Any music lover knows that feeling. That powerful feeling they get when a certain song glimmers across the Spotify suggestions, or sparks on the radio, and all they want to do is dance. That feeling when the message cuts deep—deeper than anything—and they circle around so it can play again and again and again. Music […]
In a past life, I used to work in fiction (some might say that is journalism these days anyway), but the thing I love about the make-believe world is that it is often a way to cut to the most important elements of real-world dynamics without all the messiness of reality. When you are living […]
For NASA’s next jaunt up into space, they now will have a new moon buggy to play with. Aerospace creators, Northrop Grumman announced mid-November that its private team is designing a brand-spanking new Lunar Terrain Vehicle for NASA’s Artemis program. The program is set to be much like SpaceX’s pipe-dream of getting humans up into […]
Privately-funded American space juggernaut, Blue Origin, has fast become one of the leaders in the global race to space. Founded in 2000 by Amazon mad-genius-founder Jeff Bezos, the leaps and bounds they have taken to firmly establish themselves alongside the big space names has been nothing short of awe-inspiring. Recently, Bezos’ Blue Origin has added […]
To build a poem, as a work of art, takes a large amount of time and patience. To live in another life, if only for a brief moment, is a truly enlightening experience. Imagine, dear reader, the thrill of writing and creating a poem whilst also being able to walk within it. A real-life work […]
Here is the collated list of the top films we think will be worth going to the cinema to see. The King’s Man In Cinemas Jan 6 Of all the movies delayed over and over again by the pandemic, this is one I’ve been the most looking forward to. Wait no, Dune. Can I change […]
One day some ancient Romans found some brilliant white marble in the quarries of Massa and Carrara, a small province in Tuscany. They started to dig it out, and to this day the Apuan Alps continue to be carved out with the raw materials ending up in the form of some of the most famous […]
After scouting Iceland’s rivers, David Nogales Tarragó and kayak king Aniol Serrasolses, finally found the perfect spot to take a fantastic shot, The Aldeyjarfoss waterfall in Iceland’s northern highlands. As a part of the river Skjálfandafljót, the Aldeyjarfoss drops 20 metres. It’s a beautiful scene, fun if you have the skills but not one you […]
We spoke a lot of words last year, fortunately we can stop now. No more words, shhh. Just actions. Below are the words broadcasters stumbled over the most according to Babbel and the US Captioning Company Omicron Omicron is the sequel to Covid-19 nobody asked for. Worst sequel ever, boo. Personally, I say “omnicron” cause […]
Ryan Reynolds is so many things, holds many a name and wears many a hat. Hollywood’s best, brightest star, for starters. He owns an acting hat, a producer hat, he’s a writer, a father, a husband, a prankster, a charmer, a smooth-talker, a businessman, entrepreneur, a dreamer. Call Ryan Reynolds a joker, a silly-billy, an […]
“People need easy access to work and to essential services to live decent, independent lives. Cities need Universal Basic Mobility. It’s a human right.” So said Matt Caywood and Alex Roy of Bloomberg CityLab back in 2018. Plenty of people are listening too as in the Californian city of Bakersfield a pilot program is already […]
Well, the last two years were a bust, but 2022 is upon us and it’s time to finally become a better person by setting some New Year’s Resolutions. Tomorrow never comes so today is going to get busy. 1. Don’t Make New Year’s Resolutions Is this a cop out point undermining this entire article? Maybe! […]
Refreshing, versatile, and easy to make. It’s no surprise the Margarita is one of the world’s favourite cocktails. Created in 1948 by Margaret Sames, the original recipe is simple and has remained unchanged since the beginning: Cointreau, tequila blanco, fresh lime juice, and a salt rim. In fact, Cointreau and the Margarita are so inseparable […]
FELLINI Fellini’s latest collection of locally-made accessories combines fresh summer blues with rustic earthen hues, giving you the flexibility to elevate any outfit, be it casual or formal. A new year, a new wardrobe. Fellini has you covered for the finishing touches. Available exclusively through independent men’s stores. ASRV x KEVLAR The first-ever ASRV x […]
“Within my practice, I contribute to a Black canon of culture and art and its preservation. This is why, to preserve my own output, I record it at length.” Virgil Abloh said in 2020. Abloh was and still is a legend in the fashion industry, pushing boundaries where ever they lay and his recent passing […]
If you were thinking of jumping across the ditch to start a life in Melbourne, we’ve got just the pad for you. This sleek mid-century home just south of town in the little township of Jan Juc is a statement piece all in its own right, and it’s up for grabs. You’ll have truly uninterrupted […]
