Capital 89 by Capital

CAPITAL Pot pourri property

An eclectic villa that just makes sense WINTER 2023 $11.90

Home truths

Décor experts spill the beans

Curry favour

Mabel’s – a second gen melting pot

I N S I D E

Drag queen

Racing royalty in Kāpiti

The home issue THE STORIES OF WELLINGTON

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11.02 $1,895,000 Beautiful northeast corner apartment with harbour views

Spacious northwest corner 3-bed apartment with city views

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Total area - 104m2

10.01 $1,925,000 Pano Focas: 027 477 9559 pano.focas@raywhite.com

2 2

Total area - 128m2

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Sprig + Fern Thorndon

Sprig + Fern Thorndon is unique. It’s blessed to be both a neighbourhood pub sandwiched between Tinakori Road’s wonderful heritage buildings - close to native bush and the Botanical Gardens, and, a city pub a hop up from the CBD. Matching the surroundings is the equally unique owner, beer doyen Colin Mallon. Q. What excites you about coming to work each day?

courtyard with our neighbours Goods Bakery and Café

A. I love that the tavern is nestled in the community of

that’s perfect for a lazy beer in the sunshine.

Thorndon and that’s it’s also on the fringe of the city, where we get to meet incredible people from all walks of

Q. What’s your current fave beer on tap?

life that pop into the pub for a pint and a chat. We’re dog

A. My favourite beer is the Nectaron® Pale Ale, hands down.

friendly and encourage customers to enjoy the pub vibe

It’s bold, but not too big. Juicy, flavoursome and moreish.

with their furry friends!” Q. What events have you planned for Sprig + Fern Thorndon? Q. Describe the Sprig + Fern Thorndon experience.

A. Summer in Welly is amazing and vibrant. We’re excited

A. The Tavern is relaxed and enhanced with art works from

to welcome people into the Tavern – new visitors and our

local and national artists and artisans. We’ve created a really

regulars. Call in there’s live music every Friday from 7pm

cool upstairs space for people to hang out in too. We share a

and a weekly charity quiz on Tuesday’s from 7pm.

CAPITAL The stories of Wellington

ouses, and their warmth, size, and availability, become more important as we move into winter and spend more time inside. We have focused on house and home in this issue, while recognising that property prices and building costs are sources of worry for many. Claire O’Loughlin takes us inside an Edwardian treasure in Thorndon. A family house, she is struck by how warm and inviting it is with only minimal renovation over its long life. Photographer Anna Briggs showcases its timeless qualities, enhanced by the owners’ eclectic taste. San Francisco based a whole tourism campaign on their much-photographed “painted ladies,” a smallish group of tall, colourful Victorian houses retained almost by chance in the city that demolished and replaced much of its early housing stock. Here in Wellington, the commissioners’ report on the district plan hearings now being held will shape our city for decades. A particularly contentious issue is that of character or heritage housing areas. Denis Clifford offers a view on our remarkably large concentration of them. Poet Laureate Chris Tse marks the Katherine Mansfield celebrations with a look at her poetry, while Jackie Lee Morrison talks to Marlar Boon about her honouring of her Burmese heritage. Lest you think we are looking back too much, we feature top drag racer Tamara Silk, and Melody Thomas writes about good sex and good relationships. Our biennial Best of Wellington awards are back in all their full glory. This survey (informal) can only happen with the support of businesses. It gives readers a fresh look at the range and variety of services, activities and products on offer in the greater Wellington area. An important aspect, for Capital, is being able to offer local business of all sizes the opportunity to promote themselves in our pages: read all about them, on page 52. We’ll be back in July, in time to celebrate our birthday with you.

Subscriptions $89 for 6 issues $149 for 12 issues New Zealand only

To subscribe, please email accounts@capitalmag.co.nz or visit capitalmag.co.nz/shop

Stockists Pick up your Capital in New World, Countdown, and Pak‘n’Save supermarkets, Moore Wilson's, Unity Books, Commonsense Organics, Magnetix, City Cards & Mags, Take Note, Whitcoulls, Wellington Airport, Interislander, and other discerning nation-wide outlets. Distribution: john@capitalmag.co.nz.

+64 4 385 1426 editor@capitalmag.co.nz capitalmag.co.nz facebook.com/CapitalMagazineWellington @CapitalMagWelly @capitalmag Box 9202, Marion Square, Wellington 6141 31–41 Pirie St, Mt Victoria, Wellington, 6011 2324-4836

Produced by Capital Publishing Ltd

The opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. Although all material is checked for accuracy, no liability is assumed by the publisher for any losses due to the use of material in this magazine.

Alison Franks Editor

Staff

Featured contributors

Managing editor Alison Franks editor@capitalmag.co.nz Sales manager Milly Brunel milly@capitalmag.co.nz Campaign coordinators Haleigh Trower haleigh@capitalmag.co.nz Fergus McClellan fergus@capitalmag.co.nz Factotum John Bristed john@capitalmag.co.nz Project manager Shalee Fitzsimmons shalee@capitalmag.co.nz Art director Rachel Salazar artd@capitalmag.co.nz Designer Elaine Loh design@capitalmag.co.nz

CLAIRE O'LOUGHLIN Writer

JACKIE LEE MORRISON Writer

Claire lives in Wellington, rides her bike, plays her dad’s guitar, writes nonfiction and makes installations and performance. She has an MA in Creative Non-fiction from the International Institute of Modern Letters.

Jackie Lee Morrison is a British-Chinese former pastry chef and former owner of Lashings. She lives in Wellington. After over a decade in hospo, she now spends her days as a writer and editor. When she is not writing, you can find her eating all the noods and petting all the dogs.

ANDY HANSEN Ph oto g r aph er

ALICE SOPER Writer

Andy is a Wellington photographer who wandered up from Dunedin. His passion is documenting communities. He originally focused on the anonymous ways that people change the world around them, and has now branched out to the people themselves. Find him on Instagram at @andyhansen.nz

Alice has been playing in Wellington women's rugby teams since she was 13 years old. A loveable loudmouth to her teammates, she continues to use her voice to get women’s sports over the advantage line. Alice lives, plays, writes, and coaches women’s rugby in Wainuiomata. Otherwise you'll find her having an oh-so-Wellington beer in her backyard.

Content manager / writer Sophie Carter content@capitalmag.co.nz Publishing coordinator Hannah Mahon hello@capitalmag.co.nz Accounts Tod Harfield accounts@capitalmag.co.nz

Contributors Melody Thomas, Janet Hughes, Anna Briggs, Sarah Lang, Deirdre Tarrant, Francesca Emms, Dan Poynton, Chris Tse, Claire Orchard, Harriet Palmer, Jess Scott, Griff Bristed, Claire O’Loughlin, Chev Hassett, Joram Adams, Sanne Van Ginkel, Rachel Helyer Donaldson, Matthew Plummer, Fairooz Samy, Adrian Vercoe, Sasha Borissenko, Courteney Moore, Josiah Nevell, Monica Winder, Craig Beardsworth, Olivia Lamb, Wilson Matete, Bruno Hart, Charlotte Barnes, Bex McGill, Charlotte Fielding, Jackie Lee Morrison, Andy Hansen, Alice Soper, Helen Lea Wall, Flo Allen

Submissions We welcome freelance art, photo, and story submissions. However we cannot reply personally to unsuccessful pitches.

Matariki Ahi Kā Wellington City Council presents

An immersive journey with fire, projections, performances, and kai

Freent eve

6pm–9pm 13–16 July Waterfront Mana Moana

Indigenous short films in a spectacular location 6pm–9pm, weekends 1–16 July Whairepo Lagoon

wellington.govt.nz/ matariki

Artwork: Nō Rua, nō Mango, nō runga i te rangi

C O N T E N T S

14 16 19 20

CHATTER NOTEWORTHY BY THE NUMBERS NEW PRODUCTS

22 Homewood bound Iona Thomas’ first nine months as British High Commissioner

CULTURE

The heritage building debate

38 Ans Westra: Her Story We farewell Ans Westra

Home school Décor advice for a comfy life

New life in old bones

Sue Elliott’s Edwardian villa that got better with age

䌀甀爀瘀礀匀椀稀攀猀

䐀䔀匀䤀䜀一䔀刀䘀䄀匀䠀䤀伀一稀攀戀爀愀渀漀⸀挀漀⸀渀稀

34 Heritage: A continual cosmic process

C O N T E N T S

79 80 82

LIFESTYLE BY THE BOOK REVERSE

68 Everything, everywhere, all at Mabel’s 52

Best of Wellington Wellington's best competition is back. Check out some of our nominees

64 66

BUG ME EDIBLES

Inspiring ideas to embrace a new season at home. Beautiful bedlinen & homeware, the best selection of plump feather-filled cushions, original vintage furniture, quilts & cosy throws, handmade ceramics, inspirational books & ideas for making your home beautiful.

cnr Blair & Wakefield Streets, Wellington www.smallacorns.co.nz / 04 802 5795

Marlar Boon’s tasty tribute to her grandmother

As smooth as silk Blink and you'll miss her. New Zealand's speediest woman

74 Tohu thoke A Burmese dish with a bird’s eye kick

88 90 92 94 96

GOOD SPORT WELLY ANGEL WĀHINE CALENDAR PUZZLED

C H AT T E R

CPotY Snapshots

One

Birthday bash It’s birthday season. Mojo is celebrating its 20th, Garage Project has hit 12, and Coffee Supreme is turning a massive 30 years old! Cuba Street’s Ombra has just reached double digits, and to mark the occasion has teamed up with a Martinborough distillery to create a limitededition Mediterranean gin. Here at Capital, we have our own special birthday coming up, so keep your eyes peeled for updates.

Title: Te Tokotoru Tapu (The Divine Trinity) Photographer: Stef Muyco Category: Society semi-finalist Behind the camera: Stef Muyco was born and raised in the city of Chula Vista in California. She lived and worked in Los Angeles for a significant portion of her life before moving to Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Aotearoa. In the five years she’s been living here, she has worked in the film industry, DJ’d for collectives, private events and radio, and set up a photography studio for passion projects and occasional commissions. In her spare time she enjoys eating, sleeping, and boxing.

Two

A leopard can change its postcode

The snap: This photo, Te Tokotoru Tapu (The Divine Trinity) was taken at the hair cutting ceremony of the daughter of Stef’s friend, Tehani Buchanan, for her fifth birthday. Amid the energy and excitement of the ceremony, she captured her subjects in a brief moment of rest. “Tehani with her daughter, Amalija, and son, Gabrijel, together enveloped in love from their guests. The Buchanans epitomise a modern family, worthy of being depicted like any notable Italian Renaissance painting. I feel like I created a modern version of Madonna and Child.”

Asha and Manju are Wellington Zoo’s newest residents. The two female snow leopards have come over from Melbourne, and after a short quarantine period have been introduced to their purpose-built 700m² enclosure. The enclosure, which took 18 months to complete and cost $6 million, includes grassy, rocky, and sandcovered surfaces to mimic their natural habitat. With fewer than 7,000 snow leopards remaining in the wild, Asha and Manju are part of an international breeding programme to help protect the species from extinction.

C H AT T E R

F i ve

Ar t in nature Hannah Schickedanz recently completed her stint as the inaugural Friends of the Wellington Botanic Garden Artist in Residence. “Despite being in a busy location, it was a really productive time, with almost seven paintings completed. I enjoyed having people stop for a chat about the work – something that doesn’t often happen when you work from a home studio!” Friends committee member Liz Lander says Hannah generated considerable interest and they couldn’t have hoped for a better start to the programme. “It has encouraged us to continue with the initiative in 2024.”

It's cool to kōrero Ka kimi au ki wāhi noho hou. Ka mōhio koe ki tētahi e wātea ana?

Three Slurp

I’m looking for a new place. Do you know anywhere that’s available?

Are you experiencing deja-brew? After the first Capital Slurp pack sold out, it’s back with a second edition. We’ve teamed up with our friends Bryony Puketapu and Good Fortune Coffee Co, to make a goodie box with the perfect blend. Each pack includes a Bryony Puketapu hand-made ceramic coffee cup and a bag of Good Fortune Coffee. Bryony uses the nerikomi method, staining porcelain clay and forming it into blocks of multi-coloured patterns. The mug has a nerikomi body in purple with an orange zebra pattern. Bryony‘s hope is that this mahi is “an idea that makes reo accessible for all, through something as simple as an average kapu kawhe/cup of coffee.” Head to capitalmag.co.nz/shop to order.

Four

Six

G e o r g i n a B eye r Wa y

Check this out

A street in Carterton is to be named after its former mayor Georgina Beyer, who died in March this year. Beyer, also a Wairarapa MP, was the world’s first openly transgender mayor, and the world’s first openly transgender Member of Parliament. Current mayor Ron Mark and councillors have agreed on three names for new roads in a residential subdivision off Kent Street: Peaks Avenue, Kākāriki Crescent, and Georgina Beyer Way.

At Wellington City libraries you can check out carbon dioxide meters to monitor the air quality in your home, free of charge. Just like a book, they can be reserved online then checked out for 10 days. Kāpiti Coast libraries are offering something a little different, with Healthy Home Kits available to borrow for one week. These kits include five tools for determining whether your living space is warm and dry, and your home appliances are working efficiently.

N O T E W O R T H Y

LAND LORDS Porirua Mayor Anita Baker says the council did not “want to be a social housing landlord any longer,” so has sold Titahi Bay’s Moana Court social housing complex. The buyer is Te Āhuru Mōwai, an entity established in 2020 to carry out the tenancy management, maintenance, and upgrading of Housing New Zealand properties in Western Porirua. Te Āhuru Mōwai already manages 924 homes, and the acquisition of Moana Court adds another 26 units to its portfolio. Ms Baker says, “It’s a fantastic outcome for everyone – we wanted the tenants to have the same or better conditions than they have now."

ROAD RAGE

HYDRO HYPE

SIMPLY THE BREAST

Wairarapa motorists are up in arms about the new lower speed limits between Featherston and Masterton. Wairarapa MP Kieran McAnulty is advocating reversing the speed limit reduction on SH2 between Greytown and Featherston. An Official Information Act request revealed that Waka Kotahi NZTA had assessed 100kmh as a safe and appropriate speed for the stretch of road. The National Party has launched a petition asking the government to invest in fixing roads rather than implementing blanket speed reductions.

Upper Hutt’s H2O Xtream aquatic centre has closed for approximately 12 months for a major upgrade. The council has advised that to make space for the worksite, they have changed parking and pedestrian access in the surrounding streets. Details are available online. The upgrade includes a new leisure pool and learners’ pool, and new hydroslides and reception. The replacement plant and equipment is intended to make the running of the centre more sustainable.

Ralph Highnam (featured Cap#5) has been named Wellingtonian of the Year for 2023. He has been recognised for his work in breast cancer screening. Ralph found his calling while completing his PHD, when his professor’s mother-inlaw was diagnosed with breast cancer. He has been an innovator in the digital breast imaging field for over 25 years, founding Volpara Health. The company’s AI software is used internationally to assess breast density and detect cancer. Ralph also received the business category award for Volpara.

