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A New Zealand Herald Commercial Publication

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

CRUISING THE TASMAN

CELEBRITY SOLSTICE AT SEA

HOME SWEET HOUSEBOAT WAIHEKE’S BOAT PEOPLE RIP ROCK STARS

BABY-BOOMER HEROES TAKE THEIR FINAL BOW

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The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, May 24, 2016

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The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, May 24, 2016

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INSIDE +PLUS 5-6 4

RIP ROCKERS

LIVING ABOARD

+Plus bids farewell to some of music’s finest

Mary Christie has found the secret to beachfront living — without the price tag

8-9 AT SEA

+Plus visits Little Jimmy (above) and Lokanta

Two of this year’s ‘mustwatch’ reality shows

On Celebrity Solstice

Editor Greg Fleming gregory.fleming@nzme.co.nz Advertising enquiries Ben Trethewey ben.trethewey@nzme.co.nz Contributing writers Alan Perrott, Greg Fleming, Paul Casserly, Sarah O’Neil, Donna McIntyre, Ewan McDonald, Daniel Wright

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The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Home sweet houseboat

Mary Christie on her houseboat Kukurei, which is moored at Waiheke Island.

Donna McIntyre meets a family living a different but affordable lifestyle, with a strong sense of community

n a warm, sunny day, the lifestyle looks idyllic. A charming houseboat in a calm bay on Waiheke. Open windows letting the sunshine stream in. Kukurei is home, sweet houseboat, to Mary Christie and three of her children; Joe, 17, Rose, 15, Grace, 12, and their dog Ella. Their 32-foot catamaran’s name Kukurei is Kiribati for happiness, acknowledging the boat builder’s family connection with the islands. The catamaran cost $30,000. Mary put down a $10,000 deposit and paid back the previous owners on a generous, no-interest loan. Kukurei sits back from the shore at Putiki Bay and has been Mary’s home for eight years — at first with her partner who suggested the notion — a definite change to the Hong Kong lifestyle Mary had left behind. The boat has two quarter berths, two double cabins, a bathroom/ shower and galley. There is a pot belly for heating, a gas califont in the bathroom to heat shower water, and a kettle for the galley. They have solar and wind power. “It is definitely more affordable than a house in the sense of money, but I would say it is not everyone’s cup of tea,” says Mary. Her houseboat is one of 11 allowed at two locations on Waiheke under the evolving rules of the unitary plan. She has had to apply for resource consent at a cost of $3500 (plus an annual cost) to continue living on the boat, and comply with a list of rules and regulations. She says houseboaters feel they should pay for amenities and services they use while living in this beautiful beachfront spot, saying she is committed to the lifestyle. The toilet block on the shore is where their toilet water goes. “We have to have somewhere to put our sewage water, even our washing up water and our shower water because they don’t want any grey water going into the ocean.” The “Kukurei crew” collect water from the toilet block tap, carrying it

to the boat in a 3-litre container. “We use about 20 to 25 litres a day, for making teas and cooking. That is not including showers.” They must stay within the designated area for houseboats, and their fixtures into the seabed have been inspected by the council. “We are not allowed any ropes attached to the shore, we have to be a certain distance out from the shore. We have to keep our boat tidy and presentable. “This is probably the only bay of Waiheke where you are safe from all the prevailing winds. It would be dangerous to go anywhere else. We believe we are part of the diverse culture, the colour and texture of the community. “I feel a real connection here with the community, this is where we belong. “We take so much care of this environment, the children are aware of what is going on here, we have fish swimming round our boat that come back every year.” Mary has home-schooled her children, grows veges at the hall where she teaches violin, and bikes to local stores with a trolley behind her bike to carry provisions. The existing nine houseboats on Waiheke will be provided for through a resource consent process but, apart from two more available moorings, new houseboats will not generally be encouraged. Paul Walden, Waiheke Local Board chairman says the resource consent process ensures that the boat is seaworthy, sanitary and pollutants, including effluent, are addressed in an environmentally sensitive fashion. Daniel Sansbury, manager of natural resources and specialist input, resource consents at Auckland Council, says the current plan for Auckland’s coast does not specifically address houseboats or the use of vessels for residential use. However, it has clear rules for moorings, occupation, and discharges. “The new Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan, which will replace the current coastal plan, does place controls on houseboats. It defines a ‘houseboat’ as ‘any vessel or floating

The reality Anyone thinking houseboats might be more affordable than trying to buy into the Auckland property market, will find it virtually impossible under the Unitary Plan. But it is possible to live on a yacht at a marina allowing liveaboards. Westhaven is one Auckland marina trialling this. There are also some liveaboards at the Viaduct. Tom Warren, general manager Waterfront Auckland Marinas, says they are monitoring 17 on pier X and Y to see whether they adhere to the rules of no discharge. “We have got sewage removal systems there and that is why we have been trialling it for just under a year.” He says the roll out of any liveaboard system in Westhaven would be subject to adequate sewage removal systems. “For every pier it costs about $70,000 to $100,000 for a sewage removal system, and we have 23 piers. We charge a levy of about 25 per cent more of our normal rental rates for someone living aboard.”

The cost

For someone looking at buying a new, custom-built, basic mobile houseboat, including engines, approved holding tank, kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms, living area, they would need to budget $250,000 to $300,000. This price is sourced from Alloy Cats in Mount Maunganui. Mary and her daughter Grace feel part of their community.

