February 2014 Archives

Pineapple Lumps ‘Sweet As’

Pineapple Lumps ‘Sweet As’

In the beginning, when the Creator was giving out stuff, New Zealand slept in… Take a look at this funny commercial about how New Zealand beat the rest of…

International Stage for NZ Writing

International Stage for NZ Writing

Acclaimed literature almanac, the Griffith Review, has devoted an entire issue to New Zealand poetry, fiction, non-fiction, art and photography. Award-winning author of Mister Pip, Lloyd Jones, has been brought in as guest editor…

Debut Radio Single Heavy Seas Rolling out in UK

Debut Radio Single Heavy Seas Rolling out in UK

With a voice described as “Bowie meets Bono”, New Zealand-born Thom Cross will release his debut radio single Heavy Sea, mixed by Grammy Award-winning producer Guy Massey of Manic Street Preachers fame. London-based Cross talked…

Kiwi Whisky Judged One of the Greats

Kiwi Whisky Judged One of the Greats

A top-shelf tipple from the planet’s southern-most country has been named as one of the world’s best by a global whisky expert, Jim Murray. The flagship 21-year-old South Island Single Malt has been adjudged…

Whare Kea Lodge Amongst the World’s Best Hotel Dining

Whare Kea Lodge Amongst the World’s Best Hotel Dining

Wanaka’s Whare Kea Lodge restaurant is one of the world’s best hotel restaurants according to the Sydney Morning Herald’s Ute Junker. It is included alongside New York’s Nomad Hotel and London’s Mandarin-Oriental Hotel, where…

How Maui Slowed The Sun

How Maui Slowed The Sun

Tales of Maui have been told by the Maori for thousands of years. Here is an animated version of the beautifully written and illustrated ‘How Maui slowed the Sun’…

Promoting an Egalitarian Workplace with a Global Approach

Promoting an Egalitarian Workplace with a Global Approach

Originally from Hastings, Todd Lauchlan, 41, is Indonesia country head at property consulting company Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL). He talks with the Jakarta Post about his role at the firm and how an egalitarian…

Lorde & the Perfectly Formed Sentence

Lorde & the Perfectly Formed Sentence

Ella Yellich-O’Connor stares at the reader from the pages of Vogue magazine looking wraithlike, almost like another famous alien fallen to earth. This Lorde looks quite unlike the girl from Devonport who improbably conquered…

Tenacious D Presents NZ Weather Forecast

Tenacious D Presents NZ Weather Forecast

Watch Tenacious D’s Jack Black and Kyle Gass fumble around and try out their luck as a weather forecast presenter on New Zealand’s morning program, Breakfast. Tenacious D is…

Exceptional Mountain Biking Trails Abound

Exceptional Mountain Biking Trails Abound

New Zealand “boasts exceptional mountain biking” according to Men’s Journal, which includes a feature on our best trails, saying that local “fat tyre offerings are too often overlooked by adventure-seekers rushing toward the beach…

Top Burger from NZ’s Adventure Capital

Top Burger from NZ’s Adventure Capital

The CNN is having a dilemma. It’s toying with the idea that the best burger joint might not be on the streets of New York or Los Angeles, but in small town New Zealand. After…

Rose McIver Stars in Flowers in the Attic TV Sequel

Rose McIver Stars in Flowers in the Attic TV Sequel

Twenty-six-year-old Rose McIver has been confirmed to play the role of Cathy Dollanganger in Petals on the Wind, American cable network Lifetime’s upcoming sequel to its hit adaptation of Virginia Andrews’s Flowers in the…

Serial Entrepreneur Forging His Own Online Spice Routes

Serial Entrepreneur Forging His Own Online Spice Routes

New Zealand-born James Lillis, 37, is the founder of Black Milk, “one of the fastest-growing Australian clothing companies you’ve never heard of, selling more than 1000 garments a day,” Glenda Korporaal writes in a…

Pioneering People Who Value Community Rebuild a Theatre

Pioneering People Who Value Community Rebuild a Theatre

How the Court Theatre rose from the rubble of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake is described by its chief executive Philip Aldridge for the Guardian’s “Culture Professionals Network” series. “[After the earthquake on the morning of…

The Kiwi Sceptics: Aussie Bogan

The Kiwi Sceptics: Aussie Bogan

New Zealand the perfect holiday spot, but that’s not what everyone thinks. Some people would never cross the ditch in a million years, we call them: The Kiwi Sceptics….

