The Hobson July/Aug 2016

july/august 2016

remuera's teen baking queen • holiday destinations local news, views & informed opinions

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things

The July/August Issue, No. 30 8

28

55

the editor’s letter

the heritage

the second act

10 the columnists

A look at the Remuera museum devoted to the life and achievements of Grand Prix champ Bruce McLaren

Listen, and learn — Sandy Burgham’s unexpected encounter with Gloria Steinem

12

36

56

the village

the kaitiaki

the sound

News and updates from this part of town, the chance to win a drink on Grammar, the Orākei Local Board wraps up a year of progress, and more

Introducing our newest columnist, Ngāti Whātua’s Precious Clark

A new book unleashes punk memories for Andrew Dickens

40

57 the bookmark

20

the baker Social media superstar, and local Remuera teen, Amelia Ferrier launches her first cookbook

Gail Woodward chooses books for tots through to teenage readers

44

the cinema

the plan Hamish Firth looks forward to getting on with business once the Auckand Unitary Plan is revealed

22

the magpie

58 What’s screening in July and August, by Caitlin McKenna

the reps

This month, The Magpie makes her picks for stylish fledglings

News from local MPs David Seymour and Paul Goldsmith

46

24

Attractive, and useful, things for teenagers

Sue Fleischl's seasonal vegetable dishes are stars in their own right

48

62

the suburbanist Got 20-somethings still living at home?

Get used to it, says Tommy Honey

the pretty

60 the appetite

the teacher

the district diary

the investment

Could do better: Judi Paape on the need for innovation and improvement in the teaching profession

56

Warren Couillault explains the whys and hows of wealth management

50

25

26 the candidate Bill Ralston would like to be Waitematā’s new councillor. He tells us why

the check in We stay at the coolest/hottest hotel in Queenstown, plus, the Francophile allure of Montreal

Save the date notes for July and August

the cryptic Our puzzle, by Māyā. Hint: some of the answers are local (if you’re really stuck, there’s blog help too)

Win! J'aime les macarons are true baking artists when it comes to creating these petite treats. Created in Christchurch, delivered and devoured nationwide, Bridget O’Sullivan and her team release new flavours each season. The winter menu includes macarons in Plum & Blackberry, White Chocolate, Pear & Ginger, Salted Caramel Espresso, Rhubarb & Custard, and Sticky Date Pudding. Courtesy of J’aime les macarons, five lucky readers have the chance to win a delivery of a gift box of a dozen macarons, valued at $38.50.

To enter, email business@thehobson.co.nz with “Macaron” in the subject line by Friday July 22. Please include an address for delivery (no PO boxes). The winning names will be selected at random. @jaimelesmacarons www.jaimelesmacarons.co.nz The fine print: By entering this giveaway, you agree that your name and contact details will be retained by THE HOBSON for our database purposes, and shared with J’aime les macarons

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issue 30, july/august 2016 Editor & Publisher Kirsty Cameron editor@thehobson.co.nz Art Direction & Production Stephen Penny design@thehobson.co.nz Writers Kirsty Cameron, Penny Lewis, Millie McCaughan, Louise Richardson, Justine Williams Sub-editor Fiona Wilson Social Media Editor Sarah Lynch Columnists & Contributors This Issue Sandy Burgham, Precious Clark, Warren Couillault, Andrew Dickens, Hamish Firth, Sue Fleischl, Paul Goldsmith, Tommy Honey, Māyā, Caitlin McKenna, Judi Paape, David Seymour, Desley Simpson, Fiona Wilson, Gail Woodward Photographers Vanita Andrews, Stephen Penny, Nick Tresidder Dominique White Cover Local baking superstar Amelia Ferrier, photographed by Nick Tresidder See The Baker, page 38 THE HOBSON is published 10 times a year by The Hobson Limited, PO Box 37490 Parnell, Auckland 1151. www.thehobson.co.nz F: TheHobsonMagazine T: @thehobson Ideas, suggestions, advertising inquiries welcome. editor@thehobson.co.nz Or via Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheHobsonMagazine

THE HOBSON is Remuera, Parnell and Orākei’s community magazine. We deliver into letterboxes in these neighbourhoods, and copies are also at local libraries, cafes, and at businesses including the Vicky Ave and White Heron dairies, and Paper Plus Parnell.

For more about us, visit www.thehobson.co.nz or TheHobsonMagazine on Facebook.

The content of THE HOBSON is copyright. Our words, our pictures. Don’t steal, and don’t borrow without checking with us first. We aim for accuracy but cannot be held liable for any inaccuracies that do occur. The views of our contributors are their own and not necessarily those of THE HOBSON. We don’t favour unsolicited contributions but do welcome you getting in touch via editor@thehobson.co.nz to discuss ideas.

The Hobson Ltd is a member of the Magazine Publishers Association

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W

elcome to our July-August double issue, which is full of the kind of content we know you enjoy. We’re taking a break from the local aspects on the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan this month while the Independent Hearings Panel does its deliberating. There’ll be much to sift through and report back on once their recommendations are published in late July — see Hamish Firth’s column on page 20 for insights on that process — but there’s plenty of other local updates and news. From our staron-the-rise cover subject, young baker Amelia Ferrier, to the roosters who play chicken with the traffic at the Kepa/Orakei/Ngapipi intersection, to a look at the gem that is the Bruce McLaren museum tucked away on Remuera Rd, there’s a breadth of stories and regular features we hope you’ll find engaging.

This issue also marks the arrival of a new columnist. I didn’t set out to recruit Precious Clark specifically, but when we met — introduced by our mutual friend, The Second Act columnist Sandy Burgham — the idea occurred to us both as we talked. I want THE HOBSON to be inclusive and reflective of who we are as a community. Precious, pictured below, a professional director and one of Ngāti Whātua’s young leaders, told me that Ngāti Whātua are conscious too of wanting to be ‘good neighbours’, of wanting to share news and strengthen their local relationships. THE HOBSON is the perfect conduit. In her first column (The Kaitiaki, page 36), Precious writes about the iwi’s housing development on Kupe St, Orākei, which is doing so much more than just putting roofs over heads. Welcome, Precious.

Enjoy this double issue, we’ll be back in your letterboxes the weekend of August 20, with our September edition.

Kirsty Cameron editor@thehobson.co.nz 0275 326 424 Facebook: The Hobson magazine Instagram: TheHobson

Z

Want to win a copy of Roger Shepherd’s book, In Love with These Times: My Life with Flying Nun Records? Courtesy of HarperCollins, we have three copies to give away. Go to our Facebook page, like THE HOBSON and leave your name on the June 30 post about the book.

We’ve got a special tip of the beret to Montreal in our travel section, The Check In (page 54). The Remuera Business Association is offering a deluxe trip for two to the stunning French-Canadian city, courtesy of Air Canada and House of Travel Remuera, as part of the annual “French in July” celebrations in Remuera. Shopping in participating stores will give you the chance to win.

This double issue gives us a mid-year break, which coincides with the school holidays.

If you’re travelling this winter, take a copy of THE HOBSON with you and share a photo with us — @TheHobson on Instagram, The Hobson magazine on Facebook.

Why am I getting THE HOBSON in my letterbox? We launched in September 2013 as your local, neighbourhood magazine — that’s our brief, to be local, inform and connect our community. We distribute to households in Remuera, Parnell and Orākei. We also put copies into the Remuera and Parnell libraries and various dairies and cafes around the wider neighbourhood, including Newmarket. You can read back issues on our Facebook page, The Hobson Magazine. the hobson 8

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The Columnists

Left to right from top row:

Sandy Burgham (The Second Act) is a brand strategist and an executive coach with a special interest in midlife change and transformational behaviours. She runs a central Auckland practice. www.sandyburgham.com Remuera resident Warren Couillault (The Investment) is CEO of Richmond Investment Management, a private investment advisory partnership. He is a shareholder in and director of Generate Investment Management Ltd; manager of a registered Kiwisaver scheme and an adviser to S.AG Private. www.richmond.co.nz Andrew Dickens (The Sound) is the host of Andrew Dickens’ Sunday Cafe on Sunday morning, from 9am, on Newstalk ZB. He is also the music reviewer on Jack Tame’s Saturday morning show on Newstalk ZB. He grew up in Remuera.

Hamish Firth (The Plan) lives and works in Parnell and is principal of the Mt Hobson Group, a specialist urban planning consultancy. www.mthobsonproperties.co.nz Sue Fleischl (The Appetite) is a caterer and passionate foodie. She heads up The Great Catering Company, and also manages the heritage Abbeville Estate function venue. www.greatcatering.co.nz, www.abbeville.co.nz Urban design critic Tommy Honey (The Suburbanist) is a former architect, Remuera resident and Dean of College at Parnell’s Whitecliffe College of Arts & Design.

Dr Amrit Kaur (The Psyche) lives in Meadowbank. She is a NZ-registered clinical psychologist specialising in helping children, families and young adults, and is part of the KidzTherapy practice. Her column appears bi-monthly, alternating with Judi Paape.

Caitlin McKenna (The Cinema) of Remuera is passionate about the cinema — she majored in film, sociology and marketing for her conjoint BCom/BA. Judi Paape (The Teacher) is a parent, grandparent and highly-experienced teacher and junior school principal.

A Parnell resident, her column appears bi-monthly, alternating with Amrit Kaur.

Justine Williams (The Magpie, The Pretty) is an interiors stylist, writer and fashion editor. The Remuera resident has been the editor of Simply You and Simply You Living.

Gail Woodward (The Bookmark) of Meadowbank is the senior book buyer for Paper Plus Newmarket.

She belongs to, and advises on selections for, a number of book clubs.

the hobson 10

“At Auckland Obstetric Centre we understand that pregnancy and childbirth is the most important time of your life and that you and baby should have the highest standard of care.�

Jane Patten, Clinic Manager

Auckland Obstetric Centre is a unique practice in Parnell made up of six leading specialist obstetricians and support staff. Together we have many years of experience and feel privileged to be able to share in the care of women during their pregnancy.

To find out more about how we can care for you and your baby call our team on 09 3671200 or visit our website www.obstetrics.co.nz.

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the village

Town & Around HOBSON'S HEROES Congratulations to local residents who were accorded recognition in the Queen’s Birthday honours list. They included Remuera’s new knights, Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit Sir Rob Fenwick, for services to conservation and business, Sir Michael Friedlander, for services to philanthropy, and Sir Christopher Mace, for services to science and education.

New ONZMs (Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit) were Cathy Quinn, for services to the law and women and Gavin Walker, for services to the State and business, both of Remuera, and Elizabeth Coutts of Orākei, for services to governance. MNZMs (Members of the NZ Order of Merit) were awarded to Orākei’s Sarah Paykel (pictured) for services to business, and to Barry Holland, Remuera, for services to broadcasting. p

CRACKING GOOD IDEA Congratulations to New World Remuera, the first supermarket in New Zealand to commit to only selling eggs laid by non-caged hens.

From last month, the Clonbern Rd store stopped stocking batteryhen farmed eggs in favour of free-range and barn eggs.

To announce the move, owner-operator Adrian Barkla (below) hosted a free-range bacon and egg breakfast instore. The breakfast sambos were cooked up by local Remuera food writer Helen Jackson, who’d egged on Barkla to make the decision — it aligned with his commitment to organic produce and supporting small producers.

To help celebrate the move were representatives of the SPCA, cagefree specialist producers Henergy, and Matthew Quested from Big Paddock eggs north of Matakana, who has 40,000 hens free-ranging

by day over 53 happy hectares (they return to roost in barns at night for their dinner).

And as they say, you can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs. Barkla was asked what his head office, Foodstuffs, thought about the move. Turns out they may not have actually been informed ahead of time about the decision, but presumably they’ve congratulated him since on his values-driven move.

In more good news for Foodstuffs, the company recently received a Green Award from the Ministry for Enivornment for its new butchery trays. The fully recyclable trays are now in 190 Foodstuffs supermarkets nationwide and being rolled out to more. Made from 50 per cent recycled plastic, the trays have been developed in partnership with Alto Packaging in consultation with Auckland Council and Visy Recycling. Ultimately, it means 80 million fewer trays ending up in landfill (14 Olympic-sized pools). p

ROOSTERS TO FEATHER DUSTERS? Still on things avian — or perhaps things that could end up on meat trays in the New World chiller — Orākei’s flock of chickens and roosters are falling out with the neighbours. AUT journalism student Millie McCaughan reports.

The roosters who free-range near the intersection at Orakei, Ngapipi and Kepa roads may not be entertaining, or alarming, motorists for much longer.

While drivers queuing at the roundabout may enjoy the fossicking feathered friends, local residents aren’t finding them so charming.

Auckland Council’s Orākei parks advisor, Pippa Sommerville, said land-owners Ngāti Whātua initially released chickens as a form of weed control.

“Obviously since they were put there they’ve been having a great old time,” says Sommerville. “They’ve bred and laid eggs, and more chickens have appeared.”

To control the population, some of the chickens were re-homed last year but no chicken sanctuaries will take in roosters, whose roostering antics are causing the most concern with neighbours.

Local resident Sue de Boer says she has complained to Council because the chickens have begun to migrate to neighbours’ properties, and the noise of the roosters is often unwelcome.

“It’s not funny being woken at 3am, “ says de Boer. “And when you get to your late 60s as I am, you don’t go back to sleep again.

“Frustration is quite a mild term at the moment for how I feel about the chickens.”

Council parks ranger, Shane McNeil, says there’s discussion around removing the roosters as humanely as possible, and Council is looking into options including sleep medication or alcohol.

“In that regard they might be able to be gathered up more easily if they’re drunk, so to speak.”

There’s also the chickens who play chicken with the traffic. SPCA Cat Coalition volunteer and local resident Carolyn Ravlich used her cat rescuing skills to save a couple of chickens from the roundabout recently. “I love the chickens and roosters, but I always worry about them getting run over.” She has been told roosters could be rehomed to farms without hens, and hopes this can happen for their safety.

“Obviously the noise is proving to be a bit of a concern for some residents, and from a purely animal welfare perspective there’s no fencing, and they’re not kept contained in an area that’s safe for themselves,” said Orākei Local Board chair, Desley Simpson. On the plus side, she notes, the chooks are good at keeping down the weeds.

Rooster complaints can be directed to the Auckland Council call centre, on 301 0101. p

the hobson 12

Bastille Day Street Festival Saturday 16 July, 10am - 2pm French up your weekend and celebrate Bastille Day in Remuera! This FREE family festival offers a fabulous mix of French fun including street theatre, mime artists, French music, live body art, French photobooth and more!

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the village BARADENE’S ART SHOW SUCCESS The 2016 Baradene Art Show, which featured in THE HOBSON’s May edition, has been deservedly declared a great success, raising more than $90,000 for the school from the sale of artworks, raffles and the onsite café.

Congratulations to all involved in the event. p

GREEN GOLD FOR KAHUNUI St Cuthbert’s College is celebrating the success of its remote Kahunui campus, which has been awarded a Ministry for the Environment Green Ribbon Award for Leadership in Communication and Education.

Presented by the Minister for the Environment, Nick Smith, and Minister for Conservation, Maggie Barry, the awards recognise outstanding contributions made by individuals, organisations, businesses and communities around protecting and enhancing the environment.

St Cuthbert’s Year 10 students spend a month at the 117ha campus in the western Bay of Plenty. During their full-immersion learning experience, the girls complete a social living, academic and outdoor programme, which includes continuing sustainable projects, pest control and working to enhance native species’ habitats.

Students are encouraged to transfer the sustainable

practices they have learnt to their homes, school and community. “The exciting Kahunui programme is developing a new generation of environment kaitiaki [guardians of the land],” says the Green Ribbon citation.

