PONSONBY NEWS - FEBRUARY '21

CELEBRATING 31 YEARS OF PUBLISHING HISTORY! Established: OCTOBER 1989

FEBRUARY 2021

KHU KHU VEGAN THAI IN PONSONBY IS ALL ABOUT HEALTHY EATING - P59 ponsonbynews.co.nz

INSIDE THIS MONTH

006 LETTERS & EMAILS 007 FROM THE EDITOR 010 DAVID HARTNELL: ONE MINUTE INTERVIEW 018 RAINBOW PRIDE PARADE 020 PIPPA COOM: COUNCILLOR FOR WAITEMATA- & GULF 022 RICHARD NORTHEY, WAITEMATA- LOCAL BOARD 024 JOHN ELLIOTT: LOCAL NEWS 032 ACTIVE, OLDER LIFESTYLES 038 PREDICT WEATHER.COM 044 WOOF IS BACK! 047 GREY LYNN AND AROUND 048 PONSONBY PARK 050 HELENE RAVLICH: FASHION & STYLE 052 TRAVEL BREAKS 054 EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY 059 VEGAN VIBE - COVER STORY 064 HELENE RAVLICH: SKIN & WELLNESS 065 LIVING, THINKING + BEING 072 TEEN PICKS 073 FUTURE GENERATION 078 PONSONBY PROFESSIONALS 082 HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS 098 ARTS & CULTURE 105 HOLIDAY STREAMING 106 HOROSCOPES: MISS PEARL NECLIS 107 THE PONSONBY PINK PAGES COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: Connor Crawford

PONSONBY NEWS is published monthly, excluding January by: ALCHEMY MEDIA LIMITED, P.O. BOX 47-282 Ponsonby, Auckland 1144, T: 09 378 8553, www.ponsonbynews.co.nz PONSONBY NEWS is printed on paper sourced from sustainable, well managed forests and manufactured under the environmental management system ISO 14001.

PRINTED BY WEBSTAR, AUCKLAND. ISSN 1177-3987

4 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

@ponsonbynews @Ponsonby_News @ponsonbynews

P54: It was heartbreaking to see St Stephen’s Church on fire last month.

P94: Meeting Santa @ Ponsonby Central in December.

EDITOR/PUBLISHER: MARTIN LEACH M: 021 771 147 martinleach@xtra.co.nz or martin@ponsonbynews.co.nz DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: JAY PLATT M: 021 771 146 jayplatt@xtra.co.nz or jay@ponsonbynews.co.nz AD SALES & CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: ANDREA KAHUKIWA M: 021 689 688 andrea@ponsonbynews.co.nz ADVERTISING SALES/AD DESIGNER: MELISSA PAYNTER M: 027 938 4111 melissapaynter@me.com OPERATIONS MANAGER: GWYNNE DAVENPORT M: 021 150 4095 gwynne@ponsonbynews.co.nz CONTRIBUTING MUSIC EDITOR: FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT M: 021 134 4101 finn.huia@gmail.com CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: JOHN ELLIOTT M: 021 879 054 johnelliott38@outlook.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER: ARNA MARTIN M: 021 354 984 arna@cocodesign.co.nz ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS: Within New Zealand $49. By cheque or credit card in NZ$. Please note: we do not hold back issues of Ponsonby News.

Our archive is all online as pdfs. Please visit www.ponsonbynews.co.nz The entire content of this publication is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic, mechaal, photocopying, recording or otherwise - without the prior permission, in writing, of the copyright owner. Colour transparencies and manuscripts submitted are sent at the owner’s risk; neither the publisher nor its agents accept any responsibility for loss or damage. Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, the publisher can accept no liability for any inaccuracies that may occur.

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

MATT O’BRIEN House values are always moving.

My values never change: honesty, integrity, communication, hard work. Let’s talk.

A LT O G E T H E R B E T T E R

Matt O’Brien 021 687 866 matt.obrien@bayleys.co.nz BAYLEYS REAL ESTATE LTD, PONSONBY, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

Re si d e n t i a l / Co m m e rc i a l / R u ra l / P ro p ert y Services

LETTERS & EMAILS

STOP THE THEFT, FIX THE SEWAGE, GOFF! Today, I walked the length of Chester Avenue in Westmere, where Auckland Transport’s contractor ‘Downer’ are tearing up the street gutters and stealing the curbstones.

For the last 15 years I have been concerned by the theft of the heritage curbstones from our streets across Auckland. Today was proof of the long term strategy of Auckland Council, Auckland Transport and their contractors to remove the bluestones and replace them with inferior concrete slurry and cheap concrete cast curbstones. Who cares I hear your cry? I do, because, first they steal the blue stones worth $45 each, then export or sell them on Trademe.

Meanwhile, the contractors charge hundreds of thousands of dollars to do a job that is so bad it needs replacing every seven years! Is this cost effective? Why do we tolerate such poor workmanship? Why is no one looking into this fraud? Initially they took the bluestones underground and put the bluestone back on top! Now the contractors just steal them whether they are above or below ground.

Not content to dig up Chester Avenue, they start clawing up Garnet Road, which was done five years ago! Stop this abuse of public assets and funds! STOP the theft of our heritage and fix the sewage system, Goff! Lisa Prager, Westmere

RELATIONSHIP WITH JAPAN THREATENED BY CALLING THEIR NATIONAL TREE A PEST In 2017, the ‘Fukuoka Garden’ in Western Springs Lakeside Park opened as a tribute to Auckland City’s sister city relationship with Fukuoka in Japan. The Auckland Council article, entitled, Oasis in Central Auckland Blooms Again, refers to the flowering of the national tree of Japan, the Cherry Blossom.

After 30 years, this reciprocal relationship with Japan is now under threat because Auckland Council Environment and Climate Change Committee have just declared the ‘Japanese Flowering Cherry Tree’ (Prunus Serrulata) a ‘pest species’. This is different from ‘Taiwanese Cherry’ (Prunus Campanulate) that has been on the pest register for some time.

Fukuoka has an ‘Aotearoa Garden’ celebrating this relationship too. Imagine for a moment if Japan declared the Kowhai, Kauri, or Pohutakawa a ‘pest species’! To start with, the Japanese are far too polite to contemplate anything that outrageously rude, and secondly, we would be so offended that it would probably even hinder our trading relationship!

Several locations with Japanese flowering cherry trees around Auckland are popular during their blooming for wedding photos and for food for native nectar feeding birds. I say we owe an apology to the Japanese people, especially on behalf of the tui.

Gael Baldock, Community Advocate

IT’S OFFICIAL... I’M A RAT-RUNNER! When I moved to Curran Street I found that my safest and most convenient route west was along Sarsfield Street and up Wallace Street, which has traffic lights at the top. This apparently made me a rat-runner.

THE WESTERN SPRINGS FOREST One of the issues that has plagued the process that has resulted in the decision to fell the Western Springs Forest has been the late delivery of, or not supplying requested information.

I occasionally revert to my rodent status and endure the bumpy unpleasantness of Sarsfield and Wallace Streets. Sometimes I notice a pair of cyclists and I once spotted a pedestrian.

Alan Tomlinson, Herne Bay

There is a concern by many that the felling of the trees will destroy the existing native undergrowth that in some areas is 70 years old. This can be mitigated by felling each tree in small sections and carefully lowering these to the ground. This is called ‘sectional felling’. At the meeting of 17 March, four members of the Board requested that the Council report on this option. Even though the report was requested in the public forum, it was presented verbally to a Board workshop which the public cannot attend. At the Waitemata- Local Board meeting of 3 November, four members resolved that each tree be felled in one section.

HEALTHY WATERS - YEAH RIGHT! I’m sure other St. Mary’s Bay residents are grateful to Herne Bay residents as we certainly are for allowing Auckland Council (“Healthy Waters”) to discharge sewage overflows on their side of the bridge instead of ours.

Bill Allen, St Mary’s Bay

Once again, the reasons supporting this decision “were discussed under the sheets” in workshop. What else happens “under those sheets” in workshop meetings that we, the public, never find out about?

It’s time these workshops were recorded and open to the public.

Keith McConnell, www.keithforwaitemata.com CONTINUED P13

Then came the expensive disruption known as ‘traffic calming’, designed to discourage motorists and provide a paradise for cyclists and pedestrians. The first aim succeeded brilliantly as I now prefer to make the right turn up Curran Street and join the Jervois Road traffic.

Opinions expressed in Ponsonby News are not always the opinion of Alchemy Media Limited & Ponsonby News.

6 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

During early December there was not one but two fires in Ponsonby.

The first fire was at the iconic St Stephen’s Ponsonby Church building on Jervois Road. Following the church fire, another struck Ponsonby Intermediate a few days later.

The church fire appears to have started under the floor of the Shelley Beach facing nave and travelled up into the roof cavity where the most damage has been done. St Stephen’s have started a give-a-little page and would appreciate any support. www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/st-stephens-ponsonby-fire-givealittle The Rainbow Pride Parade is returning to the Ponsonby strip this February 2021 and coming together to celebrate diversity, unity, respect and inclusion has never been more important. The parade starts at 5.30pm and it will follow with the street festival immediately afterwards.

Many of us lament the fact that kids seem to be getting older younger, but the flip side is that adults are staying younger longer. With life expectancy in New Zealand increasing by almost 20% every two years it is little wonder that more people are continuing to enjoy a wide range of sports and activities well into their later years. We talked to members of the West End Tennis Club, Herne Bay Petanque Club, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and the Ponsonby Cruising Club to find out what those over 65 can expect.

Get THE team

Jay Platt & Martin Leach

We have a new ‘foodie’ columnist. Local resident Sofia Roger Williams will be writing some plant-based food reviews starting with Khu Khu Vegan Thai in Ponsonby Road. The owner Michael Khuwattenasenee is pictured on our front cover this month. For both vegans and those who are not, Khu Khu is definitely one to visit, she tells us.

This issue, Helene Ravlich looks at skin and wellness trends to embrace this year. It’s safe to say that for many of us, our usual wellness routines went out the window in 2020. We were locked out of the gym and yoga studios and forced to cancel our long-term plans for wellness retreats.

Please welcome Doctor360 - a new service for Ponsonby. With the closure of White Cross several of their team have set up shop almost opposite. Doctor360 is a medical clinic that specialises in delivering a 360 degree wrap-around service for patients; this ranges from urgent medical care, injuries and accidents, to specialist services such as men’s health, skin clinics, cosmetic medicine and women’s health.

Don’t forget to get all romantic on Sunday 14 February PN - it’s Valentine’s Day! (MARTIN LEACH) 

M AT T & RYA N N 1 I N G R E Y LY N N*

“The customer service experience and the sale price exceeded our expectations from start to finish.”

Amy & Marc

Matt O’Rourke 021 375 909

Ryan Harding 021 621 580

m.orourke@barfoot.co.nz

r.harding@barfoot.co.nz

* G re y Ly n n b ra n c h - ye a r e n d i n g M a rc h 2 0 2 0

PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 7

FROM THE EDITOR

photography: Connor Crawford

I know it’s February but with our first issue of the year, we’d like to wish everyone a very happy New Year. Our readers have been busy and there are seven letters to the editor this month – all on separate issues.

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STREET0FESTIVAL FEB 2021 SAT 2

Celebrate our Community

Let's eat, drink, dance and celebrate diversity, unity and love!

With all day activities from 11am including Market Stalls, Pop-Ups, Street Dining, Live Music and more. Ponsonby Road closes to traffic from 4:30pm 'til midnight.

From 5:30pm Ponsonby Road will turn from tar to tar-ific as the parade’s procession, awash with colour, moves on foot and un-motorised floats from Tole Street down Ponsonby Road to Williamson Ave. Coming together to celebrate diversity, unity, respect and inclusion has never been more important.

:30 PM 4 L I 'T Y A D L L AIL ABLE A V A G N I K R A P ALL SAVE THE DATE

#onlyponsonby

PROGR AMME

Ponsonby Road is open

to traffic and parking un

til 4:30pm

OD MARKET STALLS & FO W PARADE AUCKLAND RAINBO n Ave amso From Tole Street to Willi

From 11:00am Starts 5:30pm

From 6:30 FESTIVAL ET RE ST BY N SO nd N PO A K Samba Marching Ba

pm

ummers, Brazillian Dancers & Dr rmers from 6:30pm and Drag Queen perfo Corner Three Lamps at Milly's t

can vibe on the stree Gypsy-Jazz, Latin Ameri Three Lamps Relaxed street dining in

Fire Station / Lincoln St High energy dance zone

with DJs

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Main Stage / Richmon

m live band Popular dance music fro rmance at 8.30pm rfo pe Drag Queen Cameo

IL LATE!

'T EAT, DRINK & DANCE Follow Love Ponsonby on

Facebook for more detail

s and event updates

on Covid Tracer App and turn Remember to use the NZ One el Lev id Cov ow foll n in) and Bluetooth tracing (or sca r Unstoppable. guidelines to Make Summe

iloveponsonby

Free Even t

LOCAL NEWS

DAVID HARTNELL: ONE MINUTE INTERVIEW WITH STEPHEN EWAN If you have ever visited the Westmere Butchery, which I’m sure many of our readers have, then my bet is that at some time or another you would have been served by Stephen Ewan.

What area do you live in and what’s the best thing about it?

Onetangi on Waiheke Island is a great place to live and walk the beaches. And the wine is a bonus.

What is the one thing that really motivates you?

My passion for life.

Tell us about your childhood, what was it like?

Excellent childhood. I was the only child and both my mum and dad brought me up in a loving environment.

What do you think happens when you die?

Don’t know because I haven’t died yet.

Complete this sentence: I will die happy if... .. I’m in good health and I live to be one hundred.

What’s the best movie you have ever seen and why?

I don’t really have a favorite. Well, maybe Crocodile Dundee 2; it’s special for my youngest daughter and me.

How long have you been working at Westmere Butchery?

I have been at Westmere Butchery 10 years from next month. It’s hard work but there’s great camaraderie among the staff.

Who do you think is the most annoying celebrity today?

Mike Hosking.

Which TV series would you never miss and why?

I don’t have a favorite television series.

What would your dream holiday internationally be?

St Tropez would be nice.

What’s is the most Kiwi thing about you?

My number eight wire attitude towards things.

Have you ever seen a ghost? No. Give your teenaged self some advice?

Travel as much as you can, and don’t let your heart rule your head.

How do you chill out?

We like to walk the beaches, watch sport and movies.

Which item of clothing can’t you live without?

My Manchester City PJs. What is your favorite time of the day?

All time is good in the third quarter of your life.

Tell us about your dream home? The one my wife picks.

Aisle or window seat on a plane?

No preference at all.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Happily looking after my grandchildren.

What job would you do other than your own and why?

Female hairdresser, as I do like female company.

If they ever make a movie about your life who would you like to play you?

Harrison Ford looks like me.

If you were reincarnated what would you come back as?

That’s easy - a pussy cat.

Do you read movie or TV reviews and would they sway your thoughts?

Yes, I read reviews, but it’s only someone’s opinion and they wouldn’t sway me.

How would you like to be remembered?

For being honest, reliable and for my dancing.

What is your most treasured possession? My front door key.

What are you insecure about? My height.

Tell us something very few people know about you?

Sorry, that would be letting the cat out of the bag.

Who is your favorite hero of fiction and why?

Popeye, because he always saves the day no matter what.

What superpower do you wish you had?

X-ray eyes, as mine are not too good these days.

Which talent would you most to have? I’d love to be able to sing.

What cliche do you really hate?

‘She’ll be right’.

What gizmo can you simply not live without?

Well, that would have to be my phone.

What is your greatest weakness/indulgence? A cold Stella in a cold glass.

What do you love most about your age? The Gold Card!

Are you a handshake or a hug kind of person? Handshake.

If your life was an ice cream, what would it be called?

Vanilla - very plain, as my kids say.

Something that you really disapprove of?

Bad language in front of women and children.

Describe one of your biggest disappointments?

Losing my father at a very early age.

If you won a million dollars, what’s the first thing you would do?

Help my kids out with their mortgages.

10 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

What is your all-time favorite comfort food?

Steak, egg, chips, veggies and plenty of gravy.

Your dream guest list for a dinner party and why?

They would all have to be great talkers. That way I wouldn’t get a word in.

I would just listen to what they had to say and enjoy the evening.

How do you travel, heavy or light?

Light but I always carry my wife’s bags, so I really end up travelling heavy.

PN (DAVID HARTNELL MNZM)  PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

LOVING, LIVING & SELLING GREATER PONSONBY

Blair has established a proven track record of achieving standout results, in any market conditions.

BLAIR HADDOW Extensive product knowledge plus high-end negotiation skills mean Blair is an excellent choice if you are thinking of buying or selling.

Blair Haddow 021 544 555 blair.haddow@bayleys.co.nz bayleys.co.nz/blair-haddow

BAYLEYS REAL ESTATE LIMITED, PONSONBY, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

A LT O G E T H E R B E T T E R

R e s i d e n t i a l / C o m m e r c i a l / R u r a l / P r o p e r ty S e r v i c e s

OUR CONTRIBUTORS

IT’S A TEAM EFFORT... WE COULDN’T DO IT WITHOUT OUR CONTRIBUTORS CONNOR CRAWFORD I am a working artist and photographer with a colourful and rhythmic perspective. I enjoy shooting the front covers of Ponsonby News.

DAVID HARTNELL - MNZM For the last 53 years I’ve been a freelance entertainment journalist and author. I’ve lived in the Grey Lynn area for nearly three decades; I have met and interviewed some amazing people.

FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT I work as a booker, promoter and festival programmer. Active in all areas of the music community; folk music is my specialty.

HONOUR MITCHELL I have lived in the Ponsonby area all of my life.

I write the column ‘Teen Picks’ which explores everything on offer in the greater Ponsonby area.

HELENE RAVLICH A freelance writer and copywriter for almost 20 years, I have written for publications all over the world and couldn’t imagine myself in any other job.

JOHN APPLETON I have a keen interest in nutritional medicine and how it may be used to support people with chronic illnesses.

KEN RING My yearly NZ Weather Almanacs began in 1999. During the tragic 2011 Christchurch earthquakes, my work created international interest. I currently live in Ponsonby.

KERRY LEE I’ve been a freelance writer for a year now, and what I love most are the wonderful people I’ve meet along the way. #best job.

LUCY KENNEDY I am a young local writer who loves to read! Each month you will find my reviews of new books for people who love to read as much as I do.

PHIL PARKER Journalist and published author, I have had a career involving both wine writing and hosting boutique wine tours in the Auckland region.

PIPPA COOM

I am Councillor for Waitemata- and Gulf Ward on Auckland Council. Formerly, Chair WaitemataLocal Board.

ROSS THORBY I have had a wanderlust for travel ever since I was old enough to own a passport. Since I discovered cruising, I have become unstoppable.

JOHN ELLIOTT

SOFIA ROGER WILLIAMS

I am the founder of Ponsonby News and write for the magazine. My career has included politics, education and publishing. My interests include the environment, the economy and social justice.

A vegan for over a year and vegetarian for over seven years with a passion for writing. I am a local student reviewing some of Ponsonby’s best vegan eats.

Join us on Sundays at 2pm... for our weekly service including demonstrations of clairvoyance.

25 New North Road, Eden Terrace / www.goldenlight.org.nz

12 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

RIP PONSONBY ROAD The dead hand of Auckland Transport is casting its shadow over one of Auckland’s iconic thoroughfares and there are plenty of residents who are becoming very afraid.

There is not one iota of evidence that AT has the knowledge, experience and skill to make the road more “vibrant” and “reflect and protect [its] unique history and culture”. This is an example of AT’s sheer arrogance and mendacity. Ask the residents of West Lynn about the mess AT created after months of disarray that negatively affected all the businesses there.

What about the recent fiasco of St Heliers? Ponsonby Road is already vibrant and that vibrancy is created by the people that live there and the businesses that flourish there. AT’s idea of vibrancy is a bunch of bright red planters at the top of Collingwood Street.

AT doesn’t own the building stock; it’s the owners that look after the heritage values under the district plan and Auckland Council. AT’s an organisation that is responsible for roads and public transport not social engineering, urban design and planning. AT hasn’t got a good design bone in its body. It buys in “expertise” at huge expense to the ratepayers.

Ponsonby Road is not dangerous per se except for the footpaths, which have been terrible for decades, and its 40 kph speed limit is neither clearly marked - the road markings are virtually illegible - nor enforced.

Yes, there have sadly been some fatal accidents over the last couple of decades, but AT’s driving ideology, Vision Zero, is extreme and unachievable because road design and engineering cannot totally prevent driver or pedestrian error. The raised tables on the side streets may have perhaps improved things. As for bikes, pedal or electric, it would be totally ludicrous to reduce the current four lanes to one lane each way on this major arterial route to allow for cycle ways in both directions as indicated in the Ponsonby Road Plan - “indicative only”, the illustrations are captioned - to which I can only reply “whatever”.

It is totally illogical to devote 50% of road space to bicycles when they are a minute proportion of road users even at peak times. Peak hour traffic is bad enough on Ponsonby Road already; road reduction in this way would be to extend peak traffic by an hour. AT should be required to demonstrate and justify the expense and inconvenience to road users and businesses before embarking on this ideologically-driven stupidity which will end up by killing business as it has in other parts of the city especially the CBD and Karangahape Road. If you make all of Ponsonby Road a clearway at peak hours to return it to two lanes in each direction, the result is that the parking that the businesses require, especially the hospitality sector, will disappear at just the time that customers need them.

The Ponsonby Road Plan was developed when the deputy chair of the Waitemata Local Board was the pro-cycling Pippa Coom, a known opponent of cars, now a councillor. It is meant to provide a framework for the road’s development until 2044! At the rate the unelected and ungovernable AT board is currently strangling Auckland, I doubt whether any plan will be viable beyond 2024 because Auckland as we know it will have disappeared.

Christopher Johnstone, Grey Lynn ARCH HILL TREES When the Vehicle Testing Station on Great North Road was being demolished in the 1990s, I resolved that as many as possible of the trees which lined the footpath boundary be retained. The building which replaced the testing station is the car showroom still standing. The showroom required public consent for removal of trees, and long story short, I was successful in my appeal to have an Spanish Pin Oak, Quercus palustris saved. The architect re-designed the corner where the Porsche showroom is.

“I didn’t think I’d ever Find my Inner Artist” “I believed I didn’t have an artistic bone in my body, But Seasons proved me wrong” In my school days I was told “You have no talent, spend your time doing something practical”.

So, I spent my life following less creative past-times.

Things changed recently when a friend encouraged me to try out this new art course. They provided all the materials in class along with an amazing curriculum.

I turned up, but I was terrified of making a fool of myself, but then the tutor took the time to sit and guide me through the step-by-step lesson. Three hours later, I had achieved the most wonderful piece of art, I couldn’t wait to show my family (my daughter simply couldn’t believe it but my partner was so proud of me).

It’s been many weeks since then and my skills and knowledge have grown like I would never have believed.

I’ve also got a new range of wonderful friends, from all walks of life, I definitely found my inner artist, now you can find yours too

Limited Spaces - Don’t miss out, call us for a friendly chat today!

0800 006 200 At our great venue: Pt Chev Tennis Club

Now the Pin Oak appears to be dead. What can be done about this?

Chris Kiwi, Former member and chairperson, Grey Lynn-Newton-Westmere Community Committee (1975-1986).

“We’ve All Discovered our inner artist” PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 13

LETTERS & EMAILS

CONTINUED FROM P6

@nicblackie_

FB.com/nicblackierealestate

Westmere Coastal!

3A Kotare Avenue, Westmere Auction

Nic Blackie 021 505 964

Robyn Ellson 021 800 891

nic.blackie@raywhite.com

robyn.ellson@raywhite.com

Located on the premium Kotare/Rawene Peninsula, down-sizers and execs who put location above all else will love this architecturally designed townhouse and studio delivering a lifestyle second to none.

