Latest Articles
New Zealand Fashion Week Day 3 with Mima Lewis Gourdie
Daily Wrap with New Zealand Fashion Week Head Dresser and Metropol’s NZFW correspondent Mima Lewis Gourdie Wednesday – Coming to you from Shed 10, the MainStage for NZFW! Day 3 of fashion week started with a bang, as The Studio show hit the runway, showcasing 17 contemporary NZ designers considered to reflect the […]
New Zealand Fashion Week Day 2 Wrap with Mima Lewis Gourdie
Day 2 wrap with New Zealand Fashion Week Head Dresser and Metropol’s NZFW correspondent Mima Lewis Gourdie TUESDAY, Coming to you from Shed 10, the MainStage for NZFW! It’s day two of fashion week, and the show schedule is well and truly underway. We had Caitlin Crisp opening the week out at […]
Contrast therapy and the coolest place to try it: Elemental
Gwyneth Paltrow swears by contrast therapy. Cristiano Ronaldo made it a cornerstone of his post-match routine. And Metropol editor Nina Tucker believes that Hanmer Springs’ new contrast therapy experience, Elemental, rivals the most premium of celebrity wellness rituals. She takes you inside the guided 75-minute session inspired by the alpine village’s elements. Can […]
Pearl glam
Curated by Nina Tucker Get in the spirit of the show you’re going to watch, so says the New Zealand Opera of the what-to-wear dilemma. Pearls traverse beyond the opera house to daily dressing, don’t be afraid to live vicariously through Coco Chanel’s famous saying: “A woman needs ropes and ropes of pearls.” […]
Tempura oysters with kelp & miso sauce
Delicate and delicious, this beautiful dish of tempura oysters is great when you want your sharing platters to feel elevated. Ingredients • 1/2 sheet dried nori • 1 tsp sesame seeds • 1 fresh small lime, zest only • 100g flaky sea salt Miso dipping sauce • 60g miso paste • 20ml rice […]
The sartorial stage
By Nina Tucker The love affair between fashion, opera and performative art – and why a new staging of Bizet’s early masterpiece, The Pearl Fishers, read the trend right as it arrived on our shores. Jackie Kennedy said “pearls are always appropriate”. Now, more so than ever. It’s the year of the opera […]
Trend report: Up in arms
As temperatures rise, so do our sleeves. The three-quarter sleeve and capri pant returns this spring, with global icons like Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy known for the style. Sacha O’Connell-Johnstone investigates for Metropol. With the promise of spring just around the corner, comes reason to swap the maximalism of winter for a little more skin. […]
The Crossing instant style
Spring, please! I hate to be one of those people who talks about the weather, but after what has felt like a very long end to winter, between the rain and those negative-degree Christchurch mornings… I am more than ready for some milder days and a little more colour. I’ve spent the past […]
Refined outdoor living to relax in
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” Take that famous (though anonymous) quote and let it inspire your outdoor living for the season ahead: refined, refreshed, and a real reset. Turn to the natural environment for inspiration; balance earthy hues like chocolate and sage with […]
Chiaroscuro
A Renaissance art technique that uses strong contrasts between light and dark, chiaroscuro, has been used to stunning effect in this Fendalton home, a regional winner in the recent 2026 ADNZ Resene Architectural Design Awards. Designed by Dean Cowell of Three Sixty Architecture, Fendalton property Chiaroscuro, meaning ‘the use of contrasts between light […]
Most popular pools: Nova Space
In Canterbury’s winning homes from the latest house and architecture awards, pools proved one of the most popular lifestyle features. To find out more about the blend between indoor and outdoor living and the importance of making the right investment, Metropol sat down with business owner and passionate pool man Chris Thelin. Homes […]
Premium subdivisions, personalised living: Suburban Estates
With over 60 years of experience and a reputation built on trust, this development company creates premium neighbourhoods in locations with lifestyle appeal and long-term growth potential. For decades, residential land development company Suburban Estates has helped shape the way New Zealanders live, creating premium residential subdivisions in some of the country’s most […]
Six great reads for Dad
From outdoor adventure and rugby legends to life as a modern dad and the chance to tell his story, here’s six Father’s Day picks all available at local retailers to make gifting easy. A Bushman’s Book of Yarns From the bestselling author of Sam The Trap Man, A Bushman’s Book of Yarns takes […]
