Stories

Hot offerings from the world of cool technology. Power in your Pocket Add some extra juice to your phone’s battery life with a Mophie Juice Pack Access. Stylish, streamlined and chic, the juice pack extends the battery of your iPhone up to a total of 31 hours, meaning you have more time for those “important” things – hello extra social time!mophie.com Cinemood No need to find a sweet spot for your laptop or iPad for your next bingewatching marathon, the Cinemood portable movie theatre “brings that magic to life on the big screen – anytime, anywhere, all from the palm of your hand.” Cinemood can create a 3-metre projection on any flat surface and has up to five hours of battery life. cinemood.com SatPaq Heading off the grid? Let us introduce you to SatPaq, the device from Higher Ground that allows you to send and receive messages despite there being no...

What’s a SAV, you ask? It stands for Sports Activity Vehicle and it’s what BMW calls its luxury range of what other manufacturers call a Sports Utility Vehicle, or SUV. It all started with the M5, which launched a whole new genre for BMW. The latest iteration is the X7, and it’s an emphatic statement of luxury. The stats – 5151mm long, 2000mm wide and 1805mm tall, with a wheelbase of 3105mm – mean it certainly makes its presence felt on the road but the exterior still gives an impression of lightness and agility. The spacious interior offers incomparable comfort all the way to the third row of seats. From the base model, the X7 xDrive30d, to the top-of-the-line X7 M50d, a wealth of chassis technology comes as standard, including adaptive suspension with electronically controlled dampers and air springs. The vehicle’s ground clearance can be varied by up to 80 millimetres,...

The slickest tunes on the RDU airwaves. RDU continues to champion new Kiwi music with its Singles Club, a collaboration with In Real Life that lets listeners and music lovers become patrons and support new recordings from emerging artists. The initiative produces a 7” vinyl every month, with each side featuring a recording from two selected artists. Here are three releases from February, March and April. To get with the programme you can check out how to become a patron, and be sure to look out for gigs by these artists at venues around the city. Burn It Down, Zhukov Local punks Zhukov play short, fast songs inspired by dialectical and historical materialism. Their sub 1½ minute new tune is driven by biting guitars and an infectiously catchy call-and-response hook. It’s the first taste of a forthcoming EP recorded by Brian Feary (Melted Ice Cream Records). Everything Is Free, Lucy Smyth...

Revered as a prime location for producing top-notch wine, the picturesque Waipara Valley is home to an array of primo wineries, vineyards and cellar doors, making it the perfect place to head away for a day trip. If you are on the hunt for a spot to pull up a pew and wile away a couple of hours, then Fiddler’s Green Vineyard & Bistro is for you. With new head chef Viv van den Bosch at the helm, you can expect a tasty combination of European inspired and Kiwi favourites as well as comforting pub-style dishes that will entice and delight. Take your pick from their selection of wines or indulge in others from the surrounding Waipara Valley. fiddlersgreenbistro.co.nz  

Cityscape gets the scoop on solar power from Harvey Norman Commercial’s Craig Shaw and World Solar’s Doone Morrell. The two companies have partnered to ensure easy access for New Zealanders to the best of this emerging technology. Doubts about payback times and some well-publicised cowboys have spooked consumers thinking about switching to solar. Which is why the partnership between World Solar and Harvey Norman Commercial New Zealand comes at such a good time. Australasian industry powerhouse World Solar has installed over 10,000 commercial and residential solar systems in New Zealand and Australia, so these guys know what they’re doing. And when Harvey Norman puts its name behind another brand, you know all the due diligence has been done and all the boxes ticked. World Solar’s Doone Morrell says the first thing potential customers want to know is does solar stack up. “Here at World Solar we work very closely with Harvey Norman Commercial and...

Cityscape talks to Mark Doyle, Fletcher Living Community and Stakeholder Manager, who has engaged Gap Filler to ‘activate’ empty building lots with everything from a forest of hammocks to Fatboy Slim gigs, and asks him if this is the most fun he’s had at work. How did you come to be working with Gap Filler on these projects? In December 2015 Fletcher Living signed a development agreement with the Crown to redevelop the central-city area known as the East Frame. A development of this size can’t go up overnight, so Fletcher Living looked to develop a strategy that would deliver this neighbourhood over a period of time, while activating the parcels of land scheduled to be built upon at later stages. We wanted to bring down the fences, open up the area and establish a diverse range of activities, social enterprise initiatives and public amenities – exploring ways we could grow...