Showing New Zealand art to Wellington since 1882. Contemporary art, gifts and indulgences or unique venue hire. Visit our beautiful waterfront galleries, open daily: 10 – 5 pm Free entry. Te wahi e kitea ai nga mea ataahua – The place where beautiful things are to be found

Visit us : 1 Queens Wharf, Wellington Call us : (04) 499 8807

Find us : www.nzafa.com

nzafa

academygalleries

N O T E W O R T H Y

CHIEF ANNIE Taima Anne (Annie) Murray (Te Arawa) will take up the position of Chief Executive Officer at the New Zealand Film Commission this June. Since 2020, Annie has been Head of Sky Originals, having started at Sky TV in 2014 as a Senior Commissioner. Before this she was Head of External Programming at Māori Television. She says, “I have dedicated my career to empowering the stories and storytellers of New Zealand and in this role I can continue to do that.”

BUT OLIVE THEM

FALE MALAE

BERLIN BALL

The olive trees that line Mt Victoria streets might soon be no more. Wellington City Council is proposing to remove those in Elizabeth St after receiving complaints about their unruly roots creating a tripping hazard, and interfering with council services. The council has considered moving the trees to a new spot but this would come at a hefty cost of $25,000 per tree. Residents are angry at the proposal, saying the trees add beauty and the fruit is sometimes harvested. The council has previously harvested and bottled the oil to gift to visiting dignitaries.

Initial concept designs for a National Pasifika Fale Malae have been released. It will be built on the site of the former underground carpark at Frank Kitts Park. It is planned as a multi-purpose venue for events, meetings, and lectures. The design is a collaboration of minds, created by Jasmax architecture, and Dr Albert Refiti (associate professor at AUT), with guidance from Wellington architect Fa'asalele Malo and Pacific artist Michel Tuffery. Councillors must decide by June whether to move to the next stage of development.

Two Kāpiti footballers have been selected to join the Special Olympics New Zealand football team. Cole Bailey from Paraparaumu and Louis Edwards from Pukerua Bay will be among the 60 Kiwi athletes heading to Berlin to compete in the World Summer Games this June. This is the first time that New Zealand’s football team is made up entirely of Special Olympics players in the 7-a-side event. Previously Kiwi teams have competed in the Unified Football competition, which includes players with and without intellectual disabilities.

Not to be missed Coronation Celebration 21 April - 21 May 2023 An exhibition celebrating the up coming coronation of King Charles III.

Toritos de Pucará - Ceramic Bulls from Peru 13 April - 7 May 2023. An international touring exhibition of unique Peruvian folk art brought to Wellington courtesy of the Embassy of Peru.

Matariki Exhibition 23 June - 23 July 2023 Our Winter exhibition of art of all styles and genres.

Coronation Celebration

Visit us : 1 Queens Wharf, Wellington Call us : (04) 499 8807

Torito de Pucará

Find us : www.nzafa.com

Matariki nzafa

academygalleries

Furnished executive properties for rent in Wellington HiAtlas provides access to Wellington’s finest selection of semi and fully-furnished apartments and homes. We have high-quality options available for three months through to five year stays. Find the perfect home today.

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B Y

T H E

N U M B E R S

CO M P I L E D BY HANNAH MAHON

King of the castle

Noisy neighbours

9.14

the number of kings since the political union of England and Scotland on 1 May 1707

the age of Prince Charles when he was formally titled Prince of Wales

the time in the evening on November 14, 1948 that King Charles III was born

the date in May of Charles III's coronation

10.5

500

the number of hours during which noisy construction work is permitted during the week

the number of hours allowed for quiet preparation work

the number of hours confiscated property can be withheld from you

the $ amount of the potential fine if you try to impede a noise control officer removing your property

7.30am – 6pm

Mother’s Day

A house made home

6.30am – 7.30am and reduced-noise-level work 6pm – 8pm

if it is deemed to have created “excessive” noise by noise control officers

2.2

1,794

billion – the estimated number of mothers in the world

the September date that is the most common birthday in NZ

the May date on which Mother’s Day is celebrated this year in NZ

the number of babies born in Wellington City in 2022

2.7

3.4

126

352

the average number of bedrooms in a rented house

the average number of bedrooms in an owner-occupied house

the average floor area in square metres of Wellington houses

the number of consented retirement village units in New Zealand in January 2023

19 19

N E W

P R O D U C T S

6. 4.

7. 8.

Winter blues

1. Bonnie and Neil spotted begonia blue bath mat, $105, Small Acorns 2. EMU mayberry slipper, $70, Solect 3. Johanna Gullichsen Doris socks, $45, Living Room 4. Bonnie and Neil blue glass tumbler, $47.50, Small Acorns 5. Staghorn fern 12cm, $24.99, Palmers Miramar 6. Wundaire large candlestick, $105, City Gallery Wellington 7. Rundholz Black Heidi knitted tunic, $403, Zebrano 8. Shy by Max Porter, $28, Unity Books 9. Spartan swiss army knife, $44.99, Victorinox

TA L E S

O F

T H E

C I T Y

Homewood bound BY S O P H I E CA RT E R P H OTO G R A P H Y BY A N DY H A N S E N

BOOK

RESTAURANT

FILM

HOLIDAY

LANGUAGES

Lessons in Chemistry

Ortega Fish Shack

Four Weddings and a Funeral

Outer Hebrides

English, French, a little Spanish, learning Te Reo

Royal invitations, magical dinners, and counter-terrorism. It’s all in a day’s work for Iona Thomas, OBE.

n August last year diplomat Iona Thomas touched down in the Shaky Isles to begin her posting as British High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor of the Pitcairn Islands. The move hasn’t been difficult. Iona has developed a knack for adjusting to new cultures. Her family travelled regularly during her childhood, living in Germany, Belgium, and the USA. “It was perhaps inevitable that I’d end up doing something that allowed me to live and work in different countries,” she says. After returning to the UK for university, she again headed overseas, working with charities, then teaching in Malawi and Chile. Our little capital is a change of pace for Iona, who has had previous diplomatic postings to Pakistan and Libya. It was her work in Libya that earned her an OBE, re-establishing a British Embassy in Tripoli, after it was evacuated when civil war broke out 2014. May is shaping up to be a busy month in Iona’s hectic schedule, starting with the biggest event of her year, His Majesty King Charles III’s coronation on May 6. “I’m enormously privileged to be invited. It will be amazing to be part of such a historic occasion.” Fashion-conscious Iona has asked Trelise Cooper to design her outfit for the event. Iona says she has enjoyed discovering Kiwi designers. “I firmly believe that you can never have too many handbags, so it’s been great to find talented local designers, such as Jessie Wong and her Yu Mei line.” A coronation celebration is also being held by the British High Commission, at its Karori residence

Homewood, which will recognise people from various voluntary sectors. Homewood will be bustling with guests throughout the month, and two Wellington on a Plate events are being hosted there. “We arrived during Welly on a Plate last year and really enjoyed going to a couple of events and experiencing the buzz it created, so it’s great to be taking part as hosts this year,” says Iona. One of these events, Aslan’s Table, inspired by C S Lewis’ Narnia novels, will offer a magical wintry feast, created by chef James Perry. The second event, Sensory Botanics, is all about gin, offering local and British tipples with live music and canapes. Built in 1847, Homewood is one of the oldest buildings in Karori. “It’s a fantastic, iconic house and people are always sharing their memories of it with me,” says Iona, who lives there with her husband and fellow diplomat Matt Thoume. Keen hikers, the pair have managed to see a lot of Aotearoa in a short time, exploring the Wairarapa and Central Otago, and in March they completed the three-day Routeburn Track in Fiordland. “We had amazing weather and the views were spectacular. The DOC huts were surprisingly comfortable too!” On her return to England, Iona is looking forward to a “Sunday roast at the pub.” Coming recently from Pakistan, Matt misses the curry, though “we’ve found a few curry houses here that we like too.” Having happily discovered ginger crunch and Whittaker’s chocolate, these self-described “brunch people” seem to have decided that Wellington is the icing on the cake.

Much more than just a place to put down a bottle, the Sydney trolley is a statement in your home which can be styled in so many ways. Available from BoConcept Wellington. BoConcept Wellington is the go-to destination for highquality Danish furniture that can be customised to suit your style and space. With a team of experienced interior designers available, they help you bring your home décor ideas to life.

Subscribe to Capital and win

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CAPITAL Offer ends July 1 2023.

C U L T U R E

HOW WE CHOOSE Award winning comedian, actor, writer, and director Sameena Zahra grew up living between India and Britain. She was living in England, and performing solo-comedy shows worldwide, when she visited Aotearoa in 2016. “I fell in love with Wellington.” She later convinced her musician/poet husband to move here. At 2022’s Wellington Theatre Awards, Sameena was nominated for Outstanding Performer for solo show Tea with Terrorists. During the NZ International Comedy festival, she performs Immigrunting, (9–13 May). “I ask ‘why pick me as an immigrant? How do we choose and discard people?’”

WE’RE HOME

ROLL-INS

CHANGING TIMES

The people of the Royal NZ Ballet company – from the dancers and choreographers to the costumiers and administrators – are delighted to be back in their HQ, the Edwardian St James Theatre building, after its four plus years of seismic strengthening. Now the timing’s right for new production of timeless ballet Romeo & Juliet, 4-6 May. Can’t make it? Between 16 June and 6 July, you can purchase an online broadcast of the production, filmed during the Wellington season.

American artist, musician, writer, broadcaster and actor, Henry Rollins, travels the world performing spokenword shows that mix political commentary, pop culture, and personal anecdotes. It’s been seven years, but he’s back for a New Zealand tour. His Wellington show, 8 July, is at Old St Paul’s, a venue chosen for its excellent acoustics and striking architecture.

The title of Mozart and da Ponte’s opera Così fan tutte loosely translates to "they all do that” regarding women's unfaithfulness to men. Thankfully attitudes to women have progressed since 1790. Lindy Hume directs and Natalie Murray Beale conducts NZ Opera’s new production of Così fan tutte, set in contemporary times. Soprano Emma Pearson (The Marriage of Figaro) has the vocally demanding role of Fiordiligi. No outright spoilers here, but it’s part farce, part tragi-comedy. 14-18 June, Opera House.

C U L T U R E

IN IT TO GETHER Award-winning Porirua singer-songwriter Aja Ropata (who performs as AJA) has a theatre-practitioner partner and a daughter who dances. They’ll perform cameo roles in her show Manawa Pao, Circa, 2, 3 June. She’ll sing original and new work (including waiata in te reo Māori and English), bringing in creative friends in a production that’s a hybrid of music, theatre, dance, poetry, and visual art. It’s Aja’s first-ever theatrical show. Is she nervous or excited? “Both!” Manawa Pao opens indigenous-arts festival Kia Mau, 2–7 June which comprises 16 productions around Wellington.

GO FIGURE

ACCESS AXIS

ONCE IN A LIFETIME

A ceramic bust of a woman “weeping” gold tears – Black Haired Weeper With Tears of Gold by Andrea du Chatenier – is on display in the NZ Portrait Gallery exhibition In the Round: Portraits by Women Sculptors (until 14 May). Curator Milly Mitchell-Anyon says in New Zealand, noticeably fewer women than men pursued careers in sculpture. Of those who did, many were underrepresented and underappreciated. This exhibition displays three-dimensional, free-standing figurative sculptures by seven artists from the last century.

See works from our up-andcoming contemporary dancers and choreographers in the New Zealand School of Dance’s Choreographic Season at Te Whaea, from 23 to 29 June. This year titled Axis, it consists of eight independent works, each composed by a student, stitched together to create a sense of one collective work. Third-year student Elliot Gordon’s choreography is a duet about romantic love.

NZSO National Youth Orchestra members from around the country converge in the capital on 30 June to perform with Giancarlo Guerrero, a six-time GrammyAward-winning conductor, music director of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, and a champion of youth orchestras and music education. He will lead the young musicians in performances of Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations, Aaron Copland’s Billy the Kid Suite, and the world premiere of The Convergence of Oceans by 2023 National Youth Orchestra Composer-inResidence Nathaniel Otley.

Winter warmth, grown and designed in New Zealand

Your friendly home and garden centre 69-71 Miramar Avenue, Miramar, Wellington 04 388 8435 www.palmers.co.nz miramar@palmers.net.nz

F E AT U R E

Home school CO M P I L E D BY S O P H I E CA RT E R

With winter, the stay-at-home season, almost upon us, it’s an ideal time for a little home finessing; to plump the cushions, rearrange

the furniture, and introduce some feng shui. We asked three design experts for tips to help make our homes the place to be this winter.

F E AT U R E

Roz Scott

Q&A

Roz is director at home staging company Tickadeeboo Insideout Design and eclectic homeware store Tickadeeboo. Well versed in home staging, window dressing, merchandising, and real estate, she knows what it takes to make a house shine.

Favourite room to design/decorate… The living room. It’s the soul and hub of the home. I love working with different spaces and problem solving with different shapes of rooms. Biggest mistake people make when designing their homes… Not using an interior designer or colour consultant. Your style in five words… Eclectic, beautiful, collaborative, on-trend, adaptable.

T h i n g s t o l o ve

Expert advice

Favourite item in your home… Of our artwork, it would be Michael Parekōwhai's Portrait of Ed Brown. As for collectables, a giant Chanel No.5 Factice antique bottle; and my favourite sculpture is a black wood, hand-carved tree we bought in a gallery in Bali.

It’s an illusion: When faced with a low stud height or a small or dark room, paint the whole room (including the roof) white. This lifts the stud height and makes the room lighter and brighter. Take out any hanging lights and replace with halogen spots (on a dimmer for ambience) and presto!

I love the simplicity of this chair, plus it's super comfortable. It can go in any room or space in the home. Tickadeeboo Store, $1,295

What would you never be caught with in your home? La-Z-Boy chairs, bad coffee, or cheap linen. Colours you’re drawn to… Naturals, white, black, brown, sand, and some greens. Favourite home trend for 2023… Mixing textures together, and going a bit wacky with patterns. Also bold and natural colours, such as natural stone surfaces, metal finishes, cool lighting from the mid-century, and warm brown tones are back. Worst trend from the past 10 years… Textured soft furnishings, linen, and velvet.

Make an entrance: Style your front entrance. First impressions really count and a welcoming, attractive front door and entrance lift any home. Frame the space with pots and trees (with some height) to really make things pop.

This mirror reminds me of France, because of its curves and industrial structure. You will see a lot of dormer windows in roof tops in Paris. Tickadeeboo Store, $1,390

So very cool, this pot would look great on its own or with a lovely tree in it. I love the texture and shape it throws off. ECC, $4,650

Keep it clean: Sparkling windows, clean and decluttered spaces, and well organised storage are attractive, restful, and calming. Use professional advice to help. We can advise on cleaners, gardeners, and a handy-person to make your home sparkle.

