Cityscape Summer 20/21

CHRISTCHURCH CURATED | SUMMER 20/21 It’s celebration time! We’re celebrating the weather (get outdoors and hike), the giving season (gift guides galore), and the absolutely outstanding city Christchurch has become. This issue, we’re looking back on a wild decade and looking forward to the events, happenings and wicked wee businesses opening up in Ōtautahi.

CONTENTS Summer 20/21

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28 26 In the groove The Black Seeds' Daniel Weetman jams on summer.

28 I Q&A: Gill Gatfield on feminism, activism and art.

32 Get festy Cityscape's hot picks for a season of festival fun.

38 Best of summer Hit the hills, trails, campsites and river for a Canterbury outdoor adventure.

45 Ōtautahi's 'teens Cityscape reflects on one helluva decade.

10 Word on the street Tip-offs, trends and more.

46 Fall + rise Filmmaker Gerard Smyth talks chronicling Christchurch.

12 Meet the local Tom Newfield, restaurateur and rooftop bar enthusiast.

48 2000 days How Re:START kept the heart of Ōtautahi beating.

16 The Gift Guide Cityscape has been about town finding the best of year-round gifts.

56 Museums, masterpieces & matagouri Anthony Wright on life, history and art.

67 Getting up The street artists shaping Ōtautahi's post-quake identity.

Culture 20 Your summer of amazing music, laughs and arts.

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25 House of taonga 150 years of treasures at Canterbury Museum.

Food & Drink

73 Yakitori Story Review: The Drifting Table.

Note to readers 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!

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CONTENTS CONTINUED

74 Choice as choices!

Our pick of the best plantbased eats in the garden city.

78 In pizza we crust Slicing through some irresistible pizza.

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80 #drinklocal From beer to 'booch, check out these local bevvies.

85 Chicken this out CFC: Christchurch fried chicken.

Fashion & Wellbeing 108 The fashion frontier Stylist Lou Heller on what's hitting our wardrobes in 2021.

110 Fashion edit Hot looks for balmy weather.

111 A history of brilliance Vikki George on the stories behind Rocabella's jewellery.

113 Fashion for the boys Semi-formal menswear.

121 Well into the '20s What to expect in the next decade of wellness.

Home & Lifestyle 133 Hot property With Mary Turnbull.

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135 Sea views & succulents Coastal garden tips.

141 Entertain me Films, books, streaming, music and podcasts.

144 The last word Infinite Definite's Jono Moran.

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CHRISTCHURCH CURATED | SUMMER 20/21 CHRISTCHURCH CURATED | SUMMER 20/21

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CITYSCAPE MAGAZINE Summer 20/21 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & PUBLISHER

Andrea Rickerby GROUP EDITOR

Jamie Small CREATIVE

Tristan Brehaut DEPUTY EDITOR PHOTO: SUSANNAH BLATCHFORD

Helen Glenny

I

've got a confession to make – I did not grow up in Christchurch, though I have been a frequent visitor over the years. I settled here because the city grabbed my imagination – it is an ever-changing place with excellent eateries, theatres, access to nature and fantastic people.

When I arrived in early 2016, the city centre was a very different place from what I see now. I worked in a CBD office block, and there was very little choice in nearby eateries or bars. The ten-minute walk to Re:START for the occasional bing or souvlaki took me past a dilapidated hotel, empty lots and construction sites – usually over road-coned footpaths next to bogged-down traffic or closed roads.

What we have just four years later is cityscape.co.nz

extraordinary and worthy of celebration: a vibrant core of businesses, international and creative food choices, buzzing bars, and artful public spaces that just keep getting better. In this issue we explore some of Ōtautahi’s milestones and stories from a decade of earthquake rebuild. We celebrate the city’s evolving culture, its abundant and diverse art, the people that have shaped and chronicled Christchurch’s recovery, and some of the places that make it truly special. I absolutely cannot wait to see what the next decade brings for this city, which I now call home.

Jamie Small editor@somocreative.co.nz

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EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Eva Urlwin ACCOUNT MANAGERS

Derek Thorp Uran Ormandy ACCOUNTS ADMINISTRATOR

Claire Ross ON THE COVER

Daniel Weetman is hitting the Christchurch festivals scene with The Black Seeds.

Photo: Nick Paulsen 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 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

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We take sustainability seriously Our printing partners are Enviro-Mark Diamond certified and exceed the requirements of ISO 14001, one of the World’s best known environmental standards. PAPER: Cityscape is printed on paper sourced from sustainable forestry which is covered by PEFC1 and FSC2 certifications. PEFC and FSC are not-for-profit organisations promoting sustainable and responsible forest management. PEFC and FSC certifications cover over 539 million hectares of forest globally (roughly 20 x the area of New Zealand). INKS: Cityscape is printed with inks based on vegetable oil and fatty acid alkyl-esters (modified vegetable oils) containing less than 1% non-renewable mineral oil. WASTE: Any waste water coming from the production process is treated and remains well within New Zealand’s strict environmental requirements. All waste paper, right down to the smallest offcut, is captured through extraction systems for recycling.

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IMAGE: CHRISTCHURCHNZ.COM

DR ASHLEY BLOOMFIELD

ELECTRIC AVENUE. IMAGE: SHOTBYLAUREN

Best. Year. Everrr.

2021 is gonna be the best year

ever! Just like how we said 2020 was gonna be the best year ever.

Well, at the very least we learned a bunch about things like boardgames, sourdough starters, looking out for our neighbours, Dr Bloomfield (rrrrrrrr), Zooming with buddies (including ones you definitely wouldn’t have seen otherwise), working in comfy clothes, the unfettered joy of talking like a Star Wars character while wearing a mask, and the

privilege of being in a country that’s relatively got its shit together. Yeah, okay, sometimes you’ve just got to eat your words and we’re ready to admit we were a bit premature with our predictions 365-odd days ago, but we’re pretty confident 2021 is actually the big one. You’ve just got to visualise it, right? We’re visualising a long and warm summer with enough rain to keep the gardens green and the water flowing; wicked festivals bringing

us homegrown music, kai and the best of Kiwi booze; a mint ski season; great travel and accommodation deals in those stunning parts of Aotearoa we hadn’t quite got around to ticking off; even more primo places opening up in central Christchurch and; God willing, more comely and devoted government bureaucrats for the masses to drool over on TV. Life is what we make it, so get out there and make 2021 the best it can be for all of us.

WE’RE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT WE GET FROM ADVERTISERS - ALL THE WONDERFUL CHRISTCHURCH BUSINESSES, FROM BAKERIES TO BIKE SHOPS, THAT WE GET TO RAVE ABOUT IN THE PAGES OF CITYSCAPE. 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. 08

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Word on the Street TIP-OFFS, TRENDS & MORE

RIVERSIDE DRINKS

CURIOSITY DELIGHTED THE CAT

THE HIGH LIFE Christchurch’s new

rooftop bar is giving us an opportunity to escape life’s street-level madness and feel the wind in our hair. On the roof of The Muse Hotel, and named for the hotel’s pink sunset glow, The Pink Lady Rooftop is all about the views. Created by the team behind Welles Street, Earl, and Bottle + Stone, Pink Lady is giving us that ‘stepping off the plane in a foreign city’ vibe. Let’s face it, watching the sun set over the hills on a warm summer’s night with a cold margarita in hand? We’ll see you there. pinkladyrooftop.co.nz

As if Riverside Market wasn’t already irresistible, Curiosity Gin has set up an awesome little cocktail bar inside its tastebudtingling hall. Try the gin flight – five mini G&Ts with garnishes to suit each flavour, or the crew can whip you up a delicious cocktail. thespiritsworkshop.co.nz

ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE

SUMMER SHAKESPEARE AT MONA VALE: AS YOU LIKE IT An annual tradition in Christchurch, Summer Shakespeare at Mona Vale is a perfect reason to pack a picnic, bring a rug and a couple of cushions and settle on the gently sloping lawn in the beautiful surrounds of the Mona Vale gardens. If you don’t have the time or inclination to pack a picnic of your own, you can order hampers from the Mona Vale Homestead. As You Like It is a crowdpleasing comedy, featuring unrequited love, mistaken identity and cross-dressing.

Mona Vale, Wed 9 – Sun 20 Dec, FB/thirdbear

Connect with us

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WORD ON THE STREET

MEET THE LOCAL Tom Newfield is the brains

behind some of Christchurch’s best hospo haunts: Welles Street pub, Earl bistro, Welder Events and Bottle + Stone. He’s currently working on a views-fordays new rooftop bar called The Pink Lady, and if his track record is anything to go by, it’s set to be our favourite new summer drinking spot.

O

ut of your many venues and establishments, do you have a favourite? Aww, that’s like asking who your favourite child is. I set out to create diverse venues, each with their own distinct voice, personality, and place within the city’s hospitality landscape, and each are very special to me and have features that contribute to the vibrant culture we are trying to create. You’ve got an enviable

track record – are you lucky or is it all about hard work? I am lucky in that I have an incredible team and together we all work very hard.

What’s on the cards for 2021?

2020 threw us all enough curve balls and taught us to expect the unexpected, so whatever comes our way, I am sure we will be ready for it.

In saying that, we have a few exciting things up our sleeves.

Why did you choose hospo as a career? The people, the energy and of course, the food. You live in the central city, right? What do you love about that? I do and I love it! I love how it grows into its own a little more each day. I love having my favourite go–to spots and getting to know the people that work there and having them wave out to you on the street as you walk past each day. If you hadn’t gotten into this business, what would you be doing? Providing it involved dealing with great people each day, I am sure I would be happy.

“I LOVE HAVING MY FAVOURITE GO–TO SPOTS AND GETTING TO KNOW THE PEOPLE THAT WORK THERE.”

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What are three key elements to a truly tasty dish? Fresh produce, a passion for what you’re making, and good company to enjoy it with. Olive oil, lemon and salt help too. What’s your guilty pleasure? Rosé. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given? The answer is always no if you don’t ask the question.

I can’t leave the house without…

Making my bed. It starts the day off right, and if all else fails throughout the day, at least you achieved something and can come home to some order. Have you read any good books lately? At the moment I am reading a great book by Danny Meyer, a New York City restaurateur who I admire. What do you think Christchurch needs the most?

A rooftop bar… What excites you about Christchurch in the summer?

Walking Godley Head, checking out local wineries for lunch, kicking back at the festivals and sipping spritzes in the sunshine (at said rooftop bar).

What are you binge-watching at the moment? I have very little time (or patience) to sit and watch TV, but I have finally got on the Schitt’s Creek bandwagon, and any cooking show is usually my go-to. 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: Take them to Earl bistro for lunch. A half-day: A pub crawl, starting off with a margarita on tap at Welles Street, a slice of pizza and Aperol at Bottle + Stone, then catch the sunset with a Fortune Favours beer at The Pink Lady Rooftop Bar. 24 hours: Brunch at The Residency, a walk through the CBD and Botanic Gardens, and an afternoon drinking wine in North Canterbury and swimming somewhere around Banks Peninsula. The evening would be chilled, perhaps a BBQ with the family - I like to cook (and I’ll make them do the dishes!). Where do you go to get away from it all?

My family has a holiday home an hour up the coast, it’s pretty special for a getaway to reset. eastblockhospitality.co.nz

WORD ON THE STREET

ON THE NOSE You can now create your own scent with the help of a professional perfumer in a fabulous space at the Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora. Professor Conan Fee teaches fragrance design at the University of Canterbury, so he knows how to make things smell sensational. He’s recently opened Fragranzi with his partner Glenda Evans, probably to fulfil all our childhood dreams.

Choose your own starter blend and then modify it to create your own bespoke scent. Follow your instinct and create your perfect concoction. fragranzi.co.nz

SETTING SAIL Anchors away! Karen Walker’s fabulous new jewellery range has set sail. Dubbed ‘The Navigator’, the collection is a nod to her childhood spent tootling around in boats on the Hauraki Gulf. It features all things nautical; a ship’s bell, a fully-functional captain’s whistle, and a charming wee fishing lure, as well as a seahorse and an anchor wrapped in rope. Karen’s also reimagined her iconic Runaway Girl, this time toting a sailor's cap, plimsoll shoes and a nautical burgee over her shoulder instead of her classic stick and bindle. karenwalker.com

CENTRAL CITY LIVING

NEW NAILS AND BEAUTY

NEW LYTTELTON EATS

These renders will soon be a reality as Fletcher Living builds more modern homes in One Central - the Manchester Street-adjacent development that's fast filling up with professionals, families and those wanting to be close to the action of Christchurch's burgeoning 'urban suburb' with playgrounds, awesome food and nightlife. fletcherliving.co.nz

A new beauty oasis has opened in Merivale Mall, and this is one to wash all your worries away. BHAVA is a bespoke nail bar offering a full suite of manicures, pedicures, and nail enhancement treatments. For now, these feel-good experts are focusing on nails, but keep an eye out: BHAVA is rolling out beauty treatments come early 2021. bhava.co.nz

Beloved post-earthquake pop-up pizza place Arbour is opening in a permanent new home in Lyttelton.

The quirky space features a 120-year-old reclaimed boat as its bar. With a focus on sustainability, Arbour serves a seasonal menu made using local produce. Arbour will also be a wicked live music venue and community space. arbourbar.co.nz

HOME CONCEPTS

BLISS OUT AT BHAVA

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‘ARBOURSIDE PIZZA

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THE GIFT GUIDE

SUBTLE LITTLE SOMETHINGS, SILLY SEASON SELECTIONS, AND SIGNIFICANT SPLURGES FOR THE SPECIAL SOMEBODIES IN YOUR LIFE, ALL YEAR ROUND.

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10 1 Freya Jewel Cove High Apex Bikini Top (RRP $84.99) and High Leg Brief (RRP $69.99) from The Fitting Room 2 Gioielliamo White Diamond Flower Ring (RRP $2,489) from Roccabella 3 Galapagos Game – Pocket Version (RRP $119) from Roccabella 4 Megan Prendergast Painting (RRP $480) from The General Store 5 Sophie Conran Ceramic Bird Feeder (RRP $49.90) from Cosi Fan Tutte 6 Four Gin Explorer Pack ($49) from The Spirits Workshop 7 Phantom Duffle (RRP $999) from Deadly Ponies 8 Haydenshapes X Superette Surfboard (RRP $1599) from Superette 9 House of Treasures (RRP $69.99) from University Bookshop 10 Sea-Doo Spark (from $10,299) from Action Powersports

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21 11 MINI Penny Skateboard (RRP $217) from Christchurch MINI Garage 12 Stelton EM Press Coffee Maker (RRP $189) from Infinite Definite 13 Lexon Mino X Floating Bluetooth Speaker (RRP $79) from Infinite Definite 14 Bennetto Toasted Hazelnut Chocolate (RRP $7.50) from Ballantynes 15 Hearts On Fire Classic Bezel Solitaire Pendant 0.25ct (RRP $2895) from Roccabella 16 Gioielliamo Black/White/Chocolate Diamond Rings (RRP from $2825) from Roccabella 17 LAMY AL-star Fountain Pen (RRP $75) from Pepa Stationery 18 Rifle Paper Co. Wildwood Linen Journal (RRP $44.90) from Pepa Stationery 19 Wild Kinship by Monique Hemmingson (RRP $60) from Pepa Stationery 20 Surmanti Pear & Passionflower Bath & Spa Salt (RRP $28) from Court Florist 21 Untouched World Kite Stud Earrings (RRP $189) from Untouched World 22 BMW 118i Alpine White (RRP from $57,300) from Christchurch BMW

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1 Make your own perfume experience voucher (RRP $45) from Fragranzi 2 French Market Basket with Deluxe Coloured Handle (RRP $66.90) from The Potagers 3 Three Boys 2 Litre Mini Keg Growler (RRP $60) from Three Boys Brewery 4 Sony Digital Camera ZV-1 (RRP $1,499.95) from Sony 5 Fanfare Wall Work, 2014 by Neil Dawson (RRP $5,000) from SCAPE Public Art 6 Lexon Tykho 3 FM & Bluetooth Speaker (RRP $149) from Infinite Definite 7 Xbox Series X (pre-order $799) from JB Hi-Fi 8 PlayStation 5 (pre-order $819) from JB Hi-Fi 9 Guided Kayaking Experience from Christchurch Sea Kayaking 10 First on the Antarctic Continent by C.E. Borchgrevink (RRP $1800) from Adventure Books 11 Ginger&Me Barefoot & Silky Duo (RRP $75) from Probeauty

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THE GIFT GUIDE

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21 12 Double Edge Blade Print by Joel Hart (RRP $425) from Fiksate Gallery 13 Pottery For The Planet Cups (RRP $39 each) from Food for Thought 14 Classic World Rocket Base (RRP $190) from Collective 15 Raine & Humble Door Stopper (RRP $34) from The Potagers 16 Wolfkamp & Stone Enamel Mug (RRP $19.90) from The General Store 17 Waterborne Experiences from Airborn Paddling 18 Alsace Grande Chalet Tea Light House (RRP $89.90) from The Potagers 19 Inspired by Nature by Hans Blomquist (RRP $49.99) from University Bookshop 20 RONE (RRP $65) from The Colombo Bookshop 21 Klippan Rug, Himalaya Sea Blue (RRP $575) from Cosi Fan Tutte

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Culture

PEGASUS BAY VINE RUN The January 31 Vine Run at Pegasus Bay Winery is a beautiful excuse to get your running shoes on and enjoy some gorgeous scenery. vinerun.co.nz

SIX60 SATURDAYS

VAN GOGH ALIVE

After wowing punters on Wellington’s waterfront in August 2020, the wildly popular Van Gogh Alive exhibition is returning to Christchurch in 2021.

Make no mistake – this is no ordinary art exhibition.

Van Gogh’s art has been enjoyed around the world for over a century, but you’ve never experienced Farmhouse in Provence, Wheatfield with Crows or The Starry Night quite like this. Setting aside traditions of walking silently through galleries and observing art in quiet contemplation, Van Gogh Alive is a multisensory experience designed to give the feeling of walking right into the Dutch master’s paintings. Visitors are surrounded by a vibrant symphony of light, colour, sound and even fragrance, indulging the senses and bringing visual masterpieces to life as never before.

Air Force Museum of New Zealand, from Friday 19 Feb, livenation.co.nz

On an art mission? Check out our recommendations for great local galleries to support (page 66), and tell them you found them in Cityscape.

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SUMMER ENTERTAINMENT

SUNDAY BEST

What better way to enjoy a long, warm summer Sunday than relaxing (or dancing) on the lawn of the Botanic Gardens and treating your ears to some sweet New Zealand music. Ben & Jerry’s Lazy Sundays are on from February 7 to March 14 and feature such excellent homegrown acts as Mousey, Scrooge and King Tubbs. ccc.govt.nz/lazysundays

SIX60 are setting the tone for summer with a tour of their successful Saturdays show, coming to Christchurch February 6. six60.co.nz

COMEDY BAR

LITTLE RIVER A&P SHOW This annual event will showcase the best of what local farmers, growers and producers have to offer on January 23, with food, shows, arts and crafts. littlerivershow.org.nz

CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Summer 20/21

GOOD LAUGHS Your dedicated home of comedy in Ōtautahi Christchurch. It’s been a helluva year and frankly the good folks at Good Times Comedy Club need your support to keep the doors open and the guffaws gushing. So find the club on Facebook and get to some falloff-your-chair hilarious gigs with local comics and special guests.

FB/GoodTimesComedyClub

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CULTURE

SUMMER ENTERTAINMENT

GLOBETROTTING GUFFAWS An essential fixture on the Christchurch summer calendar, the Anthony Harper Summer Theatre season presents a laugh-out-loud adaptation of classic 1872 travel adventure, Around the World in 80 Days. Bring a rug and some snacks to watch the crazy escapades unfold in beautiful Botanic Gardens this January. ccc.govt.nz/summertheatre

KAYAKING

SUMMER ENTERTAINMENT

Christchurch Sea Kayaking offers a tranquil way to experience the best of Christchurch from the waters of the Ōtākaro/Avon River. These fully guided tours are led by a friendly and experienced local who will share stories of the history and culture of the area, and three tour options will satisfy both the casual paddler and the more adventurous. christchurchseakayaking.com

Bring the family along to Victoria Square this January for some top-quality musical entertainment with Symphony in the City.

Performances include much-loved children’s tale Peter and the Wolf, the cruisy cool of the ‘50s with The Latin Lounge, and a celebration of popular blockbuster soundtracks with Music of the Movies. ccc.govt.nz/whatson

CRUISING IN STYLE

SWEET SUMMER SOUNDS

ART GALLERY

HOUSE OF WINDSOR Windsor Gallery in the central city is a light, bright and relaxing space that has been in Christchurch for over 100 years. Owners Philip and Tracey describe their space as ‘the people’s gallery’, with art to intrigue all tastes from abstract to landscape photography. The gallery holds works from over 30 artists, including Joel Hart, Andris Apse, Anneke Bester, Svetlana Orinko, and Ivan Clarke’s Lonely Dog series. Windsor Gallery also offers a high quality picture framing service. windsorgallery.co.nz

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CULTURE

CANTERBURY MUSEUM Attraction | Central City

Canterbury Museum showcases the natural history of Canterbury and stories of the people who have made their home here. The museum houses a world-class collection and regularly stages temporary local and international exhibitions. The Antarctic Gallery is a must-see, featuring vehicles from Sir Edmund Hillary’s Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition. A gift shop and café are on site.

Rolleston Avenue, 03 366 5000 canterburymuseum.com

FIKSATE

Art gallery | Central City

Fiksate Gallery is New Zealand’s only specialist urban contemporary art gallery. The gallery offers original artworks from leading New Zealand urban artists alongside a handpicked selection of international talent.

Moving to a new location in the new year, the gallery showcases diverse artworks that vary from abstract to portraiture, prints to sculpture and everything in between. Fiksate also offers a comprehensive custom framing service. fiksate.com, FB/Fiksate

RICCARTON MARKET Market | Riccarton

From humble beginnings as a car boot market, The Riccarton Rotary Market is now Christchurch’s largest with over 200 stalls. Every Sunday from 9am-2pm you’ll find a huge range of New Zealand-made artisan goods, fresh produce and flowers, a great range of eclectic collectibles, and food from around the world.

With free parking and local entertainment on stage, Riccarton Market has something for everyone, and everything for someone.

165 Racecourse Road, 03 339 0011 riccartonmarket.co.nz

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CULTURE ORCHESTRAL-ELECTRO SPECTACULAR

SYNTHONY

For a live music experience that gives you chills, gets you dancing and just plain blows your mind, don’t miss the unbeatable collaboration of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra with DJs, vocalists and some incredible visuals set to some of the biggest dance hits of the last 30 years. Expect lasers, pyrotechnics, sizzling solos and the likes of Pink Floyd’s ‘Another Brick in the Wall’ and Darude's ‘Sandstorm’.

Christchurch Arena, Sat 20 Mar, premier.ticketek.co.nz

THEATRE

EQUINE SPORTS

You’ve almost certainly sung along to Frankie Valli’s classic hit ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’, and in this production of award-winning musical Jersey Boys, you’ll get to learn the story behind his band The Four Seasons.

The Court Theatre, until Fri 22 Jan, courttheatre.org.nz

Trot out your inner aristocrat with this unique opportunity to experience the exhilarating sport of polo right in the heart of the city – featuring a faster-paced, contemporary spin on traditional polo that will have you on the edge of your seat. As well as the sport, there will be live music, food, drink and fashion to enjoy on the day. You can even try a bit of 'polo' yourself on the sideline.

Hagley Park, Sat 20 Feb, urbanpolo.co.nz

JERSEY BOYS

LEXUS URBAN POLO

AIRBORN PADDLING

Paddleboarding | Central City

Getting Airborn means excitement for life, or fear for it. Airborn is on the edge, over moving water and at the mercy of airflows, engulfed by the elements. When you glide on Airborn’s (solid inflatable) equipment, seeing the cityscape by peering over the banks, the Airborn buzz is strong. Take Te Tuna Heke, ‘The Eel’s Pathway’, Aotearoa’s first through-city stand-up paddle journey, or try your first strokes with Punchy Paddle-Play for starters.

Edmonds Band Rotunda, Oxford Terrace, 022 031 8420 airbornpaddling.nz

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CULTURE

HOUSE OF TAONGA

IMAGES: JANE USSHER

An unusually coloured kākāpō, a Tasmanian tiger acquired in a trade, and a once-stolen Mongolian helmet are among the rare treasures on display to celebrate Canterbury Museum’s 150th anniversary.

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2 1 – YELLOW KĀKĀPŌ Kākāpō are the world’s only living flightless parrots. Once common throughout New Zealand, they are now critically endangered and survive only on three small predatorfree islands. This specimen, held at Canterbury Museum, is entirely yellow instead of the usual green, due to a bird pigment mutation known as ino.

2 – ROALD AMUNDSEN’S POCKET KNIFE

3 – CONSTANCE STEWART’S FLYING OVERALLS

Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen beat Captain Robert Falcon Scott to the South Pole by just five weeks, reaching his destination on December 14, 1911.

When the Norwegians reached the pole they scratched the location – written in Norwegian – and date into trinkets, including this knife.

Lady Constance Stewart was one of New Zealand’s first female aviators. She gained her pilot’s licence in December 1930, when aeroplanes were uncommon in New Zealand, let alone women pilots. These overalls were made for Lady Stewart by Hallenstein Brothers.

4 - MONGOLIAN HELMET This rare helmet was made for a renowned warlord on the plains of Mongolia. Made from intricately designed iron work, it would originally have been inlaid with gold and silver as befitted a high-ranking officer in the armies of conqueror Genghis Khan.

Canterbury Museum’s doors first opened on October 1, 1870, and over the past 150 years its collection has swelled from 25,000 items to more than 2.3 million.

To celebrate the anniversary, Canterbury Museum is releasing House of Treasures: 150 Objects from Canterbury Museum Ngā Taonga Tuku Iho, a book showcasing some of the museum’s most incredible artefacts. The volume’s items include 31 rarely-seen pieces that are currently on display in the museum for a limited time. canterburymuseum.com

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5 – THYLACINE The now-extinct thylacine or Tasmanian tiger is a tragic part of Australian natural history. The thylacine was persecuted as a supposed pest, and the last known thylacine died in captivity at Hobart Zoo in 1936, 59 days after the species was added to the protected wildlife list.

CULTURE

IN THE GROOVE Reggae summertime legends The Black Seeds are playing Christchurch into the new year at Hagley Park on December 31.

Singer and percussionist Daniel Weetman tells Cityscape about life in a band that spans two decades and many members.

A

re you recording a new album? Yeah, we’ve been working on ideas separately because of Covid and being in different parts of the country. So we’ve come into the studio and we’re making some progress. Has that been quite different to your normal musical creation process? It’s always been a little bit of working on your own demos and then bringing them to the band and doing that together, so it hasn’t been too different. The period of time has just been longer with that separation. But there’s always a positive and we’ve had more time to write and come up with more ideas.

What does music mean to you? I think music can be therapeutic, and I’ve wanted to be a musician and played music since I was eight years old. I feel really enthusiastic about the music we’re making and it reaffirms to me why we do this. When you make a song, the song takes off, it does its own thing. It’s like releasing a little kid into the world. Do you have to have a pretty good relationship to work with so many people for so long? Yeah you really do. Like any relationship, you can step on people’s toes, and I think we work that out pretty fast, not that it happens that much. Just having a respect for each other, and I think with a bigger band you’ve got different people to hang out with if someone’s not having a good day. The Black Seeds have done eight studio albums, a few live albums and released nearly 80 studio-recorded songs.

Do you have a favourite baby? Performing live I like doing ‘Rotten Apple’, I sing that one and it’s a cool heavy feel. It’s not your

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straight-up kind of reggae track but it still has those elements in it. That’s probably one of my babies. There are many others. Do you feel like the sound of the band is evolving?

I think with Barney’s [Barnaby Weir] writing he’s really gone into another gear. At the end of the day we’re just trying to write some good songs that mean something to us, some good grooves. And if that ends up being a progression of our sound, fantastic.

Do you produce any other art? I do my own art and that’s something that I enjoy. I did an album cover for the Seeds, Fabric – the

CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Summer 20/21

TOP: DAVID JAMES ABOVE: WILL MOORE

‘AT THE END OF THE DAY WE’RE JUST TRYING TO WRITE SOME GOOD SONGS THAT MEAN SOMETHING TO US, SOME GOOD GROOVES.’

IMAGE: NICK PAULSEN

DAN'S SUMMER JAMS AceTones ‘Goliath’ Liam Bailey ‘Champion’ Lee 'Scratch' Perry feat. Brian Eno ‘Here Come The Warm Dreads’ M.I.A. ‘It Takes a Muscle’ Ladi6 ‘Beffy’ Santigold ‘Disparate Youth’ D.R.A.M. ‘Cha Cha‘ Theon Cross ‘Activate’ M-Beat feat.

General Levy ‘Incredible’ Tame Impala ‘One More Year’

artwork on that is a paper collage. Just recently I got a piece of my work blown up for display in Avondale. I do a lot of DJing where I incorporate percussion and my vocals, and I sometimes dress up and pretend to be different funny characters if the gig suits. And I’m slowly chipping away at some solo stuff. The priority is doing Seeds stuff right now. Do you feel like your time in The Black Seeds has shaped you as a person? It’s been over 20 years. It’s taught me a lot of things about who I am, where I sit in the world, which I still think about. What sort of message I’m wanting to put out there and the privilege to have that position. Being in this band has for sure changed my life, maybe in more ways than I actually realise, but I think always for the positive. It’s taught me about working with other people. And how have you shaped The Black Seeds? I put a lot of energy into live performance and entertaining in a physical way. When it comes to writing, I’m a bit more of a darker side with my content but I think that sort of gets balanced out by what Barney writes as well.

You’re playing The Edge NYE20 in Christchurch. What are you looking forward to there? Christchurch has always been really good to us over the years, so we’re looking forward to doing that show. And being an all-age show it’s a great opportunity – there’s a lot of kids out there who we get messages

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from because they can’t see our shows because they’re R18, so these sort of shows are great. Dillastrate are an awesome band, I’m keen to check them out and catch up with those guys. And Dolphin Friendly, they’ll be great to check out, I’ve heard good things about them. We’re just looking forward to playing and bringing a good party – it will only be our second gig this year. Then you’re back a month later for the Great Kiwi Beer Festival. Will that be quite a different style of gig? Definitely. Beer is involved. Those shows are cool as well. The challenge is entertaining and delivering. New Year’s is going to be late night, and Beer Fest will be in the afternoon, so bringing the party at that time is going to be cool. We’ve done Beer Fest before and they get a little bit loose and it's always a good vibe. What music do you listen to? Because I do the DJing, I’m trying to just hunt tracks I can sing over and add my percussion to in a live set. So in a way it’s kind of hindered my exploring of what’s coming up. And sometimes I’m just reverting back to rock music, you know, I just want to listen to some new Tool and going back to Soundgarden and stuff like that. Who’s a Kiwi musician on your radar we should be keeping an eye on? There’s a friend of mine, Paul the Kid. He was in a band called Night Gaunts. I just saw a post of his, he’s been rehearsing to do some new music and one of his tunes is great.

The Edge NYE20, Hagley Park, Thu 31 Dec theblackseeds.com

CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Summer 20/21

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GLASS CEILING (NZ AOTEAROA) 2020

C

an you tell us about Suffragette and the time it alludes to? The Suffragette sculpture reflects the power and poise of 19th Century activists who won the vote for women and the right for women to be legally described as a ‘person’. Up until then, women in New Zealand were more or less the legal property of men. There is added meaning in showing this work in Christchurch with its deep history and strong leadership in the women’s suffrage movement. It holds the gaze and initiates the conversation, like I

first nation to grant women the right to vote. You’ve displayed art in Christchurch before and after the earthquakes, and recently visited the city. How do you think it has evolved, physically and artistically over that time? When I’m in Christchurch I see a city of warmth, resilience, and creativity.