Auckland Illustrator Lands Space on the Wall next to Banksy

Auckland Illustrator Lands Space on the Wall next to Banksy

25 February 2014 – Auckland-based illustrator Henrietta Harris will exhibit alongside the world’s most famous street artist at the Robert Fontaine Gallery in Miami from 8 March. The exhibition, called Insiders:…

Friends Bid Farewell to an “Outstanding Human Being”

Friends Bid Farewell to an “Outstanding Human Being”

Auckland-born television personality and former model Charlotte Dawson who has died in Sydney, aged 47, was “outrageous, outgoing and outspoken”, said sports presenter Ben Fordham, who worked with Dawson at Channel Nine. “More than anything…

Sublime Southern Photographic Opportunities

Sublime Southern Photographic Opportunities

The South Island’s 13 most beautiful photo opportunities include a view of the braided banks of the Waimakariri River (pictured), the Matai Falls in The Caitlins and icebergs on Tasman Lake, according to last…

Benny Tipene – Make You Mine

Benny Tipene – Make You Mine

Relax and enjoy Tipene’s second single, “Make You Mine”. The single was released on 6 December 2013, with the music video released in late January 2014 and was also…

Brothers Thriving in Phnom Penh’s Lively Culinary Scene

Brothers Thriving in Phnom Penh’s Lively Culinary Scene

“As Phnom Penh’s traffic roared nearby on a recent late afternoon, George and William Norbert-Munns were busy decorating. Amid piles of rubble and cement bags, the brothers mapped their vision for the…

Black Caps on the Rise

Black Caps on the Rise

What a summer. Three test victories, two test series wins and a 4-0 drubbing of the No. 1 ranked one-day side in the world. New Zealand has risen one place to seventh in the…

Impressive and Uncommonly Versatile NY Triple Bill

Impressive and Uncommonly Versatile NY Triple Bill

24 February 2014 – The opening of Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB) at The Joyce in New York “marked the final stop on a US tour that has covered a lot of ground –…

Restoring French Colonial Ruins in Southern Cambodia

Restoring French Colonial Ruins in Southern Cambodia

Chris Connop, a 57-year-old New Zealander with a degree in engineering and a background in horticulture and construction, says he stumbled into his current occupation – restoring and rebuilding Kampot architecture in Cambodia –…

Chuck Berry’s Dream Flight over Pink Waters

Chuck Berry’s Dream Flight over Pink Waters

Veteran skydiver and Red Bull air athlete New Zealand-born Chuck Berry, 47, was last week soaring over Lake Hillier in Western Australia mesmerised by the pink mystery below. “The whole crew was … blown away…

Far Over The Misty Mountains Cold

Far Over The Misty Mountains Cold

Take a look at an exclusive video clip from Warner Bros and TheOneRing.net from Peter Jackson’s film: The Hobbit. Far Over The Misty Mountains Cold is a song sung…

Artisan Café to Open in Revitalised Central London Precinct

Artisan Café to Open in Revitalised Central London Precinct

New Zealander Jodie Whitelaw, 33, will open the first Antipodean artisan coffee shop in the “Government and God” quarter around Victoria station in London of which the first stage of the “extraordinary overhaul, has…

Learning to Stand Upright in New Zealand

Learning to Stand Upright in New Zealand

Historically, geographically, culturally – there are many points of comparison between New Zealand and its neighbour to the west, Australia. But there are notable differences. Victoria University’s Professor Harry Ricketts examines migration in New…

Lange Intelligence Revelations Resurface in US report

Lange Intelligence Revelations Resurface in US report

A report by US online investigative journalist specializing in intelligence and international affairs, Wayne Madsen, reprises 2006 reports of the extent of New Zealand’s ongoing involvement in Western alliance intelligence gathering. In January…

Exam Paper – Lotto Instant Kiwi 1999

Exam Paper – Lotto Instant Kiwi 1999

Watch what happens when our hero has finished his exam with a minute to spare and decides to pull out an instant kiwi card to check out his luck….

