Cityscape Issue 109

CHRISTCHURCH CURATED | ISSUE 109

Woohoo – it’s party time! Loud music, hot food, cold drinks and cool company. We talk to the artists who are going to bring the beats, to the artisans who will bring the tastes and to the stylists who will bring out your best. Hey ho, let’s go!

STORYTIME WITH KATE

MAKING A SCENE

10 // WORD ON THE STREET Tip-offs, trends & more.

18 // DOUBLE BOGEY Golf, but not as you may know it.

29 // CULTURE

40 // VODKA, VIOLIN & POPPY TEA Q&A with Lyttelton violinist Motte AKA Anita Clark.

41 // TURNING UP

Homegrown indie folk singer Mel Parsons talks Lyttelton, laughs and lawn mowing.

42 // SHIFTING SOUNDS

The mind behind Pacific Heights, Devin Abrams, chats about new music and good old times.

44 // PARTY TIME The Arts Centre restoration is complete and it's time to celebrate!

46 // FASHION + WELLBEING

50 // THE 'R' WORD A wellbeing programme by Dr Lucy Hone.

52 // COTTON & COLOUR Working Style's Karl Clausen ditches drab.

53 // THE JOURNEY TO YOUR NEW STYLE

CITYSCAPE — ISSUE 109 21

Lou Heller takes you on a style journery.

55 // FLEXING YOUR WAY TO BETTER NUTRITION Dr Libby lifts the lid on flexitarianism.

60 // HOME + LIFESTYLE

61 // HOME EDIT Take a walk on the wild side.

68 // TRENDY INTERIORS YOU WON'T REGRET IN 5 YEARS

Anna Dick explains how to ride trends in a timeless way.

BACK TO THE CENTRE

71 // HOW SERENDIPITY FIXED ROSS'S CLOCK

Restoration at its finest.

77 // FOOD + DRINK

82 // SNAKE'S ON A ROLL Q&A with the man behind the King of Snake magic, David Warring.

SEASON OF CELEBRATION

attractions

Local award-winning writer Kate Preece shares her inspiration, what she's celebrating and her goals for 2023.

Christchurch's reborn city centre is buzzing with new

and hidden gems.

The best of the fests with interviews and tips from party professionals.

Insights from the unsung heroes building the sets behind every great show at The Court Theatre.

46 FASHION + WELLBEING

Our magazine is full of unique and independent businesses that stand ready to provide you great service. So get out there and support them, and don’t forget to say you read about them in Cityscape!

62 EXCELLENCE & INNOVATION

77 FOOD +

Take time out to reassess your clutter in true Kondo style, and make room for beautiful objects that spark joy.

last word on surviving the celebration season without undoing a year’s worth of healthy living.

DRINK

96 SUCCESS OVER EXCESS

78 BREW HAHA

Delicious treats from Christchurch's cornucopia of artisans, bars and eateries.

We celebrate Christchurch's architectural achievements.

Fitness coach Bevan James Eyles has the

Three Boys Brewery boss man Ralph Bungard is a humble winner.

66 — BY DESIGN

Kool & The Gang’s disco banger is a welcome ear-worm for me as our season of sun and fun kicks off. How are you going to celebrate?

Throwing shapes to some sick beats at Hagley Park? Skanking to Fat Freddy’s? Singing along to a Hoodoo Gurus’ classic with Dave Faulkner?

Or maybe a day worshipping at the altar of beer? How about slurping down some huhu grubs? Would you like a gin with that?

Choices, choices, choices – isn’t it wonderful to have those again!

With the borders thrown open I am also looking forward to a long overdue reunion with friends and whanau from afar. It’s been so long!

One thing I have learned is to not take for granted the opportunity to mash it up in a mosh pit or mix and mingle in a crowded bar. As Joni sings, you don’t know what you’ve lost till it’s gone.

So I’m on a mission to make sure I wring every last drop of good times from the months ahead. Not just in a crowd but also in some of the beautiful quiet spaces we are so blessed to have. Whether that’s heading into the high country or just taking the dog for a walk on the beach.

It’s ka pai to be back at Cityscape I love the buzz that comes with sharing the city’s latest with our readers, both in print and online. When I was last here, in early 2020, it seemed everything I was writing about was getting cancelled the next day. Dark times indeed.

But now we have come into the light. Long evenings, warm seas and cool company beckon.

Issue 109

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & PUBLISHER

Andrea Rickerby

EDITOR

Mark Wilson

CREATIVE

Tristan Brehaut

EDITORIAL

Eva Urlwin

ADMINISTRATION

Claire Ross

ON THE COVER

With a talent for songwriting

Mim Jensen is a rising star in the local music scene.

Image: Naomi Haussmann

NEED TO GET IN TOUCH?

Advertising, editorial & distribution enquiries: 03 366 3340

info@somocreative.co.nz cityscape.co.nz

PUBLISHED BY SOMO Creative Ltd somocreative.co.nz

Mark Wilson editor@somocreative.co.nz

Cityscape is a division of SOMO Creative Ltd. Cityscape is subject to copyright in its entirety. Opinions expressed in Cityscape are not necessarily those of Cityscape. Editorial contributions welcome. No responsibility taken for unsolicited submissions. Prizewinners will be notified by phone and email. If Cityscape is unable to contact the winner within 14 days, Cityscape reserves the right to draw another winner. Cityscape reserves the right to use image/name of competition entrants for publicity purposes.

ISSN 2324-4879 print | ISSN 2324-4887 online

Celebrate good times, come on It's a celebration!

So bring your good times, and your laughter too. We gonna celebrate your party with you.

1 In the Loop Trench (RRP $1,150) from Caitlin Crisp 2 Minotti Delaunay Quilt Chair (From $16578) from ecc 3 PRIMA DONNA Pinot Noir – 2012 'Aged Release' (RRP $130) from Pegasus Bay 4 Gioielliamo Black/White/Chocolate Diamond Rings (From $2825) from Roccabella 5 Lodes Flar Table Lamp (From $2426 ) from ecc 6 Aarke Carbonator 3 (RRP $469) from Corso Merivale 7 Blow Wave Black Sunglasses (RRP $240) from Karen Walker

World Body Lotion (RRP $48.50) from Untouched World 9 Kai by Christall Lowe (RRP $59.99) from The Curious Dog Bookshop

WORD ON THE STREET

TIP-OFFS, TRENDS & MORE

BROODS SET FOR RE-ENTRY

The delays are over. Broods, AKA Nelson siblings Georgia and Caleb Nott, sweep into town in April for a gig long in the waiting, thanks to you know what. The gig, at Ngaio Marsh Theatre, is part of a tour in support of their February 2022 album Space Island, considered by some as that year’s #1 break-up album. While the mood may be sombre, the beats aren’t, with indie-pop bangers ‘Piece Of My Mind’ and ‘Keep’ bringing some light to the dark. Georgia and Caleb are stoked to be bringing their show home: “We’ve missed you and we can’t bloody wait to hang and sway and sing and dance,” they told fans. broodsmusic.com

COOL CATS COME TO PARTY

SailGP is coming to Lyttelton Harbour in March, the first time these insanely fast catamarans have raced in New Zealand, and everything is pointing to thrills and spills on the water and party time on the hard. Lyttelton’s former reputation as a partying port town will no doubt get a new lease on life during the event. And what can’t fit will spill over to Christchurch, so expect the bars to be pumping! sailgp.com

ROCCABELLA BELLISSIMO

The Art Deco curves of the Santa Barbara building are now home to jewellery rock star Roccabella. The Scandi cabinets and sleek fitout make a perfect backdrop. roccabella.co.nz

NO STEPS REQUIRED

Euro-inspired food, a fabulous wine list and a cosy setting: that’s the order of the day at Downstairs, new sister venue to the awardwinning Twenty Seven Steps. The vibe is sophisticated wine bar meets hole-in-the-wall pub, if either of those came with chic décor and seasonal food ready to pair with your wine. downstairs.co.nz

LUX!

TOUR

SPORT

ACOUSTIC SOUL FOOD

Here’s a treat for lovers of Celtic folk, jazz and blues. UK-born and NZ-based guitar maestro and singer/ songwriter Andrew White returns to Christchurch on 2 April for an afternoon gig at A Rolling Stone, with support from Isabella (Izzy) Miller Bell. This is a rare chance to see a modernday troubadour in action! Bookings: eventfinda.co.nz millerbellmusic.com

EARLY WARNING // He is hailed as one of the greatest songwriters of

and he is coming to Christchurch. Jackson Browne will perform at the Town Hall on 21 April. Tickets on sale now.

jacksonbrowne.com

NZSO BRINGS THE BAROQUE

The flamboyance and grandeur of the Baroque comes to Christchurch in March courtesy of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Brandenburg, at The Piano on 14 March, features four works by the Holy Trinity of the musical style, Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel and Georg Philipp Telemann. A highlight of the performance will be soloist Bridget Douglas, NZSO Section Principal Flute (pictured). nzso.co.nz

JOLLY GOOD LAUGHS

UK comedian Michael McIntyre is bringing his observational humour to Christchurch in March as part of his Jet-Lagged and Jolly tour. His ability to turn everyday situations into masterclasses of human exasperation has made him one of the UK’s most popular comedians and he has performed to sold-out crowds in over 20 countries. His latest target? The madness of the last few years. premier.ticketek.co.nz

FIELDS OF GOLD

Rolleston Fields opened its new Eateries Precinct in December with classic Kiwi staples Burger Fuel, Lone Star and Majestic. It’s phase one of the exciting new town centre, a sustainable hub bringing specialty retail, a library, a health and wellbeing precinct and plenty of entertainment to Rolleston, including play areas and a skate park. It’s set to be the beating heart of Selwyn’s fastest-growing town – watch this space! rollestonfields.co.nz

all time

JAZZING IT UP J

odi Wright just can’t help herself. Despite the setbacks and swerves of the last three years, the perennial organiser is back with a five-day jazz and cabaret festival in March featuring over 100 musicians and performers.

Jodi, who founded the city’s Buskers Festival in 1994 and Jazz and Blues Festival in 1995, can’t recall a time, even as a kid, when she wasn’t planning an outing or a party. She enjoys the process of putting it all together and has always been more interested in ‘what’s possible’ than ‘what is’.

She says that nothing in her career has felt as good as staging the World Buskers Festival and the Jazz and Blues Festival in Hagley Park in the aftermath of the earthquakes. It was pure joy watching the crowds and artists having a great time.

The 2023 Jazz and Cabaret Festival will be held late March in venues throughout the central city, including The Piano, Little Andromeda and Fat Eddie’s. Among the lineup of over 100 musicians are Irish jazz legend

Mary Coughlan and Australian cabaret star Michael Griffiths.

Several of the 2023 festival’s key acts were only weeks away from performing when the 2020 event was cancelled due to COVID-19. The March event will be the festival’s first since 2019.

One such act is Australian cabaret star Michael Griffiths, who will finally get to present his Cole Porter tribute show to a Christchurch audience. The musical chameleon says taking on the challenge of being Cole Porter is not as simple as getting the look right. “Nailing his accent has always been a tricky one. Also to consider is his extraordinary wealth – his

family was one of the richest in Indiana, and privilege has an accent of its own.”

Ali Harper and Tom Rainey will also team up to pay tribute to the magic of Nat King Cole with their show Unforgettable, which features timeless hits such as ‘The Very Thought of You’ and ‘Papermoon’.

Mary Coughlan wasn’t on the bill in 2020 but she is no stranger to the earlier Jazz and Blues Festival. With a back story steeped in hardship, Mary brings authenticity to her repertoire of Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith and other jazz greats, and has been wowing Christchurch audiences for several decades now.

jazzcabaretfestival.co.nz

MICHAEL GRIFFITHS

JODI WRIGHT

JENNINE BAILEY

MARY COUGHLAN

ALI HARPER

BACK TO THE CENTRE T

hose in the know already know about the cool new attractions and hidden gems of Christchurch’s reborn city centre. Our downtown has rebounded from the setbacks of the quakes and COVID-19, emerging as a modern centre of art, architecture, vibrant places and serene spaces.

The centre is now abuzz with a hot combo of funky markets, bodacious boutiques, crafty brewers, moody cocktail bars, outrageous street art, acres of green space, state-of-the-art conference digs and streetscapes made for meandering.

Then there are the events. Music, theatre, dance, celebrations,

exhibitions. Something for everyone in a host of new venues.

For the cognoscenti, then, it may come as a surprise to find out that while you know all this, some do not. Some have yet to follow your lead and return to their favourite streets, lanes and boulevards to discover all that is on offer.

The Central City Business Association has joined the charge to change that. It has launched the Centre of It All website, a treasure trove of diverse shops, hip hospo venues, office spaces of every variety and the coolest of experiences, most of which you won’t find in malls or suburban shopping centres.

The businesses of the central city would love your help in spreading the word, so here is your chance to become an influencer. Next time you are heading into town for a shopping spree, city adventure or a night out clubbing, take two friends. Tell them to do the same

with two of their friends. Get the gram-worthiest pics on your feed and let the good times snowball.

You may even surprise yourself – the pace at which the central city is blossoming means there is always something new to discover.

To help you plan your inner-city itinerary, the people behind the Centre of It All website have put together a series of experiences for you to consider. Soul Station takes you around the city’s musical treasures. Tales & Wonder makes for a lazy Sunday of exploring. Perfect Love Triangle invites you for dinner, drinks and dessert at three of the stars of New Regent Street. Captive Hunger combines the drama of an escape room with the reward of some ka pai kai once you find the key. There’s a host more, and more to come as well.

Parking woes are a thing of the past, with the central city now served by over 10,000 car parks. The website has a handy guide to help you find your ideal spot. Christchurch’s central city is now home to about 1000 businesses. All the CCBA wants is for people to discover them and get back to having fun in the Centre of It All. centreofitall.co.nz

AUSTIN CLUB

CASA PUBLICA

THE JUNIPER COLLECTIVE

GELATO & TEA

Storytime with Kate

As a writer and magazine editor, Kate Preece spent 14 years sharing other people’s stories. Now she is sharing her own, having fun and winning accolades along the way. She talks to Cityscape about inspiration, celebration and her goals for 2023.

Congratulations on the awards you have been winning for your writing – you must be rapt? Absolutely. One Weka Went Walking is really hitting its stride. I couldn’t be more pleased with how it has been received and love seeing it on the shelves. It’s been a real buzz winning an international short story competition too. This year has been about building up my literary CV, and being able to add awards to it is what I need to make this passion into a career. How is it different to your previous writing roles and magazine editing? It has been a huge change of pace. I’m no longer juggling the needs of six mastheads, and the deadlines I have now are all self-imposed. I’ve enjoyed

14 years sharing other people’s stories but now my own characters are leading the way – it’s so much fun! As a kid, I went to the Christchurch School For Young Writers and it feels like I’ve returned to where it all started. How did the shift come about?

I started writing a novel, inspired by a Banks Peninsula bach we almost bought with a group of friends. This was ticking along in the background while I was at Allied Press Magazines. However, in order to achieve my next goal – to publish a novel – it needed my full attention. What was the inspiration for your children’s book One Weka Went Walking? My husband is from Rēkohu/Wharekauri and during a visit there in 2014 I began playing with what is now the starting line on every page: ‘One weka went walking and what did he…’ I enjoyed working with the rhythm and the subsequent rhyme, and exploring the islands through the eyes of the everpresent and particularly curious weka. What are you looking forward to now that we can mix and mingle more? Wine and food festivals – the calendar is filled with them and Canterbury knows how to throw the best ones. Do you have any goals for 2023? Have my novel accepted by a publisher, publish my next children’s book, and repeat.

YOU’VE GOT FRIENDS COMING FROM OUT OF TOWN. HOW DO YOU SHOW OFF THE CITY IN:

2 hours: Park at The Crossing, peruse the shops, wander through to Tūranga for coffee and culture, and back up through Cashel Mall via The Juniper Collective. a half-day: Lunch at The Brewery, shopping at The Tannery, then out to Sumner for a walk on the beach and an ice cream.

24 hours: Brunch at Hello Sunday, shopping at The Colombo (the Curious Dog Bookshop is a must-visit!), ziplining at the Canterbury Adventure Park, drinks at gin gin, dinner at Seven, cocktails at the Pink Lady.

WHERE DO YOU GO TO:

Wine and dine with friends: BYO and peking duck pancakes at North & South Gourmet, Addington. Shop up a storm: Loft Preloved Boutique, Tai Tapu.

Get away from it all: Camp Bay, Banks Peninsula. Read our full Q&A with Kate at cityscape.co.nz

‘I enjoyed exploring the islands through the eyes of the curious weka. ’

Heath Ling loves books. Throughout his five decades they have given him joy in good times and solace when things have got tough. He is in his happy place when he is lost in a bookshop.

After a varied working life in which he has sold menswear for high-end department stores, managed charity shops and helped Christchurch people negotiate the minefield of earthquake repairs, Heath now shares his love of words and literature from behind the counter of Steadfast Books on Ferry Road.

At Steadfast Books, Heath buys and sells second-hand books, maintaining a trade that Christchurch was once at the centre of before the earthquakes of 2010-11. If you ever got lost in Smiths Books, Liberty or Pacific Books and ended up late for your next appointment, Heath has the shop for you.

Steadfast Books has some fiction but it’s the non-fiction that drives Heath, making up about 80 percent of the shop’s contents. He also stocks DVDs. If there’s a book you really want but he doesn’t have it,

Heathʼs happy place

A haven for book lovers. No matter your literary preferences Heath's got you covered.

you can go on the ‘wants’ list and he will keep an eye out for it.

He rejects the notion that reading is going out of fashion. In fact he is seeing a real thirst among those in their early teens

to late 20s – the Twilight and Hunger Games generation – for the original dystopians, such as George Orwell (Animal Farm) and Aldous Huxley (Brave New World).

Heath is open about his struggles with mental health and the solace that he finds in a good book. When he opened Steadfast Books, he had a couple of armchairs and room for people to sit down with a cup of tea and something to read.

That space has been swallowed up by more bookcases with even more books but Heath is keen to get back to providing customers with a safe place for them to curl up with a book. Accessible rather than elitist, he says. A sanctuary for his fellow bibliophiles.

So next time you feel the need, head to Steadfast Books in Ferry Road, have a chat with Heath and lose yourself.

Heath Ling curates an eclectic mix of books old and new at his Ferry Road store. Find out more at steadfastbooks.co.nz

PUB GOLF

Take a day with some friends and visit nine of Christchurch’s excellent pubs. Start with a brunch, keep up the hydration and drink responsibly so you can enjoy each hole. Pick a short course you can complete on foot or opt for something more wide-ranging with the occasional Ola or Lime in between holes. Our suggested course includes bars but we think it’s appropriate for the modern experience!

THE RULES

Make up your own or follow our responsible drinking rulebook:

• Assign a par at each pub depending on the volume of the drink (par 1, a shot; par 5 a pint).

• Swap your drink out for a water if you’re not feeling up to it.

• Politely clap when someone sinks a hole (finishes a drink).

• Golfing outfits recommended.

• Keep your own score.

DOUBLE BOGEY

DISC GOLF

This is the hottest thing on the sporting scene. Have you seen people in parks around the city conspicuously flinging Frisbees at strange metal structures? These are the new wave of athletes. Well, maybe not athletes but they’re at least athlete-adjacent. The idea is pretty similar to the golf you know and love; you’ve got to get the disc from the tee to the hole (or basket) in as few throws as possible. There are even different ‘clubs’: discs with

different weights and flight profiles that take the place of a driver, putter, wedge or other club. You might even see someone with a full-on trundler or backpack stacked with dozens of discs.

TOP COURSES

Jellie Park for a walk with a water hazard; Queenspark for a beginner course; Warren Park for some sweet fairways in between the trees; and Ascot Park, behind QEII, for the city’s longest disc golf course.

• Penalty strokes for spilling drinks, failing to clap, burps, un-golfy behaviour, and for hassling water-drinkers.

• Lowest score wins!

