Rainbow Hunters Find Their Violet in New Zealand
One mother and two young boys are on a trip around the world to seven countries to find the origin of seven colours. The Rainbow Hunters, as the trio are called, are…
Tag Archives: Independent (The)
North Island a Land of Volcanoes and Vineyards
Over the coming six weeks, the world’s greatest cricketers will be zig-zagging across New Zealand. So for the cricket fan the Independent’s David Whitley suggests, that’s a fine excuse to disappear to the other…
Anna Smaill’s Debut Novel Communicated Through Music
New Zealand poet Anna Smaill’s debut novel The Chimes, reviewed in the Independent, is “dystopian fiction but not quite as we know it.” “Smaill draws on her training as a classical violinist to create a…
Outflanking the Tolkien Fans on Tongariro
Before Peter Jackson and his film crew rolled into town, Mount Doom went by the humble name of Mount Ngauruhoe, the fearsome volcano which forms the centrepiece of New Zealand’s Tongariro Alpine Crossing, the…
Peter Walker’s Coming of Age Novel Absorbing and Ethereal
New Zealand author Peter Walker’s latest novel Some Here Among Us is “an absorbing, ethereal meditation into how the passage of time opens us up”, Peter Carty writes in a review of the book…
Battle of the Five Armies Packs Huge Chain Mail Punch
Upon its release in Britain, Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies was met with great enthusiasm, with UK newspapers agreeing the New Zealand director has completed his trilogy with verve. “Jackson’s…
Rocky Horror Sequel Shock Treatment Heading for London Stage
The sequel to cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show is set to be adapted for the London stage. Director Benji Sperring will bring Richard O’Brien’s Shock Treatment to the King’s Head Theatre in spring 2015, which will include…
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Is One Epic Film
Seventeen years after Sir Peter Jackson won the rights to film The Lord Of The Rings, he is finally taking leave of JRR Tolkien and Middle-earth with the conclusion of The Hobbit. The new film marks a magnificent,…
All Blacks Reign Supreme Over England
The All Blacks gained a fifth consecutive win over England, after the home side led 14-11 at half time. But the English side made error upon error and suffered a long, slow black death in…
Cross Country by Planes, Trains and Automobiles
With less than a fortnight to spend on the other side of the world, the Independent’s Kate Simon used planes, trains, automobiles … and a bike to make every second count on a trip…
New Zealand Ranked 10th in Quality of Life for Elderly Index
New Zealand is one of the best countries in the world to grow old in, coming 10th in the Global AgeWatch Index which ranks countries by how well their older populations are faring. Norway topped the…
Trailblazer Brad Thorn Happy to Be a Leicester Tiger
Former All Black forward Brad Thorne, 39, has pitched up at Leicester at the tail-end of a colourful career that’s taken him from Dunedin to Leinster via Japan. But, he tells the Independent’s Chris…
Auckland Ties with Melbourne for World’s Friendliest City
It’s great to be a tourist down under, with travellers naming New Zealand and Australia among the best vacation destinations – the cities of Auckland and Melbourne are the friendliest in the world. Kiwis and…
Kiwi Punter Makes Global News with Germany – Brazil Prediction
A New Zealander who bet $2 on the exact score between FIFA World Cup Semi-finalists Brazil and Germany has made global headlines. The semi-final, which ended 7-1 to Germany and has been called “Brazil’s worst…
Thai Street-Food Heaven in London
Owner of London restaurant The Begging Bowl, New Zealand chef Jane Alty has it “sussed” according to Independent reviewer Lisa Markwell. “We’ve got in just under the wire, as lunch is served till…
Epic Mountain Biking Through Jaw-Dropping Scenery
“New Zealand is a great country to witness by bicycle,” says the Independent’s Christopher Wakling. “The government wants you to ride there. At a cost of more than $75m it recently completed
Sunglasses Are an Intrinsic Part of the Look
High-end sunglasses used to be about the logo, but now designers, like New Zealander Karen Walker, are making them an integral part of their seasons’ collections, the Independent reports. Walker has shown her eyewear…
Remembering Sixties Country Star Houston Wells
The life of Houston Wells, sixties country singer, is celebrated in the Independent this month. Wells, born Andrew Smith in 1932 north of Newcastle upon Tyne, lived on the shores of Lake Taupo until…
Guided Tours Showcase Napier’s Fascinating Architecture
“Nobody was building town centres during the Depression, so Napier is rare,” says Robert McGregor, Independent journalist John Lee’s guide and the author of several books on the city. “South Beach and Napier are…
Flying Australian Kiwis Could Put Paid to Moa Ancestry
New fossil research suggests the flightless kiwi and emu share a common ancestor able to fly, which travelled over to New Zealand from Australia millions of years ago. Experts have long assumed that the kiwi…
Table of Ugly Words Star of Feminist Militia Exhibit
“I am sitting at a long antique wooden school table, burning capital letters onto the surface: ‘B****,’” the Independent’s Zoe Pilger describes from exhibition rooms HQ, London. “Other words swarm all over it: ‘Vagina…
World’s Best Team?