I find this Heather Straka artwork (Isolation Hotel I) really interesting; I see light, darkness, and adventure. Page Galleries

I have this piece at home and my partner and I adore it. Its shape, its old but modern character and the crackling effect – it’s a little bit crazy. ECC, $1,277

F E AT U R E

Gerard Dombroski

Q&A

Gerard is an architect, artist and furniture maker. He’s the mastermind behind cool spaces, hospitality venues, and sculptures around the capital and beyond. Gerard’s steel, skate ramp inspired building called the Picolo cabin made the 2022 Dezeen Awards longlist, and was nominated for the 2023 ArchDaily Building of the Year Award.

Favourite room to design/decorate…. For me it’s any room where there’s a chance to play with natural light and an excuse for furniture or joinery; funnily enough, that almost qualifies any room. I love to design.

Favourite item in your home… A painting by my friend Paul Cornwell of a little project I built in the Coromandel. He helped me with the build, so while it’s a cool picture it also highlights a special memory.

Your style in five words… While I try not to lock myself into one style, a friend did summarise my work along the lines of “silly chic.” I strive for simple, natural, and beautiful with a good dose of whimsy.

Colours you’re drawn to… Pastels, pink, blue, yellow, green – the ones that are a little punchy.

T h i n g s t o l o ve

Expert advice

Biggest mistake people make when designing their homes… Forgetting where the sun is. The sun is very important to human wellbeing, mentally and physically, and there are some beautifully simple ways to use sunlight in the home to improve our daily lives.

Listen to your inner child: Sometimes I have to remind myself to be silly and to enjoy the small things. We should be a little childish with the spaces we make. Add something funny into your home – a strange bit of furniture, a weirdly small door, a net mezzanine.

A shameless self-plug. This chair I designed for the Kilbirnie Café. The low back allowed the table tops to be read as ripples.I've developed it to have different seat base options. They’re made in my workshop here in town. Dombroski, $499

Favourite home trend for 2023… I don’t really follow trends. Trends are a slippery slope and you’re better off going your own way. Worst trend from the past 10 years… Real estate agents may tell you to paint everything white and design around resale, but I’m an advocate for adding some personality. This could be through colour, shape, volume, texture or objects.

Wear your heart on your shelf: The spaces I inhabit I fill with things I or my friends have made, and ideas I’m exploring. We all tie meaning and memories to objects, so there’s no need to hide everything in a cupboard for the sake of the minimalist aesthetic.

This is another chair of mine. I welded a steel frame single-seater and a double-seater, and wove recycled pool noodles to build up the chair form. Dombroski, $6,000

I like Kathryn Tsui's work and know she's a lovely person. I don't own any of her work at this point, but hope to in the future. Page Galleries

Ask for help: Often people may not think to talk to an architect, as they believe their job is too small. I think you would be pleasantly surprised. Sometimes a project can be transformed by small and simple interventions, and all it may take is a second set of eyes.

This stool is so hot! Jamie Jenkins is an artist from Tauranga and I absolutely love her work. Jhana Millers Gallery

I like indoor plants, especially in my office. My hack to keep them alive is to also get a peace lily, as the leaves go super droopy when they want water, so it reminds me to water my plants – thank me later. Palmers Mirimar, $68

Picolo Cabin, Gerard Dombroski, Driving Creek Railway, Coromandel, 2021, foraged steel and timber. Photo: Samuel Hartnett

F E AT U R E

Hiromi Yang

Q&A

Hiromi, Senior Interior Designer for Studio Pacific Architecture, discovered her love for design in an unconventional way, when she was studying Clinical Psychology. A lecturer told her to think about how space can affect connection to herself and others.

Your style in a few words… Tactile, understated, evocative, and je ne sais quoi!

It’s nice to have a room grow, and nurture it with what you have and what you will have.

Favourite room to design/decorate… Transitioning space like corridors and hallways. It’s challenging, as those spaces can often be very small, but it’s where reflections and conversations can happen.

Favourite item in your home… My kids’ artwork.

T h i n g s t o l o ve

Expert advice

Biggest mistake people make when designing their homes… Creating a static mission to get your space perfect and complete. Connections to self, others, and the space are what makes it into the place that you’d call home. Don’t worry if there is something missing to complete your mission.

It’s what’s inside that counts: Use feather inners to make cushions plumper and comfier. If your cushions came with cotton inners, swap them for feather. You can recycle the cotton inners to make soft toys.

There is a story to tell with this artifact; through its functionality (as a storage for butter), its sculptural form, and how the wood has been aged. Now it's your turn to re-purpose it. Small Acorns, $125

In your house you would never find… Keeping shoes on at home. Colours you’re drawn to… Green hues from plants. Favourite home trend for 2023… Warm earth tones and textures. Worst trend from the past 10 years… Feature walls. “Feature” is my least favourite word.

Well-hung: Having well-made curtain headers not only makes fabric fall gracefully, but also makes rooms look planned. Try to allow tracks to fit the entire wall length, and curtains to drape down to the floor.

Made of New Zealand wool, and thoughtfully designed by a Finnish designer, this will comfort you in the coming chilly months. Newtown House, $75

I love this for its form and ribbed tinted glass as well as the warm glow it gives off. Tickadeeboo Store, $398

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Lighting is everything: Lighting is a key ingredient to create mood and character. I minimise downlight on the ceiling for domestic environments unless it’s in functional spaces. Wall lights, lamps, and pendants add soft accents to the room.

I would really like to have this delicate embroidery work by Sarah Munro in my own home. Page Galleries

Weaving has been one of my strong interests lately. I admire the design and the quality of Johanna Gullichsen’s textile range. Living Room, $185

IT SEEMS THE JUDGES WERE STUNNED. GolD aT THE BREWERS GUIlD of NEW ZEalaND aWaRDS.

MALTY

HOPPY

LIGHT

DArK

sweet

bitter

O P I N I O N

Heritage: A continual cosmic process P H OTO G R A P H Y BY A N DY H A N S E N

As Te Whanganui a Tara shapes its urban future, heritage is a contested notion. Denis Clifford explains why the value of heritage is not in opposition to our future.

circularity, they are defined as land, including archaeological sites, buildings and structures, and inter-related groups of such places, that form part of the historical and cultural heritage of New Zealand. Which brings us to urban Wellington now. There can be, I would suggest, no argument with the proposition that the Victorian and Edwardian homes of inner Wellington, be they mansions, double or single villas, terraces, – detached or joined, cottages, cribs, baches or whatever, collectively, and inter-relatedly, constitute historic places and areas. They are historic in the straightforward sense of originating in surviving from the past and reflecting values and circumstances that differ from those of the present. Consider, as a way of experiencing the city today, places where Wellington’s earlier architectural heritage is extensively evident. Try starting from the grandeur of Oriental Bay, walking up the Oriental Terrace steps to Moeller and Hawker Streets and St Gerard's, and on through sunny Mt Victoria, perhaps via Shannon Street, Pat Lawlor Close, Claremont Grove and Batham Drive to Queen and Elizabeth Streets. Or down Tasman Street, peering into the special Tainui and Ranfurly Terraces, through Upper Cuba Street to Te Aro. Walk slowly up the first 100 or so yards of Ohiro Road, noting number 45's close relationship with the footpath, then round into Maarama Crescent and back down the alleyway through the early cluster of cottages that sits above the north end of Brooklyn Road and then up Aro Street itself. From 32 to 44 the clusters of cottages and then villas typify the area. Tired? A short climb up Devon Street, just as far as the entrance to the turf at Wai-te-Ata Road, and then an almost flat traverse of Kelburn Park, and

Denis is a retired Court of Appeal judge. He is a life-long Wellingtonian, and these days a keen reader and walker with interests in history, the arts and gardening.

eritage, what it means and what its value (if any) is, are fiercely contested notions, nowhere more so than in Te Whanganui a Tara in the third decade of the 21st century as we try to shape our urban future. Legislative recognition of heritage, and interpretations of the substantive content of these notions, are to be found in variations of the provisions of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014. The legislation continued the eponymous entity, and the role of the Māori Heritage Council and its kaitiaki; it is charged with promoting the "identification, protection, preservation and conservation of the historical and cultural heritage of New Zealand". There is no definition in the Act of what constitutes the "historical and cultural heritage of New Zealand". The role of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga is specified by reference to the defined terms historic places, historic areas, wahi tapu and wahi tupuna. And its first function is to itself identify, record, investigate, assess, list, protect and conserve all such places, and to support others with legal or equitable interests in those places to do likewise. So, historic places and historic areas as defined in the legislation are to be seen as embodying the notion of heritage. With quite a degree of

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the lovely lane from Gladstone Terrace to Salmont Place, brings you to the Gardens, Anderson Park, Tinakori Road, the remarkable five-storied sextet (ma, pa and the kids?) of 298–308, the Western Park, the Wedge and its neighbours between Tinakori Road and Parliament, and finally Old St Paul’s and the Thistle. And everywhere, you will see Wellington treasures, homes that have been lived in by the people of this place now for 100 years and more. All the concentrations of early buildings are places where people love to walk and look, and pay dearly to live. But so what? Those treasures are admittedly often are a bit, or more than a bit, run down: shady, damp, and yes, cold. But, and as more people are recognising as time passes, they need not be. These mostly simply wooden structure, are relatively easily restored, often with recycled inputs, and warmed, and many can be extended. They are the inner-city housing that people value, increasingly, as a means to sustainable living, reducing commuting and car dependency. The trashing and dumping of the carbon stores they constitute, and the carbon-intensive emissions involved in their replacement with six-storied, efficient i.e. ugly and uncomfortable, replacement bunkers are both inimical to the principles of sustainability. If some legislated protection is necessary to tip the balance away from replacement toward preservation, then it is arguably worth it. Many times over, I would say. And the value of heritage per se? Looking to the past, and valuing the past, in this debate is often

set in opposition to the need for, and the virtue of, living in the present and looking to the future. But we need to consider the nature of this present we are encouraged to live in, and recognize the unknown and unknowable dimensions of the future we are encouraged to look to. The whakatauki Kia whatatomuri te haere whaka mua* speaks to a Māori perspective on time, where the past, the present and the future are seen as intertwined, and living as a continuous cosmic process. To lose the past, to forget it, to allow it to decay or to destroy it, is thus to impoverish the present and the future. The perspective suggests a useful corrective to the assumptions about progress that underpinned the architecture and design of the twentieth century and shaped modern-era urban environments and ways of life. Wellington has a remarkable heritage of Victorian and Edwardian housing stock, having mostly avoided ill-thought-out, destructive urban “renewal” by sheer happenstance. But that remarkable heritage is what we are on the verge of throwing away. If its destruction is not stopped now, the folly of it will become painfully clear in the future. Auckland now realises the folly of taking the trams away, and Wellington faces comparable realisations about the liveability of its city fringe. If we walk forwards, but looking backwards, we can avoid that folly. *I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on the past.

O B I T U A R Y

Ans Westra: Her Story Ans Westra's personal and photographic journey intersected with New Zealand's cultural history across seven decades. Janet Bayly shares memories of the mother, artist, and traveller.

and also in Asia, the Pacific, and Holland. Her independence and commitment to the creative life were inspiring Ans was the only child of non-conformist Dutch parents. Her home city of Leiden was occupied by the German Army throughout World War Two. In 1957, aged twenty-one, she joined her father, who had remarried, in New Zealand, and quickly found her vocation in photography. Over seven decades Westra’s personal journey intersected with New Zealand’s cultural history as it became a less Anglocentric, and more multicultural society. She was more naturally an observer than a commentator, more low-key than directorial. Her personal politics were best represented in the counter-culture where she formed her artistic roots. It was characterised by personal freedom and connected “alternative”, communities, like the independent artists, writers, and thinkers she met while working freelance for School Publications and Te Ao Hou in the 1960s. These cultural pioneers became her new whānau. They included figures such as Barry Crump, Hone Tūwhare, Eva Rickards, Witi Ihimaera, Kāterina Mataira, James Ritchie, and Joanna Margaret Paul. She was a committed recorder of pivotal events in our cultural history, including the 1975 Land March and 1981 Springbok Tour. Westra’s story has two constants: children – both her own and others’ – and her positioning as an independent observer who wanted to “get past the front door” (Luit Bieringa, Handboek 2004). Starting in her teens, Westra had always made extended photo-essays. Photography became her way of learning about life. Her images and their framing, narratives, most (in)famously Washday at the Pa (1964), became a lightning rod for

Janet Bayly is director/ curator of Mahara Gallery, the Kāpiti Coast District Gallery. She has an MFA in photography and film history, studio and theory from Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland, and has worked with Ans Westra on several projects, including Witness to Change, Life in New Zealand, Photographs 1940-1965.

ooking back over her long life and the thousands of photographs left to us, there are three images that best encapsulate Ans Westra – mother, artist, and traveller – for me. The first time I saw Ans was in a photography class at Elam School of Fine Arts in the late 70s. A longlimbed young woman at the front of the lecture room held a relaxed conversation with the lecturer, while breastfeeding her son of nearly three who was draped across her knee. The second is Ans Westra framing and defining herself with her ubiquitous Rolleiflex in a mirror, in Self-portrait at Te Kaha, 1963. The third is an image I chanced upon much later, in a Taupō cafe. Ans Westra, journeying artist, grins out of a mural-sized print, leaning against a classic VW. Ruapehu rises behind her, the road opens out around her. It seems full of possibility. Much of Ans Westra’s life was spent on the road, first as a single woman, later as a solo parent, her art-life integrated into her travels. In her seventies Ans still slept in the back of her car, then later in a more comfortable campervan, on her still frequent travels around New Zealand,

Ans Westra in 2020 by Joseph Kelly

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Ans Westra, Petone wharf, Wellington, 1989, courtesy of Suite Gallery.

debate on cross-cultural representation in the tough climate of the post-modern, posthumanist 1980s. Fellow Dutchman and arts leader the late Luit Bieringa curated Handboek, Ans Westra Photographs (2004) and directed an accompanying film. It was based on the huge Ans Westra Collection, an active archive of around 48,000 negatives and contact sheets in the Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington. It was characterised by academic Lawrence McDonald as resembling “a toolshed,” an “image reservoir,” and “the submerged part of an iceberg”. Ans was a kind, generous, and faithful friend. She often shared her home with people needing support. It was full of art and books, with a touch of Dutch eccentricity (she never lost her broad Dutch accent). She was fun to be with, communicative and always interested in what was going on in other people’s lives. Our last outing together was an evening celebrating the

re-opening of the extension to Whirinaki Whare Taonga, one of her local galleries. She also had a very close relationship with the Dowse Art Museum. The Dowse exhibited, collected, and commissioned her work. Quite a shy person, she enjoyed being part of the crowd, watching the performances, and being treated as a venerated elder. She had a beautiful smile and a great chuckle, from under her neck, permanently tilted from so many years spent peering down through her viewfinder. She created visual stories with genuine warmth and aroha. She became an insider while recording from the outside. By photographing the parts of New Zealand that meant the most to her, she made them more meaningful and cherished by others. I will miss her friendship, as an artist, a woman, and a gentle sympathetic presence in our bicultural landscape and history. She is survived by three adult children, her half-sister Yvonne Westra, also a photographer, and six grandchildren.

