on magazine issue 11, autumn 2014

free
What’s On Wanaka & Beyond
Issue 11, Autumn 2014
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y
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VINTAGE WARBIRDS
BOTTLE ROCKETS
ODE TO ORANGE
ROCK HOPPER
PAR AVION
contents
Issue 11, Autumn 2014
THE
WHITE HOUSE
4 concept
18 what’s on
32 opinion
6 aviation
23 directions
33 little ones
Gig guide & events
Ode to Orange
Warbirds to Watch For
Wanaka & Hawea map
8 par avion
Wanaka band Rock Hopper
24 on the beat
Paris, On T’aime
26 on the scene
10 on location
Romance in Wanaka
Fixed Wings - local
business Twenty24
28 on track
Unspoked - young riders
12 fashion
30 on foot
Flight 443
17 on/off
What’s cool,
what’s not
Coming Home
Bottle Rockets
34 degustation
Whare Kea Chefs
35 on the page
Book review: The
Mouseproof Kitchen
36 on screen
Pisa Range Walk
Music movies to
mong out to Part 2
31 on the water
38 inspiration
The Matukituki River
Poetry by Ali Jacs
The contents of On Magazine are copyright and may not be reproduced in
any form without written permission. Printed on FSC paper by Craigs Ltd.
To advertise with On Magazine contact us on:
022 0188 314 or (03) 443 4629, advertise@onmag.co.nz
www.onmag.co.nz. Follow us on Facebook & Twitter.
COVER: Martin Cedes & Chevy Libaude @ Classic Flights, Wanaka. Image by Bridget Hall
Wanaka’s Iconic Art Deco Café and Bar
Mediterranean cuisine and a stunning Central Otago wine list
Open: Tuesday to Sunday, 5.30pm til late
33 Dunmore St, Wanaka
Ph: 443 9595
concept
Orange is the colour of autumn. Right now every deciduous leaf in
the region is moving through the orange spectrum, and watching the change
is pretty uplifting. That’s because orange is a warm mellow glow that has its
own specific wavelength. This means it produces the colour when light reflects a
transparent surface. Orange is often interpreted as a colour of joy and enthusiasm. It’s
also a spiritual colour. That’s why the Hare Krishnas wear saffron robes. Orange is the
hue of happiness. It’s the colour of beginnings and endings: sunrises and sunsets. It’s
the colour of tangy childhood tastebud teasers like Raro, Frujus and wedges of orange
at half-time. The feelings that are experienced when the colour orange is observed
are happiness, encouragement and freshness. Full of energy, this vibrant and friendly
colour is said to increase the supply of oxygen to the brain, stimulating activity in it.
So go cop a load of those fiery poplars by the lake. The view is bound to make you
feel energised and inspired. That’s also the aim of our little zine. We hope you like
this issue, in which we celebrate another year for Warbirds Over Wanaka and all the
aircraft of Autumn. Welcome to Flight 443.
Shanti, shanti, shanti. Peace.
ANNABEL WILSON
MAGAZINE
Editor
Annabel Wilson
Deputy Editor
Laura Williamson
Design
Bridget Hall
Advertising
Prairie Pritchett
annabel@onmag.co.nz
laura@onmag.co.nz
bridget@onmag.co.nz
advertise@onmag.co.nz
Contributing Writers
Miek Deuninck
Rebecca Williamson
Ali Jacs
Contributing Photographers
Martin Cedes, Chris Riley
Contributing Illustrator
India Hughes
Online
On Magazine is supported by
Micimage Design &
Martin Cedes Photography
4
MAGAZINE.
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aviation
GRUMMAN AVENGER TBM-3E
WARBIRDS TO WATCH FOR
LAURA WILLIAMSON singles out a few of the more badass aircraft coming our way
for this year’s Warbirds Over Wanaka.
CURTISS P-40 KITTYHAWK
The RNZAF flew 297 of these beauties in
the Pacific during WWII, and they were
responsible for downing 99 enemy aircraft.
Math isn’t my strong suit, but by my
calculations that’s an epic kill rate. When
the No 112 Squadron of the Royal Airforce
used the P-40s in North Africa, they were
the first allied unit to paint the “Shark
Mouth” on the nose of their aircraft. It was
really scary.
YAKOVLEV YAK 3-M
Apparently, when the Yak 3 was introduced
in 1944, it shocked the pants off German
fighter pilots, who had been used to
dominating the badly-trained and poorlyequipped Russians. The new Yaks were one
of WWII’s smallest and lightest fighters, and
their manoeuvrability was unmatched—as
many as 15 enemy planes were shot down
for each Yak lost, earning the plane the
nickname “Dogfighter Supreme.”
This excellently-named bad boy first
saw action at the Battle of Midway in the
Pacific theatre in 1942. Torpedo bombers
can attack their adversaries with both
torpedos and bombs. Avengers were
credited with 30 submarine kills in WWII,
including the I-52 cargo ship, nicknamed
Japan’s “Golden Submarine” because she
was carrying a secret shipment of gold
bound for Germany. Cool, huh? Pub trivia
fact: Future American President George
HW Bush was an Avenger pilot.
GRUMMAN AVENGER TBM-3E
IROQUOIS
The Iroquois, also known as the Huey, has
been flying since 1956 and the RNZAF still
uses them. Over the years it’s become
a downright iconic helicopter, and I get
shivers every time I see one of these mofos fly. Remember the Ride of the Valkyries
scene in Apocalypse Now? Those were
Hueys. Awesome, obviously.
YAKOVLEV YAK 3-M
A nod to Ben Thompson of www.badassoftheweek.
com who we’ve completely ripped off for this story.
Do check out his stuff. It’s brilliant.