I feel a real connection here with the community, this is where we belong. Mary Christie

structure designed, fitted and used primarily for a residential purpose, as opposed to transport or recreation’.” He emphasises the Unitary Plan does not seek to place controls on the use of recreational vessels for short-term overnight purposes. “In providing for houseboats, the Unitary Plan specifically establishes

Ted Baghurst

two mooring zones: Rangihoua Creek, and Wharf Road, Putiki Bay, on Waiheke Island.” Rangihoua Creek provides for a maximum of seven houseboats. Wharf Road provides for four. “A resource consent is required to moor a houseboat in these two mooring zones,” says Daniel. “During the submissions, mediation and hearings for the Proposed Plan, the Rangihoua Creek Mooring zone houseboat owners sought that the existing houseboats be allowed to be a permitted activity (i.e. no resource consent is required) provided they meet a set of controls, including waste removal, checks on structural sound-

ness, maintaining navigation and public access, and retaining the current size and character of the houseboats. The council’s experts supported this proposal at the hearing. He says the Unitary Plan also provides that for residential uses and houseboats within marina zones, resource consent would still be required. “National regulations prohibit the discharge of untreated sewage from vessels in specified circumstances. No discharges of untreated sewage may occur within 500m of the line of mean high water springs, a marine farm, or in water less than 5m deep.”

The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, May 24, 2016

nzherald.co.nz

RIP rock stars Alan Perrott reflects on some of this year’s biggest musical losses

Prince’s recent passing came as a shock to many fans. Supplied

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irst, fair warning; every time I finish this damn story someone famous dies and I have to start again. It’s getting a little unnerving, so I plan to knock this off quickly before the bloodbath of 2016 completely overflows and ruins the carpet. So yeah, I can’t help but feel slightly responsible for Prince. And while I’m at it, I should also humbly apologise for somehow pointing the finger of death at (in no particular order) notables such as Merle Haggard, Leon Haywood, Lonnie Mack, Bill Sevesi, Billy Paul, Gato Barbieri, Dorothy Schwartz, Dennis Davis, Lord Tanamo, Harrison Calloway and (the one that hit me hardest and I don’t think he’d ever sung a note) Gareth “Blake 7” Thomas. That’s tons and it’s only May. Alan Rickman would have been enough for the year, and who even remembers he’s dead? So dear old Jon English’s passing never had a chance. Anyway, let’s crack on before someone else karks it. Oh, I know, this plague has nothing to do with me. Like bad comedians, famous people die all the time, it’s just that when they cross into your taste range

— especially if they peaked during your formative years — their sudden exit is a serious bummer. We all remember our first one, and mine was in 1979. I was an action movie fan, westerns or war movies, I lapped them up. So when the guy reading the news said the Duke, John Wayne, had died, I kind of phased out and stared at a picture on the wall as I took it in. Still, he pretty much died in the end of every movie he did, so it wasn’t such a leap. Oh well, as Game of Thrones has taught us: “All men [and women too] must die.” But honestly, with hand on heart, I never thought that included rock gods like Lemmy Kilmister. Yet the death of Motorhead’s front man was simply the hors d’oeuvre when, just as rock fans began moving from bargaining to depression, news of David Bowie dropping dropped. I saw it on Facebook while watching an old episode of Doctor Who and after getting online confirmation, set about a bottle of wine and hours of YouTubing. Woe was the world . . . not since Diana had there continued on C6

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The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, May 24, 2016

RIP rock stars continued from C5

been such a global rending of cliches, the outpouring really was extraordinary and filled newspapers everywhere for days. The oddest reactions though were the stories of projects he’d rejected. And they just kept coming . . . why? To illustrate his great taste? Or show he didn’t always play well with others? It got to the point where the rejected began exposing themselves: “Hey, he thought we were rubbish too.” Maybe it was enough that it showed he knew who they were, after all, his stocks had never seemed higher, he’d planned his death with such pharaonic attention to his legacy that our gradual realisation of the clues he’d left must rank as his greatest artistic accomplishment. But then, the same thing happened with Prince, when someone remembered he’d once kicked Kim Kardashian off the stage. I think the thing here is that our stars don’t just reflect our tastes, we love it when they reflect ours as well. And what lower-hanging fruit is there than Mrs West and Coldplay? Which has made it an interesting time to be someone like Alastair Riddell, a musician who became our very own Bowie. Radio hosts asked for his thoughts in tones that suggested he’d lost a family member, strangers hugged him before breaking down in tears, and he’s gained nigh on a thousand new Facebook friends. But then Riddell probably does understand Bowie better than most of us. As a teen he’d studied art history,

Rock fans were just recovering from the death of Lemmy Kilmister (left) when David Bowie (above) passed away. Richard Robinson; Supplied

dug Dylan, mourned Hendrix, and spent all his spare time plotting his future in a Mt Eden garage: “That was my own little world, I wrote on the walls, cut out pictures and thought about out what I wanted to be. Then, when I finally came out, I felt like noone understood me.” Except for Bowie. He’d first come across the name in a copy of Melody Maker in relation to his novelty single, The Laughing Gnome, but it wasn’t until The Man Who Sold the World that he really paid attention. “He quickly became like my favourite uncle,” Riddell says. “Somebody who I admired hugely but not in the iconic way so many others do. People probably won’t like me saying this, but it seemed clear that he’d broken down the artifice and the business of turning yourself into an

. . . as Game of Thrones has taught us: ‘All men [and women too] must die.’ But honestly, with hand on heart, I never thought that included rock gods like Lemmy Kilmister. icon and if he was obviously way ahead of what I was doing, it was kind of what I was wanting to do too. It’s become a bit of a bane in some ways, no matter how hard I’ve tried not to, people still say ‘Oh you sound like David Bowie’. It’s meant well, so I just thank them for the compliment.” Yet for all the hoopla over Prince and his undoubted genius, I’ve met someone who worked closely with him during his pomp and her job

almost depended on following one rule: if Prince ever appeared you had to bow your head and look at the ground until he had passed. That’s not mysterious or the isolation of greatness, that’s gardenvariety bollocks and it’s part of why I’m just not feeling his loss as much as many clearly do. Oh well, the conversation has already shifted on to who’s next anyway. For mine, it’ll be Ali because

