PONSONBY NEWS - FEBRUARY'16

PUBLISHED FRIDAY 5 FEBRUARY, 2016

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FEBRUARY 2016

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WHAT’S INSIDE THIS MONTH

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70 P70; Ponsonby Revellers - The Highlight In Unique Half-Marathon Night Walk; P133; Grey Lynn park Festival - Saturday 28 November 2015

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

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HEIDI PADAIN: ENTERTAINMENT IN YOUR GARDEN EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY GREY LYNN FARMERS MARKET LAURAINE JACOBS: THE SEASONED PALATE VEG FRIENDLY: GARY STEEL PONSONBY NEWS READERS ARE EVERYWHERE ANGELA LASSIG: LETTERS FROM MAUDIE FASHION + STYLE HELENE RAVLICH MAINTAINING GOOD HEALTH

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JOHN APPLETON ON HEALTH ALI LAWRIE: PERSONALITY TYPES FUTURE GENERATION SIDELINE WITH GEORGE BERRY PLANNING RETIREMENT PONSONBY PETS LOOK WHO IS IN THE ZOO HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS JAY PLATT: WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT ARTS + CULTURE COVER: Martin Leach

PONSONBY NEWS+ is published monthly, excluding January by ALCHEMYY MEDIA LIMITED, L 11/386 RICHMOND ROAD, GREY LYNN POSTAL: P.O. BOX 47-282 Ponsonby, Auckland 1144. www.ponsonbynews.co.nz T: 09 378 8553 or 09 361 3356 Editor/Publisher Associate Publisher & Ad Manager Distribution Manager Advertising Sales Operations Manager Contributing Fashion Editor Contributing Editor Contributing Editor Proof Readers Layout Designer Designer

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MARTIN LEACH; M: 021 771 147; E: martinleach@xtra.co.nz or martin@ponsonbynews.co.nz JO BARRETT; M: 021 324 510; E: joannebarrett@xtra.co.nz JAY PLATT; M: 021 771 146; E: jayplatt@xtra.co.nz or jay@ponsonbynews.co.nz ANGELA MARTIN; M: 0274 108 320; E: ponsnewsnz@gmail.com GWYNNE DAVENPORT; M: 021 150 4095; E: ponsonbynews@xtra.co.nz JULIE ROULSTON; M: 027 211 7169; E: julie@ponsonbynews.co.nz DEIRDRE ROELANTS; M: 021 261 8439; E: deir42@vodafone.co.nz JOHN ELLIOTT; M: 021 879 054; E: johnelliott@ihug.co.nz JESSIE KOLLEN; DEIRDRE THURSTON ARNA MARTIN; E: arna@cocodesign.co.nz MELISSA PAYNTER; E: melissapaynter@me.com

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Michael Dearth During a long search for the perfect home for his newest restaurant, Baduzzi, Michael Dearth discovered all that Wynyard Quarter has to offer.

“Baduzzi is an expression of family and the food I grew up with.

The restaurant needed a place with space, vibrancy and a sense of gathering. Wynyard Quarter felt right.

From a business perspective there are lots of layers that activate the area. People are drawn to the water, to the businesses, and the restaurants. There are well-designed spaces for families and for sports, and a new theatre and 5-star hotel are on the way.

The addition of residential development is really exciting.

Already we have customers who walk to us, and who we see a couple of times a week. I love that Baduzzi is part of a great new neighbourhood – people travel to us from all over, but we’re also someone’s ‘local’.”

LETTERS + EMAILS RESIDENTS’ PARKING IN FREEMANS BAY - URBAN GARDEN BEAUTY PROJECT I am a resident of Russell Street and am delighted we have finally got a decent solution that will be implemented in April to the parking woes... a sensible mix of residents’ and P120 parking is ideal and will free up spaces that commuters have been using for up to 10 hours a day, while allowing visitors to easily get a short-term park, so they can use the local shops and businesses at Three Lamps and along Ponsonby Road.

When the residents’ parking signs went in on one side of Russell Street about a year ago - ugly things that they are - I suggested we start a small urban garden beauty project by growing some climbing geraniums around the bottom of the poles so that they did not look so stark on our heritage street. Now I’m told we are to get more signs to reflect the extension of residents’ parking.

Permission to do some planting was flatly refused on the basis that it could obscure the signs, which I pointed out was unlikely given a climbing geranium only grows to about a metre.

So here is another opportunity to revisit the idea. There are loads of examples around Ponsonby where people have grown lovely flowering plants around ugly poles, which are cared for by the residents, (at no cost to AT); although there is very little care required, just picking the gorgeous flowers when they come out which provides a lovely free source of flowers to the community. Russell Street is not Botany. People walk around the streets here - it is a village, not a car-focused, four-lane highway connecting giant malls.

Some planting would add to the village atmosphere and I feel AT were very bureaucratic, negative and short-sighted in their decision to dig up the pavement, put in the poles and then concrete them over again.

Why? All I asked for was a tiny bit of soil to be left around the edge of two poles. It would be a discretionary decision on AT’s part and would not lead to wholesale geranium infestations throughout the streets of Auckland (though given what passes for urban planning in this city, that would be no bad thing in my opinion).

We are an evolving city where small interventions such as I suggest are part and parcel of a smart, confident city. We attract a lot of discerning tourists up here who enjoy walking the little streets, taking in the views, architecture and coffee - why not make their journey, and those of the residents, a little more pleasant by allowing my flowers to be planted?

I am happy to meet with someone from AT and show them other examples of urban gardening around the suburb to allay any lingering fears they have about the idea.

Views in Ponsonby News reflect the authors’, and not those of Alchemy Media.

REST IN PEACE AND DANCE IN LIGHT...

Warwick Allen Powell 15 March 1963 - 18 January 2016 Last month we lost our dear friend Warwick Powell following a long illness.

Warwick was a delightfully cheeky and vibrant person who lived his life to the full! He loved the theatre, in particular musicals of which the ‘Sound of Music’ was one of his favourites. He had the most beautiful singing voice - it was loud!

Warwick was also an amazing healer; his reflexology, massage therapy, reconnective healing and cranio-sacral therapy helped many recover physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Family and friends bid farewell to Warwick at a packed-out service at Purewa Cemetery on 23 January. Live streamed to friends around the world, it was a beautiful funeral filled with love, song, laughter and tears as the heartfelt and often humorous stories of his life were shared.

Warwick - thank you for the love, you will be missed. F PN

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I await your response at your earliest convenience, but trust it will come before April when the new parking signs are installed. Josie McNaught, Freemans Bay UNITARY PLAN AFFECTS LOCAL RESIDENTS I am disappointed at the injustice in the way the Unitary Plan has been, or about to be, implemented. I live on Richmond Road in a 10-year-old architect designed house down a back drive about opposite Harvest Wholefoods.

The initial plan was for the sections from Ray White’s office along to Sackville Street to be single dwelling sites. But unnotified to me, and now past the submission cutoff date, I have been horrified to learn that these same sections have suddenly been rezoned ‘terrace houses and apartments’. The Sackville Street corner houses the Tongan Church so this is not likely to be developed which leaves one section right on my northern border open to possible development of up to nine stories high. This would completely destroy my outlook, sun, privacy, quality of life and most likely affect the value of my single biggest asset. This is a massive rezoning, the hearing panel will be gutless, so we stay here just waiting to see without redress or compensation.

I feel this is of interest to the wider community in which I am delighted to live. Keep up the good work. David Thomas, Grey Lynn

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February 2016

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FROM THE EDITOR WE’VE ALL HAD A NICE LONG BREAK AND HAVE ENJOYED HAVING some down time. We trust you are enjoying your summer too.

photography: Michael McClintock

To welcome in the New Year, I wanted to remind you about Ponsonby News, an unashamedly local production. We would love you to let us know when something new or interesting happens in our neighbourhood, so we can tell our readers all about it.

Space is always tight but we do our best to include as much local content as we can.

This is local body election year - our local ward, Waitemata, will be electing a councillor and seven local board members in November. All candidates will be vying for our votes, so we will need to tell them how our neighbourhood should be run. We will be interviewing candidates throughout the year.

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

Population intensification and transport are two issues, which will not go away this year. We have editorials in this issue which include a possible tram route from Britomart to Ponsonby. Mike Lee and Nikki Kaye both support this proposal. Please let us know of any other issues that concern or worry you.

Many of us will have made our New Year resolutions - getting fitter, eating healthier, drinking less. These are hard resolutions to stick to and yet we must all consider healthy options if we are to enjoy a long and happy life.

The Heroic Garden Festival is celebrating 20 years later this month. The event features 24 diverse gardens across Auckland, including food-producing and designer gardens. In the line up, are new gardens open to the public for the first time and 14 gardens open to children. The event takes place on 13-14 February. Tickets are $50 for both days and all funds raised go

directly to Mercy Hospice Auckland. For tickets and more information visit www.heroicgardens.org.nz With summer in mind, the West End Lawn Tennis Club is fundraising to complete the $1.2 million renovation to the clubhouse at Cox’s Bay. The work is due to be finished in March. To raise funds, they are having a charity auction on Sunday 28 February at 5pm and are selling tickets to this event at Odettes, which will feature an auction with Ali Mau as MC. To book email: letsmakearacket@gmail.com The baby boomers are beginning to discuss their retirement and what savings will be necessary to maintain their current lifestyle. This issue we have included some ideas to assist with retirement planning.

For the romantics amongst you Sunday 14 February Valentine’s Day, is the day to show your love. Why not book a table at a local restaurant to celebrate? One of the features in the Ponsonby News website is our Ponsonby Little Black Book which lists every bar, cafe and restaurant in the neighbourhood.

We were shocked to hear of the passing of Warwick Powell. He was a well-known and loved health professional and he will be sadly missed by the Ponsonby News team.

DIARY DATE: Auckland Pride Parade - 6pm, 20 February. This year’s event starts at Three Lamps and ends at Western Park.

PN (MARTIN LEACH) F

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DAVID HARTNELL’S ONE MINUTE INTERVIEW Alice Worsley, iconic broadcaster, writer and celebrant is one of the nicest people on the planet.

You changed career from an award-winning radio broadcaster to becoming a celebrant; why did you choose that career move?

After 35 years in broadcasting and having a brush with breast cancer I knew it was time to head in a new direction for my final career. The beauty of being a funeral and wedding celebrant is that I can use so many of the skills I developed in my broadcasting years.

I had always wanted to give back and create ceremonies that were meaningful and heartfelt. It’s so fulfilling to be able to help a bride and groom have a special day and to help grieving families with their final farewells for their loved ones.

What was your childhood like?

A happy childhood, growing up in the 50s. TV came to New Zealand when I was 11, so radio and books were a big part of my life before then and after as well. I spent most holidays at my grandparents, farm in Waitoa, just out from Morrinsville. Loved farm life, and contact with all the animals. I enjoyed all my schooling days.

Your dream holiday?

Greece! I was there for two months in the 70s and vowed I would go back.

How would you like to be remembered?

As Alice (not Alison) Worsley, a fine broadcaster and a warm, caring, quirky and funny person.

What do you love most about your age?

I am starting to get a little wisdom now. I would love to take the ‘inner me’ back to my ‘outer me’ when I was in my 30s before my body headed south and the only joints I thought about were places to go for a fun time. “Old age ain’t no place for sissies.”

Something that you disapprove of?

Cruelty to children, elders, women and animals. Let’s just make that cruelty to anyone and anything.

If you won a million dollars, what would you do?

Pay off my mortgage, get my knees done and then Greece, here I come! Also put some towards New Zealand Bird Rescue building their bird hospital in West Auckland. They do such important work.

What do you think happens when we die?

I have a sneaky feeling that it’s not all over when the fat lady sings.

What cliché do you most abhor?

“Oh well, he /she had a good innings.”

Give your teenaged self some advice?

Enjoy every day of your life. It’s not always better because you’re 21. Build up heaps of good memories for when you are an old girl. Be kind to people. Love nature.

Your greatest weakness/indulgence?

Food. Is there a recurring theme happening here? Or is it just my imagination?

Who would play you in the movie of your life?

Kathy Bates. She has good timing, good humour and is not a size 10.

Handshake or a hug kind of person?

Both. One hug only when it is appropriate. Not everyone, sadly, likes to be hugged.

Your favourite time of the day?

I’m a night owl.

What do you love about your life right now?

That I appreciate what I have and the good people in my life.

Your dream guest list for a dinner party and why?

David Hartnell, naturally, as he is very funny and entertaining. Bette Midler and the Staggering Harlettes. Joan Rivers, Betty White and Phyllis Diller. (I think I would probably die laughing... what a way to go!) And not to forget Julie Walters and Victoria Wood.

I would be serving my signature dish... lettuce and Marmite club sandwiches.

What are you insecure about?

I do the very best I can in my work life but always feel I can do better.

Your first pet?

Fifi the guinea pig and then the flood gates opened!

Tell us something very few people know about you?

If I go into an icecream store with 90 fabulous flavours, I will always choose chocolate.

What is your opinion on today’s man?

I am very heartened by some of the young men and women who are coming through the ranks. Still saddened by the bigotry, etc, that abounds in others.

Which talent would you most like to have?

To play the piano and be able to draw and paint. Oh, and write well.

Which living person do you most admire?

Jane Goodall - the great conservationist. All her work with chimps and her desire for a better planet.

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Change one law or policy in New Zealand, what would it be?

Don’t get me started! (DAVID HARTNELL, MNZM) F PN www.passages.co.nz

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SHALE CHAMBERS: WAITEMATA LOCAL BOARD REPORT This year is local body election year and the issues for you, the voter, to decide to see our city move forward under the right stewardship, remain many and complex.

The main challenges remain prioritising and funding public transport improvements, to get Aucklanders moving and relieve congestion, housing affordability and availability to meet the significant and growing housing shortage in Auckland, meeting the infrastructure costs of the significant growth in our city, city-living affordability, with rates having increased significantly above inflation over recent years, and the health of democracy in our city.

We see the response from some is for the sale of community assets, when we all know that expenditure restraint on council is what is really required. One that does not mean that unelected CCOs and anonymous council head office boffins receive generous funding for over budget IT upgrades, economic ambassadors in London, or unnecessary facility upgrades, whilst elected representatives are left to argue with the small change whether library hours should be cut, or how fewer mowings of our parks should be undertaken.

This must stop. Being the world’s most liveable city means one that works smarter and prioritises public-facing services and improved service to its communities.

We all recognise the need for our city to provide for more people, and enjoy the employment opportunities, and cosmopolitan lifestyle that this brings. Last year, Waitemata Local Board area stood out significantly among Auckland’s local boards, growing by the largest number of people (8300) and with the highest percentage growth of nearly 10% in a single year. Almost one fifth (19%) of Auckland’s growth occurred in this local board.

Yet we can all see our city improve daily around us. Your elected representatives play a significant part in this. They challenge (or should) and battle (if any good) daily with a management and unelected CCO takeover of control of prioritising of our city’s resources. We need to be led by people who love living in this city, and see the glass half full; positive people who share a vision for a better Auckland.

Take transport issues in the last year alone. Public transport patronage for the year to the end of November was 81.1 million trips, up over 6 million (8.1%) on the same point last year. The roll out of electric trains was completed mid-year. Since then electric reliability has meant by November 95% of services arrived within five minutes of the timetable. Patronage on trains as a result has risen from 12.3 million trips in November 2014 to 15.1 million in November 2015, an increase of 2.8 million trips or 22.6%. If that trend continues we meet the Government’s target for CRL three years early next year.

The city announced it was looking at building a light rail network on the isthmus, as the number of buses in the city centre will soon be too much for the streets to cope with.

This could see some original tram routes re-layed down Queen Street, Dominion Road, Sandringham Road, Mt Eden Road and Manukau Road.

With the Government’s Urban Cycleway Fund and the interim transport levy investment in cycling in Auckland substantially increased, council spending is up from $14 million to $124 million, meaning $200 million in investment in the region over three years.

Yet the Unitary Plan and the intensification of our city that this signals remains threatening to many. Last minute upzoning proposals, with an absence of public consultation or input, and without understanding of the implications, reasons, or public acceptance of a guarantee that quality design will result, remain a procedural abomination. Yet we all fret that our children will miss out on the housing opportunities that were available to us, and we don’t want them to be forced to live in rented accommodation into their mid adulthood in Takanini.

We ended the year with the opening of the fantastic Nelson Street cycleway and the magenta Te Ara I Whiti - Lightpath, Beach Road stage two in September, and Carlton Gore Road cycle lanes mid-year. It’s only a year since the fantastic Westhaven Promenade opened. A final decision on Skypath’s future is expected shortly.

There is a growing understanding that once we’ve recognised what is worthy of heritage protection, as we must, ensured the new rules mean the rules, not just developers’ guidelines, provided for public input and vigilance into any variance to that, then more people will live where this heritage is not compromised within our midst. But we must demand quality design and amenity improvements as the trade-off. Along with the integrated, clean and reliable public transport system and alternative transport choices that are essential to unlock Auckland’s potential.

Contact me: shale.chambers@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

It’s going to be another busy year in the city. Enjoy summer and all its festivals and free PN outdoor events it brings. (SHALE CHAMBERS) F

BOOKSELLER GETS GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE HELEN WADSWORTH FROM DOROTHY Butler Children’s Bookshop is one of two Auckland booksellers currently in Denver attending the eleventh Winter Institute bookselling conference, thanks to sponsorship from Canadian eReading company Kobo and Booksellers New Zealand.

It is a fantastic opportunity for Helen to swap experiences with over 500 booksellers from the United States and around the world.

Before she left for Denver, Helen said she was looking forward to coming back with lots of ideas for events and marketing in the bookshop.

As the book buyer for the shop, she also really interested in getting some tips from people who have been in the industry for a while about how they go about choosing and managing their stock. She is looking forward to hearing about how things work in the United States and is hoping to get a more global perspective on bookselling.

Exciting things are afoot. Helen’s new knowledge should see a wider spectrum of titles hitting Dorothy Butler’s shelves soon - as well as bring more fun and interactive events into the store this year. F PN THE DOROTHY BUTLER CHILDREN’S BOOKSHOP, 1 Jervois Road, T: 09 376 7283, www.dorothybutler.co.nz

12 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

(DFK \HD HDUU ZH Z UHYLHZ SULRULWLHV DQG DFWLYLWLHHV V LQ LQ WKH K :DLWHPDWè /RFDO %RDUG DUHD WR HQVXUH ZH FRQWLQX XH H GHOLYHULQJ WKH EHVW RXWFRPHV IRU WKH FRPPXQLW\ :H DDUH QRZ VHHNLQJ \RXU LQSXW RQ ZKDW ZH IRFXV RQ Q IRU WKH ÙQDQFLDO \HDU Based on the 10-year budget, we plan to im mprove lo l ca c l faaci c lities by increasing investment in parks k and open spaces.

This will enable the delliv ivery of actions from recently adopted park development plans; Grey Lynn nn Park, Western Park and Pt Resolution Taurarua. We hav ave Low Carbon Action Plan initiatives to introduce and wi w ll con nti tinuee to suppo ort community-led projects andd place-making as well as allocating budget to a number of other lo ocal cal pr prio ori riti ties ti e. es Your input is important, we would like to know if you agree with the priorities we have set ou ut for 20 016 1 /201 0 7 andd encourage you to t gett involved in the Annual Plan process by attending our Have Your Sa Sayy ev eveent en at the Aucckl klan andd To an Town wn Hall on 3 Marcch, h or a local public meeting near you. There are many ways to provid ide fe id feed edback, se ed see de detaaililss belo bee ow.

Wee loo ook forw war ardd to hearing from you.

Have your say from Monday 15 February, to 4pm on Tuesday 15 March, 2016.

For more information, to provide feedback or for a full list of Have Your Say events, visit shapeauckland.co.nz, or your local library, service centre or local board office.

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Help guide Auckland’s direction for 2016/2017 :DLWHPDWè /RFDO %RDUG

LOCAL NEWS GREY LYNN COMMUNITY CENTRE NEWS There’s always something new happening at the Grey Lynn Community Centre. This month sees the first meeting for two new governance committee members, as well as some exciting new groups and the much-awaited installation of the Big Bird.

The February meeting of the governance committee will introduce Alex Chadwick and Susan Nemec to the daily running of the centre with its burgeoning array of activities. Alex has a background in law and HR and Susan is working towards a PhD, having spent many years working and lecturing in film and television studies.

The centre is a busy place and much loved by the local community. More than 10 thousand people a month pass through its doors to take part in more than 60 classes and groups, to see the plunket nurse, visit the CAB or the local Justice of the Peace. In the case of small children, to attend the popular Grey Lynn Kids’ Playgroup; or from far and wide to attend the well-known Sunday Farmers Market, says community centre manager Cath Bathe-Taylor.

L to R: Treasurer Andrea Smythe with Cath Bathe-Taylor

The governance committee attracts some of the most community minded people in Grey Lynn, who unstintingly give of their time and professional skills to support the centre’s work, its staff and volunteers.

“Typical of the highly skilled selfless people who give generously of their time is Andrea Smythe,” says Cath. “She has had a continuing association with the centre for the past five years on top of her hugely busy life as administrator of the Asylum Seekers Support Trust (formerly the Auckland Refugee Council) and many other community activities - yet she has always been on hand for us for funding agreements, moral support and cries for help of every kind. She initially served on the committee and although she resigned some time ago, she has continued to make herself available. Since April of last year she has come back to temporarily fill the post of treasurer following Ken Stead’s retirement. She is also a volunteer radio operator for Coastguard and is involved with Project Jonah. Daughter of a German diplomat, Andrea was raised in Africa, India and Indonesia. She has lived in Grey Lynn for the past 15 years.”

New to the centre is the Big Bird installation over the deck outside the Garden Room, overlooking the children’s playground.

Constructed by carpenter/artist Tommy Padbury, who was part of the team that built the second floor of the community centre and who has voluntarily done many small jobs for the centre since, the beautifully crafted albatross with paua inlay has a wing span of about two and a half metres. Children can pull the wings and watch the Big Bird fly. The installation, along with the information display alongside, aims to increase community awareness of how plastics and waste affect our birds and wildlife, says Cath.

New groups started at the centre this year include Mandarin and Ice Fitness, along with the welcome return of popular Hot Hula.

The coming months will see the installation of solar panels at the centre, taking it off the grid, and making it the first retrofitted community facility in New Zealand. “It’s exciting for our community centre to be right in the forefront of sustainable practice,” says Cath.

March will see the popular Jam on Toast day, showcasing the centre’s activities, running in conjunction with Neighbours’ Day, supported by a $3000 grant from the Waitemata Local PN Board. (PHILIPPA TAIT) F GREY LYNN COMMUNITY CENTRE, 510 Richmond Road, T: 09 378 4908, www.greylynn.org.nz

14 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

PONSONBY U3A: DECEMBER 2015 U3A president Annie Webster wrote in the December newsletter, “What a wonderful year we have had at Ponsonby U3A! “I have been galvanised by the influx of new members this year - their enthusiasm and energy is invigorating, and together with the commitment and dedication of our stalwarts it makes for a highly satisfying mix.”

As well as the introduction of new members, three new special interest groups were established - architecture, genealogy and the Tiny Theatre supporters group.

All are well patronised and bring the total of special interest groups to 16, covering a diverse range of topics. Group co-ordinator Annie Webster, president Ponsonby U3A Janet Williamson says that with the informal set-up of the interest groups they are thriving with enthusiastic input from members. “As group co-ordinator I have had the pleasure of attending gatherings of the various groups and now of course I want to belong to them all,” she said.

For a number of years Marianne Willison has been responsible for the line-up of first-rate guest speakers. In 2015 speakers covered such topics as biography, the Auckland Zoo, Auckland Museum, the Family Court, Sistema Aotearoa, archaeology, Auckland Coastguard, anthropology and the Magna Carta.

The 2016 programme kicks off with a talk on successful self-publishing by author and heritage planning consultant Dinah Holman, followed in March by journalist Andy Stenton on his years covering some of the world’s major conflicts for newspapers, radio and television and Reuters. The year’s programme is almost complete and promises to be as riveting as the first two speakers.

A highlight of the December Christmas luncheon meeting was a performance given by ‘Epiphany’ a capella group, comprised of 12 long-time friends, including U3A member Margot Skinner, that for many years have sung with the Greater Auckland Chorus of Sweet Adelines. ‘Epiphany’ sings in four part harmony in barbershop style with a repertoire of new and popular old songs, which kept the audience enthralled.

Ponsonby U3A meets on the second Friday morning of the month at the Leys Institute, Ponsonby. Guests and visitors are welcome to attend a U3A meeting.

If you wish to attend please telephone Annie Webster (376 2902) or Jane Jones (378 7628).

Members of a capella group ‘Epiphany’, Margot Skinner and Di Clark, performing at the Christmas function

Guest speaker for the February meeting is Dinah Holman on “Successful Self Publishing”.

The 10 minute speaker will be U3A member Marcia Nalepa, who is organising a members’ day trip to Motutapu Island. (PHILIPPA TAIT) F PN NEXT MEETING:

9.45 am, Friday 12 February, First Floor, Leys Institute, St Marys Road.

ENQUIRIES:

Annie Webster, President Ponsonby U3A. Tel: 376 2902, www.u3aponsonby.org.nz PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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NIKKI KAYE: AUCKLAND CENTRAL MP

Changes to marine protection good for Auckland and New Zealand We are incredibly lucky as a city to have the Hauraki Gulf on our doorstep. It’s a recreational and fishing playground close to many Aucklanders’ hearts.

There are numerous cities across the world where they do not have the same marine and natural environment that we have. This is important in terms of both our quality of life and attracting people to live here.

in establishing a new conservation park for the gulf. The new recreational fishing park is another opportunity to ensure that Aucklanders for generations will be proud of our PN environment, and can continue to enjoy all that the Hauraki Gulf offers. (NIKKI KAYE) F Hon Nikki Kaye is the MP for Auckland Central. www.nikkikaye.co.nz

I have long been concerned about the need to improve the protection of the Hauraki Gulf. That is one of the reasons why I progressed the new Aotea Conservation Park for Great Barrier Island. I have also committed to improve marine protection for the Hauraki Gulf so that we can better preserve and protect the gulf, for future generations to enjoy.

That is also why I have been working with ministers to support the proposed changes to the Marine Protected Areas Act. These changes give communities such as Waiheke and Great Barrier Island more choice on how to best preserve their marine environments.

The consultation document released last month also includes a proposal for a Hauraki Gulf recreational fishing park.

The new proposed system of protection includes four options: marine reserves, species -specific sanctuaries, seabed reserves, and recreational fishing parks. The current law is outdated and doesn’t enable flexibility in terms of protection of species, or tools that enable us to strike a better balance in some areas - like distinguishing between commercial and recreational fishing.

It’s a more sophisticated approach, with the four different kinds of protection being similar to the graduated approach we take to reserves on land - that vary from strict nature reserves, to those for a specific or recreational purpose.

Marine conservation is important to New Zealand. More than 15,000 known species inhabit our waters. As a nation we have a strong duty of care to do better for New Zealand and the world.

L to R: Mr David Seymour, Hon Nikki Kaye, Hon Nathan Guy, Hon Dr Nick Smith, Hon Maggie Barry and Hon Peter Dunne on board the DOC boat to launch the discussion document on the proposed legislative reform for marine protection, and new recreational fishing park for the Hauraki Gulf.

The Hauraki Gulf is in high-demand as a fishing spot, and the initial announcement of the fishing park last year was widely welcomed by many recreational fishers. Auckland’s growing population, an increase in recreational boats, and technology like fish finders is putting greater pressure on the resource. The recreational fishing park will enable recreational fishers to have a greater involvement in management decisions, and more responsibility in ensuring sustainability.

We want recreational fishers and their families to be able to do what they enjoy, and by reducing the impact of commercial fishing we can help achieve that. It’s proposed that most commercial fishing is prohibited in the park (dependant on the outcome of consultation, particularly around species in the draft boundaries of the park), which will enable better management of recreational fishing stocks.

We recognise that there will an impact on some commercial fishers, and an appropriate compensation regime for any affected quota holders has been proposed. The prospective park only affects areas in which fishers can catch, but does not remove any quota. We expect most fishermen will be able to catch their fish outside the proposed areas. The current proposal for Hauraki Gulf focuses on the most popular areas of fishing for recreational fishers, and currently excludes Great Barrier Island.

However, the borders of the park are not finalised and we look forward to receiving public input as part of the consultation process. It is important that residents of the gulf, including Great Barrier Island, have their say on the proposed plan and I encourage submissions from the public.

I have been working with groups on Great Barrier who would like to see greater protection of their marine area, and it is my desire as the local MP to ensure that this is achieved either through this process or another in the future. Greater marine protection on the island will also complement the Aotea Conservation Park opened last year. It’s important that interested people and groups give their feedback on the proposed changes, so we all have a hand in shaping the Hauraki Gulf. Make sure you have your say - submissions close next month on 11 March.

As your local MP, I have worked hard to advocate strongly on environmental and conservation issues. I have fought against mining on Great Barrier Island, and succeeded

16 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

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JOHN ELLIOTT: LOCAL NEWS

Rabbit infestation in Western Springs Park - again Rabbit population in Western Springs Park has escalated out of control following a bumper breeding season of wild rabbits and an increased number of abandoned pet bunnies.

Regular visitors to the park have noticed the increase in numbers, particularly early morning and late afternoon. The domestic rabbits are distinguishable by their distinctive brown and white colouring.

Some visitors defend the rabbits stoutly, and say they are no problem, their kids love them and they enjoy seeing them hopping around the park. Others are more concerned. DOC regards rabbits as pests, and tells us anyone can hunt and control them.

They are, however, hard to eradicate.

Back in 2001, Bernard Orsman wrote in the New Zealand Herald about the cull planned in that year. He indicated that trapping was ineffective, and that the calici virus was no use for adult rabbits. A night shoot was undertaken. At that time Councillor Penny Sefuiva was on record as saying rabbits were ‘rodents’, and she supported a drastic reduction in numbers. They eat young native trees, they produce a myriad of holes which endanger runners and children, they eat grass, and cause too much damage to be left alone, according to council officers, including pest control contractor, David Stejskal.

Stejskal told Ponsonby News that a survey being undertaken now will decide the rabbits’ fate. The 64-hectare park is crowded with ducks, geese and a wide variety of birds, as well as rabbits. Mark Miller, Council Parks Manager, is on record as saying it is ‘unlikely’ 1080 would be used, but he indicated that council is aware of the issue and is working on a pest management plan “which follows best practise guidelines”.

David Stejskal pointed out that the boom in rabbit numbers may draw larger predators to the park, such as cats. “We have a responsibility to look after recreational needs, and the environment, and ensure there is an ecological balance in the park area,” he said.

The council is surveying the park to ascertain the extent of the problem and work out the best way to control rabbit numbers. By the time this editorial goes to print the survey should be completed and a timeframe for action worked out. Poison baits or a night cull shoot are the two most likely options. The idea of poison baits is an anathema to many: pet cats and dogs could be affected, but Stejskal said the use of RHD (rabbit-killing haemorrhagic disease) was unlikely as it is known to be quite ineffective for mature rabbits.

If you are hopping mad at the prospect of the cull, by all means make your views known to council officers or Ponsonby News before action is taken, but it is unlikely no action will be taken. These cuddly little bunnies are not the sweet little innocents some would have us believe, and they form part of 10-30 million rabbit population nationwide.

(JOHN ELLIOTT) F PN

MERCY HOSPICE SHOP TURNS 10 Mercy Hospices’ inaugural shop in Ponsonby has recently celebrated its tenth birthday.

Its flagship store and iconic Ponsonby landmark have over the past 10 years effectively ‘turned second-hand goods into first-class care’. All donated items are given a second chance at life, and is only achieved thanks to the Ponsonby community’s generosity in donating quality goods, volunteering time and choosing to shop there.

The Ponsonby shop together with the seven other Hospice shops around Auckland have in the last financial year sold 328,600 items raising around $1.3 million to help fund hospice services for patients and their families, so valued within the community.

However, it is not just about money - the hospice shop provides a valuable neighbourhood hub where passionate volunteers have created a real sense of community connection.

At its helm you’ll find retail manager Brenda Valentine, who starting volunteering at the store when it first opened, jumping at the opportunity to give back to a cause that was close to her heart.

Brenda provides a friendly face that the store’s many regular shoppers have come to know well.

Volunteer Jan McCallum is one of many long-time volunteers who has worked at the Ponsonby shop for over nine years. Following the sudden death of her son 25 years ago, Jan, through her own journey, found she had a passion for helping people grieve.

“Helping people cope with grief is what Mercy Hospice does well. By volunteering I feel I’m able to help others too.”

18 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

Celebrating Mercy Hospices’ Ponsonby store turning 10 are (left to right), Maria Baird, Sister Patrice, Brenda Valentine (Manager), Lynda Smith (former CEO Mercy Hospice), Annie Hurley Good quality donations are vital. If you have something you would like to donate, please call into the store or give Brenda a call.

The hospice shop provides ‘feel-good shopping’ and your ongoing support will help ensure vital hospice services continue for the next 10 years and beyond.

PN The shop is open from Monday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm. F

PONSONBY MERCY HOSPICE SHOP, 300 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 376 5301, www.hospiceshops.org.nz PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

CHRIS BATCHELOR YOUR ‘GO TO AGENT’ FOR RESULTS With considerable experience as a top performer under his belt, Chris has long been een a trusted name in real estate. Many locals see him as ‘the smart choice’. Past clients recommend him widely and word of mouth h ensures he continues to be top of mind when hen anybody is considering selling their home.

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DEIRDRE ROELANTS: LANDMARK BUILDINGS

JOHN ELLIOTT: SOAP BOX

40 Wood Street

Local Body Elections this year - 2016

Charles Blomfield, artist and decorator, lived in 40 Wood Street, a house that was built by his brother from a single large kauri tree and now has an Auckland City Council historic places registration B. Charles was born in London, January 1848. When his father died in 1857 his mother, Elizabeth, managed for five years but finally decided to emigrate to New Zealand with the Albertland settlement association. Her second son, Samuel, agreed to bring his own family as well, and they arrived February 9, 1863 in Auckland where they decided to settle and pursue urban trades rather than proceeding to Northland to become farmers. Samuel worked in the building industry and Charles found employment with a house painter who taught him paint mixing, wood graining and other decorative skills, which he specialised in later.

When the 1867 depression hit Auckland, Samuel took his family to Thames where he soon was building houses for the hundreds who joined the gold rush. Charles and two friends were among them but they, like many others, were unsuccessful. Instead, Blomfield found inspiration in the native bush and began painting the scenery. He had no previous training but his natural talent soon mastered the medium. From those days forward he painted wherever he went, working in oils and painting his subjects directly rather than in a studio from sketches. On his return to Auckland, he fell in love with Ellen Wild whom he met at the Baptist Chapel in Wellesley Street. They married in 1874 and in 1879 bought a section in Wood Street for £169.

As well as an exhibiting easel painter, Blomfield also worked as a sign writer and interior decorator. For this trade he had studios in shops, usually on Karangahape Road, one of which he shared with his daughter who made a living painting floral images. She also exhibited at the Auckland Society of Arts. This decorative branch of his work did not prevent him from travelling often and widely throughout the central North Island during the 1870s and 80s where he produced many landscape paintings of the New Zealand countryside.

He viewed the famous pink and white terraces several times and thankfully painted them before they were destroyed by the Mt Tarawera eruption. Maori objected to people finding their way to the terraces and demanded payment for any photos or sketches else they would be destroyed, but Blomfield managed to paint some images without being caught.

Some years later he returned to the area and in 1884 arranged to pay a lump sum to stay as long as he pleased. He camped and painted for six weeks recording many different aspects of the terraces. His sketches and paintings are among the main records of what was once classed as The Eighth Wonder of the World. Blomfield was heartbroken when they were destroyed in 1886 and decided to record the devastation. He painted several scenes of the destruction and realising his images of the terraces were a valuable record, refused to sell them and made many scale copies for sale instead which soon trebled in value. For the rest of his life he relied on them to supplement his income.

Blomfield continued to travel throughout New Zealand painting images of mountains, rivers, lakes and cloud effects. He used all sorts of transport such as stage coach, packet steamer, train and rowing boats. He stayed with friends, in boarding houses and sometimes rented cottages. He walked great distances and carried all his camping and painting gear and basic foodstuffs but also caught fish, eels, rabbits and hares to supplement his meals. His detailed landscapes won him glowing reviews for a time but by 1889 his popularity waned and his work was criticised as being aimed at the tourist market. He was unable to come to terms with this shift and remained staunchly conservative and hostile to ‘modern art’. In later years he ceased painting; embittered, his style was now viewed as passé.

Charles Blomfield died at his residence in Wood Street in 1926.

(DEIRDRE ROELANTS) F PN

20 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

New Zealand national and local elections come around quickly. We, unlike some of our democratic friends, have only a three year cycle.

So, later this year we will be electing a Waitemata Ward Councillor, and seven Waitemata Local Board members.

There is speculation that Mike Lee, our long-serving local body politician, may retire.

That would throw this seat wide open, because although Lee is a well known, centre left politician, his experience pulls votes from across the political spectrum.