BMW is one of the most well-known car brands in the world. Everyone loves and can recognise one when they see one. Recently, they have released information about their latest concept car, called the BMW i Vision Circular, that will feature recycled materials. At the end of the car’s life, it will be able to […]
Aotearoa Ultra Marathon (Jan 2022) With Covid-19 restrictions easing much quicker than imagined by most of us, the annual mighty Aotearoa Ultra Marathon is set to happen early next year in January. Organized by CJM’s Events and set in three parts, all unique in length and branching over Banks Peninsula and Christchurch, this marathon is […]
Zac Sielder is a clinical psychologist and men’s health researcher. Zac has spent the past several years working out how to better understand and respond to male distress and suicidality. He has worked with a diverse range of men and boys, from those with HIV+ to Indigenous youth in Darwin. His focus is on using […]
Your world view can often be defined by where you live and what is in your immediate surroundings. But then it is up to you what you do with that; whether you move to a new place, manage your outside space, influence what you see through your windows, what your hedges block out and how […]
Tackling a tight labour market is no small issue for talent-seeking business owners. And 2021 certainly delivered a challenging time in that regard, with the lowest unemployment rate since just before the GFC and high inflation putting pressure on wages and spending power. It really has been – once again – quite the year. So, […]
Last year, I did a wrap up on 2020 and said that I hoped 2021 was going to be a far more positive and productive year. And while I can say the first half of 2021 was, obviously the second half of the year was quite the challenge! So at the time of year where […]
Believe it or not, if you are reading this, and you manage your investment property privately, you have probably experienced at least one of the following reasons as to why a professional property manager is contracted to manage private property. Over the last 5-6 years, and especially within the last few years, the industry has […]
My British wife and I had no friends or family to support us when we first landed on New Zealand shores in 2009. Those first months were full of challenges. I had taken a punt on renting a property unseen through TradeMe, optimistic that things would work out. Without “Kiwi experience,” I struggled to find […]
Just because everyone was locked in their hobbit holes all year trying to avoid getting a bad case of the plague, it didn’t stop the wheels of commerce from turning for some (I’m sorry service industry). Some of New Zealand’s biggest startups over the last decade have grown into powerhouses, and overseas investors have noticed […]
While we are lucky to live in a nation that has some fantastic road tripping routes within our borders, the reality is that it’s a big wide world out there, with a heck of a lot worth exploring beyond our shores. Sure, some like to spend their holidays lounging on quaint beaches and sipping on […]
We’re almost at the end of this often weird, occasionally wonderful year which means it’s time to put on the rose-tinted glasses, adopt a glass-half-full mindset and look back at the year that was 2021. While it’s difficult to look past the tough times that this year in particular threw our way, we’re using this time to weed […]
Last week, we gave you part one of our “best inventions for 2021”, which highlighted some of our favourite innovative products to come out of the last 12 or so months. However, we’ve decided that confining our favourites to just one list of five wasn’t enough, so we’re shining the spotlight on four more inventions that are worthy of being regarded as part […]
Maybe the only way to truly understand Christmas is to treat it like we treat everything in our lives, a product to be used, reviewed, and possibly recycled if found wanting. Recently I came into possession of Christmas, an annual subscription service which proclaims to be fun for ages zero and up. The instructions didn’t […]
The Gamer’s Face Mask If you want gamers to buy anything, it’s a well known scientific fact that you need to bedazzle it in LEDs and they’ll go wild for it. The Razer Zephyr is about as “Look at me!” as it gets. It uses a transparent anti-fog design around the mouth so people can […]
Just because a game is old doesn’t mean it shouldn’t get free updates. Here are our top picks for classic games getting a little revival. Resident Evil 4: The Mercenaries RE4 first dropped in 2005 on the PS2. That didn’t stop the timeless classic from re-releasing on Quest 2 and becoming the stores biggest selling […]