Like others from out of town, I kept getting lost after the earthquakes in the unrecognisable built landscape, and I’m still confused by the one-way streets. But the heart of Christchurch for me feels strong and intact. There is a clear sense of

I

underpin many of these big art projects. It’s a formula for success that other cities across the motu could adopt. What do you like to get up to in Christchurch? There are amazing trees beside the Avon and in Hagley Park that create patterns in the sky when lying underneath them, and unexpected treasures in the Canterbury Museum that set my imagination into gear. How have international audiences responded differently when you display your art overseas? In Europe, audiences tap into a different art history to ours,

Artist Gill Gatfield’s works are exhibited around Aotearoa and the world, including her work Suffragette on display in Christchurch at SCAPE’s Studio 125 Gallery. She sculpts a narrative of feminism, activism and art with Cityscape. imagine Kate Sheppard and her colleagues did. You seem to have an affinity for the letter ‘I’ – what does it mean to Suffragette, and your art in general? For some time now I’ve been fixated on ‘X’ too, and there are other letters I’m drawn to. An ‘I’ asserts human presence; it’s a marker of identity.

In the Suffragette sculpture, the I-figure is human-like and asserts the first person pronoun. It highlights a central tenet of feminism, that the personal is political. It is also a Roman numeral meaning ‘one’ or ‘first’, and in this sense, Suffragette commemorates New Zealand’s leadership as the

direction and community in the creative work here. How is the Christchurch arts scene different to other cities? There’s something special in the air in Christchurch, a sophisticated rawness, like the old refuses to stifle the new. In a small radius, there’s real depth and range in creativity and conversations. I love visiting the galleries and catching up with art friends. For a sculptor, it’s like cloud nine, there’s an abundance of international quality public art, deftly placed.

Christchurch is lucky having SCAPE Public Art and visionary city leaders. SCAPE’s collaborations with local industry and iwi

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and tend to bring that ‘reading’ to the work. Audiences in the USA are more inclined to start with minimalism and situate my work in a lineage of conceptual practice.

Wonderfully, kids anywhere enjoy the work without needing more.

Regardless of place, people want to touch and circle the work.

How did your experience as an equality and diversity lawyer shape your art? That work grounded me and made me acutely aware of the impact of systems and biases on people. As a result, my artwork, consciously or unconsciously, often includes a strong focus on the first person as

I

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‘There’s something special in the air in Christchurch, a sophisticated rawness, like the old refuses to stifle the new.’

some amazing materials including grass, glass, limestone, granite, and 45,000-year-old kauri. How do you choose your materials? At times I think it’s the other way round and my materials choose me. It becomes a bit of an obsession. Most of the materials I use are hidden or hard to find and definitely not easy to work with, needing lots of persistence and patience to wrestle into the shapes I see in them. It’s a difficult relationship. There’s a high level of trial and error. They don’t give themselves up easily until, like magic, at the end they claim their form and meaning as if that was always on the cards but I wasn’t in the loop. What are you working on at the moment? I am experimenting with scale, from miniatures to monuments. I’m also exploring through my digital sculptures how the sense of touch might evolve

SUFFRAGETTE

a building block of humanity. This comes out in individual strength works like Suffragette, and can manifest in collective strength monuments like Glass Ceiling (NZ Aotearoa) and Zealandia. Can you have art without activism, or activism without art? Art can be politically neutral in terms of the artist’s intentions, yet be ascribed with political content or context. It depends on the eye and mind of the viewer, and shifts over time.

And activism exists without art, but thinking of the posters and slogans of 1960s black American and 1970s feminist movements, art was the imagery that drew people in, or out. Activism is more effective with art in the toolbox. It’s been a big decade for women’s rights. What do you see as the let-downs of the 20-teens? Progress toward equality on a systemic level too often slips and slides in the wake of big events – wars, economic downturns, climate crises, and pandemics. Of the 11,000 New Zealanders unemployed as a result of Covid, 10,000 are women. We still seem myopic in terms of solutions and the infrastructure is too linear and last-century. Why not invest billions in STEM, creative

and climate driven projects in which women are properly funded to lead and participate equally? And what do you hope to see for women’s rights in the next decade? An end to violence against women and equal pay for work of equal value would be a good start. More women in leadership roles across all areas of society and governance, achieving 50/50 to reflect the population, and more youth and diverse leaders committed to equality of outcomes for all, ones which can be sustained and weather the big game-changing events.

What attracted you to art? Art is one of the few pursuits that let me work simultaneously with beautiful materials and philosophical or political ideas. To some extent, law reform does this too but in that field the creative tools are confined to words and the ideas need to fit a prescribed purpose. Art gives me immense freedom to explore, go off-piste, dream, invent, manifest, and share. The risks are high but there is reward in the making and in shaping the unimaginable.

And what draws you to the abstract? For me abstraction is where the fun starts. There’s poetry in geometry and physics. How do you approach exploring detailed themes in a minimalistic way?

Minimalism is an ideal conduit for de-tangling complexity. Layered narratives can be conveyed through singular materials and simple forms. I find these elements in different and unique combinations of materials, form, the process of making, artwork title, context, environment, audience and site. There’s no script but there is an endeavour to eliminate distraction and create space for sensory engagement, emotion or thought. You’ve used

I

when relocated to the edges of reality. I’ve been working in extended reality for several years now. My first augmented reality sculpture Native Tongue AR was demonstrated at the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale and launched with CODAworx in New York at A18. I’m expanding this work with the support of Creative NZ and will be presenting it at Sculpture by the Sea in Australia and other exhibitions through 2021.

What has been a standout moment of your career to date?

Making my sculpture Zealandia was a recent highlight; and exhibiting this work in Venice in a park on the Grand Canal for six months. The light there is dappled and time goes slow. Zealandia celebrates the emergence and discovery of the eighth continent – a submerged landmass with small islands rising from the Pacific. It is carved from a rare indigenous rock over 100 million years old. I had a wild idea for the twin planes of striated stone to slice through each other, like clashing tectonic plates. In Venice, the sculpture’s geometry rewrites the ‘perfect proportions’ of Leonardo da Vinci’s Renaissance Vitruvian Man. Using new ratios, the upright figure outlines the chromosome X, the blueprint of life, DNA universal to all. If you could invite any three people living or dead to a dinner party, who would they be? Mary Wollstonecraft, feminist philosopher and poetic writer; Eva Hesse, so we can discuss the ins and outs of sculptural minimalism; and Kamala Harris because the glass ceilings she has untangled make her a leader to follow and watch. What’s your favourite guilty pleasure? I can’t go past Zen Sushi & Dumplings near The Arts Centre. Is there anyone you would love to collab with? Where to start? Bridge builders, gardeners, sailmakers, weavers, filmmakers, space scientists. I relish working with technologists, craftspeople and creatives, and anyone open to

GILL WITH MODEL X AND ZEALANDIA (AT HOME)

NATIVE TONGUE XR

‘Activism is more effective with art in the toolbox.’

breaking rules to build new things.

What are you reading or watching at the moment? The Queen’s Gambit on Netflix – can’t beat this strong, witty, and unapologetic chess player and her strategy to win. My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante – her beautiful literary style and effortless command of words make books you can’t put down. Hunt for the Wilderpeople directed by Taika Waititi – brilliant, fun and inspiring, woven with threads of Te Ao Māori revealing

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the interconnectedness of all living and non-living things. Who’s your personal hero? There are many and my list would start with the rangatira, men and women Māori leaders, who signed the Treaty of Waitangi to bring peace to this land. These and other acts of unrivalled generosity I hold in high regard. What’s on the cards for 2021? I’m exploring new terrain for hidden gems – ideas and rocks for a solo exhibition in Auckland and for sculpture projects that might end up in the public domain. I’m thinking a lot about inclusive monuments and how these can cross borders, connect people and generate cultural exchange. gillgatfield.com

GET FESTY WE’RE POLISHING UP OUR DANCE MOVES AND SHARPENING UP OUR TASTE BUDS IN PREPARATION FOR AN OUTRAGEOUS SUMMER OF FESTIVAL FUN. CHECK OUT OUR BEST OF THE FESTS.

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Electric Avenue

If, like us, you’re absolutely amped for all the bangin’ Kiwi artists marooned at home this summer, Electric Avenue is the festival it’s not ok to miss. Benee, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Kora, L.A.B, Shapeshifter and way more are all coming to dish out a tasty mix of old-skool tunes, fresh drops from new albums, and beats that’ll have you raving into the night. For one day only, Hagley Park will be packed with food trucks, carnival rides and interactive experiences all set to a non-stop 12-hour soundtrack of tunes across multiple stages, with over 30 bands pedalling their best funk, house, hip hop, drum and bass, and rock bangers. With New Zealand music legends, homegrown Ōtautahi heroes and new kids on the block aplenty, this is a summer music spectacular you’ve got to get down to.

Where: Hagley Park When: Saturday 27 February Why: An unrivalled lineup of Kiwi music legends cranking out their best tunes Info: electricavenuefestival.co.nz

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SummerTimes

SummerTimes is bringing a blockbuster selection of free events to Christchurch this sunny season, starting with Christchurch’s biggest New Year’s Eve party featuring homegrown Kiwi music talent that’ll have you cutting shapes all the way to midnight with The Black Seeds, Dillastrate and more, topped off with a midnight fireworks display.

In January, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra presents a series of special performances: Pita me te Wuruhi Peter and the Wolf, The Latin Lounge, and Music of the Movies. There’s also Kite Day at New Brighton beach and Anthony Harper Summer Theatre’s hilarious Around the World in 80 Days in the Botanic Gardens. Ben & Jerry’s Lazy Sundays bring local artists to the Botanic Gardens through February and March.

Where: Various locations around Christchurch When: Thursday 31 December – Sunday 14 March Why: A fantastic calendar of free events all summer long Info: ccc.govt.nz/whatson

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3

Bread & Circus World Backyard Buskers Festival

Move over world, hand-picked Kiwi buskers are taking over this year’s Bread & Circus World Backyard Buskers Festival. It'll celebrate the rich, dynamic and diverse creative culture that’s thriving in Aotearoa – right here in our own backyard.

Bread & Circus 2021 will be on show over three massive weeks in January, with weird and wonderful buskers packing the Christchurch streets with free entertainment of the mystifying, magical, hilarious and downright physics-defying kind. Check out The Festival Gala hosted by national treasure The Topp Twins, clowny skit king Paul Klaass, and Jess The Mess – one of New Zealand’s funniest professional idiots. One thing’s for sure: at a festival like this, you’re bound to see something totally bonkers.

Where: All over central Christchurch When: Friday 15 – Sunday 31 January Why: Buskers performing weird, wacky and totally mind-blowing creative acts Info: breadandcircus.co.nz

‘My first lesson in magic was from a cross-dresser in Charing Cross station at one of the oldest magic shops in London.’

COME AGAIN?

Witty, naughty and razor-sharp, Jarred Fell is coming to Christchurch to premiere his new show, Again. He talks street magic and sleight of hand with Cityscape.

How did you get into magic?

I was 11 years old in Las Vegas, with my parents of course! We saw a magician foot a dollar bill in a magic shop in The STRAT Hotel and I was hooked from then, making my parents take me to David Copperfield and buying every magic book under the sun. My first lesson in magic was from a cross-dresser in Charing Cross station at one of the oldest magic shops in London. Tricks or illusions? Oooh, I’m more of a trick

kinda guy. This show will be mainly tricks of the mind. I love to watch illusions but I believe, with magic, you should be able to pick up anything around you and perform an impossible effect. It’s hard to lug around illusions and assistants all the time. What will folks take away from your performance?

I truly hope people walk away from this show with a different and positive outlook on the world today as it is, but also with a sense of wonder. What type of preparation goes into your shows? Well, thanks to Covid, I have had a lot of time to prepare and practise sleight of hand. What are you planning for your free time in Christchurch?

I’ll be filming around the city landmarks – street magic-style – for my social media, but mainly to

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explore and see how far Christchurch has come. I love this city. What’s the best and worst thing about your job? The best thing is most definitely making people laugh and wonder. The worst part is when it’s over. How did you get into this industry? It was a street comedian magician, Nick Nicholas, who introduced me to the comedy scene. He dared me to get on stage at The Classic in Auckland and I never looked back.

Fave place you’ve performed at?

My absolute favourite places would have to be Las Vegas, Los Angeles and my number one - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. What’s a highlight of your career so far?

Appearing on NBC’s Bring the Funny on US TV in 2019, getting to meet so many amazing people, and filming at Universal Studios.

Second would have to be working the VIPs at Guns N’ Roses’ NZ tour in 2017. Best way to relax and unwind? I love rock music – any live bands. I also love running and hitting the gym to clear the head.

Are there any other Buskers Festival acts you’re hoping to catch? I love Paul Klaass! He is a hidden gem in circus entertainment in New Zealand – that boy has skills. breadandcircus.co.nz

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4

Gindulgence

How do I love gin? Let me count the ways at Gindulgence, Aotearoa’s biggest and best celebration of all things gin. Our best artisan gin producers are back in February to share the zesty goodness of their favourite tipples, along with some tasty local grub from eateries like Kung Fu Dumplings, Gelatiamo and Bacon Brothers. Hosted at the leafy Ilam Homestead, you’ll sample gins from leading craft gin vendors like Christchurch’s own Curiosity Gin, gin gin. and The Last Word, as well as national legends like Juno Gin and Dancing Sands Distillery. Each will have a signature gin cocktail, and you'll discover some distillers you may not have heard of yet, like Little Biddy, crafted in Reefton in honour of a pipe-smoking, gin-toting, four-foot-tall goldminer.

Meet the makers, take part in gin tastings, masterclasses and relax with some live entertainment.

Where: Ilam Homestead When: Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 February Why: Gin as far as the eye can see Info: gindulgence.co.nz

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North Canterbury Wine & Food Festival

Every year thousands of fine folk hit the road and head up to Waipara to celebrate New Zealand’s best-loved wine and food region. The region’s harvesters, artisan producers and all kinds of drink-makers turn out in force so we can totally fall in love with everything North Canterbury has to offer. You’ll find tasty food to sample and lip-smackingly good drops (after all, this is a region with vineyards stretching to the horizon), a Talk Tent and family-friendly activities. Once you’re all explored out, you can relax under bunting in the leafy domain with some phenomenal foodie treats and a glass of vino and listen to fantastic live music.

Where: Glenmark Domain When: Sunday 7 March Why: Skilled local harvesters, artisan producers and expert winemakers in a chilled-out celebration of North Canterbury Info: ncwineandfood.co.nz

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6

Nostalgia Festival

This laid-back indie music festival features epic beats and delicious treats nestled into a historical corner of the Heathcote Valley. Held in the 1900s replica township of Ferrymead Heritage Park, Nostalgia fest is a day to rock out to a lineup of New Zealand’s finest musicians across three stages, with the one and only Bic Runga performing, as well as Leisure, The Beths, Deva Mahal and many more. In between gigs, you can enjoy cool roving theatre and sample sensational artisan goodies.

Nostalgia Fest keeps sustainability front and centre: you can join a bike gang and ride with other cyclists to the festival, buy treats from local artisans and makers and enjoy a day full of local tipple.

It’s an old-skool throwback fest for the ages.

Where: Ferrymead Heritage Park When: Saturday 13 February Why: A music festival that brings a whole community together through groovy tunes Info: nostalgiafestival.co.nz

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Great Kiwi Beer Festival

Hop heads rejoice! The Great Kiwi Beer Festival is back with more than 40 craft breweries rolling their kegs into Hagley Park so we can sample all of the amber delights the Kiwi brewing industry has to offer. It’s Aotearoa’s largest outdoor beer festival, with some great artisan food producers to keep you on the level. It’ll be an absolute beerstravaganza (with a few cheeky ciders thrown in there too – it’s not just for beerheads), with over 300 unique drops for you to try out. There’s also an epic lineup of Kiwi music acts for you to groove out to, including The Black Seeds, Hollie Smith, Thomas Oliver, Scrooge and Volts, as well as cooking demonstrations, seminars and delicious food. It’s the ultimate way to say cheers to our fabulous grassroots brewing industry and the sweet nectar it produces.

Where: Hagley Park When: Saturday 30 January Why: Over 300 beers and ciders pouring in one place Info: greatkiwibeerfestival.co.nz

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Cassels Brewing Co. Banks Peninsula Festival

While the rest of Christchurch runs the rat race, Banks Peninsula is in a time zone of its own, enjoying sun-drenched hills, incredible ocean wildlife and an arts and foodie scene that’s totally unique. Escape the grind and join the inhabitants of Banks for a vibrant showcase of music, food, drinks and culture from across the region. Located on the sun-drenched side of Lyttelton Harbour, the Banks Peninsula Festival will be jam-packed with tunes from The Butlers, Delaney Davidson, Deep Water Creek, Volts and more; top-notch artisan food (don’t miss Giulio Sturla’s guaranteed great eats); and local wines and beers. Wander the Orton Bradley grounds and enjoy the hospitality the Peninsula is famous for.

Where: Orton Bradley Park When: Saturday 20 February Why: A laid-back love fest celebrating everything that makes the Peninsula great Info: bankspeninsulafestival.com

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9

Ripe: The Wānaka Wine & Food Festival

Central Otago’s awardwinning wine and food will take centre stage this summer with the launch of Ripe. Head south to the home of stunning vistas and vineyards, where you’ll find Central Otago’s best food and wine producers, breweries and distilleries – and they’ve got tasters. You can sample everything from the masterful meat, seafood and fresh produce of Wānaka’s top eateries to the bold flavours of the area’s famous Pinot Noir. Celebrity Chef Nadia Lim will host a cooking demonstration with sensational local produce, and Master Sommelier Cameron Douglas will teach a wine tasting session before joining guests to try a selection of curated wines.

The Jordan Luck Band is headlining a lush lineup of bands and singersongwriters, so you’ll be cheersing, nibbling and grooving all day long.

Where: Corbridge Woolshed, Wānaka When: Sunday 21 March, 2021 Why: Wine and food from one of the tastiest destinations in the world Info: ripewanaka.nz

GET FESTY THE ARTIST, AUCKLAND ARTS FESTIVAL

THE REST OF THE FESTS These events around Christchurch and the rest of country are so awesome that loading up the car for a roadie or jumping on a plane is a total no-brainer.

FOOD & WINE Highlights of the culinary calendar include Gincredible (February 12 – 14), which is back in Tauranga with food trucks rolling in, gin masterclasses from the experts, and samples from boutique distillers. On the same weekend, the Wellington Wine & Food Festival (February 13) will bring together drool-worthy foodsters like The Crab Shack, Rogue Burger and House of Dumplings, as well as bevvies from unbeatable breweries and vineyards. Grow Ōtautahi (March 12 – 14) is Christchurch's free garden festival with how-tos, demonstrations from chefs including Jax Hamilton, and stunning gardens on display. For a taste of an absolute speciality right at its roots, head to the Havelock

Mussel and Seafood Festival (March 13) in the heart of the Marlborough Sounds. Sample New Zealand greenshell mussel, king salmon and Pacific oysters with celebrity Chef Michael Van de Elzen, and relax to old-skool favs Zed and Nelson singer-songwriter Robinson. Hokitika Wildfoods Festival (March 13) is always a total hoot, with stalls full of weird and wonderful goodies, as well as a feral fashion show and wonderful West Coast beer – this year's music headlines are blast-from-the-early2000s bands Stellar* and The Feelers. And to round out an absolute feast of a summer, there's Ripe: The Wānaka Wine & Food Festival (March 21) – check out the previous page for details.

Mako Road, The Beths and Soaked Oats. You’re spoilt for New Year’s party choices, with an epic all-Kiwi Rhythm & Alps lineup featuring Six60, Shihad and The Phoenix Foundation on New Year’s Eve, while Benee and Fat Freddy’s Drop are headlining Rhythm & Vines in Gisborne. Camp among the vines for the exclusive Waiohika Warmup event, and don’t miss the man-made waterslide. Highlife NYE is bringing together the country’s best DJs for one massive night of body-thumping electro beats in Matakana, and if you’re still thirsting for tunes, you can make the pilgrimage north for the Bay of Islands Music Festival (January 8) just outside of Kerikeri, featuring Benee, Dave Dobbyn, The Beths and Tami Neilson. Raglan will be humming for Soundsplash’s (January 22 – 24) three days of multi-genre festival fun, featuring an incredible lineup (Che Fu is our pick for sizzling tunes) across four stages and an always-incredible Kai Village. Slow it down a notch at the Auckland Folk Festival (January 29 – February 1) with Lyttelton legends The Eastern energising the dance floor among markets and workshops at the Kumeu Showgrounds. Waitangi weekend brings One Love (February 6 – 7)

MUSIC Start the summer shakedown at Taupo’s Le Currents culture and arts festival (27 December). Groove out to indie and rock bands like

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HOKITIKA WILDFOODS FESTIVAL

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to Tauranga Domain, with Fat Freddy’s Drop, L.A.B, Kora and Sean Kingston. Tāpapakanga Regional Park’s Splore (February 26 – 28) always attracts a conscious crowd of party animals.

Beloved Kiwi musicians will be living it up in Lincoln for the 5th anniversary of Selwyn Sounds (March 6), with Jon Stevens from INXS, Stan Walker and the Jordan Luck Band headlining the day.

THE ARTS Hurl yourself into the speed, sunshine and spying antics of the 36th America’s Cup in Auckland with Summernova, an all-summer series of music, food and drink, and arts festivals. You’ll find great vibes, blissful days and family-friendly fun

at the Aroha Essence Festival (January 15 – 17) at Journey’s End Campsite in Loburn. The festival embraces and honours sacred Māori arts, wisdom and spiritual knowledge. Auckland Fringe (February 14 – March 6) has been described as a “little artistic hurricane that blasts out the cobwebs”. It’s a feisty, independent festival that brings sassy fringe shows celebrating otherness and inclusivity and satisfies all creative palates. Head down to Wellington for NZ Fringe (February 26 – March 20), a cutting-edge arts festival of Aotearoa’s best and quirkiest performers. The 2021 edition of Auckland Arts Festival (March 4 – 21) will feature over 70 events across 18 days and many genres,

NOMI COHEN For everyone who’s bored by the

sports or ancient history part of a pub quiz, Nomi has a thighslapping, singalong musical quiz, What The Quiz is This?!

What’s What The Quiz is This?! A live performance-style pub quiz. So instead of having questions, we perform a medley of various songs and it’s the teams’ jobs to tell us the name of the song and who it's by. What’s your favourite song to sing at the top of your lungs in the car? ‘No Air’ by Jordin Sparks. It’s my absolute jam – and made better if there’s someone else who can do the second part of the duet. What do you hope fans take away from your Buskers Festival performance? I hope fans have a really good time. Maybe they’ll get a little bit frustrated – I hope it’s not too easy. And I don’t want people to think, for example, “Oh, I didn’t know the sports questions” – there AIN’T NO SPORTS in What The Quiz is This?! – I can tell you that right now. What type of preparation goes into your shows? Caelan (my pianist) and I discuss which songs we’d like to do. We then decide what makes it too easy or too hard, what kind of fun bits we can make out of the songs. And then we discuss the secret other bits, which people just have to come along and experience.

What’s the best thing about your job? I get to make people smile, or laugh, or even cry sometimes, if it’s really sad. What’s the worst thing about your job? Eyelash glue. Fuck that. What cool stuff is happening in the theatre scene this summer? I’m a proud founding member of Blackboard Theatre Collective. We have some amazing things coming up in the new year. The first is a show called UGLY, which is a new musical written by a young NASDA graduate called Nicky Douglas. I’m in Jersey Boys at the Court Theatre. Definitely book your tickets if you haven’t already because it’s legitimately selling out and is a super-fun show. breadandcircus.co.nz

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CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Summer 20/21

with Voices New Zealand performing Taonga Moana – A Love Letter to the Oceans in Auckland Town Hall, and a massive celebration of the 20th anniversary of Che Fu’s Navigator with an epic gig from the legend himself. Finish the festival with Pūmanawa, a powerful kapa haka performance from four of our finest Māori cultural groups. Dunedin Arts Festival (April 6 – 25) will celebrate the city's erupting arts scene with extraordinary performances throughout the month.

Read more about these festivals and other summer highlights at cityscape.co.nz

Strap on your boots, pack up your tents and pump up your tyres Cityscapers, we’re taking to the trails.

Best of summer

PRANCE UP THE PORT HILLS HIKE: Ōtautahi’s view-filled antidote to the Canterbury flatlands, the Port Hills are covered in grunt-worthy gradients – and they’re mostly worth it. The Rapaki Track is a hit with fitness fanatics and the running-intights crowd, but the real suckers for punishment head up the Bridle Path, which has two options for ascent: 'steepish with corners' or 'quad-punishing and straight to the top'. Either way you can reward yourself with a coffee in Lyttelton on the other side, and return by bus if you're out of steam.

Sea-seekers opt for Awaroa (Godley Head) an absolute classic nine-kilometre, three-hour coastline-hugging bonanza of epic ocean horizons, cool baches (yes, you want to take the Boulder Bay detour) rolling hills and, on a clear day, Kaikōura Ranges vistas.

For a big banger of a day out, the Crater Rim Walkway offers spectacular views of the peninsula along its entire length. We’d suggest tackling the section from the Godley Head car park to the Urumau Reserve Track junction, a two-and-a-half-hour jaunt that can start with an exploration of the historic gun emplacement buildings at the heads – digging those hand-dug tunnels! – before producing excellent views on either side along the ridgeline and passing through

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Buckleys Bay Scenic Reserve. If you’re in the zone, keep going – the Crater Rim walkway is so ultra-long that every year a whole lotta folk run an ultramarathon spanning the walkway and then some, all the way from Diamond Harbour to Hansen Park in Opawa.

For a hidden gem hillside jaunt, head up the Eastenders Track through Barnett Park in Redcliffs – listen out for the rock climbers power-screaming up projects in the cave – and up over Summit Road to meet the Crater Rim Walkway. Enjoy the views down to Sumner on the Captain Thomas Track – just keep an eye out for the sometimes-territorial sheep dotting the hills.

BIKE: PORT HILLS POWER RIDES 1. Charge up the Rapaki Track and onto Summit Road and come down the

CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Summer 20/21

IMAGE: CHRISTCHURCHNZ

IMAGE: CHRISTCHURCH COASTAL PATHWAY CCP.ORG.NZ

URBAN ADVENTURES HIKE: Forget putting petrol in the car, you can go adventuring without even leaving the city. Wind your merry way through the foothill suburbs on the Heathcote River Trail – bonus points if you get in on Sunday for a stop at the Opawa Farmer’s Market. End in Ferrymead or join the Christchurch Coastal Pathway for the final leg to Sumner, where you can reward yourself with a refreshing dip in the ocean and a cold cone from Utopia Ice – raspberry and saffron is a great way to cool down.

Christchurch ain’t called the Garden City for nothing, and you can take the reasonswhy grand tour on the North Hagley Park and Gardens Loop. Don’t miss the short detour to the sniffalicious Heritage Rose Garden, pop in to see the Peace Bell, and wander through the lush New Zealand Icon Garden.

Hit up Ōruapaeroa Travis Wetland for an uber-cool inner-city wetland walk, complete with viewing tower and bird hides so you can tuck your scary self away and check out the introverted avians in their natural habitat.

Huntsbury Track for a low-stress ride with massive fun factor.

2. Victoria Park’s smorgasbord of tracks range from easy to extreme. Beginners can brush up on their skills and experts can jump and drop on the Nationals Downhill Track.

3. Traverse the tussock-covered hills on the Godley Head mountain bike track, with jaw-dropping views over Lyttelton Harbour and Pegasus Bay, then descend the winding Anaconda to Taylors Mistake.

4. Start at the Sign of the Kiwi and roll on down the shared-use Thomson Track, before diverting off onto the Bowenvale Traverse and down The Serpent and Bowenvale Trail – max views, max fun.

5. From the Quarry Hill subdivision, take the Crocodile, a flowy single track that’ll hurtle you down to Halswell Quarry.

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From the wetlands, pop over to New Brighton’s Southshore Spit and meander your way up the Pegasus Bay coast as far as the eye can see, across the wild dune landscape and through the tree-lined Bottle Lake Forest Park, right up to the gaping mouth of the Waimakariri.

BIKE: Boost around our pair of pine plantation mountain bike meccas at McLeans Island and Bottle Lake Forest, both with well-maintained, well-marked tracks for every level.

CAMP: For a seaside staycation within the city limits, pull up a plot at South Brighton Holiday Park, near the estuary and just a short walk from the swell at New Brighton Beach. Don’t forget to book in for a soak at He Puna Taimoana, New Brighton’s hot salt water pools.

PRO TIP

CAMP: One of Aotearoa’s most scenic campsites sits just out of Christchurch. Pitch your tent among the buildings of the converted military battery on Godley Head and enjoy how the setting sun catches the Kaikōura Ranges in the distance.

CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Summer 20/21

NORTH CANTERBURY HIKE: A short drive from Christchurch, North Canterbury can feel a world away, with snowcapped peaks, whispering waterfalls and vineyards as far as the eye can see. Want the big views? You gotta put in the big effort, and the Mount Grey/Maukatere Loop Track to the summit is a 15.5km show pony that offers some of Canterbury’s finest panoramas (we kid you not!) on the approximately six-hour return hike. If you’re feeling adventurous, take the rougher Red Beech Track on the descent.

Low down, the Waipara Valley Vineyard Trail will be an easy sell to your buddies, combining a cornucopia of world-class vineyards, historic farms, and Greening Waipara Biodiversity Trails, along with the historical steam train at Weka Pass Railway – and it’s all set to the stunning backdrop of the Main Divide. While not on the trail, Pegasus Bay and Waipara Hills wineries are worthy detours bearing considerable rewards.

North Canterbury is rimmed with sensational slogs, and Mount Thomas has three of them leading to its summit.

Straight-to-the-point hikers will choose the summit track; in two hours, it does what it says on the tin. Easy-going folk will love the Ridge Track, lolling along a ridge taking in

views galore before eventually meandering to the Mount Thomas summit in three and a half hours. Treehuggers can wander the woods on the Wooded Gully Track, hopping back and forth across a picturesque stream, arriving at the top in two and a half hours.

BIKE: A saddle-bound version of a beach-hopping island escape, the Pegasus Trail links Kaiapoi with Waikuku Beach, and is so rolling and fun you could almost sip a mimosa at the same time. Cruise down the Waimakariri to Kairaki and The Pines Beach, through the forest to Woodend Beach, and on to the glorious Waikuku where you can snag an ice cream from the general store and get your laze on.

CAMP: Pitch up at Waikuku Beach Holiday Park or roll on up to Leithfield Beach Holiday Park, where you can forgo all effort and stay in a plush glamping tent. City escapees intent on the most relaxing experience north of the Waimakariri can head to Tawanui Farm and sip champagne in a hot tub with wicked views of the Hurunui River and snow-tipped Kaikōura Ranges. For a gorgeous stay before or after a Mount Thomas expedition, check out Wooded Gully Campsite, a pretty spot for a night in the wild.

READ UP Canterbury Foothills & Forests: A Walking and Tramping Guide Get the inside word on adventuring in the Canterbury foothills, from easy to hard+, as well as a ton of interesting info on the area’s history, flora, fauna, landscape and climate.

Available from University Bookshop. ubscan.co.nz

EPIC OVERNIGHTERS Pack your bags and get ready for million-dollar sunset views on these sensational Canterbury trips.

BE THE PACKHORSE

SUMMER AT MOUNT SOMERS

BANK ON THIS

BIKEPACKERS AHOY

Track up through a native bush-filled valley to the historic stone Packhorse Hut with majestic views over Lyttelton Harbour. Head out the next day or continue along the stunning Te Ara Pātaka/ Summit Walkway.

Mid Canterbury’s Mount Somers offers a readily accessible taste of backcountry New Zealand.

Head for either Woolshed Creek or Pinnacles Huts, both offering an easy overnight tramp that features impressive rock formations.

Take it easy on the Banks Track, where you’ll get your packs dropped at super-cute accomodation along the route.

The track skirts a U taking in Flea Bay and Stony Bay, the epic Hinewai Reserve, and drops back over to Akaroa.

Pack up your panniers and cycle the 23-kilometre Potts River track past Mystery Lake into Potts Hut, past steep moutonnées (rocky knobs smoothed by passing glaciers) and jumbly scree.

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BEST OF SUMMER

HIKE: Level up on epicness and head out to Banks Peninsula for your next scramble. Set a day aside to tackle Mount Herbert, the highest point on Banks Peninsula.

Make a grunty ascent from Orton Bradley Park or a longer, steadier one from Diamond Harbour. At the top, you can take in views to Mount Somers in the west and Mount Grey in the north; to the east it’s naught but open ocean all the way to Chile.

