magazine and you will most likely see an Armadillo&Co rug featured; The Australian business was co-founded in 2009 by Jodie Fried and Sally Pottharst, combining their 30 years’ experience in design and textiles.

“The Armadillo&Co designer collection has 18 designs and 51 colours and so anything is possible with these gorgeous rugs,” says Annie. “We have a wide selection of standard size rugs, although the beauty of these hand woven items is that anything can be custom sized. All designs can be woven to hall runners, specified to fit your hallway perfectly.”

Every piece embraces fair trade practices, is crafted from sustainable natural fibres including New Zealand wool and hemp, and all purchases benefit local schools in the weavers’ villages.

“What I absolutely love about Armadillo&Co is the integrity backing up these items, hand woven by Armadillo’s artisans and as Armadillo states ‘It’s about combining aesthetics PN with ethics.’ I honestly believe that is reflected in the beauty of these rugs.” F THE IVY HOUSE, 238 Jervois Road T: 09 360 8986 www.theivyhouse.co.nz

The attendees were particularly concerned that pensioners in the Spring Street complex would be displaced in spite of having been granted lifetime tenure. Apart from the sheer inhumanity of such an action, there is danger that under the proposal of a joint venture between government and a private developer, the latter is expected to acquire the site for only book value to develop an upmarket housing compound. So, is this to be the end of Freemans Bay diversity, turning it into a ghetto for the economically advantaged? The Unitary Plan zoning allows apartment buildings on the site to be more than 19 metres high in a heritage precinct, which will have a negative impact on surrounding dwellings.

If it goes ahead the result will be very different from the innovative urban development that arose from the 1960s slum clearance. Changes to parking requirements are another pressing concern. Houses in Freemans Bay are designated Residential 1 and heritage rules make it difficult to create off-street parking, which means a large number of vehicles are left on the road. The high level of commuter parking is disrupting in that it leaves no spaces for visitors, which is a problem for the disabled or residents who need healthcare support at home. It seems unfair that property owners who pay high rates are subsiding commuters but get no priority parking near where they live.

The newly formed association is a much needed watch dog and is intent on developing a close relationship with council and other government bodies to have a say in what is planned for this area. Anyone needing help in making submissions to the local board can contact Lynne by phoning 021 459 663 or emailing her on lynneb1@xtra.co.nz To become a member go to www.freemansbay.org.nz and fill in the application template. Readers be aware that numbers are a catalyst that can effect change.

(DEIRDRE TOHILL) F PN

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THE HISTORICAL BOROUGH OF PONSONBY AND GREY LYNN: STREET NAMES

PEEL STREET Sir John Peel is counted as one of the most outstanding figures among early Victorian statesmen. He was born in Bury, Lancashire 5 February, 1788.

His father was a wealthy cotton manufacturer and member of parliament for Tamworth and Robert was trained from early childhood to become a politician. He certainly demonstrated a prodigious intellect and was the first scholar ever to win an Oxford double first. His father rewarded this academic success by buying him a parliamentary seat in County Tipperary so he entered the House of Commons in April 1809 at the age of 21.

Unfortunately, able youths such as Robert took it for granted their qualifications entitled them to positions of command in the real world of which they had no understanding.

Peel’s absorption in the classics and consequent ignorance of history hardly equipped him for his early role in reforming England’s credit system. The economy was in a parlous state, the country battered by the Napoleonic Wars and strained by the horrors of industrialism. The banks tried to issue gold coins but were rejected by the people who preferred the paper currency they were familiar with.

In May 1819 a committee was appointed under Peel’s chairmanship which recommended the note-issue should only be used when covered by gold pounds. As a result, prices were driven drastically down but Peel’s defence of the gold standard suggests he was an inflexible doctrinaire and even thought poverty among the masses was permanently inevitable and even desirable.

After only a year in parliament, Peel gained the post of under-secretary of war and the colonies under Lord Liverpool and helped direct military operations against the French.

When Liverpool became prime minister in 1812 Peel was appointed chief secretary for Ireland between 1812 and 1818, during which time he established his reputation for administrative competence. He attempted to bring an end to corruption in Irish government and the practice of giving preference to Protestants over Catholics. In this he was not successful and eventually became one of the leading opponents to Catholic emancipation, which gave lie to his reputation for consistency.

After retiring from his post in Ireland, he rejoined Liverpool’s government and became home secretary. Over the next five years he was responsible for reforming the legal system, which involved repealing over 250 old statutes.

Later, concerned about the problems of law and order he decided to re-organise the police force. The situation in London was particularly ludicrous because it was divided up into countless parishes each with its own central authority.

The police were unable to arrest anyone in another district and there were instances of them helplessly watching from their “frontier”, as a burglar entered a house on the other side of the road. As a result of Peel’s efforts the new metropolitan police force was formed and became known as “Peelers” or “Bobbies.”

A SAD DAY FOR THIS GREY LYNN VILLA A reader sent in these photos and told us the following...

“If my recall is correct Ponsonby/Grey Lynn has the largest Victorian settlement in the world - is this not worth an attempt at preserving them? Importantly, have the town planners and council consenters and even the developers lost the plot? Words fail me on why the removal of this gracious lady sitting in pride of place for 101 years at 20 Cockburn Street was allowed - worse, is it to be replaced by more of these faceless townhouses just recently sited in the back of this 1913 villa? If it was “too far gone” to reinstate, the land could have been more adeptly utilised as the villa was large enough for eight tenancies at the time of sale.”

A sad day for Grey Lynn to see this grand old lady carved up and taken away last month.

The before and after photos show the picture. F PN

Peel’s political career spanned 40 years during which he was a tireless reformer, but there have always been questions about his peerless reputation. A few years after he had been invited to form a Conservative administration he attempted to overcome the religious conflict in Ireland by setting up the Devon Commission to inquire into the “state of law and practice in respect to the occupation of land in Ireland.” His attempts were stymied by the 1845 potato plight which deprived the populace of their staple food.

Peel was informed that three million people would require cheap imported corn. He yielded to this advice, believing it might be the only way to prevent widespread starvation.

The Corn Laws were repealed in 1846 in spite of Disraeli’s strident opposition, but the policy split the Conservative party and Peel was forced to resign. After the act was passed, cheap corn poured in from America, agricultural workers drifted into towns and landowners, one after the other, gave up the struggle against eviction.

Peel continued to attend the House of Commons to give support to Lord John Russell and his administration. For the rest of his career he dedicated himself to championing free-trade principles and the maintenance of Russell’s Whig ministry as the only safeguard against a protectionist government. On 28 June, 1850 while riding up Constitution Hill in London he was thrown from his horse and badly hurt. Four days PN later he died from his injuries. (DEIRDRE TOHILL) F

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‘LIGHTING THE WAY’ - WITH LED What is LED? This is a question frequently received by Warren and Jan Tait, owners of EAL Electrics & Lighting. As Warren explains it is an abbreviation of “light-emitting diode”. His short version technical explanation invariably leads to more discussion on what benefits LEDs offer.

As Warren puts it, “LEDs have many advantages over incandescent light sources including lower energy consumption, longer lifetime, improved physical robustness, smaller size, and faster switching.