Muhammad Ali will always be “The Greatest”. As for the others like Keith Richards, Ozzy, Cher, Robert Plant, Tina Turner, Joni Mitchell, Patti Smith and Iggy Pop, I’m feeling like we’ll run out of their kind faster than you might think. We might remember them from the time when we first fell for their spell, but let's face it, they're all old. And who will replace them? Madonna could be the last to see out a career as an icon. Or maybe Robert Smith? Then again, Kanye West might continue chuntering along until someone finally hands over enough cash to shut him up. But who will be listening? As for all the other stars, rest easy fullas, I’ve finished. Too late for Emile Ford though . . . damn.

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The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, May 24, 2016

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+PLUS

SPONSORED CONTENT BY

Patient portals can be used to book appointments, access medical history and check medical records.

PORTALS A PLUS FOR HEALTH Patient portals offer a secure way to manage your health 24/7

atrick Wilson, aged 86, changed his GP – because the previous one didn’t have a patient portal. Wilson (not his real name) is a convert to the latest in online health care: patient portals allowing direct, online access to doctors without having to travel, make an appointment or join the queue in the waiting room. “At my age, it’s so much easier if I can get information through the portal. I don’t have to travel to the doctor so much and I can make appointments through it and renew prescriptions. “Doing the best thing for my health is important to my family…I’m 86 and my brother is 95. I’ve been in my house for 35 years and I want to stay there. Patient portals make that easier because you can do more without leaving home.” Patrick’s wife died of cancer three years ago and he wishes they’d had access to a portal then: “We could have been more active in the management of her illness.” Patient portals are a secure way to help people manage and keep track of their health 24/7. They are increasingly being offered by general practices around New Zealand – and can be compared to online banking, but for health. There are 330 general practices offering patient portals currently, with over 136,000 New Zealanders registered to use one. The Ministry of Health has set up an online map showing which GPs offer portals (https://patientportals.co.nz). Depending on what each GP has included, a patient portal can be used to book appointments, access medical history and check medical records and

lab results. Repeat prescriptions can be requested or the GP reached by email. All the patient has to do is to ask the GP about registering. People with heart disease, diabetes, asthma or any condition requiring regular contact with doctors ﬁnd the portal the most useful – but the portals are also a glimpse of the medical vision of the future. Without even realising it, users are dipping a toe into a whole new medical future where being able to view health data electronically is an explosive growth area, forever changing the way doctors and patients interact.

"In the future, it's envisaged healthcare will also include apps and devices which can send vital data to physicians over the internet to ensure any early warning signs are detected and recognised." In the future, it’s envisaged health care will also include apps and devices which can send vital data to physicians over the internet to ensure any early warning signs are detected and recognised. The patient portal is clearly a part of a connected future – and is growing in popularity here as busy people and parents realise they have a health tool saving valuable time. That future – patient portals, Big Data and the Internet of Things – has yet to reach its zenith but patient portals are already getting rave reviews from more senior folk. Research in early 2016 found people aged 65 years and over were very supportive of portals, with 75 percent saying they would be likely to use one. The Internet ofThings (IoT) is a term for

appliances, gadgets and machines connected to the internet and which transmit data. Maybe the best known example is Fitbit or similar health trackers which can send health data to medical providers. In the future, it’s envisaged health care will also be managed by similar devices sending vital data to physicians to ensure early warning signs are detected and recognised. The patient portals are clearly a part of that connected future; the Ministry of Health is keen to spread their use to the next big group who will beneﬁt: parents with children who are often found in GP waiting rooms. For the moment though, the focus is on older people, like 75-year-old Betsy, who says the portal is a real time saver: “I have blood glucose tests and I can get the results on the computer, rather than having to phone up and wait for a nurse to give them to me. “It also makes booking appointments really easy.You can book one on the computer, using the calendar, and if there’s any problem with the time the nurse rings you straight away. I was a bit nervous about using the portal at ﬁrst but I sat with the practice manager who set me up and showed me how the password worked and then I was away.” Also in the vanguard are people like Margaret Dickson (not her real name), in her 60s, who recently discovered she had high blood sugar levels through her patient portal. “I was really surprised to see my blood sugar at pre-diabetic levels,” she says. ”I wish I’d known earlier so I could have made changes then – but now I do know, I have increased my exercise and being more careful about what I eat. “Seeing the results online just makes it a bit more ‘in your face’. I think you get more motivated and think, ‘I can do something to change this’.

There are 330 general practices offering patient portals currently, with over 136,000 New Zealanders registered to use one.

