Outdo your outdoors

Canterbury homeowners love outdoor living, but the most valuable spaces are those that work in summer and every season that follows. Your outdoors should feel like an additional living space to make memories year-round – and it should do the same for buyers if you’re planning to sell. With balmy summers and crisp […]

Destination Akaroa – Summit to sea: Run Akaroa

What if your running resolution or step-count challenge was disguised as a charming weekend escape under Akaroa’s seaside spell? No tourists. No traffic. Just you and the Summit Road, with the shimmering Akaroa Harbour on one side and the vast South Pacific on the other. The next Run Akaroa, scheduled for Sunday 16 […]

Famous Phar Lap stories from the legend’s closest

This October, South Canterbury honours legendary racehorse Phar Lap on his 100th birthday, who was born in Seadown near Timaru. Ahead of the celebrations, Metropol editor Nina Tucker catches up with Wayne Hinchliffe, a dear family friend of strapper Tommy Woodcock and one of his closest confidantes. Phar Lap was one of the […]

Prune, walnut + ginger slice

“This is a totally yum, yum, yum combo,” write the Two Raw Sisters in their latest cookbook, How We Cook. Make a big batch, store it in the freezer, and pull it out when friends come over for coffee. Or enjoy a little moment to yourself with an extra-large chunk. It also makes […]

Invest in the home you have

Like many Cantabrians, you love where you live and can’t imagine moving, but perhaps you’re running out of storage, the kids need more room to play, or some spaces could do with a refresh. Here’s three tips to make the most of the home you already have. 1. Get clever with storage It’s […]

National gardening month

Grow a piece of paradise this national gardening month. Gardening is getting a little more room to grow, with New Zealand’s long-running National Gardening Week expanding into National Gardening Month this October. The month-long celebration reflects the growing role gardening plays in New Zealanders’ lives – from growing fresh food and creating havens […]

Charging ahead

Fuelled by record growth in sales of electric vehicles, Canterbury business Evnex hits 20,000 chargers. Australasia’s largest manufacturer of smart electric vehicle (EV) chargers, local company Evnex has passed 20,000 chargers installed across New Zealand and Australia. The Addington-based company shipped its first charger in 2017. The first 10,000 sales took eight years […]

Tomatoes to try

After the final frost, tomato plants are ready to go into soil. Mix up your variety with these four favourites. Early girl Producing medium-sized, tasty red fruit, early girl tomatoes are ideal for fresh slices in sandwiches, salads, and general cooking. Roma With egg-shaped fruit, roma tomatoes are less watery and meatier, making […]

Belonging matters: Mental Health Awareness Week

A sense of belonging isn’t just a nice feeling, it is foundational to our mental wellbeing, which is why the theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week from 12 to 18 October is Belonging Matters. With loneliness on the rise, the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand (MHF) has announced that this […]

Tea-rific spring escape: Penny Black Victorian Tearoom

Step back in time for high tea dining worthy of Queen Victoria. This spring season, wind the clock to 1897 at Penny Black Victorian Tearoom for a dining experience steeped in etiquette, style, and bite-size delicacies. Situated in The Tannery, the atrium provides an enchanting backdrop reminiscent of days gone by. Entering the […]