Finalists Exhibition 25 May – 20 August 2023 FREE ENTRY 10.00am – 4.30pm New Zealand Portrait Gallery, Shed 11, Wellington Waterfront Te Maika Trust

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F E AT U R E

New life in old bones BY C L A I R E O ' LO U G H L I N P H OTO G R A P H Y BY A N N A B R I G G S

With a clothes-drying rack in the kitchen and the original

food safe filled with fruit, veges, and a cooked leg of lamb, Sue Elliott’s Edwardian era villa is a home to be lived in.

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hen I step into the Thorndon house of Sue Elliott and Craig Smith, I feel I’m being transported back in time. Not because the house feels preserved, like a dusty relic, but because the way of moving through the rooms and using them has not changed. The bones are unchanged and the key original elements of the house are still in use. The original clothes-drying rack hangs in the kitchen. While Sue and I chat, her daughter Isabella lowers it and adds another load of washing to it. The kitchen food safe is still in use. It looks like a regular cupboard, but when we open it a cool rush of fresh air blows in, as the back is open to the outdoors, covered by only a layer of mesh. It’s filled with fruit, veges, and a cooked leg of lamb. “They knew a thing or two, the Victorians and the Edwardians,” says Sue. “The bay windows to catch

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the light and sun even in a south-facing room, high studs, generous rooms with a good flow — a circuit for my kids on trikes.” In its 118 years of life, the house has had only four owners. It was built by the head of the Wellington railway in 1905, at a time when houses popped up suddenly all through Thorndon, as Wellington quickly developed a merchant class. It became the Lower School for Queen Margaret College for a few years, until a man called Jack Parker bought it, and lived there with his wife Adelaide for 60 years, selling it to Sue and Craig in 1992. They’ve lived in it for over 30 years, raising their two children Isabella and Jack there. It was in close to original condition when they moved in, and while they have refurbished it over the years, there has been no major renovation. This feels quite refreshing: this is a house that has never been “flipped” or reinvented, so has never lost its original character to a passing fad. It has been loved for how it is. 45

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Sue and Craig added more sash windows for natural light, and gibbed the walls and painted them bright colours — a vibrant theme of teal and orange runs through the house — though Sue insists there has never been any grand plan, or any specific style. Her logic has always been to only do or add things she loves, so that it will all work together organically. The house has two floors and an attic, with all the rooms surrounding a large central staircase. On the ground floor, there is the study, the bright and summery living room, the deep orange dining room, and the off-white and enamelgreen kitchen. The staircase goes up to a central landing, off which there are four bedrooms and two bathrooms. One of them is original, and still features the original sink and tin shower head, and the other was converted from what was the sewing room when the house was a school. It feels wonderfully open, with lots of flow. The rooms are large and airy, with no musty nooks and crannies. “The Edwardians had a plainer aesthetic than the Victorians, so the house isn’t over-stuffed, but simple in its design.”

With a driveway on each side, light comes in from every angle, all year long. “You can follow the sun around the house.” The room that is most changed from its original state is the kitchen, although as Sue notes that it looks the most “in character”, probably due to the off-white and enamel green colour scheme. They removed a wall that separated off the scullery, and continued the tongue and groove walls of the scullery into the rest of the kitchen, giving it a rustic, farmhouse feel. They added glass doors that open to the deck and garden at the back, bench space, and a modern stove, though the original coal range is also still there. The kitchen is clearly the centre of the home. It’s where Sue led me first, and we sit at the table drinking coffee. “I wanted a kitchen table like I had growing up – where everyone came and sat for a cup of tea.” A born and bred Wellingtonian, Sue’s roots and connections to the region run deep. She is a senior advisor at Massey’s College of Creative Arts and the Chair of the Wellington Sculpture Trust. One of seven children, she grew up with a strong sense of place and home. It was important to her to have this for her own family, and they’ve

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been lucky, she says, to have had a big house where the door is always open to friends and family. “As my mother used to say, ‘just one more potato in the pot.’” Although it is a large house, and I can hear it creaking occasionally as we talk, it isn’t drafty or cold. Tongue and groove sarking behind the weatherboards on the external walls keeps it well insulated. The first thing they did when they moved in was put in central heating; after that they moved at “glacial speed”, doing up rooms as they could afford to, and enjoying it every step of the way. “We are people who take joy in what we have done rather than being panicked about what still needs doing.” In the summer, they spend time in the sunny living room, and use the fireplace when necessary. In the winter, they cosy up in the study, reading books by another fireplace. There are floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and a beautiful wooden bookshelf ladder made by

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a friend. The books themselves are like old friends, Sue says, “so it’s a very comforting room to be in.” The house exudes a feeling of comfort and care. As a large home to the same family for over 30 years, it could easily be packed full, but it’s as though the house itself never shifted into the era of consumables and plastics, so its inhabitants didn’t either. “I’m not a big shopper,” says Sue. “Things have been given to me, or they were my family’s. I like a patina of age around things. I don’t want everything brand new and matchy-matchy. It will match in my view, and that’s all that matters.”

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Heirlooms and memories are all through the house. A large stately portrait of Sue’s father, Sir Randal Elliott, hangs in the orange-painted dining room. He was a prominent eye surgeon and a key player in reorganising St John’s, merging the ambulance service with the first-aiders. Sue says the picture is a true likeness, but she “would never go out and buy a picture like that, or hang it over the mantelpiece.” Instead, with a playful nod to the kind of art some folk do put above their mantelpieces, over the dining-room fireplace (yes, another fireplace), there’s a painting of a tuatara with a cigar and bowler hat. It’s a reference to the Goldie painting A Good Joke, and sums up Sue’s cheeky humour. “Tuatara, they are the establishment,” she laughs. “They should have a top hat and a cigar.” In the study, there’s a collection of prints of colonialera portraits by William Hodges of people from the South

Pacific, arranged around one of a painting of Pūtiki Pā by John Alexander Gilfillan from the same era. Sue collected the prints when she was living in London, after graduating from university, long before buying this house. “Houses are a series of collections in lots of ways,” she says. “The pew you’re sitting on came from my great-grandfather’s church on Kent Terrace. Everything’s got stories.” She feels similarly about the public works of art the Wellington Sculpture Trust puts around the city. “They’re telling a story of a site, or a narrative for Wellington. I think that about the things that people collect around them in their lives.” For Sue, her connection to the house and everything in it is a natural, intuitive thing. “I walked down the path here and I thought ‘this is it’. I didn’t weigh up the pros and cons.”

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And she loves it deeply, even after all these years. “When I walk into this house, my heart still sings. And it’s now been the backdrop of my children growing up.” “It’s an old house and we’ve had our time of being the kaitiaki of it. One day I hope somebody else will come in and love it too. Or maybe somebody else will come in and say, this is a do-up, and modernise everything. And that will be fine.” Or maybe, I suggest, with all its interesting original features, it will become a museum, like the Katherine Mansfield House & Garden around the corner. “Oh, I hope not!” she laughs. “This house is made to live in.”

Autumn/Winter at Circa Theatre

The Coven on Grey Street

By James Cain Directed by Harriet Prebble Starring Irene Wood, Helen Moulder, Hilary Norris and Peter Hambleton

Skyduck: A Chinese Spy Comedy

$30–$55

Presented by SquareSums&Co and Skyduck & Co. Directed by Aileen Huynh $30–$55

29 Apr–27 May

18–27 May

Produced by Red Scare Theatre Company and presented by arrangement by Playmarket

A comedic riff on everyone’s favourite witches, written by James Cain (Movers) and directed by Harriet Prebble (Dungeoning & Dragoning). Join Irene Wood, Helen Moulder, Hilary Norris and Peter Hambleton in this delightful romp about sorcery and sisterhood. Image by Aimée Sullivan Design & Photography

Skyduck: A Chinese Spy Comedy is a quirky and irrelevant parody of China’s top secret agents trying to steal America’s top-secret fighter jet software in the early 1990s – all while Australia was busy preparing for the Sydney Olympics! Image by Sam Wang

Kia Mau Festival 2023

2–17 June AJA 2–3 June I $25 - $45. Kia Mau Festival will be opened by award winning musician, singer and songwriter, AJA. Mokomoko 6-10 June I $20 - $30. Written & directed by Sherilee Kahui Waiwhakaata – Reflections in the Water 7-10 June I $25 - $45. Written by Niwa Milroy & Cian Parker & directed by Eddie Elliott. O le Pepelo, Le Gaoi Ma Le Pala’ai – The Liar, the Thief and the Coward 15-17 June I $25 - $45. Written by Ui Natano Keni (Samoan/Aotearoa) & Sarita Keo Kossamak So (Khmer/ Aotearoa) & directed by Ui Natano Keni (Samoan/ Aotearoa). Flames: A Hip-hop Musical 13–17 June I $20 - $30. By Roy Iro, Reon Bell and Sepelini Mua’au & directed by Sepelini Mua’au. Mokomoko: Image by Jamie Kahui. Waiwhakaata – Reflections in the Water: Photo by Jinki Cambronero. O le Pepelo, Le Gaoi Ma Le Pala’ai – The Liar, the Thief and the Coward: Photo by Rath Prak. Flames: A Hip-hop Musical: Photo by Roc Torio. Design by Danielle Mendoza

Shows daily Tues–Sun 1 Taranaki St Wellington 04 801 7992 I circa.co.nz

The Emperor’s New Clothes

Prima Facie

21 June–1 July Come to The Emperor’s New Clothes to witness every organ, nerve and muscle in the human body vibrating. We will offer you outrageous dancing, profit, loss, live music and the deconstruction of power at a price. The economy meets the human body in a tour-deforce danced and spoken by 41-year-old choreographer Sacha Copland. This is a show for lovers of the human body.

24 June–22 July Tessa is a criminal defence lawyer at the top of her game and loving it: defending, cross-examining, and playing the rules of the law to win. But when the tables turn she finds herself at the mercy of the very system that she has dedicated her life to. Shadows of doubt are illuminated, making us question, who is our legal system serving? Winner of The Olivier Award for BEST NEW PLAY 2023.

By Sacha Copland with music by Tristan Carter Presented by Java Dance Theatre $30–$38

Image by Roc Torio

By Suzie Miller Directed by Lyndee-Jane Rutherford Starring Mel Dodge Presented by Kavanah Productions & BRAVE Theatre

Artwork by Mahani Del Borrello Photography by Michelle Jacobson

WELCOME TO CAPITAL’S BIENNIAL BEST OF WELLINGTON COMPETITION

B E S T

O F

W E L L I N G T O N

WELCOME

Nau mai haere mai to Capital’s biennial Best of Wellington competition. We all know Wellington is the best. We’ve got the coolest culture, the fabulous food, the loveliest locals, and the freshest wind by far.

HOW TO VOTE

Voting is a doddle. Head to our website, check out the full list of nominees, pick your favs for each category and you’re all set. Voting is open until July 3.

Every vote goes in the draw to win loads of prizes including:

PRIZES

• • •

Return domestic flights for two with complimentary parking A $250 shopping spree at Wellington Airport A $100 dining giveaway at Wellington Airport

GET VOTING NOW CAPITALMAG.CO.NZ/BOW 53

B E S T

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W E L L I N G T O N

Best artisan food & drink

Elysian Foods

F o x t o n Fizz

Native Sparkling

Elaiasalata – the best dip in town. Created right here in Wellington, it’s a creamy olive dip that goes with everything. And it’s vegan!

Vote for iconic, Kiwi-owned Foxton Fizz – we’ve been making soda since 1918! Classic, old-school flavours provide a refreshing dash of flavour and nostalgia!

Wellington’s own refreshing ready-todrink makes doing good taste better. Enjoy real fruit, all-natural, plantbased vodka and sparkling water (low in sugar) while planting native trees with every 40 cans sipped.

elysianfoods.co.nz

foxtonfizz.com

nativesparkling.co.nz

Best artisan food & drink

Best bakery

Six Barrel Soda

A r o b a ke

Aurora Argentinian Bake ry

Six Barrel Soda have been making wonderful drinks in Wellington for over 10 years. We produce real fruit, small-batch soda syrups and naturally flavoured sugar-free Seltz Drops. Cheers to that!

Wellington’s iconic bakery. Found in Aro Street and Nelson Street Petone... Rustic Authentic Food for the soul Sticky and sweet Where friends love to meet.

Facundo and Mariana are an Argentinian couple who love sharing a part of their culture through their amazing pastries and baked goods, following the traditional baking method.

sixbarrelsoda.co

arobake.co.nz

argentinianbakery.co.nz

Best bakery

Belén Vegan Bakery

B l a c k Lion Bakery & Cafe

Fix Federation

Belén must be savoured and seen to be believed! This friendly neighbourhood bakery is completely plant-based, with a dynamic cabinet filled with the most unbelievably creative creations.

Our range includes artisan sourdough breads, sandwiches, muffins, pastries, and sweets. With a range of vegan and gluten-free options there’s something for everybody!

Fix Federation has an amazing selection of scratch baked pastries, breads, sweets, donuts, and more! Quality deliciousness with service to match.

belenveganbakery.com

blacklionbakery.co.nz

fixfederation.co.nz

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Best bakery

Best bar

Nada Bakery

C G R M erchant & Co

Dirty Little Secret

Excellent customer service is paramount in both our Tawa and Johnsonville stores, as well as creating wonderful treats. With our Bakery Basket and catering delivery service our bakes reach customers across Aotearoa.

Wellington’s premier gin and rum infusion bar is the discerning cocktail lover’s mecca. A cosy spot with delicious drinks. What’s not to love?

We’re experts at shaking a cocktail, mixing drinks and serving up snacks – plus we’ve got the best views in town (look up or you might miss us!)

nadabakery.co.nz

cgrmerchant.co.nz

dirtylittlesecret.co.nz

Best bar

Best brewery

St John’s Bar

C h o i c e Bros Ghuznee St

Double Vision Brewing

Located on the waterfront, we’re an iconic Wellington bar! Enjoy the lawn on a sunny summer’s day, or cosy-up inside our art deco building if it’s blowing a Welly gale.

With an eclectic range of amazing beers, a fried chicken menu that can’t be beaten, barrel-aged cocktails and the best staff in town, this is the place to be.

In the best craft beer community, thriving with creativity, hard work, and lots of play, we are stoked to be out here with Wellington’s finest! Come have a pint!

stjohnsbar.co.nz

choicebros.co.nz

doublevisionbrewing.com

Best burger

Burger Liquor

R E B urger

Serving great burgers since 2014, including the world-famous Smokey burger. We keep it simple, cooking with the best burger ingredients. We love what we do and burgers are it.

The Ultimate Bacon-CheeseBurger – the biggest, baddest, bacon(ist) burg in the capital. We’re taking it your tastebuds with smashed beef, layers of smoked bacon, beer caramelized onions, baconnaise, bacon-ketchup! One word... Yes! reburger.co.nz

Winner Winner Courtenay Place

burgerliquor.co.nz

Bursting with flavour, with the perfect balance of speciality fried chicken, bacon, BBQ sauce, and crunch. Thoughtfully created by your local fire-roasted and fried chicken experts. winnerwinner.co.nz

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Best café

Arobake

H o u s e of Good Fortune

Lunch Money

The transfiguration of Arobake from bakery to café brings out the bard... Delicious, enticing, Spacious, inviting, Daily dose of carbs and caffeine, Warm, wonderful, foodie’s dream.