J T REALTY LIMITED - LICENSED REA (2008)

HOME WHERE THE HEART IS

Nic Blackie & Robyn Ellson

THE BEST OF THE BEST JUST GOT BETTER...

Robyn Ellson and Nic Blackie each started their decade-long careers in property as rookies for the fiercely independent local start-up, Custom Residential.

While Nic stayed on for the next 10 years working in partnership with founder, friend and mentor John Wills, in 2014 Robyn moved to Ray White. Robyn is currently ranked the number two property consultant for New Zealand for the market leading group.

Starting in real estate about 18 months apart, Nic and Robyn initially missed the chance to work together while the other was taking time out having babies. “Our timing was off,” they laugh. However, a friendship was forged instead over a picket fence. Having known of each other for many years, they didn’t actually meet until they discovered they were new neighbours (eight houses away) and both in the epic throws of villa renovations. “We bonded over big projects, rock breaking, kids and real estate,” Nic jokes.

joining Robyn’s team just made a lot of sense. We serve the same market and to offer the best client experience in today’s demanding fast paced world of real estate, you really do need a team behind you. We know that together, we can offer clients an incomparable real estate experience,” Nic says.

“Our clients often choose between us, but how good would it be if they didn’t have to choose? They can now have us both,” adds Robyn.

Since joining The RE Group and the broader team at Ray White Mt Eden, Nic has felt right at home. “I love the culture of a small high performing team. In my opinion, it’s unbeatable for a vendor - and it’s good fun!”

Both incredibly determined, they each crafted their own separate path within the city fringe market and never considered they would ever work together given they were often in healthy competition, pitching for the same listings.

The RE Group have hit the ground running in 2021, expanding their network of buyers and sellers week on week and delivering exceptional outcomes with the support of one of the most experienced teams in the market.

Deciding to join forces together this year then, with Nic joining Robyn’s established team of top performing agents Becs Button and Josh Powell, each having a decade of experience behind them, just made good sense to the pair.

“The RE Group is connected to and working with the broadest range of buyers in the market right now. Our combined network is strong and that’s a huge part of what drives our business. It’s really exciting.

Those connections are absolute gold for a vendor,” says Nic.

“I had already decided to join Jared’s office as it was the best fit for me in terms of the smaller team and boutique vibe. From there,

Robyn Ellson T: 021 800 891, robyn.ellson@raywhite.com Nic Blackie T: 021 505 964, nic.blackie@raywhite.com

88 Gribblehirst Road

16 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

3a Kotare Avenue

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

The best of the best, just got better Welcoming Nic Blackie to our award winning team

88 Gribblehirst Road, Sandringham

Architecturally Exquisite

1920's bungalow lovingly reinvented by John Irving Architect

3

2

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Robyn Ellson 021 800 891 Josh Powell 021 905 234 J T Realty Limited Licensed (REAA 2008)

LOCAL NEWS

RAINBOW PRIDE PARADE RETURNS FOR 2021

Saturday 20 February, 5.30pm - 6.30pm

The Rainbow Pride Parade is returning to the Ponsonby strip this month and coming together to celebrate diversity, unity, respect and inclusion has never been more important.

Taking place on Saturday 20 February, Auckland will be one of the few international destinations able to host a large-scale pride parade during the global Covid-19 pandemic.

Ponsonby Road will be bringing the atmosphere with many restaurants along the strip hosting special events before the main event. From 5.30pm Ponsonby Road will turn from tar to ‘tar-ific’ as the parade’s procession, awash with colour, moves on foot and un-motorised floats from Tole Street down Ponsonby Road to Williamson Avenue.

“Auckland’s Ponsonby Road continues to be a beacon of diversity and inclusion and the home of parades for the rainbow communities,” says the Parades Event Manager, Shaughan Woodcock. “It’s a place where lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) people feel safe to demonstrate diversity, inclusion, self-

18 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

acceptance and pride, and being in a position to put a parade like this on, especially in these times, is monumental.”

It has undoubtedly been challenging times for many, and in light of the impacts of Covid-19, and the impact this has had on many businesses and community groups, the walking parade has aimed to reduce costs and overheads where possible so that those who wish to do so can still be involved.

Last year, Rainbow Pride Auckland achieved a return of the Pride Parade in a walking format with over 10,000 spectators lining Ponsonby Road. Organisers are optimistic that we will see those numbers again in 2021 thanks to the ongoing support from the wider community.

The parade has been made possible thanks to our partners: Auckland Unlimited, ZM, Tower Insurance, Wireless Nation, WaitemataPN Local Board, and many others.  To find out more about the parade or to register your interest head to rainbowpride.org.nz

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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LOCAL NEWS

PIPPA COOM: THERE’S NO GOING BACK TO ‘BUSINESS AS USUAL’ As we put behind a turbulent year and look ahead to what 2021 will bring, the push for a return to “business as usual” has to be avoided.

The very wellbeing of our environment, communities and economy depends on a recovery from the pandemic through a “build it back better” lens. This has never been more apparent for Auckland Council as Councillors and the Mayor worked through the details of the next 10-year budget. Local authorities are required to consult every three years on a decade of activities and long-term outcomes. Due to the continuing and significant financial impacts from Covid-19 the next 10-year budget (or long term plan) going out for public feedback on 22 February will be a “Recovery Budget”.

Like many businesses and organisations, Council anticipates a sharp drop in revenue to have an ongoing impact for the next three years, with an estimated shortfall of $540m from 2021-2024. This is on top of the $450m loss of revenue addressed through the Emergency Budget consulted on last year. In particular, this includes revenue reductions for Ports of Auckland, public transport, regulatory revenue, revenue from conventions and stadiums, and dividends from Auckland International Airport.

As we saw through the Covid-19 response, Council has an important role to play across a wide range of services, community facilities as well as the region’s economic recovery. I want Council to continue investing strongly in infrastructure, which creates jobs as well as valuable long-term assets for future generations, rather than adopt an austerity budget. To achieve this I supported going out for consultation on the proposed average 3.5 per cent general rates increase over the course of the 10-year budget, with a one-off increase of 5 per cent in the next financial year to help address the impacts of the pandemic. Under-investment by former councils, as a means of keeping rates artificially low, is one of the reasons there’s still sewage going into the Waitemata.

Even with the proposed investment there are significant savings, including locking in $90m of the savings realised this current financial year for the next three years. The sale of surplus property

to invest in the critical infrastructure Auckland needs, and temporarily increasing borrowing for the first three years of the 10-year budget is also on the table.

An important consideration for my support for the Recovery Budget is the inclusion of significantly increased climate action funding, building on what was secured last year, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and respond to the impacts of climate change. The plan is to work with the Government on policy changes and funding, including achieving 50 per cent of our bus fleet becoming electric or hydrogen buses by 2030. From 1 July 2021, no diesel buses will be added to our existing fleet. If we can secure funding to phase out all diesel buses by 2030 that would bring with it an estimated $166 million reduction in social costs, from pollution and poor health. A climate lens must be applied to all our funding decisions.

The Recovery Budget will allow Council to invest as much as $550m more into transport projects in the first three years and provide additional infrastructure needed for housing development. It also provides for $145m of funding for Watercare, investment of $54m into stormwater to improve water quality in the Manukau Harbour and Eastern Isthmus and $65m into upgrading some of our aging community facilities over the next three years.

While we’re facing incredible budget constraints, the challenges have never been so great for our infrastructure, our water, our environment and our communities. To make the best decisions, we need to know what you think about these challenges we’re facing, locally and as a region, and the level of rates we pay. Public feedback will be taken into consideration to assist Councillors and the Mayor prioritise and focus on how best to rebuild through the Recovery Budget following the impacts of Covid-19.

Consultation is open from 22 February until 22 March.

(PIPPA COOM)  PN

More details on the council’s website www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz pippa.coom@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

20 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

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LOCAL NEWS

RICHARD NORTHEY: - LOCAL BOARD CHAIR WAITEMATA We in Auckland have much to be grateful for, remaining at Covid Level 1 for our summer holidays so we can participate in and enjoy public events.

The Prada Cup and America’s Cup flying yacht races, provincial men’s and women’s cricket, the Buskers’ Festival and Anniversary Day as well as our own marine and outdoor activities with our friends and families have been rich experiences. Robyn and I were joined at our Coromandel Harbour bach for our Christmas day lunch by our children and grandsons and we stayed there for swimming, fishing, boating and fellowship.

The future of the Leys Institute should be decided early this year

by Council’s Governing Body as part of its decision making on Council’s 10-year Budget (Long-Term Plan). The restoration of the Leys Institute buildings for library and public use and the creation of a park at 254 Ponsonby Road were major points in the Board’s own advocacy to the Governing Body that I made in a presentation to them on 11 November, about what should be prioritised in Council’s next Long-Term Plan. We also called for higher priority and more resources to be given to cleaning up our beaches and waterways, transport and road safety projects and action on climate change.

The impacts of Covid mean that most local Councils are needing to increase rates by a double figure percentage next year and the Waitemata- Local Board is recommending a one-off 8% increase in the general rate and in the water quality targeted rate if we are not to go backwards in meeting these vital needs. When the time for public submissions comes, from 22 February to 22 March, it would be helpful for you to make a submission about these and other issues and priorities for Council. Waitemata- Local Board members will be out and about to hear your views on the Long-Term Plan including at the Grey Lynn Farmers Market on the morning of 7 March and a formal hearing on 9 March from 4.30pm at the board office. You can have your say online from the 22 February at www.akhaveyoursay.nz

the forest regrowth that is already happening and will absorb carbon better long-term. The pines are likely to be removed after the end of the bird nesting season around April.

My heart goes out to the residents of Sheehan Street who had to leave their homes because of asbestos contamination from the Ponsonby Intermediate School fire. The official responses to this were not as rapid and coordinated as they should have been and I thank my fellow elected representatives, MPs Chlöe Swarbrick and Simon Court, for their efforts to overcome these problems. It appears that the law and policies need a review to ensure a lead agency can act effectively in situations like this. The Waitemata- Local Board has found the same sort of problems in official responses to homelessness and has written to the Minister of Social Development seeking the identification of a lead agency and better coordinated responses to homelessness related issues.

Ponsonby Road will be an area for the Innovating Streets Tactical Urbanism programme. We have asked Auckland Transport to work closely with the Ponsonby community and businesses on activities to make the Ponsonby Road corridor safer and more user friendly for fun, getting around and business growth. To find out more about the project, visit at.govt.nz/ponsonbyroad Because of the continuing drought we all still need to limit our water use. The board office has reopened. I can be contacted on 021 534 546 or richard.northey@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz PN (RICHARD NORTHEY)  I can be contacted at 021 534 546 or E: richard.northey@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

At that 3 November meeting we also debated and decided on the future of the forest on the eastern slopes of the Western Springs Lakeside Te Wai Orea Park. The Board believed that just taking out a few trees at a time would carry too great safety risks with it, and it would have delayed the reopening of the park to the public and the commencement of a planned restoration programme building on

22 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

Buskers Festival

Last year, we carried out an extensive public consultation with our local community about our proposed Waitemata- Local Board Plan and at a special 3 November meeting we adopted it. This Plan will guide our actions for the next three years, in particular which of our local community activities we will be prioritising. Read our Plan at our website: www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/waitemata

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LOCAL NEWS

JOHN ELLIOTT: GLYPHOSATE - YES AGAIN! We’re not stopping campaigning until it’s banned - no more cancers from Roundup.

When it comes to important issues about community, country or planet, people are pretty slow on the uptake. Environmental issues are particularly fraught.

In 1960, Rachel Carson wrote her seminal book, Silent Spring, attacking the damaging effects on plants and animals of DDT. It still took years for it to be banned.

In New Zealand, Ivan Watkins Dow of New Plymouth produced weed killers 2,4,D and 2,4,5,T, in the 1950s. In my University holidays I drove a tanker full of those poisons to meet the helicopter that sprayed the gorse and willows on Northland farms. I filled the hopper of the chopper, with poison all over my hands, no protection at all, and drove off to meet the chopper at the next farm. 2,4,5,T was the ingredient in Agent Orange, sprayed on foliage in Vietnam, killing thousands. Once again banning of these carcinogens took years.

Now, we are in the same position with glyphosate, the cancercausing ingredient of weed killer Roundup. Court cases around the world have all found glyphosate responsible for cancers, and maker Monsanto, and now Bayer Pharmaceuticals of Germany, who bought Monsanto for 63 billion dollars cash, have been fined millions of dollars. Still they deny its carcinogenic qualities, and to boost sales and counter criticism guess who they often hire to lie to the public?

Former tobacco lobbyists, that’s who!

Why are these environmental issues so intractable? Individuals are selfish. If an issue doesn’t directly affect them they avoid it. Too costly, technology will save us, the biggest polluters must act first. I don’t know how long Auckland Council will hold out and continue poisoning Aucklanders before glyphosate is banned.

This cancer-causing chemical, like others including asbestos, stays in the system for years before cancers break out and kill people who may have first injested the chemical at their school gate, or through play with a pet dog who had just rolled in the glyphosate on the berm in front of their home.

Gus Speth, famous American environmentalist puts the problem succinctly. He says this, “I used to think the three greatest environmental threats were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse, and climate change.

But I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed and apathy, and to deal with them we need a spiritual and cultural transformation, and we scientists don’t know how to do that.”

Memo to Council and Councillors: History is riddled with failures to act, and to make important decisions. Ban glyphosate and get on the right side of history. Some of the best scientists in the world are in despair. Jacinda Ardern talked about a ‘nuclear moment’. This is one, if ever there was one. (JOHN ELLIOTT)  PN

JOHN ELLIOTT: DIRE NEW RESEARCH ABOUT MICROPLASTICS Our planet earth is in existential crisis, but we sit by, fiddling like Nero, as Rome burned.

On our polluted Waitemata Harbour, where 50 beaches are closed because of faecal contamination, millionaire real estate agents dress up in Trumpian Q-Anon outfits and slug champagne, unconcerned about anything but the almighty dollar.

Now a new piece of research from Vienna University has shown how all-pervasive microplastics have become. Humans are eating plastics.

Experts found nine different types of microplastic in the stools of a small but scientifically studied group. While food, including fish are culprits, so they found were drink bottles. Plastic is in everything from beer to table salt.

Lead researcher Dr Philipp Schwabl said it had become impossible for people to avoid eating, drinking and breathing in plastic. The smallest microplastic particles are capable of entering the bloodstream and lymphatic system and may even reach the liver.

Chemicals used in plastic production have been found to interfere with the development of sexual organs in animals and fish. About 2-5% of all plastic ends up in the sea where it is consumed by fish. Tuna, crayfish, mussels, have all been found contaminated by microplastics.

Microplastics are plastic particles measuring less than five millimetres.

Tumble dryers and washing machines are culprits in the spread of microplastics. One study revealed 700,000 plastic fibres could be released into the environment with every washing machine cycle.

The amount of plastic rubbish in the world’s oceans will outweigh fish by 2050, and more than 80% of the world’s tap water is contaminated.

New Zealand has had one recent study of our beaches, finding that west coast beaches had higher levels of microplastics then eastern beaches. The samples collected were mainly fibres as clothing is a major

24 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

contributor to the spread. One startling study reported that uncovered fish in supermarkets attracted lots of microplastics from the air.

An email to Ponsonby News by Pukekohe animal feed maker, Fisken and Sons, told us we are consuming five grams of plastic a week that’s like eating a credit card. Fisken told us his grandfather used hessian bags which broke down easily. With the emergence of plastic bags, the whole hessian industry died. Now we are ingesting plastic every day, with potential carcinogenic effects on our bodies. Fiskens now uses paper bags, at twice the cost, but causing much less damage to our planet.

Environmental issues can be difficult to comprehend. One wit said, “It’s difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on him not understanding it.”

As I’ve said in another Ponsonby News article this month, highly rated American environmentalist Gus Speth, says that it’s all about man’s selfishness, greed and apathy. He calls for a spiritual and cultural transformation.

I’m not about to scoff at the multi-million dollar big boys toys, the America’s Cup yachts, but I’ll bet those dressed as Q-Anon Trump supporters, quaffing champagne, and cheering on American Magic, never ever give a single thought to the faeces-infested waters the sailing is being held in, nor the vexed question of plastic waste outweighing fish in a few more years. They will all have swimming pools in their gated communities.

This planet will survive after I’m gone. It may survive my children, but not much longer unless drastic measures are taken to cut consumption, eat and buy less, to stop polluting, and make the transformative changes in the way we live. (JOHN ELLIOTT)  PN PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

LOCAL NEWS

JOHN ELLIOTT: CENTRAL AUCKLAND IS FULL - GO AWAY! Auckland Council is in financial trouble. Mind you, so are most councils in New Zealand.

Not only are they broke, with a potential double digit rates rise on the way, but our infrastructure is so broken that 50 Auckland beaches have raw sewage floating in the bay.

That alone is third world stuff.

But, as the ad says ‘wait there’s more’.

We are getting to the stage where we cannot cram any more housing into our central city as amenity values crumble, and more and more trees get cut down to make room for skimpy little apartments. I’ve just been re-reading Jared Diamond’s classic book, Collapse, the historical story of why civilisations succeed or fail. A classic is Easter Island. In the 14 to 16 hundreds, Easter Islanders cut down every last tree in some maniacal, yet still not understood, madness. We’re not quite at that stage yet, but every week there is a new story about trees giving way to new apartments so developers can squeeze a few more tiny units into their developments.

This week it’s Occam apartment builder CEO, Mark Todd, aiming to cut down a huge old macrocarpa so he can build more units on a tiny piece of land in Avondale. Occam has built some attractive buildings in inner city Auckland, but enough is enough. Todd complains about insufficient ‘yield’ (meaning ‘profit’). He has also been in the habit of building without parking, another way to increase profit, sorry ‘yield’.

Just a couple of weeks ago it was old pohutukawa trees under threat from Campbell’s Bay School’s planned new development. The school roll has outgrown its current classrooms. Population intensification has been on the Council agenda for a long time. What happened to Education Department future planning?

Read Diamond’s book. He cites as reasons, ‘distant managers, creeping normality, landscape amnesia’.

In Central Auckland some suitable infill housing has been built, some of it quite creative, but there is now a plethora of ugly, inhumane high rise buildings which are a blot on the city, especially a city once aspiring to become the ‘world’s most liveable city’.

Amenity values are being lost at the rate of knots, and the council either ignores complaints or calls complainers NIMBYs. These are Auckland citizens, ratepayers, who value sunlight, vegetation, trees and gardens, views, a relatively quiet environment, less noise, space, and preservation of heritage and cultural values - among many others.

As a former Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment said in a 1997 report, population intensification must compete with amenity

values citizens refuse to give up. It is time for Council to address these amenity value concerns, and where necessary come to some compromises. The compromise must not be ‘every tree must be cut down’. Neither should we give credence to the obscene idea that every exotic tree should be removed and replaced with natives.

I’m the first to support retention of our ancient native trees, and worked on Tiritiri Matangi island bringing back the dawn chorus. I’ve ranted about loss of old pohutukawa on the coast so greedy developers can fit another multi-million dollar apartment into their development.

Businesses are helping out in various ways, including by quitting the central city. I know that Viv Beck will be horrified to see that comment.

Why should thousands of workers commute every day from all corners of Auckland’s sprawling city to Queen Street and surrounds and home again in the evening - a round trip of up to two hours?

We need to rethink intensification. We don’t need to replace it by random urban sprawl, with all the infrastructure services that will entail and the loss of good farming land. But we do need to rethink nodal development. Let’s have half a dozen intensive nodal communities between Whangarei and Hamilton, with residential on the water side, schools, community centres, play grounds on the inland side, with commercial and industrial parks in close proximity. Many work places would be walkable, quick, small public transport vehicles would connect everything up, and cars could stay in the garage, or even be sold because of the close knit, all inclusive community.

We already know that insurance companies, lawyers, accountants, and hopefully council departments would love these new communities and flock to them. Some of those huge office towers in the central city could be converted into apartments, or demolished. Take a look at the hovels masquerading as apartments off Symonds Street; tiny boxes called home for thousands of students and low income earners. A roof over their head, certainly, but pretty dismal living.

We need too, to ensure that immigration is kept to an absolute minimum - returning New Zealanders of course, and our quota of refugees. No American billionaires looking for a bolthole, need apply.

With smaller, well integrated communities, good amenities, and local control, Aucklanders could abandon the costly commute that so many endure every day. God forbid, they may even get to know their PN neighbours! (JOHN ELLIOTT) 

PONSONBY NEWS MARCH +

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+ Westmoreland Street Precinct + Art and Design + Autumn fashion COPY DEADLINE: Saturday 20 FEBRUARY PUBLISHED: Friday 4 MARCH email martin@ponsonbynews.co.nz or call 021 771 147 or 09 378 8553

26 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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LOCAL NEWS

JOHN ELLIOTT: A PROMISED LAND

BY BARACK OBAMA An autobiography of affirmation of the “no drama Obama” presidency.

Obama’s 750 page autobiography is quite a read. He had planned for 500 pages, but it grew to 750 and still only covered the first term of his eight year two terms gig. That is too long in my opinion, but it is very readable and interestingly written. There are amusing anecdotes, and dozens of personal reflections. It is also instructive as a comparison right now with Donald Trump’s actions as Obama’s successor, and also a fascinating biography of Alexander Hamilton, a US founder, that I am also reading.

Biden’s reputation as a good president is assured. He still has a public rating of 59% favourability, which will no doubt grow as his successor Donald Trump is recognised as the worst president ever.

Trump does not feature too much in Obama’s book, but Trump did try very hard to overturn Obamacare, he pulled out of the Paris accord and the Iran deal, and it is fortunate that Biden can now do his best to enhance rather than diminish Obama’s record, and the whole world will be relieved now that Trump has finally gone.

As one commentator wrote, “the Obama presidency looks like a calm, flat sea before the rolling tempest of Trump.”

Obama sold one million books on release day, so it is hugely successful. It is full of philosophical and psychological assessments

by Obama himself, often reflecting on his motives for wanting the presidency, how it will affect Michelle and his girls if he wins. Barack Obama is wracked with concern about his suitability for the top job.

He reveals his interior world. He is determined not to allow his bid to be seen as purely a racial thing. He wants to be president for all Americans, and because of his mixed race heritage he can see both sides of racial arguments. He admits to having suffered from racism himself, but says, “by dint of biography I learned not to claim my own victimhood too readily, and have long resisted the notion that white people were irredeemably racist.”

He says he even surprised himself the way he clung to the “idea” of America, and the “promise” of America.

Obama decided there was no one single way to be black, “just trying to be a good man was enough.”

Of course this autobiography is all about politics, but Obama spends a good deal of time writing, musing, speculating lovingly about his wife Michelle, whom he adores. He tried to take her with him in everything he did. She was not sure about the public nature of politics and how it would impact on her, Sasha and Malia. Barack discusses these things so sensitively in his book - no wonder he wrote 750 pages! But he reached the highest pinnacle in US politics, and has richly deserved the accolades that have come his way - including a Nobel Peace Prize.

Obama highlights the unpredictable nature of politics, from his first days as a “mushroom”, a junior politician kept in the dark and fed on shit, and the necessity for resilience, which he has always had in abundance.

This amazing 44th President of the United States of America always had faith in the power of democracy, and his presidency embodied his campaign slogan, “Yes we can.”

The audacity of hope.

I want to quote one especially elegantly written paragraph from this lengthy tome, mainly to show you the depth, the poetry, the grace, the lucidity we observed while he was president. The reading of this book is like a private sitting with the man himself.

“I’ve never been a big believer in destiny. I worry that it encourages resignation in the down-and-out and complacency among the powerful... in a single lifetime, accidents and happenstance determine more than we care to admit, and the best that we can do is to try to align ourselves with what we feel is right and construct some meaning out of our confusion, and with grace and nerve play each moment the hand that we’re dealt.”

Obama knows, and Trump has reinforced this belief, that without a baseline of broadly shared facts, democracy is going to be in constant crisis. He has led an orderly and organised life, hence the ‘no drama Obama’ quote, and insisted on a 6.30pm rendezvous every night with Michelle, Sasha and Malia for dinner. He admits he’s a pretty steady guy.