The portal also brings the global accessibility of the internet into play. Michael Stevenson (also not his real name) works eight weeks in Thailand and two weeks in New Zealand and has insulin-dependent Type 2 diabetes. “When I started to use insulin, I wanted to monitor what was happening,” he says. “We started with a low level of insulin, went to a higher level and then a higher level again. Each time, I sent my blood sugar readings to my GP via the portal so they could see what was happening. Now my levels are pretty good.” Michael says before the patient portal he went to a hospital in Thailand to get check-ups – “all at my own expense, of course” – but things became easier once he began using the portal. “I could use it to make appointments and get prescriptions. I would order a script online from Thailand and pick it up when I got home. I could also email the practice via the portal.” For more information, go to https://patientportals.co.nz

nzherald.co.nz

The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, May 24, 2016

+PLUS CRUISES

Celebrity Solstice

AT SEA Celebrity Solstice is the highest-rated ship in Australasia for service, dining and accommodation. Supplied

Greg Fleming cruises (and sometimes jogs) across the Tasman on Celebrity Solstice

’ve been on a few ships in my time but I’m certain none has had a lawnkeeper on board. Celebrity Solstice does and his job is to take care of the half-acre of lawn between the ship's funnels on the 15th deck. That spot of lawn is perfect for a picnic, which is what we journalists on board were offered one afternoon near the end of our whirlwind fourday cruise from Sydney to Auckland (with a day stop at the Bay of Islands). The picnic invite came as a surprise — we’d already eaten our way through most of the 10 on-board restaurants but it’d be rude to refuse — so there we were mid-afternoon on a perfectly manicured cruise-ship lawn, nibbling on club sandwiches and cupcakes. There were a few other Celebrity surprises too — the good kind: embarking in Sydney in a record 25 minutes, seeing a tree suspended in

mid-air as I sped past in one of the glass elevators (part of the ship’s Team Earth exhibition, which uses photography and museum-quality exhibits to promote conservation), and discovering some rather fine artworks in the various stairway landings — the most notable the Damien Hirst bone china plates. This was my first time on a Celebrity ship, a line proving very popular with cruisers in this part of the world. It purports to offer guests a taste of “modern luxury at sea”, including great food, five-star service and entertainment options as varied as the buffet (anyone for glass-blowing?), and yes, even lawn bowls. Solstice has just completed a record-breaking down-under season and will be back in these waters later this year after a dry-dock spruce up and refit. And the line more than lives up to that promise.

I met just one couple who were first time cruisers on a Celebrity ship. Everyone else was on their third or fourth cruise with the line, often on Solstice herself. Familiarity, it seems, breeds the opposite of contempt with these cruisers. Perhaps that explains why everyone walked with intent and knew which buffet station they were going to. Despite perfectly good maps on every floor it took me a full day wandering about the enormous ship (when built in 2008 it was the biggest cruise ship in the world), before I felt orientated — the buffet station thing I’m still figuring out. With almost 3000 passengers and 1300 crew, this was also my chance to find a place where I could slip away to read and watch the ocean — which, despite the plethora of entertainment options, bars and cafes available on cruise ships these days — remains my cruise-ship go-to. On Solstice that

turned out to be a corner of the littleused Sky Observation Lounge on the 14th deck and, come sundown, the salubrious, old-school charm of Michael’s Club on deck 5 — complimentary Nespresso and an obliging Belgium concierge, Jole. Suitably impressed by the design and layout of the ship, I had the next few days to get to grips with the food. Celebrity dining Celebrity take their food seriously. There are a number of specialty restaurants on board (all incur an extra charge) and I dined at three: the Tuscan Grille — an upmarket Italian steak house, Silk Harvest — Asian Fusion — and the formal French restaurant Murano. My first bite of the goat cheese souffle at Murano, suggested this was going to be a very special evening, an impression continued by the main — a perfectly cooked rack of lamb. A dessert of

crepes — made, with some theatre, at the table — topped off a superb meal. It’ll cost you US$50 ($73) per person to eat at Murano, but it’s worth it. The less formal Tuscan Grille was a hit with those who enjoyed big hearty helpings and lots of rich pasta sauces — or steak, lots of steak — dryaged and huge, and not for the fainthearted. My entree of steak tartar, a simple dish that even the finest restaurants struggle with, was excellent. Some in our party enjoyed Silk Harvest, even the cream cheese wontons! I think I exhausted my patience with the Asian Fusion concept some years back in Auckland. But even if you didn’t set foot in one of the specialty restaurants you’d still eat like a king on Solstice. The Ocean View Cafe on the 14th deck (really the 13th but, as on most ships, superstition dictates there is no 13th deck) offered an enormous

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The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, May 24, 2016

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Solstice facts ● 85 % of the staterooms on Celebrity Solstice have balconies. ● Celebrity Solstice is the highest rated ship in Australasia for service, dining and accommodation according to the Berlitz Guide 2015. ● You can order room service and check your on board account on your stateroom’s tv. ● AquaClass passengers have extra amenities infused into the stateroom experience and priority seating in the exclusive restaurant, Blu. Grand Epernay (left), Celebrity Solstice’s main dining room, one of 10 restaurants on-board; The outdoor pool — there’s an indoor one as well (right).

selection of food throughout the day and night: cuisine from India, Mexico, Thailand, China, fresh salads, handmade pizza, grilled minute steaks and chicken breast, fresh fruit, pastries even an ice cream bar, and of course if you prefer to dine privately, just pick up your tv remote and order room service. Most mornings, I’d take breakfast at Ocean View, if I was early enough to nab a window seat. Breakfast, lunch and dinner is also available at the Grand Epernay Dining Room. Take breakfast there if you enjoy being fussed over; dinner there is good, the French onion soup served with a thick crusting of Gruyere cheese is a stand-out, but make sure you leave room for the pecan pie — sometimes the simplest things are the best. Solstice life Cruise ship life inevitably leads to over-indulgence, so twice a day I hit the gym. And Celebrity Solstice boasts a good one — running machines set before a stunning floor-

