Cityscape Issue 02 October 2017

CHRISTCHURCH CURATED | YOUR MONTHLY FIX

DRIVE HOME Bic Runga’s breakthrough album Drive turns 20

THE KW EFFECT Catching up with Kiwi couture queen Karen Walker

OCT 2017

02

PLATE EXPECTATIONS Lifestyle guru Dr Libby tackles food confusion

CONTENTS

CITYSCAPE MONTHLY

October 2017 In this issue

10 20 28 33 42

This issue rocks interviews with three powerhouses with singer Bic Runga, fashion designer extraordinaire Karen Walker and lifestyle guru Dr Libby.

05 NEWSFEED Tip-offs, trends and more.

08 CULTURE CALENDAR October’s highlights.

15 STARGAZING Meeting Mandy Pickering.

17 SPACE TIME CONTINUUM SCAPE Public Art returns.

20 THE KW EFFECT Hanging out with Karen Walker.

25 FASHION FILES What’s hot this month.

26 ROCKING PARTY SEASON Fashion and beauty pro tips.

28 MEET YOU AT THE CROSSING Inner city shopping returns.

30 DRIVE HOME Bic Runga sways our way.

33 GETTING INKED Josh Ross from City of Ink. 36 PLATE EXPECTATIONS The good life with Dr Libby.

39 FOOD & DRINK Eating and drinking in the city.

46 THE LAST WORD Wanderlust’s Jonnie Halstead.

ON THE COVER

BIC RUNGA Legendary singer songwriter Bic Runga sways our way on the 20th anniversary tour of her debut album Drive this month. We catch up with the Christchurch-raised musician on page 30.

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October 2017 Issue 02

CEO/Director Andrea Rickerby Editor Isaac Wilson Sub Editor Ben Allan Creative Tristan Brehaut Darlene Mineault Account Manager Derek Thorp Accounts Administrator Claire Ross NEED TO GET IN TOUCH? Editorial and Advertising Enquiries: 03 366 3340 info@somocreative.co.nz www.cityscape.co.nz

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Newsfeed

TIP-OFFS, TRENDS & MORE

Hamilton from Christchurch

Hey foodies, are your spider-senses tingling? That’s likely due to the awesome combination of meat restaurant Bessie and local celebrity chef Jax Hamilton that October has in store for us via the second of Bessie’s special spring Wine & Meat series of dinners. Lucky attendees will join Jax at Bessie’s on the 19th for a showcase of some of Bessie’s finest dishes, which star New Zealand’s world class produce and dry-aged meat, with each course served alongside superb wines. MasterChef star, best-selling cookbook author and Countdown spokes-chef Hamilton will be on hand with plenty of tales and inspiration from her life as a mum, businesswoman and talented chef. Tickets to this primo evening of great food, wine and company are expected to move fast, so get the posse together and grab your tickets now; while you’re there you may also want to think about grabbing some to the third and concluding event of the series – with soulful jazz and blues Kiwi songstress Hollie Smith – on November 9. Bessie Wine & Meat Series with Jax Hamilton, Oct 19, bessie.co.nz

Art Centre Openings

Swing by the Boys’ High building to check out the creative collective that is Shopology, boutique stationer Pepa Stationery, showcasing hard-to-find brands, Frances Nation’s collection of Kiwi-made homewares and gifts, and the opening of the second café of Christchurch’s fave gelateria and more, Rollickin’ Gelato.

ALL CRIED SOLD OUT If you’re among the lucky ones who nabbed tix to Alison Moyet’s sold-out show, you’ll be eagerly anticipating the arrival of the UK pop legend who lands this month, some three decades after her last visit.

She’ll be showcasing her catalogue of big hits from the 80s (20 million album sales can’t be wrong) as well as material from her upcoming new album, Other. The news gets better for ticket holders as well, with last month’s Cityscape cover star Hollie Smith opening the show; a big night of music awaits! Alison Moyet, Isaac Theatre Royal, Oct 16, alisonmoyet.com

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Time to dust off the fishnets, suspenders and feather boa and join Brad, Janet, Dr Scott, Rocky, Frank-nFurter and the rest of the gaggle of unconventional conventionalists for Hoyts Northland’s dress-up and sing-a-long screening of Richard O’Brien’s camp cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which, fittingly, takes place on Black Friday.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Hoyts Northlands, Oct 13, hoyts.co.nz

SPOTTED Eagled-eyed fashionistas will have noticed the striking resemblance between Ballantynes’ Contemporary Lounge retail assistant Alannah Kwant and the many faces of Karen Walker’s Eyeshadow sunglasses campaign she works alongside at the store. Signed with Auckland agency Unique Model Management, the Christchurch model’s career has taken off since the KW shoot, and she’s since walked the catwalks at New Zealand Fashion Week and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia.

Super excited about where we’ll see her next!

Fat Chance Hospitality is back in Oxford Terrace following

the opening of three new venues at the Hereford Street corner last month. More accurately, it’s two new venues and an old favourite in a new guise, with pre-quake icon Fat Eddie’s having made a welcome return. Original Sin is a Garden-of-Eden themed restaurant, while Kong is a 1930s deco-themed cocktail bar. Executive chef David Nicol is speaking our language: “Kong’s cocktail list is set to be one of the most revered in the city, and Original Sin offers beautiful food that is unpretentious yet elegant, with a focus on local ingredients using international impulses … like old times, upstairs at Fat Eddies is the darker, more mysterious older brother to the restaurant, featuring top jazz musicians,” he says. Time to get nostalgic! fateddiesbar.co.nz

TEA TIME Excellent news for fans of style and a little bit of pampering; the award winning Blow Dry Bar/Tea House that is Dry & Tea is coming to The Crossing. It may seem like an unlikely combination to the uninitiated, but Dry & Tea is all about experiencing a moment of affordable luxury; a moment focussed just on you. They can cover your pre-event preparation or preside over your total hair transformation, with their extensive tea offerings from T2 and Harney & Sons the perfect relaxing accompaniment to the outstanding work of their stylists, who use the best products the L’Oreal range has to offer. dryandtea.com

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HISTORY REPEATING Self-described as “history with the nasty bits left in” Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain is set to rock the Isaac Theatre Royal on October 11 and 14 with its breezy, entertaining and musical run-down of highlights of some 20 centuries or so of British history.

OH ROCKY!

WELCOME BACK

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Images: Amandala Photography

EARLY WARNING

ON EXHIBIT

Mind how you go

Here’s something for your summer radar: Wanderlust, producers of iconic yoga lifestyle events around the world, have announced a local date for Wanderlust 108, the event that’s been described as the world’s first and only ‘mindful triathlon’. Held at St Leonards Park in Sumner on December 2, Wanderlust 108 will combine three mindful activities – running, yoga, and meditation – and aims to foster both individual wellness and positive social change by building a community around mindfulness. Meditation and yoga can be seen as intimidating or difficult; with this in mind, Wanderlust 108 is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and fun. The fun doesn’t end with the triathlon itself either, with plenty of extras on the day including classes, food and a market. wanderlust.com

We’ve got 6 passes for you and 5 friends to get your Wanderlust 108 Christchurch on, complete with tribe packs, unlimited Whai Ora smoothie blends all day and premium mat placement during the mass outdoor yoga and meditation classes. To enter, visit our Facebook page (FB/cityscape. christchurch).

Entries close October 19.

The Christchurch Art Gallery opens an onsite café once again at a whole new level this month with the arrival of Stealth Hospitality’s Universo Brasserie & Bar. Brought to us by Tony Astle, the venues whiz behind Rockstar Pizza, The Dirty Land, Mexicano’s and King of Snake, Universo is set to be a sophisticated affair that doubles as a bright, sunny café by day and an intimate bar and restaurant by night. Open from 10am, 7 days, it will fire out brunch, lunch and dinner from within its Eurothemed lux surrounds, and will offer plenty of options on the kind of exceptional menu that we’ve come to expect from Stealth – all while staying accessibly priced. Sit in the venue’s gallery entrance during its opening hours or out front al fresco-style at what is sure to be another killer Stealth offering.

FB/universo.chch

HUFFER, NUDIE JEANS, ONE TEASPOON, SLY GUILD, DR DENIM, THING THING, PATAGONIA, FIVE EACH, LOWER, CARHARTT, STUSSY, NIKE, ADIDAS, PUMA, CONVERSE, VANS, NEW BALANCE, BELLROY, OBEY, JANSPORT, HERSCHEL, FJALLRAVEN, HAPPY SOCKS, THE ACADEMY BRAND, FEDERATION, STATUS ANXIETY, NIXON, KOMONO.

The Container Mall 03 379 4853 07

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THE MONTH IN CULTURE THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG THEATRE London’s Olivier

Award-winning theatre company Mischief Theatre brings its smash hit, so-funnyyou’ll-hyperventilate comedy – described as “Fawlty Towers meets Noises Off” – to New Zealand for the first time.

Isaac Theatre Royal, Tue 3 – Sun 8 Oct, theplaythatgoeswrong.co.nz

SCAPE PUBLIC ART SEASON 2017

LIVE IN LINCOLN – COMEDY NIGHT

EXHIBITION An impressive

COMEDY Catch some of the

songs from her iconic In Swings The Tide album ten years after its release.

Blue Smoke, Sat 7 Oct, anikamoa.co.nz

collection of works from New Zealand and international artists will be on display in this year’s SCAPE season, which will feature a public art walkway and robust events programme.

See website for details.

Central City, Sat 7 Oct – Sat 18 Nov, scapepublicart.org.nz

country’s best comedians – Paul Ego, Ben Hurley, Gish, Michelle A’ Court and Jeremy Elwood – in action at this comedy gala.

Lincoln Events Centre, Sat 7 Oct, ticketek.co.nz

OKTOBERFEST 2017

DEVILSKIN

ANIKA MOA: IN SWINGS THE TIDE 10TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR LIVE MUSIC Anika treats us to

FESTIVAL Rosebank Estate

brings a little bit of Oktoberfest to Christchurch with two big Saturdays of German food, music, games, and of course, beer.

Rosebank Estate, Sat 7/14 Oct, rosebank.co/events

LIVE MUSIC Fresh from their 4th

tour of the UK, the Kiwi rockers bring the tour bus here in October, dropping in to the Bedford to give us their hard-charging live set.

The Bedford, Sat Oct 7, devilskin.co.nz CULTURE FIX

CHRISTCHURCH VEGAN EXPO

DR LIBBY: FOOD FRUSTRATIONS

EXPO Celebrate and discover

WISDOM Dr Libby takes you

more about the vegetarian and vegan diet in the nation’s vegetarian capital with this big day of entertainment and food.

Air Force Museum, Sun 8 Oct, vegetarianchristchurch.org.nz

CMNZ: IMANI WINDS LIVE MUSIC Chamber Music New

Zealand’s 2017 programme concludes with the fun and flair of the Imani Winds ensemble.

Isaac Theatre Royal, Tue 10 Oct, chambermusic.co.nz

NZSO: TRAVELS IN ITALY LIVE MUSIC The NZSO’s Music

Director Emeritus, Maestro James Judd, acts as our guide on a grand musical tour of Italy, with Italian-inspired works from Berlioz, Elgar, and Tchaikovsky.

Air Force Museum, Wed 11 Oct, nzso.co.nz

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through the often puzzling world of conflicting food information and facts, changing your relationship with food for the better.

St Margaret’s College, Thu 12/ Mon 18 Oct, drlibby.com

AN INTIMATE EVENING WITH JUSTIN HAYWARD LIVE MUSIC The legendary

prog-rocker and voice behind The Moody Blues drops in for a night of his biggest hits and newer works.

Isaac Theatre Royal, Fri 13 Oct, justinhayward.com

HEATH FRANKLIN’S CHOPPER: ALL KILLER COMEDY Heath Franklin drops in

with his comedy criminal for a one-night only highlights package of some of his best recent material.

Aurora Centre, Fri 13 Oct, laughingstock.co.nz

/ CULTURE

Diaries out: we run the ruler over the must-sees, go-listens, and should-dos around the city this month.

MUST SEE

VENUS IN FUR

DARK LAKE CHRISTCHURCH PERFORMANCE This unique

interactive walk-around horror experience that’s been a smash hit in Australia sees participants investigating the strange happenings at Dark Lake.

Secret location, Fri 13 – Thu 26 Oct, huntedexperience.com

CSO: ODE TO JOY

well as her more recent efforts.

Isaac Theatre Royal, Mon 16 Oct, ticketek.co.nz

BESSIE WINE & MEAT SERIES WITH JAX HAMILTON FOOD Local celebrity chef Jax

Hamilton joins lucky diners at Bessie for an evening of great food, wine, and stories.

Bessie, Thu Oct 19, bessie.co.nz

LIVE MUSIC Chief Conductor

Benjamin Northey leads the CSO through Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.

Air Force Museum, Sat 14 Oct, cso.co.nz

HERITAGE WEEK 2017 EVENT This week long

celebration of the rich heritage of Christchurch and Banks Peninsula follows the theme ‘Finding our Way’, kicking off with City of Cycles in at The Arts Centre on Sunday.

Various venues, Sun 15 – Mon 23 Oct, ccc.govt.nz/heritageweek

BIC RUNGA: DRIVE 20TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR LIVE MUSIC Bic Runga’s smash

hit, Silver-Scroll-winning album Drive is celebrated in fine style with this tour from the most-awarded ever individual artist at the New Zealand Music Awards.

Isaac Theatre Royal, Fri Oct 20, bicrunga.com

THEATRE A frustrated playwright looking to jump on the trend of all things kinky holds an audition for a mysterious siren; a provocative game of cat and mouse follows in this theatrical Pandora’s Box. The Court Theatre, Sat 21 Oct – Sat 11 Nov, courttheatre.org.nz

CHRISTCHURCH DIWALI 2017 FESTIVAL India’s biggest cultural

festival is celebrated here by the local community with traditional food, cultural performances, trade stalls and a fun, familyfriendly atmosphere.

Horncastle Arena, Sat 21 Oct, facebook.com/ISCCNZ/

THE SOUND OF MUSIC THEATRE The hills are alive with

you-know-what in this new touring production of the beloved musical that makes its way to us as part of a 20-stop national tour.

