Brazil Readies for Connan Mockasin
New Zealand singer-songwriter Connan Mockasin will head to Brazil in November after the release of two new albums in October. “There were some invitations to go, some almost came to fruition,…
Blog Archives
Athlete’s Guide to New Zealand
Adventurer and now New Zealand-based athlete Luke Yates, “newly enamoured with the country”, explains why the Land of the Long White Cloud is perfectly suited for endurance adventures in an article for IRONMAN. “Mythical stories…
Dairy Farmer Richard Watson Gets Help From Ida
Cow No. 14433 doesn’t stand out from the herd at Seven Oaks Dairy in Wisconsin. But New Zealand-born dairy owner Richard Watson knows everything about the brown Jersey heifer without…
Scientist Richard Dawkins Considers Move to NZ
The British scientist Richard Dawkins has told current affairs programme The Project he would like to move to New Zealand as a refuge from the “madness” of a post-Trump, post-Brexit northern hemisphere. “I thought about…
Unique Sneak Preview for Effects Man Matt Aitken
New Zealand-born VFX supervisor Matt Aitken talks about Marvel’s “unusual” move that helped make the biggest superhero blockbuster ever, Avengers: Infinity War. Aitken’s credits included an Academy Award nomination for visual effects for 2009’s District…
Actor Julian Dennison is Firefist in Deadpool 2
Julian Dennison is living the dream. The 15-year-old actor from Lower Hutt was hand picked by Ryan Reynolds to star in Deadpool 2, which hits cinemas on 16 May. As Reynolds told the
Illustrator Andrew Archer’s Sci-Fi Vision
Self-taught illustrator and art director New Zealander Andrew Archer was commissioned by London-based publisher The Folio Society to create the cover illustration and a series of internal artworks exploring the drug-infused, psychotic scenes and…
Freer NZ-China Trade Brings Fresh Milk to Shanghai
Jason Ji, a New Zealander working in Shanghai, is picky about fresh milk. Ji insists on drinking milk from New Zealand, even though he spends most of his time in China. “I can tell nuances…
Wellington’s Paddy the Wanderer Forever Loved
Wellington’s waterfront memorial to the “well-loved, well-travelled wharf dog” Paddy the Wanderer is included in online travel guide, Atlas Obscura. “Paddy the Wanderer was an Airedale Terrier who roamed the streets of Wellington,…
The Beths Look to the Future
The Beths is an Auckland guitar pop group who recently signed to Washington DC-based Carpark Records for the release of their debut album Future Me Hates Me, due out 10 August. The band has…
Glass Artist Ruth Allen off to Float in Venice
A glass dress created by New Zealand multi-media artist Ruth Allen is one of among 30 designs to feature in the international Glass Art Society’s Fashion Show being held in the old glass capital of…
Helen Clark Talks Global Health and Gender Equality
In a joint opinion piece for Project Syndicate former New Zealand prime minister and UNDP administrator Helen Clark discusses gender equality and global public health. Organizations advocating for improved public health…
Rochelle Canteen’s Margot Henderson Gets Serious
In October 2017, New Zealander Margot Henderson and her British business partner Melanie Arnold, proprietors of Rochelle Canteen in the Shoreditch neighbourhood of East London, set up a second outpost on the ground floor…
Frances Schoemack’s Abel a Worthy Investment
Vegan perfume lovers must not only avoid fragrances made with extracts of milk, honey, leather and beeswax, but also secretions from animals used to mark their territories, which are often used as fixatives to…
Filmmaker Pietra Brettkelly Celebrates Guo Pei
“When I was little, I didn’t know what fashion was. The word didn’t exist,” Guo Pei tells Whakatane-born documentarian Pietra Brettkelly in Yellow Is Forbidden, a new film charting the Chinese designer’s fierce ambition…
You Should Be Following Mr Essentialist
New York-based New Zealander Alexander Atkins has been on the radar of online lifestyle magazine Opumo for sometime now as the fashion and grooming blogger, who operates under the pseudonym of Mr Essentialist, continues…
Fire Spinner Hale Wilson Showcases Moves in Darwin
For New Zealand-born Samoan Hale Wilson, the art of fire spinning honours his culture and family history at the same time as looking cool. Wilson has carried his Samoan fire knife to Auckland, Brisbane and…
World Famous Parris Goebel On Her Trip to the Top
She’s made her mark as a fierce and unstoppable choreographer but it’s New Zealander Parris Goebel’s work ethic and ability to overcome barriers that has allowed her to emerge as a true icon. Fiona…
What We Do in the Shadows Gets TV Reboot
