The Hobson - July/August 2014

july/august 2014

shore road’s social animals • southern escapes local news, views & informed opinions

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Consignments now invited until FRidAY 11th JulY Auction: August 7th 2014 exhibition on view from Thursday 31 July at 3 Abbey street, newton. installation views, video preview and full catalogue all available at www.artandobject.co.nz Contact Ben Plumbly, Director of Art ben@artandobject.co.nz +64 21 222 8183 Richard Killeen Time to change the Greek hero No. 2 acrylic and collage on aluminium, 27 pieces (1985) 3100 x 3000mm: installation size variable $40 000 – $55 000

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The July /August Issue 10

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the village Glass chapels, no more beersies after 1am, breaking bread in Remuera, Robin Byrne bows out and more the boards Waitematā Local Board chair Shale Chambers and Orākei’s Desley Simpson on local matters

the pysche Learning life lessons from the Big Bad Wolf

the wellbeing Body and mind fitness from Lee Parore

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the opinion Epsom List MP Paul Goldsmith’s regular column the suburbanist Tommy Honey likes the new direction in public transport the investment Warren Couillault reads the signs

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the district diary - July & August A double edition of what’s going on around here

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the journey special The Hobson goes to Wanaka, talks snow sports with Fiona Stevens and checks out some very smart Southern Lakes holiday homes

the pretty Melissa Wiliams-King’s luxuriant bath treats

the arts The NZ art scene as observed by Stephanie Post

the sound The evolving, enduring talent of Lizzie Marvelly

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the bookmark A stack of new offerings from favourite authors

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the plot Look sharp! It’s pruning season

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the pack Four-footed personalities large and small gather at the Shore Rd playing fields every morning the second act Why downtime is so important, and creatively fulfilling

the living A Remuera favourite, Thai Village shares a recipe

the pause If only — a creative solution for Parnell’s Diesel Depot

Spyder fitted out the US alpine ski team with race suits and snow wear at Sochi, and now they’re dressing you. Courtesy of Snow Centre, The Hobson has two Spyder jackets to give away, each with an RRP of $1100. Crafted of high-tech fabrics for snow-sport specific pursuits, we have a women’s jacket (black with blue detailing) in a US size 8 (NZ 10/12) and a men’s (khaki) in a medium (102-107cm chest). To enter, go to www.snowcentre.co.nz and click on The Hobson link. You can enter to win either the men’s, the women’s, or try your luck for both. Entries are open until 5pm, Friday August 1, 2014. Winners’ names will be selected at random for each jacket. Terms and conditions can be found on www.snowcentre.co.nz

Regular Columnists & Contributors

Left to right from top row:

The Hobson’s cartoonist, Peter Bromhead MNZM also writes for the New Zealand Herald. A long-time Parnell resident, his Gladstone Rd-based business, Bromhead Design, retails contemporary furniture.

Sandy Burgham (The Second Act) is a brand strategist and an executive coach with a special interest in midlife change and transformational behaviours. She runs a central Auckland practice. www.sandyburgham.com Remuera resident Warren Couillault (The Investment) is a partner in and director of Richmond Investment Management, the manager of a boutique fund of hedge funds. He is a shareholder in and director of Generate Investment Management Ltd; manager of a registered Kiwisaver scheme and an adviser to S.AG Private. www.richmond.co.nz Andrew Dickens (The Sound) is the host of Andrew Dickens’ Sunday Cafe on Sunday morning, from 9am, on Newstalk ZB. He is also the music reviewer on Jack Tame’s Saturday morning show on Newstalk ZB. He grew up in Remuera.

Urban design critic Tommy Honey (The Suburbanist) is a former architect, now Dean of College at Parnell’s Whitecliffe College of Arts & Design.

Dr Amrit Kaur (The Psyche) lives in Meadowbank and is a NZ-registered clinical psychologist specialising in helping children, families and young adults. She is part of the multidisciplinary KidzTherapy practice.

Leigh Melville (The Arts) is the art department manager at ART + OBJECT auction house. She has worked for several Auckland galleries and is currently co-chair of the Patrons of the Venice Biennale.

Lee Parore (The Wellbeing) is an expert in executive health. A qualified naturopath and a personal trainer to elite athletes and executives, he works with both men and women at his wellness clinic in Newmarket. www.leeparorehealthlab.com Paul Thompson (The Plot) is behind www.podgardening.co.nz, and a passionate proponent of edible gardening.

One of New Zealand’s leading beauty and lifestyle editors, Remuera’s Melissa Williams-King (The Pretty) is a former editor of Fashion Quarterly.

Gail Woodward (The Bookmark) is the senior book buyer for Paper Plus Newmarket. A “forgiving reader” across genres, she belongs, and advises on selections, to book clubs.

the hobson 6

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To find out more about Bayleys, and get a taste of the new, different and exciting things we can offer, call Rachel Dovey on 520 8888.

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Our new office opens 28 June 2014.

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Bayleys Real Estate Ltd. Licensed under the REAA 2008.

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issue 10, july/august 2014 Editor & Publisher Kirsty Cameron editor@thehobson.co.nz Art Direction & Production Stephen Penny design@thehobson.co.nz Advertising Inquiries business@thehobson.co.nz Writers This Issue Josie Desmond, Hamish Firth, Zac Fleming, Belinda Masfen, Melissa Williams-King Proofreader Fiona Wilson

og ownership has come to me, a cat person, only recently; the result of a two-year relentless campaign by my daughter, now 12. One of the many benefits of the dog, the charming Havanese boy Boots, has been getting to know other dog owners. We’re semi-regulars at the off-leash part of the Shore Rd playing fields, and it’s my breath of fresh air as much as it’s Boots’ run-sniff-roll time with his pretend pack. Photographer Pippi Nola met the early crowd at the park over several mornings to capture some lovely images (see page 39) which I hope you’ll enjoy whether you’re a dog person or not.

This, our tenth issue, covers the months of both July and August. During that time we’re going to be conducting some reader research.

If you check www.thehobson.co.nz or our Facebook page (TheHobsonMagazine) in early July there will be a link to the survey, so if you’d like to share your feedback on the magazine with us, please do. We are also recruiting for a contract sales manager.

The hours are flexible to suit the right (great) person. Have a look at Facebook, or contact me directly — editor@thehobson.co.nz We hope you enjoy the upcoming school holidays if you’re in that zone, and we’ll catch up with you all later in August with our September issue.

Intern Josie Desmond Columnists & Contributors This Issue Sandy Burgham (The Second Act), Peter Bromhead, Warren Couillault (The Investment), Andrew Dickens (The Sound), Paul Goldsmith (The Opinion), Tommy Honey (The Suburbanist), Amrit Kaur (The Psyche), Lee Parore (The Wellbeing), Leigh Melville (The Arts), Paul Thompson (The Plot), Melissa Williams-King (The Pretty), Gail Woodward (The Bookmark) Photographers Pippi Nola, Stephen Penny, Paul Thompson Cover Geordie, one of the four-legged stars of Pippi Nola’s photo shoot. See page 39 The Hobson is published 10 times a year by The Hobson Limited, PO Box 37490 Parnell, Auckland 1151. www.thehobson.co.nz F: TheHobsonMagazine T: @thehobson Ideas, suggestions, advertising enquiries welcome. editor@thehobson.co.nz Or via Facebook: www.facebook.com/ TheHobsonMagazine

The content of The Hobson is copyright. Our words, our pictures. Don’t steal, and don’t borrow without checking with us first. We aim for accuracy but cannot be held liable for any inaccuracies that do occur. The views of our contributors are their own and not necessarily those of The Hobson. We don’t favour unsolicited contributions but do welcome you getting in touch via editor@thehobson.co.nz to discuss ideas.

Due to a “production error” (code for “total stuff up”) we had rogue ingredients appearing in the recipe published in our May issue. For the record, TriBeCa’s Marinated Sicilian Olives does not contain flour or eggs. Apologies to those who may have inadvertently made an olive fritter. Here’s the correct version: 500g Sicilian olives 100ml olive oil zest of 1 orange zest of 1 lemon 4 cloves of peeled garlic 25g thyme 5 bay leaves 10 whole peppercorns Place all ingredients except the olives into a large pot and gently warm, letting all the flavours infuse for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the olives in a low oven for 10 minutes. Combine the oil mixture and the olives, and leave to infuse for couple of hours before serving.

Kirsty Cameron, Editor

Check out the kids’

Halloween

competition in this issue.

Great prizes to be won — see page 38 for details Congratulations to Murray Fitzsimons and Chris Spoors, each of whom won the DaveMcArtney book Gutter Black: A Memoir, courtesy of Harper Collins Publishing

The Hobson is Remuera and Parnell’s community magazine. We deliver into letterboxes in these neighbourhoods and copies are also available via the local libraries, cafes and on-counter at serveral businesses.

For more about us, visit www.thehobson.co.nz or TheHobsonMagazine on Facebook.

Distribution by

This publication uses vegetable based inks and environmentally responsible papers.

Improving local communities The board also proposes to upgrade parks and playgrounds, restore waterways and continue support for community groups and local events.

Feedback is also invited on a draft action plan for the Waitematā Local Board area to focus on reducing emissions and become a low-carbon community.

The full plans can be read online and feedback given between 7 July and 6 August at shapeauckland.co.nz

7.30pm, Wednesday 16 July Pecha Kucha Night Auckland - Special Town Hall Edition, Auckland Town Hall, 303 Queen Street shapeauckland.co.nz facebook.com/waitemata For more information, phone 09 301 0101

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Upgrading Taurarua/Point Resolution Reserve, building a community recycling centre and creating more cycleways and walkways are among the projects Waitematā Local Board has planned.

During July the board will seek feedback on its draft Local Board Plan, which sets out the proposed direction and projects for the next three years.

Waitematā Local Board Chair Shale Chambers says: “We’ve got lots of ideas for making our neighbourhoods even better.

Input from our community has shaped this plan and now we want to hear if we have it right.”

Find out more about the draft Local Board Plan and hear fast, fun and informing presentations from guest speakers about shaping the future of Waitematā and Auckland at a free Pecha Kucha Night.

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Town & Around

onstruction has begun on the $12 million building project that will see the Holy Trinity Cathedral extended with a glass chapel, the Cathedral’s organ upgraded and landscaping completed, to better link historic St Mary’s church with the modernist Cathedral.

The $4 million Bishop Selwyn Chapel by Fearon Hay Architects is to be built at the southern end of the site on land originally proposed to be part of the Cathedral, but never completed. The Bishop Selwyn Chapel is described by the church as a multi-purpose venue that will seat 120 people.

The glass chapel with its draped roof form will have full width glass doors opening to the Trinity gardens. “This proposal offers a contemporary, simple and elegant solution that complements

and respects the existing buildings and landscape,” said a spokesman for Fearon Hay. “In responding to the client’s brief, the design will provide enhanced functionality of St. Mary’s, improved connections between the new and existing buildings, and through the new chapel’s strong links to the landscape, offer an invitation to the public to experience and appreciate the Cathedral’s building ensemble “in the round” .”

Central to the visual impact of the chapel will be the swoop of the ceiling, which will be covered in a gold finish, visible on approach to the building. Fearon Hay won the commission in a competition run through the NZ Institute of Architects. The chapel is expected to be complete in the first half of 2015.

Fundraising for the entire project, named Selwyn’s Vision

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The initial impressions of the glass Bishop Selwyn Chapel and its dramatic gold ceiling. Images courtesy of Fearon Hay Architects.

in reference to the 1843 purchase of the Cathedral land by Bishop George Selwyn, was helped along with a $3 million grant from Auckland Council.

“The changes are quite dramatic,” says Holy Trinity dean’s warden Avril Souter. “They will make a big difference to everyone who uses the Cathedral.”

During construction within the Cathedral (the exisiting bridge housing the organ will be removed) services will be held in St. Mary’s. Fundraising is continuing, with the New Voice Project raising funds for the restoration of the organ. Visit www.holytrinity.org.nz/selwyns-vision.— Josie Desmond p

Sing a song of sixpence on Clonbern Road with a new organic bakery and a cake shop both set to open this month.