Isaac Theatre Royal, Sat 21/Sun 22 Oct, ticketek.co.nz

Photo: Kate Little

BOO RADLEY’S COMEDY: BEN HURLEY COMEDY The multi-award

OUR PICK

CBD STAMPEDE SPORTS/FITNESS Leap, crawl

and clamber your way through the popular and challenging central city 5km obstacle course race.

Hagley Park North, Sun 15 Oct, cbdstampede.co.nz

winning Kiwi comedian drops in to Boo Radley’s for a big night of stand-up, with live music to kick on into the small hours to follow.

Boo Radley’s Food & Liquor, Tue 26 Oct, Find it on Facebook

OUTSTANDING WINNER DINNER FOOD Bloody Mary’s offers a

fabulous four-course dinner that showcases winning products from the 2017 Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards.

Bloody Mary’s, Thu 26 Oct, outstandingfoodproducer.nz

ALISON MOYET: THE OTHER TOUR LIVE MUSIC The UK pop legend

returns to these shores after an absence of 30 years to bang out her big line up of 80s hits, as

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GET TO THE CHOPPER

Heath Franklin’s comedic impersonation of notorious real-life Australian gangster Mark ‘Chopper’ Read has been a regular feature on the comedy stage and on TV screens on both sides of the Tasman for a decade now. Now he’s thrown a grab-bag of his best bits – material that encompasses everything from early appearances on The Ronnie Johns Half Hour to excerpts from stage shows such as Anzakistan and lesser-known internet hits – together in what he describes as a “comedy Frankenstein”: his new show All Killer. With Christchurch hosting the only New Zealand show of this career highlights package, local audiences have a great chance to catch the cream of the crop from a solid decade of touring the tough-love larrikin who’s been described as “Australia’s finest comedy character” (The Sunday Mail), experiencing “the most A-Grade gear that Chopper has to offer”. Heath Franklin’s Chopper: All Killer, Aurora Centre, Oct 13, laughingstock.com.au

EARLY WARNING

We’ve got 2 double passes (including parking) to the A&P Show to giveaway. To enter, email us at info@somocreative.co.nz with ‘A&P’ in the subject line and tell us your fave Ladi6 song.

Entries close November 1.

BEST IN SHOW An always reliable entertainment line-up at the Canterbury A&P Show is looking particularly good this year with the announcement that Ladi6 will be hitting the main stage with two spots on Show Day (Friday 17 November). Grab your show pass now for all the normal show goodness (including the return of the food hall and wine courtyard) and a Ladi6 gig to boot! A&P Show, Canterbury Agricultural Park, Nov 15 - 17, theshow.co.nz

Wind it up

Chamber music gets funky when Grammy-nominated American wind quintet Imani Winds blows into town for one of their fun, energetic performances.

Known for their adventurous programming since being founded in 1997, these young, talented musicians like to blend the traditional and the contemporary, with their innovative programmes tending to combine classical pieces with anything from new commissions to work that taps into the musical traditions of America, Latin America and Africa (an influence noticeable in the group’s name, which means “faith” in Swahili). Their Christchurch concert will be no exception to this approach, with the old-skool likes of RimskyKorsakov, Piazzolla and Ravel finding themselves surrounded by flamboyant, genre-disrupting and entertaining music by lesser-known Latin composers and a brand new work by New Zealand’s very own Natalie Hunt.

Imani Winds, Isaac Theatre Royal, Oct 10, chambermusic.co.nz

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THE DEVIL YOU KNOW

The raw rock power of Devilskin rolls back into town this month, with the hard-charging Kiwis taking their rip-roaring live show on the road throughout New Zealand after an already busy year of touring. Just back from a tour of the UK, the 4-piece have only confirmed their reputation as a must-catch live act. The Hamilton alt-metal band, consisting of Julie Skulander on vocals, red-bearded axe-wielders Nail and Paul Martin, and Paul’s son Nic on drums, have readily won fans not only here but overseas, playing sold-out gigs in Ireland, and putting in an appearance in June at Britain’s most popular rock and metal festival, the three-day Download Festival in Leicestershire. But a New Zealand tour’s the real deal, says the band: “We’ve thoroughly enjoyed our time overseas, and the shows and the crowds have been amazing, but we have missed playing to our dear friends here in New Zealand. We're really excited to hit the road again and catch up with our good mates, see your pretty faces and melt them off!”

Those looking for a good face-melting can expect to get a solid blast from the quartet’s sophomore (November 2016) album Be Like The River, as well as a few new tunes and surprises they’ve been working on as well. Start those finger exercises now; you won’t want to cramp up when you’re throwing up the horns.

Devilskin, The Bedford Marquee, Oct 7, devilskin.co.nz

FULL METAL RACKET Local metalheads are in for a treat this month when SATANFEST 2017 hits the Embankment Tavern for three days of extreme metal from 22 bands. Oct 27 – 29

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BINGEWATCHING

Netflix shows we can’t get enough of.

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01 — OZARK Cartel launderer and cuckold Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) drags his family to a lake-side summer resort community in the Ozarks for a fresh(ish) start and ends up juggling the filthy lucre of the cartel while navigating the minefield of local opium-growing hillbillies, low-level criminals and a freakishly determined FBI agent.

02 — NARCOS This drug-fuelled cartel romp tells the true story of notorious Colombian drug king Pablo Escobar. Set and filmed in Colombia, seasons 1 and 2 tell of his rise and fall from the late 1970s to his final downfall in 1993. Season 3 which, dropped last month, sees the Cali cartel adjusting to a post-Escobar world while the DEA closes in, and – despite the removal of the totemic Escobar – the show is still carving it up with critics.

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03 — STRANGER THINGS Part Steven Spielberg adventure, part Stephen King chiller, this glorious TV throwback is a must for anyone who grew up in the 80s.

A loveable group of Dungeons & Dragons-playing misfit nerds tackle both the strange disappearance of their friend and the strange appearance of a girl with some secrets. With season two of this red-hot show hitting on the 27th, it’s the perfect time to binge your way through the creepily cool original if you haven’t yet (and if not, where have you been?!).

Images: Netflix

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TEN GIGS TO CATCH THIS MONTH Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox Isaac Theatre Royal, Sun 1, 7pm Anika Moa: In Swings The Tide 10th Anniversary Tour Blue Smoke, Sat 7, 8pm Devilskin The Bedford, Sat 7, 7:30pm Blues Bash with Blues Professor & L’il Chuck Smash Palace, Sat 7, 8:30pm Tom Rodwell – Rythmes Sacrés De La Guitare Électrique Blue Smoke, Sun 8, 4pm Jef Neve The Piano, Thu 12, 8pm

ALL THAT JAZZ

Justin Hayward – The Legendary Voice of The Moody Blues Isaac Theatre Royal, Fri 13, 7:30pm The Imposters with Matthew Smith & The Easy Hearts Duo – Doomsday Anthems EP Launch Dim 7th, Sat 14, 8pm

If you haven’t caught the city’s high priestess of jazz and sax Carmel Courtney yet, you’re missing a treat.

The Lyttelton local rocking wild blonde dreadlocks and a frisson-inducing gravelly voice seamlessly manoeuvres between two saxes (occasionally playing both at once!), percussion and piano while belting some of the finest jazz you're likely to hear.

Catch her either while you’re sacking out in the sun tappin’ your toes and sippin’ some fabulous elixir on Sunday afternoons on the deck out back of Freemans Dining Room (freemansdiningroom.co.nz) – the killer views of the port and handmade pizzas and pasta from scratch are hard to beat too! – or at her other regular haunt at the Euro-sophistication of the city’s legendary live jazz and tapas venue Vesuvio (vesuvio.co.nz).

End of Season Wrap Party – Che Fu and King Kapisi The Blue Pub, Methven, Sat 14, 8pm Alison Moyet Isaac Theatre Royal, Mon 16, 7pm Bic Runga: Drive 20th Anniversary Tour Isaac Theatre Royal, Fri 20, 8pm

Hurley-Burly

Boo Radley’s big nights of comedy talent continue in October with a visit from one of the New Zealand scene’s most recognisable (and hairy) faces, Ben Hurley. It’s fair to say Mr Hurley is a Kiwi comedy success story; he’s picked up the Billy T Award, The Fred Dagg Award, NN Comedy Guild 2016 Best Male Comedian & Best MC and Metro Comedian of the Year, is head writer on New Zealand’s longest-running TV comedy 7 Days, and has popped up in NZ Comedy Festival Galas, four AotearoHA Comedy specials, Would I Lie To You, and more recently, as a regular guest on The Project, plus plenty more besides. Here’s your chance to catch some well-honed comedy talent in the flesh – this’ll be a goodie. Boo’s have also got a sweet range of ticketing options available, and live music continues after Hurley’s set until the small hours. Make a big, funny night of it!

Ben Hurley, Boo Radley’s, Oct 26, booradleys.co.nz

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ON THE MARKET Growing from humble beginnings in 1989 as a car boot sale in the Riccarton Mall car park, the massive Riccarton Rotary Market has been conducted on the grounds of Riccarton Racecourse every Sunday, wet or fine, since 1995. Growing in size and popularity year by year and steadily upgrading its facilities along the way in careful consideration of the needs of stallholders and shoppers, the market has been a smash-hit success to the point where it is now the largest outdoor market in New Zealand, having contributed to the Riccarton Rotary Club putting over $2 million back into the local community, and showcases the wares of over 300 vendors for as many as 10,000 browsers each weekend – everything from fresh fruits and vegetables to secondhand goods, furniture, art, plants and trees, and ready-to-eat food and beverages. Live entertainment from local talent is also a major feature each week. Wander amongst the many stalls of outstanding local produce, artisan foods, crafts, jewellery, clothing, and much more. riccartonmarket.co.nz

DARKNESS GATHERS Having chilled punters all around Australia, interactive horror experience DARK LAKE has crossed the ditch and is preparing to unleash itself on Christchurch for a spooky season from Friday the 13th (snap!) to October 26. Held at a secret location revealed to ticket holders, and described as “like stepping into a horror movie”, the show sees audiences heading waterside to Dark Lake, where inexplicable things tend to happen.

Participants find themselves invited to a little girl’s birthday party.

But as they try to find their way to the celebration, they soon discover that no party in this dark and threatening place can be anything other than a nightmare... This walkaround performance is designed to be genuinely scary, and the team behind the event (Perth-based Hunted Interactive) have had many people bail halfway through, and sometimes even before they start! If you think you can handle the jandal, grab some friends and family to clutch and book in now.

DARK LAKE, Secret location, Oct 13 – 26, huntedexperience.com

Iconic Kiwi chef Al Brown has made plenty of noise in the New Zealand culinary scene with his acclaimed Auckland oyster bar/restaurant Depot, his Best Ugly bagel shops, and a number of big-hit cookbooks, including Go Fish and Stoked. Now he’s releasing his biggest book yet: Eat Up New Zealand revisits and updates New Zealand heartland classics such as roast lamb, pies, corned beef, pikelets, cheese scones and more, combining them with stories from around New Zealand. Christchurch gets a chance to get in early on this new comfort-food-and-yarns read with Brown chatting to Gary McCormick about the new book, New Zealand’s amazing ingredients, and his adventures in cooking at The Piano on October 3. Tickets include canapés from White Tie Catering, with a cash bar also provided by Black Estate Wine, and copies of the book available for purchase. Eat Up Christchurch, The Piano, Oct 3, Find it on Facebook DON’T MISS

The Tide Comes Back In

All the cool kids are doing it; following Hollie Smith’s Long Player anniversary tour last month and in the same month that Bic Runga celebrates the 20th anniversary of Drive (see page 30), Anika Moa is also taking to the road on an anniversary tour, this one marking the 10th anniversary of her acclaimed third studio album, In Swings The Tide. The witty, sometimetalk-show-host is typically self-deprecating about the idea: “I loved the idea of Shihad doing The General Electric in full so I am copying them basically," she says. "I can't wait to pour my

Image: Josh Griggs

Brown Downtown

heart out all over again singing these songs that are 10 years old. Yay, I'm old! Speaking of old, I will be playing some of my new songs too – but who cares about that, let's play In Swings The Tide!” Anika and her band will perform the album in full, along with a sprinkling of her biggest hits alongside some brand new tunes as well.

Anika Moa: In Swings The Tide 10th Anniversary Tour, Blue Smoke, Oct 7, anikamoa.co.nz

We’ve got a double pass to catch Anika Moa to giveaway. To enter, email us at info@somocreative.co.nz with ‘Anika’ in the subject line and tell us why you need a walk down memory lane with Anika Moa. Entries close October 4.

IMPOSTER SYNDROME Catch local band The Imposters at their Doomsday Anthems EP release party at Dim 7th on Oct 14.

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BREAK LEG EG REAK A L B

A show that has seen reviewers laughing so hard that they were worried they might start hyperventilating, Mischief Theatre’s The Play That Goes Wrong has been a stage comedy sensation since its debut in 2015, playing to packed houses on Broadway and the West End since. Adorned by 4 and 5-star reviews wherever it goes, and having racked up a Tony award just this year, it’s now making its first trip to New Zealand, with a Christchurch season at the Isaac Theatre Royal. The concept of The Play That Goes Wrong sees the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society attempt to stage a classic Agatha Christie-style 1920s murder mystery, but as the overarching title suggests, they run into more than a few problems … nonetheless in the fine traditions of the theatre, they battle on towards the final curtain call, with increasingly hilarious consequences. Described by reviewers as a “masterpiece of malfunction”, and a “triumph of split second timing”, the show has wowed such comedic luminaries as Joanna Lumley, Ben Elton, and Rowan Atkinson, and an excerpt had them rolling in the aisles at The Royal Variety Performance in 2015. It doesn’t come much funnier or much hotter in terms of comedy shows right now; grab tickets to watch the theatrical disaster that is also a theatrical triumph uproariously unfold for yourself.

