I’ve got nothing booked this weekend and it’s been a long time since I’ve been to the South Island of New Zealand. Nothing like a spot of last minute travel! I’ve always fancied a motorhome trip so I book a rather large one all for myself. Saturday The pick-up point is near Christchurch Airport, that’s […]
Before the Oscars kick off the who’s who in Hollywood converge on the Hollywood Hotel’s Polo Lounge for the Annual Pre-Oscar dinner hosted by Chanel and Charles Finch. The crowd is star studded, as well as diamond studded thanks to the drip provided by Chanel. Chanel’s love affair with the stars stretches right back to […]
The world sits on the precipice of the largest cost of living crisis our generation has ever seen. On the very edge of this cliff is a gorgeous Hermes Faubourg Birkin bag and it’s just sold for $320,000 at an auction at Christie’s. It’s not even noteworthy. The year before a Hermes Faubourg Birkin broke […]
Recently I went to the Central Otago region for a new vehicle launch and a couple of my colleagues were very excited – and not just about driving the new car: ‘Oo, when we get some time off we should go and try some of the local Pinot Noir!’ Of course, I thought that was […]
There are only two questions you need to ask yourself before you go to Central Otago; why am I not there already? And where am I going to stay? The first question is completely valid as Central Otago is fast becoming the go to destination in New Zealand for any kind of holiday but especially […]
What’s in a name? Well, considering many of our given or nicknames, they may seem pretty ordinary and, dare I say it, arbitrary. But there is much more to names than we give them credit for. Even ‘Davo’ from down at the pub has not just got a name, he’s got a great name as […]
So, you’re heading to Central Otago for the wine but don’t want to spend your entire time parked at the restaurant table sipping pinot? Then you’re in luck as the region has a lot to offer, particularly if you’re a rugged outdoorsy type. There is a wide variety of things to do and places to […]
Most people who enjoy kicking back with a glass of pinot on the deck on a sunny afternoon with good company and tasty snacks on hand will rarely wonder what it took to make that beautiful bottle of wine. While a few may have some idea of the technical processes, not many will realise there […]
Becoming a Master Sommelier is an intense and exacting process that very few people achieve. Cameron Douglas is New Zealand’s first and only Master Sommelier, a dedicated professional wine and beverage expert. Cameron is well known and respected both here in Aotearoa and abroad. He has judged and presented in the UK, USA, Oceania and […]
Winemaking has been around for a very long time, as evidence has been discovered that it was being made in the Middle East about 8,000 years ago. That makes it one of the oldest skills we as humans have developed and, amazingly, it has changed little over all that time. Other ancient arts like construction […]
Creating an award winning product that goes out to the world is hard enough when you can control all of the elements, but winemaking is a world full of variables. Waitiri Creek Winemaker, Pip Battley has built a career crafting these uncertainties into critically-recognised successes. Pip’s work has taken her from Martinborough and Central Otago […]
When it comes to the culinary arts, Otago is most synonymous with its vast collection of vineyards, which produce some of not just the nation’s, but the world’s most celebrated wines. But we all know that a great glass of wine is at its best when accompanied by an equally exceptional plate of food, and […]
If you are like me, a ‘library’ is a place where you cooled your heels after school until your parent(s) had finished work and could come and pick you up. I remember the library I used to wait in was full of these things called ‘books’ that were like movies but without the moving pictures. […]
Queenstown remains one of the country’s most beloved domestic holiday spots and is great to visit any time of year. If you’re making the journey down to the southern paradise in the near future, here’s five terrific ways to fill in the days. HIKING Many will know that Queenstown is renowned for its sensational […]
It’s said that a business is always a reflection of its leadership. So, a CEO who has been given no mandate to grow his or her business from the shareholders will always cultivate a culture of conservatism within the company. On the other hand, a CEO who has been given a free hand is far […]
