Stories

During a charge against German forces at Polderhoek Chateau in Belgium, Lincoln-born carpenter Henry Nicholas almost singlehandedly overcame 16 German soldiers, took four prisoners, and captured an enemy machine gun. For this momentous effort, Nicholas was awarded the Victoria Cross for his “most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in attack”. King George V presented this medal – now displayed in Canterbury Museum’s Mountfort Gallery – to the 26-year-old in 1918. It was one of only 11 awarded to New Zealand soldiers during the First World War. Nicholas volunteered for service in the First World War on 8 February 1916. It was the second time he had put his hand up, having been turned down the first time due to the poor condition of his teeth. He trained at Sling Camp in Salisbury, England, before going on to fight in well-known battles in France, such as The Battle of the Somme...

Christchurch’s beauty experts on the au courant, the cool, and the regimens that get results. BEAUTY What’s a girl (or guy) gotta do for great skin? The sun’s out and we’re once again showing our arms, legs and everything else that we’ve been hiding all winter, including our actual faces. It’s time to stop covering problem skin with makeup and invest in a treatment to let us rock the natural look with confidence. Needling is like building muscle; do a little damage, and everything comes back stronger. Nik at Mojo Beauty calls this process a “total game changer”. Dermal needling involves using a small electric pen with disposable needles to puncture the top layer of skin (not as deep or painful as a tattoo), triggering the body’s natural healing response. You naturally form new collagen and elastin for firmer, smoother and more youthful skin. Once you’ve recovered, slap on some good...

Node, a design-focused houseplant boutique, community hub and events space has just opened in Lyttelton. The space, which looks like a cross between a trendy loft and your grandmother's house, is run by Young Adventuress Liz Carlson and former Roots Restaurant owner Giulio Sturla with his new bespoke test kitchen Mapu. The London Street store is full of fantastic succulents, trailing philodendrons and monsterous monstera, as well as leafy lemon limes and pretty snow queens. Node also stocks some fabulous homeware products that all fit with the high-on-hygge philosophy, like luxurious Wilson and Dorset New Zealand sheepskin bean bags and cushions. Node is running hands-on workshops on topics like houseplant propogation and succulent-wreath-making. There are also upcoming workshops on building your own website, starting a blog and photography - after all, owner Liz Carlson is a travel blogger with over 200K instagram followers. The building was originally Roots, the only three...

We’re mixing the latest exercise trends with hints for a happy mind. This is all about discovering what puts a smile on your face and a burn in your booty, finding ways to free up your body so it’s not holding you back, and seeking out self-care that leaves you feeling light as a bird. GET FLEXY Cityscape checks out where you can relax your mind and lengthen your limbs. Grassroots Yoga & Health Owner Veronica King, who has been practicing yoga for more than 20 years, believes yoga can be your personal sanctuary in this modern world; and that’s exactly what she’s created. Natural light filters into the airy studio, and the room’s historic exposed beams crown the space. Grassroots’ team have yoga for everyone, with specialised classes for over 65s, prenatal yoga classes, yoga restore, and Zoom yoga nidra, a deeply relaxing guided meditation practice you can enjoy from...

Cityscape tries on some street fashion advice from Christchurch’s trend-setting boutiques. Welcome to spring 2020. It’s time to get obsessed with soft tones, popping colour, trans-seasonal shapes and ever-evolving sustainable threads. You’re on the cutting edge of trend, looking for practical chunky heels, versatile blazers, and punchy natural colours like green, mustard and tan. We’re obsessed with these street and casual fashion boutiques, and the experts picking what’s on the shelves this season. Infinite Definite Infinite Definite hosts a carefully-selected eclectic range of fashion and homewares made in New Zealand and sourced from afar. Jono Moran says the store’s big focus is on design, quality and community. "We love all our New Zealand designers like Penny Sage, Twenty-Seven Names, Kowtow and Marle, as well as some exciting international brands including Paloma Wool, Veja, New Balance, Gramicci and more. "Quality linen pieces help keep everything nice and cool in spring and summer,...

Untouched World is the only lifestyle fashion company in the world recognised by the UN for sustainability, so for founder and CEO Peri Drysdale, fashion and sustainability go hand-in-hand. It’s been a pretty crazy year, a lot of it spent in our work-at-home wardrobe. It’s nice to be able to dress up a little in something that makes you feel great, like a floaty summer dress that can be dressed up for silly season festivities and down for lazy days at the beach, or a luxurious linen shirt for guys. Pare it back with a pair of chinos or shorts for a smart yet relaxed look. We love spring’s soft seascape-inspired blues with pops of pink shrimp and gentle coral tones, and timeless neutrals like light silver, and deep inky navies. This season I’m excited about our new CoolTree™ knitwear range made from 50% Tencel (derived from eucalyptus trees) and 50%...