The Play That Goes Wrong, Isaac Theatre Royal, Oct 3 – 8, theplaythatgoeswrong.co.nz

Joy Bars

This month sees Chief Conductor Benjamin Northey lead the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra through perhaps the most famous piece for orchestra of all time, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, popularly known as ‘Ode to Joy’. Composed while Beethoven was almost totally deaf, it was daringly written as a call for universal freedom by the composer in a time of

political repression and ultra-conservative nationalism. As four movements of music go, it doesn’t get too much better than what is recognised as one of the greatest works by one of history’s greatest-ever composers; this is a piece so significant and influential that Beethoven’s original manuscript, held by the Berlin State Library, became the first musical score to be added to the United Nations Memory of the World Programme Heritage list as a global documentary treasure. Innovator that ol’

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JUSTIN TIME

November 2017 marks 50 years since The Moody Blues dropped their massively influential album Days of Future Passed; now just ahead of that anniversary, the group’s writer and lead vocalist Justin Hayward plays an intimate acoustic set at the Isaac Theatre Royal. It’s a must-see for fans of the singer-songwriter’s huge hits such as ‘Nights in White Satin’, ‘Tuesday Afternoon’, and ‘Forever Autumn’. An Intimate Evening with Justin Hayward, Isaac Theatre Royal, Oct 13, justinhayward.

Ludwig was, Symphony No. 9 is the first example of a major composer using voices as instruments in a symphony, and so the orchestra are duly joined by outstanding New Zealand and Australian vocalists James Clayton, Sally-Anne Russell, Oliver Sewell, Amanda Atlas and the combined forces of the Christchurch City Choir, the Jubilate Singers, the Burnside High School Senior Chorale, and the University of Canterbury’s Consortia. CSO: Ode to Joy, Air Force Museum, Oct 14, cso.co.nz

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Image: Dolce Wedding Photography

STAR GAZING

Shooting to national fame when she took out Stars In Their Eyes in 2009, Mandy Pickering went on to release a self-titled album, and continues to sing professionally with her husband Jason at corporate events and weddings around the country. We caught up with Pickering on life post reality show.

HOW DID YOU THINK THINGS WOULD PLAY OUT WHEN YOU ENTERED SITE? My sweet Nana has always pushed me to pursue singing and had been asking me to enter, and I thought I’d keep her happy by sending in an audition video. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I would be talented enough to even make it onto the show, so the idea of winning was the last thing on my mind ... I just didn’t want to make a fool of myself!

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT ‘ANGEL’ NOW? ‘Angel’ is the song people request the most. I still love the song and the story behind it. Sarah McLachlan wrote it after the death of a fellow musician; she was touched by his story and felt so much empathy for him and that feeling of being lost, lonely and searching for some kind of release. Of all the songs I sing, people seem to really connect with ‘Angel’ and are moved by it.

WHAT HAPPENED AFTER YOU WON? It was a real whirlwind year following the show. We spent some time in Tonga and returned to radio and magazine interviews along with TV appearances. We formed a band and I got to experience my first professional gigs, recorded my album (Mandy Pickering) and filmed a music video.

Highlights were Sarah McLachlan requesting a copy of my performance of her song, my album launch and hearing my songs on the radio. 2010 was also a roller coaster year in many ways with my son being diagnosed with an aggressive tumour and undergoing surgery and the first big quake where we lost our Avonside home. Having music through this time was therapeutic and helped us stay really positive.

WHERE’S YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE TO PERFORM IN CHRISTCHURCH? A chilled out Sunday afternoon gig at O.G.B Christchurch. Jase accompanies me on guitar and my son, Isaac, plays acoustic drum and it’s such a relaxed, fun gig.

WHAT PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR PRE-SITE SELF? Just enjoy the journey! I was so terrified of performing in front of the camera and the live audience ... I wish I had just enjoyed every moment.

WHAT’S ON YOUR RIDER? A glass or two of Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc.

WHAT’S IT LIKE PERFORMING WITH YOUR FAMILY? I love it! It’s so nice having Jase by my side when we head to different cities for corporate gigs ... kinda like a paid date night! Isaac joining us for some of our low key gigs has been fun. Proud mum moment!

WHAT PROMPTED YOUR COUNTRY MOVE? Close friends in Rangiora took us in after the earthquakes and we fell in love with North Canterbury. Jase had always wanted to build a barn-style home, and the opportunity arose when a beautiful 5-acre section became available in Ashley Forest.

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We love the views out to Christchurch, to the Port Hills and the ocean. There is something very calming about living in the country.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAVE HAUNTS …

Favourite places to be are O.G.B, partly for its cool vibe, incredible food and live music.

Twenty Seven Steps is also amazing, the service is impeccable, delicious food and great atmosphere. When it comes to a favourite dish, I can’t go past King of Snake’s Penang curry of beef cheeks with green beans and fish crackling. I’ve tried to re-create it but haven’t quite nailed it yet!

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE SUNDAY INDULGENCE? Sunday morning pancakes for breakfast. Jase makes them for me with fresh berries and a dollop of mascarpone.

WHAT’S ON YOUR CHCH BUCKET LIST? Bamboozle. I love the location by the river in the heart of Christchurch and the idea of the open kitchen really appeals to me. I’m also looking forward to dining at Roots Restaurant in Lyttelton. I’ve heard amazing things from friends who have dined there and I like that many of their ingredients are sourced from local farms and their own garden, and their philosophy of every single ingredient having a story to tell.

WHERE CAN WE CATCH YOU THIS MONTH? O.G.B on October 29. mandypickering.com

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Len Lye: Stopped Short by Wonder Celebrated around the world, many of the iconic kinetic sculpture works of Len Lye can trace their origin back to a moment in the artist’s Christchurch childhood. Kicking a kerosene can around the backyard on a sunny day, he was struck by a flash of light and clap of thunder that came from the empty can – an instant that would provide a lifetime’s worth of inspiration for much of his work. Bursting with energy, his sculptures bang, crash, bounce, sway (as anyone who has stood under New Plymouth’s famous Lye-designed waterfront Wind Wand can attest to), rotate and swing – and in fact, before a visit to the Christchurch Art Gallery’s current Lye exhibition, you’ll want to check out the ‘performance’ schedule, as many of the works spring into life at certain times throughout gallery hours – you can catch the wobbling Blade, the frenetic Fire Bush, the marching Universe and the wavering Grass, among others. The exhibition also showcases a number of Lye’s films, drawings, and paintings; you won’t want to miss this special collection from one of New Zealand’s most influential artists. Len Lye: Stopped Short by Wonder, Christchurch Art Gallery, to Nov 26, christchurchartgallery.org.nz

AROUND THE GALLERIES Lonnie Hutchinson The Central, to Oct 26, thecentral.co.nz SCAPE Public Art Season 2017 Central City, to Nov 18, scapepublicart.org.nz (see page 17) Paemanu: Nohoaka Toi – Ngai Tāhu Artists in Residence Centre of Contemporary Art (CoCA), to Nov 26, coca.org.nz Lyttelton Redux Canterbury Museum, to 23 Oct, canterburymuseum.com

Mad Dash The annual madness of the CBD Stampede returns in October, unleashing a squad of up-for-it and often costume-bedecked fun runners and the odd serious competitor on a madcap 5km dash through central Christchurch climbing, crawling, scaling and vaulting to the finish line.

CBD Stampede, Central City, Oct 15, cbdstampede.co.nz

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra demonstrate that trips to Italy aren’t just for Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon this month when they conduct a grand musical tour of The Boot in Travels in Italy at the Air Force Museum. Travel’s the key here; each of the three pieces in the programme are composed by a non-Italian who was inspired by the culture, scenery or literature of the country. French Romantic Hector Berlioz’s Harold in Italy was inspired by the “mad, bad and dangerous to know” Lord Byron’s own sojourns/exile to the country. The programme then takes us to Alassio on the Riviera, via Edward Elgar’s In the South.

This work stems from a holiday this most English of composers took in 1903/04. Finally, Tchaikovsky’s Francesca da Rimini was inspired by the historical adulteress made even more famous as a fictionalised character in Dante’s immortal Divine Comedy, in which the protagonist runs into her in the second circle of hell, reserved for the lustful. Pack your suitcase!

NZSO: Travels in Italy, Air Force Museum, Oct 11, nzso.co.nz

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Image: Eric Larrayadieu

VIVA ITALIA

/ SCAPE PUBLIC ART 2017

A jam-packed SCAPE Public Art Season launches this month to flood the city with art, with the season opening on October 7 and running through until November 18. This year’s theme is Time in Space (territories and flow), with curator Heather Galbraith aiming to celebrate artworks that explore how different understandings of time and alternative ways of recounting histories combine to shape a sense of place. A host of pieces will be on show, including sculpture, photography, performances, and even an art-towing plane to keep an eye on the sky for! scapepublicart.org.nz

TERMINAL BLUE – TOM DALE UK-based artist Tom THE OLD AND THE NEW – ANA ITI Wellington-based

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Images courtesy of the artists.

artist Ana Iti (Ngāpuhi) has created a new work in response to the history and aspirations of the Christchurch Botanic Gardens. You’ll spot The Old and the New outside the Ilex Plant Nursery in the gardens themselves; the work compiles fragments from an article in The Sun newspaper in 1915 and the Christchurch Botanic Gardens Management plan 2007 in a graphic collaboration produced with designer Gemma Banks.

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IN/VISIBLE LANDSCAPE – WAYNE BARRAR Christchurch-

born artist Wayne Barrar’s (Associate Professor at the School of Art at Massey University) In/ Visible Landscape 2017 will be displayed at seven locations around Hagley Park and on the outside of the Canterbury Museum – the last an appropriately scientific setting for these fascinating photos that explore the extraction, arrangement and circulation of diatomite deposits (tiny silica skeletons that are the remnants of ancient algae and other life forms) and other microfossils for scientific study.

MYOPIA 2017 AND ACQUIESCE 2017 – ANTON PARSONS Two of leading Kiwi sculptor and long-time SCAPE collaborator Anton Parsons’ works will be on display at the Christ’s College Quadrangle.

Myopia 2017 (pictured) explores ideas about distance and perceptions of the world, with raised aluminium rounds spelling “myopia” and “hyperopia” in braille, while Acquiesce 2017 also features patterning that is in braille, but with text that is more ambiguous in meaning.

Dale’s piece Terminal Blue literally takes to the skies; the work consists of a giant paint chart sky banner with the names of Resene paint colours (varied from grey to blue) flown behind a plane. Keep an eye on the skies in the morning and afternoon of October 7; following that the sky banner itself will be flown more terrestrially from the Structex Building at 248 Montreal Street.

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Event Highlights 'ARE PASIFIKA ART BY TRAM (Fri 3 Nov, 6 – 7:30pm) This guided tour of the city’s fantastic public art, hosted by artist and SCAPE 2017 contributor Nina Oberg Humphries, jumps aboard the tram to explore both the temporary and permanent (legacy) pieces of SCAPE.

GUIDED WALKS Taking place every Thursday and Saturday from Oct 8 until the conclusion of this year’s season, these walks (which depart from the Rolleston statue on Rolleston Avenue) are your chance to experience an informative tour of new and existing artworks along the SCAPE Public Art Walkway – and they’re completely free! You’ll need to book ahead, though. Also available is the Curator’s Tour, led by SCAPE curator Heather Galbraith, on opening day (Sat 7 Oct) from 2pm.

THE GLASS PAVILION, TERMINATOR T-REX & LOST WORLD: TRICERATOPS – GREGOR KREGAR Auckland-based Gregor Kregar has contributed a number of works to seek out this season; the handmade glass bricks, recycled wood and repurposed neon of siteresponsive work The Glass Pavilion (corner of Hereford Street and Cambridge Terrace), the playful Terminator T-Rex at the Arts Centre, and another dino near the Casino in the form of Lost World: Triceratops.

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GALLERY 91 2017 – JULIA HOLDERNESS & PETRENA FISHBURN In 1959, the Brookes established the city’s first contemporary dealer gallery at 91a Cashel Street, showing work by artistic trendsetters such as McCahon, Mrkusich and Woollaston, among others. Through re-making and re-presentation of archival Gallery 91 material, contemporary artists Julia Holderness and Petrena Fishburn examine this slice of the city’s artistic history. An audio work via the SCAPE App is geotagged to the gallery’s original location at 91 Cashel Street, while the Christchurch Art Gallery holds more work that draws on the gallery in Gallery 91 2017.

HELLERS FAMILY EVENT Opening day of SCAPE 17 (Oct 7) sees a day of free art activities, giveaways, a BBQ c/o Hellers, and a performance from the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir kick things off in a fun, whanau-friendly way at the Margaret Mahy Playground. Event begins 10am; choir performance begins 11am.

RE:ACTIVATE This special section of SCAPE that began in 2012 puts out an open call to aspiring artists under 18; this year Charlotte Bobichon (6) and Ruby Williams (15) have had their art proposals chosen to be produced by SCAPE and displayed at full scale. Check out Charlotte’s Having a whale of a time! and Ruby’s Imprint in Hagley Park during the season.

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KAOKAO – ROBERT JAHNKE Professor of Māori Visual Arts at Massey University, Palmerston North-based Robert Jahnke (Ngai Taharora, Te Whanau a Iritekura, Te Whanau a Rakairo o Ngati Porou) creates works in a range of mediums that tilt at our established Eurocentric narration of New Zealand’s history and champion Māori perspectives. His KAOKAO will be installed in High Street outside of Little High Eatery, and is a bold modern interpretation of a traditional Māori tukutuku chevron pattern. The form brings two crosses together, with a bilateral inversion creating the ‘K’ figure associated with Polynesian art.

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/ SCAPE PUBLIC ART 2017

doing and how magnificent it was, the integration of public art into our city.

WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE NEW LEGACY (PERMANENT) ARTWORK THIS YEAR? DM It is by an artist based between Auckland and Seoul, and will be placed in the South Quad of the Arts Centre.

SCAPE APP Hit the Android or Apple stores to grab SCAPE’s free app; this is your essential on-the-go guide to the works on show this season, with navigational tips and additional information perfect for those that want to get out and explore what’s on offer.

WHY DO YOU THINK PUBLIC ART IS IMPORTANT FOR CHRISTCHURCH? HB Public art is the essence of a vibrant city – shaping creative minds, bringing people together and fostering pride of public ownership to engage and enjoy. We have the opportunity to say Christchurch is an Arts City – we are well on our way in world terms, which totally excites me. Art encourages and motivates people to respect the environment in which they live.

SCAPE Chat Cityscape caught up with SCAPE Director Deborah McCormick (left) and artist and Studio 125 Gallery owner Heather Brown to chat more about SCAPE, the importance of public art, and what we can expect from this year’s season.