“They also produce a spectrum of colours easily and brightly while using very little electricity to do so.” Another point he added was, “LED’s emit light in a targeted direction and they don’t emit great amounts of heat which allows you to insulate directly over the top of the LED. “Research has shown quality LEDs use at least 75 percent less energy than traditional bulbs and last up to 25 times longer,” Warren explained.

The Tait’s first introduction to LEDs was working with superyachts where they gained expertise in both installation and the complimentary technology covering switches, outlets and cover plates.

As Jan says, “A dominant criteria on superyachts is ‘elegance and style’ requiring us to provide a vast range of colours, finishes and sizes to suit varying owner’s tastes.

This experience greatly assisted us with our expansion to supply and install within the PN residential and commercial market.” F www.electricsandlighting.co.nz

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REAL ESTATE UPDATE: KAREN SPIRES

Making the right move Summer is always a busy time in the real estate market. With the school holidays over, people settle back into their daily lives and start acting on their goals for the year ahead. For many that includes buying or selling a property.

In Herne Bay and Ponsonby, and no doubt across Auckland and much of the country, we’re seeing a lot of activity in the market, with large numbers of buyers visiting open homes and high levels of enquiry as the traditionally busy season ramps up.

For many, the prospect of selling their home may seem a daunting task, and there are several factors to consider and decisions to be made when doing so.

However, by arming yourself with the right information and being prepared before your property goes to market, you can minimise the stress, and help ensure the process has a positive outcome.

Remember, it is your real estate agent’s job to guide you through the process. It is their job to obtain the best offer possible from every genuine buyer. Bayleys has a commitment to giving vendors the best possible service - including finding buyers others can’t, generating more competition, and ultimately producing a better result.

We offer exclusive marketing tools, such as The Big Call auction campaign, during which hundreds of properties are marketed to the widest possible audience and have their value maximised for all parties under the hammer.

While auctions may seem intimidating to those who have not gone through the process before, they are a straightforward way to buy and sell property in an open environment.

Buyers can rest assured they are paying true market value, while the vendor receives an unconditional offer on their property.

From 2012 to 2013 the number of Bayleys properties sold at auction increased by 26 percent. Of the 40 Herne Bay and Ponsonby properties that went to auction last year, 78 percent sold. The average sales values in these suburbs over the period from January 2012 to December 2013 grew by 16 percent. All good news for vendors.

So if you’ve decided it’s time to sell, there’s no better time than now. Get informed and take advice from a professional - your real estate agent. I look forward to hearing from PN you. (KAREN SPIRES) F Karen Spires is a Bayleys Real Estate Top Achiever - placing her sales data among the top five percent of salespeople within the company.

VIVA ITALIA THE COLOUR PURPLE The Pantone Colour Institute announced their colour of 2014 is ‘Radiant Orchid’ (18-3224).

While international designers went for a gelato pastel palette on the spring/summer 2014 fashion runways, violet, which was once only worn by Roman emperors and Catholic bishops and is commonly associated with royalty, will be creeping in through winter to burst forth in the summer of 2015.

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UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL Former high performing Bayleys salesperson Bernadette Morrison, has moved into the role of sales manager of the new Bayleys Ponsonby office.

She guides and supports a team of dedicated, high achieving salespeople, many of whom are among the company’s most successful agents. With 10 years experience in the industry she brings to the role a wealth of knowledge, professionalism and a passion for the area.

Who is your partner? Single - no partner.

Do you have any children? Two girls.

Ages? 23 and 24.

Do you have any pets? No. How do you keep fit? Body Tech Gym in Grafton three times a week and I walk for an hour every other morning before work.

Your best friend would say of you...

“Ultra organised, stylish, smart, kind, generous, fun loving. She doesn't take life too seriously. Loves travel, food, wine and good company.”

Your mother would say of you... “You’re top”.

Virtues? Loyal, trustworthy and kind.

Vices? Sugar.

Who's your ultimate rock icon? Rod Stewart, an obsession dating back to my teens.

Secret passion? To live in Italy but may change that to France after my next holiday!

TV show? Graham Norton.

Book? The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

The house is on fire and your family is safe - what do you save?

Everything else is replaceable.

“I'd be lost without my... My mother, daughters and three closest friends.

One thing you have learned about life is...

It can always surprise you. Be open to possibilities.

Tell us about your role at Bayleys Ponsonby I am a non selling manager, so my role is to support my sales and administration teams to perform at their best and offer our clients the best possible service. F PN

What's your secret talent? My family, says I have a talent for baking and cooking, though it may be a ploy to get themselves invited over for dinner more often.

Where do you live? In a pretty replica villa surrounded by a picket fence and an English style garden that could do with a little more TLC. Where do you spend your holidays? The Coromandel and this year, France.

What's your perfect Sunday? An early morning walk on the beach, coffee with friends and then time out to relax and recharge for the coming week.

What were you going to be when you grew up? A lawyer.

How did you come to be a real estate agent?

A client of mine was managing a real estate office and she encouraged me to join the industry. I haven’t looked back.

If you weren’t a real estate agent you’d be... There’s nothing else I’d like to do.

Favourite Ponsonby cafe? Salta Café and Bambina.

Favourite Ponsonby restaurant? SPQR. Favourite Ponsonby store?

May I choose a hairdresser? Lauren Gunn at Stephen Marr.

Favourite Ponsonby fashion label? Miss Crabb.

Your best kept Ponsonby secret?

Sue Pannetier - a craniosacral therapist at Balance Massage.

What's inspired you recently? My mother.

Your desert island distractions: song? Pretty Girls Don’t Cry by Chris Isaac.

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS

THE COMMUNITY THAT PLAYS TOGETHER STAYS TOGETHER

TRICIA LAFFERTY AND KYM AIKIN - GIVING BACK IN A TANGIBLE WAY

Support from local businesses is making a big difference to the kids at Freemans Bay Playcentre while also forging strong ties between the centre and its community.

We hear you have a new service which costs your clients nothing when they list and sell with you? Whats the catch?

The catch is that there is no catch. Kym and I are paying for the initial clean (approximately six hours) of your home and gardens, flowers on the day of photography and every open home during the three weeks of marketing and also sound staging advice.

Tatty’s Recycle Boutique allows the centre to set up their cake stall outside the clothing shop every Ponsonby Market Day - the next market day is 15 March, and the Rocky Road will be back! Tatty’s owner Aimee Edgell says, "I also live in the community and we're always looking to give back as best we can. Having a child at playcentre, I do what I can to get the message out about how great playcentre is and how it's full of lovely people and children."

Freemans Bay based ecostore has also supported the fundraising efforts of their local centre with raffle prizes. Money raised in 2013 has gone towards making much needed improvements to the centre, including new furniture and allergen-free cushions. This year the centre hopes to complete interior renovations, continue to improve the limited outdoor areas and a BBQ is also on the wish list.

Playcentre is an early childhood education option for children from birth until school age with a focus on child-led play. Each centre is recognised and funded by the Ministry of Education but run by parents who are the educators, staying on session and playing alongside their own children while also taking responsibility for the wellbeing and learning of all enrolled children. The parents or caregivers also run the business side of the centre, taking on roles such as secretary or librarian, whilst also maintaining the building and grounds.