Between concrete warehouses in the industrial back streets of Petone, you’ll find some magic! Freya and her team have created a slice of paradise to kick back and enjoy a coffee.

We’ve got pastries flakier than ‘that’ friend, banging cabinet eats, fresh Skunkworks coffee, a crew that’ll charm your pants off, and a sidewalk seat in the sun.

arobake.co.nz

goodfortunecoffee.co.nz

instagram.com/lunch.money.nz

Best coffee

Coffee Cave

C o f f e e Supreme

Frank’s Coffee

Consistency is key – especially when it comes to our coffee. Each shot is weighed and timed, to ensure perfection in every cup.

We’re proud to call Wellington our home town. For three decades, Coffee Supreme have been serving up the freshest coffee, all in the name of better coffee for all.

Our baristas are genuinely interested in the people we serve. We’re passionate about perfecting our craft in roasting, and always innovating so we can serve you the best tasting coffee possible!

fb.com/lowerhuttcoffeecave

coffeesupreme.com

frankscoffee.co.nz

Best coffee

Good Fortune Coffee Co.

H a v a n a Coffee Works

Skunkworks Coffee

Good Fortune Coffee is NZ’s first Fairtrade, organic, and Living Wage roastery! The beautiful green villa on Fitzherbert Street, Petone is home to their flagship café and Petroncini coffee roaster.

Leading the NZ coffee revolution since 1989. Bringing beans from all parts of the world into your life, you’ll find our coffee being poured in some of Wellington’s most popular cafes! #COFFEEUFEEL

Caffeine dealers. Fresh vibes. Locally cooking up plump, juicy beans in the ‘Franken-roaster’ so you can enjoy a better bump of the good stuff.

goodfortunecoffee.co.nz

havana.co.nz

skunkworks.coffee

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Best coffee

Best pizza

Three Quarter Society

C o l o m bo Martinborough

Pizza Pomodoro

Our name stands for our signature 3/4 full flat white, with double espresso and slightly less milk. It’s just what you need – short and sweet, strong, but gentle.

Delicious and Italian-made, our pizzas are hand-stretched to order,made with local and Italian imported ingredients, and matched with wines from our family-owned Martinborough winery.

Pizza Pomodoro has been delivering the “original” pizza experience since 2000. A family run pizzeria, we pride ourselves on creating traditional Neapolitan-style pizza using homemade dough and fresh ingredients. Buon Appetito.

threequarter.co.nz

colombo.co.nz

pizzapomodoro.co.nz

Best restaurant/eatery

Duke of Wellington

Kisa

Los Banditos

The Duke of Wellington is proud to support local suppliers. We offer an ever-changing selection of great food and beverages for our troops to enjoy, in our stylish, welcoming gastropub!

Kisa serves Middle Eastern-inspired fare, including a variety of mezze and large plates. Open seven days a week on the corner of Cuba and Vivian street.

Born from the free spirit of the banditos we serve fresh, simple, and delicious food on sharing plates, alongside a careful selection of tequila, beers, wines, and cocktails.

dukeofwellington.co.nz

kisarestaurant.co.nz

losbanditos.co.nz

Best restaurant/eatery

Best sweet treats

Ombra

T h e Old Quarter

Candy Cutique

Serving simple, rustic, Italian fare Ombra is where Cuba Street meets the streets of Venice. Ombra’s menu features Italian sharing plates and is open seven days.

A modern take on classic Vietnamese dishes, served at the highest standard. Paired with friendly and efficient service, our team proudly considers ourselves one of the best restaurants around.

Candy floss on steroids – bursting with so much flavour it’s as if an angel has landed on your tongue. Made from 100% natural ingredients with love.

ombra.co.nz

theoldquarter.co.nz

candycutique.com

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Best sweet treats

Duck Island Ice Cream

S i x e s & Sevens

The Chocolate Bar

Small batch ice cream crafted by ingredient driven chefs. Duck Island is changing up the ice cream scene with curiously delicious flavours for everyone.

With a counter of delicious daily bakes, a cabinet packed full of good goods, ‘that’ caramel slice, and nostalgia inducing donuts, Sixes & Sevens has you sorted.

We sell exquisite bean-to-bar chocolate. Cacao has been sourced via an open supply chain, where farmers are paid up to 10 times more than Fairtrade. Guilt-free and delicious!

duckislandicecream.co.nz

sixes.co.nz

thechocolatebar.nz

Best activity/attraction

Best attraction/activity

{Suite} Gallery

N e w Z e aland Police Museum

Old St Paul’s

The {Suite} courtyard is a hidden gem – the gallery itself is not so bad either. {Suite} hosts dance parties, book launches, corporate client evenings, intimate concerts, and the occasional wedding.

There’s lots for the whole family to enjoy, with New Zealand history to be learned, detective mysteries ready to be solved, and a range of tours and programmes for groups.

Like no other venue in the city, Old St Paul’s brings in the crowds for live music and film nights, set beneath soaring Gothic Revival arches.

suite.co.nz

police.govt.nz/about-us/ history-museum/museum

oldstpauls.co.nz

Best activity/attraction

Shakespeare Globe Centre NZ

S w e e t Axe Throwing Co.

Ye Olde Pinball Shoppe

Much fun was had reimagining Shakespeare through the vibrancy and verve of the young people in our SGCNZ Festivals. Enlivening themes and situations, as pertinent today as 420 years ago.

Axe throwing is a primal yet wholly inclusive activity that everyone can enjoy! When you add the awesome team of axe-perts to the mix we ensure a truly premium axe-perience!

A dedicated pinball arcade on Bond Street in the heart of Wellington. New and old pinball titles, regular tournaments, venue hire for birthdays and work parties, and now serving beer!

sgcnz.org.nz

sweetaxethrow.com

pinballshoppe.co.nz

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Best activity/attraction

Best arts & crafts

Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne

I n v e r lochy Art School

Miss Maude

Imagine a lush forest, where you can meet some of the rarest species of native wildlife in Aotearoa. Just 10 minutes from the CBD, Zealandia is a taonga of the capital city.

Inverlochy Art School believes in art for art’s sake. Explore your creative passions by attending a class in our beautiful historic building. It’s impossible not to feel inspired.

Boutique fabric and yarn store specialising in quality natural fibres, patterns, and tools. We help you find everything needed to craft your own wardrobe. For the joy of making.

visitzealandia.co.nz

inverlochy.org.nz

missmaudesewing.co.nz

Best arts & crafts

Best bookshop

Te Āmiki (National Library store)

Wellington Sewing Centre

Magnetix

Explore our selection of locally made products. Art, crafts, jewellery, gifts, books, and more! Each item tells a unique story of a person, place, or moment in time.

Your local destination for knitting, crochet, sewing, and more. Our friendly staff can answer your questions and we also offer adult classes, covering everything from beginners to advanced techniques.

Magnetix provides an extensive range of magazines, excellent customer service, great coffee and a cosy vibe. Magnetix is the best destination in Wellington for all your postal and reading needs.

shop.natlib.govt.nz

sewingdirect.co.nz

magnetix.co.nz

Best fashion

Bizarre Bazaar

G o o d As Gold

A multifaceted space celebrating sustainable fashion practices & embracing everyday avant-garde. Bizarre Bazaar offers independent designer clothing, vintage, high-end designer, and Y2K styles, sourced locally and abroad.

GAG is an independent, multi-brand fashion, streetwear, and sneaker store. We bring together the best local and international brands from around the globe. Good people. Exceptional service.

GOODNESS

bizarrebazaar.store

goodasgoldshop.com

Wellington fashion institution and destination for lovers of style since 2005, GOODNESS is home to some of the most desirable and coveted designers from New Zealand and afar. goodness.co.nz

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Best fashion

hej hej

Kowtow

Mandatory Menswear

Designed for ladies with equal parts attitude and style, we’re a punch of colour, unfiltered personality, and living proof that luxury can be playful and fashion can be effortless.

A seed-to-garment brand, made from 100% certified Fairtrade organic cotton. Kowtow believes clothing is a vessel for a bigger purpose, to achieve a healthier planet and a fairer world.

Makers of menswear here since ‘97. Skilled at matching taste and needs with fit. We curate wardrobes of cool, useful, enduring pieces with our knowledge and expertise. Tees to Suits.

hej-hej.co

kowtowclothing.com

mandatory.co.nz

Best fashion

Standard Issue

that was then, this is now

Untouched World

Thoughtfully designed to provide a meaningful experience, our Wellington store offers the chance to learn about our values and to experience the intricate details of our zero-waste, forever knits.

Our mission is to fill a void in the Wellington menswear market. Curating the best from local and international brands we love. With an emphasis on workwear and denim.

Untouched World is a sustainable lifestyle fashion brand that celebrates living in harmony with nature. We believe in quality over quantity and doing right by people and the planet.

standardissue.co.nz

thatwasthen.co.nz

untouchedworld.com

Best fashion

Best florist

Workshop

Zambesi

Central Flowers Wholesalers

Workshop Wellington showcases iconic NZ brands Helen Cherry, and Workshop Denim alongside international designers, including Acne Studios, Isabel Marrant, Lemaire, Our Legacy, and Chloe in a refined, and sophisticated environment.

Zambesi, located in the heart of the Wellington CBD, is home to NZ-made fashion brands Zambesi and NOM*d, as well as a carefully curated selection of the best international fashion brands.

Boasting Wellington’s largest range of fresh seasonal flowers in store it’s very easy to get excited about us. Armloads of flowers to play with for homes, celebrations, events, and workplaces.

workshop.co.nz

zambesistore.com

centralflowers.co.nz

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Best hairdressing salon/barber

Badaro

S a l e m + Co

Salt Hair Boutique

Badaro is a sustainable salon that enhances wellbeing through nature. Seeking honest ways of pursuing beauty, their family-based values care for you, as well as caring for the environment.

With a passion for good hair and a dedication to sustainability, Salem’s highly skilled, yet downto-earth stylists are blonde and colour specialists!

Combining thoughtful service, high-quality work and a strong sustainability ethos, Salt Hair is where hair dreams come true. Visit us in our boutiques in Seatoun or Newtown.

badaro.co.nz

salem.co.nz

salthairwellington.com

Best hairdressing salon/barber

Best homewares

STRAVINSKIJ

T h e French Barber

Backhouse

Step into a world-first concept salon. STRAVINSKIJ is revolutionising the art of hairdressing. The perfect balance between a salon and barbershop, dedicated to calmness, purity, and the best haircuts in town.

At The French Barber, we provide a unique and authentic old-school grooming experience. Our team of talented barbers are committed to superior quality cuts and exceptional service.

Backhouse is a third-generation furniture and lighting business, selling quality and timeless designs that can be loved and used by one generation, and handed down to the next.

stravinskij.co.nz

thefrenchbarber.co.nz

backhousenz.com

Best homewares

BoConcept

Cranfields

Hendrix Home

BoConcept has been operating in Wellington for 15 years, offering customisable Danish furniture and accessories, along with a complimentary interior design service to help customers achieve their home decor goals.

This treasured Wellington institution is a one-stop shop when you’re after something special. For over 32 years Cranfields have offered superb gifts, homewares, and accessories.

Hendrix is a beachside lifestyle store offering a unique range of homewares. From stunning cushions, to statement vases and furniture, home will always feel like an oasis with Hendrix.

boconcept.com/en-nz

cranfields.co.nz

hendrixhome.co.nz

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Best homewares

Best shoes & accessories

Small Acorns

T r a d e Aid

I Love Paris

Small Acorns is a beautiful lifestyle and homewares store. Full of personal treasures, beautiful fabrics, upcycled vintage, and contemporary design, infused with colour and a touch of eclectic whimsy.

Celebrating 50 years of handmade change Trade Aid New Zealand works with small craft producers to bring stunning homewares to Wellingtonians. Creating a world where trade is fair for all.

Offering an eclectic collection of gorgeous footwear from the world’s most exciting boutique designers, I Love Paris has brought the best shoes to Wellington since 2003.

smallacorns.co.nz

tradeaid.org.nz

iloveparis.co.nz

Best wellness & beauty

Anytime Fitness Kent Terrace

F l o a t Well

Despite opening during the height of the pandemic in 2020, we’ve grown to over 800 members and pride ourselves on providing Wellington’s most welcoming and inclusive health and fitness experience.

Float Well is a hub for your physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. Floating in a tub of warm water and 500kg Epsom salt, you will feel weightless and at peace.

Hot Yoga Wellington & Lower Hutt

anytimefitness.co.nz/gyms/nz-1060/ wellington-north-island-6011

floatwell.co.nz

hotyogawellington.co.nz

Best wellness & beauty

Iris Store + Studio

R e f o r m Fitness Wellington

Wellington Apothecary

A new and considered selection of premium skincare, makeup, haircare, and fragrance brands, paired with a team of experienced beauty professionals, Iris is the best in beauty right on your doorstep.

We’re a Dynamic Reformer Pilates studio on bustling Courtenay Place. Modern, fun and upbeat, come see us for a good burn and the best tunes in town!

An urban sanctuary in the heart of Cuba Mall, filled with botanical healing rituals for daily self-care. Find fresh handmade skincare, herbal remedies, aromatherapy, holistic facials, and spa treatments.

iris-beauty.co.nz

reformfitness.co.nz/studios/ wellington

Two safe, vibrant spaces in the Wellington district. Inviting you to create balance in your life on and off the mat, in mind, body and spirit. All welcome.

wellingtonapothecary.co.nz

Even a small gift can add up to a life free from family violence for those most in need. For every $20 you give, we can provide a woman and her children with a night of safety at Women’s Refuge, including access to a warm bed, hot meals, security, and advice. womensrefuge.org.nz

B U G

M E

Native bush cockroach BY M E LO DY T H O M A S

Name: Native bush cockroach

unhealthy environments we create, which they happen to thrive in). Cockroaches are important recyclers, eating just about any decaying material, and helping rid the planet of trash that would otherwise pile up. But they are indiscriminate in their diets, moving from eating faecal matter to food intended for human consumption, which is why it’s best to try keep them out of the house.

Scientific name: Genus Celatoblatta Māori name: Papata or kokoroihe Status: Common and widely distributed Description: A commonly seen, small brown cockroach up to around 15mm in length. There are around 15 different species of native bush cockroach in New Zealand, and as they live primarily outdoors and don’t infest food, they pose little to no health risk (unlike German and American cockroaches, which are best eradicated on sight). Most native bush cockroaches are wingless.

Look/listen: You don’t need to look for cockroaches. Cockroaches will find you. Tell me a story: Cockroaches are hardy creatures, and many species can survive without food for a month, and a week without a head! One of our native cockroaches has an even cooler skill. Celatoblatta quinquemaculata, or the native alpine cockroach, is found under slabs of schist in Central Otago’s Rock and Pillar Range. This kokoroihe survives the freezing conditions by allowing the water in its body to freeze, thawing again when it warms. Recordings of temperatures in the ranges suggest these cockroaches may undergo up to 23 freeze-thaw cycles in the coldest month of the year, remaining frozen for up to 21 hours at a time.