THE STUDIO 125 GALLERY POP UP IS RETURNING THIS YEAR; WHAT’S THE OBJECTIVE BEHIND IT? HB Studio 125 Gallery is a multi-use shared space to work in and promote the advancement of artists and public art. A place of welcome, the gallery offers a closer connection between artists, art organisations and the public to enjoy a wide range of excellent artwork.

ANTONY GORMLEY’S WORKS WILL FEATURE IN STUDIO 125 GALLERY, THIS IS SUCH A MASSIVE COUP – HOW DID IT COME ABOUT? DM Next year is our 20th anniversary; we have produced over 200 artworks in that time. We were honoured to produce the first presentation of Antony Gormley’s work in New Zealand and have worked very closely with him in doing so. This is really a further extension of that strong relationship and, yes, a great one for Christchurch!

TELL US ABOUT THIS YEAR’S THEME, TIME AND SPACE (TERRITORIES AND FLOW).

DM We are celebrating artworks which explore how different understandings of time (geological, cultural, cosmological) and alternative ways of recounting histories combine to shape a sense of place.

WHAT ARE THE LOGISTICS INVOLVED IN GETTING HIS WORKS HERE? DM This happens through Momart, who provide an internationally renowned art transport and art handling service to galleries, museums, artists and collectors worldwide. They are the company responsible for transporting the Crown Jewels!

WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO GET INVOLVED WITH SCAPE? HB My ever-evolving growth and passion for art opened a door to support SCAPE Public Art producing Neil Dawson’s Fanfare. Once I had an insight into this project, I got really inspired about what SCAPE was

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS SCAPE SEASON? HB Immersing myself in SCAPE 2017’s season of exciting artworks, sharing the passion and vision of artists exhibiting, and embracing the creative energy SCAPE Public Art season brings to Christchurch.

STUDIO 125 GALLERY The Studio 125 Gallery pop-up returns again this year after a successful run in last year’s SCAPE season. The concept converts local artist and philanthropist’s Heather Brown’s own iconic blue Merivale villa studio on Aikmans Road (opposite the Merivale Mall car park) to a public art gallery on Thursdays (3pm – 5pm), Fridays and Saturdays (10am – 4pm) with exhibited works (including sculptures, paintings, photographs, ceramics and more) offering links to SCAPE seasons past and present. This year in a first for the city, original work and editions by acclaimed UK artist Antony Gormley are on sale, along with all other exhibited works.

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KWEffect The

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O

ne of the world’s most celebrated designers, Kiwi couture queen and fashion force of nature Karen Walker has gone from sewing dresses for her Barbie doll to becoming a regular on the BoF 500’s list of the world’s most influential designers, a celebrity fashion go-to, and creator of the world’s most coveted sunglasses. Cityscape caught up with New Zealand’s coolest fashion export in Ballantynes’ Contemporary Lounge to get the lowdown on her start in the industry, inspirations, design philosophy, and global success.

YOU LEFT FASHION SCHOOL STARTING OUT WITH $100, THAT’S A GUTSY LEAP – WHAT WAS THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THIS AND YOUR ATTRACTION WITH FASHION? I had fallen in love with fashion when I was 6 and my grandma taught me to make a circular skirt for my Barbie doll, which was awesome. I can still picture it, it was actually really good, it was a full length skirt, sort of gossamer with organza in soft mints and pistachio floral and she had this chunky leather belt that held it up. It was actually pretty good – I’d wear it now – and the signature was there back then. When I had to start thinking about a life career I wanted it to be something that I loved, would enjoy every day and could dedicate my life to, and fashion was the only thing that ticked those boxes. The very first item I made was a shirt for a friend who was in a band and wanted a shirt to wear on stage, so I thought let’s make a man-style shirt but in a liberty print floral and have that juxtaposition going on, which again is the handwriting of the brand on day one. I made that for him for a hundred bucks and other people saw it and wanted it, and it sort of grew from there. The motivation has always been because I like generating ideas – it could have easily not been fashion. I didn’t really get into it to make clothes, I got into it because I like making ideas and seeing them come to reality. It’s just that fabric was the tool that was available to me growing up, but we very quickly moved beyond ready-to-wear and into other areas.

DID YOU EVER THINK YOU’D END UP WHERE YOU ARE NOW – THE HEAD OF A GLOBAL FASHION EMPIRE BASED OUT OF NEW ZEALAND? No, but you know that human nature is to move the finish line, right? So when I first started it was just for giggles really, and it was just fun and then at a certain point it becomes something bigger and other possibilities come along, ideas happen and it’s just grown quite organically, and continues to do so. There’s not really been a big plan, it’s just been about creating cool ideas and doing things that are interesting to me.

HOW DOES LIVING IN NEW ZEALAND INFLUENCE/INSPIRE YOUR WORK? I think it backs up my natural pragmatism, everything has to be really functional. I think the New Zealand nature and approach to design is very much about function as well as form and that’s something I always look for in design – the practicality and the functionality, as well as the originality and the purity of thought are all very important. I think that coming from a country that is quite pragmatic in nature really informs that.

WHO HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST INSPIRATION FOR YOUR PERSONAL STYLE? Probably my husband, who’s also our creative director, Mikhail. I was 17 when I met him and so it was a very formative time.

He’s four years older than me and he kind of had a whole aesthetic behind him already that he would introduce me to, and that set the landscape for, and fed into, my natural taste, but introduced new elements to it.

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO WEAR YOUR BRAND? I kind of wear-test everything. The brand is, has always been, and continues to be, an expression of my own taste and aesthetic, so naturally I want to wear it. Nothing goes out unless it’s something that I want to wear. Nothing goes out where it’s like ‘well I wouldn’t wear it, but …’ So everything we produce is something that I would want in my closet.

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Sometimes things are OK, sometimes they are amazing and then sometimes they are a phenomenon, which is what Disco Circus has become.

I always like the idea of mashing together extremes …

I think you get the exciting stuff when you throw together the opposites.

WHY DO YOU THINK THE WORLD IS GOING CRAZY FOR YOUR DISCO CIRCUS GLASSES? It’s like, what are the secret spices? You never really know. This is the thing with design, it’s just kind of putting out a point of view and people might like it and people might not, but you can’t research it – there’s no certainty at all. You’re just putting forward your best guess of what you’re digging at that time and sending it out into the world and what will be, will be.

Sometimes things are OK, sometimes they are amazing and then sometimes they are a phenomenon, which is what Disco Circus has become. It’s just the right shape, the right colour, the right weight, the right reaction; something different to what else is

going on and it doesn’t hurt when Rihanna, [Lady] Gaga and Lorde all wear them in the same week. It’s just one of those magic ones, where everything came together in the right way at the right time.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR MODEL SELECTION CRITERIA. We just look for people who are interesting. I’ve never cast models on looks, it’s always been on personality, what they say and how they express themselves, what their view is and how their energy is. I’ve always found that generic model look very boring and I’ve always cast more on ideas, a point of view and an energy. Even when we’re working with model-models – young women who are tall and skinny, the generic model look – I

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very seldom look at their books when they come in for casting; I just want to see what they’re wearing when they come in and what their attitude is, how engaged they are and can they look you in the eye and have a bit of a conversation and laugh about something?

That’s what I look for. There always has to be something interesting going on. Our current campaign is all on our staff in our showroom, logistics staff and production staff. We wanted to photograph it on our team – the collection’s called Mutiny and it’s about this mutinous idea of the crew taking over. The previous eyewear campaign was all shot on me with the different wigs, it was sort of a Cindy Sherman-esque idea, then we worked with Ari Seth Cohen – a photographer who’s

/ THE KW EFFECT

done two campaigns, one on eyewear and one on jewellery with our old ladies – we’ve worked with a toothless rescue dog, we’ve shot eyewear campaigns on mops and brooms – anything but a model some seasons!

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WHAT’S THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR NEW RESORT COLLECTION DUE OUT THIS MONTH? I always like the idea of mashing together extremes and that very first shirt I was telling you about, it’s the man’s shirt done in a very feminine liberty floral, that idea of throwing together extremes has always been in our work. I always think of it like: electricity is created by the negative and positive. I think you get the exciting stuff when you throw together the opposites. So for the latest Resort campaign we wanted a sort of Baroque kind of feel, like thrills and spills and strong colours. I love a bit of Baroque, that intensity and extreme femininity, but we threw that against a hip-hop kind of vibe. There was lots of street wear elements so it was like frills and spills forever, but then lots of parka nylons, bucket hats, shelltoes and tracksuit pants and throwing together those two very different looks, so it’s sort of like a Marie Antoinette vs 80s hip-hop kind of vibe going on, which sounds completely bonkers, but really, really, really works.

YOU’RE JUGGLING MOTHERHOOD AND A SERIOUSLY COVETED BRAND – HOW DO YOU KEEP IT ALL TOGETHER? I have an amazing team, I say “No” to lots of things and I only take on what I think I can manage and do well, I think that’s really important. I’m not one of those people who takes on every single project that comes along. I like to have enough down time that I can keep my tennis serve in good shape and my brain supple through yoga, meditation and tennis. I just took up piano last year and I’ve found that’s really good. It really grounds you, it’s extraordinary, you’re really in that moment. It’s so calming. Bach’s my favourite – he’s kind of my go-to guy. My piano teacher tells me he never set a tempo in his compositions, so even if you’re playing it really slow it still sounds good.

HOW DO YOU ENSURE YOUR BRAND STAYS RELEVANT? You can’t ensure that.

We just do what we do and hope for the best. It’s got to be new enough so there’s a reason to buy it and it’s exciting and fresh, but it’s also got to be true to your signature and your handwriting and have a reference point. I think a brand is successful when you can cover the name and still know who it is.

That’s one of the tests of whether a brand is really good or not, or the brand is good and the design is good so that it’s completely

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/ THE KW EFFECT

I always say she’s the hardest working person in the company, that Runaway Girl. recognisable even when it’s new, and that’s what we aspire to.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR ARROW MOTIF. That’s a different graphic interpretation of our Runaway Girl – our creative director designed her 16 years ago [she turns 16 in October]. She was drawn as a symbol of the brand and its intrepid nature, sense of adventure, energy, optimism and desire to move forward. I always say she’s the hardest working person in the company, that Runaway Girl. She’s such an icon, she’s the one that when I’m travelling I’ll see on people. The arrow is just a different graphic interpretation of that – it’s the same intent, the same story but just drawn in a different way. And it fits perfectly on the temple of a pair of eyewear.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST SURREAL MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER TO DATE? They’ve been so many surreal moments, it’s kind of a surreal business. A few years ago in New York I was walking down the street and ran into a friend of mine and she said “It’s funny I should run into you because the strangest thing just happened”. She said “I was just at Dean & Deluca getting my morning coffee and the guy behind the counter asked me where I was from,” and she said “New Zealand” and he just randomly goes “Oh my God, you’re Karen Walker,” and she goes “Well no, I’m not, but she’s a friend of mine”. It’s just this completely ridiculous thing that he would say to some New Zealand woman, who happened to know me and then run into me.

WHAT’S THE ONE PIECE IN YOUR WARDROBE YOU COULD NEVER THROW OUT? There’s not just one; I’ve got quite a

small wardrobe at home, but I’ve got a warehouse at work – luckily – which I was rummaging through the other day to find snowboarding gear (which was in the shed at home the whole time!), and you go through a rack of clothes you haven’t seen in a long time and it’s like there’s so many good pieces. But my daughter always teases me, she’ll come into my wardrobe and go “Why have you got so much grey cashmere?” Because it’s like a stack and I’m like “Because, why wouldn’t you?”

YOU MUST AMASS A HUGE AMOUNT OF FREQUENT FLIER MILES; WHERE ARE YOU PLANNING TO USE THEM NEXT? We are going to Disneyland next week, we being me, my daughter and my husband.

I’ve been using Disneyland as a behavioural control with my daughter for many years and last year she goes “Are you ever actually going to take me to Disneyland, or is that something you just say?” It was something I just said, and it had worked quite well for the last four years, and now we’re going.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE GUILTY PLEASURE? I don’t have guilty pleasure; I feel guiltless!

BEST WAY TO SPEND ‘ME TIME’?

Tennis, piano, yoga, cooking and tidying.

I love putting on a podcast when everyone is out and doing some tidying.

WHAT TV SHOW ARE YOU TOTALLY ADDICTED TO/BINGING ON? I’m not on anything at the moment, I’m between shows. It’s such a commitment.

The last one I watched that I really loved was, apart from House of Cards, obviously,

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The Young Pope with Jude Law – I did that in like two days, it was amazing. So that was like my last successful bingewatch.

IF YOU COULD GIVE THE WORLD ONE STYLE/FASHION TIP, WHAT WOULD IT BE? I’m a big fan of a uniform, find a uniform and just do it really well. And that sounds strange coming from a fashion designer when fashion, at its heart, is about built-in obsolescence, but I prefer fashion to just be about beautifully crafted things, with slight changes and updates each season for sure, but I don’t really like a disposability around fashion, it should really be about beautiful objects.

I CAN’T LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT … <Karen picks up her iPhone> It goes without saying, right? Nine times out of ten I don’t leave the house without my sunglasses, but the thing I really can’t leave the house without is my phone. Sad, but true. karenwalker.com

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01 Triannon Shirt (RRP $450, Jacobin Pant (RRP $475) and Mille Feuille Hat (RRP $275) 02 Triannon Shirt (RRP $395), Fiagro Boat Pant (RRP $395) and Mille Feuille Hat (RRP $275) 03 Louis Parka (RRP $595), Tourzel Top (RRP $375) and Mille Feuille Hat (RRP $275) 04 Antonia Top (RRP $360) and Johanna Shorts (RRP $280)

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/ FASHION & WELLBEING

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The Rain Man of Denim

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Kitx Love Lock Belt (RRP $449) from Lynn Woods

Fashion

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GO WITH THE FLOW New to the regular class schedule at Flow Hot Yoga, Mindfulness Breathing Space classes are meditation classes designed to open the mind and body to the wholeness of life, using neuroscience and contemplative practices. This month’s class is on October 8; look for them to pop up on the Flow schedule every few weeks. flowhotyoga.co.nz

SKIN DEEP Perfect for getting your pre-summer glow on, Champs-Elysées Day Spa’s new DermaFrac treatment delivers three cosmeceutical treatments in one (microdermabrasion, dermal micro-needling and serum infusion) to renew and stimulate the skin’s natural restorative processes for next-level skin rejuvenation and restoration. As a bonus it’s also pain-free with no down time. champs-elysees.co.nz

BLACK FOREST The result of two years of primary clinical research, KORRES’ new Black Pine beauty range harnesses powerful black pine polyphenols to maintain the elasticity of the connective tissue, boosting skin firmness, lifting face contour, resisting deep wrinkles, and preventing sagging, with their new anti-wrinkle firming and lifting line including Serum (RRP $98), Night Cream (RRP $95) Eye Serum (RRP $98), Eye Cream (RRP $86).