Kahunui was in the news in May for less positive reasons, when a hunter who may have been hunting illegally at night on public land, fired shots near a DOC hut where students were staying during an offsite camp. Police investigations are continuing. p

PAUL GOLDSMITH NATIONAL LIST MP BASED IN EPSOM

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the hobson 14

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PINK RIBBON DATE Pink Ribbon breakfasts and high teas are an annual fundraiser for the NZ Breast Cancer Foundation. Remuera’s Property 101 Group hosted a pink afternoon tea with actress Siobhan Marshall as special guest. The event raised more than $1500 for the charity.

“We were so lucky to have Siobhan, and her beau Millen Baird, speak to us about how to make the most of every day, whether you’re dancing with the stars, sporting skimpy outfits in Outrageous Fortune or other adventures! She even took us on a journey of meditative appreciation for what we have, concluding in a toast to boobs,” says organiser, Property 101 Group director, Joanne Barreto, pictured above with Siobhan Marshall.

“I had a scare last year and I can honestly say it was terrifying, and I’m one of the lucky ones. The more we can do to support prevention and research in the battle against breast cancer the better.”

Proceeds from Pink Ribbon events fund research and medical grants to help improve breast cancer survivorship in New Zealand.

The NZBCF also funds community support programmes.

Supporters of the Property 101 event included Quality Hotel Parnell, Servilles Newmarket, T2, and the Rotary Club of Parnell. p

COME WINE WITH ME Auckland Grammar School celebrated the 100th anniversary of its Main Block this year with a special event held in the school’s Great Hall. The evening saw current headmaster Tim O’Connor and the previous two heads, John Morris ONZM, and Sir John Graham CBE KNZM, gather on the hall’s stage together for the first time. The evening also included guest speaker and Grammar old boy Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister, and two of the most senior old boys, 101-year-old Laurie Reynolds, and Keith Stewart, 99.

To mark the occasion, Grammar commissioned two special release wines — a Hawkes Bay Chardonnay and a Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet – with a limited run of 200 dozen. Art master and renowned landscape artist, Justin Boroughs, produced a watercolour in celebration of the centenary, which features on the label. u

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the village

From left, Grammar trust board chair Jeff Blackburn, former headmaster Sir John Graham, VIP old boys Keith Stewart and Laurie Reynolds, former head John Morris, headmaster Tim O'Connor

WIN

We have three prizes of two bottles each of Grammar's Main Block wine to give away

The wines can be ordered from Grammar in cases of six ($150), call Anna in the development office, on 623 5639, or email a.simpson@ags.school.nz p To win a bottle of the chardonnay and the merlot cabernet, email business@thehobson. co.nz by Friday July 29 with why you deserve a drink on Grammar. The three best answers will win, wine will need to be collected from Parnell and proof of age may be required.

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the village THE PM FOR BREAKFAST Parnell Rotary has hosted its annual “Breakfast with the Prime Minister”. This year the meetand-eat with PM John Key raised $4500 for the Fiji Disaster Relief Fund. Around 130 Rotarians and guests heard the PM speak before a question and answer session.

As part of the breakfast, Alzheimers Auckland was presented with the donation of $140,000. The money was raised by Parnell Rotary in partnership with Progressive Enterprises, who host an annual golf day as a fundraiser to help more people with dementia and their carers to live well.

To connect with the local Parnell Club, follow their community Facebook page, Rotary Parnell, or visit http://rotaryparnell.club p

SELWYN CELEBRATES 60 YEARS

STYLE ON THE RISE Parnell is getting a style boost, with senior hair stylist Steve Cockle opening his own salon on Parnell Rd. With Servilles for many years, Steve and salon manager wife, Andrea, (the Cockles, above) have opened ASC on Parnell Rd, a couple of doors along from Paper Plus. Having their space has been a dream since they returned from a UK sojourn a few years back. ASC’s cool, modern fitout by Parnell-based Material Creative makes the most of the space, which has two levels. “We’ll have cutting and styling on the ground floor, and upstairs will be the colour, which is very relaxed, like a lounge,” Steve said, shortly before the opening.

The couple were keen to create a space that feels local. With that in mind, they are trying to support other local businesses where they can — the coffee on offer is from nearby Falcon St’s Espresso Workshop, there’s refreshments from Mt Eden’s Brothers Brewery, and wines are Graham Norton’s NZ favourite, Invivo. p

BARFOOT & THOMPSON REMUERA

the hobson 18

Selwyn College opened in 1956, the first state secondary school in Auckland’s eastern suburbs, built to meet the needs of both the post-WWII baby boom and the expansion of housing in the eastern bays. Foundation year teacher, eminent historian Professor Russell Stone, still lives nearby in Meadowbank, as does Tom Armstrong, a long-time PE teacher.

Both gentlemen are now in their 90s.

Celebrations include upcoming Selwyn Celebration Showcase performances in the school’s theatre. Catch up with 60th anniversary events via the Selwyn College Alumni Facebook page, and don’t miss the story in our September issue celebrating both alumni and milestones. p

¯ Local Board Orakei

T

he Orākei Local Board has always promised transparency to our ratepayers. So with June being the end of the Auckland Council year, I thought it was important to advise you of the board’s achievements since our last update, this time for the period November 2014 to June 2016. It is important to note, that all the board's key achievements during the last 20 months come directly from submissions given by residents and ratepayers.

With such a large number focused on requesting upgrades for our highly used sports fields — continuously closed due to poor condition — we were able to add to our renewals budget with successful advocacy from a regional fund to deliver a whopping 17 upgraded sports field surfaces. We were then careful to ensure our open space investment was not just targeted to sport, by adding perimeter paths (many with additional seating) around eight large parks, to maximise that investment for others.

Our advocacy worked with central government too. The Glen Innes to Tamaki Drive Shared Path is a joint Council and government project that will deliver a 7km long, 4-metre

wide path that will appeal to cyclists, runners and walkers commuting to and from the city, as well as those using the path for fitness and recreation. With the whole project planned to be completed in 2018, stage one (which finishes at St Heliers/ Kohimarama Rd intersection) will be completed before the end of this year.

It’s just as well we have been strong advocates for funding elsewhere. Over the last three years, Orākei ward ratepayers have contributed $320 million in rates income to the Council coffers, however the board has only been allocated $6 million of discretionary funding over that time to invest locally.

This small return is carefully spent based on feedback and engagement with our community. Where we have not been able to fund projects, we have continued to seek opportunities to advance our priorities through various channels and existing departmental programme budgets.

Some of the key successes during the last 20 months using this small budget include new playgrounds at Madills Farm, Patteson Ave, Kupe St North, Ruka Reserve and Rutherford Reserve. These have been welcomed by many parents, grandparents and of course the children in and around the communities of Kohimarama, Orākei, Meadowbank and St Johns.

Keeping our history alive is also important, with the board initiating an upgrade of the Walsh Brothers Memorial in Selwyn Reserve (at no cost to ratepayers), creating historical signage at Biddocks Bay and installing special historical plaques in places of significance including the Remuera town centre.

Orākei Basin improvements were also funded along with a number of environmental and ecological projects including considerable tree planting in Churchill Park, and stream upgrades at Madills Farm, and at Waiata Reserve in Remuera.

It is important that I thank my current board deputy chair Kit Parkinson (pictured with me here) and fellow board members Colin Davis, Ken Baguley, Kate Cooke, Troy Churton and Mark Thomas, all whom have contributed to the many projects achieved by the board for our communities and residents.

While the full board is not standing for election in October, we will keep working on your behalf right up to election day.

— Desley Simpson, chair, Orākei Local Board

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the plan

Getting There

J

ust when you thought you could not read another article on The Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan — aka the PAUP — process is almost complete. Or is it?

An important milestone has finally been reached. The Independent Hearings Panel (IHP) completed all the hearings for the PAUP in late May. The hearing process, which began with over 9000 submissions and 3000 further submissions took over one year, and had two panels working full time for over six months. The IHP is now considering the hearings and submissions, and will provide its recommendations to Auckland Council no later than July 22.

Our elected councillors and mayor will then consider the IHP’s recommendations and make decisions on whether to accept, accept in part, or reject the recommendations. The Council required to publicly notify its decisions by August 19 (however this may be extended by one month).

On July 27 the IHP’s recommendations and the Council's decisions will be made available on the Auckland Council website. This will include a summary document explaining the panel's recommended changes to the PAUP, and a recommended version of the plan.

Following public notification of those decisions, the appeal period commences. In terms of specific appeal and judicial review rights, this gets rather tricky and I would suggest you read sections 155159 of the Local Government (Auckland Transitional Provisions) Act 2010, or as it is rather technical, or see your local lawyer, located in most neighbourhoods in THE HOBSON’s readership area.

There is a lot hanging on the PAUP, which will be know as the Auckland Unitary Plan, being made operative in late August. It will be the guide to how Auckland can and will grow, where infrastructure funding will be directed, and give a degree of certainty to both the development community and the general public.

However, there are also a lot of people who ask why we need to grow — especially in my neighbourhood — so the appeal process and the role that government will play to get the whole process moving, will make for interesting times.

All of this process has been very “public,” even to the final decisions being made by Council when considering the IHP’s recommendations. You will be able to see the agenda and minutes of these meetings on the Council website (aucklandcouncil.govt.nz).

The Auckland Unitary Plan has been a long time coming and was one of the central benefits of the creation of the super city. Having certainty and consistency across the region, which is now home to 1.4 million people, is vital, even if the rapid growth we have seen over the last two years slows.

It is a 20 to 30 year plan, and while not perfect, it sets a foundation from which changes can be made as required. It will take the government to work closely with Auckland Council to help fund badly-needed infrastructure.

I look forward to this PAUP process being over, and moving to something operative and real.

— Hamish Firth

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD ANSWERS (page 64) Across: 9 Brake light, 11 Apoplexy, 12 Editor, 13 Spangle, 14 Emmy, 15 Betel, 16 Onager, 17 Organs, 19 Ickier, 21 Antithesis, 23 Queen Victoria School, 25 Far and away, 27 Exhale, 29 Prissy, 30 Purewa, 35 Omni, 36 Mononym, 37 Hydric, 38 Ballyhoo, 39 Start again.

Down: 1/20 Bridge club, 2 Alert, 3 Eggs on, 4 Straightforwardness, 5/36 Margaret Mahy, 7 Old English sheepdog, 8 Examine, 10 Katherine Mansfield, 17 Overstep, 18 Breviary, 21 ABC, 22 Loll, 24 Icy, 26 Depend on, 28/6 Grammar zone, 31 Wombat, 33 Osiris, 34/32 White Heron.

OCTOBER 2016

www.artinagarden.co.nz the hobson 20

the hobson + spicers

What Investors Need to Know, and Do, Now

I

nvestors cannot be blamed for feeling rattled by the constant flurry of headlines like ‘Major new stock market crash warning’ and ‘NZ growth slows despite migration boom’, but now more than ever is the time to turn down the noise and keep a level head. Given the cyclical nature of investment markets and economic realities, there are things that are critical to know and do.

HAVE YOU SPOKEN TO JOE YET? Joe Telford 501 Parnell Road, Parnell M +64 21 191 7769 joe.telford@sothebysrealty.com

nzsothebysrealty.com Each Office Is Independently Owned and Operated. Browns Real Estate Limited (licensed under the REAA 2008) MREINZ.

1. Diversify. Put a time frame to your goals and take expert advice on how to structure a portfolio that gives you the distributed income you require for your needs, while also creating medium and long-term growth.

2. Turn down the noise. Once you have worked out a strategy that is right for you, it’s important to turn down the noise on the information flow surrounding investment markets. There is little evidence that it helps make better decisions and earn better returns.

3. Avoid short-term thinking. An end result of a short investment horizon is an ever-higher allocation to perceived safe assets such as bonds and cash/term deposits. However, low yielding deposits lock in low returns, making it hard to meet long-term financial goals.

4. Focus on investments offering sustainable cash flow (profits, rents, interest payments) and avoid relying on excessive gearing or financial engineering.

5. Recognise there is no free lunch – if an investment looks too good to be true, then it probably is.

6. Buy low, sell high. If you do have to trade or move your investments around, then remember to buy when markets are down and sell when they are up.

The big challenge in 2016 is historically low interest rates and a very volatile equity market, but by working with experts you will be able to achieve the investment allocation needed for your income goals.

Barry Boyden is a Hobson area local, and authorised financial adviser. Contact Barry on 021 955 050, or barry.boyden@spicers.co.nz www.spicers.co.nz A disclosure document is available on request and is free of charge.

The information in this article is of a general nature only and is no substitute for personalised advice. To the extent that any of the above content constitutes financial advice, it is class advice only.

the reps

DAVID SEYMOUR

O

ur democracy is a representative one and, when you stand up in Parliament, you’re only as good as the last real person you talked to. As your local MP, I knock on doors, attend events, and make myself available in my Newmarket office, but it’s hard to beat a proper survey.

If you’ve been wondering what your neighbours in Epsom, Parnell, Mt Eden and Remuera really think, here are a few insights from a scientific survey completed in May. Some people look at political polling as a dark art, with a whiff of cynicism as politicians react to numbers instead of people. But it also captures what folks think in a scientific way, and makes democratic representation more accurate.

Should Auckland “grow-up” (i.e. apartment buildings and multi-story townhouses in central suburbs) or “growout”(development spreading further from the city)?49 per cent of people in our part of the world favour growing “up”, 28 per cent oppose, and 20 per cent are neutral.

This counters the stereotype that isthmus Aucklanders oppose intensification, but there are more specific concerns that match up with what people say on the street. When you mention specifics, support turns into opposition.

People link the city growing “up” with pressure on school zones. 65 per cent are concerned or very concerned that intensification will affect school zones. 13 per cent are neutral, and 20 per cent unconcerned.

Community character is less of a concern, but people are still more concerned than not by a margin of 57 per cent to 26 per cent, with 14 per cent neutral.

The most acute concern, though, is about congestion, something too often glossed over in Wellington and by Auckland Council. People agreed or strongly agreed with the statement “intensification will cause congestion” by a margin of 68 per cent to 21 per cent, with only 9 per cent neutral on the topic.

On a different topic, we are not as greedy a lot as some like to make out. Only 30 per cent of us wanted the government to make tax cuts a priority, while twice as many said no.

The Epsom electorate is mindful of the need for government spending, but that still leaves room for moderate tax relief, and support flips again on the specifics — “Would you support an increase in the amount earned before the top tax rate takes effect, from $70,000 to $100,000?”

“Yes,” said 57 per cent, compared with 36 per cent who said “no”. As an ACT MP, I always advocate for tax relief where possible, which I certainly did during this year’s budget.

We politicians are a vainglorious lot, so of course the poll asked “How am I doing as your local MP?” We are also public servants who should never get complacent, but I was heartened to see a majority of people are positive about the job I’m doing. There’s still lots to do though, so if I can help you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

My Newmarket office is at 27 Gillies Ave, phone 522 7464 or email davidseymour.epsom@parliament.govt.nz.

David Seymour is the MP for Epsom.

PAUL GOLDSMITH

P

arliament, not surprisingly, is good at passing laws. Some legislation enables Government to spend money, and we try to do that wisely.

Some legislation tries to stop people doing bad things.

In my area as Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs for example, in the past couple of years we’ve changed the Fair Trading Act, and the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act. Amongst other things, this is to stop people making unsubstantiated claims for products, to prevent businesses offering “unfair contracts” where unreasonable penalties and conditions are listed on, say, page 32 of the fine print, and to put a stop to irresponsible lending practices, where fees and penalties are not properly disclosed.

But legislation is only useful if it is properly enforced. In the examples above, the Commerce Commission is the enforcer, and like any agency with a fixed budget it has to make choices about which cases to prosecute.

I was determined that we give the Commerce Commission the best chance to protect consumers and promote competition, so I’m very glad that Budget 2016 provides an extra $15.2 million of operational funding over the next four years.

The last time the Commission’s funding for general markets regulation was increased was in 2005; we’ve now increased it by 25 per cent.

This is an area that can make a huge impact on people’s lives. I wrote last year about an iPhone 5 that I saw advertised in South Auckland for $59 a week, for 100 weeks. No total price was given for the phone, which had a cash price at the time in most stores of about $800.