Habitat: Native bush cockroaches live in logs and leaf litter, under loose bark and in other damp, dark habitats. They don’t usually infest homes and are great for the garden, so if you see one indoors and you can handle it, simply scoop it up and pop it back outside. Despite their reputation as filthy disease spreaders, most cockroaches are clean animals, and only a small number of the thousands of identified species worldwide play a significant role in the transmission of disease to humans (the issue lies more with us, and the

‘earth angel’

new season bush roses - arriving in june twigland gardeners world | middleton road | glenside | open 7 days shop the collection online at twigland.myshopify.com

Covid vaccine free to over 30 year olds

Unichem Johnsonville Influenza vaccine is a prescription medicine. Ask your Pharmacist about benefits and possible risks. You’ll still need a flu jab even if you are Covid vaccinated.

Located at: 59 Johnsonville Rd, Johnsonville 04 477 9513

E D I B L E S

S TA M P Y O U R F E E T A N D E AT A shiny new restaurant has just opened at the InterContinental Wellington. Named GPO, it pays tribute to the General Post Office that once occupied the Grey Street site. Carl Maunder, GPO’s executive chef, has drawn inspiration from Southern Europe, the Levant, and the Mediterranean to create his menus. Scott Hamilton, general manager at the InterContinental Wellington, says “It is exciting to unveil a strong culinary concept that will appeal to both locals and visitors.”

FEED THE WORMS

CAFFEINE QUEEN

GRAB-THIS-ALE

On average half of what goes into our rubbish bins is food and garden waste that could have been composted. Instead, it heads to landfill where it rots and produces dangerous methane gas. In a bid to change this Kāpiti Coast council is running a Love your Compost campaign, offering workshops on worm farms and bokashi composting, and how to compost weeds and even pet poo properly (3 and 14 May).

Honoka Kawashima of Franks Coffee has taken the title of New Zealand Barista Champion. This year’s championship was held in Upper Hutt and 10 expert baristas from across Aotearoa battled for the title. Honoka also won the Best Newcomer award and Most Outstanding Milk Beverage. She’s added these to her growing list achievements, having won third place in last year’s New Zealand Latte Art Championship. She’ll be representing Aotearoa at the World Barista Championship in 2024.

Gisborne’s Sunshine Brewery was severely affected by Cyclone Gabrielle but has managed to keep its beer flowing. Now they’re giving others a helping-hand with a limited edition beer called Cyclone GabriAle, which will be on sale in Wellington. Proceeds from the sale of these special brews will be donated to the Gisborne Tairāwhiti Farming Recovery Fund, which supports people in the agriculture industry whose livelihoods have been affected by the storm.

E D I B L E S

SHELLING OUT As the price of eggs soars higher than chickens can fly, consumers are cutting back on cakes, bakes, and quiches. A worldwide bird-flu outbreak and a government ban on battery-caged hens coming into force at the start of the year are among the reasons for a shortage, and higher prices. Food Price Index data shows that the weighted average price of a dozen eggs has more than doubled in five years, bringing the price of some brands to over one dollar per egg.

WHEN IN WOAP

WE’LL MEAT AGAIN

LEAVING A HOLE

Fancy a cocktail – or four? For its 2023 Welly on a Plate cocktail, Oak and Vine on Courtenay Place has come up with a four-course degustation menu of cocktails in disguise, following the festival theme of “breaking the mould.” Nibble on a tomato that’s not a tomato, enjoy a gin, Aperol, and Campari tipple that looks suspiciously like an orange, and savour a “spherified cocktail bubble” for dessert. WOAP will run from 5 to 21 May.

After 30 years butcher Don Andrews has quietly closed his Island Bay and Strathmore butcheries. Don has won awards for his gourmet sausages, including the grand prize at the Great NZ Sausage Competition in 2012. He cites battling through 70-hour work weeks, high insurance premiums for his shops, and staffing issues as the reasons behind his decision to retire.

Vegan snack sensation Porno Donuts are throwing in the apron after two delicious years. Selling from the Sunday waterfront market and cafes around the capital, owner Nikos Otis and his team dreamed up over 300 flavours, including fan favourites Apple Fritter, and Tiramisu. “It’s been amazing to see something that started as a side hustle be so incredibly well received in such a short time!” says Nikos. He will be moving on to manage Bottega in Berhampore, which will reopen at the start of May.

I Give a Meal in May because no one deserves to go hungry. Daniel, Kaibosh Volunteer

Help us get good food to people who need it most at kaibosh.org.nz

Donate today

E D I B L E S

Everything, everywhere, all at Mabel’s BY JAC K I E L E E M O R R I S O N P H OTO G R A P H Y BY M O N I CA W I N D E R

Marlar Boon’s journey back to her Burmese roots has been one that she’s had to navigate for herself. Like many other second-generation diaspora children, with no mentor or guiding hand, the flavours she remembers from her child-

hood have been cobbled together through trial and error. But that’s very often how it is for the children of immigrants — every little link and connection can bring you closer to home. Or, at least, what home means for you.

E D I B L E S

or Marlar Boon, co-owner of Mabel’s Burmese Eat and Drink Shop, life is full of strange little connections. There’s the building in which she and husband Ian opened their Burmese restaurant, for instance, which reminds her of colonial-style buildings in Yangon, and the cook she hired who had a connection with the Buddhist temple her grandmother co-founded; she sees everything held together in a tightly woven mesh. A large part of that is thanks to her grandmother, and namesake of her restaurant, Mabel. “She was a bit of a hustler,” Marlar laughs. Born in 1918, in what was then Burma, Mabel emigrated to New Zealand in the mid-70s as a single mother with four adult children. Anglo-Burmese, she was fluent in English but couldn’t cook, until eventually an Indian friend in Mt Cook taught her to make Burmese curries. After almost two years in New Zealand, in 1977 Mabel opened the Monsoon, New Zealand’s first Burmese restaurant. Much more than just a restaurant, it was a hub for the community, because Mabel was much more than a restaurateur. A devoted matriarch, she was a pioneer, a community leader, a provider, and integral to Wellington’s Southeast Asian community.

Mabel in front of the Monsoon restaurant

Mabel and Marlar in her lounge in Stokes Valley. The painting behind them now takes pride in Mabel's restaurant

E D I B L E S

When the Monsoon closed after a successful decade trading, Mabel wasn’t satisfied with retirement. A devout Buddhist, she started Bodhinyanarama monastery in Stokes Valley, along with a Sri Lankan and Thai friend. She dedicated her life to providing for the monastery, encouraging her sons to volunteer for the community, and helping raise her grandchildren. And she still cooked, for the monastery’s fundraiser food fairs, held at the back of the Wesley Church on Holland Street, which Marlar remembers vividly. She recently found a drawer full of 90s-style flyers, inviting passers-by to come for “Asian food!”, complete with Enter the Dragon-style font and chopsticks graphics. Though her grandmother died in 2002 when Marlar was only 12, Mabel was a strong, fierce presence in her life. When she was growing up, they lived on the same street, surrounded by family; Marlar still lives on that street today with her husband and their two young children. Marlar knows the importance of family, community, and connection, but it wasn’t until 2017, when she and Ian returned to Myanmar on holiday, that it really hit home. “Going back for the first time since I became a mother really changed my perspective and perception of the country

and the culture,” Marlar explains. “I suddenly had this desire to provide and cook.” But cooking wasn’t her forte, especially not Burmese cuisine. In fact, it was Ian who encouraged her to learn for their children and their cultural heritage. “It was really important to him that our kids know just as much about their Burmese side.” Marlar dove in head-first, getting her hands on as many cookbooks as she could — UK-based Burmese food writers MiMi Aye, and Emily and Amy Chung aka the Rangoon Sisters were particular favourites — watching YouTube religiously, tasting dishes her mother made and trying to recreate them, and cooking at home. Her cousin taught her most of the basics, as they cooked together for their children. It’s a common misconception that Mabel taught Marlar all about Burmese cuisine, and that the restaurant is part of the Monsoon’s legacy. “As much as I would love to say that my grandmother taught me to cook, that’s not the case. By the time I was born, the Monsoon had already closed, and so to me she was always just my loving grandmother.”

E D I B L E S

In fact, even naming the restaurant after her was something that took a while for her to wrap her head around. “It was really a natural progression as we considered what was ‘Burmese’ for us. Eventually, they realised that, for them, Burmese meant family and community, and at the heart of it was Mabel.” Just as the Monsoon was a hub, so too is Mabel’s. There are plenty of regulars who knew Mabel and the Monsoon, including a group of diners who call themselves “The Monsoon Munchers”. Since the opening last year, many diners have regaled Marlar with stories of her grandmother. Their kitchen hand, whom all the staff call Auntie and who makes their staff meals, once worked at the Monsoon. “One of the reasons we decided to centre the story of the restaurant around Mabel is because of that connection. When people walk past and see the sign they go, ‘Wait, is that Mabel from the Monsoon?’” Marlar doesn’t come from a hospitality background and never imagined she would open a restaurant. But, with the encouragement of her late uncle and repeated visits to Myanmar, she and Ian decided to embark on the project, in the hope of bringing a new experience to Wellingtonians and to share Burmese flavours. Luckily, Ian could supply some know-how — he owns Wellington bar Crumpet — but things really came together when a friend returned from the UK after lockdown and came

on board as head chef. Though he was classically trained and had worked in fine dining throughout his career, learning to cook Burmese food was a whole new experience. “There are certain things that don’t translate well. Like when you cook a Burmese curry — the oil has to be heated until it ‘floats’, but that doesn’t really make sense in English.” The menu, Marlar tells me, was a collaborative effort with her whole team. They’re tight-knit, and it’s important to Marlar that they’re proud of what they do and feel connected to it. Some of the staff are Burmese, and a couple are students who won scholarships to come to New Zealand. “We have one young guy — he’s so sweet — and we had to really teach him what ‘service’ means. He just didn’t get it, because it’s different in Asia — you don’t go over to a table unless they ask you to. But now he’s thriving and we’re so proud when we see him out there, working the floor and talking to customers on his own.” Marlar didn’t want Mabel’s to be just a curry house, because there are so many Burmese curries out there, but also because they wanted to offer a well-rounded view of Burmese cuisine. On the menu you’ll find curries, salads, noodle bowls, and a selection of fried goods, including their “BFC” (Burmese fried chicken), on the menu. Also included is mohinga — a fish and rice noodle soup, the national dish of Burma.

E D I B L E S

Salads are also a huge part of the cuisine — the textures and flavours are unlike anything you’ll have tried before. Think pickled young green tea leaves, served with tomato, crispy fried garlic and onions, dhal, and dried shrimp (laphet thoke), or Burmese chickpea tofu, tossed with coconut vinegar, and crunchy garlic, shallots, and peanuts (tohu thoke, see page 74 for the recipe). New this year, they offer a thali option at lunch. The platter with a selection of curry, rice, salad, broth, roti, and condiment is the perfect introduction to Burmese cuisine. And it has resulted in a healthy increase in their lunchtime trade. Most of the dishes can be enjoyed as a group, familystyle, or solo. Attention to and care for their customers is just part of Marlar’s life, just as it was part of Mabel’s. And what about her kids, I ask. How do they feel about Burmese food now? She smiles. “They love it. You know they said to me the other day, ‘We’re so glad we have an Asian mother, because otherwise we wouldn’t know good food.’”

E D I B L E S

Tohu thoke BY M A R L A R B O O N F RO M M A B E L'S

ohu is a besan-flour tofu from the Shan state of Myanmar. It is made in a similar way to polenta. Like tofu, it can be used in a variety of applications such as in a soup, fried, or served as a street food salad. What I love about tohu is that it tastes like a rich, savoury, nutty custard, and it’s a great

Tohu 1 1/2 cup of fine besan (or gram) flour. This can be purchased in most Indian spice stores. 3 cups water ½ teaspoon turmeric 1 tablespoon neutral oil pinch of MSG 1/2 teaspoon salt Dressing 40g tamarind paste 120ml water 3–4 garlic cloves 5 tsp caster sugar 1 tsp chilli powder (or add to your liking) 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp MSG 1 juice of a lemon 1 tbsp malt vinegar 2–3 tbsp of fish sauce or soy sauce to taste 1/2 bunch of coriander chopped 2 makrut leaves thinly sliced bird's eye chillies finely sliced *optional

vegan/vegetarian option when we have friends over. The word thoke means “to mix”, most commonly with your hands. A lot of the Burmese condiments used in this recipe can be stored and used to make various other Burmese dishes and salads.

To make tohu: 1. In a large mixing bowl add besan flour, MSG, salt and turmeric. Gradually add water, 1 cup at a time, while whisking continuously. Once all the water has been added, remove the scum from the top. The consistency should be like a watery pancake batter. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes. 2. In a medium sized pot, add half of the mix and stir with a rubber spatula on a medium heat. You may think nothing is happening for the first couple of minutes but the mixture quickly catches the bottom of the pot, and you want to be stirring it constantly. As it starts to thicken, slowly add the rest of the mixture, constantly mixing. You will see the batter thicken and become more glossy. Stop cooking it before it gets lumpy; it should have the consistency of cake batter. Add the oil and keep mixing. In a rectangular Pyrex glass or plastic container brush oil around the base and sides and pour in the tohu mix. Use the spatula to wipe the base and sides of the pot and spread the tohu batter evenly. 3. Once it has cooled, cover or put a lid on the container and store in the fridge for about 4 hours or until it feels set. 4. Once set, cut half the tohu into 1 x 7cm strips. To make Tohu Thoke dressing: 5. In a saucepan, heat water and tamarind paste. Use the back of a fork or wooden spoon to mush the tamarind into a paste. Cook for around two minutes on medium heat until the tamarind seeds are loose. Sieve the tamarind paste, making sure you scrape the paste from the sieve after it has passed through. 6. Pound garlic in a pestle and mortar until it becomes a paste. Add sugar, tamarind paste, chilli powder, MSG, salt, lime juice, malt vinegar, fish or soy sauce, bird’s eye chillies and coriander. This is the base of most of the flavour of this salad and I encourage you to add more or less of what you like to suit your tastes. You could make it more spicy, or tart, or salty, depending on what you like.

E D I B L E S

To make the crispy shallots: Crispy shallots 3 large shallots finely sliced 4 cups sunflower or peanut oil pinch of salt

7. Fry off shallots on high heat in a cast iron pan or a wok. Remove shallots just before they turn golden as they will keep cooking once removed from oil. Make sure you give the shallots a little shake to remove excess oil. If you are using a smaller pan, you can do the shallots in batches. Keep the fried shallots in a sieve over a bowl to drain the oil or on a paper towel on a plate until they are cool. 8. Let the oil cool and add a pinch of salt. This shallot-flavoured oil is very versatile and can be used in many other recipes. You can keep the remainder stored in a jar. To assemble the salad: 9. In a mixing bowl drizzle 2 tablespoons of shallot oil. Add the sliced tohu and use enough dressing to coat the tohu fully. Add makrut leaves. Mix gently with your hands so as not to break up the tohu too much. Gently use a large serving spoon to transfer to a flat plate. It should look glossy from the oil and dressing. Sprinkle fried shallots to garnish. 10. There should be enough tohu and dressing to make this dish again or alternatively cut any leftover tohu into 3 x 5cm rectangles and deep fry in a neutral frying oil. 11. Deep fry again for extra crunch and use dressing as a dipping sauce.the remainder stored in a jar.