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FINGER POPS We’re lovin’ the new range of Essie Gel Couture (RRP $18.99) colours in the twisty bottle with special brush.

The two-step formula encompasses base/colour and a crazy-shiny top coat, which can keep your digits looking well mani-ed for up to 14 days!

ROCKING PARTY SEASON

As party season beckons we caught up with Ballantynes’ stylists Anna Williams and Benjamin Knox for some style essentials and pro tips on pulling off the hottest, on-trend looks.

Fashion Edit

With Ballantynes’ stylist Anna Williams.

You can’t go past a bold pop of colour – if you’re after a bolder look, vibrant brights are a must.

This trend is all about being fresh and fun! A personal fave of mine at present is the ultimate feminine elegance of lace and frills – oh-so-flirty! Frills can be delicate and positioned at the neckline, sleeve, waist or hemline. The hemline should be midi and your colours can be in delicate hues of blush, or go bold with colour to create the ultimate race day look.

Headbands are hot right now and perfect for short or long hair – an embroidery floral headband is the perfect complement to elevate your outfit style for race day, Christmas party or that summer wedding. The hot silhouette for summer is the tight, fitted bodice with a graceful, voluminous, full skirt, ultimately with side pockets for that ‘hands on your hips’ stance. It’s all about the drama and swing!

To complete this look, add a pair of strappy heels and bold headpiece.

01 Shop the Runway

Get this race day runway look from Ballantynes Fashion Week 17 featuring Juliette Hogan Aggle Cami (RRP $299) and Sabrina Skirt (RRP $499) with Jendi Fascinator (RRP $145).

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KEY PIECES 01 — The Clutch Good things come in tiny packages (think small enough to fit your iPhone and lippy – room enough for the essentials), with or without a strap. Black is always a great investment, whether it’s a high gloss acrylic or a classic leather. Olga Berg Kiara Clutch (RRP $229) 02 — Lingerie Your investment in that perfect outfit is only as good as your base. Perfectly fitted lingerie will enhance the silhouette and your confidence. Wacoal Lace Affair Underwire Bra (RRP $89) and Knickers (RRP $49) 03— Heels A solid heel for weddings and race watching on the lawn – stylish and practical. Kathryn Wilson, Challis Heel (RRP $349).

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/ FASHION & WELLBEING

Beauty Edit

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With Ballantynes’ beauty stylist Benjamin Knox.

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05 Spring/summer beauty essentials

01 — MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Bronzer (RRP $66) 02 — Benefit Watt’s Up Cream Highlighter (RRP $59) 03 — Benefit Dandelion Twinkle Powder Highlighter (RRP $56) 04 — MAC Lady Danger Lipstick (RRP $41) 05 — Real Techniques Large Powder Brush (RRP $30) TOP FRAGRANCES THIS SEASON Tom Ford Noir Anthracite – a deep masculine mineral musk (50ml RRP $205, 100ml RRP $303) Jo Malone Peony and Blush Suede – perfect fresh floral (30ml RRP $119, 100ml RRP $237)

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We’re all headed outdoors in that warmer weather, and that means it’s time to bronze up for summer! Buttery-feeling bronzers like MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Bronzer in Give Me Sun! give a real look, with a warm-toned tan for the face and body that is perfect for summer. Buff, blend and bronze up with the Real Techniques Large Powder Brush for a flawless finish. Layer your highlighters; layering a base of cream or liquid highlighter and setting it with a powder highlighter over the top gives your skin a multidimensional and long-lasting glow. One of my favourite combinations is layering Benefit Watt’s Up Cream Highlighter with a generous layer of Benefit Dandelion Twinkle Powder Highlighter over the top. Bright lips are in for summer too – coral reds are always on trend for the hotter months, and my pick for this season is MAC Lady Danger Lipstick. A stand out that looks great on any skin tone, it’s a must try!

The Crossing

hospitality options. Among the newly opened stores you’ll find the first South Island outlet of overnight-queue-creating international Swedish clothing giant H&M (which, in a New Zealand first, also includes their H&M Home range), a new flagship South Island store for Australian retailer Seed Heritage, the South Island’s largest Country Road store (which also includes their popular Country Road Home line), and the first South Island store for Trenery.

Additional landmark retail offerings include Witchery, IvyBlu, Stirling Women, Ruby, Bourbon Rose and Andrea Biani, which join glam supermarket experience FreshChoice City Market and many more high profile brands. There’s even the chance to leave with a cleaner car than you arrived with, thanks to the handy opening of the first car grooming service in the central CBD, Espresso Carwash.

“The Crossing heralds the return of the central city as a destination for shopping and socialising,” says developer Philip Carter. “From the outset we deliberately set out to build a world-class shopping experience, so we’ve strived to ensure that we introduce a strong sense of style into the heart of our CBD.” If you’re in to check it out you’ll want to make sure you have a good look at not only the building’s distinctive bubble screen feature, but also Paul Dibble’s restored

Meet you at

As redevelopment in the CBD reaches a new milestone with the opening of The Crossing, Cityscape checks out the central city’s largest private development and swanky new shopping hub.

Channelling some serious Melbourne swag with its network of stylish laneways and air bridges, the architecturally forward shopping destination The Crossing, situated on a one hectare block at the heart of Cashel, Colombo, High and Lichfield Streets, marks a much needed turning point in Christchurch’s inner city redevelopment.

With a tagline announcing ‘The City Starts Here’, glittering glass windows, and an iron and concrete industrial-chic-tinged aesthetic, the $140 million shopping and lifestyle centre is a hybrid of cutting-edge new build and restored heritage buildings. The combination ensures part of the city’s history remains while the new precinct simultaneously marches into the future with up to 14,000 square metres of retail and hospitality space, offices, and also (conveniently!) its own 630 car parks onsite.

Local style-hounds are likely particularly excited with the strong collective fashion focus among the first wave of openings, including a number of exciting, brand new retail options for the city, and more to come too including some exciting (read: hush-hush)

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/ MEET YOU AT THE CROSSING

2008 sculpture piece Sleepwalker, which has been cantilevered over Kettlewell Lane.

With The Crossing such a significant part of the CBD rebuild, the artwork has an earthquake story of its own to tell.

“The Sleepwalker sculpture is particularly personal to me,” says Carter, who’s responsible for restoring the famous artwork after it tumbled 100 metres down a Sumner cliff during the 2011 earthquake.

“It’s a symbol of what we’ve overcome: we’ve survived the biggest natural disaster Christchurch has seen and walked through to the other side as a stronger community.”

Carter has also given the city a heads-up by confirming a host of additional highprofile local and international retailers will continue to open progressively at The Crossing over the next few months. In particular you should look out for some seriously sweet eats to join the party soon, helping to make the precinct a truly complete day-out experience.

“We want to set the benchmark for retail and hospitality in post-earthquake Christchurch. For us, it’s all about bringing our community back together.” thecrossing.co.nz

COMING SOON Alongside a few wild cards, expect to see Dry & Tea, Rodd & Gunn, NYX Professional Makeup, ASB and Andrea Moore opening soon.

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DRIVE HOME

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of one of New Zealand’s most iconic albums, Bic Runga’s Drive tour will see the legendary singer-songwriter return home this month to perform the entire album, followed by highlights from a musical career that spans two decades.

Cityscape caught up with the Silver Scroll-winning artist and owner of 20 Tui Awards for a look back at growing up in Christchurch and the 11-times-platinum album that started it all.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE GROWING UP IN A FAMILY OF WILDLY TALENTED MUSICIANS? My mother and two older sisters were all singers, and that was taken care of, so I learned to play the drums instead. My Mum bought me a drum kit when I was 11 and all I wanted to do was be the drummer in my sister Boh’s band. I didn’t start singing till a bit later, I didn’t think that was my calling until I fell in love with songwriting and wrote things I felt I could sing.

Image: Steve Dykes

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HOW DID GROWING UP IN CHRISTCHURCH SHAPE YOU AS A MUSICIAN? Christchurch is an astoundingly good place to learn music. I came up through the CSIM (Christchurch School of Instrumental Music) and really owe a lot to people like Stu Buchanan. He always helped me to play the drums – especially because I was really shy about it, and I’d often get pushed off them by older boys! But he used to always whisper to me, “You get back on those drums, that guy sounds like a pea on a pumpkin”. He also encouraged me to sing as a soloist with the CSIM, it made me so nervous but that’s the beauty of starting

/ DRIVE HOME

DISCOGRAPHY

When I think about those parties now my Mum would’ve been horrified; the police would often show up!

WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND DRIVE? I really loved making the Drive album, I was so young and excited about this new thing that I loved – songwriting! I wrote so much. I was also learning about love for the first time. Songs like ‘Sway’ are about how full of contradictions being in love is. How can a thing make you happy but also make you sick? How can it make you feel strong one minute and then powerless and stupid the next? It’s such an adolescent record, it’s so funny to play it now.

early in such a safe environment, you get to make mistakes. My favourite memories of growing up are playing and rehearsing in the beautiful Christchurch Arts Centre.

WHERE DID YOU PLAY YOUR FIRST CHRISTCHURCH GIG? I think it would’ve been at a party when I was in high school. I had quite strict parents so the only way I would’ve been allowed to a party was if I was in the band, innocently playing music! When I think about those parties now, my Mum would’ve been horrified; the police would often show up!

YOU HAVE A FLOCK OF TUI (AMONG MANY OTHER AWARDS). WHERE DO YOU KEEP THEM ALL, AND ARE THEY A NIGHTMARE TO DUST? Yes they are a nightmare to dust, so I keep them hidden away. I agree with the idea that form should follow function, and the Tui Award doesn’t have a function which is a shame because it could almost be a bottle opener.

DID YOU KNOW YOU HAD CAPTURED LIGHTNING IN A JAR WHEN YOU HEARD IT FOR THE FIRST TIME? I wasn’t thinking much when I made Drive, I really just did it. I was very single-mindedly focused on the making of it. So I was shocked and surprised at how well it ended up doing, because I’d never thought about how to make a hit or what other people thought or wanted. It’s hard to recapture that kind of unaware, single-mindedness.

‘SWAY’ IS A KEY SONG IN AMERICAN PIE – HOW DID YOU FEEL HEARING YOUR SONG COME ON WHILE YOU WERE WATCHING THE MOVIE? I had been moved by Sony to New York because the album was about to come out in the US. I didn’t know much about the movie that ‘Sway’ was going to be in, so I went to see it at Union Square with some friends I’d just made. It really blew my mind to hear my song in an American movie, in an American movie theatre! I was having culture shocks on so many levels. I honestly didn’t know what to make of it. American Pie recently came on when I was flicking through channels in a hotel room, when the scene came on with my song on it I was literally cry-laughing and wincing, it was so hilarious to me. Funny how 20 years can make the same thing seem so different.

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Drive 1997 Beautiful Collision 2002 Bic Runga with the Christchurch Symphony Live in Concert 2003 Birds 2005 Try to Remember Everything 2008 Belle 2011 Anthology 2012 Close Your Eyes 2016 The Very Best of Bic Runga 2017 Drive 20th Anniversary Edition 2017

/ DRIVE HOME

It really blew my mind to hear my song in an American movie, in an American movie theatre!

NEW ZEALANDERS HAVE SO MANY MEMORIES ATTACHED TO THIS ALBUM – WHERE DOES IT TAKE YOU WHEN YOU LISTEN TO IT? I feel young again to be honest. I cringe at myself and I laugh my head off too, but songs like ‘Sway’, ‘Drive’, ‘Bursting Through’, ‘Suddenly Strange’ and ‘Roll Into One’ I still think hold up really well, and I feel happy about them.

IF YOU COULD GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF SOME ADVICE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Oh! Don’t get me started … here’s a list: 1. Get a good lawyer.

2. Take vitamins.

3. Exercise, and not just a little bit.

4. Dump your boyfriend.

5. Don’t get another boyfriend.

6. Listen to your mother.

7. Buy property, not lots of really expensive shoes.

8. Leave your hair alone.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR ROLE WITH THE MAIA HEALTH FOUNDATION. I’m really honoured to be an ambassador for the Maia Health Foundation along with Jake Bailey and Brendon McCullum. It’s made me feel reconnected to my home town, and to contribute to it, and there’s always a lot that needs to be done. At the moment we are raising money for more beds for parents to stay with children in the children’s ward, and a much needed helipad so that emergency patients brought in by helicopter don’t need to drive from Hagley Park to the hospital. On a personal note, the good people at Christchurch Hospital saved my dad’s life the first time he had a heart attack, so I got to spend three more years with him. For my show at the Isaac Theatre Royal we are donating $5 per ticket to Maia because it’s still a very new charity and we need to keep raising awareness of it.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO WHILE YOU’RE BACK IN CHRISTCHURCH? I love the souvlaki at Dimitris in Riccarton. I think I ate them through high school, they’ve been around so long. Also, we’re spending time in Banks Peninsula when we come, which I’m REALLY excited about. That really is one of my favourite places on earth.

Bic Runga: Drive 20th Anniversary Tour Isaac Theatre Royal Oct 20 bicrunga.com

Image: Steve Dykes

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GETTING INKED

Cityscape caught up with legendary Christchurch tattooist Steve Johnson’s former apprentice Josh Ross – now one of the city’s most in demand tattoo artists – at City of Ink to talk about his career path and what’s up in the tattoo world.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO TATTOO ARTISTRY? I got into tattoo art growing up in a heavily tattooed environment. My mum and dad both had tattoos and were into the car/motorbike/rock music cultures; this allowed me to pay attention to not just the amazing art they worked hard to earn on their bodies, but also the personalities each image represented. As I grew older I experienced a lot of people passing away in my life and acquired tattoos as a bookmark for each occasion – that way I could represent these role models that meant so much to me and gave me the strength to push through the fire of life. While lost for direction at the age of 18 I was lucky enough, through a series of random synchronicities, to meet Steve Johnson and work under a man more masterful than I could’ve ever imagined. Forty years of solid work under the belt is a difficult personality to understand at such a young age, and has now set a par in my life for me to work just as hard as Steve, and understand more the dedication it takes to commit to such standard in the craft.

