PONSONBY NEWS - JUNE'14

+ PUBLISHED 6 JUNE, 2014

Established: OCTOBER 1989 – CELEBRATING 24 YEARS OF PUBLISHING HISTORY!

ponsonbynews.co.nz

JUNE 2014

SUSTAINABILITY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ECOSTORE'S MALCOLM AND MELANIE RANDS - P34

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WHAT’S INSIDE THIS MONTH

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P34; One of this month’s special features deals with sustainability and sustainable development. John Elliott talked to ecostore owners Malcolm and Melanie Rands.

P61; Steve Vanderput and Dan Bethune are heading up the recently opened nights at Toru, right in the heart of Ponsonby Central; P70; Veronica Shale emailed this shot taken in Mongolia and tells us, "My in-laws Brenda and Alan Davies are doing a 63 day classic car rally over May and June driving from Shanghai to London in their classic Volvo.

I packed a Ponsonby News for my mother-in-law!"

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR FROM THE EDITOR DAVID HARTNELL: ONE MINUTE INTERVIEW SHALE CHAMBERS: WAITEMATA LOCAL BOARD NIKKI KAYE, AUCKLAND CENTRAL MP JOHN ELLIOTT: LOCAL NEWS MIKE LEE JACINDA ARDERN: LABOUR LIST MP AUCKLAND SUSTAINABILITY COVER STORY

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GREY LYNN NEWS FASHION + STYLE ANGELA LASSIG: LETTERS FROM MAUDIE EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY LAURAINE JACOBS: THE SEASONED PALATE PONSONBY NEWS READERS ARE EVERYWHERE LIVING, THINKING + BEING HELENE RAVLICH: NATURAL BEAUTY SHEENA SHUVANI: STARDUST ASTROLOGY U3A PONSONBY

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JOHN APPLETON ON HEALTH PONSONBY PEOPLE & THEIR PETS FUTURE GENERATION SIDELINE WITH GEORGE BERRY LOOK WHO IS IN THE ZOO STREET NAMES HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS JAY PLATT: WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT ARTS + CULTURE PONSONBY PINK PAGES COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: Michael McClintock

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LETTERS + EMAILS

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

PLEASE SEND LETTERS TO info@ponsonbynews.co.nz Proposed Ponsonby Park, O’Neill Street, Ponsonby I wish to write with a suggestion regarding the proposed Ponsonby Park at the site of Nosh on the corner of O’Neill Street and Ponsonby Road.

Love the Latest Ponsonby News Great to see you guys getting fully behind local issues, so keep up the good work. You probably have the clout to actually achieve something!

I understand commencement of the park may be quite some time away but I wondered whether it could be possible to incorporate a water feature in the proposed design similar to one that I have seen in the township of Ellerslie.

It’d be great to get to the bottom of how this independent commissioners process came about, why it was introduced and how it’s working. It seems that they have the power to rewrite local bylaws. You have to wonder, why bother having regulations, bylaws and building standards if they can then be ‘interpreted’ by whoever makes the decision. It seems open to abuse, influence and ‘inducements’ and not transparent at all. If council wants to give architects, developers and renovators more leeway then they should change the planning regulations so that everyone can do it, and so that the voters can see it happening and have some input.

M. THOMAS, Grey Lynn

I happened to see this revamped park just recently after a period of many years and was quite taken with the design of the park and the use of the water feature as a design element. The entrance had block stone walls, and I noticed a central water feature which was a shallow pool with at least two spouts projecting water into the air before returning it to the pool. I also noticed standard trees on either side of the pool but did not have time to take a photograph or determine numbers as it was quite dark and I was only in transit.

I daresay the council has plans on file for this park and it would be a relatively easy matter to refer to them if need be.

With Ponsonby Road being such a destination shopping strip and with such high numbers of both tourists and locals frequenting the area, a tranquil haven such as this would be an ideal spot to recoup before continuing along the strip - as it is quite a central area and could provide welcome relief from the noise and vibrancy elsewhere.

KAREN TONGATAMA, Ponsonby Re 'Property Developers Running Auckland'?

Further to John Elliott’s excellent story on the history of 20 Cockburn Street, Grey Lynn and council planning matters, your readers might like to know how developer Andrew Montgomerie got council permission to build five residential properties on the site of the 1913 villa.

The Residential 6a zone (unlike the Residential 1 zone that provides heritage character rules) allows one residential unit per 375sq m. The site is 1416sq m, which means that three residential properties could be built on the site without infringing the density controls. But because there were eight 'lawfully' established units on the site, which were granted planning permission in 1973, the council took this 'existing level of intensity into account' when making its decision.

In other words, the council relied on the villa being carved up 40 years ago into eight flats to provide greater intensification of the site.

The developer could have built something special on the site to respect the character of Cockburn Street. Instead he opted for five ugly ducklings which neighbours and the community now have to live with. Horrid really, and sad.

BERNARD ORSMAN, Grey Lynn

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June 2014

Ponsonby Little Black Book Wow, I have to say how great your last issue was. Especially the A-Z of 189 local cafes and restaurants. We have so much choice now and plenty of variety. I imagine Ponsonby Central accounts for many of the new places, and my husband and I are looking forward to trying some of those we haven't been to yet. Keep up the good work.

SALLY BOLTON-RILEY, Grey Lynn In the presence of good neighbours Ponsonby News is the vehicle that brings our community together and it was great to see the photographs and short piece on the Neighbours Day held in the Grey Lynn shops in last month’s issue. We need more of this connecting with people and I don’t mean through social media - there is far too much of that and it’s an easy and lazy cop out in my opinion.

Actually being in the presence of people, sharing stories, laughing with one another, artists and musicians filling the day with beautiful visuals and sounds, children smiling, people of all nationalities and age groups interacting with one another in a safe and happy environment; these are the things that stimulate the senses, bringing hope and love to our otherwise stressful and somewhat ‘online’ modern society. Good work Ponsonby News and Grey Lynn!

JANE K, Ponsonby Keep up the good work I was given a copy of Ponsonby News yesterday. I left Ponsonby 51 years ago and have moved to South Auckland. What an interesting read, you even had Bayfield School photos. This was my old school. Please keep up the good work.

MONIKA HIGGINS, Papakura We love Cocoro!

My wife and I dined at Cocoro in Brown Street last week, having seen them on the front cover of your May issue. What a beautiful meal we had there. Thanks for making us aware of this hidden gem.

JOHN LOGAN, Herne Bay

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FROM THE EDITOR

ALTHOUGH THE DAYS IN MAY AND JUNE CAN BE warm and sunny, the nights bring cold and a hint of winter.

As we head towards October, we are excited and thrilled to be celebrating our 25th birthday anniversary. Our colleague John Elliott published his first issue of the Ponsonby Community Newsletter in October 1989. We have some great opportunities and positions available for advertisers.

One of this month’s special features deals with sustainability and sustainable development. John Elliott talked to ecostore owners Malcolm and Melanie Rands.

It seems Malcolm has never really liked the word sustainability, saying it ‘lacked heart’, and was not a ‘rallying call.’ But as Melanie says, “20 years ago when we started ecostore, no one knew the word.’

But as she goes on to say, ‘I think it’s a great buzz word, and many people are now aspiring to become more sustainable in their lives. Every little thing we do makes a difference, like not taking more than you need.”

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

photography: Jane Blundel @ Kloser

Our congratulations to two local residents receiving awards in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List this month. An MNZM is awarded to Westmere resident Edwin Kohlhase for services to softball and to Freemans Bay resident Amanda Baragwanath for services to people with disabilities.

Gwynne Davenport, Martin Leach, Jo Barrett, Julie Roulston and Jay Platt The ecostore ethos has moved on, and the emphasis is now on ‘cradle to cradle’, a concept from the book of the same name by architect William McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart. These two pioneers believed that current manufacturing procedures only perpetuate the ‘cradle to grave’ mentality of waste and pollution. Malcolm and Melanie have embraced the ‘cradle to cradle' philosophy for ecostore.

Next month - Thursday 31 July is Plastic Shopping Bag Free Day. Plastic Free July is an global concept to raise awareness to refuse single-use. Grey Lynn 2030 has decided that during the month of July they are really going to push home to locals to use and reuse their own shopping bags. The last day of July they have chosen to encourage retailers to support us and refuse plastic shopping bags to their customers. (MARTIN LEACH) F PN

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DAVID HARTNELL’S: ONE MINUTE INTERVIEW Su Pollard plays Miss Hannigan in the UK stage production of ‘Annie’ which opened at the Civic theatre in Auckland. Su first burst onto our screens in the TV series ‘Hi-de-Hi’ playing Peggy Ollerenshaw.

What was your childhood like?

Very safe, loving, well-cared for, fun. We always had holidays and a car.

Give your teenaged self some advice?

Don’t waste time on boyfriends and situations that bore you. It’s a waste for everyone.

Who is the most annoying celebrity today?

There isn’t one. The word celebrity is what is annoying.

Who would you turn gay for?

Miss Piggy.

They say you should never work with children and animals, you're doing both in the musical Annie, what is it like?

Having 'Sandy' is like keeping a pet dog without having to look after it. The orphans are fun to be around because they’re always excited.

How do you chill out?

Long lunches, hill walking, just generally chatting.

Would you ever have Botox?

Botox, detox, inbox, outbox - it’s all confusing!

Favourite time of the day?

I love around 11.30am because I can get around London quicker, not too much traffic.

People are at work and the Tube escalators are empty.

What kind of drunk are you?

How would you know? You’d be too drunk to remember.

How would you like to be remembered?

She was a life embracer and was kind.

What can’t you live without?

A favourite pair of sparkly leggings.

Your dream home?

Glass from top to bottom. A cinema. A dance floor.

A whole larder with a year’s supply of food and wine.

Something you could not live without?

A watch.

What are you insecure about?

I try to brush any insecurities aside. They are too limiting.

Greatest indulgence?

Restaurants.

Whose greatest hits would you take to a desert island?

Dave Edmunds, Barbra Streisand, Queen and Status Quo. Oh, and Little Mix.

Tell us something very few people know about you?

I make a fabulous salad dressing.

Handshake or a hug kind of person?

A hugger.

Last time you turned off your cellphone?

When I was at the theatre in the audience.

Idea of perfect happiness?

Waking up with no anxiety, content with what you’ve got.

No real worries. Just embracing each day.

Something that you really disapprove of?

People who browse magazines in the shops.

GO PAY FOR THEM!

Your greatest fear?

Losing my voice and health.

What do you love most about your age?

Things become less bothersome and you don’t over -stress. Also, I travel free on the Tube. Yippee!

If you won a million dollars what would you do?

Have a fabulous party in the street and share some with charities.

Your favourite hero of fiction?

Dan Dare.

Comfort food?

Baked potato.

Change one thing about yourself what would it be?

Body shape, a fat stomach and to stop being such a soft touch.

What motivates you?

Life itself. We’re so lucky to have one.

Which talent would you most like to have?

To be able to play the piano.

What do you think happens when we die?

Well, we stop breathing and wait for the next instalment.

I would like to think there was a continuation of sorts.

Which living person do you most admire?

My mum, Hilda, who’s 92 and still does so much.

The best movie you’ve ever seen?

Wow... a difficult one. Sound of Music, Sixth Sense, Shawshank Redemption; All, This and Heaven Too. The last time you cried?

When I caught sight of Dad’s photo. He died eight years ago.

Do you have a life motto?

Just get in there and do it, take the plunge.

What cliché do you most abhor?

It’s not rocket science.

Best thing about your life right now?

Without jinxing it, every department is very satisfactory and I’m enjoying things... tremendously.

Recurring dreams?

Yes. I am crawling from the middle of the road to the pavement. Now that’s one for the experts.

Comfort food?

Crisps.

Do you have a party trick?

Yes, but you couldn’t print it!

First pet?

Budgie called Whisky who just sat on his perch all day looking bored.

Take your coffee?

I drink tea - Builders!

Travel light or heavy?

Not light enough.

What do you think on gay marriage?

At last the world, or some of it, has woken up to the fact that whatever gender you are individuals have the same rights to share the world and whatever it has to offer.

Without prejudice in law and spirituality and emotionally.

As Beyonce sings: If you like it and want it, put a ring on it. You go, guys and gals.

(DAVID HARTNELL) F PN

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SHALE CHAMBERS: WAITEMATA LOCAL BOARD REPORT DEVELOPING A PLAN IS NOT ONE OF THE most exciting things in the world, but we have learned as a local board that having a plan is an essential first step within Auckland Council to targeting and achieving better things for your community. So thanks to all those who have given their time to input and provide feedback on our Waitemata Local Board draft Ponsonby Road, Karangahape Road and Newton plans. These plans will provide a framework to guide future development of these three areas over the next 30 years and, in the case of K’Road and Newton, are prompted in part by the potential of the future City Rail Link stations within their midst. All three plans are scheduled to be finalised this month, after being worked on with much community input over several months.

The draft plans have attracted good media publicity over recent weeks and have generally been well received.

The Ponsonby Road Plan’s vision is to see Ponsonby Road become a vibrant well-connected centre for locals and visitors whilst recognising its unique character.

It aims to recognise Ponsonby Road’s diverse role as a vibrant centre and key entertainment and boutiqueshopping locality for residents, businesses and visitors; protect, recognise and interpret historic and cultural heritage, improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists the length of the road, contribute to the achievement of region-wide improvements to the natural environment, and provide open space and community facilities to meet current and future needs.

Amongst its short term funded actions, we will see detailed design and later development of 254 Ponsonby Road as a civic open space, development and implementation of

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a Western Park Development Plan, a new drinking fountain at Three Lamps that will reference the former Waikuta Stream, improved intersection phasing to prioritise pedestrians at Richmond Road, Franklin Road and Three Lamps, the installation of cycle parking at Ponsonby Central, and street planting in accordance with agreed principles and criteria.

The plan's medium to longer term actions, like those of the other two plans, will require input from many arms of council, and in many cases long term plan funding, but the final plans set the framework and priorities for that work.

The vision of the Karangahape Road Plan is to see K’Road as a safe and well-connected place that offers a range of housing and employment generating activities, celebrates its distinctive historical and cultural heritage, and reinforces its role as the colourful 24/7 entertainment and creative fringe of the city centre. The proposed City Rail Link and K’Road station will bring a range of benefits and changes to the K’Road area.

The plan identifies five key moves to revitalise and enhance the area as the creative, edgy fringe of the city centre; protect, enhance and celebrate K Road’s historic and cultural heritage, vibrancy and people, develop an integrated network of open and public spaces in the area, provide safe and convenient connections in the area, and create a safe and enjoyable environment to live, work and play.

The vision of the Newton Plan is to see Newton develop as an attractive, people-friendly centre that makes the most of its opportunities around existing heritage and character, prominent ridge line locations, and connections to surrounding areas.

As a local board we have supported Auckland Council’s initiative of identifying special housing areas to begin to address Auckland’s housing shortage. However, we were very pleased to see our strong advocacy for the Housing New Zealand pensioner housing complexes in Spring Street, Freemans Bay and another in Great North Road not included in the recent announcement of special housing areas was successful. The Spring Street complex’s proposed zoning in the Unitary Plan in particular is very much the subject of community debate and numerous public submissions. It would have been wrong for pensioners to be evicted from their ‘home for life’ and a quick consent process of redevelopment, with no public notification and limited appeal rights imposed in these circumstances.

We were also very pleased to see Great North Road included as a special housing area as a result of our advocacy. Great North Road is an example of an area that is perfect for intensified mixed use residential development. It is well located on a ridge, on a major transport route, and has community support for this purpose. This only goes to highlight the travesty still unfolding in the midst of the new Special Housing Area of a prime site being progressed by Bunnings for a large big box retail complex with huge vehicle movements daily abutting the adjoining heritage residential community.

Surely common sense dictates the new status of the area is occasion for pause, and a serious rethink.

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

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LOCAL NEWS 'WE HAVE WON THE WAR BUT NOT THE BATTLE' - ARCH HILL RESIDENTS The announcement by Mayor Len Brown and Nick Smith, Minister of Housing, that the 2km stretch of Great North Road between Newton Road and Grey Lynn village has been designated an SHA - one of 41 new Special Housing Areas where building consents for apartment buildings up to four stories in height will be fast tracked has had a somewhat bitter-sweet reaction from Arch Hill residents.

Arch Hill Residents Inc. are currently embroiled in a mediation process as part of an appeal to the Environment Court to stop a Bunnings big box development on the corner of King Street and Great North Road, right in the middle of the proposed zone.

“The dots are finally joined between Mayor Len’s vision for Auckland as the ‘World’s most liveable compact city’ and an Auckland City planning department that currently pay little heed to the degradation in quality of life that developments such as this have on communities like ours,” said spokesperson David Batten. ‘‘We have always been pro development and particularly supportive of the intensification of housing along the Grey Lynn ridge and Great North Road transport corridor, so this announcement is in line with our vision for the area, but it has left us feeling we have won the war but not the battle,” he commented.

“The Arch Hill residents were blown away by the financial and moral support we received at the recent ‘Liveable City Art Auction’. With the fighting fund replenished and an obvious mandate from the wider Auckland community, we feel ready to engage Auckland Council and Bunnings in the appeal process with mediation continuing last month.”

But as David noted, “It is a fight we should never have had to engage in given the flawed PN consent process and today’s revelations.” F

PARKING DISCUSSION DOCUMENT Parking for cars causes one of the biggest headaches for Aucklanders, particularly in our historic inner city suburbs and the city centre.

In Freemans Bay commuters are waking up residents from the early hours as they start circling for “free” parking. In Ponsonby residents on narrow streets are frustrated at getting infringement notices for parking on the footpath. In Herne Bay residents are feeling the downside of the successful St Marys Bay residents' parking zone as commuters get pushed into neighbouring streets.

On the Ponsonby strip the most frequent complaint is about the lack of parking. There are many more issues around price, availability and how public space on our streets is allocated to parking, often to the detriment of other transport priorities. As further development occurs (with less parking built off-street under the Unitary Plan), and the inner city population increases, greater demands are going to be placed on space for parking. The super city restructuring brought together seven legacy council systems of managing parking which created inequalities across the city and failed to resolve long-standing parking issues. For the first time a comprehensive region wide parking policy review is being undertaken by Auckland Transport. Public consultation is open until the end of June to give feedback on how the key parking issues facing Auckland should be addressed.

For the city fringe the proposed approach applies 'demand responsive pricing' for parking adjacent to businesses (using pricing to create capacity - this is how the new city centre parking zone works), the introduction of a resident parking scheme (like that currently trialled in St Marys Bay) with priority given to heritage properties with no off- street parking, and paid parking for residential streets close to business, shopping, leisure or public transport. On arterials it is proposed to prioritise public transport and cycling ahead of parking. Auckland Transport has suggested this may require replacement parking for businesses at convenient locations, as it is currently planned for Dominion Road.

Feedback on a parking discussion document will shape Auckland Transport’s parking strategy and open up the way for the roll out of resident parking zones. These zones will be a game changer for busy areas like Ponsonby Road and neighbouring suburbs where huge amounts of parking could be freed up from commuters for residents and short term visitors. The Waitemata Local Board will be providing feedback on the discussion document. Our starting point is for effective parking management to provide residents with access to parking in inner city suburbs and to prioritise parking in town centres to support local businesses and welcome shoppers. We will be listening to our community’s views before commenting.

There is often a perception that the problem with parking is just that there is not enough.

However, a look at the overall policy approach shows the current issues are really about poor and inconsistent management of our available resources. We welcome Auckland Transport tackling this challenging and at times emotive topic with community input and PN look forward to the implementation of solutions as soon as possible. (PIPPA COOM) F The parking discussion document is available on Auckland Transport’s website: at.govt.nz Pippa Coom, Deputy Chair, Waitemata Local Board

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NIKKI KAYE: AUCKLAND CENTRAL MP

Managing a growing economy and supporting Auckland families National’s sixth Budget shows New Zealand is focused on families.

We are putting the well-being of young families and children at the heart of new spending with a comprehensive $500 million package to help families.

Our responsible management will see government debt reduced to 20% of GDP by 2019/20, when we can resume full contributions to the New Zealand Super Fund.

This includes free GP visits for under 13-year-olds, extending paid parental leave and the parental tax credit, and investing more in vulnerable children and early childhood education.

We’ll invest a further $1 billion from the government share offers in essential public assets without having to borrow the money from overseas lenders.

As well as these measures, health spending (for the first time) tops $15 billion a year.

And spending on early childhood, primary, and secondary education will reach $10 billion with an additional $3 billion on tertiary education.

Our growing economy is creating more jobs and is seeing average wages rise faster than inflation.

That’s happening now and Budget forecasts show it continuing with economic growth of 4% next year, and around 170,000 new jobs and a $7600 increase in the average wage over the next four years.

We’re in an enviable position compared with many other countries.

New Zealanders have shown considerable resilience since the domestic recession that Labour left us with, which was followed by the global financial crisis, and the Canterbury earthquakes. As a country we’ve had some tough years but now things are looking up.

We’ll record a small surplus next year and larger surpluses in the coming years, which will allow us extra spending, but not so much that it pushes interest rates higher than they would otherwise be.

We’re also working on making houses more affordable.

An additional 33,500 homes for Auckland have already been announced. There are also other measures to reduce the cost of building a home, including temporarily removing duties and tariffs on plasterboard, reinforcing steel bar, wire nails, roofing, cladding, insulation, paints, electrical and plumbing fittings. It’s estimated this will reduce construction of a standard New Zealand home by $3,500 We’re also going to lift the standard of teaching to help pupils perform better and, in the longer term, to help New Zealand lift its performance in the world.

We are investing $858 million into education to help raise student achievement. As well as supporting quality teaching, we are also putting substantial extra funding into day-to-day operations and modern infrastructure for schools and early childhood education centres.

It is great to have both a strong economy and strong social policies. (NIKKI KAYE) F PN HON NIKKI KAYE, MP for Auckland Central www.nikkikaye.co.nz

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JOHN ELLIOTT: LOCAL NEWS

Ponsonby Road Plan Ever since I joined the old Three Lamps Businessmen’s Association back in the 1980s, I have understood how difficult it is to pull together a diverse range of businesses on a long strip shopping street.

Entrepreneurs who set up business on a historic strip like Ponsonby Road are not easily told when to open, when to close, and when to be ready for a street party.

If they were that compliant they would be in a mall. And so successive business associations have had a hard time whipping them into line, and persuading them to act in the best interests of all.

A range of advisors worked on the draft - retail specialists, heritage, landscapers, planners. Two hundred and fifty written responses were received on the draft in response to the consultation last year. This is considered to be a high level of feedback for a consultation of this type - the responses were also of a really high standard and showed a significant amount of passion and interest in Ponsonby Road.

That old Businessmen’s Association (and I tried to drag them into the 20th century with a gender neutral name without success) worked hard, but disproportionately for Three Lamps according to businesses further along Ponsonby Road. At its worst, it became Three Lamps versus the rest. Of course Businessmen’s Association was past its use by date, but Peter Roberts of Cherrywood Fabrics, Bob Ham of Ponsonby Meats, and John Frogley of Ponsonby Hardware (later Mitre 10), and even Wendy Muir of Millies, a former chairman, (yes she was chairman), resisted change.

The feedback was overall very positive on the vision and the outcomes, with strong support for Ponsonby Road to be safe for walking and cycling along the entire length.

Now, I’m not about to criticise the work of this quartet - they did sterling work for Ponsonby - but they were an anachronism in their own time. So a group of us set up the ponderously named Greater Ponsonby Business and Professional Association. This did take the main emphasis off Three Lamps, but failed to achieve much. It did include other than just retailers - prominent member Peter White was an accountant living in Freemans Bay. It was chaired, although he preferred to be called facilitator, by the colourful Phil Mathias, owner of Dermagraphic Tattoo Studio on College Hill.

Phil was a highly intelligent but eccentric local who stood for Mayor of Auckland.

Eventually, Phil pulled the plug, declaring he was sick of talking to himself and getting no support. The GPB & PA foundered and died. Tragically Phil died in a car crash far too young.

I have given readers this little potted history to let you know how hard it is to corral small independent business people who are not going to be told how to run their businesses.

Little, I think, has changed among some businesses, but we do have a committed Business Association, better run than at any time in my 30 year history, bolstered by the Waitemata Local Board, and especially the appointed liaison board member, Pippa Coom.

I discussed with Pippa the Draft Ponsonby Road Masterplan, released for consultation in August and September last year.

The main concerns were about speeding, parking and two-waying of Three Lamps.

Pippa Coom maintains that a big game changer for Ponsonby Road that could support the outcomes of the plan is the implementation of parking zones in the side streets which will work to discourage commuters and free up parking for local shoppers and visitors. As Pippa says, “There is also the potential for a lot of the off-street private parking to be better managed. Auckland Transport is consulting on a parking discussion document in June.”

An advantage of having a plan is that it provides a foundation for future investment - and a degree of certainty around future development.

There are two important points to make for Ponsonby News readers and residents. The word ‘master’ has been dropped, as it could be interpreted as an imposition of the plan on Ponsonby. ‘Further consultation’ is the mantra.

Secondly, the future of the Nosh site has been taken out of this discussion and will be evaluated separately.

This plan for Ponsonby Road is not being imposed on anyone, but is a comprehensive, inclusive consultation by all interested parties, which should result in a general consensus on what we want for our signature road, for the benefit of retailers, hospitality providers, residents and visitors.

It could become a win-win solution in a difficult business environment.

There seems to be unprecedented cooperation among stakeholders to get it right.

As Pippa Coom explains, “The development of the draft masterplan was quite unique for council because it was developed with a working group made up of stakeholders, Ponsonby Business Association reps, iwi and community reps, plus Tricia Reade (former local board member)."

I think back to the attempt to establish tuktuks on Ponsonby Road. Some new public transport initiative to get people safely and quickly up and down the length of Ponsonby PN Road would be a winner. Trams maybe! Any ideas anyone? (JOHN ELLIOTT) F

Little Grocer development The resource consent for a 60 seat cafe on the site of the Little Grocer on Richmond Road will be fully notified, according to information just received from Auckland Council.

From the date of this notification (actual date not yet known) there will be 20 days available for submissions to be made.

As the residents group who are fighting this development say, "that is round one", now everybody must make submissions and fight to stop this development completely. photography: Dallas Pickering

Please contact John Elliott of Ponsonby News on M: 021 879 054, or Jessica Fowler on M: 021 147 2482, or Mattie Wall on M: 021 220 9043 for further information.

Let’s fight to stop an inappropriately large development in this residential spot.

(JOHN ELLIOTT) F PN

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JOHN ELLIOTT: LOCAL NEWS

Let’s take back Auckland from developers The Auckland Council’s laudable plan to seek population intensification within current city limits and avoid further massive urban sprawl is under serious threat. In its attempts to facilitate new large scale apartment buildings, the council is under threat from greedy developers, who seem able to manipulate council in order to multiply their profits.

“We would love to build a high quality apartment block right here,” they tell council officers, “but it needs to be seven storeys, not four, in order to make a profit.”

Anecdotal evidence is that council officers are telling developers that if they design a building of a sufficiently high standard, they will be granted permission to add several more storeys to ensure a better profit. Some developments will not even be notified, and heritage villa owners may literally wake up one morning with a four storey wall being erected right on their boundary.

There is particular concern in Great North Road. Council has identified space especially where car yards have been located, which it considers prime spots for population intensification. On bus routes, close to the central city, elevated, with great views across the city to the Waitemata Harbour, this does seem a logical place to build blocks of apartments.

But the council has no mandate to supply good profits to developers.

We now have newly designated Special Housing Areas, where the council will allow fasttracked development. A 2km stretch of Great North Road has been so designated.

While I agree with Arch Hill resident David Batten that Great North Road should be used for population intensification and not big box development of the Bunnings variety, I say beware of this proposal. Who gets the advantage from fast-track development?

Residents worried about the height and scale of an apartment block? No sirree! It’s the greedy developers who have the council officers by the short and curlies who will be the beneficiaries.

These ambitions for Great North Road are not so popular if you live in an old villa in Grey Lynn heights, where towering blocks will look over the back yards of many lovely villa properties, destroying their privacy, sun, and general amenity. The problem is ready to erupt right along the length of Great North Road, affecting Ariki, Beaconsfield, Grosvenor, Elgin, Harcourt, Northland, and other side streets off Great North Road - that is the 2km designated by council.

One development proposed on the corner of Harcourt and Great North Road will drastically affect the owners of No. 2 Harcourt Street, and tower over dozens of other properties.

Ponsonby News spoke to Keith Milne and he showed us the plans for a seven storey block on the site of the present Coopers Cars.

Keith asked rhetorically, why should council approve a building 23.55 metres in height, when the district plan sets a 15 metre limit? Why should they allow 3344.5 square metres of floor area, when the plan calls for an allowable 1712 square metres?

It is easy to understand Keith’s anger when he says, “just chuck on another couple of floors to make it good and profitable.” There is a strong feeling that developers are being encouraged to break the rule book. Keith's attitude is that the Unitary Plan is not yet in force, so council should stick to the rules of the district plan, especially by enforcing present permissible heights adjacent to heritage zones.

Should this proposed seven storey block, be allowed to be fast-tracked, and to hell with careful consideration of adjacent owner's concerns?

An important part of the intensification problem is the abutment of potential new high rises in the CBD against 100 year old heritage villas on the city fringe. The council needs to tread very warily on this issue. Some of these villa owners have been on the Auckland city fringe for 20, 30, or even 40 years.

As a staunch opponent of urban sprawl, I have been worried about NIMBYism - not in my back yard - but I am beginning to realise that the world’s most liveable city can easily be tarnished by ruining the amenity which many inner city old villas and bungalows have developed over 50 to 100 years.

Likewise, a string of four storey apartments along the northern side of Jervois Road will do irreparable damage to local amenity in Herne Bay. The new development on the Herne Bay Bowling Club site is looking huge and oppressive. Imagine that extended the length of Jervois Road all the way to Wallace Street. It will create a dark wind tunnel, blocking views north to the sea over the tops of a cluster of beautiful old Victorian Villas.

I initially supported four storey apartments to replace the Speights Ale House on the corner of Kelmarna Street, but it will affect amenity for local residents, some markedly.

Those of us who live in a heritage street, that will not be affected by high rise or infill (Wanganui Avenue in my case) still need to engage with our community and seek solutions which best suit everyone.

So perhaps I haven’t fully appreciated the concerns of many inner city owners whose lives will be changed drastically, usually for the worse, by heavy infill or 20 metre walls right up against them.

I don’t want to see Kumeu, Whitford, and other rural areas surrounding the central city, being built on, but I also don’t envy city fathers trying to squeeze more people into the inner city fringe.

And I don’t want to see bully boy developers running my city, hiding behind companies they will liquidate if a project doesn’t work, unable to pay subbies, moving on to the next job, not caring one jot about people, just the almighty dollar.

Until we can as a society understand that it is about people, not profit, and until we can make New Zealand a more equal society again, neo-liberalism will kill our communities.

And finally, who are these anonymous independent commissioners who have so much power in Auckland City?

We didn’t vote for them, and yet they have the temerity to refuse to even notify some resource consents they deem unimportant.

Auckland Council would do well to listen to British architecture critic, Jonathan Glancey, in Auckland for the readers and writers festival. He is shocked by politician's love for high rise. “It’s all about money,” he says, “you need to create New Zealand buildings using your light and wind, your wonderful plants, and combat the banal globalisation of architecture.”

He recommends we follow Barcelona’s example. My message to council is this - you neglect and ride roughshod over long term inner city residents at your peril.

PN (JOHN ELLIOTT) F

OCTOBER 1989 - OCTOBER 2014 +

CELEBRATES

Years

For more information or to book your advertising contact: Jo Barrett on 021 324 510 or t: 09 361 3356 or 09 378 8553 e: joannebarrett@xtra.co.nz w: www.ponsonbynews.co.nz

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MIKE LEE

On guard Aucklanders! Our public waterfront is under attack The National Government has announced the end of its assets sales programme, which on the face of it should bring to a close New Zealand’s shameful era of privatisation.

While most of the Government’s trading assets have now been completely or partially sold off, it’s probably too much to hope that privatisation will really come to an end. In fact, I have long suspected local public assets will be the next to come under pressure.

And in fact this seems to be happening with the first target being public open space.

Prime waterfront open space, judging by the revelations that Auckland Council and Council Controlled Organisation bureaucrats have been secretly discussing the sell-off of Queens Wharf to a mysterious Cayman Islands-based corporation.

Persistent rumours suggest that behind this is Australian mining billionaire, Gina Rinehart, but this has been adamantly denied by the project frontman, local businessman and Mayor Len Brown backer, Sir Noel Robinson. But he won’t say who it is. Why not?

Following closely on the heels of this unhappy news came the Auckland Council governing body’s decision, on the basis of an officers’ report emailed through the previous day, to agree ‘in principle’ to the sell off Queen Elizabeth ll Square to the Abu Dhabi controlled Precinct Properties, as part of an expanded shopping mall - office tower development.

Like Queens Wharf, Queen Elizabeth ll Square is high value, strategically located public open space. It is also prime blue-chip real estate, potentially the most valuable in New Zealand - though judging from the council officers’ report it is considered neither.

Queens Wharf was purchased by the former Auckland Regional Council and the Government in 2009 and opened to the public for the first time in nearly 100 years on Anzac Day 2010. It has proven to be enormously popular with Aucklanders.

With its purpose-built, temporary ‘Cloud’, Queens Wharf did sterling service during the Rugby World Cup as ‘Party Central’. Its companion, historic Shed 10 has been handsomely

renovated by Waterfront Auckland to become Auckland’s premier cruise ship terminal, just as the ARC recommended in mid 2010.

Apart from hosting tens of thousands of cruise ship visitors, Shed 10 has become a sentimental favourite of Aucklanders (they do after all own it). It is used for a wide range of public events, memorably hosting thousands of supporters, morning after morning, who came to Shed 10 to cheer on Team New Zealand during last year’s dramatic America’s Cup final in San Francisco.

From the time, as chairman of the ARC, I announced our intention to buy Queens Wharf.

I have considered one of the greatest assets of Queens Wharf is the existing and potential views out over the harbour. Opening the city to the sea. Hopefully the Cloud will soon be removed to enhance these views. The secret plans to privatise the Quay Street end of Queens Wharf and to block those views with crass office and car park buildings is unacceptable.

Across Quay Street, the loss of Queen Elizabeth ll Square will be a major loss of amenity for downtown Auckland. Precinct Properties’ new development could have been an opportunity to redress the planning mistakes of the 1970s and 80s. But from what I have seen so far, and given the forelock-tugging attitude of council bureaucrats towards big-business and their unwillingness to stand up for the public interest, I am not holding my breath. Neither should you.

On guard Aucklanders. The waterfront legacy of present and future generations is under PN threat. (MIKE LEE) F Councillor for Waitemata & Gulf www.mikelee.co.nz

AUCKLAND PREPARES WITH NEW TSUNAMI MAPS Auckland now has its first set of comprehensive tsunami evacuation maps for the coastline of the entire region.

Produced by Auckland Civil Defence and Emergency Management, the 233 easy-to-read online maps identify risk areas and explain the ideal evacuation zones in the event of a tsunami. Civil Defence Director Clive Manley says the maps will help Aucklanders understand the risk to their local community and help prepare them to react effectively in an emergency.

“While most of Auckland has low tsunami risk, it is still important for the region to be prepared. These maps will assist us in refining emergency response plans for each community allowing each of them to be better prepared in the case of an incident,” he says.

“Auckland Civil Defence is working with local boards and communities to help them understand the risk, and working with them to identify evacuation routes, signage and public alerting options going forward. These maps give communities the localised information they need to be able to plan and prepare.”

The maps are based on information from the 2013 Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management study into New Zealand’s tsunami risk.

To view the tsunami evacuation maps and for more information on community response plans go to: www.aucklandcivildefence.org.nz/community/tsunami-evacuation-maps/ A video explaining Auckland’s tsunami risk is at www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2GWkW_WgkU

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JACINDA ARDERN: LABOUR LIST MP AUCKLAND

Budget 2014 and beyond Budget day is an odd time in Parliament. There’s a huge amount of build up and expectation, and rightly so.

As much as it is full of political speak, the Budget directly affects all of our lives. It’s the day when the Government tells the country where they want to go, and how they are going to get there.

This Budget sadly felt like a missed opportunity. Yes, we are moving into surplus, but only by the skin of our teeth. The Government is charging higher ACC levies than it needs to and cutting expenditure for the Christchurch rebuild to ensure the books move into the black.

Making sure we balance the books is definitely critical, and Labour’s plan includes moving back into surplus too, but there are ways to get there that will also solve some of the pressing structural issues within our economy. Take for instance our housing crisis.

Home ownership rates are their lowest in 50 years and dropping. This budget does nothing to change that.

By contrast, Labour’s plan includes introducing a capital gains tax, stopping offshore speculation and building 100,000 affordable homes. These measures will start to address our housing crisis and give people hope of fulfilling their dream of owning their own home.

Another example is the growing inequality in New Zealand. Wages just aren’t increasing fast enough for those who need it most. Last year 46% of Kiwis didn’t get a pay rise.

Average pay rates went up 1.6% when inflation was 1.5%.

Some might take a view that this isn’t Government business. I completely disagree.

A responsible government that is focused on full employment can absolutely ensure the right conditions exist for job creation and wage growth.

Our aim is to reduce unemployment to 4% in our first term. We can do this by modernising the economy, focusing on investment, innovation and industry to help create secure long-term jobs for Kiwis.

We have already announced industry upgrades for manufacturing and forestry. Businesses support our R&D tax credits for innovation, and tax incentives to increase productivity.

We will help exporters by lowering interest rates, which takes pressure off our over valued exchange rate. Universal KiwiSaver, and the Variable Savings Rate, mean Kiwis will pay more money into their own savings, and less in interest.

We have a fiscally responsible plan, and ultimately it’s all about focusing on people.

Whether it’s first home buyers, people looking for work, children who are living in poverty - this is what budgets should be all about, and will be under a Labour government.

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

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AUCKLAND COUNCIL ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR MORE HOUSING ALONG GREAT NORTH ROAD A third tranche of 41 Special Housing Areas that would yield 18,000 new homes across Auckland was announced last month by Housing Minister Dr Nick Smith and Auckland Mayor Len Brown.

These 41 SHAs have been adopted by Auckland Council but are subject to formal approval by Cabinet and a recommendation to the Governor-General. The set of SHAs includes a two kilometre stretch of the Great North Road ridge from Newton to the Surrey Crescent shops.