A long-in-the-works half-hour television comedy based on the 2014 mockumentary horror film What We Do in the Shadows, co-written and co-directed by and starring Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, is slated to premiere in…
Andrew Niccol’s Latest Film Smart and Stylish
Clive Owen and Amanda Seyfried star in Anon, a “timely Netflix-bound cyberthriller from The Truman Show and In Time creator New Zealander Andrew Niccol”. Stephen Dalton reviews the film for The Hollywood Reporter. “Owen looks…
How to Follow in the Royal Family’s Footsteps in NZ
“With the world’s latest royal nuptials almost upon us, we look at how normal folk can get a little regal in New Zealand – one place where they’re rumoured to be honeymooning,” Vogue Australia…
Dean Barker to Helm NY America’s Cup Bid
The New York Yacht Club (NYYC) has appointed Aucklander Dean Barker, 45, as helmsman of the US syndicate that will vie for the America’s Cup in Auckland in 2021. The NYYC held the Auld Mug…
Getting Close to Perfect on the North Island
“Countless travellers fantasise about New Zealand as a place untouched by much of the world’s bustle and strain,” Jim Farber writes for the New York Daily News. Farber tours the North Island to see…
See the World’s Smallest Penguins in Oamaru
Life can be tough when you’re a blue penguin. For starters, you are no taller than a house cat and weigh less than a kilogram. That means many other creatures – rats, ferrets and…
North Island Home to World Class Golf Courses
New Zealand’s North Island is one of the most scenic destinations on the planet. And its rolling hills and clifftops have become home to some world-class golf courses. Golf Australia’s Michael Jones heads over…
Titu’s Head Chef Jeff Tyler Impresses Reviewer
New Zealand-born Jeff Tyler, who is head chef at London’s new restaurant Titu, has just proved reviewer Tim Hayward of the Financial Times wrong. “I wasn’t really expecting Titu to be that good,” Hayward…
Zico O’Neill Captures Life off the Beaten Track
Photographer Zico O’Neill is known for his breathtaking, desaturated photography of little-visited locations far from his home in New Zealand. Since 2010, he’s made a point to spread his wings and travel, from four…
Sam Rockwell, ScarJo Join Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit
After breaking out in a major way in Hollywood by directing the critically acclaimed action-comedy Thor: Ragnarok, New Zealander Taika Waititi’s next film is going to…
Celebrity Chefs Track Down NZ’s Ulster Scots
Michelin-starred chefs Paul Rankin and Nick Nairn from Ireland and Scotland respectively, take a visit to New Zealand for their popular television series Paul and Nick’s Big Food Trip. The pair embark on a culinary…
Gang of Youths’ Max Dunn Talks to Rolling Stone
Founded in Sydney six years ago, Gang of Youths, which includes New Zealander Max Dunn on bass, are getting their share of attention in America after releasing two hit albums in Australia: 2015’s The…
Exhibition of Colliding Worlds on in London
Work by ill-fated illustrators aboard Captain James Cook’s first journey to the Pacific sit alongside revelatory images by a Polynesian high priest in a haunting exhibition on now at the British Library in London. “The…
Luke Willis Thompson in Running for Turner Prize
Fijian-New Zealand artist Luke Willis Thompson, 30, is one of four candidates vying for this year’s Turner Prize, a shortlist, according to the Financial Times, focusing on conflict, crime and state-sponsored violence.
Zion Armstrong New Adidas North America President
Adidas has appointed New Zealander Zion Armstrong, 43, as president of its North America arm. Armstrong’s successful career with the corporation spans many years and many countries. He first joined Adidas New Zealand as product manager…
Model Fran Robertson Wins Vegas Pin-Up Pageant
Makeup artist Fran Robertson, who also creates colourful costumes and dresses, has been crowned Miss Viva Las Vegas Pin-Up 2018 at the hugely popular Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend. The event is said to be…
World’s Longest Emperor Penguin Dive Recorded
Scientists in Antarctica have recorded the world’s longest penguin dive, an astounding 32.2 minutes under the water, a full five minutes longer than the previous record. Emperor penguins, which live only in Antarctica, are the…
Badminton First-Timer Ginny Thompson Ready
Twenty-six-year-old New Zealander Virginia (Ginny) Thompson is having to pinch herself that she is in the UK ready to compete at her first ever Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, which get underway on 2…
Russian Film Fest Prize for Kieran Charnock
New Zealander Kieran Charnock, 26, has won best actor at the Moscow International Film Festival for his role in the independent film Stray. The award was presented by Nastassja Kinski.