SUGGESTED COURSE

1. Tee things off with brunch and a beer at No.4 Bar & Restaurant in Merivale. 2. Head alongside the Ōtākaro Avon water hazard for a Curiosity Gin at the Riverside Cocktail Bar. 3. Cross the fairway for lunch at Fiddlesticks Restaurant & Bar 4. Pass a long afternoon on the par 6 at Dux Central. 5. Pop into the fringe of New Regent Street with a wine and light food at Downstairs. 6. Find a caddy to wheel you to Three Boys Brewery in Woolston. 7. Hit the bunker at Two Thumb Brewing Co.’s brew bar in Colombo Street. 8. Head back into the central city and take a mulligan with some laughs at the Good Times Comedy Club bar.

9. For the final hole, head into Monarch for sick cocktails and sweet hi-fi.

WE’VE GOT TWO ALTERNATIVE TYPES OF GOLF   FOR YOU TO TRY OUT IN ŌTAUTAHI CHRISTCHURCH.

Just a short drive from the city centre is the ultimate outdoor playground for all ages, the Christchurch Adventure Park (CAP). Nestled in a pine forest in the Port Hills, the park feels miles away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Whip out your selfie stick when you take a ride on the 1.8-kilometre chairlift (the longest in the country) – you’re in for epic views across the city to the Pacific Ocean and the Southern Alps.

Having made the ride up, you’ll need to choose how to get back down. Option one is a heart-racing zipline tour that will see you flying over the forest and through the trees at speeds of up to 100km an hour. These four ziplines are New Zealand’s highest and longest, and nearly anyone can do them. Race your mates down the dual ziplines, or just lean back, relax and enjoy the ride.

Next option on the list is to get your blood pumping on one of the

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

If you’re after time out in nature, adrenaline-fuelled activities, or the best views in town, Christchurch Adventure Park on the Port Hills has it all.

coaching and bike hire means anyone can tackle the trails and enjoy one of the world’s fastestgrowing sports.

Or, you can choose relaxation and enjoy the scenic ride back down the chairlift while you watch the adventure unfold beneath you.

The park’s free walking trails cater to nature lovers who prefer to keep two feet on the ground. Keep your eyes and ears open for native birds on the 45-minute forest loop trail, or get a front-row view of the action going on all around you as you conquer the uphill hiking trail. Pro tip: you can ride the chairlift back down for free.

many mountain bike trails for an exhilarating trip back down to the Adventure Park village. There are flowy bike trails for beginners, sweeping intermediate trails, sick world-class jump tracks for those who crave air, and hand-built technical trails for the experts among us. Group lessons, private

Younger adventure seekers might spot fairy doors hidden in the forest, or they can burn some energy on the free pump track, beginners’ bike loop, or trampolines.

Choose your adventure at Christchurch Adventure Park. Find out more –christchurchadventurepark.com

PUNK IT UP!

“Walking on the beaches looking at the peaches...” –the opening line of The Stranglers first hit, Peaches, is as synonymous with the UK Summer of Punk as the Sex Pistols’ God Save the Queen. And come April, they will be live in Christchurch. Even better, musical soulmate Jon Toogood will be opening for them, smashing out Shihad hits and personal favourites. thestranglers.co.uk

DIVINE DEFINED

Inspired by his family and his faith, Christchurch artist and graphic designer Paul Rees has brought Jesus to High Street. At his Cube Art Gallery, Paul is exhibiting 30 paintings and prints that depict the gospel story from the New Testament. The exhibition, Jesus On High, will run through to Easter 2023. Paul picked up his brushes again during lockdown, culminating in him painting a series of works on the life of Jesus that became the impetus to open a gallery. Paul’s own paintings are joined in the exhibition by a range of Old Masters and more recent works. From Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Art Gallery comes an image of Salvador Dali’s Christ of St John of the Cross. From Te Papa come two works by Colin McCahon. Jesus on High, 153 High Street. www.cubeartgallery.co.nz

IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Neighbours Day Aotearoa is growing – from just one day when it began in 2009, then expanding to 10 days and now spanning the entire month of March in 2023. Now known as Neighbours Aotearoa, this community development initiative is all about connecting and strengthening neighbourhoods across the country, and during March, encouraging everyone to do something small or large to get to know your neighbours. You can find or register activities in your neighbourhood on the website and check out community toolkits, ideas, inspiration, even recipes. Go ahead and join or host an activity to get to know the people living around you. Hum the Neighbours theme song while you’re at it! neighboursaotearoa.nz

DARE WE DREAM THIS IS THE SEASON WE HAVE BEEN WAITING 3 YEARS FOR? DAMN STRAIGHT!

AND OUR RUNDOWN ON THE BEST OF THE FESTS IS THE PERFECT COMPANION, WITH   DEDICATED PUNTERS, PROMOTERS AND ARTISTS SHARING THEIR NO.1 FESTIVAL HACKS.

MILESTONE FOR MIM

hristchurch artist Mim Jensen is fizzing about her summer. After gigging their way around the local live scene, Mim and her band are now on the festival circuit, including a gig at Nostalgia in February.

“These gigs will be the first festivals I’ve played so it feels like reaching an awesome milestone for me! They are really cool festivals too!”

Mim is looking forward to reaching new fans, hanging out with other bands and creating new memories.

“I’ve only been to a couple of small festivals in the past so it will be cool to have that new experience as an up-and-coming artist.”

Following the festival gigs, it’s looking like a banger 2023 for Mim and her band. “We are opening for Great Gable for their whole New Zealand tour in February, which is super exciting!

“I’m also releasing my debut album this year, which is so special. I’m so excited to get it out into the world finally!”

Right from the drop, the first single from that album, Germaphobe, was spreading like a meme. Punters love the energy and passion of Mim’s live shows. On stage, her songs of love and loss are drenched in indie attitude alongside soaring harmonies and searing guitar.

As a newbie on the festival circuit,

Mim is going to be soaking it all up and learning from the pros how to handle the “hurry up and wait” of it all. In the meantime, her No. 1 festival hack comes from experience as a fair-skinned festival punter.

“Stay hydrated and don’t forget to slip, slop, slap and wrap. Sunstroke is never fun.”

Nostalgia // 11 February // Ferrymead Heritage Park

SHAWSY’S GOT FOMO

Craig ‘Shawsy’ Shaw doesn’t do half measures. His celebration schedule of festivals and concerts over the next few months is busier than some of the acts that will be playing there.

“I’m going to the wine festival, the beer festival, Electric Avenue, Rüfüs du Sol in Auckland, Groove Armada in Auckland, Fat Boy Slim in Christchurch, Billy Joel in Auckland and Elton John in Christchurch.”

Nothing definite yet but the keen festival punter and promoter might also be breaking out his DJ skills at a gig or three over the summer.

‘I’M SO EXCITED TO GET MY ALBUM OUT INTO THE WORLD FINALLY!’

IMAGE: BEVAN TRIEBELS

SONJA LOVES VARIETY

Wellbeing coach Sonja Courtis rattles off a list of the mega festivals she went to while living in the UK – “Glastonbury, Leeds, some of the big ones in Europe”. She loves the variety of acts you can see at festivals like that.

That’s why her biggie celebration this summer in Christchurch will be Electric Avenue, with its smorgasbord of musical tastes on offer.

That’s not top of her wishlist though. Sonja grew up thrashing her mum’s Pat Benatar cassette tapes and she is so pumped at the chance to see the queen of the power ballad when she plays Queenstown as part of the Summer Concert Tour. Promoter please note – to actually meet Benatar would be a teen dream come true.

What else? Sonja will be joining the pilgrimage north to Auckland for Rüfüs Du Sol. There will also be a few camping and glamping trips for rest and recovery.

Sonja loves the way a big festival can introduce you to an act you have never heard of before. “That happened to me at Electric Avenue about five years ago when a band called L.A.B played at 2 in the afternoon – it was amazing. Now they’re headliners! That is definitely one of my most memorable moments.”

Sonja’s festival-going experience means she has some smooth fashion hacks to get through the day.

“A cross-body or bum bag is a must. Also a top that you can tie around the bag’s strap for later in the night."

For the girls and boys out there who like to add a few highlights for the day, Sonja advises carrying a touch-up kit so they can refresh their makeup.

Waterproof mascara is on her list –“They’re Real!, by Benefit.” There’s also a Mac matte lipstick in her kit. Colour? “Always red.”

NOSTALGIA

11 Feb // Ferrymead Heritage Park

This laid-back indie music festival features epic beats and delicious treats nestled into a historical corner of the Heathcote Valley. Soak up the live roving theatre and find hidden treasures.

nostalgiafestival.co.nz

FOMO is behind the gruelling list. “One thing I have learned over the last few years is to not put something off and take for granted that it will still be there later. The risk is too high that it won’t.”

So Craig is seizing the days. “The list is a bit longer than usual because there’s so much available. A lot of artists have faced restrictions on touring and now the floodgates have opened. There’s so much variety – there must be double the usual number of acts coming through.”

He’s got the tickets, now Craig has his fingers crossed for the good hot weather that will make everything fall into place. “Over the last few years the opportunities to connect with friends

and family have been taken away from us. Spending time with people, that social interaction, is so important.”

He’s happy for now to be in the crowd rather than wearing the promoter’s hat. “I’m still erring on the side of caution there, waiting to see what happens. Watch this space though.”

With all that coming and going, Craig’s plans for New Year’s Eve are pretty simple – “Relaxing, and food and wine!”

Craig’s No. 1 festival hack? “Always drink lots of water, and check the weather forecast so you can be prepared.” That’s the voice of experience there, kids, so learn from Craig rather than learning the hard way.

ELECTRIC AVENUE

25 Feb // Hagley Park

You’ll rock down too at Christchurch’s biggest and boldest one-day extravaganza, packing Hagley Park with food trucks, carnival rides and 12 hours of the freshest beats around. Headliners for 2023 include Lorde, Flume, L.A.B, Fat Freddy’s Drop and Synthony. electricavenuefestival.co.nz

‘ONE THING WE’VE LEARNED IS TO ALWAYS GO AROUND THE FOOD VENDORS AND WORK OUT WHO’S GOT THE GOOD EATS.’

FREDDY’S SHARE THE LOVE

After 20 years of playing festivals here and everywhere, Fat Freddy’s have the drop on how to make the most of the occasion. Saxophonist Scott Towers shares his wisdom.

What are you looking forward to this festival season? I guess it’s just having the option to go out as often as possible or as often as you want. That’s the thing I am excited about. And also getting out and supporting promoters and the industry. I’m really conscious that business has been really tough for the last couple of years. Costs have spiralled out of control and promoters can’t really pass that on so they are wearing it. If we want there to be a music and arts scene in New Zealand we need to get out and support them. Electric Avenue will be cool because I’ve never seen Lorde live and I’m really looking forward to that. It’s really different hearing people on the radio or on record and seeing them in their live show, to see how they take something that in her case has been crafted in a studio and turn it into a live show. For Freddy’s it’s really the opposite – we take a live show and try to turn it into something in the studio. So I’m really intrigued to see what that looks like for her. Then further afield I’m really interested in a day party called Morningside Live Block Party up in Auckland. It’s a really cool little thing for us. We have programmed a bunch of artists we want to see get a wider audience. Lucky Lance of Team Dynamite and Christoph El Truento are on the bill. They released a really cool hip-hop record last year. It got a lot of kudos from critics and the like but I’d like to see them and the other acts get some more exposure. There’s a guy from Raglan, Reiki Ruawai, a young guy with a lot of talent. We’ve helped produce and record him. Freddy’s horns are on his record and Mu has been producing that. And DJs too. We have eyes on Benny Salvador. He’s the son of our trombone player, Joe Lindsay. We’ve been watching him since he was little.

He does house and techno production at home and DJs as well. He’s been DJ’ing in Japan. Opportunities like Morningside are what launched our career. It was launched off the back of DJs overseas that supported our first records. Without that we wouldn’t have had 20 years of touring. If we can do the same now for others then we should. What about New Year? I’ve got New Year’s Eve off this time – we’re only doing a few festivals over summer. So I’m looking forward to firing up the pizza oven at home. After 20 years of gigging at them, what’s your No. 1 festival hack? One thing we’ve learned is to always go around the food vendors before the doors open or before it gets too busy and work out who’s got the good eats. You don’t want to get stuck without a good meal. So do your research on the kai front, don’t get stuck with the crappy leftovers. There’s a reason why there’s a queue in front of one food vendor and not in front of another. As an artist at a festival you do have a lot of time waiting. A backstage tip is we have a turntable and some speakers set up. We are always checking out the record stores wherever we go so we’ve got new music to listen to. So we set up the turntable and speakers and play music to each other during the day. When we first got started, we always made sure we had enough ice – a warm cocktail is a terrible cocktail. Day or night – what’s your favourite time to take to the stage? Freddy’s love playing during that changeover from day to night. You see the energy levels come up a bit. The heat has gone out of the sun, people have emerged from their tents having recovered from the night before. You can see them transform in front of you.

Electric Avenue // Saturday 25 February

// Hagley Park

SELWYN SOUNDS

4 Mar // Lincoln

So much more than just brilliant music, this all-day festival doubles as a last hoorah for summer, perfectly placed for kicking back on the lawn with friends or dancing the day away. Acts this year include Hoodoo Gurus, Dave Dobbyn, Gin Wigmore and Stellar*. selwynsounds.co.nz

HOKITIKA

WILDFOODS FESTIVAL

11 Mar // Cass Square, Hokitika

From delicacy to disgusting, challenge your tastebuds. Strut your stuff at the Feral Fashion show and enjoy music from Dave Dobbyn, Zed, Greg Johnson and Cassie Henderson. wildfoods.co.nz

GURUS, GUITARS & GABBA GABBA HEY

With all your awards and accolades, you've become Australian rock royalty, haven't you? Royalty? I don’t know about that. It’s a bit like that saying about prostitutes and ugly buildings getting more respectable as they get older. Are you looking out for the new ones coming through? We've never really worried about anyone around us, whether they're new, older or whatever. Obviously we have our own heroes that we were influenced by that we're very keen to acknowledge when we get the opportunity. But as far as continuing the tradition, we hope we've had people that have used us as a guide post, just as others have inspired us along the way

as well. Who are some of your heroes? I was a kid in the 60s, so that's classic Stones, Beatles, Easybeats, The Kinks. They all influenced me as a kid, and they're what I've taken with me all my life. Then when I became a teenager, I discovered hard rock – Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and things like that. Creedence Clearwater Revival, the glam rock era. I soaked it all up like a sponge. You're obviously a fan of pop culture, B-movies and so on. Were you ahead of your time there? I'm not sure about ahead of our time, just a product of our time. Both my parents worked so I was a latchkey kid. And so consequently I'd come home from school and on TV were a lot of old black and white sitcoms from

‘I PERSONALLY THREW AWAY A WHOLE BUNCH OF ELTON JOHN RECORDS AND I HAD TO RE-BUY THEM ALL LATER ON BECAUSE I REALISED I LIKED THEM.’

Australian rock legends the Hoodoo Gurus are headlining March’s Selwyn Sounds festival. Cityscape talks to co-founder Dave Faulkner about his heroes, pet hates and where music comes from.

IMAGE: CHRISTOPHER FERGUSON

the 60s but they were still being shown. We used to have back-to-back sitcoms on several channels. I'd watch McHale's Navy, Gilligan's Island or Lost in Space That’s one of my favourite shows of all time. It's like the comic book culture that The Ramones celebrated? Absolutely. The Ramones were a big influence. I think of The Ramones as being one of the greatest bands of all time. There's this kind of teenage dumbness which can be very sophisticated and clever and funny. And they really made it explicit. They had that deadpan sort of thing, which elevated the banal into the profound. I mean, it was punk rock. The Ramones were the originators. They went back to concise pop music with catchy melodies, like The Beach Boys and so on. And they married it with a deadpan, disaffected suburban kid alienation. They were just the perfect band. And they took it away from this sort of pseudo-classical fantasy stuff. I mean, I like all that stuff too, and you can appreciate it. But punk rock was like a Year Zero thing, where we suddenly just threw everything out to start again and build from the ground up. Yeah, but for example, I personally threw away a whole bunch of Elton John records and I had to re-buy them all later on because I realised I liked them. Playing live seems really important for you as a band. We've always been strong live, that's been our whole raison d'être since day one. We were very much an outsider band when we started. Everything around us was synthesizers and drum machines. And we were doing something so unfashionable, playing guitars and rock and roll. No one wanted to know about that. We didn't care. It just so happens that through sheer willpower, of playing to people, having people like us live, that it created the market for our music. And playing live has always been the most essential part of the bands we were raised on. That's what we love to do. Is that what makes you still want to get up on stage in front of thousands of people? Well, we just love playing music. It's not so much the thousands of people thing, although obviously that's financially beneficial. But we just love playing. I mean, I'm

financially comfortable. I don't need to play to to pay the rent. It's because I just love music and that's how I express myself. It's hard to explain. For most people they have five senses. But for me, music is another sense. And the only way for me to really be inside that sense is actually being an instrument myself and being on stage singing and playing guitar or whatever. By basically being completely immersed in the music. It's a different kind of swimming, you know, swimming in music. What's the big difference between touring now as against the early days. Are the hotels better? Oh, look, we haven't shared a hotel room for a very, very, very long time. That's probably why we can still talk to each other. And I'd rather be at home, no matter how good the hotel is. But we recognise and are more conscious now about the special magic that we have together, and that is something that we really prize. All of us are very focused on just playing the best show ever every time we play and that is something you can't fake. And I'm very glad to say that all four of us have the same kind of motivation. We're music nuts and we can't help it. We’ve just got to do it. What’s your No. 1 festival hack? Here's my answer as a punter, because I've been to many a festival. My advice is really a strategy to get the best position to see and hear the music. If it's a really, really crowded venue, it's very hard to work your way up to the front because people don't want to let you through. So my advice is, you go all the way up to the front and to the side where you can't see the artist because you're basically at the fence. You can usually easily get to where the speakers are because no one wants to stand by the speakers. And then you work your way back at a 45-degree angle towards the centre. The tip is going from the front to the back and people will let you through that way. They won't let you come the other way.

Selwyn Sounds // Saturday 4 March // Lincoln Domain Read our full Q&A with Dave at cityscape.co.nz

GINDULGENCE

11 – 12 Mar // Ilam Homestead

How do I love gin? Let me count the ways at Gindulgence, Aotearoa’s biggest and best celebration of all things gin. Sample the botanical delights from over 20 different gin exhibitors, savour delicious eats from local vendors and deep-dive into the art of gin at the Gin Theatre. gindulgence.co.nz/ christchurch-event-5/

DUNEDIN FRINGE FESTIVAL

16 – 26 Mar // various venues

The Fringe returns to the Edinburgh of New Zealand, offering audiences the chance to see new work from established and emerging artists. The borders are open and the festival welcomes back international artists from Scotland, Switzerland, Canada and Australia. Events take place in everything from theatres to bars, museums to churches, cycleways to shop windows across Dunedin. dunedinfringe.nz

BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY

Looking for a good time shouldn’t turn into a bad time. Cityscape talks to Joel Faulkner, Christchurch regional manager of drug-checking service Know Your Stuff.

What does Know Your Stuff do?