At 3a Clobern, the 4&20 bakery will bring the sweet tang of rising dough to the neighbourhood. The venture of Zarbo’s founder Deborah Chait and partner Andrew Tse, 4&20’s speciality will be artisan breads — organic, naturally leavened and with no added yeast.

Since she left Zarbo in late 2002, Chait has been overseas, living in New York, London and Sydney, and all the while eating great bread, she says. “But then we came back here and haven’t been able to find any bread that we love.” 4

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the village Her pared-back approach means those with gluten allergies will likely be able to eat 4&20’s bread —the natural gluten in the flour breaks down, leaving a bread that, while not entirely gluten-free, contains much less gluten than regular bread.

Next door at number 5, Jackie King is opening Cake & Co. King, who has experience as a personal chef and a cake decorator, aims to focus on “special diets” and will offer a range of glutenfree, dairy-free and low sugar cakes, baked fresh with free-range ingredients. Large cakes for special occasions will be available to order, with delivery Auckland-wide.

Once the complete renovation of the site is complete, King will have seating for 10 inside the store, with chairs in the sun over summer. Ultimately she plans to run lessons on cake decorating and patisserie from the boutique. “I want the focus to be all natural,” says King, who will sell “Karma Cola, not Coca Cola,” and wishes to provide indulgent options for all dietary requirements.

— Zac Fleming & Josie Desmond p Walkers on the just-about complete boardwalk linking Orākei Basin and Hobson Bay will have seen newly installed totara pou by Ngati Whātua carver, Katz Maihi. The pou “recognises and acknowledges the ancestors of the past that occupied this pā site,” says Maihi. It also acknowledges the waterways around Waitaramoa (the Maori name for the basin) and Orākei. The walkway skirts the western face of the Orākei pā, occupied by Ngāti Whātua o Orākei since the 1830s. The pou was blessed in a ceremony attended by Local Board members and representatives

of Ngāti Whātua. The walkway will be formally opened in a public ceremony in August or September, after construction has been completed. p Bar owners and business groups in Parnell and Newmarket will make submissions this month on Auckland Council’s draft Local Alcohol Policy. The policy, designed to help combat alcohol-fuelled carnage on city streets, has decided some cityfringe areas are “suburban” while Ponsonby is not. As such, bars and restaurants in Remuera, Parnell and Newmarket will have to stop serving alcohol by 1am, while the CBD and Ponsonby will stay serving until 3am. All areas currently have a 4am cut off.

Cheryl Adamson, general manager of Parnell Inc, which represents Parnell Rd businesses, describes the proposal as “patently unfair. Parnell and Newmarket are both established hospitality precincts, and an earlier closing time will drive consumer selection to other areas for the late part of the night, possibly leaving as early as 11pm.

“We are concerned that this could seriously damage the hospitality sector of Parnell. And it seems in complete contrast to the Auckland Plan and draft Unitary Plan which outlines Parnell as an important fringe area for the future of the city”.

Co-owner of Newmarket’s Lucha Lounge, Karyn Cullington, calls the plan “draconian and short-sighted,” and says it fails to take into account differences in areas that are considered to be suburban. The bar, on York St in Newmarket, often hosts private functions she says, many of them 30th and 40th birthday 4

Katz Maihi’s pou took two months to shape and carve. The totara came from Te Urewera, the carver acknowledging the support of Ngāi Tūhoe for the project. the hobson 12

TRUST WORTHY Trusting in the best to deliver the rest

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PAUL GOLDSMITH NATIONAL LIST MP BASED IN EPSOM

107 Great South Road, Greenlane PO Box 26 153 Epsom, Auckland 1344 P: 09 524 4930 E: paul.goldsmith@parliament.govt.nz W: www.paulgoldsmith.co.nz facebook.com/PaulGoldsmithNZ Funded by Parliamentary Service and authorised by Paul Goldsmith 107 Great South Rd Auckland

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the village parties people can’t have at home due to noise restrictions.

“The idea of telling grown adults they can only stay on licensed premises until 1am, in an area that is fully business zoned and has no noise constraints, is ridiculous.”

Cullington will be making a submission as part of the public consultation process, as will Newmarket’s Doolan Brothers pub on Khyber Pass.

Another bar opposed to the new changes is 46 & York, on the corner of Parnell’s York St and Parnell Rise. Co-owner Dana Johnston points out the anomaly that Ponsonby is not considered a suburban area, yet Parnell is. “It will end up stifling Auckland being a vibrant city and won’t actually the fix the real problem.”

Dr Denise Bornfather, medical officer of health at the Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS), says the ARPHS is quite pleased with the draft policy but “it does have its shortfalls”. Dr Remuera Architect Ian Kohler’s visual for the redeveloped Clonbern Lane Bornfather cites the staggered closing times across space, with the Clonbern carpark shown. Image courtesy of Ian Kohler. the city as a potential problem, with an increased likelihood of drink driving.

The ARPHS is calling for the freeze on new liquor licenses Plans are underway to turn the rutted track service lane between proposed in the policy to be extended for its entire six year the Clonbern Rd carpark and the Remuera Rd shops into a duration, as well as a capping of the number of on-license premises. mixed-use space, and an improved entrance to the Village Green area. The improvements are being instigated and funded by the Currently there is no limit. — Zac Fleming p

Saturday 12 July, 10am - 2pm French up your weekend and celebrate Bastille Day in Remuera!

There’s something for everyone at this free family event… French music, mime artists, circus performers, caricature artists, French food and wine. Plus the chance to win a trip for two to Paris!

Visit www.remuera.org.nz for more

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Orākei Local Board, Auckland Transport and the Remuera Business Association. Local architect Ian Kohler has donated his time and expertise to create the concept design.

The new laneway will be pedestrian friendly, and allow several businesses to make use of what are currently service entrances.

Remuera Local Café-Bistro’s Buki Prekazi is already at work with Paul Izzard Design (Blue Breeze Inn, Baduzzi) to create a bar opening on to the lane. p Also in Remuera—the Orākei Local Board has funded night lighting for the historic post office building, now occupied by the ANZ on the corner of Remuera Rd and Vicky Ave. p In more Council news, this month sees new laws around nail salons’ hygiene and safety practices.

A new bylaw and code of practice will apply for all commercial services carrying health and hygiene risks, which includes manicures and pedicures. Nail salons will need to have a health protection license to operate, and will be inspected once a year.

Council says services that pierce or risk breaking the skin have “high associated health risks” due to the possible transfer of diseases such as HIV and hepatitis. There is also a high risk of transferring fungal infections during manicures and pedicures if equipment is not sterilised properly.

Amber McIver from Verdo Nails on Parnell Road says it’s a start, but more needs to be done.

“It [the nail industry] needs a governing body just like hairdressers do, and like beauty therapy does,” she says.

McIver says at the moment a lot of irresponsible nail salons have unhygienic practices that put customers at risk. “A lot of places popped up overnight and wiped out good salons because they’re cheap. And they’re not going get themselves regulated because they actually just don’t care.”

The new nail salon regulations come into force July 1.

— Zac Fleming p

T R I B A L

R U G S

Appetites are whetted in anticipation of the September opening of a new restaurant on Parnell Rd from Mark Wallbank, of Ponsonby’s hot and happening Blue Breeze Inn. Wallbank was honoured at last month’s hospitality industry Lewisham Awards as Outstanding Restaurateur for the Blue Breeze Inn, and the restaurant also won Outstanding New Establishment. p A trove of original cartoons discovered in a newspaper archive resulted in a surprise exhibition for The Hobson’s cartoonist, Peter Bromhead. “When Ink Was King”, at Parnell’s Jonathan Grant Galleries featured 25 Bromhead classics, drawn when the artist/designer/writer/bon vivant was the Auckland Star’s editorial cartoonist in the 1980s. “They’re very highly complicated ink drawings,” says Bromhead. “Back then I was more interested in the drawings themselves rather than the idea behind them.

“I used to only do one a week. It took me three days to draw one cartoon on average, and then four more days to recover from drawing it. Today a newspaper will ring me up and I’ll have 20 minutes deadline from start to finish. The only thing that matters in a cartoon is the idea and message behind it.”

New Zealand’s most awarded journalist with 10 Qantas and Canon Awards, Bromhead was made a Member of the NZ 4

MERINO & SILK LUXURY LOUNGEWEAR

the village Order of Merit in 2000 and is a Life Fellow of the New Zealand Designer’s Institute. He continues to contribute cartoons to The New Zealand Herald, where he’s also a regular columnist.

With wife Carolyn, he runs the Gladstone Rdbased Bromhead Design.

“When Ink Was King” finished at the end of June but works are still available to view at the gallery. www.artis-jgg.co.nz p Students at Diocesan School for Girls initiated what became a nationwide day of highschool moral support for the Nigerian girls kidnapped by the Boko Haram terrorist organisation. “These girls were at school when the terrorist group lied to them and told them they had to move offsite to sit their exams,” said Dio student Juliette Danesh-Meyer, who organised the Auckland event (pictured above). “These girls are just like us here in NZ — wanting to become educated so that they can make a contribution to the world.” Dio was joined in the protest by girls at Dunedin’s Columba College and as word spread, almost 30 schools joined in. The White Ribbon Foundation, which works to end mens’ violence towards women, provided ribbons in support. Other Auckland schools who participated included Saint Kentigern College, Grammar, Glendowie College and Westlake Girls. Photo courtesy of the Danesh-Meyer family p

Bayleys real estate’s Remuera office is having its own housewarming of sorts with a move this month to a new, totally renovated space at 50 Remuera Rd, near the Middleton Rd intersection. The new location replaces Bayleys’ previous Remuera branch 150 metres further up Remuera Rd. Bayleys Remuera branch manager Rachel Dovey says the office will give the brand blanket coverage of Auckland’s inner-eastern suburbs, and will complement the existing branches operating in the central city, Mt Eden, and St Heliers. The new office will accommodate a team of 35 salespeople, covering all aspects of

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Congratulations to locals who received awards in the Queen’s Birthday honours list. Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) were awarded to Dr Paul White of Parnell for services to children’s health and radiology, and to Professor Jonathan ManeWheoki of Meadowbank, for services to the arts.

Honoured as Members (MNZM) were Marie Quinn of Remuera for services to business and the community, and Robyn Scott-Vincent of Orākei for services to television and people with disabilities. p

Planwatch The Hobson likes to check in periodically on local body plans affecting our neighbourhood. The Auckland Domain master plan is sitting with a panel chaired by councillor Christine Fletcher. The panel members include councillors Mike Lee and Calum Penrose, Independent Maori Statutory Board member Karen Wilson, and Waitematā Local Board members Shale Chambers, Christopher Dempsey and Rob Thomas.

In response to our enquiry, a Council spokesperson said: “Work began on the preparation of a master plan for Auckland Domain last year, and we have made significant progress on the development of the plan.

The master plan will provide a framework which outlines the development of the park over the next 10 to 15 years. It will coordinate existing initiatives and identify other improvements in the park and establish a timeline for their funding and implementation.

The key themes emerging in the master plan are: • Improving the pedestrian and cycling environment in the park • Improving directional signage and providing better information about historical sites in the park The draft master plan will be completed later this year and the public will be invited to provide feedback on the draft plan at open days in the park.”

Help shape Orākei Local Board area Your submission matters We want to make the Orākei Local Board area even better by:

• advocating to reduce the rates burden on our community.

• continuing our strong advocacy for a train station between Meadowbank and Glen Innes to reduce road congestion

These are just some of the issues that you told us you want fixed. Our draft Local Board Plan proposes ways to address these and others.

• improving our substandard community facilities, for example by bringing forward funding for the Meadowbank Community Centre upgrade

Have we got it right? Read the plan and give us your feedback. Submissions open Monday 7 July to Wednesday 6 August.

Have your say to help create the world’s most liveable city. shapeauckland.co.nz facebook.com/orakeiLB For more information, phone 09 301 0101

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the residential property market. Additionally, the company is looking at bringing in a team of residential property managers.