Jeremy Brockie Pleased about South Africa Move
Mamelodi Sundowns striker New Zealander Jeremy Brockie, 30, tells Johannesburg-based news site Sowetan LIVE about his decision to relocate with his family to South Africa to join the country’s Premier Soccer League (PSL). Before joining…
Prehistoric Toothless Whale Among Oldest of Its Kind
A fossil found in South Canterbury is now one of the earliest members of the filter-feeding family of behemoths known as baleen whales. Modern baleen whales include many of the world’s largest cetaceans, such…
To the Bottom of the World for Single Malt Whisky
News website Daily Beast sends drinks writer Dave Broom to one of the world’s southernmost distilleries, the Cardrona Distillery, to see how New Zealand’s whisky industry is developing. “It might seem strange that a country…
Marlon Williams Accompanies Wild Wild Country
Despite working with a “micro-budget”, music supervisor Chris Swanson weaves an inspired sonic accompaniment to the Netflix hit Wild Wild Country, a documentary about the controversial Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and his followers….
Scots 20 Years Behind NZ in Rugby Psychology
Scottish rugby is 20 years behind New Zealand when it comes to sports psychology, according to Glasgow Warriors assistant coach New Zealander Jason O’Halloran, 46, who has also found that players in Scotland are…
Sailing for Everyone Says Yacht Maker Ron Holland
The gleaming yachts moored in Vancouver’s Coal Harbour are indelibly tied to wealth. Ron Holland would appear to fit the bill. The sailor’s 33-metre yacht Avalon, which he designed, is valued at a jaw-dropping…
Allbirds Shoe Brand Launches in Canada
New Zealander Tim Brown (pictured left) and American Joey Zwillinger, Allbirds founders, chatted with Postmedia News about launching their wool-focused footwear brand in Canada, what their footwear brand is all about – and why…
Bowler Trent Boult Enjoys the Challenge of the IPL
New Zealand international cricketer Trent Boult, 28, who has quickly emerged as a leading new-ball bowler in the past few years, spoke to The Telegraph India in the lead-up to the recent Indian Premiere…
Lance O’Sullivan Takes Youths on Trip of Lifetime
Twelve rangatahi Māori from across the country have accompanied New Zealander of the Year Dr Lance O’Sullivan and the Kaitaia-based Moko Foundation to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues…
DIY Picks Matthew Young’s New Single
Every weekday, Britain’s DIY magazine brings you one essential new release to get obsessed with. This recent ‘Neu Pick’ comes from Auckland-based Matthew Young. Young is releasing new EP Fruit on 25 May, and its…
Humble Bee Looks at Clean Alternative to Plastics
When New Zealander Veronica Harwood-Stevenson, 33, a trained reproductive biologist, gambled her life savings on research into a rare species of bee, she had no way of knowing whether it would pay off. Harwood-Stevenson had…
Ardern Joins Khan, Trudeau and Young Fans in London
In this Guardian ‘photo highlight’ of the day, the Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau takes a selfie with the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, at City Hall during the…
Popular London Chain Caravan to Trial Grab and Go
London coffee stalwart Caravan, founded by New Zealand trio Laura Harper-Hinton, Miles Kirby and Chris Ammermann, is looking to get a slice of the grab-and-go market. Caravan To Go, or (CTG), will be given its…
London Roaster Kurt Stewart Makes Coffee Accessible
Former chef New Zealand-born Kurt Stewart, founder of Volcano Coffee Works, arrived in London over two decades ago, and was surprised by how little access there was to decent versions of his favourite drink. “Back…
Scott Dixon Competes on American Ninja Warrior
New Zealand four-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon will enter the realm of reality TV when he auditions in Indianapolis this week for American Ninja Warrior. Dixon, 37, nicknamed “The Iceman,” thought it sounded fun when…
Burial at Last for WWI Soldier Killed at Ypres
First World War soldier, New Zealander Captain Henry John Innes Walker, 25, whose remains lay undiscovered for more than 100 years has been given a full military burial after gas engineers uncovered his final…
Ways to Better Water Quality in NZ Lakes and Rivers
“Two years ago, New Zealanders were shocked when contaminated drinking water sickened more than 5000 people in the small town of Havelock North, with a population of 14,000,” writes Professor Troy Baisden, chair of…
Jacinda Ardern Wears Korowai to Meet the Queen
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern turned heads at Buckingham Palace last week, wearing a traditional Māori korowai to a state banquet of world leaders. The korowai was loaned to Ardern by the
Ivan Mauger Was the King of Speedway
Speedway legend Ivan Mauger, who won a record six world championships during the 1960s and 1970s, has died at his home on the Gold Coast, Queensland. He was 78. When Christchurch-born Mauger came to the…