As a parent/whanau run cooperative that relies on volunteer hours, fundraising and community support is especially important. Freemans Bay Playcentre is open to more partnerships with local business or community groups, and is also a registered charity so any donations are tax deductable. ecostore have partnered with the New Zealand Playcentre Federation for Playcentre Awareness Week (2-8 March). The theme is “Good, Clean, Fun” which is a perfect fit for ecostore, who also offer all playcentres free freight and products at wholesale cost.

Children at Freemans Bay Playcentre love to have fun making bubbles with ecostore’s dishwashing liquid, while parents exclusively use their products for cleaning. Knowing that everything is toxin-free and safe gives families peace of mind, as children often taste as part of their play and exploration of the world around them.

Auckland playcentres will be celebrating awareness week by holding open sessions at Te Wero on the waterfront (near the drawbridge) on 3-7 March, 10am-1pm, all are welcome to come along, play and find out more about playcentre.

Anyone interested in finding out more about Freemans Bay Playcentre is also welcome to arrange a visit. To donate or discuss community partnerships, please email the PN secretary playcentre.freemansbay@gmail.com F FREEMANS BAY PLAYCENTRE T: 09 376 1492 www.freemansbayplaycentre.org.nz

These are real costs to us and we see it as a real commitment to the partnership with our client. We are very proud to offer these additional services at no extra cost because we appreciate how stressful preparing a home for the market is and want to alleviate some of the pressure both financially and physically.

People have asked us why?... the answer is simple, we felt we wanted to give back in a tangible way that can be measured and, just quietly... put our money where our mouth is. We are regularly told by our clients that we more than cover our commission by the results we achieve. We wanted to offer even more as part of our standard service.

To be honest, I personally wanted to roll out this service some years ago but was told that nobody expected it so why do it... I decided this year that was the very reason to do it. Anyone who knows us is fully aware we always go above what is expected and that we are deeply passionate about being different. This year its about raising the bar in real estate and being proud to lead the way with a real point of difference.

So, exceptional marketers, exceptional negotiators and now a nicely presented home.

Oh sorry there is a catch - it is necessary to list and sell your home with us! F PN For further details about Tricia and Kym’s services give them a call.

TRICIA LAFFERTY, T: 09 947 6557 M: 021 611 205 and KYM AIKIN M: 021 596 222

SECURE STORAGE OFFERS A RANGE OF OPTIONS STORAGE KING HAS BEEN AT 300 RICHMOND ROAD FOR OVER 25 YEARS, TUCKED IN behind the 300 Richmond serviced offices. It’s a family owned business that started trading under the Storage King Banner about 10 years ago.

Storage King is a franchise company that started up in Australia and is now the largest self storage company in the South Pacific with over 140 locations throughout Australia and New Zealand. Being a family owned business and trading under a larger banner has been a great recipe for success.

Chris Winter the Facility Manager has seen many changes since he started nine years ago. “The Richmond Road neighbourhood has changed a lot over the last few years,” says Chris, “and we are lucky to be in the heart of what is now a thriving area with the Richmond Road café and Animates on one side, Farro Fresh and the Bread and Butter café on the other, increasing the number of people visiting the area.

Over the last few years the Grey Lynn branch has expanded by adding a purpose built four level building. As Chris puts it, “This now makes us more visible and impresses clients not only by its size, but also how automated the building is. We try to do our part for the environment and saving electricity by only lighting corridors where people are working.”

All the units in the new building are individually alarmed for extra security and peace of mind. There are over 1300 individual storage units, ranging from small to large units accommodating whole four bedroom homes, and over 20 different sized units in between. Storage King Grey Lynn is offering selected units free for the first month during March (some conditions apply) when you purchase 10+ archive cartons.

If you simply need a few boxes or need to store some goods, come and see the friendly PN staff; they are open 7 days. F STORAGE KING, 300 Richmond Road T: 09 360 2015 www.storagegreylynn.co.nz

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MY FAVOURITE ROOM

Sarah Melrose Sarah Melrose is co-founder of The Lovely - a personalised online gift registry site that allows users the freedom to add gifts from any store, anywhere.

The site also features a comprehensive gift guide where Sarah and her business partner George Kivell get to source and showcase many of New Zealand's best designer products... “Definitely my favourite part of the job!” says Sarah. www.thelovelyregistry.co.nz

unimaginatively we call it the front room, but I guess it's really a slightly indulgent study.

We use it for thinking, designing, daydreaming and more recently burning the midnight oil getting The Lovely online.”

Sarah lives with her husband and daughter on Wood Street in what’s officially Freeman's Bay, but they consider to be Ponsonby. Either way she says it’s a hop, skip and a jump to the city and a stone's throw to Ponsonby Road, so they think it’s the perfect location.

Sarah says that the front room is her favourite purely from an architectural perspective, as it encompasses all the traditional villa features, with its high stud, bay window and stained glass. “It also catches the early morning sun and has views of the Sky Tower,” she says, “and if I open the window I can pick a Queen Mary peach right off the tree outside!”

The couple bought their house about a year and a half ago, but Sarah says that she’s flatted at more Ponsonby addresses than she can remember: “I recently found out that I’ve been a member of the local video store on Ponsonby Road since 1998!”

As for her favourite things in the room? “Most definitely my Nathan Goldsworthy Historian bookshelf and then pretty much everything that sits on it... particularly my favourite books, wooden dolls and the well-loved Tivoli stereo.” F PN

When we asked her which is her favourite room, Sarah told Ponsonby News, “Somewhat

THE LOVELY www.thelovelyregistry.co.nz

AUCKLAND HOUSING MARKET MAKES STRONG START TO THE YEAR The Auckland residential housing market made a strong start to 2014 following the Christmas/New Year break with the average house price for January reaching $647,207 and the median price reaching $580,000.

“While these values have eased back on those achieved during last November and December, this is part of the normal seasonal trading pattern,” said Peter Thompson, Managing Director of Barfoot & Thompson.

“New listings at 1228 were excellent for a January, sales at 854 were up 4.1 percent on those for January last year and 4.5 percent on December’s, and we sold 91 homes for in excess of $1 million, which is exceptionally high for the first month of the year.

“All the indications are that the market is building to being extremely active during the first quarter of the year. “January’s sales numbers at 854 are the highest in a January for six years. “The average sales price for the month is up 7.7 percent on that for January last year, but down 7.6 percent on December’s, which itself was the highest average price ever achieved in a month.

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“Buyer interest was not restricted to the top end of the market. During January we sold 334 homes for less than $500,000, or 39.1 percent of all the homes sold. “This is the highest percentage of total sales since the Reserve Bank restrictions on bank mortgage lending were imposed, and indicates a little more flexibility on behalf of the banks towards low deposit borrowers. “At the end of January we had 3371 properties listed, the lowest number in a January in more than 11 years.

“While this number is relatively healthy compared to many months in 2013, to be this low at the start of a year will inevitably increase pressure on prices over the next three to four months. “Between now and May is normally one of the two high seasons in a year for house sales, and this strong start to the year suggests that the activity levels of 2013 will remain with us.” F PN

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WANDERLUST DOWNUNDER IS ALMOST HERE! Wanderlust, the world’s largest and fastest growing yoga and music platform, is only weeks away from launching Downunder. Iconic park locations are being prepared in Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland as the perfect places to kick off these one day “taster” events.

