PONSONBY NEWS - APRIL'14

+ PUBLISHED 4 APRIL, 2014

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ponsonbynews.co.nz

APRIL 2014

PLANNING WEDDINGS PG 32

LITTLE GROCER CORNER: WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO THESE DAYS FOR NOTIFIABLE CONSENT TO BE REQUIRED ... BUILD A NUCLEAR REACTOR? PG 22

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photography: Michael McClintock

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P32; Planning weddings. If you’re considering popping the question to your beloved, we hope we’ve given you a little inspiration. P130; The annual Pasifika Festival was held at Western Springs Lakeside Park; P134; The Arch Hill Residents last month raised $40,000 from their Liveable City Art Auction held at Hopetoun Alpha.

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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 JACINDA ARDERN: LABOUR LIST MP AUCKLAND MIKE LEE JOHN ELLIOTT: LOCAL NEWS COVER STORY PIPPA COOM: GREY LYNN 2030

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U3A PONSONBY PLANNING WEDDINGS JAY PLATT: WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT ANGELA LASSIG: LETTERS FROM MAUDIE FASHION + STYLE EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY LAURAINE JACOBS: THE SEASONED PALATE PONSONBY NEWS READERS ARE EVERYWHERE LIVING, THINKING + BEING HELENE RAVLICH: NATURAL BEAUTY

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

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LETTERS + EMAILS

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

PLEASE SEND LETTERS TO info@ponsonbynews.co.nz RIP EDDIE FONG FONG, Edward (Eddie) Passed away on Monday 3 March 2014, aged 56 years. Deeply loved son of Get Jing and the late Nee Lim. Dearly loved brother of Danny and the late Steven. Sadly missed nephew of Peter, Colin and Mary.

We were shocked last month to learn of the passing of the much loved Eddie Fong, well known in his role as front of house in Richmond Road Café. His passing was widely acknowleged by many locals on Facebook.

Israel Evers; Thanks for the great service! RIP. Graham Beattie; We will miss you Eddie.

Jo Lloyd; Very sad indeed - always so friendly RIP. Hugh Lloyd; A great guy, always acknowledged you, picked up the last conversation you had with him and an absolute professional - such a shame.

Rodger Short; Sorry to hear this. RIP. Shani Gyde; He will be missed - a very cool guy.

Tony McNeight; Yes, it was a shock when I saw the staff’s tribute on the counter the other day. I didn’t know Eddie except that whenever he was serving or greeting me it was like he was greeting an old friend, the loss of a gentle man in every sense of the word - go well Eddie, wherever you may be.

Ricky Te Akau; Rest easy Eddie.

Flick Boucher; Go well Eddie.

Gina Cole; Very sad. I will miss him.

Anna Harvey; Very sad I often used to see him around the area, lovely man, my god life is so short. RIP Eddie.

Jo Pearson; I was so sad to hear Eddie passed away, he was always so welcoming and a kind face that had a positive impact on my day.

Martin Leach; He was a sweetheart - always smiling. He made your day. I will really miss Eddie.

Vivien Kite; We are so shocked and saddened to hear of Eddie’s passing. Dean worked with Eddie at The Cut Above for about five years. He left to support his parents in their business. Whenever we saw him at the restaurant in Three Lamps or at Richmond Rd Cafe he greeted us with such genuine warmth. What a lovely guy! Rest in peace, dear friend.

Jeanne Genie; Thank you Martin Leach for always sharing the news. Our community locals deserve to be celebrated and honoured. Sounds like a true character has passed away. Peace to his family and friends.

Michelle Heath Young; Such a special man, we were blessed to be served by you Eddie, thank you.

Sue Hatton; Tragic. I knew Ed through hospo for a long time. He was a delight and a true professional. RIP.

Hetty Ellis; Very sad, too young, what a shock, Friday he was there, Monday gone.

Gaie Ellis; I knew him in the early days, Number 1 Very Good, when we lived in Ponsonby. Warm memories.

Eric Young; Rest in Peace, Eddie. A genuine, gentle person and an original.

Quentin Welland; Very sad. Rest in peace Eddie.

Pam Ford; So sad, he was lovely. We only heard last week that he had passed, such a lovely man.

Dave Slade; We remember Eddie from the Number 1, years ago. So friendly. RIP.

Jennifer Buckley; Lovely guy - very sad.

Nicky MacDonald; I’m in shock to hear of Eddie’s passing. We frequented the Chinese restaurant on Ponsonby Road for many years until his dad sadly died. Words can’t begin to describe what a wonderful man he was. Legend comes close. RIP dear Eddie, you’ve left a big hole in our lives.

Barry Wah Lee; His mother Get Jing was a bright and loud visitor to our shop. It looked as if he was very good at his job at Richmond Road Café. I did go there with my son and may have had a natter.

Dion Gosling; Old school service and such a fabulous warmth and manner. Will definitely be missed but with such great memories.

Katrina Tanner; Oh how sad! He was a lovely man.

Annie Loveridge; So sad - he treated everyone like a special customer and had impeccable manners... and I think that’s a very special trait.

Vish Bhati; I shook his hand an hour before he left us. It is very sad.

Sharon Heincen; Very sad, I remember Eddie well from the café.

Marion Barnes; OMG Eddie was the reason we went to the Richmond Road Café. He always treated you specially. We had the pleasure of being served by him many times at his parents’ restaurant on Ponsonby Road. I remember his love of jazz the only Asian restaurant to play jazz music that I can recall. Another icon of Ponsonby who will be remembered by a lot of people.

Kate Gardiner; I was wondering why he wasn’t there the other day.

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Judy Darragh; I remember him at Three Lamps Chinese takeaway... we called him Fast Eddie.

John Elliott; I remember Eddie in his huge yank tank car in the early days in Three Lamps - and laterly at Richmond Road Café. Always gave you a cheery personal greeting.

I’ll miss him too.

Louise Bettridge; I loved his food and was a regular back in the 80s. They had excellent Chinese food and almost everyone I knew from Ponsonby had eaten there. So sad - he was so funny. And I think everyone knew his Trans Am parked outside!

Rachel Sapsford - Do you remember Eddie? I have so many memories of eating there with you and your family - especially your dad! Oh my goodness! YES! We ate at Eddie’s every week at least three times a week. I know that wasn’t the name of the restaurant though. They were a staple in Ponsonby when we lived in New Zealand. I will let mom know. What a loss, he was a sweetie, always smiling and made everyone feel special!

Annie Oxborough; Bless, loved him.

Jacqui Dixon; RIP Eddie. A life well lived.

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FROM THE EDITOR

I’M EXTREMELY PROUD OF OUR ARCH HILL Residents, who last month raised $40,000 from their Liveable City Art Auction held at Hopetoun Alpha. This sum will go towards Environment Court costs for the Arch Hill Resident’s (somewhat depleted) legal fees war chest to fight against the proposed Bunnings ‘Big Box’ development in Great North Road.

That we were able to convince all the artists, sponsors, supporters, volunteers and art purchasers to participate must surely be an indication that it is not only the residents of Arch Hill but our wider community who see the value of our cause and the ramifications for mixed use zoning within the Auckland super-city if such a development

by Bunnings was to go ahead.

Arch Hill Residents and Kindercare are appealing to the Environment Court, regarding the granting of consent for Bunnings to build a retail store in Great North Road, Arch Hill and are currently in a mediation phase with Auckland Council and Bunnings.

We lost some extraordinary people last month - Eddie Fong, whose passing generated a large response on our Facebook. (see page opposite).

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photography: Jane Blundell @ Kloser

Via live and silent auction, 84 works from some 62 artists and donors raised over $75,000, which after deducting artists’ commissions will leave around $40,000 for the fund.

Gwynne Davenport, Martin Leach, Jo Barrett, Julie Roulston and Jay Platt Eddie was much loved by so many. He was kind and welcoming to everyone and will be much missed in Richmond Road Café.

Next we learned of the passing of our neighbour, lovely Jules from Sh’oosh Hairdressing. Julie was another of Richmond Road’s gems and will leave a big gap in our lives.

The third local to leave us was Diana Golding, who was a well-known face around Grey Lynn. She was a remarkable woman whose life wasn’t at all easy but who coped and survived it so well, winning many, many friends in our neighbourhood on the way.

Our special feature this month is on planning weddings. So if you’re considering popping the question to your beloved, we hope we’ve given you a little inspiration.

Next October, in six months time, we will be producing our 25th birthday issue. The first issue of the Ponsonby Community Newsletter was produced in 1989. I changed the name to Ponsonby News in 2004. (MARTIN LEACH) F PN

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DAVID HARTNELL’S: ONE MINUTE INTERVIEW Malcolm Rands lives in St Mary’s Bay, with the ecostore based in Freemans Bay. What was your childhood like?

The early Wellington part of it was prim and proper, my parents were Methodist teetotallers back then and very careful with money. They believed in kids earning their own way in the world, so in order to buy my first bike I had to earn every penny myself by doing a paper round on foot. But they were adventurous too and we travelled the world together, staying in caravan parks and places like that. We moved to Auckland when I was in my teens and, still looking for adventures, they joined an early Bert Potter encounter group. I was at Selwyn College which was then one of the most liberal schools, and all hell broke loose.

Who’s the most annoying celebrity today?

The Kardashians, for the values they espouse.

What gave you the idea for an ECO store?

It was a means to an end really. All of my previous work had been working for not for profits, particularly in the area of fundraising, and I thought there had to be a more sustainable way to raise funds. Setting up a business that was in line with my values seemed like a great way to do this.

Favourite TV series?

House of Cards.

Do you prefer Tweeting or Facebook?

I’m definitely a twitterer!

Give your teenaged self some advice?

Whatever you do, don’t grow a moustache!

Which item of clothing can’t you live without?

I wear jeans pretty much all year round.

Favourite time of the day?

Mornings, reading the paper with a coffee.

What do you love about your life right now?

Spending almost equal amounts of time in the ecovillage as well as in Auckland.

Your dream home?

It’s a little place in the bush that I started building together with my architect friend John. It has a composting loo, a bathroom with no door and it has the temporary kitchen we put in over 25 years ago - definitely a work in progress!

Few people know...

I was in a professional rock band for a few years playing keyboard.

Any recurring dreams?

Yes! This is a bit embrassing, but I used to dream I’d get asked to put on the jersey for the All Blacks and funnily enough I was quite successful!

Idea of perfect happiness?

A late morning in bed with my partner, reading, discussing interesting or funny things we find and drinking coffee, no deadlines.

Dinner party guest list?

Barack Obama, Deepak Chopra, Bill Maher and the boys from Flight of the Concords.

Describe your first pet?

A big fluffy samoyed called Czar, which can be pretty embarrassing when you’re telling people what your porn star name is.

Greatest fear?

Heights.

How would you like to be remembered?

For creating employment that people can believe in and feel good about.

Favourite hero of fiction?

Aragorn from Lord of the Rings.

What do you love most about your age?

Being comfortable with who I am.

Change one thing about yourself?

I’d like to be less critical of myself and others.

Last time you turned off your cellphone?

Never (according to my wife).

Which talent would you most like to have?

I’d like to be an even better musician if I had the time and the discipline.

Something you really disapprove of?

Waste.

What motivates you?

I want to feel like I’ve made a difference.

What happens when we die?

I think we keep coming back to learn any lessons we didn’t get right in the previous life.

Best movie you’ve ever seen?

Anything with Halle Berry in it. Because it has Halle Berry in it.

A handshake or a hug kind of person?

Definitely a hugger.

Which living person do you most admire?

Deepak Chopra.

Best holiday?

A South Island road trip about 10 years ago with my wife Melanie and our two daughters, Ahi and Keva. It was the first time we’d ever had a decent car to take the children away. The scenery was breathtaking!

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

Stop investing in fossil fuels, no deep sea drilling, invest in clean energy like wind and solar.

The last time you cried?

Legalisation of gay marriage because it made me feel so proud to be a Kiwi.

Life motto?

Imagine the future and do it now.

What cliché do you most abhor?

If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well. I think if something’s worth doing it’s worth doing.

(DAVID HARTNELL) F PN

Greatest weakness?

I have a few, but coffee would be at the top of the list.

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SHALE CHAMBERS: WAITEMATA LOCAL BOARD REPORT Daylight saving and summer is behind us, and has been replaced with the colours of autumn.

On a balmy autumn day in March, local board members, aided by some councillors spent time listening to your local submissions to council’s annual plan, and the local board’s annual agreement. Thank you to those who took the time to delight us with their aspirations for our community. We are truly in good heart.

One of the important local board initiatives that has recently been the subject of a lot of thought and community feedback is the Ponsonby Road master plan.

Public spaces and parks are always uppermost in our minds and the prospect of having another open space and Ponsonby Road’s own square at the present council -owned Nosh site has sent us into overdrive.

The board has approved as a special project outside the masterplan work on the design of two options for the 254 Ponsonby Road site. One will be a ‘whole of site’ open space park, and the other option will have an active edge and open space urban plaza, with both informed by high level urban design principles.

Whilst we have heard from many in general terms, you will be able to give your opinion on which is the best option for Ponsonby, and what is the best mix of activity within each option, during a public consultation process to be finalised this month as the options are developed this year.

Last month you may have caught the debate over how Victoria Park is used for events and wondered what all the fuss was about. In one corner was the Grafton United Cricket Club whose home ground Victoria Park has been for many years. Like most of Auckland’s sports parks, Victoria Park is very well used by children and adults playing cricket, soccer, league, touch and rugby all year.

In the other corner was the successful ‘Taste of Auckland’ event and its 20,000 paying visitors who have tasted Auckland’s best food and wine on the grounds for the last four years, and who claimed the right to its use . . . but who damage the sand-carpeted turf and close out the sports people and other park users for three to six weeks during the height of the cricket season.

Events are important for Auckland. Victoria Park is a much loved and used park. Victoria Park’s use for major events needs to be weighed against these competing needs. It was for this reason that two years ago the local board clearly signalled that the end of its resource consent in 2013 was to be Taste’s last on Victoria Park, and another venue needed to be found.

The board then developed, and has now adopted, a Victoria Park Event Guideline to guide future use of the park.

In this case the precious green space and the right of our young people playing active sport throughout the

season on the sports fields was given priority over the commercial use of our park that unreasonably impeded this. Up to three events of a maximum five days duration, that are most likely not to damage the turf have been preferred over a single event of longer duration, that does. Victoria Park is a large park, and the areas that do not comprise the sports fields have guidelines that allow more flexibility for events. There is definitely a place in Auckland for the popular ‘Taste’ event, but it is not on a critical Auckland sports park. Council is working with Taste to find them a new venue.

‘First Thursdays’, which act as a platform for emerging and established artists, are back in K’ Road staring 1 May. There is a free Block Party on Queens Wharf on 12 April, 2 - 6pm with live music from local emerging bands, amazing visual installations, and vintage and artisan handmade markets. The 2014 Comedy Festival also starts 24 April with 118 shows across Auckland until mid-May. The ever-growing in popularity Grey Lynn RSC Anzac Day march and service will be held once again in the Grey Lynn shopping centre and Francis Street on 25 April starting at 9.30am. Come and join us there.

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

INNER-CITY AUCKLANDERS SUPPORT WALKING TO WORK A campaign has been running to “kick-start” more Aucklanders to walk to work from the inner city suburbs.

Over the past month Auckland Transport has been operating walking stations at Victoria Park, Hopetoun Street, Symonds Street, Beach Road and Karangahape Road. The stations have been offering refreshments and encouragement to walkers.

Jo-Anne Biggs with Zane Bray from Auckland Transport

For getting out and walking, people went into a draw to win prizes from local businesses.

One of the weekly winners was Jo-Anne Briggs who walks most mornings and evenings from Herne Bay to the AMP Centre, downtown. “I change the route from time to time depending on my mood.”

Jo says when she’s not walking she gets the bike out and rides into the city. “It’s the perfect start and end to the day. I love the feeling of knowing I can tick the exercise box for the day.”

In 2013 there were 78,800 people commuting daily into central Auckland, more than half of them travelling by car. As more people live or work in the city and inner suburbs the number of commuters will grow. The numbers are predicted to double over the next 30 years.

Auckland Transport’s Manager Community Transport Matthew Rednall says more Aucklanders should consider walking. “It’s about improving health, getting vehicles off the road and taking time to enjoy the city.”

He says the initial response has been good with more than 2500 people stopping at the five walking stations. “The challenge is to grow this number.”

For her efforts in taking up that challenge, Jo won a $150 Stirling Sports voucher and PN a pedometer so she can keep track of her progress. F

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NIKKI KAYE: AUCKLAND CENTRAL MP

Encouraging economic signs for Auckland NEW ZEALAND HAS FACED MANY CHALLENGES IN RECENT years. Both the Government and New Zealanders have worked together to deal with the recession, a global financial crisis, and get through the devastating earthquakes in Canterbury.

There is still more ahead of us, but our hard work is paying off. As the economy continues to grow, we are seeing new jobs being created and unemployment falling.

I have been visiting businesses in Ponsonby and the central city, and I can see a real sense of optimism in Auckland Central. Local retailers and owners of restaurants and bars are reporting growth, and confidence is back in the central city.

Our annual economic growth of more than 3% puts us among the top handful of countries in the developed world.

This is a huge achievement. Of course, what happens in Auckland affects the rest of the country. Our exports are growing, as are our construction and service industries as they catch up on house building here and in Christchurch and this has a positive effect around the country.

$30 billion by 2020. It is important to ensure we have diversification of trade and are not focusing too much on one market.

In the last five years we have signed free trade agreements which involve more than 10 countries in the Asia Pacific region. This is a great opportunity for economic development. Trade is crucial to create jobs and a better economy that can provide New Zealanders with a range of good choices.

It’s really encouraging to see business confidence is approaching a 20-year high - with a strong showing for hiring intentions and investment for growth. Average wages are increasing faster than the cost of living, with around 66,000 extra jobs created in the past year and the outlook is for further job growth.

Manufacturing activity is now at its highest level since March 2006. Labour productivity increased 2.1% in the year to March - well above the average annual rate of 1.6% since 1996.

It was a privilege to recently accompany the Prime Minister to China. We met with a number of senior politicians including the Premier Li Keqiang and President Xi Jinping.

Our two-way trade with China is booming - up from around $9 billion five years ago to more than $18 billion today.

Consumer confidence is running at a nine year high.

People are not getting carried away but they are spending a bit more because they feel more secure about their jobs and incomes. Consumer prices rose just 1.6% in 2013 and food prices were up just 0.2% in the past year.

Prime Minister John Key and Chinese President Xi Jinping have just set an ambitious new goal for two-way trade of

Interest rates, while increasing, remain near 50-year lows. Our work in addressing housing affordability is

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seeing early results. So far, under the Auckland Housing Accord more than 15,000 new houses have been consented for. We are well on our track to consenting 39,000 new houses in three years.

These new houses are spread across Auckland, with some areas needing to build houses that are affordable - so they are within reach for new buyers. We will continue to work hard in housing to address affordability, and help Auckland become a liveable city for years to come.

The Government is on track to surplus next year which we will build on in the coming years so we can repay debt and buffer New Zealand from any future shocks.

All the signs are very encouraging, and we now need to stay on course so we can make the most of our early progress. Investing in infrastructure such as public transport can only happen with a strong economy. It’s great to see the growth in Auckland Central, and I look forward to seeing our local businesses make the most of this opportunity.

PN (NIKKI KAYE) F HON NIKKI KAYE, MP for Auckland Central www.nikkikaye.co.nz

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JACINDA ARDERN: LABOUR LIST MP AUCKLAND

Growing New Zealand - literally What does a raw log sitting on a dock in Tauranga have to do with all of us here in inner city Auckland? Quite a bit if it’s our economy you’re interested in.

Anyone who has been through Tauranga recently would have seen those piles and piles of unprocessed logs sitting on the wharf waiting to be shipped away, only to be returned after we have paid someone else to process them. We could, and should be doing things differently.

In the dairy industry we have already figured out that the gains we can make for that industry aren’t in milking more cows, but in adding value to the product we produce.

The same ‘volume to value’ principle could be added to a whole host of industries, and forestry is one of them.

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TRENZSEATER, 80 Parnell Road, T: 09 303 4151 www.trenzseater.com F PN

And that’s where the first of many industry and regional economic plans Labour is producing comes in.

Labour wants to partner with industry to ensure an increasing amount of the output from forestry moves up the value chain - from raw product to light processing; from light processing to elaborate processing; and from elaborate processing to high technology and product innovation.

If we’re going to achieve that, we need to start with those raw unprocessed logs at the port. Currently the risk of investing in the capital equipment required for large scale processing is just too great. We want to turn that around by providing tax deferrals in the form of accelerated depreciation to encourage industry to invest in new technology and plants. This will make a huge difference. In fact, the day after David Cunliffe made this announcement, the general manager of Red Stag said that if this Labour policy was in place, they would proceed with a $120 million capital investment in upgrading their plant and facility. This would enable them to process another 500,000 tonnes of logs.

That means more jobs and money flowing through the economy.

We also want to boost innovation in the sector, and will work with the industry and public science bodies to develop new products and technologies.

And to support industry development, Labour will introduce measures including a pro-wood policy for Government buildings, loans for new forest planting and forestry taskforces for long-term unemployed.

You’ve all heard it said so many times before - that New Zealand has what it takes to create a thriving economy, and it’s true. Labour is committed to working alongside industry to make that growth and innovation happen for every region, and for the benefit of all New Zealanders. This is the just first of many ideas to help us to reach that goal.

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

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MIKE LEE

Unitary Plan’s regulatory powers for iwi - a cause for disunity Given the state of my email inbox I do wonder if things in Auckland are really getting better.

Take for instance the drive for intensification. I get complaints from upset residents on a regular basis about the ongoing destruction of 19th century villas (which happen to be located outside the Residential 1 or 2 zones). This, it seems, can occur as-of-right without a resource consent. It’s still hard for me to understand this, let alone explain to residents how it can happen. The latest justification we are told is that we need to build more intensified housing. Ok. But if intensified housing is the over-riding objective, why has the council gone to such lengths to support Australian retail chain Bunnings imposing big box retail on the residents of Arch Hill? Ironically the Great North Road corridor is one area that everyone agrees is absolutely ideal for intensified housing.

I am beginning to ask myself - is the Auckland Council really motivated by the need for intensive housing - or does it just support whatever the developers want?

As we know the Unitary Plan was rushed through the council last year with extraordinary speed. Little or no time was given to consider the huge amount of public feedback - nor did the council officers allow discussion about the serious criticism of the draft plan they received from their legal reviewers. In fact they went to some lengths to conceal even the existence of this review claiming it to be ‘confidential to management.’

But there are always consequences to such haste, and one of the more serious consequences is now starting to emerge. The revelation that the council, in adding 3600 sites of ‘cultural and heritage value to Maori’ to the 60 or so previously accepted sites without first confirming their location or even their archaeological merits, is starting to cause public concern. As Brian Rudman pointed out in his recent Herald column, this will impact on potentially thousands of Auckland properties located with 300 metres of such sites. This seems rather extreme especially when you consider the council’s attitude to the demolition of 19th century houses.

However, what is even more concerning, is that rather than going to the council for a consent to carry out work, the householder living within proximity of these sites

now has to first seek permission from an iwi authority to obtain a ‘Cultural Impact Assessment’, before the council will do anything. Given there are 19 iwi authorities claiming manawhenua over Auckland, you can get an idea of the potential cost and inconvenience to residents. The council is now trying to head off the growing public backlash by hiring ‘facilitators’ to act as go-betweens between the public and the various iwi authorities.

While the issue is getting coverage in the media, the full story has yet to come out.

What most people don’t realise is that also affected are residents living within or near Auckland’s many and extensive Significant Ecological Areas. These residents too have to obtain ‘Cultural Impact Assessments’ from iwi before they can get permission from the council to do such things as build a drive, clear vegetation, modify a water course or undertake any earthworks around their property. One of the many criteria iwi will be assessing is whether your driveway job, vegetation clearance or earthworks are consistent with ‘principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.’

What the council has done, (probably under pressure from the Independent Maori Statutory Board), is to sneak through what is in effect the setting up of a parallel regulatory authority in Auckland; the council that you pay your rates to, whose authority is based on democratic accountability, and a second regulatory authority based on race.

This creates a precedent that could have serious constitutional consequences for the future of the country.

Already resource management law experts like Professor Ken Palmer are challenging the legality of ‘Cultural Impact Assessments’, but the fact is these new provisions are now in force. Unless the Auckland Council reverses them, these provisions of the ‘Unitary Plan’ PN are likely to become a source of social dis-unity in Auckland. (MIKE LEE) F Councillor for Waitemata and Gulf www.mikelee.co.nz

BREAKFAST, ITALIAN STYLE WHEN YOU EXPERIENCE DELONGHI’S NEW HIGH-END BREAKFAST SET YOU WILL immediately understand the veracity of the adage ‘no one ever regretted buying quality’.

Distinguished by its Italian heritage and distinctive, innovative design, DeLonghi’s Scultura collection comprises a single kettle and two toaster designs, both metal and both bristling with convenient and stylish features.

Available from April, the new range delivers a stylish and distinctive breakfast in four colour ways - zinc white, bronze beige, steel grey and carbon black. Two and four slice Scultura toasters have a range of quality features wrapped in a strong metal body with a gloss finish and chrome details.

The toasters deliver a powerful 1800 watts with progressive browning control, reheat, de frost, one-side bagel and cancel functions. The high lift levers ensure smaller slices are easily and safely accessible while removable, deep crumb trays help keep the machine safe, efficient and clean.

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The Scultura kettle has a 1.7 litre capacity in a gloss-finish metal body and is founded on quality stainless steel elements that are hidden in the base. Three-level safety protection comprises auto shut-off on both boiling and when the body is lifted from the base as well as thermal cut-off. An anti-scale filter reduces water impurities and is removable for washing and easy cleaning.

DeLonghi marketing manager for New Zealand Davina Gray-Ebbett says the Scultura range represents a “dynamic fusion of design and substance. As do all DeLonghi products, Scultura brings innovative, luxurious and timeless design to homemakers sculpted in long-lasting metal with distinctive chrome detail and in fashionable metallic shades.” DeLonghi’s Scultura breakfast range kettle and two-slice toaster have an RRP of $199.99 while the four-slice toaster is $249.99.

DELONGHI, www.delonghi.com

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LOCAL NEWS ELENA KEITH: RAISING A GLASS TO SUCCESS

REST IN PEACE - EDDIE FONG

Ponsonby resident Elena Keith is one of six entrepreneurial New Zealanders competing for a share of a $25,000 cash prize that will enable them to reach their goals.

He loved fashion and, like our editor, Martin, we know he loved Comme des Garcons shirts especially.

The prize is part of Yealands Family Wines’ ‘Raise a Glass to Success’ campaign, which recognises and celebrates everyday Kiwis doing excellent things and challenges them to reach their next level of success.

As the director of the Hear for You programme for the Hearing House, Elena is passionate about issues related to hearing. Elena has had a progressive hearing loss since birth and received a cochlear implant in 2007.

Hear For You gives young deaf people the chance to share their hearing loss experience; it helps them to get the best out of their disability by treating deafness as a difference, not a disadvantage.

“My teenage years weren't easy at all,” Elena says, “I remember all too well how difficult it was to find my place in the world so I do everything I can to reassure the hearing impaired teenagers that I come into contact with that they are valuable and deserve to have a happy life with healthy relationships.”

Elena’s commitment to youth development is extensive. Over the last three years she has been the events and special projects manager for the Hearing House where she managed 'Loud Shirt Day', which raises money to help young deaf children learn to listen and speak. Not one to do things by halves, Elena also took on the role as of a board member of Kadimah School and is currently the artist liaison for 'The Big Egg Hunt', a fundraiser for Starship to help make our national children's hospital a better place for everyone. She is thrilled to be a finalist in the Raise a Glass to Success campaign as it helps to draw attention to the needs of hearing impaired people.

Eddie Fong was front of house at Richmond Road Café and was loved by everyone who knew him.

How long did he work for Richmond Road Café?

He was part of the opening crew, i.e. with us from day one, seven years ago.

What was his background?

His full name was Edward Fong and he came from a very typical, close-knit 'Chinese-NZ' family who have worked incredibly hard over several generations to make Auckland their home.

He originally worked at his family’s Chinese restaurant (‘Number 1 Very Good’ on Ponsonby Road near Three Lamps, but it closed in the mid 90’s) He then went on to train as a hairdresser (which explains the spiky ‘do’... he was well known at Richmond Road Café) but realised his heart was really in the hospitality industry where he spent the rest of his career.

Eddie had a life-long love of fashion and, in his own unique way, was always a picture of sartorial elegance which added a great vibrancy to his chosen place of work.

All of the Richmond Rd Café staff and many customers came to Eddie’s funeral which simply shows the warmth and love they felt for him.

We got the impression his death was sudden?

Yes, it was sudden, although Eddie had lived with several challenging health conditions for a number of years. When he passed away, he was walking at Mission Bay with a very close friend who also works at Richmond Road Café. F PN

So what would she do with her share of the $25,000 prize? “I would use the funds to complete my Masters in Applied Practice or a Bachelor of Health and Social Development majoring in Health Promotion so I’m better equipped to develop and implement programmes relating to hearing loss,” she says.

Another option would be to attend the NHS and AHS Conference (HEAL 2014 - Hearing Across the Lifespan) in Italy in June, 2014 to access more research and to learn about other life improving initiatives for hearing impaired people around the world.

You can vote for Elena online at www.YealandsRaiseaGlass.co.nz every day until PN voting closes on 30 April and there is also a $5000 voting prize up for grabs. F

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JOHN ELLIOTT: LOCAL NEWS

Are property developers running Auckland?

An experienced politician recently told me that neither local board members nor city councillors have much say in how the city is run.

“Developers run this city,” he told me. Researching the sale of 20 Cockburn Street, Grey Lynn and the subsequent removal of the old 1913 villa has done nothing to dispel that view.

I want to say very clearly up front that the sale was an open auction, in February 2013, and the sale price was $2.762m.

The land was zoned 6a, and there was no covenant in place which could prevent removal of the villa and the development of apartments in its place. That is exactly what is happening as this article goes to press, a heritage overlay was put in place in November 2013 - too late to save this villa.

The old villa was built for prominent Auckland clothing manufacturer, Robert Greer, who also acquired the adjoining section for a family tennis court. Researching Robert Greer was much easier than finding out about the new owner, but good old Google search did the trick. The new owner is BK Holdings No. 10 Ltd. Does anyone know him? Obviously a big family! Perhaps a reader might have gone to school with one of his siblings - Number 8, or Number 4?

I am imputing nothing at all illegal about Number 10 or his associated companies, but I do wonder what has happened to transparency and openness, when people register and run a labyrinthian network of companies like the new owner of 20 Cockburn Street has done. Why is such a tangle necessary or desirable?

BK Holdings No 10 Ltd has a sole director - Andrew Laurie Montgomerie. Montgomerie is also the sole director, or in two cases joint director, of a huge number of companies including Blackstone Group Holdings, Orapiu Bay Villas (in liquidation), Montana Capital Holdings (struck off), Hillsborough Ltd (in liquidation), Diamond Back Nominees Ltd (registered 4/11/2013), Loha Enterprises Ltd (struck off) which had four previous names, and a newly registered company, Farrar Villas Ltd (10 February, 2014).

Would it be too much of a coincidence that the recently removed villa was on the corner of Farrar and Cockburn, and that the new company has been set up to develop the site?

Altogether, I located 33 companies, mostly with Montgomerie as the sole director, 16 had been struck off, four were in liquidation. I do not intend to make any judgment on Andrew Montgomerie. I do not know the man, and I have not been able to speak to him, but I leave it to readers to ponder why such a tangled web of companies is set up.

Now back to the original question - are developers running Auckland? Let’s take the Bunnings decision, in Arch Hill. Virtually 100% of residents in the proposed Bunnings Big Box development area are opposed to the development, all seven Waitemata Local Board members are opposed, Waitemata Ward Councillor, Mike Lee is opposed, and yet Bunnings got the green light. Why? Because an independent commissioner said so.

So, who are these independent commissioners, and why is council abrogating its responsibility to monitor development? If the Auckland Council wants intensive population growth inside current city boundaries (and I support that policy) they must have the teeth to make that policy happen. Evidence all over the Ponsonby News catchment area

is that this is not happening. Council either lack the legislative clout or the planning rules to guide development the way they want it to go, or they abdicate to independent planning commissioners.

A council website media release of 28 February, 2014, invites applications for independent hearing commissioners. “The council currently has contracts with about 60 independent commissioners and these contracts are due to expire on 31 May, 2014. Under this review the council is seeking to appoint about 40 - 50 independent commissioners.” 60 for god’s sake!

These people will sit on hearings for such purposes as resource consents, plan changes, bylaw dispensations and so on. Of course, as most people know, we have elected members to act for us.

There was an election with public meetings, billboards, pamphlets, promoting various candidates and their policies. We made our choice (or about a third of us did), and now we find that 40 or 50 unknown independent commissioners, not councillors, certainly not board members, and not council planners or other officers, will make the decisions.

Do you call that democracy? I don’t.

One of the hardest working local board members I have ever known, and a highly intelligent qualified lawyer, Pippa Coom, suffered my abuse about this system the other night. It was quite unfair to target Pippa, but the system is just plain wrong. She has almost no say, neither do the other six members of the local board, and neither does our councillor, Mike Lee. We have umpteen faceless developers watching like hawks for an opportunity to jump in where they sense a weak commissioner, or one who sympathises with their development philosophy, against the will of local communities.

No wonder people don’t bother to vote. They know their vote won’t mean a row of beans, and if they realised how little say their elected choice really has, they would be even more appalled. This system must change - transparency and elected councillors decisions must rule.

In the meantime, rest in peace Robert Greer, a highly respected employer for many years in central Auckland. He would roll over in his grave at the machinations that have PN succeeded him. (JOHN ELLIOTT) F

DAVID ELMAN SHOES OPEN NEW STORE IN MILFORD CENTRE David Elman Shoes are very excited to announce that their new store opened in the Milford Centre at the end of last month.

Milford Centre Manager, Laraine Vercoe is thrilled to welcome David Elman Shoes to the Milford Centre. “These classic European brands add to the exquisite fashion we have here and we are so pleased that David Elman is opening their only North Shore store at the Milford Centre.”

into an ambient and fashion-forward boutique shopping mall. We are very pleased to be joining great fashion brands such as Moochi, Storm and Witchery to provide the perfect footwear for any outfit for the North Shore customer.” F PN MILFORD CENTRE, 24 Milford Road, T: 09 486 1559 www.milfordcentre.co.nz

Brooke Monks, David Elman Shoes owner and managing director is delighted to be joining the Milford Centre family. “The Milford Centre has done a fantastic job of transforming

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photography: Dallas Pickering

JOHN ELLIOTT: LOCAL NEWS

What do you have to do these days for notifiable consent to be required ... build a nuclear reactor?

Little Grocer corner - here we go again... any local say?

Please excuse my latest soapbox rants. Here I go again.

A South Island company has bought the property on the corner of Richmond Road and Peel Street. They plan to eject the Little Grocer, and set up a (wait for it) 60 seat licensed cafe.

The possibility that this proposal could be given the go-ahead without notifying any local residents is abhorrent. Everyone should be up in arms over that issue alone, let alone the granting of a consent for the cafe.

Access for cars will be to a five car (yes five), carpark off Peel Street - a narrow, completely residential street.

I spoke to council officers who were most helpful, but could give me no assurances which way council (or rather the anonymous independent commissioner), may jump. Evaluation of the project is still underway.

The applicants plan a coffee roasting process, which is a notoriously smelly business. It will not be the lovely smell of freshly brewed coffee. One Auckland company has been fined for the nasty, acrid smell its roasting emitted, and this new proposal is planned to be right in the middle of a residential area.

The traffic problems around the corner of Richmond Road and Peel Street are well known. It is a dangerous intersection of Peel, Richmond, Kingsley, and near accidents are a daily occurrence. Any attempts by Auckland Transport to mitigate traffic and parking issues will only push these problems further afield, including to Summerfield Villas across the road.

This is a quiet family-oriented location, and a cafe of the proposed size is totally inappropriate. Now here’s the real rub!

It is by no means certain that the resource consent application will be notified. Council planners, Auckland Transport, and others are evaluating the application and then an independent commissioner will decide whether it needs to be notified. In my opinion, it would be a travesty of justice if it was not given a fully notified status.

And as already stated in my other article, this month, asking if developers are running Auckland, who is some outsider to come and tell us in Grey Lynn what we can and can’t do?

If you are concerned about this proposed development, particularly if you live close by, I suggest you lobby council hard, including local board members like Pippa Coom. Insist that proper community consultation is fair and just.

Many of us predicted the creation of the Super City would take much of the ‘local’ out of ‘local government’, and examples like this, plus the Arch Hill Bunnings decision, give me no cause to change my mind on that.

Please remember, and tell the council this, that this is a Residential 1 site, with existing use for a tiny local cafe, The Little Grocer, which has been a decided community asset.

As I have said many times, it is no wonder residents feel it’s a waste of time voting.

Nobody takes a blind bit of notice of them. An old politician once told me the definition of a politician is "someone who shakes your hand before an election, and your confidence after it."

Let’s make a concerted effort to have local voices and local opinion really heard again.

Say no to a 60 seat cafe on the corner of Peel St and Richmond Rd. Contact Jessica Fowler at greylynnresidentsassociation@vodafone.co.nz to express your views.

(JOHN ELLIOTT) F PN

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

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DEIRDRE TOHILL: LANDMARK BUILDINGS

Bishop Pompallier’s house

> THE BISHOP’S HOUSE WAS ERECTED IN 1851 ON A HEADLAND PREVIOUSLY KNOWN as Waiatarau to the east, and Kotakerehaea to the west, later to be named Freemans Bay and St Mary’s Bay. After Auckland was established as a colonial settlement in 1840, 42 acres of the land was obtained as a Crown Grant by William Graham, then soon after sold at a loss to John Brigham. As Auckland expanded, land values in the area increased significantly and prominent local body politician, James O’Neill purchased the land for £800. It’s believed he erected a dwelling on the estate known as Clanaboy. Shortly after, Bishop Pompallier began negotiations for its purchase as headquarters for the Catholic faith in the Auckland Diocese. He paid £1100 for the building and a further 19 acres in the area between Three Lamps and the shoreline.

