This might be a little bit random as we aren’t exactly a bastion of political opinion (to be honest, you can fill your boots in a few minutes via your social media platform or newspaper of choice, so we tend to leave it to the professionals), but I would like to take this opportunity to […]
Charlie Hunnam is your go-to guy when you want someone who looks like they can survive in forests for months at a time. Case in point his role in the film True History of the Kelly Gang, showing at the upcoming New Zealand International Film Festival 24-25th July. Tickets available from nziff.co.nz
Sharks In The Time of Saviours By Kawai Strong Washburn One of the pleasures of doing the M2 Book Reviews is the interesting books that arrive for me to review. There are so many talented authors with great ideas and writing styles, that really take you on an adventure or escape from your daily routine. […]
Tales of the Wild Wild West has been a common staple genre in traditional cinema for decades. That lone ranger, hat askew, cooly chewing tobacco, a rifle cocked and ready to shoot and riding through a deserted town. A very cinematic image conjuring names like Hollywood legend John Wayne or outlaw Billy the Kid. All […]
A successful Kickstarter means that very soon people will be spritzing the acrid smell of outer space on themselves before heading out for a night on the town, thanks to the team at Eau de Space in San Francisco. The smell of space has been used for years now in astronaut training, but now any […]
Exposing New Heights Photo credit: NASA/Bill Ingallsl A false colour infrared exposure shows the SpaceX Flacon 9 rocket carrying its Crew Dragon spacecraft, with astronauts, Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley on board on 30 May, 2020. The flight is the first launch as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and demostrates SpaceX’s crew transportation system. […]
Tenet July 30th Ready for more Christopher Nolan mind bender faff? Tenet is for you. It’s a thriller espionage film where BlacKkKlansman’s John David Washington must deal with time shenanigans that are threatening to kick off World War III. But not time travel in a way you’ve ever seen it before. Nolan is doing his […]
What are the top three things on your bucket list? In no real order, it would be driving across Europe in something old and exotic; wholeheartedly embrace another culture (language, food, customs – the whole nine yards) and do Ed proud and give Everest a bash (a mix of the irresistible metaphor of conquering all […]
If you didn’t need money, what would you do? I’d help to solve some of the environmental problems we face thanks largely to consumerism – pollution & climate change, single use plastics, and I’d focus on circular economy development. I’m lucky enough that, aside from lobbying efforts in these spaces, I’m a founding Trustee of […]
What advice would you give your 20 year-old self? Back yourself and start sooner, you are going to anyway. How do you stay motivated? Working on projects that are meaningful. Removing tasks / work / people that drain energy. Also, setting big purposeful goals. If you didn’t need money, what would you do? To be […]
Much has been written about Rob Campbell’s business journey; a former trade unionist who rose to become one of New Zealand’s leading professional directors, and his current work as chairman of the board for NZX-listed companies SKYCITY, Tourism Holdings, Summerset Group and Wel Networks. You can also add to that his years of experience in […]
Sneakerheads need to be wary when getting a new pair of kicks, there’s an entire cottage industry out there willing and ready to scam you out of a couple grand with a fake pair of Yeezys. Fortunately, like with all things, there’s an app for that. CheckCheck is available on Google Play and the Apple […]
Loake At This Let your dad know he needs to clean up his act with this classy Loake Valet Box straight from Sergios located in Christchurch and Queenstown. The box contains: Cleaning Cloth, Shoe horn , Leather protector, Suede cleaner, Small applicator brushes, Large Polishing Brushes Wax Polished: Black, Dark brown, Mid Brown, Tan, Neutral […]
Started in 1963, Lamborghini has since been a fixture in the luxury car world. The lesser known branch of the stylish brand is its selection of super cool luxury yachts. Two months ago, Lamborghini and The Italian Sea Group released a new super cool-looking limited edition super yacht in reference to Lamborghini’s 1963 foundation. Just […]
Lots of things have happened over 2020 but amongst everything, the motor racing world lost one of its greats when Sir Stirling Moss, the British motor-racing ace, died on 12 April at the age of 90. Known as the “king without a crown,” Moss, recorded 16 victories in 66 starts in Formula 1 Grand Prix […]
Spare a thought for the designers of the all new Land Rover which arrives in New Zealand about now. Few models of vehicle have carved out such an iconic silhouette in their lifetime. Fewer still have become a symbolism for exploration and adventure over the last several decades. So there’s a lot at stake when […]
