Coastal escape

A small coastal village with breathtaking views of towering snow-capped mountains and the vast blue Pacific Ocean, Kaikoura is a South Island destination which offers rich nature and cultural experiences.     Visit the mountains, watch whales and dolphins, and take in the beautiful sunset while indulging in fresh, locally caught seafood – all in […]

Restaurant quality pasta, at home: Pasta Vera

Christchurch’s Pasta Vera not only supplies the country’s top eateries with fresh pasta, but is on a mission to help Kiwis achieve restaurant-quality pasta dishes at home. Its delicious and high-quality offering now extends to a new retail range, vegan options – and even a celebrity collaboration.     The new retail range of fresh […]

The magic of Marlon

From home in the portside township of Lyttelton, music has taken alt-country troubadour Marlon Williams around the world, from The Yarra Hotel of inner-city Melbourne, to The Troubadour in Los Angeles. It was the latter where Bradley Cooper spied his Kiwi-born and bred talents, seeking Marlon out to appear in his 2018 Academy award-winning film, […]

From the edge to the big screen

Conquering her own struggles with mental illness has seen Kiwi woman Jazz Thornton co-found a global charity, write two books and speak at the United Nations, now she speaks with Metropol ahead of her next journey – to the big screen.     Jazz Thornton is driven by one overwhelming motive – to make others […]

Super Summer Sound

The wide appeal of Kiwi supergroup L.A.B is making waves here and abroad. Metropol catches up with lead guitarist and vocalist Joel Shadbolt ahead of their Christchurch show. L .A.B, pronounced as each letter, but representative of a laboratory where pioneering ideas are cooked up, is behind one of the country’s most popular songs of […]

The cult of skincare

Discovering her skincare wasn’t safe during pregnancy sent Kiwi woman Emma Lewisham on a mission to create natural, yet powerful, products. Her eponymous range launched this year and already has a cult-like following. Metropol catches up with Emma about what it takes to create a coveted range.   A conversation with her GP about fertility […]

Toast-ie of the town

Winter just got a whole lot tastier with the launch of the third annual Great NZ Toastie Takeover.     Celebrating the delicious Kiwi staple that is the not-so-humble toasted sandwich, eateries around the country are once again putting their unique spin on the iconic snack. The competition element of the Great NZ Toastie Takeover […]

Wig-ging out

Gin Wigmore is using her extraordinary gravelly voice to speak up for the underdog. She tells Melinda Collins about a cause close to her heart.   Gritty, powerful and just a little bit badass could equally be used to describe Gin Wigmore’s music or her aesthetic and, while singing is still her first love, the […]

Podcast supports small business

In New Zealand, small businesses are a big deal. There is, after all, more than 500,000 of them.     There’s a new podcast on the entrepreneurial block that has been designed to support and inspire local small business owners. ‘Kiwis in Business’ is a melting pot of informal, yet informative interviews by Public Relations […]

The perfect venue: Barkers Food Store

The iconic Kiwi brand that has retained its roots on the original family farm at the foot of the Southern Alps in Geraldine, marked its rich 50-year history by opening the beautiful Barker’s Foodstore & Eatery. The picturesque setting on the banks of the Waihi river, the impressive glass frame and a spacious interior unites […]