Stories

Dane Mitchell talks to Cityscape about his new creation for SCAPE Public Art Spring Season 2020, and how art can serve as a ‘Trojan horse’ for new perspectives and ideas. Can you describe the artwork for me? The work comes directly out of 'Post hoc’, my Venice Biennale, New Zealand Pavilion exhibition, in that it seeks to extend the central language of that work and think about vanished, extinct and gone things in new, extended ways. It’s an oversized ‘object mount’, an apparatus to hold an object in a museum. This establishes the vague form of a (missing) non-human species – something akin to a mammoth in scale, even larger. The shape of the mount also suggest something that’s perhaps rigid, or technological, sitting somewhere close to an extinct or lost species, yet entangled in a fiction by which it might be imagined to have held aloft some sort of technological...

We have a unique connection to Antarctica here in Christchurch, and this October, Days of Ice presents an opportunity to explore, learn about and celebrate our icy neighbour. The ten-day festival includes events, exhibitions, guest speakers, films, kids’ activities and competitions, as well as plenty of interactive experiences. A highlight will be the Polar Film Festival at Lumière Cinemas from Saturday 10 October to Sunday 18 October, an exploration of the history and grandeur of Earth’s polar regions, and the environmental challenges they are facing.  Other Days of Ice events include the Antarctic Gateway and Frozen Wild Photography Exhibitions, a talk from filmmaker and photographer Anthony Powell about his experiences filming in Antarctica, and an Immersive Antarctica VR experience. There are also holiday programmes for kids such as Penguin Keeper for a Day and spending a day with a husky musher and their huskies.  Ōtautahi is one of only five Antarctic...

While good food will elevate your party from shindig to soirée, it shouldn’t distract you from the main goal of the day: having fun. Here are Cityscape’s tips to create a great foodie experience while freeing you up to socialise. Keep sit-down meals balanced. Think about how your dishes are going to go together. If you’ve got a heavy main, keep the starter and dessert light and fresh. People gravitate towards kitchens at parties. Use that to your advantage. Serve food in the kitchen where any mess is easy to clean, and you can keep an eye on proceedings while you chat. Lay out a buffet strategically. Put plates at one end and cutlery at the other. People will start at the plates, and won’t have to fumble with cutlery while they serve. Also, place limited-supply food at the end of the table near the utensils – it’ll last longer there....

The Colombo Bookstore managers Charlotte Cohen and Belinda Archibald are bibliophiles with a passion for finding that extra-special read, whether it’s a thrilling new memoir or an elusive childhood classic. Belinda tells Cityscape the story of the store and the regulars’ reading habits. The Colombo Bookstore doesn’t look like other bookshops. The design idea is that we want to make sure people feel comfortable. We have as many books as space allows displayed face up on our antique tables to make selection easier. Customers can sit on the antique chairs and take their time to find a book they really love. The store is a bit antique, and a bit Willy Wonka. We actually have some antiques for sale too. And we’ve got bright, quirky lights and eclectic decorations. We’re a small bookstore, so we choose books that we really like, and that our customer community are indicating their interest in....

Take your mind for a wander at University Bookshop, where you can dive into worlds unknown. Admire and take notes on exotic and fantastical architecture, or something a little more realistic and close to home. Green your thumbs growing lush, perfumed and edible plants. Walk through the great art galleries of the globe, and connect with history’s thinkers of philosophy, religion and social issues. Take your wanderlust flying with Louis Theroux’s The Call of the Weird and feed it with Lonely Planet’s Around the World in 80 Food Trucks. Your artistic education within these book-lined walls can range from Rembrandt to The Art of Winnie the Pooh (or even The Cat Butt Coloring and Activity Book). The children among us can get lost in worlds ranging from the Canadian farmlands of Anne of Green Gables to the high seas of Who Wants to be a Pirate? Whatever your Persuasion (Austen, 1817),...

Natasha Matila-Smith’s contribution to SCAPE Public Art Spring Season 2020 is a wordy number influenced by internet culture. Cityscape messages her to find out more. Can you describe the artwork for us? I’ve created a series of text and graphic works for SCAPE titled Frank, Love and the Apocalypse (2020). My practice addresses themes such as unrequited love, limerence, modern intimacy and online identities; it’s also littered with pop-culture references and nostalgia for things that may not have ever been real like the perfect French boyfriend. Consisting of six still billboards and a short time-based work, they sometimes read like a diary entry, sometimes like a conversation, and yet other times, because of the scale and location, like an advertisement. How will people view or interact with it? There is no particular order, but hopefully people get to literally sit with the work or stop to read it. I like to...