In 1854 the O’Neill’s house, now named St Annes, was described as a ‘neat dwelling with outhouses, fine fruit trees and well fenced land’. Pompallier lent it temporarily to the Sisters of Mercy as a school for girls of Maori and mixed-race parentage. The nuns arrived in Auckland in 1850 and only three years later were fluent in the native language.

When they were relocated to another part of the complex, a small order called The Sisters of the Holy Family took their place, among them Sister Marie Joseph Aubert, the first person in New Zealand to be recommended for canonisation by the Catholic Church, and two of the first Maori nuns, Sister Peata and Sister Ateraita.

By 1863 buildings known as the Nazareth Institute were underway and the construction included major improvements to the Bishop’s house, which incorporated a hipped roof and two gabled side wings. Pompallier then sold off 20 acres of the broader property leaving an enclave of four acres bounded by Green Street, St Marys Road and St Francis de Sales Street. By 1866 the central portion had been remodelled to contain a front verandah. A side verandah and a dormer window were also added, during which period it was Pompallier’s main residence. Following his departure from New Zealand the Sisters of the Holy Family ceased to exist and his household effects and furniture were sold at the residence. This was an indication that the Auckland Catholic Diocese had financial problems.

MERCY HOSPICE - CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS Mercy Hospice is looking for volunteers to assist with their street collection appeal for Awareness Week, 11-18 May. Mercy Hospice provides a range of specialist community palliative care and services for people facing life-limiting illnesses within the Auckland community. All hospice services are offered free to patients and their families regardless of age, ethnicity, means or religion, all of which can only continue through the community’s generous and continued support.

If you can help, please call Rebecca Williams, T: 09 376 7574.

Mercy Hospice key facts: • In the last quarter of 2013 the number of patients receiving Mercy Hospice services during any one week reached over 300.

• Community nurse visits in 2013 totalled 9,212.

• Overall cost to operate Mercy Hospice in 2013 was over $9 million.

• The cost to operate the inpatient unit exceeded $150,000 in 2013.

PN • There are 57 nurses on staff at Mercy Hospice Auckland. F

MERCY HOSPICE, 61 College Hill, Ponsonby T: 09 361 5966 www.mercyhospice.org.nz

Soon after, the Diocese sold the current site and wider property to John Bennett, a businessman who lived there with his family until he went bankrupt. Subsequently it was occupied by John E. L. Bucholz, a major wine importer and the German Consul.

In 1871 the land that included the current site was again offered for sale. The house was described as containing 12 rooms including a drawing room, dining room, bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen, pantry and storeroom. There were also outbuildings, a coachhouse and stables. Pompallier’s successor, Bishop Thomas Croke, re-purchased the residence and once again it became the Bishop’s House or palace, with the addition of a further side verandah.

In 1893 the building was relocated to its present site when Bishop Luck prepared for the construction of a new Bishop’s House, and it was apparently rented out to tenants.

Modifications carried out during the move included the removal of the side verandahs, restored again only six years later when the building was used to house the Auckland Catholic Diocesan Archives. It’s currently used as religious offices and remains part of the Mount St Mary complex. The building has historical significance for its association with the founder of the Catholic Church in New Zealand. It is also socially significant for its education of Maori girls in our country’s early colonial times and the role of religious women in that education.

Bishop Pompallier’s House has both aesthetic and architectural value. Notable visual features include the unusual form of the building with flanking gables on either side of a front verandah, which has distinctive posts with cruciform detailing. Internally it has ornate fireplaces, board and batten ceilings and ceiling roses. Other buildings erected by the Catholic Church employed similar elements, which contrast with the design of most residential structures in the mid to late 19th century. It qualifies as a Category 1 historic place for its connections with numerous individuals and organisations linked with the establishment and development of the Catholic Church in New Zealand.

PN (DEIRDRE TOHILL) F

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PIPPA COOM: GREY LYNN 2030 NEWS The Grey Lynn Farmers Market is delighted to welcome Louise Carr-Neil as the new market manager. Here Louise explains why she is excited to be taking on this unique role and what she already has planned for the market.

When I first saw the market manager job advertised, my first thought was ‘a job where you get to go to a farmers’ market every week? Yes please!’ This is an excellent opportunity that builds on the commitment and great work of previous managers.

I absolutely love the farmers’ market for so many different reasons. I first really fell in love with fruit and vegetable markets when I was living in Cambodia last year. I relished the hustle and bustle, the vibrant colours and the cheeky bartering. Needless to say my first trip to a supermarket when I came back to New Zealand was a bit of a shock!

There is something really special about being able to talk to the person who grew your food, and knowing that it’s fresh and straight out of the ground. Locally grown food is important to me as climate change is the greatest issue of the future - and by eating as much local food as possible we are helping to reduce our carbon footprint. I’ve made an annoying lunchtime habit of picking up the fruit or vegetable I’m eating, and proudly announcing where it was grown and who the farmer was. I imagine I’ll be eating lunch by myself very soon! The ‘zero-waste’ focus of the market is also really important.

Recycling, and composting are the methods of choice over adding to landfill waste.

I also love being in a place where spray-free and organic are the norm, not the exception.

Eating in season also has some amazing health benefits. Produce that is allowed to ripen naturally are higher in antioxidants, and the natural cycle of produce is in tune with our bodies’ health needs. Food grown in season also requires less human intervention.

There is an amazing range of food at the market; deli items, cheeses, a free range butchery, free range eggs, cakes, desserts, pastries and breads. Take your pick!

There is a real sense of the community at the market. Stallholders tell me that they love coming to the Grey Lynn Market because of the people that return week after week.

All of the stallholders have been incredibly welcoming to me, and it’s great to see how supportive they are of one another.

The role of manager also brings a lot of room for creativity, which I appreciate. I’m spending my time organising buskers, planning events and collaborating with local groups such as the Arch Hill Residents. Currently I’m working on getting a regular programme of workshops and talks going during winter and autumn. I also have grand plans to reinstate the weekly ‘Kids of the Market’ programme, meaning that parents can have a quick break to browse the stalls, read the paper and have a chat. (PIPPA COOM) Louise puts out a weekly email of market news, events and recipes. You can sign up at PN www.glfm.co.nz F

PONSONBY U3A: MARCH 2014 At age 46 well known Herne Bay sculptor Gillian Elmslie found her sculpting career almost too painful to continue.

She felt that she was aging faster than she should have been and was becoming depressed by the restrictions that almost daily pain was imposing.

Relief eventually came in the form of the Feldenkrais Method. She attended groups and found the techniques of Awareness through Movement helped ease her pain and made it possible for her to continue with her own sculpture and giving classes teaching soft stone sculpture. Gillian Elmslie says the Feldenkrais Method saved So impressed was she her sculpting career and led her to becoming a with the benefits of the qualified Feldenkrais practitioner.

Feldenkrais Method that when the opportunity to train as a Feldenkrais practitioner came along she leapt at the chance to undertake the rigorous four year training.

Gillian was the March speaker at Ponsonby U3A. She entitled her talk ‘Wellness, Aging and Feldenkrais’. She learned how she had ended up in such a painful body and how to change her situation and now feels no pain when sculpting. “Everything I did before was managing pain,” she said. She offers lessons in Feldenkrais to people dealing with a range of musculoskeletal problems. She describes it as movement re-education, updating habits for new and better habits of movement, hence the title Awareness through Movement. She teaches groups, though mainly works one on one with clients.

U3A member Joan Macdonald is a leading figure in the national and international peace movement. She was the March ten minute speaker and talked about her involvement with the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) which will celebrate its centenary next year. For Joan one thing led to another. She had attended the 1975 United Women’s Convention in Wellington where she joined in a WILPF workshop. She was so impressed with their message that on her return to Auckland she became a member of the local branch. The WILPF women who inspired her were educated women who had been alienated from the workforce and some segments of society because of their links with conscientious objection.

A WILPF member working with Maori women in Glen Innes asked her to help at a hui at Tatai Hono Marae where the topic was health of the Pacific and the independence of its people. This led to an ongoing involvement and the start of her anti-racism work and with organisations such as Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific Movement, Network Waitangi and Tamaki Treaty Workers. In her work with Unemployed Workers Rights, the anti-apartheid movement, the People’s Centre, Child Poverty Action Group and other organisations working for human rights and against oppression came a consciousness and realisation that the problems these organisations were working to solve were the problems that led to wars. She also worked with Peace Movement Aotearoa, the Peace Foundation and Women Acting for Nuclear Disarmament which organised the biggest march held in Auckland advocating for nuclear-free legislation. Joan pointed out that all these actions show that peace is not the absence of war but is about finding different ways of working.

Reports were received from the convenors of the 13 special interest groups, which are the lifeblood of U3A. The groups cover a wide range of interests enabling members to share educational, creative and leisure activities that encourage positive ageing for those of us in the Third Age - seen as an important opportunity for listening, learning and understanding.

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

Next month’s speaker will be Adam Dodds, Research Manager, International Data Communication - ‘What is happening in IT and Telecommunications’. The 10 minute PN speaker will be Noeline Creighton; ‘Open day at Senior Net’. (PHILIPPA TAIT) F

Louise Carr-Neil at Grey Lynn Farmers Market

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NEXT MEETING; 9.45am, Friday 11 April. First Floor, Leys Institute, 20 St Marys Bay Road. ENQUIRIES; Jane Jones, President, Ponsonby U3A. T: 09 378 7628 PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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LOCAL NEWS CELEBRATING PONSONBY’S HERITAGE WITH A MODERN TWIST When Krista Strong moved to New Zealand from London 13 years ago, she drove the streets of Auckland looking for a place that not only represented the heritage of her new home but still had the heart of a city. She found both in Ponsonby.

“One of the things I always love is getting to live and breathe the history of a place, so I was never going to live in a new house. Ponsonby had all these original turn of the century working men’s cottages and villas that were in varying states of repair, and it just had a good feel to it,” she remembers.

She bought a well loved century-old house at 45 Lincoln Street and immersed herself in the community. But with a huge life change of moving her parents to New Zealand, the sad but exciting time has come to sell the house and undergo a major renovation to restore the Lincoln Street home back to its full glory.

And it’s a do-up with a difference. The renovation has now become part of a much bigger project led by home solutions company HRV. The drive behind the HRV Pure Invironment Project comes from the fact New Zealand’s housing stock is in poor condition.

Using Krista’s villa as a typical example of a cold, mouldy and damp house, the purpose of the project is to demonstrate how to create a healthy and liveable home with the addition of HRV’s top quality ventilation, heating and cooling solutions, and HRV’s latest innovation - a Whole Home Water Filtration system.

Krista, who is paying for the building and landscaping work herself, had planned to do a big renovation five years ago. But the plans were put aside when she started Grey Lynn-based Barkley Manor - a daycare, grooming and training centre for dogs.

However, following a conversation last year with HRV she was keen to get involved in the project which aims to set a new benchmark for the quality of New Zealand homes. With Greenstuf supplying exterior and interior insualtion and sound proofing in all rooms, Resene offering eco friendly paint, and EQC on board offering advice, the renovation has taken on a new level of excellence.

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At the heart of the makeover is her commitment to stay true to the heritage of the house, whilst still adding an optmised living design and contemporary touches to make it a truly magical home. “It’s all about the old and the new elements working together,” she says.

Designer and project manager Zayne Francis is an old mate of Krista’s. He lived in the house for five years and the pair “know how the house works”. Their mutual commitment was to design and create something they believe the market is looking for.

Which is why, rather than simply “blasting” the back off the villa - something they believe is all too common these days - the pair wanted to maintain the essence of the house and highlight its unique day to day living features, such as its sea views, all day sun and huge living spaces. “We want to celebrate these houses, not rip them to pieces and modernise them for the hell of it. You can still stay true to heritage and live in a modern setting,” says Krista.

With a tight time frame of seven weeks to do what would normally take six months, Louis Taylor and Carl Hooper and their team from New Dimension Construction are working double shifts to get everything done by the mid April deadline. “The New Dimension team are delivering the high standard of quality we need within a set budget and in a hard timeframe. It also helps having hired hand Ron ‘The Site Soldier’ around. He does whatever needs doing - those sorts of people are so hard to come by,” he says.

Once the house is finished it will be sold by real estate agent Antonia Baker of The Property Market at an onsite auction on 18 May. A number of other household New Zealand brands are also involved in the project, with the new owner of the home getting a Toyota Prius hybrid vehicle, a year’s power package from Mercury Energy, a reduced loan interest rate from The Co-Operative Bank, and kitchen, laundry and home entertainment products from LG. The public can follow the renovation at www.hrvhouse.co.nz, which redirects to a special Trade Me page and a dedicated You PN Tube channel. F

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NIKI WRIGHT: LEYS INSTITUTE LIBRARY NEWS

Reading, reading and talking As autumn settles in it is time to snuggle up with a lovely pile of books. If you are looking for ideas for new reading material I suggest you pop into the library and pick up the booklet for the Auckland Writers Festival, 14-18 May. Lots of interesting authors from New Zealand, and around the world, will be at the festival. Notable authors include Alexander McCall Smith, Eleanor Catton, Alice Walker, Irvine Welsh, Lloyd Jones and John Marsden. Be prepared! Get their books from the library and decide who you would like to see in the festival or just read their back catalogue. Or if you are on the lookout for other authors check out our recommended shelves or ask a friendly librarian for help.

Leys Institute Library book club If you would like to chat about books in a smaller group, come to our book club. The Leys Institute book club meets every fourth Wednesday of the month in the downstairs reading room. We are a friendly and informal group who enjoy all sorts of books. We discuss a range of new fiction and nonfiction over a cup of coffee and a biscuit. This is not one of those book clubs where everyone has to read the same book and answer a list of set questions! We are much more relaxed than that! You will leave with a list of interesting things to read and maybe some new friends. Our next meeting is 10 -11 am Wednesday 26 April.

LEYS INSTITUTE LIBRARY, 20 St Mary’s Road T: 09 374 1315 www.facebook.com/LeysInstituteLibraryPonsonby

3D Printing Road Show Thursday 24 April 12-4 pm Have you heard about 3D printers but can’t quite figure out how they work? We will be hosting a 3D printing road show - come and see this amazing machine in action. The show is suitable for all ages.

April school holidays - Horrible Histories and Heroes Tuesday 22 April - Friday 2 May During the April school holidays we will be having history based activities and story times for the whole family. We have lots of exciting activities planned - including building a castle in the library! For further details please pick up a flyer from the library or check out the Auckland Libraries website www.aucklandlibraries.govt Please note, we will not be having our usual Wriggle and Rhyme and Story Time sessions during the school holidays. They will return at the beginning of term two - Monday 5 May. There is so much going on we recommend checking out our Facebook page, Leys Institute Library Ponsonby, where we will be updating you on new events, displays, and goings on around Auckland Libraries. (NIKI WRIGHT). F PN

CONTEMPLATING BUYING OR SELLING A BOAT? Busfield Marine Brokers sell a variety of used yachts and launches and are also the New Zealand dealer for the range of new boats from Bavaria Yachts in Germany.

Established in 1987 and based in Westhaven Marina they are one of New Zealand’s longest standing brokerages. Their proven track record is just one of the reasons you should talk to them if you are thinking of buying or selling a yacht or launch.

Their team is committed to providing a personal friendly service. Their core values of honesty and integrity are backed up by many years of experience in the boating industry.

There is no substitute for knowing boats and the boat market, and the Busfield team genuinely want to share that knowledge with their clients.

If you are contemplating buying or selling a boat contact Busfield Marine Brokers for knowledgeable advice and assistance. F PN BUSFIELD MARINE BROKERS, 23B Westhaven Drive, T: 09 302 1220 www.busfieldmarine.co.nz

“Whether you are the buyer or the seller we want you to go away from the experience feeling like you have had a fair deal and we have provided you with the best possible service. We want you to come back again.” says owner Bill Rutherford.

Bavaria is one of the largest boat builders in the world and their boats represent excellent value for money and are well equipped to deal with our maritime conditions.

The sailing yachts in Bavaria’s line up are designed by Farr - the Cruiser series from 33ft to 56ft and the stunning Vision 42 and 46. In addition to these they also offer motor boats - both the 29ft to 44ft Sport range and the Virtess 420 available as either a fly -bridge or coupé.

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LOCAL NEWS RIP DIANA MARGARET GOLDING Local Grey Lynn retailer Jo Goffe-Robertson remembers her friend Diana Golding.

photography: June Sparkle

Diana Golding is gone. The care she got in rest homes in the last two years or so extended her life remarkably. With her chronic - smoker’s lung condition, she was not expected to survive long, but her tenacity and care from the medics and the rest homes, meant she would always come back to Grey Lynn to visit her mates. But not this time.

This time, that life of struggle and the trauma of bad health finally took her down.

And yet what a blast she was. I met her soon after we arrived in Auckland in 1990. Diana was a Grey Lynn presence and from the start, I guess, she fascinated me. I realised she had suffered some early trauma or breakdown of some sort; but where and why? I never really found out, although Diana insisted it was the loss of her daughter.

In any case, while she was suspicious of authorities she didn’t hesitate to call the police at the drop of a hat if threatened, and so she maintained a reasonable status quo at her Great North Road house for over 20 years. She kept her independence, managing a trip to Waiheke or her beloved Taranaki now and again. Colin, her soul mate, was always coming and going, and she had many friends, plus all her assorted cats whom she adored.

She was out there, wearing her heart on her sleeve, exposing her inner core to one and all, sometimes fierce, angry and aggressive, sometimes sweet, soft and angelic. Physically she struggled in the last few years yet she maintained to the last her distinctive style, not to say flamboyant dress sense, and continued to womble the recycle bins and inorganics with skill. She had the strangest ‘generous’ nature: a ‘give-it-all-away-then-demand-it-back’ attitude that confused many of us, until we understood it was just her way.

So, colourful, difficult and woe-is-me, she fascinated us all here in Grey Lynn and her like will not be seen again. I think we felt she was one of our own. She personified that sometimes hidden, bruised side we all feel. She walked and talked in her own proud way; she had that great ‘get up and go’ energy which, while it had slowed down in recent years, has finally, and sadly, got up and gone.

At her funeral her brother Jeffrey (from Hamilton) told of the family and her early years.

Diana’s mother was a Jewish refugee brought over by a European family, already having gone through three husbands before Diana’s father. Later, the family became quite separated. Diana seems to have been somewhat troubled from an early age; this doubtless contributed to her extraordinary character, to which many people attested at the funeral.

Of the several stories of her prolific letter writing (a dying art), one in particular stood

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: RIP Diana Golding I was very sad to hear that our dear Grey Lynn local Diana Golding had died - she was a remarkable woman whose life wasn’t at all easy but who coped and survived it so well, winning many, many friends in our neighbourhood on the way. For years she visited the Grey Lynn Library, sometimes just for a cup of tea, often to place requests for her favourite books and nearly always to top up her supply from the withdrawn trolley, books she liked to collect and pass on to her friends.

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out. A couple of Diana’s friends (she had so many) told of a visit they made to London and, were asked by Diana if they would look up a special friend of hers there. They knew about this person because Diana had shared some of the delightful letters she and he had exchanged over the years. A few months into their London stay they agreed to look him up. When asked how he knew Diana, he said that she had found a letter in the street with his address and had started the long and affectionate correspondence from the letter!

Other stories were of her time as a young thing on a shearing gang, and her time spent in Edinburgh, a place she loved. Many people in our diverse and colourful Grey Lynn (and outlying!) community spoke of her exploits as a ‘womble’, collecting and distributing binned and recycled objects. And of her puppet theatre, her love of library books and Grey Lynn Library in particular.

Representatives of her various support agencies and networks spoke of their affection for Diana. Lynton Lodge and especially Jervois Rest Homes’ nurses were tearful in their appreciation of her time spent there. Her lovely Buddhist monk friend was especially tender.

Sadly, there was no recording of Diana’s funeral celebration. Shame. It was a blast.

A few songs were sang, Lucy-Mae Goffe-Robertson sang an Erika Baddu song ‘Bag Lady’ accompanied on electic guitar by Rawiri Motutere. It was a great send off; she would PN have loved it. Any messages to PO Box 78-210, Grey Lynn. (JO GOFFE-ROBERTSON) F

Lots and lots of people came to her funeral and they told lots and lots of great stories.

It was a very fine farewell and it did Diana proud - she would have loved it... and she will be missed.

JOANNA MARKHAM, Grey Lynn

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PLANNING WEDDINGS THE BIG DAY There is no doubt we live in a gloriously beautiful city that has many options when it comes to getting married, says local Ponsonby celebrant Kenneth Johnson.

Last week I peformed a marriage ceremony for a beautiful couple from Melbourne at the Villa Maria Vineyard, and there were many visitors from overseas in attendance, as well as local friends and family.

The week before that, I conducted a wedding ceremony on the rooftop of the New Zealand Law Society Building in Chancery Lane. The weather was magnificent and the venue, surrounded by high rise inner city buildings, is quite dramatic.

In a few weeks I am marrying a couple in Myers Park and then everyone is adjourning to the Wine Cellar in St Kevin’s Arcade for a few drinks and some live music.

Later in the year I have a Sydney couple flying in, and weather permitting they are going to get married in Western Park and then dine out at one of Ponsonby’s popular restaurants and stay at a well known luxury Ponsonby B & B. This has all been organised with me through Skype as they don’t know anyone locally.

I have performed wedding ceremonies at many of Auckland’s finest venues, as well as many cheap and cheerful alternatives like the Parnell Rose Gardens, Cornwall Park and the Domain.

One of my favourites is the great back yard wedding. I have attended quite a few back yard weddings and I am always amazed at the creative choices people make to turn the great old Kiwi backyard into a wonderful ceremonial experience.

I encourage couples to be as creative as they can be with their ceremonies. It’s a very PN important day in anyone’s life. (KENNETH JOHNSON) F www.celebrant.gen.nz

WIN AN ENGAGEMENT PARTY BOOTH WORTH $695!

Make your engagement party a night to remember with a photo booth from The Amazing Travelling Photo Booth and Auckland Weddings! Hand crafted from up-cycled oak furniture, brass and stainless steel by artisan craftsmen, the booth is a great conversation starter. But all of this old world charm has a high tech heart - the booth produces the highest quality photographs available so every memory will be perfectly captured and yours to enjoy for years to come.

Auckland Weddings and The Amazing Travelling Photo Booth is giving away an engagement party booth worth $695. To go into the draw simply visit www.aucklandweddings.co.nz win and follow the instructions.

Entries close 4 May 2014. F PN

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PLANNING WEDDINGS CHOOSING A WEDDING PLANNER There are a huge number of reasons why you should choose to hire a wedding planner for your special day.

While you can source a mass of information from the internet, it can be an overwhelming and time consuming task. Wedding planners have done all the hard work for you, as they've already sourced the best from the best. This alone can save you hours of wasted time. And remember, on average it takes 250 plus hours to plan a wedding! Wouldn't it be nice to have some help with that? This month, multi-talented wedding planner Sophia Cohen from Coco Lily Events highlights the many roles of a wedding planner, from overall coordinator to sanity-saver.

1. Overall coordinator; wedding planners coordinate everything - they have the lists and the right contacts to organise everything you need for your wedding, i.e. venues, photographers, decorations - the list is endless!

2. Decision maker; when you come to a standstill or are at a crossroads, they can assist you with making a professional decision. They’ve most likely come across it before, so they can give advice based on past experience. If you are going for a full planning service most planners will have an email and phone call service available as well.

3. Crisis manager; imagine that you find out the day before your wedding that the accommodation providers have double booked your family’s apartment! What bride or groom would like that kind of stress right before their wedding? Wedding planners deal with each and every crisis for you, no matter how small or large, by managing it as if it was their own problem and coming to a satisfactory resolution.

4. Budget advisor; when it comes to the big day it’s so easy to go over your budget. A wedding planner can help you stick to your budget and find out what’s most important so that you don’t spend beyond your means. A wedding planner will provide you with comprehensive wedding speadsheets so you can see how much money you are spending at every stage in the planning. They essentially become your personal wedding financial advisor!

5. Creative inspirer; deciding on and creating the style of your wedding can be one of the most important aspects as it reflects who you are as a couple and also guides your decisions regarding flowers, decorations, and even the venue. A good wedding planner will interpret your vision, create different mood boards for you, give advice and ideas on different styles and finally, help you create your dream wedding.

6. Professional organiser; if you are working full time you may not be able to talk to three different cake companies to see how much each of them charge and

what they offer - you may just choose the first one because it’s the easiest thing to do but subsequently miss out on your dream wedding cake. Wedding planners can assist you in getting the best deal in all areas of the wedding, essentially saving you both time and money. Wedding planners also coordinate all your vendors and manage replies so that you aren’t bombarded with hundreds of emails.

7. Stress reliever; one of the most important jobs of a wedding planner is saving a bride's sanity! All brides would like to relax on their big day and the weeks leading up to it instead of worrying about whether the flowers have arrived or the entrees are coming out on time. That’s their job. They take all the weight off your shoulders so you don’t have to worry about a thing.

What happens when the bride is a little bit more than fashionably late and the run sheet is 20 minutes behind?

Or when the rain comes down and the ceremony is supposed to be outside? Don’t worry because wedding PN planners always have a Plan B! F

Auckland Weddings, 0800 203 778 www.aucklandweddings.co.nz

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JAY PLATT: WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT...

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1 Jonathan Adler ‘Peacock Bowl’ $229 @ Askew www.askew.co.nz; 2 Pols Potten ‘Freedom Birds’ 6 cup set $150 @ Bob & Friends www.bobandfriends.co.nz; 3 Missoni ‘Lome’ cushion $385 @ Tessuti www.tessuti.co.nz; 4 ‘Horse’ Salt & Pepper shakers by Jonathan Adler $110 @ Askew www.askew.co.nz; 5 Origami stainless steel plate $79.95 @ the Object Room www.theobjectroom.co.nz; 6 ‘Parrot’ lamp $450 @ Republic www.republichome.com; 7 Vitamix 5200 total nutrition centre (brushed stainless steel shown) $1295 @ Millys www.millyskitchen.co.nz

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WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT

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1 Lambs leather and mother of pearl shell Gilles Caffier vase $349 @ the Object Room www.theobjectroom.co.nz; 2 Eclectic ‘Bash Vessel’ by Tom Dixon $685 large @ Simon James Concept Store www.store.simonjamesdesign.com; 3 Framed ‘Crawlers’ Scorpion $160, Stick insect $135 and Beetle $135 @ Republic www.republichome.com; 4 Albaret vase by Borek Sipek $1995 @ Indice www.indice.co.nz; 5 Square Picasso designed platter by Lenoge $495 (produced under license of the Picasso administration) @ Askew www.askew.co.nz; 6 Melody Rose Upcycled Teapot $399, Cream Jug $130 and Sugar Bowl $130 @ Design55 www.design55.co.nz F PN STYLING: Jay Platt PHOTOGRAPHY: Danilo Santana David, Fisher Santana.

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PLANNING WEDDINGS BIG WEDDING DAY OUT ON SUNDAY 4 MAY Get all the inspiration you need for the wedding of your dreams at the country’s biggest and most exciting wedding event - the Bride & Groom Show at the Ellerslie Event Centre in Auckland, where you’ll find four floors packed with exhibitors, plus marquees and bridal transport outside in the beautiful gardens.

Whether you are newly engaged or seeking the perfect finishing touch, the Bride & Groom Show covers every aspect of wedding and honeymoon planning.

Showcasing the latest and greatest in the wonderful world of weddings, it’s a fabulous day out for anyone getting married, and for their family and friends with a real party atmosphere and glass of Villa Maria’s new lightly sparkling rosé on arrival.

There are hundreds of wedding specialists on hand, all happy to answer questions and help you create your perfect day. With three glamorous fashion parades, displaying beautiful gowns from top bridal designers, plus live entertainment, cake tastings, free makeovers, competitions, giveaways, and so much more!

“The Bride & Groom Show brings the pages of Bride & Groom magazine to life for one special day,” says Lesley Walker, Editor-in-Chief of Bride & Groom magazine. “It’s the perfect place to see the hottest wedding trends this year and a one-stop-shop with creative solutions to successfully plan every aspect of your wedding and honeymoon.

Having everything in one place makes it so much easier.”

See the latest issue of Bride & Groom magazine or visit our website for more information on the show and your chance to win an amazing Dream Wedding package worth over $20,000, as well as an absolutely stunning honeymoon at Club Med Kani in the Maldives, worth over $23,000!

Grab your show tickets online now and you'll save money plus receive either Za-cosmetics PN make-up or Moisture Mist BB Cream for FREE! F www.brideandgroomshow.co.nz

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PLANNING WEDDINGS

WHATEVER THE WEATHER MAKE YOUR WEDDING DAY SPECIAL Winter weddings are becoming increasingly popular in New Zealand and they can have considerable advantages. Not only are prices significantly lower, availability of guests and vendors is high, and you can take advantage of stunning winter photo-shoots.

Finding a suitable winter venue helps take the stress away from the fact that weather in New Zealand is so unpredictable.

The Stables Restaurant Matakana is one such venue that can cater for large numbers, and provide wet weather options as well as a seasonally changing menu.

“Weather in New Zealand can change dramatically, so you are never guaranteed a sunny day. It’s important to make sure your venue can cater for all weather,” says Melissa Rewi, event coordinator at The Stables Restaurant Matakana.

Surrounded by covered courtyards and plenty of photo-shoot backdrops under cover and in the vicinity of the restaurant, bridal parties and guests don’t have to travel far from ceremony to reception. The St Andrews Chapel is still a popular wedding ceremony venue just two minutes walk from The Stables Restaurant.

As well as weddings, The Stables is available to host and cater for other events such as product launches, balls, corporate functions and large private functions with a capacity of 500.

PN For enquiries phone Event Coordinator Melissa Rewi. F

Hugely popular for winter weddings and events as well as summer weddings, the venue boasts Scottish stone fireplaces on either side of the restaurant that not only make for great visual backdrops, but provide warmth in the winter along with under-floor heating.

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THE STABLES MATAKANA, T: 09 422 7360 E: mel@stablesmatakana.co.nz www.stablesmatakana.co.nz

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PLANNING WEDDINGS

Myken Stewart and her bridesmaids; Roanne Jacobson; Louise Pilkington and Matt Iles

MY WEDDING DRESS In honour of this month’s weddings theme, Ponsonby News asked some beautiful local brides to tell readers about their very special gowns.

Roanne Jacobson Founder/designer, Saben bags The wedding dress: Off the rack Colette Dinnigan.

Made of? Dusty pink silk satin Style? A panelled bodice with beaded shoestring straps and satin covered buttons up the back, draping into a flowing A-line skirt.

Have you worn it since? No, never, it’s too steeped in fabulous memories to blur with new ones.

Annie O made the flower arrangement bag I carried and then placed on top of the cake as decoration. Can you believe we celebrated our 10 year anniversary of that day a few weeks ago!

Myken Stewart Brand Manager, New Zealand Fashion Week The wedding dress: One-off Adrian Hailwood.

Made of? Silver wire lace fabric.

Style? We designed it around the fabric as it’s so heavy and also around my post baby body… I couldn’t see it but everyone told me that as I walked down the beach the fabric was catching the light and I was glowing.

I wore the dress until 9am the next morning. At 1am-ish when the formalities were over, my sister Kristen cut the bottom off and I threw my trainers on and danced up a storm! The dress is now hanging on the door of the wardrobe so I get to look at it every day.

Louise Pilkington Creative Director, Dry & Tea The wedding dress: Costumier and jewellery designer Cathy Pope and Louise herself designed it, and Cathy made the dress.

Made of? Muted oval bronze sequins on lace combined with Chantilly lace.

Style? Quite a glamourous dress with vintage influences.

Lace across the top and down to my elbows - really fitted - and then the rest of the dress fitted and sequinned all

the way to the ground - but from my knee it fanned out in a fishtail.

Have you worn it since? No, I fell pregnant three days after my wedding so I most certainly haven’t worn it.

(Editor’s note: beautiful baby girl Florence was born on 6 February).

Liz Mitchell Designer I’m not married, but I can tell you about one of my favourite wedding dresses of the many beautiful dresses I’ve been privileged to design.

The wedding dress: Bespoke Liz Mitchell for Natasha Markhan.

Style? In ivory - a halter neck pleated chiffon bodice.

Ruffled organza tiers with crushed metallic sheers spiralling around the skirt (I love mixing textures). It was the relationship with the bride and her family that makes this dress very special - that’s the lovely part of bespoke.

Liz Mitchell bridal gown (courtesy Bride & Groom magazine)

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PLANNING WEDDINGS THERE’S A NEW STORE IN TOWN The Linen Store recently opened in the refurbished Victoria Market Precinct. It specialises in quality linen, focusing on simple style in good quality fabrics, which includes a beautiful range of pure linen sheets and duvets made in New Zealand.

Owner Ingrid Memelink developed the concept during the closing down sale of her store in Herne Bay a year ago to focus on the Harrowset Hall flagship store in Newmarket.

“I learnt that many of our regular customers were coming in mainly to buy our quality sheets. Many Ponsonby people living in apartments want a simple aesthetic in their bedrooms which won’t clash with the art on their walls.

I originally started my business in Victoria Park Market 25 years ago. The market has changed, the focus is now definitely on the discerning customer. I love the community in the market, the eateries, coffee outlets and deli. Many liken the redevelopment to Melbourne or Europe.”

The Linen Store has great opening specials on sheets and towels and they have beautiful Californian king sheets and lodge pillowcases and pillows. Silk duvet inners are also a staple line and ideal natural choice for apartment living. Arcanum is a beautiful range of bed linen which features classically inspired images that have been individually hand screen printed onto cotton and velvet.

The Linen Store also features a stunning range of New Zealand-made throws by Stansborough, famous for their work with fabrics and costumes for Lord of the Rings PN and The Hobbit. These ranges will soon be available online. F THE LINEN STORE, Shop 5 Victoria Park Market, Victoria Street, www.thelinenstore.co.nz

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PLANNING WEDDINGS JEWELS AND GEMS STORE OPENS IN PONSONBY Aquamarines, emeralds, sapphires set in fine silver or gold, or simply a rose quartz heart or amethyst tumbled stone, Jewels and Gems offers it all.

After 25 years in Epsom, they are excited to be relocating to Ponsonby.

Owner Donna Mills-McArtney, travels worldwide to buy high quality natural gemstones, crystals, jewellery and carvings at the best possible prices.

Through her adventures, Donna is able to offer goods and gifts from an eclectic treasure trove - for all budgets.

She ensures that what she sells is ethically sourced. She personally visits workshops in India, Thailand and Hong Kong to make sure the employees have good working conditions and no child labour is employed.

Most of the jewellery (if not made by her resident jewellers), is made by families in faraway places, who have become friends through many years of trade. Many of them are independent women jewellers with a creative flair for beauty.

As a trained homeopath, Donna is happy to lend her insights into the medicinal qualities of the stones and crystals. She is particularly focussed on offering a specialised array of rare semi-precious stones, for their therapeutic qualities. The dedicated co-workers at Jewels and Gems can also provide the most reliable research about the beneficial energy patterns of the stones, and help you choose the right piece for yourself or as a gift.

Jeweller Naghi and beading specialist, Birgit, are on site for free consultations about repairs or design ideas for hand-made jewellery; their prices are surprisingly PN reasonable. F JEWELS AND GEMS, 54 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 529 4138 www.jewelsandgems.co.nz

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PLANNING WEDDINGS BRITOMART FASHION SESSIONS 2014 SIX AUTUMN/WINTER CATWALK SHOWS - INCLUDING PONSONBY DESIGNERS Juliette Hogan, Kathryn Wilson, taylor, Trelise Cooper and WORLD - were held in Britomart's Atrium on Takutai on Friday 28 February and Saturday 1 March. Part of Auckland's 'Fashion in the City' festival and free to the public, hair for the shows was by PN Ryder and makeup by M.A.C. F

photography: Michael Ng and Sam Lee for Britomart

Untouched World

L to R: World, Taylor and Kathryn Wilson at Britomart Fashion Sessions

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FASHION + STYLE UNTOUCHED WORLD - EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY, TOTAL LUXURY Nestled in the heart of High Street is one of Auckland’s best kept secrets, New Zealand luxury lifestyle brand Untouched World.

Specialising in knitwear, fine merino clothing and accessories for men and women, they also have unique and inspiring homeware that is easy on the Earth.

Having dressed some of the most influential faces in the world, Untouched World is of designer detail. Luxuriously soft Mountainsilk™ machine washable merino essentials renowned for their exceptional quality and innovation with luxurious yarns and fabrics. provide the building blocks for a hardworking wardrobe that will glide effortlessly Their latest collection is no exception. throughout the seasons.

Unveiling a cornucopia of must-have styles, Winter 14 embraces the trend toward From relaxed pants and cardigans that love to be lounged around in, to dressy knits and laidback luxe with an abundance of unstructured, tactile pieces. jersey dresses for wearing to the office or out to dinner, the ease of the Untouched World aesthetic creates the perfect wardrobe for travel and today’s busy lifestyle. See the full For women, the chic Airewool™ Wrap Coat is the season’s go-to outer layer and the collection in store or online. F PN Cubic Sweater is another favourite. In deep, full bodied hues of bruised plum, sky and donkey, this multi-tasking piece suits almost any figure, and is easily dressed up or down. UNTOUCHED WORLD, 20 High Street CBD, T: 09 303 1382 For men, the Colour Block Sweater strikes a seamless balance of simplicity with a dash www.untouchedworld.com

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ANGELA LASSIG: LETTERS FROM MAUDIE The monthly jottings of a free-spirited Ponsonby dressmaker of the 1920s, as imagined by Angela Lassig.

VERMONT STREET, PONSONBY 15 APRIL 1925

Dearest Mabel to wear with a splendid new pair of black satin evening shoes inset with a black lace fleur de lis motif. We decided on a bandeau of the same lace to adorn her glossy locks (which were shingled to perfection of course!)

As the satin was from a roll I purchased at a good price last year from a wholesaler and the lace a remnant from Shanlys (purchased at a fraction of its original cost) I was able to make a tidy profit on this one! She seemed thrilled with the effect of the finished gown and said to expect her back in a month’s time to discuss a winter ensemble. In the meantime we will both be looking for inspiration in the journals. It’s nice to have someone on the books who is a little adventurous in her taste and doesn’t mind being right up to the minute.

I hope that this letter finds you happy, in good health and bustling with autumn orders! I hope too that you are having as glorious an autumn as we are experiencing. The trees all around Ponsonby and especially at Point Erin Park are suitably autumnal and Tiger is delighting in pouncing on the leafy piles left by the gardeners and digging within them for sticks.