Festival goers can expect to see some of the world’s most renowned yoga teachers, lifestyle gurus and leaders of green living, along with a broad range of top DJs, musicians and performing artists. Also on offer is a delicious range of organic eats, locally produced wine, craft markets and a range of outdoor activities.

“The final countdown is on and we can’t wait to launch Wanderlust Australia and New Zealand. The ethos of Wanderlust is about bringing together a group of open minded, fun loving and creative individuals who aim to take part in new adventures. These one day events will only be a sampling of the bigger multi day events we have planned for the following year and we hope people will turn out and become part of this exciting new community,” says festival director Jonnie Halstead.

Wanderlust has co-created with yoga lifestyle brand lululemon to build an internationally renowned teacher and speaker line-up for each of the three events.

The general festival event is free for those who register online to attend and includes access to “The Greatest Place” for music, yoga and all of the exciting main stage activities. For anyone passionate about yoga there are upgrade packages available that secure yoga spots in the front five rows and offer the chance to meet the yoga leaders after class. For those up for a real challenge there are limited premium tickets still available to “The Mothership”, where truly immersive yoga workshops will be held. For those who want to let their hair down, the late afternoon will be the perfect time to take in some music while enjoying organic and biodynamic wines from “Winederlust”.

“Some of the ticket packages have already sold out, while the free registrations are already into the thousands. We are overwhelmed with the initial response to the festivals PN and can’t wait to see Wanderlust (Downunder) come to life!” says Jonnie Halstead. F Free registration, ticketing and lineup info can be found at the website below: Wanderlust In The City - Auckland, Lakeside Park, Western Springs, Sunday 23 March Akl.wanderlustfestival.com

AUCKLAND STILL TOO COMPLACENT HUGE HUNK OF GREY LYNN CARVED OFF IN DISASTER PREPAREDNESS From Auckland Central to Mt Albert Electorate

Statistics New Zealand survey results show Auckland could be better prepared in the event of an emergency.

There are easy steps Aucklanders can take to become better prepared says Jeremy Holman from Auckland Council civil defence and emergency management. “Many Aucklanders are more prepared than they think, with items like canned goods, battery radio or torch already available in their homes.

“Take five minutes to have a discussion with your whanau about where to meet in case of an emergency, and find out what plans your community has in place,” says Holman.

“More than 40 communities in the Auckland region have completed community response plans so get in touch and find out what your area’s plan is.

“Businesses are not exempt. Complacency and lack of preparation is one of the top reasons that most businesses fail to bounce back as quickly as they could after an emergency. Don’t fail because you failed to plan.” F PN For more information on how to be prepared visit www.aucklandcivildefence.org.nz For more information about getting your business prepared visit www.resilientbusiness.co.nz

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Auckland Central electorate has been decimated by the Boundaries Commission. They needed to lose 10,000 people from Auckland Central, so they have slashed right through the heart of West Lynn and Grey Lynn, pushing everyone West of Cox’s Bay Reserve, in a line through Sackville Reserve, Grey Lynn Park, along Beaconsfield Street to Bond Street into the Mt Albert Electorate.

A few examples - all of Cox’s Bay is now in Mt Albert, so too all of Richmond Road from Countdown right through to Surrey Crescent, including Sackville, Hakanoa, Tutanekai, Schofield, Dryden, Elgin, Grosvenor, and many other streets.

The whole of West Lynn is now Mt Albert, so is the whole of Summerfield Villas, and the Surrey Crescent and Great North Road shops - Grey Lynn.

It also appears that it is too late to make submissions objecting to the new boundary. I’m PN sure this will disappoint many residents. (JOHN ELLIOTT) F

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ASK AN ARCHITECT: PAUL LEUSCHKE Each month Grey Lynn resident and architect Paul Leuschke of Leuschke Kahn answers readers’ property related questions.

Email yours to jane@leuschkekahn.co.nz

Q: A:

I am going to undertake an alteration to my house and wondered if I should hire a project manager?

because the council took your money to undertake site inspections and look after your interests, yeah right!

Traditionally a client would engage a builder in a full price contract. The builder was responsible for the whole project, ordering materials, arranging sub -contractors, providing a time programme, providing a lump sum fixed price or estimate, and then actually built the project.

There are many other types of contract, as a contract is only an agreement between two parties.

This type of contract was modified sometimes to a labour only contract were the owner effectively became the builder, ordering materials and hiring sub-contractors directly, and paid the labour only carpenters wages only. The owner relied on the labour only people knowing their stuff.

This form of labour only contract was used as the owner thought he would save money mainly by taking any risk the lump sum builder may have thought was there and allowed for with an added sum of money. The owner also did a lot of the running around.

Today the construction industry is more complex and more litigious. If you as the owner assume the role of builder/decision maker you are liable. As architects we struggle to keep up with the ever changing building codes, council changes and extensive building products available. Since we become aware of code and council changes first, we often find builders lagging behind but similarly we can lag behind in changes affecting the builder’s site rules and regulations, as per the recent increase in scaffolding requirements So to answer your question, I simply say the architect designs and documents the house or alteration. He knows the drawings, and you. The builder actually builds the project and stands liable for his work and his subbie’s work. It seems obvious to me, it’s more than sensible to engage both to undertake the project management. (PAUL LEUSCHKE) www.leuschkekahn.co.nz F PN

Similarly the architect was engaged on a limited service of resource consent and building consent documentation only, again to save money. The architect was not needed on site

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THE OPEN TOY BOX Toy libraries have actually existed since about 1935 with one established in Los Angeles.

The idea has gained popularity in many countries and some have been operating in New Zealand since 1974. In 1980 it was decided at a national conference in Rotorua to set up the New Zealand Toy Library Association, and in 1981 this became a reality. Toy Express is a toy buying service offered to TLFNZ members which has very good buying power and supplies great toys at excellent prices.

Sometimes referred to as the Grey Lynn Toy Library, The Open Toy Box was set up in 1995 by a group of parents as a community service for families with young children. Finding good toys for children is an ongoing conundrum. Buying them is not very economical and more often than not it’s wasteful when their novelty wears off. As well as saving money, hiring is a good environmental option by reducing landfill waste from unwanted toys. For a minimal annual fee parents can have access to quality toys that are appropriate for a broad range of ages and an opportunity to meet other families in the community.

The Open Toy Box initially started off with 145 members but lately the numbers have dwindled down to about 85. This is a worry because membership fees cover some of the expenses. The reason for this is probably due to the recent influx of young families in the area who are not aware of this fantastic service. Some have discovered it by accident and often exclaim “I didn’t know you were here.” Word of mouth is not always sufficient, so Ponsonby News is helping spread the word around.

The Open Toy Box hires the St Columba Church Hall on 92 Surrey Crescent every Wednesday from 9.30 to 11.00am and Saturdays till 11.30am. The hall is a lovely large space with polished floors and plenty of light pouring in from a long row of windows facing the road. Newcomers can fill in an application form on the spot or access and pay for it online. There is a two week temporary membership to see if the library suits the applicant’s requirements. Full membership is $200 a year and covers hiring of four toys for two weeks and there’s an option to reissue for another period. Rostered membership is $110 a year for those who perform volunteer duties. The library has a wide range of toys appropriate for children at different stages of their development and does away with the boredom factor. Volunteers are always on hand to help with suitable choices.

