March 2015 Archives

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa honoured by Royal College of Music

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa honoured by Royal College of Music

The Prince of Wales presented legendary Kiwi soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa with an honorary doctorate at a ceremony at the Royal College of Music. “It’s a great honour to be given such a title…

Van Gisbergen Joins McLaren Factory Line-Up

Van Gisbergen Joins McLaren Factory Line-Up

V8 Supercars star Shane van Gisbergen has been added to the McLaren line-up and will race in Europe as a factory driver this season. His exact role is yet to be announced, but it is…

Brown Takes Taupo again

Brown Takes Taupo again

Dominating one race like no other man in triathlon history, Kiwi Cameron Brown showed the world that he wasn’t slipping at age 42 and won his record-breaking 11th Ironman New Zealand title in 8:22:13…

Living A Kiwi Life – Ep.32 – Milford Sound

Living A Kiwi Life – Ep.32 – Milford Sound

In this exciting episode the couple decided to trek through the beautiful and mysterious Milford Sound.

Rugged Aoraki Region a Pinnacle of Adventure

Rugged Aoraki Region a Pinnacle of Adventure

Even with the mist covering the tallest of them, the Southern Alps rising up around the Hooker Valley have a humbling stature, Abu Dhabi’s English-language publication the National reports in a travel feature about…

Costume Designer Tracy Lord Awakens Singapore Corps De Ballet

Costume Designer Tracy Lord Awakens Singapore Corps De Ballet

New Zealand-born Tracy Grant Lord has created the costumes for Singapore Dance Theatre’s (SDT’s) 2015 season of Sleeping Beauty. Lord’s designs are a reminder of just how costumes also make a ballet. “Highlights will be…

Dane Rumble – Cruel

Dane Rumble – Cruel

Dane Rumble is a New Zealand singer-songwriter who exploded onto the New Zealand music scene back in 1999 as a member of NZ hip-hop group Fast Crew, and then…

Parker KOs Pettaway In 4

Parker KOs Pettaway In 4

New Zealand  heavyweight Joseph Parker took care of American Jason Pettaway in four rounds at the Vodafone Events Centre in Manukau City, New Zealand on Thursday night. Parker dominated the fight from the start. Pettaway…

Broods’ Georgia Nott Can’t Deny Her Pop Roots

Broods’ Georgia Nott Can’t Deny Her Pop Roots

When New Zealander Georgia Nott was young, her parents took her to wedding and church concerts where they performed with her aunt and uncle as an ABBA tribute band. “I couldn’t walk at the…

Lucy Lawless Joins ‘Ash Vs. Evil Dead’

Lucy Lawless Joins ‘Ash Vs. Evil Dead’

Lucy Lawless will reunite with her “Xena: Warrior Princess” co-star Bruce Campbell on Starz’s “Ash Vs. Evil Dead”, which begins filming in Lawless’ native New Zealand in April. She will play Ruby, a…

Porsche 911 GT3 RS – Brendon Hartley Test Drive

Porsche 911 GT3 RS – Brendon Hartley Test Drive

New Zealand race car driver Brendon Hartley was lucky enough to take Porsche’s new 911 GT3 RS for a test drive, and the experience was a definite rush! He had…

New Zealand Breakers Win NBL Title Over Cairns

New Zealand Breakers Win NBL Title Over Cairns

In a terrific Game 2 of the NBL grand final series, the Breakers claimed their fourth championship in five years with an 83-81 victory over Cairns Taipan. It’s the Breakers’ ninth straight playoff victory and…

Bruce Neal’s Anzac Tattoo an Internet Hit

Bruce Neal’s Anzac Tattoo an Internet Hit

Lower Hutt army veteran Bruce Neal’s Anzac tattoo – a 19cm design of World War I soldiers marching into the distance in a shape of a fern with the words “Lest We Forget” written…

Take a German Folk Music Tour with Hayden Chisholm

Take a German Folk Music Tour with Hayden Chisholm

Hayden Chisolm’s documentary, Sound of Heimat, which follows the New Zealand-born musician as he traverses Germany exploring the country’s folk music, screened in Rwanda at a recent film, photography and dance festival organised by…

Living a Kiwi Life – Ep.31 – Kayaking Doubtful Sound with Dolphins

Living a Kiwi Life – Ep.31 – Kayaking Doubtful Sound with Dolphins

This time the couple decided to take some time out, and some dolphins decided to come along with them. They traveled through Doubtful Sound by kayak, and had an…