Ka pai! Google Maps learns to pronounce te reo Māori
A Kiwi accent landed on Google Maps in July, and now, New Zealanders can hear Aotearoa place names the way they should sound. Acollaboration between Google and Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (the Māori Language Commission) and new AI-powered text to speech technology means New Zealanders can hear the correct pronunciation […]
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Cuisine
Tempura oysters with kelp & miso sauce
Delicate and delicious, this beautiful dish of tempura oysters is great when you want your sharing platters to feel elevated. Ingredients • 1/2 sheet dried nori • 1 tsp sesame seeds • 1 fresh small lime, zest only • 100g flaky sea salt Miso dipping sauce • 60g miso paste • 20ml rice […]
Kiwi Punjabi: Indian Springs
Punjabi cuisine with a Kiwi twist has got taste buds excited across Canterbury. “From the start, I have loved this food,” says Roshan Rangra, owner of two Indian Springs restaurants in Canterbury. After 30 years in hospitality and with a passion for North Indian street food, he knows a thing or two about […]
Raw chic
Four classic and easy ways to serve oysters. The absolute simplest way to eat oysters is raw on the half shell with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Or, make them a little fancier with three tasty combinations, including the classic mignonette sauce or a ginger-soy vinaigrette, then topped with salmon roe. Raw […]
The café Christchurch can’t get enough of: Cocoa Black
“Much of our growth comes from customers asking us to open closer to where they live or work,” says the Christchurch business owner behind a seven-strong coffee shop empire. “I do not think there is one single secret formula. For us, it has always been about consistency, good people, fresh food and genuinely […]
Fashion & Beauty
New Zealand Fashion Week Day 3 with Mima Lewis Gourdie
Daily Wrap with New Zealand Fashion Week Head Dresser and Metropol’s NZFW correspondent Mima Lewis Gourdie Wednesday – Coming to you from Shed 10, the MainStage for NZFW! Day 3 of fashion week started with a bang, as The Studio show hit the runway, showcasing 17 contemporary NZ designers considered to reflect the […]
Pearl glam
Curated by Nina Tucker Get in the spirit of the show you’re going to watch, so says the New Zealand Opera of the what-to-wear dilemma. Pearls traverse beyond the opera house to daily dressing, don’t be afraid to live vicariously through Coco Chanel’s famous saying: “A woman needs ropes and ropes of pearls.” […]
Trend report: Up in arms
As temperatures rise, so do our sleeves. The three-quarter sleeve and capri pant returns this spring, with global icons like Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy known for the style. Sacha O’Connell-Johnstone investigates for Metropol. With the promise of spring just around the corner, comes reason to swap the maximalism of winter for a little more skin. […]
The sartorial stage
By Nina Tucker The love affair between fashion, opera and performative art – and why a new staging of Bizet’s early masterpiece, The Pearl Fishers, read the trend right as it arrived on our shores. Jackie Kennedy said “pearls are always appropriate”. Now, more so than ever. It’s the year of the opera […]
Health
Contrast therapy and the coolest place to try it: Elemental
Gwyneth Paltrow swears by contrast therapy. Cristiano Ronaldo made it a cornerstone of his post-match routine. And Metropol editor Nina Tucker believes that Hanmer Springs’ new contrast therapy experience, Elemental, rivals the most premium of celebrity wellness rituals. She takes you inside the guided 75-minute session inspired by the alpine village’s elements. Can […]
Eye on the ball
A Christchurch man has won a brand-new JAC ute after checking his balls for testicular cancer in the Lump Lottery. The Lump Lottery has driven thousands of Kiwi men to check their balls, with 13,478 balls checked during Testicular Cancer Awareness Month. The most commonly diagnosed cancer in teenage boys and young men […]
Anxiety hacks
Feeling anxious? Here are 10 quick and easy science-backed hacks to dial it down. Chew gum: Studies show it reduces cortisol and increases blood flow to the brain. Go outside and look at something far away: Anxiety literally narrows your vision, it’s part of the stress response. Forcing your eyes wide on a […]
Strength, measured: Muscle People