Speaking of exotic embroidery... one of the ideas I had in mind for autumn (inspired from a design in Le Jardin des Modes[ii]), is for a jacket and skirt ensemble, the jacket cut to be worn loose with a belt at the hips, the skirt straight but made interesting by the addition of four evenly -spaced box pleats. An unusual feature is the collar, which boasts an overly large, wide lapel atop an otherwise normal revere style. The sleeves are flared at the wrist and the otherwise plain jacket front is furnished with short loose panels (sewn into the side seams) that provide the appearance of a bolero jacket. The detail that makes this style even more fascinating is the trimming, which is applied to the wide collar and sleeve edges, the corners of the ‘bolero’ fronts and around the lower of the jacket. Of course this trim has to be quite deep and as bold in colour as desired. I’ve included a scrap for your inspection.

If you’d like a copy of the pattern that I’ve drafted, do let me know. I think it might be usefully adapted to create a number of variations.

I’ve been busy with quite a variety of frocks in the past month. Some of them might prove useful as inspiration? Last Sunday I finished making myself a perfectly simple, straight Magyar[iii] frock of dove-grey shantung, which I finished by binding the neck and sleeves with a deep pink bias tape strip cut from a deep pink shantung. I used a slightly wider binding strip to make a narrow belt. Then (and of course you are going to exclaim in horror at the idea) I embroidered the dress all over with a cherry blossom design; the blossoms in shades of pink, with pale grey stems. It took only a week at an hour devoted to the task every afternoon, usually while George is here. (He pops in for tea and cake most early evenings while on his way home from work.) I am most pleased with the result and might suggest it to customers as a useful addition to their wardrobes for the coming spring. To make the effort economical, I will of course have to use ready embroidered fabric. May I ask you to keep me in mind as you do your rounds at the local drapery shops?

What else! Oh yes... for a new customer, a very chic young woman with a keen sense of style, I have designed a simple gown of black satin that forms an under dress for a knee length tunic with a 30 inch deep band of lustrous black point de gaze lace. The neckline is wide and the dress sleeveless apart from the little that extends over the shoulders. She wanted a simple gown

+ AprilNEWS NEWS 2014 + 44 PONSONBY PONSONBY PARISH

While I haven’t had much time to do anything else apart from my dressmaking, I was determined to plant my sweet peas in time for what I hope will be a delightful spring show of prettiness. This time I’m using seeds from old Mr. Charles Hemus[iv].

You will remember him I’m sure (has it really been 10 years since you left!) as a regular along Ponsonby Road together with his old collie Jack. He’s very old now and too weak to walk very far. Did you know he used to be a photographer and painter of some note? I do believe that some of his work is in the Art Gallery. In summer I usually include Arthur Street in my walk, just to revel in the scent of the sweet peas smothering his front fence.

Before I go, I must pass on the delicious mussel fritter recipe I made last evening for supper. Simply boil enough mussels for two minutes, and then lift them one at a time on a spoon with a little batter and fry until a lovely golden brown colour. The batter mix takes a cup of flour, a cup of milk, one egg, a teaspoon of baking powder, some chopped parsley and salt and pepper.[v] Let me know what you think of them!

Well my dear, you will be wanting to sort through your treasures, if you haven’t been greedy and already done so!

Please do write soon, Much love,

Maudie xx [i] Godet - An inset triangular panel to the lower of a gown, providing flare [ii] A pioneering French fashion journal founded in 1922 [iii] Magyar frock - In the 1920s this referred to a collarless, deep-armholed loose dress worn with a belt [iv] Charles Hemus - early New Zealand photographer and portrait painter (c1849-1925); lived at 10 Arthur Street, Ponsonby [v] NB. Recipe not tested! Source: Ladies Mirror, 1 January 1924, p.49

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

illustration: Michael McClintock

I hope that you are pleased with the trimmings enclosed in the parcel accompanying this note (in case you hadn’t noticed!). Shanly’s sale was a sensation. I spent your entire budget and a little more, the gleanings of which I am happy to contribute as an early birthday present.

I hope you are as happy with your hoard as I was selecting the individual pieces! I know how your Napier customers appreciate a touch of fussiness applied to their frocks and coats. Hopefully this will give you a good variety to offer them. As you requested, I bought two dozen yards of the widest, lightest and prettiest lace I could find for your godets[i] and inset panels. I believe that it may easily be dyed should you wish it to match your fabric. I particularly love the wide length of peasant embroidery - such lovely colours! Pity there was so little of it left. And no, it was not me who purchased the rest!!

FASHION + STYLE HOT PANTS; What happens when Oprah falls in love with your designs?

Talk about a ringing endorsement. When one of the most famous people on the planet wears your pants not once but several times, you’ve got to know that business will be brisk.

Looking chic and sporty, Oprah Winfrey has graced two covers (October 2013 and March 2014), as well as several inside pages of O, The Oprah Magazine, rocking pants designed by Lisette Limoges and her husband Neil Small.

The Montreal-based company known as Lisette L is operated by Limoges, her husband, son David and daughter Kathryne (based in Toronto), and a team of about 55 employees. Their tag lines: Fit to Flatter and Lisette L pants are great for any time and anywhere, are certainly catching on with celebs and those who follow them.

Lisette L has become a media darling with top fashion magazine editor’s picks in Good Housekeeping, More, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar and Glamour. The pants hit the big time when NBC’s The Today Show co-hosts Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb held a pair up saying that the pants “fit like a dream.”

For 30 years, Lisette and Neil worked as sales agents representing other fashion companies. After repeatedly being told by consumers and store owners that they wanted a pant with a perfect fit, they decided to design their own. In 2003, they started their own company with the intent of making a pant that would appeal to female baby boomers.

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“Well, now that Taylor Swift is said to love our pants, we are serving many generations from mothers to daughters and granddaughters. The tummy control waistline is a hit as it doesn’t cut off your waist when you sit down.

The pants wash and pack well, too,” Lisette says. Three years ago, they decided to try their luck in the United States. Neil drove to Florida, opened an account and went door to door selling the pants to various boutiques. Their son went to California and did the same thing.

“We didn’t know that Kathie Lee Gifford was going to talk about our pants. She pulled them out and put them on her desk and said they were the best pants she’d worn.

She bought them at a boutique in Key Largo. We didn’t gift them to her. There was so much traffic to our website right afterward that it crashed.” This was the tipping point for the brand. Stores in Florida and California that had them in stock sold out immediately. NBC had so many calls that the TV hosts talked about the pants again the next day on their show.

“It was such a chain reaction,” says Lisette. “For a family-run business, we’re really so fortunate. We were in 300 stores three years ago and now we’re up to 5,000 in the U.S.” The pants, come in numerous styles capri, boot cuts, skinnies and straight leg in colours and prints, including polka dots, gingham, medallions and leopard.

“We are being very careful with our brand. We have a great relationship with boutiques.

This is the culture of our brand. We want to stay true to who we are,” Lisette says.

While the past few years have been a whirlwind, one of the highlights was having lunch with Oprah in November.

“After we were introduced, she remarked upon how much she loved our pants. She said that at her age, she does what she wants and wears what she likes. I think she’s got about 10 pairs now.”

Lisette L is available now throughout the country at selected boutiques. To find your nearest stockist go to www.ballagencies.co.nz F PN

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FASHION + STYLE STASH JEWELS Gabrielle Jelicich’s passion for jewellery making dates back to when she took metal working classes at school.

Her father, Steve Jelicich was one of the group who founded JAZMAD, now renamed JAZMAX and when he retired from active participation in the firm the family did a rural stint, moving to a lovely mansion in Waiuku complete with a tennis court, fields and bushland.

Gabrielle was only 11 at the time and the metal work teacher inspired her so much that she went on to attend night classes in jewellery manufacture and took on an apprenticeship in the craft. Before finishing, she joined a nascent protest against a Japanese firm that wanted to mine an ancient rainforest stand in east Australia. On the first night only 27 took part, then within a short time more than 300 joined the crusade. Gabrielle went to Sydney with a group of people to campaign for the cause and picked up a jewellery job there to further her apprenticeship.

Eventually she decamped to Europe, travelled around for a couple of years and finally wound up in Florence with the bag of tools she had brought all the way from home.

Gabrielle soon found work with a jewellery manufacturing company in its creative department, and she and the owner had two children together.

After some years they separated but continued working together for a decade. During this time Gabrielle also ran courses at the Isituto Lorenzo di Medici. Her students came from all over Europe because the programme added credits to whatever degree they were taking, whether it was economics, medicine, or science.

One evening, after leading a single life for three years, she had a chance meeting with her future husband, Ilan Graetz when a friend brought him to a dinner party she was hosting. He is a naval architect and shore manager of America’s Cup challenger, Luna Rossa. Gabrielle loved living in Florence and would have been happy to stay there till the end of her days but Ilan was offered work in New Zealand, which necessitated a return home after being domiciled in Italy for 15 years.

This happened 11 years ago and the family lived on Waiheke for the first six, then eventually bought a house in Grey Lynn where Gabrielle has a home workshop, though her designing takes place in the Waiheke studio, where they spend as much time as possible.

Gabrielle has a range of streetware necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings made of silver, bronze, enamel and gold plate that she advertises on her website. Some have reworked antique stones, 40s glass, and cameos that are very quirky with rarity appeal. Her specialty is designing one-off fine pieces for clients that are made from more valuable materials such as platinum, rose gold, diamonds and other precious gems. She works one-on-one with clients to get a sense of their style and does a few sketches to ensure everyone is happy with the design, so it’s a collaboration with an element of Gabrielle’s creativity included. This is what she really enjoys and plenty of work comes her way by word of mouth.

Gabrielle’s artistic endeavours aren’t confined to jewellery design. She is a gifted painter and sculptor as well. A major achievement was the design of 61 large-scale sculptures and products for the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Shangai-Pudong China that took two and a half years to complete.

To place an order for her products or to have her design an engagement ring or any other special object email her on gabrielle@stashjewells.com. (DEIRDRE TOHILL)

46 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2014

RETAIL SUPERSTAR Sarah Sheild Paper Room How did you come to be a retail salesperson?

We launched our online store four years ago in 2010 and soon after received demand to have a retail presence. We originally went into a shared retail space in Maidstone Street, Ponsonby before we opened our own store in Takapuna, and then moved to Jervois Road.

What brought you to Paper Room?

A passion for interiors, particularly wallpaper, which at the time of launching our business was not readily available.

What do you love about your store?

Its uniqueness. Along with interiors products, gifts, design books and other quirky finds we have a huge range of wallpapers from boutique brands to more mainstream, and we are always discovering and introducing new products. Paper Room is a little unexpected space filled with inspiration.

What makes a standout retail salesperson?

A good listener and someone who can engage with customers and make them feel relaxed in the environment. Someone who knows their product and can decipher and identify the customer’s needs efficiently and have the customer leave the shop happy with their purchase.

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

We have some amazing customers with fabulous homes and renovation projects but the one that is most memorable was a very thoughtful husband organising and installing wallpaper as a surprise for his wife while she was away. What a fabulous surprise!

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

Florence Broadhurst - unfortunately she died a tragic death and her murder is still unsolved but what an amazing woman! A real design icon and her designs in fabric and wallpaper are still contemporary and inspiring.

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

Karen Walker - inspirational not only as a designer but also as a very successful woman in business.

Where do you shop/enjoy shopping?

I do love retail therapy, particularly in stores that have ambience and give me inspiration...

Madder & Rouge, The Ivy House, Flotsam & Jetsam and anywhere with interesting and inspiring products. I like fossicking around on a Sunday afternoon in Junk & Disorderly listening to jazz while drinking coffee...

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

Anne Wilson at Annex - her store is a beautifully edited collection of fashion, homeware and jewellery including Anne’s own designer clothing range and her fabulous travel wardrobe paper dresses. Anne is a real design and retail inspiration and we LOVE her innate sense of style. F PN Paper Room, 25 Jervois Road T: 09 376 5675 www.paperroom.co.nz PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FASHION + STYLE AFTER PAM ANDERSON'S PLEA, CHINA SOUTHERN AIRLINES STOPS SHIPPING MONKEYS TO LABS Star's New Zealand Appeal Part of Successful International Campaign.

After Baywatch babe Pamela Anderson sent a letter to the president and CEO of China Southern Airlines while in New Zealand, the airlines announced that it has banned shipments of primates to laboratories. Chen Qiuhua, senior cargo manager for China Southern, stated that the airline will "stop transporting live primates for laboratory experiments on all flights of China Southern Airlines, effective from 21 March, 2014."

"Hugs and kisses to Chen Qiuhua," Anderson says, "I'm thrilled that China Southern Airlines has stopped shipping frightened monkeys to suffer and be killed in laboratories."

Government records show that in 2013, China Southern shipped more than 2,500 monkeys for use in laboratories in the United States alone, where they were poisoned, crippled and mutilated in cruel experiments.

PETA Australia’s campaign to end the practice included an online action alert while its international affiliates held regular protests at airports and company offices in Bangkok, Chicago, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Jakarta, London, Los Angeles, Manila, Taipei and Tokyo.

Compassionate people sent more than 100,000 emails to China Southern urging it to stop shipping primates. PETA US recently purchased stock in the company in order to attend the next shareholder meeting and placed a billboard targeting China Southern near the airline's cargo office at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. In addition, PETA Asia had just purchased the URL "ChinaSouthernCruelty.com" to target the airline's cruel practice of shipping primates to deadly laboratories.

PETA and its international affiliates will now launch campaigns around the world to target Air France, the only major airline that still transports primates to laboratories.

PN For more information on helping animals, please visit PETA.org.au F

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FASHION + STYLE: JULIE ROULSTON

Jorgen Simonsen put the ‘low’ into J-Lo Was it just us? Or were the awards seasons gowns a bit ‘safe’ this year? Think back to Jennifer Lopez in her plunging Versace gown at the 42nd Grammy Awards in 2000.

The man behind ‘Versace’s second most famous’ gown was in Auckland to launch his range for Osiris eyewear late last year. Danish born, Paris-based haute couturier Jorgen Simonsen - veteran of the houses of Galliano, Chanel, Givenchy, Versace and Valentino, told Ponsonby News about his brilliant career.

Jorgen Simonsen

What made you stand out and succeed?

Know your limitations. I don’t see it as a weakness... try to express what you really wish for and have a fantastic outcome.

Employing other people can help you fulfill your goals when you see ‘I am not good enough for this.’ Obviously you can gain a lot of knowledge by training or practice, but I could never embroider as well as someone who has been doing it for 45 years... just feeding the beads for basically half her life!

business and you have to get a collection out within certain limitations. But I have trained, worked and continued in my own name within couture’s passion-geared world - it gives me immense joy. It’s something you can’t even imagine getting up in the morning without doing.

Tell us about the Versace dress you designed for Jennifer Lopez...

It’s the one that broadcast my career... it came together but it’s not my favourite. I am very proud of it, they haven’t produced anything to top it since and that was back in 2000... but it is quite far removed from my personal aesthetic. I love colour, I love prints, I love daring and something that is extremely sensual, but all of those elements were probably poured into that one silhouette and then taken to the 10th degree. It was that much lower cut and higher split than I probably would have done in my own setup, but it wasn’t a dress by me, it was a dress by me for Versace.

There’s never a written contract that says ‘you have to wear what I’m making for you’, but it is an unspoken rule. I can’t make a dress that for whatever reason doesn’t get to the awards that night.

At least you tried: You might fail, but at least you tried. That’s also why we are here today with the Osiris range. I’d never touched glasses before, but I thought, why not try and see if you can succeed in that field? Taking on any sort of challenge can only make you grow as a person.

How do you nurture yourself as a creative?

You are constantly questioning yourself and your craft, never feel comfortable, outdo yourself! It’s ultimately a game between you and your own creativity,

Do you have a chef d’atelier who is your ‘right hand’?

I don’t, because I am a one pony circus setup in the context that I employ people when needed.

I have the good fortune to have access to some people who have this amazing knowledge that you feed off and have to bow in respect to - incredible ladies who have passion.

Fashion stays with you so briefly but when it does evoke something in you, it elevates.

Then you have a hit on your hands, but you can never calculate that. It’s serendipity... it’s a glorious field to work in and I am blessed.

It sounds a bit cliché, but making couture is not necessarily work, it’s living a dream. In other branches of the fashion tree it’s all about

Quite a lot of things come to me while I am sleeping - as a creative you just never stop, the light is always on. You take everything in and lead it through the whole system. The subconscious is gorgeous, it’s what feeds into my work big time. F PN

When you do a dress for someone it’s an extremely intimate sphere. All the hopes and aspirations, fear and loathing, vanity - you need to enhance certain things and veil others.

Tell us a little about your eyewear range for Osiris Glasses are coming back. I don’t think we will see them on the red carpet for the Oscars, but why not the music awards where people are a little more cool? I have designed a diverse collection - but you can’t please everyone because then you please no one.

RITA SUE MOVES TO ST KEVIN’S ARCADE VINTAGE REPRODUCTION CLOTHING boutique Rita Sue has recently moved from their Pt Chevalier storefront location to the heart of St Kevin’s Arcade on Karangahape Road, the perfect spot for their blend of retro cool and old school glamour.

Specialising in imported garments and handbags from the United Kingdom and United States, their range also includes local vintage -inspired labels from time to time.

Beautiful Besame lipsticks, a rainbow of chiffon hair scarves and bandanas, pin curl and finger wave clips, styling manuals, petticoats, swimwear, shapewear and seamed stockings are all on hand to help you create your complete vintage look from head to toe.

48 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2014

Products not in store can usually be sourced, “so just ask!” says owner Rachael Pilcher.

Staff are seasoned enthusiasts of the vintage lifestyle and are happy to provide styling advice for all occasions - be it weddings, parties or daily wear - if you are just becoming familiar with the pin up look and overhauling your wardrobe.

Rita Sue works closely with the best local vintage stylists and a dedicated pin up photographer, and can provide you with makeovers and glamour photoshoots for portfolio work or as a special treat for yourself or a gift for a loved one. Workshops on classic hair styles are also held several times a year. F PN RITA SUE, Shop 20, St Kevin's Arcade, 179 Karangahape Road, Auckland T: 021 131 1479 www.ritasue.co.nz

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FASHION + STYLE: JULIE ROULSTON

Carlson Bridal showcased at iDXV To celebrate the 15th anniversary of iD Dunedin Fashion Week, the Dunedin Public Art Gallery is presenting a collection of wedding dresses designed by Tanya Carlson and curated by dress historian Dr Jane Malthus.

A Ponsonby resident, Carlson is a longtime iD Dunedin collaborator. Since the first iD show in 2000 at a local Dunedin bar, Carlson has shown every year alongside other iD stalwarts, NOM*d and Mild Red. She is also a member of the iD organising committee, a regular Emerging Designer finalist selector and panel judge - this year she joins international judges Martin Grant and Lucy Jones as well as Francis Hooper (WORLD) and Margi Robertson (NOM*d).

The Carlson wedding dress exhibition opened on March 29 and showcases an array of spectacular gowns from the last two decades, employing beautiful couture techniques in a diverse range of styles, fabrics, colours and sizes. The exhibition will be open until 27 April. F PN

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY A COURAGEOUS, RESILIENT IMMIGRANT - DIDA JOE JAKICEVICH, FOUNDER OF GLENGARRY WINES When our 20-year-olds are sleeping in till noon, expecting to live like millionaires without even working, wanting four bedroom homes with three bathrooms - even to rent - what were the qualities which motivated 20-year-old Josef Jakicevich to leave his family and his native Croatia nearly 100 years ago, and cross the whole world to New Zealand to start a new life?

Josef was born in a little village, Orah, near the town of Vrgorac inland from Dubrovnic and Split. The year was 1899. Croatia was a harsh, rock strewn land, perched on the mountainside above the Adriatic Sea. Life was hard, but the people carved out an existence. It was tough for a young boy growing up. For Joe, 14 years old, being enlisted in the cavalry as a horseman was his introduction to war.

In a clue to Joe’s future success starting the Glengarry empire in New Zealand, he started up a mobile trade around Croatia on a horse drawn cart. He sold surplus produce from his village and bought and sold other peoples’ produce on the way. Josef Jakicevich soon saved some money and was eager to follow many others before him who had travelled to New Zealand to dig kauri gum.

As grandson Jak (Anthony) tells Ponsonby News, “The stories of prosperity and freedom, and the money to be earned which was being sent back to help families in the village, lured my dida to New Zealand.”

Ponsonbyites now know only too well that dida means grandfather in Croatian, and is immortalised in the presence of Didas on Jervois Road, the popular Food Store/Wine Lounge run by Glengarry Wines founded by Josef Jakicevich, way back in the 1940s.

So, at the age of 20, Josef came to New Zealand by steamship. He couldn’t speak English, and had no idea what was in store. When he arrived in New Zealand he had just some loose change in his pocket, and quickly realised the gum digging frenzy was over.

At a labour pool Dida put up his hand and told them he was an experienced stone mason.

Stone wall building was common in Croatia and every man could build stone walls. Joe built walls all over central Auckland, including Herne Bay. Dida Joe Jakicevich worked hard, saved money, and sent back home a request for a bride, requesting one of the most beautiful girls in the village. Joe’s dream came true, with the very beautiful Marica Colich, who arrived in New Zealand in the late 1920s. They married, and son Anthony was born in Kawakawa in 1929, where Dida was working on the roads.

It seems clear that Joe Jakicevich always had grape growing and wine making in the back of his mind while he built capital for land. He bought a 10 acre plot in Oratia, in Glengarry Road, and the rest is history.

Great grandson Tonci Jakicevich, son of Joseph, and grandson of Dida Joe’s eldest son Anthony, last year travelled to Croatia on a pilgrimage to the family home.

The family are well respected in the Croatian community of Vrgorac, and Tonci was hosted by his third cousin Tonci, son of Milan, whose grandfather was a brother of Dida Joe. They gave him a great welcome, and are very proud of the success of Glengarry Wines founded by their enterprising and courageous ancestor, Josef Jakicevich. A number of relatives have been to New Zealand, and some including Tonci, have worked in Glengarry on visits to New Zealand.

They toasted New Zealand with Cherry Brandy, the Jakicevich signature product on their property on the plains below the family estate.

One of the highlights of Tonci’s visit was a BBQ - yes typical pig on a spit, two goats on a spit, you can just see the origin of Dally BBQs, and sense it in Tonci’s reverential family feeling.

“There was no separation,” says Tonci, “our family is united between Croatia and New Zealand.”

Tonci in Croatia is a proud Dida Joe, Baba Marcia and Tony Jakicevich Croat, and although he is as a baby close to his New Zealand relations, would never consider emigrating to New Zealand, but one of his daughters, 17-year-old Nina is keen to visit New Zealand to meet relations and work in Glengarry’s.

Tonci rated his trip an ‘amazing experience’, and he is clearly proud of his heritage, and his strong tough intrepid great grandfather, Josef Jakicevich, who had the courage and strength of character to seek a new land and a new life.

And oh how successful he was! Next month we will tell the story of how Josef Jakicevich set up Glengarry Wines, got one of the two first wine reselling licenses, setting up a family dynasty which remains intact to this day.

We are an immigrant society, built up by the far seeing, resilient and hard working people from many countries who founded the country in partnership with Maori.

The 20-year-old Josef Jakicevich who arrived penniless in New Zealand in 1920, is an outstanding example of those early pioneers who helped to build Aotearoa.

Next month we will also tell the story of the lonely Marica, the beautiful bride who came to marry Joe, with no English, without friends and family, and who pined for home in Croatia.

What did Joe do about her unhappiness?

Go have a glass of wine in Dida’s, Jervois Road, check out the family photos on the wall, PN and celebrate a great early New Zealander. (JOHN ELLIOTT) F

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50 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2014

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY SHAPESHIFTING CONFERENCE: ‘INSPIRATION IS OUR DREAM OUTCOME’ Andreas Mikhellis is head of department in fashion and textile design at AUT University’s School of Art and Design.

He’s also an event director for new international fashion and textile conference Shapeshifting, taking place 14 -16 April. The event has been created by AUT to help promote Auckland and New Zealand as being one of the ‘global homes’ for experimental fashion and textile design and research. Ponsonby News asked Andreas to tell us a little more.

Who is presenting at Shapeshifting?

We have a number of leading international speakers such as Nick Cave (artist/academic), Shingo Sato (designer), Otto von Busch (academic), Elaine Ng Yan Ling (‘smart textile designer’) and Ying Gao (fashion designer) - as well as an amazing selection of paper presenters and exhibitors from all over the world. Shapeshifting aims to bring together globally recognised industry leaders, theorists, academics and artists to contribute to the broader landscape of the fashion and textile industry in New Zealand.

What is on the schedule for people working in the industry and Ponsonby laypeople interested in fashion?

The conference is totally open to all the fashion industry and also anybody that has an interest in the future of fashion and textile design in New Zealand. The public can also visit for free our conference exhibition at the Ironbank on K’ Road, or the Creative Common Occupation guerrilla store, showcasing a phenomenal group of new New Zealand designers and artisans. F PN SHAPESHIFTING, www.shapeshifting.aut.ac.nz

How did you choose and secure the speakers?

The speakers were chosen to reflect the more extraordinary, risk-taking, peripheral reaches of fashion and textile design. New Zealand is a nation that is recognised as taking creative risks and the event coincides with our groundbreaking artists, filmmakers and musicians who are keeping New Zealand firmly in the global spotlight, affirming a credible platform for the conference to take place.

What would be your dream outcome?

The conference is concerned with taking a visionary look into the future and is conceived as a mechanism to inspire. Inspiration is our dream outcome. It’s a place where experimental ideas and extraordinary concepts will be aired and shared.

What is on the schedule for students?

Together with the conference we have many other events happening from workshops to fashion film screenings.

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Nick Cave's Soundsuit

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GARY STEEL: VEG FRIENDLY

How lucky we are During the last week a friend who resides in Tauranga - poor thing - has been banging on excitedly on social media about the opening of the town’s first vegan café.

Tauranga did have a very ordinary vegetarian café, but when it closed early last year, it left plant eaters high and dry. Happily, health food store Wild Earth has moved into huge new premises, and gone one better by opening a proper vegan café. Heck, it even offers rice milk lattes. It made me think just how lucky we are in this Super City we call Auckland, with its generous bounty of vegetarian, vegan and wholefood cafes and restaurants, and a growing number of venues offering up portions of their menus to plant eaters and herbivores of differing persuasions. It made me realise that we’re now so immune to excitement over new vegetarian venues that we hardly even notice when a new one opens, even if it is a little bit special.

East West Organics opened its new superstore in New Lynn late last year, along with its own vegetarian café, called Ethos. For Ponsonby denizens it might prove just too hard a basket to fire up that rugged 4WD and risk life and limb to get to the wilds of New Lynn, but I can recommend it, and there’s plenty of parking. The roads out there are even tar-sealed.

East West Organics has been trading in Glen Eden for many years, but that really does feel like the wild west out there, where the New Lynn store is a mere hop, skip and jump from the roundabout at the Avondale shops. Like Harvest/Huckleberry, it’s an all-purpose wholefoods goldmine, with in-store naturopaths, bakery, and of course, the café.

It’s an amazing space leading to a huge outdoor courtyard, and you sit at oversized wooden tables with oversized benches. The busy staff are helpful and efficient, and there’s a decent selection of salads as well as the usual breakfast, lunch and counter goodies, but devoid, of course, of charred animal flesh. One of the bonuses of eating in an all-vegetarian environment is the clean smell!

In the times I’ve visited, as is so often the case with wholefood cafes, I’ve found the coffee to be only okay. Sourced from Wellington roasters Flight Coffee Company, I think the problem is probably simply that coffee isn’t a priority: you’d be better ordering one of their super-food smoothies. The salad selection looks great, and is clearly organic and healthy, but lacks the ‘wow’ factor of Newmarket’s Wise Cicada or the small but perfectly formed salads at Grey Lynn’s Kokako. The baked goods, however, are insanely good - try the berry scones for a bit of masticating mayhem!

With venues to the standard of Ponsonby’s Little Bird, the likes of Ethos need to do a little more than just provide hearty wholefood to keep the punters coming, but I’ll be back to try some of their other menu items, because I like the space: perfect for just relaxing and not having to fraternise when you want a little public alone time! Unlike Little Bird and Wise Cicada, Ethos isn’t entirely dairy free, although with the recent news items about the savagely butchered calves, and SAFE’s latest campaign focusing on the never-talked-about calf killing that’s integral to dairy farming, I bet that many ovo-lacto vegetarians have suddenly moved into veganism.

The unpalatable fact is that cows are kept pregnant so that they keep lactating, and that when they give birth, their helpless calf is taken from them and unceremoniously bashed to death - often right in front of the distressed mum. The cows themselves would normally live for up to 30 years, but as soon as they are unable to produce milk anymore (usually within six years) they are sent to slaughter.

There are so-called ‘ethical’ dairy farmers who farm organically, but the basic methodologies are similar. A few organic dairy farmers go a step further, and after the cows run out of juice, they’re allowed to spend the rest of their days wandering a paddock. That’s no consolation to all their dead calves, though. In England, however, there’s the beginning of a new, pro-dairy movement that reckons it’s entirely ethical.

It’s associated to the Hare Krishna religious community, and harks back to India and its famous sacred cows. On their farms, the calves are allowed to suckle their mummy’s teats to full term, and humans only get the spare milk. Now, that sounds fair to me.

PN (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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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY IN PRAISE OF: COOK THE BOOKS WORKSHOPS Anyone who knows me will know that I am the last person in Westmere to be found at a cookery class.

But late last year saw me perched around a table with about ten others, set to unlock the mysteries of North African cooking in Cook the Books’ ‘North African Flavours Culinary Workshop.’ My attendance was a gift from a clever friend and I can honestly say one of the best things I’ve been given in years. Over a glass or two of wine we watched and listened while Cook the Books owner Felicity O’Driscoll showed and told how to prepare what we would enjoy as entrees (dips and sauces with flatbread); a heavenly lamb tagine; couscous and the best tarted-up nuts you have ever eaten. I can honestly say my attention didn’t stray for a second. Felicity is interesting and a great teacher.

Full recipes were supplied as was a comprehensive ‘where to buy.’ Now here comes the best of all: I have successfully reproduced a number of the recipes on more than one occasion. Only one small shopping trip was required and my tagine (served to 22 people on Christmas Day) and nuts have acquired something of a reputation.

ARTICHOKE WITH BACON AND SCAMORZA RISOTTO

Cook the Books describe their workshops as “a tailored, informative experience in a relaxed environment - with a good dollop of fun thrown in for good measure” and based on my experience they deliver exactly that. Numbers are limited to 12 participants per workshop to keep things intimate at the charming demonstration cooking space behind their Richmond Road store. (JULIE ROULSTON) F PN

Ingredients for four people: Preparation 20 minutes, cooking 18 minutes Carnaroli rice 300g 4 artichoke hearts 80g bacon 70g Scamorza cheese 1 shallot 2 sprigs parsley 1.2 litres vegetable broth 80ml red wine 30ml olive oil Salt and pepper

COOK THE BOOKS, 139 Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn T: 09 360 6513 www.cookthebooks.co.nz

Prepare the vegetable broth - heat till hot. Clean the artichokes and cut into wedges. In a saucepan, add oil and diced shallots and brown slightly, dice the bacon and add to the shallots along with the fresh artichoke hearts. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes on low heat so that the artichokes become soft, stirring occasionally.

If using pre-prepared artichokes, add after the shallots and the bacon have cooked through; reduce the covered time to five minutes. Add the rice and stir so all the grains are coated with oil, turn the heat up and toast the grains, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. De-glaze the pan with wine, then proceed to cook the risotto gradually by adding hot vegetables broth until cooked. A couple of minutes before the end of cooking add salt and pepper. Cut the Scamorza cheese into small pieces and add. Gently fold through and finish with chopped parsley.

PN Turn off the heat and let stand for two minutes then serve. F

GUSTO ITALIANO RISTORANTE, 263 PONSONBY ROAD T: 09 361 1556 www.gustoitaliano.co.nz gustoitaliano@xtra.co.nz

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY MALT BAR FEEDS THE MALT’ITUDES DIDA’S WINE LOUNGE - YOUR LOCAL WINE BAR On 17 January, Grey Lynn's Malt Bar ran a sausage sizzle outside of their Richmond Road bar to feed the crowds wondering past heading to ‘The Big Day Out’.

All funds raised were donated to Grey Lynn Community Centre. Their generosity continues with yet another donation of $355. This money was raised through Friday night meat raffles! A HUGE thank you from Grey Lynn Community Centre! F PN

WHY THE NAME DIDA’S? IT IS IN FACT CROATION FOR GRANDFATHER AND NAMED IN honour of Josef Jakicevich, the pioneering 20-year-old who in 1920 left everything behind and crossed the world to eventually set up - on this very site at 54 Jervois Road - the first Glengarry store, thereby starting the whole ball rolling towards what is now arguably New Zealand’s leading family-run, fine wine retailer.

Some 66 years on from that defining moment, the Dida’s Wine Lounge and Dida’s Food Store continue his original obsession with innovation and excellence. Glengarry have long championed the dissemination of fine wines from the world’s most accomplished regions, and it is on the back of that concept that Dida’s was born; with the ever growing demand for fine wines and cuisine, we saw the opportunity to use the knowledge and skills we have accumulated over almost seven decades and combine them with our longstanding global relationships in wine and food.

Dida’s Wine Lounge offers a state-of-the-art selection of wines by the glass or bottle, matched with a tempting selection of tapas created in our very own kitchen by our own chefs. Our 187.5ml wine pours are served in the appropriate glass for each variety, using the Rolls Royce of glassware, Riedel. You have to try it for yourself to understand what a difference these magnificent crystal vessels make to the wine-drinking experience.

Dida’s is open seven days a week from midday until late, creating a memorable, ambient experience for one and all, and offering excellent package options from Mondays to Wednesdays for corporate customers. With large tables at the front and back, the Wine PN Lounge is the ideal place for an office lunch or for hosting clients. F DIDA'S, 54 Jervois Road T: 09 361 6157 www.didas.co.nz

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY AND THE EMMY GOES TO THE EARTHWORM THE HUMBLE EARTHWORM COULD HOLD THE KEY TO increased food production throughout the world. A world authority on soil science is calling for a third agricultural revolution to meet the challenge of feeding the world by the year 2050 and says the earthworm could play a crucial role. Earthworms are an integral element of healthy soil which is needed to grow more food and feed more people. Soil scientist, Dr John Baker, says the single greatest challenge facing the world today is feeding the extra 50 percent population by the year 2050 and “if we feed earthworms, they’ll feed the people.”

off but it oxidises the carbon that’s already in the soil and releases it as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. “Up to 20 percent of all CO2 in the atmosphere comes from tillage in the soil,” he says. “In some soils you’d be lucky to find one earthworm in a spade full of dirt. What must be done is recreate an environment where earthworm numbers can increase,” he says. Dr Baker, who was a finalist for the 2013 World Food Prize, says when the soil biological activity increases, crop yields will increase, food will become more plentiful and world production will become more sustainable.

He doesn’t mean people should start eating earthworms but only four percent of the world’s surface has arable soil and that’s not likely to increase significantly “unless we farm it more sustainably which we simply haven’t been doing,” Dr Baker says.

However he warns that won’t occur with continued traditional tillage which oxidises the carbon, contributes to crop failure and soil erosion and eventually famine and drought in areas of the world. Dr Baker, who has a MAgrSc in soil science and Ph D in agricultural engineering, has long advocated the use of low disturbance, no-tillage machines. Following 30 years of research at Massey University, he has developed Cross Slot no-tillage drills which penetrate through crop residue or vegetation on top of the soil and sow seed and fertiliser in separate bands beneath it at the same time.

Enter the earthworm. It contributes to drainage through its burrowing, it transfers fertility from deep in the soil to closer to the surface where plants can use it, it binds the soil together and its worm casts are highly fertile.

The earthworm, beloved as a juicy snack by every bird in the sky, is more multi-functional than Steve Jobs’ computer. And its value to the soil doesn’t end there. It passes the soil through its digestive system and extracts the nutrients including carbon which feeds almost all the other biology in the soil.

“Earthworms are the most visible indicators of soil health,” John Baker says. But the problem is there’s seldom enough of them because conventional tillage has reduced their number. Not only does ploughing kill them

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The process causes minimal disturbance to the soil, traps the humidity, preserves the micro-organisms and soil life and largely prevents carbon from escaping. Further, by leaving the stubble and straw from the previous crop to decompose on the surface of the ground, it helps sequester new carbon in the soil.

And it’s top of the Earthworm Emmy Awards. In fact Dr Baker says everyone who believes in reincarnation

should return as an earthworm. He’s seen earthworm numbers double in New Zealand after just one year of low-disturbance no-tillage. He explains that no-tillage is the equivalent of keyhole surgery as opposed to ploughing which is invasive surgery.

As evidence Dr Baker points to Brazil and Argentina which have seen spectacular increases in productivity over 30 years due to no-tillage which is now used by three-quarters of those countries’ farmers. He predicts that anyone changing to low disturbance no -tillage will see a significant difference in the first year as earthworms procreate and soil health increases.

“The first agricultural revolution occurred in Britain from the 15th to the 19th century where farmers broke the historical food scarcity cycles by developing ways of improving arable land. It led to the introduction of new crops such as potatoes and corn,” he comments. “The second agricultural revolution - The Green Revolution - was led by Norman Borlaug in the 20th century. It improved the yields of cereals with genetics that had a huge effect because 70 percent of the world’s food comes from cereals.

“Now we see a third revolution underway where increasing the production of food through improved soil biology will spin off from the use of new technology. The aim is to allow the world to feed itself and other revolutions that accompany it, such as IT and biomedical, to flourish to benefit mankind.” F PN www.CrossSlot.com

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CELIA HAY: NZ SCHOOL OF FOOD & WINE

Autumn soups Heading into autumn and there are always lots of runner beans, peas and even spinach in the local farmers markets.

For some reason, peas and runner beans especially, do not have the caché of other green vegetables and I find them a ‘hard sell’ to my children. With careful preparation however, you can make a delicious purée which can easily be transformed into soup and this seems to make the whole concept much more acceptable.

With all these vegetables, I find the best way to use them is to blanch them quickly in boiling water with a little salt and, the magical ingredient, sugar. The sugar helps set the green colour and that is what makes the soup so deliciously green and compelling.

