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Archive >> March 2011
Recording Four Letter Words
New Zealand musician Simon Spire, 28, is forging a career on both sides of the globe simultaneously. Spire has lived in New York since 28. His second album, Four-Letter…
Te Ruki Kawiti
“In an English fort the ditch is deep, and outside the defences; in a New Zealand pa the ditch is shallow, and inside the palisades. In an English fort,…
Stones Analogies Welcomed
Sam McCarthy, one half of Auckland duo Kids of 88, tells The Huffington Post’s Mike Ragogna the “whole ‘88’ thing sort of summed up the kind of cultural references…
Brooklyn’s NZ Pie Man
New Zealander Gareth Hughes owns the Dub Pie Shop, in New York, an Antipodean oasis, where lattes come second on the menu to flat whites, good old Kiwi meat…
Versatile Move
Auckland Blues versatile back Jared Payne is moving to Ulster on a three-year contract where he will play at either wing, centre or full-back. A former New Zealand Under-21…
Flyer Up for Sale
The 12-year-old steam locomotive Kingston Flyer is being offered for sale on auction site Trade Me. With the locomotive come two beautifully wood-panelled passenger carriages, a kitchen van, several…
Zowie Likes Left-Field Types
Electro pop star Aucklander Zowie — who opens Katy Perry’s shows in Australia and New Zealand during May — talks to MTV Australia about her idol Michael Jackson and…
Remembered Always
The Prince of Wales has joined a congregation of some 19 — mainly made up of London-based New Zealanders — at a Westminster Abbey memorial service for the victims…
Not All Sweetness and Light
“The beautiful island nation of New Zealand hides something ugly beneath its lush exterior, hundreds of its children under the age of 16, some even as young as 9,…
Star Rising in US Car Industry
“Dan Ammann’s meteoric career track began with a call from his native New Zealand,” Detroit Free Press business reporter Chrissie Thompson writes. “We’ve got somebody very special whom we…
Mooloolaba First Place
Whangarei-born Nicky Samuels has won the Mooloolaba Triathlon ITU World Cup event beating a strong international field taking her first victory at this level. Samuels led from the start…
Global Merino Expert
Icebreaker owner and CEO Jeremy Moon hated wool as a child. “I had to wear it as a kid and it was my nightmare — itchy, heavy and prickly….
Bold, Courageous and Anarchic
Te Aroha-born actor and co-founder of London’s Common Stock theatre group Frank Whitten, who died in February at the age of 68, was “a giant beanpole of a man…
Air New Zealand: Fit To Fly
Richard Simmons gets you fit to fly in Air New Zealand’s in-flight safety video.
Jimmy Choux a Winning Freak
Hastings jockey Jonathan Riddell “is actually making some money after years of racing for scraps,” Andrew Eddy writes for The Age. Earlier this month, a cheque of $65, was…
Air New Zealand: Crazy About Rugby
Air New Zealand show’s their crazy about rugby in their latest safety video.
Auckland’s Own Nantucket
“Once a hippie haven where forested blocks sold for a few quid, Waiheke is today dotted with multi-million-dollar holiday homes and slick cellar doors (although it remains a firm…
Slaying the Cricket Giants
The Black Caps head into the semifinals of the World Cup after beating South Africa by 49 runs at Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka. Man-of-the-match Jacob Oram took…
Celebrities Love Taylor
“The fashion event of the week was definitely the celebration of designer Rebecca Taylor’s second boutique in New York’s Meatpacking District,” according to the Examiner’s Shea Peters. “Despite rain,…
Easy On the Planet
Sisters Andrea and Robin McBride’s eco.love is the first carboNZero Cert™ winery in the world; the pair tell American sustainable business innovator Paul Smith how it can…
Deborah Wai Kapohe: Pokarekare Ana
Deborah Wai Kapohe performs Pokarekare Ana.
Pokarekare Ana
A beautiful rendition of the much loved song, Pokarekare Ana.