New consumer credit laws that came into effect in June last year require traders and money lenders to be much more upfront about the total cost of purchases and interest rates. The Commerce Commission is actively enforcing those new rules, and has taken several traders to court since the new laws took effect, which has already had an effect on behaviour. The extra resources will enable them to go further.

We know, however, that when it comes to steering people away from being entrapped in a cycle of debt and poor financial decisions, laws, properly enforced, can only achieve so much. The long term challenge is to improve the money skills or financial capability of vulnerable New Zealanders. That’s why the Government continues to invest in budgeting courses and resources for teachers and schools to improve money skills, as part of the broader National Strategy on Financial Capability.

Paul Goldsmith is a list MP based in Epsom and Minister for Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Meet Kerry Irvine – the latest addition to the Stephen Marr team! With over twenty years experience as a senior stylist, Kerry is renowned for creating beautiful and effortless hair for the individual.

What’s your approach to hair this winter?

Winter is the perfect time to change up your hair cut… maybe it’s a fringe, or a cut with a choppy, shaggy French feel. Then in the summer you can let it loosen out a bit more!

What’s your top tip for cool looking hair in the cooler months?

Embrace your natural textures and kinks – even with fringes! For the modern mature woman I love a quick twist which can always be dressed up or down.

I also love some volume and natural movement for an uncontrived, chic feeling (especially when paired with a big winter coat).

What are your stand out products for winter?

I love Oribe’s Blowout- it makes your hair feel so smooth and soft!

16 Morrow St, Newmarket Auckland +64 9 524 6702 newmarket@stephenmarr.co.nz

To book in with Kerry, call Stephen Marr Newmarket (09) 524 6702

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Kerry Irvine

the suburbanist

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Epsom Electorate Office Suite 2.4, Level 2, 27 Gillies Avenue, Newmarket.

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To contact me for an appointment please call 09 522 7464

David Seymour, MP for Epsom davidseymour.epsom@parliament.govt.nz

Promoted by David Seymour, MP for Epsom.

F

or most New Zealanders, home is where the heart is – or at least where you’ll find a fridge, and a washing machine that works. For generations we’ve been leaving home to work, study or travel only to pass back through when it suits us, for dinner, a night on the couch or several months in the sleepout.

Family home as staging post – nice place to visit but would you really want to live there?

Well, more and more, the answer would seem to be “yes” as the launchpad becomes crashpad. Blame housing unaffordability and rising student debt; everyone else is.

For it is not just here that people are choosing to keep living at home, or return for extended periods. Internationally it is now officially a “thing,” which means that Americans have woken up to it so it must be important.

Just last month the Pew Research Centre identified that for the first time in 100 years, more American adults (aged between 18 and 34) were living with their parents than in any other arrangement.

32 per cent of them in fact, just slightly ahead of the 31 per cent who were married or cohabiting. Presumably the other 37 per cent were made up of people living alone, with others, or in their cars.

The reason for the rise in “boomerangers” is not just the generally attributed slow job market, or widening income inequality, but falling marriage rates and rising house costs. Why get married when your parents pay for Netflix? It was only as recently as the 1960s that 62 per cent of 18 to 34-year-olds were coupled off in their own households, and 20 per cent were living with their parents. But that was before Netflix and when young couples could afford to buy their own house at a relatively young age; well, relative to now.

Another factor keeping people tethered to the family home is rising student debt levels, a phenomenon in America for some time, but one that has only been present in New Zealand in the last 25 years. It is really starting to bite here, where the need to pay off a student loan delays serious saving by up to 10 years or more after study.

Rising housing unaffordability means that for many, the age when they can put their foot on the first rung of the mortgage ladder is dangerously close to the time when they wouldn’t be allowed on at all. Clear your student loan, save a healthy deposit and all of a sudden you’re looking at turning 50 without any chance of paying a mortgage for 25 years. Staying at home at the table of Mum and Dad starts looking like a much better option than borrowing from the bank of the same name.

Historically, there has been a strong link between education and home ownership. The better your education, the more likely you were to own your own home, and sooner, than those less well educated. A better education leads to a higher income and more savings for a deposit.

Add to this the fact that the millennial generation is shaping up to be the most educated generation ever. But somehow this isn’t leading to greater rates of home ownership. Perversely, education takes time, and it is time way from earning and saving that contributes to the delays of entering the housing market.

This is one of the dilemmas of the digital generation – getting an education means delaying owning a home; not getting educated may mean never owning one.

So, don’t delay: give notice at your flat, pack everything in your car, drive home, make a sandwich, kick off your shoes, hop on the couch and flick on Netflix. Looks like you’re here to stay.

— Tommy Honey

the investment

Private Wealth Management

I

recently partnered with Macquarie Private Wealth and its key employees to lead a buy-in to its NZ business. It was a fun four months, working with lawyers and advisors from here in Auckland and over in Australia towards closing the transaction. I now look forward to getting into the business and seeing what we can do to provide better financial advice for our clients, and further strengthen the business within the NZ financial advice/wealth management industry.

While I was working on the opportunity, one of our daughters’ asked me “Dad, what’s private wealth management?” It was a good question, because colleagues in my industry tend to take it for granted that people know what we do. I thought the answer to that might be an excellent topic for THE HOBSON. The term “wealth management” has been around for many decades, but over the past few has come into more general use in the upper-retail or “private client” divisions of large US financial corporations (such as Morgan Stanley). It is typically used to distinguish those divisions' services from both institutional and mass-market financial services. Private wealth management services are provided by larger corporates, commonly banks, as well as independent financial advisers in various types of organisations, including insurance companies, asset managers as well as boutique financial businesses.

Wealth management can include such professional services as financial and investment advice, accounting and tax services, retirement and estate planning. Indeed in many developed economies, these services do fall under the umbrella of “wealth management”. Sometimes it can also include banking products, certain aspects of legal advice and even advice on the best way to donate!

Here in NZ, it’s generally more straightforward, at least in terms of defining the service. I think of private wealth management broadly as the provision of investment and/or financial advice including financial planning, portfolio management and other financial services for private individuals and family/charitable trusts. Clear?

Approaching it from the investors or private client’s point of view, private wealth management should deliver the client improved financial circumstances, and achieve short to long-term financial goals. From the wealth adviser's perspective, private wealth management is the practice of delivering a full range of financial products and services to the client, so that the client can achieve specific financial goals. The wealth manager ought to be able to provide advice, recommendations and guidance etc, that in a risk-sensitive way increases the client’s pool of savings and capital over time.

He or she will manage the client’s capital in a direction that suits the client’s risk appetite, financial knowledge and understanding, and takes into account his or her objectives. The wealth manager sits down with the private individual, and goes over the financial goals that the client would like to achieve.

Then, the wealth manager puts together an investment strategy to help that person achieve these goals. The wealth manager manages the client’s money and invests in the investment products that make sense for the client.

A private wealth client investment portfolio would typically comprise a spread of investments including direct stocks in NZ and overseas markets, fixed-interest securities, cash and listed properties, as well as investment funds containing all of these and more. Simple. — Warren Couillault

ASK KAREN

Every month local real estate expert Karen Moore answers your questions, so if you are looking for enlightenment, clarity or some simple advice, then email Karen at the Mike Pero Real Estate Remuera office.

Can you explain how real estate agents’ fees are structured and are these fees negotiable?

Real estate companies calculate commissions based on sale values slightly differently. Many agents have a high base commission and then a tapering scale as the house value increases often with an added administration charge. For example, some charge 4% on the first $400,000 of a sale price, and 2.5% on the balance. This means on a $1 million property, their commission will be $31,000. Mike Pero commission would be $23,400. (Both + admin, + GST) Yes, fees are on occasion negotiable but be careful, you will get what you pay for and a good agent will get you the very best price and earn their commission! Selling one’s house however is a major undertaking hence choosing an agent who knows the area, is a skilled marketer, negotiator and who has earned your trust will invariably return significantly more than a private sale.

Only a few real estate companies, including Mike Pero, are

transparent about their rates and have a breakdown of how their fees are charged on their websites. With increasing home values in Auckland you are wise to look for good value in terms of the real cost of sale including the value of additional marketing investment in the sale process. More on this next month!

For more information, checkout our blog: Remuera.mikepero.com/Blog/ Thinking of selling, call for a no obligation in depth market review.

Karen Moore

2.95% to $390,000

thereafter

1.95% +gst & admin

All opinions expressed by Karen Moore in this article are solely Karen’s opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Mike Pero Real Estate. You should consider seeking advice from your own financial or investment adviser.

karen.moore@mikepero.com • 027 279 5983 libby.jarvis@mikepero.com • 0274 854 151

279 Remuera Road • 09 524 4393 www.remuera.mikepero.com

Mike Pero Real Estate Ltd Licensed REAA (2008)

the candidate

Rolling with Bill So far, three candidates have nominated to stand as the councillor for the Waitematā and Gulf ward in the October local body elections. The ward runs from Westmere to Parnell, takes in Newmarket and Grafton, and across the water to Waiheke and Great Barrier Island. The incumbent, former Auckland Regional Council chair Mike Lee, will seek reelection, and Waitematā Local Board member Rob Thomas is also standing. The third is former TVNZ political reporter Bill Ralston. Standing as a centre-right independent, Ralston today runs a communication consultancy from his Ponsonby home. He’s been back in Parnell, where he lived as a young journalist, to leaflet drop letterboxes and to talk to THE HOBSON’s editor, Kirsty Cameron.

Why you? Why this? I got increasingly frustrated after five, six years of just watching the way this Council has sort of devolved into a dysfunctional mess. I was looking to see who might stand and put their hand up, and I found there was virtually no-one. There were rumours that you were eyeing the mayoralty.

Yeah, a few people asked. I didn’t want to do that. The mayor is a really important job obviously, it’s an executive mayoralty, you get to control which way the Council’s going, but you can only do that with the vote of the majority of councillors behind you. Waitematā and Gulf is where I live, so I thought, I’ll run for that. And then we can start to change the balance, so that even if you did have a mayor you didn’t agree with, the majority of councillors may be able to steer him or her in the right direction. The “right direction” being in capital letters? The correct direction.

Who do you think will be mayor? I don’t know. I was in the political studies department at university with Phil Goff, 100 years ago. I like Phil, I think he’s very competent. I’ve also done work with Victoria Crone when she was at Chorus, and I find her to be a very competent businessperson, so I think Auckland's got a good choice. I’d probably be happier if Vic Crone was there, because Phil’s had a lifetime of politics, and he’s cunning, he might be able to pull a stunt. You never quite know. You served on the Northcote Council at the age of 21. It's been a long time between council cups of tea. That was an interesting time. I finished university and I had to go and find a job and get working, so I just did the one term. But it was interesting. The big issue as I was leaving was amalgamation. What do you think your chances are this time? You never know in an election, but I haven’t had a negative comment yet from anybody that I’ve fronted up to. I’ve walked the whole of Parnell, leafletting, talking to as many people as I

the hobson 26

could. I haven’t had anyone have a go at me — that’s probably an invitation for the next person who reads this! But I don't underestimate the opposition. Mike’s been around for a very long while. What’s your view on Mike? Well, I think he’s a symptom of what’s wrong with the Council now, that it consists of a lot of legacy councillors who operate in their own personal fiefdoms. Because you’ve got local boards to look after where the crossings go and what’s happening in the parks, and while you help out the local board, it’s really the job of councillors these days to take a more regional view, as well as looking after your own patch. I’m sure Mike’s a very nice guy. I've met him a couple of times, he seems to be pleasant enough, but I think his time has been and gone.

There’s a view that Mike’s standing again because he is a stronger candidate for the left, against you, than Waitematā Local Board chair Shale Chambers, whom many thought would stand. I know, I heard from a Labour Party frontbencher that they thought that [Lee] would be better to keep me out, which I think is a really negative way to go about it. It just shows you the flaw in basically getting too ideological at a local body level in Auckland, being too party political. Because I’m running as an independent, I have to use a centre-right imprint, because people keep asking me all the time, “Are you left independent or right independent?”

Rob Thomas, who’s on the local board, has also nominated as an independent. Yes, and on a very green platform too.

Interesting, yeah. You didn’t want to go to Council via the local board route? No. I’m more interested in what’s happening on a wider scale. I do think the Council needs to increase the powers of the local boards, because they’re fully in touch with the community, and they do a hell of a lot of good work. What are you hearing about issues in Parnell?

I’ve been talking to a lot of businessmen who operate here, and I’ve got a reasonably good feel from talking to people as I go around the streets. The port issue keeps coming back, always, constantly, and I can see why — the number of trucks that pour through the bottom of Parnell Rise! You’re on record saying you would look at shifting the port and not allow any further expansion. Absolutely no further expansion. If you can shift it to another location, you tie yourself up in about 15 years of resource management, or you could look to take a greater holding north of Auckland, or get back into bed again with Port of Tauranga. I’ve told you some of the things I hear as being issues with residents — parking, traffic, the lack of a walkway around the Parnell side of Hobson Bay, the Cowie St bridge, dangerous intersections. What are you hearing from the business community? There seems to be a lot of jealousy towards Ponsonby! Parnell feels ignored, alone, and forgotten, which is actually not the case. Well, we’ve got metered parking, they’ve got timed, free parking. That’s got to change. They’re just about to bring residents’ parking in over there. Yes, and in Parnell too. You need to do it in cities. One of the biggest problems on that side of the city, and I’m sure it is here too, is that you get commuters coming in, drop the car off and then they’ll hop on the Link bus or walk. It happens around here

too. That’s a symptom of a wider problem that affects the whole of Auckland — the public transport system ain’t that great. A lot of these people parking might be, for example, coming in from say the North-West, because that motorway in the morning is just horrendous. [Auckland Transport’s] really got to get going on whether or not to put a NorthWestern motorway bus lane in, then people won't be driving in in the morning, taking time and then taking a park outside your place and then catching the bus. One of the other things they need to look at too is another train line, up from the south, urgently. Councillors serve on different committees.

If you’re elected, what will you be putting up your hand for?

I would definitely look at transport, which I think is probably the number one issue. I know housing’s a big issue, but transport, unblocking Auckland, unclogging Auckland, is probably to me the number one issue. The second is housing, to see what we can do to actually speed up in that area. The third one probably is in the finance area, because I think there are a lot of cost savings could go in that Council . . .

You’ve got more people now working for the combined Council and CCOs than there were before [the super city] amalgamation. Council came in last year $63 million over on their staff budget. How do you run $63 million over budget and get away with it? The prime minister lives in the ward ...

I know, I stuck a pamphlet in his letterbox the other day.

You’re telling people you’re available for cottage meetings.

So if John and Bronagh rang and said, “We’ll do a meeting with a few neighbours, come and talk to us as local residents”, what would you be saying to the PM about Auckland? I’d be pushing the fact that it’s defined as being a problem that Auckland is growing. In fact that’s not a problem, that’s an asset. The problems come when you try and turn it into, and support, that asset. One is how you fund the infrastructure we’re going to need to cope with the growth. We’re talking an extra $18 billion required between now and 2030, so you’ve really got to get creative. The second thing is how to unclog the city — it needs a master transport plan. The government’s addicted to roads, which is fine, but it also needs to invest very heavily in public transport. I do like the Phil Goff idea of light rail coming in through Dominion Rd. I think you can also look at Mt Eden and Sandringham roads for that. The third thing is the housing issue, and a lot of that is about intensification along main arterial routes. I don’t want to see the leafy suburbs, as they keep calling them in a sneering sort of way — have you noticed that? It’s said with a sort of curled lip — I don’t want to see established communities and suburbs destroyed. You’ve got the town centres, you’ve got the transport hubs, main arterial roads.

Great North Rd seems to be recuperating and regenerating and intensifying all by itself, so if you threw your support in behind that, it’s probably almost enough, but you probably do need to remove rural urban boundaries. p If you would like to speak to Bill Ralston or have him meet a community group, see ralston2016.co.nz for contact details.