Whether it’s climate change, education, transportation or Covid 19 control, Obama explains that a president cannot do these things alone.

The book provides intriguing though restrained sketches of fellow world leaders. He says David Cameron is urbane and confident, though imbued with “the easy confidence of someone who’d never been pressed too hard by life.” Putin he said, was “like a party boss from the dark age of Chicago machine politics.”

Early on in his campaign someone said, “you better go and talk to Kennedy,” such was the standing of Ted Kennedy after nearly 40 years in the senate. Kennedy told him this, “the power to inspire is rare, but you don’t choose the time. The time chooses you. Either you seize what may turn out to be your only chance, or you decide you are willing to live with the knowledge that the chance has passed you by.”

Teddy Kennedy died at 77, of a brain tumour, in 2009, just one year into Obama’s first term. Barack Obama is still only 59.

PN (JOHN ELLIOTT) 

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LOCAL NEWS

EDEN VILLAGE: CENTRAL AUCKLAND LIVING IN A BOUTIQUE ENVIRONMENT Tucked away among the leafy Mt Eden streets, Oceania’s Eden Village has added brand-new apartments and community facilities to create a luxury boutique village in the heart of it all.

Situated in the highly sought after central suburb, residents can enjoy the convenience of popping out to their favourite shops and eateries and living close by to family and all the things they love. For many, village life ticks a lot of boxes in terms of being able to maintain the vibrant Auckland lifestyle they’re accustomed to - something that Oceania resident, Trisha, really appreciates, “It is always important to know that if things change you are still able to get around. And having the shops and public transport nearby is a sense of relief if I could no longer drive.”

Eden Village’s one, two, and two plus bedroom apartments have been architecturally designed and feature open-plan living areas, designer kitchens and quality fittings. They’re private and modern and - music to any homeowner’s ears - there’s no upkeep to worry about in a village. “Not having to worry about any maintenance issues or putting the bins out each week is one less thing to think about,” explains Trisha.

Outside the front door there’s plenty more on offer. A purpose-built community centre for independent living residents is destined to

30 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

become a hub of activity. Boasting its own café, gym, cinema, library, dining and BBQ area with fantastic indoor-outdoor flow, residents can look forward to the convenience of having a workout at the gym, then grabbing a coffee with friends without stepping foot outside the village. And that community aspect is a real draw-card for the Eden Village lifestyle.

Specially designed as a boutique village, and significantly smaller than many retirement villages with only 89 apartments in total, its size makes it easy for residents to get to know their neighbours.

Equally though, privacy has been considered from the get-go and independence is something that is highly valued in a village. “You can do exactly what you want to do, which allows you to pick and choose what you want to get involved in,” says Trisha.

Just a hop, skip and a jump from Ponsonby, the Eden Village lifestyle will appeal to many Central Auckland dwellers looking to get the most out of their retirement years. www.oceaniahealthcare.co.nz

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

EDEN

Luxury living is just around the corner at Eden Village.

Brand new apartments coming soon.

A select number of brand new Eden Village apartments are nearing completion - creating a boutique independent living community, in the heart of Mt Eden.

Our new apartments are private, modern, and spacious. And best of all, you can leave the maintenance to us.

Outside your door, a community centre offers an active lifestyle whether you’re working out at the gym, or getting stuck into a bit of gardening.

With Mt Eden’s renowned shops and eateries close by, you can meet a friend for lunch, or do a bit of window shopping, whenever you like.

Make an appointment to secure your apartment today.

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ACTIVE OLDER LIFESTYLES

ACTIVE OLDER LIFESTYLES:

Members of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron - Photo: Andrew Delves

STAYING YOUNGER LONGER The average Kiwi is living a decade longer than they did 40 years ago and average life expectancy sitting at just over 82 years old, so the phrase “40 is the new 30” will soon be replaced by “60 is the new 40”. In fact there has possibly never been a better time for those over 65 to take up a new sport or go back to something they haven’t played since primary school. They will have literally decades to perfect their skills, develop competitive prowess and make new friends.

Locally, there are a number of excellent sports clubs and organisations that have rich histories and thriving memberships that are worth checking out. They all offer options for both beginners and those with more experience. You can learn to sail, join a competitive petanque team, or perfect your tennis serve at one of the many clubs just a stone’s throw away from Ponsonby’s main strip. We talked to members of the West End Tennis Club, the Herne Bay Petanque Club, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and the Ponsonby Cruising Club to find out what those over 65 can expect.

32 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

Herne Bay Petanque Club, measuring the distance

Many of us lament the fact that kids seem to be getting older younger, but the flip side is that adults are staying younger longer. With life expectancy in New Zealand increasing by almost 20% every two years it is little wonder that more people are continuing to enjoy a wide range of sports and activities well into their later years.

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

West End Tennis Club - David Wells + the Grumpies

David Wells - veteran member of West End Tennis Club Playing tennis with the “Grumpy Old Men” at 8.00am weekdays is something senior business Broker for NAI Harcourts, David Wells, makes sure he fits into his busy schedule each week. “The Grumpies are an eclectic group. Intelligent, well educated, with totally different backgrounds and occupations. Tennis and gender are probably the only things we have in common,” says David. “We have some very interesting conversations between sets and after games on all sorts of topics; books, films, plays, politics, sport, restaurants, and art.”

It’s the combination of overall fitness as well as the social connection that David believes makes tennis at your local club such a great option. “I jog as well as play tennis, but I prefer tennis. Jogging on your own can be very boring, and mainly just exercises your legs but with tennis you are running, jumping and swinging your arms. It tunes up your reflexes and your hand eye coordination. There’s fresh air and sunshine; it’s just a much more complete exercise. Far better (and cheaper) than going to the gym,” he enthuses.

While David played tennis as a kid at school he believes it’s the kind of sport you can easily take up at any age. In fact many of the veteran players at West End Tennis Club only took up tennis in their more mature years. It’s a club that is really welcoming to new players and there is coaching and support for those that are completely new to the game as well as those who are wanting to brush up on their skills.

walk and has reasonable balance, petanque can be enjoyed for many years. We have a number of regular players in their 80s, and some members over 90.”

For Robyn it is not just the skill, strategy and competitive thrill of the sport that has made her such a fan, it’s also the social side of the game and how inclusive it is to all ages. “It’s a very good sport for socialising and sharing. There are a lot of people at the club; men and women and even grandchildren. My grandsons came and played during the holidays. It’s very much linked in with my grandson’s basketball skills. Once I showed him how to hold the ball he was just so natural, being able to lob it up and fade it really well.”

Robyn has played and joined games with people of all ages from all over the world as well as throughout New Zealand, joining games in France, Thailand and on the foreshore of New Caledonia. “You don’t need a language, you can just play,” she says.

Herne Bay Petanque Club encourages people to just turn up to join and learn to play. They have club days most Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9.15am - 12pm and on Fridays from 4pm till late during summer months and as Robyn points out, it’s easy to learn the basics so you can be playing and enjoying the game in no time.

This is echoed by Paul Priddey and Malcolm Woolmore, who along with Peter Calder, form the Grumpies.

Robyn Chalmers joined the Herne Bay Petanque club over a decade ago when she needed a low impact sport to satisfy her naturally competitive nature. “I’d played lots of different sports, including representative netball for Auckland minor and tennis for Australasian tournaments and I’m still sailing and various other things,” explained Robyn. “But I like competition, and with petanque you have to strategise to win.”

Petanque is a game with a long and rich history, even though it is relatively new to New Zealand. “Petanque is challenging, but it’s a good low impact sport. A lot of people started doing things like pickle ball and next minute ended up jumping round and pulling tendons,” says Robyn. “It’s a more accessible sport as it uses a smaller lighter ball and you don’t need to bend completely down to the ground like bowls to play the game effectively. Provided one can

President of Herne Bay Petanque Club, Robyn Chalmers

Robyn Chalmers - Herne Bay Petanque Club

PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 33

the excitement seems like a great idea. Anecdotally we are told that marine activities across the board are enjoying a sharp increase in popularity, especially with older age groups, and these two local clubs offer those 65+ a broad range of social and sailing opportunities.

Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and the Ponsonby Cruising Club

“There is an endless amount of sailing to get involved in for our 65+ members, and you will find they are involved in a real mix of sailing events, with many being keen sailors since they were much younger,” explains RNZYS communications manager Andrew Delves. “However, some are either newer to the sport or tired of the competitive side of sailing, and that’s when our Havana Club Rum Racing and PIC Insurance Brokers Cruising Series become popular options.”

Both the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS) and the Ponsonby Cruising Club (PCC) are steeped in sailing history, with both clubs offering a range of sailing and social activities for members 65+. RNZYS is the country’s largest sailing club and official home of the America’s Cup, while the PCC is our oldest sailing club. This year the PCC will be holding the 100th Anniversary of the Lipton Cup – the oldest yachting trophy in New Zealand.

For the PCC it is about respecting tradition, maintaining a commitment to its nautical heritage, and always being the friendly home of racing, cruising and sail training. With courses for everyone from 9-90 years, this is a club keen to help locals of all ages learn or update their skills and be able to experience the joy of sailing. It’s something they believe that once you have a taste for it, it’s likely to stick. “Our members are a loyal bunch; once they join, they stay and grow old with us,” says Dorothee Lampee of the Ponsonby Cruising Club.

If ever there was a time to get into sailing, it’s now, and age is no barrier. With the Prada Cup being held in the Hauraki Gulf until February 22nd and the America’s Cup due to start on March 6th just becoming a member of one of these clubs to watch and share

Older competitive sailors are well catered for by the RNZYS who run literally thousands of races in a year.

Rum Racing is ideal for the less competitive 65+ members as it is a much more relaxed approach to racing. Held every Friday afternoon and often done with a beer or glass of wine in hand. The cruising races are incredibly popular with the over 65’s. Held on Saturdays they include a casual race to a Hauraki Gulf Island destination, followed by a get-together with a BBQ and drinks on the beach. Many then stay overnight and cruise back home on Sunday!

With a range of social activities, fun regattas and sailing events the PCC and the RNZYS are local treasures and becoming a member of either club is a fantastic way to be part of New Zealand sailing history.

“It’s genuinely never too late to get involved in sailing,” says Andrew.

“The options for sailing and boating in Auckland and throughout New Zealand are endless, so why wouldn’t you want to enjoy it, even if you’re starting late!”.  PN

Members of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron - Photo: Andrew Delves

ACTIVE OLDER LIFESTYLES

Club Day, Herne Bay Petanque Club

With a calendar of social events and opportunities to meet and play with other club members the Herne Bay Petanque Club is a great option for active locals 65+ (and younger). “I joined Petanque, along with other local organisations, with the purpose of getting to know my neighbourhood, and it has worked. I look forward to Tuesdays and Thursdays when I can play petanque with all sorts of men and women from the club and I have formed some lasting friendships.”

34 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

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LOCAL NEWS

COUNTDOWN GREY LYNN RENOVATIONS The Grey Lynn team @ Countdown on Richmond Road have recently relaunched their store following renovations.

The store has had a full refresh for the look and feel, which includes a new ‘food to go’ section and dedicated health foods aisles. The store also includes a larger pick up area and scan and go. They also told us that they have included a new pharmacy.  PN

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Photography: Everall Deans, Ponsonby Business Association

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36 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

Auckland Transport (AT) is working together with the community to test people-friendly spaces and safer ways to travel on Ponsonby Road.

These will be temporary changes that can be tested and adjusted once in place. Similar projects in Auckland can be seen on Sale Street and High Street in the city.

The response so far has been great. Between 16 November and 10 December 2020, we received over 1500 pieces of feedback from the community with some fantastic ideas put forward. A community design group of locals was then formed to build on these ideas. This group features members of the business community, Waitemata- Local Board, residents’ associations, Bike Auckland, and other members of the community. The project is in good hands with this highly engaged and knowledgeable community group.

The first community design workshop was held on 13 December 2020. The group analysed feedback from the public to understand the different issues, needs, and opportunities for Ponsonby Road. After the summer break the group re-convened on 17 January 2021 to identify specific locations where changes could be put in place.

A third workshop will be held in February when the group will get down to the finer details and develop specific concepts and design PN options to be shared with the community.  Find out more at www.at.govt.nz/ponsonbyroad

JOHN APPLETON: CARPAL TUNNEL? PRP could be an option for treatment.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common condition which develops when a large nerve (median nerve) becomes compressed as it passes through a channel in the wrist known as the carpal tunnel. The carpal tunnel is formed by 8 small bones of the hand known as carpals (carpus from Greek meaning wrist) and a strong ligament called the transverse carpal ligament. The carpals form three of the walls of the carpal tunnel and the carpal ligament forms the other wall.

There isn’t a lot of space for the median nerve to pass freely through the carpal tunnel and any swelling around the joints or tendons can reduce the available space thus compressing and irritating the nerve.

The median nerve is important as it’s responsible for sensation in the hand and the power we need for grip etc.

CTS is the most common nerve entrapment neuropathy and it’s interesting to note that that it affects women significantly more than men. As to why anyone might develop CTS, there is no definitive research, but age is a factor and being overweight, having hypothyroidism, diabetes or having a family member who had CTS are potential reasons. An injury to the wrist such as a fracture could result in the onset of CTS as could activities which involve a lot of wrist movement and particularly frequent use of computer keyboards.

The first symptoms of CTS can often be experienced at night with tingling or numbness in the hands. This can lead to pain in the fingers and thumbs (not the little finger) which can travel up the wrist into the forearm, the upper arm and sometimes as far as the shoulders. A common symptom is loss of grip which is noticed when trying to remove lids from jars or bottles.

Treatments can include, analgesic painkillers, wearing wrist splints particularly at night, steroid injections and even a surgical release.

CTS can be a very debilitating condition which can significantly impact on quality of life and thus many who suffer with CTS would surely

be interested in a simple treatment option that may not only relieve symptoms but repair damage to tissue in the carpal tunnel.

In a previous article I have written about the use of platelet rich plasma (PRP) for arthritis in joints. PRP is a simple very innovative treatment that enlists the body’s own resources to effect repairs.

PRP therapy involves taking blood from a patient’s arm and spinning it in a centrifuge. This separates the red blood cells from the plasma which is the liquid part of whole blood. The plasma contains platelets which are special blood cells that have key roles in clotting the blood at the site of an injury and releasing growth factors that harness the body’s ability to heal. PRP is becoming widely accepted as a form of regenerative medicine that can be used for an ever-increasing number of medical conditions.

Recently I read a study that assessed the effectiveness of using PRP to treat carpal tunnel syndrome. 60 patients with single side mild to moderate CTS were randomised into two groups of 30 (PRP and control groups). The PRP group were injected with one dose of PRP and the control group wore a night splint during the study period. Results showed that the PRP group exhibited a significant reduction in pain scores and improved function when compared to the control group.

Another study conducted in Egypt compared PRP treatment with steroid injections. The PRP group in the study reported significantly better outcomes than the group that were given a steroid injection.

The researchers concluded that in CTS, PRP was a better treatment alternative with respect to pain and functional outcome. In addition, it was associated well with improved neurophysiological values than those observed after corticosteroid injection.

Surely any treatment that is safe and uses the body’s own repair mechanisms is worth a try. (JOHN APPPLETON)  PN E: john@johnappleton.co.nz www.johnappleton.co.nz PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 37

LOCAL NEWS

AN UPDATE FROM AT ON THE PONSONBY ROAD STREETS FOR PEOPLE PROJECT

LOCAL NEWS

KEN RING: WEATHER BY THE MOON AUCKLAND WEATHER DIARY, FEBRUARY 2021 February is much drier than normal, with rain only in the first week. Temperatures will be a degree warmer than the average, with more sunshine.

The first week brings rain each day, but the second, third and fourth weeks are mostly dry. The hottest day is around the 28th, and the coolest night is around the 9th. Atmospheric pressures should average about 1018mbs, with winds averaging southerly.

For gardeners, only the 25th and 26th are good days for sowing (waxing moon ascending). Pruning is best on 10th and 11th (waning moon descending). For longer shelf-life for crops, harvest at neap tide days on 6th and 21st.

For fishers, the highest kingtide may be 13th. The best fishing bitetimes in the east are at dusk on 10th - 14th, and 25th - 30th (and in the west around noon on those days). Chances are also good in the east for midday on the 3rd - 5th, and 18th - 20th, (and in the west around dusk on those days).

Allow 24 hour error for all forecasting. (KEN RING)  PN For future weather for any date, and the 2021 NZ Weather Almanac, see www.predictweather.com.

@ LEYS LITTLE LIBRARY Kia ora koutou Ponsonby, Ngā mihi o te tau hou.

Happy New Year and welcome to 2021. Many things seem to change these days, however, some things remain in place such as the February Pride Festival. We are delighted to again be hosting the PRIDE Poetry speakeasy with Samesame But Different. Join us at Grey Lynn Library on Wednesday 10 February 5pm-7pm. This is the sixth year of this successful, and very popular open mic poetry evening.

This year’s special guest speaker is Courtney Sina Meredith, who is a poet, playwright, and fiction writer - the author of Tail of the Taniwha and Brown Girls in Bright Red Lipstick; her most recent book is The Adventures of Tupaia.

On Thursday 11 February 6.30pm - 7.30pm also at Grey Lynn Library The Sisters Gay present... Your Loving Friend: a library event for Pride. Move over Brothers Grimm, Grey Lynn Library’s Sisters Gay present an after-hours story-time. Drawing on the long-standing public library tradition of storytelling for pre-schoolers, our Auckland Pride Festival event combines story, song and silliness – more for grown-ups, though all are welcome. The 2021 literary salon features ardent epistles and juicy journals by ladies (and the odd gent) of letters. Rediscover the lost and loving arts of correspondence, complete with curlicues. This will be the third annual Sisters Gay event, held in association with SameSame But Different, and Grey Lynn Library.

February brings the return of our regular preschool programming with a slight schedule change. On Wednesdays starting 10 February

we will be hosting two sessions of Wriggle and Rhyme at the Ponsonby Baptist Church Hall (corner of Seymour Street and Jervois Road) 10am and 11am. Bring along your little one for some music, rhymes, bubbles and most importantly fun. Wriggle and Rhyme is targeted at little ones 0-2 years and their caregivers. However, older preschoolers are always welcome. We are thinking of potentially hosting some fun storytimes in our little library, so watch this space.

Every summer between New Year’s resolutions and Waitangi Day I think to myself ‘I wish I knew more te reo’. I must admit I seldom manage to get further than this passing thought. However, thanks to Auckland Libraries my excuses for not pursuing this thought are getting fewer and fewer. With an Auckland Libraries card you (and I) can access an app called Lingogo which is a language learning app - So, with bilingual te reo stories to help you (and I) learn Te Reo Maori. if like me you said to yourself over summer ‘I would like to learn more te reo’, Auckland Libraries are here to help with Lingogo and numerous other resources to be found online or in your local (little) library.

Please note that because Waitangi Day is a Saturday the library will be closed on both Saturday 6 February and Monday 8 February (Waitangi Day Observed). Hours: Monday - Friday 9am-6pm, Saturday 9am-4pm.  PN Chloë – Community Library Manager, Leys Institute Little library, 14 Jervois Road, Ponsonby.

LEYS INSTITUTE LITTLE LIBRARY, Corner of Jervois road and Redmond Street, T: 09 377 0209, www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz

38 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

LOCAL NEWS

JOHN ELLIOTT: POVERTY AND INEQUALITY HAVE GOT AWAY ON US Jacinda Ardern gave herself the child poverty portfolio in 2017, and has retained it this term.

There is still much to do to return New Zealand to the world class egalitarian society we once were.

After the Second World War Michael Joseph Savage’s Labour government introduced the “Welfare State” to New Zealand.

Labour governed from 1935 until 1949.

Savage died in 1940 and Peter Fraser became prime minister.

Labour expanded state activity until it covered the whole economy and a good deal of social life too. Its members were mainly British socialists who believed in a strong measure of state control, but they never set out to abolish private enterprise. They sought instead to have the state look after the old, the young, the sick and the vulnerable. The test was practicality, not doctrinal purity. They brought in a basic wage, a 40 hour week, a major programme of public works, including state housing, and built up the unions.

Paradoxically, Labour was beaten in 1949 by the National Party which adopted all its leading accomplishments.

Successive National and Labour governments between 1949 and 1984 tinkered with the welfare state but never abandoned it.

The United States of America had adopted a similar welfare state under Franklin Roosevelt, known as “The New Deal”, which guaranteed similar support to vulnerable citizens like New Zealand’s schemes but without free health care, which was only achieved under Obama’s Affordable Healthcare Act. Then in the 1980s around the world came a new economic philosophy, which became known as “neo-liberalism.” One of its principal protagonists was Chicago School of Economics Professor, Milton Friedman. This caught on like wildfire where western countries had right wing governments; the major two being the United States under Ronald Reagan, and Britain under Margaret Thatcher. Under neoliberalism, the state became a dirty word and its functions and power were diminished. The market, free and unfettered, was the answer to economic success. Everything depended on supply and demand, and would be priced accordingly.

Neo-liberalism ushered in a new era of inequality, with the obsession with wealth creation, the cult of privatisation and the private sector, tax cuts for the rich and the growing disparities between the rich and the poor. The uncritical admiration for unfettered markets, disdain for the public sector, and the delusion of endless growth, were all major parts of the neo-liberal myth.

Ironically, New Zealand’s Labour Party, which had ushered in the welfare state, led in 1984 by David Lange, (no raging right winger), but with Finance Minister, Roger Douglas, along with Richard Prebble and Michael Bassett, launched into neo-liberalism with great enthusiasm.

They proposed selling off all state assets, privatising schools and prisons, and letting the market rip. It was carried on in New Zealand

by Ruth Richardson in the next National Party Government.

Neo-liberalism has proved a huge failure, but its tentacles have clung on for dear life. Premises like “trickle down” which were an excuse to

40 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

lower taxes on the rich so they would invest in businesses and staff, have failed dismally. Out of control finance companies, banks, and multinational corporations ran riot. Mantras like “too big to fail, so it was too big to exist,” began to emerge. Billionaires are now two a penny.

In the 1960s a young school teacher could build a new house for three to four times his salary. Now it would take that same young teacher between 15 and 20 times his salary to secure an Auckland home for his family. The gap between the rich and the poor has escalated wildly in the last 30 years. Gated homes and communities are a sign the rich are hiding themselves away from the masses in safe havens. It smacks of fears of the apocalypse, or a peoples’ revolution.

As well known US economist, Joseph Stiglitz says, “inequality at these levels is reversible.” It is not inevitable, although French economist Thomas Picketty in his book Capitalism in the 21st Century points out with a simple equation the inherent fault of capitalism.

This simple equation says that where ‘r’ is the rate of return on capital and ‘g’ is the rate of growth in the economy, the returns on capital, or assets, will always grow faster than ‘g’, which is basically wage income.

Stiglitz, (The Price of Inequality) Picketty (Capital in the 21st Century) Wilkinson and Pickett (The Spirit Level) and in New Zealand The Rt Hon Sir Edmund Thomas, former high court judge, Max Rashbrooke, and many others have been bemoaning the dangers to a fair democracy of rampant neo-liberalism.

In the conclusion to his Bruce Jesson memorial lecture several years ago, Sir Edmund Thomas said this, “this country will not rebuild a just society unless and until, the lingering legacy of neo-liberalism with all its baggage of mantras and myths, is recognised for what it is, rejected as unsound and unfair, and vanquished from our political, economic and social discourse.”

It can be done, and this government has a duty to all New Zealanders to balance the waka, put in place fair taxes, and go back to the mantra expounded by Savage, Fraser and Co. - “We will look after our old, our young, our sick and our vulnerable.”

That, is what a progressive government is there to do.

(JOHN ELLIOTT)  PN

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

LOCAL NEWS

ATTENTION FREEMANS BAY RESIDENTS! The Ponsonby Community Centre is offering some FREE activities at the Freemans Bay Community Hall during the first school term of 2021.

