Emily in Paris wants to be a homemade pain au chocolat but can barely reach the level of a store-bought croissant. For over two decades, Darren Star has had his very specific genre locked down: he makes shows about professional women trying to have it all, where all the stakes are emotional and all the … Read more
The Tahitian leader has refused to stop fighting against nuclear testing and its effects on his people. New Zealanders must do the same, writes Jenny Te Paa-Daniels. For those with memories of Mururoa, the name Oscar Temaru ought to be synonymous with the atoll and the protest against French nuclear testing in the Pacific. For … Read more
A film that positions France as everything New Zealand vintners should aspire to is looking at the world of wine through a narrow lens, argues wine writer Joelle Thomson. Does the New Zealand wine industry deserve a seat at the international wine table? It’s a big question with lots of different answers depending who you … Read more
The ongoing ‘Gilets Jaunes’ protests in France should serve as a warning to NZ politicians, writes Jeanette Fitzsimons: fail to explain the benefit of carbon pricing (and where the money is going) and you’ll reap the consequences. A price on carbon has been a key demand of serious climate action for three decades now, but … Read more
This Thursday is Beaujolais Nouveau Day, and you don’t have to buy into a quaint-French-custom-turned-grotesque-celebration-of-capitalism — or drink something that tastes like raspberry vinegar — to get involved. A dilemma presents itself to me every year as the third Thursday of November approaches. I’m not one to deliberately forego an excuse to drink wine, but … Read more
This week, Alice is smitten with a seasonal twist on an old favourite, and Henry happily quaffs a Provençal rosé. GARAGE PROJECT PERNICIOUS YUZU WEED 8%, 650ml, $16.99 from Fine Wine Delivery Co Pernicious Weed is OG Garage Project, one of the original 24 beers the Wellington brewery boldly released over 24 weeks to announce … Read more
Chenin blanc is one of the most versatile grapes around, and it makes some truly excellent wine. New Zealand is an ideal place to grow it, so why is so little being produced here? In the corner of one of Marlborough’s few hillside vineyards, there is a grape that makes some of the greatest white … Read more
This week the All Blacks launched their ad campaign to boost the June test series with France, labelling it The Battle For The Gallaher Cup. But ‘battle’ is the wrong word for the wrong situation, writes Jamie Wall for RNZ. Dave Gallaher was the captain of the Originals, the first New Zealand rugby team to … Read more
Simon Wilson is fresh back from France and filled with enthusiasm for ways to make Auckland better. Here’s the first: a great big bike share scheme. Ten days ago I rode a bike around the Place de la Concorde. It’s that roundabout in Paris with about 10 lanes, none of them marked on the … Read more