Andrew Reeve’s Craft Beer Business Honest Brew Delivers

Andrew Reeve’s Craft Beer Business Honest Brew Delivers

A year ago from his small London apartment, New Zealander Andrew Reeve (pictured far left) launched his startup business Honest Brew. Now, he makes and sells his own craft beer and also…

New Zealand’s English Has a Distinct Linguistic Identity

New Zealand’s English Has a Distinct Linguistic Identity

“New Zealand English is like English, but different. And it’s developing in a direction all of its own,” according to New Zealand copywriter Sam O’Flaherty in a piece for the Guardian. “Tumeke!” “Enough about the…

The Ground We Won – Trailer

The Ground We Won – Trailer

The Ground We Won is a highly authentic, slice of life film about the challenges and joys of manhood, as seen through the rites and rituals of a rural…

Writing Struck a Chord for Author Anna Smaill

Writing Struck a Chord for Author Anna Smaill

According to the Independent, New Zealand author Anna Smaill’s debut novel The Chimes is “superb … intriguing, ambitious and strikingly written.” Harper’s Bazaar tips it for “book of the year.” The setting is a dystopian…

Niki Caro’s Latest Feature Hits the Ground Running

Niki Caro’s Latest Feature Hits the Ground Running

New Zealander Niki Caro is the director of McFarland, USA, a Disney film based on the true story of a 1987 cross country team from a predominantly Mexican-American high school starring Kevin Costner. McFarland,…

New Zealand Shines As Bright As A Movie Star

New Zealand Shines As Bright As A Movie Star

“New Zealand might be best known for its breathtaking scenery, excellent wines and friendly locals; however, the land of the long white cloud has also earned a stellar reputation as a popular film location”…

New Zealand Soccer Player Winston Reid Renews Contract

New Zealand Soccer Player Winston Reid Renews Contract

West Ham defender Winston Reid has ended speculation about his future by signing a new six and a half year deal worth up to £20 million with the Upton Park Club. “There was a lot…

Ashleigh Good in Dolce & Gabbana’s Tribute To Mothers

Ashleigh Good in Dolce & Gabbana’s Tribute To Mothers

New Zealand born model Ashleigh Good came down the catwalk holding her baby daughter Emily at the Milan Fashion Week. The duo was part of the Dolce and Gabbana show, which had…

Join the Red Nosed Kiwi Coffee Caravan

Join the Red Nosed Kiwi Coffee Caravan

Caravan Coffee Roasters, set up by New Zealand chef Miles Kirby with Kiwi friends Laura Harper-Hinton and Chris Ammerman, has launched Coffee Relief to support this year’s Red Nose Day. From the…

Katchafire – Down With You

Katchafire – Down With You

Katchafire are a New Zealand roots reggae band from Hamilton who are regarded as New Zealand’s ‘hardest touring band’, and routinely play to sell-out crowds & respected stages in both…

Lorde and Joel Little Back into the Recording Studio

Lorde and Joel Little Back into the Recording Studio

Teenage global “phenom” Lorde will hit the studio in a matter of weeks to begin work on a follow-up to her acclaimed debut album, Pure Heroine, according to Billboard. The big news didn’t come via…

Teddy Tahu Rhodes Commemorates Gallipoli at Sydney Opera House

Teddy Tahu Rhodes Commemorates Gallipoli at Sydney Opera House

Two of the best opera singers from New Zealand and Australia will come together on Anzac Day for a special commemoration of the 100-year anniversary of Gallipoli at the Sydney Opera House…

Composer Annea Lockwood Celebrates Waterway Sounds

Composer Annea Lockwood Celebrates Waterway Sounds

Christchurch-born composer Annea Lockwood was one of nine artists represented at a recent audio and visual art exhibition in Manhattan, New York called “Foot Notes: On the Sensations of Tone,” an exhibition which celebrated…

Rainbow Hunters Find Their Violet in New Zealand

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…

Matt Stone at TEDxAuckland

Matt Stone at TEDxAuckland

Arguably one of the hottest chefs on the Australian dining scene, it’s not rare for foodie fans of Matt’s to book tables 3-months in advance at Sydney’s Stanley St….