Ahead of the All Blacks-England test, Independent rugby correspondent Chris Hewett proposed that “Richie McCaw and his team are beginning to look like something more than merely the best rugby union team…
Wickstead Nominated for UK Fashion Prize
New Zealand fashion designer and royal favourite, Emilia Wickstead was one of four nominated for the fourth annual Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize, established by the hotel group in 2010 to discover and support emerging…
Days of Grey Meat and Three Veg Are Behind Us
Founder of Kent’s Moons Green Charcuterie, New Zealander John Doig, agrees with London delicatessen owner, the trend-setting Antonio Cardoso about promoting British farmers and too that charcuterie is a slow-pace, long-term income for them. Doig,…
McKenzie Stars in Austenland Though More a Brontë Man
Bret McKenzie, 37, one half of the comedy duo Flight of the Conchords, stars opposite Jane Seymour in the new romantic-comedy Austenland, which opened in the UK in September. “I’m not a crazy Jane Austen…
‘Gritty Band of Sailors’ Seek to Slay Goliath
Even the British and Irish are rooting for New Zealand, in what The Independent is billing as a David versus Goliath fight for the America’s Cup, the world’s oldest sporting competition. “The New Zealanders…
Internet Giant Launches Balloon Connection over Canterbury
Google has launched a balloon over Christchurch emitting an internet connection, which could connect to remote parts of the world to the web. “Project Loon” came to fruition in the South Island, where the…
Use the Whole Chicken Recommends MasterChef Galetti
New Zealand chef Monica Galetti moved across the world for the chance to work with world-renowned Michel Roux Jnr at London’s Le Gavroche. Galetti has now been there for 10 years and…
Berkett Joins Guardian Media Group as Chairman
Departing Virgin Media chief executive New Zealander Neil Berkett has been named chairman of Guardian Media Group (GMG). During his six-year tenure in the same role at Virgin Media, New Zealand-born Berkett focused on…
Chef Peter Gordon Talks NZ Lamb
New Zealand lamb took center-stage in The Independent’s ‘food and drink’ section recently. Kiwi chef Peter Gordon featured, with a video on cooking lamb fajitas. ‘Since the first delivery in 1882, New Zealand Lamb…
New Zealand Toy Makes World Top 10 List
A New Zealand toy, The Snow Globe, is one of the world’s top ten ‘best creative toys’, according to Britain’s Independent newspaper. The ‘Snow Globe’ is made by Seedlings, founded in 2006 by Phoebe…
Real Romantic Treats
The romantic Kokohuia retreat in Hokianga is one of six New Zealand lodges recommended in Britain’s Independent newspaper. “This off-grid B&B opened above a scenic swathe of Hokianga Harbour a year…
Tim Groser Favorite for WTO Director-General
London bookies Ladbrokes have named Tim Groser, New Zealand’s Trade Minister, ‘joint favourite’ to be the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) new Director-General. Mr Groser is at 3:1 to take out the top job, along…
London Kiwi Chef Brings ‘Balm to the Soul’
Kiwi chef Tyler Martin hails from New Plymouth. His Fulham restaurant is called Manuka Kitchen. The name is entirely apt, according to Independent food writer John Walsh. Martin and his partner Joseph Antippa’s food…
Our Inimitable All Black Captain
Captain “fantastic” Richie McCaw has led the “all-conquering All Blacks” to a 20th successive match without defeat beating Wales 33-10 at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff. No player in world rugby is better in…
Loving What He Does
With his signature laid-back New Zealand-accented rambles often breaking into unintelligible hysterics and high-pitched impersonations, 39-year-old BBC 1 radio DJ-come-presenter-come-live-DJ-come-producer-come-general-music-guru Zane Lowe has attracted skepticism from those who find it hard…
Mansfield Stories Uncovered
Four previously unknown stories written more than a century ago by Katherine Mansfield have been discovered by Chris Mourant, 23, a PhD student at King’s College London. Any new material by Mansfield, who had…
Savea Does Us Proud
The All Blacks trounced Ireland 42-10 at Eden Park in the first test since winning last year’s World Cup, with 21-year-old winger Julian Savea scoring three tries in his debut for New…
Samosas Fit For a Queen
New Zealand chef Anna Hansen, owner of London’s The Modern Pantry, was one of “six food-and-drink creatives” invited by The Independent “to dazzle ” with a commemorative Queen’s Diamond Jubilee offering….