Once reserved for elite sport, objective performance-testing technology is now helping everyday people recover with greater precision, see their progress and return confidently to the activities that matter. How strong is your recovering arm or leg compared with the other side? Has an injured shoulder or elbow regained the capacity needed for lifting, […]
Home & Living
Refined outdoor living to relax in
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” Take that famous (though anonymous) quote and let it inspire your outdoor living for the season ahead: refined, refreshed, and a real reset. Turn to the natural environment for inspiration; balance earthy hues like chocolate and sage with […]
Chiaroscuro
A Renaissance art technique that uses strong contrasts between light and dark, chiaroscuro, has been used to stunning effect in this Fendalton home, a regional winner in the recent 2026 ADNZ Resene Architectural Design Awards. Designed by Dean Cowell of Three Sixty Architecture, Fendalton property Chiaroscuro, meaning ‘the use of contrasts between light […]
Most popular pools: Nova Space
In Canterbury’s winning homes from the latest house and architecture awards, pools proved one of the most popular lifestyle features. To find out more about the blend between indoor and outdoor living and the importance of making the right investment, Metropol sat down with business owner and passionate pool man Chris Thelin. Homes […]
Premium subdivisions, personalised living: Suburban Estates
With over 60 years of experience and a reputation built on trust, this development company creates premium neighbourhoods in locations with lifestyle appeal and long-term growth potential. For decades, residential land development company Suburban Estates has helped shape the way New Zealanders live, creating premium residential subdivisions in some of the country’s most […]
One on One
Meet Miss Universe New Zealand: Georgia Waddington
Crowned Miss Universe New Zealand, Christchurch pageant queen Georgia Waddington is stepping into her busiest season yet. Between photoshoots and flights, she sits down with Metropol editor Nina Tucker. Georgia, so much has happened since our last interview in 2023. How have you grown since then? I’ve grown so much over the past […]
Yarns and laughs: Chris Parker
What do Christchurch Boys’ High, felt hats, Celebrity Treasure Island, and knitting have in common? Award-winning comic and Instagram star Chris Parker. Metropol deputy editor Tamara Pitelen sits down with the indefatigable comedian. In an increasingly AI and tech-obsessed world, knitting is a revolutionary act, says Chris Parker. We are talking on the […]
Life as Christchurch’s leading event stylist
From the foothills of Aoraki Mount Cook to the top of China’s Great Wall, Christchurch event stylist Kim Chan is a veteran of many venues. With Metropol editor Nina Tucker, Kim talks about styling, sustainability and who she can’t live without. “I’m not a minimalist.” Kim Chan darts between tables in Te Pae’s […]
Supermarket superman Craig Grant
What does it take to create Christchurch’s most aesthetic (and award-winning) supermarket? Award-winning businessman Craig Grant of FreshChoice Merivale reveals the stories of success he’s always been too humble to tell with Metropol editor Nina Tucker. FreshChoice Merivale is the first-class plane flight equivalent to grocery shopping. Each piece of fruit and vegetable […]
ESSENCE
What’s brewing
With about 100,000 beer cans and counting, North Canterbury man Stu Reed has one of the world’s biggest collections of beer cans and breweriana. Metropol deputy editor Tamara Pitelen went along for a look. “I’m a busy relaxer; I can’t sit still although I’ve got to because my body is buggered. Collecting beer […]
For the love of beer
Feeling inspired by breweriana collector Stu Reed on page 70? Test some of the region’s best craft breweries… Brew Moon Brewing Company A craft beer taproom and online shop in Amberley, Brew Moon is focused on one goal: bringing good beer, good food and good people together. Drop in at 12 Markham Street, […]
Creative to her core. Waimate’s Emma Heppell
“When we care about something, we’re much more likely to protect it,” says Waimate-based artist, author, business owner and ice cream scooper Emma Heppell. Passing that passion to the next generation, Emma encourages children to nurture their creativity in a digital world with her community art studio, and hopes her new children’s book […]
Staying supple in winter, myphysio