Coming up first is the preschoolers multi sport programme offered by Ready Steady Go Kids. Designed by paediatric physiotherapists and occupational therapists, the classes are structured to children from two and a half to six years of age. Our programme is interactive with parent involvement.

sportsmanship, and helps to build social skills, listening skills and concentration. The programme is free, but as places are limited, registration is essential. The programme covers many sports and is different for each session, so we encourage families to register for the whole term (nine sessions).

The programme teaches children a range of additional ageappropriate skills including exploration, basic counting, te reo language and colour concepts. Plus, it encourages teamwork and

Please check our Facebook page @PonsyCommunity and join the Freemans Bay Community FB group as we will add more activities over the coming months. ď Ł PN

For more information on any of our programmes and activities please email info@ponsonbycommunity.org.nz

Registrations are essential as places are limited.

To register please email info@ponsonbycommunity.org.nz

Preschoolers MultiSport Programme!

FREE!!

Mondays, Term time from 15 February, 9:30am

The classes are based at the Freemans Bay Community Hall Auditorium This programme is provided by the Ponsonby Community Centre and the Waitemata Local Board

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PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 41

LOCAL NEWS

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42 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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Parnell Showroom 115 The Strand, Parnell, Auckland

LOCAL NEWS

WOOF! IS BACK NEXT MONTH The fur is set to fly on 7 March at this years Woof! – The Auckland Rainbow Dog Show.

Dogs of all shapes and sizes will be strutting down the catwalk/ dogwalk again, competing in categories like; Best Dressed, Dog & Owner Lookalike, Most Camp, and Most Butch - all in front of a panel of celebrity judges. This years judges will be ‘All Stars’, a bevy of judges from previous years. A first for Woof! as in the past, Woof! has never had the same judge more than once.

Another first this year is the ability for entrants to enter early by scanning a QR code. Early bird entries go in the draw to win a prize from Nutrience Dog Food. Early registration will help speed up proceedings on the day.

The paws hit the dogwalk at 2pm sharp with registrations on the day taking place between 1pm-1.30pm. Winners will be competing for certificates and prizes from Nutrience.

44 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

Woof! is an event created by the Auckland’s Rainbow Community but is for all Auckland’s dog lovers. Keep an eye out for one of the most popular categories ‘Wee Woofers’... basically the most adorable kids and their furry best friends.

Woof! takes place in lower Western Park near the tennis courts at the end of Beresford Street West. There are refreshments and icecreams for sale so come along early and grab a spot in the shade (feel free to bring your own form of shade to help keep the furry ones cool) and enjoy all the cute K9 capers!

Big thanks to our wonderful sponsors, Nutrience Dog Food and Barkley Manor for helping making Woof! New Zealand’s biggest Rainbow.  PN www.facebook.com/WoofPride

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

LOCAL NEWS

A GROCERY STORE WITH A LOCAL TWIST IS COMING TO HERNE BAY Resource consent has been granted for Countdown’s latest Metro store in Herne Bay. Nestled in the heart of Herne Bay on the corner of Kelmarna Ave and Jervois Rd, the new 1600m2 Metro store will provide an exciting new shopping experience for the local Herne Bay community.

Matt Grainger, Countdown’s Acting GM Property, says Countdown is thrilled to have the opportunity to bring a unique, smaller size supermarket to Herne Bay. “The area has seen good growth over the last few years, with an increasing number of new apartment buildings and commercial development. We’ve also seen a shift in how our customers are shopping, with many in urban areas moving towards smaller, more frequent shops, and easy-eating/quick to prepare meal options.”

“These changes to the Herne Bay area, and the way customers are now shopping, have been a key influence on the design and range

we will be offering with this new Metro store,” says Matt Grainger.

While the smaller format store will still have plenty of pantry staples available, there will be a focus on easy eating options including a premium range of products like barista-made coffee, ready-togo meals, fresh-made sandwiches, salads, health-focussed snack options, and take-home dinners.

The store will create 80 new jobs and feature a lower emission refrigeration system, LED lighting, and bike parks.

There will also be convenient undercover parking off Kelmarna Avenue available for customers.

Construction is scheduled to start soon, with the store planned to open in 2022, so customers will be able to see the store come to life throughout the year.  PN

CELEBRATING SIX CENTENARIANS’ BIRTHDAYS IN HERNE BAY The Little Sisters of the Poor celebrated six centenarians’ birthdays at their home in Tweed Street in Herne Bay late last year. What a great afternoon.

There were bubbles, laughter, family, and friends who enjoyed a delicious spread followed by some entertainment - singalong music followed by a traditional Samoan dance provided by Elena - one of the team. The cake was one of my favourites - a carrot cake and was beautifully cut by 101-year old Sister Marie Fauvel.  PN

46 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

LOCAL NEWS

@ GREY LYNN & AROUND Making BIG differences in 2021 Grey Lynn and Around working for the hood, creating opportunities and leveraging relationships…

Businesses join us because of their social consciences supporting better and more cohesive communities.

Equally we must be relevant, supporting the aspirational goals of members; providing coherent and clear advocacy on issues impacting our businesses and their environment and most importantly have sufficient respect to leverage those relationships influential in crafting our future.

With a Board comprising half returning and half new members it is our very clear intent for 2021 to continue to build constructive relationships ensuring our businesses and the Grey Lynn Around community achieve the very best outcomes in what will be a changing and quite possibly challenging year ahead.

The first of these changes is likely to be the conclusion of remedial work in West Lynn. We have been working with Auckland Transport for around two years now to ensure all businesses in West Lynn are fully consulted about the changes, and potential disruption is minimised. Auckland Transport has been nothing but constructive and transparent throughout the whole period and we are certain that the changes will be positive for the village. One of the few items remaining unresolved is our aspiration to create a more village like ambiance with plentiful colourful plantings encouraging biodiversity.

We are working on this and AT understand our objectives – as always it is a matter of affordability. Look out for the changes, particularly enhanced pedestrian safety in the first quarter of this year.

The more we can build and create village like ambiances the more we encourage like-minded businesses to participate in and become part of our distinctive Grey Lynn community values and attributes. As we have said we are on a pathway to becoming Auckland’s number one values-led business destination with sustainability at the heart of our community.

So what does this mean in reality?

It means fostering, supporting and encouraging businesses who walk the talk ascribing to natural wholesome values and products, ethical supply chains, supporting the planet with all its many and varied challenges; supporting our community and creating better environments where we can all thrive.

It also means working in a collaborative manner with empathy.

Looking for practical non threating solutions which enhance our planet and its environment.

If this sounds like your business, or reflects your business values then join us... it is only through like-mindedness and a desire to see communities and businesses work together can we all prosper and thrive. Even if your business doesn’t operate in this space specifically we have many members who can and do and are only too willing to share information and intelligence.

Our Board is leadership based by that we mean we have board members with specific skills linked directly to our values. In the year ahead we envisage this manifesting itself in the development of a natural health hub; widening food strategy promoting Grey Lynn specific offering; the expansion of our village greening strategy and the expansion and growth of our creative communities.

Last year our activities covered the spectrum of these activities as exampled with these photos. We’re also proud to say we are now 10 years and one month old. We are on a journey to become Auckland’s number one value based destination.

Interested?

Join us. Go to www.greylynn-around.com/join

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510 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn www.cab.org.nz PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 47

LOCAL NEWS

PONSONBY PARK – FEBRUARY UPDATE The volunteer community-led design group wishes you all a belated, yet very Happy New Year.

And here’s hoping that this year will be much, much more predictable and less tumultuous than the last!

Before the arrival of Covid-19 the construction of Ponsonby Park was scheduled to be well underway by now. However this all changed once the magnitude of the pandemic became apparent. Council finances were hit hard and consequently much planned expenditure was put on hold. This resulted in all the local board ‘One Local Initiatives’ being temporarily suspended - including Ponsonby Park, the new civic space at 254 Ponsonby Road.

During this time the Waitemata- Local Board has continued to advocate strongly to Council in support of Ponsonby Park as outlined in Te Mahere a-Rohe o Waitemata- 2020 – The Waitemata- Local Board Plan 2020. And Ponsonby Park remains the board’s key capital project for the 2018-2048 long-term plan. Council has been supportive of the project too with the decision to develop the whole site at 254 Ponsonby Road as a civic space gaining unanimous approval from the Environment and Community Committee in December 2018.

So now as we acclimatise to our new ‘normal’ and the economy is rebuilding after achieving a so-called V-shaped recovery*, we

48 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

once again look forward to the commencement of the Ponsonby Park development.

Last year taught us many things, including the importance of social connection and the importance of our public realm. The lockdowns reinforced the need to build resilient communities and the restrictions enabled us to become reacquainted with our neighbours and our neighbourhoods. These connections strengthen us all. The vision for Ponsonby Park has always been of a place for people to gather, to rest, relax and recreate; a place to meet new people, catch up with old friends, or to simply spend some time to take a moment. We all need to be able to come together, to have the common ground and public spaces where both optimism and resilience can be nurtured and sustained.

Ponsonby Park will be this place. (JENNIFER WARD)  PN *A country with one of the strictest Covid lockdowns is seeing a V-shaped recovery, by Tracy Withers and Bloomberg. 17 December, 2020 7.16pm GMT+13. www.254ponsonbyrd.org.nz

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

LOCAL NEWS

BOB AND FRIENDS CHRISTMAS DRINKS, PONSONBY

photography: Connor Crawford

Tuesday 15 December 2020

PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 49

FASHION + STYLE

HELENE RAVLICH: LOCAL FASHION

MEET MARLOW’S BAILEY MARK According to Pinterest’s highly respected 2021 trend predictions, ‘athflow’ is most definitely one of the hottest. Reportedly ‘where athleisure meets elegance’, athflow is the point where sleek tracksuits, oversized knits, coordinated sets and luxe fabrics replace athletic clothes as the new go-to loungewear (and more).

Athflow is professional enough for the office, stretchy enough for the yoga mat and comfy enough for the couch – as well as most definitely stylish enough to take outside the house with a little accessorising.

When it comes to a local take on the athflow trend, they don’t get much better than Ponsonby based Marlow. A long time in the planning, but momentarily derailed by Covid-19, and officially launched into the market in November of last year, the premium label most definitely arrived fully formed.

Working out of a showroom on Ponsonby Road and available online and in selected retailers, like Father Rabbit, it offers simple, sleek and effortless pieces to wear all year round. It has also been impeccably designed and crafted, mainly thanks to the respected professionals that helped bring the vision to life.

At its head is the preternaturally stylish Bailey Mark, who has worked in the fashion industry for over ten years both in New Zealand and London. A specialist in everything from product development to marketing and e-commerce, she is supported in the brand by her mother Trish, who has over forty years’ experience in the fashion industry as a director, designer, production manager and buyer.

Marlow was born from a desire for balance and a sense of calm in a busy world, and their beautiful pieces are “designed to be an anchor in your wardrobe; timeless, beautiful and practical”, says their mission statement. It’s proven to be a recipe for success, with Bailey telling me one sunny morning in their showroom that in just over two months of trading, they are already exceeding expectations.

“Some styles from our first collection, ‘Desert Oasis’, are almost sold out,” she says with a smile, “which is great!”

The one issue they have come up against is selling some of their activewear styles online, with potential customers unsure about what size they might be and reticent to take a gamble. Thanks to Father Rabbit now stocking some of their signature pieces they have an outlet for people to do exactly that, and there is a pop-up store happening in Ponsonby Road in the near future, so keep an eye on the Marlow Instagram (@marlowstore) for updates.

Online purchases are most definitely happening around the country and also in Australia too, with South Island customers in particular loving the snugglier sets that are perfect for cooler evenings.

Aucklanders have fallen in lust with the brand’s buttery-soft Airbrush Sculpt fabric leggings and bike shorts, which sculpt, smooth and lift with a comfy four-way stretch and are most definitely squat proof.

I was given a sneak peek of the Autumn capsule collection, which promises Henley and rugby-style jerseys as well as bomber jackets and tracksuits, and a feminine ballerina wrap cardigan that will look just as good on the street as it does in the studio. The palette has a definite Chloe feel, and I predict it will fly out the door as fast as Desert Oasis, if not faster.

50 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

I love that sustainability is at the heart of all the brand’s business practices, and Bailey says they are “always looking to improve our processes to ensure we are thinking about our impact on the environment and a sustainable future.” They make sustainable fabric choices and use manufacturing methods that minimise environmental impact, with all of their manufacturers and suppliers equally as committed to leaving a lighter footprint on our planet.

If you’re looking to add some athflow style to your life, beautiful Marlow comes highly recommended. Plus, incorporating sportswear into your look is an extra incentive to make mindful movement a regular part of your day. (HELENE RAVLICH)  PN www.marlowstore.com

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

䌀甀爀愀琀攀 戀礀 吀爀攀氀椀猀攀 䌀漀漀瀀攀爀

Chocolat, Louisiana Static Tee was $299 now $209

Obi Black, Spirograph Shift Dress was $407 now $204

Maaike, Printed Paint Top was $337 now $236

Zaket & Plover, Polka Dot Dress was $199 now $139

Jason Lingard, Electra Dress was $347 now $243

Curate by Trelise Cooper, Easy As Tie Dress was $299 now $209

FASHION + STYLE

@ ZEBRANO

ZEBRANO has now relocated to 22 Morrow Street, Newmarket - opposite Westfield, T: 09 523 2500, www.zebrano.co.nz

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稀攀戀爀愀渀漀

一伀圀 伀一

䴀攀氀愀 倀甀爀搀椀攀

PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 51

TRAVEL BREAKS

ROSS THORBY: MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH SAILING WAS ON A 14 FOOT HOBIE CAT Mother had done a sailing-for-ironing deal one summer with the housework-shy mother of the owner of the local squadron of rentable Hobie Cats.

In an arrangement, forged over a glass of Stone’s Green Ginger Wine and a cheddar and pineapple cheeseboard, my brother and I gained unlimited access to the flotilla of small sailing craft and all the beaches and surf that only a childhood in the Bay of Islands could provide. With the endless summers of our youth we made good on the opportunity.

Without any professional lessons or any clue other than trial and error, we learnt to tack and trim our way from one side of the bay to the other whilst Mother slaved over a hot iron and a shaky ironing board. Oh what sacrifices our parents made - just to keep us out of hair and house.

Long halcyon summer days in the ‘70s were spent skipping over the sharp peaks and shallow marine troughs whipped up by the bay’s sou’easterlies and nor’westers, in great mini-regattas fought to the death between rivalling siblings who shared just the briefest of connections.

We discovered, as most sailing boats do when pushed to their limits, that the small catamarans in our charge had one specific fatal flaw; if you sat in a particular position at speed and manipulated the sails just enough, the craft would dig into the water causing it to somersault or ‘pitch pole’, a trick we learnt as 12 and 13 year-olds to use to our great amusement. Team New Zealand would publicly expose the same flaw much to this country’s chagrin in San Francisco many years later, although admittedly on a more advanced boat, but the physics were still the same.

We also managed to sink more than one of the cats and often had to be towed back to shore by a passing speedboat, us sitting astride the semi-submerged vessel only to re-float again in the shallows and immediately return to the open waters. Another experience shared with the America’s Cup contenders.

Decades and a sense of self-preservation have now settled in since those carefree death-defying experiences, but the vestiges of those memories live on as I watch a new generation of sailors, some of whom started their sailing careers in much the same way as we hobbyists albeit with a different and more lucrative outcome.

But did I say ‘sailors’?

Today’s ‘sailors’ might as well be called ‘pilots’ as they sit aboard craft evolved a million miles more distant from those small 14 foot cats we once sailed; comparative space ships against a horse and cart. Sailors who are perhaps now more expert in aeronautics and ‘lift’ than a pilot on a Boeing Dreamliner.

Anybody who has watched the America’s Cup since we first became aware of it in Perth with Denis Connor in 1987 has watched in awe the leaps and bounds in technology that the sport has produced with each new challenge. Every new event has brought along some great advancement or some ‘tickling’ of the limits of the rules; the ‘plastic fantastic’, the introduction of the catamaran, the onboard ‘cyclors’ and now the new foils. It’s truly a sport for technologists with the excitement of the races and the more extravagant speeds that they can now achieve with each additional knot of wind.

The technology ‘bleed’ will benefit more than just the race itself, much like what NASA did with the microwave and Velcro.

52 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

Foils are already seen in hydrofoiling bicycles and surfboards. Are cruise ships next? I yearn for the day the Queen Mary 2 leaves our harbour with the commodore announcing, “Ladies and Gentlemen please take your seats as we are about to raise up on our foils for our trip across the Tasman.”

The thrill of sitting on Te Rehutai as she flies through the air must be palpable. A vision of beauty, she and her compatriot boats must bring about an awe-inspiring rush of adrenaline to those onboard as they ply around the course. For me it’s a flutter of the heart and the thrill of a memory back to a youth spent on my first Hobie Cat. The Prada and America’s Cup are much more than racing, especially in these days of Covid-19. We have the world looking at us and wondering how the little country that could, did; how, while the rest of the world wears masks and worries about random coughing we can hold an international event and marvel at how a little kiwi really can fly. (ROSS THORBY)  PN roscoesseafever.blogspot.com

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

2.

1.

3.

1. Lockie Murrell was a pupil at TAIHAPE SCHOOL, he is a budding writer, artist and photographer. He is pictured by the well known big gumboot.

2. Our cruise columnist Ross Thorby is pictured waiting for Trevor Mallard to return to his Speakers chair @ WELLINGTON PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS. 3. THE NORTHERN EXPRESS from Auckland to Wellington driver Andrew Hamblyn enjoyed his read of our latest issue!

4. Cary, owner of the FLAGSTAFF GALLERY, DEVONPORT has a browse of her page in the November issue of Ponsonby News.

4.

PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 53

PONSONBY NEWS READERS

PONSONBY NEWS READERS ARE EVERYWHERE

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY

KERRY LEE: LA MEXICANA - NEW TO GREY LYNN It might be only a few weeks old, but the La Mexicana in Grey Lynn is already starting to make a name for itself.

“It all started as a little idea to show people what Mexican food really tasted like. My partner Fletcher and I wanted to do it for years, but it was only in 2020 that we finally decided to take the plunge.”

In terms of menu, Marco decided early on to move away from what people thought of as Mexican food and instead focus on more traditional tacos and tortillas.

“We make our own tortillas using dough made from the freshest New Zealand corn. They’re made in house; that way our customers know what a real tortilla is.”

Some people will definitely be let-down when they come in expecting to see their favorite dishes, but Marco’s determined to keep things 100% genuine.

“I want to show people how our food really is, so they’ll taste it and walk away with a better understanding of what a taco really tastes like. I could either give in to their expectations or stick to my guns and show them what our cuisine is like, and how we eat it.”

“The response from our customers has been overwhelming. People come in and they love it. Members of the Mexican community who try our food tell me they’ve finally found a place that sells real tacos!”

Risky, but it’s a move that really seems to have paid off, with La Mexicana quickly gaining a small but loyal following.

LA MEXICANA, 572 Great North Road. To make a phone order call them on T: 09 360 1623, www.lamexicana.co.nz

ST STEPHEN’S PONSONBY CHURCH FIRE Just three weeks before Christmas, on Saturday 5 December 2020, a ‘suspicious’ fire struck the iconic St Stephen’s Ponsonby Church building on the corner of Jervois and Shelly Beach Road.

It appears to have started under the floor of the Shelley Beach facing nave and travelled up into the roof cavity where it has done the most damage. St Stephen’s are currently doing all they can to make the building safe. They have started a give-a-little page and would appreciate any support. www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/st-stephens-ponsonby-fire-givealittle

54 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 55

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY

FACES AT GREY LYNN FARMERS MARKET On Sunday mornings, Alice Mitchell can be found in the aptly named Garden Room at the back of the Grey Lynn Farmers Market.

The Garden Room is a relatively new space for the market, how is that working for you?

I love it. The regulars know that is where George’s Garden has moved to.

They queue patiently for their vegetables and then come to see me for flowers. I enjoy the busker playing on the deck next to us while children play on the playground.

You grow all your own flowers Yes - I have a plot on my parents’ farm inland from Warkworth. I’m so lucky to live in town, in Arch Hill, and commute north to tend my plants. It means that when customers want mid-week orders I can take flowers to them on my way home.

Have you got a horticulture background?

Not really, but farming is definitely in the blood! I grew up on a farm, but I studied photography at university and have no formal horticulture training. I actually got the idea for the farm from Mum. I had been working part time for a florist in Ponsonby after moving back home from several years overseas and was learning how florists sourced flowers, and that’s when Mum suggested that I grow my own!

Wow - That was a big leap!

Yes - it has been a big learning curve. I have been delighted with the support that I have received from local flower growers and I belong to a collective of small-scale flower growers. And of course, there is a lot of information online.

How does the collective work?

There are seven of us. We work together to sell a consistent and complementary range to florists so that we don’t need to go through the auction system. It is an incredibly supportive group - we share ideas and encouragement.

How did you go about transforming a paddock into a flower farm?

Wind and weeds were my biggest concerns. I started with a controlled burn to eliminate weeds and return carbon to the soil. The perimeter of the plot is protected by a windbreak, and we made steel hoops to support netting for the flower beds. My partner, Adam, sourced the steel piping for me, then Dad and I spent a day bending it with a borrowed machine.

Valentine’s Day is coming up. Have you got plans for that?

Valentine’s Day and Mothers’ Day are the two biggest days on the floral calendar. We flower growers struggle to grow enough for the huge demand, which is why the prices always spike then. On those days, it would be easy for me to sell my whole farm load three times over but I really want to make sure that market customers get some of my flowers. So I will be taking pre-orders and making up special bouquets for Valentine’s Day.

You made them - that sounds very handy.

I like building stuff myself. We also made the planting tunnels. I’m always looking at ways to re-use resources already on the farm.

Last year was an unusual one. How did you cope?

It was hard like it was for everyone, but we are just grateful to be living somewhere safe. Adam and I met in England so we miss our family and friends and we know that it will be a long time before we see them in person.

How long have you been farming flowers?

Three years. I have got into a nice rhythm but I’m always experimenting with new ways of doing things. I use a mixture of different farming philosophies, adapting and combining them to suit my way of working and our land.

Do you manage to get away from the farm?

We love the outdoors. In summer we like to go camping. We also have a runabout that we take fishing, or just exploring the Hauraki Gulf with friends.  PN

GREY LYNN FARMERS MARKET @ the Grey Lynn Community Centre, 510 Richmond Road, www.glfm.co.nz

Sunday mornings at the Grey Lynn Community Centre 510 Richmond Road 56 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY

COOL BLADES AND FUN DAYS MAKE YOUR OWN KNIFE If you have ever wanted to try your hand at making your very own knife, you can, with a bit of help from Willie at Kiwi Blade Knives.

Auckland based local knife maker, Willie van Niekerk, has been teaching workshops, large and small, to people who are curious about the craft.

governed by need and human history. There’s more to it than you might think and actually making one is a lot better than watching a YouTube how-to video!”

“There’s nothing better than creating a tool that you can use on an everyday basis – designed and thought through by you - to fit with your lifestyle,” he says.

What you come away with at the end is a functional knife and a whole new appreciation of the craft. It’s a fun day which requires a bit of grit and determination – but it’s well worth the effort. A day spent knife making can take you away from the stresses of your everyday life too.

“Knives are practical instruments which date back to our earliest origins. The thrill of making one incorporates all of that human history into the choices surrounding the style of blade that you choose to make. It’s an organic process as much as it is one

Imagine sailing off on your next holiday or tramping into the bush, or cooking up a storm in the kitchen with a knife that you can impress your family and friends with.  PN

Call Willie on 027 410 8320, E: willie@kiwiblade.co.nz, www.kiwiblade.co.nz, www.facebook.com/kiwibladeknives

PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 57

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY

PHIL PARKER: WHAT I DRANK IN THE HOLIDAYS Welcome back folks! At least we’re having a great summer with no lockdowns so far and life is almost back to normal. Short ‘n’ sweet this month, here’s a roundup of my favourite wines since my December column.