Maybe it’s just because we’ve finally gotten tired of talking about all of the ills we’re dealing with in the real world, but the ‘metaverse’ has been dominating the headlines in the past 12 months. Companies from all over the world in a myriad of different industries are exploring the opportunities in virtual reality tech, […]
While many outsiders might not be aware, few areas in Aotearoa are as rich in stargazing opportunities as Queenstown. Queenstown sits right on the cutoff point of the famed Aurora Australis (commonly known as the Southern Lights), so on the right day, you can catch one of the world’s most spectacular natural displays from one […]
Has any drink received more of a resurgence in popularity in the last few years than the great spirit of gin? What was once the top choice of grandma’s everywhere has quickly become an incredibly fashionable option for men and women, young and old alike, in no small part to the contributions of fantastic distillers […]
Rotorua is one of the North Islands most popular and beloved holiday destinations. You can scarcely meet anyone who hasn’t got more than one story of a Rotorua experience, be it with family as a child, with friends as a teen or with a partner as an adult. One of the great things about the […]
Running a business is no picnic and as we’ve learnt in the past two years, the world can throw some crazy obstacles your way that can be incredibly challenging to navigate. One of the few positives for small business owners to take away from this period is that there are thousands of others in the […]
Now that we’re coming out of lockdowns, it’s time to start brushing up your hosting game. A true host has everything on hand to make brilliant cocktails, and this Tom Collins is the third and final one we have for you today. You can find the rest here. All of the cocktails have been using […]
As our new confusing traffic light system gets ever less crimson, everyone’s starting to get out more. Those of us content to stay put are still venturing out, and going to the cinemas and getting back to some semblance of the before-times. Perhaps the bastion of these happier days is Bond, who’s latest film we’re […]
We teamed up with Tanqueray to bring you a selection of cocktails to choose from, perfect for this weather. Each of the cocktails uses Tanqueray No.10 Gin, which has set the standard as the first ultra-premium gin. It’s also the only Gin and only white spirit that has been awarded a place in the Hall […]
If you’re a regular follower of M2, you’ll know that we love a good superyacht. The sheer scale of design and engineering that goes into these magnificent boats is truly special, and even the ones that never make past the conceptual stage are fun to fantisise about. I mean, at least in theory, those concepts are designed with the hope of […]
Regardless of what you think of legendary Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone, everyone knows that the man is at the very least a highly expressive performer. We learnt last week that the actors’ creative talent extends beyond the art of film, as the former Academy Award winner unveiled a brand new project; an art exhibition. The Sylvester […]
Has any film series in the last decade been more overlooked than the Kingsman series? It feels a little odd to infantilise an entity that has drawn budgets and box-office results in the hundreds of millions, but in a pop-cultural era absolutely dominated by mainstream tentpoles Marvel and Star Wars, it’s quite reassuring that a […]
Summer’s here and with life steadily returning to normal with the loosening of gathering restrictions for the moment, there’s scarcely a person in the country who hasn’t gotten a backlogged summer wedding invitation swiftly approaching. When we think about wedding fashion, we tend to think all of the attention will be on the happy couple. […]
If anything has been proven in the last few years, it’s that we’ve put to bed the tired adage that style and sustainability can’t go hand-in-hand. With brands local and abroad releasing high-quality clothes using recycled or vegan products, the market is now flooded with options for those looking to shop with more of a […]
2021 was a big year back at the movies, with a boatload of delayed releases finally hitting our screens. As always, a collection of new movies and TV shows means more of our favourite actors crushing some absolutely sick on-screen looks. Here are four from 2021 that we simply have to tip our hats to. […]
While we are lucky to live in a nation that has some fantastic road tripping routes within our borders, the reality is that it’s a big wide world out there, with a heck of a lot worth exploring beyond our shores. Sure, some like to spend their holidays lounging on quaint beaches and sipping on […]
Now, we often hear the phrase ‘art is subjective’. And it’s true, what is pure genius to one person might be a complete eyesore to the person next to them. The phrase is never more relevant when it comes to art that is really working outside of the parameters of tradition, made by artists who […]