Lorde Scoops Best International Female Solo Artist at The Brit Awards 2014

Lorde Scoops Best International Female Solo Artist at The Brit Awards 2014

Lorde has overcome the odds and won the best International Female Solo Artist prize at the Brit Awards 2014. Despite going into the show as a huge underdog, the 17 year old newcomer took the…

Xero Eyes 29 Million US Small Businesses

Xero Eyes 29 Million US Small Businesses

Wellington-based accounting software maker Xero signals a major push in the United States market, with appointment of former and current executives from Microsoft, HP and PayPal in a move analysts say could foreshadow a…

New Zealand – Sochi Winter Olympics – Freeski

New Zealand – Sochi Winter Olympics – Freeski

Meet Kiwi Winter Olympic hopefuls aiming to qualify for Freeski in Sochi 2014. The Winter Olympics is a major international multi-sport event being held in Sochi, Russia.

Epic Innings Earns International Acclaim

Epic Innings Earns International Acclaim

Black Caps captain Brendan McCullum’s magisterial triple century – the first ever achieved by a New Zealander – has been hailed by Indian media as one of the greatest innings in cricket history. As…

Cover Duties for Our Own Alternative Pop Voice

Cover Duties for Our Own Alternative Pop Voice

Lorde takes one of four covers for fashion magazine V’s music special as part of a feature on the “next wave of alternative pop voices,” starring alongside HAIM, Say Lou Lou, and BANKS. The 17-year-old…

Fledgling Party Giving a Voice to New Zealanders Living Overseas

Fledgling Party Giving a Voice to New Zealanders Living Overseas

An estimated one million New Zealanders living overseas will become a serious political force if the newly formed Expatriate Party of New Zealand gets its way, says the Guardian. Based in Perth, the party says…

Other People Make Mistakes

Other People Make Mistakes

Slow Down! The road is no place for people to learn from mistakes is the grim message from New Zealand Transport Agency. This road safety advertisement urges drivers to…

NZ Farm the Basis for Winning London Butchery

NZ Farm the Basis for Winning London Butchery

Nothing tastes better than grass-fed beef and lamb, as anyone raised on a New Zealand farm can tell you. But for those poor souls who flew the coop in search of a different life…

Women in Walker Strut Faster Better and Stronger

Women in Walker Strut Faster Better and Stronger

Karen Walker’s suffragette-inspired fall 2014 collection was shown at New York Fashion Week; “a modern and tongue ‘n cheek nod to women on the march”, the Daily Mail reported from the catwalk. “Our collections are…

Cricket’s Hottest Property Nearly a Millionaire

Cricket’s Hottest Property Nearly a Millionaire

Black Cap Corey Anderson is only 23-years old and nearly a millionaire. Indian Premier League side Mumbai Indians paid $866,000 for the young all-rounder, who set the cricketing world alight with the fastest one-day…

Timelapse: Volcanic Light

Timelapse: Volcanic Light

Take a look at this stunning time-lapse video of Volcanic Light by Bevan Percival shot in the Central North Island of New Zealand. Bevan explains how he filmed the…

Booker Judge Explains Catton’s Genius

Booker Judge Explains Catton’s Genius

Eleanor Catton’s Booker-winning The Luminaries is a novel in which almost everyone is obsessed with the acquisition of wealth, writes Robert Macfarlane in Intelligent Life, the sister publication to The Economist. But of all…

Toxicologist Claims Alexander the Great Died from Poisoned Wine

Toxicologist Claims Alexander the Great Died from Poisoned Wine

National Poisons Centre toxicologist Dr Leo Schep may have unravelled the mystery surrounding the death of Greek king Alexander the Great, who died at 32 in 323BC. Schep thinks the culprit could be poisonous wine…