Château Gassier Esprit Rosé 2019 - $24 Crisp and dry, flavoursome, fab and French. Hints of cherry nougat, and red berry fruits. A clean tangy finish. Available Meldrum Philips Jervois Road. BTW I forgot to mention that Meldrum Philips stocks Billecart Champagnes as featured in the Christmas issue.

Matawhero Single Vineyard Gisborne Pinot Noir Rosé 2020 - $22 Pale salmon pink. A lovely aperitif, with strawberries and cream palate. Medium bodied and with a hint of sweetness and spice. Crisp and refreshing. Available: Glengarry.

Matawhero Single Vineyard Gisborne Gewürztraminer 2020 - $21 Classic gewürzt profile. Aromas of passionfruit, lychees, and jasmine.

Clean and crisp palate of lychee and guava with a hint of rosewater.

Finishes yeasty, crisp and tangy. Available: Glengarry.

Pegasus Bay Waipara Valley Gewürztraminer 2019 - $30 Complex and dry, with flavours of tangy grapefruit marmalade and Turkish delight. Rich, unctuous and a bit funky from wild yeast. The grapes were picked late with a degree of Noble Rot (botrytis) and left to age for six months in oak puncheons. Available: Glengarry.

Matawhero Single Vineyard Gisborne Sauvignon Blanc 2020 - $21 Fresh cut green pepper on the nose. An elegant and softer take on the typical New Zealand sav. Herbal and grassy flavours with a hint of green tomato and passionfruit, with medium acids. Available: Glengarry.

Giesen ‘The August’ Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2018 - $41 Something different – a barrel fermented sav with soft acids and lots of complexity. At a respectable 13.5% alcohol, this is a mouth-filling, creamy wine with flinty minerality and soft acids. Big palate of black currant, creamy yeast and a bit of gooseberry. Available: Fine Wine Delivery Co. Lake Chalice Plume Chardonnay 2016 - $50 Flinty and funky on the nose with a rich palate of grapefruit, peach, nectarine and canned apricots. Lengthy intense finish with yeasty tang. Available: Glengarry, www.blackmarket.co.nz

Bogle Phantom Chardonnay California 2018 - $30 Phantom is a reserve style from Bogle, a tad more restrained than the standard label. Notes of toffee, toast and a hint of vanilla with a lengthy palate of roasted peach, butterscotch and ripe grapefruit.

Available: Pt Chev Organic Wines, Meldrum Philips.

Lake Chalice Plume Pinot Noir 2017 - $50 Smoky aromas. Very much a savoury take on the pinot noir style.

Big flavours of black olive, mushroom, black berry fruit and cassis.

Lengthy palate. Drink now or keep for two years. Available: Glengarry, www.blackmarket.co.nz Coal Pit Tiwha Central Otago Pinot Noir 2018 - $57 Stunningly good value pinot from Central Otago. I sampled this wine on a recent visit and just had to bring a bottle home. Smoky, soft and savoury, with ripe blackberry and cherry. Silky and seductive.

Available: Caro’s Parnell.

Molly Dooker ‘Maitre D’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 - $40 Wow. Ticks all the boxes for a standout Australian hot climate cabernet.

Deep dark garnet colour. It’s a muscly youthful swaggering wine, full of potential and confidence, but very seductive just the same. 15.5% alcohol. Loaded with huge blackcurrant, dark chocolate, spice and a hint of typical cab mintiness. Available: Pt. Chev Organic Wines.

(PHIL PARKER)  PN www.finewinetours.co.nz

FINE WINE & FOOD TOURS “No. 2 Auckland Wine Tour” – TripAdvisor Your host, Phil Parker wine writer.

Affordable tours for small and large groups.

E: phil.parker@xtra.co.nz

58 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

www.finewinetours.co.nz

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY

SOFIA ROGER WILLIAMS: VEGAN VIBE As a vegan for over a year now, and a vegetarian for over seven years, I’ve learnt the ins and outs of ordering plant-based dishes in restaurants and cafes, but it hasn’t always been easy.

Thankfully though, I believe businesses are increasingly providing for us pesky vegans in Ponsonby and surrounding areas.

Khu Khu Eatery in the heart of Ponsonby is one such place which is all about flavour. I was fortunate enough to have a chance to chat with Michael Khuwattenasenee, the brains behind the business, about the initial concept and next steps at Khu Khu. Khu Khu opened in 2019 with the main aim and philosophy being to create a 100% plant-based restaurant that uses quality ingredients.

They keep things simple with a small but considered menu. Now I’m an avid fan of Khu Khu. I go there a lot and I really can not recommend more highly the meals they serve and the overall atmosphere in which customers are greeted.

When visiting Khu Khu, you must order their Panang Curry. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and spicy and leaves you wishing you had ordered more, which if you’re like me, you might just do. Both the Panang and Thai green curries are served with a mixed purple rice with sunflower seeds, and as someone who is not usually the biggest fan of rice, I can honestly say that I could live off this stuff.

However it’s Khu Khu’s ability to provide these traditional Thai cuisine classics, such as Pad Thai and curries, while interspersing their menu with regular new menu items featuring varied plant-based meat alternatives that makes it so special and accessible. Previously, vegan prawns, scallops, chicken and steak have featured, and on their new menu the ‘Duck and Dive Red Curry’ showcases a tender and juicy vegan duck meat alternative, which I am yet to try, but am excited to do so as soon as possible.

new menu items, the ‘Duck and Dive Red Curry’ and the ‘Scalloping Thai Basil’, I will be sure to head to Khu Khu as soon as I can to get a taste of these.

As well as providing immense flavour from solely vegan products, Khu Khu’s menu has some of the most beautifully presented dishes I’ve seen - one might even say, ‘Instagram worthy’!

“Eating vegan can be a challenge, and finding a local restaurant with vegan food that isn’t a salad is even harder,” says Khuwattenasenee.

But trust me, Khu Khu provides some of the best vegan food in Auckland and it’s not as scary as you might think! Throughout the time that Khu Khu has been open, I have visited with many an omnivore friend, but because Khu Khu serves meals with “immense flavour, and plant-based meat to compensate for those unfamiliar with plant-based eating”, vegans know that Khu Khu is a great option to introducing the sceptics in their lives.

For both vegans and those who are not, Khu Khu is definitely one to PN visit. (SOFIA ROGER WILLIAMS)  KHU KHU, 171 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 360 1992, www.khukhu.co.nz

Recently I was fortunate to be invited, along with other ‘foodies’ in Auckland, to a new menu tasting night where we had the opportunity to try the dishes the Khu Khu team was experimenting with and to provide good customer feedback. My fellow diners and I felt like we were judges on Masterchef or the like and it was a fun evening enjoyed by all. Some items have reached the new menu and some may in the future. One that has, is the ‘Saku Dumplicious’ which are like nothing I have ever tasted before - perfect bite sized peanut saku balls that have the perfect balance of sweet and salty; like bursts of joy in one's mouth! Although I have not yet tried the remaining PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 59

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY

KELMARNA GARDENS’ FARM DINNERS

Wednesday 17 - Saturday 20 February

Kelmarna Gardens tell us that, they are stoked to be collaborating again with the amazing team from Forest, to bring Farm Dinners back for another four nights of on-farm pop-up dining.

“We are constantly surprised and inspired by what Forest manage to create from our produce on their menus every week, and the opportunity to bring their restaurant experience to Kelmarna is always a highlight of our year.

Spending a summer evening dining in the garden will help raise valuable funds for their work to champion a regenerative local food system, and support community wellbeing, with 50% of proceeds from Farm Dinners going straight to Kelmarna.

“Forest’s food always takes its lead from what is local, seasonal, and abundant, including many foraged ingredients, and discovering the magic in the less-loved parts of our produce, and for Farm Dinners they will be aiming for 100% of their fresh produce to be sourced from Kelmarna.”

Tickets are on-sale now for all nights - Saturday is already sold out (bar one ticket), and the other nights are also well on their way.  PN KELMARNA GARDENS, 12 Hukanui Crescent, T: 09 376 0472, www.eventbrite.co.nz/.../farm-dinners-4-forest www.kelmarnagardens.nz

The 5-course set menu will be available as either vegetarian or vegan, and a carefully created and selected drinks list will be available to complement the menu.

LONGROOM, PONSONBY - THURSDAY 10 DECEMBER

photography: Connor Crawford

Memphis Tourism event by Chris Ingram

60 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY Photography Josh Griggs

FRENCH INSPIRED NEW ZEALAND CUISINE

210 SYMONDS STREET T: 09 377 1911 www.sidatthefrenchcafe.co.nz sidatthefrenchcafe

PROGRESSIVE INDIAN DINING SIDART, Level 1, Three Lamps Plaza, 283 Ponsonby Road T: 360 2122 www.sidart.co.nz

- Gusto Italiano GUSTO MEANING ‘TASTE AND ENJOYMENT’

Photography Greta Kenyon

When you dine with us, the focus is on freshly prepared classic dishes, featuring an excellent range of pasta, seafood, meats and our pizza classics.

CONTEMPORARY INDIAN DINING 5 Fort Lane, CBD T: 09 379 9702 cassiarestaurant.co.nz

We also offer our pasta dishes to takeaway, phone for details or check our website for the menu.

263 PONSONBY RD, THREE LAMPS, 09 361 1556 www.gustoitaliano.co.nz

PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 61

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY

YOU ARE INVITED TO THE HERNE BAY YACHT CLUB February and March see the Herne Bay Yacht Club pop up at Dida’s Wine Lounge on Jervois Road.

What better place is there to sit in front of a big screen and support Team NZ as we race to keep the cup in Aotearoa than in situ at Dida’s experiencing the delights of the Herne Bay Yacht Club?

For the occasion, there is a special new menu that has been crafted

by Michael Ingham. Michael started working at Dida’s mid last year, having previously worked at top restaurants around Auckland. The new menu focuses on New Zealand seafood with a fresh lively vibe.

Alongside the new food menu there is a brilliant drinks selection: Piper Heidsieck Champagne is $20 a glass, Allan Scott’s beautiful special Black Label wines are all $10 a glass. Cocktails themed and super classic include New Zealand’s own Scapegrace Gin with Kiwi made East Imperial Tonic. The ultimate sailing rum Mount Gay matched with East Imperial ginger beer, and gluten free Tito’s Vodka takes a trip to the beach with our Tito’s in hand. All Cocktails are $12.

Every day there’s racing. The big screen will show it live from 3pm and we will be there cheering on Team NZ with you.

Why not celebrate Valentine’s Day at Dida’s? It is the perfect place to bring your loved one (or soon to be loved one). We have loads of seating arrangements just for two. And for the occasion, $75 for two of our cleverly crafted tapas and a bottle of superb Allan Scott Black Label wine; you choose the colour and style.

board all for $148. That is just perfect for a night catching up with friends if you ask me.

Whilst talking of special offers, for the month of February there is a bottle of Piper Heidsieck Champagne, a cheese board and a meat

Whoa, so much to share with our beautiful locals. We look forward to seeing you at the Herne Bay Yacht Club in situ at Dida’s. Ahoy.

DIDA’S, 54 Jervois Road, T: 09 376 2813, www.didaswinelounge.co.nz

HERNE BAY YACHT CLUB HBYC

@

Come in and watch the racing Enjoy a bottle of Piper-Heidsieck + a 3 Cheese, 3 Charcuterie Meat Board for $148

Looking for somewhere for

Valentine’s Day? A Bottle of Allan Scott Black Label Wine and 2 Tapas for $75

60 JERVOIS RD | 376 2813 | DIDAS .CO. NZ

62 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY

CHÂTEAU LÉOUBE Situated on the Côte d’Azur in Bormes-les-Mimosas, this is a part of the southern French coast that is not as you’d expect.

It’s an area that I have fallen in love with, and when I last visited with family it was a delight to show them what I call the real South of France.

This is not the home of the high-rise buildings, striped umbrellas and deck chairs on the beach. Rather, Léoube sits on the seaside amidst native forest. The estate stretches 4km along the coast beside a rocky shoreline with gorgeous white sand. The land closest to the sea is covered in protected forest. This is not the easiest part of the world to produce top quality wines, as regular bush fires rip through the south of France all too frequently, destroying many hectares of the forest on the property.

The quality of these wines is something quite exceptional, they sit in the appellation of Côtes de Provence, specifically within the sub appellation of La Londe. The predominant varieties are Cinsault and Grenache, with a small percentage of Rolle (Vermentino). These are beautifully delicate rosés in colour with the depth of flavour and weight on the palate not at all what is expected and a delightful surprise.

Léoube wines are in stock in all Glengarry stores and available online.

We do deliver nationally and are particularly good at getting your order to your holiday destination. Why pack everything? We can deliver to wherever you are in New Zealand.

The property is a total of 560ha of which 65ha are planted in vineyards. So, who owns this unique piece of land in such a special part of the world? The property was purchased in 1997 by Lord Bamford who owns JCB – that’s the yellow and black earth moving machinery. Lord and Lady Bamford also started and own Daylesford Organic, an organic farm with retail presence as well. In purchasing Léoube the Bamford’s brought to the south of France their love of organics and the land, rejuvenating this old property (Léoube dates back to the 14th century).

www.glengarrywines.co.nz

On purchasing the property, the Bamford’s made a very smart choice in winemaker Romain Ott. In fairness, they did not have to look far, with their neighbouring property being Domaine Ott. The Ott family share the same environmental approaches to viticulture and winemaking as the Bamford’s aimed to have at the centre of Chateau Léoube. Over his time at Léoube, Romain has been instrumental in driving the vineyards and wines to the highest levels. The viticulture at Léoube is done with a great deal of respect for the land; the vines are deep-rooted and low yields are maintained. Care of the vines and winemaking is done in accordance with lunar cycles.

The majority of Léoube’s production is Rosé, starting with LOVE by Léoube (perfect for Valentine’s Day), moving through to Léoube Rosé then on to Secret de Léoube and finally Collector de Léoube.

We’re your gifting experts this

Valentine’s Day WWW.GLENGARRY.CO.NZ | P: 0800 733 505 | E: SALES@GLENGARRY.CO.NZ

PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 63

HELENE RAVLICH:

SKIN & WELLNESS TRENDS TO EMBRACE IN 2021 It’s safe to say that for many of us, our usual wellness routines went out the window in 2020.

We were locked out of the gym and yoga studios, and forced to cancel our long-term plans for wellness retreats. We started working out at home and definitely got on with it as best we could, and approaches to wellness changed dramatically as a result.

Trend reports say that instead of working out to the point of exhaustion, people have started taking a more holistic approach to their overall wellbeing, discovering what makes them feel happy and healthy, rather than simply the quickest way to achieve killer abs or the perfect butt.

It’s an attitude worth taking into the new year, and more than a few of my skin and wellness favourites fit right in.

Keep it cool Skin icing – or facial cryotherapy – is one of the biggest skincare trends flooding Instagram Reels and TikTok right now, and with good reason.

Apart from the mesmerising effect of watching famous faces and facialists massage ice globes onto their faces, the action of skin icing tightens and contracts the skin, leaving it sculpted and plump.

The idea of applying ice or using a cryotherapy tool in a professional facial treatment isn’t new, but the recent innovation of ice-based tools has meant it’s now easier than ever to give yourself an at-home skin icing treatment without the need to reach for a handful of ice cubes! Or you can submit to the talented hands of an expert like Kate Michelmore and her team at Skinography on Jervois Road who offer the Ice Facial which cools and sculpts the face like a dream. It also increases circulation, oxygenation and lymphatic drainage, and provides anti-inflammatory benefits. When put into practice, it causes the blood to rise to the surface which soothes and tightens the skin; any puffiness be gone.

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

THIKNING + BEING LIVING, THINKING Skinography

Float on The benefits of climbing inside a float tank are numerous and include stress relief, ease of muscle tension and pain, improved mood and sleep patterns. Floatation Therapy is based on a revolutionary scientific approach to deep relaxation called ‘Restricted Environmental Stimulation Technique’, or REST. Floatation REST restricts or eliminates all of the external stress factors or stimuli that normally affect us every day. We are often not consciously aware of this, but they can take up to 95 percent of our physical and mental energy.

In addition, one hour of floating equals up to eight hours of deep sleep, which most of us could definitely do with more of as we tackle a bold new year. White Beauty Spa + Float Lounge in Herne Bay is the Ponsonby News team’s pick of the float offerings currently available, and gets top marks for hygiene and education too. Owner Lou Oliver, has a wealth of knowledge about floating, which she is always so happy to share.

Digital detoxes We all desperately want to feel connected, especially to overseas friends and family we can’t currently hug in person, but there is also so much negative energy in social media and the news right now. One of my key learnings from looking inwards during 2020 is that we each

have the power to decide what we take in and we can set boundaries around our digital consumption. I’m not saying throw your phone out the window, but perhaps think about restricting your time spent glued to screens and even having a digital detox every so often. A digital detox can be devoting a week, weekend, or even just a day (Sundays are a good choice) to living without your phone, social media, and TV. Instead, take more time with yourself, go for long walks in nature, meditate, read, or actually catch up with the friends and family that you can see IRL.

White Spa

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING

Embrace ‘skip care’ This is a skincare trend that I can definitely get behind and have pulled a Marie Kondo on my bathroom cabinet to prove it! A collective call for a more streamlined approach that still gets the job done – and done just as well - skip care is the antithesis of the previously popular 10-plus-step beauty routine. Just as effective, skip care involves paring down your product and ingredient load to only a few high performing essentials, and going back to basics with your morning and evening routine. You can still create little rituals, but with fewer products and a cleaner approach. If you’ve ever yearned for a more manageable skincare regimen on those nights when 10-plus steps feel like a step too far (pun intended), or you’re looking to try out a more minimalist approach in general, a skip care skincare routine might be just the thing for you.

Demand recycling transparency

It’s time to start demanding more from the cosmetics industry, and to start embracing brands like Emma Lewisham, who has offered refills from day one of its inception. The New Zealand clean beauty phenomenon offers refills on all of its glass bottles, which include the cult-favourite Skin Reset Serum and its Supernatural products (Triple Vitamin A+ Face Oil and Anti-Ageing Peptide 72-Hour Crème), and is in the process of phasing out non-refillable packaging by March 2021. Emma Lewisham is also currently investing in new refillable technologies in the plastic vessel space, with more great products and innovation to come. (HELENE RAVLICH)  PN

Emma Lewisham

Despite our well-meaning efforts, recycling beauty products is quite the challenging affair. Many bottles have intricate parts that require super stringent tossing guidelines, and some that simply cannot be

recycled at all, like metal springs in pumps, embedded mirrors, and the like. And yet, for years, the beauty industry simply slapped on a recycling stamp and ‘called it a day’. As a result, products dropped in the recycling bin likely still end up in landfill, and we remain in a blissful state of ‘wish cycling’– discarding empties with the best intentions, but lacking the abilities to make long-lasting change. And as clean beauty becomes even more widespread, consumers and brands begin to realise that ‘clean’ doesn’t stop inside the bottle.

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THIKNING + BEING LIVING, THINKING Dr Afraz Adam, Dr Rachel Lee & Dr Lucien Paul-Robie

DOCTOR360 - A NEW SERVICE FOR PONSONBY White Cross Ponsonby recently shut its doors after many years of service to the Ponsonby community. This has paved the way for a brand new boutique medical clinic with a modern twist to fill the void.

The closure of Whitecross left behind a major gap in the health service provision for Ponsonby residents. Our well known doctors from White Cross Ponsonby felt an obligation to continue serving the community but in an inspired new capacity. Doctor360 is a medical clinic that specialises in delivering a 360 degree wrap-around service for patients. This ranges from urgent medical care, injuries and accidents, to specialist services such as, men’s health, skin clinics, cosmetic medicine and women’s health.

It’s your one stop shop for all your medical needs.

Who are the team and what are their specialities/services?

Our team is led by Dr Rachel Lee, who is Doctor360’s clinical director.

Rachel has a special interest in skin health and appearance medicine, and has years of surgical experience in plastic and reconstructive surgery. She performs full body skin checks and dermatoscopy and minor skin surgery for skin cancers, moles, cysts and skin tags.

Dr Afraz Adam is an urgent care physician and is well known amongst patients and the medical community in Ponsonby. He helped steer White Cross Ponsonby for many years prior to its closure in October last year. Afraz runs mens’ health clinics at Doctor360 and his areas of interest are sexual dysfunction, hair regrowth, sleep optimisation, medicinal cannabis and weight loss. He is an advocate for improving physical and mental fortitude through sound nutritional health and supplements.

Dr Lucien Paul-Robie is also well known among Ponsonby residents. Lucien is well known for the excellent work and medical care that he provides. His special interests are best practice injury management.

We also have two new doctors joining our team soon. Dr Bryan Chong is an occupational health physician and will be running concussion clinics. Bryan is proficient in the use of the Eye BOX scan, the world’s only objective screening device for the assessment of head injuries. He is also licensed to conduct medical screening for driver’s licenses, pilot medicals, preemployment processes and divers’ medicals.

Dr Stephanie Tovey has been a GP in Central Auckland for the past three years. Stephanie will be offering consults covering all aspects of women’s health. This includes general women’s health concerns, sexual health and STIs, contraception and fertility advice, insertion and removal of jadelles (rod implants) and IUDs (intrauterine contraceptive devices), early pregnancy care and menopause management.

Do you need to make an appointment?

Our mission is to keep our waiting times to a minimum at any given time of the day, therefore appointments are strongly recommended. We are also happy to take walk-ins but these are subject to doctor’s availability. Our men’s health and skin checks are extremely popular services and these get booked out weeks in advance; appointments are necessary for our speciality services.

Plans for the future?

Our vision is to be a one stop shop for all our communities health needs.

We aspire to be a boutique medical center; one that will house every medical speciality you can think of, all under one roof.

We are also partnering up with a team of GPs to establish a brand new General Practice and Urgent Care Clinic at 582 K’Rd in April 2021. Watch the space!

Anything else you might like to tell us?

We’ve established a later closing time to make it easier for Ponsonby residents who work the typical 8am - 5pm workday schedule. In Ponsonby, most GP services are no longer available after 5pm, so our team has committed to providing after-hours care for our local population.

We are open six days a week, Monday - Friday from 9.00am until 7.00pm and Saturdays from 9.00am to 4.00pm.

DOCTOR360, 187 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 378 1305, www.dr360.nz

ADDRESS

HOURS

187 Ponsonby Road

Mon - Friday 9am - 7pm

CONTACT

Sat - Sun 9am - 4pm

09 378 1305 • info@dr360.nz • www.dr360.nz Minds that cure. Hearts that care. Our specialty is YOU.

PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 67

LIVING, THINKING + BEING

CHRISTMAS DRINKS @ MIDNIGHT GARDENER

Thursday 10 December 2020

We bumped into Santa, as you do on a night out in Ponsonby, during the run up to Christmas. The tree was dressed very simply for Christmas.

It’s always great to see the bars and restaurants full with happy people.

TRANG AND PRITESH - FOUNDERS OF AMINO MANTRA PLANT-BASED PRODUCTS Since we had our daughter four years ago, we transitioned from a mainly meat and seafood diet to a whole food plant-based diet.

We have embraced veganism fully in the last two years and we don’t intend to look back. As a household with allergies, we understand the struggle that other families go through to source and feed clean food products. We spent 18 months researching gut health, wholefood plant based nutrition, allergens and innovative bio-plastic packaging before we launched Amino Mantra in October 2018. We are at two farmers’ markets - Grey Lynn Farmers’ Market and Parnell Farmers’ Market. Amino Mantra is not only our company brand but also a manifestation of our personal beliefs - organic, allergen-friendly, ethical and sustainable.