to-ceiling vista on the 12th deck. I set the screen on my cross-trainer to a run in Marin County, but many just gazed out to sea as the endorphins kicked in and willed away last night’s creme brulee. The gym does get busy though, proving cruisers these days are as concerned about their health and well-being as they are about their food and travel destinations. Often these days the destination is the ship itself. Yoga and fitness classes were well-subscribed, and the daily free Zumba class by the outdoor pool was as popular with spectators (thanks to a pneumatic Latin instructor) as participants. The spa was popular too. This was a decidedly younger crowd than that on the last Sydney to Auckland cruise I took (on Holland America’s Ms Noordam). That younger demographic lent this trans-Tasman crossing a welcome sense of energy and adventure. While formal nights on most cruise lines are a thing of the past (who wants to pack a suit and tux in your luggage?), Solstice offered one volun-

tary semi-formal evening, which was embraced with enthusiasm by most on board. That night the ship buzzed with a sense of occasion, the bars were pumping and live bands and djs filled the various stages. Out came the suits and little black dresses; and there must be some connection between formal attire and shopping, because the smart-set were busy swiping their ship cards at the duty-free stores. Celebrity entertainment Hey — you’re cruising, so take the opportunity to check out activities you probably wouldn’t at other times — spa tours, art talks, ukelele lessons, acupuncture demos, a jazz quartet, a Texas Hold’em tournament, or ping pong and meet me on the deck chair by the pool when you’ve finished. Come evening the most popular show on board this leg was Aucklander Steve Larkins’ Freddie Mercury tribute Mercury Rising, which saw the main Solstice theatre at capacity as Steve (wearing a fake set of Freddie teeth) and band swung

Supplied

Everyone else I met was on their third or fourth cruise with the line, often on Solstice herself. Familiarity, it seems, breeds the opposite of contempt with these cruisers through Queen’s most iconic songs. Larkins has the voice and comic flair to elevate this above the usual tribute fare and he could’ve easily played for another hour. Other entertainment highlights were Groove Line, a Motown-themed tribute (some of the band have worked with Stevie Wonder, and they’ve got some stories) and, on one evening, a mind-reading show in the smaller Celebrity Central (why is everyone’s favourite love song by Celine Dion?).

Trans-Tasman jogging Early on my last morning aboard Celebrity Solstice, I went for a run on the jogging track (which circles the pool area on deck 12) and set myself the task of mentally listing things this cruise didn’t get right. The service had been stellar, the ship spotless, the food good to excellent (although the fast-food needs some attention), and the entertainment programme nicely varied. For me, it came down to one very firstworld problem, walkers on the jogging track. You can’t walk or jog the circumference of the ship on the lower decks as you can on other ships and on the Solstice, the jogging track is better described as a walking track, unless you get there at sunrise. I jogged and dodged the strollers and soon returned to my screen-guided Marin County programme. No wonder this ship has earnt the reputation as “the best in Australian waters” — that jogging track notwithstanding. ● +Plus travelled courtesy of Celebrity cruises

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The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, May 24, 2016

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+PLUS GARDENING

Easy winter gardening All is not lost for the keen gardener in the coldest season, writes Sarah O’Neil

pring is the kind of season you find yourself doing a lot of digging, weeding and general hard work in chilly weather. It leaves you longing for a hot soak at the end of the day and a wee tipple to warm your bones back up. But the greater reward is in the satisfaction of a job well done and the knowledge you have set the season up with a good solid foundation. Summer isn’t as hard work, however just nipping out to the garden for a tomato can have you sweating. Once you brave the elements, you find yourself with a mountain of produce that needs processing into jams and pickles. The amazing flavour of the fresh produce and the bounty of a preserved harvest makes all the effort worthwhile. Autumn is a season not often met with joy by the gardener as it brings about the demise of an abundant growing season that has kept keen gardeners out of mischief for months. Autumn has gardeners packing up the garden and clearing things away. If it wasn’t for its soft, gentle descent into the cold of winter it would be considered the worst season for bringing about the end of the good times. Winter on the other hand may seem like the harshest season on the gardening calendar. The garden is mostly barren, except for a few hardy brassicas, the odd carrot and parsnip, leeks, onions and garlic. Aside from the onion and garlic, which can be planted midwinter, most of the crops were planted months ago and don’t need a lot of attention. Even the weeds are on a go slow. But it is also really quite cold, wet and miserable. Getting stuck into the garden in this season isn’t the most pleasant experience. But all is not lost for the keen gardener. Winter can be filled with all things

gardening without requiring weary muscles at the end of the day. The fruits of your labours from the previous season that had been lovingly stored away can now be enjoyed. Hearty soups loaded with all you have grown will warm the soul. Sweetcorn stored in the freezer can bring sunshine to a gloomy day. The flavour of jam spread thickly over hot toast can transport you back to the summer garden on warmer days. A good garden is a well-planned garden The time on your hands normally spent outdoors can be used well indoors for the good of your garden next season. A common mistake made in spring is the plants are often assembled on the whim of the gardener, purchased on impulse at the garden centre or the result of over-enthusiastic seed sowing and are all destined for the garden, irrespective of the space available. Tiny seedlings are then popped into the garden cheek by jowl. The problem with this is there is often no room for the plants to grow and flourish and the resulting harvest is nowhere near as prolific as it could have been, had a little pre-planning be undertaken long before any soil was turned. Gather together all the seed packets you have acquired over the years and have a good sort through. Share any duplicates with friends or relatives. Get rid of any that are beyond the expiry date, unless it is something you really want to use. It isn’t worth the worry of waiting for seeds to come up for the sake of an old packet worth a few dollars. Once you have sorted through the packets, you will have narrowed down the list of things you want to grow in your garden. Decide if there is anything missing

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from your list that you’d really like to grow, or which aged packets really need to be replaced. Then measure up your garden and draw it out on to graph paper or use one of the great software programmes available to actually plan your garden. Look into what you want to grow and really pay attention to how much space the full-grown plant will actually need. Space your plants on your plan and move them about until you feel they are in the

right place. Remember, tall plants at the back, short ones at the front, sweetcorn grows in a block and if you need to harvest daily, pop it in a more convenient location. You may find you can’t fit everything in, so will either need to turn to containers or even extend your garden to make room. Once you finalise your plans, keep them somewhere safe and when spring comes use them as a planting