6
CURTISS P-40 KITTYHAWK
MAGAZINE.
IROQUOIS
MAGAZINE. 7
par avion
“If you escaped what I escaped, you’d be
in Paris getting f***ed up too!”
– Kanye West and Jay Z
PARIS, ON T’AIME
If you could fly away tomorrow, where would you go? It’s a bit of a cliché, but for
me, the answer is always the same: Paris. It’s got everything a city should have,
great food (oh God, the food), music, art, multiculturalism, girls in frocks on bikes,
wine, literature, history, parks (big parks, with sculptures), gothic architecture,
gypsies on the Metro, a bloody big river running right down the middle, and did
I mention the food? In fact, it’s so excellent it can be a bit overwhelming. And
expensive. Not to worry though, years of working in print media have not only
taught us the difference between an apostrophe and a gerund, we’ve learned how
to have fun on the cheap. Here’s a few ways to do it in Paris.
RIDE A VELIB BIKE
The Parisian bike share programme is
the third-largest in the world, with about
14000 bicycles in circulation. It works like
this: you saunter up to a Vélib station, pay
less than two Euros and spend the rest of
the day pedalling around Paris like Chris
Froome doing Tour de France victory laps.
The trick is to swap bikes every half hour
- rides of less than 30 minutes don’t incur
additional charges. The glitches (broken
spokes, dodgy brakes and the fact that the
residential neighbourhoods have an early
morning exothermic relationship with Vélib
bikes; they all disappear into the central city
by 8am) make it all the more enjoyable.
VISIT CIMETIERE PERE LACHAISE
Worth a look for its creepy tombs and
art deco monuments, this is where Jim
Morrison is buried (expect to see at least
one inebriated fan swaying next to the grave,
pouring his last beer reverentially over the
deceased), not to mention Edith Piaf, Oscar
Wilde and the painter Modigliani, who’s
partner is buried with him. She threw herself
out of a five-story window not long after he
died, which is really tragic, but just the sort
of thing you go to a cemetery to think about.
8
MAGAZINE.
loudspeakers is so high, you can hear most
of it from the riverbank (though sometimes
it’s in German). A stroll along the river’s
thedral Left Bank takes you past the Eiffel Tower,
Ca
e
am
-D
Napolean’s tomb at the Les Invalides, the
on Notre
A gargoyle
Pont des Arts “Love Lock” bridge where you
queues in the high season are very long, but can leave a padlock for your sweetie, used
who cares, because you don’t need to go book stalls selling French vintage Asterix
inside to see the coolest part: the gargoyles. comics, and the bohemian Latin Quarter,
Gargoyles rule.
once home to Voltaire, Ernest Hemingway,
George Orwell and science hero Marie Curie.
WALK ALONG THE LEFT BANK
You can take a tour of the Seine by boat,
but this costs a bit, and you can view the
same sites on foot. Even better, the volume
of the live commentary on the tour boat
Vélib Bikes are so chic
Love Lock bridge
“A walk about Paris will provide lessons in
history, beauty, and in the point of life”
– Thomas Jefferson
EAT
SEE NOTRE-DAME CATHEDRAL
A fine example of French Gothic architecture,
Notre-Dame Cathedral is a masterpiece,
magnificent in both its scale (the interior is
130 metres long and 35 metres high) and
its detail. The architects purposely worked
asymmetrical imperfections into the design,
such as differently-shaped entrances. The
Stroll the left bank pas
t the
Eiffel Tower
Eating out in Paris is expensive, but no
matter. This is France, where even the
crappy food tastes ridiculously good.
Load up on the filled baguettes at the
neighbourhood patisseries—they’re huge
and will last you two meals--and hit the
supermarket. The first time I saw the
cheese aisle at a Parisian Monoprix I cried,
overwhelmed as I was by the bounty spread
before me. Fromage. Paris. Ah oui.
LAURA WILLIAMSON
MAGAZINE. 9
on location
FIXED WINGS
LAURA WILLIAMSON talks sheet metal and slip rollers with Twenty24 Ltd.
We love meeting locals who make a living following their passion. For Trish
Wrigley and Callum Smith of Twenty24, this involves working on very old
aeroplanes, not to mention owning a hangar! I had a word with Callum to find
out more about what they do, and why they do it.
Can you explain a bit about your work?
I’m a licensed aircraft engineer and director
of Twenty24. We repair, restore and maintain
aircraft. We specialise in vintage and warbird
restoration, but we have spread our wings
as far as microlites, racecar parts and shop
fittings; we have specialised tools to shape
sheet metal the old school way and the result
is quite beautiful and classic.
Where does the name Twenty24 come
from?
2024 is a grade of aircraft aluminium
commonly used in aircraft construction.
Did you come to Wanaka for the vintage
aircraft?
It’s one of the spots to be if you're into
historic aircraft. We arrived nine years ago
when I had an opportunity to move here and
maintain a couple of P40 Kittyhawks and
other warbirds.
What's been you're favourite job so far?
I worked for a company that restored several
P-40 Kittyhawks, so I have a soft spot for
Kittyhawks, but the Russian LA9 fighter
was incredible, and finishing a 1936 Beech
Staggerwing is right up there - it oozes class
with its classic lines, leather interior and
walnut trim.
10
Groovy! Do you get to fly in some pretty
cool planes?
A couple of weeks ago I flew in an RAF
BE.2F (a WWI biplane) from Peter Jackson's
collection. It was built 100 years ago, but has
the original engine and lots of original parts.
MAGAZINE.
I can still taste the castor oil, which gets fired
out of the engine all over the gunner.
Will you have a role at Warbirds Over
Wanaka?
I’m on the airshow committee and I organise
the aircraft on the flightline, making sure
they have everything they need. Twenty24
also provide maintenance support to a large
portion of the warbirds at the show.