HOW DID THAT SHAPE THE TATTOOIST YOU HAVE BECOME AND WHAT WAS THE BEST ADVICE STEVE GAVE YOU? Tattooing under Steve was a big challenge at first. But eventually it became one rule

and one rule only: only the tattoo matters.

No matter what anybody says towards the stigma behind the industry, their personal opinion on what’s considered ‘art’, or the way the environment in the tattoo shop feels, a solid tattoo that meets the client’s requirements is all that matters. “Your work does the talking.”

HOW HAS THE INDUSTRY CHANGED SINCE YOU STARTED OUT? I think it’s just become a lot more digital and certain traditions are being weeded out as the elders move on. Reference is rarely gathered from books like it used to be, apprentices for the most part get paid for their work instead of working for free, and bring more uniqueness to the designs offered as opposed to repeating the same amazing designs created by the masters!

DESCRIBE YOUR TATTOO STYLE. I tattoo black and grey realism and try to add my own illustrative twist to a more traditional Japanese style.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAVOURITE WORK/PROUDEST MOMENT. My proudest moment and greatest work was on a man named Steven Inkersell from Timaru. He was so trusting and allowed me to draw on with sharpies a whole leg sleeve to rib panel design without even knowing what it was

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going to be. In 2015 and 2016 we took out the Best Leg award at the New Plymouth tattoo convention, one of the biggest tattoo shows in the southern hemisphere.

WHAT’S THE SECRET TO CREATING A KILLER TATTOO? I would say timelessness in the design idea, readability from a distance, and matching the image to a client’s personality. The goal is for the tattoo to feel natural on the body, not like a blemish that comes across as damaging to the person’s image.

WHAT’S THE ONE THING PEOPLE SHOULD NEVER GET TATTOOED ON THEM? I would say your own first name or your partner’s name.

WHO DOES YOUR TATTOOS, WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE AND IS THERE A STORY BEHIND IT? I have a collection from friends, but I’ve recently started a back project with Dean Sacred at Sacred tattoo in Auckland and can’t say enough about his tattoo skill and the respect Dean has for the industry. The reason I wanted to start my back is to understand what my clients have to go through; it’s been a very humbling experience in identifying the inner strength that’s needed to get through such a large project. cityofink.co.nz

/ ENTERTAIN ME

Watching

Our picks of the best flicks, music and stuff to read.

INGRID GOES WEST Aiming its comedy at pitch black, Ingrid Goes West (October 26) sees its suitably damaged protagonist (Aubrey Plaza in fine whack-job form) heading (any guesses?) west to track down her Instagram obsession, vacuous LA socialite Taylor (Elizabeth Olsen).

An unlikely and, ultimately, unhealthy friendship ensues before the superficial union becomes as strained as the turgid social media filters Ingrid views life through in this cautionary tale of how posting every annoying detail of your existence online can create so much more than a little FOMO.

OUR PICK

BLADE RUNNER 2049 TULIP FEVER Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina) stars as an orphaned girl forcibly married to a rich and powerful merchant (Christoph Waltz) against the backdrop of the 17th Century Tulip Wars in Amsterdam in this October 26 release. While the ‘arrangement’ saves her from a life of poverty, the unhappy bride embarks on a torrid affair with a struggling (natch) young artist (Dane DeHaan). Seeking to escape the old boy’s grip, the lovers risk everything on the high-stakes tulip market, hoping to make a fortune and buy their freedom.

WIN! We have 5 double-passes to Tulip Fever to giveaway. To enter, send us an email to info@somocreative.co.nz with ‘Tulip’ in the subject line and simply tell us your favourite flower. Entries close October 23.

The long-awaited sequel to Ridley Scott’s seminal sci-fi action noir flick, Blade Runner 2049’s storyline picks up some 30 years after the mind-bending futuristic gritty bombshell of the 1982 original left viewers slack-jawed in awe. Stepping into the runaway replicant hunter role is Ryan Gosling’s Officer K who uncovers a well-hidden secret with the potential to destroy what’s left of society and leads him to track down ex-cop/legendary replicant decomissioner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford). With details under tight wraps and helmed by Sicario director Denis Villeneuve with Scott coproducing, we just know it’s gonna blow a whole new generation's minds when it opens on October 5.

WIN! We have 10 double-passes to Blade Runner 2049 to giveaway.

To enter, send us an email to info@somocreative.co.nz with ‘Blade’ in the subject line and tell us your fave sci-fi movie. Entries close October 9.

DVD: DESPITE THE FALLING SNOW Based on Shamim Sarif’s highly-acclaimed novel, Despite the Falling Snow sees Cold War spy Katya (Rebecca Ferguson) falling in love with her target – idealistic Communist politician Alexander (Sam Reid) in a chilling espionage-laced love story for the ages. Cue obligatory triangle, sacrifice and a thrilling finale/ emotional reveal.

WIN! We have 3 copies of the film to giveaway. To enter, send us an email to info@somocreative.co.nz with ‘Snow’ in the subject line and tell us your fave snow story. Entries close November 1.

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/ ENTERTAIN ME

PLAYLIST

The killer tracks on high-rotation in the Cityscape office.

PORTUGAL. THE MAN ‘Feel It Still’ Woodstock

Listening SNOW, ANGUS & JULIA STONE Across-the-ditch folk indie pop brother/sister duo Angus & Julia Stone’s latest offering Snow brings a suitably chill offering to a back catalogue that includes Triple J Hottest 100-smashing hit and movie/advertising staple ‘Big Jet Plane’. The 12-track album's (the first the pair have turned out since 2015’s sublime The Hanging Tree) eponymous opening track ‘Snow’ brings an infectious mix of breezy rock (inspired no doubt by its recording in Angus’ studio in super chill Central Coast hot spot Byron Bay), scratchy guitars, gently driving organ beat and their signature killer harmonies.

Catch the sibling’s sun-drenched melodies on their album tour at the Isaac Theatre Royal on December 17.

CONCRETE AND GOLD, FOO FIGHTERS

Reading

This might be the Foo’s ninth album, but it’s arguably one of their best since their blistering sophomore effort The Colour and the Shape 20 years ago. Despite bringing in the ‘talent’ of,

let’s be honest, questionable colabs (Paul McCartney, Justin Timberlake and Boys II Men’s Shawn Stockman!) Grohl and boys have managed what is a cranking rock offering. From the high-rotation radio play of the frenzied riff and rasp of ‘The Sky is a Neighbourhood’ through to the buzzsaw bluntness of ‘La Dee Da’ and ragged anthem charms of lead single ‘Run’, it’s proof enough that some earlier, tepid middle of the road offerings were just a phase after all.

REPUTATION, TAYLOR SWIFT Hell hath no fury like a wronged Swift and if her November release Reputation’s first single ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ is anything to go by, those who’ve crossed the former country crooner will be smarting well into 2018. The mega budget video sees the pop star dripping in jewels (heck, she’s even bathing in them!) and dissing nemeses and declaring the old Taylor dead in a signature Swift-style mic drop!

THE BREAK, MARIAN KEYES Keyes is back and in brilliant form with this midlife crisis showdown between a long-time married couple, with the husband running off for six months to ‘find himself’ – fans of Keyes prolific work will know endless hilarity ensues from the first to the last page.

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THE BLACK SEEDS ‘Better Days’ Fabric

SONS OF ZION ‘Live It Up’ The Jukebox Suite

CALVIN HARRIS ‘Feels’ Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE ‘The Way You Used To Do’ Villains

HINTERLAND: CABINS, LOVE SHACKS AND OTHER HIDE-OUTS, EHMANN, SVEN/KLANTEN, ROBERT The cabin has long been a somewhat rustic escape, but not in Hinterland – discover the best new cabin architecture and design approaches creating the refuges that refresh and revitalise amid the beauty of nature.

Plate Expectations An attitude of gratitude can be very energising – and in times of challenge I bring myself back to this.

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Cityscape caught up with our favourite nutritional biochemist, renowned author and all round lifestyle guru Dr Libby on the launch of her new book What Am I Supposed To Eat? Making Sense of Food Confusion and Food Frustrations tour this month for a few healthy pointers and to find out more about the amazing woman behind the legendary healthy living empire.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW BOOK AND FOOD FRUSTRATIONS TOUR. My new book What Am I Supposed To Eat? delves deeply into the nutritional aspect of my three-pillared approach, examining the biochemistry of food along with what I’ve learned from 14 years of study and 20 years of clinical practice. My goal with this book is to help people get back in touch with how to best meet their own nutritional needs, instead of just following a prescribed diet or food plan without considering their bio-individuality. I hope that, through its pages, people will see the value of viewing food as nourishment and feel less confused about what to eat. My Food Frustrations: What am I supposed to eat? live event is about getting to the heart of people’s biggest frustrations with food. Some people are honestly confused about what health information is accurate and helpful to their health. Other people are stuck in a cycle of eating things they know they shouldn’t but they’ve been doing it for years and don’t know where to begin to change their habits.

I want to give people a greater understanding of the biochemistry of their body, to enable them to identify which food choices will best serve their health and help them break through old paradigms of eating.

/ PLATE EXPECTATIONS

WHAT I’M …

WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO WRITE IT? I wrote What Am I Supposed To Eat? because it’s the number one question I am asked at my seminars and women’s health weekends. Although I often speak about stress and digestion and hormonal balance, there are always people coming up to me afterwards saying “please just tell me what to eat”. There are still so many people who are confused about what to eat and I want to clear up this unnecessary confusion. In addition to that, New Zealand is the third most obese nation in the world, which is a tragedy and also unacceptable. The consequences of this on adults and children are immense and this won’t change until we change what we are eating.

WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU HOPE READERS TAKE AWAY FROM READING IT? I want people to know that their body has their back and that it truly is the expert on what is best for them. It’s so important to tune in to the messages your body is sending you about what does and doesn’t serve you, because everybody is different and what is nourishing for one person won’t necessarily be nourishing for another. In general though, eat real whole foods, not processed foods.

WHY DO YOU THINK PEOPLE DON’T KNOW WHAT’S GOOD FOR THEM? I think deep down most people do know what’s best for them, but they’ve lost faith in their body’s wisdom and no longer trust themselves to make decisions that best support their health. So they go looking for answers externally. When we don’t know who or what nutrition information to trust, but we also don’t trust ourselves, it can make things incredibly complicated. The other part of this involves the question “why do we do what we do when we know what we know?” People are educated and most have a pretty good idea of which foods are

nutritious and which ones aren’t. You don’t polish off a packet of chocolate biscuits after dinner thinking that you’re going to feel amazing afterwards. For people who frequently make poor quality food choices despite knowing this won’t nourish them, understanding the ‘why’ can be a powerful catalyst for change.

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION AROUND HEALTHY EATING? That there is one best way for everyone to eat. Generally, we need to eat whole real foods rather than processed ‘foods’, but the specifics of this will vary from person to person when it comes to which real foods best serve them, how they are prepared and how often they are eaten. I have witnessed so many people continue to eat foods they have been told are ‘healthy’, despite their body sending them clear signals that these foods aren’t right for them. Your body truly is your best barometer – do what works for you.

WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO DISH TO WHIP UP IN A HURRY AFTER A LONG DAY? I absolutely love the delicious Brilliant Brassica Soup from my second cookbook, Real Food Kitchen. It is packed full of liver-supporting vegetables and I can prepare it in under 20 minutes. Otherwise it would be poached eggs or a frittata with greens from my veggie garden, avocado and organic sauerkraut.

WHO INSPIRES YOU? The people who write me emails sharing their life stories about how they’ve turned genuine hardship into brave learnings and a new way of living. So often this involves dietary or other lifestyle changes. I’m also inspired by the ripple effect. When one person starts looking after their own health and makes sustainable changes, this creates a ripple effect on those closest to them and subsequently those closest to them and so on.

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Reading Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst, by Robert Sapolsky, which is about human behaviour – I’ve always been fascinated by this and there is always more to learn.

Binging I don’t often watch movies or TV – I prefer to read books – so this isn’t very recent, but I absolutely loved Hunt for the Wilderpeople.

Listening to I’ve been listening to The xx while driving throughout New Zealand for my speaking tour.

They’re my favourite band, so listening to their music helps to keep me feeling uplifted and energised, even after a long drive.

/ PLATE EXPECTATIONS

It’s so important to tune in to the messages your body is sending you about what does and doesn’t serve you WHAT ARE THE THREE RULES YOU LIVE BY? 1. Food is nourishment – to me, food is nourishment, so this is what I base my food choices on. If you’re feeling unsure about what you should eat, try asking yourself “will this nourish me?”

2. Be a flexitarian – I’m not about rigidity, restriction or ‘perfect’ eating. A gentler approach can embrace a degree of flexibility or what some like to call ‘zig and zag’. A ‘zig’ meal is made up of nutrient-dense real foods and no alcohol.

While for a ‘zag’ meal, the focus is more about the company you are in, being playful, relaxing or nourishing your soul.

Zags are part of a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.

3. Don’t worry about something until it’s a problem – this piece of wisdom was a gift from my beautiful mum.

YOU’RE OBVIOUSLY A VERY BUSY WOMAN; HOW DO YOU KEEP IT ALL TOGETHER? I could not do what I do without my own personal restorative practices. I have a morning ritual that I don’t compromise and I also eat amazingly well.

Those are my physical rituals, but the other big thing is my attitude. I am really in touch with how privileged I am. I know people think the concept of being ‘grateful’ gets overused but I am truly grateful for life itself plus everything I have in my life – such as clean water and fresh air. An attitude of

gratitude can be very energising – and in times of challenge I bring myself back to this.

FAVOURITE ITEM IN YOUR WARDROBE? My gumboots!

WHAT’S THE ONE SONG GUARANTEED TO GET YOU UP DANCING? This changes from week to week. I love music. At the moment, it’s ‘Late Night’ by ODESZA.