The Auckland Council helps with the hall’s rent and in 2013 the library has been fortunate to receive $1524 from the Trillian Trust and a Lotteries Community Grant of $800 for the purchase of new toys plus donations from Pub Charity. The management committee presently numbers four and should anyone be interested in joining can make contact with them by emailing greylynn.toylibrary@gmail. Finally, many parents have contributed their time and energy into making this wonderful resource available for families in the area and hopefully many others will go along and see the advantages membership brings to their children. For a heap more information go to greylynntoylibrary.wordpress.com/ (DEIRDRE TOHILL) F PN

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS PONSONBY BUSINESS SALES INCREASE FOR FIFTH CONSECUTIVE QUARTER Small businesses, the backbone of the New Zealand economy have had a difficult few years, and many are not yet out of the woods, so it is very encouraging to be able to report that Ponsonby businesses have now grown positively quarter on quarter since October 2012. That represents five consecutive growth quarters.

Ponsonby is the only inner city precinct that has seen such a positive result. The latest report by the BNZ Market View Survey showed a 5.6% sales growth for Q4 2013, while the Q4 2012 result was just under 2%. This growth is much higher than for any other inner city precinct for that quarter.

Ponsonby market days attract locals and visitors to the Ponsonby strip

This quarter covers the period October through to December 2013 and the key events were Auckland Art week, the very successful Art in the Dark, Ponsonby Christmas Market Day, as well as community events like the Franklin Road Lights, Carols by Candlelight and other member generated events over that period. The full document detailing these statistics is available from the PBA office for all PBA members.

When I started the Ponsonby Community Newsletter, the forerunner of Ponsonby News in 1989, my motto was “unashamedly local and parochial”. While the reach and readership of Ponsonby News has grown exponentially since then, we at Ponsonby News still urge “Ponsonbyites” to shop local and support local businesses.

It is good that Auckland Council supports things like music in parks, good recreational facilities, libraries, art galleries, the zoo and so on, but they must ensure that they make doing business as easy as possible. Local MP Nikki Kaye is business friendly and a consistent advocate for Ponsonby businesses.

Questions like the future development of Ponsonby Road, public space on the Nosh site, big box development like Bunnings’ proposal for Arch Hill, are important for us. So we are pleased when Ponsonby businesses are doing a little better than some other inner city suburbs.

If the physical environment in the business precinct is attractive and welcoming, people will be happier to browse and buy. Business building owners have an important part to play as well. We urge Ponsonby business owners to make submissions on the Ponsonby Road plan. Questions of a balance between cars, bikes, parking and pedestrians are all addressed in the discussion document.

PBA General Manager Viv Rosenberg is pleased with the results, but not complacent.

She is positive and optimistic, and a fervent advocate for our neighbourhood. The PBA works tirelessly for local businesses, despite the impediments they face, both locally and Auckland wide.

So let us urge our readers to support our local businesses by adopting a philosophy of PN wherever possible supporting local businesses and shopping locally. (JOHN ELLIOTT) F

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FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT

John Butler Trio - Flesh and Blood

Auckland Chamber Orchestra April concert

Everybody I know has the same “how I heard John Butler for the first time” story. There is a video on YouTube of him performing his song Ocean.

The wonderful Auckland Chamber Orchestra are returning with their first 2014 concert on Sunday 13 April at Raye Freedman Arts Centre.

This video has over 19 million views at my last check and in my opinion is one of the greatest guitar songs ever written. He plays a 12 string guitar and displays some of the most exquisite techniques to bring out an array of amazing sounds from the instrument.

If you have not heard this song I strongly recommend looking it up. It is only surpassed by seeing him perform it live, a feat I have been lucky enough to witness twice already.

This concert features the multi-talented Don McGlashan collaborating with the orchestra on a selection of his songs. The orchestra is also performing JS Bach’s third Brandenburg Concerto and the 20th century great Phillip Glass’s Concerto Grosso.

John Butler Trio rose to prominence in 2004 with the release of their album Sunrise Over Sea. Butler had a slightly unorthodox view on his band. He was of the opinion that there was no need to keep the same players together for five or ten years because it was about having the right chemistry for the songs being performed at the time. Current drummer Nicky Bomba joined the band for that album and it subsequently achieved gold status. This was aided by the overwhelming success of the single and E.P. Zebra.

Don McGlashan is widely considered one of our best and most enduring songwriters and the collaboration with the ACO has worked beautifully in the past.

The Auckland Chamber Orchestra are entering their 15th year with their musical director Peter Scholes and are set to follow a spectacular 2013 concert schedule with yet another year of programming brilliance.

Raye Freedman Arts Centre, Sunday 13 April, 5pm. Tickets available through iticket.co.nz F PN

John Butler released his latest album, Flesh and Blood, last month with drummer Bomba (although he was only involved in a large portion of the album and won’t be touring with him), and bassist, Byron Luiters, making up the trio. It is his first album since 2010’s April Uprising and is already receiving rave reviews as the best guitar album he has created. I will admit that it has taken me a couple of listens to appreciate it.

The album opens with traditional John Butler fingerstyle guitar on the track Spring to Come. His impressive skills on a variety of different stringed instruments are demonstrated with lap-steel, 12-string and acoustic guitars appearing in tones and textures throughout the album. One of the better pieces of guitar work is supplemented by some tremendously tight and groovy drumming in Blame it on Me. There’s a well-rounded feel to the album, with a mixture of upbeat funky tunes and mellow haunting paces - including the beautiful Wings Are Wide which forms part of the softer end to the album. You’re Free is a moody final track, although I disliked the electronic style sound that it presented which wasn’t otherwise evident on the album.

The first single from the album Only One offers a fresh take on the John Butler Trio’s signature sound. Except for the steel drums that are an uncommon addition to their sound, I don’t feel it is the best sound bite of Flesh and Blood and many listeners may refrain from diving into the depth of the album due to this single - which would be a mistake.

Butler describes the album as a process in which he “magpied” a lot of the songs for the album. He discusses how magpies take shiny things from anywhere to make a nest and how he emulates this in his songwriting. He uses his own experience and the stories he hears and creates new characters to explore new possibilities, ideas and “emotional landscapes”. The song Wings Are Wide is dedicated to his grandmother, who gave him his first Dobro guitar, a sound that has become integral to the John Butler Trio.

The John Butler Trio is performing in Auckland as part of their Flesh and Blood Tour promoting the album’s February release. They perform at the Powerstation in Mt Eden on Tuesday 15 April. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster and even if you have not taken the chance to hear the new album, a John Butler gig is always a mind-blowing PN experience and not one to be missed. (FINN McLENNAN-ELLIOTT) F

'TINY ART' ON DISPLAY AT THE ANZ THREE LAMPS We had the pleasure of meeting Willard Wigan, English sculptor from Ashmore Park Estate, Wednesfield, England, who makes microscopic art. His amazing “Tiny Art” was on display at the ANZ Three Lamps, Ponsonby. His sculptures are typically placed in the eye of a needle or on the head of a pin... incredible! (GWYNNE DAVENPORT) F PN

Finn McLennan-Elliott is studing for a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree, specialising in human geography at Auckland University. In his spare time, Finn plays the clarinet and guitar.

