The Influencers: Lianne Dalziel

A blooming good idea. I always think it creates a sense of wellbeing when spring is in the air and the cherry blossoms and kowhai are flowering. When I read the spring flowers story on the ChristchurchNZ website and discovered that ‘Hanami’ is a Japanese word that translates to ‘flower watching’, I realised […]

The Influencers: John Bridgman

Central city development. We’ve seen a significant surge in demand for apartment-style living in central Christchurch over the past year. Covid, Christchurch’s comparative affordability and the ever-increasing vibrancy of the central city are all influencing the desires of home buyers. To help the city meet this demand and get more people living centrally […]

The Influencers: Joanna Norris

Helping business boom. Every business should have a mentor. Operating a business is no easy task, let alone doing it through a pandemic. Having an experienced, independent mentor to listen and guide you through some of the challenges can make all the difference. Mentors provide confidential, one-on-one assistance for small business owners, who […]

The Influencers: Leeann Watson

Fun in the sun – with a jab. I love spring, with all the promise of warm sunny days, catching up with friends and whānau – not to mention lazy days watching the cricket! But this year, Covid-19 has thrown a spanner in the works and as I write, we are stuck in […]

Making music together: The Real Music Company

Music is an integral part of our lives. As Plato once said: “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.” Connecting with music comes in numerous guises.Dancing, relaxing, listening, composing and singing all bring music into our lives and there to help […]

Food, gorgeous food: Gorgeous Food

When most people in Christchurch are waking up, Joanne Fryer has done most of the hard yards already. She’s up pre-sparrow’s and working in the kitchen by 3:30am. “The first thing I do is make myself a coffee. Just to make sure the machine is working correctly,” she laughs. Joanne and her early-bird […]

A perfect spring Sunday: Gatewood Market

Escape the city and get a dose of fresh country air for a perfect Sunday at the Gatewood Market. The much-loved country fair is on the beautiful Woodgate family property and carefully organised by the Woodgate and Mckenzie families, who strive to create a homely, relaxed, and vibrant community event. The market is […]

The final curtain

The last demolition in Christchurch’s red zone has come crashing down, ending a massive 10-year clearance programme. During the past decade, the Crown and insurers have carried out more than 7500 demolitions and clearances across about 800ha of red zone land stretching from Waimakariri to Christchurch’s Port Hills. Toitū Te Whenua Land Information […]

Thriving together in Ōtautahi

A new type of space has been created in the heart of Ōtautahi Christchurch. understorey is a bold new project from The Green Lab: a free to access, community, events, co-working, and collaboration space, which after delays due to Covid is now welcoming visitors safely. The stunning Arts Centre Gym has been transformed […]

Celebrate good times: Total Food Equipment

It’s birthday time! Total Food Equipment is celebrating its 12th birthday this month, and what better way to mark the occasion than by sharing some of the amazing new products in-store. Owner Sandra McLay shares current must-haves with Metropol. Denby English baking dish You can’t go wrong with Denby, reliability and beautifully made […]