For a day’s adventure that ends with a seaside glass of vino, get to the summit of Stony Bay Peak for mind-blowing views across Akaroa Harbour, before descending back to Akaroa. Don’t miss the fabulous wooden toilet on the ridgeline – it’s backcountry ingenuity at its best.

If you’re heading to the Peninsula’s tip, check out Hinewai Reserve. The Maurice White Native Forest Trust has regenerated native bush all over the 1250-hectare reserve, returning the land to how it was 700 years ago, complete with birds and hand-drawn maps.

BIKE: Relaxed rollers can ride the railway that used to run from Hornby to Little River way back when, and enjoy the enduring appeal of rail trails (the trains couldn’t do steep hills and you shouldn’t have to either). But if you really do want that steep-hill burn, head to the Port Levy Loop which takes in the scenic summit ridgeline on the Te Ara Pātaka shared-use walkway, the glorious waters of Pigeon Bay, and the hit-list Port Levy-Pigeon Bay road.

CAMP: Okains Bay Camping Ground is a classic get-away-from-it-all destination with a perfect sandy beach, plenty of room for backyard cricket and super interesting Māori

and colonial history (Waitangi Day in Okains is a ball!). Don’t miss the jaunt to Little Okains Bay, which might just be the best-looking spot on Banks. Closer to Akaroa, Onuku Farm Hostel has wooden tent shacks with see-through ceilings for bedtime stargazing. In Lavericks Bay you’ll find canvas tents and an outdoor hot tub, with a secluded beach just a 15-minute stroll away.

Green Antler does glamping at scale, with one huge safari tent sleeping five, the mandatory hot tub, and deer grazing all around.

IMAGE: GREEN ANTLER, CANOPY CAMPING

IMAGE: WASHPENFALLS.CO.NZ

BANKS PENINSULA

MID CANTERBURY

HIKE: Book in a decent weather day and boost the 700 vertical metres from Lake Coleridge to Peak Hill for too-good-to-be-true views across the lake and the snow-covered peaks that crowd it in. Check out the cascading gem that is Washpen Falls just an hour’s drive from the city. The walk starts from an old woolshed and tracks through an ancient volcanic canyon, now filled with densely beautiful native bush and vocal birdlife. Climb for views over the Canterbury Plains and to see one of the area’s most stunning

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waterfalls. In December and January the trail is one of New Zealand’s best spots to see regenerating southern rata in bloom. Hightail it along the Arthur’s Pass road to Porters Pass for one of mid-Canterbury’s most iconic adventures – be aware it’s unmarked country, for experienced hikers. From Porters Pass, skirt up the shingle-clad ridge to the top of Foggy Peak. About two hours’ climbing earns walkers a bloody decent thigh workout and mind-blowing views across the Torlesse and Big Ben Ranges, down to the plains and into Arthur’s Pass.

BIKE: Easy rollers will be all about the Lake Emma track which offers easy mountain biking in to a late-1800s two room hut on the shore of stunning Lake Emma (overnight stays not allowed) and on to Lake Camp. To extend your adventure, head up the road and circumnavigate aptly-named Lake Clearwater.

CAMP: Pitch up on the grass at the grassroots Rakaia Gorge Camping Ground, a perfect launchpad for all your adventures along the stunningly scenic Rakaia River. For something a little fancy, tuck into a cosy night in cool corrugated iron cabin The Shepherd’s Hut at Washpen Falls, where you can take a rowboat on an idyllic pond and escape the cold nights in a woodfired hot tub.

CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Summer 20/21

CHRISTCHURCH SEA KAYAKING

RAVE ON THE AVON

Join schools of brown trout, Doris the friendly eel and local guides having fun around the Ōtākaro Avon River this summer; it’s our inner-city flow-asis providing cubic-litres of fun.

F

lowing through Hagley Park, winding through the city centre, traversing the Avonside red zone and out to sea, a journey down the Ōtākaro Avon River is a chilled out tour of the city’s most interesting spots. The river’s Māori name, Ōtākaro, means ‘a place of game’, after the children who played on its banks as the adults were gathering food from its bountiful waters. We’re channelling that spirit and heading to the Avon for a playful paddle and some delicious kai.

The Ōtākaro Avon River bursts into life at the historic Mona Vale in Fendalton, where the Ilam, Waimairi and Wairarapa streams converge. Start your Avon adventure there (don’t miss the fabulous rose and iris gardens) by fuelling up at the idyllic Mona Vale

MONA VALE

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WAKA ON AVON

Homestead and The Pantry, serving exquisite high tea as well as a full seasonal lunch menu with views of the Avon and the park’s lush surrounds.

Follow the Avon’s grassy banks down the northern border of Hagley Park and wander the river. Celebrate an important moment in New Zealand history on the camellia-lined Kate Sheppard Memorial Walk. In the 1890s, camellias became a symbol of women’s suffrage when parliamentarians wore white camellias in their buttonholes to show their support, and those in opposition wore red camellias. Don’t miss the Daffodil Woodland, where in the late 1800s and early 1900s a menagerie of animals was kept, including kangaroos, llamas, a tortoise, a Californian bear and an emu named Jack. Since the animals have been removed, 500,000 daffodil bulbs have been planted here, and in spring it’s awash with yellow.

On the other side of the river, take the 1.5km Botanic Gardens River Walk, then pop into the Canterbury Museum to explore incredible taonga from Christchurch’s past.

For a great bite in the gardens, Ilex Café is all about simple sophisticated dishes and great coffee with fabulous views of the river in an equally fabulous building. Get amongst Christchurch Chef Jonny Schwass’ Huevos Rancheros or pulled lamb flatbreads.

The Curator’s House was originally built for the curator of the Botanic Gardens in 1920 and is now a droolworthy Spanish restaurant sitting in a glorious spot on the edge of the Avon. A shared paella is the perfect way to gear up for a day on the water, but perhaps stay off the uber-tempting wine menu for now, you’ll need your balance for these Avon on-water adventures.

At the Botanic Gardens, you can join KT from Christchurch Sea Kayaking, who knows how to play like the best of them. She’ll

CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Summer 20/21

BEST OF SUMMER

MONA VALE 1km, 30 minutes LITTLE HAGLEY PARK WALK 1.1km, 20 minutes NORTH HAGLEY PARK WALK 3.9km, 1 hour 30 minutes HAGLEY PARK RIVER WALK 2.2km, 30 minutes BOTANIC GARDENS RIVER WALK

AIRBORN PADDLING

1.5km, 30 minutes take you on one of three journeys: Te Toru Nui, exploring the blooming Botanics, bustling City Centre and re-greened red zone; City to Estuary, where you’ll start from the city and paddle through the naturefilled red zone to the bird bonanza Bexley Wetlands and out to the estuary; and City to Sea, where you’ll spend a full day journeying downriver from the Margaret Mahy Playground through the abundant estuary to the seaside Moncks Bay. KT’s full of great yarns and enthusiasm for the nature that invades Ōtautahi’s urban sprawl.

On Te Toru Nui, you’ll pass by the moving Christchurch Earthquake National Memorial, which commemorates those lost in the tragic quakes. Ngāi Tahu has gifted the memorial its poignant Māori name, Oi Manawa, which means ‘tremor or quivering of the heart’. Keep an eye out for eels as you pass The Terrace and Riverside Market, a favourite local relaxation spot (try Castro's Tapas & Bar for a drink with a view) and under the impressive Bridge of Remembrance, dedicated to those who served in the two world wars, as well as various other conflicts in New Zealand’s history. Further downstream, spot Robert Falcon Scott on his high plinth, a statue carved by his wife Kathleen. She’d made a bronze statue of Scott that was already on display in London, but this one was made from Carrara marble because of the metal shortages during the First World War. Scott faces north, the direction the expedition team were headed at the time of his death.

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To get a higher perspective, join former adventure racer Joe Jagusch either at the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, near the band rotunda by Cambridge Terrace or on the new Avon Loop boat ramp off Kilmore Street for a sitting, kneeling or standing trip downriver.

Airborn Paddling offers starter lessons, through-city odysseys that conveniently finish near thirst-trap Pomeroy’s, shorter morning missions where you can explore Ōtākaro when it’s calm, or evening energisers where you can float from the gorgeous Botanic Gardens to the inner-city Edmond’s Band Rotunda – the perfect alightment for a post-paddle New Regent boozefest. Look out for Joe’s Flatwater Festival at the end of February.

For a more DIY experience, order up some grub at the Boat Shed Café (the spicy wedges are too good) and pick from the eclectic selection of boats for hire. You’ll find single and double kayaks, but also kid-friendly fibreglass paddleboats, wooden clinker-built rowing skiffs crafted right there at the Boat Sheds, or Canadian Canoes: long expedition-worthy wooden boats that you’ll need some teamwork to paddle. Grab one of the café’s picnic hampers and make a day of it.

From the Antigua Boat Sheds, you can take a nod to the city’s English heritage through a half-hour trip Punting on the Avon. Sit back in your comfy seat and watch the willows, redwoods and rhododendrons go by, with nosy ducks and geese accompanying you on your inner-city adventure.

Don’t miss the

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marvellous Margaret Mahy Playground on any jaunt down the river, arguably the best family playground in the country, and a great place to tire out the wee ones.

Head down to the river to discover Ōtautahi’s untold stories with Waka on Avon. Māori sailed immensely technical voyages to reach these shores in the very beginnings of New Zealand’s human history, and during the birth of our city, early settlers and Māori used waka to transport bricks from Barbadoes Street to Deans Cottage, one of Christchurch’s earliest buildings, in a demonstration of the coexistence of the city’s two cultures. 180 years later, waka are back on the river. Indulge in stories of our city’s beginnings while enjoying what’s both the newest (Waka on Avon did its first voyages in early December), and the oldest way to paddle the river.

Landlubbers, don’t worry, we’ve got an Avon exploration for you too. Te Ara Ōtākaro Avon River Trail winds itself along the stunning Avon from Cambridge Village Green, through the residential red zone and out to Pages Road just outside New Brighton.

You can wander or freewheel along it, stopping at the information boards to learn how this part of the city and its community have been uniquely affected by the earthquakes. Take a weeny detour to the Richmond Community Garden, where a community group is using red zoned land to grow vegetables and create a super-cool community space (say hi to the chickens from us). Further down, you’ll find the Riverbend Refuge, a native habitat restoration project, and enjoy Kaumātua Teoti Jardine’s specially commissioned poem inscribed onto tree rounds. You can make the whole trip even easier by hiring e-bikes from the folks at Chill, or joining their City to Sea electric bike tour, following Te Ara Ōtākaro and whizzing all the way out to New Brighton pier.

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EYES UP: FIVE THINGS TO SPOT ON YOUR JOURNEY DOWNRIVER 01 — STAY Don’t be spooked by this contemplative figure wading his way through the river just upstream of the Gloucester Street bridge looking like he’s lost his watch - it’s just STAY, a cast iron human created by British sculptor Antony Gormley (you might have met its twin over at the Arts Centre). Gormley created these to contribute to the healing of the city post-quake, and has said they carry “a sense of reflection or ‘taking stock’.” 02 — Tribute to Firefighters Look up after you pass under the Madras Street bridge and you’ll see a twisted whorl of rusted steel.

These are actually steel girders that once supported the 102nd floor of one of the World Trade Centre buildings in New York, gifted by New York City to Christchurch in 2002 to honour all firefighters worldwide, and shaped into sculpture by Christchurch sculptor Graham Bennett.

CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Summer 20/21

TRIBUTE TO FIREFIGHTERS

IMAGE: SCAPE PUBLIC ART CHILL – BICYCLE HIRE AND GUIDED TOURS

03 — An inner-city green corridor The Avon River has lush plants dotting most of its length, but the stretch around the Armagh Street bridge is lined with weeping willows.

It’s a fabulous corridor of sweeping leafy curtains ready for you to poke your bow into.

04 — Victoria Square A great spot to reflect on Ōtautahi’s history, Victoria Square has statues of Captain James Cook and Queen Victoria, as well as Māori pou and two waka statues designed by Ngāi Tahu master carver Fayne Robinson, all set against the backdrop of the stunning Christchurch Town Hall. The waka, titled Mana Motuhake, were designed to complement the existing Queen Victoria statue; a representation of the partnership between iwi and the Crown. 05 — Everchanging wildlife Joe from Airborn Paddling loves to spot Canada geese chicks and plucky paradise ducks growing up as the summer season goes on. KT at Christchurch Sea Kayaking is all about the fabulous spoonbills at the Estuary Reserve, and has even seen a little blue penguin swimming up the rapids by Madras Street, perhaps popping into town for a latte.

Ōtautahi's 'teens

Ten years on from the series of earthquakes that brought swathes of Christchurch to the ground, Cityscape looks back on the 20-teens decade of tragedy and triumph, and celebrates the city we have become through rebuilding and developing a new, completely unique Ōtautahi culture.

MAYOR LIANNE DALZIEL Born and raised in Ōtautahi, Mayor Lianne Dalziel has seen Christchurch rise, fall and rise again. She reflects on the rebuild and shares her vision for the future.

As someone who both lives and works in the central city, I am struck every day by how much change has occurred over the past ten years.

From the destruction and devastation of the earthquakes, a new central city is emerging - a city that celebrates its beautiful, meandering river – making it accessible for all.

I love walking out of my office on a sunny day and seeing crowds of people enjoying the river, milling on The Terraces and outside the wonderful Riverside Market. The Ōtākaro Avon River Precinct has greatly improved our connections with the Avon and given us a world-class waterfront that we can enjoy year-round.

We now have a people-friendly city centre that is peppered with laneways and sheltered courtyards that act as gathering spaces and create a sense of community.

In the public realm we are now acknowledging the heritage and places of significance to our

‘I am struck every day by how much change has occurred over the past ten years.’ pre-European history and the role that Māori have played in the shaping of our city. The rebuild has given us the opportunity to reconsider how we acknowledge our past and I am grateful for that.

While much has been achieved in our city centre over the past ten years, we still have work to do.

There are still vacant sites that need developing. Hopefully, some of those sites will be used for housing because it is vital that we get more people living in the city centre if we are to maintain the momentum of the last few years.

Thriving neighbourhoods and

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strong communities are at the heart of the world's greatest cities.

Our challenge is to find ways to encourage more people to make our central city their home.

There are plenty of great reasons to live in the city centre; however, we need more homes of varying types, sizes and prices if we want to attract young people, old people and families into the area.

We also need to finish construction of the Metro Sports Facility and build the Canterbury Multi-Use Arena. These two anchor projects will add significantly to the vibrancy of our city centre.

FALL + RISE

Gerard Smyth has become a chronicler of the earthquake recovery, recording hundreds of hours of historical footage and releasing two feature-length docos on Christchurch’s up-and-down decade.

W

hen the earthquake hit on February 22, 2011, Gerard Smyth grabbed his broken video camera and within 20 minutes, holding the lens in place with his thumb, began recording the central Christchurch chaos. He had been working on a documentary about what a ‘near miss’ the September earthquake was, and organically flew into the action by the seat of his pants.

As a one-man crew he went where he could, when he could, to capture the important moments over the following hours, days, weeks, months and years.

Gerard grew up in Christchurch, in an Irish Catholic family with 38 first cousins spread across the economic spectrum. His father – Bernard Smyth – was a well-known local television presenter, and Gerard had a strong grounding in storytelling and an insight into the city’s people.

Storytelling would become his passion. He did stints of other things – gardening, bringing up kids, opening Volcano Café in Lyttelton – but making documentaries was never far from his heart. He’s the producer of Frank Film, a small current affairs crew which has shot scores of mini docos about South Islanders.

Gerard has also created feature-length documentaries, both in New Zealand and overseas. When a City Falls (2011) is an early chronicle of the immediate and ongoing aftermath of the Canterbury earthquake sequence; a moving story of people banding together in some of Christchurch’s darkest days.

“There have been so many stories to tell,” he says. “So much Christchurch has needed to know about where we are heading. What ideas do we need to choose from in our identity as a city? Where do we go, and who is going to lead us?”

Creating the sequel, When a City Rises, was a natural progression. Gerard has recorded hundreds of stories in the intervening decade, and has over 600 hours of footage from the earthquake recovery and rebuild. He started

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“I fiercely don’t align myself with any political group.”

working on the 90-minute film around 2017, and launched it in cinemas in November 2020.

When a City Rises is a record of ten years of Christchurch’s recovery, telling two stories side by side. The first is the physical recovery of the city centre, inside the four avenues.

The second is a story about our recovery as people. “Are we still the old Christchurch?”

Gerard ponders. “The most English of all English cities? Or have we changed into a city of diverse and new people with new ideas?”

The answer he gives to his own question is cautiously optimistic: “We are turning into that, we are changing quickly.”

Watching the film, viewers were struck by how quickly they had forgotten things that were so normal such a short time ago: the sheer number of empty lots, the twisted structures. Gerard, too, was surprised at times by his own footage. He says there were entire interviews with people he had no recollection of speaking to. “I think we’ve all got a propensity to forget the hard stuff. We can’t live in the dark times for long. Our memories are such fickle things.”

The most surprising footage to find, he says, was the scene in which Mayor Lianne Dalziel and the Christchurch City Council approved the restoration of the Town Hall.

Gerard recorded the moment from a corner of the room, then moved out to capture campaigners’ jubilance in the aftermath. “I like that spontaneous footage,” he says. “I’m most proud of that. It’s the most fun to do.”

We interview Gerard in The Herb Centre café, near his central city home, and it quickly becomes apparent from the frequent interruptions that he really is a man of the people. “You’ve been away for a while! How was it?” he asks a staff member. “Are you loving the warm weather?” he enquires of an acquaintance who comes in for a coffee. “I’m giving an interview,” he reveals to another, who stops by the table to say hi. “G’day, how’s the baby?” he asks another punter.

Gerard admits he's not a fan of the government’s recovery plan, but does claim to be a champion of Christchurch – “I fiercely don’t align myself with any political group.”

Gerard believes it could take another 20 to 30 years to transition from ‘rebuild’ to the

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PLAYLIST: THE SONGS OF WHEN A CITY RISES The film features an original score written and recorded in Lyttelton – “There’s an authenticity to using music that’s made by people who went through the earthquakes,” Gerard says. It also features songs by other New Zealand musicians.

Delaney Davidson ‘Little Heart’ Holly Arrowsmith ‘Flinted’ Glass Vaults ‘Don’t Be Shy’ Ainslie Allen ‘My Mum’ Richard Dada ‘Marina was a Dreamer’

natural development of a normal, organically evolving city. But he holds out hope, saying it’s not too late to build the modern city we deserve, and that taking our time isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

“The government of the day, in the years after the earthquake, worried if things weren’t done quickly Christchurch would cease to exist,” he says. “It’s a double-edged sword. Through doing things quickly, you lose a lot of individual and diverse expression. We locked out lots of potential, but we could see the error of our ways, and find ways to allow the smaller ‘finer grain’ alongside the majorlithic structures, so many of which have ‘for lease’ signs on them.”

So what does Gerard want for the central city, if not glass-fronted contemporary steel monuments? “Thousands of children. Lots and lots of families living in the heart of the city in four-storey multi-use buildings surrounding green areas. Recreation areas in our city. Tennis courts. An urban suburb.”

Slowing down, he says, taking the government’s hands off the wheel and letting development happen at its own pace might take a similar amount of time to the oft-delayed ‘blueprint’ plan and anchor projects. And it might deliver something more to Gerard’s taste. “It would be the risk that could save the city.”

“Letting capitalism dictate how our city looks and works is obviously failing.”

He describes pre-2010 Christchurch as “A faded, gracious city of small-scale treasures.” And now: “It’s lost so much of that old stock, but there is a beauty in the rebuild city. Perhaps it’s yet to flower. Things are changing.” gerardsmyth.nz

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The story of Re:START is the story of a defibrillator applied to the arresting heart of Christchurch. The beats it brought into Cashel Mall pumped life through the CBD, bringing us the thriving collection of businesses present and continually growing in the city today.

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‘WE SIGNED [FOR THE CONTAINERS] BEFORE WE HAD A DOLLAR IN THE BANK.’

I

t was our new High Street while the real thing was cordoned off, and it gave people hope that things could return to normal, even if the mall itself was anything but. The colourful containers became an attraction, a place to hang out, eat, chew the fat, wander and shop. Lonely Planet picked Re:START out when awarding Christchurch a place in its 2013 top 10 cities, calling it “a colourful labyrinth of shipping containers”.

Very quickly after the February 2011 earthquake, a committee of CBD retailers and property owners began talking about how to save retail. “We were aware that a whole lot of businesses were looking for what to do, and none of them could afford to go into a mall. So many small businesses were dying,” says John Suckling, chair of the former Re:START the Heart Trust.

Committee members shared an opposition to a spreading feeling in the Christchurch community that maybe we didn’t need a central city. Experience and research from cities around the world showed them that this wasn’t true – that cities with a good CBD had prouder residents, more visitors and better business communities than those that were essentially a cluster of suburbs.

By March the committee had the beginnings of an idea, and approached Minister for

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Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Gerry Brownlee, asking for his support to launch an innovative retail mall next to Ballantynes. The Minister was keen, and the next month made a public announcement with the committee, painting broad strokes of the concept: something bold and temporary that would bring life back to the central city.

The committee considered other temporary building materials, such as the durable fabric of Auckland’s The Cloud. But containers quickly emerged as the preferred option because they could keep retail goods secure, they were quick to set up and – most importantly – they were strong and safe in an earthquake.

The committee set a hard deadline of the last week of October to open the mall. This was the week before Show Week and just before Christmas shopping would get into full swing.

Leighs Construction managing director Anthony Leighs got involved with the project early on, and he had a lead on 64 containers in China. The committee, which by now had formed into the official Re:START the Heart Trust, needed to sign off on the purchase. As the trust chased funds, the deadline got closer and closer and risks had to be taken. “A decision had to be made. There had to be a way,” John

ŌTAUTAHI'S 'TEENS

says. “We signed it before we had a dollar in the bank.”

The name of the mall was a double entendre: a restart of the CBD; and also re: ‘regarding’ starting something new. The logo, a stylised heart made of stacked boxes, was designed and donated

by Hummingbird Coffee.

Funding came in the form of an interest-free loan from the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust, a grant from ASB and, later, funds from the Crown. Meanwhile, Leighs Construction and architect Anton Tritt of the Buchan Group did early work pro bono. The containers arrived by ship at Lyttelton in August, with 61 days ‘til opening.

About half of the containers were delivered to site, and due to space constraints the remainder went to the Leighs Construction yard for preliminary work before being installed.

Opening day was Saturday 29 October, 2011, just eight months after the earthquake rendered most of the central city inaccessible. There were tears of joy from people who had never believed they would be able to return to central Christchurch, and the success of the mall was enhanced by a synergy with neighbouring Ballantynes, which reopened on the same day.

“On the Sunday I went around the retailers… the staff were absolutely buzzing,” John says.

Stores included a plucky group of pro-city shops and eateries who refused to resign the CBD, including Infinite Definite, Ruby, Scorpio Books, Stencil, The General Store, Untouched World, HAPA, Dimitri’s Greek Food and BASE Woodfired Pizza. They were backed up by some of the big kids like Kathmandu, Hallensteins and major banks, bringing a mixture of sizes and purposes that drew a large and regular crowd.

It was an optimistic place in a tough working environment. An island of safety in the red zone,

Re:START was just a fence away from condemned buildings that were being actively pulled down while the mall operated. Hi-vis vests and helmets were a regular sight, and staff and visitors continued to be subject to thousands of aftershocks.

The mall traded for 2000 days, during which time the entire northern section was relocated to the south side of Cashel Street to make room for construction in 2014.

Re:START was a roaring success, and it was never meant to be permanent – rather acting as a pacemaker until the next iteration of Christchurch’s heart was ready to take over. By 31 January 2018, Re:START had run for far longer than anyone originally anticipated, and it closed down to make room for what some would call its natural successor: Riverside Market.

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ŌTAUTAHI'S 'TEENS

THANK YOU CHRISTCHURCH WE COULDN’T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU

61 DAYS TO BUILD 64 CONTAINERS 2000 DAYS OF TRADING NOW WE’RE MAKING WAY FOR THE NEW CITY.

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Re:START The Heart Trust

A CITY REBUILDING

WE LOOK BACK ON A DECADE OF EARTHQUAKE RECOVERY AND PULL SOME MASSIVE MOMENTS FROM THE MEMORY BANK.

SEPTEMBER 4, 2010 EARTHQUAKE Welcome to the 20-teens, Christchurch.

SHAG PILE

CRANES, CONES AND FENCES

Rapanui, the great stack of rock marking the entrance to the estuary crumbled into a somewhat less impressive figure during the February earthquake.

If we were to develop a coat of arms for Christchurch in the 2010s, it would probably feature these things.

IMAGE: LESTRANGE GALLERY

FEBRUARY 22, 2011 EARTHQUAKE The day we lost 185 people to a terrible force of nature. The city would never be the same, physically or in spirit.

SUMNER CONTAINER ART

RE:START AND BALLANTYNES OPEN, OCTOBER 2011

Amazing art belies the practical nature of these containers, placed along Peacocks Gallop to prevent boulders falling on the road.

Bold, bright, new and stylish, the opening of Re:START container mall and Ballantynes brought Christchurchians back to the city centre.

The way we were

GET YOUR NOSTALGIA ON AS WE TAKE A LOOK WAY BACK AT THE OLD NORMAL.

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ŌTAUTAHI'S 'TEENS

CENTENNIAL POOL » MARGARET MAHY PLAYGROUND, 2014 – 2015

One year on from the February earthquake, Christchurchians honoured those who had died and whose lives had been forever changed by the quake by placing flowers in what had become a symbol of the city: road cones.

After an impassioned campaign to save the pools was not successful, central Christchurch’s Centennial Pool complex was pulled down in 2014 to make room for what would become a lively and colourful spot for families and children: the Margaret Mahy Playground which opened in December 2015.

BRIDGE OF REMEMBRANCE REOPENS, APRIL 2016

LANCASTER PARK FOR SALE, SORT OF, 2017

The bridge and memorial arch were badly damaged in the 2011 earthquake, and the bridge, dedicated to those who died in World War I, reopened on Anzac Day 2016.

The condemned home of Canterbury rugby got to live on in some small part as seats and other parts of the stadium were auctioned to fans on Trade Me during its demolition.

IMAGE: CHRISTCHURCHNZ.COM

FLOWERS IN ROAD CONES, FEBRUARY 2012

IMAGE: OTAKARO LTD

BUS INTERCHANGE OPENS, MAY 2015

TRAMWAY REOPENS, NOVEMBER 2013 This limited route between New Regent Street and Worcester Boulevard was later expanded in 2014 to include the entire pre-earthquake loop.

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One of the first ‘anchor projects’ and a tangible sign that the CBD would continue to be a hub for Christchurch.

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PORT HILLS FIRES, FEBRUARY 2017 Two fires quickly spread through the hills, destroying nine homes and taking the life of a helicopter pilot. The inferno could be seen all across the city, and cleared forest, farmland, residential areas and Christchurch Adventure Park.

ŌTAUTAHI'S 'TEENS

TŪRANGA CENTRAL LIBRARY OPENS, OCTOBER 2018

LYTTELTON TIMEBALL STATION REOPENS, NOVEMBER 2018

CHRISTCHURCH TOWN HALL REOPENS, FEBRUARY 2019

The much-loved former QEII stadium and pool complex were never to be repaired, but this modern facility was one of the first new major public facilities to be built after the earthquakes.

Books! Technology!

Lego!

Giant touchscreen!

The old-times time signal device used by ships to set their chronometers was rebuilt after it completely collapsed in June 2011.

People started queuing around 9am to get a look at the new-look Christchurch Town Hall on reopening day.

IMAGE: CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL

TAIORA QEII RECREATION AND SPORT CENTRE OPENS, MAY 2018

IMAGE: CHRISTCHURCHNZ.COM

THE TERRACE OPENS, MARCH 2018 First came Botanic, then Craft Embassy, then everything fell into place, bringing some serious nightlife back to the city.

SALT DISTRICT COINED, OCTOBER 2018 The SALT District, an acronym for St Asaph, Lichfield and Tuam, brought a punch of sass and grit to the city, home to funky cafes, gorgeous bars, and a plethora of places to eat (Little High, we love you).

IMAGE: CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL

NGĀ PUNA WAI SPORTS HUB OPENS, MARCH 2019 This Wigram outdoor sports facility was opened in stages. International-quality grounds for athletics, hockey, tennis and rugby league.

DID YOU KNOW? The Sign of the Kiwi underwent earthquake repairs and strengthening, opening just three weeks before the Port Hills fires came within metres of destroying the café in 2017. Luckily, it emerged unscathed.

In an unprecedented level of public agreement, 90% of respondents to a Christchurch City Council survey said they wanted to keep the iconic New Brighton whale pool. A replica of the original whale is now in place.

It took a heap of work to rebuild the beloved Christchurch Town Hall, including 1.7 kilometres of crack repairs.

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IMAGES: OLIVIA SPENCER-BOWER, PROJECT STORY

Giant clock faces from the iconic Moorhouse Avenue railway station and Science Alive! building now adorn Riverside Market.

ŌTAUTAHI'S 'TEENS

The road connecting Lyttelton to Sumner took a good while to be rebuilt and made safe for motorists, and the result is probably the city’s best road: smooth with sweeping corners and majestic views of the harbour entrance.

The indoor market complex has turned the corner of Oxford Tce and Lichfield Street into a bustling food hub.

VAKA ’A HINA INSTALLED, OCTOBER 2019 Sēmisi Fetokai Potauaine’s striking, sixteen-metre tall sculpture added a magnificent touch of Pasifika culture to Ōtautahi’s public art landscape.

IMAGE: SCAPE PUBLIC ART

IMAGE: CHRISTCHURCH CITY COUNCIL

RIVERSIDE MARKET OPENS, SEPTEMBER 2019

IMAGE: PROJECT STORY

SUMNER ROAD REOPENS, MARCH 2019

MARCH 15, 2019 MOSQUE SHOOTINGS On this terrible day, a white supremacist terrorist took the lives of 51 people at their time of peace and prayer. They have become a fundamental part of our city’s kōrero and will always be remembered.

THE WELDER OPENS, NOVEMBER 2019

LUMIÈRE CINEMAS OPEN, JUNE 2019 After an eight-year absence, The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora gets its arthouse cinema back with the opening of Lumière.

SIGN OF THE TAKAHE REOPENS, OCTOBER 2019 The historic roadhouse reopened as an absolutely excellent café and bar.

BANDING TOGETHER The Student Volunteer Army and other community groups banded together in the wake of the earthquakes to clear liquefaction and help people save their property and live their lives. After March 15, 2019, we once again saw the Christchurch community come together to help those who were injured or lost loved ones, and to show support for Muslim Christchurchians. This year, we saw more examples of our people going out of their way to help the vulnerable and isolated during Covid-19 lockdown.

What a great community to call our own.

Kia kaha, Ōtautahi.

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Taking up residence on the bustling Welles Street, The Welder is the first health and wellbeing (and eating) centre of such a large scale and is a hub of good vibes.

MUSEUMS, MASTERPIECES & MATAGOURI Anthony Wright and his partner Selene Manning recently completed the stunning home-cum-art collection Wrightmann House.

All the interior walls of this architectural marvel are covered in art, and the overwhelming sense of being surrounded by beauty and confronting works resolves into a wondrous experience of spotting new details and hidden surprises every time you look. Anthony wears a lot of hats in his occupational and personal life – perhaps the most visible of which is his role as director of Canterbury Museum, where he is overseeing plans for an extensive modernisation of the institution. Anthony takes a moment with Cityscape to answer some questions on life, history, and art.

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IMAGE: SIMON DEVITT

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B

eing director of Canterbury Museum was the dream job that brought me to Christchurch 24 years ago. As it turns out, my great, great grandfather came here in 1857 and is buried in Linwood cemetery. So there are some family links here that may have been part of the draw back to Canterbury.

Though born in Auckland, I very quickly dropped that scene and became an avid Crusaders fan.

I’d always aspired to lead a museum somewhere in the country.

Having told the interview panel I’d be here a minimum of three years, an optimum of five, and a

maximum of seven, Canterbury captured me. I just love the sense of community here and what I believe is the finest museum, the finest collection in the country.

There are so many highlights of my time at Canterbury Museum, but the most recent is undoubtedly this year's celebration of the museum's 150th birthday on our present Rolleston Avenue site.