We provide drug checking and drug-related harm reduction services across New Zealand. How do you do it? For drug checking we use an FTIR spectrometer and reagents. The spectrometer uses infrared light to read the chemical signature of the substance, which it then checks against food, drug and other relevant substance databases. This machine can't tell the purity of a sample but it can detect when samples have had other substances added to them. Reagents are chemicals that react to certain substances in certain ways. They produce a colour change that can be checked against a list of known reactions. One issue with reagents is that they can't detect the presence of multiple substances in a sample. This is why we predominantly rely on the spectrometer, with reagents mainly being used to double-check results. What can’t you do? Our methods can't check cannabis, mushrooms or other organic-based samples. How has the attitude of authorities changed since Know Your Stuff began? The police, medics and other health officials have continued to react positively to our work, recognising the clear benefits

of harm reduction services in this area. When we show people that their substance is a different, potentially undesirable substance to what they expected, they won’t take it. When people don’t unexpectedly take high-risk substances, it keeps them out of the medics’ tent or A&E. That makes life easier for emergency services, which they appreciate. If people are going to buy drugs, are there any signs they can look for that things are not what they should be? You can't tell anything about a substance with your eye besides its colour and basic shape and so we always recommend coming to get anything you plan to take checked by a licensed drug-checking team. If anyone has any qualms about the substance they have, they should absolutely come and get it checked. What are you expecting? Any alerts from overseas? Our last few clinics show we’re still seeing a few different cathinones being mis-sold as MDMA, or ecstasy, as well as some MDMA pills that have more than one standard dose in them. We can’t really say whether or not this trend will continue but it’s a safe bet to say that people should definitely bring their substances to us for checking.

THE LAW

Changes to the law on drug checking allow organisations such as Know Your Stuff to check substances at events openly and without fear of prosecution. The changes came in with the Drug and Substance Checking Legislation Act 2021.

RESOURCES

knowyourstuff.nz

highalert.org.nz

drugfoundation.org.nz

‘WHEN WE SHOW PEOPLE THAT THEIR SUBSTANCE IS DIFFERENT TO WHAT THEY EXPECTED, THEY WON’T TAKE IT.’

OUR BOY Local lad Marlon Williams is touring his most recent album, My Boy. Doo-doo-doo check it out!

marlonwilliams.co.nz

NORMAL GOSSIP

Indulge in all the pleasure of gossip with none of the guilt. These totally juicy stories are from the real lives of total strangers, anonymised for your petty listening enjoyment.

STREET MAKES THE SHIFT

The cans are empty, the paint dry and the doors open on SHIFT: Urban Art Takeover at Canterbury Museum. Local and international street artists have taken over the empty museum buildings and turned them into five floors of dazzling images and dayglo eye candy. Huge murals jostle for space with traditional graffiti on the walls, while sculptures have sprouted from the floor and whole spaces – both the galleries you’re familiar with and the storerooms and offices you’ve never seen – have been swallowed by immersive installations.

Ōtautahi’s finest are well represented on the artist roster, joined by top national and international talent. SHIFT is a ticketed exhibition with all profits going towards the Museum’s much-needed redevelopment project. So treat your inner b-boy and get along! As one door closes, another opens. The Museum has leased the CoCA Centre of Contemporary Art Toi Moroki building at 66 Gloucester Street for a pop-up museum on the first floor, opening mid 2023. canterburymuseum.com

HOT BUTTONS

Fashion entrepreneurs talk hot fashion topics, including changes in the industry, the demand for more sustainable business models, and what the future of fashion might look like.

STING’S SONGS

Perennial hit-maker Sting will bring his My Songs tour to Christchurch Arena in March and it is going to be a banger! The tour has garnered rave reviews since the first gig, in Paris in May 2019. After COVID postponements, the world tour is back on track and now it is our turn. Got the message?

sting.com

GIRLS THAT INVEST

Sim and Sonya are two kiwi millennials who created a podcast to demystify investing only to have it go to No. 1 with would-be investors here and elsewhere, including the US.

SMALL BUT MIGHTY

Tiny Fest, Ōtautahi’s visionary performance festival, is back in late February for three days of contemporary practice. The festival is a coming together of Christchurch’s artistic community, hoping to inspire, uplift and move its audiences, as well as enriching the practice of fellow artists. tinyfest.org

DISTRANGEDDESIGN + RIGHT BRAIN

CHIMP

ALICE IN PUTTERLAND

MINI GOLF | NEW BRIGHTON

Fall down the rabbit hole at this fantastical mini golf experience. The 18-hole course tells the story of Alice’s adventures in Wonderland, falling through the ceiling to begin the first six holes, then exploring a psychedelic glow zone complete with Cheshire Cat for the next six. The final six features the Red Queen – see if you can conquer the hole with the Jabberwocky!

60 Brighton Mall aliceinputterland.com

NZ MUSEUM OF TOYS AND COLLECTIBLES TOY MUSEUM | CENTRAL CITY

This treasure trove of a museum really hits the core of what it means to be a kid (or a kid at heart). It’s a house of the old and new, everything from LEGO sets to Star Wars memorabilia, Hot Wheels to Barbie dolls. Whatever your age and whether you bring the kids or not, visit this wonderland to turn on your nostalgia tap, and see the latest in modern toy design, too.

36 Manchester Street, 03 366 7785 nzmuseumoftoys.com

OH! DANNY BHOY COMEDY | ISAAC THEATRE ROYAL

Comedian Danny Bhoy is heading our way in March to premiere his brand new show, Now Is Not A Good Time

Judging by the title of the show he will be aiming his razor-sharp wit at all that has happened in the world since his last visit in 2019. Plenty of material then! The new show opens in Adelaide before landing at the Isaac Theatre Royal on 21 March. Tickets are on sale now. dannybhoy.com

GOOD TIMES COMEDY CLUB COMEDY BAR | CENTRAL CITY

Good times are guaranteed at the dedicated home of comedy in Christchurch, stocked with all your favourite beer and wine and bringing the belly laughs courtesy of local comics and out-of-town guests. The club also hosts regular events such as trivia contests, open mic nights and karaoke. Hit up Good Times for your next work function – the office will love you for it.

224 St Asaph Street FB/GoodTimesComedyClub

RACING

‘In Silver’ Single

Listening

PIXIES — DOGGEREL

The latest from the punk-rocking Pixies is set to be a bigger, bolder version of punk, according to frontman Black Francis. He says it’s going to bring an extra-special energy, while guitarist Joey Santiago says there are going to be “more conventional arrangements but still our twists in there.” It may be a little different from their previous outings, but we’re confident it’s going to be setting another ferocious alt-rock gold standard.

MAYA HAWKE — MOSS

Maya Hawke has a lot of identifiers to her name: the daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, Robin from Stranger Things, and singer-songwriter with a second album on the shelves. Moss is about feeling hemmed in, sitting still, gathering moss, if you will, and Hawke’s

BINGEWATCHING

warm, poetic vocals and melancholy pop style reminiscent of Taylor Swift’s folklore make for a haunting and beautiful record you can listen to again and again.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS — RETURN OF THE DREAM CANTEEN

Coming swiftly on the heels of their last album, Unlimited Love, and a few months before they hit New Zealand shores on their international tour, the new album is the latest on what appears to be a major hot streak (no pun intended). It’s the second album recorded since guitarist John Frusciante returned to the band in 2019, and the Chilis have said of the album, “We went in search of ourselves as the band that we have somehow always been.” Old-skool Chilis are good Chilis, so colour us very excited for this latest drop.

MUSE

‘Will Of The People’ Will Of The People

FOO FIGHTERS

‘Love Dies Young’ Medicine At Midnight

BRITNEY SPEARS/ELTON JOHN

‘Hold Me Closer’ single

FLEETWOOD MAC ‘Dreams’ Rumors

WHAT

WE’RE HOOVERING UP ON THE SMALL SCREEN // 01

WEDNESDAY — Everyone’s favourite kooky, ooky and spooky family is back with Tim Burton’s Wednesday, a comedy horror series following deadpan Wednesday Addams through her teen years at Nevermore Academy. Snap snap. Watch on Netflix 02 GUTSY — What does it mean to be gutsy? An eight-part docuseries based on The New York Times bestseller The Book of Gutsy Women seeks to answer that very question, featuring Hillary and Chelsea Clinton sharing intimate conversations with trailblazing women Watch on Apple TV+ 03 THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER — This highly-anticipated return to Middle Earth is set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, depicting the major events of Middle Earth’s Second Age, including the last alliance between Elves and Men, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron and the forging of the Rings of Power. Watch on Amazon Prime

The killer tracks on high rotation in the Cityscape office.

THE SET DETERMINES THE STRUCTURE OF A PLAY. ENTRANCE. EXITS. WHERE THE ACTION HAPPENS. CITYSCAPE GETS TO KNOW THE UNSUNG HEROES BUILDING THE SETS BEHIND EVERY GREAT SHOW AT THE COURT THEATRE.

The Court is the only theatre in Aotearoa with its own permanent professional set-building team. The full-time construction crew consists of three guys: Richard van den Berg (middle), Nigel Kerr (right), and Seth Edwards-Ellis (left). Richard and Nigel are both veteran artists and all-rounders, and Seth is a young-gun builder who’s lightning-fast at putting together framing and set structures. There’s also Richie Daem, who’s in his 70s now. He was the official Court metalworker for many years before retiring, but he still drops by to put his hand to a set construction from time to time. In his absence, Nigel and Seth pick up the welding gear. The two artists also sometimes do set design, and The Court has a pool of professional designers from around the country it calls on for different shows.

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS

The designer produces a concept and then working drawings. Like architectural drawings, these tell the builders what to do. But there’s a huge variety of designers and a huge variety of working drawings. Some prescribe every little detail while some allow for a lot of creativity.

The builders are all problem solvers, with considerable experience in making things work. How will the different parts of the set open, close, move, stay in place, be safe and look amazing? Occasionally they’ll get lucky and find the perfect window at salvage yard Musgroves or another item at another store, but they build the vast majority of set equipment themselves, even down to the furniture, right here at The Court Theatre. The No. 1 material used in sets? Plywood. Sheets and sheets of plywood.

THE LIFE CYCLE OF A SET

Set building starts three to six weeks before opening night. There’s limited space to store it, and the builders need to coordinate with the designer and director before beginning. There’s always something abuzz at the Court, so things just have to happen quickly. Everything in theatre involves planning: the actors, the crew, the programming. It’s forever in flux. So with good planning, the builders install the set over three days, then there’s just two weeks to sort out the lighting, technical rehearsal and dress rehearsals on set. Enter lighting and sound and you’re ready for the big show. While the show is running, the builders get to work on the next set. Then, after closing night, they move in, dismantle the set, and install the new one. Done.

RICHARD VAN DEN BERG

I’ve always been a maker. Because building a set is just making. It doesn’t matter what it is. If there’s something that needs a solution, I want to be part of it. I started at

The Court pretty late in the game, I started when I was 30, in 1999 or 2000. I’d never worked in theatre before, I had no concept of it. It just so happened that while by most accounts I was pretty unemployable, I just happened to have the right set of skills that made me useful to work in theatre. I came from a maker’s background and a painter’s background. I spent a lot of my years painting large-scale murals, that’s how I cut my teeth. And then also I spent a number of years making clocks which I would sell at the Arts Centre, and they were quite successful. They were quite bespoke ones, quite sculptural. I had a studio in town. I would just be painting murals and making clocks and doing whatever. The craziest set in this building that I’ve worked on was The Wind in the Willows. It had a giant motorised revolve, and a giant proscenium arch that we hung from our grid. A lot of things had to operate and move and be stored. Often storing

things is quite difficult because you get them off the stage then where do you put it? The most fun set, well, the old Court Theatre in the Arts Centre was a different space that required a lot of different solutions. For me, it was The Rocky Horror Show. That was really a fantastic combination of a really great show that I loved, and a really amazing set. That set required a lot of different considerations in terms of how we built it, what we did. We used a lot of different materials and paint effects, and the design of it was really fantastic. The big shows are kind of daunting. You’re thinking, “Can we build this on time and in budget?” I have done set design. I’m not one of the main set designers, but I’ve done a lot of touring shows, which is a specific type of set design because it has to be movable, it has to be easily installed and it has to survive the tour. There’s a high degree of survivability required. And they are more children’s shows or kids'

‘BACK IN THE DAY, I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT PAINTING WAS THE ONLY WAY TO DO ANYTHING.’ — RICHARD

shows or young adults’ shows. I prefer those. Stylistically, I enjoy them, they’re kind of less literal and for me they’re just a lot more fun. I’ve designed a couple at The Court on the main stage, and in the past we had a second theatre with a smaller stage space and some intimate sets. I like things in profile. Pure profile or purely front-on. So it’s a way of trying to encapsulate the pure graphical nature of an object. It’s trying to capture the essence of an object or an idea.

I studied at Christchurch Polytechnic [now Ara], visual communications, which was very graphic design-orientated. I was always good at art but I didn’t have an eye for type. I found myself moving towards three-dimensional design, and I’ve always been a painter as well, which led to painting murals. I finished painting murals because I went overseas. Up until about ’95, I had a reasonable amount of murals that were known around the city. And then of course the earthquakes happened and just about every one of those murals was gone. The easiest way to inject creativity back into a broken city was doing large-scale paintings, that’s the most bang for your buck. And so Christchurch suddenly got this reputation for really amazing wall art. All this new work was going up but my legacy had come down. So I suddenly felt disconnected from the whole thing. One of the first murals I ever did, strangely enough, was revealed when a building came down as part of the demolition. I think I was 17 when I painted it. I had signed it and dated it like a true geek in 1988. I have a few artistic influences. I’m very graphic and I’ve always been influenced by New Zealand artist Michael Smither. He is somebody

that to me has a kind of clarity and a cleanness and a use of colour that I seem to have always had myself. Now, I work on the computer. I haven’t painted art in years. Now I do all my work in Photoshop. If required for the image I’m working on, I’ll hand-draw it or photograph it or paint it, or I’ll find an image, but I don’t really care too much. I’ve moved towards digital collage. Back in the day, I would have thought that painting was the only way to do anything, but I’ve realised that just being a painter I’m kind of limited by my abilities. I was good stylistically on one level but never great enough to realise what I sometimes wanted. It’s pretty easy to have the idea, there’s a lot out there, but the determining factor is to transform your idea and manifest it into a real thing. I’ve always sold works through gallery shops. I make work to sell, and for people to enjoy. I get a kick from it, the idea that anybody pays money for anything that I do, it still blows me away. In my spare time, I’m pretty obsessive. I’ve always got a project on the go. If there’s a moment that I can’t determine what to do, I’ll

always fall back on a project. I spent like five years obsessing over and developing paper automata toys, which I produced a whole line of. That was just to keep me occupied. At home I’ve got a studio. I always make sure I’ve got a good space to work.

NIGEL KERR

What I find really exciting at The Court Theatre is working with lots of different designers. They all have different characters and therefore different ways of working. Some of them are incredibly collaborative, some of them will come in with all the plans and you just follow the dotted line. We are all, in our own right, creatives. So collaborating at the start with a designer, with their

concept, enables us to invest more in the project, I believe. There’s a magic in theatre that you can’t have on film or television. It’s so cheap to stay at home and watch Netflix and Neon and Amazon. We don’t want to be competing with them. We can do unique, conceptual things with sets. Rather than have a complete house with walls, just have a door and a window, or maybe just have a table. I think that can get people to think more about what they’re seeing. If it’s all laid out in front of you, you can just watch it all from beginning to end and that’s it. With a set, the only thing you see is the surface, and it’s in a black box, so the only thing you see is what we put a light on, as opposed to a

everything. It’s a unique position, in the theatre, being a black box. And I think it’s something we can exploit to create something unique. For The Girl on the Train, it was a Daniel Williams design, a young designer from Auckland who I’ve got a lot of respect for. Dan is a designer who doesn’t build anything. And because he’s not limited by thinking about the economics of material, his designs capture the essence of the show. When I design a set, because I make things, I will make it to fit a 1200 by 2400 plywood sheet, or increments of 600mm, whereas he’s freer than that. He brought along a company from Wellington to do all the audiovisual stuff. That’s what I’m talking about when

designers, costume designers, sound designers, set designer, all of us, push our position. And I like it when we bring new young talent in. Give them a crack. One of my favourite sets to design and build was for Stag Weekend, directed by the comedian Mark Hadlow. It was a bach in the bush, there were certain scenes that happened behind it and in front of it. So I put the bach on a revolve, and then took half a wall out so you could see inside. For the forest set, I wanted to use the offcuts from the very start of the timber milling process, which will give you just a slight round profile. So I got all these offcuts from Halswell Timber. These were real logs. So as a bonus, I got the smell and the texture of woodland. Another cracker show that I have fond memories of was called Ideation, directed by Dan Bain and staged in the rehearsal room. It was a corporate office that was deciding, because of overpopulation, ways in which we could cull the population. So we, the audience, were implicit in this. The rehearsal room is also a studio used for song and dance and one wall of it is completely covered with mirrors. Normally, we would put curtains across the front of them and put the set long-ways with a stage at one end that we look into. But I put the set in front of the mirrors, so

the audience was all the way around it and the glass was the background, so we could see ourselves. I think that connected us much more than just watching while they decided who should live and who should die. When I was at high school I was not academic. I spent all of my time in the art room. And I remember doing School Certificate. I got 99% in art, which was the high score in Canterbury, and the rest of them were below 40. So the writing was on the wall. I was a wharfie in Lyttelton for 20 years. I made heaps of money and travelled heaps. I used to spend summers here working and then bugger off for the winters. Then I pottered around doing building in Lyttelton, the odd renovations and stuff, but it sort of wasn’t really me. I didn’t like the repetition, I didn’t like the fact it wasn’t that creative. I wanted to retrain so I went to teachers’ college and became a secondary school art teacher. I had placements here in Christchurch at Christ’s College, the polytech, and Cashmere High. Then I went relieving for a year at Wellington Girls’ College, which I really enjoyed, before returning to Christchurch. My first taste of working in film came when I was asked to help build sets for Heavenly Creatures. I loved the whole collaboration and the massive budgets were pretty impressive. After that, I started working on television commercials in Christchurch. Then there was an airport built in Queenstown, so all of the production companies moved there. It quietened down here in Christchurch and I wasn’t that keen on travelling so much. I’ve been at The Court since 2000. A friend of mine was building a theatre set and needed help. And I liked it. I liked that there was a limit on budget so you had to be a bit more creative with materials. I like the people in theatre. It was less ego-driven, it was more “We’re here because we love theatre.” And it’s creative.

SETH EDWARDS-ELLIS

I got involved in theatre working at The Street Theatre in Canberra in 2011 as a casual lighting, set and venue technician. I also did live sound and sound design. I moved back to Christchurch in 2015 and qualified as a builder. I spent the next three years building domestic residences and then decided to take my new skills back to the theatre. I started doing some casual work at The Court Theatre in February 2020 and then became full time. I am the youngest in the building team and am learning a lot from Rich and Nigel, who have shown me a trick or two. They have a wealth of knowledge and experience to tap into.

We are all involved in the planning and building of the sets once we get the design and plans, and it’s a very collaborative team approach. I enjoy the artistic side and the freedom with it, but also enjoy the practical side and finding an effective way of doing something. I love the creation of scenic elements and the process involved from start to finish. To stand back and see something that was once an idea turn into a fully realised working set is amazing. A favourite set of mine was Little Shop of Horrors. The whole process was enjoyable; we had problems that needed solving, like the inflatable plants growing out the set. Outside of work, I enjoy working on a smaller scale with model kits and craft projects.