Local identity Bill Ralston has indicated he will stand in Waitemata as an independent centre-right council candidate. Michelle Boag is regularly singing his praises. Ralston has good local recognition, particularly in the Ponsonby area, where he is regularly seen, along with his wife Janet Wilson, walking their dogs. He also has regular articles in local publications, and features on national radio, his old stamping ground.

Readers will recall that the Auckland Central electorate went National with Nikki Kaye for the first time ever in 2008, and has been easily held by Kaye ever since. This electorate is now almost completely gentrified, and the council seat could well go the same way as the parliamentary constituency unless Lee remains or a very strong leftish candidate is chosen. What City Vision plans, this writer does not know.

If Lee retires, Shale Chambers, who is doing a fine job as Chairperson of the current Waitemata Local Board, may well be the candidate for City Vision, which is the Labour, Greens, and Independents’ group. Although Chambers has several successful elections to the board under his belt, and is widely seen to be highly effective as board chair, he may struggle against Ralston.

There are bound to be others who will throw their hat into the ring, guaranteeing an interesting election.

Auckland City is at a critical stage of its relatively new existence, and needs strong leadership. There will be a new mayor, and a number of new councillors. Mike Lee’s experience as Chairman of the former Regional Council, and his representation on the board of Auckland Transport, are invaluable assets which I would be sorry to lose if Lee were to retire.

There will be many issues and opinions among candidates, and elections are always a good time for voters to grill those standing on issues they regard as important.

The first, and most important, is openness and transparency. We are being governed, in secrecy much of the time, by bureaucrats and developers. What say do councillors actually have?

If I was in charge, I would do away with the so-called council controlled organisations like Auckland Transport and Watercare. These are dictatorial, undemocratic, unelected, officers, telling us what we want and what we will get. Someone in a letter to the New Zealand Herald recently wrote, “Put Rodney Hide in charge and let him sort out the mess he created.” Act Party members, however, are hardly known for their sympathy and understanding for the underdog, so Hide would be just another disaster.

The other two issues I rate as very important are population intensity and transport.

It looks as if the council is now secretly rewriting the unitary plan to suit their own agenda, changing zoning requirements from those which residents submitted. Although many ratepayers, me included, do not want to see excessive urban sprawl, the potential for ugly disruptive high rises, damaging amenity values in their neighbourhood, is an increasing worry.

Voters need to quiz candidates very closely about their attitudes to these issues.

Are they just following some group ticket mentality, or do they have genuinely independent views?

Party politics should be kept out of local elections. Just follow the needs and desires of the people. (JOHN ELLIOTT) F PN

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RACHAEL TE AOTONGA: LEYS INSTITUTE LIBRARY NEWS Welcome to an exciting new year at the Leys Institute Library.

The team have all had a refreshing summer break, as we hope you all have. We are hitting the ground running with some interesting events and programmes we hope you will enjoy this month and throughout 2016.

Pride Poetry Meet We are thrilled to be joining in the celebrations for Pride 2016 by hosting the third annual Pride Poetry Meet outside in our charming courtyard. Brought to you by Alternative Bindings and Auckland Libraries, the floor is open for you to share your poetry or a favourite LGBTQI poem or two, or simply listen and enjoy in an inspiring and supportive space.

Tuesday 9 February; From 6pm; light refreshments provided - BYO teacup!

AUCKLAND PRIDE FESTIVAL 2016 Chris Parker - Q&A

What is the best place to grab a drink on Ponsonby Road?

I am such a devoted Golden Dawner. It’s a wonderful place to dance and the bar snacks there are also A++.

What is your show No More Dancing In The Good Room about?

No More Dancing in the Good Room is an autobiographical solo show about my slow and steady struggle of coming out to my parents. It's also about how I gave up dance as a young boy. It's a comedy.

What can people expect from your show?

I can promise that I will dance my little heart out for you. There is a lot of dancing in this very energetic show. I did my first run of it after the Christmas break a few days ago and almost vomited, so I guess you might have that to look forward to...

What does Pride mean to you?

Pride is that final stage of self-acceptance for me. It's the ability to not only be happy with who you are but also be confident enough in yourself to live and share that to its fullest potential out in the world.

How did you get involved with the Pride Festival?

I did the show in the Comedy Festival last year, where I was lucky enough to pick up the Best Newcomer award, but I also secretly knew that it would be a really great fit for the Pride Festival. So as soon as Pride 2016 popped up I pounced. Q Theatre and Silo Theatre both jumped on board with support so I feel very lucky.

An Evening with Albert Wendt Maualaivao Albert Wendt ONZ, CNZM is a major influence on Pacific literature and is regarded as one of the Pacific’s leading writers. Come along to meet this distinguished local author and retired English Professor and converse about his latest two books: Out of the Vaipe, The Deadwater, a short autobiography about his early life in Samoa and New Zealand, and Breaking Connections, a new novel set in Hawaii, New Zealand and Samoa.

Books will be available to purchase on the night courtesy of Paper Plus. Albert will be happy to sign them for you.

Wednesday 17 February, 6pm. Gold coin donation. Light refreshments provided - bookings recommended. RSVP: through the Leys Institute Library Facebook page, at the Leys Institute or T: 09 890 8755.

What would be your theme song for the Pride Festival?

I Want to Break Free by Queen, which is also my personal anthem. That song empowers me no end.

What is your top tip for all anyone attending the Pride Festival?

Go to as many events as you can. Also, drag your friends along with you. For me, Pride isn't just a LGBTQI festival, it is all inclusive, the more that everyone is aware and included, the less ignorance we have out in the world.

Where will you be watching the Pride Parade on Saturday 20 February?

Because the parade is going the other way this year, I guess closer to the park so I can party on and celebrate with friends at the end.

Chris Parker performs NO MORE DANCING IN THE GOOD ROOM as part of Auckland Pride Festival 2016 which runs from Friday 5 February - Sunday 21 February 2016. For more information visit www.aucklandpridefestival.org.nz

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMES With the new school year just beginning, it’s time for all the free preschool activities that we offer here at Leys to get back underway. There is something to suit all ages from birth to five years. If you haven’t been for a while, or are unaware what is available, here is a quick rundown of the weekly sessions available at the library during term time.

Wriggle & Rhyme (Wednesday and Thursday 10.30am) An introduction to active movement, this programme is designed for babies from birth-18 months. Bring your baby along to enjoy music, songs, movement and finger rhymes in a fun, relaxed environment.

Rhymetime (Tuesday 10.30am) This session is perfect for toddlers (1-3 years) who may have outgrown Wriggle & Rhyme, but aren’t yet ready to sit through a storytime. Filled with songs, dance, rhymes and simple stories, rhymetime is a great way to introduce your little ones to group sessions.

Storytime (Friday 10.30am) Bring your pre-schoolers along for their weekly fix of stories, songs and rhymes.

While age guidelines are provided, these are recommendations only and pre-schoolers of all ages are welcome to any of our sessions. (RACHAEL TE AOTONGA) F PN LEYS INSTITUTE, 20 St Marys Road, T: 09 374 1315, www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz

22 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

PONSONBY

AUCKLAND’S PROUDEST STRIP

WELCOMING AUCKLAND’S PRIDE PARADE

FEBRUARY 20TH 2016 STARTS AT 6PM FROM THE THREE LAMPS END OF PONSONBY ROAD Ponsonby Road is open for shopping AND fun all day It’s the best place to be on February 20th PONSONBY ROAD IS OPEN TO TRAFFIC AND PARKING IS AVAILABLE ALONG PONSONBY ROAD UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 3PM See our website iloveponsonby.co.nz or check us out on our iloveponsonby Facebook page for more details

http://www.iloveponsonby.co.nz

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MIKE LEE: COUNCILLOR FOR WAITEMATA & GULF

Rail to the airport - trams versus trains Ponsonby News readers will be aware that I am a keen supporter of ‘light rail’ - by that I mean trams, sleek high-tech versions of which are rolling out on city streets across Europe and North America - and of course Australia. (In this article I will use the American term ‘light rail’ and European word ‘trams’ interchangeably).

I also support heritage trams - as the chairman of the Auckland Regional Council I was responsible for getting the popular ‘place shaping’ heritage tramway built by Waterfront Auckland in the Wynyard Quarter. The trouble is, the Wynyard tramway was never meant to stay in the Wynyard Quarter - it was to be extended along the waterfront to the Britomart Transport Centre using both heritage trams and state-of-the-art modern trams to pick up cruise ship visitors on Princes and Queens Wharves while shuttling weekday commuters from Britomart to their new Wynyard Quarter offices. Despite overwhelming public support for this idea in public submissions to the Waterfront Plan in 2012, the waterfront extension has been blocked, essentially due to opposition within the Super City bureaucracies. Whatever the real reason for this, what has become clear is that the bureaucrats don’t appear to fully appreciate the ‘city building’ benefits of trams, which go together with people and civic spaces much better than buses (or indeed for that matter trains). Blocking future trams on Quay Street and insisting they run on Customs Street along with the North Shore buses and the rest of the heavier traffic planned for this corridor, misses a unique opportunity to showcase both light rail and Auckland’s waterfront while servicing the growing number of cruise ship visitors ferry users, waterfront hotels, apartments and entertainment areas.

It has been just on 60 years since Auckland’s highly successful 72km electric tramway, which carried over 80 million passengers per year, when Auckland’s population was less than 300,000 was terminated, trams bulldozed, lines pulled down and tracks dug up. Aucklanders have been paying dearly for that blunder ever since. Today with a population of 1.5 million Auckland’s total public transport patronage is still less than what it was in 1956. The long 60 year interregnum also means today’s transport managers, despite being recent converts to light rail, are still coming to terms with the mode - both its strengths and its limitations.

Recently a debate has broken out involving trams (the future use of) to the airport. In this case officialdom (Auckland Transport management) is pushing hard for trams as our future rapid transit option between the downtown CBD and Auckland International Airport. Up until recently there was an agreement between the parties (Auckland Council, Auckland Transport, NZTA, KiwiRail and Auckland International Airport) reached in 2011 to extend the electrified train line from Onehunga to the airport and then eventually southeast to the Main Trunk Line at Puhinui. Work to start sometime in the 2020s.

However, a business case has recently been produced by Auckland Transport indicating a tramway extending from the end of Dominion Road to the airport would be significantly

cheaper than the agreed rail option from Onehunga. I have serious reservations about the figures used and some of the assumptions. Without going into detail, probably the most glaring weakness in the ‘business case’ is that electric rail to Onehunga (only 10 km from the airport) actually exists - unlike the Dominion Road tramway which at this stage exists only in the imagination. My concern is that just as with the Quay Street situation where officialdom doesn’t appear to ‘get’ the potential benefits of light rail - the airport debate suggests it also may not understand its limitations.

Let’s briefly sum up the case for and against trams and trains to the airport. Trams have the benefit of being a flexible and very efficient form of public transport. Modern electric trams can service busy city streets, like buses, (‘street car’ mode), but can carry much more people (12,000 per hour) and in greater comfort (and more quietly) than diesel buses which can carry 2500 per hour. Trams can also perform like trains on their own dedicated corridors. But electric trains (commuter rail) carry even more people (48,000 per hour) and go even faster. This is not just due to the superior power of EMUs, train stations tend to be spaced between one to three kilometres apart whereas tram stops are spaced only 350 to 800m apart to service trams’ very high turnovers of passengers’. Trams on Dominion Road I am sure will be a great boon in the future for people and businesses in the Dominion Road area, but looking at it from the passengers’ point of view (often overlooked) for weary travellers and their baggage, keen on getting to the central city, multiple tram stops are not something one imagines many will appreciate. Even less so in the case of anxious outward bound travellers wanting to catch a plane. When I visited the Gold Coast last year to inspect their brand new tramway, the managers emphasised to me not to forget a key point - light rail means ‘mass transit’ - not ‘rapid transit’.

It’s an intriguing debate but it will need to be settled by next June when Auckland International Airport will be making key decisions regarding its second runway and new terminals. The stakeholder steering group of the multi-party airport rail planning process (which carries the hopeful acronym SMART) which I chair has recommended that a working party made up of technical experts from the key agencies and the airport company, work together to come up with the best option for Auckland and our vitally PN important international airport. I will keep you posted. (MIKE LEE) F Councillor for Waitemata and Gulf www.mikelee.co.nz Mike Lee is the councillor for the Waitemata & Gulf ward and the council appointed chair of the SMART (Southwestern Multi-modal Airport Rapid Transit) Stakeholders Steering Group.

A tram in Angers, France

24 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

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Jerry Clayton BMW

Takapuna

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Demonstrator vehicles include on-road costs. Selected New Vehicles on-road costs may apply. *Recommended Retail Price (RRP).

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EX-DEMONSTRATOR - TAKAPUNA RRP* NOW 2015 118i HATCH M-Sport, Glacier Silver.........................................................................................................................$54,900 ............... $44,900 2015 218d ACTIVE TOURER Glacier Silver....................................................................................................................$53,300 ............... $44,900 2015 320i SEDAN Sport Edition, Black Sapphire ...........................................................................................................$76,900 ............... $59,990 2015 435i CONVERTIBLE M-Sport, Black Sapphire...................................................................................................$152,900 ..........$129,990 2015 435i COUPÉ M-Sport, Alpine White ........................................................................................................................$135,200 ..........$109,900 2015 X1 2.0 sDRIVE 20i Plus Edition, Glacier Silver ....................................................................................................$73,900 ............... $59,990 2015 X3 20d M-Sport, Black Sapphire ................................................................................................................................$99,900 ............... $82,900 2015 X4 35d M-Sport, Alpine White.....................................................................................................................................$134,500 ..........$109,990 2015 X5 30d M-Sport, Mineral White...................................................................................................................................$141,000 ..........$124,990 2015 X5M 50d M-Sport, Space Grey...................................................................................................................................$181,500 ..........$154,990 2015 M235i M-Sport, Black Sapphire ..................................................................................................................................$106,100 ............ $86,900 2015 M3 Black Sapphire ............................................................................................................................................................$160,900 ..........$139,990 All with the balance of a 3-year service plan and a 5-year warranty.

JOHN ELLIOTT: LOCAL NEWS

Trams for Ponsonby The time has come to look again at the possibility of trams for Ponsonby. The idea is not new and was explored in Ponsonby News several years ago. Nothing has been done.

Just last month we heard about a proposal to have trams to Auckland Airport. This idea was roundly criticised by Councillor Mike Lee, a fervent fan of trams. He could not believe the times that Auckland Transport cited for tram travel to the airport.

Trams in the Wynyard Quarter was an Auckland Regional Authority legacy project pushed hard by Lee. He became very frustrated with the delays and obfuscations of the bureaucrats who seemed to have a million reasons why it shouldn’t happen. It did happen, but a series of mishaps, including overpricing and road reconstructions, held the project up before it got going again. However, it has never reached Britomart, let alone ventured up Queen Street or College Hill to Ponsonby. Read more about Mike Lee’s transport proposals in his column in this issue of Ponsonby News.

There was even the bizarre suggestion that trams would not get up Queen Street or College Hill. Back in the 1950s before city fathers in their wisdom killed off trams, they went up those hills every 10 minutes or so.

Despite public opposition, trams were stopped in 1956. Not only was rolling stock sold off but the 72 kilometres of track was ripped out, as if city fathers were determined trams would never return.

At first Mike Lee was not a supporter of trams to Ponsonby, but he’s changed his mind.

He says a modest start would be to set up a line from the end of Jervois Road, into and along Ponsonby Road to Karangahape Road and then to the top of Queen Street, and return. This would be a huge tourist attraction and a link with the city centre. The line could be extended next down Queen Street to Britomart and finally up College Hill to Ponsonby and to a terminus at the end of Jervois Road.

Auckland Transport told Ponsonby News they have no plans for that, and they asserted that there were ample bus services from Ponsonby to the city. It’s not about commuters necessarily. It’s about tourists, shoppers and fun. Since when has fun been a crime?

Imagine trams like they have in San Francisco - a terrific attraction.

Our local MP, Nikki Kaye is also supportive of trams to Ponsonby. She wrote to Mayor Len Brown in 2011, with copies to Auckland Transport, urging them to investigate the merits of a tram link to Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, and Karangahape Road. Kaye pointed out that trams have a modern and international appeal.

I was disappointed to read ‘the transport blog’, criticising Nikki Kaye’s idea, and to hear the party political stuff, rather than solid transport arguments. The article by Joshua

Arbury, with comments from Brian Rudman, was viciously partisan. It is a good reason to oppose party politics at local body level. Ideas should be put forward on their merits, not because they are put forward by a favoured politician of a favoured party.

Whether contributors to ‘the transport blog’ like Rudman, Patrick Reynolds and others who attacked Kaye’s idea as party politics, pandering to her Auckland Central constituents, have changed their mind since 2011 is unclear. Rudman described Kaye’s view as “seizing on the sexiness of ‘heritage’ to her villa dwelling constituents”, and said her idea was “a nostalgic trip down some dead-end tram track”.

Patrick R, who I assume is Patrick Reynolds, was also blunt in his assessment of Nikki Kaye’s proposal as “a bit of PT wash”, “duplicious” and “Nikki and her party of small town bullies”.

Nikki Kaye has always been on record as supporting the inner city rail link. I was pleased to see Geoff Houtman inject some common decency into the debate, defending Nikki Kaye, and stating that she was the only politcian from any party to support trams to Ponsonby.

In conclusion, I think trams around the inner city, whatever the configuration, would be a good idea.

We need further robust consultation, without party political wrangling, to assess the viability of reinstating trams back around Auckland suburbs. Ponsonby News invites anyone who has an opinion to email us and put your case for or against.

I used to come to Auckland from my home in Whangarei for school holidays and stay with my grandmother in Royal Oak. I have fond memories of the sound of trams rattling down Manukau Road, near my grandmother’s home, in the 1950s, and of riding around Auckland on the trams, several times to the zoo - clackedy clack, clackedy clack - exciting for a kid. Trams in Ponsonby would be equally exciting, and good for business.

(JOHN ELLIOTT) F PN

Pay per lift bin collection for city rubbish Auckland Council is working towards a ‘pay per lift’ rubbish collection service for Auckland. Their ultimate aim is zero waste by 2040 - a very ambitious goal.

According to Ian Stupple, Manager Waste Solutions, Auckland Council has “a comprehensive plan to transform waste services so they are efficient, consistent across the region, and designed to move us closer to Auckland’s aspirational goal of zero waste by 2040.”

in their bins. Recycling will continue to be rates-funded, along with inorganic collections, the planned new food waste collection and other core services like littering. Zero waste to landfill is an admirable goal, but increasing council charges, especially to fixed income Aucklanders, is already hurting.

Council is working towards a pay per lift system by 2019/2020, but they admit the date is flexible and dependent on other factors such as ‘technical and operational constraints’ and the introduction of kerbside food waste collections.

And so, the rumours about increased rubbish collection costs are accurate. Why don’t we ever hear rumours about a possible reduction in council charges, or a cut in council staff numbers? We would also love to hear a rumour that council was reducing the use of outside contractors, and freezing council salaries for 12 months.

No indication of costs has been given, but we can be assured that our household costs will go up as a result. Rates-funded rubbish bins will cease. The proposed system will ask people to pay for what they put out based on the size of the bin. Stupple says they will not charge by weight. Customers will be able to select a bin size and collection frequency to suit their household needs, to ensure they are making the most of the space

26 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

Unfortunately we can dream about cost cutting, but it never happens. The only thing many workers can be certain of is that they will not get wage increases this year, so council has to be mindful of this when setting out their aspirational goals. Zero waste laudable - extra costs increasingly unacceptable. (JOHN ELLIOTT) F PN PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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GREENLANE 257 Great South Road Ph: (09) 524 6030 The h World he Woorld ld Belongs B lon Be lo gs gs to to the thee Dissatisfied Dissa Di ssatis tis ti i fieed

NORTH SHORE 75 Wairau Road Ph: (09) 441 4750

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DEADLINE D DE ADLI AD LINE LI N -2 NE 20TH 0TH H OF OF Sat THE THEE MONTH TH M9am MO NTTH to PPONSONBY O SO ON SONB N Y Sun NEWS NE W +10am WS FFebruary Fe ebr brua rua u ryy to 22016 0 65pm 01 Open 5pm

JACINDA ARDERN: LABOUR LIST MP AUCKLAND

The one that got away A little-known fact that I discovered later in life - I love fishing.

I’m not especially good, in fact there is very little about me that makes me well placed for the whole fishing thing - I am not especially co-ordinated, I get terribly sea sick and there are certain things about the ocean that terrify me. But still, I love to fish.

Of course, I’m not alone. Fishing is the most popular recreational sport in the country.

It was no surprise then, that during the 2014 election the National Party announced a new election promise - it would establish a recreational fishing park in the Hauraki Gulf. Great. But while they were at it, increasing the number of marine reserves as a way of ensuring we boost the health of our marine environment wouldn’t have gone amiss either.

Anyone who knows their way around our harbours will tell you just how depleted stock appears to be compared to previous years. They all offer similar reasons for it, including commercial fishing practices - so excluding them in recreational parks was a given. And we were told that’s what would happen. Outside of that, there wasn’t a lot of detail in the announcement. It was, after all, just before an election, so everyone sat back and waited. And waited, and waited.

Finally, in the last few weeks, a discussion document has been released with details on how this proposed park in our backyard will work. And what do you know - there were a few surprises. Firstly, National has backed away from its promise of a purely recreational fishing park, with their proposal failing to ban commercial fishing operations in the area. The document notes ‘some parks might allow commercial fishing to continue for certain species’ - not quite what we were told, and also, in my book, an unnecessary confusion. It’s either a reserve for recreational fishers only or it isn’t.

The paper also points out that ‘petroleum or minerals activity could be allowed’ within these so called recreational fishing parks, and additional onerous reporting obligations could be imposed on recreational fishers. So let me get this straight - it’s a recreational fishing park, where you may have a commercial fishing vessel trawl past you, sea bed mining underneath you, and a log book next to you to record everything you didn’t catch? Because outside of this announcement, there is an almost complete blind spot by the Government around the declining fish stocks, and no plan to do anything about it.

So for all of that, I want to say thanks Nick Smith. Thanks for the gesture. But if you wanted something really meaningful, something that didn’t have the promise of a decent catch but came up looking like a sprat with some weed on it, you needed to do more than you have. Increase the marine reserves, reign in some of the archaic practices by some commercial fisheries that see such huge amounts of unnecessary waste, try and get a handle of the relative health and well-being of our marine environment - any of that would have been a good start. I hope we don’t have to wait till next election for that.

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

PONSONBY COMMUNITY CENTRE NEWS Term one is well under way and Ponsonby Community Centre has a wide range of classes available, accommodating most age groups and interests, here is a summary of classes/activities at one of our facilities (Ponsonby Community Centre and Leys Institute Gymnasium Hall): • • • • • • • • • •

Yoga • Speech and drama for children Aikido • Jumping Beans Art classes for children • Twilight Talkers (Toastmasters) Meditation classes • Pattern making classes Tai Chi • Aerial fitness Gym Kids gymnastics • Community Playgroup Life drawing classes • Pre School Ballerina GO CLUB (Senior Citizens Club) School holiday programmes (run by Gym Kids and Young at Art) Community playgroups (Monday at Leys Gymnasium Hall and Tuesday at Ponsonby Centre)

We have the Gluepot Room which is ideal for workshops, community groups and training sessions, also our kitchen is licensed and ideal for groups that need a a licensed space to prepare their food for local markets and gala days.

For venue hire enquiries please contact the office T: 09 378 1752, E: info@ponsonbycommunity.org.nz, M: Manager - Rob Matamu 021 244 0904.

NEW WORKSHOP FOR 2016 - LIVING THE LIFE YOU LOVE - THE TOOLBOX TO YOUR SUCCESS • Do you sometimes feel there should be more to life than this?

• Are you looking for lasting change in your life?

Antoinette and Eunice from Pure Potential have created the Live The Life You Love programme using a range of techniques (by training your inner mind) which impact the actions you take on a conscious level. During the workshop Eunice and Antoinette provide tools and techniques you need to change your life - that will allow you to Live the Life You Love.

Antoinette works with you from the inside out harnessing your potential by getting insight into your subconscious. Eunice works with you from the outside in. Looking at the image you present to the world, and the unintended messages you send people in your everyday interactions.

Antoinette is a clinical hypnotherapist and Neuro Linguistic Programming Master Trainer.

Eunice is a Communications, Drama tutor and Wellness practitioner.

Together they are Pure Potential - www.purepotential.co.nz contact Antoinette Van Zyl M: 021 0244 2538 / Eunice Walker-Stott M: 024 478 8123.

Ponsy Kids Community Preschool • 20 ECE funded hours.

• New session times developed to meet the needs of our community.

• We have places available this term and welcome new families to the area.

The end of last year was a busy time for us at Ponsy Kids Community Preschool. We had our Fish & Chip night, which was well attended by our families and a great time was had by all. We also had our annual Auckland City Mission appeal, in which Ponsy Kids families donated toys and food items, a special thank you to our families for their valued support.

Term 1 is busy as we start finalizing plans on our landscape project, exciting times for the Preschool, as it will mean a lovely new space for our children and families moving forward.

For more information please T: 09 378 1752, E: info@ponsonbycommunity.org.nz, www.ponsonbycommunity.org.nz, Facebook: Ponsonby Community Centre

28 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

29

DEIRDRE THURSTON

On my mind... holidays and memories Here we are, into another year. Christmas with its gifts, gaffes and surprising lack of mince pies has been and gone. As has New Year’s Eve - not my favourite time. Way too much pressure to be happy and fun-filled, not to mention awake at midnight!

NYE, my friend and I slipped away early from a dull dinner and a morose DJ. By 8.45pm we were ensconced back in our holiday retreat on comfy chairs with a spectacular brie, salted caramel chocolate and Champagne while catching up on episodes of Graham Norton. Midnight arrived with a blaze of fireworks illuminating the acres of grape vines beside us, then, dues paid, we could at last lay our weary heads on pillows.

Now, I’m back home after nearly a month away, and forced to re-enter ‘real’ life. The one where money must be earned and cortisol courses around our bodies. Thank goodness for holidays; without them we do not realise how far our shoulders have become jammed up around our ears. Time stands still. So relaxed was I, I had not a smidge of an idea what time or day it was.

My only holiday clock was a tui who vied with an equally glamorous kingfisher for the fourth branch from the top of an old manuka tree by our French doors at 6ish each evening. The hardest task I had to accomplish - apart from co-ordinating one foot in front of the other in my jelly-like state - was unscrewing the cap off my shampoo bottle.

And keeping in mind we were on tank water rations. I did fret imagining emerging from the shower with what looked like an uncooked pav on my head.

Two heterosexual women holidaying together did have its odd moments.

We were asked if we were mother and daughter by a woman who appeared to have left her white stick at home. “Are you lesbians?” from a 50ish man reeking of Paco Rabane, Porsche Cayenne leather and sporting an exceedingly garish pink and mauve ‘brush -stroked’ shirt on his back and a long-suffering wife on his arm. And, at mini golf: “Are you two ladies filling in time while the hubbies play the real game?” So many retorts sprang to mind but we didn’t want to ruin our day with the police arriving, so we settled our putters back into their holder instead of around his head and left. Do we look like women who fill in time awaiting their ‘hubbies’? Do they even exist? Perhaps I need to ditch my Vuitton handbag.

Days drifted into nights as our breathing slowed to the rhythm of being ‘off the clock’ and surrounded by Mother Nature at her finest. Neither of us could bear to think of booking a car ferry home. But, eventually, the time came, along with news of David Bowie’s passing. A sad end to my holiday and yet no better place to hear of it than in this, my spiritual home.

His music has been a backdrop to my many lives in this place and elsewhere.

Holidays revive us and I believe they are better shared. I have adored having someone around every day to hang with over breakfast, choose music with to listen to as we loll, chat and snooze. Or simply stare out into space together. My friend and I became so completely blissed out we could barely meander from the car to change from ‘lunch out at yet another vineyard’ clothes (a token gesture smear of lippie and a pair of shoes) to leggings and a t-shirt (aka pj’s/something more comfortable) and open a bottle of wine before resuming our positions in armchairs - with footstools, of course.

Dancing with the love of my life to ‘Fashion’ (beep beep) in our then kitchen overlooking ponga, pohutukawa and a white horse grazing on the northern hillside. Singing our hearts out to ‘Heroes’ after one too many vodka/sodas. Tears while swaying to ‘Major Tom’ (“tell my wife I love her very much, you know...”). “Oh you pretty things, don’t you know you’re driving your mamas and pappas insane”, I used to sing this to my son when he was 18.

Each day my heart swelled watching tui, kereru, kingfishers, dotterels, horses galloping with chestnut manes flying down the beach at low tide. My brow did attempt to wrinkle a couple of times as I wondered why other people were on ‘my’ beach.

This Christmas, David’s music played till the early hours many nights as we all sang along (“...one damn song that can make me break down and cry...”) and we reminisced, not for a second thinking he would not be here forever.

Culinary joys were discovered: toasted crumpets dripping in butter then slathered in crunchy peanut butter with thick slices of ripe, red tomato on top. My love affair, not indulged at home, with cheese reignited. Is there anything better than cheese and wine together? Especially dessert wine and soft, creamy goat’s cheese?

He was unreal, this brilliant man: starman, glam rocker, soul singer, thin white duke and more. A classy dude who entered my psyche, gifted me with years of musical joy and discovery and the knowledge that someone understood.

Every morning I would wander to the beach and lay on its soft, white sand listening to waves hissing up the beach while gulls dropped tuatua from on high to crack them open; the happiness of a couple of dogs and kids in the shallows; whispering breezes and my hopes for this new year.

30 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

David Bowie lived his way. With ‘Blackstar’ he died his way. Both works of art. RIP you beloved, extraordinary gentleman. And thank you.

For now (for me while planning the next holiday): “Let’s put on our red shoes and dance the blues. Let’s sway through the crowd into an empty space...” (DEIRDRE THURSTON)

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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HEIDI PADAIN: ENTERTAINMENT IN YOUR GARDEN

IN OTHER NEWS... juvenile blackbird saves camera lady from grumpy, dehydrated bush rat...

In the February 2015 issue of Ponsonby News magazine, I wrote about paying attention to the chit! chit! chit! alarm call of the blackbirds, and here I am, one year later, with another example of how this works. Trust me on this; if you ever hear this sound, go outside and see what’s going on.

During the Christmas break, I was washing my windows at the side of our house. I was working under the eave of the roof, when I suddenly heard the chit! chit! chit! alarm call. I was quite startled by it because it was so incredibly close. The sound was coming from directly above. When I looked up, I was shocked to see a bush rat peering down at me from the gutter. Its head and upper body was drooping down in my direction. I can imagine at this point that some of you might be screaming on the inside while reading this. I was quite calm actually, and I’ll tell you why. The rats eyes were very dull. The lights were almost out, and well, generally I’m too fascinated with nature to waste time being afraid.

What surprised me the most was the sight of a juvenile blackbird that was sitting very close to the rat.

I recognised this bird, as it is a regular visitor here, and spends most of the day on the deck. This juvenile blackbird was incredibly noisy: chit! chit! chit! It was hopping closer and closer to the rat, while peering down in my direction. This is absurd given how scared birds are of rats ordinarily.

The juvenile blackbird felt the need to warn me, protect me perhaps? The rat may have been considering a swan dive into my bucket of water, or goodness knows what? Eventually the rat became more alert, and scampered off, but not as fast as I would expect. As it moved away I noticed a large wriggling bulge on one side of the stomach. Seemed to me that this rat was soon to give birth. It was a particularly hot sunny day, so no doubt it was very dehydrated. I watched the rat return to its nest, which was in a nikau tree adjacent to our deck. I managed to take this photograph of it looking in my direction. Admittedly I do think mum is rather cute to look at.

We have very good, humane rat traps on the property, but whenever possible we prefer to work with nature. Later on that night we floodlit the tree with our external spotlight. Our resident morepork would have been most appreciative, I’m sure.

I prefer more pleasant surprises than the one mentioned above, and there have been quite a few pleasant surprises over the holiday period. The one I want to mention briefly, is sibling behaviour with some bird species. In the December/January publication of Ponsonby News, I mentioned having observed two blackbird siblings feeding one another when the parent was absent. Recently I saw exactly the same thing happen with two sibling tui birds. These delightful juvenile tui birds like to chase each other around and when they stop to sample the fruit on the deck, they share it with one another.

It’s a hard thing to explain, so I am delighted to have caught this image. I’m loving having these young PN tui birds around, and I can’t wait to share more of their antics with you next month. (HEIDI PADAIN) F To see some of Heidi’s other photographic work go to www.flickr.com and type Heidi Padain into the search box, or, you can contact Heidi by email hidihi@xtra.co.nz

32 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

DEADLINE - 20TH OF OF THE MONTH

PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

33

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY THE FACES AT GREY LYNN FARMERS MARKET Massimiliano De Caro from the il Casaro Artisan Cheese Factory is at the Grey Lynn Farmers Market every Sunday of the month.

Which products do you produce and which are your favourites?

I make a variety of traditional artisan Italian cheeses, my favourite being the burrata which is a true expression of an artisan cheese.

How long have you been producing cheese?

It’s been 26 years.

Where did you grow up?

I was born and grew up in Gioia Del Colle in the southern region (Puglia) of Italy. The town is the capital for producing mozzarella and burrata from cow’s milk.

What’s the biggest decision you have had to make?

My biggest decision in business has been to focus on working and studying the milk and produce in New Zealand to ensure I am delivering the best quality, fresh produce on a daily basis. The slightest change in climate can effect the mineral content and overall flavour of the cheese, thus being a constant work of art to ensure I am delivering the highest standard of products at all times. The meaning of il Casaro in Italian is cheese master, someone who studies the region/climate/soil/products/mineral content/recipe before even attempting to make cheese.

What’s your favourite way to relax after work?

I love to go on relaxing walks at the end of a long day with my girlfriend and my two little dogs, Poppi and Pixie. I also love spending time in the kitchen creating something delicious. Where I am from, it is important to spend time creating fresh, beautiful food not only for your taste buds but also for the respect of the produce and your body.

Where is your favourite New Zealand holiday spot?

Heading out to Huia, a beautiful beach out on the west coast of Auckland. Very remote but stunning.

What’s your favourite thing about coming to the Grey Lynn Farmers Market?

I really enjoy chatting to enthusiastic and passionate customers who love the fresh and artisan products that are available at the Grey Lynn Farmers Market. F PN www.glfm.co.nz

L to R: Massimiliano De Caro & Giovanna Sabattino

34 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

35

LAURAINE JACOBS: THE SEASONED PALATE

Lauraine Jacobs eats at Merediths There it was. A thin, crunchy, crisp rice cracker, spread with a soft puree of the sweetest apple I had ever tasted and topped with a fine mist-like cloud of grated cheese.

“This is totally mental!” I exclaimed. When food is this good, with so much flavour, texture and taste it almost becomes a mental rather than a physical sensation.

But then almost all the food at Meredith’s is like that.

There is so much thought, care and innovation in every bite served in this eponymous restaurant headed up by one of our most talented and now most revered chefs, Michael Meredith.

That cracker was the finale at a very exclusive occasion at Merediths where a tasting of five special dessert - style wines was served, mid-afternoon, to just five wine writers, hosted by Erica and Kim Crawford. The pair have poured their hearts, souls and a fair amount of hard slog into their new brand, Loveblock, making organic wines in the Awatere Valley, Marlborough on a very challenging, specially selected site. So it was fitting that they had singled out supertalented chef Michael Meredith to come up with five desserts to showcase some of their stunning sweet wines in the best possible light. And after five dessert wines and five of Meredith’s desserts, I floated away and even found room for a light dinner.

That experience was so good that as I left the restaurant I made a booking to return a week later for the degustation menu that is served. Diners at Meredith’s are offered a five-or-eight-course tasting menu on weeknights, and on Saturdays, in celebration of the weekend, the pace steps up to nine courses for everyone.

When booking, the question is always posed about likes, allergies and preferences to ensure that everyone gets to eat food that will agree with them. Vegans and vegetarians are welcomed and a menu is always designed around the whims and fancies of the customer.

Now - a little time out for me to make a brief soapbox stand: I am not going to give a blow by blow account of the degustation dinner. I never wish to do that about food - eating is a very personal experience. I am not a fan of the current trend in Auckland restaurant reviews to report critically on every bite taken by the writer. That’s a total waste of time as the reader can become highly excited about the sound of a dish, only to find when they visit the restaurant that was put under the magnifying glass has dealt with seasonal changes and supply problems that dictate food and that particular dish is no longer offered.

Sometimes it seems those writers might merely be showing off food knowledge they often do not have. (And boy, have I seen some terrible bloopers!) After all, the ability to eat is not a proper qualification for restaurant reviewing - our restaurateurs and chefs have their whole livelihood and extensive experience and investment on the line. I think it’s more important to know what the atmosphere is like. Could I take my 92-year-old mother there; is the restaurant suitable for a date night; what is the philosophy of the food and will I like the wines?

Suffice to say that when you go to Meredith’s it is certain that you will be entering into a true pact of trust. You essentially, having established a few boundaries, put your appetite in the hands of the chefs in the kitchen and experience a series of small courses that are designed

36 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

to please, to showcase seasonal food, and occasionally to challenge you in a way you might not have thought about food before.