Headlines surrounding the space industry in last few years have indicated a resoundingly positive outlook for the future of the industry. Between all the attention for notching landmark achievements in representation and all of the touting of the immense advancements in technology, it would be easy to think that the industry was one without any major issue, at least not from an internal point-of-view. However, ever […]
M2 contributor and General Manager of Angel Delivery Grace Kreft has seen it all as a business owner and has lived to tell the tale. What keeps her going is her ‘why’; The motivating factors that keep her pushing through the constant challenges that the business world throws at her. While these factors are constantly evolving, one […]
Idris Elba is someone you dust off the word “debonair” for. He’s British. He’s a ladies man. You can picture him overpowering anyone who gets in his way. In short he’s everybody’s Bond choice. People have been lobbying him for the hallowed position for years while Daniel Craig dilly dallies over whether he even wants […]
The holiday season beckons and a new year dawns. As well as taking a well-deserved break with family and friends and (hopefully) enjoying some sunny days and tranquil nights, it’s the time of year when we tend to take a look at the year that was – what we have accomplished and the goals we’re […]
Woops, Tesla just dropped it’s latest little gadget, this time aimed at kids. Aaah, just in time to be late for Christmas. The Cyberquad is an all electric quadbike for kids inspired by the blocky triangular design of Tesla’s infamous Cybertruck. It’s even retailing for the decently reasonable US$1,999. The shop listing states that it’s […]
Crankworx is the world’s biggest mountain biking festival and its world tour covers the planet’s most famous destinations – Innsbruck, British Columbia, Whistler and Rotorua. Millions of viewers watch each leg of the tour via global livestreams, as well as the thousands that attend in person. To have Rotorua on such a map brings huge […]
Pure luxury can be defined as everything being tailor made to your specifications, the world bent to your will for your own comfort. I can’t say many of us get to enjoy this definition on a regular basis but one mega-rich Ferrari customer sure is. Taking advantage of the Special Projects division of Ferrari the […]
Now, if you really, really like whisky and want someone to give you a bottle or two for Christmas, then; ‘don’t be afraid to be understood’. You must forget about so-called subtlety and offer your loved ones the opportunity to appreciate your true feelings toward whisky without clouding them by using any sort of vague […]
While the aerospace industry has ticked off first after first after first in the last few years, commercial air travel has become such an incredibly common form of transportation in the modern day, one might believe that we’re all out of ‘firsts’ to conquer in the industry. Those with that expectation will be surprised to hear, that a unique aviation achievement has been marked for the […]
To the majority of outsiders, the beautiful southern city of Queenstown is synonymous with thrilling, blood-pumping adventure filled activities. From the bungee jumps, jet boats, canyon swings and a whole lot more, there’s a reason this town has earned the label of ‘Adventure Capital of the World’. However, don’t let this moniker fool you into […]
As the much discussed Facebook-to-Meta transition rolls on, kernels of information continue to be revealed giving us a clearer picture of how the platform is going to look when it’s all said and done. While we know that Meta and its figurehead Mark Zuckerberg have their feet squarely planted in the realm of virtual and augmented reality, it remains to be seen how the company plans […]
Look, even if you’ve never been to Wellington in your entire life, at the very least you’ll likely associate the city with one or both of its two defining natural features; the wind and/or the hills. Yes, the country’s capital has so many other great things going for it, but in order to enjoy the city’s many pleasures the locals must learn to endure that darn wind and those hellish […]
When you wander into an ‘op shop’ or stroll through a flea market while out on a Sunday walk, chances are you’re probably not expecting to make a life-changing discovery. You might come across a few great finds; maybe a cool retro jacket or an interesting old piece of furniture worth taking home, but your expectation isn’t to come across something worth five, […]
Recently I’ve been seeing a concerted effort online to start brandishing the “Web 3.0” stick and waving it around at everything trending. We’ve been waiting for this day since we first settled on what Web 2.0 meant. So what is it, and should you care? Well, eventually you’re going to be interacting with it on […]