‘TO STAND BACK AND SEE SOMETHING THAT WAS ONCE AN IDEA TURN INTO A FULLY REALISED WORKING SET IS AMAZING.’ — SETH

Tell us how Motte came to be? An old flatmate of mine, Lucette, was running a show called Strange Bedfellows in Lyttelton where she paired off a bunch of different creatives, including me, who then had two weeks to come up with a collaborative performance. I was paired up with a children’s book illustrator, Helen Taylor. Helen pulled out a story she had written and subsequently hidden away, to which I decided to make a soundtrack. My good friend James Sullivan sat me down in front of his studio gear, showed me how to use it and away I went. It immediately seemed a very natural way for me to write music. After that project, James encouraged me to keep recording to the end of the cassette tape, which I did one night with quarter of a bottle of vodka and some poppy tea, and that became my first album Songs For Movies

Give us your take on the music for Cold + Liquid. There is a combination of more traditional song structures, songs with vocals and lyrics, and also a very filmic feel to it, soundscapes and atmosphere. I wanted the album to feel otherworldly, expansive and galactic, but I also have a lot of sampled sound gathered from around me, so without meaning to, I’ve also made it sound very localised to where and when I made the album. How do you think it differs from your first album Strange Dreams? Me and Michael Summerfield recorded Strange Dreams really quickly, I wanted something I could take to Aus when I toured there. I think of

VODKA, VIOLIN + POPPY TEA

MOTTE, AKA ANITA CLARK, IS A VIOLINIST AND COMPOSER HAILING FROM ŌHINEHOU LYTTELTON. HER ATMOSPHERIC, EXPRESSIVE INSTRUMENTALS AND HAUNTING VOCALS PLAY ON YOUR HEARTSTRINGS LIKE, WELL, A VIOLIN.

it as a really minimalistic album, the bare bones, and sounded like me playing it live. Thinking about creating Cold + Liquid, I wanted to implode upon that and make the macro version. Since releasing Strange Dreams I’ve done a bit of film soundtrack work, so I’ve taken those new ways of thinking on board too. You’ve played with a wide range of New Zealand artists. What do you like most about these collaborations? I love being in a supportive and

accompanying role playing in other artists' music. I feel like my strength lies in being a bit of a chameleon and I really enjoy trying to find the most beautiful or appropriate way to amplify whatever emotion is being conveyed in a song. It’s similarly satisfying producing film soundtracks too. I’m always having to upskill in a way, like for the Phoenix Foundation Friend Ship tour I played a lot of keys and percussion which I hadn’t done a lot of, and switching between playing NZSO arranged string parts and then soaring overdriven violin lines like guitar solos for What makes the violin such a transcendent instrument? I love so many styles of violin playing. I guess it’s the way the violin can morph into different instruments that attracts me. Especially if you play through guitar pedals and an amp. I’m also such   a sucker for  shimmery string sections, and no matter what kind of music it is, a good string section will always make a track sound more lush, expansive and fancy. What do you like most about working on solo music? Having the complete overview to really delve into a different – my own – world. And I feel proud being able to step back from a project like this and realise, for the most part, everything has come from my own brain. I love a good collaboration, but I am enjoying the succinct feeling of truly creating a body of work.

Read our full Q&A with Motte at cityscape.co.nz

“I REALLY ENJOY TRYING TO FIND THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OR APPROPRIATE WAY TO AMPLIFY WHATEVER EMOTION IS BEING CONVEYED IN A SONG."

PHOTO:DAVIDDUNHAM

e’re loving your new album, Slow Burn. What’s it all about to you? It’s quite a mix I think. It’s still me writing songs, so I don’t think it’s any great departure from what people know of my music already, but there are a few more upbeat songs on there that head towards a bit of indie-new-wavy kind of a vibe. Tell us about your experience recording this album. We made the record at LOHO Studio in Christchurch, with my band and a few guests. Being local was actually really awesome, getting to head home and regroup at the end of each session made it a really relaxed process. We had a lot of fun in the studio, after the uncertainty of the last wee while we were excited to just be back in a room playing together. Pre-production meant the songs were pretty well shaped before we went in, but actually the band hadn’t heard anything before we set up. They’re all such brilliant players in that way. There’s a lot of energy in the recordings rather than it being too laboured. It sounds like the album name is a bit of a commentary on the process? Haha it sounds like it should be! Slow Burn comes from the title track which was the first song I wrote for the album, but I guess everything for everyone these past couple of years has slowed down too, and the album-making process was no exception. What influence did your Lyttelton location have on the writing? I think it’s hard not to be influenced by your environment, and Lyttelton probably has just the right balance of grit and beauty, which appeals to me. Ultimately though, my writing is a very unconscious process in that I write what comes out, so probably I could have been anywhere and

TURNING UP

HOMEGROWN INDIE FOLK SINGER-SONGWRITER MEL PARSONS IS AT IT AGAIN WITH A NEW ALBUM. SHE CATCHES UP WITH CITYSCAPE TO TALK LYTTELTON, LAUGHS AND LAWN MOWING.

these songs would have arrived in a similar form. You’ve collaborated again with your cousin Jed Parsons on some of these tracks – what’s he like to work with? We joke around and tease each other a lot, but really he’s one of my favourite people. Jed has been playing in my band since 2015 and honestly I can’t imagine not having him in there. He’s brilliant musically, a very sensitive ear which makes him a natural harmony singer, and beautiful feel as a drummer as well. He’s such a mellow and fun person to have around too. What do you do when you’re not writing, recording or touring? Gardening, playing the drums, cooking, hanging around. I’ve got a mild obsession with water blasting, so

quite a bit of that. Lawn mowing. What’s one thing people probably don’t know about you? My favourite instrument is actually the drums. Hands down the most fun. Best piece of advice you’ve ever received? To just keep turning up. I think as a creative person it’s easy to get bogged down in critiquing yourself and thinking something is never going to be finished or good enough or just never going to happen full-stop. But I’ve found if you just keep turning up to whatever it is you’re doing, eventually there will be an outcome. Songs are like that for me, I have to just make myself sit down with the guitar or at the piano, even when I might not feel like it, and see what comes out. It might not be that day that the gold turns up but if you don’t turn up you’ll never know. Have you got a favourite spot in Ōtautahi? Our house in Lyttelton. Which is lucky, given the past couple of years! One of my favourite things about Lyttelton is being able to see the water from wherever you are. What music have you got on high rotation at the moment? I’ve been listening to a lot of old stuff, digging back into the '90s actually. We listen to a lot of classics at home, jazz, soul, a lot of '60s and '70s songwriters. I love the sound of Khruangbin. Also there are a bunch of great artists coming through from Canterbury which I find really exciting, acts like Pretty Stooked, Goodwill, MIM, Emma Dilemma, Sam Heselwood to name a few. How do you relax? Catching up with friends, I like the drop-in culture in Lyttelton. Our house is quite hectic so people know just to turn up and there will be coffee or wine and maybe a fire going outside to sit around.

melparsons.com

SHIFTING SOUNDS

DEVIN ABRAMS IS AN ŌTAUTAHI BOY, A FOUNDING MEMBER   OF SHAPESHIFTER, SUCCESSFUL MUSIC PRODUCER AND   MASTERMIND BEHIND THE SOLO PROJECT PACIFIC HEIGHTS.  CITYSCAPE ZOOMS HIM FROM HIS HOME STUDIO IN HAWKES   BAY TO TALK ABOUT NEW MUSIC AND GOOD OLD TIMES.

Tell us about your new album, The Waters Between. It’s definitely a departure from previous Pacific Heights records but I have quite a history of doing that. The Waters Between is about the distance that ironically we’ve faced through the pandemic, but it was conceptualised before the pandemic when I was living in California. I was away from my family a lot. I’ve got two little kids and a wife and I was spending a lot of time away for work. And so it was the idea of emotional distance and how we deal with that. And so all of the songs on the record are kind of like emotional power ballads in a way. They’re all letters about distance and emotional vulnerability. Do you sing on the record? Only backing vocals. My manager hates that I don’t do any lead vocals, as I’ve done on previous records. But I just don’t like my voice as a lead vocalist sound. As a producer, I’ve worked with so many amazing vocalists, the more I do of that the more I hate my own voice. Was the album recorded a bit here and there and around the place? Yeah it was. We started in Los Angeles. I wrote a lot of the initial ideas which spurred the album on, just beats and ideas. And then I collaborated with some songwriters over there. Then I came back to Aotearoa and I finished a big chunk of it in Wellington, and then over the last

two years all the tweaks and Zoom sessions and everything have been done in Hawkes Bay. ‘Cold Nights’ sounds like it’s going to be the big one on this album. Tell us about that track. It’s got Stan Walker, and it’s got an amazing Australian artist called Larissa Lambert, she’s popping right now. It’s amazing what she can do. But that song was probably the biggest punish for me on the record. There’s always one on every record. I remember ‘In Colour’ with Shapeshifter, that was a big punish for us back in the day. And sometimes the punish isn’t worth it, but I’ve always felt with this song that whatever I had to do to get it right it was going to be worth it. So it’s been the longest gestation period, and longest finessing period for any song I’ve done for myself. It was one of the first songs conceptualised on the record, I wrote it with some friends of mine in Los Angeles. I mean, there’s three versions of this song completely mixed and mastered. That’s how bad it’s been. But the version where it is now, I’m so happy that I fought for it because it’s just such an incredible song. It’s exactly the intent that needs to be there, the emotion’s all there, the vulnerability is there. That’s why I love how Stan sounds, because I feel like he’s found a part of his voice that’s restrained and he’s not belting it, it feels really vulnerable. Who are some of the other big

collaborations on the album?

My collaborations have always been a mixture of new and older established artists. There’s Louis Baker who I love working with, Lepani who’s had a bit of a profile. He’s an Auckland-based artist, amazing voice. There’s Solomon Crook who I love, he’s a young artist who’s got a really beautiful, deep, old-soul raspy voice to him. Then there’s Paul McLaney who’s a bit of an established artist, Gramsci, I loved writing with him. There’s a new artist who I’ve been doing a lot of songwriting with

over Zoom from Perth called Bri Clark. There’s Foley who are an act out of Auckland. They’ve had some really great success touring and streaming. And then Jack Page who’s an Ōtautahi artist. He’s a new artist out of Jazz School, a great player, great singer. And then there’s Lance, a young artist out of Wellington I’ve been working with who sounds incredible. Is it a different kind of satisfaction releasing your own album as opposed to someone else’s?

I need them together. If I didn’t have my own artistic project, that I

had autonomy over, I’d probably go insane. But the flipside is, if I didn’t have the other work I’d probably feel too precious about Pacific Heights. What I really love about collaborating on other people’s projects is leaving that ego and autonomy at the door and trying to fill someone else’s vision, imagining what that could be, and then creating that. Because you’re effectively trying to lock something in that doesn’t exist, that somebody only feels. So you’re having to imagine and then create from the ground up something that doesn’t exist. With Pacific Heights I just go with whatever emotion or whatever space I’m in. I don’t really have to think about stuff too much. Whereas with other people’s stuff, I’m constantly having to think what could this be, what references can I put in that make sense? If I’ve done my job right, people are so happy that you’ve got to this place that didn’t exist, and that’s so rewarding, when you hit that. That’s the mecca of creativity, I reckon. Do you have any music venues that stick in your memory?

I obviously loved the Jetset Lounge back in the day. Ministry of course. The Town Hall, I loved going to gigs there. And obviously playing there with Shapeshifter with the orchestra. The Dux of course, the original Dux, I remember sneaking in there when I was well under-age, which pretty much everyone did back in those days. There’ll be new versions of those but it is sad to not be able to go back to those venues and reminisce. I remember the first Shapeshifter gig we played at the Dux. A measure of success in Christchurch was if you had a packed Dux, and not only did we have a packed Dux but we had a queue down the street, and I was like “We’ve made it!”

pacificheights.co.nz

Read our full Q&A with Devin Abrams at cityscape.co.nz

Party time

After a mammoth project to repair The Arts Centre’s quake damage, a three-day festival of music, comedy, theatre, food and entertainment will celebrate its restoration. Off Centre, from March 3–5, celebrates the end of the restoration project and the welcoming back to the precinct of those to whom it belongs – the people of Christchurch and its visitors. It’s been a massive project for the charity to tackle and would not have been possible without the insurance payout on the earthquake damage.

Arts Centre Director Philip Aldridge couldn’t be more chuffed. “The people of Christchurch have saved their Arts Centre not once but twice. First they saved the buildings from demolition in the 1970s after the university moved out. Now, after the earthquakes, people have contributed money, attended events and lent their support to the heritage restoration. Off Centre is a chance to celebrate what we’ve achieved together.”

The Arts Centre is the largest collection of Category 1 heritage buildings in New Zealand. The whole precinct suffered extensive damage during Christchurch’s earthquakes. Of its 22 Gothic Revival buildings, 20 have now been restored. The former Engineering School buildings, where The Court Theatre operated for 35 years, have been mothballed for now. The former Student Union, original home of the Dux de Lux, is a Category 2 building, so work on that won’t begin until all the Category 1 buildings have been restored.

The Off Centre programme is

jam-packed with more than 50 events from over 250 local artists. There’s kids’ activities, street performance, circus, spoken word, theatre, dance, and contemporary and classical music. A new venue will be launched, an intimate 40-seat Cloisters Studio.

The Arts Centre’s food and retail offerings will get a boost both days with a special festival mākete from 10.30am to 4.30pm.

Philip loves the history of the buildings and the memories they hold. “The heritage flagstones have been worn down by the footfall of generations who have come here to learn, sing, dance, play music, listen to bands, eat and drink, watch movies, fall in and out of love, and even get married. We’re conscious of our history but not weighed down by it; we’re enabling people today to create new memories here.”

Even before Off Centre kicks off, the team is working on future events, including the Matariki festival in July and Sculpture Festival in October. There’s also a national dance symposium in April, regular lunchtime concerts, Arts on Tour shows, the creative residence programme and opportunities to work with artists on joint ventures.

Expectations are building ahead of the opening mid-year of a dedicated space for Māori artists. There’s also a regular programme planned of comedy, cabaret, drag, circus, burlesque, indie music and contemporary dance in the Gymnasium, which used to be the Academy Theatre, then was home for Free Theatre and most recently the Backstage Social Club. artscentre.org.nz

Three days of merry-making will mark the welcoming back to The Arts Centre of those to whom it belongs – the people of Christchurch and its visitors.

RECLAIMING THE CENTRE

Imagine a glorious riot of people and performers mingling in The Arts Centre’s Market Square before parading through the former University of Canterbury precinct to the North Quad. That will be the scene on the opening night of Off Centre. It’s a chance for the people of Christchurch to symbolically reclaim what before the earthquakes was a vibrant jewel of the central city. The free event begins at 6pm. Performers will give a taste of what is to come over the weekend before leading the parade to North Quad. Spoiler alert: for those who join the parade, expect some surprises along the way.

PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS

Tiny Ruins: Hollie Fullbrook and her indie-folk band perform in The Arts Centre’s beautiful Great Hall.

Toi Toi Opera: Colourful site-specific operatic scenes for everyone to enjoy.

th’Orchard Dreamers Reprise: Story-telling in song with Mark Vanilau, Solomon Smith and th’Orchard crew.

The Tony Chestnut & Richard Rhythm

Comedy-Thon: Brynley Stent, Rutene Spooner and friends bring us a night of top-notch comedy.

A Baby Called Sovereignty: A journey with local wāhine through impressive indigenous sound, movement, text, and visual arts led by Juanita Hepi.

The Revolver Club: Two cabaret evenings with Shay Horay and the team.

artscentre.org.nz/whats-on/off-centre

‘The people of Christchurch have saved their Arts Centre not once but twice.’

— Philip Aldridge

CELEBRATION STYLE

This aptly named Celebration Shirt is designed for holiday fun. It's the perfect combo of laid back, stylish and locally made. (RRP $540) from Mahsa. mahsa.co.nz

fashion + wellbeing

1 Gingham Shirred Dress (RRP $359) from Kate Sylvester 2 Thing Thing Tie Up Ziggy Dress (RRP $159.99) from Stencil 3 Faithfuls Airy Dress (RRP $359.99) from Moochi 4 Run Away with Me Dress 2.0 (RRP $795) from Maggie Marilyn 5 Riviera Dress (RRP $540) from Infinite Definite 6 New Balance U9060WCG Sneaker (RRP $240) from Infinite Definite 7 Aēsop Geranium Leaf Body Balm (RRP $133) from Seletti Concept Store 8 Meadowlark Deux Halo Earrings (RRP $435) from Infinite Definite 9 Lola James Harper 27 Do What You Love With People You Love EDT (RRP $159) from Roccabella

1 Mahsa O'Keeffe Dress (RRP $870) from Fashion Society 2 Vanessa Bruno Nano Moon Bag (RRP $649) from Devál Boutique 3 Fleur Singlet (RRP $219) from Untouched World 4 Marle Marta Top (RRP $280) from Infinite Definite 5 Seams Come True Dress (RRP $679) from Trelise Cooper 6 Nagnata Motley Track Jacket (RRP $540) from Seletti Concept Store 7 Rush Tote (RRP $679) from Deadly Ponies 8 Glyn Espadrille Wedge (RRP $469) from Devál Boutique 9 Finding Calm by Dr. Sarb Johal (RRP $37) from RUBY 10 Vanilla Beauty Collagen powder 2.0 Refill (RRP $119.99) from i.am.me

1 Koa Sweater (RRP $399) from Untouched World 2 Garrett Leight Ruskin Sun 48 Sunglasses (RRP $570) from Infinite Definite 3 YMC Wild Ones Striped Tee (RRP $149) from Infinite Definite 4 G-Star Raw Typography Tee (RRP $69) from EnCompass 5 Cotton Jacket (RRP $699) from Working Style 6 Linen Blend Shirt (RRP $249.95) from Cutler & Co 7 Vans Old Skool 2-Tone (RRP $149.99) from Stencil 8 Brakeburn Ecru Stripe Socks (RRP $20) from Man About Town 9 Rhizome Eau De Parfum (RRP $299) from Working Style 10 Innova Lion Mid-Range (RRP $45.99) from NZDSS

ucy Hone, director of the New Zealand Institute of Wellbeing & Resilience (NZIWR), feels buoyed and excited about the future of Christchurch.

“We often have visitors at home, predominantly young people down from Auckland because that’s where our sons are now, and they are always amazed at how beautiful our city centre is.”

Dr Lucy believes the story of Christchurch’s new face and its post-quake life should be shouted from the rooftops. “People want to come here, so we need to get better at showcasing that we are the best little city in the world to live in,” she says. “I have had enough of it being presented as the Garden City with images of punting, because we are so much more than that. Those are the images of the past… I want to see images of people sitting in traffic in Auckland and us already out at the beach.”

Over the last two years, from her Ōtautahi home office, Lucy has developed a new programme with NZIWR called Coping With Loss. The programme helps people around the world deal with their own tragedies. It came about as a response to the pandemic but the programme is for anyone who needs it, Lucy says. “People, sadly, always have to deal with death.”

The institute is a global brand based in Christchurch. The team work remotely and over half of them are in Ōtautahi. Last year, NZIWR trained 30,000 people around the world, including leadership teams in massive multinational companies and well-known tech giants.

It’s no secret that Christchurch has seen its share of trauma, between the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 and the March 15 2019 mosque shootings. Lucy has also dealt with her own personal tragedy – the public health and wellbeing expert became a household name after speaking and writing about coping

Dr Lucy Hone

THE ‘R’ WORD

resources,” Lucy says. “They were very passive. We were told to write off five years of our life and we were told about the five stages of grief. I was like, bugger that, I want to know what I can do.”

She looked for support groups and found them wanting.

“You just have to go look on Facebook and search for these groups. They’re miserable places to hang out.

“I didn’t want to add to my misery. I wanted hope. So we’ve created a hopeful place.”

Coping With Loss is a nine-step online course, combined with a community. It’s a place to share and support people to take action.

“It’s been amazing to see this community come to life and the appetite people have for it.”

Lucy is the first to acknowledge that the word ‘resilience’ has become overused and maligned in Christchurch, as politicians, media and just about everyone else have used ‘resilient’ to describe the city and its people since 2011. Lucy calls it ‘resilience fatigue’.

“The word was actually being bandied around in the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, that’s when I got into it,” she says.

“People are fed up with being told they need to be resilient without being taught how. They’re told to be resilient without being empowered to do so.”

with the loss of her daughter Abi, who died with her best friend and her friend’s mother in a car crash in 2014.

The programme is based on the principles of Lucy’s book, Resilient Grieving, and her viral 2020 TED Talk, both grounded in Lucy’s personal experience of grief and resilience as well as her research on the topics. It is built on the knowledge that people are looking to be active participants in their own mental health and want the tools to do so.

“When Abi and our friends died, I was horrified by the existing

The word is even used as a stick to beat people with, Lucy says. They are told to be more resilient and work through burnout when they are overworked and under-resourced.