The Grey Lynn Business Association is delighted with this decision as it fits their vision for Great North Road as a boulevard full of shops, cycleways and spaces for our community in which to live, play and work.

“We support the Arch Hill Residents Association in their objection to the proposed Bunnings development at 272-302 Great North Road. We believe that the 'big box' retail format that Bunnings proposes is wrong for the area and will have an adverse impact both on the Arch Hill residential community and on local businesses,” says GLBA Chair Jennifer Northover.

"The Great North Road is currently zoned as mixed use on the city fringe which provides a rare opportunity for residential intensification. It is not a zone suited to the big box retail format, which is a non-complying activity in a mixed use zone. Well-designed apartments with an appropriate mix of businesses - which is what the zone is intended for - would enhance the use of the road, complement the Arch Hill residential community, add vibrancy to the area and provide more customers for local businesses. With great local transport options, fantastic views and proximity to the city, this will be an attractive area for people who enjoy inner-city living.

"The GLBA believes the Bunnings development will adversely affect the local community in a number of ways. A Bunnings store is a 'destination' store. People will typically drive to it and back out again; they won't dwell and browse in the area. It will bring very little in the way of extra custom to local businesses and will likely compete with some.

"The store will generate significant additional traffic in the area both in truck movements and customer vehicles. This will not only adversely impact the current Arch Hill residential community; it will also make the area less attractive for the inner-city living we believe the area is best suited for.

"Bunnings is a large Australian-owned, efficient and well-run business. GLBA holds no brief against Bunnings per se but believes that the store should be located in an area better suited to the proposed format.

"Great North Road provides an ideal opportunity for residential intensification and perfect location for small to medium sized businesses. This opportunity should not PN be lost.” F To contact the Grey Lynn Business Association: E: info@glba.co.nz; W: www.glba.co.nz

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NIKI WRIGHT: LEYS INSTITUTE LIBRARY NEWS

Winter cosiness with books and more Winter is an ideal time for collecting a stack of items from the library and racing home to enjoy them.

We have a fantastic range of books suited to indoor pursuits - cooking, painting, knitting, designing a garden, learning a language and planning your next overseas trip.

Don’t limit yourself to books - we also have a wide range of magazines, audio books, DVDs and CDs to amuse you during wet weekends and dark winter nights.

Audio books and eAudiobooks Audio books are becoming increasingly popular. More and more major books by popular authors are being published in this format. You can find all sorts of fiction and nonfiction books including crime, romance, history, biography and literary fiction. Many customers comment on how they enjoy listening to audio books while cooking, gardening, working out, driving or just when they want to give their eyes a rest. Audio books are free to borrow and go out for four weeks.

We also have eAudiobooks - there are thousands that can be downloaded or streamed directly from the Auckland libraries website - www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz eAudiobooks can be played on your phone, tablet, laptop, computer or eReader. If you are not sure how to do this, pop into the library and we can help you.

Tales by Twilight - evening storytimes This month we see the return of our popular Tales by Twilight storytimes. These are evening storytimes that run from 6-7pm. This a great chance for family members who can’t get to the daytime sessions to come along with the children and enjoy some stories and songs. These storytimes are suitable for preschool and school age children but the whole family is welcome! Children can come in their pyjamas and bring along a blanket and a teddy bear to snuggle up with.

There are two sessions: Friday 20 June 6pm - 7pm Friday 27 June 6pm - 7pm With the shortest day on 21 June, we will be starting our Matariki celebrations with midwinter displays and storytimes. Please check out Facebook page Leys Institute library Ponsonby for further details.

All the best for a cosy winter from the Leys Institute team - we look forward to recommending some good books when you pop in to see us. (NIKI WRIGHT) F PN

MAYOR TO ESTABLISH AUCKLAND WRITERS’ GRANT Auckland Mayor Len Brown today announced that he will establish an Auckland writers’ grant worth $10,000 per annum to support emerging and talented Auckland writers.

The mayor will convene a group from the literary sector to design and develop the grant and application process, with a view to making the first grant in 2015.

It will be open to writers based in the Auckland region, with the first two years funded from the mayoral budget.

Speaking at the Auckland Writers Festival, the mayor said: “My intention is to give emerging and talented writers from Auckland an opportunity to develop their work for a broader audience.

“I hope that this will be a good complement to national awards such as the Michael King and Katherine Mansfield prizes, and the range of grants from Creative New Zealand.

“There is no shortage of great literary talent in our region and I am keen to encourage PN efforts to support and develop this talent.” F

$500 REWARD FOR LOST PENDANT I LOST A GOLD PENDANT ON PONSONBY Road between Vermont Street and Tole Street where I was walking my dog and riding my bike around 1pm on Saturday 17 May. I looked for it intensively as soon as I noticed it had dropped (the chain was still on my neck).

It has sentimental value as it was a gift from my mother, who has recently passed away. I would like to offer a $500 reward for its return.

Please phone Robyn Floyd on M: 021 250 3673; or email robyn.floyd@gmail.com

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

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

WORLD JOURNEYS RELOCATE OFFICES TO WELLINGTON STREET Late last month, the team at World Journeys moved from their Ponsonby Road location to nearby Wellington Street.

They held a small party to celebrate and to show off their brand new offices in the Old St Patrick’s School House, at 57 Wellington Street, Freeman’s Bay. F PN

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DEIRDRE TOHILL: LANDMARK BUILDINGS

The higher thought temple This small brick temple on the corner of Union Street and Warimu Place is very rare and possibly the only example of a Higher Thought church in New Zealand.

It reflects the development of alternative religious philosophies that became prominent here after European colonisation, and has value as a place of study and spiritual healing continued by the building’s current owners. The Craig Brothers built the temple in1928 to Henry Robinson’s design - they had all been involved in the construction of the Theosophical Society Hall in Queen Street. They were also adherents of a spiritualist movement, Builders of the Adytum, which believes in the power of conscious thought’s ability to solve day-to-day problems.

The Higher Thought Temple was given to the Builders of the Adytum in the 1970s and has a category 11 Historic Places Trust rating. As well as historical significance, it has considerable aesthetic value for its simple, dignified design, and intact interior that incorporates a timbered vestibule, decorative glasswork and a light, spacious hall. It also has a George Croft organ. Croft came from England to New Zealand as an infant but returned there to learn his craft. When he came back he established a substantial business, George Croft & Son and built or rebuilt a large number of instruments in both islands.

The Adytum (the inner sanctuary of an ancient Greek temple) is related to the Qabalah which is an ancient Jewish interpretation of the Bible, and believers often wear a red string bracelet to ward off the Evil Eye. Qabalahists believe tarot cards are keys to the Tree of Life as do the Higher Thought Temple adherents who meet several times a month for healing sessions and meditation. As a point of interest, both Madonna and Britney Spears are Qabalah followers. (DEIRDRE TOHILL) F PN

A TRIBUTE TO IVAN MERCEP Ponsonby News pays homage to outstanding Auckland architect, Ivan Mercep, a long time resident of Herne Bay who passed away 18 April this year.

He was born in Taumarunui in 1930 to Croatian parents who ran the prosperous local fish shop, but during the World War 2 years the family moved to Auckland and settled in New Lynn. His father took over a fish shop and restaurant at the foot of Queen Street.

The move enabled Ivan to attend Sacred Heart College on Richmond Road in 1946 and later to study architecture at Auckland University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture in 1954. Overseas travel followed and he gained experience with an established architect in London then in 1960 returned to New Zealand and settled in Herne Bay with his wife, Halina whom he met and married in Montreal, Canada. At about that time Stephen Jelicich set up a group of architects and planners, the Architects Planning Group, which sought to influence planning issues that affected Auckland. Ivan joined and assisted in setting up exhibitions, organising meetings, and rallying public interest through the media.

Meanwhile Stephen, who had been running a small practice on Symonds Street, considered expanding. He was approached by Graham Smith, one of the Planning Group, about joining forces. Graham had already talked to Ivan and the upshot was an informal meeting that included John Austin and architect-planner, Rod Davies. When discussions were finalised, the company JAZMaD Group Ltd was formed. The firm took off successfully from the start with university and hotel work and a range of commercial projects. In 1989 it was restructured with retirements and the introduction of new partners with a name change to JAZMAX, now one of the country’s largest and most successful architectural practices.

Ivan was the team leader behind JAZMAX’s design of the national museum, Te Papa, but a great deal of his work can be found in Auckland’s inner city. He designed Samoa House in Karangahape Road, the Recreation Centre and Faculty of Arts complex at Auckland University, and the University’s marvellous Waipapa marae and Fale Pasifica. In fact he worked a great deal with Maori and Pacific communities and was one of the first pakeha architects to design a marae complex, the Hoani Waititi facility that opened in West Auckland in 1980. In 1997 Ivan was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to architecture, and in 2008 he received a gold medal from the New Zealand Institute of Architects, in recognition of his 50 years service as an architect.

Ivan’s son Simon says his father was a passionate architect, dedicated to his craft, and to mentoring younger architects. He continued working practically full time until he fell ill at the age of 83. His last project was the new iwi headquarters for Tuhoe in the Bay of Plenty, the country’s first so called ‘living building’. Simon goes on to say that his father was also committed to his local community. He joined the community based Ponsonby Plan in the 1980s, a group intent on preserving Ponsonby’s cultural and architectural heritage. He later served on the Auckland Urban Design Panel.

Ivan’s funeral service was held at the All Saints Church in Three Lamps. Stephen Jelicich, the only one of the original group left standing, gave a moving eulogy. It was a fitting location as the church community hall was a frequent meeting place for the Ponsonby Plan group. The church was a poignant setting because it was designed by Professor PN Richard Toy who had lectured Ivan at the University of Auckland. (DEIRDRE TOHILL) F

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JOHN ELLIOTT: LOCAL NEWS

The death of the state house We used to live in one of the most egalitarian countries in the world, but the neo-liberal market forces political philosophy has ended all that.

We now rank among the most unequal countries in the OECD and the Western world.

This is the result of the influence of the Chicago School of Economics, headed by Milton Freedman. The two most notorious proponents of neo-liberal politics were Margaret Thatcher (who infamously declared there is no such thing as society, only individuals) and President Ronald Reagan.

And now this National Government is hell bent on further privatisation - this time state houses. New Zealand led the world when Michael Savage’s Labour Government built thousands of state houses for working New Zealanders. Labour’s welfare state led the world, well ahead of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal in America.

For several decades neither National nor Labour governments dared dismantle this welfare state. Now by various devious subterfuges, National is selling off the family silver, the last straw being getting out of social housing as fast as it can. One significant figure - 10,000 state houses sold for half (yes half) their valuation to private enterprise could realise 1.2 billion dollars for the national coffers. Perhaps that should read National Party coffers.

The result will be elderly women, who already fare badly in retirement income statistics, disabled and vulnerable New Zealanders on the street with nowhere to go. Like Obama’s Rebublican opponents say, “let them get sick, deny them health insurance, let them die.”

Is that the same attitude towards elderly New Zealanders with nowhere else to go, and threatened with eviction to a suburb way away from their friends and family?

I spoke recently with two elderly women affected by life’s vicissitudes - both highly intelligent, alone and frightened. They have both been served 90 day eviction notices from their inner city housing.

The fact is this: The Government has changed the rules. Back in 1993, National instituted market rents for state houses, Labour reversed that in 1999, and restored income related rents. Now, National wants to assess every state house owner every three years, and kick out those who they decree should be in private housing. This could include elderly widows or widowers, who have brought up two or three children who have now fledged from the nest, and who, according to Housing New Zealand don’t need two or three bedrooms any longer. If there was a smaller unit somewhere handy that might not be so inhumane. But in most cases there is not. These vulnerable people will be on the street or in a suburb miles away from where they have enjoyed a community for sometimes 40 or 50 years. And to make matters worse, their housing needs will now be assessed by WINZ (social welfare), who may refer them to a private housing provider rather than to HNZ. Some of these actions might be termed elder abuse.

photography: Martin Leach

From the early 1980s, Roger Douglas and then Ruth Richardson slavishly followed the free market philosophy. New Zealand quite quickly became a country with a huge gap between the top 20% of income earners and the bottom 20%. Unenviably, we are now a little less unequal than the United States and the United Kingdom, but way more unequal than most European countries, especially Norway, Denmark, Finland, France, and about fifth most unequal among 32 OECD countries. Incidentally I pointed out last month in my article on education how far we are behind Finland. This is a disgrace.

Long term resident, GAEL BALDOCK has lived in Westmere for 23 years and she has recently been served 90 days notice by Housing New Zealand

YOU’RE UNIQUE AND SO IS PONSONBY But what makes Ponsonby unique? Is it finding a convenient car park? Or perhaps it’s enjoying free range organic quinoa muesli with your yoga class? Either way, Ponsonby is a cultural capital.

Celebrating all of Ponsonby’s 'uniqueness' is The Cav, one of Ponsonby’s oldest establishments, who have teamed up with two of New Zealand’s respected fashion and street photographers Max Lemesh and Venus Tong to capture the area’s charm.

They’ll be around all week, not just on the streets, but in local businesses, taking photos of people and places that are so ‘Uniquely Ponsonby’.

Stalk their photos if you want, we won’t tell: Instagram: @UniquelyPonsonby www.Facebook.com/TheCavNZ You might see someone you know! Or you’ll find your new Facebook profile picture - looking good, by the way.

And if you snap your own Ponsonbyish photos, they won’t mind at all. But hash-tag them with #UniquelyPonsonby and you could win a very unique prize pack.

These photos could also be published in a fancy new book that’ll look rather nice on a coffee table too. F PN

photography: Max Lemesh

All of this is to satisfy the National Government’s ideological stance - privatise, privatise, privatise. All the word fudging in the world can’t disguise this. It has been alarming to see National selling off state assets, professing to help ‘mum and dad investors’ (about 2% who happened to have a couple of spare thousand dollars hanging around bought half of power companies owned by four million New Zealanders), reducing taxes for their mates and adding to the GST burden for everyone else. This is government by the 1% for the 1% - crony capitalism. I say, we should fight to save state housing, especially for the old, the young, and the underprivileged.

As the Right Honourable Sir Edmund (Ted) Thomas, former Judge of the Court of Appeal, told the audience at the Bruce Jesson Memorial Lecture, New Zealand will never again be a fair or just society, until we rid ourselves of the last vestiges of neo-liberalism.

PN (JOHN ELLIOTT) F

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OCTOBER 1989 - OCTOBER 2014 + CELEBRATES

Years BRINGING LOCAL NEWS AND VIEWS TO THE GREATER PONSONBY AREA AND ITS SURROUNDS. Be a part of our special celebratory October

2014 issue. There will be a limited number

of bound advertisement inserts available plus special positions and regular run of paper.

SPECIAL FEATURES: + Three Lamps + Gardens & Outdoor Living + Home Renovations + High Summer Fashion + NZ Fashion Week

BE SURE TO SECURE YOUR ADVERTISING SPACE. For more information or to book your advertising contact: Jo Barrett on 021 324 510 or t: 09 361 3356 or 09 378 8553 e: joannebarrett@xtra.co.nz w: www.ponsonbynews.co.nz

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SUSTAINABILITY NEW SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS DIRECTORY AN ORGANIC TASTE EXPLOSION FEATURES PONSONBY BUSINESSES THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND The new Sustainable Business Directory is a ‘one stop shop’ to make it easier to find more sustainable products and services across New Zealand. Launched recently by the Sustainable Business Network, the directory includes several Ponsonby businesses.

The Ponsonby businesses include: ecostore, Kokako, Great Ponsonby Art Hotel, Ripe, All Good, Little Bird, Ponsonby Backpackers, Raw Essentials, Paradigm, Fisheye, We’ar Righteous Ltd and Snackpack.

CEO of the Sustainable Business Network Rachel Brown says that the directory makes it fast and easy to search and select the suppliers in your area committed to being more sustainable. “From waste consultants to wineries, IT to insurance, you can discover products and services, certifications and programme providers nationwide. It’s the ‘go -to’ place to source smart solutions.”

The Sustainable Business Directory profiles all organisations that are members of the Sustainable Business Network. Users can search for products and services by keyword, geographical region or by category.

“We encourage users of the directory to ask sustainability-related questions of the organisations listed. While they are at different stages of their sustainability journey, and no business is perfect, they have all shown a commitment to sustainability by joining our network and we work with them to improve their business’ sustainability,” says Rachel.

“We’ve included specific fields in each directory profile so users can find out more about each business’ commitment to sustainability. This includes identifying how each business contributes to a more sustainable New Zealand, as well as information about awards, certifications and participation in sustainability programmes.” F PN To find out more about the Sustainable Business Directory go to: www.sustainable.org.nz/sustainable-business-directory Or view this short video clip (90 seconds): http://youtu.be/-N5e1octbFY

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Quite possibly the tastiest organic sparkling drinks in the world have arrived and these little flavour bombs are set to create quite a bang.

The new range of exquisite and refreshing organic sparkling drinks from All Good Organics are now available in White Grapefruit, Bitter Lemon, Red Grapefruit, Blood Orange and Blackcurrant. All Good have been searching to find the world’s tastiest organic fruit, squeezed the juice and mixed it with pure spring water and organic fair trade sugar. According to All Good’s Simon Coley, “when we first tried them we knew we were on to something, they just blew our taste buds away. We wanted to create the best organic sparkling drinks we possibly could, and we’ve spent the last two years looking for the juiciest, most intensely flavoured organic fruit we could find.”

The organic fruit has been grown with care and without the use of chemicals and the juicing process extracts every element of flavour, including the oils from the skin and the pith of the citrus fruits to create the most rich and intense taste. “We’ve thought hard about all the ingredients and the other elements that make the fruit and flavours really sing, right down to the curvy bottle and typography,” Simon says. Blackcurrant is ‘a taste explosion the like of which you haven’t felt in years.’ The blackcurrants are grown in the Canterbury Plains near Timaru. Blood Orange has a strong orange flavour but with definite bite. The bottle assures it will ‘administer a life-affirming explosion of sensory shock and awe.’ As if lemons weren’t bitter enough, All Good’s Bitter Lemon is strong and sharp, ‘designed to quench your thirst, lift your spirits and dance on your tongue.’

White Grapefruit is ‘sweet and mouth puckeringly sour’ and ‘will blast your taste buds into next week.’ Its sweeter cousin, the smaller ruby Red Grapefruit promises a ‘sensory overload that’ll blow your taste buds and your mind.’ You will find the All Good & Sparkling range at Alleluya Bar and Café, Bird on a Wire, Conch Café, the Waterview Coffee Project, Little King, Little Melba, Jimmy the Fish and more. F PN www.allgoodorganics.co.nz

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

SUSTAINABILITY PON'SUN'BY Ponsonby resident John Leckie used to balk at his monthly power bill. “It was $200 a month, and we’re not even big power users.”

He and his partner Jenny, who live in a three-bedroom house in Lincoln Street, finally decided that enough was enough, and began to investigate solar panels.

“Ponsonby is a sunny suburb, and the sun is freely hitting the roof. Why not use it? We wanted to make our own power. We wanted a sense of independence and to be less reliant on the big power companies.”

They put in a 5kW system (20x250w panels) on the north-facing roof of their home in March this year. It cost $16,000 to install but John says that at current power prices, it will pay for itself in six to eight years.

The new range of refreshing organic sparkling drinks from All Good Organics.

“Then we have years and years of free power from the panels, with no maintenance required.”

The panels last on average 25 years. Power company Meridian buys back any excess power that John generates. “It is definitely economical,” he says.

John, a senior tutor at the University of Auckland, says he would not describe himself as ‘eco’, “I drive V12 Jaguars!” But he says solar has always appealed to him.

“Capital costs have fallen over the years, and it’s now more attractive. We took another look and it made sense.”

He took advantage of specials offered by solar company Solar King.

John is the first to admit the upfront costs of installing solar can be prohibitive for some people. He discussed this with Green Party co-leader Russel Norman when Russel dropped in to talk to him about the benefits of solar in late April.

The Green Party recently introduced a policy to encourage the uptake of solar. If in government, it would provide households with low-cost loans to install panels. The loans would be repaid through rates, with the value of the system attaching to the house.

John Leckie says Solar Homes is a great policy. “It helps with big upfront costs and it improves property value. It’s a selling point. At first we thought we’d take our solar panels with us when we go, but actually I think it’s a real feature for the house.”

Above John Leckie and Russel Norman; below Russel Norman

Russel Norman said the average annual electricity bill in Auckland had gone up by a whopping $359 in the last five years. “People are paying too much for their power.

Solar is a smart choice for those wanting to reduce these costs. It’s also one of the greenest forms of electricity generation out there.”

He said with 2,000 annual sunshine hours, Auckland was a prime candidate for solar.

JOHN LECKIE RECEIVED HIS POWER BILL He’s now paying half what he had been paying for power. This doesn’t include fixed lines charges which have stayed the same, but what he is paying for his actual power has reduced by half. And it's coming up to the shortest day of the year. His savings are likely to be markedly more during summer thanks to the solar panels.

Go to www.greens.org.nz/solarhomes for more information on the Green Party’s PN proposal. F

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SUSTAINABILITY SUSTAINABILITY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Malcolm and Melanie Rands talked to Ponsonby News about sustainability.

In ecology, sustainability is how biological systems remain diverse and productive. The organising principle for sustainability is sustainable development.

Ways of living more sustainably include reorganising living conditions (e.g; ecovillages), reappraising economic sectors (e.g; permaculture, green building), using science to develop new technologies, and adjusting individual lifestyles that conserve natural resources.

How to achieve this in a world where economic growth is a maniacal government mantra, where over consumption has reached epidemic proportions, and where the environment is highly degraded is the great 21st century challenge.

The UN defines sustainable development as, “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Malcolm Rands has never really liked the word sustainability, saying it, ‘lacked heart’, and was not a ‘rallying call.’

As Melanie Rands says, “Twenty years ago when we started ecostore, no one knew the word.” But she goes on to say, “I think it’s a great buzz word, and many people are now aspiring to become more sustainable in their lives. Every little thing we do makes a difference, like not taking more than you need.”

The ecostore ethos has moved on, and the emphasis is now on ‘cradle to cradle’, a concept from the book of the same name by architect William McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart.

These two pioneers believed that current manufacturing procedures only perpetuate the ‘cradle to grave’ mentality of waste and pollution.

McDonough and Braungart explain how products can be designed from the outset so that after their useful lives they will provide nourishment for something new - continually circulating as pure and viable materials with a ‘cradle to cradle’ model.

Malcolm and Melanie have embraced the 'cradle to cradle' philosophy for ecostore.

However, Malcolm was quick to agree with Melanie on the good that adoption of the word and hopefully the practice of sustainability has done. “Don’t get me wrong”, he says, “I support anyone who puts sustainability in their corporate speak - good on them - they are on the journey, but we at ecostore wanted to go further, and work out how to effect a complete change of habits, that’s a cultural thing.”

Hence Malcolm believes we need a new renaissance. “In the 15th century everyone thought about change, and the West took over the world.”

Instead of following the almighty dollar and the Jones family to the mall to buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to please people we don’t like, Malcolm and Melanie Rands told us, “Young people particularly want to be part of the crowd. But instead of being part of the consuming mall crowd, we should urge them to follow a good movement, one which will help sustainable development. There will be a paradigm shift if enough people can be persuaded to join.”

Apathy is a problem. Many young people see no point in even bothering to vote, believing no politician will listen to them.

As some wise person wrote recently, “We will have to repent in this generation, not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence PN of the good people.” (JOHN ELLIOTT) F

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SUSTAINABILITY THE PONSONBY NEWS TEAM’S FAVOURITE ECOSTORE PRODUCTS ecostore products are safer for our environment, they are packaged in the best materials available and always show a full list of ingredients. They are highly concentrated so give you better value for money, they are not tested on animals and are GE free.

MARTIN LEACH: Ever since we moved to New Zealand in 2001, we have been big fans of a number of ecostore products. We are regular users of the Laundry Powder, Auto Dish Powder, Multi-purpose Spray, Lemongrass and Coconut Soap, along with the Ultra Sensitive Hand Wash. The thing we love most are how simple yet effective these products are.

JO BARRETT: I always use ecostore household cleaning products, they are good for our environment and I love the packaging design, it fits with any decor. Recently I was given a jar of ecostore Body Butter (Rose and Cardamon), a rich plant-based moisturiser with shea butter and olive oil extracts. I love it! It’s non-greasy and helps prevent moisture loss. Oh and I use the ecostore lip balm too!

GWYNNE DAVENPORT: I simply love the ecostore soap range. It is lovely to use and is always on the shopping list. The coconut soap with its natural fibres makes for good exfoliating, and the mild scent of coconut is perfect if you're sensitive to fragrance.

Another favourite of mine, which I occasionally alternate with the coconut soap, is the grapefruit and mint; it is really refreshing!

JULIE ROULSTON: I rate the ecostore fragrance free room deodoriser. I find it's far better value for money than a supermarket brand aerosol can, and I like that I can PN fragrance it myself should I want to. F ECO STORE, 1 Scotland Street T: 0800 33 55 33 or online at www.ecostoredirect.co.nz www.ecostore.co.nz

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FASHION + STYLE: JULIE ROULSTON

Sustainable Style Sustainability essentially means meeting a current generation’s needs without compromising future ones; respecting people at all levels of the supply chain and recognising that resources are finite.

But in the fashion industry, the supply chain has so many steps and suppliers of individual components that not everything can be ethically accounted for.

Kiwi labels have long been pioneers in the area of sustainable fashion; after all, we are a nation of greenies. Some of the latest collections from New Zealand labels feature sustainable elements that make your winter clothing choices easy.

ICEBREAKER RECYCLED Icebreaker merino is created in nature, so sustainability and respect for the environment is part of who they are. Ideal for keeping warm this winter, the brand's winter collection features jackets that combine extreme warmth with the use of recycled fabrics.

The jackets feature lightweight MerinoLOFT insulation, a highly-insulating loft which uses recycled merino offcuts salvaged from the factory floor. The water repellent shell is made from recycled polyester and a durable woven merino lining next to skin maximises warmth, breathability and odour control.

The MerinoLOFT jackets - the tapered Halo Hood for women and the Helix Hood for men - are Icebreaker’s warmest-ever jackets, built for the outdoors and styled for the city. Both are extremely warm, exceptionally lightweight and low-bulk, like a puff jacket without the puff.

STANDARD ISSUE ZERO WASTE With one of the southern hemisphere’s most advanced knitting factories at their fingertips, Standard Issue has proudly produced a range of zero-waste garments. Using Japanese wholegarment technology and 100% merino wool, the garments are seam -free and super comfortable to wear.

Standard Issue

Icebreaker

Like the rest of their collection, Standard Issue’s zero-waste garments are designed and made in New Zealand, supporting local industry and using environmentally friendly raw materials. These garments come off the machine as is, have a once over with hand finishing and a delicate cool wash to complete.

WORKSHOP NATURAL INDIGO Workshop founder and creative director Chris Cherry recently discovered a traditional natural indigo dying facility located in an ancient village outside Shanghai. Founded in 1880, the art of indigo hand dying in the town has been nurtured, passed on and preserved for generations. The process uses only natural plant indigo and other vegetable dyes not modified or altered by technology.

The Winter 14 Workshop natural indigo collection celebrates this traditional, artisanal and hand crafted process. All garments in the range are dyed in Shanghai after the pure cotton is prepared by intricately hand stitching the design into the cloth. Then the fabric is immersed into vats of pure natural indigo dye, repeatedly stirred and manipulated by hand, spun and hung over trestles to dry - a whopping 18 times. The final step is unpicking the hand stitching and acrobatically hanging the bolts outside to dry in the sun over towering bamboo racks.

The beauty of the collection is in the juxtaposition of the traditional, hand crafted fabric with Workshop's clean modern styling. The styles in the natural indigo collection are minimal and timeless, featuring long and short sleeve shirts for men, shift and sheath dresses for women and tees for both. Subtle details from each style fuse together clean modern lines with gentle references to the fabric's natural beauty and unique quality. F PN www.icebreaker.co.nz www.workshop.co.nz www.standardissue.co.nz

Workshop

Workshop’s natural indigo dying facility in Shanghai

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FASHION + STYLE: JULIE ROULSTON

All style, no obsolescence It’s a great time to rethink our love affair with stuff. Constant accumulation has significant consequences for the environment, for communities around the world, and even for our own health and happiness. Instead consider beautiful fashion items, to buy well, and keep for a long time.

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1. Workshop Denim Women's Selvedge Skinny - $279; 2. Deadly Ponies merino leather ‘Mr Molten’ - clay bag $890; 3. Meadowlark 9ct gold ‘mini protea garnet’ ring $719; 4. Minnie Cooper ‘Lotte’ boot $499; 5. Meadowlark ‘black diamond stack’* 6. Juliette Hogan ‘Corvette’ dress $629; 7. twenty-seven names ‘Magritte’ blazer 4520; 8. Scotties Anne Demeulemeester leather jacket $4,050; 9. taylor ‘Cogent’ pant (shown with ‘Battuta’ top) $397; 10. Helen Cherry ‘Kelly’ coat $929; *9ct white gold with black diamonds: Fine Geo Arc $989.00, Fine Geo Flat $1139.00, Fine Geo Point $835.00, Hex engagement ring $2519.00 www.deadlyponies.com; www.helencherry.com; www.juliettehogan.com; www.meadowlarkjewellery.com; www.minniecooper.co.nz; www.taylorboutique.co.nz; www.twentysevennames.co.nz; www.workshop.co.nz The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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FASHION + STYLE: JULIE ROULSTON

Good for your wallet, good for the planet Buying quality secondhand clothing is an affordable eco-alternative to purchasing new: it gives gently worn clothes a second life, while reducing the amount of waste both during production and post-consumption.

If you shop wisely you can create a long lasting, modern wardrobe with well-chosen articles of clothing destined to be staples for years to come - and for considerably less than the original retail price. It’s easy in Ponsonby, as we are blessed to have some of the best and most established boutique secondhand clothing stores in the city.

COVET Conveniently located just next door to Ripe Deli, Covet offers ‘pre-loved’ clothes and accessories, as well as homewares, one of a kind objects, home and handmade items, jewellery, art and quality glass and ceramics. The store’s Facebook page is regularly updated with must-have items.

ENCORE FASHION RECYCLE At their new home in the old National Bank premises on Ponsonby Road, Encore Fashion Recycle is a treasure trove of big name labels, from Hugo Boss and Vivienne Westwood to Karen Walker and Zambesi. They are choosy about what they accept to sell on behalf, ensuring a great selection; and their racks are in size order, so no trawling required.

TATTYS Specialising in quality, pre-loved designer pieces - both local and international - Tatty’s also stock vintage and retro items for the perfect mix. The store hand picks coveted garments and sells on behalf of its customers, so label lovers are sure to find a few bargains.

Beyond buying secondhand, another part of this eco-equation is to consult your wardrobe to see if you can sell on or donate clothing that no longer fits or flatters.

Take stock of items you want to sell, make sure they are clean, repaired if necessary, presentable and in season (most stores don't have room to hold out of season clothes).

If you are unsure about what they may need or take on, visit their website, Facebook page or give them a call to check.

Every sell-on-behalf store will have its own terms and conditions, and you should anticipate that buyers will take a couple of hours, if not days, to be able to assess your offerings. Ensure you are aware of each store’s process and procedures.

If you choose to donate rather than sell, get garments clean and take them to the Mercy Hospice Shop, or to Dress for Success, who help women in need get into or return to the workforce by giving them suitable clothes for a job interview, as well as grooming tips, career advice and continued mentoring.

Clothing and accessories donated by the women of Auckland to Dress for Success are vitally important in enabling women on the road to self-sufficiency. The Ponsonby drop -off for donated goods to Dress for Success is Herne Bay Drycleaners.

So go to it stylish eco-warriors, we can all save money and help the environment by making simple changes to the way we buy, donate or sell our clothing. F PN COVET www.covetconsignment.co.nz DRESS FOR SUCCESS www.dressforsuccess.org/auckland ENCORE FASHION RECYCLE www.fashion-recycle.co.nz HERNE BAY DRYCLEANERS www.hernebaydrycleaners.co.nz MERCY HOSPICE SHOP www.hospiceshops.org.nz TATTYS www.tattys.co.nz

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SUSTAINABILITY SUSTAINABILITY MAKING IT A WAY OF LIFE Harvest Wholefoods has embraced sustainability since the 80s.

From our bulk bins to refills and piles of boxes cluttering up our front window, we have maintained a commitment to sustainability as an intrinsic part of our business. Here are some ways you can contribute to the sustainability of the natural environment when you shop anywhere.

• Buy organic. For a product to be certified organic, it has had to pass through numerous stringent assessments. You can be confident that certified organic products are sustainable.

• Free range promises less impact on animal health and environment.

• Fairly traded products contribute to sustainability by ensuring that profits are equitably shared amongst all the workers in the production chain. As a rule, this supports the natural environment.

• Packaging. Buying in bulk, reducing plastic bag use, reusing bags and supporting companies that are moving into new territory with biodegradable and reusable containers is a very easy way to support sustainability.

• Recycle. Sort your rubbish - at the back of Harvest we have plastic, paper, compost, general recyclables (blue bin) and manage to keep our landfill waste to two red bins a week.

• Food Miles. Buy local where possible.

• Buy Less. Food waste is a huge issue for sustainability - wasted food is a waste of all the resources required to produce it. Surprisingly, regular visits to local shops can PN reduce your food bill as well. F HARVEST WHOLEFOODS, 405 Richmond Road T: 09 376 3107 www.huckelberryfarms.co.nz

SUSTAINABLE HOSPITALITY The Great Ponsonby Art hotel owners, Sally James and Gerry Hill, have been committed to the environment and heritage buildings most of their lives and have a Qualmark Enviro Gold award to prove it. It is the only accommodation in Ponsonby to have one.

They belong to and work with the Sustainable Business Network and are Fair Trade accredited. There has been a noticeable interest from guests in both fair trade and environmental issues. They are passionate about sustainability. They work actively within their industry and with the Tourism Association of New Zealand to define and implement the necessary conditions for promoting sustainable tourism.

Realising that their business can impact on the wider environment, they, along with the staff, try to minimise their impact while still providing comfort and luxury for their guests through various initiatives with sustainability at the core. It is still a quiet oasis just minutes from the razzmatazz of Ponsonby Road.

The hotel is full of New Zealand and Pacific art and uses the colours of the Pacific.

Breakfast is an event in itself with freshly cooked meals coming out of the kitchen, while other guests linger over coffee, or read the paper in the sitting room. They were the first accommodation provider in New Zealand to extensively use eco products for guest amenities and for laundry and cleaning - these are highly biodegradable and made from sustainable resources.

If you would like your out of town relatives to enjoy organic free range eggs, bacon and breakfast sausages, seasonal home-made jam, breakfast fruit, and Fair Trade coffee and bananas as well as the extensive cooked breakfast menu there is no better place than The Great Ponsonby Arthotel.

THE GREAT PONSONBY ARTHOTEL, 30 Ponsonby Terrace T: 09 376 5989 PN www.greatpons.co.nz F The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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GREY LYNN NEWS PLASTIC BAG FREE AUCKLAND Grey Lynn 2030 Waste Away is an action group of Grey Lynn 2030 comprised of passionate locals tackling issues around waste minimisation and education particularly in our area.

We have been called 'Eco Ninjas' which is a pseudonym we feel perfectly reflects our mission to save the planet! Last month members of our group attended a Plastic Bag Free Auckland public meeting at the Grey Lynn Community Centre. Denise Roche MP from the Green Party hosted the meeting, along with Steph Borrelle who is a marine biologist here in Auckland. This gathering brought people together from across Auckland to discuss how we can join other progressive cities around the globe and become plastic bag free. As Steph so eloquently put it, “Chaos has not ensued, people have coped and the world has gone on, just with less plastic bags.”

It was surprising to learn that the first country to enforce a strict ban was Bangladesh in 2002 after two thirds of the country was submerged in water from floods caused by plastic bags blocking waterways and sewerage systems.

Recently Steph initiated an online petition calling for Auckland to Ban the Bag. GLWA supports this initiative and we urge everyone to take a moment to sign and share through social media. To find this petition simply google “Mayor Len Brown Ban the Bag.” There is also a petition at the Grey Lynn Farmers Market.

Building on the Grey Lynn Farmers Market move towards zero waste to landfill, the GLWA is keen to get involved with helping the West Lynn shopping precinct go plastic bag free this “Plastic Free July.” During this month we encourage everyone to refuse single-use and take the pledge to remember your own shopping bags, reusable coffee cups and reusable drink bottles.

Mark Thursday, 31 July in your diary. For the last day of Plastic Free July GLWA would like all shops in our area to provide an alternative for customers to plastic shopping bags. This is your opportunity to embrace the concept of a Plastic Shopping Bag Free Auckland and feel good knowing you haven’t used an item that will take 1000 years to degrade.

You can find GLWA at the Grey Lynn Farmers Market every week (except the last Sunday of the month) to offer advice and provide answers to environmental questions.

We also have a range of items for sale including bokashi buckets, string bags and ideal cups. Our meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every month at the Grey Lynn RSC. We welcome new members to get involved with our action group working together towards a greener, more resilient neighbourhood. To learn more check out www.greylynn2030.co.nz and Facebook “Grey Lynn Waste Away.”

(LISA COHEN-SMITH) F PN

SUSTAINABILITY STARTS AT THE CENTRE A sustainability policy at Mt Eden Village Centre is setting trends in the local community.

Centre manager and sustainability advisor Judith Holtebrinck, has been committed to living a sustainable lifestyle for decades and wanted her new workplace to be environmentally friendly when she started this role three years ago. “It is easy to feel disempowered and hopeless about global warming and waste,” says Judith, “yet everyone can do their bit. You’ve got to start somewhere.”

Some of the actions put in place are under-floor insulation to save heating cost, a worm farm to recycle food waste and to contract a cleaning company that only uses environmental friendly cleaning products. Most of these and other innovations taken together are cost effective so are no more expensive than non-green solutions and will pay off in the long term. The centre is used by an estimated 140 to 500 people every week, but its red and blue wheelies sit pretty much empty except for a few discarded coffee cups. “Our sustainability policy allows us to demonstrate to our hirers and suppliers our commitment to reducing the impact of our activities on the environment," says Judith.

Judith is part of a Mt Eden community group which has been introducing sustainability practices in local shops since 2006. They are finding creative ways of preventing wasteful behaviour for instance finding alternatives in the community for waste going to landfill.