You have two young children, and we
reckon an airplane hangar is a dream
place to hang out if you're a little nipper.
Do your kids come to your “office”?
The kids are often at work and love messing
around flying the odd wrecked plane we
have in the hanger.
What on earth are these: English wheel,
wheeling jenny, slip rollers, planishing
hammer?
These are all sheet metal forming tools
we use to make parts; most have been
superseded by big computerised machines
these days, but for one-off hand made parts
there is still nothing better.
fashion
y
y
Martin wears: Huffer Spezial T, Wrangler Stomper moleskin,
RM Williams boots, helmet & jacket from Classic Flights.
12
MAGAZINE.
Martin wears: Rusty
Camino shirt, Rusty Hooked
Out beach pant, Modern
Amusement T.
Chev wears: Crayon
T, Rusty Cadet short,
Katherine Wilson Jimmy
boot. Le Specs sunnies.
Deerskin hat & driving
gloves from Robert
Wilson.
MAGAZINE.
13
Chev wears:
Federation Believe
dress, Chaos &
Harmony shoes.
Martin wears:
Bauhaus Camo
jacket, Le Specs
sunnies.
MAGAZINE.
14
for your graphic design project
call: 021 177 5922 email: bridget@onmag.co.nz
on/off
ON
OFF
Flights
Fights
Man beards
Mussel beards
Gelato scoops
Scoop neck tees
Macrame
Macaroni
Early bird passes
Passing out
Kumara
Couch potatoes
Bags for life
Plastic bags
DROP IN FOR A SPEIGHT’S AT
NEW ZEALAND’S MOST ICONIC HOTEL
Photography: Bridget Hall Models: Chevy Libaude and Martin Cedes
Make-up: Gena Bagley with M.A.C cosmetics Hair: Sarah Carlton
Fashion: Base, Wanaka Location: Classic Flights, Wanaka
16
MAGAZINE.
Crown Range Rd, Wanaka
Ph: 03 443 8153
www.cardronahotel.co.nz
what’s on
For regular gig and event updates or to submit your event:
check onmag.co.nz or follow us on Twitter (@onmagwanaka)
• R&R Sport 49km Team Adventure Run,
start at Fern Burn track
• National Finals Rodeo (March 8-9), Albert
Town Reserve
• Craig Adams and the Rustlers live, Bullock
Bar
SUNDAY 9 MARCH
• Jenn Shelton and No Reason live, Bullock
Bar
SATURDAY 15 MARCH
• Yardmen live, Bullock Bar
SUNDAY 16 MARCH
• Tin Flowers live, The Luggate Hotel
TUESDAY 18 MARCH
• In Flagrante contemporary cabaret, Lake
Wanaka Centre
On Magazine parties - every issue
MARCH
SATURDAY 1 MARCH
• On Magazine Jive ON Autumn release
party, Barluga, Post Office Lane
• Adam Page live, Masonic Lodge
• Rock Hopper live, Bullock Bar
SUNDAY 2 MARCH
• Cardrona Village Market, every Sunday,
Cardrona Valley
• Wanaka Sunday Craft Market, every
Sunday at Market Corner, Pembroke Park
• Sunday Sessions in The Snug, every
Sunday, Ruby’s Cinema
Multi-instrumentalist Adam Page
• Live music at The Creek from 7pm, every
Friday
• Motatapu R&R Sport Multisport, start
Matukituki River
• Craig Adams and the Rustlers live, Bullock
Bar
• Purple Cake Day!
SATURDAY 8 MARCH
• Motatapu Icebreaker Off-Road Marathon,
Glendhu Bay
• Motatapu Speight’s Summit 47km High
Country Mountain Bike, Glendhu Bay
• XTERRA Motatapu UDC Finance Triathlon,
Glendhu Bay
SATURDAY 22 MARCH
• Northburn 100 ultra-marathon, Northburn
Station, Cromwell
• Buzzy Bees live, Bullock Bar
MONDAY 24 MARCH
• Otago Anniversary Day
THURSDAY 27 MARCH
• Sir Peter Blake Memorial Trophy - Round
Ruby Island Race, Wanaka Yacht Club
SATURDAY 29 MARCH
• Mt Outdoor Southern Lakes Half Marathon
and 10k, Pembroke Park
• Hard Yards live, Bullock Bar
TUESDAY 4 MARCH
• Group mountain bike ride, 6pm every
Tuesday, RSVP 443 7882, Racers Edge Bike
THURSDAY 6 MARCH
• Wanaka Farmers’ Market, every Thursday
at Market Corner, Pembroke Park
FRIDAY 7 MARCH
• Upper Clutha A & P show, Wanaka
Showgrounds (March 7-8)
18
MAGAZINE.