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ROCKET SCIENCE A cost-effective solution to Wellington’s earthquake-prone buildings may have been found. Research funded by Toka Tū Ake EQC (the Earthquake Commission) has found that using carbon fibre straps to wrap weak parts of high-rise building walls can strengthen them enough to meet and even surpass building code requirements. This carbon fibre is a less expensive version of the material used in helicopters and rockets; it’s strong, needs less labour than steel or concrete to install, and in some cases can be fitted in a matter of days. The material will act to stop walls from buckling during a quake, doubling the building safety rating. Currently there are 595 registered earthquake-prone buildings in the capital and with 200 deadline notices due to expire in 2027 this solution may have arrived in the nick of time.

A LOW HUM

CENTENNIAL TRIBUTE

BRICK-IOSAURUS

Photographer Ian Jorgensen founded Camp A Low Hum in 2007, and it was an annual event until 2014 when he announced there would be no more. But in February 2024, after a decade’s hiatus, more than 1,500 music fans are expected to flock to Camp Wainui for the iconic festival’s return. Famously, this festival does not announce its acts, but it will cover a whole spectrum of musical genres – from pop to heavy metal. There’s also the Renegade Room, where anyone can play a spontaneous concert of their own.

A tribute to Forest and Bird founder Captain Ernest Sanderson has been unveiled during the organisation’s centennial celebrations. A section of the newly-restored Waikākāriki wetland (a 1.6-hectare area between State Highway One and the railway line at Paekākāriki) has been named Sanderson’s Way in his honour. A Paekākāriki local, Sanderson fought through two World Wars before devoting his life to conservation work. Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision teamed up with Forest and Bird historian Michael Pringle to digitise Glimpses of Wild Life, a short film Sanderson made in 1929/30. It’s available to watch online.

A larger-than-life exhibition will be making tracks to the new Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre, running from 3 June. Inspired by the Jurassic Park film franchise it involves 50 large-scale dinosaurs, props, and film scenes built from over six million Lego bricks. Australian Lego artist and TV’s Lego Masters Australia judge Ryan McNaught (aka The Brickman) is behind the exhibit, which has taken his team two years and 10,000 hours to create. It will be the largest exhibition in the Southern Hemisphere, and the first at Tākina.

B Y

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B O O K

B E I NG S O C IA L From 2015 to 2018, strategic-communications consultant Lucy O’Connor ran inspirational blog Monday Hustle, and found social media to be both a useful tool and a potential problem for wellbeing. She then launched an interview-based podcast, Selfie Reflective, about social media’s effects (it’s on hiatus, but past episodes are at lucyo.co/podcast). Lucy is the only Wellingtonian among the 13 emerging writers selected for the 2023 NZ Society of Authors Mentorship Programme. “I’m delighted!” Paired with poet-novelist Ruby Porter, Lucy aims to write a short-story collection. “Social media and power imbalances will be key themes.”

AN APPETITE FOR READING

AUSTEN -ITES

ACCIDENTALLY AMUSING

Alan Dingley, the Palmerston North Intermediate School librarian and incoming national Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador, says we should encourage kids to read for pleasure, as it can improve learning outcomes. Plus, reading’s fun! And then there’s pizza – schools and libraries countrywide can participate in the Hell Reading Challenge. Kids collect seven stamps on a ‘Pizza Wheel’ (one for each book they read) then exchange it for a Kids’ Pizza. Via this initiative, seven million books have been read since 2013.

“Oh, Mr Bennet!” Mrs Bennet berating her husband starting with these words has long amused readers of Pride & Prejudice. Jane Austen’s novels of social satire have an enduring appeal and there are many Austen-ites in suburban amateur-theatre company KAT (formerly Khandallah Repertory Theatre). Last year it offered Sense & Sensibility; this year it’s staging Pride & Prejudice (10–20 May).

Can poetry be humorous? If you have your doubts, Leah Dodd’s debut collection Past Lives (THWUP) might convince you that the answer is yes. “I didn’t intend it to be funny!” she tells us. “I actually wrote it as a creative-writing folio, not knowing it’d be published.” It’s not autobiographical, but threads relating to young motherhood come through. Leah is 25; her son is two-and-a-half. As a literature adviser for Creative NZ, Leah helps people put together applications for funding. She’s also a classically trained pianist.

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Website: natlib.govt.nz | YouTube: @NationalLibraryNZ | Facebook: @NationalLibraryNZ | Twitter: @NLNZ

B Y

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B O O K

About the author: Katherine Mansfield (1888– 1923) is widely considered to be one of the most influential and important authors of the modernist movement. Born and raised in Thorndon, her fiction, poetry and essays have been translated into more than 25 languages. Although renowned for her astute and finely crafted short stories, Mansfield was also a prolific poet. Her earliest forays into the form can be traced back to as early as 1903 when she was teenager. Much of her output in verse was compiled and published posthumously.

Re-verse I N T R O D U C E D BY C H R I S T S E

In brief: This poem takes place in Sanary-sur-mer, a village on the Côte d’Azur in the southeast of France. It’s close to Bandol, which was dear to Mansfield and where she returned to convalesce after her health deteriorated. Mansfield uses a combination of direct language and imagery to describe the mental state of the poem’s speaker, which may have been similar to what she felt in the later years of her life as she tried to balance writing with managing her ill health. Despite its opening with the bright, blissful image of a window overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, a dark undercurrent scores the poem. Here, stillness doesn’t necessarily equate to calm or peace – instead, it stands in for something ominous and apocalyptic (“Nobody walked in the dusty street”).

N E W Z E A L A N D P O E T L A U R E AT E

SA N A RY Her little hot room looked over the bay Through a stiff palisade of glinting palms, And there she would lie in the heat of the day, Her dark head resting upon her arms, So quiet, so still, she did not seem To think, to feel, or even to dream.

Reverse

The shimmering, blinding web of sea Hung from the sky and the spider sun With busy frightening cruelty Crawled over the sky and spun and spun, She could see it still when she shut her eyes, And the little boats caught in the web like flies.

Why I like it: Like many New Zealanders, I was introduced to Mansfield’s fiction at high school. Even though I took a deeper dive into her work at university, I didn’t come across her poetry. This year, which marks the centenary of her death, I’ve decided to invest some time in her poetry. Many of the hallmarks of her fiction are present: her crisp language and masterful control of imagery can be seen in Sanary, which simmers with pent-up energy like the sweltering day it describes. In the poem’s second stanza, Mansfield describes the sun and sky as a spider and its suffocating web, an image and metaphor that wouldn’t feel out of place in one of her stories.

Down below at this idle hour Nobody walked in the dusty street A scent of a dying mimosa flower Lay on the air, but sweet – too sweet. By Katherine Mansfield (1916)

Read more: A number of collections of Mansfield’s poetry were published after her death. The Collected Poems of Katherine Mansfield, edited by Gerri Kimber and Claire Davison (Otago University Press, 2016), is an illuminating survey of her verse and includes previously unseen work from her archives.

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G O O D

S P O R T

As smooth as silk P H OTO G R A P H Y BY H E L E N L E A WA L L

Tamara Silk’s introduction to drag racing involved eight-hour family car trips up and down the country. Now she’s rated as the quickest woman in New Zealand. Alice Soper writes.

ilk is a name made for the headlines, and one that is synonymous with drag racing in New Zealand. Robin Silk was a veteran of the sport, for many years one of the wildest drivers competing in the Wild Bunch class. He later worked in one of the top hot rod shops in America as a fabricator, showcasing Kiwi ingenuity. Robin’s occasional disregard for personal safety led to stricter enforcement of competition rules, but also helped get his kids out on the track. “I think he had to stand on the back of my car while I drove it. I said he had to come with me,” Tamara Silk, Robin’s youngest daughter, recalls. “My sister said to Dad, ‘Can you do that on the racetrack too?’” For the Silks and many others in the drag racing community, the sport has always been a family affair. The location of the drag strips in Meremere and Masterton meant a lot of roadtripping for the Kāpiti whānau. “It was the norm that you’d hop in the car on a Friday night to drive for eight hours to Meremere,” Tamara remembers. “Unpack a whole lot of stuff, go down the track in about eight seconds, three times. Pack it all back up again and drive all the way home.” Robin, ever the optimist, would instigate these trips regardless of the forecast. If there was a 70% chance of rain, “Dad would always say, ‘But it might not.’” His enthusiasm for drag racing infected his daughter and son. On the strip, “I am known as Robin’s daughter which is a great feeling”, Tamara admits,

“but you want to have your own identity because you’ve earned it.” And Tamara is making a name for herself. Now the quickest woman in New Zealand, beating Karen Hay’s 2014 record with a time of 5.853 seconds over the quarter mile. This equates to a speed of 109.59 metres per second. Hay had beaten Faye Grant’s record, which had stood for 24 years. The rate at which women are now breaking records in this sport mirrors their speed on the track. Tamara broke the record with Robin proudly trackside. Now her participation in the sport has taken on an added importance. “One of the last things he said to us before he passed away was ‘Don’t give up drag racing.’” Tamara is keeping her promise alongside her brother, Cory, who provides essential maintenance. Her Mum, Vicky, has also been recruited into her race-day team, helping her daughter reverse into the starting blocks, just as she did for Robin. Their father’s absence means they now must turn to each other and the drag-racing community to replace his encyclopaedic knowledge. Cory has spent most of his career racing in Tamara’s hand-me-down cars but is considering sharing with his big sister next season. These siblings have largely avoided rivalry by driving in different classes, only officially taking each other on once, when Cory came out on top. Competing directly is unlikely to disrupt this bond, as New Zealand drag racing is a good clean fight.

G O O D

“It’s very much a team sport, even with the other competitors.” Tamara explains that if you’re racing next round, they’ve broken something “and you’ve got the part, you’ll give it to them.” Taking her place in the driver's seat and the record books hasn’t raised any eyebrows in the sport that raised her. Outside racing, surprise reveals more about people’s gender expectations than anything else. This reserved executive secretary seems remote from the roar of the engines. Her co-workers will gather in awe if she chooses to share a video of her latest exploits. Her quiet confidence is no doubt the secret to her success in a sport with no margin for error. “When I first started, it was just like, how do I have time to do anything? I blinked and I'm at the end of the track. But it’s in slow motion now.” In a film about a competitor’s life, there would be a moment where everything suddenly clicked into place. But in reality her progress has crept forward by the millisecond. This is a sport that allows modifications to suit a driver’s temperament as well as their abilities, so the vehicle's specifications grow alongside the driver’s confidence. This tinkering teamwork is what has driven her to the top of her game. Now she is

S P O R T

known as the quickest drag racer in the current Top Alcohol class. However, the label of quickest woman doesn’t always sit comfortably with Tamara, whose ambition is to remain the best in her class without the asterisk. Drag racing is a sport where there is no division by gender after all. Being in a minority in a sport, however, makes you your gender’s role model by default. While it may not be her style to take up this space, Tamara understands that her visibility and success has a positive effect on the growing number of girls in the sport. You would think that prowess in motorsport would translate into a real-world advantage but Tamara laughs “I can’t, for the life of me, parallel park.” She won’t be seen hooning around Kāpiti in anything flash, her runabout a necessary compromise to fund her drag habit. Her daughter, too, keeps her feet firmly on the ground. Lacey will be too busy playing with the other kids at a meet to be fussed about what records her Mum is breaking. She is reaching the age at which Tamara began competing so she is being gently coaxed to get behind the wheel. But there is no rush. Drag racing will always be a part of this family.

15 APRIL - 16 JULY

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Turn up the heat in Taranaki with the allure and thrill of live cabaret, get up close and personal with our best food producers, and explore our striking landscapes finding inspiration in our countless tracks and trails. Discover all that’s on offer from our vibrant galleries to decadent dining, now is the perfect time to plan your winter escape like no other.

WHAT’S ON Gallagher Chiefs V Queensland Reds – 12 May Right Royal Cabaret Festival – 22 – 25 June Taste and Tales – 3 – 4 Jun & 10 – 11 June

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AN INITIATIVE OF VENTURE TARANAKI

G O O D

S P O R T

UNLEVEL P L AY I N G F I E L D The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends adults do at least two and a half hours of aerobic activity per week as well as muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week. However, a new study has found only 37% of young adults (18-to 24-yearolds) in Aotearoa are achieving both these targets. It also found that women living in disadvantaged areas were 32% less likely to meet the recommendations than women in affluent areas. No differences based on socio-economic status were found for men.

ROW YOUR BOAT

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PLANT-BASED BIKES

Wellington College, Wellington Girls’ College, and Wellington East Girls’ College took home gold medals in the 2023 Maadi cup (New Zealand Secondary School Rowing Championships). Held at Lake Karapiro, near Cambridge, the regatta consisted of 52 events with over 2,000 rowers from across the country. It is one of the largest school sporting events in the Southern Hemisphere. Wellington East Girls’ College won the U18 Girls Double Sculls competition by three seconds, just beating second-placed St Peter’s School (Cambridge).

The number of young people joining swimming clubs has taken a nosedive in the past 15 years, dropping by a third. Wellington’s population on the other hand has grown by 21% in that same period. Suggested explanations are that children aren’t learning the basic skills required for them to join clubs, specific distances are set by clubs eg. 50m or one km. And a lack of swimming pools in schools – only 28% of Wellington schools have pools, compared to 58% nationwide.

Wellington’s FTN Motion has created an e-motorcycle with a bike body made from hemp. The special material weighs less than fibreglass, is durable, and can absorb impact. FTN co-founder Luke Sinclair says the idea for the hemp fibre and epoxy resin blend originally came from his surfboard. “I have a board from a Lyall Bay local, which is made from hemp, looks great and performs brilliantly.” The first release of 100 bikes has sold out and there is a waiting list for the next production run in August.

C U L T U R E

D I R E C T O R Y

Henry Rollins – Old St Pauls

Choreographic Season 2023

Punk legend Henry Rollins brings his Good To See You spoken word show to historic Old St Paul’s for one night only. “Punk Rock icon. Spoken word poet. Actor. Author. DJ. Is there anything this guy can’t do?” – Entertainment Weekly. Tickets at Plus1.co.nz

The New Zealand School of Dance presents the 2023 Choreographic Season, Axis – a collection of short works that will take the audience on a journey through the many diverse influences of the student choreographers. Axis focuses on exploration and experimentation, celebrating the creative process itself.

Saturday 8 July Old St Paul’s 34 Mulgrave St, Thorndon Wellington. plus1.co.nz

23–29 June Te Whaea: National Dance & Drama Centre 11 Hutchison Rd, Newtown Wellington. nzschoolofdance.ac.nz

Four Local Artists Walrus Gallery specialises in regular exhibitions from NZ and international artists working in fine art, ceramics, jewellery and objets d’art. On show currently Ben Farrant; pen and ink drawings, Soal Fonos; mixed media on canvas, Jade Valour; ceramics & jewellery, Jon Benge; ceramics. 111 Taranaki St (Cnr Jessie & Taranaki Sts) Wellington. walrusgallery.co.nz

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W E L L Y

A N G E L

What would Deirdre do?