Cycling an Exceptional Route from the Alps to the Ocean

Cycling an Exceptional Route from the Alps to the Ocean

The 78km Twizel-Omarama section of the South Island’s Alps 2 Ocean cycle trail “is simply exceptional,” writes Andrew Bain for Australian Geographic Outdoor. “Twizel isn’t Queenstown. It’s not Wanaka, and it’s not Nelson. This South…

Geoff Sewell’s Guerilla Opera Singers Hit Exclusive Parties

Geoff Sewell’s Guerilla Opera Singers Hit Exclusive Parties

Former Amici Forever tenor New Zealander Geoff Sewell and his wife Simone Lanham run London-based Incognito Artists, a group of performers who specialise in “guerrilla opera” – available for hire as “chefs,”…

Luke Willis Thompson Exhibits at NY’s New Museum

Luke Willis Thompson Exhibits at NY’s New Museum

Walters Prize recipient, Auckland-based Luke Willis Thompson, 27, is one of 51 young artists participating in New York’s New Museum Generational Triennial, a “hotly anticipated” show which will explore the frontiers of digital technology,…

Living A Kiwi Life – Ep. 30 – Routeburn Track

Living A Kiwi Life – Ep. 30 – Routeburn Track

Deciding to stretch their legs again the couple decided to embark on another of New Zealand’s Great Walks and took on the Routeburn Track which straddles Mt Aspiring National Park…

Glenn Martin’s Jetpack Dream Achieves IPO Liftoff

Glenn Martin’s Jetpack Dream Achieves IPO Liftoff

In 1981, a young aviation-obsessed university student, New Zealander Glenn Martin, began working on his dream to invent the world’s first commercial jetpack, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. In late February the company he…

Scott Baigent’s Eight Degrees Brewing Increases Capacity

Scott Baigent’s Eight Degrees Brewing Increases Capacity

Four years in and New Zealander Scott Baigent’s Eight Degrees Brewing company, based in Ireland, is increasing production capacity tenfold. Baigent, (pictured right, with head brewer Mike Magee) a former engineer and Australian…

NZ’s Beauty Garners Tongue-in-Cheek Buzzfeed Response

NZ’s Beauty Garners Tongue-in-Cheek Buzzfeed Response

New Zealand, and why travellers should think twice before visiting, features in a tongue-in-check tourism photo essay on Buzzfeed. The image above of Mt Aoraki mirrored on Lake Matheson is just “urgh”. “The second you…

Lydia Ko takes New Zealand Women’s Open for 2nd-straight victory

Lydia Ko takes New Zealand Women’s Open for 2nd-straight victory

Lydia Ko, the 17 year old New Zealand LPGA star sits atop of the golf world with her second straight win of the 2015 season finishing with a 1-under 71 at Clearwater Golf Club…

Shihad – FVEY (Official Video)

Shihad – FVEY (Official Video)

The eponymous title video track of their tenth studio album FVEY. Shihad’s latest album has been lauded by rock critics as their angriest and most beautiful album yet.

New Zealander James Lucas Wins Oscar for Short Film

New Zealander James Lucas Wins Oscar for Short Film

Christchurch-raised James Lucas has won an Oscar in the category Best Live Action Short Film, for his “moving” and “well-deserved” The Phone Call, a star-studded film he co-wrote with friend, Briton Mat Kirkby. “Previous nominee…

The Red Road – Season Two – First Look

The Red Road – Season Two – First Look

The Sundance Channel continues their ambitious Native American crime drama with The Red Road which is approaching the premiere of its second season. Starring New Zealander Martin Henderson and…

Kiwis Claim Thrilling Victory Over Rivals

Kiwis Claim Thrilling Victory Over Rivals

Auckland is humming. After a month of sublime weather, and on a day in which the Volvo round the world yachts arrived in post, the 175th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of…

BBC’s Adrenalin-Fuelled DJ Zane Lowe Looks Ahead to LA

BBC’s Adrenalin-Fuelled DJ Zane Lowe Looks Ahead to LA

The “faintly tearful” DJ Zane Lowe, BBC Radio 1’s “most enthusiastic music fan, explains why his stomach is churning at the thought of saying goodbye,” bowing out of the network after 12 years for…

Greatest Uniforms in Sports, No. 5: New Zealand All Blacks

Greatest Uniforms in Sports, No. 5: New Zealand All Blacks

“Aggressiveness, intimidation, honour, respect, courage, war—embodied in one uniform. And it only needs one colour to say it all” is how Arden Zwelling describes the New Zealand All Blacks uniform in an article for…

Emilia Wickstead on BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund Shortlist

Emilia Wickstead on BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund Shortlist

New Zealand designer Emilia Wickstead, the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton’s go-to for gowns, has made the British Fashion Council (BFC)/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund shortlist. Wickstead also made the shortlist in 2013 and 2014. The…