Check out Craig Adams at the Bully
Visit the Sunday Market at Cardrona Village
Chris Riley, Eco Wanaka
The Clutha River in Autumn
APRIL
Craig Adams
TUESDAY 1 APRIL
• Group mountain bike ride, 6pm every
Tuesday, RSVP 443 7882, Racers Edge Bike
THURSDAY 3 APRIL
• Wanaka Farmers’ Market, every Thursday
at Market Corner, Pembroke Park
FRIDAY 4 APRIL
• Live music at The Creek from 7pm, every
Friday
SUNDAY 6 APRIL
• Cardrona Village Market, every Sunday,
Cardrona Valley
• Wanaka Sunday Craft Market, every
Sunday at Market Corner, Pembroke Park
Russian Yak 3 at Warbirds Over Wanaka
• Sunday Sessions in The Snug, every
Sunday, Ruby’s Cinema
• Buzzy Bees live, Bullock Bar
SATURDAY 12 APRIL
• Yardmen live, Bullock Bar
SUNDAY 13 APRIL
• Giant 2W Gravity Enduro, Cardrona Valley
FRIDAY 18 APRIL
• Warbirds Over Wanaka International
Airshow (April 18-20), Wanaka Airport
• Wanaka Arts Society Easter Exhibition
(April 18-21)
SATURDAY 26 APRIL
• Contact Epic, NZ’s Ultimate MTB
Challenge, Lake Hawea
• Hard Yards live, Bullock Bar
MONDAY 28 APRIL
• Wanaka Autumn Arts School (April 28-May
2), Mount Aspiring College
MAY
THURSDAY 1 MAY
• Wanaka Farmers’ Market, every Thursday,
Spencer House Mall
FRIDAY 2 MAY
• Live music at The Creek from 7pm, every
Friday
SATURDAY 3 MAY
• Yardmen live, Bullock Bar
SUNDAY 4 MAY
• Billy Connolly High Horse Tour,
Queenstown Events Centre
• Sunday Sessions in The Snug, every
Sunday, Ruby’s Cinema
directions
SUNDAY 1 JUNE
• Sunday Sessions in The Snug, every
Sunday, Ruby’s Cinema
THURSDAY 5 JUNE
• Wanaka Farmers’ Market, every
Thursday, Spencer House Mall
12
Wharf
FRIDAY 20 JUNE
• Cardrona Alpine Resort opening day
• American Express Queenstown Winter
Festival (June 20-29), Queenstown
11
TO TREBLE CONE
WEDNESDAY 25 JUNE
• Rock Apocalypse, MAC school musical,
Lake Wanaka Centre
5
1
THURSDAY 26 JUNE
• Treble Cone opening day
9
7
2
SATURDAY 10 MAY
• Buzzy Bees live, Bullock Bar
6
SATURDAY 17 MAY
• Hard Yards live, Bullock Bar
3
Photo: Bridget Hall
SATURDAY 24 MAY
• Buzzy Bees live, Bullock Bar
SATURDAY 31 MAY
• Yardmen live, Bullock Bar
4
8
10
Treble Cone from Dublin Bay
Come and try our
Irresistible Flavours
like you never tasted!
Open lunch and dinner
11am~2:30pm
5:30pm~9pm
34 Ardmore St. Wanaka
Ph (03) 443 1777
www.facebook.com/SHINABURO.wanaka
1
2
3
4
5
6
Amigos: Mexican Restaurant
Barluga: Bar
Cardrona Hotel: Bar/Restaurant/Accom
Emma for Beauty: Beauty Therapy
Relishes: Café/Restaurant
Sasanoki: Japanese Cuisine
7 Shinaburo: Korean Restaurant
8 Skydive Wanaka: Wanaka Airport
9 The White House: Café & Bar
10 Warbirds Over Wanaka: Wanaka Airport
11 Wanaka Kayaks: Kayak & SUP Rental
12 Island View Place: Luxury Accommodation
MAGAZINE. 23
on the beat
the HOPPERS
ROCKING with
LAURA WILLIAMSON talks linguistics, Duran Duran and religion with Wanaka’s
favourite live act.
Their first gig was less than two years ago
(“it was messy, very messy, but the band
was tight, real tight”), yet Rock Hopper have
alreay established themselves as a Wanaka
classic, famous for their rowdy shows and
eclectic repertoire of covers. Describing
their sound as “bohemian mix of toothless
stomp and redneck serenades”, they’re the
sort of band that makes you want to drink
Jim Beam, throw your bra onstage and get
into girl fights, which are all very good things
in a post-Bieber world. They say they love
their live and local gigs at the Bullock Bar
and the Hawea Hotel, but recent highlights
have been doing big shows like Wanakafest
24
MAGAZINE.
and New Year’s Eve at the lake. And hen
parties. They really like hen parties.
To find out what makes the band tick, we
caught up with Hoppers Sam Orbell (guitar,
bass, vocals, hen parties), Pete Stevenson
(the fiddle), Jeff Sinnott (hits things) and
Helen Carter (blows things) and hit them with
a few questions. To keep it interesting, we
thought we’d make them answer separately.
Turns out they have a lot in common, though
Jeff was the only one who got the Lemmy
question right.
What rhymes with Rock Hopper?
SO: Knock Shopper.
PS: Flock Cropper.
JS: Cock Flopper, Knock Shopper, you know
the drill.
HC: Sorry, nothing I can say in polite
company.
Who is the most attractive member of
your band?
SO: Seriously, you have to see us!! ‘SaxyMiss-H’ all the way!!
PS: Sam.
JS: Sammy, sweet Sammy oh Sammy I want
to have your children – oh hang on that’s bad
isn’t it.
HC: They are all pretty tasty, but Jeff’s the
best cook!
What’s your favourite song to play live?
SO: Definitely originals!!
PS: Our version of Planet Claire at Hen Parties!
JS: Our originals.
HC: Love playing our originals!
We think Duran’s Duran’s version of ‘911
is a Joke’ by Public Enemy is the worst
cover song of all time. What would be
your choice for worst cover ever?
SO: Every version of ‘Wagon Wheel’ ...
including ours!!
PS: If Susan Boyle sung ‘War Pigs’.
JS: Our version of ‘The Final Countdown.’ It
just sucks.
HC: Us playing ‘Blurred Lines’ by Robin
Thicke.
In a hand-to-hand combat situation, who
would win: Lemmy from Motorhead or
God?
SO: Buddha would kick his ass - Lemmy
would be too busy vomiting over his bass
amp!
PS: Da G-man.
JS: Lemmy IS God.
HC: I would pick a Celtic goddess of war - a
deity that could really kick some she-butt.