Each course is designed to flow on from the previous one. You will start with things that are fishy and light, or maybe some wonderful vegetables that have been carefully prepared. You will move on through several courses that might include a little cured beef, a robust short rib, a serving of red deer or lamb, and it is always garnished and presented with amazing complementary flavours so that it not only tastes superb, but is as appealing to the eye as it is to the taste buds. And there will always be a light pre-dessert and another, probably focussed on seasonal fruit in the summer months, or heading into the chocolate, caramelly spheres when it’s colder.

Our pre-Christmas dinner met all our expectations.

Michael Meredith has a strong connection to the Pacific, and he’s is at the top of his game, in my opinion, when he works with fresh island produce. I once saw this guy do an hour and a half on stage showing ways with coconut.

It was a mind blowing experience. So the first dish kickstarted a meal that delivered all that was promised. Like every dish on his menus, the written description doesn’t even touch the reality of the plate that is put down on the table. ‘Taro, coconut, crab & curry’ was a sophisticated exhibition of everything I love about the Pacific, melding those wonderful island flavours in startlingly simple style.

As we ate our way through the eight courses, we remarked how much of the food was completely fresh and some was uncooked - fantastic ingredients chosen with care so that they could speak for themselves. There had been a lot of diligent preparation and planning behind the scenes.

Everything about this restaurant is designed for a seamless experience. The décor is low key - dark wood panelling, colourful but restrained art to contrast with lovely potted plants that hang to divide the room, sparkling glassware and cutlery and exemplary informed service. The wine list only offers the very best wines: New Zealand icons, interesting French wines and all chosen to complement the food. Diners can choose to have each of their courses matched for a very interesting experience, or wine can be ordered by the bottle. Either way wine needs are well cared for, and there are plenty of choices that are well priced.

instinct. Over the past year or two, thousands have been donated to various worthy charities. Note that on these nights wine is not included in this deal.

And there’s even more. Last year Meredith lent his name and a great deal of his time to a start-up initiative to provide lunches for needy school children in Auckland.

Eat My Lunch has been widely recognised and has even won awards for the efforts to make lunches with the money given by more privileged people. The idea is you buy lunch for yourself and the others in your office, and for each lunch ordered, a lunch is made (mostly by volunteers) to be delivered to kids who otherwise would not get to eat a healthy, tasty lunch. The kids are happy and it is a warm and generous effort by all concerned.

Open: Lunch Friday only four courses by reservation.

Dinner Tuesdays for Dine by Donation, Wednesday to Friday for five courses $80 and 8 courses $120, and Saturdays nine courses $140.

(LAURAINE JACOBS) F PN www.laurainejacobs.co.nz Merediths, 365 Dominion Road, T: 09 623 3140, www.merediths.co.nz

Meredith’s dining is a masterly experience not to be missed.

But wait. There’s more. A review would not be complete without a nod to the chef. If there is another chef in our country with a bigger heart and more socially conscious attitude, I have yet to find him or her. Michael Meredith started offering a four course Dine by Donation night on Tuesday evenings. The idea is to go there, have four courses of experimental dishes that are being developed for the regular menu and then instead of being presented with a bill, diners make a donation to a charity of Meredith’s choice, according to their own PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY VEGETABLE CHIPS WITH CHIMICHURRI AND YOGHURT DIPS Try these tasty chip and dip combos at your next alfresco dinner party.

Serves eight as a snack. Hands-on time 30 minutes.

Cooking time 35 minutes.

Spicy parsnip chips 2 parsnips (200g), cut in thin sticks ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes ½ teaspoon ground coriander 2 teaspoons maple syrup spray olive oil sprinkling salt (up to ¼ teaspoon) Kumara chips 1 kumara (250g), skin on, thinly sliced oil spray 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar sprinkling salt (up to ¼ teaspoon) Beetroot and thyme chips 2 beetroot (350g), skin on, thinly sliced oil spray 6 sprigs thyme leaves freshly ground black pepper sprinkling salt (up to ¼ teaspoon)

Chimichurri dip 1 teaspoon chilli flakes 1 shallot, very finely chopped 1 green chilli, very finely chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 /3 cup water ¼ cup chopped parsley ¼ cup chopped coriander Yoghurt dip ¾ cup low-fat natural yoghurt 1 small cucumber, diced 2 clove of garlic, crushed 1 /3 cup chopped fresh mint

1. Heat oven to 150°C. Cover trays with greaseproof paper.

2. Toss vegetables with their chosen flavourings, except the salt. Lay on the baking sheets in single layers. Spray with oil.

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

3. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until crisp, turning halfway.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the dips by mixing all the ingredients.

5. Once cooked arrange chips on serving dishes, sprinkled with salt.

Recipes, styling and food prep Sarah Swain, Photography Melanie Jenkins Recipe reprinted from Healthy Food Guide magazine with permission from Healthy Life Media Ltd. You’ll find more summer cooking ideas in the February 2016 issue of Healthy Food Guide ($6.30), on sale now in supermarkets and bookstores or subscribe at PN www.healthyfood.co.nz. F

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY NIC WATT, CHEF RESTAURATEUR, MASU BY NIC WATT Describe a typical day as a chef restaurateur at your restaurant MASU? MASU - my day usually starts with a quick look at yesterday’s report.

Who was in (Quentin Tarantino last night) and how the day came out.

Usually it’s a happy start, followed by a piccolo, a walk around all the team for a hello and check in. Then on the fun and creative side bringing new ideas, ventures to the restaurant. We are presently working on bringing a very highly skilled and famous sushi chef to MASU for a guest appearance and special menu offering. Watch this space... that’s how my days roll.

photography: Michael Bradley

How often do you travel to your Adelaide restaurant, Madame Hanoi?

I go to Madame Hanoi about every four weeks. Next week is our first year anniversary so we are collaborating with craft brewery Pirate Life and celebrating with the launch of our very own kaffir lime and coriander seed infused French Saison beer. A great way to move in to our second year of business.

Favourite Ponsonby restaurant, bar or cafe?

It’s a little early to say but I am very excited about Namo, a new Japanese restaurant, we are heading there tonight.

Best ever food experience?

There is no question here! Arzak is a 3-star Michelin restaurant in San Sebastian Spain.

It was the best meal of my life. The culinary and gastronomy skill was outstanding and so modern yet it was still real food that had flavour and texture.

Worst ever food experience?

It’s something that I have eaten several times and will probably eat again... I’m not sure why as it tastes like an old sweaty sock that has been left to ferment for a year. It’s Nato - a fermented soy bean that has stringy spider web-like strings of the worst smelling and tasting food you could imagine.

What really annoys you?

People who sit in the outside lane on the motorway doing 90km. Seriously, don’t they get it?

What are you listening to on your iPod? Train - California 37.

Lightbox, SKY, Netflix or other?

We are with Sky... it has the best kids’ shows and the added bonus of some sport.

What are you currently reading?

I am reading Lance Armstrong - Every Second Counts. I am a fair-weather cyclist and have ridden a stage of the Tour de France. So his will and reasoning intrigues me.

Summer or winter and why?

I am definitely a summer lover, the beaches, the fishing... I think everyone is in a happier mood when the sun is out and with a little fresh air. With two kids as well, summer means they can play all day outside and wear themselves out to complete exhaustion just being kids and not asking to watch TV.

Go-to meal when you have unexpected guests?

I don’t really have a go-to meal. It depends on what we have in the fridge or around the house. But if I am asked to bring something along... well it’s always drunken pineapple.

I skin and core a pineapple and marinate it in rum, sugar, spice and mint. Then bbq... show stopper all the time.

How do you relax?

My dial out or chill out time is spent on the boat. I don’t mind where we are but the sound of the water gently lapping the hull, a great Kiwi wine, music and fresh kai moana on the bbq, you can’t help but relax and enjoy the moment.

Favourite online store?

I love Spiritual Gangster... great yoga wear for men. And kids.

Favourite Kiwi fashion label?

Not that I can wear her garments, but without question Trelise Cooper is my favourite and my wife Kelly looks awesome in her Coop range.

Your dream holiday?

Machu Picchu is on the bucket list. I got to Peru a few years back but could make time to go up. Ask me again in five years.

Flag referendum: For or against the change?

I was for change until it saw the result... no change.

Guilty pleasure (food)?

Not much of a guilty pleasure but I can eat papaya all day, every day.

Worst habit?

I think my wife would say chewing my tongue... go figure.

Daily mantra?

Nobody is lucky, you make your own luck, make it happen.

38 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

Tea or coffee?

Well that’s the hardest question of all... Kelly is from the United Kingdom, so she drinks tea for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For me the kicker is coffee. Piccolo is my preferred choice.

Favourite hairdresser?

My favourite hairdresser has to be Danny from D&M Hair in Ponsonby. He’s been cutting my hair for a few years. He's a foodie, so always heaps to talk about.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to travel the world. I was an adventurer from a very early age. Cooking has always been a natural passion, so to be able to follow my passion of cooking and my dream adventure to travel the world was a perfect match.

2016 food trend predictions?

I think in 2016 people will continue to move towards a casual, sharing, family style of dining. People are getting really conscious about what they put in their bodies, so I feel 2016 will be trending on delicious, healthy-focused consumption. Something they can stick to... not like a diet but more like a lifestyle choice to eat well every day and understand what they are eating both in seasonality and sustainability. F PN MASU BY NIC WATT, 90 Federal Street, T: 09 363 6278, www.skycityauckland.co.nz/restaurants/masu PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY SIDART, Level 1, Three Lamps Plaza, 283 Ponsonby Road, T: 360 2122, www.sidart.co.nz Dinner: Tuesday - Saturday from 6.30pm, Lunch: Friday only from 12 noon

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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PHIL PARKER: WHOSE WINE IS IT ANYWAY?

Summer wine and the livin’ is easy OUR DRINKING HABITS CORRESPONDINGLY CHANGE WITH WARMER WEATHER, generally away from big reds and chunky chardonnays, in favour of chilled white wines, rosés and lighter reds like pinot noir. Yet there are still those long, languid evenings when the air cools and a rich, velvety red is just right to go down with that piece of scotch fillet and a few snarlers fresh from the smoking barbecue.

Sauvignon blanc is still wildly popular with New Zealanders, but we are getting more adventuresome with new white varieties like Grüner Veltliner, Arneis, and even (as below) Bianchetta. Rosés have made enormous inroads into our drinking habits over the last three years or so. As with summer whites, they can stand a bit of chilling. But don’t over -chill them as the fruit flavours will disappear. These are a good match with seafood, salads and chicken dishes.

Pinot noir is an all-rounder that suits any season and is a good match with duck, chicken, turkey and mushrooms. It can also pair well with seafood like salmon and tuna. And for the barbecue, as a bang-for-buck big juicy red - it’s hard to go past an Argentinean malbec.

GeorgeTown Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Rosé 2015 - $30 This is a good rosé for folks who tend to write them off as lightweights. Attractive, pale, salmon pink colour. Subtle nose - strawberries and cream, with a hint of savoury spice.

In the mouth it’s peach, raspberries, cherry and cranberry. Good palate weight at 13% alcohol with a dry, spicy, lingering finish. 18 points. Available: Herne Bay Wine Cellars.

De Martino Gallardía Itata Valley Cinsault Rosé Chile 2014 - $33 The Itata Valley is located about halfway up the long, skinny, Chilean coastal wine growing region. It has a Mediterranean climate and generally grows cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and chardonnay. Cinsault is a southern French grape variety. This wine smells of cranberry, almonds and marzipan. Tastes of red summer berries and has a dry mineral finish. 18 points. Available: Herne Bay Wine Cellars.

Folium Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2013 - $27 A softer style of sauvignon, with less of the typical racy acidity, plus a bit more complexity.

Flavours of blackcurrant, green bell pepper and herbs with a mineral dry finish. 19 points.

Available: Herne Bay Wine Cellars, Farro.

Easthope ‘Black Hawk’ Hawke’s Bay Dry Pinot Gris 2015 - $30 Aromas of lime juice, green pineapple and melon. Opens up on the palate with citrus, peach and honey but with a dry finish. 18 points. Available: Herne Bay Wine Cellars.

Bannock Brae ‘Goldfields’ Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014 - $35 Has aromas of cherry, smoke and tar with a whiff of raspberry. Swished around in the mouth, it opens up with sweet soft fruit - tamarillo and sour cherry, medium firm tannins and a spicy savoury finish. 18 points. Available: many fine wine stores. Check their website for suppliers.

Casa Montes Fuego Negro Malbec Argentina 2012 - $22 Ab fab wine. Smells like ripe summer blackberries and cherries with a hint of dark chocolate. Ripe and generous flavours of black cherry, caramel, liquorice, baking spices and muscatel raisins. 19 points. Available: Online Vino Fino Argentino. www.vinofinoargentino.com Phil Parker is a wine writer and operates Fine Wine & Food Tours in Auckland. See: www.finewinetours.co.nz. Phil’s new cellar door book ‘NZ Wine Regions - A Visitor’s PN Guide’ is now available on Amazon Kindle. (PHIL PARKER) F

A NIGHT OUT WITH CARMEN JONES Carmen Jones, a newly opened eatery on Karangahape Road is a laidback but vibrant place for a night out with ‘Carmen’ inspired cocktails, sharing plates of eclectic western and pan-Mediterranean food.

Superbly positioned for a view over iconic K’ Road at sunset take a street side seat, or sit at the bar with a Spanish, Californian or New Zealand wine. Their ‘happiest hours’ are 4 -7pm, house wine, craft beer, a Cuba Libre or rosé sangria - all $6.

Owner Claire Hindmarsh explains, “In our kitchen we are all about honest cooking, with food served the way we typically eat at home - sharing, family style. Start with our smaller plates: cauliflower fritters with almond salsa or stuffed cabbage leaves, fresh tuna and the perfect craft beer snack - New Orleans-style inspired crackle ‘dawg’ chips. Our bigger plates include buttermilk fried chicken schnitzel, char-grilled meatballs, and pulled pastrami pizza with smoked paprika and labneh. Finish off with a Carmen espresso martini and sweet jolly boys with jammy raspberries, or our baklava icecream sandwich - baklava folded through icecream and reset between layers of filo pastry and pistachio praline.”

Carmen Jones, the name, is inspired by Claire’s discovery of an unwanted collection of 1950s record covers. Based on the opera Carmen, set in southern Spain, the story was transposed across the Atlantic with the afro-American adaptation Carmen Jones - Claire loved this intriguing juxtaposition of names, cultures and colour. “When this corner on K’ Road opened up for the taking we knew we had our name!”

Inside is local artist Kyle Boonzair’s mural of his version of the passionate pursuit of the fiery gypsy; and brick walls, large windows and a 50s green glass chandelier combine to create a relaxed ambience. “Carmen Jones is about our love for food, wine, friends and family, the way we eat today and most importantly - sharing a table together, so come join us!” Open from 4pm Tuesday - Saturday. F PN CARMEN JONES: 382 Karangahape Road, T: 09 974 5500, www.carmenjones.nz

40 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

LIZ WHEADON: WINE, GLORIOUS WINE

Pinot noir When you think of quality New Zealand pinot noir, it’s true that 90% of the time the names that spring to mind are all from Central Otago.

Given that most of the pinot noir produced in New Zealand is not from Central Otago, rather grown in Marlborough, why does this tiny region punch well above its weight?

Estate. This is a producer to watch. The quality of the pinot noir produced improves year on year, and it’s already outstanding.

I recall a few years back when we were at the Pinot Noir Celebration on Wellington’s waterfront, the atmosphere at each of the regional tastings struck me. Entering the Central Otago winemakers’ area, the sea of loud shirts greeted you, beaming smiles, loud music and it all felt very cheerful.

Te Whare Ra Pinot Noir 2014, Te Whare Ra is one of Marlborough’s oldest wineries.

Today it is headed up by the Flowerdays and managed organically. This has a gorgeous PN texture that leaves you contemplating your next sip. (LIZ WHEADON) F www.glengarry.co.nz

Walking into the Marlborough regional tasting was like entering a boardroom, loads of well-dressed sales people with equally smart winemakers. The difference in the two rooms was like chalk and cheese and it hit me - is that it, is that why Central Otago pinot noir’s rush off the shelf, why we fill tasting after tasting if we are offering Central Otago pinot noir - they just seem to have more fun in Central Otago.

As you’d imagined, it’s not quite that easy to pin the difference down, though what happened in Wellington that day does give a hint to why Marlborough pinot noir’s have been overlooked for far too long. Marlborough is the wine region that put New Zealand wine on the map with our distinctive sauvignon blanc. Still today, sauvignon blanc and Marlborough are the work horses of the New Zealand wine industry. Pinot noir was originally planted in Marlborough to be used in sparkling wine base. The grapes grown for bubbly production form very different clones to those used in quality winemaking. Central Otago’s story is very different, starting with, and continuing today, to be all about pinot noir.

With its importance to the wine industry in New Zealand as a whole and sheer size, the Marlborough region has its fair share of expertise. It is no surprise to see that pinot noir has been replanted, the right clones chosen and we now have emerging a new breed of Marlborough pinot noir.

Alongside these changes, Marlborough can now be looked at as a culmination of many smaller sub regions - Wairau, Awatere, the Southern Valleys and so on. Each with very different soil and climate conditions.

All of this leads to a new era and quality offering from Marlborough that’ll have the rest of the country oh so proud of these new gems. We’ve been tasting through a host of Marlborough pinot noir recently. Here’s are a few of my favourites right now: Tupari Marlborough Pinot Noir 2013 is made from fruit off a north-facing vineyard in the upper end of the Awatere where the clay soils are very well suited to pinot noir.

A captivating style that is generous and very silky.

Jackson Estate Vintage Widow 2013 comes off two vineyard sites’ along Waihopia Valley Road, this is a deceptively bold wine and just one of the pinot noirs made by Jackson

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

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GARY STEEL: VEG FRIENDLY

Hair Pie It’s time to ask questions about weird ingredients in our food. Fancy a dash of ground-up chicken feathers in your pie, Sir? The vegan community is in a spin about a competition-winning pie.

In what seemed like a major victory for those for whom the ingestion of animal products is beyond contempt and contemplation, one of their numbers came up with the winning recipe in a competition hosted by petroleum retailer Z.

The actual amount of chicken feathers in each pie might be small to miniscule, but it’s typical of the kind of insidious ingredients that have crept into processed foods, and it seems the vast majority of consumers are willing to remain oblivious about the issue.

The best pie - which happened to be vegan - would be replicated and produced by Z and sold in its outlets around the country, but only temporarily. The spicy Mexican pie was so popular that it instantly sold out, and vegan social media boards buzzed with the enticing possibility that Z would enshrine the pie in its permanent menu. The idea that starved vegans could find something to snack on just like ‘normal’ consumers was just too good. No more emaciated, sour-faced individuals whose only late-night munchies option was to be a no-protein, sodium-plus bag of chippies!

Disturbingly, E920 is code for L-Cysteine, a substance commonly used by commercial bakeries to improve the texture and fluffiness of bread, which is often sourced from poultry feathers, pig hair and even human hair. There’s some debate about whether commercial bakeries in New Zealand use L-Cysteine derived from human hair (most of it apparently from China) but it’s still a major ingredient in commercial breads in America, so we can assume that some of it probably makes it to our food chain.

But then it all went horribly wrong. Curiosity got the better of one vegan, who Googled an ingredient number listed in the packet: E920. What followed for plant eaters throughout the country was shock and horror. They had been deceived. The coded ingredient was a ‘pastry conditioner’ which contained ground-up chicken feathers. Quick, gag me with a spoon.

When informed of this indiscretion, Z’s public relations team was quick to own up to the error, and to announce that all the chicken feather pies would be removed, and future vegan pies would be completely and utterly animal free.

All well and good, but the fact that a pie could contain a ‘pastry improver’ made of chicken feathers at all raises some genuine concerns, and not just for vegans, but for carnivores too. As one renowned chef and advocate of whole foods told me, why the heck would anyone put chicken feathers in a food product? As a meat eater, he too was appalled that food technologists had come up with a substance containing a waste product that had no place in real food.

42 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

My advice is to be vigilant, find out what’s in your processed food, and wherever possible, eat whole food. It’s likely that even if you’re baking your own bread and using a commercial mix, you’ll be ingesting something that wouldn’t ordinarily be in bread, so just remember this: baking your own delicious bread is actually really easy, and contains just three essential ingredients, flour, yeast and water. To which, of course, you can add anything else you want.

There really is no good reason - apart from expediency and cost-cutting and the best possible profit to the all-important shareholders - for a food company to add all sorts of coded ingredients to its products, but the good news is that with ready access to a wealth of online information, it’s not that hard to get to grips with those ingredient lists.

The hardest thing for my generation is the intentionally tiny typographical size of those lists. Note to self: remember to take magnifying glass to supermarket. (GARY STEEL) F PN Gary Steel is an Auckland-based journalist who runs online vegetarian resource www.doctorfeelgood.co.nz He can be contacted via beautmusic@gmail.com

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

DID SOMEONE SAY BURGER? It’s no secret that Ponsonby Central’s Burger Burger offers some of the most delectable burgers in Auckland City and says Fiona Connor and it is Adrian Chilton who deserves at least half of our thanks.

As executive chef and co-founder of the latest favourite burger spot, it’s no wonder that he’s now featuring as a guest chef on the insightful TV One programme Whanau Living.

Whanau Living returns to TV screens on Monday, 8 February with host Stacey Morrison who is back for the show’s third season. We can expect a variety of exciting things as it airs on our screens weekdays at 9am, filmed out of the location house situated in Grey Lynn. Stacey, who is known to juggle a diverse assortment of aptitudes, working as a writer, TV host, teacher, radio presenter and of course mum, will lead viewers through a journey of education. With survival tips and knowledgeable insight from pros like Adrian the programme will again continue to showcase a multitude of insightful and helpful tips around gardening, fitness, craft and cooking, to name a few.

On Tuesday, 16 February Adrian will feature on the show, revealing a tasty slice of Kiwiana in the form of a burger. Lucky for us, as recognition of his appearance, the same recipe featured will appear on the Burger Burger menu board in store. Adrian says the special burger will have “something a little bit different, still extremely tasty, with homegrown elements”. Whanau Living has lined up a refreshing host of relatable, need to know topics that put the ‘real’ back in to reality.

You can tune in to catch Adrian in action at 9am, TV One on Tuesday, 16 February and to coincide with the screening of Adrian’s episode, that same week, the ‘Whanau Living burger’ will be featuring in store at Burger Burger as the ‘Burger of the Week’.

(FIONA CONNOR) F PN

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY LIVEN UP YOUR SUMMER BARBECUE...

With summer in full swing, barbecue meats and salads are on our menus.

Add some flair to your barbecue with our new range of sauces and condiments made in collaboration with Kate Fay, executive chef at Cibo.

Take your barbecue to the next level with our Backyard BBQ Sauce.

Delicious with steak, sausages and burgers this smoky sauce has a spicy kick.

Try it mixed through pulled pork served with crispy cos lettuce and slider buns.

Sabato Yuzu mayonnaise has a sensational citrus flavour that’s perfect with barbecued seafood or chicken. It’s also delightful on asparagus and green beans or tossed through potatoes.

Made with Romulo olive oil, New Zealand verjuice and our fiery Sabato harissa, our harrissa mayonnaise is divine on burgers, tossed through crunchy coleslaw or with barbecued meats.

The Sabato range of pesto has expanded with the addition of three fabulous new must -have flavours: broccoli and chilli, truffle and dill and almond.

Fold your favourite pesto through pasta, add chopped cherry tomatoes and Romulo capers and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for a quick, tasty summer dish. Thin with a little extra virgin olive oil and toss through potatoes or Girolomoni organic farro, add some Callipo tuna or other meat to create a flavoursome side dish for the barbecue or an appetizing lunch.

Visit our retail store to taste our new products and chat to our knowledgeable staff. For more recipe ideas, visit www.sabato.co.nz F PN SABATO, 57 Normanby Road, Mt Eden, T: 09 630 8751

Stacey Morrison and Adrian Chilton The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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JULIE BONNER: NEWS FROM FROG POND FARM I was chatting with a friend the other day grumbling about Auckland’s humidity. Before that it was the wind and the rain! We are such an ungrateful lot... never happy.

Although, my garden is seriously happy and growing like mad. But then so are the weeds.

Our place is lush and green (thanks to the rain). The majority of the trees in the orchard are laden with fruit while some are fruiting for the first time. The quince tree which is usually such a great provider, has rust on the leaves and only a handful of fruit. While the Damson plum is loaded as are the pear and apple trees. The persimmon is boasting fruit, the peaches are too, there are figs on the way and all being well, we will be making guava jelly.

Of course all this activity means yours truly is preparing for the worst. Those thieving possums are paying nightly visits munching on green plums and unripe peaches, while the turkeys are gathering in numbers window shopping. Hubby netted a couple of trees, while Bill, my father-in-law, has pegged some paper bags over pears (interesting to see if this works). Frankly anything to keep the wildlife away is a bonus, trust me!

Do you ever brag about things? Our olive trees which were laden and, yes, I was bragging, have lost at least half the crop thanks to the wind... it will be interesting to see what we finally harvest.

As for our veggie gardens. There are plants spilling over beds and self-seeded curcurbits crawling along paths and through gardens shouldering other plants out of the way in their quest for garden dominance. Why am I letting them do this? Good question.

From having no pumpkins last year (ok, about four) it looks as though we will probably be able to open a shop that sells only pumpkins this year. They are loving daily waterings plus my homemade fertilisers, needless to say the bumble bees are loving their flowers.

Due to my rather late plantings of seedlings and spuds, this is the state of eating affairs at our place: • Tomatoes - we have eaten only one so far. But lots more are ripening • Cucumbers - none yet (I’m nail biting) • Loads of zucchinis and beans (the runners are delicious) • Herbs - the salad bed is chocka with them • Strawberries - be nice to eat some, get cracking with the netting, Julie • Fennel - these are divine and currently resemble sumo wrestlers • Eggplants - doubtful, planted too late • Chilli - always slow starters • Spuds - we dug them up for Christmas and with more planted just recently we should be enjoying them again in a few months • Beetroot - growing nicely • Bananas - our chooks are loving them • Eggs - mini production line about six per day • Garlic - we harvested about 95 bulbs that are still hanging near the back door No vampires at our place • Walking onions - due to be harvested soon • Green plum chutney - made with love by Bill • Spinach - thrown over the fence for the chooks waiting impatiently on the other side Needless to say, the veggie garden is full of flowers (which we don’t eat) as I am a huge fan of companion planting and encouraging those beneficial insects into the garden.

I was out and about the other day with the spray pump unit in the back of the ATV showering the orchard and my garden with seaweed fertiliser... it took ages, but was so satisfying.

Did I mention that my ‘to do’ list is never ending?

We had a quick trip to Central Otago to check on vineyards and share the pinot noir love PN at Feast Wanaka. How beautiful is New Zealand? (JULIE BONNER) F Happy gardening - for more news or gardening tips follow Julie at www.frogpondfarm.co.nz

44 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

BIRD ON A WIRE I am chatting with Sophie Gilmour in the newly fitted out Bird On A Wire restaurant in Ponsonby Central.

I ask Sophie about their decision to relocate the petite flagship Bird On A Wire ‘chicken shop’ on Ponsonby Road, to the large space in Ponsonby Central previously occupied

by Toru. After all, it is large shoes to fill. “Absolutely!” she replies. “It’s a huge one, but after three years Bird On A Wire has established a great following, and our original Ponsonby shop was at absolute capacity, we were literally bursting out of the space.”

Bird on a Wire is a contemporary take on the neighbourhood takeaway chicken shop, and the plan is to continue to offer the same good stuff that their regulars have come to expect: free-range rotisserie chicken, delicious salads and sides, with an emphasis on the healthy and nutritious. Now they are also offering a full restaurant service; from early morning coffee, to an eclectic breakfast and lunch menu, a cosy wee bar that opens onto Ponsonby Road, to dinner from their innovative ‘feasting menu’.

“It’s the getting together that is the philosophy behind Bird on a Wire’s feasting menu,” explains Sophie. “The idea is to order a whole bird between a bunch of you, then order your sides as sharing plates.” So you choose the basting on your chook (I’m a House Gravy kind of girl but you could also have Jamaican Jerk or Truffle Butter!). Then select from a list of homely favourites: roasted spuds, beer battered chips, seasonal veg, crusty baguette, or

LOVE. & MR LEWIS

photography: Stacey Simpkin

The aesthetic is rustic chic; bench backs and walls in a herring-bone pattern of recycled timber, polished concrete bar top with a distressed, pressed tin surround, comfy cushions and, refreshingly, a plethora of pot plants dangling from the industrial ceiling creating an oasis of green.

L to R: David Holmes, Sophie Gilmour, Camille Rope (executive chef) and Ben Grant salad. This is definitely harking on the traditional Sunday roast at mum’s place, but mum doesn’t have to slave over the stove for hours just to get the kids around. Or getting the flatties together for a feed once a week... but no cooking and no dishes!

It’s not surprising then that Bird On A Wire is the creation of a group of friends (all with long hospitality records), who wanted to create a brand with an emphasis on real, healthy food, sustainable practise, and a wholesome yet cool vibe. With this new and bigger incarnation in Ponsonby Central, I think they’ve nailed it. (FIONA GARLICK) F PN BIRD ON A WIRE T: 09 361 3407 eat@birdonawire.co.nz

FISH FISH

WALLACE COTTON

Fish Fish is the new fishmonger, takeaway and dine-in restaurant from the team behind Burger Burger. We’re proud to serve fresh and delicious seafood, seven days a week.

Up to 40% off selected bedding instore now! Soft organic cotton duvet sets, luxurious quilts and fun beds for kids.

Beautiful designs, exceptional quality.

@FishFishNZ /FishFishNZ www.fishfish.co.nz

WINE DIRECT

Steph says its all about the classic rose this Valentines Day. A dozen for $40, two dozen $70, or make a statement with 50 stems for $120. Show your love and get your orders in quick!

Elegant and fresh on the palate, yet well-rounded with distinctive Chardonnay aromas of toasted bread and pear, the Charles De Fere Blanc de Blanc Brut sports two gold medals. Outstanding value at $17.00

T: 021 067 5764 E: loveandmrlewis@gmail.com

T: 09 973 0999 ponsonby@winedirect.co.nz

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DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

T: 09 360 6133 www.wallacecotton.com

PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

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ROSS THORBY: SEA FEVER

Journey to the end of the earth USHUAIA, TIERRA DEL FUEGO, OR AS IT IS WIDELY KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE AMERICAS, ‘The last town on Earth’, certainly the last place on Earth where you would want to be stuck without a means of escape. Situated at the base of South America, exactly 90 miles from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and bang-smack in the middle of the Beagle Channel that separates the continent from the great fjords of Patagonia, it is only 1000 miles from Antarctica and not a place for that summer’s break. The environment here is stark, powerful and... cold. Nature at her most complex, influenced by the foothills of the Andes Mountains that dominate the landscape and the lives of the city’s inhabitants.

Here you can not only experience all four seasons in one day, but more particularly over the space of an hour. The town is blanketed in snow nine months of the year and the architecture reflects that environment. Small compact houses made of durable concrete block with sharply sloping roofs of corrugated iron that keep the constant snow flurries from settling and brightly painted buildings that can be easily picked out against the frequent white-out conditions.

Somehow, 40,000 people live here, sustained mainly by tourism. There were three ships in the day we were there. We were constantly buzzed by helicopters and light aircraft doing excursions up and down the channel while a constant stream of taxis and buses ferrying people to the surprising number of tourist hotspots involving vast arrays of wildlife and terrain-linked expeditions.

Here, there is also a small, but growing technological industry assembling of all things, televisions. A government driven industry introduced to encourage the younger generations to stay rather than losing them to the warmer and more hospitable locales of the north.

To describe the scenery here as majestic is a vast understatement. Cocooned in a valley surrounded by towering snow clad mountains, you are distracted from the bleakness and formidableness that is the Andes Mountains, by the sheer beauty of nature.

Colossal peaks reaching far into the sky, with swirling vapour sweeping up and down the escarpments constantly changing the colours and light so that the giants appear, just as the locals claim, to be sleeping.

The settlement began when the Argentines wanted to protect their territory and towards the end of the 19th Century set up a penal colony. The harsh and often terminal life here left few of the inmates any hope.

There was little chance of escape other than a permanent option - the old prison graveyard is full of inmates who couldn’t deal with it anymore and took a quick alternative rather than the slow death of the work-mill and lash of the bullwhip. They had to endure the harsh weather and environment whilst building the still existing infrastructure as part of their tenure - prison, accommodations, roads and a railroad that has a ramble is titled, ‘Train to the End of the World’.

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Recently the narrow gauge steam train had been restored and we caught it to the edge of the National Park, through a lavish landscape of waterfalls, marshland, forest and farmland finishing in an area called Ensinada. One of the inlets of the Beagle Channel.

Quite rightly, the ride is now listed as one of the great train rides of the world.

Interestingly, there was a lot of graffiti in the city aimed at the British. Tension and feelings run high here even 34 years after the Falklands War and appear to show little sign of abating. Right outside the port where we berthed was a large sign that when translated, demanded the “British pirates keep their hands off Argentinean land and return what they stole”. And the sign was sponsored by the local council.

We were warned not to engage the locals about the politics between the two countries and one of the excursion buses paid the price of the animosity by having a brick thrown through a window. There was no such terror on my excursion save the constant twitter of birdcall and tooting of the Puffing Billy chugging through the marshlands.

After, we departed the Town at the End of the Earth to sail towards the Pacific Ocean and more friendly skies.

The fog closed in and hovered over the cliffs, dwarfing the ship as we traversed the channel passing oozing glaciers and frolicking seals. The environment looking every bit of the reported three degrees outside... and here it’s the height of their summer. I’ll PN never complain about New Zealand’s summer temperatures again. (ROSS THORBY) F

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

TRAVEL BREAKS: THE NEW THERAPY!

REJUVENATE FOR THE NEW YEAR!

by Caroline Clegg, World Journeys

Feeling refreshed from your summer holidays and eager to take on the New Year? Or anything but?

It’s around this time that many people get in touch with World Journeys, wanting the truly relaxing getaway that a frantic Christmas followed by a rainy week at the bach just didn’t provide.

Travel can rejuvenate the soul by providing new sights, new experiences and the opportunity to take stock of what’s really important. If you’re already feeling run down and need to focus on rejuvenation, head for India where wellness retreats and a good dose of pampering can truly revive the mind, body and spirit.

Located amongst virgin forest in the tranquil Himalayan foothills of northern India is Ananda Spa, surrounded by graceful Sal forests and overlooking the peaceful Ganga River in the Rishikesh Valley. Here you’ll find a focus on holistic wellness, combining the finest ancient Indian traditions of Ayurveda, yoga and Vedanta, with western and oriental philosophies. Choose from an extensive range of over 80 treatments, or get a programme tailor-

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

made to your needs, be they physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. In the south of India near the beaches of Goa you’ll find SwaSwara, another holistic wellness retreat focusing on yoga, meditation and Ayurveda, but also with the opportunity to connect with nature and your local surroundings with nature walks, butterfly and bird watching, cooking sessions, and visits to local temples or the farmers market.

If your idea of rejuvenation is more of the indulgent pampering variety, look no further than the luxury palaces of India. Centuries ago the Maharajahs lived the high-life in their beautiful palaces, until modern times brought the withdrawal of royal privileges. The cost of maintaining the ‘family home’ proved too much for many; the more entrepreneurial of whom reinvented their palaces into luxurious boutique hotels. Ornately decorated, often with pictures of days of old still on the walls, a palace stay allows a rare glimpse of a time gone by. With atmosphere galore, luxurious rooms, a beautiful

setting and delicious cuisine, one of our favourites is Samode Palace just outside Jaipur.

Another way to relax away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life in India is to cruise through the tranquil backwaters of Kerala onboard a traditional kettuvallam houseboat. Your crew will plot your course through the narrow canals and cook delicious meals as you float past verdant rice paddies, rural villages and temples.

India is a country with so much to offer - the colours, sights and sounds can overwhelm the senses at times, but it needn’t be a hectic experience. Whether you choose to relax in a wellness retreat, cruise tranquil backwaters, or live like a royal in a Maharajah’s Palace, there is every opportunity to rejuvenate and keep life as interesting as it should be. Make 2016 your year to take charge and make it happen! F PN

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PONSONBY NEWS READERS ARE EVERYWHERE

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4 1. John Downey tells us, “A brilliant holiday in the UNITED ARAB EMIRATES staying with my brother and his wife, Chris and Vicki, who live and work in Dubai. We had lunch on the beach at the Hilton Jumeirah Resort and they read your Ponsonby News to catch up on what’s going on as I have an apartment in Ponsonby village. A great magazine about the heart of Ponsonby.”

2. Local resident Phil Day sent in these two photos telling us, “You can see where Max is! Enjoying some time in LOS ANGELES recently.”

3. Local residents’ Marie, Sebastian and Francesca Batty with December’s issue of Ponsonby News, taken in Tahiti on their recent world tour.