For beans, as well as spinach, you may need to add more salt to help the flavour come through. I like to add freshly ground pepper or a few of drops of tabasco to give a little heat to the purée.

The flaked fish can be anything from smoked kahawai to salmon. If you visit a quality fishmonger, invariably they will have a nice piece of smoked fish. The flavour of the smoked fish gives an earthy, almost bitter taste but it can give the pea soup a quirky lift.

Serve with crusty bread.

Puree of green pea with flaked fish 1 kg of green peas or frozen peas (works extremely well); beans also work well ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1 Tbsp butter 1 Tbsp flour 2 garlic cloves 1 onion 750 ml chicken stock 100 ml cream Salt Pepper or a few drops of tabasco Garnish Lightly whipped cream Smoked fish - smoked salmon, kahawai, gurnard Fresh herbs to garnish: chives, parsley, or chervil Method 1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add salt and sugar. Cook the peas until just tender. Remove and cool in cold water to arrest cooking. Drain immediately.

2. Place the peas in a food processor and pulse until a purée.

3. In a heavy plan place the onions, garlic and butter. Cook until translucent. Add the butter and stir through.

4. Gradually add the chicken stock while stirring all time. Let the mixture come to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes to cook out the flour.

5. Add the pea purée. Cook for another five minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Take off the heat.

6. Purée again in the food processor. Pass through a sieve to remove any lumps.

7. Return to a clean pot and add the cream. Bring to a light simmer. Heat well and serve in warmed plates with crusty bread.

8. Garnish with lightly whipped cream, flaked fish and finely chopped fresh chives, PN parsley or chervil. (CELIA HAY) F For more information about our recipes and cooking courses, please visit foodandwine.co.nz NEW ZEALAND SCHOOL OF FOOD & WINE Level 3, 104 Customs Street West www.foodandwine.co.nz Email me: celia@foodandwine.co.nz

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FROM PARIS TO PONSONBY SUNDAY PAINTERS THE REAL THING Invoking the decadence and style of a Parisian salon in the 1920s, Sunday Painters feels a world away from the trends and fashions of modern life.

New chef Gordon Mcleod has returned to New Zealand after a decade as private chef to families in Paris and the South of France. His elegant seasonal menus reflect a career immersed in the cuisine of France.

Begin with a beautifully marbled cassoulet terrine, Windsor Blue soufflé with walnuts and fresh figs or sweetbreads with peas, pancetta and mint. Main courses currently include a charlotte of duck comfit and wild mushrooms, chargrilled entrecote steak with béarnaise and a vegetarian roulade of ratatouille and goats cheese. For dessert, perhaps a delicate but intensely flavoured passionfruit soufflé. The wine list contrasts old and new with a carefully chosen selection of French and New Zealand regional and varietal wines. Private dining rooms are available for up to 27 people and menus can be tailored to your preferences. F PN Sunday Painters is the real thing, a French restaurant with integrity and style.

SUNDAY PAINTERS, 185 Ponsonby Road T: 09 360 2001

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LAURAINE JACOBS: THE SEASONED PALATE

iVillage PUFFED AND FLUFFY, GLEAMING WITH A HINT OF BUTTER AND BEARING DEEP golden scars from direct contact with a very hot oven, this was no ordinary naan bread. Gorgeous soft wedges were tucked into a silver basket and more than a hint of garlic wafted around. The perfect implement to scoop up mouthfuls of an array of deliciously prepared curries and tasty rice dishes. We were hooked.

But first things first. iVillage at Victoria is about to celebrate its first birthday. That’s a whole year that’s passed since the effervescent Dimple (as she is known) set up one of Auckland’s most sophisticated and popular Indian themed restaurants in the renovated Victoria Market. The colonial brickwork surrounding the restaurant, sandblasted clean makes quite a bright statement. Step in from this warm courtyard and that theme continues into the restaurant with an assortment of Indian decorations with silk, cane, brass and wooden artefacts that combine to lend colour, atmosphere and intrigue to those brick walls. And with an extensive menu of delightful cooked-from-scratch fresh food, this has become the go-to place for Indian meals.

Dimple who hails from the Gujarati region of India presides over the restaurant and knows her stuff. She cooked for five years as a chef at the old Killarney St in Takapuna and has since owned several small Indian restaurants in and around the North Shore.

Concentrating on just one place now, aided by her son, she’s currently cutting back the inaugural enormous menu and plans to introduce even further innovation by way of tandoori lobsters, fish and more.

The place has two faces. On the upper level (one step up) the bar is a comfortable place offering its own menu. Sit up on stool and watch the bar chef weave his magic.

With a great menu of bar snacks, a tandoori oven and selections from a terrific wine, beer and cocktail list, the hours will slip by. And here’s the thing; these wines are well selected and offered at affordable prices. More than a dozen aromatic wines, riesling and gewürztraminer to suit the food, along with favourite chardonnays, sav blancs, the ubiquitous pinot gris and a grand selection of stunning reds are priced better than most restaurants within a 10km radius.

The other section of the dining room looks toward the main kitchen where the chefs are decked in tall white toques. These guys are the real deal. Dimple has had several of them cooking with her from her former businesses and they’re all skilled in the northern Indian cuisine in which the restaurant specialises.

Start with the innovative I-Bullets, an Indo Chinese specialty being served at almost every table, every night. These cigar shaped cylinders are a secret recipe, (vegetarian for sure with lots of herbs) and come in a crisp pile accompanied by a coriander and mint dipping sauce. They’re not quite like anything encountered anywhere, don’t look particularly attractive, but they’re really more-ish and disappear ever so quickly. The other item not to miss is the Tandoori Trio. Three generous pieces of free range chicken are marinated; botti tikka, hara and malai, cooked in the tandoor and appear at the table on a skewer that sits atop a magnificent charcoal fuelled amphora with soft smoke billowing out in clouds to perfume the room (see picture). Whether you’re a vegetarian or a carnivore there’s plenty of choice at the bar and with most items at under $15 you can feast like a maharajah.

From the main dining menu, both curries and tandoori dishes feature. Northern Indian cuisine is a gentle way of cooking. Lots of yogurt, ginger, garlic and soft spices dominate the dishes, rather than the more fiery chilli found in the south. But that doesn’t mean things are bland. Far from it as there’s subtle spicing in everything and if so requested the heat can be turned up in any dish. But why, I ask as a chilli lover who likes to taste other flavours too? And if you’re hooked on butter chicken, forget that for a night. This lighter style of Indian cooking has none of the cream that has been introduced for western palates. Who needed that anyway?

My recommendation for an evening at iVillage is to find a group of friends to go with so that the full extent of the menu can be enjoyed. It is open for dinner seven nights (yay!) and for lunch Tuesday to Friday. Bar menu from 4pm and better still, no surcharge on public holidays. (LAURAINE JACOBS) F PN iVIllage, 216 Victoria Street West, Victoria Park Market T: 09 309 4009 www.villageatvictoria.co.nz www.laurainejacobs.co.nz

Don’t miss a wonderfully aromatic Himalayan Hariyali, where masses of spinach is blended and combined with mushrooms and soft white paneer cheese making it the perfect vegetarian dish, and there’s a multitude of others making healthy light eating.

Or any fish dish that’s quickly cooked in the tandoor, with a fragrant marinade and served piping hot. The prawn dishes are wonderful and the selection of meaty goat, chicken or lamb curries, whether sloppy with sauce or served in a more dry style is extensive. There’s also a good selection of accompaniments that make an Indian meal so interesting including rice cooked several ways, tandoor cooked breads and tasty stuffed naan and the classic biriyani rice dishes.

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FLOOD OF SUPPORT FOR TASTE OF AUCKLAND 2014 Taste of Auckland organiser Rob Eliott of Lemongrass Productions says that the company has received a flood of positive support since it was announced the festival may need to move from the Victoria Park venue.

On Tuesday evening the Waitemata Board voted to restrict Victoria Park to events of no more than five days tenancy, and in doing so have excluded Taste of Auckland. Last year the festival attracted a host of the city’s leading restaurants and over 23,000 visitors to the area. Taste of Auckland is currently the largest festival of its kind in New Zealand and part of the international series of Taste Festivals taking place in 10 locations from London to Dubai, Cape Town to Melbourne. It would now take the mayor’s office to negotiate a compromise for the event to return to the park.

“In passing this decision the local board not only dislodges this much loved festival from the area, but they also turned down our offer of $50,000 over five years to upgrade the park to an automated irrigation system which would have benefited all park users and helped mitigate event impacts,” says Eliott.

“The chair of the Waitemata Board acknowledged the irrigation upgrade was something they were likely to do within two years. Ratepayers will now need to cover that $50,000 contribution.“It is a shame that of all the Waitemata Board members, only Greg Moyle and Rob Thomas were able to see the benefits to the wider community an event like Taste represents,” says Eliott.

In recent developments, yesterday the CEO of Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development, Brett O’Riley reassured Lemongrass Productions of its support for Taste of Auckland, recognising it as an important major event for Auckland under the ATEED portfolio and suggesting alternative venue options.

WHAT’S HOT AT SABATO CHEESE CELEBRATION CAKES What better way to celebrate an important event - whether it is a wedding, anniversary, birthday or just a fabulous party - than with a glorious stack of divine artisan cheese?

Such a tasty tower is a great centerpiece to any celebration and with so many cheese varieties, sizes and styles available it is a very versatile option.

Visit our cheesemonger who will take you on a journey through our wide selection of top quality cheeses from across Europe and New Zealand - soft creamy brie, piquant or mild blues, full-bodied washed rinds, raw milk cheeses, tasty hard varieties and many more.

Our knowledgeable staff will work with you to choose a range of cheeses to enjoy that work well together and will impress your guests.

Almost a one stop shop (as we don’t supply the decoration for your cake) we can also supply an array of accompaniments to enhance and complement your cake, and the knives and boards with which to enjoy it. Wander through our showroom and discover a selection of chutneys and condiments, quince paste, cured hams and salami, nuts, fruit and Vincotto, perfect to appreciate alongside your celebratory column of cheese.

A cheese celebration cake is eye catching and tastes delicious. All you need to consider is how many people you are catering for and we will look after the rest. A stunning selection of cheeses will create the perfect pillar - one that pleases the eye as well as the palate.

The first step? Make an appointment to visit our cheesemonger and get the party planning underway... F PN SABATO Limited, 57 Normanby Road T: 09 630 8751 www.sabato.co.nz

In addition, a flood of support has been received, from long time supporter of Taste, Heart of the City CEO Alex Swney, as well as from sponsors, exhibitors and many previous festival visitors who have commented on the Facebook page.

“We have had offers from other local boards in Auckland and from venue operators around the country. It has been reassuring to be reminded of the very solid backing that Taste has built up and we are now focused on working through some exciting venue options for the 2014 event,” says Eliott.

With Taste of Sydney starting today and Taste of Perth recently confirmed, the Taste network continues to grow stronger and Taste of Auckland is better placed than ever to retain its standing as a world-class event for the city.

The dates of Taste of Auckland 2014 remain as Thursday November 13 to Sunday November 16 and Lemongrass Productions will announce another venue update once arrangements with ATEED and other stakeholders have concluded. F PN

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THE SAPPHIRE ROOM At the top of the stairs off Ponsonby Central’s Lane is a cluster of sparkling globes, chandeliers imported from Puerto Vallata in Mexico.

Go through one of the two big red doors and you are in The Sapphire Room. With its recycled wooden floors and scraped back brick it has the feel of a cool urban loft. Alive with natural light its wide industrial windows give expansive views across the Grey Lynn trees and rooftops to the distant Waitakere ranges.

Already in its short life The Sapphire Room has played host to a glittering array of glamorous events. If only the walls could talk… what tales they would tell! Of masquerade balls, weddings, private parties, art exhibitions, awards dinners and private fashion viewings.

With its high ceilings and air of industrial chic, this is a venue that can be dressed for any occasion, whether small and intimate or stylish and grand. The main function area is laid out as two spacious rooms, divided by giant barn-style sliding doors. Sapphire 1, at one end fitted with a Fisher and Paykel show kitchen complete with the latest top -end appliances, is the smaller of the two. Its uber-long kitchen bench doubles as a bar complete with bar stools, and it lends itself to the more intimate social gathering such as a cocktail party, a cooking demonstration, or an event like Yealand’s recent wine launch (pictured).

And, tucked behind Sapphire 2’s white sound proof wall (ideal for projections or for hanging art) is a hidden room which can serve as a cloak room, a hair and makeup room, as a place to tuck away any technical equipment, or as a quiet retreat from a wedding function or party.

Sapphire 2 is the larger room, providing an ideal neutral space to stage a conference, a product launch, training seminar or team building exercise. Cleverly, when this area is set up for a formal event, you can quickly change the scene, sliding back the doors to reveal a ‘break out’ room for lunch or an end of proceedings drink!

It comes scattered with quirky faux-French armchairs and couches, and there are rustic tables and bench seats for hire. Or you can bring in whatever furniture, props or styling you need for your own bespoke event.

Used in its entirety is when The Sapphire Room comes into its own. It is a sought after location for commercial photographic shoots, TV shows and film production. As a venue for weddings, charity lunches, or even Bar Mitzvah it is booking up fast.

There’s just something about The Sapphire Room; it is a great central location, has beautiful views, cool architecture, and convenient parking. And, talk to any of the restaurants or cafes within Ponsonby Central and you have your caterer right at hand.

Daniel Beetham Daniel is Ponsonby Central’s new property manager. As well as keeping all the tenants happy Daniel is in charge of The Sapphire Room.

You will often find him tailed by two pretty dogs Lily, a fox terrier and Izzy a cocker spaniel.

Daniel comes to the job with eight years in real estate and prior to that he travelled the world as a flight attendant which means he has the perfect combination of impeccable manners, charm and getting the job done. email: daniel@ponsonbycentral.co.nz T. 09 376 8300 M. 021 709 383

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY BENNETTS’ CHOCOLATES HANDCRAFTED WITH LOVE Bennetts of Mangawhai is an iconic brand cherished by discerning chocolate connoisseurs for their high quality products.

All of our goodies are handmade in Mangawhai and have won numerous international awards. We are proud that Bennetts’ is still a family business with Mary Bennett proudly marching us into our Easter ‘pop up’ store within the iconic Ponsonby Central.

The world of Bennetts’ is a deliciously pure thing. Locally grown ingredients, rare New Zealand flavours and a focus on hand crafted quality place Bennetts’ on its own unique stage well away from mass production. The helping hands of local workers and suppliers help create the feeling of belonging at the heart of Bennetts’.

For Bennetts’, the use of fresh, local, spray-free ingredients and the inclusion of local tradesmen and suppliers are central ideals. The delight of their customer is just as

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important as the pride of their staff; combined, they create a special atmosphere unique to Bennetts’.

Clayton and Mary have recognised that New Zealanders are rather proud of tastes they see as theirs - feijoa and kiwifruit, tamarillo and quince are used to celebrate these tastes and the environments they thrive in. With such a special product comes a creative license that adds to the spirit of Bennetts’, allowing the makers to explore ideas and create the magic that’s made them world famous.

“We are excited about opening a pop up store in Ponsonby Central,” says Mary, “and invite you to come and see us and while you are there sample some of our amazing chocolates.” F PN www.bennettsofmangawhai.com

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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JULIE BONNER: NEWS FROM FROG POND FARM

Change of Seasons...

I can’t believe that is it autumn already. The trees are in the throes of losing their leaves and displaying their seasonal nudity. I must admit I do love watching the colours change and the mass of dry carbon under foot.

Of course next up will be those chocolate eggs, hot cross buns and a few days off at Easter to contemplate the winter plantings. Well, that’s not entirely true, I have been doing loads of that lately.

Those seeds that I poked into the ice cream container (I love recycling things) have since germinated and been pricked out into larger vessels. The good news is that I have prepped a couple of beds with super rich organic compost, seaweed and coffee grounds, ready for those brassica, spinach, lettuce, herb and beetroot seedlings which will get planted in the next day or two.

As those pesky white butterflies are still flitting about and eager to lay eggs on my new seedlings, I will need to cover them with a homemade cloche, which, by the way, works a treat. If you aren’t familiar with a cloche, mine is quite simply frost cloth material that is draped over metal hoops. These hoops have a ring at their base which curtain wire is then threaded through and secured. The cloth is then pegged to the wire and hey presto - seedling protection. The other good news is the frost cloth keeps the environment inside about three degrees warmer. Perfect!

I have hauled out those tomato plants in disgust - not only did they have blight, but they had supplied me with very few tomatoes this season (with one exception from the heirloom variety ‘Cherokee’). The zucchini and pumpkin plants were also hoisted from the beds and as they had powdery mildew the spent greenery will either be binned or burnt. The runner beans were also carefully removed from their trellis and the shrivelled brown pods saved for their seeds. The trick with these is to pop them into the freezer for a few days to kill off any resident weevils. Works a treat!

Things aren’t all bad in the garden though. The corn ears are fattening nicely, the chillies are reddening up and promising heat, and there is lettuce and beetroot for salads, herbs for an array of tasty meals and celery for juicing. Nice!

Hopefully cyclone Lusi didn’t cause you any serious issues. It meant that we had plenty of rain over the weekend, which we desperately needed and gusts of wind, which we didn’t.

Saturday night was spent playing games by candlelight and hoping that the wind would leave my garden well alone. Which it did for the most part.

Lusi also was responsible for volumes of seaweed littered over our local beach. Not something to be sneered at nor left in situ either. As I had helpers of the male kind (blokes) they helped me collect three rather large bags of this wonderful stuff, which my garden will love. If you don’t visit your local beach, can I suggest that you do? I make my own very smelly, potent seaweed fertiliser, dig it into my gardens where it rots down, or use it on the beds as mulch - hosing it firstly of course.

Our orchard is now devoid of fruit. That is with the exception of the persimmon tree, which is absolutely laden and growing happily between the beehives. This is a great spot to be as it is also sheltered and has its own microclimate. Then there is the quince tree, which the turkeys are leaving well alone, probably something to do with the astringent fruit!

So all in all, Frog Pond Farm is coming along nicely. Autumn here is magical.

Happy Gardening.

PN (JULIE BONNER) F www.facebook.com/ ToiToiWines www.twitter.com/ toitoiwines

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

LIZ WHEADON: WINE, GLORIOUS WINE Rioja Alta is generally considered as home to the finest Rioja wines, although there are now producers across Rioja pushing the boundaries and producing top quality wines from across the region, notably, Alvaro Palacios in the Rioja Baja sub region whose winery is located in the village of Alfaro. Rioja Baja is at the south eastern point of the Rioja winegrowing area and is the largest part of the region accounting for around 40% of the region’s wines.

As you drive from Rioja Alta to Baja, the region broadens and the altitude drops, the change in scenery from the slopes and peaks of Rioja Alta to the broad generous size of the vineyards in Rioja Baja which is seen in the characters of the wines from each part. Grenache is the dominant variety in Rioja Baja, although as with the other regions, the varieties of Tempranillo, Grenache and Mazuela are also found.

Spain - Rioja and introducing Bodegas Lan RIOJA IS ONE OF SPAIN’S MOST WELL KNOWN WINE REGIONS, ALONG WITH SPANISH CAVA, Rioja is well known internally. The region is generally lumped together and referred to as a whole, although there are in fact three distinct sub regions with different attributes and characteristics. Running west to east, the region starts in its north western corner with the sub region of Rioja Alta. This sub region, as the name would suggest, has the highest altitude of the Rioja sub regions and is located around the picturesque town of Haro. The predominant grape variety in this part of Rioja is Tempranillo, the altitude and specificities to this part of Rioja lead to the wines generally being very bright, lively and of high quality with vibrant acidity.

Between Rioja Alta and Baja is the smallest sub region - Rioja Alavesa which is located slightly north of Logrono, the capital of Rioja and Tapas. The small streets in the centre of the historic town of Logrono are home to some of the best tapas found anywhere in Spain, generally each serve a single tapa and specialise in it. A night spent enjoying tapas in Logrono takes you from one bar to the next, whilst sipping on very well priced young Rioja. In store this month we have a new range of Rioja which hail from Bodegas Lan a winery that was founded in 1972.

The name Lan refers to the three provinces in the area - Logrono (now the La Rioja province) Alava and Navarra. Bodegas Lan is located in the Rioja Alta sub region as well as having vineyards in the Rias Baixas in Galicia. In store you’ll find three wines from Bodegas Lan, starting with the Crianza which is made from 100% tempranillo, through to a Reserva - 80% Tempranillo, 10% Grenache and 10% Mazuela and Gran Reserva PN with the same blend as the Reserva. (LIZ WHEADON) F www.glengarry.co.nz

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COPY DEADLINE: Sunday, 20 April PUBLISHED: Friday, 2 May

+ RICHMOND ROAD

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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

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67

PHIL PARKER: WHOSE WINE IS IT ANYWAY?

Martinborough revisited Around 20 years ago, word started spreading about some excellent wines north of Wellington, just over the winding, windy Rimutuka Ranges.

DSIR scientists had discovered a climate and soil type similar to the classic French region of Burgundy that was suitable for growing pinot noir and a few other grape varieties.

And now the Wairarapa, and Martinborough in particular is one of our top boutique regions, producing not only internationally acclaimed pinot noir but also sauvignon blanc, riesling, pinot gris, gewürztraminer and even some big reds like syrah. Famous wineries like Dry River, Ata Rangi, Kusuda, Martinborough Vineyard, Palliser and Te Kairanga all hail from this region.

Great food and upmarket boutique accommodation has made this one of our main wine tourism regions for both locals and foreigners. The broad, flat plains bake in summer months, but in winter it becomes a misty, dreamy adventure land of fine wines and excellent food. Whatever the season - it is just right for a weekend away.

Seven years ago, I visited for the first time when I was researching my wine region guide - The Mad Keen Wine Buff’s Road Trip (Random House 2008). And just recently I was lucky enough to spend two days there with a group of fellow wine writers. We tasted many wines over the two days and visited a number of wineries.

Current Aromatic Releases - my picks: Te Kairanga Estate Riesling 2013, Big Sky Sauvignon Blanc 2013, Hamden Sauvignon Blanc 2013, Poppies Pinot Gris 2013, Dry River Pinot Gris 2013, Dry River Gewürztraminer 2013, Brodie’s Angels Sigh Pinot Rose 2013.

Current Chardonnay Releases - my picks: Palliser Estate 2013, Julicher 2013, Nga Waka 2013.

Current Pinot Noir Releases - my picks: Te Kairanga Runholder 2013, Poppies 2012, Kusuda 2012, Schubert Marion’s Vineyard 2011, Te Hera Reserve 2011, Cabbage Tree 2009, Dry 2012.

Disclaimer: I was hosted by Wine From Martinborough New Zealand www.winesfrommartinborough.com (PHIL PARKER) F PN

Barrel Samples (i.e. not botled yet but showing huge promise): Ata Rangi, Big Sky, Margrain, Martinborough Vineyard, Te Hera.

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

ONE A PENNY, TWO A PENNY Andrea Wong, publisher of the So D’lish website dedicated to ‘the best of New Zealand food and drink’, has kindly shared her hot cross bun recipe with Ponsonby News readers as Easter approaches. She says, “Why spend $6 for a 6-pack of hot cross buns when you can make a batch of 20 for about $3! Try this easy recipe to make in your breadmaker: I’ve added a bit of chocolate because it is Easter after all.”

Chocolatey hot cross buns

photography: Andrea Wong

Makes 18-20 buns INGREDIENTS For the buns 290 ml room temperature water 1 egg, lightly beaten 2 Tbsp rice bran or canola oil 2 Tbsp sugar 1 tsp salt 525g flour (13% protein content, minimum.

I use high grade flour) 3 Tbsp milk powder 2 1/2 tsp breadmakers’ yeast (yeast with bread improver) 1 Tbsp mixed spice 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon At the beep 100g sultanas 100g chocolate, chopped or chips

68 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2014

For the cross 1/4c flour water For the glaze 1/2c icing sugar 1 tsp all spice 1 tsp cinnamon 3 Tbsp water (approx) DIRECTIONS Put the ingredients for the buns into your breadmaker, in the exact order as stated. Set your breadmaker to its dough setting. My breadmaker beeps 5 mins before it finishes kneading, so I can add some extras.

Add the sultanas and chocolate at this stage. Once the dough has finished kneading, turn it out onto a lightly floured board.

Cut the dough in half and form a thick sausage with the first half. Cut the dough into approx 2cm slices. I weigh each one and make them between 55-60g each.

Roll the bun quickly in your hands to make them round and place on a greased or lined baking tray. Repeat until done and do the same with the other half of the dough (you should have 18-20 buns).

Cover with GladWrap and leave in a warm place until they have doubled in size. Mix the flour with enough water, to form a thick but runny batter.

Spoon into a piping bag with a small nozzle and pipe crosses onto the buns.

Bake for 15 minutes in an oven heated to 190ºC. Once baked, place on a cooling rack and mix the icing ingredients together in a small bowl and brush over the hot cross buns with a pastry brush. Serve warm or toasted with lots of butter. F PN Happy Easter everyone! SO D’LISH, www.dlish.co.nz

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

TRAVEL BREAKS: THE NEW THERAPY!

INCREDIBLE INDIA

By Chris Lyons, Director, World Journeys From the sleek modernity of New Delhi and the glorious palace hotels of Rajasthan to the ethereal glow of the Taj Mahal at sunrise, the vibrant colour, scent and sounds of India never fail to impress me.

I have never travelled anywhere else with such an intensity of colour as is found in India - from brightly coloured turbans, to stunning saris and temple flowers. Rajasthan, a land of vast deserts, camel trains, ancient forts and temples, is the ‘jewel in the crown’. The spices piled high in the market and the decorated elephants at the Amber Fort all make this part of India a photographer’s dream.

The Taj Mahal in Agra, some 200km from Delhi, deserves the effort to arise early and experience it at sunrise when visitors are fewer and the light creates a dreamy hue.

Intricately inlaid precious stones cover the walls, the monuments, the tombs. No photo or movie does this shrine justice - you must see it with your own eyes. Built by Shah Jahan in honour of his dead wife Mumtaz , he was imprisoned after being overthrown by his son and thus could never complete a black marble facsimile of the Taj across the river that was going to become his own tomb. One of the great tragic love stories of history!

India has endured thousands of years of conflict and generated incredible wealth, leaving a legacy of beautiful palaces and fortresses. Some maharajahs’ palaces are now the most gorgeous hotels where mere commoners can now stay in the opulence that was the hallmark of past Indian royalty. The most picturesque of these is the Lake Palace Hotel in Udaipur where the James Bond film “Octopussy” was filmed.

Religion is also central to everyday life in India. Nowhere more so than in the holy city of Varanasi on the banks of the River Ganges - the ultimate pilgrimage destination for Hindus. The river comes alive at sunrise with people bathing in her holy waters and worshipping the rising sun. The many burning ghats on the banks of the river are used for cremations - if you die in Varanasi you go straight to heaven!

Another icon of India is its Bengal tiger. Ranthambore National Park is famous for its tiger population. If tigers elude you, you’ll also find exotic species such as the chital, sambar, muntjac, and Indian pangolin to name a few.

I always fly Singapore Airlines to India, and enjoy a stopover en route. Once there, travel around India has become so much easier over the years, bringing excellent hotels and vastly improved tourist services. The sensory overload this country provides can delight, confound and overwhelm the first timer, which is why a small group tour with an experienced host is a hassle-free way to go. But take an open mind, and allow time to get to know India PN and you will fall in love with the experience. F

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PONSONBY NEWS READERS ARE EVERYWHERE

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4 1. Mell Lee was photographed at Ssamzi-gil in Insadong, SOUTH KOREA. “It is a traditional street to both locals and foreigners and represents the culture of the past and the present,” she tells us.

2. & 3. Graeme Ross (BM Workshop, Grey Lynn) has just returned from a visit home to SCOTLAND. “Ponsonby News travelled with me to Stirling in Scotland and also to South Beach in Miami on my way back to NZ,” he tells us.

4. Tihema Bennett wrote, “This is a photo of me with a copy of Ponsonby News in Caracas, VENEZUELA.” 5. Anna Hoffmann is photographed with Ponsonby News at the Mahayana Buddhist temples in North Pramhanan, Central Java, INDONESIA.

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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.

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

70 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2014

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

ROSS THORBY: SEA FEVER

Buenos Aires Initially I thought you were going to be a washout.

We arrived in the early hours of dawn and then just as they cleared the ship, the skies opened and there fell a deluge that would have had Noah reaching for his tools.

Even though I had plans to walk around the city, one of the ship’s travel team took pity on me and offered me a seat on a ‘City Highlights’ tour. One look at the miserable, sad looking and already wet bunch on the bus made me think otherwise. So I took my umbrella and ventured out in the rain. What a city... even in the rain it shines.

Fashion, it would appear, is a high priority here. The streets were full of beautifully dressed Argentinians who, even sporting umbrellas and raincoats, managed to exude a chic and grace that would have done a Paris fashion cat-walk proud. The economy here may be suffering, but it is hard to tell from the activity on the streets.

I got some great photos of the presidential palace, you could just make it out through the driving rain; the main avenue, apparently the widest boulevard in the world, now a torrent of water sweeping away everything in its path as well as most of the other ‘highlights’ the said bus tour had offered to the now sodden passengers. I kept passing the suffering Cunarders stuck in the slowly moving traffic, now appearing even more bedraggled and miserable than before as they looked pathetically out of the misted windows. I, on foot however, moved easily from one site to another, albeit through sheets of rain and along footpaths wallowing in the beginnings of another great flood.

Talk about death imitating life. The tomb next to Eva Duarte’s family tomb is currently for sale. For the mere snip of USD$350,000 you can live for eternity right next door to Evita; that is, until you decide to sell up and move to a better position. It makes me wonder what happened to the previous occupants. Where did they go? Empty and all cleaned up, there is a For Sale sign and plot number in one of the windows, all but ‘staged’ with a fake coffin placed in amongst some furniture with the obligatory generic Object d’Art and a red shag pile on the floor. Real estate agents in Auckland would be salivating at the opportunity to sell this “Doer Upper”.

As I left the cemetery the sun came out and the city exploded in a profusion of traffic and workers, so I decided to walk back towards the ship through one of the city’s many fashion areas. Big mistake. I think if you hear that Argentina is now experiencing a reversal in her financial fortunes it’s all due to my now very sad and melted credit card.

At least I won’t be able to complain that I haven’t a thing to wear on board.

I had a pang in my heart as we departed in the early afternoon. Enviously I looked at the remaining ships in the harbour that would depart later than our own. Unfortunately one of my main aims had been to see some street tango, a wish left unfulfilled, but at least something to aim for on another visit. Don’t cry for me Argentina. When I have repaid the credit card debt you caused me... I’ll be back. (ROSS THORBY) F PN

I pushed on regardless of my wet shoes and failing wet weather protection. I hadn’t intended on visiting Ricoletta. The suburb where Eva Peron is now resting. Initially her remains had been displayed, kidnapped, hidden, stolen, forgotten, but now are finally interred here, after a turbulent afterlife fraught with as much scandal and tragedy as she had suffered in life.

Set in an expensive part of town, the many acres of tombs and memorials dedicated to the city’s elite, are a sight to behold. Huge streets and boulevards containing monuments built in every conceivable style and building material, jostling for position in a manner that is reminiscent of life outside. Of course, even here, there is a fashionable part of ‘town’, some ‘city’ blocks more grand than others and some areas that you don’t go into at night. Some families apparently ‘upgrade’ and move their ancestors out of one tomb and into another as their wealth allows, and other families have even been known to sell up and move into smaller premises as their fortunes dwindle.

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HELENE RAVLICH: NATURAL BEAUTY

Meet: PDH salon’s Peter Dutton Long before I’d met Peter Dutton, I’d heard whispers of his Centre Street, Freemans Bay salon and the happy clientele that loved its discreet location and laidback vibe. Leaving with fantastic hair was a given, it was the serenity that was the icing on the cake.

When I finally popped in to spend time with him it was the first thing that hit me as well - the spacious, warehouse style salon was like a breath of fresh air on a sticky Auckland day. British born Peter had recently returned from a whirlwind trip to Spain with L’Oréal and keen to share what sounded like an experience of a lifetime, but first - a little history. Peter began his hairdressing career at the age of 16 in the UK, after completing a week’s worth of work experience at a local salon when he was still at school. From there he was offered weekend work - one thing led to another and soon after he began full -time hairdressing. After he moved to New Zealand in 2001 he spent six years cutting in the Auckland area before opening his own salon, Peter Dutton Hairdressing - or PDH as it is known - in its current location in Freemans Bay. He says that the slightly out of the way location of his salon means that the business has grown slowly, but his legions of loyal fans are always coming back for more. “I’ve got a great team here as well,” he says, “everyone really believes in what we do and puts in that little bit of extra effort that makes such a difference.” Everyone has their own special area of focus, with Peter’s being “definitely cutting. I’ve got staff that can do fantastic hair ups and colour, but the thing that gives me the biggest buzz has always been cutting. I’ve been doing it for well over 20 years now and I never get bored of it.”

BODY MATTERS - AFFORDABLE AND EFFECTIVE MASSAGE THERAPY Body Matters are therapeutic and sports massage specialists. With competitive prices and unparalleled service quality, they are the go-to massage clinic in Ponsonby.

They believe that massage therapy is good medicine, not merely relaxation. Their team of highly trained and experienced therapists have in-depth knowledge of how our bodies work and move, allowing them to tailor each massage specifically for you.

As owner Anna Barton explains, “Therapeutic massage is an umbrella term that covers a wide range of modalities and techniques that release the soft tissue in your body. Our therapists will listen to your needs, and advise the best treatment options for you. This service doesn’t end when you leave the clinic, as we can also include a home care prescription and health advice to ensure you get the most out of your experience with Body Matters.”

“It’s our goal to help find the cause of pain or tension associated with dysfunction, imbalance, injury or disease, not just temporarily relieve it. We understand that there is more than just one factor affecting our tissues and state of mind including exercise, nutrition, breathing, hydration, stress levels, chemical imbalance, and illness and injury.

“With such busy and stressful life demands today, adding regular therapeutic massage into your regime is more than just a treat and you will be amazed at how it can improve the quality of your life in so many ways. “Our rates are very competitive and we offer a $10 discount with your first visit.” F PN BODY MATTERS, 1 Franklin Road, unit 4 (upstairs). T: 09 948 4300 www.bodymatters.co.nz

It was his styling as well as cutting skills that lead to his invitation to travel to Barcelona recently however, and he has been a key member of the L’Oréal New Zealand creative team for a few years. “Myself and (fellow salon owner) Michael Beel were asked to head the launch of L’Oréal Professionnel’s latest additions to their TECNI.ART range,” he explains, “and our trip to Barcelona was to visit the company’s brand new academy there - which is incredible - and launch the new collection to the world. There were fashion presentations, shoots and looks created around the launch, and the products we used were new additions as well as improvements on old formulas and familiar ones that are so good they have stayed the same.”

When we spoke he was all set to present his key creative looks and learnings at the L’Oréal Professionnel Colour Trophy Awards, and pretty fired up about playing a key role in the worldwide release of a collection of hair products that are set to take the industry by storm. “When I arrived in Barcelona I really realised the scale of the whole thing,” says Peter, “it really was the whole world represented and wanting to know all about it. The logistics of putting the thing together would have been terrifying, but doing workshops and talking hair with people from so many different countries was just fantastic.”

The L’Oréal Professionnel team was headed up by international session stylist Anthony Turner, whose work Peter has long admired. “The guy has worked with the likes of Prada and Gucci,” he says, “so to watch him in action was pretty cool. His confidence in his ability and the hair looks he was creating was incredible and pretty inspiring.”

Peter gets his buzz from working on the floor however, and admits “it just never gets boring. I love what I do and I’m pretty lucky that I get to do it every day.” That he does, PN and he does it so well. (HELENE RAVLICH) F www.pdh.co.nz

72 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2014

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

LIVING, THINKING + BEING

DON’T MISS THE MAY PONSONBY NEWS+ DEADLINE COPY DEADLINE: Sunday, 20 April PUBLISHED: Friday, 2 May

MAY SPECIAL FEATURES + A-Z CAFES & RESTAURANTS + MOTHER’S DAY (11 MAY) + RICHMOND ROAD

TO BOOK ADVERTISING: ask about our special positions!

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

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73

LANI LOPEZ: HEALTHY LIVING

Live on an antioxidant high MOTHER NATURE PROVIDES SOME POWER-PACKED SUPERFOODS AND HERBS AND spices that are high in antioxidants - compounds that act against oxidative damage by stabilising the free radicals and supporting the body’s natural strength and defences.

Freed radical damage leads to premature aging and degenerative disease. Plant -based foods provide a whopping 64 times more antioxidant levels that meat, fish, eggs and dairy.

Eating a variety of seasonal, organic fruits and vegetables will undoubtedly enrich your antioxidant quotient and help keep you fighting fit. However, by regularly boosting your antioxidant levels with some super-antioxidant foods you can help improve your cardiovascular function and circulation, energy levels, immunity and wellbeing, brain function, eye health and vision and help minimise muscle fatigue.

Red and purple berries including blackcurrants, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, elder berries, acai berries, goji berries and grapes are all rich in antioxidants called anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are produced by plants as a form of protection from herbivores and parasites as well as for defence from UV light. Interestingly blackcurrants grown in New Zealand contain the highest levels of anthocyanins due to the lack of ozone in this geographical region. Berries are versatile and delicious to add to smoothies, cereals, desserts or just as a healthy snack on their own. Additionally single berries or blends are available in supplement form as powders and capsules.

Sacha inchi and chia seeds are relative newcomers to our western superfood repertoire.

Both come from plants native to South America and are great sources of complete proteins, essential fatty acids and a range of vitamins and minerals. Sacha inchi and chia seeds can both be used in smoothies, cereals and desserts, and chia seeds, which swell up in liquids, can be added to juices to make a delicious and healthy energy drink.

More exciting news on the super-antioxidant front is the amazing health benefits provided by cacao. Cacao is raw chocolate - so still provides the phenylethylamine (PEA) and anandamide hit that keeps us reaching for the choccy bar, but without all the added unhealthy fats and sugar. PEA is a chemical that we make when we are feeling excited or fall in love. Anandamide is another ‘happy’ chemical that is found in our brain when we are feeling positive. Little wonder that the name cacao, or theobroma cacao beans, quite literally means ‘Food of the Gods’.