James Scott and his team at Stencil in The Colombo stock fine apparel, footwear and classics from the best national and international brands. For men we’re loving what we’ve seen from Carhartt and Patagonia. We’re just seeing some really good depth in the products these guys have, and the quality. Nudie Jeans have some great denim too. People have really embraced brands they know and are comfortable with. For women, we love the New Zealand brand Thing Thing. It’s unique, there’s a lot more colour and a range of different garments, really well presented and on point for women’s fashion. And we’ve just brought in some cool Carhartt Women’s stuff as well. In footwear, things are a bit strange because deliveries around the world are being held up or cancelled. What we have seen though, is some great products coming through form New Balance, Nike and Vans. The sneaker programme is...

Belinda Blanchfield’s Issimo is a hip-as-all-hell independent footwear and accessory boutique in Merivale rocking slick sneakers, hot heels and everything in between. My favourite brands right now are Ivylee from Copenhagen, producing simple Danish designs, and Kathryn Wilson, an Auckland-based designer who’s at the forefront of any season with her great styles and colour options. The colours that are standing out are pastel pinks, lemons and navy blues with a little animal print. For this season’s race day events and garden weddings block heels are popular, and out on the street sneakers have a real presence. Otherwise, it’s all about soft pastels, fun brights and a real mixture of colour palettes. This year the sneaker has certainly become more of a staple wardrobe item, and not just your plain white ones. I'm excited about platform sneakers (actually all sneakers), a good mule, and soft lemon-coloured heels and a good everyday block heeled...

You’ll find Elsie Burt at Death by Denim, a top-to-toe boutique that touts the transformative power of that perfect pair of jeans, with stores in the central city and Merivale. This season there is a rise in femininity with more florals and floaty tops, but paired with distressed and detailed jeans to give the whole look an urban feel. There are so many awesome brands in store right now. Zhrill have totally nailed both denim and blazers this season, we are super excited to have women’s Diesel in the city store, and LTB’s summer drop next month is going to be amazing. Stock changes every week so its always fresh and there is always something new to try. Oh! And Stella + Gemma and Hammill & Co continue to wow their fans with each range. I've noticed this year that denim joggers, the look of jeans but the feel of a...

Benji’s a denim legend, and his store EnCompass in The Tannery is a go-to streetwear destination, but be warned: you’re bound to leave with an obsession for a killer brand you’d never heard of before. The season’s look for men is light wash slim taper denim paired with casual waistcoats and blazers. Fedoras and cheese cutters are back in. The colours for the season are mustard, off white, khaki, gold, and deep green. This year, women are wearing a wider cropped leg, ankle flares and straighter silhouettes, and greens and mustards are really popular. A lot of our brands cross over from men to women, like Nobody, Native Youth, Federation, Maison Scotch, Religion, Garcia, G-Star RAW, Scotch & Soda, Diesel, LTB, and Nudie. Some items that have me excited are the engineered overalls/jumpsuit by G-Star, raffia chino by Scotch & Soda, Nobody high waisted loose flare, Diesel Fayza boyfriend jean, and...

Charlotte Dawes at Moutique in Prestons is an expert in sourcing hard-to-find Kiwi brands, and she’s got some fantastic drops coming in this season. For any season everyone should have a really nice fitting blazer, one that works with jeans and a tee or cami, or can be worn with a skirt or over a dress. I’d always recommend spending a bit more on the one that fits perfectly; you’ll have it for years to come. Longer skirts are making a comeback. These work really well for dressing up or wearing with a tee and sneakers. We have a broad customer base that includes women in their 20s all the way up to their 70s, so we pick things that work well across people of all ages. We’re eagerly awaiting a brand new New Zealand-designed label called et alia. This summer’s drop will be their first and we are very excited...

Infinite Definite hosts a carefully-selected eclectic range of fashion and homewares made in New Zealand and sourced from afar. Jono Moran says the store’s big focus is on design, quality and community. We love all our New Zealand designers like Penny Sage, Twenty-Seven Names, Kowtow and Marle, as well as some exciting international brands including Paloma Wool, Veja, New Balance, Gramicci and more. In the accessories department, semi-flat sunnies and petite and micro bags or clutches are taking the charge. Anything on the pink to red scale is standing out colour-wise. There are lots of bold berry tones, and our classic natural tones aren't going anywhere. Quality linen pieces help keep everything nice and cool in spring and summer, as do flexible dresses that can be reversed, belted or cinched for any occasion. We're big believers in holding on to items as the seasons come and go - you never know...