4. St Marys Bay resident Gary Williams tells us that he took this photo recently while in Surat, INDIA with the New Zealand Table Tennis team at the Commonwealth Championships. Gary is pictured with Jayesh Brahmbhatt, a journalist with a newspaper printed in the local language.

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Dear readers please keep sending us your holiday snaps reading your favourite magazine, we love getting them! Photos need to be in high resolution (300dpi), so please email them to info@ponsonbynews.co.nz without reducing the size.

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

TRAVEL BREAKS: THE NEW THERAPY!

5 5. Ponta Delgada is the largest municipality and administrative capital of the autonomous region of the Azores in Portugal. Our Sea Fever columnist, Ross Thorby, is at sea at present and tells us that the bread and cheese at the local markets here are unequalled.

6 6. Bahman, the co owner of Rug Direct, one of our lovely advertisers, is pictured on WAIKIKI BEACH last December.

PONSONBY’S FAVOURITE TRAVEL AGENT RETURNS “A huge hello to all my loyal Ponsonby area clientele, Jim Cato-Symonds, your travel agent, has returned. After 14 months travelling the world taking me from Bali to Berlin, Nepal to Nicaragua, Sri Lanka to Cuba, through old Europe and on to new beach destinations, I’m back to look after you like never before!”

Having run New Zealand’s most successful Flight Centre for 15 years, Jim is now a travel broker. He still works for the Flight Centre so the same low prices are guaranteed but with concierge levels of service, personal recommendations and a true dedication to make your trip the very best it can be.

“I’ve travelled to almost 50 countries now so chances are, if you’re going there, I’ve probably been. My insider knowledge and passion will make your trip so much richer than just a plane ticket and at a price you simply can’t do yourself.”

Maybe a romantic, rejuvenating escape from life to a Pacific island, or a family adventure to bustling Southeast Asia? Whatever you decide, Jim is here to help make your travel dreams a reality.

February is always the best time to book great deals for the coming year so drop Jim an email or give him a call now and let him make your trip nothing short of perfect. F PN JIM CATO-SYMONDS - FLIGHT CENTRE TRAVEL BROKER, M: 027 357 5343, jim.catosymonds.nz@flightcentre.co.nz

Where will you escape to in 2016? Perhaps stunning Vietnam beckons or achingly beautiful Tuscany or maybe a life changing trip through the colours and chaos of India?

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DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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

VERMONT STREET, PONSONBY 1 FEBRUARY 1926

Dear Louisa, Hopefully I’ve timed my letter to coincide with your return from Dunedin.

The postcard you sent me (thank you) of the peninsula was breathtaking.

The little bay where your aunt lives sounds like heaven to me. Did you do lots of walking as you planned? What little projects did you take with you to occupy your time? What books did you read and what can you recommend to Maudie? I went through mother’s bookcase and found some wonderful old novels and am currently reading one called ‘Moths’ that was written in 1880 by the rather exotic sounding ‘Ouida’.[i] It is full of high emotions wrought by beautiful, haughty women and handsome, dastardly men... the perfect choice for a lazy Sunday afternoon on the verandah don’t you think? Of course I’m only reading it for the splendid descriptions of the fashions. The author has such a gift for words when it comes to describing fashion, that I can visualize all the gowns perfectly in my mind.

Well, my dear, have I got a thing or two to tell you. The first is ruining my stockings as I speak. It is no less than a wee kitten, an uninvited guest, but one that has inveigled and endeared itself into my small household.

It was Tiger who found the tiny orphan exploring the jungle that is my back garden. They were having a marvelous time of it when I went out to investigate Tiger’s excited barking. I found them playing chase - Tiger was doing most of the chasing while the kitten bounded along low-hanging branches and attacked from above. Boisterous play aside, Tiger is so gentle with the little one that I am tempted to keep her.

Pusskins, who seems to be ignoring the tiny invader, doesn’t seem terribly upset by her presence so we’ll see. The trouble is, the longer I keep her the harder it will be to give her up. What to do?

So how are your New Year’s resolutions bearing out my dear? While I resolve never to make them, I thought it might be a nice change to try and keep Fridays free for the whole of January. But of course it was not to be! With Auckland’s weather being so splendidly warm, I have been flooded with requests for light summery frocks. As a means of meeting all the orders, I came up with a design for a simple, cotton voile, sleeveless gown with a slightly dropped waistline that I’ve been offering in a variety of colours. My ladies have been personalising their dresses by selecting a neckline from a number of variations and by choosing their own trimmings. A definite favourite so far has been a model in rich apricot voile which is absolutely plain except for a garland of soft leaves and flowers - made from the same fabric - around the waist seam. Just gorgeous! I’ve been offering matching slips with the frocks, as the voile is rather fine and a little transparent.

I’ve had the most wonderful idea for autumn, Louisa, inspired by Vogue!

I’ve bought up Ponsonby’s entire stock of large crepe de chine fringed shawls (a dozen in total) and will have them stenciled with jazzy floral patterns by one of my talented girlfriends. Lizzy makes lovely lampshades from silk that she stencils with her own gorgeous designs. They sell very well in a fancy art depot in Queen Street. I have one in my sunroom, which is alive with butterflies amidst nasturtiums. Actually, I might ask her to paint nasturtiums on at least half of them, as their cheery colours will be a boon, especially as the days turn dreary. And that glorious orange colour is so fashionable at the moment too.

What else... Oh yes I finally have a proper fernery! You might remember that

+ February + NEWS 2016 50 PONSONBY PONSONBY PARISH NEWS

my last one died from neglect. Dear George promised to make me one as my Christmas present and he finished it last week. We’ve been very busy gathering specimens on our walks through Western Park, which has so many more varieties than I ever thought grew there. I find that I’m seeing ferns everywhere now. Walking Tiger around Ponsonby has become slightly treacherous as I’m scouring gardens for unusual ferns instead of looking where I’m going. I’m thinking of writing little notes to put in people’s letter boxes asking for one or two young ferns of this or that variety that they have growing in their front gardens - do you think that is acceptable? I certainly wouldn’t mind if I found such a note. While my fernery is small, it is so charming. George has made the borders from volcanic rocks and arches made from punga logs form the entrances. I also have a gorgeous bench seat that has cast iron ferns as the frame - a gift from mother). By this time next year it should be lush and probably full of mosquitoes.

Oh, Louisa, I almost forgot to tell you about the fascinating encounter I had at a very swish soiree held by a customer friend who lives in one of the grand villas in St Marys Bay. ‘Madame’, as she prefers to be prefaced, is a court dressmaker visiting from London. At the first opportunity I sat myself next to her and, for the most part of half an hour, chatted all things fashion. She wasn’t willing to tell me the names of the most illustrious of her clientele, but just knowing that she designs for some of the very fashionable of London’s elite social set was enough to send my pulse racing. ‘Madame’ imports all her best fabrics from France except for her wools, which she orders from the Scottish mills. She says that most of her clients prefer the Paris fashions and are forever asking her to copy things from the their French fashion journals, which annoys her no end! (Something we both have in common.) It was somewhat comforting to me that this seems to be a universal problem for my profession.

I am thrilled to bits that ‘Madame’ has permitted me to write to her for advice on sourcing unusual fabrics and trimmings that I can’t find here.

Well, my dear, I must rush as I don’t want to miss the butcher. I have promised to make a steak and kidney pie for George’s supper.

He’s going away with his parents tomorrow to Napier for two whole weeks so I want to treat him to his favourite dinner. I suppose I’d also better get something delicious for this destructive little darling - she’s now thoroughly destroyed my stockings. Lucky for her they needed throwing out - I think I’ll make them into a ball for her!

Please do write soon with all your news,

Love Maudie, Tiger, Pusskins and the little ruffian nibbling my toes xx [i] Ouida was the pseudonym of the British author, Marie Louis Ramé (1839-1908)

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

illustration: Michael McClintock

I can hardly believe that it’s February already! Haven’t we only just had Christmas?

FASHION + STYLE CARATS: 20 YEARS OF BEAUTIFUL DESIGN Carats Jewellery was established in 1996 and will be celebrating its 20th anniversary at the end of 2016. Time has gone quickly.

Originating in High Street, we have since moved to a quaint boutique showroom at 25 Vulcan Lane in the Auckland CBD. The relaxed environment of Vulcan Lane is the perfect location for our small team of passionate jewellers who take a great deal of pride in creating beautiful jewellery which is crafted to the highest standards. When you talk to us you will be talking directly to the jewellers who will be making your jewellery, not to some pushy sales person.

above, appears as a heart. And the ‘Carbonated’ collection - a fun and bubbly design using either diamonds or coloured gemstones. There is also the ‘Flowers’ collection which is just beautiful. Also, these rings are stackable so you can create your own unique bouquet of flowers.

All of our jewellery is manufactured in our workshop and we create unique pieces that are a refreshing change to the same old designs that are found in so many stores. If you appreciate great design, you must visit Carats!

Please feel free to pop in to our showroom where you can choose from our large selection of jewellery or, if you wish, you can commission us to make up a special piece of jewellery just for you. Alternatively, you could visit our website at www.caratsjewellery. co.nz or follow us on Facebook.com/CaratsNZ to see what Carats has been busy doing in the workshop. F PN

Carats has a few signature collections that it is known for, including: the ‘Hidden Heart’ collection - a clever design that appears as a circle but to the wearer, when viewed from

CARATS DESIGN JEWELLERY, 25 Vulcan Lane, Auckland, T: 09 309 5145, www.caratsjewellery.co.nz

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

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FASHION + STYLE RETAIL SUPERSTAR Melissa Fergusson - HouseHold Linens

How did you come to be a retail salesperson?

I started my retail career as a Business Manager at Harvey Nichols, London in 2004.

I have a background in fashion and design so managing HouseHold Linens, Ponsonby was a perfect marriage.

What brought you to the store?

When I began my career with HouseHold Linens in 2014, I worked in marketing and communications. Then the opportunity arose to work in-store and manage Ponsonby.

I enjoy retail immensely - both working with high-end product and my clientele.

What do you love about your store?

HouseHold Linens has been around for 48 years, stocking high quality linens that I enjoy promoting every day. My intention is to give each and every person that shops at HouseHold Linens a memorable experience - to savour, and then return to the store for more of the same.

What makes a standout retail salesperson?

Someone who loves what they do, enjoys people and exceeds expectations.

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

Just recently, I spent an hour with a couple discussing products along with all their needs for their new home. After quoting their ‘wish list’ they returned to the store to buy everything and more. They were extremely satisfied and put this in writing.

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

I have been fortunate enough to have many celebrity customers/clients offshore and here in Auckland over the years. I would love to sell to Neil LaBute, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton and Vivienne Westwood.

photography: Tim Butler-Jones

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

Jane Campion.

Where do you shop/enjoy shopping?

Ponsonby Central.

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

WORLD, Ponsonby Road - Mary. F PN HOUSEHOLD LINENS, 264 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 378 9310, www.household-linens.com

52 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FASHION + STYLE BEAT BORING BOARDIES Inspired by nature, with art created in-house, Chalk was established in 2015 by Ponsonby local Tori Taylor and designer Rick Everard.

The brand was spurred by a gap in the board shorts market and the need to ensure one’s best look at the hottest time of the year.

Chalk presents a relaxed approach to everyday lifestyle and all of the adventures that arise. It strives to embody the essence of effortless fashion and is playful with its image.

100% New Zealand-made, Chalk offers quick dry fabrics and built in underwear to ensure maximum comfort at any time of the day.

Chalk boardies are printed using high-quality, water-based vegetable pigmentation ink, with five prints currently available. F PN chalkthebrand.co.nz

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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FASHION + STYLE: JULIE ROULSTON

Loving colour Ponsonby News fashion has said “je ne t’aime plus” to the relentless march of gift guides and instead let colours of love inspire us this Valentine’s Day. Yellow represents friendship and love for one’s parents. White (still making its presence felt as an all-season, key neutral) symbolises pure, cerebral love and undying fidelity. Intense romantic love, desire and passion call for red: we’re choosing a vivid blue-red before autumn sees the shade take a more sombre turn.

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WHO IS CARL WATKINS? Carl Watkins, owner of Trucolor Hair Salon ‘the Specialist Colour Salon that Cuts’, discusses his return to Ponsonby and the introduction of his one-on-one specialised hair care services.

WHERE TO BUY IN GREATER PONSONBY 1. Zambesi knit $660 www.zambesi.co.nz 2. Karen Walker clutch $125 www.karenwalker.com 3. Sylvester brogues $379 www.katesylvester.com 4. Ruby dress (Celebrations made to measure collection, P.O.A.) www.rubynz.com

Carl, how do you like to define yourself?

I’m a specialised provider of quality colour and hairdressing services for women. Being one of the few winners of the Schwarzkopf New Zealand Hairdresser of the Year award, and with more than 30 years’ experience, I feel pretty confident about knowing that I provide a quality service to my clients.

What gives you the greatest satisfaction in your job?

Making women feel fantastic. There’s an art to it and it stems from great communication. When I meet with a client, there is literally only one chair in my salon and the experience is all about them. I get to know what kind of person they are, what kind of hair cut and colour they need to fit in with their lifestyle and how they see themselves. Some women like to spend time styling their hair every day, others don’t. Change can be dramatic or incremental. It’s up to the client. They have to be comfortable with the process.

6. Kowtow culottes $199 www.kowtowclothing.com

Why should the women of Ponsonby and surrounds come to see you?

I’m good at what I do. I looked after Pamela Anderson when she came to New Zealand Fashion Week, have done Hillary Clinton’s hair and launched many international hair brands in New Zealand and overseas. I apply the same professionalism and care to all of my clients.

7. Cocurata shirt $285 www.blackboxboutique.co.nz

Besides, when was the last time YOU had a New Zealand Hairdresser of the Year do your hair?

8. Mimco iPhone case $99.90 www.mimco.com.au

We also specialise in curl relaxing and chemical straightening.

9. COOP top $169 www.trelisecooper.com

TRUCOLOR (by appointment only), Eden Terrace, T: 09 359 9311, www.trucolor.co.nz

5. Mimco scarf $149 www.mimco.com.au

10. Lonely bra $115 www.lonelylabel.com 11. Mi Piaci shoe $230 www.mipiaci.co.nz 12. M.A.C Ruby Woo lipstick $40 www.maccosmetics.co.nz 13. Silence Was sweater $259 www.silencewas.com

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

NEW CLIENTS: First Cut and Colour $130 (Value $250) Includes: TruColor consultation - Schwarzkopf Colour Product - Shiatsu Head Massage - Designer Cut - Global Colour or ½ Head Foils - Blowwave and Finish

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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FASHION + STYLE CHOOSING THE PERFECT WEDDING BANDS With the wedding season in full swing, it’s a very busy time of the year for jewellers, seeing lots of couples searching for their perfect wedding bands.

Traditionally, a couple will choose matching band profiles and metals but this day and age anything goes, and often couples intend on matching but can’t agree on the style so end up with quite different wedding bands. To know exactly what you want you might have to try on quite a few rings to see what suits you the most.

For guys, first choose between a plain ring or a more detailed ring, possibly even with a diamond and then you choose the metal you would like it to be made in. The metal you choose can dramatically change the price of the ring.

For the women it’s a decision often based around matching your engagement ring band, being plain or diamond set and then usually matching the metal. If diamond set, you can choose to match the stye of setting and specify the diamond grades to match your engagement ring diamonds. Some women also choose to have a completely different style of wedding ring to complement their engagement ring, as opposed to matching it. If you want something unique and unusual, this can be designed and created for you... just make sure it is a style that will grow with you as wedding bands also need to be timeless.

At Diamonds On Richmond we specialise in engagement rings and wedding bands and we have a large selection of designs to choose from. Wedding bands take approximately two to four weeks to be made. F PN DIAMONDS ON RICHMOND, 98 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn, T: 09 376 9045, www.dor.co.nz

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NEW ZORA BELL BOYD COLLABORATION Jeweller Zora Bell Boyd and accessory label Walter Crow have released a striking, limited range of rings based on a fictional tale involving the deadly plant, hemlock water dropwort.

The tale finds Walter Crow, the fictional adventurer and namesake of the brand, in Sardinia where he falls in love with a beautiful opera singer who has a horrible accident involving the poisonous plant.

The capsule collection includes five rings available in three different finishes. Dainty pod rings are set with black sapphires and translucent moonstones; floral bands sport black sapphires and rubies, and large ornate opera rings are finished with a red ruby.

“We’ve never done exclusively female jewellery and Zora challenged us to find the female in Walter’s story, explains Walter Crow co-founder Peter Bowden. “The opportunity to inject some Shakespearean-type drama was an exciting prospect.” F PN ZORA BELL BOYD JEWELLERY, 74-76 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 360 4090, www.waltercrow.co.nz

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FASHION + STYLE FIFTH AVE MENSWEAR - ALMOST 34 YEARS IN BUSINESS Jonathan Ogier opened his first menswear store in Pakuranga Plaza in 1982 with a ‘no fear’ attitude that saw him expand his clothing range to include footwear, which few menswear stores did back then.

A keen traveller, Jonathan discovered Paul Smith on a trip to London in 1989. Fascinated by his take on fashion, he immediately clicked with the quirkiness and keen eye of his brand. Little did he know, 11 years later, he would be selling his clothes in his own store.

Jonathan says: “That trip opened my eyes and made me think of where I wanted Fifth Ave to be in the future. I realised I wanted to be in the centre of Auckland fashion, but I also wanted to be part of a community, so I set my sights on Ponsonby.” It took five years to find the right store and six months to renovate it. In May 2000 the next evolution of Fifth Ave Menswear was born.

“Paul Smith and I share many passions - photography, design, architecture, culture - it was not surprising his collections soon became our favourites, and our clients, too.”

photography: Martin Leach

Another common interest with Paul Smith is Japanese culture. Paul Smith has over 200 stores there, and Jonathan has always wanted to visit. Late last year, he was invited by the Italian Trade Agency to represent New Zealand to attend a Fashion Trade Fair in Tokyo as their sole New Zealand delegate. “I am so excited. As you read this, I’ll be experiencing my first visit to Japan.” F PN FIFTH AVE, 216 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 360 9700, www.fifthave.co.nz Emily with her dad Jonathan Ogier outside Fifth Ave on Ponsonby Market Day

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HELENE RAVLICH

Onny Kaulima and Chris Lay: Steadfast and True When Point Chevalier resident Onny Kaulima decided to launch his own clothing label - alongside longtime friend Chris Lay - three years ago, there was only one option when it came to a name.

“The phrase Steadfast and True represents the ideals and hopes we have for the brand, and it is also the motto of Ponsonby Primary, my old school and a place that holds so many awesome memories for me,” he tells me over coffee at Dizengoff. “I always wanted to one day have a company under that name, and now I do.”

Steadfast and True calls itself “a purpose built label committed to designing timeless, long lasting basics with a focus on detail, quality and strength”. Its mission statement also says that it was “inspired by our childhoods and originates from early Ponsonby heritage”, and Kaulima was proudly born and raised in the central city suburb and its surrounds.

He was born and grew up mainly in St Marys Bay, and describes a childhood spent “pretty much up and down Ponsonby Road, hanging out with friends who all lived in the same area and getting up to trouble!” His family also owned a home in Keppell Street, Grey Lynn, cementing his history in the area. In his later teens he attended college across the bridge, but as soon as he could get back he did. He’s a resident DJ at Ponsonby Social Club on top of his Steadfast duties, and his partner Rickie Dee is the co-owner of Ponsonby Road retail institution, Superette.

But back to Steadfast, and where it all began back in 2013. With the company still in its infancy, he and Chris spent the first year of their label’s life still working in fulltime jobs, Onny as sales and marketing specialist for DC Shoes and Chris at Nike Platinum.

“We realised we were getting older and wanted to do our own thing,” Kaulima tells me with Lay nodding in agreement, “and we always knew we had a clothing label in us of some kind. We also knew that as we were getting older some of the newer brands on the market just didn’t suit us so much these days.” Lay adds with a laugh, “And most of them are built for guys way smaller than us, it just wasn’t going to work anymore!”

The pair is keen to assert that they still wear - and love - a huge amount of other menswear names, and that Steadfast and True was always designed to fit in effortlessly with other labels whatever your style. “I don’t think anyone really wears one label top to toe anymore,” says Onny, adding with a laugh “unless you are a very rich lady from Florida in full Versace, then go for it!”

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They spent their time after hours during their first year working on design and branding, determined to get things right from the get go with no compromise. And while the first 12 months of the brand’s life was spent “doing exactly what we wanted to do”, the second involved following the advice of their retailers and market trends, something they both agree in hindsight they won’t do again in a hurry. “It seemed like a good idea at the time, but it really sent our brand in a different direction,” says Onny, and it was one that they found themselves not so comfortable with. Since then they have gone back to their original vision, and are clearly pretty damn happy with where they are going.

It is still a truly collaborative affair, although Onny works more on the sales side of the business whilst Chris gets his real buzz from design and branding strategies. The final product is touched by both hands equally though, refining each and every piece until it is something that they both would feel privileged to wear.

They are clearly hugely passionate about what they do, describing to me the intricacy involved in finding the perfect grey marle and how they are trying their best to reach out to the man they have in mind when they are designing - as in, guys like themselves “that grew up collecting things and arguing about and listening to great music”, who want to look good and feel good doing it.

Their collections are always made up in a palette of basic navy, black, grey marle and military green, the latter of which features heavily in their A/W 16 collection. “We have really stuck to our guns this season,” says Onny, “and have gone for even more of a military look. We have got some army-style overshirts in drill cotton with detachable nametags, a cargo-type military pant... It is actually quite influenced by our very first range but it has been revisited and refined.”

It is clear that the label has truly hit its stride, and its co-founders along with it. Straight outta Ponsonby, and proud of it.

Steadfast and True is available locally at Superette and Needles & Threads.

(HELENE RAVLICH) F PN

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MAINTAINING GOOD HEALTH POOR ORAL HEALTH MAY AFFECT YOU MORE THAN YOU THINK DID YOU KNOW THAT A PERSON’S ORAL HEALTH HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THEIR overall wellbeing? Recent studies indicate there is an increasing awareness of the mouth-body connection, with medical evidence linking oral inflammation and bacteria to various diseases. These include heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, strokes, diabetes, respiratory problems, Alzheimer’s disease and more. The correlation and strength of these links is still under investigation with research evolving constantly.

Basically there are three ways oral disease may affect your overall health.

• First, bacteria in your mouth can be inhaled into the lungs and cause respiratory infections and pneumonia - more common in the elderly and those with weakened immunity.

• Secondly, ‘bad bugs’ can access the bloodstream through inflamed gums to reach other parts of the body causing secondary infections or contribute to the disease process in other tissues and organs.

• Thirdly, inflammation associated with periodontal disease may stimulate a second inflammatory response within the body.

More over, periodontal disease can also cost you your teeth - that’s certainly nothing to smile about. It really is in your best interest to maintain your mouth in an optimum state of health.

Toothpick is the name of my new Oral Hygiene Clinic and my aim is to create the friendly, non-judgmental, relaxing, professional and positive experience a visit should be.

We are located at 58 Brown Street, Ponsonby next to Lab Tests. Parking is available. F PN TOOTHPICK, 58 Brown Street, Ponsonby, T: 09 320 5920, www.toothpick.nz

RELIABLE TRANSPORT AND MOBILITY AT YOUR DOORSTEP IN THE FIRST 18 MONTHS OF HER DRIVING MISS DAISY COMPANION DRIVING SERVICE, Jana and her team have explored every specialist medical clinic and hospital in Auckland, have taken children to the orthodontist, helped people choose gifts and have picked up canine companions from doggy daycare.

And they have been busy. So much so that they have recently added another car to their fleet - a brand new Honda Jazz. “Getting to know our elderly clients has been wonderful and the variety of people we have met through our ACC work has been amazing,” says Jana.

“Driving Miss Daisy helps people maintain their independence when they can’t drive whether it’s temporary or longer term.” They take people to and from appointments, eliminating any parking hassles and can offer valuable assistance on shopping trips.

They cater for all ages of clients and can assist with such things as helping time-poor parents with school or after school trips, and even with arranging to take children to and from appointments during the school day.

Driving Miss Daisy also provides transport for ACC clients. People recovering from an accident can use them by just letting their ACC case manager know. Elderly people and those with disabilities can use their Total Mobility cards to get a 50% discount on their travel costs. “It is all pre-booked and quoted so there’s no meter to watch and you know who will pick you up and when. Also, Driving Miss Daisy, in the Auckland central suburbs, has predominantly female drivers. So if you prefer a woman driver, just ask.”

The screening, training and accreditation of their staff is taken very seriously, so be assured that whether it’s a frail parent or a young child - Driving Miss Daisy can be PN trusted to look after them from door to door. F DRIVING MISS DAISY, T: 09 360 0425, M: 021 503 169, www.drivingmissdaisy.co.nz

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MAINTAINING GOOD HEALTH DOLPHIN SURVIVAL DEPENDS ON KIWIS KEEPING AN EYE ON THE SEA AND ON WHAT WE EAT Summer is usually the time for fun visits and evening fish and chips at the beach.

But dolphin advocates are reminding New Zealanders to keep an eye out for dolphins both at sea and ‘in their fish and chips’ this summer. “Maui and Hector’s dolphin survival requires watching the sea and our fish consumption,” says Maui and Hector’s Dolphin Defenders Chairwoman Christine Rose.

Maui and Hector’s dolphins are the world’s smallest and rarest marine dolphin, found only in New Zealand waters, and come in close to shore during summer. That means they can sometimes be seen from coastal hotspots around the country, but they are also at increased risk of entanglement in both recreational and trawling gillnets at this time.

Gillnets are allowed in much of both Maui and Hector’s habitat, ensuring a downward trend in the dolphin population.

Gillnets are the biggest known threat to the dolphins, accountable for up to 95% of human-caused deaths. Scientists predict Maui’s dolphins could be extinct within 15 years unless this attrition is halted.

Maui and Hector’s dolphins are distinguished by their small size (about 1.8m max), black, grey and white colouring, and rounded dorsal fin. Anyone who spots one of the charismatic wee dolphins from shore or boat should report sightings to the Department of Conservation hotline 0800 DOCHOT. DOC maintains a sightings database which helps inform research and protection.

Verified sightings with as much information about location and time of sighting are essential for dolphin conservation, says Rose, “The public have the eyes on the ground, and can make a huge contribution to knowledge about the dolphins’ distribution”. There are only about 55 Maui dolphins, but despite their low numbers, they are sometimes seen in the surf at busy West Coast Auckland beaches like Muriwai and Bethells-Te Henga. All sightings should be reported as soon as possible.

But the Maui and Hector’s Dolphin Defenders group also reminds buyers of fish and chips this summer, to buy carefully given the overlap between New Zealand’s inshore commercial fisheries, and recreational set netting in much of Maui and Hector’s habitat.

Dolphin Defenders Chair Christine Rose, says, “New Zealand’s own fishing practices are driving Maui and Hector’s dolphins to extinction. Kiwis shouldn’t buy into that, by not setting nets in the dolphin habitat, (especially where it is illegal), and avoiding trawl caught fish.”

This call follows Maui and Hector’s Dolphin Defenders’ successful ‘ByCatch of the Day’ campaign launched in November highlighting the links between New Zealand’s commercial gillnet fishing and Maui and Hector’s dolphins’ decline. A petition launched at the time has attracted over 2000 signatures so far.

Rose says, “High profile, set net entanglements of other species this summer have highlighted the risk of indiscriminate gill nets. All gill nets should be banned in Maui and Hector’s habitat given their precarious situation. In the meantime, consumers need to be aware of the unsustainable bycatch from New Zealand’s trawling practices, forging the path for these dolphins’ extinction.” F PN

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

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JOHN APPLETON: ON HEALTH

CLARE CALDWELL: THE ART OF LIVING

Can curcumin cure cystic fibrosis?

When we were little, most of us associated darkness with the scary and unknown.

This is the title of a research article that was featured in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Cystic fibrosis is a progressive and ultimately fatal inherited disorder caused by a mutation of a gene known as cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CTFR).

Sufferers of CF have thick, viscous, mucus secretions in their lungs - and have many symptoms such as chronic cough, wheezing, bronchitis, sinusitis, asthma, excessive salt in the sweat leading to dehydration, abdominal pain and fatigue. The build-up of mucous provides an ideal breeding ground for infections which present a huge challenge for doctors and one bacterium in particular, burkholderia cenocepacia, causes severe and persistent lung infections and it’s resistant to nearly all known antibiotics.

Given all of this and the fact that current treatments are only able to limit the worst symptoms, wouldn’t it be wonderful if there were a simple and totally safe option that achieved this and possibly a lot more? Curcumin is a fat soluble substance which gives ‘curry’ its yellow colour and it is extracted from the commonly known spice turmeric.

Turmeric is from the ginger family and approximately 5% of turmeric is curcumin.

Curcumin has been studied for many years and is perhaps the most well researched of any nutritional substance. Prof Bharat Aggarwal at MD Anderson Cancer Centre at University of Houston is regarded as the world’s leading authority on curcumin.

When I first read about curcumin 15 years ago I became so interested I developed a website with Prof Aggarwal kindly agreeing to provide much of his research. www.curcumin.co.nz.

I discovered that there were so many conditions and diseases that could be targeted by curcumin it seemed as close to being a Dr Pepper’s ‘cure-all’ as one could get.

Research using curcumin for cystic fibrosis has mainly been conducted with animals.

Michael Caplan a scientist at Yale University reported on a study using specially bred mice. He said that his “tests show that low doses of a component of turmeric can make most of the cystic fibrosis symptoms disappear. It can almost completely correct the measurable defects of the disease”. Caplan notes that his results would need to be replicated in humans before any conclusions could be arrived at.

It would be very easy to conduct research with human subjects given that curcumin is known to be very well tolerated even at high doses. What is there to lose by trying it?

There have never been questions about the safety of curcumin.

I have had one experience with a young man who has cystic fibrosis. This young man had been in and out of hospital for much of his life. Three months was the maximum time that he was out of hospital at any one time.

Three years ago the young man started taking a form of curcumin known as BCM 95 together with a liposome encapsulated vitamin C. He has not been back to the hospital since then and he has been able to play cricket for each of the summers during this time. He has also been able to work full time (40 hours) in a physically demanding job.

It’s interesting to note that when he contracted a flu-like infection the symptoms were probably no more severe than they might be in a normally healthy person.

The unfathomable depths of our fear and imagination could be tapped into and amplified. As children, the flick of a light or a comforting hug from a parent usually dispelled those fears.

Learning to embrace the darkness within ourselves and not continue to see it as ‘other’ is one of the tasks of adulthood. Turning the light on these darker emotions is a lot more challenging than merely flicking on a switch and having them dissipate. We learn socially that speaking of our inner darkness is (mostly) not acceptable, so we suppress it with silence. Being bright, breezy and superficial is easier. But this “darkness of our soul has a life of its own which thrives, whether or not we choose to acknowledge it. It’s there, and it’s powerful”. www.collective-evolution.com As our emotional complexity grows, so does the fear of exposing what we commonly call our ‘shadow’ - that hidden part of us that influences our choices more often than we are aware. We spend a lot of time negating this shadow or dark side of us, equating it with shame and fear. We don’t want people to see us as vindictive, aggressive, greedy, jealous, etc. But as with all strong emotions, what we don’t want to look at always keeps us contracted and in denial. We are all flawed and we need to learn to confront these qualities with humour, compassion and forgiveness. They, like it or not, are part of who we are!

So why is this integration so important? If our shadow is not acknowledged and embraced, the depth of our personal and spiritual growth is severely limited and we will never be perceived in our totality by others. Without this integration we become a mere ‘personality’ - a projected, superficial ideal of what we consider is acceptable to others in the cultures we inhabit. We try to be loved or respected for something we are not, be it a life of heightened achievement, material wealth, or a life of spiritual practice. The more we over-identify with this personality the more shallow and split off from our true selves we become, wondering why we are never truly happy or enlightened.

Hiding our shadow is saying we don’t deserve to be seen in our entirety. This can lead to us becoming secretive, manipulative and false. The more we repress the darkness in our being, the more disordered we can become. This can create a life of incomprehensible self-destructive behaviours, eg, addiction, anxiety, intentionally failed relationships or jobs, or other behaviours that cause destruction to ourselves and others. Embracing our shadow and not suppressing it in shame is an immense step towards healing and self-love. By beginning to expose, validate and integrate the totality of who we are in a safe energy of acceptance and love, new possibilities, choices and perceptions can start to appear.

To become aware of our shadow is to shed light on our earliest wounds and to give ourselves a chance for healing and transformation. I truly believe the way to our strength and our light is through our darkness.

“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light but by making the shadow conscious.” (Carl Jung) (CLARE CALDWELL) F PN Clare (Claudie) Caldwell is a creative arts therapist who runs a small private practice from home. She now runs a voluntary art and art therapy programme at Auckland City Mission. She is also a freelance artist.

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

I have recently discovered a new form of curcumin that is ‘micellized’ which makes it 100% soluble in water. Curcumin being fat soluble is very difficult to get through the digestive system into the blood stream. I am really excited about ‘micellized’ curcumin because everything I have read suggests that if we can get the curcumin to where it needs to go who knows what might be achieved? (JOHN APPLETON) F PN APPLETON ASSOCIATES, T: 09 489 9362, john@johnappleton.co.nz, www.johnappleton.co.nz

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MAINTAINING GOOD HEALTH PONSONBY CRUISING CLUB SAILING NEVER TOO OLD TO GO ELECTRIC Just days after celebrating his 78th birthday, Mohan Ori was SCHOOL HAS FIVE NEW BOATS trying out an e-bike for the first time with friends at the The Ponsonby Cruising Club is excited to announce the arrival of five new additions to the sailing school fleet.

They are the result of proceeds of two fund raising art exhibitions and a very generous private donation.

The PCC has been involved in dinghy sailing for over 75 years and their sailing school has been going for almost that length of time teaching children, young adults and adults how to sail.

These boats are the first new boats in over 20 years and are part of an ongoing upgrade to the fleet. Head Coach - Jonathon Reynolds (JR) and his assistant coaches will be very eager to try these fast little Far East 11s out.

The PCC was delighted that the Hon Nikki Kaye MP had time to join them to christen the boats in the traditional way before she, Patron, Peter Montgomery, Commodore, Dave Fredric and club members joined together for refreshments in the club house. F PN THE PONSONBY CRUISING CLUB, Westhaven Marina, www.pcc.org.nz

Auckland Domain.

He was on an Auckland Transport cycle training day late last year for the over 60s on the Never2old programme.

“It was just terrific. I can’t stop talking to my friends about it,” says Mohan who is keen to encourage other people his age to try it.

“I suggest people should go somewhere like the Domain and practice with no traffic before going out on the roads. Just give it a go,” he says.

While it was the first time Mohan has used an e-bike, he already spends a lot of time on a bike. “I ride down by the waterfront and there are so many things I see that I wouldn’t have seen if I was driving. I usually stop and have a chat to the guys fishing off the rocks down by Wynyard Quarter.”

Mohan and the rest of the group started with a bike and helmet fitting at Bikes and Barbers in Newmarket, then walked their bikes along Parnell Road. They then got on their bikes in groups of three and rode to the Domain. After a couple of trial loops around the fountain using the electric power of the bike, they continued onto the roads with other traffic.

An e-bike typically has a throttle on the handlebars which controls a small motor attached to the wheel making pedalling a lot easier.

The Never2old programme is an AUT University and YMCA initiative to encourage over 60s to be more active in a social setting. The programme has groups all over the city doing a range of activities like gym workouts, yoga, games, dancing and group walks.

Auckland Transport partnered with Never2old and bike hire firm nextbike to provide e-bikes for Mohan’s group. Encouraging over 60s to ride a bike more often will help us achieve our goal of a 30% increase in the number of bike journeys by 2019 says AT’s Walking and Cycling Manager, Kathryn King.

“For some people who have not been on a bike since they were a child, our free cycle training courses give them the skills and confidence to try it again. We get so much great feedback from people who tell us they not only learned a lot, but they also enjoyed meeting new people while getting some exercise.

“Riding a bike is very liberating. People tell us that when they start riding more often, they are more likely to travel in their local community for shopping, visiting friends and PN going to cafes.” F For more on cycling and walking: www.at.govt.nz/cycling-walking

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CARING PROFESSIONAL Jade Rehu - Movement Lab Jade Rehu has been in the health and wellness industry for 20 years in which time he has owned and operated two successful wellness clinics in Australia and written transformation programmes that have been replicated in fitness centres across New Zealand.

Jade has returned from Kuwait where he worked as a personal trainer and lifestyle coach for the royal family; this year he is looking forward to completing his degree in Occupational Therapy.

How did you come to be a health and wellness specialist?

I’ve always been passionate about martial arts having practised it from a very young age. I’m also very curious about pushing the limits of the human body to explore its potential. These two things combined are what led me to study exercise physiology and human anatomy.

I used my own body as a testing ground for understanding the boundaries of physicality and how to advance discipline, and through training people from all walks of life, I’ve developed an instinct for identifying what techniques work for each individual to get them the results they want.

What do you love about your job?

I love being able to actively help people towards living a healthier lifestyle that’s actually sustainable. There are so many fad diets and exercise regimes out there and an overwhelming amount of information about nutrition that I think some people get confused about what really works. I really enjoy taking things back to basics and rebuilding my clients’ understanding of exactly what they need to do to achieve their goals.