The Village Centre is used for community events such as yoga classes, monthly markets, children’s and adult classes, support groups, exhibitions and church services.

The response from centre users to the sustainability policy has been positive. Peter Cross who recently ran a celebration of biography evening is really impressed. “Judith encouraged me to use their china cups and plates for our audience when my instincts would have been to bring in disposable paper ones. I have to admit it’s not something I’d ever given much thought to, but it makes sense as most of us would far rather drink from a china mug.”

Trust Chair Mark Thomas agrees: “Some trust members were sceptical when Judith first suggested we implemented this policy but she made it clear that it would be cost neutral PN www.mtedenvillagecentre.co.nz or better, and so it has proved.” F

SUSANNA STODDART and her GLFM bag

40 PONSONBY NEWS+ June 2014

L to R: Judith Holtebrinck, Penny Hansen, Colin Waters, Saane Langi, Rachel Owens and Mark Thomas PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FASHION + STYLE KOMONO X JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT - FRIDAY 16 MAY Grey Lynn fashion showroom Public Library and guests celebrated the launch of accessory brand KOMONO's official collaboration with the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat - widely considered to be one of the most important artists of the 20th century.

Above L to R: Jessica Beresford and Rachel Mills; Josh Gemmell, Scott Lai and Cam Neate

Above L to R: Justin Souter, Emma Bidois and Dane Winter; Kate Gilbert and David Oettle

WOOL WEEK - 28 MAY TO 2 JUNE In its inaugural year, local designers are got behind New Zealand's first Wool Week by showcasing 'pure woollen wonderlands' in their shop windows. NZ Wool Week is a national movement, part of an international campaign patroned by HRH Prince Charles, that celebrates the growing use of wool in the fashion industry.

Above L to R: Anna Caselberg, Hamish De Latour and Elizabeth Findlay; Helen Cherry and Sarah Theobald; Installation at Carlson The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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

VERMONT STREET, PONSONBY 15 JUNE 1925

Dear Rosie, hand is most passionate about our guest; breaking into loud purrs whenever she is near the thing and thinking (for I know her mind) how nice a bed it would make for her to curl up in!

As I’ve no particularly good gossip to report this month you shall be instead subjected to hearing all about my busy past two weeks! At this point you might want to go and put the kettle on before you settle in for another exciting missive from Maudie.

Tiger and I have visited all our friendly local butchers during our walks this week for a daily bone to keep ‘someone’ occupied. I suspect that most of my spring bulbs will be dug up as part of the bone burial ritual, but on the other hand it is far easier to replace bulbs than it is an expensive fur stole!

Just over a fortnight ago I finished designing a small collection of winter clothes that I decided to make up and have on hand for examination by my customers, especially those who are stricken with that most annoying of traits... indecision.

I’ve made all the garments to fit me so I can model them if need be (and take possession of them towards the end of the season!).

As you and I are the same size dear, I wonder if you would like one of the tailored suits and a blouse perhaps? But only if you like them of course! I enclose sketches and swatches of fabrics that I’m using for these particular garments.

I’ve had the most wonderful fortnight rummaging around all the local shops for fabrics and trims to make up these lovelies. I thought it best not to use my stock fabrics and anyway, I haven’t been on a big shopping expedition for as long as I can remember.

I decided to avoid Queen Street and concentrate on Ponsonby and Newmarket but managed to find everything I needed locally! My best buy was two lengths of the most delicious shade of heliotrope velvet, which is going to be used for an evening coat with rouched cape collar and cuffs. I got that from the British General Emporium [i] where I also found habutai [ii] silk at such a good price that I purchased 20 yards! I’m going to have that dyed as I need it at Gees [iii]... he does such a lovely job and doesn’t mind my small quantities at all.

Oh I almost forgot to tell you about my latest obsession! I’ve been wearing it shopping all this past week! During my fabric-shopping spree, I dropped in to see Maisy and Lizzie Nankervis [vii] my milliner friends in Ponsonby Road who were sporting the most fetching fedora hats. They decided on making each other one after falling in love with pictures of them in one of their London trade magazines. Of course I had to try one on and within minutes had negotiated a fair swap, a silk tunic blouse each for one hat. Taking possession three days later, it has been seen around Ponsonby almost every day. When worn with my mushroom coloured wool tailored suit I have to admit that I do look rather fetching in it... in a boyish, equestrienne way, which is quite a chic look wouldn’t you agree?

Well dearest, do let me know if you’re interested in that suit or a blouse, or both.

I think I should be finished with them by the end of June. My plan is to replace them with spring models to encourage early orders, rather than being inundated as soon as we have a hint of warmer weather.

For the more structured of the two coat styles I decided on twill woven wool cloth I found at Rowes [iv]. While it wasn’t a bargain, it is a most uncommon colour - black with a violet fleck - and I simply had to have it! I found the buttons for this coat before I found the fabric! On my way to Rowes I popped in for a browse at Mr. Holden’s [v] second hand shop. He is so good to me; always keeping an eye out for bits and pieces that he thinks might be of interest. This time he handed me six of the loveliest violet silk cord work buttons and a pair of pieces of matching passementerie trims that will be perfect for the cuffs of the black coat. (I’ll be keeping that coat!).

Write soon, and give little Rex a cuddle for me please.

All the while I was shopping I was keeping an eye out for a piece of wool to complement a customer’s fur stole... a superb silver fox of the finest quality (unlike its owner!) It was at Shanlys [vi] that I found just enough of a fine quality barathea that matched closely enough to be deemed suitable. I will be sure to find a use for it if proves not to be. The owner of the poor animal, who is not charming, insisted that I keep the stole on hand to assure a perfect match. Then she made me very anxious about having it by going on about how expensive it was and how it was a very special gift from her boyfriend! I’m truly terrified that it won’t last the week unless I am extremely vigilant. You see Tiger sensed its presence immediately and growls at it whenever he sees it. I do believe that he regards it as a very hairy rival!

He’s itching to pick a fight with the deceased, which will only end up badly (for the poor fox and me, when I have to explain what happened). Pusskins on the other

[ii] A light Japanese silk

+ JuneNEWS NEWS 2014 + 42 PONSONBY PONSONBY PARISH

Love,

Maudie x [i] The British General Emporium (sold drapery items, crockery, shoes etc.), 4 Ponsonby Road

[iii] W M Gee, Laundryman, 105 Ponsonby Road [iv] Charles Rowe, Draper, 194-196 Ponsonby Road [v] James Holden, Second Hand dealer, 155 Ponsonby Road [vi] Shanlys, Drapers, Ponsonby Buildings, Ponsonby [vii] The Misses Nankervis are listed as dressmakers and milliners at 265 Ponsonby Road (Christian names are fictional)

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

illustration: Michael McClintock

In all I have designed two coats, two tailored suits, four blouse styles and two evening gowns. I am extremely pleased with myself and do hope that all this effort leads to more sales.

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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FASHION + STYLE THE GEMSTONE FOR JUNE Donna Mills, owner of Jewels and Gems introduces us to the qualities of the gemstone, ocean jasper.

The information comes from the scientifically conducted trials of German stone specialist Michael Gienger.

From Madagascar, ocean jasper is easily recognised amongst the array of different jaspers, by its striking little circular patterns.

According to the 'doctrine of signatures', a term used to describe the principle that like will cure like, those little circles look like cells.

So ocean jasper is the main stone for health issues at a cellular level. That means it can help with all forms of cell regeneration and renewal.

It boosts the immune system, helps digestion, is good for the skin and helps with colds, cysts and tumours.

On a mental emotional level it works for renewal as well, making us positive and able to withstand stress, helping us resolve conflicts and get a relaxing sleep.

A super stone! You can wear it as a pendant, ring or bracelet, tuck a tumbled stone into PN clothing or place a larger piece near the bed. F JEWELS AND GEMS, 54 Ponsonby Road. T: 09 378 4389 www.jewelsandgems.co.nz

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CAMPUSPECS - FOR PEOPLE LIKE YOU Are you looking for value-for-money eyewear with no compromise on style and don’t want to be tempted by a bargain price, only to find there’s a whole bunch of add-ons. We know you can see through all that.

Campuspecs ‘gets’ people like you. They listen to your needs and deliver on all counts. That’s why they’ve invested in leading edge technology to help you see clearly - they’re one of the first optometry practices in New Zealand to utilise Optical Path Difference Scanning.

Many of their designer brands, including Chevrolet and Cadillac are new to New Zealand.

The broad range of frames in diverse colours and materials means you have a choice of over 600 options when selecting your new frames. And they’ve partnered with GE finance to help you spread the cost.

They’re located in the CBD, close to the Central Library and university campuses.

Their doors are open six days a week from Monday to Saturday - with a late night on Thursdays, so feel free to call in for a chat - they’d love to see you.

Come in before the end of June and have a thorough eye examination for just $45 (half PN the usual fee!) plus you’ll get two pairs of specs for one great price. F CAMPUSPECS, corner of Wellesley and Lorne Street, T: 09 303 0077 E: vision@campuspecs.co.nz www.campuspecs.co.nz

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FASHION + STYLE taylor at Audi’s The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

BMW MD Nina Englert, Dan Gosling, Dame Pieter Stewart and Josh Emmett with the NZFW New Gen Designers DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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FASHION + STYLE RETAIL SUPERSTAR Wendy Nelson - Union How did you come to be a retail salesperson?

I have been a retailer/designer /manufacturer for most of my working career, starting with Chlorofile on Ponsonby Road in the mid 80s. Recently I founded and ran Eclectic Culture in Tutukaka, and now I have my new label and business, Union, in Three Lamps.

I am very passionate about the industry, from the initial design work to seeing a customer walking down the street wearing my garments.

What do you love about your brand/store?

It’s a reflection of my eclectic contemporary style. I love all beautiful things that enhance your senses and get you excited.

What makes a standout retail salesperson?

Someone that can read a customer. Making the customer feel good about themselves and what they have purchased.

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

I have had many memorable sales this year and have great appreciation for the amount of support I have had from the local community. Every sale - big or small - is important to me, as it all helps to promote the brand going forward.

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

It would have to be the girls - Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley and Dawn French.

Stolen Girlfriends Club ‘Verbal Warning’

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

Anne Thorp - I love her philosophy and zest for life and cooking.

Where do you enjoy shopping?

I’m a foodie so Sabato, Ponsonby Central, The Grey Lynn Farmers Market, the French markets in Parnell, The Bloc - the list goes on and on.

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

I love Deb at Republic and I love the brand. F PN UNION, 299 Ponsonby Road T: 09 376-1122 www.unionclothing.co.nz

SNEAK PEEK: STOLEN GIRLFRIENDS CLUB ‘VERBAL WARNING’ STOLEN GIRLFRIENDS CLUB'S 'VERBAL WARNING' COLLECTION WILL HIT STORES from July. Mashing workwear, safety wear and sportswear, the collection includes lab-like stark white garments and oversized silhouettes/cocoon-like shapes which allude to safety and structure. Simple pieces for layering and high voltage prints accent the collection. The WARNINGS PRINT was created out of a collaboration with LA-based artist Brian Roettinger, known for his work alongside brands such as Saint Laurent. Placement prints are also key, with the hero graphic ‘STOLEN GOODS’ printed in glow-in-the-dark paint - sure to be a hit with club-kids. F PN STOLEN GIRLFRIENDS CLUB, 31 CRUMMER ROAD, T: 09 360 3475 www.stolengirlfriendsclub.com

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FASHION + STYLE The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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FASHION + STYLE NEW ZEALAND FASHION WEEK INTRODUCES CORPORATE LUNCH New Zealand Fashion Week returns to the Viaduct Events Centre this August with New Zealand’s leading designers showing their forward and in-season collections from Monday 25 to Sunday 31 August.

While the event used to be an invitation-only affair, it has been transformed over recent years as designers look to engage the fashion-loving public more and more.

The designers will then show select pieces from their latest collections, followed by a quick Q&A with each, before guests are invited to a VIP shopping opportunity.

Throughout the week the Resene Designer Selection Shows and New Zealand Fashion Weekend offer the public a chance to experience the fun of Fashion Week and this year on Friday 29 August, in-season fashion will meet corporate style at the first NZFW Corporate Lunch, to feature Kate Sylvester, Trelise Cooper Boardroom, Kathryn Wilson, Juliette Hogan, Zambesi and TK.

Dame Pieter Stewart created the show to attract a new audience to the event. “The corporate audience is important for our designers. We’re always looking for new opportunities that allow our designers to connect direct with potential customers and this corporate lunch is another way we are bridging that gap.”

The show is part of a three hour VIP experience being hosted by Dame Pieter Stewart DNZM, where guests will enjoy lunch at tables set right next to the catwalk.

After drinks and canapés, guests will be treated to the Resene Designer Selection Show, which features in-season garments from every designer showing at NZFW. They will then enjoy a special segment styled by the team behind Fashion Quarterly, presenting their take on the upcoming season’s fashion.

There are plenty of other opportunities for fashion lovers to experience New Zealand Fashion Week with corporate packages available for shows throughout the week.

This year NZ Fashion Weekend kicks off with a party on Friday 29 August before bargain hunters and fashionistas converge on the Viaduct Events Centre for back to back designer shows, seminars from leading hair and makeup professionals and the NZ Fashion Weekend Designer Garage Sale. F PN NEW ZEALAND FASHION WEEK, www.nzfashionweek.com

Juliette Hogan

Trelise Cooper

48 PONSONBY NEWS+ June 2014

Zambesi PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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FASHION + STYLE NEW KIDS' BEDTIME GOODNESS FROM G.NANCY Ponsonby woman Georgia Nicholson, founder and designer of kids’ sleepwear label G.Nancy, has made a move to Sydney and set up her own studio.

G.Nancy caters for ages 3 months to 10 years, and stocks summer and winter PJs all year round to cater to an overseas following, with retailers from Ponsonby to Sydney to New York to Italy.

‘Early Bird Gets the Worm’ is the latest collection with G.Nancy’s trademark ‘Hand Drawn Star Print’ returning in beautiful pastels together with new prints designed with artist Oli Holmes.

Georgia is enthused about Instagram as a tool for G.Nancy. “I am constantly encouraged as a designer by seeing our PJs in beds, making breakfast, out on bikes, in puddles and more recently collecting eggs at Easter. I always dreamed of kids being clad in my PJs for lazy mornings and early evening adventures. At the end of the day we are a brand inspired by children for children and nothing makes me happier than seeing our PJs PN being well worn and well loved.” F G.NANCY, www.gnancy.co.nz

There’s also a new line of children’s bedding. Georgia tells, “We sold out of our first run within hours and are currently working on our third run in a matter of months.”

Pillowcases, muslin wraps, cot and single duvets are on offer.

'SUMMER NOIR' A WELCOME ARRIVAL FROM LE SPECS Whether you're going somewhere sunny for a winter break or merely fantasising about warmer weather to come, new season Le Specs Summer Noir sunglasses will be a welcome in-store arrival come early June.

LE SPECS/GRACE LANG OPTOMETRY AND EYEWEAR, 282 Ponsonby Road T: 09 376 2474 www.gracelang.co.nz

50 PONSONBY NEWS+ June 2014

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FASHION + STYLE FEATHER - THE STORY - ESTABLISHED 2013 Sophia Ross lives in the Bay of Plenty with her husband and two young daughters. She designed and built four Feather stores nationwide in five weeks and opened her fifth store in Ponsonby last month.

Sophia started her fashion career as a part time sales assistant, but through hard work and a strong passion for fashion and merchandising she climbed the ladder from store manager, assistant buyer, designer to marketing assistant. And now 12 years on she is designer and director of her own fashion label, Feather.

Sophia has developed a unique brand of luxe day wear and effortlessly chic event wear; garments that are affordable yet luxurious and on trend. A unique journey - she simply had an eye for great fashion and a determination to create designs that reflect her own personal style and that of others - and a massive achievement from someone who learnt by experience rather than formal fashion training.

Feather is a brand that believes in giving the best experience to their customers, where they can come in store and never feel like they are missing out on great style and quality garments by paying less than other high end boutiques. Each purchase is beautifully wrapped and presented to customers like a gift to unwrap and fall in love with all over again when they get home.

Being a super busy mum and designing and managing her five stores, Sophia says, “I have chosen designs and fabrics that are comfortable and practical for everyday wear, PN designs that will not only make you stand out but also stand the test of time." F FEATHER BOUTIQUE, 100 Ponsonby Road www.feather.net.nz www.facebook.com/feathernz

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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GARY STEEL: VEG FRIENDLY

Homicidal apes Do you ever, dear reader, look aghast at the behaviour of members of your own species and wonder what manner of creature we are, and how we came to be like this?

I’m not talking about trollied secretaries stealing chairs from Ponsonby Road cafés on a dare late on a Friday night, or even our representatives at the Beehive. A quick encounter with Parliament TV will pretty much prove that we’re dealing with the intelligence of single-cell organisms when it comes to the pressing issues of the day, so let’s not go there, especially in election year.

No, I’m talking about our maniacal glee at inflicting suffering across the species barrier something that’s rammed home in gory detail every April and May in our fair country. We can hide behind the sophisticated veneer of our fabulous lifestyles in Ponsonby and its surrounds, but we all know that out there in the boondocks, so-called 'pests' are behind hunted down and slaughtered, and that every finger on every trigger-happy gun belongs to a 'good Kiwi bloke' who actually enjoys inflicting pain, suffering and death.

It starts at Easter, a holiday that has its roots in an ancient pagan fertility festival, hence the totemic celebration of a very good breeder, the fluffy bunny. So what do we get that very day on the TV news? A report about the annual 'bunny hunt', where farmers track down and mercilessly kill hundreds - or thousands, if they’re lucky - of rabbits. Then it continues into May with the duck hunting season, where all those rugged Kiwi men get up at the builder’s crack of dawn to shoot their lead at unsuspecting quackers.

It always strikes me as tragically significant that Mother's Day occurs around this time, but that, while human mothers are celebrated, all those self-sacrificial mothers in nature are not even acknowledged.

What we’ve done in New Zealand is demonised animals where their lives conflict with ours - and especially our commercial concerns - by calling them 'pests'. By reducing them down to that one derogatory word, we’re ignoring the fact that they’re all creatures of nature, that they’re only doing what they need to do to survive, and that they have families, too. This demonisation allows us to create a distinction between our pets, who we class as a type of 'person', and wild creatures. We can see the way our dogs and cats interact with us, and how each and every one of them has a personality that’s full of its own quirks, but we can easily turn a blind eye to the fact that the same personalities and interactions occur in nature, even amongst so-called 'pests'.

There are several issues here, really. One is our ability to turn a blind eye to these massacres. Another is the tacit support of these bloodthirsty 'hunter' types. And another is our seeming inability to see past the demonisation of these innocent creatures, many of whom are deemed 'pests' just because they get in the way of the financial greed of the dairy industry, which by its nature is already cruel and environmentally wretched.

For an insight into this demonisation of so-called 'pests', it’s instructive to look at the possum. In Australia, this marsupial is an admired and protected species, and if you have a squizz at YouTube, you’ll find footage of pet possums that show just how gorgeous these creatures can be. This Australian species didn’t ask to be imported here, but because it turned out to be deleterious to our indigenous plant and animal life, the poor possum has become the scourge of the century.

There’s a conversation to be had about whether it’s necessary to hunt or poison possums, but even those who consider their eradication necessary from an environmental point of view need to get real. Homo sapiens has the ability to care, to have compassion and empathy for the suffering of other people and animals. When an American Indian killed a buffalo for food, it paid tribute to that buffalo.

If we really think we need to kill an animal, we shouldn’t feel that we have to pretend that somehow it’s a degenerate, evil, ugly or dangerous species. We should acknowledge that it was doing what it was built to do - essentially the same thing we’re built to do. We’re really not so different.

PN (GARY STEEL) F Next month: a happier topic!

Gary Steel is an Auckland-based journalist who runs online vegetarian resource www.doctorfeelgood.co.nz. He can be contacted via beautmusic@gmail.com

52 PONSONBY NEWS+ June 2014

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

PHIL PARKER: WHOSE WINE IS IT ANYWAY?

Malbec - the dark horse The red Malbec grape hails from the Bordeaux region of France, where it was a constituent ingredient in the famous Bordeaux blends along with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

But over the years it has become a minority grape in the region and plantings have decreased. East of Bordeaux in the Cahors region (where it is also known as Auxerrois) it is still hanging in there as a principal grape variety.

Mais je digress...

The most famous 100% Malbec wines today are those from Argentina, particularly from the Mendoza region. In 1852, Malbec was brought to Argentina by Michel Pouget, a French viticulture expert who was hired by the Argentine government.

Smart move. Argentina is now the main producer of Malbec, with 77,000 acres of vineyards planted, compared to second largest producer France (13,000 acres). Italy, Spain, South Africa, New Zealand and the United States grow smaller amounts. In some Argentine regions Malbec wines have a Controlled Denomination of Origin (DOC) certification, which helps to protect the name of the region and obliges winemakers to maintain quality standards.

In France, Malbec tends to be intensely dark, dry and tannic, whereas the New World style is often medium bodied and ripe, juicy and spicy with sweet black berry fruit flavours and medium tannins. In New Zealand, Argentine Malbecs retail at about $15 for easy drinking pizza/pasta quaffers, then they head upward to $50 and beyond for the renowned DOC labels.

Food matches: Great right now with hearty winter casseroles and roast meats. Also a good match with Italian tomato and garlic based sauces.

Here’s a selection at random from a local wine shop, from light to full-bodied.

Finca Flichman Roble Malbec 2013 $12.00 Garnet red colour. Aromas of allspice and anise, with light body and flavours of cherry and plum. Good easy drinking red.

Matawhero Church House Gisborne Malbec 2013 $28.00 Crimson colour. Restrained aromas of spicy oak with a whiff of fruitcake. On the palate - medium youngish tannins and sweet ripe dark berry fruit and plum flavours. Drinking very well right now, but will benefit from 2-3 years cellaring.

Chakana Estate Malbec 2012 $19.00 This is a big wine. Sealed with a cork closure (unlike the previous two under screw cap).

Deep ruby red and opaque. Savoury oak aromas with hints of roast meat and some mature bottle age characters. In the mouth - ripe and spicy with flavours of cassis, chocolate and liquorice with medium tannins and a lengthy finish. (PHIL PARKER) F PN Read Phil’s blog at nzwineblogger.blogspot.co.nz Phil Parker is a wine writer and operates Fine Wine & Food Tours in Auckland. www.insidertouring.co.nz

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY A TOUCH OF ANGELA STONE STYLE WITH A GLASS OF PINOT If you’re looking for a single phrase to describe Angela Stone, you’re flat out of luck. With her career spanning model, personal stylist, fashion designer, MC, commentator, and now author and winemaker, Angela defies simple categorisation.

But two words, ‘energy’ and ‘confidence’ sum her up pretty well. And she’s on a mission to help raise the confidence of other New Zealand women with the launch of her new book this month; THE STYLE GUIDE - inspiration and guidance for timeless style.

A style book needs a stylish launch and Angela certainly didn't hold back taking over the Giltrap Prestige - Porsche Showroom last month.

For refreshments, the event doubled as the launch of her new Angela Stone range of premium boutique wines.

Produced and bottled exclusively for Angela by by Milcrest Estate, the Angela Stone collection of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Reserve Chardonnay is set to be a scene stealer as well.

The Angela Stone Nelson Chardonnay is a single vineyard, 100% barrel fermented Reserve Chardonnay with aromas of vanilla, white peach and coconut that combine beautifully to produce a silky, creme brûlée finish which lingers long after the last sip.

The Angela Stone Pinot Noir contains a decadent combination of seven premium Pinot Noir clones, aged for 11 months in French oak barrels to produce a concentrated, sweet, spicey, fruit driven wine.

And the Angela Stone Sauvignon Blanc is a single vineyard Sauvignon Blanc with aromas of passionfruit, tomato leaf and fresh tropical fruits, the perfect balance of acidity to fruit ripeness that produces its distinctive flavour. Available at www.angelastone.co.nz F PN

FOOTBALL AT SANTOS PONSONBY FOOTBALL (SOCCER) WORLD CUP 2014 Make sure you are part of the rhythm. Santos Café has always been proudly associated with the passion and fever of all things Brazilian in Auckland.

The Football World Cup 2014 allows Santos Café to celebrate the pride of Brazil and be part of the rhythm. We also represent Auckland - who has their own sporting pride and a new found passion for football.

FOOTBALL at SANTOS will screen the Football World Cup morning games. Santos will be providing its iconic Ponsonby hospitality to both our regular customers and those keen to enjoy the games amongst some of the most ardent football supporters in Auckland - with a damn fine cup of Santos coffee with soul and breakfast.

First Game - 8am, 13 June - See you there!

To find out all the details and game screening times go to Santos Café, Ponsonby’s Facebook page. F PN SANTOS, 114 Ponsonby Road T: 09 378 8431 www.santoscoffee.co.nz

54 PONSONBY NEWS+ June 2014

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY MAGGIE THOMPSON’S FLORABUNDA & CAKE Life is indeed sweet for Ponsonby’s Maggie Thompson.

After nine years running The Little Cake Kitchen in Upper Queen Street, famous for its cinnamon brioche, delicious baking and sandwiches, Maggie sold the business and now indulges her passion for wedding and special occasion cakes, decorated with exquisite handmade sugar flowers.

Every cake is individual and is a work of art.

“After I’d sold my business I realised that for the first time in my life I could do what I wanted,” said Maggie.

“I wondered about teaching cooking or even opening a café.

In fact I’m not sure how I got in to cake decorating, but once I started learning the art of sugar flower making I was on an amazing adventure, which was the start of getting in touch with my creativity. Out of that has come Maggie’s business, Florabunda & Cake Ltd, run from a studio at her Ponsonby home.

When she became interested in making sugar flowers Maggie searched the internet then headed overseas to learn from the world’s best. First a course in Sydney and then to Melbourne where she was taught by Washington-based Maggie Austin, a former ballerina who is a wedding cake artist. “She is my inspiration. I love the way she works, her use of colour and her wonderful cake design.”

Her last and “most wonderful” training was in Atlanta, in the United States with the famous cake and sugar flower designer Nicholas Lodge. “He is passionate about flowers and during my time there I learned how to make a wonderful assortment of different types of flowers.”

GREAT LOCATION, GREAT FOOD GREAT SERVICE - SWASHBUCKLERS SWASHBUCKLERS IS AUCKLAND'S ICONIC, PRE-EMINENT 'DESTINATION' SEAFOOD DINING experience, located on the water's edge in spectacular Westhaven Marina. Enjoy the food and hospitality for breakfast, lunch or dinner seven days a week from 7am until late.

Swashbucklers has been a local favourite since 1997 and on any day you can kick back and watch Auckland earn its City of Sails title. Relax or party, enjoy the open attitude and friendly surrounds in the Boatshed Bar or pull up a pew on the deck looking out over the boats and the postcard view of Auckland Harbour Bridge. Larger groups can book the function room; wired for audio/video with full bar, restaurant and barista services it can host up to 100 people.

With arguably the best seafood in Auckland, Swashbucklers cater to all tastes with steak and chicken dishes as good as you'll find anywhere. The wait staff service is famous and after a few visits it’s likely they’ll know you on a first name basis. New management has smoothed out the rough edges but retained the unpretentiousness and affordability that has cemented Swashbucklers' reputation as a true Auckland institution, recently reintroducing the equally as iconic Headquarter's breakfast menu... including the legendary HQ hash brown. If you like great food, great service, ample parking and more than a hint of seafaring kitsch in your surroundings head to Swashbucklers where the foot of your menu reads 'In the event of tsunami, earthquake or fire, please: 1st pay your bill PN 2nd head for the hills' F SWASHBUCKLERS RESTAURANT, 23B Westhaven Drive, T: 09 307 5979 www.swashbucklers.co.nz

JUICING PROMISES A LONG LIFE “TAKING CARE OF YOUR BODY SHOULD BE YOUR GREATEST PRIORITY IF YOU EXPECT a long and healthy life. I encourage you to get into the habit of juicing on a daily basis.

The benefits that go along with it are such that you will never want to give it up”.

Those were the words of Dr Norman Walker the American raw food pioneer who lived for 109 years (1874 - 1983) and the man responsible for popularising juicing in the United States and Canada. By correcting the acid/alkaline imbalances in our bodies, fresh fruit and vegetable juice assists in reducing stress and high blood pressure. The human body needs an alkaline environment and the best high alkaline foods are fresh, raw fruit and vegetables. Fresh juice provides us with vitamins, minerals and enzymes in their most natural, concentrated form.

“I love cake and flowers and my beautiful garden. Now I get to make special sugar flowers and delicious cakes for weddings and any sort of special occasion - and I enjoy every moment of it.” Maggie’s favourite cake flavours are Grand Marnier chocolate chip, lemon-curd limoncello and dark espresso chocolate. As she terms it “darn good tasting cakes for all occasions, gorgeous wedding cakes and lovingly crafted sugar flowers.”

The blooms are made from a sugar paste (like fondant), egg white and a special gum to give it stretch and flexibility.

Juicing is one the of the healthiest things you can do for your body. You will find that when you make fresh juice a daily part of your diet, you will have increased energy, a glowing complexion, strengthened immune system, stronger bones and a reduced risk of disease. Juices can flush toxins from body, are good for weight, heart, circulation and overall well-being. No matter what your age, it is never too late to start juicing fruits and vegetables and get on the track to better health and greater vitality.

Maggie has a website showing her work, but does not take orders from the website.

“Every cake is individual to the person and I talk with them before we start designing a cake,” she says. “In the case of wedding cakes, we meet and spend a lot of time PN planning every detail of the cake and its decoration.” (PHILIPPA TAIT) F

We are delighted to introduce the OSCAR Juicer which employs unique juice extraction methods to keep the vital elements of fruit and vegetables alive. As a result, not only will you get more juice from your fruit and vegetables, the nutritionally superior living juice PN produced by OSCAR will give you greater vitality. F

Florabunda & Cake, T: 09 378 1166 ; M: 029 356 3668 www.florabundacake.co.nz

For a FREE info pack contact TASMAN TRADING COY. T: 0800 584 2464 (0800 JUICING) www.oscarjuicers.co.nz

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY

TASTE OF AUCKLAND CONFIRMED AT WESTERN SPRINGS FOR NOVEMBER 13-16 Taste of Auckland has reconfirmed dates and a new venue for New Zealand’s most celebrated foodie festival. The event will take place in the spacious green field venue of Western Springs, 13 - 16 November 2014.

The festival has doubled in size in the past five years, attracting over 23,000 visitors in 2013 and a huge number of local and international chefs, food and drink producers.

Rob Eliott, Director of Lemongrass Productions, producer of the Taste of Auckland Festival says that his team is excited about the opportunity that the new venue presents.

“Victoria Park has been a great home for the event over the past four years, but the space was restrictive and in high demand,” says Eliott.

“The move to Western Springs allows us to continue to innovate and also to grow the festival. We’re working on some exciting festival features and a range of new experiences for our corporate clients who entertain guests at the event each year,” he says.

Head of corporate relations at Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development, Steve Armitage says that he is delighted that Taste of Auckland has been able to find an ideal new site.

“Taste of Auckland is one of Auckland’s premier culinary events, not only does it showcase the best food and produce Auckland has to offer, it gives foodies the opportunity to sample culinary excellence, and see top chefs from our top restaurants cooking right in front of them,” says Armitage.

Eliott says that support from major sponsors such as Metro Magazine and BMW has been invaluable. While the line-up will not be announced until August, the festival planning has been underway since last year and 75% of the exhibitors are already confirmed.

Greg Hedgepeth, of BMW NZ who has supported the festival for three years has been quick to see the opportunity. “We’re happy to continue supporting Taste so close to our BMW customers in the Central Western Suburbs, and it’s great to be able to offer our customers parking at this year’s festival.”

BMW ambassador, MasterChef judge and famed chef/restaurateur Josh Emett is likewise enthusiastic for the event and its prospects.

“Taste of Auckland is a fantastic event and one that I enjoy being a part of every year. With so many incredible food offerings it is a real celebration of New Zealand cuisine and I am really looking forward to seeing the festival brought to life in the new venue,” says Emett. www.tasteofauckland.co.nz F PN

OCTOBER 1989 - OCTOBER 2014 + CELEBRATES

Years

For more information or to book your advertising contact: Jo Barrett on 021 324 510 or t: 09 361 3356 or 09 378 8553 e: joannebarrett@xtra.co.nz w: www.ponsonbynews.co.nz

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LAURAINE JACOBS: THE SEASONED PALATE

Lauraine Jacobs eats at Lava Now here’s an idea we don’t think about often - a sophisticated lunch or dinner in a city hotel.

Nick Honeyman’s arrival at the Sofitel maybe the best thing that’s happened to the Auckland hotel scene for ages. Too often hotel food is geared to the tourist and business market. However, the combo of this beautiful hotel that seemed to have lost its way for a while and one very talented young chef - who in his previous jobs had been consigned to the backroom of a busy pub followed by a stint in the kitchens of a monster sprawling place in the culinary wastelands of the North Shore - must be good news and a fortuitous match for both. I sincerely hope so.

The site is great. Perched on the inner reaches of the Viaduct Basin with views of bobbing boats and the skyline of the city, the restaurant at the Sofitel sets an ideal stage.

Pass through a stunning walkway with water features and shiny glass to get to the main dining room, Lava. It is so named for the spectacular sheets of gold and black patterned Mexican onyx that adorn the walls. Our waiter told us it looked like lava - and it does.

In a previous life another waiter had told me the restaurant was Italian themed and the strongest feature was the 'Italian marble' walls - funny how stories are made up and lose the plot! This newly appointed chef to oversee all the food served in the hotel, including their premier restaurant Lava is one of Auckland’s most talented rising star chefs. The French hotel chain is onto a winner.

Chef Honeyman, born in South Africa, comes with excellent culinary pedigree. He wandered about Australia when he left school, fell in love with restaurant life there and began cooking. Along the way he has worked in the restaurant of Japan’s much lauded Iron Chef in Tokyo, and then time working with Pascal Barbot who has the Michelin three starred restaurant L’Astrance in Paris, a mere stone’s throw from the Eiffel Tower.

He has picked up influences from both, developing and refining his own style that is chic, complex and intricate. Don’t expect any plain old steak and chips or pumpkin soup here.

The dishes are all made with market fresh ingredients, thoughtfully composed to make an impact with a balance of colour, taste, texture and seasonal surprise. His first menu is not ambitious; Honeyman has chosen to present four first course choices ($23), four mains ($35-42) and four desserts ($16). There are also the very important oysters, and four side dishes; chickpea fries with roasted garlic aioli, hand cut potato fries, red cabbage slaw with boiled egg dressing and roasted broccoli with lemon olive oil. I wanted to celebrate the simplicity of those side dishes as they are delicious and not in any competition with the mains!

We opted for the degustation menu in order to get a real feel for the new menu. We opted out of the wine matches however. That’s a personal thing as I always want to totally concentrate on the food and find that a different and often unfamiliar wine with every course is distracting and can be more than I need or even want.

There was excellent bread and hallelujah, that bread stayed on the table, with more arriving, throughout the savoury courses. Bread is not a first course. It is a necessity to mop up the lovely juices at the bottom of any dish.

Other dishes revealed more great combinations. Soft beef sirloin with tiger prawn, ginger and smoked carrot; wagyu beef tartare on brioche with a cheesy custard; merino lamb rump with porcini crust, celeriac and Japanese mushrooms. Vegetarians are well catered for too. There’s a lovely Japanese rice congee with kombu, the perfect onsen egg and parmesan as a starter, and for a main course an open ravioli with soy milk curd, cooked and raw baby vegetables and purple carrot.

Gluten free and vegetarian dishes are thoughtfully noted on the menu and there’s an exciting option known as “de-Light by Sofitel” which is comprised of spa style dishes that are low in calories and ‘portion controlled.’ If you must!

That theme of combinations of flavours continues through the dessert menu. I cannot any longer say that I am over the very trendy and overworked foam for Honeyman is a master of this technique. My ‘pina colada’ dessert came with coconut crème brulée, pineapple, freezing cold coconut sorbet and covering everything was a veritable mountain of beautiful clear bubbles of a colada foam. It was stunning and provided a sense of fun and lightness to end a superb meal.

I understand the hotel has an excellent cellar and no doubt if we’d chosen the matched wine option it would have been put to the test. But for the reasons previously stated we chose a decent chardonnay to accompany our meal. Service was excellent but this was a hotel and I could only laugh when the excellent waiter brought an iPad to the table and asked me to fill in a survey to rate the evening. Get rid of that crassness please, and rejoice in the wonderful experience this talented chef is delivering to diners.

LAVA, Sofitel Auckland, 21 Viaduct Harbour Ave, Lighter Quay T: 09 900 9000 www.sofitel.com (LAURAINE JACOBS) www.laurainejacobs.co.nz F PN

From the first sight of our first course I was in love. A couple of slices of vanilla cured Ora King salmon were delicately arranged with little piles of avocado, some crunchy rice tuiles and crumbs and silky icy coconut sorbet. Feathery herbs finished a dish as fine as you could find anywhere. Refreshing, delicious and light enough to hardly make a dent in my appetite.

We proceeded through six more courses, each as carefully thought out and balanced as that first dish. Honeyman dares to dabble in unusual combinations, and they work. His ‘tete de porc’ was tightly rolled piece of tender pork meat topped with a fleshy sea scallop with cauliflower puree, some buttered popcorn (another of his signature playful garnishes), tiny pieces of smoked eel, lovely jus and some crunchy almost sherbet like crumbs on the top.

Batons of fresh fish were cut with precision, and an array of paper thin beetroot sheets waved a pattern around them, supplemented by truffled onion and brie cheese. Lovely.

The divine salmon entrée at Lava

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

60 PONSONBY NEWS+ June 2014

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

CERES FRESH MARKET

photography: Jackie Meiring

YOU EITHER KNOW IT, LOVE IT AND ALREADY MAKE it your routine stop, or you will probably express a little squeal of delight when you discover it - tucked in the back part of Ponsonby Central - the gem that is Ceres Fresh Market.

For over a year now the energetic staff has been pumping out fresh smoothies, juices, and filling the rustic wooden crates with an abundance of colourful fruit and vegies sourced directly from New Zealand organic farms and local markets.

Ceres Organics is behind this enterprising market shop. Having supplied New Zealanders with organic food for over 30 years, the market now serves as an outlet for Ceres Organics wholesale fresh produce division, which deals directly with over one hundred organic growers from around New Zealand. Essentially cutting out the middle man, the aim is to bring organics to the mainstream, to build and encourage the organic growing of fresh produce in New Zealand and prove that organics can be affordable and available through local demand.

