Make Mother’s Day

Sunday 12 May is Mother’s Day, a time to show mum you care with special treats. Here are some ideas:

KEV, the cool Kombi

Volkswagen Kombis took to the roads during Easter, headed to Kaikōura for the VW nationals. Run by volunteers of the local VW club in each area where it takes place, the nationals have been held in New Zealand for more than 30 years. The 2024 Easter event was held in and around Kaikōura, organised by […]

Temperature treatments

Actresses Courtney Cox loves an ice bath, while Gwyneth Paltrow is a fan of a sauna. Harnessing the benefits of the heat or cold, temperature therapy is gaining popularity as a natural approach to bettering overall wellbeing. For very few people would a plunge into freezing cold water be a comfortable thing. The idea of […]

Easy ways to improve your homemade cupcakes

Sydney bakery owner Gabriela Oporto shot to fame after supplying singer/songwriter Taylor Swift with cake on the international star’s recent visit to Australia. Here’s her advice, and recipe, for making the “fluffiest cupcakes” at home. Where do people go wrong when making cupcakes? • They don’t mix the butter and sugar long enough. • They […]

The skirt flirt

One of the most reliable garments in the book, the skirt has it all. The sophistication, the movement, the fun. Askirt offers a feminine edge to a workwear getup yet doubles as a garment easily suitable for a night out. Even better, they work with any shoe. With options in leather, wool, and denim, there’s […]

Cardigans, cashmere, and couture

When you wear cashmere or wool, you’re covered in warmth and comfort. These feelings are mirrored in soft pinks, beige, and melange grey tones. Somehow, they afford a ‘First Lady’ energy, where elegance is often associated with muted and neutral colours. Style with pearls or gemstones for femininity and lustre. With the right outfit composition, […]

Happily evolving with Judy Bailey

From mother of the nation to doting grandmother and author has been a rewarding transition for former television newsreader/journalist Judy Bailey. Along the way she has returned to her first love of writing, as she explains to Metropol Editor, Lynda Papesch. Almost 20 years have passed since TVNZ broadcaster Judy Bailey signed off her final […]

Creating metal magic

Buildings come in all shapes, sizes, designs, and materials, including an increasing number comprising various types of metal. Copper, roofing iron, and corrugated iron are all popular choices in modern architecture. Contemporary corrugated iron is extremely weatherproof, so it offers an excellent, cost-effective solution in areas exposed to wind, rain, snow, and hot, dry conditions. […]

A new beginning with Gretchen La Roche

What do books, theatre, Indian food and indulgent cakes have in common? The answer is The Court Theatre’s new executive director Gretchen La Roche, who spoke with Metropol Editor Lynda Papesch recently. Described as well-respected and a seasoned arts executive, Gretchen La Roche is multi-layered, like a well-written play. Returning to Christchurch to lead The Court […]

$30 million urgent funding needed for cathedral

Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Limited (CCRL) has four months to find the project a new funding pathway, or it will be “mothballed” indefinitely. Chair of CCRL Mark Stewart announced, early in April, that the group has until August this year to secure a funding pathway to reinstate the iconic cathedral, largely destroyed in the 2011 […]