He has a great appreciation of all types of music. E: finn.huia@gmail.com

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ARTS + CULTURE TOUCH COMPASS DANCE PHOTOGRAPHY UPTOWN ART SCENE EXHIBITION OPENS IN MT EDEN A photographic exhibition depicting Touch Compass Dance Company, New Zealand’s only professional integrated contemporary dance company, is currently on display at the Albert-Eden Local Board’s “Corridor Space” exhibition area, at 135 Dominion Road until 28 March.

The exhibition features a hand-picked selection of photographs depicting Touch Compass workshops and performances over the last three years, and is part of an on-going series focusing on artists and arts organisations in the local board area.

Auckland Council arts and culture programme leader, Matt Blomeley, says that the exhibition is an opportunity for council to display a compelling range of photographs as well as highlight the great achievements of Touch Compass.

“We are excited to be able to exhibit these inspiring images. Touch Compass has won national and international acclaim for its ground-breaking performances and showcases the unique talents of each dancer to entertain, satisfy and challenge perceptions of what dance can be. Raewyn Whyte and Linda Ashley, who have curated the exhibition are acknowledged dance writers, and their great experience shows,” Blomeley says.

The 13 photographs chosen for this exhibition include the company’s dancers performing in recent works Rogue, Run, Slip, Spring and Grotteschi, and improvising in the studio with members of the Auckland Philharmonia.

They also show the company’s Encompass programme in action, with community and youth classes, the Touch Compass Youth Company on stage, and the excitement of opening their Sandringham Studio in 2012.

"Art is the most intense form of individualism that the world has known," said Oscar Wilde, and along the uptown ridge you can experience a dizzying breadth of work this month.

Befitting for the edginess of K’ Road, Jason Greig, gothic printmaker with a sardonic twist, is showing at Ivan Anthony along with Tony de Lautour, while next door at Artspace we’re very fortunate to have for the first time in New Zealand a solo show by Austrian artist Peter Friedl. His exhibition comprises a substantial collection of paper works, and projections of over 1000 colour images that show the world through its playgrounds. At the other end of the ridge, self-inflicted torment with a good dose of humour feature in the new paintings and film from Campbell Patterson at Michael Lett.

The second week of March is especially busy on the strip: on 11 March the beautiful, glowing, cast glass works of award-winning artist Evelyn Dunstan opens at OREXART, and Mary McIntyre, well-known for her irreverent humour and wit, has her latest show opening at Whitespace; Hopkinson Mossman, right next door to OREXART, has a group exhibition opening on 13 March including work by our last year’s Venice Bienniale representative Bill Culbert, and we’re excited about seeing new paintings there by Nick Austin. Opposite, Two Rooms presents new paintings by Gretchen Albrecht and the atmospheric photography of Megan Jenkinson on 14 March, while back at Whitespace that night, they’re holding a special opening for the Greer Twiss book launch of “Sculptor”. F PN WILL PAYNT, STUDIO ART SUPPLIES

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Touch Compass Dance Company is known throughout New Zealand for extraordinary performances that range from compelling dance-theatre to improvised flying dance, PN technically challenging contemporary works, and mesmerising aerial bungy. F

'ANATOMY IS NOT DESTINY' As part of PRIDE 2014, an art exhibition, 'Anatomy is not destiny' was held in St Kevin's Arcade last month.

photography: Sam Lee

The exhibition focuses on the role fashion and art has to play in the building of our modern day Queer ID.

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ARTS + CULTURE SHOWING AT WHITESPACE Your Love is Better than Ice-cream - 11 March - 29 March Mary McIntyre started her artistic career under the guidance of Colin McCahon in the late 1960s. Drawing early influence from the style and composition of Northern Italian and renaissance art, Mary has established herself as one of New Zealand's foremost realist figurative painters. Her landscape works celebrate the wonderful sculptural qualities of New Zealand's topography, particularly the volcanoes of Auckland.

Her portraiture also features the familiar. Portraits of herself, as well as prominent New Zealanders, artists and family members, depict her unique social commentaries laced with a somewhat insidious humour. Mary's ambiguous, often surreal, narratives defy political correctness and usually contain barbed humour or shafts of discomfort.

Mary's has work in numerous public and private collections including the collections of Te Papa Tongarewa, Waikato Museum of Art and History, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, James Wallace Arts Trust, and the National Museum of Australia. F PN WHITESPACE, 12 Crummer Road T: 09 361 6331 www.whitespace.co.nz

GREER TWISS AT WHITESPACE Whitespace is delighted to host the launch of a new book: Greer Twiss Sculptor and presents an exhibition of his work on 14 March at 5.30pm at Whitespace, the exhibition continues until 29 March.

This major monograph is the definitive record of an extraordinary body of work.

Local resident Greer Twiss is the "Godfather" of contemporary sculpture in New Zealand.

For more than 50 years he has made sculpture, exhibited, been collected, been commissioned, taught, been reviewed and written about - without interruption.

The development of New Zealand sculpture post World War II cannot be considered without the massive contribution of Greer Twiss as artist and as teacher. From a childhood interest in puppetry that saw him performing to audiences as a child and as a pioneer of television in this country, his making of figures evolved into the early cast bronze athletes that his reputation as a sculptor was built on.

Rapidly Greer emerged as a pioneer of cast metal in New Zealand, and as the figurehead of contemporary sculpture. A major public sculpture group in bronze, commissioned for Karangahape Road by the Auckland City Council secured his youthful reputation as a leading figure in the New Zealand contemporary art scene. F PN WHITESPACE, 12 Crummer Road T: 09 361 6331 www.whitespace.co.nz

VIVA ITALIA THE ITALIAN RENAISSANCE Fashion and retail commentators are predicting an Italian renaissance and the re-emergence of classic Sicilian chic, the hourglass figure and saucy Roman style this year. Our expressive amici will be shaping the style landscape in 2014.

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ARTS + CULTURE SHOWING AT TOI ORA FUSION - The annual Toi Ora tutor exhibition Until 31 March Opening: 6 March 5.30 - 7.30pm Fusion is a mixed media exhibition showcasing tutors’ individual creative practice alongside their expertise as educators in community based arts.

Come along to the opening of “Fusion” to meet the artists, experience eclectic thought -provoking work and gain insight into the spirit of Toi Ora Live Art Trust, a creative space for people who have experience of mental health issues. F PN TOI ORA GALLERY, 6 Putiki Street, T: 09 364 4171 www.toiora.org.nz

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ARTS + CULTURE SHOWING AT OREXART EVELYN DUNSTAN - CAST GLASS 11 - 29 March Opening: Tuesday 11 March 5.30 - 7.30pm Orexart presents a range of Evelyn Dunstan’s chalices, crowns and stand-alone works that reveal the breadth of her expertise in cast glass. Dunstan is one of just five Kiwis to win the prestigious Australasian Ranamok Glass Prize, and is represented in significant collections in the United States, England, France, Australia and here in New Zealand.