But used properly and carefully, it’s a word used to describe something essential. All the time people need to deal with divorce, dementia, death, infertility, terrible diagnoses and other huge life events. We all need to understand how we can help our own mental health, Lucy says.

“And that is resilience. You can call it whatever you want.”

copingwithloss.teachable.com

A wellbeing programme born in Christchurch is a bubble of hope helping people around the world deal with grief and develop resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

DR LUCY HONE’S TIPS FOR DEVELOPING RESILIENCE

The best tool for individuals looking to develop resilience is to ask: “Is what I’m doing, how I’m choosing to think, how I’m choosing to act, helping or harming me?”

You can change the wording of this question but the principle is the same. Ask yourself things like this:

• Is having that glass of wine helping or harming me achieving my goals?

• Is arguing with my daughter about a towel on the floor helping or harming our strained relationship?

• Is scrolling through Instagram helping or harming me finishing that presentation for tomorrow? This technique is researchdriven and it works. Lucy gets a message a week from people around the world saying: “Your ‘helping or harming’ strategy changed my life.”

For resilience in the workplace, Lucy encourages teams to consider these factors that can cause or prevent burnout:

• The support you’re giving each other.

• How well you know each other.

• How inclusive the environment is.

• How much autonomy team members have.

• Levels of fairness.

There are ways of thinking and acting we can put in place to improve our own capacity for resilience. And we can help others by including them; being curious, not judgmental, about their differences; and making them feel welcome, safe and validated.

‘ PEOPLE ARE FED UP WITH BEING TOLD THEY NEED TO BE RESILIENT WITHOUT BEING TAUGHT HOW.’

IMAGE: STEPHEN GOODENOUGH

Cotton & colour

The season of celebration brings lots of opportunities for men to ditch the drab and have a bit of fun.

As the days draw longer you can’t help but think about those opportunities summer offers to spend time with friends and family. There will be social gatherings, dinners and parties to look forward to and get dressed up for. There will of course be plenty of summer weddings for those tying the knot and for those in attendance. But what should you be wearing?

This season at Working Style we are really excited about the neutral colour tones of our sportscoats – the foundation of an outfit. The colour spectrum spans from a light chalk (think ‘80s Bryan Ferry) through to tan and chocolate, which are all really easy to wear because they go with a large variety of coloured trousers. We have highlighted the collection with blues and greens.

home with either a cotton or linen button-down collared shirt, a style that is having a moment again as the menswear influence moves to slightly preppy.

Trousers are still being worn tailored and slightly cropped for those comfortable enough to do so. This gives the opportunity to show a little ankle, be it wearing invisible socks or no socks (don’t forget to moisturise if you’re going sockless – nothing worse that scaly dry skin on show), or socks with some considered colour or design. If you are prepared to embrace a shift from your slim-cut, flat-front trousers, try a fuller fitting pleated trouser. These are incredibly comfortable to wear and perfect for a warm day.

For the guys out there who are yet to get themselves a pair of loafers, this is the only shoe you need for summer – and to be fair, has been for the past three summers. These now come in a variety of styles, as a driving shoe, tailored loafer or your classic penny loafer. A chocolate brown should be your first choice, but these are great to wear in a navy blue or taupe suede, too. All these styles can be worn with chinos, jeans and shorts.

In addition – and something new – striped blazers this season will offer up the chance of a contemporary take on a boater blazer. While not as punchy as what you would find at the Henley Royal Regatta, this style adds a point of difference. We suggest your stripes be more subtle as not to impact on your versatility.

Ties are fun again, now worn by choice, and should have a little personality. Our current collection has nods to the ‘70s and ‘80s in its design. These can look right at

For anyone attending a wedding this summer, you might like to consider wearing a cotton suit. Suits were always the go-to for weddings for a reason – they look great. But by wearing one crafted in cotton, you can achieve a softer look without losing the kapow! Wear an open-neck plain or patterned shirt underneath, or maybe a T-shirt or polo for a more relaxed look. You can also wear each piece separately for work or play, or perhaps you might just prefer to wear them with your newly acquired loafers and freshly moisturised ankles and see where the night takes you.

Karl Clausen is the creative director at Working Style. Drop in and see him at the Oxford Terrace store or visit workingstyle.co.nz

‘Suits were always the go-to for weddings for a reason – they look great’

The journey to your new style

Style consultants aren’t scary! It’s a gentle journey to your improved self – here’s a bit of a taster of what you might experience working with one.

Ideally, you’ll start your journey by taking a trip backwards. Once you and your style consultant understand why your current style has landed the way it has, we are better placed to move forward. Consider this the foundational work that your new, true style will build on.

From here, you can narrow in on your own particular style resonance, including the value of mood boarding and how to pick and choose elements from various ‘looks’ to inform your own. You might set aside a day in your activewear to deconstruct and reconstruct your wardrobe with your consultant. It’s heavy work, both emotionally and physically.

Then we work out your silhouette (spoiler: you aren’t a fruit) and your inner dialogue, both of which are key to working out how to invest carefully. I teach easy-to-remember rules for keeping emotional and risky purchases in check.

You’ll be inspired to start balancing fundamental pieces with accents to make your wardrobe work for you again and again. And last, but definitely not least, you should have a look-in to the bare essentials: undies, knickers, smalls and jocks.

You deserve to feel noticed and, believe me, when you get honest about looking within and doing the work, great things will flow. Style consultants are just here to help you on that journey.

Lou Heller is a personal stylist and the creator of Your Style Journal – six downloadable modules combined with a personal journal for your own thoughts and access to videos, updates and a private Facebook group supporting you to make your own style decisions with confidence. louhellerstylist.com

FASHION ITEMS LOU LOVES THIS SEASON

• A power piece. One piece that is your foundation to build on that makes you feel 100% you.

A dress, a cool tee, a skirt, pair of jeans, a top, or a kick-arse pair of shoes.

• Upgrade your sunglasses ready for the sun. These can help elevate any look ASAP.

• Statement jewellery. Wear to update your fave oldest clothing piece that you still love with a more modern feel.

‘THEN WE WORK OUT YOUR SILHOUETTE (SPOILER: YOU AREN’T A FRUIT)...’

BRINGING BACK THE BUZZ

Victoria Street has an undeniable buzz these days, with swishy retail stores and hoppin’ bars and eateries heralding a return to the hustle and bustle of old. One of the stores contributing to the revival is Man About Town, a store for the stylish man looking for something a little bit more than varying shades of black, navy and brown. Nostalgia for the days of her childhood was the spark for store owner Sharon Biddle to establish Man About Town in this sweet

location. Back in the day, everyone would stroll along and peruse the different shops. Her favourite? The hat shop. Sharon’s background is in women’s retail and for years she had been hearing from men who were asking for a ready-to-shop menswear stop in the city. “There was a desire to have something different in menswear that was more middle-of-the-road in pricing. Taking my husband shopping throughout the years was eye-opening, and I knew that I

could create an experience for men that was both rewarding and stylish.” Sharon wants men to be comfortable to come in and shop. She hosts private events, and clients can also book one-on-one styling sessions without the distractions of the day or other customers. “They can focus on their personal fashion and achieve what I want all of my customers to achieve: look good, feel good.”

Find them on Facebook

DECLUTTER YOUR FRIENDS

A friend in need is a friend indeed. But if it’s always them being needy, how’s that working for you? We all have one, the friend we never hear from unless they need to vent for 30 minutes on the latest injustice in their life. If you’re lucky you might get a perfunctory ‘And how are you?’ towards the end but you know they are just being polite. In the language of Marie Kondo, does this friend spark joy for you? If not, maybe it’s time for a declutter, a checking in with yourself on who should be in and who should be out of your social circle for 2023. Time away from your routine is the ideal for such contemplation. It’s when we get away from the daily grind that we gain some perspective on the quality of our friendships. Where do you find joy? Who energises you? Who drains you? Who do you want to spend more time with? Just as you would with a wardrobe or garage clear-out, make a list. Write down some goals for the next two, five or 10 years. Who of your friends do you see helping you get there? Once you have a list of the people who spark joy in you and give you energy, find ways to make time in your life for them. Reach out and arrange a regular catch-up. For the ones on the ‘other’ list, be kind. They were once a good friend. If not, you would not have had to cut them from your list. So don’t just ghost them. Find a way to let them down gently. Finally, as you set off with your newly curated list of ‘real friends’, check in with yourself to make sure you’re not always the needy one. Or you might find they start questioning just how good you are for them.

Have you noticed that every possible way of eating has a label now? While it’s fantastic to see more people taking an interest in their wellbeing, these labels often come with strict rules. This set of criteria around what’s acceptable and what’s not may work for some but for others it simply isn’t sustainable.

When people ask me what to eat, I will often encourage them to explore what I fondly call “flexitarian eating”. This is all about listening to what will best serve your body, health, energy (note: this does not mean tastebuds rule the choice!), and even your spiritual practice. The concept of being a ‘flexitarian’ can be used by anyone. It simply means you don’t have stringent rules.

You might approach your nourishment with the idea that you have high standards. In other words, you don’t avoid that highly processed, sugar and preservativeladen snack because someone told you to. Instead, you don’t eat it because it doesn’t serve your health or quality of life. In saying that, please always remember that it is what you mostly do that impacts your health, not what you do occasionally. Feeling guilty about the odd poor quality food choice does nothing for your health either.

Another flexible approach is what some like to call “zig and zag”. A “zig” meal is made up of nutrient-dense foods and no

YOUR WAY TO BETTER NUTRITION

alcohol. A “zag” meal focuses more on the company you are in, being playful and relaxing. Zags are part of a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. If this approach is going to serve someone’s health, I would guide them to zag once a week, or for three out of their 35 eating occasions in a week. For others, five zag occasions better suits them. That’s still 30 meals that are high quality nutritionally!

If you know you are going to your office party or friend’s birthday, that doesn’t mean the whole day is a write-off, yet so many people approach their life or health in this way! This also tends to ramp up over the summer period. With the increase in festivities, many people seem to throw nourishing choices out the

window until all the celebrations are over and the new year’s resolutions kick in. Going to your festive celebrations is even more reason to eat a nutritious breakfast and lunch and to follow up with nutrient-dense food choices the next day. You enjoy the zag, but when you live mostly as a zig, the zag takes very little toll on your overall wellbeing.

The way you take care of yourself needs to be sustainable. When you are kinder to yourself and put less pressure on fulfilling set criteria, you are more likely to make choices in your life that you can maintain. So if following rules feels like deprivation to you, or if you are just looking for a more sustainable approach to how you eat, give flexitarianism a try.

Nutritional biochemist Dr Libby Weaver (PhD) is a 13-times bestselling author and speaker. Her practical and supportive online courses have helped more than 10,000 women around the world find freedom from their health challenges. For more information go to www.drlibby.com

‘Another flexible approach is what some like to call zig and zag’.

FLEXING

FRAGRANZI PERFUME | CENTRAL CITY

Nestled in the Arts Centre Boys’ High Building, Christchurch’s only perfume studio offers artisan perfumes and experiences. Book a perfume design event led by the perfumer who guides you on an informative and creative experience, or a one-day course to enhance your perfume knowledge and skills. Try a makeyour-own experience for yourself or with a group of up to 25.

MUSCLE PEOPLE PHYSIOTHERAPY HEALTH / PHYSIOTHERAPY

Providing world-class physiotherapy with several locations around Christchurch and Canterbury, Muscle People work to relieve pain, rebuild strength and stability, and help you exceed your fitness goals. Each of the clinics is staffed with a fantastic team of knowledgeable and passionate physios who will work to get you fighting fit. Muscle People can also serve as your dedicated exercise centre, with expert guidance to back you all the way.

PROUD BEAUTY BEAUTY | CENTRAL CITY

This luxurious beauty salon specialises in lash extensions, teeth whitening, and brow treatments including henna brows and lamination with tinting. Owner Lauren Proud adores the creative aspect of the beauty industry and prides herself on delivering the best possible results for her clients, working closely with them to make their beauty dreams come true. Your experience here is guaranteed to leave you glowing inside and out.

The Arts Centre, 3/28 Worcester Boulevard, 020 4081 4558 fragranzi.co.nz

Bishopdale, Wigram Skies and Hereford Street, 03 360 3606 musclepeople.co.nz

Shop 8, 92 Hereford Street, lauren@proudbeauty.co.nz proudbeauty.co.nz

HERB NERD NZ HERBAL HEALTHCARE | FERRYMEAD

Step into a world of organic herbs, natural remedies, teas, essential oils and toxin-free skincare. With an extensive herbal dispensary on site, this peaceful Ferrymead haven is herbal HQ, home to over 80 different dried herbs, as well as tinctures and professional-grade supplements. The Herb Nerd is a medicinal herbalist and does all her own blending and manufacturing on site.

2/27 Waterman Place, 027 861 1499 herbnerdnz.com

NAILS BY TOMO

NAIL SALON | ST ALBANS

Come and visit Nails By Tomo at the beautiful new St Albans location. Nails By Tomo is helmed by leading nail professional Tomoko Tsuji (right), who has over two decades of Japanese nail art experience. She and her team give your nails a totally personalised transformation, specialising in gel manicures and stunning nail art using only the finest quality products from Japan. Your nails will not only look amazing but also grow healthier and stronger.

MAN ABOUT TOWN MEN’S FASHION | CENTRAL CITY

This men’s fashion store in Victoria Street is a destination for quality menswear with a pop of individual flair. Add a splash of colour, a sophisticated pattern or some eyecatching accessories to your wardrobe from the curated collections in store. There’s something here for the man who enjoys looking and feeling good, whether it’s casual, businesswear or threads for a night out.

149 Victoria Street, 027 294 1222 Find them on Facebook

We absolutely love all the wonderful Christchurch businesses –from fashion boutiques to fitness, salons to social clubs. If you’ve been wowed by what you’ve seen here, go check them out. Take your friends. Tell your local business you saw them in Cityscape.

INFINITE DEFINITE FASHION | CENTRAL CITY

Founded in 2008, Infinite Definite is an independent high-end streetwear, fashion and lifestyle store. Owneroperators Jono and Sarah Moran curate an eclectic mix of designers and products hand-sourced by them from New Zealand, Australia and around the world. Infinite Definite prides itself on fostering a community for well-designed and quality goods with plenty to choose from, including a fab selection of cutting-edge homewares.

REPRESENT FOOTWEAR NZ SHOES & ACCESSORIES | CENTRAL CITY

One of the city’s best kept secrets, Represent Footwear is a destination for quality shoes and bags from New Zealand and European designers. It’s all about old-fashioned service here, with friendly team members on hand to measure your feet and make sure you find a shoe that suits your needs and fits you perfectly. You’ll find practical shoes sitting alongside the head-turningly edgy, as well as footwear specially designed for problem feet, allowing you to walk boldly no matter your flavour.

STENCIL

FASHION/ACCESSORIES | SYDENHAM

Established in 2002, Stencil has long been stocking national and international brands such as Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Vans, Reebok, Nudie Jeans, Patagonia, Carhartt, Levis, Huffer, Champion, Mitchell & Ness, Converse, Herschel, Thing Thing, Stüssy, Status Anxiety, The North Face, and Bellroy. The store packs an unbeatable selection of sneakers, hand-picked apparel and accessories, so pop in for a wealth of product knowledge and friendly service in a relaxed environment.

Guthrey Centre, 118 Cashel Street, 021 719 900 representfootwear.nz

The Colombo, 363 Colombo Street, 03 374 6134 stencil.co.nz

246 High Street, 03 371 7465 infinitedefinite.com

ROCCABELLA JEWELLERY | CENTRAL CITY

This iconic Christchurch jewellery store is a destination for exclusive brands, bespoke design and some of the best diamonds in the world. Now in a stunning new home in Victoria Street, designer and owner Vikki George knows that fine jewellery is about stories and memories. Roccabella’s purpose is the drive for the highest quality in fine jewellery, and perfectly translating your unique story into cutting-edge elegance.

WILDFLOWER BOTANICALS NATURAL REMEDIES | SYDENHAM

Driven by a passion for pure plant skincare and wellbeing for the last 14 years, Wildflower Botanicals’ ethos shines through in its craft, creating products to ensure you are healthy, radiant, and glowing from the inside out. The extensive range of skincare, natural remedies, fragrant spice blends, teas and infusions are all formulated using certified organic, fair-trade and wildcrafted botanical ingredients. Be sure to check out the new range of vegan massage balms, available in store and online.

TRUE GRIT HAIR/MAKEUP | CENTRAL CITY

The team at True Grit are true experts, providing exquisite service in a fabulous environment. Experience the creative, skilful professionalism of True Grit’s dynamic masters, style directors and new generation stylists. Beautiful hair goes deeper than a cut and colour, which is why True Grit offers fabulous luxurious bespoke rituals to treat your hair and leave you with stunning, well-maintained locks. Book now with the experts in hair beauty. True innovation, true passion, true hair!

87 Manchester Street, 03 377 7889 truegrit.co.nz, shop.truegrit.co.nz

462 Colombo Street, 03 974 3002 wildflowerbotanicals.co.nz

169 Victoria Street, 021 539 329 roccabella.co.nz

Dine outside in style this summer with the Roda Levante Dining outdoor table, perfectly paired with Roda Harp Chairs. ecc.co.nz

1 Monkey Bean Ash Velvet Cushion (RRP $295) from LaLa Linen 2 Moooi Rabbit Lamp (RRP $1313) from ECC 3 Baobab Candle (from $125) from Corso Merivale 4 Safari Style: Exceptional African Camps and Lodges (RRP $165) from LaLa Linen 5 Ortigia Sicilia Zagara Gatto Diffuser (RRP $105) from LaLa Linen 6 Hanno the Gorilla (RRP $295) from Brown and Co. 7 Enamel Bowl – Toad (RRP $45) from Seletti Concept Store 8 Hippo Table (RRP $569) from Greenslades Furniture 9 Monkey Hanging Lamp (RRP $695) from Seletti Concept Store 10 Deck Chair – Snakes (RRP $325) from Seletti Concept Store

EXCELLENCE + INNOVATION

Amid the grey clouds that hover over New Zealand’s property market, Christchurch is a ray of sunshine. Prices are holding up and so is supply, with plenty of choice for buyers regardless of their budget.

That’s not all – the quality of homes being built in Ōtautahi remains exceptional, a testament to the talent among our architects, builders and interior designers.

The judges for the Registered Master Builders House of the Year awards certainly feel that way. A stunning, sprawling Fendalton home was awarded the 2022 National Supreme House of the Year over $1m, as well as nine regional awards including Regional Kitchen Excellence, Regional Outdoor Living and Regional Interior Design.

Similarly, the judges at the 2022 ADNZ Resene Architectural Design Awards named a Redcliffs home designed by Gareth Ritchie of Archco Architecture the national winner for Residential New Home Between 150sqm and 300sqm.

Christchurch homes have been well represented in the House of the Year awards over the last two years, featuring heavily on the honours list. This is also the second year in a row that inner-city new builds have taken out supreme awards.

In 2021 the supreme award went to a Dutch-inspired four-bedroom home, also in Fendalton and built by

Clive Barrington Construction. Its sculptural copper roof and curved windows envelop a cosy 405sqm light-filled masterpiece of myriad angles and easy living. Multiple living spaces, inside and out, provide plenty of spots to relax and to entertain. The practical yet elegant kitchen spills into the dining room and then onto the patio, sheltered by another copper wave.

The 2022 Supreme House of the Year winner is an elegant, luxurious six-bedroom home, built by Metzger Builders and designed by O’Neil Architecture. It’s certainly on the grander scale of family homes at 924sqm, but the judges were impressed with how liveable and comfortable it felt despite its size; unmistakeably a welcoming family home. As well as the six bedrooms there are four bathrooms, three living areas, a bar, games room, eight-car garage and a swimming pool complete with changing rooms.

The genius of the design is that something so big is able to sit in harmony with its surroundings, with the home reclining elegantly across its 3,000sqm site.

The exterior is clad in dark, contemporary tones, with low-slung rooflines and large cantilevered overhangs. The interior is opulent but timeless with solid brass, herringbone timber, marble, stone and textured wallpaper.