Photo by Stephen Penny

the hobson 27

the heritage

Bruce McLaren, with father Les and fans, after winning the inaugural Tasman Series, 1964. Top right, McLaren driving at Road America, September 1968, Photo by Don Markle.

the hobson 28

Team McLaren Gears Up A local museum honours the legacy of the late Fomula One legend, Bruce McLaren. By Louise Richardson

T

his is shaping up to be memorable times for the Bruce McLaren Trust, which operates a Remuera museum celebrating NZ’s Formula One hero. A documentary by Roger Donaldson (The World’s Fastest Indian) about Bruce McLaren’s short, incredible life will be released early next year and the trust is also facing a future beyond its historic, but cramped, current premises.

The Bruce McLaren Trust operates the museum on the first floor of Remuera Upland Motors, at 590 Remuera Rd, which was McLaren’s childhood home. The trust rents the former McLaren family flat from the garage for its museum and archive.

McLaren’s life was cut short when he died aged 32, at Goodwood Circuit in the UK on June 2, 1970, crashing as he test drove a new McLaren Can-Am. Nearly 50 years later, his life, times, and achievements are still being celebrated through the work of the very active Bruce McLaren Trust, which is administered with great passion by the driver’s younger sister, Jan McLaren, an expert on her brother’s racing, car-design and engineering career. Unable to become a driver herself due to an eye problem, she shares her late brother’s passion nevertheless, and is a veritable mine of motor racing information.

The trust and its museum work from the first floor flat of the Spanish Mission-influenced local landmark. Built in 1926, the garage was bought by Bruce and Jan’s father, Les, in 1936. The family owned the business, trading as McLaren Motors, until it was sold after Bruce’s death.

Bruce McLaren spent his first 10 years living above the shop before diagnosis at the age of 11 with a rare hip joint problem, Perthes Disease. He spent two years as a resident at the Wilson Home in Takapuna, before coming home to Remuera and the family’s new address at 8 Upland

the hobson 29

Some of the memorabilia held by the trust and overseen by Jan McLaren, below, at the museum.

All images courtesy of the Bruce McLaren Trust

Rd, only a few minutes’ walk around the corner from the garage.

“It didn’t hold him back,” says Jan of Bruce’s stay at the Wilson Home. “When he came home, he quickly discarded his crutches and started careering round the neighbourhood on his bicycle.”

Recognising a kindred spirit, motor-racing enthusiast

Les McLaren encouraged his son into the sport. McLaren junior won his first meeting at Muriwai, aged 15, in 1952. A stellar international career was to follow — he became, at 22, the youngest winner of the US Grand Prix. He took four first places in Formula One Grands Prix, and also triumphed at the legendary Le Mans and in Can-Am Trophy races.

He founded the McLaren Formula One racing team, which continues today, with high-speed, high-performance racing and road cars still being built in the UK. The world’s 50th McLaren outlet, and the first in New Zealand, is operated by the Giltrap Group in Grey Lynn — executive chairman Colin Giltrap was a good friend of McLaren’s.

At Remuera Upland Motors, Jan McLaren and trust volunteer David Rhodes have filled the small rooms and narrow hallways of the flat with memorabilia, records and photographs, as well as information relating to his Formula One Kiwi contemporaries, Denny Hulme and Chris Amon.

“It’s amazing how often clippings and other material relating to my brother appear out of the blue, in the post. I think it may happen when people are downsizing homes or clearing out estates. We love it because the hobson 30

the heritage

it will sometimes fill in a little corner of what is essentially a giant jigsaw puzzle,” says Jan McLaren.

International visitors arrive regularly to check out their racing idol’s background.

The museum has also been a key source of information for expat filmmaker Roger Donaldson, who is currently back in NZ finalising a documentary about McLaren, which is due for release later this year.

“Jan McLaren, Duncan Fox and the other trustees have

Richards plans to create six strata-title units incorporating the current building, and the addition of a further floor.

“Our lease runs for a few years yet, so it’s business as usual for now,” says Jan McLaren. But it’s clear that the collection is fast outgrowing its premises anyway, so the move to a new site is not unexpected.

“I do hope the integrity and substance of the building is retained — one can never be sure even when buildings are listed,” says Remuera Heritage chair Sue Cooper, when contacted for

“To do something well is so worthwhile that to die trying to do it better cannot be foolhardy. It would be a waste of life to do nothing with one’s ability, for I feel that life is measured in achievement, not in years alone.” — Bruce McLaren generously provided a tremendous resource to help with the making of our documentary,” says Donaldson. “We couldn’t make the film we want to make without their help,” he says.

“It’s not just the sheer mass of material and memorabilia contained in the museum, it's the depth of knowledge we have access to, thanks to Jan McLaren in particular. She’s been able to give us details that enable us to connect the dots and create an authentic story about her brother’s life.

“Duncan Fox was also key to us being able to get Denny Hulme’s original M8D bodywork restored for filming. And trust volunteer David Rhodes’ role is invaluable when it comes to locating relevant material and checking facts.”

The building was sold last August to developer Charles Richards. Richards told THE HOBSON he is consulting with both Heritage NZ and the heritage officers at Auckland Council about the building, which is listed by Heritage NZ as a Historic Place Category I, as a “well-preserved example of a 1920s garage and service station, as well as for retaining strong associations with Bruce McLaren”.

comment.

Charles Richards is keen to emphasise that he really does understand and appreciate the heritage nature of the building.

“The McLaren family flat will be retained along with features such as the autograph wall in its hallway, which many motor racing personalities have signed,” he says.

Meanwhile, for Jan, business as usual means school visits, speaking at service group meetings, gathering and The Bruce McLaren museum recording memorabilia is open Monday to Friday, and continuing to share 10am to 4pm, or by triumphs from the sadly appointment. For further too short, remarkable life information about the Trust, of a true Kiwi legend. see bruce-mclaren.com “He’s still with us just as much as he ever was!” p

the hobson 31

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the hobson + remuera live life local

The Jewel Box Third-generation jeweller Monette Blackborow and husband David bring new generation sparkle to the family business, Antheas

M

onette and David Blackborow answer in unison when asked about working together. “We’re best friends!” say the couple. It is probably just as well, because as well as living and working together, they have recently undertaken a major refurbishment of the store, styled and designed by Monette.

Antheas has a wonderful new feel to it. What's happened?

David: We’re in a transition period. We wanted to make our mark on the shop, as well as to stay in keeping with our style of jewellery — classic, clean lines, fresh, light and bright.

Monette: Our nod to the brand’s history is the colour. We call it Antheas’ Aqua, as it was the colour of the original Antheas.

A heritage colour that’s very soft and calm, yet also uplifting.

Monette, Antheas was started by your parents and named after your mother. That’s a real family affair.

It is. I’m the third generation jeweller; my dad Murray has been in the trade for 55 years, firstly at Reins Jewellers under his own father, Frank Smith. Mum and dad opened Antheas in 1980.

Is Murray still involved?

Monette: Ha, just try stopping him! David and I have taken the helm, and dad is semi-retired, but as he says, “you’re born into the trade and you don’t just leave it”.

Monette, did you always know you’d design jewellery for the family business?

I think so. From a very young age I’ve spent time at the shop, so I grew up around jewellery. I knew I would end up doing something design related — I have to say it’s my favourite

aspect of my work. I’ve had great success with my “Bow” range, which I developed further for our official re-opening.

Does Antheas focus on a particular style of jewellery?

David: We still have the classics and we’re introducing themed charms; there’s a gardening range, one for cooks, and an exquisite handbag range. We’ve also designed baby and christening gifts, as well as cufflinks and tie pins.

Monette: We carry a huge array of loose precious stones so that our clients can really be a part of the design process, starting with choosing their gem.

Do you make the jewellery that we see here in the store?

David: Yes. 90 per cent of it is handmade by our own jewellers here in New Zealand, which is quite a rare thing!

What we do is unique, of the best quality and the highest standard. No shortcuts.

Where do your diamonds come from?

David: All of our diamonds are ethically sourced — New Zealand is part of the Kimberley Process [a global initiative to stem the flow of conflict diamonds]. All the stones that come in are certified, with their own registered number.

Are most of your clientele local?

David: Our focus is on providing outstanding customer service and a world class product to the local vicinity . . .

Monette: . . . although we do get customers who make an appointment and fly to Auckland specifically to see us.

They know us, they know the quality of our product, and they wouldn’t even think of going elsewhere.

Monette and David Blackborow, from Antheas. Interviews by Fiona Wilson, photos by Vanita Andrews the hobson 34

live life local

In The Picture Fromm working with Jimi Hendrix’s hair to John Lennon’s poetry, Stu Robb of Sgraffito Picture Framers has handled some interesting assignments

J

imi Hendrix and John Lennon? Tell us more!

We frame so many weird and wonderful things. A collector had us frame a lock of Jimi Hendrix’s hair, we’ve framed napkins with poetry by John Lennon, one of Sir Edmund Hillary’s pick-axes. You name it, we’ve probably framed it!

The name of your shop, Sgraffito. What does it mean?

Sgraffito is an art technique. You put down a base colour, add something else like gold leaf on top and then scratch it back so the base shows through.

Have you always worked in the framing industry?

I’ve always been involved in artistic endeavours in some shape or form. I was a carpet designer, I’ve been an artist. I was working in an art gallery when the framer just up and left one day — he went to LA and never returned. So I decided that after watching him work, I could do that too! And 25odd years later I’m still doing it. I’ve been here at Sgraffito for 20 years, and bought the business seven years ago.

Have styles changed in framing over the years?

There are definitely trends that come and go. Right now it’s white on white, which may seem boring, but it looks great in modern houses. But of course there are always things that stay true and classic.

And what about the types of things people frame?

There are a lot less prints being framed these days, now it’s more originals and limited editions. But there’ll always be the standard items, like certificates and diplomas.

Do you have a lot of framed pictures or memorabilia in

your own home?

Yes! I have a bit of art, although I’m not a huge collector.

Actually there’s probably a lot of stuff my wife would like framed, but I haven’t gotten around to it. I have framed my daughter Lily’s baby dress and shoes though.

Are you locals?

We live in St Johns, but we do have some history here in Remuera. Nicky’s parents had a grocery and hardware store back in the 70s, where Westpac is now, and her dad belonged to Remuera Rotary Club and helped build the Clonbern Rd carpark. So it feels like full circle for her, coming back here with our business.

What are three things everyone should frame and hang in their home?

I’d say artwork, memorabilia — think dad’s medals, kids’ special occasion clothing, rugby jerserys — and mirrors. We do a lot of designer and custom mirrors.

Apart from the framing, what else do you do here?

We do canvas stretching, conservation, restoration, calligraphy, shadow boxes, and of course we can frame absolutely anything! In a nutshell, we are your one-stop shop for artwork care.

SPECIAL READER OFFER 20% off all custom framing and mirror orders during the month of July for The Hobson readers

Sgraffito's Stu Robb with wife Nicky, daughter Lily and assistant Sam. Read more about these businesses at www.remuera.org.nz the hobson 35

Ngāti Whātua's Kāinga Tuatahi — "first homes" — off Kupe St in Orākei. The townhouse-style development, which will have 30 homes when completed, was designed by Parnell's Stevens Lawson Architects after a public tender process. The clusters of houses share vegetable gardens (and worm farm composting). Photographed by Stephen Penny

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the kaitiaki

The Sound of Happiness THE HOBSON is delighted to introduce Precious Clark, our newest contributor. A professional director with a legal background, Clark is of Ngāti Whātua descent and will shortly move back to live amongst her whanau in Orākei.

In her first column, she writes of the iwi’s innovative housing initiative, Kāinga Tuatahi

M

y rambunctious nephew, Turoa, learned to ride a bike the other day. Under the tutelage of his cousins, who, through a mixture of encouraging words, role modelling and taunting, he was convinced to give it a go without the training wheels. His aunts and uncles watched on from their kitchen windows, at times with bated breath, while this over-confident boy wobbled his way down Te Arohanui Lane. As he neared the end, anticipation growing, applause erupted from the households when he made it without falling off. Surrounded by a flurry of high-fiving cousins, his aunties and uncles soon came out of their homes to join the kids celebrating his achievement.

At the tender age of four, my nephew tasted success. He had joined the big kids’ club. They say it takes a village to raise a child, but it’s the laughter of our children and the shared responsibility for that laughter, that characterises village living.

In 2013, my tribe Ngāti Whātua Orākei, set out to build 30 homes for whanau on some of our underutilised land on the Kupe St ridge. But more than just bricks and mortar, we set out to build a thriving community that cared about each other because we know it’s connected communities that are the most resilient.

We’ve now finished building 12 of those homes and most have been occupied. The remainder are on track for completion in August. The project is aptly named “Kāinga Tuatahi,” meaning “First Home,” signalling both that this is the first housing development of others to come, and our priority to assist first home owners, and often first generation home owners, into home ownership.

And the impact has been massive.

Working parents who have been paying market rent for damp and mouldy homes now have warm and dry houses that they can call their own. With a 150-year lease arrangement, they are paying off their own mortgages, not someone else’s. And their kids are healthier for it.

Kāinga Tuatahi has allowed us to invest in a way that attracts our successful people back to Orākei. Our traditional investment in kaumatua (elderly) housing and the upgrade of deteriorated Housing New Zealand stock for our renting whanau, didn’t support our working families to live in our community. Kāinga Tuatahi gives our whanau a much needed hand-up to become homeowners in the community

they most want to connect and contribute to.

One cousin told me that never in her wildest dreams did she think she could be a homeowner in the Auckland market, and she credits the forward thinking of Ngāti Whātua Orākei for making it possible.

We are leading the way amongst iwi in how we have made developing on inalienable communally-owned Māori land work for us. And we are proud of it too. We used the strength of our balance sheet to fund the development, rather than borrow from banks, because we couldn’t offer the land as security. Here, the iwi is the bank.

Since we are the bank, we set the deposit at 5 per cent minimum, and provide an option to pay off over 40 years to make the payments affordable. Saving for a 20 per cent deposit in this skyrocketing market, while raising kids and looking after parents, is one of the greatest barriers for New Zealanders entering the property market. We removed that barrier for our whanau.

This was based on sound data though. We know that in the last 20 years of housing development on our whenua (land) at Orākei, we have only had one default. Whanau are committed to staying on our whenua. We are committed to living within heartbeat range of our marae.

Next month, my husband, daughter and I move into one of those brand new homes, and we can’t wait. As we already own a home, we were (rightly so) on the waiting list, as prioirity is given to first-home owners. But owning my own home in Orākei, living alongside my whanau, is a lifelong dream come true. When we were advised a house was available to us, my husband reminded me that on one of our first dates, I had told him it was my dream to live by my marae — and now it’s only weeks away.

We are looking forward to our daughter being surrounded by te reo Māori, growing up on her ancestral land, being taught responsibility at the marae, caring for and receiving aroha and wisdom from her elders, and having hundreds of playmates, who happen to be her cousins. Not to mention the access to babysitters!

When my living superhero, my uncle Joe Hawke, occupied Takaparawhau (Bastion Point) decades ago, Kāinga Tuatahi was how he envisaged the land being used — beautiful homes housing strong families who celebrate the laughter of our kids.

— Precious Clark

the hobson 37

the neighbourhood

Our home in

REMUERA

R

emuera’s Oxenbridge family has an end-of-week tradition. It’s called Turkish Fridays. For more than a decade they have stopped at the Upland Rd shops to pick up a weekly gourmet burger and kebab dinner from Village Café. They don’t even need to phone their order in because it will be waiting for them. One week though, Grant Oxenbridge was delayed. He travelled to the café only to find it shut, with a ‘back in five minutes’ sign on the door. Concerned, he phoned his wife Jacqui to relay the news. He needn’t have worried — the proprietors were en route to drop the family’s dinner to them at home. The Oxenbridges are now forever loyal to their local takeaway. (Banque is a favourite for sit-down dinners out).