We marked that with what we call House of Treasures: Ngā Taonga Tuku Iho. The first part is a fabulous book featuring 150 of the greatest treasures in the collection, and the other part is an exhibition which features the rarest and most fragile of objects which we normally can’t display because they are so delicate.

The most chilling one for me is the only remaining huia nest. A bird that’s now extinct, and the only nest that was ever collected. It’s made out of twigs and beautifully photographed by Jane Ussher for the book. The photo is an artwork in its own right, and you could perhaps say the nest itself is an artwork of nature. That’s one of the taonga that go back to the roots of the museum. The huia bird skins

MUSEUM REDEVELOPMENT CONCEPT. IMAGE: ATHFIELD ARCHITECTS

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IMAGE: JANE USSHER

MUSEUMS, MASTERPIECES & MATAGOURI

were one of the things that founder Julius von Haast exchanged with museums around the world to build what was, in the 1870s and ‘80s, one of the great museum collections of the world.

The museum redevelopment plan is really about bringing a tired and failing set of buildings into the 21st Century – mostly the middleaged ones, the old heritage buildings are actually in the best condition.

We really need to care for and provide much better access to the millions of taonga, or treasures, and their stories, that the buildings house. Caring for the collection and making the collection and its

stories much more accessible to the Canterbury community and our visitors is at the heart of what we’re doing.

Less than a percent of the collection is on display, so we hope in the redevelopment to greatly increase that, and also to make the museum spaces more flexible so that we can change exhibitions and show more of that large collection on a rotating basis.

The response to the concept designs has been gratifyingly positive. It really has been a slow development of ideas by the architects and consultant group working with a wide range of stakeholders and the wider public.

People have taken on the sometimes difficult job of balancing the care and enhancement of the heritage buildings with the need for modern facilities and to simplify the overwhelmingly rabbit-warrenness of the space. It’s 14 different buildings built over 150 years, so there has never been a site-wide circulation plan before.

We’re just finishing off the concept design with a view to lodging a resource consent application very soon.

While that’s being processed we’ll also be fundraising to bridge the $70 million gap that we’ve got towards our $195 million target project cost. We have got $125 million raised already.

If that gap is filled promptly, then it's two years of detailed design and building consents, and then a three-year move off-site so it can be upgraded and redeveloped.

During that three-year period, we plan to operate a temporary museum elsewhere in the city, given its importance both to the local community and to tourism.

Among the most important collections, the Antarctic heroic era artefacts are truly world class.

Our Māori and Pasifika collections, our New Zealand natural history, and decorative arts are also strongly represented. And not to

be forgotten is that Haast presided over the discovery of great deposits of moa bones in Canterbury and he exchanged those with the great museums all around the world to build a worldwide collection. It would be impossible to assemble such a collection today.

We’re adding thousands of objects to the museum collection every year, including very important scientific collections which help researchers understand our environment, weather patterns, and life in the past in New Zealand.

I would like my legacy to be stronger public collections and better access for all people to the great treasures that define our part of the world.

The seemingly endless array of human invention and endeavour drew me into the world of art. It can make the hair stand up on the back of your neck and other times it just gives you an overwhelming sense of peace and beauty, so it’s that huge array of emotions that art can inspire.

I trained as a scientist and a botanist, but I had a formative experience when I was on the students’ association executive at the University of Auckland. There was a modern painting hanging on the wall of my office and I didn’t really know anything about it at the time, but I realised after two years of sitting below it that it was an original McCahon. That painting drew me in, even though I didn’t really understand contemporary art at the time. That was my entrée to it. There were green hills, and the words ‘I am’ in capitals on it. It’s one of those things, I kept looking up and I would gaze at it while I was thinking out problems. Before that, I was probably more into the classical European art that you would see in the art gallery – at Lindauer – and Goldie Māori portraits and things like that.

Contemporary art has grown more and more all-consuming as time has gone on.

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QUICK-FIRE QUESTIONS

Favourite art in your collection?

If I had to choose, it would be Reuben Paterson’s The Nubian, 2010. It’s a sparkling glitter work and depicts tropical flowers on a black ground.

It’s just a sort of happy dream world piece that transports me back to Rarotonga, which is where we purchased it from the Bergman Gallery.

Favourite gin?

Langley's No.8 from London. It’s a really good true London gin. It packs a bit of punch but it’s smooth and delicate and I’ve never had any aftereffects from it yet.

Favourite Canterbury plant?

Probably matagouri. It’s so much maligned as a fierce and thorny plant, but when you actually stop and look at an individual plant, it’s beautifully formed and it’s got cute little leaves, and tiny, perfectly formed flowers. It also creates amongst its tangled branches a micro habitat that provides a safe haven for dozens of little lichens and mosses and liverworts. Often we overlook plants that we think of as a nuisance but they all have their place in the wider scheme of things.

MUSEUMS, MASTERPIECES & MATAGOURI

digitally painted back-to-the-future scenes in light boxes in vibrant blues and magentas and golds. It’s a stunning work. It just fills you with hope and inspiration for the future when you see enthusiastic young people like this with such incredible vision and technical skill. Now we’ve got to find space to put it up.

I think the earthquakes caused a huge series of dislocations and disruptions and that was imposed upon the arts scene. But I think out of it, especially with the gift of time, there’s a broader, stronger and far

more diverse arts ecology growing in Christchurch, that’s my view of it.

And it ranges through street art and public art to the established galleries. There’s also a thriving student and pop-up art scene, you know, little student galleries and things. That’s an opportunity for up-and-coming artists and indeed some established artists who show recent work in juxtaposition. I think that’s incredibly important to developing the arts scene.

The idea for Wrightmann House didn’t come as a lightning bolt to my partner Selene Manning and me. But practically speaking, both of our pre-earthquake houses were either munted or destroyed by the earthquakes. We looked for a replacement house that might be able to house our art, but none of them had anywhere near enough wall space and would have cost more to change into something that would work than building new.

QUICK-FIRE QUESTIONS

IMAGES: SIMON DEVITT

Canterbury art has a long and consistent school which has produced generation after generation of really gifted artists.

To me, they more than hold their own nationally and internationally.

It’s always invidious to choose just one up-and-coming artist to look out for, but our latest acquisition came out of the Ilam 2020 senior student show out at the university arts school, and it’s a stunning light box triptych by student Alice Cheersmith. It consists of three, metre-square,

What do you love about Christchurch in summer?

The wide-open skies, long hot days, basking in the sun as a break from gardening and doing other things. It’s the time of living, of being outdoors, it’s an invitation to get out into the hills and explore.

Where would you take visitors to the city for: Two hours? I’d take them on the Ōtākaro river walk with a few deviations to nearby public art works and one or two quick breaks at the really good cafés or bars that are either on the walk or not far from it. The visitors to town

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that we’ve taken to it have been impressed and it’s just a very pleasant way to see the city, not from the roads, but on foot. Half a day? I’d supplement the two-hour menu with a trip out to Brighton through the red zone, and go to a café for brunch, lunch or dessert.

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24 hours? I’d expand the half-day experience with a trip out into the country and have lunch at one of the fabulous winery restaurants.

I’d also take them to some of the galleries, and if possible finish the day with a concert at the Town Hall.

That’s when we had the idea of taking the existing piece of land in Bishop Street and demolishing the munted house, retaining all the mature trees and gardens, and building a purpose-designed house with absolute maximum wall space.

We started talking to the architect and then the builder five years ago now. Athfield Architects were just brilliant, in terms of the way they listened to our ideas and just continually amplified them and skilfully turned us from our simplistic thinking to solutions that we couldn’t have dreamt of.

The builders, Clive Barrington Construction, also entered into it with real gusto and it was just a joy working with all the teams, liberally lubricated with gin and tonics at regular celebration points along the build journey. It’s not only an art house, it’s a bit of a gin house.

The gin comes from being a collector at heart, I think. When I was a student, Gordon’s was the go-to gin for G&Ts – I don’t remember much choice in those days. After the earthquakes, as part of our trying to enjoy life on the side, we started collecting different gins, some of them from overseas just to try them because we’ve always liked a gin and tonic in the evening. At that stage I had the mistaken belief that we were going to collect all the gins available in the world. In the last few years I’ve become painfully aware of how impossible that would be – there are hundreds of new gins emerging every single week around the world.

While we were going through the thinking and building process the collection sort of doubled in size so just as well we built maximum wall space.

IMAGE: SIMON DEVITT

‘If it’s for sale and you can afford it, then don’t agonise over whether it’s the right art or not.’

People say that building a house can be a dreadful process to go through. It was simply a joy for both of us and we live in a house now that we just love, that we really enjoy day and night.

Most of our artworks have a definite story, and in most cases we’d be able to remember the first glimpse, where it occurred, and get some sense of the original spine-tingling feeling that we had.

Some of them are deeply disquieting when you first see them, but they grow on you and you understand more the more you look at them, and sort of get a deeper view of things.

I think SCAPE Public Art is pretty much single-handedly responsible for Christchurch’s really enviable world class contemporary public art collection. I think back over the 22 years of SCAPE’s existence – at the beginning of that period the city had a scattering of Victorian public statues and that was pretty much what public art was.

I really love SCAPE’s model of collaboration between artists and industry. I'm happy the involvement of industry has brought thousands of new individuals and their families in to become supporters and lovers of the art.

One of the hard things about art for many people is they are afraid

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of art, and they don’t know how to get into it. Selene and I always say when you look at a piece of art, if you like it, go for it. If it’s for sale and you can afford it, then don’t agonise over whether it’s the right art or not. We put a heap of stuff in our collection that probably wouldn’t pass the taste test for many people, but it doesn’t matter.

Every piece is chosen to talk to other pieces and together it makes a whole for us.

I’m lucky enough to get away on some botanical field work each year. That’s really important in keeping in touch with the plants.

But I also keep in touch with other botanists. I’m president of the New Zealand Botanical Society, amongst other things.

My pet project at the moment, I’ve been working on searching out and describing additions to the flora of the Cook Islands during visits there over more than a decade. It’s short periods of very intense fieldwork, and then good intentions to keep that going in the evenings in between times.

I’m very much into plant species. For example Paul Dibble’s The Gold of the Kowhai sculpture in the garden has inspired me to gradually collect up all of our native species of kōwhai and showcase them so we can have our own gold of the kōwhai.

THE WRIGHTMANN COLLECTION: AN ALIGNMENT OF THE STARS WORDS BY WARREN FEENEY, ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY

BY SIMON DEVITT

S

panning almost three decades, The Wrightmann Collection comprises nearly 1000 works of art and objects

by Aotearoa New Zealand artists, signifying an ‘alignment of the stars’ for Selene Manning and Anthony Wright. Many items in the collection, displayed in the recently completed Wrightmann House, represent a cross section of contemporary Canterbury art and its art history with works by recent graduates and emerging artists in conversation with senior artists’ work.

Recently opened for the first time to the public for a one-night only arts event, a fundraiser to support SCAPE Public Art, The Wrightmann Collection also reveals the untold story of Christchurch’s many ‘pop up’ galleries and artists’ spaces that flourished in the immediate post-quake period.

2011

From 22 February 2011, Manning and Wright prioritised the work of local graduate and postgraduate students.

Wright notes that the earthquake changed everything. This included the city’s galleries, which were decimated. Galleries that opened post-quake did so in temporary premises outside the city centre. The Jonathan Smart Gallery in High Street took up residence in the former Oddfellows Hall and studio of sculptor Neil Dawson in Linwood. By July 2011, a cluster of galleries had opened, circling the city’s borders, evidence of the response of ‘first-movers’ establishing creative ventures. Characteristic of this phenomenon was a commitment to immediate and affirmative action, rather than long-term entrepreneurial opportunity.

Typically their later closure was an accepted

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WRIGHTMANN HOUSE CONTAINS THE COMBINED COLLECTIONS OF ANTHONY WRIGHT AND SELENE MANNING

trait of the changing and unstable environment that they occupied.

This included the opening of the Tin Palace gallery in Lyttelton by School of Fine Arts (SFA) student Amelia de Roo, and the artist-run space, 183 Milton Street, coordinated by tenant and SFA student Tim Middleton, which opened in February 2011 and closed in October as the university year ended. Two of Middleton’s works, Super Dry, 2014 – a solid plaster cast of a beer box – and Apparition, 2018 – a large framed work, also in cast plaster, are held in the Wrightmann Collection.

In March, ABC gallery was opened at 337 Lincoln Road by graduates from the SFA, Matt Akehurst, Zhonghao Chen, Oscar Enberg and Sebastian Warne. Its launch was fortuitous as they already had plans to open prior to February 22. By chance, ABC was among the first in the post-quake city, yet it closed as planned in October 2012. Three of ABC’s founders are represented in the Wrightmann Collection. Warne by You take Sally, I’ll take Sue (ain’t no difference…), 2011, Chen by two works from 2006 and 2010, and Akehurst by Object 25, 2013, part of an ongoing series in which he imagines contemporary post-war sculptures that might have been.

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MUSEUMS, MASTERPIECES & MATAGOURI

Also in July, Chambers241 gallery opened in Moorhouse Avenue with a group exhibition of prominent local artists that included contemporary jeweller Areta Wilkinson and printmaker Jason Greig. Distinguished by his gothic sensibility, a monoprint by Greig, Sun Cult Goddess… Curse the Gold, 2011, now in the Wrightmann Collection, was singled out for attention in The Press by arts reviewer, art historian and scholar Andrew Paul Wood as “a magnificent print”.

Prior to February 2011, the combination of CoCA’s (the Centre of Contemporary Art) emerging artists programme and the annual Select exhibition of year three and four students and postgraduates at the Ilam Campus Gallery were of importance to Wright’s and Manning’s acquisitions. Wright recalls: “CoCA was fantastic. We always felt that we were seeing the best of emerging artists there and the annual Select exhibition at Ilam was also a really informed offering.”

A highlight of CoCA’s programme was Kushana Bush’s second solo exhibition, The Slump Series, works on paper of figures in multiple states of sleep and death, lying in close proximity, yet metaphorically distanced in body and mind from one another. The Slump Series is chillingly represented in the Wrightmann Collection by Coffin Boat and Fetish Pile.

CoCA temporarily closed in February 2011, and the annual Select exhibitions gained ever greater significance for Manning and Wright.

Manning recalls: “There wasn’t a lot of money around post-quake so people weren’t really stepping up and spending a lot. People were trying to settle with insurers. We were worried that the arts students were going to move to Wellington or Auckland and some of them did. We were really keen to be part of the community that encouraged them to stay.”

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JOSH O’ROURKE, UNTITLED, 2010, ACRYLIC ON BOARD

KUSHANA BUSH, FETISH PILE, 2007, GOUACHE, PENCIL ON PAPER

Wright adds: “The whole art scene was so dislocated and disrupted but Ilam was having these regular shows and we were going out to almost all of them, so we got to know four or five years of the best students really well.”

In 2010 Select featured a painting by first class honours graduate Josh O’Rourke.

Growing up in New Brighton, O’Rourke’s passion was surfing – also the subject-ofchoice for his work, realised in painterly, symmetrical silhouetted figures and colour fields. Wright says that they began collecting O’Rourke’s work, initially acquiring Untitled in 2010, a colourful acrylic-on-board painting of two figures in teal and orange following that Select showing. O'Rourke went on to have a work purchased from the 2011 Select exhibition for the university’s collection. His paintings may take their subjects from surf culture but an encounter with them is also about the artist’s refinement of the attributes of his materials and their potential.

Exhibiting in Select in 2011, recent graduate Charlotte Watson held the closing exhibition/ installation Exurbia for 183 Milton Street in September. Working with discarded kitchen planks and joinery, cut and shaped to form interlocking models of makeshift buildings, her choice of materials and objects were a post-February 2011 moment that made perfect sense to all attending. The Wrightmann Collection features three works

by Watson from 2012, including Spearmint

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MUSEUMS, MASTERPIECES & MATAGOURI

Ice Crush, a work that shares in Exurbia’s imagery, a tectonic-plate and constructivist sculpture, and response from the artist about seeking to assume or create order in a time of chaos.

2012

In 2012 new galleries and artist-run spaces continued to open. Aware that it was going to be closed for an indeterminate period, the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū established Outer Spaces, curating a programme of local artists exhibitions in a temporary gallery on the first floor of NG Design at 212 Madras Street. Its opening exhibition in March 2012 was Sam Harrison’s Render.

Room Four at 336 St Asaph Street was opened in April by artists Rosalee Jenkin and Daegan Wells, and Dog Park in Wilsons Road in June by Ella Sutherland, Chloe Geoghegan and art historian Barbara Garrie. Emerging artists were also accommodated by the three-month Art Beat summer programme in Cashel Street’s Container Mall. Art Beat ran from November 2012 to February 2014 with a three-month programme each year of performance and exhibitions in retail outlets.

A postgraduate from the SFA in 2012, photographer Michaela Cox’s colourful and otherworldly digital images are represented in a number of series, including Nightgarden in 2011 and Faux Arcadia in 2013. Cox’s large-scale botanical photographs are, as their titles suggest, heavenly and utopian, as well as an experience about an immersive and tangible reality.

2013

In February 2013, following two years of development and seeking funding, Artbox opened in Madras Street, adjacent to CPIT’s Art and Design School. Conceived and designed by former graduates Pippin Wright-Stow and Andrew Just of F3 Design, it was based on the idea of interlocking modular-designed containers stacked to create site-specific gallery and studio spaces. In July the Jonathan Smart Gallery opened its new space at 52 Buchan Street in Sydenham, and in October, the city’s first sound-art gallery, The Auricle, opened in New Regent Street.

It was also the year in which the Wrightmann Collection acquired its first of many works by Francis van Hout. His solo exhibition in 2013, Painted Some Things, at City Art Depot, wryly reflected on a history of Western art with a curiosity about the

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PAUL MCLACHLAN, SOLDIER TEN, 2013, [ED 1/6], PHOTO-INTAGLIO PRINT ON PAPER

merit of its subjects and genres. In Painted Place Mat (J C Hoyte, Pink and White...), 2013, van Hout’s pixelation of a portion of the image implies its realisation in the present moment and its reality as a once-popular historical tourist destination. Van Hout’s understated humour is an essential aspect of his work, making him a favourite artist of both Wright and Manning.

Also from 2013 are six photo-intaglio prints from printmaker Paul McLachlan’s Home Ground series at Chambers241 gallery.

Working from marble statues of anonymous New Zealand soldiers modelled as the subjects of memorial statues, commemorating the end of the First World War, McLachlan utilised digital sculpting software to bring his subjects to life. Either individually or as a group there is an inescapable sense of the presence of the deceased men in McLachlan’s belated, yet poignant eulogy.

Across town, Artbox’s exhibition programme went from strength to strength in 2013 and among its many highlights was a solo show by SFA postgraduate Rebecca Harris. Her exhibition Pistil (the female reproductive part of a flower) was only

CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Summer 20/21

MUSEUMS, MASTERPIECES & MATAGOURI

2014

Opening in November 2014 and closing in September 2016, North Projects was established by SFA students Sophie Bannan, Sophie Davis and Grace Ryder in a vacant home in Bealey Avenue. In July, the artist-run space, Room Four at 336 St Asaph Street held a fundraiser with artworks donated by local artists to secure its long-term growth as a venue for the city’s emerging artists. In 2020, Room Four remains open, although it is now Art Hole and under new ownership, yet still maintaining its commitment to emerging artists, with the acquisition of two works for the Wrightmann collection in 2019 by local artist Tahlia King, weaving kowhaiwhai patterns in wool into the surfaces of clear Perspex.

Prior to February 2011 the heart of the city’s dealer galleries and artist-run spaces was around the Manchester and High streets intersection.

Post-quake, that close-knit network was comprehensively displaced.

In 2020, the city’s galleries reach from SCAPE Public Art’s Studio 125 in Merivale to Arca Gallery in Cashmere. Yet, the resonance of High Street endures. In August 2020, SFA student Millie Galbraith and graduates Lee Richardson and Liam Krijgsman opened Hot Lunch at 227 High Street, citing the necessity for a gallery for emerging artists and curators. And there is more, with another gallery planned for High Street before the end of year. Watch that space.

2020

outwardly about flower painting; Harris’ images are a kindred spirit of 19th Century French symbolist painting, haunting rather than joyful. Pistil represents a retort to the ‘Garden of Eden’ optimism of Michaela Cox’s photographs, and as one of a myriad of complementary and contradictory relationships between works, is important to the collection.

THE WRIGHTMANN COLLECTION REVEALS THE UNTOLD STORY OF CHRISTCHURCH’S MANY ‘POP UP’ GALLERIES AND ARTISTS’ SPACES THAT FLOURISHED IN THE IMMEDIATE POST-QUAKE PERIOD

2015

In 2015, the well-established printmaking studio and gallery PaperGraphica, owned and operated by printmaker Marian Maguire, reopened as PGgallery192. Among its stable of artists was Andy Leleisi’uao, represented in the Wrightmann Collection by works from 2011 to 2015. Leleisi’uao’s paintings are typically populated by crowded silhouetted figures, seemingly ancient and contemporary, yet working collectively as participants in the construction and sharing of a utopian world. Wright observes, “There are religious overtones to his work and he has underworlds and overworlds and political worlds.”

Also in 2015, on 24 July three exhibitions opened in the central city in close proximity to one another over a single evening with 300 attending; The Physics Room’s Persistency and SFA’s Aggregate sculpture show both in High Street, and a group exhibition, Uncaged, in Tuam Street. Senior Lecturer in sculpture, Louise Palmer commented in The Press that it “represented the first time – for a very long time – that it has felt like Christchurch had some kind of centre for the arts”.

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ART

THROUGH ADVERSITY TO THE ARTS

SCAPE Public Art has been adorning Christchurch for 22 years, and has been with us through thick and thin. Executive director Deborah McCormick tells Cityscape about the importance of art through adversity.

ART FOR ART’S SAKE Top Christchurch galleries to scratch your art itch.

CHRISTCHURCH ART GALLERY TE PUNA O WAIWHETŪ The city’s public gallery, an impressive glass-fronted building in Montreal Street where you’ll find everything from the classics to contemporary works. The gallery’s All Art All Summer season brings Kiwis face to face with work from local artists. christchurchartgallery.org.nz FIKSATE The bridge between the streets and the galleries, Fiksate is an urban art hub unlike anything else in the country.

It’s gritty, it’s on the edge, and it’s just a real cool space to be in. fiksate.com LESTRANGE GALLERY Run by local artist Bryan LEstrange, and located just back from the Sumner beach, LEstrange Gallery displays original works by well-known artists. FB/lestrangegallery WINDSOR GALLERY Having been in the business for over 100 years, Windsor Gallery has kept up with the times and sports an excellent collection of contemporary original works. windsorgallery.co.nz JONATHAN SMART GALLERY Jonathan Smart has proven to be an important part of the Christchurch scene, showcasing a range of contemporary art and supporting artists. jonathansmartgallery.com

P

ublic art has the power to inspire and challenge us at a personal, local and national level. It invites us to engage, think, respond, and has the potential to inspire conversation about ourselves and what we value. The planning and placement of public artworks, as part of our urban landscape that reflects diverse cultural origins and events, is important to our sense of belonging. Public artworks have rich and varied stories that flow into our buildings, streets and public spaces. We explore our

creativity in the places that define us and these are the golden threads that have the power to draw us together. In the last ten years, art has played a part in recognising and dealing with three major crises in Christchurch: the Canterbury earthquakes, the March 15 mosque attacks, and Covid-19. It has brought us new intimacies, embraced cultural diversity, responded visually to the events in our city, and connected people in their isolation through art in open spaces and digital exhibitions. scapepublicart.org.nz

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THE CENTRAL ART GALLERY This dealer gallery in the beautiful Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora library building displays works by established and sought-after New Zealand artists. thecentral.co.nz RIGHTSIDE GALLERY Don Service is the talent behind RightSide Gallery in Addington, where you’ll discover more than just paint on canvas. It’s a showroom and workshop where Don creates and repairs art, makes frames, and takes commissions. IG/rightside_art_gallery NADENE MILNE GALLERY This Hereford Street gallery is a showcase of contemporary New Zealand artists working in oil painting, abstract painting, sculpture, photography, installations and mixed media. nadenemilnegallery.com

CREVASSE BY DCYPHER

GETTING UP THE DEPICTIONS ON CHRISTCHURCH’S EXTERIOR WALLS ARE A MASSIVE PART OF THE CITY’S POST-QUAKE IDENTITY. CITYSCAPE TALKS TO A FEW OF THE ARTISTS WHO HAVE MARKED OUR STREETS AND WATCHED THE CITY EVOLVE. 67

Christchurch’s rejuvenated inner city has become one of the world’s best canvases for street art. Pulling a positive out of the dramatic and earthquake-forced transformation of the city landscape, the resulting abundance of large-scale art has made Ōtautahi a gigantic outdoor gallery that’s crammed with photo ops. And it’s not just random tagging, either. The city’s transformation of blank walls into stunning works of art has featured a veritable roll call of world-renowned street artists alongside local legends and urban creatives from around Aotearoa.

CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Summer 20/21

GETTING UP

JOEL HART

GEORGE SHAW George, originally from the UK and having come to Christchurch via Nelson, is one of the masterminds behind street art organiser and commissioner Oi YOU! How is the Christchurch art scene different now from how it was ten years ago? The property developers are seeing there’s an advantage to having beautiful murals around the city, because it brings people in.

How does Oi YOU! work? Where my skills lie is in the organisational and design side. We work very closely with the artists in the city, like Dcypher and Jacob Yikes.

For example, the Riverside mural: the idea came from looking at the wall and thinking about what could go there.

Then we talk to the artists. How did that mural come together?

The Riverside mural is an

interpretation of a Mondrian painting. I saw the ASB cash dispenser in the bottom right corner of the wall. We couldn’t move that, so we used it as inspiration. We wanted to use that word, ‘resilient’, and the clasped hands show the unity that the city has shown over the last few years.

Dcypher and I designed it, then he did the art – I put a bit of block colour on the wall, but Dcypher’s got the technical and artistic skills. Tell us about some street art that’s inspired you. I think my favourite piece is one from the first Spectrum festival, the Tilt mouths on the back of the casino. I also love [Owen Dippie’s] Ballerina and I love the SALT mural. The Rone piece is just gorgeous, the one on the brick wall. We placed that for one of our first events and I still adore it.

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Joel is a Christchurch graphic designer and urban artist with a proclivity for creating art around the themes of beauty and decay.

What are the inspirations for your art pieces featuring faces? A lot of what I paint has been influenced from my past work in graphic design and commercial art. I fuse a lot of found photographic elements of texture, shapes, patterns from all things that I am interested in like architecture, design, typography, nature, sports and urban decay, usually collaged together around a human form, that again is collaged together from a mixture of different sources. Talk us through the piece you’ve done in Christchurch that you love the most. One piece I am really fond of is a piece out in Kaiapoi, just over the railway tracks [see below]. I really enjoyed working on this piece. How did you get into creating street art? I was always into drawing as long as I can remember.

The style and nature of my work now lends itself to going large. It just came out of wanting to challenge myself to paint larger and larger, really.

CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Summer 20/21

WONGI ‘FREAK’ WILSON Wongi Wilson is a street artist with a reputation for high-quality, large-scale works in prominent positions around Christchurch.

He’s a member of the prolific DTR street art crew.

What motivates DTR? Our motivations have changed over the years but for nearly 15 years we've pushed graffiti art productions.

How did you get into creating street art? It started as an interest in the subculture and trying to mimic what I'd seen in magazines, documentaries and movies. Along the way there were a few opportunities to develop, namely through Project Legit but besides that, it was self-motivation. Tell us about a piece of street art that’s inspired you. The internet wasn't what it is now, even in the mid 2000s, and magazines and books were the main source. I first saw Maclaim Crew in The Source magazine and it blew my mind to see you could use spray paint to create artworks that looked like a photo. I couldn't pick just one work but I've been hugely influenced by Tasso Maclaim and Case Maclaim.

What's the piece you’ve done in Christchurch that you love the most? My favourite piece is of my friend who passed away, the whole crew painted a production in his memory and I painted his portrait.

It's in the city on Pilgrim Place, best viewed up close but visible from the Colombo Street bridge.

DCYPHER Another DTR mainstay, Dcypher cut his teeth in Canterbury before spending a decade in Los Angeles working as a freelance artist and developing mural art for TV shows like Sons of Anarchy, Silicon Valley and NCIS. How did you come up with the name Dcypher? The name came about when I was a teenager. It’s super cliché in hindsight, but once you’ve chosen a name you kinda have to stick to it. Graffiti can be difficult to decipher to the general public so at the time it felt like a good fit. Tell us about a piece of street art that’s inspired you.

There wasn’t a lot of murals, graffiti or street art up in the beginning that was massively inspiring to me, but being a dedicated skateboarder for half my life I was heavily influenced by skateboard graphics. Although, there were a few really talented German graffiti artists that visited Christchurch in the early 2000s that definitely gave me a very different

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perspective of how far the art of graffiti could be developed in style and technique. How does your process work? There are obviously different levels and forms of creating graffiti and street art legally or illegally, but from a commercial perspective the process of developing an artwork always varies from client to client.

The client usually has input into the design’s outcome. I’ll create a mock-up of what the artwork will look like for the proposed wall, that's it in a nutshell. I won't go into the unsanctioned side of things, although that is a huge part of my development and freedom as an artist over the years. Talk us through the piece you’ve done in Christchurch that you love the most. The latest piece that DTR painted as a crew in the South Frame would be my favourite wall this year. It’s a timeline depicting the development of graffiti and street art with influences of the last four decades as markers of time.

JACOB YIKES

JACOB ROOT A relative newcomer to the Christchurch street art scene, Jacob Root uses stencils, screens, acrylics and aerosols to create works from small canvases to huge murals.

Why Audrey? The Audrey Hepburn mural I designed to bring a bit of colour pop and inspiration to the corner of St Asaph Street and Manchester Street. I wanted to paint Audrey as she is a well-known figure in history, known for her glamour, acting, and what stuck out to me is that she was a major

humanitarian. She was out to help improve the welfare and general happiness of people. I found that this made her really fitting for the subject of my mural because I really love to try inspire people to be happy, keep their heads up and ‘shine so bright’.

How did you get into creating street art?

When I was 17, I was really into graphic design and all of that but the thought of office work was pulling me away from it. Later that year I went on a family holiday to Los Angeles where I saw street art and amazing galleries everywhere, which inspired me to have a go at it when I got back home. What was the first bit of street art you created? The first piece of street art I made was a single-layered stencil of Han Solo on a tiny electricity box on the corner of Madras Street and Edgeware Road. It was awful. I went back a few months later after I'd gotten better and painted Marilyn Monroe which is still there today.

Another part of the DTR puzzle, Christchurch-based illustrator Jacob Yikes is a staple of the city’s street art scene. He also illustrates and paints in his home studio.

How did you get into creating street art? I grew up painting graffiti and have always been into art as a kid.

I began painting large works after the earthquakes in 2011 due to the high level of spots and walls to paint.

Tell us about a piece of street art that’s inspired you.

That’s a tricky one, I wouldn’t say looking at street art inspires me to paint it, to be honest. My good friend and crew mate Dcypher has always inspired me though, as he is constantly taking it to another level and is just a boss in general. How does your process work? For works that are not commissioned I generally just find a spot and suss out whether it can be painted without any problems. Then I pretty much just freestyle whatever is in my head at the time. It’s different for larger walls or commissioned pieces, in which I usually come up with a concept. Talk us through the piece you’ve done in Christchurch that you love the most. Perhaps the Alice in Videoland wall.

I have switched up my style over the last wee while and have been working in my studio more than the street, but I have some big works lined up for the new year that are a lot different from my older ones and I like the direction they are heading. I’m my own biggest critic.

GETTING UP

CHIMP

RONE Melbourne artist Rone’s Worcester Street artwork on Cathedral Junction is one of our faves.

What inspired the work?

I wanted the raw brick to blend with Teresa Oman’s beauty. To show a contrast of beauty and decay. The fern is a nod to New Zealand’s history. How does your process work? I invented a method for doing huge works that I have since shared with other artists. I call it the ‘overlay method’. I overlay my design onto a photograph of the surface I want it on and let the surface become my reference point. If the surface doesn’t have any markings already, you can make marks on it before taking the photo.

Use random lines, symbols, numbers or letters. I send the overlaid photo to my phone and check the reference points as I paint.

