Jacinda Ardern on Life as a Leader
In a Guardian interview, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern reveals how her life has changed and her ambition for a can-do country. This time last year Ardern was known as a young opposition MP…
Blog Archives
Getting More Done in a Four-Day Week
On the first long weekend of her employer’s experiment with a four-day working week, Kirsten Taylor freaked out a little bit. Like a housework hurricane, she got through mounds of clothes-washing, weeded the garden,…
Our Illustrious Hall of Famer Sir Bob Charles
Carterton-born “legendary left-hander” Sir Bob Charles, 82, had a “remarkable” golfing career, the Bangkok Post’s Brett Brasier writes in his regular ‘Golf Tips’ column for the newspaper. “My few words on the great golfers that…
Sam Stuchbury Makes Prestigious Forbes List
Sam Stuchbury, 27, is co-founder of The Social Club, an influencer marketing platform in Auckland, and has made the annual Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia list, which features 300 young innovators and disruptors across…
On Formula One Driver Brendon Hartley’s Comeback
A demotion from the Red Bull programme allowed Palmerston North-born Brendon Hartley to seek new ventures, with the driver going on to forge a reputation in sports car racing that he was never able…
Opiuo to Take 20-Piece Syzygy Orchestra to Colorado
New Zealand-born, Australian-based electro-funk DJ Opiuo (Oscar Davey-Wraight) will travel to Colorado for a headlining show at Red Rocks on 21 April. After last year’s Red Rocks performance before Emancipator, where it was hard to…
Soul Singer Jordan Rakei Caters Directly to Fans
Jordan Rakei’s first SXSW appearance was also his first time setting foot in the state of Texas, one of the few areas of the world he had yet to visit. Born in New Zealand,…
How Flight of the Conchords Took Off
Few comedians ever play London’s O2 Arena and fewer still manage three nights in a row. Those who do tend to have some things in common: a relatable observational style, limited creative ambition and…
Poet Ashleigh Young to Open Bathurst Festival
Wellington author, poet and literary editor Ashleigh Young will open the Bathurst Writers’ and Readers’ Festival on May 4. The festival consists of three days of live streamed sessions direct from the Sydney Writers’ Festival…
Doughnut Maker Adam Wills a Trailblazer in UK
Artisanal doughnut and coffee chain Crosstown Doughnuts, co-founded by New Zealander Adam Wills, is at the forefront of the decadent craze in London. Now with seven locations throughout England’s capital city,
Smith and Sheth’s Ambitious Wine Plans
The Australian’s wine columnist James Halliday was introduced to self-made billionare, American Brian Sheth by New Zealand-born and bred Steve Smith MW (pictured right), who in 1996 had become the world’s first Master of…
Joe Schmidt Turns Ireland into Formidable Machine
During this year’s Ireland Grand Slam tournament, Joe Schmidt has been the master of almost everything he has surveyed. At times during his five-year tenure as Ireland head coach, the New Zealander has been…
Corpses and Clues in Ngaio Marsh’s Posthumous Novel
“Roderick Alleyn, the ineffably posh Scotland Yard detective created by Dame Ngaio Marsh, returns for a posthumous outing with the help of Stella Duffy, herself a distinguished crime writer,” Andrew Taylor writes…
Actor Sam Neill Stars in His First Western
Sam Neill’s acting career has broken the 80-film barrier. In his most recent film, Sweet Country, the New Zealander plays a missionary making a new life for himself on the Australian frontier in the…
Helen Clark Film Reveals a Shadowy World at the UN
Filmmaker Gaylene Preston’s documentary My Year With Helen playing in Australia this month provides a happy and timely reminder that before there was Jacinda Ardern, there was Helen Clark. The extraordinary post-parliamentary career of former…
Batsman Kane Williamson on Track to Be World’s Best
Mr Williamson sits on his sofa at home in Tauranga trying to watch the television, circa 1993. He lobs a ball, which the child prodigy Kane carefully hits around the living room. Around the world…
On the Rodeo Trail in New Zealand
Animal activists are calling for rodeos to be banned in New Zealand, but cowboys say bull riding is their calling. Eleanor Ainge Roy and Paul Roy report on the controversial sport in a photo…
Rugby Union Star Dylan Mika Hugely Talented
Former Samoa and All Blacks flanker Dylan Mika has died in Auckland of a heart attack at the age of 45. Mika played two tests for Samoa and seven for the All Blacks who he…
Alien Weaponry’s Furious Debut Tū Out in June
Three teenagers from the tiny Northland town of Waipu have managed to capture imaginations with their unique thrash metal sound and commanding live performances. Now, Alien Weaponry is ready to release…