Steve Vanderput and Dan Bethune

TORU INTRODUCING STEVE VANDERPUT AND DAN BETHUNE WHO ARE HEADING UP THE recently opened nights at Toru, right in the heart of Ponsonby Central; Steve owns Toru, and with his partner Sarah has over 20 years combined history in the hospitality industry.

Ceres has always been about its people and it is Anna Josephson-Rutter, the daughter of a founding director, who runs the Ponsonby market store. She has worked in Ceres’ Ellerslie store for over six years whilst doing her Fine Arts degree, and has a huge knowledge of organics and fresh produce and a great eye for building creative displays. Anna’s sister Eliza Josephson-Rutter also came on board not long after opening, she just couldn’t resist the pull of the fresh organic business and the sisters work together undeniably well - they even chose to live together!

They opened the award winning Newmarket café Teed Street Larder in 2009 and following that success opened Wai Kitchen on Waiheke, and Scullery on K’ Road. Steve and Sarah also own the very popular Scratch bakers in City Works Depot, set up last year, and are now partners in Three Beans coffee with Jonny McKesser. Dan is the creature of the night, coming from hot Auckland night spots Flight Lounge, Roxy and 1885 in Britomart. He is the consummate cocktail barman, with all the mixology skills, and is often invited to judge cocktail competitions.

Fergus Were heads the shop’s tiny but mighty kitchen area - squeezing, soaking and blending up remarkable flavours from the large menu of fresh juices and super food smoothies - all are made from scratch with pure organic and raw whole food ingredients and are kept dairy and gluten free. The constant hum of blenders and juicers, together with the morning queues are the tell-tale signs of the rising popularity of these healthy cocktails. As the winter encroaches, come in and fortify yourself with staff and customer favourite the “Immunity” juice; organic carrot, orange, beetroot, ginger, lemon and kale.

Email. freshmarket@ceres.co.nz T: 09 215 8380

These boys have been in the game for a long time, love their food, and are excited to take Toru from a brunch destination into an evening experience. Their focus is on simple yet elegant bar food, local and international craft beer, cocktails and a small bistro style menu.

Steve's menus are on trend with food around the globe, focussing on fresh local produce and innovative flavour combinations. Think crab croquettes, beef short rib with eggplant and sambal, fried chicken with jalapeno mayo, rich chocolate tarts and delicious puddings.

Anna and Eliza Josephson-Rutter and Fergus Were The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

If you've been to Toru before, you will know that they like to look after you. No need to book - you can expect fantastic service from knowledgeable staff who can endeavour to find you a seat by the cosy fire. Those who have a soft spot for the morning menu don’t fret, you'll still be able to partake in crab omelettes, salted caramel pancakes and forest mushroom ragu for breakfast, and made-to-order sandwiches, homemade pies (which are quickly gaining a cult following) and your favourite lunch dishes until 4pm seven days a week. Open late from Wednesday to Sunday. See you there.

T: 09 555 1229 www.toru.co.nz

Chocolate tart

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY THAI SILVER RESTAURANT OWNER TALKS OF HER LOVE FOR NEW ZEALAND Thai Silver Restaurant opened recently on Jervois Road and owner Judy Pansriket says she enjoys meeting new people, especially customers, and whilst she believes good service brings good profits, the satisfaction of customers is always her first priority.

Judy’s partner has been working as a Thai chef in New Zealand for more than 15 years and Judy has been working in the hospitality industry since she arrived here 10 years ago. She says New Zealand is such a beautiful country and the people are so nice that she decided to settle down and spend the rest of her life here.

When she first arrived in New Zealand she ran a Thai restaurant in Gisborne, but the six to seven hours to travel to Auckland meant she became very fatigued. “Sometimes I had to drive alone to Auckland and back in one day to buy ingredients for cooking. One night my car broke down in Waiowaka gorge (south of Opotiki on SH2).

I was lonely and in total darkness, it was raining and I was frightened but luckily someone drove past and picked me up. After that I decided to leave my business and move back to Auckland to be near my friends and my relatives.

"I love and enjoy Auckland city life very much. It reminds me of my hometown, Chiang Mai based in northern Thailand."

Thai Silver Restaurant is a family business, small, warm and welcoming and the staff is professional and experienced in hospitality - and all are experts in Thai food. F PN THAI SILVER RESTAURANT, 186 Jervois Road, T: 09 360 0714 www.thaisilver.co.nz

62 PONSONBY NEWS+ June 2014

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

WHAT’S HOT AT SABATO WELCOMING WINTER With winter now officially upon us salads are still on our menus!

We love a fresh, tasty salad for a simple supper or sublime side over the cooler months, albeit with a few wintery adjustments.

Here is a superb salad recipe from our autumn/winter recipe card set. This set has 12 gorgeous recipes by Julie Le Clerc, designed to highlight seasonal produce and make the most of your favourite Sabato products. This tempting salad is full of flavour with chicken and prosciutto, crunchy nuts, tasty Valdeón and a versatile nutty dressing idea which you can use on many salad combinations: Chicken, Prosciutto and Blue Cheese Salad with Toasted Walnut Dressing Serves 4-6 600g free-range chicken breasts 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil Iblea sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 100g thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma 150g mixed baby salad leaves 1/2 cup KerNelZ walnuts, toasted 1/2 cup green olives 100g Valdeón blue cheese, crumbled Toasted walnut dressing: 1/4 cup KerNelZ walnuts, toasted 1 Tbsp Sabato mustard mayonnaise 2 Tbsp Forvm Chardonnay vinegar 4 Tbsp Lapalisse walnut oil Preheat the oven to 200°C

WARM SPICED CAULIFLOWER SALAD A great way to get your vegies during the cooler months is with a warm salad. This tasty side dish is delicious, a cinch to make and good for you.

Serves 4 Time to make 40 minutes 1 head cauliflower (1kg), chopped in florets 400g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed oil spray 1 teaspoon ground cumin 4 cups chopped silverbeet leaves, stalks discarded 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil salt and pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons crumbled goats’ feta cheese

To make dressing, place walnuts in a small food processor and process to chop. Add remaining ingredients and process briefly to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Place chicken breasts in a low-sided oven pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Lay slices of prosciutto loosely over chicken breasts and roast for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and rest until cool enough to handle then tear chicken and prosciutto into bite-sized pieces. Set aside to cool completely. Place salad leaves, chicken, prosciutto, walnuts and olives in a large bowl and toss well to combine. Arrange on a serving platter and scatter with crumbled Valdeón. Serve with dressing on the side to drizzle over.

Valdeón is a rich Spanish blue cheese with an earthy flavour and a firm but creamy texture. A special treat for all blue cheese fans. Visit our cheesemonger to discover more divine artisan cheeses from across Europe and New Zealand. F PN SABATO Limited, 57 Normanby Road T: 09 630 8751 www.sabato.co.nz

Step 1; Preheat oven to 200°C. Place cauliflower and chickpeas on an oven tray. Spray with oil and sprinkle with cumin, tossing to coat. Roast for 20-30 minutes until cauliflower is browned and tender with some crispy dark-brown edges.

Step 2; Blanch or microwave silverbeet for 1-2 minutes until tender.

Step 3; In a large bowl combine cauliflower, chickpeas, silverbeet and olive oil. Mix well.

Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle over goats’ cheese.

Nutrition: diabetes-friendly, high fibre Recipe: Niki Bezzant Photography: Melanie Jenkins Recipe reprinted from Healthy Food Guide magazine with permission from Healthy Life Media Ltd. Find more recipes loaded with legumes in the June 2014 issue of Healthy Food Guide magazine ($5.90), on sale in supermarkets and bookstores or subscribe at PN www.healthyfood.co.nz F The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY SHOWCASING NEW ZEALAND CHEESE At The Dairy, we showcase New Zealand Cheese. We buy from over 30 different cheesemakers from farms spread across New Zealand.

Some people are surprised to find that artisanal producers of fine cheese exist in New Zealand but we Kiwis have been doing this now for quite some time and it is widely acknowledged that we are making cheeses that are on a par with some of the world’s best.

Blues, washed rinds, fresh cheeses, gouda and even raw milk cheese... We look after the cheese in our specially designed cheese room at Ponsonby Central. Here the cheese is nurtured. They are brushed to keep the rind breathing properly, flipped to distribute minerals evenly, washed to keep moisture, or even bathed in wine or brandy! All to make it better; all to promote the flavour of the people, animals and land it came from.

Cow, goat, buffalo and sheep milk cheese are all available depending on the season and what is tasting good. More people are changing the way they buy and eat cheese as a result of this new offering.

THE TASTE OF VIETNAMESE CUISINE WITH A DASH OF FRENCH Discover a delectable dining experience at the new Le Vietnamese Kitchen on Ponsonby Road.

Step into the modern cosy restaurant and you’ll be transported to the hustle and bustle of busy Vietnamese life. You’ll fall in love with the fresh and aromatic flavours of Vietnamese cuisine finished with a little French flair.

Over the past 15 years Chef David Cao has travelled to most South East Asian countries while working for the Accor Hotel Group, the Sunway 5 Star Hotel and the Hilton Hotel. David comes from a family of cooks, his parents cooked for the French during the Vietnam War; with this background it is no wonder he won a Silver Award National competition in 2010.

Le Vietnamese Kitchen owner Minh Lu and David met each other in Singapore while David was competing in an international cultural competition and now they are both here bringing a taste of Vietnamese cuisine to Ponsonby.

Every cheese is sliced to order from the wheel or truckle and everyone loves being able to try it first and find out about where it came from and when it is at its best from our experienced cheesemongers.

David has created a unique menu of authentic dishes combining the culinary techniques of Vietnam and France. Fresh vegetables are delivered daily along with other locally sourced ingredients. Quality New Zealand meat and fish is a key feature of the menu.

Join the switch to getting your cheese hand-wrapped and ready to eat now. Pop in to The Dairy and try a taste of our wonderful selection next time you’re passing.

PN (GEOFF BROGAN) F

Whether you go for a la carte or street food, every dish is prepared with passion for traditional Vietnamese flavours. The mouth-watering meals are best enjoyed with a drink from the Vietnamese-inspired cocktail menu. F PN

THE DAIRY, 2 the Lane, Ponsonby Central Market T: 09 972 2642 www.the-dairy.co.nz

Le Vietnamese will have their grand opening on 9 June and the first opening on 10 June.

LE VIETNAMESE KITCHEN, 107 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 376 6107

IT’S OFFICIAL...

The pub that locals have long called 'The Cav' is getting its new-old name above the door. Ponsonby drinking institution The Cavalier Tavern will re-open on June 6 as The Cav. But while the name is getting shorter, everything else is getting a little bit bigger and better. New head of operations Geoff Tuttle says The Cav has been “completely made over.” That said, “we’ve kept everything that makes it good.”

The great pub is now a great gastro bar, with craft beers added to the drinks list and ex Euro culinary star Eugene Hamilton added to the kitchen. The glorious deck is just that bit more glorious. And All Blacks matches will still be played on The Cav’s screens - they’ll just be flatter and wider and generally easier to yell at. Having stood in College Hill in one incarnation or another for 150 years, Tuttle says they were keen to retain the building’s character. “But its last fit out was 25 years ago, so it was looking a bit tired.”

There’s nothing sleepy about The Cav now. In fact, it’s set to enter the late night market with DJs on Friday and Saturday nights, and getting some lazy Sunday sessions happening on the deck too.

That is, unless there’s a game on. “The Cav will always be the place you go to watch the rugby,” says Tuttle. It’s just now you can do it with classic gastro-pub fare in one hand and a craft beer in the other.

And just like The Cav, Ponsonby is unique. So to celebrate Ponsonby's uniqueness, they're sending photographers out into the streets this week to capture the essence of what makes the area unique - like finding a convenient car park. That may or may not also mean photographs of really-really good looking people (nothing personal, Parnell).

Being over a hundred doesn't mean The Cav can't use the internet, either - see for PN yourself: www.Facebook.com/TheCavNZ Instagram: @UniquelyPonsonby F

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JULIE BONNER: NEWS FROM FROG POND FARM

Goodbye autumn I also need to say goodbye to our beautiful rooster Russell Crowe, who has gone to chook heaven.

Such a gentle, wonderful bird that did a sterling job of protecting his girls and making sure that their inherent squabbling was kept to a minimum. We were saddened to say ‘au revoir’.

His brood needs a trusty lookout and male companionship, and as we miss that 6.30am crow, we have gone and procured another rooster. This gangly youngster currently devoid of tail plumage is a Splash Orpington. He arrived at Frog Pond Farm with two Australorp hens, which like him are teenagers. Chooks are notorious for hen ‘pecking’ and the new arrivals are at the bottom of the pecking ladder. So for now, they spend much of their day avoiding chook ambush and the imminent peck or feather removal that comes with it. Initially this behaviour used to irritate me, but after eight years of being a chook owner I’ve come to realise that this is part of the chicken world and quite acceptable in the scheme of things. We haven’t named the rooster yet, but I’m thinking Colin or Oscar - what do you think?

At last, our very first olive harvest and how exciting it was too! Our 50 trees supplied us with approx 250kg of olives, which once processed at the olive press meant 22 litres of gorgeous olive oil that tastes just sublime. It has wonderful aromas of fresh grass with a palate that is peppery and zingy. Perfect for dressings and dipping. Bring it on!

It’s a big job harvesting olives too, as specialised equipment is required. Netting to stretch out on the ground below the trees, pegs to hold it in place, olive crates to store them in after picking, plastic rakes to aid their removal from the trees, a three legged pruning ladder and lots of patience and good friends. I found it quite therapeutic reaching up into the trees and literally plucking the olives from the branches, something that you get quite good at. So on a weekend early in May with magical weather and help from our wonderful neighbours, it was full steam ahead. This is a task that needs many hands and we were blessed with that. So ‘thank you’ to everyone involved - and a special thanks to Tricia from Coatesville Lavender Hill Farm. We couldn’t have done it without you!

The brassicas that were tucked away in cloches hiding from those pesky white butterflies have finally been unveiled to the world. They have been flexing their muscles like bodybuilders for some time now, so I needed to haul back the frost cloth and let them do their thing outdoors. Splendid looking plants they are too. In fact, I spotted a couple of tiny broccolis that are growing nicely.

I’ve been busy planting too. Our homegrown garlic has not only been poked into a raised bed, but is already up and skyward bound. And keeping in the allium theme, Egyptian walking and red onions have also been planted in a shared prepped bed with lots of composted horse poo, coffee grounds, food scraps and seaweed. Being a seaweed fan, I have also been out there liberally sloshing about my homemade fertiliser - one look at the brassicas and you know that the stuff has been working! The peas are finally being athletic and hauling themselves up the trellis and out of the way of the nasturtium, which while so pretty, will literally choke its neighbours.

At last after my misadventure juicing, I’m back into the daily routine. It is fabulous being able to whizz outdoors and grab parsley, celery, beetroot, sorrel, feijoas, yacon and lemons and from the store throw in chopped carrots, ginger and black chia seed. The perfect start to our day!

Yes, we have been pruning too, which is a big job. Our orchard is nearly completed, leaving the feijoa grove and those 50 odd olive trees, which Andrew started trimming at harvest. Oh dear I’m feeling tired thinking about it....

Well, that’s it for me for another month. Happy gardening. (JULIE BONNER) F PN www.frogpondfarm.co.nz

66 PONSONBY NEWS+ June 2014

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

LIZ WHEADON: WINE, GLORIOUS WINE

Akarua - June 2014 Akarua was first planted in 1996 by Sir Clifford Skeggs, wisely planting the vineyard in Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay.

Significantly, Akarua is located on one single estate vineyard in Bannockburn. There’s been a lot of chatter to date with regard to sub regional differences in Central Otago, the benefits and nuances. When you consider the patchwork of terroir that makes up the great French Pinot Noir and Chardonnay region of Burgundy, exploring what makes each part of Central unique and starting to understand it, makes sense. Speaking of common sense though, it is important to also bear in mind that we are a very young wine growing country, relatively speaking, and whilst exploring the sub regional differences is a great idea, setting regulations and red tape (à la French) too soon might restrict us from reaching our full potential. Now, back to Akarua, they really do have a sub regional story to tell; unlike many producers in the region, Akarua have one single owned estate - the largest privately owned single site in central, sprawling across 50 hectares of picturesque Central landscape. Not short of top notch neighbours, Bannockburn is also home to Felton Road, Mt Difficulty and Terra Sanctus, to name a few.

Every year when I taste Akarua’s new releases, I’d have to admit to being a little surprised - just how do they get better year in year out? Matt Connell is certainly one clever winemaker. Matt finished studying viticulture and oenology in 2011, joining Akarua in 2008; his first vintage at Akarua, the 2009 Pinot Noir, winning gold and a trophy. The years in between study and Akarua were spent gaining experience overseas and making a series of award winning Central Otago wines. In 2012 Matt and the team at Akarua turned their hand to sparkling wine production; not surprisingly for this quality producer, their sparkling wines were launched with a raft of local and international success.

Matt Connell is coming to Auckland during June and hosting our monthly Pinot Noir Club tasting on June 18. For this we will taste the range of sparkling wines - Brut, Rose and Vintage as well as four Akarua Pinot Noir - Rua, two vintages of Akarua and their top end PN Pinot Noir - Siren. (LIZ WHEADON) F www.glengarrywines.co.nz

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RAINBOW COMMUNITY WARM WINTER DINING AT MARCELLO’S At Marcello’s they’ve settled in well at their sunny location on College Hill. You can get breakfast, brunch or lunch, all day, any day of the week, and Wednesday to Saturday they’re open for dinner.

They can provide a venue for your party or meeting, and catering on any scale, from canapés to buffet, to a la carte; for small groups or large. They can also make up catering for a party at your own venue.

The café is fully licensed with a great range of beer, wine, and spirits. There is plenty of room inside and out, and the outdoor heater will be on in the courtyard whenever it’s chilly.

Your host, Marcello, will be there to give you a very warm welcome. As Marcello says, “We’re looking forward to seeing you. Our latest menu has plenty of hearty warming, food to keep the winter at bay, along with the favourites that our customers ask for again and again.“ Like their Facebook page and be kept up to date with the latest goings on, and to see photographs of the delicious goodies and specials on offer for the day. They also have a Menumania profile and there are plenty of reviews to browse through to get a feel for their place.

Wireless Nation provides a wireless hotspot that their customers are welcome to use, free of charge while at the café. Phone Marcello’s to book a table, book using Menumania, or just pop in. F PN MARCELLO’S CAFFE & RESTAURANT 28 College Hill T: 09 361 2600 www.facebook.com/pages/Marcellos-Caffé-Restaurant/191643444254

L to R: Miss Elibra Fleur and Miss Ling Ling

RANDOM CLUB AT CALUZZI CALUZZI BAR & CABARET IS NEW ZEALAND’S ORIGINAL DRAG QUEEN CABARET. Established in 1996 and starting out as a one night a week phenomenon, Caluzzi immediately captured the hearts of Aucklanders and grew to become one of Auckland’s most fun themed nights out. Caluzzi’s success can be put down to one thing - THEIR GIRLS. With amazing performances, friendly service and fabulous costumes, the Caluzzi girls are helpful and approachable and will make it a night to remember. Pop along for their casual Wednesday Happy Hour from 5.30pm - 7.30pm. The kitchen is open serving warm winter meals. F PN CALUZZI BAR & CABARET, 462 Karangahape Road T: 09 357 0778 www.caluzzi.co.nz

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RAINBOW COMMUNITY LEGEND’S SPECTACULAR SPACE AND VIEWS This stunning bar is like nothing else in the city. Hidden upstairs next to the K'Road bridge are open plan surroundings with captivating views unlike any other across Auckland City. Legend Bar and Club on K'Road has everything you need to start a fabulous night out.

Enjoy Legend’s comfortable and fun surroundings with a host of entertainment brought to you by our GoGo dancers and our gorgeous drag queens. Six of Auckland’s best DJ’s bring you a massive range of dance beats. From top of the charts to gay anthem classics you will instantly want to hit the dance floor.

As well as a fun place to dance and drink, Legend Bar is home to some of Auckland’s biggest gay events. In the past year Legend has hosted the annual Mr Gay New Zealand Competition, the massively popular Staircase Reunion and most recently in collaboration with the Cartier Bereavement Trust the Wigarama fundraising night. Check out the Legend Facebook page to keep up with more exciting events!

Coming up next month from the hugely popular American reality competition Ru Paul’s Drag Race, Legend Bar will be hosting diva Trinity K. Bonet (Friday 13 June), and the fierce Adore Delano. (Sunday 20 June) This is a slice of reality royalty not to be missed!

If you are planning a function, birthday or any other event, Legend’s spectacular space and views can be yours - From 30 people to 300, catered or self planned, there’s nothing our party planner Grady Elliot won't be able to sort.

From 10pm-12pm Legend offers $5 house beer, wine and shots - so come celebrate all things legendary at Legend Bar, 373 Karangahape Road (next to the K'Road bridge).

Find us: legendbar.co.nz facebook.com/legend.co.nz twitter.com/legendbarakl

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PONSONBY NEWS READERS ARE EVERYWHERE

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2 1. Veronica Shale emailed this shot from MONGOLIA and tells us, "My in-laws Brenda and Alan Davies are doing a 63 day classic car rally over May and June driving from Shanghai to London in their classic Volvo. I packed a Ponsonby News for my mother-inlaw!" Outside a traditional Ger in Ulaanbaatar the capital of Mongolia, with said Ponsonby News!

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3 2. Nisha Patel works at Countdown Grey Lynn and she sent us this photograph of herself and told us, "This was taken during my trip to the GOLD COAST, where I was staying at the Q1".

3. Grey Lynn resident Rosie Oliver tells us she had a lovely time in Redcliffe in BRISBANE, Queensland recently. This photograph was taken by the Redcliffe Pier where the boats leave to go whale watching, beautiful autumn weather!

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TRAVEL BREAKS: THE NEW THERAPY!

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AMERICAS

by Chris Lyons, Director, World Journeys When I mention to friends I am off on a trip around South America it draws little more reaction than a yawning “Again?”

But this time I am truly “going around” South America - cruising from one side to the other, not to mention the entire length, from south to north. Relatively new to cruising, I do find this a great way to experience my favourite continent - awaking to a new port, a new country and a new adventure.

common here. More penguins greet us at the first stop in Chile - Punta Arenas, as we move through the magnificent Chilean fiords to Puerto Montt. Incredible scenery to the extent that even a Kiwi who loves Milford Sound can be blown away.

Further north, I always enjoy Santiago, but have recently discovered the port of Valparaiso, and am really impressed by its colourful architecture and wonderful seafood.

Here we take a break from the cruise for a thrilling excursion to Machu Picchu, while the ship continues on to Lima, the capital of Peru. We visit the colourful Pisac Indian markets and the impressive Inca fortress at Ollantaytambo in the beautiful Sacred Valley.

Taking the train to Machu Picchu, perhaps the most important archaeological sites in the Americas, is an absolute highlight, combined with Cuzco’s historic blend of Incan and Spanish colonial architecture.

What better starting point than Buenos Aires, one of the great cities in the world.

I allow time to revisit favourite haunts and take in some authentic tango. Before heading out into open sea we stop in Montevideo then Punta del Este, known as the St Tropez of South America, with its glamorous jet-setters and café lifestyle. Next stop Puerto Madryn, still in Argentina but you wouldn’t know it - Welsh is spoken by many locals, having been settled by some hardy Welsh back in the mid 1800s.

We rejoin the ship in Lima, and head for the legendary Panama Canal - not only a huge feat of engineering, but a facility which totally changed the course of trade, settlement and history forever. Tropical Cartagena is our last stop on the South American continent, a fittingly colourful walled city with its UNESCO listed Spanish-style colonial centre an absolute dream for photographers.

This region of Patagonia is also home to colonies of literally millions of Magellan penguins and huge numbers of sea lions. Sailing south we round infamous Cape Horn to reach Ushuaia, the southern-most city in the world. This is Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire), named for its volcanoes, and well worth a visit for the spectacular Beagle Channel, and the wild beauty of its national park. Circling albatrosses and whale sightings are

Cruising 'around' South America is one of those epic journeys that reignites that sense of exploration and discovery that travel is all about. Join me in February 2015 to retrace the footsteps of Magellan on the five star ship Celebrity Infinity - and you will truly be able to say you’ve experienced 'the Americas'. F PN

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ROSS THORBY: SEA FEVER

Iceberg dead ahead!

The former First Lady of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt, was reported to have remarked when she was shown Brazil’s Iguacu Falls, “Poor Niagara”. The poignancy of this comment was not lost on me as we continued around the southern tip of South America.

Last year we had cruised New Zealand’s fiords on board the Queen Mary 2. The beauty and grandeur of our fiords surpassed any other scenery I had seen in New Zealand, and for a whole day we sailed in and out of the valleys alongside cliffs and cascading waterfalls, experiencing the wonder that is 'Shadowland'. I was amazed, I was entranced, I was inspired.

Now a year later, we were to sail in and out of the fiords at the bottom of South America; huge mountainous ranges whose peaks were smothered in cloud and whose slopes were cloaked in snow and ice. Mystical glaciers slowly edging down long and ancient valleys, reaching, like fingers in a glove, out into the very depths of the Chilean Fiords. I never expected the enthralment of my day in Milford and Doubtful Sounds to be surpassed so soon, but it has.

A fact that still irks me. No other country is meant to have what we have - and surpass it, but for scale and majesty, they do and they have.

Effortlessly we manoeuvred through the fiords via a narrow path at the foothill of nature’s behemoths, our route marred only by the remains of some of the many unfortunate ships wrecked over the past five centuries, some of their remains still visible alongside half-submerged rocky outcrops. Our ship glided silently past them nodding respectfully in soulful silence.

Then we entered the Amalia Fiord. A glacier 12 miles long and made of water thousands of years old, the ice so compacted and dense it reflects blue and purple. The flow starts at the crest of a valley atop an ancient Volcano and slowly winds its way downward picking up trunks of ancient trees and boulders as big as cars as it makes its way to suddenly terminate in a cliff as it reaches the sea where it 'calves'. Huge blocks dropping off into the water, the bergs begin a journey through the Fiord, dropping sediment and rocks on the sea floor while slowly shrinking in size to become the ice floe that we had followed to this valley all morning. Interestingly we saw more than one iceberg where you could make out the dark shapes of limbs and branches of ancient trees within.

Ship bound we were left to admire the beauty of the streams of ice from the comfort of the decks but we still shivered in sympathy watching the ship’s photographer off-loaded into an unprotected tender craft. It sped in and out of the floe as he caught in his lens, the Victoria, settled amongst the great chunks of ice floating around us. At one stage the crew reached over and pulled in a floater from the sea that was later to feature in an ice carving exhibition. Further pieces were delivered to the bars for adding to our cocktails, the extra profit going to the ships charity, The Prince’s Trust. The bars that night were to do a roaring trade.

For most of the afternoon we sat transfixed by the scene, the formidable frozen river of ice, a pod of dolphins playing around the ship, bears wandering the undergrowth bordering the icefield, and exotic birdlife swooping over the decks. A cold harsh environment but full of life.

We set sail again; on through the night to the next destination the Pio Glacier. During the last Ice Age two thirds of the earth was covered in ice and here it is easy to imagine. The whole end of this aquatic valley was covered in a floe that was calving and creaking as we approached. We followed the stream of ice right up to the base of its cliffs, ducking and dodging bergs of various sizes, and sat and stared at the beauty of it all while being served heartwarming soup and snacks to keep the cold at bay.

Billed as one of the highlights of this itinerary, the Patagonian Ice Fields exceeded our expectations, the majesty and beauty of the area, the incredible soaring heights, the cascading waterfalls, the sheer mountain cliffs, the extravagant forest, and stunning glaciers and yet we only saw a small portion of the area and what it had to offer. Poor PN Fiordland. (ROSS THORBY) F

SOME OF THE FACES OF THE TEAM AT GILPIN TRAVEL Hidden away on the first floor at 14 Maidstone Street is corporate travel specialist Gilpin Travel.

Owners Keith and Lisa Sumner relocated their business back in 2010 and have never regretted the shift. Gilpin Travel has 22 plus employees and travel partners operating out of their premises and they service a number of New Zealand's leading corporates.

Gilpin Travel as a brand has been around for some 25 years and was originally based in Newmarket. Gilpin offers a broad range of services from event and conference management to holiday travel and corporate travel management. Ponsonby News asked several of the Gilpin team what they love about working here.

Erin King is a senior travel consultant and lives 15 minutes from work. It’s easy to get to work. There is a big variety of cafes and restaurants and drinking establishments. Favourite at the moment is Blue Breeze Inn at Ponsonby Central.

Justine Beguely is Sales Manager and mum of two boisterous boys. As a working mum getting to and from work easily is a plus. Ponsonby is not as hustle and bustle as the CBD but it has a great mix of stylish eateries and cutting edge fashion labels. Favourite at the moment is Ponsonby Central.

Sophie Killgour is the events and conference manager. Living in Grey Lynn and walking to work is hard to beat. Around our work there is a real sense of community and people know who you are.

Current favourite eatery is Chop Chop - a pop up noodle place behind Blue Breeze!

Penny Snell is a senior travel consultant.

Ponsonby is so trendy! As well as the cafés and pubs there are great parks and favourite things to do include lunchtime power walks and looking at the old villas and bungalows. Favourite hangout is Ponsonby Bistro.

Alana Pepper is a senior travel consultant. Being only 15 minutes from home is a real plus and Western Park in summer is a great place to relax at lunchtimes. Being close to town but not in it is desirable and Friday drinks at either Revelry or Long Room is a great way to end the week. F PN GILPIN TRAVEL, level 1, 14 Maidstone Street T: 09 361 4730 www.gilpin.co.nz

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PONSONBY NEWS READERS ARE EVERYWHERE

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3 1. & 2. Farah Farahani and her husband Bahman (of Rug Direct) are two of our favourite supporters. They've just been in IRAN with their two sons and remembered to take their Ponsonby News. They are photographed in front of the Milad Tower and Azadi Square.

3. Roland Winn tells us, “My wife and I moved to Ponsonby recently and love it. I’m photographed reading the Ponsonby News on the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of CHINA last month.”

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4. Jason Phang tells us, “I live in Grey Lynn (eight years and counting) and I practise yoga at East West Yoga Studio on Ponsonby Road. “While on holiday in SINGAPORE, I thought I’d capture both aspects of myself at a less known area in the land of my birth. “As such, I’m carrying your magazine while striking a Ardha Chandrasana yoga pose in front of a traditional shophouse in Jalan Besar area. “This shophouse is built in a traditional Straits of Malacca Peranakan architecture, retaining beautiful and historic Peranakan tiles.”

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

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING CLASSES AT AROHA HEALING Stretching and nurturing our bodies through the cooler months is essential for optimal wellbeing and energy flow.

Aroha Healing has three deeply healing and energetic offerings to assist you in feeling your best and to keep your internal energy flow at its peak condition. A beautiful blend of Vinyasa flow and Hatha Yoga is taught at Aroha Healing twice a week on Monday and Thursday evenings with Frances Miller-Roza. Frances focuses on one of the seven major energy centres (chakras) each week and provides poses that assist in awakening and nourishing our chakras. She can adapt the class to suit all levels of yoga, beginners through to advanced, and also offers personal yoga sessions for individuals and couples.

Nerine Gregerson has started some incredible Yoga Nidra classes at Aroha Healing each fortnight on a Saturday afternoon. The stress response is instinctive and automatic.

However, the opposite, relaxation, has to be actively pursued. Yoga Nidra is a practice of guided relaxation. This ancient yogic practice therefore provides an effective tool for dealing with the stresses of modern-day living. It induces a state of deep relaxation and is regarded as ‘sleep with awareness’. In this deeply relaxed state the natural healing powers of body and mind are accessed, releasing physical, emotional and psychological tensions, while rejuvenating the whole system. It is said that an hour of yoga nidra is equivalent to four hours of sleep!

Rosanna Marks teaches a similar energy awakening concept with her Sacred Tantric Bellydance on Tuesday evenings at Maidstone Street and Friday evenings each term at the Auckland Women’s Centre in West Lynn. Both ancient modalities open, balance, tone and re-energise the recipient. Rosanna also offers personal bellydance sessions for individuals.

All teachers are pure in their intent and committed to providing attendees with ancient knowledge, body and energy awareness. Check out Aroha Healing’s website and click on PN the dance and yoga page for more information, class times and costs. F AROHA HEALING, 3 Maidstone Street T: 0800 mindbody www.arohahealing.co.nz

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IF YOU SUFFER FROM GASTRIC REFLUX YOU NEED TO READ THIS An Austrian study published in 2012 found that people practising 15 minutes of diaphragm breathing exercises a day reduced gastric reflux symptoms and medication use by 75%.

Gastric reflux (heartburn), is usually treated with medications that either neutralise or 'turn off' gastric acid production in the stomach.

The problem with this is that gastric reflux is almost always caused by a lack of stomach acid, rather than an over production. Further, gastric reflux is commonly related to hiatal hernia and this is where diaphragmatic breathing comes in. A poorly functioning diaphragm is known to be a part of the hyperventilation pattern of breathing. The body responds to the need to over-breathe by activating the upper chest muscles to breathe.

When this pattern exists the diaphragm often ends up in a chronically descended and flattened position and cannot relax, a state known as paradoxical breathing.

But wait there’s more: Hyperventilation and paradoxical breathing contribute to keeping a person in flight or fight which can cause indigestion. Diaphragm breathing exercises are thought to help normalise the breathing and activate the parasympathetic. The breathing exercises help turn off the fight or flight, easing digestion. Correct use of the diaphragm helps correct paradoxical breathing and tones the diaphragm. This helps correct the hiatal hernia, unlike proton pump inhibitors that are only trying to suppress acid production.

Contact the BUTEYKO BREATHING CLINIC T: 09-360 6291 to learn how we can help you overcome symptoms of gastric reflux without need for medication. F PN www.buteykobreathing.co.nz

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HELENE RAVLICH: NATURAL BEAUTY

Goldwell’s Kerasilk Keratin treatment, from frustrating to fabulous I first tried a keratin 'smoothing' treatment on my hair years ago when they first hit the salons in New Zealand as an alternative to chemical hair straightening.

The early versions often had rather varying results, and when it was revealed that they also could potentially contain all manner of ‘nasties’ they soon went out of favour - apart from with diehard fans. Since I first wrote about the process of infusing the hair with keratin to give it a super shiny, just-out-of-the-salon look every day, it seems that literally thousands of practitioners have popped up. With seemingly every man and his colourist giving keratin treatments a bash, some have been of dubious efficacy, tarnishing the good name of the real thing.

A few great alternatives started showing up not long after, but they required putting in some serious salon time, a factor that the time-poor amongst us weren’t always that keen on. I soon found out after one treatment that my time in the salon is only half the treatment’s processing time, too. You weren’t able to get your hair wet or let any moisture into it for 72 hours as it could effect the ongoing process of the keratin 'attaching itself' to your hair. This means no getting caught in the rain, washing your hair or gym workouts. Once the 72 hours are up you are free to wash and style your now spectacular hair however you desire though, and for many, the initial inconvenience was well worth it.

not affected by sulfates either- including salt water - so you can go forth and swim or use your favourite shampoo without worrying about it altering the end result.

When I went into Goldwell’s training space to have one myself I was amazing at how quick the whole process was, despite the fact that it was rather involved. My hair was washed, product applied, blow waved and ironed, and then after processing I had a good old wash and a wonderful dry all over again. The end result was silky smooth hair that has been an absolute joy to wash and wear, and the shine factor has been out of this world.

Locally, the only salon that I know of offering the Goldwell service is the wonderful Sh’oosh in the Summerfield Villas on Richmond Road in Grey Lynn, so if it sounds like a bit of you then head on in for a chat. And the cost? You’ll have to go in for a consultation to find out, and it is determined by things like thickness, texture and length of the hair.

But come on - perfect hair every day? Priceless! (HELENE RAVLICH) F PN

Anyway, fast-forward to 2014 and you have Goldwell’s Kerasilk Keratin Treatment on offer, which takes half the time (or more) of the original offerings and has the ability to last up to five months! You also leave with washed and blow dried hair, and are free to hit the spin class immediately if you are that way inclined. For many women I know, countless products are used in the time consuming process of blow drying, straightening and smoothing their locks post-wash and yet, the desired result stays unreachable. Despite spending substantial amounts of time, money and effort, long -lasting smooth, soft hair remains but a dream.

Goldwell’s Kerasilk is the first customisable, long-lasting Keratin Treatment Service too, as its two-component system means that it can be perfectly adjusted to every client’s hair and lifestyle needs. Regardless of whether your hair is frizzy and unmanageable or very curly, damaged and wavy, Kerasilk will get the perfect level of smoothness for you.

So how does it work then? The Goldwell KeraShape Technology, which includes glyoxylic acid and smoothing ingredients such as keratin and silk proteins, penetrates into the hair where it creates new keratin bonds and stabilises the new hair shape for up to five months. Kerasilk Keratin Treatment is also 100 per cent formaldehyde free (bonus!), with no emissions or offensive odours (double bonus!), meaning you won’t be reaching for the smelling salts while it processes. Due to the unique formulation, colour can also be applied at the time of the service too, cutting down your in-salon time even more. It’s

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LANI LOPEZ: HEALTHY LIVING

Reducing the glycemic index could reduce your waistline “Does it work?” A friend asked about apple cider vinegar reducing the sugar in foods if taken before meals. She has diabetes and is committed to getting her sugar and her weight down.

I’ve always been very sceptical when it comes to claims made about apple cider vinegar because there are so many. I’ve read booklets making various claims and over the years I’ve heard many people say convincingly that they’ve been taking it daily for decades to promote good heart function and alleviate and prevent arthritis, gout, reflux and even varicose veins.

How to eat energetically Steer clear of sugar; sucrose, glucose, maltose, fructose, corn syrup etc.

Around 5000 BCE, a courtier in Babylonia discovered vinegar and its use as a food preservative. Cleopatra (c. 50 BCE) dissolved precious pearls in vinegar and offered her love potion to a spellbound Anthony. Sung Tse, the 10th century creator of forensic CSI-like medicine, advocated hand washing with sulfur and vinegar to avoid infection during autopsies. Sometimes we wait for scientific evidence to prove that these claims are true, and after many years of scientific squabbling we get it.

Eat fibre rich food. Legumes and beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils, whole grains, brown rice, wholemeal pasta, barley, quinoa and oat bran.