Dr Libby Live

Dr Libby hits Christchurch in October and November. Dr Libby’s Food Frustrations (12 & 18 Oct) takes all the head-scratching out of food. She’ll talk about good food choices and removing the guesswork around what to eat and why. Her Beautiful You Weekend (25– 26 Nov) will tap into her two decades of research and clinical experience to explore how your body works, examining the interaction of nutrition, biochemistry and emotions, and culminating with a potent action plan. drlibby.com

FAVOURITE TIPPLE OF CHOICE? Beer on a really hot day.

WHAT’S THE ONE BEAUTY PRODUCT YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT? I love using organic oils on my skin. I don’t have a particular brand that I use – often I’ll mix up my own blend of oils. I keep it pretty simple and focus more on a beauty from the inside out approach – providing my skin cells with the nutrients they need from whole, real foods.

A GENIE GRANTS YOU THREE WISHES – WHAT ARE THEY? 1. For organic farming practices to become the norm.

2. For everyone on the planet to have their basic needs met – access to clean water, nutritious food and shelter.

3. For no one, particularly children, to go to sleep cold.

I’VE NEVER REALLY BEEN A FAN OF …

Sweet foods. I’m more of a savoury person.

Cityscape has 3 x copies of What Am I Supposed To Eat? to giveaway. To enter, email us at info@somocreative. co.nz with ‘Dr Libby’ in the subject line and tell us why you need Dr Libby’s new book. Entries close November 30.

BRILLIANT BRASSICA SOUP

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Food & Drink Adding a range of tasty tapas to their new menu, The Option Bistro & Wines offers diners the chance to embark on a globe-trotting journey of exotic eats including polenta chips, chorizo and haloumi skewers, tzatizki and fish roe dips, prosciutto e melone bites, anchovy tarts and dry sausages served with pickled onions. Pair with a local or French wine or European-inspired cocktail like Aperol and Prosecco or Campari orange. theoption.co.nz

THE CUBAN This cabana of cool serves Cuban street food-style tapas with a kick from 3pm in funky surrounds; grab some jerk chicken wings and gambas al ajillo and wash it down with a cartel mojito. thecuban.co.nz

VESUVIO Epitomising effortless cool and inimitable nonchalance, Vesuvio is home to world-class tapas, an epic by-the-glass wine list and bangin’ cocktails. You’ll want it all, but the halloumi and pancetta parcels are a must. vesuvio.co.nz THE POLO BAR Argentinian-style tapas are the go here; enjoy chilli squid and signature lechon de leche empanadas with a Pimms Cup among the swanky polo club fitout or out in the lush garden bar. hotelmontreal.co.nz

Gatherings around a few drinks and a selection of tasty morsels – it’s what spring’s all about.

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Image: Hello Sunday

TAPAS TAPAS TAPAS

Breakfast clubs HELLO SUNDAY The former church on Elgin Street in Sydenham (the suburb’s oldest building) houses a multi-award-winning brunch and daytime dining hotspot turning out inspired eats covering off on everything you could want in the AM, from Matcha Buckwheat Waffles through to Ham Hock Rillette, Shakshuka and more traditional breakfasts. Church pew seating and the venue’s backstory means you can practically kill two birds with one stone on Sunday morning. hellosundaycafe.co.nz

LITTLE POMS Next door to sibling institution Pomeroy’s Old Brewery Inn, Little Poms’ tasty and nutritious fare features house-made nut butters and almond milk and go-to brunch offerings served alongside craft beers, wine and local C4 coffee. littlepoms.co.nz

CITYSCAPE.CO.NZ October 17

UNCOMMON With swag for days, this Melbourne-esque go-to serves up seriously tasty café eats including the jaw-slackening breakfast board, which features their well-famous eggs slow-poached at 63-degrees for 45 minutes (and quite possibly the city’s best hot chocolate!). uncommoncafe.co.nz UNDER THE RED VERANDAH Super cute Tancred Street cottage Under the Red Verandah (or UTRV to the locals) charms with its sunny courtyard and wows with an exciting menu (go for the brunch scramble; you won’t be sorry) and exceptional coffee. utrv.co.nz CASTLE ROCK CAFÉ Nestled amongst the backdrop of the Heathcote hills, this hidden gem teams tasty cabinet fare with an insanely delicious breakfast burrito, Mediterranean breakfast bowl and hangovercuring ciabutty, all locallysourced, organic and freerange. castlerockcafechch.co.nz

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TRENDING

VEGAN DINING

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Christchurch is sneakily New Zealand’s vegetarian capital – the first vegetarian group in the city held its first meetings in 1882! Today the city has over 10,000 vegetarian residents and numerous venues around the city in which to enjoy killer vegetarian and vegan fare. The city’s own vegetarian expo has been vegan since 2012, and this year that becomes official, with the event now the ( first ever) Christchurch Vegan Expo on Sunday October 8 at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.

includes some of the city’s tastiest vegan eats going (we’re looking at you Vegan Snickers Bar) courtesy of the prowess of head chef Hannah Cooper-Grieve. themondayroom.co.nz

01 — TOWN TONIC

MADE EXPRESSO BAR Suitably famous for their bodacious fresh vegan sandwiches, super cute MADE Espresso Bar rock some seriously tasty honest, wholesome and simple fare including a paleo chocolate and caramel slice we’ve been known to make special trips for. madeespressobar.co.nz

04 — THE HERB CENTRE

TOWN TONIC The night after the Expo Town Tonic is hosting another epic Vegan Night filled with amazing eats and cooking demonstrations – if the last event is anything to go by you’ll want to book your tix stat! towntonic.co.nz

THE HERB CENTRE This iconic and celebrated café focuses on healthy eating by creating seasonal vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free food and an amazing range of health-promoting drinks all made from scratch in house. Look for the legendary Hunza Pie. theherbcentre.co.nz

TMR RESTAURANT & BAR The exceptional dining on offer at this seriously cool and stylish dining venue

Above board

Taking the hard yards out of pulling together the ultimate party platter or cheeseboard, the legends at gourmand hot spot/charming rustic deli The Lincoln Pantry are tapping some of the country’s/ world’s finest produce to whip up some real crowd pleasers. thelincolnpantry.co.nz

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02 — CHRISTCHURCH

VEGAN EXPO 03 — MADE ESPRESSO BAR

Eat this now Once tried you won’t be able to get Twenty Seven Steps’ roasted parsnip, halloumi, pistachios and smoked apple compote out of your head – and you won’t be sorry! twentysevensteps.co.nz

FINER DINER

Top dog Rocking a retro pop culture

THE DIRTY LAND

Fusing a dark, broody aesthetic with an industrial edge, this meticulously-crafted den of cool along Victoria Street is now very much established as a peerless city fave. With its interior awash with heavy red curtains, exposed brick walls, tactile wallpaper and moody lighting (care of guttering candles and some seriously covetable fixtures hanging under a gnarly, pressed ceiling), it’s like walking on the set of a David Lynch movie, only better – because you’re there, and perusing a swanky cocktail list that rounds out an impressive and imaginative drinks menu. It goes without saying the drinks are killer; those with a taste for the bittersweet should tap the twist-on-a-classic that is the Dirty Negroni, while the Blood Passion’s lacing of Belvedere vodka with passionfruit and blood orange makes for some primo drinking. Feeling adventurous? Check out the Guest Cocktail, a special offering from the friendly, black-clad (natch) alchemists rocking the bar. Neighbouring sibling venue Mexicano’s provides the eats (via a pared-back menu), while DJ sets on Fridays and Saturdays makes it the place to be for the late night crowd. FB/thedirtyland

EMPIRE With entry via off-the-hook

WHET DRINKING ROOM

Samurai sword door handles, the precisionpimped Geisha elegance of Japanesethemed Empire rocks a Shogun chic expansive bar with an industrial edge where you’ll find a primo selection of premium Japanese whiskies, sakes and killer house cocktails, plus a Yakitori grill at the rear that brings the theatrics of the kitchen into the dining room and live music into the small hours. empirebar.co.nz

The city’s essential hangout for anyone that really appreciates a good G&T, Cambridge Terrace’s WHET Drinking Room offers a carefully curated collection of no fewer than 151 different gins from all over the world. They’ve also got a thoughtful range of lip-smacking bar snacks, and even a snow bar to keep your tipple icy cool – just go already! whet.co.nz

It’s like walking on the set of a David Lynch movie, only better – because you’re there, and perusing a swanky cocktail list 41

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vibe, Sun Dog Diner is crammed with quirk (check out the bar made from speakers!), puts a bodacious spin on comfort food classics and totally nails the modern American diner experience. It’s the brain child of Jess Lynch (of Mamacita’s Mexican food truck fame) – everything is made from scratch with free range meats and seasonal produce and it’s all good. If we had to pick a fave (besides their mind-bendingly good Bloody Marys), it would have to be their version of mac-n-cheese, appropriately dubbed The Greatest Show on Earth; no fewer than 4 different cheeses are enrolled in its construction before the whole shebang is smothered in crispy onion straws, There’s also bottomless drip coffee – just sayin’. sundogdiner.co.nz

WHICH HAZEL? White Heart Nut Butters started simply enough, with founder Ann Joseph trying to think of something to do with the output of the hazel nut trees she had planted on her Tai Tapu property.

Getting creative, she turned her hand to nut butters and the rest is gourmet pantry staple history. Look them up at the Christchurch Farmer’s Market and online to discover their nut butters, delicious hazel nut handfuls in flavours such as chipotle and sweet chilli, their tasty boulders, and sprinkles to liven any salad or antipasto.

Time to try! whiteheart.co.nz

REVIEWS

Fiddlesticks Restaurant & Bar 48 Worcester Boulevard, 03 365 0533, fiddlesticksbar.co.nz

The evening is off to one of the best starts ever. We exchange a mental fist bump as we’re seated at a cosy fireside table, while outside sleety rain falls from a concrete-coloured sky (Mother Nature is clearly ignoring the ‘it’s spring’ memo), and become immediate best friends with our charming host Esther over our drinks order. The third sign (these things always come in threes) is that it’s a full house – on a Monday. The slick bar area, artfully lined with horizontal vintages, is filled with an animated after-work crowd, while the dining rooms, an on-trend mix with a Scandinavian bent of wood panelling, funky lampshades, living plant wall and sturdy wood and wrought iron tables, are a 50/50 split of Tripadvisor-savvy visitors and in-the-know locals.

Esther talks us through the menu as we sip chilled flutes of bubbles and savour the anticipation of what’s to come. Having smelled the seductive aroma of Today’s Bread selection, we’re unable to resist. Esther’s insider intel advises a half serve (for which we’re grateful, having ordered the ever changing Bespoke Shared Feast for Two) as we work our way through a heavenly herby focaccia, perfectly crusted sour dough and ciabatta, and a chewy, nutty wheat bread paired with an impossibly light whipped butter and balsamic with olive oil float. We tag team another perennial fave that we are equally powerless to ignore; the venue’s legendary F.F.C. (Fiddlesticks Fried Chicken), a perfect union of crunchy exterior and succulent chicken atop a feisty green tomato chutney and served with a hot sauce-loaded dropper to add a thrilling piquant element.

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We know we’re in for something special when Esther brings out a cross section tree slice as a trivet for our two-person 700g flank steak feast alongside two, thoughtfully-heated earthen plates – it’s these little touches that often elevate an exceptional dining experience into an unforgettable one. Having been sous vide before hitting the grill, the medium rare steak is like butter. The meaty hit has just the right amount of charring to deliver a knockout smoky note, while the addition of tangy tamarillo chutney completes the perfect package. We enjoy it between sips of Esther’s bang-on matching of a Kevin Judd Greywacke Marlborough Pinot Noir, with its wooded spice ably holding its own against the primo beef, which is served alongside a palate pleasing round up of duck fat cabbage laced with rosemary, the earthy sweetness of honey-glazed carrots, and a ridiculously addictive truffle mash. It also comes with two sides; we opt for the vegetables (Brussels sprout fried with almonds) and the decadent golden crunch of some next-level duck fat roast rosemary potatoes.

Fiddlestick’s classics effortlessly seduce when it comes to our dessert selection; the Salted Caramel Delice is widely considered one of the city’s finest in the salted caramel stakes and for good reason – its passionfruit sorbet’s acid profile provides the perfect counter to the salty sweet symphony that fires up our taste buds.

It’s joined by a (literally) cracking white chocolate brulee and the honeyed notes of an appropriately-titled Pegasus Bay ‘Finale’ Nobel Semillon as we purposefully draw out the moment.

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Café Valentino 168 St Asaph Street, 03 377 1886, cafevalentino.co.nz “Choose wisely and pace yourself,” is the advice from our super friendly host Lucy Popovic. “You’ll want to try something from the daily specials and make sure you leave room for dessert.” It’s sage advice; Café Valentino’s made-from-scratch, hearty Italian fare has made it an institution on the local dining scene and a go-to venue of choice for visiting celebrities, with their desserts the stuff of legend.

It’s a Friday night and Valentino’s is the dictionary definition of buzzin’, with excited chatter, relaxed laughter and the clink of glasses and cutlery of those celebrating the start of the weekend murmuring away in the relaxed atmosphere. The pretension-free, easy-going vibe makes it super easy to kick back and enjoy the moment. We’re seated in the Italian-chic window section; it’s the perfect spot to watch the city pass by beyond the brightly-coloured blooms of the geraniums filling the planter boxes. We peruse the menus between sips of Peroni (from the tap, natch), clearly in good company under the knowing gaze of delighted previous diners Norah Jones, Diana Krall, UB40, Hi-de-Hi!’s Su Pollard (while touring The Good Sex Guide back in

1996) and more, whose admiration, plastered across their tour posters, hangs framed and jostling for space on the exposed brick wall running the length of the restaurant.

Our starters aptly set the scene; Arancini balls are normally able to be popped in the mouth whole (or at a two-bite maximum), but a trio of Valentino’s versions are huge, and delight when cut open to reveal they’re crammed with a rich risotto of mushrooms and spinach, with molten taleggio cheese spilling from the half-orbs. Smeared with a tangy tomato chutney and scattering of peppery rocket, their savoury goodness ensures a clean plate returns to the kitchen. Likewise, the satisfying crunch of the crispy squid – humming with a light chilli hit and bangin’ Manuka-smoked garlic and lemon aioli – incites duelling forks over the last piece.