The home had earlier picked up Canterbury Supreme House of the Year over $1m, with the judge commenting

REGISTERED MASTER BUILDERS 2022

NATIONAL SUPREME HOUSE OF THE YEAR

WHERE: Fendalton, Christchurch

DESIGN: O’Neil Architecture

BUILDERS: Metzger Builders

SIZE: 924sqm

OTHER AWARDS: 8

REGISTERED MASTER BUILDERS 2021

NATIONAL SUPREME HOUSE OF THE YEAR

WHERE: Fendalton, Christchurch

DESIGN: Clive Barrington Construction

BUILDERS: Clive Barrington Construction

SIZE: 405sqm

OTHER AWARDS: 5

that in 14 years of being on the House of the Year panel, this is one of the best homes he has seen.

To recognise builds within a lower price bracket, the 2022 awards introduced the Supreme House of the Year Under $1 million category. The Canterbury regional winner was a home built by John Ross Architectural Builders on a challenging and steep site in Mount Pleasant. The national award was won by a new home in Wānaka.

In Redcliffs, Archco Architecture’s successful entry in

the ADNZ Resene Architectural Design Awards was named a “showstopper” by the judges. The sloped site offers stunning views of McCormacks Bay all the way to South New Brighton and the Southern Alps. Gareth Ritchie’s uncluttered composition of natural materials and native landscaping maintains privacy and is sympathetic to the character, scale, and landscape of the neighbourhood. houseoftheyear.co.nz

2022 ADNZ RESENE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AWARDS NATIONAL WINNER

WHERE: Redcliffs, Christchurch

DESIGN: Gareth Ritchie, Archco Architecture

BUILDERS: Hayden Diehl, HD Built

SIZE: 228sqm

OTHER AWARDS: 1

THIS PAGE PHOTOGRAPHY: STEPHEN GOODENOUGH

BY DESIGN

2 3 4

If you love minimalist Nordic design and perfectly balanced interiors, you’ll want to dive head first into this book and live within its full-colour pages. Soft Minimal by Norm Architects is an inspirational example of the sweet spot between having nothing left to add or take away. gestalten.com

Take time out to reassess your clutter in true Kondo style, and make room for beautiful objects that spark joy. 1 10

5 6 7 8 9

1 Dr Suits - Wood Stripe 2 (RRP $500) from Fiksate Studio & Gallery 2 Guaxs Cubistic Round Vase (RRP $1488) from ECC 3 Roger Murray Resonance, 2022 (RRP $4200) from Suite Gallery 4 Notre Monde Square Wooden Tray (RRP $350) from McKenzie & Willis 5 Tom Dixon Scent Elements Candle Earth (From $294) from ECC 6 Nomon Barcelona Clock (RRP $2596) from ECC 7 Bensen Delta Club Chair (RRP $ 7029) from Tim Webber Design 8 Textura Pandan Wallpaper from Arte International 9 Mater Bowl Table (RRP $1246) from ECC 10 Belle Interiors Collection Liaison Sofa (From $7610) from McKenzie & Willis

BEDROOM EDITION

obody else ever sees your bedroom so it doesn’t really matter what you do with it, right? Wrong.

We spend a third of our lives in bed so making that room look and feel great is essential to living well, says interior designer Lisa Sinke. “And really, do we live our lives for others or ourselves?”

The centrepiece of a well-designed bedroom is the bedhead. Back when slat beds were the norm, bedheads and bed

ends were everywhere. “I always remember looking forward to being a grown-up so I could get my own,” Lisa says. “I got a beautiful oak bed and I was so proud of it.”

But now, with the prevalence of enormous mattresses and boxed ensemble bed bases, bedheads have gone the way of the moa. “There’s something really missing in our bedrooms. There’s a lot of focus on linen and cushions but actually to anchor your bedroom scheme and your bed, you really do need to have a bedhead. And it gives you something to sit against. It just doesn’t feel proper sitting against the wall.”

Wink’s custom bedheads have a lot of choice in shape, colour and fabric. A lot of people struggle with the choice. “Go with your heart,” Lisa says. “At the end of the day, if you try and compromise or you try and overthink it, then you can be a bit disappointed. It’s your bedhead, it’s your bedroom, so it’s all about you.”

Don’t forget about a valance. You can stick with classic white or neutrals but don’t be afraid to go for something more out-there or custom to fit your scheme.

There’s more to bedroom furniture than just a bed, nightstand and tall boy. “It’s always quite nice to have a chair or a footstool, for if you can’t be bothered hanging everything up in the wardrobe at the end of the night.”

Also, think about getting attractive dog beds in the room, if relevant.

When it comes to lighting, you might want two kinds, Lisa says. “You want to be able to jump in bed and read your book well, but also have lovely soft ambient lighting if you’re not going to be reading.”

And don’t forget about sustainability. Choosing planet-friendly materials is good for the environment but also good for your health. “Bedheads are full of quite toxic materials such as foam that actually never degrades. And also quite often they’re made with cheap timber and toxic glues,” Lisa says. “Foam off-gases and so does cheap timber, and you’re sleeping right next to that. We grow wool here and it absolutely works as a bedhead stuffing.”

winkdesign.co.nz

LISA’S QUICK BEDROOM TIPS

Picking swatches

Think about what you like to wear and what type of cushions you like. They’re all good clues as to what type of textile you like. Then focus on whether you prefer patterns or geometrics or plains. It’s really a process of elimination.

Patterns and plains

There’s a big trend at the moment towards complementary patterns. There are some fabulous designers who mix patterns so well. It’s by no means set in stone that just because you have a very patterned bedspread you should have a very plain bedhead, or vice versa. Materials Remember you can even supply your own fabrics for custom furniture and curtains. We once made a bedhead with woollen fabric that came from our client’s own farm!

Curves Sure, it’s hard to go past a good solid rectangular bedhead, but curves just add a nice, soft, calming, human-friendly element to a bedroom. I just love them.

This season’s colours

Picking fave colours and patterns is a bit like picking your favourite child. However a couple of standouts right now are Nine Muses' wonderful patterns and colours, and Oat Studio’s stunning architectural prints.

‘It’s your bedroom, so it’s all about you.’

Lisa Sinke, the mastermind behind Wink design, fluffs the pillows on the perfect bedroom.

TRENDY INTERIORS YOU WON’T REGRET IN 5 YEARS

Whether you like them or not, trends are a part of our everyday life. Here are three tips to ride the trends in a timeless way.

Architectural and interior trends help keep the design aesthetic fresh and interesting. But trends do change. Some are influenced by the seasons, fashion, decades gone by, and our northern hemisphere friends. The reality is that nothing is new, everything that is trending now has trended somewhere else in history or around the world. So how can we feel like we’re on trend without fearing we will regret it in five years’ time?

Within interior design, decorative aspects can easily roll with current trends. We can more easily change cushions, rugs, window dressings, some furniture, and colours than the permanent aspects of interiors like kitchen and bathroom design. The permanent spaces require more thought and careful consideration when designing to current trends to avoid feeling typecast to a particular year. It’s easy to fall in love with the imagery we gather

online, but not all of it in saturation may be appropriate for us, our homes and our lifestyles. Design to the architecture and geographical location of your home. Coastal homes are wonderful with soft lines, colours and materials, while their hillside counterparts feel great with sculptural sensibilities. Being sympathetic to these aspects and creating a foundation that uses beautiful scale and balance within the spaces that relates to the overall home and site will help stand the test of time.

Timeless elements in the kitchen and bathroom. When used as a dominant design aesthetic in these spaces, such elements can leave scope for an aspect of a current trend you may love to be incorporated as an accent. Whether it’s a tile, tapware, benchtop material or a particular colour, using an on-trend feature that’s blended cleverly over a whole space with a neutral

backdrop will feel more intentional and seamless.

Blend the trend. Design to an overall theme that can easily incorporate a current trend. Themes like elegant, classic, mid-century modern, minimalist, coastal, or European will all have aspects of current trends. Look at where the trend came from and see what other aspects of that genre will suit the architecture, geography and your lifestyle. And don’t be afraid to mix trends from bygone eras or geographical locations. Eclectic design is a theme in its own right, and one I particularly love.

The trend is always your friend, when carefully considered. A good designer can help navigate the world of trends so that you’re still very much in love with your interior design in five years’ time.

Anna Dick is the whole-house interior designer behind Anna Margaret Interiors. Check out her projects and get in touch to talk about your design needs at annamargaret.co.nz.

‘DON’T BE AFRAID TO MIX TRENDS FROM BYGONE ERAS OR GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONS.’

Office outlook

Never under-estimate what a fresh lick of paint and a pop of colour can do.

If your home office needs a new look, here are some easy, inexpensive ways to improve your outlook.

Paint accessories with fresh colours to tie in with your new scheme. Testpots are perfect for this kind of painting. Most Resene colours are available in testpots, and the finish is a durable low sheen. Upcycle furniture. Try the Resene Karen Walker Chalk Colour paint for a soft matte or vintage look. Or, for something with a bit more pop, try Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel.

Create your own art with Resene testpots on canvas, ply or card. A gallery wall is also an option – it’s a good idea to pick a theme and repeat in different styles, such as flowers or line work, or you can frame your favourite Resene wallpapers. Add greenery. Having green leafy plants in your office helps lift your mood, and not to mention they look very stylish when planted into a custom-painted planter pot.

Brooke Calvert is a design advocate at Resene Canterbury. Visit resene.com/ colourconsult to book an appointment with a Resene colour expert.

IT’S ON THE WALL

• Add some Resene wallpaper or a mural.

• Painting an arch is a fun and budget friendly way to create a focal point. Try this look behind a bookshelf or desk.

• Half-and-half walls are a good option for those who don’t want to commit to colour on all walls. Pick a deeper shade or wallpaper for the bottom and an off-white or tonal lighter shade for the top.

• Create a noticeboard with Resene FX Write-on Wall Paint.

PAINTED WALL CLEANING TIP

Keep your home looking its best with Resene Interior

Paintwork Cleaner designed for use on interior painted surfaces. Quick and easy to use, it dries film-free, so no need to rinse. It’s available from your local Resene ColorShop.

Resene Silver Chalice

Resene Pumice

Resene Spanish Green

Resene Canterbury Clay

Resene Papier Mache

Resene Bullwhip

Nature’s rich mosaic returns

range of native species to suit the desired form and location – or even to take advantage of an opportunity to boost rare native plant populations. Boffa Miskell ecologists often advise the company’s landscape architects when it comes to preparing a planting palette, and botanists will know an appropriate locally common (or rare) grass, herb, shrub or tree for every centre in Aotearoa.

Ecologist Dr Jaz Morris of Boffa Miskell looks at how public landscaping is helping native species to thrive and recover.

Go back 50 or even 20 years ago and most public landscaping reflected a colonial approach to nature. These spaces were more often characterised by stately English trees, hybrid roses and manicured lawns rather than the complex, rich mosaic of New Zealand’s native flora.

More recently, natives are often the centrepiece of urban plantings, although many botanists would point out that ‘native’ doesn’t necessarily mean local and that some of the most hardy and popular native species are now seen in parks and alongside pavements from Kerikeri to Dunedin – far beyond where they originally grew.

In urban plantings, landscape architects can choose from a wide

But urban planting must consider certain practicalities and aesthetics as well. Some native plants are difficult to propagate; few have showy flowers, and some take ages to get very far off the ground. This is probably why attractive or easily grown native species are typically selected for landscape plantings and therefore may now be far greater in number and more widely distributed than they were before human arrival.

Species like mīkoikoi native iris, rengarenga lily and horoeka fierce lancewood come to mind.

Some, like oioi jointed wire rush, are not only attractive in their own right but are ideally suited to functional plantings such as swales and rain gardens. Its natural place is typically at the upper edge of estuarine wetlands, meaning it can tolerate extremes of wet and dry, and probably give it an edge when it comes to tolerating salt, metals and other urban contaminants.

On the other hand, including one or two exotics like gaura (a favourite around Ōtautahi Christchurch) is a great way to add movement and colour.

‘In urban plantings, landscape architects can choose from a wide range of native species to suit the desired form and location.’

Dr Jaz Morris is an ecologist and botanist in the Boffa Miskell Christchurch office. boffamiskell.co.nz

HOW SERENDIPITY FIXED ROSS’S CLOCK

When Ross Morrison of Mr Mod came across a clock in an antiques shop in Hawke’s Bay, he knew straight away that it was the work of famed 19th-century clockmaker Thomas Cole.

The clock wasn’t working but Ross bought it anyway, vaguely hoping he might find someone who could repair it. Back in Christchurch, he put it on a shelf in his St Martins shop.

That was when serendipity came to visit. Bruce Aitken, trade-qualified clockmaker of 40 years’ experience and fixer of anything, popped in during his morning walk – he only lives a few blocks away. Ross showed him the clock and Bruce also knew just how special it was.

Bruce’s day job involves the restoration, repair and reconstruction of kinetic sculptures by Christchurch-born artist Len Lye. Bruce works closely with the Len Lye Foundation, which preserves and promotes the artist’s legacy. He also specialises in the restoration and repair of antique clocks.

What came next is like an episode of the TV show The Repair Shop. Bruce took the clock back to his workshop, inspected it, found the problem and then reassembled it to working order, making a new key from scratch along the way.

Thomas Cole (1800-1864) was the son of James Cole and brother of the more eminent James Ferguson Cole. At first Cole worked in partnership with his brother at 3 Bond Street, London. Then from 1839 until his death he produced the work for which he is best known. Most of these were

TELL US YOUR STORY

The special talents on display in hit TV show The Repair Shop can also be found right here in Christchurch. Cityscape will be sharing local stories of repair and restoration such as the Thomas Cole clock featured here. We want to salute our city’s artisans and experts and encourage readers to seek them out when it comes to repairing a family heirloom or artwork.

Got a story to tell?

Get in touch: ed@somocreative.co.nz

produced for and sold through high-end London jewellers and goldsmiths.

Ross’s clock, numbered 508, probably dates from 1846/47. Its design is known as cheval, as in the mirror style that was popular at the time. It is of 8-day duration and is in original condition. The decorative Fleur de Lis hands are a typical Thomas Cole feature.

How did it come to be in New Zealand?

It’s a travel clock, designed to keep going while on the move, and originally would have been in a protective case. So there’s a good chance it came here when new. Alternatively, being such a valued luxury item, the owner did not want to sell it off before moving to the Antipodes.

Either way, neither Ross nor Bruce is surprised any more at what turns up here. Colonists brought with them all manner of exquisite objects to make their new home feel more like the one they had left behind.

For Bruce, working on the clock was a pleasure. For Ross, busy setting up his Mr Mod showroom with the latest shipment from Italy, it’s a link back to an even earlier time when craft was king.

mrmod.co.nz; blaitken.nz

4K IN THE SKY

There are a million types of drone out there, so take a recommendation: this one packs a whole lotta camera in a wee 249-gram package that you can fold and jam in your pocket. DJI Mini 3 Pro (RRP $1488) from PB Tech.

THE COOLEST AND HOTTEST IN CURRENT AND UPCOMING TECHNOLOGY

HIT THE  STREETS, DOG

There’s basically only one e-motorcycle in the world worth having if you’re looking for street cred, and it’s made right here in Aotearoa New Zealand. FTN Motion Streetdog (RRP from $10,000) from FTN Motion.

E-CONVENIENCE

If you’re still slogging away on a regular bicycle, it’s time for an electric upgrade. This one folds up to stash under your desk, in the hallway cupboard or in the boot of your Leaf. Tern Vektron Q9 2022 (RRP $5990) from Christchurch Electric Bicycles.

BREWING SMARTER

Use the touchscreen to choose a brew then let this automated machine take care of the rest while you keep an eye on it over Wi-Fi. Braumeister Plus 20 L (RRP from $2995) from Braumeister.

THE HOUSEHOLD  BARTENDER

This robot stores your favourite spirits and mixers and makes up the perfect cocktail every time. Barsys 2.0+ (RRP $US1500) from Barsys.

Have you ever wondered what it's like to live in a world of humans when you're a dog? How I feel, why I do what I do and what my amazing senses allow me to process through my eyes, nose, mouth and ears?

One of the biggest myths is that all dogs are sociable all the time, or should be. Is every human sociable? No. Does that make them bad humans? Of course not. It may mean they like their own company, they like to do other things or that they're happy in their own world.

For our humans, that means reading the signs for when we are not feeling sociable and don't want to be pushed into groups of humans or other dogs. We will do that with body language or our voice, or we will try to run away, look scared or pull on the lead.

So don't take me to a dog park if I growl at the other dogs or bark at them, or I walk around the fence and ignore them. It may be I'm not sociable, or I'm tired, sore, scared, have a headache or not feeling well. It could be that I'm older and can't keep up with the other dogs, or that I'm getting picked on.

Please don't be angry if I'm quite happy hanging at home with my humans and generally enjoying life. Just like the people that love reading books, lying on the beach, hanging out on their own, climbing mountains – it’s about having a choice. We dogs rely on our humans to ensure we get to choose what we like to do.

WHY DOGS DO WHAT THEY DO

Colin the lowchen cross knows what life is like for a dog in a human’s world. With a little help from Geoff at Kuri, he opens up about why he and his doggy mates don’t always want their ears rubbed or your hand stuck in their face.

Don’t force me to greet humans either. In my world, humans are angry bears. What else in nature stands on two legs, has arms dangling by its side and is very tall? A grizzly or black bear. When they're angry, they stand on two legs too. So it's no wonder when some humans approach me I feel scared. I'm trapped on a lead or I’m in my house and can't run away. That’s when I revert to my natural instincts.

Just like humans, I have three options: fight, run away or freeze. My instincts tell me the best form of defence is attack. Then my humans and I get in serious trouble, all because someone thought I liked my ears being pressed against the side of my head and rubbed frantically. Imagine if I ran up to a human and did that to them? They would not be impressed.

What humans don't understand is that I can tell by taste and scent exactly how you are feeling. With the right wind direction I will know from 3km away. So here's a tip: never approach a dog. Always let us approach you. The abilities nature gave us mean we will know how you're feeling – be it angry, sad or friendly.

Please don't put your hand out for me to smell it. My nose can detect two cells of a virus inside the human body, so I know what you smell like. Sometimes your fingers will look like sausages, and I love sausages, so don't offer them to me if you don't want me to taste them. If I want to meet you I will come to you, I promise.

So please try to understand how I feel. I understand how you feel. The more you know about me, the happier we will both be.

Geoff manages Kuri, which offers daycare and other specialist canine services from its central-city base. Colin loves hanging there with his doggy mates and the team of friendly humans. kuri.co.nz

EXPERT OPINION

You know you can get appointments at the doctor, tailor, or hairdresser, but what about at the linen showroom? Lala Lifestyle in Victoria Street offers one-on-one consultations so you can relax in the beautiful interiors shop, have a cuppa and take your time working with an expert to select designs that work for you and your home. Monique will help you curate soft furnishings to give your space that awesome wow factor.

lalalinen-nz.com

MATISSE

Channelling the ultimate in European style and sophistication, Matisse is the place to go for exclusive. They’re the leading supplier of top international designer pieces and have extensive experience in interior design and fit out. Step into their showroom and be wowed by the array of brands they stock – B&B Italia, Cassina, Gandia Blasco, Vitra, just to name a few. They’re committed to working only with the best in the business, so you can be sure you’re choosing right for your home.

matisse.co.nz

SET THE TRENZ

Thinking of freshening up your humble abode? Stylemaker Trenzseater is there for you, offering a full interior design service, styling advice, drapery and blinds and everything in between. A stroll through the showroom on Blenheim Road will reveal a sophisticated and timeless style, and every client can expect a friendly, enjoyable and professional experience. There is a strong focus on detail to give personality and character to each look. The store has an extensive range of locally sourced product and international brands, with the majority of furniture made right here in New Zealand.

trenzseater.com

ANNA MARGARET INTERIORS

INTERIOR DESIGN

Imagine how you’ll feel in a home that cleverly blends your personality, travels and lifestyle with timeless, elegant interior design. Specialising in kitchen, bathroom, and wholehouse interior design, Anna weaves a cohesive aesthetic ensuring your experience throughout the journey is extraordinary. Learn how to save time and energy for a fun and successful project with Anna Margaret Interiors.