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guide and try not to squish in anything not on the list. Time spent now on organising how you will grow your garden will reward you with healthy plants and a bountiful harvest next season. ● Sarah is a celebrated garden blogger, speaker and author. Her books The Good Life and Play in the Garden are available now. On the web: www.sarahthegardener.co.nz

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nzherald.co.nz

The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, May 24, 2016

+PLUS FOOD

In the neighbourhood Details

Ewan McDonald delivers his verdict on two local eateries

LOKANTA 137A Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn Tues-Sat from 4pm lokanta.nz

n the dusty, drowsy village of Cirali, the cook tossed dough on to an aged, floured marble slab and caressed it, ever thinner and thinner, with a thin rolling-pin that might have started life as a broomstick. Satisfied, he slid it into a cavernous wood-fired oven; moments later, the balloon of thin, crispy, sesame-seeded lavas was on the table. With the pepper and aubergine skewer from the hearth and half a dozen other mezze. At sofas and low tables under trees, the town’s relatively few tourists and just as few locals mingled in the warm evening. We might call this the neighbourhood bistro; on Turkey’s southwestern coast, it’s a lokanta. Richmond Rd’s newest eatery (at time of writing; they come and go) is Lokanta, offering “Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean cooking”. I suspect that’s politically courteous; over the years the residents of that region have not always got along, and sometimes it’s been over the provenance of recipes. Its owners have some skin in this game: Clare and sister Sally Hindmarsh opened Caravanserai in Queen St in the late 1980s; the Merchant Mezze Bar, now Mezze in Durham Lane, Bar Comida in Mission

LITTLE JIMMY 557 Manukau Rd, Greenwoods Corner 7 days, 7am-1am littlejimmy.co.nz

Little Jimmy Bar and Restaurant (above); Lokanta owners Clare Hindmarsh Fiona Goodall / Getty Images and Ali Arsan (right).

Bay, three versions of Tasca, and Casablanca in Sylvia Park. Here, Clare hosts and husband Zeki Kizilata cooks alongside Ali-Fuat Arsan and his wife Michelle of Tasca. So far as atmosphere goes, Lokanta is pitched just right. It’s unassuming, a drop-in centre from breakfast to supper, informal, knockabout tables and chairs, rough-around-the-lintels decor. Everyone might not know your name but they do know which villa you own and what you’ve done to it. So far as the food is concerned, I

wasn’t quite convinced. Smoky eggplant dip (listed in English rather than baba ganoush or hunkar begendi) hit right where it should; so did another vegetable dish, dolma leaves and aubergine crammed with autumnal vegetables, pine nuts, currants, rice, and herbs, , with tzatziki (Greek this time) to bind it. Meat dishes, though, were bland. Chicken in a creamy walnut sauce is one of the great Ottoman traditions; it needed something to spice it up, probably a fistful of paprika. The Aegean island goat probably

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suffered from exactly that; if the star had spent its life clambering up and down clay cliffs, rather than a soft upbringing in Aotearoan meadows, it might have brought some flavour and texture to the party. Full marks, though, for the gutsy pearl-barley risotto. A word about the desserts. Well, two, and those are “massive” and “sensational”. Just as well the olive oil cake sodden in vinsanto and the coconut and almond baklava were large enough for us to split. It might have started another neighbourhood

dispute. Another suburb, another bistro, another style. Little Jimmy, a few doors along Manukau Rd from its parent, the bynow venerable One Tree Grill in Greenwoods Corner, is more designed, a tad upscale (certainly in prices) and way rowdier than Lokanta. That may be because it was jam-packed — on the Monday night we visited — with louche Epsomites as opposed to those quieter Grey Lynners. It’s very locavore, certainly at the top table: Guy Malyon owns both establishments; manager Nick Harding has been at the Grill over much of the past decade; head chef Mark Nicolson walked a few doors down the street from Raven & Cook. The community base is furthered with a Kiwi-only beverage list (wines, beers, and yes, spirits) as well as vegetables from One Tree Grill’s garden over the road. Also open from breakfast to supper — and, thank whichever deity you pray to, it takes bookings! Now there’s a radical idea for keeping the customer satisfied — you won’t be too challenged by anything on the menu. It’s the bistro classics, lamb ribs and roast chicken, each zussed up with high-quality artisan ingredients. Veal schnitzel arrives with horopito, turmeric and capers; that chicken mates with bacon, bread and butter pudding. There’s a lot to like about this place, and we did. Apart from the low lighting and the small, brown type on the brown paper menus. Well, I wouldn’t be a critic if I couldn’t find something to complain about.

ESCORTED TOURS Queensland Coast Escape - Escape the Winter 10 days $3,495pp - 13 August 2016 Fly to Brisbane, coach to Gold Coast (4 nights) one bedroomed apartment with breakfast and dinners included. Sights of Beachs, Robina Shopping Mall. Day trip Mt Tamborine. Coach via Sanctuary Cove for lunch and on to Sunshine Coast and Caloundra (5 nights). Breakfast & Dinners (some at local restaurants), Maleny, Eumundi Markets, Montville.

Sydney Stayput - Featuring “My Fair Lady” 5 days $2,899pp 12 September 2016 Join us for this fabulous show at the iconic Sydney Opera House directed by Dame Julie Andrews! 4 nights Marriott Sydney with all breakfasts & dinners. High tea at Baronia House, sights of Sydney. Only limited seats.

