Next stop: North Canterbury

Small towns, beachside villages, and as many breaths of fresh air as one could want. North Canterbury is a haven escape from the city, yet close enough to still feel like home. The cafés and retail shops nestled amongst the gorgeous greenery are the cherry on top of a day spent exploring our […]

Sink in, and swing

Often, what keeps us from spending long amounts of time outside is comfort. Most of us would prefer to be curled up on a couch instead of a hard deck chair. With a hanging egg chair, you can relax in comfort outside, while enjoying fresh air and a garden view. The allure of […]

Porch plants

Spruce up a bland pergola or porch with these eye-catching plants, which are made to hang. Wisteria Wisteria will add enchantment to your outdoor space. Choose a position in full sun and protected from strong winds. They are vigorous climbers, and the added support of the pergola to twist around is vital. UPKEEP: […]

Made to sing: Georgia Lines

Five years ago, Georgia Lines was just tipping the music scales in Aotearoa. Fast-forward, and the Kiwi singer-songwriter is signed with the same agent that represents Coldplay. Metropol Deputy Editor Nina Tucker finds out how she’s navigated a skyrocketing career. As the age-old cliché goes, it didn’t happen overnight. Larry Webman, from U.S […]

Long lunching

With summer comes endless opportunities to organise and host convivial long lunches. Set the scene with a few, or many places,   depending on the size of your party, creating tantalising tablescapes to intrigue and excite your guests. In many instances, it’s easy to begin with a base. A few white candles, polished cutlery, […]

Get on your bike

Christchurch’s flat terrain makes cycling a great exercise option, especially when it comes to adding low impact cardio into your daily routine. Regular exercise, such as biking, helps prevent and manage a variety of medical conditions, and is also an environmentally friendly option. Hopping on a bike is low-impact, high-gain exercise. Biking is […]

Celebrating a legacy

The 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games put our city on the world stage, and early next year we celebrate its 50th anniversary. The “Friendly Games” games was an event that, even after five decades, is still fondly remembered by many.The smallest city, to this day, to host the games, made big waves charming the […]

Calling on cucumbers

Refreshing, buildable, rich, and easy, a Greek salad is simply made for balmy summer nights. With cucumbers aplenty in Christchurch pantries currently, put them to good use with this tasty feature dish. Canterbury is home to many olive farms too, so buy local ingredients where you can. Crunchy cucumbers, tangy feta, briny olives, […]

The joy of Christmas

People celebrate Christmas in different ways, yet for most it is a “favourite” time. Here’s how some of Metropol’s 2023 interviewees will be spending the festive season: Jason Gunn: “The week leading up to Christmas is my favourite time of the year. Our kids come home. And when our family is together… all […]

The season of sunshine in Ōtautahi

It’s time for endless summer fun. Check out the line-up of exhilarating summer events, and bask in the warm days and balmy nights as the city puts on months jam-packed with excitement. There is plenty of space to play this summer in Ōtautahi, and here are a few events you won’t want to […]