What do you find challenging?

Tapping into what drives and energises each one of my clients and what could be holding them back from realising their full potential. There’s so much more to training than just

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getting someone to move more for a couple of hours each week. You need to take a holistic approach to be your best both physically and emotionally. So it becomes an exchange of energy that requires me to get to know someone on a physical, mental and emotional level. For that reason my clients have to trust me and be willing to open up to me, which is a process that can come with a whole set of other challenges.

How do you differ from other health and wellness specialists?

There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ in the way I do things. Lifestyle redesign is about looking at the individual and their environment and guiding them to find the meaning and passion in their lives that will empower them to meet their personal health goals. It’s about reworking high-risk lifestyles into healthier ones.

Can you share an anecdote about a case?

I had a very reluctant client who would only train if he could bring his dog along with him. He was quite overweight and, by his own admission, a bit of a recluse. Under my guidance, he lost 30kg and gained enough confidence to start socialising, which was a huge step for him. Now he’s happily married with a family, which he never would have thought possible before we starting working together.

What do you do to care for yourself?

Meditation, eating organically and practising qigong, which is an ancient Chinese practice that cultivates energy through a combination of movement, breathing and meditation.

I learned it in the Wudang Mountains of China, where I try to go back as often as I can to completely disconnect from all the unnatural stimuli of the modern world. F PN MOVEMENTLAB, L3/S1 58 Surrey Crescent, Grey Lynn, T: 09 360 0008, www.movementlab.co.nz

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MAINTAINING GOOD HEALTH INJURY SLOWING DOWN YOUR SUMMER?

MAINTAINING GOOD DIGESTIVE & REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AT AROHA HEALING IN 2016

We all get more active when the sun is shining but it can be harder if you have an injury or a niggle that’s preventing you from performing at your best.

ARVIGO TECHNIQUES OF MAYA ABDOMINAL THERAPIES®. ROSANNA MARKS - ‘therapist, teacher, co-conspirator and sometimes magician’. If you are looking for a natural and results-driven therapy to assist with abdominal and reproductive health then you may have found it in the Arvigo techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy® available at Aroha Healing.

But now, thanks to a Three Lamps, Ponsonby-based clinic, there’s no better time to get yourself in top form for the summer months. They are offering your first ACC session free (up to one hour), and they also have off-peak rates.

You may have a condition relating to reproductive organs, digestive system, suffer from anxiety or you may be experiencing fertility challenges.

Zee Sharif, head therapist, says now is the perfect time to fix annoying injuries. “Everyone is more active now so they are more motivated to look after their body.”

Return to Form is a holistic clinic offering physio, massage, personal training and acupuncture. Discounts are available if more than one therapy is booked.

Even if you don’t qualify for ACC, you can still get your first session at half price.

Return to Form is one of the few clinics in Auckland that offers one hour appointments.

Says Zee, “We find that we get better outcomes more quickly with a longer session. We are not a production line. We are treating often complex physical problems and it pays to get it right.”

So now might be the perfect time to get yourself back to form with Return to Form.

To claim your first ACC session free, or private session at half price, contact Return to Form on 09 551 4460 or email info@returntoform.com, or pop in: Level 1, 334 Ponsonby Road. F PN RETURN TO FORM, Level 1, 334 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 551 4460, www.returntoform.com

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This is the massage therapy to assist circulation of blood, lymph, nerves and energy.

The best part of this incredible treatment is that Rosanna will teach you belly massage, so you get a ‘going home’ present on your first treatment and it may just be the best gift you ever receive!

Arvigo therapy is founded on an ancient Mayan technique of a non-invasive, external abdominal massage. Arvigo therapy stimulates circulation and blood flow within the abdominal area, supporting the body for optimal function of digestive and fertile health and wellness. It is a therapy that can be applied throughout every stage of a woman’s, man’s or child’s life. Arvigo therapy incorporates a holistic approach to health and wellbeing. Only by treating the whole person on a physical, emotional and energetic level can true healing take place.

Rosanna has had some incredible results with this ancient treatment and will be advancing her knowledge this month when she travels to Belize to receive her International certification as an Arvigo practitioner. We will update you with testimonials and the results of her Belize adventure next month. You can follow her late February adventure on the Aroha Healing Facebook page. To read more about Arvigo therapy please go to the Aroha Healing website or email Rosanna directly. (ROSANNA MARKS) F PN AROHA HEALING, 3 Maidstone Street, M: 0273 866 587 or T: 0800mindbody, E: info@arohahealing.co.nz, www.arohahealing.co.nz

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MAINTAINING GOOD HEALTH MINDFUL YOGA FOR A HEALTHY BODY AND CALM MIND Svastha Yoga in Galatos Street has been offering mindful yoga for health and wellbeing for the past 10 years.

The centrally located studio is an urban oasis, nestled in behind Karangahape Road, offering a range of classes that cater to all levels of experience.

The classes involve co-ordinating movement and breath; with an emphasis on cultivating mindfulness throughout the practice. A powerful combination that leaves students feeling calm and refreshed at the end of each session.

Although relatively simple compared to many of the ‘power yoga’ styles available today, Svastha Yoga is remarkably strengthening. Practitioners note increased strength, better postural habits, improved mobility and agility.

More potent, however, is the deeply calming effect on the nervous system and mind. With practice, there will be more contentment and peace of mind, clarity of thought and the ability to maintain equanimity in daily encounters.

Svastha Yoga teachers are experienced, knowledgeable and committed to their personal practice and continued study. Founder, Barbara Coley, has done extensive studies in India with her teachers and mentors, A.G and Indra Mohan of Svastha Yoga and Ayurveda. She has completed a Diploma in Yoga Therapy and works one-to-one with students seeking to improve their physical and emotional health.

Svastha Yoga is a traditional and personalised approach to yoga, catering to the needs and goals of each student. We welcome you to join us.

Check out the website for class timetables. F PN SVASTHA YOGA, Level 1, 10 Galatos Street, Auckland, M: 021 170 2640, www.svasthayoga.co.nz

Walking Stars 2015 - Lisa Hill of Doubtless Bay Darlings

PONSONBY REVELLERS - THE HIGHLIGHT IN UNIQUE HALF-MARATHON NIGHT WALK Ponsonby’s famous strip did itself proud on a Saturday night in December, cheering on more than 2500 people taking part in a unique night-time walk through the streets of Auckland.

“Ponsonby really embraced the walkers with cheers of encouragement, people were coming out of restaurants to clap as they walked past creating a great buzz for all involved,” said organiser Mel Lloyd. The majority were kitted out in tutus, neon lights, fluro glasses and even fairy wings. For many it was a celebration of a loved one, for others it was to celebrate survival, and succeeding in beating cancer. Others were partaking as a fun way to exercise with friends and work teams.

Walkers wore a bib on their back, with a dedication for the person they were a walking star for, and reading those brought home just how important the funds we raised are and gave walkers an added inspiration.

“We had large work teams through to friends, couples and individuals. We’re really proud that every dollar they raised will go to the Cancer Society and Look Good Feel Better, two amazing charities doing incredible work providing support to patients and funding much -needed research for treatments and cures,” Lloyd says. “Ponsonby is a real hub for Saturday nightlife and we are really grateful to everyone who took time to make the walk really special.” F PN www.walkingstars.org.nz

Walking Stars 2015 - Ponsonby Il buco

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ALI LAWRIE: PERSONALITY TYPES

Personal career development If you have ever wanted constant internal conflict and guilt, then mixing parenting and work is a sure fire-way to instantly achieve this state!

On a fine day when the sun is shining and everyone is well, it can look and, occasionally, feel like a breeze, but throw in one spanner (and there is usually at least one) then the house of cards falls. The said spanner could be as simple as a school lunch left behind, the cat vomiting on the homework, a lost shoe, the list goes on. I often think of my mother during the snowy winter in Canada where you could be stuck indoors for days. Desperate for a change of scene, she would get all three of us (under the age of five) finally wrapped up in our snowsuits, hats, boots and mittens then, just as we were about to go out the door for a spell in the backyard, someone would always need the bathroom. That’s similar to what it’s like trying to manage kids and get to work on time.

Combining career with family life is a challenge on many levels and indeed has filled many a book, pros, cons, best time to leave kids in daycare, the list of decisions is endless, but once the decision has been made to re-enter the paid workforce, then often help is needed and a good strategy put in place.

For many mothers/fathers this can be a time of career change. With the advent of children, there is a shift in values and interests so it can be an excellent time to do some personal career development work. This can involve visiting a career specialist to work through the process or investigating online resources like the very useful Government website www.careers.govt.nz.

You can find tools such as Career Quest which will take you through your personal preferences and generate a selection of job titles that match, which you can further investigate by a simple click of a button. Taking courses to upskill or even completely change career direction are usually able to be slotted into daycare or school schedules.

Parents often think that logistically it will be easier to manage when children reach school age but unfortunately school, unlike childcare, finishes mid-afternoon and there are often after school activities the children need to be ferried to and from.

If you are keen to return to your previous field, then often the task is working out how to reconnect. A good place to start is by looking at your own personal networks. If you are still in touch with people you used to work with, then make contact; meet for a coffee and a chat.

Express your interest in getting back into the industry and ask about any tips or updates they could recommend. This is called ‘informational interviewing’ It’s a non-threatening way of finding out good, relevant information without directly asking for a job, but allowing the idea to be ‘put out there’.

If you do not have contacts in the area you are interested in (maybe you are considering a career change) you can create your own networks by joining interest groups and keeping an eye on and attending relevant industry events.

Volunteering is a brilliant way to get back into the working environment, gaining skills and experience for your CV, developing a network and quite often you are giving back to the community. More often than not, volunteer organisations are not-for-profit groups providing an invaluable service such as the SPCA, Red Cross, Hospice and Youthline.

Volunteering can be casual, short term or long term, the beauty is that you have the choice.

photography: London Scout Upsplash.com

According to Volunteering NZ, volunteers contribute more than 270 million unpaid hours of work valued at over $3.3 billion to non-profit organisations. It is hard to think of a good reason why not to do this as part of your job search strategy. As challenging as it is to take the first steps, especially for more introverted people, it just has to be done.

Fortunately, most organisations are only too pleased to hear from volunteers. You can go directly to their websites, or for a more formal process, Volunteering NZ does a great job of connecting volunteers with suitable organisations.

Lack of confidence is often an issue that parents returning to work can face. It’s just something that seems to be a recurrent theme with my clients and knowing that it is ‘normal’ to feel this way can be helpful. It’s really important to remember that employers are looking to recruit candidates with appropriate work-related skills but also a range of life skills. Parenting experience, with all the transferable skills gained such as managing, scheduling, organising, innovating, adapting and resilience are incredibly valuable skills PN that are much needed and appreciated in the workplace. (ALI LAWRIE) F For assistance with this transition contact Ali@personalitytype.co.nz

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MASSES OF EXPERIENCE LEADS TO MASSES OF HAIR – AND SUCCESS FOR GARY ROGERS A qualified hairstylist for more than 40 years, Gary Rogers has cut, shaved, clipped and permed innumerable stylish hair designs within Auckland and New Zealand over the past four decades.

Caring for a wide variety of clientele - including the rich and famous - Gary loves to cut hair and is renowned for his excellent techniques for curly hair.

Not only is he a great hairstylist, but he also excels in the art of hair extensions, of which he is a master.

Looking back, 20 years ago, Gary was the first Kiwi in the class at Great Lengths in Australia. Today, he is known as New Zealand’s No.1 Great Lengths’ Hair Extension Specialist and he is now also their national educator.

Perfecting hair extension application is an art. One has to have an eye for detail and the colour sense to blend a combination of colours that produces a natural look - as well as the experience to ensure that the application is suitable for the client and that the client understands how to manage the extensions to gain the most from them over the longest time frame possible.

Gary infuses this subtle combination of skills into his work and he is passionate about helping clients create their desired look and colour. The process starts with a free consultation where the client’s hair is examined for suitability; colours are matched or created, and the hair is ordered.

The application is generally another session, resulting in beautiful long, thick locks. It involves a process of mapping and fusing the keratin bond of the extensions to the client’s natural head of hair.

Thereafter, maintenance checks are a valuable for preserving the longevity of the client’s new look. Gary offers a two-month warranty with up to four free maintenance checks during this period.

Quality is always assured. The hair extensions that Gary uses are comprised of 100% human hair which has no chemical history. Great Length’s hair extensions are world renowned for their excellence and the system of their application is world class.

For more information and examples, check out Gary’s website. F PN GARY ROGERS HAIR EXTENSION SPECIALIST AND PROFESSIONAL STYLIST, T: 09 361 5077, M: 027 271 5859, www.garyrogers-hairextensions.co.nz

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FUTURE GENERATION MEET THE TEACHER

Sue Winslow - Learning Assistant, Richmond Road School How did you come to be a primary learning assistant?

I started as a volunteer mum when my daughter Amber started at Richmond Road School in 2001. This was after being made redundant from my sales job. I have had a variety of jobs at the school. I began working with special needs children initially, then I became very involved with fundraising and was hired by the school in a fulltime fundraising role. I was involved with running the annual ‘Art with Love’ art auction, Food and Lifestyle Fair and the ‘Richmond Road Short Film Festival’ for a period of five years. Then I reverted to working in the classroom directly with children, running various educational programmes. I also run the afterschool care, before school care and holiday programmes at Richmond Road School.

Where did you train?

My background is in sales, but I have had various training in special needs areas during my time at Richmond Road School.

What are your favourite things about being a learning assitant?

Working alongside dedicated teachers and surrounded by kids (far easier when they are not your own)!

What has been a highlight of your teaching career?

Working in a multicultural, multilingual environment and seeing children being taught in their heritage language.

And a low point?

None that I can recall.

How would your principal describe you?

Someone who wants to give their best.

How would other teachers describe you?

Flexible, adaptable and a pleasure to work alongside! (*laughs) How would your students describe you?

Nice, funny and a bit crazy.

MOTAT FIRE AND RESCUE DAY 2016 This year MOTAT’s popular Fire and Rescue event takes place on Valentine’s Day, Sunday 14 February, and what better way to express love for your whanau than spending the day with them at MOTAT having fun while learning more about fire safety and disaster preparation?

Fire engines, hoses, speed cameras and rescue demonstrations are just some of the exciting things on offer at MOTAT’s Fire and Rescue Day. The interactive games and displays are designed to teach youngsters some very serious lessons within a playful environment.

“This is a great opportunity for the museum to partner with services such as the New Zealand Fire Service, Civil Defence and Surf Lifesaving New Zealand to teach families how to stay safe in a disaster situation,” says MOTAT chief executive Michael Frawley.

“If this family day out can prevent even one house fire or fatality then it’s been a huge success,” he said.

The Fire Service remains a major supporter of the event and their fire engines will once again feature alongside MOTAT’s vintage fire trucks. Firefighters will be on-hand to highlight key fire safety messages such as the importance of working smoke alarms and the dangers of unattended cooking.

Other activities and displays include: • • • • • •

An impressive collection of old and new emergency vehicles housed at MOTAT Auckland Surf Lifesaving New Zealand and First Aid NZ CPR demonstrations Hands-on activities and Little Flick fire engine rides Fire hose target practice and Police laser speed activities for children Volunteers and their pets from Outreach Pet Therapy Face painting

Fire and Rescue Day starts at 10am and ends at 4pm. Normal MOTAT admission fees apply. F PN www.motat.org.nz

If you could wave a magic wand in the classroom...

There would be lots of new resources and fairy dust everywhere!

Five tips for mums and dads of primary school kids 1. Trust the teachers.

2. Have children come to school well rested.

3. Pack a nutritious lunch - nothing in a packet!

4. Teach children to know and use good manners.

5. Have children be respectful - instil good, old-fashioned values.

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FUTURE GENERATION PUTTING CHICKS IN THE MIX: RE-ENGINEERING THE AUDIO INDUSTRY There are more women in the audio industry than ever before, but there is still concern about their under-representation in the technology sector, which sits at around 30%.

Even more concerning is the number of women working in the field of audio engineering, where just 5% of workers are female. This statistic needs changing, says SAE Creative Media Institute, which is redressing this balance with its first women-only audio engineering workshop, ChicMix, on March 12.

The one-day workshop will introduce the basics and provide hands-on experience in music production and the recording arts in an all-women environment.

Mona Sanei (23), an audio engineer who freelances in the film and music industries, says she wishes females were more of a familiar sight out in the field. “I was recording Stan Walker’s concert and someone asked whether I was a groupie,” says Mona. “At another job, I asked where the microphones were, and was told: ‘Ask the sound guy.’

I replied ‘I am the sound guy.’

“It’s essential to increase the number of women in the recording arts, so we can bring more balance to the industry,” says SAE Auckland’s Campus Manager, Dr Suzette Major. “ChicMix allows women to get a taste for the audio engineering in a professional studio environment.”

SAE offers internationally recognised qualifications such as the Bachelor of Recording Arts, Diploma of Audio Engineering and Certificate in Electronic Music Production.

Job prospects for graduates include recording studio engineer/producer; live sound technician; audio production for theatre, television and film, and radio industry work.

To enrol for ChicMix, visit the website or call the phone number listed below SAE CREATIVE MEDIA INSTITUTE,12 Heather Street, Parnell, T: 09 373 4712, www.auckland.sae.edu

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SIDELINE WITH GEORGE BERRY

Rhinos and running Hollie Woodhouse isn’t your quintessential Ponsonby girl, in fact she probably fits the mould of a farmer’s daughter more than anything else.

But after meeting the 31-year old in Christchurch just ahead of one of her African adventures late last year, I was gripped by her infectious love of life, appetite for adventure and caring attitude towards animals, so I thought her story just had to be told.

Outside her regular work hours in the construction industry Woodhouse somehow squeezes in publishing her own magazine, ‘Say Yes to Adventure’, a quarterly magazine dedicated to telling the stories of inspirational people and their quest for a life more exhilarating and spent outdoors.

From astronauts and ocean racers to Joe Public on a mission in the Waitakere Ranges, Say Yes to Adventure touches on all levels of adventure, finding a way to not discriminate on the size or scale of anyone’s adventure. “Adventure is something different to everyone,” says Woodhouse. “My adventures are getting grander all the time, but 10 years ago, my thoughts of what I was capable of were entirely different to what they are now. Some of the stories are like, ‘whoah that’s crazy’! But people should be free to decide on what challenges them, so I try to put as much variety in the magazine as possible, I just love seeing and hearing that people have got off the couch and tried something different.”

That kind of sentiment sort of wraps Woodhouse’s adventure and sporting lifestyle up in one go. From trying loads of sports at school but never settling on just one, to giving the London half marathon a go while on her OE, she was soon hooked. Then came the gut busting Coast to Coast, and last year the Marathon de Sables, a 251km ultra marathon through the Sahara Desert which is described as the toughest footrace on earth. 2016’s challenge is already locked in where she and a handful of mates are taking on the Amazon Jungle, 230km through the Peruvian rainforest, dodging wild weather and even wilder animals that one could only dream of here in New Zealand.

“It’s the old saying, one foot in front of the other,” says Woodhouse.

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“Day three, I think it was in the Sahara, it was a day of around 30-odd km of just sand dune after sand dune, nothing else. You’re carrying your own pack, everything you need to survive out there, but the camp for the next night just feels so, so far away when you’re struggling. I think it was just head down and try and follow the exact footprints as the guys in front of us.”

But aside from being inspired by Woodhouse’s dedication to living a life less ordinary, it’s her commitment to animals, wild animals, that struck me the most.

You see, Woodhouse and a few friends are responsible for a programme and charity known as ‘Running for Rangers’ a group dedicated to raising awareness of the welfare of the black rhino in Kenya and providing funds to ensure the endangered species is constantly protected by rangers in the fight against poachers.

Woodhouse was introduced to the plight of the rhino when her twin sister Flick met her now husband Sam Taylor, the Chief Conservation Officer on Borana Conservancy in Kenya. One of Sam’s major roles is running the anti-poaching units in conjunction with wildlife management.

“It’s so unreal to see such a big animal, that’s more than capable of looking after itself against other animals, needing protection from humans. It’s actually quite sad, too,’’ says Woodhouse.

“People often talk about charity beginning at home, and asking why I support something so far away, but this is something that is really personal to me, it’s my sister and brother in law’s life, how could I not get involved.’’

This year, when Running for Rangers crosses the finish line of the Jungle Ultra in Peru, it’s hoping to have raised one million dollars to aid the protection of the rhino.

(GEORGE BERRY) F PN

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FUTURE GENERATION

TURNING TUG BOATS INTO RACING YACHTS While watching a school swimming competition, I couldn’t help but be horrified by the yawning gap between the kids with good swimming technique and those without.

It’s like comparing a tug boat with an America’s Cup racer - one pushes its way through the water with sheer force, the other glides through the water with minimal effort.

Good swimming technique is about streamlining and efficiency. It is platform for a lifetime of water enjoyment. Triathlons, harbour swims, swimming for fitness, surfing and water polo all require a solid foundation of properly taught swimming skills.

Some parents challenge me on this. They say, “My child can already swim 200 metres, so he/she doesn’t need lessons.” But when I watch that child, the 200m is achieved with a lot of uncomfortable hard work. Not only is it difficult to watch, there’s a safety issue because the child is clearly not at home in the water.

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My advice to any parent is “start young”. Under five is the best time to start learning, so that by age eight all the components are in place - streamlining, breathing technique, head position and body position. And I also advise year-round lessons. If you want your child to be a great pianist, you wouldn’t stop lessons for half the year. The same applies to swimming - at least until all the basics have been well and truly mastered.

If you’re worried about your child’s swimming technique, book in for a free assessment PN at your nearest Hilton Brown Swimming centre. Happy swimming, Hilton. F HILTON BROWN SWIMMING, Newmarket, Albany and One Tree Hill, www.hiltonbrownswimming.co.nz

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SIDELINE WITH GEORGE BERRY

Surf’s up for Auckland women

Don’t be so hard

They say when you want something done right you get a man to do it, right? Or come to think of it, it might actually be get a women to do it... anyway, in this case it’s a man. Andre Newth.

JUST WEEKS OUT FROM KICK OFF OF HIS FIRST SEASON IN CHARGE OF A SUPER RUGBY franchise, new Blues coach Tana Umaga is certainly saying all the right words, but as the former All Black captain has already stated himself, in the end their results will be what people judge them on.

After seeing an influx of women taking an interest in surfing in Auckland, signing up for lessons and asking for the latest surf reports, and a few months of taking down names and numbers on a piece of paper, the Ultimate Surf shop owner set up an official Facebook page, Ultimate Surf Bettys, to help connect women in Auckland and their interest in the sport.

The trouble for Umaga is: if it’s the results of his first season at the helm, then he could easily find himself in a similar position to his predecessor and soon out the door.

Andre is now regarded as the Godfather of the group, which has been taken over and managed by a number of the Auckland Bettys. I caught up with one of them, Jo Plata, (JP) to get the low down and find out a little more about the group.

How many people have joined the Facebook group and come on your trips?

Women tend to join more during the summertime, sun’s shining, clear water, friends, bikinis... why not! Also after our little five minutes of fame in Good Health magazine and the book: ‘Surfers, A Kiwi Lifestyle’, our FB page requests has gone up, we have had at least 20 new members during the last couple of weeks.

What about someone new to surfing or a seasoned surfer, how would they fit into the group?

We have all sorts of levels, short boarders, long boarders, learners and some very experienced girls who started surfing at a really young age. Everyone is welcome to join!

Most of the Bettys discovered their love for the ocean later in life and learning to surf as an adult is more challenging. Our FB page is a good place to learn a bit about surfing and surf-related topics in a friendly environment of like-minded women and to invite other beginners to go out. After all, it is not how many green waves you can catch, but how much fun you get out of it!

How often do you catch up for a surf?

There’s always someone in the group who’s going out surfing (almost on a daily basis), all the Bettys can post or comment on our FB page and carpool to go on a small mission.

It’s very handy for getting up to date surf reports (which are posted by our Godfather) almost on a daily basis, so that we always know which beach is best to hit. We also try to organise at least one away trip per year for bigger groups who want to go away for several days during holidays. Also, there are other events organised at the Ultimate Surf shop, like movie nights and tarpaulin skate/surfing to welcome new members and motivate the group to surf together.

What’s your favourite spot?

I think most of the Bettys are big fans of the East Coast, I mean: white sand, clear water, mellow waves and if you are lucky, dolphins! But Auckland beaches are not really consistent, so we can’t really be picky. Most of the newbies like to go out when the waves are max 2ft because it’s not that scary. Places like Orewa and Omaha are among the favourites for many of us, as they are reasonably close and very friendly for beginner surfers.

If you’re a female living in Auckland and want some buddies to surf with, check out Ultimate Surf Bettys on Facebook. (GEORGE BERRY) F PN

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Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see him succeed and the Blues return to the franchise everyone wants them to be. It’s just no matter how you look at it, Super Rugby is one of the toughest rugby competitions in the world, and coaches with no Super Rugby experience often struggle and many fail. Heck, even Mark Hammet’s hash job at the Hurricanes proved even those with some prior competition experience as assistant coaches aren’t able to make a successful transition to being the one in charge.

Other examples include Ian Foster. Clearly a talented coach at the elite level as an assistant coach of the All Blacks, however he’s another who, not through a lack of trying or talent at his disposal, just couldn’t quite get a Super Rugby Franchise across the line.

Further south, take Jamie Joseph as an example, during his first year at the Highlanders, the southerners went from regular whipping boys, starting their 2011 season 3-0, they looked like real title contenders at 8-4 before running out of puff and missing the playoffs, finishing the year in 8th.

Joseph learnt some very valuable lessons that year, about how to manage an entire squad through the full season. And that the last three games of the season were far more important than the first three. It took Joseph five years and a shuffle of both his squad and assistant coaches to lead the Highlanders to last year’s victory.

While players are contracted to their chosen franchise, many of their elite squad members have clauses that rule them out of early games, or insist on breaks, sometimes multiple breaks, during the year. This may serve the All Blacks well, but only hampers their Super Rugby side, the very sides coaches like Tana Umaga are judged on. Perhaps the New Zealand Rugby Union can see through this, but poor results are something the public just don’t, and won’t, accept.

Elite players often arrive back for Super Rugby weeks behind their fellow teammates in conditioning, so getting a side to peak together is nigh on impossible.

The travel schedule to South Africa and Australia can be, and is often, ugly with the time zone difficult to plan around. Kick off in Brisbane at 8pm equates to 11pm in Auckland and everybody knows the superior level of rugby in New Zealand means those local games, while not burdened by long haul travel are often faster and significantly harder games, than a quick trip across the ditch.

Umaga doesn’t have a dozen All Blacks at his disposal this season, which hopefully for him is an advantage rather than his undoing.

And if the results he speaks of don’t come as thick and as fast as he’d hope, or they come then dry up towards the end of the season, let’s hope for the sake of both his coaching career and the Blues as a whole, he’s afforded some slack, from management PN and the public. (GEORGE BERRY) F

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BILLY HARRIS: KIDS IN THE COMMUNITY

No mission impossible for Lily MacDonald Murello Bah! Teenagers these days. If they haven't got their head stuck in their mobile phone, grunting like Java Man when asked a question, they're plonked in front of their PlayStation for 24 hours straight, eating junk food and drinking V. That's when they're not staggering round town blind drunk.

If that's how you see the modern teenager, you might think again after you read about the multi-lingual, piano playing, circus performing, doctor-to-be Lily MacDonald Murello!

The 16-year-old's road to unusualness started when she was born to a French father.

She was raised bilingually, and continues to communicate with her father in French.

"My parents put a lot of care into nurturing and maintaining the French part of my life," Lily explains, "I went to French playgroups and attended the wonderful multilingual primary school Richmond Road Primary, where not only did I learn to read and write in French, but I was surrounded by friends who all spoke different languages. My circle of friends all spoke French so we would naturally play in both French and English. As well as this, I have been lucky enough to travel to France many times and strengthen my relationship with my family.

"I love being able to talk with family in France. My cousins and I chat regularly. So I suppose being able to share our worlds is the most important thing I could do with my French."

"I can't pinpoint one particular reason why I decided on Te Reo Maori, but looking back I think that the multicultural primary school I attended was a wonderful taste of the possibilities that could come from learning Te Reo Maori," says Lily.

"I also remember, especially as the years went on, that it felt like something that I should explore as a New Zealander. The extraordinary support and warmth that I felt from my peers in my Te Reo Maori class was a big reason why I continued to come back for more!

"I'm not sure where Te Reo Maori will take me. I'd like to continue learning after high school. I'd love to use what I know, and what I'll learn, in my medical career, if I'm fortunate enough to have the opportunity. I hope that my language learning experiences would make me a well-rounded doctor."

We'll get into Lily's medical side shortly, but we haven't quite finished with the languages.

"I would also relish the opportunity to learn Italian," says Lily wistfully. "My grandfather is Italian and we speak French together but I think it would make us both smile if we could also speak in Italian.

"Learning languages has allowed me to see how multifaceted a language is. It seems that sometimes languages are learnt for their practicality and usefulness. But I'm starting to see there's more to it. The way people communicate says something about the way

in which they see the world and how they fit into it. Certainly I have found in my Te Reo Maori classes that this beautiful, metaphorical and poetic language is an expression of a way of existing in the world, both in the past and present."

It's not hard to see why Lily fulfils a leadership role at her school, Western Springs College. The school has many groups related to the community and environment, including Travelwise, Wastewise and Healthwise, which aim to increase the wellbeing of people and the environment. Next year, Lily will be one of the Healthwise leaders.

She also studies biology, chemistry and physics, which will assist in her goal of becoming a doctor, possibly in pediatrics because of her love of children, but which she claims she'd study anyway because she enjoys them. (What? You'd learn chemistry for fun?)

So what does Lily do to relax? Why, aerial circus classes of course! After a brief encounter with ballet, she started classes at TAPAC, and is now working on the tissue, trapeze and Spanish web routines. She plays piano too, though not at the same time as she's spinning in the air (well, with Lily you never know).

She even finds time to hang out with friends, go for a swim or watch a movie.

Clearly, Lily isn't about to stop learning any time soon, but one lesson that's stuck with her is this one: "At my circus class they have a rule that if you say 'I can't' you have to do 10 pushups. I got much better at pushups, but I didn't see the significance. I see now that this was how my teachers instilled confidence in me. It taught me that I could PN do what I had previously thought impossible.� (BILLY HARRIS) F

HOW WILL YOUR DAUGHTER MAKE HER MARK?

Caitlin Wilkinson Future Elite Performance Analyst

BE MORE THAN YOU EVER IMAGINED

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The world is changing, and the role of women is changing even faster. Our vision is to give your daughter the best possible start by encouraging, challenging and inspiring her every step of the way. The only way to truly appreciate the scale and depth of our education is to see it for yourself. So come along and experience the place that can help your daughter become more than she ever imagined.

Open Day 19 March 10AM – 12PM

DIO7355PON3

Two languages, though, appear not to be enough. In Year 9, Lily chose Te Reo Maori as her language option.

Register at DIOCESAN.SCHOOL.NZ

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FUTURE GENERATION QUEENSLAND FRUIT FLY ERADICATED FROM AUCKLAND AND RESTRICTIONS LIFTED The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is pleased to announce that the Auckland fruit fly operation has been successful and the insect pest has been eradicated from New Zealand.

Director General Martyn Dunne says field staff cleared fruit fly traps in Grey Lynn for the final time in early December and found no signs of the Queensland fruit fly.

“This makes the eradication cost of $13.6 million (as at the end of October) a very justifiable investment to make,” Dunne says.

“We have not found any fruit flies in the affected area since March and enough time has passed to confidently say that New Zealand is again fruit fly-free.

The programme kicked off in February this year when a single Queensland fruit fly was caught in one of MPI’s extensive network of fruit fly surveillance traps. A small breeding population of the fruit flies was soon found, triggering the resulting programme of insecticide treatments, trapping and community education.

“Local residents will be happy to hear that the Controlled Area has been lifted and there are no longer any restrictions on the movement of fresh fruit and vegetables in Auckland.

“The MPI wheelie bins which have become a part of the local landscape will now be removed and life should soon get back to normal.”

Dunne says MPI and the country’s growers would like to sincerely thank the residents and businesses of the affected suburbs.

“You’ve borne the brunt of this situation with both the movement restrictions and regular insecticide baiting on fruiting plants in your gardens and we’re extremely grateful for your support.

“I can’t stress enough how vital this work has been. This particular insect pest is a significant threat to our $3.6 billion a year horticultural exports industry and home gardens.

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Dunne says eradicating the Queensland fruit fly has been a collaborative effort between MPI, horticulture industry partners KVH, Pipfruit New Zealand and Horticulture New Zealand, AsureQuality (MPI’s field operations provider), Auckland Council and the local community.

While the eradication programme is now over and New Zealand is officially fruit fly-free, MPI’s routine checks for fruit flies will continue and the nationwide network of 7600 fruit fly surveillance traps will remain in place.

“I’d also like to take this time to remind New Zealanders that everyone has a role in biosecurity and if people are travelling overseas, they must declare or dispose of biosecurity risk goods, such as food, when returning.” F PN www.mpi.govt.nz

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FUTURE GENERATION

REACHING FOR THE STARS AT ACG SENIOR COLLEGE Auckland teen, Jamaica Vaughan, has the world at her feet. She’s one of New Zealand’s top academic achievers.

She’s an award-winning actress and she’s just won a string of accolades at her school, ACG Senior College.

From the outside looking in, Jamaica leads a charmed life - but turn the clock back 18 months and it was a very different story.

Battling anorexia, and in and out of hospital, Jamaica wasn’t getting the support she needed from the girls’ school she was attending. Her grades were suffering and her self-confidence was at rock bottom. In a desperate attempt to turn her life around, Jamaica and her mum Lyn paid a visit to ACG Senior College.

“I’d only been out of hospital for three days when we came in and met the principal,” said Jamaica.

“I’d been feeling so pessimistic about changing schools - I didn’t want to start a new school half way through the year, or have to make new friends, but as soon as I got to Senior College all that changed. The principal was so warm and welcoming and they bent over backwards to set me up with every support system possible to help me grow.”

And grow she did! After just 18 months at the school, Jamaica scooped the 2015 Academic Development Award, the Cambridge AS Psychology Award and the Cambridge AS Sociology Award. Her recently released exam results - all As - put her in the very top academic band in the country, and she’s also just been appointed the college’s 2016 Student Leader for Social and Sport.

“The teachers here are incredible. They have inspired me to strive for excellence so that I can get out into society and really make a difference. My life, and attitude, have completely changed since coming here. I don’t see myself on a national scale now - I see myself as an international player. With these results I can get into any university in the world and do anything that I want to do. The world is my oyster!”

Jamaica’s mum Lyn is equally delighted with the transformation.

“Jamaica was suffering from extreme anxiety when we got here, she was really lost,” said Lyn. “But the pastoral care at ACG is outstanding. Students get as much one-on-one attention as they require and the teachers are all amazing. Senior College is not like a traditional school. Classes operate more like they do at university and a lot of incredibly talented students go there. It’s an atmosphere that builds strong team skills with giving responsibility, but at the same time acknowledges and applauds individuals for effort and achievement and fosters excellence in all areas,” says Lyn. “Some schools are more interested in their name than in the individual but at ACG Senior College they build tall poppies. Studying here has instilled in Jamaica the self-belief and confidence that anything is possible.

“What more could a parent want for their child?” says Lyn.

82 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FUTURE GENERATION KING’S SCHOOL MINIBUSES RUN FROM THE PONSONBY AREA King’s School is now increasing its private minibuses to cater specifically for the growing number of its students from the Ponsonby, Westmere, St Marys and Herne Bay areas.

These minibuses are proving very popular for King’s families as they have some flexibility in their routes, allowing for a more personal service.

The mini buses travel directly to and from King’s School ensuring a minimal amount of travel time for the boys on board.

Headmaster Tony Sissons is encouraging more boys at King’s School to take advantage of the minibuses as part of an initiative to reduce traffic around the school.

“We are a strong community at King’s and I believe a close partnership between the home and school is critical in bringing out the best in our boys. I am delighted that we are able to provide the greater Ponsonby and Herne Bay areas with King’s School mini buses so that boys may enjoy coming to and from school in a safe environment. It is all part of creating an environment for them to build self-esteem and at the same time helping to reduce the number of cars on our busy roads.”

To enquire further about the new bus service, contact Brylee Eggleton on 09 520 7784 or b.eggleton@kings.school.nz F PN KING’S SCHOOL, 258 Remuera Road, Remuera, T: 09 520 7770, www.kings.school.nz

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

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FUTURE GENERATION ‘DESIGN A CUSHION’ COMPETITION WINNER Late last year Thread Design on Richmond Road ran a competition with some of the local schools.

As Katie Collis told Ponsonby News, “Kids’ bedding is a big part of our business, we have children of our own and they are always keen to have input into our new ranges. So we thought a ‘design a cushion’ competition would be a great way to get our customers involved in the design process and to help us identify exactly what kids like on their beds.

PIRATE SHIP AT PERCIVAL PARADE St Marys Bay resident Michael Webb-Speight and his son Oliver made a young boy’s dream come true this Christmas.