Organic Matters, the work of Wellington-based artist Chimp, is one of the most striking features of Christchurch’s Justice and Emergency Services Precinct.

Given the history of street art and the law, did you think it ironic to be asked to paint on the side of the Justice and Emergency Services Precinct? Ha, yes, receiving the initial email was mildly concerning until I had taken in that it was about a potential commission. It was interesting talking to people while painting the mural, from people attending court, to police officers and lawyers and getting all their different perspectives on the project.

You seem to have a real thing for art featuring birds – can you tell us about that? Birds are so connected to our culture and Aotearoa, I think partially because they are our most notable life forms across the country other than us. Because of this they are a powerful subject to build a composition and artwork from. I experimented with a few different species when creating concepts for Organic Matters. How did you get into creating street art? From making skateboard decks at about 13, I started painting graphics onto them. Lucky enough to have supportive parents, I started painting on the walls of the garage and I found that more satisfying than manufacturing the skateboards. At about 16 I put down the jigsaw and walked

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IMAGE: YOSHITARO YANAGITA

outside with spray cans. Do you still paint skateboards? I just painted two Paper Rain Project decks – I believe they will be available online soon. Occasionally I produce a run of my own boards under my first project name Planetary Longboards. What was the first bit of street art you created, and was it any good?

The first paintings I did with spray paint on the street are long gone, thankfully, as they were terrible.

But the important thing is to keep going. Where’s your favourite place to go in Christchurch for a hit of creative inspiration? The various post-quake mural festivals and graffiti have made the streets an amazing source of inspiration to walk through, Fiksate gallery has work on show from great urban contemporary artists, and Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū always seems to have great shows on.

Food & Drink

INCOMING: GIN! gin gin. is reopening its doors this summer in New Regent Street with a bigger, bolder bar that’s uplifting, vibrant, and seriously cosy. It now has its own dedicated kitchen, more shelf space for even more sensational gins, and room for events and live music. gingin.co.nz

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FOOD & DRINK

YAKITORI STORY The Drifting Table is a new yakitori joint that comes to you – it’s a portable operation for small events run by the charismatic Chef Yuki Maekawa.

Chicken. Beautiful, smoky, marinated, charcoal grilled chicken. That’s what yakitori is all about. Everything else is a beautiful accompaniment.

The skewers and tenderloins are all perfectly cooked without a hint of dryness, and the different seasonings complement the smoky charcoal flavour. Our favourite is the yuzu and pepper sauce – a fresh, green, spicy condiment that picks you up by the nose. Another top dish is the simple and flavourful chicken meatballs with ginger and onion.

Yuki has been a chef for over 20 years, and wanted to bring his skills to the table serving traditional Japanese yakitori alongside dishes with his own twist. In September he launched The Drifting Table and began drifting into lively household parties and corporate functions.

He turns up at the Cityscape offices and one hour later he is up and running in his black gazebo with a red-hot charcoal fire and a horseshoe of stylish woodgrain dining tables set around the grill.

Yuki carefully lays out plates with cold cuts and fresh starters for us to nibble on while he cooks the first round of food. The pâté is amazing, with tangy hints that really get the mouth watering, and the edamame tofu is to die for. It’s almost like a guacamole or dip with a smooth texture and subtle flavour. Yuki tells us that every ingredient in it is soy (turns out edamame beans are baby soy beans – who knew?).

The first hot dish is chicken gizzards and they are killer, cooked with Szechuan peppers that enhance and don’t overpower. This might not be everyone’s cup of sencha, so to speak, but Yuki likes to offer these authentic Japanese cuts and they are optional. As the meal progresses we also try chicken hearts, alongside the more standard cuts of chicken.

The vegetarian and vegan options are also fantastic. Some are served to the vegetarians in the group instead of chicken, and some served to everyone as a break between meat dishes. It’s hard to go wrong when expertly cooking over charcoal. We love the smoky,

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moist and delicious eggplant, the super flavourful cauliflower, and the crispy-skinned and softcentred tofu that tastes almost like egg. The winning vegetable is the lightly charred yellow capsicum, which smells so sweet we struggle to wait for it to cool down before scoffing it. And the warmly toasted avocado is fragrant with the fresh cut-through of a homemade salsa.

“I like mixing local ingredients and seasonality,” Yuki tells us. “Summer is a really good season for vegetarians.”

He chats readily to us without missing a beat at the grill, answering all our questions about the ingredients, cooking styles and Japanese food. When we’re just about to burst, Yuki asks “Who’s ready for s’mores?” Turns out we’ve all got room for s’mores.

Making the desserts is a performance in itself. Yuki toasts marshmallows over the embers, then squishes them between Japanese wafers pre-prepared with a dark chocolate coating. The result looks a bit like a biscuit oyster, and the marshmallow stretches like mozzarella when you bite into it.

The whole experience takes around two and a half hours, though Yuki tells us it can be quicker or longer depending on the pace (and inebriation) of the party. thedriftingtable.com

CHOICE AS CHOICES! The days of having a solitary vegetarian option on the menu at a restaurant are long past, and in the Christchurch hospitality scene, the seeds of plant-based eating are sprouting with more enthusiasm than your summer veggie patch. These menus showcase the incredible versatility of plant-based eating.

Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian or plant-curious, Christchurch’s specialised plant-based eateries cover all the bases.

THE FERMENTIST

PINTS AND PLANTS

GRATER GOODS

PLANT-BASED SPECIALISTS THE FUTURE OF VEGAN Whoever said you had to give up meat and dairy to go vegan was, well, technically correct. But lucky for us, Grater Goods is living in the future. Created by musician and long-time vegan Flip Grater and her husband Youssef Iskrane, this vegan delicatessen’s purpose in life is to provide ex-meat eaters with the taste and texture of popular animal products. Housed in an old Sydenham glass factory, the deli doubles as a bar and live music venue, bringing vibes of secondhand cool that will have you feeling right at home. Settle in for a glass of wine while you wait for your reuben sandwich, fried ‘chicken’

burger, or a platter of vegan antipasti if you really can’t choose.

And bring your hipster string grocery bag, because you will definitely want to load up on items from the deli – Plant Pastrami, Chch Chorizo, Ashed Smokey Cheddar and Herb & Garlic Cream Cheese are all top picks. Excuse us, we’ll just be drooling over in the corner.

The future is here! Whipping up a home-cooked, plant-based meal to impress your family and dazzle your friends has never been easier thanks to vegan meal subscription service Green Dinner Table. With an emphasis on eco-friendly packaging, local produce and nutritious eats, Chef Tom Riley designs tasty recipes and the team jam-pack the meal boxes with local pre-portioned meal ingredients that create less waste.

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The Fermentist micro-brewery in Sydenham has beer at its roots and sustainability at its heart, specialising in craft beer and cider that are as good for the planet as they are for your palate. The Fermentist’s Kiwi Pale Ale is New Zealand’s first carboNZero certified beer. A carefully crafted (and portioned to avoid food waste) vegetarian menu is well matched to the bodacious brews on offer, using produce from the brewery’s own garden and supporting other local producers. Pull up a pew (literally – the bench seats are upcycled pews from the old St Matthews Church) next to the living wall and sample some shared plates.

CENTRAL CITY GEMS Tucked in a sun-drenched, bohemian corner of The Welder, Barefoot Eatery is a vegan, organic and gluten free café with a fridge full of raw, cold-pressed juices from sister brand Greenroots Juicery to put a bit of sunshine in your veins.

Just down the road you’ll find Raw Sugar Café, with cute, colourful

CHOICE AS CHOICES!

and comfortable armchairs and amazingly innovative, entirely vegetarian menu. Almost everything can also be made vegan, even the eggs benedict! Plant and meat eaters alike will find something to love here, with standouts such as the ‘meat’ balls made from black lentils and vegetable protein in The Humble Trio sitting alongside vegan ham and sausages.

For a real treat, Bolina Sweets is a traditional Indian restaurant specialising in sweets and a wide range of vegetarian dishes.

Everything on the menu is made in-house with local produce, from the treats you’d find at street-side shops to the elaborate desserts often eaten at festivals, birthdays and weddings. Another outlet bringing fab international vegetarian cuisine to Aotearoa is The Lotus-Heart, with its striking blue, white and gold building on St Asaph Street. Inside you’ll discover a vegetarian haven serving up a variety of eats from burgers and bowls of goodness to Indian dosa, curries and raw vegan cabinet treats.

IN THE ‘BURBS Villa23 in Riccarton is the newest entrant on the city's purely vegetarian scene. The small renovated villa has cheerful décor and just two rooms seating ten people each for cosy dining with fresh, seasonal vegetarian and vegan food made in-house from scratch. Relax in the sunshiny courtyard or pull up a comfortable chair inside and try to choose between the Buddha Bowl and the Mushroom Risotto – the former is an explosion of flavours, colours and textures, and the latter is a fulfilling dish for the soul that just makes you melt with delight.

There’s a tranquil gem hidden in the Christchurch Buddhist Temple in Riccarton Road, where Water Drop Café boasts a vegetarian menu of fusion and traditional Chinese cuisine in a peaceful dining environment. Enjoy a cup of tea with Laksa, Braised Noodle Soup or Pan Fried Dumplings.

The Sydenham end of Colombo Street gives us Bikanervala, a

BAREFOOT EATERY

VILLA23

warm and welcoming eatery where lucky Christchurchians can get a taste of 100% vegetarian Indian street food, including sweets, Indo-Chinese cuisine and thali platters. Try to choose from the range of dosa – South Indian crêpes with a variety of fillings, including spicy potato and tomato chatni. For some serious community feel-good, CrunchyTown Bar & Café in the creative studios and workspace of XCHC is absolutely unmissable. A community-run project, this café's mission is to bring healthy and affordable vegan food to its guests.

Hosting plenty of lively and community-minded events with an all-vegan bar menu and some acai bowl artistry in the café on weekends, this is a hidden gem definitely worth sniffing out. You’ll find a storm of tasty, healthy vegan dishes and cabinet goodies

WATER DROP CAFE

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CHOICE AS CHOICES!

WATERSIDE HAUNTS

guaranteed to satisfy any appetite at Portershed on Lincoln Road. The café’s artistically packed grazing platters can be taken away or assembled on site for special events, and their range of care packages are full to bursting with long-life, shippable vegan goodies.

For entirely vegan and entirely delicious Asian fusion, head to The Origin in St Albans, which prides itself on its wide selection of speciality tea (or special-tea, if you will) and single-origin coffee. Settle in to the minimalist Scandinavianinspired décor and treat yourself to a hearty lunch packed with flavour such as Papa’s Spice Noodle Soup.

BERKANO FOODS

Just a short walk from New Brighton beach you’ll find Karma Free Café, which serves great coffee and a selection of plant-based, gluten free and dairy free meals and cabinet food. Not only that, but you can enjoy the food here while keeping your cosmic ledger balanced – in accordance with the Hare Krishna faith, food and drink is placed on an altar behind the scenes at Karma Free Café, to give thanks and allow customers to eat and drink without any worldly obligation to Karma – the idea that any action has a reaction. A top haunt on Lyttelton’s main drag, The Shroom Room is a

VEG-ADJACENT These places offer menus for the flexitarian, with plenty of plant-based options to send vegans and vegetarians into a crisis of indecision.

Addington’s Town Tonic is a sophisticated haunt with a menu that changes with the seasons. The restaurant’s ‘Honest’ vegan menu features such colourful and mouth-watering plant-based delights as the Double-Dredged Miso Tofu and the Pulled Jackfruit Tostada, all made from fresh, locally sourced produce just like the rest of Town Tonic’s fare.

Serving up the same quality of vegetarian cuisine as predecessor Dux de Lux, Dux Dine is a vegetarian and pescatarian restaurant situated in the beautiful old Station Master’s House at the Riccarton Railway. The menu boasts drool-worthy seafood and vegetarian pizzas as well as a variety of tempting dishes from the ocean and from the ground – in some cases literally, as some of Dux Dine’s seasonal produce is picked from the organic garden right outside. You’ll find another garden worth writing home about at Untouched World Kitchen, a café stemming from sustainable fashion paragon Untouched World.

DUX DINE

UNTOUCHED WORLD KITCHEN

Whether you’re vegetarian, vegan or a meat eater, you will be treated to honest, simple food that is big on flavour and made entirely in-house, from the sauces to the breads. Located on an alwaysbuzzing corner of St Asaph and Manchester Streets, five of Moment Café’s ten sensational main plates are vegan. Try the Green Toast for a fresh and jaw-droppingly beautiful way to get all your greens in one fell swoop – it’s worth it for the avocado art alone. With its unimposing exterior and casual-style dining, it could be easy to walk straight past Samurai Bowl in Colombo Street, but we recommend you do a double take.

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This Japanese restaurant has an extensive menu of vegan ramen and Japanese dishes, including ‘chicken’ katsu curry and Grater Goods smoky meat alternatives to top off your authentic ramen experience.

With four locations and a fully-loaded new vegan menu, Coriander’s Ethnic Indian Restaurant will serve you up a vegetarian or vegan feast to feed all your senses. The chefs use tasty soy pieces as a meat substitute in the vegan dishes, which might actually taste better than the original. A healthy haven with three convenient locations, Gre3n is the ultimate destination for a large and tempting array of smoothies,

funky vegetarian café and a great spot for people-watching, not to mention the food. Perhaps not surprisingly, these folks do a great line in mushrooms, from the creamy garlic mushrooms served with pesto on toast, to the packed Vegan Harvest with mushrooms and seasonal veggies, complete with cashew hollandaise. Mainly a manufacturer of gourmet plant-based food, Berkano Foods’ factory café in Ferrymead boasts some vegan versions of classic Kiwi fare, including burgers, ‘fish’ and chips and a long list of ice cream flavours. Perfect for stopping by to fuel up after a day at the beach.

IN THE KITCHEN

O

SHOPPING LIST

MAKE IT HAPPEN

Stock

1. Mince the ginger. Peel and roughly cut the onion into chunks. Cut each half into about 12 pieces. Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Place the onion, garlic and ginger in a pot with the water and the spices. Cover and gently simmer this broth for 30 minutes while you get everything else ready. 2. Remove the tofu from the packet and press between a tea towel (or paper towel) with a few kilograms of weight on top. 3. Bring a large pot of water to boil with a little salt (this will be used to cook the noodles). Remove the basil leaves from any large stalks (a little stalk is fine).

Very roughly chop the coriander stalk and leaves into large 5cm pieces. Thinly slice the spring onions. 4. Cut the tofu into 1cm to 2cm cubes and toss with cornflour. Place the coated tofu in a sieve (over the sink) and shake off the excess cornflour. Strain the broth into a bowl. Keep the stock. You can eat the onion and garlic if you want. Add the soy sauce to the stock along with a little salt. You want the broth to be quite salty as it will mellow once everything else is added. 5. Heat a large fry pan with a good splash of oil. Once hot, cook the tofu for about 5 minutes, turning regularly until very crispy. Place on a paper towel and season well with salt and pepper. 6. While the tofu is frying, cook the noodles in the boiling water for 5 to 6 minutes, or until tender, stirring regularly. Slice the chilli. 7. Once the noodles are cooked, place in a serving bowl. Pour over broth, top with herbs, spring onions, bean sprouts, tofu and chilli. Squeeze the lemon over and dig in!

• • • • • • • • CORIANDER'S ETHNIC INDIAN RESTAURANT

juices, smoothie bowls and acai bowls, as well as top-notch organic coffee and a cabinet filled with predominantly vegan snacks that tick all the healthy, delicious, satisfying boxes. You can get to the roots of flavour with one of the original purveyors of healthy eating and wholesome, organic ingredients, The Herb Centre.

Housing a café with a great range of vegetarian, vegan and gluten free noms, pull up in a chair in the lovely herb garden and give your tummy a treat with a smoothie, house-made tonic or the indulgent Dandechino on the side of a house-made fresh, raw salad or the superfood-packed Hunza pie.

30g ginger 1 large onion 4 cloves garlic 1.5L water 2 pieces star anise ½ cinnamon stick ¼ tsp fennel seeds 3 tsp vegetable stock • 30ml soy sauce – more to taste Garnish • 1 block tofu • 20g basil (Thai or regular) • 30g fresh coriander • ½ bunch spring onions • 3 Tbsp cornflour • ½ pack rice noodles • 2 fresh chillis • 100g bean sprouts • 1 lemon • Salt and pepper (Szechuan pepper if you have it), to taste

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IN PIZZA WE CRUST Punchy, modern mixtures, traditional Italian flavours, and eclectic and subtle new creations – we’re slicing up Christchurch’s irresistible pizza scene.

SPICE UP YOUR SLICE BOTTLE + STONE This new wee hole in the wall serves up unique al taglio-style pizza - the rectangular kind, with some toppings cooked on, the others laid on fresh. Tuck into a delicious slice and grab a bevvy from the on-site bottle shop (Bottle + Stone makes a pretty good margarita).

INGREDIENTS: Spicy salami, Italian sausage, mozzarella, red onion and confit garlic.

RFC (REPUBLIC FRIED CHICKEN) PIZZA REPUBLIC High on vibes, low on pretentiousness, Pizza Republic in Ferrymead is the sort of place where the bartender will learn your name, your favourite order, and how open you are to cheesy pizza jokes. The RFC packs an absolute hit of flavour that will steal a pizza your heart.

INGREDIENTS: Crispy fried chicken, Spanish onions, rocket, buffalo mozzarella, Jim Beam BBQ sauce, chipotle mayo, McClure’s sweet and spicy pickles.

NIKAU ARBOUR WOODFIRED PIZZA A new Lyttelton pizza palace with a clear roof and a bar repurposed from a 120-year-old fishing boat, Arbour’s pizzas are all named after native trees. The Nikau has stolen our hearts, made almost entirely from Aotearoa-sourced ingredients, many of which are from within the Lyttelton Harbour basin.

INGREDIENTS: Seasonal, local seafood with capers and dill served with a fresh lemon wedge.

IMAGE: LA STEPI PHOTOGRAPHY

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PIZZA SALSICCIA FRANCESCA’S ITALIAN KITCHEN Francesca’s Italian Kitchen uses local, seasonal produce to make to-die-for woodfired pizzas, as well as a tempting menu of Italian classics that might have you deviating from the pizza menu – maybe. Salsiccia is Italian pork sausage, and this is a homemade recipe inspired by classic northern Italian flavours.

INGREDIENTS: Pork sausage, tomato base, roasted onion, ricotta, rocket and mozzarella.

MUSHROOM AND FETA BASE WOODFIRED PIZZA Christchurch institution BASE started in Re:START mall in 2011, and is now banging out lightly-charred goodies in a corner of Little High, or served from the back of a vintage Bedford truck for the mobile service.

INGREDIENTS: Confit garlic, olive oil, mushrooms, feta, mozzarella and fresh thyme.

SMOKED SALMON THE ROCKPOOL Quenching thirsts and satisfying appetites in Christchurch since the dawn of pizza (well, 1996, but close), The Rockpool is an expansive and relaxed Christchurch eating and drinking establishment, making classic Italian pizzas loaded with delicious toppings that look as good as they taste.

INGREDIENTS: Smoked salmon, red onions, capers, and cream cheese.

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Epiphany by Prima Roastery is an ethical and tasty coffee roasted in Sydenham. The roast came about when Good Habit and Foundation cafés were looking for a local supplier with good values and quality coffee, and Prima took the opportunity to develop a Fairtrade, organic blend that hit the mark.

The name Epiphany references the Anglican history of Good Habit’s space, and suggests that upon consumption, this coffee will be inspiring and revelatory. Bold with notes of stonefruit and almond. primaroastery.co.nz

The Coffee Monster Cold Brew is brewed in the CBD using two types of the finest single origin coffee beans. A dark and rich coffee, the double 48-hour batch brewing brings out a chocolate profile with hints of earthy flavours and a sweet, clear finish. Perfect for cocktails, black over ice, or with your choice of milk.

The Coffee Monster is the passion project of local caffiend Chris Meyer whose mission is to supply establishments and good humans with a local product that exceeds expectations. thecoffeemonster.co.nz

Captain Fantastic Morning Glory Hazy IPA is Wigram Brewing Co.’s crack at 2020’s trendiest beer – a hazy. The first brew’s intense fruity citrus hoppy aromas wafted from the brewery, enticing the nonbrewers in the team to head down and demand to know what just hit their olfactory systems. The beer’s bangin’ flavour profiles, its hazy orange hue and intense fruity aromas conjure up the idea anyone can be Captain Fantastic. wigrambrewing.co.nz

#drinklocal Whether you’re going in for a coffee fix, a cheeky brewsky, an afternoon glass of Waipara’s finest wine, a sundowner gin, or a healthy dose of kombucha, we’ve got such a sweet selection of Canterbury beverages available there’s no excuse not to #drinklocal.

Smokey the Manuka Beer by Three Boys Brewery is the peatey Islay or the lapsang souchong of beers – a hit to the senses that has you reaching for the growler to pour another in no time. This independent brewery is over 15 years old, one of Ōtautahi’s original (and most awarded) crafties. threeboysbrewery.co.nz

Uncle Charlie APA was inspired by American pale ales the Southpaw Brewing Company crew drank while traveling through North America. They were incited to produce their own back in Christchurch with the best of local ingredients. It’s a classic APA with a full body to cushion the intense hop flavours. southpawbeer.com

MEET THE BREWERS — The Great Kiwi Beer Festival in Hagley Park on January 30 will introduce you to over 40 Canterbury and Kiwi breweries, each with a range of beers so you can expect to see around 300 unique brews on show. There’s also heaps of delicious food and a killer music lineup, headlined by the smooth sounds of The Black Seeds. greatkiwibeerfestival.co.nz

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#DRINKLOCAL

Concept Gin is a branch away from the norm thanks to the crew at Concept Brewing, whose bread and butter is beers named after Scottish pirate rock songs like ‘Wolves of the Sea’ and ‘Zombies Ate My Pirate Ship’. Their gin-drinking mates told them they wanted a serious pink gin, so they delivered this bespoke hot pink pleasure for people who think other pink gins are too sweet. It packs ‘true gin’ flavour with tasty botanicals including rosehip, hibiscus, juniper, cardamom and angelica, with a mesmerising, dark, deep fuscia colour.

FB/conceptbrewing

Nine Fathoms gin follows Christchurch whisky and moonshine distillery Herrick Creek’s running theme: the tale of the Fiordland moose. Ten moose were released in 1910 in the hopes they would breed. There have been no confirmed sightings since 1952 but folks swear they’re still around. The gin is named after Nine Fathoms, a small passage of water in Fiordland, and uses nine botanicals. Distilled from scratch with Canterbury barley, it’s a heavy hitter at 57% alcohol – ‘navy strength’ – which locks in the body and richness of the botanicals. herrickcreek.co.nz

Peninsula Gin is what made Lyttelton Distillery famous. In 2019, founder Peter Hall was on holiday in Turkey, wearing a t-shirt he’d had made with the distillery’s logo.

Not long after, someone popped into Vino Fino, saying they’d seen a Lyttelton Distillery shirt in Turkey and they wanted to try the Peninsula Gin. Vino Fino had never heard of it, but the crew tracked it down and placed an order – the rest is history. Distilled from potatoes and flavoured with juniper, cardamom, Banks Peninsula mānuka, and Central Otago wild thyme and rosehip. lytteltondistillery.co.nz

Connect

Curiosity Gin Ruby has become The Spirits Workshop’s most popular drop. Pink gin is trending hot, so following its motto of ‘curious by nature’, The Spirits Workshop ordered some rhubarb and set about crafting its own. This authentic pink gin is based on a family recipe – one of the partners had a work colleague with a recipe for rhubarb gin handed down from his English grandmother. It’s refreshingly sweet and zesty, with a full freshand-fruity rhubarb aroma and flavour – great with a simple Indian tonic or even soda water. thespiritsworkshop.co.nz

Connect with your fellow ginthusiasts – there is no shortage of opportunities! Curiosity Gin has just set up an awesome little cocktail bar inside Riverside Market’s tastebud-tingling hall. This summer, cocktail bar gin gin. is opening its doors in New Regent Street with a bigger, bolder bar. And to top it all off, the last days of summer are bringing us Gindulgence, a festival dedicated to this delightful drop.

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Lemon, Ginger, Turmeric & Kawakawa kombucha by The Kombucha Girls tastes like a lemon fizzy drink, minus the bad stuff, plus beneficial probiotics. Creator Toni has always loved lemon ginger drinks, and adding kawakawa to the mix was to add medicinal value for her daughter who has severe eczema.

It’s also packing turmeric, containing curcumin which helps with inflammation. The symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) used to brew it was gifted to Toni by a dear friend studying rongoā Māori medicine. A welcoming drink made with whānau in mind, it feels like a warm hug from grandma in the winter as you sit in front of an open fire cooking marshmallows.

FB/thekombuchagirls

Wild Strawberry Kombucha is a brand new drop from Three Boys Brewery. The team have been brewing kombucha for years, and even made kombucha-beer blends.

Their interest was recently re-sparked when they got hold of a delicious tea and used it to make a kombucha for their own consumption. They liked it so much they decided to upscale and launch it to the public. It’s a traditional kombucha: tart with a good acidic bite balanced with a small amount of residual sugar and a good tea flavour. There’s an underlying strawberry flavour that makes it very refreshing on a hot day. threeboysbrewery.co.nz

Ginger & Kawakawa kombucha is the brainchild of Tamara and Natalia from Mauriora Kombucha. Kawakawa is traditionally used by Māori as medicine and as a part of many ceremonies like christenings, unveilings, and tangihanga funerals.

They wanted to combine it with ginger, which also has healthy benefits – it’s packed with antioxidants and helps with indigestion. As a bonus, the flavour duo is a match made in heaven, tasting like ginger beer without the sugar. It’s lively and effervescent, giving off soft bubbles with a dash of pepper seasoning left lingering on the back of your tongue. Made with the tikanga Māori values of manaakitanga hospitality, rangatiratanga leadership and kaitiakitanga guardianship. mauriorakombucha.nz

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Vergence White MK1

by Pegasus Bay is made keeping an open mind, looking outside the square, even when it’s untraditional, experimental or downright quirky. Along with its partner, Vergence Red, this wine will change from vintage to vintage following the winemaker’s desires – next year’s will be called MK2. This one is made using Sémillon grapes with Chardonnay, Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer.

Generous and refreshing with stone fruit, citrus, mineral notes and a touch of funk. pegasusbay.com

CIVIL & NAVAL

#DRINKLOCAL

CITY OF BREWING

A unique combination of geography and generosity shaped Christchurch into the craft beer mecca it is today. Ralph Bungard of Three Boys Brewery explains.

CIVIL & NAVAL Civil & Naval is Lyttelton’s biggest little tapas bar, serving up a whole lot of craft beers. The three taps get rotated daily, and the fridge features a wicked selection of cans (the team say they're better for the beer and the only environmentally sustainable option outside of kegs). civilandnaval.co.nz

CANTERBURY BREWERS COLLECTIVE Canterbury Brewers Collective in Riverside Market plays a huge role in the Canterbury craft brewing scene. It’s a tiny bar stocking drops from a whole lot of independently owned local producers including small-batch solo brewers and better-known names. The 24 taps feature a revolving cast of brews, with about 180 different beers showcased in a year. canterburybrewerscollective.nz

12 BAR With an enviable row of 20 beer taps and a ridiculously wellstocked fridge, 12 Bar in St Asaph Street has over 100 beers and ciders to try. Get a taste of Kiwi brews with your dose of live homegrown music. 12bar.co.nz

B

eer was not a part of Aotearoa’s pre-European culture, and even in the early days of European settlement it was imported spirits such as rum, with its longer shelf-life and bigger bang-for-buck, that dominated New Zealand’s consumption. It wasn’t until the mid-1800s, when local breweries began to pop up, that beer consumption really began to get a foothold.

Canterbury, with its ideal climate for grain production and malting, was quick off the mark. In Ōtautahi Christchurch an early local brewer dominated the landscape – a brewery established in 1854 by Archer Croft and later bought by John Hamilton Ward. The Ward’s brewery provided industry and employment. In 1923, Ward’s amalgamated with another Christchurch brewer, Crown and Manning, to form New Zealand Breweries. A stormy battle between ‘temperance and swill’ through the early 1900s drove the industrialisation of beer making. It was low price and high volume rather than quality that drove the industry to the point where by the mid to late 1900s two massive national brewers dominated the

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brewing landscape, producing pretty easy-drinking fluids for the masses. It wasn’t until 1991 when (Big) John Harrington established his family-owned brewery in the old Ward’s building in Kilmore Street (now Pomeroy’s Old Brewery Inn) that the sparks were fanned for a new generation of independent brewers. Harrington’s was the largest brewer in town after the 2011 earthquakes saw the now Japanese-owned Lion Breweries leave and focus its South Island operations in Dunedin.

Unfortunately, Harrington’s was sold to Lion Breweries a couple of years back, which saw its diverse range of beers all but disappear.

But the generous spirit of Harrington’s had already given a leg-up to a new wave of craft brewers in the early 2000s. I have great memories of getting Three Boys beer bottled at Harrington’s, a meeting hub for Ōtautahi’s first wave of craft brewers including Wigram Brewing, the Dux de Lux and The Twisted Hop. Since those brewing pioneers, Christchurch has thrived with the establishment of the likes of Beer Baroness, Two Thumb, Southpaw, Eruption and Cassels & Sons, to name just a few. Play your part in maintaining and growing this diverse, local industry – simply, whenever you can, search out a locally brewed beer. threeboysbrewery.co.nz

FOOD & DRINK

DREAMING OF A GREEN CHRISTMAS Make your Christmas planet-friendly with Green Dinner Table’s absolutely lip-smacking Christmas menu. The main event is a too-good-to-be-true maple and cranberry glazed Grater Goods furkey with herby cider gravy. Then you’ll be eating til you’re stuffed with new potatoes, mint, celery and smoked aioli, sugar snap peas with hazelnuts and sumac butter, stone fruit and tomato salad with avocado, bitter lettuce and cherry vinaigrette, and roast sweet peppers, feta and candied almonds. Green Dinner Table’s Christmas menu feeds four to six, is just $200, and will be delivered Christmas week. Thought vegan meant you wouldn’t need an elastic waistband this Christmas? Yeah, you were wrong. greendinnertable.co.nz

We’re incredibly grateful for the support we get from advertisers - all the wonderful Christchurch businesses, from bakeries to bike shops, that we get to rave about in the pages of Cityscape. 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.

PIZZA

CAFÉ/RESTAURANT

Arbour Bar serves unique, seasonal woodfired pizza made with predominantly local and house-made ingredients. Situated in the charming Lyttelton port, Arbour’s beautiful new building features a 120-year-old boat bar and a clear roof. Arbour’s range includes options to suit everyone’s tastes and dietary requirements, from house-carved, home-raised meat to vegan and gluten free. Craft beer, local wine and seasonal platters are also available. arbourbar.co.nz

Villa23 honours the heart’s vision by producing scrumptious high-vibrational vegan and vegetarian food, favouring wellbeing, genuine connection and growth. The team source local ingredients and put much caring attention into the food, accumulating joy and positive energy in each meal offered. Villa23 is now open for evening meals by reservation – experience the chef’s daily choice of three-course meal for a relaxed evening of delight and surprise.

FB/villa23cafeChristchurch

GOOD VIBRATIONS

LOVE IN THE ARBOUR

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FOOD & DRINK

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LIQUOR AND LACTOSE

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MILKSHAKES FOR GROWN-UPS

CHICKEN THIS OUT

Get an eyeful of these stunning fried chicken dishes from around Christchurch. Discover some chicken hotspots you might not have heard of, and some of the city’s top eateries with chicken dishes to die for.

1 Chicken Tenders, six pieces – Empire Chicken.

2 Chilli Chicken with egg, ginger, garlic paste and soy sauce – Coriander’s Ethnic Indian Restaurant.

3 Chilli Bang Bang Chicken with avocado, toasted almonds, jalapeños, sriracha, mustard and maple glaze – Town Tonic. 4 Sticky Chicken with jasmine rice, sautéed greens and soy/lime/sesame dressing – Untouched World Kitchen. 5 Fried Chicken with big mac sauce and dill pickles – Civil & Naval. 6 Chili Chili Bang Bang with Monster Hot Chili sauce, grilled pineapple and pickled veggies – Monster Chicken.