Superberry smoothie 1 cup of your choice of berries (fresh or frozen) 1 teaspoon of chia seeds 1 tablespoon of sacha inchi powder and/or 1 heaped teaspoon of cacao powder 1 tablespoon coconut oil (melted before adding) 1 cup of coconut milk or coconut water (or purified water) 1 cup organic unsweetened almond milk (or any other dairy or non-dairy milk) 1 banana (optional) Dash of natural vanilla extract (optional) Stevia, honey or another natural sweetener (optional) Handful of ice if the berries aren’t frozen - this makes the smoothie nice and thick.

Add all the ingredients to the blender and puree until smooth and creamy.

Cacao balls Ingredients 110 grams raw nuts - almonds, cashews, brazils or walnuts 110 grams pitted dates 45 grams coconut oil 35 grams desiccated coconut 30 grams raw organic cacao powder 1 tablespoon chia seeds Blend ingredients together, roll into bite sized balls and cover in desiccated coconut.

Nz’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. Go well. (Lani Lopez BHSc, Adv. Dip. Nat.) (LANI LOPEZ) F PN

74 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2014

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

MICHELLE OWEN: POSTURE TO PERFORMANCE

What is good posture?

As soon as I speak of posture people want to sit up straight.

Unfortunately this does not last more than a moment.

Poor posture is hitting our society like a plague.

This is leading to many conditions such as neck and back pain, headaches, poor breathing patterns, RSI, rotator cuff tears, hip replacement, hemorrhoids, varicose veins just to name a few. Good posture is the ability to sustain our body mass where it is evenly distributed and balanced in sitting, standing and movement. This is the optimal mechanical position of the spine and joints.

Our body works on a tensegrity model (tension integrity) just like the golden gate bridge - where equal tension should occur in opposing positions to keep our joints functioning well. This muscle balance has to occur around every joint.

I get asked a lot “why do we get poor posture”. It is hard to pinpoint exactly as we are all so different but I see it starting in children very young. We are not taught where our body should be in space. So we adopt poor patterns from our parents, teachers, and coaches, anyone around as we grow up. We sit at desks and carry heavy bags and play sports that are one way dominant, eg: tennis, golf, soccer etc!

So over the years of holding our bodies in these patterns we develop muscle imbalance, leading to niggles and pain in our bodies. When correcting posture we must look at the big picture, addressing all the muscular imbalance and the nervous system with new pathways and movement patterns - not just one joint ie: shoulder.

The longer we have been operating in a poor position the more stuck we can become - ‘a stitch in time saves nine’.

Training the postural system is very different work than what you will do at the local gym.

It is extremely important to start with a postural and orthopedic assessment to assess the body. This determines what specific exercise you will need to bring your body back to a strong, functional and integrated unit. If you don’t assess, you guess!

It is really important to know that when you have poor posture you will need an imbalanced program to create balance! You cannot expect to do even or balanced exercise and expect to change. This is something that I see everywhere I look.

Through an appropriate skilled exercise programme made up of stretch, mobility, stability and strength you can get better with age and enjoy life to come. This is the long-term approach of structural repair.

The more athletic you are the more important it is to have your body balanced and intrinsically (internal muscle system) strong. People imagine that just because you are fit for a sport that you will have good posture - this is not so and many of our athletes are in pain. An example of this is the faster you drive a car the more finely tuned it should be, you would not want the diff to be bent and the wheels wobbly.

Athletes often get more injuries that the sedentary just because they are moving their bodies so much more and because of the one sidedness of their particular sport. It is intrinsic postural stability and functional strength that is needed to keep athletes from reoccurring injury.

Our bodies are our vehicle for life, correcting imbalance now saves us a lot of trouble later. Don’t wait till you break. So many times I hear the story of a client who just bent over to pick something up and blew a disc in their back or some other injury. This is just a straw that broke the camel’s back and the body has been in poor position for PN a long time - correct your posture now - don’t wait till you break! (MICHELLE OWEN) F www.michelleowen.co.nz www.fitness-n-function.co.nz The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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HELENE RAVLICH: NATURAL BEAUTY

Local beauty: Lindi Kingi I first became aware of the Lindi Kingi jewellery brand a couple of years ago, when it was first stocked by Ponsonby Road super store Superette and fair flew out the door.

The beautiful handmade bead bracelets with quirky and cool charms were immediately addictive for those that love to layer and collect special and fun pieces, and they were the kind of gift that you knew would always be appreciated.

Fast forward to March and I’m sitting in the home workroom of THE Lindi Kingi, a tall, willowy beauty who absolutely epitomises her laidback, cool label. And amazingly, she’s sitting there chatting and simultaneously stringing sets of beads for a delivery to another local store, Storm, and is about as refreshingly ‘real’ as it gets.

She is also incredibly modest and quickly describes herself as shy, preferring anonymity over being recognised as the creator of what has become a very successful brand. She still loves to be as hands on as she can with each piece she creates, “but with a bigger demand I’ve taken on two girls to help as production assistants,” she says with a smile, and the brand is now distributed worldwide.

The collection that she has termed jewellery 'born of a love for the eclectic, the exotic and the precious' was born on Waiheke Island about five years ago, and began with just a few bracelets created for friends and family and sold in some small island stores.

She confesses to always having been “a little bit artistic”, but had a background in hospitality before raising her three daughters and never envisaged having a name as a designer, let alone one with such a quick rush of success.

“A friend of mine told me to take some of my bracelets into Superette when we moved over from Waiheke,” she says with a laugh, “and I really don’t think I knew what I was getting into! I didn’t really know the store and bowled up with a plastic Woolworths bag full of wooden bracelets, boardies and jandals on and thought, ‘I probably should have Googled this place first...’”

Superette owners Rickie and James were immediately in love with her product however, and decided to give it a go. “I credit them with so much of my success,” says Lindi honestly, “and the creation of the brand. I worked in bars and restaurants before I had my kids and never went to university, I knew nothing about the business at all. It just organically happened from there.”

The brand has grown to the point where she has created another label, the wonderfully named Queen of the Foxes. “It launched last year at New Zealand Fashion Week,” says Kingi, “and it’s so exciting because I get to design it and then have it made by someone else.” A mix of delicate chains and exquisite stones that have been sourced globally and crafted together to create a range of jewellery that is unashamedly feminine, sexy and exotic, it is full of perfect pieces and definite ‘must haves’.

It was originally inspired by a trip Lindi made to the Orient, with the understated glamour of bohemian luxe thrown in to great effect. The upcoming winter collection includes coin detailing and looks and feels incredibly luxe, with Kingi saying that she likes to call it the “Italian widow look, really detailed and beautiful.”

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She confesses to wearing a lot of black, grey and blue tones herself, “and I think a lot of New Zealand women are like that so jewellery is the perfect way to bring a little colour and exoticism to your style. My neon collection from a couple of years ago was one of my most successful, and I totally didn’t expect that!”

She is now stocked in over 60 stores in New Zealand as well as online and instore internationally, and also has a collection called Lindi Kingi Deluxe in collaboration with the New Zealand Mint. “I still get such a buzz out of seeing people wearing my pieces though,” says the modest designer, “I really do love all of my customers. Designing in New Zealand is just so awesome as you get quite a bit of freedom and can create real relationships with the people that stock and love your brand. I heard Teresa Gattung speak recently about the ‘currency of authenticity’ and it really resonated with me. I still tag and charm every bracelet that is sent to stores and I love that, and hope I always PN will.” (HELENE RAVLICH) F

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SHEENA SHUVANI STARDUST ASTROLOGY

♈

ARIES (March 21 - APRIL 20) Element of fire. Symbol: The Ram Quality: Cardinal (= activity)

Planetary Ruler Mars Character Liberated, independent, self-reliant, self-motivated, naturally innovative, a restless, cheerful, confident leader, friendly, guileless, enthusiastic, loyal, impulsive, egotistical, direct, assertive, pro-active, over-reactive, fire brand, hot tempered (but although you flare you don’t hold a grudge) and idealistic but underneath it all can be calm and wise.

I could go on about you forever and you’d love that because Aries eats up attention, adoration, encouragement and applause and if it’s not about you, centre stage, you get bored and move on without a backward glance.

Career Aries you are the ultimate free agent and with your pioneering spirit you love a challenge, a target, a deadline, a mission. You are brilliant in drumming up business and stunning as a broadcaster and can sell anything to everyone! You love games and sports and excel at sports commentary, radio announcing and being centre stage in acting and movies, or in a rock ‘n roll band you’d have to be the lead singer and revel in the loud adulation of the fans! You’d make a great celebrity, famous for being famous. In business you’d have to be the boss, a control freak who’s always right roaring, “Do it my way!” and surrounded by yes-men. If you’re not the boss then of course you’re completely anti-authoritarian and a law unto yourself. Self-employed you are motivated and energetic. You’d be a terrific stuntperson (but slightly accident prone). A great showman, broadcaster, TV commentator, dazzling trapeze artist, self-employed taxi driver, superdooper salesperson, ringmaster in the circus! In real estate you’d make loads of commission because you can talk anyone into submission and won’t take no for an answer. “Make it happen now!” is your motto.

Love and Sexuality Aries you love the chase! You are the impetuous pursuer. Aries idea of courtship - notice them, track them down, buttonhole them, then back them into a corner and rant about yourself winningly. Tell them how amazing you are, show them how gorgeous you are, and if they are adoring enough and give you all their attention, always agree with you then it’ll be romantically thrilling for them to be with you! If someone plays hard to get, ardent Aries loves the challenge. Biggest turn-on for Aries is obedience. Famously Carly Simon composed this song for Arien movie actor Warren Beatty “You’re so vain, you probably think this song is about you.”

Helpful Advice Try not to lose interest because you didn’t get enough praise and complete the project anyway.

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!

Favoured Precious Stone(s) Diamonds, amethyst, topaz.

Favoured Metal(s) Steel, iron, gold.

Favoured Colour(s) Carmine, red, crimson, scarlet (SHEENA SHUVANI) F PN

BIRD OF THE MONTH I was pleasantly surprised when I read Mike Lee’s article last month in the Ponsonby News.

Our councillor wrote of the tragedy and poor action that has befallen the long thought extinct South Island Kokako (a tale I have followed closely myself). I was heartened to hear a politician speaking candidly of some of the poor decision making that can be attributed to conservation in New Zealand. While this is, thankfully, not a common story these days, there are numerous species that are still critically endangered and at risk of extinction that suffer from major setbacks due to poor political decisions. These decisions include habitat destruction for roading, subdivisions and agriculture.

So I decided that this month I would discuss a bird that last year received huge support and recognition from the nation. In many ways Mike Lee’s article highlights the importance of volunteer work and non-governmental activities in protecting our endangered species. Every year Forest & Bird holds their Bird of the Year competition and the 2013 winner was the yellowhead or mohua.

They are a sparrow sized song bird found in the forests of the South Island and Stewart Island. They were once widespread and conspicuous but in recent years have become endangered and rarely seen. They have a yellow head as the name suggests, but are not to be mistaken for the much more commonly seen (and non-native) yellowhammer. The yellowhead rarely leaves the forest, and the yellowhammer rarely enters it.

Their call is a characteristic machine-gun like chatter, while males often sing musically, but this varies from location to location. While not critically endangered (roughly 5000 remain) they are scattered across numerous islands and isolated patches of mainland.

They remain common on the offshore islands they have been translocated to, and their populations thrive with effective pest control in place.

Despite the overwhelming damage that mammalian predators do to mohua populations in recent years they face a new threat - climate change. This new threat has caused a spike in awareness for the yellowhead as well as a desire to see them protected.

Because of the warmer summers that New Zealand has been experiencing it is more likely that the beech trees that are home to mohua will mast.

A “beech mast” is another way of referring to a bumper seed year - due to intensive flowering across beech forests. This increase in seeds causes rodent numbers to increase exponentially - some females can have up to eight children, regularly during this season. As the seeds run out, the rodents (and stoats who feed on the rodents) eventually turn to the native birds that live in the forests. As well as the yellowhead, two species of kiwi, parakeet, kea, wren and the blue duck are at risk.

The yellowhead received huge support for its bid to become bird of the year, which will also aid in halting developments through the mainland forests they reside in. The Department of Conservation is planning a major pest control campaign in 2014 to protect those vulnerable species from the after effects of a beech mast. This story of the yellowhead is a great tale of the general public standing up and supporting one of our species. It’s a good start, there are many more which need equal awareness and PN help. (FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT) F

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HELENE RAVLICH: NATURAL BEAUTY

Meeting Room Nine’s Amelia Story ROOM NINE’S AMELIA STORY CALLS HERSELF A “PROGRESSIVE SKIN SPECIALIST”, AND her approach to keeping skin looking its best is one of the most enthusiastic I’ve ever come across. This woman truly lights up when she talks about skincare and its possibilities to transform and heal, and her current area of specification demonstrates her warmth and compassion beyond belief.

That area is caring for the skin of women preparing for, going through or recovering from a cancer battle, and as a cancer survivor myself I find her passion and commitment so inspiring. She recently began following the work of Mórag Currin, the author of “Oncology Esthetics: A Practitioner’s Guide” and veteran of 17 years of aesthetic, product development and training experience. She has been educating aestheticians on clinical Oncology Esthetics throughout North America since 2008, and is a sought-after speaker, both nationally and internationally.

Westmere resident Amelia Story, owner of Room Nine

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Oncology Esthetics focuses on the individual who needs a gentle, safe, light touch and approach to skin care treatments that assists in easing the discomfort that the body - including the skin - endures due to cancer therapy. Health challenges, medications and the side effects of cancer therapy as well as our environment can cause irritation, dryness, and fragility of the skin, and it’s all about bespoke treatments to help soothe, hydrate, balance and calm the skin. Balanced happy skin, deep relaxation, tension and stress that melts away... a much-needed escape at a much-needed time during an individual's journey and recovery.

Amelia was hoping to organise a trip for Mórag to New Zealand to train therapists here in her way, but that isn’t looking like happening so she herself will be travelling to Australia to attend a course there. “It will involve a lot of work as it’s targeted almost at a nurse’s level as opposed to a therapist’s,” says the petite blonde, “and there will be a lot to take in. I’ll be getting a lot of theory to go through ahead of the trip though, so I’ll be ready!”

Her interest came about after seeing clients battling cancer, and wanting to know more about the way to treat their skin - and their spirit - with knowledge and compassion.

“In the last three years I’ve see five clients go through cancer,” she says, “and I saw how important it was to keep them feeling comfortable and good about themselves.

Because I really specialise in skin I wanted to make that type of treatment a real part of what I do.”

It also led to her changing her skincare option to Osmosis, “because it really gives me the support I need when dealing with skin going through all manner of changes. It is great for anti-ageing and keeping your skin looking its best, but is also brilliant for customising and supporting troubled skin.” After 12 years experience in the beauty industry in New Zealand and internationally she’s tried a lot of brands, but in her Grey Lynn clinic she can’t get enough of what the US-based skincare range has to offer.

One of my personal favourite skin saviours is a regular Osmosis Facial Infusion - which along with their amazing at home regime has totally transformed my skin. It’s one of Amelia’s most popular treatments, and has seen her take a whole new approach to ageing solutions for the skin. The Osmosis Facial Infusion has been called a “revolutionary facial treatment” by both professional therapists and the press, and it will most definitely have you rethinking the peel and its place in your skin’s life.

Vitamin A is the best anti-aging ingredient currently known for the skin, and the US brand has become renowned for harnessing the properties of the most active, least irritating form: Retinaldehyde. The Osmosis Facial Infusion has 2.0 per cent Retinaldehyde present (the highest amount available anywhere in the world) and is the only non-acid peel that will infuse the dermis with fibroblast stimulators, immune boosters, antioxidants, pigment lighteners, and calming anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial ingredients. It rejuvenates the skin by increasing collagen production, fighting free radical damage, scavenging scar tissue and helping reduce hyperpigmentation, whilst your natural cellular turnover is also gradually increased - amazing.

Skin thickens and becomes stronger and healthier - as opposed to thinning - with age, and the intense collagen and elastin stimulation that it delivers into your skin continues for a full 30 days... That means just one infusion per month results in some very impressive cumulative results! They are also tailored to your skin's particular concerns at any given time, so no treatment is ever the same. I have sworn off the likes of microdermabrasion, peels and lasers for life and Amelia is the same, saying “I just treat the skin so differently now and my clients trust what I’m doing. I’m all about transformation - in all areas.”

PN (HELENE RAVLICH) F www.roomnine.co.nz

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING GOODBYE TO LOVELY JULES AT SH’OOSH Brett Martin and the team at Sh’oosh Hairdressing would like to acknowledge the amazing achievements of Julieann Gascoigne.

Many of you will know Jules as the vibrant, outgoing, life of the party who 10 years ago set up Sh’oosh Hairdressing in the Summerfield Villas on Richmond Road. During that time she built a strong, successful business that drew in clients from as far as Howick, Warkworth and even the Hawkes Bay.

FACEBOOK TRIBUTES FOR JULIE @ SH'OOSH

She was a great example to all who want to start up a small business. She worked tirelessly to build her unique brand, but always made time to have fun and party. Having been diagnosed with a small melanoma on her foot at the end of 2012, Jules embarked on a new and challenging journey to beat the cancer.

John Elliott; I feel so sad Jules has gone. Agreed she was a lovely person. I often called in and chatted as I knew she was sick. I never knew she was close to the end.

What a huge shock. Love to Harriet, who was at school with Finn. Go well darling girl, we'll miss you a lot.

Last July the cancer spread to her lymph nodes so Jules asked an industry friend, Brett Martin if he would take over Sh’oosh. What he discovered when he took over was truly unique. Jules’ passion for her clients and the Grey Lynn community was hugely inspiring and creating a warm, friendly and non-threatening environment was something she achieved effortlessly. Along with Debbie de Ruiter, the salon manager who had worked with Jules for three years, Brett took on the challenge to evoke a similar passion and energy in the salon.

Kate Woodruffe; What a shock. We met Jules as a friend of a friend camping with our group at Splore two years ago. We had a blast, as those who knew her well can no doubt imagine. She was such a warm, delightful person. Our condolences to Jules' family and loved ones.

Sadly Jules lost her battle to cancer on 19 March this year. She has left behind a wonderful legacy and all the team at Sh’oosh would like to send their condolences to Jules’ family and would like to acknowledge what a wonderful industry leader she was. F PN

Skin Institute New Zealand; As a Ponsonby Three Lamps local for many years, please know that all of our clinics offer a free check if you have a skin lesion of concern.

Please do call us on 0800 SkinDr, for a free spot check, or see the Melanoma Foundation of New Zealand for information.

Angela Redfern; What sad news. Jules was a wonderful customer at Ripe and I enjoyed many business chats with her myself over the years - My thoughts to her family and colleagues - much love Ange.

Mike Rippin; What a sad loss... RIP Jules.

Leigh Cole; I'm going to miss the joy that this treasure brought into my life. Ponsonby's loss, heaven’s gain.

Michelle Buchanan; Oh no... that is so terribly sad.

Sunde Fine Art; With deepest sympathy to Jules' family and friends.

GUYS MAKING AN EFFORT TO LOOK AND FEEL GOOD! Dave McIntosh, co-owner of Bare Waxing and Skin Centres with Vivianne McIntosh, tells us about his wedding preparation from the male perspective.

My name is Dave and I wax. There it is. I’m out. In February Vivianne and I shared the best day of our lives when we were married in front of friends and family at a stunning property at Ti Point.

It doesn’t. Really. My best man took the plunge for the first time (nose and ears that is) and sure enough, he came out saying “that didn’t hurt a bit?” So come on guys, get with the programme. Even my builder does it now. No names mentioned.

Now most of you will be used to hearing all about how the girls get ready for these events; you know what I mean... the hair, the make-up, spray tans, nails, dresses, shoes... the list is as long as the budget (or longer).

Facial - Now I’ll let you in on a little secret. I’ve had more facials at Bare than Vivianne (don’t tell her though). In the madness that is the week before the big day I can guarantee a good facial is a must-have. Not only will your skin look and feel great, it’s 30 minutes to an hour of complete relaxation, no phone, no emails, no calls, ahhhhh.

This time I thought I’d give you the blokes side of the story. And make no mistake, my party were blokes. That said, being with Bare means my eyes have been opened somewhat to male grooming so here’s what the boys did for our game-day preparation.

Waxing - Obviously this depends on your individual needs but generally upper back and shoulders are a no brainer; for the more hirsute you may go chest and stomach as well.

I also include nose and ears in my regular grooming so get that sorted as well. Now, for whatever reason, guys always think this is going to hurt like crazy but here’s the rub.

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So there it is guys, making an effort to look and feel good shouldn’t be something we PN need to hide from anymore. F BARE WAXING & SKIN CENTRES, 41 Crummer Road T: 09 360 0939 www.barewaxing.co.nz

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JOHN APPLETON: ON HEALTH

If we don’t know the cause how can we cure it?

Around the world every year countless millions of dollars are spent in the quest to find a cure for cancer.

It makes sense to me that if ‘we’ are truly searching for a cure for anything we must address the cause/causes.

If a house fire is caused by faulty wiring it would make little sense to invest in more effective fire extinguishers.

Better to avoid the fire in the first place by looking into the wiring issues.

Recently I read a very interesting newsletter by high profile American Neurosurgeon Russell Blaylock MD “The Real Cause of Deadly Cancers”. Dr Blaylock starts out by making the point that for a long time ‘we’ have assumed that cancer was a genetic disease with damage to DNA being inherited. Recently though he says, researchers have discovered a common link between all cancers - inflammation. I have talked about the link between chronic inflammation and disease in previous articles.

According to Dr Blaylock some 12 years ago an article in a prestigious cancer journal compared a group of cancer patients to people who did not develop cancer. This was over a period of 20 years and what the researchers discovered was that people who were diagnosed with cancer had most often suffered from an inflammatory disease or a chronic infection that had preceded the manifestation of the cancer by more than 10 years.

Researchers are saying that inflammation is the stimulus for conversion of normal cells to cancer cells and for the worsening of the prognosis for existing cancers.

If this is so why does inflammation have this effect and what could we do about it?

Dr Blaylock says that the answer lies in a relatively new field of science known as cell signalling. When we are injured, say with a cut, the tissues adjacent to the cut become inflamed (redness). White blood cells are sent in and they release ‘factors’ that tell the cells to start growing and to grow fast. The same signals tell new cells to invade the injury and unfortunately these inflammatory signals tell cancer cells to grow and invade surrounding tissue. Until quite recently says Dr Blaylock it was thought that any cell could become a cancer cell but it appears that this theory was wrong. He says in fact most cells are quite resistant to becoming cancerous.

Back in the early part of last century a Dr John Beard proposed a new theory of cancer called the trophoblastic

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theory which was based on the observation that cancer behaves in a similar way to the embryonic trophoblastic cells that nourish the embryo during pregnancy.

Dr Beard suggested that these primitive cells can be found throughout the body. They would remain dormant until activated at which time they could transform into various forms of cancer.

Dr Beard’s theory was all but ignored until recently, but now new research is going down the same path and Dr Beard’s ‘trophoblasts’ are now known as ‘stem’ cells. The current thinking is that stem cells are found in all tissues and organs even in the brain. They remain dormant until they get the signal to go into action to form a new liver cell a lung cell or an ear cell. This is a repair role, but when the DNA of stem cells gets damaged (environmental toxins, diet and lifestyle choices can generate high levels of free radicals which are known to cause such damage) they can transform into cancerous stem cells.

In his newsletter Dr Blaylock says ‘keep in mind that inflammation generates intense storms of free radicals and that’s why chronic inflammation is linked with a high risk of cancer’.

Dr Blaylock likens cancer stem cells to a ‘bubble blower’ with the film of soap on the ‘ring’ being the stem cell and the steady stream of bubbles being the newly formed cancer cells. Prostate stem cells would produce prostate cancer and breast stem cells breast cancer. Dr Blaylock notes that the cells produced from cancer stem cells (bubbles) are more mature than the original cell and these more mature cells make up the bulk of a malignant tumour. He says that newer studies have shown that cancer stem cells are highly resistant to treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy.

If a cancer stem cell is not killed or removed this explains why there are so many cancers not cured by chemotherapy and why the cancer can recur even years later. This could be why chemotherapeutic agents cause dramatic tumour regression but the cancer returns often more aggressively than before.

Institutes of Health and conducted at Harvard University and University of Massachusetts.

Michelle Markstein, a molecular biologist from UMA and co-author of the new study said - “We discovered that several chemotherapeutics that stop fast growing tumours have the opposite effect on stem cells in the same animal, causing them to divide rapidly.

This was a surprise, because it showed that the same drug could have opposite actions on cells in the same animal: suppressing tumour growth on one cell population while initiating growth in another. Taking these drugs can cause the over-proliferation of stem cells, which, given the right environment and genetic background, could eventually turn malignant.”

Related research published prior to this latest study arrived at similar conclusions. The chemotherapy drug doxorubicin was determined in both mice and fly models to induce stem cell overgrowth, specifically by activating certain genetic pathways that resulted in a severe inflammatory response. The end result of this inflammation, in many cases, was cancer.

So what can we do to help ourselves? In a nutshell we need to embrace an anti-inflammatory lifestyle (remember this will help with arthritis too) by substantially reducing consumption of sugar and refined carbs and consumption of pro-inflammatory vegetable oils while at the same time increasing intake of high quality Omega 3 (e.g. fish oil). The diet overall must be plant based.

We must also set out to very significantly reduce our exposure to environmental toxins - pesticides, fungicides and herbicides. Curcumin is nature’s most powerful natural anti-inflammatory and I take this every day www.curcumin.co.nz The amazing thing is that this approach can improve health in every way. Prevention is the cure for everything.

It’s never too late to learn. (JOHN APPLETON) F PN APPLETON ASSOCIATES, T: 09 489 9362 john@johnappleton.co.nz www.johnappleton.co.nz

Soon after reading Dr Blaylock’s newsletter I followed up by reading the findings of a study funded by US National

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CARING UP CLOSEPROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL

DR VIRGINIA JIN GRADUATED FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACY, ZHEJIANG University, China. She used to work at the Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences and has been in New Zealand since 2004, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in acupuncture and is currently a member of the New Zealand Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Society.

What do you love about your job?

I feel delighted to be acknowledged by my patients. I have always believed that acupuncture is the most natural therapy to address patients’ suffering and solve all kinds of pain, such as back pain, neck and shoulder pain, and sciatica as well as gynaecological dysmenorrhea and other internal diseases.

How do you differ from other acupuncturists?

Our clinic centre has three treatment rooms in an elegant and comfortable environment.

The team of three have professional qualifications and are New Zealand registered acupuncturists. Our clinic advocates ‘patients first’ and adopts an amiable service attitude, as well as the aim of adding skills and effective treatment technology to the inheritance, innovation and development of Chinese acupuncture.

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

Acupuncture and Oriental medicine are thriving. What I can do to keep studying and researching regarding traditional Chinese medicine: treat patients' symptoms using a variety of tools including needles, cups and electrical currents, etc; provide personalised treatment by developing a plan for each patient; stay in accordance with all laws and statutes of acupuncture; keep patient records; diagnose ailments according to Oriental medicine traditions; promote an alternative medicine philosophy; make health and wellness recommendations. I believe that the simplest things can bring me great rewards.

Tell us about a standout 'case'...

Using acupuncture to treat toothache: needles will get a good result, but there is a difference between upper toothache and lower toothache. Traditional Chinese medicine considers upper toothache related to the intestine, lower toothache related to the stomach, so different acupuncture points are used. Recently a patient had upper toothache. They had taken some painkillers, which eased the toothache a little, but the next day the toothache recurred, and it also caused a headache. Because the patient had upper toothache (intestine), I chose acupuncture points around the LI meridian, plus around the liver meridian point. After one treatment with needles, the pain had decreased; the second treatment saw the pain cleared - the patient no longer required any painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs.

What do you do to care for yourself?

I drink lots of water, especially warm water. If I get a sore throat, I put some salt in the water and drink it. Also because of the cold you can get sick, so I boil ginger and red sugar soup... the spice of ginger will make you sweat or even better: drink the ginger and red sugar soup while having a foot spa. Having a good sleep is very important too.

Daily meals are very important - keep it fresh, do not eat any junk food.

What's your advice to people seeking acupuncture?

There is no age limit for treatment. Babies and children may be treated by acupuncture, massage (Tuina), or by stimulation of points using an acupuncture laser... A typical treatment usually includes acupuncture needles. Generally, between two and ten needles (sometimes more) are inserted for each treatments depending on the nature of the condition being treated. The following may also be used: moxibustion(warming of the acupuncture point with moxa, a Chinese herb called artemisia vulgaris), electro -stimulation of the acupuncture needles, cups, pricking, or laser stimulation of the points.

VG’S ACUPUNCTURE, Level 1, 117a Ponsonby Road, T: 09 963 8180 www.vgacupuncture.co.nz

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING

BODYNEED SPORTS CLINIC

Celebrating the opening of their new premises at 17 Maidstone Street - Friday 21 March

Above: DC Hammer and Bodyneed owner Karen Finlayson Above left: The Bodyneed team (back) Joanna Scarlett, Eva Hueber, Noomi Johnsson, Karen Finlayson. (Front) Jennifer Dodds, Rachel Pirie and Shelley Bickerton.

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CLARE CALDWELL: THE ART OF LIVING

Nature’s blueprint is the one we should be following When will we learn from the ubiquitous lessons throughout history that a behavioural blueprint from our past doesn’t work?

I’m referring to the prospect that global industrial civilisation could collapse in coming decades due to unsustainable resource exploitation and increasingly unequal wealth distribution.

In a recent article in The Guardian by Dr Nafeez Ahmed, executive director of the Institute for Policy Research & Development, and author of “A User’s Guide to the Crisis of Civilisation: And How to Save It” he states: “The process of rise-and-collapse is actually a recurrent cycle found throughout history... Cases of precipitous collapse - often lasting centuries - have been quite common.”... “The fall of the Roman, Han and Mayan Empires as well as so many advanced Mesopotamian Empires, are all testimony to the fact that advanced, sophisticated, complex and creative civilisations can be both fragile and impermanent.”

A new research project in this area, sponsored by NASA and based on a new cross -disciplinary Human and Nature Dynamic (HANDY) model, led by applied mathematician Safa Motesharri of the US National Science Foundation-supported National Socio -Environment Synthesis Centre, in association with a team of natural and social scientists, is not to be taken lightly!

The main salient and interrelated risk factors under scrutiny are population, climate, water, agriculture and energy. All these factors can lead to civilisation collapse when convergence of two crucial social features occurs: the “economic stratification of society into elites (rich) and the masses (poor)” and the “stretching of resources due to the strain placed on the ecological carrying capacity.”

High levels of economic stratification are linked directly to overconsumption, exploitation and control of resources by an elite with their insatiable greed for more

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-more-more. “The masses, while producing the wealth, are only allocated a small portion of it by elites, usually at or just above subsistence levels.” This NASA funded HANDY model offers a highly credible wake-up call to governments, corporations and businesses - and consumers - to recognise that “business as usual” cannot be sustained, and that policy and structural changes are required immediately.

These elite wealth monopolies appear to be protected from or “oblivious to the catastrophic trajectory” as they continue business as usual without any thought for the future, and along with their supporters oppose any structural changes, labelling such statements as fringe or fearmongering, because they’ve the privilege of being the last to be affected.

Nature’s blueprint is the one we should be following - that everything is interconnected and ultimately interdependent for survival of the whole.

Until parts of human society learn to become less fearful, aggressive and greedy, this delusion of “control” will be perpetuated - maybe until it’s too late for us all.

“The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world” - Planting Peace.(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

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

PONSONBY PEOPLE + THEIR PETS

PAWS FOR THOUGHT Ponsonby News readers are animal lovers and Grey Lynn-based television station Face Television is aiming to bring a series about animals to television screens throughout New Zealand in 2014.

The first series of Paws for Thought screened on Sky Channel 83 in 2013. Presented by barrister and local resident, Catriona MacLennan, the 13 programmes covered issues such as banning cosmetic testing on animals, bee keeping in the city to help preserve collapsing bee populations, planting and cultivating a butterfly garden, animal cruelty, and helping animals in the South Pacific.

As 2014 is election year, Catriona and Face Television are keen to make a new series of the programme to ensure that animal issues are to the forefront of politicians’ minds in the run-up to the 20 September poll.

Catriona says that there are many issues she would like to cover in the 2014 series.

“A lot of animal cruelty occurs because people caring for animals don’t know how to look after them properly. They might not intend to abuse the animals but, because they are not educated about their needs, they end up mistreating them.

“I’d like in this year’s series to provide people with basic information about how to care for companion animals. I also want to interview some of the wonderful people who have set up animal sanctuaries on the outskirts of Auckland to care for mistreated animals.

Visiting the sanctuaries and seeing the healthy and happy animals is truly inspiring.”

Catriona wants to use the series to push for law changes to provide better protection to animals in New Zealand. The Animal Welfare Act 1999 was reviewed last year and an Animal Welfare Amendment Bill will be debated in Parliament in 2014.

Catriona says that the changes proposed by the Government do not go nearly far enough to provide proper legal protection to animals. For example, the use of electric shock collars on dogs is at present completely unregulated in New Zealand.

Shock collars can be freely bought online and in shops and there is no requirement for people using them to have any training. Research both overseas and in New Zealand shows that the use of shock collars is extremely harmful to dogs and causes long-term damage. Catriona would like to see the sale, possession and use of shock collars in New Zealand banned by law.

New Zealanders were upset last year to find that party pills were to be tested on dogs.

A public outcry caught the Government by surprise, but at the moment there is no ban on testing party pills on dogs. Catriona says that pressure needs to be kept on politicians to ensure that dogs don’t have to die so that humans can get high.

The changes planned to animal laws will also do nothing to end the cruelty of factory farming in New Zealand, which sees millions of pigs and hens confined to tiny cages throughout their lives.

Last year, Paws for Thought interviewed chicken expert Associate Professor Annie Potts and internationally-renowned author Jeffrey Masson about the intelligence of hens and pigs. This year’s series will also examine how farm cruelty can be reduced.

The last issue of Ponsonby News had a long interview with American Dr Will Tuttle, who is the author of The World Peace Diet. Catriona interviewed Will while he was in Auckland and that interview will be included in the 2014 series of Paws for Thought.

The 2013 series of Paws for Thought was kindly sponsored by the New Zealand Companion Animal Council Inc. Funding is needed to make a new series of Paws for Thought in 2014. If you or your business wants to sponsor or contribute to the programme, please contact producer PN Deb Faith at Face Television. deb@facetv.co.nz F

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DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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PONSONBY PEOPLE + THEIR PETS

CHRIS AND KELLIE TAYLOR Chris and Kellie Taylor are the owners of local fashion business 'moochi', based on College Hill.

They have eight stores and still make most of their clothes in Auckland. The couple and their children live on Clifton Road in a property that was called 'The Marble House', for the way it has been clad. “We try to walk our dogs most mornings after the two kids catch the bus to Kristin [school],” says Kellie.

The family’s two miniature schnauzers are called Frank (3) and Bowie (2). They’ve had each of the dogs since they were seven weeks old - both found through Trade Me searches. Kellie confesses that they chose the breed for its grey marle-like colours! “If we were being honest, given that there are a few lovely family dogs... We thought they would look fab walking around our place! We also chose them for their size and because they don't shed.”

Frank was named for three reasons: the breed is German and the Taylors felt Frank was a strong sounding German name (although not spelt as such). The house they live in is a unique property built mid last century, with details inspired by the architect Frank Lloyd Wright. “So that's two,” says Kellie, “and the third was that Frank Sinatra was a famous bloke from the same period... you see, all roads lead us to Frank!” Bowie narrowly escaped being named Steve by Kellie and Chris’ son Hudson. “We jumped on Bowie very quickly and needless to say, Hudson still holds this against us.”

The family’s favourite thing to do with Frank and Bowie is to walk the beach at Campbell's Bay or Onetangi - nothing makes the dogs happier than a good beach walk. The dogs also love a good cuddle and they sleep most nights on the childrens’ beds.

The dogs enjoy chasing the neighbours’ cats. Both dogs are only fed dry food, and are ‘in good nick’. They do get treated to a dried pigs ear or a dried venison stick to spice it up a bit!

Bowie is the scavenger of the pair. He is always out in the garden finding plants and muck to bring inside. He is quite taken by the figs falling off Chris and Kellie’s neighbour’s tree at the moment. A schnauzer grooming trick from the Taylors - use a good hair oil, to help with detangling. F PN

There are lots of mature cats at SPCA Auckland looking for great forever homes.

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

PONSONBY PEOPLE + THEIR PETS ASK ALEX

THREE GREAT REASONS TO ADOPT A MATURE CAT There are lots of mature cats at SPCA Auckland looking for great forever homes. But why should you adopt a mature cat rather than a kitten?

1. An adult cat can improve your health. Studies show that having a pet can be good for your heart and mind. People with pets tend to have lower blood pressure than those without, and playing with a pet can elevate your dopamine and serotonin levels (your brain’s happy chemicals). At the very least, having a cat to welcome you home can help lift your mood - and isn’t that alone worth adopting a beautiful cat?

2. You know what you’re getting. Mature cats have already gone through childhood (kitten-hood?). They’re already experts at grooming, they’re calmer and more appreciative of people than kittens, and they’re toilet trained.

Like people who grow up from their restless teens into a sensible adult, cats also mature into their true personalities after a time. If you’re looking for a feline that has a predictable nature, you can’t go past an adult cat. Don’t forget every cat (and kitten) from SPCA Auckland is vaccinated, de-sexed and micro-chipped.

3. Great for kids and older people. Because adult cats are calmer, more loving and less destructive than kittens, they’re a great low-maintenance pet for an older owner.

They’re less likely to get underfoot, and because mature moggies tend to be more appreciative of some home comforts, they make great companions too!

Have you got the perfect home for rescue cats? Come and meet the mature moggies at: PN SPCA Auckland, 50 Westney Road, Mangere www.spca.org.nz F

Each month Dr Alex Melrose answers readers’ pet related issues. email yours to: alex@vetcare.net.nz I am hoping to come and get one of the new GPS pet collars you guys talked about, and wanted to share with you the reason why. When I was nine, my family went on a four-day summer holiday and left Fluffy, the tabby, in the garage with her favourite blanket and plenty of food and water, and the door ajar several inches. We had done this several times before with no problems. When we returned from the long weekend Fluffy wasn’t there. We did all the usual things; notices posted around the neighbourhood, walking for hours on end, calling her name, putting out her favourite treats, but, alas, no luck.