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Fly to Sydney (2 nights) before joining our Coach to the beautiful Southern Highlands Of NSW (2 nights). Visit spectacular display of Tulips at the festival along with visits to private Gardens. Visit Cockington Green with its fascinating Display of miniature Buildings from around the world and beautifully landscaped gardens. On to Canberra (3 nights), Visit the renowned Floriade - largest garden Show in Australia with more than a million blooms on show. We enjoy Sights of Canberra and a visit to a Tulip Farm and well as a farewell dinner cruise (with drinks) on Lake Burley Grifﬁn.

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DOWNLOAD THE HERALD HOMES APP NOW The Herald Homes app gives you access to more info and content than ever before - It's everything you've wanted, right at your fingertips. All you have to do to get started is take a photo of the listing in Saturday’s Herald Homes that caught your eye. Now available to download on your iOS or Android phone.

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The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, May 24, 2016

nzherald.co.nz

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+PLUS SCREEN

Bingeing on reality If you only watch two shows this year, make sure it’s these ones, says Paul Casserly

es I know, TV is not real life, I’m not a complete idiot. We all know this but still some shows seem to have the flavour, the smell, the je ne sais quoi of authenticity. I find myself looking for it, and finding it, possibly where it doesn’t exist, like faces in the clouds. Shortland Street doesn’t resemble any hospital I’ve ever been into, with its lack of grime or institutional carpet, and thank the Christ that my friends, enemies, and recent exes don’t materialise on the cobbles the way they do on Coronation Street, at exactly the wrong moment. But both shows have an essence of real life, of relationships and existential pain, but it’s at an almosthomeopathic level. The soap opera has a structure that must be obeyed, a rhythm that rhymes with itself more than life, but still, the moments that come closest to our own experience of the world are the ones we cry during. Mostly though, we are just waiting for the baddie to get the shite kicked out of them. If you watch Coronation Street, you do so because you can’t wait for Peter Barlow to pay for his heartless vodkasoaked tom-catting. And I’m sure you’d agree that once we laid our eyes on Game of Thrones bad boy Joffrey Baratheon, we knew he was dead, and we couldn’t wait to watch him die in agony. In the real world we may not cast actual cabbages or sharpened stones, but the social media flagellation applied to the Mediaworks CEO Mark Weldon in recent weeks suggests we probably would, if proximity allowed. Being authentic is thought to be the domain of documentaries and the best dramas. But even the most engaging and ‘real’ experiences, such as those in Making A Murderer and American Crime Story: The People V.

OJ Simpson come with baggage and complications. Both of these remarkable programmes have kept me engrossed with their promise of authenticity, but mostly by their masterful delivery. If you only watch two shows this year, here they are. Making A Murderer is a 10-part doco series that chronicles the stranger-than-fiction case of American Steven Avery — a convicted murderer, whose story reveals a lot about the way the wheels of justice turn and how juries and audiences are manipulated. It’s a critique on a discredited police force hell bent on conviction, and it will have you fuming with anger and indignation. If you haven’t seen it, at least take yourself to YouTube where Netflix have loaded an official version of episode one, now clocking in at some two million views. Did Steven Avery kill photographer Teresa Halbach? At first blush you might, like me, think not. Weeks later, it seems less certain. Pondering how I had been manipulated, I considered the way the series made me feel towards the victim’s brother. Somehow he comes across as a black-hat, in with the crooked cops, stupid. I almost wanted to throw a cabbage at him. Meanwhile, I felt warmth for Avery and his family. There was an alarm going off somewhere, it just took a long time for me to hear it. Somehow, American Crime Story: The People V. OJ, (currently showing on Prime) seems more authentic even though it’s a glossy dramatic reproduction, helmed in part by Ryan Murphy, the man responsible for shows such as Glee, Nip/Tuck and American Horror Story. It could have been a disaster, after all Ross from Friends is in it (David Schwimmer plays Robert Kardashian) and so is John Travolta

Cuba Gooding Jr. (above) as O.J. Simpson in American Crime Story: The People V. OJ Simpson; Making a Murderer defense attorneys Dean Strang and Jerry Buting (left). Supplied

but, spoiler alert: both are very good, especially Travolta’s wig and brows. The casting of Cuba Gooding Jnr as OJ seemed a misstep at first, but by the end of proceedings, I was won over. After all, the story, based on Jeffrey Toobin’s best seller, is about the trial, and OJ, who doesn’t take the stand, plays like a living ghost. There are other actors who look more like

Gone are the days of the dropbox

DEPENDING how old you are you might remember the dropbox at the end of the garden path in the backyard where, as a child, going to the toilet at night time was a scary mission.

Toilet paper was the local newspaper and once a week at 4 o’clock we were woken up when the dunny man changed the drum. Toilet hygiene has increased in leaps and bounds. Now we all have a toilet inside our house that flushes our business away at the touch of a button, putting the good old dunny man out of a job. Toilet paper is available in so many types, from single ply scratchy sheets to the triple ply ultra soft luxury scented rolls and now even moisturized wipes. But as far apart as the old newspaper was to our luxury scented toilet rolls is toilet paper to the Bidet toilet seat. Did you know that this marvelous automatic toilet seat is available in New Zealand? With just the press of a button the bidet toilet seat provides a gentle stream of warm water that cleans you thoroughly. Then

press the AIR DRYER button and the bidet will dry you without having to use any toilet paper, leaving you feeling so fresh and clean. And it replaces your existing toilet seat. The Coway and Hyundai Bidet toilet seats are available exclusively from the BIDET SHOP. There are over 11 models to choose from, to suit all requirements and budgets. We even have a Bidet toilet seat that automatically opens the lid for you and then closes it after you leave. (This feature may save many a marriage). The Bidet Shop is now exclusively stocking Bidet Toilet Seats! Phone in store for more information on any of our bathroom products.

