On the Road With Singer-Songwriter Tami Neilson
Born and raised in Canada and currently based out of New Zealand, Tami Neilson has been on the road for three decades. “From the age of 12, I was on tour all across North…
Tag Archives: Chicago Tribune
Composer Annea Lockwood at Chicago Festival
Chicago’s Frequency Festival has become a crucial showcase for the movement of “new music”, according to Aaron Cohen reporting for Chicago Tribune. New Zealand-born and New York-based composer Annea Lockwood exemplifies the festival’s idiomatic…
NZ’s Wine “Quirky, Exciting And Worth Studying”
“New Zealand is sort of out there on its own, mysterious and captivating. We’re talking about two islands, inextricably linked, yet with quirky underdog identities all their own,” writes Michael Austin in an article…
Astounding Act of Sportsmanship in Rio
New Zealander Nikki Hamblin, 28, and American Abbey D’Agostino, 24, set a high bar at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, not for winning gold medals but for their touching acts of compassion,…
Rebecca Taylor Wraps up for NY’s Cold
Growing up along the beaches of New Zealand, designer Rebecca Taylor didn’t need a closet full of coats, she tells the Chicago Tribune. But when she moved to New York to build her brand…
Carbon Converter LanzaTech Has Significant Global Potential
Illinois-based LanzaTech, which got its start in a New Zealand basement in 2005, plans to revolutionise ethanol production with a gas-eating microbe, which converts waste gases into useful chemicals and fuels, including ethanol. LanzaTech has…
All Blacks Rugby Match Draws Record Crowd in Chicago
Saturday’s landmark rugby game at Soldier Field, Chicago, saw the All Blacks play the USA Eagles in front of a sell-out crowd of 61,500 – the largest to witness rugby in the United States. Both…
‘Courageous’ and ‘Comical’ Ali Williams Calls Time on All Black Career
New Zealand’s second highest-capped lock Ali Williams announced his retirement from international rugby, the Chicago Tribune reports. The 32-year-old had played 77 tests for the world champion All Blacks in his 10-year international career. Ian…
Diamond Blacks Qualify
“Starved of funding, given little public attention, and overshadowed by a more popular close cousin, baseball has had it rough in New Zealand, the sport’s chief executive Ryan Flynn concedes. But all that could…
Super Swap for Winger
Canterbury Crusaders winger Sean Maitland, 24, has signed a contract with Super Rugby side Glasgow Warriors and could be eligible for the national team immediately due to his Scottish grandparents. “We’re delighted to be…
Farewell to a Favourite
Sir Wilson Whineray, who captained the All Blacks 67 times between 1957 and 1965, has died in Auckland, aged 77. Judged by renowned rugby writer Terry McLean as the greatest of All Blacks captains,…
Women Enter Sevens Fold
The success of New Zealand’s rugby teams will create high expectations on the country’s women as they embark on the first International Rugby Board (IRB) women’s sevens world series in November, coach Sean Horan…
Anti-corruption Pioneer Remembered
Wellington-born activist and writer Jeremy Pope, who has died aged 73, “was one of the pioneers in what is now a global movement to curb corruption and improve integrity in government,” friend and colleague…
Full Paddle Ahead for Medal
Full paddle ahead for medalNew Zealander Lisa Carrington, 23, stormed to victory in the inaugural K1 200 on Dorney Lake at the London Olympics to give her country its first women’s Olympic gold medal…
Sleeping Giant Awakens
Mount Tongariro, dormant for more than a century, roared into life on 6 August erupting boulders and spreading an ash cloud over the centre of the country. The spew of rocks, fine particles and…
Fresh Look for Blackcaps
Mike Hesson has been appointed head coach of the Blackcaps until the end of the 2015 World Cup. Hesson replaces John Wright. Hesson coached New Zealand A sides from 2008-11 and was head coach…
All Black Across the Board
New Zealand Maori and the national men’s sevens team will be rebranded and known as the Maori All Blacks and All Blacks Sevens, the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) has said, with a change…
Cup Makes Television History
Last year’s Rugby World Cup final, in which the All Blacks beat France, was the most-watched event in New Zealand television history “attracting a 98 per cent audience share,” Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL)…
Pinup For Road Trips
“I still haven’t gotten past being wowed by the greenness of the countryside,” Chicago Tribune reporter Phil Marty writes on day three of a four-day driving trip from Auckland southward. “This country…
Slave-driven
Former Xena: Warrior Princess star Lucy Lawless has been cast in the new action series Spartacus: Blood and Sand as Lucretia, who with her husband Batiatus own a gladiator camp called the Ludus. The…
Making Space With Light
New Zealand-born architect David Hovey discusses the designs of his 30-year-old Chicago-based business Optima Inc., which he says are influenced by an appreciation of the outdoors. A trace of an accent reveals his roots….