Q:

We were certain she would be returned, as she had a collar and nametag. I was heartbroken. Several months went by, life moved on, but we still searched for Fluffy!

Then one day, one and a half YEARS later, we heard a scratching at the door, and there she was - Fluffy. She came back in the middle of winter, none the worse for wear, plump and happy, still wearing her collar and name tag. We couldn’t believe it. We took her to the vet the next day, and she was fit as could be - as someone had been looking after her.

This person, who had taken her in for 18 months, had finally got lazy and Fluffy escaped.

It was the best Christmas present ever. Cheers Dianne.

Hi Dianne, that is the coolest ending you could ever get, amazing how cats like Fluffy have such a great built in radar system to find their way home over long distances. I think that’s an excellent reason to want one of our new GPS pet collars. I would also suggest four days is a bit long to stay at home by herself, our cattery is a sumptuous and safe alternative, with guaranteed pampering. A microchip has also helped in many other lost pet scenarios, if they do lose their collar and people are trying to return them home. Our GPS units would have found her in a flash; they come up on your smartphone’s map, even on Google street view and are accurate down to a few metres! I think they will be especially useful for pets moving into a new home, or for wandering cats where you would like to see a map of their daily travels and know their territory. Come in and we will show you how to set it up and keep the happy endings coming. (DR ALEX MELROSE, BVSC MRCVS)

A:

VETCARE GREY LYNN, 408 Great North Road T: 09 361 3500 PN www.vetcare.net.nz F

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DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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BILLY HARRIS: KIDS IN THE COMMUNITY

Ben Gregory – just $49.99. Includes batteries.

Ben Gregory is so full on he should have his own Action Man doll. The doll does just about anything - specialising in surf life saving, football and skiing - and with long lasting batteries, it just goes and goes and goes.

See the Action Man doll kick butt in surf life saving. Ben is actively involved at the Piha Surf Lifesaving Club at South Piha. The season involves three weekly sessions of pool training, board training at Takapuna beach and surf beach training at Piha. The training has paid off, because at the under 14 surf life saving nationals at Mt Maunganui for both of the last two seasons, Ben has won silver in the team beach relay. And at the Piha club day, on 2 March this year, he came first in beach sprint and beach flags and second in the board race, the surf race and mens’ cross country for his age group.

This season, Ben and a number of his peers from the Piha club were privileged to receive board training from Olympian Steve Ferguson at Takapuna Beach. It was an experience with benefits far beyond the thrill of meeting a legend.

“Steve taught me how to pop,” said Ben. “A pop is what you use when you want to get over a broken wave. You pull yourself backwards, hold on to the back handles and quickly pull yourself forward so that the board doesn’t hit you in the face as you go over the wave. Before I met Steve I had a few boards hit me in the face, which isn’t something you want to repeat too many times, so I’m very grateful to Steve for teaching me how to pop!”

“He also taught me how to run fast while carrying the board. The trick is to hold the board downwards so that the wind doesn’t catch it like a sail. This sounds obvious but it isn’t so easy in practice.”

The Action Man doll comes complete with Western Springs football kit. Ben is in his third season at Springs, where he plays for the Galacticos in the under-12 premier division.

Last season he received the most improved player award for his team. Not surprisingly, Ben also plays summer soccer at the club.

Prior to returning to New Zealand in 2012, The 12 year old Kadimah College student from Pt Chevalier lived in Brisbane for six years where he played for the Komodo Dragons at South Side Eagles in Bulimba.

Kiwi kids may be interested to know that sports loving children in Australia have more to worry about than just the opposition. There’s the heat, for instance, which we all know can be debilitating. And then there’s the wildlife. Ben explains: “In Brisbane there were lots of bull ant nests on our home soccer ground. Bull ants can give you a nasty nip that goes on stinging for quite a while. Well, one of my biggest soccer supporters has always been my younger brother Oliver. Oliver had been adopted by my team as our mascot because he was always there, looking for a chance to retrieve the ball and kick it back to them. One Saturday, Oliver was standing on the sideline as usual, waiting for a chance to fetch a loose ball when he became quite agitated. He was about two and a half at the time. Dad checked him for bull ants, thinking that might have been the trouble. He found one, removed it and went back to watching the game. But Oliver still wasn’t happy, and became even more agitated. Not crying, but clearly uncomfortable, and he couldn’t keep still. So Dad decided to strip his clothes off and found eight bull ants and bites all over him from neck to bottom. Poor Oliver. I gained a new respect for my little brother that day! Such commitment to the team!”

See Action Ben ski like a maniac down the mountain. He’s skied since age six and his favourite field is Treble Cone in Wanaka, which he enjoys skiing with his sister Ella. His first ski coach was Catherine Jay. Ben says he will always remember standing at the top of the Gun Barrel run in the Treble Cone saddle for the first time. What advice does a coach give a student like Ben? “Just go for it,” she said.

So surf life saving, football, skiing... which one does Ben want to take to the top?

Athletics! Ben’s a member of the Pt Chevalier Athletics club, and though his jam-packed schedule has precluded him from attending any official track meets, he has a stunning personal best for the 400m of 57 seconds! He plans to start trimming that time down by spending more time at athletics next season and less at surf life saving, and has a goal even more impressive than his PB - to wear the silver fern in the 400m at the Olympics. At 166cm, Ben is the tallest at Kadimah, a state integrated special character Jewish school in Greys Ave that caters for children from new entrants to year 8. And with a low body fat percentage, natural speed, and competitive nature, Ben appears to have the tools to make a go of it. In the meantime, a winter of harrier training on top of his football will be a great way to build endurance.

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Even though the Action Man doll seems able to take any amount of punishment, the batteries occasionally need to be recharged. So in his downtime, Ben enjoys fishing, kayaking and bush walking with his family. And this Easter he’s looking forward to walking the Tongariro Crossing. Funny way to recharge the batteries. (BILLY HARRIS) F PN PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEW

FUTURE GENERATION HERNE BAY GIRL SINGS FOR 200,000

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. 25th anniversary edition, Walker Books.

Paperback $19.99, Board book $15.99.

Year 13 Kings College student Holly Greenwood had never had professional singing training before she sang for 200,000 people at last December's Christmas in the Park.

After 25 years, children worldwide are still hunting for bears! To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the classic chant-aloud picture book We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury, two special anniversary books have been published.

One, a special edition of the paperback and one an encased board book. For a quarter of a century now, readers have been swishy-swashying and splash-sploshing through this unforgettable family favourite. It has won multiple awards and been published in 20 languages. F PN

Holly won a More FM competition, which saw entrants recording and uploading videos of themselves performing, to be whittled down to five finalists.

DOROTHY BUTLER CHILDREN'S BOOKSHOP, 1 Jervois Road T: 09 376 7283 www.childrensbookshop.co.nz

Other performers had been working for months to prepare for Christmas in the Park, but as the competition ended close to performance date, Holly got her 'Mary's Boy Child' lyrics and timetable just three days before the show. She had a couple of days on set which she says were scary because Christmas in the Park is such a big show. Holly told Ponsonby News, "I had to perform at the 'matinee' the night before and at the run -through I COMPLETELY forgot my lyrics! It was pure stage fright."

Surprised as she was to make finalist with her last-minute entry, Holly set to work asking friends, family and teachers to vote for her online, as the winner was to be decided by public vote. "MORE FM called to tell me I had won when I was walking back from the gym," says Holly. “It was unexpected and live on air!"

On the night of the actual performance and dressed by Yvonne Bennetti, Holly got over her nerves. "With so many people just wanting to be entertained, I wanted to give it my best." The experience has inspired her to get more serious about her singing. "I have been given such an amazing opportunity! I have to develop on from that.” F PN www.facebook.com/FashionProJR www.twitter.com/JulsNZ

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DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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FUTURE GENERATION GUY CAPPER’S CLAYMATION CLASSES AT THE GREY LYNN COMMUNITY CENTRE The word claymation may be a new term to some of us, but to the young students at Guy Capper’s claymation classes at the Grey Lynn Community Centre it’s “just the best.”

Ask them about their classes with Guy and their eyes light up.

Guy Capper is one of this country’s top animators and has been involved with claymation since the age of 16. He started teaching claymation to youngsters and adults when he was 20. Currently he runs classes for 8 to 12-year-olds at the Grey Lynn Community Centre, Ponsonby’s Artstation and in Devonport. He will be running claymation workshops during the next school holidays at the Grey Lynn Community Centre, details of which are on his website. He also offers classes for adults.

Claymation is using stop motion animation to turn plasticine models into moving digital footage, complete with background and sound. It is perhaps best known through the British television series Wallace and Grommet. Students make a model from plasticine, onto which they put parts such as eyes and teeth and lips, made in advance by Guy to make the process easier.

The children learn to animate the characters against a green screen and then add sound and background. “The magic is the students being able to choose backgrounds to put behind their characters,” says Guy. The end result is digital animation against an individul background, with music and lipsynched sound. Students take home a video of their work.

Claymation is just part of Guy Capper’s wide repertoire. He is variously described as a claymation animator, writer, comedian, director, performer and voice artist. With his friend Jemaine Clement he created the short animated series Robert and Sheepy, which co-won the Nescafe short film competition in 2001. Episodes of this can be viewed on YouTube. Guy and Jemaine are presently working on new Robert and Sheepy episodes.

From the Robert and Sheepy winning series came an offer from the Land Transport Safety Authority to create an advertisement for them. The result was the Dave Likes Art hedgehog speed safety campaign for which Guy was animator, voice and co-animation director, along with his brother Tim Capper and Jemaine Clement and others. The four minute animation took 14 months to make and won several advertising awards.

Guy has also created many interactive comedy solo shows which have been performed in New York, Adelaide and Auckland. He enjoys making interactive comedy where he talks and sings with animated characters on a projector screen.

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Passing on his skills by teaching claymation, as well as cartooning, which he does with Mcleay Workshops, is an important part of Guy’s life. He enjoys his young students and they obviously enjoy being part of one of his groups. As one youngster said when asked what was good about claymation classes, “It’s really fun.” Another added “What’s good about it is that there is no wrong.” Guy is happy to talk with parents about claymation courses and school holiday workshops. (PHILIPPA TAIT) F PN M: 022 150 1726. www.claymation.co.nz

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FUTURE GENERATION CALLING ALL HEROES... REAL AND IMAGINED! The Barfoot & Thompson Young Authors Challenge entries are now open Now in its seventh year, the Barfoot & Thompson Young Authors Challenge is back and the call is out to primary and intermediate students across Auckland and Northland to let their imaginations run wild with stories about their heroes.

The writing competition provides the chance for budding writers to become published authors in a book to raise much-needed funds for patients at Starship Children’s Hospital.

“Last year we received over 900 entries and an overwhelming level of enthusiasm for the competition,” says Peter Thompson, Managing Director of Barfoot & Thompson.

“We can’t wait to see what amazing tales of heroism we will read about this year - the students consistently introduce us to some very interesting characters and we are thrilled to continue to encourage the celebration of imagination and storytelling.”

Winning students are helped along the journey to publication with the assistance of workshops hosted by renowned children’s author John Parker, and their stories will be brought to life through illustrations by rugby legend Keven Mealamu.

Tricks of the trade and helpful assistance will also be available at the new Young Authors Challenge website, designed to provide the young authors and their teachers with updates and extra resources as they begin their quest to celebrate heroes.

“We think that participants are heroes themselves, helping to make children’s time in Starship that bit easier with their imaginative stories and vibrant characters,” continued Peter.

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“Every cent raised from the sale of the storybooks goes towards the Starship Foundation, and to date the Young Authors Challenge has raised more than $120,000 for Starship. We also provide 15,000 books to children who stay overnight in Starship Children’s Hospital and the Whangarei Hospital Children’s Ward as part of our Magic of Reading programme.”

Last year’s compilation called Room 23 and Mysterious Miss P and Five More Fantastic Stories proved very popular, featuring stories by students from Pukekohe Intermediate School, Northcross Intermediate School, Glen Eden Intermediate School, Saint Kentigern Boys’ School, Ramarama School and Redoubt North Primary School.

Peter Thompson says that this year the judges are after a developed, original idea, that tells a story about heroes - be they everyday heroes, aspirational, or the ones who exist only in imagination. F PN Key information: • The Barfoot & Thompson Young Authors Challenge is open to all primary and intermediate students in Auckland and Northland.

• Individuals, groups and classes can enter a story of up to 600 words by Friday 30 May. • For more information, visit www.youngauthorschallenge.co.nz

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MEET THE TEACHER Felicity Gamby Bayfield School Currently teaching Year 1 - Modern Learning Environment nicknamed ‘The Hive’ How did you come to be a primary school teacher?

After school I thought I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. However I knew I did want to go to university, so I headed off to Auckland to study psychology.

I really did not know what university was all about and found it hard to sit with 200 people and focus on lectures, although the first papers were about child psychology in particular and that came into use later on. After one year, I decided I did not actually want to be the eighth psychologist in my family and the following year decided to become the third teacher instead - after some guidance and discussion with my mother and sister.

Where did you train?

Auckland University, Faculty of Education What brought you to Bayfield Primary?

I had heard a lot about the wonderful teaching staff at the school and the great learning opportunities and environment it provides, so when the job came up, I applied.

What are your favourite things about being a teacher?

Working with the children. They bring with them such a wealth of knowledge and experiences. They are fabulous little people and it is wonderful to nurture who they will become in life. Every day in teaching is different - every class, every year, and it’s a job that provides you with different challenges and ensures that you are constantly learning, growing and evolving.

WORLD-RANKING BILINGUAL EDUCATION HERE IN GREY LYNN 'PARLEZ-VOUS FRANCAIS?' THE FRENCH-SPEAKING COMMUNITY IN AUCKLAND CELEBRATED A HUGE MILESTONE recently. 20 years ago they formed an association called FRENZ and established a bilingual unit at Richmond Road School in Grey Lynn.

It was the first French/English bilingual unit of its kind in the world. Students are part of a multi-cultural school with three bilingual units: French, Maori and Samoan. All units teach the standard New Zealand curriculum; they just do it in two languages.

John McCaffery, an expert in bilingualism at the University of Auckland has been involved with the school from the outset. “The level of bilingual education they are providing is outstanding and it is amongst the top French/English bilingual units in the world.”

The unit ‘L’Archipel’, was recognised by the French government in 2012 as one of 30 schools worldwide to achieve its prestigious ‘LabelFrancEducation’ accreditation for schools “providing outstanding bilingual education in French and another language as part of their specific curriculum”. It is one of only three in Australasia to achieve this and the only school in New Zealand.

The aim of the FRENZ association and the parents has not changed in 20 years: to ensure an education for their children in their ‘heritage’ language of French as well as in English. More than that, they are keen to ensure that they will also benefit from being bilingual.

“All the latest research shows us that bilingual or multilingual children have many cognitive, academic, social and cultural advantages over their monolingual peers,” says PN McCaffery. F

Highlight of your teaching career?

Moving to Bayfield!

Low point of your teaching career?

Still to come…

How would your principal describe you?

Hmm, hopefully she would say hard working, diligent, committed.

How would other teachers describe you?

Early bird, I arrive far too early at work. Hopefully they would say organised as I try to keep on top of things. Creative, I love dance and I love getting the children involved in dance projects.

How would your students describe you?

They would probably say I am a little bit silly, hopefully they would also say fun and encouraging!

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

I already have such a wonderful modern learning environment, great co-teacher and beautiful students, I have everything I need! Oh - maybe I could use a whiteboard table or an interactive table. F PN Five tips for mums and dads of primary school kids 1. Experiences are so valuable - visit places and talk about them with your children.

2. Talk to your teacher. They care about your children and want them to succeed.

3. Homework - keep to what your teacher recommends in terms of time.

4. Get to know other families in the school. Have playdates.

5. Get involved in your child’s classroom in whatever way you can. Nothing is too small.

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

LOOK... WHO IS IN THE ZOO!

BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW With the imminent arrival of four Tasmanian devils to Auckland Zoo (one female and three males) here are a few reasons why Tasmanian devils are awesome and why Auckland is lucky to have them.

We admit that at first glance Tasmanian devils may not steal your heart, but let’s have another look and see if we can change your view.

Join the Tas Mania these holidays 18 April - 4 May There are daily encounters, lots of games, puzzles and activities. Kids get a free mask with an activity book to become an official Auckland Zoo Tas-Maniac.

Firstly, they need our help. Once widespread throughout Australia, devils are now only found in Tasmania. Listed as endangered, they are threatened with extinction due to the deadly Devil Facial Tumour Disease - a devastating disease that emerged in 1996 and still has no cure.

In response to the emergence of this disease and alarming population decline, a global zoos-based Save the Tasmanian Devil Programme has seen the Australian government and the Australasian Zoo Aquarium Association team up to deliver on managing a healthy insurance population to help secure a future for this unique carnivorous marsupial.

Devil in detail: • In April, one female and three male Tasmanian devils are moving to Auckland Zoo from Australia’s Healesville Zoo. • Tasmanian devils are the largest carnivorous marsupials in the world.

• They’re very smart, cheeky, social and mischievous. photography: Michelle Mudford

• Has a ritual of sneezing right before they fight.

• Named for the noises they make: the growl when looking for food, and the harsh screeching and screams when a group of devils feed on a carcass.

• Early settlers thought their scream sounded like ‘devils’ in the night.

• They have been described as ‘furry little vacuum cleaners’ as they eat dead and often sick animals, which helps prevent the spread of disease and plays a vital role in keeping the ecosystem healthy.

• When excited or distressed, blood flows to the ears and they begin to look bright red.

• Store fat in their tails so their bodies have something to draw on when food gets scarce.

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SNAPSHOT - TAKE THEIR PICTURE

Grab your camera and join one of Auckland Zoo’s new photography workshops. There are a range of workshops to suit different ages and skills, and plenty of subjects to photograph! For more information, go to www.aucklandzoo.co.nz or call PN T: 09 360 4700. F DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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SIDELINE WITH GEORGE BERRY

From one side to the other If you’ve just completed the Dual on Mototapu Island or the recent Round the Bays and you’re looking for your next challenge give the Coast to Coast a thought.

Over the past few months I’ve been involved in both the Coast to Coast and a 520 kilometre non-stop expedition race called Godzone, and if I’ve seen anything on my trips it’s been that people of all abilities and ages can compete in these types of events.

I know it’s a cliché but I can honestly say there are all sorts of people competing in these races and many of them aren’t there to win, but to set themselves a challenge and complete it.

And if Craig Cook, a team captain of an over sixties team that took (6 days, 14 hours and 30 minutes) to complete Godzone is anything to go by then the saying must be true “the race is without a doubt the hardest and most extreme event in the country and then throw in the sleep deprivation and the team aspect and it becomes very unique, but possibly the most fun and challenging yet satisfying race I could have ever done, I’m so glad we gave it a go.”

For sure scaling mountains in the South Island’s Southern Alps is a little different to a wee canter around the Waitemata Harbour, but everyone has to start somewhere.

And the good thing about the Coast to Coast is the way it can be broken down into small sections, completed with a team mate or two and when you do it for the first time you’re required to complete it over two days before being allowed to enter the longest day so you can set yourself the challenge that fits with what you’re after.

With the Coast to Coast having been taken on by new owners there’s bound to be a few more surprises, but ultimately from what they’ve said so far their desire is to insure the event becomes more accessible and easier to become involved in. The course may take a few more twists and turns over the next few years, but they're committed to insuring the challenging nature of the event stays the same.

People of all abilities who choose to challenge themselves can compete in the race in some of the most stunning scenery the country has to offer.

So if you’re still sitting there trying to conjure up your next experience or adventure give the coast to coast a second thought, challenge yourself and your mates and get PN your team together. I have put mine together for 2015 already! (GEORGE BERRY) F

A FEMINIST RUGBY FAN Grey Lynn resident, Dr Jennifer Curtin is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Studies at the University of Auckland.

Her current policy research lies in the areas of parental leave, domestic violence as well as analysing women’s political leadership in four Westminster countries including New Zealand. She is well aware that feminist literature has long described rugby as a violent patriarchal game that is oppressive to women in many ways. Dr Jennifer differs in that she is passionate about rugby and has been since she was a young girl.

Back in those early days she recalls getting up in the middle of the night to watch matches along with her father and brothers.

Her grandmother and aunts would be doing the same and they would all spend Saturday mornings watching her brothers play for Te Rapa against whatever team was drawn. Her grandfather was treasurer for the Waikato Rugby Union for a while and she’d watch him counting up the weekend grounds takings at the end of the day. There were quite a few clubs round Hamilton then and they were a big deal in the way they brought communities together. Naturally, when the Mooloos won, the whole family would dress up and be off to watch the parade. Criticism came later during the 1981 Springbok tour when rugby suddenly became politicised.

Jennifer departed New Zealand for a while and didn’t think too much about rugby till she went to Australia to do do her PhD and started following rugby league. This was before rugby union teams started to play in Canberra but when this happened she returned to her first enthusiasm. Jennifer realises many think the two countries’ cultures are very similar but she didn’t experience that and missed New Zealand too much. During this time the association with rugby helped her identify with all those things that are quintessentially New Zealand.

Back in July 2011 Jennifer took part in Auckland University’s winter lecture series that sidestepped the usual fare and were devoted to rugby. She explored women’s place in the game and her research revealed their long history of involvement in the sport. She interviewed women in their 60s and 70s who remembered that watching rugby was a social event and the clubs were embedded in the community. There were so many interviews with women who had supported clubs all their lives, trucked their kids to play in matches, and parents of girls who’ve played. During the lectures, when she came out as a rugby fan there was general astonishment but she believes there are many women out there who are also fans. These lectures inspired her to start writing a book on the subject but progress is slow because of her work commitments. Nevertheless she’s determined it will emerge one day!

Jennifer urges people to follow women’s rugby because the New Zealand Black Ferns National Squad is the best in the world. “They’ve won the last four world cups and are fantastic to watch. If you ask women why they play rugby, it’s the physicality, not the violence - a clean tackle or a good scrum, running 50 metres and diving for a corner. It’s about being able to exert their physical capacity to the fullest extent. For them, netball is too constraining.” Jennifer’s sons play for Ponsonby though her oldest is turning more to swimming. “Both were born in Australia but we knew we had to get back home before they became Wallaby fans”. The club is holding a 140 year celebration in May and needless to say, the Curtins will be going to all general club membership games and events.

There’s still an entrenched belief that rugby is a man’s domain. In Eden Park’s old days an annual fee entitled one to a free ticket in the stadium and an option to buy the adjacent seat. “Even though I used to watch rugby with my dad and would ask him every year to take me, it was always one of my brothers who went because he saw rugby as a game for boys and men.”

So to any woman fan out there in conversation with an unconstructed male who finds it difficult having a conversation about the technicalities of his so-called game with the PN opposite sex, just remind him - girls can do anything. (DEIRDRE TOHILL) F

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

SIDELINE WITH GEORGE BERRY

From bridesmaid to bride for Auckland FC

Baseball at Eden Park

After a long five year wait the ABS Premiership Football Trophy is back in Auckland City’s trophy cabinet. The boys in blue finally finishing off a dominant season with full reward for their effort, a season which saw them only drop one game.

Ever dreamt of sitting at Eden Park enjoying a sunny Auckland afternoon, sipping back a Budweiser and sampling a mustard covered hotdog or a Philly cheese steak sandwich rather than the old mince pie washed down with an overpriced pint of Tui from a plastic cup?

The one-nil victory over Wellington putting the past four years of frustrating playoff losses to rest in front of their home crowd at Kiwitea Street.

It seemed only fitting that veteran and team Captain Ivan Vicelich combined with the competition’s Golden Boot winner Emiliano Tade to seal the victory when Vicelich dropped in a 60 yard lob with pinpoint accuracy for Tade to flip past Wellington keeper Jacob Spoonley.

"We've won a few minor premierships and a few O-Leagues along the way which has been awesome, but it's so great to get the title back in the bag," said a jubilant Vicelich post match.

Wellington's James Musa had the chance in the very dying stages to send the match to extra time but his shot on goal for the home side was deflected by the narrowest of margins by defender Takuya Iwata.

The Auckland City squad were given the week off to celebrate and recover from their two day hangovers before regrouping to take on Fiji, Tahiti and Vanuatu in the Oceania Football Clubs Champions League starting April 7th.

The victory, and the way Auckland City played throughout the season has also highlighted coach Ramon Tribulietx's abilities and he has been rewarded with the chance to discuss the vacant All Whites coaching role with Football New Zealand.

While there will be plenty of chatter about his lack of international experience the counter argument must be established that his teams play with the country’s desired style of PN attacking football. (GEORGE BERRY) F

Then that dream has just gotten one step closer to becoming a reality. No, the hospitality caterers at Eden Park haven’t lost their contract and been replaced. But with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamond Backs having just opened the 2014 Major League Baseball season with two games at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Australia that dream of watching MLB live in Auckland along with the drama, theatrics and circus that surrounds the sport isn’t that far away at all.

Baseball New Zealand and a whole host of others have just made a pitch (pun intended) to MLB to bring a match or two down to New Zealand in the coming seasons, and the success of the Sydney weekend is believed to have a large bearing on their decision to do so, or not.

Japan hosted the opening match of 2012, but in Japan baseball is one of their top five played sports whereas in both Australia and New Zealand it’s easy to say it probably falls outside the top ten, so the market reward for the organisers is significantly less than staging another match somewhere in Asia.

The organisers weren’t clear on whether they were wanting to get two teams down to New Zealand to play each other or in fact coax a few of the game’s elite players to face off in an all stars style format against a local New Zealand Diamond Blacks side. But what they were clear on was if there was to be a match of that proportion played in New Zealand then Eden Park was the only real option.

The ticket price of AUD 69 to sit in the outfield and AUD 450 for top tier seats has drawn a fair amount of criticism in Australia, however the organisers there have suggested people look at the experience in line with a rock concert rather than any other sporting fixture. We’ve had All Star International Ice Hockey fixtures here in Auckland - why not baseball and why not at Eden Park? (GEORGE BERRY) F PN

Really - another game for the All Blacks!

At what point is enough rugby enough? During Prime Minister John Key’s recent visit to China he stated that he’d like to see the All Blacks play a game in China.

And not because he thought it would be great to see China get a walloping by the All Blacks, but simply to help rugby grow in China and potentially Chinese tourism to New Zealand. On the face of it they seem like two fairly legitimate reasons the Prime Minister might want to use the All Blacks marketability, and at the same time All Blacks Coach Steve Hansen has said he supports the idea, albeit with one or two reservations.

their own way. They disrupt Super Rugby, they encroach on the ITM Cup season and now even the opposition aren’t taking them seriously. This year’s opposition England have the final of their club season on the very same weekend as the first Test at Eden Park, meaning the first Test side England name will be understrength. No matter how anyone tries to sugar-coat it; the first test will be the equivalent of playing England B.

Given Hansen’s willingness to please Key there’s probably little reason for me to air my concerns that was until I heard the amount of opposition to the idea by true blue rugby fans. The likes of Kieran Read and Conrad Smith, two senior All Blacks, have also continually pleaded their case not to extend the rugby calendar as it is. Like plenty of other rugby tragi’s I’ve been left wondering where oh where would or could you squeeze a game like this into a year already jam packed with rugby?

And now there’s talk of adding a game in China. Will this not dilute the half decent rugby we have even more? Surely the only way to make this happen is to drop one of the current international fixtures. Or even switch the final Bledisloe match - which has recently become just another revenue gathering excuse to help out the Australian Rugby Union to somewhere in China, just like what they did in Japan a few years back.

Super Rugby has become stale and at times boring primarily as a result of the amount of rugby the players play during the season. What's more in 2016 they're adding another South African team to the mix as well as a franchise from Argentina so calendar or competition will again be compromised. The June tests window is so clunky it looks like it has been organised by a bunch of spoilt kids at a kindergarten all determined to have

The players can’t be expected to continue to play more and more games for the very reasons mentioned above. They both can’t and don’t play at their peak week in and week out and the product that’s now being served up is becoming less and less attractive, both to watch live and on TV. So for the sake of one game in China is there really enough benefit from the problems it will cause? (GEORGE BERRY) F PN

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PONSONBY PROFESSIONALS: LOGAN GRANGER

Birds of a feather – use Xero THIS EDITION WE’RE TALKING TO ONE OF OUR CLIENTS, THE VERY SUCCESSFUL BIRD ON a Wire in Ponsonby and now with a second store in Commerce Street in the CBD. Bird on a Wire is famous for their real food takeaways. Amazing free range rotisserie chickens and handmade salads provide a delicious and healthy meal, which is why you’ll find most of our JACAL team at their Ponsonby Road restaurant on any given weekday lunchtime (we recommend the Korean BBQ chicken roll option).

Great food is just one element of running a successful restaurant; the other is operating the business efficiently and profitably.

JACAL recommended Xero to Bird on a Wire and they have been using it for two years.

It has really enabled us to see how they are performing on a monthly and daily basis and offer real time advice to the team. If they call up with a question or concern, we can just log into their Xero and see exactly what is going on over the phone. We may be accountants but we’re also running our own business so understand the challenges of how small businesses operate and the day to day pressures. Xero enables us to collaborate as a team to really add value to our clients. We really are birds of a feather.

So we thought we’d ask Bird on a Wire themselves how Xero works for them in correlation with the support and expertise provided by our team at JACAL. How has XERO supported your business?

JACAL put us on to Xero and this has enabled us to keep our cashflow in check which is hugely important for small businesses like ours. Daily bankfeeds show us how our sales are tracking, and the accounts payable function enables us to see who we have to pay and how much.

What are the key ways you use Xero?

The invoicing capability is key for us. Although we’re mostly cash based, we also have a catering service which requires us to invoice clients. In Xero we can create an invoice which is sent directly to our customer in a matter of seconds. Being an online

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based accounting system we get paid faster as our invoices don’t get lost in the pile of unopened letters, and Xero automatically matches up the invoice payment when it comes in the bankfeed.

The reporting functionality has also been a big help because it means we’re able to easily pull a profit and loss and balance sheet report every month for our management meetings. These reports help us keep track of how the business is performing, to ensure we stay profitable across our two restaurants.

Are you using any of the Xero add-on partners?

We use Vend, an online based Point of Sale system. Birds of a Feather Vend is great as it enables our loyalty and ordering system to be completely cloud based which is one less loyalty card our customers have to carry around with them and means we can target our marketing and it seamlessly integrates with Xero. We’re also now looking at how we can use some of the other add-on partners to further streamline our business processes.

How does Xero help you work with us, your accountant, more?

When I meet with Logan and the team at JACAL, it’s easy. There’s no need to bring in a paper file of our accounts instead they have access to our Xero online so we’re always looking at the up-to-date information. This ensures decisions are based on real time data, and not on what happened last month or last year.

JACAL has several certified Xero trainers. We can assist your business in a similar way that we have done with Bird on the Wire. It is important to get correct information in a timely manner and we use Xero with hundreds of clients to provide this and make accounting information more cost effective and valuable for you.

If you have any further questions or 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

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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

Email Michael with your question and include PONSONBY NEWS in the subject line. Michael Hemphill, a partner of the firm will answer one topical question each month.

Q: A:

I have been struggling with buying a property in the market at the moment and have started looking at buying a unit ‘off the plans.’ I am new to this and would like to know what I should be looking at to protect myself?

Buying a unit off the plans is quite different from buying an existing unit.

You are expecting to get a new place which is great and you may be getting a good deal, especially if the market continues to rise over the time that the unit is being built, but you are also taking on some of the risk that is involved in building the property.

Obviously you should be taking proper legal advice before signing up to buy a unit off the plans but I will tell you about some of the things that I look for or ask about and some of the problems that can arise.

Will it be built? Unfortunately in the last few years there have been a number of developments that have stalled and not been built. Causes include: • the developer being undercapitalised and/or not able to obtain building finance; • problems or objections in the resource consent or building consent processes; • insufficient sales; • in a rising property market the increasing cost of building can make a development uneconomic.

When will it be built? These same problems above can delay the completion of a development. The problem with stalled developments is that you can be stuck in them and unable to make other commitments (like buying another property) until the agreement is cancelled. You should check the agreement carefully to see what conditions are in there for the developer and how long they have to satisfy them. In addition you want to ask about how many sales they have got and where they are up to with their consenting process.

Deposits - Always check to see that the deposit is held in a trust account by an independent stakeholder and check when the deposit is released.

You want to make sure that if the developer goes broke that you are going to get your money back. You may also want to delay payment of the deposit until the vendor’s conditions are satisfied so that it is clear that the development is going ahead.

Sunset Clauses - Any agreement ought to include a ‘sunset clause’ that provides if the development is not completed by a set date then the purchaser can cancel the agreement and get the deposit back. These clauses should be checked carefully. A developer once demanded an increased purchase price from a purchaser because the unit had become more valuable over the two years it had taken to build the apartment and because the sunset date the developer was able to cancel the agreement on the basis of the sunset clause. The developer would then have been able to resell the unit at a higher value. The purchaser who had waited patiently would have been looking for a new property.

Construction - The clauses in the agreement regarding construction should be read carefully. They often allow for materials to be substituted and floor plans and car parks to be changed at the sole discretion of the developer.

Body Corporate Rules - Once the development is complete the body corporate rules will govern the relationship of the owners of the units. You want to see the final version of these rules and check them carefully. Do they restrict your use of the unit? The developer may often end up owning several units and the rules may give them extra powers in the body corporate.

As you can see there are a lot of issues to deal with. Start by reading all the documents that you are provided with carefully and tagging the bits you don’t understand or that you need to clarify. There is no substitute for timely advice from your solicitor.

(MICHAEL HEMPHILL) F PN Disclaimer - This article is for general information purposes only. If you have a legal problem you should seek advice from a lawyer. Metro Law does not accept any liability other than to its clients and then only when advice is sought on specific matters.

METROLAW, Level 2, 36 Williamson Avenue T: 09 929 0800 www.metrolaw.co.nz

CRIMESTOPPERS ASKS PONSONBY DWELLERS FOR HELP When Police District send a story into the media, because they need help with a case, more often than not, it carries the Crimestoppers 24/7 anonymous calling number.

That's so you can call in and tell someone what you know about that case anonymously.

And not who you are and over 50 Kiwis do just that every day in New Zealand. They don't want to be a bystander to crime, they would rather prevent it.

It's a free service and it's run by the charity Crimestoppers, and right now they need funding to continue their work. The initiative has NZX, Computershare, Link and JB Were as transacting partners, all of whom are waiving their fees.

You donate your old shares, they turn them into cash for the Crimestoppers... and you receive a 100% tax deductible receipt. Statistics from Link Market Services and Computershare show there is more than 135,000 share parcels in New Zealand with a value less than $500.

The power these shares could have when combined would collectively make a real difference to keeping New Zealand's communities safer to live in.

PN It’s a two minute on line transaction at www.sharesforgood.com F

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THE HISTORICAL BOROUGH OF PONSONBY AND GREY LYNN: STREET NAMES

WELD STREET Frederick Aloysius Weld was born at Chideock Manor in Dorset on 9 May 1823. His lineage was impressive to say the least.

Both parents were descendants of prominent West Country Catholic families and he was raised in a closely knit community that was his touchstone throughout life. He was educated at Stonyhurst, the Jesuit college his grandfather, Thomas Weld had endowed and after nine years there, his family sent him to the University of Fribourg in Switzerland where he studied philosophy, chemistry, languages and law.

Subsequently he spent time travelling round Europe, but finally, uncertain about his future, he decided to join his cousins, Charles Clifford and William Vavasour who had leased 30,000 acres in the Wairarapa from local Maori. He set sail for New Zealand, arriving in Wellington 22 April 1844.

During his first seven years in the new colony he became interested in pastoral development. In partnership with Clifford, he established two sheep stations, one in the Wairarapa and another in Marlborough. On Weld’s advice Clifford founded Stoneyhurst in North Canterbury and the partnership lasted until the 1880s. Weld always owned no more than a quarter of the assets and while he enjoyed establishing the stations he found running them tedious. In his words “colonizing, exciting enough in its early struggles becomes very milk and waterish. The tone too of the colony alters, there are new faces and mercenary ideas, different from those of the adventurers of the early days”.

In 1851 he left for a long awaited journey back home where he admitted to being ‘crazed with joy’ in the company of his family whom he had missed so much. Nevertheless he had experienced a much wider circle in New Zealand than the secluded surroundings of Chideock Manor which gave him self-assurance and maturity. He wrote his pamphlet ‘Hints to intending sheep-farmers in New Zealand’ during this first trip, which ran to four editions, and is invaluable for its insight into colonial sheep farming.

There were two more trips back home, and in 1858 he married Filumena (Mena) Mary Anne Lisle Phillipps in the private chapel of her family home in Leicester. The marriage was very happy. Mena bore him 13 children and after his death she entered Sant Scholastica Priory, which the Welds had financed, and died there in 1903.

Weld and Clifford were determined there would be no discrimination against Catholics in New Zealand and the fact that Weld eventually became premier, if only briefly, demonstrated how the colony differed from Britain, which had only just allowed Catholics to sit in Parliament. Both cousins were active in the Wellington Settlers’ Constitutional Association and when the Parliament of New Zealand was created Weld stood unopposed for the Wairau constituency, but his political career proved to be erratic. In 1860 he was Minister of Native Affairs in the Stafford Ministry and in 1864 Premier.

At the height of the New Zealand Wars he championed the ‘self reliance’ policy under which the colony assumed responsibility for its own internal defence. This was controversial and generated much hostility from Governor Grey. The capital was moved to Wellington, which upset Aucklanders, and Maori were angry about the confiscation of more than 400,000 hectares of land in the Waikato. When it came to raising additional revenue by stamp duties, his ministry was only saved from actual defeat by the speaker’s casting vote and Weld immediately resigned, pleading ill-health.

Weld has been described as gentle, delicate in health, fond of literature, music and painting. Unlikely attributes for pioneering but even though he found support within the colonial Catholic network, his own adaptability, enterprise and application contributed substantially to the colony’s development.

As well as pastoral success, he explored much of the country in both islands, being the first to ascend the Awatere Valley and to discover the overland passes from Malborough to Canterbury. After 23 years, he left New Zealand and in 1869 was appointed Governor of West Australia then subsequently Governor of Tasmania then Singapore and the Straits where he was created K.C.M.G. and later received the Grand Cross from Queen Victoria.