Grant, Jacqui and sons Mitchell, 19 and Cameron, 17, have lived in their Ladies Mile late-1980s brick and tile home since July last year. Their previous address? Directly across the road. They’d only just finished renovating the 1924 timber bungalow Grant and Jacqui had lived in since 1993, when they moved from Manukau to be closer to Jacqui’s work in Newmarket. “We spent a year remodelling,” recalls Jacqui. “We extended the house, put in a new kitchen, painted and recarpeted.”

They didn’t plan on moving, until Grant, a keen follower of real estate, noticed a ‘For Sale’ board. “We saw Barfoot & Thompson put up an open home sign, so what do you do?” Grant and Jacqui fell for the house’s easy maintenance, secluded setting and the mature garden, complete with a pool and gazebo. Barfoot & Thompson Remuera’s Janice Hamilton-Cox and Philip Cox sold the Oxenbridges their new home, and listed their bungalow too.

Grant’s mother now helps with tips for the garden, which she shares with Jacqui when the two of them walk their dogs together every Friday. Jacqui is a keen walker. She and schnauzer Poppy head out for 5 to 6km every evening. There are plenty of places they like to walk – around Orakei Basin and to Remuera’s off-leash areas across the neighbourhood. On Sundays, Jacqui, Grant and Poppy will do a bigger walk, often to One Tree Hill.

Grant grew up in Armadale Rd and loves Remuera’s character homes, but the family’s brick and tile house is perfect for now. Grant is too busy with his woodworking tool and machinery business for handyman and DIY projects at home. But his East Tamaki-based import and retail business, Carbatec, has plenty of clients who live in Remuera. “There are lots of enthusiastic sheddies out there,” says Grant with a smile.

This is the first of an exclusive series of features brought to you by Barfoot & Thompson’s Remuera and Parnell branches.

For more information about how Barfoot & Thompson Remuera can work with you to find your dream neighbourhood home, call (09) 524 0149, or visit www.barfoot.co.nz/remuera

the hobson 38

the hobson 39

the hobson 40

the baker

Follow That Star From a Remuera kitchen, Amelia Ferrier is baking her way to success

T

his year, Amelia Ferrier started at uni, passed 10,000 followers on Instagram, got her full licence — which means she can now make her own late-night dashes to New World for ingredients — and related to that, has had her first cookbook published, only a month after her 18th birthday.

Melie’s Kitchen is a handsomely produced book of baking recipes, tips and advice, all from the rich imagination and gifted hands of the Remuera teenager.

Amelia has been cooking, and creating, since she was tiny. Her earliest memories are of rolling out the shortbread dough with her grandma, Raema. Her mother, Lisa, gave her a childrens’ cookbook when she was eight, which unleashed a hobby that became a passion, and probably, a career.

“Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been a very handson person,“ says Amelia of her early interest. “I always loved creating things. Before I started cooking, I was actually into sewing, so I’ve always loved making little things.”

Baking, she discovered, was not only a creative outlet, but also a way to unwind.

“The more I do, the more I love it. I think it’s a good way for me to escape from everything. If I was ever stressed about school or something, all I want to do is get in the kitchen and just do some baking.”

Her talent has been appreciated by a wider audience than those who’ve sampled such Melie confections as her Banoffee, Hazelnut and Frangelico cake, or her Lemon Curd, Almond and Honeycomb Crunch, all of them decorated with exquisite detail and often finished with the edible flowers grown in part of the family’s garden she’s taken over for her cause.

Judi Delbridge was Amelia’s food technology teacher at Diocesan, from when she was in Year 7 until she left to go to King’s College in Year 12. Judi soon noticed not only how advanced Amelia was in skills and technique, but also in her understanding of the chemistry of baking.

“She got the science and performance properties of ingredients,” says Judi Delbridge admiringly of her former pupil. “She has an innate ability but she’s also a real artist — she’s meticulous about presentation, with an incredible eye for detail.”

As part of her food tech curriculum, Judi, who now teaches at Baradene, brought the industry’s top performers into the classroom to encourage and inspire her students. “Amelia caught the eye of so many professionals. Peter Gordon got so interested in her blog and what she was doing, and Simon Gault gave her work experience at Euro.

“It was never just a vanilla cake with Melie. She was always very advanced with the flavours she used — and she always got it right.”

Flavour is paramount to Amelia whether she’s baking or making savoury salads and dishes for her own meals. Amelia loves Asian and south-east Asian cuisines, though swears, “if you gave me a piece of meat, I would have no idea what to do with it!”

The youngest of Lisa and Rob Ferrier’s three children, Amelia is studying part time at the University of Auckland, immersing herself in bio and chemistry before she heads off, if all goes to plan, to Otago next year and a Bachelor of Applied Science, majoring in consumer foods.

“I don’t want to be an actual scientist, like a food scientist, but I want to be in the food industry, so I’m hoping that doing food marketing and all that sort of thing will be really interesting and helpful.”

It’s taken some discipline to focus on an academic path and not just keep baking, catering to ever-growing interest in her creations.

What started out in Year 10 as making cakes for friends’ birthdays grew exponentially after she posted photos of the cakes, the recipients posted pictures, and her following rose, and rose (she’s now at 10,200 followers on Instagram, @melies_kitchen).

“All of a sudden, over a couple of months, it was just like running a business out of the house on the weekends.”

Travelling and experiencing more tastes is also on her To Do list.

“Mum and Dad went and did their OEs in Europe, and they’re always telling me about all the different foods. I’d love to do an OE sometime — I think that's a lot of what makes a good chef, when you have all those different cuisines, all those ideas, because you can bring together all the different things you find.”

With a book celebrating the deliciousness of cakes, biscuits, pastries and other sweet treats, what’s her view on the current pursed-lips about sugar?

With Amelia, it comes back to the joy of the actual baking. u

Amelia Ferrier with her Almond and Elderflower cake with roasted rhubarb, white chocolate cheesecake mousse, coconut cookie crumbs and rose meringue. Cargo Crew apron courtesy of &Sushi, Teed St. Photographed by Nick Tresidder at Nick T Studio, Parnell

the hobson 41

“I’ve made a couple of those raw vegan type things, when the fad first came out a couple of years ago, and it’s just so not fun, like there’s no actual baking. It’s putting everything in the food processor, and then you have to soak the cashews . . .”

She does make gluten-free cakes to order, which require very careful triple-checking of ingredients. She calls out to her mother to ask her how a recent gluten-free 21st cake tasted, as she wasn’t at the party where it was served. “It was delicious, it was lovely,” Lisa assures her.

For now, with the studying and baking and the months of recipe development that culminated in Melie’s Kitchen, she doesn’t often get to taste her own work, but she loves sampling other bakers’ delights, such as the cakes and pastries at Parnell’s French patisserie, Vaniye.

Not surprisingly, owning her own bakery is a long-held dream — “I'm always thinking about ideas for what it could be!”

She goes on to share some very appealing, mouth-watering ideas, which we won’t publish here because they’re really good, and once she’s done that degree, she should write the business plan and bring her ideas to life.

It’s going to be exciting to watch Amelia Ferrier have her cake, and eat it too. — Kirsty Cameron p Melie’s Kitchen is published by Random House NZ, RRP $40, and available from July 1 at Paper Plus Newmarket, Poppies Bookstore in Remuera, and other good booksellers.

For more about Amelia, see Instagram (@melies_kitchen) or www.melieskitchen.squarespace.com

BANANA, COCONUT AND CHOCOLATE MUD PIE WITH CHAI WHIPPED CREAM I often make this pie for family celebrations. It is a fairly simple recipe but the pie always looks pretty spectacular when you slice into it and see the rich chocolate and banana coconut custard filling marbled together. I love to experiment with different types of teas, incorporating them into my baking in various ways. I have chosen to top this pie with a chai-infused whipped cream to contrast with the heavier banana and chocolate mud filling For the pie crust 1 quantity of Sweet Shortcrust Pastry (see recipe following) 1 tbsp milk For the banana coconut filling 1½ ripe bananas, mashed ⅓ cup sugar 1 egg ¾ cup coconut milk ¼ cup plain flour For the chocolate mud filling 115g butter, cubed 130g dark chocolate, roughly chopped ⅔ cup caster sugar 2 eggs

2 tbsp plain unsweetened yoghurt ¼ cup plain flour ¼ tsp salt For the chai-infused cream 1½ cups cream 3 chai tea bags 1½ tbsp icing sugar To decorate (optional) Chocolate flakes or chopped chocolate; handful of banana chips; edible flowers and leaves Preheat the oven to 190C. Lightly grease the base of a 25cm round pie dish.

Place the pastry on a lightly floured bench. Using a rolling pin, roll out until about 3mm thick. Roll the pastry around the rolling pin and carefully lift it over the pie dish, then unroll it over the dish. Press it into the dish and, using a sharp knife, trim off the excess by running the blade around the edge. You can leave the pie crust plain or you can add a pastry braid to the edge.

To make a pastry braid, roll out the excess pastry into one very long, slim rectangle around 2mm thick. Cut six long strips of pastry about 1cm wide. Take three strips of pastry and pinch them all together at the top. Very carefully plait the pastry strips together, gently lifting each strip up and over as you go. Once you reach the end, pinch all three strips together. Repeat the same process with the remaining three strips. Using a pastry brush, brush a small amount of milk around the outer edge of the pie crust, to help the braids stick to the pastry. Using both hands, gently lift one braid up from the bench and place around the outer edge of the pie crust. Take the second braid and do the same, trimming off any excess if the two braids overlap. Using one finger, very lightly press down the middle of the braids so they stick to the pie crust underneath. Cut three small leaf shapes out of the remaining pastry and brush the backs with milk.

Carefully press a leaf down onto one seam of the braid, and then arrange the other two leaves on the other seam (making sure the tips of the leaves barely hang over the edge of the pastry). Using the tip of a small knife, make an indent down the middle of each leaf. Place the pie crust into the freezer to chill for 20 to 25 minutes.

Cut a square of baking paper big enough to cover the base and sides of the pie, and scrunch it up into a ball (this will help it mould to the shape of the tin). Unwrap the ball and carefully place it in the base of the chilled pie crust. Pour in 2 cups of rice or baking weights and spread out evenly, making sure no grains of rice slip underneath the baking paper.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until very lightly golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and carefully lift out the baking paper and rice or baking weights. Cut three small squares of foil and gently wrap them around the tips of the leaves to prevent them from burning if they are already golden brown.

Reduce the oven temperature to 180C and set the pie crust aside.

To make the banana coconut filling, puree the banana in a small food processor or with a stick blender until smooth. Add the sugar, egg, coconut milk and flour and blend until combined.

the hobson 42

the baker Pour into a jug and set aside.

To make the chocolate mud filling, melt together the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Once fully melted, remove from the heat and leave to cool for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sugar and eggs, and whisk until combined. Add the yoghurt, flour and salt, and whisk until just combined with no visible streaks of flour.

Carefully pour both fillings into the pie crust, using the end of a spoon to swirl them together as you pour.

Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until the filling has set and barely jiggles in the middle. Cool in the tin for about 45 minutes, until completely cold.

To make the chai-infused cream, put a third of the cream and the tea bags in a small saucepan over a medium heat.

Heat gently until simmering, pressing the tea bags against the side of the pan with a spoon to release the tea. Remove from the heat, place the lid on the saucepan and leave to infuse for 5 minutes. Strain the teabags, then discard them. Pour the chai-infused cream into a small bowl and refrigerate for about 10 minutes, until cool.

Using electric beaters whip the remaining cream and the icing sugar on a high speed in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add the cool chai-infused cream, being careful not to over-beat. Set aside in the fridge until you are ready to finish the pie.

Pile the chai-infused cream into the middle of the pie, and using a spoon, spread out until about 4cm from the edge of the pie. Top with chocolate flakes or chopped chocolate, banana chips and edible flowers and leaves, if desired.

Store in the fridge for up to two days.

SWEET SHORTCRUST PASTRY 1⅔ cups plain flour 2 tbsp icing sugar ¼ tsp salt 170g butter, chilled and cubed ¼ cup sour cream or full-fat plain unsweetened yoghurt 1 tbsp cold water Put the flour, icing sugar and salt into a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sour cream or yoghurt and water, and pulse until the mixture comes together and a crumbly dough forms. Tip out onto a lightly floured bench and firmly press into a ball.

Flatten into a disc and wrap in cling film. Refrigerate for at least an hour before using.

If kept refrigerated in cling film, this pastry will keep for up to five days.

WIN

THE HOBSON has 2 copies of Melie's Kitchen to give away.

See our Facebook page for details

Recipes and photo extracted with permission from Melie’s Kitchen by Amelia Ferrier. Photography by Tam West the hobson 43

the magpie

Gen Z Said The Magpie turns her eye to teen wants, needs and what’s SoHotRightNow!

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1 Chilling out at home, snuggling with a good read, gets a whole lot better with a delicious Ecoya Coconut and Elderflower candle burning in the background. Mini Madison Jar Candles by Ecoya, $24.95, from Flowers After Hours, 523 Parnell Rd 2 I C U, the new iPhone SE. Dream about which colour you’ll pick in this small-but-powerful, packed-with-features device.

Worth a daily dog walk and weekly car wash at the very least. iPhone SE, from $749 at iPhone stockists 3 Worn by the French Foreign Legion in the 1940s, picked up by grunge and club kids in the ‘90s and now back with a vengeance, the Palladium Baggy in white is the rebirth of cool. $179.95, from Platypus shoe stores around the city 4 Squad goals? Keep whatever you’re reaching for front of mind in Topman’s Goals Hoodie, $75. Topman/Topshop, 203 Queen St 5 These guys call it Scattles, the Finnish call it Molkky, either way, this game of skill for two to four players is a whole lot of fun in the sun, in the garden or wherever you are. Sunny Life Scattles, $89, from Hedgerow, 371 Remuera Rd, or hedgerow.co.nz 6 M.I.C — see you real soon, K.E.Y. — Why? Because we like you.

M.O.U.S.E. Sing it, wear it. Drop-armhole Mickey Tank, $50, from Topshop, 203 Queen St 7 Dress ‘em up, dress ‘em down. These Vans in Old Skool Silver Denim caught The Magpie’s eye as a modern classic. $139.90, from Platypus shoe stores

8 Happy people live longer. Science says it’s so. Use this journal to help you map your own sense of happiness. Happiness Journal: Inspiration, $44.90, kikki.K, Nuffield St or via kikki-k.com 9 It’s a bit Lorde and a little bit vintage Saint Laurent, but either way this leather-look accessory neck tie is bang on trend.

Superette Neck Tie, $29, from Superette, Nuffield St 10 Tie it on your bag, through your jeans belt loops or around your wrist, the bandana is back as a so-hot-right-now accessory.

New Bandana (in khaki) $19 from Superette, Nuffield St or superette.co.nz 11 From sleepovers to sports gear, this super cool carry-all is both practical and pleasing on the eye. Adidas Bananas Gym Bag, $100, from Adidas on Broadway or adidas.co.nz 12 The Magpie thinks moms should not wear these. So, no borrowing — leave the return of the high-waisted jean to those who haven’t been there before. MOTO Silver Foil Mom Jeans, $130, at Topshop, 203 Queen St 13 She knows just what a girl loves, that clever Karen Walker. Star Outline Ring in sterling silver, $119, from Karen Walker Balm St, or karenwalker.com 14 GoPro’s smallest, lightest, most convenient camera yet has got to be this ski season’s ultimate toy (but not actually a toy). GoPro Hero Session, $370, from Noel Leeming, Broadway

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the pretty

Young Lovelies Beauty products and special treats sure to capture a teenage heart, selected by Justine Williams Dermalogica Clear Start Breakout Clearing Emergency Spot Fix, $32, is a gel treatment that clears occasional breakouts quickly by wiping out pimple-causing bacteria. From Dermalogica counters

Try a lash tint from ON BROWHOUSE (8 Osborne St) from $35, and then give them a quick curl with this device each morning for perfect lashes. M.A.C Full Lash Curler, $48, from M.A.C counters Nellie Tier’s natural perfumes combine jojoba oil and pure essential oil blends in gorgeous purse and travel size roll-on bottles. There are five to select from — we love May Chang & Mandarin — but they’re all lovely. $19.50, from www.nellietier.co.nz

A swipe of cream blush is a perfect complement to a fresh face. Don’t be frightened – applied, the colours are sheer and pretty.