In recent news apple cider vinegar was proven to assist weight loss. It seems that if you drink it before meals apple cider vinegar can lower the sugar load (called the glycemic index) of a food, thereby reducing your calories and the effect the glycemic index has on insulin and the pancreas, responsible for sugar balance in the body.

Get The Low Down on GI The glycemic index or GI of food is a guide to the most energy efficient foods. GI describes the sugar level response in the blood when we eat different foods. High GI foods like white flour, potatoes, sugar, and white rice raise blood sugar levels more than low GI foods like beans and whole grains. Limiting high GI foods helps to keep blood sugar more stable (avoiding crash and burn energy cycles) and may curb appetite.

The slower energy is released, the better and the lower GI a food, the better. Low GI foods are satisfying, suppress appetite for longer and give long-lasting energy. Weight loss is the long term benefit.

Avoid processed and refined carbohydrates. In this case white is an indicator, white rice, bread and potatoes have very high GI levels.

Eat fruit and vegies and with the skin on when possible.

Eat small meals often - snack freely between meals and keep a stash of raw nuts, fruit, hummus and cut up fresh vegies, handy. Capsicum, celery or carrot sticks are great.

Include protein with each meal, add nuts to cereal, tuna or chickpeas in salad and eat fish and lean red meat.

On top of this, drinking apple cider vinegar before meals stimulates release of digestive enzymes and can help with nasty reflux, indigestion, bloating and even the gas. I add it to my salad dressings as well. Add one-two capfuls of apple cider vinegar to a drizzle of olive oil or flax oil and one teaspoon of grain mustard. Used correctly I think that apple cider vinegar is quite the healing boon. Even Hippocrates (c. 420 BCE) used vinegar medicinally to manage wounds and digestion. History has something to teach us after PN all. (LANI LOPEZ) F Lani Lopez: NZ’s favourite naturopath, clinical nutritionist and health expert, Lani makes natural health easy to follow on coastonline.co.nz, to inspire and encourage us all in a life of wellness. Follow Lani Lopez Naturopath on Facebook www.facebook.com/ lani.lopez1 and twitter.

MACULAR DEGENERATION AWARENESS Imagine a world without vision. Now, imagine how you would feel knowing your (or your loved one’s) sight could have been saved for a day, a month, a few years longer - just by awareness of New Zealand’s leading cause of blindness - macular degeneration (MD) - and a simple test.

During the Macular Degeneration Awareness Week last month, Macular Degeneration New Zealand revealed new research showing only 67% of Kiwis over the age of 50 have heard of MD. In addition, MDNZ released a resource paper highlighting key evidence that shows treatment for Wet MD is changing people’s lives, prolonging their sight and improving quality of life.

Phillippa Pitcher from MDNZ, says: “One in seven New Zealanders over the age of 50 have some evidence of MD and one in four over the age of 80 have some vision loss. There is also a 50% chance you will be affected by MD if a family member has the condition.”

“However, our new research shows there are still many Kiwis who are totally unaware of the condition and we need to educate them about the condition and the importance of early detection, as evidence detailed within our new resource paper shows Anti VEGF treatments, introduced in New Zealand in 2005, has the potential to stabilise the vision for up to 95% of treated patients.” F PN Support and information is available at www.mdnz.org.nz

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MICHELLE OWEN: POSTURE TO PERFORMANCE

Avoiding the dowager’s hump A dowager’s hump is just one of the many conditions that can occur if we don’t have optimal alignment of our body. This can lead to an unsightly and painful condition.

Many women are familiar with this hump and have concerns they will end up buckled over looking at the ground, with a pack on their shoulders. This also happens to men.

Quite often friends and family can be more aware of the hump than the person themselves.

In medical terms, the dowager's hump is called hyperkyphosis. It is an increase in the forward curvature of the spine - usually in the lower neck and upper back areas where spinal joints have glided forward and have got stuck there.

Symptoms: Poor quality breathing, neck, shoulder and arm pain, nerve impingement, headaches, continual strain to muscles, ligaments and joints, or just general tightness and discomfort.

How the hump occurs: • Lack of awareness of correct body position.

• Weakness in the upper back, core and front neck muscles allowing the body to collapse.

• Opposing tight muscles in muscles at the back of the neck and chest muscles (generalisation).

• When the head is sitting forward of the upper back over time the body builds up a fatty deposit to try to stabilise the weight of the head, which becomes the hump.

What is correct position?

• The optimal position for the head is directly on top of the shoulders. The ear should be in line with the shoulder, or the cheekbone in line with the collar bone.

• The neck needs to be strong enough to hold the head in position as we sit at work, run around and play sports or do general chores.

• The neck needs a solid base on the shoulder girdle, trunk and pelvis.

It is a whole chain of effects.

Try as you might to pull yourself into better position you can only maintain it in a moment of consciousness. As soon as your mind wanders your body goes back to its known position. Often people are told to pull their shoulders back. This is an incorrect cue. Instead try lifting your chest and gently retracting your head to come into a more optimal position.

To get any long term relief it is important to seek professional education and coaching.

I have helped many people reduce or rid their hump with specific postural correction exercises and awareness. It takes a bit of time but the rewards are many. For the many hours we are in poor position we must have daily tools/specific exercises to help correct and maintain this position.

An exercise to help: Lie face up on the floor with a 10cm diameter foam roller placed horizontally below your upper back.

With your fingers interlaced behind your neck slowly bend backward over the roller without moving your lower back. This will only be a small movement. You may perform a gentle rocking movement to assist mobilising your spine. Perform a few repetitions then roll to the next joint and repeat - working through the shoulder blade area. Do this daily.

To find out how you can rid your dowager's hump, or correct your posture before you get one, contact me. (MICHELLE OWEN) F PN MICHELLE OWEN, Level 2, 10 New North Road M: 021 770 153 www.michelleowen.co.nz www.fitness-n-function.co.nz The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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HELENE RAVLICH: NATURAL BEAUTY

Meet the First Lady of Lashes: Elisia Webb I had lash extensions added to my own lashes years ago in time for my wedding, and the woman who applied them most expertly for me was Elisia Webb, then the owner of Cerise lash boutique in the Summerfield Villas on Grey Lynn’s Richmond Road.

Over six years later I was lucky enough to lie down on a bed in her new premises at LASH by Elisia Webb, an exclusive boutique lash salon located in the heart of Ponsonby, where all Elisia's bookings are by appointment only.

Since we first met, her business - and her focus - has moved ahead in veritable leaps and bounds, and her title is now Master Lash Stylist - I love that! With over nine years experience in the art of lash styling she is the most experienced lash stylist in New Zealand. With her passion and expertise in eyelash extensions, her larger salon Cerise Lash & Makeup in Albany is recognised as one of the best lash salons Master Lash Stylist Elisia Webb in the country. Besides the success of her own salons, Elisia has also founded CelebrityLash, where she offers training workshops and is constantly developing new products for her own range of professional eyelash extension supplies. To say the woman is busy would be a vast understatement, and the mum of one shows no signs of stopping any time soon.

In 2014, Elisia launched a resource website - www.eyelashextensions.co.nz providing information on eyelash extensions. Her website is to educate women on the do's and don'ts of eyelash extensions, what to expect at your lash appointment, and what signs to look out for if you had lashes improperly applied. Elisia is making eyelash information accessible so that every woman can make an informed decision when choosing their lash specialist and thus avoid many of the less-professional operations out there.

When I first tried lash extensions I have to admit that they did feel a little too rigid for my liking, but since then there have been incredible inroads made into quality and application that have turned me into a raving fan. Combining what are known as the Classic and Volume application techniques, Elisia actually designs a set of lashes tailored to enhance your best features. Sizes are expertly selected according to your desired length and volume, your lifestyle and the condition of your natural lashes. When I told her I was a glasses wearer 50% of the time she adjusted the length of my lashes accordingly, going for greater volume as opposed to serious length. She also specialises in texturising lash sets by mixing several lash diameters to create specific looks to suit each of her clients, adding a few curled numbers to the edge of each my eyes to ‘lift’ and lengthen their shape. Amazing stuff.

Elisia is one of the few lash stylists using the new Russian Volume Lash Technique, which can be as extreme as you want it to be. The process is similar to the Classic Technique in that it isolates and separates natural lashes to bond extension lashes, but the new technique applies 300-600 lashes to each eye, while the classic technique only uses 60 -100 lashes. Her application skills and steadiness of hand have to be seen to be believed, and for a set like that application takes 2-3 hours.

I love the fact that you are relaxed and reclined on a beauty table with your eyes comfortably closed for the entire process, with most clients so relaxed they actually fall asleep! Viewing their work from the top of the beauty bed means that stylists have a clear view of your lashes for ultimate accuracy too, and their arms are anchored to ensure a safe application.

I’ve been wearing my ‘new’ lashes for just under two weeks at time of writing and have to say that I have fallen head over heels for them. They have meant that makeup application is quick and an absolute breeze - perfect for the proudly low maintenance like me! I think PN I just may be hooked... (HELENE RAVLICH) F www.lash.co.nz

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HELENE RAVLICH: NATURAL BEAUTY

Local beauty: Dr. Catherine Stone of The Face Place MedSpa THE FACE PLACE - AND ITS INSPIRING FOUNDER, DR. CATHERINE STONE - WAS ONE of the first beauty destinations in New Zealand to talk publicly about the likes of Botox, fillers and peels, giving non-invasive cosmetic procedures a profile here like never before. They took the stigma out of using needles and machines to keep the signs of ageing to a minimum, and their extensive client list is testament to how good they are at what they do.

That aforementioned stigma has disappeared to the point where they have recently taken their Auckland CBD clinic from a second floor position above Vulcan Lane to a storefront spot of sorts in the ‘beauty hub’ at the Britomart Precinct, in a beautiful new space that opened in April.

The incredibly knowledgeable - and very fun - Catherine and her team are recognised as industry innovators in this country (and abroad), with Catherine starting The Face Place in 2001 as Australasia’s first specialised Botox clinic, then creating a team of leading cosmetic experts to launch The Face Place MedSpa as New Zealand’s first medical spa in 2004.

Dr. Catherine Stone

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

“When we first moved to Vulcan Lane, cosmetic treatments were highly discrete and very ‘hush-hush’, so our premises were hidden away on the second level, to offer the highest levels of confidentiality,” says Catherine. “You only knew where to find us if you had a referral, or were a client.”

“Treatments such as Botox are now much more socially accepted, so we’re delighted to stand proud for the industry, and send the clear message that ‘this is normal’. We do have options available for those who still prefer discretion, however the demand for this is becoming less and less.”

The team of doctors, nurses and dermal therapists at The Face Place MedSpa are right wonders, and every time I have been there to see a procedure in action or to try something new, the experience has been top notch. Some of their latest innovations include the likes of adding the PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) process to many of their treatments, which uses the healing power of your own platelets to facilitate repair of the tissues treated. The team have combined PRP with the use an e-dermastamp machine and the results are apparently extraordinary - so if you’re in the market for serious anti -ageing then give them a call an ask for ‘Renewed Radiance’ ASAP! Catherine admits that Botox is still the most popular procedure, with the likes of PRP climbing up the ranks due to that fact that it doesn’t involve anything but your body’s own resources.

They also do a great line in high performance peels and facials using lines like Osmosis and Aspect Dr, so are definitely a one-stop-shop if you’re wanting to see some serious change in your skin. Catherine says that using good skincare is essential if you’re serious about slowing the ageing process of your skin, “and we always recommend that people come in for a full skin assessment before they start down the pathway of treatments as having strong, healthy skin means that their results will be that much more profound.

Feeding your skin well with good nutrients is essential,” she adds, “especially when you consider it is the main barrier to all of the nasty stuff out there in our environment.”

A Ponsonby resident for more years than most, Catherine lists her “favourite places to play” in the ‘hood as being “definitely Ponsonby Central, where you’ll find me most weekends picking up organic produce at Ceres and meat at Neat Meat, and I’ve recently fallen in love with Maldito Mendez. Blue Breeze Inn is definitely another favourite, and I can’t go past Burger Burger without popping in to say hi to Mimi.” She also says that SPQR is a must-visit that has been in Ponsonby almost as long as she has, and that she’s even been tempted several times over the years to shift her business locally.

Ponsonby is where she lives and plays but it’s in her clinic where her passion really shines. “I love what we do and the results we can achieve with effective treatments using non-animal-based ingredients,” she says, and her enthusiasm for her craft is totally infectious. “I love working in small amounts on targeted areas to create real change for people. What we can do with the right combination of treatments is just unbelievable.”

PN (HELENE RAVLICH) F THE NEW FACE PLACE MEDSPA, 50 Customs Street East T: 09 358 5860 www.thefaceplace.co.nz

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SHEENA SHUVANI STARDUST ASTROLOGY

♊

GEMINI (May 22 - June 22) Element of air. Symbol: The Twins.

Quality: Mutable ( = flexibility)

Planetary Ruler: Mercury Character Intelligent, curious and creative. Whirlwind Gemini is quick-witted, a poised communicator, informed and up with the play - conversation, books, radio, newspapers, internet, texting. Gemini knows what’s going on and will tell you, sharp eyes, brilliant humour, quick witted wheeler dealer, cheery, breezy, flexible, multi-tasker, busy brained, adventurous, language skills. Masks true feelings behind logic and reasoning powers. Would like to be understood. Travels easily, is a speed freak. Bored with slowness, avoids deep passions. Gemini can be a rabid bullshitter, a glib fibber and very secretive. White lies and subterfuge are not unknown to Mr or Ms Mercury. Gemini is quick on the uptake and a great opportunist.

Career The worldwide picture is attuned to Gemini’s radar. Oil rigs, sailing ships, travel industry, communications, the media. Information junkies and freewheeling adventurers.

Pro-active business people. Buying/selling with flair. Found also in real estate. A whiz at fast deal-clinching.

Health Avoid emotional and physical stress at the same time as harmony of body, mind and spirit keeps Gemini in tune. Don’t overindulge in things that you know are bad for you!

Gemini’s are resilient and adaptable, have a positive attitude and rarely complain or feel sorry for themselves.

Love and Sexuality Secret love desire is to find a lover who is inclined to kinkiness and will experiment sexually. Hot sex is Gemini’s preference rather than deep emotions. Sexually adventurous and curiosity about sex is the emphasis, rather than emotions and relationship intimacy.

However, that may change if Gemini is in the right relationship. Then Gemini responds to being loved and happily loves in return.

BACK TOGETHER AGAIN! Brett Martin is thrilled to announce the arrival of Katrina Wilson at Shoosh Hairdressing.

After having had her own business up North, Katrina has returned to Auckland to work with Brett again. They worked together for five years previously, and are very excited to be ‘back together.’

Having a similar passion for cutting, and a keen, brave approach to colour, Brett and Katrina make a great team and always seem to have fun when working with each other.

“There’s always lots of laughter when Katrina’s around” exclaims Brett, “but more importantly her professionalism and client care is PN second to none!” F

NEW CUSTOMERS WILL RECEIVE 20% OFF ANY SERVICE WITH KATRINA SHOOSH, Unit 7, 386 Richmond Road T: 09 376 6534 www.shoosh.co.nz

Helpful Advice Save money steadily. Be more consistent about your financial planning. Pay bills on time.

Be more security conscious. Lock up valuables. Keep your accounts in order.

Your Lucky Number According to Cheiro, the world’s most famous seer, the date of the day of your birth is your most lucky number of all!

Favoured Precious Stones(s) Aquamarine, agate Favoured Metal(s) Quicksilver (mercury) Favoured Colour(s) Yellow, sky blue (SHEENA SHUVANI) F PN

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PONSONBY U3A: MAY 2014 Auckland art agent Jane Sanders was the guest speaker at the May meeting of Ponsonby U3A. She entitled her talk, “An Unstructured Career in the Arts,” outlining her career of more than 20 years in a variety of roles: representing a number of well-known New Zealand artists, running her own dealer galleries in Parnell and the inner city, and her work as advisor to the Edmiston Trust. She described her career as “unstructured - interested in arts and art history with a thought of working in interior design.” She had attended Canterbury University when only two New Zealand universities offered Art History U3A member Marianne Willison with papers. After working in hotel Auckland art agent Jane Sanders, who was interior design for a time she the May speaker at Ponsonby U3A. returned to university to complete an MA. For six and a half years she worked for Jonathan Grant and Artis Galleries in Parnell, before branching out as an art agent, initially representing Michael Shepherd, Greer Twiss and Jan Nigro, followed

by John Lyall and Paul Cullen. Between 2002 and 2012 Jane ran her own dealer galleries and since 2008 she has been employed in a part time role as art coordinator for the Edmiston Trust which supports the Auckland Art Gallery, Voyager NZX Maritime Museum and Outdoor Public Art. Evidence shows that physical activity is one way to modify and improve older adult health and thus the quality of life. U3A member Anne McFarlane introduced us to the Never2Old fitness programme that she attends at the YMCA. Never2Old is a research -based fitness programme devised by AUT for people over 60. It was initiated 12 years ago and it is now franchised to 14 centres throughout Auckland. Participants require a medical clearance prior to attending. Each member is provided with an individual programme.

After three months they are tested for a range of skills, such as strength, flexibility, agility and stamina. Testing continues to take place three monthly and the data obtained is compared with data from 7-8,000 older Americans. The New Zealand data sits in the 90th percentile of the United States data. AUT plans to undertake more research, including a control group and/or a longitudinal study. Research shows that most older adults prefer group activities, which provide socialisation as well as physical benefits. Resistance training is now understood to be the key exercise for maintaining muscle mass, which equals strength and translates to how we physically function. Only 10 to 15% of older adults regularly perform resistance training. In one subjective assessment by Never2Old participants 95% reported improved fitness and wellbeing, 82% improved functional performance and 67% improved balance. Never2Old classes are held three mornings a week at the YMCA. The cost is $5 per session.

WELCOME TO ENRICH THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE, WHERE HEALTH MEETS LUXURY With her qualifications in therapeutic massage, beauty and yoga, along with her extensive international experience, Olivia Van Lierop provides a truly unique approach tailored to each individual client.

After completing a Bachelor of Therapeutic and Sports Massage in New Zealand, Olivia trained and worked as a sports masseuse for a leading Australian clinic working with top athletes. Looking for further challenges she travelled to many beautiful parts of the world, completing her yoga teacher training in Bali and qualifying as a beauty therapist in London.

As a sought after therapist she worked for a number of years as a private masseuse, beautician and yoga instructor on the most prestigious luxury yachts around the globe.

Olivia’s personal style has evolved and adapted over the years with her ever changing clientele, from an intensive sports and deep tissue focus to include the more subtle therapeutic style of hot-stone and deep relaxation. Olivia understands the varying needs of each client and she offers a free 5 - 10 minute consultation at the beginning of each session, enabling her to design and deliver the perfect treatment. At Enrich, the key focus is to provide the highest quality treatments incorporating philosophies of wellness and relaxation. Treatments are combined with natural products that heal and nourish the body and the entire experience is one of luxury and wellbeing. As Olivia concludes, “I love my new Ponsonby home and I look forward to being part of this warm and vibrant community! Thank you.” F PN ENRICH MASSAGE, 37 Jervois Road M: 021 822 184 www.enrichmassageponsonby.co.nz

As well as monthly meetings, with two speakers, 13 special interest groups are the lifeblood of Ponsonby U3A. The groups provide learning opportunites and relaxing companionship with something to interest everyone. Groups meet monthly, mostly in members’ homes. They are: Antiques and Collectibles, Armchair Travellers, Art History, Classical Studies, Current Affairs, Dining Out, Gallery Visits, Green Fingers, Music Appreciation, New Zealand History, Petanque (at the Herne Bay Petanque Club) Ramblers (day trips by bus) and Scrabble.

Ponsonby U3A meets on the morning of the second Friday of the month. Guests and new members are welcome at all our meetings.

Guest speaker for the next meeting will be Colin McColl, Artistic Director, Auckland Theatre Company - “The Directing Process - the Art of Being Invisible.”

The 10 minute speaker will be U3A member Lillian Carroll - “Life can change at 40!”

PN (PHILIPPA TAIT) F NEXT MEETING: ENQUIRIES:

9.45am, Friday 13 June, First Floor, Leys Institute, St Marys Bay Road Jane Jones, President, Ponsonby U3A. T: 09 378 7628

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UP CLOSE CARING AND PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL Ali Postles, Simply Chiropractic ALI POSTLES IS THE OWNER OF HER GREY LYNN chiropractic practice, 'Simply Chiropractic.' Ali’s wise parents always encouraged an ‘anything is possible’ attitude, which she says inspired adventure, vision and optimism in her. “Growing up I was taught to respect and listen to my body and the importance of a clear and connected nervous system, and these lessons drive me to do what I do,” she says. “I have been fortunate to have experienced life in many places, and now with my subtle Aussie accent I call Auckland home. Three years ago I met ‘The One’ and shortly after I opened up my practice - my inspiration and joy.”

How did you come to be a chiropractor?

In my mid-20s I ended up working in my Dad’s chiropractic practice as a Chiropractic Assistant. Chiropractic had been a regular part of my life since I was born, but this was my first opportunity to see the ‘before and after’ of people who hadn’t had the benefit of such care. I was inspired (and astounded) by the transformations that were happening in people’s lives by getting their nervous system checked. Suddenly I knew what I wanted to do, so I came across the ditch to Auckland to study at the internationally renowned New Zealand College of Chiropractic.

What do you love about your job?

I am so grateful to spend my days with the most beautiful people and families. It is a joy to watch people get the ‘big picture’ of health and see the ripples of change that this creates in their lives.

What do you find challenging?

Letting go and not being in complete control! Having patience and knowing I can do anything, but not everything (all at once).

How does yours differ from other professions?

Chiropractic is about allowing the body to function at its optimum. By supporting the structure and function of the body with chiropractic care, you enable effective communication to take place and keep all your systems working well so you can be your best.

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

I love attending seminars and workshops that fill me up with the latest insights into health and chiropractic. We are fortunate in our profession to always have ample to choose from. I am currently completing a two-year postgraduate diploma in Chiropractic Neuro-Development in Pediatrics. I also am a governor of the Australian Spinal Research Foundation which funds chiropractic based research.

Can you tell us about a standout case?

Over the years I have seen some amazing transformations. Years of pain resolved, babies able to feed, sleep or digest, headaches gone... but these are only the symptoms.

The real standout lies in the big picture, how that impacts the person’s family, life, and relationships. And we are inspired by what we are continually told. “Chiropractic care has changed me. I have greater trust in my body and my mind. I always knew about the mind-body connection, but chiropractic care has shown me how to deal with this. Life is more balanced. I know if anything happens my body can cope and the Simply team are just a phone call away." (Simply family member).

What do you do to care for yourself?

Mmm... It is always a balancing act between how I move, what I eat and what I think. Regular exercise is something I love and it also means social time with a close friend. Getting back to basics with our food (which includes a daily dose of dark chocolate). Ali time. Regular massage, reflexology, acupuncture and of course weekly to fortnightly adjustments from my chiropractor to make sure my nervous system is connected optimally.

What's your advice to people seeking chiropractic care?

Like choosing any health professional it’s about finding the right one for you. The awesome thing about chiropractic is that there are so many different types of effective techniques and so there is a perfect chiropractor just for you and your family’s nervous system. I encourage you to reach out and find them. F PN SIMPLY CHIROPRACTIC, 3/29 Surrey Crescent, Grey Lynn T: 09 360 0280 www.simplychiropractic.co.nz The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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JOHN APPLETON: ON HEALTH

The role of nutrition in cancer HOW MANY OF US HAVE WONDERED IF THERE ARE WAYS we might reduce our risk of getting a diagnosis of cancer and if indeed there is anything we can do to improve our chances of survival if we are ‘faced’ with a diagnosis of the disease?

and a DAN practitioner working with autism. As a professional athlete, Kaytee has competed for New

In addition, New Zealand cardiologist and general physician Dr Gerald Lewis MB ChB, FRACP FRCP (UK) MD will be giving an informative and very thought provoking talk ‘Effective Dr Gerald Lewis Therapies that modern medicine ignores’. Dr Lewis will tell us that despite billions of dollars spent on health, almost all of today’s diseases are on the increase. In addition ‘super bugs’ resistant to most if not all antibiotics are appearing and medicine has no answer to these.

Zealand in BMX, mountain bike, on the road and is a World Cup gold medallist in track cycling. She has also competed in the Commonwealth Games. Kaytee has her own company coaching athletes and beginners alike in all areas of endurance and power sports.

There are a number of treatments which have good scientific data which medicine completely ignores and Dr Gerald will be covering some of these, including the science behind their actions and evidence of their effectiveness. These will include, Vitamin C both orally and intravenous, nutritional medicine and some herbs.

Over the years, I have been surprised at just how much we can learn about the innate ability of the human body to heal if given the necessary tools. I always prefer to think in terms of healing rather than ‘curing’.

Unfortunately, because medicine today is so focused on interventions with drugs we hear very little about simple, safe and potentially very effective tools we can use to make our bodies resistant to disease and to fight back when we get into trouble.

Nutrition is the least talked about yet potentially the most powerful healing tool we can use. Often we hear about giving up smoking - losing weight - exercising and avoiding alcohol. While these are very important, there is so much more required to maintain optimal health.

Kaytee Boyd

On Saturday 21 June, nutritionist and elite athlete Kaytee Boyd is holding a seminar, at Ponsonby Central, for all those who are keen to learn what they can do to reduce risk factors and how they can use nutritional tools to fight any illness.

There are nutritionists and nutritionists but there is only one Kaytee Boyd. After graduating from Otago University with a double degree in human nutrition and sports science, Kaytee has continued on with further study under the guidance of experienced mentors in specialist areas. Kaytee has been involved in the health and wellness industry for 19 years she is a member of the Nutrition Society of New Zealand, MINND foundation,

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At Kaytee’s seminar, topics will include - an overview of cancer - what it is - types of cancer - how chronic stress affects the body - why your DNA is not necessarily your destiny - the ‘anti-cancer’ diet - the absolute basics as well as detailed information on undesirable foods and a health inducing approach to eating.

In addition you will learn about the role that inflammation plays in chronic illness and what you can do about it.

Kaytee will cover the importance of regular exercise and how this impacts positively on our health through oxygenation of the body and stimulation of the lymphatic system. Kaytee will show you how to make ‘superfood’ smoothies and will teach you how to get key nutrients into your diet on a daily basis.

The role of supplementation will be discussed and you will also learn how something as simple as your thoughts can influence your biology.

I am planning to say a few words about our genes/ epigenetics (above genes) and how environmental influences can alter the way our genes express themselves without changing the genes.

Kaytee has also asked Integrative GP, Dr Paul Butler to talk about his keen interest in breast health. Dr Butler lost his wife to breast cancer and he has much to share about what he has discovered since that time. We look forward to seeing you there.

PN (JOHN APPLETON) F

Dr Paul Butler

APPLETON ASSOCIATES T: 09 489 9362 john@johnappleton.co.nz www.johnappleton.co.nz Kaytee Boyd’s seminar is being held at Ponsonby Central, 136-138 Ponsonby Road on Saturday 21 June from 9am to 3pm. Registration is $69.

Bookings can be made via www.balancedwellbeing.co.nz

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING WWF LAUNCHES NEW CAMPAIGN TO HIGHLIGHT MAUI’S DOLPHIN PLIGHT IN ELECTION YEAR Global conservation organisation WWF today launched its The Last 55 campaign at the Maritime Museum in Auckland.

The campaign calls on all New Zealand political leaders to make a commitment this year to save the last 55 critically endangered Maui’s dolphins.

WWF-New Zealand Executive Director Chris Howe says Maui’s dolphins are right on the brink of extinction.

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES BEST PROTECTION FOR PANCREAS A University of Auckland research team has found that people who eat both fruit and vegetables will have the best protection against common pancreatic diseases.

Tobacco use, obesity and heavy alcohol consumption were the biggest risk factors for the development of pancreatic diseases.

“We are down to the last 55 dolphins, so we are calling on our political leaders to let them know it’s time to take action to save this precious species.”

The research team led by Dr Max Petrov and Professor John Windsor from the Department of Surgery at the University of Auckland, carried out an extensive review and analysis of 51 studies in the general population that had included more than three million individuals and nearly 11,000 patients with pancreatic disorders.

“Maui’s are the rarest marine dolphins in the world; they only exist on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. We have an obligation to the world to do everything we can to save them,” he says.

They investigated 31 different factors - 9 risk factors, 4 protective factors, and 18 factors that were neutral.

Mr Howe says Maui’s dolphins need to be protected across their full habitat from set -netting and trawling.

Current tobacco use was the single most important risk factor for developing pancreatic diseases, increasing the risk of acquiring a pancreatic disease by 87% when compared with those who never smoked. This was followed by obesity and heavy use of alcohol.

“Support should also be provided to fishers to help them transition to dolphin-friendly practices. Fishing communities should not have to bear the cost of saving this precious dolphin alone,” he says.

Tobacco use and the heavy use of alcohol had bigger effects on the risk of acute pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis than on pancreatic cancer.

“We aim to present a petition with at least 55,000 signatures to political leaders before the general election in September, to let them know New Zealanders think it’s time to take action,” he says.

“The best quality data showed that vegetable consumption and fruit consumption provided the greatest protection against pancreatic diseases,” says Dr Petrov. “Vegetable consumption had a stronger association with protection against acute pancreatitis, and fruit consumption with protection against pancreatic cancer.”

Famous author, Witi Ihimaera is supporting the campaign and said: “As the author of The Whale Rider you'd expect me to support the survival of cetacean species large and small. Maui's dolphins are among the smallest, and now there are only 55 of them left. It's time for all of us to be kaitiaki, their protectors.”

Another famous New Zealander, singer/songwriter, Jamie McDell, is also lending her voice of support to this campaign.

“I am thrilled to be working with WWF and wholeheartedly support this campaign to save Maui’s dolphins. I have always been really passionate about marine wildlife conservation, as evidenced by my commitment to raising awareness through my music,” she says.

The Last 55 will raise awareness through a unique social media drive about the possible extinction of the remaining 55 Maui’s dolphins and will encourage people to sign a petition to protect the critically endangered species.

Ogilvy & Mather New Zealand Executive Creative Director, Angus Hennah, said that involved Ogilvy staff worked to create an innovative and multi-faceted campaign.

The 51 prospective cohort studies in the general population included in the review came from the United States, (17), Sweden (16), Japan (11) and 2 each from Austria, Denmark and Norway, and 1 from Singapore.

“Unfortunately, no quality population based study came from New Zealand, reflecting a lack of national linkage of health data,” says Dr Petrov. “This is in stark contrast to thriving data linkage networks that our colleagues in Scandinavia and the United States have been enjoying for more than a decade.”

“There is a strong need to invest in a health data linkage system in New Zealand, if risk and protective factors for diseases of the pancreas (and other organs) in New Zealanders are to be unveiled,” says Dr Petrov.

In the United States alone, pancreatic diseases (most commonly acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer) affect more than 330,000 people each year. The United States spends $2.6 billion per year just on the inpatient costs for acute pancreatitis. Pancreatic cancer is predicted to become the leading cause of PN cancer deaths by 2050. F

“We wanted all New Zealanders to be able to experience how it feels to be a part of a rapidly dwindling community. We have created a Facebook app, which feeds off a person’s profile information, to give insight into what it would be like to lose all but 55 of their friends. It’s a really small number.”

“People are then urged to sign the petition once they’ve used the app and share it with all of their friends,” he says. People can also support the campaign through Instagram, Twitter and by sharing a Spotify playlist with just 55 minutes of music to create awareness.

People can use The Last 55 app by visiting thelast55.co.nz to gain some insight into what it would be like to only have 55 friends. For those that do not wish to/do not have PN Facebook, they can still support the cause by visiting wwf.org.nz/savethelast55. F

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LIVING, THINKING + BEING DAISIES BLOOMING IN AUCKLAND CENTRAL The popular companion driving service, Driving Miss Daisy, is now here in the ‘hood.

Long time Ponsonby and Westmere residents Jana Seymour and Theo Brandt are especially pleased to provide this excellent service. “We can help time poor families in many ways,” explains Jana. “People need a hand to get their kids to school or soccer practice. We even take beloved pets to and from vet or grooming appointments.”

Companion driving also suits those who cannot drive themselves, but want to maintain their independence. “Taxis get you from A to B, but you might need a hand in the shop, a lift to the airport or help at a medical appointment. We’ll do as much or as little as you wish. But if you don’t want the extra assistance that’s no problem, we will just provide a fantastic driving service!”

You can choose Driving Miss Daisy as your ACC provider transport service, and anyone with a TMS card can receive their unlimited half price fares with them. “We’re here to help, so make sure you discuss your requirements with us when you ring to book,” says Jana. As Driving Miss Daisy is not a taxi service, pre-booking is essential.

Driving Miss Daisy is New Zealand’s premier companion driving service - their high PN standards and ongoing commitment to their clients makes them No. 1 in every way. F For more information or to make a booking call Jana at DRIVING MISS DAISY, T: 09 360 0425 or M: 021 503 169 www.drivingmissdaisy.co.nz

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CLARE CALDWELL: THE ART OF LIVING MANY OF US CAN REMEMBER A MORE PROSPEROUS ERA WHEN work was plentiful, people looked out for each other and life felt generally safe and optimistic. This was the New Zealand of the 50s and 60s that I grew up in.

By the 1980s governments were adopting free market policies that advocated deregulation of the economy which gave rise to a new unfettered and hungry corporate elite and we saw all that security and general optimism begin to erode.

Now in 2014 we have a huge divide between the haves and the have-nots; a strategy deliberately brought about over time by the rise of a global economic ideology known as Neo Liberalism.

One of many ideas in the book “The Spirit Level” co-written by UK academics Kate Pickett and Richard G Wilkinson, has recently caught my interest. They look at why more financially equal societies are stronger and healthier. The paradigm they seem to be exploring is not just the usual deficits and divides between the very rich and the very poor, but that everyone is adversely affected in a society where this gap is very wide.

The authors argue that the “pernicious effects that inequality has on societies are an eroding of trust, increasing anxiety and illness, and encouragement of excessive consumption,” (just look at the celebrity culture!). Coupled with the consequent range of health and social problems from increased mental and physical illness, infant mortality, obesity, teenage pregnancy, bullying, homicide, suicide and imprisonment, through to homelessness and lower life expectancy, they make a strong case for an urgency for change at the highest government level.

The social stratification arising from this inequality is based on power, coercion, privilege and a disregard for others’ needs. Sound familiar? In contrast, looking at the characteristics engendered by friendship we see relationships based on reciprocity, mutuality, sharing, social obligation and recognition of each other’s needs.

What really seems to matter in determining the health of a society is less about the overall wealth and more about the distribution and creation of a smaller gap between the rich and poor. Looking at the rich nations with populations of three million or more, Japan and the Nordic countries top the list in this regard, with the USA, UK and Portugal at the bottom. (New Zealand rates in the bottom quarter, along with Australia).

Studies show although the benefits of increased wealth equality are greatest for the lower classes, greater equality brings substantial gains even in the top occupational, richest and best educated classes. In a more trusting spirit of cooperation, citizens are seen to move into areas of work that benefit the whole society rather than just the individual eg sustainable practice and investment. When will we learn the art of living lesson that in a more inclusive society everyone thrives. (CLARE CALDWELL) F PN Clare (Claudie) Caldwell is a creative arts therapist who runs a small private practice from home. She is voluntary team leader of creative arts as therapy at Mercy Hospice Auckland, College Hill, where she has worked for the last 10 years. She is also a freelance artist.

BIRD OF THE MONTH Everyone in New Zealand knows the call of the morepork. Most people won’t have actually seen one, but we all know what they are.

I did some research for this article and discovered that there are an astounding 20 alternative names for the morepork! Most of these names relate to the iconic two -pitched call. If you’ve gone to sleep anywhere near native forest you will have gone to sleep hearing the call of a morepork. I learnt recently that the louder, high pitched squawk that I often hear after dark can be attributed to the morepork. They are a very important and vocal part of our natural soundtrack.

It goes without saying that they are nocturnal hunters, but one of the most amusing and interesting experiences I’ve had with morepork was during the day. They can be found perching in the nook of a tree or in the shadows of a branch, waiting for dusk.

They are difficult to spot, and if they are found by other species it is astounding how quickly they will be mobbed and dive-bombed by the perching birds who are their traditional prey. These birds use the daylight to their advantage and force the morepork to find another daytime roost. The screeching of alarm calls can be heard throughout the patch of bush.

They are much smaller than people realise, a similar size to a tui. They are a very tiny bird of prey but they make up for it by being stealthy and silent. I’ve turned away briefly from watching a morepork and discovered it flew away while I was occupied. They have soft fringes on the edge of their feathers, so they can fly almost silently, which stops them alerting potential prey.

Maori folklore regards the morepork as a watchful guardian, belonging to the spirit world - because it is a bird of the night. They regarded the two calls that are trademark to moreporks as omens. The commonly known ‘morepork’ or ‘ruru’ call is thought to be a good sign, while the higher piercing squawk is thought to be harbinger of ill news. There are many sayings and stories that refer to the watchfulness and alertness of the morepork.

They are common, and found in most areas of the country but their numbers are likely to be in a very gradual decline due to the same threats most of New Zealand birds share.

Predation of the nest is common as the female uses a hole in trunks and this is easy prey for possums and rats. Habitat loss is another factor that could contribute to their decline.

They can be seen in the Wellington Zoo. Closer to home, they are plentiful in the Waitakere Ranges, especially at the Cascades (where you can also see our native bat).

A trip at dusk to the Cascades is well worth taking, and in the summer there are often arranged trips to give people an experience of our nocturnal species.

PN (FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT) F

photography: Ruth Hendry

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

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PONSONBY PEOPLE + THEIR PETS

SKYDIVE FOR THE ANIMALS Join Team SPCA Auckland for our exciting new ‘bucket list’ event.

Jump to the Rescue is your opportunity to experience the thrill of a tandem skydive, whilst supporting Auckland’s animals.

Have you ever wondered what it feels like to jump out of a plane? To feel the rush of air as the doors open at 13,000ft; to take those few tentative steps towards the exit; to sit on the edge with nothing but air between you and the ground.

Valentine and Storm out of foster care and are ready for adoption

You feel the wind rushing past your face as you fall, 45 seconds of exhilarating free -fall see you reaching speeds of up to 200kph. Suddenly the parachute opens and everything’s quiet. You’re still 5,000ft above the ground and have a full five minutes to take everything in as you float gracefully towards the ground and prepare for your landing.