Astronaut Says NZ Vineyards Most Appeal from Space

Astronaut Says NZ Vineyards Most Appeal from Space

15 February 2014 – The vineyards of Marlborough are the part of the world which most caught Canadian Chris Hadfield’s eye from space. The “selfie”-taking astronaut, who became widely known after performing a rendition…

#165: Lorde Wins Two Grammys

#165: Lorde Wins Two Grammys

The Global Life of New Zealanders From Brian Sweeney, producer NZEDGE.COM | 4 February 2014 | #165 | New York We tweet four…

National Australia Bank Appoints Tech Whizz Geraldine McBride

National Australia Bank Appoints Tech Whizz Geraldine McBride

Victoria University-educated Geraldine McBride, founder and chief executive of software company MyWave, has been appointed director of National Australia Bank (NAB) and will join the board in March. McBride’s appointment is a clear demonstration of…

Flight of the Conchords – I’m Not Crying

Flight of the Conchords – I’m Not Crying

If you’re feeling a bit blue, broke up with your partner or just need a good laugh, this may be the video for you. “I’m Not Crying” was featured…

Boy from Russell Turn Couture Designer for the Stars Returns

Boy from Russell Turn Couture Designer for the Stars Returns

After leaving New Zealand 23 years ago for the lights of London, can-do eccentric artist Lyall Hakaraia is back this month for Auckland’s Pride festival. The nightclub owner, event director, fashion designer, DJ and…

One British Fashion Influence on Another

One British Fashion Influence on Another

Coveted New Zealand-born designer Emilia Wickstead has hailed the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, as a credit to British fashion. Talking to CNN’s Max Foster, Wickstead said: “I am always designing with the idea of…

Exciting Things Afoot at the Royal New Zealand Ballet

Exciting Things Afoot at the Royal New Zealand Ballet

Artistic director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet Wellington-based Ethan Stiefel is significantly raising the “well-respected” company’s profile. The former American Ballet Theater principal was about as famous as it is possible for a…

Romeo and Juliet: A Love Song Official NZ Trailer

Romeo and Juliet: A Love Song Official NZ Trailer

Loved the romantic-tragedy of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet? New Zealand creates an Independent musical version of the famous play, which started as a recorded score and went on to…

Atea Setting Itself Apart with Considered Minimalism

Atea Setting Itself Apart with Considered Minimalism

A dress designed by New Zealand-born Laura Myers, founder of the London-based brand Atea, is included in a Wall Street Journal feature about new midprice labels setting themselves apart from their trend-chasing…

Understated Luxury a Big Drawcard for Tourists to Queenstown

Understated Luxury a Big Drawcard for Tourists to Queenstown

Alpine and resort destination Queenstown, New Zealand’s answer to Aspen and Lake Como, offers outdoor adventurers vacation-home options for every season says global luxury source, Robb Report. In recent years, Queenstown’s reputation for adventure has…

Neil Finn’s Latest Solo Album His Funkiest

Neil Finn’s Latest Solo Album His Funkiest

“Neil Finn makes pop music, and good pop music at that. He can’t help it,” espouses the Sydney Morning Herald’s senior music writer Bernard Zuel, and he “makes the oddest and, to these ears,…

Eric Tracey UK New Zealander of the Year 2014

Eric Tracey UK New Zealander of the Year 2014

Eric Tracey has been named the UK New Zealander of the Year 2014 at the New Zealand Society’s Waitangi Day Charity Ball held in London. Announced by the High Commissioner for New Zealand the Rt…

Devastating Fairytales Evoke Story of Painful Youth

Devastating Fairytales Evoke Story of Painful Youth

Janet Frame’s The Mijo Tree, a previously unpublished novella first drafted in 1957, follows the pattern of her other stories, with their “anthropomorphism and their small, clear fairytale phrasing,” which gradually “reveal their powerful…

A Test Win for the Ages

A Test Win for the Ages

Test cricket’s status as the most important and exciting form of the game was given a resounding endorsement with New Zealand’s win over India at Eden Park, Auckland. Sports journalists thumbed the thesaurus in…