Whether you’re into North Canterbury Riesling, Central Otago Pinot Noir, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Nelson Chardonnay or something a bit more specialised, let the wine tour come to you. The South Island Wine & Food Festival is bringing the best of the mainland’s world-class wine regions to Hagley Park on December 5. Match the wine with a selection of locally-made foods of all colours and cuisines. Live entertainment includes music from Zed, Sons of Zion, Tami Neilson, Holly Arrowsmith and Mousey. There is also a selection of featured experiences including wine matching, fresh fish plates, foraged foods and artisan cheeses. Take your day to the next level with a reservation for the VIP area, where dedicated VIP hosts treat you to gourmet food, served to your table. The all-day menu is expertly matched with prestigious wines from the festival's boutique exhibitors, with Monteith's beer, cider and a selection of non-alcoholic beverages also...

Start laying down your 2021 plans Kiwi music lovers, SIX60 have announced a Christchurch show as part of an Aotearoa-wide tour.  This is set to be another groundbreaking tour for the multi-platinum selling band who recently sold over 130,000 tickets to their Saturdays tour just earlier this year. This time, they're extending their schedule to new cities and large outdoor venues, including Hagley Park in Christchurch, so you can enjoy home-grown tunes in the heat of our long summer nights. At their Christchurch gig, they'll be joined by Drax Project, Dave Dobbyn, Broods, Maimoa in a 100% Kiwi artist line up. It's a unique chance to see some of our A-List artists up on the big stage again and catch debut performances from some of our hottest new acts! Fans at each gig will be treated to the first live performance of some of SIX60’s latest material. The band have been...

A huge congratulations to all the fine Canterbury establishments and hospitality personalities who made the finals of the Canterbury Hospitality Awards this year. Cityscape has your run-down of who's made the finals in which category. The awards, presented by the Restaurant Association of New Zealand pick out top local food, wine and local food producers and recognise industry champions. The 22 awards will go to the best of the Canterbury hospitality industry, as voted by their peers on Monday 2 November. Don't forget, if you're in the hospitality industry you can have your say and vote on these finalists. Meadow Fresh Outsanding Barista Angus Robson, Child Sister Fumihiko Takai, Espresso Studio by Fushoken Mitch Barnard, Grain Coffee and Eatery Katie Eldridge, Little Poms Coca-Cola Amatil Outstanding Bartender Ben Edwards, O.G.B. Bar & Cocktail Lounge Toby Eaton, Sawyer Harry Findlay, The Glasshouse Charles Guillotine Gillet, The Last Word Ara Institute of Canterbury...

The comedy carnival is now in its fifth year and features the very best of local and national stand-up talent. The line up this year includes big local names such as Sausage Sizzle, Cameron McLeod and Jadwiga. Events will take place across live act hotspots Good Times Comedy Club, Space Academy, Darkroom, and 12 Bar. Tim Batt, one half of The Worst Idea of All Time, New Zealand’s most successful podcast ever, makes fun of the apocalypse in his stand-up show, Could Be Better, while two of Aotearoa’s most well-established comics, Nick Rado and Tarun Mohanbhai are bringing their new world class hour of stand up to Good Times. The comedy carnival was established in 2015 by production company Grandpa Figs. Snap, the man behind Grandpa Figs and the Good Times Comedy Club had a mission to support Ōtautahi’s burgeoning comedy culture and an insatiable appetite for a bloody good laugh....

New Zealand’s biggest vegan event is back in Christchurch this year, bringing tasty planet-friendly treats to the masses. Organisers call it “the Big Day Out of vegan food festivals”, but unlike the Big Day Out, the Vegan Expo is only getting stronger. Originally launched in 2007, the Vegan Expo has been bringing delicious plant-based temptations, cruelty-free stalls and inspiring talks to anyone interested in following or finding out about the vegan diet. Head along and you’ll find live local music, cooking demos, inspiring not-for-profit groups to chat to, documentaries, feature films and shorts to watch, as well as a range of experts ready to share their vegan experiences with you. Then there’s the food. If you still think vegan food is all about salad, pop into the expo and have your mind changed. You’ll find delicious burgers, sushi, Chinese dumplings, Egyptian street food, platters of Moroccan goodies and a load of...

The Court Theatre doesn’t often let the public roam around backstage, so take this special opportunity to see what’s behind your favourite stage shows. After losing its home of 35 years to the 2011 Christchurch Earthquake, the Court Theatre moved to what’s been affectionately dubbed “The Shed” in Addington. It’s a whopping space, originally a grain silo, which means that everything can happen on site – set building, scenery painting, costume and prop making, as well as performances. Occasionally, the Court Theatre opens its doors to backstage tours for the public, and there’s one taking place in November. The tours are led by a member of The Court Theatre team who shares stories of past performances, and gives you a taste of what really happens behind the scenes. If you’re fascinated by the theatre, don’t miss this opportunity to for an up-close look. Public tours only happen a few times a...