7 Spicy Sticky Crispy chicken with fresh batter and hand-made sauce – Big Bang Chicken & Sushi. 8 Crispy Chicken with chilli oil and dipping sauce – Thai Box. 9 F.F.C. Fiddlesticks Fried Chicken with green tomato chutney and sriracha – Fiddlesticks Restaurant & Bar.

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Want to reminisce on those milk bar days, adult style? Boogie on down to Boo Radley’s and give yourself a major milk moustache with these drool-worthy grown-up shakes. Gingerbread Man Frangelico, Licor 43, gingerbread syrup and vanilla ice cream, topped with gingernut crumb, chocolate syrup and whipped cream. Roger Rabbit Cointreau, crème de cacao and vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate syrup, chocolate pearls and whipped cream. Caramel Maker Maker’s Mark bourbon with salted caramel and vanilla ice cream, topped with caramel popcorn and whipped cream. booradleys.co.nz

FOOD & DRINK

BREWERY

CHRISTCHURCH WHISKY

Inspired by the best of overseas brews, Southpaw Brewing Company brings the flavour home. This Christchurch-based brewery blends local, fresh ingredients to create unique and incredibly tasty beers.

Southpaw brewed its first beer in 2016, and has since won several Brewers’ Guild NZ Beer Awards, including a gold medal for the Red IPA, Riding Pine. Southpaw also offers subscription-based or on-demand beer delivery. Award-winning beers, fresh to your door. southpawbeer.com

The Spirits Workshop was started by four friends who thought that, with access to some of the world’s best barley grown right here in Canterbury and some of the world’s best water straight out of the tap, Christchurch should be making the world’s best single malt whisky.

Grown, malted, mashed, fermented, distilled and aged right here in Christchurch. Available in two expressions: one aged in French oak, and one in 20-litre port and sherry barrels for rich flavour that defies its younger age. thespiritsworkshop.co.nz

FLAVOUR TO WRITE HOME ABOUT

DIVERGING DESIRES

CANTONESE

THE YUM IN YUM CHA Located in the vibrant Spitfire Square near Christchurch Airport, TaiChi Restaurant presents an authentic Cantonese dining experience. The handmade dim sum are made from a traditional recipe, and seasonal Chinese vegetables are grown locally on the owners’ own farm, providing fresh ingredients in their dishes. taichirestaurant.co.nz INDIAN

BURGERS

SWEET TOOTH

ONE STOP FOR TASTE

Bolina Sweets is the place to indulge your tastebuds 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. bolinasweets.com

Burger Station creates good old-fashioned burgers with simple, delicious ingredients and 100% local produce. The Stanmore Road store features an extensive menu with all the usual suspects as well as venison, pork, fish and vegetarian burgers to eat in, order online or get delivered. Watch for the new store coming soon to Riccarton. burgerstation.co.nz

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A WORLD FULL OF FOOD World Cuisine is a

full dining experience, a private dinner party in your own home.

Cityscape talks cooking classes and cuisine with Chef Liz. With an impressive résumé that includes setting up and running a cooking school on the Côte d'Azur, and launching a competition for superyacht chefs, Liz Maynard has an amazing understanding of international foods. She’s bringing her knowledge to our home kitchens through World Cuisine, catering events and providing in-home cooking classes full of fabulous dishes inspired by her travels. Having spent twelve years understanding culture and cuisine all over the world, and being both gluten and dairy free herself, Liz offers catering that works around guests’ dietary requirements. She loves Mediterranean food – often free of gluten and dairy, and always full of fabulous flavour. World Cuisine caters all kinds of events including platters, canapés for

casual parties, full dinner services, high teas and cakes. Liz is a fervent recipe creator, adapting classic dishes with the great produce we’re surrounded by. World Cuisine also has a range of gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free baking – great for anyone eating keto, and it’s diabetic-friendly – and Liz’s vegan Christmas cake is to die for, so get in quick. Having special dietary requirements doesn’t mean you need to miss out on delicious treats. Liz has another sneaky little option for people who want to impress their dinner guests with beautiful, seasonal international dishes: secret chef is where you can call in Liz and her sensational skills to create something scrumptious, and your guests never have to know. worldcuisine.co.nz

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FOOD & DRINK ARTISAN

STRIPPED BACK Stripped Jerky is stoked to introduce Jerky Mixers and subscriptions. Choose a Jerky Mixer or create your own subscription to get your favourite jerky delivered every month. All Jerky Mixers and subscriptions suffer from epic savings, free delivery, and you can cancel any time. Now you will never run out! strippedjerky.com JAPANESE

THAI

SLURP IT UP

TALL POPPY

Ramen Miyako is not your typical Japanese restaurant. Instead of featuring teriyaki chicken or sushi, the folks at Ramen Miyako put their passion into ramen and curry. The chefs make their own fresh stock and noodles daily from scratch. You can taste its dedication and quality with every slurp.

FB/rmiyako394

A family-owned business, Red Poppy Thai offers authentic Thai cuisine. The chefs have over 20 years’ experience and bring you delicious flavours in a range of beautiful dishes. The restaurant has pick up, delivery and BYO options, an outdoor seating area for dining in and can also host functions for up to 100 people. redpoppythai.co.nz KOMBUCHA

BREWING KINDNESS Known as the ‘Riverside Mum’, Toni of The Kombucha Girls built her business around the things that are important to her: wellbeing, nourishment and taking care of people, particularly her Riverside Market whānau. Her locally made kombucha is available on tap, along with a cabinet of tasty vegan and keto food to keep you fuelled.

FB/thekombuchagirls MALAYSIAN

CAFÉ

AN ABSOLUTE DELIGHT

MADE WITH LOVE

With a small menu of punchy meals and sharing plates, Malaysia Delights is a go-to for authentic, flavourful dishes. Starting in Manchester Street pre-quakes, the restaurant has since occupied Papanui Road and a food truck at Cathedral Square before moving to Riverside Market. Don’t miss the famous Beef Rendang and Spicy Laksa Noodles.

FB/malaysiadelights

Made Espresso Bar is a unique corner café with a welcoming atmosphere and a great selection of wholesome, handmade foodie treats. Fresh organic milk with locally-roasted, fair trade organic coffee will have you coming back for more. On a health kick or looking to treat yourself? You’ll find something at Made Espresso Bar. madeespressobar.co.nz

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EARTH-FIRST COFFEE Passionate coffee drinkers make up the team at Prima Roastery – they use their extensive experience to craft a comprehensive range of blends and single origin coffees. The new Brougham Street coffee bar is filled with recycled materials, plants and pre-loved furniture.

Through the high panel windows you’ll see into the purpose-built roastery where the whole roasting process is on display. Fairtrade registered and with a focus on sustainability, Prima has been quietly roasting coffee in Christchurch for almost 25 years. You won’t find takeaway cups at Prima’s coffee bar but you can make use of a cup network system from Again Again.

The café cabinet is full of house-made sweet treats as well as a range of delicacies from Prima Roastery’s local partners – Bellbird Bakery pastries, Fairlie Bakehouse pies, cakes from Urban Escape, milk from Aunt Jean’s Dairy and cold drinks from Selwyn-based Aroha Drinks. Home coffee enthusiasts will be spoiled for choice with a range of fresh beans from across the coffee-producing world as well as quality brewing and espresso equipment. If you can’t make it in for a visit keep an eye out for Prima coffee at select cafés throughout the South Island, or jump on the website and order some of the good stuff for delivery. primaroastery.co.nz

CAFÉ

DISTILLERY

Family owned and operated, Mitchelli’s Café Rinato is a friendly, lively café with casual table service and a distinctly European feel. Originally located in the pre-quake haunt of Poplar Lane, the new Tannery premises has the same stairs, awnings and artwork from the original site, making regulars feel right at home. With a standout brunch menu, great cabinet food and excellent coffee, this is a place to make yourself comfortable – you’ll need the time to choose.

FB/mitchelliscafe

Lyttelton Distillery Co. is a proud purveyor of artisan small batch vapour-infused premium gin, as well as a fabulous new limoncello released this summer. This portside distillery makes its own alcohol on site including with local grains and honey, for spirits that are delicious and full of flavour. Carefully chosen botanicals including juniper, mānuka, wild thyme and citrus make for a lip-smackingly good gin that will pair perfectly with a hot summer’s day. lytteltondistillery.co.nz

A DROP IN THE PORT

A FAVOURITE REBORN

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FOOD & DRINK DISTILLERY

UP THE CREEK Herrick Creek Distillery creates small batch, uniquely New Zealand spirits, using South Island grains and ingredients to create top quality gin, whisky and moonshine.

Hailing from Canada, owner Tom’s brand was inspired by the tales of moose sent from his home country that, legend has it, may still be running wild in Fiordland. herrickcreek.co.nz KOREAN

BREWERY

WINNER WINNER

WHAT A CONCEPT

Big Bang Chicken & Sushi is an independently-owned family business, bringing a creative mix of Korean street food and Kiwi flair to Christchurch. Big Bang’s crispy, sticky Korean fried chicken is an explosion of flavour that’s hard to beat, although the donburi, ramen noodle soup and fresh house-made sushi come a close second. bigbangchicken.mobi2go.com

Concept Brewing was created purely to share the beers these brewers love to create – anything and everything weird, unheard of, forgotten or funky. This ethos of crafting and sharing evolved into the distillation of spirits; producing thoughtfully handcrafted, bespoke gins with a mantra that’s all about good times and good people. concept-brewing.myshopify.com YAKITORI CATERING

TOKYO DRIFT

The Drifting Table is a mobile yakitori restaurant that will drift to your place and set up everything you need for a fine dining experience at home. Owner Yuki has 23 years’ experience and makes everything from scratch, so any dietary requirement can be catered for. The food is all organic, locally sourced and free range. thedriftingtable.com CATERING

CAFÉ

ON A SILVER PLATTER

FRANKLY FANTASTIC

Bespoke Platters uses Canterbury produce to create delicious platters and grazing tables to share with your family and friends. Whether it’s for a children’s birthday party, small gathering or large corporate event, Bespoke can produce a spread that both looks and tastes amazing while catering to all dietary requirements. bespokeplatters.co.nz

Located in Eastgate Mall, Frank’s Café has a local fanbase of loyal customers, some of whom have been coming to Frank’s for over a decade. All the food is made fresh on site, from the big breakfasts and cabinet food to burgers and pizzas.

With outdoor seating available, Frank’s is great for kids, and dogs are also welcome.

FB/FranksCafeChristchurch

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FOOD & DRINK

CATERWAY

Catering | Online

Get your catering sorted in just a few clicks. This Christchurch online marketplace makes catering easy by gathering the best local caterers all in one place. Customise a wide range of menus based on dietary requirements, occasion or cuisine, and pay online instantly. No more emails and phone calls, just delicious, locally-made food straight to your function with no fuss. Caterway is free to use, in fact, it even saves you money by saving you time.

Level 1, Kahukura Building, Moorhouse Avenue, 03 242 0072 caterway.nz

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Eco-retail | Woolston

Food for Thought started with Deneale and Charlie Knox’s desire to shop more sustainably. They’re aiming to help customers reduce their ecological footprint by making simple switches that cut out plastic. At Food for Thought you will find bulk (and mainly organic) pantry staples, eco-friendly cleaning products, house-made nut butters, beautiful homewares, toiletries - the list goes on. All products are great quality, ethically produced and from local businesses wherever possible.

The Tannery, shop 59b, 3 Garlands Road foodforthoughtchch.com

PEGASUS BAY WINERY Winery | Amberley

Canterbury’s newest and most unique wedding and events venue is now open. This space comes complete with breathtaking gardens, several lakes and a wetlands area as well as two floors of tastefullydecorated restaurant space. Look no further for a premium event space offering a complete wraparound personalised service. The Pegasus Bay cellar door will be open seven days from December.

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

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FOOD & DRINK

VICTORIA FOOD SERVICE Catering | Phillipstown

Get all your catering needs sorted with Victoria Food Service, where you get more than food – you get an experience. From corporate events and weddings to private functions at your venue or home, these expert caterers provide a culinary journey worthy of your special occasion.

With over 30 years of expertise, the team make it their mission to impress your guests. Check out the delicious menu options, or let the team create a menu just for you.

42 Leeds Street, 03 365 0022 victoriafoods.co.nz

CURIOSITY GIN

Spirits/Distillery | Sydenham

Best known for the fabulous Curiosity Gin and now the new Divergence Single Malt New Zealand Whisky, these distillers are certainly talented craftsmen. 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.

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

JOIN OUR DIGITAL COMMUNITY DOWNLOAD THE FREE CITYSCAPE APP AND VISIT CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ CHRISTCHURCH CURATED FOR LOVERS OF STYLE, FOOD, MUSIC, LIFESTYLE, TRAVEL, BEAUTY AND CULTURE

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TWISTED FLOUR & SUGAR MERCHANTS Cakes/Catering | Wigram

Sally and Kate are the mother and daughter team behind Twisted Flour & Sugar Merchants, making magic in the kitchen with spectacular bespoke cakes and delicious grazing platters for your special event. Twisted Flour also offers catering for your function or workplace. Grazing boxes, brunch platters and tailor-made options can be made for morning and afternoon teas, lunches, and kids’ birthdays.

7/47 Sonter Road, 027 245 9043 twistedflour.kiwi

TASTE @ TWENTY

Gourmet food store/Catering | Cashmere

taste @ twenty stocks a tempting array of fresh produce, Vic’s breads, Hummingbird espresso and beans, vinegars and olive oils, 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 ‘man food’ for your work shout.

20 Colombo Street, 03 982 1399 FB/tasteattwenty

GREEN DINNER TABLE

Food subscription box | Lyttelton

Rotating through the same old tired meals for dinner? Green Dinner Table makes it easy to serve restaurantquality meals your family will drool over without the fuss. Better for you. Better for the planet. Better for animals. Sign up for a three-, four- or five-night subscription and every week you’ll receive everything you need to make fast and healthy plantbased meals. Green Dinner Table takes pride in delivering fresh, local and responsibly-sourced ingredients.

21 Coleridge Street, 021 438 269 greendinnertable.co.nz

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GRATER GOODS

This unique venue housed in an old glass factory serves up both live music and an unbeatable plantbased bistro experience. To celebrate the holidays in full roast dinner style, try Grater Goods’ showstopping Roast Furkey, a white seitan roast with herb stuffing and maple glaze that is sure to get you in a celebratory mood. It is available from the Grater Goods deli and selected supermarkets and will happily keep in the freezer until Christmas.

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

THE COFFEE MONSTER Coffee | Central City

A locally-owned coffee company with a difference, the monster lives, breathes and bleeds caffeine.

Supplying wholesale coffee beans to cafés, offices and homes, and double batch-brewed cold brew to bars, The Coffee Monster’s focus is supplying the highest quality coffee for good humans to enjoy. The Coffee Appreciation Project offers classes aimed to build inspiration and knowledge of coffee via an interactive two-hour workshop.

150 Lichfield Street, 021 0214 4455 thecoffeemonster.co.nz

CANTERBURY BREWERS COLLECTIVE Fillery/Bar | Central City

One of the tiniest taverns in New Zealand, Canterbury Brewers Collective packs a big punch.

Recently expanded, the bar fits nicely into the ultra-cool Riverside Market and offers local craft beer, cider, and wine, as well as some truly excellent chat. You can enjoy a drink at the bar, or take a container of brewery-fresh beer home, seven days a week.

Riverside Market, 96 Oxford Terrace, 021 0295 8041 canterburybrewerscollective.nz, FB/canterburybrewerscollective

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Image: Dave Richards

Vegan delicatessen | Sydenham

FOOD & DRINK

MAURIORA KOMBUCHA Kombucha | Farmers’ markets

Created by dynamic family trio Tamara, Natalia and Booker T, Mauriora Kombucha is all about nurturing a living culture, both the symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) and Māori culture.

By using native plants, Mauriora Kombucha connects to the whenua (land) and nurtures the body through Papatūānuku (Mother Nature). The flavour profiles are influenced by the environment and the native flora of Aotearoa.

Riverside, Lyttelton, Christchurch & Opawa farmers’ markets mauriorakombucha.nz

CURIOSITY GIN COCKTAIL BAR Bar | Central City

Newly opened in the Riverside Market, The Spirits Workshop Cocktail Bar showcases Curiosity Gin and Divergence Whisky with some lip-smacking bespoke gin and whisky cocktails. For a little taste of everything, try the feature G&T flights, which include five mini G&Ts with garnishes chosen to enhance each of the gins in the range. Whisky flights are also available for those who love a dram.

96 Oxford Terrace, 021 336 416 thespiritsworkshop.co.nz

WIGRAM BREWING CO Brewery | Wigram

Wigram Brewing has 17 years of brewing under its belt and an impressive selection of medals and trophies from Shanghai, Australia and New Zealand. These brewers were at the start of the craft beer movement, and are all about keeping the community thriving while sticking to their roots. That’s where Hangar 57 comes in: a craft brewery for locals to walk down to, hang out and enjoy some fantastic brews.

57 Sonter Road, 03 343 4493 wigrambrewing.co.nz

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FOOD & DRINK

12 BAR

Bar/Live music | Central City

If you love a good craft beer, a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere and some classy blues music, 12 Bar is the place for you. Taking inspiration from American dives and blues bars, this inner-city pub hosts free local music gigs and ticketed concerts. Come for the music, but also for a damn good brew. 12 Bar has 20 Kiwi-brewed beers on tap and over 100 beers and ciders in the fridge. The bar also brings you non-music events such as live comedy and movie nights.

342 St Asaph Street, 03 260 0333 12bar.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 their own 50 flair.

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

BASE WOODFIRED PIZZA Pizza | Central City

Nestled in a corner of the busy and buzzing Little High Eatery you’ll find BASE Woodfired Pizza doing delicious pizza the artisanal way.

Started in Re:START container mall back in 2011, BASE fostered a friendly, communal, family vibe that still endures today. These pizza pros have now branched out into the mobile catering business with Food

by Fire, bringing tasty pizzas to you on some classic old vintage Bedford trucks and fire trailers.

Little High Eatery, 255 St Asaph Street, 022 182 1921 FB/basewoodfiredpizza

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BLOODY MARY’S

Steakhouse/Swishy bar | Central City

A popular New York-style steakhouse known for premium, local produce, seasonal menus and delicious cuisine. Check out Hugh’s Whisky Library for a nightcap or perhaps The Terrace for one of the famous cocktails and delicious platters. For the full Bloody Mary’s experience you can’t go past the flagship Prime Rib, carved at your table every Wednesday and Saturday.

30 Latimer Square, 03 943 5937 bloodymarys.co.nz

BOO RADLEY’S FOOD & LIQUOR

Bar/Live music | Central City

Boo Radley’s is an award-winning, southern-USA styled bar and restaurant with a distinctly New Zealand twist. There are some scrumptious sharing plates on offer, along with an exceptional drinks menu and one of the largest selections of bourbon whiskey in New Zealand. Live music plays from Wednesday through to Saturday including blues bands, acoustic soloists, and full cover bands.

Level 1, 98 Victoria Street, 03 366 9906 booradleys.co.nz

CAFÉ STIR

Café | Central City

For excellent Switch Espresso coffee and a friendly atmosphere in lovely heritage surrounds, look no further than Café Stir. Located in the picturesque New Regent Street with Christchurch’s historic tram making periodic stops right out in front, this is a spot to easily while away a pleasant morning. With all day breakfast, the ‘grammable pink eggs benny and many other delicious menu items, Café Stir has you covered.

27 New Regent Street, 03 371 7219 Find them on Facebook

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CASTRO’S TAPAS & BAR Bar/Restaurant | Central City

Offering up a Spanish taste explosion, Castro’s beautiful food, drinks, live music, and décor will take guests on a unique journey. Bringing the Spanish culture of sharing to the Kiwi dining experience, Castro’s offers anything from small tapas to an extravagant meat board from the Josper grill, perfect for drinks after work or dinner with friends. Don’t miss Castro’s big pan paella every Sunday, along with live music on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons.

Riverside Market, 96 Oxford Terrace, 03 260 1200 castro.co.nz

CIVIL & NAVAL

Tapas bar | Lyttelton

Civil & Naval is a neighbourhood institution squeezed into an historic tailor – the bar’s namesake. Cross your fingers for one of the few tables, perch at the bar or relax in the courtyard with friends you’ve only just met. Steep yourself in Lyttelton’s storied past within the casual comfort of this historic building – you’ll have a burning desire to return as soon as you’ve left.

16 London Street, 03 328 7206 civilandnaval.co.nz

CORIANDER’S ETHNIC INDIAN RESTAURANT Indian | Four locations

If there’s one thing you should know about Coriander’s it’s that it’s big. Big flavour, big menu, big vibes. These four premier dining establishments serve authentic ethnic Indian cuisine designed by experienced Indian chefs. All four restaurants are fully licensed and offer BYO. Coriander’s has been operating in Christchurch since 2006 and has become known as one of Canterbury’s top Indian dining experiences.

St Asaph Street, Bush Inn, Rolleston, Sumner, 03 740 4290 corianders.co.nz

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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, and the team have worked hard to create a special place to dine. 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.

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

EL RANCHO

Mexican | Central City

This family-owned business serves simply delicious Mexican food with the love and passion of Latin American culture. Located in the buzzing Riverside Market, El Rancho Taquería serves a variety of sensational dishes in a friendly and unique setting. Expect authentic and vibrant Mexican food made with fresh, tasty ingredients. El Rancho caters to gluten free, vegetarian and vegan diners and is also kid friendly.

Let’s have a Mexican fiesta, amigos!

100 Oxford Terrace, 022 523 6280 elranchoriverside.co.nz

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 sensational in-season and local fare.

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

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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. The Francesca’s team pride themselves on providing a warm and friendly atmosphere for lunch and dinner.

Enjoy pre-theatre meals and special celebrations with a selection of Italian and New Zealand wines.

149 Gloucester Street, 03 374 9790 fransitalian.co.nz

GIN GIN.

Bar | Central City

Gorgy little bar gin gin. is not so little anymore. Recently relocated to the colourful heritage spot of New Regent Street, gin gin. now occupies two shops both downstairs and up.

The outdoor garden is filled with native and tropical plants, the new menu is full of big tasty flavours, and of course, there is gin. Lots and lots of gin. Alongside a thirst-quenchy cocktail list, there will be great G&T options for all, plus a focus on New Zealand wines.

4-6 New Regent Street gingin.co.nz, IG/ginginchristchurch

GOLD AROMA

Café/Bar | Central City

Gold Aroma believes in making special food and creating memorable moments. This trendy café and bar is a great location for your event or work function, with a beautiful outdoor area and separate meeting room. Beer on tap comes to you in Gold Aroma’s eye-catching beer tubes, and the many tasty flavours of shisha are perfect for sharing with friends. Gold Aroma also offers live music, exotic cocktails, amazing party platters, and DJs on weekends.

817 Colombo Street, 03 365 0129 goldaroma.co.nz

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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.

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

MAHARAJA

Indian | Papanui

You’ll feel like royalty at Maharaja.

This Indian restaurant and cocktail bar serves classic dishes in a contemporary setting. The warm ambience, attentive service and delicious food have earned Maharaja a Tripadvisor certificate of excellence.

Dine on fresh naan breads, chicken tikka, the Maharaja’s platter for two and favourite curries including kadai gosht and dalh chah. Vegetarians are spoilt for choice, with a tempting range of vegetable curries.

452 Papanui Road, 03 352 0150 maharaja.net.nz

MONA VALE HOMESTEAD & GARDENS Functions/Events | Fendalton

The historic surrounds of Mona Vale make it a charming venue for casual day dining, special and private occasions, business events, and group dining. Celebrate your event in the homestead or an elegant marquee on the Iris Lawn. Check the website or Facebook page for opening hours.

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

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NO.4 BAR & RESTAURANT

New Zealand/Cosy pub | Merivale

No.4 Bar & Restaurant 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 an exceedingly good reputation.

Drop in for exceptionally good beer, food and stories.

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

NOM NOM KITCHEN

Southeast Asian cuisine | Strowan/Rangiora/Lyttelton

Experience tasty Southeast Asian cuisine at any of Nom Nom Kitchen’s three cosy and fully-licensed locations. Nom Nom offers an array of sensational dishes and are also gluten free, vegan and vegetarian friendly. With a great range of cocktails, wine and beer on tap also available, Nom Nom Kitchen is perfect for your next family catch-up or special occasion. The Strowan location is open 7 days.

7 Normans Road, Strowan, 03 355 3909, 257 High Street, Rangiora, 03 313 4276 & 47 London Street, Lyttelton, 03 925 9335 nomnomkitchen.co.nz

NORI TABLE

Sushi bar | Woolston/Kaiapoi

Nori Table is Christchurch’s home of fabulous sushi and a must-visit for all sushi lovers. First opened in 2019, Nori Table now has beautifully modern restaurants in two locations: in The Tannery and in Kaiapoi. Nori Table’s range of rolls and nigiri are bursting with flavour, look gorgeous, and are generously packed with scrumptious fillings. Couple that with an array of options, including vegetarian alternatives, and there’s something for every taste.

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

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THE RESIDENCY Café | Central City

Check in to The Residency, an allday-every-day café for locals and tourists serving breakfast, lunch and bar snack menus with a candid, unfussy approach. Located in the gritty SALT district at the base of The Muse hotel, The Residency is your pit stop in High Street. The team know the area like the back of their hand and turn neighbours into friends and tourists into locals. So sit back, relax and enjoy a rotation of local and expressive art splashed across the walls (all of which is available to purchase). The menu is both crowdpleasing and thoughtful, with an all-day feeling that moves seamlessly from breakfast to lunch. Breakfast is all about the sides – you can create your own masterpiece with a combination of ‘add on’ features. A selection of in-house baked goods, freshly squeezed orange juice and smoothies will get you going, and the café’s own resident blend of coffee is supplemented by the option to choose a special guest blend from one of Christchurch’s many local roasters. Don’t forget the morningappropriate cocktails – carrot margarita, anyone? The elegant café’s simply-executed lunch menu gives a nod to the classics, providing a perfect balance of comfort and sophistication, old and new, with a dash of the unexpected. A great spot to warm up with a weekend drink before heading seven stories up to revel at the city’s first rooftop bar, The Pink Lady.

159 Manchester Street, 03 365 0373 theresidency.co.nz

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PIZZA REPUBLIC Pizza | Ferrymead

Pizza Republic’s mission is to be Christchurch’s favourite restaurant and dining experience for families, groups and functions. The welcoming team has a long history of serving the greatest pizza in town with the biggest smiles. With an awesome selection of gourmet pizzas, pastas, salads, sharing plates, and desserts, they have all your bases rolled and covered including lots of options for kids, vegetarians and vegans, and gluten and dairy-free diets.

Unit 3, 2 Waterman Place, 03 376 4900 pizzarepublic.co.nz

REAL FRUIT PARLOUR Café | St Albans

A café born from St Albans’ local fruit and veg shop, Real Fruit Parlour is all about fresh, real food. On the menu you’ll find a range of colourful and nutritious seasonal salads, refreshing cold-pressed juices, and of course, great coffee. In the cabinet is a wonderful range of sweets, cakes and raw slices, and you can treat yourself in summer with real fruit ice cream made from local frozen berries. The café caters to vegan, vegetarian and gluten free diets.

1066D Colombo Street, 03 366 9883 realcrisp.co.nz

THAI BOX

Thai | Central City

A spinoff from legendary eatery Thai Container, this new incarnation located in the BOXed Quarter has been offering fresh and funky Thai food since 2015. Thai Box boasts signature dishes rarely seen at other Thai restaurants, including Khao Man Gai (chicken on rice), stunning fried rice served on half a pineapple, and a deep-fried whole fish with garlic and chilli. Fully licensed, the great food and industrial-cool vibe will keep you coming back for more.

270 St Asaph Street, 021 842 429 FB/thaiboxnz

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THAI ORCHID Thai | Riccarton

A slice of Thailand in Christchurch!

Walk in to warm Thai greetings, a relaxing atmosphere and amazing food. See for yourself why Thai Orchid has been Tripadvisor’s top Thai dining spot in Christchurch for the past two years. Thai Orchid is the original Thai restaurant in Christchurch, serving up amazing Thai dishes for over 30 years. Check out the new renovations, dining area, cocktail bar and garden bar where you can nip and sip next to the waterfall.

21 Riccarton Road, 03 343 0790 thaiorchid.co.nz

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 specialty Japanese dishes.

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

TOP IN TOWN

Indian | Riccarton

Offering Christchurch’s only open buffet of authentic, mouthwatering and delicious Mughlai and Indian food, Top In Town is a multi-cuisine restaurant with world famous Hyderabadi Dum Biryani, Haleem, Paya, Dum Ka Chicken, and much more. There is a large variety of vegetarian and South Indian dishes such as paneer curries, Manchurian curries, Schezwan fried rice/noodles, dosa, idly, puri, vada, onion bhaji and a souvlaki/frankie station.

91 Riccarton Road, 03 341 2200 topintown.co.nz

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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 twenty different drops to choose from.

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

TWENTY SEVEN STEPS European | Central City

Owned and operated by Paul and Emma, Twenty Seven Steps’ doors have been open for the last five years on picturesque New Regent Street. Committed to serving the best locally-sourced food and wine in a safe space, the team look forward to welcoming you upstairs.

Open Monday to Saturday evenings from 5pm, with lunches and private functions by request.

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

UNTOUCHED WORLD™ KITCHEN Café | Burnside

A hidden gem, Untouched World Kitchen is the perfect oasis away from the hustle for a delicious and nutritious breakfast, brunch or lunch.

Whether you’re vegetarian, vegan or a lover of meat, you’ll be treated to honest, simple food that is big on flavour. A light, airy, relaxed space awaits you inside, or dine al fresco in the peaceful garden setting. Located just five minutes from the airport with plenty of off-street parking.

155 Roydvale Avenue, 03 357 9499 untouchedworldkitchen.com

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Fashion & Wellbeing

AGAINST THE STREAM This dress makes a bold statement while cutting a traditional and timeless silhouette. Camilla and Marc Majella Tiered Maxi – Salmon (RRP $600) from Camilla and Marc.

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THE FASHION FRONTIER Fashion stylist, writer and educator Lou Heller reflects on the trends of 2020 and predicts what’s going to be hot in 2021.

The trends to watch in 2020 quickly re-navigated during what was a dynamic and exciting year for fashion. The fashion set can spend months preempting trends and colours. This can all change in a split second when something trends on social media, a celebrity wears something we have never seen, or a designer decides to show something revolutionary the day after creating it. In New Zealand, we are great at setting trends and sitting alongside the rest of the world with ease. We have our own style. We are small, we are punchy, we are edgy, we are in packs. One minute we’re wearing plain white tees with black strappy dresses, the next we’re in beautiful oversized pussy bow blouses. This can work in our favour in a lot of ways… or against us. I’m reflecting on my top 2020 trends and where our fashion ended up, and making some predictions on what will start to make its way here in the next year.

2020 High volume – puff sleeves anything High volume is all about accentuation of that arm area; it’s all about the puff. It really stands out visually, and came through very strong for the whole year.

You’ve got Aje and Ganni, and also places like Country Road and H&M that are bringing the puff.

Cardigans in general started to be really big in 2020 and I think that’s because people got over thicker knitwear. We’ve had cool cropped cardigans and really long ones, down to almost knee length.

These grandad-folk-style items are great for layering under jackets and wearing with dress pants, skirts or shorts – the cardigan is a trans-seasonal hero. The traditional cardi colours are quite neutral, and on the flipside I’ve seen great lilacs and punchy greens.

Square-toe shoes These may have been around in the ‘90s, but

there’s something super modern about this extra-functional trend.

Pointy toes can be a bit of a one-look wonder, but the square toes carry a bit of a pared-back look that can be edgy and dressed up or down. Square-toes are about the open toe – they’re comfy and easy to throw on, and they fit well on wider feet. Brands that are hitting this trend well include By Far (very cool), Senso, Mi Piaci, and Christopher Esber.

Going green As in environmental, and as in colour. Eco-conscious fabrics and production practises are in. I do feel like the environmental buzzwords get a bit overused by companies that perhaps aren’t walking the talk, but there’s a real consciousness around now around hiring clothes, borrowing from friends, and hitting the thrift shops. Some businesses, like Maggie Marilyn, have scaled back and become very aware of what they’re putting into earth, and

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what’s coming out. Kate Sylvester has a ‘Reloved’ system where people can sell their Kate Sylvester pieces to a new home. Max is doing great things now with sustainable fabrics, and I know H&M has its own sustainability and social responsibility programme too. In terms of the colour green, everything from sage to emerald, forest and khaki just absolutely exploded in 2020. Lots of people think they can’t wear green, but they forget there are thousands of different shades to try.