Orexart has exhibited Evelyn Dunstan’s work since 2012.

Dunstan’s forms are often based on the foliage and flowers of native plants and introduced species, making metaphorical connections between the behaviour of plants and the way people similarly relate to one another and the land, with themes of establishment, displacement, co-existence, survival and regeneration.

JOHN MADDEN'S exhibition “KAREKARE” captures the varied moods and rich, turbulent history of the Waitakere Ranges, runs until 8 March. F PN OREXART, 15 Putiki Street Arch Hill T: 09 378 0588 for more information visit www.orexart.co.nz or contact rex@orexart.co.nz

‘Nikau’ (2013) Lost wax kiln cast 45% lead crystal. Cold worked, sandblasted and acid-etched, 530 H x 230 W/D mm

DAFT PUNK FANS IN PONSONBY

We wondered if it was the band themselves. But it was a couple of fans who had clearly spent a fortune on their Daft Punk outfits. They caused quite a stir on the Ponsonby strip last month! F PN

photography: Martin Leach

‘Roses’ (2013) Lost wax kiln cast 45% lead crystal. Cold worked, sandblasted and acid etched, 450 H x 280 W x 240 D mm by Evelyn Dunstan

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THE PATCHES OF LIFE 2004 - 2014 COMMUNITY ART PROJECT Patches of Life 2004-2014 is a community art project funded and supported by Creative Communities Auckland, where artist Rozana Lee will run a series of Indonesian cultural batik workshops with students around Epsom, outside school hours, to create batik fabrics.

This work together with her paintings will be exhibited at three Community Centre/ galleries; Mt Eden Village Centre 12-25 May 2014, NorthArt Gallery 23 June-5 July 2014 and Franklin Art Centre Community Gallery 20 July-2 August 2014 as a tribute to mark the 10th anniversary of the Boxing Day 2004 tsunami.

secondary school students by running batik workshops, stressing the importance of community participation in creating the commemorative work, the sense of sharing and compassion and the spiritual healing that comes with it. It is also a good way for her to introduce the students to Indonesia and its one of its oldest traditions; batik.

This project is a continuation of Rozana’s solo exhibition “Tsunami Hour” held at Artstation in Ponsonby last May and her event at Art Week Auckland at Ponsonby Central last October. It was an exhibition of work that offers an invitation to understand her experience of the tsunami. It was presented with the intention to generate greater tsunami awareness to the New Zealand public. Over 500 people attended and participated in completing “Patches of Life” community fabric work.

Indonesia is currently New Zealand’s 13th largest trading partner. It has experienced rapid economic growth and is projected to be the world’s sixth largest economy by 2030. The population is estimated at 248 million (the fourth most populous country in the world). Indonesia is also the world’s largest archipelago with approximately 18,000 islands spanning the equator with over 130 active volcanoes.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific “ring of fire” where continental plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity. Aceh, Rozana’s birthplace, closest to the epicentre of the Indian Ocean earthquake was the hardest hit with estimated deaths of 170,000 and a total of over 230,000 worldwide.

In this project, Rozana would like to reach out to a younger audience of primary and The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

Batik is a cloth that is traditionally made using hand written wax-resistant dyeing.

Discoveries indicate the textile existed and has been used in Indonesia since the 12th century and becomes a strong source of identity for Indonesian culture. The techniques, symbolism and culture of batik permeate the lives of Indonesians from beginning to end: infants are carried in batik slings decorated with symbols designed to bring the child luck, and the dead are shrouded in funerary batik. Indonesian batik is listed as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. www.rozanalee.com F PN DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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OUT + ABOUT

Above L to R: Richard Taki, Auckland Pride Parade Director; Caluzzi Bar and Cabaret; First Scene Prop and Costume Hire

Above L to R: Amnesty International left & middle; ANZ

photography: Michael McClintock

Above L to R: First Scene Prop and Costume Hire left & middle; Mr Gay World 2012

Above L to R: Auckland Roller Derby League; Bear New Zealand middle & left Mr Urge NZ Bear Gary Edwards

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OUT + ABOUT

Above L to R: Bear New Zealand, Barry Taylor; Buffy and Bimbo - The Fabulous Makeover Girls; Charlotte Museum Trust

Above L to R: Labour List MP Louisa Wall and Auckland Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse; Green Party co-leaders Russel Norman and Metiria Turei; Hon Nikki Kaye, MP for Auckland Central and Kerry Swan of GABA

photography: Michael McClintock

Above L to R: Mayor Len Brown cuts the ribbon to start the parade; James Manning of Auckland Pride Parade and Kate Simmonds of Elephant Publicity; Bear New Zealand, Mark Fisher

Above L to R: The Crowd; Kings Plant Barn ‘Same Sex Salsa’; Dykes On Bikes; Family Bar and Club

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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OUT + ABOUT

Above L to R: Poof Bar On Ponsonby; Past Pacific Pride; Past Pacific Pride Waka - Our warrior, Mika

Above L to R: Poof Bar On Ponsonby; Rainbow Families; Taniwha of Love

photography: Michael McClintock

Above L to R: Rememberance Float; Unitec Institute of Technology; St John Ambulance

Above L to R: Outline NZ; NZDF Overwatch - NZ Defence Force; Team Auckland Master Swimmers (TAMS)

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LOCAL NEWS AIMING HIGH - FIVE VOLCANOES IN FIVE DAYS “SCALING A VOLCANO IS ONE OF THE MOST REVITALISING NATURE EXPERIENCES a person can have. Add in a bubbling cauldron of super-heated water, a straining head of magma or a hissing, snorting string of steam vents and you also have an exciting adventure.” Wilderness Magazine

photography: Katasha McCullough

So climbing the five highest volcanoes in the North Island in five days is no easy task.

However, four members of Grey Lynn charity Recreate New Zealand’s operations team are taking on this challenge in March this year. The purpose is to fundraise for a new vehicle, as the organisation has found a great demand for running more programmes for their youth members with disabilities. “Sometimes we have two, three even four programmes running on the same weekend so the need for a new vehicle is urgent.” says Recreate NZ General Manager Brent Jenkin.

The idea came about from Brent, who was quickly joined by Nicola Keyworth, Matt Alpe and Renee Duncan. “Brent had dreamed up this concept and once we started talking about dates and mapping out the journey we all got very excited,” says Matt Alpe.

The group will base themselves in Pukawa on the shore of Lake Taupo for the week in March and will climb the summits of Taranaki, Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe, Tongariro and Hauhungatahi respectively.

Brent has spent the past couple of months pouring over maps and determining the best and most efficient way to complete the challenge. He has taken it upon himself to educate the other three in how to prepare for the treks ahead, as Brent asserts “I may be twice the age of the other three, but that just means I will enjoy the experience twice as much as them!”

People can choose a volcano to sponsor, ranging from $50 for Mt Ruapehu to $10 for Mt Hauhungatahi. At the top of each mountain, the climbers will acknowledge each and every generous sponsor, and this will appear on their Facebook page Recreate NZ. The group has hiking experience on various trails and they are familiar with the central plateau region, but they are still quite wary of what the challenge will be like. As Renee Duncan attests, “an important part of the recovery process is soaking in Tokaanu Thermal pools after reaching the volcano summit each day.”