There really is no feeling quite like the thrill of skydiving except the knowledge that, by taking part, you’re helping us to rescue Auckland’s injured, abandoned and abused animals.

How does it work?

• Simply register online • Ask your friends to show their support by donating to your jump • Fundraise over $880 and you will be jumping for free!

To find out more visit www.spca.org.nz or call Chris on T: 09 256 2520 and join SPCA PN for the adrenaline rush of a lifetime. F

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PONSONBY PEOPLE + THEIR PETS

HOMELESS IN YOUR HOOD HERNE BAY HAS BEEN OUR HOME FOR OVER 20 YEARS - BOTH HAVING OWNED AND operated businesses in Ponsonby, we continue to enjoy all this special neighbourhood has to offer. How then do we not fit the stereotypical Ponsonby People and their Pets?

Being lovers of all creatures great and small, one would think we were obsessed only with cats. However, it is the plight of abandoned and homeless cats that ignited our quest to end their suffering (slow starvation, the endless cycle of reproduction starting as young as six months, disease...)

Starting right at our front door. Many cats have passed through our home, some are passing through now, with still more being fostered by a very kind vet nurse. Let me introduce you to a few... Blossom, Pipi, Missey ‘The Pie Stealer’, Casper The Friendly Ghost, Sam Sam, Mickey Most Handsome Boy, Lucky Levi, Carlos the Matinee Idol, Tiggy and Lucky Boy. They all have their own stories, here are two: Missey was rescued from Victoria Park Market. Around a year old with her second litter, her kittens were malnourished, with ulcers in their eyes. She had a hacking cough, was very thin, her lifespan severely limited. After good care, loving homes were found for her kittens. Nobody wanted Missey. So she stayed and taught us how she stole pies.

Casper, his mother and siblings, were rescued from an alleyway next to SPQR - their plight noticed by some good people who watched the kittens dart in and out of the parked cars. All were re-homed but Casper stayed - he is our friendly ghost.

Ranging in age from 5 months to 11 years, their most favourite pastime is chasing sunbeams, playing find the stick under the rug and eating num nums. They are a daily reminder of the lucky ones rescued, and the sad plight of those lost and abandoned.

PN (BILLIE) F

ZAC IS REUNITED WITH HIS DELIGHTED OWNERS Last month, many locals will have received a flyer in their letterbox about Zac, a one-year-old Labradoodle.

Zac was staying at a friend’s house in Grey Lynn, when he bolted and went missing.

When Zac is not escaping and roaming the streets of Grey Lynn at night, his owners, Keith and Lisa can often be seen walking him to OhSo for a morning coffee or letting him run around in Western Park! For some reason the girls at work are not volunteering to babysit him anymore! We asked his owners to tell us what happened.

Zac escaped from a property in Scanlan Street and bolted through the neighbourhood with many local residents in pursuit. He must have been frightened and when cornered in several properties he bolted again and couldn’t be caught.

There was a very heavy rainstorm on Friday night and the last sight of him was on Great North Road running through the Audi car yard on three legs in the rain. A search all day Saturday failed to find him and several local businesses were kind enough to put notices up with his photo. They distributed 300 fliers and started a Facebook campaign to find him. As Keith explained, “On Sunday morning, my wife Lisa woke at 6am and insisted on another search focusing on the pedestrian bridge at the bottom of Waima Street.

“She waded through the undergrowth calling for him and he put his head out from under the bridge! Luckily she had taken his food and he limped out on three legs (one was broken), wagged his tail and came to her!” After some emergency vet care, we are delighted to report that Zac is back with his family and is on the mend. F PN

Photography: Victoria-P.com

“Life is as dear to the mute creature as it is to man. Just as one wants happiness and fears pain. Just as one wants to live and not to die. So do other creatures.” Dalai Lama.

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PONSONBY PEOPLE + THEIR PETS ASK ALEX

CASE OF THE MONTH - RETURN OF THE YODA This is Jack, a beautiful Doberman Pinscher, who normally is not one to eat something he shouldn’t. However, he does have a soft spot for chocolate.

Unbeknownst to the owners, he sneakily ate a Kinder Surprise, thoroughly enjoyed it and probably felt quite proud of himself for getting away with this! No such luck... Jack became quite unwell and he needed stomach surgery to find the mystery item that was showing on radiographs. Much to the amusement of staff and owners, the item was removed and Yoda was rescued! Jack’s owners are very grateful that he’s made a full recovery and now he has to live with the shame that he got found out and his chocolate addiction will be addressed. (DR. MARIEKE WIJNEN BVSC.) F PN ANIMAL EMERGENCY CENTRE, 97 Carrington Road, Mt Albert, T: 09 849 2121 www.animalemergency.co.nz

Each month Dr Alex Melrose answers readers’ pet related issues. email yours to: alex@vetcare.net.nz I remember you guys having a Rottie that you treated for vitiligo. I have a seven year old female German Shepherd (Molly) and I think she may have vitiligo too. I initially thought it may be Lupus, but I would be interested to hear what you think as you have already seen a dog with vitiligo. I have done some research online and pinpointed with photos when this condition started and I think it started with a traumatic event.

Q:

On 20 April 2013, we were dry-land dog sled training and after that weekend we noticed she was limping, we were recommended to a local vet who gave her weekly shots of Synovan, manipulation of each limb, and anti- inflammatory tablets.

About a week or so later we first noticed Molly’s mouth and lips turning pink, even the black birth mark on her tongue had gone, then the pink started appearing around her eyes and the fur turning white, and lastly her nose turning grey and bits of pink.

I believe the condition she has is vitiligo and not lupus. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Many thanks in advance, Sophie, South Australia.

Yes our special and much-missed clinic Rottie, Rommel was a legend in these parts. He was one of only two vitiligo Rotties in Australasia at that time so it is pretty rare. Whether or not Michael Jackson had the condition is still open to debate. Based on United States observations there does appear to be a genetic component, and then as you have suggested, often a traumatic triggering event. Vitiligo causes patches of skin turning pink and white fur appearing on the same patch of skin, some of her nails would also have turned from black to white. The condition does appear to be associated with an increased chance of other illness, and I would expect this would be the same for Shepherds, as it was for Rommel. If Molly doesn’t have any blistering or sore pink patches, no scaling, cracking or ulcers, especially around lips and eyes, then a lupus type condition is less likely. Skin biopsies should rule in or out the lupus once and for all, and thus provide supportive evidence for your suspected vitiligo condition.

PN (DR ALEX MELROSE, BVSC, MRCVS) F

A:

VETCARE GREY LYNN, 408 Great North Road T: 09 361 3500 www.vetcare.net.nz

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BILLY HARRIS: KIDS IN THE COMMUNITY

Grace Tobin carries on proud traditions of amphibious family One of the theories of evolution has it that man emerged, not from the trees, but out of the water a few million years ago.

This is known as the aquatic ape hypothesis, and there is plenty of evidence to support it.

The large brain of homo sapien, for instance, which suggests a diet heavy in fish. The furless body, fat beneath the skin, and relative comfort in the water, traits found in humans but not other apes, are also more synonomous with time spent in the water than in the trees.

One family who appear to support the aquatic ape hypothesis are the Tobin family of Herne Bay, who feel more at home in the water than most of us do in our favourite comfy chair. Indeed, swimming is so deeply entrenched in their DNA that anyone meeting them could be excused for looking for webbing between their fingers.

Jeanette Tobin played water polo for New Zealand at various levels from 1981-1995, and her sister Sylvia Hume swam 100m backstroke at the 1986 Commonweath Games, where she won gold, and at the Olympic Games in 1988.

Now Jeanette’s daughter Grace is following in the family tradition, having been selected to represent New Zealand in water polo at the World Youth Cup in Spain later this year, where they will face Australia, Canada and Russia in their pool games and if they go through to the next round, China, The Netherlands, Spain and Puerto Rico. All in all, 16 countries will take part.

Reaching that level obviously doesn’t happen overnight. Grace, at 12, was a keen swimmer but hadn’t played water polo until the Waitakere under 12 team sent out word that they needed players to make up the numbers. Grace’s mother and godmother, water polo legend Lian Mazzoleni, gave Grace a nudge, and from the moment Grace started, she was hooked. She also quickly became very good, and the achievements rapidly started piling up.

Grace normally plays driver, the position responsible for helping advance the ball up the pool and feeding the centre forward, and in 2012, she made the Waitakere under 18 team, which won a bronze medal at the nationals. She got in the Kristin College Premier Boys team (the only girl in the National Premier Grade), and was selected for the New Zealand under 15s, which won a three match series against Australia.

In 2013, Grace was in the North Harbour under 16s, which won gold at the nationals.

She played in the first ever Kristin Premier girls team, placing 8th at the nationals. She represented New Zealand Schoolgirls in a tri-nationals tournament in Sydney. Though they lost to the host country 2-1, they beat South Africa 3-0. She also represented the national girls’ youth team in the World Youth Challenge in Canberra against China, Japan and Australia.

And this year, she played in the Waitakere women’s national league team, which won bronze. Her Kristin team won silver in the Auckland championships, and came 5th at the nationals. She’s also in the North Harbour under 18 and under 20 teams. Not to mention the national youth team to go to Spain.

If that all sounds to you like more swimming than a family of humpbacks migrating round the world, you’re right. But wait, there’s more. The year 12 student also plays netball and has been in the Kristin team playing premier grade since year 9. She also does athletics and runs 100m and 4 x 100m relays at regional and national level, rather successfully too. In 2011 and 2012 she was a member of the winning 4 x 100m relay team at the New Zealand secondary school champs, and for the past four years has been the North Harbour and Auckland 100m champion.

With so much time spent in the water, Grace says that the change of scenery at athletics is as enjoyable as the sport itself and winning the medals.

Grace knows none of her success would have happened without the support of her family, as she explains. “My family has had a strong influence in my water polo and sport in general. Both Mum and Dad, who played rugby for Auckland and North Harbour, understand the commitment required to play sport. They were the ones who encouraged me to play and train. They’ve carted me all around Auckland to training and games. Whenever things haven’t worked out they were there to give advice and help me “hop back on the horse” and keep working hard. When times are hard and I'm tired or sick or injured they always encourage me to keep working hard for the end result.”

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Grace Tobins (pictured left) prepares to let fly Grace’s school has also been instrumental in helping make it all happen “Kristin is such a supportive school,” she says. “They help me and encourage me with all my sport and definitely go outside the scope of what they’re employed to do with their support across all aspects of my life. There are two of us from Kristin in the New Zealand team, and it’s during term time so our dean has been setting up systems to enable us to work while we’re away and have access to our teachers.”

Doing school work while on an overseas sports trip isn’t most teenagers’ idea of a perfect world, but it’s a price Grace is willing to pay. As is the toll of all that sport on her body. Her injury list is fast becoming as long as that of a retired All Black. In netball a few years ago, Grace went to pick up a loose ball and collided with a team mate, resulting in bruised cartilage in her sternum, a problem which still niggles. Water polo has caused issues with her knees, caused by her knee caps sliding painfully off line. This can be managed with lots of rehab work, but is always ready to flare up if she eases up on her exercises. She’s also suffered a broken nose at water polo training. And a broken finger. And now she’s dealing with a sprained thumb.

There’s another high price water polo players pay to pursue their dreams - the financial one.

“The cost of our sport puts incredible pressure on our families financially,” says Grace.

“Water polo isn’t a sport that gets funded like the bigger sports, which is frustrating, as water polo is the fastest growing sport in New Zealand, with 15,000-plus players from age 8 upwards, so there’s a lot of opportunity for sponsors. We have to fundraise (or our parents do as we’re too busy training) but we’re a committed, educated bunch with a great sense of humour wanting to be up there with the best in the world and knock the buggers off!

“So if anyone is looking to sponsor a hard working group of achievers from all socioeconomic backgrounds, all body types and ethnicities who’d be great ambassadors for any company - we’d love to talk!”

In the meantime, Grace Tobin will continue working hard toward the great Spanish adventure, and beyond that, her goal of playing for the senior national team at the Commonwealth and Olympic Games.

In the pool, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Hungary and Russia, teams she has held in awe since seeing them play in Christchurch at the World Cup in 2010.

That’s not just where she wants to be. It’s where she belongs. **If you, or anyone you know, are interested in helping out the team, please get in touch PN with Ponsonby News. (BILLY HARRIS) F

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

FUTURE GENERATION CHILDREN’S BOOK REVIEW Extraordinary Land: Discoveries and mysteries from wild New Zealand by P Hayden and R Morris. HarperCollins, $44.99 New Zealand has been called ‘the closest thing to life on another planet’ and ‘a planetary lifeboat.’ The core reason behind our uniqueness is that our islands have remained an isolated outpost for life in the midst of the ocean; turning New Zealand into a wild laboratory where evolution could conduct experiments that led to weird and wonderful outcomes. This has also made us a magnet for scientists from around the world; yet many locals have no idea what’s so special about our environment.

Stunning photos and engaging text presents our wildlife as never before, solving some mysteries and exploding some myths with the help of those at the front line of science and conservation.

Extraordinary Land is a finalist in 2014 New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults - Non-fiction category. F PN DOROTHY BUTLER CHILDREN’S BOOKSHOP, 1 Jervois Road T: 09 376 7283 www.childrensbookshop.co.nz

THE MEDALLION OF AURATUS AWARD-WINNING WRITER’S FIRST NOVEL Award-winning writer Carolyn Enting, best known as a pioneering New Zealand fashion journalist, has published her first novel, The Medallion of Auratus.

Described as a “riveting mythological adventure”, The Medallion of Auratus is a high -action read that sees main character Sam Donnelly and his best friend Jackson Brown swept up in an adventure of epic proportions after discovering a magical gold medallion on the beach.

The children’s fantasy fiction novel is part of an Ocean Quest series that Enting has written in her annual leave breaks over the past decade.

In this first novel of the series, Sam and Jackson must return the medallion to its rightful place in the Golden Tower in Auratus or the world will fall into darkness.

Now Associate Editor of Mindfood Magazine, Enting, 43, penned the first draft of the story at age 19 as a mere one-and-a-half page short story. Today’s publication as an e-book on Amazon.com takes the reader on a rollicking 65,000-word adventure.

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“As a child, books were my happy place and an escape. I was a dreamer and spent a lot of time living in my imagination,” Enting says. “I confess I still enjoy reading children’s fantasy fiction today so while this book is aimed at the seven to 11-year -old age group, it’s an enjoyable read for any age.” While the shift from fashion to fantasy might seem odd, Enting regards it as a logical step. “A big part of world of fashion, in particular haute couture, is pure fantasy,” she says. F PN THE MEDALLION OF AURATUS, www.oceanquest.co.nz

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FUTURE GENERATION GREY LYNN KIDS PLAY GROUP Kelly Corbett is every bit as warm and friendly as she appears in her photograph.

Since January she has been co-ordinator of the Grey Lynn Kids Play Group which runs four mornings a week at the Grey Lynn Community Centre. Since she took over the group numbers have gone up as local under five year olds enjoy organised play, arts and craft and music - or as the community centre’s brochure says: FUN FUN FUN! The play group was formerly run by Plunket and when it was unable to continue running the group at the end of last year, the community centre stepped in and took over. “It was such a great service for the community and we felt we couldn’t see it go,” says Cath Bathe-Taylor, manager of the Grey Lynn Community Centre.

photography: Philippa Tait

“Kelly had worked part time for the Plunket play group and we are so lucky to now have her work for us and lead the group,” says Cath. Numbers continue to increase as more families take advantage of what the group offers. The bright and airy Garden Room opens out to a sunny and well resourced outdoor play ground, with safe equipment in a secure setting. Indoors the cupboards are bursting with play equipment. Add to that Kelly’s planned activities and a good time is had by children and accompanying adults alike.

Kelly is ideally suited to the work she does and has fitted a lot into her life so far. She has provided home care for children with disabilities, mainly autism, for three years, at the same time studying psychology and linguistics.

After a year in Canada she studied English language teaching. She has also been a ski instructor for under five year olds. She initially worked at the play group for one morning a week, but now runs the group four mornings a week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday) and works as a private nanny in the afternoons.

Kelly Corbett - making fun for pre- schoolers at the Grey Lynn Kids Play Group

There are between 20 and 30 children at each session, accompanied by a parent, grandparent or nanny, who stay for the duration of the session. The cost is $5 for one child and $7 for two children per session, with a concession rate available.

Many of the children are brought to the group by their nannies, giving them a chance to socialise during the day and meet other nannies in the area. A cup of tea is provided for the adults and fruit brought by each child is cut up and shared at morning tea time.

PN (PHILIPPA TAIT) F GREY LYNN COMMUNITY CENTRE, 510 Richmond Road. T: 09 378 4908 www.greylynn.org.nz

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MEET THE TEACHER Katherine Bartlett Marist Catholic School. Herne Bay Currently teaching: Years 3 and 4 How did you come to be a primary school teacher?

I have always had a love of learning and loved teaching my little sisters new things. After my life experience in other interesting industries, such as biomedical science and intellectual property, I wanted to encourage our future generations about all the possibilities learning can give you.

Where did you train?

Victoria University, Wellington.

What brought you to Marist Catholic Primary?

I heard great things about Marist when I lived in Wellington and applied for a position as a beginner teacher and was successful in my application.

What are your favourite things about being a teacher?

Inspiring my students to learn and helping them achieve their goals. Also, I love the fact children are in the moment and naturally happy!

Highlight of your teaching career?

Working at Marist Catholic School. I love coming to school every day.

Low point of your teaching career?

Moving away from my mum in Wellington to start my teaching career.

How would your principal describe you?

A dedicated teacher and a team player.

How would other teachers describe you?

“Katherine is willing to go the extra mile for her students. She is intelligent and demands high standards from all of her students.”

How would your students describe you?

This is what they told me: tall, happy, honest, fair and respectful.

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

With a click of my fingers, just like Mary Poppins, my classroom would always be clean and tidy.

Five tips for mums and dads of primary school kids: 1. Always ask your children how their day is and make time for a chat with them.

2. Read with your children every night. Show that love of reading! It’s a great bonding time.

3. Maths is everywhere! Don’t limit it to homework. Take them shopping or play a board game.

4. Every child is unique and has a gift. Make sure you praise their qualities and encourage them.

5. Promote independence with your children as early as you can, small things like packing their bag in the morning without helping. It’s a sense of achievement. F PN

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FUTURE GENERATION RENOVATED VILLA HOUSES KINDERGARTEN DREAM Genevieve Hathaway, owner of Sunbeams Private Kindergarten, recalls the vision that started it all.

“First it was just a dream, next a possibility, and then, after a lot of research and planning, a reality. After teaching for over 20 years in a variety of roles and in both public and private early childhood establishments, Genevieve decided that the time was right to create her own centre, and put her years of experience and ideas into a very special place. Right from the beginning her husband Stephen shared her dream and together they found the perfect property in Western Springs, in their desired location and just the right size for the project. Soon afterwards they discovered a historic 100 year old bay front villa which was relocated onto the site.

Genevieve’s vision was to create a sanctuary specifically designed for young children that was beautiful, cosy and welcoming, calm and nurturing environment with carefully chosen caring and dedicated teachers. High teacher/ child ratios would enable opportunities for individual and small group work, in-depth enquiry projects, and an extension programme. She wanted to create a very special place for young children, rich in opportunities for learning in all areas of the curriculum. A place where children could gain confidence in their abilities, develop respectful relationships and social skills, to experiment, make discoveries and awaken their imagination. “We believe we are fulfilling our dream of creating a child’s sanctuary, a special place of learning in a beautiful environment, with passionate, experienced facilitators, quality resources and a dedicated management team. This kindergarten has been created with love by two people who have always believed in the dream.” F PN SUNBEAMS PRIVATE KINDERGARTEN, 11 Myrtle Street, Western Springs, T: 09 815 3113 M: 021 116 9865 E: info@sunbeams.co.nz www.sunbeams.co.nz

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SIDELINE WITH GEORGE BERRY

Opportunity not to be lost

Good things take time

Naming young athletes to debut at the Commonwealth Games is nothing new.

Back in 2002 and at the age of just 20 it was Christchurch cyclist Hayden Roulston who was selected to attend his first Commonwealth Games in Manchester. Looking back Roulston said of his inclusion, “I was given an opportunity that was a complete surprise to me, I’d hoped I might have been in the mix but never actually believed it might happen so soon.” That year the debutant repaid the selectors by going on to win a bronze medal on the track in the team pursuit.

This year, albeit on the road rather than the track, it's Auckland youngster James Oram who's been handed the same opportunity to make a name for himself, heading to the Glasgow games in July where ironically the former Westlake Boys student will get the chance to ride alongside a now seasoned campaigner Roulston.

“To give him some of that experience alongside some of the senior guys like Hayden Roulston and Greg Henderson is a big part of his long term development,” said BikeNZ High Performance Director Mark Elliott.

This year also marks Roulston's fourth Commonwealth Games; he has medalled at all three so far.

Oram, who was on his way to the Tour of California and rides for team Bissell Development in America, admitted to being pretty shocked himself when he got the call from BikeNZ to tell him of his selection. “Completely stoked to have this opportunity, it’s been a goal of mine but I guess you never want to count on these sorts of things before they actually happen.”

Orams thoughts around not counting on things before they happen were right on the button too, a crash on the Tour of California resulted in a broken elbow and wrist and has forced him to retreat back to New Zealand for some recuperation.

Although Elliott isn’t getting too concerned just yet, suggesting the timing of the accident, while unfortunate, won’t derail Oram's games aspirations “he’s had a big early part to the season so it was always on his agenda to have a little bit of down time now so yeah it forced down time.”

Oram's determination and grit to get back on the bike and complete the stage wasn’t missed by his selectors though, “finishing a stage when he had both a broken wrist and broken elbows just shows how special he is,’’ Elliott replied.

The mens road race is on August 4 where Oram will ride alongside Roulston, Henderson, PN George Bennett, Jesse Sergent and Jack Bauer. (GEORGE BERRY) F

Just one year ago Stephen Luatua was a bolter, not from the blue, but from the Blues, this year he’s very much in a grey area when it comes to whether he’ll make the All Blacks squad or not.

One of his issues is the return of former All Black Jerome Kaino to both the same Super Rugby franchise and the veteran seems hell bent on gaining back his All Blacks spot which has previously been kept warm by Luatua.

Kaino has not only shown the youngster up this year with his added physicality and determination to at least try and win but the sight of Kaino back alongside his fellow World Cup winning loosies Richie McCaw and Kieran Read again is enough to make opposition quiver.

The thing is that Luatua will be one of the best loose forwards in the world, just maybe not this year and maybe not even the next, and given the abundant options available to the All Black selectors at the moment he may not even make it to the next Rugby World Cup. “I think Stephen's going to be a great player,” said his Super Rugby coach Sir John Kirwan, "he just needs to keep working hard around those physicality areas but you know he will be one of the best in the world when he nails that right.”

The other issue with that is Luatua knows it too. The good thing about it though is he’s trying to do what he can to change his outcome.

A couple of weeks ago I witnessed the young loose forward take an absolute hammering at the first All Blacks camp in Christchurch. Sweat was pouring down his brow following an elongated session away from the rest of the squad. It turned out the old saying “be careful what you wish for” was never more true. Fellow loosie Victor Vito also finds himself in a similar position and explained to a mob of slightly worried onlookers, “I think Stephen asked for some extra fitness work but got more than he bargained for.”

Asked if he’d ever copped a similar fate he swiftly replied, "I think I've been in the same situation doing fitness and I didn't really want too many people watching so I sort of kept my distance." The other good thing about Luatua is it was fairly easy to see he had a slightly different take on the same situation as Vito had in the past.

Luatua was hoping everyone was there to see, not that he wasn’t fit or at a level to cut it with the more senior loosies in the squad, but more than happy for the ones that matter, the coaches and selectors to see he’s more than prepared to work on getting better, that his commitment to the cause is tangible for all to see.

And if there is another slight advantage Luatua holds over the others occupying the All Blacks grey area with him it’s his ability to play a tighter game and cover lock. Often the utility tag as a back is seen as something of a curse, but for this young Auckland forward PN it may just be his saving grace. (GEORGE BERRY) F

OCTOBER 1989 - OCTOBER 2014

+ CELEBRATES

Years For more information or to book your advertising contact: Jo Barrett on 021 324 510 or t: 09 361 3356 or 09 378 8553 e: joannebarrett@xtra.co.nz w: www.ponsonbynews.co.nz

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

SIDELINE WITH GEORGE BERRY

Show me the money!

If you’ve had enough of rugby, cricket and netball then take a breath there is hope, as free to air channel Sommet Sport is offering up some outstanding options for minority sport viewing.

Julie Colette at a training clinic

Want to learn from the best?

Apart from the pitching mound, softball is about to start competing on more of a level playing field with some of the major sports in New Zealand. In what has been described as the most important sponsorship deal in the history of softball in New Zealand the sport recently announced a strategic partnership with one of the country’s leading home building companies, Golden Homes.

JULIE CORLETTO MIGHT BE AN AUSTRALIAN, BUT SHE’S ONE OF THE BEST WHEN IT comes to netball. The fact she has continually been named in the Australian Diamonds netball side since making her debut in 2007 is a clear testament to that. The bonus of her playing for the Mystics in the ANZ Championship though is that during her spare time she’s now running netball training clinics for kids around Auckland.

The five year deal is said to be worth a six figure annual sum and the partnership is being celebrated by softball NZ as a complete game changer for their sport which will allow it to inch its way towards a more secure future. “The Golden Homes partnership is a major shift in thinking for softball in New Zealand”, says Softball NZ CEO, Tony Giles.

“This strategic partnership with a corporate sponsor is an unprecedented opportunity to promote not only the Black Sox nationally and internationally, but the game of softball throughout New Zealand.”

While there’s not one (yet) in our Ponsonby neighbourhood the two time world champion continues to hold them all over Auckland. From Rodney to South Auckland to Waitakere there are plenty of options and the clinics are not that hard to get into. The kids I’ve spoken to all say they’re very worthwhile too; they’ve been a very welcoming environment which has catered to kids at differing skill levels.

“The Golden Homes support will allow the New Zealand Black Sox to compete internationally more often and ensure we continue to produce world champion teams.

Over time this partnership will also allow SNZ to better support programmes and other initiatives from grassroots level through to high performance."

“I’m a defender,” said Katie Simpson, “and she’s a defender, so I like watching her play for the Mystics and I try to copy her on court. I got to learn where it would be better to stand on defence when someone is shooting,” she responded when asked what she’d learnt from the training clinic. Milly from Papakura said, “my passing is so much better now I think, I used to only be able to pass one way but now I know there are other ways of passing.” Corletto is due to again join the Australian Diamonds squad later this year and head to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in the hope of taking the Games Gold off New Zealand and adding it to their current World Championship crown. So if you don’t get to attend one of her clinics before the games I’m sure there will be plenty more PN in the spring. (GEORGE BERRY) F

The relationship, which is the largest ever financial sponsorship for the sport, comes on the back of a rise in popularity of the sport, including the Black Sox home victory to take the world championship title last year, and live TV coverage of the test series win against Australia in March. Softball NZ have recently secured hosting rights for the Oceania Qualifier in December as the World Champion Black Sox team begin the defense of their world championship crown. In December, New Zealand will host the Oceania qualifying tournament at Rosedale Park in Albany for the 2015 ISF Men’s World Softball Championship being held in Saskatoon, Canada. The support of Golden Homes comes after the signing last month of Cityfitness as a partner for the sport with further sponsorship expected in the coming months.

PN (GEORGE BERRY) F

COX’S BAY THE FORTRESS The beautiful grounds down at Cox’s Bay have turned into a fortress for the Herne Bay Hustlers.

After falling to a fired up Papatoetoe team, they have picked up good wins over the Varsity Squids, Varsity Legends and Pakuranga Cobras to be in the top half of the table. The win over the Cobras was particularly satisfying, scoring three tries in the last 20 minutes of the game, after trailing 16-3. The last try scored by our left winger, Ratu, was particularly impressive, with Ratu running over his man in Jonah Lomu fashion. This has resulted in a couple of new nicknames for the elusive winger, namely Siviratu and Manu Ratuvei.

With a large squad this year of approx 40 guys, there has been a lot of competition for places and Graham Henry’s famous rotation policy has been implemented. Even Manager Brice Clark has strapped the boots back on. Some of the new players this year include Giovanni Poliko - a big, hard-hitting, ball running centre coming from a rugby league background. Gio is one of the youngest members of the team and is making the 13 jersey his own so far this season. Matt Morgan is another new player to the Ponsonby Club. He is currently wearing the No 1 jersey and when he is not playing, our scrum is nowhere near as dominant. Matt is deceptively quick with ball in hand and no one beats him on defence. We are expecting big things from Matt this season.

We had our first court session last Saturday, which turned out to be a fairly large night.

Highlight of the night was Joe Harris partaking in a speed round, vomiting into his own cup and then pouring this onto his head. Messy. We all visited Snatch bar in Ponsonby later that night and fair to say that they did very well off us! The boys are looking sharp on the field with their flash hair do’s courtesy of Zurri Hairdressing and looking bulked up courtesy of some epic steaks from the Grey Lynn Butcher. Corporate Cabs have been doing a great job getting the boys back home safe and sound and George FM beats working. Over and out.

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

Bachelor of the month He’s conquered Tinder, he’s conquered ddult friend finder, he has been begging us to have a shot in the Ponsonby News this issue's bachelor of the month is: Name: Callum Ross Nickname: The Limp Potato (Reasons unknown) Position: Reserve Lock Age: 28 Favourite Song: The perfect fan - backstreet boys Favourite Colour: Blood Orange Mobile Number: 021 0249 9765 Recently single, Callum has left a trail of broken hearts in his wake since his arrival on the Auckland dating scene. Are you the one to tame this raging bull? We found this beautiful picture of The Limp Potato at his first school ball. While it is fair to say that the Potato has matured since these early years, one thing that has not changed is his orange jacket. Regularly seen sporting this unique article at local Ponsonby bars and nightclubs, The Potato, or ‘Red Jacket’ has become somewhat of a local identity - The Jacket synonymous with masculinity.

Callum assures us that he is now on the look-out for a long term relationship and that ideally he would like to be a father by the time he is 30. If you have ever wanted your offspring to have that Macaulay Culkin look then Callum is your man. Be warned however that the banter around the team is that Callum’s milky appearance is due to the fact that he was breast fed until the age of 14. So if you think you’ve got what it takes to rein in the man who thinks he has “clocked” Tinder why not give him a call or a message. F PN DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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PONSONBY PROFESSIONALS: LOGAN GRANGER

Consider some Xero add-ons to help you with your business!

Xero now has over 150 add-on partners that provide useful apps and tools to help improve your business performance. I will highlight a few below that may be of interest to readers.

Fathom - Reporting tool This is a reporting system that your chartered accountant can subscribe to that pulls your Xero data into a template reporting framework. It helps you compare actual results to set targets and budgets. You can do this monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly, it is fairly flexible in terms of timeframes. If you have multi site operations it is possible to compare how each site is performing against each other. Fathom has a simple dashboard and a set of key performance indicators and ratios that can be set to show you alerts and where you are under performing or exceeding performance targets. I find for clients it puts financial data in a clear and simple format that is not just cluttered with numbers. It provides another way to look at your results, and facilitate discussions with your advisors and partners. Have a look at www.fathomhq.com/xero Timely - Scheduling and appointment booking tool I have a client that does a considerable number of site visits for quoting. This app has a calendar that allows you to put in customer bookings. You can view calendar by day, week and month. It can filter by location, staff, products, customers. It will sync with other products like Outlook, Apple and Google Calendars. It will set recurring bookings or block out time not available. Customers can be allowed to place bookings with you if you choose. You can put a button on your website that will link through to Timely so bookings can be made by clients online. Most importantly It also allows you to turn a booking into an invoice and then process that into a payment. Go to www.gettimely.com/tour Receipt Bank - Data conversion application This product converts paper receipts and invoices into Xero data. They have apps for smart phones where you can take an image of a receipt or invoice and it will take the relevant data for importation into Xero. The same can be achieved for invoices you scan electronically or receive via email. It picks up key data such as, the name of the supplier, the date, the tax invoice number, the currency, GST amount, the total amount, and more.

You can then integrate or bring this data into Xero. One idea might be for expenses you

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pay personally or out of cash, which can then be supported and recorded and brought into the Xero file. There are a number of other uses. It may allow you to match a bank payment and assign it to an expense type directly based on the data being matched.

Saving you data entry and processing time. Look up www.receipt-bank.com Vend - Point of sale system This is a web based point of sale system that integrates with Xero. You can import your Xero customer base into Vend. It handles sales on site, in store and online. It is integrated with an inventory management system if you have stock, which will help you manage stock levels, stock control and purchasing. It works on Mac, iPad or PC. It will connect and talk to scanners, barcode readers, receipt printers and the till system.

It automatically publishes daily sales totals into Xero to help you reconcile your bank account. You can set up custom invoices and branding. If your internet connection goes down it will continue to work and then update your sales next time you are back on line.

It can be set to receive any type of payment, cash, cheque, credit card, deposits, part payment and a number of others. It has the facility to help you manage a customer loyalty programme. It integrates with a number of other products that can assist you in assessing customer behaviour, tracking and purchasing; this can really help you with sales growth. Check out www.vendhq.com This is only a very small number and a brief outline of some great Xero add-ons, so if you are using Xero and want to look at more go to www.xero.com/nz/add-ons. If you have any further questions, would like to discuss this article please do not hesitate to contact Logan Granger.

Disclaimer - While all care has been take, Johnston Associates Chartered Accountants Ltd and its staff accept no liability for the content of this article; always see your professional advisor before taking any action that you are unsure about.

JOHNSTON ASSOCIATES, 202 Ponsonby Road T: 09 361 6701 www.jacal.co.nz F PN

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

PONSONBY PROFESSIONALS: METROLAW GOT A LEGAL QUESTION? ASK MICHAEL@METROLAW.CO.NZ

Email Michael with your question and include PONSONBY NEWS in the subject line. Michael Hemphill, a partner of the firm will answer one topical question each month.

Q: A:

I have had a great business idea (well I think it’s a great idea) and I want to start talking to some people about my idea but I don’t want them to steal it.

How do I protect myself from this happening?

The first thing to think about is what is the nature of the idea. Law in New Zealand recognises limited types of intellectual property; Copyright protects unique expression as in lyrics or a painting, trademarks protect brand names and patents protect novel inventions.

You automatically get copyright protection, but this is only in the expression of idea(s) and not the idea itself. You can get limited protection if you establish a reputation in the market trading in a name but to bolster your position then you need to register the trademark. There are limitations on what trademarks are able to be registered and this is specific to classes of products and services.

It is worth understanding whether any of these forms of intellectual property are relevant to your idea and how you could then go about using the protection available from the law. You may need to take some steps to record when you had the idea and consider whether it is possible to get further protection by some form of registration.

There are historical reasons that our law recognises intellectual property in these limited forms and treats each of them differently.

Understanding the intellectual property in an idea is useful both in your initial discussions with other parties who may be able to assist you in developing the idea and considering how your idea can be introduced to the market. If you have a strong idea but it does not have any intellectual property protection then there may not be much to stop a competitor from adopting your idea and competing with you. In these instances if you are to capitalise on your idea then you may need to capture market share and build a brand quickly to protect your position.

Where there is no intellectual property protection or as an addition to this it is worth making use of confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to give you protection when you are discussing your idea with interested parties or potential business parties.

I have seen a number of different versions of these agreements and they are by no means equal. A poorly considered or poorly drafted NDA can amount to giving away your idea. Key points to consider include: • Are the parties correctly described?

• Is the confidential information/IP correctly described?

• Can you recover profits from the other parties for the misuse of your idea?

• Are you able to obtain an injunction against the other parties to force them to stop misusing your idea?

• Are you able to recover your costs for your enforcement action?

Be careful about sharing your ideas before you have an agreement in place.

PN (MICHAEL HEMPHILL) F Disclaimer - This article is for general information purposes only. If you have a legal problem you should seek advice from a lawyer. Metro Law does not accept any liability other than to its clients and then only when advice is sought on specific matters.

METROLAW, Level 2, 36 Williamson Avenue T: 09 929 0800 www.metrolaw.co.nz

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BARGAIN SHOPPING

WESTGATE OUTLET CENTRE Westgate Outlet Centre is the perfect place for top fashion brands at genuinely discounted prices.

The Westgate Outlet Centre has a great range of current and last season samples, end-of-line and clearance stock. Situated directly behind the Westgate Shopping Centre which itself boasts over 70 retail outlets and services, including an Event Cinema, ten pin bowling and mini-golf, there’s something for everybody for a full day out at Westgate.

Whether you’re looking for top brands in sportswear as in NFL, NBA, Tapout; or street and surf-wear including Roxy, Billabong, Volcom, Superdry, Hurley, Quiksilver, Bauhaus, Lee, Ed Hardy, Vans, Globe, Electric; for womenswear from brands such as Juo, Shouq, Identity, All About Eve; and underwear from the Bendon Outlet, it’s all at the Westgate Outlet Centre.

You can even spend some time having a relaxing manicure or pedicure at Art of Nails as a finishing touch to your retail therapy.

Temporarily we also have the GUESS clearance store which has a fantastic variety of handbags, wallets, undergarments (both mens and womens), belts, luggage and phone and iPad accessories.

It’s only here until the end of June so jump in the car and take a quick ride down the North-Western Motorway (Exit 19A). We are only 15 minutes from the city. Open every day from 10am-5pm (North Beach until 6pm), with ample easy parking right outside the PN stores and below the centre. F Westgate Outlet Centre - where saving more doesn’t mean sacrificing quality.

WESTGATE OUTLET CENTRE, Fernhill Drive, Massey T: 09 831 0200 www.westgateshoppingcentre.co.nz

CUTTING EDGE TILES AT BARGAIN PRICES European Ceramics & Stone - the catwalk for Italian porcelain and natural stone tiles, have opened an Outlet store on the North Shore.

They have some stunning ranges which are end of lines and other items that they are clearing to make way for the latest styles.

Come and meet their friendly staff on the Shore, bring your trailer and grab yourself PN a bargain. F EUROPEAN CERAMICS & STONE, 7A Cowley Place, Rosedale T: 09 451 9803 www.euroceramics.co.nz

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BARGAIN SHOPPING

SHOPPING FOR (FASHIONABLE) BARGAINS IN PONSONBY One of Ponsonby’s charms is that while shoppers are spoiled with the very best, top of the line merchandise, there’s also a good number of places you can go when the budget is tight. Ponsonby News went for a drive one recent grey Sunday, and listed hot fashion bargain destinations.