Lemmy and his sleazy, man-whore muttonchops wouldn’t stand a chance!
And for your at-home listening pleasure, On music columnist MAL has
prepared a ‘Flying Mix’ to go with our autumn issue, featuring Hans Zimmer,
Expendable Youth, Fat Freddy’s Drop, and field recordings of sparrows and a
tui chasing a blackbird. It’ll make you soar. Go to www.onmag.co.nz to listen
and download for free.
MAGAZINE. 25
Romance
i
IN WANAKA
Home is where the heart is – but Wanaka is the place that sends hearts aflutter.
Touted as one of the top 10 romantic destinations in the world by American book
‘Dream Destinations: 100 of the World’s Best Vacations’, it’s the perfect spot for a
little lovin’. But what to do on a first date or that milestone anniversary? We’ve got
the low-down on the area’s lovey-dovey highlights.
J’adore: No-one nails romance quite
A wine winner: Avoid the awkwardness
like the French. But if you can’t jet to Paris, of a first date with the help of a little booze
swing by Bistro Gentil. Ask for an Enomatic and a common conversation topic by wine
wine card and taste-test your way around tasting. Rippon is your go-to place.
the dangerously delectable wines from the
On track: Many a marriage proposal has
dispensing machines, then cosy up for a taken place on top of Mounts Iron and Roy –
magnifique meal.
so slip on some walking shoes and get those
Mile high: Get your hearts beating even pulses racing.
faster by taking a scenic flight in a nostalgic
Lakeside love: There’s nothing better
biplane. Classic Flights can whisk you and than tucking into fish and chips or a gourmet
your beloved to a secluded lakeside spot for picnic while taking in magic views. Keep
a picnic lunch. Bliss!
it simple and lull by the lake or chill by the
Pitch a tent: If all you need is love, then Clutha River in Albert Town.
you can’t go past back-to-basics camping.
Hollywood romance: Kick back on
Just pack a tent and sleeping bags to snuggle Cinema Paradiso’s comfy couches then split
up in – idyllic DOC camping areas are at a just-baked cookie at intermission.
Kidds Bush Reserve and Boundary Creek.
REBECCA WILLIAMSON
Classic Flights: Freedom of Romance package
26
MAGAZINE.
Bistro Gentil: Poulet Torchon dish
On top of Mt Iron
on the scene
g
n
i
v
o
l
d
an
l
ca
o
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War Birds over Wanaka
on track
UNSPOKED
how young wanaka rolls
Riding off-road is just the kind of good muddy fun youngsters should get into as
often as possible. Unspoked is making sure they do.
Unspoked is the junior division of local
mountain bike club Bike Wanaka. Focussing
on cross-country and trail riding, the group
aims to encourage and develop mountain
bikers between the ages of 11 and 16.
Unspoked got its start in October 2011
when ten local kids from Mount Aspiring
College joined together to take on the Dean’s
Bank 10-hour race. “They all had a real
blast and were smiling from ear to ear, and
I thought it would be great to get them out
mountain biking together on a regular basis.
I suggested this to them at the race and they
were all very keen, so the following Thursday
we started the weekly rides,” said Unspoked
orgainser Oliver Young.
28
MAGAZINE.
Sam Coupland
Oliver was joined by Scott Wright, who
had just relocated to Wanaka from the MTB
Mecca of Rotorua. He put together rides
and sorted out the groovy black and orange
Unspoked bike shirts for the kids to wear,
tops that are fast becoming legendary on the
trails of Wanaka.
The group runs regular fat tyre gettogethers for young people, usually every
Thursday. Oliver said Sticky Forest was a
Phoebe Young
favourite with the Unspoked kids, with the
biggest turnout to date being one ride when
38 young cyclists turned up. That’s a lot of
pedal power.
To get involved, youth from Year 7 through
13 need to first sign up to Bike Wanaka
(www.lakewanakacycling.ning.com) as paid
members - a junior costs $10. To find out
where and when rides are happening, they
can then join the Unspoked Facebook group
and get in touch with Oliver to let him know
they’re coming. All skill levels are welcome.
As for young Wanaka riders to watch,
Oliver said keep an eye out for Paul Wright.
“He has great downhill skills, and is fit and
strong on the uphills mixed with a self
determination to give it his best. A 3rd place
overall at the Big Easy this year showed his
emerging talent to the fullest.” He added
that Alex Young, Nick Toepfer, Luke Wright,
Sam Coupland, Joseph Wilson, Harrison
Brown and Phoebe Young (the only girl -
Campbell Russell
who’s going to join her?) have all been riding
regularly and improving. “I look forward to
see who can chase Paul down!,” Oliver said.
Unspoked is always on the lookout for
volunteers. Any adults keen on trying to keep
up with a great bunch of kids on wheels can
contact Oliver on oj@barkingcat.co.nz.
on foot
on the water
TAKE ME
TO THE RIVER
ANNABEL WILSON dives into one of her favourite local stretches of water – the
mighty Matukituki.
Fancy a challenging day trip? Try this classic walk along the spine of the
mighty Pisas.
Photo: Laura Williamson
You’ll need two vehicles for this one,
lots of food, clothes for all weather (even
in summer), a topo map and plenty to
drink. It’s a one- to two-day mission, but
well worth the effort.
Leave one car at the Tuohys Gully
carpark near the base of the Snow Farm
road and head to the top of the Crown
Range in the second one. Park at the
carpark at the Crown Saddle—you’ll
see a DOC sign marking the start of the
track, which zig zags steeply upwards.
Get used to it. There are a lot of ups and
downs to come as the trail follows the
ridgelines of the gorgeous Pisa Range.
It’s about 1.5 hours to Rock Peak,
where you could turn around and head
back to your car, but why stop there?