Leave Your Hat On
The Christchurch-designed 2c Solar Light Cap is trialled by a Chicago Tribune reporter who dons the headgear for a camping trip on the Mississippi River. “Part of the appeal of sleeping in the woods…
With rapturous applause
Gisborne-born soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, 64, “came, sang and conquered” with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at a Ravinia gala benefit concert. Looking every inch the beauteous diva in a stunning red-and-black ensemble, Te…
Brave New Voice
Jonathan Lemalu’s debut album, Opera Arias, is bringing the already acclaimed singer further international praise. Chicago Tribune: “Lemalu shines particularly brightly in Mozart’s music, bringing a disarming combination of voice, musicality and personality to…
Hollywood’s Latest Bad Boy
Karl Urban (LotR, Chronicles of Riddick) has won over US critics with his portrayal of “malignant hit-man Kirill” in the critically acclaimed action sequel, The Bourne Supremacy. According to the Chicago Tribune, “Urban, playing…
Best of the Summer Wine
The NZ wine industry is set to benefit from the country’s Rings-inspired tourist influx this year, with two major travel features in the Chicago Tribune and Boston Globe. The former relates an American journalist’s experience…
Finn No Warbler
Chicago Tribune’s Kevin McKeough wonders “what kind of birds are fluttering around he sings melodies that are just plain gorgeous.” Finn’s performance before a packed Park West Stadium (Chicago)…
Archived Story
Drilling and hammering continued right up to opening, but the Jewish Museum in Germany is at last open. It is the culmination of an intense period of work for Ken Gorbey and Nigel Cox,…
Kiwi Driver Up to Speed
“When Scott Dixon first came to Chicago Motor Speedway two years ago, he was an 18-year-old competing in the developmental Indy Lights series. At Sunday’s Target Grand Prix, he was outdriving the veterans on the CART circuit.”…
Altitude Stable
A bit of turbulence on the ground, but Air New Zealand still makes the top ten in the air.
Magic Lives On
Six years ago the Black Magic team completed their historic 5-0 sweep of the America’s Cup.
Wellington or Dunedin?
Is Wellington wonderful or should you skip the capital for the joys of the deep south?
Cisco of the South
Funky Wellington’s natural glories make the city “a superior urban roost with a view, a mini-San Francisco”.
Trek Milford
The Milford Track is one of the world’s top ten walks – up there with Kilimanjaro, Tanzania and Snow Lake, Pakistan.
Political Thrills
“I felt that this picture was made for me, because I love politics and I love making thrillers,” says Kiwi-spawned director Roger Donaldson of missile-drama Thirteen Days, reviewed as “a sleek, fast and…
Going Vertical
Kiwi filmed/helmed Vertical Limit gave star Chris O’Donnell a few moments of terror: “my next thought was, somebody better show me a copy of my paycheck again, so I can remember why I’m doing this…
Land Ahoy!