“Trading on Bayleys’ well-established market position and strong brand recognition, we are confident of quickly growing an already recognised position in the Remuera, Newmarket, Parnell and Epsom localities,” says Rachel Dovey. “One of our key targets has been to build on Bayleys’ existing market share through a higher profile high street office and a dedicated sales team.” p

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f your kids grew up in Parnell and played tennis, chances are they were coached at some point by Robin Byrne, who is leaving the Gladstone Tennis Club this month after 14 years as head coach.

During Byrne’s stewardship the club has experienced strong growth, to where it stands today at more than 300 members.

“Robin’s coached a lot of our kids right through, from fiveyear-olds who are now 15 to 20-year-olds,” says club president Campbell Stewart.

Byrne says he is leaving the role not because he’s lost any of his love for tennis, but because he’s decided it’s the right time in his life to follow other passions. The 43-year-old is taking up a fulltime position in charge of youth and music programs at Botany Life Community Church, which he helped establish with his wife, Sonia.

He is originally from the UK, a town called Herne Bay. “The real Herne Bay – which is in Kent,” he says. He started playing tennis at 12, which according to him is quite late. “A lot of kids I coach now days are picking up a racquet at three or four.

“I caught the bug really quickly. It was literally a case of I couldn’t get home from school quick enough, I’d get my homework done, racquet in the backpack and ride down to the courts and play for two or three hours every night.”

The practice paid off when he won a junior level club championship at age 15.

Byrne ended up in New Zealand by way of meeting his Kiwi

wife in Switzerland when she was on a skiing tour. They have three children who are home schooled by Sonia — Bjorn, 13, Jai, 10, and Milla, 8.

He took up a youth worker role at a local church when he arrived in NZ, but hadn’t stopped thinking about tennis. He joined the Winstone Park Tennis Club in Mt Roskill, and was introduced to coaching. With a Tennis New Zealand coaching qualification, he was head coach at Howick’s Cockle Bay Tennis Club for five years before moving to Gladstone.

“I started off with not a lot of people really, to be honest,” he says of his early days at Gladstone. “They had an interim coach for a year but nobody was really 100 per cent committed to the position. Numbers had really dropped off and juniors went to other clubs.

“I just really got stuck into the community, doing a lot of letter drops and that type of stuff, going to local schools and getting kids down for introductory lessons. We built up the numbers… and I think I’ve run a fairly successful club. But when I say successful I’m not talking about monetary success, because that’s never really been a focus for me.

“Successful in terms of getting people down and introducing them to a sport that I love and I’m passionate about, and helping them catch the bug.

“It’s a sport I think you can play all of life. You can play from when you’re four to 85 if you want to.”

Byrne’s final day as head coach is July 11. — Zac Fleming p

the hobson 18

the village: comment

Quake-Proofing Heritage

W

hat makes the main shopping streets of Parnell, Newmarket and Remuera special, is at risk with recent amendments made to the Building (Earthquake-Prone Buildings) Amendment Bill.

Many of the iconic shops are one to two levels in height, built between 1910 and 1940. They were built long before reinforcing steel and earthquake codes were thought necessary. The facades are ornate, solid concrete, often much thicker than more modern buildings. Their sheer weight and mass holds them up.

The amendment to the legislation before parliament requires all earthquake-prone buildings to be identified within five years of changes to the new legislation taking effect. All earthquake-prone buildings will have to be strengthened, or demolished, within 20 years of the new legislation (i.e. assessment by territorial authorities within five years, and strengthening within 15 years of assessment). Those that require strengthening will have to be brought up to at least 34 per cent of the new building standard.

The Auckland region will need to meet the new standards, even though the city has been identified as an area with low seismicity.

As Auckland’s oldest suburb, Parnell will undoubtedly be affected by this amendment. Parnell is known for its classic architecture. Victorian buildings front the streets, representing the area’s identity and unique character. It is unlikely that these 19th century buildings will be meeting the standards set out in the bill.

In effect, this bill could cause major economic and financial losses, as building owners struggle to obtain finances to undertake

the necessary work. In almost all cases the cost of earthquake strengthening is simply uneconomic. as undertaking this work does not necessarily enable building owners to increase rents.

While tenants have higher expectations around earthquake risk/ safety, they are not willing to pay for building upgrades.

As it is, insurance premiums have increased substantially since the Christchurch quakes. Insurance cover has become more site specific and now, when assessing premiums, insurers take into account all risks such as the age of the building, construction type and land conditions. While this has resulted in a significant increase of insurance premiums, in some cases, building owners and the tenants have simply been unable to afford insurance. Cover is now becoming difficult to obtain, particularly for buildings constructed prior to 1935 with less than a 34 per cent rating of the new building standard. This has the potential to change the face of character areas such as Parnell, Newmarket and Remuera.

Parliament is currently grappling with these issues and establishing a suite of “tools” to assist with earthquake strengthening. These tools to help building owners are such matters as transferrable development rights, amending tax rules, waiving resource consent fees and/or offering incentives, effective grants/loans and rates relief. Will it be provided in a workable manner? We will have to wait and see. — Hamish Firth Hamish Firth is the director of Mt Hobson Group, a boutique resource management consultancy based in Parnell.

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the boards

Drafting Plans Orākei Local Board chair Desley Simpson and Waitematā Local Board chair Shale Chambers discuss what is coming up in their respective wards desley simpson

shale chambers

Parnell’s Waipapa Stream is among the Waitematā Local Board area’s Once every three years you get the chance to set our direction. We best kept secrets. The historical waterway, which runs alongside the need your help to ensure your rates are being spent on the things Parnell side of the Auckland Domain next to the railway line, was that matter to you. a source of water for the commercial ventures of early settlers as Every three years local boards develop a plan for the subsequent far back as the 1840’s. A lot has changed since and today much three years. Our Local Board Plan represents our best opportunity of the stream is underground in culverts. Over time to meet your needs and aspirations for our local the open section, from the Parnell Tunnel to the area. It is also a tool to obtain funding to carry Ngahere Terrace walkway, became quite neglected. out the plan. Earlier in the year we asked for But the good news is that this is changing through your ideas. Based on that we’ve created a draft our Waipapa Stream Restoration Project. plan. The question is: have we got it right? To Parnell Heritage, Parnell Community Committee, answer this, please make a submission during our Kiwirail, Auckland Transport, Auckland Council, formal consultation between Monday 7 July and community groups, neighbours, volunteers and the Wednesday 6 August.

Waitematā Local Board are among those working Why is this important? Because numbers count. to rehabilitate the steam’s habitat. Together we have Three years ago, when we asked you to submit on been removing pest plants, removing rubbish and our draft plan, the areas that we received the greatest replanting the riparian margins. More than 2000 number of submissions on were the areas where we trees, shrubs and grasses have been planted so far. made the most progress. Even if you think our plan Supporting the restoration of the Waipapa Stream is spot on, we’d still like you to tell us.

Desley Simpson is an important priority for the board. We’ve Specifically for Remuera, our plan looks at a been heartened to see the progress so far, which wouldn’t have potential extension of the Library, and to investigate redeveloping been possible without the significant contribution of community the Citizens Advice Bureau and Plunket building at 4 Victoria organisations and volunteers.

Avenue, to make the best use of this space.

Over the longer term we plan to develop a cycling It also looks to enhance the urban form, retail and walking route through the area. This would offering, and accessibility of Remuera town centre provide a link between Newmarket and the city, and along with supporting popular events there such see the old Parnell rail tunnel opened. Developing as Bastille Day (celebrated 12 July this year). We this route forms part of our Greenways Plan, which will continue to support the Remuera Residents’ will create a network of walkways and cycleways Association and Remuera Business Association. that connect our parks and neighbourhoods.

The board maintains a strong (sometimes These greenways will provide safe and pleasant battle-weary) focus in its advocacy to Auckland routes that encourage walking and cycling, while Transport to address traffic congestion, road and also supporting our aspiration for a congestion pedestrian safety, and parking shortages. free transport network. We welcome news that We want to extend the coastal walkway network cycleways on both sides of Carlton Gore Rd will be through the ‘Orākei Spine’, a walkway and cycleway installed. This is an important link into the city and from Parnell to Glen Innes (crossing Hobson having designated access will make it easier and Bay and Orākei Basin) – part of our Greenways Shale Chambers safer for people to cycle to and from the city.

Plan to create linkages for walking and cycling.

Safety is particularly paramount for our city’s cyclists and later In Shore Road Reserve/Thomas Bloodworth Park, we will focus this year, the first stage of the Beach Rd cycleway will be open. This on informal recreation and ecological restoration. In Hobson Bay, is another positive step, with the project providing dedicated twowe will investigate options to control the tidal flow to improve water way access along Beach Rd that will connect to the Grafton Gully quality and increase the range of recreational activities that can take cycleway as well as cycle routes on Tamaki Drive and Quay St. place in the bay, e.g. paddle boarding and kayaking. We will also Next month our draft Local Board Plan will be open for feedback. develop a mangrove plan, and undertake targeted landscaping to The plan sets out what we propose to do over the next three years improve sightlines. to improve our area for the future. We’ve developed this plan with You will receive a draft plan summary, including a submission community input and we welcome your feedback. form, in your letterbox in early July. You can read our full draft At the same time, we’ll be asking for feedback on our plan to and make a submission at shapeauckland.co.nz. Full plans and become a low carbon community where we focus on reducing our summaries will also be available at libraries, council service energy use, water consumption and waste.We encourage you to find centres and our local board office, or call 301 0101. out more and have your say at shapeauckland.co.nz.

A whole column on our local board plan? Yes, it’s that important. the hobson 20

the opinion

Focusing on the things that matter I’ve been out visiting health businesses and clinics in the Epsom electorate. This is an area that probably boasts more health professionals per square kilometre than anywhere in the country.

We are incredibly well served by them, and we’re living longer and healthier lives.

Yet, for as long as I can remember, I’ve heard people say that we need to pay more attention to prevention when it comes to healthcare.

I’m proud to be part of a government that is determined to make progress on preventing illhealth.

Take immunisation. In 2007, after the previous government had been in power for eight years and had literally doubled health spending, only 59 per cent of Māori children and 63 per cent of Pacific children were fully immunised.

That simply wasn’t good enough. Whooping cough and measles were running rampant. National has focused on the issue and we’ve seen unprecedented progress. The latest figures show 90 per cent of Māori children and 95 per cent of Pacific children were fully immunised by their second birthday.

Immunisation rates for Māori children have improved so much in the past four years that the Māori rates are now equal to or better than the New Zealand European rate in more than half of the country’s

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district health boards (DHBs).

Two of the government’s other key health targets have focused on prevention: better help for smokers to quit and more heart and diabetes checks.

Now, you may have noticed that the fight against rheumatic fever has shifted up a gear with TV adverts which show the impact rheumatic fever can have on the lives of children and their families.

These are based on the real life experiences of a Tongan family with 11-year-old twins. One of the twins, Justin, avoided rheumatic fever when his strep throat was detected by swabbing and he completed a course of antibiotics. However his brother, Tristan, has had open heart surgery as a result of getting rheumatic fever.

Reducing rheumatic fever is a priority for this government.

That’s why we are investing more than $65 million over six years to combat this preventable illness, which includes funding for the awareness campaign. There’s always more to do, but I believe we’re making good progress to our goal of delivering better, sooner, more convenient healthcare for New Zealand families. I’d be interested to hear your views. — Paul Goldsmith Paul Goldsmith is the National Party list MP for Epsom

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the suburbanist

C

Pimp My (Bus) Ride

aught a bus lately? A train? Thought so. It’s obvious really: we would all use public transport more if it wasn’t so … well, public.

Dirty, smelly, crowded and too cold. Or too hot. Actually these days they’re probably none of these but our perceptions – or prejudices – are all powerful. We believe want we want to believe. We like to have options and currently car is king.

And that is probably the problem with our options – they are too binary: public or private with nothing in between. Not so in America, home of the automobile, individuality and the free market. Between these purely private nodes, entrepreneurs are finding ways to make commuting public, without the smell.