Tuhoe Hohaia was diagnosed with a life -threatening illness at the age of seven and now, thanks to the Make A Wish Foundation, he has a pirate ship playhouse.

Roz Tommas from Make A Wish says, “Tuhoe’s wish for a pirate-themed playhouse was amazing because he’s quite specific in what he required: his favourite colour is green, he wanted a slide and wanted to be able to shoot his sisters with his guns from his pirate ship.”

“We were overwhelmed by the response and the quality of work, it was really hard to choose the winner. Our winner was Lulu Wrightson-Lyons from Pt Chevalier Primary with her gorgeous Fox print.

Tuhoe was diagnosed with Burkitts Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system, in 2016. He spent months in Starship Children’s Hospital receiving treatment but is now back home in Taumarunui.

“We intend to make it an annual competition where we manufacture a limited run of the winning design and we donate funds to the art department of the winner’s school”. F PN

Michael and Oliver spent over 100 hundred hours on the project - mostly in their garage - and invested $3000 to make a boy’s wish come true. There was plenty of community participation, with neighbors helping out with labour and materials and managing around a somewhat blocked street.

THREAD DESIGN, 274a Richmond Road, T: 09 360 1361, www.threaddesign.co.nz

“Tuhoe has plenty of challenges of his own - we just hoped that there’d be something quite special about this Christmas for him and for us it’s just all the fun of it,” Webb -Speight said. F PN MAKE-A-WISH® NEW ZEALAND, www.makeawish.org.nz

MERMAID TAIL A FISH OUT OF WATER Mermaid suits - swimming suits that encase the legs and include a fish tail - were one of the most coveted gifts of Christmas but they are deemed unsafe for use in public pools and proving a distraction to pool lifeguards, according to the New Zealand Recreation Association.

“We are all for everyone enjoying their time in the pool and would like them to do so safely,” says Auckland Council Manager, Leisure, Rob McGee.

L to R: Michael Webb-Speight, Tuhoe Hohaia and Oliver Webb-Speight

“Mermaid tails are definitely causing some concerns both here and in Australia, and have already been banned from public pool use in the United Kingdom. While they are designed for competent swimmers to use in the water, even the manufacturers recommend one-to -one supervision, which we can’t give in public pools,” he says.

Watching out for children in mermaid suits distracts lifeguards from their main role of scanning the pool for signs of any swimmers in trouble and being ready to respond and perform a rescue.

“So far most pools have only seen one or two mermaids, but given overseas experiences, the focus on isolated swimmers puts other pool users at risk, so we are asking parents to keep the mermaid tails for home pools where they can have the direct one on one PN level of parental supervision,” says McGee. F

84 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

L to R: Michael Webb-Speight and Oliver Webb-Speight PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

PONSONBY PROFESSIONALS: LOGAN GRANGER

Provisional tax and the cash flow issues this creates It’s a very hard time of year for all businesses. The Christmas rush is over and have slowed down over the New Year’s break and early January.

A lot of money is spent in your personal life while it’s school holidays, work shut-down and you may be going away. Cash flow is tight and now you have to think about paying your GST, the following year’s provisional tax and all the while you are saving for your terminal tax payment due in April (for March balance date clients).

Sometimes there is just no money coming in to cover these payments and they are missed. What’s the result?

There is no doubt that your suppliers are the first ones you should pay but it is a very risky policy to use the Inland Revenue as a bank or short term cash solution. Interest is charged at 9.21% for any underpayment to the Inland Revenue. Add onto this late payment penalties and you get a very expensive borrowing source.

Please note that it also important not to use the Inland Revenue as a savings bank as the interest rates earned on your money will only be 2.63%. It is important at every provisional tax instalment date to not only pay on uplift but have a look at your trading results to date compared to last year. Also, contact your accountant for the implications of changing your payment away from uplift.

Tax Management NZ and how they can help you Tax Management NZ (TMNZ) takes provisional tax payments from different types of tax payers (corporates to small businesses) and hold that money in a pool with the Inland Revenue. Once the returns are filed and those tax payers’ obligations are set, if they have overpaid they are able to trade with other tax payers for improved interest returns.

TMNZ PRODUCTS Tax purchasing allows you to purchase tax at an earlier date to eliminate late payment penalties and reduce interest rates which could save you up to 30%. This is because of people who have paid on time selling their tax are getting a better return than the 2.63% rate mentioned above.

Tax finance is where you can match your provisional tax dates with your cash flow. This is where you confirm the amount of provisional tax you want to pay and confirming when you will be able to make the payment. They will offer interest rates lower than overdraft or unsecured bank debt (per TMNZ website). At maturity if actual tax is lower than the amount financed, you only pay the actual tax due. This can eliminate some of the risk for provisional tax and gives you control over when you will pay your tax.

Tax deposit is when you make payments to TMNZ instead of the Inland Revenue. Any payment to TMNZ will be treated as being paid to the Inland Revenue on the same day but you have greater control over the money. This allows you to manage your imputation credits while retaining the flexibility of being able to get fast tax refunds instead of having to wait until the return is filed and then processed (which can take months). It also gives you access to TMNZ’s other services like Tax Sale in order to earn a higher return on your money. (LOGAN GRANGER) F PN Disclaimer - While all care has been taken, Johnston Associates Chartered Accountants Ltd and its staff accept no liability for the content of this article; always see your professional advisor before taking any action that you are unsure about.

JOHNSTON ASSOCIATES, 202 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 361 6701, www.jacal.co.nz

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

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PONSONBY PROFESSIONALS: METRO LAW GOT A LEGAL QUESTION? ASK MICHAEL@METROLAW.CO.NZ

Email Michael with your question and include PONSONBY NEWS in the subject line. Michael Hemphill, a partner of the firm, will answer one topical question each month.

Q:

We bought our house about six months ago and now our neighbour wants to re-survey the boundary. We are concerned as our house is quite close to the boundary on their side and it could affect our access to that side of the house or even be slightly across the boundary. What should we do?

Thanks for your question, this is an issue that comes up quite often. First it would be useful to know why your neighbour wants to determine the boundary.

It may be that they want to develop or build on the property or renew the fences. Getting a better idea of what your neighbour wants to achieve is an important step to coming to an amicable agreement about the way forward. There is also little point in worrying about this issue too much until you find out what they want to achieve and then where the boundaries actually lie.

A:

Under clause 5.1 of the Agreement for Sale and Purchase of Real Estate approved by the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand Inc. and the Auckland District Law Society Inc. the vendor is not bound to point out the boundaries of the property unless it is the sale of a vacant lot, in which case they need to make sure that all boundary markers are in their correct position. In other words, when you buy a house you cannot be certain where the boundaries are. This can be especially true when you are buying an older property in an established area such as Ponsonby and Freemans Bay. The pegs are often missing or hidden by existing fences or treelines.

It is worth having a look for what pegs you can find for your property and having a look at the title for your property. Your title should include boundary measurements so if you can find one or two pegs you can get an idea of where the boundaries lie.

We still occasionally come across titles which are noted as “Limited as to parcels” which means that the property has never been properly surveyed and the Crown does not guarantee the actual area or dimensions of the boundaries. The only way to clarify the boundaries would be to have the property surveyed.

There are provisions under the Property Law Act 2007 to apply for relief from the court for a ‘wrongly placed structure’ which covers the circumstances where a house is built across a boundary and for an order for entry onto neighbouring land for access to paint or repair your house. However, this should be regarded as a last resort as it is likely to both be expensive and will affect your relationship with your neighbours.

(MICHAEL HEMPHILL) F PN Disclaimer - This article is for general information purposes only. If you have a legal problem you should seek advice from a lawyer. Metro Law does not accept any liability other than to its clients and then only when advice is sought on specific matters.

METRO LAW, Level 1, 169A Ponsonby Road, T: 09 929 0800, www.metrolaw.co.nz

86 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

PLANNING RETIREMENT

RETIRING WITHOUT FEAR OR GUILT For many people, planning for retirement is a blur. Knowing what questions to ask is hard enough without contemplating what the answers might be.

The change from work to retirement brings uncertainty. Having a process to work through these challenges brings confidence. Questions that we are often asked include: • • • •

How much will I need for retirement?

How do I get regular income in retirement?

How can I be sure my money will not run out?

How much am I allowed to spend in retirement?

Planning for retirement is at the heart of what we do. These questions are typical and the answer we give is, “Well, that really depends.” Very few people share identical circumstances, so most retirement plans will be unique to their situation. To arrive at a plan, we find the answers to the following questions helpful: • How much do you live on now?

• How much do you think you will need in retirement to live on? Does this make sense compared with how much you need now?

• How long do you expect to live?

• When do you want to give up paid work?

• Do you want to leave a financial legacy?

• How much capital do you have now for retirement?

• How much investment risk do you feel comfortable with?

Jocelyn Weatherall

Phil Ashton

Richard Knight

Henry Ford

Each one of these factors can be massaged to suit individual preferences or circumstances. They can also be altered as circumstances change. Once a plan has been agreed, the next step is usually providing an investment strategy geared to provide the required amount of cash at the right times. Many people wonder how to produce regular income in retirement in ways similar to when wages and salaries arrived regularly. Lifetime habits and systems of spending often follow weekly and monthly patterns. To continue these requires ongoing regular income in retirement. It is possible to organise investments to deliver regular income and most of our retired clients rely on this aspect of our service. Curiously, the planning process in itself brings confidence. A plan creates boundaries for people who can enjoy spending within their budget, knowing that their budget is part of a long-term plan. Do you have a plan?

For a free no-obligation chat and a coffee, please get in contact with one of our financial advisers.

RUTHERFORD REDE LIMITED, www.rutherfordrede.co.nz, T: 09 361 3670 Jocelyn jweatherall@rutherfordrede.co.nz Phil pashton@rutherfordrede.co.nz or Richard rknight@rutherfordrede.co.nz Henry hford@rutherfordrede.co.nz

Opinions are of a general nature and are not to be considered financial advice, specific advice is recommended to be sought before action is taken.

Disclosure Statement(s) relating to our advisers are available on request & free of charge.

REVIEW YOUR FINANCIAL PLANS WITH ROD MUDGWAY As an Authorised Financial Adviser, Rod Mudgway says he sees all types of financial plans that clients have put in place.

One of the big gaps he notices is the considerable lack of insurance to protect ‘everything’ should the worst happen.

It seems that when chatting with these clients, for one reason or another, clients don’t realise how important insurance is when building a financial plan and Rod finds that in general clients have more questions than answers and can be quite uninformed on such a complex subject. That’s why he saw the need to write on the subject. Rod has written an e-Book on life and disability insurance in New Zealand.

You can get your free copy by simply visiting his website www.brackenridge.biz entering your first name, your email address and ticking the box ‘please add me to your mail list’ before clicking the submit button. You will get a link emailed to you which you can click to get your free copy.

Rod can help you through the entire financial planning process, helping you with basic budgeting, insurance needs, home loans, KiwiSaver, investing lump sums and planning your retirement; he hopes you find his e-Book of interest.

Please contact ROD MUDGWAY if you have any questions or would like to book an appointment by simply calling T: 0800 088 116.

Make the New Year a fresh start to review your financial plans. F PN www.brackenridge.biz The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

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PLANNING RETIREMENT

WHAT’S YOUR NUMBER? A question people often ask is, “How much do I need to save to live a comfortable retirement?”

This answer differs significantly from person to person and depends on their definition of ‘comfortable retirement’. Some are happy to skimp it out, turning down holidays, cutting the family apron strings, as well as downsizing their home. While researching my recent book, ‘Kill your mortgage and sort your retirement’ it became clear to me that there are no obvious numbers, with your number needing to be calculated based on a web of objectives, goals, succession planning, surplus, mortgages, attitude toward spending, etc.

Recently, Westpac Massey University Fin-Ed Centre in conjunction with Workplace Savings tried to answer the question of ‘how much will be enough,’ for one’s retirement. It was found that $522,000 of combined KiwiSaver funds is needed for an Auckland couple to have choices in retirement, based on the spending of today’s retirees. While this is a good place to start, it assumes that you are mortgage-free by retirement, and have saved enough ($522,000 apparently) in addition to being mortgage free.

So what do you need to do?

As a minimum, when you head to retirement you need to be mortgage free and have reared financially self-sufficient children. The biggest obstacles to anyone’s retirement are the bank (mortgage) and kids. To put it bluntly, you need to kill your mortgage. Develop a plan of attack to have it repaid sooner. While we often hear, “I’m doing well I’ve got equity in my house - my retirement will be fine.” This is great but you can’t eat your house when you retire and often when people downsize they do not get the financial windfall that they expect.

Obviously, if you start saving young this is going to be easier but it’s not too late to start saving now. The later you leave your run, just means you have to work a whole lot smarter.

Burying your head in the sand is not an option.

Many people say, “Money is just not important to me, it’s my family that’s important, or the way I’m living my life.” I get this on one level but in reality money affects almost every aspect of our life. Having enough of it makes living the life you want a whole lot easier. On an emotional level, we know that money causes stress in relationships and is the leading cause of insomnia in females. If there is a way of doing things smarter while living a life you enjoy now, why wouldn’t you?

For many the maths, the time it takes and assumptions needed is enough to give you heart palpitations, bore you to tears or, alternatively, you’d just rather outsource this process to an expert. If this is the case, you should speak to enableMe, they are a team of Financial Personal Trainers. Their job is to help their clients get ahead faster, no matter where they are starting from, and irrespective of how late they have left their run.

The old adage holds very true when it comes to retirement, ‘if you don’t know where you are going, you are going to end up somewhere else’. F PN (HANNAH MCQUEEN and KATIE WESNEY Consultants at enableMe) www.enableme.co.nz

$35 MILLION STAYING IN KIWIS’ BACK POCKETS New Zealand Home Loans is a home-grown Kiwi-owned company whose clients are currently saving $35 million in interest costs on their home loans.

That’s $35 million staying in Kiwis’ back pockets and $35 million not going off-shore!

After having worked in the finance and insurance industries for 17 years, Sarah became a part of the team at New Zealand Home Loans in January 2012 and has never looked back. Having been the No.1 consultant several years in a row, in 2014 she became the proud owner of New Zealand Home Loans - Ponsonby Central.

Sarah says, “When speaking with home buyers often one of their biggest concerns is around interest rate. However, interest rates are only a very small part of a much larger picture. At New Zealand Home Loans we take the time to put in place individual goals and budgets and then structure your home loan to meet your needs.”

Sarah, a born and bred Auckland local, lives with her daughter in Grey Lynn. When it comes to her business her philosophy is simple, “Working with my clients to achieve the best possible results for them, both now and into the future.”

Sarah Williams is the Business Owner of New Zealand Home Loans - Ponsonby Central and founder of ‘SoapBox’ networking groups in Auckland and Tauranga.

A disclosure statement is available on request at no charge by emailing: sarah.williams@nzhomeloans.co.nz F PN NEW ZEALAND HOME LOANS, Ponsonby Central, M: 021 800 864

88 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

PLANNING YOUR FUTURE STARTS TODAY! NO MATTER WHAT STAGE YOU ARE AT NOW, OUR EXPERT AND INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVISERS CAN HELP YOU. STAGE ONE

STARTING OUT When your finances are fit and in shape your financial goals are achievable.

EnableMe works with you, one-on-one, to plan a financial strategy you can execute to ensure you see results faster.

Their impartial and independent coaching will empower you to reach the ultimate goal of home ownership.

“

My friends recommended enableMe initially and then my work set it up for us. Prior to this I was trying to get it together but wasn’t seeing the total picture. enableMe made it easy for us to manage on a daily basis. Made us aware of larger expenses we weren’t allowing for in our budget. I feel less guilty about spending because budget is allocated and I know the surplus! We are now both more aligned and each has our own cash to spend on what’s important to us so we shouldn’t make each other feel guilty when we do spend! This has been awesome. Totally needed it. Highly recommend it. Thanks heaps.

�

- Rachel, Auckland

STAGE TWO

BUILDING UP With a property under your belt you are in the Building Up stage. The goal here is for you to be able to fund a lifestyle you enjoy and clear your mortgage as fast as possible. When you have toned up your finances and have a plan to clear your mortgage quickly you are on track to move to the final stage of Sitting Back.

STAGE THREE

SITTING BACK As a general rule, Sitting Back, requires you to have a mortgage free property; for many of our clients this outcome is yet to be realised. They are short on time so need to develop an additional strategy, in conjunction with being mortgage-free, to ensure they have peace of mind when they choose to retire.

“

Our financial situation before enableMe was okay, feel a lot more in control of our finances now. The restructure of loans and bank accounts has been extremely valuable. Very good trick to curb the spending! The benefits have been: not having to think about when pay day is anymore, knowing we are paying money off the principle of our home loan. The positive effects have been that we are a lot more in control of our finances now and aware of our spending.

�

- Janelle, Auckland

“

The enableMe process has been a wonderfully helpful, competent and professional experience. Our Consultant formulated plans, provided a detailed report outlining recommendations and strategies and put these to us explaining all the risks and benefits involved. The advice provided has been in understandable laymen’s terms. In short our Consultant has shown us how to get from where we were to where we want to be – which is mortgage free as quickly as possible and in doing so has given us a considerable saving in interest costs. We now feel more confident and reassured with regards to the management of our financial affairs.

�

- Rob & Megan, Auckland

TALK TO US AND SEE HOW WE CAN GET YOU AHEAD FASTER. Phone 0800 897 898 to organise an obligation-free consultation.

For more information, case studies and testimonials visit our website:

enableme.co.nz

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The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

89

PLANNING RETIREMENT

BUSINESS START-UP You may think it’s just a matter of getting out and selling your first product/service but getting the business entity wrong can cost you in the long run - particularly if the business is successful, which is surely what we are all aiming for.

Small business: Often it’s just you in the business. This is conducting business under your personal name and is often referred to as a sole trader business.

• The expertise of each partner • The other income each partner earns

Often you will be working from home and using a home office. This enables you to deduct a percentage of the following household costs: mortgage interests, telephone, power, rates and insurance. For those with a large mortgage it can have significant benefits in reducing the tax you would otherwise pay, particularly if the home office is a significant part of the home.

This can determine the percentage of profit allocated to each partner. If a partner is a spouse of the main partner, any wages paid would need the approval of IRD. This is a common set-up where one partner is working on the front line of the business whilst the other partner takes care of the accounts at home. If the spouse has other income, it may be better to set up a company structure as this provides a more flexble tax planning tool.

As a sole trader, you should consider whether or not to register for GST. Once your turnover reaches $60,000 a year, you must register for GST.

It is best practice to have a formal partnership agreement setting out the framework.

This will clear any confusion at a later stage.

If your turnover is below the $60,000 threshold, you don’t need to but there may be advantages to register on a voluntary basis. This can occur for instance when you have to purchase some equipment or a vehicle to start your business. For this initial cost it will be worthwhile to register on a monthly basis, then change to a longer two-monthly or six-monthly basis after you’ve received the benefit of a GST refund on the business’ initial purchases.

Companies: Often you aren’t going into business on your own and you need other people or you may want to bring other people on board and include them in the ownership structure.

Partnerships: More often than not you will have the support of a partner, who may also work in the business either full time or part time.

A partnership enjoys the same aspects as a sole trader except that instead of one person there are two or more. It also adds a dimension of complexity, for example, how do the partners get paid?

• You should consider the cash contribution each partner brings • The time spent by each partner in the business

90 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

A company structure provides a formal way for the partners to: • State the conditions that a change in shareholding can occur • Determine who the directors are • Determine a formula to set the price for the transfer of shares. This is particularly important as many disputes arise when one partner wants out and there has been no formula agreed. F PN Disclaimer: Bizco Chartered Accountants Limited and its staff accept no responsibility for the content of this article. You should seek professional advice before taking any action to start your business.

Bizco Chartered Accountants Limited, 517 New North Road, www.bizco.co.nz

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

y b n o s n o h iP

iPhone 4 from $139

iPhone 4S from $199

iPhone 5 from $399

iPhone 5S from $509

iPhone 6 from $699

iPhone 6P from $849

iPad’s from $269

iPhone 5C from $319

iPad Mini’s from $229

iPad Air’s from $469

If Apple devices had a “capital suburb” it would be Ponsonby. We have a range of certified pre-owned, as good as new, iPhones and iPads.

They come with a six month warranty and are more cost effective than buying brand new.

Come and visit our store at Ponsonby Central or you can see all our stock online: www.ducttape.co.nz DUCT TAPE WORKSHOP | SHOP 2 | PONSONBY CENTRAL | 136 PONSONBY ROAD | PONSONBY | PHONE: 09 361 1234

WE BUY, SELL & REPAIR.

PONSONBY PEOPLE + THEIR PETS

Barber Dan and Hank Williams Barber Dan has just opened a barber shop on Karangahape Road.

Dan owns a nine-month-old beagle puppy named Hank Williams, who he has had for six months.

How did you come to choose Hank Williams?

Because he is a living Snoopy. I have always liked the breed. They’re not too big or too small and make a mischievous companion. Probably the best looking dog out there.

How did your puppy get his name?

He got his name because Hank Williams is one of my heroes and the named seemed perfect for a hound dog - plus I hate stupid dog names.

What is your favourite thing to do together?

Patrol the neighbourhood and watch blockbusters.

Does Hank Williams have any friends?

He’s got lots of friends, he is a popular guy.

What does Hank Williams like to eat?

DVDs, records, eye fillet steaks and shoes. F PN DAN’S TRADITIONAL BARBER SHOP & SHAVE PARLOUR, 459 Karangahape Road

THE TRUE AND ONLY VERY SLIGHTLY EXAGGERATED TALES OF CHESTER PONSONBY A year on and Chester still roams our Ponsonby Streets. Here are a few of last year’s adventures.

He still likes to wander: the lure of Ponsonby Road is strong, especially on a Friday night. Was mouse pizza on Prego’s menu? Someone from Ponsonby Fire Station texted to say “cat was the talk of the town” as people took photos of him by the engines. But he goes further afield too - I missed Hancock’s Wines and Spirits 2am call, but after sleeping it off, he returned the next day. My neighbours’ visitors recently found him in their car - thwarted in his desire to accompany them to Snow Planet.

In July, Chester disappeared. Four days later, a Stuart Street resident phoned to say that he’d got locked in their house while they were away.

Mmm - bit thinner. Thanks Tric for cat-chauffeur-plus service to the Ponsonby Veterinary Clinic Cattery.

In October, he was left in the care of a lovely house-sitter. His collar was found: he was missing for a week. He turned up one morning, impervious to our worry, in good health.

Out on Peel Street, next day, after a long, exhausted sleep then much nuzzling, he was on his way again, where he returned to White Cross, Ponsonby Road.

A Sackfield Street caller left a message which I found too late to reply, but next morning, the cat was on my bed, snoring genteelly. I was pleased to see him, as earlier in the week, he had been on a 25-hour outing, ending up in Gunson Street. Yet another Gunson Street woman phoned, bemused that I didn’t know which house to collect him from, “As you’ve been here before.” Arthur Street also appears a popular holiday destination. He had a weekend getaway at a serviced Grafton apartment (pickup included): yes, that’s our Chester!

He likes the warmth - I’ve dragged him away from the open fire of a Norfolk Street house, the heater in Ponsonby Pharmacy, the road asphalt... He likes the garden sun, but if it’s too hot, he’ll shelter under rengarenga lilies. He’s even building a truce with the neighbour’s Ragdoll cats.

He’s very affectionate, but perhaps a bit promiscuous? I find there is yet another neighbour in our street who allows him to sleep on his bed and sit on the window sill and preen himself. Chester enjoys physical contact. A caring woman carried him from Lincoln Street to the top of Vermont Street, for collection. A neighbour told me he’d seen a couple carrying him down Vermont Street, late one night, and dropping him off outside this house. He is training the neighbourhood!

We discovered that Lucille, my son-in-law’s 93-year-old, grandmother, thought that when I talked about picking up Chester from the Central Police Station at midnight and from Sky City Casino bus stop (I ignored advice and didn’t stop his allowance), that Chester was my male friend.

photography: Tim Dee

Since Chester hurt his knee, he has become more apprehensive of sudden sounds, but more importantly, whilst still roaming, he has been returning of his own accord, after shorter outings. I’m happy for him to have adventures, but I fear for him jousting with main road traffic, and life is easier without that worry. If he does travel afar, our phone PN number is on his collar tag. (PAM TARULEVICZ) F

92 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

PONSONBY PEOPLE + THEIR PETS ASK ALEX

COULD YOU BE AN SPCA HERO IN 2016?

Did you make a New Year’s resolution to get fit or be more active?

Do you want to help Auckland’s animals?

If the answer to either (or both) of these questions is “Yes!” then you are exactly what SPCA Auckland is looking for.

Team SPCA is looking for people to challenge themselves in 2016 whilst raising vital funds for animals in need.

Whether you run (or walk) ‘Round the Bays’ in March, or ‘Jump to the Rescue’ from 13,000ft in April, all the money you raise will help animals in need.

However you decide to challenge yourself, do it for the SPCA - the animals will thank you!

How to be an SPCA hero: 1.

Visit spcaauckland.org.nz

2.

Choose your event

3.

Start fundraising

Easy isn’t it? Once you're part of Team SPCA, you will be contacted by the fundraising team who will provide you with all the fundraising support and advice you need. Plus, if you raise more than $100 you’ll receive a free Team SPCA t-shirt to wear during the event - raise over $500 and you’ll get a personalised singlet.

For further information visit www.spcaauckland.org.nz or contact the SPCA fundraising team, T: 09 256 7312 or fundraise@spca.org.nz

Each month Dr Alex Melrose answers readers’ pet -related issues. Email yours to: alex@vetcare.net.nz

Q:

My beautiful Burmese, who has been struggling with kidney disease, is booked in with you for taking a blood sample, and I’ll bring in a urine sample from her litter tray as well. Your nurses have promised that I can wait with Anna to take her home rather than leave her with you, to reduce her stress, which I get very concerned about.

There has been a slight improvement in her kidney disease since last week. She has somewhat better appetite (but she has already lost a lot of weight in the previous few weeks, and is again eating her cat litter). She is sleeping less and is less unsteady on her legs, she’s wanting to go out, and even going down the stairs on her own again out to the front yard. So she has a little bit better activity and less knuckling over on her paws, she is also doing more grooming of herself, enjoying brushing, and is purring a lot again after three months off. Anna’s worried mum, Grey Lynn

A:

Thank you for booking a progress visit with us, despite Anna not enjoying the trip. As is the case with many cats, the car ride is usually the worst bit, (we are super gentle when they get here).

Her blood and urine samples will tell us a tonne about the progress of her renal disease, and help us narrow down effective treatment options. Especially with your great effort in gathering a urine sample for us at home, I can assure you of a brief 20 minutes or so here before getting her safely back home.

The urine will be checked for infections and the concentrating ability of her kidneys. The bloods show how high the kidney toxins may be, a probable deficiency of key electrolytes that we need to supplement and the presence of any red blood cell anaemia from long -standing illness.

I think nibbling on the kitty litter is her trying to gain some roughage, especially with limited access to eating grass lately. It sounds like the Gabbapentin we have her on is helping with blocking ascending nerve pain from arthritis and helping Anna get around better. The Laurabolin anabolic steroid may also be helping with her feeling more sprightly and raising her red blood cell count.

We’ll keep trying to get her interested in her kidney diet, it adds hugely to renal patient’s lifespan, doubling it, on average. Depending on her blood picture, it may also be time to add in an ace inhibitor and increase blood flow to the remaining kidney tissue, reducing protein loss through her urine.

Working together, we really do have some great options to assist Anna with the quality and length of her life, despite her condition, and we can certainly work around her anxieties. (DR ALEX MELRORE, BVSC, MRCVS) F PN VETCARE GREY LYNN & UNITEC, 408 Great North Road, Gate 3, 101 Carrington Road, T: 09 361 3500, www.vetcare.net.nz

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LOOK... WHO IS IN THE ZOO!

Galapagos tortoise Chippie enjoys a sleep in the sun after a mud wallow

Explore the Galapagos this summer

Date nights

Despite their reputation for living life in the slow lane, Auckland Zoo’s Galapagos tortoises Smiley, Willy, Snapper and Chippie were super-quick to settle in to their redeveloped exhibit The Galapagos at the start of summer.

In celebration of summer, Auckland Zoo is opening late until 8pm every Thursday during February.

Not at all phased by his pre-move vet check and van trip across the zoo, Smiley was first in and made a beeline for the new pools before enjoying a snack of carrots. While ‘home’ for these largest tortoises in the world is in the same location as the exhibit the foursome moved into over 19 years ago, there’s been many exciting changes.

The extreme makeover includes the creation of a much larger indoor facility (temperature a balmy 28 degrees!) with smart new heating, UV lighting, pools and nest boxes, and a completely re-landscaped outdoor environment to closely mimic the Galapagos Islands’ climate and terrain.

“The new house provides year-round warmth on a much larger scale to keep the tortoises visible and active year-round,” says Auckland Zoo’s curator of Ectotherms and Birds, Richard Gibson.

“Through our new heating system, we can provide extended daylight in the winter via LED flood lamps, and the tortoises also have heated pools (at 25 degrees) for soaking, which also help maintain humidity.

“Outside, there’s a dry, more barren landscape to better reflect their Pacific environment, and a mud pool to wallow in. It’s great for their skin and thermo-regulation, and is something they naturally love to do,” says Richard.

Males Smiley (44) and Willy (44) and females Snapper (46) and Chippie (45) were all born at Hawaii’s Honolulu Zoo, and came to Auckland Zoo in December 1983. Males Smiley and Willy weigh in at around 270kg each, and females Snapper (46) and Chippie (45) are both currently close to 160kg.

Plus, in honour of being nominated one of Auckland’s best spots for a date, we’ve decided to swap our adult and child prices* on these nights. So leave the kids behind and come and spend a perfect romantic evening in the stunningly lush surrounds of the zoo for just $12 per adult.

Some of our animals will still be up and out enjoying the sunshine, and our licensed cafes will be open with plenty of food and beverage options.

While having a great night out, you’ll also be contributing to conservation efforts here in New Zealand and around the world, as all profits from these late nights will go to the Zoo Conservation Fund.

Late nights at the zoo are 4, 11, 18 and 25 February, 5.30pm - 8pm. Adult tickets are $12 with entry from 5.30pm. Full details at www.aucklandzoo.co.nz *Ticket prices: Adults $12, Children (4-14 years) $28

Enjoy a free zoo visit!

Only in their 40s, these extremely long-lived tortoises still have some growing to do and are yet to breed. No-one knows exactly how long they can live, the oldest recorded clocked up 151 years!

Come in with family and friends and experience the world at Auckland Zoo this summer anytime until 29 February, and you’ll be entitled to a free visit before Easter.

Over centuries, the Galapagos tortoise population has been hit hard - hunted by pirates, whalers and merchantmen, and then by introduced predators such as feral pigs, dogs, cats, cattle and goats.

Kids can pick up a free aerogram and collect stamps as they travel the world - a great adventure through Aotearoa, Australia, Africa, Asia, South America, Nepal and Sri Lanka!

After their journey, they’ll tell everyone all about their trip around the world.

Now listed as endangered, these magnificent reptiles have been strictly protected by the Ecuadorian government since 1970. Captive breeding efforts by the Charles Darwin Research Station are also having positive effects.

One free visit is available to all visitors who purchase general admission zoo entry tickets up until 29 February. Normal zoo admission prices apply. For full terms and conditions, visit www.aucklandzoo.co.nz

94 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FURRY AND FABULOUS ANGELA BEER: PETS & PATS FOUNDER

PETS & PAT’S FARM STAYS AND DAYCARE Early bird specials from $45. Welcome to dog Disneyland - a 20 acre farm where your dog can do as much or as little as they like.

FARM STAYS: Limited to 8 VIP guests, boutique indoor living, 20 acres for outdoor fun, 24/7 onsite vet.

DAYCARE: Small numbers, 20 acres for outdoor fun, internal spaces to relax, onsite vet, all ages, pick up.

It’s this time of the year when we start planning for the year ahead. In terms of dog care, there are some key questions I think all parents should ask of the dog care facility. Here’s my essential list.

1. How many dogs are in your facility/care?

At Pets & Pats, we look after a small number of families, whereas in larger internal facilities it’s not uncommon to have numbers in the hundreds.

2. What is the staff to dog ratio?

Once again, in larger facilities or even with individual walkers taking out dogs, staff numbers can be as low as 1 to 40 dogs. At Pets & Pats we are 1 to 8.

3. What does my dog do when in your care?

I was shocked when looking into founding the farm that many ‘leading’ lodging facilities have dogs in ‘lock down’ in their pens for between 22-23 hours, only letting them out once or twice a day. In internal daycares, ask: how does my dog spend their day, how much space do they have, how many dogs are with them, what variety is offered during the day? What are the qualificatons of the staff?

4. What onsite care is available when my dog is boarding with you?

In many facilities once the kids are put to bed between 5pm - 7am, there is no onsite care. Often kids are housed in a separate facility where they are checked on once during the night.

At Pets & Pats, we have a vet who lives onsite and as kids live inside our luxury farmhouse, they are with someone 24/7. If you’d like to try the Pets & Pats experience, your meet and greet and first session is on us.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Dog HQ: Herne Bay; Country Estate: Dairy Flat. M: 021 539 699, angela@petsandpats.com facebook.com/petsandpats

SPCA ANIMALS LOOKING FOR HOMES...

Badger

Flute The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

Buggy

Millie

Felix

Peach DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

Steve PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

95

MILLY NOLAN: DESIGNER GIFTS

Summer entertaining Sunny days and light-filled evenings call for entertaining alfresco-style. Backyard barbecues, banquets under the stars and beach get-togethers are all about eating and drinking with your loved ones. Host your guests in style this summer with our top serving and tableware picks.

1. Citta Acacia Chopping Block, $45 Organic in shape, this Acacia chopping block is made from teak wood and is a versatile kitchen essential.

2. Menu Bottle Grinder Set, $140 In addition to their minimalist design, these Menu bottle grinders will season your meals perfectly.

2 1

3. House Doctor Glass Bowl Trio, $35 Whether this glass bowl trio is used for serving or display, the natural green, brown and olive tones of the blown glass have retro charm.

3

4. May Time Gold 16pc Cutlery Set, $355 Glorious in gold, this stunning 16-piece cutlery set is sure to wow guests at your next dinner party.

5. House Doctor Slate Cheese Board, $90 Made from a deep grey slate, this cheese board provides the perfect platter for antipasti.

4

5

6. Eva Solo Fridge Carafe, $75 An absolute summer must-have, this elegant glass fridge carafe has a patented stainless steel and silicone pouring lip, ensuring a drip-free pour.

6

7. French Country Cabin Lantern, $30 Eating by candlelight has never looked better with this charming cabin lantern.

8. Citta Design Moza Chiller Bag, $70 Perfect for picnics, this practical cooler bag will ensure your feast arrives at its destination chilled.

9 7

9. Ego Tasting Board, $140 Elegant yet functional, this tasting board includes three bowls for olives, dips, tapenades or whatever you desire.

PN (MILLY NOLAN) F

8

Words by Milly Nolan.

All products available at www.mildredandco.com

96 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS

EMILIA WICKSTEAD TO SHOW AT iD New Zealand-born fashion designer Emilia Wickstead - one of Kate Middleton’s go-to designers - whose creations have been worn by some of London’s most stylish women, will show at iD Dunedin this March, as well as joining the event’s International Emerging Designer Awards judging panel.

Wickstead will show pieces from her previous two autumn/ winter collections, with several couture pieces also likely to make an appearance.

Born in Auckland, Wickstead moved to Milan at age 14 before studying at London’s Central Saint Martins.

After graduating, she worked at fashion houses Giorgio Armani, Proenza Schouler, Narciso Rodriguez and Vogue in New York and Milan. Her label, which began as a madeto-measure business in 2008, has been worn by numerous celebrities alongside her most famous client - the Duchess of Cambridge, who wore Emilia Wickstead during her New Zealand tour in 2014.

Wickstead will join the iD hall of fashion luminaries that have shown at the event, including Zandra Rhodes, Stephen Jones, Akira Isogawa, Lutz Huelle, Martin Grant and last year’s Queen of Vintage, Doris Raymond.

Tickets for the three major iD catwalk shows are on sale now. F PN iD Dunedin, www.idfashion.co.nz www.ticketdirect.co.nz

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JAY PLATT: WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT...