Forrest Family Mesmerises
“Emily Perkins’ new novel opens with the making of a home movie and retains the feel of one, full of fragmentary impressions; momentary visual clarity mixed with the jumpy blurrings…
Worth The Wait
Ladyhawke, a.k.a. Pip Brown, 32, features in the Guardian’s ‘The Week in Music — in pictures’ gallery performing a free in-store gig at Rough Trade, east London. The release of Brown’s highly-anticipated second album Anxiety has been postponed…
Memories Of Travel To The Sea
Auckland-born DJ and BBC Radio 1 presenter Zane Lowe describes his life in travel with the Independent. Lowe’s first holiday memory is driving to the Bay of Islands. “I remember being packed into my dad’s…
Small, Green And Phenomenal
“What’s small, green, comes from New Zealand and is incredibly popular with Britain’s brewers?” The Independent’s Will Hawkes asks. “No, not Kiwi fruits, although someone will surely make a beer with them sooner or later. The…
Qualifying for English Squad
Dannevirke-born Rangi Chase, 25, has been named Super League’s Man of Steel as the competition’s best player, ahead of inclusion in England’s Four Nations train-on squad. The Castleford star has opted to qualify for…
Baronial City Still Impressive
“A plan for was laid out on paper in Scotland and given the old Gaelic name for Edinburgh, Dun Eideann,” The Independent’s Adrian Mourby explains. “There were high hopes of this port settlement,…
Dorsal Fin Encounters
“Kaikoura is not a name that trips off the tongue when you list those lucky places that offer encounters with nature and a touch of luxury,” The Independent’s Jonathan Lorie reports. “But this township…
All Eyes on New Zealand
Social media is being used to help ensure the whole planet can keep up to date with Rugby World Cup action. As New Zealand seems like the end of the earth to many people,…
Illusion of the Truth
“I never intended to become an apologist for Tony Blair’s war,” director Lee Tamahori wails down the phone from his home in Wellington. “I just wanted to show that Uday was a psycho.” He…
Tasting Twits
Marlborough vineyard Brancott Estate is offering the winner of a Twitter contest two free airline tickets to New Zealand, inviting Tweeps to provide ‘tasting notes’ on one of their wines in condensed,…
Tales From the Kitchen
New Zealand-raised chef Anna Hansen tells The Independent how she came to meet the chef behind London’s St John Bar and Restaurant, Fergus Henderson. Hansen came to the UK in 1992 and got a…
Morrison Heads for the Hills
Temuera Morrison stars as Maori seafarer Kereama in the colonial, “pretty much your classic Western,” Tracker, which is reviewed by The Independent. “It is ostensibly the story of a manhunt: Kereama is…
Motivated to New Heights
New Zealand-born Dylan Hartley has received a lot of stick in the Six Nations but, instead of snapping back, England’s hooker tells The Independent’s Chris Hewett how he’s been motivated to hit new heights….
Fabled Serenity Endures
Despite the tragedy of February’s catastrophic earthquake, New Zealand still delivers sublime travel experiences, writes Chris Leadbeater for The Independent. “Since 1884 has played a role as a lone token of man’s…
Me’a Kai Beats Usual Suspects
“You could call it the gastronomic upset of the night,” The Independent said. “New Zealand-born chef Robert Oliver beat out some formidable competition to land the title of best cookbook, which was announced last…
Looking at Tectonics
The devastating earthquake that tore through Christchurch on the afternoon of February 22 is the product of a new fault line in the Earth’s crust — an offshoot from the Alpine fault — that…
Crowds Go Wild
Gisborne hosted as many as 25, spectators and 2 competitors at this year’s National Kapa Haka Festival, Te Matatini o Te Ra, held from16 through 2 February, with Rotorua-based Te Matarae i Orehu taking…