Plus WiFi. A new wave of private buses are popping up in several big cities across the US. They all seem to share a common “luxury” quality — promoting WiFi and reserved seating — as well as a common mission: to offer “choice” transit riders a better choice. Take Bridj, a private bus still in its testing phase in metro Boston. For $6, or four times the regular bus fare, Bridj carries riders non-stop from Brookline to downtown Boston, Kendall and Harvard squares, and Back Bay. Bridj says it uses data to identify key service corridors and offers the service only on these routes. Unlike the city’s bus services it has no responsibility to offer buses on all routes to all people; it simply picks the best routes and offers a premium service.

Chicago has Blackline, a new service that runs from the upscale Lakeview area to the downtown Loop. The total cost is about double regular fares and the service is currently limited to two morning and evening buses along one route, but that’s all they need to offer at this stage. If it proves popular, they’ll expand.

There’s also Leap Tranist, a private alternative to San Francisco’s Muni bus that emerged for testing last year. It looks like the other private options: leather seats, WiFi, smartphone ticketing, all at a cost above public transit (in this case, $6 compared to $2).

So a clear pattern emerges with luxury buses offering a higher-price option to commuters. They all tout an advantage to “overcrowded” buses, and they all appear to have one in the form of a mobile office environment and a guaranteed seat.

It’s far too early to say what these services will mean for the good (and bad) old city bus, but they do spark plenty of questions. Will the services disrupt traditional public routes, or will they serve as high-end carpools for workers from similar neighbourhoods? Will the benefits they provide for the transportation network outweigh the harm they might cause to social equity?

In Auckland we would do well to observe this shift in transport and plan how we could make it work here. Why are our buses so big? Why not smaller 20-seat buses that go exactly where we need them to? Pre-book – and pre-pay – your ride on your smartphone and get an alert when it’s time to leave home (because the system will know how long it takes for you to walk to your stop). The bus seat will remember you and your settings – temperature, favourite news feed on your individual screen … How about some Lexus comfort for those that don’t want a Corolla ride?

And don’t get me started on the individual four-seater electric train carriage that rolls out of a siding to greet me as I approach the train station with my three trusted commuting companions, my flat white steaming in anticipation. — Tommy Honey

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the hobson 22

the investment

T

An Amber Flashing Light

here’s a couple of newspaper articles I read and some discussions I heard on radio programs recently, that not only piqued my interest, but gave me some cause for concern.

Taken together with some things I’ve recently begun to notice, you’ll understand why I am actually a little more than concerned — I’m actually starting to become a little worried.

One commentary I read in a newspaper pointed out that in 1987 there were 65 listings on the New Zealand Stock Exchange. And of those 65, only the one company remains listed on the NZSX today (incidentally and interestingly, that company is Michael Hill International). Another story I read in the newspaper noted that Auckland and Wellington investment bankers are currently stretched to capacity, because they’re all busy working on Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), or listings for a lot of companies. (I know a lot of these guys and it is true: they’re all very, very busy). You’ll all be aware of the government’s recent sales of some of its shares in Meridian and Genesis, and their listing on the NZSX. And by the time you read this article another two companies, Gentrack and Serko, will have joined the bourse and there’s yet more coming. So, lots of companies coming to the market …

Another thing I heard that caused a few more worry lines to appear was on a radio program. During the program, two commentators were discussing the growth and success of New Zealand’s technology sector. Without getting too excited, I’d have to agree there has been some good growth shown by some companies in this sector over the past few years. But the source of the flashing amber light was the comment that “within a few years the New Zealand technology sector will be bigger than New Zealand’s agricultural sector and bigger than New Zealand’s tourism sector”. Well that sounds interesting,

B u i l d i n g

open

day

but remember these are big sectors. Agricultural activity (including food and forestry) accounts for about 12 per cent of GDP, or more than NZ$20 billion per annum. The tourism sector accounts for another nine per cent of GDP, or close to $20 billion. The commentators’ statement would need to see a pretty big technology sector!

More worry lines appear when you consider currently high or stretched valuations. These terms refer to situations when the (listed) companies’ values as determined by their share prices are high relative to their respective sales or profit levels.

At present there are a lot of companies including some in NZ where valuations are very full: these companies are being valued on the markets at many, many times their current sales, and certainly many, many times the level of profit (in fact a lot of theses companies don’t yet even make a profit!). Why these stretched valuations? Low interest rates and too much money in the system.

When I take these articles and radio programs in conjunction with my observations regarding valuations in the context of a five year bull-run in global share markets, and five years of very low interest rates, it’s easy to see why the warning lights have decided to flash amber. We’ve seen this sort of thing before.

Busy investment bankers, lots of new listings, commentators making grand statements and strong market performance. And every time we’ve seen these conditions there’s always been some sort of market downturn – correction or crash — soon thereafter. 1987, 1997, 2000, 2008 to name a few. So be aware of the environment we’re in and be vigilant with what you do with your investments and savings because, as we’ve all seen many times before, the good times don’t last forever. — Warren Couillault

t h e

Aug 12 9.00 a m -10.30 a m the hobson 23

F u t u r e

Preschool - Year 8 Phone 09 520 7770 www.kings.school.nz

the district diary - july

monday

tuesday

wednesday

1

2

thursday

3

Dinosaur Footprints - A Story of Discovery 1pm, Auckland War Memorial Museum

Adults’ Book Group 10 - 11am, Parnell Library, 545 Parnell Rd

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards week-long leadership camp. Contact Henry, Parnell Rotary on 027 710 2203

Remuera Bowling Club Afternoon 6 Market Rd, Remuera

7

8

9

10

Parnell Trust School Holiday Programme for 5 to 14 year olds 7.30am - 6pm, every weekday to July 18. Activities, trips, Lego, sports. Held at Parnell District School and Epsom Normal Primary. Details and bookings at parnell.org.nz

School Holiday Face Painting 3 - 4.30pm, Parnell Library, plus grab a form, and enter the libary’s competition to design a wild creature

School Holiday Short Movie Making Workshop Learn how to make a short film using iPads.

3 - 5pm, Parnell Library Also on Wednesday July 16

Wallace National Piano Festival Showcase of young New Zealand pianists and the inaugural junior competition, from today until Sunday, presented by the Lewis Eady Charitable Trust. Auckland University School of Music, Symonds St. www.lect.co.nz

14

15

16

17

Meet the Dinos Dinosaur discovery 10.30am until Friday 18 Auckland War Memorial Museum

21

Celebrate Remuera’s French month and Bastille Day with a wine and cheese evening hosted by the French NZ Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Remuera Business Association at the Remuera Library. Contact info@fnzcci.org.nz for details

22

23

Term 3 begins Baradene, EGGS, Grammar, Saint Kentigern campuses, St Peter’s; Meadowbank, Newmarket, Parnell, Remuera, Vicky Ave primaries; Remuera Intermediate

24 Remuera Bowling Club Afternoon 6 Market Rd, Remuera

28

29

30

Term 3 begins ACG Parnell, Diocesan, King’s School, St Cuthbert’s

Term 3 Begins King’s College

Children’s Book Club Parnell Library 3.30 - 4.30pm Free entry

the hobson 24

31

friday

saturday

sunday

4

5

6

School’s Out! Term 2 ends today for most local schools (Saint Kentigern campuses finished Term 2 on Friday June 27)

Parnell Farmers’ Market Every Saturday 8am - 12pm Jubilee Building car park, 545 Parnell Rd

La Cigale French Market Every Saturday (8am) and Sunday (9am), La Cigale, 69 St Georges Bay Rd, Parnell

notes

Stringbean Puppets Marionette Show 10am, Remuera Library

11

12

13

School Holiday Short Movie Making Workshop Learn how to make a short film using iPads.

3 - 5pm, Parnell Library.

Also on Friday July 18

Remuera’s Bastille Day Festival Celebrate all things French, 10am - 2pm, Remuera town centre.

Events, food, kids’ activities, and displays all with a French theme

18

19

20

Parnell Farmers’ Market Every Saturday 8am - 12pm Jubilee Building car park, 545 Parnell Rd

25

26

Saint Kentigern Boys’ and Girls’ schools closed today for parentteacher interviews

Home Ideas Centre Expo Home Ideas Centre, 10am - 4pm, until Sunday 165 The Strand, Parnell

Teen Pizza and Movie Night Watch a movie (plus student-made winning trailers) and enjoy free Hell’s pizza, 6.30pm, Parnell Library. Call 374 1321 for details

27

Craft Harvest Market alongside Parnell Farmers’ Market 8am - 12pm Jubilee Building car park, 545 Parnell Rd

WDG Photo/Shutterstock.com

Got an entry for The District Diary?

Community groups, schools, special events welcome.

Email details to thehobsondiary@gmail.com

the hobson 25

Don’t miss Remuera’s French festival this month. As well as themed events to enjoy, such as Bastille celebrations on July 12 and 17, there’s a trip for two to Paris (flights plus accommodation at La Demeure hotel) to be won by a lucky shopper, courtesy of House of Travel and Air France.

For details visit remuera.org.nz and enter when you purchase in participating stores. Bonne chance!

the district diary - august

monday

tuesday

wednesday

thursday

Got an entry for the District Diary?

Community groups, schools, special events welcome.

Email details to thehobsondiary@gmail.com

4

5

6

Winner of Remuera’s Trip to Paris Drawn Best of luck!

11

12

7 Adults’ Book Group 10 - 11am, Parnell Library Free Entry

13

14

19

20

21

26

27

28

Children’s Book Club Parnell Library 3.30 - 4.30pm Free entry Still Life - Inside the Antarctic Huts of Scott and Shackleton Exhibition begins, Auckland War Memorial Museum

Remuera Bowling Club Afternoon Remuera Bowling Club, 6 Market Rd, Remuera

King’s School Open Day 9 - 10.30am, King’s School, 258 Remuera Rd. kings.school.nz St. Cuthbert’s: Conversation with the Principal 6 - 7.30pm Book online at: stcuthberts.school.nz

18 Parnell Heritage Inc. Executive Committee Meeting 7.15pm, Kinder House, Parnell

25

the hobson 26

friday

1

saturday

sunday

2

3

Auckland Grammar 1st XV vs.

Sacred Heart College At Grammar

La Cigale French Market Every Saturday (8am) and Sunday (9am), La Cigale, 69 St Georges Bay Rd, Parnell

ACG Parnell College Open Day 10.30am, Titoki St, Parnell Parnell Farmers’ Market Every Saturday 8am - 12pm 545 Parnell Rd

Dunholme Tennis Club AGM 4pm, Dunholme Clubhouse, 43 Ridings Rd, Remuera

8

9

10

St Peter’s College 75th Jubilee Celebrations, to Sunday. Details and events on www.st-peters. school.nz

St Peter’s College 75th Jubilee Ball www.st-peters.school.nz

Auckland Youth Orchestra: Heartstrings Free concert, 2pm, Auckland Town Hall

Parnell Farmers’ Market Every Saturday 8am - 12pm La Cigale French Market Every Saturday (8am) and Sunday (9am), 69 St Georges Bay Rd

15

22

16

17

Parnell Farmers’ Market Every Saturday 8am - 12pm Jubilee Building car park, 545 Parnell Rd

La Cigale French Market 8am, Every Saturday & Sunday, 69 St Georges Bay Rd, Parnell

23

24

Craft Harvest Market alongside Parnell Farmers’ Market Every Saturday 8am 12pm Jubilee Building car park, 545 Parnell Rd

29

30

31

Meet the Tamaki Candidates Candidates from the Tamaki Electorate will introduce themselves and answer questions.

7.30pm, Remuera Baptist Church, 641 Remuera Rd

Parnell Farmers’ Market Every Saturday 8am - 12pm Jubilee Building car park, 545 Parnell Rd

Beyond the Borders Conference Workshop in progressive spirituality, Community of St. Luke, 130 Remuera Road. www.stlukes.org.nz or progressivespirituality.co.nz

the hobson 27

notes

Simply Matching Pe

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A selection of sales 12 months to June 12, 2014

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the winter special

The Hobson Journeys In this special section, The Hobson ventures south with a personal guide to Wanaka, a tour of Sotheby’s New Zealand’s Southern Lakes properties, and an interview with Remuera resident and snow sports champion, Fiona Stevens

the hobson 31

the journey

My Winter Wanaka

Parnell resident Belinda Masfen gives a personal tour to one of her favourite places, Wanaka

I

have been going to Wanaka since I was a child. My father’s side of the family is from Dunedin, and my grandparents had a holiday house in Wanaka. Being from Wellington, we would take the Picton ferry across Cook Strait and make the picturesque drive to Wanaka for our summer and winter holidays.