Van Cleef & Arpels ‘BOIS D’IRIS’ Eau De Parfum 75ml $230 @ Simon James Concept store www.simonjamesdesign.com Ice cream soda glass $5.95 each with Zyliss Ice Cream scoop $26.95 each @ Millys www.millyskitchen.co.nz

Pink jelly mould $9.95 @ Millys www.millyskitchen.co.nz Heart cake tester $7.95 @ Millys www.millyskitchen.co.nz

Jardiner trinket box ‘Abeile Verde’ $159 @ Republic www.republichome.com

Vetyver Bergamot candles by Ingrid Starnes $139 each @ Tessuti www.tessuti.co.nz

Simply Slice Strawberry slicer $17.95 @ Millys www.millyskitchen.co.nz

Chloe Croft Flamingo cushion $189 @ the Object Room www.theobjectroom.co.nz

98 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

Royal Apothic hand lotion, Imperial Vanilla, City of Angels and Venitian Grove $36.90 each @ Chambers www.chambersnz.co.nz

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT

VALENTINE GIFT IDEAS

Pink Zero teapot 450ml $65.50 @ Millys www.millyskitchen.co.nz

Tin of Love Tea $55 @ Tessuti www.tessuti.co.nz

Mappemonde Hemisphere trinket box $169.90 @ Republic www.republichome.com

Zip up purse/pencil case $21.90 each @ Chambers www.chambersnz.co.nz

Strawberry Saver $10.95 @ Millys www.millyskitchen.co.nz

Margiela Ostrich Feather Pen $99 @ the Object Room www.theobjectroom.co.nz

Heart Chain $35.90 & Earrings $29.90 by Stella & Gemma @ Chambers www.chambersnz.co.nz

Strawberry Huller $15.95 @ Millys www.millyskitchen.co.nz

Savon soap dispensers $139 each @ Republic www.republichome.com STYLING: Jay Platt PHOTOGRAPHY: Danilo Santana David, Fisher Santana.

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS

WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT SPREAD Every month, our colleague Jay Platt does his ‘We Can’t Live Without’ spread in Ponsonby News to support the local gift stores.

Jay and our photographer, Danilo Santana David, work together to produce the two popular pages. Danilo has kindly said that he loves working with Ponsonby News. We love working with him too!

As it’s Valentine’s Day this month, readers have a wonderful range of gifts to choose from, priced from $7.95. The stores featured include Chambers, Millys, Object Room, Republic, Simon James Design and Tessuti - all in the name of love! F PN

100 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

Your local apartment consulting specialists, OLSWPUN `V\ I\` ^P[O JVUĂ„KLUJL Known previously as Key2Metro, we have rebranded to Apartmint!

Many of you are already familiar with our expert consultants, large range of high quality off-plan apartments, and our show suite located at 54C Ponsonby Road. • Same experienced and dedicated team • Same central location • Now even more apartment projects!

)L VUL Z[LW HOLHK Pre-register now to be kept informed of six city fringe developments to be SH\UJOLK [OL Ă„YZ[ X\HY[LY VM Visit ^^^ HWHY[TPU[ JV Ua or visit the show suite at 54C Ponsonby Road.

Alternatively, call one of our consultants below.

We’d love to hear from you.

Mark

Carl

Richard

Craig

Jamie

Nigel

Mint Real Estate - Licensed REAA 2008

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS

CRN SUCCESS IN LARGE-SCALE REUSE APPROACH One person’s junk is another person’s treasure has been put into practice with a new approach to inorganic collection in Auckland.

The Community Recycling Network is contracted by Auckland Council to distribute goods collected in the citywide inorganic collection by Waste Management. CRN works with organisations that can use the secondhand goods, resulting in less waste going landfill, creating jobs and generating revenue for community benefit.

MODERN OUTDOOR SEATING

CRN Project Manager Sei Brown said they were already hitting five full truckloads per day at peak and the project was operating at less than half of the seven Auckland collection areas.

Brown said part of the success was due to Aucklanders putting out good quality reusable items for collection in the knowledge that CRN would help find new homes for their unwanted items. “We have been able to find new homes for things like antiques and bicycles, whiteware and power tools, beds and furniture. Bric-a-brac has been very popular among our charity shops,” he said.

One of the highlights had been the formation of a new social enterprise to provide a solution for items that would have ended up in the landfill, Brown said. “We had a sea of fridges, washing machines and dryers covering the warehouse floor in the first six weeks.”

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As a result, Envision NZ Director Matthew Luxon set up a social enterprise on site, Resource Rescue. He has employed two people to test and repair and clean the appliances before on-selling them.

“As well as giving used appliances new life, Resource Rescue provides a great training pathway for employment,” Luxon said. “A worker might start by cleaning machines, then learn some basic repair skills, become trained for tag and test, pick up more specialist skills and gain qualifications and registration as an electrical serviceperson.”

CRN Executive Officer Dorte Wray said the primary purpose was reuse - not recycling - as it was better to reuse items that still had useful life left in them. However, one of the biggest challenges they had discovered was how to deal with end-of-life products like redundant electronic materials.

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“In the first nine weeks, we collected more than 100 cubic metres of TVs, computers, printers and other electronic material. This meant recycling was the only option,” she said.

Brown said another success factor was that community groups and organisations participating in the inorganic collections were seeing direct value in the materials collected for them.

“Some groups come at least once a week while other groups like Habitat for Humanity and the African Welfare Trust are coming to us nearly every day and taking away goods going straight into homes.”

He said some items went to organisations’ secondhand shops to help generate revenue for their charities and support their work, while groups like St Vincent de Paul took some beds and fridges directly into family homes. Wray said they were looking forward to the collection expanding in February so that an even greater volume of waste would be diverted from landfill. She welcomes community organisations to get in touch if they’d like to get involved.

Akina CEO Alex Hannant said this operation was an example of how smart procurement can achieve social and environmental outcomes alongside a range of economic benefits.

“This new inorganic collection is achieving multiple outcomes because it’s been designed and managed well. We have new jobs, we have purposeful employment for people with disabilities, we have useful objects being saved from landfill, and we have householders being able to get rid of their unwanted possessions easily,” he said.

Wray said in the first nine weeks the team had been collecting from parts of Rodney, North Shore and Waitakere City and they would be expanding to the rest of Auckland in February. Interested people who want to know what would be picked up and when, should contact Auckland Council on T: 09 301 0101 or check the CRN website on PN www.communityrecyclers.org.nz F

102 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

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1. Oxacana chair Viro high-end synthetic fibre weave with galvanised steel powdercoated frame.

Viro outdoor wicker is specifically designed and engineered for outdoor use and is UV resistant. Resistant to chlorine, salt, suntan creams and oils, colourfast and will not fade. $625 2. Bliss chair Viro high-end synthetic fibre weave with teak frame. Viro weave is the product of choice for all luxury hotels throughout the world. $1530 3. Votsalo Lounge chair Viro high-end synthetic fibre weave with Sunbrella outdoor fabric and quick dry foam. Viro outdoor wicker is specifically designed and engineered for outdoor use and is UV resistant. Resistant to chlorine, salt, suntan creams and oils. Colourfast and will not fade. $2,895 FORMA, 51 - 53 The Strand, Parnell, T: 09 368 7694, www.forma.co.nz www.facebook.com/formafurniturenz PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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103

MY FAVOURITE ROOM

Jordan Gibson Jordan Gibson is the Creative Director at Gubb & Mackie, a clothing and accessories brand which recently opened a flagship store on Vulcan Lane in the city.

Jordan currently runs the store (“This has been a big project for me,” he says) as well as designing the collections and overseeing the creative facets of the brand.

Jordan lives just by Three Lamps in St Marys Bay - he’s been in the spot for about a year - with his flatmate Jacqui who owns Good Day cafe.

The livingroom is Jordan’s favourite, used for entertaining, eating, relaxing, and quiet time in the mornings and weekends. He says, “I don’t spend a lot of time here but when I do, it’s because I either have some time to relax or we’re entertaining, so it is a bit of a sanctuary in that way.”

His favourite thing in the room? “The big sash windows at the front of the room that lap in the light and provide a vista out over Freemans Bay and over to the North Shore.” F PN GUBB & MACKIE www.gubbandmackie.com

EXPRESS YOURSELF - CREATIVE YOUTH PARTNERSHIPS Good news: we're growing our youth/young adults' programme for Express Yourself 2016!

Hooray! In 2016, young people aged 17-24 (ish!) will have a broader range of creative opportunities to choose from at Express Yourself.

The new schedule is as follows: Visual Arts Mondays 2-4pm: Play with a range of visual art forms including painting, printmaking and sculpture alongside practising artists at Toi Ora Studio, 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn.

Performing Arts Tuesdays 2-4 pm: Try out African drumming, theatre and movement games in a fun, low-pressure environment at Circability Central, located at the old Campbell Free Kindergarten building, Victoria Park.

Open Studio Wednesdays and Thursdays 1-4 pm: Got a creative project? Want to try things out on your own? Come and check out the new Express Yourself Youth Hub at Toi Ora, and do your thing. At Toi Ora Studio, 6 Putiki Street.

Please share with your networks and any young people who you think may benefit from these classes.

Some quotes from Express Yourself attendees last year: “I got asked the other day what brings me alive... and I realised that for me it's creativity.”

"When I come here I feel like whatever I make is okay and it won't be judged by anyone."

“Since I've come here, I have more friends and happiness.”

"I feel accepted and like I fit in here."

“I’ve met the right people here to get started on making my web series.”

"I like learning from people who have made art a career." F PN To register, please contact Monica, T: 09 360 4171 or M: 022 161 2329 or monica@toiora.org.nz, or check out www.facebook.com/expressyourselfAK

104 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS ANY PAGE IN PONSONBY NEWS IS A GOOD PLACE TO BE SEEN

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Bayleys Market Beat Ponsonby area market trends followed those of the wider Auckland region quite closely over the final quarter of 2015.

Ponsonby Area Residential Market Facts Median Price

The area median value in the December quarter was practically unchanged from September 2015 and now sits at $1,360,000.

Although flat over the last three months, values have still risen by

2014

2015

Freemans Bay

$870,000

$895,000

$1,084,500

Grey Lynn

$927,500

$940,000

$1,280,000

Herne Bay

$1,560,000

$1,549,000

$1,900,000

$866,250

$988,000

$1,150,000

Ponsonby

$1,030,500

$1,272,500

$1,480,500

year. This figure can mainly be put down to a lack of listings in the

St Marys Bay

$1,387,500

$1,607,500

$1,740,000

region. Agency reports however confirm that there is still strong

Westmere

$1,195,000

$1,200,000

$1,555,000

interest from buyers.

Sales Count Freemans Bay

111

127

130

Grey Lynn

234

247

235

Herne Bay

95

106

124

Point Chevalier

148

145

110

Ponsonby

130

108

112

54

42

32

108

85

65

Freemans Bay

26

33

49

Grey Lynn

29

39

41

Herne Bay

33

42

39

Point Chevalier

29

39

32

Ponsonby

41

36

42

St Marys Bay

39

71

38

Westmere

37

45

41

17% from the same quarter last year. Sales volumes were also down in the final quarter with 197 transactions, compared with 279 last

Ponsonby Area Residential Dwellings Median Sale Price v Volume 300

$1,600.000 Transaction Court

200 $1,000.000 $800,000

150

$600,000 100

Transaction Numbers

250 $1,200.000

$400,000 50

$200,000 $0 2015 - QTR 3

2015 - QTR 1

2014 - QTR 3

2014 - QTR 1

2013 - QTR 3

2013 - QTR 1

2012 - QTR 3

2012 - QTR 1

2011 - QTR 3

2011 - QTR 1

2010 - QTR 3

2010 - QTR 1

2009 - QTR 3

2009 - QTR 1

2008 - QTR 3

2008 - QTR 1

2007 - QTR 3

2007 - QTR 1

2006 - QTR 3

2006 - QTR 1

2005 - QTR 3

0

2005 - QTR 1

Point Chevalier

Median Sell Price

$1,400.000

Meidan Sale Price

2013

Quarter

Source: REINZ

St Marys Bay Westmere

Days on Market

Calculated on 12 months to Dec Source: REINZ, Bayleys Reaserch

Value appreciation year on year for each suburb in this location show Ponsonby fringe suburbs values were driven up the most proportionately. Grey Lynn, in 2014 had a median value of $940,000 for the twelve months, grew by nearly 36% finishing 2015 at

Ponsonby Area 2015 Key Data

$1,277,500. Westmere also improved, up nearly 30% from 2014,

All Residential Dwellings

to $1,555,000 at the end of 2015. St Marys Bay, one of New

Median Sale Price

Zealand’s most affluent suburbs, has not seen percentage growth as substantial over the year, hardly surprising given that the median in 2014 was over $1,600,000. As a result annual growth of 8.2% still equates to a $132,500 increase the median to $1,740,000.

The introduction of new high quality apartments to the

Value

Change Since 2014

$1,338,000

Max Sale Price

$24,000,000

Min Sale Price

$78,000

Total Sales

804

Average Days on Market

41

area along with new projects selling from plans, led to strong

Apartments/ Townhouses

purchaser inquiry, which has seen median apartment values rise.

Median Sale Price

The December quarterly median for apartments and townhouses

Max Sale Price

$3,100,000

Min Sale Price

$78,000

of $805,000 is up 8% on the September 2015 quarter where the median stood at $745,000. These new housing options have given residents the opportunity to downsize in the area, an attractive options for those who do not want to leave the locality.

Total Sales Average Days on Market

Value

Change Since 2014

$775,000

232 45 Source: REINZ

www.bayleys.co.nz Licensed under the REA Act 2008

Bayleys Ponsonby focused on delivering you more outstanding results in 2016

Bernadette Morrison

Andrea Ritchie

Blair Haddow

Karen Spires

Robyn Clark

Duncan Ritchie

Luke McCaw

Michael Rawlence

Chris Batchelor

Simon Smith

Peter Tanner

Trisha Vincent

George Passmore

Suzie Paine

Brad Roebuck

The market drivers still in play; a low interest rate environment; continual housing shortage; and record migration levels lead us to the conclusion that there will be further upward pressure on values in the Ponsonby and Auckland housing markets, albeit that the introduction of greater regulation and the already high level of property values will see percentage growth slowing to single digit ďŹ gures over the next 12 months.

- Bayleys Research Team If you are looking to move into or out of Ponsonby and the surrounding area talk to our experienced team.

Contact us now: BAYLEYS P ONSONBY, 305 PO NSONBY RO AD. Bernadette Morrison, Sales Manager Ponsonby B +64 9 375 8650 E bernadette.morrison@bayleys.co.nz

www.bayleys.co.nz Licensed under the REA Act 2008

HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS

ASHLEY & CO, MODERN SCENTS FOR HOME AND INDUSTRY COMMITTED TO CREATING BEAUTIFUL AND FUNCTIONAL PRODUCTS, WHAT BEGAN AS a unique collaboration between a husband and wife in Auckland, is now a growing, creative brand. Jackie and Ben Ashley launched their brand Ashley & Co 10 years ago and since then the range of home fragrances and complementary washes has been going from strength to strength. The involvement of business partner Jeremy Scott three years ago, then helped drive their expansion. Ashley & Co is now stocked in some 80 New Zealand stores (well represented in Ponsonby) with 50 more in Australia and 12 in Singapore.

An Ashley & Co hero product is the Waxed Perfume - individually hand-poured candles in one of four fragrances. Using 100% natural wax and an unbleached cotton wick, hand placed and hand-glued... in other words, a genuine handmade product of New Zealand.

Waxed Perfume comes in a 207g size offering 40-45 hours burn time. Fragrance options are Once Upon & Time (fig and black gardenia); Blossom & Gilt (Costa Rican tuberose, wild jasmine); Bubbles & Polkadots (rose, soft powdery musk), and Tui & Kahili (wild ginger, lily).

Ashley & Co fragrances also comes in ‘Home Perfume’ for those who prefer a reed diffuser. Embracing certified natural and organic home products, Ashley & Co’s ‘Gone Green’ range of ‘WashUp & SootherUp’ are free from sulphates, parabens, mineral oils, colourings and the fragrance is certified 100% natural by Ecocert.

The brand is not limited to making homes beautiful - ‘Handful’ is a hand wash solution, designed and created for industry. Handful represents an important touch point for businesses to engage with their customers or employees, transforming an overlooked daily routine into something memorable and enjoyable.

Widely available in premium restaurants in Auckland and abroad including the likes of Chin Chin Melbourne, Handful offers a quality botanical formula with natural antiseptics (grapefruit seed and aloe) combined with Ashley & Co’s most admired scent ‘Tui & Kahili’ dropping notes of wild ginger and lily. F PN For further information, visit www.ashleyandco.co.nz

108 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

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INSPIRING DESIGN AND INNOVATION AT KEENAN INTERIORS Keenan Interiors is proud to announce their stunning new showroom located in Jervois Road.

The showroom is a design and ideas destination set up for clients, architects and interior designers to consult with the Keenan team, attend regular evening events that showcase the latest innovation and design, and gain inspiration for their next project.

Keenan Interiors’ signature looks are inspired by a range of influences from concepts that are strong on straight lines and perspectives, to those that offer a more organic feel with the latest in stylish curves.

Part of Keenan Interiors success is its partnerships with European suppliers, such as high quality German hardware manufacturers, Hettich. The Hettich products range from push-to-open drawers, through to soft close hinges for cabinets, all with customisable design features.

Whether it’s an urban apartment, a family home, an historic villa or a trendy townhouse, Keenan Interiors is able to design beautiful and customised spaces to suit. Plus they are proud to manufacture Miss Lolo’s range of furniture which is also available to view in the showroom.

The Keenan Promise: To create exceptional high quality kitchens, bathrooms, furniture and joinery that delight their customers.

The Keenan Vision: To be the No. 1 manufacturer of quality bespoke joinery in Auckland. Earning customers respect through manufacturing beautiful products driven by our teamwork, integrity and innovative ways of working. F PN To book an appointment call, Alan, M: 027 7396 497 or Erica, M: 027 7745 131, KEENAN INTERIORS, 218 Jervois Road, www.keenaninteriors.co.nz

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STREET NAMES: THE HISTORICAL BOROUGH OF PONSONBY AND GREY LYNN

SHERIDAN LANE Acclaimed playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan was born in Dublin,1751.

There’s an apocryphal story that his mother remarked to her three sons’ tutor, “patience was needed for they were such impenetrable dunces she had never met with”. Sheridan certainly belied his mother’s humorous description. After the family moved to London he was educated at Harrow where, according to a Master, he was extremely popular, winning “the esteem and even admiration of all his schoolfellows”! Upon leaving Harrow, he corresponded with a schoolfriend, N.B. Halhed who was at Oxford. Together they made a number of literary plans and wrote a farce called ‘Jupiter’ which is of interest because it contained a rehearsal device used brilliantly in Sheridan’s play, ‘The Critic’.

When his family moved to Bath, he made acquaintance with the daughters of composer Thomas Linley, the eldest of whom was very beautiful and had many suitors, among them Sheridan, Halhed and a Welsh squire, Major Mathews. The details of Sheridan’s courtship read like a Georgette Heyer romance. To protect Elizabeth from the Squire’s unwelcome advances, he escorted her to a nunnery in France, returning to fight two duels with her persecutor after the pair had secretly married during their flight. On their return, Miss Linley’s father denied Sheridan access to his daughter, whom he considered an unsuitable match. Sheridan was sent to Waltham Abbey to continue his studies, was entered at the Middle Temple as a barrister in 1773, but after a week defied his father, gave up a legal career and married Elizabeth openly at Marylebone Church in London.

His happy marriage gave him confidence to choose theatre for a livelihood. ‘The Rivals’ opened in London and the play reveals Sheridan’s remarkable sense of theatrical effect.

It coined the word ‘malapropism’ with its mockery of affectation and gives a sense of caricature to ‘Mrs Malaprop’. ‘The School for Scandal’ is regarded as Sheridan’s masterpiece and it drew larger audiences than any other play showing at the time. With its ridicule of pretentiousness, it’s considered the greatest comedy of manners in the English language. ‘The Critic’ lampoons all classes connected with the stage such as authors and actors. An example of his ingenuity is evident in the ballad opera ‘Duenna’.

With charming lyrics set to music by his father-in-law, it was so popular it set a record of 75 performances.

Thomas Linley must have got over his initial aversion to Sheridan because he and a Dr Ford paid £35,000 towards a half share in Drury Lane with Sheridan contributing only £1300, the remainder raised on a mortgage. Two years later they bought the other half. By this time Sheridan’s interests had turned to politics. He entered parliament for Stafford in 1780 as friend and ally of Charles James Fox, a prominent Whig statesman, and soon took a place as one of the best speakers in the house. He continued to adapt plays and improvise spectacular shows at Drury Lane but as a succession of managers took over the burden of direction, his time was increasingly taken over by politics. He was under-secretary for foreign affairs during the Rockingham ministry and in debate his critical acumen singled out weaknesses in opponents’ arguments and he had no match when it came to ridicule.

LOCAL REAL ESTATE DUO GOING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH John Wills and Nic Blackie are a dynamic Real Estate duo familiar to many of us in the area.

Last year was a huge breakthrough year for the John and Nic team. In 2015 they successfully handled almost 50 unconditional sales and achieved impressive street record prices with 18 of those properties.

The pair is clearly very active in the local marketplace and are becoming well known for their professional and approachable style. It’s clear that they enjoy what they do, and take satisfaction in pushing for the big results for their clients In addition to this, John and Nic credit a huge amount of their success to the fact that they are lucky to work with the small, and very customer focussed team at Custom Residential.

“Our work environment is unique in that we are able to work with very few distractions and focus all our energy on the client and their campaign. We also give plenty of time to phone buyers and see how we can help to match them up with suitable properties.

That’s what it’s all about.”

John and Nic say that a great experience is key but an outstanding result is crucial, and PN they work hard on delivering these outcomes week after week. F JOHN WILLS, M: 021 333 053, NIC BLACKIE, 021 505 964, www.custonmresidential.co.nz

Upon the defeat of the Whig party, Sheridan became an ‘independent member’. Along with Fox, he maintained that after the revolution the French should be allowed to manage their own affairs, but when Napoleon came to prominence, and realising the General’s dangerous ambitions, he used his eloquence to urge retaliation. He broke with Fox once the French threatened England’s security. Throughout his time in parliament, he became the Prince Regent’s boon companion but was distrusted while acting as adviser to the unpopular and self indulgent Prince of Wales, who later was crowned George IV. Eventually they quarrelled because of their differing attitudes to Catholic emancipation which Sheridan strongly supported.

When he stood for election in 1812, he was defeated and his life spiralled downwards from then on. His financial difficulties were brought about by his extravagance and no longer protected as a Member of Parliament against arrest for debt, he was prey to his creditors. Without income from Drury Lane, which was destroyed by a disastrous fire, he was besieged by bailiffs until he died in July 1816. He was buried with great pomp in Westminster Abbey. Lord Byron wrote a ‘Monody on the death of the Right Honourable R. B. Sheridan’ to be recited at the opening of the rebuilt Drury Lane Theatre.

(DEIRDRE ROELANTS) F PN Nic Blackie and John Wills take a coffee break at Cafe O

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

Super Starter 10 Waima Street, Grey Lynn For Sale by Auction

Packed with goodies, this generous two bedroom villa offers plenty from its prized central position.

A true lock and leave lifestyle for busy professionals and down-sizers.

John Wills & Nic Blackie 021 333 053 021 505 964 customresidential.co.nz The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS

AUCKLAND PROPERTY PRICES ROCK STEADY IN DECEMBER, SALES NUMBERS DOWN In December the sales price of Auckland housing remained stable but there was a significant fall in the number of sales compared to those in November and December 2014.

“Sales data for the final month of the year is sending mixed messages as to where the market will head in 2016,” said Peter Thompson.

“The average sales price for December at $869,492 was down only 0.8% on November’s record average price while the median price rose to an all-time high of $800,000, up 0.6% on that for November. From a price perspective, the market was rock steady.

“Sales for the month at 796 were 19.3% lower than in November, and it was the lowest number of sales in a December for four years. December’s sales were also the lowest in any month for the past 22 months.

“While in December, new listings at 757 were down 55% on those in November, this level of decline is quite normal and they were the highest in a December for four years.

“With a growing population and the number of new builds failing to keep pace with demand, competition for properties is likely to remain strong in the first quarter of 2016. January’s sales data is always influenced by the summer holiday period, and it is likely to be mid March, when February’s sales data is available, that a clearer understanding of prospects for 2016 will emerge.

“What is clear, however, is that with so few properties on the market, now is an excellent time to list. In December 278 properties sold for in excess of $1 million and a further 202 for in excess of $750,000. Sales of properties in the under $500,000 price category were 44, representing 5.5% of all sales.

“In 2015, the average sale price of homes for the full year was $817,096, an increase of 14% on that for 2014, and 25.8% over 2013’s average sales price. The median price for 2015 was $755,333, 17.4 % higher than 2014’s median price and 30.5% higher than that for 2013.” F PN

“The factor most likely to impact on January sales was the extremely low number of listing at the end of December which, at 2431, was down 25.2% on those in November, and the lowest number for any month for more than 20 years.

ANDREW PALACE - INSPIRED BY THE WORLD OF SCI FI Andrew Palace from Metal As Anything has just finished his pop up ‘Space Invaders’ exhibition at Ponsonby Central. We asked him a few questions.

What inspires you?

My early forays into the sci fi book world of Jules Verne, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, plus an early 50s movie ‘The Day The Earth Stood Still’ and also later ‘Blakes 7’, ‘Dr Who’ and ‘Lost in Space’ whetted my appetite for all things alien.

-time involved in this, as one is not just making a sculpture but something that has to be able to be taken apart to fit the light fixtures and also to change the bulbs. Most of the lamps I now make are fitted with LEDs, this gives a very long bulb life, very little heat and small sizes to fit in tight places.

Where do you find your materials?

Much of the inspiration comes from the actual pieces of scrap metal, brass and copper that I find on my regular searches of scrap yards and junk shops, where I often find unusual pieces of retro glass. There are times when I pick up a piece of brass or copper and the whole spaceship lamp forms in my mind. I also use a lot of marbles, ground and polished glass rods for tail jets, prisms and magnified glass from binoculars and an assortment of cast and blown glass from my glass-blowing and casting friends.

Do you have a favourite piece?

I don’t generally have a favourite piece as I have never made a lamp that I didn’t love.

I am often asked how can I bear to part with them, but my joy comes from seeing them take pride of place in someone’s home. I am proud of every piece I have ever made, but, well, okay, I really like my flying saucer with the alien on the escalator holding a ray gun and also my ray gun with a sound card that shoots a laser beam when it makes a ray gun noise.

How long have you been creating your lamps and how long does each one take to build?

I have been creating lamps for the last 25 years. I started by making candelabras but found that too limiting and quickly moved on to making lamps that were at first very organic forms - palms, pukas, ferns, interspersed with more contemporary lamps and the occasional space ship. Over the last five years I have concentrated on spaceships as I decided they were my real love in lamps. One can let their imagination run wild and there is no end to the shapes and forms that can be turned into an alien craft. The lamps take on average three weeks to build, depending on complexity. There is a lot of thought

Did you enjoy having your show at Ponsonby Central?

This was my second show in a pop up shop at Ponsonby Central, and I have found the team there to be always friendly and helpful. Being a destination with a variety of shops and cafe restaurants means that you don’t have to attract people to your space, they are coming there anyway, so all in all a great experience. F PN

112 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

Contact Andrew on M: 021 592 296 or www.facebook.com/Andrew-Palace-Metal-As-Anything

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THE BEST OF THE BEST †u $or ;u=oul;uv bm Ć‘Ć?Ć?Ć” 1st

2nd

Angela Saunders 021 448 900

4th

3rd

Robyn Ellson 021 800 891

Sue Hatton 0272 799 696

5th

6th

Jan George & Aaron Haabjoern 0274 784 119 & 021 469 226

Marty Hall & Heather Lanting 0274 500 168 & 0274 394 124

7th

8th

Elaine Ferguson 0275 345 024

9th

Josh Powell 021 905 234

$ * &" ( "$ !

Angela Saunders 021 448 900

114 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

Lynn Lacy-Hauck 021 190 0611

10th

Pamela Grant 021 735 537

Tricia Lafferty & Kym Aikin 021 611 205 & 021 596 222

$ ! $

Marty Hall & Heather Lanting 0274 500 168 & 0274 394 124

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CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR SPECTACULAR TOP PERFORMERS +;-u -[;u ย ;-uฤท u;]-u7ัด;vv o= |_; l-uh;|ฤท oย u |or |;-l l;l0;uv 1omเฆ mย ; |o 1u;-|; oย |v|-m7bm] u;vย ัด|v =ou |_;bu 1ัดb;m|v -m7 =ou |_bv ย ; -u; bm1u;7b0ัดย ruoย 7ฤบ $_; u;vย ัด|v |_;ย -1_b;ย ; -m7 |_;v; -ย -u7v 7o mo| 1ol; -0oย | 0ย -11b7;m| ou v;u;m7brb|ย ฤท u-|_;u |_;v; u;vย ัด|v -u; 7oย m |o |_;bu _-u7 ย ouhฤท 7;|;ulbm-เฆ omฤท -m7 - 0;ัดb;= bm ruoย b7bm] |or 1ย v|ol;u v;uย b1;ฤท ;ย ;uย vbm]ัด; เฆ l;ฤบ ย u bm7;r;m7;m| vย uย ;ย u;vย ัด|v -ัดvo ;mvย u; |_-| ย ; -u; mo| omัดย ;ย 1;rเฆ om-ัดัดย ruoย 7 o= oย u |;-lฤฝv v-ัด;v u;vย ัด|v 0ย | -ัดvo |_; ย -ย bm ย _b1_ |_;ย 1om7ย 1| |_;lv;ัดย ;vฤบ m - 1olr;เฆ เฆ ย ; l-uh;| |_bv bv |_; 7b@;u;m1; 0;|ย ;;m |_; 0;v| -m7 |_; u;v|ฤบ | |_bv เฆ l; o= u;1o]mbเฆ omฤท ย ; -m7 oย u |;-l ;ย |;m7 - |_-mh ย oย |o oย u l-mย 1ัดb;m|v ย _o ;m|uย v|;7 |_;bu _ol;v ย b|_ oย u |;-l mo| omัดย bm ฦ ฦ ฦ ฦ ฤท 0ย | -ัดvo bm |_; ัด-v| ฦ ฦ ย ;-uvฤบ

Simon Damerell & Gower Buchanan Directors

259 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby โ ข 422 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn 09 376 2186 โ ข rwponsonby.co.nz

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ASK AN ARCHITECT: DANIEL MARSHALL Each month architect Daniel Marshall answers readers’ property related questions.

Q:

I have heard that in Auckland City you can erect a structure of a certain size without needing a building or resource consent. I would love to build a sleepout in our yard for when guests come to stay without going through the ridiculous expense of a resource and building consent. Could you confirm whether this is possible?

A:

If only things were that simple. You are actually half right, there are provisions in the Building Act 2004 which give exemption to certain works needing a building consent. The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment have put out a handy document which covers these items, which I have included the link for below.

www.building.govt.nz/UserFiles/File/Publications/Building/Guidanceinformation/pdf/building-work-consent-not-required-guidance-3rdedition.pdf In essence, according to this document, you can have an exemption for an ancillary building that is less than 10 sq m in area, that does not have a mezzanine and that is located the building’s own height away from the boundary. Unfortunately, these buildings can’t be legally used for sleeping or long-term dwelling and can’t be connected to existing plumbing services.

An additional complication is that building is also controlled by the Resource Management Act and within the inner city residential area, where most sites are zoned residential 1, 2a, 2b and 3, no building at all can occur without a resource consent. This means that to be compliant with the law, you will have to pay the several times larger than the cost of a shed, expense of a resource consent application. This may be a great time to write an email to your local MP or community board members seeking exemption in the PAUP (proposed unitary plan) for buildings less than 10 sq m so there could be some sensible alignment

between the Building Act and the Resource Management Act. Unfortunately, processing a resource consent is often much more expensive than a building consent application for a simple structure.

I strongly believe that in Auckland we should follow Sweden’s lead with regard to this matter. In Sweden Friggebod by Atelje Svensson Arkitektkontor they have what is called a Friggebod. It was named after the then Housing Minister of Sweden, Birgit Friggebod. This is a small house that can be built without any planning permission on a land lot with a single family house as long as they are under 15 sq m and are no closer than 4.5m to a neighbour’s boundary.

This would be an easy fix to help alleviate the housing crisis making the most of the under utilised land in the inner city suburbs to accommodate more people. They are small structures, tiny houses if you will, that would not impact on the amenity of these areas.

Maybe in New Zealand these tiny houses could be called a ‘Smith’ or a ‘Twyford’, who knows, but we do need to open up possibilities for citizens to solve society’s problems.

We need to be able to legally build a sleepout in our own backyard for when the mother -in-law comes to stay at the very least. Without jumping through a 1000 bureaucratic PN hoops. (DANIEL MARSHALL) F DANIEL MARSHALL ARCHITECTS, 472 Karangahape Road, T: 09 354 3587, www.marshall-architect.co.nz

THE NIXON CENTRAL EXPERIENCE IN HEART OF KINGSLAND A new boutique development in Kingsland, Nixon Central, offers modern apartment living with transport, leisure and shopping at your doorstep.

Nixon Central will go a long way to changing your perception of apartment living.

Designed by renowned Paul Brown Architects, only 16 apartments will be built and all will have enviable views east toward the CBD, and west over leafy Kingsland towards Western Springs Park and the Waitakere ranges.

in the apartment layouts and the first feeling of that extra space starts with the generous open living area and floor to ceiling glazing making full use of the high stud. Lavish living starts with French oak timber floors that lay the platform for the kitchen and its exceptional cabinetry, high-end stainless steel appliances and stone bench tops.

Within 150-200m is the Kingsland train station, key bus routes along New North Road, the western cycleway connecting you to the city within five minutes of easy pedalling, and the Kingsland shopping strip offering a wonderful assortment of food and beverage options.

Beyond the living area, bedrooms are well-sized and boast large full-height timber wardrobes. While bathrooms will be hard to leave, with under-floor heating keeping the stone tiling toasty. Generous decks are tastefully adorned with porcelain tiles and cedar walls and soffits.

The development’s name pays homage to neighbouring Nixon Park - your new 22,000 sq m back yard. Eden Park is only 400m away, offering hassle-free viewing of major sporting events without worrying about parking or transport.

The Nixon Central experience starts with the striking exterior walls of crisp white pre-cast concrete accompanying timber panels and sleek, black joinery. There are no compromises

116 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2016

Ground floor storage units and 21 car parks complete the opportunity. F PN For more information contact: Carl Watkins M: 021 424 736 or Nigel King M: 021 055 2355.

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

Auckland is a city on the rise in more ways than one and now you can live a new lifestyle with Southside Group’s Nixon Central development at 8 Central Road, Kingsland – city fringe apartment living as leading global design intended.

Designed by Paul Brown Architects, Nixon Central offers you: • Boutique apartment development – only 16 residential owners • Modern crisp design with a palette of white pre cast concrete, timber & zinc clad panels, metal screens, black joinery • Sleek designer interiors with the latest fittings and fixtures

On-site showroom at 8 Central Rd, Kingsland

• Unobstructed views both east and west

Viewing times on Sat/Sun 1-2pm, or by appointment

• Located opposite Nixon Park, and 100m to Kingsland shops

For all sales enquiries contact: Carl Watkins 021 424 736 or Nigel King 021 055 2355

.CO.NZ

L I C E N S E D AG E N T R E A A 2 0 0 9

BIRD OF THE MONTH

KAKARIKI - THE SMALL GREEN PARROT Kakariki, which means ‘small green parrot’ are beautiful small, forest parrots.

There are five main species, yellow-crowned parakeet, red-crowned parakeet, orangefronted parakeet, Forbe’s parakeet and Antipodes Island parakeet. During the 1800s this was one of the most common natives and would often emerge in huge flocks to feed on grain and fruit crops, in similar ways to doves in the United States. This is no longer the case due to severe culling in the 1800s and early 1900s.

When food failed in the forest, the yellow and red-crowned parakeets made their way out to farms and settled districts, attacking crops. These kakariki had no fear of man and were not frightened by the sound of a gun. Many thousand were shot. This together with the destruction of their forest habitats, the introduction of mammals, and non-native bird competition for food led to their demise. One commentator in the early 1900s said of the kakariki, “He came in flocks in the seventies; he was a scourge in the eighties; he was shot in thousands for his destruction of grain and fruit; then gradually he seemed to disappear; and now he is rarely heard near civilized parts.” This pretty little parrot suffered greatly at the hands of early settlers.

Kakariki are small birds that are often found foraging on the ground, solitary or in pairs.

In autumn and winter they can be seen in small flocks, all making the loud, rapid chatter ‘ki-ki-ki-ki.’ They live all over the country, in the various sub-species, and Tiritiri Matangi is infested with red-crowned parakeets!

One of the most interesting things about the kakariki is that at present more are found in captivity than in the wild. Breeding kakariki in captivity requires a permit from the Department of Conservation but it has done considerable work in saving these birds, as many captive reared birds have been translocated to offshore islands and predator -free environments.

Today, kakariki are threatened by introduced predators such as mustelids, rats and cats.

Because of this, kakariki are mostly found on offshore islands and in captivity. Like most hole-nesters (such as yellowhead and kaka), the females are vulnerable when sitting on the nest. Due to the lack of an escape route when predators enter the tree hollow.

Rearing chicks in captivity and predator-free areas is the best solution for kakariki. You can help by supporting your local Department of Conservation office in its efforts to control mammalian predators in your area. F PN (FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT)

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OUTDOOR LIVING @ DESIGN WAREHOUSE

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1. This grand stunning garden bench by Gommaire is made of premium reclaimed teak, and is only available at Design Warehouse.

2. Designed by the well know Belgian designer Gommaire Cleybergh, this mid-century deep seating sectional called Copenhague is a fantastic collection for your outdoor space and sold exclusively at Design Warehouse.

