Have a heart

More than 175,000 New Zealanders live with some form of heart condition, and almost 10,000 people die from cardiovascular disease each year. Almost a quarter of those deaths are avoidable, according to the New Zealand Heart Foundation, which has for more than four years been lobbying for a national heart health action plan. Many of […]

Fashion with Kate Sylvester

Top New Zealand fashion designer Kate Sylvester was in Christchurch this month to launch her Gloria Gloria Autumn Winter 24 collection. Metropol Editor Lynda Papesch talks with her about trends, tailoring, and telling a tale with textiles. Surrounded by a sea of teal and orange, denim blues, plum, and cherry red, fashion icon Kate Sylvester […]

See colours, sea colours

Embrace warmer days while they last, and lean into the eclectic colours of the sea and sand. Cool greens and blues, turquoise and azure, complemented by sandy hues of gold and silver, and soft shell-like neutrals, come together as nature intended to create a subtle yet striking wardrobe.  

Rhapsody in blueberry

At their peak, and in subsequent abundance, you might have noticed blueberries adorning the many fruit stalls of Canterbury this season. Small but mighty, blueberries offer powerful health benefits. Antioxidant-rich, and filled with vitamins and fibre, they’re a healthy fruit to add to your five-plus-a-day diet. The versatility of blueberries means now is a great […]

Productive propagation

From hobby gardening, to cottage industry, propagating your own plants comes with the satisfaction of creating new life. Growing up, my mother’s hobby propagating orchids for export fascinated me. Hers was a world of petri dishes, test tubes, flasks and agar whereas when my time came, I stuck with cuttings in potting mix, and in […]

Becoming a cushion curator

An interior trifecta, cushions combine comfort, style, and character. Distributed about your living and bedroom spaces evenly, cushions become the icing on the cake in interior design. If you like changing the style of your spaces from time to time, they’re relatively low-cost and so, a sustainable financial option to redesign without renovating an entire […]

Luxurious linens

Crisp and luxurious, hotel sheets have a reputation for being particularly top quality, yet anyone can have the same opulent feel at home with a bit of care about sheet selection. Cotton, linen, polyester, silk, bamboo, and in winter, flannel, microfibre and even more options are available. What is important to know when choosing sheets […]

Getting to know Gilbert Enoka

A young Gilbert Enoka stared out to the world, a challenging childhood and an ‘other.’ Later, he would become the man behind the minds of successful international sporting team, the All Blacks. Metropol Deputy Editor Nina Tucker dives into his world.  The Game Gilbert’s tenure as a mental skills coach spans 23 years, 304 tests, […]

Sail away: SailGP

Exciting, action-packed SailGP returns to Ōtautahi, Christchurch, this March. Live, close-up, on the water racing, SailGP has to be seen to be believed. Following its Season 3 debut  in Ōtautahi Christchurch,  the ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix will return to the spectacular Whakaraupō, Lyttelton Harbour on 23-24 March 2024. Back and bigger than ever, […]

Recipe for retail: Becky Dennison

Few people pursue opening their own retail store, and even fewer do so during a pandemic. Metropol Deputy Editor Nina Tucker chats with thriving fashion retailer Becky Dennison to discover how she fulfilled her childhood dream. Picture a young Becky standing behind her roadside flower shop, filled with blooms from her parent’s garden. Or, foraging […]