Cover your foot claws with Wolverine boots, the iconic US work boot brand with over a century of history, now available at Nevada Sport in Cashel Street and online at its shiny new website built by SOMO Creative. Way back in 1883, third-generation leather tanner G.A. Krause founded a company in Michigan to produce work boot and leather gloves that were famed for their comfort. Twenty years later, when Krause and his sons were producing around 300 boots a day, the business brought electricity to their home town of Rockford. Wolverine is still making its iconic 1000 Mile Boot, named because way back in the early 20th Century it was good for a thousand miles of wear. It’s even still made from the original 1914 boot pattern, with a few modern updates on the inside. wolverine.co.nz

Pixelate Arcade is bringing classic retro games, pinball and a full bar to Lichfield Courtyard. The arcade, opened in early October, serves food, and the bar will open once the school holidays are over. Pixelate founder Iain is an expert pinball machine repairman, keeping these beauties in working order all around Christchurch and now, he’s created an ideal place to play. The team has also opened a pop up in Little High Eatery called Little Pixelate Arcade, to keep the kids (and the adults) entertained while you’re waiting for your food. Get competitive on the air hockey table, try out the only Oktoberfest pinball machine in New Zealand, or test your armspan on the flippers of Hercules, the world’s largest pinball machine, made in 1979. A trip to Pixelate is like a trip back in time, to the flashing lights and punchy sound effects of the analogue 80s, and all the...

It’s a café! It’s a bar! No, it’s an all-day, late-night food and drink experience! Gold Aroma recently popped up in Colombo Street complete with brunch, lunch, coffee, cocktails and DJ sessions that run ‘til the wee hours for the hungry, thirsty and young at heart. After 10pm, Gold Aroma is the go-to spot for a cheeky bit of fun, with DJs banging out the tunes on weekends, and beer tubes filled with the gold stuff for you to share with your buddies. It’s even got a beautiful outdoor area for when that golden sun shines through. Gold Aroma is committed to the colour, serving up seriously good gold-glazed ice cream as the perfect after-dinner treat. goldaroma.co.nz

Mindful Journeys is a Spotify album released by Tourism NZ. Narrated by James Rickard, the master carver at Te Puia Rotorua, each of the four tracks features the real sounds of water, air, birds and insects at peaceful New Zealand destinations. The first track starts with the sound of waves crashing on beaches in the far north, and moves south through iconic sonic destinations like Rotorua, the West Coast, Central Otago and the Marlborough Sounds. On the journey, you’ll be reminded of New Zealand’s most relaxing soundscapes, from mud bubbling away softly in Rotorua, to the songs of our native birds and earthy whistles of wind on the forest floor. “We wanted to remind New Zealanders of the calm and serenity that can be found on their back doorstep,” says Brodie Reid, Director of Marketing for Tourism New Zealand. The sound of nature has been proven to help people relax, physically...

Hot spots for eating, drinking, seeing and doing in Ōtautahi this beautiful season. EAT Stunningly presented and absolutely authentic Japanese cuisine served by the most gracious and attentive of hosts at Tomi Japanese Restaurant. DRINK 12 Bar offers foot-tapping live blues and a bodacious selection of New Zealand beers on tap and craft beers in the fridge. COFFEE Your Café Stir flat white will taste even better with the historic surrounds of New Regent Street and the Christchurch tram rolling by. SEE The special Treasures of the Collection exhibition highlighting Canterbury Museum’s many wonders and hidden gems. DO Spring fever is making us want to shed layers and get outdoors, and Biketober gives us the perfect excuse to do just that. With events almost daily for the whole of October, Biketober celebrates riding a bike and offers unique, social ways to enjoy the spring season on two wheels.

New Zealand-owned premium home appliance retailer Kouzina Appliances has opened a beautiful new Christchurch showroom in Victoria Street. Established in 2004 with stores in Auckland and Queenstown, the company launched the new Christchurch premises this year. It’s an inspirational space for residential and commercial projects, where the knowledgeable staff collaborate with you to bring your vision to life. Kouzina stocks an extensive range of top-of-the-line international brands, many of which have long legacies in the industry. Miele, a German manufacturer of high-end domestic appliances is over a hundred years old, and Bertazzoni, an Italian manufacturer, has been making ovens for six generations, since they were powered by burning wood. Gaggenau, one of Kouzina's brands, just celebrated its 333rd birthday. The new Kouzina showroom is full of appliances that will fit with stunning interior design, including rangehoods like look more like industrial art projects that what most of us are used to....