Summers were always scorching hot, in stark contrast to the very beautiful but cool lake. We gorged ourselves on apricots we handpicked from the Cromwell orchards, we jet-boated up the river and camped in Glendhu Bay with friends. Whilst the summers were wonderful, it was the winters that were truly magical. My love affair with Wanaka had begun.

The winter air is clear and crisp, and the snow-covered mountains are out of this world.

The frosts turn the town into a magical winter wonderland and it’s no surprise that the Southern Lakes are considered to be one of the most beautiful areas of the world.

People who live in and visit Wanaka are of a similar ilk. We crave adventure, yet at the same time we crave stillness and isolation. We love nature and the beauty it bestows on us, and we appreciate and respect our surroundings.

You will find your soul in Wanaka.

Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one. — Dr Seuss Aside from Wanaka’s beauty that can keep one entertained by gaze alone, there are an extraordinary number of things to do.

Skiing of course attracts most holiday makers, and with two amazing mountains to pick from we are certainly spoilt. Each offers a very different experience — Cardrona has gentler slopes than Treble Cone, but where one can learn to carve a ski properly; Treble Cone has more challenging terrain, outstanding views, and there is nothing better than skiing in the saddle on a powder day.

For those of you that are keen to ski further afield or to get away from the school holiday crowds, give Julian from Southern Lakes Heliski a call. Heliskiing will take your breath away; mainly the beauty, but also the absolute freedom .... www.heliskinz.com Snow Farm — off the Cardrona Valley Rd — offers crosscountry skiing, which is a must-do experience to try at least once.

It will leave your body so sore you will find it hard to sit down for

a few days afterwards! www.snowfarmnz.co.nz Snow Farm also offers ice-driving experiences, and being that New Zealand has the most challenging roads up to our skifields, it’s an idea to take one of these courses to gain confidence driving on ice. Not only does it improve your confidence, it’s a hell of a ride! www.icedriving.co.nz or www.audi.co.nz For those rest days off the mountain, Wanaka has two movie theatres. Paradiso is where you sit in a comfortable sofa and at interval purchase a freshly baked cookie that’s served warm (they are seriously good). The Scottish lads that run Paradiso have a wicked sense of humour and one evening at a “chick flick,” my girlfriends and I were served by the Scotsmen — wearing nothing other than an apron. www.paradiso.net.nz Ruby’s Cinema & Bar is more upmarket, with a good bar and two movie theatres.

It’s new, and beautifully fitted out, very relaxing after a hard day on the slopes. www. rubyscinema.co.nz There are some amazing walks and biking trails in Wanaka, but during the winter months my favourite walk is Diamond Lake, about 10 minutes out of town towards Treble Cone. The lake in winter freezes so you can ice skate on it (don’t be first in your party to check that the ice is solid!).

My friends Hails and Darb Ferguson’s family own Oxbow The Adventure Company, which I can only describe as an adventure playground for adults. Included on their “thrill menu” is helicopter flights, 4 x 4 off-roading, jet boat sprinting and clay bird shooting, to name a few adventures. There is serious fun to be had on this property with this thrill-seeking family, who are all involved in running Oxbow. There is also accommodation in their beautiful Oxbow Lodge. www.oxbow.co.nz To Travel is to Shop Bridget Legnavsky is a woman of many talents, easily spotted by her flaming red hair at Cardrona (she is the skifield general manager), or in town at 47 Frocks (which she owns). Bridget runs a great frockshop stocking brands such as Zambesi, Karen Walker and Sass & Bide. As if she didn’t have enough to do already, she has also opened a homeware and fashion store across the road. 47 Lounge stocks brands including Bassike,

The author as a child, right, with sister Amanda and grandfather, Bumpy, in his Wanaka garden. Previous page: Lake Wanaka at sunset.

Both photographs courtesy of Belinda Masfen. the hobson 32

Birkenstock and Smashbox cosmetics. Her shops are Wanaka’s answer to a department store and well worth a visit. 47 Helwick St. www.47frocks.co.nz Kate Findlay is an interior designer who also runs a store in town. There are some great finds to be had such as French bed linen and ceramics, cushions and Ralph Lauren fabrics. 75 Brownston St. www.katefindlay.co.nz Racers Edge (99 Ardmore St) or Outside Sports (23 Dunmore St) are the places to go to stock up on your ski gear and ski rentals. Base (corner of Helwick and Dunmore Sts) is great for snowboarders and caters for the younger fashion market. It also stocks the iconic merino wool brand Mons Royale (as seen on our Olympians in Sochi). Mons Royale was started up by a Wanaka local Hamish Acland, and has a cult following in Wanaka.

Make sure you stock up on George and Edi candles before you leave town. Again made by locals, they smell divine. Gifted (19 Helwick Street) stocks them. www.georgeandedi.com

For the best coffee in town go to Cafe Gusto (1 Lakeside Rd).

They also do fresh vegetable juices and during the winter months, owner Nicky does themed nights which are great value, and the food is fantastic. Again bookings essential, call 03 443 6639.

The Belly Rules the Mind My favourite place to eat in Wanaka is Francesca’s Italian Kitchen.

The pizzas are amazing and their potato skins are hard to stop at just one! It’s a fun, relaxed restaurant, but gets really busy so make sure you book in advance (up to a week ahead during ski season, phone 03 443 5599). Great for family dining. (93Ardmore St).

You can’t ski at Cardrona without stopping into the historic Cardrona pub. There is still nothing better than having a mulled wine around the outdoor fireplace, regaling friends about your day up the hill. Cardrona Range Rd, 20 minutes from Wanaka or 40 from Queenstown.

Federal Diner (47 Helwick St) also does a fine coffee, and has the best cheese scones you will ever taste. So good, their logo includes the words “changing the world one cheese scone at a time”. www.federaldiner.co.nz On Golf Course Rd you will find Bistro Gentil, which serves modern French cuisine. It’s probably one of the more upmarket restaurants in town and the food is delicious. They have a selfdispensing wine machine which is a great way to try different wine and food combinations. It’s small and intimate and I’d recommend booking a babysitter for a great night out. www.bistrogentil.co.nz www.lakewanakababysitting.co.nz p

Balm to the soul: Wanaka village with its stunning Southern Alps backdrop. The Cardrona Hotel dates from the Central Otago goldrush days of 1863. Photos courtesy Lake Wanaka Tourism and Andy Woods/Imageworld.co.nz www.lakewanaka.co.nz the hobson 33

the hobson suggests: sotheby’s southern escapes

The Great South

New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty offers premium properties in one of the most beautiful places on earth, the Queenstown-Wanaka district

3 Whitbourn Place, Aspen Grove, Queenstown www.nzsothebysrealty.com ref: qbs10976 With extensive use of local schist, this sun-soaked, beautifully-crafted home is absolute southern style. There’s no shortage of thoughtful details, like the in-deck spa off the master suite’s bathroom, so you can sit and soak and take in the vista of Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables. Three bedrooms — all enjoying that view — two bathrooms, two car garage and masses of storage. Price by negotiation.

Contact Myles Green, 03 450 0487 or 021 671 571.

Apartment 2, 55 Kent Street, Queenstown

www.nzsothebysrealty.com Ref: qbs10981

With furniture included (this property is currently a luxury rental), there’s very little to add to this Queenstown Hill apartment other than your personal effects. The main living space has stunning views to the lake and mountains, and combines the kitchen, dining and lounge — with a separate snug for some quiet downtime. Perfectly set up for visiting friends and family with three ensuite bedrooms, you also have secure access from a double garage. This lifestyle jewel is a short walk to the centre of town. $1,650,000. Contact Colleen Murfin, 03 441 1099 or 0274 330 342. the hobson 34

251 Beacon Point Road, Wanaka

www.nzsothebysrealty.com ref:nzw10058

A few minutes’ drive from Wanaka township and you’ll arrive home to one of the most welcoming properties on the market. The work of local architect Ken Warburton, this four bedroom (three with ensuites), multi-living-roomed home looks out across the lake to Treble Cone. Wanaka’s bars may only be a short hop but you might find you’re happy to play host here — the property includes a small vineyard producing high quality pinot noir. Price on application. Contact Dan Rutledge, 03 443 2817 or 027 228 5044.

738 Luggate-tarras Road, Wanaka

www.nzsothebysrealty.com ref: nzw10060

This luxurious five-bedroom home sits on the banks of the Clutha River, with views to the mountains. The well-appointed living space on a grand scale includes a games room (billiard table included), gym, sauna, a scullery off the kitchen, plus a three-bedroom selfcontained guest apartment. With ample garaging and sheds for the boat and the toys, there’s no shortage of pursuits you could enjoy here, including trout fishing from your own slice of paradise. Price by negotiation. Contact Craig Myles, 03 443 2801 or 021 467 585.

203B Stone St, Wanaka www.nzsothebysrealty.com ref: nzw10051 A designer townhouse with space and a sense of peace. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a versatile mezzanine over the main living area that could be put to many uses. There’s a lawn at the back for the kids and views to the mountains for you. Warm and sunny, it’s a lovely retreat to come home to year round after a day on the mountain or lake. $685,000. Contact Craig Myles, 03 443 2801 or 021 467 585; or Jill Cole, 03 443 2815 or 021 338 904.

the resident

Snow Business

F

Remuera’s Fiona Stevens promotes New Zealand skiiing on and off our mountains

iona Stevens was plucked from a High Country farm at the age of 14 to fly to Switzerland on her own to compete as an alpine skier. With funding for New Zealand snow sports almost unheard of at that time, Stevens and her two young teammates made do without any of the support (or safety requirements) today’s athletes receive — they drove themselves to events through Europe, and skied slalom without helmets.

This can-do attitude, combined with her natural sporting talent, led to Stevens achieving great things on the alpine skiing arena: she was the first Kiwi to win a Federation of International Skiers race, came tenth in the 1978 World Championship Slalom, and skied for New Zealand at the 1980 Winter Olympics, held at Lake Placid.

Her heritage-listed Remuera home (designed by New Zealand architect Reginald Ford in the 1920s) displays rows of these hard-won trophies and medals, along with her first pair of skis.

The child-size wooden contraptions are a visual reminder of how far the sport has come in 50 years.

Part of the change in competitive skiing today is thanks to Stevens’ efforts setting up the Snowvision Foundation in 2005. “It’s a legacy project and my way to contribute back to the sport,” she explains. Snowvision supports young New Zealanders pursuing snow sports (alpine skiing, freeskiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing and more), providing funding for various teams and developments squads. They even bring in “celebrity coaches” for the kids such as Chris Knight, a Kiwi who coached US Olympic gold medallist, ski racer Lindsey Vonn.

“Funding solutions for winter sports were inadequate,” explains Stevens, who says that previously there was no true umbrella organisation to unify the various snow sports. Using her background in business and branding (Stevens was formerly an account director in advertising), she researched, tapped her networks, and set up a long-term sustainable trust working with Richard Mehrtens, with patronage from Sir Roy McKenzie (part of New Zealand’s very first winter Olympic team).

The tyranny of distance – and its associated costs – are what makes it even tougher for Kiwis to compete at the top of the rankings in snow sports internationally, according to Stevens.

Snowvision helps alleviate these disadvantages, and also promotes New Zealand as an alpine destination on the world stage. “I’ve skied all over the world, “ says Stevens. “And the Southern Alps are arguably the most beautiful backdrop of them

all.” She also highly rates Queenstown, where she lives for much of the winter. “With its wide variety of other activities, it’s one of the best ski resort towns globally. That’s what attracts international ski teams and visitors to come and train here.”

After a hiatus from the sport raising her two sons (now in their twenties), Stevens returned to skiing to find the gear and the technology had significantly changed. This gave her the idea for her main fundraising venture – ski camps for older (usually aged 30 to 60) recreational skiers, who wanted to master the new equipment and have fun along the way.