Luxe Fisher & Paykel Appliances Appeal in LA
“If you have a ‘Kitchen Porn’ board on Pinterest, and your idea of a perfect Saturday afternoon is drooling over showpiece ranges and luxe dishwashing drawers, then welcome to your new favourite place to…
Beautiful Wellington Not Short on Great Food
“Home is where the heart is, and Wellington has my heart – with its harbour, skies and hills, it’s just so beautiful,” London-based chef Margot Henderson tells the Financial Times in a piece about…
Ivana Kostovich Wanders the World in Two
New Zealander Ivana Kostovich, 31, and Scottish fiancée Jamie Craig, 31, hope their adventures around the globe will inspire others to do the same. They’ve launched a blog called Wander…
Grant Phelps’ Chilean Hotel a Sustainable Paradise
New Zealand-born winemaker Grant Phelps has just opened WineBox, a wine-focused hotel in the city of Valparaíso, Chile constructed out of 25 decommissioned shipping containers. Set on a former micro landfill in Cerro Mariposa (or…
Emilia Wickstead Launches Activewear Range
New Zealander Emilia Wickstead – she of knock-‘em-dead evening dresses and, most recently, bridalwear fame – has branched out into activewear in a collaboration with Britain’s premier health and fitness facility, Bodyism. “It’s important for…
Chasing Great a Universally-Appealing Sports Doco
Justin Pemberton and Michelle Walshe’s documentary Chasing Great, about world-champion All Blacks captain, Richie McCaw, “proves surprisingly accessible to non-fans, and a well-articulated look at some of the mental processes behind sports success,”…
C.K. Stead’s Latest Novel Masterfully Structured
“The Necessary Angel’s literary preoccupations are familiar territory for Stead, a distinguished novelist, poet and critic who was for many years professor of English at the University of Auckland,” Financial Times correspondent Zoë…
Kester Black’s Anna Ross a Cosmetics Game Changer
No formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, camphor, formaldehyde resin, xylene, parabens, fragrances, phthalates, sulfates, palm oil, petrochemicals or animal-derived or tested ingredients; must be made here and a goal to be fair trade certified (or a…
True Blood Lead Anna Paquin Stars as PR Maven
New Zealand-raised Anna Paquin is returning to television. The True Blood and Alias Grace star is set to appear in the upcoming dramedy Flack. The limited series, which is co-produced by Paquin and her…
Francis Upritchard Finds New Ways to Break the Norm
New Zealand-born artist Francis Upritchard is all about creating art that leaves behind societal norms, according to Jesse Oleson writing for The San Diego Union-Tribune. “Art is supposed to be fun,” London-based Upritchard says. “Work…
Comedian Deb Filler Does It Her Way in Yiddish
New Zealand comedian Deb Filler recreates 50 years of chart-toppers and pop icons in her solo show I Did it My Way in Yiddish (in English). Toronto-based Filler performed the show at this year’s…
Chefs Margot and Fergus Henderson Chat to the Times
Margot Henderson, 53, and her husband, Fergus, 54, recently spoke with the Sunday Times on their whirlwind courtship and coping with his Parkinson’s. Margot said that she first heard of her future husband through a…
Post Makes Its Way to the Farm up the Long Drive
A parcel sent to a couple in New Zealand addressed only with “a farm, situated up a long driveway with cows, opposite a pub or thereabouts” has reached its rightful owners, via the Cust…
Michael James Wong Helps Men Find New Masculinity
Boys of Yoga founder New Zealander Michael James Wong, 32, is interviewed by Sunday Times correspondent Stuart Heritage for an article about the growing popularity of lifestyle sites for men. Wong describes himself as a…
Taika Waititi to Play Version of Imaginary Hitler
Whenever Fox Searchlight Pictures ends up releasing New Zealander Taika Waititi’s satire Jojo Rabbit, it will give viewers the chance to see a version of Adolf Hitler they most likely never have before. IndieWire…
Joyful Acquaintances Made over Message in a Bottle
Whangarei teenager Julien Joy, 15, could not believe his eyes when he received a letter in the post from a German woman reminding him of a distant memory. Luisa, who was walking along a…
Kimbra Finds New Version of Self in Primal Heart
New York-based New Zealand-born “self-actualised star and feminist pop warrior” Kimbra, 27, is back with a new album and another version of herself, according to Interview magazine’s Erica Russell. The glossy, neon sheen of Primal…
Paralympic Skier Adam Hall Earns Triple Honour
New Zealand alpine skier Adam Hall (pictured right), 30, who won a gold and a bronze medal in the men’s slalom and super-combined, respectively, at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games, has also been…
Pioneering Umpire Kathy Cross to Retire
