Stories

It’s the 90s – we’re wearing acid-wash denim, skinny leather ties and boat shoes. C+C Music Factory is blaring from Celicas and the ‘Getlaidium’, and its laser show is the coolest thing in the city. Paris Texas coloured Levis, Marlboro cigarettes in paper packets, KFC at 3am on Colombo Street. If you’re tripping down memory lane right now, you’re not alone; if you’re not doing anything about it though, you are. There’s a quiet, underground movement happening beneath our noses to bring back one of the best parts of the 90s, and you’re invited. It feels like the world is always running to catch up with RDU station director James Meharry. He was ahead of the curve in the 90s when he was getting into the rave scene in Christchurch, having house parties so he could DJ. James set the benchmark for rave gigs in 1995 when he organised Ultra-sonic in...

Project Story’s Olivia Spencer-Bower spent the last four years documenting the rebuild of one of the city’s greatest icons, the Town Hall. Cityscape caught up with Olivia between assignments and discovered the meaning behind the mission that was capturing the rebuild. How did the opportunity to photograph the Town Hall development come about? I had previously photographed the Christchurch Blood Centre for Hawkins and they approached me to present a proposal to them on what I could do to record the progress of the Town Hall. Did you go into the Town Hall project blind or did you have a good idea of what you were going to capture? I came from a country school in North Canterbury then went to school at Rangi Ruru, so the Town Hall was part of my childhood growing up. I remember visiting for Cantamath competitions at primary school, school balls and prizegivings with Rangi...

Pack your bags and check out our top three events worth travelling for! Holi Festival, India The Holi MOO! Festival of Moozik, Madness & Color (March 2019) celebrates the festival of colours in New Delhi with four stages and more than 40 performers. Be prepared to be covered head-to-toe in a kaleidoscope of colours that would make a rainbow blush. holimoofestival.com Snowbombing, Austria Carving up world-famous pistes by day, partying to the beats of the biggest names in music by night – if that sounds like you, look no further than Snowbombing (April 2019) in Mayrhofen, Austria, also known as‘The World’s Greatest Show on Snow’. snowbombing.com New Orleans Jazz Festival, USA With a rep for vivacious celebration, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (April-May 2019) is one of the most revered in the world. The streets of New Orleans will explode in a frenzied celebration of food, culture and music....

As the balmy summer evenings become increasingly touched by the crisp coolness of autumn, there’s no better time to transition and experiment with bold stylistic choices. The deep grey of Resene Quarter Bokara Grey mixed with an injection of lush plums provides an autumn palette that is warm and inviting but keeps from being stodgy thanks to a pop of hardly there pink. The tropical tones of Resene Virtuoso on the bedhead, bedside table and vase mixed with a selection of natural fibres and materials provide a cosy and inviting interior. resene.co.nz Image: Melanie Jenkins

With striking proportions and a voluminous body, the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4MATIC+ 4-Door Coupé is as easy on the eyes as it is on the road. The AMG GT 63 S is a legend in the making. Combining staggering good looks with massive power and agility, the GT 63 S has a top speed of 315kmh – going from 0 to 100kmh in 3.2 seconds. The twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8, the same engine used throughout the AMG lineup, with the AMG Speedshift MCT 9-speed sports transmission cranks out 470kW (639HP) and 664 lb ft of torque. The electronically controlled AMG locking differential provides improved acceleration around corners and the additional Race drive program, including Drift Mode, makes it the most fun you can have with your clothes on. The luxurious high-grade interior features a customisable instrument cluster and central media display with a 12.3-inch colour display. The new performance steering wheel includes...