Flexibility designed in at the start ensures you can still live large in small spaces, as these examples from Blair Paterson and Tobin Smith of Colab Architecture show. Wherever we get the opportunity, we give our inner-city dwellings ground contact from the main living spaces, linking to a small, private, well-appointed terrace. Cantabrians are naturally outdoorsy people, so having the ability to open the house and dine al fresco resonates strongly with our characteristics. Another thing we’ve proven is that you don’t require a huge site or a huge building footprint to create a sense of space. Durham Street These are two adjoining and complementary developments. Although the planning of these units is near identical, the dwellings are thoughtfully articulated to break the monotony of one continuous development. Glazing elements are strategically proportioned to create positive interaction with the street edge, while at the same time ensuring privacy is easily achieved...

Cityscape caught up with Rhianne Danielsen, who owns and operates Beauty By Rhianne, on the best thing about working for herself, quirky tips and what sets her apart. Specialty/favourite facial treatment? Osmosis infusion facial. How and when did you get into the beauty business? I have been in the beauty industry for 4½ years but have only just recently opened my own salon, 11 months ago. I studied at NASA (National School of Aesthetics).  What’s the best thing about working for yourself? Being able to take my time and give 100 percent to every client without having to rush.  What makes you a great facialist? Taking my time and listening to every detail that the client tells me and also including extra little details to make facials more relaxing, such as using hot towels for every step and making each step feel like a facial massage. One quirky tip for great skin that most...

With over a decade of experience in the beauty industry, Nicola Quinn Beauty and Day Spa's Brenna Cust is no stranger to the ins and outs of skin. She shared with Cityscape her favourite treatment and clued us in on her fave self-love treatment.  Specialty/favourite facial treatment: Ooh, that’s a hard one. I have two favourites, our Dermapen microneedling treatment and the O Cosmedics Peel. How and when did you get into the beauty business? I had bad acne when I was younger and sought helped from a facialist. She helped clear up my acne and made my skin glow, giving me the confidence to love my skin. I wanted to help others feel the same way so I trained as an advanced skin/beauty therapist. Nothing makes my day more than empowering someone to feel confident and beautiful in their skin. What’s the best thing about working for Nicola Quinn Beauty...

Having studied at the National School of Aesthetics and spending time abroad in New York, Sarah Mathieson - leading facialist at Champs-Elysées Day Spa - has brought her skills and knowledge to the city's premier day spas and shares some of her tips with Cityscape. Specialty/favourite facial treatment: Eyebrows! Having had extensive eyebrow training and specialising in microblading, I love transforming clients’ brows with a tint and shape. Measuring brows so they perfectly frame your face and start/finish in the correct place can make all the difference! How and when did you get into the beauty business? Any awards you’ve won? 2010 - I studied at the National School of Aesthetics. In 2014 I worked as a beauty therapist in New York and from there I moved to Auckland, where I worked in the clinic that took out NZ Clinic of the Year. What’s the best thing about working at Champs-Elysées Day...

Cityscape had a chat to Teresa Sime, who is leading the helm at her own salon Lovoir Skin Body & Beauty, about the treatments she specialises in and her go-to advice for hydration. Specialty/favourite facial treatment? Multiple combination treatments – having the ability to use multiple modalities of peels, Dermapen and IPL to get the best results for my client. How and when did you get into the beauty business? I began in the beauty industry when I was 16. I got a position on reception at an up and coming day spa in Marlborough where I was lucky enough to study beauty therapy while I worked part time and then immersed myself into the role of a beauty therapist. When I was in a supervisory role we won best clinic in New Zealand as awarded by the New Zealand Beauty Association. What’s the best thing about working for Lovoir? We only...

Cityscape caught up with Kirsten Yellowlees, Spa Manager of the newly opened Moss Spa at Sudima Christchurch City. She clues us in on her favourite facial treatment, the best thing about working for Moss Spa and her quirky tip for great skin. Specialty/favourite facial treatment: I thoroughly enjoy all elements of the spa industry; however I do have a strong passion for massage and facials. There is nothing more rewarding than working with a client to achieve results, whether that is relaxation or a concern they may have with their skin. How and when did you get into the beauty business? I have been in the beauty industry for over seven years now and I still can’t get enough! I think it is important to keep up with regular trainings as the industry is always evolving. What’s the best thing about working for Moss Spa? Moss will be the first purpose-built hotel day...