Tan tan tan – anything tan Tan’s been around. It’s a timeless colour used in classic pieces – Burberry always has a quintessential tan trench coat. 2020 emphasised the utilitarian style and we saw a lot of things like boilersuits in this colour, as well as suits for women, t-shirts and cardigans. Every trend I’ve mentioned so far is available in tan or camel.

WHAT’S ON THE 2021 HORIZON Mood dressing Think about waking up and dressing for your mood. Mood dressing is about being aware of how you can change your mood, or how your clothes can reflect your mood.

Studies have shown that using colour affects how you feel, and high-volume colour lifts your mood. Uplifting colours like tangerine, lilac, pastel yellow and magenta have been around in the past but we haven’t seen them working together in a way I’m hoping to see in the coming year.

The daytime clutch – intense colours and fabrics Everyone is used to wearing handbags – they’re a safe option. We don’t necessarily think about carrying a

IMAGE: VERONICA BEARD/ALESSANDRO LUCIONI

IMAGE: TYLER JOE

IMAGE: ASIA TYPEK IMAGE: BOTTEGA VENETA

IMAGE: STYLE DU MONDE

IMAGE: CHRISTIAN VIERIG

THE FASHION FRONTIER

clutch during the day because it’s considered a high-event night-time accessory. Daytime clutches take advantage of the light to show off interesting fabrics, designs and bold colours – forget about the night and use them any time.

Versatile power suits The power suit carries a sense of empowerment, and women are ready to stand in their power. A suit represents an element of androgynous sexuality that’s very strong at the moment. The versatility comes with the ability to pair the suit jacket with jeans or a skirt, or pair the pants with sneakers and a singlet or blouse.

Make it your own. Go for colour: green, pink, gold, silver, anything you want, anything that works with your lifestyle. ZARA is always a good place to start because it’s cost effective, and you don’t have

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to put a lot of money up to try out a new style.

Modern folk Folk and boho styles have been around a while, but modern folk is a bit dressier, a bit more refined. Think structured dresses with embroidered handbags in cool designs and a bit of leather. Flirtatious, flowing shapes, cardigans, leather skirts with flowing white shirts and a fringe cardigan or scarf.

The horse trial look Anything that resembles something you could wear riding a horse or turning up to polo. Hats, riding boots, velvet blazers and tailored shirts with jeans, and high-necked shirts done all the way up. It’s that kind of paradoxical, beautifully structured, tailored relax wear.

Think of the Hamptons, and bringing a bit of high society to real life.

FASHION EDIT

With seemingly endless balmy summer days on the horizon, we round up the hottest picks.

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1 Camilla and Marc Milano Dress (RRP $780) from Camilla and Marc 2 Helen Cherry Felicity Blouse (RRP $498) from Workshop 3 Paloma Wool Bonneville Top (RRP $160) from Infinite Definite 4 LTB Marle X Jean (RRP $249.95) from Death By Denim 5 Two by Two Amory Top (RRP $149) from Belleza Boutique 6 NES Vanotti Tunic Black (RRP $159.90) from Moutique 7 Veja Venturi Alveomesh (RRP $269) from Infinite Definite 8 Diesel S-Bully (RRP $239) from EnCompass 9 Birkenstock 1774 Arizona Premium (RRP $689) from Workshop 10 Mars Lotte Sunglasses (RRP $250) from Infinite Definite

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A HISTORY OF BRILLIANCE For Vikki George at Roccabella, jewellery is about stories and memories. She tells Cityscape about some of the most special jewellery in the store.

HEARTS ON FIRE “If you’re looking to buy a round brilliant cut, the diamond I would recommend to my family and best friends is Hearts On Fire,” Vikki says. Hearts On Fire started in Boston in the 1990s and soon earned a reputation for selling the world’s most perfectly cut diamond. Roccabella partnered with Hearts On Fire in 2006, and Vikki has travelled to Boston to meet the designers. “I know Hearts On Fire intimately,” she says. “They just sparkle more than other diamonds, it doesn’t matter the size. I call them ‘ten-table diamonds’ because you can see them from ten tables away.”

Roccabella, Vikki’s mother Margaret dealt with Filippo’s father.

SELIN KENT Vikki hit it off immediately with Selin Kent when first contacting the New York jeweller. Roccabella’s story of recovery resonated with Selin, who is originally from Istanbul and no stranger to devastating quakes.

THE NON CITIZENS

GIOIELLIAMO

the non citizens is specially special to Vikki because, well, it’s her own brand. Vikki designed each item herself, and the demi-couture pieces are ready to take home as-is, or you can customise your own with a special stone or metal that suits your look.

Roccabella’s story with Italian jewellers Gioielliamo goes back to the pre-earthquake days. Vikki imports jewellery from the family company’s head jeweller, Filippo.

Back in the early days of

Read more about Roccabella’s favourite jewellery and perfumes at cityscape.co.nz, or visit Vikki at Roccabella in Cashel Street. roccabella.co.nz

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WORKING WOMEN

MADE TO FIT FEMALES Made-to-fit menswear store Working Style has launched its first womenswear range, ‘W by Working Style’. Now ladies can get in on the sensational suit game with a collection of impeccably tailored, elegant garments. The perfect jacket is the base for the collection, with a huge range of fabrics to choose from, like polished cotton, tweed, velvet and silk. Make an appointment with a consultant in Working Style’s new Christchurch digs, and collaborate on some perfectly fitting pieces. workingstyle.co.nz

SNEAKERS FOR THE IMPORTANT JOBS Videos of US Vice President-elect Kamala Harris disembarking from planes have gone viral because everyone’s chirping in on her shoes.

It’s usually Converse or, for a visit to California to assess wildfire damage, some Timberland boots (THOSE TIMBS THO, cried the millennials).

Style with a certain practicality.

GIVE ME MOOOOO-RE Overshadowed for decades by their more pretentious animal kingdom rivals, the humble cow is finally hitting fashion hot lists.

Cow print has taken hold in New Zealand – after all, we have six million of them mooching round in fields to take inspiration from, but this is bigger than just us Kiwis: Meghan Markle’s been spotted in cow print pumps, Kylie Jenner’s been sunbathing in a cow print swimsuit and those super sexy black and brown patches have been spotted in recent fashion runway shows.

IMAGE: @KYLIEJENNER

TREND ALERT: COW PRINT

ENCOMPASS

Fashion | Woolston

Situated in the style hub of The Tannery for the past seven years, EnCompass is your go-to store for modern streetwear fashion.

The store specialises in premium denim from a huge range of NZ and international brands. Browse the extensive denim wall and exclusive tailored shirts, waistcoats and t-shirts and be treated to impeccable service and the exceptional fitting expertise of owner and top jeanswear salesman Benji.

Shop 26, The Tannery, 3 Garlands Road, 03 381 4065 encompassclothing.co.nz

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FASHION

BEIGE BRIGADE Keep your semi-formal style cool with light colours and fabrics.

Tans and beiges are in, so don’t be afraid to go whole hog.

Beige Cotton Jacket (RRP $599) from Working Style

FASHION FOR THE BOYS

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1 G-Star RAW – Dressed Super Slim Shirt (RRP $129) from EnCompass 2 G-Star Raw – Loic Chino Short (RRP $169) from EnCompass 3 Issey Miyake Nuit D’Issey EDT 125ml (RRP $152) from Ballantynes 4 Tencel Linen Grandad Shirt (RRP $299) from Untouched World 5 Veja Esplar Low Leather (RRP $189) from Infinite Definite 6 Garrett Leight Brooks X Sun 48 (RRP $620) from Infinite Definite 7 Loop Leather Urban Central Belt (RRP $75.99 ea) from Death by Denim 8 Reebok CL Legacy (RRP $150) from Stencil

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FASHION

BELLEZA BOUTIQUE Fashion | Central City

Belleza is home to a thoughtfully curated collection of New Zealand and Australian labels, with a select few European labels to round out the offerings. Owner Anna is always on the hunt for unique, contemporary styles, and seeing her customers leave with clothes that make them look and feel great is the best part of the business. Belleza has a brand new store at The Crossing in central Christchurch, complementing the original store in Lincoln.

Kettlewell Lane, The Crossing, 03 925 9614 bellezaboutique.co.nz

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.

246 High Street, 03 371 7465 infinitedefinite.com

DEATH BY DENIM

Fashion | Central City/Merivale

The team at Death by Denim understand and celebrate the uniqueness of every single customer.

They are focused on getting you the perfect jeans, fitted to flatter your form and take your denim to the next level. Professional fitting for men and women is available daily at both the Merivale and city stores. Brands featured this season include New London Jeans, Cult of Individuality, Mavi, Diesel, Garcia, LTB and What’s Up. BNZ Centre, 101-109 Cashel Street, 03 377 0074 and 195 Papanui Road, 03 355 0597 deathbydenim.co.nz

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FASHION

UNTOUCHED WORLD™

Fashion/Accessories | Burnside

Recognised by the UN for sustainability, NZ lifestyle fashion brand Untouched World believes you don’t have to give up great design to be good to the planet. Timeless pieces are thoughtfully designed and consciously created from luxurious natural fabrics and fibres that are easy on the earth. This feel-good fashion brand is on a mission to make a positive impact, donating a percentage of all sales back into community initiatives.

Flagship Store & Café, 155 Roydvale Avenue, 03 357 9399 untouchedworld.com

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, Converse, Herschel, Thing Thing, Stüssy 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.

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

MOUTIQUE

Fashion | Marshland

Located in Prestons, Moutique is a fashion boutique for exclusive, local, or limited edition brands that you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else. Owner Charlotte always had a passion for finding unique fashion labels, and what initially began as a ‘moving boutique’ – shopping parties curated and hosted by Charlotte – soon developed into a shopping destination with friendly service and a constantly-evolving selection you’d happily make the trip for.

41 Raranga Street, 03 386 1391 moutique.co.nz

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FASHION IMAGE: TOMO KOIZUMI

SUMMER TRENDS FROM VIRTUAL CATWALKS

SMOULDERING RED LIPS

COLOUR BLOCKING

IMAGE: GIAMBATTISTA VALLI

Internationally there isn’t currently a huge appetite for meeting a sexy sailor in the street and going in for a spontaneous pash, so it’s never been more practical to rock traffic-lightred lipstick on the regular.

IMAGE: ALESSANDRO LUCIONI, GORUNWAY.COM

IMAGE: COLLINA STRADA

Fabric rationing in the 1940s gave us bikinis, the space race sparked a silver trend, and now 2020 is giving us all kinds of outrageous trends started by creative (and bored) millennials in lockdown, now graduating to Fashion Week main stages.

Tomo Koizumi’s models were spiced up with swathes of overflowing aquamarine eyeshadow, and Chromat was doing lime-green nails.

Tom Ford was all about hot pink lips, wanting his fashion to be an expression of joy; “like perhaps there’s a party to go to – even if there’s not. And it does, of course, look great on Zoom.”

ALL ABOUT EYES Bold, smoky eyes were everywhere during fashion weeks this year.

Chanel models were rocking smoky-grey matte lids, and Giambattista Valli went for super-strong kohl-lined punk rock looks. With the world donning masks on the regular, it’s an expression injection for your smize.

THE YOUTHFUL REBELLION Neon punk hair spikes from Christian Cowan and Collina Strada’s pastel-hued pin curls spiced up outrageous DIY tie dye leotards and crayon scribbled jeans. It was high-fashion versions of the lockdown craft projects we’ve all tried and haven’t been brave enough to wear outside the house.

BARE FACES AND DEWY SKIN Lots of designers put the focus on going au natural, which is more about skincare than makeup. Runway models were emphasising super-healthy glows – coincidence? You can recreate this at home using layers of moisturizing balm, cream foundation and bronzer for a sexy edge. It’s like your skin, but better.

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Glowing wedding skin Wedding season is almost upon us, and whether you’re the bride, mother of the bride, a bridesmaid or just want to look ultra-radiant for an event as a guest, now’s the time to start your journey to glowing, radiant skin. Probeauty fills Cityscape in on the dos and don’ts.

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he first thing you’ll want to do is visit a quality skin clinic or beauty salon to assess your unique skin concerns, and how best to improve them. This may be dehydration (we’ve all been there!), fine lines and wrinkles, acne, or pigmentation and sun spots.

Rather than the latest fad serum in a department store, professionals can advise you on the truly powerful cosmeceutical products to create visible change in just a few months, using potent active ingredients. These proven ingredients include retinol (vitamin A), vitamin C, niacinamide, peptides and hyaluronic acid – all in much stronger forms than you’ll find in the serums at your local pharmacy or beauty store. You may only need a couple of these products for your desired results, depending on what you’re looking to improve in time for your special event.

It’s not the 90s anymore; ‘fluffy’ facials are out, and advanced skin treatments are in. No longer just

limited to the clinics of Beverly Hills, you can now get the latest treatments and create real results in your skin – which people will notice on your big day! Some of the most popular modern skin treatments available include Dermapen microneedling, facial peels, IPL and LED, all working to completely rejuvenate the skin and give you that celebrity glow.

Relaxing facials are great for some zen time, but just like with fitness,

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sometimes we need something tougher to see true results. A walk in a park is ideal for our relaxation, but it’s the high-strength fitness class that will get our body looking its best. The same goes for skin.

Skin products and treatments can get a little confusing, but Probeauty has come to the rescue with an online Advanced Beauty Hub full of all the tips, tricks, recommendations and top clinics around New Zealand for achieving a clear, plump, glowing complexion.

As a leading supplier for the beauty industry for over 20 years, Probeauty knows skin and is committed to sharing the game-changing power of skin science. Discover the active skincare brands that pack a punch, and all the treatments available near you that can take your skin to the next level. probeauty.co.nz

HEALTHY TECH-NIQUE

Mindfulness, meditation and mud masks are great tools, but they’re old solutions, and we’ve got some uber-modern problems to solve. Instead, forward-thinking tech-cancure-everything companies are creating out-of-the-box solutions to our modern health and wellness problems. Here’s what we might be plugging into in 2021.

CUSTOM WELLNESS SOUNDSCAPES Music as therapy is being radically reinvented. It’s no longer about tunes that inexplicably make us feel good – it’s about precision tracks engineered with wellness in mind. Endel, a Berlin-based startup, famously signed the first non-human record deal with Warner Music in 2019. It’s creating ‘generative’ AI-powered soundscapes that pull your biological data to create custom, always-changing audio. MIT-affiliated Sync Project has worked with neuroscientists to develop personalised music therapeutics for pain management (and it’s been bought by Bose, no big deal).

LA ROCHE-POSAY MY SKIN TRACK UV SENSOR This tiny sensor clips onto your clothes and measures your daily UV exposure so you know when to head indoors.

It also tracks pollution, pollen and humidity.

(RRP $99.95 from Apple)

AN EVERYTHING TRACKER Our health vocab is rapidly expanding – we now know all about blood oxygen levels and heart rates, so it was only a matter of time before Apple gave us the ability to track them. Apple’s newest smartwatches even come with cellular data (if you’re on Spark) so you can leave your phone at home and call and text straight from your wrist.

ALL-DAY, ALL-NIGHT CIRCADIAN WELLNESS Tech companies are realising that good sleep isn’t just about the night hours. We’re developed to be super sensitive to light, and we’ve got to control our daytime light exposure to sleep well at night. Hotels like New York City’s Equinox and Germany’s Lanserhof Tegernsee have launched new sleep programmes using sleep coaches and light colours specifically designed for the time of day, and soon we’ll see ‘biodynamic’ lighting options filter into our homes.

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WELLBEING

THE TREATMENT: LED LIGHT THERAPY First, NASA used LEDs to grow plants in space, then to boost the ability of astronauts’ bodies to heal wounds, and then the beauty industry got hold of it. And if it’s good enough for NASA, it’s good enough for us. Red LED light stimulates the fibroblasts that produce collagen, which heals your skin and reduces signs of ageing, and it calms inflammation. Be warned: you’ll look like a Bond villain in the Dream Machine while you’re at it, but this is about the gains.

VIRTUAL REALITY MEDITATION VR meditation is totally redefining the phrase ‘go to your happy place’. In many of the new guided meditation VR programs, you can actually see your happy place, whether it’s on a beach on the Costa del Sol, an ice plateau sitting high above the clouds (put on a jumper for that one) or a crunchy autumn forest. We’re partial to a bit of relaxing in a blossoming Japanese garden.

OURA RING Not a watch person? Get in on the sleep tracking game with this sleek ring that measures body temperature, heart rate variability and breathing rate, among other things. (RRP $560 from Sleep Well Clinic)

AT HOME DP DERMACEUTICALS LED FACE MASK This at-home LED face mask uses light to stimulate collagen- and elastin-producing cells. (RRP $1499 from Probeauty)

KARLSSON MR ALARM

IN THE SALON NIRVANA BEAUTY LOUNGE Try a one-off 40-minute LED light therapy facial or pick one of the Kick Start (three treatments) or New Me (six treatments) packages. $90/$240/$420 NICOLA QUINN BEAUTY & DAY SPA Book in for either a one-off treatment or sign up for two months of unlimited visits to the contactless LED light lounge. $99/$399

AUDIO TECHNICA NOISE CANCELLING BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES Block out everything around you and concentrate on something soothing, like Endel’s biorhythm-generated wellness soundscapes.

(RRP $399 from Smiths City)

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While we wait for precision biodynamic lighting, embrace classic with this super cool Karlsson alarm clock and leave your phone outside the bedroom, where it belongs.

(RRP $59 from Ballantynes)

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FITBIT SENSE Fitbit’s kicking butt in the health tracking game, with stress management, heart rate tracking and skin temperature measurement in the stylish new Fitbit Sense.

(RRP $579 Smiths City)

WELLBEING DR LIBBY

THE GOOD LIFE

Do you feel like you’re running on empty? So many people have shared with me that they are feeling utterly exhausted, and it’s not surprising given the uncertainty and unpredictability that has featured in 2020.

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hile getting enough rest is critical for energy, there are numerous other factors that contribute to whether we feel resilient and vibrant – or not – in our daily lives. If you’re regularly lacking that inner spark, could it be that you’ve been expending too much mental energy? Constant and relentless stress, worry or feelings of uncertainty and overwhelm can be

incredibly draining. And, very often when people are trying to cope with this, they start to rely more on caffeine and poorer-quality convenience foods, or alcohol might start to creep in more often than usual – all of which can leave you feeling even flatter.

While we may not be able to avoid stressful or worrying situations, there are many things we can do to support our body’s response.

Focusing on the things we can take action on, rather than the things we can’t change, can be a powerful mindset shift and it’s something I really encourage. So let’s explore some ways to help you reignite your energy.

Boost your nourishment It probably comes as no surprise that this is top of my list, but what you eat really matters. Green leafy vegetables are a great source of

antioxidants and contain a number of different vitamins and minerals needed for efficient intrinsic energy production. They’re also an excellent source of magnesium, a mineral that can be depleted when we are chronically stressed.

Close open tabs Work on closing what I call ‘open tabs’ – the tasks, emails or endless jobs that haven’t been resolved. It’s as if we walk around each day with so many tabs open – like websites sitting open on your computer screen, that it’s no wonder we feel drained or flattened. Schedule tasks instead of just listing them.

Reduce your caffeine intake Although caffeine can pep us up in the short term, many people are really surprised to find that they experience more sustained energy with less, or none. Try to avoid caffeine after midday, to ensure your sleep quality isn’t affected.

Incorporate muscle-building exercise Incorporating more resistance training helps to build muscle mass. More muscle means more energy-producing mitochondria in our cells—resulting in a higher metabolic rate as well as greater energy production.

Naturally you gain better energy reserves as your glycogen (glucose stores) increase, as well.

Dr Libby’s brand new Wellness Cards (RRP $34.95) are available exclusively from her website. drlibby.com

#TRENDING

HYPNOSIS FACIALS Trickling down from boutique London skincare specialist Dr David Jack and celebrity hypnotherapist and life coach Malminder Gill, hypnosis facials are set to mesmerise the world. This mindful treatment packs two punches; cleansing and detoxifying the skin and deeply relaxing the mind, removing emotional burdens and anxieties. Hypnotherapy keeps clients in the present and maximises the opportunity to absorb positive suggestions to improve emotional wellbeing.

The Dr David Jack version will set you back £500 for an hour’s treatment – we’re hoping that cost might head south as the treatment makes its way here too.

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WELLBEING

WELL INTO THE ‘20S

A decade ago ‘wellness’ was only just entering our national lexicon. Now, we’ve traded stress for stretching, sitting for stand-up desks and boozing for barre. Here’s what to expect in the next decade of wellness.

FLEXITARIANISM BECOMES THE NORM Vegans and vegetarians are dining at cafés and restaurants in droves, and chefs are answering the call with gusto. Many menus have gone from one or two token veggie meals to myriad mouth-watering dishes.

Even those of us who aren’t 100% plant-based are drooling over avocado-laden Buddha bowls and burgers with mac ‘n’ cheese hash brown patties. With options galore, a lot of us will rein in our meat consumption – good for our bodies, good for the planet.

OPEN MENTAL HEALTH DISCUSSIONS Mental health is moving out of the doctor’s office and into conversations with friends, family and colleagues. It’s on our phones, through apps like Headspace and Calm, and it’s in our ears, with $200-an-hour therapists podcasting what was previously a private conversation. The 2020s are set to be a decade of demystifying mental health issues, and an influx of welcome honest conversation.

MAYE MUSK

Online fitness classes went mainstream when TVNZ broadcast Les Mills workouts twice a day during lockdown, and you know what? We liked it. Studios continue to run Zoom classes, and there’s something wonderful about rolling from a sweaty heap on the floor into your own shower.

THE AGEING REBRAND The 65+ crowd are more often retiring to start passion projects or run marathons than to take up bridge, and with that, ageing is having a total rebrand. We’ve heard marketers call it the ‘greynnaissance’, and ‘the silver economy’, while big brands are jumping on board: CoverGirl is using Maye Musk, Elon Musk’s super beautiful 72-year-old mum as a spokesmodel, and 99-year-old Iris Apfel was signed by IMG Models last year. It might be profit motivated (the boomers have the big bucks), but it’s a breath of fresh air.

GOLDEN ‘GRAMMERS

There’s endless amounts of beauty, fashion and joy in the over-50s influencer space.

Here are our favourites:

BON PON @bonpon511 828K followers Bon and Pon, married 40 years, might be the most fashionable couple on the ‘Gram.

NICKELSON WOOSTER @nickwooster 817K followers This silver fox ex-marine lookalike knows how to rock a man bag and a wool blend.

WELLNESS SABBATICALS

AROHA WELLNESS RETREAT

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FITNESS GOES ONLINE

With the rat race ramping stress levels up, many people are forgoing a little income and taking a wellness sabbatical; grind-avoiding getaways in beautiful retreats with plinky-plonky soundscapes and morning meditations.

CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Summer 20/21

LYN SLATER @iconaccidental 750K followers Lyn Slater started her blog Accidental Icon in 2014, and rocks a chic, eclectic aesthetic.

5 TIPS TO MAKE 2021 YOUR BEST YEAR YET Empowerment coach Saskia Clements drops some advice on creating healthy habits by actively controlling the important things, and shedding the rest.

PRO TIPS

HOW TO STAY IN SHAPE OVER SUMMER Fitness pro Kyla at Studio Six Private Training believes a few easy wins can keep you in top shape through the summer.

Drink up. The sun’s out, you’re moving more – time to make sure you’re getting that 1.5 litres of the good stuff. When you’re dehydrated, your body starts to think you’re hungry, when really you just need a big old glass of H2O. Stay organised. Make sure you’ve got healthy food options prepped. When we’re hungry, we usually rush to convenience food.

Stick to healthy snacks. Kyla recommends Sweet Chilli Philly or hummus with carrot sticks and rice crackers. How about half a palmful of nuts and seeds, or some popcorn? Try to add protein into your snacks, as it means you can eat fewer calories and feel fuller. Allocate certain days to exercise. Monday: gym.

Thursday: swim. Even if it’s only a few days a week, having a schedule keeps you accountable.

Get into BBQs. Summer is great for healthy eating, with BBQs over long nights accompanied by fresh summer salads. Stick to non-fatty protein like steak and chicken – rather than sausages – and healthy salad dressing. s6.co.nz

If we’ve learned anything from 2020, it’s confirmation of that well-worn phrase, we just don’t know what’s around the corner.

While we can’t control the circumstances we find ourselves in, we can do a lot to impact how these circumstances affect us.

Here are five tips for managing the things in our control that will greatly assist in making 2021 the best it can possibly be, no matter what’s around the corner.

1 – Declutter your life We all have things we’re procrastinating about, or tolerating, and these things drain us of vital energy. It can be anything from a sticky kitchen drawer, to a pile of paperwork, to the phone call you’ve been meaning to make. Make a list and use the four D’s when dealing with de-energisers: Do it now if it’s quick and easy; Diarise when you’ll do it; Delegate or outsource it; or Dump it. Start with some quick wins to gain momentum and you’ll be pleased with the energy you feel.

2 – Audit your environments Start with physical – your home, your car, your office. Do they make you feel calm, or stressed? What do you love about them, and what changes do you wish to make?

Look at mental and emotional environments. Does the landscape of your mind feel constantly busy and scattered? Or do you enjoy a good level of focus and clarity?

What are your frequent thoughts about and how do they make you feel? What new habits could you adopt to help calm your mind and improve the quality of your thinking? Think about your social environment. Do the people you surround yourself with uplift you,

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or drain you? Could you choose to spend more time with people who uplift and energise you? And who could you choose to spend less time with this year? 3 – Develop a daily gratitude practice Each morning or evening, ask yourself: what am I grateful for today? Get specific – it might be the kindness a stranger showed you, your child’s expression, or the mere fact your body got you out of bed without feeling any pain. When we express gratitude, our brain releases the ‘feel good’ neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. With time, focusing our attention on what we’re grateful for actually rewires our brain to scan the world for positives. 4 – Get clear on your vision and goals What do you want to create in your life over the next year, or three or five? Break it down into six-week mini-goals. At the start of each week, set two or three clear intentions focused on what you’d like to achieve and how you’d like to feel come the end of the week. You’ll be amazed at what you achieve with this method versus just working with a daily to-do list. 5 – Set up accountability structures to help you succeed A business friend of mine meets each Friday with a colleague and they hold each other accountable for consistently posting on their business social media pages. I enlisted a group of friends to do a 35-day alcohol-free detox with me and we supported each other with a WhatsApp group. You can team up with friends, join a group such as through a yoga studio, or hire a personal coach. Just be sure to get someone on your team. saskiaclements.nz

WELLBEING

10 WAYS TO CULTIVATE JOY Want to live more joyfully in 2021? Who wouldn’t? Veronica King, owner of Grassroots Yoga & Health, has loaded us up with ways to fill 2021 with happiness.

According to the ancient yogis our true nature is joy, and they even refer to our ‘bliss body’, where we experience unbounded freedom and joyousness. Just like learning to drive, the more you practice cultivating joy, the more it becomes second nature. 1 – Take stock and acknowledge where you are and all you have been through. Write a review of your year - I guarantee it will surprise you. 2 – Slow down, breathe deeply, do one thing at a time and feel your way into your day. Where are the pockets of pleasure in your daily routine?

What on your calendar excites you? 3 – Declutter physically,

mentally and emotionally. What are you holding onto that no longer feels in alignment with who you want to be? Be willing to let go of things, like people, places and outdated ideas. 4 – Be still. Learn to meditate, find a practice that you love and want to do. I recommend yoga nidra as a deeply relaxing and accessible guided meditation practice. 5 – Be in nature, every day. Summer is here and nature is perfect for practicing open eye meditation. Notice and appreciate beauty everywhere.

FACIAL MEMBERSHIPS ARE TRENDING: BUT WILL THEY MAKE YOUR SKIN HEALTHIER? Taking a single exercise class or hitting the gym once a year won’t make much of a dent in your fitness goals, and the same logic can be applied to achieving great skin.

Just like getting into shape, skin results are achieved through consistent in-clinic professional treatments and a prescribed homecare routine. Memberships are trending, and they work. Sun damage, signs of ageing and breakouts can all be reduced dramatically with regular skin treatments. A skin membership from Nicola Quinn Beauty & Day Spa is not only cost-effective, but is a regular ‘me time’ appointment to add into your diary. The skin therapists at Nicola Quinn believe that facial treatments are a necessity, not a luxury, and that

glowing skin should be achievable for everyone. Starting with a consultation, your skin therapist discusses your skin goals and designs a bespoke treatment and homecare plan. All memberships include a year-long discount on skincare to ensure you achieve a youthful, radiant complexion and ultimate skin health. With five memberships to choose from, you can have monthly massages, facials, Dermapen microneedling, body contouring, skin tightening and advanced upgrades such as LED or skin infusions. Visit the talented team at Nicola Quinn Beauty & Day Spa to discover the best membership option for you, and get ready to start 2021 with total skin confidence. quinnbeautyspa.co.nz

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6 – Move your body to get out of your head. Find a movement practice and routine that lights you up, makes you laugh and that you love to do. 7 – Rest. Here are some tips: have at least an hour of no screens before you want to sleep, no caffeine after midday, and limit your alcohol intake. Sometimes there are fundamental physiological imbalances affecting your sleep. If you think this might be the case, get support from a health professional. 8 – Perception is everything: our beliefs determine how we interpret our experiences.

Notice your thoughts, and when you find fearful or dark thoughts, try a phrase like “I see you but I am not you”. 9 – Play. When did you last do something just for sheer pleasure? 10 – Connect. We need each other, and our interpersonal connections significantly influence our wellbeing. Reach out to others, make dates with friends and family, find connections in your community. grassrootsyoga.co.nz

WELLBEING

EMPOWERMENT COACH

PHYSIOTHERAPY

Saskia Clements is a sounding board, cheerleader and butt-kicker for her clients, typically women juggling kids and a career or their own business. Saskia helps her clients create the impact, income and lifestyle they truly want and discover a deep sense of purpose, presence and joy. For women who want to have it all, without the overload of a to-do list that never ends, give Saskia a call for one-on-one and group coaching programmes. It’s time to step into your awesome! saskiaclements.nz

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. Established in 1998, the experienced team now provide professional physiotherapy to the greater Canterbury region with clinics in Bishopdale and Wigram Skies, as well as the city clinic in Hereford St. musclepeople.co.nz

PERFUME

HAIR

Fragranzi is Christchurch’s only perfume studio, offering a make-your-own perfume experience as well as unique, artisan perfumes. Using Fragranzi’s fragrance design system, you can adapt starter recipes to suit your senses and create a labelled bottle for yourself or as a unique gift for someone special.

Evening design events are also available. fragranzi.co.nz

See Rebecca at Mint Hair Design for special occasion hair that turns heads and lives up to your vision. With over 15 years’ experience and a creative flair you can trust, Rebecca specialises in stunning styles for your wedding day or special event. All her bridal work is done at your location, so there is no stress about getting to the hairdresser on time. She has also put her expertise to work at events such as fashion photo shoots, the NZ Cricket Awards, and NZ Fashion Week. minthair.co.nz

STEP INTO YOUR AWESOME

MUSCLING IN

SCENTS OF STYLE

BRIDAL STYLE

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WELLBEING

MORE THAN SKIN DEEP

Nik at Mojo Beauty is here to help you get your mojo back.

N

ik Henshaw is in the empowerment business.

She runs Mojo Beauty in Fendalton, and while the beauty industry seems focused on looks, she knows that skin, brows, lashes – all the things a beauty salon tends to – can spark inner confidence.

After extensive travel through her 20s, Nik did a social work degree, practicing for over ten years in that sometimes difficult but mostly rewarding industry in both New Zealand and London.

She returned home, and six years ago she started Mojo, her own beauty and massage studio.

This wasn’t in an effort to leave her past career behind. Nik’s aim is to boost confidence and self-esteem,

and one of the keys to that is making people proud of the skin they’re in, so they don’t feel the need to hide behind layers of makeup.

It’s a collaboration. Nik provides support and advice to her clients as they choose between different types of facials, dermal needling or enzymatic peels. She’ll also discuss holistic approaches, diet and lifestyle changes, and find what fits within her clients’ budgets. She’s still got the empowerment vibe too; a session with Nik might feel like therapy, and you’re bound to come away feeling inspired.