Hacker Geoffrey Huntley made waves in the tech world recently when he released The NFT Bay, a gigantic art project/trolling of the NFT community in the style and trappings of the Pirate Bay with blessedly less porn popups. Essentially the project has scraped 15 terabytes of ostensibly NFT images and collected them all in one […]
Have you considered this employee benefit for your business? Finding and retaining great staff: As any business owner will attest, it is perhaps one of the most – if not the most – important aspects of running a successful venture. But as with all important things, it certainly can be challenging. Particularly in a tight […]
When it comes to riling up people on the internet nowadays, Elon Musk clearly reigns supreme as the world’s most polarising poster. The Tesla CEO and intermittent world’s richest man has taken over the mantle from the banished former President Trump and the calmed entertainer Kanye West as Twitter’s most conspicuous user. While much of Musk’s Twitter output is either sharply satirical or just downright silly, when he […]
One of the trickiest areas for parents nowadays is deciding when it’s the right time to put one of those mind-controlling devices we call a cell phone into their kid’s hands. Is 10 years old too young? Probably, but chances are their ‘cool’ friend has one already and if everyone else is doing it, what’s the worst that could happen, right? But if that wasn’t enough, the conundrum seems as though it […]
According to a new release from Luxury Car manufacturer Rolls-Royce, they have just brought the world its fastest all-electric aircraft. Dubbed The Spirit of Innovation, the aircraft hit 555.9km/h, over 213.04 km/h faster than the previous record. The previous record was set back in 2017 by the Siemens eAircraft powered Extra 330 LE Aerobatic aircraft. […]
You spend a third of your life sleeping. This is a fact used to justify you spending ridiculous amounts of money on mattresses that don’t wobble you awake when you partner is rolling around. Well, you spend almost your entire life with teeth in your head, so maybe you should consider spending two thirds more […]
The Festive Season offers some of the most anticipated cooking moments of the year, and Le Creuset is proud to be at the centre of many Christmas traditions. This timeless and iconic cookware will elevate any dish you want to create for your family and friends. If you’re looking for quality cookware, look for the […]
You need good tools on hand to make good food. We’ve highlighted a lot of premium kitchenware recently, from pots and cutlery to coffee makers. To top off the collection we want to highlight Kenwood’s MultiPro Express Weigh+, which is an entire toolkit in its own right. Save yourself the hassle of needing a pair […]
If you’re looking for a coffee machine that’s as flexible as your taste buds, then the Nespresso Vertuo Next should be a top consideration. If you feel like sharing a pour-over style coffee with family in the morning, a double shot Flat White after lunch and a Long Black this afternoon, Vertuo Next has you […]
My favourite thing about the LG A9T Ultra All-In-One Tower Handstick Vacuum Cleaner isn’t how long its name is, it’s the short work it makes of cleaning up the house. This thing as an absolute beast of a vacuum. It’s cordless, meaning you aren’t going to doing any extra vacuuming for all the side tables […]
Get on the hype train losers, we’re going shopping for NFT’s. Is it a bubble? Most certainly it is. Will a bunch of suckers be left carrying the bag? Absolutely! Do we want to miss out? Well according to my boss, I have to write this so let’s have a look at the hottest NFT […]
There’s nothing sexier than clothes that will outlive you. Vollebak’s Mars Jacket fits perfectly into that category, with everything about it being form following function. It’s made out of five layers of aluminised Mylar, with a surface layer of Teflon, Kevlar and Nomex. The outer shell has ballistic nylon used in flak jackets, making it […]
Hot off the back of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, newly forged star Simu Liu has treated himself to a new home in Los Angeles. Bought in the unpretentiously named Mount Olympus neighbourhood, the $5 million mansion spans around 4,700 square feet and comes with five bedrooms and six bathrooms, in case […]
The last few years, both at home and abroad, have been rife with democratic controversies that have had the world up in arms. After all, I think we’re all still recovering from the tireless, headache-inducing news cycle from the US Presidential election last year. However, all others pale in comparison to the stunning reverberations that went […]
2021 has been a complicated year for a lot of sectors, but one industry that has undeniably seen massive progress is the aerospace industry. I’m not sure exactly how many groundbreaking launch stories we’ve covered here over the past 12 months, but it seems every week we get a new piece of news regarding another major success or development in the aerospace world. This week […]