The views from the track are Central
Pisa Range
30
MAGAZINE.
Otago at its best: tussocks, hebes, schist,
ghostly rock towers and Spaniards with
their spectacularly tall flowerheads.
You’ll look down on the Cromwell Basin
on one side and the Crown Range on the
other, and feel you can reach up and
touch the Queenstown-bound Air NZ
planes as they pass close overhead.
Another five hours or so, and you get
to Tuohys Saddle, where you have two
choices. Turn right and drop down
to spend the night in the rustic-butadorable Meg Hut (built for musterers
in 1958) or turn left and head down the
4WD track through Tuohys Gully. You’ll
be rewarded with a 600-metre descent
through a fascinating microclimate, a
boggy green oasis in the heart of the dry
Cardrona, home to a robust population
of cackling birdlife including some
resident ducks.
This is an exposed alpine route, and it can
get nasty quickly in adverse conditions,
so be prepared and tell someone where
you’re going. For more info and advice,
check in with the crew at the DOC office,
Ardmore Street, Wanaka.
Good news: Once you reach the Tuohys
Gully car park, you’ll find yourself but a
short drive from the Cardrona Hotel, the
perfect place to reward yourself with a
pint in the garden bar while you relive
your epic walk.
There’s a fair amount of magic to the
onomatopoeic Matukituki. It’s said this is a
misnomer, as when the Scots recorded the
Maori placenames for the area, they heard
Matakitaki as Matukituki. It was named after
an early chief and also has the meaning ‘to
gaze upon’. Indeed, to glimpse this river is to
be drawn into its snowfed depths. After rain,
the water becomes milky as silt gets stirred
up, but on clear days you can make out the
myriad stones strewn upon her belly. It’s
worth getting cold feet to hunt out a watersmoothed rock for your palm. Look for that
distinctive pink schist only found here, or an
albescent piece of quartz.
I’ve walked along her banks since I was
a kid, exploring both the East and West
branches. Lying in the long grass next to
the river’s life-support willows somehow
makes picnics taste better and talk
turn philosophical. Look up and you’re
surrounded by the glacier-shaped landscape
carved out in the last Ice Age, with Tititea /
Annabel Wilson
explores the Matuk
ituki
Valley with her fam
ily, Easter 1984
Mt Aspiring the ancient ancestor watching
over us all.
The mouth of the Matakitaki meets Lake
Wanaka just past Glendhu Bay. Once the
shores were a site for gathering pounamu,
nephrite, birds’ eggs, eels and up until
around five hundred years ago, snaring moa.
These days, anglers tread the edges of the
river in pursuit of introduced brown and
rainbow trout, and hunters scramble along
the tops of Mt Alta and Bent Burn for red
deer, chamois and wild pigs.
My attraction to this river however is not
in one of fish and game. For me the appeal
lies in the nuances of the seasons, and
sometimes the changes that occur in a day.
Winters, whether still or stormy, are always
moody, haunting. In summer oaky native
orchids and dandelions spring up along her
sides. Spring brings the rumble of avalanches
to the black peaks above. Autumn is a great
time to ford the river and follow the torrent
as you watch a storm roll in.
MAGAZINE. 31
opinion
little ones
ROCKET SCIENCE
I grew up in this area and I think it’s ruined me a little. Honestly, one of the best
parts of going on holiday is coming home. This is not a phenomenon that begins
when I get to the Southern Lakes area; it sometimes begins in Auckland even. I get
progressively more excited the closer I get to home. I was enraptured by the low
winter light in Ashburton this time round. I’d just spent two weeks in Hawai’i and
I was fizzing on the view in Ashburton. Clearly this is serious.
Whilst in Hawai’i I thought about New
Zealand a lot: “If I was on a beach in New
Zealand I’d have it all to myself right now”
- granted I’d probably be in a 5 mm wetty
or a down jacket once the sun went down
- “If I was in New Zealand, this would be a
beach break, and I wouldn’t be quaking in
my reef booties about falling on the reef or
Tiger Sharks eating me” – New Zealand’s
Great Whites don’t like eating us, they just
take an exploratory bite – “If I was in New
Zealand I wouldn’t need a permit to go for
a mountain walk” - “If I was in New Zealand
this coffee would be a lot more likely to be
awesome.” This “grass is greener in New
Zealand” narrative was ever present during
a recent European trip too. Well, almost –
it stopped whilst I ate French pastry, and
drank Belgian beer.
There are definitely things I think other
places do better. I like the European’s laissez
faire approach to personal safety – they seem
to assume people will think before acting. I
was surprised to find that Americans appear
to be more relaxed about safety too; they let
people ride on the back of pick-ups, and they
do not instantly recoil at the sight of a dog:
it’s refreshing. The Aussies are - I’ve found –
generally friendlier than us Kiwis, if you don’t
32
MAGAZINE.
arrive on a boat that is.
But when I want to indulge in a tasty New
Zealand-made craft beer after a day of flatwhite-fuelled-riding amongst mind-blowing
scenery – and when I want to do that in
peace, without fear of being stung, bitten or
mauled, or sharing the track with the sweaty
masses – there’s no place like home.
We have on our doorstep one of the
most incredible places on earth. I suspect
the only reason we still have it this good is
because there’s only a few of us here, and
the majority of that few live in Auckland. Our
17 people per square km compared to say,
the UK’s 259, means that we get away with
a lot of environmental mismanagement. And
maybe - because we just need to look out
our windows to get the impression that the
wilderness is doing just fine - we’re a little
prone to complacency.
If we want Aotearoa to remain the best
place in the world to come home to,
complacency is not what we need right now.
