Essence

While Christmas can bring so much joy, love and connection, it’s just as easy to lose sight of the small, simple pleasures that make the season special. Instead of savouring the twinkling lights or enjoying the laughter around the dinner table, we can find ourselves obsessing over whether the house is spotless, the […]

Consider this your shortcut to instant chocolate bliss. These classic ganache truffles are silky, rich, and wonderfully generous, exactly the kind of treat that makes the kitchen smell indulgent and the platter disappear fast. Classic, silky chocolate truffles that make a delicious centrepiece or gift, this recipe makes 18 to 24 truffles (depends […]

Prepare for Christmas with home décor that brings a sense of warmth, joy and festive cheer into your home space.

I want to like camping. It sounds so fun and carefree, pitching your tent, enjoying the great outdoors. But I am a camping failure. Admittedly, I was a late starter, I grew up mostly in cities where camping options were thin on the ground. But when I was 23, on a trip to […]

There’s something about summer in North Canterbury that makes packing the tent, lighting the camp stove and slowing right down feel like second nature. The Good Camping Guide Camping comes with its challenges, but it’s always worth the effort. In North Canterbury, find a range of fabulous spots to set up camp during […]

A building beloved to the Timaru community – and its school’s Old Girls – Shand House is in the final stages of resurrection. Words by Nina Tucker. Images supplied. “Watching a building with so much history come back to life has been a truly rewarding experience,” Craighead Diocesan School’s Chief Operations Manager Renae […]