As well as skin treatments, Nik offers lash and brow treatments.

Lashes in particular feminise the face, so they’re a fantastic vehicle

for creating a feel-good boost. A lash treatment can create joy, which aligns with Nik’s beauty philosophy.

This summer, Nik’s expanding into a lush new studio, a calm, multi-use space that will serve as a haven for her clients. She’s becoming more mobile too, with the ability to meet clients at their home as well as in her salon. mojobeauty.co.nz

DON’T DISTRESS, DE-STRESS

We’ve had a hectic year, but Deirdre Panapa from DP Herbals is here to calm us down.

W

e made it (almost!).

Elections, lockdowns, the Covid-19 pandemic and closed borders have caused unexpected stress, hardships and concern for ourselves and loved ones. They say pressure makes coal into diamonds, but you might be feeling anything but shiny and bright. 2020 has taught us that through all this uncertainty we must find flexibility and strength.

We have been subject to chronic long-term stress since the beginning of the year, and some more than others. This type of stress strongly affects every system in your body, and if the situation remains urgent or intense then it will affect your mental wellbeing, mood, sleeping patterns, digestion, blood pressure, heart rate,

hormones and of course your energy levels. But fear not! Help is at hand. In stressful times your body uses more nutrients, and two particular nutrients are critical for maintaining energy and improving mental and physical relaxation.

Magnesium As well as its benefits for muscle relaxation and providing support for muscle cramps and spasms, magnesium also supports cellular energy production. When your energy reserves are running low, magnesium can help you refuel.

B vitamins These typically come

as a ‘complex’, as they are a group of nutrients that act together in synergy to support energy production and healthy nervous system function.

Don’t just think positive. Feel positive – and take your B vitamins.

As Dr Wayne Dyer said, “when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change”. dph.nz

BREATHE Try taking a mini-moment and remember to breathe. Breathing is a tool we have at all times that can immediately calm or energise us. To relax: breathe in for four seconds, hold it for two seconds, and breathe out for seven seconds. To energise: reverse the relax protocol, so the in-breath is longer than the out-breath. Breathe in for seven, hold for two, out for four.

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WELLBEING

BEAUTY

HAIR

Mya Makeup can help you with a fabulous look for a one-off special event, or cosmetic tattoo for a look that is always on point. Clients at Mya Makeup say their new microbladed brows and tattooed eyeliner are life changing. Owner Olympia is an award-winning makeup artist, fully trained in both fields. Imagine waking up every morning without having to worry about applying makeup, already feeling confident and looking amazing. With Mya Makeup, you can. myamakeupnz.co.nz

Tucked away on a busy side street in Hoon Hay, The Hair Room is a stylish and friendly salon that caters to the whole family. Owner Becs strives to build exceptional client relationships while achieving precision cuts and gorgeous colour. Becs understands that maintaining your hair can be costly, so she keeps her rates affordable. Specialising in highlighting techniques, the salon also stocks products to maintain your colour and keep your hair healthy and fresh. thehairroom.co.nz

A LOOK THAT LASTS

MAKE ROOM FOR PAMPERING

BEAUTY

LASHES ON POINT Get It Beauty is an independent beauty salon based in Riccarton.

Jane and Angie are certified technicians with 20 years’ experience in Korea and New Zealand and specialise in eyelash extensions and perms. Get It Beauty also offers gel manicures and pedicures, nail art, cosmetic tattooing and microblading.

FB/getitbeautynz HAIR

HAIR

CREATING HAIR HAPPINESS

TIMELESS STYLE

Hailing from Osaka, Japan, Jun Hashimoto of JUCO has over 20 years’ experience cutting and styling men’s and women’s hair in Japan, Boston and Melbourne. Jun believes that hairdressing is more than just a cut and colour – it’s creating happiness. Jun is based out of Fox Hair in Madras Street and bookings are essential. juco.co.nz

Valentino’s Hair Design specialises in colour, from ombré and balayage to bright, bold colours. You can sit back and relax in this warm and friendly salon while Valentino’s experienced stylists create a look you’ll absolutely love. Owner Adem has been in the business for nearly 40 years and is proud to offer great style to anyone, and all age groups. valentinoshairdesign.co.nz

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WELLBEING

BLACK HAIRDRESSING Hair | Sydenham

The summer season is upon us, and the experts at Black Hairdressing can help with creating a fresh, easy-care style for the long, sunny days. The team are noticing balayage evolving to include lighter strands around the face, while modern, shaggy ‘lobs’ with plenty of texture will help you rock the beach hair look. With a wide range of expertise and a dedication to creating a look you’ll love, Black Hairdressing is your destination for the perfect summer ‘do.

Shop 17, 363 Colombo Street, 03 379 0022 blackhairdressing.co.nz

GOLDEN BLADE BARBER LOUNGE Barber | Central City

A new kind of luxury for men in the heart of Christchurch Central, this is a masculine oasis catering to the needs of the 21st Century gentleman.

From stylish cuts to buzz cuts, beard trimming, and everything in between, Golden Blade has you covered. While the team work their styling magic, sit back, relax, and enjoy the unique atmosphere in one of the 1900s-inspired bespoke barber chairs.

226 Kilmore Street, 03 261 6677 goldenblade.nz

COLLECTIVE HAIR DESIGN Hair | Lincoln

Clients of all ages and hair styles are welcomed at this creative and friendly studio in the heart of Lincoln. The team provide nourishing treatments to leave your hair feeling healthy and can even use expert equipment to diagnose specific hair and scalp issues, including hair loss. Give the team a call or book online for a beautiful new colour, an expert restyle or just a relaxing experience. You’ll be in great hands with Collective Hair Design.

5d Robert Street, 03 325 2224 collectivehairdesign.co.nz

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WELLBEING

EARTH ORGANIC HAIRDRESSING Hair | Central City

Fabulous for you. Fantastic for the planet. Earth Organic is the central city’s first vegan and sustainabilityfocused salon. The products are 100% plant-based and no products are tested on animals, so you can sit back and relax while knowledgeable and creative senior stylists carry out your fabulous hair edit. The stylists have over 30 years of experience and are committed to and passionate about all things hair.

181 High Street, 03 365 7393 earthorganichairdressing.co.nz

MY BEAUTY CLINIC Beauty | Riccarton

My Beauty Clinic is a professional medi spa on Riccarton Road. The team of qualified practitioners and experienced beauty therapists will provide you with customised treatments to enhance your natural beauty. Services include DMK Enzyme Therapy, facial gua sha, facial acupuncture, body contour treatments, IPL hair removal, laser genesis and much more. Get in touch for a free consultation and start your beauty journey today.

Level 1, 81 Riccarton Road, 03 341 6699 mybeautyclinic.co.nz

LA MODE HAIR Hair | Shirley

The team at La mode Hair create beautiful styles that keep looking amazing every day. You’ll walk out feeling great with a stunning look that suits your personality and lifestyle, manageable enough to recreate yourself at home. With a versatile crew of trained stylists, La mode can help with hair ups, barbering, bright colours, perms, or anything else. The Shirley salon has free parking right outside the door so you never have to get your hair wet.

110 Marshland Road, 03 385 6193 FB/lamodehair

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WELLBEING

NICOLA QUINN BEAUTY & DAY SPA

Health/Beauty | Merivale

Knowledgeable experts, personalised treatments and powerful products come together to help you put your best self forward. The skin therapists specialise in premium anti-aging treatments including Dermapen microneedling, LED and advanced facials alongside classic relaxing spa treatments. Looking for the ultimate gift? Spoil them with a luxurious spa voucher from Nicola Quinn!

209/211 Papanui Road, 03 355 6400 quinnbeautyspa.co.nz

NAILS BY TOMO

Nail salon | Bryndwr

Nails By Tomo is helmed by leading nail professional Tomoko Tsuji, who has over two decades of Japanese nail art experience. She caters to all your nail needs, including manicures, polish and gel, acrylic, pedicures 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.

With friendly one-on-one service and unique designs, a visit to Nails By Tomo is sure to leave you smiling.

7/250 Clyde Road, 022 194 6055 FB/NailsByTomo

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 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

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WELLBEING

NIRVANA BEAUTY LOUNGE Beauty | Central City

Hana of Nirvana Beauty Lounge has created a new space that reflects her idea of Nirvana – a soft and warm environment that draws you in, where the friendly staff can attend to all your beauty and wellbeing needs.

Hana wanted the lounge to impart a sense of comfort and relaxation, so when you walk in you feel like you belong. Offering beauty services, microblading, massage and pamper packages, Hana and her team want the lounge to be your nirvana.

11/21 Bealey Avenue, 03 348 0252 nirvanabeautylounge.co.nz

SOULSTYLE ORGANIC HAIR SALON Hair | Lyttelton

Soulstyle’s philosophy is fabulous hair styling that is also kind to the earth. The salon is about all things vegan and sustainable, and also carries a range of EverEscents rehydrating products that offer protection from UV rays and heat styling to keep your locks healthy and shining all through summer.

Soulstyle’s team of experienced stylists will ensure you leave the salon looking great and feeling it too.

13a Oxford Street, 03 328 8827 soulstylehair.nz

IN ESSENCE

Holistic massage | Central City

In Essence treats your body and soul with great reverence by providing highly-personalised care. The aromatherapists and healers offer a range of holistic treatments including mental/emotional health massage, remedial or pregnancy massage as well as Pascha counselling and AromaTouch. In Essence’s holistic approach will meet your individual needs and leave you with a sense of peace, clarity, calm, deep relaxation and perspective.

021 216 2708 in-essence.co.nz

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WELLBEING

GRASSROOTS YOGA & HEALTH Yoga | Woolston

At Grassroots Yoga & Health, experienced teachers take you on a journey to be the best version of yourself through yoga, mindfulness and guided meditation. The beautiful light-filled Tannery building is where specialised classes from beginners to seniors run seven days a week with free and convenient parking onsite.

Try Grassroots Yoga’s introductory offer for $29.

The Tannery, 3 Garlands Road, 03 260 0237 grassrootsyoga.co.nz

DP HERBALS

Wellbeing | Sydenham

Helmed by registered nurse turned clinical herbalist Deirdre Panapa, DP Herbals can help you to balance your health needs and feel better than ever. DP Herbals offers a unique test called Hemaview, a live blood analysis requiring only a finger-prick to gain immediate information on your health. Deirdre uses plantbased medicine, therapeutic supplementation, diet and lifestyle to design a treatment that is specific to the individual.

456 Colombo Street, 021 355 592 dph.nz

STUDIO SIX PRIVATE TRAINING Fitness | Burwood

Kyla and Ryan offer personalised sessions as well as group fitness classes in their bespoke space in Burwood. The friendly trainers will make you feel part of the Studio Six family, personalising workouts to your needs, goals, and any injuries you might have. Experienced yoga instructor Kyla also runs ‘fitness inspired’ yoga sessions, producing the ultimate feel-good burn.

32 Burwood Road, 027 697 1683 s6.co.nz

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Home & Lifestyle Cruise the city in style with a custom built, fixed-speed ride from Bespoked Cycles. bespokedcycles.co.nz

HOME & LIFESTYLE MARY TURNBULL

HOT PROPERTY

Hot tips on a couple of delightful Christchurch neighbourhoods that are selling really well (and that I love for their incredible character).

S

trowan — This fabulous family suburb has beautiful renovated and newly built homes, in such a quiet location.

This suburb is very established and in my opinion a hidden gem. It is very close to Elmwood Park, has wide streets, and the big bonus is it’s just full of family homes rather than lots of units and townhouses – so no high-density living. Strowan is very appealing to me personally because I lived in Hartley Avenue for many years and my children went to the local Waimairi School. It has excellent school zones including Christchurch Boys’ High School, Christchurch Girls’ High School, and of course St Andrew’s College which is right in the heart of Strowan.

Lyttelton Harbour — From Lyttelton right round to Diamond Harbour, the small bayside communities are growing both in population and character. I have recently sold several houses in these two suburbs as well as

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MEET MARY Deals with houses across the spectrum from first homes to multimillion-dollar forever homes.

Experienced background in tourism, marketing and 16 years of real estate.

Multi awardwinning sales consultant.

Passionate about property, ecstatic vendors and delighted buyers.

Cass Bay and Governors Bay, and have been pleasantly surprised with the huge enquiry that I’ve had. These areas have been somewhat undervalued over the years in my opinion. Luckily we’re in New Zealand and there aren’t many other places in the world you can buy established family homes with tremendous water views for under a million dollars. These beautiful suburbs are definitely on the rise as people perceive these properties to be exceptional value. As a local resident recently told me, living by the harbour is therapeutic, with a great local community of mariners, artists, small business owners, farmers and generational residents. These neighbourhoods are treasure troves of outdoor activity with easy access to recreational corridors, beaches, walking trails, the Port Hills and Banks Peninsula, and of course the harbour itself. maryturnbull.harcourts.co.nz

CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Summer 20/21

HOME & LIFESTYLE

BY DESIGN

12 things we’re coveting this summer.

1

3

2

11

12

4 5

10 9

7

8

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1 Noughts Weave Wool Rug (RRP $3300) from Città 2 Boule vases by Skultuna (RRP from $190) from Simon James 3 Imola chair (RRP from $3939) from BoConcept 4 Asili Soapstone Dish (RRP $229) from Città 5 The School of Life Dictionary (RRP $49.90) from Pepa Stationery 6 Tall Adobe Bottle (RRP $192) from Court Florist 7 Dutz Steelblue Bottle Vase (RRP $132) from Trenzseater 8 Leon Sofa (POA) from Belle Interiors 9 Pebble Linen Sheet Set (RRP $329.90) from Redcurrent 10 Tom Dixon Scent Elements Candle Earth (RRP from $285) from ECC 11 Menu JWDA Lamp (RRP $520) from Infinite Definite 12 Devon Kopi Outdoor Cocoon Chair (RRP from $3149) from McKenzie & Willis

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HOME & LIFESTYLE

SEA VIEWS & SUCCULENTS

For a relaxed, low-maintenance garden on the Canterbury coast, you want to be thinking stone, wood, seaside natives and colourful exotic plants.

Paul Roper-Gee from Canopy Landscape Architects explains.

I

t’s easy to forget that Christchurch is a city that hugs the coastline. For those of us living on the flat in the central or western parts of the city, our collective relationship to the coast only becomes evident as you approach the shoreline. The littoral suburbs including New Brighton, Redcliffs, Sumner and Lyttelton have unique microclimates and soils that offer distinct opportunities and challenges when it comes to designing a garden.

Moody seascapes provide a natural focal point or backdrop to your coastal garden. Spaces and views can be created within the garden to celebrate and make the most of this natural beauty.

At Canopy we like to think gardens near the coast are relaxed, informal spaces, designed with low maintenance in mind. Time spent in your coastal garden is for sitting back and enjoying nature, entertaining family and friends around the BBQ, or for a cup of tea and a book on the outdoor sofa.

To achieve a laid-back coastal garden space, some planning is required because of the salt-laden winds and nutrient-poor soils.

Rather than battling these conditions, it’s better to work with them, selecting plants and materials that are naturally suited to this environment. You can draw inspiration from the native plant communities that naturally grow on the rocky coastline and dune systems. Coastal gardens have a reduced risk of frost, which opens up a palette of exotic succulents with their bold forms and an extra punch of colour. A combination of both native and exotic planting can create an exciting display.

Natural materials lend themselves well to a coastal garden. Weathered timber and stone together with gravels and shell mulch create a subtle and unpretentious look. Found objects like driftwood and rusted steel can bring out the rugged character of the coast in your garden. canopy.co.nz

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HOME & LIFESTYLE

IT’S ELECTRIFYING! We’ve got chills and

they’re multiplying – as BMW adds more and more electrified vehicles to its range, some sweet new electric and plug-in hybrid wheels will join the current impressive lineup.

STATIONERY/GIFTS

BMW CONCEPT i4

MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD

With its mission to make over 7 million electrified vehicles by 2030, BMW is bringing some astounding and exciting new tech.

And while not all of its concepts are ‘real-world’ yet, we’re buzzing to see what’s on the way.

With an increasing focus on hybrid and electric technology, BMW is pushing electrified vehicles to the limits and delivering drive quality, efficiency and performance better than anything that came before. New electrified BMWs come with the latest in highvoltage battery technology, charging capacity and intelligent system control.

BMW’s plug-in hybrid models can run in all-electric mode – meaning you might never use a drop of petrol on your commute – and of course the hybrid petrol (or diesel) and electric engine systems make for extra-economical long-distance travel. Running in electric mode means these cars don’t release any emissions while driving around built-up areas, and the batteries intensively regenerate charge while coasting and braking in any mode.

As part of its ‘Power of Choice’ sustainable tech strategy, BMW will release a swathe of pure electric vehicles including sporty speedsters like the electric i4, and the iX3 – a powerhouse SUV with a range of 460 kilometres.

The BMW 5 Series plug-in hybrid sedan is about to go wagon-sized.

BMW recently confirmed it was launching the 530e Touring and the 530e xDrive Touring, packing super-efficient engines with bounds of class and enough room in the back for all your sporting, holiday and family needs. Both feature a four-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor, sending power to the rear axle – and the xDrive version can drive all four wheels in a variable ratio. Both versions have a range of over 50km in all-electric mode.

As competition ramps up in the electrified vehicle market and BMW aims to meet its electrification goals, we can expect to see even more innovative, swish, smart and damn fun beamers hitting the roads. christchurchbmw.co.nz

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Pepa Stationery is a locally owned independent stationery store situated in the historic Christchurch Arts Centre, showcasing a curated range of stationery, greeting cards, books and accessories. The team at Pepa are all about slowing down and appreciating the beauty of high-quality and thoughtful design from across the globe. pepastationery.co.nz

BOOKSHOP

EMBARK ON AN ADVENTURE Adventure Books is an antiquarian and specialist bookshop, recently relocated from Oamaru to The Arts Centre in Christchurch. Downstairs features high-quality rare and signed books, artworks and artefacts. Upstairs, wide-ranging books from speciality genres like Antarctica, mountains, and natural history, New Zealand and worldwide. adventurebooks.co.nz

BLOCKS ON BLOCKS

You can achieve your own Riverside/ Mondrian-style mural at home with a bit of masking tape, careful planning, and some bright Resene colours.

Colour blocking is a great way to liven up a feature wall in your home. We’re loving the ‘randomly placed blocks’ look reminiscent of the great works of Dutch painter Piet Mondrian – and of Dcypher’s new Riverside Market Resilient mural. To achieve this look, choose primary colours like Resene Aviator, Resene Dynamite and Resene Galliano, separated by lines in a dark shade like Resene Blackjack. Pair with a neutral backdrop so that it’s the block of colour that shines.

The key is to give each colour enough room to breathe rather than filling the whole space with shapes. resene.co.nz

RESENE AVIATOR

RESENE DYNAMITE

RESENE GALLIANO

RESENE BLACKJACK

RESENE BLACK WHITE IMAGE: BRYCE CARLETON

SENSORY DESIGN Anna Dick from

Anna Margaret Interiors reveals how following our senses can help us create wonderful spaces.

HALLY DUVET SET (RRP $269.90-$339.90) FROM M.M LINEN

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I’m always inspired this time of year. Warmer days, living more outdoors, and the Christmas and New Year break is a real joy for the senses – the colours, smells, patterns, sounds and textures. I’m drawn to designing calm and open spaces during these months when everything feels elevated – the sun is higher, the days longer, and the trees leafy and full of birdlife. The best place to start designing is to listen to your senses.

While you’re feeling relaxed this holiday season, pay attention to colours that grab you, whether they’re the hues of your favourite bach or campsite, colours that remind you of your favourite people, or the natural shades of the season. Think about the sounds and smells that invigorate you outdoors and inside. Notice patterns and shapes that relax you in architecture, art and nature. Run your fingers along things like fabrics, plants, and household objects, picking up on the textures you’re drawn to. Take note of the elements in books, movies and TV shows that excite or inspire you.

When you’ve attuned to your inspirations, a good designer can help you translate these into wonderful spaces with timeless, relevant interior design. annamargaret.co.nz

CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Summer 20/21

HOME & LIFESTYLE

GIFTS

FLORIST

A WONDER EMPORIUM

PERFECT POSIES

Step into the Cosi Fan Tutte 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 personally sourced locally and internationally and is selected for its uniqueness, natural beauty, and Olde World charm. cosifantutte.co.nz

Delight with Court Florist’s brilliant bouquets.

Blooming since 1937, this iconic Christchurch brand is one of the city’s foremost florists. 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. Pop into the beautiful inner-city store on Victoria Street today or simply order online. courtflorist.co.nz

BIKES

CUSTOMISE YOUR RIDE Switch from four wheels to two with one of Bespoked Cycles’ sleek custom-built bikes. Starting with one of four different framesets, Bespoked Cycles rocks a huge number of build combos including unlimited colour options. You can 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

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HOME & LIFESTYLE

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 whole house 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.

027 672 3364 annamargaret.co.nz

FLOORING FRONTIER Flooring/Home | Woolston

Flooring Frontier is a family-owned business that provides excellent flooring services to residential and commercial properties. Owners Tyson and Dani Tia and their amazing team at Flooring Frontier welcome you to their relaxed home-styled office, located on the boardwalk at the beautiful Tannery. Open Monday to Friday and by appointment.

Flooring Frontier’s spring/summer gift basket promotion is on now. For more information visit the website.

The Tannery, 3 Garlands Road, 03 925 8772 flooringfrontier.com, FB/Instagram: @flooringfrontier

THE GENERAL STORE Gifts | Central City

The General Store is a haven for special gifts created by talented Kiwi artisans. The range of beautiful products includes Gibson & Green Grow Kits available in five varieties, such as the Kids Croppers to teach little ones about germination and growing food. For a postable gift, look for Maimoa greeting cards in te reo Māori and locally produced desk calendars by Robertson Creative, featuring illustrations of iconic Christchurch locations.

Shop 2, Plymouth Lane, 03 365 9950 FB/TheGeneralStoreChristchurch

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HOME & LIFESTYLE

MOFFATT’S FLOWER CO. Florist | Halswell

Moffatt’s is proud to be New Zealand’s leading family-run flower business for 70 years. Backed by an amazing, talented and friendly team, Moffatt’s stocks an extensive range of fresh flowers, indoor house plants, selected gift items and cards.

Moffatt’s is committed to ensuring that all your floral requirements are met, whatever occasion arises. Pop into the boutique retail store, visit the website for easy online shopping or give the lovely team a call or email.

1 Candys Road, 03 322 7975 moffatts.co.nz

THE POTAGERS

Homewares/Gifts | Redcliffs

The Potagers is an emporium of treasures old and new. Nestled in a historic building dating back to 1865, it is the perfect spot for a unique and atmospheric shopping experience.

All five rooms of this lovely character house are filled with an array of beautiful French and New Zealandmade homeware and giftware, while upstairs you’ll find racks of unique New Zealand, Italian and Australian clothing. Don’t miss the local olive oil and free-range eggs.

186 Main Road, 021 247 2674 FB/thepotagersredhouse, IG/thepotagersredhouse

UNIVERSITY BOOKSHOP Bookshop | Ilam

UBS Canterbury is your independent community bookshop. It caters for all ages and interests, with an extensive children’s section and a diverse range for adults, from the latest fiction to tomes on politics or history. New Zealand titles are strongly represented and you can find unique gifts as well as cards. The special order service will track down those hard-to-get books, and UBS’ experienced staff are always ready to offer suggestions.

University Drive, 03 364 2043 ubscan.co.nz

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Watching

Nick Paris from Lumière reviews some of the best from the current crop of cinema releases.

MISBEHAVIOUR Well-behaved women rarely make history, and in London 1970, Sally Alexander (Keira Knightley) is on the brink of misbehaving her way right into notoriety. Fed up with the constant disadvantages that come with being a woman, and sent into particular fury by the upcoming Miss World pageant, Sally and her friends in the newly-formed women’s liberation movement hatch a plan to disrupt the pageant and finally shake the world awake. A brilliant and witty true story.

LITIGANTE

THE DRY Based on the bestselling novel by Australian author Jane Harper, The Dry follows Federal Agent Aaron Falk (Eric Bana), who arrives in his hometown for the first time in decades to attend the funeral of his best friend, Luke. It’s not a straightforward homecoming – Falk left Kiewarra under complicated circumstances. As the community struggles under severe drought, Falk and the local detective dig into the circumstances of Luke’s death.

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Silvia is a lawyer and single mother in Bogotá, Colombia, struggling to cope with a dying mother and raising her son alone amid a developing work scandal. Litigante is a deeply personal work from director Franco Lolli, who cast his cousin (Carolina Sanin) as Silvia, and his own mother (Leticia Gómez) as Silvia’s mother. Gómez was in remission from her own battle with cancer while playing the role of a woman dying of lung cancer. A moving, observational-style film full of emotion.

CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Summer 20/21

ENTERTAIN ME

Reading

Pene Whitty from University Bookshop Canterbury shares the books currently sitting at the top of her must-read list.

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LLEW SUMMERS : BODY AND SOUL BY JOHN NEWTON

THE TALLY STICK BY CARL NIXON This is in my to-be-read

ALL OUR SHIMMERING SKIES

BY TRENT DALTON Having

I’ve been a fan of Christchurch sculptor Llew Summers since the late 1980s, when I first started appreciating his sculptures around the city. This book takes us from Llew’s beginnings as a self-taught artist to a highly successful sculptor with works gracing many spaces around New Zealand.

Illustrated with over 200 beautiful photographs, the book is a musthave for fans of New Zealand art.

pile, as my colleague has been raving about this since it came out.

In April 1978, an English family on holiday in New Zealand crash off a treacherous West Coast road. The story is split into dual timelines: the immediate aftermath of the crash and the struggles of the children who survived it; and 30 years later, when the children’s aunt gets a call about remains being found. A compulsive and chilling novel.

devoured Boy Swallows Universe, I have been looking forward to reading Trent Dalton’s new novel, which people say is imbued with just as much magic as his debut.

Set in Darwin, Australia during World War II, it follows Molly, the young daughter of a gravedigger, running for her life as Japanese bombs rain down around her. She seeks a sorcerer to reverse a curse she believes he put on her family.

BINGEWATCHING

What we’re hoovering up on the small screen.

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01 RATCHED — A prequel to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, telling the origin story of villainous nurse Mildred Ratched (Sarah Paulson) and her infamous rise to the top of the asylum food chain.

Stylish and sumptuous, this chilling, noir-ish series shows us what made Nurse Ratched one of the greatest villains of all time. Watch on Netflix.

02 EQUAL — This four-part docudrama series delves into landmark events and pivotal figures in LGBTQ+ history. Featuring members of the LGBTQ+ community, including Samira Wiley, Cheyenne Jackson and Anthony Rapp, Equal covers the dangerous lives led by activists who just wanted to be allowed to be themselves. Watch on HBO Max. 03 ADAM RUINS EVERYTHING — Ever wondered why people are so damn interested in ‘who’ a celebrity is wearing, or how the hell America’s Electoral College came about? Comedian Adam Conover is here to reveal how wrong we are about, well, everything. Watch on Netflix.

CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ Summer 20/21

ENTERTAIN ME PLAY LIST

The killer tracks on high rotation in the Cityscape office.

BADBADNOTGOOD ‘Time Moves Slow’ IV

Listening IMUGI 이무기 – DRAGONFRUIT

Auckland-based electronic-pop duo Imugi 이무기 have been making waves with their poetic stream-ofconsciousness style, and have now finally dropped their eagerly-awaited second EP, Dragonfruit. Producer and synthist Carl Ruwhiu and singer Yery Cho have created a dreamy, urban sound that differs between each track and comes together to form an enthralling whole. Dragonfruit is an immersive and polished album that will make a firstclass addition to your summer playlist.

FAT FREDDY’S DROP – LOCK-IN

We’re sure no Kiwi summer soundtrack would feel quite complete without a healthy dose of Fat Freddy’s, and this year we have a new taste of old classics

from the legendary seven-piece Wellington band. Recorded in the Michael Fowler Centre during lockdown, this special documentation of a moment in time gives a new edge to classics such as ‘Soldier’, ‘Hope’ and ‘This Room’, and test drives some new material in the making. LOCK-IN is guaranteed to send us cruising and rockin’ into summer.

SAM SMITH – LOVE GOES

Known for rich, soaring vocals that hit you right in the feels, Sam Smith’s latest album is a foray into the pain of heartbreak, but not without its moments of joy and defiance. Melancholy, reflective piano and strings blend seamlessly with more upbeat, even cheeky lyrics, for a record that is sure to sweep you up in a wave of emotion.

THE NEXTMEN ‘Join the Dots’ Join the Dots

MAKOTO ‘Amber’s Song’ Salvation

BENEE ‘Glitter’ Fire on Marzz

FAT FREDDY’S DROP ‘Avengers’ LOCK-IN

PODCASTS THE SHIT SHOW The world can be an absolute shit show.

If you feel you need help understanding wtf is going on, tune in to The Shit Show for some real talk on navigating the madness, with laughs along the way from the straighttalking Kiwi lasses behind @shityoushouldcareabout.

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ARMCHAIR EXPERT A weekly podcast by actor, director and writer Dax Shepard and Emmy-nominated Monica Padman, interviewing different experts each week, including celebrities, journalists and academics about the challenges and experiences that shaped them.

‘I think we are at a great turning point where the city is once again becoming a regular part of people’s daily lives.’

THERE & BACK

From High Street, to destruction, to Re:START and back, Infinite Definite is a classic story of CBD business, earthquakes and recovery. Fashion designer and retailer Jono Moran talks the journey over with Cityscape.

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nfinite Definite’s origin story began back in 2008 as a menswear label which I designed and had manufactured right here in Christchurch. The opportunity came along to rent a space on High Street in the old ANZ Bank Chambers building, so we decided to open our own store.

We broadened our offering to a range of emerging New Zealand brands and some international ones we thought would resonate with our customers. The Canterbury earthquakes came along two years into our business, and we lost our first store in the February quakes along with everything in it. Around five months later, after looking at all sorts of potential spaces in suburban and industrial areas, Re:START came along. Four weeks on, we were back up and running just a few blocks away from where we started. Re:START was one of the only functioning areas of our CBD for the first couple of years and without it, businesses like us may not have been able to take part in reforming our city.

Following the earthquakes we decided to focus solely on the retail part of our business and put our

label to the side for the time being.

We rocked along for five and a half years in our Re:START store.

In 2016, we signed a lease in a new build which had enough space for us to further develop, back on High Street right on the edge of what would become the new Retail Precinct. I wanted to create a calm space with a simple palette of colours, materials and textures that I felt would offer us flexibility to curate and showcase our eclectic range of goods and designers. It was important that the store had an easy flow and that people had space to take things in. High Street is feeling a lot more like the High Street we knew pre-quake. It is still in a very formative stage, which is exciting. Among the High Street originals, we are seeing new artist-run spaces popping up and other independent retail spaces as well. I do miss having the older building stock in the CBD, which provided affordable spaces for creatives to set up studios right in the heart of the city, but in reality a lot of it wasn’t used and wasn’t fit for purpose, so I don’t get too hung up on the past. The future of Christchurch’s central city and Infinite Definite’s part in it is my focus. I love the public spaces that are forming in our city, and we have such an incredible mix of small businesses. By 2030, I would love to see more people living in our central city, along with the long-overdue completion of the anchor projects like the stadium and convention centre.

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I am excited about where central Christchurch is heading. There is an exciting energy in the city at the moment, with more and more businesses filling in the gaps and bringing new colour to the CBD. I think we are at a great turning point where the city is once again becoming a regular part of people’s daily lives. The best thing about my job would be that it gives me a place to work creatively alongside other creatives. No day is the same and every day we are looking for how we can develop our brand and do something new.

Choosing brands for Infinite Definite has always been first and foremost about things we want to wear ourselves, things we want to use in our own home, and things that inspire us. Our decisions are ultimately design-focused and we are always looking for goods that have integrity in their own right.

The Lifestore is an area of our business that is growing a lot and it was one of the major reasons we looked for a larger floorspace on our return to High Street. We have so many exciting new homewares coming in over summer. Our Lifestore is eclectic and we aim to curate an exciting and interesting mix of products, many of which are things Sarah and I use at home or are drawn to in terms of design. infinitedefinite.com

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