Along with top skier Claudia Riegler, Stevens has been running the camps out of Queenstown and at Auckland’s Snowplanet for 10 years.

This is the first year in the last 10 that a camp isn’t on the books, as Stevens is taking this season to consolidate and make plans (however she will take a group booking on demand.)

“We always have a fabulous time, and I love the people we’ve had on our camps,” she says.

The camaraderie is all part of the sport’s enduring appeal. “Skiing is very bonding and everyone you meet is always chatting,” says Stevens, who can strike up a conversation on the chairlift anywhere in the world. “It’s also a fantastic family activity. Winters are long – and you can go to Fiji or the islands – but skiing as a family is a really lovely thing to do.

“I still remember the holiday we had to Mt Hutt when my youngest son was only about five,” she recalls. “Suddenly he could ski top to bottom with us – and we were away!”

The Stevens boys, James and Richard, definitely had it easier than their mother when it came to learning to ski – as the thenyoungest in her family, she was told she could only come along if she carried her own gear and didn’t whinge. “This was the days of club fields, 45-minute hikes and rope tows!”

Today the Stevens family all ski (fittingly, Fiona met husband William at Mt Hutt), and they’ve enjoyed ice-dream holidays all over the globe. This year she visited Swiss skifelds Zermatt and Verbier – “so much powder you needed a snorkel!”

But despite these undoubtedly glamorous locations, what Stevens really wants to do is a ski-and-drive tour around every field in New Zealand. “I’ve skied most places but some new fields have popped up,” she says. “They’re on the bucket list.”

— Melissa Williams-King To find out more about the foundation, visit snowvision.org.nz and blackonwhite.co.nz

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A

s a longtime seasonal resident of Queenstown, Stevens is well-versed in the best the region has to offer. Here are her must-dos (aside from hitting the slopes, of course).

1) Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa. “I think it’s the best place to stay. The location is stunning and you’re just a water taxi ride away from the action.”

2) Lakeside walks. Stevens particularly loves the walk along the lake by the Hilton, but says Queenstown’s walking and biking trails are all exceptional.

3) The Boatshed Café & Bistro on the lakefront.

“This has the best views of the Remarkables and is my favourite cafe.”

4) Arrowtown restaurants: Stevens recommends The Chop Shop Food Merchants, Saffron, La Rumbla and The Blue Door.

5) Queenstown restaurants: Botswana Butchery, Rata, Madame Woo and Jervois Steak House.

6) The bar at Eichardt’s Private Hotel. “I love the mellow atmosphere and the cosy fire. It’s very intimate. Perfect for a margarita! The service is fabulous at The Spire, another great boutique hotel and bar.”

7) For shopping, Stevens recommendeds Browns Ski Shop, and Seletti Boutique 8) Spring Spa. “The best thing to do with your girlfriends. The lovely staff at The Spire next door might even bring your drinks over.”

9) Amisfield Winery & Bistro. “Always very good and the best long lunch in town.”

10) Onsen Hot Pools. She hasn’t actually visited but friends have raved about it. Each private spa is enclosed but has a retractable wall and roof that reveals views of the Shotover River.

Fiona Stevens, left, photographed at her Remuera home by Stephen Penny. This page, Stevens in action competing at the Europa Cup in Italy, 1978, and inset, a collection of family skis and her first skis and boots. the hobson 37

The Hobson’s Halloween Competition Calling all schoolkids — write a spooky tale or draw a Halloween-themed picture for us, and your work may be published in the October issue of The Hobson. Plus, you’ll win a $75 book voucher courtesy of Paper Plus Newmarket (for the best story or poems) and have your winning art framed by Frame by Frame (for the best artworks).

Your story/poem or art must include something local to Remuera, Parnell, Orakei, Meadowbank or Newmarket.

For example, your artwork might include an image of a local landmark.

Your story may have an event that happens on a local street.

There will be prizewinners in two age groups — junior, for up to and including Year 6 pupils, and senior, Year 7 and above.

Please include your name, age, school year and contact details with your entry.

Artwork is to be no larger than A4 and stories or poems no longer than 500 words. You can enter in either the art or writing category, or both.

Post your entry to: The Hobson Halloween Competition PO Box 37490 Parnell Auckland 1151 All entries must be received by 5PM, Friday August 15.

The judges decision is final.

Non-winning entries will not be returned.

Hi, I’m Dr Mac McKay and I’d like to welcome you and your pet to Parnell Vets. I’ve been caring for pets as a qualified vet for over 30 years and now its time for The Hobson pets to benefit from my experience. At Parnell Vets your pet isn’t just another furry face. My three qualified vet nurses and I care for your pets as if they were our own. We take our time and listen before we put together a vaccination protocol or treatment plan for your pet. Our clinic is a beautiful oldfashioned villa on Parnell Road, but within, our facilities are state of the art. It’s reassuring to know that we have the equipment and expertise to help if your pet should ever need it.

Sobbotina Anna/Shutterstock.com

the competition

the pack

The Shore Road Social Club

From around 7am, dogs like Tui, above, start to gather at the Shore Road playing fields. Pippi Nola visited over several mornings to capture some of the gang at play. photography by pippi nola

the hobson 39

the pack

From left to right, top row: Cassie, a curly friend, Izzy, Stan. Second row: Teeny, Dottie, Chocolate, Grace.

Third row: Jake, Chocolate again, Sid, Lily. Bottom row: Geordie, Robbie, Molly, Cassie. the hobson 40

From left to right, top row: Chocolate, Harry, Monty and Zorro; two friends; Horse. Second row: Millie; Cupcake; Harry and Mika.

Third row: George, happy dog, Zorro. Fourth row: Jack, Harry and Monty; Bailey and Pippin. Bottom row: Monty and Sid; Ruby, Axel, Monty, Mika and Dotty with the ball.

the hobson 41

the pack

the hobson 42

From top: Ruby and Mika; Pippin and Bailey; Grace and Smudge, Lulu and Mika.

Left: Ruby, Smudge and Chocolate.

While every effort has been made to attach the right names (and spellings) to the right dogs, the targets kept moving, so apologies for any misidentification. Thank you to the owners who were able to help with putting names to furry faces.

the hobson 43

the second act

A

The Creativity of Boredom

s a keen observer of consumer culture, I am interested in the current business discourse regarding the importance of creativity and innovation. The inherent irony in this is that the word “business” has etymological links to “busyness”, which is exactly the opposite condition one really needs for both creativity and its implementation phase of innovation.

Research shows that it’s precisely when we are not thinking or doing anything in particular that we increase our chances of the ‘lightbulb’ moment.

For those self-identified as middle-aged, the viewpoint on retirement often signifies having the time and freedom to not think about anything in particular, as you potter in the garden and stare into space from a rocking chair. But do we have to wait till then to have some space to think? Do we want to save the opportunity for creativity and innovation until later on in life?

The overwhelming state of busyness is not only applied to busy working mothers and stressed out executives (often one and the same) but their young offspring as well, a.k.a the future of the country. With fridge charts mapping the schedules of every family member including the dog (grooming Tuesday, doggie day care Wednesday), one can’t help but reminisce about a childhood full of white space. School holidays were times of mooching around, certainly not a Disneyesque entertainmentfest with experiences spanning Kelly Tarlton’s, the zoo, three movies and a trip to the museum. Not that I am having a dig at parents who run these schedules. I have been that soldier, wanting or needing a plan to keep the kids happy and occupied so they didn’t notice I was actually working — ironically to help pay for it all.

Many 40-plus readers will remember their own childhood as idyllic — with hours of boredom and general pfaffing about. I recall that after I tidied my room, I was often faced with having nothing to do, but somehow seemed to fill my days up with

“stuff” rather than “achievements”. Was I bored? Yes, often. Did it make me unmotivated and lazy? I don’t think I have ever been accused of either of those things.

Much of the over-scheduling of kids is about the avoidance of that dreaded state — boredom. But the latest thinking on boredom is that it is a state to be encouraged. It’s a metaphorical blank sheet of paper, from which we can create possibility. We all need white space in our lives to decompress, to get perspective and to help us understand the difference of “doing” and “being”.

It is precisely because of this that the concept of “mindfulness meditation” is being employed not only in psychology to alleviate a variety of mental and physical conditions, but across industry and communities to enhance self-awareness, selfmastery and as a result, leadership potential. Even three to five minutes scheduled white space daily can have a profound effect, which is why it is encouraged in my coaching practice.

After years of busying oneself in business, reframing thinking from mindlessness to mindfulness, and being comfortable with white space, is a consistent practice. I should know, as I am constantly reminded of this every time I clash with our delightful 13-year-old son. An extremely happy chappy, his idea of effective time-use certainly clashes with mine. He seems to have an overabundance of white space in his life, which admittedly I am keen to fill with more activities of the reading, studying, sporting and practicing musical instruments variety.

But he has heard me bang on about the importance of white space, and is either cleverly using this against me, or dutifully practicing what I preach.

These school holidays, before you dream up constructive uses of your kids’ time, close your wallet and try encouraging the lapping up of hours of delicious white space. It won’t kill them and if anything, it will at least be an interesting social experiment. — Sandy Burgham

the hobson 44

the psyche

The Grimm Reality

W

e were looking through old books in the garage this morning, and my almost-five-year-old came across my childhood copy of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. I glanced at the book hesitantly, trying notso-subtly to steer her attention toward something less, well, Grimm.

After all, wouldn’t she prefer a book from her Hairy Maclary collection, rather than the dark world of parents who abandon their children in forests with nothing but bread to make a trail, witches who trap children with gingerbread houses, or wolves dressed as kindly grandmothers, ready to attack?

In this instance my daughter took the bait, and we read an exciting, but relatively safe, tale about Hairy and his pals. My reluctance got me thinking, however. How did I come to feel that the fairy tales are not suitable for my almost-five-year-old child, when this was not the case for my own five-year-old self?

In my practice, I see my fair share of anxious children, sadly many of whom are teenagers by the time they find their way to therapy. Some younger children come because of their intense anxiety about being separated from their parents, older children are troubled by nightmares, and teenagers worry about an untold number of things, from what their friends think of them, how they stack up academically, to whether there will be a tsunami or a volcanic explosion. Interestingly, although anxiety in children can be debilitating, it is also very responsive to treatment if it is treated early, particularly through a form of treatment called cognitive behavioural therapy.

The latest scientific research in the area of anxiety management points increasingly to the importance of “acceptance”. Children (and adults) are trained to identify their difficult thoughts and emotions, and then taught not to get rid of them completely (which has been found in the anxiety literature to be an unrealistic goal), but to learn to tolerate a certain level of worry or discomfort so that their actions are not driven completely by their fears. Eventually, anxious teenagers and adults are taught to experience their fears, but let their behaviour be guided by rather a more rational assessment of what is likely to happen, and what is most in line with their personal values or short term goals.

In other words, Keep Calm and Carry On. As an astute parent pointed out to me some years ago, it wasn’t too long ago that we learnt that lesson, not from our psychologists, but from living life. From listening to scary stories and hearing painful things in the news, and by talking to people in hardship, we come to understand that bad things can happen to good people, and we learn to function in spite of it.

After several sessions focused on addressing her son’s fears of natural disasters and tragedy befalling his family, the previously protective mother left my office determined to acquaint her child with scary movies and the Brothers’ Grimm, not only in their adapted form, but perhaps even in their original, unadulterated terror. After all, she argued, if the answer is in accepting and learning to live with our fears, shouldn’t her son be given some practice in being scared, but carrying on, just as she herself had done as a child?

My discomfort aside, I’ll be reading my daughter tales from Grimm tonight, and maybe letting her watch the news with us instead of going online as I usually do for my daily scan of the headlines. It’s not going to be all pleasant, but resilience takes practice to build, and I won’t be doing her any favours by shielding her forever. But maybe we’ll stick to the adapted versions for now, and leave the original Grimm tales for another time. — Amrit Kaur

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Prescription Skin Care is celebrating 20+ years of excellence in non-surgical appearance medicine led by Plastic Surgeon Stephen Gilbert (FRCS, FRACS).

Quote “The Hobson” for a complimentary consultation in July.