LIGHTBULB MOMENTS

Cityscape checks out three genius and iconic lighting designs that have been copied the world over.

1 — PH 5 BY LOUIS POULSEN Embodying the best of Danish design sensibilities, PH 5’s design is based on the principle of a reflective three-shade system, and directs the light downwards and laterally, illuminating itself. The light is also designed to be 100% glare-free. cultdesign.co.nz

2 — BEAT BY TOM DIXON Inspired by artisan craftsmen in Northern India, and modelled after a repurposed water vessel (think hand-beaten copper pots welded into functional silhouettes) the Beat collection has become the most recognisable Tom Dixon creation. ecc.co.nz

3 — SNOOPY BY FLOS First released in 1967, the design of this quirky lamp is based on the famous Peanuts beagle. Flos’ Snoopy is a true classic for the modern era, available in black or retro hues. ecc.co.nz

DUTTON GARAGE

Classic car lovers rejoice! The iconic Dutton dealership is now in Christchurch, revving up its engines with the biggest collection of top-of-the-line vintage and classic cars in the country. It’s part of the global Dutton brand, and has the worldwide network to tap from when sourcing for cars. Owner Royden Mauger travels far and wide himself in search of rare gems for his customers.

duttongarage.com

FIKSATE

ART GALLERY | SYDENHAM

Fiksate Gallery is New Zealand’s leading urban contemporary art gallery. The gallery offers original artworks from New Zealand urban artists alongside a handpicked selection of international talent. Located in a great creative hub in Sydenham with many other art galleries nearby, Fiksate showcases diverse artworks that vary from abstract to portraiture, prints to sculpture and everything in between. The team also offer a comprehensive custom framing service.

1972 JAGUAR E TYPE SERIES 3 ROADSTER

COSI FAN TUTTE GIFTS | WOOLSTON

Step into an emporium of sensory delight in the beautiful Tannery and you’ll find yourself surrounded by gorgeous wares, embraced by delicious scents, and lulled by beautiful sounds. Inspired by the vintage markets of Europe, every item in Cosi Fan Tutte’s extensive range of clothing, homewares, gifts, and jewellery is selected for its uniqueness, natural beauty, and Olde World charm.

3 Garlands Road, 021 247 2466 cosifantutte.co.nz

COURT FLORIST FLORIST | CENTRAL CITY

Delight with brilliant bouquets from one of Christchurch’s foremost florists, blooming since 1937 and still creating perfect posies for any occasion. Be enthralled by the beauty of stunning fresh flowers, creatively arranged by the talented team. For every day or special occasions, for yourself or someone else, Court Florist brings you inspiration in spades.

143 Victoria Street, 03 379 8255 courtflorist.co.nz

NILE RUGS RUGS | ST ALBANS

Genuine, hand-knotted oriental rugs imported directly from the people who make them. The Nile team travel to the countries where rug weavers have honed their skills for centuries, and personally pick the best sustainable and environmentally friendly rugs to display and sell in Christchurch. Nile Rugs has the largest collection of hand-knotted, vintage, and antique rugs in New Zealand. 1027 Colombo Street, 022 505 1725 nilerugs.co.nz

BESPOKED CYCLES BIKES | ONLINE

Switch from four wheels to two with a custom-built bike. Bespoked Cycles rocks a huge number of build combos including unlimited colour options. Design your bike from scratch with high-quality components to fit your style, adding flip-flop hubs so you can switch between fixed and freewheeling, or take your pick from the range of primo prebuilt bikes. bespokedcycles.co.nz

‘To hear our name announced and see Three Boys on the big screen was a real surprise and such a treat.’

Brew HAHA

Three Boys Brewery recently took home the big Champion Exhibitor award, as well as 12 medals and a trophy at the New Zealand Beer Awards. Cityscape caught up with boss man Ralph Bungard.

How did it feel to be awarded champion? It felt amazing! The Brewers’ Guild Beer Awards is a really big deal in our industry. It’s the only awards where you really get to put yourself up for comparison to all the brewers in Aotearoa. To win anything on the night is an honour and something that brewers in New Zealand judge where they are at in terms of quality. On the night we were just so excited about all the medals we had received that we weren’t really concentrating when it came to the big one. To hear our name announced and see Three Boys on the big screen was a real surprise and such a treat. What’s your secret? No secret really. We have been doing this for a long time now, 18 years. We take pride in our quality and consistency and we always do pretty well in the awards. We have pushed hard for this trophy a couple of times over our history but got there this time. We are very happy to be listed on the trophy along with some other fantastic New Zealand breweries. Tell us about the trophy-winning Three Boys Lager. It was pretty exciting winning this trophy. The way the awards work, sort of

like wine awards, is that there may be two golds, no silver and one bronze awarded, for example, or even no medals at all in a category. The trophy, however, is awarded for the best of the best in the class. We got a gold medal and the trophy in this International Lager category. Funnily enough, it’s a really coveted trophy amongst brewers, as being a lager, brewers would say there is no place to hide when it comes to quality. The beer must be perfectly balanced and fault-free to even start to get a look in with the judges. Making a perfect lager is often seen as a marker of a brewery that has all its quality and technical skills in order. On top of that, you are competing directly with some of the big multinational brewers who have made their business on producing this style. It’s a great win. What’s the perfect food to enjoy with a lager? Lager is traditionally gentle and balanced. It’s not designed to be the lion on the table, beating up on all the other flavours. For that reason, I would say it’s one of the beers that is simply designed to be either enjoyed without food or with food that has really dominating flavours. Think either a

delicious quencher at the end of a summer’s day or a refresher when your mouth is being bombarded by hot and spicy. You had some strong competition from Beer Baroness on awards night – is there a friendly rivalry there? Hate those guys! Nah, just kidding. We love the Beer Baroness team and have a lot to do with them, work-wise and socially. They have really lifted a class in the last couple of years, thanks largely to their fantastic brew team. To be honest, if they had won the Champion Trophy on the night, we would have been over the moon for them. We know enough to know that everything has to fall in place at just the right time for the award to land in your favour, and it could have easily done so for them. Likewise for Altitude in Queenstown, another brewery that did remarkably well and one that we also have a great relationship with. It was fantastic to see Te Waipounamu brewers really shining. What is it about this city and brewing? Is there something in the water? Ha! That’s a good one! Brewing is so much about water quality and historically many beer styles have developed largely because of the water chemistry of the region; think pilsner and British pale ales as great examples. In many respects that is also true for Ōtautahi; we have great groundwater that is a good base to brew all sorts of styles. Less literally, I do think that there is a long tradition of brewing out of Canterbury

because we were the malt-growing centre of Aotearoa. What makes our city a great brewing city now is the water, the tradition and the passion of those involved in the industry. We are a city of independent brewers. We don’t have a multinational brewer in Ōtautahi any more. In some ways, that means brewing in Christchurch belongs to the locals of Christchurch – that has got to make things pretty cool. Is it time Christchurch took the craft brew crown from Wellington and Auckland? Did they ever have their hands on the crown? Or was that just their PR spin? We have been just too busy making good beer in a city where we had other things that took centre stage. I think that whenever someone takes the time to do the numbers,

‘Ōtautahi has always been the brewing capital of NZ, the real OG! What we are not so good at is blowing that trumpet.’

Ōtautahi has always been the brewing capital of NZ, the real OG! What we are not so good at is blowing that trumpet. What do you think of our local brew bar scene?

Ōtautahi has some amazing drinking spots ranging from full-on craft beer havens to cafés that now stock only local craft beer in their fridges. It’s a great turn-around and an indication of how good our city and region has become at supporting locals. Good locals supporting good local hospitality, supporting good local producers. That is a dream environment for our business. It’s great for the community and it’s great for the environment. For the local economy it makes sense – local hospo buying our beer, we buy ingredients locally and pay our staff, and they go out and eat, drink, get their car fixed or get their house painted. It just works for everyone. Environmentally

it’s a win too; we really don’t need to be shipping 95% water around the country or even the world. Do you ever dabble in drinking wine or spirits, or are you very much a beer man? I do love beer. The variation in styles is just so good that there is always a beer to match any occasion. I do love wine too, and there’s plenty of that to love in Aotearoa. And I do love whisky but I don’t drink much of that. My boys have got into the habit of buying me one bottle on Father’s Day and another on my birthday, and that seems to be just right for the year. But having said all that, if I was heading to a desert island and could only take one tipple, then that would have to be tea! There are very few drinks that can quench a raging thirst like beer can, but tea is one. When I have a cuppa tea in hand, thinking about beer, I’m in my happy place. Hazy seems to have been the style of 2022 –what do you think is coming next? Lagers are back, for sure. And craft lagers are the way for 2023. But also back in vogue are some of the more original styles, the wheat beers, the traditional British bitters and the old-school North American IPAs along the lines of the early days of craft brewing. If I was to pick one for Three Boys, our wheat beer is bangin’. It’s going to be the beer to find in 2023. What new beers are Three Boys working on? We recently released a tea beer called Harvest Ale. We used an apricot-infused tea as a base for a classic NZ Pale Ale. It was amazing. This time of year though, we are thinking about getting more sour beers on the brew. Sours are great for the warmer months and they really create a great base to blend in some unusual flavours – look out for a cucumber melon sour. You’ve got friends coming from out of town. Where do you go and what would you do to show off the city in … two hours: A drop into Three Boys and a quick flick through the tunnel, Lyttelton and up over the hills to Sumner and back to Coolston. … a half-day: Central city, Arts Centre, Art Gallery, the Gardens, Riverside Market and the SALT District. … 24 hours: All of the above but topped, tailed and punctuated by breakfasts, lunches, dinners and drinks at the city’s fantastic collection of restaurants, cafés and wineries that have grown the beauty of not only our suburban landscape but the central city’s semiindustrial periphery.

threeboysbrewery.co.nz

King of Snake had a big night at the Canterbury Hospitality Awards. How good was that? We were thrilled with the results and humbled by them. It’s been a particularly challenging time for the entire industry. We took on a lot of risk with a project of this scale in the middle of a global pandemic. The entire team has worked incredibly hard and there has been a lot of personal sacrifice, so it was fantastic to see that acknowledged. What do you think swayed the judges your way? I think a combination of things that we have been able to put together in the new premises. Obviously, the commitment from our staff both in the engine room and front of house and the standards they set. We’ve been able to create a culture that encourages the best in individuals in service of a shared ideal. That, along with the environment we’ve delivered, makes the whole greater than the sum of the parts. When we committed to the space, I strongly believed that the market had outgrown the traditional “theme bar/restaurant” interior. We took a calculated risk on letting the style of our cuisine speak for itself and showing some discipline and restraint in the design. I think it’s a

SNAKE’S ON A ROLL

The judges have spoken and King of Snake rules! Cityscape talks to the man behind the magic, David Warring.

maturity in our dining experience that people wanted, and we were able to deliver that for them. Winning Supreme Establishment of the Year must seem a real endorsement of all the changes you have gone through at King of Snake? Absolutely. There is always

that possibility of missing the mark or being wrong about what you believe people will appreciate. We took some brave decisions in leaving the entire King of Snake interior themes in the past and reinventing the brand and the experience. It’s hugely rewarding to know we made the right decisions. King of Snake also won the award for Outstanding Ambience and Design – who gets the kudos for that? I am lucky to have a very talented wife, Jennifer, who has her own architectural design company, Studio Collective. When we took the space, I knew we had a unique opportunity to create a sense of arrival and movement. That creates confidence, a feeling of luxury and generosity and a sense of personal ownership. Jennifer understood my vision and nailed it. What’s next for King of Snake? Now it’s the challenge that all restaurants face – maintaining consistency and drilling down on the details. That process never stops and we have some plans to develop the cuisine and dining experience.

kingofsnake.co.nz

Read our full Q&A with David at cityscape.co.nz

The hard word on Chard

Do you adore a beautiful buttery Chardonnay, or do you want to swish it all directly down the drain? As it turns out, this dry white grape is somewhat divisive.

POSSIBLE CULPRIT: BAD MEMORIES

What we do know is that Chardonnay got a sketchy reputation somewhere along the way, and for some people it hasn’t recovered. The 1980s became saturated with Chardys that were perhaps a little over-oaked on average. OK, a lot over-oaked. Some tasted like biting a log, or sipping a lightweight bourbon.

POSSIBLE CULPRIT: CHARDONNAY STYLES

Part of the divisiveness might come from the fact there are so many styles of Chardonnay. They come in classic style, dry, lemony, oaked, unoaked, or even sparkling. So it pays to know what you like. Look at labels and tasting notes for telltale signs of oakiness or unoakiness, and particular fruity, acidic or mineral flavours you might like or dislike.

GETTING A STYLE YOU LIKE

The WineFriend Great NZ Wine Census shows that Canterbury’s favourite white wine is Chardonnay, The variety got a quarter of the votes.

And our least favourite white wine is… Chardonnay! More than a quarter of Cantabrians hate it. So what is it about Chardonnay that gives Canterbury wine drinkers such strong opinions?

We asked WineFriend chief tasting officer Yvonne Lorkin, and her answer was, well, she doesn’t know. She’s a dyed-in-the-wool Chardonnaylien and wants to be embalmed in 2014 Sacred Hill Riflemans Chardonnay when she dies. “However some folk are very much in the ‘I can’t stand it’ camp and that’s fine,” she says. “It takes all sorts, right? Perhaps they just haven’t met the right one yet.”

Find someone you trust who knows the styles you like and ask them to guide you and tell you when they come across something they think you’ll enjoy.

Always read the back label or Google the wine on your phone to check other people’s reviews.

If you buy a Chardonnay you don’t like, make a note as to why, and don’t assume all Chardonnay is going to taste like that because the bottle right next to it on the shelf could have been perfect for you. That’s where a WineFriend subscription will help cut out that risk factor because we send you only the types of Chardonnay that we think you’ll like.

YVONNE'S PICK OF CANTERBURY CHARDONNAYS

• Greystone Erin’s Reserve Waipara Chardonnay

• Pegasus Bay Waipara Chardonnay

• The Boneline Sharkstone Waipara Chardonnay

• Pyramid Valley North Canterbury Chardonnay

• Bell Hill Chardonnay

• Black Estate Netherwood Waipara Chardonnay

There are also tasty examples to be had from Tiki, Torlesse, Waipara Hills, Sherwood Estate, Muddy Water and Whistling Buoy. winefriend.co.nz

IMAGE: WINEFRIEND

IMAGE: WINEFRIEND

With fishing, like a lot of things in life, the difference between adventure and adversity is comfort and safety.

That’s why if you’re looking for a fishing adventure, you should talk to skipper Ian Croucher of Kaikōura Fishing Charters. Ian has 35 years’ experience fishing the Kaikōura coast and his boat, the Kai Moana, is the most modern charter vessel operating out of the port town.

Ian loves showing off his backyard to visitors. Hop aboard one of his fishing and sightseeing trips along the stunning Kaikōura coast. Fish for the whānau and the freezer while enjoying some family fun or a day out with the boys.

Ian’s calm demeanour will help even the most nervous to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Kaikōura mountains and coastline. A side trip to the area’s famous seal colony in also on the cards.

For those hankering to go further out after the big fish, Ian can oblige there too. The fact that a lot of his business is from people coming back for more means he delivers on both safety and adventure.

Most days Ian has trips going out and spaces available. Over 4-6

EXPERIENCE GIVES IAN THE EDGE

groper. Blue cod, tarakihi, Ray’s bream and bluenose are also a regular catch.

Tight for time? Talk to Ian about a shorter trip.

Once you’ve caught some fish, Ian will fillet and bag them for you, ready for cooking. This usually attracts a huge variety of the seabirds that inhabit the Kaikōura coastline, such as giant royal albatross, mollymawks, petrels and many others. Birdwatchers and photographers will enjoy seeing them taking off, soaring, landing on the water and diving for fish.

If you prefer, you’re welcome to catch and release.

The Kai Moana is purpose-built and government-surveyed for 10 people, with full toilet facilities and plenty of seating inside. She has electronic fish-finding, GPS and radar. Even the reels are easy to use – they are fully electric.

hours he can take you out to some crayfish pots, where you will try your luck for this Kaikōura delicacy, then on to his special fishing spots.

There you can drop a line and pull up a plump sea perch or

Planning a stag do, boys’ day out or team-building experience? Ian can customise a fishing, sightseeing or special event trip for your group.

Bookings are essential. All trips are subject to weather conditions. kaikourafishingcharters.nz

Relax and enjoy one of skipper Ian Croucher’s fishing and sightseeing trips along the stunning Kaikōura coast.

DINING HOTSPOTS IN THE SUBURBS

Mama San is right at the meeting point of Wairakei and Strowan roads, and it’s rocking absolutely astounding Vietnamese and Southeast Asian food. If it’s Thai food you’re looking for in Bishopdale, then you’ll want to try out Aksorn’s Thai Kitchen – run by a family of famous Christchurch Thai foodies.

Bomba in Lyttelton is the closest you’ll ever get in Aotearoa to the traditional Italian ‘camion’ food truck experience, with hand-made pizzas and gnocchi.

Mona Vale isn’t just a beautiful spot for a stroll by the river – it’s also the home of Ōtautahi’s best Sunday roast.

Seek out Nori Table at the far end of The Tannery. It’s straight-up amazing stuff, with ultra-fresh and flavourful sushi constantly replenished in the self-serve cabinet.

For an à la carte Japanese dining experience, you’re wanting Tomi Japanese Restaurant in St Albans – try the incredible Prime Beef Fillet Tataki.

For the full winery restaurant experience right on the cusp of Christchurch, head up the Port Hills to Tussock Hill Vineyard

NEW REGENT STREET

fried spring rolls. And then of course there’s the Waffle Haus, serving Belgian waffles stacked with sweet and fruity ingredients. Technically just around the corner, but worth a very honourable mention, is Odeon and Francesca’s Italian Kitchen for the best dine-in Italian cuisine.

This Spanish Mission-style walkway may be the prettiest street in Christchurch, but its real drawcards are all the speciality destinations packed into its 120-metre span.

New Regent Street was originally the location of Christchurch’s Colosseum. Our gladiators were armed with ice skates rather than swords, but it was still pretty cool. In the early 1930s, New Regent Street Limited developed the street in the Spanish Mission architecture we see today, with stylised gables and columns. It was a forerunner to modern malls, designed to group several small businesses together in a single themed development. In the ‘90s it officially became a walking street, though the space was to be shared with the tram. The street was shut down after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, but reopened in 2013 and has been going from strength to strength ever since.

DINE // Twenty Seven Steps and Story are the kings of cuisine on this royal street. The former is cosy and intimate with rustic European fare, and the latter specialises in global cuisine made with care and premium local ingredients. Rollickin Gelato regularly has a queue out the door, people waiting to try the latest exciting flavours. For a little-known and excellent Korean street food spot, check out New Regent Chicken & Chips. The Nook Thai Eatery is a little restaurant with big heart and all your favourite street foods from pad Thai to

IMBIBE // New Regent is Ōtautahi’s speciality bar destination. We’re talking a brand new ‘wine pub’ experience at Downstairs, gin cocktail bliss at gin gin., a whole wall of incredible whiskies at The Last Word, Central American-style rum house Casa Publica, and craft beer and cocktails on point at the cosy speakeasy-style Institution.

CAFFEINATE // There are three lovely cafés, all in the northern half of the street. They all offer al fresco seating, and each has its own unique charm. Belle is the micro roastery on the corner with a picture-perfect à la carte menu and hot and iced drinks. At Café Stir you’ll be served quickly and with a smile at a sunny outdoor table or in the iconic New Regent interior. Coffee Lovers is a Parisian-style café for the true coffee lover, complete with prime people-watching location.