He was also a Knight of the Roman order of Pius IX. He finally retired to Chideock Manor where he died peacefully in 1891 after a brilliant and honourable career, never deviating from his upbringing’s religious and cultural values. (DEIRDRE TOHILL) F PN

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ST COLUMBA CHURCH’S GARDENER RETIRES Nigel Pasley, the gardener at St Columba church, Surrey Crescent retired last month and will be missed greatly by our community.

Upon his retirement Ponsonby News asked him a few questions.

We understand you've been the gardener at St Columba for 10 years - clearly you love gardening?

I remember being somewhat taken aback by the size of the garden when I first started, I recall saying to Hugh Kempster, the vicar at the time (after he had outlined the plans to turn what was basically a car park into the garden you see today), and where are you building the gardener’s cottage?

What are some of the highlights of your time in Surrey Crescent?

Over the last decade the garden has grown into the special oasis that it is today... countless amounts of fundraising for plants, concrete, seats etc have all been milestones in the garden’s development. A special day, I recall, was when all the Buxus plants arrived and I spent the day in the rain planting every one... one trowel width apart!

But mostly what I will take away with me are the people I have met, the faces that over the years have become familiar, who just pop into the garden to admire the flowers and offer the odd compliment on how the place is looking. The people in the community garden, especially Fionna Hill, whose friendship I know will endure.

Surrey Crescent is very fortunate to have a garden especially with all the new apartments in the area and I hope people will continue to visit it and enjoy the space.

(MARTIN LEACH) F PN

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

photography: Fionna Hill

How do you plan to spend your retirement?

As a jobbing gardener, I am a bit like the house painter, who never gets around to painting his own place. But having recently moved into a new (old) house I will not be idle in my retirement and look forward to creating something for us to admire. St Columba now has a new vicar, the third, since I've been gardening there and I know he has plans to make the garden a more special place than it is now.

Nigel Pasley

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS

Kendyl Middlebeek and Samantha Totty

Yumiko Sekine and Claudia Zinzan

OUT + ABOUT: FATHER RABBIT 5 MARCH Father Rabbit celebrated the opening of its new Jervois Road store and showcased Japanese brand Fog Linen Work, with designer Yumiko Sekine as their guest.

AT HOME WITH LOFT DESIGN Established in May 2005 in the Bay of Islands, Loft Design provides the local market with quality New Zealand made furniture that is custom designed to fit individual homes and tastes.

They pride themselves on the quality products, exceptional service and customised experience they offer their clients.

Their second store, soon to open in Herne Bay, will showcase New Zealand design and custom made furniture and furnishings. They have an in-home service to assess your design requirements and they can provide options on colour, window treatments and furniture specific to your needs.

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“We love the fact that New Zealanders are innovative and talented people,” says Loft Design Store owner and manager Louise Birtwistle. “We do our best to support New Zealand made within our retail store with homewares and art by Bob Steiner, Peter Collis, Catherine David, Lester Hall and Notre Vie amongst others.” F PN LOFT DESIGN STORE, 218 Jervois Road www.loftdesign.co.nz

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CITTA DESIGN TO COPENHAGEN Woven through Citta Design's Winter 2014 collection is the quirky, contemporary fairy-tale of Rasmus and Mia. This day-in-the-life story follows a young Danish couple whose lives and home are made comfy and cosy through love, being together, and... a rabbit. The charming animated tale can be viewed on Citta Design's website. F PN CITTA DESIGN, 34 Westmoreland Street West, Grey Lynn T: 09 972 9293 www.cittadesign.com

Home Sweet Home Teatowel $14.90, Walter the Bunny $34.90, Village Make-up purse $34.90 & Flip top wash bag $49.90

Netted Baskets from $29.90 each, Cushion Covers from $32.90, Rasmus & Mia Ceramic Plate $27.90

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UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL JILLIAN BASHFORD-EVERS BASHFORD ANTIQUES LIMITED JILLIAN BASHFORD HAS BEEN AN ANTIQUE DEALER, IMPORTER AND RETAILER FOR 30 years. Jillian was an owner and organiser of national events such as ARTEX Art & Interiors Expo and Antique Expo from 1987 to 1996. Over the last 14 years she has successfully run her established business in Ponsonby - Bashford Antiques & Interiors.

Prior to that Jillian had three antique shops in Remuera as well as a purpose-built warehouse/‘living showroom’ in Ellerslie.

She told Ponsonby News, “I strive to provide a distinct environment and buying experience for my loyal clients to discover unique and rare antiques sourced from Spain, France, UK and Rajasthan to further enhance their homes, gardens and work spaces.

I am able to source antique furniture, fine art, objet d’art, artifacts, ancient olive oil and storage pots, decorative and architectural items with confidence.”

Do you have any children?

Israel Evers aged 42 years - a trained Chef de Cuisine who has worked in major restaurants in Auckland from the age of 17. Israel attended Auckland Grammar and embraces the New Zealand outdoors, sailing, mountain bike riding, gardening and restoring vintage cars in the winter.

Do you have any pets?

Mr Beaumont, my 19 month-old miniature schnauzer: the new canine face of Bashford Antiques.

How do you keep fit?

Walking my ‘four legged personal trainer’ Mr Beaumont, and I intend to get back to Mandy White Yoga to tone up the body again before it is too late!

Your best friend would say of you...

“Generous to a fault, talented, organised, humorous, a great host and cook, great instinctive eye for interior design and for sourcing amazing items to challenge and enhance most interiors.”

Your mother would say of you...

My mother died young but always quoted the motto from the family crest (Bashford’s logo and coat of arms) ‘LENTE SED ATTENTE’ - slow but sure - patience is a virtue - something I am still coming to terms with.

What are your virtues?

Focused, tenacious, kind, worldly, visionary, determined and perceptive.

And your vices?

‘Fortune Favours the Brave’ on a daily basis!

Who's your ultimate rock icon?

Elvis Presley - The King of course!

What’s your secret passion?

Precious jewellery.

Taken at Jillian Bashford’s 60th birthday with her son Israel and daughter-in-law Rachel Dovey How did you come to be an antique dealer?

I began collecting from an early age, influenced by staying in grand family homes filled with fine antiques and historical art.

If you weren’t an antique dealer you’d be..?

An artist, interior designer or singer.

What’s your favourite Ponsonby Cafe?

Nyima Tashi Buddhist Centre - Luciana expresses the best coffee in Ponsonby.

Your favourite Ponsonby restaurant?

Queenies - a credit to Allana Owen and Paul Brown, a dynamic husband and wife team.

Your favourite Ponsonby store?

Ponsonby Central - well done Andy Davies!

Favourite Ponsonby fashion label?

Trelise Cooper - perennial haute couture with an X factor.

What’s your best kept Ponsonby secret?

Art of Produce - well done Aldo What's inspired you recently?

Catherine Ryan’s interview with Winston Peters on reviving the manufacturing backbone of New Zealand particularly in the South Island - three dimensional profits not ‘paper profits’ not to mention the ‘legalised’ theft of line charges by the power companies.

Your desert island distractions: Alistair Cooke’s ‘Letters from America’, every ‘World of Interiors’ ever printed, Ponsonby News (goes without saying), Downton Abbey, Antiques Road Show, History Channel, opera greats like ‘Depths of the Temple’ from The Pearl Fishers by Bizet and all Mozart operas.

What's your secret talent?

Problem solving, diplomacy, perception and if all else fails singing.

The house is on fire and your family is safe - what do you save?

Mr Beaumont my miniature schnauzer, my iPad, my ‘black box’ from my computer and my family tree.

Where do you live?

In an apartment above my business and at Bashford’s Barn in Clevedon which houses a ‘living antique showroom’ with potage garden created by Fionna Hill.

“I'd be lost without..?” ...my family, my close network of fabulous friends and National Radio.

Where do you spend your holidays?

In Spain, France, UK and Rajasthan buying antiques and treasures.

What's your perfect Sunday?

A long lunch with special friends sampling fabulous local food, fine wine, riveting conversation and lots of laughter.

What were you going to be when you grew up?

An artist.

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One thing you have learned about life is..?

Life is a continuous journey of entertainment, mystery, and achievement to love, cherish and enjoy - ‘happiness is a place to come from not to get to.’ Live in the now and focus on the impossible.

What was your standout sale of the last 12 months?

An 18th century deconsecrated Spanish Catholic High Altar to a celebrity.

Any advice for Ponsonby News readers?

We live in a great area. Support your local retailers - it is a privilege to shop in Ponsonby the most vibrant suburb in New Zealand. F PN PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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MY FAVOURITE ROOM CLARE GROVE ORIGINALLY FROM LONDON WHERE SHE WORKED AS A GRAPHIC DESIGNER AND illustrator, Clare Grove has fulfilled her dream since moving to Ponsonby with her Kiwi husband and their daughter eight years ago. She’s written and illustrated the first in a collection of children’s books - My Mummy Loves Shoes.

Clare, her husband and their three children Sienna, Annabel and Ben now live in Herne Bay with their two rabbits, Stripe and Gomez. Clare tells: “Our first home was a classic villa in Ardmore Road which we outgrew with the arrival of our son.

We were really keen to stay in the same area, in walking distance to the schools, beaches, cafes and restaurants.”

Clare’s favourite room is her bedroom - “My sanctuary. I find that many of my creative thoughts come from being in this room. I leave a notepad by the bed as I will often wake up with ideas for future illustrations and stories.”

The bedroom is Clare’s favourite room because it’s a place where she can completely turn off from the stress of everyday life. She’s surrounded by all the things she loves. “I have a huge pile of interior magazines, fashion and art books that I can dip in and out of,” she says.

Clare’s favourite things in the room are her treasured antique silver frames with photos of her children - many of the frames found at flea markets while travelling.

“My shoe and vintage bag collection are also my pride and joy, in fact each have been the inspiration for my books,” she continues. The bag collection hangs on the wall; each one has a history and has been given to Clare by family or friends.

Clare’s husband thought she was mad when they were first put up but Clare says, much better to enjoy their beauty every day. “it’s such a shame if they were hidden away in a dark cupboard!”

My Mummy Loves Shoes is available from www.my-mummy-loves.com and is PN stocked in Ponsonby bookshops. F

FUNDING FOR ‘ZERO WASTE’ IDEAS AND PROJECTS Help is at hand for organisations with great ideas and projects for reducing waste to landfill.

Auckland Council’s Waste Minimisation and Innovation Fund (WMIF) opens on 1 April 2014, the first of two funding rounds to disburse an annual fund of $500,000. The April round is for small grants of up to $5000, with a funding pool of around $25,000 available. Larger grants will be considered in October.

The fund was set up as part of council’s Waste Management and Minimisation Plan and creates opportunities to have an impact on waste in the Auckland region, says Ian Stupple, Solid Waste Manager.

“The small grants are for organisations with projects that can be up and running sooner rather than later, and make a difference in local communities. The large grants go up to $50,000 for more complex and regional projects, but not everyone is working at that scale, so the April round offers flexibility,” he says.

Projects that have already received small grants from WMIF include; reusable nappies schemes, waste systems in schools to separate organic waste, rubbish and recycling, and a project to make furniture out of wood pallets.

Businesses, community-based groups, iwi/Maori groups and educational organisations can apply, and must meet at least half the cost of their project. The April funding round closes at 4pm on 30 April 2013.

For further information: visit www.auckland.council.govt.nz keyword ‘WMIF’ or PN email aucklandwastefund@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or call T: 09 301 0101. F

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THE BOYS’ BOOK CLUB WHAT WE’RE READING

These include books us blokes on the Ponsonby News team have recently enjoyed.

We love reading in the bath, or in bed. A real stress buster!

MARTIN LEACH

JAY PLATT

DARK MARKET

By Misha Glenny (VINTAGE)

THE LORE OF THE LAND A GUIDE TO ENGLAND’S LEGENDS

By Jennifer Westwood & Jacqueline Simpson (PENGUIN)

Dark Market is a well-written, page-turner of a book. It is also one of the more sobering reads I have had in some time.

In this fascinating and compelling book, a must-read for anyone who owns a computer, Misha Glenny exposes the US government’s multi-billion-dollar war against an ever-morphing, super smart new breed of criminal: the hacker.

The name Dark Market was chosen by a loose conglomeration of hackers, who had various reasons for their interest in breaching computer security. One early, and very notable quality I liked about the author’s approach to the subject was his careful distinction between so-called ‘black-hats,’ and ‘white-hats,’ when it comes to the subject of hacking.

To briefly break it down, the white-hats are into hacking systems for their own amusement, and often attempt to inform the company (or whoever it is) about the gaping security hole(s) they discovered. To put it bluntly, a black-hat is in it for profit, or even just to create anarchy. In any case, black-hats are definitely up to no good.

The benefits of living in a digital, globalised society are enormous; so too are the dangers. We bank online, shop online, date, learn, work, and live online, but have the institutions that keep us safe on the streets learned to protect us from the deadly ‘new mafia’ of cybercriminals?

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Jennifer Westwood and Jacqueline Simpson’s new guide to English legends is a wonderfully satisfactory book. It is arranged county by county, each with an elegant map followed by entries for individual villages, castles, lakes or moors. The maps have little symbols of pointy hatted witches, dragons, skulls, wolves, standing stones - and the text is wonderfully illustrated with photographs of atmospheric places, chalk giants, carved Lincolnshire imps and loads more to look at.

There are light and gentle essays, on grouped themes of dragons, fairies, witches, bottomless pools, cunning men and (separately) high magicians - but also on individuals such as the murderers of Thomas Becket, on Shakespeare, Boadicea and Oliver Cromwell.

There is a witty essay on treacle mines, one on sunken cities, and one on variant accounts of the last English wolf. The cross-referencing and the excellent index means that the book can be read county by county, theme by theme, or you can just dip in at random which is the best way to go I think.

Following up references that catch the imagination is very simple and easy to use, and you can easily get lost in the pages looking up things that you may have heard about. A brilliant find.

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

REAL ESTATE UPDATE: KAREN SPIRES

Living the dream There’s a saying when it comes to real estate: “The best time to buy a property was yesterday.”

This particularly rings true in Herne Bay and Ponsonby - which are among the most sought-after suburbs in Auckland… and have been for several years.

When buyers tell me they should have moved to these two suburbs a long time ago I certainly understand their sentiments.

BAYLEYS REAL ESTATE PONSONBY OFFICE OPENING Karen Spires and Martin Leach

THE IMPORTANCE OF CHOOSING THE RIGHT BED AT BEDPOST ST LUKES WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON PROVIDING EXCELLENT SERVICE AND advice on New Zealand’s top bedding brands such as Sealy, Tempur, Sleepmaker and Dreamwool. Narae and Pamela have more than 20 years experience in bedding, having opened the first family store in Tauranga, in 1993.

Looking for a new bed can often be confusing, especially with the large range of beds available on the market. It can be difficult to make a decision and will sometimes feel quite overwhelming.

“Buying a bed is an important lifestyle purchase and we understand that. We want you to feel confident in knowing what you have purchased is the right bed, as you don’t buy a bed every day,” says Narae and she adds, “our large in store selection has something for everyone and we have specials all year round on everything in store, whether you are looking for a new bed for yourself, the spare room or your children.”

Bedpost St Lukes has leading technology with Tempur adjustable beds, fast becoming a great lifestyle choice for people who benefit from raising their legs slightly to increase blood flow, or sitting up in bed to read a book. A Tempur mattress will let your body find its most comfortable position and support it there; giving you a feeling of complete weightlessness and the best night’s sleep possible.

At the end of the day the team at Bedpost St Lukes, want their customers to be happy PN and they will work with you in finding the right solution to suit your needs. F BEDPOST ST LUKES, 7/1 Wagener Place, T: 09 846 8632 www.bedpost.co.nz

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

Latest QV figures show just how highly valued Herne Bay and Ponsonby are. As of the end of January this year, the average house values were estimated as $1.75 million and $1.9 million respectively. Median house prices in the suburbs have also shown strong upwards trends, changing by 48 percent (Herne Bay) and 38 percent (Ponsonby) in the past three years to 31 December 2013. These figures are expected to continue to rise in the coming years.

The trend reminds me of when I first moved to the area. In my late 20s I bought a three -bedroom cottage on John Street in Ponsonby for $405,000 at auction on the back lawn.

I had my bank manager and a couple of friends with me for support.

That day I paid $5000 more than I planned to, yet I’m very pleased I did, as it secured me the house and I moved in a month later. Six years later I sold the property through Bayleys via an auction process for well over $800,000. What a great investment.

This example illustrates exactly the sentiments of the opening expression - that property remains a fantastic long term investment, and Herne Bay and Ponsonby just get better and better.

What drew me to this area all those years ago are the same reasons why people still flock here today. It is a central, community-spirited, vibrant hub of the city offering everything on its doorstep, night and day.

Where could be a better place to bring up your children and enjoy the restaurants and cafes on offer, while having easy access to the beaches, CBD and office? These boutique suburbs offer what we all value highly - a great lifestyle.

With so many gorgeous properties for sale in the area, and motivated vendors, there really is no better time to buy. Be quick to secure your Ponsonby lifestyle today, and start living the dream.

Karen Spires is a Bayleys Real Estate Top Achiever - placing her sales data among the PN top five percent of salespeople within the company. (KAREN SPIRES) F

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MILLY NOLAN: DESIGNER GIFTS

Gifts for the hitched While the art of getting married may be a traditional sentiment, in today’s age, this doesn’t mean that your gifts need to be traditional as well. Here we have thought outside the norm with this round up of contemporary and desirable gifts that will be loved by both him and her.

Citta Tivoli Velour Bath Towel, $45 For those that like a bathroom with personality, this bath towel will be sure to entice with its graphic harlequin pattern and modern colours.

Pure Evil for Royal Doulton Marilyn Marlene Dali Plate, $119 Painted by renowned Welsh graffiti artist Pure Evil, this plate is best hung on the wall so that it can be admired.

Pony Rider Bambi Wall Dot, $89 Removable, reusable and said to maintain stick for up to 50 repositions, this wall dot will liven up any space in the house as a lovable piece of art.

Siggada Kilim Cushion, $95 Fashioned out of an antique Turkish rug, the colourful palette and geometric pattern of this kilim cushion will make for a striking addition to any sofa - indoors or out.

The Art Room Queen & King Pillowcase Pair, $60 The perfect gift for couples or newlyweds, these whimsical pillowcases not only look good on the bed but also ensure you know whose pillow is whose - in a royal kind of way.

Bosske Large Cube, $59 More than just a pot plant, the clear body of this unique creation acts as a water reservoir, supplying up to four weeks of moisture to your chosen plant - making it efficient as well as good-looking.

SodaStream Source Element, $200 This stylish contraption will turn tap water into sparkling water in just under 3 seconds, as well as allowing up to three levels of fizziness so you can drink your preferred tipple just as you like it.

Gordon Ramsay for Royal Doulton Cheese Set, $100 Ideal for cheese lovers and entertainers, this cheese knife set by British icon, Gordon Ramsay, is a perfect accompaniment to any antipasti platter.

The Brothers Consteau Travel Bag, $570 Designed for the modern day adventurer, this bag is perfect for those who like to travel in style. Made from genuine leather with brass hardware, this is a gift that will keep on giving for years to come.

Citta Guarida Table Lamp, $140 Practical but thoroughly modern, this table lamp is sure to look good in any room, in any home. (MILLY NOLAN) F PN All products available from www.mildredandco.com

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REAL ESTATE

LOCAL PONSONBY/GREY LYNN REAL ESTATE Ponsonby News asked the local real estate office managers to tell us something we didn’t know about real estate.

TIM IRVINE BARFOOT & THOMPSON, PONSONBY A day in the life of a branch manager - typical Monday.

6.30 wake up, get the boys’ breakfast, quick read of the NZ Herald and grab a coffee from Five Loaves on the way to the office.

It’s an interesting day with post weekend activity and lead up to the auctions on Wednesday. I catch up with everyone in the office - sales, rentals and office administration staff. There are emails to go through, I check the trust account to see all deposits have been paid along with marketing money for new listings. My job is to support the agents and create business opportunities as I don’t actually sell.

Back to the real ‘internet’ buyers - who may (for example) visit four open homes on a Saturday and three of the homes have been marketed in the print media - and as a result, have a large number of visitors at the open home, many of which (unbeknownst to the internet buyer) are not buyers at all.

Finally, our buyer visits the property that has purely been marketed on the internet - the number of open home visitors here is understandably less, but what is our buyer going to think? “Why is this property so unpopular compared to others I have visited today?

What’s wrong with it?” As we all know, perception is reality.

A procession of staff come into my office with updates on properties, approving special clauses for contracts and upcoming auction documents, discussing upcoming listings and checking all offers and sales contracts from the weekend. Our ‘Order of Sale’ for Wednesday auctions is established and I arrange to meet a vendor to set their reserve for their impending auction.

BERNADETTE MORRISON BAYLEYS REAL ESTATE, PONSONBY Auctions are increasingly the chosen sale method when it comes to selling property. While the idea of buying or selling at auction may seem daunting to those who have not done so before, they are a straightforward process in an open environment that benefits both buyers and sellers. Buyers at auctions can see and hear their competition, while the vendor receives an unconditional offer on their property.

10.30 Time for coffee! Then I head to Ponsonby Central to chat with an agent or interview a new recruit. Back at the office and an agent asks me to come on a listing presentation at 2pm.

Bayleys opened its Ponsonby office on 3 February and held its first auction two days later. In its first month to 5 March, 11 auctions were called through the Bayleys Ponsonby office, resulting in nine sales. The average sale price was $1,642,222.

12.00 Head out for a short run! Grab a wrap and smoothie from Tank on the way back.

This figure compares to the combined median sale price for Ponsonby, Freeman’s Bay, St Mary’s Bay, Herne Bay, Grey Lynn and Westmere in the March 2013 quarter, which was $981,000 and the March 2014 quarterly median of $1,200,000. (Sourced from REINZ statistics)

1.00 Just been informed by an agent we have a multi-offer on a property. We email everyone in the company that it will be 8pm tonight and they need to put their best offer in. Arrange for vendors to be present.

2.00

Presentation to vendors regarding listing their property.

2.45

Head to Epsom office on for a monthly managers meeting

5.00 Back to the office, set the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting then head to Newton for weekly squash match 6.45

Head home to see family and read a few stories!

8.00 Back to the office for multi-offer; presenting five offers to the vendor. They accept the highest one! After another full on and successful day I head home for dinner and a quiet glass of wine.

Ponsonby Branch Statistics - April 2013 to February 2014: $178,168,250 settled sales up $20,058,494 from same period last year. Rental department commissions $544,382 - up 6.9% from same period last year and 162 auctions held.

ANDREW COSGRAVE BARFOOT & THOMPSON, GREY LYNN Internet versus print media advertising: another perspective.

In the past two years ending December 2013, the total number of Bayleys properties sold at auction increased by 26 percent. Bayleys offers exclusive marketing tools to its clients including The Big Call auction campaign, during which hundreds of properties are marketed to the widest possible audience. If you’re considering selling your property, talk to a real estate salesperson you trust, who can guide you through the sale process and deliver the best possible results.

JOHN WILLS CUSTOM RESIDENTIAL Early to mid January was a time of recuperation for buyers and sellers. The first weekend of February brought buyer energy and strong open home attendances as high quality listings came to the market. A number of these homes sold quickly for good prices.

continued on page 114

With the exponential growth of the internet and internet advertising, our salespeople are often asked by vendors - why list in the print media these days? Don’t all the buyers go to the internet?

A fair enough question especially, when considering the cost of print advertising.

Anyone who has gone to a Grey Lynn or Ponsonby café on a Saturday morning will tell you - the publications that are being leafed through more often than not - are the property pages of the weekend paper. These people are usually not consciously in the market to buy, however they will often drop into these open homes having seen the ad in the paper.

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REAL ESTATE continued from page 112 This contrasts the end of 2013, where buyers seemed fatigued, coinciding with a rise in listing volume in the final two months of the year. The result was a subdued run up to Christmas with the average days on market extending and buyers carefully choosing properties deserving their attention.

now check for a property’s internet speed before buying and one in 10 reject a property because of poor speed. Certainly homebuyers in Auckland are checking mobile phone coverage before buying, as many no longer have a fixed line home phone.

So if you are thinking of selling in the future make sure you have good broadband speed - it might just add some value to your home.

Factors fuelling the market in 2014 are: the seemingly unanimous view around business confidence and the well publicised housing shortage. This will continue to put pressure on the supply and demand equation with no quick fix on the horizon to ease the Auckland housing situation. The pressure to secure a home is real. Negative forecasts regarding the LVR and interest rate rises are being taken in to consideration by purchasers, but are not acting as a deterrent in the home ownership sector. How much these factors affect investment purchases remains to be seen.

STEVEN GLUCINA LJ HOOKER, PONSONBY Getting the best bang for your buck when selling your home! The age of the potential buyer who you are targeting will significantly affect which medium you choose to sell your home and ultimately how much you may spend on marketing it.

Recent discussions with valuers, home stagers, timber merchants and interior designers reflect the positive mood. People are definitely already out there spending money in the property sector.

Will the emphasis be on print or electronic, or a combination of both? In my experience often a similar type of person to you will end up with your keys. They will be in a similar age and position to you when you bought it; similar size family, garaging and pet requirements.

In the ever-desirable city fringe, the time proven adage; location, location, location always holds up well, regardless of market fluctuations and trends.

SIMON DEW DEW REALTY LTD HARCOURTS, PONSONBY Over the last few years we have seen a concerted effort by the Reserve Bank to cool the Auckland residential real estate market in order to reduce its inflationary effect. This is hardly surprising when you consider that in the last 10 years prices in the inner city suburbs have increased in value by over a hundred percent - despite the global financial crisis.

Up until now most of the bank's efforts have failed miserably and this is because they largely involved threats of increased interest rates which with an already over valued dollar most could see was a pretty empty threat.

The most recent effort though has been a bit more effective seeing first home buyers largely removed from the market place. The requirement for a loan to value ratio of no more than 80% means that to buy a do-up in Grey Lynn at around say $1,000,000 you need a minimum deposit of $200,000 cash in hand plus the income to service the loan.

It’s the exceptional first home buyer who is looking in the million dollar bracket but of course the second and third home buyers have to sell to buy and the excision of new blood from the market has definitely had a calming effect. This combined with the final arrival of the long threatened increase in the 90 day bill rate may have finally cooled things down.

I doubt though that it will last for long. Demand is still solid and factors including the end of the Aussie mining boom which is likely to see a return of recent migrants, the steady increase in the liveability of the city fringe and the ongoing nightmare that is the Auckland peak hour commute mean it will likely stay that way for some time. I am still expecting the graph to trend upwards.

NICOLA KELLAND KELLANDS REAL ESTATE How fast is your house, and does its speed affect its value?

The speed of the internet at a property is becoming increasingly important especially to young homebuyers. A recent survey in the UK indicated that homebuyer’s ranked fast broadband above off-street parking and local amenities when considering a new property. While I don’t think New Zealand is quite at this stage yet, I am sure it will be in a very short time. Even today, parking is becoming less important to younger buyers as fewer of them own cars and more are living in the central city.

In the United Kingdom a fast Internet connection can add 5% to a property’s value due to the reliance on the Internet for work and leisure. Some real estate agents now include the speed of the broadband connection in their marketing material. One in five buyers

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An apartment or unit will most likely appeal to couples in their 20s with limited dependents probably no pets and requiring minimal car parking, or investors considering retirement options. Over 90% of these buyers in our locality will be searching the internet as the first port of call and rarely read a newspaper, unless it’s on line. So placing a $2,000 half page print advert each week may not be cost effective.

A typical renovated three bedroom character villa with a reasonable sized garden will appeal to average sized families with a dog and a cat or buyers in the 30+ age bracket.

They will probably also search the net, or get email alerts and will flick the pages of the print media. You should consider a mixture of marketing media, both print and electronic.

Currently over 60% of these buyers will be searching the internet as the first point of call followed by the Property Press, Ponsonby News or New Zealand Herald.

In the United States over 95% of all real estate marketing is on line and it seems we are rapidly heading in that direction. Look at all options, ask yourself how am I best to invest money to attract buyers to open homes? Your preferred realtor should offer you sound advice.

ROSS BRADER PROFESSIONALS, LOCHORES REAL ESTATE Net migration gain could easily cancel out any impact of higher interest rates. There has been plenty of talk about increasing interest rates and how this may impact on house prices.

Many may think house prices will fall as a result, however past experience tends to indicate that there are other strong factors in play that will counteract the impact of interest rate increases on the housing market, the most relevant being a net migration gain.

Migrants are continuing to flood into the country, with the biggest net gain of immigrants for over 10 years recorded in January. Statistics New Zealand said the country had a seasonally adjusted net gain of 3100 migrants in January 2014. This was the highest gain since the 3400 recorded in May 2003.

The continuing inflow means that New Zealand had a net gain of 25,700 migrants in the year to January, which is the biggest 12-month inflow since the April 2004 year, when the figure was also 25,700. We could be looking at an annual increase in the order of 35,000 people over the next 12 months, which is starting to get up toward historically high levels and the majority will be looking to live in Auckland.

With a significant drop in Kiwis moving to Australia, not enough new housing is being constructed to keep up with demand and job transfers from other parts of New Zealand to Auckland, my pick would be that house prices will continue to increase throughout 2014 particularly in the popular Ponsonby to Pt Chevalier area. continued on page 117

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

PLANNING RETIREMENT

SMART MONEY # 3 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. Jocelyn & Richard Join us for our complimentary ‘Investing 101’ workshop designed to inform you about the fundamentals of investing and goal setting. Contact Richard Knight on 09 361 3670 rknight@rutherfordrede.co.nz. Autumn Series starting April lunchtime and evening.

THE EXPRESSSO PORTFOLIO Building investments is relatively simple. All it takes is time and just the price of a cup of coffee. We all have our indulgences, for most of us a cup of coffee from the local café isn’t actually an indulgence it’s a necessity; but what if that “necessity” could put you well ahead in ensuring your lifestyle in retirement.

What if we used that daily flat-white to save instead? A cup a day adds up to $40 a week or $170 a month (depending on where you buy your coffee and the odd muffin to go with).

Kicking caffeine wouldn’t be easy. Besides, you wouldn’t imagine that loose change spent on coffee would make much difference to your long-term financial position, would you?

We deal with the first problem by suggesting a coffee at home or brought into work each day in a ‘to go’ cup. The second problem - that it wouldn’t be effective - we can deal with by the miracle of compounding.

With an initial balance of $100, a monthly contribution of $160 and a return of 5%, an early 20 something’s coffee money would accumulate over time to a pool of a quarter of a million dollars by the time of retirement, without saving another cent. This is the Espresso Portfolio.

Interest Regular Investment

$400,000

Whether you are looking for a sound fresh approach or wishing to learn the fundamentals this event will provide value to you without a sales pitch.

$200,000

$0 Year 1

We welcome you to attend our small and interactive workshop series, complimentary to you.

Extending over two weeks, with each workshop made up of an approximate 1 ½ hours session, the workshops are designed to introduce you to investment concepts, providing you with a sound understanding of investing and the catalyst for you to establish your own personal investment goal and plan.

$800,000

$600,000

INVESTING 101 - WORKSHOPS, AUTUMN SERIES @ 52 College Hill

Year 1

Year 1

Year 1

Year 1

Assuming salaries were to rise over time you might bump up that monthly contribution to $500. In this case, your savings pool would grow to three quarters of a million by retirement. And this is a fairly conservative estimate.

The key is firstly starting early, no time like the present. Secondly, saving a small amount consistently month after month, tying some into a KiwiSaver scheme makes some sense to get your maximum credits but leaving some room for an independent fund makes a lot of sense. Thirdly, exercising patience! The rest of it was just the effect of time and compounding.

Even for those of us much older, there are lessons here. We tend to underestimate the effect of gradual saving and patience in building wealth. We can’t control the ups and downs of markets or the daily noise of the media. We can control our own behaviour. With slow and steady saving, and a trusted adviser to keep us disciplined, there is no reason we can’t succeed.

Thanks to our friend and associate Jim Parker, for supplying the essence of this message. Jocelyn Weatherall and Richard Knight; Authorised Financial Advisers.

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

Year 1

Autumn Dates - Series One April 15, 25 Daytime Series 12 noon to 1:30 pm Or Evening Series 5:30 pm to 7 pm @ No 52 College Hill Freemans Bay

Attendees limited to 8-10, to register: Contact Richard Knight BCOM AFA Email rknight@rutherfordrede.co.nz Ph. 09 361 3670 www.rutherfordrede.co.nz

Disclosure statement(s) relating to our advisers are available on request and free of charge

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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:

We have employed an architect and he has told us that the planning/briefing stage is the most critical. What are the most important factors you think we should consider?

I suggest you think about what you do when you get home. How do you adjust the locked house to create the environment you like? Personally the first thing I do is open the doors into the garden, I feel claustrophobic if I can’t feel fresh air in my face.

We all think we live the same way but I have come to believe we just adapt our individual lifestyles to the house we live in. Designing a new house allows you the opportunity to accommodate your individuality.

I always encourage clients to give me magazine pictures they like. Usually it’s not to design an identical house, but to get the feeling of what the client likes or doesn’t.

Usually when asked the client isn’t sure why they like the image and it can be just the colours, the materials or the feeling of the space.

Your new home will only be as good as the brief you give your architect, and as good as your considered answers to their challenge to that brief. Most people describe their ideal house based on their own experience, which is how they live in their existing house. Or their reactions to living in that house. What you don’t want is as valid as what you do want in your new home. When clients say they want sun and warmth, I know they live in a villa!

All house designs end in compromise, the budget not fitting the desire or the council rules prohibiting it. So decide on the must-have deal breaker items and the ones you are prepared to compromise on. Lastly, making last minute changes to finished drawings can be a costly mistake. (PAUL LEUSCHKE) F PN www.leuschkekahn.co.nz

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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

DAMIEN DAVIS JOINS BARFOOT & THOMPSON, PONSONBY Having worked in the real estate industry for more than 20 years, Damien Davis has seen it all.

He’s sold in good markets and bad, and knows that the key to success in any market is hard work and excellent customer service. He uses every point of contact to exceed his clients’ expectations and in doing so has created many clients for life.

A huge advocate for the area, Damien says, “There’s something about Ponsonby Road and its surrounds that makes you feel good. It’s got such a social atmosphere and has something for everyone, young or old, singles, couples or families.”

New to Barfoot and Thompson’s Ponsonby office, Damien has developed a wide range of skills following many years in the industry. Foremost, he is an excellent negotiator having been involved in hundreds of sales, and is ready for any situation he faces. He’s also a huge advocate of the auction process, and among his many successes was awarded the ‘National Directors Award’ for outstanding achievement in the auction arena while with another company in 2009.

Damien joined Barfoot & Thompson because the company’s specialist knowledge of the local market and its dominant market share allows him to provide superior service. When you combine this with Damien’s work ethic, experience and industry knowledge, you have PN a sales person who is undoubtedly able to achieve an excellent result for you. F DAMIEN DAVIS, M: 021 387 345 T: 09 376 3039 d.davis@barfoot.co.nz www.barfoot.co.nz

Originally from Sydney, Australia, Damien moved to New Zealand in 2002 instantly falling in love with Auckland’s character homes, and has a particular passion for selling villas.

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REAL ESTATE continued from page 114 SIMON DAMERELL CEO RAY WHITE PONSONBY, GREY LYNN AND PT CHEVALIER A request to pen a couple of hundred words about the residential real estate market informing the readers of things you don’t know, is a difficult request in such a well educated, well read, savvy sector of the community.

I could discuss the amazing success of our auctions this year and that despite fewer buyers than a year or two ago, the fact that the buyers are being more determined, and willing to compete very strongly for ‘good properties’ may be of interest. Buts let’s move away from property to the real estate industry.

The Real Estate Agents Act (Professional Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2012 has laid down some very strict rules for our industry.

Did you know that: “Before a prospective client, client (vendor) or customer signs... any contractual document a licensee (salesperson) must: a) Recommend that person seek legal advice and

Without an agency agreement it is not permitted to show a potential purchaser the property or market it in any way rule 9.6 A licensee must disclose any known defects to a customer (purchaser) rule 10.7. The Rules have greatly improved our industry and its ethical standards.

WAYNE BULOG UNLIMITED POTENTIAL Time flies when you are having fun. I considered the other day that it has been 12 years since I shook hands with Grant Lynch and started UP in a small office up the road.

What a ride since then, from good times to the G.F.C, to recent times, we have enjoyed interacting with a market here that has increasingly embraced our brand. Similarly, we are enjoying marketing and selling through this ‘in demand’ area of Auckland and like you, are continually amazed at the ever increasing value of homes in the area.

To meet the expectations of the clients we serve, we have similarly invested heavily in the area with the purchase and redevelopment of the building we are in at 162 Jervois Road and in recent times we have enjoyed hosting many of our clients for ‘neighbourhood drinks’ here. They have been well supported; I guess you cannot go wrong with free drinks!

c) Allow that person to seek such advice prior to signing such document - rule 9.7 : Prior to signing an agency agreement a licensee (salesperson)

In keeping with the market we serve, we refreshed and re-launched our branding at the end of last year emphasising our commitment to the best possible result for the home owners we serve. We have moved more intentionally under the phrase ‘real estate by design’, an attitude that epitomises how we like to do things, check out our new website at www.uprealestate.co.nz

Must provide a written appraisal including the estimated commission based upon that written appraisal (rules 10.2 and 10.6) - anyone having paid a commission without first signing an agency agreement is entitled to request a refund of commission.

The real bonus however, has been the addition of great people. It has been a joy to assemble a team of recognised and experienced players all of whom carry our values passionately. It is this team approach that really is making the difference. F PN

b) Ensure that person is aware that he/she may need to seek technical or other advice and information and

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS FAREWELL NANA MA ON 16 FEBRUARY, LONG STANDING WESTMERE resident Ripeka Nukunuku - known affectionately as Nana Ma - passed away after a four month hospitalisation. She spent her final week at her Maxwell Avenue home where she has lived for 50 years, surrounded by her children, many mokopuna, friends, neighbours and the tamariki of Nga Uri O Nga Iwi, the Westmere school kaupapa Maori classes where she taught te reo me ona tikanga.

A beloved kuia, Nan was the spiritual backbone of the school for the past 12 years, officiating at every school powhiri and major event, blessing new buildings and taonga, offering her expertise to students and staff alike.