As New Zealand’s first sustainable, top 11 allergen-friendly food start-up, our goal is to make eating plant-based easy through providing healthy wholefood options for educated consumers. We differ from our competitors by having a fully sustainable model focused on allergen-friendly (free from gluten, dairy, soy, tree nuts, peanuts, pea protein isolates, sesame, mustard, egg, shellfish, lupin & sulphites), organic ingredients, zero-waste packaging and know-how to process the ingredients in the right way to make them gut health friendly. Most importantly, our products are wholefoods, not meat mimics. Moisture is the biggest enemy of the integrity of bioplastics. We are first in New Zealand and Australia to package high-moisture, organic, vegan food products into home and commercially compostable packaging.

Despite being a challenging year as a start-up over Covid-19, we have still managed to grow from six stores in October 2019 to 30 stores in October 2020, getting into Farro Fresh, Huckleberry stores, select Foodstuffs stores and independent retailers throughout the North Island. In future, we are working to add nutrient-dense kid

68 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

friendly snacks (not sugary sweets), ready-to-eat meals and increase the portfolio of our current plant patties range.  PN www.aminomantra.co.nz

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

THIKNING + BEING LIVING, THINKING

TEN ‘ESSENTIAL’ OILS As well as smelling good, essential oils are loaded with benefits for everyday beauty, home care and wellbeing. But which ones are the absolute (ahem) ‘essentials’? Here’s our go-to list.

Lavender This versatile essential oil can support relaxation and sleep. Smelling lavender may even help to relieve a headache, while topical application may reduce itching and swelling from bug bites.

Frankincense Use frankincense essential oil diluted for massage and for grounding in meditation and yoga. It’s kind to dry skin, as well as wrinkles, age spots, and stretch marks.

M-anuka Manuka is proven to have amazing natural antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties. Apply directly to cuts, boils, mouth ulcers and cold sores.

Roman Chamomile Relieve stress by adding to a steam inhalation or in a diffuser, or dilute to calm skin inflammation and eczema (patch test for sensitivity first).

Rose In a diffuser, rose helps calm anxiety. Its antioxidant properties can also help to soothe acne and rejuvenate the complexion over time.

Lemon Uplifting lemon is incredibly useful (and why we include it in many ecostore products). Try it in a diffuser, particularly when someone in your household is sick.

Eucalyptus Antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal – eucalyptus is great for soothing

cold and flu symptoms. As a bonus, it even relieves achy muscles and joints. Avoid using around or on small children.

Peppermint Dilute and apply to temples to relieve headaches, or pair with eucalyptus for a decongestant. It offers some antimicrobial effect, especially combined with manuka.

Safety first • Always store essential oils away from little ones.

• Essential oils have potential risks. If buying online, look for websites with credible safety information about each oil, and use as directed.

• Look for ‘pure’ essential oils – avoid perfume oils and blends that already contain a carrier.

• When applying essential oils topically or adding them to a bath, use a carrier oil – like almond, coconut, olive or jojoba – to prevent irritation.

• Some essential oils are toxic and shouldn’t be ingested unless recommended specifically by a healthcare professional.

• Apply extra caution if using essential oils while pregnant. Debra Raybern is an excellent expert reference.

• We’re not doctors. If you’re on medication, search for known contraindications to using essential oils, and talk to a qualified aromatherapist if you’re unsure.

ECOSTORE, 1 Scotland Street, Freemans Bay, T: 09 360 8477, www.ecostore.co.nz Debra Raybern www.debrastarkey.com

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING

The Laser Clinics Ponsonby team, L-R: Julie, Anusha, Celina & Josephine

MEET THE TEAM AT LASER CLINICS NEW ZEALAND PONSONBY Specialising in laser hair removal, skin treatments and cosmetic injectables, Laser Clinics New Zealand has proudly carved a niche in the cosmetic treatment industry, inspiring confidence no matter what your age with individual treatments that deliver results.

As market leader, we believe these treatments should be available to anyone who chooses them. Our prices ensure that affordability does not get in the way of you being the best version of yourself.

Some of our most popular laser hair removal treatment areas are underarms, legs and Brazilian, and for men, beard sculpting, back and shoulders, chest and stomach. For our beginners in skin, the most popular treatments are our 5 step Microdermabrasion and the Yellow LED light therapy, which is a perfect refresh and final touch to any of your treatments.

We use the medical grade Candela GentleLase Pro and GentleYag Pro, which are the most advanced technology to achieve the most advanced results. Our advanced cooling machine used in all laser treatments cools your skin before, during, and post treatment to minimise any discomfort while treatment time can take anywhere between 5 to 90 minutes depending on the treatment area.

One of the benefits of laser hair removal is that the treatment is virtually painless, especially compared to waxing. Each pulse lasts less than second, producing a slight tingling feeling. In particularly sensitive areas, such as the upper lip, it may feel like a rubber band snap on the skin.

As well as laser hair removal, Laser Clinics New Zealand also offers skin treatments, CoolSculptingÂŽ and cosmetic injectables.

Cosmetic injectables are conducted by our team of doctors and registered nurses.

We offer consultations where we can provide treatment advice and a tailored treatment plan. All consultations are complimentary, and our experienced staff are able to attend to your areas of concern. We aim to reach the results you desire.

LASER CLINICS NZ PONSONBY, 97 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 951 0867, www.laserclinicsnewzealand.co.nz

70 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

Freeze away unwanted fat!

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Payment options available

FUTURE GENERATION

HONOUR MITCHELL: TEEN GETAWAYS In the midst of all the negative consequences of Covid-19 (including no international travel!) we Kiwis have sure found many positives right in our own backyard. One of these is getting to explore New Zealand.

We live in such a beautiful country, and the borders closing gives us a chance to really discover the “land of the long white cloud”. From stunning beaches to sweat-wicking but breath-taking tramps, New Zealand is a place you can count on for every adventure you could possibly think of!

Below are a few of my favourite places for a quick summer getaway or perhaps a longer vacation.

Omaha/Matakana Omaha is definitely a great weekend getaway. Pack up the family and with good traffic you can be there in an hour! Of course the main attraction is the beach - lying in the sun with the calming sea is the perfect antidote to crazy, Auckland traffic. If you wake up early enough, make sure you watch the sunrise over the glistening waters, so pretty! Just a short bike ride away from Omaha is oob Organic where you can grab some real fruit ice cream - the ideal treat on a hot afternoon. And a hop, skip and jump away is Matakana, where you can go to the markets or have brunch at a quaint cafe. The choice is yours!

Mt Maunganui Mt Maunganui (the Mount) is one of my favourite places to vacation.

It has everything; the dining, the shops, the lifestyle, and most importantly the beach! The Mount is about a three hour car ride from Auckland, which isn’t too bad for a long weekend excursion. From climbing up Mount Maunganui (enjoy the panoramic view by the way) to shopping down Maunganui Road, you’ll never be bored. I love Nine Lives for vintage shopping and Mount BookWorm for second hand books. Hungry? Try Barrio Brothers for a delicious Mexican lunch and my go-to for dinner is No.8 - outstanding Asian fusion.

Napier Napier (Hawkes Bay) is a bit further from Auckland with a total driving time of five hours. Nevertheless, it’s worth it. With Napier being the art deco capital of NZ, the architecture alone is enough to keep you captivated. You can also visit the aquarium to see diverse sea life and possibly feed some penguins. And if you are looking for a killer brunch spot make sure to pop into Ajuna cafe; the staff are so friendly and the food is amazing! Our family stayed just outside Napier in Te Awanga where the water is such a spectacular shade of turquoise it felt like being in a Mamma Mia movie! (HONOUR MITCHELL)  PN

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FUTURE GENERATION

LIFE-LONG FRIENDSHIPS AT ST CUTHBERT’S Every girl who joins St Cuthbert’s brings her own story into the life of the College.

At St Cuthbert’s we believe school should be a place of stability, offering a sense of belonging so that our girls have every opportunity to feel connected, to strive for personal success and develop their sense of personal identity.

The St Cuthbert’s community offers a warm and nurturing environment in which girls and their families make meaningful connections. Lifelong friendships are one of the many assets with which St Cuthbert’s Old Girls leave the College. At St Cuthbert’s, students are welcomed at various entry levels from Year 0-13 and our staff are adept at helping girls settle and make friends.

In St Cuthbert’s Junior School, being part of a community of a happy, engaged and treasured student cohort is key. Belonging is much more than merely fitting in – it’s about feeling cared for. It’s knowing that your teachers and friends understand your talents and allow you the space needed to create magic with these talents. When children feel safe and connected, they are open to learning and can succeed at every level.

For the older girls, our unique Year 7 Homeroom model provides the support needed to thrive socially, emotionally, and academically. Year 7 girls learn core subjects with their dedicated Homeroom Teacher.

New students are carefully buddied with peers who attended our Junior School, so every girl knows at least one other student from the start.

From Years 8-13, we have a pastoral framework of Vertical Tutor Groups which provides girls with a dedicated Tutor Teacher throughout their time in the Senior School. Students meet twice weekly in the relaxed atmosphere of these groups, mixing with girls from all year levels in the Senior School thereby fostering multi-year friendships and relationships of trust and leadership. This Senior School structure provides invaluable peer role modelling, and real a home away from home.

In Year 10, girls spend several weeks at our remote campus, Kahunui.

The experience is transformative and encourages students to step outside their comfort groups and work collaboratively with different groups of peers.

By the time a girl is ready to leave St Cuthbert’s, she will not only be able to recognise her own strengths and talents, but will also move forward with a powerfully bonded group of friends who want to celebrate these successes together and share the excitement of the world beyond the College gates.

ST CUTHBERT’S COLLEGE, Year 0-13, 122 Market Road, Epsom T: 09 520 4159, www.stcuthberts.school.nz Instagram: @stcuthbertscollege, Facebook: @StCuthbertsCollege, Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/school/st-cuthberts-college/

Amazing friendships

Open Day

Saturday 20 March

Register: stcuthberts.school.nz PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 73

FUTURE GENERATION

LIMITED-EDITION ART BAG BY NGATAIHARURU TAEPA FOR AUCKLAND ART GALLERY MEMBERS Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki’s current exhibition Toi Tū Toi Ora: Contemporary Māori Art, is a breathtaking experience.

The works of 111 artists are beautifully presented against the - creation story. Visitors travel from Te Kore (the backdrop of the Maori great nothingness) through Te Po (the darkness) and the separation of Ranginui and Papatu- anuku, before entering Te Ao Marama (the world of light and life).

Many of the 300 mahi toi (artworks) are made by artistic whanau who have shaped the contemporary art scene for decades. There’s work from father and son sculptors, Fred and Brett Graham; mother-daughter weavers, Matekino Lawless and Christina Hurihia Wirihana; as well as ceramicist Wi Taepa and his sons Ngataiharuru and Kereama.

Ngataiharuru Taepa (Te Arawa, Te Ati Awa) is Kaihautu Toi Maori - Arts at Massey University, as well as an artist – Director of Maori engaged in installation, painting and woodwork. Auckland Art Gallery commissioned him to create a new work for its latest limited-edition members’ bag. Taketake Whenua is Taepa’s contemporary take on the interlacing patterns of kowhaiwhai.

If you become a gallery member you receive this collectible art-tote, as well as a range of

Photography: Ngataiharuru Taepa, Taketake Whenua, 2019.

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, commissioned 2019

benefits, including free unlimited exhibition entry, invitations to special events, and discounts in the Gallery’s shop and café.

Toi Tu- Toi Ora is open until 9 May 2021. Visit today to view Taepa’s works and become a member (from $55 per annum).

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki is open daily from 10am-5pm. aucklandartgallery.com/membership

2020 WILL LIKELY GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS THE YEAR THAT THE WORLD WAS STOPPED COLD Almost every country on the globe, except Sweden, went into mandatory lockdown in an attempt to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

During New Zealand’s first quarantine, Herne Bay local Astin, 17 year old son of Adam Parore and Sally Ridge, decided to create his own company, York Gallery NZ. Described as online and independent, it’s a new type of gallery that fosters a more collaborative relationship with the artists it deals with.

It now caters to several international markets, including Germany, Australia, and the United States.

“I was in lockdown one day, and I thought I’ve got nothing to do, I’ve finished school, so maybe I could start my own business. We had these little Sponti (garden) gnomes in our living room that mum had bought about ten years ago, and I thought I could sell those. I started by contacting the artist Ottmar Hörl and his publisher in Germany about six months ago and asked if I could bring in 20 of his gnomes to help start things off.”

With a little guidance from his mother, York Gallery NZ started to really take off and just last month expanded into Croatia.

“I asked an artist who does these amazing spray can art pieces if he’d be willing to sell them through me. They’ve sold amazingly well, with some going for as much as $1000 each.”

Astin has an amazing attitude when it comes to achieving his goals, and it’s one of the main reasons why he’s had the success he’s had.

When I asked him, he said it all came down to having the right mindset.

“You have to be determined to make your ideas happen. It’s about giving it 100%. If something doesn’t sell the first time, I just keep

74 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

putting myself out there. Don’t be afraid to fail; you’ve got to try and make your goals a reality.”  PN To find out more about and the York Gallery NZ, please visit www.yorkgallerynz.com or visit their Instagram page @yorkgallerynz

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

Bella Cockle Future Royal Ballet Director

BE MORE THAN YOU EVER IMAGINED

How will your daughter make her mark?

Every student deserves the chance to shine. Our Arts Centre offers a professional level experience, with purpose built spaces for music, dance, drama and a specialised recording studio. The addition of our brand new, 910 seat auditorium makes Dio the perfect place to take centre stage.

Join us at our Open Day and experience the world-class opportunities awaiting your daughter at Dio.

Open Day 20 February, 10am – 12pm Register at diocesan.school.nz

FUTURE GENERATION

MEET THE TEACHER Julie Debreceny has recently been promoted to Associate Principal at Western Springs College - Ngā Puna o Waiōrea.

How is the Associate Principal role different from the Deputy Principal position?

Like most schools, we have a team of Deputy Principals, making up the Senior Leadership Team (SLT). The Associate Principal role is a second-in-charge role. I will be working more closely with our Principal, Ivan Davis, to support him.

Is this a new role?

Ivan Davis was Associate Principal to the previous Principal, Ken Havill, but that position wasn’t continued when Ivan became Principal.

The SLT and the Board have recognised that we are getting significant roll growth and need to ensure that our school leadership is appropriately resourced to prepare for continuing growth.

What are you looking forward to in your new role?

I’m a strong believer in equity and excellence and in mentoring.

I love helping others to maximise their practice and take on leadership opportunities. That will be something that will be a strong focus for me as an Associate Principal. I believe in adaptive practice that is evidence-based and reflective.

When the school moved into the new buildings, you had a bag with your laptop and some files, that you called your mobile office. How did that work?

The new spaces are fantastic and enable us to work more collaboratively.

I had a wonderful experience in 2020 co-teaching with a second-year teacher. The space enabled us to share our teaching roles, playing to each other’s strengths. I got to know another group of students from another house that I would not normally get to work with.

How do those spaces affect school management?

The Senior Leadership Team is able to work in the flexible spaces alongside all the classes, observing teaching in practice and being on hand to support teachers and students. It enables greater collaboration and sharing of effective practice. I would find it very hard to go back to a single-cell environment.

Were you always going to be a teacher?

Not at all. At my year 13 exit interview, I was told “you’ll be a teacher”.

I thought they were very wrong, but after my degree, I gravitated to teaching and here I am.

Tell me about some of your previous teaching positions My first teaching job was in Feilding, followed by 3 years teaching in Nelson. Most of my teaching has been in South Auckland: at Southern Cross in Mangere and Tangaroa College in Otara.

Why did you move to Western Springs?

I live in-zone and am part of the local community so this was a great opportunity to deepen my community connections. The staff here are amazing - they are warm, effective, and genuinely invested in the students and I first met Ivan Davis when we worked together at Takapuna Grammar, so I knew this would be a good fit.

Are you from Auckland?

No, I grew up in Tauranga. I was very sporty so I spent a lot of my youth at the beach. I was a surf lifesaver and l loved sailing too, and spent a lot of time on Ruapehu.

What is your life like when you aren’t teaching?

My daughter plays tennis so we spend a lot of time at the tennis club.

I also love reading when I get time. I’m a foodie so I’m often found around the Morningside precinct sampling all the wonderful culinary delights there, and we have a five-month-old puppy, so that forces me to get walking - Fowlds Park is one of Auckland’s hidden gems.  PN

I LOVE LUCY BOOK REVIEW:

TAMARIND & THE STAR OF ISHTA JASBINDER BILAN - 8+

I got this book for Christmas and as soon as I saw it, I loved it! The cover art is beautiful and exotic looking, with stunning glimmering gold lettering that really drew me in.

Tamarind has thought about her Mum her whole life - she died when Tamarind was a baby so she never got to meet her. Her Dad doesn’t like to talk about her Mum, resulting in Tamarind knowing nothing about her Mum. So, when she visits her Mother’s family at her ginormous ancestral home in the Himalayan mountains, she’s full of questions - questions that nobody seems to want to answer.

Seeing as no one will give her the answers, she decides to try to find them. Tamarind follows the (scarce) clues in the hope of finding out how her Mother died, who she is, and who her Mum actually was. She discovers India, a magical garden, and meets an interesting and mysterious girl named Ishta, who shows her fun things to do and places to play, but is Ishta really who she says she is?

I loved this book from start to finish and although it’s targeted at a little bit of a younger audience I still really enjoyed it and found it hard to put down. I definitely recommend this book to older readers (in fact my mum is reading it) and younger book fanatics.

(LUCY KENNEDY)  PN Available at www.dorothybutlerbookshop.co.nz www.lucykennedywriter.wixsite.com/reviews instagram @ilovelucybooks

76 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021



out of 5!

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FUTURE GENERATION

PROVIDING BOYS WITH THE BEST POSSIBLE START TO THEIR EDUCATION The vision at King’s School is to develop the individual talents of each boy, for life.

Teachers are focused on recognising every boy as an individual, offering each child the opportunity to discover and explore his full potential.

Headmaster Tony Sissons believes children should be given the best possible chance to flourish. “Our goal is to ensure each boy who passes through our gates is given a solid foundation of learning, has a sense of self-confidence and self-belief, is motivated, flexible and resilient,” he says.

Small Class Sizes King’s School caters for boys aged 4 to 13 years old and every class has a dedicated teacher and homeroom. Class sizes are kept small so that teachers can provide personalised attention and no-one gets lost in the crowd. Tony is not a fan of the modern learning environment model that public schools have adopted. After 35 years in education he is convinced that children must feel secure and supported before they can learn effectively.

Boys need to form a solid bond with their teacher and classmates so that they feel confident to take risks and challenge themselves.

encouraged to follow their passions and the school celebrates success and achievements across all disciplines.

Chapel and religious education are led by the school’s Chaplain who teaches the importance of values. Every King’s boy is expected to live by the Golden Rule, “Treat others the way you would like to be treated”.

Literacy and numeracy are the primary focus at King’s School and there are extra teaching staff for these subjects at each year level, allowing for smaller teacher/pupil ratios. This ensures staff can teach to the appropriate level for the development of individual boys.

Focused on Boys Life at King’s School is very much geared for boys with shorter class times, more visual and tactile teaching methods, opportunities for students to be active and move around the school, and male mentoring and buddy programmes. All these strategies are backed by research on how boys learn best.

Specialist Teachers King’s offers a wide range of enrichment subjects to inspire and stimulate boys through specialist teachers for music, drama, art, science, French, physical education and swimming. Every child learns a musical instrument and there are a variety of cultural groups and sports teams to join. Boys are

Tony Sissons is committed to giving boys the best possible start to their education. “I am proud of my team and believe a King’s School education provides our boys with a strong foundation for the future by instilling a love of learning with values and integrity, while establishing friendships for life. It’s the best gift you could give your child.”  PN

KING’S SCHOOL, 258 Remuera Road, Auckland 1050, T: 09 520 7770, www.kings.school.nz

King’s School

Open Days 9-11 march 9.00am Register at kings.school.nz Accepting applications for 2023

FOCUSED ON BOYS PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 77

PONSONBY PROFESSIONALS

LOGAN GRANGER: CASH IS KING To our clients and all Ponsonby News readers, we wish you a healthy and prosperous 2021 and we look forward to working with you over the next 12 months as we embark on a year focused on business recovery, restructure, and contingency and continuity planning.

For most of us seeing the end of 2020 was a joyous occasion worthy of a celebration like no other and we hope you celebrated in style surrounded by your loved ones. As we welcome in 2021, we first must reflect on the year that was; a year confronted by many challenges which have had an enormous impact on our business and personal lives.

So what did we learn from this and how can we be better prepared for any future challenges? One of the first things we learn in ‘Accounting 101’ is the importance of cash flow.

Cash is King. And that today is more relevant than ever. Poor cash flow planning was the most common issue we came across during 2020.

Cash flow planning is best practice in any business and critical to survival and growth. Setting cash flow targets and regularly monitoring your actual cash flow against your forecast will enable you to predict large cash outflows and respond to changes in your business. Inadequate cash flow is a symptom of management problems in a business, NOT the cause. Helping our clients look ahead with confidence and putting in place basic cash flow maximisation strategies is core to our purpose as accountants.

Why is Cash flow Management so important?

• Assists with bank lending requirements • Identifies ways to avoid late payment penalties and interest from creditors • Improves communication and relationships with your financiers and suppliers • Gives you an understanding of cash and liquidity for better decision making • Helps you understand the key cash flow drivers and the cash conversion cycle in your business • Enables you to predict and plan for large cash outflows • Teaches you how to monitor your actual cash flow against forecast in your accounting or reporting software • Provides peace of mind that your cash flow needs are known and properly funded • Improves business processes that maximise cash flow, profit, and business value • Drives your business to achieve your goals in a controlled and managed way • Assists in tax planning • Encourages business growth, continuity and success

78 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

Having your cash flow management sorted is one thing but does your business have a continuity plan? If you didn’t have one before March 2020, I am sure you have one now, or at the very least it has been added to your to-do list. Having a business continuity plan may not be high up your priority list, but its importance when disaster strikes, such as a global pandemic, is vital to whether your business sinks or swims. Having a plan in place improves the likelihood that your business will survive.

Having a business continuity plan helps • build business resilience • outline the things you should consider now to minimise the impact on your business • maximise opportunities to preserve your cash flow and profitability • create a roadmap for dealing with employment issues and identify key staff • clarify a process for looking after your customers and preserving income from them • explore all options to pivot your business strategy in challenging times • identify worst-case scenarios and plan to minimise risk • preserve the value of your assets and your wealth • reassurance that you’ve done all you can to minimise risk CONTINUED ON PAGE 79

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

Small Business Cash flow (Loan) Scheme (SBCS) If you have not already applied for the government interest-free cash flow loan, good news, you still can. The government recently announced changes to the SBCS. These changes align the eligibility criteria with the government’s recent decision to extend the scheme’s application period until the end of 2023. In addition to these changes, the government have updated the scheme to include lending to new SMEs, a longer interest-free period, and those who have already repaid the loan can now reapply for additional funding.

These changes will take place from early February 2021.

For more information on above, please contact us at Johnston Associates. (LOGAN GRANGER)  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.

When you’re buying or selling a property in the Auckland region, our legal expertise makes for smoother transactions, right down to securing the keys on settlement day.

www.jonesthepainter.com

The Bill also includes additional tax rate changes to PAYE and secondary tax rates, fringe benefit tax, resident withholding tax on interest, employer’s superannuation contribution tax, residential land withholding tax, retirement savings contribution tax and the Maori Authority distribution non-declaration rate. Watch this space.

SpeCial FIxEd FEE PrE‑AuctIOn rEPOrt $300

Property transactions that come up smelling of roses.

©Copyright Ross Jones 2010- 2016

What’s in-store for 2021?

Tax Rate Changes With the new ‘Income Tax Rate and Other Amendments Bill’ about to come into effect (1 April 2021), we draw your attention to these tax updates. One change is a new 39% tax rate for individuals earning an annual income upwards of $180,000. To put that into perspective; an individual earning $250,000 p.a. would pay an extra $4,200 in tax per year; an individual earning $500,000 p.a. would pay an extra $19,200 in tax per year.