If this land resonates as deeply with you as
it does with me, please do all you can to
protect it; our mountains, bush, rivers, lakes,
oceans and all that dwell therein are worth
fighting for.
MIEK DEUNINCK
It’s completely excellent to be a kid for many reasons, one of which is that no one
contacts the psychiatric authorities when you want to blow stuff up, and when it
comes to controlled explosions, there may be no better method than this childhood
classic: Mentos and Coke.
In honour of our “flight” theme we thought good shake.
we’d tell you how to make a Coke-and- • Throw the bottle really high above your
Mentos-powered rocket. It’s a great party head and let it fall onto a hard surface.
trick and makes a big sticky mess that is • Run away. Blast off!
really annoying to adults.
Why does it work? Apparently this is
• Get yourself a 2L bottle of Coke, a pack of something scientists have argued a lot about.
Mentos and some masking tape. (HINTS: Most them agree it has to do with nucleation,
Diet Coke works best. And use the white where the carbon dioxide in the Coke is
minty Mentos, not the coloured ones. They attracted to the thousands of little bumps
suck for rocket fuel.)
created by microscopic layers of liquid sugar
• Cut off a 10cm strip of tape and stick two or on the surface of the Mentos. Lots of bubbles
three Mentos to it, leaving the tape exposed form all over the mints as they sink to the
at either end. Fold over and stick the ends of bottom, releasing extra gas that pushes the
the tape together.
liquid away, hard. But whatever. The main
• Dangle the Mentos into the bottle. Leave the thing is that it’s really cool. PS - Be careful.
end of the tape hanging over the rim of the Launch in an area with lots of space. And
bottle neck.
don’t throw the rocket at anyone. That would
• Screw the lid on, not too tight.
be silly.
• Turn the bottle upside down and give it a LAURA WILLIAMSON
Overlooking the lake and mountains
Relishes Café is something of a Wanaka institution.
Seasonal, local produce dominates a contemporary menu.
Open from 7am, dinner from 5pm every day.
99 Ardmore Street, Wanaka | Ph 03 443 9018
degustation
on the page
WHARE KEA CHEFS
AMONG AUSTRALASIA’S BEST
Local chefs James Stapley and Sarah Wadsworth have been causing a stir.
Chef James has been invited to be the sole New Zealand representative chef at
the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival Masterclass weekend, and Sarah has won
Mindfood/Silver Fern’s Best Homecook of the Year competition.
Chef James will join superstar chefs from
around the globe to create dishes for an
exclusive Relais & Chateaux International
Chef and Wine dinner in Melbourne on March
6. From 8 March, he will front the Langham
Masterclass session that has a central theme
of water. The session takes food and wine
lovers on a journey to explore the concepts
and craftsmanship behind working with
the rich supply of produce created from the
bodies of water that connect our planet.
Sarah has been assisting Chef James in the
kitchen with dinner service since November.
She loves the creativity involved with coming
up with a new menu every day based on
seasonal availability, as well as guests'
preferences and dietary requirements. Her
winning recipe was her own Southwestern
Lamb Chili, which she had to prepare in a
one-hour cook off that saw her pitted against
other national finalists. Sarah finished her
recipe a bit early and admittedly got creative
in the last few minutes by making some fresh
corn tortilla chips using an opened can of
tomatoes as a cut out. "I knew I wanted
to serve the dish with tortillas and kept
contemplating how to maximize the flavour
of the chips, while also using a convenient
shape to spoon the chili onto, so the diameter
of the can was perfect."
For those who wish to experience Sarah
and James’ cuisine, guests of Whare Kea
Lodge have a five-course degustation
included in their stay, and those who stay
for three nights or longer may enjoy a
complimentary cooking class.
To try Sarah’s recipes, head to
seasonalalchemist.com and to peep into
Whare Kea’s kitchen, hit up:
wharekealodge.com/nz/from-the-kitchen/.
Southwestern lamb chilli
Sarah with Mindfood editors and judges
34
MAGAZINE.
THE MOUSEPROOF KITCHEN
BY SAIRA SHAH
The Mouseproof Kitchen opens with a birth, with all the pain, hope and dread
that can come with that moment, and the blurry minutes, then hours, that follow.
In this case, the parents are told their daughter is severely disabled, and will
probably never walk, talk, eat properly or engage with other people.
An opening chapter like this leads you to days are as much dictated by a ongoing
expect two things: one, a depressing read, battle with the leaky roof, an army of cunning
and two, a tale of the triumph
rats and French bureaucracy
of the human spirit where the
as with the needs of their
parents overcome adversity,
daughter. An eccentric cast
learn lots of lessons and wheel
of neighbours and hangersoff contently into the dusk
on (undocumented hippies,
knowing they are better people
questionable “heroes” of the
for it all.
Resistance, a gay orphan
There’s a little bit of both
with some pretty big mother
here, but mostly there isn’t.
issues), as well as Anna’s own
That’s what makes this book
judgemental and slightly potty
stand out. The parents,
mother, provide a foil to the
Anna and Tobias are, at
gentle Freya who stays sweetly
the beginning, selfish about
in the background as if waiting
what has happened to them,
for her parents to come to
Pick up your copy at
discussing abandoning Freya,
terms with her, and with each
Paper Plus Wanaka,
worrying that a lifetime of
other.
23 Helwick Street
caring for her will hijack their
Shah herself is mother to
future. They share a black
a child with severe cerebral
humour about their situation,
palsy, and while she distances
about their “baby with no
herself and her family from
brain”—this sounds horrible, but it’s the the fictional characters in the book, Freya’s
exact opposite of the noble hand wringing condition mirrors that of her own child.
you’d get from characters in a Hollywood The Mouseproof Kitchen offers a genuine
movie. It feels real. More importantly, it glimpse into that experience.
conveys the idea that, in a situation like this,
Food bonus: The novel closes with a list of
there is no proper reaction. There are only recipes from the Languedoc, including olive
different ways of coping. Each individual tapenade, savoury olive and ham cake and
needs to find his or her own.