New Zealand’s Kathy Cross, 60, who was the first woman to be named on the International Cricket Council (ICC) Umpire’s Panel, will retire from international umpiring after the Twenty20 International series between New Zealand…
Witch Rockers HEX Are Here to Curse the Patriarchy
Wellington folk metal band HEX have “got the ‘slightly spooky dark rock’ formula down pat, but aren’t afraid to mix it up with a bit of sneering garage rock, down-tempo riot grrrl, or big,…
Designer Emilia Wickstead on Her Dreamy Getaways
With a working history that spans from the heady heights of Manhattan to Milan’s Navigli Canal, Auckland-born designer Emilia Wickstead is no stranger to fashion capitals. In a Telegraph interview, the outfitter to the…
Veere Grenney Beautifies Grenadines Beach Folly
On the Caribbean island of Mustique, interior designer New Zealander Veere Grenney has redesigned a bamboo house that is a study in neutrals and natural materials, set off by the green of the palms…
Producer Obeisant Busy at His Catalogue
Music producer Sebastian Gawlik, aka Obeisant, is an artist from New Zealand who got a mighty push in 2017 when he was discovered by the Critical label and included in their Binary series, electronic music site Your…
Karl Rock Surprises Locals With Grasp of Hindi
Karl Rock, a New Zealander currently living in Delhi, has won many Indian hearts with his fluent Hindi, and in his video “Foreigner Surprising Indians with Hindi” specifically. On his website India Survival Guide, Rock…
Maggie Marilyn Can Make a Dress Do Crazy Things
Part sporty part smart, Maggie Marilyn is an ethically responsible label launched in 2016 and has become a go-to for girls who like a statement piece with polish. Harper’s Bazaar asked New Zealand-born Marilyn…
With FAKY Anna Sawai Is Broadening Her Horizons
Loads of acts around the world are proving that the pop game is now a truly global one, and FAKY continues to show the rising appeal of modern-day Japanese pop with their latest English…
National Serviceman Ross Cameron’s Close Call
Ross Cameron never saw the bloody conflicts of Vietnam but he almost got the call. The New Zealand-born National Serviceman, who lives in Townsville, Australia, had his birthday come up in his country’s compulsory…
Aspen Chalet Gets the Sandra Nunnerley Touch
Wellington-born New York-based interior designer Sandra Nunnerley’s recent Aspen project, a reinvented ski chalet, features in AD France. The home was designed by American architect Alan Wanzenburg for a former Olympic sailing champion and his family….
Inspiring Model Georgia Pratt Says to Be Your Truth
As anyone who’s spent time in a few fitting rooms knows, finding a great pair of jeans can take a little time – almost as much time as it can take to find your…
New Zealand’s New Big Thing Is Pinot Noir
New Zealand “was once known merely for crisp, grassy sauvignon blanc wines. No longer,” Elin McCoy writes in a report for Bloomberg. “Actor Sam Neill just finished a six-part television documentary on the voyages of…
Magnetic Marlon Plays Brilliant Tiny Desk Session
“Marlon Williams is a handsome devil with a heart-stopping voice, who writes songs about vampires and horror films. This 27-year-old, New Zealand-born, Melbourne-based singer is also a teller of tales,” tastemaster Bob Boilen writes…
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc Outside the Box
“Perhaps no other wine style is as instantly recognisable as New Zealand sauvignon blanc,” Christina Pickard writes for Wine Enthusiast magazine. “It put New Zealand wine on the map in all its brash, aromatic…
Skiing’s Remarkable Wells Brothers
Wanaka’s Wells brothers are “skiing’s answer to the Von Trapp family”, according to CNN’s Matias Grez. The four freeskiers are: Jossi, 27, (pictured) Byron, 25, Beau-James, 21, and Jackson, 19. Ever since he can remember,…
At Home with Newsreader Kay McGrath
For a woman who has appeared in living rooms across Queensland almost nightly for 30 years, Channel Seven newsreader New Zealand-born Kay McGrath is a little uncomfortable in her own. “I wish I hadn’t put…
Vicki Lee Takes Music of Vera Lynn Across Sussex
Palmerston North singer Vicki Lee, 64, is touring Sussex, England in February with her tribute to the life and music of centenarian Dame Vera Lynn, known as the ‘Forces’ Sweetheart’. The show began life in…
Staring Down the Barrel with Aldous Harding
Aldous Harding’s sophomore album Party has every right to stake its claim as the best album of last year, according to Melbourne-based lifestyle website Broadsheet. The power of Harding’s voice was only hinted at…
How Bisexual Goose Thomas Became an Icon
A memorial was recently held for Thomas the goose, a “New Zealander who spent most of his life as a loving partner, caring father and an icon of the LGBT community”, Yvette Tan writes in a…