Talk to us about conveyancing Call us today

169a Ponsonby Road Ponsonby, Auckland +64 9 929 0800 www.metrolaw.co.nz Trusts & Wills

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Business & Commercial

Opportunity Knocks!

84 Williamson Ave, Grey Lynn

Ready and waiting for a new family to enjoy this character transitional bungalow. It sits proudly on a 556m2, dead flat sunny corner site and is nicely tucked away and screened from traffic. The in-ground heated swimming pool is perfectly located.

Only a short stroll to the trendy Ponsonby Road bars, cafes and fashion boutiques.

It is in zone for excellent schools and the bus stop is just outside the doorstep. CV (2017) $1,900,000.

Inspect without delay!

Investor Cashes Up! 45 Rose Road, Grey Lynn

1900’s character villa has been a solid rental investment for over 30 years.

It has the preferred North facing rear aspect, providing all day sun for you to entertain family and friends off the huge elevated deck, which runs across the back overlooking the private garden and lawn.

If you are seeking a solid home with good bones, with plenty of space and potential or if you are a savvy investor who is looking for blue chip real estate. Don’t miss out!

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Property

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Auction 6.00pm on Wed 3rd Feb, in rooms, 53 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby (unless sold prior) View Sat/Sun/Wed 12:30 - 1:00pm Agent Steven Glucina 021 888 455 Dee McDade 021 448 832 ljhooker.co.nz/BQ2GUK LJ Hooker Ponsonby 09 361 7701

Ponsonby Estate Agents Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008

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Auction 6.00pm on Wed 10th Feb, in rooms, 53 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby (unless sold prior) View Sunday 2:00pm - 2:30pm Agent Steven Glucina 021 888 455 Dee McDade 021 448 832 ljhooker.co.nz/BQZGUK LJ Hooker Ponsonby 09 361 7701

Ponsonby Estate Agents Ltd Licensed Agent REAA 2008

Ponsonby Estate Agents Limited, Licensed Agent REAA 2008. All information contained herein is gathered from sources we consider to be reliable. However, we cannot guarantee or give any warranty about the information provided. Interested parties must solely rely on their own enquiries.

PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 79

PONSONBY PROFESSIONALS

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PONSONBY PROFESSIONALS

DAVENPORTS LAW: THE NEW TRUSTS ACT IS NOW IN FORCE Does your trust comply?

The Trusts Act 2019 came into force on the 30th of January, bringing many new changes to Trust law as we know it. The previous act had been in place since 1956, and over time had been interpreted by courts, which had amended the letter of the law. The purpose of the new Act is to make trust law Tammy McLeod more accessible, by codifying the law and making sure everyone can understand their responsibilities and rights under the Act. “While the reasons why people set trusts up have changed over the years, there are still very good reasons why trusts are still the most flexible asset owning structure we know”, says Tammy McLeod, Director and Trust Specialist at Davenports Law. “The most important part is to ensure that it does the job you want it to. When setting up or reviewing a trust make sure that it will benefit those who you wish to benefit, in the way that you intend.”

The biggest change in the new Act is that beneficiaries have increased statutory rights. Beneficiaries aged 18 and over, have the right to be notified that they are beneficiaries, and be told who the trustees are so they can hold them to account. They are also entitled to copies of the trust deed and any variations, information about the assets and liabilities, trust financials and information regarding the administration of the trust.

Sometimes the beneficiary class of a trust is much wider than what the person setting it up intended, which will mean more people will be able to access trust information. “It is so important to ensure that the beneficiaries of your trust are only the people who you want to benefit from the trust. This is the change that is likely to create the greatest concern for many trusts and it is important to get specialist legal advice if this concerns you”, says Tammy. “There may be options available to amend your trust documents and set out more specifically your wishes in relation to the beneficiaries.”

Under the new Act there is also an increased responsibility on trustees to carry out their duties properly, and have greater accountability to the beneficiaries. The new Act divides trustees’ duties into two broad types: mandatory duties which you cannot contract out of, and default duties that apply unless your trust deed says otherwise. The mandatory duties include understanding the trust deed, acting in the best interests of the beneficiaries and accounting to the beneficiaries.

The default duties which can be modified include that the trustees must act unanimously, that the trustees must invest trust assets prudently and that all trustees must hold core documents. “It is important to check your trust deed in light of the new Act to ensure that the trustees are complying with the mandatory duties and to see if the default duties need to be modified”, says Tammy.

The new Act extends the time period for trusts from 80 to 125 years.

This has come about due to increasing life expectancies and people wanting to hold assets in trust beyond one or two generations. The new Act also makes it compulsory to remove incapacitated trustees.

This is a welcome change to the previous system which, if the trust deed was silent, required an application to the Court to remove an incapacitated trustee.

While not part of the new Act, it is timely when reviewing your trust structure, to consider your will and any wishes you may leave to the trustees of your trust. “Too often people sign these documents and then don’t look at them again,” says Tammy. “It is important to constantly review wills and wishes to ensure that they still reflect your wishes and give good guidance to those you leave behind.”

Now that the new Act is in force, it is important to review existing trust structures and accompanying documents to make sure they comply, are doing the job you want them to, and are fit for purpose.

For specialist trust advice don’t hesitate to contact Tammy McLeod or the Trust team at Davenports Law by calling 09 883 4400 or visiting www.davenportslaw.co.nz.  PN

DAVENPORTS LAW, 331 Rosedale Road, Level 1, Building 2, Albany, T: 09 883 4400, www.davenportslaw.co.nz

80 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

C RAFTED L EGAL ADV ICE FOR PE ACE OF MIN D.

Trust law has changed.

Does your trust comply?

The previous Trust Act had been in place since 1956, so when the new Trusts Act 2019 came into force in January, it brought many new changes to Trust law as we know it.

Making sure your trust complies and is fit for purpose is paramount when reviewing existing trust structures or establishing a new trust.

Contact us for more information.

0 9 883 4 4 0 0 DAV EN P O RTS L AW.CO.N Z

HOME WHERE THE HEART IS

STATE-OF-THE-ART SIMPLICITY Meluka furniture is simple, timeless and manufactured in New Zealand by Danske Mobler.

All our furniture is made in Auckland using state-of-the-art computerised manufacturing systems, ensuring absolute build accuracy and the highest levels of quality. Our pieces are highly customisable to suit any room and style. Start creating your Meluka home today! www.meluka.co.nz

82 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

HOME WHERE THE HEART IS

INSPIRATION FOR LOCAL GARDENERS AT CENTRAL LANDSCAPES AVONDALE With gardening and DIY projects becoming a key activity for Kiwi homeowners, it’s a question of what landscaping products to use to achieve a great outdoor look at home.

At Central Landscapes in Rosebank Road, Avondale, father and son team, Tony and Jarrod Marwood, have been busy since lockdown improving the shop area and displaying their landscaping products creatively. “When I took over this yard twelve years ago designing your outdoor space was becoming important, but now it is an integral part of the look of our customers’ homes,” says Tony.

“When we created the larger shop area, Jarrod and I realised that what most people wanted to see was what could be achieved using our products, so we’ve paved, pebbled and built displays around our shop to provide some inspiration.”

Jarrod says, “We have put a glasshouse near to the shop area and built Trustwood sleeper raised beds for our vegetables. People are always in there, checking what to grow, seeing how the garden mix is working, generally interested in how to get the best out of their raised beds. Our staff often harvest the vegetables to take home for dinner.

“Outside the shop the wooden sleepers have also been used for a striking vertical wall in a paved courtyard where our customers often stop and have a think about their project, using the bar leaner and bench. We think these are cool: we made them using gabion baskets filled with our gabion rock that we sell here. All of these elements are popular in landscaping currently.

“Around the corner we’ve laid our popular Jakmat, which is a high-quality recycled New Zealand product, and filled the mats with our most popular pebbles so people can see what they might look like on the ground.”

Inside the shop is filled with all the necessaries for great lawns, fertilisers, paving accessories, organic products plus a very popular ‘Information Station’ where customers can take away advice sheets, technical specifications and product brochures.

Another popular area inside is the ‘Hydration Station’ where everyone is welcome to grab a coffee or some water while they browse.

Beside the shop entrance Tony and Jarrod have made it easier for customers to view the mulches and decorative pebbles by placing them on display in large pots. “People need to see and touch the products to decide what they’re looking for.”

Avondale Central Landscapes is open seven days so come and visit the friendly team in their new space and get great landscaping advice. Borrow a free loan trailer or get products delivered.

CENTRAL LANDSCAPES AVONDALE, 419 Rosebank Road, T: 09 828 5533, Facebook: @CLSAvondale, www.centrallandscapes.co.nz

We dig Ponsonby gardens.

Before you start your landscape project, visit the great new shop and outdoor product display areas at Central Landscapes Avondale.

Central Landscape Supplies Avondale

09 828 5533

419 Rosebank Rd, Avondale, Auckland www.centrallandscapes.co.nz

PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 83

HOME WHERE THE HEART IS

LOCAL MARKET WRAP WITH CHARLOTTE KOFOED WELCOMING 2021. Freestanding homes drive local market momentum.

2021 - Phew! The festive season has come and gone in a flash. We survived a year without the Franklin Road lights, and hopefully most of us managed some well-deserved downtime after a lot of catch up toward the back end of 2020.

We all had our setbacks last year with the Covid-19 lockdowns.

Personally, looking back on 2020 I was pleased to have completed my busiest quarter to date in my career with a shade under 14 million dollars in sales value over October -December, including six property sales concentrated mainly around the northern areas of Herne Bay down to Saint Marys Bay. It’s a real privilege and pleasure to assist my clients with their next life-move and to work in an area where I have lived since my school days at Saint Marys College in the early 1990s.

MARKET WRAP The greater Ponsonby marketplace (Saint Marys Bay, Herne Bay, Freemans Bay, Ponsonby, Grey Lynn and Westmere) saw the median sell price for December increase 11% compared with the same period last year, and a healthy 65 completed sales compared with 57 in December 2019 - a busy month!

Interestingly, the median sell price growth for freestanding houses increased by 19% year on year, indicating a strong local demand for traditional freestanding property stock at this point, likely driven by the post-Covid factors canvassed in my previous newsletters – returning ex-pats, first and second-home buyers looking for a family friendly property, and empty-nester buyers looking for their next renovation project.

An example of this was my December under the hammer sale at 13 Dublin Street Saint Marys Bay – a heritage style home with a great backyard, views to the city, a northerly aspect, and renovation potential. With a strong New Zealand Sotheby’s digital marketing campaign we saw over 83 groups through the door, significant overseas enquiry from our global affiliate websites, and 12 registered bidders, including two ex-pats who bid over the phone from Singapore and the UK. THINKING OF A QUEENSTOWN MOVE? I write from Queenstown where we are enjoying some training at our company Head Office. Our local Queenstown team are seeing a definite increase in the number of Auckland purchasers looking to relocate attracted by lifestyle, as well as many infrastructure projects requiring specialist workforce talent.

Our NZSIR Managing Director Mark Harris says, “There has been a noticeable increase in interest in Queenstown since October 2020.

Low-interest rates and a flight to fresh air, space, and lifestyle are driving enquiries from right across New Zealand. There have been some big sales in the high end of the market where we are also seeing renewed interest from Australia and ex-pats returning home.”

Please do not hesitate to get in touch to access our unrivalled coverage of lifestyle properties, first homes, or holiday homes in the area.

My favourite listing in Queenstown at present is 13 Old Homestead Place, Kelvin Heights (pictures above) marketed by our colleagues Gerard Bligh and Hadley van Schaik. This is a noted architectural build known as ‘The Remarkables House’ featuring an expansive floorplan, cedar, and stone construction, and ever-changing views out to Lake Wakatipu and beyond. Check it out on www.nzsothebysrealty.com, listing ID QBS12430.

SEARCHING FOR VALUE Buyers in the current greater Ponsonby marketplace can still find value by broadening their search parameters. High demand and competition for freestanding homes are creating value in segments of the apartment and townhouse market, with several high-quality developments across the local area offering more choice for buyers compared with freestanding homes. Quality developments close to Ponsonby such as Western Park in Hopetoun Street, and The Beaumont Quarter on the edge of Victoria Park in Freemans Bay are two that come to mind for me as places where a relatively large apartment or terraced home can be owned for a relatively reasonable price due to less demand compared with supply currently in this particular segment. Both of these complexes have great shared facilities, guest car parking (invaluable close to the city), and are located within walking distance to supermarkets and Ponsonby Road.

History tells us that this period of increased supply will not last forever, and I would encourage potential purchasers to consider premium apartments and terraces which are currently offering strong value in many cases.

Happy New Year and wishing you all the very best for 2021.

Thank you for reading.  PN

CHARLOTTE KOFOED, M: 021 241 9394, T: 09 353 1220, www.ckre.co.nz, E: charlotte.kofoed@nzsir.com

Properties Sold Average Sell Price Median Sell Price

December 2020 65 $1,784,507 $1,690,000

November 2020 73 $2,621,931 $2,580,655

December 2019 57 $1,370,747 $1,521,000

REINZ statistics for Freemans Bay, Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, Westmere, St Marys Bay & Herne Bay

84 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

HOME WHERE THE HEART IS

Luke Crockford Connecting PEOPLE with PROPERTY

Feel free to get to know me a bit better by checking out my profile on the Ray White website 021 277 8565 | luke.crockford@raywhite.com | raywhite.co.nz/luke-crockford/125926 @LukeCrockfordRealEstate

@lukecrockfordraywhite

Ray White Damerell Group Ltd Licensed (REAA 2008)

NEED A QUICK MAKEOVER? By simply replacing those old lights and switches gives an immediate new modern look and adds value to your home.

We deliver the highest standard of service, commitment and quality workmanship, so let’s get your summer sorted.

PAINTING + BUILDING + GIB STOPPING + PLUMBING + ELECTRICAL + ROOFING

HAVE A PROJECT? CALL FOR A FREE, NO OBLIGATION QUOTE Call 021 062 9104 Email eddie@reidpropertyservices.co.nz Visit reidpropertyservices.co.nz

PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 85

HOME WHERE THE HEART IS

@ METRIX 1. Duravit’s archetypical open oval of the Happy D. design classic runs through all elements of the Happy D.2 Plus range designed

by Sieger Design. Above-counter basins with precise lines, standalone consoles and matching cabinets as well as circular mirrors combine to make perfectly harmonised washing areas.

The new colour variants of refined Anthracite Matt or a two-tone contrast of glossy white inside and Anthracite Matt outside lend the above-counter basins an extra layer of individuality and class.

2. Dornbacht Meta by Sieger Design is synonymous with contemporary minimalism. With this tapware series, Dornbracht has perfected and enriched this principle, using a range of surface finishes, enabling Meta to demonstrate its flexibility, stylishness and progressiveness – all while remaining true to its own core values.

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3. Dornbracht’s VAIA elegant tapware design harmoniously blends into traditional modern-minimalistic architectures combined with elements of different styles. Characteristic features of VAIA are the soft radii, the fine silhouette and flowing transitions. Dornbracht has raised the bar for depth and brilliance of colour in tapware to an unprecedented level with a specially developed manufacturing process and a unique matting method. Additionally, the silky surface texture originating from the particularly fine brushstrokes is exceptionally pleasant to touch.

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4. CRISTINA’s Italy tapware range combines industrial production and artisan experience, representing the pinnacle of excellence being Made in Italy. The design is a re-proposition of modernity with the classic forms of the 1920s, characterised by the purity of shapes with the union of surface elements, to achieve a unique and timeless style. In addition to the suggested total look finishes, Italy offers several options to combine handles in marble or stone to the body in the various finishes.

5. CRISTINA’s indoor/outdoor shower series is simple, extremely elegant and functional, ideal for ultimate relaxation by the pool or in the garden. The open-air product range also fits perfectly in modern interiors, minimal industrial and spa areas.

To see the latest in luxury bathroom ware, visit Metrix Showroom 155 The Strand Parnell or enquire about our latest catalogue. www.metrix.co.nz 3

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86 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

155 The Strand, Parnell, Auckland

Duravit Dornbracht Vola Paini Kaldewei Inda Valsir Cristina Glass Design Marblo Almar Effe 47

Toilets. Basins. Baths.

Tapware. Accessories.

Saunas. Showers.

metrix.co.nz

PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 87

HOME WHERE THE HEART IS

MAGICAL WITH A TWIST – ANGLESEA ST, FREEMANS BAY The modern simplicity and design will impress as you view this fabulous, multi-level contemporary architecturally designed home, set amidst the tranquility of established lush, green flora, complete with birdsong.

Entertaining friends is easy. Either wander to vibrant Ponsonby Rd – drinks at Chapel, dinner at SPQR, then stroll home enjoying the cityscape vista, or slide back the expansive glass doors opening wide to the paved courtyard where your friends and family will delight in alfresco dining and cocktails in this private haven.

The upper level boasts a light-filled master bedroom with vaulted ceiling, luxe spa-like bathroom and expansive bi-fold doors opening to the private deck.

The other double bedroom has a roomy en-suite and opens to the deck.

‘The Twist’... a well-appointed, one-bedroom annexed studio with sleek bathroom and open plan living, flowing to the patio-deck area with a view of the Sky Tower. Perfect for the extended family or work from home.

Add to this a separate laundry and powder room, plenty of storage, internal access double garaging along with very a spacious storage room.

Take an easy walk to the CBD, Commercial Bay, art galleries and the fabulous Wynyard Quarter and Viaduct Harbour on the waterfront, or just relax and escape from the demanding city lifestyle and enjoy the serenity of the setting.

This is a compelling home for quintessential inner city living.

To view Call Carl Madsen 021 953 152, or email c.madsen@barfoot.co.nz

APARTMENT LIVING – THE MODERN LIFESTYLE

New Apartment Developments – Apartment Furnishings and Home Décor

LET OUR READERS KNOW ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS OR PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT Contact martin@ponsonbynews.co.nz www.ponsonbynews.co.nz 88 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

HOME WHERE THE HEART IS

New Pot Shop Artedomus Range + Sensational Sample Sale ~ Pots From $40 Open Hours: Wednesday - Sunday (9.30am - 3.30pm) Location: 42 Mackelvie, Grey Lynn, Auckland

ARTEDOMUS

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HOME WHERE THE HEART IS

BOOM! 2021 KICKS OFF WITH A BANG FOR AUCKLAND’S WESTERN CITY-FRINGE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY MARKET The residential property market in Auckland city’s western fringe has kicked off in 2021 directly where it left off in 2020 with plenty of activity, and high demand for quality stock across all property types.

Bayleys Ponsonby salesperson, Blair Haddow, said that traditionally over the past decades the residential property market in and around Ponsonby, Herne Bay, St Marys Bay, and Grey Lynn, started off the calendar year slowly with many vendors and buyers still enjoying extended holiday breaks.

“Not so this year though,” said Blair Haddow, who is in the process of listing five new homes following instructions from vendor discussions held in the lead up to Christmas.

“Yes, we’ve enjoyed the Christmas and New Year holidays break and great weather for much of the country and now the market has fired up literally where it left off.”

The scenario validates Blair’s prediction in the December edition of Ponsonby News when he forecast these words: “Next year (2021), watch out for that (return to work) timeframe to come forward into the third week of January when pent-up purchaser demand will be anxious to kick the year off early in the hope of being ahead of the pack.”

2/91 Jervois Road, Herne Bay

He said the market was moving so quickly that professional photography for some of his new 2021 listings was only being finalised as this issue of Ponsonby News goes to press. Each of the five homes he is marketing for sale have different auction dates running throughout this month.

The first of Blair Haddow’s latest listings is a Grey Lynn villa.

A completely refurbished and modernised 1940s villa whose chic interior design looks like it should be featuring in the current TV series of The Block Australia. The three bedroom/two bathroom open plan living area features a relaxing deck space overlooking a spa pool and flat lawn.

25 Hector Street, Herne Bay

Meanwhile, the second property he is marketing for sale is a three bedroom/two bathroom apartment occupying an entire floor of the landmark Shangri La tower at 97 Jervois Road, Herne Bay. Units in this sought-after block rarely come up for sale. The last residence to be placed on the market sold for more than $5.5 million when it came onto the market for sale last year.

Next on Blair Haddow’s property portfolio coming up for auction is a gorgeous renovated private 1930s bungalow at 306B Jervois Road, Herne Bay. The four bedroom/three bathroom 209 square metre homestead sits on some 842 square metres of land nestled down a driveway to deliver peace and privacy to its owners.

Then just a short distance away comes 25 Hector Street, Herne Bay up for sale – a family-sized recently renovated three bedroom/two bathroom home backing onto Bayfield Park. The residence has been lived in by its current owners for the past 20 years.

Rounding out Blair Haddow’s catalogue of new listings is the last remaining terraced dwelling in the middle of a newly built block of three homes at 55 Kelmarna Avenue in Herne Bay. Both the other homes in the block have sold already to owner/occupiers, and the last remaining residence features three bedrooms, two bathrooms and double internal garaging.

The latest Real Estate Institute of New Zealand statistics for Auckland show that for the month of December in the Auckland City area, which

90 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

55 Kelmarna Avenue, Herne Bay

encapsulates Ponsonby, Herne Bay and Grey Lynn, the number of properties which sold increased by 55 percent on same time in the previous year - up from 568 listings to 883 listings.

The REINZ data also notes that the Auckland City precinct was one of five districts in the wider metropolitan area which achieved record media house price levels in December – now up to $1.28million for the locale. www.facebook.com/BlairHaddowResidential PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

AND NOT JUST OUTSIDE

Properties have been selling HOT and FAST in the Greater Ponsonby Area with great sales results being achieved for owners. A continued shortage of listings with high demand from buyers is keeping the market particularly buoyant. If you’re thinking of selling, the time is now – please call me for more information.

VISION + PASSION + ACTION =

RESULTS +

Cheryl Regan 021 772 583 | cheryl.regan@bayleys.co.nz

+

=

Results

BAYLEYS REAL ESTATE LTD, PONSONBY, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

A LT O G E T H E R B E T T E R

Re si d e n t i a l / Co m m e rc i a l / R u ra l / P ro p ert y Services

Classic Eden hall table in Kauri or Ash (shown in Old Walnut) $1890

Eden 5 drawer Tallboy in Ash or Kauri $3980

Queen Dakota bed $3780 in Kauri or Ash

Bespoke NEWPORT chest in Ash $3840

HOME WHERE THE HEART IS

@ ROSE AND HEATHER

ROSE & HEATHER, 366 Great North Road, T: 09 376 2895, www.roseandheather.com

W E H A V E A N E W H O M E..

We’re now at 366 Great North Rd. Greylynn

w w w. r o s e a n d h e a t h e r. c o. n z instore and online 7 days t: 09 3762895

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LOCAL NEWS

PONSONBY CHRISTMAS MARKET DAY

Saturday 5 December 2020

photography: Connor Crawford

Thanks to our great photographer, the legendary Connor Crawford for perfectly capturing the vibe of the day. It didn’t rain, there was great music, loads to eat and drink... plus all those bargains for the shopaholics among us! To top it all off, Santa and his three fairies made their entrance.  PN

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

Where Design Meets Inspiration Full renovation and installation service Consultants available for design guidance European tiles for all projects and budgets We have stock on hand ready to go...

Retail Showroom 254 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland (next to Homage) 10am – 4:30pm Monday – Friday, by appointment any other time / M: 021 644 728 / www.tonictiles.co.nz

HOME WHERE THE HEART IS

A 35 YEAR LEGACY OF QUALITY, STYLE AND CRAFTSMANSHIP It is no accident that Lahood Window Furnishings is Auckland’s premier window furnishings specialist.

Over 35 years ago Peter Lahood began a curtain business founded on principles of quality, style, and service that quickly gained an enviable reputation.

Now with a 25 strong team it’s also a name synonymous with innovative design and a shared passion for fabric. “Selecting the perfect curtain, blind or shutter is something that can completely transform a home, and our team are experts in understanding and interpreting a client’s aesthetic and lifestyle needs,” explains Managing Director, Peter Lahood.