Bobbi Brown Sheer Color Cheek Tints, $60, from Bobbi Brown counters The Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream is an ideal way to introduce a little eventone coverage to a young complexion. Its 8-in-1 Skin Perfector claim promises to blur imperfections, hydrate, brighten and protect the skin too with SPF 30. $19.99, from Farmers and pharmacies

No matter the season, this is a handbag-must-have to protect lips from the elements. Lucas’ Papaw Ointment Lip Applicator, $8.99 from pharmacies

Soak away study stress, boyfriend blues, sporty strains. The reusable bubble bar is held under running water to create bath bubbles to soothe the soul and fragrance your world.

Lush Flowering Tea Bag, $12.50, from Lush stores Love a little lilac. Very much the colour de jour, it suits just about any skin tone. Especially pretty on toes (if you can get away with wearing nail colour during the school term) or a full mani-pedi look for the holidays. Essie nail colour in Lilacism, $22.99, from Farmers

Beyoncé bounce or relaxed beach waves? The Perfect Curls 2-in-1, $99.99, allows you to vary your curls with a twist of the wand.

Available from Farmers

Gently buff away rough skin for smooth, soft lips. Lush Lip Scrub, $12.20, from Lush

Prep for the week with a Sunday night beauty ritual — it’s the perfect time to do a weekly hair conditioning treatment for super-healthy, shiny hair.Try Redken Diamond Oil Mask, $47.50 from Redken stockist hair salons and Shampoo ’n’ Things

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Always, always, always wear sunscreen. Believe me, you’ll thank your elders later for going on about this. Elta MD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46, $58, has transparent zinc oxide and offers UVA and UVB protection (excellent) and just as good, is formulated to calm and even treat acne-prone skin. Truly, your best friend. At Prescription Skin Care, 243 Remuera Rd, prescriptionskincare.co.nz

the hobson + prescription skin care

Does it pass the “daughter test”?

When deciding on a treatment plan we always ask ourselves “would I carry out this procedure on my own child?”

5 Things We Like About You Adolescence can be a challenging time for both girls and boys when it comes to skin concerns, but the team at Prescription Skin Care are here to help. Here are just five of the things we can do for teens.

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Consultation Often, both boys and girls need to talk to someone who is not their mother, to give them advice on simple, effective, everyday cleaning habits which prevent and treat acne. At Prescription Skin Care, your teen meeting one of our highly-experienced skin care nurses is the perfect start to a responsible young adolescent’s skin care regime. We can also tell you about our 30 per cent discount for students’ treatments.

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At Home Care Products We are proud to stock Teen Aspect, a high-quality care range developed expressly for teen skins. Most kids just need a gentle, non-irritating cleanser with a light, calming sunscreen aimed at teenage skins, preventing and soothing acne

We’ll fix your teen’s dental challenges such as peg teeth, white spots and accident damaged teeth, ensuring a solution that is conservative and beautiful.

Get in touch with us today to find out how we can look after your teen’s smile.

09 919 2660 | Level 2, 68 Beach Road beachroad@lumino.co.nz | citydental.co.nz As a mother of two teenagers, Dr Andrea Shepperson understands the importance of looking after teeth for life. She is an experienced clinician in aesthetic dentistry, a global judge of aesthetic dental awards, international speaker in her field and contributor to texts on cosmetic dentistry.

Andrea calls Remuera home and her practice is in Parnell.

City Dental at Quay Park

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Skin Peels At $75 a treatment for teens, gentle skin peels relieve congested skin, and clear out enlarged pores. These peels exfoliate, detoxify and stimulate cell turnover in a nonirritating and gentle way. Most adolescents need this once or twice a year — it will have them feeling great about their skin again, and reinforce positive home hygiene messages.

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Reducing Excess Body Hair Excess body hair on both males and females can cause embarrassment at any age. Long-term laser hair removal is popular for girls concerned by bikini line, leg and underarm hair, and overall body hair reduction is popular in young athletes. We use American-made state-ofthe-art laser machines; the treatments are safe, not painful, and have no downtime. One of our specialist nurses will be happy to discuss the options with you and your teenager, including our special pricing offer for students.

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Valuing Privacy Teens share many things on social media, but there’s also things they like to keep private. Our clinic is in a secluded setting, and our highly professional nurses and clinic staff are discreet. We look forward to discussing your teenager’s concerns — call 524 5784, or email info@prescriptionskincare.co.nz for a consultation appointment.

Prescription Skin Care is led by Plastic Surgeon Dr Stephen Gilbert, FRCS, FRACS (plastic).

243 Remuera Rd, Remuera.

the teacher

Creating Great Teachers

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’ve been reading a lot of articles recently on the state of the education system in New Zealand, particularly primary education, so I thought I would add my voice to the discussion.

In the Herald in early May was an article about “lifting teacher status”. I have to agree with the comment that universities need to lift the entrance standard of prospective teachers, an argument that has been around for many years. And I have to question why it takes so long to make any changes to a system that is said to not be producing the standard of teaching our children deserve. I am also in total agreement with Graeme Aitken, dean of education at the University of Auckland, who noted “a shift to a postgraduate profession would be in line with international standards”.

He went on to say that “teacher entry shouldn’t be a trade-off between intelligence and personality”. I totally agree with him.

Many teachers are highly intelligent, but lack personality, a sense of humour and the ability to communicate well. Those qualities, in my opinion, are essential ingredients that make up a “master” teacher — teachers who inspire and motivate.

I have had the privilege of working with some absolutely outstanding teachers, whose students have made huge gains in their learning, within highly creative and motivated classrooms. Kids want to love and respect their teachers, and to have fun with them.

Great teachers know that every child learns differently, and will have a classroom programme set up to cater for different learning needs. These rare teachers are passionate about what they do, love their students and want to make a difference to their learning results in the short time that they have them.

The future of the world, and for us in New Zealand, depends on the success of our education system and on choosing the right people to lead and motivate all learners in every classroom.

Sadly, I’ve also worked with teachers who are not suited to the profession, or need to know when it’s time to retire. These long-stayers need a lot of support and supervision, which is time consuming and often expensive.

Teaching is a huge responsibility. It is often a seven days-aweek job, both stressful and exhausting, but very, very rewarding.

Teaching is hard and constant work. Good teachers often work long

into the evenings marking students’ work, and spend many hours in the weekends planning. They’re also required to attend, or coach, extra-curricular activities that school provides. But for those of us who see teaching as a passion, these things are never an issue.

The Herald published several other related articles, all pointing to the fact that there is a need for continued change. The statistics on reading, writing and maths achievement produced by the Ministry of Education are worrying to say the least, but there are many highly successful schools teaching these subjects very well, because the teachers put in many hours participating in professional development, and studying teaching techniques and trends.

We are fortunate in NZ to have two school systems to choose from, public and private, and both can provide an excellent standard of education. However one comes at a high cost that excludes many children. For most parents, there is no choice of school, therefore addressing the quality of our teachers becomes even more urgent.

As parents, we have to choose wisely — there’s no “one size fits all”.

Take the time to find out what is being taught in your child’s school.

Don’t expect to send your child to school and think your job is done.

Students and teachers both need parental support.

Is the school delivering the curriculum to your children in an exciting and creative way? Is your child engaged and being challenged? I have worked with the current NZ curriculum and I think it’s very well written, and exciting to work with. I have also worked with an international curriculum (the International Baccalaureate) and found that experience highly successful because of a global philosophy, and the trans-disciplinary learning at its very core. However, every working document needs revisiting and revising regularly.

Reflecting on my experience over the years — and all the training, teaching and learning I have experienced and led — I have seen great change for the better in the curriculum and in classroom practice.

The large majority of our teachers are doing a fine job.

That said, as a community we all need to encourage change for the future of the teaching profession, to ensure our children have worldclass teachers who are provided with a world-class curriculum, to create exciting programmes in every classroom. — Judi Paape

RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMME FOR WOMEN

Cathy Roselli

Advertisement

Some parents have one teenager, some have two. Local Ray White salesperson Cathy Roselli, who has spent the last decade and more raising three teenage daughters, spoke about how she has coped with the teenage years – and how it has affected her in her working life.

The onset of the teens took Cathy by surprise, she says. “It took me some time to realise that my girls had become teenagers. It caught me off guard that they were no longer children.

“However, once I got that on board, I realised that my girls’ world today is vastly different to my own teenage time. I realised that I was not the only mother whose parenting canoe was dashed against the rocks, so I applied myself to the task, read books and attended courses.

“It became my aspiration to have my daughters come out of these years as healthy young adults, so I had to learn a new way of being with my daughters and new patterns of communication.”

When describing how that went, Cathy says that some of the words include ‘challenging, perplexing, scary, anger, defiance, colourful language, and even ‘verbal warfare’.

Equally though, ‘passion, joy, admiration, friendships, ball dates, laughter, memorable’ and ‘change’ come to the fore.

Daughter Georgi, at 19 the youngest of Cathy’s teenage team, says that embracing change is a mindset she has inherited from Cathy. “Mum’s not one to shy away from change or challenge: she confronts it head-on, leading by example, and she pushes me to grasp new opportunities and have new adventures, giving me the space to run with them.”

Middle sister Gabby adds: “Mum taught us to be independent, to work hard as well, and the art of negotiation and compromise. As we have grown older, we have all learnt to accept our differences and embrace each other’s uniqueness. Mum is known for saying ‘communication is key’ and she has motivated us all to be successful.”

Maddie, the oldest, says: “I like to think I paved the way among us. As a teenager I wanted to live life on my own terms, and I always wanted to challenge mum’s perspective.

Then I found it to be the first thing I missed when I left home.

“Mum has helped me with decision making - and I always remember her creative thinking, especially around finding solutions for a problem. I am proud of the decisions I make today; mum has helped me position myself in making good life decisions.

“Also, one more thing: her compulsive work ethic has rubbed off on me!”

To close, Cathy says that when she looks back, a key thing has been to realise that change is the constant, and she needs to adapt to it. “I need to keep pace with the change that is going on. In many ways, it’s the same thing in my working life in real estate, because I am always helping people through a time of change.”

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the check in

Be Here Now

Checking into Queenstown’s Sherwood means leaving standard hotel expectations at the door

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he Sherwood isn’t so much a place to rest your head — though it does that very well — as a chance to become part of a community that has chosen very specifically how they want to live, stay and eat.

Built in the 1980s in that mock-Tudor style so beloved by NZ motel developers, the Sherwood is a motel/hotel of 78 rooms of various configurations, perched on the hill above Frankton Rd, looking to the jewels of Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables. The 1.2ha of grounds includes a productive organic vegetable garden, and a restaurant and bar that’s drawing locals as well as house guests and visitors.

With the mantra ‘Be Here Now’, the Sherwood asks you to enjoy being in the moment of enjoying a spectacular location, superlative food and a mindset that makes you lean in to an authentic, non-resort experience, rather than the beige-on-greige, cookie-cutter sameness of most modern hotels.

The Sherwood is the venture of the hospitable Sam Chapman (Wellington’s Matterhorn and Mighty Mighty) and Stephen Marr, better known around Auckland for his hair salons and Takapuna’s The Department Store. Together they first opened Golden Dawn, apex of Auckland’s cool bars.

With Golden Dawn running like a Golden Dream, Marr and Chapman, with eco-resort developer Adam Smith on board, looked to Queenstown as their next project, and the chance to create something other than the standard bums-inbeds accommodation model in one of their favourite places.The space and scale of the Sherwood was the answer to most of their questions, and they could see past the faded 80s décor and the pink bathrooms — just —to visualise what could be possible.

In December 2014 they opened for business with 14 renovated rooms and the restaurant. Since then, they’ve completed the room renovations across the site (saving the odd pink hand-basin for posterity), built a new central checkin area, installed 248 high-efficiency solar panels (which generate more power than the hotel needs, so excess goes back to the grid) and have painstakingly turned a paddock of rubbish and weeds into restful and productive gardens.

Chapman manages the business day to day, with Marr and Smith checking in, literally, when they can. u

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the check in

REST

PUSH PLAY

Rooms are available in a number of configurations including family set-ups in double queen and loft suites. There’s 5GB of free internet per room per day and the prices make it a friendly option too, from $240 for a lake view double queen room, to $150 for a quad bunkroom (for pricing on all the different rooms available, see www.sherwoodqueenstown.nz) Marr, Chapman and Smith have worked with the motel’s bones rather than against them, upcycling where they could and creating rustically Kiwi-chic interiors. The beds have New Zealand merino blankets and the curtains are an idea worth stealing for draughty

The check-in area is also home to a sauna that can be booked (free to guests), a table-tennis table and a rack of mountain bikes for hire — the hotel has a dual slalom track around the gardens for a confident/experienced rider. The requisite 1980s kidney-shaped pool has been emptied and refashioned into a conversation pit, with squabs and a central fire pit and in summer, an outdoor bar.

On Marr’s list of things he plans to add is a geodesic dome over this space, creating another usable all-weather space for performances, workshops or breakout areas for small conferences.

The grounds and bar area are also set up for music — there’s a

Taupo baches — wool army blankets repurposed with thermal linings to make thick, insulating drapes. Cork feature walls both insulate and make a design statement; the kitchen area has open shelving, cast-iron cookware and peg boards for the enamel crockery. There’s an empty jar in the fridge (stocked with craft beers) to fill with organic milk provided in the main kitchen. The bathrooms are small, spotless and functional, the bodywash and shampoo is The Woods, a special Sherwood blend from the organic Sans range. And the water that pours from the rain-head shower is steaming hot, which is all you need really.

roster of guest artists each month and on the last Thursday, the Sherwood Songwriter Society is a chance for local and visiting musos to share their work. There’s also workshops on food interests (preserving, fermentation): see happeningsatsherwood.tumblr.com PUSH PAUSE You can slow right down here, find the yin to Queenstown’s yang.

Upstairs in the building that houses the bar and restaurant, there’s a yoga studio and spa rooms for Aruyvedic massage treatments.

Previous page: a view of the hotel and across to Lake Wakatipu; room interiors. This page, clockwise from top left: chef Ainsley Thompson (centre) and her co-stars ready for dinner service, the bar area, the organic vege garden which supplies the kitchen, the lower dining area. Photographs by Stephen Penny. Opposite page, Lake Hayes dressed for autumn, ziplining at Kawarau Gorge

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There’s a seasonal movement schedule — group classes in hatha, stretch and Ashtanga yoga ($10), and Pilates ($15). Private sessions can also be booked. Seasonally, the Sherwood offers three-day wellness retreats; all-inclusive packages of accomm-odation, yoga classes, activities and meals to feed body and soul.

If you get the chance, ask to do the wine-matched chef’s choice menu, which means Ainsley will make dinner suggestions, and the wines, in tasting sizes so you can sample diversely, will be selected

by Fraser. (Fraser also has the distinction of probably being the only Scot who could sit in the Mastermind chair with the speciality subject, “New Zealand wines”).

DOING BUSINESS AND Upstairs from the restaurant is an open office space, available for hire. BYOD and use the hotel’s furniture and whiteboards. Several film crews in town for extended periods have made use of this adaptable space.

EAT + DRINK The icing on the cake. Chapman, Marr and Smith have assembled a star team for Sherwood’s bar and dining room, which looks to the lake and is warmly decorated, a retreat on all levels. On our visit, there are three cooks, all women, in the restaurant’s open kitchen.