Perfect for both residential and hospitality projects, these Marbul LED lights by Modular are sleek and sophisticated. The ingenious design can hold one, two or three globes and boasts its own dedicated LED module, giving the impression that it is floating against the ceiling thanks to the unique magnetic coverplate that keeps all the wires and screws out of sight. modular.partners

Canopy Landscape Architects’ Paul Roper-Gee tells us how architectural collaboration creates complementary environments inside and out. Great landscape design comes in a multitude of styles and scales. A design works when it gels with the people who live in it and when it responds to the unique opportunities and constraints of each particular site. Some of the best landscapes are a result of close collaboration between a client, landscape architect and architect at the outset of a project and developing the landscape design concurrently with the house architecture. One of Canopy’s recently completed larger scale residential projects illustrates this approach, working in collaboration with Warren and Mahoney Architects. The site is set in an elevated position on a semi rural hillside with views to the coast. The clients were looking for contemporary and complementary house and landscape design. The house is a bold modernist single level dwelling using a limited exterior materials...

Boost your home’s value before you sell with some simple renovations. Whether you’re handy around the house or need to rely on the professionals, there are numerous ways you can add value to your property prior to listing it on the market to ensure you get the most from its sale. Start with your street appeal – first impressions really do count. Trim back shrubs, keep your lawns clipped and watered, and consider resurfacing a cracked or tired driveway. Bulk plantings work a treat and look great – flowering shrubs in a united colour, native grasses for movement and ease of care, or sculptural plants will all add appeal to your front-of-house. The kitchen is the heart of your home and potential buyers can fall in love (or instantly dislike) an entire house based on the kitchen. If yours needs a little more sparkle, you can switch out cupboard handles for a...

Blair Paterson and Tobin Smith of CoLab Architecture illuminate a cohesive vision of interior and exterior design. The interior of a new build can be an afterthought, something left to the new owners or a designer to put their own stamp on. Blair Paterson and Tobin Smith of CoLab Architecture, well known for designing beautiful exteriors, are just as skilled at crafting exceptional interiors. A love for intrinsically simple, timeless elegance resonates through all their work and their belief that good design has a cohesive vision that echoes through the whole house means owners can work directly with the CoLab team to ensure a seamless integration of design throughout. The devil is in the detail, and with the CoLab team, the detail is always divine. Image 1: This is the entry of a recently completed house featuring a custom open stair with blackened steel detailing and timber treads and balustrade. We custom...

Cityscape catches up with one of the city’s leading hair stylists, Niq James, of Headspace on hair trends for 2019 and his favourite cut and style. The 80s is making a comeback, do you think we’ll see the return of the perm? We are seeing a lot of volume, body and curl with hairstyles at the moment. There is a return to ‘glamour looks’ and although there is curl seen, most people only want the option of having curl so will use styling tools like GHD curls rather than being limited to a look by having a perm. What does 2019 hold for hair trends? We are seeing the return of the centre parting, slick styling for a structured look. The bob or lob (long bob) is still popular and versatile. We are seeing beautiful coppers and warm brunettes. Men’s looks are still really structured with a modern twist – think...

Cityscape is beyond excited that Harris Tapper will be stocked in the Contemporary Lounge at Ballantynes. We caught up with co-founder and co-director Sarah Harris Gould. What prompted you to expand to the South Island? We have an online store that offers free shipping so we’ve always been available throughout the country but in terms of having a bricks-and-mortar retail presence in Christchurch, it was a case of getting the right retailers on board. Ballantynes is the perfect partner for Harris Tapper. Singled out in Vogue Australia as one of the five brands to watch from New Zealand Fashion Week must have been a pivotal moment – what was going through your head when you saw that? It was amazing to be one of the five but the best thing about it was that we were among friends. The other four designers are very talented designers and people we know and...

RUBY has been sparkling from The Crossing for over a year. As autumn brings a flash-back to the wild days of the 70s, Cityscape spent some time with the brand’s creative director Deanna Didovich to find out where the inspiration comes from and what’s next for RUBY. You’ve cemented yourself as an authority figure on the fashion scene here in New Zealand and abroad. How would you say the RUBY brand has evolved since its inception? The RUBY brand has evolved slowly and surely to what it is today. We have always made sure that our product offering is the best representation of our brand and always have our customers in the forefront of our minds. In a constantly evolving industry, how do you ensure you stay on-trend or in the loop with all things fashion? In this age of social media I am constantly engrossed in what is happening both locally...