The fashion industry has long been known for perpetuating ideal body image myths on the catwalks, then following up by profiting off the insecurities they created. The winners of course are the big name fashion and underwear brands. What this leads to is a raft of self-confidence issues – and not just for women, but […]
At the beginning of the year, Beeple made headlines around the world for selling a digital artwork for $69 Million. That $69 million was spent by a crypto investor who has ties to NFTs and crypto platforms of his own. You couldn’t get better advertising if you spent that money on billboards and TV commercials. […]
As you’ve probably noticed if you’re a regular follower, here at M2 we simply can’t resist a random brand crossover, from the predictably cool (such as Ray Bans collaboration with Facebook on smart glasses) to the wonderfully weird (TAG Heuer’s bizarre Super Mario watch link up). It’s fitting that, in the era dominated by Marvel […]
Motor-racing is a fascinating industry, as it is not only a ground for incredible feat of sporting achievements, but a ground ripe for awesome feats of innovation in engineering. One only needs to pay notice to the ways Formula One cars have evolved over the years to understand the seemingly limitless possibilities that the motor-racing industry offers forward-thinking engineers. Of course, to this point, one […]
For as long as we have been conscious of the effects of petrol emissions have on our environment, gas guzzling pick up trucks have been squarely in the cross hairs of environmentalists looking to see changes implemented. As a result, EV manufacturers have been doing their part to change the narrative and make sure the beloved model survives the ongoing transition from gas […]
A wise man once said, “A man in possession of a pair of pants must be in want of a belt”. While we cannot confirm the identity of this man or follow up for further comment, his words are undoubtedly true; a great pair of pants without an equally great belt is a piece incomplete. […]
Words by Senior Fire Fighter Josh Darby, First Responders While many firefighters are motivated to join the service for noble reasons, such as a desire to serve their communities, my motivation was quite different – I wanted to get out of school! At 16 years of age, the local volunteer fire brigade, situated on a […]
If there’s one thing we’ve learned about modern tech companies in the last few years, it’s that they aren’t satisfied doing just one thing. The neverending carousel of major players copycatting each other in a desperate effort to seize control over our dollars and attention spans keeps on spinning and shooting out products that look suspiciously like ones we’ve seen before or are already using. It’s not […]
Full time Internet Troll, meme connoisseur, and billionaire Elon Musk took to Twitter this week to pick the hive minds brain about whether he should sell some Tesla stock to pay his taxes. “Much is made lately of unrealized gains being a means of tax avoidance, so I propose selling 10% of my Tesla stock. […]
Premium audio specialists B&O have created a true work of art, befitting anyone who enjoys both good music and good vibes. It’s so retro cool you’ll be painting your lounge orange and browns and dusting off your bell bottoms. What we have here is the Beosystem 72-22. The 72 denotes the release date of the […]
Harking all the way back to the rugged prehistoric Stone Age, as a way to prevent cavemen from catching the ol’ bojangles on bushes or pesky branches whilst off hunting wooly mammoths, the modest (and very practical) underwear has and will always be one of humankind’s earliest and greatest inventions. Like most pioneering miracles, the […]
We’ve compiled our top pick’s for the dad, brother, friend or other man in your life. Here is the M2 2021 Christmas Gift Guide. Montblanc Explorer Ultra Blue When you give a gift, remember first impressions count. In that regard, the Montblanc Explorer Ultra Blue comes out the gates swinging with its bottle assembled by […]
Four times Extreme Kayaking World Champion and Rotorua local, Sam Sutton, describes the lessons that have come from going past the point of no return in kayaking, the relevance for life in general and seizing opportunities with full commitment. True to this, Sam seems to be living multiple lives. While not much past 30, he […]
Port Is In, By that, we mean Port is in everything you’re going to be drinking and gifting these holidays. These last two years have been one long sameness, and everybody is looking for a change. A change of scene, a change of job (so many of my friends are in new gigs now, in […]
Keeping up with phone trends can at times feel like an impossible task. Few industries move on faster than the smartphone industry, with the constant evolutions in hardware and software features proving tricky for the casual consumer to track. The latest emerging trend is one that might look familiar to a lot of readers, as it is not dissimilar to an iconic bygone trend which […]