There’s another crew out the back doing dishes and sorting the green waste for the massive bio-digester hooked up outside the back door.

Led by former French Café and Matterhorn chef Ainsley Rose Thompson, Sherwood’s menu is dictated by seasonal availability.

Wherever you stay in Queenstown, make this a destination for dinner.

We ate in on both nights of our stay. That wasn’t the plan, but our first meal, shared with our Auckland neighbours (it’s a small world), was so good we couldn’t go past sampling more of the menu the second evening. And when one of your travelling party is 14, and says of night one, “that is the best pasta I have ever eaten,” you have another reason for staying put (it was the homemade spaghetti with Sherwood-grown greens, butter, garlic and parmesan, served as a perfect entrée size).

The menu naturally reflects Sherwood’s yin-yang balance and many of the ingredients are from local providores. “Tantric Dining” means servings portioned so you can eat everything from the Steamed Mussels with prawn butter, ginger and garlic, through to the meringue, lemon and coconut Sherwood Mess via the Chargrilled Lamb Rump with the mint, blackcurrants and peas, without feeling like you need a hoist to leave the table at the end of the meal. And it also gives you the balance of fuel to get up in the morning and do that run, bike ride or day on the mountain.

The winelist is a map rather than a list, a Steiner-influenced guide to the grape created by master of wine, sommelier Stephen Wong.

One side is titled “No Skins,” so the whites, bubbles and rosés. On this side, they’re mapped vertically by Leaf (lively, refreshing) and Fruit (extravagant, rich) and on the cross axis, Root (introverted, mineral) and Flower (delicate, ethereal). Take No. 16, a méthode Kalex Rosé from the Gibbston Valley — many of the wines are from Central Otago. It falls on the map in the “Flower” to “Fruit” quadrant at the drier end, as does the Peregrine Pinot Gris.

It’s fun and an education selecting wine this way, and encourages experimentation (there’s a good number available by the glass). The other side of the page is the “Skins”, or the reds and oranges. Again they are mapped between Leaf, Fruit, Flower and Root, with “Most Tannic” at the centre, to “Least Tannic” at the outside. At restaurant manager Fraser Brown’s suggestion, we try Clockwork Orange, from Lowburn in Central Otago — it’s pinned as Less Tannic/ Flower/Fruit and it’s sensational with mussels.

You’re in Queenstown, so there’s no shortage of things to do offsite too, from high-octane adventure tourism, ski and sporty pursuits, to afternoons passed at Gibbston Valley wineries. The Sherwood’s front desk is happy to make recommendations and help with bookings, or go to www.queenstownnz.co.nz to plot your itinerary (bookings for popular activities, like the Kawarau Zip Ride at Kawarau Gorge are recommended during the winter peak season).

BOOKING IN The Sherwood, 554 Frankton Rd, Queenstown. Ph (03) 450 1090.

Visit www.sherwoodqueenstown.nz for further information and bookings. p THE HOBSON received two nights accommodation as guests of the Sherwood. Thank you to Sam, Ainsley, Fraser and Tamara for making our stay so memorable.

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the check in

Montréal, Mon Amour sweeter than their US counterparts and informal on-going rivalry sees the Fairmount Bagel Bakery and St Viateur, which is situated nearby, jousting with each other for local popularity. The former’s products appears to be just the tiniest bit sweeter than the latter’s, whilst still maintaining a traditional, robust shape and composition. Long queues can often be seen outside these establishments as customers wait, watching nimble fingers creating the bagels.

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n the mid-1960s, Canada’s secondlargest city was immortalised by its favourite son, Leonard Cohen, singing of an irresistible muse named Suzanne, who dressed in ‘rags and feathers’. She lived near the mighty St Lawrence River and served tea and oranges to her adoring young fan. Cohen’s song perfectly captures the city’s chic allure, enhanced by its rich French heritage.

Here are just a few highlights of Montreal/ Montréal. — Louise Richardson ARCHITECTURE A fascinating blend of old and new, the European element of the island of Montreal’s architecture dates back to the early 1600s, when the first French explorers arrived. The city, named for Mount Royal, a hill which rises at its heart, wasn’t incorporated until 1832, by which time the British had laid claim to Canada. Later however, the French prevailed in Quebec province, and their heritage dominates — French is Montreal’s first language.The magnificent Notre Dame Basilica is always, rightly, on to-do lists, but don’t miss Chateau Ramezay, constructed in 1705 for the governor of the time. It was a typical style of its era and is now a museum, and Quebec’s first official historical monument.

PARKS Around Mount Royal there is a truly glorious park. At 200ha it’s one of the largest green spaces in this gracious city and owes part of its design to Frederick Law Olmsted, one of the landscapers behind New York’s Central Park. Mount Royal Park features an artificial lake, various belvederes and Beaver Lake pavilion: a delightful 1950s building. The park provides locals and visitors alike with cool air on hot summer days and a place to ice-skate, ski or toboggan in winter, without leaving town. There are also fascinating cemeteries with a wealth of character to explore.

FOOD As you’d expect, boulangeries and the very best baked goods are the order of the day in Quebec’s capital, but there’s a certain sense of competition continually cooking. Montreal’s bagels are smaller and

SHOPPING Whether you lean towards department stores, designer boutiques, smaller shops or market stalls, Montreal has everything within easy reach. Greene Ave in Westmount is home to many luxury stores, while Rue Ste-Catherine has high fashion offerings. Montreal has the added bonus of its ‘underground city’ a sizable subterranean world, where you’ll find many more shops. Don’t overlook La Maison Ogilvy, the grande dame of department stores,with its tall ceilings and elegant chandeliers. It’s especially fun to visit in December, when all the trimmings of a true white Christmas are in place.

CULTURE The Museum of Archaeology and History tells the story of the city, starting in the 1400s, while the Museum of Fine Arts has a collection of more than 40,000 works. The music scene is large and fluid, with the Montreal Symphony catering for fans of the classics, while buskers, jazz bands and crooners entertain both on the quaint cobbled streets of Old Montreal, or inside no-longer-smoky bars. Montreal’s annual Just for Laughs comedy festival is renowned, the magnificent Cirque du Soleil is based here, and you can also visit the grounds of famous McGill University.

GET THERE Air Canada flies to Montreal from Sydney, via Vancouver.

See aircanada.co.nz. And don’t forget to enter Remuera’s ‘French in July’ competition — the prize is a trip for two plus accommodation for a week in Montreal.

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the second act

The Circle of Life

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hile some people play Fantasy Football, constructing and betting on dream teams, I play Fantasy Dinner Party, constantly mentally bumping people off chairs in favour of someone more interesting. But one person who always holds her seat at my table is my real-life living hero, Gloria Steinem. So time stood still for me when on the morning of her sell-out appearance at the Auckland Writers Festival, I was invited to be one of a handful of women to meet her at Ngāti Whātua Orākei marae.

At 82 and after a lifetime on the road as a feminist activist, Steinem knows a thing or two about a personal journey. When one’s journey intersects with an idea bigger than oneself, it is often called a “purpose”, and to say she lives purposefully is an understatement. She has devoted her life to, as a friend’s young daughter puts it, “women’s rights and wrongs” and it was a true privilege to talk with her and share others’ perspectives on womanhood.

There were 19 of us, including two Māori kuia, one man, and the acknowledged presence of Steinem’s dear friend, Cherokee Nation chief Wilma Mankiller. We had a two-hour conversation like no other I have ever been part of. We sat in what Steinem dubs a “talking circle”. And while initially I was a little puzzled, if not a tad disappointed, as all I really wanted was to hear was her speak, I was rewarded with so much more.

After a karakia and the imagining of a fire smouldering in the centre of our circle, we set adrift a conversation with no agenda, but an intention infused with respect and trust. The words flowed across the circle many times, gathering collective energy and gravitas, as someone’s thought would lightly touch another’s idea. There were tears, poems, performances, insights, advice, myths and legends, laughter and light bulb moments. While I had expected to learn the most from Steinem, what she taught me is that wisdom is not from one source, but from a collective force. In her words, we are linked — not ranked. Indeed the presence of each one of those women and

our lovely male friend was a gift, and Steinem herself was just one of the group.

That evening as she addressed the crowd at the Writers Festival, she affirmed that that morning’s experience was lifechanging for her as well.

Steinem specifically sought out the company of Māori women while in NZ. With the observation that history seems only to begin when the patriarchy began, she has a particular interest in first cultures, and how power and influence was originally a shared framework and not a gender-biased one. She believes in the power of talking circles, which women have always been naturally drawn to do. In the height of second-wave feminism, Steinem and her colleagues called them “consciousness raising circles”. She got a laugh at the Festival when she noted, that those circles today “are called book clubs”.

So while I wrote about male friends last month, it seems only fair to now honour female circles. In a group, women have a natural tendency to communicate and share. I have seen this many times in the leadership development work that I do. But what has this got to with talking circles and “The Second Act’?

Steinem has always maintained that “women may be the one group that grow more radical with age”. And from what I have experienced, I tend to agree. It is of course a deliberate choice. A woman’s 40s may be often characterised by a flurry of Botox and boot camps. Messages in popular culture encourage women not to let themselves go aesthetically (look at the personal attacks on Hilary Clinton’s appearance), rather than emphasising the importance of staying strong mentally, physically and spiritually.

So what is the second half of your life going to be about?

I’m with Steinem — it is about standing up for “women’s rights and wrongs”. After all, as another childhood hero, suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, said: “We have to free half the human race, the women, so they can help free the other half”. And it all starts with a conversation.

— Sandy Burgham

the hobson 55

the sound

The Day I Became a Punk

I

remember the exact moment I became a punk.

The year was 1978, and I was a callow 15-year-old Remuera schoolboy. I owned five albums, which were proudly lined up beside my dad’s Neil Diamond, Beatles, Val Doonican and Acker Bilk LPs. My first album was bought when I was 10, with the 99 cents my grandmother gave me to cut down her agapanthus. It was The Sensational Incredible Fantastic Osmonds. From that inauspicious start I had gone on to buy a Bay City Rollers album, followed by Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, Saturday Night Fever, and then, Bowie’s Aladdin Sane.

Sad really, but it showed how sheltered my upbringing had been.

So it was lunchtime and I was at the Auckland Grammar tuckshop, when a youth on a Vespa tore in through the gate by the science block, screeched to a halt and shouted, “Who wants to come to a gig?” He threw a whole lot of flyers in the air and roared off before the prefects could catch him.

I picked up a flyer. It was square and black and white and handdrawn. All it said was “The Enemy.

All Ages. The State. Symonds Street.” I still have the flyer in my box of childhood treasures that rests in a tea chest under the house.

One of my mates informed us that The Enemy were from Dunedin, and one of the new punk bands.

Certainly the kid on the Vespa must have been one of those. He had a Number 1 cut, black leather jacket, blue jeans bundled at the waist and some boots on that I later learnt were Doc Martens. It was an all-ages gig, so we decided to go.

The State was an old Kerridge Odeon picture palace from the 1930s. In the 60s it became known as the Oriental Ballroom, and held dances for the Chinese community and big bands. Later it became a Mexican restaurant, before it was demolished in 1983 for a row of retail straight out of the Beirut design book. When we walked in that night in 1978, it was a cavern populated by freaks with safety pins all over the shop, stovepipe jeans and plimsolls.

When The Enemy came on the first thing you noticed was the snarling, demonically grinning frontman with a unique Mohawk — shaved up the sides, yet connected round the back. That was the first time I laid eyes on Chris Knox. It was also the first time I heard a music that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

Looking back now, it was not the clichéd “power pop punk” we thought we were going to hear, but something far more: slower, more powerful, more melodic, more dynamic. It would be more correct to call it post-punk. Whatever it was, it stopped me ever

playing the Osmonds again, and it was an awful long time before I listened to Fleetwood Mac. Within three years I was the station manager of student Radio B, with hennaed red hair and my own pair of Docs.

I’ve told you this story because I’ve been reading Roger Shepherd’s book, In Love With These Times. Roger is the man behind Flying Nun Records, the little label that became one of the most respected in the world for its stable of artists, and the creation of the so-called “Dunedin Sound”.

Early in the book, Roger writes about seeing The Enemy at the Beneficiaries Hall in Dunedin around the same time, and having a similar epiphanic moment to the one I had. From that moment, he decided to make it all happen and if he couldn’t play or sing, then he wanted to record the music and get it to as many ears as he could.

Armed with no money, no business plan and an almost dangerous naiveté, it’s exactly what he did, bringing us The Clean, The Verlaines, the Tall Dwarfs, the Headless Chickens and many more. Artists who never courted radio-play but influenced musicians all over the world. They used lo-fi gear, most famously, Chris Knox’s faithful four-track.

They played no corporate games, with most artists never even signing a contract. Roger says they never sold product to customers, they were linking a community of friends. In this modern world of so-called business savvy, they did everything wrong. Which is why it was so right.

In Love With These Times is a great rock ’n roll read, full of excess and carnage, small and large victories and massive defeats.

It’s a wonderful snapshot of the excitement and passion of youth in our peculiar and isolated country. It also made me wonder whether the kids today have the same passion, when everything from the world beams in instantaneously to the screen in their room, and business plans are taught at intermediate school.

I’ve always wondered, if I hadn’t seen Chris Knox and The Enemy in 1978, would I have ever considered radio, and would Roger Shepherd have We have three copies of considered starting a record In Love With These Times label? to give away: It’s a bit corny, but I consider see page 8 for details it proof that rock ’n roll can change your life.

— Andrew Dickens

the hobson 56

WIN

the bookmark

Books For Tinies to Teens

PASS IT ON Sophy Henn (Penguin) A small girl wakes up, yawns in the morning sun and then bounces through the day, finding joy in everyday situations and encouraging those around her to enjoy them too. A joyful and uplifting picture book with wonderful illustrations that are vibrant and suitably childlike. A favourite of my friend Mia, aged 3 ½. Ages 3+

WEASELS Elys Dolan (Allen & Unwin) Some of you may think weasels spend their days eating nuts and berries and frolicking in leaves. Not so. What weasels really get up to behind the closed doors of their top-secret organisation headquarters is . . . plotting world domination! With great illustrations, this book is splashed with fabulous, detailed spreads of weasel mania, complete with speech bubbles, diagrams and all manner of insight into the

inner workings of megalomania. Warmly recommended by my buddy Leo, 5.

Ages 4+

REALLY PROFESSIONAL INTERNET PERSON Jenn McAllister (Scholastic) McAllister, better known as JennxPenn, has been obsessed with making videos since she found her parents’ video camera at the age of eight. It’s an insider's guide to building a successful YouTube channel, as well as an intimate portrait of the surreality of Insta-fame and the realities of high school. Brimming with honesty, heart and McAllister’s humour, it features Top 10 lists, photos, screenshots, social media posts and new stories chronicling Jenn's journey to YouTube sensation. Ages 11+

THE SCRAPBOOK OF MY LIFE Alfie Deyes (BooksRus) From his early days as a budding amateur

the hobson 57

vlogger, through to a superstellar YouTuber with his PointlessBlog channel, Deyes’ story is the stuff of modern teen dreams.

Here’s how it all began — growing up on England’s south coast, having fun with friends thinking up pranks and dares through the summer holidays, recording his first vlog at 15. A must-read for fans of PointlessBlog, old and new. Ages 13+

THE HATERS Jesse Andrews (Allen & Unwin) A great young adult novel about music, love, friendship, and freedom, from the author of the teen favourite, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. Inspired by his own years playing bass in a band, Andrew’s three young musicians are jazz camp escapees, on the run and wanting to avoid the authorities long enough to play the show they hope, but also doubt, they have in them. Ages 14+ — Gail Woodward

the cinema

Winter at the Movies JULY

THE CARER Director János Edelényi. Starring Brian Cox, Anna Chancellor, Emilia Fox, Karl Johnson.