Karen Hesse’s teen novel Stowaway chronicles the life of Nick Young, a stowaway on Cook’s ship and the first of the crew to spot Aotearoa
Vertical Exhilaration
NZ-filmed and directed Vertical Limit goes public. The scenery scores universal acclaim: Ottawa Citizen, Chicago Sun-Times, USA Today, ctnow, entertainmentnewsdaily, National Post, Chicago Tribune, the Star, Washington Post. Scott Glen battled Mt Cook, the…
Edge Music
“Folk and traditional tunes” from New Zealand feature on the Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus’ new CD, Flights of Song.
Ice and Cannibals
Alan Gurney details three mid-nineteenth century voyages to Antarctica. Included is a “grisly description by a New Zealand missionary of the cannibalistic Maoris’ method of creating shrunken human heads.”
Pain Buster
Dr Abbey recommends New Zealander Robin MacKenzie’s Seven Steps to a Pain-Free Life to tame the back pain of Chicago.
International Treasure
Enterprising techno-toy hounds have devised a use for hand-held GPS systems: geocaching. 120 caches have been laid in 31 states and 13 countries, including Australia, New Zealand and Chile.
Menace Knox in Chicago
Truly edgey Chris Knox described as “an acerbic, forceful wit, accomplished tunesmith and almost menacingly extroverted showman.”
Ultra Careful
Sarah Buckley, a New Zealand-trained family doctor looking into pre-natal care, has produced research that challenges the safety of ultra-sound scans routinely performed on pregnant women.
Biking Across the World
Kiwis turn up in the most extreme places. The Copper Canyon region of Mexico is hardcore: the roads are rocks-strewn, pot-holed and dusty. Typical terrain includes dizzying curves, steep switchbacks and narrow passageways. Intrepid mountain-biking Kiwi Blair…
Starbright and the Dreameater
Kiwi author Joy Cowley gets a glowing review for her latest childrens’ book whose story “could be a mix of the ‘X-files’ and ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’… The plot may be hokey, especially to…
Canary Breaks Free of its Textual Cage in Mansfield Adaptation
A short story by Katherine Mansfield “The Canary” has been adapted for the theatre by Walk About Theatre Company in Chicago.
The Panthenon, the Pyramids, Eiffel Tower … Christchurch?
In a Chicago Tribune survey of readers’ favourite man-made destinations, Christchurch came in tied for 14th as the place most readers would like to travel to, ahead of the Taj Mahal, Leaning Tower of Pisa and Disney…
Lovebug the Secret to On-line Advertising
Internet advertising that works has become the advertising industry’s holy grail. Futurist Kevin Roberts says that solution remains the same as always: good web advertising will play on emotional connections. Roberts cites examples that…
Peter Jackson: “One of the Most Creative Directors Around”
Chicago Tribune, backs the talent of Jackson and a “top notch cast” as Hollywood indemnity for the Lord of the Rings. Jackson was recently voted 7th most promising director for the 21st century in…
Robert Burchfield
Dr Robert Burchfield was a world-renowned scholar. Hailed by the Chicago Tribune as “the greatest living lexicographer”, he played a crucial role in the study of the sources and development of the English language. Born…
Kiwi Professor of Pop Crafts Summer Sounds from Nashville
“If there were advanced academic degrees for pop music, songwriter Tim Finn would have achieved professor emeritus status long ago. This Split Enz and Crowded House alum is a craftsman of the first order….
Bonding Bungee Brings Together Father and Son Film-makers
Award-winning doco “Pop & Me” charts father/son relationships around the world as the father/son makers work out their own. The film’s defining moment comes when Chris persuades his Dad join him in a tandem…
ANZAC Divers Recover Sunken Vietnamese Treasure
A group of four New Zealand and Australian professional divers spent over 70 days working 12 hour shifts in the cramped quarters of a diving bell to recover a sunken collection of valuable 15th Century Vietnamese ceramics….
Did You Know That New Zealand Has More to Offer Than Sheep and Trout Fishing?
The Chicago Tribune goes for the salubrious response to the searching question.