Email info@prescriptionskincare.co.nz for an appointment.

243 Remuera Road Phone: (09) 529 5784 www.prescriptionskincare.co.nz

the pretty

Bathing Beauties

Made4Baby Bubbles! Bubbles! Bubble Bath, $17.95.

Kids love lots of bathtime foam but mums aren’t always keen on harsh sulphates. This version avoids synthetic ingredients but still manages to bring the bubbles.

Cranwell’s Pharmacy and Life (formerly Wylies) Pharmacy, Remuera

Melissa Williams-King warms up winter with indulgent bathtime treats

Thalgo Precious Milk Bath Effervescent Sugars, $64.40. Upgrade your bath bomb to one of these fizzy treats – they give the bathwater a milky iridescence and a relaxing fragrance. Bora Bora Day Spa, Parnell; CigiSi, Remuera; Beauty Forever and SAS Clinic, Newmarket.

The Body Shop new Honeymania Bubble Bath Melt, $32. This new winter range adds creamy, hydrating bubbles to your tub. The new inflatable bath pillow, $19, is a great buy, too. The Body Shop, Newmarket.

The Aromatherapy Co Therapy Range Detoxifying Bath Salts, $18.99.

Perfect after a workout, the salts help relax tired muscles while the geranium and palmarosa add a zesty fragrance. This range also includes lovely soaps, $13.99 each. Smith & Caughey’s and Farmers, Newmarket.

Dr. Hauschka Lemon Lemongrass Vitalising Bath Essence, $44. I love Dr Hauschka’s all-natural fragrances, especially this zingy blend, which moisturises skin thanks to organic oils.

Remuera Pharmacy, Smith & Caughey’s and Farmers Newmarket.

Kiehl’s Aromatic Blends Vetiver & Black Tea Body Cleanser, $32.

Lather up with the newest fragrance in the Aromatic Blends collection. It’s fresh, woody and citrusy – guys will love it too.

Smith & Caughey’s, Newmarket.

Z

this month i’m recommending

Linden Leaves Aromatherapy Synergie Body Oil Absolute Dreams, $29.99.

Containing freeze-dried lavender suspended in rosehip and other botanical oils, this can be used in the bath as well as on the body. Linden Leaves flagship store, Parnell Road.

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Nioxin Diaboost, a godsend for those with thinning hair. It coats strands with a special polymer for an instant body-boosting effect.

The product costs $64.95, but you can try it for just $15 – Servilles Newmarket and Mission Bay offer this as a treatment (along with several other Nioxin hair and scalp treatments that address thinning hair problems for both women and men). Both salons are also offering a complimentary weekday scalp consultation using the Nioscope for The Hobson’s readers for the month of July.

the wellbeing

Time Rules

D

o you focus exclusively on diet and exercise when attempting to get healthier, lose weight and prevent disease? If so, you might be missing an extremely important piece of the wellness puzzle that might just be derailing your efforts.

Ever since we electrified the planet, life has fast gone 24/7 with our obsession towards a demand for continuous productivity, coupled with our attachment to electronic devices like smart phones, laptops, tablets and TVs. Add in artificial light, along with an extended nightlife, and it’s enough to alter the underlying physiology that runs our biology.

So why do you need to pay attention to this? Because your body does, by way of an internal biological clock housed inside your brain that’s time-coded to control all its biological functions.

Basically the end game for the body is survival, and the body at a certain level doesn’t give a damn about what you think as it goes about coordinating the business of survival.

The master biological clock is located in a portion of the brain about the size of an almond, called the hypothalamus. With close to 50 per cent of the circuits in the brain wired to light and not to dietary metabolism, this should tell you that the brain responds strongly to light.

Each morning as the sun comes up, your body releases a surge of the hormone cortisol in response to the incoming light. This up-regulates your energy metabolism to get you up and into the day! At night, the body gears itself down to rest, repair and recharge for the next day.

By design, we’re configured to always make sure cortisol production stays ready for action or stress at the expense of other hormones for survival. It means basically that life is subject to time 100 per cent of the time. And cortisol at the wrong time can make the brain think the body is out of time. Sleep apnoea anyone?

The hypothalamus, the master biological clock, uses light,

dark, and Earth’s magnetic and gravitational field as its reference points to tell the precise time in the brain to yoke our biological reactions. There are also magnetic cells in the hypothalamus that are codified to the frequency of the magnetic and electrical field of the planet.

These are the aspects or dimensions the brain uses to tell time.

It’s achieved via a fast-communicating electrical conduction system in the body that uses quantum mechanics and water to speed up the reactions of life to allow it to happen in real time.

The science of it is that nothing kills life quicker than a loss of magnetic field, body water and light from the sun. We have electrified the planet, increased artificial light, and introduced silicon-based electronic devices that also pump out light.

You could say that your brain is the quantum computer to configuring your cellular survival, and that your body is conductive like any electrical appliance.

With the electro-motive force being the constant supply of electrons, you can effectively open up the gates to both heaven and hell. There was a time in our history not so long ago when we had the choice between Nikola Tesla’s free energy, or Thomas Edison’s light bulb.

Long-term acting against the body’s clock can lead to biological disarray, and is a major key as to why sleep and weight loss are coupled, as are gut and immune issues. Best to tighten the reins on light and dark, pay attention to seasonal changes, and learn to mitigate the risks of our electrified world.

I could go on, but you get the point. I think it’s fair to say that our health is declining, even if we are living longer.

Ignoring the interplay between our body and life’s inherent rhythms could be the smoking gun to our modern healthcare dilemmas, for time sets the course of human history.

The first step to health is re-establishing the proper cycles in your body before you do anything else, before modern life disconnects you from our life force. — Lee Parore

Become a hero in your spare time A little time makes a big difference. Every fatherless boy needs a hero and being one is a lot easier than you’d think. In fact it only takes a few hours a week to change a boy’s life forever. As a Big Buddy Mentor you’ll help a boy to make better life choices so he can fulfill his dreams and it gives him hope for his future. Now that’s time well spent.

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To find out more Phone our coordinator Steve Sobota

Ph 828 1358 Ext 2

www.bigbuddy.org.nz

Mentoring Fatherless boys the hobson 47

the arts

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Contemporary Topics

his month The Hobson’s arts columnist Leigh Melville talks to Stephanie Post, who recently relocated from London to Auckland. With masters degrees in both contemporary art history (Sotheby’s Institute) and contemporary art theory (Goldsmiths College), Stephanie has worked with a number of critically acclaimed not-for-profit contemporary art organisations, published art magazines for children, and organised visits for benefactor groups to the Venice Biennale, Documenta and other fairs. This September she will return to London with a group of New Zealanders to visit the major contemporary art fair, Frieze London.

Having returned from living in Europe, how do you find the art scene in Auckland?

Very exciting and active. Firstly, there are some fantastic New Zealand artists working here at home and overseas.

There are also some very strong commercial galleries selling contemporary art, and some great not-for-profit galleries. The Chartwell collection is also vitally important in ensuring that the work of New Zealand artists is collected early in their careers and is made available to the public. Finally, the public seem very engaged with contemporary art, since I see fantastic audiences at talks and special events.

Are there any particular artists that have caught your eye?

There are a huge number of really good contemporary artists working today – I guess the best known names include Michael Parekowhai, Shane Cotton, Peter Robinson, Simon Denny, Kate Newby; but there are many more. It is hard to pick from them, but at the risk of missing many particularly good artists, I think that Luke Willis Thompson’s work is exceptionally strong, and I also find Lisa Reihana’s work particularly interesting – I first saw it at the Auckland Art Gallery exhibition Partner Dance, which showed art that had been bought for the collection by the Gallery Patrons. I also like Janet Lillo’s videos and we recently bought a series of photographs by a very young artist, Siobhan Van Heerden.

Do you have any favourite pieces of advice for collectors?

Three things – firstly, buy with your eyes and your heart, not with your head; secondly, see as much as you possibly can – it doesn’t matter if you don’t like everything, but seeing it is always informative; and finally – and perhaps more specifically to New Zealand based collectors — make sure that the work made by New Zealand artists is seen and thought of as part of a wider international context, since New Zealand contemporary art is more than strong enough to play a role in the conversation

Chloe, by Spanish Catalan sculptor Jaume Plensa, was part of the Sculpture Park at Firenze 2013.

Photograph courtesy of Linda Nylind/Frieze London the hobson 48

of contemporary art on the world stage. For the latter to happen, there are three ways that collectors can make a contribution: they can support initiatives that take the work of New Zealand artists overseas, for example to the Venice Biennale, or on international residencies; they can support initiatives that bring artists and their work from other countries to New Zealand, for example the exhibitions at Artspace, Te Tui and Auckland Art Gallery, and initiatives like the Auckland Triennial. And finally, collectors can travel and see, and buy, art by artists from other countries to complement their existing collections, so that art made by New Zealand artists is seen and collected in an international context.

the hobson suggests

The Wedding Specialists The Dressing Room and Lucy & The Powder Room are thrilled to offer brides-to-be a bespoke wedding experience! From the dress, to the hen’s party, down to the personalised hair and beauty plan, they have your day wrapped up in silk crepe with a satin-smooth polish.

I’m really looking forward to joining you on the trip to Frieze London in October. What can we expect to see?

Pretty much everything! Frieze is one of the most important art fairs in the world. At the main fair, more than 100 of the world’s top commercial galleries are invited to showcase art made since 2000, alongside another 50 or so younger galleries. In addition there is a sculpture garden in Regents Park, and then another fair, Frieze Masters, which includes another 100 or so invited galleries showing art made before 2000 – starting with ancient works, through old masters, impressionists, right through to iconic works from the late twentieth century. At the same time, London is ablaze with art, so we will attend private views of major exhibitions at museums like Tate, the National Gallery and the Royal Academy.

We are also planning to visit some artists in their studios as well as one or two private collections, and hold a dinner with invited artists – so yes, it will be VERY wide ranging!

I understand you have a particular interest in philanthropy and small arts organisations.

Yes, I have a passion for and belief in the importance of small, not-for-profit art institutions, like Te Tuhi and Artspace and St Paul Street Gallery in Auckland, and I am very honoured to have recently been invited to be a trustee of the Govett Brewster Foundation in New Plymouth. These organisations are in many ways the roots and the lifeblood of a country’s contemporary art culture – they are where a lot of ideas develop and grow. These organisations are very reliant on public sector funding and, as is happening at the moment, when public funds are cut these organisations are very vulnerable. They are run on a shoestring budget and they do not have a history of raising much money from private sources – either individuals or companies — but they now find they have to, in order to survive. From what I can see New Zealand philanthropists are very generous, but at the moment there is quite a limited group of people supporting the arts. There is now a huge opportunity to involve people in supporting the arts, at a relatively low financial level, in return for which they can be offered a really interesting experiential engagement with artists and new art. There are a number of patron programmes, including the NZ at Venice Patrons, Auckland Art Gallery Patrons, Contemporary Benefactors [which supports contemporary exhibitions at Auckland Art Gallery] and Artspace has recently launched a new Benefactors programme. The Art Foundation launched Boosted as a platform for crowdfunding for specific arts projects (www.boosted.org.nz). But also there are opportunities for small to medium sized companies with an interest in creativity and being at the forefront of thinking and experimenting, to support the work of arts organisations in return for an active engagement with what they do, and how they work. This type of support is vital for the survival of small arts organisations at this point in time. — Leigh Melville

Photography: Anna Kidman

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the sound

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When Popera goes Pop

o this story starts with popera. Or “classical crossover” as the artists prefer to call it. At first glance business appears to be booming in the popera world. As I write this, Sol3 Mio is still in the New Zealand Top 10 months after release, and their album is six times platinum. That’s over 100,000 copies sold. In fact, they’ve outsold Lorde.

Michael Buble, the clown prince of crossover, is also in the Top 10 and recently performed two sellout concerts at Vector Arena.

Our own Geoff Sewell, ex Amici Forever — who sold more than 3.5 million records in 10 years — has been in the charts with his latest solo album.

So it’s been a phenomenon for a few decades. Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman are its godparents, Kiri Te Kanawa its queen, Hayley Westenra its princess.