62 PONSONBY ROAD VINTAGE AND RETRO This new-to-us store was closed on the Sunday, but noses pressed against the window spied hand-tooled cowboy boots in the $200s and a pretty handknit at $49. Looks like a treasure trove.

GOOD 2 U 308 Ponsonby Road Never overlook your local $2 shop when fashion bargain hunting. At last visit Good 2 U stocked lingerie, hosiery and jewellery as well as a few accessories.

TATTY’S 159 Ponsonby Road This recycle boutique has a very friendly layout and you can score some amazing bargains, particularly on the ‘Last Chance’ rack. If you know approximately what you are looking for, chances are Tatty’s will have something to fit the bill.

SCOTTIES RECYCLE 2 Blake Street Secondhand high fashion bargain heaven. At least three racks of beautiful designer pieces, plus some shoes and accessories.

THE MERCY HOSPICE SHOP 300 Ponsonby Road Always busy, the Hospice Shop has good quality second hand shoes, clothes and bags.

While not quite the op shop prices of old, still very, very good value and all for an excellent cause.

ENCORE 279 Ponsonby Road Ponsonby’s longest established recycle boutique.

MAUDELLA OUTLET 216 Jervois Road Maudella are the distributors for beautiful Danish labels Day, Birger et Mikkelson and Second Day. The clothing and accessories are stunning but somewhat expensive even at outlet prices. Maudella also own local label Sable & Minx. and when samples, seconds or ends of lines from that label make the outlet store, they are great buying.

TRELISE COOPER OUTLET 100 Richmond Road So popular that it had to expand. Holds stock from all the Trelise Cooper labels and exclusively stocks Trelise Cooper Black label - a price pointed collection created specifically for the outlet store. (JULIE ROULSTON) F PN

BORN AND BRED IN GREY LYNN At THE LOOK their focus is simple. Furniture should be well priced and great quality.

They aim to bring, you, the consumer, the best range of bedroom furniture, dining furniture and occasional furniture for an unbeatable price. They’ve been based in Grey Lynn for 10 years and have specialised in distributing to boutique retailers and interior designers countrywide for that time.

All their ranges are selected by their own interior designers for use in their own show homes and are selected for their contemporary style and quality of manufacture. They don’t buy to a price point, their designers go on annual buying trips to source new styles for their own show homes and staging division. They buy products that will look good in

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a huge range of properties rather than items that they can sell for a good margin. They deliver quality, contemporary furniture to their buyers that perfectly suits New Zealand homes and the Kiwi style of living. They keep all our furniture ranges in stock so in most cases, you can take your purchase away immediately! They are open seven days a week so do drop in to see how they can help add warmth to your home for winter. F PN THE LOOK, 20 Maidstone Street, T: 09 302 2400 E: sales@thelook.co.nz www.thelookstore.co.nz

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

BARGAIN SHOPPING THE SIREN CALL OF BARGAIN SHOPPING A bargain, like beauty, is really in the eye of the beholder.

HOMEWARE OUTLET SHOPPING DOESN’T GET BETTER French Country Collections was established in 1987 by Sonia Watts, a New Zealander with a passion for French antiques and a desire to inspire homemakers to bring beautiful things into their homes.

French Country stocks French/European inspired furniture and homewares with two outlet stores in Auckland. One located in Pollen Street, Grey Lynn, the other in Albany.

Some may think a $500 garment is a good deal because it’s been reduced from $1,800 while for others it would be totally beyond their wallet’s reach. Value for money is what bargain shopping is all about. Auckland is a city full of rich and varied shopping and when cost is an important consideration there’s a veritable mine of bargain opportunities to explore. Factory outlets, pop up shops, clearance stores are so hot now it’s a full time job keeping up with what’s out there. Add to this hospice shops, recycled clothing, secondhand furniture and produce markets. The fact is, a two tier market exists today, shoppers who prefer convenience whatever the cost and bargain hunters who will go the extra mile to save money.

Fortunately Ponsonbyites can access some excellent bargains, with several outlets within reasonable distance and a good number in our area.

The French Country Collection is a family owned business that’s been importing French styled homewares for 26 years and its outlet store on 8 Pollen Street has been there for 17 years. It’s great for finding collectables, one-off samples, cookware, ceramics, glassware and a big range of furniture all at knockdown prices. They have recently opened a second outlet on 33 Triton Drive in Albany, selling similar merchandise.

The store is bursting with beautiful items for the home including furniture, chandeliers, kitchenware, bakeware, linen, glassware, candles and other objets d’art. There is something to suit the taste and budget of everyone that walks in the door - whether it is PN a bigger ticket item or something small and whimsical. F

Consignment stores are Le denier cri in the United States and Brigit Timpson has brought the concept to Grey Lynn. Covet Consignment on 168 Richmond Road opened in September and has gathered old and new fashion items, vintage ornaments and homewares all under one roof. Brigit still has an interest in her former store in California so is able to bring different and interesting stock to mix with the clothes, art and ceramics she sells on behalf of.

FRENCH COUNTRY COLLECTIONS, 8 Pollen Street T: 09 376 7585 www.frenchcountry.co.nz

So there are two outstanding examples of where people in our area can find bargains that are practically at their doorstep. (DEIRDRE TOHILL) F PN

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LOOK... WHO IS IN THE ZOO!

NEW RESIDENTS ON ROTOROA

WORLD GIRAFFE DAY Saturday 21 June, 9.30am-5pm

Auckland Zoo and the Rotoroa Island Trust recently translocated 40 tieke (saddleback) and 40 popokotea (whitehead) from Hauturu o Toi (Little Barrier) to Rotoroa Island in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf.

Get along to Auckland Zoo on Saturday 21 June and join us in celebrating World Giraffe Day and all that’s awesome about the world’s tallest land animal.

It was a big day and milestone for the Zoo and our Rotoroa Island Trust partners as these special birds are the first wildlife species to be introduced to this unique new wildlife reserve in the making.

This exciting new global day is the initiative of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation. GCF, an organisation the Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund supports, is leading the conservation of giraffe in the wild, and raising the profile of this magnificent species, whose population has declined dramatically in the last 15 years.

Their release follows extensive planting, monitoring and pest eradication on the 80ha island, and marks the start of an ambitious 25-year-plan we have to introduce up to 20 new species by 2018. Kiwi, Duvaucel’s gecko and moko skink are other wildlife planned for release later this year.

“Together with our RIT partners, we’re taking a very new approach to creating a wildlife reserve to help secure New Zealand’s unique biodiversity. We’re introducing species at a greatly accelerated rate and including wildlife that wouldn’t necessarily have been found on Rotoroa Island before,” says Auckland Zoo director, Jonathan Wilcken.

Don’t miss the giraffe encounter, explore the special giraffe-themed display table and take part in lots of fun activities, including the opportunity to check your height against a life-sized baby giraffe model, and play a ‘guess whose poo’ game!

“Our aim is to create a unique and novel ecosystem that will be managed intensively and allow us to showcase the sort of interventionist approach to conserving wildlife that New Zealand is increasingly becoming known for.

“The community - from school students to island visitors will play an active role in the ongoing heath and management of the island. It’s an inclusive vision of conservation success that focuses on how people and wildlife can benefit each other, and we hope will foster a whole new generation of conservationists.”

AN EVENING WITH JANE GOODALL

Rotoroa Island is now open to the public. Visit www.rotoroa.org to find out more.

World-renowned primatologist, conservationist and UN Messenger of Peace, Dr Jane Goodall, is to give a public talk in Auckland on 23 June.

The 7pm talk at the Aotea Centre’s ASB Theatre is being hosted by Auckland Zoo and is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see and hear this inspirational 80-year-old who will speak about her life’s work in Africa and why she has reasons for hope.

photography: New Zealand Herald

Jane Goodall’s talk is a fundraiser to support Jane Goodall Institute projects, including the relocation of Tchimpunga chimpanzees on to islands in the Koilou River in the Republic of Congo, and the youth-based Roots & Shoots programme.

Tickets are $25 and can be booked through Ticketmaster - www.tickmaster.co.nz or phone 0800 111999. Visit www.aucklandzoo.co.nz and www.janegoodall.org

L to R: saddleback (tieke) and whitehead (popokotea)

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photography: Gant by Morten Bjarnhof

photography: Brian Cairns

photography: Auckland Zoo

Rotoroa Island

Jane Goodall PhD, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace will speak in Auckland on Monday 23 June.

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THE HISTORICAL BOROUGH OF PONSONBY AND GREY LYNN: STREET NAMES

BROWNING STREET The term crony capitalism means that success in business is the result of close associations among business people and government officials.

It certainly applies to a group of Auckland’s early entrepreneurs which include quite a number of our city’s so-called fathers. According to Logan Campbell - “The whole and entire object of everyone here is making money, the big fishes eating the little ones.” Samuel Browning was a member of this elite cabal who considered Auckland ripe for speculation and they got away with ventures that would be illegal today.

Samuel Browning was born in 1802. He was the eldest son of Mr T. Browning who for 25 years held a high position in London’s General Post Office. Samuel entered the business world at an early age as a member of a firm that were large shipowners and had financial connections world wide. He was nothing if not adventurous because in 1830 he took a journey to North America’s Rocky Mountains, which at that time was extremely dangerous and only a few white men had ventured there previously. Later, in 1840 he was a passenger on the Sea Horse, the first steamship to visit Australia. After travelling to Adelaide and New South Wales he went on to Manila then into the interior of China as far as Ning-po where he stayed for more than a year. While there he had the opportunity to observe episodes that occurred during the Chinese War period.

TIMOTHY OULTON AT DAWSON’S FURNITURE Premium British furniture brand Timothy Oulton is known for reinterpreting vintage designs through fresh, modern eyes using time-honoured techniques and handcraftsmanship.

The super comfortable Squidgy Tufted Tribeca is based on a big antique leather chair which has been innovatively updated with simple forms and oversized proportions for a really luxurious experience.

A classically tufted seat maintains a sumptuous sophistication with the decadence of high-framed buttoned arms. The cosiest of cushioning is complemented by the soft Full Rebel leather. Hand-tumbled for a vintage finish, Full Rebel is a tri-tone leather that will get better with age and gather its own unique markings over time. A soft, natural leather, it combines pigmentations to create a rich look and feel.

The Squidgy Tufted Tribeca is made to be lounged on and lived in. It brings comfort, class, and an extra bounce to life. Available exclusively in New Zealand from Dawson's Furniture. F PN DAWSON’S FURNITURE, 1/1 Holder Place, Rosedale, North Shore, T: 09 476 1121 www.dawsonsfurniture.co.nz

Browning played an active part in obtaining the 1847 repeal of the Navigation Laws which at that time imposed heavy restrictions on foreign merchant vessels trading with Great Britain. He gave important evidence before a select committee in the House of Commons being fully qualified to do so because he had been a resident in France, Holland, Germany, Portugal, the United States, the Philippine Islands, the Indian Archipelago, Singapore, Hong Kong and Macao. Finally he returned to Australia and was chosen to be the manager and inspector of the Royal Bank of Australia, and was engaged in winding up and settling the institution’s affairs.

In 1855 Browning settled permanently in New Zealand, choosing to reside in Auckland.

He immediately took an active part in promoting the leading commercial interests carrying out operations in Auckland that were vey profitable, given the absence of rules and regulations. There was widespread support for foreshore reclamation that provided land for mercantile facilities, which pleased the merchant classes who had an interest in commercial land right from the start of European settlement. The group of business men Thomas Russell brought together used whatever political influence they could muster in the pursuit of profit. Hobson was sickly for most of his term as Governor and failed to control public servants who engaged in unabashed land speculation in defiance of strict Colonial Office rules.

Along with Russell, Campbell, William Daldy, Josiah Firth, William Wilson, co-founder of the New Zealand Herald, and several others, Browning’s name appeared as director or investor in company after company which saved Auckland from being dependent on loans from Australia or London and enabled it to build on the domestic economy following the Thames gold boom. Browning’s directorships included the Bank of New Zealand, the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency, and the New Zealand Insurance Company plus he took an active part in an abundant number of commercial matters. He apparently was a man of surprising activity in his later years and frequently went to town to attend the directors’ meetings of the companies with which he was connected until a few weeks before his death. He certainly obtained the confidence and esteem of all who came in contact with him. Mr Samuel Browning died early one morning at his Epsom residence aged 87 years. Left to mourn his loss were his widow, his eldest son, Mr S.B. Browning of London, and two daughters, Lady Chute, and Mrs Jane Russell.

PN (DEIRDRE TOHILL) F

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CREATIVE CANVAS PRINTS FOR YOUR HOME OR OFFICE

MAKE A STATEMENT WITH EXOTIC ANTIQUE FURNITURE

Canvas prints look great in any room whether it’s for your home, bach or office adding a unique personal touch. Almost any design can be printed, mounted, and hung on your walls and being lightweight they are easy to hang.

The former owner of Ray White Ponsonby for the past 18 years, and owner of Qamea Resort and Spa in Fiji, Bryce Earwaker is never one to sit still for long.

On2canvas can design the canvas to work with your existing decor, customised to fit a specific space, anywhere up to 2.5m x 1m. They see the process as collaboration between your ideas and their design skills creating artworks that are unique.

Canvas prints are not just limited to photographs from your camera. You can get creative by scanning old family photographs, or using inspiring quotes created in to a design, collections of your art photography, your children’s original artwork, collages or fun popart designs for something a little different. They can print on other materials and frame in a variety of ways. “We believe in producing a premium product and use the very best materials - UV pigmented inks, 100% cotton archival canvas, sold pine wood bevelled frames and we finish with two coats of a matte varnish for added protection.

“We’ve been creating canvas prints for over 10 years and love what we do. We have the experience and passion to produce the very best canvas art and strive to ensure that our customers are thrilled with every piece. We appreciate that your photographs are precious to you and our personal service reflects this.”

After a successful real estate career spanning over 24 years Bryce has been privy to some of Auckland’s gorgeous homes in the Herne Bay, Freemans Bay, Ponsonby and Grey Lynn areas. Combined with his many travel experiences around the world, Bryce has put an antique and exotic furniture collection together to sell to astute Aucklanders.

It was after one particular overseas trip a couple of years ago where Bryce saw so may unique pieces of antique and exotic furniture, that he knew would look wonderful in Auckland homes, that Bryce made the decision to return and order a shipment to sell back in Auckland’s Ponsonby which he has now successfully done.

Bryce has personally handpicked all the items in the collection and in some instances had unique wooden features tailor made. Former window frames from 100 year old buildings have been turned into mirrors building cornices have been mounted on plinths and temple doors turned into bed heads.

If you have a question or need a little help, please drop them a line. F PN

From smaller items such as antique lamps, trays and cooking pots through to one and half tonne solid marble fountains there is something to catch everyone’s eye. There is a wonderful selection of wooden cabinets in varying sizes along with antique trestle tables, wrought iron and wooden mirrors, and marble topped tables.

ON2CANVAS, 12 Albany Road, T: 09 376 8065 M: 021 465 465 www.on2canvas.co.nz

For one month only the collection is being sold from 231 Ponsonby Road (opposite Bambina) - Monday to Saturday from 11am to 5pm. F PN

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CREATE THE HOME YOU LOVE WITH THE PAPER ROOM DESIGN SERVICE With 30 years combined experience, the Paper Room design team are passionate about interiors.

“We tell our customers when assisting with their choices for wallpaper and fabric that they HAVE TO LOVE IT - that way you create a home that truly reflects your own personality not what the latest trends tell you to like, but a home that you really love.”

The team at Paper Room work with your existing treasures and offer advice regarding adding new pieces that complement and enhance your space. They are big on wallpaper with over 1000 patterns to choose from and they know their product well. So helping you choose something to work with your space becomes easy for you, rather than an overwhelming task.

They offer a wide range of international fabrics including Miss Print, Louise Body, Florence Broadhurst, Harlequin and Designers Guild to name a few. They provide window treatments, soft furnishings and a fantastic collection of New Zealand designed and manufactured furniture. Alternatively, if it’s a styling service you require - someone to arrange furniture and accessories, or to hang your artwork or photo wall, they can help you too.

Their website and store are both filled with inspiration. They offer free consultation in store, however if you require a little more assistance so you can be sure you are making a confident decision, they would love to come out to your home. For more information or to discuss their IN-HOME Design Service further please contact them. F PN THE PAPER ROOM, 25 Jervois Road, T: 09 376 5675 E: info@paperroom.co.nz www.paperroom.co.nz

OCTOBER 1989 - OCTOBER 2014 + CELEBRATES

Years

For more information or to book your advertising contact: Jo Barrett on 021 324 510 or t: 09 361 3356 or 09 378 8553 e: joannebarrett@xtra.co.nz w: www.ponsonbynews.co.nz

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AUDIO SOUND AND VISION SOLUTIONS MADE EASY THE AUDIO CONSULTANT IS NEW ZEALAND’S PREMIER SOUND AND VISION PROVIDER covering everything from headphones, lifestyle systems, entry level hi-fi and home theatre, through to the absolute sublime in hi-fi, recording studio monitors, multi-room audio-visual and home theatre installations, and complete home automation solutions.

Whatever your sound and vision needs are, no matter how big or small, The Audio Consultant can help. They are committed to the enjoyment of music and video, and providing their customers with products they truly believe in, whether it’s a pair of headphones or the complete automation of a home.

Their focus is on Europe’s premier brands such as Devialet (amplifiers) and Focal (speakers and headphones) from France, Musical Fidelity and Cyrus (CD players, amplifiers, and streamers) from the United Kingdom, and Tchernov (cables) from Russia, plus reliable stalwarts such as Rotel, Project, Anthem, and Oppo. For the first time ever in Auckland the very best of Europe’s most outstanding brands are available to view and listen to.

Their home automation team can do anything from a simple two room hi-fi system to a complete home automation package incorporating lighting, security, access, entertainment, phones, networking, blinds, drapes, and virtually any other electronic device in the building.

In business for over 20 years, The Audio Consultant has assembled a quality team to provide customers only the best service and they have a solution for every budget.

“Solutions not problems” is the motto, and customers are always pleasantly surprised PN how easy it is to do business with The Audio Consultant. F THE AUDIO CONSULTANT, 23 Williamson Avenue, Grey T: 09 376 6176 www.theaudioconsultant.co.nz

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AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUTDOOR SHADE SOLUTIONS URBAN MEETS COASTAL! Seven months ago James Christie and Luana Downing took over The Beach Furniture. They fell in love with the rustic and coastal theme of the two stores.

Johnson & Couzins are proud to be one of New Zealand’s oldest companies - they have been ‘the name in shade since 1866’.

Based in Christchurch, they expanded to Auckland in 2010.

From the moment you walk in to either of the stores, there’s something really special about them and what they offer. As the name suggests there are furniture options for your beach home or your urban dwelling.

From small courtyards to large outdoor areas; from domestic settings to commercial sites, Johnson & Couzins provide outdoor shade ideas for any situation. With an extensive range, innovative in-house engineers and a reputation for stellar customer service they are a market leader in custom shade design. They have the answer to all your shade demands, ranging from large outdoor umbrellas and shade sails to fully automatic opening roof louvres and canopy awnings.

Everything from industrial bookcases to French wardrobes, rustic tables to dining chairs, their range of products will continue to change to meet the needs of New Zealand interior design demands and trends. This winter they have added a new range of sofas including chaise configurations.

Johnson & Couzins design and manufacture most of their products in house and custom -design shade solutions to your specific needs. Constantly developing new products, they offer the very latest in design and quality and always stay at the forefront of their market, setting shade trends.

Is it worth mentioning that, where possible, The Beach Furniture source their product through suppliers who buy wood solely from family owned sustainable forests and recycled timbers are also used where possible.

Their latest innovation is the elegant, ultra-modern Concertina Louvre, New Zealand’s first fully retractable roof louvre system. This sliding roof not only gives you total control of sun, shade and rain, but it practically vanishes at the touch of a button!

Their mid-year sale is now on so visit one of their two stores, either on Broadway, Newmarket or Wairau Park. F PN THE BEACH FURNITURE, Newmarket Store, 372-376 Broadway (opposite Farmers) T: 09 522 0030

Want to enjoy dinner under a starry sky or soak up the warm morning sun? All are possible with the Concertina Louvre. It lets you create shade and rain protection however, rather than just rotating like traditional louvre systems, the louvre fins can actually part and slide back, exposing the open sky. Winter is the perfect time to start those large outdoor projects. To arrange for your free measure and quote contact:

North Shore, Unit 20, 18 Link Drive Wairau Park (opposite Freedom Furniture) T: 09 443 7788 www.thebeachfurniture.co.nz

JOHNSON & COUZINS, T: 09 299 5041 or T: 0800 664 083 www.johnsonandcouzins.co.nz

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HELPING WITH THE HUGE DECISIONS Chris Batchelor is number one salesperson at Barfoot & Thompson Ponsonby and is consistently in the top 10% of salespeople in Barfoot & Thompson.

Chris is organised, tenacious and hard working fundamental characteristics a salesperson should have. His ability to get results has translated into over $122 million in sales in just over four years. He enjoys providing a high level of customer service and the interaction with clients that his job affords.

Chris’s passion for working with people and his strong negotiation skills meant that a career in real estate was a natural progression for him. Chris’s prior career spanned ski seasons as a chef in Switzerland and Queenstown; to selling art for the estates of John Lennon, Ronnie Wood, Marilyn Monroe and Miles Davis; to working as an estate manager in the Cotswolds, England. Chris’s estate manager role saw him undertake a wide spectrum of responsibilities, including project management of renovations, field and land management, and event coordination. Chris’s renovation and landscaping experience means that he is well-placed to work with you to maximise the appeal and presentation of your own home.

Chris prides himself on being adaptable to any market conditions and is committed to the real estate for the long term. "I love how this job offers something different every day. But the most rewarding aspect for me is helping people with such huge decisions at a critical point in their lives. It's a privilege and an honour that I take very seriously." F PN CHRIS BATCHELOR T: 0800 1AGENT, M: 021 217 7026 E: c.batchelor@barfoot.co.nz www.barfoot.co.nz

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SLIGHT COOLING IN APRIL REAL ESTATE SALES

WEBBS X MR BIGGLESWORTHY 'INSIDE OUT' AUCTION

Auckland residential property prices cooled slightly during April with sales down approximately 15% over the same time last year, returning to 2012 levels.

THE FIFTH COLLABORATION BETWEEN AUCTION HOUSE WEBB’S AND MODERNIST design specialists Mr. Bigglesworthy, has again surpassed its own record to achieve the status of the highest grossing modernist design sale in Webb’s history.

Barfoot & Thompson Managing Director, Peter Thompson, said this was customary due to the Easter, Anzac Day and school holiday period, but a higher than normal number of listings (3623) was also adding to market competiveness. “Undoubtedly, the loan-to -value ratio and interest rates were also keeping prices in check.”

Barfoot & Thompson sold 811 properties during April for an average price of $708,603.

“This average is higher than those achieved last year but more aligned to 2012 numbers. It shows ongoing support in the Auckland property market, but more listings creates more choice, and that ultimately softens prices.

The auction attracted both domestic and international buyers, with sales totalling $174,000. ‘Inside Out’ represented a rare opportunity to view and purchase the best examples of modern design available within in New Zealand, sourced from the United Kingdom, Europe and America. Centred around the theme of modernist expression in the post-war lifestyle, the collection was expertly curated and lovingly restored by Mr. Bigglesworthy and sympathetically presented by Webb’s. The next Webb’s X Mr. PN Bigglesworthy auction is scheduled for October this year. F MR BIGGLESWORTHY, 15 Williamson Avenue T:021 672 446 www.mrbigglesworthy.co.nz

"Sellers need to stay pragmatic about their property prices and not overprice them if they want them sold.”

The April median price was $619,550. Thompson said sales of homes over $500,000 continued to trade well with 547 homes sold in this price range during April, echoing the sort of figures achieved over summer. This was reinforced in the higher price echelons with 286 homes sold over $750,000 and 120 sales realised over the one million dollar mark. These were consistent with figures achieved from December 2013, through February 2014.

Thompson said the market still showed buoyancy and will continue to hold its own over the cooler months. “The economy is strong, and there’s a lot to choose from which is great for home buyers. But there’s realism in the market and prices are being pulled back into line. As experienced in seasonal trends, we can expect some price retraction PN over winter.” F

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS BATHROOMS - IMPORTANT PRACTICALITY Choosing the fittings for your bathroom is important in terms of style, comfort, durability and functionality.

Cleverly combining these shapes, forms and compositions will add interest to a design.

There is a vast array of choice that needs to be whittled down - from sculptural and ergonomic fittings that evoke the most simple of faucets, to computerised shower systems with custom designed programs. A critical eye, an educated guess of your lifestyle for the next 10 years or so, and showroom visits to test drive everything for comfort and size is essential. Remember that you get what you pay for in terms of quality and durability.

Getting the lighting right is a key part of any design project, particularly in bathrooms.

It makes or breaks the success of a room. Build in flexibility by using dimmers, multiple circuits and sensors. Have good general lighting for ease of use, with additional task lighting for specific activities like applying make up or shaving. Finish it off with gentle low level ambient lighting to create a special mood when retreating from the world.

Heating, waterproofing, and ventilation in bathrooms are vital areas not to be underestimated. Thorough waterproofing of wet areas is essential. Under tile heating is important for physical comfort, and can be set on a timer to minimise power bills. Heated mirrors and towel rails improve the overall experience too. Good ventilation is vital for comfort and the longevity of the bathroom itself.

Small ensuite spaces squeezed into in bungalows and villas lend themselves to pared back designs. When space is a precious commodity wall hung vanities, toilets, and recessed wall cabinets create a greater sense of visual space. Wet areas where baths and showers are not separated within the room maximise the ability to freely use the entire space. You need to create a space that looks wonderful, feels sensational to be in and refreshes the mind. Just because these spaces are small it doesn’t mean they PN shouldn’t be stunning. F YVETTE JAY INTERIOR DESIGN, T: 09 376 9323 www.marthaofthesouthpacific.wordpress.com

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MILLY NOLAN: DESIGNER GIFTS A monochromatic palette of black, white and grey will never grow tiresome, especially when you team it with a few pops of bright colour to liven up a space. Here’s a few of our current favourite things that will make spending time indoors over the winter months much more pleasurable.

House Doctor Vega Candlestick, $60 Danish in design, this simple yet effective black candlestick is made from textured aluminium. While stunning on its own, it looks best as a pair.

Citta Petra Lambs Wool Throw, $200 Made from 100% lamb's wool this black and cream throw is not only warm and cosy but entirely stylish also, fitting for either the living room or bedroom.

General Eclectic Mono Bowl Set, $50 With contrasting black and white graphics this large bowl set is perfect for everyday use, for any meal of the day.

Leff Felt Clock, $299 Designed by German designer Sebastian Herkner, this clock challenges convention with its grey felt surface - so that not only does it tell the time, but it also creates a point of interest on the wall.

Hunting For George Eat Print, $45 Create a focal point in your kitchen or dining room with this crisp, black and white typographic banner that encourages you to enjoy one of life’s simple pleasures - eating.

Pony Rider X Cushion, $115 Whether it’s for your sofa or your bed, this Pony Rider cushion will match any modern interior due to its light-grey screen-printed X and neutral coloured fabric.

Tivoli Model One AM/FM Radio, $349 Compatible with iPods and other players, this black AM/FM radio is a new addition to the Tivoli Model One series, which have been described as “the best sounding table radio ever made”.

General Eclectic Origami Tall Vase, $35 With its interesting origami-like pattern, this tall ceramic vase looks as good empty as it PN does filled with flowers. (MILLY NOLAN) F All products available from www.mildredandco.com

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CREATIVE FURNITURE SOLUTIONS FOR ANY OFFICE In the industry for 30 years, Systems Commercial is a New Zealand family owned company and a leading supplier of affordable designer furniture with the largest commercial furniture showroom in Auckland.

Servicing major corporate and government bodies, they are also able to create an elegant home office or help you choose your child’s first desk and chair; all at surprisingly affordable prices.

Systems Commercial’s large selection of chairs and office furniture ranges from the chrome and leather luxury of the corporate boardroom, to more budget conscious options. They also stock storage solutions, screens, cupboards and sofas in a range of colours and materials.

Most importantly they offer solutions; creative ways to use your space to the best effect for productivity, comfort and aesthetic appeal.

They have an amazing new showroom in Nelson Street with undercover parking so come in and be inspired to change your working environment.

Their space management and free design service helps clients to visualise the finished system. They deliver and install, and every item they sell is guaranteed for 5 to 10 years.

Working alongside their factory Ward Manufacturing, they offer the largest range of PN stylish, durable and economical furniture solutions for any office. F SYSTEMS COMMERCIAL, 118-122 Nelson Street, T: 09 369 1880 www.systemscommercial.com

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

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ASK AN ARCHITECT: PAUL LEUSCHKE Each month Grey Lynn resident and architect Paul Leuschke of Leuschke Kahn answers readers’ property related questions.

Email yours to jane@leuschkekahn.co.nz

Q: A:

What is the difference between building consent drawings, tender drawings and construction drawings?

Building consent drawings are the documents required by council in order to grant you a building consent. The drawings are about structure, (usually in conjunction with your structural engineer) cladding and roof details, windows and doors details, thermal calculations (insulation and glazing), protection from falling, plumbing and drainage and any other issues to show compliance with the New Zealand Building Code.

Building consent drawings don’t require electrical, lighting or security plans, light fittings selection, kitchen or bathroom plans or detailing, non- structural details, flooring selection, colours, material selection, door handles, fencing, landscaping, drapes and blinds.

While you can build from building consent drawings and get a builder’s quote, there will be a myriad of questions to be answered and decisions to be made during construction.

These can be initially included in the builders quote as PC Sums, which are an allowance

for the cost of the non-selected items. Someone has to address these issues and it can be the client, the builder or the architect who had the vision for the building in the first place.

Tender drawings include far more detail for the builder to quote off than building consent drawings. For example kitchens and bathrooms are drawn up and detailed with bench and vanity tops selected, cabinet materials and finishes, drawer runners, handles, splash backs, tiles and colours all selected. The higher level of detail means the builder can quote more accurately.

Construction drawings are the drawings issued once building consent has been granted and once the builders quote has been accepted. They can include any changes arisen by council at building consent and any changes made when agreeing a price with a builder.

They reflect what will actually be built.

(PAUL LEUSCHKE) www.leuschkekahn.co.nz F PN

FORMA FURNITURE - PROUD TO BE NEW ZEALAND MADE Forma Contemporary Furniture has now been in their Parnell premises for the past eight years.

Proudly designed and handmade in New Zealand, Forma integrates European influences with New Zealand lifestyle resulting in a diverse collection which can reflect your self expression and create an environment where you can work, relax or entertain in comfort and style.

Forma furniture is manufactured at their Auckland factory giving them the ability to alter existing designs or even custom make pieces for a particular project. All Forma furniture can be upholstered in any fabric or leather of choice giving the buyer the freedom to customise the look resulting in a finished product that fits perfectly with the space.

Forma ensures only top quality materials are used in the construction process, and couple this with unparalleled construction guarantees giving the buyer peace of mind their chosen furniture is intended to last a lifetime. Having supplied numerous large scale commercial projects such as the Hilton Hotel Queenstown and a number of Air New Zealand lounges to name a few, Forma obviously has the ability to cater for any project small or large, residential or commercial. F PN For a closer look at what Forma has to offer visit their showroom or their website.

FORMA, 51-53 The Strand, Parnell, T: 09 368 7694 www.forma.co.nz www.facebook.com/formafurniturenz

Forma also offers a fantastic and complimentary interior design service to help you find the right solution when selecting furniture and will gladly visit your home ensuring all aspects of style, size and colour fit perfectly within your home.

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UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL Annie Loveridge, The Ivy House ANNIE LOVERIDGE IS THE OWNER OF THE IVY HOUSE, THE NEW ZEALAND DISTRIBUTOR for Armadillo&Co rugs and Quadrille Fabrics. The focus of The Ivy House is beautiful homewares, made by hand. "Having previously worked in funds management, I had children and realised I couldn't go back to that type of work, for many reasons!

I desperately wanted to do something creative but really didn't know where to start.

A clever friend picked up that I love textiles and said to start somewhere, anywhere and see where it leads. It is the best advice when it all seems too overwhelming. In Armadillo I work with beautiful textiles, made ethically and kindly. At The Ivy House we value our clients and genuinely care that they select items they love."

Where do you live?

Very happily in a far too small St Mary's Bay villa.

Who is your partner?

Peter and I have been together forever. We've lived in Wellington, London, South Carolina, London, Perth, Wellington, Perth and now Auckland. We are not moving again. Peter is a commercial director and Loveridge House barista.

Do you have any children?

We have two beautiful girls, Arabella (11) and Lily (9). They are both proud Ponsonby Primary School Fliers.

Do you have any pets?

The girls have a little Ponsonby dog called Squabbles. Me, I walk, feed and flea their dog.

How do you keep fit?

Eating is my favourite pastime so exercise is a necessary evil. I belong to a fabulous training group at Point Erin with our superstar trainer Wiremu. Mon/Weds/Fri 9 - 10 am.

Nice people welcome. Just saying.

Your best friend would say of you..."always late."

Your mother would say of you... "always complains about me being late."

What are your virtues?

I love my family and my good friends. My father always said my friends were the best reflection of who I am and of that, I am very proud.

And your vices?

Wine, food, procrastinating, online shopping, talking way too much, an absolute dreamer.

Who's your ultimate rock icon?

Robbie Williams joins Duran Duran. Westlife sings backing vocals. Boyzone ushers people to their seats and One Direction hands out the champagne and mingle. Oh yeah, there's not a boyband I can't name!

Secret passion?

Design magazines; once I'm ensconced in House & Gardens UK, I am no one's mother.

What's your secret talent?

Lugging very heavy carry on luggage to a plane with a look of ease and light. It's a skill well honed.

Where do you spend your holidays?

We have finally bought our dream escape from reality in Pakiri. It's simple, basic and absolutely perfect. And by one of the best beaches. Anywhere. Ever.

What's your perfect Sunday?

Pakiri, coffee, sitting on our front step and a clear day ahead.

What were you going to be when you grew up?

I didn't really care as long as I had long straight hair.

How did you come to be a designer?

In a haze, I left Uni with a commerce degree, an ACA and a husband. We moved to London where I worked in funds management - a somewhat misguided career choice for me but fun in my 20s. I had children, stayed at home, studied design and when we moved to Auckland I found it difficult to open trade accounts being new in town, so I ended up representing Quadrille Fabrics from the United States. A phone call to my

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mentor designer in Melbourne led me to Armadillo. I am very grateful to the people who have had faith in me.

If you weren’t a designer you’d be...

A lot more patient with my family.

What’s your favourite Ponsonby Cafe?

I am such a homebody, my favourite coffee is at home, made by Peter. I make shocking coffee. If Peter isn't available Didas is always good.

And your favourite Ponsonby restaurant?

Prego. Just is. We can take the girls and still feel like big people - they love it and we love it. Perfect.

Favourite Ponsonby store?

Farro #secondmortgage Favourite Ponsonby fashion label?

Moochi - works for someone who wants to look smart and carry 20 kilo rugs around. Bingo.

Please share your best kept Ponsonby secret...

Pompallier Tennis Club. I've met people who've lived in St Mary's Bay for years who don't know it's there. It's a magic little spot. And Grace Lang Optometry - identified Lily's squint when many other specialists couldn't. Love Grace.

What's inspired you recently?

Celebrating Armadillo&Co's fifth birthday with the team in Sydney. Jodie and Sally who own the company are genuinely kind, down to earth women who have stuck to their guns producing a high quality product at a good price whilst respecting their artisans, whom Armadillo treat as their extended family. All Armadillo's rugs are hand woven under Fair Trade conditions in India, and Armadillo give back a percentage of profits to build schools in their weavers' communities via the Anganwadi Project. We raised enough at the celebration for Armadillo's 14th school. I feel very privileged to be a part of such a wonderful team. It is possible to do things well, at a good price and treat people with the respect they deserve. Sermon over.

The house is on fire and your family is safe - what do you save?

I would be useless and would be late getting out. Am very sentimental about the girls' drawings, cards, clothes they wore as babies.

“I'd be lost without my...

Wonderful husband and beautiful girls. I know. But true.

One thing you have learned about life is..?

It really is short. My lovely father died aged 50 and that still hurts. Be good and be kind - it's a nicer way to live.

What’s your advice to readers looking for a new rug for their home?

Always buy what you love. It's your home so don't listen to 'experts' who tell you to follow their rules. The most beautiful homes are created with layers that have been collected over the years and have meaning; not bought in an instant. Care about who wove the rug; the beauty of a hand made item will make you smile.

THE IVY HOUSE, 238 Jervois Road, T: 09 360 8986 www.theivyhouse.co.nz PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS RENOVATING WITH TOO MANY CHOICES If you are confused by the choices available and want to get the best out of your hard earned dollars then leading interior designer Leonie von Sturmer, a talented award winning designer specialising in kitchens and bathrooms is the person to talk to.

With her trusted team she will lead you through the complexities of your renovation, avoiding costly mistakes and making those tough decisions easy. Leonie has 20 years of Leonie von Sturmer experience in the renovation market and she knows how to improve your investment by focusing on the things that count.

Visit Von Sturmer’s, the lifestyle kitchen showroom on the corner of MacKelvie and Williamson Avenue and be inspired by the custom made kitchen on display, as well as the ‘kitchen furniture’. This design space has been brought together by Leonie and is a collaboration of many trusted suppliers within the renovation industry.

Hours: 10am to 3pm or by appointment. F PN VON STURMERS, 15 Williamson Avenue, T: 09 376 3745 or Leonie M: 021 759 019 www.vonsturmers.com

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS

SMART MONEY #5 Considering your retirement; ask yourself these four simple questions How Long?

The bottom line, your time horizon may be much longer than you expect. A 50 year old male today can be expected to live for another 36 years according to statistics and remember these are averages meaning that approximately half the people are expected to live longer. Of course current health, genetic and medical advancement will influence life expectancies widely.

Jocelyn Weatherall

Phil Ashton

years $1,000,000 under the mattress now will buy the same amount of goods as about $470,000 does today.

Returns, how much to target and how can inflation affect your retirement?

The more return the better right? Well yes, but remember risk and return are always linked; a balance and understanding is needed between the two. On the other hand “I can get 4% in the bank”, yes and bank deposits bear little risk, great!

How do I establish my primary objectives?

Leave an inheritance versus spend the lot!