Jerusalem artichoke soup, a reminder that
The London-based pair (he’s a composer, food, in the end, makes a lot of things a lot
she’s a chef) move to a run-down farmhouse better. Yum.
in the Languedoc region of France. Their LAURA WILLIAMSON
MAGAZINE. 35
on screen
ALMOST FAMOUS (2000)
MUSIC
SOOTHES EVEN
THE SAVAGE
BEAST
PART
TWO
Endearing teen journalist Will goes on tour
with up-and-coming band Stillwater for
Rolling Stone magazine. Loses his virginity,
falls in love and bears witness to beautiful
madness along the way. Plus Kate Hudson
and Billy Crudup are in it. Swoon!
Best scene: When the band’s private plane
flies through a thunderstorm. Home truths
as the members confess what’s on their
chests. Best mid-air scene ever.
MORE MUSIC MOVIES AND ROCKUMENTARIES TO MONG OUT TO
Last issue we published LAURA WILLIAMSON’s favourite music movies (she
got a lot of flack for the Spice Girls, but that’s what you get for being avantgarde). ANNABEL WILSON has a few more suggestions to get you through autumn.
Annabel’s top five music movies.
DAZED & CONFUSED (1993))
CONTROL (2007)
A gritty biopic designed for watching with
the curtains shut when it’s dismal outside,
Manchester-style. Shot in colour then
printed to black and white, Control tracks
the rise and demise of Joy Division’s post
punk rock Adonis, Ian Curtis. A poignant
reminder of how the most talented and
tortured artists fly too close to the ether.
Best scene: The part when Curtis has an
epileptic fit on stage. Haunting. Daunting.
Will probably leave you feeling a little like the
audience did when they saw this live.
MAGAZINE.
36
School’s out for summer! School’s out
forever! Alice Cooper blazes over the
opening sequence and introduces us to a
motley crew of kids on their last day of high
school, 1976. Richard Linklater’s comingof-age cult film takes its title from a Led
Zep song of the same name. Watch hotties
including Matthew McConaughey, Ben
Affleck and Milla Jovovich get all wiggy at the
drive in and in the woods.
Best scene: Alright, alright, alright! When
seniors Pink (Jason London) and Wooderson
(McConaughey) escort ‘fresher’ Mitch into
local hangout, The Emporium. Tight pants,
tighter t-shirts and flowing tresses. The apex
of London’s career, considering he went on
to star in the saccharine series Party of Five
and recently pleaded guilty to disorderly
conduct after getting in a bar fight then
soiling himself in the back of a cab.
Melvins and Pearl Jam.
Best scene: The rare video footage
of Nirvana’s first performance of their
breakthrough hit, Smells Like Teen Spirit.
HIGH FIDELITY (2000)
This is a film for the makers of mix tapes and
lists. Nick Hornby’s London-based novel is
transposed to Chicago where vinyl junkie
Rob (John Cusack) composes a list of his
Top Five break ups then contacts his exes to
figure out what went wrong. Worth watching
because the “musical morons” in this movie
make lists for every conceivable occasion,
just like us.
Best scene: Bruce Springsteen’s cameo is
pretty cool, but Jack Black singing ‘Let’s Get
It On’ is next level!
HYPE! (1996)
Rockumentary tracking the basement
inception of the Seattle sound to its
commercialisation in the mid 90s. Includes
interviews
and
performances
from
bands linked with the Sub Pop brand like
Mudhoney, Nirvana, Soundgarden, The
Fly by, dine in
or takeaway with Sasanoki!
SASANOKI
OIK I
SSAA
SS
AA
NN
OK
SASANOKI
26 Ardmore St
Lake Wanaka
Tel: 03 443 6474
26 Ardmore St, Lake Wanaka. Tel: 03 443 6474
inspiration
FLOSS
Two brain surgeries
and a life devoid of oral hygiene
Storm says that teeth are overrated.
Storm wanted to be a dancer,
but these days she does her dancing
upon rails of powdered steel and smoke filled streets
cackling with the unadulterated joy, of somebody
who has nothing left to lose.
As she turns to leave, an afterthought,
she offers sage advice
on the alternative uses for dental floss.
She says, to always apply cocaine to the wound
before attempting DIY stitches,
and never to use mint flavoured floss.
ILLUSTRATION: INDIA HUGHES
On the streets of the Mission,
I gave a dusty fur coat
to a haggard old hippie named Storm.
ALI JACS
www.alijacs.com
Based in Wellington, Ali Jacs is a performance poet, storyteller and New Zealand’s 2012
National Poetry Slam Champion. Her work is equal parts hilarious, hard-hitting and thoughtprovoking, speaking to the madness, and the beauty, of our times. She blew us away at this
year’s Outspoken Festival of Words & Storytelling, and she has shared this poem with us.
later on
38
MAGAZINE.
WANAKA
the little magazine
with a big heart
WINTER ISSUE ON THE STREET
JUNE 1, 2014
onmag.co.nz
GET ON
THE
LAKE
WITH
US
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specialists. Kayak, Stand Up paddle Board &
Catamaran Tours, instruction and rentals. We
are your local Red Air Paddleboard stockists
with a huge range to choose from. Come
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it. Alternatively come join our ISA qualified
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level. For those after a bit more of a challenge
join one of our SUP Fitness or SUP Yoga
classes run twice weekly. Contact us for more
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0800 926 925
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opposite ‘Dungarven Street’
and the ‘Waterbar’
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