But for every Paul Potts and Susan Boyle, there are others who have tasted success but the star waned. Tim Beveridge is the New Zealander who is the only man to make the final of the BBC’s Voice of Musical Theatre competition twice. A man who has performed for the past 20 years in every major venue in Australasia, including the Sydney Opera House. But these days you can hear him doing overnight talkback on Newstalk ZB. A job he does very well, may I add.

New Zealander Will Martin was the youngest man to ever top the UK’s classical charts. He signed a five album, multi-million dollar deal with Universal seven years ago, of which two albums have been produced. This year you could have caught Will performing at Vinnies.

So is popera truly a thriving genre, or a fad? It seems to me that it’s become a novelty format which rewards performers with a gimmick, rather than pure talent. It’s not good enough to have an outstanding voice. You need to be three funny Samoan relatives (with outstanding voices). You need to be 10 Irish Tenors or four Lithuanian baritones and a dwarf. Be a phone salesman on Britain’s Got Talent and you’re halfway there.

So with all that in mind, I’m full of admiration for Elizabeth Marvelly.

Just 24, she’s already packed a lot into her life. Born in Rotorua, she was a scholarship student at Kings College before bursting onto the “classical crossover” scene. Her first two albums went Top 10, the first when she was just 18. Her second album, Home, was recorded with Grammy-nominated producer Nick Patrick.

It featured the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and a duet with Britain’s Got Talent winner Paul Potts. She’s toured Europe

and Asia and extensively through NZ. And of course she does a cracking national anthem.

A couple of years ago she sat down with her record label to discuss plans for her third album. And as they considered the themes she might explore, her heart sank.

“I started feeling my stomach just turn,” she told me. “The thought of another classical crossover album just didn’t inspire me. I’ve been writing songs since I was six, and I had a hundred songs already written and these songs excited me more. The record company told me to go away and think about what I want to do. So I did, and I thought I don’t want to be bound by genre anymore.

Classical crossover is the same songs redone a million different ways. It’s more about the artist’s back story now than the music, but music is my love. So I knew I had to change”.

And so the big adventure of the newly-monikered Lizzie Marvelly began.

She formed her own record label, Marvellous Music. She got a new Australian manager who’s involved with One Direction, Olly Murs and 5 Seconds of Summer. She took herself and her 100 songs off to the UK to work with international songwriters. It’s taken two years, but her first EP of five songs is to be released on July 4. Lizzie’s Independence Day, you could say And it’s pretty good. She certainly can sing. The songs are strong. Big pop ballads along with some anger and darker themes than we’ve heard from her before. Maybe the production is a little dated; you wonder what a Joel Little could do for her. But for a first step in a radical change it’s a good thing, and she knows it.

“I’m in transition and I’m still finding my sound and it begins with finding my voice,” she says. And she’s committed. “Music is my lifetime calling and I’m prepared to do the work. I’m wanting to push the boundaries. I want to share the music. For all my success and the big concerts I’ve played, you’re still just standing in a room with a bunch of people sharing the music and it’s my greatest joy.”

She’s also wanting to sign artists to her newly formed record label, and the business side interests her as much as being in front of the microphone. She’s a very smart cookie.

Lizzie Marvelly is not going away. And I find her inspirational.

She had the courage two years ago to throw it all in and change, in public, something many people fail to do and then fade away.

She won’t. — Andrew Dickens

the hobson 50

the bookmark

New Books from Favourite Authors

Mr Mercedes — Stephen King (Hachette). In a mega-stakes, highsuspense race against time, three of the most unlikely heroes Stephen King has ever created try to stop a lone killer, who’s deliberately ploughed through a crowd in a stolen Mercedes. Eight people are killed; 15 are wounded, and the killer escapes.

Mr Mercedes is a war between good and evil from master of suspense King, whose creation of an insane killer is chilling, and unforgettable.

Personal — Lee Child (Random House). As Reacher followers know, Jack Reacher walks alone. Once a hard man in the US military police, now he’s a drifter of no fixed abode. But the army tracks him down as someone has taken a long-range shot at the French president. Only one man

could have done it, and Reacher is the one man who can find him. This new nailbiter takes Reacher across the Atlantic, where he’ll need to uncover who did the hiring, and what’s behind the assassination attempt.

Even after 19 books, Child’s Jack Reacher remains a character with whom readers want to journey.

The Heist — Daniel Silva (Harper Collins). A fallen spy, a missing masterpiece, a daring mission. Spy and art restorer Gabriel Allon is in Venice repairing an altarpiece when he receives an urgent summons from the Italian police. His friend, London art dealer Julian Isherwood, has stumbled upon a murder scene in Lake Como, and is being held as a suspect. To save him, Gabriel must track down the real killers and find the most famous missing painting in the world.

Elegant, sophisticated, and entertaining, The Heist is a page-turning tale of intrigue that demonstrates why Daniel Silva is called a “world-class practitioner of spy fiction.”

The Whitehall Mandarin — Edward Wilson (New South). I haven’t read Wilson since his brilliant Vietnam novel, A River in May, back in the early 2000s.

British intelligence has a mole deep in the KGB, and when that mole reports a Soviet spy ring in London, MI6 calls in their man Catesby. He is sent on a mole hunt that leads him through the sex scandals of ’60s London to the jungles of Vietnam. Thrilling and intelligent, with a complex and layered plot and expertly-described settings. An intellectually commanding thriller that does well those things that thrillers are supposed to do. — Gail Woodward

the plot

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The Kindest Cut

he aim of a winter tidy-up is to get trees back to a healthy and productive framework whilst they are dormant. During this dormant phase, from late autumn to early spring, most trees can be safely trimmed and chopped about without going into shock or reacting adversely. By letting light and air into your trees you will help to encourage fruiting buds to form and ripen into fruit while at the same time depriving pests and diseases of sanctuary.

Most stonefruit trees are pruned into an open, vase-like shape, whereas these days many pipfruit trees are grown with a central stem (leader) into a Christmas tree-like shape. It’s fairly straightforward; start with a sharp pair of secateurs, loppers and a pruning saw for thicker stems.

First, remove any suckers that are growing from the base of trees. Next, remove all dead and diseased branches along with any that look weak and spindly, and any that are crossing and rubbing against each other (take out the weaker of the two).

Using a pruning saw –— and maybe some help —take out any large branches that are growing through the centre of the tree so that it is left open. Remove small branches form the centre too.

Sometimes this can mean two or three large stems coming out – if this is the case, then maybe do one per winter over a couple of years to stop loads of vigorous re-growth.

If you can, burn all prunings as they may harbour pests and diseases. If the job is just looking too big, then it may pay to

consult with an arborist in terms of practicalities, and/or Council to check whether your plans might involve any consent issues.

Most evergreen fruit trees – particularly citrus varieties – are not pruned but you can give them a once over to remove dead, diseased and rubbing stems, as described, as well as a judicious snip here and there to maintain a good shape.

Now is also a good time to feed fruit trees and bushes with a rich layer of compost, sheep pellets, well-rotted manure, straw – whatever you have to hand. This can be spread as a mulching layer across the soil’s surface above their roots. You can also give plants a boost by feeding them with a sprinkling of blood and bone meal around outer edges of foliage.

Many gardeners use citrus feed granules – however, although the mixture of minerals and nutrients might be good for the trees it can kill off microbiology in the soil itself and deplete its longterm goodness. Ensure you keep a nutrient rich layer of mulch around the base of your trees at all times – this should not only help to provide the shallow roots with the nutrients they need, but will also help to keep weeds down and therefore reduce the need for soil cultivation which can damage shallow, surface roots. Generally the feeder roots of fruit trees are to be found beneath the drip-line of the outer edge of the tree’s canopy so make sure you mulch out this far.

— Paul Thompson

Photo: Paul Thompson. the hobson 52

the living

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Thai Village

estaurants and owners come and go, but fans of Remuera’s Thai Village are assured that this popular eatery will endure.

When head chef Savang Kumjumpol (whose wife Mook runs the front of house) turned 51, he transferred ownership of the 18-year-old establishment to his daughter TK, 22. TK has been a fixture at the restaurant since she was at primary school, learning to clean glasses at age five before moving on to dishwashing. At 18 she started working front of house, and is excited to run the place full time when she finishes her studies (commerce at AUT) next year.

Hardworking Savang and Mook both want to step back, “but we can’t let Dad retire as we need his cooking!” says TK. Savang is a highly accomplished chef who was recruited in his native Thailand to work at former Auckland restaurant Chang Thong (now Red Elephant). Savang and Mook moved to New Zealand in 1988, and after several years set up Thai Village in 1996. “People didn’t really know Thai food back then,” says TK. “ But it was very popular and busy right from the start.”

In fact the place proved so busy that expansion was needed, and the premises took over two adjacent spaces within Remuera’s historic Village Green precinct. “To start with, we’d have to accommodate people on the grass area outside,” recalls TK. Four years ago the interiors were updated with new banquette seating, but the menu has remained mostly unchanged.

Favourites include the chicken cashew nut as well as Savang’s signature flaming chicken, sure to draw gasps from the crowd as it

arrives, in flames, from the kitchen. “These days people know Thai food better, and they are a little more adventurous,” says TK. With so many more Thai restaurant options now available to locals, what’s the secret to their success?

“We always have exceptional food and have maintained the same standard for many years,” says TK. (It’s one of the few restaurants to hold Thai Select status, a seal of excellence from the Thai government.)

As well as the first-rate food, Thai Village prides itself on a friendly and welcoming atmosphere for all. “We cater to all ages,” says TK. “Families have been coming here for years with their children and now they bring their grandchildren.”

Thai food lends itself to group dining, and tables of 20 or 30 at the weekends are not uncommon, and it’s also possible to take over the entire space for private parties.

While the restaurant is BYO, TK takes great pride in the wine list, which she recently updated.

Of her long-term plans for Thai Village, she sees another version, perhaps in a rural area, on the agenda.

As for Savang and Mook, they might finally get to take a long holiday together.

But don’t worry about the future of the food – Savang’s protégés in the kitchen are well-credentialed Thai chefs too.

— Melissa Williams-King Thai Village, 10/415 Remuera Road. Open seven days — lunch Monday to Friday; dinner Monday to Sunday. Ph 523 3005 4

the hobson 53

the living

Thai Village’s Rack of Lamb 220g lamb rack per person 100g mixed vegetables per serve, sliced (broccoli, carrot, cauliflower) Coriander to serve Marinade (for each rack) 1T soy sauce pinch of salt, pinch of black pepper Stir Fry Sauce 1t soybean oil 1t garlic, minced 1T oyster sauce 1t soy sauce plus 1t dark soy sauce 1/2T sugar 1/2t chilli 1/2t black pepper Marinate the lamb for 20 minutes.

Heat a pan and grill the lamb until rare.

Heat the soybean oil in a wok, add the garlic and cook until golden.

Add the rest of sauce ingredients, with dry items last, then add vegetables until cooked.

Transfer the rare lamb to the wok and cook at a medium heat for 30 seconds to coat the lamb with the sauce.

Serve garnished with coriander.

A detail from a carved artwork at the restaurant, above. Above right, founderowners Savang and Mook Kumjumpol.

the hobson 54

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The Hobson is distributed to household letterboxes in Parnell and Remuera, and to the libraries, cafes and businesses in the wider area, including Newmarket. Our next issue will be September, which goes out the week of August 25. The booking deadline for that issue is Friday August 1 and material is due Friday August 8. To receive a rate card and our monthly newsletter, please email business@thehobson.co.nz

the hobson 55

the pause: consider this

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wo sets of industrial buildings well past their original use, similiar stories but potentially very different endings. In the top picture, crowds gather at Redfern’s restored Carriageworks for the opening of last year’s Sydney Contemporary art fair. The Carriageworks are Victorian and mouldered for years while successive governments waxed and waned in enthusiam for their repurposing. Below, Parnell’s Diesel Depot. Not Victorian, not brick, something far riskier — our mid twentieth century industrial heritage. The bureaucratic red pen hovers, the sheds likely to become collateral rubble in the creation of the Parnell rail precinct, and another missed opportunity unless a champion steps forward.

the hobson 56

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