Feel Well To Live Well Health and wellbeing are two integral components to a happy life. Sometimes, though, we feel sluggish and unmotivated. We sometimes need motivation and a nudge in the right direction to get back on the right track with our health. Happening both at the end of August on Auckland’s North Shore […]
“Each time someone told me it was a silly idea I think I got more determined to try and prove them wrong.” – Tim Brown, Founder and co-CEO of Allbirds “Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough” – Elon Musk,Co-founder and CEO of Tesla Always strive to […]
A disintegrating poster in the kitchen, a lacklustre email from the CEO, powerpoints that have seen better days. More often than not, employee engagement is viewed purely as a box that needs to be ticked, with in-house communication that is repeatedly stale, uninspiring and ignored. An Overlooked Audience It doesn’t have to be this way. […]
The last couple of months have been a testing time for almost everybody in every industry and in every sector, but there has been a particular spotlight on leaders through this time. At a time when there is so much uncertainty around health and economic concerns, our leaders have had to carry an extraordinary weight […]
Ernest Hemingway and President Kennedy’s favourite tipple, the Daiquiri enjoyed great popularity during the early part of the 20th century. The cocktail itself was developed during the Spanish-American War of 1898 largely due to Americans’ increased exposure to the rums of Cuba, until then under Spanish rule. The drink grew in popularity under Roosevelt’s presidency […]
Where there are conspiracy theories there is money to be made, so it was only a matter of time until people who don’t understand how 5G works would get sold this perfectly normal 128mb USB stick as a 5G BIOSHIELD valued by its sellers to be worth NZ$545. Simply plug it in to your PC […]
The No Mess Cable Cables aren’t the sexiest part of the tech world. There’s always been the promise and the dream of “no-tangle” cables that don’t rely on you being on the ball all of the time, and perhaps this Kickstarter for SuperCalla – Charging & Data Cables Redesigned could be that prayer answered. Contained […]
Is there such a thing as the perfect site? That depends on how you look at it. While many believe a roomy, flat section is the ultimate find, Box™ designers would argue that having challenges to face actually gives them some interesting parameters to work with. Under pressure, we find the diamond. At the start […]
As Clint Eastwood would say; “There are two kinds of people in the world, my friend; those that give up when faced with adversity, and those who do not.” Australian Paul de Gelder is definitely one who refuses to give up. Absolutely. 100%. No. Way. Ever! How do we know? Well, not only did he […]
Bullet trains have become a symbol of Japan’s innovation and economic strength over the last few decades so in the midst of global economic uncertainty they have come out strong and fast with a brand-new bullet train that has entered service operating on the Tokaido Shinkansen line between Tokyo Station and Shin-Osaka Station in Osaka. […]
Product design is one of those glamorous jobs that absolutely everybody in design wants to get into. They dream of making a drink bottle that fits perfectly in your hand or an electric jug that boils water and looks so awesome you’d bring people home just to show them your kitchen appliances. I even was […]
It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents—except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against […]
There are many unusual vocations out there, for example; Lion Tamer, Car Battery Smasher (yes, you do get to use a sledgehammer), Children’s Party Face Painter and Fragrance Chemist. Now, none of the above jobs tempt me much – except perhaps for Battery Smashing after a particularly tedious commute – but one I would seriously […]
The world has changed a lot in the last half century, but some things are just timeless classic icons. The Aston Martin DB5 is a fine example and you will be pleased to know that it is back from the history books. Fewer than 900 saloon examples were built between 1963 and 1965, but because […]
“Wanna come do some weight training?” If you’ve been asked this question by a friend or work colleague and have quickly made up some lame excuse to dodge it – don’t feel bad, you’re not alone! Many people hear those very syllables and run directly for the hills. The thing is; weight training isn’t necessarily […]
Throughout history, the fox has been one of the superstars of folklore. You can’t casually pick up a volume of fables without reading of the latest Reynardian outrage – usually relating to the poultry shed and always involving cunning and/or sneakiness. Yet, as a Kiwi, I always had to rely on the illustrations that usually […]