Or anywhere in between. Answering this question and working backwards with what lifestyle you want in retirement will define how much you need to save now to achieve all of this.

The question is after tax and inflation how much are you really getting? Firstly let’s take off 1.32% for tax (assuming 33% tax rate), now 2.5% for inflation (average for the last 10 years), so your return is 0.18% in total. Inflation is insidious, eroding the purchasing power of your funds; at these rates in 30

What are the trade-offs that you may need to make?

The level of cash flow required for you in retirement combined with the targeted end value may require some trade-offs to minimise the risk of not obtaining your objectives. You may be prepared to increase your

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Richard Knight exposure to shares and property, assets that hold a higher expected return, if you are willing to tolerate some extra volatility of return. Understanding the trade-off of different strategies and what it means for you is crucial.

There is no one right answer - only the answer that is right for you. F PN To explore your retirement planning options now please accept our complimentary consultation offer today, contact us on 361 3670 or enquiries@rutherfordrede.co.nz Disclosure Statement(s) relating to our advisers are available on request & free of charge

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS JOANNE RAE RETURNS TO PONSONBY Joanne is no stranger to the Ponsonby area. She has been in the property management industry since 1990 having formerly owned the highly successful Bay Area Property Management in Jervois Road from 1997 until 2009.

Since then she has kept abreast of all real estate legislation including the Residential Tenancies Act so she understands everything that’s required of a landlord/tenant.

She’s confident offering her clients the very best advice on all rental matters but more importantly listening to their needs.

Having joined the successful Harcourts Epsom office in late 2009, she has since established a highly experienced property management team winning a national Harcourts award for business development in both 2013/14. Often described as down to earth and steady, Joanne always aims to set higher standards of service. She brings this same level of commitment to her new role at Harcourts Ponsonby where she is flexing her skills as the overall manager of their property management department.

Her focus is to relieve the stress that’s often inherent in landlord/tenant relationships.

Joanne believes there is an increase in business and enquiry in the rental market is constant, so if you want a confidential chat about your property or require a free rental appraisal give her a call at Harcourts Ponsonby: HARCOURTS PONSONBY: 89 Ponsonby Road T: 09 632 1298 E: joanne.rae@harcourts.co.nz or www.ponsonby.harcourts.co.nz

BATHROOMS - SENSUAL SANCTUARIES THE ORIGINAL PURELY FUNCTIONAL CHARACTER OF BATHROOMS HAS EVOLVED INTO a private retreat for relaxation and physical wellness. We leave everyday life behind us when we enter a bathroom. Here we enjoy precious, personal moments, and connect to one of the most vital elements in life - water.

More often than not, houses have more than one bathroom and each space will have a different purpose and size. More generous spaces lead to greater opportunities for luxurious fittings and finishes. With less need for structure in the design to squeeze everything in, we see free standing baths and taps occupying centre stage, giving the room a more dramatic and sculptural focus.

Sometimes there is room for a beautiful piece of furniture - a sleek chaise or a handsome set of antique drawers lifts a room from the merely functional to something far more memorable. Finishing off the room with a decorative touch of lush greenery gives a final soft textural touch.

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Selecting and detailing of finishes in a bathroom are critical. Materials that form the floors, walls, and horizontal surfaces are experienced in a very sensual, tactile and emotional way in these spaces. Tiles, mosaics, marble, timber, glass and mirror are all popular selections due to their durability and luxurious surfaces. Each has a different look and feel and it’s the mixing and contrasting of these finishes that gives sensuality.

Materials are more likely to have a matte finish - it is rare to see marble or composite stone bench tops in high gloss.

The Salon del Mobile earlier this year showed bathrooms visually dominated by mood and marble, with touches of metal like brushed steel and brushed chrome featuring more often. Colours were calm, or deeply accentuated. Finishes still need to be harmonious with the palette used throughout the rest of the house - it is part of a greater whole. F PN YVETTE JAY INTERIOR DESIGN, T: 09 376 9323 www.marthaofthesouthpacific.wordpress.com PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

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REAL ESTATE UPDATE: KAREN SPIRES

Investing in a colourful future If you have ever seen a painting by a child you will know they have the most pure and vivid imaginations.

Every parent can remember proudly displaying their child’s artwork in their home and those pictures become treasured family keepsakes.

This is one reason why I am looking forward to the start of the Inner City School Arts programme next month.

Bayleys Ponsonby is sponsoring the annual programme together with Master Kelwin Flooring for the 16th year running.

Supporting local initiatives and giving back to our community is an important part of the Bayleys ethos. Ponsonby has such a thriving and tightknit arts community and so it makes sense for us to encourage our children to be creative from an early age.

Twelve primary schools from the inner city area are taking part in the programme this year with individual school exhibitions taking place each week from June 3 to September 26.

Students from each school will complete the artworks as part of their curriculum and will have the chance to experiment with different techniques and mediums such as screen printing, paper mache, paint, pastel and three dimensional sculptures and ceramics.

Myself and the team from Bayleys Ponsonby are looking forward to attending the art evenings and awarding prizes to the best young artists.

It is clear to see the children put their hearts and souls into their artwork and we are glad to be able to reward their hard work.

The best pieces from each school will be displayed in a final exhibition at New World in Freemans Bay. Bayleys Ponsonby is also backing the Ponsonby Primary School Fireworks Fiesta, Western Springs Associated Football Club, the Westmere Kids Tryathlon and the Ponsonby Primary School ‘Taste of Ponsonby’ at the end of this month. (KAREN SPIRES) Karen Spires is a Bayleys Real Estate ‘Top Achiever’ - placing her sales data among the top five percent of salespeople within the company. F PN

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HOME: WHERE THE HEART IS

CREATING BETTER HOMES As we approach the colder months it is the perfect time to think about making interior improvements that create warmth and charm within your home.

It doesn’t take as much as you may think. The competent and experienced interior designers at THE LOOK specialise in providing you with honest advice on how to sharpen up your interior in a cost effective way, no matter how big or small your budget may be.

There is no doubt most of us are looking to keep our homes toasty warm this winter while avoiding those massive power bills. THE LOOK can assist you with this by simply recommending sleek and sophisticated, thermal lined curtains suited specifically to your interior.

There are also several minor cosmetic design tricks which can be employed to add huge value ‘visually’ in creating a warm vibe. It may only take a fresh pair of expert eyes to help you tie in colours of cushion fabrics, for example, which can make the world of difference to an otherwise dull living area.

THE LOOK pride themselves on listening to their clients and delivering stunning colour schemes, furnishings, cushions, artwork, and accessories. If you would love to gain maximum enjoyment in the house you have chosen to make your home, don’t wait thinking that you need to save serious pennies to do so. Amazing changes can be made at an affordable price with the right advice!

Contact one of the delightful designers at THE LOOK to book in a consultation at your PN home now. F THE LOOK, 20 Maidstone Street, T: 09 302 2400 www.thelook.co.nz

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JAY PLATT: WE CAN’T CAN T LIVE WITHOUT...

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1. ‘Zig-zag’ cushions $92 each @ Apartmento www.apartmento.co.nz; 2. Compass’ trestles’ $1390 a pair @ Bob & Friends www.bobandfriends.co.nz; 3. Werkhaus photo stools $129 each @ the Object Room www.theobjectroom.co.nz; 4. Leff ‘Amsterdam’ ceramic tile clock $279, copper block alarm clock $135 and Scope 45 ‘Segment’ clock $228 @ Askew www.askew.co.nz; 5. Ladder by Norm Architects for Menu $838 each @ Simon James Concept Store www.simonjamesdesign.com; 6. Grey stripe tea towel $20, iron hanger $12, silk remix cushion $115 and printed half moon black wallpaper $199 (10 metre roll) from the Ferm Living Range @ Paper Room www.paperroom.co.nz

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WE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT

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1. Scaffold café stool with back $299 @ Republic www.republichome.com; .com; 2. Speedster cushion $325 & domino cushion $19 $195 @ Apartmento www.apartmento.co.nz; 3. Pike Light 600 (connect with interlocking parts, no tools required) $1050+gst @ Katalog www.katalog.co.nz; 4. Ceramic matte black & copper vase $65 & ceramic metallic silver vase $54 @ Weekend Trader www.weekendtrader.co.nz; 5. Acate brass coat rack by Boris Sipek $3,575 @ Indice www.indice.co.nz; 6. Round wicker stool $289 @ Tessuti www.tessuti.co.nz; 7. Hemp/wool mix flower weave daisy cerise, multi colour design floor mat PN $310 @ The Ivy House www.theivyhouse.co.nz F STYLING: Jay Platt PHOTOGRAPHY: Danilo Santana David, Fisher Santana.

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THE BOYS’ BOOK CLUB WHAT WE’RE READING

These include books us blokes on the Ponsonby News team have recently enjoyed.

We love reading in the bath, or in bed. A real stress buster!

MARTIN LEACH Breakfast with Lucian

By Geordie Greig (Farrar, Straus and Gioux)

The astounding life and outrageous times of Britain's great modern painter. An insider’s account - the first of its kind - of the thoroughly unconventional life of one of the 20th century’s most shockingly original painters. The late Lucian Freud’s paintings are instantly recognisable: often shocking and disturbing, his portraits convey a profound yet compelling sense of discomfort. Freud was twice married and the father of at least a dozen children, and his numerous relationships with women were the subject of much gossip - but the man himself remained a mystery. An intensely private individual (during his lifetime he prevented two planned biographies from being published), Freud’s life, as well as his art, invites questions that have had no answer - until now.

In Breakfast with Lucian, Geordie Greig, one of a few close friends who regularly had breakfast with the painter during the last years of his life, tells an insider’s account - accessible, engaging, revealing - of one of the 20th century’s most fascinating, enigmatic, and controversial artists.

Greig, who has studied his subject’s work at length, unravels the tangled thread of a life lived on Freud’s own uncompromising terms. Based on private conversations in which Freud held forth on everything from first love to gambling debts to the paintings of Velázquez, and informed by interviews with friends, lovers, and some of the artist’s children who have never before spoken publicly about their relationships with the painter, this is a deeply personal memoir that is illuminated by a keen appreciation of Freud’s art. Fresh, funny, and ultimately profound, Breakfast with Lucian is an essential portrait - one worthy of one of the greatest painters of our time. Back in London, my neighbour, Matthew Freud is the nephew of the late artist.

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He is married to Elisabeth Murdoch, the pair lived in the next street to me in Notting Hill. Creativity must run in the Freud family.

JAY PLATT THE VALHALLA PROPHECY

by Andy McDermott (HeadlinePublishing)

Nina and Eddie have been thinking about taking a break to start a family. The IHA has nothing major going on at the moment and Nina has been offered a large advance to write a book, it could be the perfect time for a break. But those ideas are quickly dashed when the new UN liaison calls an emergency meeting to announce that a Viking rune stone has been stolen from a Swedish museum, and that the heist was led by none other than a mole operating within the IHA itself.

Nina and Eddie are immediately on the scene, where they learn from the museum's Norse expert, Tova Skilfinger, that the rune stone reveals the secret of how to reach Valhalla, a great hall that according to legend houses a god-killing poison known as eitr. Using IHA resources on top of Tova's meticulous knowledge, Nina is able to deduce the location of the rune stone, it’s in Norway but at the bottom of an isolated lake.

As the team comes closer to excavating the artefact, it becomes increasingly obvious to Nina that Eddie knows more about the mission than he's letting on. In fact, his connection to it is buried deep within his past, in the dense, sweltering jungles of Vietnam and he knows that to find Valhalla is to unleash a grave danger upon the world. This heart pounding adventure will take Nina and Eddie to the vast reaches of the Earth in a race against time as they strive to prevent rival forces from unleashing a wave of mass destruction that would threaten the fate of humanity forever.

PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

MY FAVOURITE ROOM

Sophie Gilmour, Bird on a Wire Sophie Gilmour is a 27 year old former lawyer, who works in the free-range rotisserie chicken business ‘Bird on a Wire’ on Ponsonby Road that she started with a few friends two years ago. “I’m passionate about food, wine and eating out,” she says.

Sophie lives with her fiancé and another couple who are great friends of theirs, at the top of Franklin Road. She told Ponsonby News, “I have lived in this house since I returned from a University exchange in 2010. Prior to that I always lived on the other side of town, most recently in Parnell. We love it here, and we get fully involved in the Christmas celebrations.”

Unsurprisingly the kitchen is the foodie’s favourite room. She says that the whole household loves to cook so the room is used to create deliciousness for themselves and many of their friends and family. “I really believe that old adage about the kitchen being

‘the heart of the home’. It’s where we gravitate, eat, drink, cook, and enjoy each other’s company,” says Sophie.

Sophie arranged for the kitchen floor to be laid with black and white checked lino a few years ago which she says puts a cute touch on ‘an otherwise pretty ordinary set up’. She makes special mention of a Donna Hay apron she was given last year as a departing the law gift, and wears a lot. And her favourite thing in the room? "I would have to say the contents of the fridge!" F PN BIRD ON A WIRE, 234 Ponsonby Road T: 09 378 6369 www.birdonawire.co.nz

STYLISH TRENDS AT REPUBLIC HOME BORGEN SOFA - This winter Republic have introduced a stylish and unique collection of full leather sofas... This is the Borgen sofa $4,995, and available in a classic liquorice black leather. Visit www.republichome.com/sofas for more details.

JUJU HATS - The latest trend in wall art is these feather tribal head-dresses from Cameroon. Each piece is unique and they come in a huge range of colours. Sizes vary from 70-90cm and are $650 each.

Visit www.republichome.com/Juju-hats for more details.

VINTAGE OVER-DYED RUGS - We’re loving old vintage Persian rugs that have been over-dyed in great colours. Available in patchwork or reloaded (original large and complete) rugs, we love these original handknotted rugs that already have had a great life, but have then been refreshed and overdyed to fit in well with most contemporary interiors. Check out the current range in stock.

Visit www.republichome.com/Rugs for more details.

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REPUBLIC, 3 Pompallier Terrace, T: 09 361 1137 www.republichome.com F PN DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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ARTS + CULTURE SHOWING AT WHITESPACE

SHOWING AT TOI ORA GALLERY

Hold Your Breath 10 June - 5 July

STILL Opening: 5 June

Abstract, fragmented and sometimes sinister, ‘Hold Your Breath’ explores the work of six artists as they play, re-imagine and share what holds value within each of their practice.

The title suggests a lack of movement, a pause, neither moving forward nor back in time. It also makes reference to our medium photography. Being still in the present moment is often neglected in our busy and often stressful lives. Thus incorporating aspects of both mindfulness and photography into our image making process such as focus, contemplation, and awareness has made our work very rich both in art and life. It has involved the cathartic experience of taking the photograph and also the quiet reflection required through the editing and analysis. This topic has been part of the Toi Ora photography class for 2014. Our Exhibition ‘STILL’ is part of the Auckland Festival of Photography. F PN

Curated by Marlaina Key Artists include Chu Chin-Yi, Kenneth Merrick, Christina Pataialii, Marlon Rivers, Kathryn Tsui and Benjamin Work. F PN WHITESPACE, 12 Crummer Road T: 09 361 6331 www.whitespace.co.nz

Toi Ora is a creative community art space promoting health and wellbeing.

TOI ORA GALLERY, 6 Putiki Street T: 09 360 4171 www.toiora.org.nz

Kathryn Tsui, 859 Great North Road, Framed photographic print

Artist Elena Monastyreva

Artist Liam O’Halloran

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PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)

ARTS + CULTURE GIVE YOUR FRAMED PRINTS AND PHOTOS A HEALTH CHECK Is it time to renovate? This is a great time to give your framed artwork and photographs a birthday also.

As you clear the walls in preparation for the painters, take stock of the frames that have probably been hanging undisturbed for some years. The quality of materials available for framing have improved greatly in recent years but items framed some time ago may be starting to show the effects of age. Indeed less scrupulous framers still use poor quality materials that can deteriorate in just a few short years.

Some of the issues that may be evident are discolouration of the mat boards, fading of the artwork and little brown spots. This latter problem is known as foxing and is caused by a build up of acidity. It can be treated and if left unchecked will destroy artwork over time. Fading can be harder to rectify, if not impossible. The correct choice of glass when framing or re-framing goes a long way to preventing or reducing fading. We recommend a UV-filtering glass called Conservation Clear which is sourced from the specialist glass manufacturer in the United States.

El Framo offers no-obligation free evaluation of your framed items regardless of where and when the work was framed; think of it as a WOF check. Generally this can be done pretty quickly while you wait. The most common problem would be deteriorating hanging systems. We do a lot of glass replacement as a result of the home handy person restringing their frames with kitchen string or old speaker cable.

Additionally of course the home renovation process often throws up the requirement for new artwork to adorn your walls or indeed the need for mirrors. El Framo has a wide range of options for framed mirrors and again quotes are obligation-free. F PN EL FRAMO, 16 Pollen Street, T: 09 378 6774 www.elframo.co.nz

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ARTS + CULTURE FEATURED AT MOMENTUM JANE CRISP JANE CRISP REFLECTS ON HER WORK, “BEAUTY AND REALNESS OF THE NATURAL world is what captivates me. I do not paint real scenes or situations as a photographic camera would capture, although I attempt to paint reality. Much of my work is intuitive, opening with a vision often upon a waking moment, followed by a desperate scribble into a sketchbook. An imaginary stage is conceived, personifying a piece de resistance of nature, and with a little pain, much patience and a whole lot of joy my next painting is born.”

Jane's art is inspired by, and imbued with, her love of the natural world. Born in Auckland, the artist moved to the more rural surrounds of the Waikato in the 1990s and the wildlife of the region has provided the ideal subjects for her skills. She describes her work as an attempt to capture the reality of the natural world without reproducing specific instances. Although she uses a camera for her artistic studies, her finished paintings are built up as composites, often with the embellishment of found items from second-hand shops.

The images become miniature stage plays, often with the finished composition arrived at by the artist's intuition alone, rather than from any specific scene. The birds and other animals can almost be considered as portraits rather than simple wildlife studies, and the artist has the happy knack of being able to capture the life in their eyes and the PN vitality in their poses. Limited edition prints available. F www.facebook.com/momentumgallery www.janecrisp.co.nz

L to R: Abigail Sperling, Hanny Lee, Eddie Giffney, Joella Pinto and Alexander McFarlane

UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND MUSICIANS AND ST MATTHEW’S CHAMBER ORCHESTRA The University of Auckland’s most promising young musicians and St Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra’s concert Sunday 22 June Second year through to Doctorate the University of Auckland’s most promising young musicians showcase their musical talents.

Abigail Sperling (flute) is the recipient of the University of Auckland’s Doctoral Scholarship.

Hanny Lee (violin) began playing at seven and won first prize in the Tauranga Chamber Music competition in 2009.

Eddie Giffney (harpsichord and piano) is the current South Pacific and New Zealand Open Accordion Champion.

Joella Pinto (violin) is Associate Concertmaster of the NZSO National Youth Orchestra and in the NZSO Fellowship Programme.

Alexander McFarlane (viola) wowed capacity Auckland Youth Orchestra audiences this May as the soloist in Bela Bartok’s Viola Concerto.

St Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra produces music that is magic; excellence is their only PN option. F ST MATTHEW-IN-THE-CITY CHURCH, corner Wellesley and Hobson Streets www.smco.org.nz

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ARTS + CULTURE SHOWING AT OREXART EVAN WOODRUFFE - TATTERED BY ATTEMPTING MOONBEAMS Until - 21 June Opening: Tuesday 3 June 5:30 - 7:30pm A proposition of possible worlds 'Tattered by attempting moonbeams', Evan Woodruffe’s latest exhibition at OREXART, is full of frizzing colour and sci-fi landscapes. It’s uncertain whether they’re of our own planet or images beamed back from a distant Mars Rover, utopian or dystopian, a present condition or a psychedelic vision of a future.

Joe Prisk at Plaza

These paintings give a strong narrative impression, yet they remain obscure. The stories they seem on the point of sharing with us are cloaked in a kind of harrowing beauty that prevents a clear reading of the work. It’s almost like the images are offered up as a negotiation: is this what we have? Is this what we desire? Yet there is no judgment; the scene could easily be as joyous as toxic, and while the colours tend towards an alarming intensity, there is no doubting the artist’s delight in playing with paint. It’s this tension between the seductive materiality of thick metallic bronze and hyper-loaded colour with the stark landscapes, isolated from human interaction that makes the work so fascinating. Tattered by attempting moonbeams is Woodruffe’s ninth solo show since 2003, and he has works in significant collections, such as the Wallace Art Trust. He’s the recipient of the 2011 Molly Morpeth Canaday Award and the 2003 Becroft Premier Award.

OREXART, 15 Putiki Street Arch Hill T: 09 378 0588 For more info visit www.orexart.co.nz or contact: rex@orexart.co.nz

Rob Carter’s sewing machines at Audio Foundation

UPTOWN ART SCENE Artist-run spaces provide a platform for experimental work and fresh artists, and contribute vitality to the community.

They’re sometimes awesome, often edgy, and always tucked away where the rent is cheap. RM has been around since 1997, but recently shifted further down to 307 K’Road (entrance in Samoa House Lane). RM provides exhibition and research space, publications and a residence, and is highly regarded in the arts community as an important resource. The latest show is A Fridge Full of Condiments by Robbie Fraser, co-founder of artist-run FERARI until its close earlier this year.

Around the back of K’Road, under the Parisian Tie Factory in Poynton Place, is the Audio Foundation, begun by Zoe Drayton to promote sound-art and experimental music.

During May’s First Thursday jamboree, Robert Carter assembled eight connected sewing-machines whose varied noises could be both played and run autonomously.

There was a metallic “ping” that occurred in the pause between whirring engines like a tiny percussionist with their triangle - magic!

Fuzzy Vibes takes its name from the previous tenant, downstairs at 151 K’Road, and is run by recent art school graduates. Their recent group show CATS included works by very established names, like Michael Harrison and Denys Watkins, alongside developing artists, all talking fresh, furry and feline.

Plaza, behind the warehouses at the New North Road end of Bond Street, opened late last year. I’ve already seen some excellent painting shows there (see PN February issue) and last month another, from recent AUT graduates Joe Prisk and Fu-On Chong, whose identical-sized canvas works offered both stripped-back atmospheric and chaotic coloured abstractions that set each other off perfectly.

PN WILL PAYNT, STUDIO ART SUPPLIES F

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FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT

Gutter Black - Dave McArtney It’s an interesting and dynamic world that musicians live in, even those world famous only in New Zealand.

Gutter Black provides a beautiful, heartfelt and incredible narrative of this world and the journey Dave McArtney traversed from law school drop out to one of the iconic Kiwi rockers.

The story he tells is phenomenal - drug filled as was expected - yet full of beauty, allusions to nature, his love of the surf and summer of New Zealand and the joys of music. He is descriptive and metaphorical in the way he tells us the little things, but at times flippant over things that seem so important.

Gutter Black is much more than a story of how Dave’s numerous musical projects, in particular Hello Sailor, came together, succeeded, failed or just partied. It is the story of an era, of a particular moment in space and time - the music was the backdrop - the soundtrack - to a wild and exciting ride that carried Dave through his life.

It was with great interest that I read Gutter Black and took some notice of my own country’s musical roots. For too long now I have often been dismissive of these bands as musicians who others adore and we are lucky to have, but who many of a younger generation do not know. In many ways I feel this is a product of being brought up in Ponsonby - Dave Dobbyn, Don McGlashan and Graham Brazier (Dave’s long time bandmate and co-founder of Hello Sailor) were all around and known to my family or as parents of friends I grew up with. This book provides us with a wonderful insight into the world of Ponsonby music. The disappointment for Hello Sailor, after their unsuccessful attempt to break into America, became a benefit for the Kiwi music scene, as we kept them for ourselves. This gave us the Pink Flamingos, Dave’s solo project, as well as other Hello Sailor albums, to enjoy over the next decades.

Hello Sailor is one of New Zealand’s best known rock outfits, they were known for their live gigs, their pub stomping tours around the country and too many, the couple of singles that get large amounts of air time - Blue Lady and Gutter Black. Of course the latter is famous for being the theme song for Outrageous Fortune. This TV programme did a great job of helping introduce this music from the mid 70s to a new generation of Kiwis. Dave spent most of his musical career away from Hello Sailor (although they continued to reform and release numerous albums after their official break in 1980).

Gutter Black discusses his work with Paul Hewson (of Dragon) on Pink Flamingos, and the many reunions of Sailor and musicians from the heyday of pubs like the Gluepot in Ponsonby.

For those of us of a certain generation, especially in Ponsonby, this book is a great entry into the world of 70s sex, drugs and rock’n’roll. But beyond that, there are metaphorical gems that carry the story of a band and a musician and create a compelling story that will appeal to anyone. Dave opens with the story of his childhood, meeting a young Harry Lyon (future founder of Sailor) and his disjointed and unsuccessful university career.

The surf culture and early rock of Jimi Hendrix and Cream feature strongly in the book and it was here that I was captured by his writing. We learn how Graham Brazier never drove, refused to, and how Dave made it across the harbour bridge in a car with only two gears - reverse and third (“when you get to the bridge, turn around and go up in reverse”).

Everyone I spoke to and everything I read points to the undisputed fact that Dave McArtney was one of the nicest men in the music scene. Gutter Black, written almost entirely in his own words, attests to this as he attempts to mention and pay tribute to every single individual who he came in contact with during those years of his life. A panel at the Auckland Writers Festival featured friends, family and bandmates and each spoke to this fact. Brazier was in awe of Dave’s generosity, as a friend and human being, and was touched that his own family had been featured within Dave’s book. Gutter Black is more than an autobiography or memoir of a musician, it is a must read - for those who experienced it first hand and for those who have come along since.

(FINN McLENNAN-ELLIOTT) F PN Finn McLennan-Elliott completed his Bachelor of Science Honours Degree, specialising in human geography at Auckland University in 2013. In his spare time, Finn plays Clarinet and guitar. He has a great appreciation of all types of music. E: finn.huia@gmail.com

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Paul Curtis - Ponsonby Intermediate It’s an odd experience returning to an old school, especially when it’s been nearly 10 years since you were last there.

I returned to Ponsonby Intermediate to have a conversation with my old music teacher, Paul Curtis, and discover what was new at my old local school. Beyond all the cosmetic changes, like whole new buildings, it hadn’t changed much - Paul was as I remembered him.

He told me he’s been at Ponsonby for 13 years, a remarkable feat for a music teacher - it’s a rather engaging and demanding position at a school. After having spoken to him I understood why he’s been such an evergreen member of the staff at Ponsonby.

ARTS + CULTURE SHOWING AT GALLERY 105 JAMES REID Musician and artist James Reid is better known as frontman for Kiwi band The Feelers, but now he has a selection of painted works on show at Gallery 105 on Nelson Street, Auckland. James attended art school at ILAM in the early 90s and this is his debut exhibition of his current work.

James’ paintings are imagined textures created by energetic strokes of colour. His paint application creates depth and multiple fields within the picture plane and upon closer investigation reveal the beauty and delicacy of the chance marks created by his process.

James says, “I paint in a way that describes the beauty of chaos in the world we live in.

There is natural structure in all we see.” F PN GALLERY 105, 105 Nelson Street T: 09 377 1747

The music teacher of today has to be all embracing, especially regarding technology.

These are his words as he shows off his 13 strong computer lab. A massive part of his courses revolve around the technology and software that these computers allow him to access. Year 8s are making their own music videos, to music they create and design using GarageBand, a music programme. These programmes allow him to vary his teaching and create classes that continue to engage kids who primarily just want to play the instruments.

One of the main focuses of all this software is toward what they call PPTV - the fortnightly news broadcast that each class makes once a year. This is broadcast on the Ponsonby Intermediate website and teaches the students how to interview, film and splice features together to create a well formatted video. Paul of course, being the music teacher, has the job of editing the video and linking the music and audio to the visuals.

He sees music as a very important form of communication and one that allows kids to express themselves. Intermediate is a place for having experiences related to music.

So in this regard he believes it is important to open as many doors as possible for his students. Many come to intermediate with minimal musical knowledge - having picked up some singing and often ukulele at primary school. He’s trying to make connections with the primary schools, especially as there is a strong support for the ukulele programme in the area. It’s important for intermediate to form a bridge between primary and high school, while creating a space where kids enjoy music and see it as a positive thing to continue with.

Aside from the one term of music each class has, there is a weekly music assembly run

by Paul which allows him to showcase some of his soloists (aside from singing and other musical activities). This helps to build a culture for the school and provide an outlet for some of his talented students to ‘show off’.

With only five lunchtimes a week there is a shortage of space for the numerous kids who want to join rock bands and so Paul is running auditions at the moment. Some of his school bands come together in music class but many he puts together to get the experience of being in a band. He has a concert band that last year outdid themselves at the school production of Midsummer Night’s Dream. They performed the music of the Beatles to the play - all written and arranged by Paul. Many parents commented that it was astonishing that the musicians were only kids, with a few terms of rehearsals. All of these things make for a very busy life at Ponsonby Intermediate for Paul, but he is not done exploring, learning and developing his craft.

He has recently done a professional development course learning about a new technique for teaching. Called Kodaly, it is a platform that teaches music methodically and uses structure to allow kids to internalise the music they learn and understand what they are playing. It gives Paul an alternative way of teaching and structuring his lessons, providing a new way of framing music learning for his kids.

He joined a band when he was 15 as the singer. He left high school for music and has never looked back. He currently sings in a Celtic group called Celtic Grooves that fuse rock music with bagpipe bands - a combination that is mind-blowing and well worth exploring. (FINN MCLENNAN-ELLIOTT) F PN

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OUT + ABOUT

Above L to R: Claire McLintock with Sergeant Pretty's Linda Davidson; Phoebe Watt wearing a lacy top from the winter collection; Maggie Thompson

SERGEANT PRETTY, WINTER COLLECTION LAUNCH, GREY LYNN FLAUNT PR SPRING/SUMMER LAUNCH, HERNE BAY Jervois Road fashion and beauty showroom Flaunt PR held a media open day to showcase new season's collections.

Above L to R: Antonia Prebble and Deryn Schmidt; Miriama Smith and Fiona McLeod

Above L to R: Paula Shepherd and Julie Roulston; Sheryl May and Christine Stucki

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ARTS + CULTURE SOME THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THE JOYCES To mark this month’s 110th anniversary of Bloomsday, here are a few things you possibly didn’t know about James Joyce - and his wife, the wonderful and fantastically-named Nora Barnacle: • He was once rejected by romance publishers Mills and Boon.

• When a young man came up to him in Zurich and said, “May I kiss the hand that wrote Ulysses?” he replied, “No, it did lots of other things too.”

• He helped found Ireland’s first cinema, the Volta, in December 1909. It failed because of Joyce’s preference for Italian films over American.

• When he read in the Trieste newspapers of the 1929 Murchison earthquake, he cabled New Zealand to make sure his sister was safe. She was a Sister of Mercy teaching piano in Greymouth and Christchurch.

• When the 1966 movie version of Ulysses was released in New Zealand it was with a censor’s certificate allowing it to be shown to sexually segregated audiences only.

Two male university students dressed as nuns failed to gain entrance to one showing.

• His favourite whiskey was Jameson’s (he claimed that while all Irish whiskies used the water of the Liffey, only John Jameson’s achieved a special quality by retaining the mud) and his favourite wine was Fendant de Sion - a white, and when an acquaintance commented that it tasted like piss, Joyce replied that at least it was an arch-duchess’s piss.

• The 25th anniversary of Bloomsday was celebrated in Paris on 16 June, 1929, with Joyce and a party taking lunch on the city outskirts followed by a pub crawl back into the centre. Somewhere along the way they lost Samuel Beckett.

• The 50th anniversary was celebrated in Dublin with five Irish literary figures attempting to tour all the Dublin sites mentioned in Ulysses. They became stuck in a pub mid-way and never completed the circuit.

James Joyce • The reason he chose to set Ulysses in 16 June, 1904, was it was the day chambermaid Nora Barnacle, later his wife and inspiration for the novel’s Molly Bloom, first went out with him.

• His father, always the life of any party, on being told that his boy Jim was going out with a Nora Barnacle, declared, “She’ll stick to him!”

• Nora was said to have read exactly 27 pages of Ulysses, including the cover.

• In his early Dublin years Joyce had a reputation as a tenor. “James Joyce the writer!”

Nora Barnacle would complain. “And to think he once sang on the same stage with [internationally renowned tenor] John McCormack!”

• When once asked how her husband’s writing was going, Norah replied: “He’s only got this fellow Shakespeare to beat now.”

• And asked to comment about meeting the Nobel-prize winning French writer Andre Gide, Nora remarked, “Sure, if you’ve been married to the greatest writer in the world, you don’t remember all the little fellows.”

• After a dinner party in Zurich a puzzled Nora said to her husband, “What was all that talk then about Irish wit and humour? Have we any book in the house with any of it in? I’d like to read a page or two.”

• Greeting a German visitor in 1918, Nora announced, “My husband is writing a book; I tell you das Buch ist ein Schwein.”

• Asked if she was Molly Bloom, Norah replied, “No, I’m not! She was much fatter.”

• Joyce was deeply superstitious and with good reason - he died on the 13th of the month (January, 1941).

• When Norah, in tears, left the Zurich hospital where James had just died, a taxi driver attempted to comfort her by saying, “Never mind, Madame, there are always others.”

• A priest offered to conduct the funeral but Nora declined, saying of her husband, “I couldn’t do that to him.”

Hershal Herscher and Linn Lorkin are performing at Bloomsday The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

Auckland’s fabulous literary cabaret Bloomsday is on again on Monday 16 June, at the Thirsty Dog, 469 Karangahape Road - tickets are $20. This year’s production, "Bloomsday" sees Lucy Lawless and Michael Hurst, stars of the epic sandals and skirts TV soap Xena, Warrior Princess, re-united to take part PN in the international tribute to James Joyce’s masterpiece "Ulysses". F DEADLINE - 20TH OF THE MONTH

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HOROSCOPES: MISS PEARL NECLIS

♊

What your stars hold this month

Gemini (the Twins): 22 May - 21 June You have the chance to be open about who you really are, the self-doubt you had has been lifted like a weight off your shoulders. Communication is the key this month.

♐ Sagittarius (the Archer): 23 November - 22 December

You could be having a great time this month instead of defending your opinions. Relax and try to adopt a more easy going approach, you will be more productive.

♋ Cancer (the Crab): 22 June - 22 July

♑ Capricorn (the Goat): 23 December - 20 January

♌

♒ Aquarius (the Water Carrier): 21 January - 19 February

Don’t shy away from any difficult situations this month. You still have a lot of unresolved guilt pent up and have problems letting steam off. A situation will present itself which will change that.

Leo (the Lion): 23 July - 21 August You are still having problems with your impatience and with all the work you have done to manage it, it seems stupid to let it get out of hand again. Do something now before it becomes part of your life again.

♍ Virgo (the Virgin): 22 August - 23 September

You always seem concerned about what’s going on in your friends and family’s lives. But you should be concerned with your own this month, as you might find out something you would rather not know.

Have you ever thought about starting something new and then decided against it, well this month you have to be spontaneous. A chance meeting with someone could change the rest of your life.

♓

Try not to get drawn into other people’s dramas this month as you have the tendency to soak up the stress of it all. Instead let it all go and move on.

Pisces (the Fish): 20 February - 20 March Just make sure you have the time to finish any project that you may start this month. Try and stick to any plans that you made in advance, your thoughtfulness will pay off.

♎ Libra (the Scales): 24 September - 23 October

♈ Aries (the Ram): 21 March - 20 April

♏ Scorpio (the Scorpion): 24 October - 22 November

♉ Taurus (the Bull): 21 April - 21 May

By all means let people know that you have an independent mind and you stand up for what you believe in. This month though you might have to take a supporting role.

You might feel left out this month because everyone seems to be busy but you. Don’t fret though as you have more than enough to get on with and they are not all chores.

PONSONBY NEWS OUTLETS FREEMANS BAY

Glengarry, Corner Sale and Wellesley Streets Kellands Real Estate, 4 Drake Street New World, Victoria Park Sale St, 7 Sale Street

GREY LYNN

Barfoot & Thompson, 533 Great North Road Barkley Manor, 400 - 402 Great North Road Grey Lynn Community Centre, 520 Richmond Road Grey Lynn Community Library, 474 Great North Road Raw Essentials, 401B Richmond Road Ripe, 172 Richmond Road Sliced,104 Richmond Road Tapac, 100 Motions Road Vetcare, 408 Great North Road

HERNE BAY

Herne Bay Post & Stationers, 240 Jervois Road Five Loaves & 2 Fish, 206 Jervois Road Icing on the Cake, 188 Jervois Road Momentum, 182 Jervois Road

KINGSLAND

Atomic, 420c New North Road

MT EDEN

Citta Outlet Store, Corner Enfield & Normanby Road Sabato, 57 Normanby Road

NEWMARKET

You are ready to show the world what you are made of. But you are also expecting everyone to be behind you. Some people are threatened by your success.

You are being asked to take on other people’s responsibilities and are finding it hard to say no. Once you do starting saying no, you will find out who your real friends are.

Studio Italia, 96 Carlton Gore Road Taylor Boutique, 1 Teed Street

NEWTON

Benediction Café, 30 St Benedicts Street Design 55, 55 Upper Queen Street

NORTH SHORE

Rug Direct, Wairau Park Dawson’s Furniture, Mairangi Bay Nose To Tail Dog Wash, Albany

Ponsonby News is published on the first Friday of each month excluding January.

Copies go quickly so be quick to collect yours from any of the following outlets. The issue is also published on our website www.ponsonbynews.co.nz

PARNELL

Jane Daniels, 2 Birdwood Crescent Parnell Community Centre, 545 Parnell Road

PONSONBY

Artstation, 1 Ponsonby Road Barfoot & Thompson, 184 Ponsonby Road Chapel Bar, 147 Ponsonby Road Fitness Trainer, 36 Jervois Road Harcourts, 89 Ponsonby Road Leys Institute, 20 St Mary’s Road The Longroom, 114 Ponsonby Road Mag Nation, 123 Ponsonby Road Ponsonby Community Centre, 20 Ponsonby Terrace Spa Ayurda, 213 Ponsonby Road Whitespace, 12 Crummer Road WORLD, 97 Ponsonby Road

WESTMERE

Glengarry, 164 Garnet Road

Planet Ayurveda, 41 Gillies Avenue

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THE PONSONBY PINK PAGES

The World Belongs to the Dissatisfied

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148 PONSONBY NEWS+ June 2014

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