As the cooler weather comes knockin’ and we coast into autumn, we reach for comfort food to make the most of home gatherings, and nothing says home like a lovely slow-cooked dinner. Pop seasonal favourite prawns into a funky casserole with some hearty tomatoes and head into your evening relaxed and ready for that wine. Use the Staub Round Mini Cocotte 10cm in Graphite for a single meal or entertain all your friends and make a splash at the table with the Staub Tomato Cocotte 25cm dish (pictured) from Total Food Equipment. tfe.co.nz

Renowned for their seasonal, locally sourced and free-range fare, Untouched World Kitchen is a prominent front-runner on the cuisine scene in the city, and has recently kitted out their café with a brand-spanking-new fitout to ring in 21 years. The new space rocks a cosy interior and aligns with the values that underpin their brand with a focus on simplicity, sustainability and a clean contemporary, less-is-more aesthetic and their signature logo sits pretty above an equally cosy fire. Not only have they revamped their interiors but also their menu! Head on down and get away from the hustle. untouchedworldkitchen.com

From the team that brought us the epic hotspot Welles Street comes the latest venture, Earl. The perfect place to lunch, dine and knock back a bevvy or two, Earl is sure to become your go-to inner city haunt. And they can now boast some serious culinary cred with Queen of the Kitchen Nigella Lawson singling them out for kudos when she was in the city – now that’s a neat feat! earl.co.nz

Not Without You wine bar is the great new go-to on High Street. “’Always Aotearoa’ is our key phrase and the foundation of everything we do,” says co-owner Phillip Sunderland. “We love to support the local favourites, because we think people really do care where things are made.” With an industrial chic décor, Not Without You exudes quiet sophistication with a story that is uniquely Kiwi. Sunderland and business partner Helen Pfahlert are passionate about supporting Canterbury’s finest food makers and New Zealand wine and craft beer. The pair take pride in being patriotic, right down to the funky recycled kauri furniture that adorns the aesthetically pleasing space. Serving over 70 varieties of wine and more than 30 craft beers, the trendy establishment is also dishing up delectable fare with an evolving menu and tempting charcuterie, cheese and antipasto platters and decadent desserts. Located beside the Little High Eatery, dine inside...

Cityscape caught up with Flip Grater, one half of the highly successful vegan butchery and deli, Grater Goods. You’ve been vegan for two decades, have you noticed any significant changes, say in people’s attitude towards veganism? When I turned vegan I had to take my own soy milk to cafés and mushrooms to BBQs. My family took the mickey for years – an uncle even gave me an ox heart as a prank gift for Christmas one year. Now half my family have either a plant-based diet or are at least plant curious. I used to get a lot of "Where do you get your protein from?" and "But what do you eat?!" and I never get that any more. People's understanding of and interest in veganism has expanded hugely and a lot of myths have been dispelled. Advice for anyone considering veganism? Do a little reading about nutrition. This is...

Chef Michael Rowland-Jones has returned home to put down roots at city favourite, Miro. Cityscape caught him between shifts to find out what brings him home and the flavour that he brings to the city's culinary scene. How would you compare Christchurch’s dining scene to the dining scene abroad? Obviously being exposed to the restaurant scene in London and Europe was an amazing experience, but there are also great chefs and restaurants here in Christchurch. I definitely believe that, with the post-rebuild hospitality rebirth and the calibre of people in the industry, we have the potential to have a number of world-class restaurants here. You’ve worked under [Michelin chef] Jason Atherton – what was that experience like? It was the hardest thing I've done in my life. Long days and nights, high pressure and constantly busy. But I look back on my four years in his company and really value my time...