Ask anyone to name the most famous ten buildings in the world and dollars will get you donuts that at least half will name the Sagrada Familia, especially if they are fans of great design. Once complete it will be one of the largest churches in the world at 90m x 45m but it is […]
He spends his day taking photos of sunrises and sunsets. Yep, I suppose someone’s gotta do it! His life is full of the unknown. He never knows where he’ll be the next day – on the other side of town, on the other side of New Zealand, or on the other side of the world […]
I doubt anyone will argue this point: those four or so long weeks of Lockdown Level 4 were hard slog for us all. Being stuck inside with no visitation rights for the corner pub, a mate’s house or even the local beach was, shall we say; “not ideal”. Anyway, pacing about angrily like a wild […]
At just 32, Tom Abercrombie is like a seasoned veteran of the world of basketball. After his success at Westlake Boys High School saw him selected as the NZ Academy of Sport High Performance Player two years running, he moved to the USA to Washington State University in 2006. Tom then moved back to New […]
When it comes to building in city-fringe suburbs where villas and bungalows predominate, protecting Auckland’s architectural heritage is important. But that doesn’t mean slavishly copying the design ideas of the past. Showing respect is a given, but equally vital is to create good-looking homes that key into the wider neighbourhood without compromising lifestyle. When zoning […]
M2 recently took a few men in need of a haircut to Barbershop Co. to see what they could do after lockdown. This haircut was done by resident barber Tomi who gave our man Jonathan a messy high volume top with an undercut and skin fade, along with a bit of a beard trim to […]
For the upcoming issue of M2, we took a couple of our guys to BarberShopCo. to see what they could do. All our people came out looking top notch and even better than they started, which is always what you want happening after a visit to the barber. We quizzed the team at BarberShop Co. […]
Every man is an island the saying goes. In Copenhagen, a system of eco-friendly interlocked floating islands will soon be popping up to provide a new space for the public to socialise at. Named The Copenhagen Islands, the new space will be free and open to the public. Designed by Marshall Blecher and Studio Fokstrot, […]
In a galaxy far, far away, the stars are going origami. Danish architecture firm, SAGA, has created an egg-shaped habitat made completely of folded-paper. The architects behind this elaborate design, Sebastian Aristotelis and Karl-Johan Sorenson both created this lightweight structure to hybridize an earthly aspect to it. Still very much a concept, the habitat will […]
Over the last month, we’ve been told by the government to stay inside. To isolate ourselves from the outside world as we witness our lives changing as we know it. After the isolation, we emerged from our houses, blinded by the bright sun, our skin pale and wrinkled. Imagine though if you spent your isolation […]
Before Covid-19 took over the world, at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show, the announcement of the new Lexus LF-30 concept really got everyone’s attention. The announcement excited the eager fans as it showcased the way the future of Lexus will be completely electronic. Also its gullwing doors are, by far, the coolest feature of this […]
It doesn’t matter how fast you go, how well you stick to the track, how hard you train. You can’t outrace a global lockdown due to a pandemic. No field has been left untouched, events that would normally draw thousands have suddenly been left in limbo as the world gets its act together. F1 is […]
Founders can get caught up in finding the perfect name for their business, and spend months going in circles debating which name they’ll permanently brand their business with. Much like a tattoo, it pays to give it a bit of thought first. It’s essentially permanent, and changing it requires a tonne of effort and backpedalling. […]
At the time of writing this, we are in week four of isolation and with no idea as to what shape we will be in when this crisis is over. As a food and hospitality business coach and consultant, I know we are in for a tough time as we navigate our way through the […]
The Japanese automotive manufacturer, Toyota, have been a staple name for many a car dealership for years. At the CES in Vegas this year, in collaboration with Danish architecture firm, Bjarke Ingels Group, Toyota announced their next big concept project. To build an urban city powered completely on hydrogen fuel cells. Set to start building […]
One of M2’s favourite menswear labels is about to drop a brand new collection later this year in collaboration with Fear of God, a prominent LA brand. You may already be familiar with Ermenegildo Zegna’s 110 years of tailoring expertise. But for those that need an introduction to Fear of God, the label was conceived […]