I ask our super-attentive host Anna Smith to recommend a wine to go with our mains, Ravioli of the Day (pumpkin and ricotta) and the Agnello Fumato wood-fired pizza, expecting a red. To my delight she not only surprises with the selection of a Jules Taylor Chardonnay, but hits it out of the park – this multitasking battler’s oaky notes and lingering finish are the perfect counterpoint to both the earthiness of the pumpkin and crisp sweetness of the capsicum inside the fresh ravioli, and the light gaminess of the tender smoked lamb and saltiness of the creamy feta on the wood-fired pizza. Sliced almonds add a delightful crunch to the

Café Valentino. Photo: Jane Wyles

/ FOOD & DRINK

ravioli, which seduces with a silken creamy tomato sauce complete with bacon and spinach, while the Manuka wood-fuelled pizza oven turns out one of the best pizzas we’ve had in the city.

Thankful for Lucy’s advice, we still have room (just) for dessert. With each offering sounding better than the last, we finally whittle it down to their legendary Tiramisu (a dreamy, creamy symphony of chocolaty, espresso-spiked heaven) and heavy-hitting Dessert of the Day the double-decked Double Chocolate Pudding Tart. Featuring decadent layers of milk and white chocolate atop a rich, crumbly base, its spiced berry compote tamed by vanilla-infused soft cream provides a most excellent sticky ending.

Coriander’s Ethnic Indian Restaurant 222 St Asaph Street, 03 365 5557, corianders.co.nz We peruse the carefully-curated menu under the watchful gaze of a Bengal Tiger prowling the jungle undergrowth. The impressive mural features a stunning jewel-green tiled ceiling, just part of the visually impressive package (awardwinningly so, in fact!) at the flagship St Asaph Street venue of the Coriander’s Ethnic Indian Restaurant empire, home to some of the city’s finest Indian cuisine.

The central city Coriander’s mothership is

Café Valentino. Photo: Jane Wyles

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/ FOOD & DRINK

Francesca’s Italian Kitchen

Coriander’s Ethnic Indian Restaurant

Francesca’s Italian Kitchen 149 Gloucester Street, 03 374 9790, fransitalian.co.nz/christchurch

housed in a beautiful, colonial-style building, resplendent in white. Ornate decorating and fancy murals join a movie-poster clad Bollywood room and sunny, undercover outdoor area that’s perfect for lazy weekend lunches and early evening dining. Inside, a slick bar setup is a great place to grab a pre-dinner tipple if you’re waiting on your table, while well-placed kitchen windows allow diners to not only check out the techniques of the skilled chefs running the kitchen, but also pick up a few professional tips on the sly.

We watch, suitably impressed, as our entrée of tikka chicken is deftly threaded onto a skewer and cooked to smoky perfection by flaming charcoal. Arriving on a sizzling hotplate, the deep orange chicken pieces (five in total) with crunchy scorched marks are succulent and perfectly matched with sips of the dry Riesling filling our glasses. Relaxing into the fun vibe, we navigate our mains (with a little help from the passionate and super/friendly staff) to the gentle hum and background noise of excited chatter, cutlery on plates and outbursts of laughter typical of those enjoying a fantastic night out.

For those who love butter chicken (Indian cuisine’s most popular/famous dish), Coriander’s reigns supreme, and we’re delighted to learn our waiter didn’t lead us astray when claiming it was the city’s finest.

The boneless half chicken cooked in the tandoor and finished with tomato and cream butter sauce and a whisper of fenugreek is both delicate and flavoursome, with a sumptuous smoky finish and gentle heat on the palate. Dipping chunks of the fluffy garlic naan into the addictive sauce is satisfying and filling.

Even stronger is the prawn jalfrezee, where plump, juicy prawns hold their own against a lip-smacking mix of ginger, garlic, green capsicum, coconut milk, tomatoes, fresh chillies and coriander. Piled on steamed basmati rice and topped with raita, it’s party-in-the-mouth inducing and, be warned, there will fights over the last prawn, so stake your claim early!

There’s no room for dessert, but we manage to sneak in a cheeky nightcap by way of the classic house cocktail the Sassy Lassi (a mango lassi kicked up a notch or two with Cointreau and vodka), which is the perfect way to end the evening.

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Our set lemon cream touches down in a florid flourish of bright colours, looking part exotic terrarium (courtesy of its elegant glass cloche) and all decadent dessert.

Determined not to be upstaged though, a tornado of tiramisu also stands proudly at attention, its funnel-shaped glass gently frosting from the chill of its dreamy contents. Together this spectacular final course truly knocks our dining experience into the stratosphere.

The Christchurch arm of famed Wanaka culinary institution Francesca’s faithfully reproduces all of its southern sibling’s hallmarks. Behind the slick glass frontage rustic mixes with industrial cool; an ornate gold-framed mirror behind the bar overlooks dark wooden tables topped with quirky jar-potted plants, and flocks of sepiatinged family photos are scattered across fresh white walls, while a soaring ceiling instils a sense of occasion. Taking pride of place, the open, wood-fired pizza oven exposes the culinary nerve centre, where slackened dough is transformed into crispy, thin-based pizza perfection.

We’re invited to either take our pick from the menu or trust the chef with a selection of his favourites – it’s a no brainer. Placing our fate in the hands of the chef, we peruse the drinks menu, where classic Kiwi wines and local and international craft beers sit alongside specially-sourced, rare Italian reds. Opting for the Antinori Santa Cristina,

/ FOOD & DRINK

... there’s barely room for dessert at this point, but seeing Belgian baked waffles with chocolate sauce on offer, we prepare to give it a go anyway. we settle in among the buzzing Friday lunch crowd as our wine arrives.

What follows is a degustation masterclass in Italian dining. We’re treated to impossibly crispy golden polenta fries paired with an earthy truffle aioli – their reputation as being among the country’s finest is unanimously agreed upon after the first bite – and beef carpaccio (a rich, delicate marriage of tender beef, parmesan, capers and white anchovies), which pave the way for a 50/50 margherita/parma pizza.

The fresh ingredients mean bold flavours smother those crispy, thin bases, and it’s nearly our favourite dish. But the trophy goes to super light pillows of potato gnocci and the meaty hit of fall-apart-tender braised beef cheeks. Dusted with the tangy freshness of gremolata and a nutty pecorino, the result is a symphony of delectable contrasts between the rich heavy meat and the almost fluffy, delicate gnocci, which is best enjoyed between sips of the sun-warmed cherry and raspberry subtleties of our wine selection.

But it’s our sweet endings from the dolci menu that end up being the true showstealer. Creamy, dreamy and cut through with a coffee power punch, the tiramisu is a flavour bomb, while liberated from its glass dome, the set lemon cream artfully balances tart rhubarb with the zesty lemon cream, delicate prosecco jelly and a fine rhubarb crumble, ensuring (somehow!) it tastes even better than it looks.

Belgian Beer Café Torenhof 20 Durham Street, 03 377 1007 belgianbeercafe.net.nz If there’s a sense of déjà vu once you’re inside the reinstated Belgian Beer Café Torenhof’s 1920s-hip time capsule, it’s on account of the entire fit-out being relocated from their old central city venue and repurposed in its current digs (in The Colombo car park) following the quakes.

The establishment expresses its anachronistic Belgian ‘brown bar’ bent via dark wood panelling and bevel-edged mirrors, sturdy wooden furniture, leather booth seating, deco lighting and vintage maps, paintings, and retro Belgian beer paraphernalia decorating the walls. At its heart the traditional marble-topped bar – a feature in itself – completes the timewarp.

The cosy pub aesthetic and Tardis-like capaciousness is immediately welcoming.

We hit the bar, and a round of perfectlypoured Stella Artois is produced exactly to decades-old tradition by the deft barkeep.

As the menu indicates, the iconic Belgian brew has been around since 1926, and is proud owner of the world’s oldest logo.

We get the party started with the bodacious trifecta of Belgian croquettes in beef, spicy sausage, and mushroom with

Francesca’s Italian Kitchen

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Belgian Beer Café Torenhof

Dijon mustard. Each is crispy golden on the outside and light, fluffy tastiness within. The same is also true of the contents of the addictive, signature giant cone of fries, served with creamy mayo for dunking. Truly smashing it though is the Hoegaardenlaced chicken liver and smoky bacon pate; a revelation in its rich and creamy goodness.

It coats the mouth like a fine foie gras with delicate notes of bacon, sage, and the wheatiness of the beer; when slathered (with a heavy hand!) on the crisp bread, and paired with the spicy sweetness of an intense fig chutney, it immediately becomes a table favourite, resulting in bargaining tactics coming into play over the last serve.

Before the mains arrive we order in more drinks – firstly top Trappist drop Chimay Bleue and secondly Lambic beer the Timmermans Framboise, its delicate pink colour a pre-taste visual hint to its intense berry aroma and raspberry bite.

Both choices slot in nicely with the peppery meaty hit of Belgian-style sausages with a buttery mash and braised red cabbage, and the lip-smacking parmesan and herb baked chicken fillets grilled with mozzarella and nestled atop oven-baked kumara and spinach and finished with a herbed tomato sauce.

It’s a test case in big flavours, big serves and exceptional value – there’s barely room for dessert at this point, but seeing Belgian baked waffles with chocolate sauce on offer, we prepare to give it a go anyway. The crisp waffles are elevated into the flavour stratosphere by the rich chocolate sauce, and despite the fact we’re low on room, one bite leads to another until we’re basking in the afterglow. It’s a dizzying high to end to our Belgian escape in Sydenham, and we stagger out vowing we’ll be back.

/ THE LAST WORD

Homeward Bound Cityscape caught up with former Christchurch lad Jonnie Halstead, who’s bringing the first Wanderlust 108 to the seaside suburb of Sumner in December, to find out all about the event that’s taking the world by storm.

HOW DID CHRISTCHURCH MAKE THE WANDERLUST LIST? Well, without sounding too much like a home-sick Kiwi; I grew-up in Christchurch and the South Island’s iconic landscape was my adventure playground till the tender age of 19. It is also where my career in events and festivals started in the mid-90s rave scene. Many years later I was honoured to be involved in the earthquake relief efforts, producing festivals to reward and entertain the striving student volunteer army and workers rebuilding the city. Christchurch has always had a spirit of community at heart, and that community lives in harmony with the natural environment. This is synergistic with our core mission here at Wanderlust; to grow the mindful living community and help urban dwellers to be their best selves, living consciously and sustainably. When we launched Wanderlust NZ in Auckland and then Great Lake Taupo, we always knew our next port-of-call in Aotearoa would be the South Island’s largest city. In the 3 years since we have watched Christchurch’s yoga and wellness industry grow, with many creative individuals doing great things there. It’s a privilege to bring our festival there as a platform for the local community to come together and show the world that unique South Island spirit. I can’t wait!

TELL US ABOUT WANDERLUST 108.

Wanderlust 4-day festivals are held in the world’s most desirable destination resorts such as Oahu, Aspen, Sunshine Coast and at Great Lake Taupo, to name a few. We created the Wanderlust 108 event as a taste of Wanderlust on offer in the urban backyard. It’s a more accessible 1-day version; we often refer to it as the “gateway” to Wanderlust. We choose a hallmark city park as the venue and then hold the world’s only ‘mindful triathlon’, consisting of a 5km fun run or walk around the park, then back

at the main stage we hold a mass yogaclass with an international calibre teacher and DJ, followed by a guided meditation.

1 + 0 + 8 / run + yoga + meditate make-up the three parts of your triathlon challenge.

We also have a series of bonus activities that attendees can schedule into and a diverse marketplace of international and local craft and food offerings.

WHAT IS THE IDEA BEHIND IT? It’s a great day out in the sun, a challenge to PLAY, and a chance to disconnect from life’s ordinary routine and reconnect with nature, a like-minded community, and yourself. We hope in doing so attendees leave somewhat transformed, or at the very least inspired and armed with a toolkit to live their best life.

HOW DID THE ‘MINDFUL TRIATHLON’ COME ABOUT? As I mentioned earlier; at Wanderlust our mission is to grow the mindful living community. What this means is we are trying to help mainstream New Zealanders live a healthy, more balanced lifestyle. We recognised that not everyone has a regular yoga and meditation practice, and may not be able to travel to our resort festivals. So we partnered with Adidas to create a city event that is fun and easygoing, but also has an element of challenge.

It is non-competitive; we like to say at the run “we track smiles, not miles” and “it’s five k your way”. The community spirit these events help create in cities creates positive ripple effects felt across the world.

WHAT’S INVOLVED IN BRINGING WANDERLUST TO CHRISTCHURCH? Firstly a conversation with the Christchurch City Council, who are actively seeking events that offer diversity and betterment

to the people of the city whilst also broadcasting to the world. From there it was about finding partners with a similar vision, a strong community, an authentic voice, many late nights, lots of tears (good and bad), plus this undying passion and belief in what I am doing and the positive effects it is helping to create. Christchurch is the 10th Wanderlust location my team and I are producing across this summer season.

YOU HAVE A YOGA DJ – HOW DOES THAT WORK? The yoga teacher and the DJ are like a super band – a lot of work goes in pre-show to design a set of music that flows with the yoga class. It has a story-line much like the moving postures do, with build-ups to high points and the deep restorative moments as well. A festival yoga class set to live music is not like what you experience in a studio. It’s alive! And fuelled by hundreds of people moving together.

ANY TIPS FOR GETTING OUR MEDITATION ON IN A HUGE GROUP OUTDOORS? Just get comfortable, close your eyes, breathe and let the teacher’s words guide you from there. Don’t expect to find nirvana; that’s a common misconception for those just starting with meditation. You will come out feeling better, I have no doubt.

WHAT ACTIVITIES NEED TO BE ON OUR RADARS? Acro Yoga is a lot of fun, especially if you are coming with a partner or friend. There is nothing like getting upside down with people holding and helping you. It’s scary at first, but then once the trust sets in, you breathe and the brain is flooded with fresh blood. You come out of that feeling like a super hero.

Wanderlust 108 Christchurch, St Leonards Park, Sumner, Dec 2, wanderlust.com 46

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Shop online at ballantynes.co.nz City Mall, Christchurch PHONE (03) 379 7400 OPEN 7 DAYS