C AT F IG H T S My flatmate (one of four) has brought a cat home. We have a no pets rule and I am allergic to cats, but no one has said anything. How do I handle this without being the evil one? Unhappy, Mt Victoria

A DV I C E F RO M D E I R D R E TA R R A N T

HOU SE G I V E AWAY

You will be sneezing or have a rash or symptoms of reaction, and surely this is obvious? I assume you told the flatmates about the ‘no cat’ rule? Action rather depends on who has the lease or owns the flat. Does the flatmate with the cat go or do you? It needs a conversation with all four of you around the table – and the cat outside. Good luck.

I don’t have children or siblings and am planning to leave a substantial part of my assets (my house and possessions) to the daughter of a cousin, with whom I have a special relationship, and have spent quite a bit of time with over the past 30 years. Is there any real or moral reason as to why I shouldn’t do this? My lawyer has suggested the inheritance should be shared between all the cousin’s children. I have no particular relationship with them and don’t see them from one year to the next, now they are grown up. Solo oldie, Northland

A L L I N T H E FA M I LY An old family friend/acquaintance has asked me to write a character reference for him. I would rather not as I know him to be untrustworthy. My mother says just do it out of respect for the family friendship. Should I? Anxious friend, Upper Hutt

I am not a lawyer but I would think that you are totally entitled to make your own decision, but be sure you do it legally. She is very lucky. I think as you do not have children, and relationships have not been close with the other nieces/nephews, this is fine. I can see that your lawyer is advising a cautious approach. You could make some smaller monetary bequest or itemise jewellery or furniture from your estate to go to the others if this were appropriate.

No. Decline gracefully. You should not write it, and if you do it needs to be what you think – that is what a reference is for. Misrepresenting your opinion of the person is not showing respect, and compromises you. Shame on your mother!

TA L K A B OU T V IO L E N C E

A B L IG H T O N T H E ST R E E T

I have been estranged from my father for many years, but we have recently re-established a careful relationship, which I find rewarding. He has introduced me to his new partner and they seem happy. Am I morally obliged to tell her he was violent towards my mother? And convicted of a violent assault on another partner about 15 years ago? Survivor guilt, Brooklyn

Neighbours in our street routinely call the city parking wardens for any perceived or real infractions, even when they are not at all affected or their travel impeded by the parked cars or bikes. It is unpleasant and unnecessary. How would you approach the situation? Kylie M, Lyall Bay A word over the fence or a cup of tea? You need to get on with your neighbours, but the problem here is that they are being busy-bodies but they are also in the right! Annoying. Clearly they have the moral high ground – smile and get on with your own lives. There are more important things to do. Be happy!

I am tempted to say let bygones be bygones and focus on the now and future. You do not know that he has not told her. Maybe have a talk to your father about the shared knowledge. As you have renewed your relationship and it includes his new partner, telling her or talking about his past might come up as your friendship develops, but don’t be the one to open it up with her. You seem positive about your new relationship with your father and want this to continue. Unless you see cause for concern don’t snitch on him, and tread lightly, as a daughter and a friend.

If you’ve got a burning question for Deirdre, email angel@capitalmag.co.nz with Capital Angel in the subject line.

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WĀ H I N E

Good sex and good relationships: can they co-exist? BY M E LO DY T H O M A S

n May 28, a podcast I first dreamed up years ago will finally be released. It’s called The Good Sex Project, and its mission is to figure out what good sex and good relationships look and feel like, and whether these things can co-exist in the long term. For the series, I’ve conducted around 35 interviews with couples, individuals and experts, from a pair of wholesome 27-year-old rural swingers to a 76-year-old having the best sex of her life with her “toyboy” (who’s in his 60s); and I’m now in the final stages of attempting to weave many, many hours of audio into a cohesive, engaging whole. It’s a nightmare, but it’s a nightmare I adore, and I can’t wait for people to hear it. All this to say I’ve spent a lot of time lately talking and thinking about sex and love, and especially about the ways in which our culture and upbringing affect the choices we make in these areas. I first learned about love from Disney. From Belle, who taught me that if you’re patient and kind and a little bit stubborn, you can transform any beast into a prince (though you might forever find the beast hotter). From Snow White and Aurora, who demonstrated that no matter what challenges you face in life (most of which will come in the form of jealous women), they can all be washed away instantly with a really hot kiss. Lady introduced me to the sex appeal of a boy from the wrong side of the tracks, Cinderella to the power of a good dress. Every single one of them, that you’ve only really made it when you’ve secured yourself a ring (well, except Lady, but she got a litter of pups which is the dog equivalent). Even later, when the screen characters I was meant to idolise morphed from impossibly-tinywaisted princesses to a hot nanny with a perm and immaculate fashion sense and a New York sex columnist on a mission to sleep with half the men in the city... the end result, the way they wrapped up the lives of these feisty, successful, complicated women, was to marry them off. There’s your happy ending: till death do us part. What more could you want than that? It’s no surprise, then, that I ended up married. Sometimes I wonder how many other married people enter into this union as I did: saying I do because it’s the natural next step once you’ve been together a while, and it never really occurs to you not to take it. Later, when I learned about the patriarchal roots of the institution, in which women were chattels

to be sold from father to husband, and about the many ways in which modern marriage can entrench gender norms and make it much harder for a person who should leave to do so, I began to rethink things. But by this point it was too late. Luckily for me, I adore the human I married, and I meant it when I said I wanted to grow old alongside him. But if I knew then what I do now, I’d have done things a little differently: keep the party, the vows, the kiss under a confetti cannon – but instead of signing the document (which, by the way, looks like a WINZ form), maybe press our hands into wet cement – together for as long as we can weather time’s erosion! – or prick our fingers and press the pools of blood together like Vada and Thomas J. What I’ve learned about long term love, be it married or unmarried, from the interviews I’ve done, is that there’s no happily ever after. If you’re really lucky, there’s happy-forthe-most-part, possibly-for-decades, and even then you’re going to have to push through periods of boredom, resentment, frustration, and hurt to get there. There’s also no such thing as the perfect partner. As sex advice columnist Dan Savage told me for The Good Sex Project, “We’re brought up on “the one” [but] there is no the one. There's a .78, if you're lucky it’s a .82, and it’s your job to round that motherf***er up to one.” In a good relationship, they’re doing the same for you: taking all your annoying, frustrating habits and choosing to look past them, towards the things they love. This isn’t a pass card for bad behaviour. In every relationship there are things we can and should work on, and ways we need to change and grow, but some things are built into our DNA. These are what Dan calls “price of admission”, or to put it more bluntly: “There is no settling down with someone, without some settling for.” I understand this all sounds very unromantic. It’s a far cry from what we were taught to expect: a lightning bolt of clarity on meeting our soulmate, a love that feels easy and right, with someone who is your best friend, your teacher, your biggest fan and supporter, who always makes you feel good and who still wants to get naked with you decades after those first sparks ignited. But I actually adore this pragmatic reality. Because of all the people in the world that your partner might have made a go of things with, and done about as well, they chose you. And you did the same for them. In my mind, that is a truly beautiful thing.

C A L E N D A R

TESSA MA’AUGA: MOVEMENTS FROM PEARL RIVERS Fibre sculptures reflecting connections between Southern China and Aotearoa Te Manawa, Palmerston North, until 7 May

KURA POUNAMU TŌ TĀTOU KŌ | OUR TREASURED STONE A significant exhibition with over 200 taonga pounamu on display Pātaka, cnr Norrie and Parumoana Streets, Porirua, until 11 June

IN THE ROUND: PORTRAITS BY WOMEN SCULPTORS Showcasing works from the 20th century to the present NZ Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata, Shed 11, Queen’s Wharf, until 14 May

REUBEN PATERSON: THE ONLY DREAM LEFT A trip through 30 years of creative practice. City Gallery, Te Ngākau Civic Square, until 18 June

CORONATION CELEBRATIONS Artworks celebrating King Charles III’s coronation Academy Galleries, 1 Queens Wharf, until 21 May THE COVEN ON GREY STREET Four witches brew comedy Circa Theatre, until 27 May THE LONG WAVES OF OUR OCEAN Exhibition, artists’ reactions to Pacific poems National Library, Molesworth Street, until 27 May IRA WAHINE Portraits by Hariata Ropata-Tangahoe NZ Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata, Shed 11, Queen’s Wharf, until 11 June

THE SUN SETS BENEATH THE OCEAN Zahra Killeen-Chance and Solomon Mortimer’s Tylee Cottage work Sarjeant on the Quay, 38 Taupō Quay, Whanganui, until 30 June SANDY ADSETT: TOI KORU Major survey exhibition from ’60s to now Te Manawa, Palmerston North UNHINGED: OPENING THE DOWSE COLLECTION A visual symphony of 1,000+ items The Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt KURAWAKA – REACHING INTO THE RED CLAY Three women artists’ respond to the creation story National Library, Molesworth Street

May

4 TUATARA OPEN LATE A monthly feast of art, music, film, and talks City Gallery, Te Ngākau Civic Square, 5–10pm RNZB: ROMEO & JULIET Shakespeare’s greatest love story in dance St James Theatre, Courtenay Place, 7.30pm. Until 6 May 6 MONIEK SCHRIJER: THE JEWEL ROOM A contemporary jewellery challenge City Gallery, Te Ngākau Civic Square CORONATION OF KING CHARLES III Break out the pearls and settle in with coronation quiche 10 VINTAGE & RETRO FAIR Treats for home and self Thistle Hall, cnr Arthur and Cuba Streets from 10am 11 BEETHOVEN PIANO CONCERTO #5 EMPEROR NZSO, conductor Eduardo Strausser, with Paul Lewis piano Michael Fowler Centre, 7.30pm

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C A L E N D A R

MUSICAL PUNCH OVER LUNCH Diverse performances each Thursday Old St Paul’s, Mulgrave Street, 12.30–1.15pm 13 HURRICANE’S v MOANA PASIFIKA Sky Stadium, 4.35pm 14 MOTHER’S DAY A day to thank Mum for the 364 days she spoils you 18 RESENE ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN FILM FESTIVAL Films that inspire, challenge and energise until 5 June 20 PULSE v TACTIX TSB Arena, Queen’s Wharf, 7pm 21 COFFEE CAVE CHARITY DAY Drink and indulge in support of charity 279 Waiwhetu Road, Lower Hutt, 8am – 1pm 25 KIINGI TUHEITIA PORTRAITURE AWARD 2023 Biennial competition by Maori artists NZ Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata, Shed 11, Queen’s Wharf UNITY BOOK CLUB This month Old Babes in the Wood by Margaret Atwood Unity Books, 57 Willis Street, 6.30 – 8pm

27 TOUGH GUY & GAL CHALLENGE Mud, barbed wire, obstacles, swamp, tunnels, hill run Camp Wainui, 203 Coast Road, Wainuiomata, 8am – 1.30pm 28 OUR HERITAGE GARDEN – GUIDED WALK Stretch the legs and learn something new Wellington Botanic Garden, Founder’s entrance, Glenmore Street, 11am – 12.30pm

June

2 KIA MAU FESTIVAL Biennial contemporary Indigenous arts festival Various locations, until 17 June 3 JURASSIC WORLD by BRICKMAN Jaw-dropping use of 6 million lego bricks Tākina, Wellington Convention Centre TRINITY ROOTS Award-winning funk and reggae band – not to be missed Whirinaki Whare Taonga, 836 Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt, 8pm 5 KING’S BIRTHDAY 14 NZ OPERA: COSÌ FAN TUTTE Quirky comedic opera with no deaths St James Theatre, Courtenay Place, 7.30pm. 16 & 18 June

16/17 WINETOPIA Hedonists unite TSB Arena, Queen’s Wharf, 5pm 21 THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES Sacha Copland’s dance theatre show for lovers of the human body Circa Theatre, 1 Taranaki Street, until 1 July 22 TARANAKI RIGHT ROYAL CABARET FESTIVAL Love an arts festival? A roadie opportunity Theatre Royal, TSB Showplace, New Plymouth, until 28 June 23 MATARIKI EXHIBITION A broad selection of styles and genres Academy Galleries, 1 Queens Wharf 25 GAZLEY VOLKSWAGEN WELLINGTON MARATHON Wellington’s premier marathon event Sky Stadium Walkway, 7am 27 BALLET WORKSHOP WITH RNZB Barre up and give it a go St James Theatre, Courtenay Place, 6.45 – 8.15pm

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Home run Answers will be published online at capitalmag.co.nz/ crossword

Answers will be published online at capitalmag.co.nz/crossword

45.

Acros s

Down

2. Got milk (5, 4) 8. Melting ice (4) 11. Guests (8) 12. Cup, te reo (4) 13. Slang for the restaurant industry (5) 14. Classic bathroom design theme (8) 15. Narrow, terraced house (9) 17. Nice characteristic, pendant (5) 23. May 14, don’t forget! (7, 3) 25. Land or building, agent (4, 6) 26. Home is where the ___ is (5) 29. Giving a garden a makeover (11) 31. Landlords rarely allow these (3) 33. Architectural style, concrete and large windows (9) 34 & 18 down. Neither _____ nor _____ (5) 35. Fireplace (9) 37. Home on wheels (9) 38. Government body, looks after business (4) 39. The longer the posher (8) 43. ____mates can make or break a home (4) 44. Grow these at the allotment (4) 45. Cycle, bus, walk, drive (7)

1. Place of safety (5) 3. Encroach on, make _____ (6) 4. Provide necessary equipment or furniture (3, 3) 5. Apartment the size of a cupboard (6) 6. Feather, cotton or polyester (8) 7. Close female relative (6) 9. House, te reo (5) 10. Early NZ architectural style (8) 16. 1993 film, two dogs and a cat (8, 5) 18 & 34 across. Neither _____ nor _____ (4) 19. You’ll need a big deposit (8) 20. Home phone (8) 21. Transmission poles (9, 5) 22. Can’t escape them in Wellington (5) 24. Wind in the Willows character’s home, _____Hall (4) 26. Territory (7) 27. Dwelling (5) 28. Variety of plum (6) 30. A bird’s home (4) 32. Everything in its place (9) 36. Road, Close, Street (6) 40. Became popular in lockdown (3) 41. Paul Simon song, You can call me __ (2) 42. Garden (4)

96 96

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Capital 89

Articles inside

What would Deirdre do?

UNLEVEL PLAYING FIELD

As smooth as silk

Reverse

Re-verse

thoke

Everything, everywhere, all at Mabel’s

WELCOME

Autumn/Winter at Circa Theatre

New life in old bones

Ans Westra: Her Story

Heritage: A continual cosmic process

Gerard Dombroski

Roz Scott

Homewood bound

Matariki Ahi Kā

CAPITAL The stories of Wellington

Sprig + Fern Thorndon