3. Design Warehouse introduces Gommaire Organic Living outdoor furniture that includes deep seating, accent tables, accessories and dining furniture. Shown here is the Joseph dining set and Nell Glass vase.

3

DESIGN WAREHOUSE, 137/147 The Strand, Parnell, T: 09 377 7710, www.designwarehouse.co.nz

FOR THOSE ADDICTED TO RETRO...

Tasha Moselen and Mark Madden launched Retro Addiction in 2013. It all began in their garage after many years of collecting.

“The house was full, the garage was full… it all got a bit much for Mark,” says Tasha.

“We only had a small house and so he suggested we start a business and Retro Addiction was born.”

Tasha and Mark have created a retro department store experience. Here you will discover affordable retro clothes, collectables, kitchenware, linen, fabrics, art, books, furniture as well as vintage, art deco, and bric-a-brac - new stock arrives every week.

When asked what they did before Retro Addiction, Tasha says, “I was working for a facilities company travelling around the country educating staff about workplace health and safety. In the weekends, I’d be fossicking around markets, op-shops and fairs any chance I could. Mark spent many years working as a cabinetmaker, which has allowed him to appreciate the craftsmanship involved in 20th Century furniture.”

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

You will find Retro Addiction just a short distance from Ponsonby in New North Road, Mt Albert nestled between Design Store, Good Thing and Sprout cafe. A night market is held every Friday out the front of Sprout Cafe, with great food, drink and music, and Saturday mornings there is a farmers market. All the more the reason to pay Tasha and Mark a visit.

To join the Retro Addiction mailing list or to buy online, go to their website. Or just buy and sign up in-store. The store is open Tuesday to Friday 9.30am - 5pm and Saturday/ Sunday 9.30am - 3pm. F PN RETRO ADDICTION, 849 New North Road, Mt Albert, T: 09 815 0584, www.retroaddiction.co.nz

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UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL Jade Bentley (Myhre) - Art Associates Jade Bentley loves being an art consultant. She is passionate about art and enjoys offering her expertise and experience.

“It’s great working with clients and giving them access to a range of artists’ works to lease or purchase for their home or business.” says Jade. I also love working with artists, getting to know them and getting their art out into the community. The most satisfying is having a selection of artworks to present, finding the right placement and then installing to see the final result.”

What does your partner do?

Chris Myhre, Digital Project Manager.

Do you have any children?

One wee, amazingly cute girl Cienna Jade Myhre, 19 months old.

Your best friend would say of you...

Fabulous friend and mum, who knows art and the best places in town to find cake.

Your mother would say of you...

Thankful for all the little things Jade does to make life wonderful and special. Jade is refined, diligent and has a beautiful soul.

What are your virtues?

Compassion, creativity, flexibility, love, beauty, respect, patience.

What are your vices?

I can’t say ‘no’.

Who’s your ultimate rock icon?

Recently reminded: David Bowie.

What’s your secret passion?

I love paper - to create art on and make things out of.

What’s your secret talent?

Ha, ha everything. I am capable of everything but that doesn’t mean I am good at everything.

Where do you live?

Ponsonby.

Where do you spend your holidays?

I love Auckland in the holidays but it’s great to get away with friends (to their baches).

What’s your perfect Sunday?

Yoga, morning walk with Cienna for a coffee then a nice relaxing long lunch with friends or family.

What were you going to be when you grew up?

Happy... and I am.

How did you come to be an art consultant?

I started at Art Associates during University for work experience and it went from there.

Right time, right place and taking opportunities when they were presented.

If you weren’t doing what you do now, you’d be..?

One day I would like to open a boutique artisan store filled with locally made products with a connecting artist studio in which to create.

Your favourite Ponsonby store?

Mag Nation - you can get your fix of local or international art, fashion, design, home and entertainment.

And your favourite Ponsonby fashion label?

Zambesi, Maaike + Co and The Shelter.

What’s your best kept Ponsonby secret?

Flotsam + Jetsam: Cam + co are amazing and it’s a store where you can find a gift for everyone.

What’s inspired you recently?

An interview with Jada Pinkett Smith and her daughter: “How hard is it being a wife and mum?”

What would be your desert island distractions?

I would be happy to be stuck on a desert island with ‘September’ by Earth, Wind and Fire on repeat. Inspired by many nights on the dance floor and the movie ‘The Intouchables’ (Director Oliver Nakache).

The house is on fire and your family is safe, what do you save?

Artwork and pop-up book collection.

“I’d be lost without my...”

Ha ha! I never leave the house without my iPhone, keys and wallet - the rest can be bought but really - family.

One thing you have learned about life is...?

You roll with it and appreciate what you have.

What’s your favourite Ponsonby cafe?

Coffee from Il Buco. Shelter Cafe for breakfast. Cake from Cake + Co.

What’s your advice to Ponsonby art ‘shoppers’?

There is a great selection of art for any budget and appreciation in Ponsonby. Give yourself time to enjoy, browse and find things you will like, enjoy or value. You could even lease a piece from Art Associates if you can’t decide, are unsure what would look right on the wall or need time to part with your savings.

And your favourite Ponsonby restaurant?

Maldito Mendez, Mexican @ Ponsonby Central.

ART ASSOCIATES, 37 Scanlan Street, Grey Lynn, T: 09 376 4308, www.artassociates.co.nz

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

SPECTACULAR HARBOUR VIEWS HOUSE FOR SALE 28 Dunedin Street, St Marys Bay

A spacious home in one of St Marys Bay best streets offering upstairs lounge, master bedroom with modern en-suite and massive walk-in plus extra built-in wardrobe, also another large double bedroom or studio/office with large airing cupboard containing hot water tank and further storage behind.

Downstairs modern designer kitchen with formal lounge/dining room plus 2/3 double bedrooms or one currently as an office with fibre optic cabling and guest bathroom with separate WC. A spacious double carpeted garage with further storage space or scope for possible development. Hoarder’s delight as good storage everywhere. A Kent woodburner welcomes you on a winter’s night or you can relax and step down into a built in spa pool.

Entertain in the courtyard garden, spacious deck or balconies overlooking the harbour.

Easy walk to Ponsonby Road, Westhaven, Wynyard Quarter and CBD. Open Home: Saturday & Sunday 12noon - 12.45pm www.barfoot.co.nz/563069 Jack Atherton 021 739 655 j.atherton@barfoot.co.nz Ponsonby 09 376 3039

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

Sherryl Jones 021 122 3651 j.jones@barfoot.co.nz Ponsonby 09 376 3039

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS

CHOOSING A RUG THAT SUITS YOUR ENVIRONMENT Farah Farahani, co owner of Rug Direct gives some helpful hints and advice.

What are the most popular styles?

The popularity of rugs changes with the current fashion and also the time of year. At the minute in machine made, sisal rugs are very popular, as everyone wants light indoor/outdoor rugs for summer. Popular colours that are in trend right now are blues and greens, again adding a lighter feel to summer. In handmade, the vintage/washed out look is so popular and we have recently brought in a new Erased Collection that perfectly encaptures this latest fashion.

Any suggestions for choosing a rug type?

When it comes to choosing a rug, a lot of it comes to personal preference and room styling; however, we can give a few tips that may help your search. Factors that will influence your decision are size, budget, quality and colour scheme/fashion.

Obviously the size of your rug is important and will differ depending on the room it’s due to go into and also how much of the original flooring you would like to cover; our machine made rugs come in standard European sizes, runners come in both ready made pieces or cut to order and handmade rugs and runners come in a variety of sizes too.

Your budget will have a huge impact on what you pick, but it is always the best idea to pick the highest quality that you can afford; in machine made Turkey create the best quality rugs and in handmade Persians are the ones to look for if you’re looking for the highest quality. The easiest way to tell a higher quality machine made rug from a lesser one is the density; pinch both rugs and you’ll feel that the pile of the rug is thicker and ‘fuller’ in the high density one.

Colour scheme and fashion change regularly and depend on your personal preference; one man’s Picasso is despised by another. You must consider all colours and features that are in the room when choosing a rug; it may match your sofa and wooden floor perfectly but clash with your artwork. It is always best to pop in store to see and feel the rugs in person and we have a team of extremely knowledgeable staff who are always happy to help. We pride ourselves on having low prices everyday so come in store and find your perfect rug for the perfect price.

Do you offer a delivery service for awkward sizes/shapes?

Many of our rugs will easily fit into the smallest of cars but if your rug is a difficult shape or greatly oversized we can arrange delivery to you with ease so you needn’t worry about driving home with half a rug hanging out the back of your car; we like to make buying your rug as pain free as possible. We offer free shipping on all of our rugs and also a no obligation 24-hour appro service.

Are any styles more suitable for children’s bedrooms?

We have a huge selection of kid’s rugs, in varying sizes and styles; so if you’ve got a Spiderman lover or a Tinker bell princess, we’ve got you covered. Again our range flows from more budget nylon, rubber backed mats right through to much thicker Heatset Polypropylene rugs and to settle your mind at rest all of our kid’s rugs are fully washable so no need to panic about any little spillages. Additional to this, our kid’s rugs are eco friendly, really soft and hypoallergenic so you can rest assured that your children will be safe whilst playing to their heart’s content.

Do you sell anything apart from rugs?

Our rugs are just the beginning of what we sell; we also have a large selection of footstools, ottomans and cushions; handmade kilim bags and rucksacks; wall hangings and artwork and vases to add a little Persian style to your home. F PN RUG DIRECT, 6 D Link Drive, Wairau Park, T: 09 444 0085, www.rugdirect.co.nz

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

STOCKTAKE SALE Storewide Reductions!

Hand Knotted Silk and Wool Kashmir Rug | Size: 310 x 264cm | Sale Price $5,499.00

BEFORE YOU BUY – MAKE SURE TO VISIT THE BIGGEST RUG STORE ON THE NORTH SHORE

PONSONBY NEWS READERS SPECIAL Use the code ‘Ponsonby20’ to get 20% off (conditions apply) “Worth crossing the bridge for.” Andy Davies, Ponsonby Central.

Cushions | Saddle Bags | Salt Bags | Foot Stools | Ottomans | Wall Hangings | Patch Works | Over Dyes | Ikat Flat Weave | Sisal | Outdoor Mats & Kids Rugs | You name it we’ve got it!

All sizes from the largest to the smallest doormats. Hallway runners in all sizes, even cut to order - 30 metre on a roll cut to your size 6 Link Drive, Wairau Park (Next to ANZ Bank) | 09 444 0085 | 021 110 7570 Open 7 days a week from 9.00am to 5.00pm | Finance available now! | Follow Us on Facebook

www.rugdirect.co.nz

FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT

February Music in the Parks The Auckland Council Music in Parks scheme is bringing three exciting events to the Ponsonby doorstep in February and March.

Spread across a wide range of genres and areas of Auckland, Music in the Parks has been providing thrilling summer entertainment for many years, and 2016 is no different. Ponsonby is lucky enough to have some perfect green spaces to host music and concerts. This particular set of hard hitting gigs starts with Demon Energy Rock the Park 2016. On Saturday 12 February, Grey Lynn Park will play host to three of New Zealand’s rock standouts, Villainy, Blacklistt and the legendary Shihad.

Last year this event saw thousands enjoying the sunshine and classic Kiwi rock music.

This year from 2pm on 13 February it is bound to be the same. Villainy, who won the Tui for Best Rock Album for their debut album ‘Mode. Set. Clear’ in 2013, come to us fresh off their opening slot at AC/DC’s two New Zealand shows. Blacklistt, who by now should be known without any need to reference their former name, won the Tui for Best Rock album in 2014, and have been headlining festivals and shows ever since they formed.

Shihad need very little introduction. They are like no other New Zealand rock act and show no signs of slowing down, despite last year being the 20th anniversary of their album ‘Killjoy’, the album that launched them into the hearts of many Kiwis. They also opened for AC/DC with Villainy at the end of 2015, and their most recent album ‘FVEY’ won the Tui for Best Rock Album in 2015. Rock the Park features the last three winners of the Tui for the Best Rock Album, if that’s not an incentive to get out to Grey Lynn Park, then what is?

The success of the Myers Park Centenary celebrations last year and the great feeling of community that came from the event spurred the Waitemata Local Board to team up with local business associations, artists and friends of Myers Park, and Auckland Council’s Music in Parks to create the inaugural Myers Park Medley. A largely community driven event, with all the creative designed by Karangahape Road’s own resident artist Misery, it will bring together local entertainment, music, stalls and more. Performing at this, on Sunday 28 February, is local artists Delaney Davidson, Coco Davis and the magnificent Tami Neilson. Created by the community, for the community, visitors can expect all sorts of fun and even a few surprises.

Tami Neilson and Delaney Davidson have been taking the country/folk world by storm in the last few years. Since 2012, they have written or contributed to six nominees for the Best Country Album, winning in 2012, 2013 and 2015, sometimes together, sometimes with other musicians. Tami Neilson won the APRA Silver Scroll for her song ‘Walk (Back to Your Arms)’ in 2014.

Finally, Saturday 5 March, Music in the Parks, Demon Energy and George FM present George in the Park. With performances from See Aroha, Dan Aux, Weird Together and The Black Seeds, it is sure to be an epic afternoon of sun and tunes. Hosted all day by the George FM Breakfast presenters Thane and Kara plus the rest of the George team for all manner of good times. The best thing is, it’s free, just like all of these Music in the Parks.

Top tip: make sure you wear sunblock, there’s nothing worse than returning from a summer concert as red as a lobster. Happy gigging Ponsonby.

(FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT) F PN

Finn McLennan-Elliott has a Bachelor of Science Honours degree specialising in human geography at Auckland University. In his spare time, Finn plays clarinet and guitar in an orchestra and a folk music group. He is hosting ‘Folk at the Old Folks’ on the first Sunday of every month at the Auckland Old Folks Association Hall, an intimate afternoon concert of folk music.

UPTOWN ART SCENE The latest addition to the Uptown Art Scene is Bowerbank Ninow, the gallery that sits on the corner of K’Road and East Street, just next door to Artspace, Michael Lett and Ivan Anthony.

Bowerbank Ninow has opened the year with Delusional Architecture by Eddie Clemens, an exhibition that follows on from the Terminator movie references of last year’s Glovebox show. Around the walls he’s aggressively intervened into the gallery with 13 2m x 2m fences woven from electrical wire and conduit piping.

The walls form a fortification or barrier, physically demarcating action and experience. Barriers are often placed in front of paintings hanging on this wall. Here they push painting out, compromising the medium’s promise of a window onto another world.

Yet Clemens’ practice is based on subverting the functional or use value of utilitarian objects. The fence has already collapsed, or been broken through. Traces of Gordon Matta-Clark’s ‘anarchitecture’ and Lucio Fontana’s slashed paintings can be felt here, but the primary reference point is a scene in James Cameron’s film Terminator 2 (1994). In this film the T-1000 materialises from the future by breaking through a chain mesh fence, leaving a smoking circular void. Clemens’ sculpture replicates this film prop, down to the use of a programmed cycle of LED lighting to simulate the molten metal wire ends. As in the film, Clemens’ sculpture fails as a fence that divides and maintains order. It becomes instead a dematerialised gateway or portal that facilitates escape and escapism, qualities more often invested in painting, film or science fiction than sculpture.

Bowerbank Ninow

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This blurring of the utilitarian object with the art object carries over into Second Generation fibre optic broom #1. Glowing icon-like on its rack, this hi-tech broom bristles not with dust, but with the accrued energies and resonances of the gallery space which Clemens swept in an unseen performance during the installation period. This second generation technology PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT

February at Silo Park For the past four years over summer Silo Park has become the spot in town to be. It has given us a great waterfront setting to enjoy music, arts, culture and food.

Now in its fifth year, in association with Panuku Development and Fresh Concept, summer 2016 at Silo Park is in high spirits, and it’s just getting started.

A place where all of Auckland can come together, Silo Park is perfect for enjoying urban Auckland. This February, soak up the long sunny days on the waterfront while watching classic films, listening to music and feasting on divine food.

With summer in full swing, it’s hotter than ever and all you really want is a place to chill out and relax - Silo Markets is that place. Makers and traders of arts, crafts, gifts, fashion and accessories, along with delicious brews from the Silo Park bar, and Auckland’s freshest street food vendors. Open every Friday evening from 5pm, as well as Saturday and Sunday afternoons from noon, there will be local DJs all February to enjoy while you browse the stalls and have a drink.

Film nights return on Fridays in February with Silo Cinema. It kicks off on Friday 5 with the much-anticipated and always loved action comedy Top Gun, which is brought to the screen thanks to PlaceMakers. The following Friday 12 February, ET will show thanks to Auckland Transport, and, on Sunday of that weekend, Valentine’s Day would not be the same without the Silo Park staple The Princess Bride. Finally, on 19 February, Chef and on Friday 26 the stunning documentary Dior and I. As usual there will be the Silo Park DJs bringing a groove to your step and some beats to your ears as you enjoy food and drink before the film begins. Silo Park always plays host to the best mobile food vendors Auckland has to offer.

As if markets and movies weren’t enough, every Saturday, Auckland’s waterfront will come to life with the best in local and international music. Each Silo Session is complemented by all the food, drink and goodies you could ask for, brought to you by the Silo Markets, to keep you nourished all afternoon.

February’s programme boasts a selection of artists from the esteemed NZ Soul All Dayer on Saturday 6 February, Waitangi Day. Expect the latest installment of the popular collective of soul musicians and DJs, as well as the Other Crate Record Fair under Silo 7, for a good old-fashioned crate digging session.

Saturday 13 is the rock’n’roll session at Silo Park, when indie/alt upstarts New Gum Sarn hit the stage for Silo Sessions. Psychedelic, angular, jangling, and filled

with tortured melody, New Gum Sarn are one of Auckland’s best-loved groups and a compelling live band. They’re joined by slacker-psych groove merchants Te Huhu, one of New Zealand’s most exciting emerging local psychedelic acts.

Saturday 20 sees Auckland outfit Avoid Avoid hit the stage for Silo Sessions, bringing their Krautrock inspired psychospheric drone to Silo Park. As mesmerising as it is hypnotic, Avoid Avoid features members from numerous bands from around town.

Come 27 February, Rice & Beans is back at Silo Park for 2016, with a one-off, eclectic mash-up of South American and Caribbean music, culture, art and food with an epic lineup of musicians and DJs. This year will bring an incredible afternoon of great vibes and community good times at Silo Park.

With the range of engaging and spirited community happenings that are taking place at Silo Park there’s no better place to spend your summer days. Be sure to keep an eye on the website, Facebook, YouTube and Snapchat for the chance to share your stories in PN Silo Park. (FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT) F www.facebook.com/SiloPark

Eddie Clemens Delusional Architecture pulses with text as well as colour, talking to a legacy of sculptural practices that reaches well beyond this gallery. German artist Joseph Beuys’ sweeping of the streets of Berlin with a bright red broom in 1972 challenged the conventional boundaries of sculpture by signalling a move away from objects into actions. With his futuristic broom Clemens has found a way to hold action and object in productive tension, while putting art to work.

Just back from residencies in China and the United States, we are excited to see what Eddie Clemens’ future project at Bowerbank Ninow is. Welcome to the neighbourhood!

(WILL PAYNT STUDIO ART SUPPLIES) F PN Photography courtesy of Sam Harnett The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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ARTS + CULTURE LAKE HOUSE ARTS PRESENTS EMERGING ARTISTS SERIES The Lake House Arts Centre presents a vibrant and engaging exhibition programme profiling artists and groups that are nationally and locally recognised as well as community-based and local artistic talents.

The exhibition programme strives to represent a wide range of visual art mediums, including historical and multicultural themes with links to a selection of regional and local, arts and cultural events. The exhibition programme is accompanied by a range of public programmes including artist’s talks, exhibition tours and art workshops for adults and children.

Lake House Arts Centre is launching a new, Emerging Artists Series for 2016, with commitment to supporting emerging New Zealand artists and facilitating opportunities for the exhibition and promotion of their work via a first solo or group show.

For this series Lake House Arts will Reuben Horn, I only did to them what consider exhibition proposals from they did to me, Emerging artist 2015 practitioners of any artistic discipline.

Group show proposals will be considered but all involved artists must be considered ‘emerging’. For the purposes of this series an emerging artist will have graduated from a tertiary institution within the last five years with a fine arts or design -based qualification and have had limited exhibiting experience but are keen for more exposure. Artists will also be working on or have completed a body of work suitable for exhibiting.

The Emerging Artists Series is sponsored by Lake House Arts marketing, installation and some opening costs covered by Lake House Arts.

THE POI ROOM PRESENTS...

Jeremy Leeming Following the completion of his Craft Design diploma, Jeremy Leeming took up an apprenticeship working with well-known contemporary jeweller/ silversmith Jens Hansen in Nelson. It was there that Jeremy gained extensive experience in working with gold and silver whilst studying Jens unique blend of traditional Scandinavian and contemporary design.

Jeremy Leeming is now a Christchurch-based jewellery designer/maker. His motivation for creating his work is to find simplicity in form. He endeavours to create work with clean lines using a simple palette of metals, wood, precious and semi-precious stones.

Kereama Taepa Kereama Taepa studied for his Bachelor of Maori Visual Arts at Massey University in Palmerston North, and continued on to gain his Masters degree.

Taepa’s involvement in the arts has been broad and varied including working as a bronze technician at the Dibble Arts Foundry and participating in various national Maori arts symposiums, workshops and hui.

Taepa currently teaches within the Waiariki Institute of Technology Diploma of Art teaching photography, digital and graphic art and sculpture.

Kereama’s work is found in both public and private collections across New Zealand. F PN To enquire please contact ponsonby@thepoiroom.co.nz or newmarket@thepoiroom.co.nz

Whispers by Rosanne Croucher, Emerging artist 2015

For more information on the series or for proposal guidelines, please contact the curator, Lisa Rogers on manager@lakehousearts.org.nz or T: 09 485 4877, PN www.lakehousearts.org.nz. F

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ARTS + CULTURE SHOWING @ TOI ORA GALLERY Tutors’ Exhibition - selected works 16 February - 9 March Opening 16 March at 5pm Toi Ora tutors’ are exhibiting selected works in their annual group show. The tutors are those who have their own art practices alongside their teaching commitments and they play a major role in the Toi Ora community.

Toi Ora is a creative space that promotes wellbeing for adults and young people through art and creativity.

Regular adult classes include, harakeke weaving, creative writing, painting, printmaking, performance and acting, music recording, photography and open studio sessions.

The Toi Ora Gallery welcomes you to come along. F PN

Sarah McKenney, Untitled Mosaic 2015

TOI ORA GALLERY, 6 Putiki Street, T: 09 360 4171, info@toiora.org.nz, www.toiora.org.org.nz

Suzanne Ashmore, Stand Still

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ARTS + CULTURE SHOWING @OREXART Richard McWhannell collection 1974 - 2015

Local artist Richard McWhannell has mostly painted landscapes and portraits since his first solo show in 1974.

McWhannell is an intelligent painter whose passion for, and broad knowledge of art history is obvious and he is well versed at creating his own, individual inventions. His most recent works, generally derived from his imagination also manifest of a great deal of acute observation of sense experience alongside sharply observed detail.

Catching Courbet’s Wave

In the artist’s own words: “There’s an argument that goes on in my painting - it’s circular Pararaha and involves degrees. To what extent should one be literal and how far painterly - how much is observed and how much imagined? Observation is in a sense easier and more satisfying in its process...”

While McWhannell is non-didactic in his work; he presents signifiers towards meaning through his titles and recurring threads of imagery, he generally leaves the viewer to negotiate their own way. OREXART presents works from the artist’s collection that span 1974 - 2015 with some works being offered for the first time. Please contact rex@ orexart.co.nz for details.

OREXART, 15 Putiki Street, T: 09 378 0588, www.orexart.co.nz

McWhannell in studio 2012

SHOWING @ WHITESPACE ‘Headless’ by Hanna Shim - until 20 February

Hanna Shim is an extraordinary new young talent - her first show at Whitespace is ‘Headless’- quirky, funny and very collectable.

Hanna is an Auckland-based artist, born in Seoul, Korea and raised in New Zealand.

Hanna identifies herself as a maker. Her practice contains certain qualities of playfulness and childishness both in her processes and visual outcome. It involves a mode of condensation and hybridisation of contradicted imageries, objects and stories.

Her works talk about naivety with a sinister undertone. The works may seem cute, but at the same time they imbue unexpected twists and irony. She uses the quality of cuteness as a functional device for sublimation of cruelty. She is interested in creating a space that is saturated with awkwardness, discomfort, and dry laughter. By embracing two or more contradicting elements, she aims to blur down the borders and boundaries which exist among them. It is the point where she believes in her own utopia.

Hanna completed a Elam School of Fine Arts BFA in 2012 at the University of Auckland and has continued into MFA. She has participated in numerous group shows with Elam attendees and alumni, and is now represented by Whitespace Gallery in Ponsonby. F PN WHITESPACE, 12 Crummer Road, T: 09 361 6331, www.whitespace.co.nz

Abdul, 2015

Alex, 2015

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ARTS + CULTURE GARNET STATION OUT AND PROUD Dykes on Mics - 7 February, 7-9pm, koha This women-only improvisation night is hosted by Cissy Rock in the intimacy of the Tiny Theatre. It’s an opportunity to sing your own song, perform poetry or do some stand -up in front of a friendly audience keen to see you shine. Come early and socialise over dinner and a drink.

Rock & Speir in a Twist of Lesbian - 9-11 February, 8pm, $20/$15 The comedy duo Cissy Rock and Anne Speir made their uproarious debut at the Verity George Variety Show. Expect more silliness and songs as Pamalala and Skye keep feminism alive. Warning: women’s themes may offend. Wednesday 10 February women -only audience!

Argento in No Man Land - 18-19 February, 8pm, $20/$15 Michael Giacon hosts a sequence of whimsical poems by Argento Pittoresco, telling tales of a gay milieu where online dating ‘apps’ are a fright, black-eyed Paolo is, of course, straight, and a one night stand is months in the making.

The Nukes - 12 February, 8pm, $15 David Parker, Ben Collier and Snapper have performed at many of New Zealand’s finest festivals delivering three-part harmony in a fun and uplifting way. The innocent little ukelele is the instrument of choice for this part-vaudeville trio that has produced two albums in a few years.

Story Telling Humour - 21 February, 6pm, $15 Comedienne Deb Filler introduces a one-off evening of remarkable stories from her workshop participants. A do not miss show of new works. Door sales available but PN seating is limited so booking advised. F Book in for your pre-show dinner GARNET STATION TINY THEATRE, 85 Garnet Road, T: 09 360 3397

Rock & Speir

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ARTS + CULTURE ACCLAIMED KIWI MUSICAL DAFFODILS THE FRAME WORKSHOP GALLERY RETURNS TO AUCKLAND THIS VALENTINE’S HEADS INTO 2016 One of New Zealand’s most toured shows of 2015, Daffodils (inspired by true events) has been invited to be part of two Australian theatre seasons, with a third presenter to be announced early 2016.

“What a great start to the year it has been!” says Gallery Manager Lee Etheridge.

The quintessentially Kiwi indie-rock cabaret that has been lauded as “a work of genius”

by Metro Magazine, will feature in the 2016 performance seasons of Riverside Theatre in Parramatta (12-14 May) and Merrigong Theatre Company in Wollongong, NSW (25-28 May).

“We did the draw for the fabulous Ema Frost work and Chris Devlin was the lucky winner. There will be another tasty work up for grabs in March.”

Before the company’s international debut across the ditch, producers at Bullet Heart Club have announced that Daffodils (inspired by true events) will return to Auckland’s Q Theatre, just in time for Valentines, from 14 to 20 February 2016, giving local audiences one last chance to catch the show before it travels.

Daffodils (inspired by true events) is written by kiwi playwright Rochelle Bright, in collaboration with Silverscroll winner LIPS and Abraham Kunin. The production tells the story of Bright’s parents; their meeting, their marriage and the pop-rock soundtrack that shapes their lives. Daffodils is performed by Todd Emerson (Hudson and Halls) and Colleen Davis (Chicago), using some of New Zealand’s most famous songs by Crowded House, Bic Runga, Don McGlashan, Dave Dobbyn, The Mint Chicks and more, all remixed and played live by a three piece band.

Inspired by private letters and real interviews, this bittersweet love story is poignantly realised by a backdrop of 1960s Kodak stills and Super8 movies from the Bright family archive, spliced with black and white fashion photography created by renowned imagemaker Garth Badger.

This proudly homegrown show has been described as both whimsical and dark, set to make “your eyes weep and your heart bleed”(Theatrescenes, NZ).

‘Popeye’ work by Natan Elkanovich

As the new kids on the block Lee is delighted with the support from locals here in Herne Bay and surrounding areas. This support will bolster The Frame Workshop Gallery into the New Year with new artists in both limited edition work and three dimensional.

The beginning of every year for many of us is a chance to freshen up and enhance our living areas, and the one sure-fire way to do that is with a beautifully framed mirror.

Mirrors can be framed to match your décor and made to any size you wish so measure up and come in and see Lee! There has been much interest in the large ‘Popeye’ work by Natan Elkanovich. While it is the only work in the gallery not by a New Zealand artist his work certainly is both complimentary and a standout in works displayed in the gallery. Natan was born in Moldavia (former USSR) in 1966. He migrated to Israel in 1976 where he earned his BFA in Fashion Design in Tel Aviv. Taking his inspiration from the 1960s Pop Art movement Natan starts with a canvas base and working as a pastry chef would, pipes on the silicon PN and acrylic to give his works a rich, tactile finish. F THE FRAME WORKSHOP GALLERY, 1/182 Jervois Road, T: 09 376 4749, www.frameworkshop.co.nz

About Bullet Heart Club: Bullet Heart Club (est. 2013) is an integrated creative company founded by Kitan Petkovski and Rochelle Bright. The company collaborates with trendsetting artists on a range of works that push boundaries in music, theatre, film and opera. Company members are based in Auckland, Melbourne and Tucson. F PN Bullet Heart Club, in collaboration with Q Theatre present Daffodils (inspired by true events) 14-20 February 2016, Q Theatre - Loft, 305 Queen Street, Auckland.

Bookings: www.qtheatre.co.nz, T: 09 309 9771.

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ARTS + CULTURE photography: Rahi Rezvani

2–6 March SKYCITY Theatre

2–20 March

Cacti by Alexander Ekman courtesy of NDT2

DANCING AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT During the opening week of the Auckland Arts Festival the Royal New Zealand Ballet will be performing an explosive mixed bill of three brilliant dance works by some of the world’s most important contemporary choreographers. It should not be missed!

Speed of Light is RNZB artistic director Francesco Ventriglia’s first programme for the national ballet company of 34 dancers. “To be able to see these internationally acclaimed, large-scale, powerful dance works in one night is a gift! I’m delighted to be bringing it to New Zealand audiences.”

Alexander Ekman’s Cacti has taken the dance world by storm since its premiere in The Hague in 2010. It combines daredevil virtuosity and split-second timing with a playful wit.

The RNZB is joined onstage by the New Zealand String Quartet. Cacti is described by The Australian newspaper as, “witty, effervescent, playful, surreal and joyously physical.”

William Forsythe’s revolutionary In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated is described by The Guardian newspaper as “the work that changed ballet forever”. Initially commissioned

by Nureyev for the Paris Opéra Ballet in 1987, for a virtuoso cast of young stars, it is the United States-raised, Germany-based choreographer’s most famous work.

Andonis Foniadakis’ seductive Selon désir is inspired by the monumental opening choruses of the St Matthew and St John Passions. Created for the Geneva Ballet in 2004, it’s a gorgeous synthesis of colour, light, music and movement, which the RNZB toured to the United Kingdom and Italy at the end of 2015. F PN

Speed of Light

Five performances only: Wednesday 2 March - Saturday 5 March at 7.30pm and Sunday 6 March at 4pm, SKYCITY Theatre, Auckland. Book at ticketemaster.co.nz or T: 0800 111 999, www.rnzb.org.nz

ANDONIS FONIADAKIS SELON DÉSIR

WILLIAM FORSYTHE IN THE MIDDLE, SOMEWHAT ELEVATED

ALEXANDER EKMAN

0800 111 999 ticketmaster.co.nz CORE FUNDERS

photography: Ross Brown

CACTI

aaf.co.nz SUPPORTED BY

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Circool Circus

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Batucada Sound Machine

Batucada Sound Machine perform

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Crowds enjoy the Grey Lynn Festival

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Grooving to Cuban Sounds

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Star performance

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Santa @ Ponsonby Central

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Lynfield College Jazz Combo

Santa and his helpers

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HOROSCOPES: MISS PEARL NECLIS

What your stars hold for February

♒ Aquarius (the Water Carrier): 21 January - 19 February

♌

Some of the fantasies you’ve had playing out in your head recently are about to become real. However, you might come down to earth with a bump unless there is some substance behind them.

Leo (the Lion): 23 July - 21 August You don’t always have to say what’s on your mind and this is one of those times when you should keep quiet. You have a lot of inner strength that has been hiding under the surface; you need to dig into this resource to help yourself.

♓ Pisces (the Fish): 20 February - 20 March

♍ Virgo (the Virgin): 22 August - 23 September

♈ Aries (the Ram): 21 March - 20 April

♎ Libra (the Scales): 24 September - 23 October

You seem to have always had that lucky touch, and going on last year’s form, you pulled it out of the hat time and time again. Don’t get complacent though as you know your luck is bound to run out sometime.

Your eagerness to please has been a bone of contention for some people. On one hand, you see it as a way to move forward and you’re just getting on with it, but some people see it as something else. Ignore the haters.

♉ Taurus (the Bull): 21 April - 21 May

You are about to be a lot more open than you’ve ever been before about a delicate matter that’s been troubling you for years, just be careful you have judged the situation clearly, you don’t want to alienate anyone.

♊

You shouldn’t doubt any decision that you make anymore, as by the time you register regret the deed has undoubtedly already been done. Once you get over the realisation that you can and probably will make mistakes, you’ll begin to relax and enjoy life more.

This New Year will find you more accepting of the world around you and at the same time you will be encouraged to be more creative - as you found your life to be a bit stifled and held back these past years. You’re not sure what’s changed in you, but suddenly it seems you have a fresh pair of eyes.

♏ Scorpio (the Scorpion): 24 October - 22 November

If you feel the need to use your imagination as a way to deal with your stress, then go ahead and do it. It’s better to deal with any inner conflict you have the way you know how than to leave it to fester and become overwhelming.

♐

Gemini (the Twins): 22 May - 21 June Last year was a strange year for you, as you veered between opening up to people (even complete strangers) about your life and then thinking to yourself after, what have I done?

This year, you need not be so insecure as you have learnt to hold back and let others do the talking.

Sagittarius (the Archer): 23 November - 22 December You have always been one to crave a bit of power and always seem to be in some way or another involved in a power struggle. You need to give up and let go, it’s okay to lose occasionally - as long as you stop taking things so personally, it’s not attractive.

♋

♑ Capricorn (the Goat): 23 December - 20 January

Cancer (the Crab): 22 June - 22 July A visit from a friend or acquaintance related to your past spooks you this month, don’t look for an answer as to why you’ve been sought out, just listen and you might learn something.

Your leadership skills are being called into question as recently you kept changing your mind and confusing a lot of people with your behaviour. You need to see and remind yourself what was going on and what you did last year and fix it pronto, otherwise you will lose any trust you have built up.

PONSONBY NEWS OUTLETS FREEMANS BAY

NEWMARKET

Ecostore, 1 Scotland Street Glengarry, Corner Sale and Wellesley Streets Kellands Real Estate, 4 Drake Street New World, Victoria Park

NORTH SHORE

GREY LYNN Barfoot & Thompson, 533 Great North Road Barkley Manor, 400 - 402 Great North Road Grey Lynn Community Centre, 520 Richmond Road Grey Lynn Community Library, 474 Great North Road Raw Essentials, 401B Richmond Road Ripe, 172 Richmond Road Tapac, 100 Motions Road Vetcare, 408 Great North Road

Planet Ayurveda, 41 Gillies Avenue Taylor Boutique, 1 Teed Street

Rug Direct, Wairau Park Dawson’s Furniture, Mairangi Bay

PARNELL Jane Daniels, 2 Birdwood Crescent Parnell Community Centre, 545 Parnell Road

PONSONBY

Atomic, 420c New North Road

Askew, 2b Jervois Road Bayleys, 305 Ponsonby Road Harcourts, 89 Ponsonby Road Leys Institute, 20 St Mary’s Road The Longroom, 114 Ponsonby Road Mag Nation, 123 Ponsonby Road Paper Plus, 332 Ponsonby Road Ponsonby Community Centre, 20 Ponsonby Terrace Servilles, Corner Jervois & Ponsonby Road Studio One, 1 Ponsonby Road Whitespace, 12 Crummer Road

MT EDEN

WESTMERE

HERNE BAY Herne Bay Post & Stationers, 240 Jervois Road Five Loaves, 206 Jervois Road Icing on the Cake, 188 Jervois Road Momentum, 182 Jervois Road

KINGSLAND

Citta Outlet Store, Corner Enfield & Normanby Road Sabato, 57 Normanby Road Studio Italia, 25 Nugent Street

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