Cityscape talks style, sustainability and spring with Untouched World founder Peri Drysdale. You’ve had a strong sustainability focus for a long time. What does sustainability mean to you? In a nutshell, working to protect the future of our planet and its people while meeting the needs of today. This has to be a holistic focus – environmental, social, cultural issues are all interconnected and can’t be solved independently of each other. What are the latest sustainable initiatives you’ve been working on? We have been on our sustainable journey for 20 years now, and over that time we’ve put a lot of work into finding and developing the most sustainable fabrics and fibres and walking the talk when it comes to best practice in terms of our design and manufacturing process. One issue that is still a biggie for us is all the plastic in our environment. It bugs us that we...

It’s road trip season and Cityscape has its eye on two spacious upcoming releases from BMW and MINI that are perfect for loading up the boot and heading for the hills (or the beach). MINI Countryman MINI has unveiled its new Countryman – the company’s biggest and most versatile model for those who want to explore and look incredibly cool doing it. Styling updates to the bumpers and interior are topped off with new rear light graphics tracing the outline of the signature Union Jack motif. The new MINI Countryman is available with a choice of three TwinPower Turbo petrol engines: three-cylinder petrol, 131kW four-cylinder petrol, or a super-quick and efficient electric/petrol hybrid that hits 100 in 6.8 seconds. See it in stores this October. christchurchminigarage.co.nz BMW M3 Touring BMW has confirmed a five-door M3 Touring is on the way. The high-performance wagon-style prototype promises space for kids, pets, luggage and...

SCAPE Public Art is adorning Christchurch’s city centre with thought-provoking pieces under this year’s theme Secrets and Lies. Get ready to play detective and uncover hidden meanings in this selection of artworks made by local and national artists. Cityscape has a teaser of some of the artworks on show for the six-week season starting October 3. on an east wind, 2020 – Melissa MacLeod New Brighton sculptor, photographer and performance artist Melissa MacLeod has captured and compressed air from the former QEII site in large bags, giving visible form to this otherwise intangible environment. They will be installed in the Awly Building in the city centre, linking that space with the east side of Ōtautahi, and drawing on the social and geographical conditions of post-colonial, post-quake Christchurch. The Real World, 2020 – Dane Mitchell Dane Mitchell is erecting the steel armature – the supports used to hold a skeleton in a...

The good folks at Hōhepa Canterbury are building amazing, light-filled, architecturally-designed homes to support people with intellectual disabilities living their best lives. Hōhepa homes aren’t just places to live. They’re communities that help their residents flourish. The non-profit organisation is raising money to build two new projects: gorgeous homes designed to accentuate the rhythms of daily life and nature, to bring in natural light and ventilation, and generally be rockin’ places for twelve new residents to live. Thanks to its supportive community and great reputation, Hōhepa is experiencing more and more demand, with a waiting list of people looking for a place to call home. That’s where you come in. Supporters can make an online donation toward the fitout of the new homes, funding homewares, beds and mobility aids. The Hōhepa Canterbury team need $2.2 million to finish the projects. Local trusts have already contributed $1 million, and between all of...

Help! My borders have been breached! Are allergies starting to niggle at your nose? Your gut might be fighting off its own invasion. Deirdre Panapa from DP Herbals explains. Leaky gut sounds like a pretty scary condition, but there are herbs and nutrients that can help to restore a leaky barrier in your gut, and fixing this problem might provide a long-term solution for your allergies. An allergic reaction occurs when your immune system overacts to something harmless, like pollen or dust mites. Your immune system sets off an inflammatory reaction, which sends those nasty allergic symptoms skyrocketing. We would normally then turn to antihistamines, but they’re just an expensive, temporary fix. Maintaining a healthy gut can support your immune system and may help you build tolerance to those otherwise-harmless allergic triggers, providing a lasting solution to allergic conditions. Gut inflammation can occur when your gut barrier becomes permeable or ‘leaky’....

Veronica King, the queen of Grassroots Yoga & Health, explains just what yoga nidra is, and how this semi-sleeping state of consciousness can benefit us. Yoga nidra is a guided meditation practice designed to drop you into a deeply relaxed state. Often translated as ‘yogic sleep’, it follows the biological process of sleep and slows the brainwaves down to the alpha and theta states, and with practice, to the delta state. It’s a series of structured awareness techniques that optimise physical recovery and interrupt stressful thoughts. It’s generally practiced lying down, and anyone can do it – no prior yoga or meditation experience required. All yoga nidra asks is that you do nothing other than listen and let go of all effort – the hardest part is staying awake. There are different styles of yoga nidra, and ultimately all expressions of this practice support psychological, physical and spiritual healing. Just like...