NICE NEIGHBOURS - TRUE COMMUNITY Curran Street’s red bench in Herne Bay was lovingly restored, last month to its beautiful tram-red, inviting everyone to take a rest. The bench has been transformed to become Herne Bay community’s love bench. Featuring brass signs of the word “love” in different languages (including French, Chinese, Latin, English, German, Maori, and even Braille!) This is a true community project in the spirit of love organised by local resident's Dr Ralf and Helen Schnabe. F PN

The “5 Volcanoes in 5 Days” challenge is a lead up to Brent Jenkin’s mammoth challenge in August this year, as he aims to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. All proceeds from both 5 Volcanoes and Kilimanjaro go to Recreate NZ, with the goal of $13,000 needed for a new vehicle.

Recreate NZ is a Grey Lynn based not-for-profit charity, running 200 plus programmes per year for youth with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities; including Life Skills courses, youth camps, weekend getaways and the highly-regarded adventure programme “Seeking Summits”.

Seeking Summits was launched in 2013, with white water rafting on the Rangitata River, Tramping in the Waitakeres, snow-caving on Mt Cheeseman and blackwater caving in Waitomo. “Our final trip of last year was incredible as all our boys in the caves had to pass through a sump, which is ducking under water through a submerged section in the cave,” proclaims Brent. “I think the facilitator was more nervous than the participants!”

Recreate aims to challenge peoples’ perspectives regarding the expectations and roles of youth living with disabilities in New Zealand.

“The intention is to give these awesome young people incredible and memorable moments they might not normally get”, says Nicola Keyworth. “It is great to model the adventure side of what the organisation represents and the 5 Volcanoes challenge achieves this.” The Recreate story is simple: life changing experiences for youth with disabilities.

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

photography: Martin Leach

Anybody can donate to the cause by going to the website www.givealittle.co.nz and searching Recreate NZ or by emailing info@recreate.org.nz. Check out Recreate NZ on Facebook for regular updates.

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HOROSCOPES: MISS PEARL NECLIS

What your stars hold this month ♓ Pisces (the Fish): 20 February - 20 March

♍ Virgo (the Virgin): 22 August - 23 September

♈ Aries (the Ram): 21 March - 20 April

♎ Libra (the Scales): 24 September - 23 October

If you enjoy retreating from society then you should go ahead and live your fantasies out, providing they don’t overlap into your real life. Get someone to give you a reality check every now and again as we don’t want to lose you.

You can be almost untouchable when your field of vision is clear. But are you able to translate or interpret the information that you see or are you just guessing that you’re doing the right thing?

♉ Taurus (the Bull): 21 April - 21 May

You might think that you can speak your mind and everything will be ok but occasionally things can be said and interpreted in the wrong way. Sometimes what you really feel is best left unsaid, just grin and bear it.

♊

Gemini (the Twins): 22 May - 21 June Everything is going smoothly at the moment and your head is beginning to soar, try not to lose sight of the real world, success can be fleeting. At some point you might get a reality check and need some real support.

♋

Cancer (the Crab): 22 June - 22 July The year has only really just started to get going and already you feel used up and worn out. You’re not sure what sort of merry go round you’re on but you’re unable to stop or get off and the ride is a nightmare.

♌

Leo (the Lion): 23 July - 21 August You really need a reality check as to what is important in your life. Is it going to take something catastrophic to make you wake up to the unhappiness that’s right in front of you? Don’t lose the best thing that’s ever happened to you.

PONSONBY NEWS OUTLETS FREEMANS BAY

Glengarry, Corner Sale and Wellesley Streets Kellands Real Estate, 4 Drake Street New World, Victoria Park Sale St, 7 Sale Street

GREY LYNN

Barfoot & Thompson, 533 Great North Road Barkley Manor, 400 - 402 Great North Road Grey Lynn Community Centre, 520 Richmond Road Grey Lynn Community Library, 474 Great North Road Raw Essentials, 401B Richmond Road Ripe, 172 Richmond Road Sliced,104 Richmond Road Tapac, 100 Motions Road Vetcare, 408 Great North Road

HERNE BAY

Herne Bay Post & Stationers, 240 Jervois Road Five Loaves & 2 Fish, 206 Jervois Road Icing on the Cake, 188 Jervois Road Momentum, 182 Jervois Road

KINGSLAND

Atomic, 420c New North Road

MT EDEN

Citta Outlet Store, Corner Enfield & Normanby Road Sabato, 57 Normanby Road

NEWMARKET

Sometimes you’re led to believe that your health isn’t that good and you can be seduced into all sorts of treatments and fancy health fads. If you want to try anything alternative that’s fine but don’t expect immediate results.

You might be going through an artistic phase as you feel the need to express yourself in some way, do whatever you need to do as it would be a shame if you missed the boat by ignoring your creativity.

♏

Scorpio (the Scorpion): 24 October - 22 November I’m not sure it’s such a good time to dredge up the past especially as you seem to dwell on the bad aspects of your life that have happened so far. As you get older these memories can either grip you with anxiety, or if you can, let them go and try look forward to what you have now.

♐ Sagittarius (the Archer): 23 November - 22 December

Just like a magician you are able to transform any mundane situation into something truly fabulous, well, in your eyes anyway. I would have to warn you that sometimes being over the top all the time can be a little over-whelming.

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

You need to get on with whatever takes your fancy and gives you the most pleasure this month as you might find yourself tied up for some time as the year progresses. You enjoy challenges and will look forward to what’s thrown at you. But try and include your family for a change, you might get the reaction you’ve longed for.

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

You are able to make almost anything seem like it’s no problem and that you are able to multitask like a real pro. If your workload is too much please let it be known, don’t become overwhelmed before it’s too late.

Studio Italia, 96 Carlton Gore Road Taylor Boutique, 1 Teed Street

NEWTON

Benediction Café, 30 St Benedicts Street Design 55, 55 Upper Queen Street

NORTH SHORE

Rug Direct, Wairau Park Dawson’s Furniture, Mairangi Bay Nose To Tail Dog Wash, Albany

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 Cresent Parnell Community Centre, 545 Parnell Road

PONSONBY

Artstation, 1 Ponsonby Road Barfoot & Thompson, 184 Ponsonby Road Chapel Bar, 147 Ponsonby Road Fitness Trainer, 36 Jervois Road Harcourts, 89 Ponsonby Road Leys Institute, 20 St Mary’s Road The Longroom, 114 Ponsonby Road Mag Nation, 123 Ponsonby Road Ponsonby Community Centre, 20 Ponsonby Terrace Spa Ayurda, 213 Ponsonby Road Whitespace, 12 Crummer Road WORLD, 97 Ponsonby Road

WESTMERE

Glengarry, 164 Garnet Road

Planet Ayurveda, 41 Gillies Avenue

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THE PONSONBY PINK PAGES

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PONSONBY NEWS+ DEADLINE COPY DEADLINE: Thursday, 20 March PUBLISHED: Friday, 4 April

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Jo Barrett on 021 324 510 or t: 09 361 3356 or 09 378 8553 e: joannebarrett@xtra.co.nz w: www.ponsonbynews.co.nz The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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