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‘the Juice’, but Cuba somehow takes us into the barren soul of Orenthal. But it’s Sarah Paulson as prosecutor Marcia Clark and Courtney B. Vance as Johnnie Cochran who do the theatrical killing here. But I was paying attention for the 10 enthralling episodes, and justice seems elusive. Not surprisingly, the real Marcia Clark found the show hard to watch,

but in the many interviews she’s given recently, attests to its bona fides. She’s still coy about hints that her and co-counsel Chris Darden got as romantic as the series suggested, and has a list of moments that either didn’t happen (prosecutor Bill Hodgman didn’t collapse in dramatic style in the courtroom) or were omitted, but the ‘vibe’ of thing gets her seal of approval. The back catalogue of writers Larry Karaszewski and Scott Alexander helps explain why the series is so very good. The screenwriting team got started when they convinced Tim Burton to direct their script for Ed Wood, before delivering The People Vs Larry Flynt, and the Andy Kaufman biopic Man on the Moon. Their trick, it seems, is to always put a good story before the truth, but only just. ● American Crime Story: the People V. OJ Simpson (Prime) Making a Murderer (Netflix)

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C14

nzherald.co.nz

The New Zealand Herald | Tuesday, May 24, 2016

+PLUS FITNESS Once you’re in your 50s, exercise is more about quality of life, rather than fitness.

Ish Cheyne’s top tips ● Get expert advice. Too often we ask advice from people that we want to be like, but everyone is different and it’s better to ask for advice from experts, such as a personal trainer or nutritionist, so a programme can be tailored just for you. ● Join a gym, they’re really good places to be for the best advice and the safest equipment. ● Don't jump on an exercise trend just because it’s popular. Instead, do some research and talk to experts to find out if it’s right for your specific needs. ● Don’t underestimate flexibility and training as you age, because you’ll want to keep your range of movement later on. For example, older people can struggle with the basics, such as getting up off the floor, so keep working on flexibility as a priority.

How to be fit at 50 Do you want to be in the best shape of your life, despite your age? Dani Wright talks to Les Mills’ head of fitness about keeping fit after 50

or many people, 50 is a time when exercise can finally get back on the agenda after work and family commitments settle down. But getting back on the treadmill to fitness is different at every age, so don’t expect to do what you’ve always done, advises Les Mills’ Head of Fitness Ish Cheyne. “As you get older, you need to make smarter choices about how much impact an exercise has, because injuries can take longer to heal and joints aren’t as springy,” he says. “Sedentary jobs can also take their toll over the years, so there’s a need to ease back into fitness rather than expecting to do what you did in a different phase of life.” He says the 20s and 30s are when people are generally bullet-proof when it comes to fitness and training. Even in your 40s you can still pretty much do what you used to, but

when the 50s hit, fitness should be fine-tuned to anticipate future health problems, rather than just concentrating on athleticism. “It’s about asking, ‘what’s right for me in the new phase?’” says Cheyne, who has been with Les Mills for more than two decades. “In your 50s, fitness should be less about high intensity, competitive sports and having a six-pack, and more to do with flexibility, yoga, strength, conditioning and endurance.” The aim is to keep a level of fitness that will work as a prevention to future health problems and give people a chance to have a range of movement in the later years, something that becomes very important in your 70s, when putting your shoes on can be difficult if fitness hasn’t been maintained. “Once, you might have wanted to run for fitness, or to look better, but

once you’re in your 50s, exercise is more about quality of life and quality of movement,” Cheyne says. “Unfortunately, it’s often injury that forces us to realise we need to change the way we exercise.” Les Mills has options for older gymgoers in most of its classes — even in its high-intensity programmes — and Cheyne says it’s about pushing yourself at your own ability. Injury prevention and restorative classes are also available with little impact. Whatever workout you choose, over-50s need to warm up more than their younger selves did. Stretching exercises should be a part of the fitness routine. “Stability and flexibility should be the base of all movement,” he says. “That’s where you’ll have less injuries if you have a good core flex base.” If you’ve had a break from fitness, Cheyne recommends not trying to do too much, too soon, but rather to think of the long-term healthy attitude to avoid short bursts of fitness. Nutrition is another area that needs to be adapted in your 50s. “What you get away with when you’re younger, you likely won’t get away with when you’re over 50,” Cheyne says. “It’s about a balanced,

● The gym, exercise and healthy eating is a lifelong commitment. If you say you’re going to get fit, think long-term rather than in bursts of activity. And remember that prevention is better than the cure.

healthy diet and it’s best to get a nutrition expert to help you.” For women, the 50s can also bring weight gain, fatigue and tiredness from hormonal changes from menopause. Bone health can also become an issue, so increased calcium will be needed for strong bones. For men, regular bowel and prostate checks are recommended, as is a diet high in fibre. “The worst thing you can do is jump on a diet bandwagon,” Cheyne says. “As you get older, get expert advice on what you want to work on — whether it’s diet or exercise.” Stress is also an important factor in fitness over 50, and Cheyne says stress can take its toll after a lifetime of dealing with life’s ups and downs. “Your resilience to stress gets better as you age, because of life experiences, but it sometimes mounts up and overflows in other ways, such as not sleeping well,” he says. “Exercise and nutrition has proven to be a good way for stress management and control.” The benefits of exercise, nutrition and a general healthy outlook at any age are important. In your 50s, they’re no longer an optional extra if you want to enjoy life into your 60s and beyond.

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