Inviting Gods Into the Theatre
“With a stunning combination of ceremony, ritual, dance and theatre, ,” will have its US premiere this week at the downtown Los…
One and only Topp Twins
Lynda Topp, one half of the “one-of-a-kind” Topp Twins, talks to Susan Cole of Now Toronto about the pair’s career and how they rode the wave while keeping their…
Trading Dairy for Baht
New Zealand’s high quality food and beverage industry is responsible for market growth in Thailand, according to acting New Zealand Trade Commissioner to Thailand Thanadej Trakulyingyong. New Zealand’s food…
Focus on Food
The Gascoigne Associates-designed Japanese restaurant Cocoro in Auckland features on the World Interior Design Network site. “The interior décor features large squares of woven charcoal and chocolate carpet that…
Snoop and Rico Salute Sun
Air New Zealand’s mascot Rico has teamed up with US rapper Snoop Dogg to produce a music video for the airline. Rico, whose controversial antics promoted Air New Zealand’s…
One Courageous Dolphin
Moko the dolphin, who resided at Mahia Beach for two and a half years from 27 to September 29, has been included in a Time magazine Top 1 list…
Hobbit Production Rolls
Production has now begun on Peter Jackson’s film adaptation of The Hobbit, set in Middle-earth 6 years before The Lord of the Rings. Not an earthquake, a health scare,…
Just Like Everybody Else
“The world’s best rugby player” Dan Carter talks exclusively to The Telegraph about how he fled for his own safety during last month’s earthquake in Christchurch, and about how…
Opportunities for Growth
Business between New Zealand and India has reached nearly $87 million in the past two years, with India now New Zealand’s 1th largest market. Coal has led the list…
Delicate Design Hangs in Berlin
New Zealand-born designer and ceramicist Jeremy Cole’s porcelain Aloe Blossom suspension lamp hangs in the living room of German writer and producer Peter Schlesselmann’s one-bedroom flat in…
Breakers Beat the Kings
Star shooter Kirk Penney netted 26 points for the New Zealand Breakers against the Sydney Kings in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL), with the New Zealand team winning…
Children Rule On Big Screen
Children’s television series, The Tribe, which was first produced in New Zealand, is being developed into a film in the United States. According to Variety, “Peter Jackson’s Weta Workshop…
Century-Old Tradition To Go On
The All Blacks may continue to perform the haka at international matches after coming to an agreement with the tribe that created it, Ngati Toa Rangatira. There had been…
Royal Visit Lifts City’s Spirits
The scale of damage caused to Christchurch by last month’s earthquake is “unbelievable” said Prince William when he visited the city at the start of a tour of New…
Tighthead Replacement for Ulster
Auckland-born tighthead John Afoa has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract which will see him join Ulster in the autumn as soon the World Cup ends. Afoa is a direct replacement…
Taiwan Looks to Closer Relations
The number of Taiwanese visiting New Zealand has increased by 4 per cent since Wellington granted Republic of China passport holders visa-free privileges last year, Taiwanese representative to New…
Volunteers Abroad in Pacific
New Zealand’s Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA) is expanding its programme in the Pacific re-establishing relationships with Samoa, Tonga and Kiribati, taking the number of Pacific countries it works in…
Great Voice of Stories
New Zealand scriptwriter Graeme Tetley, whose body of work included films Vigil, Ruby & Rata, Bread and Roses and the Aramoana depiction Out of the Blue, has died in…
Erakovic Wins Title in Mexico
New Zealand tennis No. 2 Marina Erakovic won her 1th ITF singles title in the final of the US$25, ($NZ34,) Irapuato Challenger tournament in Mexico on March 14. The…
Good Place To Be a Girl
New Zealand is the best place in the Commonwealth to be born a girl, according to a study undertaken by Plan International and the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS). New…
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…
One-of-a-kind Parrot
The kakapo, Strigops habroptilus, also known as the owl parrot, is the Guardian’s “Mystery Bird” this week. “This stunning but rare species is so unusual that it is the…
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…
Cracking quake sites
Seismic hazard expert at Lower Hutt’s Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences Dr Mark Stirling is part of a scientific research team using sonar to scan layers underneath the…
Keeping it Bright and Light
New Zealander Kirsten Cameron and Canadian partner Manuelle Langlois’ Montreal apartment features in The Vancouver Sun’s weekly series ‘Shelter’. The “self-confessed mess-makers” take reporter Laurel Baker on a tour….
Taking Priscilla to Broadway
New Zealand-born Simon Phillips is the director of the new Broadway version of Priscilla Queen of the Desert which opens in New York on March 2. Phillips said that…
Wizardry with Melody
“What Peter Jackson did for New Zealand tourism with the most expensive ad campaign ever — The Lord of the Rings — singer/songwriter Maisey Rika could possibly do for…
Kind and Gentle Comparisons
“If some folks felt a few years back that Canada was the kinder, gentler nation America wanted to be, I felt New Zealand was the kinder, gentler nation we’d…
Downhill Game-Changer
Auckland-based Mike Hodgkinson’s 57kg off-road Mountain Moto is a “game changer” according to motorcycle blog 2Wheel Tuesday, and “takes the best of downhill mountain bikes, paired with a 125cc…
Learning Curls From the Best
Nelson Ede is the development officer for the only dedicated indoor curling rink in the Southern Hemisphere, which is located in Naseby, Central Otago. Ede is currently in Canada…
Epic Voyage Via Bora Bora
Cunard’s newest ship, the 292-passenger Queen Elizabeth, will sail an epic, 36-day voyage from Los Angeles to New Zealand and back in early 213, the historic line has announced….
New Governor-General Named
Former Defence Force head Jeremiah (Jerry) Mateparae has been named as New Zealand‘s next Governor-General, succeeding Sir Anand Satyanand on August 31. Mateparae joined the New Zealand Army in…
Trailer: The Vitner’s Luck
The trailer for Niki Caro’s film, The Vitner’s luck.
Critical darlings most promising
Art-pop quintet The Naked and Famous has been named as this year’s “most promising new act” by NME; post-award ceremony the band talks to Mark Savage of BBC 6…