Is your body is stiffening up with the cold of winter? Better movement means a better you, which is where a great physiotherapist comes in. A nagging knee makes a day on the slopes at Dobson feel exhausting. A tight lower back turns a beautiful winter walk or a weekend of kids’ winter […]
Build
Canterbury’s winning homes
Located in Cashmere and Loburn, two of Canterbury’s finest home builds have been honoured in this year’s Master Builders House of the Year awards. The results are in for the winners of the Master Builders House of the Year 2026 Awards, a prestigious competition that celebrates building excellence in Aotearoa. While many Canterbury […]
Provincial heartbeat: James Gough
Historic red and black pride for Canterbury Rugby has a new place to call gather and call home. Last weekend’s Canterbury Rugby housewarming against Auckland felt like more than a first match in our new home. With Shapeshifter electrifying the occasion and red and black pulsing through the city, Canterbury Rugby brought something […]
Food, glorious food: Ross Steele
The strength of Canterbury’s local food ecosystem is reflected in the region’s recent Michelin success. One of the great privileges of living in Canterbury is access to an extraordinary network of growers, farmers, fishers and artisan producers. From the foothills and plains to the coastline and vineyards, our region produces ingredients recognised not […]
Bathing beauty: Dream Bathrooms
Picture your dream bathroom. Now, imagine really having it. What does your dream bathroom look like? Is it high glamour with plenty of marble and the latest hardware? Does it cater to a buzzing young family where easy cleaning is central to the design? Perhaps you hanker for the elegance of an era […]
ArtScene
Missing Robyn Kahukiwa search
The search is on for a series of missing artworks by one of New Zealand’s most influential artists, Robyn Kahukiwa, for an exhbition in 2027. Do you have a missing masterpiece sitting on your wall at home? Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū is issuing a callout to track down a series […]
Andiamo al cinema! Lumiere Cinemas
Let’s go to the cinema! The Italian Film Festival is in town from 3 to 27 September, with a gala opening event to kick things off. For 11 years, the Italian Film Festival has been showcasing the best of contemporary Italian cinema and timeless masterpieces across New Zealand. This year is no different. […]
Mānawatia a Matariki
Matariki is the Māori name for the cluster of stars that rises in midwinter, also known as Pleiades. For many Māori, it heralds the start of the new year. In 2026, the Matariki period runs from 8 to 14 July, with the official national public holiday falling on Friday 10 July. This year’s […]
See Footloose in Ashburton!
Ashburton Variety Theatre’s production of Footloose proves you don’t need to live in a big city to discover a thoroughly entertaining night at the theatre, writes Metropol’s Nancye Pitt in her review. Staged at the fabulous Ashburton Event Centre, this show bursts with heart, community spirit, and enough energy to have the audience […]
Business
Staying well at corporate events
Health and wellbeing at events is a growing focus as part of efforts to combat burnout, seek genuine human connection, and reject exhausting, over-scheduled agendas. From organic food options to chair yoga and mindfulness, the modern business conference is a far cry from the boozy corporate beige events of the past. As the […]
Ask a lawyer. Q&A with Kristy Rusher from Port Hills Law
Christchurch lawyer-of-all-trades Kristy Rusher would tell you the first step to being protected is staying informed. She takes the stand in conversation with Metropol to talk about becoming her own boss, what to look for in a lawyer, and why different cases require different tactics. Kristy, you’ve been in the industry handling cases […]
First homers: Liane Bean of Ray White
Christchurch’s property market is being driven by motivated first-home buyers. First-home buyers remain one of the most active groups in the Christchurch property market, with many well-prepared purchasers acting decisively when the right property becomes available, says licensee salesperson Liane Bean. Nationally, first-home buyers remain the largest purchaser group in New Zealand’s housing […]
The Te Pae effect
Conventions held at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre have generated almost $74 million for the local economy in the last 12 months. In the year to June 2026, Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre hosted 56 conventions, including several leading international events. This supported 827 jobs in the Canterbury region, according to the impact […]