Twenty Seven Steps

Downstairs

Belle

BOLINA SWEETS INDIAN | CENTRAL CITY

This is the place to indulge your taste buds in delicious vegetarian Indian food. The sweets menu here is extensive and unbeatable, so if you’ve never experienced the pleasures of traditional Indian sweets before, Bolina Sweets will happily induct you. Try the besan laddu, or the chef’s favourite, gulab jamun. 811 Colombo Street, 03 930 1034 bolinasweets.com

THE GELATO LAB DESSERTS | OPAWA

If you’re hankering for the flavours of Italy, welcome to your new happy place. The Gelato Lab’s creations are all made on-site by Italian (or Italian-trained) gelato chefs. You’ll find classic Italian flavours here, as well as some with a distinctly New Zealand twist. All dietary requirements are catered for, and the team also do a fabulous line in Italian hot chocolate and Belgian waffles. 5/132 Opawa Road FB/TheGelatoLabNZ

KIWI SPIRIT DISTILLERY DISTILLERY | GOLDEN BAY

This family owned and operated distillery specialises in unique spirits handcrafted from the purest homegrown ingredients. Living up to its name, the Delightful Dry Gin is bursting with aromatic delights and botanicals picked fresh from the distillery’s own grounds, including vibrant lavender and zesty lemon.

430 Abel Tasman Drive, Golden Bay, 03 525 8575 kiwispiritdistillery.co.nz

We absolutely love all the wonderful Christchurch businesses – from bakeries to bike shops, salons to social clubs. If you’ve been wowed by what you’ve seen here,

FED BY THE MED

Fusion cuisine goes all the way back to the 14th Century in the original melting pot of Andalusia, where Jewish, Muslim and Christian influences combined with the rich soils and abundant waters of this Mediterranean territory to give the world gazpacho, calamari, chorizo and a smorgasbord of mouth-watering tapas.

New Regent Street restaurateur Shafeeq Ismail (pictured) of Story fame has always been inspired by the fresh, seasonal and simple cuisine of this area of Spain and now he is sharing the love with Christchurch and its visitors, giving taste buds a zing at his new establishment, Odeon.

Before coming to Ōtautahi, chef Shafeeq worked in southern Spain and the Middle East, soaking up the influences of the Mediterranean region along the way. All that is celebrated in the menu and milieu of Odeon, at the New Regent end of Gloucester Street.

You can’t talk Spanish cuisine without saluting the rich history of wine styles from the region. Odeon’s general manager, Loren Mitchell-Moore, is a sommelier by profession and has put together a cellar of organic or biodynamic wines that she has chosen to be educative and well as enjoyable. An extensive list of sherries is another paean to Spanish culture.

For those wanting to experience the Mediterranean tradition of communal dining, there’s even a long table available for private bookings. It’s called Matt’s Table in honour of designer Matt Smith, who built it as part of his work designing the restaurant’s interior. In keeping with the eclectic vibe, the seating is straight from the 1950s courtesy of Ross ‘Mr Mod’ Morrison.

The relaxed style of Mediterranean hospitality means you will feel right at home at Odeon whether you are there for a celebration dinner of just popping in for an

GRATER GOODS

VEGAN DELICATESSEN | SYDENHAM

Grater Goods’ kaupapa is to bring you all the pleasures of fine foods in plant-based gourmet deli items, in particular luxury antipasti products such as cured meats and soft cheeses. It’s called Ethical Hedonism – not having to compromise pleasures for principles. Taking those products to Australia is the next challenge. Flip and the team are excited to give their loyal customers and other supporters of sustainability the chance to join them on their journey. For more, go to equitise.com/offer/grater-goods

Allpress coffee or a wine with friends any time Wednesday to Monday, 9.30am to 10pm, or even later if the mood warrants it.

Weekday lunchtimes there are hot and cold sandwiches available or a changing lunch menu; for dinner there is a full menu of tapas and sharing plates. Come the weekend you can indulge in a wide selection of brunch, lunch and dinner choices. Oh, Odeon! odeon.co.nz

105 Orbell Street, 027 289 9295 gratergoods.co.nz

BEHIND THE BAR

Abbey Curd is the bar manager and cocktail maestro at Pink Lady Rooftop. In her seven years in hospitality, Abbey says she’s experienced many different venues, each unique in their own way, however nothing beats the Pink Lady. “The views, the intimate setting and the endless cocktail list make it the most unique place I’ve ever worked at,” she says. She has a real passion for cocktails, and while she can’t go past a classic, she has a real talent for invention that has seen her create some of Pink Lady’s unique signature sips, like the Violet Sour, a marriage between The Aviation and the Whiskey Sour. “The need for innovation is constant,” Abbey says. “We try to stick to seasonal ingredients and recipes, allowing us to experiment with a wide array of flavours.” pinkladyrooftop.co.nz

SPRING FORWARD

Practise mindfulness in a whole new way. Leeya from Mikaku Tea runs regular workshops to celebrate the change of season and help guests explore themselves and wonderful teas at the same time. Each workshop starts with a settling exercise to prepare for intuitive tea blending, then an exploration of herbs, fruits and flowers so each guest can create their own unique tea blend. The workshop winds up with everyone experiencing the sensations, taste and smell of a Mikaku Tea blend and guided meditation session. You can also have your own Mikaku Tea experience at home – check the website for local suppliers and online orders. mikakutea.co.nz

MILKING IT

That blissful sip of your first weekday morning coffee just got even better. Grain Coffee in Southwark Street has recently started using Canterbury’s Choice A2 milk in its perfect brews, and it’s everything you want it to be: smooth, creamy, easier on the tummy… oh, and did we mention it’s super sustainable too? It comes in glass bottles, reducing waste in the café, and the farm is dedicated to planet- and cow-friendly practices, meaning no bobby calves, no palm kernel feed and no harmful sprays. Delicious coffee that’s better for everyone – sign us up! graincoffee.co.nz

WOOF TO THAT!

Celebration is synonymous with a toast. So why when everyone else gets a glass of something special do our best friends miss out? Thanks to Wigram Brewing Co, that social dilemma is a thing of the past. Now your good boy or girl can have a brew of their own. Be assured – Wigram’s Dog Beer contains no alcohol, hops or barley. No added salt either. Right from its launch, the brew has had a good reaction from dog owners. Wigram co-founder Paul McGurk says some are concerned at first about how healthy it is. Paul is reassuring there. “It has to be safe and it is. Mind you, how bad can it be – they lick their own arses don’t they?” wigrambrewing.co.nz

FLYING HIGH

With Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic already taking bookings for tourist trips into space, it’s only a matter of time before people will be wanting a celebratory tipple up there. Enter G.H. Mumm, which has already revealed the first Champagne designed for human spaceflight, with a foam that coats the mouth to combat the effects of zero gravity. Fancy something a little stronger? Scotland’s Ardbeg and Japan’s Suntory have experimented with sending their whiskies to space. No word yet on cigars.

TRIPLE SHOT TRIPLE WINNER

Espresso Studio’s trademark triple-shot coffees have amped up the Canterbury Hospitality Awards judges for the third year in a row, giving owner Fumi (pictured) his third gong for Outstanding Barista. And just like last time and the time before, he wasn’t expecting it, even though many of the loyal customers of his Riverside Market store were telling him he was a shoo-in. Fumi’s quick to share the love as well – to his mind, it’s the quality of the beans from Lyttelton Coffee Co. that give him the winning edge rather than quantity – “They just roast their beans so well.”

FB/espressostudiobyfushoken

THE WINE LIST

THE CRATER RIM FROM THE ASHES RIESLING 2020

Named for the fire that burnt the winery to the ground in 2009, this flaming good Riesling is fresh and fruity as a spring berry. thecraterrim.co.nz

PEGASUS BAY BEL CANTO

DRY RIESLING 2020

This spectacular drop is from the Reserve range and is, quite frankly, one of the best Rieslings in New Zealand.

pegasusbay.com

STRAIGHT 8 ESTATE

COPPER 8 RIESLING 2020

Very well priced and something a little different with its joyful tint. A medium Riesling best served fresh from the fridge. straight8estate.co.nz

50 BISTRO NEW ZEALAND | CENTRAL CITY

50 Bistro offers inspired bistro food with modern flavours, excellent wines and a great bar. Executive Chef Chanaka Jayabahu leads the kitchen team, designing seasonal menus that utilise the best local produce. The menu at 50 Bistro offers a large variety of dishes, featuring classics twisted with a unique 50 flair, and a 100% plant-focused menu is also available. 50 Bistro’s high teas are perfect for a catch up with friends, hens parties and special occasions.

AKSORN’S THAI KITCHEN THAI | BISHOPDALE

This fresh and exciting Thai restaurant is the new venture of the family behind well-known Edgeware restaurant Sema’s Thai Cuisine. Sema and his daughter Aksorn have joined forces to bring you all the traditional Thai flavours you know and love with a splash of unique flair. You’ll find beloved family recipes here, such as the special Pad Thai sauce and the famous hot and spicy Tom Yum Soup, as well as Aksorn’s own signature noodle soups and plenty of vegan and vegetarian options.

CRAFTED COFFEE CO. CAFÉ | RICCARTON

This premium roaster and café makes great coffee an art form, with several awards to prove it. The team love to share their knowledge, too, offering regular barista workshops, courses and coffee tastings to up your skills. Both the menu and cabinet are stacked with delicious snacks, from hot soups and zingy salads to the crowd favourite jalapeño sausage rolls, as well as vegan options. The café is now open every Saturday, perfect for a comfort food fuel stop on a busy weekend.

121 Blenheim Road, 03 348 4833 craftedcoffeecompany.co.nz

The George, 50 Park Terrace, 03 371 0250 50bistro.co.nz

281 Greers Road, 03 260 1214 aksornthai.co.nz

THE DISH

ASIAN FUSION | CENTRAL CITY

Attentive service and an inviting atmosphere is what you’ll find at The Dish. This sophisticated space is open for lunch and dinner, the perfect place to grab a meal before going to see a show at the Christchurch Town Hall. You’ll feel at home as you indulge in delicious fresh food, full of flavour and beautifully presented. Fully licensed with vegan and gluten free options available, it’s the perfect spot to create memories with friends and family.

FIDDLESTICKS RESTAURANT & BAR

NEW ZEALAND | CENTRAL CITY

Sophisticated, sociable and relaxed, Fiddlesticks is one of the city’s best retreats. This distinctive restaurant and bar provides an inviting atmosphere for whiling away some time. Dine al fresco and watch the street-side activity from the sheltered courtyard, or join friends in one of the intimate dining spaces. The talented kitchen crew provide delicious seasonal and local fare.

FRANCESCA’S ITALIAN KITCHEN

ITALIAN | CENTRAL CITY

Home to authentic Italian cuisine, whether it’s woodfired pizza, fresh hand-made gnocchi and tortelloni or the genuine, traditional version of your favourite Italian classic. Enjoy pre-theatre meals and special celebrations with a selection of Italian and New Zealand wines. Francesca’s new weekday lunch menu features Italian favourites at affordable prices, perfect for midweek indulgence.

149 Gloucester Street, 03 374 9790 fransitalianchristchurch.nz

376 Montreal Street, 03 925 9787 thedish.co.nz

48 Worcester Boulevard, 03 365 0533 fiddlesticksbar.co.nz

KUMO JAPANESE CUISINE JAPANESE | ADDINGTON

Renowned for authentic and delicious Japanese cuisine and for being the first Japanese restaurant to boast a sushi train in the city, Kumo is at the forefront of Japanese dining in Christchurch. With an assortment of dishes on the menu, you can dine on traditional sushi or take your pick from the selection of main dishes as well as highly tempting desserts.

MONA VALE HOMESTEAD & GARDENS RESTAURANT | FENDALTON

Order yourself a glass from Mona Vale’s growing selection of local wines to pair with the locally focused menu designed by Head Chef Keshan Sedara, or perhaps even indulge in the Mona Vale High Tea experience. Enjoy your meal al fresco on the patio and soak in the surrounds of the beautifully manicured gardens that overlook the Avon River. A perfect restaurant to feel relaxed with family and friends.

NO.4 BAR & RESTAURANT

NEW ZEALAND/COSY PUB | MERIVALE

This Merivale local has a lively atmosphere every day of the week. Take a seat in a candlelit corner, pull up the couch in the library, or celebrate with friends in one of the covered outdoor courtyards. When you’re comfortable, check out your dining options. Brimming with fresh, seasonal and locally sourced delights, the menu has earned No.4 a legendary reputation. Drop in for exceptionally good beer, food and stories.

351 Lincoln Road, 03 339 0886 kumo-cuisine.co.nz

4 Mansfield Avenue, 03 355 3720 no4bar.co.nz

40 Mona Vale Avenue, 03 341 7450, gather@monavale.nz monavale.nz

NORI TABLE SUSHI BAR | WOOLSTON/KAIAPOI

Fabulous sushi that is as appealing to the eye as it is to your taste buds is what you’ll find at Nori Table. With two beautifully modern locations in The Tannery and Kaiapoi, Nori Table is the ideal place to take time, whether it’s choosing from the incredible range of pick-your-own sushi or enjoying a laid-back lunch in the stylish surrounds. The huge array of options includes vegetarian alternatives, and Nori Table’s takeaway containers are eco friendly.

PEGASUS BAY WINERY WINERY | AMBERLEY

Taste a large range of estate-grown wines at Pegasus Bay’s cellar door, open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. When you start to feel peckish, the sophisticated Mini Deli has you covered. Grab a handwoven basket, choose from a range of local bites, add a glass (or bottle!) of your favourite drop and head out to the gardens to find your slice of paradise for the afternoon, or cosy up inside on the couches by the roaring open fire.

SOUTH TOWN CLUB CAFÉ | CENTRAL CITY

This hip spot is a champion of understated quality, with an ever-changing menu that offers an original take on traditional brunch. STC keeps it interesting through drool-worthy menu items such as giant cookies, Caribbean doubles, cornbread with salted maple butter, and breakfast dumplings. With a collection of local suppliers providing the very best ingredients, Coffee Supreme in the cups and excellent chat from the staff, you’ll find this a hard one to stay away from.

The Tannery, 3 Garlands Road, 03 925 9027 and 178D Williams Street, Kaiapoi, 03 925 8511 noritable.co.nz

263 Stockgrove Road, 03 314 6869, tasting@pegasusbay.com pegasusbay.com

10 Welles Street, southtownclub.co.nz

THE SPIRITS WORKSHOP SPIRITS/DISTILLERY | SYDENHAM

Best known for the fabulous Curiosity Gin and now the awardwinning Divergence Single Malt New Zealand Whisky, these distillers are certainly talented artisans. Pop in to The Spirits Workshop Distillery for a tasting or tour where you can see the stills, soak up the smells and enjoy your own gin and whisky masterclass – you’ll learn to talk the talk like a true expert. Buy gift vouchers online or give the friendly team a call to book your distillery experience.

STORY RESTAURANT | CENTRAL CITY

Located in Christchurch’s famous Spanish Mission architecture-styled New Regent Street, Story is a small social hub offering exquisite culinary fare by way of chef Shafeeq Ismail. Inspired by global cuisine and culture, the innovative set menu changes daily, using local produce for an end result that is fresh and full of flavour. With a wine menu boasting only local Canterbury wines, this light and classic space is perfect for a long, relaxed evening with friends.

TASTE @ TWENTY GOURMET FOOD STORE/CATERING | CASHMERE

taste @ twenty stocks a tempting array of fresh produce, Vic’s breads, Hummingbird espresso and beans, free-range eggs, and milk. The store also offers its own range of pestos, hummus, aioli, and some say the best coffee in Christchurch. Everything is made with love and a smile. Catering is also available, from finger food for your function to tasty treats for your work shout.

11 Sandyford Street, 021 336 416 thespiritsworkshop.co.nz

8 New Regent Street, 03 261 9441 storynz.com

20 Colombo Street, 03 982 1399 FB/tasteattwenty

TOMI JAPANESE RESTAURANT JAPANESE | ST ALBANS

Immerse yourself in some culture from the Tomi family as you dine on traditional Japanese cuisine. Tomi has a wide range of Japanese sake and a comprehensive wine list, and offers a delicious selection of authentic speciality Japanese dishes. The menu boasts a range of flavour delights, from stunning sashimi to house-made ice cream, and the warm ambience and gracious hosts will keep you coming back for more.

TOWN TONIC RESTAURANT | ADDINGTON

Town Tonic is an innovative and contemporary eatery that prides itself on serving creative food using only the freshest locally sourced produce. Whether it’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner, the bistro-style open kitchen lets diners experience the action as the culinary team work their magic. The food is complemented by an extensive list of fine wines, craft beer, delicious cocktails and a dedicated gin menu with over 20 different drops to choose from.

TWENTY SEVEN STEPS EUROPEAN | CENTRAL CITY

Serving dinner, drinks and love on New Regent Street since 2015, Twenty Seven Steps now introduces Downstairs, a wine bar underneath the popular restaurant. Here you can try a slow braise or one of the 40 glass pours with a side of chips, while upstairs you can indulge in rustic, Euro-inspired fare like fillet steak and crème brûlée. The restaurant is open Tuesday-Saturday from 5pm, while Downstairs is open WednesdaySaturday from 4pm, and Sundays from 2pm.

76 Edgeware Road, 03 377 8028 tomi.co.nz

335 Lincoln Road, 03 338 1150 towntonic.com, IG/towntonic_

16 New Regent Street, 03 366 2727 twentysevensteps.co.nz

Success over excess

How can we survive the celebration season without undoing a year’s worth of healthy living and exercise? Bevan James Eyles has some tips.

We’ve got to think about our approach to the holiday period.

Unfortunately for a lot of people they think because it’s my holiday I get to drink every night, I get to eat a bit more and so on. We want to remove ourselves from this idea. I had a client who put on 10kg during the three or four weeks of the holiday period. That’s a massive cost. It took him several months to get back to fitness.

We need an attitude of this being a maintenance period with moments of excess. For most people the holiday period is not a time when we are aiming to get fit. Instead, we want to add the least cost for this period. Instead of lots of drinking, eating excessively and so on you might say that two nights a week I will have that excess but outside of that I want to stay within healthy criteria.

It’s really challenging because often on holiday we live a smorgasbord lifestyle. Eating is all over the place. We go back for seconds and go back for thirds. Think about putting a strategy in place. Make sure you are the last to fill up your plate, and then when you are finished put your plate away. This will mean you don’t get to that excessive place.

One thing we have during holidays is that we are time-rich. So if you don’t do any exercise, this is a time when you can. It doesn’t have to be crazy, just every day maybe go for a walk. You can

embrace nature and your surroundings. The key thing is just get out there and move. Do that over the summer period and then see how you can keep it in place once you come back to work.

One good idea is to create a holiday fitness challenge. Runners,

for example, can look at a three-level challenge. Level one is to run 20 kilometres a week, level two is 40 kilometres and level three is 60. Choose the level you want and then run that distance over seven days. Mix it up. If you choose level one, get there with a 10k run and two 5k runs. Make it work in a way that fits for you.

If your exercise routine is more gym-based, you won’t have the equipment but again you can put some kind of challenge in place. For example, say to yourself “I’m away for three weeks so over that time I’m going to try to do 2000 press-ups, 2000 burpees, 2000 squats, 2000 sit-ups.” Like the running challenge, you get a lot of freedom over when you do this so it’s still exciting. And at the end of your holiday you have maintained a base level.

What I find good is to understand the ‘why’ of your holiday. For me, it’s to unwind and recharge. During the year I am up early every morning so on holiday I sleep in every morning. That’s a real treat for me. My ‘why’ is to unwind, have some cool experiences and enjoy reconnecting. Yours will be different to mine. You just need to find it for yourself.

Christchurch fitness coach Bevan James Eyles is the author of I Will Make You Passionate About Exercise (Mary Egan Publishing).

‘One good idea is to create a holiday fitness challenge.’