It is both the extensive variety of fabrics and products that Lahood offers in combination with the knowledge and experience of their highly skilled designers, consultants, and in-house craftsmen that ensures clients expectations are exceeded. “Our design team realises just how important it is that the design not only reflects the client’s personality but also responds to their individual lifestyle requirements, visually and practically.” This is an approach that has seen Lahood become a staple window furnishings provider for New Zealand’s leading architects and developers.

“I think we have been able to strike just the right balance when it comes to size, scale and capacity,” explained Peter. “Our business is extensive enough to ensure exclusive fabric distribution supply contracts from the world’s leading textile manufacturers yet small and agile enough to ensure a bespoke and personalised design service that adds value to every space, from our large scale development clients to individual homeowners.”

Lahood offers a free design consultation service to help clients successfully navigate their extensive product range of fabrics, blinds, venetians and shutters, and find ways to enhance a client’s home while protecting it from glare, heat and sunlight.

“If you’re renovating, re-decorating or building a new home, a visit to our Lahood showroom is an excellent place to start. You really have no idea how vast the options are and the things we can achieve until you see them in real life,” enthuses Peter.

This month you can save with 15% off all Luxaflex roller, duette and venetian blinds plus Lahood are also offering Free curtain making on selected fabrics and 20% off roman blind making. T’s & C’s apply.

Step into Lahood’s stunning showroom at 104 Mt Eden Road or Call 0800 LAHOOD to book a FREE in home design consultation. www.lahood.co.nz

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

104 Mt. Eden Road Mt. Eden, Auckland Phone: 09 638 8463 www.lahood.co.nz

Are you renovating, redecorating or building a new home?

FREE CURTAIN MAKING*

15% OFF LUXAFLEX ROLLER BLINDS, DUETTES AND VENETIANS*

Phone 638 8463 today for a FREE in home design consultation* 20% OFF

ROMAN BLIND MAKING*

15% OFF AUTOMATION*

CURTAINS • BLINDS • INTERIOR DESIGN • AWNINGS • ROLLER SHADES • UPHOLSTERY *Special conditions apply – lahood.co.nz/promotions. Offer finishes 28/02/2021.

ARTS + CULTURE

@ WHITESPACE 7 February - 7 March

Te Whakahoki Penny Howard (Te Mahurehure, Ngapuhi) was impelled to create the paintings and drawings in this body of work through a profound sense of anger.

- artefacts – taonga tüturu Her perusal of recent online sales of historic Maori – at the British auction house, Sothebys, at huge prices, motivated her to re-capture them. And by extending from their photographic images, she is ensuring they are brought back to us, if not literally, at least figuratively: te - kainga hokinga ki tenei o Aotearoa New Zealand.

PATRICIA PICCININI @ SCOTT LAWRIE 13 February – 7 March

Patricia Piccinini is one of the most popular – and controversial – artists in the world.

She has had over 55 solo shows in the past 13 years including Brazil (where over 1.2 million visitors came to see her show), USA, Germany, UK, Finland, Australia, Sweden, Slovenia, Ireland, Lithuania and now... Ponsonby/Grey Lynn!

Patricia’s work can be confronting, engaging, touching and deeply emotional and for this carefully selected New Zealand show (her first in over a decade) we’ve worked with the artist to select a broad range of highlights, including her famous ‘Metamorphosis’ from 2017 (pictured) which is not to be missed!

Penny is re-claiming our existential heritage and her work incorporates not only these taonga, but also the red thread of te mauri interconnecting Maori, and them as always living tupuna or ancestors ever deeply vested to the land.

More, her depiction of nga- manu – birds – in her drawings, is a further visceral embodiment of this ever-present spiritual interconnectedness of taonga and - ethos; te ao Maori - katoa. The birds are kaitiaki of these the entire Maori taonga, ready to escort them back to where they ontologically belong. They were always ready to return to the landscapes backgrounding the paintings: just look at their eyes.

It is important to note that all the taonga represented in this work – and - aof course many more such treasures – have been in the hands of Pakeh collectors for at least two centuries. How were they first obtained? Some were traded for such articles as tobacco, axes and pots, to early whalers and sealers.

Others were somehow attained by first-contact collectors such as Joseph Banks.

Some were sold for minimal sums of money by later colonial collectors. Others were traded by local New Zealand museums, in their effort to obtain similar indigenous artefacts from overseas. Some were stolen outright.  PN www.whitespace.co.nz

Known for her imaginative, yet strangely familiar, ultra-lifelike chimera works (human/animal hybrids), Piccinini invites us to think about our place in a world where advances in biotechnology and digital technologies are challenging the boundaries of humanity.

Given the importance of this show, I’m delighted to announce that we’ll also be opening on Sundays starting from 14 February,11am-4pm. Entry as always is free.

See you at the Auckland Art Fair!

Scott Lawrie Gallery will have two booths at this year’s Auckland Art Fair at The Cloud where we’ll be showing some magnificent work from local and international artists. Dates are 24-28 February, tickets from: www.artfair.co.nz Contact scott@scottlawrie.com for more info. See you in the gallery soon!

Free parking at 15 Williamson Avenue.

Open Thursday to Saturday 11am-5pm. Sundays 11am-4pm.  PN SCOTT LAWRIE GALLERY, 2 Murdoch Road, www.scottlawrie.com

Patricia Piccinini

Penny Howard Sotheby’s Lot 14, Whakahoki, painting on board

ARTIST TALK: SAT 13 FEB, 2PM

PENNY HOWARD TE WHAKAHOKI A sort of homecoming

~ 13 Feb - 07 Mar 2021 2 Murdoch Rd, Grey Lynn (Off 15 Williamson Ave) Thurs to Sun, 11 – 5pm

scottlawrie.com

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whitespace.co.nz 20 monmouth st, grey lynn, auckland open tues–fri 11-5pm, sat 11am-4pm

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

ARTS + CULTURE

@ OREX GALLERY Orexart starts the year in its new space with an exciting exhibition by Richard McWhannell.

‘From El Paso to Encinal: The John Wayne Tour’, was inspired by a journey the artist made through South Texas, the borderlands between the US and Mexico.

John Wayne, El Paso to Encinal, 2019 Oil on canvas on board. 300 x 200mm

An epic landscape in every sense of the word, the territory has been a site of revolt and revolution for centuries. Traces of past and present conflict are everywhere, from the Spanish colonial architecture and shrines, through to the border patrol vehicles and Trump’s ill-fated wall.

Rosa’s Cantina, El Paso, TX, 2019 Oil on canvas on board. 200 x 300mm

The borderlands also loom large in McWhannell’s personal history: the land of cowboy films and their tales of bandits and desperados, of Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove, the ballads of Marty Robbins and, of course, the Uber Cowboy, John Wayne.

Every town, every road, every name evokes a song, a film, a Cormack McCarthy novel and McWhannell’s paintings are populated with the faces and places of legend, but the vast and resolutely untamed desert remains the star of the show.

OREX, 221 Ponsonby Road, www.orexart.co.nz

308 Vista Hill Drive, El Paso TX.2019 Oil on canvas on board. 300 x 500mm

221 Ponsonby Road

Tuesday – Saturday

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ARTS + CULTURE

ST MATTHEW’S FIRST TUESDAY CONCERT

@ (SUITE) GALLERY, PONSONBY

The St Matthew’s First Tuesday concert series beings with an organ concert on the great Henry Willis pipe organ.

The first exhibition of 2021 at {Suite} will introduce the work of Wellington based painter Kate Yesberg, who has recently joined the gallery stable, alongside another well established Wellington artist, Geoffrey Notman, who will have his first exhibition in Auckland in recent years.

The concert on Tuesday 2 March at 12.10pm will feature a new and shining star organist, recently moved to Waikato from South Africa.

Eon Malan enjoys a successful career as a church organist, collaborative pianist and choral conductor. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Eon started with piano tuition at the age of six. First Tuesday is his first solo organ concert in Auckland. He holds a Graduate Diploma in Organ Performance (cum laude) from Stellenbosch University. He has also performed in the United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand.

Recently Eon started with a monthly lunchtime organ concert series at St Andrew’s Church in Cambridge which has garnered him and the picturesque venue a wide following. Eon is also assistant organist of the Cathedral in Hamilton and a teacher at St Peter’s school.

The series will continue from March to November 2021 and highlights are The Royal New Zealand Navy Band (May), Music Ensembles of Auckland Grammar School (June), University of Waikato Voices (September) and a range of other PN concerts featuring the concert grand piano with flute, violin, and solo voice.  www.stmatthews.nz

This exhibition represents a new direction for the work of Geoffrey Notman, whose previous series have shown New Zealand coastlines, fishing and boats, with a strong nostalgic pull, almost photo-real in style. His move towards abstraction has clear links with his earlier works; the paintings in this exhibition are titled Fishing, Harbour and Net, the marine theme always present, only represented in a new and dynamic way. While in Covid-19 lockdown, Notman was unable to get out and research his usual nautical subjects and he was jolted into exploring abstraction. The paintings, with their pleasing harmonies of grey, blue and charcoal have small pops of colour and interlocking shapes which appear to fit together like the pieces of a jigsaw.

By comparison, Kate Yesberg describes her paintings as inner or emotional landscapes which represent her moments of clarity. Starting with a black canvas as a base, the artist builds her layers and colours, drawing on inspiration from mid-century design and form to create colourful and rhythmic compositions.

Kate often reflects on the female artists who have come before her, such as Agnes Martin and Hilma Af Klint, both abstract painters who have had a profound impact within the realms of 20th century art history and showed courage, patience and clarity in their work.

The exhibition opens on Thursday 28 January and run through to Saturday 20 February. Please drop by the gallery on Thursday 28 from 5pm for a glass of wine and to view the exhibition. Kate Yesberg will give a floor talk about her work on Saturday 30 January at 11am. All are welcome.

The exhibition can be viewed online at www.suite.co.nz and a full online catalogue of all available works at our galleries in Auckland and Wellington can be viewed by contacting the gallery.  PN {Suite} GALLERY, 189 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 218 4399, www.suite.co.nz

Eon Malan, organ New Soloist / New Sound

Kate Yesberg, Robert X, acrylic on canvas, 1200 x 1200mm

Tuesday 2nd March, 12.10-12.50pm Music by Buxtehude, Bohm, Cesar Frack, Guy Bovet

Entry by koha Corner of Wellesley & Hobson Streets, Auckland Central Geoffrey Notman, Harbour I, oil on board, 420 x 594mm

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

ARTS + CULTURE

DISCOVER YOUR INNER ARTIST Learn to paint and draw over the 13 session course at our newest venue - Pt Chev Tennis Club. You will explore four different media: drawing, painting with watercolour, acrylics, and oil pastels.

Discover how to paint faces, figures, friends, family and stunning landscapes. Learn artists’ secrets to create beautiful pieces of original art.

Even if you have never picked up a brush before, we will guide you through to make it easy and fun!

On completing the 13 weeks of tuition, you will have 12 pieces of original art to showcase at the final session which is an art exhibition.

You can meet with all your new friends in a special social environment.

Your family is also invited to share in your success. This is an extremely enjoyable way to develop your creative side.

Step by Step Easy Lessons • 13 week course, three-hour classes, once a week • Final session is an art exhibition • Morning and afternoon sessions • Beginners to improvers • Fun, easy, social event • All materials supplied in-class Limited Spaces - Don’t miss out, call us for a friendly chat today!

Call 0800 006 200 or visit our website www.seasons-art-class-ptchevalier.com

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ARTS + CULTURE

INSPIRING CREATIVITY Tim Bray Theatre Company, which is celebrating 30 years in 2021, begins its Term 1 Youth Theatre Drama Classes for ages 5-19 the week of 9th February at the Auckland Performing Arts Centre (TAPAC), Western Springs. Classes are also offered on the North Shore in Takapuna and Browns Bay. Tim Bray Youth Theatre has been offering classes at TAPAC since 2012. The classes encourage self-confidence, self-expression and focus. Drama is an enjoyable way for students to explore their imaginations and to harness and express their creativity where they also learn various acting techniques such as improvisation, voice, characterisation, movement and scene work.

In Term 1 2021 the Tim Bray Youth Theatre is launching a brandnew programme which has especially been created for ages 1719. This exciting new performance-focused class, led by tutor Suzy Sampson, is for young actors who need a place to learn and to perform, and who are passionate about theatre and all it involves.

Celebrated actor Michael Hurst is the guest tutor on Shakespearean characters in Term 1.

Tim Bray Youth Theatre is also launching a new pilot programme on the North Shore for children and teenagers who are differently wired to find their own voice and place. These weekly classes, Extraordinarily Creative, have been developed in collaboration with Children’s Autism Foundation. ď Ł PN

TIM BRAY

YOUTH THEATRE Engaging our students with all aspects of theatre

For more information on classes, or to enrol you can visit: www.timbray.org.nz/youth-theatre/#Weekly Or call T: 09 486-2261

Weekly

DRAMA

Western Springs, Takapuna and Browns Bay locations for 5-19 year olds.

Enrol for Term 1 now. www.timbray.org.nz

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

ARTS + CULTURE

UPTOWN ART SCENE Everyone left Auckland over the holidays, except for a happy few who enjoyed our city without traffic. The exodus from city to country provides the provinces with a booming economy, especially in these days of closed borders.

At a time when galleries in major centres are closed for summer, the regional galleries see a huge influx of visitors. Local artist Evan Woodruffe has held a summer exhibition spot at PAULNACHE, Gisborne-based but internationally renowned art gallery, since 2014.

In their January show, PAULNACHE included Woodruffe alongside John Walsh (Ngati Porou), and Virginia Leonard, whose wild ceramics Evan introduced to Director Matthew Nache back in 2015.

Virginia Leonard’s work at PAULNACHE

Their audience was a noisy and enthusiastic jumble from around the country, mingling with local art aficionados to take in the paintings and sculptures while sampling local wines and beer. The atmosphere was relaxed and joyful – everyone was on holiday and knew they were seeing some high-hitting artwork.

All three artists have shown with PAULNACHE across Australasia, and their enthusiasm for creating works for the gallery’s home base is evident in the large works displayed.

Immediately inside the door is Evan’s huge 1.85m x 2.8m painting, made up from thousands of tiny marks and bold gestures, while in the second exhibition space Virginia’s stacked ceramic sculpture towers over 2 meters high, glinting with gold and glossy textures.

Evan Woodruffe & Jeanne Clayton with his work

If you’re travelling around the country this year, make sure to see the regional galleries – there’s exciting work to be seen outside the urban centres.

(EVAN WOODRUFFE/STUDIO ART SUPPLIES)  PN www.studioart.co.nz

Photos Tracey McMillan

It’s a warm welcome in Gisborne. After the opening, John and Evan (Virginia remained in Auckland) decamped with a large chunk of the crowd to Siduri Wine Bar, run by Sam Millton (of Millton Wines) who offers an incredible array of wines, vintage champagne, aperitifs and old fashioned cocktails. The merriment continued well into the night. Evan received several invitations from collectors to drop by for tea in the days following so experienced some of the picturesque locations and bountiful gardens of the area. Art really does bring the people together.

Matt Nache, a visitor from the Hawkes Bay, and Evan in front of his works

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ARTS + CULTURE

KERRY LEE: ‘NEANDS’ A ‘KIDULT’ READ! Inspired by his children’s reading habits, New Zealand director and long-time Ponsonby resident Dan Salmon recently wrote Neands, his first book aimed at the ‘kidult’ market.

“When my son was about 12 or 13, I realised that there weren’t a lot of books out there for either early teens or young adults; there seemed to be a gap between the two. It was the same with my daughter. They would end up reading books for kids and then ones for adults all by the time they were 13.”

Neands centers around a young boy named Charlie Rutherford who finds himself in the middle of a world-wide pandemic, one that’s forced everyone around him to regress into a more primitive, and violent state. As he digs deeper, he discovers that genes that’ve remained dormant in us for eons have suddenly awoken to devastating effect.

During a trip to Ethiopia, Dan visited the national museum of Addis Ababa and saw a display of the various stages of humanity’s evolution. While it didn’t directly inform the book, it fascinated him and helped tap into his imagination.

“I had started reading about DNA and discovered that a lot of us still have around three percent of Neanderthal genes within us. It’s an intriguing concept, and it’s one that got me thinking about what effect they could have on us. I thought about how America is today, about the age of prejudice and anger that we’re living in. The Neanderthal’s a metaphor for that, while at the same time it’s an interesting and exciting story.”

While fiction is a bit of a departure for him, it’s something he’s clearly enjoyed. Despite making a living as a documentary director, he firmly believes that books still have a place in the 21st century.

“We need to remember how intimate and important reading is. It gives us the experience that our screens can’t touch.”  PN To learn more about Dan, please visit www.nzonscreen.com/profile/dan-salmon/biography To find out more about Neands, go to NEANDS www.whatbooknext.com

KERRY LEE: TOBY AND THE REST...

Taking on the world can be pretty tough, but Max Barrett (Drums), Toby Barrett (Saxophone), Tyler Diprose (Bass), and Lucas Kewell (Piano/keys) - members of the Jazz quartet, Toby and The Rest, are determined to give it their all.

Despite only forming a little over 18 months ago, these four teenagers are already making a name for themselves, and recently recorded their very first album, ‘Special Delivery’, to be released in the New Year. While some people might label them as simply lucky, their adopted manager Robin Kewell told me it’s not an easy road.

“It’s hard to make it in the world of music as New Zealand is so far away from the rest of the world. It’s also tricky because to know if someone’s any good, you’ve got to be able to hear them or see them perform.”

While he’s definitely a proud dad, he truly believes they’ve got the right stuff to make a real go of it.

“I’ve been in the music/film business for years and I’ve seen some of the world’s top bands. You recognise talent when you see it, and these guys definitely have it.”

Like many bands out there, one of their biggest obstacles is scheduling, trying to find a time to practice while fitting it in around their education.

“School’s important, and they’re encouraged and supported by Avondale College music teacher Mike Robinson. They all want to be musicians; that’s their goal and they’re determined to go down that route, so it’s all about striking the right balance between college, study, and their live performances.”

And as for their music, where does their inspiration come from? The answer might surprise you.

“We all like our own types of music; some of us listen to Punk-Rock, others lean more towards Classic Jazz. These different sounds go on to influence our own music and gives it a unique character,” said piano player Lucas Kewell.  PN

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To find out more about the band, visit www.facebook.com/tobyandtherest PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

Bridgerton on NETFLIX

HOLIDAY STREAMING GUIDE SUMMER 2021 Summer sun has been in good supply and as we head back into the routine of a new year there are many great local and international shows to savour, binge, and enjoy.

Bridgerton Already a fast favorite with a wide range of people, from 17 year old girls to middle aged men, Bridgerton is delicious historical escapism. With rich opulent sets and a cleverly developed cast of characters it is a total escape from the current almost dystopian reality created by Covid-19.

Described as Netflix’s Downtown Abbey with a dash of Gossip Girl, it is full of storylines that sit on the edge of being cliche but then somehow manage to shake it up, addicting a wide audience to binge several episodes at a time.

Shonda Rhimes has produced a witty historical drama complete with a pop aesthetic and a great soundtrack. It’s a wonderful one to watch together with family and friends.  TVNZ onDemand

Good Grief Nothing beats local comedy and this is a fantastic combination of talented writing, believable screen dynamics and a brilliant cast. It’s a great reason to support homegrown storytelling.

Two sisters, Ellie and Gwen, played by real life sisters Grace and Eve Palmer, are polar opposites and must take over their koro’s funeral home. It is impossible not to be drawn in by the awkwardly humorous situations that emerge. This is a series that will have you smiling, cringing and laughing out loud. 

Amazon Prime

I Care a Lot The concept of this film is chilling. The idea that older people become targets for unscrupulous personalities in the ‘aged care’ industry is more than just unsettling; it seems all too possible.

Rosamund Pike, (Gone Girl), stars as a professional ‘carer’ and legal guardian for those who lack family support. A lucrative business model that is a wonderful money maker until she targets the wrong older woman - Jennifer Peters played by Diane Wiest.

With an incredible cast that includes the very talented Peter Dinklage, I Care a Lot is an interesting blend of dark comedy and psychological thriller. It shouldn’t be scrutinised for its procedural accuracy, but instead should be admired for its clever analysis of (in)human nature. It is rare for a film that is dominated by thoroughly unlikeable characters to be so beguiling. A critics favourite at the Toronto Film Festival, it will be available for streaming on Amazon Prime from 19 February. 

I Care a Lot on Amazon Prime

Island of Mystery Let the kids crash back to a time when moa roamed the earth, taniwha talked, and the land

was full of mystery and surprises. Two determined and fearless sisters join up with a thoughtful boy and his dog from the future to follow clues and outwit menacing creatures as they search for what has been lost. Fantastic animation and talented voice actors, including Cohen Holloway and Tainui Stephens, combine with an incredible soundtrack

by Moana Maniapoto and Paddy Free to make this a great series to enjoy with younger viewers (5-10 year olds). 

Island of Mystery on TVNZ on Demand

NETFLIX

PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021 105

HOROSCOPES: MISS PEARL NECLIS – WHAT YOUR STARS HOLD FOR FEBRUARY

Aquarius (the Water Carrier) 21 January - 19 February It’s a new year and a new start for some people. Just don’t be at all surprised if you feel a bit disappointed that you’re not doing something new. Avoid any head-to-heads with anyone this month. You don’t want any conflict at the start of the year.

Pisces (the Fishes) 20 February - 20 March Does it seem like no one is listening and you’re not being heard? Perhaps you’re not saying the right things. Just listen and maybe you’ll pickup something interesting. You may have been isolated for too long. Make this a year of new adventures.

Aries (the Ram) 21 March - 20 April You have responsibilities that you have no way of getting out of. As much as you would love to go off and do something more interesting, unfortunately work has to come first. That doesn’t mean that you can’t be spontaneous when you want. Just do it with a bit more thought.

Taurus (the Bull) 21 April - 21 May Be true to yourself this month. Someone higher up has their beady eyes on you. Don’t be flash and act out, as this could appear to be seen in a negative light. No matter how good you are there is always someone who’s a little bit better.

Gemini (the Twins) 22 May - 21 June It’s best to do things at your own speed rather than rushing because someone else is in a hurry. You have always been able to multi task wherever you might be. So being pulled in a few directions is something you can handle. No need to worry about anyone else’s feelings being hurt, especially if you step on any toes.

Cancer (the Crab) 22 June - 22 July You might be rubbed up the wrong way this month because you might have your feelings on display so are easy to wind up.

Look around, and if your territory is being invaded, then repel all borders. Your safe space is your home and if you have to retreat to it, then do it.

Leo (the Lion) 23 July - 21 August The connection you have with the past is never more important than it is today. You get a satisfaction knowing that you are living a great life. The more you open your mind will mean you’re less likely to get stuck in a rut.

Virgo (the Virgin) 22 August - 23 September It might seem like someone is trying to wind you up this month. If that’s how you feel, try taking a step back. Look at any problems with fresh eyes and you’ll recognise a pattern. Watch what you say, because words can be twisted.

Libra (the Scales) 24 September - 23 October There’s a relationship brewing around you, not sure if it’s romantic, business related, or what. But it looks serious. Keep your ears and eyes open. You don’t want to miss any opportunity.

Scorpio (the Scorpion) 24 October - 22 November It really is a good time to start something new. Make sure though it’s something that will give you pleasure. If you have to make some time in your routine, then do it. You have the willpower, the stamina and the ability to take on and do whatever you want.

Sagittarius (the Archer) 23 November - 22 December This might be an ideal time for you to get on with all those things that you have been putting off for quite a long time. What you might get from it is a sense of freedom.

Take pleasure in doing whatever makes you happy.

Capricorn (the Goat) 23 December - 20 January The energy around you has been distracting for quite some time. Maybe you need to do a bit of shifting, or make a few adjustments to give you the extra that you might be missing.

You’ll be surprised at how much you can make a difference.

106 PONSONBY NEWS+ February 2021

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