Renaissance Spa's Sharnelle Mitchell gives Cityscape the skinny on how she got her gig as a facialist and how education is important in staying at the forefront of the beauty industry. Specialty/favourite facial treatment? I thoroughly enjoy performing Ultraceuticals advanced skin peels followed by a relaxation facial massage, so my client gets the results along with the soothing benefits of the massage. Renaissance's mantra is results-driven relaxation so as long as it ticks those boxes I'm happy. How and when did you get into the beauty business? I was working in a clothing retail store when my boss gave me a gift voucher for a facial. It was my first ever facial and I had no idea what to expect. The treatment was fantastic and exceeded my expectations. This experience inspired me to follow this career path as I loved the way the treatment made me feel and I wanted to...

As another dry Canterbury winter starts to desiccate our precious skin, Cityscape turns to Christchurch’s top facialists for their helping and healing hands. Kirsten Yellowlees, Moss Spa After seven years in the beauty industry, Kirsten is really excited about her latest challenge – being part of the launch of the first purpose-built hotel day spa in Christchurch since the earthquakes. Moss Spa, in the brand new Sudima Christchurch City, in Victoria Street, is where Kirsten works her magic on clients’ skin and soul. “I am a firm believer that having regular spa treatments is important in one’s life – that time to switch off from reality and let go of any stresses and tension is so valuable and often it is too easy to get caught up in the day-to-day routines,” she says. Helping clients to achieve their skincare goals is Kirsten’s passion and she has had great success treating the pigmentation and lack of hydration that the Canterbury climate inflicts on us all. “There is...

Our picks of the best flicks, music, books, games and TV to get into this season. Watching Child’s Play Love him or hate him, there’s no denying that the infamous Chucky doll is somewhat synonymous with 80s slasher films and inducing nightmares. Well, brace yourself, 2019 sees a reboot of the original Child’s Play with the 21st Century flick hitting cinemas June 21. Single mother Karen (Aubrey Plaza) gifts her son Andy (Gabriel Bateman) a Chucky doll which, of course, is evil as all get out. Things start to get out of hand when the ‘doll’ takes on a mind of its own and starts to wreak havoc. 21 Bridges Pulling in the big celeb names (Chadwick Boseman, J. K. Simmons and Sienna Miller), Brian Kirk’s upcoming action-thriller 21 Bridges (out July 11) sees Boseman as a disgraced NYPD detective who has a chance to redeem himself after he’s tasked with...

When sustainability and supply chain transparency are as important to you as mouth-watering flavours and great beer, what better dining option than Belgian Beer Café Torenhof and its steaming pots of green-shell mussels fresh from the waters of the Marlborough Sounds? Torenhof’s revamped brunch and a-la-carte menus are a smorgasbord of ethical and delicious options. From the brunch menu, try their Eieren Salmon (Stewart Island hot smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, crispy capers, watercress and toast). And it’s hard to go past Ocean Beef Brisket from the a-la-carte menu – beef raised on lush green South Island pasture and finished with GMO-free grain, served with pan-fried sliced potatoes, glazed baby onions and creamed watercress sauce. Ingredients are sourced where possible from Canterbury or South Island suppliers and are free range, grass and/or GMO-free fed, and Fair Trade Certified 100% Organic. All seafood is sustainably harvested. And let’s not forget the beer, brewed by...

We’re suckers for a cheeky burger (or two) and when we heard the folks from Burger Burger were setting up shop next door to the legends at Supreme Supreme, our tastebuds started tingling and excitement levels started to rise. Those levels are now through the roof as the burger joint has opened its doors and is serving up their mouth-watering lineup of mammoth burgers – we see you McFly – alongside tasty sides, old-fashioned shakes and “really cold beers” to wash all that carby goodness down. Check these guys out who are located on Welles Street and tuck into next-level burger fare! burgerburger.co.nz  

Get the basics right and open homes will be your best friend when it comes to sale time. Love them or hate them, when it comes to getting a quick sale for your property at the highest possible price, there is no better option than open homes. Lots of them – the more you have, the more people you will get through, which increases the chances of prospective buyers falling in love and buying your house. I work to a minimum of three open homes a week, usually one on a Wednesday or Thursday and one every Saturday and Sunday for a minimum of 45 minutes, although an hour is even better. The best time of the day for open homes at your sale property will depend on such factors as household routines and schedules but you also need to take into account the season and its effect on sunlight times...