Her own children attended Westmere and several grandchildren are current students, so Nan enjoyed a long association with the school and her service to its community is irreplaceable. Her genuine love and concern for students’ wellbeing was matched by the outpouring of sadness at her passing.

It was an easy decision for the NUONI whanau, principal and the board of trustees to agree to host Nan’s tangihanga in the school hall, Te Whare Kotahitanga, which she opened in 2012 and whose name she bestowed. Of Te Whanau a Apanui and Ngapuhi descent, Nan lay at the school for two nights before returning to her home marae of Kauaetangohia at Whangaparaoa south of Te Kaha. Her contribution to education was recognised by local schools and kohanga reo. Ripeka had worked at Ritimana Kohanga Reo for ten years prior to joining the staff of Westmere. A devout Christian, the final service conducted by St James Presbyterian Church honoured her years of attendance each Sunday with her mokopuna and her involvement in the work of the church’s council.

Many of those who paid their respects emphasised how privileged students had been to be taught by a native speaker of te reo Maori. Nan loved to amuse tamariki with her tales of an east coast country upbringing. After a year of fundraising, NUONI were delighted to return with Nan in March 2013 to her tribal homelands. Hearing her cousin retell the story of the moki brought to life on the walls of the whare kai, feasting on crayfish and paua, trekking to te Haika a Tainui, all these events will remain as poignant memories of who Nan was and how she enriched our lives. Na reira, e te kuru pounamu kua wheturangitia, moe mai ra i te poho o to ukaipo.

(JANE COOPER - Kaiako (teacher) of Nga Uri O Nga Iwi at Westmere School) F PN

GO GREEN EXPO: AUCKLAND’S BIGGEST EVER ECO-EXPO Everything you need for better living - 5-6 April, ASB Showgrounds Discover exciting new choices at New Zealand’s largest organic and sustainable living show, from organic skin care to solar power, from local beers to fair trade toys, from ethical investments to electric bikes and cars! The Go Green Expo website brings you everything you need for better living, at one huge show. New Zealanders are hungry for information about green products and services, with the Colmar Better Business research 2013 stating that 92% of New Zealanders and 94% of Gen Y consumers want to have all the facts and information so they can make intelligent decisions about the environment and

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sustainability. 80% of Kiwis believe that what they do to be sustainable makes a difference to the quality of life for future generations. An exclusive preview and networking drinks for business and trades will take place on Friday 4 April. Industry people are welcome to meet the exhibitors from 2pm-5pm, and network and hear from speakers on sustainable PN business between 5pm-8.30pm. F www.gogreenexpo.co.nz www.facebook.com/GoGreenExpo.

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ARTS + CULTURE UPTOWN ART SCENE Putiki Street is on the Arch Hill side of Great North Road, just one street over and manages to cram four galleries into its short length.

Two Rooms was the first there, a spacious ground floor gallery topped with a beautifully airy upstairs space. Gretchen Albrecht is well known for her intensely coloured elliptical paintings, and her latest works here glow and hover somewhere in between space and liquid. There is a more contemplative atmosphere to Megan Jenkinson’s collaged and layered photographs that gently play with light.

Next on the scene, Toi Ora Live Art Trust is a community initiative supporting mental health and well-being. The rise of what is sometimes termed Outsider Art is a global phenomenon, and Toi Ora’s Andrew Blythe has shown at dealer galleries both here and in New York. On display currently is the group show Cascade, built around the concept of waterfalls that merge to gain strength and direction, and presents an electric range of imagery and media.

From 11 April, Hopkinson Mossman will be showing work by renown British sculptor and film-maker Cerith Wyn Evans. His work has been included in the Venice Biennale (twice), Istanbul and Moscow Biennials, Yokohama and Aichi Triennials, and Documenta 11, so this is a real opportunity to locally view international conceptual practice, not to be missed!

Oxford Word of the Year 2013 ‘selfies’ is the title of the group show on at OREXART, Putiki Street’s most recent gallery. Self-portraits by artists are always interesting for them to make, as there’s no need to flatter! You get to see what the modern selfy means to over a dozen artists including Sarah Dolby, Evan Woodruffe, Kathy Barber, Ross Lewis, Rebecca Wallis and Dean Tercel. WILL PAYNT, STUDIO ART SUPPLIES F PN

Four galleries in one street, some shouting out loud, some keeping it subtle. Two Rooms, Toi Ora Live Art Trust, Hopkinson Mossman and Orexart

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ART EXHIBITION AT PONSONBY CRUISING CLUB 7 - 11 May Open from 11am to 7pm From October 1900 the Ponsonby Cruising Club has existed (first in St Mary’s Bay) to promote sailing - whether it be racing or cruising - friendship and camaraderie. In 1920 Sir Thomas Lipton presented the club with a magnificent silver trophy which rivals even the Americas Cup, to be presented to the winner of the annual Mullet Boat competition. This regatta is still sailed by these Mulleties every year along with weekly racing for their keel boat fleet. The club history is long and has had many challenges.

Their current challenge is to keep their sailing school afloat. The boats used for the school are always in need of repairs and maintenance and from time to time the club needs to add new boats to the fleet and safety vessels to keep the kids safe. An art exhibition is being held at their clubhouse at Westhaven to raise funds for the sailing school. Approximately 66 artists will be supplying over 250 fabulous works in all media as well as glass art, jewellery and model boats. Water-colourist, Amanda Brett will be ‘artist in residence’. The exhibition will be opened in the Harbour View Lounge by Patron Peter Montgomery. Join the club in celebrating the artists’ fine works and maybe find a piece of art to decorate your walls. The funds raised will keep alive their sailing history PN and the ‘City of Sails.’ F PONSONBY CRUISING CLUB - 141 -151 Westhaven Drive Westhaven Marina T: 09 376 0245 www.pcc.org.nz

ARTS + CULTURE 'FEATHER' FLIES THE NEST "I was grinding steel in St Mary's Bay for years, no one ever complained," says local artist Virginia King as she stands beneath her latest commission, 'Feather'.

The 10.8m high steel beauty has been brought out of the shed at Stainless Engineering for the only time it will be viewed in New Zealand.

Projects of this magnitude mean that the days of working from her St Mary's Bay home have been left behind, but Virginia's family are still involved; her architect husband Mike and their son Luke provide technical support, from drafting and computer drawing to sanding sculptures by hand.

'Feather' was commissioned last year by Canberra Airport in Australia, the work will be installed outdoors, but inside the building an escalator will carry airport users up past a huge expanse of window, allowing for an impressive view of the sculpture.

Inspired by the plumage of the lyrebird, an Australian native bird noted for its ability to mimic natural and artificial sounds, the client gave Virginia a single tail feather as a sample.

"The lyrebird has spectacular plumage, I wanted to get the feeling of the whole lyrebird into the work," Virginia says.

With 'Feather' the single tail feather has taken on the arching and proud quality of the full plumage of the lyrebird. The shaft of the feather is brightly polished and glass-bead blasted barbs give contrast; each of the curving barbs has been pierced with holes, carefully aligned to allow light to pass through.

There is something 'naturally unnatural' about ‘Feather’ as it stands outside the shed in East Tamaki, gleaming against the blue sky, framed by power lines and industrial buildings. It is a sculpture that, as with all Virginia's work, seems delicate and alive, despite being constructed in solid stainless steel.

One of Virginia's recent commissions is 'Woman of Words' for the Wellington Sculpture Trust, Wellington City Council and Katherine Mansfield Society. It was a break from tradition for Virginia, creating a figurative work, and it was a challenge making the folds of Katherine's gown drape elegantly in stainless steel - but the project has been a success with a flow of positive feedback.

"This has been a joy," Virginia says of ‘Feather’. "At one point the client came over and decided he wanted it more 'forwardly' inclined, so we had to go back to the engineer... but you solve the problems as they come along."

Working with engineers, in this case Steven Thorne of Thorne Dwyer Structures, is a large part of Virginia's process, and fabricator-welder John Brannan worked full time with Virginia during the construction phase of ‘Feather’.

"I have become very interested the engineering part of it, although it's on a need to know basis," Virginia says smiling.

Virginia credits the grant she received early in her career as the catalyst to working seriously as an artist, and sculpture became her preferred art form in the 1980s. Her work can be seen around the country, in Auckland alone there are 16 of Virginia's public commissions, among them 'Feather and Fern' at the Telstra Clear Pacific Events Centre and at AUT; 'Fifty Bronze Fish,' and 'Limpet Coracle' can be found at Auckland Airport and her 'Amphitheatre Earthwork', is right here in Ponsonby as a part of Tole Reserve.

It will be visitors to Canberra Airport that will delight in 'Feather' for years to come, but as the completed sculpture stands outside the shed before shipping, two and half tonnes of stainless steel and nine months of full time labour seem to have disappeared. In their place is a shining work of art that, and it must be said, is as strong and as light as PN a feather. (JESSIE KOLLEN) F

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ARTS + CULTURE SHOWING AT WHITESPACE Krystie Wade - until 19 April In an age where public spaces such as urban parks and gardens are often uninhabited, nomadic spaces passed through or looked at from a distance, Krystie Wade gives us an opportunity to readdress how we experience our everyday landscapes.

Krystie Wade creates landscapes and environments that one can only explore through interaction with her painting. Her abstracted and fragmented works create a space for the viewer to imagine and construct one’s own landscape. One is challenged to negotiate the space of the painting by moving from the surface into the subtle depths and skewed perspectives of the forms within the work.

Essay excerpt Vanessa Eve Cook; Krystie Wade graduated from Unitec in 2004 with a Bachelor of Design in painting. She was chosen to represent Unitec at Bremen University in Germany in 2003 where she studied under Professor Karin Kneffel then travelled to Norway, Australia, and the USA. She has exhibited in a number of exhibitions in New Zealand and abroad including: Joyeux Noel, Kobo Chika Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, (2008).

In 2011 Krystie was selected to paint the standing piano at the Wynyard quarter for the Rugby World Cup - this project was so popular she has been invited to participate again in 2013 and 14. F PN WHITESPACE, 12 Crummer Road T: 09 361 6331 www.whitespace.co.nz

LOCALLY-MADE FILM WITH ASPIRATIONS Three Ponsonby News locals have combined their skills in filmmaking, acting and visual art to produce a short film bound, they hope, for the international spotlight.

Filmed in rural Northland and set against the backdrop of catastrophic social collapse, 45 RPM explores the powerful yet uneasy relationship of three “survivors” struggling to come to terms with themselves and each other in their new and hostile environment.

Co-written by and starring filmmaker Alexander Campbell, actor Jeffrey Gane and visual artist Sally Tagg, 45 RPM was born unexpectedly, over a casual beer in the garden of what is now the Three Lamps Eatery.

“Originally it wasn’t to be more than an exercise to help Sally learn how to shoot video on her new camera and at the same time have a bit of fun,” says Alexander, founder of the Ponsonby-based PaXifica Moving Image Productions. “From there, it grew into something more complex, but still remained a low budget concern.” The “complex” nature of the film is due largely to the organic and highly collaborative evolution of the film: Jeff kick-started the process by writing about a past relationship in 1979 in San Francisco, California. Alexander adapted the monologue into a screenplay, and Sally’s artistic skills were infused as a central part of the script. Thus, the three creators of 45 RPM gave themselves the nom de plume “3’s a Company”.

For Sally, a well-known photographer who is renowned for her botanical images and large scale outdoor works, 45 RPM offered not only her first chance to act, but also to create a bespoke piece of art that features prominently in the film. Using collected, dried plant specimens, feathers, and other found objects, Sally produced a giant mandala titled ‘Vintage Peace’. This intricate kaleidoscope of natural treasures has a large flat pebble of greenstone as a centrepiece. In the film, the artwork becomes a symbol for hope and renewal, a ‘sacred space’ amid the chaos.

While it is fundamentally a locally-made film, 45 RPM also boasts international credentials: the respected, Los-Angeles-based photographer Mark Solter served as director of photography, visiting New Zealand to help shoot the film. 45 RPM’s original score has been produced by United Kingdom - based Kiwi musician Norm Skipp. Andy Day, now based in Ponsonby but originally from England is a veteran professional with over 25 years in the music and post production industry. He has had clients including 20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers, BBC and Universal Music. 3’s a Company is fortunate to have been able to secure his expertise in sound-mixing the film. Currently, 45 RPM needs to raise $3000 to complete post-production.

Krystie Wade, Transparent World 2014, 1200mm x 900mm

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Once finished, Alexander, Jeff and Sally hope to take 45 RPM to the international film festival circuit. To view the trailer and help them reach the goal of $3000 visit their campaign page of the crowd funding site Indiegogo. F PN Contact: Jeff Gane, 3’s a Company; M 027 204 5890 jefronz@gmail.com www.paxifica.net www.sallytagg.co.nz

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

ARTS + CULTURE PONSONBY’S CREATIVE PRECINCT Last year the Waitemata Local Board requested a review to determine how a Ponsonby Road landmark, namely Artstation, could be run more effectively.

The council’s arts and culture unit manages and runs the centre on the board’s behalf.

There was certainly a meeting of minds because the upshot is, that in December last year, Artstation underwent a major refurbishment.

No structural work was done as the building is now on the Historic Places register, but the revamp has transformed the interior. On the ground floor musty old carpets were lifted to expose beautiful floor boards, upstairs lino received a high polishing treatment, and every wall surface throughout was painted a deep alabaster white. The work was done during the summer break and Noelene Buckland was responsible for holding the whole process together, making sure it was finished on time and within budget.

A stupendous achievement!

While there’s been no structural change there’s certainly a very different layout. Former offices on the ground floor have been converted into four inter-connecting galleries.

These can be hired individually or collectively. Exhibitors are expected to be self supporting but technical advice is available from staff members.

Guidelines are also provided on installation and de-installation with further details about these included in the Artstation information pack. Along the corridor a large room is on offer for seminars, meetings, talks, workshops and product launches with kitchen facilities just across the hallway. In fact many spaces in Artstation are available for general hire by the public. They are suitable for corporate functions, community and business meetings, celebrations and parties. Enquiries about room hire can be made by contacting artstation@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or simply calling 376-3221.

The former gallery upstairs has been turned into a studio space that can accommodate 15 people at one time and may be used for a variety of creative activities. Another large studio on the same floor is devoted to quieter disciplines - maybe painting, designing or making clothes. A separate villa adjacent to the carpark has been setup as a ‘dirty’ workshop. Artstation is one of the few studio hire facilities that offer access to such a facility which is suitable for ceramicists, sculptors, object makers, fused glass artists, printmakers, jewellery designers and so on. There’s also the possibility of creating a garden in the central outside area.

And of course one must make mention of the historic cell block because after all, Artstation was once a building that accommodated guests at both His and Her Majestys’ pleasure. At one stage it was apparently quite overcrowded. What a different aspect it presents today! The brick walls of each cell, including the single padded one, are now painted gleaming alabaster white and are set up as individual furnished studios.

All these changes to the Artstation building and the programmes, events and activities offered are aimed at improving community participation and a wider engagement in arts and culture. Nga Rangatahi Toa Creative Arts Initiative creative Director Sarah Longbottom has said, “It always amazes me how many people from my community haven’t even set foot in the building so it’s great that the council is aware of that and is now doing something about it.”

Artstation’s new phase is certainly very exciting. It is now a true creative precinct, the first of its kind in Auckland and will offer tuition in music, digital media, performance, and writing to complement its long history of fostering the visual arts. Another positive is that all this innovation will help it operate within budget.

Artstation is now seeking proposals for classes, courses, and workshops that promote daily engagement with arts, culture and connectivity in the community. Tutors are all ages and from all backgrounds and their subjects are just as diverse. Most importantly, what they do share is enthusiasm and a friendly and fun approach to learning.

Should anyone out there have an idea for a course, class or workshop just go to www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/artstation to find out how to access an application PN form. (DEIRDRE TOHILL) F

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ARTS + CULTURE SHOWING AT OREXART SELFIES Until 17 April Chances are you’ve taken at least one selfie recently. After all, it wasn’t chosen as the Oxford Dictionaries’ word of the year for nothing. Technological advances and the sheer unadulterated vanity of social media means that usage of the word ‘selfie’ has increased by 17,000% over the past 12 months. You’ll know this to be true - there are now almost as many self-shot photos of pouting faces as there are of cats doing silly things on the internet.

More than just a self-portrait, the term ‘selfie’ is loaded with the concerns of our interconnected, technological age. The selfie is the self-portrait of our digital world, an extension of our natural construction of the self that seeks a new level of self -awareness, validation, performance, and vulnerability through social media, and its associated likes, emoticons and re-tweets.

So how will artists respond to the brief of creating their own selfie?

Artists featured in Selfies include Stephen Allwood, Kathy Barber, Sarah Dolby, Ross Lewis, Cliff McPherson, Richard McWhannell, John Madden, Dean Tercel, Rebecca Wallis, Peter Wichman, Evan Woodruffe and many more, plus a few surprises.

Sarah Dolby; ‘Gypsy’ Oil on linen

OREXART, 15 Putiki Street Arch Hill T: 09 378 0588 for more information visit www.orexart.co.nz or contact rex@orexart.co.nz

Evan Woodruffe; Acrylic and resin-oil colour on linen, 500 x 700mm

A SPECIAL FREE OFFER TO PONSONBY NEWS READERS A double ticket to GUTTER BLACK Stephen Allwood; ‘The only time I look at myself’, Oil on canvas 910 x 910 mm

Broadcaster Karyn Hay and members of Hello Sailor and Pink Flamingos come together with family and friends at the Auckland Writers Festival, in a tribute to Dave McArtney’s music and a salute to his new memoir Gutter Black, the definitive account of the man, the bands he played in and the music that rocked a nation.

Presented in association with APRA/AMCOS. FRIDAY MAY 16 - 7.00-8.00PM LOWER NZI ROOM, AOTEA CENTRE To enter email name address and phone number to info@writersfestival.co.nz with Gutter Black in the subject line.

Entries close 17 April 2014. F PN Auckland Writers Festival runs 14-18 May, Aotea Centre.

For full programme visit www.writersfestival.co.nz

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ARTS + CULTURE REST IN PEACE ALEXIS HUNTER 1948 - 2014 Alexis Hunter was a good sort, she was incredibly generous with her support of other artists and was always willing to engage in a conversation about technique or professional practice and to share her knowledge.

In a time when so many creative people are preoccupied with an individualistic approach to their artmaking, Alexis was always actively engaged in her community and never afraid to voice her opinion.

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We held a gathering of friends to remember Alexis on Saturday 8 March at Whitespace, many of our local Ponsonby community attended and shared stories.

Alexis was remembered with great humour and affection.

Alexis graduated with honours from Elam School of Art studying painting with Colin McCahon, Don Binney, and Garth Tapper. In 1971 Alexis sailed to England via the Panama Canal with the writer Louise Rennison. In London she became a member of The Women's Workshop of the Artists Union and her practice focused on collective strategies and feminist politics. Alexis became a prominent feminist artist and writer in the 1970s and 80s. Participating in the Feminist Art Movement in London, she also travelled across the United States to collaborate with feminist artists there.

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Best known for her feminist work which has been exhibited and collected extensively throughout the U.K, Germany, and New Zealand, Alexis was also an accomplished illustrator having worked in animation productions for films and television series. She was an accomplished painter, illustrator, photographer, printmaker as well as a teacher and curator, and her feminist writings have been published. Her work is expressive, provocative, and reflective of her interest in the role of women and society.

Alexis lived and worked in London until her death on 24 February 2014 of motor neurone disease. Alexis exhibited extensively including prestigious solo exhibitions at the Institute of Contemporary Art in London, a retrospective Fears/Dreams/Desires at the Auckland Art Gallery, and several galleries in New York and New Zealand. We are proud to have represented Alexis Hunter at Whitespace over the past 10 years - we will miss her. (DEBORAH WHITE AND KENNETH JOHNSON) F PN

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photography: Gil Hanly

1. Jimmy Keogh, Peter and Claudia Pond Eyley; 2. Deborah White, William Dart, Don Abbott, Paul Hartigan and Janine Dickins; 3. Elizabeth Rankin and Christine Hellyar; 4. Jenny Todd and Christine Hellyar; 5. Kenneth Johnson and Jenny Todd.

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FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT

Venue Feature: The Dog’s Bollix Over the next few months Ponsonby News is going to do a monthly feature on our local music venues. There is a wide selection of venues in the greater Ponsonby area. These provide a range of music experiences for listeners - through genre, size and clientele.

I’m going to begin with one of the most well-known and iconic Ponsonby music venues - the Dog’s Bollix. If you are a music listener then you will surely have found yourself walking through the doors of the pub on Newton Road. It has long been the pub to play at for up and coming bands as well as a perfect place to have an Irish brew and yell at the sport with friends.

It was a worrisome day for music in Auckland when in late 2012 it was announced that the Dog’s Bollix was closed and For Lease signs were up on the building. Shortly after it was also announced that another mainstay of the music scene, Khuja Lounge, on Queen Street, was closing. Fast forward a year, and it was with great relief that I discovered that the Dog’s Bollix was reopening with new ownership in mid-2013. Many long-time residents will bemoan the loss of the Gluepot in Three Lamps, and many musicians have stated that performing in Auckland can be harder than elsewhere in the country. This is worrying for our local musicians who need hometown support, and the Dog’s Bollix is one of those supportive venues.

It has always been a stalwart supporter of local musicians and bands, and this has remained the case since it reopened last year. In the last two weeks of March it was featured as one of the venues in the first Folk Fortnight - hosting Irish and folk music events as part of the new festival. Bands are always welcome to perform at the bar, and these gigs are free for musicians - which allows up and coming bands to find a venue to perform at which doesn’t break the bank (an all too real threat for budding musicians).

Check out their Facebook page for upcoming events and openings for concerts. They have a club night for singer-songwriters on Tuesday nights. Fortnightly Wednesdays I host an Open Mic Night, anyone is welcome to come perform a few songs or just listen to the musicians who turn up. This has been steadily increasing in popularity and we have a Facebook page dedicated to the night where we post photos and times for each event. Almost every Friday and Saturday night there are rock gigs and Irish events on, and every night is a good night to head along and have some drinks at the local.

Contact them at dogsbollix@hoot.co.nz for bookings. www.facebook.com/pages/The-Dogs-Bollix/335625706564286 www.facebook.com/DBJamNight (FINN McLENNAN-ELLIOTT) F PN

Mamaku - Twigs of Gold I had just finished the single book I had with me when I arrived on the Interislander in February on a road trip from Christchurch to Auckland.

This presented a very long trip across to Wellington with little to occupy my time except the water, and so it was with pleasure that I heard that there would be a live band performing and one that I recognised!

The Mamaku Project (or Mamaku as they are currently going by) have always been on my radar as a band I should check out. I know two of the musicians who’ve played with them and the fusion of French and New Zealand culture with the diverse instrumentation and experimentation of their music is an appealing concept.

I sat down with Tui Mamaki and Monsieur Escargot to discover how this unique mix of cultures, sounds and genres had come together. My first question was obviously where the name Monsieur Escargot had come from. I was informed it had been gifted to him due to being French among Kiwis - although it was aptly chosen he tells me as regularly ‘his house’ travels with him. The meeting of two French-Kiwi’s, as they say, has allowed their passion of music, travel and performance to create a unique and evocative project. They are constantly surrounded by talented musicians, who shift and change when needed, and in recent tours have collaborated with visual artists who mix their performance into the music.

Twigs of Gold is Mamaku’s third album and their first for five years. They have spent so much time in the last few years touring both in Aotearoa and in Europe that finding time for studio recording has been difficult. Many of the songs were written over that period but some were performed for the first time in the last few months while touring the album across the country. I struggled to define the genre of the album, something that doesn’t often happen and when asked Tui responded that they were calling this one ‘groove-hop’. What does that mean? It is influenced by trip-hop, has a focus on rhythmic word (not quite hip hop but it has a respect for that) and the groove/danceable aspect is audible in almost every track.

Monsieur E mixed and produced the album and he animatedly discusses the use of a computer in their performances. They allow the creation of different and odd sounds from drums, his synthesizer and numerous other instruments. In some cases, they have pre-recorded vintage instruments or sounds that are difficult to replicate in live settings to enhance their show, while also being able to trigger video and light shows during songs.

Tui sings in both French and English, with occasional parts in Maori. One of my favourite songs off the album was Mon Ami sung entirely in French. One of the singles off the article Mardi Gras has a video which can be seen on their website.

The title track off the album was immediately one of my favourites - it reminded me strongly of a group called the Gotan Project. The music they produce is primarily associated with the Tango but draws on similar influences to Mamaku, including electronic and trip-hop. Twigs of Gold is home to a wonderful saxophone solo and is carried by a driving and catchy bass riff.

Listening to the album I recognised the song Taonga from my trip across the water with the Mamaku Project. I remember being unsure of how I felt about the song but that it grew on me and upon further listening I remember why. I would go so far as to call the song playful, with a driving drum beat, speedy lyrics and evidence of the electronic influences providing an interesting dynamic and texture to the song.

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

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

Tui is also involved in the World of Voice Choir that rehearse on Thursdays from 7-8.30pm at the Unitarian Church on Ponsonby Road. They are a 20 strong mixed choir that specialises in Balkan Polyphony (odd-metres, close harmony and a powerful vibrant tone). If you are interested in joining or finding out more contact Tui, tuimamaki@gmail.com.

If you are interested in finding out more about Mamaku check out their website or Facebook page. They are performing on Saturday 24 May in Whangarei, and 31 May in Rotorua. There are more concerts in the pipeline for late May so keep an ear out for them. If you’d like to purchase their album check out their website, or ‘any good record PN store’. (FINN McLENNAN ELLIOTT) F www.mamakuproject.com www.facebook.com “The Mamaku Project”

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ARTS + CULTURE SARAH MCKENNEY MOSAICS TUTOR Sarah McKenney is an experienced mosaics tutor who runs classes at Toi Ora Live Art trust and Waiheke Island.

She started her career as an apprentice to pioneer potter Yvonne Rust. In 1975 she graduated from Otago Polytechnic in ceramics and in 2008 completed a Bachelor of Design, majoring in painting at Unitec. She is a practising artist producing public tile and mosaic works around Auckland and Waiheke.

Look out for her new class starting in May 2014 at Artstation, Ponsonby Road, Friday 9 May, 10.30am - 1pm. F PN

Mamaku - Twigs of Gold

SHOWING AT TOI ORA LIVE ARTS TRUST ATLANTIS Opening: 3 April 5pm to 7pm The Toi Ora Gallery welcomes you to the view Atlantis; the exhibition features three visionary artists, Matthew Yeates, Paul Peterson and Damion Von Sturmer. Modest by nature, each is driven by intense feelings to explore alternative worlds through art and story telling. On display will be a selection of their work; pencil drawings in colour and monotone, printmaking and painting.

PN The gallery is closed on weekends and public holidays. F

TOI ORA GALLERY, 6 Putiki Street T: 09 360 4171 www.toiora.org.nz

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ARTS + CULTURE PERFORMING AT AUCKLAND TOWN HALL Auckland Choral presents WAR AND PEACE 25 April 5.00 pm - ANZAC DAY The concert commences with J.S. Bach’s spine tingling and powerful ‘Toccata and Fugue’, guaranteed to reverberate around the splendid acoustic of the Town Hall. Haydn’s ‘Mass in Time of War’, also known as the ‘Paukenmesse’ (Kettledrum Mass) is his most popular mass and regarded as a cry for peace in an era of military and political turmoil.

A desire for peace is at the heart of German/New Zealand composer Michael Renhart’s ‘Requiem’, and was Renhart’s final work remaining unfinished. This early evening concert will premiere David Hamilton's setting of Wilfred Owens’ famous poem, ‘Anthem for Doomed Youth’, a poignant reflection on the realities of war and remembrance. Held in the presence of distinguished and honoured guests, this concert marks not only the 100th year since the start of the First World War but also the 75th year since the outbreak of hostilities and the Second World War. Featuring Morag Atchison soprano, Bianca Andrew, mezzo soprano, Derek Hill, tenor, James Clayton, bass baritone and John Wells, organ, Pipers Sinfonia conducted by Music Director Uwe Grodd. $34 - $89 concessions available. F PN Tickets available from ticketmaster.co.nz or T: 09 970 9700.

MOMENTUM ARTIST THIS MONTH: SHANE HANSEN Since launching himself as an artist in 2009, Shane Hansen has never looked back.

He is one of New Zealand’s most popular artists of contemporary Maori inspired artworks. His works take us on a journey of cultural discovery and personal life experiences through the use of modern Maori motifs, vibrant colours and expressive bold imagery.

2013 was Shane's busiest yet, seeing him complete successful projects with BMW NZ, Air New Zealand and the New Zealand Olympic Committee.

2014 has started similarly, Shane being full steam ahead contributing his original works to charity fundraisers for Amnesty International and Starship Foundation.

Shane says about his upcoming exhibition at Vinnies in Herne Bay, ‘This year for me is all about AROHA! My new works express the love of people and place. It's fitting to have the dinner at Vinnies, where a love of fine food, great company and art will meet.' Keep a keen eye on our Facebook page for details this month! F PN www.facebook.com/momentumgallery www.shanehansen.com www.nativeaotearoa.co.nz

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BEST PARADE FLOAT AWARD AND PRIDE VOLUNTEER PRIZE WINNER ANNOUNCED The winners of the Auckland Pride Festival and Parade’s two Hawaiian Airlines international travel prize packages were announced last month.

The Best Parade Float Award has been presented to the Pasefika LGBTQI Youth Float, which was judged this year’s winning Auckland Pride Parade entry, in a split decision, by a panel comprised of the Pride Parade’s own Head Float Designer Dion Boothby, Ponsonby Business Association General Manager Vivienne Rosenberg, and Parade Director Richard Taki.

The panel also highly commended the Unitec Rocket Ship, First Scene’s ‘Vintage Circus’ float, and LYC’s ‘Colours of the Pacific’ float. The Best Parade Float Award comes with a prize package that includes two return airfares to San Francisco, flying Hawaiian Airlines and staying for two nights at the Hotel Rex, situated in a cleverly restored historic building with décor inspired by the San Francisco art and literary salons of the 1920s and 30s.

Parade Director Richard Taki believes the Pasefika LGBTQI Youth Float was clearly successful in its mission to “nurture and develop the future generations” and in “giving Pasefika LGBTQI Youth the opportunity to be visible, to have a voice, and to show they exist among the Rainbow Community.”

Float organiser Phylesha Brown-Acton is surprised and delighted to have won the Best Parade Float Award. “They did say to themselves, ‘How are you feeling? Is it up to par with the flash lights and sound gear on other floats?’” says Brown-Acton. “The response was, ‘It’s made from the love of our bare hands’.”

The Pride Volunteer Prize Package was drawn from an ice bucket containing more than 110 names during last week’s Volunteer Thank You Function at Poof Bar. Everyone who registered as a volunteer throughout the Auckland Pride Festival and Parade went into the draw.

The lucky winner was British tourist Lauren Wray, who had volunteered as a Parade Marshall soon after arriving in New Zealand for a summer holiday - which has now been necessarily extended. Wray has won a prize package that includes two return airfares to Hawaii, flying Hawaiian Airlines and staying for three nights at Oahu’s sexiest and most sophisticated hotel, The Modern Honolulu.

The Auckland Pride Festival Trust salutes each and every one of the volunteers and organisers who have made the Auckland Pride Festival and Parade such a fantastic success in 2014, and wishes to thank its travel partner Hawaiian Airlines for making possible these special acknowledgements and awards. Aloha! F PN

photography: Adam Baines, Picture Finish Limited

The winning float explored the Auckland Pride Parade’s 2014 theme of TIME by combining past and present. Elders and young people worked together with traditional and modern materials, while sharing their stories, knowledge and journeys. The float cost almost $4000 to create, with the construction process including a group of thirty people weaving for three days - over 1000 hours of weaving in total. For many participants, the process involved learning traditional weaving techniques for the first time. There were 92 float participants in total, with groups and individuals from Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, Niue, Fiji, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Papua New Guinea, and even Jamaica, plus

a group who had travelled from Wellington especially to participate. The Pasefika LGBTQI Youth Float was proudly supported by GABA (Gay Auckland Business Association), The PROJECT Village Collective, Mangere East Family Service Centre, Wellington Gay Welfare Group and Love Life.

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OUT + ABOUT

Above L to R: Hawaii - Mana o Hula

Above L to R: Hawaii - Mana o Hula; Crowds watching the performances; Manava Nui Drummers posing

photography: Michael McClintock

Above L to R: Manava Nui Drummers performing Cook Islands; Cook Islands over the lake crowds watching the performances

Above L to R: Auckland Fiji Methodist Choir; Banana Mango Smoothie; Fresh Movement NZ Dance Group Cook Islands

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OUT + ABOUT

Above L to R: Niue Hut; Two ladies inspect their goods; Cuisine Aotearoa

Above L to R: Tapa Cloth stall; Tapa Cloth mannequins; Tuvalu hut

photography: Michael McClintock

Above L to R: Dam Native Aotearoa; Mercy Hospice Ukelele

Above L to R: Tuvalu - youth performances; stallholder with her goods

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photography: Michael McClintock

Above: Global March for Lions, with march organiser Shona Lyon (far left)

GLOBAL MARCH FOR LIONS @ PONSONBY ROAD - 15 MARCH 132 PONSONBY NEWS+ April 2014

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Above: Ponsonby Central marketplace

photography: Michael McClintock

Above L to R: Kelsey Stankovich of alittleshop.co.nz popup shop; Gael Baldock wears reGaelia; Bhana Brothers flowers; Lucie Thomson of Decjuba

Above L to R: Mélanie Trexon and Chloé Griveaud of Andrea Moore; Widdess, market day sale; Sarasa Shimura of Tokyo Club

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OUT + ABOUT

photography: Michael McClintock

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ARCH HILL RESIDENT’S ‘LIVEABLE CITY ART AUCTION’ RAISES $40,000 TOWARDS ENVIRONMENT COURT COSTS Last month at Hopetoun Alpha, a good sized crowd attended the ‘Liveable City Art Auction’ to raise funds for the Arch Hill Resident’s (somewhat depleted) legal fees war-chest to fight against the proposed Bunnings ‘Big Box’ development in Great North Road.

Via live and silent auction, 84 works from some 62 artists and donors raised over $75,000 which, after deducting artists’ commissions, will leave around $40,000 for their fund.

Virtually all of the costs in hosting such a large event were sponsored or funded in kind.

"That we were able to convince all the artists, sponsors, supporters, volunteers and art purchasers to participate must surely be an indication that not only the residents of Arch Hill but our wider community see the value of our cause and the ramifications for

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Mixed Use zoning within the Auckland Super-city if such a development by Bunnings was to go ahead," says David Batten, on behalf of the Arch Hill residents.

Arch Hill residents and Kindercare are appealing to the Environment Court, regarding the granting of consent for Bunnings to build a retail store in Great North Road, Arch Hill and are currently in a mediation phase with Auckland Council and Bunnings. www.facebook.com/pages/Arch-Hill-Matters

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OUT + ABOUT

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photography: Michael McClintock

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LIVEABLE CITY ART AUCTION @ HOPETOUN ALPHA - 21 MARCH

1. Andrew Liei and John Hodgson. 2. Ingrid Frisk and Daniel Marshall. 3. John Hodgson. 4. David Batten and Rosemary Moore. 5. Pippa Coom and Paul Shortland. 6. Sally James and Gerry Hill The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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photography: Michael McClintock

OUT + ABOUT

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LIVEABLE CITY ART AUCTION @ HOPETOUN ALPHA - 21 MARCH 7. Keith and Sandy Dowdle. 8. Martin Leach and Greg Moyle. 9. Caron Michael and Anita Aggrey. 10. Sue Lyons and Anita Aggrey. 11. Keith and Sandy Dowdle and John Hodgson The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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HOROSCOPES: MISS PEARL NECLIS

What your stars hold this month ♈ Aries (the Ram): 21 March - 20 April

♎ Libra (the Scales): 24 September - 23 October

♉ Taurus (the Bull): 21 April - 21 May

Scorpio (the Scorpion): 24 October - 22 November You are always full of ideas but unfortunately there is always something in your way blocking you from realising them. If you feel the need to be ambitious maybe you should start small and finish something that you’ve previously started first.

You can be critical all you want but you’ve always felt that you have never been taken seriously enough for anything you say to be noticed. Now though, you may have gone a bit too far and may be paying the price for having a loose mouth, as you’re not in demand anymore.

You have always been able to accomplish everything you’ve wanted to do, but you have been thinking lately that there is still something that has eluded you. With something significant about to happen in your life maybe you should put your thinking cap on.

♊

Gemini (the Twins): 22 May - 21 June Sometimes you can speak before you’ve really thought about what you’re going to say and this can often cause awkward situations. You have to learn to say the right thing at the right time otherwise it’s best to say nothing.

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

You really want to stop what you’re doing and do absolutely nothing, but how is it possible to when you have so much going on in your life. Remember though that this isn’t forever and your life will get easier.

♌

Leo (the Lion): 23 July - 21 August Figuring out what’s been going on with you recently hasn’t been that brilliant as you’re sometimes not the easiest person to understand. Everyone can see that you’re trying and that is a good sign that you want to change and get better.

♍ Virgo (the Virgin): 22 August - 23 September

A lot of important stuff can seemingly pass you by and you really have no concept of what you’ve missed, your friends tell you that you’re missing out. Your life will fall into place all on its own and there is no need to keep up with the Joneses if you’re happy the way you are.

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

If you have something important to say then it’s imperative that you are heard, don’t let anyone get in your way. If it’s important for you to stop what you’re doing and get on your soapbox and speak your mind then you must have something to say.

♏

♐ Sagittarius (the Archer): 23 November - 22 December

If you feel like you have something that you want to get off your chest, like something that you’ve been keeping to yourself for a long time, now might be the time to bring it up. You will feel a lot better, however there will be consequences.

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

You have sensed some change now going on around you for some time and have always felt like you’re in control most of the time. If it gets too much, the best thing you can do will be to take a big step back and avoid the mess.

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

There is always something going on around you and you feel like you need to be part of everything when in reality you simply can’t be everywhere at once, and this is stressing you out. You need to be a little less hard on yourself and just enjoy your own space for a while.

♓ Pisces (the Fish): 20 February - 20 March

You feel the need to get things done by yourself all the time and it’s not out of duty, it’s becoming a bit of an obsession and it seems the only one who hasn’t noticed is you. You have a great network of friends and family who want to get involved, let them.

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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