When legendary actor Sir Michael Gifford finds out he has an incurable disease, he only wants to be left alone. Very much against his wishes, his pretentious but loving daughter sets about hiring him a caregiver — much to his disgust. Enter Dorottya, a young and aspiring Hungarian actress, who wants nothing but to be as successful as her dependant charge. A small movie with a big heart, The Carer has echoes of Untouchable and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

LOVE & FRIENDSHIP Director Whit Stillman. Starring Kate Beckinsale, Tom Bennett, Chloë Sevigny, Xavier Samuel.

Jane Austen’s short novel Lady Susan is lesser-known than many of her books, as it was never submitted for publication during her lifetime. Set like all Austen’s stories in Regency England of the early 19th century, the widowed Lady Susan Vernon attempts to conceal herself from society, as rumours of her private life circulate. A notorious flirt, her arrival to stay with relatives causes a stir throughout her new town.

Determined to no longer be the subject of salacious gossip, Lady Susan decides to find herself a husband and in the process, one for her put-upon daughter, Frederica.

REMEMBER

THE BFG Director Steven Spielberg. Starring Mark Rylance, Ruby Barnhill, Jemaine Clement, Bill Hader, Rebecca Hall, Penelope Wilton.

One for the family these school holidays. This is the first cinema adaptation of Roald Dahl’s children’s tale, published in 1982. Adhering quite strictly to the original text about 10-year-old Sophie, and her unlikely friendship with a Big Friendly Giant, it’s a romp of adventure, unlikely friendship and whimsy. It’s a perfect tale to support the adage of never judging a book by its cover, or in this case, a giant by his size.

Director Atom Egoyan.

Starring Christopher Plummer, Henry Czerny, Martin Landau, Dean Norris.

Driven by the need to avenge his family, Remember is the contemporary story of Zev, an elderly man who discovers that the Nazi guard who murdered his family 70 years ago is living in America under an assumed identity. A remarkable crosscontinent roadtrip ensues, with frail and mentally diminishing Zev attempting to hunt down the man who destroyed lives, and bring to a close a war that has lasted his entire life.

Films listed will screen at Rialto Cinemas Newmarket in July.

Treat yourself to a Small Popcorn & Yealands Estate Rosé for only $12.50*

*This voucher to be presented at time of purchase.

Offer expires 1 September 2016.

A small popcorn & Yealands Estate Rosé for $12.50 Expires 1 September 2016.

Only $12.50#

AUGUST

DAVID BRENT: LIFE ON THE ROAD

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS: THE MOVIE

Director Ricky Gervais. Starring Ricky Gervais, Tom Bennett, Mandeep Dhillon, Jo Hartley.

It’s more than a decade since we last caught up with David Brent, the awful manager at Wernham Hogg. He’s now a rep for cleaning products distributors, Lavichem, and a singer-songwriter. Still suffering a total lack of self-awareness, Brent’s inappropriateness continues to ruffle feathers as he attempts to share his “talent” with the world. Shot in the same direct-to-camera documentary style as The Office, the temptation of a film crew tracking him once again is catnip for Brent, who’s been pining for the spotlight since The Office made him a star.

Director Mandie Fletcher. Starring Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, Jane Horrocks, Julia Sawalha.

Break out the Bollie! Still as hilariously deluded as they were in the 90s, indefatigable PR supremo Edina Monsoon and sometime fashion editor/fulltime party girl Patsy Stone step up to the big screen. Still living the high life in London’s hottest clubs, the BFFs cause a major incident at a swanky fashion party when it seems they may have killed model Kate Moss. They escape to fashionable exile on the French Riveria, of course.

The movie reunites the original TV series cast, including assistant Bubble, Eddie’s highly-disapproving daughter, Saffron, and a parade of guest stars (Moss, Jon Hamm, Rebel Wilson, Gwendoline Christie).

THE FOUNDER

OUR KIND OF TRAITOR Director Susanna White.

Starring Ewan McGregor, Naomie Harris, Damian Lewis, Stellan Skarsgård.

The latest John le Carre thriller to be adapted as a film, following on from Tinker, Tailor, Soldeir, Spy and A Most Wanted Man. In this cross-Europe thriller, Peter and his girlfriend, Gail, are on holiday in Morocco, where they’re unlucky to meet Dima, a long-time servant of the Russian mafia. Wanting out of the mob life, Dima enlists Peter to be his middle-man as he seeks amnesty and asylum in the UK, in exchange for all he knows on the Russian criminal world. When their plan goes awry, Dima and Peter are forced to run to prove their worth to MI6, while attempting to stay ahead of a mob fuelled by the need to protect their secrets.

Director John Lee Hancock.

Starring Michael Keaton, John Carroll Lynch, Laura Dern, BJ Novak, Nick Offerman, Patrick Wilson A engaging bio-drama about the rise of the Golden Arches and the man who saw the potential in franchised burgers. In 1950s California, milkshake machine salesman Ray Kroc encounters brothers Mac and Dick McDonald, who operate a small hamburger restaurant. The innovative McDonald brothers are doing things differently, and Kroc can see the pay-off in franchising their model. By 1961 he owns McDonalds, and sets his sights to become one of the most recognisable, and profitable, brands in the world.

- Caitlin McKenna Films listed will screen at Rialto Cinemas Newmarket in August.

Advance Screening Wednesday 10 August at 6:30pm Tickets: $24.50* each and include a glass of wine & goodie bag.

Book online: www.rialto.co.nz *Plus, $1.20 online booking fee.

the appetite

Veg Out

Warm up your winter table with delicious vegetable dishes from Sue Fleischl’s kitchen

Food photographed by Dominique White Photography

the appetite

Butter Roasted Cabbage I have never been a fan of boring boiled cabbage, unless it’s drowning in butter or bacon.

Here is one of our home favourites.

Serves 6 1 whole cabbage Salt and pepper 100g butter, chopped Heat the oven to 180C. Remove the outer leaves, and slice or chop the cabbage roughly. Place on a roasting tray, season with salt and pepper. Dot over the butter. Roast for approximately 25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes — it should turn golden brown.

The cabbage can be cooked earlier in the day and reheated just before serving. For a lighter version you can use olive oil instead of butter. Sometimes I season and spice up some chicken thighs, and roast them on top of the cabbage as a one pot dish. The chicken juices ooze through the cabbage. Divine!

Roast Cauliflower with Turmeric, Cumin and Mustard Seeds This recipe has been shared with many of our clients.

It is easy to put together and the mustard seeds add a wonderful flavour.

Serves 6 2 tsp whole cumin seeds 1 tsp black mustard seeds 1 whole cauliflower 2 tbsp rice bran oil 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 tsp turmeric Salt and pepper Coriander leaves, to serve Heat the oven to 180C. Place the cumin seeds into a small fry pan, and place on a low heat to brown. Remove from the pan and set aside. Place the black mustard seeds into the pan and heat on the stove, until they “pop”. (Note, don’t use any oil for either spice, you want dry frying).

Cut the cauliflower into florets and place in a large bowl.

Add the oil, garlic, turmeric, the fried cumin and black mustard seeds, season with salt and pepper and toss well. Tip the mixture into an oven tray, roast for 25 minutes until golden brown.

Serve with fresh coriander leaves.

This dish can be made early in the day and reheated. It is also delicious served at room temperature. Try adding sliced chillies to the cauliflower before roasting. Also great served with minted yoghurt.

Potato and Blue Cheese Gratin Who doesn’t like potato gratin? By keeping the skins on the potatoes and just giving them a scrub, you give a lovely earthy flavour to this dish.

Serves 6 600g Agria potatoes 25g butter 1 onion, chopped 50g Kikorangi blue cheese, chopped 300ml runny cream 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped salt and pepper Heat oven to 160C. Scrub and thinly slice the potatoes. Set aside. Melt the butter in a large pot and add the onion, cooking till soft. Once the onion is softened, add the cream and boil for three minutes. Add the sliced potatoes and thyme to the pot, and cook another three minutes to let the cream thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place half of the potato mix into a baking dish, and sprinkle with the cheese. Top with the remaining potatoes.

Cover with foil, and place in the oven for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and let the gratin continue cooking for a further 15 minutes, until it’s golden on top.

This dish can be made a day ahead and reheated. If you’re not keen on blue cheese, you can use any other cheese — feta, gruyere, raclette. It’s a great side dish to serve with lamb shanks, roast beef or roast chicken. the hobson 61

the district diary - july/august

July 2016 1 Last day of Term 2 for Diocesan, King’s College, King’s School, all Saint Kentigern campuses, St Cuthbert’s 2 Parnell Farmers’ Market, every Saturday from 8am, in the carpark at the Jubilee Building, 545 Parnell Rd The World Press Photo Exhibition starts today, showcasing the best photojournalism from around the globe. until July 24, level 6, Smith & Caughey’s Queen St. worldpressphoto.co.nz 3 Celebrate the Queen’s 90th in true British style with Last Night of the Proms, performed by Auckland Symphony Orchestra and conducted by EGGS head of music, Peter Thomas. Auckland Town Hall, 5.30pm. ticketmaster.co.nz 8 Last day of Term 2 for Baradene, EGGS, Grammar, Remuera Intermediate and Meadowbank, Orākei, Parnell, Remuera and Vicky Ave primaries

12 Step back 100 years for a day in the life of kids in WWI. “Doing Our Bit – Kids on the Home Front”, Auckland War Memorial Museum, until July 22. $10, aucklandmuseum.com to book 13 FNZCCI Bastille Day Cocktail Evening, 6-9pm at Remuera Library. Tickets from fnzcci.org.nz

25 Start of Term 3. All schools back today!

27 Author David Veart is the guest at Meadowbank Village’s Booklovers Coffee Club, 10.30am. Free, all welcome 30 Craft Harvest market, 4th Saturday of every month from 8am, alongside Parnell Farmers’ Market, 545 Parnell Rd

Good luck to all entrants in the Young Singers in Harmony competition regionals, on today at Aotea Centre 16 Bonjour Remuera! It’s the Bastille Day Festival, 10am – 2pm in the town centre.

Don’t miss the Gallic-inspired fun, or the chance to polish your Francais by winning a trip for two to Montréal!

Free Introductory French class with Alliance Francaise, 10.30-11.30am at Artusi, 415 Remuera Rd. Coffee/croissants provided. MUST book, culture@alliancefrancaise.co.nz

9 Auckland Grammar School v St Peter’s College 1st XV rugby match, at Grammar, 2.30pm kick-off

18 Gladstone Tennis Club school holiday programme runs until Friday. $35 a day or $150 for the week. All welcome, email admin@ gladstonetennis.co.nz to enrol

11 Tribute to the Rat Pack concert, 11am-1pm, Somervell Presbyterian, cnr Greenlane/Remuera Rds. 0508 266 237 for tickets

23 Rose pruning demo at Parnell Rose Gardens, 1-3pm. Free entry. Rain date next Saturday

August 2016 3 Senior talent quest, St Cuthbert’s Collge, 7pm, Clouston Hall 4 King’s School Open Day 9 - 10.30am.

Register via admissions@kings.school.nz 5 St Cuthbert’s College ball

Grammar's GrammAcoustix barbershop chorus, above, will perform in the school's winter concerts at the Cathedral in August; Frenchthemed frolics return to Remuera on July 16. Opposite page: "Home Ec" from the archives of Selwyn College, which is hosting a celebrity alumni cooking night as part of 60th anniversary celebrations in August. the hobson 62

Career Psychology & Assessment Comprehensive multi-modal career assessment for young adults Year 10 and up.

Maya Crawley Chartered Organisational Psychologist, MNZPS

info@sustainabilitypeoplepractices.com

6 Auckland Grammar School v Sacred Heart College 1st XV rugby match, at Grammar, 2.30pm kick-off 7 The Alumni Celebrity Cooking Show, 10am – 12.30pm at Selwyn College. Nici and Carole Wickes cook (and laugh), Jacqui Dixon and Sabato offer support. Part of Selwyn College’s 60th anniversary celebrations, see selwyn.school.nz for bookings and info 8 Auckland Grammar School Winter Concert I, 7pm at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Parnell 9 Entries close today for NZ National Senior Inter-district Squash Champs (held 19-21 Aug, Remuera Rackets Club). Enter at squash.org.nz, $45 per entry 11 Auckland Grammar School Winter Concert II, 7pm at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Parnell 13 Orākei Market - gourmet, artisan, vintage, fresh. Every 2nd Saturday from 9am, Orakei Community Centre, 156 Kepa Rd. 15 Check out the Toy Library, open every Monday, Friday and Saturday, 9.30 - 11am at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Parnell (enter off Brighton Rd). funandgamestoylibrary.co.nz 16 Book group at Remuera Library, held every second and fourth Tuesday, 11am 20 THE HOBSON’s September issue distributes to letterboxes this weekend 31 Hear writer Karen McMillan at Meadowbank Village’s Booklovers Coffee Club, 10.30am. Free, all welcome. More info at oceaniahealthcare.co.nz/booklovers

www.sustainabilitypeoplepractices.com | (021) 913366

the cryptic by mĀyĀ

ACROSS 9 Photographer’s flash indicates slowing down (5,5) 11 Fit Billy with inner ring and axes (8) 12 Reverse the flow, or like Kirsty Cameron! (6) 13 Add lustre to socialist party leaders’ perspective (7) 14 Award from topless Motörhead frontman (4) 15 Wager the Spanish is a type of nut!

(5) 16 Wild ass returned spice after nibbling tip (6) 17 After 16 mix-up, ’e’s missing pole instruments (6) 19 I hear supplier of furniture is more yucky (6) 21 Can’t I? The Sister holds the opposite (10) 23 Ruler and fish collection featured in April issue (5,8,6) 25 Most definitely the most distant!

(3,3,4) 27 Previously fit? Breathe out (6)

29 Prim, fussy and heartless? (6) 30 Uncontaminated by Western Australia, heads for the cemetery (6) 32 See 34 Down 35 All prefix back in a short time (4) 36 Like Prince or Madonna, may initially reject my childish taboo (7) 37 Rodney and Mayall, say, are saturated (6) 38 Dashed Doctor heard to make a fuss (8) 39 Stick first cake in oven out of order - back to square one! (5,5) DOWN 1/20 Cross weapon at bastion of Remuera society (6,4) 2 Heads up about the French painting (5) 3 Urges to increase cholesterol intake?

(4,2) 4 Worst is Grandfather Simpson, initially troubled by candour (19) 5/36 Why, at last, cured meat (a megatonne!) returned to children’s

writer (8,4) 6 See 28 Down 7 Not quite Scooby-Doo —Shaggy?

(3,7,8) 8 Look closely at chopper hovering upside down over pit (7) 10 Writer of “Sixpence” and “The fireman likes dancing” (9,9) 17 Go too far — could result in pets (8) 18 Barry: “I’ve torn up the prayer book! ” (8) 20 See 1 Down 21 The alphabet? Simple as! (3) 22 Laugh out loud and long, and lie (4) 24 Hot - remove sheepskin - cold (3) 26 Trust hinge (6,2) 28/6 Region around school where proper English is taught? (7,4) 31 Baby carrier in place of marsupial (6) 33 No unfashionable dog star was united with Isis (6) 34/32 When it’s inside, hero enters famously swinging old hotel (5,5) 36 See 5 Down

Answers on page 18 Set by Māyā https://thehobsoncrossword.wordpress.com/ the hobson 64

Your next Auckland Council needs

Greater Accountability.

Tighter Control on Spending.

Clear Thinking.

For more about what I have to offer visit www.ralston2016.co.nz or

fb.com/BillRalstonforWaitemata

Centre Right Independent for Waitemata & Gulf Councillor

Authorised by Bill Ralston, 5 Franklin Rd, Freemans Bay

The International — Unparalleled Luxury in the Heart of the City

9 Princes St, Auckland theinternational.co.nz

Contact Ross Hawkins: +64 (0) 27 472 0577 ross.hawkins@sothebysrealty.com nzsothebysrealty.com