Any quick squizz at the latest tech news is all it takes to remind one that humanity is as obsessed with moving as far away from its early cave-dwelling prehistoric existence as possible. From space travel to self-driving cars to artificial general intelligence, to those fake plants that dance when you play a song, we […]
Spy Valley Wines, hidden in Marlborough’s Waihopai Valley, is a zone where the art of winemaking meets a history of international spy networks and covert operations. The true secret though is how a family’s audacious dream transformed challenging terroir into a wine legacy. While Spy Valley may be a name that evokes images of an […]
Hidden away in the busting heart of Auckland, an urban retreat awaits at the Luxe Spa at Pullman, where you can drop the to-do lists, meeting requests, and all those other things that add to the stress of daily life for a moment of tranquil reprieve. But the Luxe Spa at Pullman promises more than […]
The iconic Auckland Restaurant, Jervois SteakHouse got a facelift over winter and is once again firing on all cylinders. Part of the refresh saw the return of the much-loved “meat board”, from which you can choose the most premium cut of beef on offer. But when presented with a row of raw steaks what do […]
Wandering around in the back lanes of Auckland’s Parnell you discover quite a few things you just didn’t know existed.One of those things should be Tala restaurant. With a chic minimalist design and limited seating space you know you’re about to receive excellent attention with you walk through the unassuming door. Tala is the brainchild […]
Later this year in October parts of the late Roger Moore’s private bond collection will be going under the hammer. As the fourth actor to play Bond, Moore brought the spy to life in Live and Let Die (1973), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), For Your Eyes Only (1981), Octopussy (1983), and A View […]
Brands are constantly attaching themselves to events, activities, and people in an attempt to have some of that credibility rub off on them. Brand alignment, have you ever heard anything so soulless? But when it comes to Chopard being the World Sponsor and Official Timekeeper of the 1000 Miglia I don’t get the feeling […]
Lights! Camera! Action! Sip! The Whānau Mārama NZ International Film Festival is back and so is Spy Valley as official wine sponsor for another season of our favourite celebration of high-quality international cinema. Spy Valley are the natural pick as sponsors for this epic national event celebrating global art and culture as they’ve always had […]
‘I see the western wheat fields dry out – sometimes.’ ‘The Pink Oboe floats downriver pleasantly.’ Confused? You’re supposed to be! Covert agents are given clandestine phrases and counter phrases to utter when meeting other spies so they know they’re spilling their secret intel to someone they can ‘trust’. The phrases are not meant to […]
The White Lotus, the much-loved black comedy-drama, has been on everyone’s TV-watching radar in recent years. Following a group of very rich holidayers, the social satire shares the exploits of the holiday resort’s visitors and its employees. In episode three of season two, Daphne (played by Meghann Fahy) and Harper (Audrey Plaza) throw caution to […]
Marlborough – we all know the region is home to some of the best Sauvignon Blanc produced in the world. It’s a given, we’ve known that ever since we were kids; it’s an inherent fact like the All Blacks are the best international rugby team in the world and Wellington is the windiest capital city […]
The secret to being a great entertainer is easy – just serve good finger food. That’s all there is to it. (Although not letting the office jazz bore anywhere near the Spotify playlist will help a lot too!) Your food doesn’t have to be super artistic, it should just be able to be eaten whilst […]
Ah! We’ve finally reached Summer which also – hopefully! – means plenty of hot, sunny weather to come too. It also means it is time to bust out the summer entertaining dinners for all the friends and family. For such a summery time of year, light, fresh and zingy meals suit best. And what better […]
When you’ve worked hard for decades to create ever higher standards in quality then you want to keep those standards high. And when it’s an entire regional industry that has worked towards that same goal, well, they want everyone to know about it! The Marlborough wine industry is exactly a case in point, many of […]
After five years worth of negotiating, New Zealand finally signed a free trade agreement with the European Union. This means a lot of different things for different industries, but ultimately it opens up a trade pipeline with 450 million consumers. While in the past trade negotiations might have been centered around geopolitical benefits and other […]
Rotorua is a fantastic experience regardless of where you are choosing to rest your head at night, but everyone knows a great accommodation choice can turn a good trip into a great one. We want to spotlight one of the most lauded yet somehow under-the-radar spots to temporarily call home; Treetops Lodge & Estate, a truly […]
While we commonly associate wine pairings, there’s a wine for everything, and that includes Asian fusion food. M2 had the opportunity of talking to sommelier Anong Klinyoo, who founded A-LLURE, making it possible for Kiwis to have an authentic Thai wine experience. As an aside, Klinyoo shared with me nine Asian Fusion dishes and their pairings. […]
Without Villains Bond is just a guy who picks up women at hotel bars for one night stands. Without villains the women wouldn’t end up inexplicably dead a day or two later to send him a message. Without villains, he’d have to have awkward conversations with them later when they catch him at another hotel […]
